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percabethfeelsfandom · 3 years ago

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Writing Prompt AU: Childhood Best Friends to Lovers

PART 6: Age 18

“California is pretty far away,” Percy says softly into the night as Annabeth lays on the rooftop by his side. He hears her shift so that she can look at him, and he mirrors her, looking at his reflection in her pale eyes.

“2914.9 miles,” she answers.

“You really had to choose the farthest college from me didn’t you?”

Annabeth snorts and shakes her head.

“Yes Percy, I chose it purely because it’s the furthest from you in particular.” He pouts and pushes himself up on an elbow so he can look down at her.

“Why are you leaving me?”

“I’m not just leaving you Perce, I’m leaving everyone else as well. My Dad, my brothers, Thals, Grover...not just you.” Her face shifts and he sees sadness replace her joking smirk.

“Yeah but I’m special...I’m your favourite.” Percy is half-joking but he wishes with all his heart that the first part of his sentence is true, that he is in fact special to Annabeth. Special in the same way that Annabeth is special to him.

“Don’t let Thals hear that,” Annabeth says, rolling her eyes but Percy leans in closer, poking her repeatedly until she’s laughing.

“You’re only saying that because it’s true.”

“Shut up.” Percy notices how she doesn’t deny it and it brings a smile to his face.

“I’m going to miss you.” His heart gives an uncomfortable squeeze as his voice softens and his smile drops. Annabeth gives him a sad look and pokes his chest trying to get him to look at her properly.

“Don’t get all sappy on me now Seaweed Brain, we’ve still got summer.”

“And then you leave and forget me, and find a cool Perry Johnson to be your new best friend.” He says and dramatically throws his head back, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead like he’s about to faint.

Annabeth groans and pushes him away so he falls back on the blanket they’ve laid out. The other two aren’t due to arrive for another hour, but Percy has been spending so much time at Annabeth’s house already, that it made no sense to go back to his last night, so he stayed over and helped set up the apartment rooftop for their sleepover under the stars.

He thinks they’ve done a pretty good job for the two of them, there’s an array of pillows, blankets and sheets all over the floor, and plenty of snacks to last them through the night. A couple of years ago, way back when they were younger, Mr Chase set up fairy lights along the edge of the roof, so they’re not in complete darkness, not that New York can ever be truly dark. The lights illuminate Annabeth’s features as Percy turns his head to her, she looks like a goddess and Percy swallows deeply when she returns his stare.

“What are you looking at?”

Percy shrugs and sits up so he can rearrange snacks that don’t need rearranging to hide his blush at being caught.

“Oh, I nearly forgot! Can you sign this, you never did?” Annabeth says changing the subject and tugs on his arm so he can come back and sit with her.

He looks at her confused until she brings out her yearbook. Their school emblem shines on the front cover, and she places it in his lap, pressing herself to his side, so she can flip the pages, looking for an empty space to write. On the back, there’s an entire blank page and she smooths the paper down and hands him a marker.

“All yours.” She says and watches him expectantly.

“Are you going to watch me write in it?” He twirls the pen uneasily and rubs the back of his neck, slightly uncomfortable under her intense gaze.

Annabeth huffs. “Do you want me to leave?”

“Can you?” He asks half-jokingly.

“You’re such an idiot. Fine. I’ll go check if there’s anything we forgot downstairs. Do you want anything?” He grins as she shakes her head, pretending to be annoyed.

“Anything blue.”

“Of course,” she mutters and gets up, using his shoulder to steady herself. He leans into the touch and tries to ignore the way his body misses her warmth when she leaves.

When she leaves Percy flips back to the front, reliving their senior year, one page at a time. He skips past the photos of the people in his grade and goes straight to the events. It starts with homecoming, and there’s a photo of Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Thalia all dressed in black suits. Percy smiles fondly at the close-up photo of Thalia and Annabeth posing together, in matching suits and corsets. Since Thalia broke up with Luke, she’s reintegrated back into the group with no issue, and it’s like she never left.

He turns the page, skipping through the other homecoming photos, and pauses at the one of him and Annabeth. It’s a candid, and even though he’s already seen it, his heart still stutters, because in the photo she’s fixing his hair in the photo right before the official photos like she always does, and Percy can’t help but think about how much they look like a couple.

He keeps turning through the pages, trying to find more photos of their group. They’re not a very social group, preferring to hang out with each other than go to school events, but they’re at all the major ones.

There are small snippets of them at the football games, student fairs and pep rallies, it’s not till the end where there are photos that focus more on students not part of clubs that he sees more pictures of his friends.

There’s one of them all laying on their back enjoying the sun looking up at clouds the way they used to when they were kids (completely unaware that someone is taking photos of them). There’s even a photo of Grover with Thalia on his shoulder as she tries to climb a tree with toilet paper in her hand from prank day. The next one is a blurry photo of Percy completely wrapped in toilet paper and chasing Annabeth.

Moments from their senior year have been captured and immortalised in these pages, and Percy’s heart heaves at the thought of leaving this all behind or watching people leave.

Tears start to prick at his eyes as he reaches the graduation and prom photos. There’s a huge shot of his entire grade, a choice of a few students throwing their caps up. In the corner on the page before the prom photos, there's a small snapshot of the four of them, their arms thrown around each other, heads pressed together. He remembers this moment vividly. All of their names are relatively close together in the roll, so as soon as they were announced, he had bolted straight to Grover, who had bolted to Thalia, who had bolted to Annabeth, and they had all ended up screaming and jumping into each other's arms.

He’s going to miss this.

He finally comes to the prom photos, and he’s not surprised when his breath catches in his throat when he sees Annabeth in her prom dress again. It’s a deep blue, the colour of the sky above his head, and it makes his stomach flutter each time he sees it. In the photo, she’s posing with Thalia again, but she’s mid-laugh and Percy would be lying if he said it wasn’t one of his favourite photos of her. He has copies of photos from the night on his computer, but the ones taken at the venue are better quality, it’s almost like he’s back there in the moment.

Thalia had come with a date, once again wearing a tight-fitting suit, a girl on her arm and Grover had brought Juniper, his girlfriend. Percy and Annabeth had agreed to go together, just because it was easier.

“Platonically,” he remembers telling Grover. He remembers Grover laughing and shaking his head.

“There is nothing platonic about you two but okay. Have fun, Perce.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Grover had never explained what he meant and it still haunted Percy.

There isn’t a photo of the two of them at prom together, at least not in the yearbook, but he asked for a favour from a friend in the yearbook committee and has the photos that didn’t make it on a USB drive back home. His favourite is his wallpaper, and it’s of him and Annabeth dancing their heads bent close together. It’s not obvious it’s them two but he can recognise her blonde hair anywhere. That’s another moment he holds close, them dancing and swaying to a song they don’t recognise, whispering to each other in the night. He’d almost told her that night. Told her everything, about what he felt, about how he would always feel, but when she let go, he realised that he didn’t want to risk losing what they had. It was too precious to him.

Percy finally reaches the page that Annabeth initially brought him to and he uncaps the pen, tapping the back of it against the page a couple of times trying to think of a message. It’s not an accident that he didn’t write in Annabeth’s yearbook. When they were all doing it, Percy had purposefully avoided her because he knew that what he had to say to her couldn’t be said like this.

He sighs as he begins a doodle instead. A little owl because he knows that they’re her favourite, and a dolphin because they’re his. His mind is still blank at what to write to her, but he knows she’s not going to let him get away with not doing it this time.

He hears footsteps coming up the staircase and he writes the first thing that comes to his mind. The only thing that never leaves his mind when he’s around Annabeth. It’s not a long message so he’s finishing it just as Annabeth sits back down. He slams the book shut and chucks it behind him so that she can’t immediately read it. She notices and raises an eyebrow.

“Read it later. It’s embarrassing,” he says sheepishly. She laughs and hands him a bag of sour blue candy stripes. He tears open the package and starts eating as he hears other footsteps. Grover and Thalia appear in the doorway, holding pillows and even more bags of snacks.

“Let’s get this party started!” Thalia exclaims and drops her stuff unceremoniously on top of Percy, burying him under the wright. Everyone laughs at him as he sputters his way out.

Thalia plugs in some music and Annabeth helps pull Percy to his feet, and they start the feast of snacks. Grover helps Percy set up a projector for their movie and it’s nearing midnight when they finally settle on Disney’s Hercules.

As always Grover falls asleep halfway through the movie, murmuring about how his tummy hurts in his sleep. They take group selfies with him, and Percy grabs the marker next to Annabeth’s yearbook so that he can draw on Grover’s face. He’s holding back giggles with Thalia as they pose next to him and Annabeth takes a photo of them.

He pulls both girls close to him when he falls back and squeezes their shoulders.

“I can’t believe my favourite girls are leaving me to deal with this idiot,” he says and nods to Grover who has started snoring. Thalia scoffs and pushes his face so that he lets go of her. He gives in but doesn’t take his arm off Annabeth, and he swears that Annabeth cuddles just a bit closer to him.

“We’re not dying, Percy, we’re just moving to the West Coast,” Thalia says as she opens a can of coke and Percy briefly remembers how he first met Annabeth and how she had protected him from Nancy. He exchanges a look with her and sees that she’s already smiling at him, knowing exactly what he’s thinking.

“Betrayal. That’s what this is,” he says and squeezes Annabeth’s shoulder again. She threads their hands together and Percy tries not to react and turn to her again.

Thalia catches his eye and smirks at their interlocked hands.

She stands up and brushes her pants.

“I need to go pee, do you two need anything from downstairs?”

They both shake their heads and she nods before carefully stepping over a sleeping Grover and leaves the two of them.

Percy and Annabeth stay like that, leaning on each other, hands interlocked and Percy wishes he could freeze this exact moment.

“Did you write something?” Annabeth asks softly as she pulls away from him, but doesn’t let go of his hand. Percy nods tightly and she smiles as she reaches across from him and grabs the yearbook from their makeshift table. She skips straight to the back and opens to his page. She gave him an entire page to write on, but there’s only one sentence in the middle and two small doodles. She stares at it for a moment, rereading it before she looks up.

“You’re my number one,” Annabeth reads, holding the yearbook open at his page, “What does that mean?”

Percy swallows, suddenly terrified. There’s no time like now to tell her, and he has no real doubts about loving her, but with her unflinching gaze on him like this, it’s hard not to be nervous. He tries not to overthink and takes a deep breath, speaking the truth that he’s kept under wraps for years.

“There’s only one meaning, Wise Girl, what else could it mean?” He says with a shrug and reaches for her hand. She lets him take it. “My Mom once said that people who have a big heart have a lot of love in them to share, but they’ll always have their number one, and that’s you. That’s been you for years, my entire life probably.”

He takes another breath and waits for Annabeth to respond. When she doesn’t he continues, suddenly full of words. “You’re the one for me. The only one that I could ever want. The one I put before everything. You’re my-”

“Do you mean that?” Her face is full of doubt and Percy brings their joined hands up so he can press his lips to the back of her hand.

“Of course,” he breathes, and pulls her closer. He’s barely breathing when she puts the yearbook down for a moment. They stay frozen like that, pressed against each other, foreheads touching and breath mingling.

“I think I was made for loving you,” he whispers and carefully pushes her hair back.

The smile she gives him is one to rival the sun that is going to rise in a few hours.

“If that’s so, then I was made for loving you just as much.”

She kisses him, and he almost forgets his name. He brings his hands up to cup face and bring her closer and she smiles against his lips and-

“Seriously? You two couldn’t wait until after I was asleep. Jeez.”

Annabeth jerks away from him and they both stare at Thalia who is giving them a tired look from the rooftop doorway. Percy can’t help it and starts laughing, shortly after Annabeth joins and falls onto his chest, laughing too hard to keep herself up. Eventually, Thalia sits back down and bites her lip trying not to laugh, but the more she tries to keep it in the funnier it gets.

By then all three of them are laughing so hard their stomach hurts and Grover stirs awake.

“What’s going on?”

“This,” Annabeth says and proudly holds up her hand that is still firmly clasped in Percy’s hand.

Grover blinks sleepily at it and shrugs like it’s not a big deal.

“About freaking time,” he says and lays back down.

Percy and Annabeth look at each other again and he smiles at her before leaning in and pressing a quick kiss to her mouth.

“It was worth the wait.”

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

PART 4

PART 5

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honeydew-mel0n · 4 years ago

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Can I request Vergil chaperoning his daughter at her prom dance? Thank you! 🙏🏼

So, remember what I said about writing a semi-soft Dadgil? I got really excited to write Dadgil (that isn't the fucking dadV sequel) and this concept is so funny to me but,,,,,, this was a little difficult. I don't actually know anything about dads, or prom.

But!!!!! Thanks for the request!

Dad!Vergil × Daughter! Reader (chaperoneing her junior/senior prom)

Last Dance of the Night

“Are you sure you can’t do it?”

You whisper into the mouthpiece of the phone, shooting glances up the stairs, being able to catch a glimpse of your father straightening himself up in the hallway mirror. “No can do, I know it’s really important, and I'd love to be there but- Hey!”

You jolt back at the sound of your brother's voice through the phone, once again looking up the stairs to check if he heard the loud squabbling coming through the phone. He’s frozen in place, trying to assess something. Before pushing back his hair.

“Anyway, look Bug, I can't. I'm busy.” A sigh leaves your lips as your shoulders slump. “You’re useless.” “HEY-”

You hang up, quickly dialing another number on the rotary. You listen to it dial, half expecting him not to pick up, but it clicks and there's a hefty sigh from the other end. “Devil May Cry.” “Hey, Uncle Dante. I, uh, need your help.” “What happened?”

You tap your foot on the carpet. “Sooooo, prom being tonight, I checked the list of parent chaperones who signed up. And…. Dad's name was there.” There’s silence on the other end for a good minute before a roar of laughter. “Please, you could show up for him, and don’t even have to stay. Sign in, then sneak out the back door. They’ll see that you’ve already signed in and won’t let him in.”

As the laughter continues on and your hope dies, why did you ever think you could rely on your family? The hair on the back of your neck shoots straight up. Oh no. You slam the phone down and turn on your heel. Trying your best to pull a smile that didn’t show how scared you are.

“Hey dad.” His face is blank, there’s no sign of anger. “It’s getting late, shouldn’t you be on your way already?” You nod, swallowing hard and trying to find an excuse.

“Just made a quick call to Nero. Big day, he’s really excited for me. I really should get going though…” He just nods, wrapping a lace shawl around your shoulders. You drop the nervous smile and a real one forms, his thumb rubbing the fabric gently. “You look lovely.”

“Thanks Daddy.” You hop onto your tiptoes, and he leans down just slightly. You press a kiss to his cheek.

You slip out the front door waving a goodbye, knowing full well he was watching you from the window. It didn’t take much power walking to escape his view before ducking into your date's porch. Quickly checking to see if you were followed before you decided to knock.

Their mom opens the door, a delighted smile splits her face. “Oh my gosh Honey! You look so pretty!” She welcomes you in, taking you to their living room. Quickly hurring off to get her child. Looking over their happy family photos you smile melancholy.

There are loud footsteps, and your date stops abruptly, jaws going slack. “Wow…”

You both wave goodbye to their mom as you walk to the overcrowded gym. The staff stand in a row on each side of the door, screaming and cheering as all of the students make their ways inside.

You cringe as teachers in their 40’s fake enthusiasm, their only real joy being that most of you will soon either be gone for the summer and the others leaving at the end of the year and be some college professor's problem. Your eyes scan the room before ducking behind a wave of people. “*Babe, what the hell?” “My dad.”

Their eyes widen as they look through the crowd, finding him quickly before returning their gaze to you. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” your face warms. “I was caught up in the moment!” You two try to walk casually to a table and sit down.

God the decor was bad.

If you’ve ever seen the 70’s version of Carrie, where the prom decor was aggressively cheap and 70’s… That, but worse. The gym still smells like last week's basketball game, and no plug in air freshener is going to erase that.

Kinda smells like your uncle's shop.

You both keep your heads down. “What did you tell him?” “Last week I told him that I didn’t have a date, and that I was going with a group of friends because we all couldn’t get dates.” They narrow their eyes. “Babe, why?”

“He pretends he doesn’t but… he worries a whole lot about me. I knew he’d stalk you if I told him the truth. But hey, you aren't a boy, so maybe he won’t react badly.” Their eyes widen and you shiver, it’s that icy stare you know all too well. They swallow, before straightening their collar. “What about our plan to sneak out?”

You look around at the four different doors. “We’ll find a way, give it an hour.”

“I figured out a way to get out, but I do want to dance with you first. I just need to use the bathroom first, wait for me, okay?” you nod and watch as they walk past a crowd of people and seemingly disappear.

The lights dim and time passes, things eventually become more lax. You wanted to move around to try and get a escape path (and to experience what you can of prom), but your date refuses to get up at all, especially to dance and make something of the time you have.

They clear their throat and start to get up, leaning down and whispering.

And you wait.

And wait, and wait. Maybe, maybe they did disappear. Looking over the groups and couples dancing, and those who were still sitting like you, they were nowhere. Not in here at least. You sigh, sinking down in the uncomfortable metal chair.

More time passes, and nothing. You start to wish you’d just gone with some friends, maybe then you wouldn’t have gotten ditched and actually had a good time.

The clock ticks on, and it's becoming more obvious that the staff are getting ready to kick everyone out. The D.J. has been playing straight slow songs for the past 20 minutes, and you’ve had to watch couples and friends slow dance together and two people get crowned king and queen.

You tried your best to seem happy, like you were enjoying yourself.

Pulling out your phone you see a notification from your dates account. They posted 7 minutes ago. It’s a video of them and their friends fucking around outside of a conveniance store in prom suits and dresses. You feel yourself tear up, slouching lower in the chair. The lights and people become blurry, c’mon, you don’t want to cry.

A hand comes to rest on your shoulder, you look over your shoulder to see your father looking down at you. “Y/n.” “Hey Dad.” You say, no longer having anything to hide. Not that you can hide anything from him for long.

He takes the seat your date had, lips pressed shut in a permanent scowl, just like normal. It didn’t scare you, that's just him. “It seems your companion abandoned you.” You scoff, pulling up your shawl. “Yeah…” “You’re upset.” “That obvious?”

You laugh at your own joke. If he’d been your brother, he would’ve laughed too. But he sits there awkwardly, not knowing how to comfort you in this situation. “They couldn’t even give me one dance before they left me either.”

The current song playing stops and you can hear a few people whine at the idea that the next would be the last of the night.

A hand is extended to you, your fathers, he stands waiting. It's not an option, it's a demand. You take it, getting up and following him.

The song starts and he starts to dance, but you trip over yourself. Stepping on his feet several times.

“Sorry… I forgot how to dance.”

Both remembering too-small tiaras being shoved in his hair, little feet with sparkly plastic princess slippers on his, and a random song playing in the background. Trying desperately to teach you how to dance after you’d begged him to.

Forgot.

You watch him smile, just slightly. The darkness giving him the anonymity to do so.

He never did, but you had so much fun.

“That's fine, just do what you used to.”

You step onto his feet, making you move the same as him. A question burns under your skin before you chew your lip. “You’re not mad at me?” “For?” “Lying about who I went with.” There’s a low growl like sigh. “We will deal with that later.”

You nod, not worrying about it now. Resting your head on his chest, closing your eyes, tears streaming down your face now... All of what happened melts away, the safety of your father makes it go away. He always does.

#devil may cry #devil my cry x reader #vergil sparda x reader #vergil x reader #dadgil #daughter reader #Vergil x daughter reader #prom #vergil sparda #Big brother Nero #Nero is present for like a second #same with dante #requests

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luci-in-trenchcoats · 4 years ago

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The One Who Got Away

Summary: While out with friends one night, the reader bumps into her old high school best friend, Jensen. They always had a will they, won’t they relationship but the reader finds things with Jensen don’t seem to be going as well she thinks they are...

Pairing: Jensen x reader

Word Count: 7,700ish

Warnings: language, angst, family drama

A/N: For the purposes of this fic, Jensen’s wife and kids are fictitious...

____

“Oh my God,” said Carla. She nudged you and nodded over towards the other end of the bar. “Look at the guy going up to do the karaoke.”

“He’s hot,” said Nora, sipping on her beer. You spun around in your seat, catching the back of the man, his friends he was with obviously egging him on. You tilted your head, wide eyed when the guy spun around up there.

“Holy shit,” you said as he started to sing.

“I know. Plus he can sing,” said Carla.

“No. I mean...I know him,” you said.

“Yeah, he does look familiar. Is he an actor or something?” asked Carla.

“Yeah! Wasn’t he on that superman show? Oh that other guy was hot too,” said Nora.

“No. I mean, well yes, he was. He had his...own show for a while,” you said.

“You like a fan?” asked Carla.

“Go get his autograph when he’s done!” said Nora. “I’ll go with you if you’re nervous.”

“Guys-”

“I want his autograph,” said Carla.

“You’re married to Nolan,” she said. “I know he’s revolting but still.”

“Oh, Nolan is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I can still look,” said Carla. “Speaking of which, Miss I’m engaged.”

“I’d have to fight Dan off over that guy,” said Nora. “And I’m trying to be a supportive friend over here before Y/N fangirls too hard.”

“Guys-”

“I triple dog dare you to ask him as your date to Nora’s wedding,” said Carla.

“That’s evil,” said Nora. “I want in though. I’ll pay for your drinks tonight if you do it.”

“He was my best friend in high school,” you said, both of them going quiet.

“Oh,” said Carla after a moment. “Sorry. We’ll shut up.”

“Yeah. Sorry, Y/N. We were only teasing,” said Nora. “My brother totally wants to go with you anyways.”

“I...I’m gonna go say hey,” you said, standing up when he finished singing. He got a few slaps on the back from his friends and took a seat, doing a shot as you slowly walked over. You froze for a moment.

You hadn’t seen him since you were eighteen. It was more than likely he wouldn’t recognize you in the dim bar anyways. You shook your head and went to turn away.

“Kid?” you heard, gaze going back to his table. His friends were all staring at you but you only saw Jensen looking at you with a big smile. “Y/N?”

“Hey, Jens,” you said. He shot up out of his seat and immediately gave you a hug, pulling back with a goofy grin. “Been awhile.”

“Yeah it has,” he said, looking you up and down. “You look great.”

“You too. You finally grew into your body,” you said with a laugh.

“Took me long enough. You never had that problem,” he said, biting his bottom lip.

“Who’s your friend, Ackles?” asked one of his friends, a smirk on his face.

“Oh. Guys this is Y/N. She was my best friend in school,” he said.

“You mean the Y/N you had a super huge crush on?” said someone else. Jensen looked like a deer in the headlights, his other buddies wearing shit-eating grins.

“Remind me to kill you later,” mumbled Jensen.

“It’s cool, Jay, really. It was a long time ago. I just wanted to say hi,” you said. “I’ll uh...see ya.”

You immediately left, heading back to your table with a sigh.

“Y/N,” said Carla, shoving her credit card back in her wallet.

“Mhm?” you hummed, tugging your jacket on.

“You got a visitor,” said Nora. You turned on your stool, Jensen giving you a smile as he walked up. “Hi.”

“Hi,” said Carla.

“Hi,” said Jensen to them both before landing his gaze back on you. “Sorry about them. Guys are...shit heads.”

“It’s fine, Jensen, really. Like I said, it was a long time ago,” you said.

“It was,” he said. “Do you ladies mind if I steal Y/N for a minute?”

“Oh, steal her for all the minutes,” said Nora.

“You and Dan are my ride home,” you said.

“Maybe you get a ride home somewhere else?” she said with a shrug.

“Oh my…” you sighed, hopping off your seat and following Jensen outside and into the cool night air. “Sorry. My friends would get along great with yours.”

“You were never much of one with being friends with other girls,” he said with a smirk.

“Cause I was a tomboy,” you said. “I wasn’t exactly girly in school, Jensen.”

“So?” he asked, nodding down to your band tee. “I always liked your style.”

“I do wear skirts and dresses now, Jay,” you teased.

“I’m just saying, you be you. I always liked that version of you,” he said.

“What’d you want to talk to me about?” you asked.

“I have kids,” he said. “And I just went through a very quiet divorce about a year ago.”

“I’m sorry,” you said.

“Remember how you always said I’d marry the first girl I wasn’t shy with? Well, you were right,” he said. “I never loved her the way I knew it was supposed to be. She was safe and I was scared.”

“Jensen. Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I’m sorry for being a horrible teenage boy when I was eighteen and ruining our friendship. I had a crush on you from the first day of kindergarten and I never said a word. Tonight...I feel like a five year old all over again,” he said.

“You said-”

“I know what I said. I remember,” he said.

“I said some pretty awful things too,” you said, kicking the ground. “I told you that you’d fail if you went out to LA, that you weren’t any good.”

“I deserved it. I’m pretty sure I called you a bitch,” he said.

“You were pretty angry,” you said. “All because I went to prom with Dylan Anderson.”

“Dylan Anderson was a scumbag who bragged about who he had sex with in the locker room. He had this list of girls he wanted to try and get with just so he could be their first and you were on it. He was always asking me how to get in your pants,” he said.

“I never had sex with Dylan Anderson. You would have known that if you hadn’t stopped talking to me but oh wait, Jackie Morlan didn’t like you talking to me,” you said.

“Like I said, I fucked up. The one time I picked popularity over you and...I ruined thirteen years of friendship and the end of our senior year and none of our friends talked to you anymore. I know I fucked it up,” he said.

“What is your point?”

“My point is, I should have asked you to homecoming and prom and I should have had the guts to ask you out. We both wanted it. I was too shy and I treated you like one of the boys too much. I took you for granted,” he said.

“You can’t change that, Jensen,” you said.

“No, I can’t. I have two amazing kids and I wouldn’t change a thing when it comes to having them in my life. But if I could have done it with you, I would have,” he said.

“Jensen. I had the world’s biggest crush on you back then. I kept waiting and waiting for you and maybe I regret not saying something first but you know how little confidence I had back then. I’m a big girl now, Jens. I don’t just say yes to the pretty boy because he asked,” you said.

“I just wanted to apologize,” he said with a nod. “You grew up very beautiful, Y/N.”

He turned and headed down the sidewalk, your own eyes shutting.

“Wait,” you said, Jensen’s footsteps stilling. “What did you say to Dylan Anderson? I know you said something because he didn’t even try to make a move on me at prom.”

“I told him if he hurt you, I’d hurt him,” said Jensen. “He could have easily kicked my ass but I sounded pretty scary when I said it.”

“So we stopped talking and you still had my back?”

“That’s what best friends do,” he said with a shrug, turning to face you.

