#sorry guys my carpenter kicked in

[kokushibosbestie]

bruhhh I want a gf so badddd

Or maybe a trans bf

I JUST WANT SOMEONE TO LOVE ME BUT LIKE IRL

i mean online is semi okay but it's pretty risky because you really never know who you're talking to unless you call them.

UGJHH I WANT AN EMO/ALT LESI GF PLS

GOD GIVE ME ONE I FR DONT EVEN CARE IF ITS IRL.

I JUST WANNA FACETIME HER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND GIGGLE AT TEXTS MAN. 😢

[3igbootyl0ver]

A New Face Pt.2

pairing: Tara Carpenter x Reader

summary: Tara was devastated you didn't text her. That was until you met her at a party.

word count: 2250

Pt.1 | Pt.3 | Pt.4

a/n: hey guys, first of all thank you all so much for the overwhelming support 🥹 I didn't expect this much attention at all especially for my first ever pic I've written. Anyways, I'm always open to feedback and requests if you have any. Take note I'm still getting used to this whole Tumblr thing so it may take a while for me to put up master lists and all that stuff (p.s sorry if there's any mistakes, a part of me feels like this lowkey sucks lolz)

It’s been 2 weeks since Tara had last seen you. And during those weeks, Tara’s mind had been fogged by you. Her mind kept repeating your interaction and every time a smile grew on her face. The group of friends had been making fun of her ever since they entered the lift after leaving yours and Chad’s apartment, saying she looked like a kid getting a lollipop for breakfast, all giggly and in a daze, but she didn’t care. 

She wanted to see you again badly. She started plotting and thinking about ways your paths can collide again. Like, she could plan walking in school and “coincidentally” cross paths even though her classroom was nowhere near yours and at least 10 minutes away from your building. But she wouldn’t do that! “I’m not that crazy” Tara thought. But would she? (A teeny tiny part of Tara knows she’s capable of doing so.)

She didn’t have the guts to text you and it’s already been two weeks! A part of her was hoping that you’d text her, but a pang of disappointment hit her when you didn’t. She usually isn’t this hung up on a person like this. Sure, she found some individuals cute from time to time, but she wouldn’t go up to this extend. She wouldn’t chase for someone, but for you, maybe, just a little bit, she would start jogging a little. There was something so.. alluring and appealing about you that Tara couldn’t comprehend. It’s like her mind glitched and was programmed to think about you 24/7.

 Tara was currently lying on her bed occupied by her mind (thinking of you obviously) when there was aggressive knocks on the front door.  “Give me a minute! Jesus..” murmured Tara as she walked towards the threshold. She opened the door which revealed Mindy looking impatient. 

“Dude, are you not dressed yet? We planned to go this party at least a week ago!” 

“Oh shit, I forgot about this Mindy I’m sorry! Give me 15 minutes to get ready” Tara replied apologetically while Mindy rolled her eyes and plopped herself down on the couch, kicking up her feet onto the coffee table and reached for the tv remote. After an excruciatingly long 15 minutes (it was actually 45 minutes), Tara and Mindy were set to leave and make their way to the party that was a few blocks away.

The house reeked of alcohol, weed, and cigarettes. The party-goers were dressed casually, with some wearing revealing and tight clothes to attract attention, no doubt trying to get laid. There was r&b and occasionally hip hop music blaring through the speakers. Mindy met up with Anika, dragging her to get a drink to get the night started which made Tara lose track of them, leaving her all alone. Tara’s stomach churned when she kept seeing couples making out in the hallway as she strolled to the kitchen to get a drink. (She kept this like a dirty secret, but she had imagined as if it was you and her making out)

“Hey Tara!” She turned around and saw Chad, with a random girl with his arm around her waist. 

“Chad? I didn’t know you were coming to this party” Tara explained, ignoring the dirty looks and stink eye given from the girl

“Yeah, I didn’t want to actually, but Y/N asked me out to this party and….” Whatever gibberish Chad spewed out was ignored as you occupied Tara’s mind. You were here? Y/N? Chad’s sexy and hot and super cute roommate? She’s doomed. 

“Why didn’t you tell me they were coming?! Oh god! Oh my god, Do I look good? Do I have anything between my teeth, I knew I should have put on a sexier outfit”

“Tara- Tara calm down. You look good, okay? Don’t worry about it. If it makes you feel any better, they called you cute after you guys left the other day.” Chad commented, putting a stop onto Tara’s word vomit. You called her cute? Tara felt butterflies in her stomach. But why didn’t you text her? All Tara could hope for is that the universe is on her side tonight and let her catch a glimpse of you, and preferably not drunk to make a fool of herself and to earn atleast a decent conversation. 

She chugged down the alcoholic drink she made and decided to make one in an instant, trying to get rid of her blush since just thinking of you made her stomach do somersaults. She sat down on the couch, hoping she could see you soon. After almost half an hour, her patience was wearing thin, she hadn’t seen you yet. How even big is this house? Why couldn’t she see you? It was as if this house was alive and kept shifting its walls purposely to block her view of you. She made her way to the kitchen to make a stronger drink. Mindy was probably making out with Anika in a random room anyways so she doesn’t really bother, which left Tara looking like a real loser all alone weeping in the kitchen. 

She chugged down another shot of her drink, before making a new one. As she lifted her head to swallow her drink in one go, she felt a presence behind her. She smelt a scent of a wood, earthy with a reminiscent of smoke notes, along with a subtle smell of sweat. 

“Hey stranger. What’re you doing here all alone?” Tara choked on her drink when she heard your voice. Damn it, even your voice is hot. How does that even work? Tara had a coughing fit, while trying to cover up her blush and not make a fool out of herself (she already did). You made it even worse by wincing slightly and putting your hand on her lower back, rubbing it up and down her back and trying to at least comfort her while she was having a crisis.

“You alright there? Let me get some water for you,” You softly chuckled before proceeding to the refrigerator and grab a bottle of water, opening the cap and passing it to Tara which gobbled it down. It took her a few moments to settle down and for her blush to subside.

“Thank you, really. I appreciate it.”

“No problem, I can’t debate with you about horror movies if you’re dead, right?”

“Ha ha. Very funny. Anyway, I didn’t know you were coming to this party. I assumed you were too cool and busy for this type of stuff.” Tara  teased. She took this time to take in the sight of you, you were wearing baggy jeans with a fitting t-shirt, revealing your tattoos. There goes the butterflies in her tummy again.

“I didn’t call in a shift today and I had nothing to do. Plus, it was an impromptu thing to come here since, well, I had a feeling you were going to be here and..I wanted to see you.” You softly chuckled, with your voice lowering at the end. Now it was your turn to start blushing, and Tara found it adorable.

“Well, I’m right here in front of you, cutie. What did you want to talk about?” Tara boldly added in the nickname, in hopes of seeing you blush again. You smiled at the term which revealed those dimples AND your blush. Tara gave her a pat on the back for the double victory. You opened your mouth to give a sly reply back, however your response was cut off by someone calling out for you.

“Y/N!! You in to play some beer pong?” You looked at Tara apologetically for the disruption and invited her to play along with you as a pair.

You both were up against another pair, which was obviously experienced beer pong players at that. You were willing to drink the cups that your opponent successfully had thrown the ball in, but Tara insisted on drinking it while you focus on throwing the ball. Understandably, both of you lost and while you thanked them for the round and lost gracefully, Tara stomped off like a little kid while mumbling swear words to herself, evidently affected by the amount of alcohol she had to drink. You chased for her and found her in the kitchen, mixing different liquids to create an abomination of a drink.

“Tara, you had enough for tonight don’t you think? Let me walk you home.” You suggested while taking her cup away as she was right about to sip it, making her whine. Tara turned around and looked at you as if you had said the most ridiculous sentence she had heard in her lifetime.

“NO!!! Please, let’s just stay a lit-little longer. I p-promise I’ll behave. I just want to spend time with you.” Tara begged and slurring her words, while learning against you for your warmth, and looking up at you with those undeniably adorable doe eyes, giving you the best puppy look she could express.

“We can talk on our way to your apartment, okay? I promise I won’t leave you alone” Tara huffed and rolled her eyes, but continued leaning against you for support. You only made it to the threshold of the exit holding her beside you until you couldn’t handle it anymore with how Tara kept moving around and losing her balance. You offered to give her a piggyback ride, which she immediately accepted after nodding her head enthusiastically.

“Why didn’t- didn’t you text me? I was waiting..waiting for you all along, man, fuck” Tara slurred, having hiccups in between her sentences.

“I’m sorry Tara, would you feel better if I said I was too nervous to text you?” You replied smugly, which made her wrap her arms around your neck a little tighter. You could feel a sudden warmth on the side of your neck, indicating that Tara was blushing. “Cute” You thought.

“Whatever..Whatever, dude. I just wanted to ask what horror movie you preferred,” Tara tried to shrug off and tried to act nonchalant as if your silence for the past 2 weeks didn’t bother her.

“I loved watching Terrifier 2. Art the clown really is a masterpiece,” You softly commented. You’ve reached the entrance of Tara’s apartment and entered the lift, softly asking what level she lives at before the lift door closes. You’re surprised you that didn’t feel tired of carrying her at all. Even after walking atleast 2 miles from the party. Most of the time carrying her home was in silence, since Tara was falling in and out of sleep.

“Me too!! I-lloved watching him kill random people” You walked her towards  her door, slowly getting her on her feet and stabilizing her when she was swaying around clumsily.

“Oh yeah? Well, I heard the new Terrifier 3 is coming out. Maybe we could watch it together during the premier? Like, a date?” You suggested, blush slowly creeping up from your neck to your cheeks. You knocked on the door, hoping Sam was awake to bring her in.

“Yes.” Tara simply replied while nodding insistently. You chuckled at her boldness.

“It’s a date then. We’ll talk about it when you’re sober and having a massive hangover tomorrow, okay?” Tara nodded her head, her arms snaking around your neck to pull you closer. Your hands landed at her waist, feeling her being overly warm, probably from drinking too much. You decided to lean in and give her a kiss on her cheek, holding it for a little longer just to tease the shorter girl.

When you pulled back, you could see her blushing, probably not expecting the kiss. However, she decided to lean in this time, and now aiming for your lips. Just as both your lips brushed each other, the door opened, revealing Sam looking upset with wide eyes. You both pull back, with you coughing awkwardly under Sam’s gaze. Tara entered her apartment after saying her goodbyes, leaving you and Sam. You tried to talk to her, but ended up backfiring after she rolled her eyes and slammed the door on you even before you could utter a syllable. You made your way home and tried to ignore the interaction with Sam by occupying your mind with the younger Carpenter. You know talking to Tara won’t be easy due to her overprotective sister and friends, but you’re always up for a challenge, especially for a girl you’re falling in love with.

On the other side of the door, Sam was relentlessly scolding Tara, since she didn’t inform her of the party she was going to attend and that she had been worried sick the whole day. The least she expected was Mindy or Chad sending her home. Not you. Tara ignored Sam and went in her room, and plopped down on her bed with a huff, and fell asleep not even 5 minutes in.

The next day, Tara woke up with the most excruciating throbbing headache, it got worse when Sam continued her nagging about her going to parties without informing her. It took her awhile to adjust herself, with eating breakfast and taking a hot shower. She realized her phone had died since yesterday and decided  to charge it. When it turned on, the first notification she saw was from you.

Y/N: Heyy, hope you’re feeling better.

Sent at 11.33am.

Y/N: And I’m also hoping you didn’t forget the date we planned. Looking forward to seeing you soon :)

Sent at 11.36am.

[spiderlandry]

Routine — ethan landry

Description: Ethan feels you slowly drift away as you spend time with another person.

Pairing: Ethan Landry x GN!Reader (they/them pronouns)

Warnings: unedited, kinda wordy, fluff, jealousy, some angst but happy ending

Word Count: 1.9k

Author’s note: can u guess who reader’s chem partner is ??

Tradition and routine are important to Ethan Landry. Since you’ve made the decision to have lunch with him every Wednesday at the diner a few blocks from his apartment, he eventually begins to expect you to show up there without a text message. It’s routine, now. It’s a tradition—and he didn’t realize how sacred it was to him until his phone pings with a text from you on a Wednesday:

hey im sorry i cant make it to lunch i got assigned a small project in chem and its partners :/ and we could only find a time for today (ugh) lunch next wednesday?

sorry again. have a good lunch!! dont have too much fun without me tho

He’s not bothered. Why would he be? You sound like you’d rather be with him than working on that project, so he’s flattered in that aspect that you sound somewhat possessive with the, ‘don’t have too much fun’.

It’s not like he’s already at the diner already.

(He was on his way.)

But it’s only a blip in the hundred other moments you spend with him, even if those moments are also spent with other people present.

So he doesn’t take it to heart. Even if his heart slightly aches without you beside him, almost a symptom of withdrawal, which he won’t realize until much, much later.

-

Ethan often spends time in the main library on Friday nights. He’s not a stranger to the usual people who also spend their time there, there’s not a lot of people because there are better things for a college student to do on Friday nights. Ethan is different. Although, he only started going on Friday nights because midterms are soon and he can’t afford to fail or retake anything.

However, a familiar figure comes into the library next to a tall stranger. You, with some guy, trying to playfully shush him as you enter the quiet space earning some dirty looks from students around.

You lightly slap the stranger’s arm with a grin, and you don’t see Ethan—he’s sitting in a corner and you’re turned away from him.

There’s no denying that the stranger is handsome. Tall, brown hair, somewhat dorky mannerisms but in a charming way. Ethan could be in love with this guy if he himself isn’t so in love with you.

Ethan opts to look down at his work instead, eyes almost unfocused as the thought of losing his chance being brought to the forefront of his mind.

What he doesn’t see a few seconds later, between the shelves, slightly closer to Ethan, you finally spot him. He doesn’t see the way your smile droops slightly, and how the man next to you asks who you’re staring at.

“Oh,” you whisper to your chemistry partner, Peter, “That’s Ethan. The guy I told you about.”

“You’d look good together.” He teases.

You almost kick him jokingly, but he dodges. “Just because I told you my crush doesn’t mean you get to tease me. Plus, if you do, I’ll tell Gwen about yours.”

But of course, this conversation happens outside of Ethan’s earshot. You’re not looking at him anymore, and as he glances up one more time, he only sees the smile directed at that stranger that used to be reserved for him on Wednesday afternoons.

Yeah, I’ve lost my chance, Ethan thinks.

-

Ethan has decided to spend more time with his friends. It has nothing to do with you, not at all. (It’s not denial.) He lounges in the Carpenter apartment on Saturday night with Chad and Tara. Mindy was also supposed to be there, but texted last minute she can’t make it.

They assure him he’s not third-wheeling, but he definitely is.

But he stops himself before he suggests he can leave. He gives it a chance, because otherwise he would be alone in the dorm—and on a normal occasion he’d leave and call you instead, but he has a feeling your voice will only draw him back to the reliance of your presence. You haven’t talked since Wednesday, since that text message that Ethan believes is the beginning of the end.

Chad notices Ethan’s faraway look, they’re both sitting on the couch while Tara gets a drink from the kitchen.

“You okay, man?” His roommate snaps him out of the daze. “You seem sad.”

“I’m not.” Ethan has answered that too quickly to either of their liking, but it goes unmentioned.

“You can talk to me. If you want.”

Chad’s become more emotionally available since the first time they moved in together, Ethan appreciates that his friend makes an effort even if it seems to take some work. So Ethan humours him.

“Y/N. They’re spending time with this guy and I just—I don’t know.”

Tara comes back with a few sodas, handing one to him and to her boyfriend.

“Y/N?” She echoes, sipping from her drink. “You mean they’re spending time with Peter?”

Ethan realizes maybe he shouldn’t have said anything because Tara’s close to you and if he says something she might say something—

“I won’t tell them.” She says, sensing Ethan’s panic. “They’re just friends, if you’re wondering.”

Chad is grateful for his girlfriend stepping in. She certainly knows more, at least in that respect.

“Aren’t they chem partners, or something?” Chad asks her, wanting to alleviate the tension he can sense on his best friend. He remembers Tara offhandedly mentioning it one time.

(Let’s be honest, anything Tara knows, Chad knows too.)

“Well,” Tara prevents herself from a grimace. “They were partners. Y/N told me they finished the project. So now they’re just friends.”

It has the opposite effect that Chad had wanted.

It only lets Ethan know that it won’t be long until you introduce this Peter to the group as your boyfriend, probably.

“Can we change the subject?” Ethan requests.

He’s thankful as they adamantly jump into another topic about something funny that happened recently, an inkling deep in his soul that they did it on purpose to make him laugh—a hint of relief as he thinks, friendship isn’t that bad. (It’s good.) You and him could still be friends, he thinks. And that’s what he wants, for you to be in his life in any capacity, long as you’d let him.

-

Sunday nights are movie nights in the Carpenter household. And that tradition is extended to the entire group, including you. He doesn’t know why he’s nervous—his palms are sweating, his legs are bouncing, and his mind is anywhere else besides the present.

You arrive late, and the movie hasn’t started because they’re waiting for you.

Ethan thinks Chad or somebody must have done it on purpose, because the only empty seat on the couch is the one right next to him.

Obviously, you take it. The proximity is almost too much for Ethan, but he’d be a damn liar if he said it didn’t help his anxiety just a little bit. You take away his nerves after they appear in the absence of you. You’re his medicine.

The movie starts and you still don’t say anything to each other. He ignores the looks from Chad and Tara, and you seem to be oblivious to it as you keep your eyes on the television.

By the second movie, you’ve both gotten more comfortable, leaning into each other— and to Ethan’s surprise, you put your head on his shoulder. He looks around and no one notices. Not because they don’t care, but because they’re all asleep.

You fit so perfectly almost as if you’d been like this before, in a different lifetime of another universe.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, you had your own intent coming into this movie night, late on purpose and nerves taking away your courage in the absence of Ethan.

SUNDAY MORNING

Sometimes, you’d invite someone to get coffee with you when mornings were pleasant enough to be with other people.

Today, Tara said she was available to get coffee after you’d sent a text to the group chat asking if anyone wanted to come—so you got coffee with her.

It wasn’t your intention, but still, you end up at her apartment half an hour later, chatting about what’s happened in the week.

Somehow the topic of dating has come up, and Tara rambles about Chad’s funny ideas about dates that you laugh at.

Much to your dismay, the question tumbles out of your mouth before you can stop it. “How do I know if I’m in love with someone?”

She can’t read your face, it’s blank. But she can read your tone: the layer of uneasiness and worry that you’re trying to hard to bury and keep hidden. She tries her best not to show any emotion, either. Because there could only be two possible answer to the question Tara is about to ask.

“Who are you in love with?”

“Who said I was?” Quick answer, deflect the question.

“You’re thinking it, though.”

“So what if I am?”

And she just decides to lay it on the table. “Is it Peter?”

Your instinct is to laugh, because from your perspective, not a universe exists where you and Peter have any romantic connection. And you say, “Why would it be Peter?”

Tara realizes you’re serious pretty quickly. “Everybody thinks that.”

Your face drops, brows furrow. “Seriously?” Tara nods.

“Does Ethan think that?”

Tara smiles.

She has her answer.

PRESENT

The feeling of being close to him is intoxicating. You snake your hand toward his, playing with it until you loosely begin to hold his hand.

Your hand in mine feels right, he thinks. For a split second, his breath is stolen, but the tiny space between your palms get warm—he can breathe—and the warmness travels throughout Ethan’s body and suddenly he wants to verbalize every unspoken word from each interaction with you, but all words come back to I love you I love you I love you.

But there is one thing.

“What about...” He whispers, gulps. “Peter?”

And that’s when you finally look up at him and he turns his head to face yours—a mistake—you are much too close for his heart not to burst. He can feel your breath and he’s sure you can feel his, and there’s nothing else he can think of as he waits with bated breath for your response.

“Why would I wanna be with him when I want to be with you?”

You say it so casually, so surely, as if you’re certain nothing can take away that statement—that truth—from your grasp. The tone catches him so off guard that his words are lost for a moment.

Your eyes aren’t expectant in that moment, though waiting. You’re patient, as if you know what he’s going to say.

“Will—” he tries to be quiet, “will you go on a date with me?” Your smile gets impossibly wider and it mirrors his.

“Always.”

Tara, laying next to Chad nearby—pretending to be asleep—suppresses a grin of her own.

Additional A/N: personally i think their first date is at the diner !! and the diner staff see the progression of their relationship every wednesday lol and yes the chem partner is peter parker (specifically had andrew’s peter in mind, i think that’s clear with the ‘tall’ if not the gwen part LMAO)

[emsgwenstan]

Personal or professional?

Larissa Weems x fem(carpenter/joiner) named reader

Chap 5| chap 6| chap 7

Words: 3k

Warnings: insecurity’s, swearing.

Note: another fill in chapter… this gif☝️is the look she gives Violet about the door lol.

