#or it sat there inside the dryer for so long that someone Else took it out so they could do their load before i was even here

[whis--ker]

About to be a passive aggressive bitch and put one of the paper "do not leave your clothes unattended" signs in the dorm laundry room on top of this pile of clothes someone left directly on top of one of the 3 working dryers

[jinxxedwammys]

In celebration of 100 followers I present to you

Wammy boys in oddly specific AUs I found on pinterest and stuff.

Warnings: Swearing (mostly in Mello’s part as usual lol)

L

"I mistook you for my best friend and jumped on your back in public and now I'm embarrassed"

🎂🍨🍦🍭🍮🎂🍨🍦🍭🍮🎂🍨🍦🍭🍮🎂🍨🍦🍭🍮🎂🍨🍦🍭🍮🎂

It was during the Kira case when L was closely investigating Light Yagami at To-Oh University that this extremely awkward encounter occurred. The sun was high in the sky, locusts and could be heard and cherry blossom littered the wide walkway leading into the school.

You had your heavy bag slung across your shoulders. It was filled with textbooks and papers (some of which you had forgotten to turn in) as well as a few personal items. You weren't really paying much attention to your surroundings until you spotted one of your male friends!

You hadn't seen him since the beginning of high-school. To say you were excited was an understatement. In your excitement you took a running jump onto his back knocking him to the ground. He let out a yelp and that was when you realized...

This man was NOT your friend.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry I thought you were someone else" you hurriedly said pushing yourself up and on your knees an apparent redness in your face.

He seemed to be unbothered for the most part, he turned to you, crouching in a sort of fetal position.

"It's alright I understand" He replied.

"No, no its not.. I'm an idiot I should have realized" you shoved your face into your hands covering how red your face now was.

"It is alright, I'm uninjured and it was an honest mistake" you frowned a little not entirely trusting his forgiveness, but this time, you took it.

He gave you a polite smile before standing up and helping you to your feet. He wished you a good day, and left, but not before sneaking a note containing his alias and phone number.

Mello

"I lost my little sibling Matt in Ikea and I need your help finding them"

🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫🍫

"Fuck.... Shit... Motherfucker" You heard from the other side of the store shelf as you browsed through various decor items. This mystery person had been spewing profanities for the past five minutes. You sighed with slight annoyance placing the wooden model hand you had been staring at for God knows how long back, making your way to the neighboring isle.

"Hey, you've been cursing up a storm... what's going on?" You asked, hand on your hip awaiting a response. Mello looked up at you with a look of anger and exhaustion on his face.

"I'm looking for my idiot friend. He got hopelessly lost in the chair section and I've been trying to find him for like an hour now" He ran a hand through his hair pushing his bangs to the sides of his face.

"I can help you look for him!" You offered.

"You don't have to"

"I want to! I don't really have anything else to do, so it's fine. To be completely honest I don't know why I came here." He shrugged. "Oh my name's Y/N by the way"

"I'm Mello" He replied before setting off out of the isle leaving you to sprint a but to catch up. His pace was fast and he seemed to have some plan on how to tackle this, but you weren't exactly sure.

After what seemed like an eternity of silently weaving through the labyrinth of shelves and furniture displays, you spoke up.

"So... how old is your friend?"

"We're both 19... His name is Matt." You kept walking until he stopped directly in front of the office showroom section.

"He might be here, so keep an eye out for a tall brunette idiot with goggles." You nodded keeping close to Mello. Again you snaked through isles. Eventually your search devolved into looking into cabinets, drawers, anything that would open, but to no avail.

"Where the fuck is he?" Mello said under his breath as he slammed shut another cabinet.

That was when a tall brunette wearing goggles walked by dual wielding hotdogs... You sighed heavily before approaching Matt.

"Matt?" You called out gaining the attention of both Matt and Mello. Mello stood beside you before going on to scold his friend almost as if he were an unruly child.

"Sorry about that I hope looking for him wasn't that unbearable... would you like to meet up sometime again in the future?" Mello asked. You nodded in response.

"I'd love to! This was quite fun actually. Though let's not go to an ikea next time."

Near

"We both like walking In the park at night and I think you're a stalker so I accidentally attack you"

🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖🎲🃏🪀🤖

It was 2am, the night was calm yet you were restless nothing you tried allowed you to fall asleep. It was like this most nights. You would then go to the park near your house to get some fresh air and tire yourself out... and on a night like this, that seemed like a perfect idea. You didn't even change out of your pajamas before you left. As you entered the park, you felt... odd. As if someone was watching you and sure enough, as you turned your head to look behind you you saw a man following about two yards behind you.

Naturally your thoughts went wild with what ifs and possible escape plans. Yet you calmed your mind opting to check if this guy was really following you. With every corner you turned your heart sank. Panic started to set in and you rushed to get together an improvised weapon.... Your housekey! You gripped it tightly in your hand as if it were a knife and swiftly approached the man going to jab him in the eye, yet he caught your arm with ease, turning it behind you and pushing you to the ground, similarly to how a police officer would apprehend a resistant assailant.

"Why did you attack me" he questioned, plopping down just above your hips.

"Let me go, stalker!!!" You yelled at him thrashing around attempting to escape his grasp.

"What are you talking about? I'm not stalking you." He calmly said.

"That's exactly what a stalker would say! Let me go!" He sighed lifting himself off of you and crouching beside you. You rolled over and sat with your legs crossed.

"I swear to you, I was only out for a walk. I take nighttime walks sometimes, though this was the first time I've been in this park."

"Then how come every time I turned you followed?"

"I did? I'm sorry, I didn't even realize" He stated plainly. You sighed he seemed truthful.

"Fine... I'm sorry too, I probably shouldn't have assumed you were a stalker or something and attacked you" you admitted. He shook his head.

"It's alright, I understand... I can be scary" you snorted and laughed. The light of the nearby streetlamp lit his features. A frail, sweet looking man with long white hair who seemed to be somewhat reserved. You felt a little silly that you thought someone like him would hurt you much.

"You're not scary... In all honesty you're quite cute!" You admitted, reaching out a finger to poke his nose.

"Thanks, you're actually quite cute as well, maybe we could meet up here in the morning?" He suggested.

Matt

"I come here when I want to be alone and I didn't think anyone knew about it so where the hell did you come from"

🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮🚬🥽🎮

This day was aweful. Work was extremely stressful. Your coworker put important documents in the shreader for the 10th time that week and you were the one tasked with rewriting, tracking down, requesting new copies and piecing together ones that couldn't be recovered otherwise. And of course your boss made every minute of it a nightmare. So after work, you drove to your favorite place. An abandoned warehouse off the highway about 5 minutes from your house.

It was virtually untouched by people now that the walls were covered in graffiti and the place had been ransacked for leftover valuable items. You made your way inside noticing something was off... there was a leather couch that wasn't yours, a coffee table... even a TV and game console plugged into a power supply, another handheld game on the coffee table next to an ashtray with a few cigarette butts, one of which was still smoking.

You were beyond confused. From the last time you were here someone had basically moved in... it had only been a week since you last came here. You warily approached the couch. Well... whoever left it here probably won't mind! you thought I just hope they didn't sabotage it or something. You then sat down noting that it was a perfectly normal couch and you were just paranoid.

That was when a guy came in, he was tall and lenky, had brown hair and was dressed in a striped shirt, a frankly hideous vest with fur lining, black pants and goggles atop his head. He had been holding a can of coke and a cigarette, yet those were both dropped as he saw you.

"Who are you?" He half shrieked.

"Who are YOU? You yelled back.

"I asked first!"

"My name is Y/N.. I come here all the time when I'm stressed and want to be alone I didn't think anyone else knew about it"

"S..Same but.. I come here to get away from a friend of mine... he can be quite aggressive and it's scary" He sat down beside you picking up his handheld game. "Oh and my name is Matt!"

"Hmm.. then let's share this space from now on, Matt!" He nodded in agreement.

"Yea! I hope we meet again soon"

Beyond Birthday

"We live in the same apartment complex and I accidentally leave my laundry in the washer for a minute too long and you decide to take out all my wet clothes to put yours in just as I walk in"

🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪🩸🔪

It was late night. You had been putting off laundry for the past week, but now you were down to a pair of underwear and your nightgown, so you had to do your wash.. you reluctantly gathered your clothes and made your way to the communal washer and dryer. You threw your clothes in and put a coin in the coinslot then set the washer to start.

You sighed and made your way back to your room to relax a little while your clothes were still washing. It had been about two hours and your laundry was probably done. The timer you had set went off and you gathered yourself and brought the remainder of your clothes as well as your box of dryer sheets.

The moment you walked in your eyes widened in horror. Some odd man sat frantically pulling your clothes out of the washer onto the dirty floor.

"What the hell are you doing??!!" You yelled rushing over to stop him. He peered up at you from his crouching position.

"You left your clothes in too long, its my turn now" You blinked

"Only for a few minutes... it just got done less than 5 minutes ago.. now my clothes are all dirty again.. damn it"

"Sorry" He said. His beady eyes were wide and innocent looking. "I'll let you do yours again... I'll pay" He said before shoving yours back in and starting it again.

When that was done he pulled a jam jar out of seemingly nowhere and perched on top of the washer dipping his hand inside the jar and licking his fingers clean of jam. It was disgusting... But you decided to not pay any more attention to it than you had to.

The rest of the time you spent with him was in silence, all you heard was the washer and his lip-smacking. When the washer finished you silently transferred your clothes to the dryer.. this time without your oddball fellow tenant interfering much. Though when he got his own clothes in he did crawl away which freaked you out.

[toomanystoriessolittletime]

Distraction

Summary: Meeting a single Dad on the plane back to the states was maybe just the distraction you needed to get over your fear of flying.

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!reader

Wordcount: 3k

Warnings: reader is afraid of flying, one panic attack

A/N: First time writing for Frankie. I don’t know about fear of flying or about babies, so of course I decided to write about both 🙈 Let me know if you like it 😂

Masterlist

taglist in reblog

Maybe it was time to find a new job. A job that didn’t require traveling to other continents at least once a year. You could be a barista. Or… any work that would require you staying on the ground where you belonged. Not in a tiny capsule that traveled way too fast and way too high.

You felt anxious throughout the whole day when you knew you had to go on a plane. It wasn’t even the height you were scared of. You couldn’t describe it. You always were very independent. Maybe it was the fact that you had to trust a stranger not to fuck up and make the plane crash. You didn’t know who would be the pilot. Of course, you knew that they were all trained professionals, they have to be but… ugh. Overthinking. You were overthinking again. Handing the stewardess your boarding pass she smiled kindly at you and you tried to smile back before you sighed and slowly walked down towards the plane.

As soon as your nose smelled the engine (yes you could smell it) you felt like your stomach wouldn’t make it. Closing your eyes you breathed in deep, trying to remember that millions of people did this every day. Opening your eyes you looked at the plane door where a man was just climbing in, a baseball cap on his head. He was carrying a baby that was sleeping on his shoulder as if nothing else mattered. You smiled softly. If a baby could do it, you could too.

Nope. No you couldn’t.

You felt your throat getting dryer the further you walked into the plane in search of your seat. You never sat at the window, always in the middle. You read that it was more safe once. When you arrived in the row you would be sitting you couldn’t help but smile, finding the man with the baby sitting on the window seat, the baby carrier in the middle seat. He looked up and you were met with warm brown eyes. His hand was on the baby’s back, almost covering it entirely. He gave you a tired smile and you nodded.

“Hi,” you whispered, not wanting to wake the baby.

“Hey,” he nodded quietly. You took your coat off, putting it in the cabinet over the seat, and sat down. You intended to work on your way back to the states so you brought your laptop. Pushing your bag under your seat you got out your phone, putting it in flight mode before you secured the seat belt. People were still coming into the plane and you felt yourself getting more nervous. Sucking your bottom lip in, you took out the card with the safety instructions in front of your seat, reading it carefully. Your assigned security exit was just two rows behind that was good to know. You were unaware of the man sitting two seats next to you watching you. You crossed your legs, your sweaty hands on your thigh when they closed the doors. You turned your head as you heard the man next to you mumble in Spanish and noticed that the baby had woken up and was now looking at you with big eyes. She was still lying against the man’s chest, her head just under his chin, his lips kissing her head. You looked at him then, noticing how attractive he was, his eyes closed as he gently rubbed circles on the baby’s back. His base cap sat deep on his head, dark wild curls underneath that peaked out. You never thought a mustache could be attractive but maybe he was the exception.

People were finally settled in their seats and you felt the plane move as the announcement from the boarding crew came for the safety instructions. You heard a tiny whimper and looked at the man. The baby was clearly not happy with the loud voices from the speaker. You wondered why he was alone on a plane on a seven-hour flight back to the states with a baby that couldn’t be much older than maybe four months. A noise made you jump and he looked at you.

“Sorry,” you mumbled embarrassed.

“First flight?” he asked. You shook your head.

“I wish it was. That wouldn’t make me being scared so embarrassing,” you sighed, your eyes wandering between him and the baby on his chest. He smiled a little.

“You can’t choose your fears,” he shrugged. He was right you couldn’t.

“I wish I could though. I feel like I’m gonna faint every time I have to fly.”

He looked at you before he began to open a bag that was laying in the baby carrier.

“You probably already heard all kinds of solutions for going over your fear but as a pilot let me assure you, that it’s perfectly safe.” He seemed to have found what he was searching for, a baby bottle with milk in his hands.

“You’re a pilot?” you asked fascinated.

“Was. Military. But can’t with this one needing me around,” he kissed the baby’s head.

You smiled. “She’s adorable.”

“She’s my whole world,” he put her in the crook of his left arm, his right hand checking the bottle.

“Gotta make sure the entire plane doesn’t hate me for bringing you on here, baby girl,” he said quietly. She looked up at him with big eyes, her little arms going up as he brought the bottle in her line of view and you chuckled. He looked at you, giving you a soft smile.

“It’s our second flight but she’s a trooper,” he explained. “Feeding her during take-off and landing helps with the ear pressure,” he explained.

“Are we taking off already?” you asked, feeling the nervous flutter inside your belly.

“I can talk you through it, if you want to?” he offered as he brought the bottle down and the baby began to suck eagerly just when the plane seemed to be in starting position.

“I don’t want to bother you,” you shook your head.

“I wouldn’t have offered, if it would bother me,” there it was again, that shy smile that made your heart seem to stop for a second.

“Okay. Thank you…”

“Frankie,” he offered.

“Thank you, Frankie,” you smiled.

You still felt nervous after an hour in the air but now you weren’t sure if it was the flight or the man sitting next to you. Finding an attractive and, as you found out, single Dad that looked at his baby girl like it was his whole world, didn’t help to settle your nerves or ovaries. But you would take this kind of nervousness in a heart beat instead of your fear of flying. He had talked you through every little step on what the pilot would be doing. It may vary from flying a helicopter as he did, but the steps were the same. He had squeezed your hand that was grabbing the seat like a lifeline an hour ago. You swore you could still feel the warmth of his hand.

Sofia, the 3 ½-month-old girl that was his daughter was now laying in the baby carrier in the middle seat, her hand squeezing your finger as she slept. Every thought of working on your project was gone as you looked down at the sleeping baby.

“She’s got a pretty hard grasp,” you said looking down at her.

“Yeah. She’s so big already. I can’t believe it,” Frankie said. You looked up, seeing him lift his hat, his hand running through his hair before he put his cap back on. You smiled at him.

“What brought you over here?” you asked. He made a face.

“One of my military friends was wounded.”

“Oh. Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. Thank you for asking.”

“I wish I had friends like that. Flying for me over the globe in a heartbeat,” you sighed, trying to overplay the sadness in your face.

“Oh I’m sure you have someone,” he mused.

“I used to. But I moved across the country after my father died and I never really got settled in where I live now if that makes sense?”

“Well, why don’t you hang out with me… uh us?” Frankie suggested. You looked up at him.

“Careful with an offer like that. I might just say yes to hang out with Sofia,” you teased. As if she could hear you, she squeezed your finger and you just about melted.

“She’s great to hang out with, I’ll give her that,” Frankie said “But can she hold an hour-long conversation with a beautiful woman?”

You looked up then, seeing him look at you and you felt your cheeks getting warm.

“Guess I’ll have to talk to you until she can, huh?” you teased.

“Guess so,” he shrugged, a small smirk on his lips.

Frankie had just left to use the bathroom, leaving Sofia under your watchful eyes when her eyes blinked open. She seemed to look for her Dad until she looked at you. You could see her small lips pouting, her face frowning and your heart broke before she had even whimpered for the first time. Carefully you took her out of the baby carrier, hoping Frankie would be okay with you taking her out and took her into your arms. She was fully crying now.

“Shh…” you mumbled, propping her up so she was lying in the crook of your arm.

“Dad’s gonna be here any minute now, sweet Sofia,” you said soothingly. She didn’t stop. Sighing you changed so she was with her head on your shoulder as you got up from your seat. Maybe taking a little walk with her would help. You run your hand over her back like you had seen Frankie did before as you walked down the aisle and her cries got quieter until they stopped when you were close to the cockpit.

“There you go. You just wanted to see something different, huh, baby girl?” you asked whispering soothingly.

“Where’s your papa? What’s taking him so long?” you ask, beginning to walk back towards the seat. Frankie’s wasn’t back so you took Sofia down to the other side of the plane. You giggled as you found Sofia grab your hair and pulling lightly.

“Hey… Do you do that with your Dad’s hair too?” you asked, knowing you wouldn’t get an answer. You pulled her from your shoulder and she looked at you with big eyes as you put her in your arm so she could look up at you. Passing an older lady you smiled.

“She looks just like you,” the woman smiled softly as she looked down at Sofia who was still looking at you. You felt your cheeks getting warm again.

“Oh... I’m not…” you began but she only nodded at you and walked back to her seat. Confused you walked further until you saw Frankie walking towards you. He had an unreadable expression on his face as he looked at you and you hoped you didn’t overstep.

“I’m sorry. She was crying and…”

“She likes you,” he said, his hand brushing over her cheek and she smiled, clearly noticing her Dad was back.

“You want her back?” you ask, secretly hoping he didn’t.

“I think she looks very comfortable where she is,” he said. You looked up, finding him looking at you. He was taller than you but he was close. So close. You didn’t notice the spot on his jaw that was beard free before and you found yourself wanting to kiss him there. Kiss him everywhere. You gulped, looking down again.

“Let’s get back to our seat, huh, little lady?” you asked and walked back.

Sofia was sleeping again and you were trying to read your book. And not think about the man sitting two seats next to you. You looked at him from the side and found him always already looking at you. You felt like a teenager. You had to smile to yourself, thinking that must have been the longest date you had ever been on. You chuckled to yourself which made Frankie look at you, an eyebrow raised. You just shook your head embarrassed.

“I was thinking…” he began.

“Yes?” you asked.

“Can I invite you for a drink?”

You blinked at him, sucking your bottom lip in. You were about to answer when the whole plane shook with a turbulence and you sucked your breath in harshly. For a moment you had forgotten where you were.

“Shit…” you whispered to yourself, leaning with your head against the seat, closing your eyes, while your fingernails grabbed into the seat. The plane shook again and you breathed in and out to control your rising panic.

“Hey…” you felt someone grab your hand. You were too scared to open your eyes.

“It’s just some minor turbulence. We gonna be out of it in no time,” it was Frankie. He felt how your hand was shaking and didn’t let go.

“Just breathe. Can you open your eyes for me?” he asked. You shook your head, squeezing his hand harder.

“I know you can, look at me Hermosa,” you could sense that he was closer. Turning your head towards his side you opened your eyes.

“There you are, now breathe with me,” he looked at you and you got lost in his eyes as he breathed with you and you felt yourself calm down.

“That’s better. You made it,” he smiled. He was still holding your hand.

“Thank you, Frankie,” you said quietly. He leaned down, kissing the back of your hand he was still holding and you shivered when his lips connected with your skin.

“You’re very welcome,” he mumbled.

He didn’t let your hand go until Sofia woke up and demanded very loudly for her bottle.

It was you who gave Sofia her bottle as the plane landed and it made you forget about your fear of flying. Frankie watched you the whole time and it made your heart flutter. You wanted this. Only 7 hours ago you were on another continent and alone and now you had the baby of a man you met on a plane in your arms you didn’t want to let go.

You never even thought about children. There never was someone you could imagine having children with. It was always you. Just you.

But Frankie had shown you more attention in the last hours than any other person ever since your father died. You were lonely, you knew that. But you had made your peace with it. You were enough. But maybe you didn’t have to be just enough. Maybe you wanted to be more. Maybe Frankie wanted to be more.

The plane stopped and you smiled sadly down at Sofia in your arms. Slowly you put her in the baby carrier and she wasn’t happy about it. You almost cried.

“Come on you were so good the whole time…” Frankie whined and you giggled. He looked at you with a playful pout.

“I think she misses you already,” he said and you sighed.

“I’ll miss her too,” you smiled down at her, your hand brushing over her head and she took hold of one of your fingers again, making you chuckle.

You helped let Frankie out to get his stuff first, staying seated with Sofia. He gave you your coat and you reached for your bag under the seat before you got out of your seat. He had a backpack on and reached for the baby carrier. You were the last people on the plane. You waited until he had everything before you slowly walked towards the exit of the plane. Thanking the stewardess who was standing near the cockpit with a smile you got out of the plane, thankful to finally be on solid ground. You were about to turn around to look where Frankie was when you felt him grab your hand, squeezing it once. There it was, the nervous flutter in your belly again as you looked up at him and saw his small smile.

