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kurokoros · 5 years ago

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appetence (part 1) | bakugou katsuki

Rated: M

Words: 4.8K

Pairing: katsuki bakugou x fem!reader

Summary: Appetence: longing or desire. A mission to track down a villain leaves you and Bakugou in a rather… compromising situation. It’s going to be a long twenty-four hours.

AN: I have zero explanations for this one either. I just felt like writing a smutty fic with Bakugou and the reader locked in a building for twenty four hours. Queue the kinky smut. Let me know if you want to be added to the taglist for future chapters! I’ll try to update once a week, but it depends on how long the chapters get! I’m aiming for 4-5 chapters, but again, we’ll see!

Warnings: smut, language, aphrodisiacs, marathon!sex (future chapters)

XXX

As a Pro Hero, you’re no stranger to potentially hazardous situations. Tracking an A rank criminal isn’t exactly a new experience. In fact, most of these missions go exactly the same way. Mind-numbingly boring stakeouts that can last for hours until you can verify the presence of your target. A sixty second window between verifying the presence of said target and all hell breaking loose. And, of course, the part where all hell breaks loose because no one can understand the concept of a stealth mission. Stakeouts you can handle, for the most part. While boring, at least you aren’t actively being punched, stabbed, or shot at, so you consider it a minor win most of the time. The conversation is never great, but you can deal with that. And, really, you can’t complain about having a six feet wall of solid muscle to back you up.

But why the hell did you have to get stuck with Ground Zero?

You cast a glance at the other Pro out of the corner of your eye, your mouth twisting into a frown when you see his agitated expression. He looks halfway to blowing a gasket already, and you’ve hardly been here for an hour. At this rate, the two of you aren’t going to last until the target slips up.

It’s not that you dislike Bakugou. That’s not it at all. Frankly, you usually enjoy working with the brash, temperamental man. He’s a good Hero: smart, strong, capable. He always watches your back when you need him to—and you can’t deny that he’s some pretty great eye-candy, considering your situation. But he’s also incredibly impatient. And watching him pace around like a caged animal isn’t exactly helping your own irritation at being stuck in a cramped, ram-shackled building, in the rain, waiting to catch a glimpse of a villain that might not even be here.

It’s going to be a very long night.

“Would you sit down?” you snap at him, tearing your eyes from the compound you’re supposed to be staking out once again. He shoots you an irritated look, and you sigh, shifting in your seat. “Please? You’re making me claustrophobic.” It’s like he’s trying to make you antsy. Usually, stakeouts aren’t this bad, but something about the shitty location and the shitty weather--and the fact that he’s close enough for you to feel the heat rolling off him--have you a little on edge.

Something in Bakugou’s eyes shifts, his glare losing it’s bite, but then he snorts. Shuffling back to where you’re sitting near the small window of the hideout, he does as you ask, though he doesn’t look happy about it. Whatever. You’re just glad he doesn’t seem to be in an arguing mood right now.

“This is fucking stupid,” he grumbles under his breath. You probably wouldn’t have heard him if there wasn’t exactly two inches of space between you. His shoulder brushes against yours as he crosses his arms, firm muscle flexing beneath his costume.

You ignore your little flicker of disappointment over the fact that he’s wearing his winter costume.

Figuring he’s complaining about the waiting, you say, “Regardless, we can’t just go charging in there, Ground Zero.” This time, you keep your gaze locked on the building Cobra is supposed to be in, watching for any signs of movement at all. Nothing. Either Cobra’s being especially careful--something he’s never been before--or you were given faulty Intel. “We don’t even know if Cobra is inside,” you remind your partner. “Dammit, if Omen sent us on a bust mission…” You trail off with a heavy sigh.

Bakugou follows your gaze to the building, regarding it carefully. It’s not particularly large or heavily fortified, but that’s the point. It’s the perfect place for a group of villains to hide and lay low for a while. His jaw clenches and he turns back to you. “What do we know about him?”

You sigh, shooting him another look. “Did you seriously not do any briefing at all?” You shake your head. “Why they put you on this mission instead of Deku is beyond me.” Before he can start bickering, you continue. “Cobra’s quirk allows him to secrete and manipulate toxic fluids created from his body. Gasses too, according to a few sources.”

It’s not too different from Bakugou’s quirk, if you think about it, but you’d take the explosive sweat over toxins rivaling that of a Box Jellyfish any day.

He scoffs. “That all?”

“Reportedly, these toxins can be corrosive enough to burn straight through human tissue and bone in a matter of minutes.” Bakugou doesn’t look the slightest bit impressed by the new information, and you fight the urge to roll your eyes. “If he manages a direct hit on either of us, we’ll have an hour tops to get help before the damage is irreversible. And we don’t have backup,” you remind him.

“Whatever,” he grumbles. Despite his blasé reaction, you’ve known him long enough to recognize the slight furrow of his brow. Clearly, he’s about as enthused as you are about dealing with Cobra. “Any idea how to take him down?”

Pursing your lips, you turn back to the building across the street, scanning the windows for any kind of movement as you contemplate your response. “We’ll have to be careful,” you tell him. He snorts at the obvious advice. “Cobra is fast, and we only have one shot at this. He tends to go underground for long periods of time after a spree like this week.” Two bank robberies and a successful museum heist. He’s getting bolder, smarter--running with a crew now. You need to take him out now or things are only going to continue to escalate. “If we time it right, we should be able to incapacitate him fairly easily if we stick together. He has a strong quirk, but he’s not much of a fighter.”

Bakugou hums in thought, his brows furrowing as he surveys the building as well. “Got a plan, babe?” he asks. There’s a fire in his eyes that wasn’t there just a moment ago, and you can tell he’s just itching for a fight. Clearly, you should have told him about the corrosive, flesh-dissolving poison earlier.

Bakugou catches your gaze and smirks in a way that does dangerous things to your heart. And then--fuck--he actually licks his lips and a large part of your brain short-circuits for about half a second before you catch yourself. Shit, you need to confirm the target and get some sleep. Obviously, you aren’t thinking straight.

You swallow thickly, mouth a little dry. “Apparently, he’s a talker,” you say, opting not to comment on the pet-name. “If we time it right, I can keep him distracted long enough for you to blast his ass from behind.”

His expression goes from pleased to petulant in a second. “You wanna play bait?” he grinds out from between his teeth. The question comes out akin to a low growl, and you quirk a brow at his apprehension, bristling. A quip burns on your tongue, but any thought of snapping at him for doubting you disappears as soon as you glance at him. There’s a slight grimace on his face, like he’s uncomfortable with the thought of you playing distraction for an occasionally homicidal art thief with a quirk that can eat through flesh like paper. As soon as he realizes you’re watching him, Bakugou’s lips curl back in a sneering grin. “Sure you can handle that?”

“One of us has to,” you say, deciding to ignore whatever just happened. You can worry about that later. You glance at him again, grinning. “And I’m faster.” He still doesn’t look very reassured, so you try a different tactic. “Though, like I said, that’s only if he’s here.”

Of course, that’s when a small explosion goes off in the building across from you.

Bakugou swears under his breath, lunging to his feet. “That proof enough for ya, sweetheart?” he asks, straightening his gauntlets. He flexes his fingers before curling his hands into fists. His roguish grin is back.

“Dammit,” you hiss, scrambling up as well. The explosion might not be big, but it is noticeable. Criminals don’t draw attention to themselves like this unless they don’t plan on sticking around much longer. “Let’s go.”

You practically throw yourself out the window, Bakugou right on your heels as the two of you fall two stories to the ground. Hitting the ground, you roll to your feet. The impact jostles you, but it’s not the biggest fall you’ve had before, and Bakugou’s firm hand on your lower back urges you forward silently.

The two of you run silently across the street, smoke from the explosion offering you cover, so thick you almost can’t see. “Stay close and stick to the plan,” you call towards Bakugou, not waiting for a response as you dash towards the entrance on the side of the building, close to where the explosion came from. If you can cut Cobra off as he’s trying to run, you might be able to end this fight before it really starts.

Things go wrong the moment you step into the building.

The smoke is thick and noxious. The smell burns your nose and chokes your throat; your eyes water, stinging, your mask doing little to protect you. Something about it doesn’t feel right, and the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end, goosebumps prickling across your bare arms and legs. The smoke and the smell are disorienting, and you know immediately that you need to get rid of it, but neither of your quirks are practical for this. Bakugou’s would only spread it around. Shit, this isn’t good at all.

Movement to your left draws your attention. Your gaze snaps to the hazy outline of a person racing past you and disappearing around a corner. Bakugou. Swearing under your breath, you take off after him. Of course he would ignore the plan--as vague and half-assed as it was--and run headlong into things like this. You should have expected as much coming from Ground Zero. Hopefully you can catch him before he runs into Cobra.

Careful not to make a sound, you race after him, throwing yourself around the same corner he did. The hallway is empty already, but you can hear faint footsteps coming from the other end. The smoke isn’t as thick here either. You round the corner at the other end of the hallway in time to catch a fleeting glimpse of Bakugou turning another corner. Huffing, you give chase again, picking up the pace now that you can see again.

It’s like a game of cat and mouse. Each time you think you’ve caught up, he manages to stay just out of your reach, much to your frustration. You don’t know what the hell he’s playing at, but when you catch him you’re going to throttle him. Damn stubborn bastard.

You round another corner.

A hand lashes out, purple gas bubbling against a calloused palm.

The reflexes you’ve gained from being a Pro are the only thing that saves you from having your face melted away. “Shit,” you hiss, throwing yourself back against the nearest wall as the blast blows past you. Some of that purple gas brushes the tips of your hair, dangerously close to your nose, and you watch the strands dissolve in front of you.

“Ooh, you’re fast,” the man in front of you compliments. His grin is wide, revealing dangerously sharp canines. He stares at you from behind spiky hair, impressed. “Not many people are able to dodge a point blank hit like that.” His head cocks to one side, his expression smug. “The commission really sent in the pros this time, huh? I’m so flattered.” The toxin he secretes with his quirk liquefies and drips down his fingers. The ground smokes where the droplets land.

“Cobra,” you respond, voice even. Shit. It definitely wasn’t Bakugou earlier. Cobra must have noticed you were there, somehow, and used the smoke to get you separated. Fuck, you’re going to kill Omen later. Tensing, you keep your eyes on Cobra as the man takes a step towards you, relaxed despite his escape being compromised.

Maybe this is what he was waiting for.

You clench your jaw, back straightening as you edge away from the wall--you can’t let him pin you down.

His smile widens. “I see my reputation precedes me.” He looks particularly pleased with himself at your recognition, violet eyes darkening as he looks you over. His fingers flex, purple smoke billowing around his palms. He doesn’t strike at you though, not yet.

If you can keep him distracted for a little longer, maybe Bakugou will be able to find you. You can still make this work. You can fend him off for that long. “How did you know we were here?” you ask, wetting your lips.

If he finds the conversation suspicious, he certainly doesn’t act like it. “Just a hunch,” he tells you, shrugging. “Things were a little too quiet. I figured the commission had to be sending someone.” The corner of his mouth quirks upwards. “Didn’t think it would be you and Ground Zero though. They must be getting desperate, huh?” His drawling tone makes your jaw clench in irritation. When you take too long to respond, Cobra sighs, his mouth curving down in a disappointed sneer. “Well, as much as I’d love to stay and chat, I really don’t feel like going to jail today. So why don’t you make this easy for me and step aside?”

Your hand curls into a fist that doesn’t go unnoticed by the villain in front of you. Channeling your quirk into your feet, you prepare yourself for his next strike.

“No?” Any lingering friendliness disappears in an instant at your silent refusal. “All right, sweetheart, we’ll do things your way.” He throws his arm forward, poisonous gas hurtling towards you.

You’re already moving, springing from your spot as pale blue electricity crackles around you. The impact of your feet against the opposite wall sends a shock-wave through your legs, and you whirl around, keeping your eyes on your target. There’s a hole in the wall where you were just standing, and a jolt of fear strikes you between your ribs.

The next blast comes just as suddenly as the first, and you dive out of the way again. It sets up another game of cat and mouse, but this time you’re the one running, and there’s nowhere for you to hide. You don’t know the building like he does, and Cobra is proving to be nearly as fast as you are, throwing poison gas at you just as quickly as you can dodge it.

He doesn’t let you get close enough to strike at him, and you silently curse your quirk for being ill-suited for long range combat. You’d need to land a direct hit, and in these cramped hallways you can’t surprise him from behind.

Where the hell is Bakugou?

Poison nearly scorches your arm, and you hiss as it burns your skin despite not touching you directly. With your jaw clenched, you throw yourself against the wall to your right. In the split second before he can aim his quirk at you, you change your angle and lunge for him. Cobra’s eyes widen in surprise. Caught off guard, he doesn’t have the time to deflect the electrically charged fist aimed towards his head.

Cobra smirks.

Panic wells in your chest, and you pull your fist back just as Cobra dissolves in front of you. Your knuckles brush against the cloud of violet dust before it disappears. Fire races through your veins.

“Too slow,” a teasing voice calls from behind you. You whirl around on your heel, prepared to strike again, but Cobra is faster. As soon as you catch a glimpse of him, his hand lashes out. Coral colored dust explodes in front of your face, blinding you. The powder sticks to your skin and chokes you, rushing down your nose and throat until you feel like you can’t breathe.

It knocks the breath out of you, throwing off your balance, and suddenly you’re falling to your knees and coughing. Panic swells in your chest, but you’re quick to shove it down. It’ll only make the poison spread faster. You can already feel it burning through your veins, an uncomfortable heat tingling from your fingertips to your abdomen.

As if he can hear your thoughts, Cobra smirks, all teeth. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, it’s not poison,” he coos, crouching down in front of you. “I couldn’t do that to a face this pretty.” He grasps your chin between his fingers, tilting your head so that you’re forced to look at him. The desire to lash out rushes through you, but your limbs are heavy and you still can’t breathe. Cobra wets his lips. “Though, you might wish I did.”

A hiss escapes through your teeth as you double over, the heat intensifying. “What the hell did you--” You cut off abruptly, crying out as a full-body shiver wracks your frame.

“Such a strong reaction already,” he muses, squeezing your chin a little tighter. “You’d be a fun one to play with. Damn shame I can’t stay to watch the results.” There must be a puzzled expression on your face, because Cobra leans in a little closer, lips hovering an inch away from yours. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, sweetheart. I like to mix a little pleasure with my pain.”

It clicks. “An aphrodisiac,” you gasp.

He taps your cheek with one finger, and the feather-like touch makes your breath hitch. “Smart girl. Poison works fast, but sometimes it’s fun to watch people squirm a little--until they’re just begging to get fucked.” Cobra’s head cocks to the side. “Bet you can feel it now, right? Heard it’s a bit like liquid fire. And let me tell ya, that itch isn’t just gonna go away by itself.” He chuckles. “I’d give you a hand, but I don’t think your partner would like that very much.”

Cobra releases your chin and lunges to his feet, swinging his arm just in time to send a fistful of that pink powder directly into Bakugou’s face.

“Ground Zero!” you cry out, voice shrill.

A small explosion bursts in front of Bakugou, dissipating most of Cobra’s quirk before it can hit him. He winces as the dust burns his throat.

“Perfect timing,” Cobra murmurs, throwing himself backwards as Bakugou drives his fist into the ground in front of you.

The floor explodes. You throw your arms up to cover your face, and when you lower them again, Bakugou is standing in front of you, one arm thrown out defensively as he glares at Cobra, sneering. His shoulders are tense beneath his jacket, and in your dazed state you can’t help but appreciate how broad they are.

“Stay the fuck away from her!” Bakugou growls, his fingers sparking. You can feel the tension rolling from him, the hallway sweltering with the heat from his quirk and the drug burning through your veins.

Cobra glances between the two of you, a slow smirk overtaking him. “As you wish,” he says, taking a step back. “You two have fun.” And then he turns around and runs.

Instead of giving chase, Bakugou whirls around and drops to his knees in front of you. His gloved hands cradle your jaw carefully, and you whimper as he touches you. Heat bursts across your skin. Fuck, he needs to stop touching you. “Ground Zero,” you gasp, “you have to--”

“Shut up,” he snaps at you, tilting your chin to the side. His ruby eyes look over you carefully. “That bastard hurt you?” he demands, jaw clenched. The pad of his thumb brushes against your bottom lip.

“I’m fine,” you hiss through your teeth. “He said it wasn’t poison.” Fuck, fuck, fuck. He’s so close that you can smell the caramel scent of his quirk. It curls around you, making you press your thighs together tightly. You shiver as he moves your head to the side again, and you bite the inside of your cheek to stop another soft noise from slipping from your mouth.

Bakugou’s eyes narrow. “And you think he was telling the truth?”

You swallow the lump in your throat. “Yes. Now you need to go after him, I’ll be fine.”

He continues to stare at you, then makes a displeased sound in the back of his throat. “You better be right fucking here when I get back,” he snaps, lurching to his feet and taking off after Cobra.

XXX

Outside of the building, a hooded figure glances up as Cobra comes strolling out of the building, his arms crossed behind his head lazily. “You took too long, Cobra,” he says, voice eerily blank. Blue eyes narrow behind his hood, glowing in the darkness.

“What can I say?” Cobra grins, winking at his partner. “Good things take time, Diamondback.”

Diamondback's gaze slides to the building curiously. “Did you finish them off?”

Cobra’s smile widens. “Not quite,” he says, waving off the other man’s concern, “but they won’t be following us anytime soon.”

“You sure about that, bastard?” someone snarls behind them.

Both men look up, Cobra glancing over his shoulder to see Ground Zero racing towards them, small explosions lighting up the darkness. Cobra’s expression sours, his smile waning. “Seal the exits,” he demands.

Diamondback is quick to comply. Clear fluid springs from his hands and snakes across the ground to the open doorway. The substance covers the door and hardens just before Ground Zero can reach it, and the Hero slams into the shield feet first. Bakugou grunts at the impact, the glass like structure holding firm beneath his weight. His eyes narrow on the men on the other side, a feral grin spreading across his face as his feet slide back to the floor. “Think that’ll stop me?” he taunts, pressing his palm to the clear wall between them. An explosion rips from his palm, bright light and smoke clouding the room.

When the smoke clears, Bakugou’s eyes widen.

There isn’t a scratch on the shield.

“Nice try,” Cobra commends him. “Unfortunately, even your power won’t be enough to get you out of there. Diamondback’s shield is stronger than any other substance on this planet.” He steps towards the building and raps his knuckles against the glassy surface. “And I wouldn’t try blasting your way through the walls either. Enhanced, quirk resistant steel walls, and such. All you’re going to do is make that pretty friend of yours inhale more smoke.” When Bakugou bares his teeth, Cobra laughs. “Really, you should be thanking me,” he tells the Hero. “Enjoy the next twenty four hours!” Still laughing, he walks backward, offering Bakugou a salute as Diamondback starts to follow.

Bakugou throws his fist against the surface. “Dammit!”

XXX

Honestly, you didn’t think tonight could get much worse, but seeing Bakugou stomp back into the hallway with Cobra nowhere in sight proved you very wrong.

“Shit,” you groan, head lolling back against the wall as Bakugou inspects your injured knuckles. They don’t hurt much anymore, just sting in a slow, irritating way, but he insisted on looking them over as he explained what happened with Cobra. “Diamondback wasn’t supposed to be here. We aren’t going to be able to bust through.”

Bakugou’s eyes rise to meet yours. “So what the fuck are we supposed to do?”

“Well, the good news is that Diamondback’s shields can only maintain their solidified form for a maximum of twenty four hours. After that, they’ll return to a liquid state and disappear.” He nods in understanding, finally releasing you in favor of helping you to your feet. His hand is hot against your waist, and you swallow down a pleased sound as his touch lingers. Cobra must not have gotten a good shot on him. Or maybe the aphrodisiac isn’t as strong because he’s so much bigger than you are. You quiver at the thought. “Until then, I guess we just… make ourselves at home.” You shrug, glancing around the empty hallway. “They were camped out here for a while, so there should be some place to sleep.”

Sleep would be good. The heat that consumed you before has only spread in the short time Bakugou was gone, and with him so close the feeling has only doubled in intensity. It spreads like water beneath your suit, which suddenly feels almost too tight.

Bakugou nods, but doesn’t say anything as he helps you back to the main room where you came in. The silence would be comfortable, if you couldn’t feel the way your face flushes, your nipples stiff beneath your bra and suit. Each step makes you wince as the fabric scraps across your skin.

“You good?” he asks as you drop down on the couch situated in the main room. A quick glance around the room tells you that your suspicions were correct. There is indeed a bedroom. Singular. Fuck, Cobra was right, you definitely would have preferred flesh melting poison over the steady pulse of heat growing between your legs.

There’s no way you’re going to be able to sleep in the same bed as Bakugou tonight--not without doing something you might regret. Already, the urge to reach down and touch yourself is almost unbearable, and it’s hardly been more than twenty minutes since Cobra hit you with his quirk. You can’t imagine that having Bakugou’s tall, muscular frame pressed up against your back would do you any good. Especially when it would be so easy for him to pin you down and rip off your--

“I’m fine,” you lie, struggling to keep your breathing even. If you sound breathier than usual, he doesn’t notice. “You should get some rest. Aren’t you usually asleep by now?” you try teasing him, grinning. Your thighs rub together subtly, arousal pooling low in your belly as you reach into the secret pocket in your thigh-high boots.

He doesn’t take the bait. “What about you?” he asks, crossing his arms skeptically. His eyes rake down your body slowly, and you feel it like a physical touch.

Your mouth is painfully dry.. “I’m going to stay out here for a while,” you tell him, holding up your phone with a hand that trembles just the slightest. “Someone has to report back to Deku and Red Riot and let them know that Cobra got away. And that Diamondback is with him.” You can see the argument in his eyes before he even opens his mouth, and you hurry to continue. “I can’t sleep in strange places anyway.” You really fucking hope your smile is reassuring and not something closer to a needy wince.

Bakugou stares for a little longer before shrugging. “Your loss,” he says, tossing off his gauntlets and gloves. They land on the other end of the couch. Your fingers dig into your palms as you look at them. “See ya in the mornin��, sweetheart.” Your head snaps up just in time for you to see him strip off his shirt and toss it onto the couch as well. The dark fabric peels from his sweat-slicked skin, and your pussy clenches as you get an eyeful of lean muscle and a soft trail of blond hair that disappears beneath his low slung pants. “Fuck, it’s hot in here,” he grumbles, shaking his head as he strolls toward the bedroom.

The door shuts behind him with a loud click.

Phone forgotten on the table, you aren’t sure how long you sit there in silence before your hand moves down between your thighs without your permission, pressing against the seam of your suit. The fabric is thin, and you have to swallow down a moan as your fingers brush over your clit. The light touch has your legs quivering, and your free hand clamps over your mouth. Fuck, you shouldn’t do this.

Your eyes close, exhaling slowly, and tip your head back against the couch cushions. This is enough. You’re definitely not going to start thinking about the man in the bedroom less than a dozen feet away from you. You will not slip the crotch of your suit to the side, letting your fingers drag through the slick already dripping from your slit.

A shudder rips through you as your hips buck against your hand, two of your fingers slipping inside of you easily.

Cobra’s voice echoes in your head. That itch isn’t just gonna go away by itself.

Fuck, it’s going to be a long twenty-four hours.

#bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #katsuki bakugou x reader #bnhabookclub #mha smut #bnha smut #mha #bnha #fic: appetence

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tickle-bugs · 4 years ago

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I had two people ask for some advice on starting up/running a blog, so I thought I’d make a little post for anyone else looking for advice! There’s no one right way to run a blog and I am by no means an expert. This is just a compilation of some of the things I’ve learned :)

Feel free to add advice to this!

- The first thing is something I cannot stress enough. Write for yourself first. You will be absolutely miserable if you’re only writing for attention. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it’s so incredibly important. If you don’t like a prompt, fandom, or scenario? You don’t have to write for it! A personal example: I’m a theatre kid and total musical nerd. I could probably write some compelling Dear Evan Hansen or Hamilton headcanons if I wanted to, but I don’t. That’s fine! I’m allowed to say I won’t write for it and deny prompts/requests for those fandoms.

- Set boundaries. This is a very mixed community with all sorts of creators and participants with hands in different baskets. Don’t want minors to interact? Put minors DNI in your bio. SFW only? Put it in the bio. No RP? Bio. This goes for private conversations/askbox/other interactions as well. If someone comes into your askbox/dms and says something that makes you uncomfy, shut it down.

- My advice is more geared towards writing than art or video, but I suppose you could apply this advice as well. Make what makes you happy! If you’re only in one fandom, feel free to stay there and make content for it. Multi-fandom? Excellent! Completely non-fandom? Epic! Make the content that you want to see and the content that makes you happy to create, especially if you’re in a more niche fandom/area.

- Organization. ...I’ll admit this one is more of a personal pet peeve than something urgent, but it is something that people positively respond to. If you have some sort of consistency/organization to your blog, it’ll make it easier and more enjoyable for people to navigate. Make a fandom list/indicate your fandoms somehow (mostly for prompt purposes. people can’t read your mind, so it’s important to tell them what you will write for and what you won’t, however you want to do that)!

Make a masterpost/link your fic tag! Use a fic tag of some kind. Give your fics summaries and leave a little bit of the fic above the ‘read more’ to intrigue folks (look at #my fics and my masterpost for basic examples of how I do this, if you need!). Use read mores. Please use read mores (if you can, idk if they’re on mobile. regardless no one wants to encounter a three thousand word block of text on their dash). (No seriously though, organize your blog, even if it’s super simple. literally just a ‘mine’ or ‘my fics’ or ‘[pseud] writes’ and a fandom tag. It’ll make it easier for people to find your stuff and support you)

- Practice general internetiquette. Please remember that the people in this community are real people with feelings, boundaries, and lives outside of the blog that they run. Be genuine and people will respond to you! Don’t manipulate people into likes/reblogs/attention. No one wants to be on the other end of that. Being in this community isn’t a transaction or a mosh pit, it’s an experience.

- Be ever-so-liberal with the block button. Someone’s user makes you uncomfortable? They give you bad vibes? They’re a minor/older than you and you don’t want them interacting with your content? You don’t wanna see their blog for some reason? Block em. This goes for anons too. That’s what the button is for. Don’t feel guilty for using it. Use it.

- How you write is 100% a personal choice and not really something that I can give advice on, but embrace your style! take prompts if you want, or don’t. Write oneshots, series, drabbles, or novels. Write romantic, or don’t. Etc. Change things up if you feel like it. Do what you want. Your blog, your style, your rules.

- Numbers matter. Don’t let them define you. This is a bit of a harder one to explain, but I will try. I often say that I don’t care about numbers, and I really don’t, but that’s not to say that I don’t see them and they have zero effect on me. I absolutely notice and am bummed if a fic doesn’t get notes, or at least the notes that I was expecting. That is entirely normal and okay to experience. What isn’t okay, though, is creating for the sake of getting notes/numbers/attention (re: write for yourself first, internetiquette). If you find yourself relying on tumblr for gratification and a reward, I implore you to take a break. I’m not your therapist or your parent, I’m not gonna tell you what to do, but when you make things only for the sake of notes, people notice. Celebrate your milestones. Know that it’s okay to be bummed about low notes/celebrate getting plenty. Just make sure that you don’t depend on the numbers for your happiness, or you will be miserable.

