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johobi · 5 years ago

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Falling, Falling, Gone

Word count: 5.8k

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Warnings: None really, it’s my first ‘SFW’ fic, though there is some extremely bad language in here. And there might be an erection because I can’t help myself.

A/N: This is the fourth and final ‘drabble’ for the drabble game I ran ages ago. Prompt: “The thought of me making out with someone else is ruining you.”

Music inspo: Don’t Be So Serious, Baby Don’t Stop, Waste It On Me

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23477485

Taehyung. Captain of the soccer team. Master of your heart. You'll never tell him for fear of rejection.

So why the fuck are you about to do it in front of dozens of his peers?

Banana and peanut butter become pulp in your mouth as you glare out the kitchen window. It's so grey out there. Greyer than it has any right to be. As if your dour mood has polluted the very atmosphere. Rain lashes the exterior in leaden pellets, each one compounding your headache like a rap on the head. Don't be so serious, your bluetooth speaker croons as you chew and chew, unblinking. The bridge of your glasses slip further down your nose but you don’t correct them. Don't be so serious.

Oh, but it's all so serious.

Your final portfolio lacks in ways your mentor is incapable of articulating, and you only have so much time to fix it. Your college life is coming to a close. There are frighteningly few opportunities out there and they’re sure to spurn a sham like you. What do you do now? Where do you go from here—

"God, you listen to such depressing music," a husky voice sounds. It’s thick with sleep and horribly attractive. You hear his feet next; big and bare as they slap the tile floor and disrupt the ambience.

Yes, dismal is an ambience.

Before you glimpse the interloper himself, his fingers pilfer your next mouthful of toast. His other hand has your phone and is skipping through your carefully curated playlist of moody tunes. With all the scant energy you can muster, you glower at him.

“Taehyung.”

Soccer captain. Campus celebrity. Doofus.

Unlikely friend and unlikelier crush. But life is strange, and he is both these things. Indeed, he proclaims himself your best friend to all who will listen. As for the matter of your tender feelings, however, he is oblivious. And will remain so.

Taehyung is long-legged and limber-bodied, but round of face and feature. A kitten in a tiger’s pelt. Will mew for affection and roar when angry. Has quite literally nudged your hand for pets and raged at referees in the same afternoon. There is usually no in-between.

Your scowl goes unseen. He sidles past like the oblivious buffoon he is and continues to tamper with Spotify. Smears his peanut-buttered thumb around your phone display. Ugh. You brush back your hood and fix him again with extra scorn.

"Actually, douchebag, it’s good music for thinking. And I have a headache. I hardly wanna listen to something like—no, don't you dare put fucking Party Rock on right now. Tae!"

It’s too late. The lanky idiot is already gesticulating to the beginning beats. Your phone is an unreachable hostage in his flapping hands. You’re about to lunge for it but he preempts the attack by smothering you with your own hood. “Tae.” Your whining sounds all the more pitiful muffled. “Everyfing hurfs. ‘m hungover. Pleathe.”

Taehyung relents after further, strangled pleas. Unwraps you with a grin that grows like the sunrise. For a moment, you’re dazzled. “Sorry. No more torture,” he chuckles all low, hair in his eyes. His locks are long and always untamed. An aureate crown befitting of his celebrity status.

One swipe and he’s muted the racket and returned your phone. You turn the sticky thing over in your hands, rueing the day you met the overgrown imp. “How did you get it this dirty…?”

You go ignored and Taehyung gets closer. He scrutinises your hunched and hoodied appearance with a thoughtful hum. “Headache?” A rounded nose and two brown eyes come into focus. "Hungover? How? I didn't see you go out last night."

Averse to such study, you shy away. "Well, I did." You did not. You stayed home and guzzled $4 Prosecco while lamenting your trash portfolio. But you aren’t about to regale him with that pitiful tale. The sheerness of shame prevents you. Taehyung would be so sweet about it, too! So buoying, with his sunny smiles and fervent encouragement: "Why were you crying over that?!" He'd ask. "Your work is amazing. Seriously amazing. I love everything you do!" He'd gush. "People will be stumbling over themselves to hire you!" He'd continue, naively. And that hurts the most, because he just doesn't get it. Taehyung is a sponsored, collegiate athlete that's graduating into a guaranteed draft. He is—and always has been—praised widely as up-and-coming. The kid has had scouts scrapping for him mid-way through high school!

You, however, are small fry, swimming in a shoal of other unknowns, leaping for the hook of internship. Your dreams of animating for Disney died long back. They dwelled with Walt now.

But you don’t resent Taehyung for any of it. Ever. He’s a paragon. Born for the limelight. Has sweat and bled oceans for it. And for some reason he insists that you, too, are deserving of that same renown. Why? He’s ridiculous. Far too kind. And—Christ, he has a big dick.

"Taehyung, can you please not shove your tiny fucking penis in my face while I'm trying to eat? I'm nauseous enough as it is."

The soccer captain rests a foot on the seat next to you, giving you ungainly insight into his crotch. Taehyung, as he often, inexplicably is, is clad only in his boxer-briefs. This would be alarming were it not so goddamn commonplace. He is allergic to clothes.

According to him, he’s a naturist.

According to you, he’s an attention whore.

Taehyung points to his elevated foot, but it's a little difficult to ignore the bulge he's brandishing. "Do you understand the concept of inappropriate proximity and your current state of undress?" You rattle on, words slurred half by OJ, half by fluster. He simply points again, and with more insistence. Relenting, you follow the line of his finger to his pretty, if gigantic, foot. Then notice the ink around his ankle, black and fresh. "Oh, wow, you got a tattoo? Cool!"

"Yep! I didn't ever really think about getting one 'til I saw yours. They were so cool I became kinda obsessed with getting one. So I finally did it last night."

‘Til he saw yours? Your stomach flutters. It's not the nausea. You smother it with more orange juice. "Well, that's awesome, Tae. You'll probably want more eventually. I would've gone with you if I'd known you were gonna go alone."

Finally, he lowers his leg. It’s a small mercy. But then, for no discernible, earthly reason, Taehyung begins flexing his many defined muscles. His calves in particular catch your attention. They’re so goddamned thick. They ripple. Fucking soccer players. "Hm? Oh, I wasn't alone. I went with some guys from the team." He ogles his reflection in the microwave door.

How can you avert your eyes when his pecs dance so compellingly? It all becomes a bit too much. "Okay, what are you doing? Seriously, what? I know you're into yourself, but this is ridiculous.” He stops. Snorts. Thank God. “If you were with the guys, why did you come back here last night? I thought you’d go back to your dorm."

Finally Taehyung sits, but he’s spread-legged and that’s perhaps worse than what he was doing just now. He’s 6ft of pure, hewn sex and just so fucking casual about it. He reclines. "Some of them took girls home last night so I needed somewhere to go and you're always an open door." Finger guns follow a cheesy wink.

You scoff, but he's right. You’d do anything for the big-hearted clown. Open door? You'd be the doormat under his soccer cleats, licking them free of dirt— "You're lucky Areum isn’t here right now. Don't think she’d take kindly to having some almost-naked oaf clambering into her bed."

"You say that, but she’s tried to hit this several times.” Taehyung is smug, brows high on his forehead. Yours lower harshly. “Tell her I slept in her bed last night. She’ll cream herself thinking about it later, I guarantee you."

“You’re gross. And can you stop—why do you keep flexing? There’s just me here.” You peer about for emphasis. Taehyung is again admiring his form in some burnished surface. “No-one is looking. Or cares.” Contrarily, you’re doing both those things. But he needn’t be privy to that.

"This is serious. I need to work on my angles.” He contorts himself into something of a pretzel to peek at his back muscles. “We're holding a hook-up auction at our dorm to raise money for a graduation blow-out. And I'm on sale. Do you think I need to work on my back?"

You ease into a squint. "When you said serious, I thought serious words were about to follow."

"I am being serious!" Again Taehyung flexes, biceps bulging by his ears like an overfed turkey’s thighs. "How much do you think I'm worth?"

The world.

"I dunno. I'd take you for free, I guess, if you were the last one left."

Taehyung is unperturbed by your acerbic wit. It ricochets off him like rubber bullets would a muscle-bound ox. He is your greatest adversary. The bastard lacquers his lips until they’re plump and glossy and boasting a smirk.

He’s always doing this.

Always moistening himself.

"Oh yeah? Well, I think you'll be disappointed." A boxy smile emerges. "I got girls and guys already approaching me about it. Some of the guys literally just wanna buy me for mentoring. I mean, that’s more effort than kissing, but—" He shrugs. The thought goes unfinished.

"That makes sense. You are a God among these mere mortals, Taetae." It's not sarcasm this time. Taehyung senses it. The grin he returns is life-affirming. You're so close to reaching across the table and squeezing his hand. Telling him you're proud. Telling him you most likely, maybe, love him. But you notice you've dragged your sleeve through peanut butter—”Ah, shit,”—and you can tell him how you feel some other day.

Some other day.

"Some of them just wanna make out too, of course, and, like, I'm happy to comply. It's all for charity." His altruism knows no limits.

"Charity, huh?" You snort. Taehyung's mouth grows more square at your incredulity. "Who else is up for bidding, then?"

"Mostly guys from the team and dorm. There are some mutuals who just wanna get in on the action, too. Uh, you know Kim Namjoon?" He measures your reaction. When you give none: "Jeon Jungkook?"

Disinterest mellows your features. "Oh, right. Cool."

"So you don't like Jeon Jungkook?" Taehyung's eyes are eager, his body poised. Anticipating.

"What? No. What gave you that idea? I've talked to him, like, twice." Your face crumples as you towel your soiled sleeve. The peanut butter smears into a tragic, shit-brown stain. "Damn, that's never coming out."

"He's gonna be so disappointed. He might even cry." Taehyung heaves a hammy sigh and clutches at his breast. There’s nothing the captain enjoys more than clowning his subordinates. "Kook likes you so much. He's really into your whole androgynous fuckboi thing you got going on. He literally said, 'She's like a mystery, man. I'm not sure if she's a girl or a guy and—like, I'm not like that, but that's hot.'"

If your eyes could roll past the bounds of their sockets, they would. "Wow, what a poet. He sounds like a douchebag and I'm even less interested now. Fuckboi? Is that really the vibe I give off?" You don't fuck full stop. Nor were you aware you could dress like you do.

"I dunno. You just seem kinda like a gremlin to me. Or like that weird guy from Death Note," Taehyung is quick to reassure you. Cool. You’re fucking overjoyed that he perceives you that way. Not as a goddess, or his beautiful, sexy soulmate, or the princess that wanders the spires of his captive heart. No. A gremlin. Or L.

"Well, you got me there, son."

"What about Kim Namjoon?" Taehyung presses, urgent again. He picks at your bread crusts with one hand, head cradled delicately in the other. The boy could be a world-class model, too. His loose, dark curls hang like a Van Gogh nightscape, framing the planes of his unmarred face. It hurts to look at him. It hurts to be looked at.

A self-conscious shuffle. "What about him? I don't know who that is." You flick away his foraging fingers but he draws you into an impromptu game of thumb-war in retaliation. It's the only thing to extract a smile from you today.

Taehyung looks sceptical. "He's the physio student with our team! You literally talked to him all day during this season's semi-final." His lengthy digits best yours easily. But though the match is won, he doesn’t withdraw his hand. Instead he encroaches further. Thumbs your wrist. Encompasses your knuckles in a soft, warm palm. He’s clasping you like an enamoured suitor might their bashful sweetheart, and it’s very strange. What is he doing? His mind looks to be elsewhere, now.

"Uh...—oh. Oh." Yours ambles back to you. "Yeah, he was really nice, but you know my rule. No—"

"—dating in final year. Yeah, I know. I'll tell him that if he asks about you again." Taehyung has returned, too. His hand is gone. Your gooseflesh ebbs with it.

With a cough, you sober. "I think the auction's a bit stupid, really, Tae. You sure you wanna do it?"

"Stupid? Why?" He shimmies in close, smug on his face and intolerably naked the rest of the way down. His skin is hot and golden and just far too close. "You're only saying that because you're jealous, right?" He tickles your chin to keep you honest and your eyes on him. You seize and squeeze the offending hand because he might be right and now you’re embarrassed. "The thought of me making out with someone else is ruining you," he goes on to say, brazen as the smirk defiling his cherubic cheeks.

"Some rather large conclusion-jumping going on there," you smile, sweet as sugared cyanide. Your vice-grip tightens until he’s pouting in repentance. "I meant it's stupid to put yourself in a potentially uncomfortable situation if you don't want to kiss that person."

"I'm just joking!" he whimpers like the overlarge puppy he is and you free him of his snare. Because you would die for this big, soppy boy and his big, soppy eyes. “You’re so grouchy today.”

‘The joke won’t land if it collides with the truth, Taehyung,’ you muse. You expect him to know this despite never having apprised him of your situation. You’re jealous and cowardly and completely unreasonable. You want him for yourself but you never want him to know that.

If he wants your candour he should be a telepath. Simple.

Irritated by your own nonsense, you lash out at the unsuspecting boy. "You know what? I was joking, too. I remember Namjoon, he was hot. And smart. I think I'll cheat on my dating ban this once and bid on him. He has super nice lips, so."

Taehyung simply smiles. "Oh, okay. Cool! Glad you’re gonna come along."

Your threat proves ineffective because he doesn’t like you like that. Wouldn’t give a shit if Namjoon rawed you on stage while you stared him down. You stall on that thought because it’s kinda hot. “It’ll be great. Can’t wait to get my tongue down his throat.”

“Hell yeah! I knew you liked him.”

Yep, Taehyung is oblivious to your pining. As he should be. Because outwardly, your pining consists of nothing more than the odd, lingering look here and there. The balled-up sketches of him he will never see. A secret smile if you’re feeling particularly sentimental. Other than that, you're steely. Poker-faced. Rarely blind-sided by his allure, especially now that you've acclimated to his penchant for exhibitionism.

"Thank you in advance for your patronage." Rising from his seat, Taehyung comes to a stand behind you and leans. Encircles your shoulders with his terribly athletic arms and puts his lips to your ear. You're like a feral cat in the arms of a senseless child. You're bristling. "If he turns out to be a jerk and tries something he shouldn't, I'll protect you." For a moment, you're touched enough to unclench a little. "With these guns." And then you choke between his straining biceps and vie to repay him in kind.

----

The common room of Taehyung's dorm has been crudely transformed. Some questionable construction has taken place in order to build the catwalk centrepiece. Sofas and tables line the walls, thrust from the limelight. You've occupied the drinks table for the last 45 minutes, from the second you entered this place. You harbour an intense dislike for the chaotic energy of Taehyung's dorm. Machismo rages noisily between these walls and you much prefer less testosterone-drenched environments. Nevertheless, despite it all you're here on an endeavour this evening. One your idiot, rampant mouth has obligated you to. To buy time with a guy that's perfectly nice and all, but isn’t Taehyung.