Well it’s official, It’s the 12th of December and my dreaded birthday, another year of being alive, I guess I should be grateful but only 2 hours until I can go home and sleep! Jesus I really am getting old. I do wish I could see Larissa today but I don’t want to disturb her, we have been texting since that day which was three days ago now, I drove her home that night and the next morning she sent me a message saying good morning and I thought that was really sweet, but this morning she hadn’t said anything, I don’t need to read into it though, I just hope I haven’t done anything wrong. My phone started to ring in my pocket and just when I thought it was her I was wrong.

*Louise*

“Happy birthday vi!” She yelled.

“Thanks Lou.” I said chuckling.

“Happy birthday vi.” I heard jades sultry voice say on the other line.

“Oh yeah jays here too.” Louise said.

“Wanna wish auntie vi happy birthday?” She added.

“Happy birthday auntie violet!” Lou’s daughter lily shouted.

“Aww thanks guys, how is everyone?” I asked.

“Yeah we’re all pretty good, how are you though? You’ve been pretty quiet… perhaps finally found someone?” Louise said teasingly.

My face burned, how am I supposed to say yes I’ve met and fallen in love with someone, we’ve had sex and yet we’re still in a what do they call it now? situationship? Friends with benefits? Let alone it being with a woman- not that they’d be very surprised.

“I have been getting out more and no I’m not with anyone.” I said.

“Let’s hope you find someone vi we don’t want you to be alone forever.” Jade said in a sing song voice.

“Shut the fuck up, says you your a hoe, a serial seducer.” I laughed.

“Ok lily go to your room for a minute.” Lou said.

“Oh my god sorry!” I said.

“Aunt of the year award goes to Violet.” Jade said mockingly.

“Agh, anyway guess what?” I asked.

“What?.” “Mhm?” From the both of them.

“I’ll see you guys at dads this year.” I said.

“What! You’re actually gonna show up!?” Louise said.

“Yeah but I’m not gonna be alone, I’m bringing my… friend Larissa.” I said awkwardly.

“Ooooo Larissa.” They said in unison. I could just imagine them looking at each other knowingly.

“Please… anyway I’ll be there for a week then I’m going to see my mum.” I stated.

“We haven’t seen you for ages, oh and by the way dad has been such a dick lately, all he talks about is fucking golf.” Jade said.

“When isn’t he a dick, and that doesn’t surprise me, I’m not going for him though I’m coming to see you guys.” I spoke.

“Yeah well we will be there for like 9 days I think, we really need to go out all together again, I know I need to get hammered.” Louise said laughing.

“Agreed I know just the place.” I said.

“We know.” They both said giggling.

“Ok well I’m at work so I need to go but I’ll see you guys then ok?” I said.

“Alright we love you sis.” Lou said.

“Love you guys, tell lily and Lottie i love them to.” I said.

“Will do, bye.” She said.

“Bye.”

I went back to stacking lengths of timber in their designated racks and began to wrap up the rest of my stuff getting ready to come home.

Finally in the threshold of my house, I kicked off my boots and tore off my work clothes, it was so fucking hot I felt like I was suffocating. The heat was up so high last night because it was freezing and I forgot to turn it off this morning as well as having the fire going. Turning it off and keeping the fire going I went and jumped in the shower quickly to rinse off the sawdust and settle in for the night.

Hopping into bed I let my hair out of the tight ponytail it’s been in all day letting it fall over my pillow and just like that I passed out. It was only 6pm but I didn’t care it was much needed, although it wasn’t until a while later when I could feel my body slightly shaking that I awoke again. “Wake up darling.” A hushed voice spoke, I know that accent anywhere, why is she here? how is she here? I rolled over slightly with my eyes cracked open, Larissa was standing beside me with a hand delicately wrapped around my bicep.

“Good morning.” She teased. “What are you doing here? How did you get in here?” I asked sleepily. Larissa brought her hand to my face stroking my cheek lightly. “I did knock, but no answer. The door was unlocked, I should have rung you I’m sorry.” She said in haste. “No, no it’s fine you’re welcome you don’t even need to knock.” I said rubbing my eyes. Larissa smiled warmly. “Sit up for a moment I’ll be right back.” She said leaving the room. I’m still a little bit delirious wondering if this is even real or not, but the fact that I could feel her gave me every indication that it was. Slowly I sat up and realised I’m only wearing underwear, I clutched my duvet to my chest and sat cross legged against my head board.

Larissa waltzed back in with a large box in her hands, the sound of her heels clacking on the floor boards getting closer gave me more anticipation wondering what was going on. She perched herself on the edge of my bed and placed the huge box in my lap, it was a deep red with a crimson, satin bow on top. I looked at her with curiosity and a small smile. “Open it.” She said gesturing me to do so. Slowly I undid the ribbon and opened the box, I could smell it first, the large bouquet of red and dark red- almost black roses that lay on top. “Oh Larissa, these are beautiful.” I said plucking them out and smelling how heavenly they are. “How did you know these were my favourite… not just the flowers but the colours.” I asked jokingly. “I have my ways.” She said. I giggled at her and lay the roses next to me and continued to open the layers of tissue paper.

The next thing was clothing of some sort, pulling it up I gasped. “It’s beautiful.” I said astonished, the black dress was gorgeous, intricate black beads lined the off the shoulder cut out and strapped top, the thigh slit down the side and the cuffs of the sleeves. “Why did you get me this?” I asked incredulously. “Because you deserve it.” She said blatantly. “I’m afraid I don’t think it will fit.” I said solemnly. “It will, I promise.” She ensured moving the tissue further out of the way to indicate there’s more. Carefully I laid aside the dress as well and took out the next thing. A large black coat with fur around the hood, sleeves and bottom. My eyes lit up and I became speechless. Trying to catch a sneaky look at the tag, I didn’t find a price or size instead the words ‘Vivienne Westwood’ in scribed on it. “What the fuck.” I breathed, I looked at the dresses tag and the same thing was embedded.

“There’s more.” She said suggestively. I looked at her with wide eyes and put aside the coat. Underneath was a shoe box and another thing wrapped with tissue paper, I opened that first unraveling the fragile paper. My cheeks burned, when I came to relise it was lingerie, a set of scarlet red lace, a bra with matching panties. I admired them, running my fingertips along the intricacies of the material, I gave a shy and quiet thank you to Larissa and set them aside too. The last thing was the shoe box that made my breathing stop. ‘Cristian louboutin’ no fucking way.

Larissa could see my face at the sight of it, how much I was in shock and awe even without seeing what’s in it. I took off the lid and just about had a heart attack, slick black heels lay next to another adorning the familiar red bottoms. I turned to Larissa with a gaping mouth and wide eyes. “How- why…I. Larissa I’ve wanted these shoes since I was 17!” I screeched. She grinned and put her hand on my wrist. “Happy birthday darling.” She whispered sweetly. Again I melted. “Oh rissa, I don’t know if I can accept these.” I said softly. “Yes you can, I wanted to give you something to make you feel beautiful, and I know that black makes people feel slimmer- not that you need to of course! I just…-god, I thought I could help you feel better about yourself and show you how beautiful you are my sweet.” She said feeling horrible at how that sounded. “No I understand, it’s very thoughtful of you. Most of my clothes are black.” I said smiling.

“And I think red looks gorgeous on you too.” She said. I immediately remembered that I wore a red bra that day and that’s what she was pertaining to. Larissa was very close it was harder to not be under her piercing gaze, I put the box next to me and wrapped my arms around her neck, slowly I leaned in and hoped she wouldn’t pull away, I placed a chaste kiss to her lips grinning into it. “Thank you lovely.” I said into her ear still hugging her. “You’re very welcome.” She said pulling back. “Now I hope it’s ok with you but I made reservations for 8:00, so go get changed into these and we can go get dinner?” She said questionably. “You didn’t!” I said. She stood from the bed and reached for my hands to help me up, I stood and covered my stomach feeling a little self conscious again.

Larissa grasped my wrists, moved them away and looked in my eyes. “Don’t hide from me darling.” She said placing another kiss on my forehead. She turned on the spot and left me to get changed. In the bathroom I painted on some make up opting for dark eyeshadow and lipstick a few shades darker than Larissa’s, I curled my collarbone length blonde hair and put on my gold necklace with a ‘v’ initial and a few rings from the dish on the sink. I slipped on the red lingerie with a smirk and then the dress, for a moment my heart sank when the sip at the back wouldn’t go up, but turns out it was just caught on the material, it slid up my back with ease. I slipped on the shoes and couldn’t stop the excitement that spread through my body as I did so.

Looking in the mirror, I stared at myself, I hadn’t even realised I had a waist, the shoes are what I kept looking at and my calf muscles that sculpted due to the height. Larissa carefully opened my bedroom door and walked up behind me, I looked at her in the reflection giving a timid glance, she pressed herself to my back and gently put her head on my shoulder and moved her hands to meet around my front, her palms smoothed out the fabric and stopped at the swell of my stomach. “You look stunning.” She said kissing my temple. “Thank you.” I said. “Shall we go?” She asked. “Yeah.” I grabbed the coat and put it on.

Going past the kitchen and hallway I grab my keys from the dish. “What are you doing?” She asked. I dangled the keys giving her the hint I’m driving. “No, I’m driving.” She said plucking them out of my hand and putting them back down. Larissa walked out the door and I followed behind her, she stepped to the passenger side and opened the door for me, I giggled at her chivalry. She walked to the other side and sat in the drivers seat. “Ooo the woman knows how to drive stick.” I said as a joke. “Yes I do, something else we have in common.” She said turning on the car and reversing out of the drive way.

Once she went thought the gears, Larissa placed her hand on top of mine and curled her fingers into my palm, the butterflies in my stomach were alive and well at this point, not that they ever go away when I’m with her. When she down geard and sadly removed her hand from mine it must have meant we’re close, but when I saw the place my eyes just about bulged out of my head. Larissa killed the engine and stepped out, just as I open the door she glared at me through the windscreen, I laughed throwing my head back and closed the door again. She made it to the other side and reopened the door extending a hand to me.

I stepped out onto a gravel driveway and kept a hold of her hand. She closed the door and started to lead me in the direction of the restaurant. “Wait.” I said stopping. Holding her hand I took off my shoes and started walking again until we made it to cement and put them back on. I looked at her confused face. “I want to savour and look after these shoes.” I said. “Oh.” She chuckled, we made our way up the grand steps to the front door. This place was about ten minutes out of town and secluded by trees, the building was a tan colour and had pillars surrounding it, pot plans and ivy covered the exterior, a red carpet rolled down the stairs and the large double doors open wide with a ‘please wait to be seated’ sign on the wall outside of them.

Larissa glanced at me as a young woman greeted us. “Hello ladies, booking name?” She asked. “Weems.” Larissa said. “Yes, right this way.” She lead us into a massive dining hall, intimate tables with candles and silver alike, chandeliers vaulted from the ceiling, paintings, even live music with people playing violins and other sweet sounding instruments, a dance floor- for those who actually dance, it was beautiful and it felt right to be here experiencing this with Larissa, if I came here without her, she would be the one I’d tell this place about. “Here you go.” She sat us in a green velvet booth and placed two menus on the table then left.

“I didn’t even know this place existed.” I said. “Do you like it?” She asked shrugging off her cream coat, Larissa was wearing a plum coloured silk blouse and a matching cream pencil skirt, my breath hitched at the sight of her, somehow she seemed nervous, the woman who exudes power, authority and confidence is nervous, but then again I know its not the first time around me, but as if I do that to her, its probably just because she wants me to have a good night. “Absolutely, I really don’t deserve this-.” “Yes you do.” She said cutting me off. I took a deep breath and changed the subject. “Any idea what you feel like?” I asked. We both went through the menu together, decided on our choices and ordered.

Larissa and I were having a conversation about what we both did today when we were interrupted by a man who seemed to know her. “Larissa, I thought that was you.” He said. She looked up and let out a sharp exhale through her nose forcing a tight lipped smile. “Mr jones, lovely to see you.” She said speaking though here teeth. “Likewise, I don’t see you out of that school often.” He said. Larissa bit the insides of her cheeks quite literally refraining herself from spitting a very unkind insult his way. “Yes well Marcus, I do have a life.” She said bitterly, if looks could kill. His line of sight went to me. “And who is this?” He asked. If it were anyone else, She would have felt compelled to say ‘oh forgive me how rude I didn’t introduce you sooner’ instead she kept her back handed behaviour. “This is violet Hastings, my very good friend… now if you don’t mind we would like to enjoy our dinner.” Her voice sounding like venom. “Nice to meet you, I suppose I should get back to my wife.” He said awkwardly leaving.

The silence was killing me. “Ok what was that?” I asked chucking. Larissa let out a huff and turned to face me. “That was Marcus jones, a sleazy twit… also a board member.” She explained whilst simultaneously taking a sip of the wine the waitress brought over. “He did seem a bit smug.” I said sidding with her. “He’s an imbecile, all he does is make my job harder and tries to deny my advances for the schools funding and changes.” She said twisting the stem of the glass on the table. “Not to mention, every Thursday night he goes and screws his assistant, how cliche.” She rasped, throwing back the remaining wine in her glass. I raise my eyebrows in response. “I was a bit harsh wasn’t I?” She asked grasping my thigh under the table. “No, because if it were me id have been worse, you did a great job.” I said. Larissa laughed. A real laugh. It was loud and turned a few heads, but I didn’t care id love to hear it again and again and again. She covered her mouth with her fingers trying not to do it again. She never fails to make me weak.

The dim lighting made her look even more delectable then she already is and I found myself staring at her. “What?” She asked noticing. “Your just…ethereal? I don’t even know how you real.” I said lowly. “Stop it.” She giggled looking down. “I don’t think you know how pretty you are Larissa.” I spoke. “I could say the same about you vi.” She said tightening her grip on my thigh. The waitress brought over our food and left us to eat alone again. Once we were finished a flurry of people went to the dance floor with each of their partners. “Would you like to dance violet?” She leaned in to whisper. “Oh I don’t dance.” I said. “Please?” She pushed. Looking in her eyes I tilted my head, I can’t say no to her. “Sure.” I said reluctantly. Larissa took my hand and guided me to the floor.

On perfect queue the music started, the tune was familiar, experience I think it was. Everyone began to slowly sway to the music as if their bodies were one, Larissa held onto my waist and brought my hand to her shoulder, I placed my free hand in hers and began to dance. She was wonderful, so free and loose, Larissa let herself succumb to the music and I did the same, the stronger the tune the more contrived the movements, Larissa spun me about like they do in those ridiculous romcoms but Christ it felt like I was in one, her gaze never faulted, eyes piercing into my own as if the whole world disappeared. When the music went softer Larissa braced her arms around my torso and I joined my other hand to her vacant shoulder and let my head rest in the crook of her neck.

"May I cut in?" A voice said behind my shoulder, as I turned there standing was that same halfwit Marcus, asking me to dance. I looked to Larissa for help, she said nothing only looking down at her feet. "Um...I-." I began about to reject his offer. "Great!" He took my hand and I was dragged of with him, as a new song started I couldn't stop staring at Larissa, she stepped away sitting back at the table hardly watching what was going on, like the big ball of anger I am sometimes, I felt obliged to peruse my next move, as he was twisting me around like a monkey on steroids, I leaned back and stopped on his foot with my heel and elbowed him in the face. "Oh! my apologies I'm a horrible dancer.” I said with faux forgiveness. Immediately I ran back to Larissa.

"Why didn't you save me." I said sternly and out of breath. "You looked happy with him." She said fiddling with her fingers. "I beg your pardon? I’m sorry but if that's what I look like when I'm happy with someone then I must look insane when I'm with you." I expressed sitting down again. "Did you not just see what happened." I asked. "Yes, I must say it was a little entertaining." She said giving me a meek smile. "good. But why didn’t you do anything?” I asked. “I don’t know… I’m sorry I just thought-.” “It’s fine, I mean he had that coming.” I said. We sat together for a while and before I excused myself and went off to find the lavatory leaving Larissa at the table alone again.

*Larissa’s pov*

I’m so glad violet likes the gifts I gave her, she looks breathtaking, I feel deeply saddened that she doesn’t see herself through my eyes, but I do suppose no one sees their own beauty like others. I hope I didn’t take it to far when i gave her the lingerie, i just couldn’t help myself. Violet is an incredible woman, shes smart and witty, she’s kind and full of skills i could only dream to obtain, she makes me feel like I’m the only person in the room as if i were so interesting, a 48 year old who lives and breathes to work and is unbelievably stubborn, something else we have in common i think. I adore all the things about her she views as flaws but somethings telling me that there’s still more to her, but in time i hope to learn them all.

I feel so guilty I did nothing to stop that asshole from taking Violet away from me, I thought we had a special moment, I guess my own insecurities came to play, the last time I danced with somebody I was with mortica and that didn’t end well, why would it with her?

I observed her as she came back to the table, her legs are stunning and she can definitely walk in heels, i do find that people our height can do a good job in them if i do say so myself, I’m pleased that she insists on taking care of them, even if she didn’t id just buy her a new pair. Before she sat i offered to take her home, we had been here well over two hours and thought she would appreciate actually going home. “Sure.” She said. I stood and draped my own coat over my shoulders and placed my hand in the small of violets back to go and pay. As already anticipated she tried to debate on who was paying but in the midst of it i handed the poor waitress my card, the glare i received when violet heard the beep on the machine was endearing, she did look as though she could physically hurt me but i kept my laughter at bay.

Exiting the restaurant, violet stopped and moved her head to gaze at the stars above, it was very beautiful, no light pollution, no noise, just the stars, moon, violet and I, although i found my view much better than hers. The reflection in her eyes and the soft glow of the out side lights from the restaurant made her impossibly more beautiful, that doesn’t even sound like the right word, but it will do.

*violets pov*

The sky was extraordinary I haven’t seen it like this for a while, but my gaze was cut short when Larissa ushered me to the car and opened my door again. On the ride home I placed my hand in her lap playing with the material of her skirt, I was so relaxed that I eventually fell asleep, the soft hum of the radio and the smell of her perfume lulled me to dose off. Larissa opened my door and gently coaxed me awake and let me rest against her side as she walked us inside.

By the time we made it to my room I had woken up a bit more and turned to Larissa. “Are you ok?” I asked. “I’m fine.” She said. I took off my heels and placed them inside my robe out of the way, I saw her looking down at the floor as she sat on the edge of my bed. Trying to find a way to lighten the mood I reached for my small speaker and turned it on, flicking through my phone I found a song to play, set down my phone and pulled her to stand. Larissa looked at me confused wondering what’s going on, I placed her hands around my neck and I locked mine around her waist and pressed my body to hers.

I hummed along to the tune and swayed to the slow rhythm, Larissa rested her temple on my forehead and sighed. “I don’t dance for just anyone you know.” I whispered in her ear, I could see the small smile across her face. “Violet?… why are you doing this?” She asked still wrapped around me. “Because you deserve to know that you’re cared for to, because you’re special and you would do the same for me.” I said. Larissa was quiet after that, but she did grip me a little tighter and breathe a little deeper.

After the song stopped I paused it and started to get changed. Larissa offered to drag down my zip, I stepped out of my dress and picked it up hanging it neatly inside the wardrobe. Just as I was about to enter the ensuite to change Larissa’s voice rang through the air. “Wait!” She said. I turned on the spot and looked at her flickering eyes and ridged stance, I was silent waiting for her to continue. “I-I… was wondering if you could just… stay- in what you have on.” She mumbled. My eyes widened at her ask, my stomach riddled with butterflies.

Larissa’s gaze met mine and slowly she stepped out of her heels, removed her coat and pulled off her blouse and skirt, only left standing in her underwear. My gaze never left her, not once, I don’t recall I actually blinked to be frank. “Is it ok if I stay?” She asked. I paced back towards her and discarded the clothes I’m not going to be changing into on the floor, I took ahold of Larissa’s hand and threw back the covers of my bed and crawled in before her. I found a comfortable position on my side and laid out my right arm for her to rest her head on, to which she did.

There were no sounds, no interruptions, no one else but us- half naked and left in only undergarments, Larissa’s long limbs were intertwined with my own and the way she studied my face made blood rush to my cheeks, I did the same though- studied her that is, stroking her hair and tracing unknown shapes along her jaw and lips, especially over her scar. “What are you thinking?” I whispered, Larissa’s eyes fluttered to mine. “It’s silly.” She hummed softly. “Tell me? I’m sure it’s not.” I said back. “I’ve not been this… close to a normie before.” She expressed. I adjusted my head a little. “And what does that mean to you, is that a good thing or a bad thing?… are you saying that your view on me would change if I were?” I said sitting up a little. “No of course not i just mean, I haven’t been exposed to any normie that has been… well, like you.” She said sheepishly.

I sat mulling over the conversation, on one hand it’s disheartening to hear that she hasn’t been accepted due to the fact of being an outcast, and on the other I suppose she still hasn’t… “I know that was rather odd of me to bring up but it was just something that I had been thinking about, it’s nice to see that normies and outcasts can be civil.” She murmured. I felt a tinge of guilt gnaw in my stomach, just wait for the right time Violet. “No I get it, really, especially since you dedicate your life to ensuring your students feel accepted for who they are.” I said laying back down.