- You’re (probably) doing this for free. You are providing people content: a service. Produce as much or as little as you’re comfy with, but always remember that. No one is entitled to what you make. If someone asks you for headcanons, sends a prompt when prompts are closed, etc, and you don’t feel like fulfilling it? You have no obligation to do that. Getting commissioned is another story entirely, but as long as you’re making free content, you have zero obligation to do anything for anyone and certainly no time constraints. It can take me months to finish prompts, and that’s okay. I do them when I do them and I fill them how I want to. If my prompts are closed, I deny new ones until I’m ready to accept them. Make yourself happy first.

- How you interact with others is up to you! It’s generally considered good practice to like/reblog your mutuals fics/art, but this is not necessarily a hard and fast rule. I veeeeeery rarely reblog fics for fandoms that I’m not in, even from my mutuals. What you can do to show your support (and you should try and show support somehow. No one is in competition. Everyone’s in your boat, whether they have no followers or 1k) is send an ask/reply to the post/leave tags to let the author know you liked it. Like the fic and don’t reblog it, if you don’t want to. Just make sure you show your mutuals (and others in general!) roughly the same support they show you, however you decide to do that. Treat others how you want to be treated, as cheesy as it sounds :)

- Don’t repost content that isn’t yours without express permission from the original creator, and credit them appropriately. If you see a cute piece of tickle art and the artist doesn’t want it reposted? Don’t repost it. Don’t post fics/videos/gifs that aren’t yours (obviously if it’s like a scene from a movie/a clip on youtube that’s different, but don’t take credit for things you didn’t make, including ideas). Can’t tell you how frustrating it is to have work stolen from you. Don’t be that person. ‘Credit to original artist’ and ‘credit unknown’ is total bullshit btw. Link/tag the creator in the original post and make it clear you don’t own the content. Best practice is to ask the original creator if they’re okay with reposting, work inspired by or connected to theirs, etc. This goes doubly for saving/downloading someone’s fics.

- It is not illegal for a minor to have normal, nonsexual, healthy friendships with people older than them. There’s a weird attitude that minors have nothing of value to offer adults besides a relationship/sex, which is...not true? Minors are thinking, living human beings with feelings, thoughts, and opinions. You can talk to them like normal people, because they are. Just obviously don’t talk about/introduce sex or endanger them. Minors don’t bring up sex/activities you’re underage for with an adult. IDK this isn’t a seminar just...don’t be weird. Adults can offer great life experience, support systems, and the basic joys and needs of human connection. Minors can too. Mind your business unless someone’s actually in danger. The next point is a caveat, though:

- If you’re a minor, don’t interact with NSFW blogs/blogs with ‘Minors DNI’, NSFW blogs don’t interact with minors, etc etc. Not your parent or whatever but this is pretty common sense and it’s for everyone’s safety, but especially the NSFW person. internettiquette!

- If you use your TK blog as a side blog (meaning you have another blog as your main blog, not two separate accounts) and don’t want your main exposed, that is up to you. I recommend not liking posts. Also, follow people that you trust. These actions route through your main blog and your main will show up in the notes. You can reblog from a sideblog. If you want to send an ask “as your tk blog”, send an anon and sign it somehow, like ‘hey :) // @/tickle-bugs’. It should tag you in the post so you get a notification when it’s answered!

- Find your people! As an anxious person this one has been hard for me, so I know it’s hard for a lot of people. Fandom is literally a community of shared interest. Peachy and I have an iron bond almost two years later and we met talking over shared interests. You can absolutely find your people here. If someone makes you happy, strike up a conversation! Send an ask! You never know what doors it might open or whose day you might improve :)

- If you were an anon/lurker on someone’s blog and they inspired you to write/submit/start your own, sign your messages!! the common form that I see is either an emoji or [noun/context of the ask]!anon (prodigal!anon (i miss u every day), butterfly!anon, etc.) Let us know how to find and support you!! Those messages produce good brain juice.

- The big finale: Have fun. If you’re not having fun here, maybe you could tweak something to make things enjoyable. Running a blog is like driving a car. Keep your hands on the wheel, respectfully indicate your intentions (flashing lights optional), and be safe. Poebody’s nerfect, y’know. If you make a mistake, course correct. I’m by no means perfect. Your favs aren’t either. Just do your best and have a good time :)

@rosytickles and the anon in my inbox, I hope this helps! Thank you for asking me, I’m very honored that you value my opinon/experience/advice. I apologize if I come off as preachy or aggressive, I envisioned grabbing my younger self by the lapels and shaking me vigorously while I wrote this. Probably a bad idea.

Anywho, hope it helps. Anyone with questions, additions, or comments, my askbox is open! Just be constructive, is all I ask.

#bug speaks #advice tag #sorry again if this sounds preachy or aggressive at any point i literally wrote it like i was grabbing younger me by the lapels #these are all things i learned through experience/observation i promise im not talking out of my ass here #the largest obstacle to maintaining a blog is how you view your happiness in relation to it. talked about it above but yeah.#also like i said: not a professional and not your parent. just giving friendly advice sine i was directly asked for it.#might add more to this if I think of more #my askbox and dms are open for questions/comments/additions just pls be respectful and constructive #other tfb community members feel free to add to this!

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clansayeed · 4 years ago

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Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ― Chapter 9: The Arrival

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 2 ⥽

They fled New York with one purpose. Find, hunt down, and return with a way to kill a vampire god. They abandoned their loved ones and survived the City of Shadows; had their trust broken and darkest secrets brought to light. All that... and Gaius still won anyway. But now that they have nothing to lose, Nadya and her friends are finally ready to do whatever it takes to see the King of Vampires overthrown.

They just have to avoid a vampire population eager to gain favor with their new monarch, the ruthless Order of the Dawn, and whatever plans Gaius has that involve Nadya captured and brought to him alive. So... easy-peasy, right? The worlds of both dark and light hang in the balance. The time has come for the Bloodkeeper to embrace her destiny. So if anyone wants to clue her in on whatever that means, now would be great!

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing reimagining project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

TAG LIST: @googlesentmehere, @cess02, @hellyeah90sbaby, @tayab12, @saratustra4, @imnotdonewiththeelementalists, @thepotatobleh,

*join the Tag List here!

⥼ Summary ⥽

It's the night of Vlad's masquerade ball, the most prestigious social event a vampire can attend. An entire ballroom full of faces and names every vampire in Europe knows... and apparently Nadya is going to upstage them all.

content warnings: language

[READ IT ON AO3]

A pretty big chunk of their plan relies on the staff of the Tepes Estate being just as snobbish and uppity as the man they serve.

So thankfully at least something is both easily predictable and surprisingly convenient.

Staff all around, and none of them pay the pair of them much mind. Beyond the fact that they get told by more than one footman that “guests really shouldn’t be back in the staff corridors” and receive multiple warnings about how “the Count has ensured all guests for the evening, (said while looking down the biggest snooty nose in all of Prague no less) no matter their prestige, will receive adequate time to sup on the serving staff,” and that they “really shouldn’t be allowing an undisclosed human on the premises but will look the other way this time,” Nadya and Cadence are pretty much left to their own devices.

Which means scurrying out of sight before any lone particularly loyal member of the Tepes household decides to go narc and everything ends up exploding in their faces anyway.

Because there’s no way on earth these full-face masques of theirs are providing any damage cover should their plans go KABOOM!

Nadya casts another look up at Cadence as they come across their umpteenth fork in the road. Watching him decide between right or left is starting to feel as nerve-wracking as actually choosing which direction they ought to go.

“You’re sure you know where we are?” You’re sure you know we’re going the right way?

“I’m starting to feel like you have less than zero faith in me, Nadya.” He probably thinks the glance down her way is a reassuring one. But the masque over his face is almost too neutral. It’s just a mask but it feels like it’s trying too hard, you know?

“That’s not it at all. This place is just…” A lot.

He barely remembers to reach back and take her by the hand before he chooses left in a hurry. Who knows how much time they’ve wasted just trying to find their way through this seemingly endless castle.

“It takes me a moment to recall the map Serafine showed me before we left, but I’m… ninety percent sure I know exactly where we are.”

“And the other ten percent?”

“Is trying to keep an ear out for party noises. So if you’ll zip it, thank you.”

Admittedly Nadya would have a lot more faith in this plan if it wasn’t just the pair of them, proven stumbling disasters that they are, relying on the apparently flawless memory of a man who literally introduces himself as ‘the one with amnesia.’ She understands the rationale behind it, just as she understands the rationale behind everybody else going through the front door like an entourage of normal party-goers. They have three prestigious faces and what Jax and Lily lack in clout they make up for in being practically invisible as nobodies to this upper echelon of attendees.

But shoving the two bigwigs of their gang — well, the most recognizable face in any room of vampires and the obviously human girl losing her freakin’ mind amid a cluster of the heartbeat-less undead — through the staff entrance with nothing more than simple masks to disguise them and trusting them not to mess up finding their way among the rest in time for some famed big reveal they still don’t know the full-on details of…?

Well if they live through this long enough to chronicle this part of their journey, nobody is ever allowed to even so much as imply via metaphor that Nadya never trusted her friends wholly and completely.

Actually if they’re talking about chronicling stuff, better they leave these more vague and improvised parts of their master quest to the footnotes. That way they can pretend they knew what they were doing the whole time.

For example Nadya isn’t gonna let anyone write down that she got so wrapped up in her thoughts about what may or may not get written down that she walked face-first into a brick wall.

OW.

Not a brick wall, actually.

Cadence turns around and catches Nadya’s mask just before it falls and shatters on the ground. Thank you vampire super-speed.

“Are you okay?” He asks, wide-eyed and worried, hesitant to give her back her disguise to take stock of how she really looks.

That’s such a loaded question though, so Nadya ignores it and rubs the redness on her forehead instead.

“Why’d you stop?”

The vampire takes a moment to look up and down either end of the corridor and even around the next corner. When he’s satisfied they’re alone he pries his own mask off with a groan; practically peeling his flattened hair from where its been stuck to his forehead the moment he put the darn thing on.

“Because,” with pursed lips he blows his fringe out of his eyes, “I’ve been talking this entire time… and even when I ramble you usually have some two cents or other to pitch in.”

That’s fair. Nadya takes back her mask with a sheepish shrug. “Sorry, got distracted.”

“That much is obvious. Care to share?”

“Not really. Care to keep going?” Not like they’re exactly full of free time, here.

He sweeps his arm in an after you motion, but keeps pace with Nadya’s shorter stride. “I can hear the string quartet by now. We’re close, but they haven’t begun the announcements Serafine told me to wait for.” So maybe they have a bit of free time. Got it.

Only now she can’t stop thinking about what will be on the other side of the big grand ballroom doors.

And Nadya without her set of note cards to at least help her through her dumb speech all because her dumb dress has no dumb pockets.

“You know I still don’t get why they wouldn’t budge about you not being discovered.”

“You don’t see me complaining,” Cadence says with a shrug; and actually now that he points it out…

“No, I don’t.”

He doesn’t need to look at her to know exactly why she says it that way, either. It’s not the first time they’ve had this talk. Probably won’t be the last either.

His sigh sags from his shoulders to his fingertips. “‘Surprise warmonger back from the dead’ might accidentally eclipse ‘reincarnation of the vampire Goddess.’ Can’t have that, now can we.”

“Cadence.”

“Nadya.”

They turn another corner in complete silence. Nadya’s ears strain to hear this quartet of his but nope, not close enough for her poor human ears quite yet.

Finally Cadence seems to decide on something. Gathering himself up all the way to his full height while fiddling with the porcelain in his grasp. “Actually… Serafine and Kamilah gave me the option. When they talked about prestige all this week it was largely assuming I might be able to pretend just enough to add to their collective fame. But they gave me the choice as to whether or not I wanted to try.”

“And you said no.”

“Of course I said no. I don’t envy you, Nadya. You have to do this regardless of whether or not you want to. But for the first time it feels like I’m not in that position, and I want to take full advantage of it.”

His face falls, voice going somber. “Surely you can see why.”

She can. She did, in the flesh, and while he’d been useful at the time she can still close her eyes and remember how easily Cynbel had threatened Jax, hurt Adrian and Serafine; how callous he’d been with her life even though she’d agreed with him at the time… Not to mention all the implied things that come with Serafine, always calm and cool and collected, losing her freakin’ marbles every time he ended up a part of the conversation.

He continues. “I don’t think I could have pretended to be him if my life depended on it. And if you think about it, your life does depend on it in a way. I couldn’t risk you like that. Not after how kind you’ve been to me.”

Her fingers brush over his arm. Cadence either takes it the wrong way or chooses to give a purpose to something so small; he bends his elbow and lets her arm slide into his like a proper escort to a proper ball.

“A lot of people’s lives depend on me pretending to…” Nadya can’t quite say it though, so she swallows it down. “I just have no idea what I’m supposed to do when we get there.”

“Understandably.”

“Seriously,” offering him a wry and dry smile, “that’s all the advice you’ve got?”

He mulls it over for a good and proper think. The effort is more than appreciated even if it doesn’t actually yield results. At least this way she gets to vent it out before messing up royally when the time comes.

Cadence stops first — their linked arms jerk her back and to turn and face him. “I wouldn’t call it advice, per se,” gee—great, “but maybe we both suck at pretending because we ought to be accepting, instead. Accepting who we… were. Possibly, in your case. That way we still have the chance to move on.”

It’s a sweet sentiment, but Nadya can’t help the way her nose scrunches up slightly.

“I don’t think that applies to this case, Cade.”

“Fair enough. Can’t say I didn’t try.” And that makes the pair of them laugh, no matter how weakly. Something neither of them knew they needed, nor how badly they needed it.

It doesn’t last long… but it doesn’t need to.

“You’ll figure it out when the time comes Nadya. You usually do.”

Usually.

In wordless agreement she and Cadence don their pretend masques with mutual reluctance. At least he doesn’t have to breathe in his. But it’s easier this time to see what his face really says beneath that neutral doll-like expression.

She smiles at him in return. Like many things these days they can’t quite see it, but the feeling is there.

When they get close enough that Nadya’s ears no longer strain to catch the occasional tittering laughter or melodramatic voice, Cadence diverts them yet again. This time for a staircase he just so happens to catch sight of out of the corner of his eye.

He keeps her close; closer than before. Practically hovering over her like a shadow less than a step behind her the whole way up. She pauses when he pauses, she waits when he waits, and trusts him enough to know her faith isn’t misplaced but some explanation would be swell any time he’s feeling his usual chatty self.

Crouched close to the ground (which is a feat for him, for her not so much) Cadence crooks a finger at Nadya to join him in inching steps along the carpet towards the railing overlooking the main foyer below.

Nadya is, understandably, hesitant. “What if someone sees us?” What if someone smells me, hears me, all-of-the-aboves me?

“Same principle as before.”

“Keep close and your blood will cover me up?”

He nods. Not like she really has any other choice. Well, that and the more snatches of conversation she plucks from thin air the more curious she is.

And when has her curiosity ever not won out?

Cadence’s cloak comes heavy around her other shoulder and all but smothers her. She grabs the edge and pulls it tight while making sure not to jostle it from his shoulders. For some reason she can’t shake the feeling like she’s hiding behind a curtain with her feet sticking out underneath.

But they’re here, so they might as well take advantage of it. So Nadya joins him in peering through the stone balusters to the hustle and bustle happening below.

The foyer had been beautiful already during her visit with Serafine and Jax the other night — Nadya would even go so far as to assume it was nearly completed. That assumption would have been vastly incorrect.

It’s not her contacts; she’s not seeing double. Every bauble and ribbon and glittering glassy gem brought along the entire family. There’s practically no surface without something shiny added in some form or another, and in many cases that shiny thing has a shiny thing has a shiny thing of its own on top.

On their own the decorations probably look gaudy and too-much. But when you fill the room with graceful vampires all dolled up in unique fashions and splendors everything else is lost in the background. Tasteful would probably have ended up the equivalent of a fifty-buck Party Town Supply budget. So at least the Count knows his audience.

She should be looking for their friends… and she is. But Nadya tells herself it’s being a good and thorough secret agent to observe all the other guests along the way. Two birds and all that. But it’s not easy to just sweep her eyes over the assembled masses in search of a few key faces. Not when each masque is a face all its own.

You’d think there are only so many combinations of colors, designs, and styles to make before they start getting repetitive. But that couldn’t be farther from the case. She gets it now, seeing everything and everyone from way up high and afar like this. The importance of not just the masque itself, but having the right kind of masque above everything else.

Masquerade balls are about hiding and blending in; being just another face in the crowd.

Les Visages de la Gloire is the exact opposite. And even that feels like the most watered-down way to put it she can think of.

A gentle weight falls on Nadya’s back and she shudders a gasp. When had she stopped breathing? Not for fear of being caught, but at the beauty of it all that could only be described as—literally—breathtaking.

Faceless in their full face-coverings and headdresses each more ostentatious than the last; not important enough to show who they are but still in competition with each other — still with deeds to announce and reputations to uphold. Half-masks covering the left side, the right side, the top of one and the bottom of another and all of them made uniquely for a single soul and nobody else.

Some vampires have masques that match their costumes. Others clash in a way that can’t be anything other than on purpose. Even from a distance Nadya can see the difference between carefully crafted metalwork and porcelain painted with glossy lacquer; can compare wood carvings with rich varnish and contrast that with the vast rainbow of matte colors on terracotta. Most are adorned with embellishments and jewels heavy enough to make her neck hurt just by looking at them.

Nearly all take full advantage of the fact their wearers won’t end up suffocating on the other side.

And I’m supposed to show them all up without so much as a sheer ribbon over my eyes? Yeah, Nadya’s confidence takes a knife to the gut just thinking about it.

“Over there.”

Not like Cadence’s finger isn’t pointing down to a massive crowd or anything, but that’s exactly the point — forgive the pun.

Though they can’t quite see double doors leading inside the castle from the exterior from their hiding spot, the sudden hush that falls over the idle crowd offers up an equally dramatic entrance.

It’s the kind of arrival that would be filmed in slow-motion. The kind that pans up from the purposeful echo of each expensive step; dragging over the exquisite details of their costumes in one long smooth glide all the way to the big reveal. And what a reveal it is.

Kamilah’s spindly masque may be made of steel but it curls over her sharp features with all the grace of a silken thread. It’s a face covering by only the thinnest margin of definition, with too many gaps in the framework to even pretend to conceal her identity. But after taking in the rest of the crowd… it’s obvious she’s the kind of face — the kind of presence — that simply can’t go unrecognized.

Everything about Kamilah, from her posture to her raised chin to her not-at-all-faked aura of superiority, demands recognition.

On the surface she’s the woman that Nadya knows; that she trusts and cares about so so much. But look beneath, something all too easy to do — like sweeping aside a mist, it’s impossible to miss how she’s so much more.

The Bloodqueen has arrived. And the entire foyer is speechless before her.

Without even moving a muscle the closest groups stagger back several more steps. Dozens of them nearly tripping over themselves and each other in their haste.

It’s no surprise that the space is quickly taken up by the two figures flanking Kamilah’s sides.

Serafine’s masque isn’t so much a mask as it is a scrap of lace just wide enough to earn the collective approval. As if anyone here doesn’t already know who she is regardless. But that’s how she can pull the look off if Nadya is remembering her explanation right.

No one would dare partake in Les Visages without knowing—without introduction—the woman who started it all.

Some final vestiges of their psychic connection tugs Nadya towards her; not physically so much as emotionally. Even without seeing Serafine’s features up close there’s a bittersweet ache in her chest that’s definitely not Nadya’s own.

The vampiress can offer up all the scarlet-lipped smiles she wishes. They are all hollow and fake. The simple act of being here causes Serafine nothing but distress.

And then there was Adrian.

Who, in comparison to Kamilah and Serafine, makes the women nearest him seem positively giddy and gleeful to be here tonight.

He wears his tailored costume perfectly; that wasn’t in doubt. It’s the masque that leaves him stony-faced. Gold rich and dark that catches every little flame on the chandelier over his head that covers his eyes but can’t hide the tension wracking his jaw.

He and Kamilah both wear near-identical rich crimson garnets inlaid just beneath their masque’s right eye. Shared stones for a shared Maker. But along his edges are thin metal spires, short but wicked sharp, that vary from the same gold, to steel, to a coppery hue.

A second glance confirms Nadya’s suspicions; Adrian isn’t the only one with those kinds of embellishments along the edges of their masques. Scouring a few of them from the crowd, the way they carry themselves and mirror Adrian’s ramrod-straight posture answers a question she didn’t know she needed to ask.

If the garnet labels him and Kamilah both as Turned by Gaius, then the spikes are the mark of the soldier. Any soldier; but one worth recognition for their service.

Which is everything Adrian doesn’t want. Everything he had worried over, and was working now towards overcoming in the wake of his past.

Nadya ducks her head hastily to catch her tear before it falls. Thankfully she’s quick enough. If only she could wipe away the reason for it just as easily.

Pull yourself together, girl, she scolds, and it’s just enough to do the trick and pull Nadya’s focus back to everything around them. All the stillness and nothingness and the way a room full of the undead hold their collective unnecessary breath waiting for what will happen next.

Which is exactly the kind of attention-grabbing showstopper the three of them are supposed to be. All eyes turned on the prestigious trio they are together, and away from Nadya and Cadence one floor above.

All focus on who they are, why they’ve come, what they will do; and away from the practically invisible dynamic duo that slips through the crowd towards the closed ballroom doors.

Behind her, Cadence lets out an impressed little “hah” when he finally manages to pick Lily and Jax out of the crowd. “I completely missed them. Did you see them sneak in?”

“No,” answers Nadya, but that’s actually a good thing. That was the whole point.

Without a word Kamilah takes one step forward. Her aura of command acts like an invisible shield that parts the rest; holding them at a respectable distance.

But the sudden shifting of the mass of faces and their masques gets dangerous when it turns right in their direction. If even one wandering eye looks up, they’re done for!

Without a word the vampire pulls Nadya backwards, letting the force of his bulk pull them out of eyesight in the nick of time. That was a little close, huh.

Nadya doesn’t get the chance to thank him though.

The moment she opens her mouth a loud echoing clang rings out below them, followed by the distinct shuffle of something heavy being dragged achingly close to the foyer’s marble floors.

Neither of them needs to risk sneaking a look.

Right on time. The ballroom doors have finally opened, allowing the first wave of prestige to spill forth out to the grand dance floor.

And though the shuffling of boots and sharp tapping of heels fills the vacuum of stunned silence as the attendees start to move, it’s not nearly enough noise to drown out the sudden and familiar exuberant laughter of delight that echoes across every polished surface below. The kind of laughter designed to be projected across adoring crowds; and carefully rehearsed to always seem full of intriguing promise.

What Nadya wouldn’t give to borrow a little of Vlad Tepes’ seemingly endless confidence for her own performance… looming ever-closer and starting to pick up real steam.

“Remember my lovelies! Faceless and no-names, see yourselves inside. New blood and the lucky virginal attendees right beside them!”

Her full-body shiver of discomfort is more than warranted. But Nadya only wishes she could be surprised at his… unsettling word choice.

“I’m suddenly very glad to be up here.”

She snorts at the wide-eyed stare looking out from Cadence’s mask. “You and me both.”

“Yes yes darling, oh you look a treat. And you there — you must tell me the story behind that engraving later, you simply must.” It’s really to their luck and benefit that the Count likes hearing himself talk so much. They can stay far away from the railing and still keep tabs on what gauge of prestige is next to be welcomed into the bal masqué proper.

They just have to wait until everyone—Vlad included—is inside. Everyone but the most prestigious of the lot of them. And when all eyes are (once again) on the Bloodqueen herself… they’ll have no choice but to witness Nadya’s arrival.

Having Kamilah by her side might just give her the kick in the metaphorical pants to do this thing. Not the literal though. There’s no way this practically bleach-white linen getup will survive a boot print, and especially not to the rear end.

Down below there’s a momentary lull; all but shattered by Vlad’s returning laughter now pitched higher than before.

“Why there you are, Serafine! Here I worried I had somehow lost track of your arrival in the excitement.”

His words are followed by two unmistakably wet noises; which Nadya prays are just over-dramatic kisses to her cheeks.

“Surely you jest,” she teases good-naturedly; said with all the humor of someone whose smile can’t possibly reach her eyes, “I see before me you follow the old traditions quite well. Showing the prestigious their due, their arrival witnessed by all who look to them in admiration.”

“Well of course! It makes for the grandest of entrances.”

“Ah, yes,” the elder vampiress croons, “and as the illustrious host yours would be the last, non?”

“Don’t worry darling — I would never claim credit for your centuries of contribution to our dwindling community.”

“Meaning?”

Somehow Nadya just knows Vlad throws his hair back unnecessarily as he laughs again.

“You can enter just before me, of course.”

“Then when, may I ask, might you suggest my blood-kin Adrian and I make our entrance known, old friend?”

Unlike Serafine, who at least pretends to smile while enduring the torture of his conversation, Kamilah’s question is cold and clipped. It rings with all the disinterest of the Kamilah that Nadya had met so long ago — and she’d place good money on the single raised eyebrow hiked high enough to be seen over her masque, too.

But if anyone could render Vlad speechless…

Nadya struggles to hear something, anything, until she catches the faint rustle of stiff and expensive fabric moving with haste. Vlad’s gesture of greeting, no doubt.

Just like she has no doubt that Kamilah and Adrian don’t humor him as long as Serafine has. It certainly explains the flustered, hasty way his next words tumble from his tongue with practically no filter.

“All the best surprises are the ones that sweep one off his feet. My humble gathering of our kind—nay, our family—from the nearest branch to the farthest root is made absolutely resplendent by the honor of your presence!

“Your Majesty, mon cherie —” —a beat, his attention likely shifting to Adrian— “— and Sergeant Adrian Raines, just when I had resigned myself to an evening of only the old and antiquated in renown. Here you stand before me, as handsome as the day we first met.”

Nadya quickly schools her bewildered expression — too long and it might get stuck that way. But that is flirtation if she’s ever heard it. Not good flirtation, but nevertheless.

“Vlad, as�� lively… as ever.” Adrian just barely recovers, but now she’s dying to know what he had almost said instead. “Hard to believe it’s been nearly seventy-five years since last we met. Time… flies so quickly.”

“Oh pish posh,” replies the Count, “you wouldn’t know it but for the calendars. My memory of those chiseled features of yours obviously needed a refresh.”

He’s barely finished speaking when he gasps, clapping his hands together delightedly. “Speaking of memory! You’ll have to forgive my fright. As you all know surely, my recollection skills are of world-renown. Yet the sight of you all almost thrust me spiraling into self-doubt.

“And not without good reason! As I could have sworn you — the both of you, that is to say — had… cast aside your former titles.”

It’s just like before. Everything that pops into his head said without a filter all the way up until what he’s saying isn’t as vapid as it was at the start.

