#one thing I hope with…everything coming close is that the members didn’t allow cube to gaslight them into thinking they’re worthless

[hargrove-mayfields]

Everyone likes to pretend Billy was never even there. Life goes on, people change, the past gets forgotten.

A year isn’t enough time for Max though. Right now it feels like the rest of her life wouldn’t be enough time, but Neil and Susan, they were doing just fine.

It’s almost like they like not having him around, that extra burden they couldn’t shake. The plan only Max knew was that Billy was going to stay at home until she was old enough to go with him so she’d be safe.

She knew he was fed up and looking at some local apartments within walking distance of Cherry Lane anyways, but then July happened, and Billy died.

Now it’s July again, and her hair is in twin braids of red with pure white ribbons on the end, and her and her mother are wearing matching blouses. There’s bruises under the bangle on her mothers wrist and one under Max’s own sleeve, and she just wants her brother back.

It’s a holiday they told her, her father (he’s not her fucking father, they never made her call him that when Billy was around) is a veteran, they have to celebrate. Better just dry her eyes and get over it.

Her mother invites all the family they have in the area over to their house for a little get together picnic, and they do their little happy family routine for a while, but Max can only handle so much of it.

Billy should be here by her side, flicking watermelon seeds at her face and putting ice cubes from the cooler down the back of her shirt, being an asshole to distract her from the reality of her family.

And that was that she didn’t really have one, a family. It was always just her and Billy.

Even at these events made for bonding with family, they were off to the side, messing around while the adults talked like they weren’t even there, and she knew she was a little naive then, but it stung more than ever, knowing that even after she’d lost her brother, nobody even stopped to say hi or check up on her, it was just straight into gossiping about the neighbors and those disrespectful bastards across the street who weren’t flying a flag for the holiday and family members who couldn’t be there.

But Max never heard Billy’s name come up even once, and not even in a respect to the dead boy and his grieving sister type of way, but rather, in the way that they just didn’t want to acknowledge his existence. None of these people had come to his graduation in May of last year, or his funeral two months later.

Billy was a taboo that the Hargrove-Mayfields didn’t dare taint their celebrations of freedom and justice with. The irony made Max sick to her stomach.

Or that was at least, until Neil couldn’t help himself.

His words are slurring already, with an excuse to party he’s on what Max would guess to be his fifth or sixth beer that afternoon, and someone just made the mistake of mentioning their own son, Billy and Max’s third cousin or something, and it spurs Neil off on a tangent about his.

“That boy was always good for nothing anyways. It’s almost the same now that he’s dead, ‘Cept maybe now I get some more quiet around the house.”

Nobody knows what to do when he says that, there’s a couple awkward laughs and one shocked gasp, that one was probably from her mother, but Max knows exactly what she wants to do.

What she wants is to watch Neil choking on his blood instead of her brother, his body being lowered into the ground instead of Billy’s, and in the moment she feels like she could be the one to make that a reality, but instead she just stands abruptly, a plate of the food her mother worked so hard to prepare for them she’d been too queasy to eat falling off her knees to the grass, and she says everything she’d bottled up for the past year.

“Don’t talk about Billy that way!

“Now, Maxine-“ Neil starts, but Max is livid, can’t hold back all the things she wished she had said before Billy died, when she got grounded after the funeral, when Neil started beating her, “No! I’m not going to let you do to me what you did to my brother! You don’t get to control me like you did him, it’s your fault that he’s dead!”

It’s her mother’s turn to try to stop her, slender hand covering her mouth painted red, “Maxine..”

“Stop trying to reason with me! I’m sick of pretending to be a family when I had to watch my own brother die! And I’m sick of being treated like I’m crazy for being the only one that cares about Billy!”

More than one person chimes in on that one, offended by the notion they don’t care about family, though it’s Neil that insists, in that faux calm, close to snapping voice of his, “We do care, Maxine. We’re all grieving in our own ways.”

She fires back, “Grieving what? The loss of your punching bag? You hated Billy! You don’t care that he’s dead, all that matters to you is having someone to hurt, and you no trouble adjusting to beating up on your wife and step-daughter instead!”

She catches a backhand to the face for that, and all the background chatter comes to a halt, Neil gritting out through his teeth, “Inside. Now.”

There are tears in her eyes that sting almost as much as the knuckle marks on her cheek, but Max feels like she won, getting her step dad all riled up in front of their family, she feels almost invincible, and she sneers all smug like and bitter, “I can’t go inside yet. I’m celebrating your service to our country, dad. You know, as a family.”

But when Neil's face turns as red as the blood that dripped from his wife’s nose the night before and he stands from his chair and drags her inside by the wrist himself, she realizes that it wasn’t exactly a win.

And when her brain goes numb trying to focus on both the repeated slaps and punches that explode like firecrackers across her skin and the way Neil is yelling and lecturing her until his voice is raw, giving her the same lessons her brother had burned into the back of his mind, she feels like she’s lost everything instead.

When she has to choke back her tears and apologize for embarrassing Neil and for making him hit her as punishment, she realizes, this isn’t a game that can be won or lost at all.

Max isn’t allowed to go back outside to the party. That rule goes unspoken, but words aren't necessary with the way Neil storms off without another word, slamming the back door behind himself. She’s slowly starting to figure out what the things her step father does instead of says mean.

She misses being allowed to be clueless, having someone to protect her or take what punishment she had earned. She wishes she wouldn’t have asked so much of Billy though.

Her own room isn’t safe anymore, what once had been the place she’d be ushered off to when Neil got bad had become more like a trap, the place Neil went to first when he was angry. Everything that had been hers felt wrong, so she goes to Billy’s room and doesn’t come out for the rest of the night. Even now that he’s gone, he still kept her safe.

There’s a welt on her face and fresh bruises forming everywhere, hot tears wetting her sunburnt cheeks and the pillows that smell like Billy, or at least used to before Susan decided his room needed cleaned and washed away every trace of her brother.

All night long there are fireworks going off, a big show put on by the city downtown has her shaking, unable to close her eyes for fear those distant explosions would take her back to the mall, bring back memories she’d never forget, and covering her ear with her hands.

The cracks and booms that shake her windows and her entire life, a headache and a heart break even stronger.

She tries her hardest not to think about Starcourt though, so instead she thinks about how Billy would’ve been proud of her for standing up to Neil. He would’ve called her an idiot, but he would’ve cleaned up her scrapes and held her through the panic attack after, and he probably would’ve liked to see the person Max was becoming too.

That makes Max’s heart hurt, the fact that he won’t get to. She cries harder, and she feels so alone without Billy.

Some part of her knows that she isn’t though. She isn’t the only one that lost somebody last July.

Hawkins’ cemetery was alive with flowers and wreaths and decoration, and more than anything the grieving. All of the victims had families, or in the case of the Holloway’s where their whole family was killed, they had friends and neighbors in the tight knit community who remembered them. El was still grieving Hopper, and Max knew Billy had people like that too.

Billy was popular, his death had a huge impact on the younger population of the town, but not only that, he had his closest friends, Steve and Tommy and Carol and Nicole and Adam from the pool, and of course Heather couldn’t be there, but those people were all keeping her brother alive.

As much as it felt like everyone was trying to forget him, they weren’t, and that brought Max a little bit of hope.

Hope that Billy would be remembered for the things he did right, and who he was behind the boy he had to be to keep them safe.

Hope that with his memory kept in the hearts of so many, the burden of grief wouldn’t fall solely on Max forever and make things a little easier.

Hope that the wound would someday heal, and she could look back on the time she did have with Billy, those seven too short years, with a smile on her face.

For now, she wraps herself in Billy’s jacket and comforter, listening to his music to drown out the distant fireworks, and dreams of the day when things won’t be like this, when she can leave Hawkins and all it’s bad memories and the “family” holding her back to live a life her brother would be proud of, a life that would honor his.

Max decides then with determination, flinching when a bright flash lights up her window, a loud echo through the quaint neighborhood, that she was going to do what Billy hadn’t been able to and break the cycle.

Tomorrow, she’d tell the school counselor she’d been assigned when her depression was at its worst all about Neil Hargrove.

[captain-josslett]

Broken Melody - Part Thirty Three

Masterlist

Summary: Grammy Award winning Emma Danvers is the first to say she has a pretty good life. But what happens when it implodes around her and it looks like things will never be the same again?

Words: 8.8k+ (DANG IT! I tried not writing as much... Ah well.)

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, PTSD moments, smut...ish more mentions of?

Pairings: Emma Danvers x Lena Luthor, Alex Danvers x Sam Arias

This Part: A week before the surgery and Emma sees Alistair for an appointment.

Ek! So close! Please, please, please, let me know you thoughts and opinions. I literally have no anons 😅 @aznblossom thank you for always leaving a comment!

Thank you for reading and let me know if you wanna be tagged or any general feedback will be greatly appreciated. Please! I like knowing your thoughts.

Taglist: @finleyfray, @life-is-hella-unfair, @natasha-danvers, @supergirl-writingz, @camslightstories, @thinking1bee, @aznblossom

A Week Before The Surgery

Emma’s feet pound the pavement as she runs along the waterfront by the city, with Robyn’s partly completely album blaring in her ears.

Emma can’t help but feel pride with how good everything sounds as she passes unsuspecting members of the public. Weaving around the couples and families going for a gentle stroll in the warm April, Saturday sun.

Her face starts to feel slightly uncomfortable from the sweat rolling down her face. The face modifier causing a strange sensation and a tightness due to her heated skin. After finding this happening whenever she exercises with the modifier on, Winn and Brainy decide to develop a new model, one that will  hopefully be more lightweight and comfortable for the wearer. Including more options and will be able to change the wearer's hair and colour.

But, Emma hopes the time will come soon where Lucy gives her the go ahead where she won’t have to wear it anymore. By Doctor Hamilton’s assessment it should be another month or two before that can happen.

Emma had ventured out without it on, but that was under Lucy’s strict orders and guidance. The lawyer had organised a little outing where Emma sat in a wheelchair with a nasal cannula, giving the impression she was getting oxygen and sat with her sisters at Noonan’s. Bruises and prosthetics were applied around her face and neck to create the illusion that Emma was still healing.

Emma did query whether it would be a good idea but she had been reassured it was. Emma even asked if she still needed the prosthetics but Doctor Hamilton explained that with the severity of the trauma done to her body, she suspects the swelling would have stayed around longer than normal.

As soon as Alex rolled Emma through the restaurant's doors it spread like wildfire that Emma was out in public. Social Media lapped it up and soon a crowd of paparazzi, well wishers and fans gathered outside the restaurant. Emma stiffly waved and played her part but was grateful when they left and she could get rid of the itchy makeup and prosthetics.

Lena was meant to have joined them at the outing, but per usual, Lena had been too busy to attend.

Emma lets out a heavy breath as her heart clenches at the thought of her girlfriend. The Sunday after Nia’s party had been utter bliss with Emma waking up in Lena’s arms. The raven haired beauty had already been awake and kissed Emma’s forehead as she greeted her. The couple then laid there for a while, planting soft kisses on each other's lips until Emma needed to pee. The blonde had come back expecting Lena would want to start the day. However the raven haired beauty had not moved.

“Didn’t you mention about spending the whole day in bed?” Lena asked in a husky voice, dripping in sex. She pulled the covers back and revealed she had removed her pajamas.

Emma didn’t hesitate in flinging off her own clothing and jumping right back into bed. That day had been magical while they moved as one, the feeling of-

Her watch bleeps, pulling Emma out of her thoughts and alerting her to another mile she’s completed and calculating what her pace is. She glances down at it to check but notices the time instead, her eyes widen and immediately she turns towards Alistair's office.

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!’ Emma screams in her head as she starts running faster and berates herself for being in her own little world. Not realising she had gone further then she originally planned.

Currently she was twenty minutes away from Alistair’s office and her appointment was in ten minutes. She’s going to be late and Emma hates being late. The blonde pumps her arms and wishes she could call out for people to move or apologies when she makes people jump as she sprints past.

Finally Alistair’s building comes into view but Emma doesn’t slow down until she slides in front of the building's door and presses the buzzer four times to alert the alien she has arrived.

“Come on up Emma!” Alistair’s warm voice calls through the speaker and the buzzing of the lock follows, allowing Emma to push the door open.

The blonde races up the stairs two at a time, putting her wireless headphones in their case and turns into the hallway towards Alistair’s office door. Finding that the red headed alien was already standing in the doorway and gently smiling at her.

‘I’m so, so sorry! I’m so late! Time got away from me and-’ Emma’s mind screams out as she quickly approaches the therapist, automatically reaching up and deactivating the modifier.

“Emma, it's okay! You’re actually right on time!”

The blonde halts and frowns, immediately lifting her arm up to look at her watch. She notices the running app is still on and quickly ends the session before looking at the time.

Alistair was correct… She was right on time.

‘Huh… I must have read it wrong.’ Emma muses as she tries to visualise what she saw as she was running.

“Possibly.” Alistair agrees and moves out of the way to let her in.

As soon as she enters the office the patter of paws makes her look up from her watch as Lily excitedly trots over to her.

‘Lily!’ Emma drops to her knees and affectionately strokes under Lily’s chin. The snowy white german shepherd greets her in kind with many licks to her face and arms, lapping up the light sheen of sweat covering them, causing Emma to release a few voiceless laughs.

“She’s always happy to see you.” Alistair says cheerfully and moves towards his chair, motioning for Emma to sit on the sofa.

Straightening up Emma makes her way over with Lily right beside her.

“The water is for you as well. Did you have a good run?” Alistair asks, as Emma sits down, takes her trainers off and sits crossed legged. Lily instantly hops onto the sofa next to her and rests her head on the blonde’s lap.

Emma glances at the coffee table in front of her, on it was a box of tissues, a few books and a glass of water with a lemon slice and a few cubes of ice.

‘Thank you and yes it was good.’ Emma thinks gratefully as she carefully leans forward to get the glass, not wanting to jostle Lily too much. Seeing this, Alistair helps by getting the glass first and holding it out for Emma to take.

“Great and thank you for being willing to move your appointment to today. I am sorry about having to rearrange our time together.” Alistair says sincerely.

‘It’s okay.’ Emma shrugs, she normally sees Alistair during the week. ‘Not like I had much planned for today anyway.’ A small twinge hits Emma’s heart.

“Okay, how’s the last few days been?” Alistair asks as he leans back against the leather armchair and studies her. Emma takes a few gulps of the cool water as she thinks.

‘Yea, it wasn't too bad.’ Memories of the week flashes through her mind, who she saw, the smells, her heart clenching whenever she’d wake up in an empty apartment-

“Ah, I take it Lena is still working a lot?” Alistair asks with a sympathetic smile.

‘Yea.’ Emma answers softly in her mind, her shoulders slump and Lily licks her hand, making the blonde slowly stroke her head. ‘I understand these new investors are important, I know how important her work is but-’ Emma stops her thoughts and looks out of the window at the sea in the distance.

“You miss her.” Alistair finishes for her and Emma lowers her head.

‘Yea.’ Emma thinks weakly and can’t help but visualise their early relationship. How excited Emma was to get back to her hotel room to spend some time with her girlfriend, no matter how exhausted she felt after a gig. ‘I love her so much, I’d give my life for her but I just miss what we had when she wasn’t so busy. I mean we made it work when I was on tour and I’d call her even with the different time zones and it would be early in the morning for me.’

“That is understandable.” Alistair comments as he rests a finger beside his cheek as he ponders what Emma revealed. “You have both been through some major changes. Has she given you a time frame for when things look to be getting back to normal?”

-- -- --

During the week - Lena and Emma’s apartment

Emma checks her phone for the umpteenth time as she gets ready for Lena. On Sunday they had planned to have a date during the week and go out for dinner. Something they haven’t been able to do recently.

Emma voicelessly sighs while putting the finishing touches on her makeup, thankful that her hard work transfers through the modified face.

Standing up from the dressing table the blonde heads towards the walk-in wardrobe and takes the dress, she had spent hours deciding on, off the hanger. The dress was teal coloured, elegantly pleated and Emma had fallen in love with it as soon as she saw it. Also finding she was loving the dress even more when she zipped herself up and admired the way it hugged her toned body. She then steps into her trusted black high heeled shoes and opens her jewelry box.

For a moment she looks for her layered necklace her sisters got her. Only to feel a devastating pang when she remembers Kara crushed it.

‘No… Not Kara.’ Emma shakes her head and closes the lid. She heads out into the living area and glances at her phone again.

No new messages from Lena.

Emma flops onto the sofa, ignoring the dull ache in her head that hasn’t disappeared since leaving the DEO. Naturally when anyone asks her about it the blonde shrugs it off, not wanting to worry her friends and family anymore then she already has.

Laying down on the sofa Emma opens her phone and scrolls through social media to pass the time. She yawns and starts to feel her eyes grow heavy and eventually they close as she falls into a deep sleep.

So deep that even when the apartment door opens and closes, Emma doesn’t stir. Or when heeled shoes click over to her.

What does wake her up is a hand gently shaking her shoulder. Emma jumps, her eyes fly open as she takes a sharp intake of breath.

“Sorry love.” Lena apologises softly and strokes Emma’s cheek with the back of her fingers.

Emma nuzzles her face into Lena’s hand and kisses it before sitting up. Which causes her to become face to face with the raven haired beauty as Lena sat next to the sleeping blonde.

Emma smiles and goes to kiss Lena, until she sees the time on the oven clock. Her eyes widen and she pulls back.

“Em?” Lena pouts at the halted kiss.

“The reservation! We’re late.” Emma moves to jump off the sofa but Lena places a hand on her shoulder, halting her movements.

“I cancelled it.” Lena says hesitantly and Emma blinks at her. “I’m sorry, it got so late and you weren’t answering your phone and-”

Emma places a finger on Lena’s lips, sensing the rising guilt and panic in her girlfriend. Reaching out she unlocks her phone, noticing the messages but instead goes into Hope’s app and turns the lights up from a soft glow.

Lena’s eyes squint at the sudden light and Emma studies her properly.

Despite the make up Lena was wearing, Emma can see the dark circles under her tired, reddened eyes. Emma opens her arms and Lena immediately falls into the hug and kisses her cheek. Slowly Emma leans back into the corner of the sofa, pulling Lena up with her.

“Emma!” Lena giggles and Emma feels Lena settle on top of her and snuggles in. The blonde slowly rubs circles into her girlfriend’s back and eventually feels Lena twitch, signalling she’s fallen asleep.

Carefully grabbing her phone, Emma opens UberEats and decides to get Lena’s favourite food. Seeing that it will be delivered in half an hour, Emma rests her head back against the cushions and enjoys the feeling of holding her girlfriend. Grateful that even though they haven’t gone out on a date, Lena has still come home and given Emma this time with her.

When the food arrives Emma carefully lifts the snoozing CEO off her and quietly runs to the door. But no matter how careful Emma is at keeping quiet, when she turns around Lena is sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

“Em?” Lena’s husky voice calls out.

Emma lets out a huff of frustration as she wants to tell her dinner is ready. She wants to speak the words of love she is longing to say.

Instead Emma strides over to the sofa and places the bag on the coffee table.

“Hmm, you know me so well.” Lena smirks at the sight of the logo on the bag.

The couple settle on the sofa and listen to a playlist of soft acoustic music as they eat.

“I-” Lena starts and hesitates. Turning her head Emma gazes into regretful green eyes and watches Lena swallow before she continues. “I just want to apologise for ruining our date tonight. Time just got away from me and… there's no excuse.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it's not.” Lena tries to implore Emma to listen. “Just- this won’t be forever. I promise you that. I’m taking time off for the surgery and afterwards to look after you. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been working nonstop, so my sole focus will be on you.” She reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind Emma’s ear.

Emma beams at her, taking Lena’s hand and kisses it.

“What have you been working on?” Emma asks and Lena explains the many projects she’s been developing with the investors and her team. Emma’s eyes widen at how complex it all sounds and nods along.

Soon they finish their meal and despite how tired they both are, they head to bed for a different reason than sleep.

-- -- --

Emma comes out of the memory before she shows anything risque to her therapist. But she cannot help but smile softly at the feeling of Lena’s arms wrapped around her.

“Interesting. So there wasn’t a set time frame, just that it won’t be forever?”

‘Yea.’ Emma looks down and runs her fingers smoothly through Lily’s fur.

“Have you tried asking Lena further?”

‘She apologises and says the same thing she’s been saying for a while. Now isn’t forever.’

Alistair nods and looks down at his notes as he jots down a few more. “How are you sleeping?”

Emma hesitates, causing Alistair to look back up at her. Feeling an unease emit from the blonde.

“Emma?” Alistair asks, his eyes imploring her to be truthful with him.

‘I haven’t been sleeping well. I’m finding I-’ Emma pauses, not wanting to admit what's been happening. Taking a deep breath her mind shows him instead. Horrible nightmares that have Emma jumping awake in a panic, drenched in sweat, only to find she is alone in bed.

“You’re still experiencing nightmares?”

Emma nods.

“More than usual, less or about the same?”

‘I-’ Emma lifts her head as she tries to remember. ‘It feels about the same.’

“Okay, that is something that we will still work on and honestly I’m not surprised you are still having them.” Alistair says compassionately, trying to help Emma see she is doing nothing wrong.

“What about your sisters? How are things going with them?”

‘It’s going well. Things almost feel back to normal.’

Emma’s mind brings up the memories of Alex chasing her around the beach, laughing as she tries to catch her until she finally jumps on Emma’s back.

And memories of Kara come forward where she’d fly into the apartment bearing gifts of Emma’s favourite food, like Cadbury chocolates from the UK. The pair would snuggle up on the sofa and watch a film while they gorge on the treats.

‘I know she still feels guilty, but she doesn’t flinch when we hug or touch anymore.’

“That's a good improvement for sure. But it seems Kara is still not as open as Alex yet?” Alistair enquiries, causing Emma to pause as she reflects.

‘No?’ She answers unsure. ‘I mean, Alex still holds back in certain areas. I still catch her looking at me with such a sad expression. They both do.’ Emma plays with her hands as her sisters’ mournful faces fill her mind, that is until Lily nuzzles her nose into her fiddling hands, allowing Emma to stroke her instead. ‘Maybe it's due to Kara’s trauma?’

“Most likely.” Alistair nods in agreement. “The thing is, each of us are different, we have different likes, different dislikes and our brains are wired uniquely. Therefore we can react differently to the same events, depending on who we are.”

Emma nods and rests her head against the back of the sofa as she thinks. ‘That makes sense. So, for Alex, she has trained to be a soldier, her natural instinct is to fight and follow orders. To lead and protect. But for Kara she grew up on another planet, with a particular upbringing, she witnessed that planet being destroyed, all she had known, gone in an instant.’ Emma’s heart pangs in sympathy, remembering how shell shocked Kara had been when Clark brought her to the Danvers. A new family and a new way of life. ‘She had to be so careful, even when walking, to not put her foot through the floorboards or hurt any of us.’

“Like a god among mortals.” Alistair nods in agreement. “From what you’ve told me before, it sounds like fear was instilled in her as soon as she arrived, that she could easily hurt anyone she came in contact with.”

Emma nods.

“So, Kara broke that promise when she hurt you-” Emma immediately interrupts in her mind but Alistair holds his hand up, halting her. “To Kara, she did hurt you and I know you keep repeating that she didn’t, but from Kara’s point of view it was her hand that crushed your neck and broke your bones. She hurt someone she cares deeply about and using the powers she had sworn would protect people.”

Emma lowers her head and pinches the bridge of her nose. Feeling the pounding in her head intensify.

“Like Supergirl, you can’t protect and save everyone.” Alistair says softly, imploring for Emma to understand.

‘I know.’ Emma admits sadly, she feels Lily move and nuzzle her head against Emma’s cheek, as if sensing her pain.

The pair sit in silence for a while. The ticking of the clock being the only noise in the room.

“How are you feeling about the surgery next week?” Alistair looks up at the clock. “You’d have just gone into the theatre.”

‘Honestly, I can’t wait for it.’ Emma thinks softly and the familiar sense of butterflies start fluttering around her stomach.

“How are you feeling about that?”

‘Nervous. Excited. Terrified.’

“Terrified? About the procedure?”

Emma hesitates. Lily, seemingly sensing her tension, lovingly licks Emma’s cheek and nuzzles her head into Emma’s hand. Causing Emma to continue stroking her.

“Emma?”

‘I am terrified about the operation not working, that it's going to make things bad again.’

“How so?”

‘It seems to be a constant reminder when I have to sign or when I go to laugh or make any noise, but all that comes out is breath.’ Emma thinks mournfully and glances out the window, memories of her sisters’ guarded eyes fill her mind. ‘I know this will take time before things can go back to normal. I just don’t want the progress we’ve made to be destroyed because the op didn’t work.’

“And if that happens?”

Emma’s stomach drops at the thought. But her mind focuses on those around her. Her family, friends and Lena. How would they react?

“Emma.” Alistair softly sighs, placing his book on the coffee table and leans forward. “You need to focus on yourself. Which you have been doing and I am pleased with our progress with your PTSD. We both know this isn’t a quick or an easy road. But you need to focus on how you feel about your voice not returning right away or, possibly ever.”

Emma swallows deeply at Alistair’s words, her throat feeling like it’s going to close over. ‘I understand.’

“Good.” Alistair picks his notebook back up and settles back into the seat. “Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

Emma pauses and focuses on Lily as she runs her fingers through the soft fur.

‘There is something else.’ Emma admits quietly. Almost as if she’s too scared to present it.

“Which is?” Alistair asks kindly, but Emma keeps her mind closed off. “Emma, you don’t have to share if you don’t want to-”

Images start filling his mind, of the world blurring and morphing around Emma. How one second she’s at one end of the apartment and the next she’s at the other end, normally crashing into something or stumbling. How she easily lifts items others seem to struggle with, lifting Lena and Alex like they were light as a feather. Her headaches and heightened senses, especially her sensitive hearing and being able to hear a whisper across a room. How overwhelming the noise can become when she’s in a crowded place.

Alistair also feels fear and confusion pour off the young woman.

“Emma, you have nothing to fear here.” Alistair implores the blonde. “And thank you for showing me. How long have you noticed these- moments?”

‘Only recently when… erm.’ Emma’s cheeks colour in an intense blush as she remembers the moment she heard a crack from the headboard during an intense orgasm on Sunday while she rode Lena’s strap. Looking down she noticed the wood was splintering and cracking under her hands.

Once Lena was asleep Emma had sat up and felt the cracks again. She stayed there for a while as pieces started to click into place. Something was wrong with her.

“Nothing is wrong with you.” Alistair says firmly, his eyes imploring Emma to listen. “Can we test this theory that something is happening to you?” Alistair asks as he straightens up.

Emma nods and watches as he gets up and goes to one of his many bookcases. The redhead picks something up and strides back over to her. In his hand is a small, shiny ball.

“Squeeze this as hard as you can.” Alistair says while handing her the ball and moves her empty glass to sit on the coffee table in front of her.

Lily sits up, intrigued by the object Emma is holding.

‘Okay.’ Emma starts squeezing and applies more and more pressure.

Nothing happens.

“Keep a hold of it but look at me.” Alistair instructs and Emma lifts her eyes and focuses on his kind crystal blue ones.

“Have they gotten any closer to finding those responsible?” Alistair carefully asks, his eyes searching Emma’s hazel green ones.

‘No.’ Emma’s face and eyes darken and she clenches her jaw.

“Are Kara and Alex putting up the right precautions to not get taken again? I imagine they are prime targets as they are close to you? Maybe someone like Winn or Lucy or maybe your Mom or even Lena could be taken next?”

The thought of her family, her friends, her loved ones being forced into what Alex and Kara have already gone through fills Emma with a powerful rage.

She grits her teeth and her hold on the silver ball tightens.

Alistair’s eyes flick down to her hand. “Emma, look.”

The blonde lowers her gaze and gapes at the hand imprint she has made on the now disproportionate ball.

“This is a ball of titanium.” Alistair says as he picks the metal up out of Emma’s hand. “Or was.” He mutters as he turns it around in his hands.

‘What’s happening to me?’ Emma thinks, terrified at what this could mean.

“I don’t know.” Alistair truthfully admits. “Maybe it’s to do with the serum they gave you?”

‘But it was a healing serum? Not a super soldier thing!’ Emma’s mind shouts, her panic starting to build.

“That may be the case, but you need to communicate with Lena, Brainy or Doctor Hamilton about this.”

‘Do I have to?’ Emma apprehensively asks.

“Yes. Because this-” Alistair holds up the distorted piece of titanium. “Is not normal.”

Emma nods but her face scrunches up in emotion.

‘You always like being the center of attention! I hate you!’ Alex’s teenage words scream within Emma’s mind, causing her to hide her head in her hands.

“Emma?” Alistair tilts his head and Lily nuzzles her nose into the side of the blonde’s face.

‘I’m just Emma, plain, simple Emma.’ Her thoughts come out weak and feeble.

“Emma, there is nothing plain or simple about you. You are one of the most talented people I know. Your voice reaches and touches millions of lives and gives them hope.” He says passionately and before Emma can respond a buzzer goes off. “And that’s the end of our session for this week.” He says apologetically. “But we’ve made some really good progress. Emma-” Alistair says to get Emma to look at him. Slowly she lowers her hands and lifts her head. Her eyes swimming in anguish. “I really recommend that you tell someone what is happening. Anyone you feel comfortable sharing with. Maybe Lucy or Sam?” Alistair gently offers. “Just don’t keep this to yourself.”

Emma nods and gets up, making Lily jump off the sofa and trots with her to the door.

“Did you want to meet up on Wednesday like usual? Or did you want to come here on Friday instead?” Alistair offers as he follows behind her with his diary.

‘Yea Wednesday sounds good.’

“Great! I’ll see you then! Have a good weekend and remember what I said.” Alistair opens the door and smiles at her.

Emma nods but feels slightly frustrated that the appointment ended just as they were getting somewhere. She quickly rushes through, feeling like she has more questions than answers.

What’s going on?

Did she have powers?

How could that be?

Over and over these questions cycle through her mind as she makes her way down the stairs.

She passes a mirror and suddenly remembers to put the face modifier on. She chooses the face with the Marilyn Monroe beauty mark that is quickly becoming one of her favourite to use.

As she exits the building Emma starts to get her headphones out and plans a route to run home. That is until a car quickly pulls up beside her and honks loudly. Causing Emma to jump high into the air.

“Get in loser we’re going shopping!” Alex yells across Kara who beams at Emma from the open passenger window.

But the blonde momentarily stays frozen, trying to process what just happened and her sisters’ beaming faces.

“Em?” Kara’s smile fades and a frown replaces it, making Emma quickly open the back door of Alex’s car and dive in.

“Seatbelt.” Alex orders as she turns to study her baby sister. ‘She must have had a hard session.’ Alex thinks and her eyes snap to Kara’s who looks to be thinking the same thing as she bites her lip in worry.

Once Emma is belted in Alex pulls back into traffic. “Hope you didn’t mind us picking you up?” She calls back to Emma and watches her shake her head in the rearview mirror.

Kara twists around so she can see Emma properly. “We thought we could have a sister’s day and have a movie marathon?”

“Sounds good.” Emma signs and tries to smile convincingly.

“Plus it's your turn to choose!” Alex says trying to sound more upbeat than normal and wants to remind Emma. Normally her blonde sister would clap loudly and take a while to choose. Going back and forth between many classics and their favourites. Even discussing pros and cons between the choices she has.