For a while it was quiet and peaceful, Larissa was the one who fell asleep first, but as I rolled over she slightly roused earning an almost incomprehensible statement. “Happy birthday Violet, my sweet sweet girl.” She left her head against the back of my shoulder and pulled me by the waist to rest against her front. “I love you Larissa.” I breathed but with no response I knew she had fallen asleep.

@lex13cm @im-a-carnivorous-plant @barbarasstar

@giogwensversion @sabraaabra

@readingtheentrails @readingtheentrails

[kierantierney3]

hey, i loved your other garnacho post so i have a request for him :)

could you just do some ig posts between him and reader of her at his football games and supporting him and united? bonus if she’s there to see his bicycle kick at the man u v everton match. could the fc be sabrina again pls? thank youu❤️

Hiiiii i want to apologise that they took so long to come out. Worked out well with his 2 goals against Aston Villa.

Masterlist

Face claim: Sabrina Carpenter

———

yourusername

liked by garnacho7, user7 and 121,901 others

yourusername Don’t know if you saw my boyfriend goal today 💁🏼‍♀️ Good trip to Liverpool.

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garnacho7 My girl ❤️

user7 What 👏🏻 a 👏🏻 goal 👏🏻

user12 Unreal both you and your boyfriend

user I don’t know if i want to be you or be your friend or girlfriend.

yourusername

liked by garnacho7, masonmount and 101,810 others

yourusername 48 hours in Turkey. 🇹🇷

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garnacho7 Thanks for the support my love 😍

user Can’t believe we are going out of the champions league :(

user Glad he scored but we should have won 🥲

yourusername

liked by garnacho7, kobbiemainoo and 101,729 others

yourusername Christmas period spent well. Saw my bf score a double and got too spent it with him. 🫶🏻 Hope everyone had a good christmas!

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garnacho7 Thank you for the support ❤️ i love you

^yourusername Always and forever 🫶🏻^

user I love you guys 😭

user Still only Boyfriend? i thought he would have popped the question on christmas 🫢

—-

Apologise it’s short i’m sorry.

[alpineshift]

13!!!! I’m obsessed with the idea of shop owner Nico and Jack coming in looking for something to help one of has brothers!

oh I have ideas for this! this makes my brain turn anon 👀

[13] a tidy apothecary shop crowded with labeled jars and bowls of supplies (round 2 hehe)

The bell above the doorframe chimes with the arrival of a new patron, and Nico looks up from his inventory list, a customer service smile on his face and a greeting on his lips.

The man that squeezes his way into the tiny apothecary interrupts him before he could get a good afternoon out.

"Nico Josi?" he says bluntly. His eyes are sharp and his expression is tight, haggard, and a tad wild. He also looks like he's possibly gotten three hours' worth of sleep in three days. There's a thick bandage covering his left hand, hidden beneath his coat sleeve.

Unnerved, Nico learns back very slightly, glad for the counter between them. "Yes?" he says warily. "I don't think we've met before."

It's possible this guy searched his name up in the directory, but his intuition strongly says otherwise.

"We haven't," the man replies. "I'm Jack. I'll get right to the point. I need your help closing a Door."

All the blood inside Nico's veins goes arctic cold. In the span of a heartbeat, his brain has kicked into overdrive already--who is this man. What does he know. How quickly can I get out of the shop? How quickly can I get ahold of Roman? What does this man want? How does this man know?

He pastes the most convincing puzzled look over his face. "I'm sorry--a door? I don't know if there's anything here--" he gestures to the rows of marked bottles, the little boxes filled with powder and dried goods, the endlessly bubbling cauldrons. "--that can help. I can give you directions to the local carpenter though--"

Jack's hand shoots out and grabs Nico by the wrist. Nico startles, and immediately tries to yank his hand away. But Jack clings harder.

"I don't want to do this, but I gotta," Jack says, his voice low and urgent and filled with desperation. "I know who you are. I know you're not actually Nico Josi, your name is Nico Hischier, and you were the highest ranking Runemaster of your faction at Neuchâtel before you went into hiding five years ago here."

He gestures at Roman's apothecary, the cozy little space that smells perpetually of herbs and fauna, nestled in the heart of a sleepy little town, that has sheltered him for years and provided the comfort he so desperately cherishes.

Abruptly, Nico is furious. How dare this Jack storm into his space, Roman's space, and dig into his past and turn everything on its head like this.

"Let go," he snarls, trying to pull his arm away. He only succeeds in dragging Jack half-over the counter. "Let go, I don't know what you're talking about, I don't know what you think you're doing--"

"My brother needs help," Jack blurts out. His eyes are dark with fear and grief. "My brother needs help, there's a Door opened in the back of his mind and he's draining away through it and I can't fix it, I've done everything that I can and I nearly died trying but it's still not enough, I'm not good enough--"

He raises his left hand, shakes back his sleeve, and Nico can see the raw, ragged lightning-shaped lines carved into his arm. The scars on his own back, hidden beneath his sweater, scream in resonance.

"Please," Jack whispers. Nico stares helplessly at him, terror and trauma rampaging through him, torn between running away and reaching out, cradling Jack in his arms, and hiding them both away in this little shop. "I can't do it alone. You're the only person who ever succeeded, Nico, I'm begging you. You saved your brother, and I'm about to lose mine. Please help me save Quinn."

it’s almost hockey season again! send me a jacknico prompt?

[itskattkm]

New York New Rules | pt. 2

Warnings: Violence, Trauma, Fluff, maybe Smut

Summary: Y/N meets the survivors of the last events in Woodsborrow and gets on Ghostface's list. But there is also a darkness in Y/N wich path is she going to choose

Female Y/N x Tara Carpenter

Sorry for bad writing. I’m using a translator and hope you guys can enjoy it. Also, this is going to be a long story

This time I changed the perspective while I wrote this if you know what I mean and yeah… sorry I think it’s going to be slow burn my dears

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

I put my hand on Anika's shoulder after Frankie pushed her aside pulled Tara up the stairs with her. She fell down, the next moment I felt a small breeze rush past me. It was Chad. He grabbed Frankie by the shoulder and threw him against the wall. Just as Frankie pulled out his fist, Chad was distracted. He had briefly seen Tara to make sure she was okay. But Mindy already took care of that. Even before Frankie's fist met Chad, I kicked Frankie so hard in the side that he fell to the ground. I couldn't feel anything. The noises around me became mute. All I could see was red. I had jumped on Frankie and punched my fists in his face. I ignored the sudden burning on my ankles. I didn't want to stop. I bit my teeth so hard that my jaw had already cramped. Every punch from me became firmer and more brutal and then I realized that Frankie was no longer conscious. He had not even been able to defend himself. I wasn't even sure if he was still alive at that moment. His face was so shattered and covered with blood that you couldn't recognize him anymore. My heart was pounding. I felt the pulse in my ears... slowly I could perceive the sounds around me again.

My breath stopped. It felt like I had 10 kilogram weights lying on my chest. Slowly I straightened up and suddenly there was a hand on my shoulder. Although I could now hear everything, it was quiet. My eyes drove around through the crowd and Mindys friends. The music was turned off. Everyone starred at me and then at Frankie. Their looks were scary, speechless and intimidated. I turned around and saw that it was Chad who had put his hand on me. After looking into my eyes, he lowered his hand and carefully took a step back. I could see uncertainty in his gaze. Now I looked at Anika, Mindy and Tara. They seemed to share this feeling with him. But unlike Anika and Mindy, Tara wasn’t looking at me, she looked at Frankie.

"All right... we should go," said a calm and gentle voice to me. She made me feel like I had done nothing wrong. A feeling that drove me crazy. The person put an arm around my shoulder and pushed me towards the exit. My legs trembled and vibrated. The adrenaline was still there, but its effect was now completely different. My eyes fell on my feet, I had to see where I was taking my steps and then I saw red... it wasn't a bright stinging red. No, it was scarlet... so deep and gloomy that it was already Maroon. I raised my hands that I hardly felt. Like my dress, they were covered in blood. At that moment I was sure that my bones were broken.

"We called an ambulance," said Anika in the distance. I tried to see back. Back to the Frat house. But my eyes met Tara's. She gave me a gentle smile. It was really so minimal that you could hardly recognize it, but I could. I would have noticed any minimal change in her facial expressions. "Everything's fine..." she whispered to me and looked at the others behind her. Then the person who helped me out of the house turned me forward again "Don't look back". Only now did I realize who had actually helped me. It was Sam, Tara's sister. But where did she come from? She wasn't at the party. Suddenly everything became louder and louder, it was as if hundreds of bees were floating around in my head. I lost the strength in my legs and fell. The others rushed to my side for help. The buzzing was getting louder and louder. In pain, I pressed my hands on my ears and pinched my eyes. The hum turned into a roar. It sounded mechanical... then a loud honking.

I opened my eyes and grabbed my blanket. My eyes were firmly on the ceiling above me. With slow breathing, I tried to calm down "just a dream"

I was just in a phase in my life that had stirred up too many things from my past. First the realization of my trauma last year and now the healing process. Never before have I felt so vulnerable. I tried to hide the whole thing, to keep it to myself but I notice how I reach my limits. I want to talk to someone about it, say things out loud in my head but I can't... I'm too scared and that of myself. I have the feeling that I don't understand myself and that makes everything more confusing. But I'm not stupid, I've been able to puzzle and analyze the individual things i noticed about myself well together so far.

Violence. Anger. These were two aspects that I was not affected by years ago. But now that my wounds had opened and I was bleeding again. I can feel her poisoning my body more and more. It feels good... but with the thought of being trapped in my head and isolated from other people... I'm not sure if I'm on the right track. First of all, these violent thoughts and dreams scared me... now I only hope to be exposed to a situation in which I can let my dark self run wild.

I think my dream says more than enough about the situation last night. Although I was there. But I wasn't present. In my mind, I was updrifted. Tried to distinguish my scenarios in my head with what really happened and to focus on acting correctly. If I hadn't thought too much yesterday, then who knows. Then I would probably really be in the hospital with broken hands and the hope that Frankie didn't survived.

The taste of warm milk with a gentle note of coffee hit my tongue when I put my lips on the coffee cup in my hand, carefully I took a sip of it. Slowly I looked at my cell phone to look at the time.

10:15 am

I still had 15 minutes until my appointment with the therapist would begin. But just as I turned the street and saw Dr. Stone's house, I stopped abruptly. The entrance gate of his practice was closed with blocking tape and several police officers stood on the side of the road. As soon as one of the policemen had noticed me, he approached me with a strict attitude. His eyes true darkness but in the light of the sun I could see green speckles in it. "Are you y/n l/n?" I nodded to him and looked past his shoulder. Two people with black bomber jackets on whose forensic was written on it went under the barrier tape. My eyes widened, but before I could say anything, the policeman interrupted me.

"You have been a patient of Dr. Stone, we have to ask you to come to the station with us and make a statement" I immediately agreed with him, I didn't feel like starting a discussion with him here.

When I reached the station, the policeman led me directly to one of the interrogation rooms, but I didn't seem to be alone there. My look hit Tara's then Sam's. Confused, I looked at her, both rails sharing this feeling with me. Although I could also see some trouble in Sam's dark eyes. "l/n please sit down..." said the slightly older detective who sat opposite the two. The only free seat was next to Tara, so I sat down to her without a word. I literally felt the eyes of the three following each of my movements.

I only briefly saw the pictures on the table. Crime scene pictures... two students from my film course... my professor and my therapist. What the hell was going on here? And why were Sam and Tara here? Unconsciously, my hands began to sweat. I put down my backpack and now took a closer look at the pictures, now I noticed the Ghostface mask. I tightened my eyebrows and looked at the detective.

"Y/N... I can call you that, can I?" The detective asked me. I gave him an annoyed look, I didn't like this situation at all. "In any case, you are a patient of Dr. Christopher Stone, is that true?" Tensed I crossed my arms and nodded silently. I noticed a surprised look from Sam. "Is it true that you regularly visit him because of your violence?" What the hell comes to his mind?! Did he just release my private patient data in front of two complete strangers? My pulse grew. I slowly pressed my nails into my arms and tried to keep myself calm. "You're kidding me, aren't you? You just release the data of my patients' files?" If eyes could kill, then it would have happened to him. There was no reaction from him. I looked speechless at Tara and Sam... finally I explained "seriously why don't you talk to me alone instead of addressing that in front of the two... already heard of data protection? Legally, you shouldn't do that" the detective didn't pay any attention to me and interrupted eye contact with me, he pushed a file in my direction and continued "through your past, your patient file and the events of yesterday you are one of our first suspects" Now Sam spoke in between "we don't have to listen to this... let's go" she wanted to get up but the detective gave her a strict look. "is it true that you were together last night?" Confused, Tara said "we were all at the party, yes... after that situation in the park our paths separated" the next moment the detective held a cell phone in our face. On it you can see Sam, who was irritated by the students and I stood with Anika in the background.

The detective exhaled far and said "what I want to say, Y/N you are just one of our suspects and you Carpenters, can't go anywhere you have witnessed the murder in the Bordega”.

I sighed and looked at him crooked "could someone tell me what the hell is going on here? Instead of exposing my mental health and suspecting myself for something I don't know about yet!" Suddenly I felt a little warmth on my elbow. Tara had striped me with her finger. Probably an attempt to calm me down. I thought very attentively of her, but I was so in rage mode that I couldn't enjoy this little gesture.

"Sam and Tara got a call from Ghostface, a few seconds later they were chased on the street by Ghostface and attacked there-" I interrupted him and looked worriedly at Tara, then at Sam "oh my God are you okay? The corners of Sam's mouth lifted slightly. I came to my senses and said excitedly "stupid question otherwise you guys wouldn’t be here..." Tara escaped a smile and I felt how she briefly pressed my arm "in any case Miss L/n" the detective began strictly and gave me a cool look "the two students from your course probably had their own plan and killed your professor... but who killed the boys? We are sure that another Ghostface has taken over the game and so the question remains who could that be? You y/n attend the same course... are close to the circle of friends of the Carpenters and, according to the statements, went home alone after the situation in the park. This morning you were at the crime scene of Dr. Stone... I doubt it's a coincidence" I shook my head "you know… i don’t give a fuck, apart from how bad and unprofessional you did your job, I will leave the interrogation now. And no, you can't force me without an official notice from the judge... I'm going" I didn't hesitate long when I took my backpack and stormed the door out followed by Sam and Tara. Before I reached the exit of the police station, a woman with short blond hair came to meet me. Suddenly my anger was pale. A broad grin formed on my lips, I had torn my eyes open in surprise when I closed the person directly into my arms "Kirby, what are you doing here?" She pressed me gently and went back. A warm smile was visible when she stroked my shoulder "Ghostface... I got the case directly when I heard about it"

"Kirby?" echoed from behind. We both looked back and met Sam's surprised face. The detective asked confusedly, "Do you know each other?" Sam nodded "we were together at the woodsborrow high, she was a senior and I was a freshmen." Now Kirby breathed out stressed "as much as I'm happy to see you, but the circumstances couldn't be worse" Sam shook her head and grabbed Tara's hand "not now... we're going" and then she stormed past me, Tara gave me a look at the said come immediately I followed them and when we crossed the doors of the police station we were surrounded by paparazzi "Tara, you feel safe near your sister?!" One called. We were just pushing ourselves through the crowd. I wanted to part from the two again, but Tara grabbed my hand and showed me that I should go with them. We were lucky that a taxi was ready for departure. But then a loud and energy-charged voice sounded behind us "Gale Weathers channel 4"

And then this tension was there. But she didn't come from me. She came from Sam and Tara. Slowly, Tara's grip around my hand became lighter until her hand no longer held mine.

„Do you ladies think, you’re the reason the Ghostface killer came to big Apple?“

Sam sighed and took the next moment to the blow. The paparazzi crowd escaped an "oh!" But Gale skillfully wiped out Sam's blow and smiled at her broadly.

„Nice try sweetie but I’ve done this dance before”

And then the punch came out of nowhere. He hit her hard. I didn't know if I should laugh or be shocked. Tara had punched Gale fucking Weathers in the face! Damn and I was there live! Again, an "oh!" escaped the crowd. Shocked, Gale held her cheek firmly on which she had hit Tara. There was this aggressive presence that Tara radiated when she leaned forward and said "stay away from us" and ran towards the taxi.

Gale followed us "are you still mad at me?" Sam abruptly turned around "you said you wouldn't write a book about what happened! And then you wrote a book about what happened"

Gale sighed and moved her head to the side without understanding. "Aw come'on someone was going to write about it. It's what I do!"

Tara said coolly "I heard you signed movie rights" Gale stuttered briefly, then continued "it's all about true crimes and limited series these days"

"After everything we went through together" began Sam and said with a disappointed tone "what would Dewey think?" You could see the moment of Realisation in Gales eyes but she said "that's a low blow"

"What's a low blow? You called me unstable and a born killer" Gale pulled up her shoulders "that's taken out of context"

„That’s literally a quote!“

Then Tara seemed to say something about it, but to be honest, I didn't understand what she was saying. And not because it was too loud, because I was still impressed by the punch to Gales face. If the crowd filmed that... then I would watch it again and again. Whatever Tara said, it made us run again but Gale followed us "I talked to Sidney" both Carpenters quickly turned around, Tara took a step towards Gale and said "she's not coming aren't she?"

Gale shook her head "no, she send her love but she's taking mark and the kids some safe place. She deserves to have her happy ending"

Sam was mumbling something I couldn’t hear this time. She turned around and said to me „you coming with us, get in the car“ While Gale called after her "hey i Wanne catch that fucker as much as you do!"

Tara turned around, her hand on the door of the taxi „maybe or maybe your just afraid without Ghostface in your life you gonna fade away”

She got into the taxi and we drove off. My feelings were totally confused. At first I was angry, then amused and now slightly turned on by Tara. This punch was probably the best I had seen today and I still had to struggle not to laugh. But now I had to suppress my desire, there wasn't a more inappropriate moment like this... but damn that was so hot.

Hope you guys could enjoy :) I’m trying my best with the translator ✌🏻💕

[flipchild]

The four friends chapter one

SETTING Knockon Woods' trailhead, mid-July. The sun is beginning to set.

CHIPPER THE BEAVER and T. FLEA THE GNOME sit on a bench by an unlit firepit. ACE THE CARPENTER BEE and PEREK THE FALCON are sat atop the side of ACE's pickup truck, facing but not directly across from their friends.

Chipper the Beaver: ok we are going to smoke salvia to day T. Flea the Gnome: are you suuuure 🙁 what if I turn into a shoe buckle or worse Ace the Carpenter Bee: it's OK me and Perek are trip sitting you too junkazoids 😊 Chipper the Beaver: just calm down Man don't mess up our set, we are gonna have fun no matter what. This isn't like you Perek the Falcon: I'm so hungry I'm gonna go get fucking yums. here's the salvia don't smoke it to I'm back *flies away* Chipper the Beaver: screw that man I'm getting bored *tokes the smoke* T. Flea the Gnome: I don't wanna smoke before I high just give me the dose already Chipper the Beaver: *blows out smoke* *smirks* feel a brave aren't we gnow? Ace the Carpenter Bee: it's alright don't mind Chip it's alright go ahead Teefee. T. Flea the Gnome: OK *smokes* Perek the Falcon: hey I'm got my yums we can start Chipper the Beaver: Teef just took its dose *chuckles smiliny* Perek the Falcon: what the flock guys Ace the Carpenter Bee: Sorry 🤪 Perek the Falcon: Ace you are so silly *blows kiss* Ace the Carpenter Bee: hehe Chipper the Beaver: well Fleabag do you feel it kicking in yet T. flea the gnome: Perek the Falcon: you want your dose now Chipper the Beaver: yah one sec. Helooo earth to big pointy hat T. Flea the Gnome: what.. what its it. Chipper the Beaver: has it hit you yet T. flea the Gnome: No Chipper the Beaver: OK soon be continue with partwo

[eatnightmares]

1.14 faulkner phone call and carpward bonding time!! some of Thee most iconic hayward moments in this one hehehe

not bothering with the bird watching metaphors but still calling him uncle :)))))))

DOING IT FOR THE WRONG REASONS BUT STILL WE LOVE LYING!!!!! 🎉🎉🎉

oh faulkner... (hayward opening his part of the ep with "this is how it ends"...)

KILLING MYSELF...NOW!!!!!!! IT'S YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CRASHING AND BURNING AND CRYING AND DYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! not saying what he wants to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! eddie and their dad always trying to take the blame off his shoulders...the ambiguity of whether they actually Know (they probably don't...)