“Why’d you really get a divorce?” you asked.

“She stopped loving me in that way,” he said with a sad smile.

“Jensen.”

“She cheated on me and I pretended it wasn’t going on because I thought I deserved it for not being around so much,” he said.

“You’re an idiot,” you said. “You don’t deserve that, Jay.”

“I know,” he said. “Listen, I’m sorry for bothering you tonight. I should have just kept my mouth shut.”

“Hey. Red light green light,” you said, Jensen tilting his head.

“That was...that was your thing,” he said.

“It was our thing and just because we never did it with you doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start,” you said.

“That’s not-”

“I said red light green light. You remember the rules,” you said. “You came up with them.”

“Green light,” he said.

“You’re lying,” you said. He sighed and shook his head as he crossed his arms.

“Fine. Red light,” he said. “What’s the point?”

“Red light means let’s go find someplace that still has ice cream this time of night and we talk until you feel better,” you said.

“We aren’t teenagers anymore,” he said.

“No. We’re not. But red light green light really helped me on some bad nights and I think it’ll help you too,” you said.

“I gotta head home. The kids are getting dropped off in like twenty minutes,” he said.

“Jensen.”

“Go tell your friend you’re riding with me then. And hurry. I don’t want to be late.”

“The one time she’s early,” grumbled Jensen as he pulled into his driveway. You slid out of the car and saw the driver’s side on the the other one open. “Hallie.”

“Jensen,” she said, glancing at you. “Moving on finally?”

“She’s my friend,” he said, opening her backdoor. “Where are the kids?”

“In the house watching cartoons,” she said.

“You left them in the house alone? They’re four and three,” he said.

“They’ve been in there fifteen minutes, they’re fine,” she said. “I’ll be out of town with Wes the next three weeks so you’ll have them 24/7.”

“Starting…”

“Tonight,” she said. “I have to head home and finish packing if you don’t mind.”

Jensen waved her to leave, rolling his eyes after she backed out.

“That’s your ex-wife?” you asked.

“Yup.”

“No offense but she kind of seems like a bitch.”

“She is,” he sighed. “She suckered me. Jokes on her though. Glad I listened to my parents and got a pre-nup.”

“Way to go Ackles,” you said, Jensen smiling.

“She only has the kids one day a week anyways. It’s very hard explaining to a small child why their mom doesn’t want to see them,” he said.

“She purposefully doesn’t have the kids more?” you asked, following him in through the front door.

“She was never overly affectionate with them. She’s been slowing leaving their lives for the past year. I wouldn’t be surprised if she asked I have full custody within a few months,” he said.

“How on earth did you wind up with someone like that?” you asked.

“Because she acted like someone I wanted. But like I said, pre-nup. She’s got a pretty stupid rich out his ass boyfriend now so she’s happy,” he said, kicking off his shoes as you followed him inside. You looked over and spotted a little girl and boy sitting on the couch watching cartoons. “Hey guys. It is so past your bedtime.”

“Mommy said we could watch,” said the girl, a little bit bigger and taller than the boy nearly passed out next to her.

“Well it’s past your bedtimes,” he said, flipping the screen off and picking up the girl. “How was mommy’s today, Harper?”

“We watched cartoons,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

“Is that all you did?” he asked.

“Yeah. Wes came over. I don’t think he likes me and Taylor,” she said. Jensen seemed to ignore the comment but he pursed his lips, looking at the boy half-asleep.

“You want me to get him?” you asked. He smiled and you picked Taylor up, the boy tilting his head at you with green eyes. “Wow. You look so much like your daddy.”

“You smell pretty,” he said, wrapping his arms around your neck.

“He’s so cute,” you said.

“Wait until it’s five am and he’s peeling open your eyelids,” said Jensen with a smirk. “Alright. Let’s get you two squared away.”

Ten minutes later you headed back downstairs with Jensen, Jensen sighing as he went to the freezer and pulled out two pints of ice cream.

“I forgot how much easier that is when two people do it,” he said.

“Your kids are adorable,” you said.

“They’re worth dealing with she who shall not be named,” he said, giving you a smile and handing you a spoon.

“Your house is beautiful too,” you said, taking a seat at his kitchen counter. He hopped on top of it, starting to dig into his ice cream. “So what’s got you feeling red light?”

“Do we have to do this?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah. That’s the rule. If you feel like shit, we eat ice cream and talk until you don’t feel like shit,” you said.

“This used to be easier when it was you feeling crappy, no offense.”

“We don’t have to fix it all tonight, just talk,” you said.

“I’m an asshole and you still want to make me feel better,” he said.

“Best friends have each other’s back from what I hear,” you said. He chuckled, nodding his head. “So what’s up?”

“Nothing. Same crap I’ve been dealing with for awhile,” he said.

“You seemed okay until we were outside the bar.”

“Because sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if we hadn’t had that stupid fight,” he said.

“I could have said something too, Jensen.”

“No you couldn’t have,” he said with a sad smile. “I knew your weak spots and I hit them. Jackie was stuck up and I never should have started hanging out with her.”

“She was the prettiest girl in school,” you said.

“No she wasn’t.”

“Jens-”

“No she wasn’t. She had to put on a mountain of makeup and a push up bra and wear tight little shirts. There was someone else far prettier around,” he said. “And I was scared of ruining us so I kept it down and then when Jackie started pulling me away, I called you a prude and told you to act more like a girl and you totally should have kicked my ass for that.”

“I spent my first year of college being a girly girl you know,” you said. “Make up every morning, hair, preppy clothes. Frat parties, joined a sorority, hooked up with a guy on a bet. I spent my first two years of college like that.”

“Why?”

“Because boys started paying attention to me. People started to talk to me,” you said with a shrug. “My dad thought something was wrong, like I was having some kind of reverse breakdown or something.”

“What about the second two years?”

“A frat boy tried to spike my drink,” you said.

“Really.”

“Yup. I knocked out three of his teeth,” you said with a smile.

“That’s my girl. You thought it was silly when I taught you how to throw a punch too,” he said.

“Well after that whole incident, I quit my sorority and started fresh. I met Carla and Nora in a study group. Those were real friends. We sat around and ate pizza and cookies and looked like shit and we had a blast. We would dress up and go out sometimes but it was different. It felt like I found a balance. It was nice having girl friends for once,” you said. “They’re the ones that reminded me that acting like a girl means not taking anyone’s shit.”

“I like your friends,” he said.

“So we had a fight in high school. You obviously regret it and I regret it and...maybe something would have happened, who knows. But like you said earlier, you got two great kids upstairs and I’d never take that away from you,” you said.

“Can we start over?” he asked. “From before our fight?”

“In that case, you owe me a dollar for lunch money,” you said, Jensen breaking out into a laugh. “I’m serious. With inflation that’s like five bucks.”

“I can take you to lunch tomorrow to make up for it,” he said.

“I thought we were starting over,” you said. Jensen nodded and hopped off the counter, walking around to you.

“Oh, we are,” he said. You stared at him as he leaned down and kissed you, cupping your cheek gently.

Oh shit he was better than any teenage dream you’d had could have been. He was soft and sweet and he tasted like bourbon and vanilla. There was a spark in your stomach that raced through your veins, quietly vanishing as he pulled back. You breathed and looked up at him, Jensen licking his lips.

“I already told you. I fucked it up the first time. I’m not doing it this time around,” he said. “What do you say?”

“You’re blushing,” you said, touching his cheek, feeling the heat in it. You reached your hand around to the back of his neck, Jensen letting you pull him into another kiss.

“Can I take that as a yes?” he asked.

“Yeah,” you said. “It’s a yes.”

“For my own edification, back then, if I wasn’t so scared…”

“It would have been a yes,” you said.

“That’s what I was scared of,” he said with a swallow.

“Jens. Stop being scared,” you said. “Please?”

“Alright,” he said with a nod.

“Red light green light?”

“Green light,” he said. “I feel better now. Promise.”

“Good. Now what fancy rich neighborhood do you live in cause I need to get an uber home.”

“Hey, Y/N?” asked Jensen when you answered your phone as you were heading out for your lunch date the next day. “I got a slight problem.”

“Yes…”

“My last minute babysitter had to cancel last minute,” he said.

“Bring the kids with,” you said. “I don’t mind.”

“Really?” he said, his voice light and happy like he was a kid himself.

“Yeah. Let me get to know the whole family,” you said. “If you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah, totally. We’ll meet you there.”

“Hello Ackles,” you said, spotting them in a booth at the restaurant.

“Hi!” said Taylor from the other side of the table, tucked between the wall and his father.

“Hi Taylor,” you said, sliding into the empty spot next to Harper. “Hi Harper.”

“Hi,” she said, a bit more quiet than she was the night before.

“Guys, this is Y/N. She was my best friend in school,” said Jensen. “She’s hopefully going to be hanging out with us more lately.”

“Do you play pretend too?” asked Harper.

“No. Your daddy was very good in all of our school plays though. He even got me to do it one year,” you said.

“You hated that,” he said.

“Yes, I did,” you laughed. “I’m a sound engineer.”

“Really? I thought you were going to be a marine biologist,” said Jensen.

“Well, one required way less schooling,” you said. “So you know how singer’s record in a studio? Well I’m one of those people that helps turn what people sing into an album.”

“Do you know Taylor Swift?” asked Harper.

“No, no. Sometimes I work on commercials too. I do a lot of different stuff. It’s really fun,” you said.

“Can you sing like daddy?” asked Taylor.

“Nope,” you said. “What about you guys? You good singers?”

“I’m amazing,” said Taylor.

“Mhm,” laughed Jensen. “So, Y/N-”

“Harper’s having a pool party tomorrow for her birthday. Are you gonna come?” asked Taylor. You stared at Jensen, Harper scowling at her little brother.

“I didn’t know there was a party,” you said.

“I don’t want a party anymore,” said Harper. “Mommy won’t be there.”

“Sweetie, all your friends from pre-school will be there. Don’t you want your birthday party?” asked Jensen. Harper shook her head, Jensen staring blankly for a moment. “We’re having your party, Harper.”

“I don’t want it,” she said.

“How old are you turning, Harper?” you asked.

“Five,” she grumbled.

“My mom wasn’t at my fifth birthday either,” you said. Jensen gave you a smile, Harper looking up at you. “Can I come to your party, Harper?”

“Okay,” she said. “Can I go to the bathroom?”

“I can take her,” you said.

“Thank you,” said Jensen as you slid out, following Harper back to the bathroom. You waited inside with her, helping her get up to the sink and dry off her hands. By the time you were back out, a plate of french fries was in the middle of the table. “All good?”

“Yeah. Can I have a hotdog?” she asked.

“Sure. You wanted mac and cheese, buddy?” asked Jensen, Taylor nodding. “Y/N, order whatever you want. It’s on me.”

“I’ll just get a cheeseburger,” you said. “Harper, I like your braid. It’s very pretty.”

“Daddy did it,” she said. “He’s really good at playing dress up.”

“I bet he is,” you teased. He rolled his eyes and ordered when the waiter came over, making small talk for the most part with you and the kids.

“Hey guys,” said Jensen as he put down some money to pay. “You want to hang out at Uncle Jared’s tonight for a few hours?”

They both nodded excitedly as Jensen looked at you.

“Dinner?” he asked. You smiled and he looked relieved. It wasn’t until you were outside and he packed up the kids in the car that he brought it up again. “Sorry. This has been a total disaster of a first date.”

“No it wasn’t,” you said. “They sort of come with the package.”

“Thanks for earlier with Harper. She really wanted me to cancel her birthday party this morning,” he said.

“Speaking of which, what does she like? I got to run to the store and grab her a present,” you said.

“She’s got toys out her ass,” he said. “Some money in a card is fine. I’ll put it in her savings.”

“Would she like a blanket?” you asked, a silly smirk crossing his face. “Blankets always made you feel better when you felt crappy.”

“She likes pink,” he said.

“Alright. I’ll find her something,” you said. “Where do you want to meet tonight?”

“I can pick you up at your place at seven?” he asked.

“Alright, that sounds good,” you said.

“Hey, Y/N.”

“Yes?”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it but you just gave those two more attention in an hour than their own mother’s given them in six months,” he said. “I appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me for talking to your kids, Jensen. You don’t have to thank me for that,” you said.

“I’ll text you later,” he said. “And thank you.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later, Jens.”

“Hi,” said Jensen when you slid into his car that night, Jensen looking you up and down. “You look gorgeous.”

“You look very pretty too,” you teased. “Where are we going?”

“BBQ?”

“That’s my boy,” you said. He was quiet as he drove, asking you more about your work as you parked and ordered your food. It wasn’t until he was halfway through a pulled pork sandwich that he started to blush. “What is it Jensen?”

“I’m doing it aren’t I. I won’t shut up,” he said.

“We’re catching up is all,” you said. “I don’t recall you ever being a singer in high school.”

“Well, it’s not exactly something you brag about,” he said. “I’m not any good anyways.”

“You sounded pretty good at karaoke,” you said. “You could make an album for fun. Plenty of people do. Those are actually my favorite projects to work on.”

“Maybe. I’m busy enough with the kids and brewery. I got a movie I’m supposed to film in a few months. Only like four weeks but I’m gonna fucking hate being away from the kids that long. My parents are going to have to watch them,” he said. “Signed on before we got a divorce and everything.”

“Can’t she take the kids?” you asked.

“Honestly, I don’t trust her. About two years ago, Taylor was still a baby, she really started to show her true colors. The nanny was the one raising the kids. I mean, I’m not claiming to be world’s best dad or anything but at least I change a diaper and give ‘em a bath when I’m home. Now they’re getting older and they’re starting to think mommy doesn’t like them. Unfortunately, I think that’s true,” he said.

“You weren’t joking earlier about thinking she wants to ditch them, were you.”

“No. In the long run, it’ll be the best thing for them. But it’s gonna suck. I hope they’re small enough to not let it get to them,” he said.

“I barely remember my mom,” you said. “Shit, your mom was the one that got me through my first period.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I was over your house and went to the bathroom and it happened and she was so nice about explaining everything to me. I think my dad was a bit relieved we didn’t have to have that talk,” you said.

“My parents ask about you every once in a while,” he said. “Ask if we ever made up.”

“I assume they’ll be at the party tomorrow?” you asked, Jensen nodding. “Well, you can tell them we have now.”

“Harper’s not gonna have a mom pretty soon,” said Jensen.

“Do I have to tell you how a period works?” you asked, Jensen chuckling.

“No. No. It’s just hard to be dad and mom sometimes. I know it’s going to happen too,” he said.

“Well, when it does, I want you to remember that your kids are better off with just you,” you said.

“I’ll try,” he said. “How’s the brisket?”

“Crap, crap, crap,” you heard a guy say as you got out of your car at Jensen’s the next day. You rushed over and helped him catch a bag that was falling. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” you said, giving him a smile.

“I haven’t seen you around before. I’m Jared,” he said.

“Y/N,” you said, Jared raising an eyebrow.

“Wow. Like the Y/N Jensen was puppy dog in love with?” he asked.

“My reputation precedes me with Jensen’s friends apparently,” you said. “We met up a few days ago again. Talked through some stuff. We’re...trying it out.”

“I don’t even know you and I already like you better than the bitch,” said Jared. “Sorry. That’d be-”

“I know who you’re talking about,” you said, glancing at the bag. “Looks like Harper’s making out pretty good.”

“I’m the godfather. I’ve got to spoil her rotten,” he said. “I used to work with Jensen.”

“Yeah, you looked familiar. Your hair’s much shorter now, right?” you said.

“Yeah. Jensen was so excited,” Jared laughed. “I’ve been thinking of growing it out again. Well, I’m glad you made it.”

“Glad Harper invited me,” you said, following him down the driveway and around to the backyard, spotting a few kids and adults around.

“Hey, loser,” said Jensen with smile.

“You’re the loser,” you said, looking to Jared when you heard him echo the sentiment back.

“Well now I really like her,” said Jared, setting his bag down near the pile of presents. “Speaking of which, where’s the birthday girl?”

“Last I saw, Gen and my sister were keeping an eye on them in the shallow end,” said Jensen.

“Well I better go say hey,” he said, taking off as Jensen gave you a smile.

“Thanks for coming,” he said as you sat down a small bag on the table. “So what’d you get her?”

“Eh, it’s nothing,” you said with a shrug. He hummed and crossed his arms. “I got her Harry Potter and a soccer ball.”

“That’s actually kind of perfect. She starts soccer in the fall and she’s ahead of her age group reading wise. She’s actually really ahead,” he said.

“You were always a good reader. Plus kids love Harry Potter,” you said.

“I’m sure she’ll love it,” he said, your lips turning up when you caught sight of his older brother coming over. “Hey, Josh. You remember-”

“Little shrimp. Hard to forget Y/N Y/L/N,” he said with a laugh. “Did you let him sucker you into being his friend again?”

“We’re kind of dating,” said Jensen quietly.

“No shit. You do have a pair on you after all,” he said, slapping Jensen’s back. “Hey Mac!”

“What!” she shouted from across the yard.

“It took them more than ten years to get together! You lost!” he shouted.

“Mow your own lawn loser!” she shouted back.

“No way! A bet’s a bet!” said Josh as he headed off, not without turning around. “I always told Jenny-”

“Joshua. Leave before I drown you at my daughter’s pool party,” said Jensen, closing his eyes.

“Fine, fine,” he said, waving Jensen off. “You know I’m pretty sure you gave him his first boner and-”

“Josh!” said Jensen, his brother cracking up as he left. “That’s not true…”

“We’re not at that stage yet so let’s just go with the old standard,” you said.

“Josh is a dick?”

“Josh is a dick,” you laughed.

“I can agree to that,” said Jensen. “So bathroom is right through there. If you want to change out of your swimsuit, just find a place in the house that’s free. We got presents and cake in like an hour but other than that, it should be pretty laid back.”

“Cool. I’m gonna go say hey to the birthday girl myself and I’ll swing back around later.”

“Thanks for helping pick up,” said Jensen, tossing a streamer in the garbage bag that evening.

“It’s no problem,” you said, looking around the yard. “I think that’s the last of it.”

“Yeah. Hey you want to hang out? We were gonna do a little backyard bonfire. If you want to,” he said.

“Sure. I do want to change out of these wet clothes first though,” you said. He hummed and you walked back out to your car, grabbing your bag as Jensen showed you down to the guest room.

“Shit,” he said, the door already closed. “Forgot, my brother’s family is crashing in there tonight...and my parents are in the other guest room and my sister’s family is taking over the family room.”

“Don’t you have a bedroom?” you joked.

“True. I don’t want you getting the wrong idea though. I mean...you know what I mean,” he said.

“Just point me towards a shower and I’m good, Jens,” you said. He showed you towards his room and told you to take your time. Your jaw practically dropped when you were alone. His house was gorgeous but the bathroom was anyone’s dream come true. “Shit Jens. Somebody did well for themselves.”

You set your bag down on the empty vanity and pulled out your new clothes before hopping in the shower. You were pretty sure you would marry it if you could have but you didn’t want to waste all the water on Jensen and quickly were out and changing into some sweats and a tee shirt.

“I’m all set,” you said, giving Jensen a smile as he padded around in his bedroom.

“You got a hoodie?” he asked. You shook your head, Jensen walking into his closet and out a few seconds later, tossing one at you. “Take it.”

“Thanks,” you said. You gave him his privacy, catching his parents watching the kids in the family room. “Hi.”

“You owe me five bucks,” said his dad to his mom. “Told you those two would wind up together.”

“I was the one that said that!” she said, rolling her eyes.

“She’s delusional as always,” he said, standing up and giving you a hug. “How you doing kiddo? You got all grown up.”

“Yeah, been a few years,” you said, rubbing the back of your neck.

“Jensen said he ran into you a few nights ago. I’m so glad you two made up,” said his mom. “He could really use a good friend right now.”

“Grandpa, Daddy says he used to be best friends with Y/N,” said Harper, already face first into her Harry Potter book.

“We’ve known Y/N since she was your age, Harper. She practically lived at our house,” he said.

“She lived at your house?” she asked.

“It’s just an expression. I went over your daddy’s house a lot to play,” you said with a smile. “So, Jensen said fire in the backyard? Am I to assume the famous Ackles smores will be served?”

“You help pack up the kids for outside and we’ll get this thing going.”

“Hey, shrimp,” asked Josh a few hours later, the kids all up in bed in the house aside from Harper who was passed out on Jensen’s chest.

“Yes, Joshua,” you said, sipping on your beer.

“How’re Drake and Devin doing?” he asked. “We sort of fell out of touch when they moved up to New York.”

“Those guys are good. Off being lawyers. Shockingly enough they didn’t get in the NBA like they planned,” you said with a laugh.

“Wasn’t that the boys plan?” teased Mac. “Your older brothers were like super hot though.”

“Your older brothers were super hot,” you said.

“Josh was not hot,” said Jensen.

“When I was 14 and you got an older brother, he was pretty hot at the time, Jensen,” you laughed.

“I always knew shrimpy had a crush on me,” he said.

“Uh, no. That was reserved for someone else,” you said.

“I wonder who that could be,” said Jensen, pulling a yawn and stretch, putting his arm over your shoulders.

“How’s your dad doing, Y/N?” asked their dad. “He retired yet?”

“No. No. He’s still got a few years left he says. My brothers and I keep trying to get him to quit but we think he doesn’t want to sit in an empty house by himself,” you said.

“He never found anyone, did he,” said Jensen.

“No. After my mom got sick, he focused on us and on work. I think that’s part of the reason me and my brothers were always over your guy’s house so often. Dad was always working two shifts. You guys fed us dinner most nights of the week,” you said, pursing your lips, catching the look on his parents faces. “You knew that, didn’t you.”

“It was always obvious that you and Jensen had a special friendship,” said his dad. “You two were attached at the hip from day one. When you started coming over to play, we started noticing a few things. We had a conversation with your dad one night before he picked you up. We offered to help. He was reluctant but we found out what happened with your mom and he let us help eventually. That was around the time your brothers and Josh started playing together too.”

“I know,” you said, staring at the fire, feeling Jensen rub your shoulder. “The Ackles were always nice to the Y/L/N’s.”

“I’m gonna put Harper up to bed,” said Jensen, nodding for you to follow. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

He picked her up easily and brought her into the house, returning down to the kitchen with a smile after a moment.

“My sister in law is conked out but I think they’re fine,” he said, heading back for the back door. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Just remembering...when we fought, I sort of lost your family too,” you said.

“I know they’ve only tried to embarrass me about fifty times today but my family did always love you too, Y/N.”

“You love me?” you asked.

“I did. A friend love for sure. We still have to figure out the rest of this. I’m not ready to say it. I may never be,” he said.

“I enjoy just hanging out again,” you said. “Even if your family apparently made a lot of bets on us getting together.”

“You haven’t even heard half of them,” he chuckled. “Come on. I bet there’s still some smores left out there.”

Two Days Later

“Hi guys,” you said, spotting Harper and Taylor playing with some chalk in the driveway. “Where’s your dad?”

“He got a big letter in the mail. He went under the front porch,” said Harper, pointing down towards the front door, Jensen sitting at an outdoor table with his back to you.

“Alright. Well, your dad invited me over for dinner so I’m gonna go say hey and then I’ll be right back,” you said. You made sure they were okay on their own before you wandered down and poked Jensen on the shoulder, Jensen nearly jumping out of his seat. “Sorry.”

“Y/N, no, it’s fine. You’re early,” he said, looking at his watch. “Or not. Shit. Shit, I was supposed to have the food in the oven and those two need to get out of the sun.”

“Alright. You take a minute to yourself and I’ll get them inside and washed up, okay?” you said. Jensen nodded and you rubbed his arm as you walked past. You gathered up the kids, letting them show you where they kept their chalk in the garage, leading you inside and showing you around a little before you got them both washed up at the kitchen sink.

Jensen made his way inside by the time you were in the family room playing with them. He forced a smile on his face as he worked in the kitchen a moment, closing his eyes once he had the oven door shut.

You left the kids and wandered over, Jensen sighing as he shoved some papers back in a manila envelope.

“Jay...what happened?”

“She’s giving up custody. She filed the paperwork. All I have to do is sign apparently,” he said, running his hand over his face. “How the hell did I end up with a person like that?”

“Are they better off with or without her?” you asked.

“Without for sure,” he said.

“Then remember that. You love ‘em and that’s all they need right now,” you said. He nodded, letting a half-smile cross his face. “I’ll watch dinner and the kids. Go get your head on straight.”

“No, Y/N. I’m really okay,” he said.

“You’re really not. Go before I force your wimpy ass,” you said.

“Alright,” he said, gathering up the papers and taking a step out of the kitchen. “Y/N, I don’t know how you came back into my life at this exact moment but I’m glad you’re here.”

“Go on, Jens. I got everything covered.”

“Thanks for tonight,” said Jensen, the kids passed out in bed as you sat on his back porch.

“Just because you knew it was coming doesn’t make it easier,” you said.

“You knew your mom was sick when you were little, didn’t you,” he said.

“Yeah. My parents told us. I didn’t understand really, not until after she was gone,” you said. “You’ll be okay, Jay.”

“I know. I don’t know how to tell them,” he said.

“Tell them their mom isn’t able to be a mom anymore and leave it at that,” you said.

“Harper’s the one that’s old enough to ask questions,” he said.

“Don’t say anything until it’s final. Maybe when she’s back from her vacation, she’ll say something to them, alright? Try not to stress too much and just enjoy the few weeks without her.”

Two Months Later

“Ackles,” you said, ruffling Taylor’s hair as you walked into Jensen’s house after work. “Where’s daddy?”

“Harper’s room,” he said with a frown.

“Something happen?” you asked.

“She thinks daddy’s getting rid of us too,” he said.

“Oh, Taylor,” you said, picking him up. “Your daddy’s never getting rid of you. He loves you so much.”

“Mommy did,” he said.

“Come on, let’s go find those two,” you said, carrying him on your hip up to Harper’s room, Jensen scowling at her closed closet door. “I see it’s going well.”

“Harper. Y/N’s here,” said Jensen. The door flung open and she ran over to you, grabbing onto your leg.

“Make daddy stay,” she said.

“Stay where, sweetie?” you asked.

“Harper, I have to travel for work. It’s just a little while and I will be home every weekend,” he said.

“I hate you,” she said, letting go of you and storming down the hall.

“I got her,” you said, setting Taylor down and going down the stairs after her. She moved pretty fast for a five year old and you barely caught up to her before she could rush outside. “Hey, you know you’re not supposed to be outside without a grown up, Harper.”

“Can we live with you? Daddy’s going away too,” she said.