Instead, Emma simply nods in response before gazing out of the window. Making Kara and Alex exchange worried glances as they continue towards Alex’s apartment.

Soon they are parked in Alex's parking space and the sisters get out. Emma goes to walk towards the elevator when Alex stops her.

“Do you mind giving us a hand?” Alex asks while she pops the boot open. Bags upon bags of food are revealed, causing Emma to raise an eyebrow at her sisters.

“I know! I was hungry!” Kara whines and immediately grabs a donut from one of the bags and chomps on it.

“Kara!” Alex yells and swats at her.

“Sorry! Do you want one?” Kara says with her mouth full and offers Alex a donut.

Emma can’t help but smile at the pair and reaches down to take a few bags.

“Wait! Em they are-” Alex pauses as Emma effortlessly lifts them up. “Heavy… Guess not.”

Emma momentarily freezes and remembers what she had Alistair had discussed, instead she shrugs and smiles at the red head instead.

“I got these!” Kara announces and takes the rest.

“You left me with one.” Alex says unimpressed while closing the boot. “Emma, give me a few.”

The blonde looks down and hands her sister the bags full of light goodies.

“I can take a few more.” Alex raises an eyebrow at Emma and holds her hand out. But Emma responds in a shrug and strolls towards the elevator. Alex turns her head towards Kara who repeats Emma’s shrug and follows.

As soon as they enter the apartment Emma places the bags on the island and quickly disengages her face modifier. Silently sighing in relief as she massages her cheeks.

Kara places her bags on the island and pulls out a small USB drive from her jean pocket. “Winn kindly let us borrow his drive with all the films past and present. Wouldn’t let me borrow films of the future though… Especially those based on real events.”

“Wonder why?” Alex laughs and places the last of the bags on the island. She looks to see Emma’s response, but the blonde is too busy unpacking the bags. “Em?”

Hazel green eyes shoot up and an unusual blank look accompanies Emma’s face.

“You okay?” Alex asks with a frown and takes a step towards her baby sister. But Emma takes a step away from her and around the island.

“Can I have a shower? I still feel a bit gross from my run.” Emma signs while barely looking at her sisters.

“Sure! You know you don’t need to ask!” Alex utters and watches Emma nod before zipping into the bathroom.

“Shall I get you some clothes?” Kara calls out while giving Alex a concerned look, the redhead mirrors it with a frown.

Emma pops her head around the door and nods, giving them a grateful smile before quickly disappearing again.

Kara approaches Alex’s closet. “Kara, wait!” Alex yells but the blonde has already opened the door.

“Huh, Alex-” Kara tilts her head and slowly turns back to her sister. “Why are most of your clothes not in your closet?”

“Er, laundry day?” Alex says not too convincingly and can tell by Kara’s face, she doesn’t believe her.

“That’s a question.” Kara places a hand on her hip and studies the redhead.

“Okay I can explain, but I want to tell both of you. Together.”

“Okay.” Kara grins at her sister and turns back to the closet to find something for Emma to wear.

“There should be a bag of Em’s things by the right?” Alex says while getting glasses and bowls for the drinks and snacks for the marathon.

“Found it!” Kara hollers, takes the bag out and places it on the bed. She opens it and tries to find the comfiest clothes for Emma to wear.

“Do you need any help?” Kara asks after getting Emma’s things ready.

“Can you move these to the coffee table please?” Alex asks and then gives Kara a hard look when she grabs two huge bowls filled with treats. “Do not start eating until we are all sitting on the sofa.”

“Yes ma’am.” Kara deadpans and starts transferring the stuff over from the island to the coffee table, while Alex gets the microwavable popcorn ready. Finding they all prefer fresh, hot popcorn to normal bagged ones.

Kara hears the shower turn off and super speeds over to grab the clothes she has chosen for Emma and practically skips to the door, knocking on it in a quick rhythm.

“Hey Em, I got some comfy clothes for you to change into.” Kara calls through the door and hears Emma moving around the bathroom. The door opens and Emma’s hand appears to take it. “There you go!” When the door closes again Kara heads to Alex sitting on the sofa. Her sunny attitude fading as her face morphs into one of worry. “Do you think she had a hard session today?”

“Yea maybe. I mean she hasn’t seemed the happiest the past few days.”

“Mhmm, do you think it's mainly due to Lena? She’s working way too hard.”

“When doesn’t she?!” Alex takes a sip of her drink. “Shall we order or wait for Em to decide?”

“Let’s wait.” Kara nods and sits back into the sofa cushions.

“But how is Lena, like, have you gone to see her recently?”

“Yea, I saw her last night on patrol. Actually had to forcibly remove her from her office but we had a good chat. She just holds onto what her damn family says too much.”

“Yea.” Alex says softly in agreement. She’s grown to really care for Lena, despite the rocky start. “But she’s taking time off soon for the- you know.”

“Yes, that's the plan.” They both ignore the word surgery and both feel their nerves bubbling up about it. “Are you taking any ti-”

The bathroom door opens, making the sisters drop their conversation and look at their baby sister.

Emma feels more relaxed after the warm shower but the sudden stop in her sisters’ conversation when she leaves the bathroom fills Emma with an uneasy feeling.

“Were you talking about me?” Emma signs with a tilt of her head as she continues to dry her hair with a towel.

“Just about what food we fancy.” Kara smiles too brightly. “And as usual we want the complete opposite and I was asking Alex what she thought you would want.”

“Yea and I didn’t get to answer cause that’s when you came in.”

Emma stops drying her hair and looks between her two sisters, her eyes darting back and forth. She doesn’t believe them but decides to go along with their explanation. “So what are the options? I mean, we can get different things right? Not like it will go to waste?”

“Now that is an excellent idea.” Alex nods in approval and gives Kara a bright smile as she unlocks her phone to open UberEats. “So Kara you wanted-”

“Potstickers.” Emma signs at the same time Kara enthusiastically yells the word out.

“You know me so well little one!” Kara laughs, making Emma pause, realising Kara hasn’t called her that in a while.

But she carries on drying her hair before flinging the towel towards Alex’s hamper.

“Em-” Alex starts to complain, thinking the towel would flop part of the way there. But the screwed up towel lands perfectly in the laundry basket. “Ma- huh, good throw.”

Emma bows and approaches where she normally sits in the middle of the sofa.

“Peanut, what do you fancy?” Alex looks up from her phone after putting in her order too.

Emma shrugs and grabs a handful of popcorn.

“That’s for the film!” Alex hollers and slaps Emma’s hand, causing her to jump. “Which you also need to choose what you want to watch.”

“I’ll do it!” Kara super speeds to where she left the USB, plugs it into Alex’s tv and hands Emma the remote to scroll through.

“But first I need to know what you want to eat.”

Emma shoves the rest of the popcorn in her mouth to sign. “What have you already ordered?”

“Chinese and pizza.”

“I’m happy with that. Not feeling overly hungry.”

“What?” Kara blinks in shock especially when Emma can eat a decent amount of food.

“What have you eaten today? Did you have a big breakfast?” Alex enquiries, also knowing it was unusual for Emma not to demand her own food.

“Yes Doctor Danvers, I have already eaten something today.” It was only a banana but Emma wasn’t going to admit that. Her session with Alistair has unsettled her stomach.

“Yea but what was it?” Alex presses but Emma ignores her by focusing on the tv and trying to decide what to watch. Making Alex narrow her eyes. “Emma.”

But her eyes move from Emma to Kara when her other sister motions for her to stop by signing. “Can’t you see something is wrong?”

“I know but I want to find out what!” Alex tries to sign out of Emma’s peripheral vision.

“Leave her alone Alex.” Kara warns, making Alex huff which causes Emma to look over at her and Alex gives her a soft smile.

“So, any idea what we are gonna watch?” Alex asks casually and Kara rolls her eyes.

“Lord Of The Rings Extended Editions?” Emma signs hopefully, knowing the full run time is nearly twelve hours long.

“I’m up for that!” Alex beams at the TV as the menu screen for ‘The Fellowship Of The Ring’ comes up.

“Me too!” Kara claps and settles back into the sofa. Emma smiles at both of her sisters and grabs the blanket draped over the back and places it over their laps.

“Thanks Em.”

The sisters watch the opening scenes fold out, explaining the lore of Middle Earth, the darkness and the moment all things were almost lost.

When the whistle of the Shire plays, Emma’s eyes well with tears and she sniffs. Always finding this piece of music touches her. She feels a hand on each thigh as her sisters reach out to comfort her at the same time and Emma hesitantly takes each hand. Warily to not harm them and being frightened to do so.

‘Rao, is this how Kara feels all the time?’

But Emma tries to push her earlier discovery away and gets lost in the film again.

The loud ringing of the apartment buzzer makes Emma almost jump out of her seat.

“Food!” Kara yells as she flies to the door and down the stairs to grab it from the delivery person.

Emma pauses the film and turns to Alex to sign with a raised eyebrow. “Do you think Kara is secretly a Hobbit?” Emma signs, causing Alex to almost spit out the drink she was sipping. “I mean, she has what, four breakfasts?”

Alex cackles loudly and Emma smiles at the sound.

“What are you laughing at?” Kara asks as she super speeds into the room with the food perfectly balanced in her hands.

“Oh, we were just comparing you to a Hobbit.” Alex teases and grins at the blonde.

“Alex!” Kara looks outraged. “I do not have big, hairy feet!”

“It was Emma’s idea!” Alex motions at Emma.

“Emma!” Kara shifts her focus to her baby sister but Emma shrugs and grabs her pizza off the pile.

“I mean, she’s not wrong.” Alex says as she opens a tub of potstickers for Emma and her to share.

“Alex!” Kara yells outraged.

“Kara!” Alex yells mockingly back.

“Emma!” The blonde signs and the trio start laughing. Alex rests her forehead against the side of Emma’s face. Emma turns her head to nuzzle Alex’s and smiles when she feels Kara lean over and hug both of them. Emma twists to place a kiss on Kara's shoulder.

Alex clears her throat and pulls away. “Shall we press play?”

Emma nods and grabs the remote, continuing the film.

The sisters watch the first film and immediately go into the second one, which to Emma, is her favourite. Especially the scenes with Arwen in.

When they get to the scene with Arwen talking to her father, Emma swallows deeply.

“There is still hope.” Arwen whispers back.

Emma’s stomach clenches at the words. Hope.

“Little one?” Kara turns to look at Emma, hearing her heartbeat changing.

Alex immediately grabs the remote to pause the film when she sees tears fill her sister's eyes and how Emma is desperately trying to hide them.

“No, I’m fine. Please continue the film.”

“Actually I need to use the bathroom!” Kara zips up and Alex pauses the film anyway.

She watches Emma closely as she rubs her eyes, trying to force away the tears. “Em? You know you can always tell me what’s going on? Right?”

Emma nods but doesn’t look Alex in the eye, knowing she’d break. “It was a hard session today, sorry.”

“Oh Em, please don’t apologise.” Alex says and pulls her sister into her lap, hugging her close. She feels Emma stiffen but slowly relaxes in her arms.

Kara comes back and Alex gives her a sad look.

“Everything okay?” She asks while sitting down next to them.

“It was a hard session.” Alex answers softly.

“Oh little one.” Kara places a gentle hand on Emma’s back and Emma can’t hold the tears back anymore as she buries her head into the crook of Alex’s shoulder.

Alex and Kara sadly gaze at each other, unsure what they can say or do as they listen to Emma’s hard breaths and sniffs.

Kara swallows and shuffles closer, hugging Emma’s back. “We got you little one, you're safe.” Kara feels Emma shift and move her hand over her shoulder to grab a hold of hers.

They don’t know how long they stay in this position but Kara and Alex do not move until Emma feels ready. They whisper words of love and encouragement and hope she hears them.

Suddenly Kara’s head snaps to the apartment door as she hears two sets of footprints approach. The door opens before she can do anything as Sam and Lena walk through. They both halt at the sight of the sisters.

“What's wrong?” Sam whispers quietly as she places the takeaway food on the coffee table and goes to Alex’s side, perching on the edge of the sofa.

“Hard session.” Alex answers softly and kisses Sam’s lips.

“Has she mentioned anything else?” Lena asks quietly and watches as Emma immediately lifts her head up and twists her neck to find her. Lena swallows as she sees the tears streaming down Emma’s reddened cheeks, her eyes puffy and bloodshot. “Oh love.” Lena says brokenly and goes to comfort her girlfriend, but halts as she doesn’t know where she can go.

Kara immediately moves out of the way, allowing Lena to sit next to Alex and hug Emma’s back. But Emma has other ideas as she twists and moves her upper body onto Lena and holds her close, burying her head into Lena’s neck but her lower half stays on Alex’s lap.

“We got you love.” Lena soothes while stroking Emma’s damp hair and back. She feels Kara scoot close and Lena signals that Kara can join the hug. Immediately Kara wraps an arm around Lena and places a hand gently on Emma’s lower back.

The four women quietly console the broken woman in between them and each other. Wishing nothing more than to heal Emma’s pain.

In time Emma loses steam and slowly lifts her head from the crook of Lena’s neck and sniffs heavily.

“Hi love.” Lena says gently and Emma nuzzles their foreheads together and breathes deeply.

Emma feels truly exhausted, not having cried like that in weeks, well, since she found out about her paralysed vocal chords.

“Is this the time though?” Emma’s ear picks up Alex quietly whispering to Sam.

“Maybe it will make her happy?” Sam offers back, making Emma turn her head towards the couple.

“What will make me happy?” Emma sloppily signs and Kara shifts so she can see the couple too. A small smile gracing her lips.

“Well, erm…” Alex pauses. “I’ve found I’m not really living here anymore because I’m mainly around Sam's apartment.”

“So, we’ve decided that Alex will move in with Ruby and I.” Sam finishes with a huge grin.

Emma blinks and her eyes dart around Alex’s apartment. She had noticed little trinkets and items missing but thought nothing of it.

“Congratulations!” Kara yells happily and jumps to her feet to hug her sister and Sam.

“Thanks Kara.” Alex hugs Kara back and turns back to Emma, who still looks like she’s processing. “Em?”

She watches as Emma’s eyes refocus and a small smile tugs at the corner of her right lip. She lifts her hands and holds one hand with the other and firmly shakes them. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks Em.” Alex smiles back.

“And, you can totally come crash at ours anytime, use the spare room and have sister nights.” Sam smiles at Emma and Kara.

“Well, not ANY-time.” Alex burrows her nose into her girlfriend’s cheek and Sam blushes and bites her lip.

Emma raises an eyebrow and smirks at Lena. She takes a shuddering deep breath as her body calms down from her breakdown.

“Do we want to finish the film and watch the third one another time?” Kara asks while looking through the takeout bags.

Missing the way Emma whips around to gape at her.

“But then it's not a movie marathon!”

“Kara.” Lena says to get the alien’s attention out of the bag containing burgers and french fries.

“Hmm?” Kara’s eyes are wide as she looks to see what her best friend wants.

“Emma was signing to you.”

“Sorry little one.” Kara says apologetically.

“But then it's not a movie marathon.”

“I agree!” Kara nods and shoves some french fries in her mouth. “Shall we get comfy?!”

“I need to pee.” Emma signs and carefully moves off her sister and girlfriend. But as she takes a step away from them the world morphs around her.

‘Please! Not now!’ Emma’s mind yells and she tries to halt her step, ultimately causing her to trip over her own feet.

“Wow careful Em!” Alex laughs. “Rao you are getting more clumsy than Kara!”

“Hey!” Kara yells back offended, making Lena and Sam chuckle in response.

Emma smiles back at them but moves cautiously to the bathroom door.

“Did she mention anything else?” Emma hears Lena ask as soon as she closes the bathroom door.

“No, she’s been quieter than normal.” Alex sighs heavily, making Emma’s heart clench.

“Like she wasn’t here.” Kara agrees.

“Well therapy sessions can be tough sometimes and it’s good Emma is obviously opening up.” Sam tries to reassure the group while plating up everyone's food.

Emma tries not to listen but her ears can’t help but pick up her loved one’s voices. She finishes what she is doing and washes her hands. Briefly pausing and leaning against the sink.

‘Should I tell them?’ Emma wonders and her eyes lift her to her distressed expression. Immediately she wipes her face and adopts a more neutral expression. ‘They have enough to deal with anyway.’

Suddenly she feels a piercing pain in her head. So severe that if she had her voice, Emma would have screamed out as she scrunches up her eyes. Emma then feels a droplet fall from her nose and her eyes shoot open. Her nose is bleeding. She quickly grabs some toilet paper to stem the flow. But, finds nothing more comes out, the nosebleed seemingly stops before it had even begun.

Confused, Emma repeatedly wipes at her nose a few times to make sure it had indeed stopped.

‘Weird.’ Emma mutters in her mind as she stares down at the blood on the tissue. Her head tilts as she assesses the colour and her eyebrows knit together.

“Emma?” Sam’s muffled voice calls through the door, making Emma recoil away from it. “Are you okay in there?”

Throwing the bloodied piece of tissue into the toilet, Emma flushes it, quickly washes her hands and moves towards the door, opening it to a concerned looking Sam.

“You okay?” She asks as her warm brown eyes seemingly studies the blonde in front of her.

Emma nods and gives her a small smile before moving past her to get back to the sofa.

Sam follows, watching Emma closely and sits on Alex’s turquoise chair. Emma hesitates, not sure where she can sit due to the sofa looking full with her sisters and Lena already on it.

“There’s room for you on here too, it will be a tight squeeze but I think we can manage.” Lena pats the small gap between her and Alex. Emma carefully wedges herself between the two and gratefully takes the plate Kara hands to her. Already feeling a bit hungry.

“Ready?” Alex asks while grabbing the remote.

“Ready!” Sam and Kara yell back and the room is again filled with the sights and sounds of Middle Earth.

-- -- --

Later that night Kara, Emma and Lena glide through the air towards Lena’s apartment.

“I mean, why couldn’t Gandalf have just got the Eagles to fly Frodo and the ring to Mount Doom?” Kara argues with Lena while Emma listens and smiles, enjoying the debate between the two.

“Because they are their own beings plus Sauron had the Fellbeast and the Nazgûl would have seen the eagles coming!”

“Huh, I guess. But! Then why didn’t the fellowship prepare for that? Have a few more elves firing arrows? Problem solved!” Kara declares as they touch down on the balcony.

“If you say so, Kara.” Lena beams at her best friend as Kara gently places her feet on solid ground and Emma lets off her sister.

“Well, goodnight.” Kara opens her arms and hugs Lena tight before turning and giving Emma a hug too.

“Night.” Lena yawns out and opens the balcony door with Emma following behind her and waving goodbye to Kara.

They get ready for bed together and Lena can’t help but notice the far off look in Emma’s eyes. Like her girlfriend was somewhere else.

When they slide into bed, Lena gently takes Emma’s hand and lies on her side to fully look at her girlfriend.

“Hey.” Lena gently whispers.

Emma slowly turns her head and her eyes focus on concerned green ones.

“Are you okay?”

Swallowing deeply Emma turns to lie on her side to face Lena. Her mind races with what to communicate. Should she tell her everything?

“Love, please don’t lie to me.” Lena says, seeing the clogs working in Emma’s mind, and the worry within her eyes. But suddenly Lena is yawning again. “Sorry.” She blinks and widens her eyes more to keep them open.

Emma gives her a small smile and watches her closely. ‘She’s exhausted. Tell her a half truth.’

“I’m nervous about next week.”

“That’s understandable. But we are all with you.” Lena nuzzles her forehead against Emma’s and gently kisses her lips. Her hand slowly trails down Emma’s body.

But Emma pulls back and her smile widens slightly. “Time for sleep.”

“But I want to make you feel good.” Lena yawns out, even though her eyelids start drooping from exhaustion. Emma slowly reaches out and softly runs the back of her finger down the bridge of Lena’s nose.

“No sleep.” Lena whines but feels her eyes closing anyway and a tender kiss being placed against her lips. “Lve yu.”

Emma squeezes Lena’s hand three times and watches her girlfriend fall into a deep, peaceful sleep. She stays there for a while, admiring how serene and stunning the raven haired beauty looks.

Slowly Emma rolls over, picks up her notebook and pencil and faces Lena again. She sits up against the headboard so she can sketch Lena, wanting to capture the moment and take in every detail of her love.

Once her task was done Emma places her things on the bedside table.

“Hope, can you turn the lights off please?” Emma signs and carefully slides down the bed to lay back down. Emma closes her eyes and breathes deeply, willing herself to go to sleep.

But in the dark, sinister voices start playing through her mind. Digging up her fears and dread.

Emma blows a frustrated breath through her nose and turns back towards Lena, opening her eyes to focus on the raven haired beauty. Emma’s breathing becomes heavy as she tries to stay calm, but ultimately her stomach clenches and thoughts begin pouring in of what will be happening this time next week. What will the outcome be of the surgery? Will it succeed?

As if sensing Emma’s distress in her sleep, Lena shuffles closer to her girlfriend and latches on. Unknowingly calming Emma down and relieving the ache in her heart. Emma gently kisses Lena’s head, pushing aside her fears and worries before closing her eyes, to fall into a peaceful sleep.

(Part Thirty Four)

[amayawolfe]

Itsy Bitsy Spider (Chrollo x Fem.Reader)

A/N: fluff, spiders, angst, some harsh language

Word Count: 5262

Summary: Having been born in Meteor City, the majority of your life has been nothing but hardships. Looking back on it, you often wondered how you even made it to adulthood let alone become the treasured partner and wife of eight years to the head of the Phantom Troupe and mother to yours and Chrollo's son.

In the middle of prepping dinner, Chrollo and some of the troupe return from a successful mission. Your husband fills you in on the details as he and a couple of the members begin to help in the kitchen. The peace is suddenly shattered when your six year old comes running into the kitchen terrified, screaming, and claiming there is a monster in his room!

taglist: @to-move-on-means-to-grow @daisies-write

   The menu music to the DVD you were watching gently woke you from your unintentional nap. You blinked your eyes a few times to bring them into focus and stretched your curled up body along the large, overstuffed couch. This particular spot on the couch was often your place of rest unless your husband was home; in which case the couch was hardly ever used.

   Using the remote you turned off the tv and player then pushed yourself up into a sitting position. You snatched up your phone from it's place on the coffee table and checked the time. It was nearly early evening.

   "Guess I should start thinking about what to make for dinner," you said to yourself as you swipe through your phone to check for messages.

   Down in this underground hideout beneath Meteor City, phone signal alone was nearly impossible to receive. Thankfully, one of the family was able to figure out how to set up a computer that would broadcast Wi-Fi into the hideout from a line that went to the surface where a receiver was carefully hidden. This way, you could at least send and receive messages between the family and yourself.

   Your eyebrows rose and a smile touched your lips when you saw that you had a message from your husband, Chrollo.

Luci: Shopping run was successful, we should be home in the evening.

   You smirked a little at the cryptic message. The "shopping run" Chrollo was talking about was actually a heist during a gem and jewelry show. A heist in which you had helped plan out with your husband and three other family members.

   You glowered down at your phone when you realized the message had been sent a little over an hour ago while you were asleep.

   "I really need to get a louder phone," you muttered to yourself as you began to type a response.

You: I just woke up...

You: I haven't started dinner yet, is there anything you or the others would like?

   Phone still in hand you got to your feet and head in the direction of your son's room. As you walk through the hideout your sock covered foot falls are silent from a lifetime of practice. You pass a collection of pictures hanging along the walls. There are photos of you, Chrollo, your son, as well as the rest of the family doing random things a family would do.

 There were a couple from around the holidays and you and Chrollo are watching your son open gifts. Another was on Chrollo's birthday and two of the members had sandwiched his face between two pieces of vanilla cake with strawberry frosting. The look of shock and horror on Chrollo's face had been perfectly captured. While it was one of your favorite photos, he despised it. Chrollo's favorite picture on the wall was of you and him stretched out on the day bed in the library reading a book together while his head was resting on your nearly full term pregnant belly. You had to admit, it was a very cute picture.

   The home was enormous, consisting of s/n's room and his own bathroom, yours and Chrollo's large master bedroom with a large bathroom, a gourmet kitchen, library, study, massive living room, dining hall, training area along with a gym and a pool, a giant vault for looted treasures, multiple guests rooms with their own bathrooms, there was even a "war room" where missions and strategies were discussed.

   All the rooms in the place were lavishly decorated and furnished for maximal comfort. Any electronics and appliances were always top of line. Your husband always insisted on the best of the best for you and the family.

   Upon reaching your son's open door way you peeked in on him and found him laying on his belly on the floor reading a book aloud softly. He had his collection of stuffed animals surrounding him as though they were an audience listening to the story he was telling. A majority of them were a variety of teddy bears of all shapes, colors, and sizes. Ever since he saw a picture of a tiny teddy bear defending a sleeping child from a large monster he had taken a great liking to them.

   S/n's favorite teddy bear was one that Chrollo had asked Machi to make for him during a difficult time for s/n where he was greatly missing his father whenever he went on missions. It was of average size for a teddy bear and had medium brown fur. The button eyes were the same shade of grey blue as Chrollo's and it even had a dark long coat with white fur lining. But how Machi really outdid herself were the little details of a tiny book with a felt cover sewn to the teddy bears paw, the same mark on it's forehead as Chrollo's, and giving the bear little blue green glass bead earrings.

   Your son had been so happy to the point of joyous tears when his father gave him the bear made especially for him. He decided right there and then to name the bear "Sir Brollo." Upon s/n announcing this, you had to bite your tongue so hard it bled to keep yourself from laughing at the bright red look that came over your husband's face.    Sir Brollo had a front row seat sitting right beside s/n as he read. That bear rarely ever left your son's side.

   You rest your head against the door frame as you leaned against it and listened to your son read to his "friends." It saddened you knowing your son had no one to play with except for you and the family when ever they were home. But being the son of the head of the heavily feared and all powerful Phantom Troupe, precautions had to be taken.    There had been a few dangerously close calls of s/n being taken away to be used as revenge or leverage against the Phantom Troupe. Close calls that resulted in a sense of dread and anxiety that never fully went away. Even after Chrollo had gathered the nen techniques needed to build you, your son, and the family this safe place, the possible threat of invasion always weighed heavy in the back of your mind. And poor s/n was never allowed out of the hide out unless he had you or Chrollo and at least three other members of the family with him.

   These constant negative feelings that lingered in the air had taken a toll on your son causing him to become a very nervous and skittish child with a fear of nearly everything. You and the others hoped that, over time, he would be able to shake these fears and stand up to them.

   When your son finished the chapter he was on you lifted your head and gently called his name.    "s/n"

   The child jumped and looked up at you with wide blue grey eyes. His father's eyes. You could feel the sadness in your own eyes form at his frightened expression.

   "I'm sorry kiddo," you said softly and entered his room to kneel down close to him. "I didn't mean to startle you, I just wanted to let you know that your father and some of the family will be home soon."

   "Oh, okay, thank you mommy," s/n replied softly.

   "Is there something special you want for dinner tonight?" you asked.

   "Hmmm, not really. Just, no fish, please," your son wrinkled his nose, "I really don't like fish."

   You couldn't help but laugh aloud at his response. Stroking his soft hair you leaned forward, and kissed him on the forehead.

   "I know, baby, I know. I promise, no fish."

   s/n smiled at your  words and he began to kick his feet in the air just above him.    "Who else will be home?"    "I think your uncles Fei, Phinks, and Shal will be coming in with your dad."

   Right then your phone pinged and vibrated alerting you to a message response. Glancing down at it you saw Chrollo had responded to your previous question.

   "Oh," you said, "speak of the devil."

Luci: I have been asked to put in a request for your famous stew.

   You looked down at s/n, "How does stew sound for dinner?"

   His eyes grew wide and he smiled happily.

   "Yeah!" he cheered as he rolled to one side and pumped a tiny fist into the air. You couldn't help but laugh again and ruffled your son's hair.

   "Alright my silly boy, would you like to help me in the kitchen?"

   "No, I want to keep reading to Sir Brollo and the others," he answered honestly. "I want to finish a few more chapters before time to eat."

   "Okay, I'll come get you when it's time to eat then." You rose to your feet and started to leave the room. At the door way you turned and added, "I love you, sweetie."

   "I love you too, mommy," s/n beamed then returned to his book.

   As you made your way to the kitchen you messaged your husband a reply.

You: I can do that, I'll go ahead and get started. See you soon?

Luci: See you soon, princess.

   You felt the warmth of a blush touch your cheeks. A reaction that always occurred when Chrollo called you by his favorite pet name for you.

   When you entered the massive kitchen you set some upbeat classical music to play from your phone. You loved listening to music while you cooked and baked. You then brought down a large stock pot as well as collected a peeler, knife, mixing bowl, and cutting bored. From the fridge you set out a large chunk of beef, bacon, carrots, and celery. The pantry had the potatoes, flour, beef stock, onions, a bottle of red wine and garlic you needed.

   You really felt like you were getting into the grove as you gave your hands a good scrub. You diced up a few slices of bacon and tossed them into the stock put and turned the stove flame on to a medium high heat. While the bacon started to cook and release the greasy fat you were going to brown the beef cubes in, you cut the beef chunk into bite size pieces with impressive speed and accuracy. Chrollo wasn't the only one good with a knife.

   Once the meat was all cubed you tossed it into the mixing bowl along with some olive oil. Tossing the meat and oil in the bowl until the meat was evenly coated you then added flour, garlic powder, onion powder, season salt, and pepper; stirring it until it the meat was all evenly coated.

   Checking on the bacon and giving it a stir, you decided to let the bacon bits crisp a bit more and started working on dicing up a large yellow onion. Humming along with a playful piece of classical music known as "Thunder and Lightning polka" by Johann Strauss II, you really felt like you had a good rhythm going and was very much engrossed in your work.

   So much so you didn't even notice someone quietly enter the kitchen and walk up behind you. You didn't notice them watching while you worked, waiting for a pause in your actions before placing their hands on your waist.

   You let out a small yelp of surprise as you knocked the persons hands aside and spun around quickly, bringing the sharp edge of the kitchen knife up to your would be assailant's throat. You had expected to see the face of a dangerous stranger. But instead, you where greeted by the warm, familiar face of your husband. There was a small playful smile on his lips and an extra little gleam in his eyes. Chrollo normally wasn't one to sneak up on you like he just did, but he did tend to become mischievously playful after a successful mission. You figured it was most likely from the adrenaline high.

   "Damnit, Chrollo," you hissed as you removed the knife from his neck and leaned back against the counter, "You know better than that. What if I had cut your neck wide open?"    "Mmm, but you didn't," he replied softly.

   You sighed and rolled your eyes, Chrollo was never one to dwell on the "what ifs" of life.

   "I got you a little something, my dear," he stated as he reached into the pocket of his favorite long coat. Your husband was always bringing you little gifts when ever he went on a mission without you.

   From his pocket he with drew a small, dark navy blue velvet box and held it before you. You quickly washed and dried your hands so as to not to get the box all dirty, carefully took the box from his hand and let out a small gasp upon opening it.

   Inside the dainty box was a small rose charm necklace. The piece was masterfully crafted as the delicate petals of the rose were made from chips of rubies while the petals were made of dark green chrome tourmaline chips. Both gems were set in fine gold which also made up the delicate stem of the rose. The chain was made of fine delicate links also in gold.

    "Oh Chrollo," you breathed in awe, "it's absolutely gorgeous."