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

actually genuinely going to scream and cry and throw up forever about how kind eddie is to him in this call vs s3 where he's a little shorter with him, mostly just cause he's stressed from work. oh the cruelties of capitalism making us cruel to each other. it's really in such a small way like he's not being mean but like...if he'd just had time, if he'd been able to be there...it could've changed everything...

gruuuuagghh again the s3 parallels...faulkner begging him to come pick them up...his resolve at it's lowest...i've got so much ahead of me...

god. christ. so fucked how this changes everything faulkner has said about his father. soooo so haunting how faulkner just hangs up the phone without a word in dialogue or narration just left to guess what's going thru his head after that...even the rest of his scene is just describing what's happening no emotion...

this is how it begins/ends count: 8

s1 hayward faulkner moments (a bit insane about them as foils, hayward being the faulkner that Got Out. but that's a conversation for s2)

literally calling himself partner...oh he is so very desperate...don't worry buddy paige is coming for u soon

man it really does make me so :( how freaked out she must've been here knowing her family history

love jovial in the script here hehehehe...

pressing my head into the floor. Carpenter.

giggling hi val hiiiiiiii

sigh meab's voice acting during this part...kicking my feet twirling my hair as she describes opening flesh

🚬🚬🚬 oh buddy...working for the knife moments...

"we can go to auction" I HATE IT HERE MAN I FUCKING HATE IT HERE

bursts into flames. who's running out in front of you carpenter...and is she getting any closer...

god this part is so funny. carpenter hearing paige's voice and mentally giggling kicking her feet

HAYWARD SHRIMP MONOLOGUE 🎉🎉

carpaige nation rises And paigeward meet cute we love it here (carpenter calling her Sister...finale when paige calls elgin sister with a little s...🥲)

HAYWARD PREY ANIMAL MONOLOGUE 🎉🎉he's so pathetic i miss hating him...

he won't <3 carp just attracts yappers sorry babe

paige you're so cute do u need a fourth. who said that.

there's something so funny and sad about how this recontextualizes his convo with mason. poor guy is scared for his life but in fuck all actual danger.

one way or another he'll find his way back to the river........

[agentstarkid]

Ohmygod!!! Ok hear me out.

The part that said “he’s the more famous one with her”

So I was listening to a song from Sabrina Carpenter called opposite, idk if you’ve heard it or not, but on the second verse she sings “Does she say nothing so you feel good? Does she step out of the spotlight so you bathe in it? Does she get up on top of you more than I would? Does she just love the picture 'cause you're painting it?”

Im not even joking when I say that your fic immediately popped into my head “oooh my girl would murder if she put this out”

I think you should listen or read the rest of the song (unless you already heard it) and maybe try to add it, I just feel like maybe it describes queen’s thoughts of “I just wanted to be the one”

I also think it would give fic Daniel like this eye opening moment, because the song kinda has a resignation sound to it. Like, “yeah it’s over and I should’ve seen this coming” and I kinda think it would be the kick in the butt he needs. Well in regards to queen the rest of his issues are something he’s gonna have to work on himself”

Sorry, I’m getting involved in your writing. I know you already have your own plot and songs you’re gonna use. I just got sooo excited when my thoughts kinda aligned with your writing intent already.

Again, phenomenal writer. If there was a fanfic academy awards, I would nominate you and give you all the awards. 🥇🏆💐

no no no, you don't have to apologize, nonnie!! I love reading people's thoughts and analysis about my work! it's truly the fuel that keeps me going lmao

and are you, perhaps, peeking into my ideas' board??? 👀👀👀 i've heard the song and it might or might not already be in my list of songs for this fic 👀

I mean:

So y'all are in Paris now? Guess it's public (...) You knew I would see that, you knew I would notice. <- when Danielito posted that Miami photo with Heidi and going—technically—public 😭😭😭

and and and aaaand

She looks nothing like me, so why do you look so happy? Now I think I get the cause of it, you were holding out to find the opposite <- the whole song breaks my heart over and over again but this part in specific... I wanna dive into the mariana trench with boulders tied to my feet 🫠

Im not even joking when I say that your fic immediately popped into my head “oooh my girl would murder if she put this out”

this part made me giggle, kick my feet and twirl my hair omgggg did it really?? that's a biiiiiig compliment 🥹 oh ya know Girlie is cooking something great!! my girl is in her idgaf era and she ain't taking no prisoners this time, she is coming for everyone's head 😤

btw, I love how you refer to her as Queen 🥰 and thank youuuu ❣️ you are so kind 🫶🏽 there are a lot of things to improve still but I'll try my best to keep getting better. It's fun to let you guys read in detail the way I saw things developing between them in my head, apart from the smau chapters that sometimes don't let me fit inside them everything I want to 🫡

[marie-swriting]

A Bad Influence - Eddie Munson

Stranger Things Masterlist

Emails I Can't Send Masterlist

Summary : You're a cheerleader and dating Eddie Munson. When you started dating, you wanted to keep it to yourself as you didn't want to listen to everyone's comment, but now you're ready to show the guy you love, no matter what they say.

Warnings : Jason Carver is a dick, some mean cherleaders, kicking Jason in the private parts, maybe some grammatical mistakes as English is not my first language, tell me if you see them and if I missed any warnings.

Word Count : 3k

French version on Wattpad

French version on Tumblr

Song Inspiration : Bad For Business by Sabrina Carpenter

You grab the polaroid before shaking it carefully. Eddie kisses your cheek before taking his guitar, playing some random chords. You listen to him while you wait for the image to show up. You look at him, his hair falling on his focused face. After a minute, you take a look at the photo in your hand and discover yours and Eddie’s, facing each other. You both have a big smile and your eyes are full of love. As you keep your eyes on the polaroid, you tell yourself you’re really lucky to have him. Every time you spend a moment with him, you feel grateful for your maths teacher. If she hadn’t picked you to tutor Eddie, you would have never talked to him.

Your social circles are different. Unfortunately, it’s also the reason why you wanted to keep your relationship to yourselves in the first place. You only wanted to love Eddie without receiving unsolicited comments. But you’re tired of hiding. And since you’re with him, your confidence grows everyday. The past few weeks, you realised you wanted to be able to hold Eddie’s hand in the corridors, to come to school with him. Just to be a normal couple, even though you look completely different on the outside. You haven’t told him all of that yet, still hesitating a little, but looking at the picture, your last doubts leave you.

You put the photograph on the bed and get closer to Eddie. He keeps playing with his guitar even if he feels your presence. You take a deep breath before speaking.

“Eddie, I’ve been thinking and…” You start and your boyfriend sends you a worried look. “Don’t worry, everything is alright.”

“I’m listening carefully.” He assures you, setting his instrument aside.

“We should stop hiding our relationship.”

“‘Stop hiding our relationship’ as in ‘I’d be able to kiss you in front of everyone’ kind of way ?”

“Yes, in that way.”

Suddenly, Eddie stands up, not able to contain his joy. You look at him, laughing. He sits back down in front of you before taking your hands.

“What made you change your mind ?” He asks you with a big smile.

“I’m tired of saying if I’m not going to that party it’s because I’m tired or my parents don’t want me to go when in reality, I’m with you. And we even shouldn’t have hid in the first place. I mean, you’re proud of who you are and I was selfish by asking you to keep it low. It wasn’t fair to you.” You admit, looking down, feeling ashamed.

“It’s what you wanted.”

“I know but I shouldn’t have asked you that. I asked you to hide a part of yourself when I know you’re not the kind of person to do that. I’m sorry and I want to change that.” You tell him, putting your hand on his cheek.

“I’m not mad at you, Y/N. I promise you. But I’m not gonna lie, I’m happy to know that I can now show everyone I’m dating the most beautiful cheerleaders.”

You lean in and peck his lips.

“So you drive me to school tomorrow ?”

“Absolutely, M’Lady.” Eddie says, happy.

The next day, in Eddie’s van, you’re surprisingly calm. You know you’re about to hear some critics from your friends but Eddie has become someone important for you the past few months. Your feelings for him are more important than some stupid comments. 

When you arrive at school, Eddie opens your door. You always tell him he doesn’t have to do it, but he keeps doing it. You think it’s cute. When you get out of the vehicle, you put your bag on your shoulder before taking Eddie’s hand. A big smile takes its place on his face just like on yours. You both start walking to the school’s entrance and you already see some weird look in your direction. You try not to pay attention. Eddie’s presence helps you. Before entering the building, he stops and faces you.

“I need to talk with the Hellfire before the bell rings. See you in literature ?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’m going to leave before your friends attack me with their pom poms.”

“See you later.” You laugh before kissing him.

He walks away, waving at you one last time. You smile at him before going to the cheerleaders, trying to act casual.

“Hi girls.”

“What was that ?!”

“Have you gone crazy ?!”

“Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson, really ?!”

“Don’t call him ‘The Freak’” You retort to Chelsea.

“You’re in a relationship with him ?” Chrissy asks you, kindly compared to the others.

“Yeah, we’ve been together for some time now.”

“But why ? You know he’s dangerous ! He created a club that worships the Devil.” Chelsea protests.

“It’s a Dungeons And Dragons club.” You correct her, rolling your eyes.

“Come on, Y/N he sells drugs.” She murmurs looking around her. “Everyone knows that.”

“Everyone knows that because you’re the first to buy it from him for your parties.” You bite back. “I have to go to class.”

You walk away from the group, sighing loudly. Those reactions were predictable but you’re annoyed either way. No one seems to have the ability to look beyond the looks. You hope this situation won’t last long.

With your morning classes, you cool down. Your friends don’t talk about Eddie again, but the way they act around you changed. During lunch break, Eddie comes to you, bringing totally back your joy. He invites you to his table with the other members of the Hellfire. Sitting down, most of them have their mouths wide open.

“I can’t believe he was telling the truth.” Dustin states, shocked.

“Why would I have lied ? I got a beautiful girlfriend, that’s a fact, Henderson.”

“But it’s almost impossible that you’re attracted to a popular girl and even more that a cheerleader falls in love with you.” Mike says as if it was obvious. In response, Eddie slaps the back of his head. “Ouch !”

“Keep talking and you won’t be allowed to be there for my next campaign.” 

“I’m just surprised, that’s all. Are you going to eat with us everyday ?”

“Every two days.” You answer to Mike. “I want to spend some time with my friends as well. Anyway, I’m glad to officially meet you.”

The other teenagers show their enthusiasm and you talk with them easily. They include you in their conversation without a second thought. Next to you, Eddie is happy. Even though he knew there would be no problem with his friends, he’s satisfied by their reactions.

Before your cheerleading practice, Eddie finds you at your locker. As you finish later, Chrissy is the one bringing you back so he wanted to see you one last time before the end of the day. In his arms, you appreciate the last minutes of peace you have left before meeting your teammates. Eddie questions you about them and the way they reacted.

“I didn’t ask during lunch but how did it go with your friends ?”

“Better than I thought but obviously Chelsea had to bring ‘but he worships the Devil’ bullshit.”

“What ? I haven’t told you they were telling the truth since the beginning ? I want to sacrifice you for the next full moon.” He tells you with a fake evil grin.

“You’re an idiot.” You laugh.

“Maybe, but I made you smile.”

“I just hope they’re gonna stop soon. They have no right to talk about our relationship !” You state, feeling the anger coming back. Your eyes set on the clock in front of you and you notice you’re about to be late. “My God ! I have to go ! See you tomorrow.” You exclaim before kissing him.

“Love you !” He shouts when you start running. 

“Love you, too !”

When you get to the empty locker room, you understand they’re all already ready. You put on your sports outfit quickly. You put your clothes down without paying attention to them before you grab your water bottle and run to the gymnasium. When you enter the place, you see they haven’t started yet. You take a deep breath before putting your bottle next to everyone else’s. You get closer to your teammates when Chelsea sends you a glare. 

“You’re late.”

“I’m one minute late.” You tell her, showing her the clock behind her.

“I’m sure it’s because of the Freak.”

“Stop calling him that !”

“What ? It’s true ! Besides, since the start of the school year, you’re always late and/or tired at practice. He’s not a good influence on you.” She insists and the other girls agree.

“Nonsense ! I’m only a minute late from time to time. The only time I was five minutes late it was because Miss O’Donnell held me back !” You defend yourself, she takes a fake innocent smile before answering you.

“I’m only saying this for you. It’d be too bad to lose your place on the team because of him.”

“She won’t lose her place.” Chrissy assures, coming next to you. “Don’t worry, Y/N. We were about to start stretching. You’re on time. ” She informs you with a friendly smile. “Come on girls, let’s go !”

You send her a grateful look before thanking her to have put an end to the conversation. Chelsea begins to stretch as if nothing happened while you’re still mad. You try to forget about her stupid accusations but the other judging looks from the other cheerleaders don’t help you.

Even though only a day passed, you have hope people will stop talking. Or at least, they will only send you weird looks. For now, it looks like they are.

As agreed before, during lunch break, you eat with your own social circle. Though, as you walk close to Eddie, you touch his shoulder before going to the popular table. He smiles at you looking at you sitting next to Chrissy. You start eating your sandwich when you see Jason taking place in front of you, a determined look on his face. 

“I heard Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson corrupted you.”

“Jason.” Chrissy scolds him.

“I don’t know why you think it’s your business.” You retort.

“I just want to protect her because he’s probably already hurt her.” Jason answers Chrissy, ignoring your comment.

“He has never done anything to me. He’s nicer than all of you.” You inform, dryly.

“And his club, what is it for you ?”

“A club for a fantasy game.”

“It’s only a matter of time before he hurts you.”

“You don’t even know him. You’re ridiculous, Carver.”

“Ok, let’s say he’s not dangerous, which I think is not true, going out with him is not good for you. You really think you can stay popular with him ?” He asks you genuinely. 

“I signed to be a cheerleader, not popular.”

“It’s the same thing. Everyone knows that.” Jason says as if it was obvious. “What are our rivals gonna say about you, about us, when they’ll learn one of our cheerleaders is dating Munson ? We’d lose all credibility.”

“I think we have a higher risk of losing our credibility by losing our games. You know, like the last two. If I recall correctly, it’s because of you we couldn’t get the same score, right ?” You attack him with a smile on your face. “So stop blaming Eddie for everything and anything when you don’t even know him. You’re just a dick, Carver !”

You don’t give him time to answer, you just leave the cafeteria, leaving your belongings behind. You hear Eddie running, but you don’t look back before being at a good distance from Jason. When Eddie sees you stopped walking, he doesn’t wait before taking you in his arms. You feel all the tension leaving your body. You hold him a little tighter, loving his presence. 

“Sorry, it’s because of me they bother you.” He whispers in your ear.

“Don’t apologise.” You retort, breaking the embrace a little. “They are the ones who should apologise. You didn’t do anything wrong. They are all jerks. Honestly, I don’t get why they are making a big deal out of it. It’s our relationship, not theirs. My personal life has nothing to do with my cheerleading skills !”

“They’re too busy to conform to this fucked up society to understand this. Don’t pay attention to what they say.” Eddie tells you, stroking your arms.

“I wish I could !” You exclaim, totally breaking the embrace. “Sincerely, I wish I was like you and I wouldn't get affected by what they say. They just get on my nerves ! I don’t like the way they talk about you.” You shout pointing to the cafeteria direction. “You’re the kindest guy I know and they judge you because of your metalhead look.”

“Forget about them.” He states, getting close to you.

“How ? I have three hours left with them.”

“Not if we skip school.”

“Eddie, I can’t do that.”

“You never miss school, once won’t kill you. Besides, you’re totally mad at them and you won’t be able to focus.” He tries to convince you.

“You know me too well.” You sigh, taking his hand.

“You know, I’m just taking care of my girl. Come on.” He smiles before guiding you to the exit.

“And our stuff ?” You question him, stopping him in his tracks.

“Don’t worry, Henderson will take mine and I’m sure Chrissy will do the same.”

“They’re right, you’re a bad influence, Munson.”

He laughs before starting to walk to the exit again. In the afternoon, you two just laugh together and listen to music. You also try to help him for his next campaign. You get him more relaxed than the past two days.

You’re in your room, reading Lord Of The Rings, under Eddie’s order, when you hear someone knocking on your house door. When you open it, you find Chrissy with your belongings.

“I came to give you this.” She says, showing your bag.

“Thanks Chrissy.” You smile, taking back your stuff. “Come in.”

“You’re feeling better ?” She asks you when you both sit on the couch.

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t say a lot in the past few days but I disagree with them.” She informs you. “ Well, I’m not gonna lie, I thought Eddie was intimidating at first, but he seems nice. Earlier, I heard him talk to you. I wanted to check on you and when I arrived, he was telling you to skip school. It was cute of him.”

“Yes, he’s very caring. I feel like he’s bringing me up.” You admit with a huge smile. “I hope the other will see who he truly is.”

“It’ll happen, I’m sure. And even if they don’t, we don’t care. As the head of the cheerleaders, I can assure you your relationship with Eddie won’t be a problem and if the girls dare to say something, they’re the ones who will have a problem.”

“That’s why you���re my best friend, Chrissy.”

You take Chrissy in your arms for a second. After your hug, she leaves your home, not wanting to be late for dinner.

Knowing you have Chrissy’s support, you are less apprehensive for the next day at school. You know with her, the unsolicited opinions will stop soon. Though, that doesn’t mean Jason won’t keep talking. He proves that to you during the lunch break, again. As you’re sitting with Hellfire, you see him coming with two of his friends. 

“Carver, what a displeasure to see you. What is the reason for you to come meet us in our little cult ?” Eddie questions him with a grin.

“Still with him, seriously ?” He spits, ignoring Eddie and you roll your eyes. 

“What’s your problem, Carver ?”

“I’m just saying you should date someone else, Y/L/N.”

“And why should I ? To be with one of the popular guys knowing the majority of them are cheaters and dicks ?” You ask him, getting angry.

“Always with the stereotypes !”

“Yeah because it’s not what you do with Eddie ? You’re a hypocrite, Carver.”

“I want to protect you.” He states, innocently.

You feel the rage getting bigger and bigger and Eddie sees it. He does nothing to calm you down, knowing Jason is about to get it. He just looks at the conversation with satisfaction.

“And who said I need protection ? And above all, yours ? Do you think I can’t handle myself ? To be a cheerleader, you don’t need beauty, you know but strength. I don’t need you nor the rest of the team. I can protect myself.”

“It’s true, physically you must be stronger than the Freak, but that’s it. Real men are stronger than him. You need a protector.”

You don’t answer him and stand up before kicking him in his privates. He screams in pain before bending. Everyone watches the scene in shock while Eddie bursts into a fit of laughter as well as the rest of Hellfire. You take your boyfriend’s hand and force him to leave the cafeteria. In the corridor of the day before, you finally start laughing as you think back of the scene.

“I knew you’d handle the situation, but I didn’t know you’d handle it that well. This moment will forever be etched in my memory.”

“It felt good.” You admit, being proud of yourself. 

“I’m not going to lie, it was pretty sexy to see you sticking up for me.” He reveals, putting his hand on your hips.

“I’d do it again.”

Eddie smiles before leaning in and kissing you softly. You put your hands on his cheeks, deepening the kiss.

A week ago, you would have never thought you would stand up to someone, especially Jason Carver, but being with Eddie helps to get more confident. No matter what they can say, he’s the best boyfriend you could have ever asked for. He’s good for your heart, that’s what matters.

Stranger Things Masterlist

Emails I Can't Send Masterlist

[raeynbowboi]

Kiribaku Playlist

I made this list based both on what they as characters would listen to, but what also brings them to my mind when I hear them. There’s some repeating artists, but some artists just have a lot of Kiribaku energy songs.