“Harper,” you said, picking her up and carrying out to the backyard, settling her in your lap on the oversized swing back there. “Daddy isn’t going anywhere. He has to travel for work. He won’t be gone too long and he’s going to call you every single day. I promise. He’s not going anywhere.”

“Are you?”

“No. No, I’m not going anywhere either,” you said.

“Are you still gonna come over every day?” she asked.

“Of course. You and me are gonna bake cookies and go swimming and ride bikes. We’re going to do all the stuff we do now. Your grandparents will be here during the day is all,” you said.

“Promise?” she asked.

“I promise, sweetie.”

One Week Later

“Alright,” you said, Jensen tossing his backpack on his shoulders. “You got everything you need?”

“Well, I can’t bring the other things I want,” he said with a smirk. “There’s a couple of short people around here I’d like to accompany me but otherwise, I’m good.”

“Text me when you land,” you said.

“Will do, sweetheart,” he said, pecking a kiss on your lips. “Y/N. You really don’t have to come over every day just to hang out with the kids.”

“I know I don’t have to, Jensen,” you said with a smile. “We’ll try not to destroy the house too badly.”

“Thanks,” he laughed. “I’ll talk to you in a few hours then.”

“Talk to you soon, babe.”

_____

#spn #supernatural #jensen x reader #au #rpf #spn fanfic #spn reader insert #supernatural reader insert #supernatural fanfiction

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mctwilight-mcd · 2 years ago

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GUESS WHO FINISHED THE STORY SHE WAS WRITNG?

me. it’s me. that’s probably why you’re reading this.

Anyways, here’s some cute agent 12 for u all to feast upon. I’m making a cut because this is 2,809 words long and I don’t want you all to hate me.

enjoy. (Title taken from ‘It’s Time to Dance’ from Prom)

But 'til That Day Comes, I Say Cue the Drums, It's Time to Dance

~ ~ ~

It had been a long night. Laura always hates these parties. Too many people, most of whom are drunk by the end of the night. Too tight dresses with too big skirts. She’s dying to be in a suit instead. The watchful eyes of her father all night long. Needing to pretend to like the boyfriend he set her up with. It’s all exhausting.

All night she’s been busy. All night, she’s been waiting to dance with Sophie. Laura doesn’t think she’ll get the chance as she watches Sophie’s glowing pink tentacles twirl across the floor, blue dress flowing around her perfectly. She’s being spun from one man to the next, smiling the whole time. Laura knows she’ll never be able to hold her like that. Not tonight, not ever.

Laura sips her drink while she leans on a pillar. The courtyard is strung with fairy lights and leaves blow in the light breeze. She watches them swirl around the short inkling, adding to her ethereal glow. She’s too distracted to notice the presence of a young man beside her.

“Long night?” Laura chokes on her drink in surprise. She then turns to look at her visitor. Of all the people to catch her, it had to be Serafin.

“For the love of cod, a little warning next time!”

“Sorry! Couldn’t help but notice you hanging here by yourself.”

Laura takes a long sip of her drink. “If you’re asking me to dance, I’m gonna have to say no.”

He chuckles. “Not a chance Laura. You barely even dance with Katashi and the two of you are dating. No, I came over here because you look lonely.” There’s a pause while he sips his drink. “I also wanted to ask you a question.” This gets Laura to perk up. Serafin’s questions are often funny in nature, sometimes close to riddles or jokes. It wouldn't hurt to let him ask.

“Shoot.”

“Why have you been staring at my girlfriend all night?” Well, no one said Laura Shouriki was never wrong.

Laura freezes. She would have choked again if she had taken another sip. She is so busted.

“She’s a good dancer and I was bored.” The lie does not convince Serafin.

“I agree, she is a good dancer, but you’re lying.” He looks her dead in the eyes. Then he grins. “I think you like her.” Laura’s whole face lights up green. She tries to hide her blush. Sure, Laura’s had a crush on Sophie since they met. It doesn’t mean she’ll get in between Sophie and Serafin. She just hopes that he didn’t tell anyone else.

After a few moments, Serafin bursts out laughing. Laura snaps her eyes to him, shooting him a wicked glare.

“Relax, relax! I’m not mad.” He gives Laura a genuine smile. “I’ve been picking up on it for a while. She seems much happier when you’re around and vice versa. I’m glad she has someone who loves her like that.” That makes Laura pause.

“Don’t you?” He chuckles.

“I love her as a friend. She’s an amazing person, but I don’t like her in that way. You’re not the only closeted homosexual in our age group.” That gets her to laugh.

“Alright. I’ll admit it. I do have eyes for Sophie. Who’s your pick?” It’s her turn to smirk at him.

“Why, your boyfriend of course!” Laura bursts out laughing, soon being joined by Serafin.

“You like Katashi? Mr. No nonsense, straight as a pin Katashi?”

“I will have you know that he can never sit without crossing his legs and has many posters of male idols in his room. The man is fruity, I tell you.” Laura takes another sip of her drink as she chuckles.

“You make a compelling argument my good sir.” They both continue to laugh, leaning against the pillar behind them for support.

“Did you two talk about it?” Laura asks. “How you don’t like her that way?”

Serafin nods. “Ya. She feels the same way. You?”

“Ya. Tash knows to fake it. I give you my blessing for what it’s worth.”

“Thanks, and same here. Our parents paired us with the wrong people it seems.”

Laura holds up her glass. “Cheers to that.” Their glasses clink as they both knock back the rest of their beverages of choice.

The song that had been playing during their conversation slowly comes to an end and a round of applause echoes through the courtyard. Serafin leans over to whisper in Laura’s ear.

“Mr. Fruity at 12 o’clock, heading our way.” She looks up and sure enough, Katashi is making his way over to the pair. “I’ll make you a deal. You go dance with our lovely disco ball over there, while I keep the gay man busy and keep the parents off our tails.”

“Deal.” She whispers back, just before Katashi reaches them. He clears his throat and extends his hand.

“Laura, may I have this-” He’s cut off by Serafin grabbing his hand.

“Katashi! Great timing! I was about to come looking for you! I need to talk to you about something.” He starts pulling Katashi through the doors to the interior of the house. “Nice speaking with you Laura! See you later!”

“Bye!” she chuckles. Katashi can’t get a word out before the doors close behind them. Laura swears she saw a bit of blush on his face. She sighs, then turns to the crowd.

Sophie is hard to miss, tentacles glowing under the night sky. Laura briskly walks to her, dodging around people as she goes. No one has approached her so far, but Laura can see a young man walking in Sophie’s direction. She speeds up ever so slightly and manages to get there first.

“Hey.” The luminescent squid whirls around to meet her eyes.

“Oh! Hi, Laura!” She smiles and Laura’s hearts skip a beat. She can’t help but smile too.

“Can we talk?” She asks softly, setting her empty glass down on the refreshments table beside her.

“Sure. Here?”

“I was thinking somewhere a bit more private.” Sophie’s smile grows bigger. She extends out her hand.

“Lead the way.” Laura takes Sophie’s hand in her own and starts to pull her further from the house and the party. She starts to pick up her pace, jogging and eventually running, pulling Sophie beside her as they run through cobblestone passageways between ferns and bushes. Their laughter fills the night around them as the wind flies in their faces.

Soon, they reach a dip in the foliage, camouflaged to only be seen if you know where to look. Laura pulls the other girl through the small gap and into an open space under a canopy of trees. Fireflies light up the air around them and the smell of fragrant flowers drifts on the breeze. They’re both out of breath and panting as they take in the area. Laura feels butterflies in her stomach as she watches Sophie’s eyes light up in wonder. Still not letting go of her hand, Laura tugs Sophie to a small stone bench off to the side so they can catch their breath.

“This is gorgeous Laura.” She sighs as she takes in the scenery. “It’s also very private.” They both laugh.

“Indeed it is.” They sit there for a moment.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Sophie sets her purse to the side as she swings her legs towards Laura’s and takes both her hands, looking into her golden eyes.

“Oh! I just wanted to see how you were doing. It’s been a long night.” Sophie sighs and hangs her head.

“Believe me, I know! Not many people approach you to dance, but I have 10 at a time asking for my hand. I’d been trying to come find you but I kept getting tossed around. I’m exhausted and my feet hurt so bad in these heels. Sorry I couldn’t talk to you earlier.” Laura slips one of her hands from Sophie’s grasp and sneaks it under her chin, lifting her face so Laura can stare into her crimson eyes.

“Never apologise for something you can’t control.” They both blush as they lock eyes, quickly turning to look straight ahead, one hand still laced with the other. “Anyway, I’m assuming you’re too tired to dance with me right now but-” Laura is cut off by Sophie turning back to her and bringing Laura’s hand near her chest.

“I’d love to.” She smiles and stands up, pulling Laura up with her. “Just let me-” She fumbles as she slips off her heels, setting them by the bench. “There. Much better.” Laura laughs as she does the same. Slipping her hand into her dress pocket, she pulls out her phone. No messages from her father or Serafin. She opens it and selects a song she knows they both love to dance to, setting her phone down on the bench beside them. Sophie’s comment about having pockets in her dress is lost as the tune begins and Laura takes her hand. She guides them both to the centre of the space. Laura’s other hand finds Sophie’s waist as Sophie’s sets on her shoulder. For the first time that night, they are both happy to be dancing.

The pair twirls and spins and sweeps across the grass. As the music builds, Laura slides both hands to Sophie’s waist and lifts her in the air, twirling her around before setting her back down again. They laugh as they drift through the clearing, getting lost in the music and each other's eyes. All too soon, the song is over and the girls come to a rest.

They breathe as one for a moment. Sophie leans towards Laura, snaking her hand from Laura’s shoulder to the back of her neck. Laura comes with the pull and she can feel Sophie’s breath on her cheek. Sophie leans to close the gap and-

“Bbbbbrrrrringgggggggg” Just like that the moment is broken. Laura can see the sadness in Sophie's eyes as she slowly steps away, heading to the bench to fish her ringing phone from her purse. Her eyes go wide as she sees the name. She answers the call.

“Hello mother.” Laura’s intake of breath is just quiet enough to not be heard through the phone. Sophie slowly slides her phone down as she hits the speaker button, putting a finger to her lips as she does.

“-phie darling, where are you? It’s getting late and you and Laura have a photoshoot tomorrow.”

“Laura and I stepped away from the party for a bit.” Laura nods her head at the response.

“Oh. And what of Serafin and Katashi?” Sophie looks to Laura for an answer. Laura walks up to the phone.

“Serafin wasn’t feeling too well so Katashi walked him home. I can do the same for Sophie. We’re not too far from your house.”

“I see. That would be wonderful. Thank you Laura. Marcus and I will continue to mingle a bit before heading home as well. Be safe.”

“We will. Bye mother.” The phone goes dark as Lucy ends the call. They both let out a sigh of relief. Laura runs over to the bench and grabs her phone. Scrolling through her contacts until she finds the one she’s looking for. She hits the call button and immediately puts it on speaker. Sophie gives her a questioning look. The phone picks up.

“Hello?”

“Serafin! Thank cod! Is Katashi with you?” Sophie gives her another weird look.

“Yes… he is. Why?”

“He needs to walk you home right now. Me and Sophie need to bounce and we told Lucy that Katashi already took you home.” Sophie’s eyes light up in recognition.

“Because you’re not feeling well apparently. Good job on that, I had no clue you were lying.”

“Thanks.”

“Laura managed to lie convincingly for once?! Also hi Soph. Ya we’ll get right on that.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem, but you owe me a favour for calling at an inopportune time.”

“I’m fine with that. See you tomorrow.” She reaches to hang up the phone.

“Laura, wait.” She stops. “I just wanted to tell you… THAT I WAS RIGHT OK BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” He hangs up.

They stare dumbfounded. Sophie eventually turns to Laura.

“What was that about?” Laura sighs.

“I’ll… let him tell you later.” Sophie just shrugs and goes to pick up her purse.

“I guess we’re walking back to my place then.” She offers her hand to Laura. “Would you mind leading the way, fair lady?” Laura chuckles as she slides her hand into Sophie’s palm, interlacing their fingers as she does so.

“I would be honoured, my beauty.” Sophie blushes.

“Are you calling me beautiful?” Now it’s Laura’s turn to blush. She turns her head away, but still mutters,

“Yes.” It’s quiet, but Sophie hears it nonetheless.

The two walk together in silence. Hands interlaced. Once and a while, one will make a comment about the scenery or how vibrant the stars are tonight. Soon enough, they arrive at Sophie’s estate.

“Well,” She says, sighing. “This is me.” Their hands stay interlaced.

“I guess it is.” Laura turns to Sophie, tracing her eyes over the intricate glowing patterns of Sophie’s tentacles and the glowing freckles on her skin. Then Laura’s eyes fall on her lips. Sophie notices and Laura shifts her gaze away, cheeks lighting up in green. Then she remembers something.

“Before you go,” She turns to Sophie. From her pocket, she pulls out a small, green box wrapped in a purple ribbon, matching Laura’s ink colour exactly. “You can open it now or later. I don’t care, but… I got this for you.”

Sophie unlaces their fingers, much to Laura’s dismay, before carefully taking the box in her hands. She smiles, showing her fangs and looks up at Laura. Crimson meets gold as the two 15 year olds lock eyes. Sophie slips the box in her purse and wraps her arms around Laura’s shoulders, one hand finding her neck and the other, her cheek. She leans in slowly to let Laura move away if necessary. She doesn’t.

They close the gap and all Laura can think is, “Wow! I’m kissing Sophie, I’M KISSING SOPHIE!” Eventually, the both need to breathe, and break apart. Sophie looks back at her house and slides her arms away from Laura. As she leaves, she stands on her tiptoes and gives Laura a light peck on the cheek.

“Goodnight Laura.” She whispers in her ear, then turns and leaves, entering her house. Laura stands there for a moment, still processing what just happened. Then a huge smile slides across her face. She quickly pulls out a compact mirror and fixes her lipstick, noticing the small mark on her cheek.

Without a care in the world, Laura skips back home, humming as she goes.

When she gets home, she immediately rushes to her room, avoiding all the house staff and locks the door behind her. She collapses on her bed as she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulls it out and opens the two new messages from Sophie.

The first message is an image. In it, Sophie is in her room, hair down and flowing behind her. Lips pulled back in a smile, lipstick still smudged. On her neck sits a glittering, silver necklace that swirls like vines across her collar. Set within the metal are dozens of yellow sapphires, ranging in size from as small as a pea to as big as her eye’s iris.

The second is a text message saying,

Thank you for the necklace! I love it! 💛

Laura smiles and sends a message back.

I’m glad you like it. Yellow suits you.

Sorry I forgot to say it before, but I

Hope you have a good sleep!💚

She sends the message and then clicks her phone off. She starts undressing and changing into her pyjamas when she hears her phone go off again. Laura picks up her phone, seeing another image from Sophie. In this one, she’s also changed into pyjamas, a loose fitting shirt and long pants, both silk per her mother’s standards. She’s still wearing the necklace, but her makeup is off and her tentacles are braided over her shoulder. Her ink colour, instead of the glowing pink it was before, has now switched to a no longer glowing, buttercup yellow that fades to brown at the ends. It matches the necklace perfectly.

Laura sends hearts in her own ink colour back her way. She’s about to put her phone away when she gets one more message. A simple kiss emoticon from Sophie. Her heart flutters as she sends one back and promptly silences her phone so she can get ready for bed.

Both girls dream throughout the night about the party, the dance, the kiss and the new relationship they are building. They’ve only known each other for 3 months now, but they know one couldn’t live without the other.

Luckily for Laura and Sophie, this is not the end of their story. This is just the beginning.

Happy Birthday Girls!

BTW! I made art for this a little while back! We don’t get a description for it in the story cuz it’s from Laura’s POV, but Sophie might have been watching Laura have a gay panic outside her house

Here you are!

#twily rambles #twily writes #splatoon #splatoon 2 #splatoon 3 #agent 3 #agent 4 #agent 3 x agent 4 #agent 12 #my agents #12 shippers #you are fed #tumblr trying to americanise #my spelling #and ruining my formatting.#sophie and laura #laura kamabo #sophie kamabo

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lovecanbesostrange · 3 years ago

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Okay, for the poor people on the Ruby Lucas Harem Discord suffering because of this ask (x) on konako’s tumblr that lead to things (including this fanart x), I have this wild scene out of context.

Mary Margaret was sitting at her desk, updating her chemistry flashcards. Ruby was sitting on her bed cross-legged staring at her laptop screen, waiting for this English essay to write itself.

“Ugh,” Ruby groaned and let herself fall backwards. Out of habit she put her hands to her face, but winced when her fingers touched the band aid over her eyebrow. It’s been five days.

A knock on the door made them both turn. They usually could tell who it was by the exact sound of the knock. Like Charming had one hard knock followed by two quick ones or Mulan knocked four times in a specific rhythm. So whoever this was, was more than unexpected. Ruby drew in a sharp breath. She had heard back from the police yesterday that there would be no criminal charges, but they both knew something else would arise from this.

Mary Margaret looked at her, then turned her chair to fully face the door and Ruby got back up again. “Come in.”

“Hallo. Good, you’re here.”

“Mom!” Mary Margaret was up in a second and gave her mother a hug. “I didn’t know you’d be coming.”

Eva hugged her back, but despite the smile on her face, her voice already made them realize this was not a fun surprise visit. “I didn’t know I would be here today either.” The hug ended and she stepped into the room, her gaze landing on Ruby. “I got some news last night and suddenly I was in my car this morning.”

Mary Margaret glanced at the clock. It was a twelve hours drive with good traffic, so Eva must’ve gotten behind the wheel around 4am.

“Hi…” Ruby busied herself closing her laptop and didn’t look up.

“Honey,” Eva stroked Mary Margaret’s hair, “would you mind giving us the room? I want to talk to Ruby.”

“Sure.” Mary Margaret glanced between the two and then grabbed her things from the desk. “I’m down the hall in the common area.” When she passed Eva she whispered: “Don’t be too harsh on her, please.”

That made Eva smile. Her daughter knew exactly why she was here, but she looked out for her friend. These girls always had each other’s back and knowing they were loyal like that, dragging each other out of trouble, was certainly a good thing.

Eva took the vacant chair and rolled herself over a bit towards Ruby’s bed. “So.”

Ruby slowly looked up. Eva took in the bandaid and she could see a faint red line indicating that her lip must have been busted. Trying to hide one hand with the other was a giveaway that her knuckles were bruised as well. Eva had to breathe slowly. A part of her wanted to grab Ruby by the shoulders and shake the whole story out of her. She wanted to yell about irresponsibilties, the futility of violence and all the consequences physical assault could come with. The bigger part of her wanted to cradle her like the 9 year old she sometimes still saw, who confessed to lying about her home address, as if not having loving parents was her personal failing.

“I was at dinner with friends last night and suddenly got asked if I heard about the ruckus on campus. I was really surprised when I was shown this tiny article about a football player beating up another student. And it took me two phone calls to find out it was you.”

“I’m sorry,” Ruby murmured towards the blanket she was sitting on, playing with the seam of her sweatpants.

“For what?” Eva tried to keep her voice as neutral as possible. She had felt every emotion during the long drive and had played out many versions of this conversation. But sitting in this room she realized none of those would work.

Ruby furrowed her brows and finally looked up. “Beating up that guy, of course?” It was a bit more of a question than a statement. The question had rattled her. There was so much to be sorry for though. The beating, losing her temper at all, making Regina worry that night already, not doing so great in classes lately, clinging to Snow, making her team suffer… oh, wait. “Also for not calling… I guess…”

The board said that her mother, Anita, would be notified of this by mail. That was her home address, her contact, but maybe this was why Eva was here. The Blanchards had always cared, but now she was in college, she wasn’t a kid anymore, she had to do these things by herself. But maybe, just maybe they should have called. “I shouldn’t have put this on Snow alone… she should’ve talked to you…”

“Ruby, no.” Eva got up and sat down on the bed, gesturing Ruby to scoot over next to her. “Sure, I’m disappointed-”

The word stung and Ruby interjected immediately. “I’m sorry. I messed up, but I promise Snow wasn’t even there and I won’t-”

“Stop!” Eva took Ruby’s hands, now seeing the bruises already turning yellow, showing the passage of time already. “I am disappointed you didn’t call. And I’m glad to hear Mary wasn’t involved, but I wanted to know anyway. Because of you. I care about you. And this is serious. I know…” She paused and slowed down, knowing the next thing would hurt, but after all these years, Eva needed to say it out loud. “I know your mom doesn’t take good care of you, I know you feel like she doesn’t care at all and I honestly don’t know if she does. But I do. I am not your mother, but I care.”

The dam broke and Ruby started to cry. Eva took her into her arms and immediately Ruby clung to her. It was weird that Eva had seen the aftermath of Ruby crying quite a few times over the years, but rarely had she shed tears in front of her. Maybe Eva should have made her before, pushed her a little bit towards that to hammer it home that she cared and that she would be there for her. Just the same she had hugged Mary Margaret after break-ups, over bruised knees, bad grades, and other bad news.

“I’m sorry for everything”, Ruby got out between sobs. Her tears stained Eva’s blouse already. “I didn’t mean to… I don’t want to hurt people… I swear I want to be good.”

There was more, but it was hard to decipher it all and Eva let her cry, rubbing circles on her back. Getting the full story would take time, that was for sure. All she could do now was to reassure Ruby. “I know you’re good, you just made a mistake. People make mistakes.”

Eva looked over Ruby’s shoulder and saw her pinboard. A few pictures were on it and she immediately recognized one taken the time she and Leopold had taken the girls to Six Flags. They had ridden all the rollercoasters until they were practically green in the face. It had also been the day she had seen Ruby at her most carefree. There was one photo of Ruby with her Grandmother, a woman Eva had met only once. Anita was nowhere to be found on the wall.

A group shot looked nice. Eva recognized David from the pictures Mary Margaret had sent her, but couldn’t even guess who the others were. It was a bit sad living too far away to meet all these people, because she had made it a point to know Mary Margaret’s friends in school by face and name. Mulan, Belle, August, Robin, Jasmin, Anna, Aurora… so many names. She smiled at the picture in the corner that showed Ruby in her team uniform, helmet in hand. A candid shot, her elbow resting on the shoulder of another girl. Or maybe it was young woman now.

Eva turned a bit to catch a glimpse of Mary Margaret’s pinboard. Cluttered with far more pictures, flyers and notes. They shared a room, they had shared the most parts of their lives for the past 11 years and yet there still was such a noticeable difference.

Ruby started to calm down and when she let go, Eva leaned forward to get tissues out of her bag. “Can you tell me your version of the story now? All I know is that you were provoked and sent a boy to the hospital. The article said something about questionable self-defense.”

“There are no criminal charges,” Ruby said after blowing her nose. “He said something to my friend. Insulted her. And he wouldn’t stop, calling her… the c-word… and when he touched me, I lost it.”

“He was in the hospital,” she prompted.

“For a broken arm.” A pause. “A broken nose.” Ruby looked at Eva again. “He lost a tooth. And has some more bruises than I do. He was on the ground fast…”

Eva put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “I have no problem believing you would defend any of your friends like that. But you must have hit him pretty hard.” Ruby nodded, the shame was visible. “Tell me the truth. Has this happened before? Because what I can’t believe is that you would pound someone when he’s already down. Something else is going on and I want to know if that will happen again.”

Ruby pressed her palms against the mattress and slid away a bit. Eva could hear - and even see - her breathing pick up. This was almost all the confirmation she needed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Has it happened before, yes or no?”

“Yes.”

Silence fell.

Eva closed her eyes. This was the thing she had feared. Because either Ruby had lost it very big time and the paper didn’t cover the big scoop behind it. Or something had been going on and she had been blind to it. And she needed to hear this from Ruby herself either way.

“When?”

“Back in high school… it was… at junior prom…”

Eva scrambled her brain. She remembered Mary Margaret having a date and giving her one more motherly talk about safe sex that had left her daughter bright red in the face. She also remembered that date bringing her home even before curfew and that Mary Margaret had been not very talkative that night. She had sworn nothing bad had happened with him and Eva only suspected that they’d had a stupid teen argument. There was nothing too remarkable about that. Had she seen Ruby the next day? She couldn’t recall.

While she was thinking, Ruby went on hesitantly. “This boy Peter had asked me out… from the hockey team… but it… it was all a prank… some of those guys wanted to like… set me up for a joke… and... “ She quickly glanced up and right back down again. “It wasn’t as bad, he had bruises and a swollen eye. Snow was there to stop me and we all agreed to not tell anyone. I apologized to him though. And it all… it was… like now… just more… it wasn’t just Whale being a dick to my friend, it’s… everything is so much sometimes and I explode.”

This was less surprising to hear than Eva cared to admit. “Have you ever hurt somebody with intention?”

Ruby shook her head. Her voice was broken. “One time… but only one time… I shoved Snow… I swear it was only once… I yelled at her and shoved her and the second I had done that… I apologized immediately and I never ever intended to hurt anybody.” She looked at Eva again. “Least of all her. I swear.” For this she held eye contact as long as she could.

Eva reached out touching her hand that was clenched around the edge of the mattress. “Thank you for being honest.”

There were a lot of details Eva wanted to know about, but this had been hard enough on Ruby. And now they had time to figure things out. But she had revealed a bright spot. “No criminal charges, you said?”

Ruby nodded. “The police seem very uninterested. And any civil things… well, I need to worry about what the board decides. My… friend said her family will keep things on the down-low.” She squirmed a bit.

“Who is this friend?”

“Regina Mills.”

“Mills? Oh.” Of all the people to get in a fight for, this was probably the luckiest choice. Although it didn’t sit right with Eva that there might be things going to circumvent what law dictated. But she also knew that worse people got away with far worse behavior and Ruby deserved to have one strike with minimal consequences. Even if this was technically her second. “I have looked up a few therapists in town already. I nee-”

“I’m seeing the campus therapist already. But I blew off a few appointments and I get that I shouldn’t.” Eva looked over at Mary Margaret’s bed at that. “Yes, Snow made me. She went with me the first time even.”

“What else are you girls keeping from me?” That came out more judgmental than she meant to. “I know you’re growing up, but you’re still kids to me. I always thought you knew you can come to me with problems.”

“Sorry.”

Eva scooted closer again and put her arm around Ruby’s shoulder. “Enough with the apologies. I know you’re a good kid. I remember you kept Mary from starting to smoke, so that’s something.”

“You know about that?” Ruby looked at her bewildered.

“I am a mom after all and some things I do pick up. You didn’t like it, because you’re an athlete, right?”