You were standing together waiting for your suitcase. Frankie had put Sofia in her stroller where she was sleeping peacefully. He already had his suitcase and was waiting for you.

“So…” you began, looking at him. He turned, now facing you fully.

“So?” he asked, a teasing smile on his lips.

“I was wondering about that drink you offered?” you asked. He nodded.

“How would you feel about dinner on Saturday? I’ll come and visit you in the big city?” he smiled. You felt your heart almost jumping out of your chest. You couldn’t wait.

“What about Sofia?” you asked.

“My friend can watch her. He owes me and… I want to be alone with you,” he stepped closer and you sucked your bottom lip in as you looked up.

“It’s only an hour drive, please say yes…” he whispered.

“Yes,” you breathed.

“Great. You have to get a table I have no idea what’s good over there. I’m more of a country guy…” he brought his hand up, cupping your cheek and you leaned into his touch.

“How about I cook dinner?” you offered, “So we truly are alone,” you clarified.

He leaned down, his lips brushing over yours softly and you closed your eyes, your hand clutching his soft shirt. He leaned his forehead against yours when he parted from your lips, breathing deeply.

“Yeah. Alone. I like to be alone with you,” he whispered, his nose brushing over yours. You nodded before you took a step back.

“Saturday?” you asked as you walked out.

“Saturday,” he replied and kissed you again.

[vermillionflames]

Fuegoleon x Female Y/N

Word Count: 2,020

Laundry Day

Summary: Captain Fuegoleon had a laundry room added to the Crimson Lion base to teach it's knights about chores and responsibilities. Y/N has never seen anyone use it, until one night her captain joins her for a wash.

Warnings: Semi / Public Sex, Fuegoleon being how he is, Talk of ballsacks, Cum, Adulthood Responsibilities

Having nice clothes was an unspoken rule of the Crimson Lions. No one left their rooms without looking their best, everyone even had silk robes for late night snack adventures around the base. However, those who lived at the base lacked certain resources they were accustomed to at home, maids, servants, and mamas to do their laundry. Could they have hired a few to help the hopeless royals and noble knights? Sure, but that wouldn’t bare them a lesson, so good ol’ Captain Fuegoleon had instead created a room full of ‘machines’ that would ‘wash their clothes.’ He had a very gaudy sign made for the door that had “laundry room” illustrated with too many frills, but what can we expect from a team that has Kings in their name. Nonetheless, most members went home often and took their washings with them. They’ll train day and night to put their life on the line for the kingdom, but god forbid they wash their own underwear, including the man who made the room. No one had ever seen him walking around the castle with a laundry basket on his hip.

But there were perks to this.

Y/N had the laundry room all to herself. She waited until late at night to spare herself the gossip of doing her own chores, but once everyone was settled into their dorms she made a beeline for the washers, adorning her robe so she could walk around if she felt like it and not get a “what are you doing up so late?” interrogation. Obviously no one else was in the room so she could use up as many machines as she wanted, taking time to sort out her delicate underwear and stained training clothes. A wicked idea crossed her mind. Y/N removed her robe and set it to the side, took over her silk pajama set and threw it into the delicate cycle, before putting her robe back on. Very little hid her from the world, but as far as she was concerned the “world” was asleep and wouldn’t dare to enter this room.

If she were a lady, which she was, she would just sit in and wait for the cycles to finish, but as the washers went through their cycles they made vibrations that just felt… good against her body. She leaned against it letting the vibrations help relax her sore arms and legs.

“Maybe if I lay down on all of them I’ll be able to get my whole body at the same time!”

Y/N turned her back to the machine, placing her palms on top in order to hoist herself up on top, but as she sat down she felt a different kind of relaxing vibration.

“I shouldn’t indulge in this behavior…. But no one is around to witness it…”

Y/N closed her eyes and allowed her body to relax while certain feelings went through her core. Her robe became looser as the cycle went on. Her eyes were closed and head was rolled back, but as she opened her mouth to let out a moan the door to the laundry room ripped open. Fast and quiet but it was enough for her to notice. Jerking her head up she saw her captain standing in the doorway, with a woven basket full of clothes in his arm.

She had a millisecond to cover herself from him.

“Cap-Captain! What are you doing here,” Y/N slammed her legs together while trying to close her robe.

He arched a brow at her, “Laundry, as one does in the laundry room… Why are you sitting on the machine?”

“I just… like the way it feels…” Idiot. Why would you say that?

Fuegoleon gave her the side eye while loading his own washer and added the soap like he’d been doing it for years. So pretty boy does his own laundry? Interesting. Y/N was still sitting on top of the washer, too scared of giving a free show if she moved.

“Are you going to sit on it until it’s done?”

“You know, it’s good for my sore muscles. Which I have because I’ve been training so hard!”

“Oh… well maybe I should try it too.”

Why was Captain Fuegoleon so… like this?

“Okay,” Y/N squeaked out and watched in horror as her captain climbed on top of the washing machine next to her, curiosity and excitement all over his face.

“I’m not sure I understand,” his eyes crossed in confusion as the vibes clearly did nothing for his ass and thighs.

So his balls aren’t big enough to touch the surface he sits on…

“Excuse me?”

Y/N’s face became very red, had she said that out loud?!

“You should try laying down on it!” She screeched out, motioning for him to use her lap as a pillow.

Fuegoleon’s eyes crossed, “You are absolutely right, Y/N! Thank you,” he moved his legs on top of the machine, resting his head on her thigh, which gave him a perfect very of her under breast.

“H-how’s that, Captain?”

“I can feel my muscles being stimulated! This is an amazing discovery, Y/N!”

“Thank you?”

“Oh! You should join me, come lay down next to me.”

Y/N looked down and the limited space on top of the machines.

“I’m not sure we will both fit, Captain.”

Fuegoleon followed her eyes, thinking.

“How about you lay on top of me and I rub your muscles, then we switch sides when your clothes are put in the dryer.”

Y/N felt something deep in her melt at the idea of getting a massage from her captain.

“O-okay.”

Fuegoleon lifted his head to give her room to remove herself. She stood on the ground, placed her hands on either side of his head and lifted herself on top of him. Hovering over him she remembered that she was naked under her robe, which was thin and now hanging off her body. She gulped and prayed he didn’t notice as she laid her body on top of his.

Without a word more, his hands went to her shoulders rubbing downwards in circular motions. It took everything in Y/N’s power to not moan whenever he stimulated a particularly sore part. It didn’t help that her hips were rested right above his and she could feel the vibrations through him.

The ringing of the finished cycle was her only salvation. Fuegoleon’s face looked funny as she lifted herself up to move her clothes to the dryer. She gave him a questioning look before a draft alerted her what was wrong. Her robe had moved open, stopping at her hard nipples. She flew her hands up to shut the fabric once more before jumping off of him.

“I am so sorry Captain,” she ripped open the washer door, “I think I would like to go to my room while my clothes dry,” Y/N was throwing her wet training clothes into the washer.

“Is there any particular reason why, Y/N,” Fuegoleon asked.

“No…” she turned around to find he had opened her other washer to help her, but had pulled out one tiny, lace thong. His eyes narrowed as he observed how it stretched between his two pointer fingers.

Y/N wanted to die right then and there.

“I wasn’t aware you were seeing someone,” was all he said as she chucked the underwear back into the machine and grabbed its contents completely.

“Wh-why would you say that,” she squeaked, taking the load from him and turning around to throw them in another dryer.

“You don’t wear those for training, do you,” his voice tickled her ear. Y/N’s eyes rolled from the sensation of its warmth.

“S-sometimes I do,” she slammed the door shut and messed with the settings

“Why,” he pushed her flush against the dryers, “Hoping someone might see them?”

“Captain…”

Fuegoleon removed himself from Y/N.

“I apologize, Y/N. It seems I misread you. Forgive me.” He sat in a chair on the opposite side of the room.

Y/N had 5 seconds to either go to her room or make a once in a lifetime decision. And she was brash so…

After hitting start on the dryer she slowly walked to her captain.

“I wear them hoping you will invite me to your dorm afterwards for a shared bath.”

Fuegoleon looked up from his lap. Y/N’s hands were on the tie of her robe. As he opened his mouth to speak she pulled on it and let it slide down her shoulders. Leaving herself completely bare to him.

His eyes became dark with hunger.

“Thank god,” he stood up and started throwing off his clothes, “I thought I had just made an ass of myself.”

Y/N had seen his naked chest before while training, but it was different now. She let her eyes move downward, she stopped to take in his throbbing cock. She gaped at its size. It would never fit in her mouth.

“Tell me, Y/N, are my balls still not big enough?”

A blush crept across her face, “I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”

“Then make it up to me.”

Y/N walked forward, stopped when their chest touched before dropping to her knees.

The pair maintained eye contact as Y/N reached out her tongue, giving his member a long lick. Fuegoleon nodded in approval. Y/N wrapped her mouth around the head, lightly sucking as she made her way down his shaft.

Fuegoleon growled in pleasure as Y/N bobbed her head. His cock was so long she could only get half of it in her mouth, gagging as she tried to fit in more. Fuegoleon pushed back her shoulders and lifted her up.

“I’d rather taste you than have you taste me, darling,” then laid her down on his washers which were still vibrating.

Fuegoleon put his hands on Y/N’s inner thighs, lightly massaging before spreading them open. His face was at level with her wet opening.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted this,” he purred before taking a long lick over her bundle of nerves. “You’re so sweet,” he sucked, hard.

Y/N reached for Fuegoleon’s hair, pulling it as she moaned on his tongue. He continued to take laps at her. Her pussy dripped down her curves and onto the washer.

“I want you,” Y/N whimpered.

Fuegoleon growled, continuing his feast.

“Please,” she shrieked as an orgasm ripped through her body.

“There we go,” he murmured, unbending his back.

Their eyes met, “Please,” Y/N repeated.

Fuegoleon pulled Y/N to the edge of the washer, “There is nothing that would make me happier.”

He lined his cock up with her vagina, taking his time sinking inside of her. Y/N gasped as his member hit her innermost wall.

“Fuck, Y/N,” he leaned down to suck on her nipple, “You feel so good.” Fuegoleon slowly pulled out, almost completely, before ramming himself back inside. He did it again and again. Y/N was a wet, mewling mess beneath him.

“Fuegoleon,” she cried as his cock hit her most sensitive spot.

“That’s what I was looking for, do you like that, Y/N?”

He taunted her, hitting the spot repeatedly. All Y/N could do was moan and scream.

“Good girl,” he latched his mouth to hers, swallowing her cries of pleasure.

She tightened around him, signalling she was close. He twitched in response.

“Together,” he growled, “We come together.” Y/N nodded.

A final thrust was their undoing, Y/N spasmed around him, shaking with the washer. Fuegoleon spilled inside her, so deep and hot. He stayed sheathed inside her while he caught his breath, leaning his head on her shoulder.

“That was…”

“Amazing,” Y/N answered. He gave her a smile.

The beep of his washer was their signal to get put together.

“I’m hoping you’ll join me in my room to fold our clothes once we’re done, Y/N.”

And she was more than inclined to agree.

[carelesscreativity]

DustDream Warmth & Comfort Because I Had A Need

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

(SFW, Angst, Fluff)

Dust was always so... cold. It couldn’t be helped, considering where he came from. His AU was desolate. Cold in every area, including the Core. There had been no other monsters for miles around for so long. Even when he’d been brought to Nightmare’s castle, the cold hadn’t gone away. He always slightly trembled when he was standing still and the chill from his AU seemed to have settled right inside of his bones. Some days, it was easier to bear than others. This was not one of those days.

He stumbled through the rain as the voices in his head grew louder. He was approaching the castle, but it wasn’t Nightmare’s. Already, he could see one of the doors opening and the light piercing through the dreariness. The voices were so loud and he was SO cold. He saw a silhouette approaching him in the rain and it reached out to him. Dust trembled and stopped as he felt the warm, gloved hand on his cheek and stared into wide, golden eyes. Dream quickly turned and led him into the castle. He pulled Dust out of the rain and shut the door, immediately seeming worried.

Dream sat Dust down on one of the small benches in the entryway, summoning a towel to his hands. Dream ignited his own magic, immediately drying himself and his clothes. “I didn’t know you were coming today. I would’ve gone to get you!” Dream kneeled in front of him, gently wiping the rainwater from his face. “Dust, you’re drenched.” He seemed dismayed as he noticed the way Dust’s eyes couldn’t really fix on him. He quickly placed the towel to the side, slipping both of his hands up to cup Dust’s cheeks. They were warm.

They were warm and Dust immediately pressed into them, closing his eyes. He could feel soothing pulses start to emanate from Dream’s gloved hands, temporarily calming the demons screaming in Dust’s skull. Slowly but surely, Dust managed to actually focus on the other. Dream perked up a little, giving a smile that was just as warm as his touch. “There you are.” Dream sounded relieved, gently rubbing circles on Dust’s cheeks with his thumbs. Dust gave a tiny shiver and Dream blinked.

Dust craved that warmth. He’d felt it for the first time in battle when he’d gotten close enough to grab Dream and the guardian had whispered in shock that Dust was so cold. Dust had let him go like Dream had electrocuted him, quickly disappearing from the battle. He’d arrived at Dream’s castle later that day to seek out his warmth again. It had become a bit of a normal thing for them, though both of them were sure Nightmare would be pissed. Especially since their relationship had evolved a little further as well. Dust gave another small shiver as he saw those disapproving, burning eyes of his beheaded brother floating over Dream’s shoulder.

Dream blinked and gently tapped Dust’s cheeks with his thumbs, piecing together what was wrong. “Don’t look at him. Look at me.” Dust managed to drag his eyes over from Papyrus to Dream and he instinctively relaxed a little. Dream gave another comforting smile before leaning up and gently pressing their foreheads together. “I’ll take you up to my room and put your clothes in the dryer, alright?” His voice was soft and soothing. Dust loved hearing it. He gave a quiet nod, closing his eyes as he felt them teleport.

He was suddenly sitting on something much softer than the bench. He opened his eyes, reaching out and sliding his hands over the silky sheets of Dream’s bed. They were comfortingly familiar and Dream giggled softly. He stood up and gently reached out, hooking his fingers into Dust’s scarf. “Is this okay?” He asked, not daring to move it unless Dust was comfortable. Dust twitched for a moment as he stared at Dream’s hand before giving a small, trembling nod. Dream carefully unwrapped the scarf, folding it and setting it to the side.

He turned back, only to stop in surprise as Dust held out the soaked jacket to him, having taken it off himself. “Oh! Thank you!” Dream beamed at him, feeling the pride in his chest. He knew Dust was very protective about his clothes and his body. He was allowing himself to be vulnerable to Dream and the guardian was honored. He took the jacket before squeaking as Dust hugged him tightly. Dust gave a small breath that sounded similar to a laugh as Dream flushed in embarrassment from the funny noise he’d made.

He blinked as Dust buried his head against his shoulder, trying to press himself against Dream as much as possible. He was shaking so bad. Dream had been about to say that he needed to go put Dust’s clothes in the dryer but the first muted sob stopped him. He immediately moved to the bed with Dust, sitting down with him and wrapping the blanket around the both of them. He activated his magic, allowing the heat to remain trapped in the blanket as Dust cried quietly into his shoulder.

Dream rubbed his back and Dust’s stained fingers curled into his shoulders. Dust only cried like this when the chill in his bones became painful and the voices were loud enough to drown out everything else. Dream closed his eyes and pressed his teeth to the side of Dust’s head, sending more of his soothing magic through the other. He could feel that Dust was hurting and he didn’t want that for him. He held Dust for several more minutes. Finally, Dust weakly tugged at him.

Dream pulled back to meet his gaze, only to blush vividly as he felt Dust’s teeth against his own. He felt his entire body warm up and Dust pressed against him even more. Dream held him for another few moments before speaking. “Hey...” He cupped Dust’s cheek again and he gave another gentle smile. “How about we lay down for a bit, okay? We can... I know you don’t like this word since it’s embarrassing, but... we can cuddle?”

As he expected, Dust’s cheeks flushed quietly and he looked away. He almost seemed to be trying to hide his face against Dream’s palm as he nodded and the other watched him with a small urge to giggle. The voices in Dust’s head seemed to be quieting down as he focused more and more on the pulses Dream was sending from his hand. “Here.” Dream gently took him by the shoulders and moved up to the head of the bed, settling both of them down against the pillows.

Dream tugged the covers over them before his fading blush reignited again. Dust had wrapped his arms around his torso and buried his face against Dream’s sternum. He mumbled in his raspy, slurred voice that Dream was always so warm. Dream gently hugged him back and sighed. He assumed Dust would be spending the night again and that always made him nervous. He didn’t want anything to happen to Dust, but he knew Nightmare would be less than pleased if he ever found out.

But, looking down at him and seeing the way Dust was snuggled against him, Dream couldn’t find it in his soul to tell Dust to leave. He liked being the one that Dust went to for warmth. He liked being with Dust. In a way, he understood the appeal of having something so dangerous within his grasp. But unlike his brother, he wanted to help Dust, not weaponize him. He gently stroked his hand over Dust’s skull and the other released that sound that Dream always loved hearing from him.

A soft purring noise slowly started up against Dream’s chest and it immediately brought a smile to the guardian’s face. But Dream knew this moment wouldn’t last much longer. He was waiting because he knew one more thing always happened before Dust was really able to rest. Sure enough, he saw Dust’s brow furrow and his purr slowly died down. A whimper took its place and Dream could feel the chill of Dust’s body through his glove. He quickly upped his pulses, making them as soothing as possible.

Dust’s mind had started screaming again. He wasn’t sure why it always did this right when he was finally about to relax and it frustrated him to no end. He screwed his eyes shut and he felt hands gently pull him up by his arms. They were so warm. Dust’s entire body was freezing like he had frostbite. His bones were completely locked up and he was on the verge of breaking down into another sobbing fit. He wanted to scream.

He wanted to scream at the coldness in his bones. He wanted to scream at the voices in his head. He just wanted to have one night where he could just sleep without problem against someone who brought him warmth. Dust wanted to finally feel like he deserved this.He hasn’t realized he’d started crying until he felt thumbs brush under his eye sockets. “Shhh... shhh...” He became aware of that sweet, lulling voice and tried to focus through his teary vision. It kept pulsing and all he could do was stare behind Dream at the silhouettes of everyone he’d ever killed. All of them were glaring, staring and whispering.

“DUST!” Dust snapped back to look at Dream, who immediately apologized for raising his voice. Dust was breathing heavily and he hadn’t even realized he was on the verge of hyperventilation. Dream’s soothing pulses continued to flood through his body. “Hey, you’re here. You’re here with me, okay?” Dream leaned forward and pressed his teeth to his forehead. “You’re doing well. You came back so much faster this time.”

He pressed his teeth to his forehead again. “I’m so proud of you.” Dream moved down and pressed another kiss to his cheek. “You are so strong.” He pressed another to his ‘nose.’ “So beautiful.” Dust was trembling, but it was no longer from fear. Finally, Dream pressed his teeth against Dust’s and Dust immediately reciprocated, his arms sliding up around Dream’s neck. Dream smiled against him, murmuring that it was okay. He kept their bodies firmly pressed together, even when they had both pulled away from the kiss.

Dust’s trembling was calming and after a moment, he was able to easily rest against him again. Dream’s hand was still rubbing his back and Dust nearly cried since he hadn’t realized how much he needed the unspoken comfort. Nonverbal praise affected him so much more and he finally felt a burst of warmth from his own soul. Dust looked up to meet Dream’s eyes and he could see so many things he didn’t understand in those golden eyelights.

Affection, warmth... was that...? Dust felt his cheeks flush. Pride. Was Dream proud of him?? Dust couldn’t help but stare up at him with wide eyes. Dream stared back, tipping his head in confusion. Dust scrunched up his shoulders and quickly avoided his gaze, feeling a little pissed at himself for being so easily flustered. He just... He really liked when Dream was proud of him. He blinked as he felt one of Dream’s hands back against his cheek, turning his head to face the guardian once more. “Dust? Are you alright?”

Dream’s voice was soft and hushed, but unlike the whispers Dust was used to, Dream’s voice was relaxing and welcome. He loved hearing it. He loved hearing him. He would never be able to say any of this out loud, but he didn’t have to because Dream could feel it all. Dust gave a flushed nod, Dream perking up in relief. The guardian was happy and his bones had taken on a slight golden glow, making him even warmer. Dust’s eyes widened and his fingers twitched as they curled into Dream’s shoulders again. He pressed his body up against Dream’s immediately, soaking in the warmth like he was sunbathing. It felt so good. Dream felt so good.

The warmth was making him hazy and Dust huddled against Dream once more, his sockets becoming half-lidded. Dream went back to gently stroking his skull and Dust’s eyes closed as that purr started back up in his throat. He would only ever make this noise for Dream. Dust felt so warm. He could barely hear the whispers and they were drowned out by the steady thump of Dream’s soul and Dust’s own purring. He was a little embarrassed to admit it was lulling him to sleep. But he didn’t have any time to be embarrassed before he slipped into the comfortable darkness.

Dream heard the purr stop, but he knew there was no cause for alarm anymore. He stopped stroking Dust’s head and just held the other against him. Dust looked so much happier when he was asleep and Dream’s soul ached for him. He closed his eyes, hugging the other. He knew Dust was broken and somethings weren’t meant to be fixed, but he could at least hold him together. He would do it as long as Dust needed. He just hoped he could be there when Dust was finally able to hold himself on his own.