Bakugou Katsuki

All Eyes on You - Smash into Pieces Bad Reputation - Avril Lavigne Carnivore - Starset Centuries - Fall Out Boy Confident - Demi Lovato EGO - Smash Into Pieces Empire - Beth Crowley Finish Line - Skillet Go To War - Nothing More Gone - Red  Headstrong - Trapt Here - Alessia Cara Heroes of Today - Once Monsters I Have Questions - Camila Cabello (@All Might after Kamino) Kicking and Screaming - Miley Cyrus Legend - The Score Legendary - Skillet My Name Is.. - Once Monsters Natural - Imagine Dragons Sorry Not Sorry - Demi Lovato Unstoppable - The Score What You Want - Evanescence

Kirishima Eijirou

A Gay Disney Prince - Thomas Sanders ft Jon Cozart Battle Scars - Paradise Fears Call on Me - Starley I Love Me - Demi Lovato It’s Raining Men - The Weather Girls King - Lauren Aquilina Firework - Katy Perry Masterpiece - Jessie J Me, Myself, & Time - Demi Lovato Radio-Friendly Pop Song - Matt Fishel Rise - Katy Perry Try - P!nk  Unbreakable - Faydee ft. Miracle Underdog - Alicia Keys You Need to Calm Down - Taylor Swift

Kiribaku

A Guy That I’d Kinda Be Into - Be More Chill Soundtrack (Kirishima) Angels Don’t Cry - Ellise (Kirishima) (Angst) Arms - Christina Perri (Bakugou) Bad at Love - Halsey (Bakugou) (Angst) Bad Guy - Billie Eilish (Kiribaku) Bad Enough for You - All Time Low (Kirishima) Battle Cry - Beth Crowley (Bakugou) (Angst) Beautiful Trauma - P!NK (Bakugou) Better Than I Know Myself - Adam Lambert (Bakugou)  Bombshell Blonde - Owl City (Kirishima) Broken & Beautiful - Kelly Clarkson (Bakugou) Call It What You Want - Taylor Swift (Bakugou) Dark Side - Kelly Clarkson (Bakugou) Good Enough - Evanescence (Kirishima) (Angst) Graveyard - Halsey (Kirishima) Happier - Marshmello feat Bastille (Bakugou) (Angst) Hey Stupid, I Love You - JP Saxe (Bakugou) I Fell in Love With the Devil - Avril Lavigne (Kirishima) (Angst) I Scare Myself - Beth Crowley (Bakugou) If You Let Me - Beth Crowley (Bakugou) (Anti-Kirimina, Angst, Pining) I’ll Be Good - Jaymes Young (Bakugou) I’m Yours - Alessia Cara (Bakugou) Infra-Red - Three Days Grace (Kiribaku) Into You - Ariana Grande (Kirishima) Issues - Julia Michaels (Kiribaku) Lemon Boy - Cavetown (Kirishima) Let Me Be Your Superhero - Smash into Pieces (Kiribaku) Look Away - Eli Lieb & Steve Grand (Kiribaku) (Angst, Break-up) Love You Like That - Dagny (Bakugou) My Demons - Starset (Bakugou) (Angst, Kamino, Hurt & Comfort) Never Enough - The Greatest Showman Soundtrack (Bakugou) Someone Else - Beth Crowley (Kirishima) (Pining) Sorry - Halsey (Bakugou) (Angst) Style - Taylor Swift (Kirishima) Sucker - The Jonas Brothers (Kiribaku) Sweet Talk - Saint Motel (Kirishima) The Dark - Beth Crowley (Bakugou) (Angst, Kamino) The Phoenix - Fall Out Boy (Bakugou) This Feeling - The Chainsmokers feat Kelsea Ballerini (Kirishima) Tie Me Down - Gryffin feat Ellie Duhe (Kirishima) Trenches - Beth Crowley (Kirishima) (Angst) Under Your Scars - Godsmack (Kirishima) Why - Sabrina Carpenter (Kiribaku) Without Me - Halsey (Kirishima) (Angst, Break-up) Wonderland - Natalia Kills (Kiribaku) Young Love - Eli Lieb (Kiribaku) Walk Me Home - P!NK (Kirishima) Woman Like Me - Little Mix ft Nicki Minaj (Bakugou)

[mihidecet]

SBi d&d AU: Tubbo

Aka: Tibi’s MCYT WritingTober, day 20!

From @the-only-gamer-gost ‘s list of prompts, another entry for “Fanmade AU” ahahah And as requested by a super cool anon: “ i'd love to see more of tommy's backstory in the d&d au! especially if we can meet tubbo?” :D

Ask and you shall receive! You can also find Tubbo’s reference sheet made by the wonderful @whatimevendoinhere here! Also, @rigatonipastaroni made a super sweet comic about the reunion, waaay before the chapter was even posted!!

There is nothing quite as sad as a bard with a broken guitar. 

It happens during a fight, a sadly-not-that-unusual spar with a rogue elemental that had decided to mess with a village just because they had been bored. 

Absolutely unrelatable. Tommy's patron had commented, the absolute hypocrite.

Still, the overall business had been quite straightforward: get to the outskirts, find the bad guy, kick their ass, profit. 

Nothing they hadn't done before. 

And like everything they expected to go smoothly, things went wrong. 

Tommy would say that thankfully nobody had gotten hurt, and everyone was perfectly fine, and they'd gotten a particularly big reward for something that standard. 

Wilbur would say, instead, that his guitar had been irreparably damaged, its neck snapped in half and body ripped apart, shards laying on the ground like blood, a gruesome heart-wrenching sight that would haunt him until the end of times. 

Tommy's patron had warned him that his second-degree cousin was a bit dramatic, but maybe it was just standard bard behaviour.

To be fair, the guitar was mostly gone. 

Wilbur had picked up as many pieces as he could and stuffed them in its case, but no amount of mending cantrips had been able to fix it. Phil had tried, but he didn't know how guitars worked and it was hard to discriminate where each shard needed to be placed in order to mold it all back together, like a freakishly hard jigsaw puzzle. 

And Wilbur had been extremely proud of his guitar, as apparently it had been a gift and a memento of his grandiose adventures. Sentimental values and such. 

Not that Tommy could say anything about it, not after the friendship bracelet incident.

For about a week, every time they stopped by a town, they looked for a carpenter first, a musical expert second, and an arcane expert third. 

They never managed to fix it. The thing was, it happened to be a weirdly specific and skill-needing task, so nobody they found was either confident enough or prepared enough to do it. 

So they moved on, and the bard's lament continued.

It gets to the point where one night, the innkeeper approaches their table during one of Will's performances - the tiefling had insisted in keeping the tradition of offering his musical entertainment in each tavern they resided in, now with just his voice and sometimes his flute, but being unable to have music as he sang and vice versa was truly different. 

That night, Wilbur is singing a ballad so sad and tear-jerking that the innkeeper actually approaches them and asks if everything is alright. 

"Oh- oh, yes, my apologies, everything is alright. -" Phil instantly responds, looking quite awkward "- It's just that his guitar broke, and we haven't been able to find anyone to fix it. It was of great personal importance." 

The innkeeper nods understandingly, an expression of deep empathetic sadness on their face, before their eyes light up. 

"You know, I might just have what you need. You guys are lucky, the Fixer Upper just arrived a week ago! If he doesn't know how to fix it, nobody will." 

After obtaining a brief explanation of where to find this infamous "Fixer Upper", who apparently works for free and will probably ask for food, shelter or protection as he moves to the next town over, the innkeeper leaves them be, assuring them that it'll be the solution to all their problems. 

Phil finds himself, despite the overall skepticism, feeling a bit of hope. If nothing, at least he might be able to convince Wilbur to buy a new one - make new memories. 

Even Wilbur is less enthusiastic than usual when they tell him, but after all they've been redirected to plenty of miracle workers that turned out to be unable to do anything.

The only thing that feels a bit off, is how Tommy's patron keeps giggling in his head - the way he does when he knows something Tommy doesn't. It's a bother, but Tommy's too tired to try and investigate.

The "Fixer Upper" is staying in a farm just outside the village, apparently sleeping in the barn. 

He comes to the village every couple of months, apparently used to circling back around the same couple of dozen of places, constantly travelling from one to the other and helping out whoever needs something fixed. The innkeeper that recommended him apparently had him fix their son's prosthetic leg, which has been working better than ever. 

The fact that he never asks for compensation is what keeps them all on the defensive: nobody does anything for anyone without coin on the line, so Wilbur is already somewhat expecting to find yet another old relative making deals with young children. 

Yes, he is still a bit bothered by the fact that his second degree cousin spends half of his time inside Tommy's head. 

No, he's not going to bring it up. 

 Approaching the barn, an increasing cacophony of sounds greets them, and Wilbur starts looking less and less convinced and more and more like he wants to leave - not to blame him, the noises are definitely not reassuring. 

They enter the barn, where one side is perfectly fine and the other has a bunch of mechanical and metallic parts strewn on the ground. 

At this point, Techno has a hand on Wilbur's arm, either to instill some confidence in him or to keep him from running away with the shattered guitar.

Then all of them stop, frozen in their tracks, as something completely out of the ordinary appears from behind a wooden wall - that is quite an extraordinary feat, considering the peculiar array of people they are. 

There's a huge block of metal, vaguely rectangular shaped and painted black and yellow, floating towards them. It has what looks like the spinny part of a windmill rotating at embarrassingly high speed over it, and the noise it makes vaguely resembles that of a low hum, or maybe a buzz. 

Two large semi-transparent circles - its … eyes? - emit a soft light that shines against Phil's palm as it bumps against him, the elf cooing with an adoring expression. 

"Hello dear, you're not one of nature's children but you are alive, aren't you?" 

Even Tommy, who has no idea how magic or nature works - he made a pact with a demon for a reason, alright? - can see that it's an impressive display of craftsmanship. 

Wilbur is looking quite confused on Phil's right, but he's no longer needing Techno to keep him from bailing on the whole thing. And to be honest, if somebody's able to make … this, maybe they'll be able to fix his guitar. 

"AH- Visitors! Sorry, I hadn't heard you coming in-" a short figure stumbles in sight from behind a pile of apparently garbage.

The short man, who appears to be human, had wild brown hair, somewhat darker in certain spots where black oil seems to have gotten stuck. There seems to be oil and soot all over his clothes and hands, where bandages cover his fingers.

On his head reside a pair of goggles - multiple lenses of different thicknesses and colours appended to its sides - and he's holding a wrench as if they'd interrupted his work, which would explain the worrying noises. 

The mechanic has a bright welcoming smile on his face when he appears, which immediately falters the moment he sees the infamous mercenary group, expression turning to fear. Which is understandable, given their fame of being quick, efficient and rather costly, unless they're working for the good of all.

Then it turns to shock, when Tommy takes a tentative step forward from behind Phil's back. Which is less understandable.

"Tubbo?" Tommy's voice calls, almost breathless. The boy takes off his goggles and blinks. The wrench he was holding clutters to the ground.

"Holy shit, Toms."

The warlock lets out a strangled yelp, then blinks out of existence in a puff of bright red smoke, reappearing right in front of the other boy and picking him up in a bone crushing hug as he laughs - more joyous than Wilbur's ever heard him - and the two of them fall to the ground.

When Tubbo is still a teenager, he loses his best friend to the prejudice and scorn of their hometown. 

All they need to see are the buddying horns on his forehead, the flames licking at his fingertips, the reddening skin around his eyes, and they banish him. 

They come for him, in the middle of the night, and find nobody but his parents in his home, because Tommy has always been smarter than he let on. 

Half a day earlier, Tommy had said his goodbyes to the last few people that deserved to know where he was going; never once asking for his parents' forgiveness for something he always knew he was going to do - Tubbo had never seen his best friend more sure of anything, even at the worst moments, when the ritual was about to begin, or the few first weeks when he had to use all his coins to buy salve for burns.

And so Tubbo was left alone, left behind. 

It lasted for one day.

Tubbo had never been particularly gifted in the craft his parents had tried to teach him - glass blowing was definitely not his forte, his hands too strong, his grip too tight - and he'd never shown any latent arcane power. Books on the arcane were long, boring and complex, the glyphs all looking the same and mixing with each other on the page. 

But that didn't mean anything to him: he was going to do great things, with or without magic, and he was going to find his best friend again. 

Fate wanted to keep them apart? Tubbo was going to stare Fate in the face and laugh. 

If the glyphs and arcane chants of the mages weren't going to cooperate, he was going to force his hands into the fabric of the arcane plane and pull magic out by himself. 

And again, why stick to prayers and dealings with other entities when he could just make it himself?

To be fair, it does take him a lot more time than the couple of weeks of research and half-and-hour-deal that was Tommy's experience. But Tubbo's always been a quick learner.

The day he finishes his big project, he leaves his home, ready for adventure. 

He has a map of the coast, enough coin to pay for emergencies and a backpack full of the tools he needs to offer his assistance to whomever will need it. 

His marked path will bring him around the same towns. Tommy is bound to pass by at least one of them during his travels. 

Tubbo's going to be alright.

Tommy's eyes are absolutely not, under no circumstances, shining as he tries to squeeze the life out of his best friend. 

Tubbo is just laughing, which is quite rude in Tommy's personal opinion, he should be struggling to breathe due to his impressive strength.

"Look at you! You made it!" The mechanic cheers, squeezing tighter - which, ouch, when did he become strong, it must have been all the working with metal, this is the worst possible outcome. Tommy lets him go for a moment, leaning back to splutter and wave wildly at the mechanical bee still intent on bumping its head against Phil's hand. By the Nine Hells, Tubbo made a living bee with the attitude of a puppy out of metal. 

"I made it?! You made bees!" Tommy protests, feeling a swell of pride for how far his best friend has come. On a completely unrelated note, there must be light shining insistently in his eyes. 

"I know! Aren't they cute! Ah! Let me introduce you to them!" Tubbo exclaims, hurrying to stand up - nearly elbowing Tommy in the gut - and grabbing his hand so that he can drag Tommy towards the bee from earlier. 

Then he stops in his tracks - which makes Tommy slam into his back and get oil stains on his favourite shirt - as he realises there are three other people in the room, all staring at them with varying degrees of amusement. 

"So, what just happened?" Wilbur asks, looking quite shell shocked. 

[qhazomb]

so after making the “frenrey but like ‘john carpenter’s the thing but if the alien was a gamer and had a crush on macready’” joke so many times... whoops i’m thinking about a hlvrai/the thing crossover au ha ha wouldn’t follow the exact plot of the movie, but some scenes from it would still be present. like the alien, in this case benrey, first showing up to the american base in the form of a husky dog while being chased and shot at by the two survivors from the norwegian base, and the blood test scene because that scene fuckin’ rips in this au, it wouldn’t end with everybody killed/assimilated/freezing to death. in this au, the alien catches feelings and the ending is decidedly happier. well, except for the people who do still get assimilated, anyway. benny boy gotta eat, y’know.

there’s not enough members of the science team to fill all the roles of the characters from the movie... which just means that i can fill the extra roles out with some red shirts for benrey to snack :) not sure about everybody’s roles, ‘cept gordon is obviously in mac’s place, and tommy cares for the sled dogs. (also the dogs don’t die in this. benrey doesn’t have the exact same goals as the alien in the movie, and thus doesn’t try to assimilate the other dogs. nobody ever kills the dogs to prevent people from leaving either) at first benrey’s motives are “fix/build ship to get the fuck off this planet”, but when he gets to the american base... something about some of the humans there piques his interest. especially gordon. he doesn’t try to assimilate them, instead choosing to just observe them, both from his dog form and some of the split off bodies he accumulates after assimilating and impersonating some of the other, less interesting humans at the base. his first human victim at the base is forzen. sorry forzen, you get thing-a-fied right away. (doing this based on my headcanon for normal hlvrai where there was no ‘forzen’, that was just benrey puppeting a random soldier for Pranks). nobody ever notices there being something off with forzen, both due to benrey having access to forzen’s memories, and the fact that nobody else at the base really knew him that well to begin with. also, benrey gets his way of speaking from forzen, and uses forzen’s voice whenever he’s speaking in a human language while not impersonating a specific human. he blames his interest in gordon on all the human brains he assimilated messing with his own feelings. because, uh?? finding a person who isn’t even his own species attractive??? not to mention benrey’s not even an organism that needs to engage in sexual or romantic relationships in the first place??? he blames the humans he absorbed for these feelings. but he doesn’t like, complain about these feelings. he’s totally down with them, in fact. he gets attached to tommy, after all the good pets and cuddles and scritches tommy gave his dog body. who knew being petted felt so great? darnold gets off the hook, because tommy really likes darnold, and benrey’s eaten enough humans to know that they get really sad when another organism they care about dies. he leaves all the dogs alone for this same reason. bubby and coomer are not on the menu because benrey finds their personalities way too entertaining. with them still being separate from him, he can never predict what wild shit they’re gonna do next, and he gets such a kick out of it. everybody else in the base, tho? lookin’ like snacks. a veritable buffet of new DNA to absorb. before someone notices the red shirts are getting killed off by something (a something that they later suspect came from the norwegian base, after they go investigate it), benrey slips out of the kennel with his dog body at night to go hang in gordon’s room. at first he’s just content to just. inspect gordon. take in all his little details. ponder if the reason he finds gordon attractive can be attributed to the taste of someone he ate at the norwegian base, or if he’s developed his own unique preferences. but then gordon wakes up and sees the dog sitting there staring up at him. he’s confused about how the fuck the dog got out of the pen, but is too tired to take it back. so he just pats the space on the bed by him and invites the pup up and benrey is internally ‘holy shit oh my god aaaa???’ and gladly hops on up for some Choice Snuggles. gordon doesn’t bother to stop this from being a nightly thing, because dog is warm and they’re in fucking antarctica, you do the math. he is completely unsure what to think, though, when he discovers that the very affectionate dog he’s been cuddling with every night is actually a shape-shifting alien horror that’s been slowly eating and impersonating his fellow researchers. when the surviving humans start making a plan of action to find and kill the alien menace, benrey is conflicted. he could go ahead and just eat them all, take the base for himself, and get to building his ship to get back to space... but he LIKES (most of) the humans that are left. he’s developed a major case of the Human Emotions and would feel bad if he ate these guys. :( eventually he chooses to reveal himself to just gordon, during a rare moment when he’s able to catch gordon alone (the humans started keeping close together when they realized a bodysnatcher was among them), and tries to be as non-threatening as physically possible while doing so. tries to explain that he wants to be friends, and only ate those guys (and the guys at the norwegian base) because he had to. survival instincts and shit. he was in a real bad ship crash and his very injured body got frozen in ice for god knows HOW long and he had a whole lot of energy replenishing and DNA adjusting to do. put down the flamethrower please and thank you? for friend benry? also, benrey picked “benry” as his human/earth name, based on tommy naming his dog body “ben” (”He just looks like a Ben to me. :)” ), and then adding the “ry” at the end himself cause all these humans he likes have two syllable names and he didn’t wanna be left out. he’s got that instinct to integrate, and if he can’t do it through assimilation, he can try and do it through social conventions at least! even if human social behavior is a little hard for him to grasp/get right sometimes. also also, he’s still a gamer. but doesn’t discover that he likes video games until after he absorbs and impersonates forzen. his forzen body gets invited to play some video games with the other guys during break times, and he falls in love instantly. “brooooo how come none of the other sapients i’ve eaten ever invented video games??? humans are so good at having fun wtf. this is the best. i love video games.” AND THAT’S ALL THE THOUGHTS I’VE GOT ABOUT THE AU SO FAR. i only JUST started seriously thinking about it last night, so. not too solid yet.

[petri808]

Fandom: Fairy Tail. Rating: Mature.  Nalu AU ANGST trigger warning.  Based on this post.  Just under 10k words

Lucy Heartfilia is diagnosed with a heart defect. Stuck in the hospital waiting on the transplant list, there is only one thing bringing any light to her dreary world; a volunteer named Natsu Dragneel who truly becomes her bittersweet savior.

@uzumaki2810 Here you go, I hope you like it :)  Also thank you to the angst queen @doginshoe IM SORRY I FORGOT TO ADD THIS MESSAGE ;-; she beta’d and bore the tears with me to make sure it was a good story :)

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~

It all started back in her last year of middle school when puberty really kicked into overdrive and she developed a well-endowed chest.  She assumed the little pricks of pain related to the added weight cause they sure gave her a backache if she pushed herself too hard.  Exercise was overly exhausting, so there went any chances of making the cheer squad in high school.  Not that Lucy was really interested in sports, but by the start of high school she realized any physical activity needed to be avoided.  But she didn’t want to worry her father since it was a random pain that would only surface if she exerted herself; ergo it was her boob’s fault, and she kept the pain to herself.

As time passed, and her high school years carried on, Lucy did her best to ignore the symptoms, even when something new manifested itself.  Fatigue…  she was studying too hard.  Rapid heartbeat… well, there was that cute boy that just walked by.  Shortness of breath when she laid down…  it’s just from the weight of her chest.  Each and every time, Lucy found a rational explanation.  She buried her nose in her studies as an outlet, which she really didn’t mind so much.  Her favorite thing to do in the world was to write quick fantasy stories she’d make up, and she’d often spend her breaks holed up in the library researching some new topic of dragons or fairies or whatever had caught her attention.

“Ugghhhh,” Lucy flinches as the blinding white light breaks through the surface of her vision.  She shields her eyes and slowly opens them but can only manage a tiny squint.  Her mind was groggy, and she swore her limbs felt like dead weights.  “W-Where am I?”        

She hears the muffled sound of her father’s voice calling for a doctor.  Why was there a slight ringing in her ear?  Something about she’s awake now, hurry?  The rest had been too muffled to understand.  Had she been asleep?  Lucy was completely confused. But the light… the light was so bright!

“Ms. Heartfilia?  Ms. Heartfilia, can you hear me?”

It was a strange male voice talking to her.  Where did her father go?

“Yes,” she croaks out, flinching as her body is coming out of its slumber and suddenly a sharp pain hits her again.  Lucy winces, this was worse than before.

“Ms. Heartfilia, do you know where you are?”

She shakes her head.  

“You’re in the hospital, dear.”

Wait!  It was her father’s voice again.  What did he mean she was in a hospital!  Lucy forces herself to open her eyes fully, though, keeping her hand between her face and the overhead lights.  “Why am I in a hospital?!”