“Yeah, it’s super shitty for your lungs and I told her it was uncool.”

Eva laughed. “Wish that would work on Leo and his cigars. But thanks for that. I know you two look out for each other. But I will have to chew out my daughter for keeping a few too many secrets.” Ruby tensed up a bit. “What? Something else I need to know?”

“No…” She dragged the syllable out, dragging her toes over the floor.

“Ruby, I just said you can tell me. That is all I want from you, the truth. And we can work anything out from there.”

“But… what if…” She crossed her arms in front of chest, bracing herself. “What if… I’m not who you think I am?”

“You’re Ruby Lucas. You’re the best friend of my daughter, almost more like a sister. You worked your butt off to get here and you work hard to be the best version of you. I know you even send some of that money home you make at the gas station. Because you care so much about people you love, like your grandmother. I know you are a good person, even though you keep way too much inside. But we can work on that now.” She gave Ruby a kiss on the head, like she would with Mary Margaret. “What could be so bad about you?”

“I’m… I think… I’m gay.” Ruby breathed out that last word and was one tense muscle in Eva’s half embrace.

Eva looked at the pinboard again. The picture with Ruby smiling while leaning on the other girl. It clicked. On top of everything else, this secret had weighed Ruby down. She sure had enough reasons to be angry at the world already. This wasn’t something Eva had prepared for, so she just brought around her other arm to pull Ruby closer. “I want you to be happy and in love.” Finally she felt Ruby breathe in again.

((I just have to stop myself here. This could go on and on and on and on otherwise. Because I already know Eva is gonna take them out to dinner, insisting on meeting David. She gets a hotel room nearby. Of course Snow offers to let her sleep in the dorm but “Honey, that’s kind, but no. So much no to sleeping in a dorm bed.” And she freshens up a bit and passes a book store, where her eye is caught by a pride display and she gets a bracelet with a tiny rainbow flag, two actually, she wears one and gives the other to Ruby, because well, she doesn’t know exactly what to say, but this will definitely not make her think less of her!! Eva is the silent MVP of the story.))

#gender mix football AU #(where nobody gives a fuck about football)#Ruby Lucas #(sorry for spamming the tag - come to the server to yell at me about it)#this fic would be 100k words at this point already - sorry I don't have actual writing stamina for that #konako #somehow it's her fault - and the demons circling her inbox #lazylaziel #if only you knew what you started... even though it's so far removed by now... sorry #$!#RRCAU

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ayellowcurtain · 4 years ago

Text

What about Sander who is the dance partner of Robbe’s sister, but when Robbe comes pick her op from the dance studio, he meets Robbe. Sander ends up teaching Robbe how to dance because it will be his prom very soon so he would be able to dance with a girl from his school, but eventualy it will be Robbe and Sander going to the prom together and Robbe will show his footwork on the dance floor while spinning Sander around his finger

“How do I look?” Noor shakes her hair from underneath and everything sits perfectly right under her sharp jawline. Her haircut is so blunt and pitch black and Robbe can’t imagine anyone else rocking it as good as she does.

“So perfect.” He answers honestly and she looks at him through the mirror in front of her, blowing him a kiss and Robbe smiles at his older sister. She really is ridiculously beautiful, Robbe can’t even believe it.

Her makeup is very bright for tonight, almost neon-ish with the eyeshadows and the bright pink blush, so edgy like everything else Noor does. Robbe has a feeling that if it isn’t for her to be the brightest person in the room, Noor wouldn’t even want to go. She likes to dress up and be original and weird in a way, but again, she can rock it like very few others could.

“Not that it matters, really…” She complains, sitting closer to the mirror to put some red lipstick on. Britt and her are still in that weird grey area, Robbe guesses. They went out to talk yesterday but from Noor’s behavior and lack of interest in talking about it with him, he imagines not much changed.

“She’ll be there and you’re kinda hard to miss so I’m sure things will move tonight. Or you will. Finally make a move.”

Robbe tries to keep looking at the computer screen, editing the vlog Jens is waiting for him to send back later today - Jens can be extremely chill about everything but he’s weirdly professional about these videos - but it’s hard to ignore when Noor is staring at you, almost piercing through him so he looks up at her again.

“Look who’s talking. I invited Sander to go to prom with me just so you can stare at him up closer, hoping he’ll finally make a move, any move, a word would be a good start.”

“Shut up.” Robbe closes his laptop, feeling his cheeks get red instantly, his work here is done and Noor doesn’t need to see him blushing because of her close friend yet again. He just needed to keep her company, watch her put on her silky and bright purple dress and do her make up, make some small talk to keep her entertained for the long hours of preparation.

“You’ll talk to him today, I don’t care what it takes.”

Robbe leaves her bedroom door open behind him and rushes to his room, thinking that he should take a shower, be a little more presentable when Sander gets here to pick up his sister. He looks at himself in his bathroom mirror and he feels so stupid and small. He’s too skinny, too small, this long hair that Robbe has no idea what to do with it. It’s impossible to understand how he and Noor are related, made by the same two other beautiful and confident humans.

Before his shower, Robbe puts a bunch of clothes on display on his bed, trying to put together the perfect outfit.

Everything now seems too big, too old and worn out. He decides for the black sweater he stole from Noor that fits him perfectly - that’s why it’s basically brand new, because Robbe thinks it’s too fitted any other day - and his usual black jeans that don’t seem too old. He can’t risk a last minute homemade haircut so he decides to keep it long and natural, messy as usual.

There’s no way Noor will let him get away with hiding in his bedroom tonight so at least he has to try to look decent when the time comes.

Sander adjusts his button-up shirt and runs his hand through the front, trying to get rid of any wrinkles, looking up to not get caught overthinking when someone opens the door suddenly for him.

He was expecting someone else, so he’s left with an open mouth and no words coming out of it when he sees Robbe right there, leaning against the door, trying not to trip with how quickly he opened either.

“Hi…” Sander breathes out, knowing he’s making a fool of himself but unable to stop it.

“Hi...hm, come in.” Robbe opens the door wider and Sander walks in, standing next to the door to wait for Robbe to close it.

“Hi Sander!” He hears their mom screaming from probably the kitchen and he looks in that direction for just a second, not wanting to waste his time when Robbe is looking so beautiful right in front of him, with nobody else close enough to interrupt them.

“Hi!” His voice sounds even worse the second time so he presses his lips together, putting his hands inside his pockets, standing on his tiptoes and then on his heels.

“Noor should be coming down soon…” He nods his head and keeps looking at Robbe. He looks too good for someone that’s just staying inside for tonight.

“You’re going out too?”

“Me? No, no...I have to work on some things for Jens’ video so...yeah.”

Of course he’s busy doing something for Jens. Sander looks down and nods his head, happy he’ll be able to get shitfaced with Noor - and probably Britt - and not think about fucking Jens.

“You look handsome.” Robbe says in an almost whisper and Sander looks up over his lashes, closing his hands inside his pockets.

“Thank you. You look good too for someone that’s staying inside on a Friday night…”

Robbe smiles shyly and Sander imagines himself stepping closer, holding his face and finally just kissing him, for hours, hopefully.

They’re only two years different in age but Robbe looks so angelic, so not deserving of the mess Sander is. And of course he’s Noor’s baby brother, so no matter how small the age difference is, it still feels like Robbe is even younger because he’s Noor’s favorite person in the world and she’s not afraid to treat him like a baby.

The thing Sander would do with that boy…

Noor comes down the stairs almost like she’s reading his disrespectful thoughts about her little brother and Sander feels like he was caught so he looks at her, trying to apologize in his thoughts even though he didn’t do anything wrong yet.

He knows Noor would be happy if they just did it already, kissed and got together like they want to. At least Sander thinks they want to, and he’s been almost sure about it for a year now. Noor tells him that Robbe has the biggest crush on him over and over again and if it was only up for her approval or not, she would be so happy to finally see them together but it still feels like he shouldn’t.

It’s just not that easy to make it happen, it’s safer to keep it platonic. Sander wants Robbe to make a move if he wants to because Sander doesn’t want to pressure him to do anything, to make a choice if he feels like there’s nothing to choose, if they shouldn’t be together.

“You two are so weird.” Noor complains, rolling her eyes, standing next to Sander, calling for her mom to come say goodbye already. She holds his hand in a weird way, no fingers intertwined and the three of them know it means less than nothing but Sander still has to hold himself back from explaining, telling Robbe it means nothing.

“Are you going to take the pictures of us?” Sander asks quietly and Robbe looks at him and then at Noor, laughing sheepishly.

“I guess so.”

“Don’t worry, Robbie. I’ll take good care of him and bring him whole later.”

He laughs and Sander smiles, keeping his eyes on Robbe to watch his full reaction, hoping he won’t disagree. He only nods his head and that’s all Sander needed to make this the best night of his life already. Robbe didn’t correct Noor, didn’t say anything against it and that’s all Sander needed for now.

Sander doesn’t mind early mornings most of the time. His sleeping schedule is not the healthiest, he’s sure but he’s happy he’s getting his solid seven hours of sleep every night, it doesn’t matter if sometimes he goes to bed at 2 or if he wakes up past midday, as long as he slept seven hours, he feels good, safe. It’s been working for him, at least.

Robbe is still asleep and Sander smiles, carefully lying back down next to him, moving slowly on the bed to lie on his side, putting his hand under his cheek, watching Robbe sleep with his mouth slightly open, a hint of dry drool on the corner of his lips, his hair a lot shorter than two years ago, but getting longer, with the curls turning outwards around his face.

It’s finally the big day. The day Sander will go to Robbe’s prom as his date. It’s an inside joke that he’s both Noor’s and Robbe’s date and Sander adores Noor, really, but this is so much better.

He planned the perfect day for them, to celebrate Robbe finally being done with school, but they have the morning free so he’s in no rush to wake up his boyfriend.

While waiting he can hear the rest of the house slowly waking up, the muffled footsteps of their fluffy socks to go downstairs, the wood creaking in every step and Sander is happy they are at the very last floor of the house, away from all the chaos.

Noor is probably the last one to wake up and even though she’s on the second floor beneath them, Sander can still hear her electric toothbrush as she hums a happy song and he hears the stupid laughters of her and Britt trying to be quiet while probably making out in the bathroom with the door open.

Sander sighs, snuggling closer to his boyfriend and Robbe finally gives a small sign that he might be half awake. The thin lines on his cheek appear and he also pushes his hips and the rest of his body follows, resting right in between Sander’s arms, his warm breath hitting Sander’s bare chest directly.

“So you’re awake…”

It takes a long but not heavy second for Robbe to answer with his eyes still very much closed, “For a minute.”

He wraps his arms around Sander’s waist, low whines slipping out of his mouth as a silent complaint of how little Sander is helping him move his body closer.

“It’s still kinda early, you can sleep a little more.” He finally gives in, wrapping them both in a mess of heavy and comfortable limbs tangled together, making sure they’re both still covered by Robbe’s weighted comforter.

“I was dreaming about you.” Robbe leaves a trail of soft kisses from the angle between his collarbone and neck all the way behind his ear.

“Yeah? What was I doing? If you’re allowed to tell me that…”

Robbe smiles against his neck, putting his head back on his pillow, finally opening his eyes slowly, blinking a few times to get used to the sunlight clearly ignoring his closed yellow curtains completely.

“You were extremely impressed by my dance moves.”

Sander snorts and that makes Robbe’s head instantly move to look up at him.

“What?” Robbe tries not to smile too.

“Your dance moves?” Sander lifts his eyebrows, playing with the curls cupping Robbe’s ear. They’ve only been together for a few months, but Sander is sure Robbe has absolutely no dance moves.

“I’m a good dancer, Sander!”

“Cutie, I love you so much, but there’s no way you can dance. I can’t dance either so it’s fine! Were we dancing well?”

Robbe doesn’t answer, but he’s still looking at Sander, his eyes moving to see every inch of his face.

“What?”

“You said you love me. Very much.”

Sander opens and closes his mouth. He said these words so many times in his head he completely forgot they never said it out loud.

Everytime Robbe laughs wholeheartedly, or when he snuggles closer to Sander when they’re ready to go to sleep, when he’s actually hearing Sander go on and on about Bowie or art in general, when Robbe is brushing his teeth still half asleep every morning, when he opens his arms wide, sitting in front of Sander on his bike, when he’s a very talkative drunk.

Everytime Sander stares and thinks about how much he loves Robbe. He thought he had said it out loud before.

“It’s not a lie…” He tries to go the easier route first to test the waters, now too aware that he said that he loved Robbe and he didn’t hear anything back yet, still playing with that one curl and Robbe holds his face carefully with one hand, making Sander look in his eyes, “I love you, Robbe. I’m not afraid to use these words lightly with you.”

He doesn’t doubt that Robbe loves him back, it would be impossible to think that when Robbe looks at him like he’s doing right now.

With his soft eyes going even softer, brighter, pressing his thin lips together, smiling so wide that every line to his dimples appear, a bright pink starting to pool on his cheekbones. And Robbe has this thing he does unconsciously that’s between a purr and a pleased whine that he does often when he’s this close to Sander. He gently touches Robbe’s dimple with his fingertips, drawing a line to his ear like he’s trying to make Robbe open his smile wider.

“I love you too, Sander.”

He looks at Robbe and just takes the moment in, hearing him say it back, it feels amazing, but also so very normal. He knew Robbe felt it anyway. It feels like sunbeams during a blue-sky-winter-morning.

The morning breaths don’t bother him when he kisses Robbe, turning his body a little to rest over Robbe’s naked chest, slipping his arm down, trying to lift the heavy comforter so he can fully go under it when the door is wide open out of nowhere.

“My baby is graduating!” Sander looks over his shoulder while quickly taking his hand from under the comforter to find Noor at the door holding a trait with their breakfast, Britt right behind her, smiling shyly, both of them wearing very similar and small pajamas, the same haircut, and Britt follows Noor inside, both of the girls sitting on Robbe’s bed, almost pushing him to sit up right away, ruining every plan Sander had of giving Robbe an early and very nice graduation gift.

#wtfock #robbe ijzermans #sander driesen #robbe x sander #sobbe #noor bauwens #britt ingelbrecht

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karasunology · 4 years ago

Text

❝ WHY ARE YOU SO JEALOUS?❞ with BOKUTO KOUTARO !

✎ . . . could i request from the prompt list no. 8 ("why are you so jealous?) with bokuto. where bokuto (your best friend for years now) is bothered by you showing interest in akaashi (you like akaashi basically).

❝ ― submitted by @momoinot <33 ❞

-ˏˋ ➶ character(s) ━ akaashi keiji & bokuto koutaro <3

-ˏˋ ✉️ REQUESTS ARE ALWAYS OPEN.

⇣ please read the RULES before requesting.

✎ . . . PROMPT LIST YOU COULD REQUEST FROM. PROMPT LIST O1 | PROMPT LIST O2 | PROMPT LIST O3

[ BEFORE REQUESTING, PLEASE SPECIFY WHAT PROMPT LIST YOU REQUESTED FROM. ]

[ ♡ ] THIS WAS A LONG ONE, wrote this a few days ago so i think it's time for it to shine as a little 500 followers special, thank you all once again for all the congratulations !! <33

BOKUTO KOUTARO.

➜ you first met bokuto under the gym lights; it was when he was about to practice his spikes for a bit more but the boys' gym was closed earlier than he expected, so he decided to use the other gym where the girls' gym resided ─ finding himself staring at you trying to get the ball up with your fingers

➜ accidentally setting the ball with a slippy swerve, it's direction did a 180° as it heads to a different direction where you were supposed to send to, his direction actually.

➜ quick to noticed the ball coming to him, he received it with ease as he sends it back to you, expecting you to stop it with your hands, but instead you continued to pass the ball back to him.

“ isn't it too late for you to still be at school? ” he questioned, as he received the ball, sending it your way as you did the same.

“ well look who's talking, ” you playfully scoffed, your eyes never leaving the ball.

“ you're right, i'm bokuto by the way! future ace of fukurodani. ” you rose an eyebrow at him, amused by his honestly. wasn't fukurodani a powerhouse? you wondered.

“ really? good for you i guess, i haven't even though of a high school yet. ” you continued to pass it to him, but you decided to test his speed as you directed it to a different direction from where he was.

“ y/n, by the way. ” you spoke once again when he sucessfully received it but with the side of his head, laughing while you tried to get it up back for him.

“ huh, maybe you should join me in fukurodani! they also have a volleyball club for girls too. ” he grinned, as he managed to send the ball flying off a different direction with his unexpected spike, with you failing to get it up ─ falling down to the ground while scratching your knee simultaneously.

“ hey, hey, he ─ aGH are YOU ALRIGHT ??” he interrupted himself as he saw the small wound in your knee.

➜ he was shockingly fast to understand the situation, running out the gym doors, leaving you to wonder where tf this boy went.

➜ but your question was soon answered when a sweaty bokuto came back with an emergency kit for injuries.

➜ kneeling down to your level, he examined the wound as he first disinfected it.

“ i'm so sorry, i never meant to make you fall and scrape your knee. ” he profously apologized as he didn't realized how kinda rough he was with disinfecting your wound, bringing him back to reality when you hissed in pain.

“ oH NO I'M SO SORRY PLEASE DON'T DIE ─ ”

➜ your weird tight-knit friendship started off with that, and before you even knew it you guys were inseperable, with you also coming along with him to fukurodani.

➜ he was a good best friend, would always but if not, every other day, have lunch with you. visits your house every week, with both your parents already adoring him their heart was filled to the brim with their love for him. always somehow, and surprisingly good at advices and would always help you out with personal problems.

➜ though he had other best friends, you were the only female best friend he has, sometimes rubbing the people the wrong way as most initially got the impression of you guys being a thing.

➜ if i said that you didn't develope a small crush on him before, i would have been lying.

➜ it first appeared in your first year of high school, with your hormones rising ─ you dismissed it as a small crush, thinking that it was the hormones acting up because he was your only close guy best friend.

➜ and just like you expected, it went away after a few months and by second year you decided to start dating and seeing other people ─ sadly making you drift away a bit from bokuto as both of you were busy with other things.

➜ but what you didn't expect was to have it reappear on your third year of high school, but maybe this time you didn't want it to go away.

➜ the pounding in your heart, it's lovesick rhythm remained echoing through the most unfortunate times where you didn't want them to appear.

➜ like that one time where you were eating lunch with him and akaashi & he just fucking l i c k s his lips

➜ you're like : OH I'LL GIVE YOU A REASON TO LICK YOUR LIPS

➜ um ,, chile😳

➜ speaking of akaashi, you were actually interested in him the first time bokuto has mentioned him, saying how he was a pretty boy and how good he was at remaining calm and collected ─ needless to say, you were quite interested in him.

➜ and you even asked bokuto for his number, unaware of his change in demeanor, flicking his gaze away from yours as he merely just nodded at your request.

➜ but despite how small that reaction was, it impacted his whole behaviour towards you; the way he would always try and leave the both of you together, saying that he forgot his lunch and he wasn't hungry etc. but it just felt forced, forced in a way that while pushing both you and akaashi together ─ it was as if bokuto was pushing away his feelings for you along with it.

➜ you and akaashi went on a small date of sort, suggested by bokuto once again. but after getting to knew each other a bit more, he seemed more like a little brother to you at most.

➜ you guys quit attempting to see each other because it just felt too unnatural for the both of you, but your friendship with him grew. though, it left a different impression on bokuto.

➜ in the middle of whatever was going on with the three of you, you once again drifited away from him. but this time, it was intentional.

➜ akaashi noticed how the both of you would often try and avoid topics about each other ans would now barely be seen with each other; unlike before, when you were always seen together ─ and it felt weird, and once again unnatural. for everyone, and not just for the three of you.

➜ akaashi, being so tired of seeing the both of you being dumb and in despair and actually being practical, he decided to talk to bokuto about it.

➜ and by the time he got bokuto to listen to him, the ace was already a pouty mess knowing fully well that akaashi wasn't lying.

“ okay, okay, fine; i'll go talk to her. ” bokuto grumbled as he finally complied.

“ promise? ” akaashi narrowed his eyes at his captain.

“ prom, ” bokuto replied.

“ prom . . ? ” he jerked his eyebrow up, trying to prepare himself on what bokuto was going to say.

“ half a promise ─ ”

“ ─ bokuto-san. ” the authoritive and premonition in the usual calm setter's voice sent shivers crawl up the third year's spine.

“ alright, ” bokuto's hair deflaited

“ i saw her in the girls' volleyball club gym by the way. ” and before the second year could give his goodluck to him, the captain was already heading to where the other gym was located

➜ it was getting late already, since both teams were practicing later than usual for the upcoming nationals; and bokuto once again saw you under the gym lights.

➜ as he found himself staring at you trying to get the ball up with your fingers as you played alone in the squeaking gym floors.

➜ and just like before, you set a 180° from where it was supposed to go ─ swerving it to his direction as he got it up easily back to you.

➜ expecting you to spike it back at him for avoiding you; you instead sent it back towards him.

➜ a weird sense of deja vu overwhelming him

“ you're still bad at setting i see. ”

“ isn't it too late for you to be here, bokuto? ” you asked, as you received the ball he returned back to you.

“ we're practicing for nationals. ” he answered

“ oh, right. ” the awkward tension settled down between the two of you.

➜ and before you knew it, you set a ball away from where he was located as he chased back the ball before accidentally and unconciously spiking at you which hit you hard.

➜ acting from his instincts, he went to get packed ice from the nurse's office near the gym. before settling down in the ground as he kneeled to your body sitting down on the floor.

“ tell me where does it hurt? ” you pointed at the obvious growing bump in your head.

“ ah, shit ─ i'm so sorry. ” he said as he cooled your bump.

“ for avoiding me or for accidentally hitting me . . ? ” you joked, laughing before wincing at the pain from your head.

➜ bokuto blinked his eyes trying to process what you just said as he once again, turned ito a flustered apologizing mess and awfully guilty.

“ both, ” he squinted his eyes, glaring at the swelling bump in your head.

“ it's just that, you were hanging around akaashi too much and i guess ─ ”

“ ─ excuse me? but you were the one that keeps setting us up and leaving us alone ! ” you nearly shouted at him

“ w ─ well, you did say you were interested in him. ”

➜ BB BOY WAS LIKE : i'm sowrry 🥺👉👈😔

“ why are you so jealous anyway? you're still my best friend and nothing could change that. ” as much as it hurts you.

“ but that's why! i don't wanna remain as just a best friend of yours i ─ ” he stopped himself, “ nevermind, i'm sorry i just ─ god i can't do anything right ─ ”

➜ you've gotten too annoyed with him, and just wanted to shut him tf up because now your thoughts are all jumbled up. but what better way to shut him up other than interrupting him with a kiss??

➜ the kiss was long, burning and too slow ─ conveying the mutual longing of each other through desperate lips, molding together. heated; in terms of pent up feelings and flustrations and getting too caught up for the moment.

➜ it was a breathtaking kiss, one that bokuto didn't wanna pull away from. but despite of his whiney, needy and desperate moans ─ you pulled away, panting.

“ you're . . . ” you started off, seeing how eager he was to go back to the kiss with a pout resting on his lips.

“ annoying. ” you went to get up from the floor, with bokuto standing as well; but your legs were jelly & along with the throbbing pain in the back of your head, made you fall right back into his arms.

“ am i really though? ”

#haikyuu smau #haikyuu social media au #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu!! headcanons #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu imagines #bokuto koutaro headcanons #bokuto koutaro x reader #bokuto x reader #bokuto koutaro imagines #akaashi keiji smau #bokuto koutaro smau #akaashi keiji x reader #akaashi keiji headcanons #akaashi keiji imagines #hq imagines #haikyuu drabbles #hq drabbles

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elentiyawhitethorn · 4 years ago

Text

Sneaking Around | Chapter Three

The weekend couldn’t pass quickly enough, but finally it was Monday. Aelin was annoyed at herself for feeling this way; she wasn’t some lovesick high schooler. She was a badass, intelligent, collected woman. Yet still, she couldn’t help but feel butterflies when she thought of seeing Rowan again.

That train of thought was absolutely ridiculous for a thousand different reasons. But it seemed Aelin really did have a crush on Rowan, broody as he was. He probably didn’t feel the same. If he wanted anything from her, it was sex. He might not even want that.

Aelin needed to stop thinking about Rowan and focus on getting ready for work. She showered, put on a pantsuit and flats, and made herself a bagel.

By the time Aelin climbed into Ansel's beat-up truck, she had successfully erased all thoughts of Rowan. The friends carpooled to work to save gas on the days Ansel’s hours were similar to hers (as the bar was across the street from the office), and Aelin just knew this ride was going to end up in Ansel meddling again. Ansel was a good friend, and she could keep a secret, but Aelin didn’t want to deal with the teasing, and the looks she’d get anytime Rowan was in the same room as them. Not when she didn’t even know how he felt about her.

“So... have you talked to your secret boyfriend recently?”

“Straight to the point, aren’t you?” Aelin remarked. “I’ll say it again, I do not have a secret boyfriend. I hooked up with somebody, somebody you don’t know, and that’s all.”

Ansel sighed. “Why do you have to be so secretive? Who else am I supposed to harass?”

Aelin chuckled. “Elide seems a bit moony whenever Lorcan walks in the room. Harass her.” Lorcan worked at the local gym. He was another member of their dysfunctional little family.

“You think? Oh, they would be so cute together.”

“Do you know who else would be cute together?” Aelin asked.

“Who?”

“You and Fenrys.”

Ansel blinked. “That’s... would we really?” Aelin grinned. “I mean, not that I’m interested or anything, but he is pretty handsome. And funny. Very funny. Do you think he likes me?”

Aelin burst into laughter. “What happened to suave Ansel, who could pick up any guy who walked in her bar?”

“Oh, shut it. Tell me straight out, do you think he likes me?”

She thought for a minute. “I really don’t know. I guess I’ll just have to ask him.” Ansel seemed like she was about to protest, so Aelin added, “Don’t worry, I’ll be discreet.”

Ansel smiled as they turned into the bar parking lot. “You’re a good friend.”

“I know.” Ansel laughed.

They got out of the truck and parted ways, Aelin crossing the street.

She walked into the office building and was greeted by Elide, who worked as the receptionist. “Hello, Ms. Galathynius. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“I hate it when you call me Ms. Galathynius.”

Elide smiled. “That’s why I do it. How was your weekend?”

“Boring.” Total lie. “Heads up, Ansel’s planning on questioning you about your crush on Lorcan.”

Elide frowned. “I do not have a crush on him. Did you do this?”

Aelin winced. “I had to direct her attention elsewhere. She was badgering me about something.”