[mistaeq]

kira yoshikage - beyond the touch of a hand

tw // none i think ?? just know it's kira, there are hands.

dora's note: kira yoshikage work because why not ehehe,,, i'mma leave this here,,, i hope what i wrote is understandable, i was inspired for something like this ^^

word count: 1.4k

taglist: @fragolaaaaaaa @outofthiszawarudo @sky1mercy @cheemerthejojofreak @berryvalentine @yandere-lovebites [if you wanna be removed or added, all it requires is a dm or an ask !!]

you always seemed to love your job. it was a simple one, nothing odd ever happened, the shifts were always the same, your fellow co-workers kinda boring. the only reason why you seemed to be in a good mood everytime, was because from the cash register you were usually assigned to, you could see the best sight you could wish for. thanks to the nametag he carried on his jacket, you had learnt his name was kira yoshikage.

he was one of the stockers, and you could see him dash in the aisles, organizing the shelves in the best way possible. the two of you had never talked to each other, and you weren't even sure he had ever spoken to anyone. he seemed to highly dislike getting his time stolen and his schedule to be ruined by any kind of accident or interaction. you had seen him though, multiple times, eyeing customers' hands, above all women. could it be a fetish of his? in any case, he seemed to do nothing wrong but watching.

but sometimes, he waved at you. and he had never done it, to any of the cashiers. your mind wandered, thinking he could be interested in you as well, but the truth was, that the fact that you were carrying gloves at work, pissed him off. the co-workers in your shift were all gloveless, but you usually did carry them to protect your hands. at the end of the day, a cashier touches hundreds of items each day. yoshikage wanted to see your hands, so much it hurt. you were beautiful, in any visible part of you, and he thought, your hands would have definitely been the same. 

much to your surprise, so, the man that looked unreachable and strict, was the first one who asked you out. it started with a couple lunch breaks spent together, but every single time, you seemed to have gloves that matched your needs. this led to yoshikage being unavoidably focused of something else, being your hands not available. your smile, for example. the way you always asked him about his plans in order to get everything done within the time he was offering. the way you started calling him by his name and let him do the same to you. he could definitely say, after several dates and meetings, that your hands had been almost forgotten. he still hoped he could see them soon, but not that eagerly as he used to before.

little could he imagine, he would have seen them in the worst moment possible. all of a sudden, you stopped texting him, and stopped showing up at the kame yu store. 

you weren't one to behave like that, yoshikage knew it enough, at this point. that man, that strict man, whose schedule and plans were as unbreakable as diamond, noticed something was up, when the first thought he had was paying you a visit at your house directly, therefore sacrificing his plans for the day, and leaving the kame yu store earlier. no stand attack, nor magic or sorcery, he was putting someone before himself. he had never looked at someone and got interested in anything beyond their hands, so something felt incredibly off to him. more like... unusual. he didn't know what was up, all he knew was that half an hour before the end of his usual shift, he was rushing under the rain, on foot, all the way to your house. he had never been there before, but you happened to tell him the address once, and he never forgot.

his need to know what happening to you, was stronger than his need to finish his shift, get home and rest. why had he even asked you out in the first place? ah, yeah. your hands. but the way you lovingly fixed his nametag that day was better. the way he realized he wasn't escaping his schedule for you, was better, because he understood you had become part of it. you were part of his life now. to think it was all because of a pair of gloves. and what was beyond it. these were the thoughts that were filling his mind as he knocked at your door, and seriously thought of breaking it down with killer queen, when it took you too long to open it.

"yoshikage?" your weak voice met his ears, as you moved aside to let him in. the man as soaking wet because of the rain. your nose was red, your eyes were puffy, but you were smiling. there had been plenty of storms in morioh cho, and one of them caused you to go through a high fever that kept you in bed for almost four days. not to mention, something - or someone - had hurt your leg really bad. blood had come out of the wound, and walking was just a challenge for you. this was why, it took you a lot of time to open the door. "oh, thank you for worrying for me... you're such a dear man."

your heart was bumping in your chest, butterflies all in your stomach, he had come to check on you because he cared. he had gone through the rain without an umbrella, on foot, leaving the kame yu store earlier than usual. you decided to show him your affection too, taking his jacket and putting it in the dryer. for a matter of respect, you couldn't push yourself to washing many other clothes of his. the two of you talked for hours, as you told him of the fever, and above all, about the leg wound. until your words and movements came to a halt. you covered your mouth with your hand. your bare hand. kira wished he could get a closer look to it, kiss it, maybe brush it on his cheek. but... "yoshikage, you have one, too..."

"what do you mean, y/n...?" the blonde man turned around, but all that was there, was just killer queen, who he had let out just in case. he always did, when he went to places he'd never been to. but he never knew about you being a stand user. you could see it? "could your leg wound possibly be..." he murmured, as he thought of the arrow. but decided not to think too much about it. what really caught his attention, was that you were sticking your hand out for killer queen to take. you were curious, and happy to be seeing yoshikage's soul so close to you. but knowing how used the stand was to stealing hands by killing the owners, it was no good at all, to him. it was a matter of a second, yoshikage took your hand instead. he protected you, as if it could be the last thing he would have ever done in his life.

yours was a soft hand. so pleasing to touch.

touching it felt intense. he didn't want to cut it off of you. he didn't have the desire to kill you. he didn't get any... boners. it was a brand new sensation, and you sat down, letting him do his thing as you understood that might have meant something to him. no matter your fever, he seemed okay with how close you were to each other. he didn't care about the fact that he had your hand in his, rather about the fact that he was one of the few people who had been so close to you to see your hands. they looked beautiful. and slowly, as if he wanted to savor the moment in every step of it, he kissed it. once, twice. and your heart skipped a beat. once, twice. everything before it seemed to happen so quickly, yet now everything was in slow motion. 

"i wonder what's going on inside your head. it's fascinating." you murmured, as he moved your hand to brush it against his cheek. "you are so mysterious and look so unreachable, you made me feel special since the first time you chose to wave your hand at me and at me only." you moved your thumb up and down, willingly caressing him yourself. "you almost know everything about me. but there's still too much i want to ask you."

kira's hands were trembling a little, as he kept the contact with yours. oh, it was intense. "there's not much, going on inside my head." yoshikage murmured, slowly closing his eyes in absolute bliss.

"my heart just now learnt what's really beyond the touch of a hand."

[littlemessyjessi]

“Tae and Jae” from the BTS 8th Member Series “Untamed”: Mae Jae: Fake Social Media Post Collection:  The Gucci Twins Have A Day: Part One:  Fake Social Media + Imagine

Companion Imagine:  “Tae and Jae” from the BTS 8th Member Series “Untamed”: Mae Jae: Fake Social Media Post Collection:  The Gucci Twins Have A Day

Jae and Tae spend some much needed quality time together.   They go shopping, get food, visits a few places and end up with a cuddle.  It features fake social media posts from Jae and Tae, along with a particularly sweet one from someone who acts like he’s not actually a marshmallow on the inside. Hmm, wonder who that could be? Platonic pairings: #VX aka #guccitwins aka #taeandjae

Two bare feet padded down the hallway.

Green hair, still a little wet from the shower, clinging to a freckled face.

Jae cracked the door open and quietly creeped into the sleeping lump in the middle of the bed.

Pillow clutched to his chest and dark hair tousled everywhere.

She smiled gently as she pulled her phone up to snap a quick picture of a seemingly peaceful Taehyung.

She tucked the phone back into her hoodie before she climbed on the bed with him and began to lightly scratch his back.

He whined in his sleep, turning and trying to get her into his arms like he usually did.

"Wake up, Tae Tae." she said.

"No.." he whispered. "I'm sleeping.  Let me hold you."

"I can't." she laughed. "Because then we couldn't go on an adventure today."

Taehyung's eyes slowly opened to reveal the dark orbs.

"Adventure?" he said, voice deeper than usual with sleep.

She nodded and patted his head, "Yup.  It's all about you and me today.  Quality time.  So get up and get a shower.  I'm gonna finish getting ready."

A slow smile crawled across Taehyung's face until he was fully grinning at her.

"Really?" he asked.

She nodded, "Of course.   We haven't been out together, just us, in a while.  So get your butt in gear and let's go.  I got plans, baby bear."

His grin was massive as she slapped him on the butt and bounded from the bed.  

"Be ready in an hour." she said before returning to her room.

Less that five minutes later and her phone pinged with a notification.

She looked down to see that Taehyung had posted a blurry but clearly excited photo of himself.

She grinned before plugging in the blow dryer and beginning to fix her hair.  

She decided to be kind and sent him a text.

Jae: What car do you want to take today?

Tae:  I get to pick?!  The green lambo! The green lambo!

Jae: Ok, I'll meet you in the garage in at seven.

He responded with a series of excited emoji's that had her wheezing.

She's barely pulled on her shoes when her phone dinged again.

Apparently, not only was he ready but he'd already been to the garage and pulled the lambo out.

He'd posted a picture of the lime green car with the doors up and the caption.

' She let me pick the car today.  Now let's see if I can get her to let me drive it.  #VXBFF'

She shook her head at his usage of their hashtag.

She tucked her phone into the pocket of her black jeans and headed out into the main part of the dorms.

She placed a kiss to the top of Hobi's head as she passed him on the way to the door.

"Be back later, angel." she said, recieving a sleepy nod from him in response.

Jae made quick work of getting outside to see Taehyung's lean figure basically bouncing around in excitement.

She popped the trunk and tossed him the keys before he could ask the inevitable question and he looked as if he'd kill over right there.  

"Really?!" he chirped.

She nodded, "Yeah, knock yourself out."

He let out a sound that was inhuman and immediately dove into the car.

She grabbed her 'secret ingredients' from the garage that she'd craftily hidden the night before and almost lost it when she could see him taking a selfie in the driver's seat.

She knew it would make him happy.

Jae loved her cars and she didn't often let anyone else drive them.

So it was a rare occasion but that usually made it all the more special.

She slid into the passenger seat beside him and typing in an address on the GPS.

"Ready?" she asked and he nodded excitedly.

"Yep, where are we going?" he asked, positively glowing with happiness.

It did her good to see him like that.

Taehyung had one of those personalities full of evervescence.  

She hoped he never lost that.

"Here." she said nodding to the GPS. "Breakfast is first on our list for today."

Taehyung threw the car into gear and they sped off.

She couldn't help but laugh a little and snap a picture of his excited little smile and post it.

She knew how much Army liked when she they posted on social media and she'd long since responsible for sharing behind the scenes, domestic things over the years.

As the official 'pack mom' it was no shocker for her to take their picture at any given moment.

He was talking a mile a minute the whole ride and didn't let up when they finally came to a stop in front of the resteraunt.

She'd called the night before to get a reservation up on the balcony and to see about a special dish so they were whisked away immediately upon entering.

She smiled as she watched her young friend.

Taehyung had this childlook wonder about him at times that made her melt.

Ever the social butterfly, he chatted away with the staff while the young waiter nervously took their orders.

"When did you do this?" he asked, eyes as big as saucers when they brought the big breakfast dessert full of fresh strawberries, soft cake and whipped buttercream.  "You didn't even come home until after midnight."

"I made a few calls." Jae shrugged.   "I've been thinking we needed some time together for a bit.  I know we've both been busy and I know you've been sulking because I have been there to cuddle you at night."

"I know you've been working alot.  It's ok." he said seriously before popping a strawberry into his mouth.  "And when did you order this?"

"Last night.  It's a special item." she said. "You have to call ahead. But I know how you are and I figured you'd like it.  Do you?"

"I love it." he said, nearly inhaling three more at once.

"Good." she smiled.  "Eat up.  You'll need your energy.  I have a big day planned."

Taehyung melted in affection for the woman that was dubbed as his 'twin' by fans but had always been like an older sister to him.

They were extremely close now, even if at one point they were anything but.

Soon enough, the waiter was back with their other food and they spent a good deal of time laughing and enjoying their meal and the world began to wake up a little more.

Taehyung reached for his wallet and she smacked his hand.

He gasped, "Hey!"

"Today is my treat, Tae." she said pointing her finger at him seriously.

"No, I-" he tried to argue but she narrowed her eyes.

"Kim Taehyung you listen to your noona or I'll spank you." she teased and he couldn't help but grin.

"Jiminie, will be jealous when I tell him that." he smirked.

"Yeah, well, Jiminie probably needs a spanking.  The little brat." she laughed as they stood and she pressed a generous tip into the servers hand along with the money for the bill.  

They waved to the owner's who had been kind enough to let them in early that morning before clambering into the car and speeding away again.

"Where to now?" Taehyung asked.

The smirk that donned Jae's face told him everything he needed to know.

"Gucci Twins strike again?" she asked and he squealed in happiness.

He revved the lambo and took off to their favorite store.

They spent forever in the store, taking pictures with staff and a few Army that they ran into.

Jae found her a nice snakeskin purse before sneaking off to buy a couple of things for him while he was busy in the changing room.

She sat on the couch, offering her opinion every time he came out.

She smirked when she noticed the pair of boots and the shirt he was sporting, as she knew duplicates of them both were sitting in the store packaging beside her.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Handsome as always." she said.

"About the clothes." he laughed.

"Very nice." she said.  "Maybe try it in a different color though."

"Really?" he asked looking at himself in the mirror.

He thought the black and gold print shirt looked nice on him.

"Maybe that blue one." she said gesturing to the same shirt in a different color not far from them.

Tae pursed his lips for a second before going back into the changing room.

He continued his fashion show for a while longer before eventually deciding on something different all together and checking out.

The two of them stopped for pictures with a few more people before they settled in the car again.

"What did you get?  You were done before I ever got out."  he asked.

She pulled the snakeskin bag out of the box and he cooed.

"Oooh, nice." he said.  "You'll wear that alot."

"I thought so." she said.

"What else did you get?" he said eyeing the other bags.

She grinned before pulling out the boots she'd seen him eyeing earlier and as well as the black and gold shirt.

"You told me to try another color and now you get it!" he accused.

"Check the size, genuis." she said and he peeked in before the cutest look came over his face.

"Awww, Jae." he said, a pout covering his features. "You didn't need to do that."

"I wanted to." she said. "Beside, I knew you were gonna look at them.  I saw you save it on your phone last week."

"But-"

"But nothing, respect your noona and accept the gift."

Taehyung clambered over the seat to smother her in wet kisses.

"Yah!" she laughed. "You're gonna ruin my makeup!"

"I don't care! I love you!" he said, all but pulling her into his lap.

"Kim Taehyung the both of us are too long legged for this." she giggled. "Now, calm yourself before I take the keys back."

It wasn't uncommon for the two of them to share clothes or even for Jae to buy him something- but it never failed to make him emotional when she did.

He sniffed a little and she carded a hand through his dark hair before fixing his hat again.

"Tae?" she asked. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

"You just remind me of my grandma." he admitted, eyes prickling with tears.

Jae's head tilted and she pulled him back into her arms.

"That is the highest praise I've ever recieved." she said, placing a kiss to his temple.

He sniffled into her neck and she pulled him back so she could look into his eyes and run her thumbs over his cheeks to erase the tears.

"I wish I could've met her." she said. "We talked on the phone a couple of times when you'd call her.  And you've told me so much about her.  She sounded like a wonderful woman, Tae.  A comparision to her is the highest praise. I mean it. Thank you, honey."

Taehyung's lip quivered again and she pulled him back to her.

"Alright, let's get it together, babe.  We got lots more to do and I plan to feed you a lot today too.  In the name of your grandma who liked you chubby, prepare your belly."

He was laughing then, eyes sparkling and spirit lifted.

She patted his leg once more before he threw the car in gear and they sped off down the road towards a small rooftop jazz show and a local fried chicken joint. ---- Part Two - The Adventure Continues! ------

–

Hey loves! I hope you enjoy this! I’m trying out something new with writing for a while since I hit a major road block while I’m here in the hospital.  I hope you enjoy these!  If you’re interested in reading Jae’s full profile and the masterlist for this series you can find it HERE

I would love to know your thoughts and if you have any suggestions for other things to happen with Jae and the boys, just let me know!

I love you and I hope you have a good day, my loves.

Love,

Kenny

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——- Also, just a reminder that I am open for commissions! Additionally, the only tag list I have is my permanent tag list but if you ever want to be added all you have to do is just go to the ask box and request to be added! It’s that simple and you’re in!I love you all!

[the-avengers-ate-my-tongue]

Scars (Smut)

Scars

Summary: You hadn't seen Will ever since the day he left you to chase Hannibal in Florence, finding out after a while that he got married to someone else. But with the murders of the tooth fairy, Jack asked him to come back to help, and he couldn't stay away anymore, showing up for a visit. Will the old scars of your heart burst open in new wounds or heal completely?

Pairing: Will Graham x reader

Warnings: SMUT, angst, swearing, spoilers from season 3.

Word count: 3.381

A/n: this is the first smut I write in English, it's not my first language, so I hope it's alright. Any mistakes or anything, just let me know. This is another one with my boi Will, I just love him so much AAAAAA

As I read The Wuthering Heights for the hundredth time sitting in the living room, I heard someone ring the doorbell. I sighed, staring at the clock. It was still early. The person I was expecting would just come in, after all, Alana was a close friend and she knew she was allowed to do so. I raised an eyebrow. I wasn't expecting anybody else.

My dog, Sally, started to bark thunderously, sniffing under the door. I closed the book lethargicly, rolling my eyes as I got up the couch in a lazy mood, walking to the door and opening without asking who was outside, realizing perhaps too soon it was a mistake.

Will Graham stared at me, a light smile in his handsome face that didn't reach his eyes. I felt like something was twitching my stomach, and probably turned albescent. I hadn't seen him in over three years. Alana warned me he was back in town to work on the tooth fairy's case, but I didn't think he would stop by for a visit. Not after so long. 

"Good to see you, Y/n." He tried, obtaining no response of mine. "I… I was just around the neighborhood and I wanted to see you. It's been a while."

"Who gave you my address?" I retorted, probably sounding more hostile than I intended.  He stepped back, scratching the back of his neck, probably already regretting the impulsive idea. 

"Jack."

"Of course he did. What else did he tell you?"

"Was there anything else he should've told me?" I searched his face for any sign of emotions, but didn't get anything that could tell me what he was feeling. The old Will was someone I could always read, no matter what. After Hannibal came along, he just started to show less and less emotions, till his face became a cold mask, his deep eyes empty, opaque. I missed the sweet, caring Will. 

I was just standing there, silent. Sally found some space between my legs and managed to get out the house, launching at Will, wagging her tail and trying to get close enough of his ears so she could lick them. Will laughed lightly, crouching down to pet her. 

"Who's this?" He asked, scratching behind her ears. I crossed my arms, I gave everything to that dog, undying love, a bed, high quality food, and now she backstabs me. 

"That's Sally. She's a stray I took in one year and a half ago. Sally, sweetheart, come inside." I whistled once and she obeyed, running through my legs again. I sighed, stepping away from the door so he could come in. Maybe he wouldn't stay for long if I just let him in. He hesitated, but entered, passing through me. I could smell the air as he passed, he still used the same aftershave. That hurt even more, and I could feel my eyes watering a little. Why did he have to come? Why was he here? What does he want? 

I tried to hide it, opening the kitchen door so Sally could play in the backyard, then walking to the sideboard where I kept whisky.

"Would you like some?" I inquired, still not feeling safe enough to face him. "I'm pouring myself one."

"Sure. Please. Neat." He replied, and I could feel his eyes on me, watching every single movement I made. That made my hands tremble a bit, and I cursed in a whisper when I spilled a little bit of the drink. So fucking clumsy. 

I finally faced him when I felt my eyes get dryer, smiling lightly as I gave him the glass of whisky, neat. Our fingers touched a bit and I sat beside him, albeit a little far, taking a long sip of my glass. We stayed like that for a few minutes, two strangers that used to know each other, love each other. My eyes traveled through his face and I distinguished some new scars, probably from the great encounter with Hannibal Lecter and Mason Verger​ a few years ago. I remembered the way I used to kiss every single scar he had, I loved every part of Will, his scars were part of his story, part of who he was. 

He lowered his eyes for a moment, smiling as he saw the book standing on the coffee table.

"Is it still your favorite? Wuthering Heights." He grabbed the book, opening the first page. There was the name I didn't use anymore. Y/n Graham. He gave me that edition as a Christmas gift a long time ago, and I couldn't get rid of it, fantasizing that after such a long time, I could still feel Will's scent in it. 

"Undoubtedly. Every time I read it it's like the first. Except maybe now it's even more bitter." I avoided facing him, staring at the book, suddenly feeling pretty silly. He didn't ask. He knew why. 

"I suppose Heathcliff's still your favorite character."

"Now more than even, guess I finally understand his suffering." I regretted sounding so harsh, but it was said now. Will clenched his jaw.

"So you're saying I'm your Catherine?"

"I don't know. Am I?" I teased, hugging my body protectively. "Why are you here, Will? Why did you have to come? To torment me? You left three years ago after I begged you to stay, you just had to go after Hannibal, pursue your hunt. I allowed you to go, but I couldn't be there when you returned. I didn't even know you would return alive or if I would see a miserable Jack Crawford knocking on my door with grief in his face. I wouldn't bear it. So I left, but I kept expecting you to come find me if you ever got back. Then, Hannibal was finally arrested. I thought it was finally over, but you never came. You left again, and a while later I heard…"

My eyes traveled through his hands and I saw it. The wedding ring. That hurt so much I finally felt tears wetting my face, and dismissed them quickly with one hand.

