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here4theheartbreak · 2 years ago

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Serious Discussions (LotP ch.11)

Relationships: Bangchan x Changbin Genre: smut | angst w/ a happy ending | werewolf au Rating: Explicit Chapter Word Count: ~4.9k Tags (not all tags apply to all chapters; these are full fic tags): DD:DNE, Smut, Friends to Lovers, Werewolf AU, Angst w/ a happy ending, Fluff, Werewolf Bang Chan, Idolverse, Minor Violence, Side Pairing Felix/Minho, Bickering, Bottom Changbin, Top Chan, Werewolf Smut, Knots

Summary: Secrets are hard to keep from those we love. This was a fact that Chan knew all too well. He loved his members and he shared every piece of himself with them - except the biggest, and most vital. Chan was cursed. A/N: Fic will be updated Monday/Tuesdays as schedule allows; Please note that fic will include smut while member is in wolf form; he is still sentient and able to communicate, which is the reason for the dead dove tag; please do not proceed if not comfortable with this. Read on AO3! | Read on Asian Fanfics

“Are you sure about this?” Chan asked. Minho nodded, squeezing Felix’s hand.

“Yeah, we’re ready.”

“Okay. I got your back.” Chan said.

Minho dropped Felix’s hand and pushed open the bedroom door. The rest of the group was scattered in the main living area of the dorm, splayed over furniture and on the floor. Chan had called a group meeting earlier that day at Felix and Minho’s prompting.

“What’s up?” Changbin asked, wiping chip crumbs from his mouth as Seungmin yanked the bag from his lap.

“Nothing bad,” Chan assured them, walking around and leaning on the wall near where Felix and Minho stood. “We have some good news,” he said.

Minho smiled at him gratefully before looking at the group. “So, I’m sure some of you have figured it out, but… We wanted to do this right and say that Felix and I have been dating for a while. Um... And we’re going to tell the company today.”

“Tell us something we didn’t know, huh?” Seungmin said, grinning.

“Did you… All know?” Felix asked, laughing gently.

Everyone nodded except Jeongin, who scowled. “I might be oblivious but… Really?” He laughed. “That’s so cool! Congrats, guys.”

Felix laughed, nodding. “Thank you, Jeongin.”

“About damn time you guys came out. We got sick of dancing around the topic,” Jisung said, pouting as he spoke.

“Well we knew you knew.”

“But I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.”

“How do you think the company is gonna take it?” Hyunjin asked. Felix shrugged.

“We don’t know really. I hope they’ll be okay with it. Chan is gonna be there with us to sort of back us up.”

“We can be too, we’ve got your back,” Jisung said. The others gave their own assent, nodding. Felix and Minho both smiled, and Chan saw their shoulders drop as they relaxed. He stepped forward, wrapping one arm around each of them.

“I told you it’d be fine, see?” He said, squeezing them in a half hug. “I’m proud of you guys. You’re really good together.”

“Do you think you’ll come out to fans someday?” Jeongin asked.

“Someday, we’d like to,” Minho answered. “But not right now. There’s too much going on in the world with equal rights problems and fighting, here and internationally – it’d be too much risk for our group, and ourselves. It’s just safer right now to stay quiet.”

“We’d support you if you wanted to, you know,” Changbin said. He met Chan’s gaze, his mouth curling up in a small smile before continuing. “When, or if, you decide to go public. We’ll all have your back just as loud as we do now. Remember that.”

“We know,” Felix said. “You’re all good friends.”

“Better be more than just friends after the horror I’ve seen in your bedroom,” Jisung said, pouncing up from the couch. He grabbed Felix away from Chan and Minho, holding his neck and nuzzling his jaw even as Felix cried out and struggled.

“Oh God, what horror?” Hyunjin asked.

“The number of times I’ve walked in on these two doing the dirty, I need bleach,” Jisung lamented.

“It was like twice,” Minho said, rolling his eyes. “And once it wasn’t even that bad, you barely saw anything.”

“I saw enough!”

“Dude, lock your door when you do that,” Seungmin said.

“We’ve started to now!” Felix said, his voice shaking as Jisung dragged him to the floor. The members all began to talk at once, shouting to be heard over each other as they conversed back and forth. Chan squeezed Minho’s shoulder, smiling when their eyes met. He nodded and Minho returned it, touching his hand in a silent show of thanks.

Changbin eased his way through the group chaos, setting his hand on Chan’s arm. “Can we talk alone?” He asked, nearly pressing his mouth to Chan’s ear to be heard. Chan nodded. He let Changbin pull him into the hallway where the group’s noise was slightly muffled.

“You okay?”

“I’m good. I just got to thinking with this… Do you ever want to come out? To the group, the company… Everyone?”

“Yeah, I do.” Chan admitted. He leaned against the wall. “My mom knows now, obviously, and I think I’m going to tell my dad and siblings when I visit next. They deserve to find out in person.”

Changbin nodded. “I told my sister the day after we rented the hotel room.” He smiled softly. “She yelled at me.”

“For what?”

“Taking so long.”

Chan smiled softly. Changbin took his hand, lacing their fingers together a moment before releasing. “You told me that night that you were trying to figure out how to talk to me about something. But you didn’t ever bring it up again. I haven’t forgotten… I’m getting a little worried, honestly. It’s been a month.”

Chan nodded. “I know, it has been. I keep trying to find a good time to talk about it, but things keep coming up. I’m sorry I’ve worried you.”

“Let’s talk tonight. Not a date night or anything, but just you and me, lock the door and sit down and have a good talk about it. It’s something that’s important to you, I can tell.”

“It is. Just hard to put into words for… Humans.”

“Well, try. I’ve been able to understand other stuff, right? We’ll talk more tonight about it.”

“You have. We will.” He pecked Changbin lightly on the mouth and headed back into the main sitting area, narrowly dodging Jisung, who’d lunged across the floor to catch a pillow that Felix had thrown at him.

***

Though Chan had spent the past month trying to figure out the easiest way to explain things to Changbin, anxiety still spiked through him when Changbin knocked on his door that evening. “I’m good!” He called, pulling his headphones down around his neck.

Changbin stepped in, shutting the door. He held up a bag. “I brought snacks.”

Chan smiled softly. “You’re a life saver.” He pulled the headphones off and saved his work, rising and stretching. His back popped audibly, and Changbin hissed.

“Jesus, you sound a hundred years old; have you gotten up from your desk in the past three hours?”

Chan glanced at his phone. “Not in the past five, actually.”

Changbin groaned. “Christ, Christopher Bang, you are going to end up decrepit before you’re thirty. Come on.” He shoved the bag into Chan’s chest. “If you wear yourself into another cold, I’m afraid your mom is going to call mine and tell her I’m not taking care of you right. And then they’ll both be yelling at us, is that what you want?”

Chan laughed brightly at Changbin’s dramatic – albeit not too far off – concerns. “Fine, fine. I’ll eat. I just need a drink.”

“Get me a water?” Changbin asked, flopping onto the bed.

“What happened to taking care of me?”

“I’m making you walk. Which you clearly need to do after five hours in that seat. How is your ass not numb?”

“Bold of you to think it’s not,” Chan joked as he stepped out of the room. He jutted his chin to Jisung at the kitchen island.

“What’s up?”

Chan shook his head. “Nothing. Tomorrow I’m gonna want your help with a track I’ve been putting together, I think it needs something more.”

“Sure. Want me to now? Changbin threatened my life if I went into your room for the next like two hours though.”

“Yeah, no, we’ve got a conversation to have, need privacy.”

“Conversation?” Jisung teased, making air quotes with his fingers. “Should I put headphones in?”

“Not that kind of conversation,” Chan laughed. “A relationship one, but nothing that’s gonna scar you.”

Jisung’s smile faded a bit. “You two are okay, right?”

“Yeah,” Chan nodded. He glanced toward the bedrooms. “We’re really… Really good actually,” he admitted. “This isn’t a bad conversation. Just sort of figuring out our future.”

“You two gonna announce it? To the group, or company?”

“Soon, probably. That’s part of tonight’s conversation, among other things.”

Jisung pouted then, his face scrunching up and making him look a decade younger. “It’s not fair,” he whined.

“What isn’t?”

“All my friends are getting boyfriends.”

“Do you want a boyfriend, Hannie?” Chan teased.

“I do!” He stomped his foot and smiled then. “I do. But I’m waiting until the right person comes by. I’m happy for you guys.”

“You’ll find someone, Jisung.” Chan reached out, squeezing his shoulder. “You deserve it.”

“Thanks. I’ll come bug you tomorrow morning before practice for that song.”

“Sounds good.” Chan nodded in agreement. He headed to the kitchen and grabbed waters, nodding once more to Jisung before slipping back into his bedroom and shutting the door firmly.

Changbin was sitting cross-legged on his bed, typing out something on his phone.

“You didn’t have to threaten death on our friend to keep him out of the room, Bin,” Chan scolded with no venom.

“Worked, didn’t it?” Changbin asked, not looking up from his phone.

Chan sighed heavily, shaking his head. He settled onto the bed, passing Changbin a bottle of water and opening the bag he’d brought in. He rolled down the bag so it sat upright and placed it between them. “So, today was eventful.”

“How did it go with the uppers anyways?” Changbin set his phone on the shelf behind Chan’s bed. “You three were kinda mum on it after you left the meeting.”

“It wasn’t the worst,” Chan said, shrugging. “They weren’t super pleased but they didn’t say they couldn’t.”

“Would you have let them anyways?”

“Not a chance. I told them I’d have their back, I meant it. Ultimately the company let it go. Of course, the normal restrictions, don’t let anyone find out, deny, deny, deny, make sure to put space between you two when there’s cameras, stuff that we expected.”

“Could have been worse,” Changbin agreed. “Did Minho and Felix think it went well?”

Chan nodded, chewing the snack mix he’d thrown into his mouth. “Yeah,” he said, “they were pretty happy with how it went. I think they’re relieved that it’s all out in the open now.”

“Speaking of…” Changbin drifted off, picking at the label on his water. “Getting things out in the open…”

“Right.” Chan cleared his throat. He took a swig of his water, his anxiety creeping back in. “So, I’ve been trying to figure out how to explain this for a month and I’m still not quite sure how to manage it so… Please just… Let me try to get it all out, okay?”

Changbin nodded. He leaned back on the bed, bracing pillows behind his back. “I’m listening.”

Chan chewed his lip for a moment, playing with a loose thread on his blanket. “Okay, so… Wolves like me… We’re not really human. Obviously we look human but… We’re not exactly.”

Changbin chuckled and nodded. “Got that from the furball on my lap last month,” he joked.

Chan smiled kicking him lightly. “So, because of that, sometimes humans and wolves like me don’t line up fully in terms of… Relationship needs. My kind need more than humans can provide.”

“Like what?”

“I didn’t think it would be a big deal,” Chan said, avoiding the question. “I didn’t think my wolf would care, since you’re already so perfect for us. For me.”

“But there’s something I’m lacking,” Changbin said softly.

“No!” Chan shook his head. “Not lacking. You really are amazing. And I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

“But your wolf would.”

Chan grimaced. “It’s not like that. He just… Wants a little more from you.”

Changbin lowered his gaze. Chan’s heart squeezed painfully. If he wasn’t careful with his words, he could end up breaking Changbin’s heart and ruining what they had.

“Wolves need packmates. To run with, to hunt and play. I’ve been alone for so long that I didn’t think it would matter, I got used to it, but there’s been this nagging urge since we made love the first time for more, for that pack bonding. And you just…”

“I can’t do that,” Changbin filled in softly. “Because I’m just a human.”

Chan closed his eyes. “Please don’t be upset.”

“Well I can’t help it, Chan!” Changbin cried, looking up quickly. “I want to be everything for you, I want to be there for you and your wolf and it’s not enough, but I can’t change what I am. You wouldn’t consider it anyways, even if I told you I wanted to think about changing.”

“I don’t want you to change,” Chan pleaded. “But he wants a wolf too. It’s like having two people in my head who want and need different things and I don’t know what to do because I have to handle both but I want you happy.”

“I’m happy with you,” Changbin said, his voice cracking. “If that means letting you turn me… It’s something that’s not off the table.”

Chan’s wolf perked up immediately, his heart skipping a beat. Chan pushed down the joy, shaking his head. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I’m an adult. I’m not saying you need to do it right this second, but Chan, I know what you are. I’m not naiive. I know you aren’t human and I know that we’ll never last if I can’t experience that part of you.”

“Don’t say that, we could—”

“This conversation shows we likely won’t. Relationships are a give and take, right?”

Chan nodded.

“And you – it’s like being in a relationship with two people, instead of just one. Which is fine, I love that about you, and your wolf is just as important to me as this part of you. I can give to you, in this form. Our talks, our work, touching, fucking. But I haven’t given much of that to your wolf.”

“And what do we give you?”

“A lot more than you realize, you fucking idiot.” Changbin smiled a bit as he spoke. He sighed. “Look, don’t treat me like a child with this. Say what you need, what he needs. Tell me how it works. And let me decide, let me make that decision.”

Chan chewed the inside of his cheek, considering Changbin’s words. He nodded. “I don’t need any more than what you are now. But my wolf wants a mate. He wants to feel you in the way I already do. He wants someone to run in the forest with and someone he can wrestle with without fear of breaking bones or tearing skin. He wants a mate he can… Fuck—Without worrying about hurting.”

“And a wolf can be that for him.”

Chan nodded. Changbin set the snack bag on the shelf. “You know,” he said softly, moving closer to Chan. “He doesn’t have to be gentle with me now. I know I can’t give him everything he wants, but… When I said I’d let him fuck me, I meant it.” He braced his palms on Chan’s knees, leaning forward and brushing their lips together. “I’m more than happy to strip down next month… Drop on all fours… Let him show me just how a wolf fucks.”

Chan’s eyes fluttered shut, his mouth falling open involuntarily as he drew in a quick breath. “Changbin—”

“It excites him, doesn’t it?” He murmured. He brushed his lips over Chan’s cheek and down his neck, biting gently. “Do you wanna fuck me? Hm? Be a good boy and pin me down?”

Chan whined softly. He knew exactly what part of him Changbin was talking to, and the wolf was reacting. He shivered, grabbing Changbin’s wrists.

“You don’t want to tease right now, Binnie,” he growled.

Changbin met his eyes, smirking. “I see the wolf in there. Just below the surface. He’s come forward more often, you know. Lately.”

“It’s because of you,” Chan huffed. He pushed Changbin back easily, crawling onto him and laying over him. He squeezed Changbin’s wrists and brought them up, pinning them above his head. “You constantly tease him.”

Changbin leaned up, brushing his mouth over Chan’s. “I want him to fuck me, Chan. I want to feel it. Blowjobs are fine, but I wanna feel his cock inside me, feel that power, that strength I know you have. Will you?”

Chan gritted his teeth, willing his wolf to settle. He nodded. “I will. He will.”

Changbin kissed Chan hard, their teeth hitting striking uncomfortably. Chan laughed, pulling back to adjust their lips as he slipped his tongue into Changbin’s mouth. He lowered his hips down, allowing their crotches to rub together as they made out.

Changbin spread his thighs, planting his feet on the bed and beginning to grind his cock against Chan’s. He moaned into his mouth, fighting Chan’s grip on his arms. “Now who’s teasing?” Changbin growled against his mouth.

Chan pulled back, smirking. “Well, it’s not time for my wolf. So I guess we should just stop here and wait…”

Changbin shifted suddenly, using his strength to throw Chan back. He freed his arms easily and flipped them, pinning Chan with his body. He held his arms at his sides, teeth bared as he looked down at him. “Don’t you dare.” He grumbled.

Chan would never admit it to anyone, but those moments – where Changbin was this close to snapping – those were when his lover was at his most attractive. There was something wild in his eyes when he was pushed this far, something almost… Wolf.

Chan wrestled against his grip, smirking when Changbin resisted, his jaw set.

“You gonna rough me up, Binnie?” Chan teased. “What would the fans say? You being so rough and mean.”

“Fans aren’t here.” Changbin gripped Chan’s wrists almost painfully and pushed his arms above his head. He pressed them together and leaned on them with one hand. Chan moaned at the painful streak of pleasure he felt, his hips twitching up involuntarily.

Changbin smirked. He yanked his own shorts and boxers down around his knees with his free hand, shifting his legs to kick them off. He leaned closer to Chan, snapping his teeth near his face when Chan tried to lean up and kiss him while he rummaged in the nightstand.

He moved back up, leaning his weight on Chan’s wrists once more. With a practiced ease, he flipped open the lid of the lube slipped it into his mouth, pouring a healthy amount onto his fingers. He closed it and dropped it onto the bed before reaching back.

Chan moaned softly when Changbin’s expression changed, his eyes slipping shut, bottom lip disappearing between his teeth. Chan could see the muscles in his arm moving as he fingered himself.

“I could help with that,” Chan tried, his voice coming out far more pleading than he intended.

“Nuh-uh. You don’t get to. This is what you get for teasing,” Changbin panted. He moaned freely, twisting his hips back against his hand.

Chan whined softly, his cock aching as he watched. He struggled against Changbin’s grip, but each move made him press harder, his grip tightening a little more on Chan’s wrists.

After what felt like forever, Changbin moved his hand away from his ass. His fingers were slick with lube. Without waiting for Chan to speak, he grabbed his boxers, pushing the waistband down and reaching in to free Chan’s aching cock. He gasped when the cool air of the room hit it, goosebumps rising over every inch of his skin. Changbin poured more lube over his tip, laughing when Chan hissed at the cold sensation. After spreading it over the length of his shaft, Changbin lined himself up and sank down onto Chan’s cock with a low groan.

Chan pushed his head into the pillow, his mouth falling open in a silent shout at the tight squeeze around his sensitive tip. He bent his knees, using that leverage to thrust up, driving himself a little deeper into Changbin.

Changbin cried out, falling forward. He put his other hand over Chan’s wrists, keeping him pinned even as Chan fucked up into him, his brows furrowed in concentration.

Their lips met in a messy kiss, panting and groaning into one another’s mouths. Changbin began to drop himself down, meeting Chan’s thrusts halfway and burying the length of Chan’s cock deep inside him. Chan could feel his entire body shuddering, each thrust nearing unbearable tightness when Changbin’s ass clenched at the base. His ass was warm and soft, silken smooth against Chan’s cock. The tight channel gave just enough to let Chan push through, squeezing and forming a tight grip around every little curve of his shaft.

“Changbin—“ Chan gasped. Changbin pressed their foreheads together, his eyes squeezed shut.

Chan tugged his wrists, desperate to touch. He whined softly, biting his bottom lip when Changbin’s eyes fluttered open.

“Please— Let me touch—“

Changbin released his arms, planting his hands on either side of Chan’s head. Chan grabbed his ass immediately, squeezing hard.

Changbin laughed breathlessly. “Now who’s the butt hunter?” He gasped.

Chan groaned annoyedly. He slapped Changbin’s ass hard, loving the delightful yelp it earned.

“Not my fault,” he growled, squeezing before slapping it again. “You’re the one working out your ass so it looks like this.”

“Just wanna make sure you have lots to hold while you’re fucking it.”

Chan grinned and slapped it a third time, shivering when Changbin’s ass squeezed tight around his cock.

Changbin leaned up on his knees, bouncing on Chan’s lap. He followed him up, wrapping his arms around his middle. Changbin set his hands on Chan’s shoulders, gazing into his eyes as he rode him. Chan could feel his muscles quivering, his cock dribbling against his belly, all signs he was getting close.

“Wanna come in my mouth?” Chan whispered.

Changbin nodded quickly. He began to thrust faster, burying his face in Chan’s neck as he whined with each deep penetration.

“That’s it, ride me,” Chan grumbled, holding Changbin’s hips lightly. “Your fucking ass is so tight, Binnie, perfect fit for my cock. Squeeze me just like that—“ He gasped.

Changbin swore suddenly. He pulled off Chan’s cock and raised himself up, stroking himself quickly. Chan leaned down, wrapping his lips around Changbin’s tip. He closed his eyes, sucking hard as thick ropes of come began to spurt from it. Changbin grabbed his head, pushing him down a little further as he groaned, his hips jerking with each spurt.

He pulled back when he could pull no more from Changbin. He opened his mouth, letting Changbin see how full of come it was, before swallowing.

“My turn.” He whispered. He lined his cock back up and pushed Changbin’s hip. “Take it.” He demanded. Changbin shouted his name, sinking down on his cock. Chan began to fuck up into his ass, holding his hips.

He chased his own climax, the taste of Changbin’s come in his mouth driving him to new levels of desperation.

“Chan!” Changbin yelped, holding tight to Chan’s shoulders.

“Take my cock, Binnie,” Chan snarled. “Gonna make sure we ruin your ass for anyone. Me and my wolf, only cocks that’ll make you feel good.”

Changbin shuddered hard, whining softly against his neck. “Yes, please— Come in me, please—“ He gasped.

“Almost there, baby, keep taking me,” Chan praised. “So good… Oh Jesus, fuck… Take it Changbin, fuck—“

He slammed Changbin down against his hips, holding him there tightly as he shuddered through his climax. His balls ached with the force of their pulsing, spilling everything deep inside Changbin’s tight channel.

Changbin reached back, gently cupping Chan’s balls and stroking them. “That’s it,” he panted in Chan’s ear. “Give me everything. Every drop, deep in my ass. I can take it, Channie. My ass was made for you and your wolf. Made to take your cock and your knot and hold all your come… Feels so good,” he whined softly.

Chan shivered, squeezing his middle tighter as his orgasm finally began to fade. Changbin didn’t move until his cock slipped out on its own. Then he moved to the side, laying on his belly with his thighs slightly parted. Chan could see a streak of his come on Changbin’s inner thigh, and a surge of pride and possessiveness rushed through him. He wanted to be the only one to mark up Changbin’s beautiful body like this. He laid down and kissed Changbin’s shoulder.

The two laid in silence for a long time, allowing the afterglow to settle into their bones and relax them. Finally, Changbin sighed and rolled over, sitting up. “I’m hungry.” He complained.

“Shocker,” Chan mumbled, flinging his arm over his eyes.

“Aren’t you?”

“I could eat.”

“I’ll order.” Changbin pulled his shorts on and grabbed his phone, scrolling through it. “Requests?”

“Nah, I’ll eat whatever you get.” Chan sat up as well, stretching his aching muscles before pulling on his bottoms as well. “We got a little distracted from our conversation…”

“Just a little.” Changbin grinned. He set the phone aside. “Food’ll be here in about twenty.”

Chan nodded. He settled back onto the pillows with Changbin, their shoulders brushing.

“Changing into a wolf is a big deal. It’s not something to be taken lightly,” he began.

Changbin nodded. “You said it could be dangerous.”

“It can be. If it’s not done right – even sometimes if it is – the human can die. Most human bodies can’t withstand the change.”

“Do you know what causes it? Is it like… Magic?”

Chan chuckled. “I wish. No. Really it’s… Just a parasite. An infection. It gets into our DNA and changes it permanently, but if it doesn’t go into the right DNA parts, it can break it down, essentially destroying a person.”

Changbin grimaced. “That sounds horrific… What are the chances?”

Chan sighed. “Honestly? I’ve only known two bittens… My mom is one, and then a friend of ours in Australia who used to run with us; she was bitten as a young child, which makes sense. The younger you are, the more likely it is to work, because the body can bounce back more easily. But unfortunately most people don’t consider changing until they’re in a situation like my mom was and you are, where they’ve accidentally gotten into a relationship with a wolf.”

“So how does it work? The change, I mean.”

“There’s a couple of ways to do it. The most well-known way is through a bite. But it has to be a very specific location, during the exact full moon, so the second night that I can change, and then my blood needs to be rubbed into the wound. The other option is a little less aggressive. It involves injecting the person with the wolf’s blood. It would need to get into your blood stream – and it would have to be my blood while I was turned on that specific night, when the parasite in my system is at its strongest.”

“Then what? Would it kill me right away? Or… Would we know?”

“We’d know. You’d change within the first few hours. That first change, apparently is… Agony.”

“It looks horrible when you do it, I can’t imagine.” He chuckled. “You know I’m a wuss.”

Chan rested his head on Changbin’s shoulder. “I don’t want you to go through it. I really don’t. I’d never ask you to do something like that.”

“Will you be content in a relationship with me if I don’t?” Changbin asked. “I mean honestly, you said the younger person has a better chance. We’re not all that old, so… Wouldn’t it make more sense to decide to do it now, rather than ten years when your wolf starts to resent me for being human?”

“I’d never.” Chan promised.

“You don’t know that. He already wants more than I can provide. At least somewhat. Sex, being out in the woods, I can do that. But I’m still not a wolf.”

“I don’t care.” Chan grabbed his hand. “Changbin, please don’t make a decision like this based on what you think I want. We can work together to make our relationship work no matter what, okay?”

Changbin chewed his lip. He stroked his thumb over Chan’s knuckles, remaining silent for a long time. “Is there any way to test if it would work before doing it? Mixing our blood outside of our bodies maybe? Seeing a reaction? Do you know?”

Chan shook his head. “I don’t know, actually. My dad might know though. He’s pretty well connected with wolves from all different countries.”

Changbin chuckled. “Werewolf chatroom?”

Chan laughed and nodded. “Honestly yeah, something like that… But that’s a really good question. I hadn’t thought of trying that. I wasn’t going to talk to him about you until I went home on vacation but… I can ask sooner, if you’d like.”

“When’s vacation?”

“Two months.”

Changbin nodded. “We can wait. It’ll give me some time to think it over. You’re right, this is a big decision. And we both deserve time to think on it. I mean… If you turn me… That’s pretty much marrying me, isn’t it? We’d be stuck together.”

Chan smiled softly and nodded. “Kinda. And I don’t know if I wanna have your annoying ass hanging off my hip for eternity.”

Changbin grinned brightly. “Oh you know you do.” He leaned forward and kissed Chan as their doorbell rang. “Our food’s here.” He hopped up, heading out of the room.

Chan sighed softly, watching him go. Though they were only joking, Changbin had been entirely right. He would be more than pleased to be with Changbin forever… It would be a dream come true.

#kvanity #wkcnet #straykidsland #binchan #changbin fic #chan fic #werewolf au #stray kids fic

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yandere-daydreams · 4 years ago

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Title: Closed Casket.

Commissioned by the very lovely @99shadowcat99.

Pairing: Yandere!Demon Brothers/Reader (Obey Me).

Word Count: 2.4k.

TW: Toxic Relationships, Dehumanization, Codependence, Threats of Violence, Mentions of Death, Implied Imprisonment.

It was a closed-casket funeral.

For such a small detail, it bothered you more than it had any right to. You hadn’t been the one to arrange it, the one to speak to the undertaker and evaluate the damage – that was a responsibility that fell to her fiancé rather than you, a distant cousin, only brought up in conversations about postponed friendships and quickly thinning family trees. You’d done what you could to help, what a last living relative should do to help - paying for flower arrangements, speaking to financial advisors, sorting through her belongs and trying to guess at what might’ve held some sentimental value to someone more present in her life, but you never saw the body. No one ever offered, and you hadn’t known how to ask. She was gone, now, dead and buried, and you'd never gotten to see her, even if everyone who had said that it was probably for the best.

And it probably was. They were probably right. You wouldn’t feel any better, if you had.

And yet, you found it difficult to believe you could feel any worse than you did now, either.

Belphegor was curled around your arm. He had been since you came back from the Human World, slotted against your side, draped over your shoulders, and currently, splayed out on top of you, his face buried in the flesh just above your shoulder blade, his body forcibly tangled with yours in a way that was too awkward to be comfortable for both of you, a sacrifice he seemed more than willing to make on your behalf. You’d tried to shrug him off earlier, when he first decided there was enough space on the smallest loveseat in the common room for his strange, daily ritual, and when that failed, you’d tried to talk him into letting go, into loosening his grip enough for you to slip away when he fell asleep, into relocating to somewhere else, somewhere softer, somewhere with a pillow that could easily replace you when he was too busy tossing and turning to care, but Belphegor had always been so frustratingly picky when it came to where, how, and when he chose to sleep.

He’d chosen you, and he’d chosen like this, and he’d chosen now. There was little you could do to change his mind, after he’d already made it up.

Still, you tried. He wasn’t asleep yet, caught somewhere between permanently half-conscious state and a sleep deep enough to warrant medical concern for most living creatures, supernaturally inclined or otherwise. “Belphie,” You called, gently, pushing the temptation to try more forceful methods into the back of your mind. “Think you pick another spot? Just for today?”