Thankfully, Elide didn’t question her about the “something.”

Aelin went to the elevator. Fenrys and Rowan were already inside, and she remembered to be as calm as possible, despite the way her heart fluttered when she saw Rowan.

“Hey, Aelin. How are you?” asked Fenrys when she stepped inside.

She grinned. “Fine. I’m supposed to ask if you have a crush on Ansel.” So much for being discreet. Ansel would get over it.

Fenrys squinted. “Supposed to? Who wants to know?”

“That’s confidential.”

A smile blossomed on his face. “Does Ansel want to know?”

“I repeat, confidential,” replied Aelin. So far she’d ignored Rowan completely.

Fenrys declared, “Well, maybe I’ll have to ask her out, then.” Rowan chuckled. “What? She’s hot. Well, here’s my stop. Try not to kill each other.” Aelin glared at him, well aware her and Rowan’s feud was public knowledge. Little did they know.

Fenrys worked as an assistant on the fourth floor, so now Aelin and Rowan were alone in the elevator.

The doors shut. Rowan asked, “How was your weekend?”

Aelin flashed a smile. “Well, nothing very interesting happened. It was rather uneventful.”

He smiled back. “I can’t say the same. I had a remarkably exhilarating encounter this weekend.”

“Did you now? And what did this encounter entail?” Aelin couldn’t help but ask. Well, it seemed it wasn’t going to be ignored and forgotten. If it wasn’t for the camera, Aelin would have jumped him right there. How did he manage to tear away her self-control every time she saw him?

“Hmm, it involved a lovely woman. Somewhat aggravating, though.”

“I beg to differ! If anyone’s aggravating, it’s you.”

Rowan just gave that smile again and said, “Look at that; it’s my floor. Have a nice day.”

Aelin glared at him. The elevator doors closed, leaving Aelin alone. It certainly didn’t feel like this was going to be a one-time thing. And it seemed she’d grown to like bickering with him. She hadn’t felt like this since high school, when Dorian Havilliard asked her to prom. Aelin was such a gods-damned mess right now.

She spent the next few hours working diligently. It was only at her lunch break that Aelin allowed herself to think of Rowan again, and only because he was in the same room. The whole group had claimed the same lunch break long ago.

They were in the lounge, at their usual seats (Aelin and Rowan as far away from each other as possible). Lysandra, Aedion, and Gavriel were taking with Aelin about going out for drinks this evening.

“We went to the bar on Friday. You lot are alcoholics,” was Gavriel’s input on the matter.

Lysandra frowned. “We are not. We just like alcohol, that’s all.”

Aelin giggled. Aedion sighed. “Maybe he’s right. How did we get such good jobs?” he wondered.

Aelin laughed outright at this. “Who knows? Don’t question it.”

“Being an alcoholic is expensive,” proclaimed Lysandra. “We can take a rain check.”

“Why isn’t alcohol free?” Aelin pondered.

Manon had heard this last remark and said, “Why am I friends with any of you?”

They all cracked up at Manon’s usual bitchiness.

“Because you love us so much,” Aelin crooned.

Manon rolled her eyes.

By the time their short lunch break was over, the whole lot of them had traded dozens of jokes and insults. A usual day.

Soon after, a file showed up on Aelin’s desk that needed to be taken to the tech department. Rowan.

She took the elevator down and walked into Rowan’s office. He was sitting at his desk scanning over a document.

“Today’s report, Whitethorn,” Aelin announced, tossing it on his desk.

Rowan looked up and offered a sly grin. “Since when is delivering files in your job description?”

He’d caught her there. “Since I needed to stretch my legs.”

“Riiight.” Then his smile faded. He suddenly looked very nervous. “Hey, I was wondering if maybe... I mean... never mind. Forget about it.”

She plopped down in the seat across from him. “Oh no, tell me. Don’t be a chicken.” Aelin was very interested in what he had to say. She had never, in all her years knowing him, seen Rowan look so anxious. She felt rather good, as it seemed she had caused it.

He scowled at her, then said, “I had been wondering if you might want to go to dinner with me.”

Aelin’s eyes widened. “Like a date?” She couldn’t imagine anything else it would be, but it didn’t hurt to make sure.

“That was the idea. Look, I know you don’t... just forget I said anything, okay?”

“Ansel works late tomorrow. Pick me up at 7:00, apartment 3B.” And with that, Aelin stood and strode out of the room, leaving a very surprised Rowan in her wake.

By 6:00, Aelin had finished all of her work, and headed over to the bar to wait for Ansel. Elide accompanied her. They sat down with Lorcan, who must have just gotten there.

She hadn’t just been misdirecting when she told Ansel about how Elide was around Lorcan. Moony, yes, but also happier and bolder. And Lorcan seemed... nice. Lorcan was never nice. She was so going to set them up.

Aelin ordered a burger, as did Lorcan. Elide got a salad. “Seriously, El? A salad? At a bar?” was Ansel’s comment when she served them. “I have half a mind to kick you out.”

Aelin and Lorcan laughed, and Elide shot Lorcan an annoyed look. He quickly stopped laughing. Ansel waggled her eyebrows suggestively at Aelin, who cracked up.

“What’s so funny?” Elide demanded.

Aelin put on her most innocent look and said, “Nothing.”

Ten minutes later Aelin said, “Hey, Ansel’s done so we’re going to head out now. You two should stay.”

They both squinted at her. Lorcan gruffly replied, “I’m still eating, so I was going to stay anyways.”

“Me too,” stated Elide.

They gave each other embarrassed glances, then looked away. Ansel grabbed Aelin’s arm and dragged her out towards her truck. “Oh gods, they are so in love! How didn’t I see it sooner? Have you ever seen Lorcan look shy?”

Aelin laughed. “Never. Hey, guess what else I made progress with?”

“Hm?” she asked as they climbed in the truck.

“You may or may not be receiving an invitation for a date sometime soon.” Aelin grinned.

“You don’t mean... Fenrys isn’t actually...”

Aelin grinned. “Eyes on the road. Wouldn’t want to get in a car crash before Fenrys can ask you out.”

Ansel squealed. “I love you, Lin.”

“Everybody does.”

Ansel elbowed her. “Now all we need is to do is set up Lys and Aedion, find Manon a girlfriend, and get you somebody.”

Aelin stayed silent.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” A gasp. “You do have a secret boyfriend!”

“No. I’m just going on a date tomorrow.”

Ansel exclaimed, “Oh, fuck, Aelin. That’s great! Wait, did you plan it tomorrow so I wouldn’t get to see him? Because I know him?”

“I have nothing to say on the matter,” was all Aelin would say.

“That’s not fair. You have to tell me who. At least say if it’s the same guy you hooked up with.”

Aelin sighed. “Just to get you to stop pestering me, yes it is the same guy.”

Ansel, of course, did not stop pestering her. About her date. With Rowan Whitethorn. Aelin was only just processing this. Holy shit.

#rowaelin #tog #sneaking around #my writing

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guessimjoiningthespidermanfandom · 4 years ago

Text

Then There Were Two

Peter Parker x bisexual!reader

Peter Parker x fem!reader

Peter Parker x black!reader

Peter Parker x villain!reader

Warnings: Language, mentions of murder, mentions of mercenaries, mentions of suicide attempts, mentions of a manic and depressive episode, needles, mentions of weed, panic attacks, nosebleeds, mentions of antidepressants, mentions of self-harm, mentions of addictions, knives, and throwing stars.

Word Count: 11.3k

Songs: Tears Dry On Their Own- Amy Whinehouse and He Can Only Hold Her- Amy Whinehouse.

“I couldn’t sleep. I found reading helped. Ever since I was little I’d found company in the world of fiction. Sometimes you needed an escape, but what happens when the world you’re trying to escape to becomes your reality.

Where do you go then? Do you find it as beautiful and endearing as you did before? Or do you simply find new flaws and begin to hate it, never truly being satisfied. Forever selfish and greedy.”

A/N: I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. School just got in the way and it’s like 4 am and I stayed up just to edit this so there may be some typos sorry.

Series Masterlist Previous Part Next Part

I know I said I’ve never killed anyone before that’s because I don’t think it counts when the person can’t die. Because there are countless times that I have “killed” Wade. Some on accident and others for “science”.

Okay, what I’m about to say next is gonna sound completely and utterly insane so just hear me out.

I don’t think killing people is wrong. I just think we should only kill bad people. Like Wade does or he did, he used to kill but he said when he did that his heart wasn’t in the right place and he stopped.

Pussy

“So you’re seriously not gonna tell me how Bitcoin works?” I asked looking through Wade’s suitcase of knives.

“No, why do you need to know anyway? Hope it’s not ‘cause of porn. Not cause I’m against sex work or anything I’m just anti pedo.” He replied hanging upside down from the bar he had installed in his doorway. “Hey stop touching those.”

“Why do you not use half of this stuff anymore?” I asked, ignoring him.

He flipped down onto the ground, coming over to me and shutting the case.

“Chill out.” I scooted backward on the couch, raising my hands up in surrender.

“Why are you even here?” He asked, pushing my legs back towards the floor.

“I don’t know actually I just got bored.”

Technically I wasn't lying.

I had ulterior motives other than just hanging out with him but I really was bored. I guess I took having friends I could just talk to whenever for granted. I’m getting middle school flashbacks.

This is pathetic, isn't it. It’s basically a mild version of taking your dad to prom. If your dad was a sarcastic mercenary at least.

“Don’t you have people your age to hang out with?” He asked.

“Nope,” I smiled popping the ‘P’ “Just you,”

“Wow that’s sad you really need to get some friends.”

One thing I love about Wade is it’s hard to make him show pity for you. Sure there was that one time that he didn’t say anything mean when I was crying but I think that’s cause he knew it was because of my dad and he really fucking hates my dad.

Any other time everything is a joke. He was the only one who treated me normally after I tried to, you know… off myself. And I loved him for it. Still do.

Like once when I was placed on suicide watch I asked him how to get off of it and he told me to just kill myself.

I feel like he’s one of the only people I know that has had a more traumatic life than my own which makes room for very many jokes.

He had already wandered off to the kitchen to do whatever old retired people do when he shouted out interrupting my very generic hallmark Christmas movie.

“Hey what day is it?”

“Uh...” I clicked open my phone finding the date. “December 3rd.”

He was suddenly in front of me and I have no idea how he got over here that fast.

“Already?” He asked looking over my shoulder “These timelines are so confusing. What chapter are we on now? Like nine, ten maybe?”

“Who are you talking to dude?”

“The readers.” He replied, actually looking at me this time.

He looked back up and continued to talk. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’d finally met someone crazier than me.

“I’m not supposed to tell you this and I’m not sure if I’m right, because this timeline is more off than the rest.” He whispered.

“But this is the chapter where they kiss.”

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked, tilting my head.

I’m sure he knows this but I did not leave any of his stuff alone. I took one of his katanas and several throwing knives and stars. You know just in case.

Whoa, oh

Oh, whoa, oh

He can only hold her for so long

You know how you have no feelings whatsoever for someone then you have one dream about them and boom

“Do you think I’d look good with a nostril piercing?” I asked while examining my nose in the mirror.

“Are you kidding me? You’d look hot as fuck,” Jessica added in.

“You should pierce her nose, J” the guy who was standing closest to the door said. Zach I think.

“Yeah I could do that, do you want me to?” She asked.

I pondered it for a second before the boy who already looked off of cloud nine Tyler I believe his name was interjected with

“She’s really good at it, she did my girlfriends,”

You know what? fuck it

“Why the hell not,” I said

“Alright,” she said after clapping her hands and walking over to her backpack on the floor. She pulled out a lighter and an earring.

She lit the earring to disinfect and I hopped up on the sink and she moved towards the right side of my body. Just as she was asking me where exactly I wanted it we all jumped at the sound of the door creaking open.

Low and behold Peter Parker of all people walked in.

“Uh I was just gonna...yeah,” He stammered out still standing by the door. He was still just staring at me.

Now I’m not sure if it was because I was a girl in the boys bathroom, if I looked high, or if it was the fact I was about to piercing my nose in a dirty school bathroom but he was starting to make me feel awkward.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“Oh,” he said as a blush raised up his cheeks “I’m just gonna,” he pointed to one of the stalls before scurrying into it.

Jessica simply chuckled and called him cute.

By the time he came back out to wash his hands the earring was already pushed into my nostril with a slight pinch. Jessica told me that I’d have to clean the piercing everyday for a couple weeks, which is something I could manage. I hopped down the sink and asked

“Do I look okay?” Referring to my eyes

“Yeah and me?” Jessica asked

“Yeah you’re good,” I reassured her.

That was the last thing she needed to hear before her and the other two guys left the bathroom.

As Peter was washing his hands I turned back around to look at my nose in the mirror. It was still a little red with irritation. It was also slightly sore to the touch. I was shaken out of my thoughts by Peter’s voice.

“Did that hurt?” He asked.

He was so adorable.

“This?” I pointed to my nose and he nodded.

“No not really,” I said grabbing my bag off the floor.

“Well this very short convo has been a blast but I gotta go,”

That wasn’t the first interaction I had with Peter but it was the first one my brain deemed worthy of remembering. It was the first time I realized how cute he was.

Now we were on top of some middle school jumping the roofs. I'm pretty sure he was only here because he wanted to keep tabs on me since he found me on the verge of a panic attack last night and currently thinks I’m sick.

“Are you sure this is safe?” He asked.

“Yes it’s safe, don’t be a pussy,” I rolled my eyes “Besides I do it all the time,”

“So you go to D.C and hop to different roofs of a middle school all the time?”

“You know what I meant smartass,” I elbowed him lightly and he laughed.

I laid on my back and shortly after he joined me.

“How do they get shirts so soft,”

“What?”

“I said how do they get shirts so soft,” I sat up.

“I don’t know probably lots of thr-”

“C’mon let’s go down there,” I interrupted pointing at the building before hopping down.

Running through the mall looking through almost every store I’d spent about $1,000 just shopping for everyone who came to mind.

Eventually I walked into Zumiez with Peter trailing behind me. I was looking at the hoodies by the skateboard rack.

“I always wanted a skateboard as a kid,” He said coming up behind me.

“Pick one,” I nodded my head towards the rack of decks. “I’ll get it for you,”

“ I can’t let you do that,” He said.

“No, I insist,” I laughed at my word choice “That’s a fancy word” I laughed and he laughed too “No but for real, pick a deck and I’ll buy it for you,” He shook his head “I’m not leaving until you do,” I turned his words from the earlier night onto him.

“Fine,” he sighed walking back over to the shelf.

After picking the rest of the accessories for the board he said.

“I still have no idea how to ride it,”

And with me still not thinking I said

“Ok then I’ll teach you,”

We headed back out the mall but not before I got a diamond chain because why the hell not. We were about to get on a train to head back until I interjected.

“Wait,” I grabbed his arm. “Come with me,”

“Are you sure this is safe?” He asked as we sat under the bridge that the train runs over.

I laughed at his nervousness.

“I do this all the time and I'm still here, aren’t I?”

Waiting for the next train coming over I put on a song that's been stuck in my head for a while. Weary by Solange.

I didn’t realize I was singing along until he complimented my voice.

“You should sing more often, you have a really nice voice.”

“Shh” I hushed. Soon I felt the train coming “Just live,”

I leaned back on my elbows and closed my eyes. I guess this was some form of therapy. The rumbling of the tracks traveled through my body.

It would’ve been loud but I’ve picked up the ability to block out noises I don’t want to hear on command.

After the train passed the sun was already setting. I figured I might as well get food. This would classify as the first real meal I’ve eaten in awhile.

That had to be one of my favorite first memories for a while even though it was definitely a manic episode. Fun as hell though.

I don't like the word crush. It seems so juvenile. But there is no other way to describe this sudden rush of memories and infatuation. It’ll pass though, all things do.

The lights are on, but no one's home

I’d had a really long fucking day. Like I had to resist the urge to scream my lungs out all day. I dropped my lunch on the floor, I failed my test, and I got detention for something I didn’t even do.

I just wanna get home, take a shower, and sleep for 7 million hours. I had to bite back tears when I fumbled and dropped my keys trying to open the door.

I heard a rustling coming from somewhere in the apartment as soon as I shut the door behind me. On instinct, I reached for the knife in my bra. It’s probably not so practical to keep it there.

I slowly turned the corner to the kitchen and found a piece of paper on the counter. I was still on high alert as I picked it up and read it. There were only a few words 177A Bleecker Street.

I spent about 15 minutes contemplating whether I should or should not go to the address and I eventually found I only had one real con.

Maybe the person could be trying to kill me because how’d they even got into the apartment or knew I was living there.

But then I realized if I die I die. So fuck it.

“Wait a minute,” I almost shouted. “Hold the fucking phone,”

This info dump is making my head hurt.

“I don’t know shit about what you’re talking about. I don’t know magic or what the infinity stones are or what the multiverse is and quite frankly I think you’re insane,” I rambled on.

“You’ve got the wrong person,” I finished.

“No, I’ve definitely got the right person you are Y/N L/N correct?”

I had half a mind to lie my ass off right now but I didn’t. Maybe I couldn’t get Thor to help me but this random wannabe Jafar could maybe help me out.

But there’s also a chance that this Strange guy if that is his real name could be lying his ass off. Half of this “magic” shit could just be holograms and illusions scammers are getting really good at them nowadays actually.

I mean what are the chances of me being a danger to the universe anyway. Swear to God I’m gonna have a panic attack. I shouldn’t have come here.

Okay, but let’s really think about this for a second, who in their right mind randomly tells a 16-year-old girl that if she doesn’t get her emotions in check she could fuck up the structure universe out of nowhere.

First of all what? Second of all the fuck? Wouldn’t telling me this only make everything that much worse.

Like I can’t control the shit so what does telling me about it do? It helped nothing I still can’t control and now I’m freaking out.

He seemed to be trying to get me on his side. But side of what. Who could possibly be so dangerous that your last resort is a 16-year-old from the Bronx.

Whatever it was is not my problem. The second this wizard cosplayer turns his back I’m booking it out of here.

As I tried to move towards the door it just split into multiple doors like a kaleidoscope. Okay either this is a really bad trip, a really good illusion, or magic is real and not the kind with a ‘K’.

Or the kind they put in brownies. I would never admit this to anyone like ever but I was scared. Like maybe the “if I die I die” thing would have to come into play pretty soon.

“Okay, I won’t cause any more of whatever you called them you can let me out now.”

I looked behind me and I was by myself in this haunted library-looking building. I swear to fucking God or whatever’s out there if I don’t get out of here right now.

The door continued to split into smaller and smaller fragments and it was making me dizzy. I did not want to vomit at this very moment so I shut my eyes for a second.

This is like the first time I prayed in a while actually. I wasn’t really sure how to do it properly anymore.

“Uh hey, big guy. “ I whispered. “I know I haven’t talked to you in a long time so sorry for that but could this not be the end please.”

I’d finally gotten to a place where I had more reasons to leave than reasons to die, I couldn’t just croak now. I still have siblings to live for and a cat. I still have people to apologize to.

She’s so vacant

Okay at first I could’ve maybe written this off as me overreacting about dying but not anymore. A charge ran through my body and it felt like static everywhere.

Isn't this what it’s like before you get struck by lightning? I feel like I’ve read that before. I squeezed my eyes tighter.

I would’ve done the 54321 method, but that requires sight so I’ll just stick to trying to breathe properly.

The next moment was so weird it’s hard to explain it. It was just a bunch of colors but they were melting into each other and giving birth to something.

See that makes no sense but the next thing I knew was I opened my eyes and I was outside.

I turned around towards the building behind me and it was completely normal no moving doors, weird colors, or anything.

I was honestly starting to believe I’d dreamt up the whole thing and I’d never gone inside.

Like I said I still have people to apologize to. I’d just have to do it tomorrow because my body was absolutely spent. Felt like I just got hit by a truck.

I ended up sleeping for 16 hours. I woke up with bruises and scratches all over my body. Which, either there are some really sharp crumbs in my bed and I sleep like a wild animal or some demon’s trying to drag me to hell in my sleep.

Whatever.

There was one downside since it’s a part of my body there were bruises on my neck. Now I knew what it would look like but it wasn’t that. None of the methods to get rid of them were working either. Anyway pushing the non-hickeys down to the bottom of my priority list apologies first.

I had a plan. It was abstract but it was there in my mind I knew what I needed to do and if it didn’t go right for me I’d probably explode.

The first person to apologize to was Harry. He was the first because he’d be the easiest.

That sounds mean and manipulative but it’s true. If I had him on my side he could help me with everyone else.

I would’ve texted him before coming over but then he might’ve said no and honestly he might’ve blocked me. That’s not true, he never blocks anyone.

I knew he was at his dad's house though. Well, at least that’s what his snap map told me.

I was right. About it all, basically he told me I was an idiot and it wasn’t a big deal. So, it went very well.

I’m scared of Carmen. Not because of the whole Canary Cry thing as she calls it, but because she’s so good at reading people. She has a built-in bullshit detector.

She was the one person I couldn’t lie to. Well, I couldn’t lie to Rose or my mom either but it’s not like they can just come back and call me out on it.

“I was more concerned than mad. I was thinking about ignoring you when you came up to this door but then I realized you had been listening to Mitski a little too much these past weeks and you might’ve jumped off this building if I did,” She spewed.

She claims she thinks she did enough yelling at me already. I’d say she did too.

She seemed very adamant about letting me know why I was stupid for scaring her like that and how I shouldn’t have just left because I was mad. She went into detail about how dumb I was like I didn’t know it already.

Bri, Harry, and Carmen. Three down two to go.

I didn’t know how I was supposed to talk to MJ because I only really talked to her in art class, lunch, or detention. She wasn’t a mysterious person per se she just kept to herself most of the time.

I had ISS for the rest of the week so art class was not an option. Luckily she spent this afternoon like she apparently did every other.

Drawing people.

She used them as models said it really captures the suffering soul.

“Hey…” I sat down backward in the seat in front of her.

She just nodded at me.

“So…” I stalled.

“It’s fine.” She spoke for me.

I wasn’t sure I looked as confused as I felt but I’m sure I did because she clarified what she meant.

“You were here to apologize and I accept. It wasn’t as big a deal as you made it out to be anyway.”

Oh. I wasn’t expecting that. I moved my desk closer to hers. I didn’t really know how to say everything I wanted to say so I didn’t.

I picked up a pencil and started a rough sketch of no one in particular, maybe someone I had seen walking down the street or on the subway.

I heard that MJ let no one else touch or even look in her sketchbook but me. I understand that. I have a notebook with all kinds of stuff, poems, artwork, songs, many things that’ll never see the light of day. I would never let anyone touch it. It’s private.

So it surprised me when I recognized a character in this book. It was Lana, a person that Carmen made up a long time ago and it was drawn in her very distinct art style. I just hummed and finished off the portrait I was sketching.

“You know everyone was being weird about you. I could tell there was something they wanted to say but no one would ever step up and do it.” She spoke which somehow perfectly lined up with the scratching of her pencil.

“It wasn’t your job but I’m glad you did. I missed you loser.” She used her coined nickname for everyone on me but it felt like it was still mine since she used it for me first.

She was actually my first real friend at this school. She never treated me any differently than everyone else which is quite a rare quality actually.

She’d never admit it but she was actually a very soft person at heart. She had a warm soul.

“Missed you too bitch,” I smiled. I relished in the small chuckle she let out.

I can’t tell if everyone actually forgave me or if they just said that because of the nature of the fight we had and didn’t want me to flip out and like jump off a cliff or something but, I’ll take it either way.

Her soul is taken

“You have to help me.” A voice whispered in my ear. But I was alone in this room.

“Please!” The voice was distorted like a computer glitching.

“Please you have to help us!”

I don’t know why I did but I screamed.

“You were meant to be ready, my mistake.” Infinity spoke.

I thought that she was a dream the first time I saw her. Maybe it was and this is another dream.

All the walls in the room were moving fluidly resembling what happens when you put water on a speaker. I must’ve zoned out because when I heard her voice again I jumped.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” I asked.

She ignored my question and continued.

“Sometimes I forget when people are pushed rather than having jumped they will not know to catch themselves when they hit the ground.”

“What?” I laughed nervously. Something felt off.

“Grab my hand.” She continued.

For some reason, I felt like I wouldn’t have been able to deny her even if I wanted to.

I grabbed her hand and it felt like the weight of the entire world hit me. Wind was whooshing all around and my eyes watered, blurring my vision. My grasp on Infinity seemed to be the only thing keeping me upright at the moment.

I was sure my face was flushed. I dropped my hands down to rest on my legs trying to catch my breath. As I looked around I became aware of my surroundings. I realized I was on the top of the Avengers compound.

Major inexplicable déjà vu here.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” She asked as we looked down at the buildings around us.

“Yeah it is-“

She cut me off.

“This my warning. You need to catch yourself.”

“Wha-“

But before I could finish my question I was falling. I didn’t think to scream. I didn’t do much of anything.

When people say your life flashes before your eyes I thought they meant literally in flashes but as I was falling it was like the movie Click and all these memories were happening simultaneously around me. If I were to move my head I’d see another.

I could feel my nose bleeding and it was honestly getting harder to breathe by the second. I couldn’t think, breathe, or do anything but fall.

I closed my eyes expecting to feel my back slam into the ground my eyes flipped open with a loud whoosh.

I hit the soft surface of my mattress. I woke up thinking one thing and one thing only.

“What the fuck?”

I touched my nose and sure enough, it was bleeding.

I just washed my face, changed my shirt, and got ready for school. I could think about whatever just happened later but MJ told me we have a pop quiz today so that is of my utmost priority.

Newsflash this massive migraine is my newest top priority. I wanted to cry so bad, but the last thing I’d ever do is cry at school.

“Do you have any Advil?” I asked the first girl I came across in the hallway. She just shook her head and kept walking.

He thinks, What's she running from?

Now, how can he have her heart

It had been like 3 days and this migraine was not getting any better. I swear if it goes on another day I’m gonna do crack just because.

Since I was staying a reasonable distance from Midtown at the moment Peter decided he’d make it his place to walk me home from now on. Except on the days Mr. Stark needed his attention.

“Are you hungry?”

I didn’t really feel like speaking and he seemed to understand it so I just gave him a thumbs up.

“Okay but fuck Canadians for making 6Teen had me thinking my life was gonna be living at a mall while being famous.” I laughed.

My migraine had melted away into something tolerable. Tolerable enough to rant about the cartoons I’d seen as a child.

“Okay, what about Kim Possible. I was obsessed with Sheago,” Peter added in.

