#thank you rose stickers for coming through for me

[bbangtans]

daybreak | jjk | oneshot

Summary: One of your favorite things to do when you were in your early 20s was stay up late where reflective conversations eventually blurred into nonsense as the sun rose alongside someone you thought you would spend the rest of your days with… Now you’re stuck in New York City for one night due to a delayed flight with that very person standing there in his leather jacket and guitar case in hand across from you at the airport gate. See, fate is a funny thing and Jeon Jungkook could always find the humor in anything.

pairing: rockstar!ex!jk x f!reader genre/tropes: angst, fluff, exes to ???, right person wrong time/second chances, jungkook is so romance film lead coded – charismatic and well-spoken and genuine and ughhhhh i be fawning frrrr, this takes place where both jk and reader are 28ish, jk is a lead singer in a band with tae-jimin-yoongi, and y/n is a working professional rating/warnings: M | alcohol consumption, lots of swearing, semi-public sex, unprotected sex (don’t be all willy nilly with this tho!!!), dig bick jk lmfao, oral (f receiving), heavy petting, multiple orgasms. a/n: inspired by my faaaaaave movie before sunrise bc if there’s anything namjoon and i have in common, it’s that we are yearners 🤝 and SURPRISE! she's here a lil earlier than promised <3 word count: ~10.1k

The longest string of curses you ever muttered in your life escaped your lips as your tense eyes focused on the words CANCELED obnoxiously displayed on the monitor indicating the status of your flight, which was supposed to take you back to the comfort of your home in Seoul. This is ignoring the fact that you also had a big presentation to prepare for a client but you got pulled into this conference last minute by your boss – lucky you. 

“Ma’am, I’m so sorry. Unfortunately, all flights have been temporarily suspended due to emergency maintenance as a result of the aircraft recall. The most I can offer is to book you on the next available flight scheduled…” The poor airline employee offered with an apologetic smile. You stepped back as you realized this very employee had to face the brunt of the crowd who also suffered the same fate as you. 

You swallowed your anger, empathetic to this person who was merely a messenger. “Okay, when is the next flight?”

“It will be tomorrow at 10:15AM. That’s the earliest we can do, unfortunately. I can have you booked on that flight and you’ll have the details emailed to you shortly.” 

Sighing, you nodded your head. “Cool, thank you… but will the airline be able to provide a place to stay since –”

You were cut off by an angry – and entitled – middle-aged woman. “Excuse me but what is the airline going to do about this? I’m supposed to be in Seoul by 10PM on the 24th. How is this airline going to ensure that? Do you know how much I paid for this?”

You were at your wits end as you watched other passengers try to come down on the woman as you walked away. At least you were in “The City that Never Sleeps” so finding something to do won’t be that difficult. You jerked your carry-on bag along as you tried to exit from the commotion of your gate however you did not get far as you were stopped by someone who stood before you amongst another fleet of passengers dealing with the same issue as your flight. You recognized that signature, worn leather jacket and stickered guitar case from miles away.

“Jungkook?”

The call of his name pulled him back into reality as it appeared as though he himself was checking if this was actually happening. Your mind started racing as you couldn’t help the shock that washed over you. So many questions flashed by as his surprised gaze met yours.

“Hey…” He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his already tousled hair. “...Having flight issues too?”

Sitting at a coffee shop in the terminal across from each other, it was… awkward, you both could not deny. 

Jungkook cradled his iced americano while your now empty vanilla latte cup rested there. A funny representation of both of your approaches to life. It was also a point of teasing that Jungkook previously used to his advantage during the days of shared kisses and intimate dates. Times when you and Jungkook would lie shoulder to shoulder on a bed of grass in open fields and wish upon shooting stars.

“This sucks, doesn’t it?” You tried to break the ice, seeing Jungkook’s uncharacteristic silence. Perhaps these years have changed you both.

“The flight thing or us sitting across from each other like this?” Jungkook cracked and you let out a breath of laugh. 

Toying with your empty cup, you nodded at nothing in particular. “Definitely the flight thing, and regarding right now… not sure. But I can’t lie that it’s nice to see a familiar face amid this chaos.”

His shoulders slacked as if tension melted away and Jungkook sat up more confidently in his seat. “Yeah, I bet. And wait…” He paused before leaning towards you in surprise. “Are you here in NYC alone? What brings you here?”

You waved off his worry, knowing exactly what he was referring to. “I came here for a 2-day work conference so I was strictly here on business.” Funny to think that reaction was almost impulse despite the passage of time between you both.

“Have you been to New York before? Did you at least get a chance to explore the city after your conference?”

“No, and no, honestly. It took a lot out of me and the company is pinching pennies by only giving me a short window here outside of the conference. What about you, what brings you here? Is this your first time stuck here?” You rested your head on your hand that was propped up on the table.

Jungkook’s unforgettable grin made its appearance as he noticed your growing ease at the situation. “The band’s here on tour. We’re about to start our Europe leg but of course… shit had to hit the fan with the airplane scandals. And nope, this is our third time in New York. We were first here on tour a couple of years ago.” 

You smiled at this. “That’s right. I’m sure you’re a seasoned professional being on the road and all with the SNAFUs that come up… Congrats though, I hear the band has really taken off. You guys deserve all the success.”

“You don’t know how much that means to me,” Jungkook started, grinning wide as ever. “No seriously, it means a lot coming from you.”

“You’re messing with me.” You frowned in jest.

“No, not at all. You were that push to get my head on straight, y’know? Even before we … ended things… you were one of the few people who genuinely believed in us. And I can’t thank you enough for that.”

Feeling your face get warm, you shook your head in a humble gesture. “I only saw and believed in the obvious. I mean look at you guys now, touring the US and now even Europe? This success was all in the making.”

“But enough about the band! How’re you? Being all professional going abroad on conferences and stuff. What are you up to?” Jungkook took a sip from his Americano where the ice had become significantly smaller.

“I’m a product manager, and so that keeps me busy 9-5 on the weekdays.” You joked. “But other than that, just floating along. Hanging out with friends, taking life a day at a time, y’know? I’m nowhere as interesting as you, Mr. Rock Star… Living in LA and all.”

Jungkook laughed as he slipped off his leather jacket and revealed an entire sleeve of tattoos on his right arm. You eyed them curiously as he had always talked about wanting tattoos in your younger days. It was good to see that he was able to have that aspiration come to fruition. Another reminder of the passage of time between you both.

“Don’t say that, I think you’re one of the coolest people ever. No one approaches life the way you do, Taehyung-hyung might be a close second… but he doesn’t have the flare that you do.” He started then his smile turned slightly void as he followed up. “Would it be awkward to ask how things are with…”

“...Who? Oh, Seokjin?” You casually asked, truthfully you had not said that name since your eventual breakup almost a year ago. TL;DR you both weren’t compatible because you weren’t ready to settle down for whatever reason despite him being ready to take you both to city hall at the drop of a hat. “Uh… we ended things a while ago actually.”

“Right, yeah,” Jungkook responded vaguely. “Sorry if that was weird, it’s just that he and Yoongi-hyung are friends and you haven’t come up in a while whenever Hyung mentions him but sorry if I’m prying and sorry if I am especially making this awkward but –” He was rambling. Cute.

“Jungkook,” You rested a hand on his forearm, ignoring the surge of electricity that unknowingly jolted you both. “I get it, no worries.”

You both couldn’t help the smile that broke out on your faces.

“So what about you? Seeing anyone?”

He looked almost offended by the question but brushed it off. “Me? Nope, life’s been too hectic with the band these past two years to be seriously involved with someone.”

“Uh huh,” you mused before Jungkook cocked his brow in confusion at your response.

“What?”

“‘Seriously involved’? So you have been dabbling in some rockstar tendencies.” You wiggled your eyebrows teasingly. The 21-year-old in you aches, but today you are 28 and not exactly that same old person as before. 

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Shut up. I don’t want to discuss that with you of all people. And besides, we haven’t made it to the big leagues yet. We’re just tadpoles in a lake, we still gotta work our way to bigger waters.”

You only laughed, and Jungkook let you with his arms folded over his chest – basking in this moment he never thought would happen.

However, it was interrupted as an aproned barista approached you both, being the only patrons left as the coffee shop was getting ready to close for the day. The freckled teen awkwardly cleared his throat with a broom in hand. You then observed the fact that the chairs were already perched upon tables – a clear sign that the establishment was closed for business. You both hadn’t realized how much time had passed in chatting. “Hello, I’m sorry but we’re closing for the day. You are welcome to take your drinks with you to the gates though.”

“Sorry about that.”

“No worries, my bad.”

You and Jungkook apologized at the same time while hurriedly gathering your belongings. 

Walking out, Jungkook sighed as he held the handle of his guitar case in his tattooed hand. “I can’t believe a place in the airport closes at fucking 5PM.”

“Jungkook, it’s a coffee shop. Closing at 5PM is considered late for that industry already and besides, this isn’t Seoul.” You laughed.

“True… but…” Jungkook cast you a sideways glance. “What are you going to do until your flight tomorrow morning?”

You could only shrug. “Not sure, I was just going to camp out here at JFK.”

A moment of silence passed as you both walked on in no particular direction, only the sound of the wheels of your carry-on suitcase and the heavy footsteps from Jungkook’s combat boots. Despite the 7 years that passed, you could still tell Jungkook was mulling over something. This fact honestly surprised you.

“Penny for your thoughts?” You offered gingerly.

“Now, this is going to sound crazy,” he spoke, his mind clearly running miles a minute and barely able to keep his once stable walking pace. “Hear me out all the way through, okay?”

“Sure.” You shrugged.

“So, my manager got each of us a hotel room not too far from the airport –”

“Jungkook.” You interrupted him incredulously, on the verge of seeing red. Offense, disrespect, anger… it all pulsed through you at once. By this point, you both had stopped in the middle of the wide airport corridor between gates. “Are you fucking serious –”

He held his hands up in defense. “You said you would hear me out!”

“...fine.” Arms crossed over your chest defensively, and you took a step back.

“Like I said, I have this hotel room so what if we kept our stuff there and we explore NYC tonight? Then when morning comes, you could grab your things and head back to Seoul and get back to your routine.” Jungkook now positioned himself where he stood directly before you, eyes connected to yours. “You said it yourself you didn’t get to see NYC. And I’ve been here before, so it all works out.”

You obviously still looked unconvinced with arms crossed over your chest defensively. 

“Okay, how about this: there’s a Smart Carte baggage drop-off in Terminal 4 of JFK. Forget stopping by my hotel room, you can drop off your things here so by morning we can both be here for our flights. I’ll be on my way to Vienna and you’ll be headed back to Seoul. How does that sound?” Jungkook negotiated. “Listen, Y/N. It’s just been so nice to hang out with you and I don’t know but there’s something in me that can’t pass up this opportunity to at least help you see the magic of NYC… and to spend a few more hours with you.”

“I…”

Jungkook stepped forward with a pleading stare. “Please, I promise it’ll be worth your while. I feel like you would regret this not happening as much as I would. And if it convinces you, I promise that we can forget that this night ever happened after the fact. I swear…”

A smirk broke out on your face after a tense beat of silence and mulling over his words. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Jungkook could not fight the smile that reached his eyes as he breathed a sigh of relief and then turned, gesturing for you to start off what would be your journey of the evening together.

By the time you both made it into Manhattan proper, it was prime dinner time. You felt the grumble of your stomach as you and Jungkook sat in the back seat of an iconic yellow taxi. Embarrassedly, you put your hand over your stomach in a feeble attempt to keep it quiet. 

“So, y’all are headed to Katz’s?” The taxi driver asked as he glanced at the two of you through the rearview mirror. He was an elderly man wearing a newsboy cap and the taxi itself smelled of the endless cups of coffee he consumed during his day on the clock. 

“Yup, we’re hoping the dinner rush isn’t as bad,” Jungkook responded in a friendly manner. “It may be a Tuesday but it’s Katz’s after all.”

The driver chuckled as the traffic was beginning to chip away and the taxi started to speed up on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. You couldn’t help the gasp that escaped you as you watched the city sky begin its transition into an orangey-pink sunset. “I’m assuming this fella over here has been to the City before, but is this your first time, Miss?”

You nodded your head. “Yes, actually I came for a conference but have limited time here.”

“Oh? When do you head back to…” he trailed off, not sure how to continue the sentence.

Jungkook took the chance to chime in. “Seoul… in Korea. She heads back tomorrow actually.”

The driver let out a low whistle. “That’s a crazy turnaround time. But listen, New York is a magical place – despite whatever those bozos not even from the city have to say. It has character, and so much can happen in the City that Never Sleeps. It is a land of possibility. And here, thirty years ago, is actually where I met the woman who became my wife. It’s a special place, for sure.”

“I bet.” Jungkook grinned as he looked out the drawn window, taking in the newly warm springtime breeze. 

Jungkook let you take the ride in silence, unsure of what was going through your head about this whole situation and in all honestly cursing himself for possibly pressuring you into doing something you weren't comfortable with in the first place. He kept casting cautious glances your way when you weren’t looking. 

Eventually, the taxi came to a halt. 

“Alrighty, here we are!” The driver pulled up on the busy intersection and you were in awe by the throngs of people despite it being one of the earlier weekdays and the very end of rush hour. Jungkook paid for the ride and ushered you both out of the taxi respectfully.

“Thank you for the ride!” You called out as you exited the vehicle.

“Enjoy New York and all she has to offer!” the driver bid you two before driving off to find his next patron of the evening. 

Jungkook almost choked mid-bite of the huge signature pastrami sandwich you both decided to split as you continued to share about that one time your mutual friend back in Seoul, Hoseok, had accidentally cussed out an innocent employee at a haunted house. 

“No way.” He barely managed to get out between his mix of coughs and laughs, grabbing the attention of worried customers inside the establishment. He grabbed his cup of water to ease his throat.

“Yes, way! Afterward, he kept bowing in apology. I felt so bad but Namjoon and I were too busy laughing to step in to help.” You put your spoon down, making a good decision to not have a bite of the shared chicken noodle soup as you giggled at the memory. 

Once Jungkook calmed down and took a sip of his water, he looked at you in amusement. “Classic Hobi.”

“I know right? But regardless, he’ll always be an angel. Despite that, he doesn’t have a single bad bone in his body.” 

Jungkook nodded in agreement. “I miss that guy a lot, man.”

You smiled up at him. “He misses you, too – I’m sure.”

He rested his sandwich on the plate. “Let me know if I’m being weird… but I missed this.”

Your smile faltered as it grew slightly wary. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, genuine. “I just feel like you’ve always been someone I easily get along with and y’know… considering our past and how things aren’t super awkward now. In all honestly, I thought you were just going to ignore me and keep walking away at the airport due to the possibility that you might’ve hated me… I wouldn’t have blamed you, though. I was a bit of an asshole when we ended things. And I am sorry about that. Genuinely.”

You could easily recall that night.

You looked at him, confused. “What?”

“I said I don’t think we should continue seeing each other.” Jungkook stood his ground despite the internal turmoil. “I… just feel like I’m holding you back.”

“You can’t be the only one to decide that, Jungkook.” His words finally started to settle in your bones and it felt like a thousand cuts.

“Listen, you deserve a lot more… and we both know that.” 

“Jungkook, you aren’t listening. You can’t just pre-emptively end things like this over something like that – not without discussing it with me too.” 

You tried to reason with him by resting a hand on his arm. He finally looked at you with tears in his eyes. You knew at that point, there was no talking him out of it. He firmly believed this was the right choice for you, no matter how inherently selfish he didn’t realize he was being. Being kind to a fault in true Jeon Jungkook fashion.

He was breaking up with you.

You smiled bittersweetly at the memory. “Yeah… that is a fair thought. But you know, we were young. Barely 21 years old. And while that was only 7 years ago, we were different people. I can’t imagine making the same decisions we did back then now.”

“I guess we were.” Jungkook offered, understanding that this was your way of accepting his apology. 

“And!” You picked up your spoon again to scoop yourself a spoonful of some chicken noodle soup. “That was before we had developed prefrontal cortexes. And besides, I could never hate you now… I finished with that when I turned 23.” You joked but he froze slightly at your words.

Jungkook made sure to make direct eye contact with you filled with something that could move mountains. “I never intended to hurt you, I really didn’t.”

Your tone also went serious yet understanding. “I know, I know now. And I appreciate you for telling me.”

Despite the bustle of that tiny deli in the middle of the dinner rush, all you could see was Jungkook and all he could see was you. The understanding weighing upon you both now.

“Thank you for also trusting me with taking you out tonight, that means a lot to me.”

“Me too.” You nodded up at him. “I doubt there’s anyone else who would be able to get me out here like this either. I can’t even remember the last time I pulled an all-nighter… it was probably when we were still in undergrad.” The two of you shared a laugh that was abruptly interrupted. 

“FINAL CALL! Final call for order number 72!” The person working the counter exclaimed with the order bill in his hands. No one went up to the counter so the employee shook his head to himself in disapproval before proceeding to keep it pushing. 

The scene had finally calmed so you turned to Jungkook expectantly. “Alright, we had dinner. So where are we headed now?”

Jungkook wiped the crumbs off his mouth with a napkin as he said, “One of my favorite bars in the city! The vibes are so nice and they often have open mic nights so you get to see some local talent”

“Sounds amazing.”

“Oh, it will be,” Jungkook promised.

“I have to go to the bathroom real quick before we head out, though.” You said as you got up. 

He nodded his head as he motioned for you to go. “Do what you gotta do.”

Inside, you looked at yourself in the mirror in the bathroom, unable to grasp how this whole thing could have happened. One second you are about to cry from how cruel the universe was to sitting at a historic deli with Jeon-freaking-Jungkook. 

Once you returned, you saw him writing on a napkin which he then folded up and placed in the pocket of his jeans at the sight of you approaching. 

“What’s that?”

“Just some thoughts for a possible song that came to me.” Jungkook got up and left some cash for the tip on the table. “C’mon. Let’s head to our next destination!”

Sitting on the subway, thigh to thigh with Jungkook taking the aisle seat and you on the window seat, he told you that he doesn’t remember the name of this favorite bar but just how to get there. He said that, apparently, was all that mattered as you sat on the A Line train. Trying your best to ignore the close proximity due to the seat and Jungkook’s broad frame, you both took turns taking shy stolen glances at each other – hoping each other would notice just as much as you both wish you wouldn’t. The warm and slightly stagnant air made you both run a little hot, your cardigan resting in your lap and Jungkook’s leather jacket in his.

However, the car of the train started to get packed to the point where people had to step into the aisle right next to Jungkook. The sudden stops causing people to bump into the shaggy-haired singer. You scooted to be more flush against the wall of the car, motioning for Jungkook to get closer to avoid more hits from the rough ride and sudden backpack attack. He looked at you sheepishly as he accepted the invitation, where his arm went around the top of your seat and shoulders to make room for his wide build. 

“I hope this is okay.” He gave as he rested against you.

“Yeah, no worries.” You had a smile of reassurance that he mirrored.

It was hard to avoid each other eyes at this point. 

You wondered how long it had been since you were last nested against him and why you didn’t feel as uncomfortable as you thought you’d be despite all those years. However, this was no surprise as Jungkook always had that weird effect on you.