It must be so easy to write Vlad Tepes off at first glance. Just look at the public opinion of the guy. Nadya had, she’s humble enough to admit it. But the hard truth is that he is Vlad Tepes; he is Count Dracula.

But whether he’s all the things the myths and legends claim or not it can’t go ignored that he knows what he’s doing (even if it doesn’t seem like it). He knows how to play a crowd, how to stroke an ego. He’s a master of misdirection.

Has nobody pitched a Vegas residency to this guy yet? Seriously?

But if he thinks he’s going to out-wit someone like Kamilah he must have those leather pants on just a little too tight.

She doesn’t address his comment. Brushing it aside proves a much more important point.

“Shall Adrian and I wait patiently here while you and Serafine follow through, then?”

Vlad must be used to playing the ‘host with the most’ card, because he hesitates. But Kamilah wasn’t asking — she was just being polite.

“Yes,” he finally agrees, though surprisingly less strained than Nadya would have expected. “I would not dare nor dream of presuming your prestige. Nor would I separate the grand entrance of the progeny of our King.

“The three of you will have a most celebratory announcement, I give you my word.”

Did she hear that right?

Serafine offers a gentle tittering laugh. “I see no reason why you and I should not enter together, ma puce.”

“We shall.”

Vlad’s words die to the sound of heavy heels across the foyer floor. Too many steps to be one of her friends; but certainly more than enough for them to bring a person across the length of the room to where they are gathered.

Of course something is going wrong. They should have anticipated something going wrong. They had, her brain reminds her, and probably thinks its being helpful by doing so.

She dares to inch just close enough to catch a glimpse down below and spoiler alert — it isn’t helpful at all.

With his head held high, Marc Antony makes a bold statement in taking Kamilah’s hand without it being offered. Then he goes a step further with a half-bow and a kiss pressed to the back — or the ghost of one. He barely manages it before she yanks it from his grasp — in surprise, in anger, that’s not the part that matters.

With everyone fixated on the two oldest vampires in the room, Adrian dares to steal a glance of warning up to the railing. Wide-eyed and with pursed lips, the message when he gives the tiniest shake of his head is clear.

Nadya retreats, practically crab-walking backwards.

Cadence tries to help her sudden shaking panic with an arm over her shoulders. It’s the thought that counts.

“What,” he asks worriedly, “who is it?”

“Antony,” Nadya exhales, and the man goes rigid beside her. “It’s Marc Antony.”

#bloodbound #playchoices fanfiction #playchoices #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #adrian raines #serafine dupont #jax matsuo #lily spencer #marc antony #oc: cadence smith #vlad tepes #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: new chapter #oblv: bound by destiny ii #; my fics

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sabraeal · 4 years ago

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Happiness Is Just Around the Corner

The Wide Florida Bay | Previous

Written for @bubblesthemonsterartist for her birthday! This was...not the fic I thought I’d be writing, but this is where this subplot needed to start >:3c

There is an improbable amount of fireworks on the lawn.

“Oh, I’m pretty sure none of it’s legal,” Kiki assures him, taking a long drag of her Sam’s Summer. “Shiira took his ducklings up to New Hampshire yesterday, and they came back with two coolers worth of...something.”

Zen coughs on the dregs of his Magic Hat. “What? Should we even--?”

Kiki’s flat stare is more effective than a hand over his mouth. “You really think we’ll get in trouble.”

His gut instinct is yes, because there’s not a day in his life where his brother hasn’t caught him with his pants down just to prove a point. It would be just like him to send a cruiser around so that he could experience the heart-stopping terror of being on the other side of a two-way mirror. Sure, Haruka would be down at the station before he could even ask for a phone call, and all of this would slide off his permanent record like water off a duck’s back, but still-- trouble.

But he doesn’t say that. He takes a deep breath, thinks. It’s quiet here on campus. They’re rowdy, sure, but it’s just the frat there, not some rager with Omega Delta Nu. The campus cops are probably bored out of their skulls, but they’re not going to nail the honor’s frat for a light show.

“No,” he admits, begrudgingly. “Not unless they light something on fire.”

Her mouth twitches, following the spark in her eyes. “Well, there’s a non-zero chance of that.”

Ugh, of course Kiki would be excited by the prospect. “Well, as long as we don’t get--” Obi crosses the lawn, aviators looming over a wide smile, and hovers just at Shiira’s shoulder, perusing the goods. “UH.”

“Fuck.” Kiki hops off the porch, straight down into the landscaping. “I’ll handle this.”

Zen settles back against the porch swing and sighs, taking another swig of Magic Hat. “Yeah, please do.”

Kiki’s already halfway across the lawn by the time he’s finished talking, so quick that when Obi picks up a particularly patriotic package of pyrotechnics, she’s there to snatch it out of his hands. Even from here, Zen can see the jut of his pout, hear the faint whine of Ms Kiki on the air.

Mitsuhide’s lighting up the grill, surrounded by a crowd convinced cooking works by consensus. He takes a handkerchief out of his back pocket-- stars and stripes, stuffed there early this morning as Obi solemnly announced, you are America’s hat today, big guy-- and wipes the sweat beading on his forehead. Zen can’t tell whether it’s from the heat or from the effort needed to withstand six guys offering advice on proper grilling technique.

A cool breeze tumbles through the porch, carrying the muted voices of a dozen conversations. Zen closes his eyes, letting the smell of smoke and the heat of the day wash over him, the swing rocking gently on its chains.

It’s nice, having all this. People he can anticipate. People he can depend on. Friends. The real kind, not just kids whose parents went to the same prep school as his.

This isn’t where he’s supposed to be.

A year ago that would have sent him scrambling-- last minute tickets and crumpled up itineraries paired with the crushing guilt of never being enough. But now--

Now he knows this is where he wants to be. And there’s only one person to thank for that.

“Hey.” His eyes slit open, and there she is, brilliant smile and bright hair, peeping around the post. “Enjoying yourself?”

Zen drops his legs from the rail to make room. “I am now.”

Shirayuki’s mouth slants, playfully wry, and his heart strains against his sternum like a dog testing its leash. “It looked like you were before too.”

“Well, sure.” He wishes he had Obi’s obnoxious aviators right now, if only so she couldn’t see the eager way he watches her as she comes up, tucking herself neatly onto the opposite end of the swing. “But even more now that you’re around.”

Freckles disappear behind a bloom of pink, settling in on either cheek. “Ah, w-well,” she stammers, staring at her bare toes. “It’s good to know you don’t regret staying here.”

“Instead of being with my family?” He laughs, incredulous, draping his arm over the back of the swing. His fingers just barely brush the freckles on her shoulder. “More like I’m thankful for the excuse.”

Her smile dims. “Oh, um, right. You and Izana...”

She hesitates. There’s a wealth of ways she could end that thought, but instead she says, “It must be nice. I mean, the place your family has, not...”

The fraught relationship you have with your brother. She doesn’t have to say it for him to know exactly what she means.

“It’s all right, I guess,” he allows, wishing she’d sit closer, that she’d give him a good reason to put his arm around her for real, and not just let him awkwardly hang here. “I mean, it’s just a house. The beach is nice though. Private, of course.”

That doesn’t stop his mother from inviting the paparazzi if she thinks it will make a good photo op. Last year he’d made the cover of the Inquirer, face scrunched and unattractive as Izana has splashed sea water in his face, with the words Final Frolic for World’s Most Eligible Bachelor? There had been a two-page spread inside, dedicated entirely to the relationship rumors Izana had accrued since Valentine’s Day.

Well, he didn’t have to worry about that this year. No paparazzo was going to stake out a college frat to take pictures of an illegal fireworks show. Now Haki could deal with having her picture slapped across the tabloids because mother thought candid shots made for better family photos.

“Ah, right...” Her laugh stutters out, awkward and endearing. “That sounds...good?”

Shirayuki’s still next to him, the heat from her skin humid against his fingertips, but she’s never felt so far. He grunts, frustrated, shifting closer.

“There’s an old carousel on the island too,” he offers, haltingly. He’s not sure why the impulse takes him to tell her; why he thinks she, specifically, might like it, save that when he looks at her it’s the same as when he saw those hand-carved horses the first time, well-loved and shining beneath antique lights.

“Oh!” She blinks. “My grandparents took me to one of those, once! Back when we visited...”

Her mouth works silently for a moment before pulling tight, the bittersweet twist making her smile more grimace than grin.

“Well, you’d love this one,” he assures her, sweat pricking at his palms. “It’s the oldest in the US. But it’s still really nice! I’ll take you next--”

His words slam to a stop, running headlong into the barrier of his teeth. She’s staring at him now, eyes wide and mouth parted, and-- and what can he say? I’ll take you next year, when my brother suddenly approves of you.

Yeah, he knows better than to hold his breath for that.

“I’m glad, anyway.” She folds her legs up on the swing, one arm hooked around her knees, and tilts her head back. “It’s nice for all of us to be here, together.”

Her eyes are closed, face serene in the evening light, like she could just sit here forever, breathing into the twilight. His heart flutters just looking at her, at the way she relaxes next to him, content with the slow rock he eases them into. No one can just be the way Shirayuki can.

“It is,” he agrees softly, because anything but a whisper might break this moment, might let the rest of the world in. “It’s going to be weird when you...”

He tries to stop himself, but her eyes fly open before he can. Of course, the one moment he’s gotten her to himself, and he’s gone and ruined it by bringing that up.

“I just mean...” He laughs, tipping his head back on scroll of wood behind his head. “It’s going to be strange when you and Obi are gone next year.”

A month from now, really. It looms over him, a ticking clock that chimes every evening, telling him he’s wasted another day if it wasn’t with her.

“Oh!” Her head snaps upright, cheeks flushed. “I-- I guess. I didn’t really think...” She bites her lip; he wants to kiss it. “Mitsuhide won’t be here either!”

He blinks. It’s true, but he’s never actually thought about that. Mitsuhide has always been in the house, it seems, never the president but a calming influence just to the side of him, and now--

Well, it’ll just be him and Kiki next year. And the rest of the frat, of course, plus all the new pledges.

Still, the future is distinctly more lonely than he’d like.

“He’ll be close, though,” he says, if only to hear the words out loud. “Harvard is a bit of a drive from here, but now that him and Kiki are, you know...”

Banging. That’s what he means to say at least, what he would say if he didn’t, last minute, remember who he was talking to. The last thing he needs is to get a scolding about taking feelings seriously and supporting their friends. Especially when he’d rather be talking about another relationship entirely.

“...Together,” he settles on, and she hums, approving.

“I’m glad that happened.” She rests her chin on her knees, surveying the lawn. Kiki’s abandoned the fireworks committee, instead shooing away the flock of fraters that have congregated around the grill. “They’re good for each other.”

“Made for each other,” he agrees, tickling her shoulder with his thumb. She squirms, a giggle bubbling out from her lips. “Just like...”

Us. He wants to say it, so bad it’s almost an ache, but-- it’s not fair. Not when they’re not really anything, when they can’t be anything, because--

I don’t know if being with me like…like that will be…good for you. I don’t think either of us are ready for that sort of…of attention.

-- Because everything about his life makes things complicated.

“I’m...happy for them,” he says, because he is, because there’s no two people in the world who deserve every bit of goodness they can wring from life more than they do. Even if that leaves him on the outside, again.

“Me too.” Shirayuki smiles, soft and fond, and it’s impossible to believe it’s barely been ten months since he met her, that she isn’t someone he’s known his whole life, not when she just slips seamlessly into every part.

Her hand reaches out, taking his, cool in the evening breeze. “I’ll miss you too.”

His breath catches in his chest, painful. Maybe she feels so familiar because he’s been waiting for her his whole life, too.

“I-I mean, all of you, of course,” she stammers, pink flooding her cheeks, and oh, he wishes he could just lean over now and kiss her, like he was some normal boy with a normal crush and normal expectations of privacy. “I’m excited to go, but...it won’t be the same without everyone.”

Good. He smothers a grin. This whole trip is a great opportunity for her, he knows that-- how could he not, when Izana keeps reminding him about the connections she’ll make-- but--

Two years seems excessive. After a year, she’ll realize that too. And then she can come back for senior year, live in the frat, graduate, spend the summer with him in the Vineyard, and--

“We should do something together,” she says, fingers knotted around his, shoulders rounded shyly.

“Yes!” he blurts out, squeezing way too hard. “Definitely”

“All of us!”

“Ah...” That wasn’t what he thought she was going for. “I mean...”

“One last big adventure.” Her lips spread giddily. “Just the five of us. For now, of course,” she adds, “we’ll be coming back.”

“Oh, ah...” He blinks, staring down at where her hands are tangled with his. She has little over a month left here, and what he really wants is to be doing this, this whole...being together thing, but--

But it’s not like this is going anywhere either. Two years is a long time, but they’ll be sitting here just like this when she gets back. Well-- with more kissing, he hopes.

He can wait. He’s not the only one who will miss her. “Yeah, that sounds...nice.”

His eyes flick up, catching her just as she sinks teeth into the soft pillow of her lip, leaving a dent that begs to be soothed. Zen swallows, hard.

Well, a friendly getaway will have its opportunities for some, ah, private time too. He just has to create them.

“I was thinking,” he starts, lifting a hand to ruffle his hair, trying to be, you know, casual. “What if we--?”

“Hey.” Kiki perches herself across from them with a deftness that says she’s been hanging out with Obi too much. “Burgers are off the grill.”

“Great,” Zen grits out with a glare. “We’ll be down in a minute.”

Kiki hums, brow raising dubiously. “What are you two up to out here?”

“Nothing.” He glowers at her, wishing she would just take a hint. “Just talking.”

“Ah.” Her mouth twitches. “I see.”

“We were just talking about taking a trip!” Shirayuki blurts out excitedly, red-faced and glowing. “All of us! One last adventure before me and Obi go to Lyrias.”

Kiki blinks at that, cocking her head. “What were you thinking?”

“Oh, um, I don’t know.” A giggle burst nervously from her as she smooths the hem of her shorts over her thighs. “We hadn’t really gotten that far.”

All right, it’s time to drag this conversation back on track. Zen clears his throat. “Kiki, doesn’t your dad have that house in the Berkshires? We could go for a weekend, maybe take in the--”

“Why? We’re already in western Mass. What will a forty minute drive get us?” She wrinkles her nose. “It isn’t even peak foliage season.”

Privacy, he wants to say, but he knows how poorly that idea would fly with her. For someone who always seems to find time to be alone with her boytoy, Kiki’s awfully invested in seeing that he never has any with his girl...thing.

“Hm, I wasn’t really think a trip-trip either,” Shirayuki admits, crushing his dreams of a nice afternoon alone in a hammock, just the two of them and their bathing suits. “But something like an, ah...activity. Like an amusement park.” She perks. “Do you have something like that out here?”

“Six Flags!” he blurts out before he can even consider what he’s saying. “It’s only a half hour away, and the coasters are supposed to be some of the best. I mean, if you, ah, like that sort of thing.”

Which he doesn’t, but there’s really no need to mention that. Not when she lights up like she does, hands clapping together over her heart.

“That sounds perfect! I’ve never been to one of those.” She leans in, conspiratorial. “Opa always got vertigo on the Turkish Twist.”

He may not know what that thing is, but it sounds gut-wrenching enough to keep in head in the trash for a good ten minutes. Zen plasters a smile on his face, steadfastly ignoring the arch look Kiki gives him-- god, that’s the last thing he needs, Kiki deciding it would be funny to tell the story of when they rode the Tower of Terror in middle school-- and says, “I’ll go on any ride you want.”

Kiki makes an unearthly noise, somewhere between a cough and a choke, and he braces for it, for the you know, Zen can tell you the location of every trashcan in Hollywood Studios--

“When were you thinking?” she says instead, mouth just barely twitching at the corner. “It’s going to be busy this weekend.”

“Oh!” Shirayuki’s eyes round, matching the curve of her mouth. “I didn’t think of that. It doesn’t have to be right now. Maybe in another...week? Or so?”

Kiki whips out her phone, flicking through with one finger. “How about...the seventeenth?”

“Ah...” Shirayuki squints, eyes rolling upward like her brain is an open book she can skim for answers. “Y-yes. I think that’s all right.”

Zen stares. “Did you just...pick a random date?”

“No.” Kiki clicks her screen off, slipping it back into her pocket. “This weekend will still have traffic from the fourth. Next week we’re supposed to submit our paperwork to the student affairs office for this semester, and I know you haven’t started. I don’t want to go during a weekend rush, and Thursday is far into the week where if we have any last second problems with student affairs, we won’t have to reschedule.” She holds out a hand, ta-da. “The seventeenth.”

It’s not fair how she can just...do all that. “W-well, all right. But we still have to make sure that Obi and Mitsuhide--”

“Hey, Obi,” Kiki calls out, catching his attention as he cuts across the lawn toward them. “What are you doing on July seventeenth?”

In full sunlight, in the view of every member of the frat, Obi stumbles over absolutely nothing. “W-what?”

“July seventeenth.” she repeats archly as he slinks up beside her, arms resting on the rail. “Are you doing anything.”

When he thinks of Obi at rest, he thinks of languid limbs, of a frustratingly canted smile and glittering eyes, but--

He’s not any of that now. His troublesome mouth lays in a tense line, the corners of his eyes creased and wary. “Why?”

“We want to go somewhere, all five of us,” Shirayuki informs him giddily, mouth stretching from ear to hear. “And Zen suggested Six Flags--”

“Oh no.” He holds up his hands, shaking his head. “No way. Hard pass. I don’t do amusement parks.”

Kiki arches a brow, unimpressed. “Is that so.”

“Yeah.” He tosses his head, mouth straining towards casual derision and falling short. “Not my scene.”

“Oh really.” The mild look Kiki levels at him had leveled lesser men, but Obi only flinches. “Too cool for them, huh?”

His shoulders twitch. “Sure, we’ll go with that.”

“Ohh,” Zen grins, enjoying the way Obi squirms like a cat with his head caught in a fence. “So you mean that’s not really the reason? You have some other secret, terrible Bugs Bunny trauma in your past, maybe?”

“Well, I have to tell you,” Obi says loftily, “I’ve never really cared for Yosemite Sam.”

Shirayuki frowns. “We really don’t have to--”

“I think we all know this is just to obscure your Lola Bunny fetish,” Kiki deadpans.

“Excuse me?” Obi presses a hand to his chest, aghast. “Space Jam is a formative experience. To say any of us don’t owe Lola Bunny--”

“Hey.” Mitsuhide hops up the steps, wiping the sweat pouring down his neck. Zen valiantly doesn’t notice how Kiki stares. “The burgers have been done for a bit. What’s keeping all of you?”

“Obi is allergic to fun,” Kiki informs him, earning a shocked gasp from Obi.

“That’s not it!” he protests. “You just want to go to Six Flags--”

“Oh, Six Flags!” Mitsuhide’s mouth break into a guileless grin. “I love amusement parks.”

Obi stares, jaw slack. “Big Guy, don’t do this to me...”

Zen grins. “I dunno, Obi. Looks like you’re outvoted.”

Shirayuki shifts beside him, wringing her hands. “Oh no, I don’t think-- if Obi doesn’t want to go, we can just pick--”

“Nah.” Obi waves her off, one hand clasping at his shoulder. “You guys can do what you want. I’ll just sit this one out.”

“Obi--”

“I better check in on Shiira,” he says, stilted. “Don’t want them blowing up the front forty by accident.”

Shirayuki half stands, but it’s too late, he’s already sauntering away, laughing at he calls out to the brothers on the lawn.

“Don’t worry, Shirayuki.” Mitsuhide assures her with a clap on her shoulder. “He’ll come around.”

“I...” Zen watches the way her mouth sets, too knowing, a grim white line cutting through the flush of her face. “I don’t know about that.”

#akagami no shirayukihime #snow white with the red hair #slightly obiyuki #slightly zenyuki #The Wide Florida Bay #my fic #modern au #college au #this was honestly supposed to cover both convincing obi #and their trip to the amusement part #but that was a little too ambitious #especially right after bingo #so instead here is the set up #for a minor subplot to come

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morlock-holmes · 6 years ago

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This anonymous article from the Washingtonian, (Which is apparently... a magazine? Of some sort?) “What Happened After My 13-Year-Old Son Joined the Alt-Right “ was being reblogged on my dash a few times and looking at some of the notes a lot of people were calling it propaganda without saying which side they thought it was propaganda for.

I think a LOT of people were so swayed by the “One Concerned Mom Speaks Out!” tone of the thing that they kind of missed the actual narrative.

I mean... If anything it’s kind of propaganda in favor of the alt-right, isn’t it?

Here’s how the author of the piece sums up the inciting incident in the story:

One morning during first period, a male friend of Sam’s [The author’s son] mentioned a meme whose suggestive name was an inside joke between the two of them. Sam laughed. A girl at the table overheard their private conversation, misconstrued it as a sexual reference, and reported it as sexual harassment. Sam’s guidance counselor pulled him out of his next class and accused him of “breaking the law.” Before long, he was in the office of a male administrator who informed him that the exchange was “illegal,” hinted that the police were coming, and delivered him into the custody of the school’s resource officer. At the administrator’s instruction, that man ushered Sam into an empty room, handed him a blank sheet of paper, and instructed him to write a “statement of guilt.”

No one called me as this unfolded, even though Sam cried for about six hours straight as staff members parked him in vacant offices to keep him away from other students. When he stepped off the bus that afternoon and I asked why his eyes were so swollen, he informed me that he would probably be suspended, but possibly also expelled and arrested.

Later there’s more, but basically the school authorities double down, Sam’s parents decided that if the authorities were that cruel and insane Sam needed to be in another school, and so they transferred him. Sam then starts getting into 4chan and reddit alt-right communities, who explain that what happened to him happened because of feminism gone crazy.

So, as a slight aside I have always thought since I was in high school myself that this kind of zero-tolerance, authoritarian crap is particularly cruel to inflict on growing children. A boy Sam’s age is trying to differentiate himself, see himself as an individual, and the authorities come in and go, “It doesn’t matter what you think, it doesn’t matter why you did what you did, we will never care about that, we see you as a type and there is nothing you can do to convince us otherwise.”

This message would be incredibly dispiriting to anybody, but particularly to children.

Contrast, meanwhile, his experience on Reddit:

Soon Sam stopped trying to convince me to join his brave new world. He was so active on his favorite subreddit that the other group leaders, unaware that he was 13, appointed him a moderator. Among his new online besties, this was a huge honor and a boost to his cratered self-esteem. He loved Reddit and its unceasing conversations about the nuances of memes—he seemed in love with the whole enterprise, as if it were an adolescent crush.

...

Eventually, Sam had to give up moderating for the most practical of reasons: Eighth grade ended and he was packing for sleep-away camp. He would be offline for a month and would need other mods to cover for him. To ask for help, he had to out himself as a kid.

Sam and I both laughed about the absurdity of the situation, though he admitted he was nervous he’d be exiled from moderating. I asked him to read me the responses to his message. They were all of the “Dude, you’ve got to be kidding me” variety—one of their most sophisticated and reliable colleagues was a middle-schooler heading off to Jewish summer camp!

Later, it was my turn to be surprised: They all contributed to a going-away gift for Sam and mailed an emoji-themed fidget-spinner to his bunk address.

Faced with new information that Sam has broken the rules, his school imediately brands him a predator, threatens to arrest and expel him, and responds with undisguised hate.

Faced with new information about who Sam is, his alt-right buddies are shocked, but then reiterate that they still care about him and value the contributions he has made to their community, and get together to express that to Sam.

I’d like to make a little list of what Sam gets from the alt-right in the narrative:

A group of people who have shown that they will support and value him, even if they find out new things about him.

People who listen and care about what he has to say

An explanation of what, exactly, happened to him and why.

Ideas about how he can protect himself and others from having that happen again in the future.

Allies and support for enacting those ideas.

His parents, by his Mother’s own admission in the article, were only able to provide fumbling efforts to provide protection from that particular school’s administration. His parents and their politics were totally ready to say that taking all that stuff about cucks seriously was pretty weird and dumb, his mother is totally ready to counter any statistics his alt-right buddies might have, but is completely and utterly unequipped to provide any of the other stuff I listed up there. There’s a moment where Sam explains to her what he and his friends think happened:

Sam pledged fealty to the idea of men’s rights because, as he said, his former administrator had privileged girls’ words and experiences over boys’, and that’s how all of his troubles had started in the first place. I’d never in my life backed the “masculinist” cause or imagined that men needed protecting—yet I couldn’t help but agree with Sam’s analysis.

The mother’s politics didn’t actually equip her with an alternate explanation of what happened; rather, she has to concede that his explanation makes sense, and having conceded that has no idea what to do with herself.

In fact, as the article ends she is only vaguely starting to come to grips with the fact that Sam needed the kinds of support I listed above:

“All I wanted was for people to take me seriously,” [Sam] repeated matter-of-factly. “They treated me like a rational human being, and they never laughed at me. I saw the way you and Dad looked at each other and tried not to smile when I said something. I could hear you both in your room at night, laughing at me.”

I struggled for a moment because I wanted to tell him that wasn’t true. But I couldn’t deny his accusation. Behind closed doors, when my husband and I thought our children were asleep, we had often vented to each other about Sam’s off-the-wall proclamations and the bizarre situation we found ourselves in.

So I told Sam simply that I was sorry for making him feel bad.

I still think about his words a lot, especially when alt-right figures headline the news. But mostly, I wonder how I could have tried so hard to parent Sam through this crisis and yet tripped up on something as basic as not making my own kid feel small.

By the end of the article Sam is disenchanted with the Alt-right through, well, it’s not totally clear. The author of the article, by the end, seems to understand that Sam needed at least some of the things I outlined up there, but it’s not clear to me if she views the fact that her own politics were completely unable to provide them as an actual problem.

In fact, it’s not clear to me what she believes her politics are actually for. I know, I know, it’s not a philosophical article, but the question of “How much power do public school administrators have over their charges and what can parents do to counter them” is a nakedly, inarguably political question; after all, it’s about how a state-run institution should be run. And rather then turning to her own left-wing beliefs to contextualize and fight this decision, her solution is that her family has enough money to put Sam in another school.

Now, I’m not criticizing this decision, I think it was probably difficult, even brave. But it’s noticeable that her left-wing, non-culty politics don’t seem to have much to offer the next Sam, a Sam whose parents might not have private school tuition sitting around in their bank accounts.

In fact, she seems to regard the fact that Sam’s alt-right buddies were able to offer up compelling narratives and give him hope of implementing a solution and reasserting his self-worth as, well, cheating. Isn’t that cult-like behavior? Politics aren’t actually supposed to help the Sams of the world contextualize the things that happen in their lives, and when they do, it’s awfully sinister.

This seems to be part of something that has heavily infected the American left. It’s a kind of unspoken philosophy that says, “Politics is for solving major problems, the rest should be handled elsewhere.”

Even when a question overtly connected to Mom’s politics crops up in their life, her politics have literally nothing practical to offer any of them. Her left-wing politics are correct it doesn’t matter if they’re helpful.