The plates of lo mein were long forgotten. I was clearly having a little too much fun here so the universe said Hey didn’t we say she wasn’t allowed to be happy and fucked up everything.

“Your nose is bleeding hold on,” Peter said before getting up. Sure enough, I did feel something dripping from my nose.

“Here.” He came back, handing me a napkin.

I mumbled a quick thank you excusing myself to the bathroom. The blood wouldn’t stop coming out and naturally, my first reaction was to overshare on the internet via TikTok.

I didn’t realize how long I hadn’t been on my phone until I saw I had like 10k+ notifications on imessages alone.

I couldn’t breathe. You’d think the more panic attacks you have the more you get used to them. I was still bleeding and I was freaking out.

It’s not like I couldn’t breathe it was just my heart was beating far too fast.

Apparently, panic attacks just never stop regardless of how good you’re doing. I’m just gonna have to eventually get used to them. Hopefully sooner than later.

“You fucked me up!” I screamed at MJ.

“Are you sure it wasn’t Bri?” She asked.

I turned on the lunch table bench towards Bri

“I just got off mine.” She shrugged.

“So it was you!” I pointed at MJ.

“What are we talking about?” Harry sat down on the other side of me.

“MJ fucking bluetoothed me and now I’m in pain,”

“Bluetoothed you?” Peter asked, adding himself to the conversation as he sat down in a seat far from me.

Everything had gone back to normal after I said sorry to everyone. Well, almost everything Peter was being weird now it wasn’t anything too noticeable it was just awkward.

“She synced me to her period and now she’s saying she doesn’t have Midol.”

“Oh. I don’t have Midol but I do have Tylenol if that helps.”

“Seriously? That’d be great thank you.”

He muttered that he’d be right back and ran off towards the lockers. I was so focused on the stabbing pain in my back that I almost didn’t hear Harry’s snicker.

“What’s so funny?” I asked pointedly.

“Nothing…” He said in a tone signifying it definitely wasn’t nothing. “It’s just funny how you’ve got him wrapped around your finger and you don’t even know it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s right. He’s practically in love with you,” MJ added her input.

“Yeah, she’s in love with him too.” Bri teased.

“Shut up dumbasses,” I mumbled, thankful my skin didn’t allow blushing to show.

“See she didn’t deny it.” Bri finished.

Yeah cause what was there to deny I wasn’t in love but how could you not like Peter. Honestly what was there to not like.

'Cause what's inside her never dies

I couldn’t control whatever it was that was happening to me. I would hold a glass for 5 seconds too long and a cramp would hit me and it’d shatter. Or I kept burning my blankets. Hey, who needs a heating pad when you're a human firebomb.

As I got up off the floor to go to the bathroom another cramp ran through my body. Then a plate shot at my head. I already knew to duck because that’s not the first time this has happened today.

I’ve had like 4 people complain about the loud noise. Yeah sure the migraine went away but these cramps might be my next reason to do crack. Seriously all I’d have to do is ask Harry. He seems like a cokehead. White people do coke a lot way too casually too.

Either I’m addicted to it or I’m magical and I’m not sure which is more believable here, but I knew my phone was ringing even with the ringer off.

I don’t really see the point of having everyone’s ringtones be a song if I never hear them.

I clicked the accept button on the call putting my phone on speaker. I wouldn’t even have had to look to know it was Peter.

He was the only person who actually audio-called people instead of just FaceTiming.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Hi!” He spoke loudly over a rustling sound.

“Are you on your phone while you’re swinging?” I scolded “What did I tell you about that?”

“You said not to cause I’ll get hurt.”

“Yeah, exactly. Call me back when you’re on solid ground.”

He called me again about 1 minute later and either he was closer to home than I thought or he stopped on some random roof. I didn’t comment on it though.

There was never not something to talk about when it came to Peter. Sometimes the things are not things I’d like to discuss but one plus side of having a narcissist for a father is you pick up some good manipulation tactics.

I couldn’t really tell how long it’d been since I was on the phone but the story of the time I threw a book at my teacher was keeping us both entertained.

Once I woke up was when I had noticed nothing had gone haywire since I got on the phone with Peter.

Huh.

My unicorn slippers scuffed against the floor as I moved towards the bathroom. I yawned aggressively looking into the mirror rubbing my eyes. I felt a pull. An invisible one like a mime struggling with a fake rope.

I was looking down but I knew if I looked up my eyes would be red. I could feel the static licking through my veins.

“Do you remember the end?” A loud voice boomed as I entered a pitch-black room. I wasn’t scared, I recognized the voice as Infinity’s.

“The end of what?” I asked moving towards where I believed the voice to be.

“The end of the beginning of course.”

“And that’s the beginning of…?”

My surroundings soon turned a bright white I put my arms up to shield my eyes from the light.

“The universe.” Infinity popped behind me, causing me to jump forward.

“You scared me.” I sighed clutching my chest.

“There have been many universes and there will be many more,” She continued, paying no mind to my comment.

“Before there was anything here there was the Big Bang making the universe soon to be destroyed by the darkness.”

The room turned to a Milky Way-looking universe but way more colorful being swallowed by a cloud of dark smoke.

“Many races were born at the beginning of time and died out during the destruction. Some immortals of their race were left becoming the Elders of Universe.”

The image on the walls of the room changed again leaving me in complete darkness.

There was a colorful crash and from that crash emerged many colorful gems one of which I recognized as the Tesseract.

“The remnants of the Big Bang are known as the infinity stones. Which wield enough power to destroy the Multiverse itself.”

“The Celestials are the only strong enough to wield the Infinity stones.” She continued. I had no idea what she was talking about but I felt compelled to listen.

“There are many Celestials including myself.” She continued.

I could feel my heart rate quicken.

“We created you.” She continued, smile present in her voice.

“What?” I laughed. I always laughed in situations where it was completely unprovoked.

“To the dismay of many. Celestials interacted with humans. We gave magic to some and powers to others.” Her voice was getting closer to me but I still couldn’t see her.

“Some were given both,” Her voice got even closer. “Like you. A deviant and a descendant of an eternal.”

“You are very powerful Y/N. Your progression confuses me.”

I opened my mouth to speak regardless of the fact I had no idea what to say.

“You are wondering why you can’t see me.” She spoke for me.

“I have no body. I’m an abstract deity.”

Deity? Like a God?

“I have no body. I just borrow a form to interact with beings such as yourself.”

Oh, that makes sense, I guess.

“I have been here since the first universe and will be here till the last. This is only the end of the beginning for you, remember it all.”

That was the last of her voice that I heard before I knew I was back in reality, or my reality.

Suddenly my skin felt far too tight for my body. I had too many teeth in my mouth and my bones were vibrating.

Either I just met a God or I need about 400 milligrams of Prozac.

My throat was itchy and my entire body hot.

I’m assuming I was hyperventilating so bad I lost consciousness or maybe I just dissociated from my body for a whole hour.

Either way, I had 15 minutes to get to school and I was still in my pajamas lined with multiple holes burned into them.

That was one of my favorite shirts too.

She is plagued with urgency

It had almost been 4 days of no incidents. 4 whole days of normalcy. Well as normal as it could get for me. Peter had a very grounding personality; it wasn’t very easy to get upset around him.

4 whole days of no flying utensils, no burned clothes, no nothing.

Normalcy for me is a fever of 103 and hanging out with people who can’t die, or can stick to walls, or kill someone with one scream. That’s normal.

What’s not normal is feeling extremely cold. An out-of-place temperature.

I felt sick.

It wasn’t a normal sick, either; it was like the kinda sick you feel at the beginning of a depressive episode. Like the sick before you actually get sick.

A gut feeling.

I couldn’t sleep. I found reading helped. Ever since I was little I’d found company in the world of fiction. Sometimes you needed an escape, but what happens when the world you’re trying to escape to becomes your reality.

Where do you go then? Do you find it as beautiful and endearing as you did before? Or do you simply find new flaws and begin to hate it, never truly being satisfied. Forever selfish and greedy.

I had eaten so many this week that I never want to see another apple ever again.

There was no way the apple a day keeps the doctor away bullshit was true, I was just too lazy to cook anything. Or even walk or skate anywhere to get food.

A knock pulled me away from my abstract thoughts.

I put out my cigarette in the half-empty soda can next to me before wiping my hands on my knees.

Sure cigarettes are basically cancer sticks but it’s hard to believe they were any worse than puff bars or any other foreign substance I’d ever put in my body.

I stuck my eye up to the peephole. I knew it was Peter even before he’d knocked it was just a safety precaution.

When you put up a front for others for so long you eventually convince yourself of it.

“It’s not funny!” I demanded as Peter continued to laugh over what I just told him. “I answered your question.”

“Yeah but I don’t expect you to say not recognizing Tony Hawk.” He laughed.

“That’s a perfectly legitimate fear!” I defended myself. “I don’t wanna be one of the people he tweets about,”

“What did you expect me to say, spiders?” I teased. “How are you gonna be Spiderman and be scared of spiders.”

“Hey!” He cried. “They have too many legs.”

“Whatever spidey.”

“Haven’t heard that one in a while.”

The game of 21 questions eventually fizzled out semi-silence and dumb secret reveals. Hey, look at that it is possible to play without the game taking a sexual turn.

“Okay, so I know the game is over but one last question.”

“Okay shoot,” I responded, tucking my arms underneath my head on the cool concrete of the roof.

“How come you don’t come upstate anymore? Happy actually asked about you.”

“That’s a loaded question.”

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to lie. Not because I couldn’t, I’m a very excellent liar, but because I wouldn’t.

I let out a shaky breath trying to figure out how and I was even going to say.

“I know this is a shitty answer but I don’t really know.” There wasn’t a specific reason really just a clusterfuck of small grievances.

Well that’s a lie there was a huge reason and I just didn’t want to say it.

Thank whatever the fuck told me to leave my ringer on today because I was able to spin the random telemarketer calling me into a family emergency and I dashed. I felt bad but not bad enough to respond to any of Peter’s text messages.

I was a ticking time bomb. I had been lucky enough for only minor mistakes before but, I never knew myself to be lucky very long.

I couldn’t take any more chances with anyone. I was just going to have to slowly distance myself from everyone to keep them safe.

What a selfish way to think because God knows I was doing this to keep myself safe.

Except I'd just have to do this one last thing because I promised it to MJ. And there’s only so many promises I’ll allow myself to break in a month.

“Are you gonna get it?” I asked, referring to the necklace in MJ’s hand.

“Nah I’m just gonna go with the pants.”

I made my rounds around the mall asking my friends what they wanted and paid for at least one thing for each of them because I’m a nice person.

Well, I couldn’t have been that nice because it wasn’t my wallet I was paying from. Sorry to whatever rando owned it.

“Every time I get in the bowl, I forget I know how to skate so I start freaking out until I remember I can skate then I’m like wait a minute this shit is easy.” I stopped talking as I saw a waiter heading towards our table with a plate of quesadillas.

“Are you ever gonna order anything else when we come here?” Carmen started at me.

In the 3 years, she’s known me every time we go to Chili’s I get chicken quesadillas and that’ll never change.

“Nope.” I shifted my legs across Peter’s lap to move close enough to hit Carmen with the water from my glass but not hit. I tried not to let Peter’s close proximity get to me since it never did before.

A tiny bit of water turned into her shooting a spitwad at me which turned into Harry’s dumbass feeling the need to be included, so he threw something at someone and now everyone was being loud and I think I just got stabbed by a fork and we’re gonna get kicked out.

“Y’all shut the fuck up were acting like those theater kids at Waffle House at 3 in the morning this is embarrassing.”

Somehow that was the phrase that was able to get everyone to shut up.

I miss the giddy feeling of being like 10 and walking to the nearest corner store with your friends and just eating gummy worms and I don’t know why.

Sure I can do that now I do it very often actually. I just can’t explain why I wanted to be 10 again so bad.

I think it might be because that’s before I realized how shitty the world was. Like sure I’ve always known this world is a fucked up place I mean just look at how I was raised.

What I mean is that was right before I started realizing how fucked up everything really was, before I had a pretty idea but 10 was right before I realized there was no good anywhere in the world and no one would give you what you deserved so you gotta take what they owe you if you want it.

I hate popcorn.

The kernels get stuck in your teeth and somehow get inside your gums, but apparently, it’s required when watching a movie at a sleepover and who was I to argue with that logic especially when this is the closest I’m gonna get to being 10 again in a long while.

I don’t know what movie we’re watching because I zoned out a few minutes ago and I don’t want to zone back in but I have a hunch that it’s the Poltergeist.

A loud “Well why’d you do that might as well text your ex now stupid bitch!” coming from Harry startled me enough to dig myself deeper into Peter’s waist which I hadn’t even realized I wrapped my arms around him.

I’m not sure why that action embarrassed me so much but it did. At least I wasn’t alone I could see the pink tint ghosting Peter’s face except on him it was cute.

Harry was the first to fall asleep because the only time he sleeps was during movies.

I spent about 15 minutes throwing pieces of popcorn into his hair until I got bored.

Carmen was the next to fall to the famine that unconsciousness but that’s because she’s a senior citizen.

MJ was third and honestly, I would be lying if I said it wasn’t adorable the way she was laying on Carmen’s shoulder.

See now I could’ve peacefully let my friends sleep and got on the floor and let Peter fully lay out on the couch but I’m a bitch and the first reaction to almost everyone being asleep was to scream.

I think they were all too tired to be madder than they were confused. They all just got up and went to other rooms.

There were at least two other places available to sleep now that everyone had gotten up but neither Peter nor I made any move to get up.

To be honest I didn’t want to. I was too tired and he smelled good.

In a half-conscious action, Peter flipped onto his side effectively trapping me between him and the back of the couch.

Weirdly instead of feeling stuck I just felt safe, and our collective body heat was more than enough to lure me to sleep.

Searching kisses

Apparently, plants do not have a life span. They just live forever if provided with everything they need. Only neglected plants die.

I would love to be a flower and just be forever in the middle of a field. Not capable of making any thoughts. Sounds like the dream.

Carmen woke me up at the asscrack of dawn to do what I already had an alarm for, taking my antidepressants.

I wasn’t not going to take them, I just didn’t have anymore. I’d already decided I would head to CVS and pick them up later today.

In the meantime, the sun beaming on my shoulders would have to take the role of creating my serotonin for the day.

Sure I taught him the basics of how to skate but Peter had never been to a skatepark so here we are.

“I feel like I’m taking your skatepark virginity.” I joked, elbowing his side.

He was still standing at the edge of the bowl waiting for I don’t know what.

I’d never actually do it but I said I was gonna push him in if he didn’t go.

Clearly, I wasn’t very patient because I dropped in to show him it wasn’t that hard.

A few hours had passed and we called it a day. I wasn’t doing much skating anyway; it was just more of being proud every time Peter landed a trick.

It should only take me 15 minutes to get my prescription filled.

15 minutes in which Peter hopefully doesn’t get bored looking through the magazines, because if he came over here and saw me I think I might just kill myself.

There was an old white man staring at me. Not that was a rare occurrence on the subway but he still freaked me out.

The longer he stared the more I found myself scooting into Peter’s side and the tighter my grip got on the knife I put in the pocket of his jacket. The one I was currently wearing.

Peter Parker wasn’t my boyfriend.

He just acted like one.

He did things like listening to me rant at 3 am, or bought me food, remembers my favorite color and candy, tolerated my ramblings, let’s me fall asleep on him, texts me good morning and night, listens to my song recommendations, and finally, he lets me wear his jackets even though normally I wouldn’t need them.

Those are all things boyfriends do or maybe that’s just how normal friends act and my standards are just low as hell.

So again Peter Parker wasn’t my boyfriend. It was a fact. It’s not like the fact bothered me or anything it was just a fact I couldn’t get out of my head for some reason.

So now I’ll turn my head back towards his laptop as I platonically laid across him on his bottom bunk and finished Empire Strikes Back.

Unfortunately, I’m not gonna remember any of this movie but I will remember how adorable Peter looked watching it.

Towards the last few minutes of the movie, Peter mumbled something incoherently.

“What?”

“I said I have an answer to your question.”

“What question?”

“You asked me why I always let you get away as Thorn.”

Oh.

My throat went dry. I was having a good day. I didn’t wanna talk about this. This is my least favorite topic ever.

“Oh, why?” I asked, trying to hide the nerves in my voice.

He went on to tell me how he knew or felt that I was better than what I was doing. He also said he wanted to know why I stole stuff and he couldn’t do that if I was in prison. Said I wasn’t violent by nature only by necessity.

I’ve never thought of it like that. Like what kind of superhero stops to psychoanalyze someone who’s supposed to be a villain. That would make for an interesting movie though.

I should’ve listened when they said ignorance is bliss. I should’ve just distanced myself from Peter while I had the chance. As soon as I made the connection I should’ve dipped.

See this is why I hate school if it wasn’t for that stupid group project I could’ve been living peacefully being a shitty person with minimal regrets. But no, I had to meet someone who’s practically a saint to make me feel bad about everything ever.

When I got my first and last therapist they told me about coping mechanisms because apparently to have healthy ones you need to recognize your bad ones.

She list them off in a cool infographic and everything. There are so many more forms of self-harm than you can ever imagine.

I honestly never did it because I was depressed or anything. I just did it once to see what the hype was about and it eventually became difficult to stop.

What I failed to realize was that that was only the beginning of my addictive personality. And only recently did I realize you can get addicted to people.

The man she misses

Circling back to my perfectly valid point from before I wish I never found out about anything. Like not even just SHIELD and my mom I mean it all.

Hell, I’m willing to go as far back as Wade and his weird-ass ex-mercenary self. But mostly I mean the weird guns that can disintegrate people.

This is one short butterfly effect but if I never found out about the guns I would’ve never tried to keep them as far away from my family and friends as possible and I would’ve never fucking caught on fire.

Also while we’re on the topic fuck Felicia how and why did she even have that flashdrive with all that shit about SHIELD on it and more importantly why did I ask to see it.

I’m never taking anything from her ever again.

It had been 19 hours since Peter brought up Thorn out of nowhere and I can’t sleep.

Mostly because I can’t stop replaying the conversation in my head.

I didn’t necessarily want to avoid him, I just didn’t want the topic to be brought up again.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid him for long because I left my bag at his house and I have some very important prescription drugs in there.

I timidly knocked on the door smiling when May opened.

“Hi.” She smiled. “Peter’s taking a shower right now you can wait on the couch.” She offered. Not only was she gorgeous she was super caring as well.

I wish I had someone like that. I have plenty of parental figures, I just wish I had a permanent one that I got to see every day.

“You know Peter’s really lucky to have you.” I turned towards her carefully as to not to move anything on the stove. I was helping her cook since she expressed she wasn’t very good at it.

“You’re so sweet Y/N. I don’t know why you keep hanging out with Peter. He's not anywhere as nice as you.” She teased, only if she knew how wrong she was.

“May where did you-“ Peter cut himself off as he realized I was there “Oh hey what are you doing here? Did we have something planned? I’m sorry I forgot.”

“No, I just left something here.”

I could very well protect myself but it was nice to have Peter walk with me.

Normally, a 16-year-old wants to seem older than they are something about wanting to be perceived as an adult. For whatever reason that is.

I went through my “I can’t wait to grow up phase” so I get to actually enjoy my life now. Well for the most part.

There was a public park about a block away and I took it as a chance to win a competition Peter had probably already forgotten about.

“Wanna rematch?” I asked pointing towards the swing set.

He nodded and I ran over sitting down pushing off the ground immediately.

“That’s cheating,” Peter whined sitting down, making me smile.

“We never set any ground rules, nothing is cheating.”

Soon the competition fizzled out into just regular swinging relatively quickly.

“Do you ever wish you would like, run away to a remote island?” I asked out of nowhere.

“Yeah sometimes.” Peter sighed. “I think it’d be nice to get away from the city and everything in it for a while.”

It’s that mindset that gets me. Humans are so fucking complicated we always want what we can’t have. Ask someone from a small town and they’ll say they wish to live in a city and vice versa. And I think that would be funny if it weren’t so sad.

“We should run away together and be normal teenagers for a little bit.”

“I’m definitely down.”

I can’t remember what time it was when we left the park but I know it was after 5 it was after 5 and I still hadn’t taken my antidepressants yet cause I got distracted.

Honestly, the idea of having to be on drugs the rest of my life to be happy is kinda terrifying, but hey what can I do about it.

A yellow taxi was stuck behind a line of cars and normally I would’ve continued walking paying no mind to it but something seemed familiar.

I tugged Peter’s hand to get him to stop and I hadn’t even realized I was holding it. He turned his head around a confused look in his eyes. I just motioned for him to follow me.

I knocked on the passenger window and it came rolling down.

I was soon met with a familiar face.

“Dopinder?” I asked.

“Ah Y/N how are you?” He asked.

“I’m good actually. What about you?”

“I am doing very great, especially today. Geeta has lifted her restraining order on me.”

“Aw, that’s great!”

I saw Peter awkwardly standing next to me as I leaned in to the window and decided to introduce them.

“Okay Peter this is Dopinder, Dopinder this is Peter,”

“Hello, nice to meet you,” Dopinder waved and Peter waved back.

The cars ahead began to move again.

“I have to go. I will tell Mr. Pool I saw you!” He called, rolling up the window as he drove away.

Well no I know Wade’s a fucking liar every time Dopinder picks him up it’s causes he’s looking to kill someone. Swore off murder my ass.

“You know you’re the only person in my life who hasn’t left me yet,” I whispered as we continued to walk the long way back to my place.

“I don’t plan on leaving,” Peter claimed.

“No one ever does.”

I don’t know where any of that came from or why I suddenly wanted to cry, throw up and scream at the same time but I do know that Peter is going to realize how much better of a person he is than me.

He’s going to realize he can’t fix me or whatever this weird rehabilitation thing he’s got going for himself is gonna fall through and he’s gonna leave. Just like everyone else.

I know that sounds like something a fuckboy would say when you find out he was cheating and I guess it’s not that much different but I’d prefer for him to leave me now before I got too attached.

“Do you think you’d rather have your friend make you hate them and leave or have to watch them die?” I asked there were very few people I felt comfortable saying how I truly felt around.

Peter had become one of those people.

He stopped walking, turning his head to look at me and squinting his eyes.

“Are you dying and like this is some twisted test to figure out if you should run off and die alone like a cat?” He questioned. “Because if so I wouldn’t want you to die alone but I wouldn’t enjoy you dying.”

“I’m not dying.” I clarified “At least not that I know of.”

“It was just a random question.” I shrugged.

I hate people who blame their shitty actions on how they were raised but I’m about to do that real quick so just bear with me for a second.

My dad is obviously a shitty person and so am I, must be genetic. Result of his shitty parenting bred all kinds of issues. One of them being not trusting humanity.

Not that humanity deserves my trust but that doesn’t mean that some people don’t. Peter seems like one of those people you can trust but once my brain feels myself falling into total trust. I convince myself he’s now got a knife in my back and he’s just waiting for the opportunity to twist it.

But I’m one to talk about who’s deserving of trust because I sure ain’t.

The man that he longs to be

“You know I used to be so jealous of you? I kinda still am.” I spoke loosely as it was so late and I had less control over my mouth when I was tired.

“How so?” Peter spoke his voice was laced with sleep and I would’ve felt bad if I wasn’t so tired myself.

“I don't know. I’m not saying you have a perfect life but it’s good enough. Like how you are with May, I want that.”

There are so many things to be jealous of that I could spend hours listing them all.

“And you’re like a genius too.” All A’s and I don’t think he’s ever skipped a class and if he has it’d be for a good reason. “You’re a fucking superhero man. You just always have everything. You barely have money problems.”

“You also have real friends,” I added.

“You have real friends.” He yawned.

“Yeah, I do now.” I laughed.

Freshman year and 7th grade had to be the worst years of my life. Harry and Olivia were the only people in my relative friend group that weren’t superficial stuck-up bitches. And honestly even Harry was pushing it back then.

Saying anything about freshman year is a good way to get me ranting. This is why it wasn’t surprising that I had spent the past 30 minutes complaining.

“Go to sleep, Parker.” I softly demanded as I noticed he was nodding off.

I knew he wasn’t gonna hang up and I didn’t want him to. He looked adorable when he was sleepy, but not in a creepy way.

“I’m not tired.” He yawned.

“Sure you aren’t.” I chuckled. “Go ahead. I don’t want you to lose sleep just to listen to me rant.”

“You lose sleep over me.” He pointed out. ”When you stay up just so I can call you after patrol. Besides I don’t mind, I like listening to you.”

I was in love with Peter Parker.

I don’t know why I realized then of all moments but as much as I had tried to deny it before it was true.

I fall in love so easily, God it was embarrassing.

Now, how can he have her heart

“So let me get this straight.” Harry looked at me “You like him and I know for a fact he likes you back and you’re avoiding him because you like him?”

“I’m not avoiding him and I don’t like him.” Denial the first stage of grief now I just have 6 more to go.

“Sure you don’t, and he’s not with you right now which means someone’s avoiding someone.”

“We’re not together that often that means nothing.”

“Well, him going out of his way to talk to me unprovoked which he never does. And asking me why you’re avoiding him means something.”

“Whatever man,” I grumbled. I came here for weed not to get interrogated.

The worst part about living by myself isn’t the fact rent is due next week and I don’t have it. No, it’s the fact I no one to hide behind right now because I’m walking home and I do that alone.

Apparently living in Queens the epicenter of Spiderman sightings you’re gonna run into Spiderman at some point.

Falling back into old habits I definitely wasn’t excited to see the masked face.

I quickened my steps and secretly prayed for some spontaneous bank robbery to send him in the other direction.

“What’d I do?” He inquired, now walking next to me.

“Nothing.” I crossed the street and he followed much to my dismay.

“Why have you been avoiding me then?”

“I’m not,” I said. You know like a liar.

“If I did something just tell me,”

“You didn’t do anything.” I could feel myself getting mad even though I didn’t have the right.

“Clearly someone did something just tell me what it is!” He begged.

“Everything! I don’t fucking know you did everything!” There was no way I could possibly explain any of my thought processes so it’s better to be vague.

“Can you give an example?”

Back to my foolproof method of leaving people before they can leave you. Yeah, apparently it’s not so easy when the person you’re trying to stay away from is so fucking stubborn.

“I really can’t talk right now, I have to get home but I’ll promise we’ll talk tomorrow. Okay?” I avoided eye contact because I knew if I looked at him I’d start sobbing.

“Yeah.” He nodded to himself “Okay. Pinky promise?”

I laughed at that.

“Yeah, pinky promise.” I reached my hand out.