“Can’t.” It was a simple response, his voice heavy with sourceless exhaustion, just as short and just as blunt as it had been the last time you asked. You weren’t sure what you’d expected, honestly. “You were gone. I can’t.”

Your frown deepened. You’d left for a week – nine days, at most. And Belphegor couldn’t have been awake for more than half of that. “That’s not--”

“He was lonely, sweetheart.” It was Asmodeus, this time, as he perched himself on the loveseat’s arm. He wasn’t any better than Belphie, nimble fingertips soon tracing aimless patterns over the side of your neck, the dip of your shoulder, taking up the space he could occupy since the space he’d like to was already in-use. “He’ll get better, in a few days. Once it sinks in that you won't be leaving again.”

You were out of practice. A month ago, you would’ve known better than to respond, than to ask questions to someone who took as much delight in festering doubts as Asmodeus did. A month ago, you would’ve brushed him off and found your way to Purgatory Hall for the rest of the night. But, it wasn’t a month ago, and you were tired. You were still thinking about that casket, and you couldn’t seem to think of much else. “What do you mean?”

“Oh?” There was a pause, a laugh, light and melodic and fluttering. You’d always liked his laugh. You could bring yourself to enjoy it, though, not right now. “No one’s told you, yet?”

“Don’t tease ‘em.” You hadn’t noticed how full the common room had gotten, not until Mammon spoke and you reflexively turned to face the sofa opposite to yours. He was standing, leaning against the back, his hands clasped in a way that’d put his anxiety on display far more transparently than his voice ever could. Beelzebub, too, his arms crossed over his chest as his attention shifted idly between you, the console in Leviathan’s hands, and the book splayed out in Satan's lap, his scowl serving as evidence of his annoyance. It always bothered you, how easily he grew frustrated by situations he chose to put himself in. It bothered you a little more, today. “Might as well spit it out, if you’re going to bring it up,” Mammon went on, shifting his weight, letting his eyes fall to the floor, then rise to the ceiling, then drift back to you. “There’s no point putting it off.”

“Weren’t you supposed to tell them, Mammon?” Beelzebub chimed in, absent-mindedly. If it'd been Satan, if it'd been Lucifer, it would’ve been pointed, malicious, purposeful. Beelzebub just sounded like he was trying to remind his older brother of something he’d forgotten. “You said you should be the one to do it, since you met them first. Then, when Lucifer said you wouldn’t be able to do it, you said that if the human threw a tantrum, you could just--”

“I didn’t say shit.” Mammon cut him off, his tone hostile, but it was a half-hearted anger, more petty than vengeful. “I said I could, not that I would, and Lucifer shot me down. If he hadn’t, there’d already be a deadbolt on every fucking door in the house. We wouldn’t be sitting around, talkin’ about it.”

“Every door?” Beelzebub looked confused. Then, he looked concerned. “I thought we agreed to just seal the exits.”

“I still think we should just use their bedroom,” Leviathan chimed in, never looking up from his hand-held. Something tightened in the back of your throat. Experimentally, you tried to pull yourself out of Belphegor’s arms, but he only held you tighter, and Asmodeus’ nails dug into your shoulder, rooting you back into place without a single word. “It’d be cool, kinda like a permanent save-point. We wouldn’t have to worry about baby-proofing the entire house, either.”

“We could use a leash,” Asmodeus suggested, never breaking his stare. He didn’t look away. You wished he would. You wished they’d, if nothing else, have the courtesy to wait until you’d left the room to start talking about things you didn’t know and didn’t want to know. “So we can make sure they’re always close by! Or, we could have Lucifer enchant a collar – having to hold a tether might get in way when I have to--”

“He’d never do it.” It was the first time Satan had cut in, but it was clear he’d been listening. His book was still open, his expression still concentrated, but he was tapping his foot, the disruption soundless against the thick carpeting, and you couldn’t remember the last time he thought to pretend to turn a page. He was listening, but he didn’t want to be. He was a part of this, but you doubted he’d every say as much out loud. You doubted he’d ever let himself admit he’d stooped to that level. “And if he did, we’d never hear the end of it. In a week, there’d probably be a new kennel in the catacombs, right next to Ceberus’.” He stopped, for a moment, shaking his head. For your own sake, your chose to believe the envy lingering behind his voice was his attempt at a bad joke. “You would prefer a bedroom, wouldn’t you, (Y/n)?”

He asked you a question. He was talking to you, now, directly, which was more than you could say for any of his brothers. It should’ve been an improvement. An opportunity, if nothing else, a chance to ask why Asmodeus was looking at you like that, why you could feel Belphegor’s careless smile pressing into your skin, but you hesitated, something catching in your chest. It felt too solid, too heavy, too rough and too jagged. It felt like it’d hurt to swallow down, later on, once the unease passed and you got over whatever scheme they’d planned out, while you were gone.

“I… What?” You weren’t sure what you wanted to say, but it came out as a question regardless, your reluctance blending messily with your confusion. “This isn’t funny. If you’re going to act like this every time I visit the Human World, I might have to stop coming back.”

Finally, Satan glanced up from his book. If you didn’t know better, you might’ve said he was smiling. “Right. Because you still think you're allowed to leave.”

The rest of the room fell silent. Or, maybe it didn’t, maybe it was louder than it'd ever been. You didn’t know. You couldn't hear anything, not over the sudden ringing in your ears. “I’ll have to, eventually. It’s not up to me.”

Beelzebub shifted in his seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “It’d be safer if you stayed in the Devildom. We can’t protect you in the Human World.”

Leviathan’s grip tightened around his console. In the background, you could hear the plastic shell start to crack. “We wouldn’t be able to see you. Not all the time. Not for more than a few weeks at a time.” He was quiet, for a moment. Then, he added, “It wouldn’t be the same. It wouldn’t… It wouldn’t feel like it does when you’re here.”

Mammon looked away, letting his head lull to the side. “You belong here, with us. You’re supposed to be here. We’re just doin’ you a favor. No one wants to watch you figure out how fucked you’d be on your own.”

And, finally, Belphegor groaned, exhaustion heavy in the gravely sound. He untangled himself from you, but the freedom was temporary, fleeting, his arms snaking around your waist, instead, his face soon gracelessly buried in your chest. His eyes flickered open, but barely, just enough to let him stare up at you through his eyelashes, a thoughtless grin pulling at the corners of his lips. He wasn’t divided, not like his brothers were. He didn’t try to pretend he was above holding you against your will. “You're not leaving again.” It wasn’t a question. It wasn’t even a threat. It was just a fact, to him. It was something that wouldn’t happen, that couldn’t happen, if only because his older brothers were willing to work so hard to make sure it didn’t. “We’re not gonna share you, anymore. We’re not gonna have to.”

You didn’t want to hear anything else. You didn’t want to be here, anymore, not if this was what it meant, not if it was going to feel like standing in front of that closed casket all over again, the urge to run and sob and scream silencing every reasonable thought you’d ever had. You didn’t bother trying to talk to Asmodeus and Belphegor, you didn’t bother trying to coo and edge and skirt around their anger, their unspoken threats, not anymore, not when your body was already standing on its own, shoving at Belphegor’s body and swatting at Asmodeus’ hand as he reached out, aiming to cup your cheek and tell you so gently to sit down and shut up. Beelzebub leaned forward, Mammon flinched, and you could’ve sworn you caught a row of long, pointed fangs flash across Satan’s sneer, but you didn’t care. You wanted to hit something. You wanted to yell. You’d wanted to ever since you came back to this damned house and its overly affectionate occupants.

“You don’t get to share me.” You couldn’t be shared. You weren’t theirs to share, even if they already seemed geared against the idea. You weren’t theirs to trap, either. You never would be. “I don’t need your protection, and you don’t need to see me, and the only place I’m supposed to be is the Human World. I don’t know what got into your fucked-up heads while I was gone, but you can’t just--”

“Sit down, (Y/n).”

You stopped mid-sentence.

Right. You’d almost forgotten Lucifer hadn't gotten a chance say his piece, yet.

He didn’t give you time to cooperate. There was already a fist curled around the back of your collar, dragging you back into your seat, the action so much more aggressive than Belphegor’s oppressive dead-weight or Amsodeus’ sweet, sickly temptation. You couldn’t see him, but you could feel Lucifer looming over you, standing tall, towering above his younger brothers as he took control of the room. You wondered if he’d been here the entire time, if he’d heard everything, rather than just your sudden outburst. You wondered if you should hope that he had.

“We missed you, while you were gone.” He didn’t sound mad. He didn’t sound mad, but none of them did, none of them sounded like they were plotting to keep you away from your home, your friends, the life you had outside of demons and angels and magic. None of them sounded dangerous, either, save for Lucifer. He’d always been easier to trust when he wasn’t pretending to be kind. “We’ve all been alive for centuries, and yet, you went and made a week feel like a small eternity. Do you know how difficult it is for a human to inflict that kind of suffering onto a demon?”

You didn’t answer. Across the room, Mammon laughed and Satan bristled. Belphegor melted back into your side, more than happy just to have his resting place scared into immobility.

“You’ll stay.” It was an order, this time. Not a suggestion, not a passing concern, but a command, something you would be expected to obey. He had the nerve to use that low, calm cadence, measured and pre-meditated. He didn’t want to let you convince yourself he was as prone to bluffing as his brothers were. “You’ll stay because we want you to. We’re willing to use force, but there’s no need for that. Is there, love?”

You nodded, your body tense and your eyes glassy, and Lucifer rewarded you with a breathy chuckle, a row of knuckles delicately pressed to your cheek. A miserable reward for such an unwilling sacrifice, but Lucifer didn’t seem to mind. It certainly didn’t stop him from leaning in, his lips brushing against the top of your head, his voice falling just low enough to make something sharp and cold shot down your spine, as he went on.

“It’s not like you have anything to go back to, anymore.”

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natsu-tte-noodle · 2 years ago

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A3! Translation: The Hard Fight for Triangle Jokes!? (Tehepero Funny Guy)

This one is interesting because it lets us see a planning process for once! It was neat to read their plan actually being put into action in the event story.

I did this one a while ago (like. a year), so I think I was still learning how to make ていうか sound natural at the time. Like with Tenichi, I hope the end result ended up ok lol

@banriapologist the manzai providing star is once again our lovely provider ☆

The translation is under the cut. If you see anything that doesn’t seem right, please let me know!

１

Izumi: Misumi, Yuki, you two will be participating in the Grand Prix this time, right?

Yuki: Yeah. So we got together planning to have a prep meeting, but—

Misumi: Hey, hey, let’s make our duo name “Sankaku”~!

Yuki: No. I mean, I rejected it earlier, too.

Misumi: Then, “Triangle”~!

Yuki: That’s just triangle in English. You thought I’d allow that?

Misumi: Yuki’s harsh… boooo.

Izumi: N-Now, now. Misumi-kun’s just throwing out ideas, right?

Yuki: *sigh*... I guess I should say, the manzai routine should come before the name.

Misumi: Oh, gotcha! Then, okay! I wanna do a triangle skit!

Yuki: What? What’s that?

Misumi: Um well, it’s like this~!

Misumi: —Yes! Triangle love!

Misumi: Well? Well? Doesn’t that seem funny?

Izumi: Umm… you got your incredible love for triangles across, but…

Yuki: Rejected.

Misumi: Whaaaaat?

Izumi: (Looks like this is a hard fight…)

Kazunari: Ah, Yukki and Sumi! That was fast, you’re already practicing your manzai?

Yuki: Not yet. We’re in the middle of getting a routine out now.

Tenma: Huh. Going well?

Misumi: I made up a part~! Look look—yes! Triangle love!

Kazunari: Ahaha, Sumi, that’s great! Mega funny~!

Yuki: …does that look like it’s going well?

Tenma: Oof…

Misumi: Hey, hey, Yuki, why don’t you like it?

Misumi: I showed it to the cats earlier and they said it was funny~?

Yuki: Get back to me when humans find it funny.

Kumon: Ahaha, this back and forth is kinda already like manzai! It’s funny~!

Kazunari: Yeah! With this, could we seriously aim for victory!?

Muku: That would definitely be funny enough, but… I kind of want to see Yuki in the funny guy role.

Yuki: The hell?

Kumon: Oh, I kinda get what you mean! Like, Yuki’s always had the impression of the retorter, right?

Yuki: That’s because a certain hack is a hack.

Tenma: Hey! I keep telling you I’m not a hack!

Yuki: I never said the hack was you.

Tenma: Ghk…

Izumi: But Yuki-kun’s funny guy side is certainly something we don’t see too often, so it could be fresh and entertaining.

Kazunari: After talking about it, I’m kinda interested in that too~!

Kumon: Then, this time, Yuki will be the funny guy, and Sumi-san will be the straight man!

Yuki: WHAT!? Hold on, why are you making that choice on your own!?

Muku: Ah… could it be, Yuki-kun, you hate the funny guy role? I-I’m sorry… it’s my fault for running my mouth.

Muku: Ughh… I’m an idiot that can’t read the mood, stupid, sloppy, my brain is just the dust that floats in your house…!

Yuki: Nobody’s saying that. …I complain, but it’s not like I hate it or anything.

Muku: R-Really? …thank goodness.

Yuki: Well, now that I think about it, I haven’t really been the funny guy much, so it might be a good experience.

Tenma: Then, that’s settled.

Misumi: Oka~y, I’ll do my best as the straight man~!

ー

２

Tenma: The funny guy and straight man have been decided, so next is the actual routine.

Misumi: I still want to do a manzai routine with triangle jokes~ Tri-tri-triangle~

Kazunari: It’d be funny, but if there’s only one joke it could be restricting. Maybe it’d be good to have other ones that you can smoothly sprinkle in?

Kumon: What about prop comedy or something?

Yuki: No, Citrun does that.

Tenma: How about song jokes? Like a parody, or funny lyrics.

Yuki: If the championship comes down to lyrics, we’d be overshadowed by the shameless poemer. At least consider that.

Tenma: You’re being real harsh even though people are giving you their thoughts!

Izumi: A routine that won’t feel like it overlaps with the other teams… hmm.

Kazunari: —ah! Hey, hey, what about this?

Kazunari: Every time Sumi retorts to Yuki’s goofing, he changes between three different personas!

Muku: Wow, that sounds pretty interesting!

Kazunari: Ooh, and what’s more, isn’t rotating between three characters kinda triangular!?

Yuki: No, that’s too much.

Misumi: Whoaaah, it’s a triangle~! Kazu, you’re a geniu~s!

Tenma: Does that make it a triangle!? What are you guys seeing!?

Izumi: A-Anyway, Misumi-kun likes Kazunari-kun’s idea. Yuki-kun?

Yuki: Well, if the person who’s doing it wants to then I guess it’s fine. The trianglian should be able to handle the different roles too.

Misumi: Ya~y!

Muku: Then, should we think about the three patterns the straight man’s character will have? What sort of characters do we think would work?

Kumon: Hmm… oh, like a high-and-mighty type!

Yuki: Ahh, so like the hack?

Tenma: Who are you calling a high-and-mighty hack!?

Izumi: Ahaha… um, in that case the others should be easy to understand too, right?

～

CHOOSE!

1. Like a sharp-tongued type?

Izumi: Like a sharp-tongued type? Like, they harshly cut you down.

Tenma: I see, so a cheeky impression like Yuki?

Yuki: Shut up, hack. Also, that’ll overlap with my character so no.

2. Like a timid type?

Izumi: Like a timid type? Like, they nervously retort.

Kumon: Like Muku! In that case, you also need negative wild fantasies!

Yuki: We’d certainly have the element of surprise, but I think it’d be tough since one mistake would turn it into the funny guy.

～

Kazunari: Ooh, ooh! I suggest a straight-laced type!

Muku: The image of a tough guy like Juchan or Sakyo-san! Misumi-san seems like he’d play that so cool…!

Kumon: In that case, for the last one, what about a super-cheerful character, like a party person!

Tenma: Ah, a trend-following type like Kazunari?

Yuki: Got it… yeah, works for me. They’ll be easy to tell apart, so the switch should be easy to make too.

Izumi: Then, the straight man’s characters will be a high-and-mighty type, a straight-laced type, and a trend-following type.

Kazunari: Oh~! Sounds like this’ll be a manzai we’ve never seen before! Ya~y, it’ll be a smash hit~!

Misumi: Smash hit~!

Yuki: Thanks for the help. We’ll come up with the rest, so you guys are off the hook.

Tenma: Got it. All that’s left is to enjoy the performance.

Kumon: Ah~ now I’m SO excited~!

Kazunari: Right? Will the champion finally come from the Summer Troupe this year!?

Muku: Wow, it’d be amazing if that happened…!

Izumi: We’re cheering for you, so do your best, you two!

Yuki: Yeah, yeah. …well, grabbing the victory on our first try would be fun too.

Misumi: Oka~y, we’ll take first place with triangle manzai~!

STORY CLEAR

#a3!#a3! translation #yuki rurikawa #misumi ikaruga #a3! yuki #a3! misumi #tenma: yuki is sharp tongued #yuki: shut up. I'm sharp tongued

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reidgraygubler · 4 years ago

Text

dirty little secret (reid/reader)

Title: dirty little secret

Requested: yes, was a request someone sent to @/imagining-in-the-margins, but I took it off her hands :) (alskdf that was so hot um could you do where the Reader gets spencer a collar and maybe someone accidentally finds it… okay tysm and it’s totally ok if not <3)

Couple: spencer reid/gen-neutral!reader

Category: spicey fluff

Content Warning: D/s dynamic, allusions and mentions to sex, sub!spencer, dom!reader, this does contain some kinda sexual content, no actually nudity or actual sex

Word Count: 1,678

Summary: Reader gets Spencer a super meaningful, and private, gift. All is well… Until a member of the team finds out about it.

A/N: pom posted this in her discord and said if someone had any ideas for this, we could have it. thank you all so much for the support! i really do appreciate it. check out my masterlist!

{***}{***}{**}

“Wait, wait,” I looked down at Spencer, a smile growing across my lips, “I got you something… I think you’ll want to use it right now,” I whispered before pressing my lips to his. He hummed and followed after me when I pulled away from him. I laughed before pushing him back down on the bed. “Stay there.” I pointed at him.

“What is it,” he asked as he watched me climb out of the bed. I tried to be graceful but failed when the sheet came along with me.

“Well, you see, I was just thinking… And, well,” I stopped speaking and went to a paper bag sitting by my dresser. I could hear the bed shift slightly, alerting me that Spencer had sat up.

“Should I be worried?” He asked, watching as I pulled out a piece of tissue paper. Sitting at the bottom of the bag was a thick black band of leather with an ‘O’ ring right in the middle of it. It was perfect. I think it’d suit Spencer perfectly.

“Mmm, no. I don’t think you should be worried,” I whispered as I held it up to show off what it was. “I figured it was time to get you one,” I explained as he sat up to look at it. A small smile grew across his lips once he realized what exactly it was I held. “Do you like it?”

“Like it? Of course I do!” He reached out to touch the collar. I smiled at him as he carefully took it from my hands. “When were you able to get this?”

“Earlier this week when you stayed late at the office. I told Emily I had to do some errands and well…” My words trailed off as I gestured to the collar he held in his hands. I watched as he looked down at it, his fingers trailed across the leather texture. “I wanted to get you something… And I figured that was the best thing to get,” I whispered as I took it back from him. I stood up from the bed and moved to sit behind him.

“It definitely was the best thing,” Spencer laughed as I put the collar around his neck before fastening it to him.

“How’s that?” I asked in a soft tone. My arms snaked around his body as I rested my head on his shoulder. Spencer hummed as he nodded. “You can breathe just fine?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” he whispered and kept nodding. I smiled before moving back around to sit in front of him.

“You’re my good boy, you know that,” I whispered as I lifted my hands to hold his face. The smile that sat on his lips grew as he looked at me. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Spencer replied before moving to press his lips to mine. I hummed happily as I pushed my hands through his hair to hold him closer to me.

{***}{***}{***}

Of course not a week later did we get called out for a case. Whenever there was a case, Spencer and I had to be a little bit sneaky or creative with our… extra-curricular activities. Even if we were dead tired from a full day of work, we still put a little effort into doing something. Although, a scene wouldn’t last too long. We’d get to the point of nudity and then we’d just end up cuddling, which is just as good as the actual sex.

But this… This was not the case. We weren’t on a time crunch for this case. We were allowed to go to the hotel for some rest. Though, rest probably wouldn’t exactly come for me or Spencer...

“You brought it with, correct?” I asked as I kept my voice low as Spencer and I walked side by side down the hall. Spencer glanced at me, an eyebrow raised as if he was saying ‘Yes, ma’am, I did bring it. I’m not an idiot,’. But in turn, I raised my eyebrows. “Good boy,” I cooed before pressing my lips to his cheek.

“I hate you,” he muttered as he pulled the key card out from the paper sleeve.

“Oh, Baby Boy, I don’t think you do.” I smiled as I lifted a hand to ruffle his hair. He glanced at me as he unlocked the door. “I’m going to shower, you get ready for me… Okay,” I whispered once we were both inside.

“Yes, ma’am,” Spencer mumbled before pressing my lips to his. I smiled at him with a knowing glance before stepping into the bathroom.

I should have taken my time to get ready. Instead I rushed. I let my excitement of getting off make me rush. I wondered what things would’ve happened had I taken my time. Damn my excitement...

“I hope you listened to me and you’re all ready,” I spoke as I exited the bathroom.

“Yeah, yeah… Um, about that,” I could hear Spencer’s voice, but what I wished I heard was the moment of regret in his tone. It was too late as I stepped out from behind the door wearing nothing but my underwear. My eyes first went to him, then our apparent guest to our room. “Luke is here…” his eyes dropped to his lap as he spoke. I stared at him for a moment before looking down at what I was wearing.

“Hey.” Luke looked up at my face as he waved. I knew he was trying his hardest to not let his eyes linger on my body. We were all frozen at this very moment. I know I couldn’t move because of how embarrassing this moment was.

“Kinda wish I was dreaming right now… But I know that this wouldn’t be a dream… It’d be a fucking nightmare,” I lifted my finger as I spoke. I could feel my embarrassment mix with anger the longer I stood in the room wearing just my underwear. I bit my lips before taking a deep breath. “I’ll… I’ll be right back,” I pointed at Spencer then at Luke. Luke looked over at Spencer, the apparent embarrassment for all of us growing on both their faces. Although the embarrassment Luke showed wasn’t as bad as what Spencer had...

I quickly went back into the bathroom and went for one of the folded robes sitting on the towel rack. When I was covered in something more than my underwear, I stepped back into the room and noticed Spencer wearing a little more than his boxers.

“What do you want, Luke?” I asked, trying to not let my annoyance be known. But it was so incredibly hard. The moment was already ruined. When he stayed silent, I looked over at Spencer with a raised brow before looking at Luke. “Did you need something, or were you justh ere to fuck with Spencer and me? Because you’re free to leave,” I spoke as I gestured towards the door. Luke stood and walked towards me. I silently thanked God that Luke was leaving…

“Right… I’ll see you later, Spencer,” Luke stated as he turned to look at Spencer. His eyes narrowed as he looked over in Spencer’s direction for a moment too long. “Is… Is that a collar?” he asked, pointing at the object sitting on the nightstand. I looked at Spencer, then over at Luke, then, finally, back at Spencer. My eyes were wide and I could feel a blaze grow across my cheeks.

“Uh… I… Uhm…” I pulled my robe tighter around my body as I looked at Luke. I genuinely couldn’t find anything to say at the moment. But, to be fair, I’ve been dreading this exact moment since Spencer and I started doing… this. “It’s mine,” I cringed as I raised an eyebrow. Luke looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Sure, I believe that…” Luke walked up to me. He patted my shoulder a few times before finally actually leaving. “Listen, I know you two were about to… Ya know…” He let his words trail off as he did a set of crude actions. I rolled my eyes as I looked over at him. “But Emily needs us over at the station soon.” His voice was low as he got further away. “But I’ll just let her know you guys are… busy with other-”

“Just go, Luke… Please,” I lifted a hand to rest over my eyes. I let out a deep sigh before turning to look at him.

“Hope you guys have fun,” Luke looked at me with a smile before leaving. I rushed to the door once he was gone and locked the deadbolt and chain lock.

“Moment’s ruined,” I said to the room. Spencer laughed as I walked over to the bed. He stood from the bed before coming up to my side. “It’s gone. Ruined forever,” I said in a dramatic tone.

“It’s not ruined. We can… Try again when we’re allowed to be here for a while. Or, when we’re back home,” he reassured as he lifted a hand to my shoulder.

“Yeah, you’re right… But now all I’ll be able to think about is Luke’s idiot face when I’m fucking you.” I laughed as I looked up at him.

“Oh please, I hope you’d be able to think about me and my-”

“Pretty…”

“Sure, pretty face… Especially when you’re cumming,” he whispered before pressing his lips to mine.

“Of course!” I shouted and stepped away from him. “Even better when I’ll be riding that pretty face of yours,” I hummed before kissing him again. I really, really liked the thought of that. It was something I really needed at the moment, but it wasn’t going to happen at the moment. Emily needed us… So that moment was going to have to wait.

“I agree though. I think next time will be a little awkward… Now that Luke knows what we’re doing,” Spencer anxiously chuckled.

“Maybe next time we’ll just ask him to join us,” I said before leaving his side to get dressed again.

“Wait… Wait… What?”

{***}{***}{***}

i am currently take a break from a taglist. but if you have any questions or comments, please let me know here!

#shadow writes stuff #masterlist #spencer reid #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x you #spencer reid fan fic #criminal minds fan fic #sub!spencer #sub spencer

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shihalyfie · 3 years ago

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The importance of a burnt egg

Appmon is a very over-the-top and silly series, which is one of its standout features in a story that features some really heavy topics (both emotionally and academically). The first presumable reason as to why the series is this way is tone; if it weren’t for all of this dorky silliness, the sheer weight of the story could easily get overwhelming to the point it becomes difficult to digest (especially considering this is a kids’ series). Having all the fun parts helps make the delivery more palatable and easier to understand, allowing it to cover some pretty deep topics it might not be able to otherwise.

However, it’s important to realize that this is most definitely not the only reason for these kinds of things -- the strange wackiness is also very important to the theme of the series itself. At first, it might seem a bit strange to insinuate that something like a burnt egg actually has theme importance, but you’d be surprised...

(Note that there are spoilers for the series in the rest of this post.)

Let’s fast-forward to the end of the series, episode 52, when Leviathan makes its case as to why humanity should accept its ideal world.

The question of whether it’s better to have emotions or not has been a staple theme of sci-fi (especially AI-themed sci-fi) as long as the genre has existed, but when you get to the end of Appmon and everything that’s led up to it, you have to admit that it makes a pretty compelling case. Leviathan isn’t saying this out of simply just being condescending about humanity being bad at taking care of itself; it really, truly thinks that emotions and hearts are doing everyone an inconvenience. It itself even understands the concept of “death”, and believes it’s doing everyone a favor by keeping everyone from it. Through all of the previous episodes, we’d seen all of the messiness and emotional pain that Leviathan is warning against. Haru just went through a whole cycle of learning he might have been gaslighted. Eri went through the bittersweetness of still not being able to attain the goal she’d worked so hard for. Astra’s still figuring out what to do with this life and what place his family has in his future. Rei had to go through the pain of losing and having to chase after his own family for the entire series. Yuujin, depending on Haru’s choices, may end up dying, with every purpose and hobby he’d built up coming to an end.

Yeah. Life kinda sucks sometimes. There’s a lot of problems going on in society, tons of heartbreak, and everyone’s interests clashing into each other create strife and suffering. Wouldn’t it be better to wipe all that away? Forget everything and let an objective system handle it all? No more need to make choices, especially when the ability to make choices sometimes leads to making bad ones; the system will efficiently organize everything, without any of that chaos or strife or pain. Sounds great, right?

Well, firstly, the problem with this is that Leviathan isn’t a perfect, unbiased system. Nor is anything else in this world. As many AI researchers will tell you right now, even the most advanced black-box AI algorithms are still made by humans, with human biases, and subject to imperfections, because anything part of an imperfect world will still be imperfect. We see a brief glimpse of recognizing the series resident No Guy in the faceless crowd; its job of supposedly wiping misery and pain from the population isn’t exactly working the way it thinks it is. Even Leviathan does briefly admit that it has more it wants to learn. In fact, Leviathan’s defeat largely centers around its realization it doesn’t understand everything about the world after all -- Haru and his friends managed to derail its ostensibly perfect plan that had been building up over the series at the last minute, and Haru himself made a shocking unexpected “third option” choice to the dilemma it’d provided it. “Humans have a surprising side to them,” after all.