This is what I keep trying to get at when I say people are missing the point with Jordan Peterson. Yeah, a lot of what he says sounds factually rickety to me as well, but, well, when I spend every day wondering why I can’t seem to get my life together, simultaneously dreading it AND feeling like there’s no point in trying to change, how does having a more correct view of lobster biology help me out with that?

I mean, I’m not saying it can’t, I’m saying people won’t even connect the two. Look at the reviews of 12 rules and people will usually grudgingly admit that his self-help advice might be useful, but really, it will tend to rile up exactly the wrong kind of person, and anyway, what does any of this have to do with politics?

This is what I keep trying to get at about effective altruism, as well. It’s not that it’s wrong, it’s that by its very nature it will never be about providing me, personally, with any help, because it’s focused on stopping rogue AIs and mailing out malaria nets, fine causes but notice that, while Rationalists see “How can I stop a super-intelligent AI from destroying us” as a solvable problem “How do I make the kind of friends who will spontaneously check on me if I sound like I’m sick?” is completely insolvable.

To the extent that my existing faculties haven’t already made it happen, unfortunately there are no clarifying frameworks or advice better than, “Well, it’s hard.”

Rationalists are better about this than generic leftists but I also feel like that’s a low bar. Answers to the question “What can I do to concretely improve my life, and, for that matter, why should I even bother, what’s the point?” are becoming ever more disconnected from left-wing thought, and most of the concrete attempts to answer these questions are coming from the right.

I actually don’t think this is good, incidentally.

#politics #rationalism

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yourwitchmama · 6 years ago

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Baby witch tip!

The ultimate baby witch tip I can give you is this: there is a lot of misinformation on Tumblr. A LOT. My best advice is for you to invest in some books on witchcraft—mostly history, terminology, and practical use. I highly recommend these books to start with, although they’re certainly not the ONLY excellent books on witchcraft:

🌕 The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft

(Judika Illes)

I LOVE Judika Illes. Her books are incredibly informative, unbiased, and rich with real-life examples of witchcraft throughout the ages (and cultures). You won’t find any “fluff” in her books. Seriously, if you read any book on witchcraft, read this one. It covers EVERYTHING. At the very least, it’ll help you explore different spiritualities and magical traditions.

🌱Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide

(Sandra Ingerman)

Shamanism is not witchcraft in itself, but it IS far older—shamanism is the basis for all ancient magical traditions around the world. “Shaman” is a Siberian word used to describe the practice of spirit working, which is found ALL over the world. To get a solid understanding of the spirit-working side of witchcraft, learning about shamanism is key. However, know that you shouldn’t call yourself a shaman even if you journey—historically, that title is only for those who have been chosen spiritually to be shamans, and who have yielded consistent results from their journeys. Learning how to journey to the three spiritual realms and communicate with the spirits there will help you...

- find your power animal

- find your spirit guide

- allow you to utilize healing, divination, and communication with spirits for various reasons.

Again, this isn’t some fun thing to do in your spare time—shamanism is sacred, ancient work tens of thousands of years old. If you feel called to work with spirits, this is one way to do so. Sandra Ingerman is well-known for her shamanism workshops and books, so she knows what she’s talking about and has lots of practical experience.

🔮Encyclopedia of Spirits

(Judika Illes)

Speaking of spirits, here’s another invaluable book for spirit-working. Even if you have no intention of working with spirits, it’s important to know about them. Judika Illes is VERY thorough in her research, so this book is packed full of info on spirits spanning all cultures and traditions. Learn how to attract spirits, develop relationships with them, work with them to make life easier, and learn their history. This book is ABSOLUTELY fascinating, I use it almost every day. Again, Judika Illes is a very reputable source.

⭐️Grandmothers Counsel the World: Women Elders Offer Their Vision of Our Planet

(Carol Schaefer)

In this book, 13 female elders from indigenous cultures around the world share their stories about how they came to devote their lives to their magical practices and spiritual paths. They come together as foretold by an old prophecy that all their cultures share. Their goal? To share their vision for the world and provide insight into how we can improve our lives through the use of traditional magic and attunement with the Earth. They each carry a message of compassion, hoping to share their knowledge and wisdom with everyone who reads this book. Rather than close off their beliefs to “outsiders”, they firmly believe that everyone should follow their example. I LOVE this book because it takes the Tumblr glasses off of witchcraft and enables you to see REAL wise women, women who have grown up with magic and use it to this day. The term “magic” here refers to their connection to the Earth, their extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, and their spirit journeys. This book is wonderful for gaining perspective into different cultures and their spiritual wisdom.

🕯The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach

(Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian)

This is my go-to book for crystals. It has EVERYTHING. Learn the scientific facts about crystals as well as the metaphysical ones. It even includes tips on how to meditate with crystals, how to utilize them for different purposes, and how to empower crystals with OTHER crystals that work synergistically. The index in the back of the book can be used to find crystals for specific physical ailments as well as spiritual ones.

🧙‍♀️Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spell-Casting

(Judika Illes)

Can you tell I like Judika Illes? XD This book is full of spells that range from summoning spirits to love spells to protection and personal empowerment (including psychic awareness). Judika Illes, like always, includes practical historical information and a little bit about spirits as well. Her spells are REAL—they’ve been used successfully throughout the ages, taken from spiritual traditions around the world. In short, they’re tried-and-true. You won’t find anything made-up or untested here. She also doesn’t include any “malevolent” magic, for those who are uncomfortable with that. She DOES include spells on how to get someone to leave you alone, though.

WHAT NOT TO READ

Rather than tell you specific books not to read, here’s a general guide for who NOT to listen to:

❌ If the book (article, etc) was written by someone who is not a witch, has no historical information to offer, doesn’t really know the ins and outs of witchcraft, etc. A lot of outlets sell these kinds of books—most notably Urban Outfitters. As witchcraft becomes more “trendy”, plenty of non-spiritual, non-witchy journalists are getting on that cash cow and writing books that are shallow interpretations of real witchcraft, at best. They’re not very informative, or at least they don’t go into much detail. Just look at the author—have they been studying witchcraft for years? Have a degree in something relevant, such as history, anthropology, etc? Did they become a witch last year and already want to write a book? Have they actually TRIED their own spells, and have others replicated them with successful results? Really think about those things.

❌Be wary of big chains that try to cash in on the growing witchcraft trend. Sephora, Urban Outfitters, Earthbound, Target, and other big chains have no interest in giving you practical knowledge of witchcraft. THEY WANT YOUR MONEY. The result is a shallow representation of an ancient art, and most often it’s appropriated from other magical traditions with no credit. So do NOT put much trust in big chains that try to sell you metaphysical supplies and books. You’re better off looking for seasoned magic-workers for whom witchcraft is a lifestyle, not a way to make money.

❌ Avoid vague-sounding books. I once bought a book about Fairy Wichcraft, which detailed the author’s personal magical lifestyle and beliefs. So what is Fairy Witchcraft? Well I have no fuckin idea because the book was vague, ranting, and had almost zero historical information to go off of. Essentially I was supposed to just take the author’s word for it, which is never a smart thing to do. Especially disturbing was the fact that I later found out that a lot of the author’s historical claims about fairies were straight-up untrue. I made the mistake of spending over thirty bucks on it, and I’ll never read it again because it was essentially useless to me.

❌ NEVER get your ideas of witchcraft from works of fiction. Novels, movies, TV shows, and video games almost never represent true witchcraft. Even that movie everyone loves, “The Craft”, is almost disrespectful in its attempt to show spirit summoning. Although witchy entertainment is fun, it’s not real. Too many people get into witchcraft because they think it’s going to be like Harry Potter or Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but in reality it really isn’t. Too many people want all the aesthetic components of witchcraft because it caught their attention on TV or in a novel, but they completely sidestep the spiritual implications, historical knowledge, and real uses of witchcraft. Too many people try to erase the fact that witchcraft arose through ancient pagan paths, which are ALL Earth-centric. Plain and simple, Hollywood witchcraft doesn’t exist. It’s not supposed to—it’s made for non-witches who live in a Protestant-heavy culture who view witches as Satanic.

These are my best tips to getting started with learning the basics of witchcraft. I certainly didn’t include ALL the best books you could read, but they’re definitely a start. Be very wary of Internet witchcraft—people get their information from all kinds of places, and some people just make things up. These books will introduce you to an ancient art expressed in many different cultures and religions over tens of thousands of years. The best advice, though, is to experiment. Go out there and try things. Read as much as you can. Use your best judgement. Happy reading! 🎃

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childofthenight2035 · 6 years ago

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In Which The Protagonist Is A Dumbass

A/N: i honestly dont know why i wrote this but based off something that happened once upon a time why did i write this it has zero plot anyways

Pairing(?): gn!Reader x Felix (ft. Jisung)

Summary/Prompt: You’re stupid. And you have the same phone as he does.

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 2.6k

Warnings: None

It wasn’t even summer yet, but it was hot. Too hot.

Finals season. That couple of months at the end of the academic year when kids and teachers alike were stressed as fuck. Kids, because they didn’t know shit, and their teachers, well, for the same reason. Students often forget that teachers depend very much on their pupils’ performance.

Finals season was when you would see the morning buses loaded with kids and their unnecessarily heavy textbooks in one hand as they tried to balance themselves standing up with the other. It was also when you saw those same kids on the bus back home at noon instead of the afternoon because their exams were over.

Finals season was when dorms were quietly chaotic. Tempers ran high, lights were never off at night, and a chilling sort of hush fell over the building after dinnertime, a silence everyone was scared of breaking. People escaped the four walls of their room as much as possible, going up to the roof and explaining to the clouds what antibodies were, or pacing around the block in circles until they got dizzy and found themselves in the warden’s room diagnosed with dehydration. After two similar incidents, none of the students were permitted to spend too much time outdoors. It was simply too hot. Global warming was a real thing.

Following that rule, you chose to spend your time in the study hall next to the coffee shop on campus that shut down during finals, because no one was free to take orders or man the machines. The students had to settle for the cheap instant coffee from the mess hall across the campus.

You had made the table in the corner yours at a particular time every day. Someone was there before you, and someone came after you, but you didn’t mind. Despite not knowing who they were, you found the taking turns system convenient. It also helped that one of the two plugpoints in the entire hall was near your table.

Your exam was tomorrow and you pitied the ones who had theirs in less than two hours. You could see them, sitting on the edges of their seats, grouped together but not interacting much—that point had passed. Occasionally one of them would ask another for an answer, but the time for group study was not now. Now was the time for cramming—each to his own. Their legs bounced up and down, impatient but dreading the exam at the same time. Open books were scattered around them, trying to absorb as much information as they could at once. Their fingers tapped their pens against the tables, but you forgave the annoying sound it made—this would be you tomorrow.

You flipped through the seventh chapter of your biology textbook, wondering if you could possibly finish studying the next fourteen chapters before the next afternoon. You wished you would have started studying earlier but it was too late to think all that.

You glanced at your phone when it buzzed, alerting you that you had a message from your friend, reminding you to email your chemistry professor to ask him what the answer was to questions 16-28 on page 142, chapter five, because she didn’t know his email id. That’s a task for later, you thought. You wondered why she was so bothered by chem when your biology final was the next day. Oh, right, stupid, she doesn’t take bio. The exam stress was seriously making you lose reason. You pressed your charger deeper into the socket and rechecked that the switch was turned on. You had once gone the whole day without realizing that you hadn’t actually switched the power on so your phone could drink some electricity.

Someone plonked a textbook onto your table, making you jump. As you looked up, a handsome young man (baby faced young man, are you sure he’s not a high school student?) slid into the seat opposite you.

“Sorry,” he said, pulling out a phone and you leant back in your seat, taken aback by the deep voice issuing from between his pretty lips (waht the fcuk). “It’s just, my phone’s probably gonna die, and I have an exam soon and I can’t plug it anywhere else….”

Oh wow, you thought, mesmerized by the richness of his vocal cords and his soft blonde locks. You could sit here charging your phone forever. I would charge your phone for you. Just keep talking.

Unfortunately, he fell silent, looking at you expectantly. You realized he wanted permission.

“Oh! Yeah, sure,” you offered, gesturing to your charger. “Totally fine.”

He flashed you a grateful smile, carefully unplugging your phone and replacing it with his own. Switching it on, he set his phone beside yours.

“Oh!” He exclaimed, then laughed, pointing at the two phones. “They’re the same!”

You followed his finger to where your phone and his lay side by side. He was right. Your phones were the same. Same size, same brand, same model. A smile broke across your features at that.

“What a coincidence,” you remarked, turning back to your textbook. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to continue talking to this person about the phones, it’s just that you had an exam coming up in less than twenty-four hours and you needed to focus. You heard a muttered ‘right, shit, get to work’ from the boy opposite you.

A moment later, he was frantically turning pages, pen between his teeth, shaking his leg, just like the others in the room that had their exam today. You thought better than to interrupt his uploading of information into brain. He checked his watch with an expression that gradually became more horrified.

You turned your focus back to your book, to the world of tissues and cells. You vaguely saw him shuffling around but you paid no mind.

The tension in the room grew slowly higher and higher. The hour mark had been crossed, and the students were near hysterical.

The study hall supervisor couldn’t seem to stand it either. Within five minutes, she was shouting at the exam students to get up and leave. No use cramming so close to an exam, she said to them. Use this time to calm yourself and recollect what you’ve learned.

Standard teacher advice. The boy opposite you stood up hesitantly, not tearing his eyes away from the book, two of his fingers pressing into his neck.

“Good luck,” you offered. His gaze met yours and the creases in his forehead disappeared.

“Thank you,” he said, still looking nervous as he slowly packed his bag. You stood up as well, deciding to go to the mess hall for some food. As he bent to cram his textbook into his bag, you reached over to remove his phone and take back your charger. You slipped your phone that was lying on the table unplugged into your pocket and handed him his phone. He thanked you again, distractedly.

You patted his shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, just calm down. If you get anxious, you won’t be able to do well. So relax.”

He nodded. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll relax.” He took a deep breath.

With another word of reassurance, you sent him along his way, packing your own stuff and exiting the study hall.

“Ugh, I’m so hungry,” you groaned, wondering if your friend was available to join you. You brought out your phone and turned the screen on.

You stopped in your tracks.

On the screen was a photo of the blondie who had just been sitting opposite you, with another dark-haired boy asleep on his lap.

You cursed out loud, startling some passers-by.

Oh! the boy had said. They’re the same!

You were stupid. You were so stupid.

But wasn’t his phone the one being charged? And yours was unplugged? He must have switched them back once he was satisfied with his phone’s percentage.

But why didn’t you have the basic sense to check if the phone was yours? You could call your own phone, right?

The campus clock chimed one o'clock. His exam must have started. There was no point in trying to reach him now. At least not until four.

You turned the screen on again. This time fixed on the numbers asking you to enter the password. You couldn’t call your own phone even if you wanted to.

You eyed the emergency call button. Did he have the police entered, or a friend’s contact? You shoved the thing back into your pocket, deciding to just wait. You didn’t even know his name. You didn’t know what exam he had. You didn’t know where to find him.

You were screwed. But hey, food.

The macaroni and cheese was crusty and gross as ever, but as you had learned during the year, you don’t say no to food. Gross or not. You never knew when you would get it again. Money is a fickle thing. It never stays with one person their whole life.

A loud, strange sort of music erupted from the device in your pocket. You jumped. His phone was ringing. Hoping against hope that it would be someone you knew, a mutual friend, you took it out and looked at its screen. It said Sungie (^.^). Would this person be able to help? Hesitantly, you pressed answer.

“Yo, Flixie, shouldn’t you be writing an exam? How are you answering your phone?”

“Um…hello?”

You heard a distant ‘what the fuck’. “Hello?”

You didn’t recognize the voice and certainly not the nickname. There must be dozens of people on campus with Sung in their names. “Yeah. Hi.”

“You’re not Felix. Who’s this and why do you have his phone?”

He spoke with such authority that you were sure this was either his best friend, his brother, or someone else very close to him. You weren’t about to get beat up over a mixed up phone. “Listen, I can explain!”

“Please do.”

“You see, the thing is, your friend—Felix?—and I were sitting at the same table in study hall,” you rambled, “and he asked if he could use my charger to charge his phone and I said yes so he plugged it in, but when we both got up to leave, our phones got switched.” You drew in a breath. “It’s my fault. I should’ve checked the phones before I gave it back to him.”

You could hear the person on the other end laughing his face off. You relaxed a bit. “Wow, nice going. So you can’t contact him and neither can he. And I can’t either, huh?”

“I suppose not. Do you know where he’s taking his exam?”

“I think it’s in Hall 3…” he trailed off, thinking.

“So I could just wait there for him, right—“

“…It could also be in Hall 1,” he continued, “or maybe even in Hall 2. Or it could be in the library…”

A sudden thought struck you. You had heard his voice before somewhere. This joking, self-satisfied sort of tone. “You’re Jisung, aren’t you? Han Jisung?”

He abruptly stopped spouting out suggestions. “Uh. Yeah?”

“You won the prize for the Monoact this year, didn’t you?”

“Oh. Huh? That. Yeah, I did? That’s how you know me? Cool.” You could almost hear his head filling up with air. Change the topic.

“Hm. So you don’t know where Felix is?”

In the pause that followed, you understood one thing: he did. He was just not going to make things easier for you. “You know what? Give me your number. I’ll contact you after his exam and tell you where to go.”

You rattled off your number to him reluctantly.

“So, I have your number,” he began, his voice dropping lower, “is the next step asking you out on a—“

“I’m hanging up now.”

You pressed the end call button over his protests.

You tried to focus on your textbook back at the dorm. You really did. That’s why you went to the dorm in the first place. But anxiety was slowly creeping up on you. You were replaying your day, trying to remember what Felix had been studying.

His lockscreen was cute, though. You wondered if the boy asleep on his lap was his boyfriend. Maybe. Maybe not. Since it was his lockscreen, then maybe he was. Either way, whoever it was had a place of honour.

The clock ticked slower and slower, inching to four o'clock.

At three-forty-five, you couldn’t concentrate. You closed your book.

Twenty-five minutes later, his phone rang.

You snatched it up, barely registering the name Sungie (^.^) and sliding the answer button. “Hello?”

“Right. Felix is waiting for you at the mess hall.”

“Oh, okay, tha—“ A beep sounded. You stared at the phone. Okay, that was straight to the point.

You dashed out of your dorm room.

…and you forgot the phone, jeez, Y/N, what the hell?

Take two.

It was too hot to be running to the mess hall again, but at least it had dropped a degree since noon.

You glanced around the large semi-open space, hoping to see a shock of blonde hair that would catch your attention. And one did.

One very sun-kissed young man with neatly combed blonde hair was waving at you. Your heart leapt.

…Obviously not at the sight of him, particularly, but He-Who-Had-Your-Phone.

My generation has succumbed to technology, you thought.

“Hi,” you said awkwardly as you climbed into a seat opposite him. He returned the greeting equally awkward, but managing to smile tiredly. You noticed he had a smattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose. Cute.

“I’m Felix,” he offered, sticking out a hand. You took it.

“I know. I’m Y/N.”

You set his phone on the table and he mimicked the action with yours. The two of you exchanged phones, giggling nervously at the mix-up.

“Sorry,” he started to say, but you shook your head.

“I’m the one who should be sorry, I took your phone thinking it was mine.”

“Well, I don’t blame you,” he assured (whiplash, you forgot how deep his voice was). “I connected your phone to the charger once mine was okay without telling you.”

“We can play this blame game back and forth all day.”

He laughed, his voice lightening for a second. “True.”

You gestured to his phone. “Your wallpaper is really cute. Is that your boyfriend?”

He blushed, snatching up his phone and sliding it into his bag. “No,” he replied a little too quickly, in a tone that told you maybe he was lying. “Speaking of wallpapers,” he continued, tapping your phone, “isn’t that 3racha’s radio promotion poster? Maybe specifically, CB97?”

You could feel the heat rushing to your cheeks. “So? What about it?”

Felix broke into a smile. “You didn’t recognize SpearB from my wallpaper?”

Your mouth fell open. “Wait, that’s him?! I didn’t recognize…”

He nodded. “And you didn’t know J.One? I thought he told you to come over here?”

You slammed your fist onto the table. “Are you kidding me?”

Felix started laughing.

“So that’s how I know him!” you exclaimed. “It wasn’t the monoact prize, it was this! I’m so stupid!”

He laughed even harder at your pout. “It’s okay, I won’t tell Chris.”

“Please don’t.”

After a minute, in which he held back his giggles and you pouted harder than ever, he spoke up. “So, hey, let me treat you. I sure am hungry.” He gestured vaguely around. “How about some gross instant coffee?”

again why did i write this

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mydarlingl0ve · 6 years ago

Text

I was randomly inspired to write some Papa Kakashi that will get some sasuke stans pissed, so I’m only posting it here lol hope ya’ll like it!

Kakashi had grown accustomed to a certain way of living over the past two years. He had an amazing woman at his side, an adopted daughter full of her mother's fighting spirit, and best of all, his Hokage reign was finally coming to an end. What more could he want? Well, for one, he really wished her estranged father wasn't standing in his office right now.

”Excuse me? You want me to what?” Kakashi questioned, completely taken aback by what the Uchiha spat at him.

”I want you to stop filling my daughter's head with the absurd lie that you're her father.” Sasuke repeated, eyes narrowed at the copy-nin.

”Sasuke, I'm not the one filling her head with lies.” He replied, not bothering to hide his annoyance. ”She knows who you are. She has a great amount of respect for you, actually. The fact you're trying to come back into her life after being absent for so long is honestly laughable. Sakura is my wife. Sarada is my daughter, whether you like it or not. She may have your blood in her veins, but I'm her father figure. I take care of her.”

”You claiming to be her father is the most absurd thing I've heard. I don't care that you married that useless-”

”Watch what you say about my wife, Uchiha. You know as well as I do that you need to fear her more than you fear me. What was it you said? ”’My wife is not a weak woman.’”? Heed your own advice.” Kakashi smirked under his mask at Sasuke’s scowl.

”How dare-”

”DADDY!” Sarada shouted as she ran into Kakashi’s office, brushing passed Sasuke to jump into Kakashi's arms.

”I'm sorry, baby.” Sakura smiled wearily as she closed the door behind her. ”She wanted to see you at work.”

”It’s no problem, love.” He smiled before turning his attention to the toddler in his lap.

”Hello, little pup.” Kakashi’s eyes softened at Sarada’s smile. She looked so much like Sakura when she smiled. ”How was your day?”

”It was fun, daddy! Boruto and Inojin taught me how to hold a kunai!” She giggled at Kakashi’s wide-eyed expression.

”Did they now?” He mused out loud, debating on having a talk with his former students.

”Do you mind?” Sakura growled, pulling Kakashi’s attention off of Sarada. He looked up to see Sasuke glaring at him and holding his arm behind him as if he was holding Sakura behind him.

”What do you think you're doing, Uchiha?” Kakashi narrowed his eyes, hugging Sarada against his chest.

”You are making me sick. How dare you call yourself her father?” Sasuke ground out, his body shaking with anger.

”Simple.” Kakashi rose to his feet and set Sarada in his chair before kissing the top of her head and spinning the chair so she was facing the window and stepping around his desk to stand in front of the fuming man. ”I adopted her the day I married Sakura. Legally, she is my daughter. You have a problem with it? Take it up with her mother.”

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she connects the dots. ”Are you seriously angry that my husband calls my child his own?”

Sasuke turned his head to meet her angry gaze, feeling the energy in the room shift as he heard Sarada whimper.

”Daddy? Is he going to take me? I don't want to go I want to stay with you and mama.” She stood on the chair, feeling the malice in the atmosphere.

”Of course not, pup. Your mother and I won't let him lay a finger on you.” He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled, his eyes creasing as Sakura spoke softly.

”You're staying with us, baby. He won't take you, I promise.”

Sarada wiped her eyes as she got off the chair and walked to Kakashi, who immediately bent down to pick her up.

”You should leave before my wife throws you out for making Sarada cry.” Kakashi warned, looking at Sakura before caressing Sarada’s hair.

”It’s okay, don't cry.” He whispered, Sarada hugged her arms around his neck tighter as she nodded.

”Sasuke, leave. Now. You have zero parental rights. You make her cry again and I'll make sure it's the last.” Sakura growled, pushing past his extended arm to stand next to Kakashi, rubbing small circles on Sarada’s back.

”Go away,” Sarada whispered. “Please.”

Sasuke’s face fell ever so slightly before he narrowed his eyes again, turning on his heel with a scoff. “Whatever,” he grumbled in defeat. “she'll find me when she wants her real father.”

Before either could respond, Sasuke disappeared.

Sakura and Kakashi sagged with visible relief. Kakashi pulled Sarada off his shoulder to look into her eyes. “We will keep you safe, little one. If he ever comes back, come find one of us, understood?” He spoke softly, using his free hand to gently wipe her tears.

“Okay, daddy.” She nodded, smiling before turning her head to see Sakura lost in thought. Frowning slightly, she wiggles in Kakashi’s hold and put her hands on Sakura’s cheeks, startling her.

“It's okay, mama. Daddy will protect us.” She smiled again, making Sakura giggle softly.

“I know.” She looked up at Kakashi with a sense of pride, knowing she made the right choice.

Later that evening, after Sarada was put to bed, Sakura sat on the edge of the bed, half forming hand signs as she stared at the floor.

“Baby?” Kakashi called out from the doorway. “Baby, what's wrong?” He asked, closing the door behind him and sitting next to her, pulling his mask from around his neck and setting it on the dresser.

“I can't get Sasuke’s sudden appearance out of my head.” She admitted. “Why would he come back now? He signed those papers giving up his parental rights in front of us and Tsunade-sama.”

“I don't know,” Kakashi sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. “He was acting like he wanted her to go with him. He told me he didn't want me filling her head with lies.”

“What lies? You're her father now. You framed the paperwork.” Sakura added with a stiff giggle. “I don't understand why he's got a problem with it now though.”

“I wish I knew, baby. I'll station some ANBU at her day care and around here, just in case.” He offered, wrapping his arm around her waist.

Sakura laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. “Thank you.”

“Always, love.” He whispered into her hair before kissing her head.

“Let's get some sleep. I need to talk to Naruto and Sai in the morning.” He grumbled before standing.

“Oh?” Sakura giggled. “Protective Kakashi is coming out.”

Kakashi's face grew hot, but he ignored it and crawled into bed.

“Shut up,” He mumbled into her hair as she laid with her back against his chest. “She's too young to know how to hold a kunai.”

“Baby, she's three.” Sakura giggled before hugging his arms around her waist. “Besides, it was Ino’s idea.”

“You better talk to her.”

“Maa, okay.” She giggled again before sighing contently.

“Did you just mock me, Mrs. Hatake?”

“No, never.” She gasped with fake innocence.

Kakashi chuckled before kissing her neck, making her melt in his hold.

“Goodnight, my love.” He whispered, his deep voice calming her.

“Goodnight, Kashi.”