“Pardon me, is it cool if I stand here next to you?” A tall, handsome figure appeared from your left side. You peered over your shoulder at the sudden question. It was about an hour before Epik High was supposed to be on stage but you entered the venue early since you wanted a good place to stand on the floor. There were pockets of people but surely not enough where someone had to approach you and ask like that. 

Promptly, you had to bring yourself back to reality as you cleared your throat. “Yeah, sure… no worries.”

A bunny-toothed dazzling smile appeared and you watched as his eyes curiously traveled down to the long-sleeved tour shirt you held. A purchase to remember this concert. “Thanks. And oh! I was tempted to get that shirt too. It’s pretty sick.”

Feeling a little self-conscious you avoided his fixed gaze, “Yeah. Their designer for this tour’s merch did an awesome job…”

Jungkook nodded mostly to himself, believing that he was making you uncomfortable. “Listen, sorry if I’m making this awkward but my name’s Jungkook, and I think you seem really cool. But if I’m bothering you, totally let me know and I can give you your space! No hard feelings or anything.”

You smiled at his frankness and shook your head at this. “No, no. Sorry, I think you seem cool too, and I don’t mind at all.” You said before giving your name as well.

“That’s a pretty name,” he responded. “It suits you.” 

You politely laughed off the subtle compliment. “Thank you, and I hope so.”

Steadily, you and Jungkook became deeply immersed in conversation – talking about how long you both had been fans of the artist, why you both ended up attending this concert alone, and getting to know each other generally. Most significantly, you found out that you both attended the same university and were the same age among the many things discussed. The conversation flowed comfortably after that initial interaction. That hour before showtime had passed so quickly that you hadn’t noticed how much the venue had filled up and gradually forced you and Jungkook to be shoulder to shoulder from how packed it had become. By the time the venue fell dark and signaling that Epik High was about to set foot on stage, the crowd had slightly pushed forward, forcing you to be closer than ever to Jungkook.

“Sorry, I hope this is okay.” He spoke sheepishly at the proximity.

“No worries.” You smiled at him and at that moment the pyrotechnics of the stage went off, as the concert began – strangely calm despite having only met the man not too long before and cheers erupting from the crowd that surrounded you. There was just something about him.

There was always something so human (as cliche as it was) about open mic nights. People stand on stage and recite poems where they bare their souls or sing original songs written about the throes of life. A little appreciation for the small things that you and Jungkook shared. You both enjoyed the local buskers back in Seoul during undergrad, especially around springtime when things overall seemed brighter and full of life. 

You sat with your pineapple tequila as Jungkook went for his whiskey on the rocks, occasionally shaking the ice cubes around in the glass between sips. You both sat at a booth off to the side of the stage where you could get a decent view of the performers. 

“So…” Jungkook started.

You tore your gaze away from the current performer, a girl singing a cover of a Laufey song, to find Jungkook staring at you with a glint in his eye. “...So?”

“I’m honestly surprised you took my offer to spend time with me tonight – with some negotiating, of course but surprised nevertheless.” Jungkook chuckled as he took another sip of his drink. “What was it that convinced you?”

You toyed with a loose strand of hair in contemplation of his words. 

What did convince you? Was it the frustration from the flight fiasco? The fact that you were in New York for the first time? This was a question you only recently started to ponder because saying yes felt so right but you couldn’t explain why.

“I just trust you. And it’s been so long since we’ve been in the same place at the same time.” You began, noting how his eyes have softened at your words. “I honestly didn’t know what to think when you first stood there in front of me, y’know? I kind of thought I was hallucinating. I thought that maybe the stress from all the flight mess was getting to me. 

“I honestly never thought I would cross paths with you ever again, considering how the trajectory of our lives headed. You live in LA, working full-time on your music and touring. I live back in Seoul, where there’s always a deadline looming over me and I have to set off to meet some client. And besides…” You held his stare where there was a gentle smile on his face. “I knew I wanted to spend more time to catch up with you the second we sat back in that coffee shop at the airport.”

Relief and something else that you couldn’t place washed over his face. Was it regret? Was it longing? You didn’t know exactly but you felt his free hand reach for yours from across the booth. The calloused fingers of his hand from hours of playing guitar caressed yours as he stared at the way they connected. Still a perfect fit. Your first real bit of physical connection since that fateful day when you were both 21 and young and dumb and lost. 

“Yeah, me too.” Jungkook started. “But for me, it was the moment before you even saw me. When my eyes found you at the gate, I seriously couldn’t believe it.”

You laughed at this. “Well, I hope that time has done me well since you last saw me.”

Jungkook chuckled as well as he cocked his head to the side. “Are you kidding? You look phenomenal. I’m convinced you always will.”

“Oh, shut up. You’re trying to butter me up.” You joked but deep down, the intensity of the intimacy scared you. It was like a fireplace left dormant for so long had finally lit up. It surged through your whole body and you weren’t sure how to deal with it. You withdrew your hand back slowly and instantly regretted the coldness from the loss of contact. However, it frightened you with all things considered. “You’ve always been such a charmer.”

Jungkook’s expression faltered when you fully pulled back your hand but he tried his best to hide it. Holding your hand just felt so right, like it was the divine providence of the universe – written in the stars and made to fit. No other body could bring the warmth he felt from when he was around you. He was convinced that with your every step, flowers bloomed and skies cleared. He was always a goner for you, and that still stands true to this day. 

How funny the universe was, Jungkook thought to himself, that it could create someone so wonderful but have them exist on a different path from his. 

“Alright, alright! That was a fantastic cover from Gina. Let’s give her a round of applause, everyone!” The MC and presumed owner of the bar stepped on stage and spoke into the mic, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Now, we have a guest singer that I saw sign up, his name is JK Jeon. Let’s give him a warm welcome!”

You whipped your head to face a sheepish Jungkook finishing the last bits of his whiskey before he patted you on the head and headed towards the stage. “When did he…”

The leather-jacketed, confident lead singer Jeon Jungkook of Bring the Soul appeared before you as he adjusted the mic stand and introduced himself in perfect, unaccented English. “Hi everyone, my name is JK. I signed up because this is one of my favorite places in New York so I thought I’d sing something for you, especially because there’s also someone important here with me today.” 

His eyes locked with yours in that moment and you forgot to breathe for a second. He looked so otherworldly in that bar, he had the aura to make the dingiest stage look like some elaborate arena. He was born to perform.

Your second pineapple tequila arrived and it was a much heavier pour from the bartender. However, you were grateful as the surge of emotions overcame you. Everything was feeling surreal again and you definitely needed this drink despite being a little bit of a lightweight.

“So, this song is titled ‘seasons’ by a band called wave to earth. Hope you enjoy it.” 

With that, he signaled for the song to start and the first keys of a piano filled the dim bar. Not once did Jungkook’s eyes leave yours as he sang. You were absolutely bewitched as the song progressed, and so was the rest of the bar. A couple across the room embraced each other, two friends shared a toast of their drinks with a lively clank, and the bartender even paused to take in Jungkook’s singing… all these people were brought together by his undeniable talent. Your heart was so full and you were so proud, and distracted until you really started to listen to the lyrics of the song.

But I'll pray for you all the time

If I could be by your side

I'll give you all my life, my seasons

By your side, I'll be your seasons

My love

A thunderous applause surged through the bar as Jungkook thanked the audience and stepped off the stage fluidly before heading straight for the booth where you still sat. However, instead of sitting across from you, he slid into the bench where you were and settled right next to you.

“How was that?” Jungkook’s arm naturally went around your shoulders and you swore you were soaring. 

You rested your head on his bicep as you gazed up at him, and Jungkook was swooning at how adorable you looked then. The dim, soft lights make you look ethereal to him. “It was amazing, as always.”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.”

“Cool.” Jungkook stroked your hair as you continued to rest your head on his arm. He could tell you were beginning to feel your drinks in your system since you had long finished your two pineapple tequilas and were now babysitting a pint of beer. 

“Hey, Jungkook.” He barely caught it as you basically whispered it out. “Y’know, I’m going to be really sad about everything once morning comes.”

His eyes widened as he shared the same sentiments. “Yeah… me, too.”

“But!” You suddenly shot upright in posture and surprised him as you grabbed your drink by its handle. “None of that dramatic ‘goodbye’ shit in the morning!” You tipsily pointed at Jungkook with your beer who only laughed at your theatrics as some foam spilled.

Between chuckles, Jungkook was barely able to let out at the sudden shift in mood. “Okay, then what do we say at the end? When it’s morning time?”

“What people always say at that time – ‘good morning’ and not goodbye. Let’s make it a nice ending for us, I feel like that would do us both justice.” Your gaze was too hazy to see the seriousness that lined his face but he shook it off and plastered his signature smile despite the storm in his heart. “I know it’s a little cheesy, but I don’t want to be sad in those last minutes with you.”

“Okay, we’ll bid each other ‘good morning’ when dawn comes then we go on with the rest of our lives. No sad stuff.” You missed how tight-lipped his grin was. 

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Alright, follow me!” Jungkook called from over his shoulder as he jogged to catch the door to the rooftop of some swanky highrise apartment complex that you two managed to sneak into. 

He held the door open for you, with his free hand exaggeratedly ushering you to go first like a medieval knight. “After you, m’lady.”

By this time, the alcohol had flushed out of your system on the twenty-minute walk Jungkook had brought you on after hearing about how much you wanted to see the skyline but didn’t want to pay a ridiculous amount for a view. And this is where it led you: on the lounge rooftop of a luxury apartment building. The twinkling lights of the city sparked beneath you. The haphazard spacing of the lights from nearby buildings were windows into the lives of the people who occupied the space. Then, you had the great Empire State Building literally blocks away, its spire brightly illuminating the night. To your right, there was a patch of darkness that was Central Park. 

You were breathless at the sight before you. Suddenly, you felt connected with every fiber of your being. The light midnight breeze that swam between your loose strands of hair felt like a glass of fresh water as it revitalized you. There you were, in New York City – looking at it from a bird’s eye point of view. Nothing could have ever prepared you for this. 

You then felt Jungkook stand close next to you as he bumped his shoulder with yours playfully. “How is it?”

“It’s so beautiful.” It took everything in you to tear your gaze away from the view to look at Jungkook. “How did you know about this place?”

He snickered mischievously. “One of the label’s former execs used to live in this building. He used to talk about it all the time and I couldn’t help but remember it. Glad it lived up to all the talk though, it is gorgeous up here.”

And with that, he began to walk over to the outdoor couch hidden behind the privacy of a cabana in front of a fire pit. He turned it on effortlessly before plopping down on the couch right beside the glass-protected edge of the building for what you assumed to be a maximum viewing experience. You followed and sat down, his arm naturally finding its way wrapped behind your shoulders. 

“I never thought I would be able to experience something like this,” you marveled at the night skyline with an at-ease smile on your face, letting your body fit into a nook created by Jungkook’s. “Never would I think feeling so small like this would be so comforting. I don’t regret this at all.”

Absentmindedly, Jungkook’s hand began to play with one of the strands of your hair. “Yeah, same. I regret a lot of things, but this definitely wouldn’t be one – not by a long shot.”

“Oh? Like what kind of regrets?” You asked him, scared to look into his eyes at that moment. 

“Letting my insecurities and tendencies for perfectionism get the best of me. There were so many times when it got in the way of being present. Whether it be with the band, my life… and you.” His hand froze as he cleared his throat. “I regret letting you go. And I feel like the biggest idiot on the face of the earth, y’know? I thought that I had to be successful to be worthy of your love. To be worthy of someone so utterly beautiful inside and out. You were truly my morning light. And I hurt you. I hurt you because I was insecure and so lost in my head.” He blew out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “And Y/N, I can’t even begin to explain how much it kills me to sit here with you knowing I did that. And I think that’s because my heart will always be yours, y’know. And I know I’m rambling but I’ve been meditating on this for the past few years because it always bothered me to hear how great and peachy things were for you with that Seokjin guy from Yoongi-hyung, I… don’t know…”

You sat up and finally made eye contact with Jungkook at his confession, resting a comforting hand on his chest. “Jungkook, can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about…” You whispered as Seokjin stood before you under a streetlight at the park not too far from his apartment. 

“My love, I just can’t do this anymore. I love you so much but it’s time we both be honest.” Seokjin reached for your gloved hand. It was the tail end of autumn and the first signs of winter were beginning to make its appearance. “I don’t think we should meet anymore.”

Tears lined your eyes but the rush of the emotion present was so foreign to you. You knew you should have been sadder and while you were sad... However, at that point, you realized that you were more sorrowful about losing Seokjin as a person in your life than your actual romantic relationship ending. That’s when it hit you, the tears falling. “How did you…”

“My love, you're one of the most intelligent people I know but I don’t think you even realized it yourself. But your heart isn’t in it with me. And that’s okay, I’ll always have a soft spot for you and I’m sure you know that.” Seokjin sighed as he respectfully let go of your hand and took a definitive step back, still handsome and composed. “I’m afraid I just can’t keep fighting like this for a love that was never meant to be mine in the first place.”

“I think that it will always be you.” You whispered, at this point your lips just mere centimeters from Jungkook’s. 

“It’ll always be you, too,” Jungkook responded, too drunk in your perfume and the feeling of your being so close to his. “Y/N, can I tell you something now?”

“Of course.”

“Would it be okay if I kissed you right now?”

Wordlessly, you closed the gap between you two. The second your lips connected, it felt a lot like a warm summer day. Electricity turned static force kept you connected like that. Soon, lips moved in sync like rolling ocean waves during low tide. Hands lost in hair and tracing all the valleys of each other’s bodies, leaving goosebumps at they traversed every familiar inch. Jungkook’s plush lips felt so homey and so right. Your hand went right back to resting on his chest, feeling the intense beating of his heart. A pace set for you only. 

It hurt so much to have to disconnect so you both could catch your breath. 

“Wow…” Jungkook licked the last taste of you off his lips, savoring the moment with his eyes closed and forehead rested upon yours. “I missed this so fucking much. I missed you so much.” 

“Please kiss me again...” Your eyes gazed into his and he obliged happily. 

And your lips found each other again just like that.

Hands grew more adventurous as the kiss grew more heated. Jungkook’s calloused and cold hands made their way under your shirt, cupping your tender breasts through your bra. At this, you gently pushed him to sit back further on the couch so you could climb on top. The second you straddled his hips, you began to grind down onto his clothed dick, earning you a grunt of satisfaction. His hands grew impatient as he then pushed your shirt and bra up to reveal perky nipples, the chill of the night making them more erect. 

“You look a little cold, baby. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.” He said before taking one nipple into his mouth and his free hand making sure the other wasn’t left unattended. You couldn’t help the moan that escaped you as he was living up to his words. 

You reached down between your bodies and slipped them into his denim jeans, feeling his hot and heavy dick in the palm of your hands. This got you another grunt from Jungkook, suddenly you were on your back lying down on the couch and Jungkook flashed you his charismatic smile. “Getting a little handsy, I see.” He leaned down and began kissing your neck, remembering your sweet spot despite your time apart. It was his turn for his hand to slip into your pants, gathering your slick between his fingers to play with your clit.  “Baby, let me eat you out, okay?”

You could have easily come right then and there. 

You barely managed a nod as you felt him pull down your jeans and panties in tow after kicking off your sneakers. Once off, Jungkook sat back as he in the sight of your sprawled like that before him. Snapping out of his daze, he crouched down and just lost all sense of shame the second his mouth tasted you. Sucking rhythmically on your clit, rubbing circles on your inner thigh, it was all too much. The sloppy sounds of his saliva mixing in with your wetness were all you could focus on as you felt your walls tighten on nothing. 

“Jungkook, baby, your fingers…”

He didn’t need to be told twice as he continued his string of slurps on your pussy and inserted one finger, beginning to stretch you out. The loudest moan escaped you embarrassingly considering you both were in a public place. However Jungkook didn’t care, he was making up for lost time after all. And then another long digit went inside you, pumping wildly and that was it.

The threads of the rope in your stomach were wound so tight that the fine fibers were beginning to give. Jungkook knew your undoing was near so he continued his onslaught of your pussy with his mouth and fingers. Soon enough, the rope snapped, your eyes sealed shut as you saw white and your jaw went slack while you continued to leak out. Your body felt utterly buoyant, among the clouds, and your mind far ahead of your physical being. How long had it been since you came like that?

Jungkook happily lapped up your cum like a man who had gone without water. “You look so fucking beautiful, so beautiful.”

“Need you… inside…” You finally said as you came to and began to remove Jungkook’s leather jacket and his white tee. “More, I want more of you…”

His smile shined as the bottom half of his face was proudly covered in your slick. That dazed smile stayed plastered as he undid the bucket of his belt, the jingle of his pants and boxers hitting his ankles had you in anticipation. 

“Your wish is my command, baby. All yours… I’m all yours” He continued to toy with your already sensitive clit as he began to gently push himself inside your tight core. Both your eyes went wide with how good the tight fit was. It took everything in Jungkook to not come at that moment. His eyes only got a glimpse of the delectable scene of where he entered you before he had to screw them shut in concentration. “You feel so good as always, could die like this.”

You began to move around him, wanting friction and he took that as his sign to start moving as well. What started as slow and steady, became desperate and erratic. He hovered over you, his lips on the valley of your neck and hand gripping onto your breast as you felt every single velvet inch of him fuck you. Your arms wrapped around his neck, trying to pull him closer if that was even possible. It was all-consuming, it was otherworldly. He hit you in all the right places and it was so good that you didn’t know what to do with yourself. 

“Jungkook, just like that, baby. Let’s come together, okay?” You spoke into his ears which kicked him into overdrive. You were so full of him. His hand fondling your painfully erect nipple, his mouth right on the spot he knew would have you, and Jungkook groaned as you clenched him so tight, having him reach his own undoing. A sheen of sweat lined Jungkook’s forehead as he cocked a focused brow. He drank in the fucked out image of you, encouraging him to thrust into you even more sporadically despite how sensitive you both were.

It felt so right to be filled up with his cum, with his dick, with him. 

The two of you sat there in that fucked out state for a couple more minutes to catch your breath again. 

Eventually, Jungkook got up with that dopey smile still on his face as he began to dress you despite still lying on the couch and straighten your clothes. He punctuated each movement with a peck on your swollen lips. His movements were more delicate and tender compared to the heated desperation from moments ago. Once he was dressed as well, he collapsed with you on the couch with his arm slung around you.

“You’re so beautiful.” He made eye contact again, however his airy smile faltered at seeing your bittersweet expression make another appearance. “Hey, baby… what’s wrong?”

“Where do we go from here, Jungkook?” You asked as you reached for his face, caressing a cheek with your thumb. “Because now I’m going to be even more sad when morning comes…”

Fuck. Jungkook had been so caught up in that moment that he didn’t realize what the consequences would be after the fact. While he sure as hell didn’t regret what happened, he didn’t want to hurt you any more than he already has. 

“It doesn’t have to be like that… we can work something out. I can figure something out. I just – I just don’t want you to regret this, regret us… Just give me some time to think and I can –”

You quietly stopped him with a shake of your head, letting him know that it was okay. “It’s okay, you belong in LA, where your life is now. And I belong in Seoul, where my life is now – I know that much. I can’t ask you to uproot your life and give up the band, nor could I leave Seoul given everything happening at home. Just know that I don’t regret this, not at all. However, it’ll be quite sad when morning comes.”