As Appmon’s resident edgelord, Rei has an amusing style of writing in that he’s quite the serious person yet keeps getting put in increasingly absurd and comedic situations. There are a lot of reasons for it -- making it clear that he’s not quite as good at the whole edgy schtick as he pretends to be, and also the sheer juxtaposition being funny -- but this really comes to a head in episode 42, where Rei is constantly placed in increasingly ridiculous situations and contexts until the very end, and said very end takes all of the stupid hilarity and suddenly punches you in the face with it when it connects to how Hajime is eventually found. In the end, all of Hackmon’s abilities and all the cognitive thinking in the world paled in comparison to Rei doing something so phenomenally stupid that Hajime remembered his brother and laughed.

After all, if we’re talking about emotions, you can’t forget the one that’s repeatedly permeated all of media and sentiment as well: connection and love. And as it turns out, Hajime recognizes his brother when his brother is doing something stupid.

In the following episode, episode 43, pay close attention to the sequence of events when Rei tries to get Hajime to wake up. Rei tried everything, ranging from getting the Appmon to help, to taking him out everywhere, to cooking every kind of egg under the sun. But here’s what’s significant: we’re treated to a montage of Rei making those eggs, and every time we see them, Rei makes them correctly, because he’d gotten better at making eggs since Hajime had been taken away. And that’s exactly what the problem was, because the moment Rei messed up out of being lost in thought, burning the egg, that was the one and only time that had any significance to Hajime, enough to actually bring him back.

In other words: it was the human mistake, not anything perfected, that actually had meaning.

Burnt eggs shouldn’t exist in Leviathan’s world. That’s a byproduct of bad choices. It’s inefficient and clumsy, and wouldn’t be happening if a perfect system were running everything. But it’s those imperfections and mistakes and slip-ups and all of the inconsistent, flawed parts of humanity that create connections and differences and make the world go ‘round. And in a world increasingly trying to make things more efficient and closer to “perfect”, this is what we risk losing.

YJ-14 was a “failure”. It failed at its job, and whatever routine it was supposed to be using to please Haru ended up becoming something inefficient and messy that helped derail Leviathan’s plans. For it, Yuujin ended up having doubts and pain, and having to face death. But as he puts it: because of all that, he got to meet Haru, and he got to be Haru’s friend, and live the kind of life a human would live, with happiness and aspirations and relationships to others. And, as it seems, that wild, messy life was fulfilling enough to be worth him sacrificing his life for Haru.

Besides, Haru was right: Yuujin wouldn’t have been able to do this if he didn’t have a heart. Artificial intelligence advancing also means advancing enough to understand this, too. And as Haru had told Leviathan earlier, while Leviathan insisted that everyone having the ability to make their own choices was making everyone miserable, Haru counters that all of their choices and will had been what allowed them to initially defeat Leviathan, too. Despite all the hardships they’d faced, they’d chosen to overcome those hardships, and came out the better for it.

The world Haru lives in is messy, ridiculous, and with a lot of problems everywhere. Leviathan may be gone by the end of the series, but the technology its world lives on still remains, and there’s still uncertainty in the future about what might happen with those future developments. But this was the world Haru and his friends chose to protect -- one that’s not perfect or clean by any means, but one where all the weird, strange zaniness makes it worth going through all the converse pain and misery for, because those mistakes and rough parts have meaning of their own, too.

Even if that means burning some eggs a few times.

#digimon #appmon #digimon universe appli monsters #shihameta #katsura rei #rei katsura

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study-coffee-chicago · 4 years ago

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Seasons of PD: Season 3: Jay’s Missing (A Halstead Brothers + Halstead Sister! Imagine)

As always, I don't own any quotes from the episode that happen to be in here!

Your age: 14

Jay's age: 28

Will's age: 30

"C'mon Jay," you muttered as you called him for the third time in an hour.

It was the one night a month where you and your brother would go out to dinner together and if there was a hockey game on, you'd finish watching it at his apartment. Then, he'd take you home. He was skeptical about doing it tonight since you had end-of-the-year exams next week, but you reassured him that you'd be fine; taking a break for a few hours never hurt anybody. And, you had all Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night after school to study since exams didn't start until Tuesday.

"You've reached Jay Halstead--" You quickly ended the call and began texting Ruzek. Hopefully, he'd cave and tell you what was going on.

But, when the read sign popped up seven minutes later, you knew something was up. If Jay was going to be late, he would've called you, or at least texted.

Since it was late May, the sun was out later than in the winter, which meant that it wouldn't be dark for another couple of hours. So, you grabbed a light sweatshirt and pulled it on, grabbed your phone and a few dollars and put them in your pocket, shouting a "bye Dad" on the way out...not that he cared what you did anyway.

You walked a few blocks to the El train stop, put your dollar in for your ticket, and hopped on. While you were on there, you were sure to have Ruzek's number pulled up on your phone and were ready to hit the call button in case something happened to you.

You looked at the map. The 21st District was just a few stops away. Soon, you'd know why Jay wasn't answering you. Hopefully, he was just out on a raid, handcuffing the bad guys.

***

"Kim," you said as you rushed into the district and saw the officer. "Do you know where my--"

You were cut off by the faint sound of a scream.

"Do I know where who is, Y/N?" she asked, completely ignoring what she had just heard.

"Jay, but that sounded like him screaming!"

You ran up the stairs to Intelligence, tugging on the gate even though you knew it wouldn't open without a member scanning their palm or Platt buzzing you up.

"Was that Jay? Is he there?" you yelled.

"Y/N, we can't let you up there right now," Kim explained.

"Why not? Jay told me we'd go out for dinner tonight and he always calls if he's gonna be late."

You looked up to see Ruzek coming towards the door.

"Would it kill you to answer a text?" you asked.

"Sorry, been busy."

"At least let me upstairs and then you can tell me where Jay is and I'll be out of your hair."

Ruzek sighed and allowed you to go up, Kim following you as well.

"Or Detective Halstead winds up as fertilizer in some cornfield in Indiana. We understand each other, Sergeant?"

"What'd he want?" Antonio asked, everyone totally unaware that you were now in the room.

"Halstead's life for all our CI files."

"H- His life?" you asked, frozen on the top step to the bullpen.

"Shit," Kevin muttered.

"Is he in trouble? Is he dead? Is that why he didn't answer my calls?" Your bottom lip started to tremble.

Antonio took a deep breath. He knew that if Gabby was in trouble that he'd want as much detail about what was happening as possible. "Something uh, something went wrong earlier," he supplied. "And then, because of that, some dealers took your brother."

"They took him? Took him where?"

"We don't know yet, kid," Al said. "But, that's what we're trying to find out."

When you heard that they didn't know where he was, you ran off towards the locker room. Ruzek tried to put his foot between the wall and the door to stop you from closing it and locking yourself in, but you were too fast for him.

You pulled out your phone and dialed a number you knew you probably should've called earlier when you first thought that Jay was in trouble.

"Erin? Jay's missing. You gotta find him. You're his partner."

***

Erin blearily reached for the phone, still trying to get over her hangover from last night--which lasted well into this morning--to go out for another night of non-stop partying, drinking, and drugs. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw your name pop up.

"Hell--"

"Erin? Jay's missing. You gotta find him. You're his partner."

"He's--" She cleared her throat. "He's missing? What happened? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. I- I called him because we had a dinner and he didn't pick up, so eventually I just- I came down to the district and I heard someone on the phone say they're going to turn him into fertilizer, Erin."

"Do you know who it was?" she asked as she grabbed her service weapon and slid it into the waistband of her jeans...the same clothes she had been wearing since last night. A call that her boyfriend was missing was definitely curing her hangover fast.

"I don't know. It was- It was some dealer. But, you gotta come here and help them find him. You're his partner. Please." Your voice cracked on the last word.

"Okay, okay, I'll call Will to come pick you up and explain the situation. I'm leaving my apartment right now. I'll be there soon."

"Please don't call Will," you urged. "He's gonna be mad at me."

"Why's he gonna be mad at you?"

"Because I took the El and I'm not supposed to take the El by myself."

"Y/N, you taking the El by yourself is the least of his problems at the moment. Just sit tight and I should be there in about ten minutes."

***

"Y/N, c'mon open this door. Please?" you heard your oldest brother's voice on the other side of the door. "I know you're worried about Jay, but it's not gonna help at all if you just lock yourself in here all night."

You sniffled and then walked over to the door and unlocked it. "Will!" you cried, rushing into his arms. "He's gone, he's gone, he's gone."

"Hey, hey it's okay. You're okay. They're gonna find him and then you can have two dinners with him next month because you missed yours this month."

The number of times Jay had been shot or hurt on the job had caused Will to basically be immune to hearing bad news about his little brother. But, if Jay didn't come back or flatlined, then he'd be freaking out. And, despite Will wanting to scream at all of Intelligence to go find him, he knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't lash out right now because it'd only make it worse for you.

Your stomach growled, making Will go into even more protective brother mode. "When's the last time you ate?"

"Lunch," you answered.

"Y/N, it's 7:30. We gotta get some food in you."

"But, but what if he comes back? I wanna see him when he comes back."

"I'm gonna be honest with you. When he comes back, he's probably gonna need to go to the hospital just as a precaution. And, I know you have exams soon and your algebra one is stressing you out. I don't think Jay would want you to fail an exam just because you were worried about him."

"I hate math," you grumbled.

"I know. That's why you need to make sure you study."

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna end up liking it because I have to work on it."

Will didn't know what to say to that because he knew that you were right. So, he reiterated his previous point. "Let's go get you some food."

"Can-Can we just eat at home?" you asked. "I don't wanna not be home and hear bad news about Jay."

Will knew what you were getting at: you didn't want to break down in public.

"Yeah, we can do that. Still got a bunch of mac n cheese at home?"

"A few boxes," you answered, remembering how bare the cupboards were at your and your dad's house.

"We'll just grab something on the way home. C'mon."

"Can Erin come, too?" you asked.

"Go ask her. And, don't take the El by yourself. That's dangerous."

You rolled your eyes and followed him out of the locker room and into the bullpen.

"Erin," you started as you walked up to her desk. She had her head in her hands.

"Hmmm?" she asked looking up.

"Do you wanna come back to my house and eat dinner with me and Will?"

"I don't know if--"

"She'll come," Voight answered before she could finish.

"Hank!"

"Erin, we'll still be here working when you're done with dinner. Lord knows you could use some food in you."

"Fine." She stood up and grabbed her coat. "Not like you're letting me help with the case anyway," she muttered. But, no one heard that part.

Since she had quit Intelligence in Bunny's bar a few weeks ago, Voight was right in having her not work the case...not that she'd admit that. But this was her boyfriend, her partner, that was in trouble and she'd be damned if she didn't help get him out of this mess.

***

"Dad's not home?" Will asked as he let them into the house using the spare key that was hidden under a layer of dirt in the flower pot.

"He never is," you mumbled.

"What? What do you mean he's never home?"

"I mean, he's never home on Friday nights because he always goes out to the bar with some old friends," you told him. That was at least true. He did go out to the bar with some old friends...but it wasn't just Friday nights anymore, it was Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Thursday and Sunday, too. Because of this, he ate out a lot and didn't cook. Therefore, he had no reason to buy a lot of groceries, which was why there wasn't a lot of dinner food left in the cupboard...not that there was a lot of breakfast or lunch food here either, though. There was just enough for you to play it off that your dad just needed to go to the store. There was just enough for your brothers not to worry.

"Okay." Will started to grab the Olive Garden you had ordered out of the bag. You said you weren't hungry--you didn't want to eat when you were this nervous-- and had only wanted to get some minestrone soup. But, Will insisted that you needed more than that so you compromised: minestrone soup and half an order of fettuccine alfredo...plus the breadsticks and the salad that came with the meal obviously.

A while later, Will was almost done with his food and was grabbing another breadstick and Erin was putting more salad onto her plate. You, on the other hand, had barely managed to finish your minestrone.

"Y/N, can you please eat a bit more? How about a breadstick? I know you love those," Will said.

"I'm not that hungry," you said quietly.

Will was about to say something when Erin stepped in. "How about you work on some of your homework? Maybe that'll make your appetite come back since you're using a lot of energy to focus. And, Jay mentioned that you have exams next week."

"He did?" you asked. You didn't think that Jay would mention stuff that you had going on in your life, like exams, to Erin.

"He always says how proud of you he is for working so hard in school...because he says that he was never as good in school as you."

"He really says he's proud of me?"

"He sure does."

"You guys mind if I do it out here? It's a lot easier to write stuff down when I'm writing in my notebook on the table instead of balancing it in my lap on my bed."

"Sure, kiddo," Will said.

You went to your room and grabbed your backpack and then started to work on your homework.

As you were working on it, your brain wandered back to the first time Jay had helped you with your math homework, all the way back in kindergarten, at this very kitchen table, when both of your parents had been working and Will was all the way in New York for his first year of med school.

You were sitting at the kitchen table, trying not to crumple up your math homework sheet and throw it across the room. It was only five subtraction problems, but subtraction was hard! You had only just started understanding addition!

You threw your pencil across the kitchen, where it narrowly missed the wall. It clattered to the floor, causing Jay to look up from where he was reading a book in the living room, the chair he had been sitting in was facing the kitchen, so he could keep an eye on you.

"Did you throw that?" he asked as he walked towards you.

"No," you lied.

He picked up the pencil. "If you lie, you get nine minutes in time out instead of six."

You didn't want to go in time out that long!

"I throwed it," you admitted, looking down at your math homework.

"It's threw, but thank you for being honest. Can you tell me why you threw the pencil?"

That was something his mom always did with him when he was younger: asked him why he did something and then, possibly put him in time out. Sometimes, he just needed to talk it out, and if that was the case, he didn't have to go into time out.

"I don't get sub-trac-shun!" you complained. "It's stupid!"

"Hey, we don't use that word."

"But it's hard."

"I know, but what if I help you? Would that help you to get it?"

"But Will said you not good at math," you pointed out, remembering something your oldest brother had said.

Jay chuckled. "I'm not good at big kid math. This stuff is easy for me."

"It's easy?"

"Oh, yeah. And, I think I might have something that can help you."

He walked over to the cupboard and reached up to the top shelf where he grabbed a bag of chocolate chips. He poured some into a small bowl and then walked back to the table and sat down next to you.

"We gonna eat chocolate?" you asked. "Even though I throwed-- I threw my pencil?"

"This is gonna help you learn subtraction."

"How?"

"Just watch." He paused and looked at the paper in front of you. "So, this one says five minus two."

"I know that," you told him proudly. "I know it says five minus two. I dunno what the an- the answer is though."

"Okay, well, take five chocolate chips out of here."

He held the bag out to you while you took five out, counting each one out loud. "What do I do now?"

"Now, if I eat two--" he popped two in his mouth. "--how many do you have now?"

You looked down at the chocolate chips. "One...Two...Three. I have three choc-chips!"

"That's right! So, five minus two is...?"

You scrunched up your face, trying to piece together what he had done. "I dunno."

"We had five chocolate chips. I ate two. How many did you say we have left?"

"Three!"

"Yeah. Five minus two is the same thing...just without me adding chocolate chips to the end."

"Huh?"

"Here." He took your paper from you and on the first three problems, he wrote chocolate chips after each number. "Five chocolate chips minus two chocolate chips is...?"

"Three!"

"Yeah! Good job! Now, write three down as your answer."

The next problem was three chocolate chips minus one chocolate chip and you did the same thing this time. Except, you got to eat the chocolate instead of Jay. You had two chocolate chips left this time.

Then, when you got to the last two problems that didn't say chocolate chips after the numbers, Jay showed you on your fingers how to figure out the answer.

Then, since you did such a good job, he let you watch Dora and eat some more chocolate chips.

"Y/N? Y/N? You good?" You were snapped out of your thoughts by Will saying your name.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine." You reached over the table to grab your pencil that had rolled towards Will. But, as you were reaching for it, your elbow knocked the two-liter of pop. "No!" you cried out as it spilled. It didn't just spill anywhere though...it spilled right on top of your algebra notebook. "Fuck this! I can't do this!"

You threw your pop-covered and sticky notebook on the ground and sprinted to the bathroom, ignoring Will and Erin's calls for you to come back.

You locked the door and slumped down against it. God, you needed that notebook. That had your entire exam review in it. And, if you didn't finish the exam review, you couldn't take the exam.

You only had 25 more problems left out of the 220 you had to do, hence why the review was given to you a month before you actually had to take the exam, so you had time to do it. And, some kids would wait until the last minute, but you figured you'd start early and do a certain number of problems a day so you didn't have to stress out and had time to ask your teacher questions if you had any.

But now, now you had a matter of days to do all 220 problems...and you had other exams to study for...and your big brother was missing...and...

Shit, here comes the Olive Garden.

You jumped up and lifted the lid of the toilet, quickly emptying the minestrone soup from your stomach.

"Y/N? Y/N! Open this door!" Will yelled as he banged on the door.

You leaned back against the bathtub and took a few deep breaths, willing yourself not to throw up again. You groaned as you felt the liquid rise in your throat and were back above the toilet in a matter of seconds.

You were panting at this point and trying to take a few breaths before more came out. Because you were so focused on making sure you didn't inhale your own vomit (ew) you didn't hear Will pick the lock and enter the bathroom.

When all that was left for you to throw up was bile and you were finished, you closed your eyes and leaned back against the bathtub once more, and took deep breaths.

"So that's why you didn't want to eat any more than you did," Will said.

"Will? How'd you get in here?"

"I picked the lock, Jay's not the only person in this family who knows how to do that, you know."

"I hate this," you mumbled, eyes still closed. "It happened last semester with exams too, but it wasn't this bad."

"Kid, you're stressing yourself out too much. You have to take a chill pill."

"I c-can't!"

"Okay," Will started as he crouched down next to you. "Why can't you relax?"

"I spilled pop all over my notebook!"

"So? You already practiced those problems. You know you don't need to practice them again, so just do the ones you need to practice."

"You don't get it!" You frantically rubbed the heels of your hands over your eyes as tears started to stream from them. "I needed that notebook! If I don't turn in the entire exam review I c-can't take the exam." You sighed and just put your head in your hands. This night seriously could not get any worse at this point. "And, Jay's miss- Jay's missing!"

"Y/N, I need you to take a deep breath for me, okay? Just take one."

"O-Okay." You took a deep, yet shaky breath.

"Now another."

You took another deep, yet shaky breath. And, you continued this cycle until Will deemed your breathing to be back to normal.

"How about you brush your teeth and then we'll figure out what to do for the homework once you do that. Sound good?" You nodded and stood up to go to the sink. "I'll be in the kitchen with Erin."

Then, Will exited the bathroom to go back into the kitchen like he told you.

"How is she?" Erin asked when she saw him come in. She had started cleaning up their take-out containers while Will had been busy trying to calm you down. "Sounded like she was puking."

"Because she was."

"Is she sick?"

"Not in the technical sense. But, she is what I like to call stress sick."

"Stress sick?"

"Exams are stressing her out, so add on top of the fact that Jay's missing, and she got so stressed out that she threw up."

"Poor kid," Erin sympathized. Then, her phone buzzed. "I gotta get back to the district. Tell her to feel better from me."

"Will do." He started to walk Erin towards the door, but stopped when they were almost to it. "And Erin? Bring my little brother back. Even though he's a pain in my ass half the time, I can't lose him. And, I know Y/N would take it really hard."

"Will, he's got the best unit in all of Chicago looking for him. We'll bring him back."

A few minutes after Erin had left, you walked into the kitchen, with clean teeth and the gross taste of vomit now out of your mouth, to see Will sitting at the table, staring at your notebook with a roll of paper towel next to him. "What are you doing?" you asked as you sat down.

"Trying to get the stain out," he replied.

"How? It's like the entire notebook, not just one page."

"You're talking to the king of spilled coffee on homework. And, lucky for you, pop and coffee are both water-based. So, I think I know how to get this out. You're gonna need to rewrite it in a new notebook, though."

"Okay. Need any help?"

"Can you just get me a bowl filled with water?"

"The paper's already wet. Why do you want to make it wetter?"

"Just trust me on this one." You yawned. "After you grab that for me, maybe you should go to bed. It's been a long day."

"Will you stay here?"

"Of course. I can just sleep in my old bedroom...unless Dad did something to it. Speaking of Dad, is he usually out this late? Does he usually leave you home alone this late at night?"

You were filling up a bowl with water and turned to look at Will. You shrugged. "Sometimes. It's okay, though." That was a lie. Most nights he didn't get home until two or three in the morning...but, Will didn't need to know that.

"I'm going to have a chat with Dad about that. He shouldn't be leaving you home alone this late at night."

"Will, it's not even that late. I'm fine." You placed the bowl of water on the table.

"Fine. But if it hits midnight and he's not home yet, then I will be talking with him about this."

You nodded. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed. 'Night Will. Sorry about getting sick."

"You don't have to apologize for that." He stood up and pulled you into a hug. "Goodnight."

You started to walk towards your bedroom when you remembered something and turned back to Will. "Will?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you think Jay's okay? He's gotta be okay, right?"

"Y/N, he's got the best unit in the city looking for him."

"And Erin."

"And Erin," he confirmed. "He'll be okay." But, in that moment he didn't know who he was trying to reassure more: you or himself.

***

"You wanna go somewhere today?" Will asked as you were both sitting at the kitchen table eating cereal the next morning.

"I have homework to do...a lot more than I thought I'd have, too. Did Erin give you any updates on Jay?" you asked.

He shook his head. "But, he's gonna be okay. And, you don't have a ton of homework to do. You have a ton of homework to copy."

"What do you mean?"

At this, he placed the notebook on the table. "I told you I knew what I was doing."

You flipped open the notebook to see that Will was right: he did in fact know what he was doing. Even though the pages were all still tinted a light brown from the pop, the writing from you doing all the practice problems was still legible. "How did you...?" you trailed off as you continued to flip through your algebra notebook.

"Like I told you, I spilled coffee on one too many notebooks in college. Now all you need to do is copy the problems down into a clean notebook. Save you some brainpower."

"Thank you."

"Now, I suggest we got to CCU's library so you can get a change of scenery while doing that."

"CCU? Why? And, you're not a student there anymore. How are we gonna get in?"

Will scoffed. "They don't check student IDs when you go in. And, a change in my workspace always helped me to focus when I was studying, so maybe it'll help you."

"Workspace," you mocked. "So professional. But, yeah, let's do that. Can we keep our phones on though in case Erin calls?"

Will nodded. "Of course."

***

Getting into CCU wasn't actually that hard. All Will had to do was pay $10 for a day pass to park and then you walked into the library, no student ID necessary.

"Okay kiddo, where are we sitting?" he asked.

"I don't know. I've never been here before. Where did you normally sit?"

"Second floor. It's generally quieter up there and the tables are big, so I could throw my books all over it. But, I'd come back down here for coffee a lot, too."

"There's a coffee shop?" you asked as you widened your eyes. "In the library?"

"Well, tuition is out of this world. So, at least we get something out of it."

"Can we go? I think I have $5 somewhere in my backpack."

"If prices haven't gone up since I was here when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, then I can get a muffin and a large coffee for $5. I'll have the coffee and you can have the muffin. I'll pay," Will told you.

"Okay, thank you! And, you're not that old, Will."

You got your triple chocolate muffin and Will got his large coffee. Then, you found one of the big tables that he had mentioned and started copying your algebra review into another notebook.

"What are you going to do? Sit here and stare off into space?" you asked your brother. "Wait," you began as you started to rummage around in your backpack for an eraser, "What's this?"

You set a big book on the table. And it's definitely not something you'd read because it was called "How We Learn", which you assumed meant that the book was nonfiction and went into the science of learning.

"I found it in my room. Must've left it there from Christmas last year and I haven't had a chance to read it, so I figured I'd bring it to read now."

"Fair enough."

***

"Did Jay ever want to go to college?" you asked a few hours later. "Or, did he know it just wasn't right for him?"

"I think he always knew he wanted to do something involving being on the front lines and being in all the action," Will answered, dog-earing the page in his book and setting it down. "Why? You don't want to go to college either?"

"No, I do," you said quickly. "It's just- I just want to know things that I've never asked him if we...you know..."

Will nodded. "I know you're worried about him, but if Hank Voight's anything like Jay's told me, he won't let anything happen to one of his own."

"But he let it happen to Jules," you said. What if Jay was the next Jules?

"Jules? Who's Jules?"

"She was Antonio's partner. Antonio's the reason Jay got into Intelligence. And one day, he said we were going to go see a movie. Like, he just randomly picked me up from school and everything. I could tell he was sad after the movie, and it wasn't a sad movie, and he told me that someone he worked with died. A little later, we were walking by the memorial wall by the district and he showed me her name."

"I see," Will said, drawing on his talking-to-patient skills because what else was he going to say?

Luckily, he was saved by his phone ringing.

"Hello? Erin?" Pause. "He's at Med?" Pause. "Okay, yeah, we'll be there in ten minutes."

"He's okay?" you asked as soon as Will ended the call. "Jay's okay? They found him?"

Will nodded. "He's at Med. Erin said he's a little bruised, but he was conscious, so that's good."

You took Will's book and shoved it in your backpack along with your schoolwork. "Let's go."

***

"Nat, really, my ribs don't need to be wrapped. I'm fine," Jay protested as he sat in a treatment room at Chicago Med, Erin standing next to him in some clean clothes that Natalie had let her borrow.

"Jay, your ribs are badly bruised. They need to be wrapped. If you're more comfortable with a guy wrapping them, I can easily call in a male nurse for help," Natalie suggested.

"No, it's not that. I don't care who does it."

"My little brother just doesn't want to bruise his big ego, that's what's going on, Nat," Will said as he entered the treatment room with you by his side.

You jumped when Jay turned and you saw his face and his chest: a black eye that went from the inside corner of his right eye to his right temple, a gash on the top right of his forehead, another gash on the left side of his forehead which was diagonal and above the outside portion of his left eyebrow, a jagged cut that went down his left temple starting at eye level, a split lip, and purple, blue, and red bruises along with some cuts and welts that littered his ribs and chest.

"You're okay?" you asked as your lips pulled into a frown and tears stung your eyes.

"I'm okay. Just a little beat up right now. Nothing to worry about."

Without thinking, you ran to his bed and gave him a hug. He let out a groan as you squeezed a bit too tight, irritating his ribs.

You pulled away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay, my ribs are just gonna be a little sore for a few days."

"I thought you were going to be turned into fertilizer."

"Fertilizer?" Jay furrowed his eyebrows. "Who told you that?"

"When you didn't call me back about dinner, I tried calling Adam, but he didn't pick up either, so I went to the district. I heard some guy on the phone saying he was going to turn you into- into fertilizer. I was so scar- so scared."

Tears rolled down your cheeks faster than you could wipe them away.

Jay stood up with a grimace and walked the few paces over to you, wrapping you in a hug. "Hey, I'm okay now. That's all that matters. And, you did a really good job calling Erin."

"I did?"

"You sure did. She told me all about how you told her that I was gone and that she'd be able to get me out because we're partners." He paused. "She also told me that you took the El by yourself."

"Erin," you whined. "You weren't supposed to tell him that."

"It's okay," Jay said. "I won't tell Dad as long as you don't do it again."

"I won't," you replied. Not like Dad would do anything anyway, you thought to yourself.

"Jay," Will started, "You need to get back into bed."

"It's just bruised ribs, Will. I'm fine," Jay argued.

"It's just bruised ribs, Will. I'm fine," Will mocked. "Yeah, tell me that tomorrow when you can barely walk because of how sore they are. Bed. Now."

"Fine." Jay sat down with a huff and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I swear, you're such a child, Halstead," Erin said.

***

You walked out of school a few days later feeling free. Summer was here and you were no longer a middle-schooler. You were now a high schooler.

You started to walk out of campus, the way you took to walk home every day, when you heard the thundering of footsteps behind you, causing you to jump and turn around.

"Jay." You breathed a sigh of relief when you saw it was your brother.

"Hey, figured I'd pick you up. My text must not have gone through."

"Oh, I turned my phone off because of exams. Sorry."

"No problem. C'mon, we're going out to lunch and then we'll stop home to grab your swimsuit."

"Swimsuit? Why?"