"So it is true. You did get married." My voice sounded venomous, sharp as a knife. "Lucky girl. We didn't even get to that stage. Engagement was the maximum."

He was silent, allowing me to vent. As I haven't done that a lot with Alana already. His eyes were finally wet, finally some emotion on his face. That handsome face. That face I would never get tired of. I wanted to kiss them away, hold him and tell him everything would be okay, but it wouldn't. That teacup would never gather itself up again. We were two broken souls. 

"I thought you wouldn't want me anymore. I wasn't the man you once met, the man you fell for, I was no longer good for you, if I ever have been. Hannibal changed me in ways you could never understand, ways even I don't understand."

"Hannibal changed all of us. Like a poison ivy that found its way into our cores and grew roots there. I can still feel his damage inside me, like… A cancer. It spreads. It tastes like metal at the tip of my tongue. I saw his face in my dreams for a very long time after you left. I still see him sometimes, not necessarily in my dreams…" I stopped talking as he grabbed my hand, caressing the palm with his thumb. I realized how much I missed his hands. They were a little rough due to how much he worked with them, but it never bothered me. It was ridiculous how much he could still affect me with a single touch, a look. 

"I wanted to start over. Leave everything behind. I wanted to… Flee from that darkness that nested me. But it followed me, as it does wherever I go. I wanted someone pure, so it could contain it, or even diminish it. But you, Y/n… You never left my mind. I could never suppress you." He raised his hand, touching my cheek with cold, pale fingers. That touch made me close my eyes, his voice working like a balsam inside of me. I sighed, totally giving in. 

Will got closer, his lips touching mine with such delicacy. I touched his hair, grabbing some on the back of his neck, pulling it lightly. That made him release a low groan, as the kiss started to get deeper. I moved my body, wanting to stay as close to him as the laws of physics allowed, and when I felt his tongue touch mine, fireworks eclode from my chest, my heart beating as fast as a hummingbird's. 

I still loved him, of course I did. I never stopped. All the bitterness he left with his departure started to boil on my chest, becoming something else, something I couldn't figure out yet. His lips moved from mine to my neck, and I moaned a little louder, sinking my nails on his shoulders. One of his hands moved to my thigh and I allowed myself to lie down on the couch, pulling him with me. He lifted my leg and I embraced his waist with them, feelings mixtured inside my chest. That was wrong, he was a married man now. He had a wife waiting for him back home. 

But, for a moment while he stared at me, our foreheads glued together, I saw my Will in his eyes. I saw the Will I first met, the socially awkward man Alana introduced me years ago and couldn't even stare me in the eyes, the kind, caring man I once knew. One single tear fell from his eye, and I knew he was probably conflicted as well. I kissed it away, kissing his lips again, a deep, slow kiss that made my insides chiver. I needed him so much. Even if it was just one time. Just for today. I needed that kind of closure.

I unbottoned his shirt, sinking my fingers into the skin of his biceps. He threw it on the floor, going for my clothes, and I thanked myself mentally for a moment for wearing a dress. He'd seen it before, he'd taken it off many times. He lifted the piece of clothing above my head and I threw it away gladly, kissing his neck while opening his pants. He kicked off his shoes, doing the same with the pants and underwear as I took off my bra. He took a while to stare at my body, his pupils so dilated with lust his eyes were almost completely black.

"No one looks at me the way you do." I said, noticing I haven't heard that tone in my voice for a very long time. 

He pulled my panties off and rested his hips on mine, shutting his eyes as he slipped slowly inside of me. I let out a low gasp, trying to stabilize my breathing. Will hid his face on my neck and I could feel his hot breathing and the light scratches of his beard. Still slowly, he started to move inside me, thrusting back and forth. I bit my bottom lip as I tried to suppress a groan, and one of his hands grabbed my breast, his thumb stimulating the nipple. Will knew all my "buttons". Where to push, where to hold, so I could melt in his hands. 

He started to thrust faster and faster, and I could feel the familiar feeling growing at the bottom of my stomach. A few more minutes and I lifted my head up, shutting my eyes as the pleasure started to grow.

"No." Will said almost in a whisper, pulling my chin down. "Let me see your face. I need it." 

I stared at him while we both climaxed, a loud cry leaving my lips and Will's almost louder groan echoing through my ears. He dropped his body on mine, both of us covered in sweat and bodily fluids. We stayed that way until we could breathe normally again, his head on my chest and my fingers playing with his hair.

I wanted to say so many things. How much I loved him. How much I wanted him to stay. How much I've missed him. But he knew. He always knew. After that, we showered together to get rid of the sweat, and even then we couldn't stay away from each other. He hugged me while the water washed our body, kissing sometimes my lips, sometimes my forehead, my neck, my shoulder. I kissed every single one of his scars, as I used to do. I thought I'd seen tears on his face, but it might have been the water pouring from the shower. 

After we finished the shower, he got dressed and I put on a robe, my hair wetting the silk. Will took my face in his hands, kissing my lips with tenderness. I wanted to ask him to stay. He knew that. I wanted him to leave before I made a fool of myself.

He was still holding my face when the door suddenly opened and I pushed him away quickly.

Alana entered, looking from Will to me, and I knew I would get scolded later for that. She noticed, always cunning. 

"Well, just look what the cat dragged in." She said with sarcasm, the door still open. "Hi, Will. Long time no see."

"Alana." He said, seeming surprised. She didn't have time to answer, though. Her son, Morgan, entered the house accompanied by my little world.

"Mommy!" The dark haired child ran to me, bringing a smile to my face as I crouched down to hug him.

"My beautiful boy! Did you have fun at the zoo?" I asked, forgetting about Will's presence for a while. "I hope he wasn't too much trouble, Alana. Henry, did you behave?"

"Mommy, we saw a lion! He roared, and then we saw the giraffes, and the tiger…"

"Look at you dodging my question! Very canny." I laughed, hugging him again.

"He always behaves, you know that. He's a good kid." Alana answered, but she wasn't looking at me. She was staring directly at Will.

I looked at him. His eyes were on Henry, he seemed shocked, astonished. 

"I'll be on my way, then. I'll call you later." She said almost like a threat, making me smile.

"Okay. Bye, Morgan. Send my regards to Margot, Alana, and come to dinner at the end of the week."

"Will do. See you around, Will." She closed the door behind her, leaving me with the two people I loved the most. 

"Henry, this is Will. He's an old friend of mommy's. Won't you say hello?" I brought him closer to Will, and he got down on his knees, his eyes wet. 

"Hi, Henry." He greeted, smiling with joy. Real joy. I smiled back, caressing Henry's hair. "It's nice meeting you."

"Hi." He replied with shyness, hiding behind my body. That made me laugh lightly.

"Baby, why don't you go upstairs and draw a picture of that lion you saw? How about that?" I asked him, kissing the top of his head.

"Okay, mommy." He started to climb up the stairs as Will still stared at him, seeming amazed. 

"Is he… Is he…" Will tried to formulate his words, emotion breaking his voice.

"Yes. He's yours. Not difficult to notice, right? He looks just like you." I replied, wiping the tears away. "I found out I was pregnant a few days after you left. When you came back and Hannibal was arrested, I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want you to stick with me just because of the baby, so I just… Didn't. He was about a year old when I found out you got married. Alana is his godmother, she helped me so much. She and Margot. He's just a little younger than their son, Morgan, they're best friends. Henry's very smart. He's a joyful child. He's kind, caring to others. He reminds me of you all the time. He's my biggest accomplishment."

Will's face was blushed from crying, but he smiled through the tears, cleaning his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Mommy!" Henry called from the top of the stairs, crayons on his hands. "Can I show Hannibal the drawing?"

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I grimaced, feeling Will's gaze on me. He wasn't supposed to find out that way, I didn't even have the time to tell him slowly so I could try to explain what made no sense. 

"Ahn… Sure, honey. Sure. If you want. Now go to your room for a bit, okay? Mommy will see you in a minute, and then you can show me the drawing." I waited until he entered the room, hearing the door shut. I turned myself to Will.

"Did I hear it right? Hannibal?" Will raised his voice a little and I gestured him to keep his voice down. "Hannibal has seen the kid? You're taking him to see Hannibal?" 

"I know how it sounds, just let me explain…" I asked, noticing the change in his eyes. They were once again cold, but sharp. He was angry. 

"How do you explain this? Y/n? Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes! Yes, I fucking have! I lost my mind when you left, goddamnit!" I screamed, covering my mouth, hoping Henry would not come out of his bedroom. "Hannibal was the last link I had with you. So I sought comfort with the only one who would understand what was like to lose you. Because no one fucking did. Even Alana couldn't help me. So yes, I turned to Hannibal. Because he knows what's like to love you, to ache for you. And you don't get to judge me for that."

Will's eyes were wide, like he couldn't believe what I was saying. 

"Besides…" I sniffed, rubbing my face with my hands "Hannibal cares for him. I know it. And Henry just adores him, Will, you should see…"

"My God, listen to what you're saying, Y/n! Listen to yourself!" He grabbed my face with his hands a little roughly, making me hold his wrists. "He's a killer. He's a cold killer. Can't you see how dangerous it is?"

"Well, we're all fucking killers!" I pushed him away, breathing hard. "Or have you forgotten about it? The night we killed Randall Tier? You really think that wouldn't stain me? Or maybe you do, and that's why you married another woman, with all her purity, because you couldn't bear to see how much you and Hannibal have broken me!" 

He kept staring at me with that look in his eyes, the cold, sharp look that made me shiver. For a moment, I felt the danger of him trying to take my kid away. Would he even consider that? No. No one would take my child away from me. He was mine. 

"This was a bad idea, I should've never allowed you to come inside. Please, leave." I asked, pointing to the door.

He stayed put.

"Will, you better leave. Now. I'm warning you." I stepped away from him, but he pulled me closer, hugging me tightly. I hid my face in his chest, sobbing, hitting him weakly on the shoulders with my fists. "Just go, please. Just go."

"We'll figure it out. Everything will be fine." He kissed me for the last time, letting me go. I knew he would be back. He stared at me once more, and finally left, closing the door behind me. 

"Mommy, why are you crying?" I heard Henry's voice and turned to look at him coming down the stairs, kneeling to hug him. "Please mommy, don't cry!"

"It's okay, baby. Mommy is fine. Everything will be okay. How about a nice bath before we go see Hannibal, uh? Let's go."

"With bubbles?" He asked, clapping in joy. I smiled back to him, caressing his hair.

"With bubbles. Lots of bubbles." I kissed the top of his head and rushed him to the bathroom, an uneasy feeling pumping on my chest. I knew that wouldn't be the last time I saw Will. He would be back. Yes, he would. 

[atths--twice]

Wednesday Night at the Fluff and Fold

Had an idea for a little “on the run” story the other day. Thus this little story was born. Hope you enjoy! ❤️

Late on a hot summer night, while on the run, Scully and Mulder spend some time in a small town laundromat.

September 2003

Juliette, Georgia

10:00 p.m.

There was an odd feeling of calm to pairing socks, seeing them piling up beside the other clothes, everything organized into neat stacks.

Scully smiled as she remembered helping her mother fold clothes when she was younger, loving the feel of them when they were warm from the dryer, or even helping to take them from a clothesline. Sheets were always her favorite, lifting her side up as high as she could, her mother smiling as she held tight to the other end. The sound of the snap of the fabric, the perfect fold, meeting in the middle to hand it off to her mother… she loved it all.

Socks were saved for her to do on her own, large piles of them from the whole family, left to her to sort like a puzzle. She liked being able to differentiate between them, giving the right socks to the right people, proud that she never got it wrong.

As an adult, she found that same pride in the tidiness of her own home; the dishes always washed and put away in their place, the pictures hung to her taste, her clothes always organized, going through them often and getting rid of any taking up unwanted space.

Space, she thought with a snort. That’s definitely something we are lacking these days.

Folding one of Mulder’s t-shirts, she placed it on top of his pile. One of her shirts was next and she placed it on her own pile with a sigh. Turning around, she looked at the dryer in front of her and saw it still had twenty minutes left before the cycle would be complete. Looking around at the empty laundromat, she sighed again.

Fanning herself, she lifted her long hair off of her sweaty neck. The weight of it made her think again of cutting it short like she’d had it in the past. Instead, she took the rubber band from her wrist and tied it up into a messy bun, a few pieces falling down and brushing her face. As it did, she sighed at the dark brown, nearly black color of it.

She’d had it dyed for months now, but she was still taken aback by it when her thoughts were elsewhere and it suddenly fell into her view. She did not mind it, but it was a drastic difference from her normal red.

The door to the laundromat opened and Mulder walked in with a plastic bag in each hand.. Even in khaki shorts, a black tank top, and flip flops, she could see he was just as warm as she was, beads of perspiration dotting his forehead.

“God, it’s like walking through numerous layers of warm wet paper towels. I’m sweating like crazy.”

“It’s not much cooler in here,” she said with a gesture toward the dryers. “Thankfully it’s the last load.”

“Should I get the bags from the car?” he asked, setting the plastic bags down on the counter beside the piles of folded clothes.

“Nah. Might as well wait until those are done and folded.” He nodded and jumped up to sit next to the bags, smiling at her as he did. She let out a deep breath as she glanced at the dryer timer again.

Eighteen minutes until they would pack up and head away from this small town, all of their clothes clean, for a while at least.

It had been nearly a year and a half since they had been on the run, staying in countless motels, trailers, tents, the car itself, and even once a teepee, which they had both found highly offensive, especially after seeing the decor. But it had been cold and the place warm, so they had stayed for a night before leaving the next morning

In that time, a system had been created. They had bought large plastic totes and kept everything they needed inside of them: sleeping bags, pillows, extra blankets, two tents, tarps, camping cooking supplies, some food- but not much as they did not want to attract any unwanted animals.

They also had two duffel bags which held all of the clothes they owned, rotating them by need and season.

As it was the tailend of a very warm summer, the warmer clothes had been stored in one of the totes, not needed for a few more months. The two duffel bags were now full of shorts, tank tops, shirts, and even a few sundresses, the breeze welcome as it cooled her everywhere.

The bags also held their simple toiletries inside plastic zippered bags. It was organized and fit just so in the car, allowing them to grab whatever was needed quickly. Every item was replaceable and held no sentimental value, easily able to be left behind if the situation called for it.

Clothes were worn until only one outfit remained, the dirty clothes placed in trash bags. All laundry was done at one time, visiting laundromats late at night, or any motel with on-site laundry service. The clean clothes were then put back into the duffel bags, the trash bags slipped into the totes, ready to be refilled.

It was a system that worked well, keeping them away from crowds of people, Mulder remaining safe and relatively unseen.

Sighing again, she shook her head and glanced at the bags he had brought in with him.

“So, what have you got there?” she asked with a smile, one of the bags smelling of something delicious and causing her stomach to growl.

“Well,” he said, opening the bag and removing take out containers, handing one to her. “The Whistle Stop Café is open late tonight for a summer barbecue-”

“Is it?” she said, looking at her food cautiously and he laughed.

“Pork, not human,” he assured her with another chuckle. “Someone in front of me made that joke and the woman serving food gave him such a look, I knew better than to make the same mistake.”

“Can’t really blame people when it’s heavily implied in the Fried Green Tomatoes movie and in the book… well…” She raised her eyebrows and opened the container, sniffing the delicious aroma of barbecued pork, her mouth watering.

“I also got mashed potatoes and biscuits. Homemade biscuits that I ate one of on the way over here because they had only just cooled enough to be served when I ordered them. Try one of those first.” He handed her one and he nodded encouragingly.

Taking it from him, she took a bite and then moaned as the sweet taste of butter hit her tongue. He nodded again with a smile as she took another bite and he took out utensils and napkins. She pushed herself up to sit beside him, her legs swinging as they ate, the dryer continuing to tumble the last of their clothes, both of them hot, sweaty, and sticky.

As they finished eating, the dryer stopped and while he cleaned up their food and trash, she took out the clothes, walking them to the counter to be folded. He came back in with the duffel bags, setting them on the empty counter, and began helping her fold the clothes.

In no time, they were filling the duffel bags, everything once more arranged and in order. She threw out the dryer sheets she had used and picked up the now empty trash bags, ready to put them back into the totes in the car.

“What’s in this bag?” she asked and he nodded at her to open it. When she did, she smiled, finding it full of paperbacks.

“I found a used bookstore and came back to the car, taking out the ones you’d wanted to swap if we found one. I could only find up to “O,” but maybe we’ll get lucky at the next place and find “P” and “Q.””

“There’s a “Q”? I didn’t know,” she murmured and he nodded as she looked down at the books.

They had stayed at a cabin in March and the sparse amount of books available had led to her reading ones she would normally have passed over. Particularly, a series of detective novels, the titles of each one beginning with a different letter of the alphabet.

Finding that she enjoyed them, when they had been in another town, she had popped into a used bookstore, finding the next in the “alphabet series” by Sue Grafton. She had loved them all, a distraction from their own lives for a little while. It had been some time since she had finished, and even reread the last few, holding onto them to trade in for new ones, and she was happy he had found them.

“Thank you,” she said softly, looking at “L” is for Lawless and “M” is for Malice. “I know it’s not my usual reading material…”

“Scully, there isn’t much that is usual right now.” He smiled at her and shrugged. “You enjoy them. I do too. Especially when you read them aloud and we try to figure out the ending.” She nodded with a smile and ran her fingers across the titles.

“Thank you,” she said again, lifting her head to look at him. He smiled with a nod and picked up one of the duffel bags, kissing her as he did.

“You’re welcome,” he whispered against her lips, reaching for the next duffel bag.

She put the books back inside the plastic bag and picked up their black canvas backpack. Everything else could be left behind and abandoned at a moment's notice, but not the backpack. It held everything of importance inside of it and was never far from sight.

One last look around, making sure they had everything, they walked out into the muggy and sticky Georgia night. Bags were placed back into the car and then bottles of water were taken from the totes and carried to the front seat.

Mulder turned on the car, blasting the air conditioning as they both sat, the warm air gradually becoming cooler. She closed her eyes as she twisted her head and leaned forward, letting the cool air hit the back of her neck.

“What were we thinking, huh? Coming to the south in the summer? Should have stayed up north,” Mulder said with a deep sigh and she smiled.

“It’s summer, Mulder. It’s hot everywhere.”

“Hmm. Not moist hot though. I feel… well… it’s not the best situation in my southern region either.” She laughed and opened her eyes, looking at him as he raised his eyebrows with a shake of his head.

“How does a cold shower sound?”

“Make it lukewarm, and not a solo one, and you’ve got yourself a deal,” he said with a smile and she tilted her head.

“You’re asking me to join you even after you’ve so eloquently divulged a bad case of swamp ass?” She raised her eyebrows at him, a half smile on her face, and he nodded enthusiastically.

“Absolutely. I’m sure you could do with a…”

“Yes?” she asked, her eyebrows raising higher, waiting to see how big of a hole he would dig himself into.

“Well…” He shrugged and smiled, the one that made her heart race. Innocent and sweet, with an air of mischief hiding behind it. “A nice refreshing shower after standing in that warm laundromat for so long.”

“Mmhmm,” she hummed, licking her lips and his eyes followed its path across them.

“And if it leads to some sex… well…” He shrugged again and put the car in gear, looking around before he backed up and out of the parking spot, continuing out of the parking lot. “At least we’ll get clean as we’re being dirty.” She laughed and nodded, already anticipating the feel of the water cooling and cleansing her sweaty body, his hands on her wet and slippery skin making her ache with need.

He grinned at her as they pulled up to a stop sign by the Whistle Stop Café. People were still there enjoying the barbecue, music playing and laughter ringing out into the night. They drove past the now closed used bookstore and she smiled, remembering the books waiting to be read. Looking at him, she smiled and he winked as he caught her eye.

“A refreshing shower sounds wonderful.”

“And the sex?” he asked, stopping at a light and staring at her, waggling his eyebrows.

“Sounds orgasmic,” she said in a low voice and he growled, stepping on the gas as soon as the light was green, hurrying out of town as she laughed happily.

[madmythologist]

Drink Play Pt. 1 (Vore Warning)

    “Is it him again?” One asked.

    “Yep, same kid,” another replied.

    “Well, who wants to host him today?” The first questioned.

    “I’ll do it,” a third answered without a beat passing the owner of the casual voice’s lips. A woman in the middle of securing a disposable frill beneath her short skirt, a thin mesh laced with herbs and spices.

    “Aren’t you clocking out in… what, fifteen minutes?” The second speaker cocked her head.

    “Yeah,” the volunteer nodded, “I’ll just see if he’ll take me home.” She shrugged, pointing to the original subject of the conversation to indicate who she was referring too. Said subject was a young man standing in line, keeping his eyes down, hand holding the opposing arm and obviously looking to make himself as unnoticed as possible. A funny thought, his soon-to-be-hostess mused, seeing as he was supposed to be a predator.

“Are you sure?” The first speaker asked, looking at her cautiously.

    “Yeah, it’ll be fine,” the hostess assured her with a dismissive wave of her hand.

    A moment of pause followed that. “Alright, I’ll take care of your punches.” The woman, who was apparently the volunteer’s manager, assured her.

    The young man, a regular at the cafe, went about his usual order. One camomile tea with one host. It was so routine by this point that the man’s hostess already put on the appropriately flavored clothing beforehand. It took no time at all, a simple task of pouring the carefully measured hot water into a teacup and his hostess vaulting over the rim in a practiced motion.