Kim Namjoon makes eyes at you from the head of the runway, awaiting his musical cue. The beer you just slurped down bubbles up. You have to look away. Unfortunately, when you do, Taehyung is immediately there, his face in yours, his thumb and fingers pulling at your cheeks. "Hey you, don't get too drunk, okay? I don't trust a single man here. Especially not nice-as-pie Namjoon."

Nice-as-pie Namjoon has chosen some Bruno Mars track by the sounds of it. The auction-goers' excitement ramps up considerably.

Unable to move your captured face, your eyes sweep the room. "Not even your own teammates?" you scoff cynically, swatting at his hands until he’s baited into a game of slapsies. "Now who sounds jealous?"

Taehyung stops for a moment, thoughtful. "You know, you're right. I'm extremely jealous. I want Namjoon all to myself. He gives the best massages. And a happy ending when I ask nicely." And then he's back to rough-housing you, slapping your upper arms to alternating beats. "You look cute tonight. Your outfit, I mean," he offers up out of nowhere, so quiet you almost lose it to the bass. "He's lucky."

But you look exactly the same as you did earlier that day. Exactly the same as that afternoon in the cafeteria when he ribbed you for raiding Billie Eilish's Good Will donations. "Um, thanks. I guess." You're genuine, but don’t sound it. You can't look at him for fear of revealing the dopey grin that has hijacked your face.

"You're welcome, buddy." A large palm flattens your hair. His fingers get all in there, ruffling it until it probably looks more akin a bird's nest. Is Taehyung trying to sabotage you? Also, buddy? "Look, Namjoon's walking."

You turn and see that he is. Strutting, moreover, albeit awkwardly. It's obvious that the lanky boy is unaccustomed to the same attention the team he services is. Nevertheless, there are whoops and hollers aplenty for the handsome blonde dork, and you, too, catch yourself smiling. How can you not, when he pokes at his dimples so? The others seem captivated, too, though less by the finger-hearts and more by his form-fitting tracksuit.

“I’d wrap my car around a tree if he was the tree,” one auction-goer confides to her friend. “And then I’d wrap my legs around—”

“Yeah, we get it Lisa.”

Lisa quiets.

Namjoon’s endless legs sidle to a stop at the catwalk's end, directly opposite you. His bespectacled eyes meet your bespectacled eyes. For one, long second, the interest is palpable. But then he breaks, and casts his gaze down to his FILAs.

"Okay, he's, like, in love with you, I think," Taehyung whisper-yells, hands aflurry in applause. "Are you gonna bid?"

Shouts puncture the cheering either side of the room.

"$10!"

"$20!"

Neither of them are you.

The evening’s auctioneer - Taehyung's partner-in-slime Park Jimin - echoes each cry that rings out, giggling into a tinny karaoke mic. "$20 for our team physio?! Is that all you got ladies and gents? Do I have to remind you this guy can grope away pain with his magic hands?"

Namjoon spins toward Jimin's makeshift podium of an upturned bookcase and menaces him with his eyes. Well, it would be menacing were the man not as threatening as a ribbon-wrapped basket of newborn sloths.

The striker backpedals. "Okay, the massage might not be included, but don't let that deter you! He kisses like a pro!"

Screams of how do you know that, Jimin?! erupt and the throng grows ever more wild. Namjoon is redder than the cup you're strangling.

"Are you gonna bid?! You're gonna miss your chance!" For some reason Taehyung is still here, harassment game still strong. He should be preparing to walk next, but sees fit to pester you instead. And because of that, he's caught you in your lie, bare-faced and blushing.

No, you are not going to bid on Kim Namjoon.

"Uh, oh no, I forgot my purse," you grumble around the rim of your next drink, gulping it down like the bottom is your way out of this God-awful situation.

Then what are you doing here?

"It's right there." Taehyung pokes the cross-body bag hanging traitorously by your side.

"Oh, is it?" You reach for another cup even while burdened with one. Anything to sidetrack this conversation.

Taehyung intervenes with a firm hand. Swaddles your knuckles ‘til the shaking stops. You’re shaking? Beer slops over the sides, unnoticed. “___?”

Stupid, warm hand. And why are his fingers so fucking delicate for a footballer? He should model jewellery. Wedding rings.

Yours.

His ringless fingers close around your wrist when you persist in avoiding his gaze. The ruse is almost up. Fuck. There’s nothing left to do but to look at him.

You do, ever so timidly. “What?”

"What are you doing?" Puzzlement becomes him well. Why is he so goddamn handsome? "If you aren't gonna bid on Namjoon, why did you come?"

Silence, but for the pump of background Bruno Mars.

‘You. I came for you. You were the plan all along. Not him,’ your mind screams.

You, however, just stare.

"Going—going—gone! Sold for $70! Come claim your kiss!" Jimin can hardly stop himself from squealing. For a guy that beds girls on the daily, his sincere excitement over simple lip-locking is amusing.

Taehyung's teammates hail him from the drapery behind the catwalk but he won't yet go. No, he insists on searing holes into the side of your face while you watch Namjoon get sloppy on-stage with some girl you don't know. They're really getting into it. Damn, he forgot about you quick. In their fervour they edge towards the bounds of the catwalk, too absorbed in one another to notice. Thankfully, voyeuristic bystanders are on-hand to catch them before they fall.

"Kim Taehyung! How many times do I have to call you?! Get over here before I kick your fucking ass," Jungkook roars across the hubbub, halfway through the room. He enacts the violent gesture for emphasis and knees some unsuspecting girl in the ass. Immediately the macho facade drops and he's all doe-eyed and buck-toothed, prostrating himself before the girl who actually seems grateful to have been assaulted by one Jeon Jungkook. Between his hushed apologies, Jungkook shoots Taehyung a look something murderous. And then he sees you and throws a shy wave, the kind a little kid might when cajoled by his parents.

"Ew." The word comes up involuntarily, like bile.

A deep cackle emanates from beside you. "Okay, guess I'm up." Taehyung squares his shoulders. His mouth, too. He's a very angular boy. "Better get my kit on. Cheer for me!" With a pat to your shoulder, he makes for Jungkook. Leaves you with an insidious dread. His soccer kit is your weakness.

No, he is your weakness.

"Next up - and I'm sure most of you here tonight are anticipating this guy - our very own Team Captain and soon-to-be Major League Soccer player, Kim Taehyung!" Banshee-shrieking reverberates at Jimin's announcement. "Stick around, he'll be out in a few minutes!"

Oh fuck. Oh fuck. You turn from the catwalk and fully embrace the drinks table, supporting yourself with two hands and God's grace.

Nah, you aren't gonna do this.

No way.

This wasn’t an actual plan. Just a fantasy.

You're not gonna tell him like this.

You're not gonna tell him ever.

All you have to do is just say you turned out to support him. You rarely get to go out with him anyway, what with his ever-growing entourage. Taehyung would appreciate that, and he'd never have to know that you came here for cornier purposes.

You're not a big gesture kind of girl.

Nah, you aren't gonna do this.

Distantly, you wished Areum were here. She'd have slapped some sense into you, maybe even literally.

No. Wait.

The devious cow would've talked you into doing it. For sure. She has a flair for the dramatic.

"Sorry, can I just—thanks." Someone with offensively bony elbows bulldozes you aside and passes a drink to her companion. An apology is on the tip of your tongue but evaporates into the ether upon seeing the twosome in question. Both were complicit in the casual bullying you endured during your high school years. They don't appear to recognise you now. Not that they even spare your pitiful person a glance.

"Who's up next?" the worst one queries, cup snug to her bosom.

"Taehyung," the lackey answers, glee upending her petulant features. "Kim Taehyung."

An elbow jabs you again as the girl struggles with the clasp on her clutch. Her overlong claws impede her. "Oh shit, already? I thought we had more time. Shit."

"Nope. It's go time. Hurry up, girl, competition's gonna be fierce." The other one watches her digital acrobatics to get into her purse.

Oh God. She has so much money. There's no doubt in your mind she'll trump everyone present.

No. Oh, no.

Not her. Not with him.

Your mind flits through premonitions of the future. They’re all rather grim. The last one is that of a wedding. A marriage between this dreadful bitch and your most cherished of friends, Taehyung. It's garish and tacky - she's denied him input, of course - and the ceremony is filled with faces that once mocked you mercilessly. None of Taehyung's friends are there; indeed, he is no longer even part of his team. Her possessiveness and his undying loyalty have put an end to his blossoming career. He looks sad beneath a mask of happy. Eyes that once blazed with the embers of ambition are doused by despondency. He is a husk.

And their first meeting is this auction, this cute anecdotal encounter of oh, I just had to have him, and when I kissed him I knew.

Just a glimpse at this dystopian future disturbs you silly. Conviction, while tentative, burgeons in your heart.

You can't let her have him. Anyone but this noxious cunt.

And suddenly you've money in hand, too. Bills you withdrew specifically for this purpose, and yet would sooner have left them crisp and cold in your purse than followed through. But public humiliation is endlessly preferable to damning Taehyung to a kiss with this serpent. Because it won't stop there. It won't just be a kiss but an appeal for more. She’ll say it’s no strings attached, but she doesn't attach strings. She weaves webs. You recall her high school boyfriend. He was a well-performing, jovial guy that always waved hi. And she consumed him, heart-first, ‘til he was naught but a sunken-eyed zombie. He took a leave of absence that never ended.

Sexy, dangerous synth sounds from the speakers either side the catwalk. Ah, shit. Not that song. Any song but that one. NCT U’s Baby Don’t Stop. Of course Taehyung picked that. It fills the air with a fatal drum beat and in he comes through the curtains, strutting like he is the rhythm. The room, rather than become uproarious, falls eerily quiet. Everyone breathes as one entranced being, and no one moves but him. Halfway down the catwalk he body-rolls with the fluidity of wind-rippled satin, burgeoning from his chest and snapping at the hips. Prospective bidders gasp, as do you. And then his thumb is in the hem of his shirt, luring it upwards, exposing his olive expanses inch by mouthwatering inch. You see his abs near every day, but in this context, backed by that song, you find yourself as winded as everyone else. His stomach tautens for show, feeding into loose-waisted shorts that sit far too low. Even you haven’t been privy to this much. And especially not the alluring trail of hair that thickens at his waistband.

Someone shatters the stupor and screams, “$80!”

“Geez, you’re a horny bunch.” Jimin’s laughter peals. “We already have $80. Any advance on—“

“$100!” Some breathless sap cries next. “Oh my God, look at his thighs!”

And look you do. Taehyung grooves at the catwalk’s end, shirt back in place but hiking up the hems of his shorts instead. You almost glimpse groin. He’s absolutely shameless, straining the muscles of his thighs until they’re lewdly pronounced. They’re veritable tree trunks. His calves, too, defy belief. Rock-hard and rounded and begging to be bitten. The party-goers crowding round his feet must think similarly.

What distracts you most, however, are Taehyung’s straying fingers. They skirt his crotch in a salacious manner, stretching the material where it shouldn’t. Accentuating things they shouldn’t. You may pass out.

All the while his eyes are down, maybe closed. You want to see his face more than anything. The playful smirk on his plump, wet lips and the focus in his brows.

“$120!!” You almost lose your head to a cash-strangling fist beside you.

It's her. Pointy-elbowed bitch.

But you aren't thrusting your student loan up just yet. You're in the middle of an almost holy, revelatory experience. Taehyung is still undulating and provoking the crowd, who are no longer hushed but whooping like chimps in heat. His shirt is off and helicoptering overhead. He allows one overcome girl at the sidelines to verify the thew of his biceps and bags himself another bid. You, however, do nothing but gawp, bills clutched to your chest and your eyes affixed to the glorious grin that breaks across his face. His eyes open onto you and then it's you you see at his wedding, standing afore him, bouquet instead of a wad of cash. You want to be the one. Now is the moment, while he's watching you envision this.

"$200,” you splutter. Volume is difficult when your voice is a quivering inconstant.

"What was that? Did we just get another bid?" Jimin wavers too, out of disbelief. "Did someone say $200?!"

The room is a clamour of confusion but Taehyung watched you mouth the very syllables. The shock is such that it softens his salacious movements to a dance more modest. His eyes are wider than you've ever seen them; mouth too. It hangs agape and downturned, as yours does. Because you're not quite sure whether you said something else altogether. Maybe you hurled a cuss word out of frustration? Did you momentarily black out and proclaim Hitler did nothing wrong? Nothing else can account for the scrutiny with which he punishes you with now.

Or.

You actually did bid, and that's why he's walking over, to the very drop-off of the catwalk, no longer any swagger to his step. "What are you doing?" he calls down, the music still strong and now strangely inappropriate. You simply watch the mole beneath his bottom lip move, dumb.

Louder, now, you call again. "$200!"

"Oh! It was a bid! ____?!" The flame-haired MC shares his puzzlement with the rest of the reacting room. All heads turn toward you.

But yours turns nowhere but Taehyung, your expression an open book of long-hidden liking. You watch, suspended by dissociation, as he lays a palm flat against his chest. "Me?"

It could all still be explained away. A joke. You drank too much. You just wanted to see the look on his face. Instead, you grant him the minutest of nods. A simple tip of the chin. "You," you whisper, whether it's heard or not.

Taehyung sees it in the shape your lips make. And then his gaze sweeps back upward, his chest heaving far too much for a man standing stationary.

"What's going on?" The disgruntled echo each other.

Jimin is quick to make sense of things and keep it rolling. "Okay, so, a bid of $200! Anyone else?"

A new song comes on; it's gone on too long. Something with a cantering beat that's adequately sentimental.

So if love is nothing more than just a waste of your time—

Clambering atop the platform, you counter someone's desperate bid of $220 with a measured breath. "$250." You hold Taehyung at fingerpoint. "You."

Waste it on me.

For a pants-shitting second, nothing happens. Your outstretched arm gains a tremor that could crumble it. Taehyung sifts your soul with his big, dewy eyes and then he's walking. Stalking toward you. Knocks the money from your hands and seizes your shying face with both of his. The last thing you see is his nose mole before his mouth joins with yours. His grip is like a vice and his lips are no gentler. They pry you open with little effort and then you're flooded with wet heat. Taehyung is insatiable in pursuit of your tongue. His hands drop to draw in your waist, your chest, every inch of your overclothed form. He's underclothed but burning hot, planes of honed skin beneath your fingertips. It's all so right. Feels so good. Taehyung moans that much into you when he chances a breath of air. Applause starts up as the music swells. It's so cliche but you've never had a cliche of your own before and your gloom-ridden ass needs this.

"Going—"

"I didn't know. I wish I had. This would've happened sooner," Taehyung gasps between desperate, too-short smooches. It proves too difficult to resist the pull of your mouth and he captures it again, sloppier. Slower.