Jungkook could only nod at the heaviness of your words. While they were a hard pill to swallow, they were correct. Both those things rang true in his head. He ached for you so much now he had another taste of life with you, but you both knew there was nowhere to go from here. By late noon, you’ll already be on a flight back to Seoul and he’ll be headed to Vienna to start the European leg of Bring the Soul’s tour. 

“I’ll be sad when morning comes, too. Irrevocably sad.” Jungkook knew that would be the extent of all he could say then. 

Silently, he sat upright where he led you to rest your head in his lap. He looked down at you fondly, a matching bittersweet expression on his face as he began to stroke your hair. A quiet promise was exchanged between you both to enjoy these last moments of intimacy before the sun rose. 

You both had fallen asleep on that rooftop lounge. Then you woke up around 6AM to Jungkook trying to get you up, talking about taking you to one more place before the night was officially over. Eventually, you both were jogging out of the luxury apartment building, hand in hand, as the two of you entered the subway station to head southwest to the piers to catch the sunrise. 

It was a solemn train ride, to say the least. Both of you avoided each other’s eyes on the ride, like anxious teenage lovers who experienced their first quarrel. It was hell, and the time when you both got off at your correct stop couldn’t have come sooner. His hands still intertwined with yours as you walked off into the morning world, the sun beginning to make its appearance known. The morning’s dew still coated the patches of grass as you both traveled to the edge of the pier which overlooked the water. 

At this point, the blue hour had long passed as the bright star that is our sun began to peek through the horizon. The sky turned from midnight blue to a vibrant yellow with hints of orange. That’s it. This is it…

The morning had officially come. 

You cursed every cliched metaphor referencing the elusiveness of time… the grains of sand slipping through fingertips, the ticking of clock hands that echo in the back of your head, the passage of breezes, and the eventual rising of the morning sun. 

Jungkook smiled gently, wiping away a tear with his thumb which you didn’t even feel form as it fell down your cheek. “Don’t worry.”

“I just want you to know that I loved being in this moment. Sharing this night with you, that tonight it felt like New York was all ours. I could have never seen its beauty and experienced its magic the way I did with you.” Barely managing through your cries, you gasped for a breath as you tried to make out the next words. “But why did things have to turn out this way?”

The loud caws of the seagulls as they flew over the pier and the cold morning air fell onto forgotten senses as the only thing you could feel was the intensity of Jungkook’s stare on you. From your forehead that he placed a tender kiss upon, to your eyes that mirrored that silent longing his contained, the nose that he nuzzled against his, and chin that he held softly in his rough hand… It was like he was taking a picture of you at that moment. A moment where he was not rockstar Jeon Jungkook, but the Jungkook who always found a way to make you laugh and the Jungkook you dreamed of sharing matching rings with. And you were not the person living too fast for anyone to keep up with, but a person who could find the beauty in anything and the person that Jungkook could write a million and one songs about.

“Shh,” he comforted you as his arms wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you into his chest. “I really can’t thank you enough for tonight… I’ve never hated to see morning as much as I do now.” He chuckled dryly at the irony of all. 

You pulled back, surprising the man who towered over you. You held his confused face in your hands and smiled. “Me, too. I hope you know that.”

“I do now…” He whispered as though louder words could break the moment before placing a chaste kiss on one of the hands that cupped his face.

“Now what?” Your hands fell from his face and rested on his chest. 

Jungkook sighed in contemplation as he peered past you into the blossoming orange horizon before recentering his eyes on you and grin losing its warmth, being replaced with sadness. “Good morning, I guess.”

The gravity of the situation settled upon you both silently.

“None of that dramatic ‘goodbye’ shit in the morning!” You tipsily pointed at Jungkook with your beer who only laughed at your theatrics as some foam spilled.

Between chuckles, Jungkook was barely able to let out. “Okay, then what do we say at the end? When it’s morning?”

“What people always say at that time – ‘good morning’ and not goodbye. Let’s make it a nice ending for us, I feel like that would do us both justice.” Your gaze was too hazy to see the seriousness that lined his face but he shook it off and plastered his signature smile despite the storm in his heart. “I know it’s a little cheesy, but I don’t want to be sad in those last minutes with you.”

“Okay, we’ll bid each other ‘good morning’ when dawn comes then we go on with the rest of our lives. No sad stuff.”

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Good morning, Jungkook.” No matter how dazzling your smile was, Jungkook could never be distracted from the tears that lined your gorgeous eyes. 

No physical closeness could ever combat the weight of what daybreak meant for you both.

“For JK?” The driver of the Uber called out of the window as he pulled up. 

You and Jungkook stood before each other again, hand in hand for the final time. You squeezed his rough hand, a wordless command of it’s time to let go. And just like that, his hand – despite its hesitation – followed and released its grip on yours. No matter how disheveled you both may have looked from the sleepless night of journeying, it all felt surreal.

“Good morning, Y/N.”

“Good morning, Jungkook.”

Then one more quick kiss before you had gotten into the car he ordered for you and began the journey back to your life. A life without Jeon Jungkook. You rode with the window down, taking the sight of New York in a new day’s light. It felt so foreign and so different from the New York you experienced in the last fifteen hours with Jungkook. That taxi driver was right, you were convinced, that New York was a magical place and had so much more to offer. 

You abruptly felt something wrinkle in the pocket of your jeans as you adjusted yourself in the backseat of the car. Reaching in, you fished out a Katz’s Deli napkin and remembered how Jungkook was writing on it when you had excused yourself to go to the bathroom. You carefully unfolded the napkin and read what was written on it: I’m sure by the time you’ll see this, you would’ve given me the most memorable night I could never forget even if someone were to beat it out of me. I’m dreading sunrise as I write this right now. Though, I’ll hold close what tonight has in store for us. I don’t know if our paths will ever cross again, but I’m sure that this was the most beautiful sunrise I could ever experience because it was with you.

You pondered the possibilities as the heartache fully set in from reading his note. What if you told this Uber to turn around right now? What if you stayed longer? What if you took Jungkook’s offer to figure something out? What if you didn’t have to say goodbye on that forsakenly beautiful pier? What if?

However, it no longer mattered. 

This was the reality you both lived in. 

You had the connection, felt it again, and let it take its course. 

That was what mattered. No what ifs, maybes, or perhapses. What matters is only what happened and that it, in fact, did happen. 

Jungkook watched your car disappear into the morning traffic commute, gone was the warmth that you both shared on that chilly spring morning. He began to laugh at himself, at how cruel the universe was. It could have been perfect. It could have been the ultimate love story. It all could’ve. 

Jungkook kicked a random pebble in his path as he finally looked at his phone log after putting his phone on Do Not Disturb for the whole duration with you.

Min Yoongi | 2 Missed Calls

FROM: Min Yoongi | Where the fuck did you run off to?

Park Jimin | 6 Missed Calls

FROM: Park Jimin | Yah, where’d you go??

FROM: Park Jimin | Please tell me you didn’t do anything stupid I swear to god Jeon Jungkook 

Kim Taehyung | 5 Missed Calls

FROM: Kim Taehyung | You bastard, don’t tell me you went off to explore New York on your own

FROM: Kim Taehyung | Broooo, you didn’t even check in to your hotel room? You should’ve told meeeeeee

FROM: Kim Taehyung | You’re so foul for leaving me just to be bored while you went on a night adventure of the city that never sleeps smfh

Manager Sejin | 13 Missed calls

FROM: Manager Sejin | Kid, where the HELL did you go? Call me back asap

FROM: Manager Sejin | Jungkook this isn’t funny

Jungkook laughed at the missed notifications from the group and his manager before giving Yoongi a call back, reasoning that he would be the most level-headed given all the missed notifications after sending a quick message. 

TO GROUP: Bring the Soul | Hey, I’m ok lol. I’m at the pier

The caller's ring sounded twice before Yoongi picked up groggily, but still picked up nonetheless. “Where the hell did you go last night?”

“Just hanging around. New York is a magical place, hyung.” Jungkook responded vaguely but Yoongi caught the hint of bittersweetness in the younger’s tone. 

“Alright… We’re about to get breakfast at a restaurant close to you. I’ll text you the address. Meet us there by 9AM.”

“Sounds good, hyung.”

“Okay. And uh… are you alright?” 

Damn Yoongi’s intuition, Jungkook thought to himself and sighed into the receiver of his cell phone. 

“Yeah… it’s a damn good morning after all.” 

© bbangtans | please do not re-distribute in any way without permission.

[bingbongsupremacy]

Pairing: Father! Eddie Munson x reader

Warnings:

Summary: Years ago you and Eddie used to be friends. After you graduated, you two fell out of contact. After years of not speaking to each other, Eddie offers you a job you can't resist; be a nanny for his little girl.

*Not Proof Read*

Pt.1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3

******

" Rose! Where are you, Rose? " A loud voice shouts from one of the nearby isles. " Come on, this isn't funny anymore! "

A small black-haired blur shoots past my legs. Surprised, I stumble back and drop the handful of plastic bags I was putting away.

" What the fu- " I catch myself as my eyes land on a pair of wide brown eyes.

A little girl with dark curls stares up at me, watching every movement. A light giggle escapes the mouth of the toddler who's enjoying the chaos she's creating. She tightly hugs a well-worn bunny to her chest, her wild hair bouncing around as she waves up at me. " Hi! " She greets.

" Hi. " I greet back, a small smile crawling onto my face. " Are you Rose? "

The little girl shakes her head quickly. " No. " Her smile betrays her lie.

Over the register, I spot a figure dashing between the isles. The store's fluorescent lights bounce off of the man's black leather jacket.

" Well, not Rose, I think your daddy might be looking for you. "

The little girl shakes her head. "Nuh-uh. "

I chuckle slightly at her sassy attitude. " Well, how about this. If you come out from under the register, I'll give you this cool sticker. Does that sound good? " I show her a small roll of shiny animal stickers we keep for kids who come into the store.

The little girl ponders the offer. Finally, she agrees, crawling out from underneath the register. " Okay. "

I hand her a small sticker before turning towards a figure that comes out of the isles again. " I think you might be looking for this one. " I gesture down to the small child who's attempting to stick the sticker onto her shirt.

" Oh my god. Thank you so fucking much. " The man rushes over to us. He quickly snatches the kid up from the floor, holding her tightly against his chest. " That wasn't funny, Rose. You can't run away from Daddy like that. You almost gave me a heart attack. " The man lets out a sigh of relief as he presses a gentle kiss to the toddler's head.

Not aware of the stress she caused her dad, Rose proudly shows her sticker to her father. " Daddy look! " She giggles while sticking the small lion sticker onto her father's cheek.

" That's cool, baby. " The man mumbles. He still looks stressed out.

My eyes widen as I finally take in the man's appearance. His long curly hair nearly perfectly matches the little girls'. His hands are covered in rings, some more familiar than others. " Eddie? Eddie Munson? " I ask in shock.

The man snaps his head to me. " Yeah? " For a moment he looks slightly more tense. That quickly dies away as a flash of recognition takes over his features. " Oh my…Y/N? "

I smile over at the man. " Yeah! Oh wow, it's been…years. "

Eddie returns to the smile. " Yeah…how-how have you been? I thought you moved out of Hawkins. The last thing I heard was that you moved to Chicago with your boyfriend. " Confusion takes over his expression.

I nod. " Well, I did. For a few years actually. Ben got a job at some firm in Chicago and we thought it would be easier for me to move with him instead of doing the whole long-distance thing. About two years into living out there Ben got the bright idea of sleeping with his assistant and we broke up. " I shift uncomfortably at the memories.

The last thing you do is walk in on your boyfriend fucking his new assistant. long-term. It's not a fun thing to deal with.

Sympathy flashes through Eddie's eyes. " Oh shoot, that sucks. I'm sorry. "

I shrug. " It is what it is. We were moving too fast. I shouldn't have moved with him. I was so eager to leave this place I didn't think about how things could go wrong. " I don't want to turn this into a pity party. " It seems like a lot's happened with you the past few years. " I gesture to the wiggly child in his arms.

Eddie glances down at Rose. " Yeah. It's been a little crazy. " He laughs. " Corroded Coffin ended up taking off and we started traveling around. " Eddie's tone goes silly as he gently pokes the tip of his daughter's nose, sending her into a fit of giggles. " Then this one came along and here we are. "

" I heard about your band! That's amazing, I mean you guys deserve it. I remember seeing your shows at the hideout. You guys know how to entertain an audience. "

Eddie's smile widens. " Thanks. We try. "

There's a moment of silence as memories of the past seem to fill both of our minds.

Memories of how our friendship started in middle school and began to fade after I graduated and Eddie failed his first senior year. How we went from hanging out almost daily to barely managing once a week during DnD. It wasn't either of our faults. Right? We were bound to grow apart at some point. I mean, I was in college and Eddie was still in High school. Suddenly getting by with cramming for tests the night before wasn't cutting it. Suddenly I needed to put in more work to earn the grades I wanted and needed. And then Ben came around and our weekly hang outs basically fizzled out. We were lucky to hang out once a month.

Ben just easily got jealous and I didn't want to stir the pot. We had something good. Or at least I thought.

" Can I ask you something? " Eddie's voice drags me out of my thoughts.

" Yeah. Go for it. " I say, moving towards the register. I begin to wipe down the machine, trying to keep myself from getting sad over the way our friendship ended. I'd spent enough nights with regrets bouncing around my mind, I don't need to spend a day on it too.

" Why are you here? "

I glance back at the man. " What do you mean? "

Eddie nods towards the store. " Why are you working at Danny's Grocery? Weren't you planning on becoming a teacher or something? "

My heart drops at the question. That had always been the plan. But things change. Sometimes plans don't always work out. " When I moved back to Hawkins I had 100 dollars to my name. When I was with Ben I got too comfortable. I'd always planned on going back to school and finishing my degree but something always happened. My records didn't come in on time for me to apply for the upcoming season or my dad died. Something always delayed it and eventually, I just pushed it off. When we broke up I used everything I saved up to get back here. I don't make enough to pay my way through school and afford rent, food, bills, whatever. I've tried getting multiple jobs but I just can't seem to land one that doesn't pay barely minimum wage. " I let out a small sigh in frustration. " I'm gonna go back to school eventually, I just need to get my sh-sorry, life together first. Save up a little. " I glance over at Rose, hoping she didn't hear my slip-up.

Eddie is silent for a moment. I feel his gaze on my face which makes me shift slightly.

" I have an idea. " He begins. " I've been looking for a live-in nanny for Rose for my upcoming tour. I just haven't found anyone I trust yet. I'll pay for everything. Your room, your food, tickets. I'll also pay you to watch Rose. "

My eyes widen. " What? "

" Is 50 an hour good? " Eddie's voice is serious.

" Oh my-Eddie! $50 dollars an hour? That's- I can't take that much money from you. On top of paying for my room and everything…that's too much. " I shake my head in disbelief.

$50 dollars an hour?!

" My kid is important to me. I'm going to pay good to make sure she's taken care of. And…I trust you. I mean, you've always been good with kids. "

That's true. I used to babysit Dustin Henderson and a bunch of the other local kids all the time.

" But $50 is insane. " I say, still in disbelief of his offer.

Eddie shakes his head. " It's not that bad. I promise. I wouldn't be offering if I couldn't afford it. "

Corroded Coffin really must've taken off. I should keep up with the news more.

" Please, Y/N. You'd be doing me a huge favor. I've spent months trying to find a replacement nanny and I only have a few weeks until we leave for tour again. I can't leave Rose by herself. " Eddie's eyes are filled with hope.

Should I do this?

The money is tempting. I could do so much with money like that. I could finally move out of my aunt's basement.

I nod. " I'll do it. "

[darthfrodophantom]

Death Is My Gift

Summary: When Danny becomes the personification of Death, his new powers are the least of his problems. Summoned as the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, Danny tries to sabotage it from the inside while also contending with the other three horsemen, the one who summoned him, and the knowledge that if he fails, he may have to help bring about the end of the world.

AO3: Link

Chapter 1: Still Dead - Thanks for Checking

“What the hell is that on your phone?” Sam asked, her tone dripping with derision. 

Danny looked up from his screen and cocked his eyebrow. “What?” How could she see what was on his screen when she was on the other side of the table? Not that he had anything embarrassing on there, but look it wasn’t his fault that he messed up his Insta algorithm because he watched one video about large superheated copper balls melting through a telescope lens and now he couldn’t stop watching more of them. But still, how could she see it?

She gestured toward the back of his phone. “That sticker - what the hell is it?”

Understanding dawned on the usually clueless boy and his face brightened. “Oh, it’s my new sticker! Isn’t it great?” he preened as he moved his hand to the side so they could see the sticker in its full glory. He had been waiting for them to notice it, and somehow it took all the way until lunch for them to comment on it. 

Tucker craned his neck around to see the purple coffin-shaped sticker plastered onto the back of Danny’s phone case. In white letters it read: “Still Dead. Thanks for checking.” Tucker snorted before he devolved into cackles. “Dude, that’s great!”

Danny grinned even wider. “Right? I thought it was too funny.”

“No, it’s stupid,” Sam argued, and her harsh attitude completely ruined the mood. “Danny, the less people associate you with death, the better.”

“Oh come on Sam, if they haven’t figured out that Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton are the same person by now when they have the exact same hairstyle, then a sticker is not going to phase anyone,” Tucker argued, ever in defense of his friend.

“Exactly!” Danny seconded.

“Or it’s exactly the last piece that helps people make that connection because there’s already so little separating you!” Sam exclaimed, though she did try to keep her voice down so no one else would overhear.

“Or maybe they’ll just think I’m a moody Gen Z kid that says this kind of dramatic stuff all the time. Which is why you should have let me keep that shirt.” He still thought that “Dead Inside” shirt was ironic and iconic, but Sam conveniently spilled black ink from her fancy new quill set  on it and refused to give it back for this very same reason.

“Yeah, he could just make it his brand,” Tucker agreed. The two of them always seemed to be on the same page.

Sam reached out like she was about to rip the sticker off his phone, but decided against it and shook her head. “Fine. You want to keep the sticker on your phone? Fine, but don’t cry to me when people start putting the pieces together,” she huffed.

“Well since that’s not gonna happen, you’re gonna be waiting a long time,” Danny grinned. He struck an overly exaggerated victory pose with his neck cocked slightly to the side while he tilted his chin up to the sky. 

Sam jerked back as the color drained from her face. “Danny what the—“ she cried out, so loudly and so suddenly that it caught the attention of other people in the lunchroom. 

Danny immediately looked behind him, assuming that whatever caused Sam’s sudden reaction had to be behind him. His need to protect his friends from whatever threat caused such a startled response rose up and hammered in his throat as his mind spun with the possible horrors he would see behind him. 

But he saw…nothing. Well, not nothing. He saw other students eating their lunches at other tables throughout the room. Students drifted in and out of the cafeteria as they finished their lunches. No ghost. No threat. Nothing that should cause Sam to turn as white as she did.