   Your husband smiled at your reaction, pleased to see you so happy with the piece he had picked out for you. He held up his hand to take back the box.

   "May I?"

   Without a need for question you handed the box back to him. You watched him take the necklace out of the box and he returned the box back to his pocket. You turned around as he held up the necklace and you moved your hair at the way so Chrollo could have unobstructed access to your neck. He stepped closer as undid the delicate little clasp and carefully hung the necklace around your neck.

   After he redid the clasp behind your neck he slid his hands to your shoulders and placed a soft, warm kiss on your neck. Chrollo's breath tickled the fine hairs on the delicate skin causing goosebumps to erupt down your arms.

   "A piece fit for a princess," he whispered against your ear in a low, sultry voice.

   His hands moved down your sides to your waist and pulled you closer to him. Your back flush against his chest, you tilted your head to one side allowing him easy access as his he ran a trail of soft kisses from just below where you neck and shoulder connect to your ear. Chrollo's arms came around your waist and he hugged you tightly as he nuzzled his nose against your ear and breathed against the sensitive flesh. You braced your hands against the counter as your knees started to feel weak.

   Mischievous and playful were not the only moods that overcame Chrollo after a successful job. You looked forward to the private activities that were most likely to take place between you and your husband behind the closed bedroom door later that night.

   "Hey boss, we finished placing all the merchandise into the vault," called a familiar voice, ending the tender moment between you and your husband. As romantic as he could be, Chrollo was never really comfortable showing physical affection in front of the others. Something that both amused and annoyed you the entire eight plus years the two of you had been together.    Your husband gave you one last chaste kiss just below the earlobe before turning to Shalnark walking through the kitchen doorway.

   "Thank you, Shalnark. And what are the others up to?"

   "Oh, they're arguing over what to watch until dinner is done," Shal laughed.

   "Why am I not surprised," you said over your shoulder as you started to scoop the crispy bacon bits out of the stock pot with a slotted spoon. "Say, since you two are here why don't you help me out with peeling and cutting the vegetables? The sooner everything gets into the pot the sooner it'll be done and we can eat."

   "Sure thing!" Shal beamed, causing you to smile. He always seemed so happy to you and reminded you of a little ball of sunshine.

   "I'll go put my coat up and then I'll come back and help," Chrollo replied and strode from the kitchen. Shalnark came over and washed his hands.

   "If you don't mind, could you go ahead and peel and chop up the carrots first?" you asked as you started to add the coated beef cubes to the bacon fat.

   "Yea, I can do that," Shal chirped. He dried his hands and set to work peeling the carrots. "How's everything been here the last few weeks?"

   "Dull and quiet," you said with a sigh as you turned the meat cubes, "it's pretty much the same routine when everyone else is away. Not that I am complaining, really."    "I would hope not," Chrollo entered back into the kitchen without his coat. He was wearing a dark sleeveless shirt with a high collar and some white bands creating a pattern down the front, a dark pair of jeans and white socks. The shirt showed off his toned arms, chest, and shoulders and it enticed you to take a nice, long looks at your beloved.

   "'Dull and quiet' means 'safe' for my two greatest treasures." Chrollo took his turn at washing his hands before asking, "Now, what shall you have me do, dearest?"

   Deciding against speaking aloud the first thing that came to your mind and causing your husband to blush in front of a family member, you set him to work on peeling and cutting potatoes.

   You had removed the meat from the stock pot and added some red whine to deglaze the bottom of the pot when Feitan came in mumbling.

   "Did you lose the coin toss, Feitan?" Shal asked while he was chopping the carrots.

   "Yes," he sighed, then added bitterly" and I would much rather help here than watch another sports game."

   Chrollo smirked and Shalnark chuckled while you bit back a laugh. The three of you knew that Feitan would have greatly prefered watch some documentaries on famous criminals; yet somehow Phinks normally won the coin toss on what they would watch when it came to what those two would watch.

   "Well, Fei, in that case you can get the dinner roll dough out of the fridge, space them out in a greased baking then cover them with a towel so they can start rising."

   You felt the look Feitan shot at you more so than saw it. He had obviously been kidding about wanting to help out on the kitchen. Or, at the very least, he was putting on a show pretending that he actually didn't want to help out when in truth he did.

   When you didn't look back over your shoulder at him after a bit he sighed and went to go do as you had asked. You had made sure to give Feitan an easy enough task where he didn't have to ask someone to help get something down or where he would have to get a chair. You knew he could sometimes be a sensitive and prideful when it came to matters of his height.

   "So tell me, love, how did the mis-" your question to your husband was suddenly interrupted by the terrified screams of your son coming from his bedroom.

   "MONSTER!! MOMMY THERE'S A MONSTER!!!"

   Your heart nearly stopped as you dropped what you were doing and started to turn to run out of the kitchen along with Chrollo and the other two.

   Chrollo was the first to the door but came to an abrupt stop as s/n came around the corner and ran into his father. Your husband grabbed hold of him to keep him from falling backwards then maneuvered your son away from the door towards you so Feitan and Shalnark could pass to go investigate s/n's room.

   Keeping himself between the doorway and you and your son, Chrollo knelt down beside s/n who was now clinging to you and shaking with tears forming in his eyes. He placed a gentle hand on his son's upper back while you stroked his head.

   "Tell me what happened, son," he calmly ordered.

   "I was r-reading my book and a big monster c-came out of the corner of m-my room." s/n stammered.

   "What kind of monster, sweetie?" you asked.

   "We couldn't find anything, boss," Shalnark reported as he and Feitan returned.

   "It looked like a b-big spider!" s/n added.

   Chrollo's eyebrows started to creep up his forehead, "Spider?"

   Your son nodded.

   "PHINKS!" you nearly roared. Phinks had been known to play pranks on s/n in the past. Pranks that didn't go as he had planned and usually scared the poor kid senseless. The Troupe member claimed he was just trying to help s/n get over his fears, you usually ended up beating the crap out of him regardless.

   "It wasn't me!" came Phinks's response as he quickly joined Shalnark and Feitan. "I swear!"

   He shied away and stood behind the other two when you locked a deadly glare onto him.

   "No, mommy, it wasn't Uncle Phinks," s/n sniffled, "I was reading in my book and it got to a part with monster spiders then a huge spider appeared in my room!"

   There was a silent pause before nearly all the adults let out a collective sigh and their guards dropped.

   "See, I told you it wasn't me," Phinks muttered as he went back to watch the game.

   "Another false alarm," Feitan sighed while walking back into the kitchen.    "That's some imagination," Shalnark stated and gave s/n a pat head, "you must have thought the spider was one of those creature right out of your book, huh?"

   S/n nodded his head. His face was starting to turn red as he began to realize he had most likely been afraid of nothing once again.

   "But," he whispered sadly, "there really was a big spider in my room. And, I'm afraid it's going to hurt Sir Brollo."

   "Sir Brollo will be fine, love," you assured gently. "Give me a minute and daddy and I will come help look for the spider, okay?"

   s/n nodded and released his grip from you to stand a little closer to his father who rested a hand atop his sons head in means of comfort.

   You went to the stove, reduced it to medium low heat, added in the beef stock and spices then turned to Feitan and Shalnark.

   "Could you two please finish cutting up the vegetables and add them to the pot? Once that's done add in the meat last, give it a good stir then put the lid on. It should be good on it's own after that."

   "Can do, boss lady," Shalnark beamed.

   You thank them both and join your son and husband and the three of you head towards s/n's room with Chrollo in the lead. Upon entering the room everything seemed normal. S/n held onto you at the doorway and Chrollo walked a few steps further in while looking around carefully.  As he rounded the end of s/n's bed, looking down at a part of the floor you and s/n couldn't see, Chrollo actually jumped a little and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

   "Well, I was not expecting that." He blinked a couple times then began to look around the room for something.

   "What is it?" you asked. Chrollo smiled a little as he took a large clear plastic container and dumped out the contents to one side. He then went back over to the part of the floor you could not see, turned the container sideways and slowly knelt down.

   "An understandably good reason for our son to be scared," he replied softly, "at least at first."

   All you could see your husband do was make some slow, careful arm movements. He was speaking softly, to softly for you to here. You wanted to move forward to see what he was messing with but your son didn't want you to leave nor did he want to go farther into the room.

   You didn't have to wait long though, as Chrollo began to stand you could now see what he had corralled into the plastic container. It was indeed a spider, but not just any spider, this sider was enormous. With it's legs fanned out it was easily larger than your husbands face.

   "It's a snowy tarantula," Chrollo explained as he slowly walked over to the two of you, "it's sort of an ironic name considering it usually lives in hot, arid climates like the desserts around Meteor City."

   Once he was within a couple meters of you and s/n he knelt down and gently set the container on the floor. The creature inside barely moved as it seemed to turn and look up at Chrollo.

   "It's called a 'snowy' tarantula due to the white hairs all over it's body. The hairs actually shimmer and reflect the light just like fresh fallen snow. An evolutionary trait that developed to help reflect the dessert heat away from it's body and keep it cooler. A magnificent specimen to behold when the light hits it just right. Come see, s/n. She's actually quite docile."

   S/n looked up at you and you gave him a warm smile and a nod. He slowly let go of you and took one slow, cautious step after another towards his father and the spider that had frightened him so. You carefully followed behind your son wanting to get a look at the tarantula as well.

   As the two of you came closer, the tarantula daintily turned and looked up at you. You gasped slightly at the beautiful deep blue eyes that now stared up at you.

   "Now watch," your husband instructed and he began to carefully rotate the container in a circular side to side motion causing the light to dance across the hairs of the tarantula.

   "Whhoooaaaa." Your son's eyes grew wide in awe as a rainbow of prismed light moved over the hairs of the tarantula, giving her the effect of a living gem. "She's so pretty. I've never seen anything like it, daddy."

   Chrollo stopped the rotation of the container and carefully set it on the floor. He then reached over, placed his hand on the back of his son's head and gently pulled s/n's head towards his own as he too began to lean forward. The two touched foreheads over the tarantula and looked into each others eyes.

   "There is no shame in having fear, s/n, but do not let that fear keep you from learning and understanding the unknown. What once was scary and ugly could turn out to be something wonderful and beautiful once you find the courage to face it. Do you understand?"

   Your son smiled and nodded slightly, "Yes, daddy, I understand. I'll try harder to be brave, just like you, mommy, and the rest of the family."

   Your husband returned the smiled and closed his eyes, "Very good, my son."

   S/n closed his eyes as well and the two shared an unspoken bonding moment over the snowy tarantula who just looked up at them. You smiled down at the two you held most dear and felt your heart swell with love and emotion.  

   Your son was the first to break the silence.

   "Do you think we could keep her?" he asked as he gently pulled away from his father. "She could be our mascot!"

   "Ah-ha, I don't think so, sweetie," you said firmly. "I'm sure she would be a lot happier on the surface where she has room to find food and make a home."    "Awwww," s/o whined in disappointment, "when is she going back then?"

   "Probably the sooner the better." Chrollo added, backing you up before s/n had a chance to ask him as well.

   "Can I show her to the others before she goes back outside?"

   Chrollo chuckled, "I don't see why not. Just be sure to carry her gently and don't shake her. You don't want to hurt her before we let her back outside."

   "Okay!" s/n said with excitement. He carefully picked up the plastic container and walked with precise hurried steps out of the room, eager to show his uncles that he hadn't been afraid of just nothing.

   As soon as s/n was out of ear shot you turned to your husband who was now standing beside you.

   "I'm not going to lie, had that thing snuck up on me while I was reading I probably would have screamed, too," you admitted with light laughter sounding in your words. Chrollo smiled and wrapped his arms around your waist bringing the two of you close.

   "How did something like that even get in here? The airducts, maybe?"

   "It's possible," Chrollo agreed, "I'll ask Shalnark to run a check on the ventilation system just in case."

   You stood on your tip toes and kissed his nose, "I'd appreciate that. Also, you might want to ask Shal and Fei how the hell they missed such a big spider when they came in here to check for intruders."  

   "When s/n jumped up and ran out of here screaming it probably startled her and she hid among all the stuffed toys," your husband made a gesture with his head to your son's mass collection. You looked down and realized that, even though the spider had been huge, she could have easily hid between some of the bigger plushies blocking her from view.

   "Good point," you chuckled, "Okay, one more question, 'Who's taking the spider top side?'"

   "Once s/n is done showing the others I'll take them all top side to let her go," your husband volunteered, "we won't go far just to release her."

   "He's getting better at recovering from scares like this," you observed. "But still... I worry about him..."

   "Of course you worry about him," Chrollo said softly, bringing his head down to now touch his marked forehead to yours, "you're his mother. I suspect you will worry for him one way or another for the rest of your life."

   "And what about you? Don't you worry about our son?" you asked in the same softness Chrollo was expressing.

   "Of course I do, y/n, he's my son. But, seeing how the two of us are, and what we survived to get here, I feel s/n is going to -"    "AAAHHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?" Phinks screamed, "WAS THAT IN YOUR ROOM!?!?! NO!! I DO NOT WANT A CLOSER LOOK!"

   Chrollo threw back his head and let out a genuine laugh. A laugh that made you smile and laugh along with him.

   "Hey! I can hear you two! Shut the hell up!" Phinks yelled, his voice cracking in embarrassment.

   His words made the two of you laugh even harder for several minutes.

   By the time you two had settled down and caught your breath there were tears in your eyes from laughing so hard. Chrollo looked down at you with a smile still on his face and gave you a long, warm, soft kiss right on the lips. It gave the moment an almost surreal feel to it.

   He was the first to break away from the kiss. Your husband chuckled as he swept some hair behind you ear with his finger tips.    "As I was saying, I think our son is going to be just fine."

[nicka-nell]

Prompt Event

Request: anonymous - ​ for the prompt event ,,, 44 & 46 w yamaguchi??? like friends w benefits to lovers bc yamaguchi gets jealous that youre talking to another guy ??? (afab reader pls hehe) oh and nsfw please!!!

Prompt Event  | Masterlist (coming soon)

Pairing: Yamaguchi Tadashi x reader

Words: 3.896

Warning: nsfw, 18+, blow job, kind of rough sex?

Promots:

44. Isn’t it obvious? I’m in love with you!

46. You were always more than just a one night stand to me.  

His warm cum runs down your throat as you milk his cock, when the painful twitch presses against your inside. With a loud pop, Yamaguchi pulls you by your hair away from his member, looks into your eyelashes sticking together with tears, his breath still raspy. 

“Happy birthday, Yams.” You say something out of breath when you open a bottle of water that you drink to flush the last bit of sperm left in your mouth down and give him a fleeting kiss. “When is the party?” You ask after you wipe away the drops of water at the corner of your mouth with your forearm.

“In an hour.” He answers you as he throws himself with his upper body back off the bed and looks at his cell phone, where the first congratulations are already adding up. “Well, then I still have time to shower, I’ll be right back.” You answer casually as you pack your bag with the change of clothes and go into the bathroom.

You two have been friends for a long time, have always understood and respected each other as neighbors. You were always there for each other, even when your former boyfriend had left you, when you had cried out to Yamaguchi, and were happy to have him as your best friend.

But that night, he wasn’t just your best friend. No, the grief and his affection made you kiss him, made him return your kiss, and before you knew it, your normal friendship became a friendship with benefits.

Yet you had made rules. Everything was allowed, a hand job or blowjob, licking, kissing, kinks, everything but no sex, because this would not end well.

But one evening, when you had a terrible date, you had a little too much to drink with Yamaguchi, forgot about each other and did not follow the rules, because you slept together. And it was really wonderful.

Yamaguchi was truly talented with his tongue, but that he is also so incredibly good at sex? You didn’t expect that. He was like a servant who had done everything for his goddess, who had so delighted and adored you, that you could think of nothing more than him.

And as in all the movies, all the shows, you should have known that sex without love is not so easy. That there is always someone who develops feelings. But you’re just friends.

Thoughtfully, you dry your hair before you get dressed and walk out of the bathroom. From below, you already hear voices, wishing Yamaguchi all the best for his birthday, while his joyful laughter echoes through the hallway.

Slowly you also go down the stairs, seeing many unknown faces, until you see a familiar person and approach him. “Hi Tsukki! So, did you give Yams the same as last year?” You giggle as you slap the big blond man on the back.

Annoyed, he looks down at you as he looks down the stairs from which you came down. “And you? Did you give him what you give him every week?” He smirks as you stick your tongue and fold your arms.

“I don’t know what you mean, I haven’t given Yams his present yet.” You sigh when you think of the gift in your pocket. It’s a little box you both made when you were little. You once saw a movie where a few friends put their favorite things in a box, buried it, and dug it up again after ten years.

These 10 years are now around and you were sure that Yamaguchi had already forgotten all this, yet you hope that he remembers it and is happy about his present.

Although Yamaguchi is busy welcoming the guests, his gaze always wanders to you and his best friend. He watches you, looks at you, how you talk to Tsukishima, how he behaves himself, and also how he acts around you.

He’s not worried about you or Tsukishima. You two are his best friends. You once told him that Tsukishima is just a friend for you, and Tsukishima also sees you as a friend rather than a person he would love at some point.

“I’m going to get a drink, do you want some too, Tsukki?” You ask him as your legs already make the first steps to the kitchen. But Tsukishima only shakes his head. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t have my drink brought by a dwarf like you.” 

“As friendly as ever.” You laugh at him, already averted from him, as you stretch your middle finger upwards and go into the kitchen. You still smile about Tsukishima, not noticing the man in front of you, who turns around and suddenly pours his drink on your pretty dress.

You both flinch as your eyes meet, when you notice how the dark-haired man turns reddish. His eyes match his hair, are just as dark, while his smile is warm and friendly. “I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t see you. I’ll pay for the cleaning.” He is a little hesitant when he turns around and reaches for a kitchen towel to give it to you.

He spins another time around to take a second towel and wipe the floor dry before picking up the cup and waiting for your answer. But you only smile at him after you’ve dabbled away most of the moisture.

“You could just tell me your name. That would be enough for me, stranger.” With your words you jump on Yamaguchi’s large marble kitchen island, swinging your legs back and forth playfully.

“My name is Ennoshita Chikara. May I ask who the delicate woman before me is? Who would rather have my name than the cost of cleaning this lovely dress?” He smiles, embarrassed, but you recognize this slight mischievous undertone in his voice.

With the index finger you wave him closer to you, and notice that his looks land again and again on your almost naked thighs, which have become visible by the sliding up of your dress. “You must speak louder. I don’t understand you, Ennoshita.”  

Your words make him nervous, but pull him under your spell at the same time, so he takes another step towards you until he stands in front of you, putting his hands almost naturally on your thighs, as he repeats his words.

His hands are soft, lie warm on your skin, yet don’t fill you with the warmth you usually feel. “I’m L/n Y/n. And if you want, I can give you my number, then we can talk again about the cleaning costs for this dress, which is so pretty for you.” You whisper to him as you reach out and tell him to give you his phone.

With shaky hands, he reaches his cell phone out to you, almost afraid to say anything when you type in your number and give him the phone back.

“Tell me, Tsukki, do you know where Y/n is?” Ask Yamaguchi, who lost sight of you with Hinata’s joyful congratulations. “I don’t know, she wanted to get a drink, but apparently she can’t find the fridge, because she’s still gone.” Hisses the tall man who is still annoyed by all the people in the hallway.

With an unwholesome feeling, he walks along the hallway to the kitchen, which suddenly seems infinitely long. Just to see through the door gap that you’re standing in the kitchen with his former school- and teammate Ennoshita.

Your cheeky smile, which you always throw to Yamaguchi before you both enjoy your togetherness. How he touches your skin, which he likes to feel in his hands, while his head buries between your legs as you moan loudly his name.

“Ah, here you are, Y/n. Can I talk to Y/n alone? We need to talk about something for Tsukki’s birthday present. You know, which we gave him a few weeks ago.” Stops you Yamaguchi’s voice from talking to Ennoshita further.

For a moment, he smiles at the dark-haired man before turning to you. His view is now cool and distant. “Oh, sure. We’ll see or hear each other soon L/n. See you.” Ennoshita says goodbye to you, before he passes Yamaguchi, who then closes the door and walks past you to go to the fridge.

Without even saying a word, he pulls a water bottle out of the fridge, fills a glass and puts a few ice cubes in before he turns around and takes a sip. “So you and Ennoshita. Do you like him?” he wants to know, even if his tone is bored.

“Yeah, he is a kind of sweet and a nice guy.” You’re shuffling when you think about that dark-haired man you saw earlier. “Mhm.”, “What’s wrong, Yams? Are you jealous or something like that?” You’re almost smiling at him with that serious look he’s trying to suppress. If only he knew...

But he just frowns, puts his glass next to you on the kitchen island, but tries to escape your gaze. “Why should I?”, “Maybe you don’t want to share me with others?”  You giggle as you press your black high heels to his chest. Almost surprised by your own action.

Angry, he closes his eyes to slits as his gaze wanders along your body, up to your face. Why are you being so hard on him today? Wearing the shoes he told you he loved most about you, his absolute favorite dress, which he once gave you because he was convinced that you look stunning in it. And damn it, you looked more than breathtaking.

“You said yourself we’re just friends, so I don’t care to whom you make your willing hole available.” He hisses when he pushes your leg off his chest and wants to turn around.

You’d never seen him so angry. Such hurtful words that directly affect your inner, you had never heard of him before. Instinctively you reach for his wrist, prevent him from turning around and pull him to you, so that he stands between your legs, you still on the counter.

His body pushes your legs further apart so that your dress slips up a bit and your panties blink out. Even his favorite panties you wear, and he’s sure that your bra will match this one. Angry he tries to pinch his teeth together, doesn’t understand why you make yourself so pretty when you’re just looking for a new guy, almost as if he’s no longer enough for you.

Like he’s not good enough anymore, and you throw him away, swap him out like a substitute player in volleyball. It was like that before, if he hadn’t done his best, he was replaced right away. But he was aware of his role in volleyball, only with you he was unsure, did not know what role he played for you.

“I’m sorry, Yams.” You whisper to him as you put your arms around his neck and give him a hesitant kiss. But Yamaguchi shies away, doesn’t understand what’s going on. He’s angry because you’re playing with his feelings, even though you probably don’t do it on purpose.

After all, you said you were just friends, so it’s not your fault he has feelings for you. You can do whatever you want, because you’re not a couple. “What? That you throw yourself like a bitch in heat at the next guy you run into?” The words suddenly fall loudly out of him, and immediately after he has pronounced them, he regrets them.

With persistent breath he seeks your gaze, wants to apologize to you, but he falls silent when he sees your pitiful gaze. “I’m sorry I pissed you off. But you know... Only you can make me happy, my good boy.” You giggle as you bend over and cover up these hurtful words with your gaze and your voice. Words that make you cry inside.

But Yamaguchi’s thoughts are unclear, his actions free of his will as the red thread in him, tears when he leans forward to kiss you roughly. With his teeth he nibbles on your lower lip, search the entrance to your tongue to taste it too, before he presses you with a loud groan on the plate of the kitchen island and grabs his hands on your thighs, the place where Ennoshita had his fingers.

“Hey, Tadashi, what are you doing? Somebody could come in any time!” You say, your voice is almost shaking with fear. But that doesn’t bother Yamaguchi at the moment.

When he realizes that you are trying to straighten up, one of his hands moves to your chest, presses you again on the cold plate, and thus prevents you from getting up. His other hand glides over your soft thigh to your panties, he caresses with his fingers.

Full of lust, he looks down at you, observing your facial features every time his finger shoves over the fine lace fabric, along your core and back to your entrance. “Yams… please… someone could see us. Hahh...”  

But he doesn’t answer you, just bends down to kiss the inside of your thigh before his fingers push your panties aside and give him a clear view of your already shiny hole. “You seem to like it when I look at your already dripping wet hole. Or is that all that’s left of your dirty thoughts about Ennoshita?” 

His husky voice kisses your damp walls before licking over them with his tongue, sucking on your clit as his fingers slowly enter you, spread and explore your inside. His vibrating sound trembles on your walls, Yamaguchi’s tongue makes you bury your hands in his hair, because it makes just the right pressure, just the right movement on your core.

And now that his fingers are inside you, hitting your sweet spot just right, you can’t help but give a pinched moan as you place your juice over his fingers. He still says nothing while he pulls his fingers out of you, inspecting your body as it moves slightly twitching from your orgasm as he licks your delicious juice off his fingers.

Slowly you open your eyes, trying to find clear thoughts again, now that you’re sure it’s over and Yamaguchi has left out his anger. But you’re wrong, and you realize that Yamaguchi’s hands bury in your hip, pulling you off the counter. Your shoes clap as they touch the floor.

“Thank you, but next time you lock the kitchen before we-” Your sentence is sealed by his lips, which, roughly like the waves, crashes on a rock face. Yamaguchi’s hand is firmly in your hair, while the other one frees you from your short dress.

Pull it off your shoulders until it falls to the ground when your skin confronts with the cold air. His fingertips wander under your bra, pulling on the fine band before they open it, and it also leaves your body almost bare. 

“Tadashi… What… are you… doing?” You try to ask between your kisses. “What does it look like to you? You were always more than just a one-night stand to me.” His voice is serious, deep, as his eyes look at you piercing.

“Wait! Wait, we said everything but sex!”, “But that’s not enough for me anymore, Y/n!” He adds loudly, and for the first time you see a mixture of despair, anger and fear in him. Your heart beats faster when you begin to understand his words.

But you can’t answer him, because you are suddenly turned over by him, pressed with your chest on the cold plate of the kitchen island as he places himself behind you, kisses your back and at the same time opens his pants with his free hand.

You hear how the coarse denim material lands on the floor, how your body through the cold of the marble top, the warmth of his lips and the tickling of his hair, you lose your mind. 

His cock is already rock hard as he rubs it against your butt, distributing his spit on it before he pushes it into you without further preparation. Not that you needed it, because you’re still soaking wet from your orgasm.

“Hahh… Y/n… You feel so good, I missed that so much.” He groans with a shaky voice and buries his hands tighter in your hips, as he pushes your ass firmly against his pelvis again and again, in order to really reach every spot in you. And that’s what he does.

Although he’s not as gentle as last time, he fills you completely, stretches you with a pleasant pain and makes your entire body shake. “Ahh Tadashi! So… so good!” Your whiny moaning makes his dick twitch, makes him smile, as a disgusting sound tears him out of this dreamlike event.

Annoyed, he looks to the side until he sees your phone on which an unknown number lights up. It can only be the number of Ennoshita. “Answer it and put it on speaker!” He breathes to you, as he pushes the phone to you and thrusts aggressively into you, almost as if he wants to give you a warning.

With shaky hands, you answer the call as Ennoshita’s voice echoes through the kitchen. “Hi Ennoshita here. I just wanted to call.” Through the phone you can hear his smile, but you can’t answer, as you are sure that you would moan out loud. 

“Eh… L/n? Are you on the phone? Can you hear me?” He asks insecurely, when Yamaguchi whispers in your ear that you should answer him. “Yh- Yes hah!” You groan almost out loud, biting your lower lip. 

But he doesn’t seem to have heard it, because he just laughs joyfully. “Beautiful! You know, I had to leave quickly because my mother still needs some help. Thanks for giving me your number. Do you have plans after the party? Do you… maybe want to come over?” 

You notice, as with his last sentence, Yamaguchi’s speed and especially the hardness of his thrusts strengthen, how they now make the things on the cooking island tremble the same way like your body and you can hardly keep your voice still.

“I’m sorry… ngh… I’m b- busy with Yah- Yams birthday p-party. I’ll ha- c- call you tomorrow. Nhh.... Bye Sh… Ennoshita ah!” You apologize to him before he says goodbye to you, something embarrassed and you hang up.

“Ah fuck! Why, why are you doing this Tadashi haah?” You want to know, as you try to turn to him, but you can’t do it with his grip. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m in love with you!” His words reach you like lightning, make your body tingle differently.

For a moment, you’re trying to process his words, realize what he said. His thrusts are fast and hard, almost as fast as your heartbeat right now. “Yamaguchi wait! Wait! Stop!” You shout at him loudly and with a lot of pressure in your voice as you detach yourself from his grip and turn around.

You look at him completely surprised, and now he also realizes that he had just confessed his feelings to you. “Is that true Yams? Do you really love me?” Your tone is almost broken, quiet and hard to understand, but for Yamaguchi it is louder than ever.

Ashamed, he bites his lip, looks to the ground and nods, barely visible. He is sure to have ruined everything now, but he would not have expected you to approach him and kiss him lovingly. That you press your body against his and bury your hands in his hair.

Full of passion, you look into his dark eyes, which are now getting wider and wider. “Then fill me up. Show me you can make me happy. Show me you can be a bad boy, too.” Stunned, he looks at you. Do you love him too? Because you didn’t reject him.

He’s sure you can hear his heartbeat loud before he jerks you up and puts you back on the counter in front of him. You don’t care if someone could come in or not, you just want to feel Yamaguchi inside you again.

Hastily you pull him to you, bring his hands to your body before you tie your legs to his hip and look for a hold on his back with your hands. Haunting his lips finds yours, as his dick penetrates into you again, he pushes you further against himself and continues where he left off earlier.

Your breath mixes, just as your eyes look at each other hungry, when Yamaguchi brings his lips to your body, caresses your collarbone while his hand plays with your nipple, wraps the other around your hip so you won’t be pushed away from his bumps.

“Oh god Tadashi, so good. You fill me so good! I’m close, hah!” You groan as you notice how the knot in your body slowly contracts. As if you don’t know what to do with your desire, you claw your nails in his back, tilt your head backwards and let the pleasure reign over your body.

“Ah, Tadashi! I- I love you! I always loved you!” You moan, weeping as your vision blurs and your body becomes numb. He carefully lets you down on the plate, still holding you to the hip, but it is difficult for him not to come now.

Because your walls are so tight, tie up his limb and your words that you love him are enough to bring him to orgasm. Sloppy his lips hit yours as he distributes his shots at you, exhausted, slumped on you.

“I love you too, for a long time now.” He then whispers to you as he sticks your hair, which is sweaty on your temples, behind your ear and looks at you with his otherwise unbelievably sweet smile.

You’re overjoyed to be telling him when you first noticed, when the kitchen door opened and you two were looking at the door. Even if you see him standing upside down, you are sure it is Tsukishima.

Shocked, you both look at him while he doesn’t make a face. “Next time, you might want to put some music on for your guests, so they don’t have to listen to you moaning.” Bored, he clicks his tongue as his gaze wanders towards you.

“Really resourceful, your birthday present. As if you guys aren’t doing your weird sex thing every week.” You do not manage to give him an answer, because the door has already closed with a loud bang, only the two of you in the quiet room.

Embarrassed, Yamaguchi scratches the back of the head as he helps you stand up and hands you your dress and underwear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for this to happen and…. for it to get so awkward.”

But you’re just laughing at his apology. “I regret nothing because you told me you loved me. I don’t care who heard me or who didn’t. As long as you’re the one hearing me the loudest.” Again his eyes become big, his mouth wide and his cheeks red. “Does that mean you want to be together with me?” 

“I’d like to be your friend, your girlfriend.” You smile and give him a sealing kiss on the lips before you get dressed and go back to the others.