"Going—"

"It doesn't matter." You pull the oxygen in, impatient. "Doesn't matter." Your fingers are a tangle at the nape of his neck, tugging on his lustrous locks. "Make up for it."

"Gone! Sold for $250!"

The two of you won't be parted for a moment. Not even when dismounting the platform. There's ruckus around you but it's so distant when his lips are on you. You sink into him like you would a scalding bath. "You don't have to pay that," Taehyung tells your cheek, smearing his saliva-slick mouth back to yours. His greed for you manifests against your stomach, and you ache in return. "This is a freebie."

Your passionate clinch takes you to the sidelines, away from prying eyes. Most of them, anyway. "What about this?" Your hands are suddenly in unseemly places.

"Th-That's also free. Everything's free. Oh, God."

#taehyung #kim taehyung #taehyung fluff #taehyung scenarios #v #v fluff #v scenarios #taehyung x reader #taehyung x you #v x reader #v x you #bts scenarios #bts fluff #bts x you #bts x reader

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babyloposts · 4 years ago

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RoseBud

My Hero Academia Gang AU

Pairing(s): Sero Hanta x fem!reader

Warnings: language, drug use, explicit content, sexual themes, gang imagery, violence

Summary: a simple crush on a guy quickly turns south as you become wrapped up in an unsafe life of lies, drugs, and violence. What happens when you become a key player in a war between to rival gangs and have to deal with a complicated love life all at the same time.

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0.4

The tattoo shop was small and almost unnoticeable if it weren’t for the glowing neon sign in the window that read “Fuck Off!”. That sure is welcoming. Sero glanced at you, his signature smirk plastered on his face as you approached the shop.

“Tattoo shop?” You quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Figured you should get something you like, and will remember.” Sero chuckled and continued his walk to the back of the shop. It was cozy and surprisingly quiet. Not much business tonight even though it was the start of the weekend. You weren’t complaining though, it’d be nice to get some alone time with Sero.

You both neared a back room that was separated from the rest of the shop by beads that hung from the door frame.

“Is... anybody here?” You asked your guide hesitantly. He smiled at you and winked before going to another door behind the partition and banging on it hard.

“JESUS FUCKING-” You heard a voice yell from behind the door. Startled by the abrupt opening of the door, you stepped back a bit as a pink head popped from behind the wooden door. “Bakugou I swear if-” She began, but was cut off when she saw Sero’s smiling face.

“Not Bakugou. Better.” He chided and she came fully out of the back room. You were able to take in her appearance fully. She had short pink hair pulled up into a messy bun displaying her overgrown undercut. She was wearing a low cut tank top that showed off the top of her lace bra and tattoos that littered her skin underneath. And she was clothed from waist down in comfy oversized sweatpants and Nike slides. Lowkey she had looked like she just woke up or something, but her striking features and pierced skin was a beautiful contrast.

“Hanta? The fuck you doing here without the Creep Squad?” She laughed and pulled him in for a quick hug.

“‘Sup Hatsume. And it’s just me today. I was reprieved from my duties a bit early and decided to stop by. I hope I’m not, uh, bothering you?” He looked her up and down and she placed her hands on her hips and smirked.

“Never. Out of all of the hoodlums I deal with you’re probably my favorite. Well, aside from Izu~” she gushed before finally turning her attention towards you, giving you a once over. “And who’s this?”

“This is y/n. She wants to get a tattoo so I thought I’d bring her to the best damn tattoo artist I know.”

“Hanta please. Don’t flatter me. Especially before you tell me what you want.” Her gaze suddenly turned cold and was staring daggers into the tall man. He put his hands up in protest.

“I promise it’s nothing out of the ordinary, usual stuff. But really, she wants to get inked. You free?”

Mei sighed. “Of course I’m free.” She threw her hands up in the air and stomped off toward the main area of the shop leaving you and Sero a few paces behind her.

“I know how she seems, but don’t worry. I trust Hatsume to do all of my ink even though she is a bit... theatrical. Second only to Mina of course.”

You laugh and nod. “Yeah it must be the pink hair or something.” You quip as you make your way to the main area where Mei is already putting on some gloves and prepping her work station.

“So do you know what you want to get done?” Mei raises her brow at you questioningly. In all honesty you hadn’t thought about it. You never explicitly told Sero that you wanted to get a tattoo. He just volunteered you for it, but you weren’t gonna decline. It would be nice to get some ink that you could look at and love.

“I don’t know. I’m still kind of deciding.” You chuckled nervously, embarrassed at the fact that you didn’t have an answer for her. This seemed to annoy Hatsume more than she already was, but she didn’t let it show in her voice.

“Okay...” she trailed off and swiveled in her chair to reach for a photo album tucked beneath her work station. It looked like it had started collecting dust. “Well you can look through my portfolio, let me know if you see something you like. Or you can suggest something and I can freehand.” She smirked suggestively. You hoped that freehand didn’t mean she would do anything obscene.

You flipped through the book looking closely at some of the designs. Hatsume’s work was beautiful, but that was evident from seeing Sero’s tattoos. The designs were all nice, but none of them really spoke to you. You sighed quietly under your breath and paused on a page that had some flower designs on it. Your breath hitched as you felt a presence over your shoulder. Sero was behind you looking at the flower on the page you had stopped on.

“That’s nice.” He smiled, “it wouldn’t suit you though. Roses are definitely your flower.” He suggested and went to sit down at the waiting area towards the front of the shop.

Roses you thought. You already had a rose tattoo, and it’s not like you didn’t like it, but you wish you hadn’t gotten it when you did. Maybe if you got another one now, you could start to appreciate the flower as you once did.

“A rose?” Hatsume smirked at you. “Very romantic flower. I think it’d suit you.” She looked hopeful and you nodded. She smiled to herself and began to sketch out an idea.

“Ooh!” She squealed. “And I have the perfect idea. Do you know where you want your tattoo to go?” You shook your head solemnly. Again, you hadn’t really thought about it. You thought Hatsume would have been annoyed, but she looked ecstatic. “Perfect I know just the place. I’ve always wanted to do a cutesy underboob tattoo.”

Underboob? That seemed a little out of your comfort zone, but to be fair this whole situation was out of your comfort zone. You out with a guy? Unheard of to the masses.

Reluctantly you agreed and Hatsume took you back behind the beaded-off area.

“You can take your top off back here and go in that room. I’ll go get my stuff, okay?” She happily skipped back out to retrieve her tattoo gun and you followed her instructions to strip.

The room was small and the warm toned walls were barren yet inviting. You got up on the table that you vaguely remember laying on a few years back and positioned yourself so Mei had easy access to stick you.

Hatsume barged into the small room, startling you. Quickly you scrambled to use your hands to cover yourself, but clearly she had already seen.

“Girl, don’t be shy. Just think of me as your doctor. It’s a no judgement zone in here.” She reassured you and you calmed down from the mini heart attack you just had. “Plus your boobs are super nice. My A Cups could never.” She whined eliciting a laugh from you. Hatsume turned out to be pretty cool.

Once she was all set up and you were numb and had the design was applied your anxiety was quelled by the overwhelming feeling of pain that you almost forgot.

“Damn I forgot how much this shit hurt.” You laughed in an effort to not tear up. “Makes sense that I was black out drunk the last time.” Hatsume laughed as she continued the process trying to be as gentle as she possibly could (not much change was made, but it’s the thought that counts).

Hatsume had begun the finishing touches and clean up details when you started to hear a bit of commotion outside. You could hear two distinct voices aside from Sero’s coming from the front of the store. It sounded like yelling and it quickly approached you. Hatsume seemed unbothered by it until an angry figure popped its head into the doorway of the “private” room.

“Hatsume!” A buff blond guy yelled as he entered. It took everything in Mei to not accidentally stick you with the gun.

“Bakugou what the fuck!?” Hatsume yelled and whipped her head around. “Do you not understand the concept of a private room?”

“Hatsume I’m not in the mood. I just spent the last half hour getting yelled at for Sero up and leaving without telling anyone and I have to do his little chores now. So give me what Hawks wants so I can get the fuck out of here.” The blond man rants and raves all the while you’re just kind of sitting there trying to cover your tits from the glaring eyes of the crabby intruder.

When his gaze met yours his eyes went wide. You didn’t know what he was expecting to find Hatsume doing back here, but tattooing a half naked girl probably wasn’t it. His eyes snapped back to Hatsume and the malicious glare came back as if he wasn’t phased at all.

“Don’t come in here fucking yelling at me to get you something. One I’m with a client and two I’m doing Hawks favor with all this so don’t demand shit from me. You’ll get it when I’m done.” She seethed, her words laced with venom. She was clearly not a fan of Blondie over here.

At the commotion you heard another set of footsteps approaching quickly. Just great.

“Bakugou calm down.” A taller redhead popped into your view trying to get the angry man from berating the woman who was supposed to be dressing your wound. When he made eye contact with you his whole face lit up red as hell and he quickly turned away to spare you whatever dignity you had left. “Uh... j-just let her finish man.”

“No fucking way. I wasn’t even supposed to be working today, but fucking IcyHot bailed and I just had to chase Tape Face around the whole fucking world. I’m ready to get my shit and go.”

“You do know that this is my business, right? I have an obligation to my clients. Not Hawks, you, or any other goons that try and threaten me. So you will wait.” Hatsume seethed. This set Bakugou off. His large hand came down to grip Mei’s upper arm and pull her in close. His eyes spoke only violence and Hatsume’s an intense fear. This guy was not to be played with. If he was this bad you couldn’t imagine what this Hawks guy was like.

Bakugou was fixing his mouth to spew out another threat, but before he could finish you were already interjecting. “I can wait!” You catch everyone’s attention again; although rather embarrassing.

“What?” Bakugou glares now at you, his stare burning into your skin.

“I said I can wait. Go ahead and do what you need to do Hatsume. No need to cause trouble.” Hatsume’s eyes soften and she shakes out of Bakugou’s death grip.

“Fine.” She sighs and stalks off to the back room she had started in earlier that night. “Bring the car around back. I got everything ready for you.”

Bakugou nodded and he and Red exited out the way they had came in.

Finally you felt like you could breath again. There were no longer so many eyes on you and the tension within the room finally dissipated. This definitely wasn’t how you expected your first date with Sero to go.

A/N: I’m backkk. Had a bit of writers block and I was away visiting family last weekend but I had a free day today and got lots of good ideas about the story while writing this. So yeah ALSO I know in the show Hatsume has big boobs, but everyone has big boobs in My Hero so lemme change it up a bit 😩😩 anyways I hope you guys enjoyed and uploads should start becoming more frequent (I hope :))

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Masterlist

#babylowrites #bnha x black!reader #bnha #mha #mha x female reader #bnha bakugou #black writers #black girls #mha bakugo x reader #sero x female reader #sero hc #sero x reader #mha sero #bnha sero #sero hanta x reader #todoroki shoto x reader #mha hatsume #my hero academia #bnha kirishima

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one-last-puku · 4 years ago

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I'm kind of laughing because my mom comes over here all pissy, trying to get me to put extremely old art on my portfolio that looks obviously shit or isn't up to portfolio snuff.

One of the pictures she tried to use was a similar style to one I remember giving to her as a gag when I was a teen? And it ended up in the garbage. I saw it there.

It's just funny how she cares when it comes to job hunting, but she hardly paid attention growing up.

I dunno, I'm probably being irrational, but despite her always saying "I was an artist" growing up, I did eventually stop showing her things I drew because of how little she seemed to care many times. She hasn't seen a great majority of what I've made over time.

Yeah, maybe I am just taking the gloomy approach. The attitudes towards it growing up really did hurt, though.

Edit: not gonna lie though, that small display did somehow motivate me. It was kind of thoughtful... >//>

Also, I might be wrong but this was probably definitely the thing that I found in the trash and fished out and put back on mom's desk.

Honestly, I'm glad I found it in the trash, lol

"I think it's some kind of man?" -mom

Nah fam, that's a lady.

#puku's random thoughts

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fly-sky-high-bug-games · 4 years ago

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Welp, since the toothache decided to keep me awake and with couple of moment on verge of tears, I decided to distract my brain in times of cooldowns (frozen stuff against my jaw lol) to think about the comic

Admitedly, since I jumped into making the comic by just "JUST DO IT" logic, I barely have any major plans on pages for it. Normally, one would prefer at least simple scripting, thumbnailing several pages and plan things through at least a bit.

Meanwhile, I'm taking full advantage of not just the four panel simplicity and use of one single tool to rough sketch, lineart and shade but the fact that it's just random shinanigans, slice of life comedy in a sense.

What's probably gonna make things hard on me is the already occuring issue of character consistencies (design wise at least) and planing things in my head only before setting the pages on canvas. Same with actually showing off backgrounds (which I admitedly don't like to do lol) in such limited space of the panels but I'm trying ;o;

Another issue is the unavoidable dark turn it's going to have later on. I'll have to get creative on how to piece those page by page since I limited myself to four same looking panels. No one says I can't break those rules since it's my comic and I do what I want BUT I'd like to try keep it as is despite the shift in tone it will have later.

Now, I've slow down with pages because I'm considering what to put in now that's both showing the work and life of the mines but also moving the plot. I will need more exposition soon, just still unsure when to put it and make the time click right.

I wanted to show lively mines before things slowly deteriorate within the mines and there are less and less random pillbug bg characters and alike and more focus drops on ones I listed that stick around more.

I'm with this odd feeling that I have everything under control with the comic but in the same time just winging almost everything about this and I gotta say... It's kind of exciting! Even if it's not a proper way to do things. This sadly isn't the kind of project I can show off for portfolio due to how it's built. No serious job works this freely but I am glad I got to let myself just BE me by making it. All the folks liking the comic is like a cherry on top~

Hopefully this little project will motivate me to do something more serious in the future. I'd like to do serious comics or storyboarding some day. Even if I may not have the artistic skill and practice, I am at least sure I have the knowledge of how in filming language the sense of composition, "camera" position, shots, dynamic, panning, CHARACTER ACTING etc. work, so I can always apply this to my work or hopefully a job.

And... Who knows, maybe someday I trully manage to make my own web comic of a sort. I'm not as good with making original stories as I am with already based world concepts etc. but I would still like to do this some day. Nothing makes me happier than drawing the characters "acting" with their personalities displayed via body language, pure expression and their ability to be themselves, dialog or not. I want to tell their stories and dynamics with other characters around them.

Woop, I got carried away but yah. We'll see. Maybe some day...

#sky rambles

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brutal-nemesis · 4 years ago

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Seasoned Explorers

Uhh yeah I finally had to turn in my writing portfolio AKA I finished my phat fiction story with a whumpy ending!

This is a VERY non-canon space pirate AU featuring Castys, Syll, and Erebus, all of whom are mortal and completely human here.