"Mom would always take us to Navy Pier on the first day of summer to go swimming. And, since Will's shift ends at 1:00 and I'm on leave because of injury, it's the first year we can actually do this all together."

You nodded, trying to hold back tears at the mention of your mom.

"Hey, let me take your backpack. That thing looks like it's gonna make you topple over." You took it off and handed it to him. "Whoa! What's in here? Rocks?"

You laughed. "Nope, end of the year locker cleanout. Everything that was shoved in my locker is now in there."

"No rotten food I hope," Jay joked.

"No," you laughed. "Why? Did you or Will leave food in your locker?"

"No, we knew better than that. But the kid next to me left a milk carton in there over spring break and that smelled funky when we got back. I started bringing my backpack around with me just so I didn't have to go back to my locker because it smelled so bad."

"We can't do that. Teachers say it's for our safety because of bombs."

Jay opened the door to the backseat and put your backpack in there while you got into the passenger seat. Then, he got in the driver's seat all the while thinking how you knew that that was the reasoning behind that rule. He knew the reasoning because he was a detective. But he thought that most of the time, kids just thought it was some stupid rule.

"How do you know about that?" he asked once he started his truck.

"One of my teachers told us. She was mad at a kid who kept bringing his backpack to class even though she told him not to, so he went off on her and called it a stupid rule and asked why we even had the rule. She told him it was because if there's a bomb threat then she has to check every single backpack. That's why."

"Oh," was all Jay said. He really didn't want to be having this conversation with you, but here he was.

"Is it different?" you asked.

"Is what different?"

"Like, is high school different now than when you were in high school? And how different is middle school from high school?"

"Are you nervous for high school already, kiddo? You just finished eighth grade like fifteen minutes ago!"

You shrugged. "I'm just curious is all." Jay quirked an eyebrow at you while he took his eyes off the road for a split second and then returned them back to the road. "Okay, fine. I'm a little nervous."

"Let's talk about this over brunch, okay?"

"Okay."

***

Of course, Jay knew that you wanted to go to iHOP because breakfast was good at any time of the day. Jay thought differently though and ordered a sandwich instead of breakfast food like you. You had gotten their cinnamon roll pancakes with bacon, sausage, and hashbrowns on the side.

You were waiting for the comment about it being a lot of food, but that never came...which you were thankful for. You didn't know how you were supposed to explain to your very perceptive brother that the reason that you were eating a lot here was that you only had about 3/4 cups of dry cereal this morning before school because you were out of milk. You were out of milk and your dad didn't go grocery shopping. And, it's not like you had enough money to buy groceries or that you knew where your dad kept the money so you could take $20 just to buy food and hide it in your room so that you had something to eat.

"So, what do you want to know about high school?" Jay asked. "Did you get your schedule yet?"

If you were going to Central Chicago High School after going to their middle school, you had the option to schedule your classes the month prior and then you'd see if you'd get those classes. Of course, it might not be possible to get every class with every teacher you want, but it was cool that you got to know right when you finished eighth grade. And, in high school, it was the same thing: on the last day of ninth grade, if you were staying for tenth grade, then you'd get your schedule on the last day of ninth grade. It was sort of weird to you, but you got used to it.

"Is Eva going to be at the beach, too?" you asked. You knew it was her's and Diego's last day of school along with Jordan's and Vanessa's, so you wanted Jordan and Eva to be there when you told everyone your schedule so they could tell you everything they knew about the teachers you had next year.

"I can text Antonio. Why?" Jay asked.

"I just wanted to see if Eva and maybe Jordan would be there because they could tell me everything about the teachers I have."

"I can text Antonio and Kevin. You know what, I'll text Ruz and Burgess too."

"And Mouse."

"And Mouse. Can't forget about him now, can we?"

"What about Erin? Is she coming, too?"

"Uh, I don't know about that. She's had a rough couple of days."

You furrowed your eyebrows. "Why?"

"You know how Voight took her in?" You nodded. "Well, after Nadia died, she was backsliding. Badly. And now, she's detoxing and it's kinda hard on a person's body."

"Okay, but seeing you would make her feel better. She's always happy when she's around you. And you always have this big, dopey grin on your face whenever you're around her."

"I do not," Jay protested. You raised your eyebrows at him. "Okay fine, maybe I do that occasionally. I'll text some people and then we can talk about high school."

Jay sent the texts while you continued to eat. He took a few bites of his sandwich and then broached the topic of high school once more by saying, "So, what do you want to know about high school?"

"I dunno. How's it different from when you went to school like twenty years ago."

"Hey! It was not twenty years ago. I'll have you know it was ten years ago!"

"Same thing."

Jay rolled his eyes. "Well, shootings happened, but not as much as they do now." You opened your mouth to ask if Jay had ever responded to one, when he stopped you. "And I know what you're going to ask. No, I didn't respond to one and I wouldn't tell you if I did. What do I always tell you?"

"I'm trying to keep you innocent and sheltered from all the bad stuff in the world," you said verbatim of what he had told you dozens of times when you asked for details of what he was doing at work.

"Word for word. So, we got to carry our backpacks around and it was an open campus."

"It used to be an open campus?" you asked, shocked.

"Yup, we rarely even had to sign out."

"Lucky! I wanna leave school and go to Mcdonald's for lunch!"

"Too bad you weren't born like fifteen years earlier and that could've happened."

"Oh, and we could eat lunch on the roof. There was a way to climb through the ceiling above the indoor track. It's closed now, though."

"Why'd they close it?"

"Yeah, you might want to wait until we're at the beach for me to tell that story since I'm sure everybody else would find it funny."

"Okay..." you trailed off, drawing out the "y". You didn't know why everyone would find a story of a hole in the ceiling being closed funny, but you figured it was best to let Jay have his way...with this one at least. "What's the difference between middle school and high school?"

"Now, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret: nobody cares in high school."

"What do you mean?"

"Just ask Eva when we get to the beach."

"She's coming?"

"Her, Diego, Antonio, Kev, Adam, Kim, Jordan, Vanessa, Mouse, Erin, and of course Will are all coming."

***

Luckily, Jay decided to stay in the car while you ran inside your house and changed into a swimsuit, slipping your clothes over top of it so it would be easier when you got to the pier.

"Dawson!" Jay yelled as he walked up the beach, bag in hand filled with his swim trunks, water bottles, and a few bags of chips. Typically, he would've brought beer to the beach, but he had to drive home, with you in the car no less, so no drinking for him.

"Halstead!" Antonio yelled back.

Once you got up close enough, you saw that Gabby was there, too.

"Bring Gabby to be your DD, Antonio?" Jay jokingly asked.

"I mean, I'm sure Ruzek's bringing beer, so I might be able to get away with one."

"Uh uh," Gabby said. "If Kim brings some fruity drinks, you're driving home."

"So, if she brings regular drinks I can have a few beers?"

"Your cap is two, Antonio. You've got these two to take care of." She gestured to Eva and Diego. Diego was already jumping the waves and Eva was laying down on a beach towel starting to get a tan.

"Eva!" Antonio yelled. "Y/N's here!"

"Oh thank God," she said and walked up to you. "Girl, come sit your towel down next to mine and then we can look at your schedule."

"Yeah, I wanna see that, too!" Jay exclaimed.

"Should we wait for Will? And Jordan? Maybe Jordan has some input about the teachers. And, Jay said he has a story to tell about a hole in the ceiling of the high school and he wants to be sure everyone is around to hear it."

Ten minutes later, everyone had arrived and was in their swimming gear. "Okay, what's this story about the ceiling, Jay?" you asked.

"Oh, that story," Will joked.

"Yeah, that one. What other one would there be?"

Will rolled his eyes.

"Okay, before I start, I am going to preface this by saying that I was young and I was very stupid."

"He's stupid every day," Will dramatically leaned over Jay and whispered to Erin.

"Man, would you shut up and let me tell the story?" Will sat in silence for a few seconds. "Thank you.

"We all know about senior pranks. Well, it was my senior year and a few of us from the soccer team decided to pool our money together and buy some live chickens--"

"Did you say chickens? As in chickens with feathers? That squawk?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, real chickens. What other ones would there be?"

"Maybe they were chicken nuggets," Adam suggested.

Jay dramatically sighed. "Antonio, did you miss having me in the unit this week? You and Erin had to put up with these two bozos all by yourself."

"Hey!" Adam and Kevin yelled in unison.

"Anyway, as I was saying, some of us from the soccer team pooled our money together to buy chickens. Real live chickens, not chicken nuggets, Ruz. Then, we chose a Sunday night to get into the school--they always left this one back door unlocked--and we climbed onto the roof from the stairs/hole thingy in the ceiling right above the indoor track.

"Once we got to the roof, we dropped the chickens off of it. But, our stupid lookout got caught and then the cops came."

"You got arrested?" Adam laughed. "This is priceless."

"Didn't get arrested. Just had to do community service to be able to walk at graduation. But, nowadays, yeah, I'd have probably gotten arrested."

"So, that's why they closed it? Because you and your friends decided to drop chickens from the roof?" you asked.

"Exactly."

"Were Mom and Dad mad?" you asked. "I was little. I don't remember."

"They weren't thrilled, I'll tell you that much. I think if I would've gotten arrested it would've been a lot worse."

"He's downplaying it," Will said. "Mom grounded him from everything. Car keys, those crappy Motorola phones we had back then, GameBoy, dates with Allie. He couldn't do anything."

"Does not sound fun. I won't be trying that." You pulled your schedule out of the bag Jay had brought and passed it to your brother first.

"Aw, man, you got Cunningham for history," Jay groaned. "Or should I say Cuntingham."

"Jay!" you yelled.

"That old hag is still teaching? Damn," Will added.

"Okay, what's the issue with her? Eva? Jordan? Anything about this Cunningham lady?"

"She just hates freshman," Eva supplied. "When you become a sophomore it gets better."

"And she hates when you tip back in your chair," Jordan added. "She'll make you pay her 25 cents if she sees you do it in her class."

"Okay, no tipping in chairs, and I have to deal with her for a year, noted." You turned to your brothers. "How do you know of her?"

"I didn't have a problem with her other than the fact that she's a crappy teacher," Will said. "But Jay, on the other hand, he's a different story."

"What'd you do?"

"So, I was a freshman when you were born and Mom went into labor the night before I had a test. And, because everyone hates tests, I went to the hospital with Will that morning and we waited for Mom to you know, be done giving birth to you.

"And, I went to school the next day and this old hag said that because there wasn't a doctor's note that I couldn't take the test--"

"He was this close--" Will pinched his pointer finger and thumb together so that they were almost touching. "--to taking you to school one day just to show you to Cunningham and saying is this a good enough doctor's note for you?"

"But Mom wouldn't let me do that...for obvious reasons. And then, because I couldn't take that one stupid test, I did not do well in that class."

"Just say you're related to me," Will said. "Don't mention Jay's name at all and you'll be fine."

"Got it. I'm gonna go in the water now."

You started to go in the water when you heard Erin and Will trying to convince Jay to go in.

"Dude, I can't roughhouse because of my ribs, you know this!" Jay told Will. "And, I am not going in the water with you again, not after what happened last time."

"Jay, that was twelve years ago, give it rest."

At this, your ears perked up. "What'd Will do?" you asked, walking back up to your brothers and Erin.

"He tried to drown me."

"Did not! I just wanted to see how long you could hold your breath."

"Yeah, see how long it would take me to drown!"

"He tried to drown you?" Erin asked.

"Yeah," Jay answered. "Me and Will were playing in the water. I was like 16 and Will was like 18. Y/N was a little toddler and was playing with her shovel on the beach. Then, Mom had to go to the bathroom, so she left me and Will in charge."

"Bad idea number one," Will said.

"There's more bad ideas. So, Y/N's playing in the sand, me and Will are playing in the water, and then next thing I know, Will's practically on top of me and holding my head underwater."

"And the minute I let you up was the minute Mom came back."

"Yup, perfect timing."

"And then you have Y/N who's sitting on the beach and decided to watch us and was just clapping her hands and chanting again, again!"

"Really?" you asked, as you tried to hold back your laughter. "I did that?" Will nodded and you shrugged. "Sounds pretty accurate to me."

"And then I didn't get ice cream after."

"Yeah, you didn't get ice cream after." Jay took a deep breath. "You almost killed me!"

You rolled your eyes. "I'm going in the water to cool off. Maybe it is best that you guys stay here. But, I mean, Gabby's here and I hope to God Will knows CPR because he's a doctor and that you cops do, too."

Once Will saw that you weren't focused on him and Jay anymore, he turned to his little brother. "Hey, how old was dad when he kinda, you know, clocked out on parenting us?"

"Early high school," Jay answered. "Why are you...oh shit, Y/N."

"Yeah, Y/N," Will reiterated. "And, we had Mom, so it wasn't that bad. But, she doesn't have that."

"She's got us," Jay said. "That's gotta count for something."

A/N: I was going to post this last night, but I almost fell asleep while editing, so it's coming out now. Anyway, not sure how I feel about this one, but I got it done, so that's all that matters. Thank you for reading! Please vlike/reblog and comment and tell me what you think! As always, if you want to be added to the taglist, just comment that you want to be added down below. PS: That story about chickens being dropped into the courtyard at school, yeah my older cousin did that for his senior prank and the lookout got caught and they had to do community service to walk at graduation.

taglist: @theambracer88 @virtualreader @kelelas-life @celyndavies @brookerz122493 @musicismyescape27 @anotherfan07 @thexplosivegirl @dreamingwithlens @xoxmariaxox @onechicago18 @iamasimpingh0e

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bunni-bino · 4 years ago

Text

Intense Training Session With Zoro - F! S/O

A/N : if you think I wasn’t going to make a steamy nsfw post for Zoro, especially based on this? Then you’re wrong. lol

Warning : SMALL NSFW AHEAD!

Summary : Asking Zoro for some advice and tips on training, leads to a different kind of lesson. Not good with summaries—

“Hey, Zoro?”

Emerging from below and helping yourself up from the ladder that lead up to the crows nest, you smile at Zoro.

The swordsman stops his lifts for a brief second to glance at you, nodding his head to acknowledge your presence before continuing his lifts. “Oh, [Name]. What’s up?”

“Nothing really, I just have a favor to ask.” You say cautiously, smiling more at him as you walk towards him and then took a seat on the couch by the window.

Zoro grunts a bit as he sets down the barbell and picks up his towel to wipe his sweat a bit, glancing to you from the corner of his eye.

“What is it?” He asks suspiciously, his eyes narrowing at you and your awkward, shifting figure.

“Uh, nothing much. Just, do you think you could...” You slowly stood up, walking around side to side, back and forth slowly.

Zoro raises a brow at you before you finally blurted it out.

“Can you please train me? Let me join your training sessions. Give me some lessons to get stronger!” You stop in your tracks and bowed a complete 90° to him.

He was pretty taken back, not expecting you to be so forward as he clears his throat, his cheeks a bit pink as he furrows his brows.

“W-Why me?” His tone sounded a bit harsh, but it wasn’t his intention.

You stand straight and look at him confusedly. “Because you’re the strongest one in the crew... you’re really strong, and I figured if I want to get stronger, you’re the best person to ask. But if you don’t want to, it’s fine! I can ask Sanji or-“

“It’s fine.”

You widen your eyes at Zoro, who was turned away and still holding the towel up to his face. “We’re starting in 20 minutes. Get changed and come up here by then. I’ll teach you some lessons.”

You smile brightly and grin at Zoro. “Of course. Thanks, Zoro!” With that, you’d head down from the crows nest, careful not to fall from the ladder as you made it to the main deck and went to change.

Zoro continued to hide his pink cheeks behind his towel as he exhales softly, wiping the rest of his sweat away.

He felt a bit surprised that you thought of him to train you, and that he was the strongest one in the crew. ( other than Luffy. )

He felt a bit embarrassed hearing that from his crush and couldn’t help the warm cheeks of his.

He was contemplating answering you, but mostly just thinking about how’d he feel, but after hearing you mention the stupid love-cook, it made him annoyed and he spoke without thinking.

He wasn’t sure if he was going to regret this or not, but regardless, you asked him to help you train so that’s what he was going to do.

Why did he agree to help you?

Currently doing some stretches as you were told, he couldn’t stop his lingering eyes from wandering all over your body, your curves being accentuated by your spandex shorts and tight tanktop.

It didn’t help you were in the middle of toe taps, bending over each time and showing off your ass directly in front of him.

Zoro shifts a bit uncomfortably, clearing his throat as he averts his eyes. “Alright, that’s enough stretching. Let’s get started.”

Standing up straight, you turn to see Zoro heading over to the dumbbells and you nod, following after him.

“Let’s start off with something easy. Grab a dumbbell and do a 100 squats with 100 lifts.”

You did a double take, widening your eyes. “T-that’s easy?” You ask, clear disbelief in your expression.

Zoro raises a brow and nods. “Of course. If we’d been doing this for a while, I’d make you do five hundred or more.” He says, as if it was obvious enough.

Giving a small hum, almost a whimper escaping your lips, you sweatdrop a bit.

‘Perhaps I asked the wrong person to train me..’

Seeing his skeptic look, you sigh and grabbed the lightest dumbbell you could find, before going over to the center of the room and positioned yourself.

Then, gripping the dumbbell tightly in your hand and into a lifting motion, you spread yours legs and began to squat.

Zoro made his way over and watches as you begin to squat and lift in unison, walking around you in a circle. His eyes glossed over your figure to make sure you wouldn’t hurt yourself with any bad form you accidentally had, but he was quick to be distracted by the sight of your ass.

Imagination was quick to take over his mind, letting himself see that you were bouncing yourself up and down on an imaginary dildo, with the heavy pants from you being heard as you picked up the pace to get it done quicker.

Biting his lip, Zoro slowly walks around to look at you from the front and stare at your big breasts bouncing with each quick squat you made.

His mind let himself imagine his hands squeezing them, one for each hand and let his ears be filled with the sound of your sweet moans as he pinches your buds.

Then he started to imagine you were bouncing on his semi-hard cock, that he hadn’t realized was forming.

With each big bounce you made on his cock, he would harden and let his arms and hands roam your ass and then up your curves.

“Zoro~”

He’d shut his eyes tightly, small grunts escaping his lips and right into your ear as he huskily spoke into it.

“You wanted this to happen, didn’t you? You purposely asked me to train you because you knew it’d lead to this, so you even wore such clothes in front of me..”

“Zoro..” was all that could be heard from you as he pulls you close and thrusts up into you, breathy loud moans filling the room.

“Zoro!”

The way your walls tightened and clenched around him would make him groan out, even more so at your nails clawing at his back and pressing his face into your breasts as you rode him hard.

Zoro would growl a bit and just as he began to thrust roughly, he’d—

“ZORO!”

Widening his eyes, Zoro snaps to reality and sees you standing in front of him with furrowed brows. A bit of sweat could be seen on your forehead as you wiped it away and stare at the green-haired swordsman.

“You okay? I’ve been calling you for a while, you just stood there with your eyes shut.”

Zoro blinks a bit as he takes a look at your body before his own. Slowly, a blush rose to his cheeks as he turns away from you, scoffing.

“I’m fine, did you already finish the 100 squats and lifts?” He says, turned away from you and you nod, a bit confusingly. “Yeah, I did.”

“Good.. do 100 more.”

Pouting, you huff and went towards him, moving so you stood in front of him and disregarded his red face.

“Come on, training isn’t just squats and lifts— I-I’m sure anyways. Let me do something else!”

Zoro looks down at you, and felt his cheeks warm further when he caught a glimpse of your cleavage. He scratches the back of his head before exhaling heavily.

“Fine, we’ll spar a bit. Grab a staff.” Pointing to the stacked bo staffs on the shelf against the wall, Zoro went to his own that was on the ground and picked it up.

Smiling in satisfaction, you nod and went over to the stands and picked a light staff up. Though it was wood, it was smooth and had rounded ends. Gripping it allowed you to not have to worry about splinters, so that was nice.

Walking over to the mat where Zoro stood, you showed him the staff and he nods.

“Good, now try and hit me.”

Humming a bit, you didn’t waste any time to start swinging the staff towards him, charging towards him with each swing but Zoro merely blocked and dodged with ease.

Each lunging towards him let your breasts bounce and Zoro was slowly becoming distracted again. His erection was still there from earlier, and if you stopped and looked closely, you could see the bulge in his grey sweatpants.

Biting his lip and watching the way your legs move since you were quick on his feet, made him so distracted that you managed to get a hit on him in his gut and the action startled him enough to knock him down.

“Ugh-“

You quickly used this to your advantage and jumped over to hover on top of him and held the bo staff horizontally over his neck, ready to press down but instead just held it above him.

Slowly, a grin took over your lips as the realization settled in. “Hey, I did it!”

Overwhelmed with your victory, you hadn’t noticed you were straddling his hips and more specially, ass pressed against Zoro’s crotch below you.

It wasn’t you sat up straight, panting a bit, did you realize what you were sitting on and what was poking you.

Glancing down at Zoro, you see his eyes shut tightly as he quietly grunts and panted a bit himself. His face was flushed.

Tilting your head innocently, you swayed your hips up and down and the softest moan was heard.

“O-Oi, what are you doing?-“

“Did you even try to hide it?”

Chuckling at Zoro, you began to grind onto him a bit, feeling his bulge grow beneath you. “It was visible as soon as you started staring at me while I was squatting.”

Zoro widens his eyes as his blush deepens, him scoffing a bit. “Shut up, I can’t believe you decided to wear this instead of something else.”

You simply roll your eyes. “Would you have become aroused if I wore a hoodie and some sweats like you?” You cheekily question, grinding against his crotch harder.

As you said this, you hum and began to reach for his hand and bring it up to your breasts, letting him grasp it.

“Come on, tell me what’s distracting you from your teaching. Is it my outfit? Because any other woman could wear it... or is it just me in general?”

Zoro bit his lower lip as his eyes began to fill with lust, watching you smirk at him and tease him.

He growls lowly as he forces himself up and turns so you were now on the ground and he hovered above you, hands pressed on the floor on either sides of your head.

“You think you can tease and play around with me like that?” He scoffs, his eyes shining a dangerous glint in them.

Quickly, he plasters a devilish grin and leans down to your ear, hands making their way to the hem of your spandex shorts, gripping the waistband between his fingers.

“Looks like you need to be taught a different kind of lesson.”

A/N : this has been in my drafts for so long ( 2 months ) and it’s so old and like, this is just a little something and I know it’s not great but it’s something ;-;

This is completely different from how I wanted it when I first started writing this and because I can’t remember, I changed it that’s why it’s a little messed up, weird, rushed and doesnt match the title nor summary at all.

#tooweirdforyou #one piece #one piece x reader #op x reader #x reader #zoro x reader #roronoa zoro x reader #roronoa zoro #one piece writing #ns.fw #op #scenario

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maybe-homestuck-now-or-something · 4 years ago

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I really wanna talk about homestuck in relation to this post but like, idk if I wanna add to it because it might be a total derailment of the topic but homestuck is such a weird apocalypse narrative.

like... the way it handles it is so odd because earth itself is not very well characterized before the characters leave it. the characters themselves are massively well characterized, and that takes up the bulk of the narrative, but like... we never even hear them talk about school? or much of anything more than their shared interests and what's immediately happening to them. and in a way, that is kind of authentic. because when kids get together to hang out, the last thing they ever wanna talk about is dry, boring stuff about their mundane lives. they'll mostly just yell memes at each other, talk about anime, play video games... it's possible to simultaneously know nothing about your friends, but feel closer to them than ever, because you're mostly around for the parts of their life that they want to experience when they're having the most fun. you see them as they are when they have the most agency to choose that. and that might be totally divorced from the reality of how their day-to-day life unfolds.

in this way, homestuck presents these characters as people who have shed that mundane portion of their lives. they are now left with only the part that they typically share with their friends. and in reality, if a SBURB type apocalypse were to literally happen to you, it'd be traumatic as hell. but this is the place where homestuck chooses to ask you to suspend your disbelief. let's just believe that John didn't have any other friends or family to think about when the world ended. let's pretend they left zero people of any interest whatsoever behind. all they are shaking off is the society that they were obligated to participate in so mundanely. they no longer have to make any compromises with anyone... they get to fully center themselves.

okay, so that's obviously not entirely true... playing SBURB is a cooperative experience, and being friends with someone doesn't always mean that your relationship is easy. but homestuck allows the narrative to become self centered. it's about one individual and the tiny sphere of influence they have, among solely the people they've developed meaningful bonds with. it allows them to become a case study.

so when the world ends, the world is not necessarily what matters. what matters is the identities of a few specific individuals who we spend a lot of time cultivating our own connections with as a reader.

and that all becomes incredibly interesting when you consider classes and aspects.

basically, in terms of the post linked above, classes and aspects are the harry potter houses, the factions, the "what bender are you" or MBTI type... they're not the only way you could categorize the characters, but they're the most universally applicable to all of the characters that are important in the narrative. and what's interesting is just like... what classes are for, and how complicated it actually is to know what aspects are, or what they mean.

starting with classes, these are basically a series of archetypes that are specialized so that everyone has a role to play that makes them uniquely valuable to a collective. if we're considering this in terms of DnD, you can think of what classes might make for a balanced party, and how having a balanced party makes it satisfying to play the game. no one player could handle everything on their own, and at the same time, everyone feels needed. nobody is useless.

this already seems fundamentally different from some of the means of categorization that I listed above. a lot of these systems are meant to divvy up the characters into societally recognized in-groups and out-groups... people who can be identified as allies or enemies. even if the groups are ascribed certain archetypal skills, the goal is rarely so explicitly for the archetypes to work together, or cover each other's weaknesses. Avatar is probably what comes the closest to this idea, with its underlying endeavor to find harmony between the elements, but homestuck uses classes both as a way to communicate unique specialization, and as a way to unify the characters by their need for support.

and that's a little weird isn't it? these characters just shed all of their obligations to a broader society, and we're taking that as a freeing event... right? but there is a difference between society and community, and while homestuck might use the destruction of society as a catalyst for adventure, it uses the formation of community as the driving force behind the story's progression. the characters are all motivated to work together and help each other... and that doesn't always mean that it works. even within a community, one person's drive to center themselves and their own personal growth can trample others who were trying to do the same thing. perhaps not everyone in the community consents to being cooperative. perhaps the difference in archetype could drive someone to become competitive instead. and these are all value-neutral observations... no archetype is specifically acknowledged as being evil, even when they have friction with one another.

basically... this is character writing. and I find it funny that these broad categories that kids like to identify themselves with are seen as ways of flattening characterization into broad strokes like "the brave one" or "the sneaky one" or what have you, because in the case of classes, the characterization becomes deeper. and I think that's because the categories are used well... the characters all have specific relationships with the stereotypes they're ascribed by others, and the archetypes they're told they must fulfill. the classes don't define them, but they do give them something to contend with. can they fulfill their role? can they live up to their purpose? is there a place in the story for someone with an archetype like theirs? do they want to be this?

aspects get even trickier, and for this I might just link to a video I really love that covers a lot of the thoughts I've been having. it's kind of front loaded with a lot of technical talk about computer science and philosophy, and tbh I love that homestuck does actually link up those concepts with so much of it's presentation, but the main bit that intrigues me is the way the video talks about aspects as irreducible components of thought. like the periodic table of elements, but for ideas.

this drastically elevates the importance of each character's assigned category, and makes it function so much better as a tool for characterization. because, like, the aspects are actually really abstract. when someone says their aspect is "wind" or "light" you could take that 100% literally if you wanted to... but by the time you've read enough of homestuck to connect those to John and Rose, you probably understand that it's not that simple. and other concepts, such as astrology, have taught you that this is the sort of system that you're supposed to interpret, right? what is a capricorn if not a loose collection of traits that give you a certain vibe? that's what we're working with when it comes to aspects. otherwise, how would you know what void, or doom, or mind are? tbh it's actually pretty genius that astrology was worked into the comic as an aesthetic element, just so we'd all be mentally primed to do this kind of categorical interpretation... hell, even the actual signs themselves constitute a framework with which you could analyze the characters, like, how does Nepeta display typical leo traits, or how is Vriska a stereotypical scorpio... it all still works, even as you understand that each individual is more complex than the traits which support that interpretation.

in this way, the aspects are never really explained exhaustively verbatim, and are almost solely defined by the traits you've observed from individual characters, who act as representatives for what these categories actually are. or at least how they function in this instance, which is what's relevant. it's not just superpowers, and it's not just archetypes... it's both at the same time, and you come at them from a character-first perspective when you're trying to figure out what they mean. the characters inform your knowledge of the categories, and the categories act as a framework for analyzing the characters. and I love how homestuck tricks you into assuming that it has a lot of little rigid categories for the characters to slot into, and how quickly it becomes apparent that everything is way more abstract than it first appears. and yet, it all still means something. and it's really interesting to, say, compare two different time players to try to piece together what is typical for that archetype, while also accounting for their class, and trying to understand how that changes the roles they play and the ways they behave. and then you have the trolls' caste system on top of that, and the astrology angle I mentioned earlier, and there are honestly so many overlapping ways to think about it all, and I think that's the point.