    Effortlessly, the young woman came to rest on a seat of glass- a shelf protruding from the inside of the cup designed for someone her size to sit on. Her back arched a moment as her skin adjusted to the practical hottub she hopped into. She was used to the sensation, but it always sent a wave of heat through her frame no matter how many times. Steam floated about the surface as the herbs embedded in her clothes began to tinge the water a pollen yellow.

    With that, she looked up to see her last customer of the night. Not that he was looking at her. No, he was looking at the handle like it was the most curious of features in the world. Not the person scarcely the size of his own finger sitting in his cup, but the fact the cup was left-handed. There was but a second his eyes glanced over her, immediately flicking to a small detail of the saucer her makeshift tub was resting on the moment he realized she was actually looking back. He towered over her like a skyscraper, stretching innumerable feet into the air, even with her being on a countertop. How was it that he was the nervous one?

    “Thank you for your time.” Even with his massive, booming voice, it still came out as a tepid, stuttering utterance. Then again, that was all she’d ever heard out of him. Quiet, timid words. The statement itself was a simple courtesy that seemed to pop up with these establishments, a small thanks to the host for their time and company.

    “No problem, big guy.” She replied casually, leaning back into the curve of the cup as he nodded, lifting his hands to the small dish and glass. 

Being lifted was far from a new sensation, enough so that she could note the subtleties, rather than focusing on bracing herself. For example, this man’s hands were shaking. Not unbearable, but the slight vibrations alongside the ripples rolling to the center of the water was a dead give away. The trip was short, of course, the gentle- if not jittery swaying carrying her to one of the empty tables near the corner of the building. Same spot, every time.

    An audible “klink” signaled that she was back on relatively solid ground. A tabletop- but solid ground as far as she was concerned. Her customer sat down a second after, back to the corner and facing the rest of the room. He looked far from relaxed, but at least didn’t have his hands trembling now that he wasn’t holding her. While he got situated, the girl simply ran her hands through the water, stirring the tea part of the drink around and getting some more of her own flavor mixed in. That was what she was doing sitting in a giant’s cup, after all.

This young man, despite his recluce demeanor, was supposed to be a predator. Her predator. Thus he, and giants like him needed to sate a craving of theirs long since ingrained into their instincts. And a person like hers flavor steeped into a drink seems to suffice, if drunk often enough.

The first few minutes of this interaction were awkward, to say the least. The man didn’t say much of anything beyond a “pardon” to warn that he was lifting the glass, and a “sorry” upon finishing with that sip. She pondered, for a moment, how to break the silence. She had decided to jump into this position to get to know this giant, after all.

“Pardon,” he uttered for the fourth time or so, prompting a smirk as the repeated motion of his left hand lifting the glass was carried out. Once again he wasn’t looking at her, like he was ashamed of this whole thing, couldn’t look at her outside of his peripherals. So, with a simple movement she decided to fix that.

Once brought before the awaiting maw that barely dared to open even a crack to let the warm liquid pass between his lips, his hostess simply let herself fall forward. Easily she caught herself on her hands, laying along the wall of the cup, water rushing past as she peered into his mouth like she was looking under a bed. He, however, didn’t take this so casually, shoulders hiking up and lips pursing shut as he tried not to jump.

“A-are you alright?” The first time she’d ever heard his voice with any air of urgency, a hissed whisper as he tilted the cup back a bit. She simply smiled at her accomplishment, those wide eyes nearly crossing to focus entirely on her minute readjustment.

“I’m fine, just wanted a closer look.” She offered coyly, prompting a raised brow from the young predator as his face was spattered red.

“Wha… what do you mean?” He asked, eyes only daring to glance away this time to make sure no one else was watching. Then they were right back on the occupant of his drink.

“I wanted a better look in your mouth. Go ahead and drink, I won’t slip.” She offered, not making any move to get back to her seat. He just looked at her for seconds that felt like minutes, instinctively wetting his lips as his mouth suddenly felt dryer than before he’d just taken a drink.

“I don’t… I can’t-” he stuttered.

“I promise,” she interrupted, “it will be fine.” He swallowed dryly, eyes scanning the room once again.

“If,” he paused, eyes landing back on her. “If you’re sure.”

A simple nod was all she offered in response, butterflies fluttering in her stomach this time as she felt the cup shift, water sloshing gently over and around her. The faintest tremble rocked her spot, the first time since he only needed to use his left hand. Just like before, the rim rested on his lower lip, the upper separating to let a crevice open up before her. A sigh from the goliath’s nose passed by her as he finally tipped the cup back. Water began trying to pull her into that warm abyss. She wasn’t sure she would have minded that, but she did make a promise. Thus she pressed her hands into the glass, doing her best to look inside while her subject tried not to blush harder. That attempt, however, went out the window when he felt miniscule, curious fingers rest on his upper lip. A chill ran up his spine, sparking something euphoric in the back of his mind. And to his surprise, he didn’t pull away.

    “Open up.” She breathed, taking a turn of whispering while she gently pushed his lip up. Another sigh, this one shuddering as it passed his lips and fogged the glass all around her. Tentatively he followed instruction, lip twitching as he allowed her a better look into the cavern of velvet and ivory. It was dark, warm, and damp. A lively muscle of pink gingerly guiding the tea to the back of his throat, massive teeth framing it with their interlocking counterparts hanging overhead. Curious as those were, her eyes wandered back to his throat, ring of muscle opening briefly to close once again and gulp down the liquid laced with her flavor.

    Slowly, the tinted water came to a stand-still, cup tilting back, and fingers sliding off the sensitive skin of the giant. She wasn’t sure which of them were more speechless from the exchange, both looking at one another and nothing else for a moment.

    “Good?” He asked, not bothering to lower the glass this time. Inches from his face she remained, finally pushing off the rim and settling back into her seat that was above the water level now. Even with the surface being warm from the drink, compared to the threshold she was just on the precipice of, she had to fight the urge to shiver.

    “Good?” He repeated tentatively, this time getting her to look up into the massive pools of his eyes. 

    I could get a better look.

    “Do you like this stuff?” She dodged the question, kicking her feet lightly in the water to show what she was asking about. “You get it everytime.”

    “I, uh… not exactly.” He admitted, brow raising questioningly again. “I just get it because…” he trailed off.

    “Cause it’s supposed to be calming, right?” She guessed, “The camomile?” He nodded.

    “Not… for you, though?” She continued, sounding more like an accusation than a question.

    “Ah,” he smiled sheepishly, “no. Just don’t want… you, for example, to be nervous.” It was about what she expected, it was clear as day this guy didn’t express these urges of his easily, nor did he seem to be proud of them.

        The girl took all of this in, alongside the fact the man was left handed and simply never bothered correcting the fact he was always given the wrong handed cup, and two simple questions began to form in her mind. Both of which, she was quite sure she knew the answers to.

    “Have you ever…” She trailed off, her own nerves getting the better of her. Taking the opportunity of heat rising to her cheeks, she took the opportunity to once again play coy.

    “Have you ever actually… sated that craving of yours? Properly- I mean.” She mused, damp-tipped hair shifting as she cocked her head. The question, alongside the consciously cute body language made the shy man avert his eyes downward once again, face shading darker once more as his lips pressed into a strained line.

    “I-I ah- no,” He stuttered, fingers trembling on the delicate handle, “no I haven’t.” She nodded thoughtfully, fully expecting that answer and making sure to avoid a strong reaction. After all, she knew that if that question wracked his nerves that badly, this next one she was going to have to be very careful with.

    That train of thought was interrupted when her seat began to shift once again, lifting closer to that ashamed expression as he took an unconscious sip to try and calm his nerves. With a small smile, she shifted back off of her seat, coming to rest sitting in the curve of the cup, legs splayed out to her side as she simply watched this everyday action on a scale and angle that no one her customer’s size could dream of seeing. She bit back a giggle at the realization his mouth was open just a hair more than when he first started drinking. She’d gotten somewhere.

    “And, would you like to?” She asked as casually as she could manage, watching his widen for but a second before hardening harshly as he held back his reaction. That was, until he went stock still, feeling that miniscule hand placed firmly on the cupid’s bow of his upper lip.

    “Easy,” she crooned, “I can help, if you’d like.” She breathed, hand tracing down and beneath his lip, fingers massaging into the tepid tip of his tongue, fascinated by the sight of his eyelids fluttering at the sensation.

    “I’m off for the evening, so I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to walk me home.” She explained with mocking formality, retracting her hand to rest in her lap.

    “Will a detour or two, of course.” She added, a sly wink looking up to those massive eyes of his, baring something she’d never seen in him before. Something exciting, something that set her nerves on end and a shiver up her spine.

Hunger.

[loversamongus]

In the Dark | Zuko x reader

summary: just a modern!gaang trying to make the best of a rainy day and you ending up in the same hiding spot as Zuko, what could be better?

a/n: this is so long for no reason and was written for no reason but I like it and I hope you do too. Also I didn’t proofread this well so please forgive any typos.

words: 2.5k

fic taglist: @spiritvines @protect-remus @emeraldpotato

The middle of August was supposed to be devoted to making happy memories before classes started again. The middle of August was supposed to be about steamy hot beach days at Ember Island, jumping over waves and burying Sokka in the sand. The middle of August was supposed to have all-nighters just playing video games or staying up with the girls talking about everything and nothing at the same time. The middle of August was supposed to be fucking awesome. But instead, it’s thunderstorm after thunderstorm after hurricane after thunderstorm. 

The six of you were in various corners of the living room. Sokka and Suki sat around the coffee table, taking turns nibbling on a plate of nachos. Toph was perched sideways on the old, barely-holding-up armchair so that her head rested on one armrest while her feet hung off the other. Aang’s face was scrunched up in concentration as he braided Katara’s hair, who kneeled in front of the tv. You and Zuko took opposite ends on the couch, your legs sprawled on Zuko’s lap as he mindlessly flipped through the channels.

“Wait, no go back,” you nudged Zuko with your foot.

“No, I’m not watching Dance Moms.”

“Yeah,” Sokka chimed in with a stuffed mouth. “It makes him mad that Maddie can dance better than him.”

A pillow flew across the room until it collided with Sokka’s head. Before you could so much as let out a snort at your friend’s misfortune, thunder crashed outside and the windows rattled as wind and rain pelted against the glass. And the lamp in the corner of the living room flickered. And the tv froze.

“Oh no,” Katara whined.

“If we lose power again, I’ll scream,” you threatened. Sadly, the universe doesn’t bow down to the threats of a poor college student and soon the unmistakable pop of electricity shutting off was heard by all. The room was suddenly shrouded in darkness for the third time in ten days.

“GIVE ME THAT PILLOW” you yelled as, in the dark, Sokka and Suki both scrambled on the floor to fulfill your request.

“Huh, can’t say I notice a difference,” Toph smirked.

You felt a pillow being shoved in your direction and, snatching it gratefully, you shoved it in your face to release all your frustration with a single, drawn out, muffled screech.

“Now what are we gonna do?” you heard Aang say glumly. 

You felt Zuko shift underneath your legs and you quickly adjusted yourself into an upright position. “If you even THINK about suggesting to think about our place in the universe, I will lock you outside for you scream at the skies, I don’t care.”

Suddenly, you felt a pair of hands patting around the couch and as they got closer to your legs, you reached out to grab them. “What are you doing?” you asked.

Suki’s voice answered. “I’m sensing some hostility.” Rolling your eyes, you hoisted Suki up so that she could sit in between you and Zuko on the couch. Overcome with annoyance and misery over the present situation, you laid your head on her shoulder and her fingers began to soothingly weave through your hair. “Anyone got any ideas?” she asked.

“I know!” Aang exclaimed rather too cheerfully for your taste. “We could play hide and go seek in the dark!”

Zuko scoffed. Everyone else seemed to weigh the option out in their minds. And that was the thing. It was the only option at the moment. They could join in on a seemingly juvenile game. Or sit in the living room and stare at each other until they were so bored that the only thing left to do was to go to sleep. Already you began warming up to the idea. And if worse comes to worst, at least you could scare Sokka a few times for shits and giggles.

“All right. Let’s do it!” You and Suki stood up from the couch as your mind began listing off all the places you could possibly hide. Behind the tv, under the bed, in the linen closet, the cabinet under the sink, in the dryer...

“No, I’m not playing a dumb preschool game,” Zuko interrupted your list. 

“Yeah... I dunno,” added Sokka.

“Why is it called hide and go seek ‘in the dark’? What difference does it make? Hide and seek is hide and seek,” Toph asked.

You chose to ignore the other two downers and exclaimed, “Because it’s spookier! And harder to find people! You know, because you can’t see them as well!”

“Yeah, can’t imagine what that must be like.”

“I think it’ll be fun!” Katara laughed.

Zuko stood up from the couch and you couldn’t tell for certain but you felt his presence draw further away from the group. “You guys go ahead. I’ll be in my room.”

“No!” you cried as you stuck out your arms in an attempt to find him, your eyes still not having adjusted to the dark room. “We’re all playing. We’re all going to HAVE FUN.”

“If I play, will you stop quoting Dance Moms?”

Your hands finally found his in the dark and you gave them a squeeze. “Yes, I promise.”

His hands relaxed in yours and then with a sigh, he spoke again. “All right. Sokka’s it first.”

And then the mad dash for hiding spots began. As you ran away from the living room, you heard Sokka miserably plop down on the couch, no doubt complaining that he had to be the seeker first before beginning the countdown from 30.

Your first thought was laying in the bathtub with the curtains drawn so you felt along the wall to find the bathroom door. But as soon as your hand grabbed hold of the doorknob, you felt someone else smack into you.

“Sorry!” Katara whispered, moving past you into the bathroom. You couldn’t even argue over the hiding spot because you were too busy rubbing the back of your head. You were sure it was Katara’s chin that slammed into it. Retreating from the bathroom, you struggled through the throbbing of your head to think of another hiding spot.

“15...14...13...12...”

“Shit,” you muttered. With Sokka almost done counting, you knew you weren’t going to make it to the laundry room to hide in the dryer in time. As you heard him near the ten second mark, you finally decided the best possible hiding spot was the closest room to the bathroom: Zuko’s room.

Tiptoeing as fast as you could, you scuttled into Zuko’s room. Your eyes were able to make out the door of his closet that was left slightly ajar. With Sokka’s countdown almost complete, you knew it would have to do. You took one step over the threshold of the closet before dropping your knees to the ground. Only your knees didn’t hit the hardwood floor like you had expected.

“WATCH IT,” someone whisper-yelled as they freed their hand from under the weight of your knees. It was somehow even darker so you reached out your hands again to act as your eyes. A rough patch of skin and a mop of hair brushed your fingertips.

“Zuko?”

“Get out of here! This is my hiding spot!”

“You were just complaining about playing this game and now you have dibs on hiding spots like a toddler?!”

“I was here first!”

“Oh my god, you are a toddler!”

“4....3....2....1..... READY OR NOT HERE I COME.”

Suddenly, you felt arms stretch out to reach behind you and you heard to click of the closet door being closed. Those arms wrapped around your waist next and pulled you down into a corner on the floor. Now leaning against his chest, you heart raced, and your head throbbed a bit harder from the sudden movement, but Zuko sat completely still. You could barely hear him breathe.

You heard Sokka’s footsteps come down the hallway and you tried to calm your breathing so he wouldn’t hear. The footsteps paused for a moment outside of Zuko’s room but then picked up again and continued into the house. You felt it safe to move the few inches of space the closet allowed away from Zuko’s chest.

“You didn’t have to pull me down so hard,” you whispered, your hands moving to your temples to massage the headache.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t want you to get caught.”

“Me? What about you? We’re in this together now.”

“Yeah, but you’re the one who actually wanted to play this game. Couldn’t let you get caught first.”

“Don’t act like you’re not enjoying this.”

“Anything is better than the fit you’d throw if you lost to Sokka in the first round.”

The both of you tried to stifle your laughter as best you could in order to not make too much noise. In the distance you could hear Sokka complaining about not liking this game anymore because the dark house is spooky. It only made you want to laugh harder but keeping down the giggles only managed to make your head pound more.

“Ow...”

“What’s the matter?” Zuko questioned.

“Katara and I collided heads. Now I have a headache.”

Zuko was silent for a moment but you heard him shift besides you. Something fell off a hanger and landed in you lap. “What are you doing?”

“Wait here,” he said as a teeny bit of light came into the closet. Zuko had opened the door. Zuko was leaving the hiding spot.

“Where are you going?!”

He shushed you harshly in response and then he was gone. You knew he wouldn’t hear it but you let out an annoyed scoffed anyways. Really. To be shushed like that. How rude.

A couple of minutes go by and the boredom starts to set in. Who knew Sokka would be such a terrible seeker. In the darkness, you start feeling around Zuko’s closet for anything interesting— anything the slightest bit amusing to keep you occupied. A thought popped up that this scenario wouldn’t be half as boring if Zuko just stayed where he was, but no, he just had to leave. And after manhandling you and shushing you! Definitely rude. Your hand fished in one of the pockets of his coats and you heard the crinkle of a wrapper.

“Aha!” you quietly exclaimed as you pulled out a small wrapped Jolly Rancher. “He is a toddler!”

Just then, the closet door swung back open, nealy making you jump out of your skin, and a tall silhouette stepped inside.

“It’s just me!” Zuko whispered, and crouching down, he resumed his place beside you. “I went to the kitchen and got you some aspirin for your head. And some water.”

“You did that without getting caught?” you asked while taking the aspirin and glass of water gratefully. Sokka really is a terrible seeker, you confirmed in your thoughts. You popped the two pills in your mouth and followed that up with a chug of water. While doing so, you heard something hit the floor.

“What was that?” It definitely wasn’t Sokka or anyone else because it sounded like it came from inside the closet.

“I got tired of sitting in the dark,” Zuko quietly explained. “So I grabbed one of the candles from your room, too.” Suddenly, a small flame erupted and lit the candle placed in the middle of the closet floor. “And the lighter from the kitchen.”

“Well, that’s probably a fire hazard.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you want to sit in the dark for the third time this week?”

“Zuko, we’re playing hide and seek!”

“Okay, fine. I’ll blow it out!”

“No, wait!” You grabbed onto his shoulder before he could bend down to blow out the candle. You considered just how miserable the past couple days have been with the constant downpours and losing electricity, events preventing you and your friends from having any kind of fun before the summer ended. The days have been so dark and gray lately that you had almost forgotten what light even looked like. What’s a small candle flame? You’ll just make sure no more of Zuko’s shirts fall off the hanger and onto the candle.

“If you were able to do all that without Sokka finding you, he probably wouldn’t notice light from coming under the door, right?” you asked, and Zuko settled back against the wall beside you again. You didn’t know how long you’d be stuck in this hiding spot so, deciding to make yourself comfortable, you rested your head on Zuko’s shoulder. 

“This summer was supposed to be fun,” you said quietly. “Having bonfires on Ember Island. But we’re sitting on the floor of your closet with an evergreen scented candle.”

“Could be worse,” he answered. “You could be stuck in here with Sokka.”

“And you could be stuck in here with Azula... or Jet!”

“You could be stuck with Momo.”

“But I love Momo.”

“Yeah, but would you want to be stuck inside a closet with Momo?”

“Touché.” 

You giggled a little before settling down again. Zuko wrapped one arm around you. With all the frustration the weather of the past week has wrought, the flickering evergreen candle and Zuko’s light embrace was enough to comfort you just a bit. It does not, however, help take away the fact that this is not at all how you expected the summer to go.

“I just wanted us to have a really memorable summer before you graduated. You know, spend time together,” you said. “This weather ruined it.”

Zuko hummed and reached with his free hand to grab hold of yours. His thumb gently ran back and forth over your knuckles. “I wouldn’t say it ruined it.”

“You wouldn’t rather be sitting in the sun on Ember Island?”

“I’m happy just being here with you.”

“Says the guy that tried to kick me out of this hiding spot at first.”

“Hey, I pulled you down here, didn’t I?”

You smiled again and nestled further into his shoulder. In the back of your mind, you wondered why it’s taking Sokka so long to find everyone. After all, hiding in a bedroom closet isn’t one of the most unique spots. And with the light of the candle, it’s sure to be a dead giveaway. Nonetheless, you let yourself relax. You felt Zuko kiss the top of your head, making you remember that your headache had finally subsided.

Just as your eyes were about to close, you heard the door fly open again.

“GOTCHA!” Sokka yelled seemingly at the tops of his lungs. You sat up quickly and threw the Jolly Rancher you had found earlier at his head.

“GO AWAY,” you yelled. You felt Zuko chuckled as you leaned back against him.

“I’m never playing hide and seek with you people again,” Sokka muttered as he ambled away and out of the room. Back and resting comfortably with Zuko, you thought to yourself that maybe losing power and staying in isn’t so bad after all.

[racebox-of-higgars]

Worth It - Les Mis SPFC

Here’s my entry for the Les Mis Single Prompt fic challenge! This was my first time writing for Les Mis so it was a lot of fun! 

Prompt: Person a gently tilts person b’s head up

Pairing: Enjolras x Grantaire 

Word Count: 2576

Summary: Grantaire takes care of Enjolras after a fight

Warnings: Mild injury description

Grantaire glanced over at his clock, the harsh red letters slowly blinking at him in the black, almost as if they were mocking him. 2:46am. He rolled over, desperately trying to fall asleep, but something kept it from him, it’s elusive arms just out of his reach. A sense of unease had settled in his stomach hours ago, and it kept him tossing and turning, feeling sick to his core. He couldn’t tell what it was, and chose to ignore it, yet it incessantly crawled its way back into the corners of his mind, demanding his attention. It was an unwelcome presence, tugging constantly at his thoughts, and he couldn’t ignore it. 