[kat-hawke]

Further Education

Scanning the Pig & Whistle tavern's recently repaired interior as she entered, Kat caught no sign of the bartender who sat comfortably on her payroll. Vibration within the throat rolled slowly as she approached the bar, ordering her regular and waiting for several minutes to see if Quinn would make an appearance. The eventual conversation between employees revealing the young woman left work early. Pressing her lips into a fine line, the Director sucked her teeth in annoyance, funds were tight, and she couldn't afford to pay an informant who wouldn't stay at her post.

Knocking back the last of the whiskey before leaving, Kat set her path for Quinn's ramshackle apartment at the end of the street. Ignoring the beggars who loitered on the doorstep as she entered, taking the steps two at a time, and coming to a halt at the desired door. Digits curled around the doorknob, finding her entry denied by the lock. Kat rolled her eyes and knelt to the ground, glancing down the hall before slipping the lockpick from her back pocket.

One, two, three, and four tumblers clicked into place as the bar rotated the lock, allowing the door to swing open. "Shit security," she muttered beneath her breath as she inspected the flat. Things had improved since her last visit, though it seemed Quinn kept true to her word and refrained from immediately spending her paychecks like water.

The sudden meow of a cat underfoot nearly tripped the Director, who cussed beneath her breath and shoved the feline away. "Fuckin' cats... Why did she have t'get a cat." She mumbled in irritation, grabbing a chair and propping it in the far corner beside the window. Quinn was not currently home, but eventually, she would return.

Two hours pass and the statuesque Director remained seated and poised as Quinn's key turned the lock. The woman rushed in, slamming the door behind her as she pushed the cat away from the exit, scolding the creature for its attempted run-away. Looking up, she finally noticed Kat in the corner, nearly jumping out of her skin with a startled squeak, placing her hand over her chest as she used the wall for stability.

"Evenin' Director," Quinn cleared her throat. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Kat stared the young woman down from across the room, tilting her head ever so slightly as she leadingly inquired, "Where have ya' been?"

"Left work early, my best friend, Sam, she's back in town, and I had to check on her. Think she lost her mum in the attacks." Quinn looked away, moving to the tiny kitchen to collect two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

"Mhm..." The single note rumbled in the Director's throat as she glanced out the window. Placing others above oneself was a trait that got many in this profession killed, but Kat's annoyance was split by the admiration to help those who were like family.

 "Stopped by for a drink 'n was a little surprised to find ya' absent so soon after the reopenin'. Though I suppose it can be excused fer such a reason."

A few short nods from Quinn as she closed the distance, offering one glass to the Director, and continued to hover. "Yeah. Felt bad about it when I was the only one workin' bar, but...well, Sam's got to come first. She's havin' a rough time of it, so I'm just goin' to visit a few times a day, make sure she's eatin' and all."

"Mmmhm," another note hummed in Kat's acknowledgment, taking a sip of the whiskey as she watched the group of children in the street beneath the window.

The informant looked down into her glass in the brief pause before asking, "How's the Unit holdin' together?"

"Everything is fine if no' a bit overworked and overburdened by the bureaucracy, which is the noble houses." Disgust laced Kat's tone as she took in more of the liquor. 

"I heard ya' and Fiske got properly acquainted fer a few weeks in the mountains."

"She's intense that one. Little judgy too." Quinn lifts her shoulders in a half shrug and then takes a sip of her drink, looking out the window. "I didn't make breakfast right. I didn't organize the stores in the right order. I had them pets in there, and that was an issue. Still, it was good to get to meet her. Better to know than not, yeah?"

"She's a career militant," Kat interjected, "born and raised t' follow orders, like her mother and father before her. It's easy to see where views don' align." 

"Wonder how much I'd have agreed with her if I'd known my parents. Supposedly they were militant too." Quinn questioned, glancing into her drink with a weak shrug.

The glass in Kat's grip swirled slowly as she looked to the adjacent wall, spotting the terrarium and serpent within. "Since when do ya' have pets?"

"They're Sam's. Her cat and snake." Quinn motioned vaguely to the animals. "Thanks, by the way, for the cube...thing. Myz gave it to me to help move them." 

Before Kat could ask for the magical container to be returned, Quinn had already plucked the cube from the nearby shelf. With a nod, the Director tucked it away within the inner pocket of her blazer. The dagger sheathed upon her thigh visible for a brief moment.

"Thank ya', I was about to ask for that back."

"I'm takin' the cat home tonight. I'll get the snake there soon too." Quinn added.

"Enough small talk," Kat tapped her glass with a single finger, pinning the informant beneath her gaze. "How has the education been comin' along?"

The question was merely a formality to test Quinn's honestly. Kat had received detailed reports and scores from the tutor every month over the last year, like a parent overseeing their child's classes.

"Good, leastwise, I think it's goin' good. My writin' is gettin' cleaner all the time. Readin's hardly a chore now, that's no trouble. I hope my reports are better all the time, even with a few hiccups here and there." The informant answered modestly, meeting the Director's eyes.

"They're looking good, yes. Glad t'hear readin' is no longer a strain." Kat remarked, one hand slipping into her coat's outer pocket, palming the small book within as Quinn quickly spoke again.

"I'd like to know what opportunities are next. If I wanted to train more, broaden my skills." There is a hint of hesitation in her voice, eyes shifting nervously. "Bein' helpless doesn't much feel like somethin' I want to do. Durin' all that chaos, I felt...useful. I know I'm young, that whatever this path is, it ain't a short one but...what would workin' towards takin' a more active role in the Unit look like?"

"Ambitious," Kat remarked with a lifted brow, going silent for a moment as she scanned the young woman. She had to sip from the glass to hide her smirk as Quinn broached the topic she came to discuss. A small part of her was pleased to see such forward ambitions, but the other spiked with paranoia, remembering when she was that young and everything that happened in the quest to get ahead.

"Is that ambitious?" Quinn asks, "just...you got a powerful and enviable group of women workin' under you, and I see in them someone I want to be. Eventually."

"Mmm, don't be like them," Kat commented off-hand with a grin. 

"They all got their own unique strengths and weaknesses. I'd hope, in time, I'd have my own separate from theirs," the informant chuckled, looking off to the side.

With another short hum, Kat pulled the small leather-bound book from her pocket, offering it to Quinn, who studied the embossed image of peacebloom and silverleaf before thumbing through the pages. 

While the young woman was correct in her assessment of the Unit's members, Kat did not wish to see Quinn become another killing machine of the Alliance or suffer the same tribulations the rest of them had and lose a part of herself.

And the Unit currently lacked a proper toxicologist.

"So glad ya' brought it up," Kat smiled. "Study that, with yer new skill of readin', and make use of it."

"I'll do just that, Director. Thank you." Quinn beamed as she flipped through each page, scanning the detailed images of various herbs and fungi.

"Figure mixology of drinks isn't too much of a leap, so." With a single shoulder shrug, Kat polished off her drink and stood. "Get familiar with th' plants first. I don't want ya' in the field. Yet. Lon' way t'go."

"I don't expect to be. I'm just glad I've been able to help. I'll start with this. Thank you again." Quinn pulled the book to her chest, watching as Kat moved across the apartment to leave. 

"Is there anythin' else I can help you with tonight?" She called out from across the room.

Kat chuckled, stepping into the doorway. Looking back over her shoulder, she answered with a pointed tone. "Don't be late for work tonight."

As the door shut, she could barely make out Quinn's response. Taking a deep breath and straightening the hem of her blazer, Kat quickly interjected to the dagger-bound voice in her head as her boots clicked down the hall. "Don't even say it."

[ @quinn-varden​​ ] [ Vague mention: @alyssa-ward​​, @myzariel​ ]

[morganas-pendragons]

Warmth | Echo

finding gifs of echo is so hard holy crap 

this is part ii to ice - which you’ll probably want to read first // tagging @kill-the-feels​ 

this also features my clone!commander OC named cain

***

The first thing he thinks of whenever Rex pulls him out of that stasis chamber is how warm it is. Echo can’t remember the last time he actually felt his heart beat or saw people - real breathing people - much less felt warmth. 

Then he starts looking for you. Rex sees it too. The wanting, the desperation for someone familiar. Someone who loves him.

  “Don’t worry, vode. I’m going to get you back to your cyar’ika.” 

Rex grabs his hand and Echo latches on because he, just like his other brothers, craves touch. The ice that’s spent the last two years building up in his chest starts to crack as the warmth bleeds through. 

The warmth of a brothers love. 

Echo knows without a doubt that Anakin Skywalker will get him off of Skako Minor. That Rex, his Captain and his ori’vod, will keep him away from the steel grasps of the Separatists who saw him as nothing more then a machine. 

He follows the other clones, the ones who call themselves The Bad Batch, through the ventilation system in the route that’s been mapped inside his head. It was the only logical means of escape. That unfortunately meant calling on the Keeradaks, which Rex later comes to tell him that they’d used the creatures upon arriving on Skako Minor and meeting the locals. 

Echo isn’t paying attention to the droids that can suddenly fly and are pursuing them as they make course for the village. His blaster fits into his flesh hand like it’s meant to be there, and the air is flowing by him and he’s surrounded by his brothers and for the first time Echo feels like he’s alive and on top of the world. 

That’s when he start laughing. Oh, how it felt to be alive. 

Now he just needs to get back to Anaxes. Back to you. 

Cyar’ika. 

*** 

Rex had the good graces to inform you before he left for Skako Minor with the Bad Batch that he was following a lead that would probably lead him to Echo. You hadn’t believed him at first because Fives had told you himself. He’d been the one to see it. He’d seen Echo die. 

The Clone Captain hadn’t expected you to believe him. He did, however, take your hand in his own and wish you the best. He made another promise to bring your cyare home to you. 

CC-1614 is the one who actually manages to convince you that Rex is telling the truth. He’s the one who gives you hope. 

Cain is well built as many of the other clone commanders are, a sole survivor of Reaper Squadron who had all died on Jabiim in a battle that had nearly claimed Obi-Wan Kenobi’s life. His general is a good friend of yours, one of the few Jedi who had the ability to Force Heal. You hadn’t exactly intended on breaking the Code whenever you fell for Echo. It had just happened. 

Cain and Kix, along with ARC Trooper Jesse, are three of your closest friends. You haven’t been on the front lines in months and Cain prefers to stick close to his General, who is elbow deep in blood and bacta and desperately trying to calm down the clones who are the most frantic and the most critical. 

    “You’re doing that thing again.” Cain gently nudges your hip with his own and crosses his arms over his chest. The Commander usually plays a stoic facade as he has a reputation of stern authority to maintain, but Opal Stone has impacted him deeply enough that he feels it necessary to be himself when he’s not on the front lines.  “The I’m going to look off longingly into the horizon and if I stare hard enough, Rex will bring my cyare home look. You look like a love-sick teenager.” 

His jibes fall on deaf ears. You’re not hearing it. 

  “Hey.” Two different colored eyes meet your own. “I’ve been a POW. I’ve been where your cyare has been. It won’t be easy for him to reintegrate back into the GAR but if you’re gonna be there for him like General Stone was for me, I think he’ll be okay. He’s strong.” His head dips to his chest. “Stronger then I was.” 

There’s alot surrounding Cain’s time as Dooku’s slave that Opal did not tell you. You don’t need to know the gritty details of his time as a prisoner of war because all you have to do is look at Cain to know what he went through. His arms are marked with sleeves of tattoos as a remembrance to his fallen brothers - Abel, Funsize, Viper, Killshot - and the Mark Of Cain sticks out like a brand against his temple. 

But for someone who’s seen so much death and so much cruelty, he seems oddly at peace. 

  “You’re a good man, Cain.” You murmur, beaming back at him as his face splits in that rare smile he almost never lets anyone see. “A good man also brings his favorite Jedi caf. I’m exhausted.” 

  “Sure thing.” He winks at you and kriff him - it’s enough to make you blush like a schoolgirl. “General.” 

You don’t have enough time to banter with Cain because then your comm starts going off. 

  “Hello?” 

  “General, this is Anakin Skywalker. We’re enroute back to Anaxes with Echo.” The world stops moving. There’s no dying soldiers or harsh realities or fear or feeling. There is only you and Anakin who has just delivered a truth you’d long denied yourself accepting. These men - these good, brave men - were not meant to come home from the front lines. They were there in service of a Republic that did not care about them and so you did, you'd allowed yourself to be submersed in love and light and laughter that The Order didn’t give you. 

Memories flash behind your eyes like the scenes of a holodrama. Echo is there, Echo is always there, but now instead of being too far out of reach for you to hold he is light and laughter and everything your life had been lacking since Fives had told you about the Citadel. 

Echo was coming home. 

Your breath catches in your chest and your throat knots and Force, you can’t breathe- “He will need treatment. Have Kix help you. I’d recommend a closed off room.” 

  “Right-Right away, Skywalker-” 

Your comm shuts off and hands are resting on your shoulders, slowly traveling down your arms until fingers are lacing with yours and someone starts speaking in a string of Mando’a that’s mostly incomprehensible to your ears. You don’t have to turn around to know it’s Kix. 

  “Kix-” 

Then you hear it. The unmistakable hitch of his breath and the cry building up in the back of his throat reminds you that Echo is so vastly loved by both you and his brothers. The same brothers who’d once thought him dead and are singing their rejoice in their mother tongue upon finding out that a brother long lost is coming home. 

You and Kix set to beginning the preparations for Echo’s treatment. Kix gives stern orders to the other medics that no one will be allowed inside of this room except the two of you, Rex, Jesse, Cain and Anakin. You want him to feel safe, to be safe, which means limiting the number of visitors. 

   ‘’GENERAL SKYWALKER HAS LANDED!” 

Cains voice resounds across the medbay and before Kix can stop you, you’re taking off through the base to where Anakin’s gunship has just landed. Wide eyes follow each member of the Bad Batch until Rex finally leaves the gunship, and cradled in his arms is presumably the man you love. 

He doesn’t look like Echo. Not until you see his eyes. 

And then you crumble. You really try not to, you do, and it’s a good thing Kix followed you because Jedi are supposed to be cool and composed. They’re supposed to have a control over their emotions. 

Too bad you never had control over yourself, over feeling like the way you felt for Echo, because if you did you’d never have had a chance for warmth. 

For love. 

*** 

Echo sees a familiar face, then two, and then his arms are reaching out on their own accord because that is his cyar’ika cradled in the arms of his brother Kix and he wants you- 

But then he’s injected with an anesthetic that knocks him out cold. 

You and Kix work diligently, along with Tech (who proves to be remarkably useful for all the cybernetics that Echo is now implanted with) to ascertain the extent of his injuries. He’s definitely dehydrated and malnourished, but it seems that the extent of what he’d endured at the Citadel had been dealt with by the Separatists. 

Except the memory loss. 

After injecting a fluid IV into his arm, you allow yourself to ease into the chair beside Echo’s bed and take his flesh hand into your own. There’s so much of him that’s metal now that it’s almost impossible to see the man beneath it, but if weren't for those eyes and that heart that pounds proudly beneath your hand, you wouldn’t even know it was him to begin with. 

  “He’s safe for now.” Kix handed you a ration pack and water before wiping his forehead with the back of his hands. “I think you can take it from here.” The clone medics bends down enough to brush a kiss against the crown of your head - an action he only does when the two of you are alone because he trusts you - and you thank him with a soft smile and a nod before he parts from the room. 

Your eyes travel up and down his body as you slowly drink the water and chew on the ration cube. 

  “Echo, cyare.” The words come before you can stop them. Your hand is still linked with his, thumb carefully rubbing back and forth in the same way he’d used to do when he’d held yours for the first time. It was a nervous habit. “I’m.. I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know what to say.” You don’t. You’d been too preoccupied by the war to even mourn him. Fives had been your anchor, the one who reminded you of the good you’d had, and then he’d been ripped away from you too. “There’s so much I left unsaid before the Citadel.. and I didn’t-I didn’t think you’d ever survived that-I gave up, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I failed you, cyare.” 

His eyes start fluttering. At first you think he’s waking up, but then you feel the way he grips you and then he starts moving, starts whining - Oh. 

Oh. 

His head tilts back and his speech is slurred, but you catch a few words before each strangled breath - “No, no, cyare-” and your overwhelming desire to hold him overtakes your rational judgement, the one that blares a warning in your mind to stay away, so you climb behind him and prop your knees on either side of the ARC trooper before wrapping your arms around his middle. 

The metal doesn’t bother you. 

  “Come back to me, cyare.” You whisper. Your fingers trail along the cybernetics on his chest and around his abdomen. The gesture is familiar. Comforting. Warm. “Come back to me.” 

Echo snaps awake and the ice that has enveloped his entire being since The Citadel shatters. It’s a foreign feeling learning what it means to be warm again but then he remembers he’s on Anaxes, he’s in the base with the other 501st, and he’d seen you before Kix had injected him with the anesthetic. He’s safe. He’s safe. 

His voice cracks as his flesh hand takes your own and bring it to quivering lips. You can feel the tears that fall on your skin when he says, “Cyar’ika.” 

  “Hello Echo.” You muse lightly. Laughter bubbles in the back of his throat as he leans back against your chest, turning just enough on his side that his face is buried in the crook of your neck. Your eyes meet his, and they’re full of tears but they’re his. “Cyare. I missed you.” 

  “Beloved.” He hums in reply. Echo may not remember what happened whenever he was in the ice, but he remembers you - your eyes and your heart and your soul - and so he remembers what it’s like to love and be loved in return. “Ni ru'akaanir par gar, ner kar'taylir darasuum.” 

Now, you’re no expert in the Mando’a tongue, but you catch the end of the sentence. My love. 

Your fingers trail over the nape of his neck and down his spine. He’s limp in your arms, head against your shoulder and breath ghosting over your neck. That’s the only way you know he’s even there. 

And oh. 

He’s warm. 

  “What does it mean?” 

He’s reminded of a similar conversation years ago, when he’d been with his vode in the mess and Fives had asked you to visit to ‘’boost his morale.’’ Maybe his brother knew before he did. Maybe his brother knew he loved you and wanted Echo to be happy. 

  “You asked me to fight for you.” He whispers. Your eyes burn with unshed tears as he lifts his head just enough to meet your gaze, and you can tell he means it. Which means when he was imprisoned by the Separatists you had been the thing that had kept him alive. “You asked me to fight for you, and I did. I fought for my beloved.” 

He falls asleep again, wrapped up there in your arms, in warmth, and you allow yourself to weep again because oh.. oh stars- you love him. 

[baeklooming-day]

Carmin 2 | Chanyeol

Parts 1 | 2 | 3

Summary: When in the middle of your messy student life you end up becoming the right hand of a powerful mafia leader, it gets even messier when it puts you in an arranged marriage with one of the family’s sons.

Genre: mafia!au, arranged marriage!au, fluffish

Word count: 1.5k

36. They’re monsters., 67. You’re bleeding all over my carpet., 75. Quit beating me up!, 84. Show me what’s behind your back.

A/N: Part two! frankly, if you know my other writings you know that practically every each of them takes place in Japan. well, in Tokyo. Tokyo is just my home. And this is my backyard. Credit to Tokyo for being my everything and giving me so much inspiration for everything I do.

“You can’t just show up whenever you want.”

You and Sohlhee were just leaving after your lectures in the afternoon, when you saw Chanyeol casually leaning on the wall, waiting.

Waiting for you.

A whole week passed already since you learned that you were about to be wedded to the ridiculously tall, clumsy boy you’ve known way too long than you would like to.

Ever since that day, he’s been frequently coming to pick you up wherever you were, whether it was because of some family business or just to take you somewhere.

Not to mention, that this ‘taking you somewhere’ was obviously against your will.

His non stop presence was starting to seriously get on your last nerves.

Apparently, Mr. Ishikawa decided that the two of you should be spending more time together, since you were about to become wife and husband.

You really wanted to throw up whenever someone said those two words.

The whole thing was annoying you even more because it didn’t go unnoticed by your friends from Waseda, particularly Sohlhee.

“I would have texted or called you, but you never ever read my texts or answer my calls.” Chanyeol crossed his arms, looking at you with his big eyes.

“What?” Sohlhee sounded surprised. “Why do you ignore him like that, Y/N? That’s mean!”

You rolled your eyes. If only she knew.

“You know, what’s the freaking point of you showing up so often out of nowhere? Me and Sohlhee already have plans.” You said, quietly hoping that maybe, finally, you would get him to leave.

You could always dream, right?

Chanyeol lightly squinted his eyes at you. “Oh yeah? What do you actually usually do, if I may ask?”

Before you could tell him off again, Sohlhee was quicker to answer. “We usually hang out in Akihabara or Shibuya. Shinjuku is so boring. And to be honest, I don’t like it around here at night, in particular anywhere near to Kabukicho.” She told him.

You couldn’t fail to notice the weird sparkle in Chanyeol’s eye. And you already knew what he was about to say.

“Why, are you afraid of mafia or something?” He asked with a laugh.

You sent him a glare, but he ignored it. You could’ve imagined.

“I don’t feel comfortable at all around there. And actually everyone knows that everything happens there behind the closed door! Who knows what illegal stuff they might be doing.”

Chanyeol finally looked your way, but continued talking to Sohlhee. “You know, yakuza is actually an admitted organisation...”

Sohlhee looked at him with disbelief at his overly calm tone. “I don’t believe it that they’re clean. Look at all the crime happening in that district. I heard that lately someone was murdered somewhere around the Golden Gai. They’re monsters.” She concluded.

Your eyes immediately dropped to the ground.

Murder in the Golden Gai? Sounded way too familiar, and unfortunately you knew exactly who was the murderer.

God, it already sounded horrible enough in your thoughts alone.

“Well, you wouldn’t want to run into any of them, right.” You said slowly, blankly looking at the ground in front of you.

“No, I wouldn’t.”

Funny that she was technically being around one every single day, because given your position, you could be counted as one of those shady mafia members, no matter how stupid it sounded to you.

“So” Chanyeol’s deep voice vibrated through the air between you once again. “You coming?”

“I already told you.” You answered him through your gritted teeth.

To your utter surprise, you felt Chanyeol’s arm falling on your both shoulders, pulling you closer to him.

You looked at him with complete disbelief.

“Come on Y/N, you know this is super important. We have to be there.” He said ‘be’ as if signaling that it must be some family business where the two of you were immediately needed without any discussion.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

“What a life” You mumbled to yourself, mad that again you couldn’t do anything about it, you just had to be obedient to family’s orders.

You angrily pushed Chanyeol’s arm away, turning to Sohlhee with an apologetic expression already plastered to your face. Lately you had to use that expression way too often for everyone’s liking.

“Forgive me, Sohlhee” You started. “It looks like I really have to go. But I promise you the whole day on Sunday, okay? I won’t go anywhere.”

You pretended that you didn’t hear Chanyeol mumbling a very quiet ‘we’ll see about that’, looking at your friend.

You were more than sure that there will come one day when she would frankly have enough of you always cancelling your plans.

“Well, okay. What a waste.” She was clearly sad, and that made you feel sad as well, just as much as suddenly super disappointed in yourself.

If there was one thing which you absolutely, wholly hated, it would be cancelling on your friends.

But then again, in moments like this one you remembered when Mr. Ishikawa told you at the very beginning that real friends are a luxury that you can’t allow yourself to have in your world. That sooner or later those relationships were bound to fail, to simply end. People from your world were staying in their circle, as simple as that. But clearly, none could prevent you from making some friends whilst you were studying always surrounded by many people everyday.

You started to lose yourself in your thoughts again, not even noticing when Chanyeol already pulled you away by your wrist, straight to the big black car which was waiting for you a couple of meters away.

You were sitting on a chair inside a big, luminous Starbucks in Ginza with a venti size peach tea with extra ice cubes standing on the table in front of you. Chanyeol was lying about some important family business where you two were urgently needed, instead lurking you on some stupid ‘date’, how he liked to call it, again.

“I hate you.” You said, your voice filled with venom.

“Come on Y/N, I even got you the biggest peach tea. You love peaches.” He continued to sip on his own cold matcha, looking at you from the other side of the table.

“I also love the sound you make when you shut the freak up.”

Chanyeol leaned a little forward, holding the cup with both hands and still sipping on the tea. “Don’t be so cold.” He frowned a little. “Don’t you think we should actually try to make this work and get along? Remember, you are my fiancée.” He pronounced the last word making the ‘e’ in it way too long, adding a puppy look sent your way.

Lord help, that you just ended up dealing with something like that.

You knew that it would eventually lead to that.

Some super unnecessary and annoying ‘dates’ and actual family affairs later, you finally lost it.

You never considered yourself an actual violent person, but you knew yourself well enough to know that if someone pushed your limits, you would be able to literally throw tables.

Or different things that were near you in that moment.

You didn’t even know anymore what he did or said that made you literally explode.

It started building up little by little, only to finally explode like a volcano.

“Chanyeol, don’t talk to me, just leave finally. Yeah, leave, this is my freaking room.” You said, leaning on a dark wooden desk with beautiful porcelain cups and matching plates behind you.

“You are probably the most difficult person to talk to, you know?” He replied, completely ignoring your already flamed up cheeks, a sign that you were about to explode any moment.

He continued talking, but you already weren’t listening. You just wanted to be left alone, but visibly it was too much to ask.

Your hand made its way behind your back, taking one of the porcelain cups and holding it very tightly.

“...and more than that... Wait.” Chanyeol stopped, looking at you and your arm. Then he rolled his eyes. “Y/N. Show me what’s behind your back.”

You didn’t even give him an answer. With your free hand you took another cup and using your full strength that you could find in that moment, you smashed them both right on him, not caring too much where the blow landed, you were too mad to care.

It was a long way to actually bring you to a complete furious state like that, so without really thinking you just continued throwing all the expensive cups at him, obviously breaking all of them.

“Holy-” You finally heard Chanyeol’s voice in your ears. “You’re impossible! Quit beating me up! Oh my god, my nose...”

You finally properly looked at him, starting to calm down a little.

Your blow must have been really strong, because next to the red scratch on Chanyeol’s otherwise flawless cheek, his nose was completely red, carmin blood dripping down covering his lips and finally dripping from his chin everywhere.

Before the guilt could take over you, you simply fired: “Well, look. Will you finally leave now? You’re bleeding all over my carpet.” And with that, with his nose all in blood, you just threw him out, making sure to shut your door behind him extra loudly.

Right after you shut the door, you slowly leaned your forehead on the cold wood. Your life was already so difficult before, now you didn’t even know if there was a word to describe its present state.

A/N: one more part to go! i hope you like it, feel free to reblog as always, i forgot to add it in the first part! leave me your thoughts, opinions and stuff ;-; one of you asked me to be tagged in the following parts, idk why but i can’t tag you because your name just doesn’t show up as an option to tag when i type it ;________;

[ddaenqu]

Tea for Two

pairings: yandere prince!namjoon x fem!reader

themes: Kingdom AU, Angst, Mature, Yandere AU, Arranged Marriage AU

tags: possessive behavior, obsessive behavior, unhealthy behavior/relationship, toxic behavior/relationship, overprotective behavior, arranged marriages, threats, threatening, slight sexism, forced marriage, infidelity mention, mentions of violence, some grotesque scenes of death, explicit langauge, mentions of slaves

a/n: ahhh i finally finished it! i’m sorry if there’s so much mistakes, i tried to edit it as much as possible but sometimes i kind of just write and read, and don’t pick it up. i was sick while writing this and (maybe) still sick when i schedule-post it. the reader’s personality was by far my favorite to write in this one, and i hope you all love her as much as i do!! (and the gif i wanted didn’t work when i tried to save it, SO IM MAD MAD)

based on the prompt: “Say that one more time and I’ll make sure you can never walk again.”

summary: Life wasn’t fair to you, and it didn’t give you happiness, hope, love—neither lemons. It gave you tea. The finest quality there is, in the wrong situations.

The tea tasted horrible, bitter and frothy against the sides of your mouth, the number of sugar cubes you dropped in couldn’t help the bland taste. You’d say this was the worst thing you’ve ever drunk, and that was saying a lot as over the years your senses were built to enjoy even the most bitter and sour, watered-down, and scalding hot drinks.

You forced yourself to take another sip and decided that it truly was the worst. Setting it down onto the glass saucer gently, a small clink resonating through the still room, you looked around—as you have been for the past five minutes. The room didn’t change, you remind yourself, you’re still in the same stupid cushioned seat since you first arrived, and your firm corset is doing well to hide your panicked breathing and nearly accomplishing its goal to crush all of your ribs in record time.

“Another cup? Your grace?” you hear the baritone-like voice of the butler, dressed in a beautifully tailored uniform, gold gleaming from the seams. His hair was dark brown, his eyes glowed brown with speckles of gold, and his kind smile had always done well to keep your behavior at bay.

You waved it off and returned a smile of your own, genuine or fake, you couldn’t tell anymore. “No thank you, Seokjin, I’m fine.”

The room almost jolts to life to the informal address towards Seokjin, one of the many butlers, more commonly called Mr. Kim. But he pays no heed to the informality, he doesn’t mind at all, he’s known you for quite a long time and has figured out along the way, from your awkward teenager days, and to your dumb young adult antics—that you hated honorifics.

His smile never leaves his face, never falters, never twitches. “Are you sure? You’ve only had a cup since coming here. Would you enjoy something else? Your grace?”

“No, thank you though.”

“Of course, your grace.”

The room returns to its quiet state once again, all the maids and butlers are positioned with perfect forms, and the knights stand guardedly by the doors. Although it’s quiet, the one thing anyone loves in this line of work, the room burns in tension. You could feel the eyes of hundreds as they could feel every small movement you make against their cold flesh.

But you’re not one to have an outburst or a temper for that matter. You weren’t allowed to.

To be raised as the daughter of a duke, you’re raised with high expectations.

You had to fit in with any trends that were fashion-related and keep up on them, you didn’t need to know about anything else, not the war—as you couldn’t ever enlist, no woman could. You had to have perfect etiquette when eating or talking. You had to walk in sync with others, couldn’t walk ahead, you were taught to walk in heels and dresses. You had to smile, that was the most important job you were told, they drilled in the thought that even an untalented and useless girl could attract the best with a simple smile.

You were raised to be the embodiment of perfection.

To be the perfect woman—the perfect wife.

You were glad that where you sat, faced with a grand window and offering the kingdom’s garden, and the front of the mansion they lived in, you could see anyone who had arrived. It’s more like a warning for you, to prepare for it, whatever you were preparing for.

At one point you thought if you could really go through with this, to go against everyone’s wishes, most importantly your parents and the queen.

If you were unlucky and turned out unfavorable to the queen, you’d be beheaded or worse—forced to continue on.

The thought of having young children watch your head fall dead as the rest of your body, them finding odd entertainment in something so vile, made your stomach sick, that disgusting tea rising in your throat. The taste stuck to the back of your throat and a gag reflex was seconds away from appearing.

A heavy sigh comes from you as you try to smooth the creases in between your eyebrows, your headache from this morning has returned with a white noise keening in the back of your head and the silence is only making it worse.

“Seokjin, can you get me something cold to drink—water, quickly,” you say, but it’s in an authoritative tone, automatically.

“Of course, your grace,” he replies and turns to get the pitcher of water, setting down a new cup and pouring cold, iced water. All the while, he’s busy boring eyes into your head, noticing all the defined lines, dark bags, and blotchy makeup trying to hide your stress. You hope he has enough sense to not ask.

Seokjin returns the pitcher back to where it sat last time and adds space between you and him, in which you inwardly thank him.