Castys Masterlist

Ingredients: character death, body horror, implied amputation, self harm to escape from danger

“Hey, Castys, I just picked up another old distress signal. And it’s close by, so we should be able to at least pop by and grab some valuables before we need to head back to base,” Syll said, glancing up from her command console.

“This better not be another planet with one of those giant evil apocalypse monsters still roaming around. The scars that fish thing gave me have not gone away yet.” Castys rolled down his sleeve as he said this, revealing a row of puncture marks that stood out on his bronze skin. He lazily examined them while still driving their spaceship.

“The cool thing about scars is that they don’t go away.”

“Oh hey shut up look at that it’s the planet-wow it’s super white.” Castys peered out the window at the huge white sphere that had come into view once the ship had slowed down. Syll got out of her chair and joined him in front of the main window.

“Is it winter in both hemispheres? I didn’t think this one was far enough from its sun to warrant this much ice. And I can’t see any structures or oceans or anything, everything must have been completely frozen over. It could be how they all died,” Syll mused.

“Well, if we get too cold we can always just stab ourselves with our thousand degree knives.” Castys pulled out his plasma knife and held it close to his chest, which probably would have killed him if the blade had been turned on. “Big toasty~.” He put it back in his pocket. “Anyway, could you go get Erebus up while I land this thing? I’ll do it in the southern hemisphere since it’s supposed to be summer there and less cold is good.” Syll nodded and went to wake Erebus, who was sleeping on the lower deck of the ship.

Castys landed the ship in a field next to a frozen city. The three of them met near the exit hatch, and Erebus checked the outside conditions display to see if the atmosphere would be breathable. It was, thankfully, but there was something else that stood out on this supposed frozen planet. “Guys… I don’t think that’s ice out there. The temp gauge says it’s warm out there. Like above-the-melting-point-of-water warm.”

“For real?” Castys replied, shoving Erebus aside to look. “Wack. Guess I won’t need all this warmy stuff then. Especially since this planet isn’t one where the atmosphere isn’t made of toxic gas that’s going to burn my skin.” He shed his warmer layers, and the other two followed suit.

When they stepped outside, they had to shield their eyes for a moment. Everything was a blinding white as far as the eye could see. Every tree and building was covered in a layer of glittering crystals. Flowers sprouted here and there, unnaturally still in the breeze. The ground crunched as they walked on it, the only sound disturbing the unnatural silence that pressed on their ears. The dead planets they pillaged typically still had some sort of life on them, something crawling or running or flying about, but everything here was completely still. Frozen, quiet, and crystalline.

Upon entering the city, they began to find the people. Their forms had been hard to make out from far away in the stark-white environment, but there were hundreds of them throughout the streets. Each and every one was frozen in time. Running, crawling, fallen to the ground, screaming in agony, in disbelief, reaching out to one another, staring up to the sky. Perfectly still statues with every flavor of pain and fear written across their faces.

“What...happened here?” Erebus had stopped in front of the form of a woman collapsed on her knees, a look of horror on her face as she stared at her own hands.

“Yeah this is pretty messed up.” Castys nudged the arm of a person lying on the ground, but they didn’t budge. “I don’t know if it’s as bad as that one planet with all the mushrooms...well, I’m sure y’all remember, but these guys are just like, perfectly frozen in their, uh, magic crystal death.”

“What does it matter? We’re not here to play detective for a dead planet.” Syll paid the frozen people no mind, weaving past them as she continued to walk down the street, looking buildings up and down. “Besides, there’s no use getting all sad about dead people we don’t even know. We see them all the time, pillaging dead planets as much as we do, and this time’s no different.”

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything exactly like this before.” Syll shot an annoyed glare at Castys and he held his hands up in surrender, continuing, “I get what you’re saying, though, so I’m down to stop staring at dead people and try to find some valuables.” He began walking with Syll, and Erebus reluctantly followed, giving the dead woman one last glance.

The three of them usually tried to find a museum or building of the sort when pillaging planets, since works of art of precious artifacts were worth a lot more galaxywide than the planet’s local currency ever could be. Normally, street signs and maps could typically assist in their search, but their crystalline coating made them impossible to read. Erebus tried to scrape the crystals off, but his efforts yielded nothing but more crystals. Wandering around looking for a museum was all they could do.

However, once they saw the building in the distance, they knew they had found it. It was much shorter than the surrounding buildings and was flanked by impressive columns and statues. The three walked through the open doors hoping there was something of value inside. The lights no longer worked, but huge windows along the walls allowed enough light in to see, even though the glass had been turned into the strange crystals. The situation inside the museum wasn’t any different from the outside. Every single thing had been converted to crystals, from the skeletons to the works of art, a blank white scene of greatness long-gone.

“I don’t think there’s gonna be anything worthwhile in here since it’s all crystal-y. Let’s just call this one a dud and head out.” Castys began to turn back and head outside.

“Wait.” Erebus held his arm out, stopping him. “A lot of museums have, like, a room with different minerals and stuff right? Maybe if this place had one we could go and see if this planet has some weird mineral that, I don’t know, spread all over for some reason? There’s gotta be a sign with information or something.”

“That would be a great idea except for, oh yeah,” Castys gestured to a large blank sign next to him, “words aren’t real.” There was an awkward pause. “Like reading words. Here. Because of the crystals. If there was a sign we couldn’t read it. Because everything turned into-” Erebus clamped a hand over Castys’s mouth before he could continue.

“Thank you, Castys. Shut up, Castys.” Castys responded in an even more mature manner by shoving his friend back, causing him to trip and fall on his back. “Ouch. Geez, dude. You made me bite my tongue.”

“OH NO! I’ve killed you, my dear friend.” Castys fell to his knees, his hands clasped in front of him as if in prayer. “Forgive me for this grave sin.”

“Would you two stop fooling around?!” Syll yelled from the top of the large staircase on the other side of the room. “There might still be something worthwhile in this place, even if it is made of these weird crystals. So start looking.” Castys gave her a thumbs up and helped Erebus off the ground before beginning to explore.

After about an hour, the three of them met up in one of the rooms on the upper floor. There wasn’t much of a haul since most of the things they would normally steal, like gold and gems, lost their value upon becoming crystal. They did find a few small figurines that would still be valuable since their delicate craftsmanship was preserved and a few fossils that were probably detailed enough to be worth something. As they moved to leave, Erebus motioned for the other two to wait.

“I might know what these crystals are. I stopped by what used to be the gemstone room, and being in there helped me remember some stuff from that geology class I took when I was younger.” He held up a chunk of crystal he’d picked up from somewhere. “There’s one mineral that you can lick it and you know exactly what it is. Give it a try, Castys.” He tossed him the crystal.

“Well, you know I like licking things.” Castys immediately tried it out, much to Syll’s disgust and Erebus’s amusement. He made a face. “Eugh. It’s just super salty.”

“Wait, it’s actually halite? It’s the mineral that’s just straight-up NaCl, one hundred percent salt. I was hoping it was just going to be quartz or something, here, let me try.” Erebus motioned for Castys to give him the crystal back.

“So you just wanted me to lick a random rock for no reason? Why didn’t you just try it yourself?” Castys replied, tossing it back.

“Every scientist needs a guinea pig.” Erebus smiled. He licked the crystal and immediately winced. “Ouch, yeah that’s halite all right. Which I normally wouldn’t mind licking, but somebody made me bite my tongue.” He stuck it out for them to see the small wound, but where it should have been red, there was a patch of white. And it was growing bigger.

“Erebus, what is that?” Syll asked, moving forward to get a closer look.

“I-” was all he could say before his tongue became completely encased in the white crystals and Erebus found he couldn’t move it anymore. The spread of the crystals didn’t stop there. The patch of flesh-turned-salt grew bigger and bigger, radiating out from his mouth. He collapsed to the ground, frantically scratching at his skin, trying to get the rapidly forming layer of salt off. Castys and Syll looked oh in horror as every gouge he made in his flesh quickly changed from red to white, drops of blood only coloring their bleached surroundings for a moment before turning completely into salt.

“Erebus, Erebus!” Castys grabbed his hand, trying to do something, anything, to help his friend. “What the hell is happening?!” He yelled desperately.

“I-I don’t…” Syll felt rooted to the spot, like she was the one turning into a statue. All she could do was watch as Erebus’s movements became jerkier in his last act of grabbing Castys’s hand tightly with both of his own. And then he was still, completely encased in the same crystal as the entire planet, immortalizing his final moments of agony.

There was silence. Castys and Syll stayed perfectly still, as if they were waiting to see if the same fate would befall them.

“I-” Castys looked up at Syll, tears brimming in his eyes, “Syll, this is all my fault, I-I made him bite his tongue is that what killed him oh god I-”

“We don’t know what for sure, Castys.”

“Well then why aren’t I made of salt now too?! I licked it and nothing happened, but Erebus…”

“Hey, hey Castys, it’s okay, you didn’t know, there’s no way you could have known.” She knelt down and wrapped her arms around him, feeling him shake with sobs. She was too much in shock to cry now, it still didn’t feel real. But there was no way Castys could deny Erebus’s fate. His left hand was still tightly clasped between both of Erebus’s. He couldn’t stop staring at his face, one that was laughing and smiling a minute ago, now frozen in an expression of terror.

They weren’t sure how much time had passed, but when the light coming in from the windows began to dim, Syll stood and offered a hand to her friend. “Come on, Castys. Let’s...let’s go home.” Castys nodded wordlessly and started to stand, but when he tried to pull his hand out from Erebus’s, it wouldn’t budge. He tugged and tugged, but he couldn’t free himself from the dead man’s grip.

“Syll, Syll, my hand is stuck. He won’t let go.” He looked up at her pleadingly, the grief in his eyes beginning to mix with fear.

“Uh-I-I don’t…” She had an idea immediately, but she hated herself for thinking of it. She looked around checking her pockets and her bag for some other solution, but there was nothing else she could think of. Nothing else she could do besides use her plasma knife. “Hold still.” She turned the knife on, the superheated blade flickering into existence, and positioned it near one of Erebus’s wrists. “I’m sorry, Erebus.” The knife cut through the salt easily, melting it before it even came in contact with the blade. When she was done, Castys lifted his arm, hand still clasped between the disembodied salt ones. He began to try to pry them off, and Syll joined in once she had turned her knife off. One of the hands snapped with an audible crack, fingers breaking off and leaving behind jagged stumps. One of which sliced into Castys’s palm.

Red blood oozed out of the gash, but that red quickly faded to white as crystals began to replace flesh and blood. “No, no, STOP!” Castys screamed, holding his hand as far away from himself as he could, as if that would stop him from meeting the same fate as his friend. “Stop it please I don’t want to die I’m sorry Erebus I’m so so sorry!”

Syll felt like she was on autopilot as she grabbed his wrist in one hand and the knife in the other. There was no time to think, no time to hesitate. She couldn’t lose them both.

She turned the knife on and swung.

There were three severed hands made of salt lying on the ground. But there were two flesh and blood people. They were hurting, to be sure, but they were alive. They could escape. And escape they did, leaving the silent planet of salt behind.

#i wrote something #nemi's creative writing classwork #character death #body horror #implied amputation #castys #syll #erebus #watchmojo comin later tonight!#oop this is long and all the whump is at the end #i think this is the longest thing ive written with castys in it do you see why i love his stupid ass now #he's going to come back for a certain day very soon. nov 27 :)#erebus: *exists* me: damn what if i fucked up his tongue and was really mean to him #fr i feel so bad for him why do he always gotta get shafted #oh wait it's because i am the worst overlord to have #if these boys knew they could get out of dodge they would sell themselves away from me in a heartbeat #big question: would ANY whumpee actually want my evil ass as their overlord?#im thinking no...im very cruel #i hope people actually read this i feel like it might be too slow in the beginning #if you're here and you did: do you like the title :)#i thought it was funnie #i WILL be out here making geology whump okay #death by l i c c #it's how i would die tbh

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jeongahn · 4 years ago

Note

✨ HEHE HELLO MY SUN! 95hua is my gfx and 17joshua is my gif portfolio blogs - Bea 💓

(Don’t) Creator’s send me a ✨ + your creations tag and I’ll talk about some of your pieces I love! Bea’s creations (gfx) and her gifs and her blog @joshuahong (I still want to tag joshsua, it’s been literal YEARS)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How do I make this short. Bea. I truly love your work so much, that when I tried to go through your archive from 2015 and onward - all my brain did was “oh that’s a fave. no wait that’s a fave. that one too. OH but THIS ONE-”. I’m not exaggerating. Every single piece. So to keep this condensed, I’m only going to talk about the pieces that gave me the visceral “!!!” because I remember how floored I was at the piece. Just know that EVERY piece you’ve done gives me that reaction. So this ask? This ask is now my own personal hell because I don’t know how to choose 3-5 pieces that I love more than the other. But I will try. This is more of a “walk down memory lane,” - in which I recall how much the piece amazed me at the time it was posted. This might seem long but let me tell you - this is as condensed as I could possibly make it. Like I am pulling my own teeth trying to mention just a FEW of these pieces that I really love. I need a drink. GOD this is obnoxiously long I don’t know what to do.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2015

(1) (2) (3)These graphics are so heavily ingrained in my mind that I’m now realizing how much this inspired some of my graphics I did years later. Like??? It set the tone for what I value in a piece of work LOL. And when I look back at my own work now - I can see how much of these “lessons” I incorporated.

For (1) in particular, I adored the bleeding effect on the surrounding gifs! And how each panel bled into one another through those wisps.

In (2) the COLORS just had me squirming like a delighted little sausage. It fit Seventeen’s image at the time so well. It was youthful, colorful, fresh. Everything that Akkinda was at that time. I LOVED the sparkles and the fucking TREE. Ugh that was truly one of the best graphics I saw at the time.

In (3) - the way you oriented the text was amazing. It was a lot of text but the way you spaced it out and added these visual breaks made it so easy to digest. Like one panel is text heavy. Then another panel is image heavy with a bit of text.Then there’s a gif panel with more text but also spaced out with more image. The balance is fucking incredible Bea. And literally - that’s how my own mind is programmed to make gfx now so it’s nuts seeing that it might have been influenced by your own methods I viewed over the years. LORD, I should call you professor?

2016

Very few things I never heal from. This manipulation of Jeonghan and Joshua from the Chocolate MV? Is one of them. The Chocolate MV in general? Is another. But okay I recall how I gasped because of how GOOD this was. It’s still hitting me. Your brain is so sexy Bea. Also, I’m bummed we never got Mint Jeonghan. But like, who cares? Bea edited a mint Jeonghan and that’s all I’ll ever need. I would literally frame this LOL. Like I’m half considering slapping it onto my corkboard just so I can look at it often.

I would literally pick every single piece from 2016 but I think JiHan was my most favorite and I can’t tell if that’s the bias in me that’s making these decisions.