Finally, he gave up. Sleep was going to elude him for the rest of the night, there was no point in fighting that. Instead, he turned his attention to the unsettled feeling that sunk deep within him, right down into his bones. Something was deeply wrong, he knew that much, but the question was what was wrong? What was wrong and how could he make this stupid feeling go away? It wasn’t like him to be so set in a feeling like this, usually he could just shrug it off and ignore it, but this one couldn’t be shaken, no matter how hard he tried. 

The ceiling swirled above him, slowly coming back into focus through the darkness as he stared up at it, lying starfished on his back. He started up at it for what seemed like hours, puzzling over the unease that shook him from the gentle embrace of sleep every time it was within reach. It only felt like hours though, when in reality it only lasted a few minutes. Again, glanced at the clock, frowning when it only read 2:57am. He groaned, flopping back against his pillow, throwing his forearm over his eyes. He was in for a long night. 

Each flash of the clock out of the corner of his eyes saw the feeling of unease settling deeper and deeper into his stomach, until it was almost unbearable. It ate away at the edges of his mind, until it consumed his every thought, completely taking over. Eventually, it became so powerful that he couldn’t stay in bed any longer. He hauled himself out, slowly shuffling to the kitchen, bleary-eyed as he felt around in the darkness for a mug, and he poured himself a coffee. Coffee at nearly 3am probably wasn’t the best idea, but he wasn’t going to be sleeping anytime soon anyway, so what did it matter? 

A knock at the door shook him from his thoughts. Right. Who the fuck was at his door at 3am? Whoever it was, could kindly fuck off thank you very mu- oh. 

“‘M’sorry,” Enjolras murmured, swaying where he stood. “Didn’t know where else to go.” Carefully, Grantaire ushered him inside, glancing down the hallway outside his apartment before shutting the door behind them. He flicked on the lights, blinking against the sudden brightness. He couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him as he took in Enjolras’ appearance. 

Blood slowly dripped from his nose and his lip was cut open and bleeding. An array of purples, yellows, greens, blacks and blues mottled his porcelain skin and one of his eyes was swollen shut.  A deep cut across his temple spilled blood into his hair, the crimson a stark contrast against the shining gold, that now sparkled with what appeared to be fragments of glass. He swayed steadily from side to side and his eyes were hazy and unfocused. He looked nothing like Enjolras, usually so put together and calm. This was what was wrong. 

Grantaire made his way over to Enjolras, gently taking his chin in one hand and tilting his head up to meet his eyes. 

“Who did this to you?” He whispered. To an outsider, he would appear calm, collected, but there was an underlying anger underneath, indescribably discreet but also fundamentally out of character for Grantaire. He wasn’t an angry person. Blaisé and flippant, sure. Confrontational and hungry for an argument, but there was never any malice to it. It had always been a game, but not now. Now, he almost trembled with the white hot rage that coursed through his veins. He wanted to find out who did this to Enjolras and find them, hurt them, but that wasn’t what Enjolras needed from him right now. Enjolras needed him there. 

“Some guy at a bar,” Enjolras said, voice hoarse. Grantaire pulled out a chair and helped Enjolras to sit. He looked dead on his feet, like he might have collapsed if Grantaire had left him any longer. Grantaire nodded, more to himself than Enjolras. A bar fight? That wasn’t like Enjolras at all. Enjolras would debate until he was red in the face and his throat completely closed up and he couldn’t speak anymore, but things never got physical with him. He would always de-escalate the situation before it reached that point. So what had been different about this time? 

“So, what happened?” Grantaire asked, carefully wiping the blood from the side of Enjolras’ face with a damp washcloth. Enjolras hissed at the contact and instinctively flinched away, but relaxed into it after a moment. 

“Some guy was being an ass in a bar, I called him out, he threw the first hit.” Grantaire frowned. 

“What was he saying?” “Doesn’t matter, does it?” Grantaire fell quiet at that. Enjolras rarely kept things concealed, so if he was avoiding this, he must really not want to speak about it. 

“Alright.” 

Grantaire worked in silence, gently wiping the blood from Enjolras’ face. His hand trembled slightly with the anger that rushed just beneath his skin, but that was to be released another time. He forced it down, he didn’t need it. Not now. When he was done removing the worst of the blood, he held ice over the bruises, hoping to at least ease the pain of them. Enjolras stared up at him, much more focused now than when he had arrived, and Grantaire had a hard time avoiding his steely gaze. 

“Why did you come here?” He eventually asked as he dressed the wound in Enjolras' temple. “Why not ‘Ferre? He’s a doctor, surely he would be better than me.” Enjolras’ eyes flitted around the room, almost as if he was searching for the answer somewhere there. 

“I don’t know,” he said finally. “I guess I just- would you believe me if I said I wanted to see you?” Grantaire’s breath hitched in his throat. 

“Probably not,” he said with a laugh, and even Enjolras smiled at that. 

“It’s true though, R. I just wanted to see you.” Grantaire nodded, almost afraid that if he tried to speak it would just come out as some wildly unattractive squeak. He couldn’t help but think that there was something else, another reason why Enjolras had chosen him of all people to come to for help, but he wouldn’t press for that now, not while Enjolras was in this state. That could wait until later. 

“I’m done,” Grantaire said finally, when all of Enjolras’ injuries were clean and dressed to the best of his ability. “You’ll have to shower to get the last of the blood out of your hair, but it’s not as much anymore.”

“Thank you,” Enjolras said quietly. “I’ll call a cab-” “No,” Grantaire immediately cut him off. “Stay here, I’ll sleep on the couch.” “Are you sure?” 

“Of course, I don’t want you going home alone like this. It’s okay.” 

“I don’t have any clothes.” 

“Borrow mine, one second.” Grantaire stood and left Enjolras sitting at the dining table, only slightly bewildered. Grantaire flitted around the apartment like a whirlwind until he found a hoodie and sweatpants that would fit Enjolras. 

“Here,” Grantaire said, handing Enjolras the clothes. They smelled like Grantaire. That was the first thing Enjolras registered. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly that was, but it was distinctly and unmistakably him. It was comforting. “You can change in the bathroom.” Enjolras nodded, and made his way down the hall, significantly less unsteady then he had been before. 

While Enjolras was gone, Grantaire made himself busy, tidying away his first aid kit, running a glass of water, and putting the kettle on. Enjolras didn’t have sugar in his tea - milk and honey, instead. He also threw a blanket in the dryer. Anything to keep himself busy. That way he didn’t have to face his anger. Someone had hurt Enjolras, and it made his blood boil. 

Enjolras had always been a peaceful person, quick-witted and silver-tongued, able to talk himself out of any situation. His words always slipped from his lips, able to pacify any situation. His words were one of the most beautiful things about him. They had so much power and intent behind them, and they could build you up, place you on a pedestal at the top of the world, or tear you down until you’re nothing more than a rat in the gutter. They were honey-coated or sharp as a knife, and whichever he chose could impact you for hours, days after they had been spoken. Ever the diplomat, Enjolras hated violence. He always talked his way out of situations, using those beautiful words to avoid any fight. So what had changed this time? That’s what Grantaire kept coming back to. Why couldn’t Enjolras talk his way out of this one?

Grantaire’s clothes were too big on Enjolras. They hung off his body, almost like a blanket, but they were warm and comfy and they smelled like home. He wrapped the hoodie tightly around himself, closing his eyes for a moment as he sat down on the edge of the bathtub, head in his hands. His head pounded, a dull, throbbing ache just behind his eyes that would not go away. It had been worth it though. 

Okay, so maybe he had lied to Grantaire when he had said the other guy had thrown the first punch. And about why. How bad was a little white lie, really? Right, it was probably very stupid, but how was he supposed to tell Grantaire that he had punched someone in the jaw because they had been talking shit about R? That wasn’t something he was just going to admit, because that would open up the floodgates to a million other discussions that he didn’t want to have. There would be hundreds of questions with answers that he just couldn’t articulate. Enjolras was way out of his depth when it came to Grantaire, and the way he felt about him. He could talk his way through any situation, except this one, because there were no right words for it. So instead, he stayed silent for what might be the first time in his life, because he and Grantaire were a million worlds apart, really. Sure, he had shown him kindness on this one occasion, but it wasn’t like Enjolras had given him much of a choice. Within a week they would be back at each other’s throats, surely. That’s just how they worked. But for now, wrapped up in Grantaire’s hoodie, he could pretend that maybe things were different. 

Grantaire looked up from the mug of tea as he heard Enjolras padding back down the hallway. 

“I made tea,” he said, holding up the mug. “Also I have water and painkillers if you want them too.” Enjolras nodded with a grateful smile as he took the painkillers, then took the mug of tea from Grantaire. 

“You remembered how I have it?” He asked. 

“Of course I do,” Grantaire answered with a warm smile. He had memorised everything that Enjolras liked, from how he had his tea to his favourite clothing brand. All of it was stored away in some corner of his mind, until he needed it in times like these. 

They drank their tea in silence. After a while, Enjolras’ eyelids began to droop. Grantaire took the blankets out of the dryer, folding them neatly in his arms. 

“Come on, it’s late,” he said. Enjolras just nodded vaguely as Grantaire helped him to his feet and led him down the hallway to his room. “I’m sorry it’s a mess, I wasn’t expecting anyone.” “It’s okay,” Enjolras mumbled. Grantaire helped him into bed, tucking the blanket around his shoulders. 

“Get some sleep, you’ll need it.” Enjolras hummed, nestling further into the blankets. “Goodnight Enjolras.” Grantaire turned to try to get some sleep on the couch, when Enjolras’ voice made him turn. 

“R?” 

“Yeah?” “Stay, please?” Grantaire faltered for a moment, glancing between Enjolras, then down the hallway, then back at Enjolras. Carefully, he clambered into the bed beside Enjolras, and immediately Enjolras wrapped his arms tightly around him. “Do you mind?” Enjolras asked, looking up at him. 

“No, it’s fine.” Enjolras nodded again, resting his head on Grantaire’s chest. 

Silence stretched for a million miles between them, and Grantaire was just beginning to think Enjolras had fallen asleep, when he spoke. 

“I lied,” he said simply, barely above a whisper. 

“About what?” 

“The fight. How it started. Who started it?” Grantaire looked down at Enjolras, brow furrowed in concern. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean I started the fight. I threw the first punch.” Enjolras didn’t look at Grantaire, but Grantaire felt his grip on him tighten just slightly. Grantaire was perplexed. That was so out of character for Enjolras. It felt wrong.

“Why?” He asked simply. 

“He was- he said some really homophobic and downright cruel things about you. I couldn’t let that slide.” Enjolras’ heart rate quickened. This was verging on dangerous territory. 

“But now you’re hurt.” 

“I wasn’t just going to let him say that about you!” Enjolras cried, suddenly sitting up, despite the way it made his head reel. 

“Why not? People say it all the time, it’s nothing new.” Enjolras’ face fell. He hadn’t known that. 

“I’m sorry. I hate that you, and other people have to deal with that.” 

“It’s alright, you don’t need to apologise for other people being shitty.” 

“I wish things were easier for us.” Enjolras’ voice had lowered to only slightly louder than a whisper again. 

“Me too.” Enjolras looked up at Grantaire, meeting his eyes. Then, he did what was quite possibly one of the most stupid things of his life. 

He kissed Grantaire. 

It was brief, he pulled away before it could get heated, but it was soft and magical all the same. Grantaire looked at him for a moment, utterly shellshocked, before wrapping him in his arms tightly and pulling him against his chest. He pressed a gentle kiss to Enjolras’ hair, running a hand through it. 

“Are we-” Enjolras started, but Grantaire cut him off. 

“We’ll talk about it in the morning. But now it’s-” he paused to check the clock, “-4:28am, and I want to get some sleep, and you’re gonna need it too.” Enjolras nodded. Grantaire hadn’t run, and that meant things were okay, surely. Grantaire titled Enjolras’ head up, pressed a quick, gentle kiss to his lips. It was barely there, but enough for Enjolras to know that everything would be alright. 

As he laid in Grantaire’s arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart and watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, Enjolras’ regret dissipated. If he got to have this, it had all been worth it.

Thanks for reading!

@lesmissamepromptficchallenge 

[collecting-stories]

T-shirt - JJ Maybank

Request: i love love love your fics ! if you have time or inspo can you please do one with jj’s gf slowly stealing all of his clothes and eventually his shark tooth necklace too?

A/N: Some JJ fluff.

Outer Banks Masterlist

///

It wasn’t like JJ had a huge collection of clothing to choose from. A few pelican marina shirts that had seen better days, the odd Coors light or Miller light that he’d no doubt pilfered from his dad long ago, and whatever free t-shirts he’d gotten from businesses in the area. It wasn’t like any of his clothes were kept in pristine condition either. Shirts littered with holes, stains on the arms and neck of sweatshirts that wouldn’t come out no matter how many times he lugged them down to the laundromat. Still there was something about his clothes. Like wrapping yourself in a safety blanket.  

JJ’s clothes smelled like him, weed and saltwater, a combination you knew you would hate on anyone else. But on him it just fit, like another piece of the puzzle that made him up, and you liked the smell. You knew that the night before Christmas break when the temperature dropped unexpectedly and you borrowed a hoodie. The strings had long since been pulled out, the front pocket was slowly becoming detached from the left side and there were tiny holes all along the hem. But he offered it up after you all moved inside and you complained that you were still cold.  

“How can you still be cold?” He’d teased even as he pulled the hoodie over his head and tossed it to you. The insignia on the front suggested he might be employed by a block company but you knew he’d probably just lifted it from his cousin or his dad ages ago.  

“It’s not my fault I run cold.” You said, slipping the hoodie over your head and burrowing into it. The warmth of it surrounded you and you hunched your shoulders, slipping the neck up over your nose so you could be encased in him.  

“You look ridiculous.” JJ pointed out, dropping into the seat beside you as John B put a movie on.  

It was the first time he made fun of you in his clothes but not the last. According to him you looked ridiculous in his Coors Light cut off too. His shoulders were broader than yours and it hung off you like a paper bag except where it caught on your hips. It hung over in the front and caught right about your ass, not exactly the cover up you were looking for but you liked the little hole in the neckline and the barely legible graphic on the front and that it was JJ’s. You promised to wash it and return it but instead it sat on your bed with the hoodie.  

The next shirt you took was a blue pelican marina one. You put it on after the first time that you and JJ had sex. In your bedroom, while your parents were on the mainland for the weekend. You had pulled his shirt on first and then a pair of underwear as you went into the kitchen to get the pint of ben and jerry’s you’d bought for yourself the day before.  

“We’re the only ones here, you don’t need a shirt.” JJ had pointed out but you didn’t listen to him, eager for the excuse to steal another of his shirts.  

It wasn’t just shirts that you procured from him. A pair of sunglasses, a hat, a couple of bracelets, two rings, even his vape made it’s way into your possession. All items lost forever, you accumulated JJ’s things as if you were a dryer, eating up every other sock. He rarely questioned the disappearance, allowing you to take what you wanted and then forgetting that you had it.  

When things with his dad got really bad you told him he was welcome at yours, “think of it as your home away from home. Or just your home, actually.” It was already home to a multitude of his belongings.  

“I can’t take it anymore,” he confessed two weeks later, while you were on the HMS Pogue together. You had stolen his grey t-shirt to wrap your hair so you could dry it and he was laying across the front of the boat, head turned to watch you sitting there in a bathing suit with his shirt on your head.  

You caught off guard by the confession but it took only a second to realize that he was talking about his father. You stood and walked the short length to where he was, sitting down on the bench beside him. He reached his hand out, brushing against the soft skin of your stomach, fingers pinching the roll that peeked out over your bathing suit bottoms and you swatted at his hand.  

“My mom said you’re always welcome to stay, why don’t you come to mine for a little while?” You offered up your house with ease as you brushed your fingers through his hair.  

“I need to get clothes.”  

“I have some...of yours.” You admitted.

A drawer full was more like. With a little box inside the drawer that kept all the odds and ends, rings and bracelets and sunglasses, a gaiter, that you had collected from JJ. Sitting on your nightstand by your phone charger was his shark tooth necklace, the one he’d complained of losing just the week prior and you had played dumb over. As if it was sitting your room from when he left it there.  

When you opened the drawer to show JJ your collection of his belongings he’d immediately accused you of being a thief, and rightly so. “I’m so proud of you,” JJ had admitted a moment later, “I taught my girlfriend well.”

“It wasn’t intentional!” You insisted, “it just kind of happened.”

“You have my necklace too? I tore John B’s apart looking for this!” He grabbed the cord off your nightstand and held it up before securing it around his neck again. You both knew that he would take the necklace off again before bed and lose it somewhere in your room. The cycle would continue, your room was like a time capsule of your relationship with JJ. Every article of clothing meant someone, had been acquired during some event, whether small or monumental and you remembered them all.

-

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[mando-ag]

Remember Me ~* The Lake

Summary: Din meets reader in the city part during winter, seeing reader for the first time as she plays with children. He quickly realizes this is his destiny.

Warnings: Swearing, fluff, filler, Sensual language. I think that's it loves.

w/c: 2.6k

A/N y'all this is ch.2 of the remember me series. slowly picking up the pace here ;) this one is a filler as well but I hope you enjoy it. <3

The heat warmed your cheek as the sunlight peeked through your curtains in the early morning. Sighing softly you started to get ready for your morning, begrudgingly so. It wasn’t hard to tell that you weren’t a morning person. It just deemed unnecessary for you to get up and do something you didn’t even enjoy. But living in the real world, it’s what you have to do. Need work to pay for bills and food, the bills fund the essentials in your home. Just a boring, irritating cycle of life.

Heating up your electric kettle for some coffee, you washed the leftover dish from the night before, making a mental note to buy more dish soap at the market today. It was Wednesday, the usual day you went shopping for groceries. Why? Who knows, you just get excited because it's the middle of the week for you.

You thought it would probably be best to write down everything in a list because you knew you would forget even if you decided to memorize it for an hour.

Shampoo, dish soap, cooking oil, dryer sheets.. Um what else am i missing.

You looked around your apartment, adding things to your list you knew you would need. Once you were finished you folded it up and went to grab your purse, heading to the store before going to pick up the three rascals.

Definitely your favorite thing about living alone is that you don't need to buy an excessive amount of anything if you don't want to. Beginning to fill your cart with the things from your list, you consciously look around to see if maybe, maybe, you’ll see Mando again.

You need to chill, literally just met the guy and all you mentioned was a book. He literally doesn’t know you. You mentally scolded yourself as you walked through the lanes, grabbing what was on your list. Humming softly as you grabbed shampoo and conditioner, you heard soft giggling on the other side, hearing a man talk to what you presumed to be his child. Your heart sped up as you let your mind believe that it was Mando, listening carefully for the man’s voice again.

“Shit!” You whispered, checking your appearance through your phone camera. “I literally look so bad.” You mumbled, trying to fix your hair a bit more. Slipping your phone into your pocket, you pushed your cart nonchalantly as you heard the voice come close, you could see from the corner of your eye he was there.

Taking a deep breath, looking away from the many options of shampoo and conditioners, you finally turn and face Mando... except it wasn’t him. It was just some random dad with his kid. Hiding your disappointment, you awkwardly waved to the pair, grabbing what you needed before leaving that aisle quickly.

“Oh my god, that was so fucking embarrassing.” You mumbled to yourself, blushing from your stupidity. To think he would actually be there made you stoop a new low. “I need to get laid.” You sighed to yourself as you went to the dairy products. You finished off getting what was on your list, paying and placing it all carefully in your car.

On the drive back to your apartment, you hummed along to the radio, wondering if it was the universe trying to tell you something about Mando. I mean he’s cute… wait what? I don’t even know what he looks like. Yeah I got it bad. You internally fought with your rational side, deciding to stop thinking of Mando for the time being.

Putting everything away, you grabbed a few snacks to take to the kids, getting back out to your car and driving to their much bigger home. All three kids rushed out, greeting you excitedly as you stepped out of your car.

“Hello my little munchkins!” You said, kneeling and hugging all three little rascals. Standing as their parents stepped out of the house with suitcases. Keeping a smile on your face but you were sure the parents recognized the confusion in your eyes. Are they leaving? Yeah no shit, obviously. They have suitcases. You huffed as your subconscious voice was being sarcastic with you.

“Good morning, thank you for coming so early. Jerry and I have an emergency business trip we need to take. We would have told you sooner had we known but like I said this is an emergency trip.” Mrs. Stenson told you, giving you an apologetic smile.

“It’s quite alright Mrs. Stenson, I’m assuming you want me to stay with them?” You nodded to the three children who cling to your side.

“Yes please, we would appreciate it greatly. The trip is one week. We will triple your pay and send you extra money for the three of them. I know this is asking a lot of you… if you’re not comfortable i can find someone else but..” She trailed off looking at you with a hopeful look on her face.

Realizing how much she would be increasing your pay, you quickly nodded. “Don’t worry, I don’t mind watching over them. It’s fine.” You told her, giving her an understanding smile.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She gave you a quick hug before putting the suitcases in the car. “You know where everything is, if you need extra money, please call us. She turned to her kids, kneeling down the best she could because of her tight pencil skirt.