Suddenly, the dark oak doors in the middle of the room open, revealing two men you believe are on the council, and the other being the prince of Esthersa known as Kim Namjoon—your fiancé.

The two shrub-like men standing beside him, small and incompetent compared to his domineering figure. You almost cringed to the fact the whole room had to stop and brighten in awe, and you would say you were almost embarrassed by his grand entry.

“What I’m saying, prince—,” one of the councilmen stop and quickly correct himself, “Your Royal Highness, forgive me, is that it would be better if we sent some of the knights to the south—”

The other quickly cut him off, “war is arising in our neighboring kingdoms, it’s better if we abide them by their rules and arrangements, they had asked—”

Something in Namjoon snaps in seconds and the councilman closes his mouth mid-sentence, a rare sight to see when he was usually a reserved and calm person over the years. His eyes burn in anticipating rage before his lips reach into a grin, you could tell animosity was burning at his patience from the way his body became stiff, for reasons unknown to you.

He turns to the two men who stood behind him like cowering dogs, saying something that you couldn’t hear, but guessing from the two council members reactions, it wasn’t very pleasant, to say the least.

It was odd to see him get worked up so easily over a simple conversation. Most of the time, it had to be his parents or an argument from one of his siblings to make him angry. You’ll have to refrain yourself from asking, nosying wasn’t an attractive trait.

“Mr. Kim,” Namjoon calls and Seokjin, who stood behind you, immediately rushed over to him.

“Show these two gentlemen to the front,” He orders in a calm voice, “and tell the rest of the council members that we will end it there for the day.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” The butler bows to the prince and takes the two pale men away from the room, the doors closing with a bang, the knights regaining their positions.

You hear a deep sigh vibrate the room, Namjoon settling down into the chair across from you where another cup of tea stood untouched and a plate with one scone on it.

Mildly unsettled now that your one person of comfort had left the room, it would be nice to have someone you know to be there if things went wrong.

“I’m sorry for the disruption, they tend to follow when they don’t get what they want,” he explains, although, you already knew that from being around him and his family enough, or anyone who had the title of a noble.

“Typical,” you reply and watch him take a sip from the teacup. “But I did ask to meet unexpectedly without any warning, that is purely my fault.”

He lets out a faint chuckle and his body feels more pliant, still very much aware, yet comfortable in his seat. His eyes softened and his hands were no longer curled into fists as they were before.

The Kim Namjoon you knew appearing before you. The one you’ve known since kids. Grown into all of his features, his baby fat no longer there, dark brown choppy bangs sprawled and swept against his forehead, the bruised he prided in from training became faint, and his awkward, lanky body grew into one of an actual prince.

“It’s fine. I’m sure it’s important, you rarely visit by yourself, so it must be serious,” he assures, “you have all of my attention, love”.

“Yes,” you speak before thinking, the eloquent words you had in your mind began to scramble. You didn’t know if he knew why you were here, his words insinuated that he did—but—he seemed oddly happy. From the way his lips turned into a gracious smile and the use of the pet name, he’s never done that regularly. Or maybe he did? Maybe you’ve never noticed.

Was he maybe expecting something else? You thought, or could he be happy already knowing what you’re about to ask? Perhaps something else had made his day?

From the corner of your eye, you see movement and remember, there are others in the room as you speak, who could hear everything. Even if they did an oath to keep quiet about any private matters containing the royals, you didn’t want a group of spectators watching and making silent judgments when they don’t know anything. It's worse enough to have to speak to Namjoon in person, sending a letter would’ve been more appropriate, but your family had insisted you visit him the moment their eyes landed on the letter meant for him.

“Is it possible for the maids and knights to leave the room?” you whispered, your clammy hands trembling in the fabric of your dress.

Namjoon’s eyes narrow, deep in thought, but his expression keeps still and restrained. His hand goes up and makes a gesture akin to a wave, you’re too afraid to look anywhere that wasn’t his eyes.

Leather shoes clack and shuffle, metal creating a clicking sound like the door of the room shut close, barricading you and him inside, the silence consuming every spot and cup. You were alone with him.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” you gulp and he takes another slow sip from his tea, your mouth went dry. “The reason I came to visit was that I wanted to talk about our engagement.”

The words left your mouth, clear, making sure you’re not talking too much or too fast for him.

He raised his eyebrow and shuffled in his seat. Putting his leg over the over, his fingers toying with the curved, gloss handle as the cup rested in its according saucer.

“What about our engagement?” he inquired, interested, “enlighten me.”

“I believe,” you begin and then quickly add, “Your Highness”, to appease your painful anxiety, and to be as formal as you can at this point. “We need to find better solutions to increase the morale of your kingdom.”

“What does this have to do with our engagement? Are you, perhaps, proposing more outings together?” He shuffles once more in his seat, leaning forward. “And, if you’ve forgotten, technically it’s our kingdom.”

You sigh regretfully, you had made it to ambiguous for him to specifically pinpoint what you’re trying to say, anyone would take it the wrong way with how you phrased it, but you feel bad. The words you want to say are too blunt—for someone like Namjoon. Sure, he’s a prince, he’s built on nothing but “bloodlust”, and his expressions only vary to calm and angry-calm, however, he’s been nothing yet kind and equal with you. It feels unfair that you’re the one to bring it up abruptly, to make matters worse, you’re bringing it up before the war has ended, but it must be said, he must’ve already thought of it before.

“No, Namjoon—Your Highness .” Bile rises to your throat, and every word sounds foreign to you as you spoke, “what I’m trying to say is—Your Highness, I want us to annul our engagement.”

The room drops in temperature, which is far-fetched to say, there’s no way for a room to instantly get cold, and yet it does, somehow. The look in Namjoon’s eyes are cold, they’ve always been in some form—but they are just there, they no longer share the emotion his face and body don’t show, the only way you’ve read his answers and him. It’s gone. He’s just the prince.

He becomes slack against the chair, his back pressed against the chair, and his fingers now tapping against the wooden table, lightly, you add.

“‘Us’?” Is the only thing he mentions in his deep and solemn tone.

“Yes,” you continue on with your explanation, the one you’ve perfected over the courses of weeks. “I knew ever since we were engaged you weren’t happy with the choice, it wasn’t ours to begin with.” You look out the window to focus on the maids and other staff flitting about the front yard, relieving of your stress by a mile. “I was only engaged because of my family’s name, known for the looks or talent, well-liked by the people. Ultimately, I was only a sacrifice for peace between the people and you. But you already knew this.”

“I was one of many pawns,” is what you wanted to say. To create this grotesque picture of you being unhappy with this to-satisfy life, to make the biggest moves as everyone sits back and waits until they are called, to be the one taking everything. And to be cast away when you’re not needed anymore and rot with the others who have already played all of their moves.

You did not want to be that.

“I see.” Namjoon reaches for the tea once more and takes a sip, you watch his eyes stare at the bottom of his cup longer than normal, his cheeks were hollowed in from him biting the insides of his cheeks. “Is that truly what you wish for? War is still going on, and my parents will be enraged if I tell them this.”

You breathe in. “This is what I want. I had planned to be kicked from my title from the very start, and I know there are other ways to ensure peace among the people and neighbo—”

“Silence.”

Your mouth screws shut to his order, the malevolence seeping through the cracks of his calm expression, his eyes boring into your skull as the minutes pass, the pressure and guilt beating down on your body. You’re shaking. Your legs are, wobbling and trying to find support by rooting yourself near the legs of your chair, your hands numb with chills running up your arms.

Of all your time with being next to Namjoon, you’ve never seen him snap at you. You thought he didn’t care to, you knew how to put yourself in your place and control your attitude. You’ve never once made him angry.

Well—of course, in this situation he was going to be angry, but you didn’t think he’d be to the point of disgust showing through his tone. He was going to take most of the verbal abuse from his parents and constant begging from your own; saying how he was a coward to let her go, that him choosing to annul the engagement was to bring rebellion in all (for canceling an engagement was a way to tell people you were unloyal and indecisive, and nobody wants that in the future ruler of a kingdom). However, you knew that there were other ways—are other ways, if only he agrees to it.

Marrying another country, one with amazing morale and beautiful benevolence seeping through its kingdom, was the easiest way to ensure happiness among all—but not the fastest. There was bound to be small riots to rise along the way, fighting with cultural differences and the natural “once an enemy, always an enemy” cliché coming to play.

But he was Kim Namjoon, and if you had anything to say about him to someone who has never seen or heard of him, you would say he matched the standards of anyone. No matter too high or too low.

“So, you’ve heard?” His grin pulled into a menacing line.

“Heard what? Namjoon, did I—I mean Your Highness, did I—”

“The council wants me to marry with another kingdom.” His eyes wander to the window and beyond the window, then back to you and your lifeless body. “Is that what made you like this? All of a sudden?”

Does he really think this is stemming from the rumors surrounding him? Not only is he proving the rumors, but not noticing your distaste for this relationship with him from the beginning—he even said so himself that he did not want it.

“No, It’s been my wish since the beginning of this mess, I didn’t know you were being asked to, I was only listing one of the ways I’ve thought of. I’m sorry if I offended you, Your Highness.”

Namjoon doesn’t reply, which most often means he’s thinking. Thinking about what, you don’t know and don’t really want to have an idea of, but you do know that letting you be free of the engagement will be as torturous and burdening for you as it will be to him. Stripped from your noble title and all the power you get from it, every piece of jewelry or dress you’ve owned is burned, and then you’re all too familiar with living with the lower class after a few months. In short, you will become nothing.

 Being nothing is better than this life.

“Alright,” he says after a prolonged silence. “I’ll announce it to my parents, if that’s what you wish for. Truly.”

With elegance, expression flawed and corrupted with disbelief that he had actually agreed when he easily could have said no, you rise from your seat, the chair scraping against the floor. You bow to the lowest your body could allow, offering all of your sincerity in that one bow, offering everything to him. You promise gold and riches to him as he sits in silence, knowing your parents will try to compensate for your “wrongdoing”. Saying more than needed “thank you”’s as your head hanging low in submission.

“I guess—Your Royal Highness,” you say with a meek voice, “this will be the last we see each other.”

Namjoon hums, and the natural fire in his eyes return. Interest.

“Maybe—it will be the last.”

You storm pass guards and guards.

To hell with those damned bastards, you curse as you wrench and try to twist their armored hands away from your arms, the steam burning at the tips of your skin and threatening to fall upon every being in the room beyond these doors.

“Your Highness, what has possessed you?” one of the guards ask, pushing your body against the golden handles of the doors, trying to do so without causing injury.

It’s only natural that they are more worried than upset at your sudden behavior change. You were kind to them, to all, those years of etiquette training had automatically made you into this perfect doll. Anger wasn’t ever present within you, having a temper wasn’t allowed. Just as everything else that made you remotely human wasn’t allowed.

“Let me through those doors, I need to see your prince,” you threaten, wounding your hand tight around an open space where his armor did not cover, gripping with fervor as your nails dig crescents.

“His Highness is working at the moment. He wishes to not have any disturbances, even by you, Your Highness.”

Your Highness.

That title made your insides scorch with blistering pain and a lump to rise to your ears, drowning out the sounds of nearby guards and maids who were witnessing this unfortunate scene.

The two guards that were positioned in front of Nmajoon’s door look at each other with uncertainty. 

“Please compose yourself first, Your Highness, and we will let you in,” one requests, his hold is powerful, and yet it's not bruising on your skin. “We do not mean to be rude, we shall let you in as soon as you are you.”

“Fine,” you spit and the guards, taught to maintain bleak faces, wince to your tone.

As if they had been scolded—and it’s only natural that they do.

They’re being scolded by the next-in-line queen.

You will yourself to lose all hatred at the skin of your face, your features blending into a calm and coordinated smile, one that offered forgiveness, happiness, the well-being of the people were in that smile, your eyes gleaming with unprecedented love.

“May I see your highness?” you ask once more, the softest and lightest tone you could conjure from your hysteria.

The guards nod, metal ringing in the room. They’ve been swept by your façade so easily, expecting that you truly were the kindest human there was to be, completely forgetting your behavior moments before. Their hands individually clasp their sides of the two doors, opening it and revealing an office mixed with a library, a low light pouring into your view.

“Thank you,” is all you say before you enter, the doors closing behind you.

Truly ignorant fools, you think with a gritted grimace, your hands gripping the sides of your dress with a vice-like grip, wanting to rip it from its seams, to destroy it—you want to end it. All of it. Whatever it is.

You take a step forward, like a robot, you remember the way to his corner, where his desk sat and where he sat in the dark like some villain. You remember the guards naturally, it’s not their fault, they aren’t the villains, they are also the pawns of this game, they are the ones beside you. They don’t notice the twitch of your eyebrow, the small details when you smile, your eyes don’t fully crinkle at the sides, your smile doesn’t quite reach your cheeks, they don’t notice it because they only play for the big picture, taking the big picture and making it smaller—and smaller, so the higher-ups can find it of worth or not.

It’s not the people’s fault either, you keep reminding yourself as you turn a corner, another bookshelf. Another corner you turn, this time a small table with a lit lantern and paper stacks arranged side to side. It’s not their faults.

You stand tall, fire burning at the tip of your tongue and your skull splitting into two, hellish images appearing in your thoughts.

That’s right—it was his.

The man—your ex-fiancé and now husband—sitting at his dark oak desk, two lanterns lit in the small, cramped dark, his eyes burning into the page he was looking at with books laid all around. His hair falling out of its perfected form and laying against his forehead.

“What were you thinking?” you snapped, glaring at him.

He’s crazy, he’s absolutely crazy, you believe, that dreadful, unknowing face looking up at you with disinterest, dreadful.

He puts his quill down, interlocking his hands together, and that smile of indifference shows up like magic, his eyes flare with an unknown fever while his elbows prop themselves on the desk.

“What ever do you mean?” he asks slowly, as if you were slow-witted. “Why the face? Did one of my servants happen to anger you?” His face, frowning in solemnity, makes you think he believes his words proudly.

What a dumb and fickle mind he has, you curse.

“No, you know what you did,” you snarled, a violent tone controlling your words before you could reword them. “I told you I wanted it annulled, to hell with it! Now tell me why I’m getting praised by all for being the next queen—Namjoon.”

Fuck your title—“Your Highness”.

“Well,” he begins, “for starters, come—sit, have tea with me. There’s no reason to be mad, I’ll explain myself.”

“Are you playing games with me? Do you understand that your title is on the line?” you shout, getting annoyed with his idiotic antics, as if playing dumb will grant you sympathy. Your feelings are anything but sympathetic.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying, love, and I don’t understand how my title is on the line?” he replies, smooth and eloquent words, although, you can see you’re getting to him. His white-gloved hands are tightening into each other, his shoulders stiff and on a defensive stance. “Enlighten me, sit.”

His hand gestures to one of the chairs, a table next to it with a teacup on a saucer. You can feel the fresh heat from whatever substance is inside that cup, he knew you were coming.

You scoff, standing your ground. “You know that I am not one of your candidates your parents had planned to marry, you know what I am to you—to this damned kingdom.”

“Yes, I understand, I knew,” he sighs. “But with a little convincing, I had made sure they knew I wanted—”

“Namjoon,” you interrupt. “It seems you’ve forgotten, or have chosen to forget.”

His head nods to one side, his patience cracking like that smile of his, eyes that dull with any passion he had before, and instead, replaced with utter hatred. “What did I choose to forget, love?”

You know that tone. The type he uses on others when he doesn’t feel like being disagreed with, one that doesn’t want trouble. It wants complete obedience.

“I wanted this for myself, myself. Namjoon, I don’t want this life,” you partially fumed and pleaded, your eyes weakening into a puppy-like face, edging upon tears. Yet, your tone was still cold. “You even agreed to it, you said you would tell your parents. Just annul it before its too late.”

Namjoon hums, his eyes soften immediately to your face, it always has as you rarely use it. He turns a bit in his chair, looking off to the side and tonguing his cheek, he seems to be in thought. And maybe you forgive him, a part of you wants to, however, the rest just wants it to be over with.

“I didn’t—exactly agree. I never said it. I only said I would announce it to my parents.”

Hatred builds.

“Now come, as I’ve said before multiple of times,” he adds the last part with a light voice, he's deemed that everything is solved. Teasing in a way. “You truly are one stubborn lady, all the more I love.”

Love? This is his love? This was prison, torture.

Stuck within this round-about of a conversation. You come up with the last bit of strength before you really wish death upon this man—and might even go through with it, even if it meant him killing you for trying such a thing.

Death didn’t sound that bad at the moment, compared to what is happening.

“I don’t love you,” you state harshly, “I never have, and never will.”

“Oh please, you can’t tell me you’ve never once thought about marrying me?” he says so lowly, his eyes going back to the papers, trying to conceal the anger and frown growing on his face, you know he is. He’s going to relent and you’ll be free. A sinister man he was, but also a man you’ve been with for years. He had to have somewhat of a heart.

“No. I love someone else—”

Namjoon laughs, a mocking chuckle leaving his mouth. “Don’t be silly—”

“I love someone else, Namjoon. I have no interest in a man like you.” Your eyebrows, by now, have furrowed enough that it was ingrained into your skull from the way it felt. “I never have. I’ve never once wished to be with you. I. Do. Not. Lo—”

You think you’ve finally got him when his face stresses forward enough it’s close to hitting the desk. Your dumb lie of having another lover was a last-minute choice if all fails and goes to hell, at least dig a deeper grave for your own pride.

Then, a hand reaches out and slams on the desk, you can hear something crack under the weight of his hand, the room moves with the noise, vibrating in between your layers and layers of padding for your dress. His head snaps up and you can see a vein appear on his neck, even if the cuff of his jacket covers most of it, you can see it.

The look in his eyes are not dull, are not quiet, are not interested. They’re inhuman. With a vehement glare burning through your flesh, twisting a contorted image within the dark orbs. And that frown twisting into a snarl.

“It seems you’ve forgotten!” he plays in a distant tone, and it’s one that sounds so oddly placed from his angered expression that it scares you, you don’t notice you’re shaking. “I know you—all of you, I know who is in your life, whom you see, whom you talk to. All of it.”

You instinctively take a step back.

“So let me just say, no more arguing, I don’t want to hear it,” he threatens. “If you say that one more time, those dreadful words—you don’t know what you’re saying, darling, really. And I’ll make sure you can never walk again. One way or another.”

“Namjoon. You are mad. You don’t know what you’re saying. Do you even hear yourself?”

“Although, I’ve got your attention now, haven’t I? You didn’t seem to hear me before,” he mocks. “But pain, you don’t care if it’s inflicted on you, and I’ll make sure it hurts. I’ll find whoever else, any being you’ve talked to; your father, your mother, your adorable siblings—they’d be a very nice addition as slaves—even those guards I heard you bickering with.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” you say, a gasp leaving your quivering lips, goosebumps rising over your skin. He knew how much you adored your younger siblings.

“Oh, but I would,” he replies instantly, the anger in his eyes dissipate and they are once a void, again.

He watches you closely, you can feel his eyes roam your form, a small chuckle rising from him.

Images of your siblings being used as slaves, seeing them tend to the egotistic royals at such a young age, unconditioned with no resistance to horrid beings. Your servants and family burning at the stake like witches, others throwing their own sharp and bloodied weapons at them. Those guards, with their head down, waiting for their heads to fall before their body.

He was insinuating that their blood would be on your hands. You can’t imagine the guilt that would settle upon you if you ever had the fleeting idea to run away or kill yourself, or argue more.

You’re trapped again. It’s not his parents this time, it’s him.

“So,” he quiets down, the room that was blundering with energy was now light, the power he had felt equal again. “Let us sit and have tea.” No room for discussion as a white noise fills the room.

And you do.

That disgusting tea you hate so much, you finished within seconds.

(feedback is greatly appreciated! thank you for reading! 🧸❤️)

[marshmallowprotection]

Part 2 to my last submission ( it’s a few days after but 👉👈🥺 it be like that sometimes)

It’s been one week since mc escaped mint eye. One week of being on bedrest, of not being able to stomach most foods, of nightmares whenever mc tries to go to sleep, one week of constantly being exhausted, hungry but throwing up if she ate something that wasn’t soup, smoothies, shakes,crackers or oatmeal. One week of being hooked up to an iv bag. That wasn’t fun to put in, and with mc’s fear of needles she can’t even look at the iv going into her arm. Staying in a hospital room, no matter how luxurious it is, is still pretty intimidating. Although the nurses were really nice and would bring mc small toys to entertain herself with, Rubix cube, a deck of cards, and luckily jumin gifted mc a new phone with the rfa app already downloaded and all mc’s music playlists.

The days are the easiest, it at night, when no one is around besides the two bodyguard planted outside the hospital room door, it’s scary, the memories of being locked away and starved because mc refuses to drink a blue substance, would resurface. Nightmares of seeing people drugged and people praising this all mighty savior. But ray, ray was weird, mc still had hope ray could be saved, searan could be saved. But right now, the therapist told mc to focus on herself right now. If mc logged into the chat room now, she’d get lectured on staying up this late. Every time mc closes her eyes she sees a pair of mint eyes glaring down at her, and more show up, making it impossible for mc to escape. Mc just needs to talk with the rfa in person, but jumin is scared, scared to loose mc again, scared that the people who took mc are still waking around free, maybe plotting to try to take mc again. Mc just wants to go home, how things used to be a month ago, so she wouldn’t have caused all this trouble and worry. Mc can’t help but think that this is all her fault, she shouldn’t have gone to the apartment to collect some stupid documents, or that she should have gone a different day, or that if the guard was allowed in the building this wouldn’t have happened.

The days that followed consisted of nightmares, doctors, having panic attacks alone at 3 am, having the rfa members visit her hospital room daily, and lots of flowers and gift baskets left by business partners of C&R, some even had the audacity to leave their teenagers phone numbers on the cards, in hopes of mc and their child/grandchild hitting it off. But the worst was the needles, endless shots to make sure mc didn’t contract anything, to draw blood to do tests on, and iv bags. No matter who visited or how many gifts mc was given, she remained closed off and tense. Even around the rfa she couldn’t fully relax. All those months of the mc slowly becoming happy, comfortable, her slowly opening up, were all gone. The mc lying in the hospital bed has barely any spark left in her tired eyes, she looks so small surrounded by all those machines and wires. The first time jumin saw mc while she stayed in the hospital, he wanted to cry, seeing the girl who he considers his daughter look so scared, so sad, nearly broke jumin. Every night he read to her before visitors had to leave, mc would fall asleep, only to wake up a short while later due to a nightmare. When jumin caught wind of this he hired one of the best therapists that Jaehee could find. Yoosung hung out with mc whenever he could, wanting to help mc in any way possible. When zen visited he would often entertain mc the best, along with helping mc brush her hair( as earlier established in other asks, mc has really long hair) and help put it back so it didn’t get tangled up with the iv bag. Jaehee would bring dvds if zen’s performances, seven would bring honey Buddha chips, only to get a glare from jumin and the nurses, who had to tell him that mc can’t keep many foods down and those would only make her sick, then he decided in making mc one of the robot cats, one that looks like Elizabeth. But when they left, almost every time they would have tears in their eyes, blaming themselves for mc being in there.

The transition from hospital room to penthouse was a stressful one, for the entire rfa and the staff of jumin’s penthouse. Everything had to be sanitized, cleaned, every window had to be locked, alarms were set in place, background checks on every staff member, especially the ones that would be in close proximity to mc. Mc’s room was checked twice a day for anything dangerous, if there were any holes in the security measures, the glass windows were replaced with tempered glass. Jumin isn’t leaving anything up to chance, not when mc has been through so much already. Mc was more than ready to get out of the hospital, she was most excited to see Elizabeth and shower. On the day mc was cleared to go home, everyone in the rfa was excited, seven even arranged for mc to come home to a welcome home party, jumin did expect for them to be at the penthouse to help mc settle in.

After a stressful car ride, mc and jumin finally made it to the penthouse, noticing how many people are there, mc thinking that they are probably guards. Once they make it up to the penthouse, they are greeted by the rfa, and a banner saying “ welcome home!” Mc cracks a smile for the first time in weeks. Seven is the first to run up to mc, nearly crushing her in a hug. That hug quickly becomes a group hug, as Yoosung is the next to join the hug. Even jumin gets pulled into the group hug. Poor zen keeps sneezing but tries to stick it out for mc.

At night when everyone went home, and mc finally is able to shower and get changed, mc sees how much she changed, what once used to be bright eyes are now dull with dark circles underneath them, her skin is much more pale than one month ago, seeing the bruises on her wrists and ankles from where the chains were, and seeing how broken she looked. It felt like her throat was closing up as hot tears ran down her face, sitting down on the floor of her bedroom mc curls up in a ball, it feels like the room is closing in on her, the sweater suddenly feels too tight around her neck, shaky hands grab the neckline and pull on it, coughing violently and gasping for air. All mc can see is the floor, the images of her room in mint eye, the blue elixir and those cold eyes of searan who told her that they will forget about you like he did to him. 

All this noise makes Elizabeth come over, pawing at mc and nuzzling her face against mc’s leg. Elizabeth meows lousy to get jumin’s attention. Hearing the combination of Elizabeth the tird’s cries of distress and coughing coming from mc’s bedroom, jumin doesn’t waste a moment, running into mc’s room, without even knocking. Jumin finds a distressed Elizabeth nuzzling mc, who is gasping for air, on the floor with tears streaming down her face. He feels his stomach drop at the sight. Not knowing what to do he walks over to mc, hesitantly placing a hand on her shoulder, and sitting her up, then pulling her into a hug, sitting between his legs, putting mc’s hear over his heart.

“Shhh, shhh, everything is okay, just listen to my heart beat, I promise duckling, I won’t let anyone hurt you again.” Jumin repeats that mantra until mc’s breathing steadys.

“ I’m sorry jumin, I -“ mc begins to apologize but is quickly cut off by jumin.

“ don’t apologize mc, there is nothing for you to apologize about “ Elizabeth makes her way towards mc and jumin, pawing at mc and nuzzling her, trying to help. Jumin calls for a maid to fetch some  chamomile tea and a water bottle. He then picks mc up and sits her upright in bed. Elizabeth plops down on her lap and behind to purr and muzzle into mc’s shaky hand. Jumin knows when he sees mc drinking tea, in bed with red puffy eyes, still shaking, that this is going to be a long recovery. But when he sees Elizabeth the third cuddling up to mc, he Rember that for mc, he and the rfa will be there each step, for each panic attack, each nightmare, each sleepless night, and that he is doing this for his family, for his daughter. - submission

/Sobs.

It's beautiful and I can't even eloquently propose a line of thought right now that could match on par with any of this. You've captured that very strong emotional essence of the AU and it makes me want to cry cause it's such a wild ride to read through like this.

My hat's off to you, MC will always have their family with them to help.

[xxfanfiction-emo-trinityxx]

Worth It - Pete Wentz x Reader

Request: hey! I really really love your stories! could i request, y/n goes to either a fall out boy or my chemical romance concert and she's a really small person, with a broken leg and a crutch and the concert is really rowdy and get's pushed into the mosh pit and gets trampled and gerard or patrick or pete (you choose) stops the song and helps y/n? Reader: female

Warnings: pretty violent mosh pit, pain, minor injuries

Word count: 2 214

A/N: I don’t know if you’re even allowed to take crutches into venues, but for the stories sake let’s assume you are. Also I’m a pretty short person myself, like there are still people shorter than me, but I’m always the shortest in my year of uni, so I feel you anon

You figured it had been a bad idea to go to a concert while you were bound to crutches because of your broken ankle. But you had also figured that if you stayed at the very edge of the crowd, you would have no problems. And in fact everything went fine until about three quarters through.

So far you had sung along to all the songs, and because the venue was not very big, and you pretty far in the front, you even thought you had seen the bassist glance over to you a couple of times. You had been a fan of Fall Out Boy since you had first listened to one of their songs on the local radio station, and when you had read they were coming to your hometown, you had immediately gotten a ticket. That had before you had broken your ankle, but that did not stop you from going.

Now you were safely situated at the edge of the crowd, wondering if the wink and the smile Pete had just shot over to the side had been directed at you or someone else, when the next song picked up. It was fast and upbeat, and within seconds a circle pit started forming in the centre of the venue. You were no big fan of pits, always scared you might get crushed between the bodies of these people who were all so much taller than you.

Of course you did not mind others doing these pits, as long as you were left out. But now the pit grew and grew, and just when you decided it was time to hopple off into a saver area, someone got pushed out of the pit, and stumbled against you. You almost lost your balance, and let go of one of the crutches out of reflex. The person either did not notice, or did not care that you tried to escape, because the next thing you knew was that you were being grabbed by the shoulders, and got flung right into the pit.

Heavy, sweaty bodies bumped into you, and you lost orientation almost immediately. Fighting to get to the edge of the pit again failed terribly, and instead you got sucked deeper into it, losing your second crutch in the process. Maybe if you tried to stand still people would notice something was wrong, and for a precious second it worked. Then some tall, clawed in leather, heavy man got thrown into you, making you lose balance immediately, and causing you to fall to the ground. For a split second you could see his panicking glance as he tried to find you in the mess of bodies, he already reached out his hand for you, but then someone else bumped into him, and he disappeared from your line of vision.

Someone fell over you, kicking you in the stomach. Pain shot through you, and you curled together, hoping to somehow, somehow get out of this alive. A kick to the head as another person fell over you, and then a shoe hit you in the back. You covered your head with your arms, curling together as tightly as possible, hoping this nightmare would end.

On the stage, Pete had winked at you and smiled, before the song had kicked off. A mosh pit had started forming, making him laugh. He knew Patrick was no fan of mosh pits, but he loved it when the fans went crazy to their music. That was until he spotted your face in the middle of the pit, obviously panicking.

Pete got distracted immediately, messing up his playing, but he did not care. Worriedly he watched, hoping, praying you would get out of the pit before anything happened, but then you got pushed to the ground, and disappeared. That was it. Pete needed to do something.

Jumping forwards he grabbed his microphone.

“Everyone stop! Stop! Stand still! No one moves!”

Confused his band mates stopped the music, and slowly the people in the crowd calmed down too.

“Someone got sucked into the pit, a young woman, she fell! Can we please pick her up?”

From the corner of his eyes he saw how two of the roadies who helped with the tour jumped off the stage, and quickly made their way to the centre of the crowd to where Pete was pointing. The fans in front of the stage quickly checked the floor for you, and the ones closest to you helped you stand up. It was obvious that the short amount of time in the pit had already done enough damage, as Pete realised with a sting in his heart. The two roadies quickly talked to you, before one wrapped his arm around your waist, and helped you to the back stage area, where they would check you for injuries.

“Everyone, listen up,” Pete continued, “I get that you want to dance down there and get some energy going. But if someone falls, if someone who clearly doesn’t want to be there gets sucked into the pit, then you stop, and help. Because we’re punk and we care about each other alright? So if you see someone falling, I want you to pick them up, if you see someone in the pit who doesn’t want to be in the pit, you help them out. If you see someone who needs help, you help! Now let’s start this song over, and I want to see all of you having a good time!”

With that Pete nodded at Andy, and they started the song from the beginning, but for the rest of the show his mind was caught up on you.

Backstage the two roadies had somehow managed to find both of your crutches. A medic had quickly checked in with you, but other than a little cut on your forehead, and the still broke ankle, there was nothing wrong. The young woman said you might get some bruises, but you did not even have a concussion. The two roadies had to leave you soon, because they had work to do, but invited you to stay backstage until the end of the show, and so you listened to the band play from the dressing room.