#papa kakashi #i love writing sasuke getting the short end of the stick lmao #hatake kakashi #haruno sakura #haruno sarada #fluff?#kakasaku

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burgundydahlia · 6 years ago

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When do you think Ron and Hermione has sex for the first time

Well, hello to you too, anon!

So, I actually have two separate headcanons about what might have been the timeline for Ron and Hermione and their first time together. Suffice it to say, I think it wasn’t long after the war and that it happened before Hermione went back to Hogwarts. However, the detail I get stuck on is whether they got down to business when they went to Australia to get Hermione’s parents (which I’m fairly certain happened only a few weeks after the battle of Hogwarts), or if they “waited” until the night before Hermione was supposed to leave for Hogwarts.

And because I love Romione and I feel like writing about them (and since you technically asked), Imma break both scenarios down for you :)

***Side note: I have totally thought about writing these as actual one-shots. That might still happen. Sorry if I spoil future writings for anyone haha

The trip to Australia Headcanon:

For this one, I like to think that after the Grangers were located and their memories were restored, Ron and Hermione spent some time relaxing and enjoying Australia together. It goes without saying that Ron and Hermione went through such a beyond hellish year - they both watched the other almost die more than once, they fought together, they mourned together, they loved and lost together. But more than that, they were forced to grow up insanely quickly. They never got to be normal 17/18-year-olds. They never got to explore a relationship together under normal circumstances because during the time they would have, they were dealing with the death of Dumbledore, learning about Horcruxes, joining the Order, and agreeing to go help Harry on what was easily the most difficult and terrifying “adventure” yet. Honestly? After all that, they earned the right to just be.

So, in this headcanon, I imagine Ron has been formulating a plan since before they left for Australia. He doesn’t expect anything to happen, and sex was never the main objective for him. However, he has been working out the details for a proper date with Hermione for weeks - he even enlisted the help of Harry and some of his brothers (who obviously ragged on him about it, but also overwhelmed him with advice, some of which made his ears burn fiery red for hours).

Now, Ron doesn’t make it a surprise; he kinda wants to, but he also knows Hermione which means she would probably rather be aware of his plan so she can prepare. So, he tells her while they’re packing to leave that he’d like to take her out one night once things are settled down, but before they come back to England. Hermione is a bit taken aback, but pleasantly so - she’s been so laser-focused for so long and Ron knows that she would never have even thought to do something fun or relaxing unless it was planned in advance and added to her calendar.

Once they find her parents, things are a bit chaotic, but in a good way. There are a lot of long conversations, tears, and long days spent helping her parents disassemble the life they made while in Australia. But ultimately the Grangers are just grateful Hermione is there and safe and they welcome Ron into their tiny, but close-knit family as well. And as things start to slow down, Ron “officially” asks Hermione on a proper date. He even tells her he’ll pick her up at her parents’ place (when Ron and Hermione first arrived in Australia, they stayed in a small hotel room. Once the Grangers were located, however, they started staying with them. But, conveniently, they never did get rid of their hotel room…)

They go out on a date and they are both oddly nervous and excited and silly. Ron gives her flowers and insists on opening every door for her. Hermione quietly holds his hand every chance she can and can’t stop smiling or looking at him. They eat and drink a little, and talk almost endlessly about everything and nothing. They banter back and forth, but it’s playful and light and feels so normal, that it’s actually a relief. Overall, the night is lovely and romantic and it’s just them for the first time in what feels like forever and they both feel like they’ve won the lottery.

At the end of their dinner, they take a walk together. They almost incessantly hold hands and gently brush up against one another. Finally, feeling bold, Hermione asks if they can stop at the hotel to check and see if she left something there (spoiler alert: she absolutely didn’t and she knows damn well she didn’t. Ron, however, is not one to complain). Once there, they start talking about how it is almost a year to the day from the night they danced together at Bill and Fleur’s wedding. They talk about how, if the night hadn’t ended the way it had, they might have finally confessed their feelings for one another and maybe even kissed. Ron, because he’s a freaking romantic bean, then asks Hermione to dance. She blushes, but nods and they quietly begin to sway together, holding each other close.

They tell each other they love each other. It’s not the first time they’ve said it, but it somehow feels different this time. Hermione lifts her head from off his chest and tilts her face up to look at him. They kiss. They stop dancing.

And then… well…

When Ron and Hermione head back to her parents’ house that night, they literally cannot stop giggling or touching one another. Seriously, they have ZERO chill, but in a cute and kinda hilarious way. They are just so stupidly in love with one another and finally feel like they’re free from the painful year they had. They can’t stop basking in the glory of this night and all the things that are ahead of them. And the really wonderful thing is they don’t have to.

The night before Hermione leaves for Hogwarts headcanon:

With this one, I fully headcanon Hermione ran the show. She is a woman who is wildly in love with her boyfriend, who is painfully aware of the fact that they are about to spend an extended period of time away from each other for the first time in over 7 years, and has decided that she is done waiting (cue the Sirius jokes, ala “I DID MY WAITING!”). She has it all planned out, including all the boring minutia and tiny details because 1) it’s Hermione and 2) it helps calm her nerves and keeps her focused on creating a perfect evening for them both.

Hermione knows what she wants: Ron Weasley, alone, far away from prying eyes and rules about separate sexes in separate bedrooms no matter what the circumstances. And, naked. Very, very naked.

In this particular headcanon, I believe that Ron (along with the help of Charlie and even Percy) has already begun helping to put Weasley Wizard Wheezes back together. It was abandoned once the war was in full swing, and as a result, the shop dealt with a fair share of looting and vandalism. George is still not really able to bring himself to working just yet, but Ron… well. He’s Ron. He’s kind and loyal and loving and supportive. And he’s absolutely determined to help revive the incredible and successful business his brothers created both because he loves George and wants to help him and because he loves and misses Fred and wants to honor him by doing the thing he knows he loved. That business was his life’s work, and Ron is dedicated to bringing it back to its former glory, especially if it means giving George a safe place to return to.

Of course, this means Ron is working a TON. And it’s not easy, putting it all back together again. It’s rewarding, yes, and it’s certainly helping Ron heal in a way as well (and he’s not upset at the compensation George is giving him for his willingness to help restore WWW). But it’s exhausting and tough, and some nights, he stays so late at the shop, he ends up sleeping in the flat upstairs.

Hermione tries to help as much as possible. She is there with him when she can be, offering as much support as she can while trying not to panic about their rapidly dwindling days together. But it can be difficult. Working on fixing up the shop, recreating products and inventory, and creating new marketing strategies in a very tender market is hardly romantic. Not to mention the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who are newly home from their year-long “holiday” in Australia, are a bit clingy, for lack of a better word. Top that all off with the slow simmering panic Hermione is beginning to grapple with as she faces going back to Hogwarts, alone, to try and finish her education…

So, Hermione decides that she will not let Ron’s and her summer end without one perfect evening as a couple. She loves him so much it makes her heart race, and she wants him to know that in every single way possible.

Her plan is fairly simple: sneak into the flat above the shop, make a romantic dinner for her and Ron, and then seduce her boyfriend. Somehow, she has gotten her parents to agree to let her spend the night at the Weasleys (on the condition that she agrees to meet up with them in the morning at the train station to see her off). She knows that Ron is planning on working a half day in the hopes of spending the evening at the Grangers’, and specifically with Hermione.

However, when he finishes working for the day and decides to run upstairs to the flat to shower before heading over, he is stunned to find Hermione is there. She tells him that her parents may be under the impression that she is having dinner with his family tonight. Ron is totally speechless but his face breaks into a massive grin. He’s a mess from working in the shop, but he tells her he’ll only be a minute as he takes the fastest shower of his entire life, and comes back out to have dinner with his girlfriend.

After dinner, they sit together on the sofa, talking about how quickly the summer has gone. Hermione tells him she is terrified of going back to school - that she is scared she will be so much further behind than everyone else; that she doesn’t know what it will be like being in the castle again and surrounded by constant reminders of what they went through back in May; that she doesn’t know how to be at Hogwarts without him and Harry because it’s always been the three of them and being on her own is utterly terrifying and heartbreaking all at once.

Ron knows her fears are real, and he hates that they’ll be apart too. Secretly, he’s also nervous for her to be back at the castle where so many of their friends and loved ones fought and died. He hates that he won’t be able to check on her, aside from letters and the occasional Hogsmeade weekend (which is really just a few hours one Saturday a month, give or take). He hates that he won’t be able to make sure she’s taking care of herself and that she’s not overworking herself or stressing herself out to the point of exhaustion.

But even though he, too, is nervous for her, he tells her she’ll be brilliant. That she won’t be alone because she’ll have Ginny and Luna and Dean and all the others who are returning for their 7th year. He’ll write every single day, even if it’s just to say, “Hello,” and “Make sure to eat something,” and he’ll come to every Hogsmeade weekend and every single Quidditch game, even the ones he doesn’t care about like Slytherin vs Hufflepuff. And he’ll even sneak onto the school grounds if necessary because he’s fairly sure there’s still one or two hidden passages that work. Hell, he’ll even come and help Hagrid with groundskeeping or even run around the castle with Filch and Mrs. Norris if she needs him there because he would do anything for her and really, she should know that by now.

And Hermione, who had planned everything out and had every intention of being perfect and precise and much more deliberate and methodical in her actions, is suddenly overwhelmed with just how much she loves this incredible, kind, wonderful man. So she launches herself at him. Seriously, she practically crawls onto his lap as she kisses him with all the love and passion and desperate desire she has for him. And Ron, because it’s Ron, doesn’t even hesitate. He kisses her back with just as much vigor, holding her tightly to him and poorly stifling a moan and then…

Well, you get the picture.

Afterward, they just lay there holding each other. They talk and continue to say, “I love you,” over and over again, as if they’re trying to somehow fit in a year’s worth of them into one night. Later in the evening, Ron reluctantly asks her what time she needs to get home. It’s only then that Hermione reveals that her parents are actually under the impression she is staying at the Burrow, while, thanks to the help of George, Ron’s parents are under the impression that he is working late at the shop again. As Ron realizes that this means they get to spend the entire night alone together, he suddenly starts to laugh. Hermione Granger is absolutely sneaky and ridiculous and completely barmy and he never could have imagined being as intensely and profoundly in love with someone as he is right that moment.

He kisses her softly, his hand stroking her cheek tenderly, and when all is said and done, they end up getting very little sleep that night. But, as Ron reminds her in the wee hours of the morning and not long after another, ahem, round, without him and Harry there to distract her, she’s bound to have one of the quietest train rides to Hogwarts ever. Which means she’ll have plenty of time to catch up on her sleep then. Hermione laughs and shakes her head before kissing him again. Because really, he is right, you know…

So… yeah. Those are my headcanons. This was probably waaaaay more than you were bargaining for but what can I say? I got really into it haha.

#romione #ronmione #romione headcanons #ron weasley #hermione granger #ask burgundydahllia #first time #first time headcanon #I may have gotten a bit carried away #sorry not sorry

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littlefallenrebel · 6 years ago

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My love and feels for Skz 🌹🖤

I was tagged by my dear @pikachulein (thank you for doing that btw) to do a post about my feels for Skz so here it is!

I’m just gonna say that this post is probably a bit cringy and makes zero sense because I have a hard time putting my feelings/thoughts into words :p Also... this ended up being.......1,2k+ words long, whoops 😌

Woojin:

I see Woojin as an older brother he’s 3 years older than me so there we go even tho it’s not that much, anyway so with him it’s definitely brotherly and sibling-like love. It would be awesome to have him as my older brother can i swap my annoying bro with him please and I feel like he would be someone who I can rant about stuff and ask advice. Since he’s also super loving towards his members and takes care of them, I can sort of relate to that since I’m lowkey the mom-friend in my friend group. He’s such a sweetheart and I’m so soft ;-;

Bang Chan:

Ah, it’s mister ”here to wreck your bias list once again”. Chan is probably the one who confuses me the most, I mean he’s my bias but at the same time he’s my bias wrecker and I really don’t know how I feel about him?? I just feel drawn and very attracted to him. But despite being attracted to him, I seriously admire and respect Chan a lot. To me, he’s such an inspirational person and I would love to spend time with him talking about lyrics meanings and deep things. I think we're both that sort of people who sometimes think about stuff too deeply and maybe stress over small things. He's still so young and has a lot on his shoulders and i just sjdhsh. I would probably say my love for Chan is intellectual/magnetical type of love.

Lee Know:

Ohlord it’s the pisces+scorpio duo with minho it’s definitely the best friends/playful type of love, absolutely. I feel like if we two were best friends we would be that super salty duo who throws shade at everyone. Minho is someone who I would love to just hang out with and share some hot tea ☕ about stuff. Also, I feel like minho would appreciate my super bad jokes and puns no one ever likes my puns and i bet my friends are ashamed of me lmao and we could throw awful pickup lines at each other. I would love to just go on a random shopping spree with him or mess around in a park in the middle of the night. Where do I get a best friend like minho?

Hyunjin:

Another sweet child o’ mine, my fellow Pisces son. I relate to Hyunjin a lot on an emotional level since I feel like we’re both emotionally sensitive so I’ll say I have this similar people/affectionate type of love towards him. I want to watch those overly sappy and cheesy movies/dramas with and cry together when something bad happens. Also, you know that face he does when he thinks his face is bloated?? I swear to god I do that exact same face 24/7. he's an affectionate person imo so i think he would make a nice hug/cuddle buddy, heh. and we both have a thing for weird noises too Hyunjin is probably the member who I relate the most to and he’s sometimes such a mood.

Han:

oof, the ultimate bias wrecker. My love for Jisung is probably the affectionate kind of love and he is another member, who I admire. Jisung is quite deep and poetic person in my opinion and I’d love to discuss and write lyrics with him. I adore his positive and goofy personality and his shenanigans always make me giggle and lift up my mood. I sometimes just get distracted by him and then I find myself thinking “what an adorable bean you are”. He’s such a kind-hearted and sweet person, I just want to squish his cheeks and ruffle his hair. But sometimes I feel like he doesn’t really feel that confident about himself, so I would want to just comfort and support him. I want him to know he’s doing well, that he’s talented and he’s more than just the mood-maker of the group. I just want to cheer him up with my very shitty jokes and drag him to the nearest arcade. Yeah, I just want to be friends with Jisung and have a blast.

Felix:

Felix, my sweet sunshine baby boi, a precious puppy with a deep ancient God voice, I love him so much i might cry. Felix was my first skz bias and is now my second bias, so I do have a sort of special soft spot for him. I would say my love for him is a mix of affectionate and pure love. Felix is such a soft sweetheart and pure, I just want to hold and cuddle him. Like?? i just can’t imagine anything bad or nasty about him??? that boy just radiates sunshine and happiness ;_; Like I would just love to play video games and make goddamn vine references with him, that would be life.

Seungmin:

With Seungmin it’s friendship like love. I just see him as a good friend who I would have a blast hanging out with I lowkey wanna have a roast battle with him, don’t ask why i just do also, as a fellow myday, we two could just scream and fangirl about Day6 together lmao. me and seungmin singing more like screaming the lyrics to shoot me at 2am? sign me up. He’s such a cutie squish. Seungmin is kind of a mischievious person and he lowkey brings out the mischief in me too, so I kinda want to prank the other members with him lmao.

Jeongin:

Okay, Jeongin is not that much younger than me but he feels like a younger brother to me, so with him, it’s probably sibling-like love I would say. He’s so cute and precious and I just want to look after him and I’ll fight anyone who dares to corrupt this smol bean. I also lowkey want to have that friendly, sibling rivalry -like relationship with him, idk why. I want to make sure he’s doing well and offer my help if he needs it. Jeongin is such a pure baby and his smile is worth fighting for.

baby boy culture uwu

*sigh*

now,

this next part is gonna be the cheesiest thing ever and probably a bit cringy so you've been warned. bear with me and my feels

Changbin:

oh my god, where do I even start with seo changbin. I'm sure everyone and their ancestors know that my love for him is definitely romantic/true type of love. That boy makes my heart burst and I'm just so damn whipped. im so sorry but i must expose myself and admit that there is some sexual love here too sometimes cuz boi i've had some rather heated thoughts/dreams with bin, anYWAY BACK TO BEING SOFT I love that we share the same kind of aesthetic with all the "i love dark" stuff and wearing mostly black, but then actually being the softest. Since we both have had the thought of becoming a tattoo artist, it would be so cool to draw and design tattoos together! andthengetacoupletattoo I would want to spend time with him at the studio, bring him food and make sure he doesn’t overwork himself and even though I don’t know much about making music but I would love to help him with writing lyrics too. I would support and hype him all the way and make sure he’s healthy. I want to make sure he’s eating and resting properly. Also! Since I love the height difference between me and Bin, I just want to give him all my hoodies to see how smol and soft he would look in them!! I honestly just love everything he does, every little thing. His aegyo, his cute nose crunch, his adorable laugh, his smile, his fierce stage presence,…. I could go on forever. I want him to know he’s doing well and I want to be there for him. I want to have those random, sleepy 3am conversations with and hold each other close. I want ruffle and run my hands through his hair and boop is cute nose. I want to share soft kisses with him and kiss that jaw goddamit. I just can't properly put it into words how much I love Changbin and how much he means to me. I could honestly just spend hours talking about him and he just makes me go all ajdhshswg. This got rly long and it's very cheesy and cringy sorry. I just love Seo Changbin with all my heart ♡

so yeah, here it is then. this post is a goddamn mess tbh but so am i so 🤷

#jsdhdhs brb i im gonna hide #this turned out really cheesy #soph rambles #tag #tagged #stray kids #bang chan #kim woojin #lee know #seo changbin #hwang hyunjin #han jisung #lee felix #kim seungmin #yang jeongin

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twistedscandal · 6 years ago

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Title: Netflix and No Chill

Pairing: Bonnie Bennett/Kai Parker

Summary: Bonnie and her friends are supposed to be gathering at Lockwood Manor for Halloween to watch scary movies with Kai. What could possibly go wrong?

Warnings: None really. A little language.

A/N: I come from a long line of procrastinators, but this is ridiculous. The Vampire Diaries was still on the air when I started writing this. Then I thought I would revise it and post if for this year's bookai week on tumblr and I still didn't finish until now. So now I am posting a Halloween fic on the day after Thanksgiving. Shameful. I stopped watching the show during season five then picked back up for bonkai in season six then stopped again when I realized they were only going to continue to pay Bonnie dust, so I apologize for any details I may have gotten wrong. This fic contains vague spoilers for a couple of old movies.

It didn’t really surprise Bonnie that Halloween would be one of Kai’s favorite holidays and he had gone all out with the decorations. The pumpkin under Bonnie’s arm seemed to grow even heavier when she realized how unnecessary it was to have brought it. The winding driveway leading up to the front door was already littered with jack o lanterns. Each one bearing a different, grotesque carved expression. The front porch was covered with fake spiderwebs, cartoon cut outs of witches and skeletons posed in a variety of compromising positions. He had done his best to make Lockwood Manor look like a haunted house. Bonnie thought the outside of the house looked sufficiently spooky but knew it didn’t compare to the scariness of the monster currently dwelling inside.

The post it note stuck to the front door read, “Come on in” in Kai’s neat, blocky handwriting; a demented looking smiley face hastily drawn in the corner. Bonnie let herself into the Lockwood house, trying to ignore the general sense of unease that had been hovering over her all day. It was bad enough that they were even having a get together here in the first place but the fact that somehow, she was the only one whose schedule would allow her to get there first and get things set up left a sour taste in her mouth.

It had been a while since Bonnie and her friends had all been in the same room for reasons that weren’t life threatening, so Elena had suggested that with Halloween approaching, it would be a great time to get together and watch a bunch of scary movies. Horrible events that were confined to a screen and happening to other people seemed like a nice change of pace. Also, the thought of a get together that had almost zero potential to end in bloodshed was appealing.

There was one problem however, they didn’t really have anywhere to host said movie night. The dorm room was too small, casa Gilbert was no more and neither Bonnie or Caroline had stepped foot in their homes in over a year; there were too many memories of lost loved ones in the places they grew up to imagine going to either place for a party.

Not even the boarding house was a viable option. Stefan and Damon’s big, beautiful flat screen had been broken during some fight or other and they hadn’t bothered to buy another one to replace it. Neither of them watched a lot of tv anyway. Bonnie supposed that drunken housewives, cooking shows and whatever teenage love triangle tripe the CW was offering, didn’t have much appeal when you were over 100 years old.

There was a tv in Damon’s bedroom that he claimed he only used to “hate-watch” Grey’s Anatomy. Bonnie wondered if it really was hate-watching though, considering how misty-eyed Damon got when McDreamy bit it. That was all beside the point because there was no way Bonnie, Stefan, Caroline, Damon and Elena were all going to cram into Damon’s bedroom (can you say awkward) to watch movies anyway.

They were kind of stumped until Caroline suggested an alternative: “Why not just go to Kai’s place?” And by Kai’s place she meant Tyler’s. Kai had been squatting on the Lockwood property for so long that people had actually started referring to it as his. Bonnie had objected, but of course she had been unanimously overruled. There really weren’t any better choices and the Lockwood estate did have an actual home theater.

Apparently socializing with Kai was a small price to pay for cushioned seats and surround sound.

Bonnie was less than thrilled about the situation but determined not to let having to be around Kai ruin the evening.

She made her way to the kitchen, put down the pumpkin, shrugged out of her coat and began to unpack the grocery bag she’d brought with her. She laid tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos, cilantro and a couple of limes on the island and got a cutting board off the counter. She searched around for a bowl and found one in the cabinet over the stove. Bonnie stretched up onto the tips of her toes and had just about gotten her finger hooked over the edge of the bowl when it suddenly seemed to move further back out of her reach.

Bonnie leaned further in and just when she got her hand on the bowl, once again it seemed to move closer to the back of the cabinet. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Stop it, Kai.”

“I’m not doing anything.” Kai appeared so suddenly that Bonnie wondered if he had cloaked himself and been standing there watching her all the while. He had perfected the art of casually draping himself in doorways and there he stood, his hair damp, his chest bare and a black t-shirt thrown over his shoulder.

Bonnie turned to face him full on. “I know you moved that bowl out of my reach.”

“Come on, Bonnie,” Kai said attempting and failing to look innocent. “Do I seem like the kind of person to engage in that sort of pointless and immature behavior?”

“Yes, Kai. You seem exactly like that sort of person because you are exactly that sort of person.”

“Don’t be like that. I was just having a little fun and I don’t see what the big deal is anyway. You do remember that you’re a witch, right? You could have floated the stupid thing right into your hands.”

“Yeah, well not all of us witches are powerful coven leaders with magic to spare.”

“You’re a Bennett. I seriously doubt that moving a bowl would tire you out.” Kai scoffed.

“Whatever. My Grams taught me that it was a waste of energy to use magic for anything that I could do like a normal person.”

Kai gave Bonnie an incredulous look. “That’s terrible advice. You’re not normal; you’re extraordinary. Try acting like it and you might actually have some fun once in a while.”

Bonnie ignored Kai, turning her back to him while she made another grab for the bowl.

“You are the most hard headed person I’ve ever met in my life.” Kai slid in behind Bonnie and reached over her to pull the bowl down from the cabinet.

Bonnie’s breath caught in her chest as she felt his body move against hers. For just a moment something in her brain went sideways and she wondered what it might feel like to lean back onto Kai’s muscular frame; to let herself be overwhelmed by the warmth of his body and the clean soapy smell emanating from his skin. The moment passed as quickly as it came though and her common sense clicked back into place as she elbowed Kai in the stomach. “Are you even vaguely familiar with the concept of personal space?”

The bowl clanged against the counter as Kai unceremoniously dropped it from his hand. “Are you familiar with the concept of saying thank you?”

“As if I would ever thank you for anything.” Bonnie grabbed a knife and began chopping tomatoes. She watched Kai out the corner of her eye, thankful as he finally shrugged into his t shirt and pulled it down over his torso.

He leaned against the island, his dark blue eyes locked on Bonnie. “So, you’re the only one here?”

“Do you see anybody else?”

“The rest of the scooby gang is actually coming though, right?”

“Of course they are. Why would you even ask me that?”

“I’m just trying to make sure that I’m not being lured into some type of Netflix and chill situation.”

Bonnie knew that she shouldn’t be, but she was continuously amazed by some of the nonsense that made its way out of Kai’s mouth. “First of all, ew. Second of all, what the hell would you know about Netflix and chill?”

“Call it whatever you want, but inviting someone over under the pretense of watching a movie just so you can get them alone in a dark room and start making moves is a tale as old as time. I’m sure there was some Neanderthal back in the day trying to get a woman to come over for cave drawings and chill.”

“Elena and Damon are at the grocery store getting more snacks.”

Kai’s eyebrows shot straight up. “You’re letting those two be in charge of the food? Don’t be too surprised if they show up with nothing but a bag of gummy bears, a few pints of o-negative and a gallon of bourbon. What about vampire Barbie and Ken? Where are they?”

“If you’re talking about Stefan and Caroline, he’s picking her up from Whitmore. She has a late class on Fridays. They should all be here in a little while. You and I will not be alone and your virtue, such as it is, shall remain intact.”

Kai made a dramatic show of rolling his eyes. “Bummer.” A hint of a smile danced around his lips. “I’ll be right back.” He bounced out of the kitchen, humming to himself.

Bonnie resumed chopping tomatoes and wondered if that was going to be the new normal for her interactions with Kai. Ambiguous (and potentially sinister) hovering had been replaced with flagrant (and terrible) attempts at flirting.

Kai returned to the kitchen a few moments later. He took a couple of beers out of the fridge and opened them; he put one bottle down in front of Bonnie as he took a long drink from the other. “What are you making?”

“Salsa.”

“I’ve heard that there’s places called grocery stores where they sell salsa already made in jars.”

“Do you really want to be a smart ass while I have this knife in my hand?”

Kai ignored Bonnie’s threat. “Want some help?”

“No.”

Kai washed his hands then grabbed another knife from the butcher’s block. He stood beside Bonnie and began working on an onion.

Bonnie, understandably, was still somewhat wary of Kai with a sharp object in his hand, but after her initial apprehension passed they worked in a somewhat companionable silence. She thought it might not be so bad after all. Her friends would be there soon and then there would be four people to buffer the space between her and Kai. Damon especially always seemed quite eager to provide a barrier between Bonnie and Kai, both metaphorically and physically. All she had to do was hold on and hope that he could be quiet for just a little while longer.

“Hey, Bon.” Kai’s voice cut into Bonnie’s thoughts; she should have known him being quiet wasn’t going to last. “May I ask you a personal question?”

“If I say no, aren’t you just going to ask me anyway?”

“You know me so well. How come you and Dudley Do Right never hooked up?”

“Why do you keep calling him that? You know his name is Matt.”

Kai stared at Bonnie as though she had said something ridiculous. “And you know that I don’t care. Stop trying to change the subject.”

“There is no subject because I never agreed to have this conversation in the first place.” Bonnie put down her knife and looked at Kai, curiosity getting the better of her. “Why do you want to know anyway?”

Kai shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just curious. He’s around. You’ve known him forever. You’re hot. He’s hot.”

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at Kai. “You think Matt is hot?”