“My darling angels. Remember mommy and daddy have to leave but we will be back. Now you three better be on your best behavior or you can’t go to disneyland. Remember? Daddy said if you behave, we can all go to disneyland. “ All three kids perked up nodding. “We’ll be good mommy!” The eldest, Jaime said, excited that his reward would very possibly be a trip to disneyland. The girls murmured in agreement with their brother.

“Okay, come give daddy and me a quick kiss before we go.” She said, the kids kissing her cheek and the father’s. “I love you, my little babies. Behave well.” She gave them a tight hug before getting in the car with her husband leaving for the airport. Mr. Stenson wasn’t as affectionate as his kids but they knew their daddy loved them even if he didn’t say it as often as their mother did.

Ushering the kids inside the large home, making sure the doors were all locked. Okay, keeping three kids all under the age of ten entertained would probably be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. But you were determined.

“Okay, it’s breakfast time! What would you like to eat?” You asked, staring at the three wide-eyed children. “Waffles!” Penny shouted, jumping in excitement. Her brother and sister agreed, chanting waffles as you got the ingredients.

“Waffles it is then! Go watch tv and I will bring you your waffles when they are ready. How does that sound mm?” You asked but the kids scurried away as soon as you said tv, leaving you alone in the kitchen.

***

After feeding the children you took them out to the lake, making sure you had their skates in a bag. Usually you would take them to swim but since it’s frozen, the kids wanted to ice skate instead. Laying down a thick towel and a blanket on top of it, you sat at the edge of the grass, a few feet away from where the actual lake began.

“Don’t go too far. I checked and the ice is thick enough but you have to be careful. Loretta, you can skate here.” You pointed to the area where you wanted her to be in. She was the youngest and you were afraid that she could get severely hurt if she went too far.

Helping the kids onto the ice, you sat on the blanket, watching them carefully. You didn’t want an accident to occur. The worst thing that had ever happened when you were watching them was Jaime stepping on a leggo and his foot was in a lot of pain for a few minutes.

Hearing a rustling behind you, you quickly stood and turned around alarmed. Relief and surprise filled your body as you realized it was Mando… with a small child… or baby? Of course, even though you can’t see his face you can just tell he was older than you by a couple years. So he has a kid… meaning he either has a wife, baby mama, or just a single dad. You cleared your throat after a moment, realizing you’ve been staring.

“Sorry, I didn't know it was you… I thought it was an animal or something.” Blush creeped up onto your cheeks, feeling slightly embarrassed. Rubbing your arms, you quickly turned to watch the kids, making sure nothing had happened yet. Glancing at Mando as he walked and stood beside you.

“I should’ve made my presence known. Lake day for your kids too?” He asked, looking at the kids before focusing on your face. You nodded, looking at him.

“Yeah, it’s going to be a long week… is he your son?” You wanted to smack yourself for asking such a stupid question. Obviously, he said “your kids too” meaning this one is definitely his.

Chuckling, he nodded. “My son Grogu… I adopted him when he was… younger.” Din nodded to his son, he looked quite interesting. A very tiny little child with a bald little head and green skin. How is he so… adorable and tiny? You thought to yourself. Not being able to stop yourself from blurting out the question that had been itching at you since you saw him with his little green son.

“Are you married? Or have a girlfriend?” You asked, looking at him through his black visor. Feeling your stomach clench and your chest tighten as you nervously await his answer. Feeling more anxious to know as he looked away from you towards his son instead.

“No, I’m not married… and I don’t have a girlfriend either.” Din finally answered after a minute of silence, easing your emotions. Moving slightly closer to Mando, you looked at his hands. “Would you like to sit with me?” You motioned to your little spot you had set up on the ground.

Nodding, Din sat down next to you once you had made yourself comfortable. Looking towards the children. Determined to get to know him, you built up confidence to try to converse with him.

“How long have you lived here?” You asked, looking at him. He hummed softly, barely able to hear it. “About three months.” He replied, not looking at you. Three months?! That’s it? It surprised you how little time he’s spent there. You thought a man like himself would’ve lived there longer, probably just kept to himself but you were completely off the mark.

“Oh cool, do you like it here?” He nodded, looking at you. “I do, safer place for my son to live. Be with kids his age.” Motions to the children playing and skating together.

You looked at them, biting your lip as the cold started to seep into your jacket. “Dammit.” You mumbled as you shivered.

Din looked at you, noticing your shivering. Deciding to be bold, he wrapped an arm around you, your body tucked into his side. Blushing from his action, you pressed your face into his arm, trying to warm up. “Thank you.” You told him, the both of you enjoying the silence between you.

After a few hours, you stood to stretch your legs a bit. Looking at the kids, you noticed they were tired. “All done?” You asked as you walked to the ice. Penny nodded, yawning.

“I’m hungry!” Jaime said, pouting as he lazily skated towards you, holding his baby sister’s hand. Smiling you helped switch their skates to their normal shoes, putting the skates carefully in the bag. “Yeah? We’ll let’s go and fill those tummies up shall we?” You hummed softly before turning to Mando.

“Would you like to come with us?” You asked him, watching as he stood up. He nodded, taking his son’s hand and guiding him to the car. “I’ll follow you there.” He mumbled as he picked up his son.

You drove the kids to the restaurant, smiling as Mando walked in after you, standing close to you as the hostess showed you to the table. Sliding into the booth after all the kids were seated together, including Grogu. Mando slid in next to you, looking at you, “Hope you don’t mind.” His voice sounded deeper causing blush to creep onto your face.

“No worries.” You picked up a menu, asking the children what they would like to eat. After they all chose, you looked towards mando. “See anything you want yet?” You asked him, looking at the menu before looking at his face, blushing when you saw him already looking at you.

“I’m not too hungry, maybe I’ll order something to go.” He replied, his voice gruff causing you to clench your thighs together as you imagine his voice from underneath your pu- Stop it. You’re about to eat with KIDS you fucking horny bitch. Clearing your throat you nodded and proceeded to order what you wanted. Watching the kids interact, you felt Mando’s hand touch yours, causing you to stiffen your back at the unexpected touch.

“So.. what do you do for a living?” You asked Mando, taking a sip from your drink. He sighed softly, barely audible if you weren’t paying attention. He leaned back, his helm facing you,”I’m a bounty hunter. I get paid to hunt people down, bringing them back to people they owe debts to.” He watched your face, waiting for your reaction.

You were surprised, from your understanding that profession is quite dangerous, especially for him since he is a father. It made you curious as to why he would have that profession since he is a dad. Voicing your curiosity, you asked him.

“Why a bounty hunter? Not that it is a bad profession, it’s just that you have a child. You have a lot to lose if something happens to you.” Tilting your head to the side, you waited for his response. You looked over at the kids when they got a bit rowdy, telling them to calm down.

“It pays well enough for me to put food on the table for us. For our home. As long as I know that he is alive and safe, I am fine. I’d do anything for him.” He told you, looking towards his son for a moment. You could easily tell he truly loves his son, caring deeply for him. At some point during your conversation, your hand slipped comfortably into his, neither of you seemed to mind or be upset from the tender action. You began eating the meal, watching the children eat, making sure to have minimal mess from the four children eating in front of you two.

***

You both were outside the restaurant, the children saying good-bye to Mando’s cute little baby. The kids piled into the car, chatting loudly.

“Mando… I-I really enjoyed talking to you today… and maybe, um, we could do it again.” You said nervously, you planned on speaking confidently, but once you actually spoke, his stare made your soul tingle and all confidence slipped away.

“I think that would…” He watched your hopeful eyes, your nervous demeanor. “... it would be a great idea. I think it’ll be… good.” Good? The fuck does that mean?? Din mentally slapped himself, that was the weirdest thing he has ever said.

Blushing deeply you nodded, reaching into your purse and writing your number down on a piece of paper, handing it to him. You felt your confidence build up again as he didn’t reject you. Thank God.

“Call me.” You smiled, leaning in and kissing his helm where his cheek would be. You walked to your car, getting in and waving to him as you drove home. What a fucking day.

A/N Y'ALL this took a long ass time to write. mainly because I kept changing things around and school takes my time away! But I got it done!!! I hope y'all liked it, I know its very ~dull~ for the most part.

[mostlycompetentwriter]

FAM

F/M Pairing: Fem!Reader x Lee Minho (SKZ)

Word Count: 2.4K

Genre: Hybrid AU; Strangers to Lovers AU

Warnings: None!!

Summary: You weren’t entirely sure about adopting a hybrid, but your friends insisted that you have someone to keep you company in the giant apartment where you lived alone. But you never imagined how much you were missing out on, until you also fell in love...

A/N: I’m trying my hand at writing hybrid AUs, so please forgive me if it isn’t up to expectation! Tagging @skzwriternet​ as usual!!

The adoption center was located in a giant brick building at the center of the downtown district where traffic was always heavy, and swarms of people migrated together to walk down the crowded sidewalks as a means of occupying their time on the weekends.

But you were hardly the type to enjoy such things, and you and your friends often spent time in each other’s apartments as opposed to dealing with the claustrophobia of the 5:00 rush hour. But on this afternoon in particular, you carefully navigated the intersections and bustling extensions to find a parking spot in the freshly paved lot of the adoption center. Because you were finally going to meet the cat hybrid that you had recently adopted after a lot of pressure from your friends and several hours scrolling through the online website.

Eventually, after an interesting internal-debate, your eyes were drawn to a hybrid cat with calico-colored ears, and the bright green of his eyes had captured your heart in an instant. From there, you didn’t need any more intervention to call the shelter and arrange a time to meet them at the center to pick-up your new friend. Even though you didn’t know much about taking care of a hybrid, you had spent the past week reading anything that you could get your hands on.

You were feeling both confident and excited when you offered your name to the receptionist upon your arrival, and she offered to bring Minho out to you. “He’s been here for so long,” she explained. “His last owners brought him in before they moved.”

“They gave him up?” you asked, appalled at the idea.

However, the receptionist merely shrugged, and you had a feeling that this sort of thing happened all the time. “Well, let me get everything arranged for you,” the receptionist said, and you lingered around the lobby while you waited, flexing your fingers because you had already signed so much paperwork.

But it was all worth it when you saw him for the first time, looking at you with the same green eyes that had first captivated your attention. “Y/N,” the receptionist said. “This is Minho.”

You shuffled in place, pasting on your best smile as you studied the hybrid. “Nice to meet you, Minho,” you said. “I hope we can get along well.”

“Yeah,” Minho replied, and you were a little caught off-guard by his nonchalant attitude, but the receptionist was positively beaming and you finished signing all the required forms before you brought Minho outside to your parked SUV.

“I hope you’re comfortable,” you said to make conversation on the drive home. So far, even with your introverted tendencies taken into consideration, you were having a hard time maintaining a conversation with him. “I redesigned the guest room for you.”

“That’s fine,” Minho said, and you took a deep breath because you weren’t expecting him to be so dismissive. But maybe he wasn’t the type who talked very much after just meting someone for the first time, and you could understand the value of your silence. Still, you only wished that it didn’t feel so awkward, returning to your apartment only to watch Minho barricade himself inside his room for the rest of the night.

From thenceforth, life with Minho...was the opposite of what you expected.

Instead of living together cohesively, and enjoying the company of someone else in the apartment, you found yourself seriously questioning whether or not you had made the right decision in adopting him. For starters, he never left his room, and you only ever saw him on rare occasions when he needed to use the bathroom, or to grab his dinner from the table. Which leads you directly to your next point: other than rushed greetings in passing, Minho never spoke to you.

And that was certainly not something that you were okay with, especially considering the fact that it felt like you were living with a total stranger. But when you brought it up to your friends and colleagues, they assured you that he just needed more time to adjust: “Maybe buy him something that Cat Hybrids really enjoy?”

So, you did, and the price of the rare treats was a major blow to your checking account, but you were desperate to get a reaction from him. And you were incredibly disappointed when he ignored the treats on the table, choosing instead to pretend like they didn’t even exist. However, that’s where you drew the line, deciding to confront Minho about your scarce interactions.

But when you stepped into his bedroom unannounced, you realized that he was absent, which meant that he was probably showering. In the meantime, while you waited for him to return, you cautiously studied the little knick-knacks and photos displayed all around the room on the shelves you had installed. Apparently, Minho was quite sentimental, and you paused on a picture of Minho smiling next to another cat hybrid who was similar in age and appearance...

“Please don’t touch that,” a guttural voice interrupted your thoughts, and you nearly had a heart attack as you returned the decorative picture frame and turned around to face Minho.

“I’m sorry,” you said, swallowing hard because you felt guilty about messing with his things. “I was waiting for you to get back.”

Minho nodded, choosing to walk around you to peruse the collection of papers stacked on top of his desk. “Did you need something?”

“Yeah...” you started, trailing off when you glanced back at the picture. “Who is that with you?”

Minho sighed at your question, and he pursed his lips like he was considering whether or not he wanted to respond. “He’s my little brother,” Minho eventually relented, and he returned to his files while you studied him with an enlightened understanding of the mercurial hybrid.

“You were separated,” you said, more as a statement rather than an actual question, but Minho still nodded. “What’s his name?”

“Jisung, and I’ve been looking for him,” he said. “But none of the registries match.”

Suddenly, a lightbulb turned on inside your head, and you connected the dots as you realized that the files on Minho’s desk were all documents recording the names of the Hybrids registered with the government - as mandated several years ago.

“I’ll help you find him,” you said, and you could tell that Minho was affected, shoulders rising even as he remained facing away from you. 

“Why would you do that?”

“Because nobody deserves what you’ve gone through,” you said. “I adopted you because I wanted a companion, but there’s more than enough room for another Hybrid.”

He was silent for a moment, and neither of you even took a chance on interrupting the tension until Minho spun around with evidence of fresh tears in his green eyes. “Thank you,” he said, but you didn’t need any gratitude for doing something that you knew was right.

“Let me help you,” you continued. “I’ll do whatever it takes, and you don’t have to avoid me anymore. I think it would be nice if we lived together as a family.”

Minho nodded, and he swiped the sleeve of his shirt beneath his eyes. “I’m sorry for ignoring you....I thought you might send me back to the shelter.”

“I wouldn’t,” you said. “I chose to take on this responsibility, and I’m not the type to just give-up if something proves to be more difficult than I thought.”

“But I made it hard...”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” you interrupted him, chancing a few steps closer to place your hand on his shoulder - a soothing gesture. “Let’s find your little brother, okay?”

“Okay,” Minho agreed, and, for the first time since you met, he even managed some semblance of a smile.

Over the course of following two weeks, you and Minho continued to grow even closer as you relentlessly searched for his little brother - constantly reassuring him to never lose hope.

You could tell that he was growing disenchanted with your repeated failures, and you always did your best to improve his moods. You studied him closely, discovering little things that he liked - K-dramas with cheesy endings, chocolate-flavored sweet things, and the feeling of warm towels straight out of the dryer that you always left on his bed after cleaning them.

Each night, you made Minho’s favorite dishes, and the two of you sat together in the living room and ate dinner while watching TV - making jokes about the characters or plot on-screen. It turned out that Minho was very personable, but you had to be very patient to understand his intricate layers. You had to be compassionate and empathetic, and you slowly earned his trust and watched him open up to you. Especially when you would sit together as the kitchen table and search databases online while calling as many adoptions centers as you could find in search of his brother.

“Are you tried?” he asked one night as the two of you finished the last of your calls for the evening.

“Not really,” you replied, but you weren’t expecting him to reach out to skim his fingers over the skin beneath your eyes.

“You have dark circles,” Minho explained, but you found yourself whole-heatedly captivated by a pair of electric green eyes, drawing you closer until the soft brush of his lips across your own snatched you into a hypnosis of pleasure.

The feeling was warm - like something that had been missing, but then rediscovered to make all the pieces match around the edges, and there was nothing left but a comfortable glow sitting on your shoulders as you resisted the urge to hasten the exchange and deepen the tender presses of your lips together.

Unfortunately, the sound of your phone ringing broke the two of you apart, and you sat back with a start as you listened the delicate thud of your heart beating loudly inside your ears. “Hello?” you spoke into the receiver, and you were embarrassed by your breathless tone. 

“Hi, is this Miss Y/L/N?”

“Yes, this is she,” you said, avoiding Minho’s gaze as you tried to focus on the conversation at hand.

“Perfect! My name is Elise, and I work the adoption center in upper Manhattan. Apparently, you called us earlier about a hybrid registered as Jisung? We just wanted to let you know that some files got mixed up, but we have him here for you safe and sound!”

“Really?” you replied, excitement coursing through your veins as you relayed the news to Minho whose eyes lit up like he was seeing the entire world unfold right in front of him. “Please keep him safe for the night. I’ll be in tomorrow to formally adopt him.”

It turned out that Jisung was the complete opposite of Minho: loud and outgoing, he walked inside your apartment while chattering away about the wallpaper color and other trivial details that made you laugh at his eagerness.

You were amused by his observations, watching as Minho gave him a tour of the apartment while keeping an arm around his shoulders. It was both a protective gesture and an affectionate one, and you were glad to see Minho and Jisung reunited after such a complicated spell of time apart. They deserved nothing more to be together - you could tell that they loved each other, and their easygoing chemistry revealed a complex history that exposed the depth of a brotherly relationship.

But you and Minho had discovered that the two brothers had been separated somewhere between their last transition between owners. It seemed that the couple who had adopted them didn’t care to ensure that the brothers stayed together, and they mishandled the entire process. The situation itself angered you to no end because you couldn’t imagine how cruel a person must be to disregard someone else’s thoughts and feelings simply because they weren’t entirely human.

“So, what do you think?” you asked Jisung when he finally started to unpack his minimal belongings in the guestroom that he would be sharing with Minho. “It might be a little small...”

“Are you kidding?” Jisung interrupted. “I love it!”

“Really?” you wondered, glancing at Minho when his hand found yours, weaving your fingers together with a squeeze.

“Better than the shelter,” Jisung said. “Seriously? I’m so incredibly grateful that you went out of your way to find me.”

“Of course,” you said. “I’m glad to have you here with us.”

“That has a nice ring to it,” Jisung said, and he sat down on the edge of his bed with a sigh. 

“You should rest,” Minho suggested. “It’s been a long day.”

“Yeah,” Jisung agreed, and he shot you another grateful smile. “Thank you again, Y/N! For everything.”

You nodded with a contented sigh, allowing Minho to drag you out of the bedroom to allow Jisung some time to himself. Meanwhile, you and Minho enjoyed one another’s company on the couch in the living room, playing a drama in the background while you sat in his lap, sharing heavy kisses and oxygen while scratching your fingernails behind his ears where you had discovered that he was sensitive. 

“This is okay, right?” Minho asked at one point, pulling back to look at you with wide eyes. “I mean, we haven’t really talked about this...thing.”

“Thing?” you repeated with a laugh. “You mean our relationship?”

“Is that what it is?” Minho questioned. “Like...a boyfriend type of thing.”

“If you want,” you agreed, and you were more than amused by his choice of words. “I like you a lot.”

“I like you too,” Minho agreed with a furious shake of his head, followed by his nose sniffing across your collarbone. “You smell good.”

“Thanks?”

“I -uh - it’s a hybrid thing,” Minho said, and you practically snorting from your uncontrollable laughter.

“Hey, you don’t have to be embarrassed around me,” you reassured him, pressing a soft kiss to his nose. “I’m glad to have you and Jisung here with me, and I think we’ll make a pretty good team together.”

“That sounds nice,” Minho said. “Does that mean we can keep kissing?”

“Isn’t that what boyfriends do?” you grinned, and Minho returned your smile before kissing you senseless with his hands wrapped around your waist - fitting perfectly against your curves like they had always belonged there. 

It was everything beyond your expectation, and you knew that your life was about to become very interesting...

[seiin-translations]

2.43 S1 Chapter 4.4 - Drifting Yunichika

4. APPROACH

None of these boys have brain cells

None of them

Previous || Index || Next

Until the fourth day of the camp, Kuroba was not incorporated into the combo plays Haijima was trying to perfect. Kuroba spent most of the time only practicing receives with Uchimura and Hokao, which only increased his frustration. His feelings of doubt and distrust were swelling now as he wondered if Haijima was seriously going to strip him of his role.

“I’ll be back on the night of the first. You free?”

At night, he noticed that he got a text message from Yorimichi. He was about to do his laundry at Tora no Yu’s coin laundry after taking a bath. He typed his reply with one hand while tossing his underwear, T-shirts, and towels into the washing machine with the other.

“Can’t do the first, but maybe after the night of the third.”

“I’ll come pick you up on the third if you want. Got my license.”

“You got a car? That’s amazing!”

“Still don’t have a car yet. Well I’m just riding around town. So, on the third.”

After he sent a single “OK” emoji, the conversation ended for now.

He did it. He made a promise. The Fall Tournament was from the first to third, so he made sure to leave them out, and the fourth was his day off, so he could sleep all day even if he stayed up late the night before…he made excuses for himself in his head, but he couldn’t shake the guilt.

“Oh crap, I forgot the detergent…”

Even though there was no one else there, he lifted his head and looked around restlessly as though to ask someone. Right then, Haijima passed the aluminum doors that were open wide.

“Ah…”

Without thinking, he immediately thrust his phone into the pocket of his shorts.