He turned back to face Sam, concern etched deep into his brow as he studied her face. “Sam? What’s wrong?” he asked in quiet urgency. If she truly saw some danger that he couldn’t, then he needed to know.

Sam studied Danny for a long moment, far too long for Danny’s liking. She wasn’t looking past him, she was looking at…him. “...Nothing. Nothing. It’s nothing. I think I’m just seeing things. I thought I saw…nevermind. It’s nothing,” she assured them. 

Danny raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? Because something freaked you out.”

She shook her head and plastered a forced smile on her face. “Yeah, I’m sure. Too little sleep and too much caffeine has just got me jumpy. I’m fine, really. Besides, we need to act like we’re having a normal conversation: too many people are watching.”

“Well yeah, you practically jumped out of your seat,” Danny pointed out. 

She narrowed her eyes and gave him a half smile before she reached across the table and grabbed his abandoned phone. “It did let me get your phone though.”

“Wait hey!” Danny protested as he reached across the table to recover his phone from her clutches, but she deftly moved around his grasping hands. 

“Now let’s see about that sticker,” she teased. Danny immediately doubled his efforts to retrieve his phone. Not being able to rely on ghost powers made it a little more difficult than it should have been to win it back (was he maybe relying on those too much? That felt like too much of a Jazz question for him to think about it too long), but he did save the phone and his ironic sticker. He was so preoccupied saving his sticker that he didn’t notice that Tucker had gone quiet and regarded Sam with a very significant and curious stare.

Lunch wrapped up shortly after the scuffle over the phone, and the three of them rushed off to their lockers and then off to class. Just outside the door to the classroom, Tucker held a hand out to stop Sam and waited for Danny to get a few feet inside before he spoke up in a whisper.

“Did you see the skull?”

Sam blinked and her face grew pale again, just like it had in the lunchroom. “The what?” she asked with a slightly shaky voice.

“The skull? Over Danny’s face?”

“What? Yes! Yes I thought I was going insane!” she exclaimed, though still in a whisper to not catch any more attention. The briefest moment of relief washed over her, but it immediately washed away into even more worry.

“No, I saw it this morning,” Tucker admitted. “Thought it was just some trick of the light or something. It was there one moment and then–”

“--Gone the next,” Sam finished. “And when I saw it I just felt…off. Like this moment of dread. Like I was–”

“--Looking at something I shouldn’t have seen,” Tucker validated as he nodded his head. “Yeah, same here. It was a weird feeling to have looking at my best friend.”

“What does it mean?”

“No idea,” Tucker sighed as he looked towards Danny pouring over his textbook in the hope that he’d be able to at least pretend that he did the reading before class. “But knowing Danny, it’s probably nothing good.”

Danny noticed odd glances from his friends a few more times that day. He worried maybe he had something on his face, but then again Sam would have said something. Tucker would have stayed quiet to have a good laugh about it later, but he’d have clued him into the joke by now. Maybe he was doing something ghostly without knowing it? But if that was the case they would have definitely let him know. In the end, he chalked it up to his friends being weird and went about his strangely quiet day.

There weren’t any ghost attacks. He couldn’t remember the last time he went through a school day without being interrupted by ghosts. It felt…nice, but unnerving at the same time, like he missed something. Like he was supposed to clue into something happening in the Ghost Zone. But in the end he decided not to worry about that either, especially once school ended and he could just hang out with his best friends ghost free.

By the time they hit up the game store (Tucker was still trying to get them into tabletop games) and the record store (Sam wanted to browse the LPs), Danny had forgotten all about his previous warnings…until he hit the Boba shop. Second up to bat, he placed his order with the barista, a smiling young woman who wore fun earrings that looked like watermelon slices. He paid for his drink and left a decent tip, but when he looked back up from the pin pad, her haunted expression caught him by surprise.

No longer kind and smiling, her unfocused gaze stared beyond him with eyes opened so wide her eyelids disappeared. Her pale, gaunt face looked hollow and lifeless. Her mouth fell open unnaturally.

“Fifty-seven years, one hundred and thirteen days, seven hours.”

Her flat, emotionless voice echoed within the sudden silence of the rest of the room. Chills shot along his body as the hair on his arms stood on end. His gut twisted uncomfortably as the presence of something…wrong and haunting fell over him. The silence of the world pressed in around him and left him only with that eerie voice thrumming though the void.

“What?” he finally stammered out.

“Do you want a receipt?” she repeated in her normal voice. Suddenly the whole world came back around him. The noise and the commotion of the busy Boba shop almost felt overwhelming after the sheer absolute silence.

“Oh uh…no,” he answered lamely.

“He’s good,” Sam spoke up quickly from behind. She pushed him to the side and took over the situation, but concern etched deep lines into her forehead. “But I’ll have a…”

What Sam ordered was lost on him as Tucker pulled him over to the drink pick-up counter. “Dude, what happened?” he asked in an urgent whisper. “You just froze.”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I heard something totally different…” The eerie tone of her voice, the chill that shot like livewire up his spine (like the accident, but he really didn’t want to think about that), it all stuck with him and wouldn’t leave him. His memory was absolute trash at the best of times, but he could still remember every number she quoted to him like it had been etched into his very core.

“What did you hear?” Tucker asked as Sam joined them. Those concerned lines across her brow still made him feel like something more was going on here, because Sam usually only worried when there was actually something to worry about.

“Just…some numbers, like years and months,” he shrugged, trying to pass it off as normal, even if it couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Like a countdown?” Sam pressed.

Danny’s eyes grew wide. Exactly like a countdown. Down to the hour.

He didn’t need to say anything for Sam to know she was on to something. “So what was she counting down to?”

“You think I know?” Danny rebuffed as he pointed at himself. “But you guys heard it right? How…creepy she sounded? How hollow?”

“No, we didn’t man,” Tucker responded, strangely serious. “We heard her ask if you wanted a receipt and then you just froze.”

He looked between both of his friends, hoping for some kind of alternate answer or for someone to say they were pulling his leg, but they weren’t. “So you…you didn’t hear it?” he implored, desperate for someone to agree with him.

“No Danny, we didn’t,” Sam confirmed. “But Danny, we need to–”

“Pomegranate boba,” another barista announced. Danny automatically turned towards her, only to see the same lifeless stare directed his way.

“Twenty years, two hundred and twelve days, two hours.”

He shook his head and closed his eyes as the pressure of the void threatened to swallow him again, but then like before, everything opened up and the noise of the world rushed back to him.

“Danny?” Sam fretted as she stepped closer to him. 

He opened his eyes and looked out on the brightly lit boba shop. “Sorry I…it happened again,” he admitted.

Tucker and Sam exchanged significant glances behind Danny’s back before making an executive decision. Tucker grabbed their drink orders while Sam gently placed a hand on Danny’s back. “I think we should get out of here,” Sam suggested.

Danny could see the sense in that. The last thing they needed was to make a scene, and he could feel the eyes of both the people behind the counter and the ones standing in line. Best to beat a hasty retreat and figure this out somewhere a little quieter.

He scooted around the line of customers, hoping he could make a quiet exit. He caught the gaze of a young boy in line, but he only saw the vacant stare on his young face.

“Eighty three years, three hundred and two days, eleven hours.”

Danny spun quickly away from the boy and placed his hands over his ears, but it didn’t help as he locked eyes with a college student at a table who happened to look up from her laptop.

“Three years, thirty days, seven hours.”

And then the gaze of a well-dressed woman striding through the door.

“Forty years, eighty-eight days, nineteen hours.”

And the older man sitting with his grandchildren at a table.

“Ten years, one hundred and fifty days, three hours.”

Macabre countdowns from various shop patrons echoed around him. Anyone who met his gaze morphed their faces into the gaunt masks and intoned their countdown in that same hollow voice.

“Stop! Stop!” Danny cried as he curled in on himself. Tucker and Sam immediately pushed him through the doors and outside of the shop full of curious onlookers, but if they thought ushering him outside of the shop would be better, they were terribly wrong as Danny confronted more people on the street. The constant chorus of lifeless laments descended upon him in a deafening whirlwind.

“Ninety-eight days, twenty hours.”

“Sixty-eight years, two days, one hour.”

“Seventeen years, two hundred and ninety days, eight hours.”

Until they finally culminated in a chilling “Thirteen seconds.”

A morbid curiosity came over him as his gaze lingered on the older man who intoned the foreboding knell, just before the man clutched at his chest and dropped to the ground. Everyone around him rushed to his side and barked out orders to call an ambulance, but Danny knew deep, deep down in his core that it wouldn’t do any good. 

The man was dead. 

Dead, exactly thirteen seconds later.

Realizing this area was about to get a lot more attention, Tucker and Sam pushed Danny into a nearby alley and shrouded him from view. “Danny what the hell is happening?” Sam practically yelled.

Danny dropped to the ground as he clutched at his core that ached with the pain of what he just witnessed, and the horror of what he’d come to realize. He didn’t want to admit it to himself or to the world as a whole, but he had a horrifying feeling he knew what the times meant.

They were a countdown to death.

“I don’t…I don’t know why, but people keep telling me how long…how long they have…left,” Danny squeaked out between shallow breaths. The world swam around him and he clenched his jaw to try not to be sick.

“Left to what?” Tucker asked.

“To live you idiot!” Sam chastised. “Danny, are you sure?”

“What else could it be?” he exclaimed as he gripped at the hair on the sides of his head. “Someone said thirteen seconds, and then thirteen seconds later he…he…” His breath quickened in his chest. His heart thrummed too fast against his ribs. Sweat beaded on his brow as he shivered. This…this was a panic attack. Oh god, he was having a panic attack. But could anyone really blame him? He heard a man was going to die and just…just…watched it happen and couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t do anything!

“Danny…Danny just look at me,” Sam pressed delicately as she knelt next to him and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

His eyes reached her chin before he remembered - as soon as he met someone’s gaze, even from afar, they told him how long they had. He couldn’t know that about his best friend. He couldn’t. What if it was a small number? What would he even consider to be a small number? Would any number ever be large enough?

He slapped her away in a panic and retreated into himself as he buried his head into his arms. “No!” he screamed. “No, any time I look at someone they tell me how much time they have left and I can’t…I don’t want to know that. I can’t know that!” he practically screeched.

Sam and Tucker exchanged worried but uncertain looks. They’d dealt with a lot since the accident, but this was certainly a new complication where their very presence seemed to add more stress. 

“Okay Danny, okay. We don’t know if that’s what’s happening.” She paused as she felt him tense beside her. “But if you think that’s what’s happening, then we won’t look at you.”

Danny grabbed his hair tight in his hands as he shook in a huddle on the floor. How was he going to do this? Never look at anyone he ever cared about again? Make sure they never looked at him? What kind of life would that be? He couldn’t live like that, with that paranoia that some day one of them would mess up and they’d meet his gaze and then he would know how much longer he had left to spend with them. His breathing quickened again as he found himself spiraling further down into his panic, down into a depth of foreboding terror that he didn’t know if he could climb out of again.

“Okay but Danny, even if you aren’t looking at anyone, I need you to breathe okay?” Sam pleaded. “Just breathe with me. In and out slowly. In and out.”

He did as he was told because he didn’t really have it in him to argue. In and out, in and out. He took deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth like Jazz taught him. It probably didn’t help that he was still curled up in a ball and didn’t have great air circulation, but he didn’t dare uncurl.

“Okay, good,” Sam praised as she finished sending an urgent text. “Now let’s figure out what’s going on, because we will figure it out.”

“You mean figure out why I can tell when people are going to die?” Danny snapped.

“Yes,” Sam replied, voice calm despite Danny’s barbed tone. 

“...I don’t know if this is the right time, but there probably isn’t a right time so I’m just gonna say it,” Tucker sighed. “Danny, we noticed something weird earlier. It would only happen for a second, but it was like your face was covered by…like a translucent skull.”

Danny looked up but immediately thought better of it and ducked his head back down again. “A what?!”

“A skull. We didn’t know what it meant at the time–”

“We still don’t know what it means,” Sam added.

“--but it has to be related,” Tucker finished.

“This has to be more than a new ghost power,” Sam brainstormed. “This feels like something more significant.”

“More significant? What the hell does that mean?” Danny rebuked. He knew they were just trying to help, but honestly without an answer it was just making him feel more anxious and overwhelmed. He didn’t know if he could handle something more significant than being a half-dead, ghost-fighting freak.

“We don’t know,” Sam said, controlled and patient. “But we’ll figure this out Danny, we promise, just like we’ve figured out everything else.”

Everything else. Because there was always something. There was always some other side effect of the accident that all of them had to keep dealing with. Ghost powers, ghost fighting, his parents, new powers, a secret identity, ice powers, and now this. When was he done? When would he finally stop having more and more piled on top of his already overflowing mind? How much was a teenager expected to shoulder before he finally just buckled under the crushing weight of it all?

Apparently it would be one more thing.

He gasped as the cold breath escaped from his throat. He deflated a bit into his self hug. He knew the quiet afternoon was too good to be true. He knew it.

“Danny, you don’t have to go,” Sam mentioned, almost pleading.

“You know I have to,” he sighed with hollow defeat.

“No, you don’t. Let your parents get it, or Valerie. It doesn’t have to be you right now,” she begged.

“They never handle it well,” Danny argued as he stood but kept his gaze on the floor.

Sam shook her head, prepared to put her foot down. “But Danny, you literally just stopped having a panic attack, do you think now is the right time to do this? Maybe you just need to think about yourself for a bit!”

“When do I ever get to think about myself?” he barbed as he transformed. “Besides, a ghost can’t tell me how long they have to live, right? Sounds like I’m safer with one of them.”

Before they could argue with him he shot off into the sky, leaving a cloud of dread behind him. Tucker and Sam exchanged meaningful glances. 

“Follow him?” Tucker checked.

“Absolutely follow him.”

~*~

As yet another ectoblast grazed Danny’s side, he realized Tucker and Sam had maybe been right about letting someone else handle this. His head was not in the game. He couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that swirled around him and it made the fight against the ghostly crow that much harder to focus on. His newfound popularity also proved to be a complication as it led to more onlookers watching the fight. He couldn’t help but meet the eyes of people in the crowd, and every time he listened to their own voices toll their own death knell, he found himself wide open to a hit from the annoying ghost that honestly wouldn’t have been that much of a challenge otherwise. 

"Three hundred and twenty-one days, thirteen hours.”

He squeezed his eyes tight as he tried not to internalize how little time the concerned woman who looked his way had left, but closing his eyes during a fight was never a good idea.

“Danny!” he heard Sam yell, her voice distant but urgent.

He opened his eyes and saw the crow barreling in to charge with glowing talons ready to claw out his eyes. He immediately acted on instinct and threw out his hands to maybe summon a shield or take the talons to his arms or something.

He felt something cold and heavy fall into his hands, and he swung it without even looking at it too closely. A thin line of green slashed across the ghost and then it vanished. His overzealous slash continued through the brick of a nearby building that weathered and aged as decay seeped out from the fine line in the brick. When the arc of his swing stopped, he finally looked at what he held in his hands.

A scythe. Long and slender, the curved blade made a full crescent as it tapered into a neat, sharp point. The edge of the blade glowed with a faint green light, but it almost hurt to register: like its presence cut through the very existence of what his mind could accept as real. It looked so simple in his arms, and yet it felt dangerous. Deadly.

He stared dumbfounded at the blade in his hands. It felt heavy in his arms, but not because of its actual weight. It actually felt too easy and natural to swing. His fingers gripped around the shaft like he was meant to hold it. It felt so right and natural in his arms, and that scared him even more.

He immediately dropped it, but instead of hearing it clatter to the ground, it vanished into shadows as the absolute black swallowed it.

With panic etched all over his face, he looked desperately towards Sam’s voice, but only after he remembered that he didn’t dare look towards his friends. He dropped his gaze, but they understood his intent and rushed over to him.

“Danny, Danny are you okay?” Sam asked as she grabbed her friend’s arm.

“No…no I don’t think so,” he admitted. As hard as it felt to admit, he wasn’t well. He had no idea what the hell was happening, but he just knew none of this could be good. A sense of dread lingered around him that he couldn’t shake. A whisper of an answer tickled at the edges of his mind, but it was so cloaked in fear and terror that he didn’t dare even acknowledge its presence.

Sam nodded morosely and squeezed his arm. “That’s okay. We’ve got this Danny. C’mon, let’s get to my house. I think I know what’s going on.”

~*~

Danny sat in his favorite chair in the Manson library. Most of the room felt like something out of a middle-aged woman’s Pinterest page: a million shades of beige accented by a few plants or vines. Some books even had their spines facing the wall because their binding was too colorful. Sam managed to carve out a corner for herself. She separated this corner out with deep red curtains and inside its sanctuary she kept all her books (spines proudly out, thank you very much) on black shelves. Gothic sconces of wrought iron glowed with just enough mood lighting to read by and plush wine red chairs provided the perfect getaway to crawl into with a book. 

One of those chairs sucked him up inside its cushions and he let the weight of the fabric surround him. Sitting here with the dark mood lighting while Sam read aloud some new book or poem always felt like a comfortable space. Maybe Sam hoped the familiarity would bring some comfort to him right now, but even its power couldn’t counteract the horrible twisting in the pit of his stomach.

His friends swore they wouldn’t look at his face and would focus on his chest instead, but he still didn’t feel comfortable looking anywhere but at his wringing hands in his lap, just in case. He’d heard about too much death already today: too many times that seemed far too short for the nice faces that seemed burned into his mind. He had no idea who these people were and probably would never see them again, but he would forever remember their faces and would never be free of the knowledge of their death.

Would it be quick? Slow? Painful? Could he stop it? Could he save them? If he remembered their faces could he hunt them down and try to save them? Maybe not the ones in decades, but the ones who would be dying in the next few months? Could he help them so they didn’t end up like the old man on the street who died before his eyes while he was powerless to stop it?

The thump of a large book on a table shook him out of his thoughts as Sam stood near the small round table. “You’re not gonna like this, but I think I found the answer.”

That certainly caught his attention and he looked towards the book. Whether he’d like the answer or not, he needed to know. The heavy old tome looked like every Victorian book that Sam loved to collect, with a dark binding, embossed edges, and thick block lettering for the title.

The Tome of Record for the Myths and Legends of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

No. 

No, that couldn’t be the right book. That was not the answer.

He shook his head and backed up in his chair as far away from the book as he could physically get. “No. That’s not the right book.”

Sam approached both Danny and the book gently, like any sudden movement would spook him. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but I know I’m right about this.”

Tucker leaned in from his chair and his eyes grew wide. “Wait, apocalypse? Sam you’re serious?”

“No, she’s not serious because she’s wrong!” Danny insisted.

Sam slowly opened the book and turned to a page marked with a dark black ribbon. “Just look at it Danny. It explains a lot.”

Against his better judgment he peeked at the new chapter: “The Fourth Horseman: Death.” He didn’t let himself read any more, but the haunting image of a black-cloaked figure atop a skeletal horse with a skull for a face and a very familiar looking scythe froze him in his seat.

The death knells. The skull. The scythe. 