2017

This is the coolest shit I’ve ever seen lmfao. I wish I had something more flourished to say but I remember thinking how fucking genius you were for highlighting the teaser like this. Since it was so scenic. And rather than making a hardcore gfx out of it - you just enhanced the vibe with text, coloring, and a bit of texture. You also did this same concept with Jeonghan and it just...oof it was so perfect.

And then later on, when all the teasers were released - THIS stunning piece of work was done. I was SO impressed by the way you did the gifs with that cross effect. It’s not easy showing 13 pieces of anything. But you did THAT. And ALSO used the images of the teasers, you’re a MAD MAN BEA. A GENIUS. I’m still so shocked by how well done is this.

And you know what this talented fuck did WITH THE ACTUAL MV? You’re not going to fucking believe this. You’re really not. Why am I suddenly so angry. Just look at THIS and you’ll understand full well, why I am SCREAMING. I’ve NEVER seen anything done like this at the time it was posted. Like Bea REALLY set the fucking tone with this gfx. To this day I can’t think of a single gfx that captures an MV THIS WELL. UGH it’s BRILLIANT. If I HAD to pick a favorite - like you threatened to burn my pumpkin patch - I would choose this one. But because I’m not being threatened I’m now making this LONG ASS POST on WHY I LOVE BEA’S WORK SO MUCH-

I recently watched InuYasha in all of it’s entirity because I thought of this gfx a while back lmfao. Jeonghan as Sesshomaru and Joshua as a half demon? Satiates something inside of me. Anyways. The tones used here always get me. The soft beiges and purples at so NICE. I think I mentioned it reminded of buying lavenders out of burlap bags in romantic market places LOL. But the vibe still fits. The movie poster vibe is something you didn’t do often back then so it was cool seeing you try out a different style! The way top right and bottom left are correlated is something that flew right over my head back then. But now? I’m eating this shit up. It’s delicious.

Shout out to the “Story of the Moon” series Bea did with Meanie, in which she insp credited herself. Is that not, the biggest flex? I love all your star crossed lovers concepts. Bea loves to: yearn. OH btw, here’s the actual Story of the Moon. It’s so sweet. Probably not the original but SO pretty either way. I think this might be the original. Re: Bea loves to learn.

I swear I’m done with 2017 but I gotta mention part 2 of Demon!JiHan. I never realized how much I loved this series of gfx. Bea. This is GOOD shit.

2018

This is GREAT. One thing I loved about YMMD concept was how the gradient reflected on the concept of day to night. So I adored how Bea did this! It was a clever way to utilize 13 images since the aspect of day and night happen in 12hr cycles.

Just know anything Bea does of JiHan is most likely going to be some GREAT work because of the way a storyline is involved in it. I remember you talking to me about this concept so seeing it come into fruition was pretty fucking cool. Again. Bea loves to yearn. The colors reminded me of the 2015 piece I adored so much.

She did it again with the flawless approach on Demon!Jihan. It’s like year by year it becomes more and more sexy. I LOVE this. The editing on this is more “today Bea”. It’s got such a nice use of shadow and saturation. I remember those images were so hard for me to edit because of the shadow so I didn’t edit them LOL. But nothing stop’s Bea’s expertise. The red tones really get me. I love how this series went from soft burlap bag of lavender to reddish hues. It feels aggressive and I LOVE that.

This is probably the best birthday graphic that ever exists. Again Bea was so clever with how she displayed a lot of images from Joshua’s ENTIRE career. Along with text. Not just eras. Not just songs. But Joshua as a person as well. Whenever I see this I feel so fond. You can smell the love radiating off of this gfx. Joshua would be SO honored.

2019

This is so pretty. Like it reminds me of salwar kameez lmfao. I remember this fondly. It’s like they’re what is inside of a string light. Not light bulbs. It’s Seventeen’s Vocal Unit.

Shout out to this graphic that is reposted literally everywhere. Bea you unlocked every Carat’s deep want: Tatted!Seventeen. Your talent with manipulations is unreal. The tattoo series and Cyber/ Humanoid series really showcase that. Another shoutout to how Bea inspired that one set of teasers with the pressed flower freckles. I want this in a resin dish. Who on Etsy will do this for me-

(1) (2). The dichotomy of these 2 graphics still get me. In (1) there’s this warm and luxurious vibe. Then in (2) it’s the same luxurious vibe, but creepier than the previous because of the icy feel. It’s so neat. Both are SO beautifully done. I love the shimmer tears on Joshua in (1) and the icy sparkles on Vernon in (2).

2020

I REALLY love this set. The BUTTERFLIES are you KIDDING ME??? I love them. I’m so glad you incorporated them. I love how you subject edit. The way you create glow on the face is so nice. It literally reminds me of using “How Many Carats?!?!!” on the face. Which is SO fitting lmfao. On this work it’s a bit more... “soft glow” but I had to mention it. Joshua with the monarch butterflies makes my heart warm. I dunno if Monarchs are California’s butterflies. But so many places in my town are dedicated to Monarch butterflies so when I think of California, I think of Monarch butterlfies. Anyways I adore the FLUSH on these images. It’s so INNOCENT

I love the entire Cyber series but the way you did everyone’s bionic arm? INCREDIBLE. I can’t even begin to understand HOW you did this Bea. It almost makes me angry that you do this shit for FREE. I get to look at this for free? It feels illegal. I was so floored I missed several details. Like how you made the lighting work with this neon light vibe. That takes a GOOD artistic eye and you clearly have that. Jihoon’s current of energy on his face? U G H it’s so GO OD. I want to stare at it forever. WAIT the BACKGROUND as well. Listen the more I stare this. The more details I realize I miss because I’m so caught up in one detail. It’s just such an incredible series that you execute so flawlessly.

I just really love this. I can’t describe why. It’s just so nice to look at. That panel with Joshua’s glitter tears (p2)? I love it. All of it is so satisfying to look at and I got that entire vibe from the MV in general. So this was an appropriate way to display it!

I have yet to see all of your 2020 gfx so instead I’m gonna rb them and gush lol but really Bea. All your work is so good and if I could write a book on how much I appreciate them - (clearly) I would.

#*kajal gushes over bea's graphic for an actual 3 hours straight*#bea im sorry you had to read any aspect of this #but i really love your work lmfao #i slowly lose my fucking mind the longer i write #this took me around 2hrs lmfao #im sweating this actually stressed me out because i couldnt condense it taht well lmfao #*answ

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sworn-unbeliever · 4 years ago

Photo

23 - Shuffle

((Whew! Once again, a big huge thank you to @abeat for RPing as Jeremy since he’s her character in a way. Also, as a cartomancy fan, I jumped on the opportunity to write about such a thing. Although I didn’t write out the entire spread, I did do a proper reading. The spread in question is the Romany spread and is one of my favourites. The deck the nephew used is the Tarot of the Divine and I used the descriptions from the little white book there. Abeat and I will continue this storyline. If not on Sunday then probably after FFXIVWrite. Anyway!))

wc: 2,982

A gentle chime tingled in Teremy’s ears. Immediately, the miqo’te looked up from his bored daze. “Welcome to Fortunes & Fancies. Let me know if you need help with anything—”

Teremy cut his spiel short when he saw who entered the room.

A miqo’te seeker with Teremy’s exact same face.

“Jer?!” Teremy arched an eyebrow.

The aforementioned Jeremy waved. “Hi aniki!” he smiled cheerfully and looked around the store. A few seconds later, he did a double take. “W-wait, aniki?!”

Teremy switched from Common to his native Hingan. “Yes, little brother. What are you doing here of all places?”

Jeremy also switched back to Hingan. “I could ask you the same thing! I thought you were always busy exploring dungeons and hunting monsters and bad guys, but here you are working in a store...what happened? Are you in debt? Did you get caught up with bad people!? Did you murder someone and you’re on the run?”

Teremy closed his eyes and snorted, smiling. “A lot happened. No, yes-but-no, and yes, in that particular order, and I’m fine. Just taking up someone on their gracious offer to take things easy is all. Anyway, are you looking for anything in particular?”

Jeremy looked around. “This is what you call taking it easy? Isn’t this a furniture shop?”

“Trinkets, stuffed animals, a guildmate’s leatherworker merchandise over there,” Teremy gestured to the large leather backs on top of a couple of cute display carts, “or whatever commission you desire. Gears, accessories, primal weapons, you can afford it, we make it.”

Jeremy ran up to the counter. “Wait. Are you… Are you… crafting stuff?!”

Teremy shrugged. “More or less.”

“Crafting stuff… working behind a counter… helping customers…” Jeremy slammed his hands on the counter and growled. “Who are you?! What have you done with my brother?!”

“Ever the laughs-a-minute.” Teremy smirked and poked his brother on the forehead. “If you’re not gonna buy anything, get out.”

Jeremy pouted. “Awww, don’t be like that. Of course I’ll buy something at my aniki’s shop!”

“It’s not really my shop. I just happen to work here.”

Regardless if Jeremy had heard his brother or not, the younger twin’s tail swished playfully as he looked around the store. Normally to miqo’te such an action denounced irritation; however, Jeremy acted more canine than feline at times, and when Jeremy swished his tail like that, he showed his excitement and interest. Jeremy placed one hand on his hip, the other on his chin. “What do you recommend?”

“You’d know better than me what you’d need. Besides a life.”

Jeremy whirled around, his hands still on his hip and chin respectively, and grinned. “Now is that any way to speak to a potential customer? You should be polite and point out your most popular wares.”

Teremy exhaled. Jeremy was right. This was why Jeremy was better at dealing with customers back in the fish market days. “Well, this week only, the store is having a special on grimoires. Buy two, get one free. You can even get a left-handed book and fountain pen commissioned if you desire.”

The younger brother came back to the counter as Teremy pulled out a large portfolio-style album. Both miqo’te looked down at the assortment of cover images featuring various grimoires, codexes, and other such books.

“You don’t even need to be an arcanist to order these. We can make them just as a notebook itself for notebook’s sake.” Teremy added.

“Hmm.” Jeremy tilted his head back and forth as he leafed through the catalogue. “I could start keeping a journal. Sure, sign me up for the book and fountain pen. This one, this one, and that one. Although I was hoping to ask about… other services?”

Teremy paused and looked at Jeremy in the eyes. “Are you looking to the stars for guidance?”

“Maybe I am. I could use a little starry guidance right around now. If such services are available of course.”

Jeremy’s tail resumed wagging again. No doubt that he had heard of said services from an outside source and came all this way just to heckle his brother about it. Ignoring such a fact, Teremy pulled out a well-worn appointment book from underneath the counter and flipped to today’s page.

“How soon do you require such services?” Teremy asked.

“Preferably same day if possible,” said Jeremy.

Teremy skimmed through the planner book. Conveniently, the entire day had been booked up for Reonora, Rosemary, and Joey, like Nyemia herself had spun her own divine intervention. “Tell you what. Come back to the store after hours, which is—” Teremy looked at the nearby carbuncle chronometer, “18:00, and you’ll find someone that can help you.”

Jeremy grinned. “All right. Thanks, aniki! Exemplary customer service. I’ll come back later. Can I pay for the commission at the same time as the other service?”

“Of course. Thank you for your patronage.” Teremy performed an eastern bow to his brother.

* * *

After hours. Jeremy was nowhere to be seen.

Teremy leaned on the wall beside the currently locked door. Arms folded, he stared off into the horizon and gazed into the sunset. Since he started working at Fortunes & Fancies, he had many quiet moments like this—moments with no customers and nothing to do but listen to the carbuncle chronometer tick. Yet, those dull moments made him enjoy these poignant ones much more. He smiled softly as he gazed into the horizon, admiring the sunset. With Jeremy nowhere in sight, just for now, Teremy inhaled the evening breeze and let in the pleasure of tranquil silence.

“Hey aniki! Where’s this person that’s going to assist me?” blared his voice with the sound amplified times ten.

Teremy jumped, startled. His eyes widened and his tail shot up and frayed. He looked to the side to see Jeremy grinning, one hand on his hip and ears wiggling, completely pleased with himself. Of course. Some things never changed since childhood. Teremy took a long, deep breath to regain his composure. “You’re looking at him.”

Now it was Jeremy’s turn to recoil in shock. “What? You consult with the stars too?”

Teremy nodded. “The store owner has been showing me how to just in case I have to. I admit, this kind of thing isn’t really…” He didn’t continue the sentence lest he insult the deck in his satchel. “I’m still new to this, so be gentle.” Unlocking the door, Teremy held the door open for his brother.

“Man, is there anything you can’t actually do, aniki?” Jeremy asked as he walked inside the store.

“Hey, don’t sing my praises until we’re actually done. Then you can change your mind.”

Teremy entered behind his brother and locked the door behind him. He walked ahead of Jeremy, made a beckoning gesture, and hopped over the counter. Jeremy followed in suit and the two headed downstairs.

“I feel like we’re going into some super shady store dealings, like selling illegally poached hides or something.”

Teremy snorted. “You wish. Unfortunately, all that’s in here are a lot of lights and bohemian.” Teremy slid the oriental partition open and went inside, expecting Jeremy to follow.

And he did. The younger twin looked around at the variety of lamps, bookshelves, rugs and other objects. In the middle of the room laid two ronkan rocking chairs and a banquet style table with a square board in the middle. “Lots of… moogles. Very mystical looking.”

Teremy took a seat at the far end and gestured for Jer to sit across from him. Once Jeremy did so, Teremy pulled out his deck.

A tarot deck.

As he opened the box and tugged the ribbon to make the cards come out, Reonora’s words echoed in his mind.

“Cartomancy has many different systems. Perhaps you are familiar with the Sharlayan system? The method which attunes you to the stars and allows you to draw upon cards in battle? It stands to reason that cards also allow one to divinate as well. The future, secrets, and most commonly, advice. The method my mother had taught me is called Lenormand—a system that relies on creating phrases to decipher meaning. I have given Rosemary and Joey oracle decks, which rely on perhaps a single card or its own individual system. To you, I bequeath this deck. It is a system called Tarot. For this deck, simply put, each card has its own meaning. This is an old system where one can gain much insight. Perhaps I am speaking frankly, but in my opinion you seem like an old soul who thinks deeply. This may be the system for you.”

Teremy had no idea how true these words were. All he could do was shuffle the cards and have faith. As he shuffled, he felt vibrations in his hands as though the cards themselves emitted their own energies. Spirits? He thought to just focus on the task at hand. “What’s on your mind?”

Jeremy tilted his head from side to side. “I guess… What should I do now? Finding you was what drove auntie and I for so long. Now we’ve found you safe and sound, so I’m just wondering what to do with myself now I guess.”

“Like you have no purpose right now?”

“Yeah, that’s what it feels like.” Jeremy leaned his head on his hand. “Like I’m just ambling from one thing to the next now with no direction in mind.”

“Hmm.” Teremy shuffled the cards. ‘Jer’s lost his purpose in life. Can you give him some advice?’