When the echo of the last note of the last song had faded, the door to the dressing room jumped open, and the band came walking in. Hastily you got up from the empty table you had been sitting on, not sure what you were supposed to do now.

Andy was the first to spot you, and quickly he hurried over. His long, ginger hair reached down to his shoulders, and other than a pair of shorts he was wearing nothing, not even shoes.

“You gave us quite a fright back there,” he laughed, “are you alright?”

“I’m sorry, I’m okay,” you quickly answered, still feeling embarrassed that the show had been stopped because of you.

“That’s nothing to be sorry for,” Patrick appeared next to Andy.

“It’s more important that everyone is safe,” Joe agreed.

“Are you sure you’re fine though?”

Behind Patrick and Joe Pete had appeared. His black eyes were full of concern, and his sweaty, dark hair was brushed to the side carelessly.

“I am,” you assured him, your heart beating fast when you saw him. You had always had a weakness for him, and now he seemed so worried about you, even though you were a stranger.

“What happened to your foot, “Pete wanted to know, nodding down to the cast around your ankle.

“Broke it, but that’s been two weeks ago,” you explained with a smile.

The other three decided to step aside, and started discussing who should be allowed to shower first.

“Why would you go to a concert with a broken foot,” Pete laughed amused.

“Well, because it’s your concert,” you grinned, unable to hide the fangirl, but Pete just laughed more, seeming flattered.

“What about your forehead,” he continued asking.

“Oh, that’s just a cut, the medic took care of it,” you replied, instinctively reaching for the small band aid the medic had put on the cut.

“Did they give you something to cool it with?”

“No, but that’s-“

“I’m gonna get you some ice,” Pete decided.

“Please, it’s okay, don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” you tried to stop him, but Pete was already on his way out of the room.

A few minutes later he returned with some ice cubes wrapped in a towel.

“That’s the best they could do, sorry,” he apologised as he showed it to you.

“You really didn’t have to get this for me,” you shook your head, but could not help feeling flattered.

You wanted to reach for the towel, but Pete pulled it away from your reach, and instead stepped closer to you, pressing it to your forehead himself. Confused you let him, the cold of the ice helping with the steady headache that had formed, while your heart went crazy about how close he was.

After the ice had molten so much that the entire towel was drenched, Pete offered you something to drink, and asked Patrick to keep you entertained while he took a quick shower, and put on some fresh clothes.

Time ticked on, and Pete was long back from his shower, his short, black hair still wet and dishevelled. You had offered to leave multiple times, but Pete had insisted on you staying longer each time. Somehow you had assumed the band would go out after the show, or to their motel or wherever they slept, but instead they just hung out in the changing room together with you and the roadies, who had finished packing all the equipment away ages ago. Sometimes a member of the staff from the venue came in. Often they brought more drinks, stole some snacks, and stayed for a little chat, before leaving again. Pete told you many stories about tour, and what the band had planned next, asked countless questions about your life, about how you had broken your ankle, and by the end of the night you felt like Pete knew more about you than some of your friends.

Eventually the venue manager came in to talk to the band. He asked how you were doing, thanked the band for playing, and told everyone they would get ready to close down now. Patrick, Joe and Andy helped carry out the last bags, mostly filled with the musicians’ stage clothes, and towels, and Pete insisted on helping you down the few stairs to the parking lot, even though you assured him you were fine.

“So… thanks for the help, and all,” you smiled, realizing this was good bye.

Pete seemed to notice it too, watching almost sadly how his bandmates piled into their van.

“You’re welcome,” he answered, giving you a soft smile, “to be honest, I’m almost glad you got sucked into the pit, otherwise I wouldn’t’ve gotten to know you.”

You laughed at his little confession, and could feel the blush on your cheeks.

“Yeah, I think that was worth it,” you agreed.

“Hey, I was thinking,” Pete nervously kicked a pebble around with his shoe, “you know, Chicago isn’t too far, and if you’d like you could come to some more shows sometime? Like… if you give me your number I can let you know when the next one is.”

Hopefully Pete looked up at you.

“I’d even give you my number if it wasn’t just to keep me updated about your shows,” you giggled, amused by how Pete suddenly tried to disguise his boldness.

“I mean, I could also call you to hang out sometime,” Pete offered, his grin wide now again, as he pulled out his mobile and flicked it open, so you could put your number in for him.

“Pete, come one! We wanna get going,” Andy shouted from the van.

You waved over apologetically, but Pete ignored his friend completely, watching how you typed down the number instead.

“That’s it,” you nodded, after checking you had not made a typo, “so… call me?”

“Oh trust me,” Pete laughed, “I will!”

“Pete!”

This time it was Joe who had shouted.

“Okay, I need to go,” Pete apologized, “get home safely.”

Quickly he wrapped his arms around you, a gesture that you were not able to return since both your hands were holding onto the crutches, but Pete did not seem to mind.

“You too, good night,” you whispered, before the young man let go, and jogged over to the van.

“Good night,” he shouted, and waved, before pulling the door closed, and just a split second later the van already started driving down the street. Seconds later it was out of sight.

Quietly you sighted and shook your head. Had all this really just happened? It felt like the past hours had been nothing but a dream. Taking a deep breath, you wanted to start hoppling down the street, when suddenly you phone began ringing. Wondering who might call you in the dead of night, you pulled it out. An unknown number got displayed. Confused you picked up.

“Hey (y/n), this is Pete,” the voice on the other end of the line announced, making you grin, “you said I should call?”

Taglist (if you want to be added or taken off, please let me know):

General: @justawriterinprogress @robinruns @jayloverthe3rd @lookalivefrosty @butterfly-writes @rene-royale @angelevansfalls @500240

[the-gunslock]

HIVER 8 pt.2 - NAMES AND TITLES

This is a story of...

...of...

...What is this?

I cannot remember. What is this? Who wrote this?

Was it me?

“Dianzi.”

The Awoken girl had just been done doing her glittery makeup. Dianzi Yao’s face was adorned with gold and light blue markings, made to complement her purple hair and dress. It did. Very well.

“You’re almost up.”

She looked around the room. Other women were dressing themselves up just as she was, ready to go onstage. It was customary for them, to present their gracious moves to their fellow people — and their Queen, Mara Sov.

Whoever it is that crowned her.

“Tu es magnifique, ma fille. (You look wonderful, daughter.)” An older woman, but just as beautiful as her, said while caressing her side bangs, her green eyes glowing in admiration. The daughter smiles brightly.

“Merci beaucoup, mére. (Many thanks, mother.) I’m ready.”

“Go. Show them beauty.”

As the dancers were being lifted to the stage, Dianzi on its center, she looks at the brooch holding up her sash.

A reminder of Mara’s invisible shackle on all the residents of the city, and how small her world truly was.

“Is here my place?” She thought to herself, as always, as the dancers reached the stage and the lights turn on. The auditorium was full, as always, with Mara’s best sitting beside herself at one of the overlooking seats.

Mara knew everything of Dianzi’s desire to escape. It was not a rare emotion amongst those who live all their lives in one place. She wouldn’t stop her if she tried, for she knew the girl was aware there would be consequences, brought by her hand — or not.

The Queen wishes she could understand the reasons behind it. The Awoken had built wonderful cities and a prosperous civilization in the shadows of the Darkness that afflicted them in the edge of the Solar System. Everything was made perfect, down to the last brick. Why would anyone want to leave? What is missing?

But for now, there was nothing else that Dianzi could do, but dance. They both knew that.

With that in mind, Dianzi closed her eyes, and when they opened again, she mentalized that she and her fellow dancers were standing in an starry desert, treading paths on the salt-white sand.

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

“Ma fée. (My fairy.)”

Cháng Yi knocked on the marble-grey door of her daughter’s room, who laid on her bed under her warm lights, absentmindedly playing a small, handheld instrument, and humming along to it. Something like a kalimba.

“Come in.”

She opens it and steps inside, adjusting the sash on her decorated, white-and-gold garment.

“You are getting better at this every day. We could hear the music from the kitchen. Maybe you should play for your friends some time.”

“It is just a pastime,” Dianzi said as she put it on her nightstand, “I’m not putting this out there. What is it, mom?”

“Dinner is ready, daughter.” She said with a smile as the aroma of food filled the air inside the bedroom. “Made something special for you.”

Realizing her hunger, Dianzi jumps off the bed, pulling down her sweater and excitedly hopping to the dining table where she found three chafing dishes containing melted cheeses and chocolate, and many bowls containing various kinds of food — cubed bread, various fruits cut down to bite sized pieces, small pieces of meat, a bunch of cheeses, and even wine — however Cháng had made other drinks since her daughter rarely drank alcohol.

“Whaaaaa? What is the occasion?”

“She forgot again.” Another elder Awoken, with glowing blue eyes, clad in a simple, black outfit covered by a form-fitting black jacket, entered the kitchen, smirking while carrying a relatively large box.

“The day I was born?” Dianzi guessed, thumb to her chin. The older women chuckle.

“Yes, it is.” The third woman confirms handing her the carefully-wrapped box. She and Cháng sandwich Dianzi in a warm hug while she laughs, trying to protect her gift. “Congratulations, ma lapine. (My bunny.)”

“Joyeux anniversaire, Dianzi! (Happy anniversary, Dianzi)” Cháng says warmly while letting her go. “Did I say it well, Clarabelle?”

“Yep, perfectly. You two are refining it every day.” Clarabelle pats and kisses the heads of both her wife and her daughter, much to their glee. “I’m so proud of you two.”

“Thanks, mom. Can… can I open this?” Dianzi asks, curious to see what’s inside the box.

“Of course! Meanwhile, I’ll eat all this delicious-looking food my dear made for us.” She says, grabbing one of the colored forks on the chafing dish and stabbing a piece of bread with it.

“Noooo! Leave some for us!” Cháng implores playfully. Clarabelle sits down and begins to eat, laughing.

Under the wraps, Dianzi discovers a large, octagonal, dark wooden box with a circle on its lid. One of its faces has some sort of ancient-looking clock, ticking methodically. On the top circle were many small, levitating, colorful spheres rotating on fixed radii, at different speeds.

“It’s an orrery.” Clarabelle says, smile on her face. “Press the button.”

Dianzi locates the button and presses it, causing the box to holographically project an adjustable spherical star map from its tiny Sol.

“It follows the movements of the planets in real time. Did you like it?”

“I…” Dianzi stutters, her blue eyes darting around all the different planets and constellations. “I love it. So much,” Clarabelle contently stuffed another steaming-hot-cheese-covered bread into her mouth, knowing exactly how to make their daughter happy.

“Now please come eat, ma fée. It tastes amazing.”

“Of course, I’m… Mom?”

“Yes, dear?”

She poked a small, white sphere hovering in place above a blue and green one. “What… where is this?”

Clarabelle felt exactly what her daughter was looking for, and she involuntarily rubbed her fingers at her face scars with a sigh.

“It’s called the Traveler. Source of a quasi-supernatural force called the Light, and all that’s left of hope to a dead planet. Beneath it, what’s left of humankind defends itself from a lot of things that would adore to destroy them.”

“I want to see it.” Dianzi thinks to herself, taking one of the forks and poking it through a fruit. “Even if only for a while.”

Clarabelle and Cháng eye each other for a while, thinking of the best way to convince her not to follow any crazy idea. Cháng is clearly apprehensive of the idea, and silently begs her wife not to endorse that wish.

“I’ll think about it.” Clarabelle says.

“WHAT?” Both women say. One in excitement, the other in desperation.

“Some people decided against staying on the Reef in the past. So, time and again they are escorted to Earth, where they pass as Earthborn. Try to live some normal lives and bring some good to the Last City.”

“To make a new beginning?” Dianzi questions.

“In a way. Maybe we can go into one of these ships and… get a look for ourselves. Quick trip.”

“Are you insane, Clarabelle?!”

“We’ll be fine, and be back before you know it.”

After an extremely satisfying dinner, Dianzi rests on her bed, wondering what it’s like on Earth and the City, but her thought process is broken by hearing her mothers angrily discussing Clarabelle’s idea. In the back of her head, the dancer wondered if she was going to regret following her wish.

And what she would do if, for this or that reason, she didn’t come back.

Before she dozed off, Dianzi heard, through her bedroom wall, the panicked sobs of her less adventurous mother in their living room.

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

“Yao!”

Both women perked their heads up from their seats at the Exodus ship. One for having her name called, the other for being responsible for her.

They eyed a man wearing a crisp purple E.V.A. suit and a round helmet with a bright visor, holographic information passing through it. On his arm, a purple patch with the Queen’s sun emblem was stitched. His hands were on his thighs as he crouched over to look at them in the eye.

Dianzi fiddled with the pistol given to her by the crew members, thinking about where they were headed and about leaving Cháng behind, also looking out the window thoughtfully. She promised to her mother she would be back as soon as she was able to.

The space outside was entrancing. They had just passed Luna — but Dianzi had read nothing about the huge hole tore in it. She heard the other passengers calling it “Hellmouth”, not exactly sure why.

“Go over the conditions one more time.” The captain says to them. “We cannot take any chances, specially with curious tourists.”

“Don’t make direct contact with civilians...” Dianzi starts, thoughtful.

“Or Guardians and their orbs.” Clarabelle complements.

“Keep an eye out for Eliksni and the parasites.”

“Correct,” The Awoken captain says, fingers on his chin. “And the last one?”

Dianzi sighs. “We must not, under any circumstances, turn off our communication devices.”

“Captain,” one of the pilots calls to him. “Entering Earth atmosphere in about four minutes. Permission to activate stealth field.”

“Granted.” He says, turning to the pilot, and then back to Dianzi and Clarabelle. “Don’t cause any trouble.”

The Captain walks away to the cabin, leaving Dianzi and Clarabelle on their seats. Clarabelle leans over to kiss her daughter on the cheek before she puts on her helmet. Dianzi smiles and puts her own helmet on as they feel the turbulence of entering Earth airspace.

Clarabelle pokes Dianzi on the shoulder, motioning to the window. As she looks at it, she beams a bright smile.

There it is. The Last Safe City on Earth. Or just ‘The City’, as the dancer had read before. Built under the shadow of a dormant god, humanity’s last stand held firmly against everything that came their way.

“Holy shit…” Is all she could muster before laughing in glee. This was unlike anything she had seen. From within, some sort of spark ignited, calling for her to read, to study, to know more; There are hundreds of centuries of history here, waiting for her to learn everything there is about these people.

Literally, a whole new world.

The sightseeing had been brief, for they were not allowed contact with the City. Instead, they had traced a course for a desolate landmass the humans once called “Europe”, certain that there would be forms of transportation and establishing there.

As long as they stuck together.

They flew over the sea at sunrise. It was mesmerizing — the Reef, ironically, had no seas. Dianzi wanted that moment to last forever, burning that image as much as she could in her memory before leaning back into the seat.

They soon reached the abandoned continent. Not much to see other than ruin of what apparently was a great civilization. So much past and innocent lives dead and buried under the rust and vegetation.

‘They didn’t deserve this’, she thought to herself… As a massive, brownish ship came out of stealth and into view of the window, shaking the medium-sized Awoken stealth ship with the deafening roar of its gigantic engines. As it flew by, it released multiple, smaller crafts that opened Arc turret fire on the Awoken.

“ELIKSNI SKIFFS INCOMING!”

“What is this — EVASIVE MANEUVERS, NOW!”

The smaller craft had to leave stealth to divert energy to its engines, moving faster than before, attempting to not be fired upon. They had made it very far and were close to the ground when they took a couple critical hits, that started tearing off a luckily vacant section of the ship — but also causing it to start going down, catching fire.

The Fallen, unrelenting, continued to shoot at the Awoken until they saw an explosion on the hull, which prompted them to move on. The damage was done. The Awoken had crashed and some of the passengers that weren’t secured flew off the ship and into the buildings below.

Clarabelle and Dianzi held on to each other as much as they could, desperately trying to protect each other from the strong current coming from the destroyed section of the ship, bound to drag them outside.

They felt a crash. Apparently they had impacted a building and its debris had knocked their seats loose. In a panic, Clarabelle hurried to unsecure herself and, as she moved to help Dianzi out,  Clarabelle was thrown out of the crooked ship. They finally crash-landed in a portion of this dead city, which was the last thing Dianzi could process before her head was smashed against the window and she passed out.

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

“Hello?”

The heavily-armored individual called to the empty husk of a ship. Him and his little light looked around the occupants, his Sweet Business minigun in hand, ready for anything that might have caused this ship to go down. Everyone appeared to be dead from the ship’s debris and the crash; nothing invaded it. He is not sure if he is more or less relaxed about this situation.

“There is nothing in here.” The Ghost said while wandering around the ship halls. The two circular lights on his robot-like helmet glowed the way into the dark vessel, looking into the visors of its dead occupants.

Except for one, who faked her death until the Guardian had his back-turned, checking the pilot’s cabin to swiftly lift her safety harnesses and sprint to the city outside. Grunting at the blinding sunlight in this new place, Dianzi blinked a few times to adjust and looked around at all the age-old destruction and haphazardly put together hideouts whose colors reminded her of the ships she just seen. ‘The “Eliksni?”’, she thought to herself before she was startled from the sound of heavy footsteps and machinery reving up coming from inside the Awoken vessel behind her.

Making matters worse, she heard guttural alien sounds coming from one of the hideouts, under a purple banner, and froze in place as she noticed the spear-wielding, four-armed aliens running out to get her. As if hearing her prayers, however, the Titan came back from the pilot’s cabin and unloaded the minigun’s magazine in all of the Fallen, saving the Awoken girl’s life.

“You doin’ okay?” He asked, 

“I…” Dianzi said, with tears of regret trickling down her face that slipped unseen under her helmet’s visor. “Who… are you?”

“Don’t have a name yet. But…” He unforms his helmet, exposing his purple skin and white glowing eyes. “You can just call me ‘Titan’ for now. This is my Ghost.” He says, motioning for her to walk with him down the road. Ghost greets her with a ‘salut’ while bobbing up and down.

“You’re… Awoken. Like… like me.” Dianzi says, removing her own cracked helmet, revealing some blood trickling down her face. She didn’t notice it due to adrenaline. “Are you from the Reef?”

“I don’t think so. I was reborn here, don’t remember much past that.”

“Sure…” She said, just now feeling the blood trail and cleaning it off with the back of her hand. “I need to look for someon—

Dianzi was cut off by a powerful stomp and a demonic laugh coming from the road near the crash site. A voice echoed in her head. It was Clarabelle, calling her name through telepathy. She sounded panicky, as if in danger. Analyzing the place they are right now, she probably was.

“Seems like a good place to start.” The Titan said, reforming his helmet and throwing a grenade at the entrance to the Fallen hideout. “Got a gun?”

She eyed the pistol on her leg, suddenly remembering she had it, and drew it, ready to cover the Titan. Dianzi was afraid, but there was nothing she could do, being stranded and outgunned. So she followed the Guardian, hoping to find a path to follow.

As they swiftly turned the corner, they saw three of the ship’s occupants, injured, but doing what they could to fight off a huge, laughing Fallen, and its smaller goons.

“What. The fuck. Is that thing?”

“A Baron.” Ghost said. “Largest of the Fallen. Stay sharp, lady, this is going to be bad.”

“(MOM!)” The Awoken shouted, grabbing the attention of one of the Awoken.

“(DAUGHTER!)” She replied, inbetween shots and grunts of pain. “Fall back, people!”

Seeing the goons, the Titan ran up and punched one of the Fallen, empowered with some sort of purple energy, giving a personal energy barrier and much-needed healing to the Awoken so they could run for cover behind rusted cars and walls.

He continued firing and punching them until only the Baron remained, prompting him to pull out a purple shield and use it to attack the Baron, throwing and bashing it against its body, breaking one of his arms and his gun.

“He is too strong, this ain’t gonna work. We need to run.” Ghost advised his Guardian and the Awoken. Dianzi watched her mother for injuries as they both tried to fight off the Fallen. They were like bugs.

“Mom, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought us out here.”

“Worry later— the other two aren’t gonna make it. We need to leave, this is not our place.”

“Women!” The Titan called to them, as recovered from being stomped away. “I can’t do this alone, we need to run back to safety while reinforcements arrive.”

As he said these words, Dianzi and Clarabelle started going back to the ship while the Guardian covered them with his shield.

A true knight.

“My Guardian’s Fireteam will be here soon. We can take you to the City.” Ghost says, as calm as he can be while the trio ran from the Baron.

Unbeknownst to the three, a Vandal charged his Wire Rifle in a building nearby, taking aim at the running trio.

“No, orb, we cannot stay here! Dianzi and I need to find a ship as soon as we c—”

Suddenly, Clarabelle tumbled on the ground. Her chest had been pierced, her lung was completely punctured from back to front.

Her daughter was at a loss for words. All that she could do was pull her pistol and somehow kill the Vandal with a single bullet to the head, and then hold her mother in her arms, silently begging her to not go. While she did, the Titan cast a barricade and started fighting off the Fallen to protect the two civilians.

“(My bunny...)” She said, wheezing. “What an adventure, eh?” She looked sleepy, as if she was going to doze off at any moment. But she smiled gladly.

“Mom…? Mom, stay with me, I-I can’t do this without you!”

“You can.”

“What will I-- how can--”

“Shhh.” She shushed, holding her hand up, prompting Dianzi to hug her, staining her EVA suit with blood.

“(I’m so sorry, mom.)” She said as she held her mom further, the world around her nothing more than a blur.

“(I love you, Dianzi.)” She said as she touched her daughter’s face. “We’ll… meet again… someday.”

With that, Clarabelle gave her last breath, embracing her freedom.

“Woman!”

The Titan called to the sobbing Dianzi, seeing as his two Hunter comrades had just arrived to support him. As they started shooting their enemies and throwing knives, the Titan picked up Dianzi and hurriedly carried her to a rusty car where she’d find some protection, at least for the moment.

“Stay there. And don’t move a muscle until we’re done clearing this place.” The Titan warned the younger Awoken as he put her inside an old car by a lightpost. “I promise I’ll come back for you.”

She dared not look to the outside the window as the street she was in became a warzone between Guardians and Fallen. The Awoken girl cried uncontrollably, out of both panic and regret. ‘I shouldn’t have come to Earth. I shouldn’t have left mother. I shouldn’t —

Shouldn’t.

What an extremely painful word.

Almost as painful as the explosion that knocked her hideout over, trapping her in the car due to exhaustion and the somehow-still-working automated seat belt system.

“(I’m sorry, mother...)”

Almost as painful as the rusted metal piece of the streetlight pole that crashed down and split open her forehead.

Back at their little house in the Reef, Cháng Yi felt the most painful sting of her life, sending her screaming into a panic state.

The two most important things in her life faded away, and she knew it.

“Guardian?”

The Guardian and her Ghost had walked for days now, looking for a way to return to the City, the former doing all she could to absorb the new reality she woke up to by talking to Ghost, whom she protected with her paracausal abilities and newly discovered firearm prowess.

“Yes?”

“Do you remember your name?”

This was a test. Sometimes Guardians remember their past names. Sometimes they make new ones. But in both cases, their memories are still lacking for a while before they can adapt to them. But the Warlock was willing to not let anything slide.

“My name is…”

She had to give it some time. All that she remembered from when she woke up was being dazed amidst destruction, a crashed ship and multiple Fallen bodies.

“Isssss…”

Next to her was the cadaver of a spacewoman that she didn’t recognize outright, but she still seemed unbelievably familiar. She feels she should know who it is — but she cannot for the life of her. Ghost said she hoped another Ghost came to get her soon. If only she was able to save her.

“Hiver.”

[cheolsaurora]

Safe

Mingi Mafia One- Shot

Word Count: 3.9K

Warnings: very suggestive, borderline smut early on, ANGST, implications of torture.

This is a work of fiction. None of the gifs belong to me.

Summary: He was everything you wanted: lust, excitement, danger. But you weren’t sure if he wanted you.

You woke to a cold empty space beside you. You sat up realizing Mingi was trying to “quietly” yell at one of his men over the phone. You bit back a smirk watching him pace in all of his glory. If there were ever a perfect body it was Mingi’s. You thanked him for not getting dressed before taking the call. He was beautiful. From his sharp jaw line, wide shoulders, sculpted waist, tight-

*all of me loves all of you* Your thoughts were interrupted by your cell phone ringing on the night stand. Mingi’s head snapped back, visibly annoyed at the interruption. You grabbed your phone and ran to the bathroom, mouthing a sorry paired with apologetic puppy eyes. As soon as the door clicked shut you answered the call. “Hiii baby!”

“Hey gorgeous, hows the girls trip going?”

You forced a smile on your face, you were suddenly uncomfortable. “So much fun! But it’s only been a day, do you miss me already?”

He chuckled “You know me too well sweetie.” There was that feeling again. Was it guilt or disdain? You couldn’t tell anymore. “I was on my way to work and just wanted to call and check on you... remind you I love you.” It was both. You felt guilty for what you were doing to this precious soul and hated yourself for who you’d become.

“I love you too baby.” You didn’t hear the door open and you didn’t see the look on Mingi’s face upon hearing the utter bull you were feeding this sap. But, you did feel Mingi kneel down behind you, and you definitely felt his tongue swipe across your neck. He began to suck a hickey while your boyfriend recounted the events of his ‘exciting’ day at the office yesterday. You fought back a yelp when Mingi lightly bit down under your ear but, a gasp escaped your lips when he pulled your bare body against his.

“Everything ok sweetie? What was that noise?”

“Oh, hehe one of the girls stuck an ice cube down my back? I’m gonna go so I can get ready for today. Call you later?” You bit your lip suppressing a groan as Mingi fondled you’re breast. You slapped his hand away. He nibbled you’re earlobe and whispered lowly into your free ear. “Baby girl, I was in a good mood last night, but you best not forget brats get punished.”

“Of course sweetie, have fun! I-“

“I will baby thank you, have a good day” you hung up and threw the phone onto the floor. You pushed yourself onto your knees and straddled Mingi’s lap, throwing your arms around his neck. “I thought we had an agreement daddy?” You bit into that last word. “You don’t interrupt my phone calls and I won’t interrupt yours? Hmmm?”

He smirked. “But you did interrupt my phone call. Don’t you remember?”

You scoffed, rolling your eyes and pushed yourself off of him. “Who’s calling you so early anyways. Hongjoong said you get the week off as a bonus of the promotion.” You started to brush your teeth as he stood and snaked his arms around your waist.

“About that babygirl..” he cringed as he felt your body snap around to face his.

“Oh no, Song Mingi, I took a week off from work, unpaid, I had to get a dog sitter, and I had to concoct a concrete enough lie to not raise his suspicions. You are not going into work.” You watched as his face turned into a pout. “Absolutely not, you’re not gonna leave me for work again.”

“Then how about we go together huh?” He picked you up and placed you on the counter. “Come on babygirl, I gotta take care of one little problem. If Hongjoong finds out I let my men screw up the day after he gave me my own sector he’ll demote me lower than Wooyoung.” You gave him cold eyes, you were ready to go with him from the moment he asked but, you wanted to see what you could get out of it. “I’ll take you shopping after we’re done.” He leaned down to kiss you nose, and then your cheek. “Whatcha want? Hmmm babygirl? You want jewelry? You want another fur? Maybe some lingerie?” He said moving his eyebrows.

“That would be more of a present for you Mingi.” You gently pushed him off of you.

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing I can do to convince you to come with me baby girl? I’ve gotta go either way.”

You sat up a little straighter, smirk taught on your lips. “Well, their is one thing daddy.” You loved how he visibly responded to the nickname. Bringing his body close and looking at you with expectant eyes. “I get to sit in on whatever goes down today.” You knew what you were getting into when you started sleeping with Mingi. He was apart of the Mafia. What should have scared you only aroused you. You loved it when he growled at his men over the phone, when he would crawl into your bed late at night with bruises, telling you how he got the upper hand. Something about his life was very frightening but also very appealing. You had met all of the members he was close to but you were never allowed to sit in on anything remotely important. But now that Mingi had his own sector and was seen as a sort of underboss, you hoped he would finally let you in on the fun. To add in a little incentive you leaned back on the counter spreading your legs wide enough to catch his attention. “Please daddy.”

He groaned loudly. “Fine.” He came to stand in front of you placing his arms on either side of your torso. “But understand Y/N, when I say get out, shut up, or sit pretty, you had better say yes sir and obey. Am I clear?” He grabbed your chin and looked into your eyes to make sure his point was made. You nodded softly and said “Yes sir.” He smiled and patted your cheek. “Good girl, now go put on something sexy. I want all of the boys the be jealous of me.” You giggled placing a kiss on his lips and went to get dressed.

—————————————

Mingi went over the rules for what seemed forever on the car ride over. You smiled and nodded like the good little girl you were. “Oh, and have you met San?” You shook your head no. “I don’t want you alone with him. He’s a sector leader but still fairly new to the group. Plus he’s a loose cannon nobody can ever tell what he’s thinking or what he’s going to do.

“Ok I’ll make sure to never leave your side.” You smiled and booped his nose. “What are we going in for anyways?”

“You moved from me to we pretty quickly baby girl”

“Fine, why are YOU having to go in?”

“Jongho found a snitch. Unfortunately he didn’t find the guy before I lost the biggest gun shipment I had this year. Unless I can figure out who he works for and get it back; I might loose more than my promotion.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat “Hongjoong and I are friends but business is business. I know what’d I’d do in his position.” The car came to a stop and he kissed your cheek. “Don’t worry though. WE’LL get this traitor to fess up.

You smiled and waiting for Mingi to open the door but when the door opened you were greeted by another smiling face. One much softer than Mingi’s. You jumped out of the car and into the boys arms, “Yunho!” You placed an over exaggerated kiss on his cheek.

Mingi chuckled from behind “If I didn’t know any better Yunho, I’d probably shoot you.”

The Blue haired boy beamed at his boss. “Awe come on you know it’s not like that. Although,” he said turning back to you with a sly smile “Y/N if you would have been wearing this dress when we met. Who knows?”

You slapped his chest and he feigned as if he had been shot. “Keep those comments between us baby boy.” You winked in Mingi’s direction as he looked on with disgust.

“Hurry up you two, I’m not a very patient man.” You walked up beside him taking his hand as Yunho joined in step behind him. The conversation quickly turned serious as Yunho debriefed Mingi. You’d been to some of Mingi’s hideouts before but you never could get over how big and beautiful they were. Hongjoong had an affinity for old homes and enjoyed the cliche of using it as a hideout. He was equally frightening as he was interesting. You weren’t attracted to him like you were Mingi, but Hongjoong definitely intrigued you. You heard the large double doors close behind as you entered the dimly lit room. At the large table were seating Mingi’s fellow members. You immediately recognized a few faces. Jongho was the youngest but he was definitely the strongest man in the room. He rose immediately from his seat and greeted you, ever the gentleman. Wooyoung looked like he should be at a photoshoot instead of some dark corner of the world committing crimes. He nodded and winked in your direction. Yeosang sat in the corner of the room with his signature round glasses atop his nose, only acknowledging you with a smile.

“Gentlemen,” Mingi’s deep voice cut through the tension filled air. “Somebody wanna point me in the direction of who I need to kill for interrupting my dick appointment?” Your face ran hot as all the eyes in the room turned to you cowering behind Mingi, silently cursing his sense of humor.