Haijima also noticed him right away. “It’s just you?” he said and briefly looked around. There were old washing machines and dryers lined up against the wall on both sides, and the aisle was barely wide enough for two people to squeeze past each other. The drum dryer, rumbling away, was making a lot of noise and leaking out stiflingly hot air. The fan with the swiveling head was working at high speed and trying to release the heat to the outdoors, but it couldn’t keep up at all, and the temperature inside the prefab was reaching quite an unbearable level. He had just been thinking of taking refuge in a chair outside until the laundry was done. 

Don’t talk to me. ‘Cause you’re pissing me off. He tried to turn away and ignore him, but…he still didn’t have detergent.

“…Let me borrow some detergent. While we’re at it, give me all of it. We’ll do ours together.”

He thrust out his hand while glaring down at the washing machine tub, and a bag filled with laundry was hung from his hand without hesitation. A box of powder detergent was on top. Even though he was the one who suggested it, why did he end up doing Haijima’s laundry as well? He was extremely reluctant to do this, but he turned the bag upside down and dumped Haijima’s laundry on top of his own.

“It’s hot here.”

Haijima muttered, and quickly escaped outside while Kuroba was working. You really do take the service of others for granted, don’t you?

He inserted coins and started the washing machine, then pulled out a manga magazine off the magazine shelf and finally escaped outside. Even though he just came out of the bath, his back was already sweaty. Haijima bent down in front of the vending machine at the front of the laundromat and took out a bottle of water.

“I’ll treat you for the laundry money.”

He asked as he put in another hundred-yen coin into the machine.

“Ah, um, a Coke.”

He answered without thinking. “Don’t drink Coke…” Haijima complained and pushed the button. Don’t ask then. A diet Coke was carelessly thrown to him. “Don’t throw it, it’s carbonated.”

They each sat down on the stool placed on both sides of the aluminum door and twisted the caps of their bottles open. The chairs were on the small size, so they were low enough that the two’s legs were too long for it. Haijima had also just come out of the bath, and his hair was still wet. He was dressed lightly in a T-shirt and shorts, which doubled as his sleepwear, and his bare feet was in sneakers. But Kuroba, who was wearing sandals, was dressed a bit lighter than him. Not that he was competing with him.

Tora no Yu was an old public bathhouse located in the shopping district at the foot of the mountain where the school was, and the coin laundry was a prefab attached to it. The front street was the shopping street that led to Nanafu Station, but after nine p.m., the shutters of all the stores were already down and garbage bags and flattened cardboard boxes were piled in front of the stores.

He could hear the sound of the bugs bumping into the bare bulbs that lit the sidewalk. The sounds of the washing machines and dryers echoing off the walls of the prefab. The low sound of the vending machine’s motor. A sultry midsummer night without a breeze. Although it was somewhat more comfortable than being in the prefab where the heat accumulated, sweat frequently slid down the inside of his T-shirt.

“Our senpais started doing their laundry before they took their baths, so they collected it and went back first.”

“Oh, you can do that?”

“They could have just taught us that.”

He never did laundry at home, so such an efficient procedure never occurred to him. Thanks to that, he ended up being alone together with Haijima. Kuroba thought that the atmosphere was getting very tense, but it was unlikely that Haijima would be reading the room, so he wasn’t sure what sort of attitude he should take.

His eyes went to the right arm of Haijima, who was toying with his light blue cap. There four small crescent-shaped internal bleeding marks on his forearm. Ah…those are my fingernail marks from day before.

“…Your arm.”

When he said that sullenly with a side glance, Haijima’s eyes dropped to his arm and gave a weak reaction. “Oh.”

He was actually a guy who constantly had fresh wounds or bruises since middle school. It was odd how often he got into trouble at games. He dislocated his finger at prefecturals, and apparently Okuma almost injured him at a ballgame tournament practice. He wondered if his personality invited some sort of trouble.

Due to his wet hair, he noticed a long scar on his right temple, just behind the earpiece of his glasses. That scar…the one Yorimichi gave him…? It was from the winter of their second year of middle school. It still hadn’t disappeared…? That scar was faint, but it strangely stood out on his smooth and pale face. His eyes went to his arm scars again.

“Oh, I’m not apologizing. I’m not in the wrong…”

“You don’t have to apologize. Just practice hard.”

“I am practicing hard!”

He unintentionally raised his voice, then got sulky and plopped down his butt that had been half-rising from his chair.

“Y-You’re not going to use me at all, are you.”

Once he said it himself, he realized, Yeah, that’s right. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before. He wondered if he was the only one who still wanted to play volleyball with Haijima. He wondered if it was just a one-sided feeling that he had for a year.

In the first place, he still hadn’t apologized to Haijima about what happened at the prefecturals. He thought they had buried the hatchet after Haijima joined the Seiin volleyball team, but he turned a blind eye to the fact that they hadn’t really resolved anything. Haijima doesn’t really seem like he cares—but it’s not like he wasn’t hurt by my betrayal back then.

——“I know what your judgement of me is. It’s enough.”

When he turned his back on Haijima, Haijima’s evaluation of Kuroba must have dropped by several levels. Maybe even to the bottom. He thought of him as the kind of guy who would run away from the next day’s game because he was embarrassed at the previous day’s game. He was still wary that he would cause trouble for the team by hanging out with Yorimichi. He didn’t even know how much of it was there to begin with, but his credibility in Haijima’s mind had sunken. He didn’t trust him, on or off the court.

Haijima turned his face towards him and was about to open his mouth. He was suddenly afraid of what he was going to say, so he interrupted him with a shrill-sounding “I-I…” before the bottle slipped out of his hands. The black carbonic acid spilled out, covering his sandal-clad bare feet.

“What are you doing?”

Haijima was amazed. “S-Sorry,” he said, lowering his head and reaching his hand to his feet. Once he submerged his face between his legs, he somehow couldn’t raise it anymore.

“…I…”

The words were stuck in his throat. With his head down so far between his legs that his bangs soaked in the puddle of carbonic acid spreading on the asphalt, he squeezed out a hoarse voice.

“…I’ll, make it up…so, don’t make up your mind about me just yet…’cause, I wanna be your ace…”

With a bubbling sound, the black carbonic acid continued to spill out of the bottle opening. He waited a long time, but didn’t hear Haijima’s response.

When he timidly sent a sideways glance at him, he was astonished to see Haijima turning his back towards him and fiddling with his phone. I really am going to punch you once…I knew you were a guy who wouldn’t understand my feelings unless I said it in words so easy to understand that there’s no way to misinterpret them, but still, this denseness…

“Whatever… Shit.”

Feeling stupid, he got up and conversely slumped down on his chair. He didn’t know where to put his feelings that were going nowhere, and he felt extremely embarrassed.

Haijima wordlessly lifted his phone a little. He was gesturing for him to look at his phone. He hated himself for being able to decipher what Haijima wanted to say, even though he made no effort to convey it clearly.

He looked at his phone that he had thrust into the pocket of his shorts and saw that he had a new message. It seemed to have come after he responded to Yorimichi’s message. It was from Okuma.

Right on time, his ringtone began ringing in his hand. This time it was a call from Okuma. He wasn’t in the mood to chat with him, but he had no choice but to answer his phone.

“Did you see my message? I didn’t get a response, so I sent one to Haijima too just now.”

Their quiet surroundings made Okuma’s boorish voice sound even more annoying and loud, so he moved the phone a little further from his ear and spoke.

“I was just about to look. Anyways, you could have taught us about the laundry thing.”

“The two of you are still at Tora no Yu? Can you guys go to the gym before you come back to camp? I think I forgot something there.”

“Huh…what did you forget? Isn’t the school locked?”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s open.”

“How?”

“Look at the dryer on the far left. You’ll get an item. I’ll need the both of you to bring it back, so make sure you go with Haijima.”

“But what did you forget…”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

He hung up on him without answering his questions properly.

When he stuck his head into the prefab, he saw a convenience store plastic bag hanging from the door of the dryer closest to the entrance. He inspected it and found a small flashlight within. Wow, he really thpught of everything. I wish he had left detergent instead, though.

The phone that was still in his hand rang again. It was from Okuma again, and this time it was a message. “If you want us to do an errand, just say it in one go…He’s so annoying…” He checked the message while grumbling.

“I forgot to say this, but our gym is haunted.”

***

I wonder if he heard what I said earlier…I hope not. He was beginning to think that as time passed by.

“I wanna be your ace.” That line was so embarrassing that it makes my stomach turn. I feel like I’m gonna die in agony when I recall it. It’s Haijima, so he probably didn’t listen to what I said. Yeah, it’s definitely like that. May it be like that.

Even when he glanced to his side, he could barely make out the outline of Haijima’s profile and couldn’t gauge his expression at all.

There were no lights in the school at night. Both of them walked in silence on the narrow path illuminated by the flashlight in Haijima’s hand. The silence seemed even more awkward because there was no place for their eyes to escape to. The rustling sounds of the laundry bags they both were holding was deafening to his ears. The weight of the wet laundry hanging from his arm was also somewhat uncomfortable.

Every time the light brushed against their surroundings, the sight that emerged looked completely different from how it was in the daytime. Although he had memorized the school’s layout, he was losing confidence in whether or not the mapping in his head matched up with the place they were actually walking in. There was no doubt that the area that lay before ahead of them like a calm jet-black sea was the first sports ground. The shadow of the club room row house looked like some sort of crouching giant creature that was slumbering.

The school building was at the end of the path between the first sports ground and the row house. As they advanced forward, unable to grasp the distance to the school building, an ochre-colored wall suddenly appeared in the round light. When they moved along the wall, he saw that the doors to the passage that they usually used to go in and out of the gym from the club room was open on one side, just as Okuma said.

He stretched his neck and peered into the door. It wasn’t perfectly dark because there was a faint blue in the sky, but it was completely dark indoors. It was dominated by only black. The corridor in front of the gym was an open space with a few exercise machines and training mats, but he couldn’t catch their shadows at all now.

Haijima took off his sneakers and stepped inside, leaving the laundry bag there on the spot. Kuroba wondered how he could move so confidently with this visibility, but he hurriedly took of his sandals and followed him.

“Haijima, wait…Shine it better, I can’t see my feet.”

“I am shining it. And don’t cling to me, your hand’s hot.”

“I-I’m not clinging to you…”

When he suddenly let go of the hand that he had unconsciously put on Haijima’s shoulder, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. Sounds like the wet slapping of webbed feet—like a kappa’s footsteps!

He was about to scream and run away when he pushed Haijima down and he fell forward with a “Wah!” The light from the flashlight jumped in the wrong direction, there was the sound of metal hitting the wall, and the light went out.

His vision was blocked by a curtain of complete darkness that made even his sense of up and down uncertain.

“You…”

“T-There was just someone behind me!”

“Laundry.”

“Ah.”

On all fours, he looked behind him. There were no suspicious shadows, just a dim blue cut-out in the shape of the door. There was no sign of a yokai with a shell on its back. Was that the sound of the laundry bag falling?

“What are you so scared of? Don’t tell me you really thought something was gonna come out?”

“I-I-I-I wasn’t scared! I-Is the flashlight broken?”

He raised his voice deliberately and crawled on all fours, fearfully running his hands in the direction the light had jumped to. He was pretty sure the exercise machine was around here, so he might crash into it if he moved carelessly.

“You’re a hundred years too early to be my ace like that.”

Haijima’s voice came from somewhere in the darkness.

…It seems like he did hear me. All of it.

“Uh, um, that’s, you know…”

“It seems like you got the wrong idea about something.”

He couldn’t help but stumble over his words as he tried to excuse himself. “No need for that, I already understand,” Haijima interrupted him, and Kuroba crouched down with his head in his hands. Stop, stop, don’t kick me when I’m down any more than that. I already know that I had the wrong idea.

“You’re the team’s ace, at least.”

He covered his ears and stiffened his body to withstand the damage from the merciless Haijima’s dagger-like wor——.

…Huh?

“Ummm…can you say that one more time…?”

He asked back blankly. He stealthily looked up from the gap in his arms and craned his neck around, but Haijima’s figure was hidden by the curtain of darkness that had fallen on all sides. The only thing he could hear was a voice that had a clear quality even though it was muttering, permeating the darkness like ripples spreading in water.

“You’re the one who hits the fastest, highest, and strongest on this team, Kuroba. That’s what they call an ace, right? That’s why you’re the only ace, not anyone else. Oda-san and the others know that.”

“Oda-senpai…? Really? Our senpais really said that?”

“You think I’d lie?”

After shaking his head with vigor, he realized they couldn’t see each other and said it aloud. “I don’t think that, but then why do you keep leaving me out…?” Haijima didn’t follow up on people to the point of flattering them. He always said what he thought, so that notice of dismissal from the day before should have also been what he really thought…

“…At the prefecturals…”

There was suddenly interference in his voice, like he was hesitating to say something. The ripples, which were once undistorted perfect circles, arrived a little warped. The word “prefecturals” seemed to have been used for the first time between the two of them since that day a year ago. That word he heard in Haijima’s voice weighed heavily on his heart.

“At that time, I only had you. That’s why I had no choice but to act recklessly… But now there’s people like Oda-san and Aoki-san and Kanno-san, who are all better than you, so I can do things differently this time. I won’t let something like that happen again. I’m doing that different way now.”

“…? Sorry, I don’t really get it.”

Since the information was conveyed in chunks and not clear at all, Kuroba, who had been listening with a tense and meek expression, gradually began to tilt his head in confusion. Just when I thought I’ve been acknowledged, it sounded like I was being called shitty after all…

His fingers touched something hard. “Ah,” he muttered, and fumbled for the flashlight that had fallen into his hands. When he ran his hand along the cylindrical body and found the switch, he heard the rest of Haijima’s speech.

“I’ll prove it. At the Fall Tournament. I’ll make every ball I set to you the best one. …Because, I’m the one who wanted to make up for it…”

A white light lit up in his hand. He held up the light in the direction of the voice, but Haijima wasn’t there. Didn’t I hear his voice just now—? It seemed to have just disappeared, and he was suddenly assailed by uneasiness. It was impossible, but for some reason, he thought that he had suddenly gone back to Tokyo——

“Hai…”

The moment he got up and prepared to run,

“…Ow, what the hell is this…?”

He heard a grumble. When his shin hit something and he pitched forward, he narrowly managed to keep his footing and pointed the light at his feet. The light illuminated the seam of a worn-out undyed exercise mat. Now that he thought about it, there were always mats piled up at a height where it was easy to stumble over them around here.

Haijima had fallen down on that mat.

“Lame…you tripped.”

While feeling so relieved that the energy drained out of him, he put on a look of amazement and extended his hand with a “Here.” For a moment, he seriously thought he was gone, and he panicked.

He wanted to properly hear what he said earlier one more time. Can you say that for me one more time…he wanted to ask, but he didn’t want him to take it back, so he didn’t.

Those best sets our best setter talked about. They must be amazing sets that would astonish not only the opposing team, but also the entire venue. How nice it must feel to be the attacker who hit them. He said he would give them to me, didn’t he? All of his best sets, to me…

His body was starting to itch. He couldn’t wait to play a game. Hurry up and come, Fall Tournament.

“You…aren’t going back to Tokyo anymore, are you. You’re gonna play volleyball with us, right? We’ll play in the Fall Tournament together.”

He couldn’t help but confirm that no matter what. He didn’t know why he still felt anxious about the possibility that Haijima would one day leave this area where their spoken language was understood, but it sometimes crossed his mind.

The rim of Haijima’s glasses glinted faintly as he sat on the edge of the mat, and Kuroba knew that he was looking up at him. It was irritating that he couldn’t see his expression even though he wanted to. He still had the feeling that if he turned the light there, he would disappear again, and his anxiety wouldn’t go away.

“I said I ain’t going back.”

It was just a few words, but it had the local intonation—in a voice that contained a bit of laughter, Haijima said that and took Kuroba’s hand. When he felt the force of the two of them pulling each other in his arm, he felt like he had finally grasped something solid.

***

When they pushed open the metal doors of the gym, an unpleasant sound shook the air, as though their nerves were being filed off. It was of course pitch dark in the gym. Because it was closed off since evening practice, heat and humidity accumulated. As soon as they stepped in, it felt like a damp cloth hanging from the ceiling was sticking to his face…the lack of visibility was allowing him to imagine all sorts of things. Despite himself, he put his hand on Haijima’s shoulder again, hiding half of his body behind him.

He put the flashlight on Haijima’s shoulder like it was a bipod (the thing a sniper put a rifle on) and shined it forward, illuminating a very small area of the floor. Overlapping colored tapes were laid on the floor to indicate lines for volleyball and other sports. “Don’t put your hand on me,” Haijima growled, but he didn’t attempt to shake him off.

“What did he forget? He said we’ll know when we get there…Hmm?”

When he moved the light, something metallic glinted. It was a rusted pole…with a net attached to it…?

“Oh, by something forgotten, did he mean that we forgot to put away the net?”

“We did put it away.”

“Yeah we did,” He remembered untying the strings by himself and carrying the poles after they finished evening practice.

“Why did they go out of their way to put it back up…?”

Plop…

Something white cross the light in a parabola. After a big bounce, it rolled into a corner of the gym—it was a volleyball. “…?” After he turned the light around and followed its whereabouts, he thought it was strange and turned the light back to the net——.

A hand was caught on the net. Two hands, actually, and covered in blood. The five fingers hooked onto the net and began climbing upwards at a great speed. When the hands reached the white band at the top, a human face poked out from above the band.

“…It’s your fault…”

A gloomy whisper descended from the ceiling. A trail of blood trickled down the edge of the face’s half-open lips. The eyeballs that had stagnated at the back of the sunken eye sockets took on a dim and resentful glow.

“——It’s your fault!!”

The whisper suddenly turned into a cursed scream that reverberated throughout the gym.

The head began to quickly move sideways with the chin hooked on the white band. There was no way that a two-meter-looking person would be able to stand like that and poke their face over a 2.43 meter net like that, so it was an impossible movement.

“It’s your fault——!”

Amidst the echo of running footsteps, the head went from one end of the white band to the other and back again with the thudding sounds. It was starting to look more and more like…it was at a loss because it couldn’t get a reaction.

Kuroba stared in amazement, standing at the doorway.

“…What are you doing, Kanno-senpai?”

When he quipped that with his eyes half-closed, the head clearly looked relieved.

Kanno, who played the role of the head, called out downwards and stopped moving sideways. One part of the ceiling lights was turned on to illuminate the gym. Kanno turned over the black curtain he was coiled in from the neck down and jumped down to the floor. Another person came out from the curtain. “Oi oi oi, that was so boring, we were covered in sweat over here,” Okuma said, his face flushed.

“Are we done here?”

Hokao, who was in front of the lighting control panel at the side of the stage, said. Even Uchimura came out of the broadcasting room. All four of the second-years on the boys’ volleyball team were here.

“What, I was gonna scare you so hard you’ll piss yourselves, but you got more guts than I thought.”

Okuma complained, wiping his face that was drenched in sweat.

“Isn’t it because it’s so obvious?”

“What, it took a lot of work to do his makeup.”

“They forced me to play the ghost…”

“No, it really suits you!” He gently quipped at Kanno, who seemed to be unhappy with his casting and was pouting. The circles under his eyes and the blood were makeup, but he was a pale person who looked like a ghost in the first place, so he didn’t look that different from his regular self. “What is this anyways? Are you second-years bored?”

“It’s the annual test of courage for our boys’ volleyball training camp. It was done to us for the past two years too. Aoki-senpai’s production when he went all out wasn’t at this level, you know? You should be thankful that Okuma wanted to direct it this year.”

Hokao said, and Okuma stuck out his chest. Even though he was casually dissed, he seemed to take it as a positive compliment. “It’s that suspension bridge effect thing, you know? They say that when two people experience fear together, they become closer.”

For a moment, Kuroba was speechless. Were their senpais also concerned about the fact that things were cold between him and Haijima…?

He was grateful for the sentiment, but a forced laugh slipped out, thinking that they were just a second too late. It’s probably resolved now…I think I said most of what I wanted to say, and I’ve heard Haijima’s response.

“There’s no way Haijima would be scared of such a cheap prank, let alone me. Right…”

When he turned around, his smile faded and he cut himself off.

“…Haijima?”

Haijima wasn’t looking at him at all. He was standing bolt upright, staring at some other point. The blood had drained from his face to the point where he looked even paler than Kanno’s makeup, and his expression was stiffening with his narrow eyes widened. When he followed where his gaze was fixed, it led to…Kanno’s hands?

Kanno, who was wiping the bloodstains smeared on his hands, noticed his gaze and said in puzzlement, “Yes?”

“Uhya-hya-hya, Haijima had a better reaction, didn’t he? Is he weak against blood…”

Okuma’s guffaws floated up from the atmosphere of the situation, and trailed off awkwardly. The second-years all had quizzical looks on their faces, because Haijima was acting abnormally by his standards.

Haijima’s gaze left Kanno’s hands and moved to a corner of the gym where the light didn’t reach, as though he was afraid of something. One ball was lying around in the stagnant darkness. His gaze moved again with an awkward movement, like he was tracing something while getting caught on the splintered surface, and turned to the net next. He looked up at the net that didn’t have a bloody hand stuck in it anymore—what was he doing?

“…What’s...wrong…?”

Kuroba was the one who was shocked at the color of Haijima’s face, which he had never seen before. His voice was scratchy as he asked that question.

It’s nothing, Haijima muttered as he removed his gaze from the net and didn’t look anywhere else. He rubbed the tip of his left middle finger in front of his abdomen. He was curious about what that gesture meant, but he couldn’t ask anymore questions because Haijima’s mind, which had been properly directed outwards until earlier, had abruptly turned inward.

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