He felt a tingling sensation in his hands—a sensation different than his usual qi. Like spiritual guidance. He felt as though the cards agreed to his request. As he continued to shuffle, Teremy looked up. “For what it’s worth, I’m grateful. I had no idea. Useless Tia said you and Auntie had left on a grand adventure without me. I didn’t know what to think. I feel stupid to have believed him. But what’s done is done. It… made me happy to know you guys were looking for me.” Teremy put the deck in the middle. “Here. You shuffle them and then hand the deck back to me after you’re done.”

“Yeah, typical of Useless Tia, failing to bring up the crucial details as to what our grand adventure was about.” Jeremy took the deck and shuffled in the same manner as his brother. Once finished, he placed the deck back in the middle. “I appreciate this, aniki. I’m really glad we found you safe and sound. I just want to find my own purpose just like you found yours.”

Teremy cut the cards into three separate stacks, then combined them again. With the deck thoroughly shuffled, Teremy now laid the cards in the spread that Reonora taught him.

Twenty one cards.

Three rows.

Seven columns.

The first row signified the past. The second spoke of the present. And the third laid out plans that had yet to happen.

Teremy glanced at the spread as a whole, then scanned the top line.

Wheel of Fortune. Three of Wands. The Magician. The Star. Four of Pentacles. Page of Pentacles. Five of Cups.

‘So far the reading has told him what Jer and I know already, but…’

His instincts couldn’t help but become bothered at one card in particular: the Four of Pentacles.

Hoarding. Possession.

“Hey, Jer, have you been… keeping something to yourself? A possession of some sort?”

Jeremy pressed his lips together. “Well...there is something, actually. I guess you really can read the stars.” He reached into his inventory and pulled out a gunblade, putting it on the table. “I found this awhile ago during my adventures with auntie. We were more focused on finding you so I never did anything with it, but I never told her I found it either. Some thugs we dealt with dropped it and I just hung onto it. I was debating trying to find out more about it but I didn’t want to turn my back on everything auntie’s taught me.”

“Thus in the past, while you were looking for me, you found this,” said Teremy. “And while you set your sights on your practical goals, you felt torn about this discovery. It was like this is a calling to you, yet you didn’t want to pursue, and you felt bad about it.”

Jeremy nodded. “Yeah. I mean I’m sure you or auntie could probably teach me about it if I asked, but I just never got around to asking. I mean I know it’s a gunblade and all but...I dunno.” He shrugged. “I’m not sure what to do. Explore my curiosity? Let it go and sell the thing to a merchant?”

‘Weird. Why would Jeremy want to suddenly sell something he’s been hoarding? Unless he needs the money for something.’ Teremy continued. “The present line doesn’t say anything you haven’t told me already. You put aside your feelings and donned your patience and, well, we’re together. But after that you lost your motivation…”

Teremy’s eyes locked onto the last card at the end of the second row.

The Five of Swords.

Surrender. Violence. Crime.

“Is there something you’re not telling me? Did you get involved with someone?” Teremy asked.

Jeremy folded his arms and closed his eyes. He may as well have just said yes. On the other hand, Jeremy didn’t exactly say any details, either. No wonder Jeremy’s words since he entered sounded so oddly specific.

Teremy scanned the bottom row—the line that read the future. “Did you get involved with bad people? Are you the one who owes money to someone?”

Jeremy looked to the side. He said nothing for a few moments. Then finally, he spoke. “Yeah. I do. I was buying information trying to find you. Eorzea is a huge place, I knew it’d take us forever to find you on our own. So I was basically buying information from a syndicate in Ul’Dah. The prices kept getting higher and higher and I ended up just making interest payments, but I actually owe a lot of money. I’ve still been paying interest, but now that we’ve found you, I guess I’m trying to think of a way to make a lot of money quickly to pay it off entirely. I never told auntie of course. I didn’t want her to know what I was doing.”

Teremy scanned the rest of the reading, but he didn’t have to say much more. His mind already started formulating ideas. Thinking. He did hear Rosemary say something along the lines of that a tarot deck may not answer a question directly, but could show the actual underlying problem. And right now, Teremy saw that example put to action.

“How much money do you owe them?”

“Eh… heh… Um…” Jeremy scratched the back of his head and muttered.

Nevermind. Teremy had heard enough. The elder brother slammed his hands on the table underneath the reading and rose to his full height. “You know what? Nevermind. Forget this. Let’s deal with them once and for all. Even the cards are backing me up on this.”

“W-w-w-whoa, aniki! You’re suggesting we take on a crime syndicate in Ul’Dah?” Jeremy stepped back, his eyes wide in shock. “Not even the Sultana wants to do that! It’s bad enough I owe them money, let’s not start a war with them! I mean it’s five million gil but it’s not impossible, and they haven’t done anything to auntie or I since I’ve been paying the interest on time—”

“I just see my brother in a bind and I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Tell me where they are. I’ll deal with them. And if you don’t tell me, I’ll find out.” In the blink of an eye, Teremy put away his star globe and pulled out a weapon he knew he could count on: his gunblade.

Jeremy stood frozen in his same shocked position. As much as he wanted to talk Teremy out of it, he knew there was no point arguing with his big brother when Teremy had his battle face on. Sighing, Jeremy stood straight and hung his head. “All right. All right. I know that face. The face that says ‘I’m doing this and no one is stopping me.’

“You know me like I know you. Tell me what happened.”

“I basically found people in Ul’Dah who were good at ‘finding’ people. So we started talking and I said I was looking for you, and essentially I asked them to put a bounty on your head. Of course I told them that I wanted you alive and unharmed! But I figured having a fleet of bounty hunters helping out would make things a bit faster.”

Teremy propped his gunblade on his back and looked down, holding a hand to his chin. ‘How did they not find me before? My Grand Company is even in Ul’dah. Invisibility really is a hidden privilege.’ He looked at Jeremy. “Finding your purpose can wait. We’ll deal with this first. I have a plan. It’s a reckless one, but here’s what we’ll do.”

The spread remained untouched on the table as Teremy deliberated his plan.

The fifth column of secret destiny: Four of Pentacles. Justice. Seven of Pentacles. Your days of scraping for money will be brought to justice and you’ll be rewarded for your investment—Justice being your selfsame brother.

The sixth column of immediate future: Page of Pentacles. The World. Page of Wands. Your goal will be brought to completion by enthusiastic rogue energy. Your brother’s plan is reckless but will give you that push you need to put an end to all this.

The seventh column of the far future about to come: Five of Cups. Five of Swords. Nine of Pentacles. Your stagnation and regret in life due to your involvement with the syndicate, you will soon gain your freedom and prosper.

#ffxiv #ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2020

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ceo-of-choco-bibi · 4 years ago

Text

Chocotemp Flower shop/Tattoo Parlour AU

This was meant to be a list of “AUs and HCs” but I ended up writing too much about this one AU so I’m separating them into different posts.

Feel free to add more!

-They share a shop because they’re both broke college students. The shop front/outside the shop is where all the flower displays are placed, and the back/small attic that’s connected by a flight of stairs is the tattoo place.

-The shop is called “Guns n’ Roses” and they’re constantly afraid of getting copyrighted just because Bibi wanted a stupid pun name for the shop.

-They take turns manning the counter. Usually it’s Bibi manning the counter because he “looks more friendly”.

-You guessed it, Bibi’s the tattoo part of the shop. He’s (canonically) an art student so he is qualified. He also does arrangements sometimes (he’s not actually qualified for that and sometimes puts flowers with contradictory meanings together. He has the eye for aesthetic though, and if the customer isn’t particular about the meanings Tempest just lets him do his thing) (He thinks it’s fun and it makes Tempest happy that he’s enjoying it).

-Bibi likes sketching flowers and most of his portfolio is flowers that Tempest has brought in. He isn’t great at drawing cartoony stuff and is better at realism. He can follow a reference well enough though.

-Surprisingly, he doesn’t have a lot of tattoos and the ones he has are small and mostly just clean lines (no colour).

-Tempest takes care of the flowers, he usually is in the back doing a bunch of inventory and stuff. After graduating from literature, he looked further into flower language and cultural significance of flowers etc. He writes cards for the flowers if requested and writes short stories as commissions too. He likes going to the library near by and reading for children there :,)

-Whenever someone walks in Bibi goes, “Hi, welcome! Guns or Roses?” Usually people just stare at him blankly and he just laughs awkwardly and says, “Roses it is. What type of arrangement are you going for?”

-They advertise the shop through social media platforms. They get a lot of aesthetic blogs following them, sometimes asking if they can use their photos (of flowers, tattoos and flower tattoos.) for posts. Hit them up, they’ll be very honoured.

-Tempest is in charge of song choice for background music because Bibi would put shit like Blonde Boyz in the playlist. It’s mostly musical stuff that they can vibe to. Once, a customer walked in on them singing Satisfied at the top of their lungs, Tempest yelling from the back Angelica’s lines and Bibi providing backup and Eliza’s lines while holding a rose as a mic.

-Tempest has a really cliche angel wing tattoo on his back, done by Bibi. When he asked Bibi to do it for him he jut stared at him like he was crazy. “Bro are you serious?” “Yes? What’s the problem?” “You know it’s gonna hurt a lot right- other than that, an angel wing? That’s like, so cliche.” “Oh my god shut up of course I know. Just separate it into different sections and time slots like you always do.”

-Soup came in once while Tempest was on counter duty. “Welcome to G- Oh it’s you.” “What, not gonna say the line?” “Soup-” “Mmm I think I walked into the wrong shop sorry.” “Wait- *pinching nose* Fine. Fine, welcome. Guns. Or Roses.” “WHAT WAS THAT U EMOTIONLESS BASTARD AHAHFHIDHVIHIH welcome. AHAHAHUAHFIEH-” “I’m telling Bibi that you’re bullying me.”

-Soup works part time sometimes for cash and if they really really need to fill in a spot. Questionable decision to let him fill the spot though. If Tempest is away, you probably should not step into the shop because Bibi and Soup would 100% be doing dumb shit.

-Tempest received a call on the first day away and hearing both of them crying hysterically with what sounded suspiciously like Bread Bank playing bass boosted in the background.

-He didn’t understand anything they said, but sent Coco to check it out anyways. She’s so tired of their bullshit please help her.

#cocomori (hclw)#tempest (hclw)#drip soup (hclw)#choco bibi #hcs? on my page? more likely than u think

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zooophagous · 5 years ago

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I looked through your tags and didn't find anything on this, so Im just gonna shoot you an ask. What are your suggestions to finding a good tattoo artist? I want to get my first one and I have a basic idea of what I want but I have no idea on where to go from here.

For sure!

The first and most obvious step is to go to an actual shop, one with a clean bill of health and the legal this and that displayed where you can see it. Some legit artists may have a shop in their house but it's exceedingly unlikely a home or garage will be kept to the same standard as a commercial shop. And, commercial shops often have easily available ratings online you can reference.

The second step is to look at portfolios. These days most artists will have a body of work you can view online, or you can visit a shop just to check out stuff in person if that's more your speed. Try to look for an artist who has a portfolio with examples of the style you want. For example, if you want realism, go with the artist who does lots of realism versus the artist who does lots of abstract or geometric. Watercolor tattoos can look really bad if the artist has never done one before, you get the idea.

If you don't have your exact design ready to show the artist, you will probably need to set up a consult to meet with them. These are appointment based for most shops. Bring in or send any references and as detailed a description as you can.

Most shops will charge by the hour, so include a budget with your references if possible.

Other tips:

If an artist suggests your idea be changed or says it might not work, listen to them.

Don't go with an artist just because they're cheapest or available soonest.

It's ok to ask questions or request changes. Be vocal about your feelings before the design becomes permanent.

If an artist is an asshole to you, you don't need to stay with them.

Don't show up to an appointment high or drunk and avoid topical painkillers like numbing sprays. Some folks are allergic to them anyways, but there's a greater chance for reactions and swelling the more weird stuff you have on the site. Some shops will use numbing agents on their own but it really should not be necessary in the majority of cases.

BRING YOUR ID

If you are under 18 find out exactly what you and your guardian need before the date of the appointment and bring all of those things with you on the day OF, not the day you book it.

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suicidalcatz · 5 years ago

Text

DOG DAYS ARE OVER : CHAP 4

AN: Hello ! In this chapter we go on an investigation! But also we get closer to God Jake. I’m writing the 7th part at the moment, and I think the 8th one will be the end of my dream, but not of this fanfic. Let the fluff begin !

Pairing: Jake Kiszka x reader

Genre: College AU

Previous parts: Prologue ; Chap 1 ; Chap 2 ; Chap 3

Masterlist : here

Chapter four : Need a hand ?

It became obvious to both Mandy and I that I was starting to have a crush on Jake. How could I not ? For a far as we knew him, he was perfect in every way.

At first it was discreet. My new hobby of staring at him during lectures was unnoticed by both of the Kiszkas, or if Josh noticed something, he at least thought it was me waiting for his next paper ball notes and getting impatient. Regarding my class daydreamings, they weren't new so classmates and teachers didn't think much of it. Although it became very apparent something was up when I started unintentionally drawing his face several times in the workshop during portraits studies. Even though my photo reference was Kurt Cobain. It could've been easily mistaken for a very bad observation job (and it did), if it weren't for Mandy who saw me coming home after a long day with a painted 50x70cm Jake canvas under my armpit. Judging by my defeated look, she didn't address it, but she knew.

It's a few days later that we had that talk. It was getting so bad that I began mistaking people in hallways for him, smiling or even giggling to myself as I was remembering stuff he did or said, and again, drawing him.

- I can't focus on anything, I sighed defeated. I have this assignment due to next week and I can't draw any character right. I even dreamed of us doing grocery shopping.

I let my head bump loudly against the dining table as she made me a cup of tea/coffee and placed it in front of me. She knew perfectly how I felt because we all went through the same, that's why she softly pulled the chair opposite mine to sit and have a chat.

- You should talk to him more, get to know him, she encouraged. He's nice and now we sometimes hang out so it's not that weird wanting to know him better.

She was right. Sooner or later I'll had to talk to him and even tell him how I feel anyway. Not now though, it was too soon. I kind of got struck by lightning when I first laid my eyes on him and it got worse when we spoke, but it still rarely happened for people to fall instantly like that. There was no way he'd understand if I just confessed my feelings out of the blue. I should wait and see if there's any chance that my feelings are shared, because there was no way in hell I'd tell him if I wasn't sure I had a chance to date him. Speaking of which...

- Should I ask him out on a date?

As an answer, Mandy smacked my head accross the table with an empty box of biscuits.

- Are you out of your mind ? I just told you to wait ! I know you're impatient to get into his pants but think about all the times you rushed things and how many times it worked.

Raising my head to rest my chin against the plastic flowery tablecloth, I considered it, looking at her munching on chocolate biscuits, browsing a fashion magazine for inspiration. Defeated once again, I let out a sigh and shifted so my cheek was against the table.