Lucy hears the doctor's voice again, seemingly at a distance because her viewpoint was limited, speaking to someone.  Fainted.  Temporary amnesia.  Congenital heat disease.  Wait what?!  “Hey what’s going on?!” she calls out then is hit by another spike of pain.  Damn it!  “Dad?   Hello?!”  But it’s like she was being ignored.  Birth defect.  Advanced case.  Surgery.  “Someone please talk to me!”  Tears prick at the corners of her eyes.  “Talk to me!!!”  A third, and now the largest stab of pain hits her.  Lucy cries out at the pain and curls in on herself.  More shouting and the voice returns, hands probing something near her chest, and machines starting to blare out warning beeps.

“Please calm down Ms. Heartfilia, calm down, don’t push yourself too much or the pain will get worse.”

How could this get any worse…

That was 3 years ago, and the sands of time were running low.

Her father had done all he could, dragging her to specialist after specialist, exhausting a chunk of his fortune on doctors from one coast to the other, only to be told Lucy would need a heart transplant or she may not see her twenty-first birthday.  The most they could do for her while she waited on the transplant list was implant a ventricular assist device into her body.  It gave her a small measure of freedom instead of being tied to a normal transcutaneous machine, but it was still uncomfortable.  Her movements were restricted, she had to be careful of catching a cold, and what ended up being the hardest part, was the breast reduction surgery they had her undergo at the same time of the VAD surgery to reduce the weight and strain it added to her heart.

For so long she’d blamed her large breasts for causing all her pains, but now that she knew they weren’t, it was sad to see them go.  They were a part of her after all, no matter how much of a headache they could be.  For weeks after the surgery, Lucy could barely look at herself in the mirror.  She didn’t recognize herself anymore.  This youthful woman with tubes sticking out of her stomach which attached to a device around her waist that helped her weakened heart muscles do their job to keep her alive.  That had been the diagnosis, a congenital birth defect that weakened her heart muscles, and as she aged, the muscles would continue to deteriorate.  Oh, her father was so furious when they were told she didn’t qualify for an artificial heart because death wasn’t imminent.  

It hadn’t taken long after completing high school that the depression had surfaced.  All of her friends were moving on to college, most to distant campuses so she had no one to talk to.  Lucy would hide away in her bedroom for days at a time as the internal struggle mounted.  Why continue to go through this pain and struggle… why not just end it quickly and painlessly.  It was tempting.  From the research she’d done on heart defects, the end wasn’t very pretty.  Her only hope was a donor, but people die every day on the transplant list waiting for a heart that never came, just growing weaker and weaker….

At least the VAD had given her two decent years, but her days of being an outpatient at the hospital had come to an end.  Even with the device assisting her heart, Lucy’s body was struggling to deal with the strain.  The smallest exertions required fuel from her heart to power her body, so even something as minimal as the fatigue of reading a book for too long could trigger an arrythmia or worse, and the pain that may accompany it.  She needed to stay in the hospital so that her heart could be constantly monitored and if there was any sudden change, they could address it quickly.

The doctors were doing their best to keep her alive in the hopes a donor would surface.  But you never knew when one would become available, and her time was running short.  The original prediction of not making it to twenty-one was fast approaching.  Frankly, Lucy felt like it was by the luck of the draw and the odds were better at a Las Vegas casino.  It was a lonely experience being cooped up in the hospital and thankfully there was one glimmer of happiness amongst the sterile white halls.

“Lucy!”      

“Hi Natsu.”

He smirks, “I brought you something.”  The young man was bouncing on the balls of his feet with his hands clasped behind his back.  

All the volunteers that visited the hospital were kind people, but there was one that made Lucy smile the most.  A young man named Natsu Dragneel.  She’d told herself at the beginning of her medical odyssey that she wouldn’t let anyone get too close to her, not only for her protection but there’s.  The pain of losing someone you care about was an emotion Lucy had borne at the tender age of five when her mother lost her own battle to cancer, and it was a feeling she didn’t wish upon her worst enemy.  But this man sure made that promise a tough one to keep.    

Natsu’s adoptive mother was a long-time surgery nurse at this hospital, who had had taught him the value of life.  It was because of seeing her kindness towards people that spurred his decision to be a volunteer.  Even at eighteen years of age he knew that volunteering would be difficult, and five years later, he would admit it never got any easier.  Many volunteers eventually burn out, especially when dealing with the terminal patients, but Natsu pushed through, reminding himself it was those very patients that needed their support the most.

“Oh,” she quirks an eyebrow, “what is it?”

“Tada!” he whips out a single yellow rose with pinkish-red tipped petals and hands it to her.  “My younger sister showed me how to dye the tips, isn’t it cool!”

Lucy takes the flower, “wow that is really beautiful!  The pink even matches your hair.” She lifts it to her nose and picks up on the light rosy fragrance it exuded.  “Smells nice too.”  She tries to hand it back to Natsu.

“Tch, my hair’s not pink, it’s salmon, and I made it for you,” he smiles, “something to brighten your day.”  Natsu then walks over to the small bathroom and fills a cup with water, brings it back and places it on the small windowsill next to her bed.  “For the flower.”

“Thank you,” Lucy blushes a little and hands him back the bloom since she couldn’t reach the cup herself. “It was really kind of you to bring me that Natsu.”

“Nah,” he places the flower in the cup for her, “I’d do anything to make you smile.”

It wasn’t every day, but Natsu would come to see her as often as he could.  His regular job as a construction worker wasn’t a regular 9 to 5 kind of thing.  Some weeks he might work five days straight, while on slower periods like the winter and early spring months it may only be a couple of days a week depending on weather.  He’d told her that working with his hands was something he enjoyed immensely, and the company was training him to be a carpenter.  

Natsu sure wasn’t what she’d expected of a construction guy.  Oh, his hands showed the roughened appearance of someone who worked hard for a living, but she thought they would be these rough and tumble kind of men.  Not Natsu, with his goofy and sweet personality.  She could only imagine how well such a line of work helped to keep the man in shape.  He always wore t-shirts and jeans, but his trim features hidden behind the fabric were easily discernable.        

The light of the sun brought the yellow rose to life along with a slight tremor in her heart, not of pain but of adoration.  Lucy smiles sweetly at his remark, her eyes crinkling, glinting with a tinge of moisture she had no control over.  She didn’t want to admit her growing affection for this man who always said the sweetest things or made the most charming gestures.  Natsu was always so compassionate and supportive, while never making it seem like it was just his job as a volunteer to comfort the patients.  It was easy to wish that maybe… he was doing it just for her?  

Lucy ducks her head, hiding the hint of jealousy coating her cheeks and tone, “I’m sure you make such kind gestures for the other patients too.”

“Oh, no,” Natsu sits beside her and takes her hand, “just you.”  He gently lifts her chin, forcing her to face him.  She averts her eyes, but he stares forward, softening his glare, almost wanting to chuckle that he’s had such an effect on her.  “You’re special to me.”

Of all the patients in this small hospital, Lucy Heartfilia was the one his heart grieved for the most.  It wasn’t fair, at only twenty years old, for this beautiful and intelligent woman to be tied to a hospital bed, watching her life flash by in the form of ridges and valley peaks.  The first time they had met was two years ago, but back then she would only come in for overnight monitoring’s or check-ups, and after her major surgery, she stayed for a few months during the recovery process.  By now, they were friends, but it had taken work on his part to get her to open up to him.      

“No, I’m not…” Lucy sucks the corner of her bottom lip in to stifle the tremor.  

His tone deepens in a comeback, “Yes, you are.”

Her eyes finally snap to his, and when she sees the determination behind them, reality kicks in.  He was telling the truth!  Oh, heaven help her.  It was cute to dream, but not for it to be real.  She feels a sting in her chest and pushes his hands away.  “Please don’t,” her voice is barely a whisper, trembling from the stinging pain in her heart and her soul.  “I-I shouldn’t be….”  ‘This is so wrong…  Because I’m dying and he deserves someone better.  I shouldn’t have said anything.’  Stupid little daggers of jealousy!  She clutches her chest, willing her heart to still, and pain to subside, ‘please go away!’

“Hey, hey!” Natsu immediately switches his concern from being flirty to concerned.  “Lucy please calm down, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you!”

“I-It’s okay, I-I’ll be okay.” She fights the tears back with all the strength she can muster.  Lucy didn’t want to cry in front of Natsu.  “Please, Natsu, I don’t want to get our hopes up l-like that…. If this… If things were different….”

“Shhh,” he cradles her face, “shhh, it’s okay Luce, I feel the same way.”

After a few moments, Lucy lets out a long exhale.  “I appreciate it, I really do.”  She looks up and cracks a pained smile.  “You’re the only thing keeping me going, but I-I just don’t even want to think about not being there for you…”

It was Natsu’s turn to crack.  “Please don’t finish that.”  He looks down, holding back the urge to cry or show how upset it makes him.  “I don’t want to think about that.”

“But it…”

“You don’t know that, no one knows that, and I,” his voice falters, seething with all the will of his soul placed behind it, “I will cling to hope till my dying breath.”

The sudden change in his demeanor, switches Lucy from feeling so self-absorbed in her own thoughts to realize, Natsu has had an effect on her, but she truly had an effect on him too.  It hurt even more now that his behaviors weren’t just a rouse to make her happy, and it killed her to think of what he will suffer when she goes.    

“I’m sorry, Natsu.  I didn’t realize.”  She grabs his hand, squeezing it hard.  “Natsu I’m sorry.  Let’s stop thinking about this then, hmm,” doing her best to keep her tone soft and comforting.  “Look at me, Natsu, please, I don’t want to keep fighting with you.”

He sighs, “you’re right.  That’s the last thing I wanna do with you.”  It was a surprise even to himself that he’d lost his cool, and for the first time the awareness of his growing infatuation became real.

“Good,” she squeezes his hand again.  “Hey, um, you know its lunch time, we could eat outside since it’s a nice day…” her voice grows tentative, “if you’ll join me.”

“Lucy Heartfilia, are you asking me out on a date?” He chuckles, ready to put all the sadness behind them.  “Because if that’s the case,” the sparkle in his eyes return, “I would be honored.”

For the next couple of months, Natsu and Lucy’s friendship flourishes, as her physical body slowly deteriorates.  It was hard, he couldn’t lie, to watch this happen, and if it wasn’t for the strength of his convictions or his plain stubborn attitude about it that kept him upbeat.  He knew that she needed him to be her strength, and that fueled his desire to make sure she smiles every day.  

Lucy didn’t know, but his mother would keep him updated on her condition.  Not that he needed to know all the technical jargon, for he could see it with his own eyes.  Lucy herself would tell him just enough information when she needed to, but he never pushed or pried for it, letting it always be on her terms.  The cardiomyopathy was getting worse, her heart muscles barely functioning on its own at this point.  She had her good days and bad days but walking around wasn’t really an option anymore aside from brief steps for a purpose.  It also meant that the muscles in her legs were weakening too.  Physical therapy once a week worked with Lucy on light stretches to keep them from completely atrophying, but it was all they could do for her at this point.  But no matter how much weight she lost, or that her hair didn’t hold its familiar luster, to Natsu she would always be the same radiant woman he adored.  

She’d resigned herself to this fate a lot better than Natsu would have thought a person could do.  When he tried to picture himself in her shoes, he was sure he wouldn’t have the strength to keep going, but that was what amazed him even more about her.  On her agreeable days, Natsu enjoyed getting her out of her room, even if for brief periods of time.  Lunch or dinner in the cafeteria, the grounds of the hospital on a sunny day, or even stargazing when the evening air was warm.  He’d bring a wheelchair, and off they’d go, talking about anything or nothing, avoiding the subject of her condition, just giving her a smidge of a normal existence for once.              

Lucy opens her eyes at the knock on her door to see a familiar face pop through.  “Hey Natsu,” she cracks a pained smile.  

“Hey Luce, how ya doin’ today?”

She starts to sit up in the hospital bed, but when it’s clear to Natsu the woman was struggling, he quickly rushes over and assists.  “Thanks,” another light smile.  “I’m sorry, I’ve been a little sore today.”

“Never apologize to me,” he smiles back warmly.  No matter what, he always did his best to appear upbeat for the patients despite his heart literally breaking for them.  He places his hand on hers, “so, tell me gorgeous, are ya hungry?  We could dinner date in the cafeteria if you’re up to it.  My treat,” he winks.

“Stop calling me gorgeous,” Lucy chides the sunny young man, despite the small rosy glow of her cheeks.  “I know I’m not, and that’s okay.”  With the help of a psychiatrist and over a year of therapy, Lucy had finally accepted her fate and kept moving forward as best she could.  If she will die someday, she will die with dignity.  Stress wasn’t very good on her heart, so once she made peace with her circumstances, even her physical ailments had benefitted.  

“Pfft,” Natsu pretends to be offended, “are you calling me a liar because I know I’m not blind.”  His grin growing along with the deepening of red along her cheeks.  “Besides, you know I won’t stop no matter how much you complain about it.”  

Lucy laughs and her eyes twinkle, “I know, so we’ll keep agreeing to disagree.”

It was in these moments, and why he did what he did, just to see this woman’s eyes light up, that sent his own heart into palpitations.  Deep down Natsu knew that the chances of Lucy making it out of this hospital were slim to none, but you’d never know it when he spoke to her.  He stifles the urge to sigh. Oh, how he wished the circumstances were different.  In a perfect world, Natsu would love nothing more than to walk this woman down the aisle.

He circles the topic back around, “so… dinner, on me?” he teases lightly with a wink.  “We can take a trip through pediatrics where there are a few recent arrivals.”

Her gaze lowers as she hides the seventh heaven emotions the young man stirs in her.  “I’d like that.”

Natsu squeezes her hand, “I’ll be right back, lemme grab your carriage milady.”

As Lucy waited the few minutes for Natsu to grab a wheelchair, she closes her eyes and does a breathing technique to calm her heart.  She hadn’t wanted to show the slight tinges of pain she was getting as they spoke, because she knew it would have worried him.  They’d been steadily increasing in frequency lately, and she fought to keep him from discovering that.  But she couldn’t help it.  Despite her condition, Lucy was still a young woman with an intact mind, she still had desires like any other, and when a handsome young man close to her age flirted with her, of course she would react to it!  She did her best not to let these thoughts sink in too deeply and told herself he was merely doing it to make her feel better.  It was a lie, but it was the best way to shield herself.

“Ready?”  Natsu extends his hand to help Lucy to her feet.

She nods and takes hold, gripping on while he maneuvers her around and onto the chair.  It weakened Lucy to where her muscles were slowly losing their strength because her heart was struggling to keep her body oxygenated and functioning properly.  With support she could stand for brief periods, but only with support.  At least with Natsu, she could put her faith in his hold that he’d never let her fall.  

After adjusting the foot plates and making sure Lucy was comfortable, Natsu takes off towards the cafeteria two floors down.  He’d already alerted dining when he’d gone out for the chair they were coming down, to prepare a meal within Lucy’s dietary needs.  It wasn’t a terribly restrictive diet, but there were some limits, such as no stimulants like caffeine, or anything with a high fat content.

Natsu loved these little dates as he called them.  On warm sunny days it may include a stroll outside for some fresh air, or if it was cold and rainy, merely sharing a cup of light hot chocolate in the visitor's lounge in front of the massive floor to ceiling windows.  But if Lucy wasn’t feeling well, he was content to sit by her side in her room, talking, telling stories, or doing anything just to cheer her up.  Sometimes he would fantasize during these events as if they were simply at home and relaxing like a normal couple.

“Oh yay, beef barley,” Lucy stirs and lifts a spoonful up before letting it flow back into the bowl.  “My fave.”  She knew why they gave it to her, but that didn’t make it anymore appetizing.  Barley was supposedly good for heart health, and the protein it contained was useful for her body.  She crunches up the soda crackers the meal came with and drops them into the soup, letting the pieces soak in.

“I don’t mind it,” Natsu shovels a spoonful into his mouth.  He always made it a point to eat the same thing they gave Lucy, so she felt more normal about it.  “But if you really don’t want it, I could ask them to make you a sandwich instead.”

“No, no,” she waves her hand, her voice oozing with a sense of longing mixed with frustration, “it’s okay, I’m fine with it.  I just would kill to eat a fatty, tasty, slathered in sauce cheeseburger with a side of waffle fries or something you know.”

Natsu snorts a laugh and almost chokes on his food as a mental picture of Lucy chomping down on a burger, with sauce dripping down her chin both amuses and arouses him.  “I-I can imagine,” he bangs his chest a couple times to dislodge some liquid that made it down the wrong pipe.  “Throw some sriracha sauce on that vision and you just named one of my favorite foods.”  Could this woman become any more of his dream girl?!

She giggles, “So, um…” Lucy hesitates for a second.  She didn’t want to sound desperate or anything, but loneliness was the quickest way to send her back into a depression and she cherished the time the man spent with her.  “How much time are you spending with me today?”    

“As long as you’d like,” he winks.  “I always do my rounds first and come to you last so I can stay as long as I want to.”

Ugh!  The flirty thing again!  Lucy wills her body to behave.  “Wow, that makes me pretty special, huh?”

“Extremely,” he leans in, letting his gaze grow half-lidded, and his tone mellowing into a soothing cadence. “I’m gonna steal your heart one day Luce, that’s a promise.”

“What?!  Pfft,” damn, she can feel the heat rising in her cheeks, “there’s no point in stealing a broken heart sir…”  Despite the desire to feel aroused over his comment, it also brought a sense of sadness to her she fought down the urge to let tears rise to the surface.  ‘He’s just teasing… he’s just being sweet, trying to make me feel normal… It’s not real Lucy, It’s not real!’  But oh, how she wished it was!  Natsu was the perfect man that any woman would kill for.  Sweet, strong, handsome, silly, she could go on and on with the list.  He was the one ray of sunshine in her dreary world now that she truly was all alone in it.  The stress of caring for her had driven her father into his own massive heart attack last year.  She had no one, except Natsu.

“I mean it Luce,” he reaches out and takes her hand, letting his thumb sweep over the skin.  “Broken or not, I want to steal it and have the person it’s attached to a—ll to myself.”

“Please don’t,” Lucy pulls her hand back.  She could feel the tears pooling and if she didn’t stop it now, they’d soon fall.  “You know I appreciate it, really I do Natsu.”  Lucy looks back up at him and cracks a pained smile.  “But you deserve someone who’s not broken.”

The absolute pain measured in Lucy’s eyes, and the sorrow in her voice was like a dagger straight through Natsu’s soul.  He could understand her desire of not wanting to believe in miracles or to shield herself from further pain, but that only killed him more.  She deserved so much more out of life. Ugh, if only he had a direct line to destiny so he could kick its ass and tell it to leave Lucy in peace!  He didn’t want to upset her anymore.  “Okay, I’ll stop pushing too hard.  But I promise you Luce, one day you will walk out of this hospital a healthy woman, and you can steal my heart instead.”

She sighs, “You can’t promise something like that.”

“I have faith,” Natsu gives her his wide, ear-to-ear grin and a wink.  “You’ll see.”

How could she stay upset after seeing that smile of his?  That damn ear-to-ear grin that lit up his eyes.  The eternal optimist, Natsu Dragneel trying so hard to keep her spirits up.  He and that smile may very well be the one thing keeping her going at this point.  “Okay, okay,” Lucy chuckles, “I give up, yes it's possible.”

“Woo Hoo!”  He pumps his fist in the air in an exaggerated victory, “that’s the spirit!  Now eat, so we can go check out the babies!”  

Lucy laughs again and nods with a smile, “okay.”

It was harder than she let on to him because she knew how much he enjoyed checking out all the new arrivals, but seeing those babies coming into this world while she would be leaving it shortly was painful.  All those hopeful, bright little lives….  They were a bittersweet reminder that a hospital holds two balances; the power to bring life into this world or take it away by not being able to heal a person.  She didn’t blame the doctors, for they were doing their best, because sometimes the sands of time runs its course and there is just nothing more they can do.  It was simply a part of life, to be born and die, never knowing when the grim reaper would come calling.  

“Look, look!  I was told three were born yesterday.” Natsu points excitedly as he parks her chair in front of the viewing window of the nursery.  He plasters his face against the clear glass.  “Two girls and one boy.  Awww, one already has some hair!”  Turning back to Lucy, “can you see okay, would you like me to help you stand up?”

“Thank you for the offer, but I can see just fine,” Lucy throws on a smile for effect.  “They are quite adorable, aren’t they?”

“Are you sure?  You know the doctors want you to stand sometimes so that your legs don’t atrophy as quickly.  I will gladly bear the weight.”

“Are you saying I’m heavy?!”  She was just teasing, but it was the perfect setup to do so.

“What?!” he waves his arms, “n-no way!  You’re not heavy, I meant I’m stronger so I can hold you up…”

“So, I’m weak?”

“Wait, what, no!”

Lucy giggles at how much the man was stepping all over his tongue.  “I’m just teasing you, Natsu.  I know I should, but I’m just a little tired today.”  That was partially true.