“I’m very comfortable with who I am so I’ve got no problem saying another guy is attractive. Young Matthew is quite handsome; in a bland, generic, Sears catalog model kind of way.”

“How is it that even your compliments manage to be insults?”

“Just one of my many God given talents.”

“I doubt that God has anything to do with any of your so-called talents.”

“I can’t really argue with that. Now let’s get back on topic, Bonbon. Do you not think Matt is cute or were you worried you two would bore each other into a coma?”

“I don’t know.” Bonnie said while shrugging her shoulders. “I guess I’ve always thought of Matt in a brotherly way. Not to mention the fact that he and Elena were attached at the hip for as long as I could remember. Even after they broke up it was hard not to think of him as her boyfriend. Then he was with Caroline and had that thing with Rebekah. After that….” Bonnie voice trailed off.

Kai leaned in closer. “What?” Bonnie shook her head and looked away. “Come on, tell me.”

“I don’t know.” Odd as it was, it felt good to finally voice her feelings out loud. Kai obviously would not have been her first choice for a confidante but at the very least she knew she could tell him anything, he wouldn’t judge and wouldn’t share it with anyone else.

“Matt’s a great guy but there’s never really been any kind of spark between us and even if there had been, I’m not interested in being anyone else’s second or third or in Matt’s case, fourth, choice. Been there, done that and it wasn’t a whole lot of fun. The next relationship I’m in I need to know that I’m not somebody’s consolation prize because they wanted someone else and settled for me. I need to be somebody’s first choice.”

Kai was silent for a moment. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Again, even if I say no, you’re just going to keep talking anyway.”

Kai shot a couple of finger guns in Bonnie’s direction. “Exactly.”

“In that case sure,” Bonnie said, her voice dripping with fake enthusiasm. “I’d love to hear a secret.”

“I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”

“Shocking.” Bonnie responded in a deadpan tone.

“I know right. These boyish good looks and devilish charms, I should have been beating the ladies off with a stick.”

Bonnie wondered if her sarcasm had truly gone over Kai’s head or if he was simply choosing to ignore it. “Not what I meant, at all, but okay.”

“My father tried to keep it under wraps for as long as he could but by the time I was fourteen word was out amongst the coven that I was a magical dud and a budding sociopath to boot, so none of those girls were exactly beating a path to my door. Combine that with dear old dad’s insistence that the family not fraternize with outsiders and that added up to a very empty social calendar for yours truly.”

“So, you never went out with anybody? You didn’t have any friends?”

“Not really. Sometimes I used to sneak into town. As useless and unbearable as I found most of the other kids in the coven, I’ve got to admit that nobody can conjure up a better fake ID than a bunch of bored, repressed teenage witches. And it’s not like we were going to snitch on each other. We all snuck into town. The atmosphere in the coven was suffocating; I wasn’t the only one that needed to get out and breathe every once in a while. Wouldn’t have really mattered if I got caught anyway. I was already a lost cause in my dad’s eyes. I didn’t have anything to lose.”

Kai fell silent as a faraway look crept into his eyes. It was almost like he had forgotten Bonnie was even still in the room; like his mind had gone somewhere else entirely.

“Kai?” Bonnie spoke hoping to jar him from his thoughts.

He sparked back to life. “Anyway, it was nice to get out and talk to people that didn’t know. Hadn’t already decided what I was and what I wasn’t. Sometimes it was just enough to be around somebody that didn’t flinch if I tried to touch them.”

Despite her best efforts, Bonnie sometimes felt herself softening towards Kai. At the very least she felt sorry for the person he could have been had he been born with his own magic or born into a family that could have loved him and taught him to love himself without it. Her sympathy however dissipated quickly when she recalled the look in his eyes as he had stabbed her.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Right. My point was that I’ve never had a real relationship before, so if I have one whoever I’m with would be my first choice.” He shyly dropped his eyes a way from hers. “My only choice.”

Awkward, Bonnie thought to herself. She hoped Kai wasn’t expecting some sort of response from her because she was literally speechless. She had given up on pretending that Kai didn’t have some sort of weird thing for her but that didn’t mean she was willing to discuss it with him or anyone else anytime soon.

Bonnie looked away from Kai to check her phone. It had been more than enough time for one of the couples coming to have shown up by now. Not only had no one come, she hadn’t gotten any messages or calls either. “Where are they? I wonder if something happened.”

“Please if something happened to any of them they would have already called you begging for help by now, wouldn’t they?”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right, but still maybe- “

“Maybe nothing,” Kai said cutting Bonnie off. “Your friends have the attention spans of rabid billy goats; anything could be distracting them. I say we finish making what is sure to be some very delicious salsa, grab some chips, go downstairs and start on our first movie. I’m sure they’ll be here soon enough.”

***********************************

Bonnie and Kai were settled into the reclining seats with chips, Bonnie’s salsa, a bowl of popcorn and a big bag of Twizzlers sitting on the seat between them. Kai had insisted on dimming the lights for an authentic movie watching experience, so the only real light in the room was emanating from the screen.

It came as no surprise whatsoever that Kai was the type to talk through movies.

“I’m confused.”

“About what?”

“Are we not supposed to know that the boyfriend is the killer?”

“Really, Kai? This movie has only been on for twenty minutes. You’re not supposed to say who the killer is.”

“But I am right, aren’t I? Besides it’s not like I’m spoiling it for you. I’m the one that’s never seen this before.”

“That’s not the point. Will you be quiet?”

“If they don’t want you to guess the killer right away, they could have been a little subtler. I mean look at him. The greasy hair, the chock full of crazy eyes. I know a sociopath when I see one.”

“Well you know what they say. Takes one to know one.”

“Exactly.”

“Please shut up.”

***********************************

The first movie had ended and still Elena and Damon nor Caroline and Stefan had shown up yet. Bonnie had tried calling all of them and had only been able to get their voice mails.

“Knowing them you know what they’re probably doing.”

“What are you talking about Kai?”

He wiggled his eyebrows in suggestive manner. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Let’s start another movie.”

Amazingly Kai was able to remain quiet until the end of the second movie. “I knew he was dead all along.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“You’re right, they got me pretty good with that one. People must have freaked out back in the day.”

************************************

By the time the third movie started Kai’s chatterbox tendencies had rubbed off on Bonnie. “You do realize that these movies make absolutely no sense. Mrs. Vorhees goes on a murderous rampage to avenge Jason’s death in the first movie, right?”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, Jason goes on a murderous rampage to avenge her death in all the rest of the movies.”

“Do you have a point, Bonnie?”

“If Jason wasn’t dead what was Mrs. Vorhees so pissed off about in the first place? If he was dead, how did he come back to life? Is he a ghost? A zombie? Every single movie other than the first one is utter nonsense because they ruin the entire premise of the series.”

“I. . .” Kai opened his mouth and then immediately closed it again. For the first time since Bonnie met him he had been rendered speechless. “I’ll be damned. I grew up watching these and I never even thought about that. Stop trying to ruin my childhood.”

***********************************

Bonnie awoke with a start. It took a minute for her to get her bearings and remember where she was. She sat up slowly, the odd angle she’d fallen asleep at had caused a crook in her neck. The room was mostly dark as the last movie that she and Kai had been watching had long since ended. She checked the time on her phone and was surprised to see that it was just after midnight. Clearly, her friends had never shown up. She wanted to be more concerned, but it wasn’t like this was the first time they’d ditched her with no warning.

Bonnie looked over at Kai. He was turned sideways in his seat with his cheek against the headrest. She was taken aback at how young and innocent he looked. She supposed even the devil himself might look harmless while sleeping. She reached across the seat between them and shook his arm. “Kai, wake up.” When she got no response, she stood up and went closer; leaning over him and poking his shoulder.

Kai suddenly jolted awake, the contents of the half empty soda can in his hand splashing up onto Bonnie’s shirt in the process. He started apologizing immediately. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Calm down. I know it was an accident.” Bonnie was surprised by the horrified look on Kai’s face. She wondered where this sort of apologetic energy had been after he’d shot her with an arrow.

Bonnie grabbed a napkin and started dabbing at her shirt, but it wasn’t doing her much good. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“I always keep a change of clothes in my car.” Life in Mystic Falls had taught Bonnie to be prepared for anything. “I’m just gonna grab a clean shirt.”

Kai followed behind Bonnie as she left the room. “It’s not that bad, is it? You don’t need to leave.”

“It’s cold and it’s sticky.”

“You can just wear something of mine.” Kai almost seemed to be pleading with her to not go outside.

“What is your problem? I’m not leaving, okay. I’ll come back.” And as much as the words leaving her mouth surprised her, Bonnie also knew that she meant them wholeheartedly. She didn’t want to leave. Despite herself she’d been having the best time she’d had in a while and genuinely did not want the night to end.

“I’ll grab a fresh shirt, come back and we can start another movie. Why don’t you go ahead and start up Nightmare on Elm Street and I can tell you all the things wrong with it too? It’ll be fun.”

“Sure.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

“Bonnie, wait.”

“What?”

“I just want to say that I had a really good time with you tonight.”

“Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye? I told you I’m coming back.”

“I know.”

Bonnie shook her head. “Weirdo.” She made a detour through the kitchen to grab her keys off the counter before making her way outside. As soon as she reached her car, her phone started going crazy.

Kai was leaning against the kitchen counter when Bonnie re-entered the house. “You know, I would have expected better from a mega powerful coven leader.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Bonnie had to admit that Kai’s poker face was world class. If she didn’t know for a fact what he had done his innocent act would have been quite effective.

“I’m talking about the fact that if you had extended the boundary of your spell just a few more feet down the driveway it would have taken me much longer to figure out what you’d done.”

“Still don’t have a clue.”

“Is this really how you want to play it? As soon as I stepped foot outside my phone started ringing. I have dozens of text messages and missed calls. Caroline, Stefan, Damon and Elena have been trying to get in touch with me all night. First, their cars wouldn’t start.”

“That sounds like a problem for Triple A. Don’t know what it has to do with me though.”

“In addition to their cars not starting, they’re bound where they are. Physically incapable of walking more than five feet away from where they are.”

“That’s crazy but strange things happen in this town all the time, am I right?”

“It was a spell Kai. A spell powerful enough to keep four supernatural beings in two different locations rooted to the spots they were standing on. How do you explain that?”

“So, it was a spell. It’s not like I’m the only other witch that’s ever blown through this one-horse town.”

“You’re not the only witch, but you’re the only one that would have done this.”

“Are you kidding? The Mystic Falls Scooby gang has collectively probably made enemies on every continent across the globe. Your bestie Damon alone can’t go two seconds without pissing somebody off. The list of people that might want to ruin their nights isn’t exactly short.”

“You can’t even do me the courtesy of just admitting what you’ve done?” Kai continued to stare at Bonnie, his arms crossed over his chest; his face completely blank. “I don’t know why I bother. I thought we were having a—" She stopped short realizing what she was about to say and pulling the words back into her mouth.

“Go ahead and finish. You thought we were having a good time and that’s because we were.” Kai stepped around the kitchen counter, closing the gap between Bonnie and himself. “Maybe I just wanted an opportunity to be alone with you and show you that I’m not some completely irredeemable monster. Maybe I wanted to be given half as much of a chance as you give everyone else. So maybe I bounced the cell phone signal away from this house. Maybe I bound those idiot friends of yours to the ground they were standing on, so they couldn’t leave.”

“So, you’re finally owning up?”

“I’m owning nothing. I’m just saying maybe I did those things.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I didn’t.”

“You are so full of shit, Kai.”

“I can tell you one thing I definitely didn’t do. I didn’t do anything to make you stay. You weren’t bound in any way shape or form. None of your friends showed up and you were free to leave at any point, but you didn’t. You sat with me all night watching a bunch of dumb scary movies for no other reason except that you wanted to. There was no trick to it. You were genuinely enjoying my company more than you thought you would and more than you want to admit. I think that’s the part that probably pisses you off the most.”

Bonnie opened her mouth but closed it just as quickly. She was at a loss for a comeback because she couldn’t honestly deny anything Kai had just said. She would have been able to feel it if he had worked any magic against her and there had been nothing. They had laughed and talked, watched movies and taken a nap and she would have come back for more, if only he hadn’t done what he’d done.

This was all a little more than Bonnie was willing or able to process at the moment. “I’m out of here.” Bonnie grabbed her coat off the counter and stalked towards the living room. She turned back to look at Kai one last time before walking out the door. He was leaning back against the kitchen counter, arms dangling loosely by his sides. The air of defeat around him was almost palpable. She paused for a moment almost subconsciously willing him to say something, but he remained silent.

As the door shut behind her, she faintly heard Kai’s voice. “Happy Halloween, Bonnie.”

#bonkai #bonkai fiction #bookai2k18

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i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend · 7 years ago

Text

Missed Connections ~ Steve Rogers x Reader College!AU (Part 3/7)

A/N: Hi my lovelies! Okay, first off thank you so much for all of the love especially on the last chapter of Missed Connections. I haven’t gotten a chance to respond to you yet, but I have read all the comments and I’m soo soo grateful. Also, I’m pretty sure I got everyone who asked to be tagged but if I missed you I’m super sorry. Just shoot me an ask or a message or comment that you want to be tagged and I’ll add you. I am still working on Primary Colors. The chapter is being a bit stubborn and this story just started writing itself so I figured i”d share. I really love this part so I hope you enjoy it as well.

Summary: Second semester is a bit disappointing to start off with. But maybe things will start looking up. (This is a crap summary. I apologize.)

Characters/Pairings; Eventual Steve x Reader, Bruce, Betty, Thor, Sam, Scott, Clint, Tony, Pepper, Nat, Wanda :D

Rating: T (language? maybe)

Warnings: A little bit of self doubt on the reader’s part

Word Count: 2303

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

“So we’ve officially covered everything that’s fair game on the exam,” Bruce said triumphantly.

You and Betty cheered.

“I vote, we take a thirty minute break. Let our brains revive themselves. And then do another round of review before we call it a night,” Betty suggested.

“I think that’s a fabulous idea,” you agreed.

“Sounds good to me.”

Bruce shut his textbook and pulled off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes.

“I’m going to grab some more food. Do you guys want anything?” Betty offered.

“I’m good.”

“No thanks.”

“Alright. Back in a few.”

Once she was out of earshot, you slid over next to Bruce.

“You guys seem to be hitting it off.”

“What are you talking about? We’ve just been studying?”

“The lingering glances. Her laughing at your lame science jokes.”

He held his hand to his heart as though he were wounded. “I thought you loved my lame science jokes.”

You laughed and nudged his shoulder.

“Love, sure. Actually find funny?” you grimaced and he rolled his eyes. “But seriously you should ask her to hang out after the exam..”

“And you should take your own advice.”

“I would if I ever saw him this semester. There’s been literally zero sign of him. I’ve seen his friends plenty of times, but… maybe he went abroad last minute.”

Bruce shook his head.

“No, he didn’t. He’s in my orgo 2 lecture.”

Surprisingly that didn’t buoy your spirits all that much. You were nervous he was avoiding you.

“Come on,” you urged. “At least one of us should get our love connection this semester.”

Before you could go too far down that rabbit hole Betty returned with a plate of chicken fingers and you could no longer ignore your hunger.

“Okay, I take it back. I want food. I’ll be back.”

You climbed out of the booth and grabbed your ID and phone before hurrying into line.

You wanted to give Betty and Bruce as much alone time as possible so you started looking for someone you could sit with for the time being. That was when you spotted Thor and Sam in a booth just inside the doors.

“Hey fellas, mind if I sit with you for a bit?”

“Y/n!” Thor boomed. In your few encounters you had figured out he was typically happy to see everyone. “Of course.”

He slid over so you could sit. You smiled at Sam and their other friend.

“Hi, I’m y/n.” You smiled.

“Scott. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

You arched an eyebrow at the word “finally” and Sam elbowed him in the ribs.

“I said finally. I meant it’s just nice to meet you. You seem like a really cool person. From your appearance.”

“Real smooth,” Sam snarked, rolling his eyes.

“So how’s the semester treating you guys?” You asked as you tried to hide your smile because obviously the guys talked about you.

Scott and Sam shrugged, but Thor groaned.

“It’s already kicking my ass. What about you?”

“Drowning. I had a chem exam Monday and I have a bio exam tomorrow. But hey, that’s what I signed up for.”

You leaned around the back of the booth so you could watch your friends. Betty was giggling at something Bruce had said and he was attempting to look cool.

“Trying to avoid someone?” Sam asked as he tried to see who you were looking at.

“No. My friend Bruce has a crush on this girl in our bio class who just so happens to be my lab partner. So I invited her to study with us and now we’re taking a break so I’m trying to stay scarce for as long as possible.”

“And here I thought you were just wanted to spend some time with us,” Thor teased.

“I mean that’s just a bonus,” you informed him as you smiled sweetly.

“I was hoping you’d say that. I’m having a party at my apartment tomorrow night. Do you want to come?”

The prospect was a bit daunting and you hesitated.

“You can bring your friends of course,” he said quickly. “The more the merrier.”

“Okay. Maybe. I’ll talk to my friends.”

He grinned broadly.

“Alright. Here, why don’t you give me your number and I’ll text you the details.”

You opened up a new text message and handed over your phone to Thor so he could text himself while you chatted with Scott and Sam. Conversation was easy, and you quickly lost track of time. You would have stayed talking to them until Late Night closed, but Bruce texted you rapid fire to get your attention.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll see you guys later.”

“See ya.”

“Good luck on your exam.”

“Come out tomorrow night and celebrate,” Sam suggested with a wink.

“I’ll try and swing by,” you promised. “Good night.”

You quickly rejoined your friends and returned to studying. Bruce and Betty called it around midnight but you continued studying until Late Night closed at two.

As you eyed the mountain of stuff you had to get back to your room, you silently cursed yourself from not bringing your backpack down earlier. You had made so many small runs up to your room for studying materials that you couldn’t really carry it all.

“Need a hand?”

Your eyes widened in surprise when you looked up and found Steve standing there with a hesitant expression. You were going to refuse but then your laptop slipped off the top of the stack and he snatched it before it could smash on the ground.

“That’d be great. Thanks,” you conceded, handing over your textbook.

Tucking the multitude of colored pens into the front pocket of your hoodie, you shoved the loose papers into the front of your notebook and hugged the stack of them to your chest.

“All set?”

You nodded and fell in step beside him.

“Bio exam tomorrow?”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

“Do you have Fury?” he asked as you walked towards the elevators.

“Yeah. He’s super intimidating. I think it’s the eye patch.”

“It’s definitely the eye patch,” he agreed with a snort. “And the leather duster. Are Phil and Maria still TAing?”

You nodded as you stepped inside the elevator. “I have Phil for discussion. He��s the best.”

“Absolutely,” Steve agreed leaning against the opposite wall. “You should try to go to his office hours all the time if you can. He has the coolest gadgets.”

“I already do. I’m convinced he’s really a spy,” you confided with a giggle.

“I completely agree. One time he actually kicked open the door and tactical rolled into office hours.”

“No he didn’t,” you gasped.

“Cross my heart,” he grinned.

“Oh my god. That is too funny.”

The elevator doors slid open on your floor and you sighed. You wished you had more time. He walked you all the way to your door, waiting patiently while you fished out your keys. You silently pushed open your door and dumped your notebooks on your desk before turning back to Steve and taking your textbook and laptop back from him.

“Thanks for your help,” you smiled and bit your lip.

He grinned and scratched behind his ear.

“Any time. Good luck on your exam.”

“Thanks.”

You both hesitated, before he mumbled, “Good night.”

“Good night.”

You slipped into your room and locked the door leaning up against it for a moment, before swearing under your breath.

“Shit. I still didn’t introduce myself.”

“So what did you guys think?” you asked as the three of you walked out of the exam.

“I feel really good. I didn’t leave any blank so that’s a plus,” Betty reported as she tucked her pen into the front pocket of her backpack.

You looked to Bruce for his answer.

“About the same. There wasn’t anything off the wall.”

“Agreed. I’m just glad that and chem are over and I can actually enjoy the weekend.”

Betty nodded excitedly.

“Any fun plans?”

“I actually got invited to a party tonight. Do you guys wanna come?”

Bruce shuffled his feet slightly.

“We’re actually going to First Friday at the Science Museum.”

“They’re having a robot dance off before they open the floor for a massive party,” Betty elaborated.

You couldn’t help but grin at them. You did manage to refrain from squealing.

“It sounds like a blast. I hope you guys have fun.”

“I think we will,” Betty smiled before glancing at her watch. “Oh crap. I’m going to be late for work. I’ll see you guys later.”

“I’ll pick you up at 6:30,” Bruce told her.

“Looking forward to it.”

You waved until she was out the doors and then you gave in, squealing and flailing at Bruce.

“Yay! I’m so excited for you.”

“I’m so nervous. What if I screw it up?”

“You’re not going to screw it up. It’s going to be great. I’m so proud.”

He rolled his eyes and tugged on the straps of his backpack. “Come on, we have to meet the others for lunch.”

You practically skipped towards the dining hall tugging Bruce behind. He was outright laughing at your enthusiasm by the time you sat down with the others.

“I really wasn’t expecting this amount of giddiness just because I’m going to the Science Museum.”

“With the girl you’ve been crushing on,” you pointed out with a smirk.

“That’s neither here nor there,” he spoke noncommittally. “Besides. I asked my crush out. That means it’s your turn. You have to talk to him.”

“Well she already has. Late last night,” Pepper smirked as she sipped her coffee.

“What does that mean?” Tony asked, looking up from his notebook where he was scribbling down his latest idea.

You thought you had been quiet enough to avoid waking Pepper, but her knowing look told you that you were wrong.

“Well, y/n, was walked back to our room by a certain someone we all technically don’t know.”

“And you didn’t text us immediately?”

“I’ve been busy. I needed sleep. I had an exam,” you drew out the last word pointedly.

“And now you’re done so you can spill,” Wanda concluded with a grin.

Knowing they weren’t going to let it go and honestly still being giddy about it, you rapidly recounted the journey from the dining hall to your room. It wasn’t terribly exciting in retrospect but you still beamed at the memory. After the gushing wrapped up Clint shook his head at you.

“I can’t believe you didn’t give him your number.”

“Technically she didn’t even give him her name,” Nat smirked at you and you stuck your tongue out in reply.

“He didn’t give me his either!” you argued.

“That doesn’t make anything better.”

“At least we had a full conversation. That’s progress.”

“True. But I think it’s time to kick it up a notch. And Thor’s party is the perfect opportunity.”

“Sit still or I’m going to poke your eye out,” Nat warned as you fidgeted for the thousandth time as she put the finishing touches on your make up.

Despite your rapidly mounting nerves, the afternoon had been fun. All four of you were going out that night, so you spent the time getting ready together. Wanda had left for her anniversary dinner with Viz an hour earlier. And Tony had come to pick up Pepper for Rhodey’s award ceremony shortly thereafter leaving you with Nat.

“Are you sure you’re not going overboard? This feels like a lot of makeup. I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t question my makeup skills because I love you.” She smirked as she took a step back to admire her work. “Perfect.”

She held up the mirror so you could look at your reflection and you were pleasantly surprised. What had felt like a lot of makeup was really just touches here and there to enhance your features.

“You’re a knockout. Now it’s time for the finishing touch.”

She walked over to your closet and pulled out the black knee high boots you had bought on a whim during fall semester.

“I’m not wearing the boots, Nat.”

“Yes, you are. They make the outfit. Besides, you sass walk when you were them.”

“What does that even mean?” you snorted.

“It means you sway your hips, and make your ponytail swing. It’s hot. People notice when you do it.”

“Really?” you asked and your voice was way more hopeful than you wanted it to be.

“You’re not nearly as invisible as you think you are, sweetheart,” she said softly stroking your cheek. “Now, put on the damn boots.”

You chuckled and took the boots and zipped them up over your skinny jeans. You glanced at your reflection in the full length mirror on the back of your door.

Nat looked over your shoulder.

“You look like you want to puke.”

She wasn’t wrong; your stomach was queasy.

“I’m so nervous,” you admitted moving to sit on your bed.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s just a party.”

“It’s my first college party,” you reminded her. “And I’m going by myself.”

“Only for a little while. Clint and I will be there as soon as the meeting is over.”

“Are you sure I don’t need to be there?” you asked for the sixth.

“I’m positive. E-board only. We’re just finalizing numbers. The real work will start next week. Come on. Clint and I will get you on the shuttle.”

“I can do this,” you mumbled as you pulled on your peacoat and double checked your purse.

“Yes, you can.”

True to her word Nat and Clint, waited for the shuttle with you, making sure you got on. They also made you promise to text them when you got there and you resisted the urge to call them mom and dad.

A/N: So there you go. I’m super excited for what’s coming up. I have the ending planned out but there’s lots more fun and shenanigans to come. I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks so much for reading. Feedback is lovely! Mwah!

#Steve Rogers #steve rogers fic #steve rogers x reader #College!Au #Missed Connections #partidos

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allenmendezsr · 5 years ago

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Lawn Business Success Course

New Post has been published on https://autotraffixpro.app/allenmendezsr/lawn-business-success-course/

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My Friends Laughed, and my Family Thought I was “Crazy” When I Quit my Great Job to Start a Lawn Business….

…Until Three Years Later, When I Sold my Lawn Business for a Very fat Check!!

Give me 11 minutes and I’ll show you how you can build your own extremely successful lawn business.

Dear Friend,

I’ve been in your shoes before! At the beginning of 2003, I decided it was time for me to quit my job. I’ll be honest; it wasn’t an easy decision. I wasn’t stuggling at my job, I was actually doing very well.

I had a job as an “account executive” (a glorified title for a sales rep). I was 24 years old and making over $50,000 per year. My schedule was great – Monday through Friday from 8-5. I was off every single weekend. Why did I want to quit?

I was Tired of Having Someone Tell me When to be at Work, and Telling me how Many Days per Year I Could Take off!

I wanted more FREEDOM! Maybe, you understand the way I felt. I felt trapped. I longed for freedom. Not freedom from a challenge. I simply wanted to control my own schedule.

I took Nike’s advice. I just did it. I went to my boss and told him I’d be quitting in two weeks. He was mad! But not as “mad” as my parents were. My boss was mad because he was losing his #1 salesperson. My parents were mad because they paid for half my college education, and now in their opinion, I was wasting my life by starting a lawn business.

Honestly, that wasn’t the worst part. What made it worse was all my friends telling me I was crazy and laughing at me for my “foolish” idea. But all their criticism and joking made me that much more determined to make my lawn business successful.

But After a Full Year in Business, I was Struggling to pay the Bills…

Two years prior to opening my lawn business I graduated from college with a degree in Business Management and Marketing. I tried implementing several of the “techniques” I had learned in college. But every “technique” I tried seemed to fail, and brought me closer to proving my friends and family correct.

“From Employee to Successful Lawn Business Owner!“ I went from working a dead end job to owning my very own lawn business. This is by far the best course available, anywhere! David Bloomington,IL

If something didn’t change soon, I’d have to admit “they”(my friends and family) were right, and go get another “real” job. But I had no idea what to do. No idea who to trust for advice. No idea if I would survive.