It seemed as if the Meeting went on for hours. You wanted to get to the good stuff. The exciting part. Maps and recordings and how many people Jongho had beat up was not exactly what you thought you’d be getting. There was an evident pout on your face as the boys droned on. Yunho noticed how bored you were and spoke up “Boss, can I take Y/N to the kitchen? I’ve finished my part and I don’t think she’s eaten today.” Mingi looked at you and noticed your pout. He wouldn’t let himself smile in front of his men but you could see it in his eyes.

“Yeah, better feed her. She gets mean when she’s hungry.” He smacked your backside as you stood making you blush all over again. “Bring her back as soon as your finished Yunho and do not leave her alone”

“Yes boss.” He shut the door behind you and immediately tossed you over his shoulder. “Please fasten your seatbelts as you may experience some turbulence.” He broke out into a sprint towards the kitchen.

“Yunho put me down.” You tried to sound serious but your laughing gave it away. He placed you down in the kitchen and went to the refrigerator.

“What you want princess?” He rummaged through the drawers looking for anything not expired. After a good five minutes of searching he scratched his head timidly “We eat out a lot.”

“Yunho, it’s fine. I’m not hungry.” You shifted your weight from one foot to another. “I do need to talk to my friend though. If you will let me.” Unlike the others, Yunho was someone you were close to before you met Mingi. In fact he introduced you to his boss. And if you were being truthful Yunho was your best friend. He knew your favorite things and you knew his. You shared a bond and you shared secrets. “Does Mingi ever mention me when I’m not around?”

He looked at you puzzled as he took a seat at the bar. “What do you mean?”

“I mean does he talk about my smile, or how much I love to eat, or how I am in bed? Anything??”

“What’s going on Y/N?”

You plopped down into the seat across from him fiddling with the collar on your dress. “I..I think that I’m getting attached to Mingi. When we first started this we had rules. No spontaneous meetings, everything was planned it was a stress reliever for us both. Just business, just sex, no feelings. Now, he tells me to find a way to spend an entire week with him and I do it. No questions asked. He’s broken all the rules. Not me. But I’m the only one getting attached.”

Yunho grabbed your hand “Have you talked to him?”

“I tried once. But as soon as I mentioned breaking up with... you know who, and making our relationship official; Mingi lost it. He told me that wasn’t the deal, we both agreed that we didn’t want a relationship and it was just fun. I haven’t brought it up since then. I don’t handle Mingi well when he’s angry.”

Yunho went to say something but his phone buzzed. “Mingi wants you back in there.” He stood to usher you back to the crowded room full of men you really didn’t care to be around. “Hey” he grabbed your arm and pulled you into a hug, “You have to do what’s best for you princess, whatever that is.” He tousled your hair giving you a warm smile. “Now come on, you wanted to be in on the action.”

—————————

After another hour of discussions you were whiney and ready to go. You tugged on Mingi’s sleeve and he bent his ear down as you whispered “Can we please go do something interested?” He looked at you annoyed. You could tell he was getting as frustrated as you and he was volatile when he got like this.

He spoke to you in hush tones “Remember what I said babygirl, you wanted to be apart of everything; this is a necessary part.” You threw yourself back into the chair roughly. A motion that did not go unnoticed. He grabbed your thigh tightly under the hem of your dress and gave you a warning look and you decided not to push any further. Yunho smirked in your direction and gave you a better pipe down look. You rolled your eyes and turned your attention back to Mingi.

“Jongho,” Mingi said slowly, “is the guy here?” Everyone at the table slowly leaned forward.

“Yeah but you don’t wanna do anything in front of..” he motioned in your direction.

“I’ll decide what she does and doesn’t get to see. She has a name. Her name is Y/N and she’s going to be a permanent fixture around here so learn her name and put some respect on it.” He stood abruptly and the other men at the table followed suit. “San and I are going to make this guy talk one way or another. I’m not gonna put up with this. Nobody betrays is and gets away with it. So no ore guessing, nor more speculation. He talks or he suffers.” He motioned for you stand and he placed his hand at your back. “San go get changed and I’ll meet you downstairs in 15 minutes.” San motioned some sort of half hearted salute and left to prepare. The other men knew their duties without have to be told and left to fulfill them. When the door clicked behind the last man you turned to face Mingi who was unbuttoning his dress shirt and reaching into a wardrobe for what looked similar to a mechanics jumpsuit. You approached him slowly and helped him in removing his shirt. The torture he had just implied isn’t what fazed you, the blood stained overhauls didn’t bother you either. What bothered you was that he has just insinuated to all of his men that you two were getting serious.

“So,” you coughed awkwardly “Did you mean what you said?”

“When I said what? Come on babygirl, I don’t have all day, use your words.” He slid out of his dress pants and into the overhauls.

“About me being permanent?” he froze in place and you instantly regretting saying anything.

“Y/N if you take part in what we’re about to do it doesn’t matter if WE stay together or not. You will be apart of us. Apart of this ‘gang’. Apart of our brotherhood. So,” he popped latex gloves over his long fingers. “This is your last chance to run. I won’t stop you. We can continue being just what we are right now and Ill call you when I finish. Your being permanent is not up to me. I couldn’t care less either way. It’s all you babygirl.”

You were holding back tears at this point, “Mingi, do you love me?” The question didn’t surprise him. He was level headed, calm, precise; at all times. That was one of his more attractive features. Rational no matter what.

“No Y/N, and you know that. I broke a few rules, needed a good time more often than I thought. Weather you stay or not depends on if you’re really ready to commit to this life. It has nothing to do with whatever ‘us’ is.” He finally met your eyes. “What do you want?”

You choked on the tears that were swelling up in the back of your throat. “I..” I want you to love me, to fight for me, to see that I can be apart of your world. “I want to leave here and go home.”

He cupped your chin “That’s what I thought babygirl. I’ll get Yunho to drop you off and I’ll see you in a bit.” He kissed your forehead and left you alone with your aching heart.

—————————

“To the happy couple!” You beamed brightly at your new husband. He was perfect, rich, handsome, not dangerous in the least, normal, predictable. You were happy. Right? You didn’t regret making Yunho take you to your real home that day, your home without Mingi. You hid out for the rest of the week. Until the bruises on your neck faded enough to cover. Until you got a grip and weren’t crying randomly for what seemed like no reason. Within the next week you were engaged. Within the next three months you were here; On your wedding day, your perfect, lovely, safe, predictable wedding. Mingi hadn’t contacted you since that day. You didn’t know what Yunho had told him but whatever it was it worked. You still saw Yunho on a regular basis. He was still your best friend; you just kept the conversation in safe, neutral zones. The maid of honor was making her second toast of the night when she asked for a kiss from the newlyweds. Your husband awkwardly grabbed your neck trying to pull you into a ‘sexy’ kiss. You never closed your eyes and out of the corner of your eye you saw it. A flash of red hair. When you pulled away from the kiss and looked in that direction; There he was. Beautiful as ever. Dangerous as ever. He raised a glass in your direction, nodded slightly and turned to leave. Your husband grabbed your attention as you tried to pull away but, by the time you made it out of his grasp, Mingi was gone. All that was left were unresolved feelings and regrets. He was the biggest rush you’d never get to feel again.

“I thought you were gonna be the hero, save the girl from the boring, dumb prince.” Yunho had traded his bright blue hair for an ashy blonde, making him look more boyish than ever.

“Get in the car Yunho. I don’t know why I’m even here.”

They both climbed into the car and shut the doors. “Mingi, she loves you.”

“No, I gave her a choice. Life’s not a fairytale and I know that. She was getting to close to this crap we call work and I wasn’t gonna drag her any further unless she absolutely wanted it. She didn’t. She chose him not me. She’ll love the perfect, boring prince because that’s who she’s supposed to love.” He rammed then key in to ignition and started the car. He burned rubber pulling out of the venue. “The beast doesn’t always get the beauty.”

—————————————————————

My first one shot. Lemme know what you think. I’m still really nervous posting my work.

[readbeneaththelines]

Just The Person I Need Pt. 2

Kwon JiYong is a Multi Million Dollar business man thrown into parenthood when his brother and sister-in-law die in an accident. leaving A son and daughter behind. Y/N is a nanny that loves what she does. What happens when their lives become intertwined? Will she be Just The Person He Needs?

Characters: Business Man!Kwon JiYong X Nanyy!Reader

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Smut somewhere along the way

Word Count: 1890

Warnings: None for this chapter

cr,to gif owner

You were a young and carefree spirited woman. You graduated university a few years ago after coming to Seoul to study abroad and decided to let your degree go by the wayside and began working with children instead of business administration. You had a natural way with children, sharing in the innocent joy they found in everything they did. You worked for a couple of families as a part-time nanny. You didn’t mind the crazy schedules or the constant back and forth between them. All you cared about was seeing those kids smile when you were with them. The children you cared for came from highly influential and very rich families. You got to spend almost every day in gigantic homes, chasing little ones as they played hide and seek one one floor of the house, baking cookies or cupcakes with the little girls, or playing catch with the young boy. Everyday was something new, and you loved it. 

Half the week was spend with the Choi family and the other half was spent with the Kim family. Mr. Choi was a neurosurgeon and his wife was an obstetrician. They doted on their kids, and you, taking several vacations each year. You traveled with them on most of the trips, fitting in like one of the family members. You loved their three children dearly and had been working with them for almost two years. Mr Kim was a lawyer in a large corporate law firm and his wife was one of the partners. They were a little more reserved than the other family, but you didn’t mind. They had only one child, a little girl of age two. The three days you spent with them, were constantly busy. Chasing the little girl all over the penthouse suite that took up the entire top floor of a skyscraper. They did not travel as much, but when the did, they spare no expense in assuring you were well taken care of too. 

Friends often asked why you chose to be a nanny instead of following through on you education.  Smiling at them, you would calmly say, “The joy I see when I engage their minds and hearts gives me more joy than anything else on this planet. I am the one bringing those smiles to their lips, I am the one enriching their minds, and I get to share in that joy and happiness. Who wouldn’t want to experience that every day?”.

You was sitting on the floor, the Kim’s little girl propped on your lap. She was singing a song as the toddler clapped her hands along with the tune. Giggles erupted as she finished the song with a huge flourish and tickled the girl’s sides. 

“Mow, Mow peas!” she squealed as you went straight into another tune.

The doorbell rang, startling the toddler and causing her to wail out of fear. You quickly wrapped your arm around her and stood up. 

“There, there. Did that mean old doorbell scare you? I’m sorry. Let’s go see who it is so we can tell them they are being mean by scaring little old you.” you sing-songed as you walked to the main door. 

The bell rang again and you yelled back, “Coming, give me a moment, I’m on my way.”

Finally reaching the door, the girl settled on your hip had stopped crying and was down to just sniffles and hiccups. Re-adjusted her to the other hip, you reached for the door handle. Opening it slightly, you peeked around the solid oak door.

“Hello. How may I help you?”, you asked as your eyes came to rest on a young gentleman in a slate grey Dolce & Gabbana suit. His hair was slightly longer on top and swept to the right, his brown hair had honey gold highlights that honestly shimmered in the light. His brown eyes were piercing, the same honey gold color in speckles throughout. Your breath hitched as you lifted your head to meet his eyes straight on. When he spoke, his voice had a tenor tone about it, thick and seductive. His smile was captivating and you were drawn to his lips like a moth to a burning flame.

“Hello Miss. I was on this side of town and was wondering if Mr. or Mrs. Kim happened to be home at the present? My name is Kwon JiYong, and they work with my company. I was just going to ask them a few questions before I headed home.”

“They aren’t home quite yet, but Mr. Kim should be here any minute if you would like to wait in the lobby downstairs. If you are unable to wait, I would be glad to give them a message for you.” you stated. Suddenly, a chubby hand reached for the door, pulling it opened further.

“Is that Jae-ri’s hand I see?”, he spoke, a tinge of laughter in his voice.

The little toddler squealed in delight at the sound of his voice. Leaning to the left, and almost falling from your grip, the chubby cheeks grew from the smile she was giving him as she strained to look around the the edge of the door.

“I see you Jae-ri, give your momma a big hug for me, okay?”, the same laughing tone was still there. Jae-ri bobbed her head as she clapped and giggled at the top of her lungs.

“She must really like you, Mr. Kwon. She is usually shy around most people.” you said as you watched the two of them interacting.

“Yeah I get to see her when they bring her by the company’s family cookouts and some quick meetings. She is the cutest thing, but she is a real handful from what I’ve seen.”, he smiled a goofy dimple-filled grin as he finished talking. Jae-ri giggled some more as he made a few more funny faces.

I’ll wait for them downstairs, thank you for your help Miss…” his voice trailing off since he didn’t know your name.

“Y/N. Sorry and no problem. It was nice meeting you Mr. Kwon.” Y/N said as she watched him turn and saunter off for the elevators. Looking back at Jae-ri, she whispered, “I can see why you are so smitten with him Jae, he is quite the looker isn’t he?”.

You watched as he boarded the elevator, blushing when he caught you staring and gave a small wave and bow. Shutting the door, you set Jae-ri on the floor. Taking a deep breath, you exhaled, releasing the breath you had been holding as he walked away. 

Damn girl, has it been that long since a man talked to you let alone stood that close to you? you muttered to yourself. 

You were in the kitchen, fixing dinner for Jae-ri, when you heard the main door open. Two male voices and one female voice wafted down the corridor into the kitchen.

“Y/N, we're home.”, you heard Mrs. Kim calling out. Picking Jae up,  both of you wandered into the great room where Mr. and Mrs. Kim were standing with Mr. Kwon. You felt your face flush, knowing that he had caught you earlier staring at him.

“Why hello again Miss Y/N, I didn’t think I would be seeing you again so soon”. Looking at the couple, he explained about coming up first to see if they were here before running into them downstairs.

Jae wiggled her way out of your arm and half toddled, half ran to her parents, a drool filled smile spread wide across her cherub face. After hugging her parents, she wiggled free again, and reached up for JiYong to pick her up.

“Alrighty squirt. Give Uncle Ji a big hug” he lifted her up and gave her a quick squeeze. He then set her down and watched her waddle-toddle-run down the hallway, her mom in tow behind her.

“Would you mind getting Mr. Kwon and myself a drink and bring them into my office please?”  Mr. Kim asked. You nodded your head at both gentlemen and headed for the side table. You placed a few ice cubes in the snifters and poured both men a whiskey straight. You knocked on the door, then entered. Both men were seated on the large leather couch, chuckling about something or other. You set the glasses in front of them, then turned towards Mr. Kim.

“Sir, is it okay if I retire a little early tonight? One of my roommates from Yonsei University is in town. I was hoping to catch up with her before she leaves again.”

“No problem at all. In fact, why don’t you take tomorrow off and spend some time with her. Eun-ji is going to work from home tomorrow morning so she can spend some time with Jae-ri.”

“Are you sure? I would appreciate that so much. Thank you Mr. Kim. It was nice seeing you again Mr. Kwon, have a good evening. Thanks again sir.”

Without hesitation, you were out the door and heading for your room. Grabbing your cell from the dresser, you called your friend Ha-eun and confirmed that you could meet up with her. You put on some light makeup, brushed your  hair and put it in a loose ponytail. You quickly changed into your favorite jeans and sleeveless button-up top. Telling Mrs. Kim goodbye, you headed for the door. Your head was down as you hurried your pace, causing you to walk straight into Mr. Kwon’s arm.

“Oh! I am so sorry sir! I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t hurt you, did I? I am so sorry!” your breathing sped up, hoping that this handsome young gentleman wouldn’t fuss at you before leaving. Tear streaked makeup is the worse to fix.

“No, it’s okay, I’m fine. Are you okay, Miss? I didn’t mean to stop in front of the door, I was just about to leave.” he looked you over, making sure you were steady.

“Thank you, I am fine, just a little startled.”you spoke, voice strangely shaky, almost like a school girl trying to talk to her crush.

“Please allow me to accompany you downstair, Miss, since we are both headed out, that is.” A hint of a smile curved at the corners of his mouth.

“Yes, thank you. See you tomorrow evening Mr. Kim. Give Jae a goodnight hug for me.”

And with that, you and JiYong were out the door and waiting on the elevator. When you reached the lobby, he told you goodbye and held the door. 

 She is quite the cute thing, they are lucky to have someone as energetic and cute as her as a nanny.  

He lingered his gaze as you walked down the sidewalk, a light spring in your step as you went. He took in the sway of your hips, the back and forth movement as your ponytail swung with each step. He could still see green eyes looking up at him after she bumped into him. Shaking his head, he laughed at himself. 

Well Ji, has it been that long since a woman looked you? You might need to get out more often for sure, if that’s the case!

He lifted his eyes to watch as you began to fade out of site. If only he knew then just how much you were going to change his life.

@min @beautifulseoulliar @agustd-suga-yoongii @astronomyturtle @aspaceformyself @dreamyoongi i @trashkazuya @maxinaptak @micky1518 @rosiemilas @karri570

@seoulsunshineandstories @kwonnansi @xjamlessparkx @berryjam17

@kingsuckjin

[darklingichor]

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell Ramble Fest Part 5. *Spoilers*

Day 5: finished it. Okay, lots of things. Rowell's writing is absolutely addictive, I would have finished it faster if it weren't for my job and bills and stuff. Stupid responsiblites keeping me from reading.

I think I'll take each plot thread and follow it to the end.

With Levi, I sort of expected him to be Reagan’s brother, possibly twin (just by the way she reacted to the identical twin thing). Anyway, what college class allows you to read and test on The Outsiders? Can I borrow anyone’s time machine and go take it? I literally (and I actually mean literally) read that book twenty times in a row when I was fifteen. I wrung every bit of context, subtext, and not-even-in-the-text out of it. I felt like I knew Johnny and Ponyboy better than I knew some of my own family members. My best friend and I also took turns reading it out loud to each other (we did this with a lot of books, actually). I could have taken that test in about five minutes and would have been the easiest A I ever got!

Anyway, can I just say that I love the fact that Cath sees audio books as reading? Some people don’t and it annoys me to no end.

So I do like the Cath/Levi pairing, but what is it about romance in fiction? One half of the pairing doesn’t answer texts so the other half makes out with someone else? Does this happen in real life? I’m aro ace, this is completely foreign to me. I mean, I understand the concept of demiromantic and demisexual. Someone you feel connected with makes you want to do the romance or  physical thing with them. But then you wouldn’t just kiss someone else because you didn’t hear from the special someone for a couple of hours, right? How does that connection happen in the brain? Not judging just wondering about something that makes no sense to me, personally.

It was sort of interesting how the relationship progressed. I get why she was so reluctant to really go there. Cath is the embodiment of fool me once, you will not get a twice.

I like that Levi really is a nice guy. Not a guy who plays nice and then expects something because of it. He legitimately felt horrible for the kiss with the other girl.

Also often, in the stuff I watched growing up, the love interest had to "look past" the geeky stuff that the main character liked. It is cool that Levi likes Cath for everything that she is, including the stuff that Wren tries to downplay. Same goes for Cath liking Levi. Niether one of them change to make themselves "better" for the other. That seems more real to me.

I like the slight struggle they had with Reagan being Levi's ex and how they all moved passed it. The only thing I can't figure out of I like is how once the relationship solidified, Cath's anxiety seems to have, if not disappeared, then greatly reduced.

I can't figure out if that's because she had more in the way of support in the form of Wren, Levi, and Reagan, more confidence because of the reactions she got to both forms of her writting, less stress because her dad had more support from her grandmother, and all of the other things that came together for her... Or the "Got boy now, what is mental illness?" Trope.

I would say it's the former because it would make sense, but we spend so much time in Cath's head and see her struggle and overcome, in the little daily battles that are always there even with changes made in the form of healthy coping mechinisms, medication or counseling. And suddenly it just drops away... I don't know, that bugged me.

Speaking of struggles

Arthur’s episode was handled really well, and I’m completely on Cath’s side. Family comes first. I don’t care if they are uncouncious, I wouldn’t be able to consentrate on a final if a close family member were in the hospital and I wasn’t there.

The part of my brain ruled by the anxiety goblin completely agrees with Cath wanting to leave the school. The part of me that is closer related to the turtle than it should be. “This is scary, uncomfortable, painful, ect. Time to hide.”

The more reasonable part sort of agrees with her when she said she didn’t choose the school, Wren did. Why stay at a school that you didn’t want to attend in the first place? I also understand the logic behind wanting to stay home to take care of her dad. Is ot the eighteen year old kid's job to take care of the parent? Not really, but what do you do when someone you love needs help?

The more rational part also says: You have a scholarship? Stay put, kid, loans blow!

During this whole thing? Wren is still a dick. The You and dad are crazy because you let yourselves be crazy argument...

"Got a broken leg? Walk it of wussy!"

Now, is that to say that Cath's way of letting her anxiety cope with her rather than the other way around is right?

No.

But it's a lot more complicated than "Just don't let it bother you." Bitch, if she could do that she wouldn't have anxiety now would she?

I don't know a lot about bipolar but I know enough to say with confidence, that just willing the chemicals in your brain to behave is not going to cut it.

So Wren's alcohol poisoning. Can I say that I loved how it was handled? The writing got around every tired thing that can happen coming out 0f a plot element like that.

Wren and Cath did reconcile, but Cath didn't cut her a lot of slack and was matter of fact about how stupid Wren's behavior had been. Her dad didn't do the whole "I'm just glad you're okay" thing, he laid down the law. One of my favorite lines from Arthur was when he told Wren that she had to go to AA meetings.

"I'm not an alcoholic."

"Good. It's not contagious. You're going to meetings.”

I honestly wouldn't mind a story from Wren's perective over the course of this year. It would be interesting to see her partying, her relationship with her boyfriend and her thought process while she let some of her personality blaze through while hiding others.

After she and Cath make up it becomes clear that she thought that she couldn't go to parties, make new friends, have new experiences and be close with her sister and still openly love nerdy things.

Professor Piper, writing, Laura, and Simon Snow.

I get the feeling that Professor Piper is suppose to be subverting the Mary Sue stereotype. When Cath first starts the class she is in awe of this teacher. Piper is wise, talented and compassionate. She's perfect. So when she first talks down fan ficton, I thought, well if the story were to follow the Mary Sue, Cath would "realize" her folly and abandon Carry On, Simon. I knew that wasn't going to happen.

The more she bad mouths fan fiction, the more she just... Acts like nothing touches her, I thought: She's the Mary Sue... But she's almost the villain (and almost is important here because she doesn't continue down that path). I mean, she can do whatever she wants with her students' grades? What university is this? Professors have to get their grades submitted by a deadline. She couldn't hold Cath's grade just cause she felt like it. She'd have to submit an incomplete and I'm pretty sure that it would have to be made up long before it actually was.

She calls fan fic "Stillborn" as if the only ultimate reason to write is to make a living off of it, that was bitchy. She likely would have been surprised that a good number of her students probably dabble in it, because I haven't met many people who write (post Harry Potter) who didn't read some fanfic, if not write it, and that's just one fandom Yes, it is a wonderful thing to make your living doing something you love,  However, Cath is also right, you can write like some people knit or scrapbook. You can do something you love simply for the love of it.

Further more and most importantly, no writting is "stillborn" you put effort into it, it lives, if only for you.

Now, Cath is trying to not write her final project because she's scared, she's afraid that she doesn't have it in her to do with her own characters what she does so well with Baz and Simon. That doean't mean her reasoning isn't sound, it's just not sound for her.

Nick... I don't have a lot to say about Nick. I knew he was going to end up being a tool, and he was.

Same goes for the Laura thing. I agree with Cath, you don't get to walk out of being a parent and walk back in to be a fair weather friend.

Simon Snow. As a framing device first the "original" books and then Carry On, Simon was very effective. I had a hard time listening to many of them though because of the narration. Don't know why they had the narrator switch when we were in Cath's story.

Having read Carry On before Fangirl, it was interesting to see the differences between the stories. And it simaltiously gave and took away hope for the Anyway the Wind Blows.

That fantastic part where Wren tells Cath that she can't kill off Baz, that she'd always said that Baz deserved a happy ending because of everything canon and all the fics they'd written and read, had put him through.

I thought: That bodes well for Baz in the next one.

But Wren also says that Cath has to give him a happy ending because Gemma T. Leslie never will.

Then I thought: Well shit, that doesn't, does it?

And all of this means nothing, really. Carry On and Wayward Son exist outside both this book and the fictional series...

Gah! This universe is like a Russian nesting doll crossed with a rublix cube!

The little bits we get of Cath's final project were lovely, and yes, painful. Writing something personal is painful but, but cathartic a lot of the time.

I had a lot of emotions reading this book and while I like Carry On more, I think Fangirl is fantasic. Just from the two books I've read, Rainbow Rowell's speciality is to take expectations and expertly either defy them or bring them to fuition in a way that is more satisfying than what the reader might be expecting. This means I might break from my escapist reading trend a bit more often.

[littlepurinsesu]

Mystic Party

I previously made a post about the invitations, and in this post I’m going to literally go through everything I remember about the party while it’s still fresh in my mind! ;)

A bit of a warning that this will be one heck of a long and detailed post with lots of information and images and links! This post is also going to include a lot more of my personal experiences and feelings rather than the more neutral info dumping, because this event was so major and I’m treating this a bit like a “diary entry” for myself ^___^

I’ve used subheadings to organise everything so that you can skip what you don’t care about or just read the specific part you’re interested in. *If you only want to read about the Rika and Vanderwood Route, it’s in the “SPECIAL GUEST SUJIN RI” section!

But if you’re in for the whole experience, it’s gonna be a LONG ride. So buckle up and let’s go! ;)

ARRIVING

The party was held on 23rd August from 1pm to 4pm, on the 5th floor of a fancy place that’s usually reserved for wedding receptions and other formal occasions, so we were told to dress decently :) No need to go all-out and wear a formal gown or anything (though some people really did!), but you needed to be well-dressed xD Oh, and cosplays weren’t allowed! 

Lining up to enter the banquet hall!

Once you get in, the staff members will verify your identity to make sure you’re the person registered (so strict!). They also ask you to draw a card with a character on it for the “game” and give you a bunch of forms/cards needed for later and an RFA paper bag with your gifts.

Lining up to have your identity verified and to collect all the prizes and information you’ll need. Hello there, V.

Each table has a character emoji, which is also the emoji printed on your seat number card. My card had Zen’s emoji (YASSS), and my seat was in the very front row and right at the edge.

Our table. (My seat is no. 16)

A good thing because I can see things clearly and eavesdrop on the hosts/staff members/cosplayers when they’re waiting to go onstage, but a bad thing because sometimes the official photographers and news journalists try to take pictures or film stuff and block my view >.<” (Yes, there were news journalists from actual TV broadcasting stations because the event was such a big deal! :O)

GAMES

The first 50 minutes were for people to arrive, settle, buy merch, and most importantly, do the little “game” thing they prepared.

Seat card with Zen’s sparkly emoji, form for if you want to buy merch, and the card that lists the rules of the game. (Forgot to take a close-up... >.<)

Basically there are five “official cosplayers” playing the RFA members. They’ll be on the stage, and you go to the character you drew at the beginning for a short “game”. If you pass/win the game, they’ll stamp your card, and you can then go and put your card into the box corresponding to your favourite character (not necessarily the one you played the game with). The boxes will be used for raffles later where they’ll draw out names for prizes or for people to go up onstage for more “intimate” character interactions.

People playing their game with the character they got.

If you win your game, you come and put your stamped card in one of these boxes!

The card I picked out was Jaehee’s. I won’t deny that I was a bit disappointed (I DO LOVE BAEHEE I JUST LOVE THE MEN MORE DON’T KILL ME PLEASE), but after reading the instruction card and going through the game, I’m kind of glad I got her xD All characters have different games (win at paper-scissors-rock against Jumin, correctly answer a random times table question from Seven, draw a card and hope your number is bigger than Zen’s, beat Yoosung at “seaweed paper-scissors-rock”, or correctly answer Jaehee’s question about a random RFA member’s eye colour). 707′s and Jaehee’s are the only ones that weren’t left up to chance and the questions were easy, so you’re pretty much guaranteed to pass. Also, the male characters were pretty... “touchy”? For the fanservice, if you get what I mean? Like they might put their hands on your waist or bend down and talk to you really “intimately” xD

There are a bunch of standees on the right side of the stage. You line up in front of the character you’ll be playing your game with, and when they’re done with a player, you’ll be called up for your turn.

You line up like this for your turn at the mini game (which I didn’t have to do ;D)

To be honest, the “interaction with the cosplayers” thing was the part I cared for the least before coming; these characters are 2D, and no matter how good the cosplayers are, I’d personally prefer to keep them 2D in my mind xD

But then the Jaehee cosplayer personally came down the stage and approached me to ask if I needed assistance! I have no idea why or how she was allowed to leave her post and come to me? Maybe because I looked very confused, since my Chinese isn’t SUPER GOOD and the staff member explained the game rules to me very quickly and concisely ^^;; And when Jaehee saw that my card had her emoji on it, she was like, “Oh, then you’ll be interacting with me!” and explained the rules of the game to me again more slowly. By then I was pretty much like, “Eh, may as well” xD I didn’t go up the “normal” way by lining up on the right in front of the standees, because Baehee was already with me, so she literally took my hand and walked back up on the stage with me from the left side ahahaha I’m special :P The cosplayer was really nice and had a “big sister” feel, so it really was kind of like how I imagined Jaehee to be ^^

This is only a small detail, but I found it quite interesting that the cosplayer didn’t touch me until I explicitly said “Okay” to the game/interaction. I guess maybe there really are people who are uncomfortable with doing lovey-dovey and touchy stuff with strangers (since the characters are just regular people cosplaying). I found it quite nice that they were careful to respect people’s boundaries and only proceeded to touch you in any way when you’ve explicitly said yes :)

The games take place on the stage, but everyone’s doing their own thing, so it’s not like anyone was watching. Anyway, after leading me onto the stage and her position/place, Jaehee asked me who my favourite character was. Obviously Saeran isn’t an option here, so I said 707. Then she goes, “Okay, I’m going to test you! Can you tell me the colour of 707′s eyes?” And I’m like “yellow” (man, is it gold or yellow), and since the 707 cosplayer wasn’t doing their game with someone at the time, Jaehee goes, “707, come here,” points to their eyes (coloured contacts LOL) and says, “Yes, yellow! Okay, you pass!” She then leads me to the side of the stage (we were meant to leave ourselves ajksfh;asj why is Jaehee so niceee) and tells a staff member that I passed so I get my card stamped.

Then you come to this box area, and after you’ve written your in-game name and phone number on the card, you’re asked to put it into the box corresponding to the character of your choice. I knew that putting it in 707′s box would be an unwise decision, since that box would be filled with cards and you’d get a lower chance of winning anything, but Zen, my next-favourite, is almost just as popular in Taiwan xD So I went ahead and shoved my card into the 707 box anyway ahaha :P (A decision I would later regret as I didn’t win a single thing  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

The adorable emoji boxes! You put your stamped card into the box corresponding to your favourite character.