The man pouts, “so mean Luce,” he whines and throws on the saddest puppy dog expression he can muster, even a sniffle for effect.  “But it was an excuse to hold you in my arms.”

Oh, how quickly the tides can turn as his bold little statement sets her face ablaze.  He re—ally needed to stop with the flirting, or she was about to have an actual heart attack!  “All right,” Lucy groans, “just for a few minutes.”  It wasn’t the first time she’s allowed him to help her stand and maintain her balance, but before his little retort, she’d never thought twice about it.  

Natsu locks the chair and adjusts the foot plates out of the way so that Lucy can put her feet on the ground.  “Just take all the time you need,” his voice grows soft and soothing, “don’t rush.”

She tests her leg strength by pushing with the balls of her feet against the floor, rocking them and applying pressure to warm up the muscles.  Brief movements, like getting from the bed to the wheelchair were one thing, standing for a few minutes or walking a few feet were another.  It was frustrating and embarrassing, so she avoided it as much as possible, like when going to the bathroom.  Lucy didn’t mind when the nurses assisted her with that compromising predicament, but this was embarrassing in a different way.  

Once she feels her legs are ready, she holds out her hand which Natsu quickly takes hold of and braces her other on the arm of the chair to push herself up.  When she gets to a standing position, Natsu moves around her body, placing an arm around her waist as he gently guides her the two feet to the window.  He stays on constant alert, monitoring any change so if her legs decide to buckle, he can catch her.  As soon as she reaches the window, Lucy places her hands on the slight ledge of the sill.  Natsu then switches his position to stand directly behind her, wrapping both arms around her upper chest to hold her close, but above the tubes in her lower abdomen.  

Could he feel how much her body was heating up from the intimate contact?  Lucy fought her own emotions to keep from escalating and stressing her heart out, for she was keenly aware of how they would look to anyone passing by.  Dear heavens, it was hard to do with his chest pressed up against her back…. She wished they could stay like that forever.  ‘Breathe… just breathe, Lucy…. Look at the babies, just focus on the babies…’  That only made it worse.

The babies….  Just a day old. The little angels were like moldable clay.  They’ll grow… they’ll change…  Will they become teachers or astronauts some day?  Oh, look at the one, smiling in his sleep, how precious.  Someday, will they make their dreams come true?  What will they be like?  Good little kids or naughty, friendly, the life of the party or a shy introvert?  Like many young girls who dreamt of becoming a mother someday, Lucy had envisioned having a family of her own with the love of her life and the white picket fence.  A little girls fantasy.  She closes her eyes, praying that Natsu wasn’t paying attention to her.  The tears pool behind her eyelids and she stills the desire to sniffle.  That fantasy was now dashed like a shipwreck against the shoreline, never to sail the seven seas again.  Natsu would have made the perfect husband and father for such a fairytale, and he will one day, just not in her storybook ending.

She’d been so focused on fighting back her emotions, that Lucy hadn’t noticed Natsu’s head was now resting against her shoulder or how his face was curled against the nape.  

“It’s okay to cry sometimes Luce.”

His whispered voice, so close to her ear, breaks the dam.  Lucy squeezes her eyes tighter and fingertips curl, tensing against the windowsill.  Shit, he knew all along.  Her knees tremble as the tears flow freely, but she feels his hold tighten around her to keep her from falling.  It had been some time since she’d allowed herself to release the pain in this way.

Natsu hadn’t been certain of it until now, but in the last several times they’d come to the pediatric ward, he’d sensed a change in Lucy’s energy.  She always wore a smile with a hidden agenda and now he’s confirmed his suspicions.  Well, it was his mother really that pointed it out one day when he’d mentioned it to her.  The woman was great at understanding human emotions and after years of caring for patients, she’s learned to follow her intuition.  

“Lucy was a young woman who may not live to be a mother or have a family of her own, of course it might upset her to see the infants.”  His first inclination was to stop bringing the woman to this ward, but his mother gave him a second option.  “Help her grieve.”  Those three words coming out of his mother’s mouth stunned him briefly. What did she mean to help her grieve?!!  “If Lucy has no one to turn to, how can she process what is happening to her.  Show her it’s okay to be upset, help her let out the pain before it consumes her.”  

“I will hold you for as long as I need to Luce, just let the pain go.”

But it was killing him to do this!  Natsu had told his mother that he didn’t think he was strong enough. The woman simply smiled, patted his cheek and said, “I believe in you son.  If you truly care, then you’ll have the strength to move mountains for her.”  Damn his mother and her intuition, though Natsu realized only a fool couldn’t see how much he was falling for Lucy.  He’d sell his soul to a demon to get her a new heart.

Strangely, Lucy’s body wasn’t reacting like she thought it would.  Stress usually caused her blood pressure to rise and strain her heart muscles, but that wasn’t happening.  She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing like a broken spigot, and maybe that was the best thing, like a release of the pressure that had built up unbeknownst to her.  Her hands move from the windowsill to Natsu’s arms, clutching to and resting her head on them.  Lucy couldn’t look up, not yet, but she needed to let him know she heard his words, and they meant the world to her.  

She would have made an amazing mother, Natsu was sure of it, and it would be a lie to say he’s never thought of or imagined them staring through this viewing window at their own little boy or girl one day.  Would the child have Lucy’s beautiful golden waves or chocolate brown eyes?  Or maybe take Natsu’s salmon pink hair and onyx eyes.  No matter what, the child would be perfect and loved.  A child that as the day ticked down on the transplant list was losing hope of ever being born.  Crap!  Natsu squeezes his eyes closed tight.  He couldn’t let her see him struggling with this, but damn if those images didn’t just cut him deep.

Neither of them knew how long they were standing there or even if any of the other hospital staff had noticed.  They were in their own little world while time passed them by.  It was Lucy who finally let out a small exhale as a last release of all that had struck her today, and with that tension gone, the tears turned into exhaustion.  Ever cry so hard and for so long that your body became lethargic?  Lucy yawns wide and deep, her eyes growing heavy and clouded, a little lightheaded, ready to go to sleep.

Natsu kisses the crown of her head and without a word, maneuvers her so she can sit back down in her wheelchair.  He sets the foot panels in place and helps her feet onto them, then pushes her back to her room.  There is a companionable silence, as if all their wordless exchanges had communicated volumes that needed no explanation.  Once back in her own room, Natsu helps her onto the bed and set the wheelchair aside.

After helping to re-attach her heart monitors, Natsu checks, “is there anything else I can get you before I go?”  She shakes her head.  “In that case…”

Lucy motions for him to lean in closer and once he’s close enough, she hesitates briefly then places a kiss on his cheek.  “Thank you for everything Natsu.”

His eyes widen, shocked by what she’d just done.  “Luce?”

“I just felt like doing it,” she blushes.  “Tonight… I don’t know, I just feel so much better and it’s all because of you.”  Lucy closes her eyes as a yawn cuts through.  They were so tired…    

“You are very welcome,” Natsu smiles.  He moves to leave, but Lucy grabs his hand and squeezes.  When he turns back to look, her eyes are still closed, and there is a slight smile on her face which brings a swelling of his pride.  He leans down and kisses the back of her hand.  “Rest now, and I will see you again tomorrow.”

Mister Sandman beckoned to Lucy of mystical creatures bathed in glittering stars, calling upon father time to bring peace to a weary soul.  She didn’t know why, but though the pull was strong, she fought his dreamy reverie.  Today had been the most emotionally charged day in a long time.  All the tears Lucy had shed brought a new peace to her spirit, something in this entire experience not even a trained therapist could have given her.  The amount of love that Natsu provided, whether platonic or wishful yearnings, calmed her, and pushed away the emptiness she had felt for so long…. So long stuck in this pain.  She wanted to relive this day forever, safe in Natsu’s arms, drowning in the pool of his obsidian hues.  ‘… to steal his heart…’  Lucy knew she already had, just as he had stolen hers in a way.  A sense of warmth floods through her body, shielding her to the cool air-conditioned room.  Lucy’s smile widens as her mind slips into the abyss of dreams, of a pink-haired prince who’d finally set her soul free.

“Natsu wake up,” the voice repeats as the person attached to it shakes his sleeping form.  “Natsu wake up.”

“Huh?” His clouded mind hears the voice of his mother.  “What is it?”  He turns his head, his eyes temporarily pin-pointed from the harsh lamp light next to his bed.  “Mom, what are you doing in my room?”  Natsu pushes himself to a sitting position as his mother takes a seat next to him.  With his vision focusing better, he finally notices the moisture clouding his mother’s eyes.  “Mom, what is it?!”  

She takes his hand, squeezing it tightly with her head slightly lowered in pain.  “I-I’m sorry, son, but the hospital just called me…. Your friend, s-she had a massive heart attack.”

By the time his mother had finished the sentence, Natsu had stopped listening to anything she was saying. He knew, the moment she’d said I’m sorry… to wake him up in the middle of the night, it had to be….  All the blood drains from his face and his shoulders slump.  He felt dizzy, weak, like all of his strength were stripped away, leaving him an empty shell.  He turns his head slowly, the tears already flowing down his cheeks in an endless trickle to meet the woman’s sullen gaze.  This wasn’t happening!  Not yet!  Lucy was fine today!  Fine!!  He wanted to scream!  But his throat was closed up, choking back the sobs that wanted to break free.  

“Oh honey,” the woman wraps her arms around her son and pulls him tightly against her chest.  “I’m so sorry,” her own tears flowing freely and hitting his face.  “Don’t give up hope, they were able to save her, but she’s been placed in a medically induced coma.”

It couldn’t be true!  Why weren’t his cries coming out?!  Natsu’s voice refused to make a sound and all he could do was weep.  It hurt so much!  His fists clench at his stiffened sides.  This wasn’t fair!  

“Let it out son, don’t hold it in,” she coos, doing her best to soothe the pain.  “They believe she didn’t suffer because it happened while she was asleep, that should give you a bit of comfort.”

No, it doesn’t!  She was still in a coma!  He’d almost lost her!  And, “I-I never g-got to s-say good... good…” he couldn’t finish it.  What if she never woke up again?  Natsu’s heart ached at the thought he may never again hear her beautiful laughter or that silly snort she would sometimes make when he teased her.  This world was too cruel to do this to a woman who should be in college, starting the next stage of her life.  A fit of sobs racks his body, ‘I never got to tell her I love her…’

“Would you like me to drive you there, son?”

“Yes, please mom, i-if you don’t mind.”  

“Of course.”

Natsu paused in front of the closed door to Lucy’s new room, unsuccessfully preparing himself for what he knew he would find behind it.  On the way to the hospital, his mother had filled in a few more details that tore the man up and brought a wave of guilt flooding over him.  Had he caused the heart attack?

The heart monitor alarms had gone off only 30 minutes after he had left her for the evening, and the doctors wasted no time in implementing emergency resuscitative efforts.  They deemed it a miracle, but after 10 minutes of herculean efforts they were able to get her heart restarted.  Lucy was then moved to the ICU unit and placed on other machines such as a feeding tube and ventilator to keep her alive.

Maybe he shouldn’t have pushed her to see the infants after all.  Maybe the crying had stressed her out and neither of them had known it.  She seemed perfectly fine when he’d left!  Happy, in fact, happier than he’d seen in a long time.  Natsu’s fingers absentmindedly trail over the area she had kissed.  Lucy was at peace when he’d left.  His mom told him her sudden fatigue may have been a sign.  Or maybe he clenches his jaw, that kiss was her way of saying goodbye, like she knew something might happen once she’d closed her eyes.  The way she’d grabbed his hand when he tried to leave….  “Fuck!” he grits outs as the tears pool in his bloodshot eyes again.  “I shouldn’t have left her…”  

He pushes the door open and his knees buckle instantly at the sight.  Tubes… all the tubes, and monitors, the beeping and lights, bright flashing lights of the stat graphs, subcutaneous fluids hooked to her arms, the drips… slow drips of liquid and medicine flowing into Lucy’s body.  He wasn’t ready for it.  Her beautiful face partially hidden by the feeding tube running into her mouth and the breathing tubes entering her nostrils.  If it wasn’t for his mother standing at his side, Natsu would have collapsed to the floor when his legs lose all their strength and crumple.  The woman guides him to a chair placed beside the bed.  

“Oh god, Lucy!”  The tears pour out and sobs take control of his body.  He throws his upper body over hers, clutching desperately to the blanket covering her, and burying his face into its folds.  Natsu felt a part of his soul die right then and there.  “You don’t deserve this,” his muffled words stolen by the fabric.  Why couldn’t they find her a heart?!

“Son,” Natsu feels his mother’s hand resting on his shoulder, but he doesn’t respond.  “Son, there’s no telling how long Lucy will stay in this state, so it’s best you say your goodbyes now.  They say that people can hear you even if they are in a coma.”

But all he can do is shake his head fervently, denying it to the world and himself that Lucy wouldn’t come out of this.  He had hope, damn it!  Natsu refused to say goodbye because that meant he’d given up hope Lucy would recover somehow.  

The woman seemed to understand her son’s frustration and didn’t push.  “Then, just talk to her son, let her know you’re here.”  

“Mom, could you… I wanna be alone, please?”                

“I’ll come back in an hour to take you home.”  

Natsu just nods in response.  He hears the door open and close, the click of the lock like the final latch being set on a coffin, sealing them to their fate.  He’d known the dangers of giving his heart to Lucy and yet despite what was happening, still had no regrets.  She deserved the peace of knowing someone loved her, and if this really was the last moments, Natsu could have that tiny measure of satisfaction knowing he was the one who had provided it to her.

“But you’re not gonna die yet, Luce.  You can’t, do you hear me, you can’t!  It’s not your time yet, so you need to fight for me please…”  Oh, how his heart was shattering into a million pieces as if he was the one with the problem.  It fucking hurt!  Emotional daggers stabbing him in the chest repeatedly.  “You’re stronger than this, Lucy!  I know it, you’re gonna wake up from this!”

By the time his mother returns an hour later, the sheer exhaustion had consumed Natsu.  She finds him passed out, and it takes a bit of begrudging effort to get him to leave Lucy’s bedside.  He was so afraid to leave again in case she passed away, because he didn’t want her to die alone.  It was his mother that coaxed him into believing that she wasn’t alone as long as he kept her in his heart.    

Day after day, week after week, became a never-ending cycle of zombiesque activity.  Natsu’s body was there, trudging through routine, but his mind was broken, battling between keeping hope alive and giving up.  He went to work, did his job, then headed to the hospital.  It got to where the staff had placed a spare bed in the room, and he practically lived in the ICU with Lucy.  He was lucky that his mother was a long-time nurse and he a volunteer with an impeccable standing that the hospital allowed him to bend the visitor hour rules.  They knew the woman was alone in this world, so maybe they also felt a sense of duty to become that family for her, because nobody deserved to die alone.

He grew obsessed with anything to do with her condition and used the lonely hours to scour the internet for information.  Sure, much of the stories about coma patients being able to hear weren’t really solid or verifiable, but any glimmer of possibilities was worth the effort.  It couldn’t hurt to try.  Whether it was telling her about his day or what was happening in their town, Natsu would keep talking.  He bought a kindle and read stories he thought she would like, fantasies of princes saving princesses filled with mythical creatures.  He remembered her saying she used to write such stories and wished he had been able to read them.

When he was too tired to read, or his throat was too sore to continue, Natsu wrote her letters.  The staff and his family were getting worried about Natsu.  So, the hospital’s mental health service counselor had come in one day and spoke to him on the off chance that they could get through to him.  While he refused to listen to most of the advice, he found the writing to be helpful.  Maybe when Lucy awakens, she could read them. But for now, it was one way he could pour out some of his thoughts in silence.      

He was always tired and exhausted, pushing himself through this day-to-day routine, sometimes forgetting to eat.  Concerned staff would often pop their heads in to check on him to make sure he had or scolded him when the hours grew late and they knew he needed to work the next day.  His bloodshot eyes held dark bags under them, and his mother swore he was losing weight.  But he would always push them off saying he was fine.

“No, you are not son.  As a mother I am supremely proud to know I raised a son who cares this much, but I don’t want to lose you too.”

“And you’re not, I’m perfectly healthy.”

“You know as well as I stress is harmful to the body.”

Natsu sighs and runs a hand over his face, “mom, I’m fine, I even cut back on work hours to make you happy.”

“And I appreciate the gesture, but you’re still working, just here!”

“Mom, I’m fine!  Please, just leave me be, I-I don’t want to fight.  I just want… I’m not leaving her.  End of discussion.”

His mother sighs, knowing that her stubborn boy would not listen.  “Just please, Natsu, eat more, get more sleep, do it for me.”

“Okay, okay, I will.”        

“I love you, son.”

“I love you too, mom.”

She kisses his forehead and turns to leave, taking one last look at her boy, and to Lucy.  Grandeeney Dragneel pauses with a bittersweet smile as Natsu resumed reading quietly from his Kindle.  Somehow, she knew that young girl loved her son back, and it broke her heart to know they were like those star-crossed lovers from a long-lost folktale, never destined to truly be together.  She liked Lucy.  The girl was smart and sweet, very articulate whenever she visited during her rounds, and her strength through this all was remarkable.  Even after being dealt such a cruel hand by fate, she never grew bitter or resentful.  Her son couldn’t have fallen for a better girl.  Grandeeney slips away quietly before the moisture building in her eyes could be seen by Natsu, bracing against the closed door, and praying for a miracle.

Is this that tunnel people talk about?  Lucy wonders as all she could see through her eyelids is the brightest light that seemed just too brilliant to be normal.  Her eyes hurt a little from it, but if this was heaven, why is there still pain?  She forces her lids open and tries to shield them with her hand that… doesn’t seem to move, huh?  But it wasn’t just her arm, her entire body felt heavy.  The images filtering in through her vision were blurry, slowly gaining focus as her pupils adjust to the light to see, wait, ceiling tiles?  Why does heaven look so much like a hospital?

“Oh good, you’re awake.”

Lucy looks over and sees a doctor standing beside her.  “Where am I?”  Or more like why am I here?  

“Do you remember the heart attack?”  She shakes her head.  “You’ve been in a coma for two months after you suffered a massive heart attack.  But luckily, a local donor came through...”  He goes on to explain about the surgery telling her that the transplant surgery went well, her body was accepting the new heart, and while she’ll still be going through three to six months or rehabilitation and monitoring, she was on track to make a full recovery.  

“Oh-okay, thank you so much, doctor.”  It was a miracle to be alive again with a new heart.  But something felt wrong, missing?    

“I’ll be back in a couple hours to check on you again Ms. Heartfilia, but if anything feels off in the meantime, be sure to ring the nurses.”  He moves to leave, but she stops him.

“Doctor, the donor, can you tell me about them, please?”

The man hesitates for a moment.  “Well Ms. Heartfilia, privacy laws don’t allow me to….”

“You don’t have to tell me their name or anything.  Please, just a little information.  I’d like to know who saved my life.”

The man sighs and takes the seat next to the bed, clearly torn with what he was about to say.  “He was a young volunteer at the hospital who tragically fell asleep at the wheel and passed away from a car accident…”

The doctor's voice droned on for another minute as he tried to reassure her that the man didn’t suffer. It was quick and painless from a one-car crash.  As if that was supposed to make her feel any better.  Lucy didn’t need to be told the name as tears poured down her cheeks, because she knew.  She just knew.  That was what was missing, for she knew that if she’d had received the new heart, Natsu would have been the one by her side when she’d woken up… unless he could be there.  With all the wires attached to her arm, she could barely move them without the sting of the I.V. lines, but she didn’t care.  Lucy’s hands cover her lowered face as the tears continue to stream.

“I’m very sorry, Ms. Heartfilia.  Would you like me to have someone from mental health support to come see you?”

Lucy shakes her head. She couldn’t speak, she couldn’t even think.  

“Mrs. Dragneel would also like to speak to you when you’re up to it.”  

More tears and sobs choke out. Oh god that was Natsu’s mom, how could she face Natsu’s mother!  

Seeing the woman’s distress, the man nods and squeezes her shoulder, “Again, I’m truly sorry Ms. Heartfilia.  We all miss him very much.  Please try to get some rest,” and leaves the woman to grieve in her own way.  