#homestuck #classpect #my rant

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casspurrjoybell-20 · 2 years ago

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Sky Twizzlers - Chapter 9a

*Warning Adult Content*

Vacation’s Over - Part 1 - Aaron

"What's your pack like, Aaron?" Aubrey asked me excitedly, looking out the window of Evander's car.

We stayed in his apartment for another day to allow him to heal. His sire brought him a few blood bags, including some extra to take with him in case blood wasn't readily available back at our base. Given my feelings on the topic of him feeding on me, it was a smart idea. Evander was, thankfully, much better now. The bullets had taken a lot out of him, so he spent most of yesterday sleeping.

Aubrey and I hung around him, not sure what to do if he was asleep. When he woke up in the evening, he told me about what he and his sire had talked about earlier. To say I was concerned would be the understatement of the century. What the hell had we gotten ourselves into?

Assuming this was the Eye's work, then they were more than just a cult with influence in a single American state. Were they global? Was there something else going on? Worrying about it was all I could do as we drove. The moment we arrived, I'd talk with Erin and the others about it. They needed to know about what was potentially going to change and I'd honestly rather tell them in person than do it over the phone.

"Aaron?" Aubrey called out, pulling me from my thoughts.

Shoot, I forgot about his question. I turned away from the window to face the grinning nymph.

"It's nice. We basically make up our entire town, so there's plenty to do and lots of people to meet. Hopefully, you'll like it."

But, we weren't going there just yet. When we decided to attack the Eye with the neighboring packs, we set up a base of operations somewhere we could all get to with few difficulties. It'd been a few weeks since I'd been in our pack for more than a couple of hours. We'd been so busy planning, researching our enemy, and arguing a lot. The packs could barely settle on agreed meeting times, let alone plans of action. It was headache-inducing.

"I can't wait to see the others. I'm sure they're happy we're all free," Aubrey mused, leaning back in his seat.

"Hopefully my people tried finding contacts for your friends. They deserve to go home or wherever they wish to go," I said.

A few minutes later, we were finally able to go off-road after about three hours of nonstop driving. The city was fun and all, but it was so crowded. I much preferred the peaceful forest.

"Do you think your pack will like me?" Aubrey suddenly piped up again.

I glanced over again and he was worrying his lip between his teeth. I offered a small smile.

"I'm sure they'll love you," I reassured him.

He smiled, looking significantly less worried. Half an hour later, we were driving up a dirt path that led to a secluded and very large two-story cabin. Surrounding it were tents and trailers, as well as the trucks and cars we'd brought. It was kind of funny all of this could be kept hidden in a forest but we were pretty far from any hiking trails or towns. Evander parked his car off to the side of the cabin with a few other cars. We all exited his car, only for our heads to turn when we heard my name get called.

"Aaron. You're back."

Ryder ran at me full speed, tackling me to the ground as he followed. I groaned, pushing him off.

"Geez, Ryder. You know I hate that."

"I missed you so much. Don't you ever leave me again," he dramatically cried, before laughing loudly. "Goddess, Erin blabbed my ear off worrying about you, and Wren almost went out to try and find you."

I rolled my eyes, sitting up.

"Of course. Thank goodness those idiots didn't. I'm fine."

I helped Ryder stand before I realized my mates were still there, standing awkwardly.

"Oh. Ryder, these are my mates, Evander and Aubrey. Evander, Aubrey, this is one of my closest friends, Ryder. He's my future Gamma."

"I'm your close friend? Aaron, I am offended. I'm your best friend."

"No," I started, shoving his shoulder. "We both know that I care about Erin more. He doesn't annoy the shit out of me like you do."

Ryder pouted.

"You're so mean to me. Come on, let's go find the others."

He turned to look at my mates, offering a grin and a wave.

"Nice to meet you, by the way. I can't believe Aaron finally found his mates. Maybe you guys will soften him up."

As soon as we entered the cabin, I found myself glancing around to look for the one person I'd probably missed the most. When I found him talking with his father, I couldn't stop the small smile from taking over my face. At least, I smiled to contain the grin that wanted to erupt. Even if I'd gotten over my feelings for Erin, he was still someone I cared about a lot. My feet carried me over to the pair of Alphas quietly talking, and when they saw me, Erin grinned brightly.

"Aaron," he said, stepping away from his dad to pull me into a hug.

I hugged him back, refraining my sighing against him. I could tell by the way he snorted under his breath that he knew what I was trying not to do. He knew me too well.

"Glad to see you, Aaron. Maybe now I'll get some peace from Ryder and Wren. They're killing me," he whispered.

I rolled my eyes.

"Sorry I couldn't come and rescue you sooner, Princess," I teased.

We pulled away and he pouted.

"Why are you so mean to me. We both know you loooove me," he pointed out.

"Shut it, you idiot."

I punched him in the shoulder, brow furrowed. I didn't want my mates to hear him. Did they even know that I care about them? Would it matter if they got the wrong idea?

‘Of course, dummy.’

"It's wonderful to have you back, Aaron. I was just about to leave, so I'm glad I caught you," Alpha James said with a friendly smile.

Since we couldn't leave the packs defenseless, we were doing rotations. At least one pack leader stayed behind while the others were here, though my father decided to stay in the pack full-time.

‘Of course, he did. Workaholic.’

I pushed that thought of my head and nodded to the Alpha as he passed by.

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dialovers-translations · 4 years ago

Text

Diabolik Lovers LUNATIC PARADE ;; Shuu Route ー Chapter 3

Monologue

“To heal Riegel-san’s heart,

broken and closed off to others

from losing his beloved.”

That was the goal we set in mind,

when preparing for this party.

I want it to be held at a place,

where Riegel-san would be able to relive,

vivid memories of himself and his late wife.

I am willing to go through great lengths,

to accomplish thisーー

ー The scene starts in the hotel room

Yui: ( First things first, we need to secure a venue. )

Shuu-san.

About the party venue, don’t you think we should hold it somewhere memorable to Riegel-san and his wife?

Shuu: Yeah...In that case, it’d have to be on a gondola, no?

Yui: On a...gondola...?

Shuu: If the information we gathered through the Familiars is correct, that is where Riegel and his wife tied the knot.

Coincidentally, it happened during the Parade as well.

If you want to make it memorable, now’s the perfect time, no?

Yui: You’re right...! I’ll go negotiate right away. Please wait here!

Shuu: ...Oi, hold your horses.

ー Shuu approaches her

Shuu: You’re going by yourself?

Yui: Um...Knowing you, I figured you’d rather not move...

Shuu: Yeah, I don’t. It’s a drag after all.

But...I’ll make an effort for you. (1)

Yui: Are you sure?

Shuu: Yeah. Let’s get going before I change my mind.

ー The scene shifts to the gondola docks

Yui: ( The reflection of the light on the water makes the surface glitter...How lovely. )

I’m sure meeting each other at such a lovely place must have made for a wonderful memory.

Shuu: ーー Well my bad that our meeting wasn’t all that ‘lovely’.

At first, you were just terrified the whole time after all.

Yui: T-That’s, well...You’re right, but...

Right now, I consider all of them good memories.

Shuu: Well, I guess that works. Haha...

ーー Anyway.

If we want to use this place as our party venue, we have to talk to the gondolier in the back.

Yui: Yes, I know.

( Here goes nothing! I’ll try and ask him. )

ー Yui approaches the gondolier

Gondolier B: Welcome! A ride for two?

Yui: Ah...Oh.

I’m sorry. Actually, we came here to ask for a favor...

Gondolier B: A favor...?

Yui: Yes.

You see, we are hoping to hold a party and...

We would love to organize it here.

Gondolier B: Eeh!? A party, right here!?

Yui: Yes. We want to hold it here no matter what.

Gondolier B: That’s easy for you to say, but the Parade is when we get most of our customers and when most of the money comes in.

I can’t just easily give you permission to use it.

Yui: Right...

( I guess we’re being pretty unreasonable. )

( However, I can’t imagine Riegel-san would prefer any other place over this one. I wonder if there’s really nothing that can be done...? )

Gondolier B: My bad, but we’re expecting a lot of people today as well. So I’d like to ask you to hurry up and leaーー

Shuu: ...Pwaah.

Gondolier B: ...! Y-You are...Karlheinz-sama’s...!

Geez! You should have told me that sooner!

Gotcha! Go ahead and organize whatever you want on the gondolas! My bad for being so unwilling earlier.

So...Please give my best regards to your Father.

Shuu: If I feel like it, I guess.

Yui: ( ...W-Wow...I’m not sure if I should say I saw this coming or what. )

*TIMESKIP*

Shuu: Haah...That concludes it for the venue.

So, what’s next on the list?

Yui: Um...

We can’t hold a party without food and drinks, huh?

It’d be nice if we could rely on the hotel as our main catering service but...

I’d also love to prepare a specific dish which was his wife’s favorite.

Shuu: If I recall correctly, the report we got from the Familiars described her as having a sweet tooth.

Yui: Exactly. For example, she was particularly fond of what we’d call a ‘Galette de Rois’ in the human world...

How about we go to a sweets shop which might be able to make it for us?

Shuu: ...I’m not too thrilled about this, but sure.

Yui : ( Fufu, I’m glad he’s still willing to come with me despite his complaints. )

ー The scene shifts to the Sweets Shop ‘Saphir’

Female Vampire A: Woah, looks delicious! As to be expected from Saphir, the number one sweets shop in the Demon World!

Female Vampire B: I don’t even know where to look first. I want to try them all...

Female Vampire C: In that case, we’ll just have to buy the entire line-up and take them home with us~

Yui: ( Wow...This place is packed with people...Just getting around the store seems difficult... )

Shuu: ...

I’m leaving the rest up to you. I’ll be...resting in the back.

ー Shuu walks away

Yui: ( Ah...He retreated to the eat-in area.... )

( Actually, I do feel a little bad for forcing him to be amongst such a large crowd. )

( I hope I can talk to a member of the staff soon... )

*Thud thud*

???: Hey, you! Move aside, move aside! Coming through with the cake!

Female Vampire A: Ah, it’s the owner! This scent...Aah, irresistible~

Yui: ( So that guy’s the owner! Okay, I should try and have a word with him...! )

U-Um! Excuse me!

Sweets shop owner: Hm? What do you want? I’m in a rush, so move aside!

Yui: I’d like to have a small talk with you! There’s a dessert I’d like to order by the final day of the Parade...

Sweets shop owner: An order by the end of the Parade? Not happening. Right now we are especially busy, I can use all the help I can get. (2)

Aah, so busy! I don’t know what to do first!!

Yui: ( No way... )

I-In that case...

Let me help out! I’ll try my hardest!

Sweets shop owner: No, no! There’s no way I canーー

ー More and more customers come in

Sweets shop owner: Hey, you! If you’re willing to help, then get to it!

In regards to what you asked earlier, depending on it, I might consider it.

Yui: Eh? Y-Yes! Understood...!

( I-I just have to give it my all for now! )

*TIMESKIP*

Female Vampire D: Please give me three more of these cakes.

Yui: Y-Yes!

Female Vampire E: Excuse me!? It was my turn first! Give me four of these first!

Yui: ( O-Oh no! It’s super busy...! )

Shuu: Nn...

Pwaah...

Yui: ( Ah...Seems like Shuu-san’s awake. )

ー Shuu walks over

Shuu: ...What are you doing?

Yui: As you can see, I’m helping out in the shop.

Female Vampire A: Hey, miss staff member! You’re in the way!

*Thud*

Yui: Wah!

*SHATTER*

Yui: ( Aah!? The plate broke! )

Shuu: Helping out? Like this?

Yui: ( Uu...E-Either way, I better clean up! )

ー Yui cleans up the shards

Shuu: Good grief...I can’t watch this...

Yui: ( Huh? Where is Shuu-san going...? )

Female Vampire A: Hmー If possible, I’d like at least one pie which isn’t too overly sweet...

But I have no idea which one to pick...

Shuu: ...In that case, I would recommend this. Not only does it cut back on the sugar, in turn it allows for the natural sweetness of the fruits to shine.

Female Vampire A: Oh dear, you seem very knowledgeable.

Yui: ( Wow... )

Female Vampire A: Right...In that case, I’ll take your recommendation and buy this one.

Shuu: You’re welcome.

ー Shuu returns to Yui’s side

Shuu: Well...There you have it.

Yui: You’re amazing, Shuu-san! The customer was delighted as well!

Shuu: Let me tell you, I’m not doing that a second tiーー

ー More customers approach them

Female Vampire B: We heard there’s a clerk who is especially knowledgeable on cakes here, but who could it be?

Female Vampire C: Anyway, I want to get a recommendation as well~?

Female Vampire D: Could it be the young man standing there!?

Female Vampire E: It has to be!

Yui: ( Ah...They found us. )

Shuu: ...

Seems like...I won’t be able to go for another nap.

Yui: ( Ahaha... )

*TIMESKIP*

Sweets shop owner: Honestly! Thank you so much for today! You helped me out a ton!

I don’t want to simply call this a way to return the favor so...

Please allow me to accept your request from earlier.

Yui: A-Are you sure?

Sweets shop owner: Yeah!

Doesn’t matter when you want it, I’ll make sure to fulfill my duty as the owner of this shop!

Yui: ( Hooray! )

Sweets shop owner: So? What kind of sweet treat is it?

Yui: Umーー

ー Yui explains

Sweets shop owner: I understand what you want very well.

You’ll have something to look forward to on the final day of the Parade!

Yui: Thank you very much!

ー The scene shifts back to the main street

Yui: It’s all thanks to you, Shuu-san! Thank you so much

Shuu: That was the first and final time I’ve done that, okay? ...Haah...

ーー So? What should we do next? We’re not done with all preparations, are we?

Yui: Um, I was thinking we should tackle the decorations for the gondola next.

Since we actually get to use it, I figured we might as well dress it up nicely.

Shuu: In that case...Reine de Aji’s shop could work, right?

Yui: Reine de Aji...?

Shuu: You’ll understand once we get there. Follow me.

Yui: ( ...? )

ー The scene shifts to general store Reine De Aji

Yui: ( Waah! There’s so many beautiful decorations out on display...! )

( I don’t know where to look first. )

How do you think we should decorate, Shuu-san?

Shuu: Anything works. I don’t really have a specific preference.

But well, personally, rather than the decorationsーー

*Thud*

Yui: ( Ah...They’re even selling antique violins. )

Shuu: I believe the music is what makes or breaks a party.

Yui: You might have a point.

Ah...Since it’s such a good opportunity, how about you play one song as well?

Shuu: No. Too much work.

Yui: ( Ahaha, I figured he’d say that... )

...I’d love to hear you play since it’s been so long though.

Shuu: ...

Yui: Is that too much to ask?

Shuu: Haah...Just a little, okay?

*Thud*

Shuu: ...

ー He starts playing the violin

Yui: ( What a beautiful melody... )

*THUD*

Shuu: ...Who’s there?

???: ...

Shuu: Aji, is that you?

Yui: ( So this is Aji-san. )

Reine de Aji: ...What exactly brings the eldest Sakamaki to my establishment?

Shuu: I don’t owe you an explanation. It’s none of your business, is it?

Reine de Aji: Hmph...If you don’t feel like answering my question, then I don’t feel like selling you anything either.

Yui: ( O-Oh no...! )

Aji-san! We’re actually planning to hold a party for a certain someone...

We came here to purchase the necessary decorations.

Reine de Aji: ...I see...

Well, in that case, you made the right choice by coming to my store.

After all, my line-up is rather extensive. On top of that...

I have a great offer.

*Rustle*

Reine de Aji: Voila.

Yui: A locket pendant...?

Reine de Aji: It’s not just your regular old pendant.

It’s a bewitched object which makes the wearer take the appearance of the person whose picture is put inside the locket.

Yui: W-Wow!

( Then...If we were to put a picture of Riegel-san’s wife inside...! )

Reine de Aji: Well then, this isn’t a demonstration. Better put it away again...

Yui: Ah! P-Please, wait! Could you please let us borrow that pendant?

Reine de Aji: This?

You make it sound so easy, but...

Yui: Is it too much to ask...?

Reine de Aji: ...

Under one condition.

In return for borrowing this pendant, you have to show me something good.

Yui: ...Entertain me...?

Reine de Aji: If no, it’s a no-deal. What will you do?

Yui: P-Please let me! I’ll try my best!

ー The scene shifts to Aizen Alleyway

Yui: ( I replied in the spur of the moment but... )

What do you think we could do to please Aji-san?

Shuu: ...

Yui: Shuu-san?

Shuu: Say...Do we even really need that pendant anyway?

Yui: ( Seems like he’s not too happy about the idea. But... )

I’m sure it’d make Riegel-san happy.

Shuu: ...

...Well, if you insist, fine.

Anyway, let’s try asking the people in town about whatever may catch Aji’s attention.

Yui: Y-Yes...!

ー The scene shifts to the main street

Male Vampire A: Hm...You’re kind of catching me off guard with the sudden question.

Yui: Anything will do. No matter how trivial...

Male Vampire A: ...

Yui: ...Ugh.

Male Vampire A: I’m sorry, I don’t know. Please ask someone else.

Yui: ...Okay...Thank you very much.

Male Vampire A: Bye.

ー The Vampire walks away

Shuu: ...That was our tenth try...What will you do? Give up already?

Yui: ...No. Why don’t we test our luck somewhere else? If we do, I’m sure we’ll...

( Gotta keep trying and not give up! )

ー The scene shifts to the wagon area

Yui: ( It’s even more crowded than earlier. One of these people might know something. )

( Okay...! I’ll try asking that person over there first. )

Excuse me...! I’d like to ask something...

Male Vampire B: ...Oh dear, what could that be?

Yui: Do you happen to know the person who runs a store over in the other street called Aji-san?

Male Vampire B: I do know her.

Yui: Actually, we want to make her happy somehow and...We were wondering if you knew any good ways to do so?

Male Vampire B: ...

...Hmー...

Yui: ( This time for sure...! )

Male Vampire B: My apologies, I doubt I’ll be of much help.

Yui: ...I see...

Male Vampire B: ...

If I had to name something I know about her...The only thing I could tell you is that she enjoys flora.

Yui: ...Flora...You say?

Male Vampire B: Yes. ...Oh, I made plans to meet up with someone, so you’ll have to excuse me now.

ー The Vampire walks away

Yui: T-Thank you very much!

( Flora, huh...? )

Yui: Um, Shuu-san? Why don’t we try giving her a plant she might like?

Shuu: ...I’m not sure. I can’t tell you whether that’ll actually please her or not.

Yui: But I don’t think we have much other choice but to rely on the information we just got...

Are there any stores selling plants nearby?

Shuu: I mean, there are, I guess.

Yui: ( Okay...! Let’s go take a look! )

ー The scene shifts to the garden store

Yui: This is the place...

( There’s so many plants I’ve never seen before! Guess I should have expected as much from the Demon World... )

...Amazing...

Shuu: Not really. They’ve only got plants which are commonly seen around the Demon World. I doubt any of these will please Aji-san.

In short...I feel as if we’re only wasting our time here?

Yui: S-Sorry...

( Hm...What a shame. Seems like we’re back to square one. )

???: ...Hm? Are you customers, perhaps? Welcome.

I’m the owner, so if you are looking for something, please ask away.

Yui: Thank you very much.

Garden store owner: My extensive knowledge on the flowers which grow in the Demon World is the one thing I pride myself on.

Yui: ...I see. In that case...

Which flower would make a person the happiest if they were to receive it as a gift?

Garden store owner: Everyone has different tastes.

But...A flower which can please everyone, can only be ‘that’.

Yui: ‘That’?

Garden store owner: Exactly. ‘That’ flower which only blooms in the mountains.

Yui: Only grows in the mountains...Then where exactly are these mountains?

Garden store owner: Don’t tell me...You want to go pluck one?

Yui: If it’s a flower which can make any person happy, then I’d like to if possible.

Garden store owner: I see.

I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I doubt it’ll work out.

...Well, I’m sure you’ll find out once you reach the mountains. I don’t mind drawing you a map.

Yui: ( I wonder what he means? )

ー The scene shifts the entrance of the mines

Yui: ( Um...I’m pretty sure we have to go right here...Then left at the next corner... )

ー The scene shifts to an underground lake

Shuu: Oi...We’re still not there yet?

Yui: P-Please wait. I’m pretty sure we’ve reached our destination...

According to the map, there should be a cave closeby.

Shuu: A cave?

Couldn’t it be that one over there?

Yui: Ah...!

Shuu: Good grief...You’re getting way too caught up in the map instead of actually looking at your surroundings.

Well, that being said, I’d rather not get ourselves lost again from walking around aimlessly.

Come on, let’s get going already.

Yui: Y-Yes!

ー The scene shifts to the Selenite Crystal Cave

Yui: ( Wow, it’s glittering somehow... )

What are these...?

Shuu: Selenite, right? Seems like the entire cave is made up from them.

Yui: ...I see...

Shuu: Oi, this isn’t the time to be captivated by them. Let’s look for the thing we came for.

Yui: Right.

( The shop owner didn’t tell us anything about the actual flower, did he? )

( ‘You’ll be able to tell straight away’ is the only hint we have... )

...Um...

*Flash*

Yui: ( ...? )

*Flash*

Yui: ( I’m not...imagining this, right? )

Shuu: ...Oi. Don’t you think that could be it? There’s been flashing lights coming from the back.

Yui: Let’s go look.

Monologue

What we found at the end of the path,

was a mysterious flower.

Covering the whole surrounding area,

they spread a warm light across,

shining amidst the dark like fireflies.

Their beauty is simply out of this world.

I subconsciously extended my hand towards the stem.

Howeverーー

*WOOSH*

Yui: ( I-It disappeared... )

Shuu: This must be the Ghost Flower.

Yui: Ghost Flower?

Shuu: Yeah, just like actual ghosts, you aren’t able to touch them.

Yui: ( So that’s why it vanished. )

( But...It was really pretty. I think I understand why anyone would be happy to see these flowers. )

( I’m sure Aji-san as well... )

...Um, Shuu-san? Can’t we get this flower to Aji-san’s store somehow?

Shuu: ...Haah...

Doesn’t seem like you’ll give up any time soon, so why don’t you try out some things?

Yui: ( Um...He’s basically saying he’ll stay here with me for now, right...? )

( F-For now, I’ll just try anything which comes to mind! )

*TIMESKIP*

*WOOSH*

Yui: Aah...Another fail...

( No matter how gently I touch them, it’s no use. Trying to pluck them from a different angle didn’t work either. )

( I guess it really is impossible... )

Shuu: ...

Yui: ( Shuu-san appears to be listening to music, but he seems bored. )

( But...There’s one more thing I’d like to try. )

( They disappear upon contact...So basically I have to avoid touching them, right? )

( I wonder if digging them up together with the soil would work then? )

( It’s all or nothing...Here goes...! )

*Thud thud*

Yui: ...! Shuu-san, look! The flower didn’t vanish...!

Shuu: Looks like it.

Yui: We can take it back with us to Aji-san’s store like this...! Aah, I’m so glad!

Shuu: ...

No, it’s too early to rejoice.

Try waiting a little like that.

Yui: ...?

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( I wonder how long I should wait? I’d guess about five minutes have passed by now. )

Shuu-san, what’s the point of thiーー

*WOOSH*

Yui: Ah!

Shuu: ...I knew it.

I figured that if all you had to do was scoop it out with soil and all, then the people from the garden shop would have long been doing that.

Yui: You...do have a point...

( There’s no way we can make it back to Aji-san’s shop in just five minutes. )

I wonder if it’s really impossible...

Shuu: ...No, that’s not true either.

Yui: Eh...?

Shuu: Let me ask you once more. ...You really want to borrow the pendant, right?

Yui: Well...Of course!

Shuu: Okay then.

ーー Oi. Dig out that ghost flower from the ground once more.

Yui: S-Sure.

( What could he be thinking? Anyway, I’ll just put faith in Shuu-san for now... )

*Thud thud*

Yui: Done.

Shuu: Okay. Now I just have to do this...

Yui: ( Why did he pick up a pebble...? )

Shuu: Thereーー!

*Swoosh*

*Thud*

*Flap flap flap flap flap*

Yui: Wah!? B-Bats!?

( They were startled by the sound of the rock and jumped out! Where did this many of them even come fromーー!? )

*Rustle*

Yui: Shuu-san!? What is this about...!?

Shuu: They can carry us to Aji’s store in under five minutes.

Yui: I seeーー

*Flap flap flap flap flap*

Yui: ...Wait, eeeeeh!?

Shuu: Wake me up when we’ve arrived.

*Flap flap flap flap flap*

Shuu: ...

Yui: ( Geez, Shuu... )

( O-Okay! I have to just let myself be carried. )

Monologue

I made up my resolve.

And decided to keep still,

as I let the bats carry me.

When taking a quick glance at the ground below,

I could see,

the ongoing Parade.

If I hadn’t gotten my heart stolen, then perhaps right now,

Shuu-san and I would also beーー

Such thoughts flashed through the back of my mind.

I shake my head, getting rid of those thoughts,

while continuing to pray,

that the Ghost Flower in my hands would not disappear.

ー The scene shifts to Reine de Aji’s store

*Flap flap flap flap flap*

Yui: ( W-We somehow got here before the Ghost Flower vanished. )

Shuu-san! Wake up, please! We’re here!!

Shuu: Nn...Pwaah...

That’s pretty fast. I wouldn’t have minded snoozing for a little longer...

Yui: More importantly, we should hurry up and find Aji-sanーー

*Flap flap flap flap flap*

Reine de Aji: W-What is this ruckus about!?

Yui: Ah, Aji-san!

Reine de Aji: You lot...! Are you trying to destroy my shop out of spite for not getting the pendant!?

Yui: N-No!

Take a look at this, please! We wanted to make you happy, so...

Reine de Aji: T-This is...Could it be, a Ghost Flower...?

The legendary flower, and the one flower in this world I had yet to see...

*WOOSH*

Yui: ( Aah, it vanished... )

Reine de Aji: ...

Yui: ( Oh no. The shop’s a mess because of the bats... )

( I guess...We failed to please her... )

Reine de Aji: That wasn’t an illusion just now, it was an actual Ghost Flower. I...

I’ve always wanted to see it here in my store, even if only once.

You did all of this just for me?

Yui: I just thought it’d be nice if it would make you happy...But I’m sorry you were only able to see it for such a short time.

Reine de Aji: Don’t sweat it. You made me plenty happy.

Furthermore, the fact they wither is exactly what makes flowers so beautiful.

ーー Thank you. I’m very pleased.

Yui: ( T-Thank god! Then... )

Reine de Aji: As promised...

*Cling*

Reine de Aji: I’ll lend you this pendant.

Yui: T-Thank you very much!

( We did it! )

Reine de Aji: Hey, you...Sakamaki.

Shuu: ...

Reine de Aji: I’ve written you guys off as lost causes for the longest time.

But you did all of this to make me happy. Especially this young lady over here.

...She’s quite the catch.

You chose your partner well. I suppose we should have expected as much from the eldest son of the family.

Shuu: Thank you.

Yui: ( I guess...she complimented me? It’s a little embarrassing but I’m happy. )

ー The scene shifts back to the hotel

*Cling*

Yui: ( If you put a picture inside this locket and put the necklace on, you can turn into that person...Huh? )

( Reevaluating it, it really is a mysterious thing. )

Anyway...We can hold the party without any trouble now.

Shuu: Yeah.

But...You’re forgetting one important thing.

Yui: Important...?

( What could that be? )

We’ve settled on the location, the cake and even got a surprise prepared...Which leaves...

Shuu: ...

Yui: Which leaves...?

Shuu: ...

Yui: U-Um...What do we still have left to do exactly?

Shuu: Good grief...

ー Shuu steps closer

Shuu: ーー Show your gratitude.

Yui: Excuse me?

Shuu: Show your gratitude to me.

Who’s to thank for making it this far into the preparations?