There were also a lot of small interactions between the cosplayers when they were idly waiting for their next player, and they were super in-character <3 Jumin brushed the huge paw-shaped cardboard sign he was holding against Zen’s hair and Zen literally flinched, patted down his hair, and turned around to glare at him xD Seven pulled at Yoosung’s suspenders and even stuck his head in to annoy and eavesdrop on Jumin when he was trying to have a serious conversation with Jaehee xD These cosplayers really know their characters well haha :D

FOOD

They also served food and drinks :) The highlight was obviously the original HONEY BUDDHA (TECHNICALLY “BUTTER”) CHIPS. I was pretty excited to finally try actual HBCs in real life, and I must say that the taste was... very oily and buttery? xD I mean, they are Honey Butter Chips, so I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the butter taste was a lot stronger than I thought it would be xD It’s nice, but I can’t imagine myself eating more than half a bag at once before I start feeling a bit gross/sick xD Seriously, how does Seven eat so much O___O

Finished my game with Baehee, and now settled with my juice and cake and Honey Buddha Chips.

OFFICIALLY STARTING

Waiting for the hosts to officially start the party!

The two hosts (more like MCs, but we all know that “MC” has a whole different meaning for MM fans, so I’m going to stick with “host” xD) are pretty popular among the Taiwanese MM fandom. They do weekly live streams/videos on the official Facebook page, where they talk about MM, upcoming events, joke around, and do raffles for MM merch. They’ve sort of become the unofficial “faces” of MM in Taiwan, and most of the Taiwanese MM fans (myself included) love them, so it was a real treat to see them in person! For this post, I’m going to call the female host “Cuby” and the male host “Fatty”, since that’s a direct translation of their Chinese nicknames (meaning “cube/square” and “fat”) and they’ve used these translations themselves at some point.

At 2pm, the lobby theme (“Mystic Chat”) finally stops playing and is replaced by Yoosung’s second theme, “Silly Smile Again”. Cuby goes onstage, talks a bit, and officially starts the party.

She then tells everyone that because this party is supposed to be “full of mysteries and surprises”, we should all check under our chairs! The chairs were covered in fancy silky fabric, so we had to dig under that. And SURPRISE! Each seat had a random sticker sheet stuck inside (the ones that come with the emoticon cushions), and it’s yours to keep! Cue intense screaming and fangirling throughout the whole room, to the point where the host had to put her mic down because she couldn’t talk over the screaming and she failed at getting us to calm down xD I got a 707 sticker sheet YASSSSS!!! (I could feel the envious stares of other people on my table hur hur nope not trading with any of you :P) And I just got the Ray stickers with my Ray emoticon cushion a few days ago ;___; Come with me, Saeyoung, I have your brother at home and I will reunite the two of you <3

The 707 stickers hidden under my chair!

After that, the opening video was played to signal the start of the party! I’ve watched that video countless times by now, but seeing it blasted through huge speakers and played on a giant screen gave me all the feels, and it was cute when Cuby cued everyone to sing along haha <3

The feelsssss ;___;

And when you think the next segment is officially starting, the lights dim again, the intro of the OP comes on once more, Cuby goes “Wth is going on?”, the big screen splits and opens, and Fatty enters with much fanfare, singing the Chinese version of the song xD

So much LOL (and yes, I will always snap a picture when Saeran shows up on the screen)

Cue everyone screaming and cheering for him (because this guy is so hilarious and therefore super popular). He even had a rose, which he threw to the girl sitting next to me. Guess I’m too close to the edge for him to bother reaching LOL

SPECIAL GUEST SUJIN RI (RIKA AND VANDERWOOD ROUTE INFO IN THIS SECTION)

They then played an exclusive video that featured all the VAs (minus Saeran, Rika, and Vanderwood), Han (the singer of the theme songs), some Cheritz staff members and Sujin Ri (founder of Cheritz and creator of Mystic Messenger) greeting and thanking Taiwanese fans. They’d teased that there would be a special guest coming to this party from Korea, and it was none other than Sujin Ri herself!!!

Sujin Ri in her adorable cherry dress <3

Sujin Ri is so cute! xD She spoke a bit of English, but most of her longer speeches and answers were in Korean, so she had a translator with her. The event planners had put together a list of questions that they knew everyone would be curious to know, and the hosts read out the questions one by one while Sujin Ri answered them onstage!

Q: “Why did you create this game? How did you come up with the script?” A: It was a long answer, but she basically said that she took a long break after her first two games and was wondering if she should continue. She then decided to make a mobile game, and wanted it to be more “relatable” for players, so came up with the idea of a messaging app! She also said something about how she really likes watching American shows and dramas, so a lot of her inspiration came from those. One of the hosts joked that American movies often have hackers, so maybe that’s why MM has a hacker (or two) :P

Q: Will there be a chance to release a Rika Route? A: She basically said something like (paraphrased), “The Taiwanese version hasn’t released V’s and Unknown’s stories yet, but they have been released in Korea [she didn’t say internationally, for some reason] and lots of Rika’s secrets were revealed. There will be more in the future, so please look forward to it.” The reactions were mixed, just like with the international fandom. Some people were frowning and shaking their heads, but there were definitely some people who cheered and clapped lol. Guess Rika is a controversial character in every country xD (Fatty revealed in the Facebook Live After Party that when he asked her, “Yes? Or no?” she replied, “Maybe!”) But yeah, her answer was vague and her words in no way confirm a Rika Route. But to me, just the fact that the party planners chose and put this question in the script seems to be a pretty clear indication that it’s probably going to happen...? Like, why tease something that isn’t going to be an actual thing? I dunno, maybe it’s just me reading too much into it and trying to be smart, so don’t quote me on an official confirmation for a Rika Route; I’m just relaying what I heard and sharing my own interpretation ^^;;

Q: Will there be a chance for the VAs to come to Taiwan? A: “Yes!” Short and sweet, so I take that as a sign that there might be more official MM events in Taiwan in the future! (My poor wallet...)

Q: Will there be plushie merchandise released in the future? A: Possibly! Again, not a direct confirmation, but just like with the Rika Route question, I take that as a pretty good sign that it might happen since they bothered to mention it! Dunno if it will be released internationally or be another Taiwan-only merch, though... (Either way, my wallet is crying again.)

Q: Please release LINE stickers with sound! A: “Good idea!” (in English!) Taiwanese people use the messaging app LINE a lot, and although there’s been two official MM sticker sets released, a lot of people have been wanting a version that has the characters’ voices (like how it is in the game).

Then they said there was time for ONE question from ONE fan in the audience, and a girl’s arm shot up so quickly that she was picked before I even had a chance to move my hand lmao xD But no worries, because it turns out that her question is exactly what I was going to ask! She takes the mic and speaks the holy words, “Will you consider making a Vanderwood Route?” CUE THE INSANE SCREAMS OF A BANQUET HALL-FULL OF THIRSTY MCS. INCLUDING ME. Seriously, the reaction was IMMEDIATE and the screams were RIDICULOUSLY LOUD. I hope the volume and intensity was enough to convince Sujin Ri that Vanderwood really is that popular and how much we really would love to have his route ;___; And her answer was basically (again, paraphrased), “Vanderwood wasn’t even meant to be an official character, but we ended up adding him into the game. I never expected him to get so popular, and since everyone loves him so much, I will take note of this and discuss with the company the possibility of making a route for him in the future.” NO OTHER WORDS NEEDED. EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO CRY TEARS OF JOY. THERE IS HOPE. And it’s even better because we now know for sure that the creator herself is the one who heard us and said those words ;___;

They then drew out some names for fans to go up and receive a gift and take a group photo with Sujin Ri. Two fans got a set of cards (game CGs) with the VAs’ autographs, and three fans got the official RFA badge set!

COSPLAYERS

So the official cosplayers had left the room after the games and were away during all this. After Sujin Ri left the stage and took her seat at her table, the hosts “officially” welcomed the cosplayers in for the first time!

(They’re just cosplayers and they’re actually all female, but for the purpose of this post, I’m just going to use the pronoun of the character they’re portraying and use the characters’ names as though they really are the character.)

They enter one by one with a rose and give it to a random fan. No chance for me because they entered through the aisle in the middle of the hall and I’m right at the edge at the front xD Jumin gave his rose normally, Jaehee didn’t give hers away (I’ll explain why later), Seven and Yoosung threw theirs to reach fans that were further back (still not far enough for me T_T), and Zen got down on his knee Zen-style and handed it to a lucky fan.

The RFA members (well, cosplayers) are formally introduced for the first time!

Once they’re all onstage, the members introduce themselves one by one (which was when I found out that they were all women as soon as they spoke xD) and answer some quick questions from the hosts. While it wasn’t top-notch acting or anything, the cosplayers were very much in character the whole time. The way they stood, their expressions, their manner of speech, their interactions with each other, everything was just like the character they were supposed to be, so props to them for that!

Jumin was asked why he didn’t bring Elizabeth the 3rd! Just as he was about to start talking, 707 cuts in and says, “Yeah, where’s Elly? Why didn’t you bring my Elly? She’s mine!” xD Jumin basically brushed him off (”She’s not yours!”) and said it’s because there’s a flu going around and he didn’t want her to get sick =^.^= The hosts kept jokingly begging him to please not purchase and merge their company with C&R xDDD Jumin also said that he’d like Zen to model for his cat food commercial, and the look on Zen’s face was priceless LOL xD (Zen said only if either the cat is put in plastic wrap or they just get a fake 3D cat instead xD)

Jaehee was asked why she still had her rose with her, and she said it’s because she wants to give it to Zen!!! It was super cute, and Yoosung and Seven were making love heart gestures behind them when she gave the rose to him xD But then Zen asked if he could give the rose to “one of the ladies down there” LOL WAY TO SHATTER BAEHEE’S HEART ZEN YOU AKSDJFHA;SKJ XDDD

Zen asking to give Jaehee’s rose to a fan. ZEN WHY XD

They chose a Jaehee fan from the crowd (a middle-aged man!!!) and Jaehee and Zen handed the rose to him together, which was really cute :) Jaehee also complained about her boss’ cat’s fur getting everywhere, that she was still using tape to get rid of them before coming in xD The hosts asked her if she realised her boss was standing right beside her, and she asked him for a raise. Jumin said, “For what you said just then, no.” xDDD They also asked her if she recommends any cafes. Jaehee said that while she enjoys Starbucks, the cafe she recommends is “The Who��, which is the one that has the MM collaboration going on right now lololol not-so-subtle advertising ;)

707 teased Fatty and said that he knows everything about him, and started listing his personal info, like his job, his height etc. But when he was about to reveal his weight, Fatty apologised for teasing and questioning “God Seven’s” abilities as a hacker and begged for forgiveness LOL xD

Yoosung was asked about his future plans, like whether or not he was planning to continue working for Jumin’s company. Yoosung said that rather than a career, he’s more interested in being a good husband ;) He wants to find a kind and pretty wife and have three kids, and even revealed the names he wants to give them xD (They’re all to do with stars, since Yoosung’s name means “Shooting Star” ^^) Such a cutie, and very Yoosung-like <3

Zen was last, and they asked him what he thought about Jumin LOL xD He admitted that he used to hate him, but now he thinks he’s actually a pretty nice guy ^^ The hosts then asked the two to “hug and make up” OMG. Cue the fangirl screams xD I feel like they know about the JuZen ship and are fueling it a bit xD Jumin walked towards Zen with his arms out, and Zen reluctantly went in for the hug xD They literally twirled around on the spot, with Zen keeping his hands OFF Jumin’s back despite having his arms around him, and the hug ended when Seven tried to put their heads together and make them kiss LOLLL. Seven and Yoosung were cheering and making love heart gestures (THEY SHIP IT), while Jaehee was filming it on her phone xD

JuZen huggles!!! (featuring shippy YooSeven and fangirl Jaehee)

After that, they basically had all the characters draw cards from those five emoji boxes, and the people chosen would go up onstage and draw a random ball with a number on it. Each number comes with some cheesy/romantic interaction (e.g. a romantic dance, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes for 10 seconds, a hug and a pat on the head, being fed Pocky etc.), and the player would then do this with their character while everyone watches in envy. I won’t upload any photos of these moments to respect the privacy of the fans, but I will and have cropped out YooSeven in the background mirroring the romantic moments with each other! It’s like they’re all aware of the fandom’s main ships and are fueling them xD

YooSeven dances and snuggles!!!

One of Seven’s fans picked out “being fed Pocky”, but being God Seven, he immediately said, “I don’t want any of that! *signals a staff member* Could you bring that over for me? The one I brought myself!” What else could he be talking about xD

707 awkwardly struggling to open a Honey Buddha Chip bag onstage xD

They also get to take a polaroid pic with the cosplayer at the end. And since Fatty is known to be really generous and is always “adding more” to raffles and games, he allowed like at least another 10 or so fans to be drawn for a polaroid with a character of their choice :)

And Jaehee herself also asked if she could have a polaroid with Zen! xD

Zen and Jaehee posing for a polaroid, featuring an unamused Jumin.

By the way, Cuby is a HUGE Jumin fangirl and she got a turn with the Jumin, too! xD

"Ju-Jumin... I... I’m willing to raise Elizabeth the 3rd with you—KYAAAAHHH~~~” (That’s exactly what she said ;D)

They then got Sujin Ri to come onstage again and draw more lucky winners who’ll receive the card set with the VAs’ autographs. Fatty also drew a bunch of people to win a Taiwan-exclusive cushion (or the space cushion for 707 because they ran out of his Taiwan cushions). Amazing that there were so many things drawn at random and I didn’t manage to get a single one LOLLL XD

I managed to snap a picture of the cosplayers as they were leaving the stage for a break. They literally walked right by me (because of the convenient position of my seat), and Jumin and Yoosung even waved and posed xD

CHARITY AUCTION

It was later revealed that a part of the money they raised for this party would be donated to an official animal protection association in Taiwan, just like how the RFA parties are for a good cause ^^ They even played a video about the association we were donating to (lots of sad and abandoned puppies ;___;) complete with “I Miss Happy Rika” as background music.

Additionally, they bring on three extra standees for auction, and all the money from the auction would be donated to charity, too! I love MM but I don’t want a standee LOL so I just sat back and watched xD They only had Yoosung, Jumin, and Zen, and I got a picture of the prices they were each sold for (all in NTD):

I’m still shook that the Zen standee was able to sell for NT$9900!!!!! That’s like... *throws it into Google to convert* $322-ish USD!!!!! Insane but also very impressive! :D (Wonder how much a 707 standee could have gone for if they offered one haha)

Sujin Ri was so happy, and said that they would be sending them some kind of official donator’s badge from Korea for contributing to a good cause <3 The host even said that it’s amazing and really beautiful how a simple mobile game can grow to the point where so many people come together and do things to make the world a better place ^^ <333

ENDING

After the auctions, the party came to an end ;___; They played “Like the Sun in the Sky” as the ED and listed all the people who helped to make the party happen. But then they said that “special thanks” go to the fans who attended, and literally typed out ALL of our names in the credits! <3 The hosts picked out random names to read, like “Thank you _____! Thank you _____!” including mine, so I guess that was the only thing I got picked for today LOL XD

Cuby reading out my name!

After that, they have an ending screen with the SNSplus and Cheritz logos, and when you think it’s all over, Fatty enters from the right of the screen (turns out to be a video) and tells us that they’re going to be releasing a big confetti ball to signify the end (one of those giant balls that explode and then confetti falls out).

A wild Fatty appears!

I was expecting a huge ball to explode in the middle of the hall or on the screen, but when the Fatty in the video says “GO!” instead we get “I just got your messages!” again. Turns out he TROLLED US, and instead, they played a self-made, absolutely hilarious and utterly stupid but amazing “music video” of Fatty himself singing the OP XDDD Needless to say, the entire room was a laughing MESS XDDDDD

(Not sure how interested the international fandom would be because Fatty really is more of a Taiwanese MM fandom favourite, but if you are, there will be a link at the end of this post with appropriate timestamps for anyone who would like to witness this... glorious mistake of a video xDDD)

They also ended the event by taking a big group photo together! I managed to get pretty close to the front because my seat was so close to the photo spot already xD

All hosts, cosplayers, important guests, and 150-ish attendees! (Credits to the official Taiwanese Mystic Messenger Facebook Page.)

PHOTO TIME

After that, they said that they would allow a few minuets for people to take pictures with cosplayers, with each other, of the venue, basically anything. But unlike almost everyone who immediately STAMPEDED to line up for the cosplayers (especially 707), I raced to look for Sujin Ri!!! There were quite a few other people going for her, too, and she was taking photos with fans and signing people’s merch and stuff. I was able to speak to her in English, and simply asked, “Can I please take a photo with you?” She was super nice, and so was her translator, who ended up taking all the pictures for everyone who lined up xD Before I left, she told me, “Thank you for playing!” Ahhh she’s so cute <333

Major fangirling!!! (Yes, that is me in the white dress. I have officially revealed my face >_<)

I then went and selfie-d with the two hosts (because why not? :D), and then selfie-d with the standees for a second time. Yes, I am literally more interested in standees than cosplayers... To me, the standees were more “like” the characters? They’re 2D anyway, so I prefer to keep them that way rather than pretending that a person who isn’t them, is xD

And even after I was done with the standees there was still time. On my way back to my seat to clean up my belongings, I literally JUST SO HAPPENED to walk past the place that was the end of 707′s line. At this point, I kinda thought to myself, “I already paid for this party and I’m literally already standing in the queue, so may as well.” xDDD I did end up taking a selfie with the 707 cosplayer! I even decided to just go with it and asked him for a hug, too, and he told me to be careful on my way home :) Two possible responses: “Awww what a nice cosplayer she is ^^” and “OMGGGG I TOOK A SELFIE WITH SEVEN AND HUGGED HIM AND HE TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL ASD;KFJAHS;KJDA” May as well fully immerse myself in the experience and choose the latter ahahaha :P

After that, you were free to leave or make any final purchases at the merchandise section. The merch didn’t really appeal to me, so I only took pictures.

Cup holders and washi tape! They’re cute, but not really things I need or particularly want. I’m happy with just my Ray emoticon cushion and rubber keychain for now ^^

The RFA members are also standing at the exit and seeing everyone off!

Jumin even helped the fan who bid for his standee to bring it out of the hall. What a gentleman <3

Jumin waved goodbye to me as I was leaving, and 707 waved back when I turned for one last look ^^

GIFTS

I only really opened the paper bag once I got home, and inside were the gifts they promised!

The bag is huge!

You get a random big cookie with an RFA member’s face on it! I got a Jumin, and I would like to ask how anyone thinks I will be okay with eating this ;___;

My Juju cookie <3 You will eventually end up in my tummy ;~;

You also get a poster set that’s limited to this party only (there is no other way to get them)! I thought we would be getting one poster with all the characters, but no, they gave us five posters, one character each, separately :O

This is basically all the stuff I came home with haha <3

Overall, was it worth it? Yes, I think so ^^

The ticket was pretty expensive and the purchasing process was crazy and stressful, but I think it was worth the money and effort spent. The party was a lot more grand and fancy than I expected, and you could tell that they really did put a lot of effort into making it a really extravagant event. I did not come in expecting to meet Sujin Ri, and revealing that a lot of the money would be going to charity also made the party so much more meaningful <3 (I’m sure the RFA would be proud ;D) Of course, the experience would probably have been more unforgettable and rewarding if I had actually gotten drawn for just ONE of the many lucky draws they had LOL but I still had a great time and I’m just thankful that I got to attend such a fun and wonderful event <333

Not sure if they’ll be holding another one of these parties in other cities in Taiwan (or maybe in Hong Kong and Macau), but I’m pretty sure that this isn’t the last of these MM Taiwan events xD I hope my wallet can take it :P

Here is the official compilation video with footage from the party (featuring my embarrassing self being filmed selfie-ing with a 707 standee OH GOD WHY.) The caption on the video post also has a link to a Google Drive where you can look at some clearer photos taken by their staff members!

And here’s the “Mystic After Party” live video hosted by Cuby and Fatty. (Go to 2:20 [as in 2:20 REMAINING of the video, so about 40:35 minutes in] if you’re interested in watching Fatty’s music video xD Please imagine this video coming on with the shook-ness of a troll surprise when you’re expecting a confetti ball to pop out instead >.>) 

If you’re still reading, I APPLAUD YOU :O LET’S BE FRIENDS! No, seriously, thank you for taking interest and reading until the end; I am so sorry that it’s so insanely long ^^;;

All posts on Mystic Messenger events in Taiwan can be found under my #mmtaiwan tag!

Check out my Saeran x MC fic: Waiting for Spring And my Choi Brothers fic: Of Roses and Resets

*All photos belong to me unless otherwise stated. Please do not repost without my permission!

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Mail Call

Mail Call Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender Pairing: Keidge Summary: A night away from his Blade responsibilities gives Keith the chance to think and make a purchase that he thinks will earn him some brownie points with a special someone. Standard Disclaimer: If you read and enjoy this, please give it a like/ reblog so I know if I should write more. AN: I said I was here for KidgeFest and I meant it! Hope you all enjoy it!

He’d been walking through an intergalactic swap meet with Nihaar and Adwru, two other younger Blade members, when he spotted them. It was a rare day off to the young recruits where they were allotted time to simply mill about off base. “I understand that you are all still relatively young,” Kolivan had said calmly, “and will still expect you to behave yourselves, as you’re all professional trained soldiers, but you should take a little time to unwind.” Adwru revealed that Princess Allura had been getting on Kolivan’s ass during their last meeting about how hard he rode them all once they were flying away from the base.

That had earned a laugh from Keith and Nihaar, the idea of their leader being intimidated by anyone, regardless of title, being too humorous to ignore.

They didn’t have a lot of money and Keith’s permanent ban from the space mall had prohibited any of them from going to the Space Mall, so Nihaar had insisted they go to a nearby swap meet instead. “It’s a pretty cool place; lots of rare goodies for pretty nice prices. Plus, they have some food carts that hang around with the best friend Gultuyar tail and I thikn Keith needs to try it!” She had insisted to Adwru, whom had been flying them. With an annoyed groan, the male Galra agreed and they headed out.

Keith had barely managed to swallow down the Gultuyar tail that Nihaar treated him too – it was a sweet meat that made his teeth hurt and his stomach roll – and then they started on their trek to see what their options were. He had been floored by getting a small pocket knife with five different exchangeable blades for what translated to only five bucks, but it had been the stunning, adorable matching letter writing sets he’d found a few spots down that really caught him off guard. Both were in small wooden boxes with little glass panel over the front to allow them to be seen, but were tied off with lacy ribbons.

He knelt down and indicated it to the alien settled in front of the wears – a four armed being with six eyes and pale orange flesh – whom tilted their head. “Is it okay if I open one of these to get a better look?” He asked, tapping the top of one with one finger lightly.

“Of course,” They agreed before turning their attention to someone else asking about a different item.

He smiled and picked on up, resting it on his knee as he carefully tugged the ribbon off. Adwru peeked over his shoulder curiously, ears perking to attention. “What’chu lookin’ at, pal o’ mine?” He drawled playfully, finishing off the last bite of some cotton candy-esque treat he’d gotten himself.

“It’s a stationary set,” He said calmly, popping open the lid to look at all the trappings inside better. He felt a paw land on his shoulder and someone else lean far too close into his personal space. “Nihaar, do you mind?” He asked, shifting his feet a bit to try and remain upright without dropping the wares in his hands.

“Not at all; you’re a very comfy perch,” She snarked back before reaching past him to indicate what Keith could only describe as a glass smoking pipe.

“What are you getting the stationary set for?” Adwru asked politely, his attention focused on a set of lovely scarves hanging with some other accessories at the top of the little area. Most likely looking for a gift for his moms, since Keith recalled him mentioning the anniversary of when they became bonded mates was coming up soon.

“Might be nice to have,” Keith answered, shrugging in response and also in an attempt to dislodge Nihaar. She retailiated by teasing at his shoulder with her claws, little pin-pricks touching his skin in warning. The set he was looking at was absolutely stunning, in vibrant shades of red and orange and yellow. The actual paper had a crisp and firm feel to it, with almost-smoke like wisps of all the colors bordering the writing space. The envelopes the letters could be put inside looked like the sky as the sun rose in the mornings, lovely waves of pinks and reds and oranges and yellows. There were six square cubes of what seemed to be some kind of wax – two were red, two orange, and two yellow – and a small stamp that was most likely meant to be used to seal the letters shut. There was also a small pot of ink and a lovely white feather quill for writing.

Adwru whistled lowly, leaning slightly over to see them. “Those look like the kinds of sets Altean aristocrats used to exchange as, like, weddings gifts and junk,” He pointed out, making sure to keep his voice low so they weren’t overheard. Thankfully, Nihaar had the stall-keeper busy in debating the price of that strange pipe she’d been so fixated on. “These things are ridiculously pricey for something you’re just buying for the sake of having it.”

“So basically you’re saying that they’re of a quiality that warrants the price,” He said simply while carefully placing everything back inside and closing the lid.

“Well, yeah, but it’ll just be a decorative piece to sit around in your room! I mean, we have advanced communicate technology if you wanted to talk to someone! Letters are a little… Archaic, to say the least,” He argued with a small frown, one ear staying cocked upwards while the other drooped a little bit. His ears always did that when he was confused.

“Well, maybe I just like the idea of being able to actually write on some really nice paper with some ink, for a change,” He said.

“You’re such an old man,” Nihaar laughed, finally pushing off his shoulder to swap the alien in charge of the booth some coins for the pipe.

He rolled his eyes a bit, having learned to be patient with Nihaar’s teasing after so long working with her, and carefully put the ribbon back over the box. He left it in his lap and indicated the other one. “Does that one look just like this one, just in green, blue and purple?” He asked.

“Yes, it is,” They answered, dropping what Nihaar had just given them into a small steel box and then offering her some change in exchange.

“How much for both of them?”

“Ah, here’s a man that knows quality when he sees it!” The stall-keeper beamed. They then tapped their chin in thought before smiling, picking up the second set, and placing it on top of the first one on Keith’s lap. “They were originally 45 Turlupa coins each, since they’re pretty high quality, as you can see, but since you’re taking both… I’ll knock the price down to 72 Turlupa coins for the both of them. Sound fair?” Adwru stared down with wide eyes while Nihaar swore under her breath in surprise. Keith pulled out his small coin pouch and fished around, producing the needed funds and handing them over. The alien beamed and revealed a mouth with only four long, protruding fangs and forked snake tongue. “Excellent! Would you like a sack to carry those in while you continue walking around?” They offered.

“Yes, please. Thank you,” Keith said, watching as they reached intoa large tub beside them and started rummaging through for the bag. He looked up to see both his teammates still staring at him in awe. “What?”

“Dude,” Nihaar breathed quietly.

“Do… Do you realize what just happened? You basically just committed a fucking robbery on this more guy! This guy is undercharging you so bad it’s making me sick that you’re just rolling with it!” Adwru blurted frantically, indicating the two sets and then the stall-keep in question.

“Dude,” Nihaar drawled out again, a small bubbling laugh escaping her.

“What? What do you mean?” Keith snapped back, glaring back at Adwru. There were times that the other Blade members forgot about the cultural difference between them and Keith. Most of the time it was little things that were easily overlooked or corrected. A reaction such as this, however, seemed a little above the norm.

“These things were worth 75 Sumtarali stones for one back when Altea was still an actual fucking planet! Their even higher in price now that they’re crazy rare!” Keith still wasn’t an expert at alien currency, but even he knew that was significantly more than he’d just been charged; something akin to only being charged fourty bucks for something worth over 500, if he remembered those specific currencies values correctly.

The stall-keep huffed and jabbed Adwru once in the chest firmly with a cane before offering the bag to Keith. “How I pedal my wares is my own business; I don’t need some Galran kitten hissing and snarling at me about my prices,” They sneered flatly, firmly pushing enough to send Adwru stumbling back a few paces. They then gestured around them with the cane. “Now, if all you’re gonna do is make a fuss, you’re more than welcome to keep moving. I have actual customers to talk with.”

Adwru’s ears tipped back and he grumbled bitterly, but turned and stomped off. “Oh geez,” Nihaar said with a  roll of her eyes, “now he’s all grumpy. I’ll go see if I can get him to cheer up; catch up with us when you’re done here, Keith!” With that, she waggled her cat-like fingers at him and darted after their other teammate. Keith watched as she jumped on his back, sending them tumbling face-first into the dirt a few feet ahead of them.

He turned back to the alien and looked from the bag, the sets, then back to them. “If these are worth more, I’d rather pay you the correct amount,” He said sternly, choosing to ignore the fact that he didn’t even have that much money on him to offer.

They laughed and waved one hand. “Like I told your friend, I charge what I want to for my goods. You can argue about paying a steeper price all you want but I won’t accept a smeckle more. Now, If I were you, I’d bag those up before anyone else notices. Someone who knows what those are worth might try and mug you for them if you aren’t careful,” They said, their voice polite but carrying an air of finality to it.

“Why are you charging me so little for something so valuable? I mean, you could turn a huge profit off this if you sold it to anyone else here,” He pointed out gently, shifting to carefully but quickly put the two stationary sets away. Thankfully the bag they’d given him was made of a dark fabric, so it wasn’t see through, and also had a zipper between the two handles.

“Because I can see you have a lovely plan in mind for how to make use of them. I’d rather sell them to a lovestruck kid planning to make actual use of them than make a huge profit off them for them to just sit on a shelf for the highest bidder to brag about,” They explained, setting their cane back down beside them as they settled back into their seated position form before. They then tapped a small photo beside them, a picture of an alien that looked very similar to them. “That’s what my beloved Stru’latel would want me to do, too.”

He blushed a bit but smiled and waved before heading off to catch up with his friends.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

She was awoken by a loud pounding on her bedroom door. She tried pulling her pillow back over her head and block the noise out, but it just continued on. She groaned, pushing herself upright, and marched right over to the door. It slid open to reveal Lance. “You better have a damn good reason for waking me up,” She snarled.

He blinked then pouted at her response, one hand on his hip and the other tucked behind his back. “Well good morning to you, too, Pidge!”

“Lance,” She drawled out, rubbing at her face with one hand. She’d been up late that night working on decrypting some secret messages they’d been able to infiltrate between two Galra hubs. She wasn’t in the mood for games and just really wanted to go back to sleep.

He huffed before pulling the other arm from behind his back and offering a small box wrapped in gift paper to her. There was also a small green envelope on the top. “This came in the mail for you today,” He said with a small sniff, clearly insulted by her attitude. She took it from him and tilted her head, turning the package over in her hands before looking at the card on top.

She recognized the lovely cursive her name was written in immediately and smiled.

“Thanks, Lance,” She said, giving his shoulder a quick pat before retreating to her room. She heard him call something back in response – either a you’re welcome or other teasing remark, she didn’t particularly care – as she flopped on to her bed. She plucked the card off and set the gift beside her, turning it around. “Oh, fancy,” She giggled to herself at the light purple wax seal keeping the letter closed. The seal resembled what she recalled being an Altean bird called the Hildrugal. Being careful to not rip the actual envelope or break the seal itself, she popped it out and pulled out the little card inside.

Dear Pidge,

Sorry I haven’t been able to schedule a proper date with you in so long; Kolivan’s been even more demanding than usual, if that’s possible. I remembered that you mentioned before that you always wanted to have a penpal to give your collection of aethetically pleasing stationary sets purpose, so I was thinking we could maybe do just that. And, I know your actual collection is back on Earth, so I decided to get you a jump start on a new one for space. Hope to hear from you again soon.

Yours Truly,

Keith Kogane

She blinked, re-reading it twice, before she giggled and pressed the letter to her chest and flopping back against her bed. “He’s such a sap,” She mused to herself, turning on to her side so she could start tearing into the wrapping paper, “and I’m an even bigger sap for loving it.”