Her head was spinning.  It wasn’t supposed to happen like this!  Why was destiny such a malicious bastard to take away the one person she had and leave her in this world all alone?  Lucy clasps a hand over her chest, recalling the last conversation, that last night with Natsu.  She squeezes her eyes to the pain of the memories…  He’d made her so happy… so very happy, and yes, she remembered thinking for the first time since her diagnosis; she didn’t feel alone anymore.  Fuck if she didn’t want to just keel over again, but that would mar the beautiful gift that she’s received.  Natsu believed with every fiber of his being that she would walk out of here one day and she will live on for him, that’s a promise.  “Our heart,” Lucy breathes out…  But how ironic that he was right all along.  She really did steal his heart in the cruelest of ways… 

[naly1109]

Your Lovely Wicked Soul

Witch au, Reader X Bang Chan feat. Stray Kids (Narrator's POV)

Summary: Y/N is well known and beloved amongst the people of her home village. Being a powerful Witch, she helps the people using her Gifts to increase crops, heal the sick, and protect the townsfolk and other favors. When her Grandfather sends her away to save her from the misfortune of becoming the awful King’s bride, he sends her across worlds into the hands of a man bearing an uncanny resemblance to the tyrant King.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Chapter 4~

As Y/N and Chan stand in place watching the boys leave, an awkward silence fills the air surrounding them. Y/N is feeling apologetic for having hurt Chan and is not sure how to express it, and Chan is still focused on trying to remember how to breathe through the after-pain of his battle wound. They begin to pick up the newspapers that were scattered on the floor, minutes passing before either speak.

“I really am sorry about hurting you again, Chan.” Y/N says, looking Chan in the eyes for the first time today. Chan laughs and shakes his head at her. “What’s so funny? I’m trying to sincerely apologize, and you’re laughing it off?”

Chan chuckles at Y/N exasperated expression, “I forgave you for purposely trying to remove my heart.” he points out. “This was an accident, so it’ll be easily forgiven.” he shrugs. “I do have one request though.” he says in hopes of an agreement.

Y/N quickly nods in agreement, “Anything. If it’s within my capabilities, I will grant it.” she says, her eyes wide in hernest, looking at him as she approaches him.

Chan smiles. He looks down at his feet before looking back up at her, and notices she’s looking at his mouth, and his smile grows. “I’ll forgive you, on the condition that you promise to look me in the face more often.” he finishes his condition with a hopeful look. 

Y/N blushes, her eyes going wide at his request, and she begins to turn her face away. Before he could stop himself, Chan reaches out with one hand and places it on her cheek, he gently faces her towards him once again. Her cheeks heats up at his gesture and she knows he can feel it rising beneath his hand.

“There. Much better.” he says and removes his hands, attempting to play off the caress as a casual gesture. They remain standing in the center of their mess, looking into each other’s eyes, seemingly attempting to engrave each other’s faces in their minds. For more than just a moment, they were the only ones in the room, everything around them as nothing more than just a backdrop.

Y/N starts to feel weightless being under Chan’s intense stare. She inhales sharply to break the deafening silence that surrounds them. “We should finish picking up the newspapers if we want to eat at a decent hour.” she says and turns away from Chan to start stacking what had managed to remain on the table.

“Right.” Chan agrees, feeling lightheaded from holding his breath, almost like being in a trance. Looking at Y/N, he felt as though the whole cosmos was pulling them together, and he takes that as a sign that she is meant to be his.

“What was your life like before you came here? What did you do for a living?” Chan asks, trying to make conversation.

“I did many things. I was a farmer when it was time to get the crops planted, then harvested. A storekeeper when Mr. and Mrs. Stolts went to merchant meetings that would last weeks. A carpenter when we needed to expand our village or do repairs to the buildings after a storm or strong winds. But primarily, I was the doctor. I loved mixing herbs for different remedies and learning what each plant is capable of doing.” Y/N says, smiling while thinking about the villagers and how much they relied on her. “I really thought my life was so mundane. Now I’d give anything for it to go back to what it was before.” A sad smile spreads itself across Y/N’s soft features, and Chan can’t help but want to replace it with a happy one.

“I didn’t mean to make you sad, I was just curious.” Chan says, scratching the side of his neck. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“It’s fine. I actually like talking about it. It makes me feel better.” Y/N says, giving Chan a grin. 

The next 20 minutes go by while Chan and Y/N pick up the mess of papers and books and organize them, and talk about each other. Chan learns about Y/N’s hobbies, she loves horseback riding, reading, gardening, and trying new dishes to cook. Her favorite Spells include being able to speak to animals, making gems from regular rocks, and listening to people’s minds. The last one is a guilty pleasure she does rarely, but finds to be quite entertaining and enlightening. Y/N learns that Chan makes music, both as a hobby and a profession. He also likes to go and try new dishes, as well as travel. He feels extremely lucky to have the profession he has. He also tells her about his family and a bit about where he grew up. Chan is even able to get Y/N to laugh when he tells her about a mishap he had on the beach as a kid. He was right about it being rewarding to make her laugh.

“There. All done.” Chan says, wiping his brow with his forearm and turning to look at Y/N. She nodded at him and gave him a smile. “Let’s go home and eat. The boys have our orders and I don’t trust Changbin, Felix, and Jisung to not eat it.” Chan leads Y/N out of the library in time for them to lock the doors. They decide to head back to the apartment on foot, since it is a nice night, and continue the conversation of getting to know each other. This time talking about pets, school life, and embarrassing childhood phases.

As they approach the apartment, Chan hears the boys laughing with each other before he even opens the door to the apartment and he gets curious to know what they found so funny. He looks at Y/N and puts his finger to his lips telling her to be quiet, “We’re gonna listen in on the boys and see what they are up to.” He slowly opens the door. They hear the boys talking about the library incident and they stop to listen in.

“That was funny how that all went down. I just hope they’re not mad at us for leaving them to clean up by themselves.” Hyunjin says, feeling slightly guilty.

“They’ll be fine. They could use the time to get to know each other.” Minho tells the younger man. “And maybe Chan will stop feeling sad that she won’t look at him.” Chan’s ears heat up at being called out like that by his friends.

“I still have to say that my favorite part was when Y/N kneed Chan. I feel bad for him, but that was beyond comedic!” Jisung laughs and the other boys join. Chan wants to kick Jisung in his head and see if he laughs at that.

“Y/N face when she realized she was leaning into Chan, THAT was priceless.” Felix adds. Y/N feels herself flush at the reminder of how flustered she got when she felt his warm hand on her back.

“I, honestly, was surprised when Minho actually did it.” Jeongin says, mouth full of food. Y/N and Chan exchange looks of confusion, then lean in closer to the door.

“I said I had a plan and I delivered. I didn’t think it would play out so well, though.” Minho muses, “I must say, I outdid myself this round.”

Y/N and Chan have heard enough. As Chan is about to open the door to the living room, Y/N pulls his arm to stop him. “I have an idea.” she informs him. She quickly casts a couple Spells to levitate and darken her appearance, then uses a Spell to make a gust to blow the door to the living room open.

She storms in, followed by Chan, who quickly catches on to her act, and begins to scold the guys, using another Spell to darken her voice, “You think your little joke was funny?” She looks at each of their shocked faces.

“I-it was all Minho-Hyung’s idea! We swear!” Jisung is quick to throw his elder to the wolves, or in this case, the terrifyingly pissed off Witch.

“Thanks, Asshole.” Minho shoots a glare at Jisung.

Y/N fixates her gaze on Minho, who meets her eyes, and about soils his pants, face draining of color. She uses her Levitation Spell to bring the panicked man to her, his toes dragging. She brings him higher so he is face to face with her. Glaring, she asks in a low, intimidating voice, “Did you really think leaving me to clean up all that mess You Caused,” she emphasizes on his involvement, “while you sit here all comfy, was funny?”

“I-I’m so-sorry,” Minho stutters in response. He looks to his elder for assistance, but the look on Chan’s face tells him he won’t even get pity.

“Sorry Mate.” Chan shakes his head, “What you did was pretty low. Y/N has so many paper cuts from hauling all those heavy piles of newspapers.”

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t turn you into a Slither Toad and use you to make a foot fungus removal ointment?” Y/N says, her voice icy and unforgiving. A wicked smile spreads across her face as Minho looks her in the eyes, silently begging for mercy.

Just as Minho goes to verbally beg for forgiveness, Y/N burst out laughing. “The look on your face!” she laughs out loudly. Minho blinks for a moment, then turns red, understanding the situation now. When Y/N looks at him again, she doubles over in a belly laugh and tears begin to stream down her face from lack of oxygen. Chan watches, enthralled by the sound of her happy laughter, and soon begins to laugh with her, as do the rest of the guys. Except Minho, who is still upset about being the butt of the joke for this round.

“I don’t think it was funny.” Minho’s tone laced with annoyance.

“Your face was great, Hyung! I thought you were going to piss yourself!” Jisung says, trying to catch his breath.

Y/N sobers up enough to speak, “It’s not fun being the target of a prank, is it?” She shakes her head at him, “I’m sorry if I scared you. I got the idea from reading about what your world thinks a Witch is, and thought it would be funny.”

“It was funny, Y/N. He’s just salty that he got served with his own dish. That was badass and extremely entertaining to watch. So thank you for that.” Chan says, wiping tears off his cheeks. “Minho, what you did was, totally, not cool, and you deserved what Y/N did. I know you may have had good intentions, but you need to apologize to Y/N. You invaded her space, elbowed her in the eye, and made her clean up a mess that you, admittedly, caused.” Chan turns Minho towards Y/N, gives him a reassuring pat, then shoves him towards her.

Y/N giggles at Minho’s apologetic face, “This is quite an adorable look, Minho. I think it suits you.” she gives him a smile

“I’m sorry about causing a mess and making you clean it.” he says with genuine eyes. “And I would like to point out that, while I may have been the one who put everything into motion, everyone else was on board when I pitched the idea.” he finishes glaring at Jisung.

The boys all groan at Minho’s betrayal. “In our defence, he said it was a good idea.” Seungmin says, trying to lessen the offence.

“Nnoo,” Minho stretches out the word as he shakes his head at Seungmin, “I said it would be a fun idea. I never said ‘good’.”

“Leave it to Minho to point out finer details.” Hyunjin rolls his eyes, done with it all.

“Hey, I think we all just need to see the takeaway of this situation; Y/N is a Superior Prankster. On a God level.” Felix says. “Top-notch acting. I really thought you were upset.”

“Oh, I was. But I saw an opportunity that was too great to miss and took it. I got a good laugh out of it, Minho was set straight, and now all is forgiven.” Y/N says with a smile.

“Set straight.” Minho huffs out, under his breath, to himself. He strokes Nolai’s head as the Cat approaches where Minho now sits. “Is she always like this?” he asks the Cat, only to receive a meow that was neither a confirmation or in interest.

“Well, Y/N and I haven’t eaten so we will have our food now.” Chan looks at the counter space to see if he can find his order amongst the chaos of bags and boxes.

“Oh. I didn’t order you two any food.” Both Y/N and Chan’s heads whipped to Minho’s face. “Kidding! It’s in the microwave to keep warm.” Minho laughs

“Not gonna lie, I was ready to fight you.” Chan admits. “But I have to remind myself that I love you,” he adds putting a hand on Minho’s shoulder, sporting a tight smile.

“Yeah you do.” Minho smirks and winks at the older man, earning him a jab to the ribs,

~

Y/N wakes for the second morning expecting to be in her room back at home, in her featherwool stuffed mattress. She misses seeing the stuff she had in her cluttered room, the old dresser closet that held more than just her dressing items, with plants overflowing from up top. The writing desk Gaba built for her tenth birthday, she wrote and drew many things at her desk, and it was cluttered with all the little handcrafted knick-knacks the villagers would gift her. Y/N gets up to go to their odd bathroom. She is up before morning breaks, the sky beyond her window is still dark when she walks through the bedroom.

Y/N is leaving the borrowed bedroom and walking through the hall to the bathroom when she hears a soft, yet pleasing, humming. Curious as to where the hummed melody is coming from, Y/N follows it out to the living room.

Chan is sitting sideways on the sofa, his legs extended out in front of him, and with a laptop on his lap and headphones on his head. His back is to Y/N, and she watches as he is bobbing his head to the beat he is playing on the laptop. Chan starts to feel like he is being watched. Feeling spooked, he abruptly turns to find Y/N standing at the end of the hall, looking at him.

Smiling, Chan removes the headphones and asks, “What are you doing up?”

“I am always up before the Sunstar.” Y/N states as she approaches Chan. He moves his legs to allow space for her to sit next to him. Y/N takes the spot he offered. 

“Is Nolai up too?” Chan asks, looking around Y/N’s legs to find the dark Cat.

“Absolutely not.” Y/N chuckles, “He is one lazy Cat.” Chan nods and smiles at her laugh. “What are you doing up so early?” she inquires, eyeing the odd device resting on his lap.

“Oh, I didn’t go to sleep.” he informs her, and she notices the dark bags under his eyes. “I’ve been producing and preparing for when we do our next comeback album. I like to be ahead of the game.” he smiles sheepishly at her.

Y/N blushes at the sight of his exposed dimples and hopes it's dark enough to mask it from Chan’s notice. She recalls that the King only had one dimple, whereas Chan has a few on either side.

“I know a Spell that can energize you for up to 18 hours, but you do feel exhausted at the end of the day.” Y/N tells Chan. “If you’d like, I can use it on you, and maybe tonight you’ll get a good night sleep.”

Chan chuckles, “You sound like my old band mate, Woojin. He would nag me to get more rest.” Chan has a small smile on his face, Y/N cocks her head at him in question. “He left the group for personal reasons I won’t talk about. And I miss him a lot.”

Y/N sighs, feeling her heart get heavy at the reminder of how much she misses her best friend. “I know what you mean about missing your friend. It’s been two days since I’ve seen Ember, and I miss her greatly. She is the very best friend any Witch could have.” She feels herself smile as she talks about her amazing friend, “She’s fierce and loyal, and soft with children and animals. She’s quick to help anyone in need, no second thoughts before she jumps into any situation. She is a great hunter and is talented in singing. She is also the best listener and confidant, and she cares about me greatly, as I do her.” Y/N smiles at Chan, feeling her heart get lighter. “I am glad that I get the chance to know you and the others, you’ve been so helpful. I’m grateful to have you all as friends.”

Chan gives Y/N a toothy smile, feeling honored at her words. He clears his throat, “Well, thank you. I feel blessed hearing you call me a friend. I feel the same.” he smiles at her. “And if the offer still stands for that Spell you mentioned, I could definitely use it. We have a photoshoot to do this afternoon and I won’t have time to sleep.”

Y/N laughs, “Of course.” She gets up and stands in front of Chan, “But only if you take me to your shooting. I’ve been curious about it since Hyunjin tried to explain it yesterday.” Chan nods in acceptance with a smile. Y/N smiles back, then places her hands on either side of his head. The tips of her fingers begin to glow and patterns form around Chan’s head. “Just keep a steady breathing pattern, and let your eyes close when they feel heavy. You’ll sleep for about five to ten minutes, then wake feeling well rested.” Chan nods to indicate he understands.

After a few seconds, Chan falls asleep. Y/N uses the opportunity to use the restroom. When she comes back, Chan is still sleeping. She goes and sits next to him and hears music coming from his headphones, he never paused his track so it kept replaying. She gently removes the headphones from his neck and puts them on.

The melody she hears coming from the odd device is enchanting. Y/N leans back on the sofa and closes her eyes, listening to the pleasing noise, finding the different blend of sounds and tunes that were woven together to make the most beautiful music Y/N has ever heard. She felt the notes take her through a story of happy and intense moments.

As Y/N listens to the music playing from Chan’s computer, he wakes to see her with her eyes closed and gently swaying her head to the music. The sky begins to lighten up as sunrise approaches, casting a blue glow through the room, and on Y/N’s smooth and delicate features, giving her an ethereal appearance that has Chan wondering if she is some sort of Celestial being. Without thinking, Chan reaches out and caresses the smooth surface of her cheek.

Y/N opens her eyes upon feeling Chan’s hand touch her face. This makes the third time he has touched her face, and each time she feels the flutters of her heart get stronger. They lock eyes and, suddenly, they feel like magnets attracted to each other. ‘What is it about him? Why do I feel like his Stars call out to mine?’ Y/N wonders to herself. She notices herself leaning into Chan’s hand, which is still resting on her cheek, and is slightly surprised by her own bold move.

Chan looks her in the eyes and feels as though he is being pulled towards her, like a sailor to a siren’s song. ‘She feels like the melody I can’t get enough of, that I need to know the notes to.’ Chan feels his eyes fix themselves on Y/N lips when she leans into his hand. Chan begins to lean forward and uses the hand on her cheek to guide her towards him. He hesitates for a moment, not sure if she is okay with it. When her eyes flutter close, he takes that as consent to continue.

Lips centimeters apart, they are interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the end of the hall. Chan and Y/N jump apart when they hear the interruption and whip their heads around to find Felix standing there, a shit-eating grin on his face. “So, good morning?” he says, voice deep with sleep, indicating he must have just woken up.

Y/N flushes, shocked at being caught. She is partly thankful for the interruption, for she has never given way to her inhibitions before and she has no business getting attached to anyone of this world when she has her own world she’s trying to return to, and partly resentful, for reasons she chooses to ignore.

Chan gets up from the sofa and approaches the younger man. “Please don’t tell the others.” he pleads under his breath in English. “I don’t want them trying anything to ‘help’ or anything, because I know they’ll just mess it up. Especially Minho.” Chan knows he’ll never hear the end of it if Minho finds out.

“Sure, man. I got you.” Felix says, placing a hand on the older’s shoulder. “And just so you know, everyone ships you two.” Felix smiles when Chan groans, then continues to his original destination, the bathroom.

“I’m sorry, if I made you feel uncomfortable.” Chan says, facing Y/N. “I just kinda got lost in the moment.” he says, searching Y/N’s eyes for any hint of regret or anger.

Y/N shakes her head at him, “It's okay. I was giving into the moment as well, you don’t need to apologize, let’s just move on.” she says dismissively, handing him back his headphones, and Chan is a little hurt. “I was wondering if I could help whoever is making breakfast today.” she says, standing up from her spot on the sofa, and Chan gets up with her.

“That’ll be myself and Jeongin today. I am about to go to pick up what we need. Care to join me?” he puts a hand out towards Y/N, inviting her to go out with him.

“Sure,” she says, taking his hand, “let me just grab those contacts.” She turns and heads to the room and retrieves the contact lenses from the desk in her room.

~

Chan leads Y/N though the market store, and she is in awe at how the store provides everything they need in one location. All the meats and vegetables and seasonings and grains. At home, she had to go store to store to get what she needed for meals, for not one person has everything. She will need to suggest this to the townspeople when she gets back.

When they get back to the house, the boys are all awake, waiting for Chan to get back and get started on breakfast.

“Ugh. It’s about time you got back. I’m starving.” Jisung says before yawning and rubbing his belly.

“Yea. What took so long, Hyung?” Minho asks, “Were you two on a date?” He wiggles his eyebrows at the pair and Chan scoffs at him.

“A what?” Y/N asks, confused.

“You know, where two people go out to enjoy each other’s company and hold hands and kiss and stuff.” Minho says, a devilish smirk spreading across his face.

“For your information, we were getting the ingredients we need to make your breakfast. So shush up and be grateful.” Y/N says with a stern voice, ignoring the burning of her cheeks caused by Minho’s taunting. She huffs and him and turns to go to the kitchen.

Chan, Jeongin, and Y/N begin to cook breakfast. Or more like Chan and Jeongin cook breakfast and Y/N watches because she doesn’t know anything about the dishes they are creating. Before long, they two men start to put the dishes out for everyone to grab a plate and serve themselves. Everyone sits in the living room with their dishes and begins eating.

“So, what's on the agenda for today?" Changbin asks Chan when he gets situated with his food in his seat.

"Um, our schedule is pretty much open all morning. I was thinking of going to the studio and working on a new track I just started." Chan says and takes a quick bite of his food. "Then, at one this afternoon, we have a photo shoot."

"Okay. Jisung and I can join you if you would like help on that track." Changbin offers and Jisung nods along.

"That would be appreciated." Chan accepts. "Seungmin, Minho, and Jeongin, if you don’t mind cleaning up here, then meeting the stylists to make sure they have the right outfits for the shoot. Hyunjin and Felix, would you be so kind as to take Y/N out shopping for new clothes? She asked to join us for our photoshoot today, and I think it would be best if she doesn't show up in matching outfits with Hyunjin."

"Yeah sure, Hyung. Not a problem." Felix says with a sly smile.

“I have no currency to buy anything, nor anything of value I can trade.” Y/N says, shaking her head at the boys.

Chan gives Y/N a small smile, “I know you don’t. Which is why I am offering to buy it for you.” Before Y/N can protest, Chan adds, “I’m doing this as a thank you for helping me out earlier. I really do appreciate it.”

“What did she do for you, Hyung?” Felix says, still sporting the same sly smile.

Chan eyes him with a warning look while he reaches for his wallet in his back pocket, "Took away some of my tiredness with a Spell.” He says shortly. “Here’s my card. Don't go crazy with it, okay?" He hands the card to Hyunjin. "And please get a new coffee table while you're at it." He adds, looking at the space where the old one used to be.

"Sure thing." Hyunjin replies, taking Chan’s card. Hyunjin and Felix exchange a smile, and Chan wonders if he will regret allowing these boys in particular to make decisions over Y/N's wardrobe.

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A/N: OOPS! I’m SOOOO sorry! I completely spaced to update! I hope you all enjoy this latest chapter! Even if it is late...