Yui: ( S-Starting with the gondola, I guess none of this would have been possible if Shuu-san hadn’t been there with me. )

Shuu-san, thank you so much for today.

I’m sorry for not saying this sooner.

Shuu: Just words won’t suffice.

In that case, let’s see...I wonder what I should ask from you instead?

I guess I should pose you the question for once.

Yui: U-Um...

( ...Something I can do... )

Selection

→ Give him a massage (☾)

Yui: ...Ah, right!

How about...a massage?

Shuu: A massage...

Yui: ( Uu, I feel like he’s appalled. )

I figured you must be exhausted, so I thought it wasn’t a bad idea...

Shuu: Haha...I guess it wouldn’t be bad every once in a while. Guess I’ll let you do your thing then.

Yui: Y-Yes...

*Rustle rustle*

Shuu: ...Oi. You can’t call that a massage. Put in a little more effort.

Yui: Okay.

*Rustle rustle*

Shuu: ...Phew...

*Rustle rustle*

→ Write him a letter of gratitude

Yui: In that case...How about I write you a letter of gratitude?

We can frame it and hang it on the wall at the manor, for example...

Shuu: ...

Yui: ( H-He looks disappointed. )

Shuu: Haah...Guess I’ll take the sentiment at least.

Yui: Yes...

( I guess it would have been way better to offer him a massage or something... )

( I’ll do that next time. )

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ( Anyway...I’m glad preparations for the party went smoothly. )

( Ah...But... )

( Shuu-san didn’t seem too stoked about the idea of the pendant. )

( I wonder why? )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) The てやる or ‘te-yaru’ construction implies that he is doing something for the sake of someone else.

(2) Literally he says ‘I’d even be willing to accept help from a cat’. This idiom is used when someone is so busy, they will accept any help, even from someone who might not be the best.

← RETURN TO CHAPTER 2

→ PROCEED WITH MAIN STORY [CHAPTER 4]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #1 [W/ SUBARU]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #2 [W/ RUKI]

→ SUB-SCENARIO #3 [W/ KOU]

#diabolik lovers #dialovers #shuu sakamaki #lunatic parade #diabolik lovers translation #lpshuuchapter3

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anoutlandishfanfic · 4 years ago

Text

Metamorphosis Ch 28 - La Dame Blanche

Finally! An update!! Thank you all for your patience!! We’re slowly making progress -- and so is Claire!!

Many thanks to betas @thefraserwitch and @walkinginland for their help... and keeping my feet to the fire.

You can find previous chapters here on Tumblr or over at AO3.

Nearly 10pm — Still the 21st of February, 1744 Jamie.

“Talk to me, Murtagh.”

Claire’s directive reached over my shoulder and took firm hold of my godfather.

“Oh, aye?” he squirmed slightly, unsure of his task. “What shall I tell ye, then?”

Her grip on my arm tightened as she labored through another of what she called contractions, her brow deeply furrowed and her breath coming in short gasps.

“Tell her stories,” I provided for her. “Jus talk to her… anythin’ to take her mind off things.”

This was met with great approval and he launched into a tale — at my expense.

“Have I told ye of the time yer numpty there tried to teach his sister’s wee cheetie to swim?”

I could hear the unbridled mirth in his voice, could see the massive grin stretching across his face even though my back was to him. It was Murtagh’s favorite story of my youth — and I was certain he had told her already — but I honestly didn’t mind being the subject of ridicule if it brought some small measure of comfort to my wife in her agony.

“Christ, ye’ve told it a hundred times over,” I protested in jest, dipping my head to place a soft kiss behind her ear as I dug my thumbs into the place at the base of her spine as she’d shown me.

“Ye canna be borin’ her wi’ tha’ one.”

I caught the barest hint of a smile in her eyes behind the pain and my heart soared.

Murtagh harrumphed at my interjection, suggesting, “Well, I could tell her o’ the time ye ruined yer da’s—“

“Tell her of the wee gomeral, ye old coot,” I grumbled, interrupting him before he could explain just what had become of my father’s best shirt as a result of my trying to impress a particular lass in the village.

Our companion chuckled to himself as he settled in for a good tale.

“Jenny’d nursed the wee slip o’ a thing back to health, aye?” Murtagh begun slowly, savoring the memories. “It’d been the runt o’ the litter an’ it’s mam wouldna feed it, ye see, so the lass took it within the house an’ fed it milk an’ cream an’ the like…”

Claire’s breath caught in a helpless whimper as something within her changed and my heart turned over in my chest. Her fingernails dug painfully into my skin — just as the talons of that wee fiend had all those years ago.

“She’d named it Mungo,” Murtagh continued, entirely unaware of the goings-on within our nest — completely taken back to time and place of his story, “an’ the wee cheetie had complete command of the kitchen… patrolin’ the pantry for enemy mice like a braw wee soldier.”

“Show me wha’ to do, Sorcha,” I pleaded, pressing my cheek against hers.

She turned and kissed me — hard — taking me completely by surprise and stealing all the breath from my lungs. Everything around us melted away as her soul reached out for mine, tugging and pulling with all her might. I gave in readily, offering up everything within me… all the strength, the will, and drive I possessed.

I kept my hands busy, not lifting them to her face as I maybe would have otherwise, but continued my massage of her spasming muscles. My fingers traced along her spine as my palms moved up her back, giving attention to the unyielding tendons I found along my way. I found her shoulders hunched near up to her ears and I knew that could do her no good.

“Right here, mo chridhe,” I showed her with a gentle caress across her shoulder blades. “Relax your arms, lean in to me… I’ll hold ye up.”

She did as encouraged, the loop of her arms around my neck loosening as a low, murmuring groan began to bubble up from within her. Her face turned into me as she rested her head on my shoulder, curling inward as the tone of her protestations became almost growl-like.

It was a considerable change from before and I thought these were more productive… less fearful and altogether rather like those I’d heard time and time again from the births I’d witnessed in the fields and byres of home.

Christ, how she hated my comparison.

“Aye, that’s the way,” I crooned. “Make all the wee noises ye like.”

Murtagh still hadn’t noticed that I’d been having my own conversation with my wife and that neither of us were paying any attention to him… It wasn’t worth interrupting him and perhaps as the contraction eased, the noise would become a welcome distraction again, but for now —

Claire was in a world of her own.

Her shoulders now sufficiently relaxed, my hands drifted back down to her hips. She’d begun to sway them again — a helpful action, she’d informed me earlier — and the low growl had risen to a steady hum. Setting my thumbs back into motion forthwith, we moved together for quite a while before she once again fell silent.

…

Claire.

Jamie helped me turn, allowing me to sink down onto the mattress and rest against his solid chest.

He was laughing… but silently, the vibrations doing wonders to slow my racing heart. It took me a moment to realize just what was so funny, but it was soon obvious.

Murtagh.

Jamie’s godfather was fully invested in the tale he was telling, completely oblivious as to what we were doing and instead absorbed in every detail of the recalled situation at hand.

What was it?

Ah, yes. The bloody cat.

I slid my eyes shut, a soft smile tugging at my lips.

How many times had I heard that one while we were on Jamie’s trail?

But, still, he knew it was one of my favorites and by all accounts it seemed to be one of his too.

My husband’s hand lifted to my face, brushing back the curls that clung to my damp brow and cheeks. I sighed heavily and turned my face into him, placing a kiss in the middle of his palm. A low rumble of delight ran through him as he tipped my chin up for a kiss on the mouth, the last vestiges of my latest contraction melting away as he shifted me in his arms.

And, so, it was in this manner — dressed in nothing but my shift, the nearly transparent material of which plastered against my skin, my hair a riotous mess of curls around my face, and lying cradled in my husband’s arms with my legs spread wide — that the captain of the Demeter found us as he came bounding into the cabin… with half the crew hot on his heels.

Before I could so much as blink, Jamie had extricated himself from beneath me and was using his body as a barricade to block any access to my person, dirk drawn. Murtagh had done much the same and leapt towards the door with the speed of a snapping crocodile, a nasty snarl contorting his face into an expression of such ferocity that I’d never seen before.

“Ye gave me yer word, Captain,” Murtagh spat. “Ye said ye could handle yer men… tha’ ye’d no’ be violatin’ my lady’s privacy in such a manner.”

As if in confirmation that he could not, in fact, keep control of his crew, they began to speak as one, shouting over one another and lunging towards us until the room was an overwhelming cacophony of threats of violence. I couldn’t make heads or tails of any of it, save one repeating word.

Witch.

Oh, bloody fucking hell.

They blamed me for the storm.

“Throw her overboard!” A raucous shout broke out above all the others.

“Aye!” came another, “Send her to the depths where she belongs!”

The very air in my lungs vanished with these words and bright spots flashed before my eyes. I reached out blindly for Jamie, desperate to take hold of something steady — but came up with nothing but empty space.

His name rolled off my tongue, parting my lips with a scream that started deep within me and multiplied until the sound bore no resemblance to my own voice.

Lightning split the sky in two and the room was awash with an unearthly light as a mighty wave surged against the side of the ship as my husband turned back to face me, the impact of the surf sending the both of us sideways across the mattress.

Jamie managed to catch hold of me, taking the blow against the wall upon himself, and it appeared from my low vantage point that only Murtagh remained upright. The rest of the men had been bowled over completely by the might of the storm and they remained where they lay… their verbal assaults suddenly silenced.

“She is no witch,” Murtagh finally spoke, raising his voice to be heard.

“She is La Dame Blanche,” he continued. “If even one of ye approaches her out of harm, she’ll curse both ye an’ yer kin to come for many a generation… I’ve seen her do it myself.”

Jamie’s arms around me loosened, now that we’d come to a secure stop against the wall, and I struggled to sit up.

“No, Sorcha,” he commanded, his voice urgent as he scrambled over me, effectively placing me between his protection and the barrier behind me. “Stay there.”

I shook my head wildly, my eyes wide. The last place I wanted to be right now was flat on my back.

“Help — me — up,” I bit out as I tried to roll onto my side by myself.

He eventually did as told — guided by a swift pinch to a tender spot within arm’s reach — and helped me sit up against the wall. He then had the audacity to turn his back on me, settling himself into a defensive position.

My vision began to cut out again in great, black blobs and I grabbed for him. My fingers brushed against his shirtsleeve and I latched on, yanking him back towards me by a fistful.

“Aye, ye’ve got me,” he assured dryly, moving only marginally closer as his attention was still firmly affixed on the ship’s crewmen and his fingers anxiously tapping against the hilt of his dirk. “I’m right here.”

“Put — that thing — down — and help me,” I bit out, using what little oxygen I had left in my lungs as my lower half once again threatened to be separated from the rest of me.

Jamie turned and looked at me — really looked at me — and nodded slowly, moving until he was right in front of me. He lay the knife within easy reach and offered himself up to me.

But the contraction had now settled in with an intensity that shook me to the very marrow of my bones. It assaulted me from all sides: making Jamie’s touch suddenly painful, the woolen fabric beneath me transforming to needled barbs, and the ruckus of the men bent on my destruction an endless, agonizing cacophony of damnation.

“Claire?”

I had shut my eyes up tight some time ago, willing my surroundings to melt away, to be suddenly back home at Lallybroch with Jenny at my side… but it was not Jenny’s voice that called to me now.

“Mo chridhe, ye mustna hold yer breath like that.”

I felt my leg jerk in reflex, my foot connecting with something solid before recoiling and heard a correlating ooof.

“Oh, aye,” my husband muttered. “Kick me all ye like, Sassenach, jus’ open yer eyes for a wee bit, aye?”

I did no such thing, incapable of even the slightest voluntary movement.

“Christ, ye’re as stubborn as any Scot,” he sighed and I felt a small measure of accomplishment, but Jamie was not about to give up his case.

“Kick, pinch, hit… I dinna mind… do anything ye like to me, mo nighean donn,” Jamie tried a different approach. “I willna touch ye if ye dinna wish it — ye ken I willna — but I’ll be ticklin’ tha’ wee foot of yer’s if ye dinna open those bonnie eyes an’ look a’ me!!”

I cracked one eye open and glared at him with all the force I could muster, but the look of relief that washed over his face as I did so had me opening the other in short order.

“A Dhia, ye ken how to scare a man,” Jamie shook his head slowly, a rueful smile now tugging at his lips as he realized I was returning to semi-consciousness of my surroundings.

“Forget them, mmm?” He passed a look back over his shoulder towards a dwindling crowd. “Murtah’s tellin’ ‘em of all the wondrous things ye can do… they’ll be back about their business in a moment or two.”

He shifted, returning his gaze to me as he moved even closer — though making no move to touch me.

“Just focus on me, aye?” Jamie offered, his blue eyes as deep and strong as the ocean surrounding us. “We’ll take it one pain at a time.”

Lifting a trembling hand, I reached for him, my sweaty palm open and empty. He took it between both of his, squeezing it tight.

“Aye, Sorcha,” he swallowed hard. “Tha’s the way.”

Together.

He sat beside me like that, steady and calm, until my contraction began to ease.

My breath was coming easier, but still ragged as I pulled him closer. Eagerly obliging, he took me back into his arms, helping me move so that I could recline against him.

I felt a slow but steady trickle of warm fluid trail down my thigh as I shifted and quickly tried to stop my bladder.

“Fuck,” I spat, pulling my shift out of the way of the flow.

Overtaken by a hoard of men and you piss yourself.

Brilliant, Beauchamp.

Jamie grabbed for something to mop up my mess — coming up with an already half sea-soaked petticoat — and made a halfhearted comment of reassurance.

“Oh, shove it,” I hissed, eyeing our company. “I could have at least made it to the bucket.”

My husband stopped what he was doing and looked down at me with an odd expression dancing in his eyes.

“What?” I demanded.

“Well, tis jus’ that I dinna expect ye to catch all yer waters in a bucket, Sassenach,” he chuckled to himself. “Even if ye were in a room that didna sway an’ had a midwife by yer side.”

“My… oh,” the truth of what he was saying hit me quite suddenly.

Jamie’s bemused smile bloomed into a bonafide grin, having properly identified amniotic fluid before I did.

I shook my head slowly, letting it tip back to rest against his shoulder as I muttered, “Jesus H Roosevelt Christ.”

#outlander #outlander fanfic #metamorphosis au #chapter 28 #la dame blanche

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huntergatherercreator · 4 years ago

Text

The Takedown | Part Fifteen

Pairing: Mob!Tom Holland x Detective Reader

Summary: NYC has a new drug lord determined to wipe out any and all competition in order to grow his empire. You're going undercover to stop him.

Warnings: Maybe a teeny bit of violence?

AN: It’s been a minute since the last part of this series was posted. I haven’t written anything since then so fingers crossed this is OK.

Part 15 - 1,601 words

My apartment had already been too small. Now with Joe blocking the doorway and Holland practically breathing down my neck it felt tiny. Hunching closer to the laptop screen I tried to focus on the information scrolling before me. I’d pulled up the last three months worth of records detailing what cruise ships had docked and was whittling down the list slowly. There were ones we’d suspected that had already had a full background check but I couldn’t cross them off without raising suspicions.

“What’s this?” I stilled as Holland leaned over my shoulder, finger tapping at an entry. With his breath tickling my throat and the soft scent of shampoo emanating from his curls it took me a minute to focus.

“It seems like a shell company. I can try to trace it but it’ll take time.”

“How can you tell?” Suspicion was apparently his only tone tonight. I nudged out the chair beside me as an invitation. When it went ignored I twisted in my seat, intent on glaring at him until he relented, only to realise too late how close he actually was. My lips skimmed over his cheek. I could feel my colour drain as his breath caught. I made to shove back from the table but his hand caught my shoulder, holding me down.

“Trace them,” he murmured. Hands shaking slightly I pulled up a new search engine to start. Only when I started typing did he let go. Relief trickled through me but it was short lived. Dragging the offered chair to the corner of the table he slipped off his jacket and hooked it to the back before settling with crossed arms to watch me. I flicked a glance over his shoulder to Joe who threw me a wink before going back to staring out the window. Trying to shove back the humiliation I could feel creeping up my cheeks I pulled up as much as I could about the company, already knowing it’d come to a dead end.

After half an hour I read out the details I’d scribbled down, eyes firmly on my notepad as Holland questioned me. Then he chose another company. And another. On and on until we’d almost exhausted the list.

The smell of expensive coffee roused me from my notebook. I blinked and a takeaway cup appeared under my nose courtesy of Joe. I accepted it with a grateful smile and he gave me another of what was becoming his signature winks. Closing the laptop I shuffled my notes into order and put both on the counter allowing Joe to start emptying the paper bag of breakfast foods he’d bought. It wasn’t until I was up out of my chair that I realised how sore I was. Rolling my neck I rubbed at a tender spot on my shoulder with a grimace.

“Maybe you should take five to clean up?” Joe offered. My eyes automatically drifted to Holland for the first time in several hours. He looked as dishevelled as I felt. Hair unruly once again from running his hands through it every time I hit a dead end. I realised with a jolt that I was waiting for his permission.

“Good idea.” I mumbled. Quickly skirting past them both I headed for the bathroom locking the door firmly behind me. I cringed as I caught myself in the mirror. My skin was pale, tired. The tie that had been keeping my hair back had failed leaving long messy wisps falling around my face. Running the cold water I repeatedly doused my skin until I felt the last of the brain fog disappear. I needed to be on higher alert, more so than before. Holland wouldn’t keep accepting the trails going cold. There was only so long he’d sit patiently knowing Rivera was out there. I needed to find a solid lead but I wasn’t sure if I could on my own. As much as I’d learned about tracking down corrupt company details those had all been from tracing low level thugs, people who didn't have the knowledge or the money to properly cover their tracks. Rivera had both of those things. It could be damn near impossible to directly link him to anything.

A jolt ran through me. Wasn’t that exactly what Holland did? He made it impossible for anyone to get information about the next level because each of his men ran their own area. Quickly drying my face I threw open the door coming face to face with Holland.

“You and Rivera are the same,” I started the words dying in my throat as his mood visibly darkened.

“No. We’re not.” He stalked closer and it took me a second to collect my thoughts as replays of the day before hit me. My gaze flicked to the damaged wall. A reminder not to push him, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Let me finish,” I insisted, hands coming up to hold him off. “How did I find you?”

Confusion flashed before irritation settled on his face. “Stupidity, and luck.”

“No. It was through Arnold. The only way to you is through your men. It’s the same with Rivera, he-” He pressed his palms against the door frame either side of me, blocking me in.

“Why are you wasting my time? Rivera’s men don’t know where he is. If they did Joe would have gotten the information.”

“Stop interrupting me!” I shoved against his chest in frustration. He grabbed my wrists spinning me until my back was pressed against the cold tiles of the bathroom. Eyes boring into mine his jaw ticked, grip getting tighter.

“I am nothing like him.” Anger surged as we fell into the same dance we always did. Hooking a leg behind his I used his grip against him and put him on his back. A sliver of sympathy shot through me as he lost his breath but I let my anger chase it away, using it to power my arms into holding him down.

“I’m fed up with you thinking you can push me around and bully me. This,” I motioned with my head to the position we were currently in, “is the last time I have to do this. Understood?”

Eyes unreadable he nodded curtly. I cautiously let go, easing back to a sitting position, not ready to give up the upper hand just yet. When I was sure he wasn’t going to lash out I continued.

“We’re looking through the information for ties to Rivera himself. We should be looking for ties to the men we know he associates with. He’s using them as scapegoats. The companies are in their names, that way if anything goes wrong-”

“Then the trail ends with them” he finished, shoulders slumping as the realisation hit him.

“Exactly. And what better way to ensure your men’s loyalty. They’ll do everything they can to ensure their area runs smoothly because it’s their necks on the line, not his.” My smug smile was missed as he closed his eyes, hands coming up to scrub at his face.

“You didn’t sleep did you?” I asked gently. He let out a humourless laugh, his body rocking under mine. I planted my hands on his stomach to stop from falling onto him. Fingers splayed I could feel the solid muscles that made up his abdomen tensing as he shifted. The realisation of our position hit me. Mouth dry I tried to chase off the scenarios that my brain was throwing at me. I could control myself. Or so I told myself repeatedly.

“Care to let me up?” he asked, eyebrow raising as he looked pointedly at where I was touching him.

Sure he’d somehow been able to read my thoughts it took me a second to find my voice again. “It depends.”

“On?”

“Whether you can behave yourself. I meant it before, this is the last time. You’d never have figured any of this out without me.” I instinctively clenched my hands into fist. His t-shirt got tangled in my grip, tugging it up to reveal a small section of skin just above his waistband where the line of his hipbone slid out of sight. I was a hypocrite asking him to have decency when all I could think about was how much more I’d be able to expose before he stopped me.

“You’re right.” I almost lost my balance in shock at his admittance, eyes darting away from him.

“From now on you can take the lead but only when we’re alone. In front of my men you say nothing.”

I reigned in the urge to roll my eyes. Given who I was dealing with the conditions could have been a lot worse. I could handle letting him keep the facade of all knowing mob boss.

“Deal,” I agreed. “We have breakfast then I need you to get me the names of Rivera’s men. The higher their status the better. I’ll work on retracing the list from earlier and cross referencing it against them. And you, you’re going to get some sleep. It’s a waste of resources having you sit watching me. Joe can help in your place, he was the one that interrogated them anyway so he’ll know more than you do at this stage.” Reluctantly I released his clothing and pushing up to my feet. Instead of joining me he propped himself on his elbows.

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, deadpan. Spinning I left him on the bathroom floor as the heat that had been simmering through me peaked. Get it together, I mentally scolded myself.

- - - - - - -

Taglist:

@spideylovin

@lukesbabylon

@panicattheeverywherekid

@keep-bears-wild

@unbelievableholland

@tomholland-mcu

@whattheheckparker

@stargazerholland

@gorillaglue23

@marvelpeters

@weirdowithnobeardo

Part 16!

#Mob!Tom #mob!tom holland #tom holland x reader #tom holland imagine #tom holland

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tamagoincident · 4 years ago

Photo

To Lure a Bird

arthur morgan x reader

summary: The Van der Linde Gang plans to rob a train, too bad you hit it first. You, being the reasonable person you are, coerce rough-looking men to run a job with you in exchange for the stolen money, and everyone gets more than they bargained for.

chapter: 2/10

link: AO3

Chapter Two - The Man Who Makes All the Decisions

Chapter content warning: brief encounter of sexual harassment

You awoke gasping in the night, heart pumping, heaving in lungfuls of stale air. The darkness of the Saints Hotel room pressed close. You’d dreamt about Emma and Henry again.

Frightened as you were, you whispered to yourself that you were safe, that the dampness upon your brow was perspiration, and not the spatter of blood from Henry’s gunshot wound. That the screams seeping from the peeling walls were not Emma’s, but recalled from the etchings of your memory. You collapsed back onto the sheets and pulled the blanket over your shoulders, shuddering hard against the nausea prickling in your stomach and praying for sleep to find you once more.

—

Arthur stood at the bar in Smithfield’s Saloon, casual in the way he leaned over it. How at ease he appeared, unapologetic in his taking space. You choked on your envy, allowing yourself to wonder what it’s like to do whatever you wanted, wherever you pleased, unescorted. This feeling climbed as the man seated closest to the entrance pulled his chair out fully in your direction, reclining with his thighs spread. You tightened your grip on the handle of your travel bag and kept your revulsion from showing too much. Folk like that chased any sort of reaction, like they chased down drink after drink.

Ernest waved you over, having noticed how quiet the room fell when you’d walked in through the swinging doors. Arthur remained fixated on his glass despite the change in atmosphere, spinning it idly atop the nicked wood, taking more stock in it than in his surroundings. His voice cut across the idle chatter from the tables. “You even wash these?”

“Funny you ask,” Ernest said, wiping down the bar with a rag. “We’re in the market for a dishwasher. You look right fit for the job.” He abandoned his task at your approach to reach towards one of the dozens of bottles lining the shelves behind him, but you held up a hand to stop him. You needed your full wits to do something as illogical as you were about to, potentially letting a stranger lead you to God-Knows-Where to meet God-Knows-Who, with the pistol shoved in your right boot acting as your sole reassurance.

“So you’re a comedian now, mister? Didn’t realize I was getting dinner and a goddamn show.” Arthur knocked back his shot of whiskey and put the glass down on the bar. You set your bag at your feet and settled yourself in the space beside him. Through the aroma of decades of liquor soaked into the timber of the saloon, you caught a whiff of soap and freshly scrubbed skin.

“Cursin’ in front of women,” Ernest said, acknowledging you. “Ain't your daddy ever taught you manners?”

“Say that again,” Arthur growled and smacked both palms on the counter, moments away from hopping over it. You cleared your throat before he could hitch a leg up. He turned and froze, as if it surprised him that anyone else was in the saloon at all, let alone you in your best (and only) dress.

The disturbance had caused a bit of rubbernecking your way. While Ernest rattling the clients was always an entertaining diversion, (and privately, you would have seized the opportunity to see Arthur try to throttle him, the mountain of a man Ernest was) an all-out saloon-brawl was counterproductive to anything you’d arrived there to do. The situation had to be defused, and fast.

“I’m not a delicate flower, I won’t wilt from a little profanity,” you said. “It didn’t offend me to hear him swear the first time we’d met, and it doesn’t offend me now.”

Arthur looked at you. His expression turned from confused to even more confused. Clearly he hadn’t recognized you from your previous encounter. Taking pity on him, you helpfully concealed your nose and mouth with your sleeve, resembling the scarf you’d worn when he met you. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. You dug four bits from your skirt pockets, sliding them onto the counter to Ernest. “For this man’s next drink.”

“Couldn’t tell it was you without the get-up you was wearing the last time,” Arthur grumbled, and accepted the second shot of whiskey, placated for now, “or without the rifle.”

The rifle wasn’t concealable, and it hadn’t fit in the bag with your other travel necessities, so you left it with Ernest. You’d come back to Valentine to retrieve it later, at the right moment, along with half of the train score you had hidden away in a lockbox. “Had to try to look somewhat respectable for a negotiation. If there will be a negotiation, that is. Didn’t want to show up in my dusty travel clothes.”

“You look naïve, and an easy target to swindle,” he said, sparing a glance toward Ernest, who only cocked an eyebrow in response. Arthur cleared his throat. “Not that I’d do something like that. You see, I’m an itinerant worker, laid off from a factory—”

“Save it, please,” you said. “I’m not interested in divining who you really are or where you’ve come from. What I am interested in is whether you can help me with that offer we discussed. From your countenance, I assume your friend decided to take me up on it, against your better judgment.”

“What’s wrong with my countenance?”

“You’re scowling.”

“I ain’t,” he said, scowling. You put your hands up, conceding.

“He said he’d meet with you,” Arthur said. He brought the glass up to his lips. “Still decidin’ if I want to spin him a tale that I came to Valentine, but you never showed. Or, I could just rob you. I don’t think he’d mind that as much.”

“You just said you wouldn’t swindle me,” you accused.

The corner of Arthur’s mouth twitched, as if he wanted to laugh, but didn’t wish to act on it for fear of appearing too amicable. “You said we’d get half the money upfront?”

“Yes. You’ll get half if we can come to an agreement, and the other half once Emma is home safe.”

“I’m gonna be honest,” Arthur said. “We already went through an ordeal with that train, risking our skin to come up empty-handed. Now you want to pay us to risk it again with the score which should’ve been ours in the first place. This might end up being more trouble than it’s worth even with the seventy dollars you promised on top of it.”

“Hey lady, how much for your company?” A grunting voice emerged from behind you. You ignored it, too immersed in assessing the value of all your worldly possessions, your rifle among the other trinkets you had stashed away in different locations. You didn’t own land or assets to sell or put up for a loan. The single thing of monetary value in your possession was Henry’s wedding ring, and you’d hang before pawning that off. It’d been his dying request to return it to Emma. They’d only been married for five months when he was killed.

“I said, how much?”

Ernest jabbed his finger at him. “You best shut your mouth and sit back down ‘fore I drag you out of here, you drunken fool.”

“Weren’t talkin’ to you.” A hand clapped on your right shoulder, jerking you backwards. “I was talkin’ to this uppity bitch—”

You only had a brief moment to recognize the man as the one from earlier who’d leered at you. In the next second, he was flat on the ground, clutching his newly crooked nose. Arthur was towering over him, shaking out the soreness of the impact from his hand. He bent down and, without so much as a word, wiped his bloodstained knuckles on the howling degenerate’s shirt. Apart from his slightly mussed hair and the wild promise of barely restrained ire lurking in his eyes, an eerie calmness rolled off of him.