No, just because it made sense, that didn’t mean anything. Lots of things in this world made sense without actually being right, and this was just another one of those things. It didn’t mean that he– He couldn’t possibly be–

Tucker trailed a finger along the text of the book as he read, his mouth and eyes falling agape. “Wait Sam are you…are you trying to say that Danny is…Death? Like the Death?”

He felt an irrational anger towards Tucker for putting into physical words what his mind refused to acknowledge. Because it was crazy…right? Some crazy, wacky theory. This couldn’t be reality, it just…it couldn’t be.

Sam nodded solemnly. “I am. I don’t know why, but Danny has somehow become the personification of Death.”

For some reason the finality in Sam’s voice forced him to really hear it. As much as he wanted to deny it, the nagging whisper always there on the periphery of his mind had been trying to tell him the whole time. He knew it from the first countdown, but refused to see it. He knew what the symbolism of the scythe meant, but he refused to connect it. And he knew that all of these pieces only added up to one possible explanation. Just like Sam, he’d already reached the same conclusion, but he just refused to see it. He couldn’t avoid it anymore.

He was Death.

He needed to get away from the book, the picture, the proof. He didn’t want to see it anymore. He fell through the chair, momentarily grateful to have some kind of physical barrier between him and the book, but the piercing, empty eyes of the skull on the page followed him even through the chair. He scrambled back along the floor until he hit the bookcase behind him. 

“No no no I don’t want this! I don’t want this!” he screamed in ever increasing levels of panic. He looked at his shaking hands, almost expecting to see bony hands stretching out instead of his normal skin. He grabbed at his face, his arms, anything to make sure that he hadn’t turned into some skeleton. “I can’t–I don’t want to be Death!”

Sam and Tucker rushed over to his side and pulled his trembling body into a hug. They tried to bestow him with whatever comfort they could, but they knew it wouldn’t be enough. Just like they did when Danny first emerged from the portal, they were at a loss for what they could do and they just tried to be a physical support for him.

Danny grabbed onto his friends desperately as he shook in their arms. He didn’t know how much he needed their reassuring strength and strong hug until he found himself in their arms. Maybe he relied on them too much for emotional stability, but something about their presence served as a grounding force for him and he needed that now more than ever.

“We’ll figure it out Danny,” Sam tried to assure him. “We always do.”

They did always figure it out. The accident, the ghost powers, the ghost fighting, the secret identity, Pariah Dark, Vlad, his horrifying potential future - they’d found a way to make it through everything that his strange life had thrown at him. It stood to reason they could make it through this too, but for some reason this seemed so much more imposing than all those other obstacles.

The personification of death. What did that even mean? Did he have to reap souls? Was he actually the one responsible for killing people? Was he now to blame for everyone’s deaths? Did he have to help people cross over or find peace or meaning in their lives? Could he still live his normal human life? He’d already been neglecting it so much because of ghost fighting, but would this completely eclipse everything else? It felt like such a huge burden to throw onto his already overburdened shoulders, and he didn’t know if he had the strength to keep it all up.

But even more than a burden, being Death pushed him even closer to the dark stench of death that always seemed to swirl around him. He already straddled a very fine line between life and death, and while he didn’t always know where he found himself on either side of it, he cherished the balance. He liked being reminded that he was still alive. He died, and he was a ghost, but he was so much more than that too. His heart beat, he kept growing - he still had a life. He needed those reminders to stay sane. But being Death…it pushed him so much further towards that darker side. It disrupted that balance that he held onto so desperately. Those reminders of life seemed so much further away, like they could be snatched away from him at any moment, and he didn’t want to think where that constant focus on death and loss would take him.

He couldn’t keep dwelling on this. He was a boy of action, and he never did well just thinking through things. Maybe that helped Jazz, but he needed to do something. Figure this out, get rid of it, something. So he pulled away from the hug slightly, enough of a signal for his friends to release the warm group hug. He missed that comfort immediately, but he couldn’t stay huddled up against the bookshelf forever.

“How did this happen?” he croaked. Trying to find a reason meant that he had to accept it as the truth, and that hurt, but he’d already accepted it. Now he just had to get rid of it.

“I don’t know,” Sam admitted. “But Danny, we have a much more pressing issue than how.”

“More pressing than this?” Danny questioned, almost hurt that his internal turmoil and need to solve this wasn’t considered a pressing issue.

“Yeah, because it gets worse.”

Panic clenched around his heart again. How could it possibly get worse? This already seemed like a destitute situation with no possible solution on the horizon.

“Worse than Danny having death powers?” Tucker inquired. Well at least Tucker was on the same wavelength.

She nodded morosely. She took a deep breath, but as she slowly breathed out she straightened up, her brow resolute. “The summoning of the fourth horseman…it’s the final sign. The apocalypse is coming, and Danny’s going to be forced to make it happen.”

~*~

I hope you all enjoyed this! It's a little late of a submission for Ectober's Day 17 Gothic Horror prompt, but apparently world-building a multi-chapter longfic took a lot longer than I expected. But I'm excited to share some of my lore behind this ghostly version of the four horsemen over the next two chapters!

[yuri-is-online]

Bitch the Pot (Trey Clover x Reader)

Trey's birthday is coming up and you really want to buy him a present.

But what if he doesn't want it? What if he just thinks of your efforts as annoying, or even worse what if he sees right through you and makes things awkward. What if he stashes things away and makes fun of them later, years later when he barely remembers your name.

What if he's secretly looking forward to your presence and hasn't even considered he'd be lucky enough to get a gift. What if... what if...

notes: they/them used for Yuu, we're going to hurt comfort town choo choo mother fuckers, I am using the Hitchhiking Ghost names for the Ramshackle Ghosts because I am unoriginal, the more I think about Trey the more I realize Idia is right, Trey's a skethcy mfer and yeah that's hot. If you like this check out my masterlist for more fic.

You didn't want to indulge Trey's teeth thing.

Sure it will make him happy, smooth over all your little insecurities pricking at your heart as you poke through the second hand store for what you had thought would be a really cute idea on your way here but now weren't so sure about. Besides you are pretty sure that everyone else is going to buy him a bundle of floss and call it a day, well other than Rook who has been waxing poetic about how he had "the most fitting cap for the Rose Chevalier" so all the more reason to put a little less of a personal interest into your gifting and more of a thoughtful touch.

As thoughtful as you could afford anyway. You aren't even sure Trey likes these sorts of things, though that worry is sort of drowned by how surprised you are to find nice looking china in Crane Port's equivalent of a Good Will. There is a nice selection of tea cups, mismatched saucer plates, and the odd pot sat all by its lonesome all with neatly written prices on stickers you don't look forward to scrubbing off.

Afternoon Tea Special~ Pick one Pot, 4 cups w/ saucers, creamer, and sugar bowl: all for just 25 T!

Cute, and not a bad idea you supposed even if it did feel a bit overkill. Your original intention had just been to pick up a sugar bowl and maybe one cup, something for him to put candies in that had a lid so no flies could get at his violets. But it really would be a shame to pass up such a nice deal and hey, if Trey didn't like it he could just ditch it with the Heartslabyul kitchenware once he graduated and never speak to you again.

"Oh this is such a cute little selection!" The lady at the counter's eyes practically sparkle as she carefully wraps up your choices in tissue paper.

"It's a birthday gift." You can't help but mumble and the sparkle flutters out to her entire body, ah that's right, this lady always did look a bit bored when you came in. It seems like you have fed her and her knitting circle for the rest of the week.

"Well then this won't to at all." She huffs and stops wrapping up your order and bends under her counter, the tell tale ruffles of paper and boxes sounding oddly comforting as she produces what you think is a hat box and proudly begins to organize the mismatched set and fetches out even more tissue paper. "Must be for someone important with how long you've been eyeing up a sugar bowl." She wiggles her eye brows. You try to keep your focus on said bowl, you didn't realize she'd been watching you but then again you have been coming down here every spare weekend to stare at it. This shop was nice, it had a bunch of cheap clothes and nick knacks that were used sure, but a life saver for someone from a completely different world. If the lady is thankfully not offended by your silence. She simply tacks your receipt to the box and sends you off with a wink.

"Thank you for your purchase! Please come back soon!" And tell me all bout it! You swear she says it but you don't hear it, too much blood is thrumming in your ears

The hat box is not out of place among the gifts on the party table, so trey doesn't have an excuse to stare at it even if his eyes keep coming back to it. It's lavender, plain save for the cream bow he hopes Yuu tied around it, and had been decently heavy when he picked it up before Cater scolded him about playing favorites.

"Be a good Senior and eat the cookies we made for you until Riddle brings out the cake." He flicks his nose with a knowing look. "Normal people save the best for last right? I'm sure Yuu-yuu will be fine with waiting, since they can barely look at you today~" And of course like a fool he whips his head to look, startling them and proving Cater's point as they immediately scurry back to Ace and Deuce.

"Screw you." He's only half joking but Cater's fully laughing and probably already took a picture. "I'm just worried they felt like they needed to bring a gift I would have been happy just to-"

"No you wouldn't have." For someone who likes lying to himself Cater really doesn't seemed thrilled with his choice to gaslight himself. "You would have spent the rest of the night thinking 'ooooh it'd be really nice if I got something from Yuu, I wonder if they hate meeee, I should make sure they think I don't care about helping them some more so they leave me alone and I don't have to think about how nice it would be to-'"

"Cater!" Trey has never been so grateful to hear Riddle yell about anything in his life. "Could you please help me with the cake? I was going to ask Yuu but they had to go back to Ramshackle."

"Yuu's back at Ramshackle?" Trey reaches to adjust his glasses, trying to ground himself.

"Yes, they said they were feeling sick and-" That's all Trey registers, though he hears the rest "went back to lie down, Grim insisted on staying to make sure the food didn't get them sick." It's his party, he can't just leave that would be an extreme violation of the rules but Cater's earlier accusation comes back to him. Make them think I won't care about them. It's not intentional, he thinks it's obvious he always will but then again-

"Fifteen minutes." Cater whispers under his breath.

"Thirty."

"You're delusional." Still Cater doesn't sound mad. "Eighteen."