- First of all, I don't want to get into his pants- Not yet. Second of all, you're right. I don't want to screw up this time because it'll be so awkward afterwards.

She closed her eyes and quickly nodded because she knew she was of good advice, as usual.

- You forgot something essential boo. You don't know if mister doe-eyed guitarist is single.

Fuck, that's right. Neither of them mentionned it but it's not something you just blurt out. We exchanged a look, and she grinned at me in a knowing way.

- Let's investigate.

The first thing to do was to go on his Facebook. It did seem a bit wrong searching him like that instead of asking straightforwardly, and as if karma thought the same, we found that his infos were set on private. We didn't even bother searching for instagram or twitter as nobody puts their real full names on these, so the second thing to do was to go on the field.

Despite all the departments, the school was small so buildings were close to each other and all communicated (except for the fashion workshop). I kind of knew where everything was, since you could tell just by looking at the people hanging around. And as cliché as it sounded, it was true. Illustration students were always carrying ridiculous amounts of art supplies. Entire bags of paint, books and pencil case in their backpacks, giant portfolio under an arm, A3 sketchbooks in the other, and somehow they still found a way to carry their coffee cups. Architecture, Carpenters and Furniture Design students were often seen with big mock ups and models in their arms, tools or wood. Photo and Fashion peeps were carrying the less stuff since they worked mainly on computers in the Photography dep and let all their mannequins and fabric either at home or in the Fashion workshop. It was as easy to spot dudes from the Music dep, with their guitar on their back, hanging around the Architecture building, smoking, chatting, and drinking soda or coffee.

Their building was near the park, so they were mostly seen in that area. And thank God because I would've look so stupid passing by purely « by chance » in an area where no one ever went except for the people who actually studied there. The park was great. A lot of us used to play ball, sit on the grass to drink, chat or have lunch. It was big enough that the Architecture jocks built some cabins in a corner of it to host parties. I still don't understand how the school allowed that, but anyway, the plan was simple, make a little detour to see if I could spot Jake.

It was so cold outside that students were just hurriedly passing by, quickly making their way inside where it was somewhat warm. As a result, there wasn't many people in the park at this hour of the day and I wondered if Jake was in the dorms or in class before catching a glimpse of his hair in the corner of my eye. Okay time to be discreet. I put my bag down near the trash to fake looking for something while watching him. Fuck he looked good with a scarf and head covered with a beanie. Aside from his looks, he seemed rather bummed. Passers by kept shaking him off as he tried to hand them yellow papers. Probably flyers.

- Jake, I'm taking 5 !

Some guy just beside me doing the same task called him loud and clear, and I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes when Jake turned around to reply and locked eyes with me. I instantly felt very dumb, crouched next to the trash with my hands on my bag. The mental image I had of myself at that very moment was that of a raccoon. Running away was out of the question since he was approaching my way already, one hand holding the flyers and the other in his jacket pocket.

- Hey.

- Hi, I replied without moving an inch.

- Need a hand ?

Shaking out of it, I got on my feet by myself and lied about just passing by. Karma really was a bitch, wasn't it ? Henceforth no more weird MI6 strategies for me. Avoiding staring at the blushed tip of his nose, I gazed at my hands and saw his in the process.

- Are you giving out flyers ?

- Oh yeah, for the Christmas school festival, but no one is either interested or invested in it unfortunately. It's a shame, I think it's gonna be great. I don't know what's holding them, he added while scratching his beanie, it's free and there's gonna be music and food and booze, what more could we need ?

To be fair I understood both parties. Jake was right but some students probably had exams or homework, and it was freezing and they were doing it outside. Well if we were honest it never stopped anybody from partying so maybe the event wasn't the issue.

- I saw people displaying posters, I remembered, can I see the flyers ?

Without missing a beat he handed them all to me and dear lord I almost got blind just by looking at them. That yellow and black and these awful drawings weren't doing anything good for the event. He must've saw it on my grimacing face because he sighed.

- That bad ?

- Honestly ? It looks like a Bee Movie add.

It actually made him let out a chuckle before puting a hand to his heart.

- That hurts.

That flawless smile made my cheeks burn, thank god they were already red because of the cold. His thumb brushed mine when I handed the flyers back to him, and at this moment I knew I was gonna act without thinking again, because my brain went on vacation the second his skin got in contact with mine.

- I can make you new ones, if you want.

His eyes searched for any traces of a joke on my face before realization hit him and his brows frowned lightly.

- Are you sure ? 'm not an expert but this looks like a lot of work.

As backup to his words, he shook the big bundle of paper between his fingers. Jake genuinely looked worried about me, and all the work it'd put me through. Deep down I knew there was a little voice in my head screaming that helping him only meant more sleepless nights but all the other parts of my brains ignored it when two gentle brown eyes stared at me with concern.

- It'll be fine, I assured with a smile. I'm working fast. I just have to do one design and the rest will be printed, right ? No big deal.

Hand on his hip, Jake let out what sounded like a relieved breath and cracked a smile.

- Thanks, I really appreciate it. Do you have a pen ?

Of course I did, I even got one on my coat pocket for some reason. Things I just forget to remove. He gave me the flyers for me to hold while he uncapped the black marker and took my free arm.

- I'm giving you my number, so you can text me if you're having troubles for the design, and show me some pics if you need advice.

With cold fingers, he gently grabbed my wrist and pushed back the fabric to expose my already shivering skin, and started writing numbers on my veins. It tickled, and I got goosebumps, mostly because of the cold wind but also because of his hand around my arm. The soft touch of his calloused fingers felt right on my skin, replacing the freezing feeling of his digits by a sweet wave of heat and I unconsciously held my breath to focus on the new sensation. He let the ink dry a bit before covering my arm again, raising his chin to meet my face.

- I could've write it on one of the flyers but I got a feeling you would've lost it, wouldn't ya ?

A playful smile danced on his face and once again I found myself mesmerized by him, nodding and chewing on my lip in a childlike manner. Jake tapped me on the shoulder to thank me again, saying he'll make it up to me, but I was too absorbed by the burning feeling of his skin on mine.

- I have to go, he said after sliding the marker back inside my breast pocket. My band's playing at the christmas party by the way, I hope you'll come!

#gvf fic #gvf x reader #gvf imagine #gvf fanfic #jake kiszka x reader #jake kiszka fic #jake kiszka imagine #josh kiszka fic #greta van fleet fic #greta van fleet imagine #greta van fleet #jake kiszka

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justlostinautumn · 5 years ago

Text

Playing House 2

Part 1

Clint Barton x OC (Alexandra Knight)

Fury calls in help on a long hall mission that requires Clint to play house with someone he doesn’t know and has never met. Alexandra likes to work alone and isn’t one to play well with others. Nick and Alex have a pass together.

“What happened?” Steve asked.

“None of your business.” I hissed in response pulling away from Nick.

“Nat?” Steve looked at his friend.

“I don’t know it was a mission, Fury pulled me out and that’s all I know.” Nat shrugged, I know she knew more I was just grateful she wasn’t saying anything.

“Barnes, you saved her. What happened?” Tony asked smirking at me.

“Not happening if Kitty isn’t talking about it, it’s fine with me.” He frowned most probably reliving the horrifying memory we shared and I can’t help but shudder.

“Thank you, James.” I smiled at him. “So I can go see you in a month.”

“You’re staying here.” Fury looked at me.

“When you say here you mean New York right not here as in the home of earths mighty heroes?” Praying for the former.

“I mean on the compound, you need to be all lovey-dovey with Barton, so get use to it!” Fury smirked at me.

“Nick,” I whined. “Kitty wants to play in the city.”

“Kitty is gonna get herself in trouble.” Bucky laughed at me and I pouted, walking over and straddling his lap.

“Maybe you and I could get into some trouble.” I lean in and bite his earlobe causing him to let out a soft groan, his hold on my thighs tighten.

“Alexandra!” Nick shouted.

“Nicolas!” I lean back laughing.

“Off Barnes, you are to be Barton’s wife.” Nick pointed to Clint.

“Maybe next time love.” I pouted getting up and walking to Clint and straddling his lap instead. I feel him stiffen beneath me.

“Better.” Fury laughed at Clint’s discomfort.

“I think we are gonna have some fun!” I purred running my rings through his dirty blond hair as his stormy blue eyes watch my every move.

“I’m jealous.” Nat sighs and I can’t help but giggle.

“See even sex on legs over there is jealous and I know for a fact that Barnes is too,” I spoke softly smiling at him I kiss his cheek and stand up, walking over to Nick stretching and wincing slightly.

“What’s wrong?” Nick frowned watching me carefully.

“Nothing a little sleep won’t fix,” I smirk knowing what his reaction will be if he sees what is causing the ache in my side.

“You said that about a bullet wound.” Nick frowned, shit he knows me too well there is no way he is going to drop this.

“I was right, wasn’t I?” I laugh.

“After being stitched up.” Nick sighed grabbing me and inspecting me by poking and prodding at me and when I flinched he pulled the zipper of my suit down and saw a blood-soaked bandage. I sigh deeply knowing I’m going to be in trouble for not telling him, but I found out about the mission early and I started setting up our portfolio.

“The hell Princess.” Nat was up and in front of me in a blink.

“It’s nothing,” I mutter as I slap her hand away, I wasn’t that bad only a few popped stitches.

“Kitty.” Bucky’s voice held warning from behind me and I turn around and pinned him to the ground. I know him all too well, he was trying to grab me and pin me. Normally I would be game, but all these people trying to mother hen me was starting to irritate me.

“Bad Barnes!” I smirk beginning to feel light-headed, may have moved slightly too quickly. Can’t let him see me dizzy or he’ll take advantage.

“Kitten let me look.” The voice was familiar but also unknown to me and I look to see the stormy blue eyes of Clint’s in front of me. I make grabby hands at him and he chuckles picking me up and laying me on the table. Clint was the only one who didn’t make a grab at me so I don’t mind too much and plus I want to feel his hands on me. I don't know what it is but there is something that makes me want to physically, emotionally and mentally tie myself to him... I don't know how I feel about that.

“That was hot!” Nat smirked at Bucky and I laughed.

“I’d die happy between those legs any day.” Bucky smirked at me and I gave him a lazy smile.

“Preach Barnes.” Nat giggled.

I whined as Clint pulled the bandage off, it was sticking to my skin and pulling it. I had gotten slashed yesterday and I stitched it up fine but I must have ripped the stitches because blood was oozing out.

“What happened?” Nick sounded like the father I never had.

“Well Dad, I was working and I thought the guy was out cold he wasn’t. So much for trying not to kill everyone and doing it the Avenger way. He lightly stabbed me and I gutted then shot him.” I shrug as I feel the wound being stitched up again. Closing my eyes and sighing, something about this was soothing. Maybe it was Clint’s warm hands against my skin and his thumb rubbing soft circles.

“Come on show me those pretty brown eyes, Princess.” Nat was by my head stroking my hair. Everyone was watching in awe of what was happening. I wasn’t flinching or hissing like most people would, but this wasn’t my first rodeo and most definitely won’t be my last.

“Tasha, I’m sleepy.” I murmur, her stroking my hair really wasn’t helping, but I wasn’t going to tell her to stop.

“I know Princess, but just stay awake.” Nat smiles at me, my eyes open lazily as sleep tries to claim me. I can feel her scratching my scalp and I sigh softly.

“Does it not hurt?” Sam asked looking shocked.

“No, why would it hurt?” I was confused was it worse than I thought? No, it was just a flesh wound.

“You got stabbed!” Sam exclaimed like it was the most obvious thing.

“Oh! I’ve been through a lot worse that makes this feel like a little paper cut.” I smirk at him, I wasn’t going to tell him the other fact that I was taught pain was a distraction and that I must learn to ignore it and only really do anything about my wound if it caused death or major harm to my health.

“All done!” Clint smiles at me, it’s soft not a look I am used to when someone has just stitched me up.

“Nap?” I tilt my head at him sighing as his smile widens at me like he wants to laugh.

“Stay awake for a while.” His eyes rake my body I forgot Nick opened my suit in front of everyone. My black lace bra was on full display, I didn’t mind but the way Clint is looking at me makes me blush and squirm under him. I can’t pinpoint what it is about him that makes me nervous, normally I would bask in the attention but with him, I don’t know. I want to earn it?

“Okay.” I nod sitting up sliding off the table hold onto Bucky for balance as I feel slightly dizzy and he zips me up.

“Normally taking it off, but okay.” He smirks at me and I can’t help but laugh.

“What happened?” Steve asked nodding to my stomach.

“I told you.” I looked at the Captain, he wasn’t buying my story and I don’t blame him it wasn’t exactly the whole truth.

“I know you well enough to know you are skipping details.” Fury spoke as he brings a chair for me to sit in.

“Fine!” I sigh looking at them waiting for them to ask a question.

“Seriously Alexandra you are going to make me drag it out of you.” Nick looked pissed at me, I know I shouldn’t push his buttons but this wasn’t the information I wanted to give up.

“It’s not that easy you know that Nick. This goes against everything in me.” I spoke clearly pointing to everyone in the room making it clear to them that I didn’t know what it was like being in a team, as well as the fact I didn’t trust them.

“I know, but I need you to tell me everything.” Nick looked at me.

“It’s to do with the mission.” I look up the ceiling.

“We know you were on a mission, you said that.” Tony sighed.

“Well, technically now I’m on that mission.” I spoke calmly as they all shout ‘What?’.

“How?” Clint asked next to me.

“I have alerts that notify when my codenames are used with a certain set of keywords because otherwise, I have to sift through loads of crap. When Nick made note of me as your wife for this mission I was notified, you see it’s not as simple as us going into suburbia. This mission requires us to be mercenaries, assassins, spies and so on. For me that’s fine, I have the checkered past hired by the highest bidder and so on. You, on the other hand, a corrupt rogue Avenger/SHIELD Agent is a bit more difficult and takes a lot more work.” I look him dead in the eye.

“You know a lot, Kitty,” Bucky started raising an eyebrow.

“I’m paid to know everything and nothing.” I look at him and he understands what I mean without me having to explain it to him.

“What does that mean?” Wanda asks.

“It means she is the biggest threat in this room,” Nat answered in awe, she had a little drool coming from her mouth that Tony wiped and she slapped his hand away causing me to giggle.

“Anyway for this mission to be a success I needed to kinda leave some footprints that we had been up to no good. Which is why I ask Nick to nab me some of your arrows. This mission has been in the works for about what 6ish months, right Nick?” I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“You noticed,” Nick smirks at me.

“The bodies you dropped making claims it was me or some unknown rouge agent? Of course, I noticed, but you knew that. That’s why you gave me a version of his bow and arrow.” I smirked at him.

“I like the outfit.” Nick laughs pulling the image.

“What? Look it’s the best I could do.” I sigh looking at the two images side by side. One was the back of Clint and the other was me, to the untrained eye they were the same but I could see all my mistakes and I pouted.