I couldn’t get my keys out faster than the tears were falling. I was feeling so much of everything at once it was suffocating.

I hadn’t had a meltdown in so long so I think this was overdue.

I threw everything everywhere. Like I was a toddler throwing a tantrum because they didn’t know how else to express their emotions.

The best part about crying is that delicious ass nap that comes after it. That headache though not fun.

I promised Peter I would talk to him, and I’m a lot of terrible things but I am not a promise-breaker.

After I hung out with my sisters and got their unwanted input I decided a public park is where I’d be less likely to create a scene

“I never formally apologized for you saving me in D.C. So that was this is me saying thank you I mean.”

“You’re welcome.” He spoke curtly.

I let out a long sigh.

“Look, I know I said we’d talk but I’m not very good at communication you’re gonna have to start this.”

“Um… you could tell me why you’ve been avoiding me.” He prompted. That sentence could’ve very well been said with malicious intent and it wasn’t and that right there is what I’m mad about.

“You were right about you doing something. Well, it’s more of you not doing something actually.” I clarified.

Peter looked into my eyes showing me I had his full attention and that he was waiting for me to continue.

“It’s just that you never do anything wrong! Like I already said I was jealous of you I don’t know you make me feel bad about myself.”

“I don’t mean to.” Peter turned his legs towards me on the bench.

“I know you don’t cause you would never do anything bad intentionally.”

“I would punch Flash intentionally.” He countered

“Yeah, but you didn’t. You wouldn’t. You can’t say that to me I actually did!” I cried.

“Tell me how to fix this. I wanna go back to normal.”

“Yeah. You and me both.”

When it got stole?

God, I had such a weird obsession with being normal. I don’t even know what normal is. Hell, I don’t think anyone does.

Everyone’s so concerned with trying to be normal and fitting in that we don’t even notice anyone else around us.

So what’s the point of trying to be anything other than yourself when no one is going to notice regardless.

Maybe it’s not because of anyone or anything in particular maybe it’s the effort that counts.

Like Miley Cyrus once said ‘Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb’ so honestly who gives a fuck what you do if no one notices.

So he tries to pacify her

“My dad’s a fucking asshole.” I said after a beat of silence “You’ve only interacted with him once and I’m sure you can agree but like…” I sighed again. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, the words just didn’t want to come out. “There’s no way you get a parent like that and come out unscathed you know? Like you’re gonna get fucked in the head somehow.”

“I’m sorry I’m not trying to make excuses for my behavior or anything just wanna explain.”

“It’s okay I understand.” He assured.

“Of course you do.” I chuckled lightly before continuing “I guess after getting so used to everything being messed up you start messing up things on your own when they start to feel okay. Like after Rose and my mom died I just sorta realized it’s best to not get attached to things cause they’re just gonna leave.”

“Yeah but you can’t-” Peter took in a deep breath “You can’t just not let things happen because they’re gonna end. Half of the time things are only good because they’re gonna end.”

“Okay, Shakespeare,” I joked to cover up the fact that I was about to start crying.

“I’m serious, Y/N. That’s got to be a miserable way to live.”

And that did it.

So much for not making a scene. Now I was looking like an idiot crying in the middle of a park.

“I’m sorry.” I laughed, wiping tears from my eyes.

“Don’t be.” He said, reaching wrapping his arms around me.

I let him.

He let me cry as long as I needed to before he felt it was safe to talk again.

“You know I don’t have much money either right?” Peter asked, circling back to a point from a few days ago.

“Where do you get all that old technology stuff in your room from then?” I shot back.

“The trash.”

“So you’re a dumpster diver?” I asked genuinely intrigued.

“It’s better than stealing.”

“Isn’t it essentially the same thing?” I raised my eyebrow

'Cause what's inside her never die

Life is a weird game and I’m starting to think I’m not as good at playing it as I thought. Because I never thought I’d ever be opening up to someone like that ever.

Hell, I never thought I’d be friends with Peter Parker so I guess I know less than I thought.

So he tries to pacify her

“It’s not the same thing!” He defended.

“Yeah, it is.”

“If you take something from the trash then no one wanted it anymore.”

“If I steal something, I’m just taking something someone didn’t want before they knew they didn't want it.” I tried.

He looked at me for a second before laughing.

Once I started laughing it always took a second to stop. When I did Peter was staring at me intensely. At first, I could only stare back. Then the silence became too intense naturally, I made a joke to break the silence.

“Keep looking at me like that and someones gonna think you’re checking me out, Parker.”

I’m not sure how I expected him to respond but how he did definitely wasn’t it.

He crashed his lips against mine and pulled away before I had the chance to react.

“Sorry, I just-” I cut him off with my lips.

He kissed me back and as I pulled back for air I whispered.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” He whispered back.

“Took you long enough to do that.” I laughed

“If you couldn't tell really really like you.” He rushed out.

“I really really like you too.” I said, “Still down to run away?”

Taglist:

@tomdiddlyumptious

@tomisfuckinghot

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erensnubs · 4 years ago

Text

𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑱𝒐

Hanamaki Takihiro x GN! Reader

Based off of the Laurie and Jo Scene in Little Women

Summary: Sometimes first loves never work out

Content: Angst, pure angst

From pirate ships, to being monarchs and warriors of old, you and Hanamaki Takahiro, were best friends.

He was the little boy who moved in next door, snot running down his nose, hands stained with dirt as he offered you a piece offering of roly polies and leaves.

You were the little kid who rolled around in the mud and terrorized the other kids by throwing sticks at them.

Needless to say you immediately became best friends. And menaces to your parents, the neighborhood kids and society in general.

You were together from the young ages of kindergarten, you were there to witness Hanamaki's awkward stage of puberty. You were there to witness him making other friends than you and lovers.

He was there when he saw you make other friends than him, dating a lot of people. He was there when you were scared of going to middle school, was there when you had anxiety over grades.

You were there for each other all the time, ups and downs, triumphs and trials.

So it was natural, that Hanamaki fell, completely and hopelessly;

In love with you.

You're running in the grass, rolling around with Hanamaki laughing your asses off. You guys have just graduated highschool and the two of you, being the dumb bitches you are decide to skip the family party to celebrate your accomplishments.

“We’re adults now!” You yell, half skipping down the hill and eventually trip.

You pick yourself up and start screaming.

“I’M FREE FROM THIS GOD FORSAKEN TOWN! WE’RE FREE!”

Hanamaki laughs, “Yeah says the one who barely passed history.”

He grabs you by the arm and drags you through the flowers of the field and sets you down, all the while you giggle deliriously.

Usually Hanamaki would be laughing along, making stupid jokes about your laugh.

But he doesn’t.

And it scares you.

Before you even open your mouth to say anything, Hanamaki plops down beside you and thoughtfully asks,

“What are we going to do, [Name]? After here?”

The question sounded serious not like those ones where he asked you if he looked sexy for prom or if his crocs match the vibe of the weather that day.

You paused to take in the question.

“Well... I can’t really answer that Hiro Out of our whole friend group we’ve always been the floaters. The ones that never really know what we’re doing...”

Hanamaki turns his head around, baby hairs sticking onto his skin from the sweat of running. His eyes are looking at you, no they’re looking through you.

He breathes out a yes, like he’s been holding something from you. A secret he didn’t want to tell.

You turn away abruptly hoping he doesn’t see your slight change of attitude.

“Iwaizumi’s going to America, Mattsun is getting ready for college, and you know Oikawa is going over to Brazil to pursue volleyball.”

“I honestly don’t know Hiro. I get that we can’t be kids who run around more and throw dirt at each other,” you say laughing softly.

Hanamaki scoffs, “But you wish it was like that huh?”

You sit up and pick the grass from the ground and throw it randomly into the air.

“Of course! I still want to get a pirate ship and go and travel the world with you.”

Hanamaki raises his eyebrows, “And steal gold from random people?”

You smile cheekily, “Of course. Then we’ll build our chocolate empire, something that could rival Willy Wonka’s.”

Hanamaki stands up and puts his hand out to you.

You grab it, but why do you feel like the gesture is something much more than a friendly hand?

The two of you start walking, swinging your arms around as you joke about your chocolate factory, your pirate ships, the adventures you’re going to have.

The sun was setting, the long, green blades of grass turning yellow as you and Hanamaki run through them, creating scars and bumps on your skin.

You were going to miss highschool. You were going to miss groaning about exams and certain substitute teachers. Miss skipping classes with Mattsun and Makki to go get wasted with cheap alcohol.

You were going to miss Oikawa and his stupid smile and Iwaizumi and his stupid nicknames. You were going to miss crying with the 3rd years over lost volleyball games.

Hell, you were probably going to cry when Oikawa and Iwaizumi left to continue their lives. You might even cry when Mattsun goes to college even if he isn’t going overseas.

But at least you had Hanamaki. Your dearest friend. Though your relationship has gotten deeper and you were able to confide with each other, you were still the 2 children that fought other kids on the playground.

You could always, always rely on him. Because you never changed with each other.

“[Name]?”

You turn around and see Hanamaki. His eyes glowed with something.

And it was not of the setting sun.

“Yes?” You say, the sky turning darker as moments pass.

“I know we talk about us being adventurous and going with the flow... but I feel like we could do something more, you know?” he says it quietly, his thumb subconsciously rubbing yours.

You look up at him, “What do you mean? You just want to suddenly work a 9-5 job in a corporate company? We talked about this Hiro...”

He looks taken aback, “No no, that’s not what I meant [Name].”

Hanamaki gets quieter, “We could always be little kids, playing with swords and sticks. Together.”

You pause as Hanamaki looks up at your eyes. Together? You’ve always been together? Always.

Wait.

He couldn’t possibly mean.

You pull back from his grasp,

“No Hiro I can’t do that. Please no.”

You start walking away from him and he advances as he argues, trying to salvage something.

“[Name], no I love you and I have always loved you since we were little! I can’t imagine myself being with anyone else besides you!”

You walk faster and wrap your arms around yourself, “No, no, no. Hiro you’re being ridiculous.”

“Yes, YES!”

“No! We can’t!”

“[NAME]! COME BACK HERE LET ME SEE YOU!” Hanamaki says running towards you.

You spin around and stare at him, “We can’t work Hiro! I could never love you that way, and I would be lying, God I would be lying if I said that I did. Our whole life together we’re going to be pretending.”

He runs his fingers through his hair in frustration, “Why?! We were just talking about doing adventures together! Why is that any different than what I proposed!?”

You stomp your foot onto the ground, “Did you not just listen to me you dipshit? I could never love you romantically! Ever! I care for you, I worry for you but Hanamaki you are my friend. My closest friend. You are the one thing in my life that hasn’t changed so quickly and then you pull this shit?”

Hanamaki starts yelling now, “BUT I MAKE YOU HAPPY! AND YOU MAKE ME HAPPY! WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE, FOR YEARS [NAME]! YEARS! I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I COULD HAVE TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOU!”

You start shaking your head, “No, don’t say that.”

Hanamaki starts rambling, “You always tell me that words and actions are your love languages-

“Stop.”

“And I’ve been doing it, [Name]. I have. I have been there for you, anywhere and-and-”

“Takihiro stop.”

“And I can’t feel like this anymore. I can’t let you slip through my fingers and watch you run away from me like everyone else has-”

“TAKIHIRO STOP IT!”

The only things that you could hear were the sounds of your breathing and the crickets in the grass.

“Takihiro, you’re being a child. You’re being stupid and ridiculous. Do not let the fantasies of a boy ruin your future,” you say sternly, begging for your tears to not fall onto the ground.

“You say that, [Name], and then run from everything that requires commitment,” he says sharply.

“You’re a coward, [Name]. You’re hurting me.”

Hanamaki is stepped away from you know and he starts walking away.

“My life has no meaning anymore-”

You scoff, “Takihiro your love for me isn’t worth your life!”

Hanamaki walks away and his voice is racked with sobs. Oh god he seriously does love you.

Why?

“Takihiro come back here!”

You’re running towards him now, grabbing his arm but he pushes away.

“Takihiro think with your brain! Just because we can’t be together the way you want doesn’t mean we have to sever all ties!” You say breathlessly.

“I mean think about it, we could have never worked. You hate the fact I don’t eat your favorite ice cream, you constantly like to go out and I like staying home.”

“I don’t care-”

“I hate meeting your other family members because they look down on me, my family members have always been skeptical of you-”

“I don’t care about that-”

“And we would be miserable, Takihiro. Absolutely miserable with one another-”

“No we wouldn’t,” he says stopping and grabbing your arm. Your noses were touching as his thin lips tried to connect with yours.

You pull away.

“Admit it Makki. We are better off as friends, not lovers,” you say finally.

“I’m ugly and I don’t care about my appearance like your other lovers do. I’m brutally honest with you and sometimes you cry about my opinion and-”

“I love you [Name].”

“I’m lazy and have no real goal in life, I have no foundation no, no rock or something. I don’t have a drive, Hiro! You’re going to be stuck with someone who doesn’t care.”

“I love you.”

“And you’re going to find someone else, a nice person, who likes eating your ice cream and dresses up. Who has a clear goal in life and someone your family will love-”

“No one could ever replace you, [Name]-”

You throw your hands up in frustration, “You’re mixing platonic and romantic feelings together and turning it into some big thing!”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes you are.”

Silence surpasses you again and Hanamaki starts walking away.

You spoke up, “But-”

He turns around again and looks at you with hope. Hope for something more.

“That I don’t think I’ll ever be with someone romantically, Makki. I’ve gone years without.”

Hanamaki scoffs and starts to laugh cruelly,

“I don’t believe that, [Name]. You’re going to find someone, and you’re going to fall hard.”

You sneer, “How do you know?”

“I just do, you’re impossible to not fall in love with. You’re the sunshine in my life.”

“Takihiro don’t say that, please.”

He looks back at you, “But you are! You are my world, my-”

“LEAVE ME! OH MY GOD LEAVE ME!” You yell at him and turn away.

This was the 1st time Hanamaki hears you with that voice.

"[Name]-"

"JUST GO PLEASE-"

"YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE [NAME]!”

You spit out your words, “OH REALLY YOU THINK I WILL? ME? THE PERSON WHO TURNED YOU DOWN?!”

“YES! YES [NAME],” Hanamaki says.

“You’re going to fall in love with someone and you’re perfect, care free life will turn upside down and they’re going to love you. And you’re going to be perfect with each other-”

“HANAMAKI-”

“And I will watch. I will watch you grow and love this person. I will watch it happen because I still love you and I don’t think I’ll love anyone else.”

“And I will watch you, I will watch you [Name], and- and,”

You couldn’t bear to see his tears fall from his eyes, so you turn away.

“I will imagine that it could have been me and you-”

“Hanamaki please-”

“I don’t know what to do with myself but I will still take care of you and I truly love you, forever and-”

“Hanamaki-”

“I won’t ever stop, [Name]. Ever,” he says softly as he tries to reach out for your hand.

You pull away, your voice breaking.

“Hanamaki, go. I don’t want to see you right now,” you say softly.

You don’t have to turn around to see him crumble. You can feel it.

Because your heart was crumbling too.

“I’ll go... get back safe, [Name],” he adds.

You don’t say anything back, and hear the slow movements in the grass as your best friend walked away from you.

Forever.

The sky is dark, the stars seemed ashamed at your argument, and they don’t shine like they used to from years before.

You stayed in the grass, silent tears on your face as you shielded yourself from the cold with your arms.

You wanted to go home, but home wasn’t a place

It was a person. And his name was Hanamaki Takihiro.

But home loved you, and you didn’t love it back the way they wanted.

More tears flowed from your eyes at the sudden thought emerged from your eyes.

You had no home anymore.

AN: Another random little oneshot I did for my boy Hanamaki! Please comment your thoughts or reblog and like! I need constructive critiscm loves so I know what I can write and appeal to!

Taglist: @saladskittles

#hanamaki x reader #hanamaki takahiro #hanamaki oneshot #hanamaki angst #haikyu angst #gn reader #haikyu oneshots #hanamaki scenarios #hurt/comfort #angst #hanamaki x gn reader #hanamaki x y/n #hanamaki x you #little women #laurie and jo #tina's fics⌨︎#tina's cafe menu☕︎

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annabethy · 4 years ago

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could you do 4 for the prompts??

#4 accidental kisses

Annabeth was in love with her best friend.

Like, painfully, disgustingly in love with her best friend. And she was almost certain that he was far from in love with her. Annabeth had made it more than clear time after time, and he always brushed it off. He either didn’t know or didn’t care. Both options were less than appealing.

It made it so much worse because it was like everyone knew except him, and the teasing messages from Piper that were lighting up her phone made it so she’d never forget.

“What are you doing?”

Annabeth jumped as a hand pressed against her lower back, glaring at Percy as she tried to ignore the burning from the contact. He just smiled, looking over her shoulder even when she shoved him lazily.

“Stop it,” she said as he attempted to glance at her phone, still blowing up with messages from Piper.

“I’ve been standing here for like five minutes, but you were too preoccupied with your phone to notice.” Percy stopped the playful shoves, eyes twinkling. “You talking about a boy?”

Annabeth didn’t appreciate the subtle mocking tone of his voice. “I’m talking about my grades,” she lied. Of course, Percy knew she was lying because he knew her, but he didn’t push any further.

“So.” Percy leaned against the locker Annabeth was by, crossing his arms. “Are you going to prom?”

“I have no idea,” she muttered distractedly, turning away from him to dig around inside her locker. She wasn’t actually looking for anything, but she had to do something to avoid him. There was no way she could look him in the eyes and talk about a date to prom without saying something stupid.

“What! It’s senior prom! You have to go!”

“I’m not going to stand there by myself while everyone else has a date.”

Percy clicked his tongue. “’l’ll be there with you.”

“But you’re going to have a date, and—”

Percy snorted.

“What?”

“Who told you that I have a date?”

“You’re bound to get someone,” she said, scoffing. “My best friend is going to be there with one of the hottest girls in the school, and I’m going to sit there like a loser.”

“You think I’m attractive enough to get the hottest girl in the school?” Percy laughed, elbowing her gently to tell her that he was just messing with her.

Annabeth flushed. “You know you are.”

“Then it shouldn’t be too hard to get you to go with me,” Percy said, reaching towards her head to tug at her curl. “If you say I can get the hottest girl in school and all.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere. I’m not going to prom.”

Percy groaned, dropping back against the locker loudly. “You seriously aren’t going to go to prom? I need someone I can actually stand to be there.”

“You and I both know that you can’t stand me.”

“Well, that’s only sometimes.” When Percy grabbed Annabeth’s chin to tilt her head towards him, he frowned. “If you really want to go with someone, though, you can go with me.”

“I don’t want to be your pity date. Besides, I’m sure there are better people to go with.”

Percy looked like he was going to argue, but he shut his mouth, settling for tracing over her face for any sign of emotion. Annabeth couldn’t read exactly what he was thinking, but she didn’t feel comfortable with the way he was gazing at her as though he was reading her soul.

After a while of silence, Annabeth digging around her locker, Percy cleared his throat.

“You seriously mean to tell me that you haven’t planned anything for prom? No pinterest boards of dresses or something?”

Annabeth bit her lower lip. She actually did have a ton of dresses pinned, but she couldn’t tell him that. Not when they were picked out with Percy in mind, imagining what would look best with him by her side.

Being head over heels in love. It’s mortifying.

“I mean… I have a few,” she just barely managed.

Percy’s jaw dropped as he stood straighter at the new revelation. “I— you actually have some picked out?”

“Is that such a bad thing?” she asked, her voice small and weak.

“No! It’s a good thing, but—” Percy laughed, shaking her shoulder. “Show me what you decided on.”

“I haven’t decided on anything yet,” she said, but she was already pulling her phone back into view, being sure to turn away from him as she unlocked it so he couldn’t see the messages from Piper. It took a good minute to find the inspiration pictures, but once she did, she grinned, already filled with a rush of excitement.

Even if it wasn’t going to happen, it was still nice to imagine what it could be like to go to prom with her best friend.

“Let me see,” Percy complained, trying to press his head onto her shoulder.

Annabeth shoved him away a second, wanting to make sure there was no incriminating evidence of her feelings for Percy.

“It’s the one that—” Annabeth was cut off as she turned to face him, lifting her head to adjust to the height difference. Just as she did so, Percy had started to try and look over her shoulder again, leaning over, and—

Percy’s lips brushed against Annabeth’s, sending sparks of electricity through her. It was only a graze, and it took her way too long to comprehend what had just happened, but when she did, her face was flaming.

Percy looked at her like a deer in headlights, and he could feel the heat start to surround him. He felt suffocated, and Annabeth was no different.

Still, as Annabeth stared at Percy, she couldn’t help but focus on his lips, and the way they felt so soft for the milliseconds they were against her, and she so desperately wanted to feel them against hers again.

The moment seemed to freeze, and she could focus on nothing but him. She didn’t know what to say to clear the moment, and neither did he, but then there was a magnetic pull between them getting stronger and stronger.

Percy’s hands went to her face and he pulled her closer, both of their eyes fluttering shut, and then his lips were back against hers, and she couldn’t breathe.

His mouth moved against hers slowly, pouring every ounce of affection into it, and Annabeth felt tingly all over her body. He breathed against her lips, his heart pounding in his chest, and as he pressed harder, Annabeth felt faint.

Percy pulled away slowly, resting his forehead against hers. His hand was still against her cheek, thumb rubbing soothing circles into the skin, and he looked at her in a way she never saw before, but now, she highly suspects it had always been there, bubbling between them.

“Hey,” Percy whispered, nudging her nose.

“Hey,” she answered, grinning. Her lips were swollen and red and numb.

“I kind of like you.”

“You do?” Annabeth’s eyes shut slowly as he pressed a warm kiss to her nose.

“I have for a while,” he admitted. Annabeth laughed in disbelief, dropping her head against his chest as his arms moved to wrap her in a hug.

“Well, that’s good, because I kinda like you too,” she said. Had it been five minutes earlier, she would’ve never said that, but now? It felt like a weight had lifted from her chest and been replaced with an everlasting warmth.

“Does that mean you’ll go to prom with me?”

Annabeth’s head leaned back to look him in the eyes, and god, she loved the sparkling green hue, and his smell and touch and him.

“I guess,” she joked, over the moon.

Percy and Annabeth shared a humorous glance, and she could barely contain her jitters. She kind of loved Percy, and now she knew he did too. And as Percy paid attention to nothing but her, she wanted so badly to kiss him again.

So she did.

#percy jackson #annabeth chase #percabeth #pjo #my writing #im not sure how i feel about this but i hope u enjoy anon #thank u for sending me this #you made me very happy #anon #asks

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thestupidhelmet · 4 years ago

Note

What would you say are the core personalities of the six? I don't know if you've made a meta about this already since I'm fairly new here. Love your blog!

Thank you! 😊

I’ve written a few metas on the characters’ personalities or characterizations. But I’ll write up what I interpret their consistent core characterizations to be. First, a preamble.

Unfortunately, That ‘70s Show’s writers had a tendency to forget, ignore, or outright change the characters’ core characterizations, too often introducing new elements -- to serve plot -- that conflict with earlier established personality traits confirmed and reconfirmed by many episodes that followed. This is different than character development, which is grounded often in incremental changes over several / many episodes or even seasons.

Most of these revisions of the characters’ core personalities are negative. Only one I can think of is positive: Hyde’s in “Prom Night” (1x19). The core of his character gets a complete overhaul once his role as Eric’s villainous foil and rival for Donna’s affection is over.

Because of the show’s inconsistent writing, one can pick and choose which consistently depicted attributes are the truly canon parts of a character’s personality. Later in the series, these consistently depicted attributes often conflict. When I write fanfic and @those70scomics, I depicts the characters according to what I believe are their core personalities. Other people can reasonably view their core personalities differently.

Now to answer your question.

Fez

He’s insecure about fitting in with his group of friends and among Americans in general. This insecurity sometimes manifests as neediness with friends and girlfriends alike.

He’s loyal to his friends and generally caring. He doesn’t like hurting their feelings. He’s in touch with his emotions and sensitive, which means he can be hurt rather easily by his friends’ or others’ thoughtless remarks toward him -- or hurt by what he misinterprets as an insult (e.g., Hyde telling Fez he needs to act aloof to attract women, and Fez believing Hyde is calling him “a loof,” which Fez apparently thinks is a put-down).

He’s not defenseless, however. He’s got a quick wit and comes back with cutting remarks of his own or simply cuts off his friends with his catchphrase and its varieties (i.e. “Good day. ... I said good day!”)

He’s passionate, but this passion variously paired with his insecurity, neediness, and sensitivity can cloud his judgement, which causes him to go too far in many areas: dirty jokes, masturbation, pursuit of unavailable girls, eating candy, etc.

He suffers from Nice Guy syndrome with Jackie during seasons 2 and 3. This means he has a sense of entitlement to Jackie’s romantic and sexual affection, and his respectful treatment of her is predicated on the expectation of romantic and sexual reward. Once he realizes that she’ll never reciprocate his romantic feelings, his respectful treatment of her diminishes greatly.

In season one, he’s depicted as insightful to other people’s feelings and motivations. In seasons 1-4, he’s also depicted as romantic and a romantic. He’s a serial monogamist, but he suffers somewhat from toxic masculinity (e.g., calling Jackie little girl when he believes she’s overstepped her bounds) and sexism (e.g., often calling girls whores; once this insult is prompted by a girl who does not put out sexually, which is the opposite of the meaning of whore). With Rhonda, though, this toxic masculinity and sexism seem not to be evident.

He longs for intimacy, whether platonic (men) or romantic (women). See this meta about how the show writes Fez and Kelso’s relationship as near-romantic in later seasons while also (re)affirming Fez and Kelso’s canonical straightness to keep T7S’s universe a heteronormative one.

Fez is obsessed with losing his virginity, but for the first four seasons of the show, the depiction of this obsession falls in line with that of many teenage boys his age. It’s not out of the ordinary. Eric is shown to have the same obsession until he and Donna finally have sex. Further, Fez’s obsession is not so all-encompassing that he can’t put it aside for love. He does so for his love of Rhonda -- until “Everybody Loves Casey” (4x26), where the best parts of his core characterization are destroyed. See my meta The Deterioration of Fez’s Character for details.

My Take: I prefer to write the insightful, loyal Fez who sometimes doesn’t know how far to push a joke. He can be insecure, but he’s also got a strong moral center and sense of what’s right and wrong -- or develops this sense more thoroughly during a given story. He’s flawed but very capable of growing and changing due to his ability to examine his own behavior and love for his friends.