"Twenty." He's already snatched up the hat box and making his way towards the doors.

~~~~

"Awww Yuu." Phineas would pat your head if he could. "I'm sure it's not that bad, you're just overthinking things."

"Yeah I think anyone would be happy to get a gift from you!" Gus tries, all three ghosts perking up slightly when you smile just a bit at his encouragement. "And if not then well..."

"I know I'm just being dramatic but I couldn't stand waiting anymore." You don't mention how Ace and Deuce had been teasing you, not wanting to relive the absolute embarrassment of having been caught staring at their Vice-Warden one too many times for dots to remain unconnected. "I asked Grim to bring back some cake but I don't know if he'll remember."

"Oooh let's take bets on it!" Ezra cheers and a familiar, unexpected laugh interrupts sending the ghosts scattering and leaving you at the mercy of a familiar face.

"I think it's safe to say that would be a pretty obvious bet." Trey sets the hat box on your coffee table, folding his strong arms and firmly sticking a lump in your throat. "You should have bet on me."

"Returning your gift is not bringing me something." You huff and Trey has the decency to look a bit awkward.

"I'm not here to return it, there's rules to gifts you know." Oh no. "For example, on our birthdays, the Queen of Hearts says we get to ask for anything we want." He finally moves, unfortunately for you he's decided to use his height to his advantage and lean over the table to crowd you back into the couch. "And I spent a long time thinking about what I should ask for from you."

"Um- I well-" You're looking everywhere but him now, as if you were before. "I did get you a gift though?" He laughs.

"And you ran away before I could thank you." Trey begins to unwrap the ribbons, slowly as if he's waiting for you to look at him but not wanting to deny his curiosity any longer. "But that doesn't change the rules. Sorry, I didn't make them."

The sugar bowl is the first piece he finds, the shop lady has to have set it on top on purpose. His eyebrows raise, not in disappointment you think, curiosity hopefully as he slowly opens the rest of them.

"Sorry." You immediately say to fill the space out of habit, and Trey stops his examination to look up at you.

"What for?" He picks up the sugar bowl, just as amused as you with the clover flowers patterned across it in a nice twist on his name and half the accessories he owns. "Don't tell me you want this stuff back, its mine now."

"No! I'm glad you like," you cringe at the question in your tone and cower at the smirk on Trey's face "I mean I hope you like it."

"A hand picked tea set from the Ramshackle Prefect? It's perfect. Especially for a birthday gift for me." He carefully wraps up the cups and their saucers, silence once again falling over the room as you wonder why he hasn't called you out on your lie, the self doubt suggesting he hadn't noticed. "I meant what I said earlier you know."

"What, about making demands of me?" You say.

"Hey chill I only sort of meant it like that." He doesn't even bother trying to hide his amusement. "I mean betting on me. I know it might sound strange to hear me say, but I do have things I think are worth extra effort. And if I have to put in a lot of it to get you to understand that I am glad you are in my life, then I'll just have to do that." So he did know you weren't sick, and was just dancing around the subject to be polite as usual.

"Happy birthday Trey." Because what else are you supposed to say, and he tries his best to not let his disappointment show as he takes his opened gift back to the rose garden. "I'm- I hope you have a nice time at your party."

He pauses at the threshold of your dorm, the wicked smile returning. "I think I know what I want to ask you to do."

"Oh no." You did not mean to say that out loud.

"Mhm. But you are going to have to come back to Heartslabyul to hear it, but after the party, we can use our cups." Our cups he says, as if you had picked out any cups that were supposed to represent you.

He noticed, of course Trey noticed that there was no trace of Yuu in this very you gift. But he could fix that, if you would just give him a chance. And maybe get the calm celebration he actually wants when you do.

[ktficworld]

Lies and Lavish

Chapter 1: introduction

Pairing: soft dark! Andy Barber x reader, soft dark! Steve Rogers x reader, soft dark! Clark Kent x reader, soft dark! Bucky x reader, soft dark! Bruce Wayne x reader

Summary: You finally pull your head out of your studies and go to your long time friend's wedding to relax. And it's going to be alright, even if the infamous five brothers tend to linger around you a little too long, even when you share a past with one of them, even if their darkness is slowly approaching you. It's going to be okay, right?

Warnings: angst, mutual pining, manhandling, violence (by reader)

A/n: phew, it's finally here. Let me know what you think and please reblog it. It give ke motivation.

The wind whistled in the air mingling with the horns and roars of the cars, more expensive than your soul.

You sighed at the gigantic iron gate before you as the straps of your backpack dug into your shoulder. You were really second guessing your visit but the thought of your friend made you shake your head. After all, it was your childhood best friend wedding, even if it was to Ransom Drysdale. How did she managed to win that throttle? You would never know. But then again, not everybody's life revolved around school and sleep.

You glanced at the two additional bags you brought. Your backpack had essentials and your books. Even though, you came to relax, you'd still squeeze in some study. Business was no easy major and your finals were four months away.

You gripped your trolley bags and meekly shuffled towards the gate and entered the Drysdale estate through a smaller door-like gate. You sighed and looked around for any worker or someone who could help you with this maze.

Honk.

You jumped, clutching your racing heart as the loud noise pulled you out of your reverie. You began turning your head to glare at the motherfucker who almost gave you a heart attack, when an oh-so familiar voice called out your name.

"Luna! Come here."

You caught a glimpse of a Rolls Royce with a familiar sticker before you turned to beam at your friend, Alaïa. She waved at you with a megawatt smile and you thanked your lucky stars for working today as you dragged the bags and yourself towards her.

"Hi Alaïa, oh god! I can't believe you are getting married. Congratulations!" You said while intertwining your hands with hers, bouncing giddily.

"Thanks sis and gimme this," She pulled the bag off from your shoulders and deposited it on the nearby trolley bag. She glanced around and beckoned someone to where you were standing. "Leo, can you put these bags in the guest room I set up. Thank you." She politely ordered and off went your bags.

"Wow, Alaïa. You're living like a queen, huh?" You said, distracted by the large man taking away your luggage.

"Well, perks of marrying a rich man."

At that your smile faltered. You gradually dragged your gaze back to her. "Listen, Alaïa, you know I don't beat around the bush so I'm just gonna ask you. Are you okay with Ransom bringing more wives in the future?"

That was the new normal now. Apparently, 50 percent divorce rate was too alarming for the governments around the world. Add the loneliness statistics and now getting a divorce was nearly impossible. However, those who had the money to keep multiple partners, were allowed. Yes, polygamy was now legal. But the financially dependent partner had no say in this arrangement and that was why you feared for Alaïa.

Alaïa grimaced. "I know you're blunt. But you don't have to put it like that and don't worry. Ransom has promised to stay with me and only me."

They meant nothing. You were promised too. "But Alaïa, people change. What if he just said that to trap you? What will you do when he brings home some bimbo twenty years younger than him?"

People do change sometimes, even overnight. Or maybe they just hide their true face so perfectly that you couldn't see past those roses and sweet nothings.

Alaïa's lips tugged upwards into a half, bitter smile. "You think I'm a gold digger, don't ya?"

You gasped at the accusation. "God, no. And even if you were a gold digger, there's nothing wrong with it in this economy. The golden days are long gone. I'm just concerned about you, Alaïa."

"Hmmm, I know you only want the best for me. And I was just teasing you. I have signed the open marriage arrangement."

You heaved a sigh of relief but couldn't help thinking that somebody had definitely shamed her with that tag. "You scared me. It's great Ransom offered you that. Maybe, he is actually really committed to you." There were men and women who would allow the courtesy of an open marriage to their financially dependent partner, in case they marry again. So, if Ransom was really risking his fragile male ego, then he really meant it in your opinion.

"Yeah, maybe we can find you a committed one or two here. Look, their eyes are already wandering over you." She said with way too much enthusiasm and pointed behind you where few men were eyeing you with interest.

You whipped your head back to your friend, now accompanied with a sharp glare. "Absolutely not! I don't plan on marrying. Ever. And especially not to those dogs lolling their tongue."

Alaïa laughed at your little outburst and hooked her arm with yours. "I'm joking. Now, come on. Let's get you to Harlan." And began leading you inside the mansion.

But you planted your feet on the ground, causing her to stagger back to you. "Why would I meet Harlan?" You asked, bewildered.

She looked at you sheepishly. "I may have bragged about your writing and business skills way too much. Because as soon as I said you were coming today, he instructed me to bring you straight to his office."

What did your friend tell him that Harlan Thrombey wanted to meet you? And not just meet you but meet you straight away? It annoyed you nonetheless. "Alaïa, but-"

"No if and buts. You are going to the office right now." She declared and dragged your whining body with her.

_

"Harlan, look who's here." Alaïa announced as she pushed open the large doors.

You stood beside her and smiled at Harlan when his eyes lit up. "Oh, Luna. Welcome dear. I have heard a lot about you." He said with a good-natured smile.

"I don't know what she has told you but I'm definitely not what you think." You said, stepping towards him.

Harlan huffed out a chuckle. "I call it nonsense. I have seen you work, I have seen your articles. You are an asset to have-"

"How are you doing, Harlan?" A dark baritone voice called from behind as the doors flung open, sending shivers down your spine.

You gazed back and your breath hitched in your throat. In walked The Five Brothers, the richest and most dangerous people in the world. If one percent of the world's population ruled the 99 percent, then they ruled the hundred percent of it. They had unimaginable power, both legally and illegally.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company." The eldest, Andy Barber said. You didn't catch the intrigue in his voice.

Because among them was him. He was the last one to come in, your eyes locked for a second and an emotion you couldn't decipher passed through his eyes before he completely disregarded you and returned to his nonchalant attitude.

And why would he care? You meant nothing to him. Or he wouldn't have left the way he did. It was just a second of eye contact but for you it felt like eternity as the bittersweet memories flashed before your eyes. They were tainted by the black cloud of reality but for you, they meant everything. Because even if you were a mere lay for him. You liked that bastard. Loved even, if you allowed yourself that pain.

"Luna, I didn't know he'd come. I'm sorry." Alaïa said but you were already too out of your mind to care about her words.

You were drowning. Drowning in pain, in the memories, in the abandonment after swearing to never love, seeing your parents example. Only to open your heart to that asshole and have it smashed into a billion pieces.

Your lungs were bursting and tears were prickling your eyes. You didn't want to cry over that fucker, never, not again. But your breath was already coming out in short puffs and it was getting difficult to remain discreet. You were going to cry, you couldn't help it.

"Harlan, my head is hurting like crazy. I think coming here in this scorching heat caused it. Can we talk at night?" You blurted out as you released a shuddery breath, unshed tears bluring your vision.

Harlan's eyes softened and he gave you a compassionate smile. "Of course, dear. Take care of yourself."

You nodded with a wry smile and turned to leave. Attempting to bypass the large men that had engulfed the entire study.

There was no furniture at the door, no plants but you still gasped as your feet hit something, disbalancing you as you fell. However, before you could fall, a pair of strong arms caught you. You knew who caught you, you knew that scent too well. You looked up to glare at him. He made you fall.

"Woah, babe. I know women fall head over heels for me but I didn't mean it literally." He chuckled and you screwed your eyes shut to stop yourself from slapping the fuck out of him.

"Maybe you are way too sick. Should I escort you to your room?" He said and you snapped your gazes up at him.

You wanted to squirm out of his hold. Maybe stomp on his feet. You wanted to run away but the bruising grip around your waist didn't allow you the courtesy. His signet ring digging into your skin, as if pleading to agree, to hear whatever he wanted to say or do.

"Please." You whispered, you didn't know what you were asking. To tell you the truth and finally give you closure or to not break your heart again.

You squealed as he collected you in his arms. Promptly trapping you.

"Yeah, Bruce just go and drop her. Don't mess around here, okay." Andy said with a sigh.

"Of course, brother. Why would I do that now?" Bruce said with feigned innocence, causing all of his brothers to scoff.

He turned to Alaïa and stared at her expectantly. "Oh, third floor, last room on the left side." She hastily informed.

He nodded with his charming smile and dashed out the door. But you knew he wasn't taking you to your room.

"Bruce put me down." You said with calm firmness. Finally getting a hold of your emotions.

"No." He said with an attitude as he marched up the stairs, the forcing rocking you hard in his arms as you clutched his shoulders.

"Bruce, I said let me go and don't give me that attitude."

No answer.

"BRUCE LET ME DOWN." You were suddenly pushed into a dark corridor. His entire weight pinned you down to keep you from squirming away.

His head whipped to the right side, inky hair cascading over his forehead as your slap echoed in the hollow corridor. He did not move his head, did not bat an eye, hell! He looked like he wasn't even breathing.

You snapped his face to the left as you hit him again and again. You knew it was wrong. You knew he wasn't feeling more than a pat on his cheeks as you were no match for his strength but you still did it. Once, twice, thrice. You did it till tears rolling down your cheeks blurred your vision, till your hands hurt and shook, till they were covered by larger ones.

You wanted to cry on his shoulder, like how you did when you didn't get the expected result but you refrained from it. And leaned against the wall instead.

"Want to hit me again? Go ahead." Bruce whispered, his thumbs soothing your aching palms. There was emotion in his voice now, the care that he lacked before.

"You left," You said through sobs. "You left after we lost our virginity together!"

"I did. But I never wanted to leave you. I had to." He replied, his voice cracking in the end.

"That is not a good fucking excuse, Bruce Wayne." You bit back and tried to wriggle out of his hold but you were further pressed into the fall when he caught onto your escape plan.

"I'm not making any excuses Luna. I had no choice, we had no choice! They were so close to uncovering our identity. We would have been done for."

"Who they? What they? Bruce do you seriously give this explanation to every single woman you fuck and abandon? When you take their virginity or sack a married woman? You are a pathetic excuse of a man, Bruce." You were just his practice. Someone he lost his virginity to, nothing more, nothing less. You were done. You didn't want any closure, any explanation if this was what you were getting. You wanted him out of your sight and life. Even if it meant leaving your best friend's wedding.

"I swear on my dead mother's grave I didn't want to leave, Luna!" Bruce roared and you finally halted, coming down from your hysteria. You looked at him as you both heaved.

He swore on his mother. The mother who he loved dearly. Who was kicked out on the streets with his other four brothers by their father and mistress, throwing them out of the life of luxury to beg on the streets. The one who died in front of him in a car accident when he was just eight.

Bruce told you all this when he was too drunk or too sleepy to care. So you weren't relying on gossip here.

Now you listened to him as he took a deep breath. "Do you think I like it? Moving from one place to another on a day's notice? Working minimum wage jobs even though we were far more capable? Changing identities like clothes? Do you think we liked living in fear? I had a red dot on my forehead, Luna. Heck! Maybe I still do and when I say I didn't have the time to even say goodbye, I mean it. And no, I didn't sleep with married women, didn't take anyone's virginity. All hook ups were consensual and I don't give anyone any excuse or explanation."

"Is this really the truth?" You asked, exhausted and relaxed at the same time.

"It is, Luna. I never wanted to leave you. I-missed you." He whispered and gingerly touched his forehead with yours and when you didn't jerk away, he released a shuddery breath.

"I don't forgive you." You whispered back, touching his stubbled jaw. God, his warmth, he still used that aftershave. It brought back so many memories.

"You don't have to."

"Are you asking for it?"

"Yes."

To your dismay, a hope bloomed in your heart that maybe, you would be able to forgive him with time and rekindle the unsaid. However, you quickly crushed that desire. You were worlds apart now. You were still grinding your ass to study and get a good job while he was one of the richest men in the world. You didn't belong here. He did.

You slid your head from his forehead to his chest as he buried his head into your hair. You let a few more tears fall off your eyes as a pang of headache hit you. It was great while it lasted.

"Bruce-oh! You know her?" A surprised voice startled you as Bruce tensed underneath your hold.

He sucked in a deep breath and whirled around so quickly it gave you whiplash, his tall stature shielding you completely. "And now why would I tell you, shorty? Were you stalking me?" He said with a sardonic smirk as you gaped at him.

This was not the sensible, careful and vulnerable Bruce. This was the rude, condescending and arrogant rich asshole everybody knew him as. Granted he always had a bad temper with an even worse mouth but this was not him. Maybe he changed overtime.

Bucky didn't even bat an eye over his height's judgement and said. "No, I wasn't stalking you. You were taking too long so Steve told me to check if you were behaving. Now who is she?" Bucky's mouth also turned upwards, his almost green eyes twinkling with mischief as his chocolate hair fell over his forehead. Even if Bucky was on the shorter side, it did nothing to deter his beauty.

Your thoughts were interpreted by the loud snort of Bruce. "Come on, Buck. You are becoming such a pet of our Stevie. I don't know what treats he gives you but they sure look worth it. And as for her?" Bruce turned to you, head cocked with a raised eyebrow.

You sidestepped Bruce and came face to face with Bucky. You told him your name. "People call me Luna, I'm his friend from college."

Bucky let out a breathy chuckle. "Honey, he changed colleges like clothes. You'd have to be more specific."

"Very first college, Buck. You know." Bruce said nonchalantly and your head snapped to glare at him. You were half upset when you thought his brothers didn't know about you but as Bucky's flicked over you and your cheeks heated up. You wanted them to forget about you.

You glanced at Bucky with an awkward smile as realisation dawned on him and his mouth curved in a o shape. He stuck out his hand for you with a warm smile. "Don't worry, doll face. Only I and Bruce know about you and his… friendship." You shook it.

"Bruce, I didn't know she was such a beauty. You should have told us. We would have taken her with us." You and Bucky laughed. However, Bruce only narrowed his eyes and his jaw ticked.

"I should escort her to her room." Bucky said.

"But that's my duty."

"No, Harlan wants to discuss AI so he needs you. Plus, I have a message to deliver to, doll face."

Bruce huffed and nodded reluctantly. All three of you went to the stairs before diverging. However, you still felt Bruce's eyes as you glanced over your shoulder and found him looking longingly at you. You gave him a smile before he disappeared down the stairs.

"So what is the message you have to deliver, Mr. Barnes?" You ask in a whisper.

Bucky suddenly hooked his arm in your and pulled you towards him, making your breath hitch at the closeness as his heady scent made you dizzy.

"It's Bucky Alaïa wants you to meet her in the garden at 5. She wants you to meet Ransom." He whispered back in your ear and you gulped as it sounded like a dark lullaby to your brain.

"O-okay." You stammeredq out as your room finally arrived.

"Bye, bye, doll face." Bucky rasped close to your face and you were almost disappointed that you arrived so quickly.

Now that Bucky had left, his words registered in your brain. Why the fuck did Alaïa want you to meet Ransom? Was she planning on making you a mistress? You should really stop reading those reddit stories.

-

You dressed into a black, long dress after taking a nice shower and scrubbing away all the dirt and sweat. After shower feeling was the best feeling.

You gilded down the stairs, stepping into the bustling living room. You promptly avoided all of the people and made a beeline for the door leading to the garden. But you stumbled forward, almost falling to the ground as someone had just stepped on your dress. Perfect!

You turned around and your scathing words died an untimely death on your tongue as your eyes landed on the burly man. A phone pressed between his shoulder and ear as his brows were furrowed in concentration and frustration, his pink lips jutting out as his blonde hair made his blue eyes shine even brighter.

Steve Rogers. Even if he looked a tid bit more approachable than his twin, he still wasn't someone to mess with. And if you cussed at him, well then you could say goodbye to your career.

You sighed and tentatively stepped closer to him. Gingerly, you touched his bicep.

"Hey, stay away from him!" A coarse, deep voice thundered, making you shriek away from Steve as it left you shaking with fear.

This caught Steve's attention as he looked at you and then at his right. "Clark, where are your manners? Yelling at a lady? And for no reason?"

Clark hissed but you weren't able to look at him. "Shit, brother. I wasn't yelling at her. The man behind you, he has a knife."

You furrowed your brows and turned behind to a worker holding a knife with a deer caught in headlights look.

Steve raised an eyebrow at him as he quickly stuttered out. "This is to open a package." And tossed the knife to a nearby worker who disappeared to the storage room.

Steve sighed heavily. "Clark, I can defend myself, you know that right? Why do you overreact so much? And did you not see her?" And pointed at you.

Clark replied after a beat of silence. "I genuinely didn't. I'm sorry…" He started walking towards you but you only recoiled into Steve with each step he took.

You didn't want his apology, at least not right now. You were far too shaken to think coherently.

Steve sighed and coiled an arm around your clinging form and caressed your side. "Clark, not right now. She's far too shaken up to not cry or scream at you. Try again, later."

"But, brother-"

"Leave." He said through gritted teeth.

Clark's footsteps faded away as you involuntarily hid in his chest, his earthy scent grounding you as he shushed you. "Hey, doll. It's okay, it's alright. He won't hurt you, no one would. It was just a misunderstanding, stop shaking babydoll." He cooed.

His soft deep voice relaxed you but as soon as the fear was gone, embarrassment burnt your cheeks as you stepped away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… " You rasped. Did you just rub yourself on The Steve Rogers like a needy kitten?

"Don't say that, doll. My brother caused it so I must fix it."

"Thank you and-" You yelped as you descended down the floor. His foot was still on your dress. Great!

You braced yourself for the impact but bounced in two strong arms as your hands flew to his forearms.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I was standing on your dress." He said when you snapped your eyes open.

You were swimming in his blue gaze of concern and sincerity. "Yeah, that's what I was trying to say."

"What's your name, doll? Hmmm?" He asked after brought you back to your feet. Your eyes fluttered as his knuckles ran softly over your cheek.

You told him your name.

"Doll is much better, suits you well. Where were you going, anyway?" He quietly asked.