“That’s Clint!” Tony pointed at the screen and gave Clint a dirty look, because of the dead bodies.

“No that’s Kitty.” Bucky smiles. “Swords are a nice touch.”

“It says in his file he can work them, we will have to see how well. It’s why I suggested the name Ronin, a samurai without a master!” I shrug feeling like this needed to be over.

“Doesn’t explain the stabbing.” Nat nods to my stomach.

“Call it prep work.” I smile at her.

“Who was it?” Bucky looks at me.

“Someone with something I wanted and needed,” I answer standing up and looking at Nick.

“That’s it?” Tony looked pissed.

“It needs to know and you don’t need to know.” I sneer at Tony if anyone does it is Clint and maybe Fury.

“Do I?” Clint asks, he had been very quiet about the whole thing.

“Eventually.” My tone was cold, this was becoming too comfortable. Comfort was a luxury I would never have.

“It’s okay to feel comfortable you know.” Bucky looks at me knowing me far too well.

“Can’t afford that luxury, Barnes.” I look at him shutting everything down.

“Let me go change and I will explain.” I look at Nick and he nods.

#clint barton #clint barton imagine #clint barton x ofc #clint barton x reader #hawkeye #hawkeye imagine #hawkeye x oc #hawkeye x reader #avengers imagine #marvel imagine #the avengers imagine #the avengers #the avengers x reader #playing house #avengers x reader #avengers

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clownsgobeepbeep · 5 years ago

Note

Criticize

Mmmkay, so here is some future away where I finally write for some other characters

But...it’s not all very good

@grotesquegabby Since some of yours are here

The weekend had finally come and it was of course the perfect time to finally relax, or at least rest a bit.

In the famous little bakery belonging to one of the D’Vitts was a family, all pitching in and doing their own thing whilst also not doing much due to it being a rather slow day.

“Honey, where should I put these cupcakes?”

“How about right next to the vanilla cake?” Pepper pointed to a large cake that was on display, his wife giving a nod before she placed the tower of the recently done cupcakes. “Bubbles, are you checking the cash register?”

“Yeah dad.” replied the girl who didn’t bother to look up from her phone, her twin sitting beside her as he too was too focused on his own phone. “Nobody’s come in in a while so don’t worry.”

“Jeff, can you come help me out here?” Belinda asked before Jeff placed his phone down and stood up, approaching Belinda before helping her carry one of the cakes that had been rolled out.

“I can help too.” spoke the monotone voice belonging to Benjamin who stood beside them, Belinda smiling and giving his head a pat.

“Don’t worry about it my little bunny. your big brother can handle it.” Belinda reassured him, then hearing a gasp from Jeff who had stepped on his untied shoelace, the cake flying out of his hands. Thankfully though, it safely landed on Benjamin’s hands as he had already been holding them up.

“Thanks Ben!” exclaimed Jeff who looked up at Benjamin from the ground, ignoring the fact that he had taken a hard fall. Meanwhile, their other sister had just walked out from the back as she nibbled on a cookie, smiling up at Bubbles who was sitting behind the counter.

“Hiya Bubbles, what’cha doing?”

“Playing.”

“Playing what?”

“Candy Crush.”

“Can I see?” Greta peeked at Bubbles’ phone as she saw the game playing, Bubbles not bothering to move until the door chime sounded. “Someone’s here.”

“I’ll make Jeff do the register this time.” Bubbles giggled to herself as her eyes remained on her screen, Greta sitting beside her as she swung her little legs and continued watching Bubbles play.

“Oh hi Vespers, and Maggie.” Belinda waved at the pair who walked inside, waving and greeting her back. “What brings you two around here?”

“Well, I came to talk business with Pepper about Jelly, and Maggie’s here because she wants a free cupcake.”

“You’re not getting a free cupcake!” swung the backdoor open to reveal Pepper before Maggie stuck her tongue out at him.

“Pepper, don’t be rude.” Belinda giggled before offering a cupcake to Maggie who happily took it, smirking at Pepper who gave a pout.

“Anyways, what’s up Vesp?” Pepper turned to Vespers who smiled at him.

“It’s about Jelly’s park.”

“Oooh great! Do you guys have the theme done? Sketches?”

“Um, well....” Vespers nervously laughed as he sat on a chair with Pepper sitting across. “Not really...”

“What? It’s almost time for the event to start and there’s nothing prepared!?”

“Jelly’s been too focused on the other event.” Vespers gave a small shrug before Belinda sat beside the two.

“What other event?” she asked before Benjamin decided to sit between her and Pepper.

“Ula’s birthday party.” Vespers grinned. “Jelly’s really gonna go all out this year seeing how it’s Ula’s-”

“Why throw a big party?” came another voice, Pepper and Belinda somewhat surprised to see Bubbles now stood up and jumped over the counter to approach their table. “It’s not like it’s her Sweet 16.”

“Yeah but you know how your Aunt Jelly can be, especially since Ula will be 21 this year.” Vespers stated as he opened up the portfolio he had brought along. “I guess it’s her way of dealing with Ula growing up. In fact, your uncle Cosmos and I suggested that the park’s Halloween theme be like a creepy Alice in Wonderland thing that would be a part of Ula’s birthday bash. Jelly seemed to really like that idea.”

“So you guys do have a theme?” Pepper perked up. “And it’s a pretty awesome one! How great would it be if we made Alice in Wonderland desserts while also making them speaking and horror-like!?”

“I think it’s stupid.” Bubbles commented before the adults and even her siblings turned to look at her. “In fact, I think this whole birthday stuff is so stupid. Especially if it’s about Ula!”

“Bubbles.” Belinda called out to the girl who shook her head.

“Like, seriously! Ula has been the thing that comes out of everybody’s mouth recently. In fact, it’s the only thing that has come out of anybody’s mouth for so long!” Bubbles threw her arms up as she started to speak louder. “Ula’s boyfriend left and now he’s back, so everybody’s all over her! And then she goes missing and everybody drops what they’re doing to go look for her! And then she starts acting really weird and you all think she’s sick when I bet that she’s either been taking some weird mushrooms because she thinks she’s really Alice. Or hell, she probably just got knocked up by Atlas.”

“Bubbles!” Pepper shouted while Bubbles rolled her eyes.

“Or even better, Schrader did because they were always going at it like rabbits and she’s gonna say it’s totally Atlas’ kid!”

“Bubbles!”

“Hey, hey. Relax there.” Maggie now stepped in with a frown.

“What are you going on about Bubbles?” Belinda reached out to grab Bubbles’ hand, but the girl swiped it away before Belinda was able to.

“Ula just does these things for attention! And attention she always gets! Why does everything have to be about Ula!?” Bubbles yelled as everybody, but Benjamin, stared in complete shock. “She’s so dumb and short and-”

“Bubs, that isn’t a very nice thing to say about our cousin.” Greta’s voice was heard whilst Bubbles ignored her.

“Ula just needs to-”

“Bubbles that’s enough!” Pepper stood up with a yell, not only surprising everybody but managing to startled Bubbles who stared at him with wide eyes. “Go home right now and stay in your room! I don’t want to hear anything else about Ula! You’re not going to disrespect my sister’s daughter like that!”

Bubbles blinked in surprise a few times before giving a deep frown, turning around and storming out of the bakery before all the adults were left wondering what had they had just witnessed.

Meanwhile, nobody ever noticed the pink eyes who had been watching it all from afar.

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shelbybroslimited · 6 years ago

Note

I requEST MY DREAM AS A PROMPT BITCH LETS SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO I LOVE U

I’m sorry it’s so late- but HERE IT IS I LOVE YOU!

post-it notes

Joe was sweet, almost too sweet. When he’d leave the house before I’d wake up, he’d leave notes and post-its in the weirdest places.

But it was sweet.

Even if it was just about taking out the trash, picking up milk, or “I’m gonna clean up the kitchen I swear,” it was always…..

Sweet.

As time went on, the notes changed from words to doodles, often very crudely drawn.

“What the fuck is this?”

“That’s you, baby.”

“Are you sure?”

“What’s that s’posed to mean??”

I tried to keep as many of them as I could, taking them and sticking them into a notebook, often having to tape them down as pages were flipped over and over again.

But even with all the notes, the bed sharing, and the whole fact we were kinda somewhat living together, we still weren’t…. Official? I hated thinking about it, labels. And I didn’t want him to think that I was obsessed with that kind of thing, I wanted him to think I was a “cool girl” who didn’t need approval from the guys she was kinda with.

It’s not even like Joe was home a lot. He had his own place with his own things, but he always seemed to end up in my house. Clothes ended up in my wash, a toothbrush in the restroom, and a pillow on my bed. But what did that mean other than he forgot things at my house so often that I just started keeping them there?

I wasn’t the greatest at drawing things, but I certainly wasn’t bad. I took up an art class in my uni courses, but I didn’t tell Joe. I didn’t want him thinking I took an art class to make better drawings than him to leave around the house (even though that’s exactly why).

It was nearing the end of the semester, and one of the final events for this class was for a portfolio display.

“So what are you gonna put up?” Marie asked, she was always so kind in helping the both of us make it through this class.

“Not sure, I don’t even really want to put anything up if I’m honest.” I replied.

“Aw why not?? I love looking at your stuff!”

I raised my eyebrows and rolled my eyes at her.

“I DO!”

“You’re just being nice.”

“Oh my goodness do not get all ‘I’m unworthy’ bullshit.”

“I NEVER said that.”

“Your eyes did and you know it.”

I finished putting things into my backpack when my notebook fell out and a few post-its fell on the floor.

“What’s that?” Marie asked, reaching down to pick the papers up.

“No no don’t look at-” I exclaimed, Marie already turning them over, “those…”

Marie studied the notes and post-its with an amused look on her face. I reached out to snatch them from her hands.

“These are so…”

“Horrid? Terrible? I know.”“ADORABLE!”

I looked at her in confusion, “Excuse me?”

“These are like, really good. And so cute. You should enter these in the portfolio display.”

“YEAH like Dr. Humphrey would let me do that.”

“She might… put them in little frames or something it’d be cute!”

I considered what she said. They would look really cute posted up. Lots of other people have done things similar to this, right? Text messages, love notes, regular pieces of paper? Surely if I could do it right it would look cool… right?

Marie and I stood talking for a it longer before I headed home. I sat on the bus and looked out the window, thinking about homework, what to make for dinner, and of course, Joe. Would he be there when I got home? No, he’s at work. Wait what day is it? Maybe he is there? Maybe he went to his own home. Maybe he took all his stuff and left. MAYBE-

My thoughts were interrupted with the bust halting at my stop. I jumped off and walked toward the building, up the stairs, and dug out the keys to my front door, finding a folded note between the door and its frame. Gently pulling it out as I opened the door, I unfolded the note to see a picture of two stick figures and words around them scribbled in Joe’s writing.

Had to run out for something, but be back ‘round dinner.

-Joe

P.S. the picture is us, if you couldn’t tell :)

Okay, so maybe he wasn’t planning on taking all his stuff home and never coming back. Good.

“Your display looks lovely.”

I looked at Marie, setting up the last few panels.

“Think so? Not too cheesy or weird?”

Marie draped her arms over my shoulders as she stood (much taller) behind me.

“I think it looks perfect.”

I smiled. It did look better than I thought it would. Then again, I imagined it looking like an on-fire garbage can- but that was Stephen’s display outside, not mine.

“Did you invite him?”

“I told him I had something tonight but wasn’t specific.”

“Are you kidding.”

I looked at Marie, a mix of disappointment and annoyance on her face.

“Marie he doesn’t know that I was even taking this class. Plus he’s probably busy with work or something…” I trailed off.

“Honey,” Marie put her hands on her hips, “you two need to have a talk on whatever… this is.”

She moved her hand around in a circle in my general direction, obviously talking about our “relationship” status.

“Marie he is a very well known and successful man who most likely does not want to be tied down to some uni student who doesn’t know what the fuck she’s doing.”

Marie rolled her eyes, “Well I’m going over here by my display. When you drop the pity-party attitude you’ll know where to find me.”

It was my turn to roll my eyes as I chuckled putting up the last frame. I kinda hoped Joe would show up, but at the same time I think I’d throw up if he did. Would people here get all fangirling if he showed up? If Joe Cole showed up to some small uni art portfolio show? I tried not to throw up.

Time passed and sooner or later there was a decent crowd making their way through the presentations. Dr. Humphrey actually thought the notes were cute, and commended me on a well organized display.

“‘Scuse me miss? What’s all this about?”

“Well all of these are-” I turned around and froze mid-sentence.

Joe stood there, hands in his jacket pockets, dumb smile on his face, looking at me.

“Uh-”“That one’s s’posed to be a camera innit? ‘S what you told me at least.” He pointed to a very badly drawn camera I made when we first started leaving notes for each other. It was before I took the class so I knew I’d gotten better since then.

“You gonna say anythin’ darling?”

“How- how did you know this is where I was going I- I never told you…?”

“Your girl Marie sent me a message. Guessin’ she took your phone to do it.” He nodded his head over towards Marie and her display, where she waved her hand and winked as her girlfriend kissed her cheek.

Joe took a step closer to the board and I remained frozen, staring at him staring at my work.

“‘notes to tell you I love you’” he said, turning his head to look at me, “‘s that what this is all called?”

I was going to throw up. No wait, pass out. No, definitely throw up. Wait- both.

“Did you do this to tell me you loved me?” he whispered as he walked closer to me, “Answer me, darling.”

I nodded, “Y-yeah.”

He let out a low chuckle and stood inches from my face, “Really?”

I nodded again. This is it. He’s gonna say I was crazy and never wanted to see me again.

He turned to get something out of a bag I didn’t realize he had on his shoulder. What is it? Is it the key to my apartment? Is it a card saying it’s over?

It was a….. Notebook?

He put it in my hands, “Go on, open it.”I cautiously took the notebook and started flipping through the thicker pages. They were… doodles? Like the ones we left each other? Some of these are exact copies of notes he’s left me, some I’ve never seen before. Some had words around them, some didn’t.

“I-”

“Take a look,” he smiled, “they’re all for you.”

I looked up at him, “….really?”

“Yeah,” he smiled bigger, “gotta do something personal for my girl, right?”

“Y-your-”

“My girl, that okay with you?”

I nodded my head, unable to think of words better to say than “HELL FUCKING YES.”

“Been meaning to talk with you ‘bout that, really. Sorry I’m so shit at this… relationship stuff.”

“That’s okay,” I blurted, “me too.”

We stood there awkwardly, me still holding onto his notebook.

“Right,” he coughed, “when’s this thing over, gotta proper show off my girl, eh?”

I laughed as Joe put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my hair.

Maybe Marie wasn’t wrong after all.

#ask #answered #watery-lane #SORRY ITS SO LATE #peaky blinders #Joe cole #Joe Cole blurb #my writing #peaky blinders blurb

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