Kelso

In season one, Kelso is a math and tech prodigy who has little common sense and or will power. He’s also loyal to Eric and Hyde and clearly loves them, but his impulsivity and addiction to sexual pleasure drive him to act thoughtlessly. He displays a sense of entitlement but not a pathological one. He’s capable of apologizing for his thoughtless and entitled behavior. See this meta about “Ski Trip” (1x13) for an in depth analysis of Kelso’s behavior during that episode.

After season 1, his math and technology knowledge is gonet. His selfishness and sense of entitlement overshadow his loyalty to anyone (or anything) other than fulfilling his own needs and desires. His lack of common sense becomes cartoonish. He acts maliciously when he feels slighted, which happens when he doesn’t get what he believes he’s entitled to. He relentlessly pesters Jackie verbally and physically for sex when she just wants to sleep. He’s pathologically narcissistic, vain, and dishonest.

During the end of season 3 and beginning of season 4, however, he begins to grow and change. He experiences and express remorse toward Jackie for treating her so badly -- without any expectation of return. His selfishness fades significantly, as does his lying, but neither attribute disappears completely. He’s capable of putting his own wants and desires aside for Jackie’s, but she sometimes has to assert herself more than once for him to do so.

During the end of season 4, unfortunately, he not only reverts back to type, he also becomes worse. He rescinds his remorse and gives Jackie the responsibility for his cheating. He speaks misogynistically about women and her, and is just generally awful. See my metas Jackie Kissing Todd “the Cheese Guy” and Kelso’s Reaction and False Equivalency: Kelso’s “Most Romantic Gesture” Toward Jackie for further analysis.

In season 5, Kelso reaches the peak of his self-entitled narcissism, selfishness, hypocrisy, and possessiveness over Jackie. He interprets Jackie dating Hyde as an act of betrayal and an attack on his pride and self-esteem. He seeks out revenge on both of them, even while trying to “win Jackie back” with the same kind of maliciousness he shows Jackie in season 2 when she doesn’t forgive his cheating within a week of her discovering it.

Throughout the series, he makes unwanted sexual advances toward Donna. He tries to grope her breast repeatedly while she sleeps. He tries to sneak a glimpse of her breasts while she changes, and she’s so sick of his whining that she gives into what he wants (in “Class Picture” [4x20]). The writers intended this scene to be funny, but it’s actually horrific and parallels Jackie’s complaints about Kelso pawing at her and whining relentlessly for sex that she gives in so she can sleep.

He makes these numerous sexual advances on Donna when she’s in a relationship with Eric and when she and Eric are broken up. Yet he when he and Jackie are no longer together, he acts like Hyde has committed a crime against him for being in a consensual relationship with Jackie.

Without Ashton’s comedic timing and likability, Kelso would be unbearable to watch during seasons 1-5. Kelso is funny only because of Ashton’s performance.

But in season 6, Kelso gets another chance at a true character growth arc. He fights his selfish, cowardly tendencies to have a place in Brooke’s life and their child’s (whom hasn’t been born yet). He works hard to prove his ability to be a good father. and himself worthy of Brooke’s love. Even more, he makes an act of utter unselfishness and sacrifice by letting Brooke and their baby go -- to live Chicago with Brooke’s mom -- because that’s what’s best for them, not him.

That being said, he still demonstrates an amount of selfishness toward his friends.

Season 7 again drops him back to status quo -- almost. Brooke is gone. He’s barely involved in his child’s life. He dates Hyde’s newfound sister, in part to burn Hyde. But at least he treats Angie with respect and is faithful to her, as far as we’re shown. So that part of his growth from season 6 stuck.

Throughout all the seasons, he’s shown to have a vast imagination. He fancies himself an inventor or an astronaut. He comes up with some wild -- and some might say insane -- ideas. He’s creative despite not being very skilled.

My Take: I generally write Kelso as a selfish, self-entitled narcissist because of when my T7S fics take place in the series. I also use his lack of common sense as comic relief. But I prefer the Kelso capable of growth and change, the one who is willing to put his own needs and desires aside for the benefit of other people. This latter characterization development has continued in @those70scomics, and I’ve given him major growth arcs in my stories Reflections Through the Glass, Beneath a Shattered Sky, and Those Who Play with Demons (which I have yet to finish writing).

Eric

Eric has a compassionate heart. He cares about his family, his friends, and people in general. But he also suffers deep insecurities about his masculinity thanks to Red’s treatment of him. Eric is more in touch with his emotions, like his mother, and Red has trouble relating to him. Red also worries Eric might be too emotionally vulnerable to survive the real world, which is why he’s so hard on him (see “Hunting” [2x13]).

Because of modeling his dad gives him on masculinity, the clear messages that Eric isn’t masculine enough, and what he absorbs from observing how society expects men to behave, he suffers from bouts of chauvinism. Donna.is regularly the recipient of Eric’s insecurities about his manliness. He often feels threatened by her self-confidence, athletic ability, intelligence, etc. -- because she’s a woman and his best friend / girlfriend / fiancée. He falsely believes her strengths highlight his weaknesses as a man.

But he’s also patient and unselfish with Donna, putting aside his own sexual desires for her need to go slowly or for celibacy (in season 6). He’s supportive of her and all his family and friends, including Laurie and Jackie -- both of whom he has an antagonistic relationship with. He’s very loyal to his friends.

Eric uses sarcasm and his quick wit as defense mechanisms. Some might say he’s a little stunted in his growth due to his continued enjoyment of playing with action figures. He indulges at times in his mom’s infantilizing of him while also trying to assert his adulthood.

He has a specific vision for his future: marrying Donna and having a family with her. This vision, however, does not include a career. He doesn’t seem to be passionate about much else besides his relationship with Donna (and having sex with her) and Star Wars. This is a failing of the writers. Eric’s storylines are so Donna-focused that the show gives little space for what else he might be passionate about.

Eric is very much capable of recognizing, owning, and learning from his mistakes. He can be a total ass, but he eventually realizes his behavior and makes correction.

Donna

Donna is confident, athletic, intelligent, and a staunch defender of gender equality (when written consistently). She’s loyal to her friends. She often puts aside her own pride to protect Eric’s self-esteem. She gets angry at him almost only when he’s earned it. See In Defense of Donna (an essay in eight parts) for an in depth analysis on her relationship with Eric.

When she’s in severe emotional pain, she becomes self-destructive. Losing her relationship to Eric at the end of season 3 and her mom moving to California sends her into downward spiral. Earlier, we see this self-destructive trait in “Eric Gets Suspended” (2x09) when her parents pay little attention to her due to their obsession with the latest fads.

Her parents’ lack of boundaries with her -- exposing her to their marital troubles and making her a pawn in them, as well as not hiding their sexcapades from her -- create a strong sense of boundaries within her.

The state of her parents’ relationship often influences her confidence in her relationship with Eric. She’s afraid sex will destroy her relationship with Eric; but once her parents renew their wedding vows, she has faith enough that romantic relationships can last that she finally feels safe enough to have sex.

She strongly values her independence. She doesn’t want her life and prospects dictated or limited by her romantic relationship with Eric. She witnesses how her dad’s controlling chauvinism stifles her mom’s own independence and dreams for herself, and she refuses to let Eric’s insecurity and chauvinism do that to her.

She’s passionate about writing, both journalistic and fiction, as well as music. She’s playful and forgiving. She doesn’t fit the gender norms of the 1970s. She’s as comfortable playing basketball with the guys as she is decorating a room or gymnasium for an event. She has a mixture of femininity and masculinity, which only Jackie seems to insult her about.

Jackie

At her core, Jackie is a compassionate, generous, and insightful person. She gives far more gifts to Kelso during their relationship than he does her -- despite her always stating how much she wants presents. She gives Donna lots of advice and support during Donna and Eric’s transition from friends to lovers. She continues to give Donna advice and support throughout the series about her love life.

But Jackie can also be very controlling, insulting, and selfish. She’s quite vain, but she’s also insecure about all she acts secure about. See Does Jackie Become Less Insecure about Her Physical Appearance when She Dates Hyde? If So, Why?

Jackie has abandonment issues because of her parents. Her father isn’t home a lot and often shows his love for her through presents. The latter is why she wants / expects to get gifts from her boyfriend(s). She develops a marriage obsession out of wanting a guarantee she won’t be abandoned by her romantic partner, despite that marriage doesn’t actually guarantee this.

She also has a tendency toward self-delusion. She so needs Kelso to be whom she wants him to be that she goes into denial about his infidelity and all the negative qualities of his I described above. Eventually that delusion is broken, only to be replaced by delusions about Hyde. She transfers her feelings of (relationship-)safety from Kelso to Hyde.

Only when Kelso breaks her heart for the final time at the end of season 4 does she break out of this delusion cycle. She fantasizes about what her future with Hyde might be like, but that isn’t the same as deluding herself. Plus, Hyde consistently disabuses her of these unrealistic fantasies and offers her a much healthier and happier potential reality.

Once she’s with Hyde in season 5, she begins growing and changing significantly. Instead of complaining of her suffering as she does, for instance, during her S2-S3 break-up with Kelso, she hides the fact her mom has completely abandoned her after her dad goes to prison. She tells no one her mom hasn’t come home from Mexico.

This is not one of the healthier changes she makes in season 5, but fantasizing away her pain no longer works as a defense mechanism. Instead, she believes she has to face her struggles alone. Fortunately, Hyde discovers the truth and gives her a safe place and, in a very real way, becomes a literal safe place for her himself. (The writers screwed this up for the sake of a season-ending cliffhanger, but that’s beyond the scope of this meta.)

Jackie can be stubborn and determined. She wants what’s best for the people she loves, especially Hyde. She’s extremely forgiving. She doesn’t trust her ability to take care of herself, but she learns that she can (through getting a job, Hyde’s encouragement, her public access TV show, etc.)

She’s a complex character. When people don’t look beyond her surface, they find her easily dismissible. The writers too often wrote her this way during the series. But they also added many layers to her, as I’ve described in this meta.

Hyde

See the following metas I wrote about him:

Hyde’s Core Characterization Steven Hyde: Organic Character Development Steven Hyde: Inconsistent Characterization Hyde’s Character Shift from Season 4 to Season 5 Why Hyde Closes Himself Off More Emotionally in Season 5 Pathological Passive-Aggressiveness: A New Personality Trait Added to Hyde’s Character in Season 5 Hyde’s Potential Career

#That 70s Show #That '70s Show #Jackie x Hyde #Eric Forman #Michael Kelso #Ask #Anon #My Meta #My Essay #Meta #Essay #Core Characterization #Donna #Fez #Jackie #Hyde

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grantyort · 4 years ago

Photo

Prelude IV: Relight

Post-Surgery: DAY ONE

[Sean sits in the hospital bed, legs crossed, staring into space when he hears a familiar voice.]

Joey: Sean, Sean Diaz? Well damn. I never thought I’d see your sorry ass again!

Sean: Geez Joey. Is that how you talk to all your patients?

Joey: Just the ones I like.

[Sean chuckles]

Joey: C’mere big man.

[Joey gives Sean a big bear hug]

Sean: How’ve you been Joey?

Joey: Can’t complain. These days, they got me up in hospice care. You’re probably the first person I’ve seen today that didn’t need their bedpans changed.

Sean: Sounds terrible.

Joey: It’s all not all bad. Lot of these folks have stories that you wouldn’t believe. One of my patients has lived through five wars and two depressions, tells me I’m a credit to my race.

Sean: Yeesh.

Joey: (shrugs) She means well. It’s almost flattering compared to some of the stuff I’ve heard. Been on this job almost ten years now, some people still treat me like I have no idea what I’m doing.

Sean: That sucks Joey.

Joey: Yeah... Anyway, you seem to be doing pretty well for yourself. From what I heard, this procedure cost a small fortune. You must have friends in high places.

Sean: Yeah, something like that.

Joey: And no guard at the door this time. I assume everything got cleared up with the police? Not planning to make a break for it again are ya?

Sean: Nah, no daring escapes this time.

Joey: Good. I don’t think I’d survive another blow to the head.

Sean: Listen Joey I’m really sorry-

Joey: (laughs) Relax Sean! I’m just messing with you! It’s ancient history as far as I’m concerned. Say, did you ever end up finding that brother of yours?

Sean: Yeah. He’s actually coming to visit me tomorrow.

Joey: Can’t wait to meet him!

Sean: Famous last words.

Joey: So… what you been up to these days?

Sean: Mostly just cramming for the SATs, drawing, listening to music. Normal teenage shit.

Joey: That’s good to hear. I was worried about you man. You went AWOL after the hospital. I got police and Feds breathing down my neck for weeks. Then a month later, I hear about a couple of kids trying the border to Mexico on the news.

Sean: Sorry I never reached out. I just didn’t want to get you more involved than you already were-

Joey: You made the right call. They questioned me for hours. My apartment was filled with G-men, my girlfriend was freaked. I honestly thought she was going to dump my ass.

Sean: I’m really sorry Joey.

Joey: Don’t sweat it Sean, it was for a good cause. Besides, everything worked out in the end.

Sean: Yeah I noticed, how long have you been-

Joey: Almost a year now. We’re expecting our first baby in the summer.

Sean: Congratulations dude!

Joey: Thanks, but honestly, I’m kinda nervous, don’t think I’m ready to be a father.

Sean: You’ll be a great dad, Joey. You’re awesome at taking care of people.

Joey: You’re damn right. Speaking of which, we should probably take a look at that eye of yours.

[Joey takes off the bandage and gives Sean’s eye a thorough examination]

Joey: Well it looks a helluva lot better than the last time I saw it.

Sean: That’s good to hear. I wasn’t sure it would work.

Joey: Well it’s too early to say if your vision will fully recover. But at the very least you won’t have to walk around with a patch anymore.

Sean: Good. It’s hard enough finding a prom date let alone one that’s willing to go with a pirate.

Joey: Still with the pirate jokes huh? Hopefully, you’ll have to write some new material after this.

[Joey applies a new bandage on Sean’s eye]

Joey: And you’re all set. Now as much as I love our talks, I gotta make my rounds. Buzz me if you need me.

Sean: Later Joey.

Joey: See ya tomorrow Sean.

[Joey leaves the room. Sean turns to look out the window. The door shoots open, and a small figure comes bursting in.]

Daniel: Sean!

[He jumps onto the bed and into Sean’s arms]

Stephen: (out-of-breath) Sorry, I tried to stop him, but he outran me.

Sean: You okay Stephen?

Stephen: I am… just need a minute to catch my breath. The old ticker ain’t what it used to be- I need to sit down.

Daniel: Take it easy grandpa.

Sean: What are you doing here, enano? I wasn’t expecting you guys until tomorrow.

Daniel: I made grandpa book an earlier flight. I just couldn’t wait!

[he hugs Sean again]

Sean: Haha easy. I just had surgery, remember?

Daniel: Oh right, s-sorry.

[There’s a brief flash, followed by a shutter click]

Sean: What’re you doing, gramps?

Stephen: Oh nothing, just commemorating the moment. Thanks to your brother, I finally got the hang of this newfangled smartphone camera.

Daniel (whispering): He had it stuck on selfie mode for days. Anyway, did it go? Is your eye…

Sean: I mean… it’s not 100% yet but I can sort of see again.

Daniel: T-that’s awesome! Can I see it?

Sean: Dude last time I showed you my eye, you almost cried. Besides, the doctors say I still need to keep the bandage on for a bit, while it heals.

Daniel: Right. That makes sense. Oooh this room looks cool. Do they have Netflix or a Playbox?

Sean: It’s a hospital, dude.

Daniel: Lame.

Sean: So catch me up. Did I miss anything interesting at home?

Daniel: Nah… Chris is still on that fishing trip with his dad so there’s no one to hang out with. Oh I almost forgot. He made you this card. Isn’t it awesome?

[Daniel gives Sean a hand-drawn “get-well-soon” card from Chris]

Sean: Yeah. It’s pretty cool. We can have Claire put it up when we get back.

Daniel: Grandma’s still in that feud with the lady from church.

Sean: Which one was that again?

Daniel: Agnes, the one who gives off major Lisbeth-vibes. She says grandma stole her casserole recipe for the church bake-sale. Lying bitch.

Stephen: Language!

Sean: Maybe one of us should try to smooth things over before it gets nasty.

Stephen: Hell hath no fury… lemme tell ya. I’ve been married to your grandmother long enough to know once that woman sets her mind on something… there’s no stopping her. Best to just let things run their course.

Sean: Claire can get a little… passionate sometimes. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen her lose her temper for real.

Stephen: There’s a fire in that woman. It’s part of the reason I married her. Just pray she never turns it on you. I hope I’ll never live to see that day, god willing.

[Sean notices Daniel circling the hospital bed, pressing his hand on various parts of the mattress]

Sean: (laughs) What are you doing, enano?

Daniel: Just trying to figure which side of the bed I want to sleep on tonight.

Sean: Dude. There’s no way this bed’s gonna fit both of us.

Daniel: The one in Mom’s trailer was way smaller!

Sean: Yeah well… you were a lot smaller back then.

Stephen: They have a nice area for visitors down the hall.

Daniel: But I want to stay with Sean!

Sean: I guess I could ask Joey to bring in a couch or something.

Daniel: Who’s Joey?

Sean: The nurse who took care of me after the accident. I told you about him, remember?

Daniel: Oh right! I can’t wait to meet him!

DAY TWO

Joey: How are we doing today? Any headaches, dizziness, socket pain?

Sean: Nah it’s all good. Still getting used to having depth perception again. It’s kinda weird.

Joey: You’ll get used to it. Anything else to report?

Sean: Nothing major. I’ve just been having some really weird dreams.

Joey: We have a psychiatrist on-site if you need a professional to talk to.

Sean: Nah it’s alright, probably just the drugs messing with my brain.

Joey: Well your vitals look good. We’ll go over some basic tests. You know the drill.

(Sean covers his right eye and tries to read the chart. Joey then shines a light and asks him to follow along. Finally, he asks Sean to put the cap back on the pen.)

Joey: You passed with flying colors. The doctor will be in for a final exam tomorrow and then we can discharge you.

Sean: (sarcastically) Too bad, I was ready to become the first Mexican pirate to attend college. So much for being a trailblazer.

Joey: Good to see you haven’t lost that snarky-ass sense of humor.

Joey: Anyway, I’m taking my lunch now. Want me to get you anything from the cafeteria? Wait… don’t tell me. Chocolate pecan?

Sean: You know it.

Joey: I met your brother in the hall. Cute kid.

Sean: (deadpans) Give it a few days. Then see if you get a “second opinion.”

Joey: He does seem a little… “energetic”. But that’s normal for kids his age.

Sean: Yeah one minute I’m his favorite person in the world. The next, he’s off doing God knows what, and doesn’t want me “bossing him around”. You know how it is.

Joey: Can’t say I do. Grew up in a house with three older sisters. Guess I must have been the annoying one. Daniel’s lucky to have you looking out for him. Must be tough sometimes.

Sean: Oh you have no idea.

[Joey claps Sean’s shoulder, he feels a jolt shooting up his spine, everything goes white]

(Sean sees a door marked: “Miranda A. Connolly, Hospital Director”)

Connolly: You’ve been a valuable asset to this hospital. Stellar feedback from all of your patients and attendings.

Joey: I sense a “but” coming.

Connolly: But, given the dubious circumstances surrounding your transfer and your past involvement with the law. The Board thinks it might be better for one of the other nurses to take this spot.

Joey: Please. I’ve got a kid on the way. We just bought our first house. Can you at least consider bumping up my pay? I haven’t gotten a real raise since I started here. There are kids coming out of nursing school that make what I make!

Connolly: The hospital has limited resources as it is, and the State just slashed our funding again. I just can’t justify raising anyone’s salary right now.

Joey: I break my back for this hospital, work extra shifts, get to know the patients. You promised me at the annual review that I’d-

Connolly: That was before this new information came to light. I’m sorry Joseph, maybe next year.

[Sean snaps out of his trance]

Joey: Sean? Sean are you okay?

Sean: Sorry, Guess I spaced out. Must just be the medication.

Joey: I can have the doctor come by and adjust your dosage.

Sean: I’m fine Joey. I swear. Weren’t you about to take lunch?

Joey: Oh right. We’ll pick this up later.

[Joey leaves the room, looking slightly puzzled.]

Sean: (thinking) W-what what was that? A dream? But It felt so… real.

[Sean takes out his phone and enters the name of the hospital, He finds their website. Under the ‘About’ section he scrolls to the Executive team bio. There is a photo of the woman he saw in the vision followed by a small blurb]

“Miranda A. Connolly is the President and Chief Director of Mt. Cedar General Hospital. She was appointed back in 2016 as Associate Director and has since made ground-breaking changes to the field of medicine and medical care. Under her leadership, this hospital was able to expand greatly, hiring new diverse staff members and vastly improving quality of care for all its patients.”

Sean: (thinking) Holy shit… it’s real. Does that mean I…?

Daniel: Hey Sean! What you looking at?

Sean: Dude! Don’t sneak up on me like that!

Daniel: I wasn’t sneaking. I was practicing my stealth!

Sean: Yeah sure.

Daniel: Are you looking at the new Playbox Pro? My birthday is right around the corner you know.

Sean: Birthday? It’s still January!

Daniel: Never too early to start preparing.

Sean: (rolling eyes) Yeah cuz everything’s always about you.

Daniel: Oooh I bet you were watching those dirty videos again. I’m tellin’ grandpa!

Sean: Hey hands off my phone you little-

[Daniel tries to grab Sean’s phone. Sean wrests his hand away. There is another a jolt]

[Daniel stands in front of the vending machine, staring at the jumbo chock-o-crisp. He looks around to check that the coast is clear. Then he waves his hand causing the chock-o-crisp to fall off the rack and into the dispenser slot.He gleefully retrieves it and devours the candy bar in a matter of seconds]

Sean: Dude, I told you not to eat any more chock-o-crisps! Do you want another trip to the dentist?

Daniel: What are you talking about? I haven’t had one in weeks!

Sean: Yeah sure. So you didn’t pig out at the vending machine before coming in here?

Daniel: How did you-

Sean: Maybe I have magic powers or maybe… you’ve still got crumbs on your collar.

Daniel: Aw, damn it. Promise you won’t tell grandpa.

Sean: Oh so you can tell on me but I can’t tell on you?

Daniel: (smugly) Exactly.

Sean: C’mere ya little shit!

Daniel: Sean stop! Ha that tickles. Quit it!

(After their little bout, Daniel curls up next to Sean, resting his head on Sean’s lap. Sean ruffles Daniel’s hair absentmindedly)

Sean: You ever wish you were… you know “normal” again?

Daniel: You mean not have my powers? Nah. They’re a part of me now. Besides, being normal is overrated.

Sean: (chuckles) I guess it is. But do you ever get that feeling like you thought you wanted something for a really long time but when you finally get it, it nothing like you thought it’d be?

Daniel: Uhhh… you mean like how I begged grandma to get me a PlayBox Live Subscription, but then the exclusives turned out to be shit? And now I have to act like I love it?

Sean: Yeah something like that.

Daniel: (yawns) Meh I’ll just ask for a gaming PC for my birthday.

Sean: Dude you’re like the greediest ten year-old I know.

Daniel: How many ten year-olds do you know?

Sean: Uh… just you and Chris.

Daniel: So, you want me to be more like Chris?

Sean: Wouldn’t hurt.

Daniel: (imitating Chris) “Only the purest of hearts may wield the power of Captain Spirit!”

Sean: Guess that rules you out.

Daniel: (playfully) Shut up.

DAY THREE

Doctor: Okay Mr.Diaz. I want you to follow the light. Look to your right, up and to the right. Good, good, excellent pupil response. Now look at the chart, cover your right eye and read this line.

Sean: Uh… A, O, E, P… T? Sorry I can’t really make out the last one.

Doctor: That’s okay, it takes time.

Doctor: Now this is probably the last thing you want to hear, but I recommend that you wear a patch over your right eye. It’ll be temporary of course, just until you learn to see with your left eye again.

Sean: (laughs dryly) And here I thought my seafaring days were behind me.

Doctor: You know… pirate actually wore patches so their eyes could easily adjust to the darkness and see below deck- Sorry my son’s going through a pirate phase.

Sean: I know the feeling. My little brother’s been through every phase imaginable.

Doctor: Kids, you gotta treasure every moment. Because before you know it, they’ll be all grown up, ready to go off on their own. Look at me, rambling on. Anyway, I signed your discharged papers. They’ll schedule you for some outpatient care in the coming months.You’re almost ready to go.

Sean: Sounds good.

Doctor: And you’re sure you don’t want to get do something about that nasty scar? A good-looking kid like you, it would be a shame to-

Sean: That’s okay, I think I’ll keep it… as a reminder.

Doctor: Alright but if you ever change your mind, I could refer you to a great plastic surgeon.

Sean: Thanks Doc, for everything.

Doctor: The pleasure’s all mine, Mr.Diaz. The groundwork we laid here could help hundreds of other patients in the future. We are making history. Your nurse should be along in a moment to help you get discharged.

[Sean sits in quiet contemplation. Reflecting on his dreams and new “vision”]

Sean (thinking): Be careful what you wish for...

Joey: Looks like everything’s good to go. Remember to use your eye-drops-

Sean: Twice a day. Yeah Joey, I know.

Joey: Guess it’s goodbye again. Don’t be a stranger this time okay?

Sean: I won’t.

Joey: Here’s my number. Call me if ever need professional advice or just want to shoot the shit.

Sean: Thanks Joey. Let me know how everything goes with the baby.

Joey: Oh don’t you worry about that. Soon I’ll be blowing up your phone with pictures.

Sean: Haha can’t wait.

Joey: Now hospital policy says I gotta wheel your ass outta here. For liability reasons.

Sean: At least it’ll be a smoother exit than last time.

Joey: (laughs) Get in the chair smart-ass.

Beaver Creek, One Week Later

Sean: Okay, you ready?

Daniel: (takes deep breath) Alright. Show it to me.

Sean: So… how does it look?

Daniel: Looks… normal.

Sean: You almost sound disappointed. Were you expecting a bionic eye or something?

Daniel: No. I just… it looks good. I like the scar; makes you look extra tough.

Sean: You think so?

Daniel: Yeah… totally badass!

Sean: Thanks, enano.

Daniel: You need a new codename, like Scarred Wolf or Deadshot Diaz!

Sean: Let’s leave the nicknames up to Chris.

Daniel: Hey! I make up awesome names too!

Sean: Whatever you say,“Superwolf”

#life is strange 2 #life is strange #sean diaz #daniel diaz #captain spirit #chris eriksen #stephen reynolds #lis2 #captain spirit ww #joey peterson

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