"I-um, I was going to meet Ransom."

"Oh, I was going to meet him as well. Let's go together."

"No, thank you." You politely declined.

"Come with me." He said and dragged you towards the garden.

-

You talked with Ransom till seven, he wasn't at all like the media projected him. Maybe he changed for Alaïa as he was really committed and determined to do things right. They had your blessings to put your feelings into words.

After Steve dragged you to the garden. He was courteous enough to let you talk to your friend and Ransom privately before he joined.

Then you went to finally meet Harlan and had the overdue talk. He wanted to discuss the latest trends in the writing industry and how to incorporate it in his company's branding. So, that it could appeal to younger audience.

It was a long and draining conversation and you deeply sighed, leaning against the wooden door of Harlan's office. You were finally going to the garden, which you wanted to revisit since you stepped foot in it.

"Miss?"

You gasped at the voice and started for the stairs but Clark's body blocked your path, pushing you against the door.

"I didn't want to scare you." He said, genuinely remorseful.

"You are doing that right now." You snapped and he put up his hands in surrender.

"It's not intentional, I swear."

It might not be. The brothers were tall, except Bucky but Clark was a beast. His biceps were larger than your hand and he practically dwarfed you with his sheer shadow. His eyes were also blue but they had a brown sprinkled in them. He had a little beard with a moustache that made him look even more intimidating and sexy. You had never seen a man who looked this sexy in a moustache.

"Well then be more mindful." You bit back.

He nodded and snaked his hand behind him and pulled out a rose. And not just any rose but a black rose. Where he found it you had no idea but it mesmerized you nonetheless. It was something you had only seen on television and seeing it in real life left you agape.

He offered the rose to you. "I'm sorry, princess." He whispered, the nickname heating up your cheeks.

You gingerly took the rose and let a giddy smile tug on your lips. "Okay, I forgive you. Just remember you are way bigger and stronger than most people. Use your strength wisely." He nodded with a bunny smile and you smiled back before heading to the garden.

You loudly and walked into the garden in peace. Walking in the open at night was another level of tranquillity that you didn't get very often, thanks to your dorm in the concrete jungle.

You twirled the rose in your hand, halting at nearby flowers. You bit your lips wanting to pluck some and put them in a vase. Even though they wouldn't last forever, the contrast would still look appealing.

But you didn't have the permission of any of the Drysdale.

"Couldn't sleep?" A dark baritone voice said from behind.

You flinched and turned around to be greeted by Andy Barber, wearing a simple white tee and sweats. A silver chain peeking through the collar as a smirk danced across his bearded cheeks.

"Pleasure meeting you, Mr. Barber."

"The feeling is mutual, miss. How's your headache now?" He raised a brow.

You told him your name and nickname. "And it's much better now, thanks for asking."

"Hmmm, Luna, so fitting for the person and the setting," He erased the distance between you two in two long strides and glanced at you. "I couldn't blame you. The night is beautiful."

"But the garden is even more beautiful." You said as he glanced at you.

"Indeed."

"I don't get to dwell in the greenery much." You resumed your walking.

"How so?" He followed.

"It's just study, sleep and sometimes relax for me."

"What are you studying?"

"Business, last year."

"Internship."

"Freelance." You said with a shake of your head. Andy somehow liked your presence and so did you. He was like the ocean.

"And won't you ask me about my work?" He teased as you were back behind the bushes of colourful roses.

"I know everything about that, Mr. Barber."

"It's Andy, darling," He said and only then did you notice the distance, or lack thereof between you and him. "And so confident about it, darling?"

You swallowed through your smile. "Well, everybody knows about how your work is going. So I'm pretty confident."

He chuckled. "I like it. Tell me more."

You resisted the urge to narrow your eyes as he seemed way too interested in a mere student and you have also grown tired.

"A black rose?" He voiced suddenly, lifting your hand to examine the item.

"Yes, isn't it unique?"

"That it is. Who gave you this?" He demanded softly.

You hesitated before speaking. "Mr. Kent."

"Who?" Andy asked as if you had told him the answer to the Bermuda Triangle mystery.

"Mr. Kent " You squealed as his thumb brushed the underside of your hand.

"Why?"

"Because he accidentally scared me by screaming."

He huffed out a chuckle. "Typical of Clark," He walked closer to you, ceasing the distance between you two completely. You averted your eyes as the tension grew. "It'll look better with some companions."

His hand went above your head and you gasped as he presented you red, yellow, white and light pink roses.

"Andy, you don't have the permission for that." You breathed and shook your head.

"Oh honey, I have all the permission you need." He said and handed you the roses. "Take them, they'll look good together."

You nodded. "Ah, actually I'm feeling sleepy and I'm kinda an insomniac, so it's an opportunity I can't miss. We'll resume our conversation tomorrow." You lied.

He pondered over your words, making you nervous before he smiled and nodded. "Of course, sleep is important. Especially to a beauty like you."

You offered a parting smile and walked away. You hugged yourself as a chill ran down your spine. It was not because of the cold night but the gaze that bore into you and the dark aura that clung to you, you couldn't shake it off even when you tried.

You felt something would change drastically, what and how. You didn't know.

Taglist: @goldenharrysworld , @magnificentsaladllama , @iloveavengers , @charmed-asylum , @moonstruckbirdie

[jerzwriter]

Rollercoaster

Thank you to @starsarewithinme for the <100 words drabble request for Trystan, Carolina/Rollercoaster. It's a ton of silly fluff, but I hope you will enjoy it!

Book: Crimes of Passion (Post Book 2) Pairing: Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose) Words: Uhm. 1,400. (Only 1,300 more than 100! lol) Rating: Teen Category: Utter Fluff Summary: Trystan offers Carolina a penny for her thoughts... then he wishes he could give them back.... just a little. A/N: Participating in @choicesnovchallenge | Fireworks Night

There was much that Trystan Thorne admired about Carolina Rose. If asked to list the qualities and attributes he found most endearing, he would demand at least a week’s time to capture them all, knowing he’d still come up short when his time reached an end. Her natural beauty, incomparable sass, and sheer audacity were the first things to pique his interest. But, the more he came to know her, the more he knew her mind was the most fascinating thing about the woman who owned his heart.

She was brilliant... but not in a way that can be learned from books, but in a manner that is only earned through life experience. Sharp, intuitive, and quick-witted... she had a knack for knowing just what to do, just what to say, regardless of circumstances. Facing down a serial killer? Cutting a bigot down to size on the subway? Making him smile after a grueling day? Tending to an injured kitten outside her uncle’s bar? Carolina always sprung into action before he could even take stock of the situation, leaving him more awestruck each time.

It’s no wonder trying to read her mind had become one of his favorite pastimes, whether they were at work or at play. Sometimes, she’d catch him staring at her intently as she poured over the details of a case, stared out a window, or bopped around her apartment, dancing to music only she could hear. He’d often ask what she was thinking, and he could now guess with about fifty percent accuracy – something he was immensely proud of.

But recently, Carolina’s therapist all but ordered her to find little ways to reduce stress in her everyday life. And this time, it was Trystan who sprung into action. He ran to a corner gift shop, returning with a vast assortment of colorful gel pens, retro stickers, glitter glue, and notebooks festooned with images of unicorns, rainbows, and cartoon cats.

“What on earth is this for?” Carolina chuckled as Trystan scratched his head.

“I don’t know, exactly,” he admitted. “But how can anyone be stressed in the presence of glitter, unicorns, and adorable kittens? We’ll find a way to put it all to good use.”

And, of course, Carolina did. Popping in her earbuds, she’d pick the most insipid pop songs she could find, typically from Trystan’s playlists, and doodle whatever came to mind. Soon, the pink and lavender pages of the notebooks he gifted her were filled with Carolina Rose originals. Every time she did this, she was so happy and at ease that Trystan forgot about his mind-reading hobby. After all, seeing her so content warmed his heart. But some days, like today, he was curious.

Carolina’s smiles had been punctuated with delightful little giggles, but when he peeked over her shoulder to see what she was drawing, he couldn’t make sense of the abstract loops and swirls. She caught him staring at her over his latte and removed her earbuds with a smirk. 

“Yes?” she asked playfully.

“Nothing,” she swore she saw him blush. “I’m just....”

“Just what?”

“I’m wondering what you’re thinking of. You seem so happy this morning.”  

“I am,” she grinned, shutting her notebook. “I’ve been doodling all the things I want to do with you.”

“Oh... really,” he smiled lasciviously with a raised brow.

Carolina tossed her head back in laughter. “Keep it in your pants, Thorne. These thoughts are as PG-13 as the Hello Kitty notebooks you gave me.”

Trystan sheepishly pushed a shiny silver quarter across the table, then placed it in Carolina’s hand.

“What is the saying? A penny for your thoughts? This should buy me at least twenty-five of yours. Now I must know... what is it you wish to do with me,” he grinned.

Carolina jumped onto his lap, eagerly pointing to the various drawings. She pointed to a pair of ice skates, telling him they’d be going to Rockefeller Center, Wollman Rink, and Bryant Park very soon. Then she tapped on a sketch of a picnic basket she planned to fill with treats to share. Some waves along a beautiful shore, with a blanket made for two, were just how she imagined their trips to the beach next summer would be. Then, her excitement doubled.

“And this! This is the best of all!”

“What is it?” he asked.

“The Cyclone. At Coney Island... have you ever been?”

“Uhm... I can’t say that I have.”

Carolina clapped her hands with delight, a squeal befitting a thirteen-year-old escaping her. “Good!” she beamed. “Then I get to take you on your first ride! I found myself a Cyclone virgin!”

“A Cyclone... virgin? What exactly do you plan to do with me? Offer me as a sacrifice?”

“Trystan,” she reprimanded. “Given our history, can we refrain from talking about sacrifices?”

“Duly noted,” he smiled. “But what about the Cyclone?”

“I told you! We’re riding it! I figured we could do that as soon as Luna Park opens in April. Then, we can head over to Jersey and go to Six Flags. We’ll start with El Toro and then move on to Nitro and Kingda Ka. The following weekend, we have to go to Hershey Park! Their coasters aren’t as scary, but they have so many! And I don’t care what anyone says, Storm Runner is still enough to scare the crap out of you! We’re going to have....”

She came down from her reverie long enough to notice the pale expression spreading on her boyfriend’s face.

“Trystan? Is everything all right?”

“Yes. Sure. Fine.... it’s only November.”

“And?” she asked, perplexed.

“That gives me four, five months to prepare. Are their classes?”

“Classes?” She giggled. “For riding rollercoasters?”

“No... classes to get over my fear of riding rollercoasters.”

“Trystan Thorne! You’re not telling me that you, the former prince of Drakovia, are afraid of... rollercoasters.”

“It’s a little detail we hid from the public eye. It would have brought great shame to the family. However, I assure you, I am not afraid. The more appropriate word would be horrified. I am absolutely horrified by rollercoasters. So, needless to say, I have to end up with a girlfriend with a rollercoaster fetish.”

“I wouldn’t call it a fetish,” she laughed. “But I do love me a good coaster.”

“Right... so, are their classes?”

Carolina looped her arms around his neck. “Trystan, I’m teasing you. But if you’re really frightened by them, I’m certainly not going to force you to go on with me.”

“But if it’s something you’re looking forward to, I want to do it with you.”

She placed a quick peck on his cheek. “And that means so much to me, but it’s OK. We can double date with Luke and Ruby. She loves a good coaster as much as I do, but Luke, not so much. So we can be all badass and you guys can hold our purses or something.”

“Great,” Trystan sighed. “I’d like to at least try. Don’t they have kiddie coasters I can start with?”

“Sure, but we probably surpass the height limits. They are kiddie coasters, after all.”

“Damn!” he spat.

“It’s really all right, babe. There are plenty of fun things we can do at amusement parks without putting you on a rollercoaster.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very!”

“So, tell me about these fun things,” he asked, wagging his brows.

“Well, there is the merry-go-round.... the bumper cars....”

“Oh, I excel at bumper cars. You are going down, Detective Rose!”

“HA! I learned to drive on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, baby... we’ll see about that!”

A big smile spread on her face as she pointed to a page virtually covered in an explosion of glitter.

“And, of course, there is this. The fireworks at the end of the night. We’ll watch together with a delicious treat in hand. It can be popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream.... what do you think you’ll want?”

“If I’m snuggled up with you? Then I’ll already have my delicious treat.”

“Aww, you’re the best, Trystan,” Carolina teased. “Even if you are a rollercoaster wuss.”

“I’m sorry, Carolina, but no one is perfect. Not even me.”

“Nope,” she said with a bop to his nose. “But you come damn close.”

Carolina was surprised to see him take out his phone; his attention shifted away from her. 

“Hey, what are you doing? “

“I’m looking into books on how to overcome silly fears. I’m getting on those coasters with you, Carolina. After all... you deserve perfection.”

@choicesficwriterscreations - Tags on reblog.

[archiveikemen]

'Keeping Up With Elbert's Collectionism' LINE Chat

Elbert: Is this beautiful? <pic>

...

Option 1

: I think it is.

Elbert: I picked it up a while ago... since you said it's beautiful, I think I'll stop searching for its owner.

Elbert: I'll keep it in my room.

<'thank you' sticker>

Elbert: I'm in the garden right now. What are your plans for today?

Option 1 —

: I want to chat with you more, Sir Elbert.

Elbert: Me too.

< 'gladly' sticker >

Elbert: Where shall we go to chat? The garden, your room, anywhere. Just not my room.

Elbert: When I'm talking to you, I sometimes feel like I might lose control of myself. ... I don't want to be unable to let you leave.

Elbert: Let me know when you're ready. I'll go pick you up at your room. ... I'll wait in front of your room door.

Elbert: (Voice Message) I want to chat with you more, and get to know everything about you.

Option 2 —

: I plan to go shopping. Do you want to come with me?

Elbert: ... Sure. To be honest, I feel like I'm not the best person to ask to go shopping with. Since you invited me to, I'll try my best not to be a bother to you.

Elbert: I'll try not to look at anything... because I'll want everything you want. If we get surrounded by a large crowd of people, I'll let you leave first... without me.

Elbert: It's only after I've sent that message, I realized how much that sounds like a dying wish. ... I'll be waiting for you at the entrance, so come meet me when you're ready.

Elbert: (Voice Message) It'll be alright. Leave it all to me.

...

Option 2

: Why are you asking that all of a sudden?

Elbert: I picked this up a while ago... I wanted to ask if you knew who this belongs to. It was in the castle garden, so it could belong to someone in Crown... maybe Roger.

<'?'sticker>

Elbert: It doesn't look especially beautiful, so I'll just leave it on the dining table. ... Thanks.

Elbert: Have you seen any beautiful things recently?

Option 1 —

: Last night, saw beautiful flowers blooming in the garden.

Elbert: ... Were they white roses?

Elbert: I saw them last night too... and without realising it, I picked them.

Elbert: They must've been very beautiful if you thought so too, but... it looks like they were not what I'm looking for. The moment I brought them to my room, they wilted.

Elbert: If only I could look at this world through your eyes, it might make it easier for me to find what I'm looking for. ... That thought has been on my mind recently. I feel like... I can find an important answer that's hidden inside you. Next time, shall we head out together? ... I want to chat with you more.

Elbert: (Voice Message) Whenever I'm with you, I view the world differently.

Option 2 —

: Nope, I haven't. Shall we go look for beautiful things together?

Elbert: <'want' sticker>

Elbert: Wrong sticker.

Elbert: < 'gladly' sticker>

: I'm glad to do that too.

Elbert: Since you used to be a postwoman, you'll definitely know places in London that I've never seen before. I want you to tell me about everything that's caught your eye. For some unknown reason, I have a feeling that the thing I've been fruitlessly searching for might be found... in you.

Elbert: (Voice Message) Could you be that something I'm searching for?

[edith-is-a-cat]

Edie's Moots!!! - Archieved.

The ones I've interacted with (alphabetically organized)

💕@angelhairpastawithherbs - Mx. Rose Moth!! - HAS THE SAME MOTHMAN SHIRT AS ME AND THATS HOW WE BECAME MUTUALS SO LOVELY (thats why you are called Rose Moth in my head!!) #mx. rose moth!! 💕

🐙@azulashengrottospiano - Ms. Auburn!! - DWAYNE THE ROCK JOHNSON IS MY MUTUAL GUYS /j, Seriously so very lovely love dropping art in there inbox. *Silently foaming at the mouth with their writing* Literally feels like a celeb followed me back. Tumblr mom/oldest sister skjdnbvkjerfl ily /p and thank you for being so nice to me #ms. auburn!! 🐙

💫@bloody-puppets - My child!! - HIIIIIIII *spins you around like a hula hoop* Yes his tag may have been "father" but those are lies this is my child. Acc snatched up and will help u around tumblr bc you are child. please ill make a terrarium you you goobers #my child!! 💫

@ - Mr. !! - OMG TELLS YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING IM EXCITED FOR YOU WELCOME IN!!!

#mr. !!

🎩@dapperceature - Mx. Dapper!! - EHEHEH IVE MISSED YOU UNDERTALE FANDOM AND ITS SO COOL THAT I HAVE AN UNDERTALE MOOT ILY MWAH /p #mx. dapper!! 🎩

🍬@ - Mx. Ferris!! YOU COME INTO MY HOUSE AND BE RLLY NICE AND SUPPORTIVE FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN MY BLOG BEING VERY BLUE, why thank you the rolls will be done in a bit. (ALSO PICKED ME UP BY THE SCRUFF AND ADOPTED ME?) My favorite moot to chew on #mx. ferris!! 🍬

🦀@fryofthefrench - real person. WALKING NONBINARY PRIDE FLAG 🫵 #mx. samsung!! 🦀🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🫵

🐍@l7k-a - Mr. Haru!! - I THINK I LOOKED AT UR PROFILE ONE TIME AND THOUGHT ABOUT FOLLOWING YOU THEN I CHICKENED OUT-- NOT TODAY and u like Basil freaking spinning and shaking. U r like my dad... you have asked me to sleep and isn't late several times. love u sm #mr. haru!! 🐍

🪻@h2llish - Mr. Devil!! I have a fourty bucks, and hopefully the ability to drive soon, wanna grab food?? #mr. devil!! 🪻

💪@i-like-forgs - Mr. Ryoko!! - reads your posts like I read the newspaper, making dramatic gasps ever now and then. I love being to see a little bit of your life. Rattles the bars of my cage, I'm so happy to see you. #mr. ryoko!! 💪

🐎@jangletam - Junior!! - Ken irl -- carefully fits you with a lovely cowboy hat and matching pair of boots #robin jr!! 🐎

✨@officialdaydreamer00 - Mx. Irene!! Picked me up off the side of the road after I reblogged one of his things an unholy amount of times (it was so cute tho I plan to read more when I have time :3!!) #mx. irene!! ✨

💤@vntey - Mx. Leo!! - Ur cool i like you goober #mx. leo!! 💤

🌸@ - Mr. Momo!! - PLEASE PLEASE you are so cute and sweet and im a seal plushie to you omg my heart <////3 /pos thank you for existing here bpufvbehbtvhrbtvhbrv you are so neato#mr. momo!! 🌸

🎀 @shinysparklesapphires - Ms. Sapphire!! - HSHVJKDNVJERVHJBERHD PRETTY MAGICAL GIRL SO COOL HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-- u r so neat I would love to hand feed you (edible) glitter #ms. sapphire!! 🎀

🪷@twistwonderlanddevotee - Ms. Sofia!! - THE WAY I STOOD UP AND RAN AROUND WHEN I SAW U REBLOG THE THING WITH THE PRETTIES WALLPAPER EVER-- I hope you get so much pretty stickers get you arts and crafts supplies and gives you stationary cause i feel u would like it (btw DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TAKING LONG BUT THAT WAS JUST SO SWEET AND I HOPE YOU DID SUPER WELL ON UR FINALS!!!!) #ms. sofia!! 🪷

🐇@twst-om-lover - Mx. Nightmare!! - spins you like a basketball #mx. nightmare!! 🐇

🐇✨@vivislosingitagain - Mx. Vivi!! Can we turn the ocean into tea together??? And then have a tea party if ocean tea doesn't taste weird! (I decided the second emoji for you hope you don't mind!!) #mx. vivi!! 🐇✨

🐈‍⬛@v-anrouge - Mr. Aster!! - You can have some of my blood if you want, fun fact, my blood type is ab so it's not really too useful if I donate it. I would love to bake you something and sit you down to watch a ghibli movie. I really like scrolling through your blog its very neat and i wanna put stickers and sparkles on it. Internet dad. do i have to say more? #mr. aster!! 🐈‍⬛

⭐🐍@weskers-husband - Mr. Miles!! - Hi gremlin boy I'm very glad you are here, post your art right fucking now.. Cool dude please talk to him and be cool to him, if you are mean to him I'm taking your keratin (also check out his poetry account @poems-husband >:D) #mr. miles!! ⭐🐍

🦈@whspermy-name - Mr. Minty!! - *gives you a 10 pound bag of gummy sharks and BOOKS IT for the hills* #mr. minty!! 🦈

🐀@xen-blank - Mx. Xen!! - IM INVITED TO YOUR WEDDING??? GIGGLES AND SHAKES YOU LIKE A JAR OF PICKLES glitters you glitters you glitters you glitters you glitters you glitters you glitters you glitters you (EHEHE U R SO NEATO) #mx. xen!! 🐀 You are welcome to ask to be mutuals! I will usually become moots with you on my own if I find you interesting or we just interact a ton!!

[patchwork-crow-writes]

(Resend because i got the order wrong aldjfakfj)

Hey there! So you know the official art of Ralsei titled "Floralsei" where he's surrounded by flowers? I've been interested in the possible symbolisms behind these flowers and wanted to share a bit of my analysis with you haha. (I know there's a chance that merch isn't canon, but we also get "Weird Route" foreshadowing through the Line Stickers, so who knows? ¯_(ツ)_/¯)

In the picture, I think we can identify several flowers such as 1. "Red Roses", 2. "Lily of the Valley", 3. "African Violet" , 4. "Hibiscus",5. "Snapdragons" and 6. "Forget-Me-Nots". (link to pic: https://imgur.com/a/NXAs1jv) I'll try to list the symbolism of each one here…

"Red Roses": These flowers are placed prominently in the center, forming Ralsei's scarf and adorning his hat. While they appear as dark pink in the artwork, I interpret them as representing red, especially considering Ralsei's default scarf is called the Red Scarf. Red roses are traditionally associated with romantic love, which aligns with Ralsei's one-sided affection towards Kris.

"Lily of the Valley": This flower symbolizes purity, happiness, and sweetness. It carries diverse symbolism and is often used in various settings, such as weddings and religious ceremonies, to convey messages of hope, purity, and the joy of new beginnings.

"African Violet": (I'm not entirely certain about this, but the shape seems to resemble the flower in the pic…) This flower signifies loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness. In addition to representing faithfulness and fidelity, African Violets can also convey admiration and respect, especially when given as a token of high esteem.

"Hibiscus": Often associated with beauty, femininity, and delicate charm, the hibiscus is known for its stunning appearance and vibrant colors. It symbolizes delicate beauty, youthfulness, and a sense of joy.

"Snapdragons": These flowers embody both deception and gracefulness. According to legends, their unique appearance with "dragon mouth" shapes can represent deception, while others view them as symbols of grace and openness. (Deception seems particularly fitting considering Ralsei's mysterious nature and the secrets he keeps from Kris and the others.)

"Forget-Me-Nots": These flowers serve as a clear reminder of the phrase "Don't Forget." (It reminds me of Ralsei's Line Sticker where he's depicted singing "Don't Forget.")

Let me know if I made any mistakes, and I would greatly appreciate any feedback you have!

Oh, I didn't actually know about this! Some Ralsei fan I am, lol :P It's very pretty though, I've just seen that it's a print on a T-shirt, which I'm now sorely tempted to purchase because of how good it looks! Thanks for bringing this to my attention, it's appreciated :)