So much for preventing a brawl.

“You broke it! You fuckin’ broke it!”

“Hey,” someone piped up from the cards table. “Ain’t that the feller who damn near beat Tommy to death the other day when Hubert was workin’?”

“That was you Hubert was talkin’ about?” Ernest said to Arthur. “You owe us money for the window you smashed through, my friend.”

“How much was it to replace?” you said. “I can pay—”

More wailing. “I’m gonna skin you alive!”

“You know, Tommy ain’t been right since,” another person called out. “He may be an imbecile, but he’s our imbecile! You think it’s fun beatin’ on all of us?”

People were getting out of their seats. “Yeah!”

“Let’s go,” Arthur barked at you amid the jeering.

“My bag—” you said, surveying around your feet for your belongings. In the chaos, Arthur had grabbed it for you and was heading to the door. You struggled not to trip over your skirts in pursuit, casting one last apologetic look to Ernest, who seemed like he wanted to go after you.

Arthur stood outside, unhitching his horse from the post. The temptation arose to make a jest, to smooth the terse silence with something guaranteed to irritate him further. You swallowed it and instead listened to the bustle of wagons and barking of stray dogs.

“Grab your horse,” he said. “You can follow me. We got a bit of a ride south from here. Can’t for the life of me figure out why he wants me to lead you to camp, but I’m tired of arguin’ with him.”

You wondered who exactly Arthur was referring to. At the Trading Post, he’d hinted at a leader of sorts, the one who had yet to be named. You thought to ask for it, but there was a more pressing issue at hand. “I don’t have a horse. Not since my last one ran off.”

“She doesn’t own a horse,” he said to no one in particular, a moment of exasperation to the universe perhaps, if you had to guess. “How the hell you been getting around? Hot-air balloon?”

“Much less exciting than that, I’m afraid. Trains and stagecoaches. Sometimes I borrow a horse from Ernest. Sometimes I ‘borrow’ from strangers and return their horses before they’re missed.”

“I’m not even gonna pretend all that trouble you put yourself up to makes any sense,” Arthur grunted in response, strapping your bag to his saddle. “Alright, then. Come here.”

You didn’t move. In your hesitation, you considered beginning your rescue plan anew, using the train money to pay for hired guns, which you had wanted to avoid. If the first meeting between the two of you had gone well, the incident in the saloon had gone every bit as astray. But Arthur had intervened on your behalf, which you appreciated, regardless of the issue it had caused. You thought if there was any chance of a man caring whether or not Emma made it back alive, he was it. And there was the small detail of the score you lifted off his hands. You imagined it wouldn’t go over well if you offered it to another group.

Arthur placed the tip of his boot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up and over the saddle. He lowered his hand. This, you accepted with thanks and up you went onto the back of the horse. At this proximity, the scent of soap you’d noticed in the saloon was stronger. You couldn’t remember the last time you met a man who bathed with any regularity, let alone bathed at all.

“Might want to hold on to somethin’,” Arthur murmured. Your hands scrambled for purchase on the cantle as the horse fell into a trot.

And off you both went, past the gun shop and the train station, the muddy roads shifting into dusty trails the further Valentine receded from view. You were glad to quit the miserable little town if only for a moment, and though you hadn’t any high expectations for your destination, you hoped it smelled better.

“You mentioned you’re taking me to a camp. How big is it?” you asked.

“Suppose you’ll find out soon enough,” came the curt reply.

“Then, how many people are with you? Besides you and your friend.”

“Ain't you full of questions,” Arthur said. The pistol hidden in your boot felt heavier. It might be enough to fend off several people if they decided to take back by force what they believed to be theirs, but an entire camp? You reprimanded yourself for not thinking this whole thing through.

The horse veered left. Though you sat quietly, your mind was rife with uneasy thoughts. The sun blazed high in the sky, but it would soon begin its descent. You wish you’d asked to meet earlier, having not considered where you would lay your head down tonight, especially if your offer was declined. In all likelihood you’d end up sleeping propped up against a tree in the good company of hungry mosquitoes. Or hitching a twilight ride back to the Saints Hotel with some shifty wagoner. It wouldn’t be the first time you’d done either.

Arthur said something, which you were too deeply absorbed in your misgivings to have caught. You asked him to repeat himself. “I said, it’s not too much further now.”

The horse picked up its pace. Suddenly you were aware of the soreness in your biceps from straining to grip the back of the saddle. Squeezing your thighs harder to maintain balance, you wrapped your arms around Arthur’s torso. If the unexpected contact startled him, he did not show it.

“I never thanked you earlier,” you said.

“For what?”

“Quieting that fellow back in the saloon.”

“I reckon you could’ve done it yourself. One minute you’re firin’ a rifle in my direction. Next, you’ve gone all feeble and quiet.”

“If I rose hell whenever someone pestered me, sir, I wouldn’t be here to pester you.”

This earned you a laugh. You felt sorry you weren’t able to see it. “It’s Arthur Morgan,” he corrected.

Arthur Morgan. You’d known to call him Arthur from that friend Marston of his, but now that you knew both names, you thought it sounded familiar. You racked your recent memory for it, coming up empty. It was a common enough name, anyway.

“You ain’t told me your name,” he added.

“That’s right, Mr. Morgan. I didn’t,” you said. And that was that.

—

“Coming through,” Arthur shouts as the horse slows. You crane your head to see who he’s speaking to when you spotted a man stepping into the clearing, adjusting the bowler hat atop his head with his left hand and swinging a rifle with his right. Your arms slipped away from around Arthur’s waist, back to gripping the cantle for support.

“My my, what’s this? Returning with a girl before the sun goes down,” he says with a wide grin. “You’re getting romantic in your old age.”

Arthur groaned. “Do you ever shut up? You fill every waking moment with your nonsense.”

The grin grew impossibly wider. Tilting his head up towards you and Arthur, you were just close enough to make out this man’s freckles beneath the shadow cast by his hat’s brim. “I’ve plenty of time for peace and quiet when I’m six feet under.”

“Just another reason to hasten you there,” Arthur said, then, softly to his horse, “Come on, girl.”

“He doesn’t really mean that, you know. He loves me,” the man called as you passed by, “Isn’t that right, Arthur? Like an older brother, I’d say!”

The horse stopped at a hitching station just beyond the camp entrance. Off you went from the rear of it, lowering yourself until your boots hit the grass. “Quite the lively introduction,” you said to Arthur.

“That boy is too busy cracking jokes and chasing skirts to do much of anything useful,” he said, dismounting.

“He’s amusing,” you said. “It’s a breath of fresh air from all the prickly folks around these parts. Look at them wrong and they’ll be twitching for their gun.”

“About as amusing as an insect buzzing in your ear.” Arthur led you to a table, gesturing to the folding stools. “You can sit here a moment. And don’t talk to no one.”

You peered down at the tabletop, noticing copper stains that had long seeped into the wood. “Is that blood?”

Arthur shrugged. “Or you can stand, if that’s your preference.”

You tracked him as he made his way straight to the center of camp, to the largest of the surrounding fixtures, a cream-colored tent that stood proudly over all the rest, watchful. He stopped at the entrance, waiting for the dark figure inside to turn towards Arthur as they stooped slightly, perhaps to grab something.

The figure emerged finally, joining Arthur outside of the tent’s shade. Sunlight beamed against glittering rings on fingers wrapped around a smoking cigar. You squinted.

Oh God, you thought. That’s Dutch van der Linde. You read about him in the New Hanover Gazette. Your mind ran miles per second as you put bits of information together. You had passed his face on wanted posters during your travels, passed Arthur’s too, lingering above a five-thousand dollar reward for one of the largest heists in Blackwater history. A heist that had seen a dozen or more people dead. And now you were in their camp, a camp that bounty hunters across several states would pay a pretty penny to find.

Those wanted faces turned to you. Arthur waved you over. Your legs grew heavy, rooting themselves to the ground. You had a decision to make.

#arthur morgan #arthur morgan fanfiction #arthur morgan/reader #arthur morgan x you #arthur morgan x female reader #arthur morgan/yn #rdr2 ao3 #rdr2 fanfiction #rdr2 fanfic #reader insert #tlab

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leahseclipse · 4 years ago

Text

Souvenirs, secrets and coffee dates

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Summary: Suspicions about a possible partner rise when Spencer starts buying souvenirs and closely monitoring his phone more than he usually does; as he plans a few surprises for his beloved partner in secret.

Warnings: Mentions of case, usual cm stuff, slight mentions of death, loss of a person (not concerning any of the characters; only mentioned in a few paras)

Category: Fluff

Word count: 11.6k

A/N: Hello!! This fic is another fic I accidentally wrote for an event, for @sunlight-moonrise !! sorry if some moments are badly written,,,,hope you enjoy tho!!

The total fic is 25.1k, so i preferred to cut it in two parts so it wouldn’t be too long.

Continuation of Dear diary

After we got together, days quickly got to weeks, weeks to months, and...now

It’s been more than a year.

Time went by more quickly than I thought it ever would, I often think about that diary that allowed the two of us to meet.

I'm glad that she had it in the first place, and that she lost it after. If she didn't have it, she would have either left a book that belonged to the library, (so, not many chances to find her, or even know she exists, you know), or possibly an item that could have her information, like a phone, or whatever she could have left, but, she could have remembered about the diary and take it.

If it would have happened, we wouldn't have talked, and we still wouldn't be, as I just did a few minutes ago on the phone.

And now that I think about it, It’s been a while since I haven’t seen y/n.

Even though we always talk on the phone, it's not quite the same.

I’m always thinking about her, especially when I’m away on a case and the only thing that allows us to see the other is through a cell phone.

I tried not to let her know I’m tired, I don’t want her to worry too much, she’s the type of person to freak out about the smallest thing, and I wouldn’t really like her to.

She worries enough when I’m away, so I wouldn’t like y/n to have another problem to worry about until I get back.

I hate to let her know; but if there was a word to describe the week I just spent;

exhausting.

It’d definitely be that one, 100%.

Every single case is exhausting, especially when It’d last more than intended; when the profile has to be done again because of sudden changes, when leads turned out to be fake, or don’t make the case progress in any way, and a ton of reasons that if were to be enunciated, would be worth a encyclopedia long.

We all know from the moment we’re announced of a case that we'll come back from it completely dead because of the non-existent sleep we would have had.

One week earlier, I thought it’d be different from usual, and I turned out to be...completely wrong. I had woken up at 3am in a start, just an hour after I had gone to bed with y/n.

She had woken up when I happened to be in the middle of the call, and locked her eyes in mine when I had turned her way while on the phone.

Y/N already knew from the moment I received the call that it meant that I had to go, it had been a few months since we had been together, so she knew the song well after she happened to witness six or seven of the calls.

I knew she didn’t mind because I had to do my job, she has always been very understanding about my work.

Of course, I think that the fact that I have to go away for god knows how long upsets her, but not in a hateful way.

I sometimes wonder if she actually really minds the fact that I would go; even though she always says that she doesn’t.

Whenever I go on a case, I don’t even know when I’ll come back. I’m not coming back in three months, but not two days later.

All we can do to let the other know we’re okay is to call, or send a message; when we happen to have spare time to do it in between breaks.

Well, speaking of calls, these are often calls I have to do when no one else I know is around. I haven’t told any of my colleagues that I’ve been dating her.

I still wonder to this day if it’s because they never mentioned it, saw it, because I didn’t want them to know, or even….both.

I guess it was okay that way, they didn’t know, and nothing changed. We’d still talk the same way as when I wasn’t with her, except for some details, which makes me come back to the ‘talk with her when no one else is around’ topic.

As I am an idiot in love, I can’t help but smile whenever I talk to her, I just can’t help it. I always like to hear about her day, how she’s doing, talk about whenever we both have in mind, I just even appreciate hearing her. But, all that I’m doing when I’m with her isn’t something I can do when I’m around others.

They’d immediately want to know the reason of my behavior, which would certainly go up all the way to Garcia that would certainly harass me about it for weeks, probably with hundreds of mails and texts, as I have to use my computer for mail work, and my phone for cases, so...texting while no one is around is a much better solution.

I don’t think she minds either. She likes to hear about them, but she never mentions seeing them that often, I think she likes the whole ‘secret’ relationship stuff, she kind of sees it like a game in which you would have to go through levels, without being caught by the villains and eventually, lose the game, so, being discovered.

It wouldn’t be that bad if they’d find out, they’d just probably ask themselves why I wouldn’t have told it, or how they didn’t find out, but overall, I think they’d be happy.

But, I like it that way, when we’re together, we’re in our bubble, it’s just the two of us, no one else.

We always try not to mention work, as it mainly is the reason we can’t see each other most of the time, which is...a bit more for me, as I’m often still on a case when she happens to not be at work.

I would like to say that the little time we get to spend together is always enough, but when we finally get time, and I get called, it isn't quite enough.

I always wish I could be there more often, I'm at work most of the time and I'm afraid it could somehow impact our relationship; even if again, it isn’t a bother at all to y/n.

One of my worries when we started dating was that she'd feel frustrated because of that; the fact that I'm not here as often as she'd like me to be, that I'm busy when she's not.

I sometimes have to call her to tell that I won’t be able to make it home after I originally told her that I would come.

At first, she didn’t know what I was doing, even when I’d call her. I didn’t even tell y/n at the library back then.

I just mentioned once that it was an office job, and I don’t think she really had a problem with it, she wouldn't force much on the subject.

And now that I think of it,, it wouldn’t have changed much about our relationship if I had exactly said what I was doing.

The way she had discovered it was really odd, but...not that bad.

I had come to her apartment after she was done with work, and I had shortly gone to the bathroom after entering.

I had left my coat on the table, so she had decided to put it on a chair for me.

What happened next would probably seem stupid and cliché if I'd tell it to anyone, but my badge had slipped out from it and naturally, she picked up what just fell on the ground.

I had crossed the door of the bathroom to see her staring at it, with a confused and kind of surprised look.

It was a mix of these two emotions, I'd say.

I didn't exactly plan for her to find out like that, but I think that when I had previously mentioned an office job, she didn't quite expect that kind of office job.

Which stays understandable, as you don't necessarily think about them literally working at the FBI itself when an office job is mentioned.

And the thing is that, it isn't even a full office job, as I am literally...risking my life out on the field and have a chance to get injured, and uh…in the worst scenario, not make it alive.

So, I think that the fact that I didn't want her to know was to kind of, protect her so she wouldn't worry while I'm at work, asking herself if the last time she would ever see me would be when I had left for work in a hurry.

Yeah, I know, it's kind of morbid to think of it, but, I can't really ignore them at the same time.

They’re mostly the risks that are included, I was completely aware of that when I had entered, so...I can't really complain about anything. No one forced me, it really was a decision that I made alone.

But, it went well overall.

We can say that she was surprised, that is a fact.

But she wasn't mad that I didn't tell her. She understood that I didn't want her to know because of the stuff that makes my job risky, which can be scary, but she was supportive.

She asked me a bunch of questions after that, they all were various and different. I felt like I was a teacher answering questions of a kid, considering how energetic y/n was.

Eventually, the subject of the jet, that I'd travel from one state to another came, and that's when I felt like something lightened inside her.

She had never mentioned it back then, so that way, we both had a common point, a small secret that the other didn’t know.

She had begun talking about her passion of travelling, discovering places she wondered what could be made of, how it was, she always was curious to know more, she'd go wherever her mind would tell her to...which was funny, as the mind would often lead her to the same place, many times, strangely.

Y/N also had the habit of taking books from different places. I remember her having copies of the same book, but each were in a different language.

She didn’t do it with all of her books, because if she did, she’d have to literally dedicate a whole room to store them.

She hasn't been able to travel much after she started working full time, with little vacation time. But if she didn’t have this full time job, she’d travel as much as possible.

So, I had a small idea.

As I'd often travel, I could possibly grab a souvenir from the state I'm in, and give it to her. I thought it could be fun, she also liked collecting objects from the places she'd go to, so, I thought she would probably like the idea.

I didn't say that I planned to do it the first time, I did want to surprise her, even if I was already doing it when I'd come home when she thought I wouldn’t.

It always was a surprise to see me coming back, neither of us knew when it'd be done, so I would rarely get to tell her when I could be back.

But, the gifts I began doing were very special, it meant something to her, what she liked, and eventually, to me.

She meant everything to me and if that was making her happy, it truly was all that mattered in that moment.

The first souvenir I had purchased when I happened to be in California, we had just wrapped up the case; when I had decided to wander around, not far from where the jet was.

I had already gone around quite a few times since the beginning of my career, so I knew where I was going.

That’s when my eyes laid on a shop I hadn't seen before. It must have opened recently; but it really seemed nice at first sight. It sold a bunch of souvenirs, some related to the state’s local traditions, or some cute stuff with the name of the state on it.

As I quietly entered the small shop and walked a bit around, I noticed a small keychain of a bee next to a honeycomb.

Two details above the name of the state written in calligraphy could be seen; so after a bit of thinking, millions of questions whether it was nice or not, I just decided to take it.

I hadn't even realized that I had spent a whole hour in it stressing over what could be fine and what wasn’t.

It basically was a call from Morgan that made me realize that I had been there for almost an hour.

I did eventually make my way back to where the group was, I didn't even know they were actually there because they were waiting for me, for...a bit of time.

I had just told them some kind of excuse, and even if I think they didn’t quite believe it 100%, the subject had been quickly changed. I think they kind of forgot about it after.

I didn’t have many relatives in California, and they hadn’t seen the reason for my prolonged absence this time.

It’s just that, even if it had been almost half a year, I still wasn’t quite ready, I still wanted everything to be the two of us, for a bit more. We didn’t have a deadline or anything, so we could take as much time as possible to decide about it.

I don’t think they’ll be angry, just really surprised that I hid the fact that I had a girlfriend from them for a while now.

They just probably won’t have thought that the genius of the BAU would spend his free time with his girlfriend, and not with books and paperwork as they expect me to, and as I always did.

So, they'll know that I didn’t answer my phone because I had muted it when I was with her.

They probably won’t believe it at all at first.

They'll probably think of a prank, but when it’s gonna hit, I think I have to get ready for a week of questions and conversations about the fact that the genius got a girlfriend.

I know it isn’t mean at all, they’ll just be surprised, and happy for me, but, every time I try to talk to them, thinking they chose to abandon the subject, they’ll immediately try to talk about it.

It’ll have to happen eventually -if they do find out- but I still want it to stay secret for now.

The fact that I also buy stuff for her can also be seen as a sort of top-secret mission, if -of course- the words that I’m using aren’t too exaggerated.

I don’t usually buy souvenirs for myself, so if they see me doing it, I think they’ll try to think if it isn’t for someone else.

But, are they going to think it’s for my mother, or directly for a possible girlfriend?

I tend to stutter when I get nervous sometimes, and as it’ll be about y/n, I might not manage to stay serious.

I’m supposed to not let them know I have a girlfriend, even if I really want them to know.

I kind of feel bad, because that looks like I don’t want them to know because I don’t like her, but that’s the complete opposite.

I love her more than anything, and the fact that I don’t want her to be involved with my work is because I mostly want her to be safe.

There's been many cases where various members of the team, or even people working near us, had to witness their loved ones getting involved in a case, and I wouldn’t want that to happen to y/n at all.

I know that one day or another, we’ll tell them, and that when the day comes, I’ll have to make sure nothing happens by calling her every second to know if she’s okay.

I’ll be worried as hell for her, even if that doesn’t mean that she’ll immediately get targeted, I’m just a worried mess about that.

I’m probably the only one thinking about that, constantly.

Does it make me sound crazy? Yes and no at the same time, if I ever were to answer that question in an honest way.

I just tend to imagine scenarios that probably have no chance of ever happening when it comes to someone that I deeply care about, which is...basically the whole team, my mom, and her.

So: literally everyone in my life right now.

Back to where I was, it’s better not to let anything slip out, even if I do feel like...it isn’t the thing I’d usually do.

It..isn’t quite something people would expect me to do.

Maybe I’ll talk to her about it when I come back, it may be a good time, I guess.

Whether the choice would be, I'll still keep bringing her souvenirs as I always did, she likes them every time, and even displayed some a bit everywhere around her apartment.

This kind of became a tradition between us.

Y/N would often do the same by organiszing nights where I'd be the one deciding what we would do, which would be watching doctor who till 2AM most of the time.

I wonder if she doesn’t hate me after that.

I do hope we’ll get to it often.

I do miss that.

When was the last time I got a moment to breathe without having to worry about the work waiting for me outside?

A while ago, if I had to be honest with myself.

I don’t even feel like thinking about it, it’s really depressing.

It’s been a while now since the last time I had time to talk with y/n, because trust me, I’ve never been waiting that much for a break to get to call her than for something else.

I’m just waiting for just a minute to get to talk, but the odds aren’t going in my favor today apparently. It kind of makes me feel bad to just send a text, I know she’ll understand I’m busy with work and can’t call, but still, I prefer to call her over than texting words.

I tend to prefer to hear her voice and get her to talk if I ever hear worry in her voice, because I always know that she tends to not say everything in texts, I understand her on that one, a message and an actual conversation isn’t the same.

You can’t really figure out the mood of the person in texts, it’s just commas, points, but otherwise, it’s up to you to guess whether they just typed like that or if something is up.

I just like to know if she’s okay, I wouldn’t want her to spend the day feeling down, and not talk about it because I’m either busy, or because she’s afraid it might add more stress than I already have because of my job.

But I’d never refrain y/n from talking about what bothers her, on the contrary, I always want to know what’s in her thoughts, I’m often absent, so at least, I’d prefer to know she feels okay, because otherwise, I won’t stop worrying until I know.

I haven't forgotten about the souvenir tradition either.

It's been a while since I've been doing that, and we both have begun liking it more and more each time, I get to talk to her about the place I got it from, and sometimes, I even end up rambling about the case.

She also tells me stuff about the place if she visited it, or if she didn't; places that make her think of the place the souvenir was from, it's always interesting to have these conversations, we both get to learn stuff.

When these kinds of conversations occur, we either continue the subject or change it, and don't even notice how much time we spend talking.

Our best record is 2:54AM. Let's hope we don't go further next time we have a chat; because we always end up regretting it the next morning.

Considering the lack of sleep I have, and how late I go because of my work, sleeping late on my days off isn't helping at all.

It only makes it worse for when I'll actually get back to work, so, we'll try not to stay up that late and sleep to at least enjoy the sleep I usually don't have when on a case.

I’m always saying that, but it’s not that easy sometimes, we usually don’t think about the time we spend talking, so, the ‘going to bed early’ matter is still an unsolved problem for now.

Talking about it, I did get to sleep early today, we decided to continue the searches and I have to admit that I didn’t sleep like that for a while.

I can’t really say that I hope it arrives often because that would literally be like not doing much, because as we don’t sleep as much as we’d like to, we can totally stay in bed all day if no one comes to get us out.

It reminds me of when I was around 12, my mom would sometimes allow me to stay at home, and we would just sit in bed while she would talk to me about what she liked, anything that went through her mind.

She does like to hear about my mom too, and actually slid the matter in the conversation quite a few times, more than I could ever count, little does she know my mom does the same, they both are happy to hear about the other, they look like two best friends sometimes.

I do wonder if they’ll act like that, it won’t really surprise me if they actually do to be honest, they both like similar things, used to do same things before, and I think y/n would like to hear about some of my mom’s stories, or even just my mom talking, she always manages to keep the other person interested, I always feel like a kid when I talk with her.

I do guess some things never change.

They will both have a lot to tell, y/n traveled a lot when she was younger, and still remembers every trip she did, and noted everything down in not one notepad, but at least three of four of them.

She writes what she did, where she went, what she liked the most, some of her favorite things like, stuff she purchased, activities, it really is a whole story, she could literally write one book for each trip at this point and if I’d tell her about it, I do think she would do it.

And sometimes, when she would read a book, or even when we would just go to the library together, she would often find something that reminded her of one of her travels.

She mentioned not having an eidetic memory at all, but by moments, I wonder if she doesn’t have it without knowing it, considering all of the stuff she remembers.

Y/N always liked to do new stuff she hasn’t done, she likes to learn a lot, but only when it comes to non-educational purposes, she wasn’t really a good student.

Apparently to her, sitting all day in a chair with a teacher yelling at you, or either saying nothing but nonsense you can’t understand was absolutely ‘boring as hell’, as she said with her own words.

I do, and don’t agree with that at the same time, I don’t know. I’ve always had the habit of studying instead of doing what most people my age would do when I was young, but I did want to do something else after working more than my liking.

Guess it hasn’t changed much now, I pretty much work most of the time, and, unfortunately, I don’t get to rest whenever I want, only if the case happens to be over.

But, enough talking of the case, and all of the days of absence that comes with it.

I already have to endure it, so might as well not plunge the knife deeper than it is, it’s been many years since it’s been occurring and it shouldn’t be more of a bother than it is as I’ve already made myself into the idea in the first week.

I actually wonder if it’s the same on her side, I know she doesn’t have the same sleep habits, but she doesn’t always go to sleep at the same time. It’s always because of various reasons like; she began remembering a trip and wrote about it, thought about a trip too and got lost in her thoughts.

I often find her daydreaming most of the time, it does remind me of myself with my books, I don’t pay much attention to what's happening around me.

If I take for example the moment we met, I don’t know if it really counts. I only saw her diary first, but I paid attention to the item that belonged to her, so, in a way, it counts.

She’s also pretty much what keeps me sane when I’m working, she manages to send messages at the right time just when I need to. I have no idea how she does it, but if she could do it everyday, I literally would not mind at all.

I always like to hear whatever she talks about, a book, a story she already told a week ago, I know she likes to talk about them on repeat until she either forgets it or moves to another one.

She seriously could have been a teacher if she had chosen another career, her voice is really soothing, and she explains the words in a manner that makes the story more interesting that you’d thought.

I often found myself asking her to tell another one when I had found the previous one too short for my liking, when it literally lasted over half an hour.

She literally has the power of transforming me as a kid when she talks about stuff she did on a trip.

But, even after she told me all of that, I don’t really enjoy the kind of travelling I’m doing. It isn’t like a vacation, at all, it really is the exact opposite. I don’t really come here for the purpose of having fun.

I do hope I’ll get to travel with her once, in the purpose of actually having fun instead of two hours of sleep, having a chance of -possibly- getting injured, and all of the good and funny risks of my job.

And, while I’m talking about it, I do hope, if we decide not to go far, that I’m not going to actually have a case when I’m supposed to have a vacation.

This stays like, extra rare, but it can’t really be ruled out at the same time. So...let’s hope it doesn’t occur, I’d prefer not.

If we travel, it’ll be to stay out of work, so if the reason that basically refrains us from travelling happens, I’m not sure either of us would be pleased with it.

I'm far enough away, so, let’s not add more and hope that scenario won’t occur once.

I’ve already stayed buried for way too long in my thoughts that I didn’t even notice Morgan standing besides me before I thought of turning my head in his direction.

“Oh, sorry. Thought of something and got carried away...did you say something?”

“I know that I don’t usually talk about that with you, but I was just wondering, is there something going on? You always go away for calls, have something to do before we get back home, or after, I thought I’d check on you, just to know.”

Well shit. What the hell am I supposed to say now?

“No, it’s nothing, really. I just um...it’s just some stuff with...an old friend. It’s nothing bad, I’m fine.”

Ok, you’re definitely screwed right now, good luck to get out of this mess Spencer.

“Nothing, really? That’s kinda rare from you.” He commented, which made the two of us laugh, Derek always managed to lighten the situation with whatever he thought could do it, even if some words happened to be placed...at the wrong moment sometimes; but he’d never mean to harm, always to make things better as much as he could.

This situation wasn’t a bad one, but I definitely think that he could sense that I wasn't telling…what he truly would take as the right answer.

It definitely wasn't bad, but it probably won't get as bad as it is, I've already put myself in a mess I have no idea how to avoid by not managing to find my words and stuttering.

That really was the right thing to do to avoid all suspicions.

"I'm just tired, that's it. I couldn't sleep much this week, so...yeah, I—" I said, as I was getting to thank whatever god made me get out of this mess by making someone call.

At this point, even if it was a number that called me to advertise whatever stuff they wanted people to buy, I'd still be thankful for it.

I slightly got the phone out of my pocket, it wasn't an unknown number, just y/n; the one that just saved me from an interrogation.

I swear that when I come back I'll cancel our doctor who marathon, cook her whatever she wants, give her a bath, massage her, because she really saved me from a conversation I couldn't get out of and didn't know how to either.