Out of the blue a friend suggested that I call her cousin who owned what she called a “very successful lawn business.” I had nothing to lose, so I gave him a call. He agreed to meet with me and give me advice on how to get my small, struggling lawn business off life support.

When the appointed day came, I drove over 150 miles one way to meet with him. I remember thinking on my way there that if he didn’t give me some revolutionary advice, I was going to close my lawn business.

I didn’t know anything about his lawn business or how “successful” it really was. But when I pulled into the parking lot, I knew his business had be to “very successful”!

As I turned into the parking lot, I noticed a nursery to the left, a gift shop straight in front of me, and a very large metal shop to the right. It appeared as if he didn’t just own a “successful” lawn business, but a very successful lawn empire.

“Fast Growth for Beginner!“ Thanks to the Lawn Business Success Course. I went from zero accounts to eight in only one month. I caught my competition off guard! Carlos Meza Beaumont,TX

After a brief introduction, my soon to be mentor wanted me to meet his vice president of lawn maintenance. After visiting with him for a few minutes, he wanted to introduce me to his vice president of landscaping. From there he wanted me to meet the gift shop manager, and then his landscape architect, and then his salesman/estimator.

After all these introductions, he took me on a tour of his facilities. I discovered he had over 40 full-time employees. His business was extremely successful. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold.

Honestly, I was Embarrassed When he Asked how Things Were Going With my Lawn Business!

In order to save myself some embarrassment I wanted to tell him things were going well, but I didn’t. I told him exactly how horrible things were. I even told him I was seriously considering closing the business. When I mentioned this, he appeared to find my struggle funny. He smiled and chuckled.

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I asked what was so funny. What he said over the next few minutes changed my life.

He told me he had faced the exact same problems when he first started. He said he had considered throwing in the towel several times. He went on to share all the struggles he had been through during the process of growing a multi-million dollar lawn business.

I’ll spare you all the gory details, but knowing all the problems he had faced made me feel much better about the few problems I was having with my lawn business. During the next several hours, he shared with me specific strategies to take my lawn business to the next level.

It was Like Someone Took the Blinders off…I was Able to see Solutions and Opportunities That I had Never Noticed Before.

My lawn business almost immediately starting making more money, thanks in part to the Central Nervous System.

Ever heard of the Central Nervous System? Don’t worry, I had never heard of it until meeting with this successful lawn company owner. In the Lawn Business Success Course I’ll show you how to create your very own Central Nervous System (this will help your lawn business grow faster than all your competition).

Many of the “impossible” problems seemed to disappear. Over the next two years my business grew from $25,000.00 in annual sales to $200,000.00. My friends and family couldn’t believe the “over-night” transformation.

During January of 2006, I decided that I was ready for a new challenge and adventure. I put my lawn business up for sale. Within a few weeks I had an offer I couldn’t refuse. Early in February of 2006 I took a large check to the bank and began looking for a new challenge.

This time I didn’t have to do much looking because the challenge came to me. Friends and people who I had never met began calling me and asking me to help them grow their businesses. I started working with lawn company owners all across the United States helping them start and grow their own successful lawn businesses.

“The Lawn Business Success Course is the best available.“ I purchased two other “how to start a lawn business” books before I bought this one. The Lawn Business Success Course is the hands down winner. I highly recommend it! Joseph Lontz Orlando, Florida

People offered me part ownership in their businesses just to help them take their business to the next level. I love the challenge of helping people take their lawn businesses to a level they never imagined possible.

All the one-on-one consulting resulted in a problem for me. TIME! I just don’t have enough time to work with everyone who wants my help on a one-on-one basis. That’s why I started this website, it provides me with a way to help more people.

Through this site you have exclusive access to the same materials my personal consulting clients use.

You can not and will not Find a Course More Effective Anywhere on the Internet!

Packed into the Lawn Business Success Course is everything you need to start and grow a VERY successful lawn business. Nothing has been left out. You get powerful strategies that are easy to follow, and can be implemented with little or no money.

What’s Inside

This complete lawn care guide includes five power-packed sections, full of strategies and tactics that will provide a strong foundation for you to build your lawn business on. This is the most up to date and useful information you can get anywhere, showing you the exact steps to take while starting and growing your lawn business.

Here’s what is in each section….

How to Start and Grow a Successful Lawn Business

How to name your lawn business so it helps build credibility for you (Even if you have no experience.)

Learn the one question that can double the lifetime value of each of your customers.

Discover how to put your lawn company on autopilot.

Learn what type of business you should establish.

Discover three powerful methods for giving estimates, and one that is sure to increase your profitability.

Learn where to find the most recent lawn industry news.

Understand the basics of lawn equipment and what you should look for.

Learn how to write an estimate that actually helps you get the job.

Find out how to schedule your time to maximize profits.

Discover secrets to improving your company image.

Six phone tips to increase the number of accounts you get.

Learn what to do in the cold winter months.

Discover the one principle that will not only change your lawn company, but also your life.

Lawn Business Marketing 101:

Discover why marketing your lawn business matters.

Learn the truth about lawn company marketing ,and how to stand out in a crowded market.

I’ll show you step-by-step how not to become a bottom feeder (someone fighting over $15.00 lawns).

Learn simple ways to attract more customers than you can handle.

Learn how to keep customers once you get them.

The why’s and how’s to track all your marketing and advertising.

Discover how to figure out who you are talking to, and how it will effect your profit.

I’ll reveal four key ingredients to all successful and effective advertising.

You’ll learn how to train your customers to become your free salesforce.

Why you must build a fence around your customers, and how it will drastically increase your profits.

Learn some outside-the-box lawn marketing strategies.

Learn how to determine if you are leaving money on the table, and how to get it if you are.

Discover exactly where you can find a ton of new target clients.

Residential Lawn Marketing Secrets:

Learn the “SECRETS” of residential lawn marketing.

Discover how you can present your estimate to land more accounts.

I’ll show you four correct steps to giving an estimate.

Learn a simple technique to get your clients to give you a testimonial.

Learn a simple technique to get referrals from your clients.

See why and how to train customers to tell others about your company.

Simple methods of getting your customers to advertise for you.

You’ll see how to drastically increase the number of prospects that become customers.

I’ll give you four letters that will turn your prospects into valuable customers.

You’ll also get four letters that will transform referrals into profitable customers.

Two special reports that will generate more business for your company…all you have to do is put your company name in the blanks.

Door hangers, postcards and flyers which will generate more business for you.

Powerful sales letters to send to target prospects that will instantly position you as an expert in their minds.

Commercial Lawn Marketing Secrets:

Learn the “SECRETS” of commercial lawn marketing.

Discover why what you’ve been doing is probably completely wrong.

I’ll tell you the truth about commercial clients.

Learn Five things that matter most to commercial clients.

I’ll reveal the four steps to getting more commercial clients.

Learn how to train clients to tell others about your company.

Learn how to get testimonials from your commercial clients.

Learn how to drastically increase the number of commercial prospects who become customers.

You’ll get four letters that will turn your commercial prospects into valuable customers.

You’ll also get four letters which will transform commercial referrals into profitable customers.

A special report that will generate more commercial business for your company…all you have to do is put your company name in the blanks.

How to instantly position your company as an expert in their minds.

Employee Resources:

A complete lawn company employee handbook.

An employment application designed to screen out people who don’t match your company.

Dress code policies.

Drug and alcohol policies.

Minor, major and critical offenses and how you’ll deal with them.

Vacation time, sick time, holiday time off.

Probationary periods.

How do employees qualify for promotions and pay increases.

Corrective discipline measures and when they will occur.

How employees will interact with customers.

Equipment and vehicle safety proceedures

Authorization for release of information.

If that isn’t enough….here is a little more of what’s inside:

You’ll learn the one mistake even experienced lawn company owners make that kills all their marketing efforts. In addition, learn how to use a simple, easy “adjustment” that will instantly increase the effectiveness of your marketing by 200% or more! (Imagine consistently getting prospects to call you, and having to turn away business!)

Learn how to master this marketing system in the shortest time possible. At the same time you drastically increase the lifetime value of each customer!

Why “beginners” are able to use this system to quickly surpass more experienced lawn company owners! Even if they don’t have any previous business experience! (In fact, the less you understand about what the “experts” try to tell you, the faster you’ll have more business than you can handle!)

How mailing one letter can drastically change your business forever! (Not one veteran lawn company owner in a thousand even suspects the potency of this simple letter!)

The one question that can double the life time value of each customer. It doesn’t require any special skill, you simply have to ask.

How to use the secrets of “unveiling” your customer’s maximum profit! (Traditional ideas rob you of this potential power – while this course will actually increase it two-fold!)

Why your new ads will cause your competition to shake their heads. Until they see you taking their customers from them! (I guarantee they’ll say you’re crazy, but it won’t be long before their customers want to switch to you!)

How answering simple questions will enable you to put your lawn company on autopilot. You’ll be free to work “on your business” instead of “in your business”! (Even if you’re just getting started, have no business experience, or don’t have any extra money to invest in your company!)

The truth behind the “Central Nervous System”-and why 99% of all lawn company owners completely blow it after they get their very first customer.

Learn how to instantly diagnose mistakes in your lawn company-so you’ll never continue on the wrong path! A complete “fail safe” system of correcting your business before it’s too late!

Marketing to existing customers- using letters already written-to increase your customer base 10 times faster!

How to appear as an “expert”! No matter how new you are to the lawn industry!

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Picking up Your Copy of the Ultimate Lawn Business Course Will be the Best Investment you Make all Year! Guaranteed!!

I know what you’re thinking! “Wow, Wayne you are offering a TON of insider techniques and strategies. The course must be really expensive.” It’s the first question that goes through people’s mind when they see all the powerful insider secrets included with the course. I’d be wondering how much I would have to invest as well.

I’m so confident this will be the best investment you make all year, I’m willing to give you an amazing guarantee.

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Order right now! You have nothing to lose? As soon as you place your order the course will be instantly downloadable, so you can read, save, and print the entire course from the comfort of your home.

Internet Security Note: When you click the “Add to Cart” buttom, you will be directed to our secure order form through Clickbank which looks like this:

Please order now if you would like the bonus book. This book will soon be sold separately for $37.00. However, for a limited time it is included for free.

Consider This: If you continue doing what you’ve been doing, you are going to continue getting what you’ve been getting. Go ahead and take action today. Take the first step toward the freedom you’ve always dreamed of.

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To Your Success.

Wayne Mullins LawnCompanySecrets.com

P.S. – Order right now, while you’re still reading. There’s no risk, no reason at all not to try this amazing course for yourself. Don’t let this chance to change your lawn company and your life slip you by!

P.P.S. – If you order today, you’ll get the free bonus section which includes powerful lawn contracts, lawn proposals, and collection letters. This two book is worth more than your entire investment in The Lawn Business Success Course. Grab your copy today before they’re all gone!

P.P.P.S. – Remember, I offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are not happy with the strategies and techniques found in this course, just send a simple email to me and I’ll refund every single penny back to your account. No questions asked!

“From Employee To Lawn Successful Lawn Business Owner!“ I went from working a dead end job to owning my very own company. This is by far the best course available anywhere! David Bloomington,IL

“Fast Growth For Beginner!“ Thanks to The Lawn Business Success Course I went from zero lawn accounts to eight in only one month. I caught my competition off guard! Carlos Meza Beaumont,TX

“The Ultimate Lawn Course is the best available.“ I purchased two other “how to start a lawn business” books before I bought this one. The Lawn Business Success Course is the hands down winner. I highly recommend it! Joseph Luther Orlando, Florida

For any questions or difficulties contact [email protected]

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adventuresaroundasia · 7 years ago

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After two years of working as a college counselor in Beijing (and over five years of living in China), I’m finally moving on. That’s right, my job is finished, and soon I’ll be leaving my cozy Beijing apartment for bigger and better things.

I know, I can’t believe it either. I never thought this day would come, and now it’s almost here. I know quitting my job and leaving China is a huge deal, not just for me but for this site as well. But it had to happen someday, and that day is… six weeks from now.

Pin Me!

Let Me Fill You In

Leaving my job in China is obviously bittersweet. On the one hand, I’m super excited to finally be able to travel as long as I want and work for myself without having to worry about round-trip tickets and vacation days. On the other hand, China has become my home, and I know many of you are a bit upset that I won’t be living here anymore.

Who wants another bland, professional travel blogger who hops nomadically from country to country, living in cheap digital nomad hotspots like Chiang Mai and Bali. We have enough of those, thank you very much.

So today I thought I’d talk a bit about all of the huge changes going on in my life to give you all a little insight into where this site is headed.

Why did I quit my job? What’s next for me? Will I still be writing about China? Where am I going? How am I going to survive without a full-time salary?

Well, read along folks, because this one will answer all your questions!

My first few weeks as a college counselor in China!

Why I Quit My Job in China

Well, first things first, I didn’t actually quit my job in China. My two-year contract as a college counselor expired and I personally chose not to renew it, much to the disappointment of my boss and coworkers. While working as a college counselor was an incredible experience (and a great way to pay off all of my student loans!!), it just isn’t my dream job.

I’ll be honest, working as a full-time college counselor while also managing this site AND creating a new teach abroad site was REALLY HARD. I was constantly stressed and exhausted. During admissions season I developed panic attacks, and I suffered from some hard-core FOMO whenever I was offered an incredible opportunity I couldn’t take because I had to be at work.

My story is the same as any other person who wants to start their own business without the capital to quit their full-time job. Side hustles are hard. Developing a new business with a full-time job is time-consuming and exhausting. I haven’t had the time or energy to fully devote to this blog because I’ve been too busy actually working at work.

It’s my hope that leaving my job as a college counselor will actually give me the time and energy I need to make the most of this site. For the last year and a half, my traffic has been pretty much stagnant. I struggle to crank out posts on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, and I’m not making as much money as I would’ve hoped by this point.

But now you finally have my full attention, and that’s super exciting!

Me over two years ago, finishing up my dissertation at the University of Nottingham in China

So… I’m Still Actually Working for My Job in China

Wow. So many over-exaggerations! Not only did I not quit my job, I’m actually STILL working for my old company part-time.

As much as I want to dive head-first into being a professional travel blogger, I’m also a little too responsible for my own good. I’m not a fan of having a low bank account balance or taking any financial risks, and I couldn’t bear to leave my students right at the start of admissions season either. So, I decided to sign a part-time contract with my college counseling job for the remainder of the admissions season.

This fall I will be helping my students craft and design their college admissions applications remotely via email and Skype. I’ll be paid for each final draft I help my students complete, as well as each hour I meet with them to chat. So far, this hasn’t been too much work, but I know things will ramp up when deadlines start approaching.

I’ll also be coming into the office 1-2 days a week throughout October and the first half of November. I’ll be meeting a ton of students back-to-back to prep them for upcoming application interviews (my specialty!), and I may also teach a few large classes on specific topics like interviewing, essay advice, etc. Thankfully my company is paying me pretty well for these meetings, and I’ve been working closely with my coworker to schedule them all as tightly as possible.

Exploring the Summer Palace’s Suzhou Street

Why I’m Leaving China

I’ll obviously write a full post on this later because there are many, many reasons why I can’t stay in China forever, (crowds, pollution, censorship, food safety, bureaucracy, and if I get bumped into one more time…) but there are a few major reasons I can quickly address here.

I Want to See the World

Firstly, there’s just so much of the world I want to see that I haven’t been able to explore because I’ve been living as a full-time expat in China. There are even some major parts of China I still haven’t been able to travel to, mainly because I only get Chinese holidays off from work, and I don’t necessarily want to go to Huangshan at the same time as 2 billion other Chinese tourists.

I know that if I was paying rent in China, I’d constantly feel guilty whenever I was on the road. Why am I wasting all of this money on an apartment I’m not even in?! I know there’s Airbnb and subletting, but to be honest, I’d rather just put all my stuff in storage and actually travel without worrying about an apartment.

Bye bye expensive apartment

Beijing’s Rent is Way Too Expensive

Seriously, I paid more for my room in a 5-bedroom apartment in Beijing than my friend Edna did for a room in Paris! Sure, I could easily move to a cheaper city like Xi’an, Chengdu, or Kunming, which might be an option in the future, but why do that when I could have my own villa in Bali for half of what I’m paying to share a room in a tiny rundown apartment by the Beijing Zoo.

China is Horrible for Digital Nomads

Two words: internet censorship. Sure, I can get around it using VPNs, but I’m SO TIRED OF IT. Did you know I have 6 VPNs?! Yep, while I usually use Express, I have five other VPNs as a backup. FIVE.

I’m sick and tired of just not being able to get on Instagram, or having to drain my 4G to load a Snap. If I can’t get my VPN to work I have zero access to my email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google, Snapchat, YouTube, GoogleDocs, Pinterest, and basically everything I need to actually do my job.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the Internet just worked? I’ve almost forgotten what that’s like.

Chillin’ with Mao in Tiananmen Square

I Need a Break From China

I love China. I just spent two weeks showing my parents around Beijing, Xi’an, and Yunnan. I had such a great time and even contemplated coming back to Yunnan for a month or more! I imagined myself picking out an apartment in Xi’an and possibly opening up a cute boutique hotel there (because for some reason Xi’an doesn’t have any boutique hotels).

China is incredible, but I need a freakin’ break! China is not the easiest place to live, and after 5 years, I just want some peace and quiet! I just need a break from the constant construction, crowds, pushing and shoving, oily food, pollution, and internet censorship.

I know I’ll be back, but for now, I need to take a breather so I can appreciate all of the good things about this incredible country without becoming the dreaded ‘Jaded China Bitch‘.

Big Adventures Ahead!

So… Where Are You Going?

With all of this free time comes the desire to pack it to the brim with adventures and travels. At one point I really thought I was going to show my parents around China in September, head to TBEX Ireland in October, travel around Ireland and UK, then go to WTM at the beginning of November, head to Africa in Mid-November, and Australia in December.

Oh my god. Not only would that completely drain all of the money I’ve saved up. I also wouldn’t have ANY time to actually work.

Thankfully I was able to put my foot down and give myself a solid 6 weeks for working here in Beijing. But come mid-November I will be traveling to Japan to work with the Mie Prefecture and spend two solid weeks hiking the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage trail! Then Chris and I will be exploring a few other major cities: Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo!

After that, I’ll be heading to Australia to celebrate Christmas with Chris’ family in Ben Lomond Australia, a tiny village in Australia’s New England. To be honest, some peace and quiet after a few years in China sounds like heaven.

Finally, I’ll be visiting my parents in Palm Desert California, and then I’m onto a friend’s wedding in Atlanta!

What’s Happening With Adventures Around Asia?!

Australia? The US? What’s going to happen now that you’ve left China?

I get it. I’ve actually had multiple people message me saying that they’re disappointed I’m leaving China. People have come to associate me with this country, which is actually incredible, but also a bummer for many people now that I’m leaving.

So, to answer all your questions and quell any worries, here’s what’s happening with Adventures Around Asia!

Hanging out at the summer palace

I’m Still Going to Write About China

I have so much content on China I could literally create a new site tomorrow and never run out of blog post ideas. Seriously. I almost wish this blog was only about China so that I could have the time and energy to fill it to the brim with useful China content, crazy stories, and detailed guides.

Even though I’m not living in China full-time, I’ll still be writing about China. I’ll still travel to China, I’ll still create awesome guides, and I’ll be sure to keep all my info up to date. The only thing that will change on the China front is that I will no longer be continuing my expat monthly recaps, This Beijing Life.

I’ll still be covering Asia off the Beaten Path!

I Won’t Be Writing About Places Outside of Asia

I decided a long time ago that Adventures Around Asia will focus on Asia off the Beaten Path. I’m not going to all of a sudden start writing about Australia or Europe. I want to use this blog to show off the destinations and cultures that not everyone visits. I want to inspire people to explore like a local and get off the typical tourist trail.

There are enough blogs about Europe and North America. There are enough sites teaching you how to quit your job and travel the world as a backpacker or digital nomad, and there are far too many blogs talking about traveling Southeast Asia on the cheap.

I don’t want to compete with them. Frankly, they’ve been doing it better and longer than I have. While I do plan to share what’s going on in my life with all of you through personal posts and my new monthly recap series, The Freedom Life, I don’t plan on restructuring my blog to talk about something completely different.

Gotta update all the stuff from 2012!

I Will Be Writing More, and Updating Old Content

You know what’s great about not having a full-time job? Having the time and energy to actually commit to this site. Every time I read an old post about Sichuan or Yunnan from 2012, I squirm with embarrassment. Every time I check my most recent posts and see that I’ve barely written anything, I feel guilty.

Now I finally have the time and energy to fully commit to this site. Sure, I won’t be in China, but my China content will only get better in the following months. Promise.

Sometimes it feels like I’m the only blogger that’s NOT location independent

Aren’t You a Little Late to This Digital Nomad Game?

It’s a bit weird becoming a “digital nomad” when it feels like most travel bloggers are finally starting to settle down. To be honest, I almost feel like I missed the boat. Isn’t the digital nomad fad a huge cliche now anyway?

But despite all that self-doubt, I know I need to do this for me. There’s so much of the world I still want to see, and I want to be able to run my business and make money while doing it.

I know I’m late to the game, and I don’t care. I’m not becoming a “digital nomad” because it’s cool, or popular, or because everyone’s doing it. I just want to travel and see the world while also contributing, helping others, and growing a business I’m proud of (and without worrying about money all the time.)

I know the nomadic lifestyle doesn’t last, and I’m not even sure how long I’ll travel for. I’m an expat at heart, and once I’m tired of traveling, I’ll be settling down somewhere, probably in Taiwan. I’ll get a cute apartment and a cat, practice my Mandarin, find local friends, and buy some fuzzy blankets.

For me, “digital nomad” isn’t the dream. My dream is location independence. I want to be my own boss. Travel when I want to travel. Take opportunities when they come my way, and stop constantly worrying about vacation days and being in my office at a certain time, dressed a certain way, every. single. day.

I want freedom. I want control. I want to work for myself. Whether that’s on the road, as an expat, or at home in the USA is up to me.

What About Money? How Will You Survive?

Good question.

To be honest, I don’t make much money off of this site. It was my goal to be consistently making $1,000 USD a month by the time I quit my job. However, I can pretty much say I’m only hitting $600. While this isn’t a huge issue, it’s also not where I want to be, and definitely not enough to comfortably live in Beijing.

That said, I do have a few major income streams right now, and many more ideas where that came from!

Firstly, I had about $16,000 USD saved up when I quit my college counseling job. I have to say I’m pretty proud of myself for saving that much, considering I spent the first 1.5 years paying off $20,000 in student loans.

On top of my little nest egg, I have my part-time college counseling, which is a nice little consistent source of income. I’ve also been working as a recruiter for a few different schools and education companies in China. For every teacher that arrives in China, I make about $150-300 USD. This is a pretty slow moving process (especially since I’m SUPER picky about which schools I work with), so it can take months and months of work before I finally see a penny. However, I think this will be a pretty decent stream of income for me in the future.

Upcoming Business Projects!

In the next few months, I also really hope to work on boosting my passive income by fixing old blog posts to focus on affiliates. I feel like I’ve really been dropping the ball in this area, and I’d love to fix it.

FINALLY, I have a huge project I’ve been working on for the past few months. I can’t tell you all yet, but I will say it has to do with teaching abroad in China. I’m really hoping I’ll be done with everything by January, but it’s been a pretty slow-moving process.

If you’re at all interested in teaching abroad in China and you want to be one of the first to know about my HUGE MASSIVE INCREDIBLE PROJECT, be sure to sign up for my Free Teach Abroad Mini-Course and you’ll be the first to get all the info!

Just casually climbing a mountain in Yunnan

What About Your Boyfriend?

Oh, Chris? He’s coming too!

Chris has been location independent for a while now and works from home as a travel blogger and safari sales expert for a popular Tanzanian safari company. The only reason he lives in Beijing is because I’ve been stuck here (and his brother and nephew live here too).

To be honest, in the past I always imagined embarking on this new adventure alone. I was kind of excited about the prospect of long-term solo female travel. I embraced the challenge.

However, now I’m super excited about the idea of having someone to share everything with. Chris will be with me every step of the way, from hiking the Kumano Kaido, to working till the wee hours in a cafe with horrible wifi. Thankfully we have pretty much the same exact travel style, which makes things fairly easy.

…and we’re NOT combining blogs. I’m too much of a control freak for that.

Anything Else You Want to Know?

I know these are some huge changes, and this is a lot of information to process. That’s why I want to know: Is there anything I haven’t covered? Is there something you want to know about in more detail? Please let me know in a comment so I know what to cover in my next few posts!

Also, are you curious about hearing more on how I’m surviving as a “digital nomad”? Would you like a monthly income breakdown with personal updates on how I make money and emotionally handle working for myself? If so, would you like to see it in a monthly recap or as a post of its own? Be sure to fill me in on your thoughts!

After FIVE Years in China, I’m Finally Moving On After two years of working as a college counselor in Beijing (and over five years of living in China), I'm finally moving on.

#China #digital nomad #expat #location independent #personal

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ultravioletsoul · 8 years ago

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Kuai Liang/Sub-Zero x F!Reader - Mortal Kombat Part 13

So, sooooo, sorry for taking so freaking long to update (five months, what??). I admit I have been struggling to write this story, not for a lack of ideas (seriously, the notes on my phone can attest to that) but I just don't seem to be capable of putting together all this stuff I came up with and I'm so scared of messing up. Perhaps I tend to procrastinate a lot because I just want this story to be good… perfect for you, my readers, because all of you have been truly sweet to me and supportive of my work and I want to give my best.

Obviously, life happened too but I won’t bore you with details.

I had finished this chapter long ago, actually, but I wanted to write chapter fourteen so I could publish both. The reason why I intended to do that was because I had promised some stuff (hint hint) would happen the next time I updated but, the truth is, that the chapter got so long that I had to split it in two. Well, I have some bad news here: chapter fourteen isn’t complete yet (halfway there, though) so you'll have to wait for another update (hopefully not as long as this one!).

Again, I want to apologize for keeping you all waiting. I feel terrible because I love you all and I want to make you happy. Forgive me for not delivering what I promised. Thank you for the beautiful and kind words, the likes, reblogs, for the support. Despite my lack of replies, I have noticed all this and it has filled me with joy to know that you love this fic and never forget about it! Your encouragement gave me the motivation to keep going :D

Thanks to my baes Lucía and Lala and for putting up with my inner fangirl. Also, Tara; if you're reading this, I'm sorry for being trash!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat or its characters. They all belong to Ed Boon and NetherRealm Studios. No copyright infringement intended. All I’m trying to do is provide entertainment to the readers and by no means do I have lucrative purposes.

Warnings: Unbetaed work. OoC. Sexual references. English is not my first language.

First Part

Previous Part

Part XIII

You needed to start busying yourself with maintaining the household and getting a bit more involved in the daily life of the clan. After all, it was supposed to be your responsibility as the grandmaster’s wife— inspecting the domestic activities of everyday, settling petty arguments, and dealing with all unimportant concerns so that your husband would be free to concentrate in other pressing matters. It didn't mean it was an easy task, of course. Being in charge of a growing community wasn’t a situation you had imagined yourself in, but you were determined to get by.