Gosh what would I do without her? I'd be dead right now.

"Oh, it's uh, my friend, I have to answer. I uh...see you in a few minutes." I excused myself as I went into an empty room, checking a million times if I locked the door behind me.

"Gosh, y/n...you just saved me. Tell me whatever you want when I get back, I'll do it."

"Just breathe, it's ok. You sound like you just ran through the whole city." Y/N told me, as I heard like she was holding off laughter probably from how dramatic I was acting.

And in a way, she was right, I wouldn't be mad if she laughed. "Wha- What happened?" She asked.

"Well uh, I was thinking of something and got lost in my thoughts, and all of a sudden Morgan comes to me, asking if everything was okay because he wanted to check in case, and like an idiot, I stuttered at the moment when I told that it was a friend, because I almost mentioned that it was my girlfriend."

"And you just did a whole theater play for that? They'll have to know at some point, and if that happened, it wouldn't have been death. Still, it wouldn't have been the best way, but not the worst one either."

"Yeah, I know y/n, but, I prefer them to know another day, a special one, not when a colleague asked me if I was fine when my whole team could know, and possibly Garcia, who won't stop for a whole week."

"You're being dramatic Dr. Reid."

"No- I'm not!"

"You are."

"N—"

"You. Are. I have the last word, no matter what. I don't know when and how you want them to know, but we can't keep hiding it till we're married and have two kids with a third on the way at some point. And they're not anyone, they're like your family, and if you like, respect and trust them, so do I."

"Yeah, you're right. But not now. I trust you too, don't go behind my back to the office either.”

"You just gave me a suggestion."

"And that wasn't a suggestion."

"That seemed like it."

"They won't let you in, so, do what you want."

"I'll show them pictures."

"They could be photo-shopped, anyone with good skill can make it seem like a real picture."

"I have videos."

"Same thing, it stays a file that can be edited with a software. How do you think they do the effects in movies and shows? With a software."

"You're no fun Reid."

"You're lying, you always laugh at my jokes."

"No, I'm not."

"I can even tell through a call that you're lying."

"You're a bad profiler."

"Then how do I solve crimes and can tell that you love me, Spencer Reid, the ultimate genius." I said, with a dramatic voice as if I was saying lines of a play.

"...I do love you."

"I already know it because I do too."

"Don’t avoid the subject, we’re still gonna have to tell them.”

“...really?” I asked, with a tiny voice.

“Yeah, really. I think he asked you because you were acting like nothing but suspicious, and if, on top of that, he saw you buying stuff, you’re not close to being dead. And also, if I remember correctly from what you said, Penelope is really chatty, so that might go up to her, and once she hears about it, you know. She might not have an eidetic memory, but I don’t think that she, or even anyone else will forget it.”

“I’m dead, I know. I’m still asking myself if he’s not the only one that knows. They might all know it but keep their mouths shut. I can’t go and ask them either, so it’s all a waiting, guessing game right now.”

“You should have told them from the beginning.”

“I have to remind you that you weren’t against it either. We’re both in it.”

“...true. You have a point genius.”

“So, what’s the plan then?”

“Tell them at some point, we’re not going to reveal it in ten years. I have no possibility of reaching out to them, except stealing your phone, which isn’t possible as you’re away, so the only way they’ll know is through you.”

“But, we’re not really forced to. There’s not a rule or anything that says you are obligated to state if you have a partner or not.”

“It’s not the same, they’re like your family, in a way, if you ignore DNA stuff and all, you’ve been working with them longer than we know each other, they’re not strangers, I think they’ll be happy to know you’re sharing your life with someone.”

“You have a point this time.”

“Mind you, I’ve had the point since the beginning of our chat, which I think…had been lasting way too long, by the way.”

“How many….” I questioned, as I took away the phone from my ear to see the time. “Oh, almost six minutes, that’s...a bit long for a chat I’m supposed to have with a friend.”

“Yeah, a bit too long. Oh, by the way, before you go, I’ll be at your apartment, I felt like it needed a small clean, it’s been a while since you’ve been away, and you’ve been staying a lot at my place, so might as well come back to a clean apartment.”

“You don’t have to, I’ll clean myself.”

“I've been there for the last three hours, I didn’t plan on asking for your permission. I just have to hope no one you know decides to come by.”

“Penelope? No, she’s always busy.”

“You told that last time, and she popped up out of nowhere because she had something to give you, and if she had a key, she would have seen a half naked girl in the middle of her friend’s apartment, how’s that?”

“I didn’t know she would actually come, she never did before.” I said, with a small voice, kind as if I was being grounded by my mother.

“Unless someone forgot to charge their phone, which was you, so that’s why she came.”

“It only happened once.”

“And it’ll happen again if you don’t charge your phone. Luckily you were there and you heard, because if you didn’t hear and as I said, she happened to have a key, what would have happened if she would have seen items that belong to me, and the owner of these when you’re supposed to have no partner in your life as they don’t know anything?”

“Um...they would have known.”

“That’s why we have to stop this small game soon. I sounded like a mother talking to her child, I’m...sorry about that. Um...I know you can’t, as you like...remember everything, but, do as your brain is a computer, delete that chat.”

She also sounds like a child too, we’re both kids to be honest.

“I can’t do that.”

“Um...what about I buy you books?”

“We can make a deal then.”

“I can’t believe that...we’re both kids.”

“Yeah, but I mean, that’s why we get along.” I commented.

“I can’t believe how I’m still handling you. We also look like an old married couple.”

“You do, I don’t.”

“I’m not so sure about that- Spencer it’s been almost ten minutes now, you should uh...go back.”

“Ten minutes...since when? Now I’m definitely dead.”

“I wish I could say yes but, you’re almost dead, if you manage to avoid suspicion after...of course.”

“Yeah, that’s an easy thing to say…?”

“I can’t talk to them and say ‘oh hi, I’m Spencer’s secret girlfriend, since half a year’, because apparently it’s not the right moment.” She said, ironically.

“Okay, I get it...we’ll do it when I get back, I don’t know. We can’t wait another year at this point, it’s a bit too late and the suspicions raised themselves...a bit too much to be dissipated.”

“It’s been a while so, yeah, it’s time. We should have told them since we met at the library.”

“Yeah, maybe we should have..”

“But we can be proud of ourselves, especially you, if uh...of course, they don’t know. Because, I’m just saying, but...they could know, but choose to not say anything until they’ll realise that you know that they know you have a girlfriend. I’m...just saying.”

“So, there might be a chance that I’m already screwed and I didn’t know, or that they just have suspicions but don’t really know…? If you get it…?”

“Yep, and the worst part is that you can’t go and ask them, because if they actually don’t know, you’ll just be revealing what you thought they knew but actually don’t.”

“That whole story is an endless maze. I’m thinking we shouldn’t have waited that long.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have.”

“Yeah. I think I’m gonna go, I’ll uh...be back tomorrow towards the beginning, middle of the afternoon, we’re almost done, we have like...some papers left and other stuff.”

“Okay, don’t make me wait too long, I’ll be waiting at your place.”

“I’ll be back before you even know it.”

“Okay, love you.”

“Love you too.”

They’re not gonna believe the friend excuse anymore at this point

I stayed for more than ten minutes, no one stays that long with me. I don’t really know, the team’s always with me, so when we talk it’s case related or short texts in general, and it’s not really part of my habits to go away for that long.

I guess we’ll see.

With a soft sigh, I unlocked the door before lowering the handle down, exiting the room to walk to where I originally was, already hoping to get some remarks.

“I was about to come to where you went to check if you weren’t dead.”

“It’s been a while since we talked, that’s all Derek. Why?”

“Nah, just asking.” He said, raising his two hands up above his head.

“Ok then..?” I almost panicked when I answered, but I think that my reaction was enough for him to see it as I was confused...I think.

Okay, I think they already know by now, awesome.

I even came to the point of wondering if they knew and were just pretending to not know all along. They could have stayed in silence, acting like they didn’t know.

It also was a bit my fault, I did let some details slip, like my behavior, how I checked my phone more often, my long absences, again, how I talk, avoiding suspicion became kind of difficult.

Especially a bit after we started dating; we got really closer, and talking often helped us fill the distance. I really felt bad for leaving her alone that often, so at least I’d feel less guilty by talking to her whenever I could.

It really changed fast, just a few days ago, I didn’t even plan on telling it at all, but, y/n did convince me to not do so, and now, it might not be a good idea to continue pretending.

It’s kind of obvious that they know something is up, they’ve known me longer than her, so obviously, they know when something is different about me.

I just...was so focused on her, that I didn’t even think that they’d notice to be honest.

But, as she said, I don’t think that it’ll be...that bad. They’ll be understanding, and happy, that’s all.

They’ve always been a bit shocked when they’d think I had a girlfriend; because I really wasn’t the guy to have one to them, I don’t really know how to explain as I’m not in their heads, but I saw it that way, but again, that wasn’t in a mean way, they were just surprised.

Except this time, they won’t think that I don’t have a partner, they’ll definitely think I have one this time.

We didn’t really pay attention to the world around us, especially me, if I were to be really honest.

I just fell so hard for her, I would always be talking to her, thinking about her, and only looking at her when she’d be with me.

I always hold her hand when we go out together, I don’t know why, I can’t say more than a few minutes without it, and also, it’s always funny to compare our hand sizes, it’s cute.

Also another thing, I can’t help but mimic the emotions on her face sometimes, without even realizing it, because when she smiles, I also happen to do so.

I just can’t help myself but think about things that make her so perfect in my eyes; she truly means a lot to me and I can’t seem to imagine what my life would be like if she didn’t happen to be in it.

I remember saying stuff like; “When you meet your soulmate, remember that the act of bringing you together was 500 years in the making. So always appreciate and be kind to each other.”, or even, “Maybe the events in our lives were set in motion a long time ago”; that may sound like cheesy sentences, or whatever means to anyone else; but I guess it’s just how I see things, I do mean it when I say these.

I’ve noticed she always likes to hear them, she wouldn’t see it as rambling or anything else, just a sentence like another one I’d casually say, she admitted quite a few times that my talking never bothered her in any way.

Even if most of it was rambling, and facts, stuff that anyone else would be bored of after one minute; but y/n never did, she would often be the one to ask me about it, she wanted to know stuff too, and get to brag about it to people she knew.

I really like these little things, the small details about each other, what we think, what we like, and what we know to do to make the other happy, including the small souvenirs I bring her when I get the occasion.

This time, it’s a small pumpkin, it’s not halloween related at all, just a cute pin. I know we’re literally in January, but it’s our favorite holiday, and we happen to talk about it all year, no matter what month it is.

We also like other holidays, but that one stays our favorite. We’ve always had a liking for it.

Since it’s almost February, it means that Valentine's Day is close, so...I could possibly do a small event, or a letter, or even organise some stuff we could do on dates.

There’s plenty of time to plan all of it, I’ll just keep it in the corner of my head and think about it again when the occasion comes.

No matter how many times it happens, I can’t help but always feel relaxed when I come back home after a case, it isn’t always fully happy as the thought of the families often haunt my mind, I can’t help but feel a bit guilty, the cases ends up getting resolved, but the families never move on, only me as I go back to the bureau, and get called for another.

It’s always hard to think about it, and we’ve at least found ourselves getting stuck on a case even after it got resolved; but at least, if that can be reassuring, in a way, the ones who had committed the crime won’t harm anyone else and make other people lose their loved ones, that’s what I try to tell myself when I can’t get the thought out of my mind.

It also helps to be with the people I'm closest to and appreciate, with the team, we've been through it more than we can recall, and it helps to talk about it between us, try to find a tiny ounce of light in the tragedy, and even when the case impacts us personally, we try to move on, because even if we don't know the victim most of the time, it's not good to suffer for too long, they wouldn't want that for their families, or anyone else that might have cared about them, we have to learn to move on, at our own pace and honor their lives.

That's the best we can do for them, and even though we don't know them, we sometimes happen to think about the victims, it's hard not to get impacted by it, but when it happens, we have to try to not let it touch deeply and do our best to find the author of the crime, for them, and their loved ones, whom the pain will lessen with time for some, but will always stay deep inside their hearts.

The aftermath of a case is always rough, but we don't have much choice to face it like we can, and get ready for the next one.

I'm really glad to have everyone in my life around me, they're the one who I talk to, confide in, laugh with, and spend the most of my time with, but that last is an exception sometimes.

When I'm not on a case and have no papers, I often happen to be with y/n, and find some kind of excuse to say to the team they believe...or not, it depends.

When I happen to decline their offer, they either think that I'm going to spend the night watching whatever show I brag about, or read, but...when I do think that's the reasons they have in mind, I realize that I underestimated them too fast by thinking of a simple and silly reason when they literally began immediately thinking of the real stuff, which is in that case, me having a partner.

So, yeah, the reason they think about when I don't join them is because of a partner. Which they think is definitely real; because of my "successful" way of hiding it.

I'm sure they already know it by now, I'm not sure of it, but at least I know that I can't really go back. They definitely know something is up and trying to hide it more won't lessen the suspicions, on the contrary.

They’ll be informed of it officially in a bit, I’m not sure when, I just want it to be special not just a; “Oh, here’s my girlfriend.”, I don’t really want it to happen this way.

I’m literally about to plan a whole meeting with her and the team, while I could just shorten it to something more simple.

I may be over dramatic over this…

I guess we have time though, I’m barely coming from a case, and I’d prefer to spend the next days with her, because if I would plan it, she doesn’t have to know at all, which means I’ll have to hide stuff, see her less, and that’s the last thing I would want to do after not seeing her for what felt weeks to me.

Again, yes, I may be a bit overdramatic;, I admit it, but even when I talk to her on the phone, text her or even buy stuff, I still want nothing more but to see her; nothing replaces the feelings I have when she’s close to me.

I do like to hear her voice even when it’s through a phone, but I prefer over everything to just have her close.

I wish it could have happened now, but we all know what returning from a case is, paperwork and all, we don’t immediately go home, as much as we all want to do it more than anything after the week we’ve had.

I’ll be in my car before I even think of it, I just have to do what I have to do, and it’ll be over, I would have said “as soon as possible”, but I doubt Hotch will accept reports done in two minutes, and upset him is the one thing no one wants to see, we’re all tired, so our patience eventually tends to be limited, which is understandable.

I thought that I would have been able to think of going home as I previously told, but I soon found myself struggling to stay away and focused on the left work on my desk. If she had happened to work with me, even if I were to be tired, I’d ignore it because I would be busy staring at her every two seconds, and eventually, lose all focus.

And even though she wasn’t with me at work, I still happened to freeze for two minutes in the same spot when I thought of her.

I just can’t wait to see her again, I really missed her a lot.

I was so distracted on the way in that I almost drove to her place before remembering she said that she would be waiting at my apartment yesterday.

She's probably gonna be either in the bathroom taking a bath, as she always prefers my bathroom. Her apartment has a shower, and as she finds it too tiring to stand sometimes, she prefers to shower at my place, and I kind of understand her and agree with her on this point.

When I come from work, I just want to lay down and stay up only if I need to, which tends to become rare once I'm in my bed, and basically nonexistent when y/n happens to lay besides me, and even if I dared to think of leaving without her, I think she wouldn't agree, we literally both can't stay away from each other, we're as magnets, in a way.

She could also be watching the same episodes of Doctor Who for god knows how many times. I would often find her still watching it at 2AM when I'd wake up at night.

I even had to pull her to bed myself, and tossed her over my shoulder once.

I don't think she's sleeping now, she's literally a ball of energy, if I take the 'still watching tv at 2am' matter. If I didn't pull her to bed, I bet she would have kept watching it.

I would normally say that she's a child, but I'm also a child myself sometimes, so I can't make fun of her, which would literally be as I made fun of me; but it's okay, we often make fun of the other, so there's so harm in doing it, as it's basically how we talk generally.

Which includes her calling me 'genius', 'smart pants', '187', and, I know it isn't the subject, but, gosh, her smile when she laughs, it's honestly one of my favorite things about her.

So, her making fun of me isn't that bad if it means that I get to see her laughing and all happy.

As I looked at the surroundings, I soon came to the realization that I happened to be close to the destination, just a block away I'd say.

If there weren't other cars around me, and people, I would have sped as I was on a highway to get there faster.

Although the ride was less than a quarter of an hour (depending on traffic, it could maximum be twenty minutes), it still somehow felt longer…if I don't count the times I had to stop to let people cross the street.

I also really blamed other people for being there at the moment as I was driving, that was a bit stupid, people weren't going to stop because I had to see my girlfriend (even if, I admit that I wouldn't have mind if they did stop, it could...be nice.), they absolutely don't care about it, as much as again, the inverse could have been cool, but absolutely unlikely to happen in this reality.

I sighed for a long minute when the familiar structures came to my field of view, logically meaning that I was really close to see her, I wish I could have sped the car, but as always, people.

I hope she doesn't mind the fact that I made her wait (and still am right now), but I'm pretty sure she won't mind, just "yell" at me about it, but nothing including hate.

As I stopped the engine in front of the building, undoing my seatbelt and stepping out of the car before locking it after my exit, I excitedly made my way to the entry of the building, almost tripping on some of the steps considering how impatient I was.

Although I was really impatient, I wouldn't have quite appreciated the fact of breaking a leg, so I obviously slowed down and paid attention a bit more.

You could really compare it as what a kid feels like on the morning of Christmas waking up to see his present, except right now, what I was truly waiting for, was to see her when I'd open the door; but she wasn’t only a gift, she was my everything, my person.

I really tend to get emotional when I talk about her, I don’t know why. I remember almost crying when I thought she hurt herself badly one day, but she only fell down a step, it was nothing bad, but I really thought she had broken something, I hope she didn’t break a bone or anything else while I was gone; she often tends to be clumsy.

After getting lost in my thoughts (for the millionth time today), I took the keys out of my pocket and softly opened the door, closing it once I entered while trying not to make a lot of noise.

It quite surprised me to see my apartment this time.

Small lights were attached to the wall, above it, small polaroid pictures taped down, some hearts, probably cut down, in coloured paper I think.

The only lights were coming from the ones attached to the wall, so the apartment wasn’t quite visible, but still, I didn’t turn the light on in case she happened to be asleep, which happened to be what I expected, as I saw a distinct figure on a couch, a blanket wrapped around it.

I sat down to her level, taking a moment to watch her for a bit before putting my hand on her head, as I gently stroked her hair.

The sight of her was so beautiful, and after being away for a week, it truly was the best thing to come home to. I could never get sick of it, that became my favorite thing to see after we met, and it’ll always stay that way, I don’t think it’ll ever change.

I could watch her for hours, and I wouldn’t even realize how much time would go by, But realizing it, I don’t know if that could be considered as psychopath behavior…

As long as there’s no bad intentions, I guess it isn’t.

Yeah, I think the lack of sleep is kicking in right now, I’m saying weird stuff. Y/N would probably say I’m crazy if she ever happened to hear me.

I also figured out that while she was asleep, I could possibly give her a little bit more sleep, while I take a shower, change myself and possibly cook some food?

Without burning it...of course.

I wouldn’t like her to eat burned food, even if she won’t really mind, she’s not a good cook either, so at least we understand each other. But still, I’d like her to eat something not burned.

I’ll just see what I can do after, I already have things to do, and if I keep thinking I still won’t have done one thing before she wakes up.

Stroking her hair one more time, I raised myself up as I glanced at her one more time, smiling as I did so. I left the room, heading to the bathroom.

I’m not going to lie to myself, but I literally spend less time in the bathroom than usual.

All of my motions were sped up and without even realizing it, it probably was mainly because I was way too impatient to get out of the room to have y/n in sight again.

I honestly never did that with anyone else before, was I scared that she would suddenly disappear or something? She was literally asleep.

Yeah, I tend to get paranoid even when she’s in the next room, with absolutely no danger in sight, I just imagine stuff that could seem a bit ridiculous if heard by someone else.

I guess that’s why I don’t talk to anyone about it, but, I don’t think anyone would take it badly, I just -again- think people are going to react badly- when it’s perfectly normal, everyone worries about their loved ones, maybe not as bad as me, but- they worry.

But now, absolutely everything is fine, I don’t have to start worrying, I’m gonna walk out of the bathroom and she’s simply going to be there, exactly where she was when I left, probably asleep...or not.

She doesn’t have a light sleep at all, it’s a task to wake her up in the morning, and I don’t think she ever woke up when I accidentally dropped utensils in the kitchen one day. I just saw her slightly moving, but when I called her name, she didn’t even wake up.

That happened to be quite surprising when I just saw her, sitting on the couch as I left the bathroom.

We looked at each other, and I just froze in place, kind of confused.

She never wakes up first, I’m the one who usually wakes her up, so, I was quite confused when I just saw her awake, about to stand up.

“I didn’t hear you coming…” Y/N said, rubbing her eyes.

“That’s literally because I did everything not to wake you up. Did the uh...water wake you up?”

“I just woke up a few minutes ago, oh and I’m sorry, I was just tired after you know, cleaning, and that…” She explained, pointing at the decorations. “I can just take them off if you don’t like them, it’s-”

“What- no! I like what you did, that’s really nice.” I quickly reassured her, making my way towards the couch. “Why would you think I wouldn’t like it?”

“I just, you don’t decorate it often, so I thought I’d do that, I...I’m not sure if you’ll be home for valentine’s day as you were away often because of work, so...I did that, so you wouldn’t feel bad or anything. Is it too much?”

“Not at all. Don’t worry, I do get why you did that. I hope you don’t feel bad, I’m kind of worried that you feel upset when I’m away, I’m not here as much as I would like to be, you didn’t expect this when we started dating, I feel bad sometimes.”

“I don’t feel bad, you’re just doing your job, and hey, even if some cases don’t end well, you get to catch the ones who did it, so they won’t hurt anyone else, so why would I get upset?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“And, I know that even if you don’t say it, you’re worried for me, so don’t be. I’m completely fine, and if anything happens, you know that I’ll call you.”

“I know too, and you don’t lie on this point because you called me once when there was a spider in your shower.”

“...yeah, I did. And you laughed at me when I called.”

“That’s because I knew she wasn’t as big as you described. When I came, she didn’t even have the size of a coin, she was so small.”

“She wasn’t that small.”

“She kind of was. She wasn’t two millimeters tall, but not two centimeters.”

“I exaggerated a bit.” She admitted, slightly hitting me with her elbow when she saw a smile on my face. “It’s not funny!”

“It kind of is.”

“I swear that I’m gonna cook burned eggs for you and force you to eat them.”

“Burned eggs are like regular ones to me, neither of us know how to make them normal.”

“...true. So, in that case, what are we supposed to do right now?”

“I think we should do some pasta, it isn’t really difficult...if we follow the steps like it’s told.”

“Yeah, I just hope we won’t burn the apartment. I prefer to burn the pasta rather than set a fire.”

“Same thing.”

“Okay, let’s hope we don’t burn anything.”

“Oh, wait. I forgot.”

“What did you forget?” She asked, visibly confused.

“I forgot...that,” I said, pausing as I kissed her cheek which earned a small giggle from y/n. “And...that.” I continued, heading over to where my bag was.

"You didn't have to Spence, really."

"Yes, I had. You have to see how cute that is." I explained, walking back to her. "Look at that, it's adorable, a small pumpkin."

"Okay, it really is." She smiled, taking the small item. "It's from our favourite holiday. I miss buying pumpkins, I haven't done it since I was a kid."

"Yeah, it's been a while for me too. I wish we could do it, but I don't have much of an idea where they could be. We both live in buildings, and I doubt the landlords or the neighbors will appreciate this."

"They definitely won't. I guess we'll do it later, when we're married maybe, or…more simply, when the team will know."

"Oh, yeah...that."

"That, yeah."

"I do think they know by now."

"Probably, it's been five months, and you've been acting like nothing but a guy that's absolutely in love these past weeks."

"What can I say? I couldn't really hide it anymore."

"You could have been more discreet, you were literally surrounded by profilers, they definitely catched up."

"I should have asked you to teach me how to be clumsy. That way I would have broken a leg."

"Hey! I'm not doing it on purpose!"

"It looks like it! You almost broke your leg when you fell off a single step!"

"I'm gonna push you up the stairs one day if that's what you want."

"And how are you gonna do without me? You can't even cook."

"You can't either."

"I'll have Rossi teach me. He can basically teach anyone."

"Then why do you still suck? You visited him a lot from what you told me."

"I uh...didn't participate, I just watched."

"Then that explains it."

"I can cook! I'm gonna show you."

"Okay, I'm watching."

"Don't make fun of me!" I shouted, taking the pillow off the couch to throw it at her.

I shouldn't have done that, I literally started a war that lasted at least…twenty minutes, then we talked more, ten more minutes, then again, which led us to eat one hour later.

Eventually, we managed not to burn anything at all and ended the afternoon on the couch, talking about whatever came to mind.

"We should do something for the next few days. In case you get called, we should at least do something fun." She proposed, hesitating.

"Like what, I don't have many ideas…"

"Um well…what do we both like to do usually?"

"Let me think...coffee?"

"What about...we go on dates, except it's with coffee too."

"So, coffee dates?"

"Yeah. We could also add something to make it more...fun."

"A kind of...challenge?"

"Mhm."

"I think there’s a new place that opened recently? We could try it out."

"Maybe other ones too. Wait- I got an idea.

"Which is?"

"A mission to find the best cup of coffee in town. We both like coffee, and It’d be nice to discover what the other shops have."

"That could work, totally."

"Okay. Coffee dates and coffee missions it is."

"The title is kind of weird." I admitted

"Do you have anything else to propose?"

"Just dates, I guess."

"It's so basic." She argued.

"But it's easier though."

"Easier than telling you have a girlfriend?" Y/N asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then if you bring up that, yeah, it's easier than that."

"I knew it."

"Of course you did.”

“That’s because I’m always right.”

“Always? I’m not so sure about that.”

“Are you insinuating that I’m not smart enough Reid?”

“Maybe.” I teased.

“I’m really going to kill you, I didn’t forget what I said earlier.”

“You wouldn’t dare to.”

“Don’t be so sure about that.” She insisted.

“Okay, I apologize. You’re as smart as I am.”

“I prefer that answer.” Y/N approved, which sent the both of us into a fit of laughter, which seemed totally endless at first.

It lasted about five minutes before we sort of calmed ourselves to come back to a calm state. We didn’t look much at each other, as we knew it would do nothing but make us laugh again for a duration we didn’t even know.

But, even if that meant that we would laugh for a few minutes, even if that meant that we’d both complain because our stomachs would hurt, it’ll have been worth it, I wouldn’t have regretted it.

These were the moments we both knew the other appreciated to spend, we both took a liking for these, and often tend to forget about everything else.

It would just be the two of us; we’d forget about work, anxieties, just for a moment.

Work has always been a problem to me, I couldn’t see her as much as I’d like, having to interrupt an afternoon we thought would be calm to go to work, having to stay away more than I thought.

Although, even if that remains an inconvenience, it never made our relationship weaker, it stayed the way it was, from the moment we met each other.

Even back then when we barely knew anything else about each other at the library, it didn’t take us much time to get along as if we were friends for years and not one week.

We’ve always had a strong relationship, it never really changed.

Work would eventually get in the way, and it’ll be okay. We would learn to adapt, and just live with it, and it really worked out to be fine, and not as bad as I thought.

I think that I was afraid at the beginning, when we just started dating. Mostly because I thought she wouldn’t appreciate my schedule, the fact that I would be away for one week, and go back to work only after two days, I thought she’d get tired of it, and realize that it wasn’t the kind of relationship that suited her.

I really turned out to be wrong. Five months later, we’re still together, and sometimes it’s almost as if we’re not five states away from the other.

Let’s hope we’ll get to have -at least- a week, it would be nice. It’s been a while since we had more than three days without the sound of my phone meaning vacation time was over.

Plus, we get to do something we don’t usually do as often as we’d like to. We’ve already gone to coffee shops, but it’s been a month or so since; so I’m really excited about that new mission of ours.

It’s another thing to add to the list of our numerous and diverses adventures I get to spend with her.

Let me know what you thought of this fic here!

The next and last part is coming on April 2nd/3rd (just so that the tags don’t get clogged)

#cm #cm fic #cm spencer reid #spencer reid #spencer reid cm #spencer reid fic #spencer reid fanfic #Criminal Minds #criminal minds fanfic #Criminal Minds Fanfiction #Criminal Minds Spencer Reid #cm fluff #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fluff

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