There was the concern on how you’d approach this issue. You weren’t sure if, now that you were in good health, people expected you to take the reins or if you were to remain estranged from that role for a little longer. It was something that made you dubious, considering that you still were new to the clan, but you definitely weren’t approaching Liang for this and neither did you want to tell Shyama about it. Her advice had made you think twice about venting your thoughts so casually with anyone, and you didn’t want her to believe you still were clueless about how you fit in this place. However, you didn’t want to appear as rude and intrusive to the people who, most certainly, had been running this place just fine without your help all these years. Still, you wished to be involved in the routine a little more and do something other than remaining in your bedroom the whole day, waiting for your husband to show up.

Liang…

Thinking about him now made you feel so giddy on the inside that you couldn’t hide your sudden aura of joy. Lifen was the first one to notice, of course, and said that you practically had the stars of the night sky in your eyes. You’d felt like such a little girl overwhelmed by bliss when you got to tell her what had happened after the meal, and she’d been so happy that you finally decided to be more proactive regarding your relationship with Liang. It might have not seemed like much, but to you it was a big accomplishment.

After that kiss, you couldn’t stop thinking about him the whole day. You were on a daze, wondering what you should do to please him. Knowing that you meant so much more to him than you'd imagined made you warm and fuzzy, a feeling you were certain you had never experienced before. Still, you didn’t want to be clingy and needy despite your desire to be enveloped in his arms and feel his close proximity. What was happening to you? Just the thought of him had you blushing like a newlywed bride— well, it’s true you recently married but, at this point, you shouldn’t be getting so asinine over a mere kiss. Good thing that Lifen didn’t think you were acting so effusive and annoying, but you couldn’t help it. It was your first kiss with your husband… your first kiss ever, and it was more than you’d hoped for.

“Should I prepare you for the grandmaster tonight?”

Lifen’s question, though well-intended, took you aback and for a moment you didn’t know what to say. You hadn’t thought about it, in all honesty, and when she mentioned the matter about sleeping with him all you could do was stay silent. Now that you’d gotten closer, that you had permitted him to get more intimate… would it all culminate in the due consummation of your wedding? You knew the answer to that, you knew what you had to do, but deep inside you weren’t certain of what you wanted anymore. Everything was happening so fast, and you could barely keep up with these changes in your life— you were just wrapping your mind around the idea that you’d gotten married. It wasn't that you didn't find Liang appealing, or that you'd never imagined yourself in a passionate situation with him, but knowing that it could be happening so soon and you still weren't ready… it certainly left you restless.

Clouds and rain was something you could muse about, despite your embarrassment. Being intimate with him was a different story altogether. Your head was spinning, and your cheeks burned with the fever that afflicted your body. What was wrong with you? You were supposed to be already prepared for this just like many other women before you! Why the doubt still lingered even after it was clear to you that you had to give yourself to him? It was what you were meant to do, what should be.

“My lady?”

“Actually… I think I need more time.” The words escaped your lips before you knew it, and Lifen looked at you as though you'd said something insane.

“But… why?” She didn’t seem to understand your plight. How could she? Not even you could fully comprehend what was going on.

“I just do not think it would be advisable to rush into such… interactions for now,” you replied in a strained whisper, taking a deep breath before bringing your legs to your chest.

Lifen only nodded and didn’t inquire further, though it was evident that she was still puzzled at your sudden change of mind— or rather your inability to make it up.

That night you went to bed with little Lixue cuddled by your feet, wondering what would this new stage in your relationship with your husband mean. There was no doubt that you liked him and you wished to overcome your shyness soon, before it turned into a hindrance for your relationship and ruined everything. You were aware of the risks you were taking with your decision, but you needed to gather the courage to take that important step. It would be the first time you were with a man, so you couldn't take it lightly

As you lay in bed and looked into the flames warming your bedroom, you fell into a restless sleep.

Some time later you were disturbed from your slumber, when you sensed someone fidget by your side with unsettled movements. Still groggy and confused, you tried to get your bearings whilst rubbing your eyes. A grunt had you turning around, and then you saw Liang breathing heavily as he mumbled and stirred restlessly in his sleep. It was evident that he was having a nightmare, by his distraught aura and the sweat that covered his brow, so your natural reaction was try to get him away from whatever vision was afflicting him so much.

“Liang?” you called, shaking him lightly in hopes of waking him up. However, to your dismay, his hand shot so quick to grab a hold of your wrist that you didn’t register when you were pushed onto your back and he was on top of you, growling under his breath as a look of terror flashed in his pale eyes. You were panicked at his unexpected actions and gripped his forearms, seeking release from his vicious hold. “Liang, it is I; your wife!”

At the sound of your voice he seemed to come to his senses and recognize you, withdrawing from you in a hurry as soon as he realized what he’d done. “Forgive me. I did not mean to. I thought—” his voice was filled with regret as he released you and he couldn’t even finish, facing the other way as though he wished to have no further contact with you.

“You were shaking and mumbling in your sleep,” you observed, inching closer to his form before placing a hand on his shoulder with some hesitation. “What happened?”

“It was only a nightmare. Do not worry about me.” It was clear to you that he had no intentions in sharing the cause of his anxiety, but could you blame him? You did the same so he wouldn’t have to worry for days on end about you, and you couldn’t exactly reproach him. Sighing, you shook your head and retreated your hand whilst casting your gaze to your lap, unsure of what to do. This seemed to catch his attention for he shifted and glanced at you, somewhat uneasy. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, I am fine,” you mumbled, offering a rather timid smile. “You just scared me, that is all.”

“It was not my intention to do any harm to you. I am sorry. This has never happened before, but… that may be because I have always slept alone. Maybe I should spend the night elsewhere, so you can be more comfortable.”

What was he thinking?

“No, I understand! There is no need to apologize, and you do not have to leave this room for me. I am not at discomfort with you…” your voice trailed off as you fiddled with your fingers. “You did not do anything wrong and it was not your fault to have bad dreams. Please, stay. It is not a reassuring feeling to wake up alone, no?”

You didn’t even know why you were saying all those things and it felt a bit strange, truth be told. Liang turned to you with a pensive gaze and then he acquiesced to your request, lying on his back before he took a deep breath. Whatever it was he’d dreamt, you couldn’t help but notice he still looked troubled despite his attempts to put his mind at ease.

“Are you alright?” you asked, lying by your side whilst pulling the bedspread over your body. Despite the spring season and a good portion of the ice thawing, nights were chilly in the mountains in contrast with the much more warmer weather in the fields of your former home.

“I am, thanks for your concern.”

You weren’t convinced by his words, however, but you knew you wouldn’t be getting any answers from him. At least, you could try to show that you meant to comfort him so you moved closer, earning a sort of confused look from Liang as you rested your cheek against his chest. This was probably silly, but you couldn’t stop yourself and hoped that he wouldn’t mind or find your actions annoying. All that you knew was that you were worried about him and wished to know what was going through his mind at that moment.

When he placed an arm around you, it made your heart skip a beat at the realization of his close proximity. Liang was so warm, so real and tangible, that it was difficult to ignore the growing sensation in your chest as his fingers slid down the curve of your shoulder, to your arm, and his breathing caressed your hair. But it wasn’t desire what you saw in his gaze, despite what those romantic gestures and the situation you were in could have implied— instead, he seemed to be relieved and calm.

“Sleep, sunbird; tomorrow will be a new day with much to do,” he mumbled before closing his eyes, holding you close to him whilst you made yourself comfortable by his side. You stayed awake for a while, until he drifted off to a peaceful slumber and then you allowed yourself to do the same.

Somehow, you couldn’t suppress the smile on your lips.

The day started pretty early for you. Lying in bed until late was definitely out of question, but you’d surely become a bit lazy after all these days in convalescence so getting up proved to be a bit more difficult than expected. Liang had already left, no doubt at dawn since his side of the bed had grown cold, and you decided to occupy yourself doing something useful rather than lingering in this room.

You were still worried about the apparent disapproval of the Lin Kuei ancestors— when you paid a visit to the shrine the previous day— and wondered if you should speak to Shyama about it, but then another thought came to mind.

Nyarai.

As you had some steamed buns and rice noodles for breakfast, it occurred to you that you hadn’t seen her ever since the day of the attack. Though you’d had word that she was recovering just fine, and the baby was out of danger, you still felt compelled to visit her. It was the least you could do for her. Only the gods knew how she must be feeling after the loss of the father of her child.

After changing into a more presentable set of clothes, you made your way to the world outside. Despite your insistence to investigate Nyarai’s whereabouts, Lifen was having none of it and said that she’d do it in your stead as it was unbecoming of the grandmaster’s wife to be in such menial pursuits like an ordinary handmaiden. It wasn’t a statement that you agreed with, since this woman wasn’t just anyone— she had risked her life to protect yours and lost her beloved in the process. Still, you followed Lifen’s advice and waited for her to gather reliable information from other people.

Meanwhile, you visited Shyama in the healing houses. The old healer was busy with some apprentices and patients but, upon your arrival, she approached you with a humorous smile.

“Ah, it is good to see you up and about!” she greeted.

“Thanks to you, master healer,” you replied cheerfully, no doubt in good spirits that morning.

“I must say that your introduction did not quite go as I had anticipated.” At the mention of the incident during luncheon, you couldn’t help but feel the blood rush to your face and Shyama shook her head, aware of your sudden abashment. “Despite it all, you dealt with the situation in a rather… unconventional way, but I believe it turned out to be better than expected.”

That piqued your curiosity. “And what did you think I would do?”

“Probably disregard the matter, but nothing more. Still, it was a positive outcome that the clan saw how comfortable you and Kuai Liang are around each other. At least they know that their grandmaster is fond of you and enjoys your company, so that should be enough to disperse any doubts concerning your relationship with him. Still, you should keep in mind what we talked about yesterday.”

“I will, of course,” you assured, catching on the meaning behind those words. Glancing around, you took notice that Nyarai was absent though you'd supposed that by then she would be allowed to leave. “By any chance, do you know where Nyarai is?”

“I believe she is in her quarters. I saw her yesterday to check the progress of her pregnancy and she should be visiting today.” Before you could ask about the baby, she replied, “there is nothing to worry about; the child is fine and so is Nyarai.”

“Your abilities as master healer allow you to know that?”

“Indeed. I am sure it is not the first time you have heard of people like me.”

“No, it is not but I never thought I would have the honor to meet one. It has been a long time ever since a Tengu was blessed with such abilities.”

“You are too kind to think so highly of me, but I am only fulfilling the purpose that the gods have put in my hands— as well as everyone else.”

“That is an interesting way to see it, that our lives are tied to the will of the gods.”

“There is much that is bound to destiny when we are born, but it also depends on the decisions we make. It was their will that I met Kuai Liang and made this place my home, but the latter happened because I wished to be here. The same is for you; there is a reason why you have come to our lands.”

“That reason is to ensure peace between the Tengu and the Lin Kuei, to stop these hostilities which have brought nothing good in the end.”

“And is that not a noble purpose? Your decision has saved many lives and spared people from more losses. Whatever it is your purpose in life, you must learn to accept it.”

“I am not fighting against it.” Why was she telling you all these things all of a sudden? “I know what I must do.”

But did you really?

“Ah, do not mind the prattle of this old woman,” she sighed with a chuckle. “I have a very bad habit of doing this all the time. Do not worry too much for what is to come; what is important is that you focus on the present and engage fully in it. They say yesterday is but a dream, tomorrow but a vision. Make the most of these days to try and get to know the community little by little. There is much to see and learn for you, but I trust you will find your path when the time is right.”

“I feel humbled by your faith in me.”

“You should believe in yourself a little more. If not, then who will?” Her statement took you aback and you realized that she was right; if you didn’t believe you were capable of facing the challenges ahead, then nobody would. Whatever it was the future had in store for you, you needed to be certain that nothing would make your determination waver. “Ah, there you are Nyarai! I was waiting for you.” At the mention of that name, you turned around swiftly and watched the dark-skinned woman approach in silence with an expression of surprise on her face. “Someone wanted to see you, too.”

“Nyarai…” your voice came in a faint whisper as you gulped a knot in your throat, unsure of what to tell her now that you were face to face.

“My lady,” she saluted with solemn demeanor.

You took several steps towards her and gently grabbed her by the arms, to stop her. “No! Do not do that… it is me who should show respect and admiration for you. I wish I could have seen you sooner, but I was not in my best condition to pay a visit though my prayers went to you and your child. I cannot express my gratitude for what you and Vladimir did for me. I am truly sorry for your loss and, while I know that a few words will not assuage the pain you feel in your heart, I wish to say that I am forever indebted to you. I cannot bring the father of your child back to life, but know that if you are ever in need of help—”

She stiffened at your touch and then shook her head. “Forgive my impertinence but I can’t negotiate the life of someone I hold dear.”

“That is not what I meant!” Did you say something wrong? Of course you never wanted to be disrespectful and now you feared you’d offended the woman.

But then she gave you the faintest smile. “I know you only have the best intentions but, the truth is, Vladimir’s death is not your fault. I knew it could happen one day and I was ready. We both did because this is the path we followed of our own accord, and we were aware of the consequences. I don’t regret my choices and I’m sure he didn’t, either, because it allowed us to meet each other— to be together. What happened that night was tragic, but at least I was with him until his last breath and he sacrificed himself so we could live.” She looked down, holding her belly where her baby slept. “I’ll always cherish my time with Vladimir and this child will be the living memory of him.”

“I understand, Nyarai, and I shall respect your decision.” You nodded, feeling more at ease now that you’d spoken to her. “But if you are ever in need of anything, do not hesitate to let me know. Think of this request as that of a friend, who feels gratitude and only means well for you.”

“Well, there is a favor that I would like to ask from you,” she said, after a moment’s consideration and you nodded, eager to know what she wanted. She seemed unsure, at first, but you offered a gentle smile and nodded to indicate you were willing to listen. “If it’s not asking for too much, um… when my child is born,” she made a pause and licked her lips, standing straight, “would you and the grandmaster be so kind so as to give him your blessing, please?”

You were a bit surprised at her simple petition and you couldn’t refuse— not that you had any intention to do so, either way. Surely, Liang wouldn’t oppose to the idea. It was only a gesture of kindness to the woman who fought to keep you safe and lost someone dear to him.

“It would be our joy, Nyarai. Rest assured that your child will never want for anything if we can help it.”

Saying no was unthinkable. You couldn’t leave her alone and you trusted Liang would support you.

You wished to talk to Shyama about the incident at the shrine but couldn’t find the opportunity as she had to inspect Nyarai’s constitution. It would be better to have this conversation in a more convenient occasion since the healer and her apprentices seemed to be a bit busy that morning. You would have also liked to learn some healing abilities, since such knowledge always came in handy and it’d give you an opportunity to make yourself useful, but that would be for another time.

Meanwhile, perhaps you could pay a visit to the kitchens. Not something you should be doing, according to Lifen, but you detested the idea of sitting around all day. If anything, it wouldn’t be the first time you did something like this so what was the problem? Even if you’d married the grandmaster, you still were yourself and you shouldn’t have to become so withdrawn before others just because you held some kind of authority over them. Even if Shyama said that you were above them, it shouldn’t have to reach a point where you forgot where you’d come from.

That wasn’t what you wanted. Even you could tell that everyone held Liang in high regard and he wasn’t a man to remain distant with his own people. He mingled with them, shared his time with them, and guided them as the leader he was supposed to be. You should be striving to be like him, following in his steps to demonstrate that you were willing to become a part of this community— not putting a barrier between you and everyone else just because you were Liang’s spouse.

You greeted the warriors standing guard in their posts and they responded in kind, eyeing you with slight surprise. It seemed that they were confused at the sight of you alone and not in the company of a cohort, but you had decided to go back alone rather than bothering your handmaidens who surely were occupied with their own chores.

As you treaded down the stone path, under the shade of passing clouds, you wondered what Liang was doing at the moment. No doubt he was very busy, since he always left early in the morning and returned late in the night when you were already in bed. You still felt light-headed and flustered whenever you recalled the kiss and the romantic moment you’d shared with him. No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t get Liang out of your head and though you wished you could see him you decided to wait until later. It was a little disheartening that you got to spend little time with him, but he had a responsibility with his people and you preferred not being a bother to him.

There should be other ways to keep you occupied, of that you were certain. It looked like there never was a shortage of chores to do here, but you still wondered if it would acceptable to interfere in everyday affairs so out of the blue. It still felt awkward for you to act like the wife of the grandmaster, but Shyama’s advice still lingered in your mind and you knew you had to try your best not to disappoint your family and Liang.

Speaking of family, you hadn’t finished your letter for Yue and now you were feeling rather guilty since you were supposed to write to her. You’d sent a missive to your uncle to inform him of recent events and how you were faring in your new home, but so much has happened that you couldn’t possibly write every last detail. You promise to write Yue in another occasion to provide her a full account of the events.

Engrossed in your thoughts, you realized you’d lost the way to your chambers and didn’t know where you were going. The Lin Kuei temple was still unknown territory to you, and you were just getting used to moving around unaccompanied though you knew it was best that you didn’t roam alone. Grandmother said that a proper lady should never be seen in public on her own. Oh, well, nai nai Chen wasn’t here to reprimand you either way and you weren’t a child that needed to be babysat all the time.

It wouldn’t hurt to ask for some directions, though. As you looked around and spotted one of the various warriors going on their daily routine, you heard someone call your name from the distance and turned around with wide eyes— unsure of what to expect.

“Shi po, please, wait!” You observed a boy running towards you, ready to fall on his face. He came to a stop before you and placed his hands on his knees, struggling to catch his breath while you gave him a worried look.

“What is it? Did something happen?” It was hard not to think that there was some sort of predicament at hand.

At long last, he was able to talk and stood tall, seemingly ashamed at having lost his composure. With a clear of his throat, the young man collected himself and stared at you with solemnity. “I’m sorry to bother you, shi po, but the head cook humbly asks for your presence to oversee preparations and manage the inventory on our food supplies. What should I tell him?”

To be honest, you didn’t know what to answer to that request other than nod your head dumbly and follow him. By the looks of it, you’d found yourself something to do and it wasn’t long before you were standing in front of a multitude that rushed from one place to another with pots and other cooking materials, while an old man barked orders at them nonstop. Though it wasn’t your first time in the kitchens, you had to admit you were amazed and maybe a bit scared by the amount of people working here. It made sense, of course; you’d seen many people reunited in the hall the previous day and all that food had to come from somewhere, which happened to be this large cookhouse.

Back in the home of the Tengu, you and Yue had helped in the kitchens many times since your grandmother used to say that a lady— no matter her social standing— should know how to make a meal for her husband. Even when your house held feasts, such as the one celebrated for the peace agreement between Lin Kuei and Tengu, you’d never seen this amount of people working so hard before and the idea that this happened every day only made you admire their effort and diligence. This kitchen surely was a sight to beheld with people carrying, and deftly, chopping with cleavers large quantities of edibles to cook them in large pots and woks over the burning stoves.

Soon enough, you were introduced to the same old man who chided and demanded for everyone to hurry up in their tasks. His name was Su Heng and, at a first glance, he intimidated you with the stern way he managed the staff, although you couldn’t say you were surprised at this. The old cook in your former home did the same, and she couldn’t tolerate people being lazy or mediocre.

“I received word that you needed me.”

“Indeed.” Heng nodded and crossed his arms. “As the the wife of the grandmaster, it’s your place to supervise these matters so I thought it would be best that we got started as soon as possible— if that’s alright with you. Forgive me for the unexpected request, but I didn’t want you to fret over this meeting throughout the night.”

“Of course.” You were already feeling anxious, despite your efforts to conceal how you felt. At this, Heng threw his head back and laughed in good nature.

“You have nothing to worry about; I don't bite. I’m only rigorous with my boys and girls so they don’t get lazy at work. Our task here is of vital importance and I can’t allow anyone to slack off,” Heng said, and you had to agree with him. Running a household wasn’t an easy task, after all, and though your grandmother had prepared you for it to the best of her abilities, whether you had the skills to do it was yet to be seen. “Even if you are Kuai Liang’s wife, I regret to inform you that this is still my kitchen and I don’t intend to give it up so soon.” His comment elicited a chuckle from you, and you started to feel more relaxed. “However, it’s a good thing that you learn the way we run this place and what a better way to start than getting to know the work we do here?”

Heng took the assignment of feeding so many people very seriously, and you had to admit it yielded good results. Despite your first impressions about him, the old man was patient and it provided a good opportunity for you to make yourself familiar with the life of the clan. After all, that was your intention and though there was still a long way you were hopeful that you would get accustomed to it given time.

By the time you were finished, you were in need of a bath but it had been worth it. Spending time with these people had been more satisfying and productive than you’d imagined. That day, you’d learned a great deal from Heng and respected the work they did. It wasn’t an easy task, and ensuring that the provisions were adequate at all times was an art that you would need to master but at least you would have help. Still, you suspected that this unexpected meeting was meant not only to teach you how to handle these duties but also to ensure that you had an opportunity to socialize with others— a chance to have a positive impression on them. As it was, nai nai Chen used to say that the kitchens were a place were rumors and news began to spread.

So you headed to your chambers, thinking it would be best that you groomed your appearance. After all, you wanted to look your best when you met Liang during the repast. The lone thought made you giggle like a child, and you realized you were really looking forward to spending time with him.

“Where were you, my lady?!” Lifen demanded rather panicked as soon as you entered the bedroom, earning a shocked gasped from you at her sudden appearance.

“Lifen, you scared me!” you said, placing a hand on your chest.

“I went looking for you in the healing houses but you were already gone and no one knew where you were. We were really worried about you and I was about to seek the grandmaster for help.”

You gave her a sheepish look, and fiddled with the sleeve of your robes. It felt as though you were being scolded by your mother. “I am sorry. I should have told you I left to visit Shyama and then I spent the morning in the kitchens. I could not resist going out after having been confined in this bedroom for so many days.”

Lifen sighed and cast her gaze down, seemingly embarrassed at her outburst too. “My lady, you are free to do as you please but, I beg you for the love of the gods, do not disappear like that ever again.”

You nodded with a smile before watching Lixue stumble her way towards you and pounce on your foot, chewing at the skirt of your hanfu. “Aw, hello kitty,” you cooed as you crouched and petted her soft fur, earning a satisfied purr from Lixue before she sprawled on the floor and exposed her tummy. “Who is a good kitty? Oh, yes, it is you! Hehehe. Ouch!”

It would be good to remember that you shouldn’t rub her belly, but you couldn’t resist.

“Oh, well. Now I have to prepare a bath to clean you up.” Lifen placed her hands on her hips and you shrugged innocently whilst she gave you a knowing smirk. “I would never allow my lady’s appearance to go neglected, now more than ever.”

It was hard to pretend you didn’t understand the hidden meaning behind her words, but you limited yourself to blushing whilst Lifen called other handmaidens to help her fill the tub. After choosing your clothes, you undressed and stepped into the hot water with scented oils. She remained with you, per your request, and you told her of your encounter with Nyarai when she brought the subject up.

“I am happy that she and her child were unharmed,” Lifen said, brushing your wet hair as you relaxed and enjoyed your bath. “Though it is saddening that the father perished, he protected them until his last breath.”

“I wish it did not have to be that way…” You sighed wearily and splashed some water on your arm. “If Nyarai wants Liang’s blessing for her child, then it is only fair that we do this for her at least. And even if she does not want me to go out of my way, I would like to help her however I can.”

“Of course.” Lifen nodded with a smile and then changed the topic, as though aware of your awkwardness. “By any chance, have you seen the grandmaster this morning?”

“No, I have not.” Her question left you confused, and you threw a suspicious glance over your shoulder. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just curious!” Her eyes were innocent whilst she tried to conceal her smile. “I have noticed that you do not seem to spend a lot of time together during the day, but maybe during the long nights—”

Before she could finish the sentence, you hurried to speak— already feeling the heat in your cheeks. “He must be occupied but I am sure I will see him in the great hall for luncheon.”

“No doubt about that, but have you not thought of enjoying a more… personal moment with him?”

At her words, you arched an eyebrow in curiosity. “Are you implying what I think you are?”

“Well, that depends on what you believe I am insinuating.” It was hard to miss the smirk in her voice and you pressed your legs together, sensing that strange warmth spreading yet again as images of Liang invaded your mind. This was… most unappropriate! Even if he was your husband, you couldn’t accept having such lewd thoughts about him. It made you feel ashamed of yourself. “Whatever it is, I believe I have an idea to help you and the grandmaster get closer.”

“What is it?” Clearing your throat, you did your best to feign disinterest and washed away the froth from your skin.

“Oh, well,” Lifen giggled and put a finger under her chin. “Someone told me that there are hot springs near the temple. I was thinking that maybe you could spend some time alone with the grandmaster one of these days.”

Your breath caught in your throat and your jaw dropped when it sank in your mind what she had said. She couldn’t be serious about this, right?

Bathing with Liang?!

“Lifen!”

“Why do you panic so much?” She had a concerned expression and you sputtered some gibberish, still in disbelief. “My lady, why do you find the idea of being with him embarrassing? He is your husband and there is nothing wrong with being intimate.”

Of course there wasn’t anything wrong, but that didn’t make it any less awkward!

“What are you—?”

“I am merely making a suggestion, my lady. You are free to take it or ignore it because only you know the deepest desires of your heart. However, you must remember that it is you who needs to take the first step. He will not make it if he sees you fearful and unsure of what you want from him, like you are now. The only advice I can give is for you not to be afraid of taking control. Men do not always have to be in charge, you know? Perhaps he would not mind an assertive woman in the bedroom.”

For some reason, her comment was amusing and you laughed at the idea of being able to have control over a man so tall and strong. It would probably look comical that you were on top of him, struggling to take the lead, but at the same time you wondered what it would feel like— if that was the kind of woman he would prefer to share his bed with.

Assertive...

Like Frost?

When her face appeared in your mind, suddenly it didn't seem funny anymore. It was true you didn’t know her that well, but from what you’d heard and seen so far she seemed confident and bold. Not only did she look strong and capable of fending for herself, but you also recalled that Liang had been very impressed by her skills during the tournament he held— so much that he made her his personal student. That meant she must have spent a lot of time with him, too, and the prospect instilled uneasiness and doubt in your heart now that you realized the implications of having a rival like her. Even if Shyama had assured you that Liang would never look at her that way, there was no way for you to know what were his apprentice’s intentions and that was something you found hard to digest.

If you kept him waiting, then… what if he sought elsewhere that which you didn’t give him?

“I believe I shall look into that. Definitely,” you mumbled, wishing the thought would have never crossed your mind.

A/N: The sources I checked seem to agree that Liang’s height is about 6’ 2” (close to 1.90 m) so yep… that’s pretty tol.

Thank you again for all the support! You all make me happy and I want to make you happy in return. That's what I live for ♥

#kuai liang #sub zero #mortal kombat #mortal kombat x #mkx #my stories #OH GOD I'M SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG

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