Moving on to your analysis of the different types of flowers... there's not too much I can really add here I feel - flowers and their meanings are sadly not my forte. However, a lot of the meanings you transcribed here do definitely relate to Ralsei and his character. Of particular note is the Snapdragon and its allusion to "deception" - as you rightly state, our favourite fluffy boy is definitely withholding crucial information from everyone, both about the plot at large and his own character.

You know what else caught my eye, actually? I'm just checked because I wasn't sure if I was misremembering, but Lily of the Valley is actually poisonous, and can cause skin irritation if touched directly, and its berries can cause serious harm or even death if ingested. It's a stretch, but applying this to Floralsei (what a name, by the way!) you could perhaps posit that whatever secret he's keeping, it's so dangerous it might cause irreparable damage if it were to ever come out. Or perhaps it's a warning - he may be pretty, but get too close and you'll get hurt.

With that said, however, I don't actually think Ralsei is secretly malicious or anything like that. My current theory is that he's not telling us stuff for two reasons - one is that he's directly serving the narrative by revealing pieces of vital information at critical moments in the story, as evidenced by the dramatic reveal of the Roaring and the Titans JUST before Berdly creates a new dark fountain in the cyber world; and the other is that he is trying to protect his friends from information that they might find distressing, and/or won't be relevant to them unless the worst case scenario happens (which it's obviously gonna... but I digress).

I'm sorry I couldn't really add any more to this discussion, because it is quite fascinating! I'd be quite interested to see what others think, if any further insight can be provided on this topic!

[legolasghosty]

Boarding school AU

Oooooo fun! Absolutely!

Well first off roommates. Julie and Flynn of course, Reggie and Alex, Bobby, Nick, and Luke, and Willie and Carrie(there was a mix-up in the system with Willie being placed as a girl despite having started his transition over 2 years ago, and the two got along great so they never complained).

Julie comes in pretty quiet. Her dad placed her there for the school year in hopes that a change of scenery would help her get through her grief over losing Rose. Julie was fully in favor of it, especially if it meant she wasn't stuck at LFHS with everyone staring at her all the time.

Reggie, Bobby, and Willie are all there cause their parents either didn't know what to do with them or couldn't be bothered to actually take care of them themselves. They've all been there since 6th grade.

Carrie, Flynn, and Nick are there cause their families want them to focus on their studies and they're 'not getting the attention they need' at the public schools. Luke is there for the same reason, but more cause his parents are worried about him paying attention rather than his teachers.

Alex got sent off to boarding school after his parents saw him holding hands with a boy in his class and found his hidden stash of pride stickers. He's been there since 7th grade. He's rarely allowed home for holidays. He doesn't mind much.

Julie is immediately freaked out by her very talkative roommate and the boys singing all the time next door. She ends up bolting out after her first class and hiding in what turns out to be the props closet for the theatre program.

A few minutes later, two boys burst in, laughing and talking about something that one boy did over summer break. Julie tries to hide but they hear her. Julie doesn't miss how the pair springs apart as soon as they see her, even though her own mind is a blur of panic.

But the boys introduce themselves as Alex and Willie and offer to share their snacks with her in the closet.

The three become fast friends, and eventually the couple manages to convince Julie to come eat lunch with the rest of their friends as well. Lovely friendship ensues!

Heheheh I'm hooked on this idea now, dang it. Ah well, thanks for sending it in!

(Send me an AU and I'll give you 5+ headcanons about it!)

[swampstew]

Blind Date Event ~ Cavendish X Reader

Thank you to everyone who submitted applications for my Blind Date Matchmaking Event. I hope you enjoy these lovely bedtime stories during this week of overpriced chocolates, flowers and heart shaped things. @sabo-has-my-heart I hope you enjoy your date and it definitely did not have me simping pathetically for the Beautiful Pirate🤫🥺

Mostly fluff, SFW, Cavendish X Female reader, first blind date experience. WC:1.4K. Minors DNI - my content is for mature audiences only

Cavendish knocked on your door, arriving punctually for your date together. He was dressed in a billowing button down paired with black pants, a rose belt buckle hung neatly where the shirt tucked. He looked handsome, ravishing even; you weren’t 100% sold on the hat though.

He did one of those fancy handshakes where he daintily raises your hand in front of him while he bows his head. Exclaiming how thrilled he was to be your date and that he was taking you to the hottest rooftop bar in the city. He led you to his white, polished Ford Mustang convertible. You noticed a small bumper sticker on the corner of his back bumper: Hell hath no fury like a Shagya Arabian stallion.

“I’ve got to be honest; I don’t know what a Shagya Arabian is.”

Cavendish’s eyes widened before a smile came over his face. His favorite topic. A horse boy through and through.

It was quite cute how passionate he was about the subject. It stemmed from his childhood horse who was now much older and past his prime. You were surprised to know that his deep knowledge of equines didn’t stop there. No, Cavendish loves all animals.

He comes from old money so he decided to start a non-profit rehabilitation center. At first it was to rehab injured equestrians, which expanded to treat donkeys, deer, and eventually his center became overburdened with animals in need that he expanded again. To several different counties and states, all specializing in different animal needs. To say you were impressed!

The ride to the bar was fairly quick and he opened your doors and pulled out the seat for you, always a gentleman. While you waited for your orders to be cooked, you sipped on decorated cocktails as you got to know each other.

You held the matchmaking pamphlet in your hands, “Cavendish what are your three biggest deal breakers?”

He took a sip of his gin and tonic, “I would say intentional cruelty to animals, cheating, and denim on denim wearers.” You giggled at that. “What about your three dealbreakers, _______?”

You swirled your Mai Tai, “controlling tendencies, cruel personalities, and excessive laziness.”  

You shared your meals with each other on appetizer plates; he has a thing about his food mixing together. He listened intently as you shared more about yourself. Things like your hobbies, passion for cooking, favorite book and movie genres, even your bucket list.

“Overall, I like to believe I am laid back. I enjoy a night in as much as I enjoy trying something new,” you took a break to finish your meal, having talked through most of the meal.

“That’s great to know, _____. I’m glad to hear you like trying new things. See, I chose this bar not just because the food reviews were good, but because this bar is partnered with the art studio next door. This week they’ve put on an immersive Van Gogh experience that I thought we could do after dinner. The fun part is, to get to the show you can only enter through the rooftop bar. Look over there,” he pointed to a tall, curtained entrance.

“Past those curtains is a hallway made entirely of glass to get to the art show. I heard its quite exhilarating, being able to see the streets from 20 stories high; the sight allows you the most exquisite view of the city especially during sunset, which is in,” he checked his watch, “about 40 minutes.”

You were stunned. The date was thoroughly planned; you were expecting a nice dinner date at best but Cavendish was really going all out with making it an experience. You smiled at him, sharing your excitement at the plan while you received another round of drinks and the dessert menu.

The dinner date was refreshing. Your first impression of Cavendish was a rich boy who probably put forth 40% of effort to get what he wanted, if money couldn’t buy it for him right away. You were pleased at how thoughtful he was. With how passionate he was about his life’s work and how much of a gentle soul he seemed to be.

Cavendish carefully spooned his ice cream into his mouth, letting the flavor mix with the piece of apple pie he had already taken a bite of. Watching his face turn into one of delighted pleasure from the dessert. It was…so cute you blushed a little. He noticed and he cast his eyes downward, a quiet chuckle escaping him.

“______, I am enjoying my time with you. There is something I would like for you to know and, I would understand if you decided not to move forward with another date after tonight once you hear it. I just…” he looked nervous, “I hope you do not judge me too harshly.”

You nod your head at him, encouraging him to continue.

“I—“, he paused, resentment and shame crossed his features for just a moment. “I suffer from somnambulism, a sleepwalking and night terrors disorder.” His eyes were shadowed now.

“That’s not all…,” his knuckles were white from how hard he was clutching his glass. “I also suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder, and it is usually triggered during by my night terrors. Sometimes I can get violent during the worst of them. I don’t have as many episodes as I used to. I am in therapeutic treatment for both my conditions and I take medication for the sleep disorder. I just wanted to be upfront with you. I don’t want you to think I was hiding it from you or leading you on in any way,” he finally braved a glance at you.

“Oh,” you let out softly. Never before had you met a person be so honest about his own shortcomings and faults. It was admirable. “I think its brave that you shared that with me, especially during a night where we’re learning about each other to see if we’re compatible.” You smile softly.

“I can promise I won’t judge you for it. Not many people can admit they have issues and even less try to address them. I sincerely appreciate your honesty, though I won’t say right away that I’d like a second date but its not because of your disorders,” you soothe, taking another drink.

“It’s because I’m curious to see how the rest of our night goes,” you raise your glass to him. “I signed up for this event because I wanted to take a chance at finding someone. You did too. So Cavendish, what do you say we go enjoy that exquisite view and continue our date?”

His gorgeous blue orbs widened at your statement, a crooked smile growing on his face.

“Well said, _____. I appreciate your openness and kindness. To the rest of our date then,” he clinked his glass against yours in a toast.

The hallway was both thrilling and anxiety inducing, causing you to hold on to Cavendish as you walked across the glass floor. He fit the gentleman role perfectly, soothing you as he held you. The museum was breathtaking and you lost track of the time as you explored each room. By the time you were looking at the last installation, you nuzzling intimately against his body while he had his arm around your shoulder. You were actively disappointed the night had to end.

Cavendish walked you to your front door, holding your art gallery bag full of prints and goodies he had purchased for you. As you fiddled with the key in your lock, you gave him a bashful look.

“I had a really nice time tonight. I do want that second date, if you enjoyed my company as much as I think you did,” you spoke in a hushed tone.

He was sweet, lifting your hand in his, pressing a soft kiss to your knuckles.

“It would be my honor. Do you want me to surprise you or do you want to plan it together?”

“I think I would like to help plan the next one. Can’t let you be the one who shocks and amazes me all the time,” you flirt. “If you’re free this weekend, would you like to meet up for coffee and discuss it in more depth?”

His smile was radiant, “absolutely. But I’m counting it as a mini date, _____!” His heart started racing when you giggled, nodding in agreement.

You stood on your tip toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, “I can’t wait.”

[akehoshimystar]

Chapter 2

Yuzuru: Florist cafe... Indeed, there are several cafes attached to flower shops in Tokyo.

Ito: Yes, they're quite popular. I thought there would be a lot of reference points for the interior, as it fits with the concept.

Not just in appearance, but running a flower shop in a serious manner...?

Roka: Yes! Not a “cafe run by a flower shop,” but a “cafe that sells flowers!”

Ai: ……..

Roka: It goes like this! After enjoying a meal and tea decorated with flowers, a staff member comes to the table with a flower basket...

Ito: (Something is coming.)

Roka: “How about some flowers!?” suggests the staff member!

“Wow, such a beautiful flower! Please give me one! This one is for you, my dear!” he says, offering a single rose!

Rare: Food?

Roka: “Eh? For me?! What a lucky person I am!!” So grateful, so heartfelt! Everyone will be moved to tears!

Ito: ...A cafe where you can give flowers to someone who came with you on the spot...

Roka: Yup. It can be used for confession or proposal, as well as for celebration, daily gratitude, or an opportunity to make up.

Of course, it's also perfectly fine to give it to yourself as a reward for your precious self!

What am I, a genius!?

Ito: …..!

Well... Isn't this a really great idea?

Yuzuru: Agreed. As expected from Roka-san.

Roka: Oh, I’m flattered. As expected from Aporia's Young Nobleman of Inspiration!

Ito: (Come to think of it, the dress-up event itself, “Drunken Mischief,” was Roka-san's idea.)

(When you think about it, he must be a person with practical imagination, or should I say, an ability to come up with ideas.)

(Though I have never heard him being called a nobleman.)

Ai: The naming sense and skit were unpleasant, but other than that I gotta admit it.

If Yashiro doesn’t disagree with Roka’s idea, then go ahead and take the lead in making it more profitable. 

Ito: Eh?

(Me? .….not Roka-san?)

Ai: Whose project is this again?

Ito: (….Oh.)

That would be me, sir.

Ai: Then see it through to the end.

Ito: (...Even if I'm not strong enough, or there are others who can do it better, I have to take responsibility until the end.)

Okay. I'll think about it.

Ai: Give me an answer by the day after tomorrow.

Ito: Understood.

Yuzuru: ………

Ai: "Adding to the 'interesting' aspect of this event that will lead to profits.” In order to bring about that idea…..

Yuzuru, support her. But don't interfere too much.

Yuzuru: Copy that.

Roka: Do you need this nobleman's help?

Ai: No thanks.

Roka: OK! I will help with everything I got!

Ai: This time, don't aim for a passing grade, walk in here with a full score. Got it?

Ito: ……Yes.

(………Not aiming for a passing grade, huh…)

And then, a few days later at night.

Kiho: ………After progressing from there, it turned out like this. I see.

“There is no reservation for this early hour, so if it's not a complicated matter, feel free.” He said. At Kiho-san’s suggestion, the meeting started at the bar counter instead of the office. After skimming through the proposal data I shared with him, he put down his tablet and made a “hohhh” sound.

Ito: I'd be grateful if you could point out anything that concerns you... What do you think?

Kiho: Nothing concerning about it.

Ito: ! You think so?

Kiho: I wouldn't lie about something like this, and I'm not just being considerate either.

By making the sale of fresh flowers a reservation system, you can avoid inventory risk and create an event that everyone can enjoy on the very day.

I honestly thought it was great. Wouldn’t Ai agree with this?

Ito: Thank you, I'm glad to hear this...

Kiho: Haha. Did you expect worse?

Ito: I had braced myself for that, actually. 

Shinobu: Making “flower stickers for staff” a bonus when ordering the menu. And we’re gonna have the best staff reward…. Isn’t that awesome?

When I saw it on Chattas, I couldn't hold back my “Wow” at all. I smell a fierce battle incoming. 

Ito: Haha...I probably spent most of my time setting up detailed rules to prevent things from getting too heated.

(And here I was wondering what to do when Kosaka-san told me to light up the competitive spirit.)

Kiho: The benefits are provided in a way that causes a loss to neither the staff nor the customers. I think you will be able to meet his order properly.

Is this Ito's idea?

Ito: No, this was also Roka-san's. He said that it's more fun and happier for the staffs to receive flowers.

Kiho: Yeah. That sounds like something he would say.

But I doubt someone like Roka would come up with a clever idea like using stickers instead of fresh flowers, which are more difficult to handle.

Ito: (Wow, Kiho-san is sure something else..... He’s very insightful.)

The stickers idea was the alternative I came up with.

As you stated, it would be very difficult to manage and clean up afterwards. I think fresh flowers are definitely more gorgeous though.

Kiho: Your idea is solid enough. Flowers are indeed beautiful and I would be happy receiving one, but I can't just leave them as they are afterwards. 

If I want them to last for a while, it takes some effort. There's a limit to the number of vases I can have.

Ito: (A statement from someone who has received an excessive number of flowers before.)

<The staff member who receives the most flowers will be given the title of “Best Florist” along with a reward> <Later, as a return gift to our customers, we will give away a bouquet coordinated by our staff members through a lottery> <The number of flower stickers and bouquet lottery tickets you receive is proportional to the net amount of the menu you order> My plan, the one that was merely passable for better or worse, was to aim for ensuring that our customers had a great time without any major dissatisfaction. Through advice from various angles, the content has evolved into something that is both “interesting and potentially profitable.”

Shinobu: I was surprised at how good the compatibility between the members and the concept was. I almost thought they were intentionally selected.

Ito: I mean, I was certainly surprised to hear that the members are usually decided by Roka-san's throwing darts...

Shinobu: That's one thing Roka-san never concedes. Of course, if the same person gets designated too many times in a row, there will be some adjustments.

Did the darts land on Yuzuru-san, Maochi-san, and Yu-san this time?

Kiho: Right. As for the rest, it’s Riku, me, and Ito.

Shinobu: Now that’s a solid line-up.

Kiho: Alright, looking forward to working with you. Now, let's get to the main topic.

Since I've become a member for this occasion, I have no problem telling the fortunes to customers directly in the store.

To make it a casual experience, as Ito suggested…..

Shall we go with “One Oracle”?

Chapter 3 >>

[worldofbakedbeanzs]

Simon Riley x Elizabeth Van Halen (my OC)

I fell. Fell in love with someone I can’t have. It was Simon. Simon Riley. A man I knew since childhood back in Manchester, England. Someone I went through my bad and good days with. Someone that I admire as a person. I would always fall asleep thinking about him. Hugging my pillow wishing it was him. The day he left for military training, I believed he would come and visit me. But he never did. He just called once in a while. It made me think that he forgot about me. And I bet he did at times.

I made my customers’ coffee as I thought about my day so far. It was the usual slow day at my family’s small corner cafe. I sighed, wishing that my shift would be over soon.

“Here you go.” I presented the cappuccino in a cup. They thanked me and went back to reading. As I went back to the counter to prepare more coffee grounds, I didn’t notice a tall figure entering the cafe. My back towards the front, a man clearing their throat caught my attention and I spun around. Locking eyes with this person, my eyes become wide. But I quickly went back to normal asking what they wanted.

“Is there a Elizabeth here?” the man asked, that I recognized as Simon. He was holding a gift bag.

With a small giggle I replied, “This is her.”

He smiled softly, “Sorry I didn’t recognize you there. May we have a chat?”

I nodded, getting my younger sister to take over. We sat down at a back table. Silence enveloped us. It was awkward but relaxing. It was when he spoke that broke the awkwardness.

“It’s been a bit since we have seen each other, has it little bird?” He locked eyes with me.

To that nickname, I blushed as I looked away

“Y-yeah, it’s been a long time.” I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. I always thought he forgot, as it has been forever since we saw each other last. I looked at his eyes. They were worried and confused. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion, “Are you alright, love?” I nodded, lying. He sighed and got up and slightly raised his arms out, inviting me for a hug. I got up and accepted it.

He whispered, “How has my girl been?”

“Been good.”

“I miss you. I’m sorry I didn’t visit. Been busy.”

“It’s alright Simon.”

I let go and smiled, tears falling down my cheeks. He wiped them away softly. We sat back down and started to chat about our lives so far. We laughed and exchanged jokes. It felt like we’re teens again. I caught him staring at my lips a few times. Something that I took note of. He handed me a bag and told me to open it. It was a scrapbook with stickers and photos of places he’s been. On the cover it read, “For the love of my life.”

I looked up at him. His blue eyes showed love and appreciation. I smiled once more and giggled, “I never knew you felt the same.”

“Never?” his eyebrows rose.

“Yeah, I think about you everyday. And went through all our interactions thousands of times to find a hint. I guess I’m blind.”

He put his hand over mine. Moving his thumb back and forth. I sighed, "Would u like a coffee or anything, its on the house."

He shook his head, "I just need to know how to get up stairs. I talked to your mom and she is letting me stay at your guy's house for a while. My parents moved to London and I wanted to visit you."

I smiled, "Of course."

We got up and he followed me to the back, up the stairs and to a tidy room.

"My mother said someone was coming over, so I made the room feel as cozy as it can be."

He patted me head, "I like it." I thanked him and was going to leave but he grabbed my arm, "Stay, your sister wouldn't mind, its always slow Saturday."

I hesitated. This was the only way I get money. But I bet my parents wouldn't mind, so I agreed to stay. He pulled me inside the room letting go as I entered. He closed the door. He sat on the bed, becking me to do the same.

I curiously questioned, "Is there something you need?"

He nodded leaned in to kiss me. It was a slow and gentle kiss. When we parted he cupped me cheek looking my in my eyes, "I never thought I would fall in love with such a beauty." Simon went and layed down becking me agian to follow suit. So instead of me laying next to him, I lay ontop if him, in which he enjoyed. We lay there for a while in silence. It was until a knock on the door alerted us to a presence. I climbed off of him and went to answer the door.

It was my mother.

"Hello sweet pea. I'm just wondering when you two would like to eat."

We told her a little later, then she left.

I inquired about a small walk. He agreed and I went to change out of my uniform. I put on a hoodie and a cute micro skirt on. We went down stairs and head out for our walk.

[issie-https]

𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍 - 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐓

𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏.

𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆 & 𝑴𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏.

𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔: 1029

𝑨/𝒏: 𝑰 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔! 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 2 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓.

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 - 𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓

I could feel something or someone watching my every move. Every breath, every blink, every thought even — everything I did was being watched. Maybe I was going insane? Surely no one was watching me, its not a normal thing to do in todays society — stalking and staring was frowned upon. I told the voices in my head to shut up and continued stocking the shelves at the small store I worked at. I had death metal was playing in my headphones, quietly enough so I could hear if anyone was asking for help but loud enough so the low hum of the air-conditioning was drowned out.

I heard the quiet noise of the hinges on the door creak, signaling to me that someone had entered the shop. I assumed it was just another skateboarding, monster drinking teenager wanting to ogle at the newest hip hop album. Couldn't blame them though, I do like Eminem's music but if we're being honest, metal and rock music owns my heart. I was quickly pulled out of my head by someone saying, "Excuse me,".

"Hello, can I help?" I asked, pausing my music. "I was just wondering if you could help me find the metal records?" he asked. His eyes we're gorgeous, a captivating shade of blue. "Of course, any specific genre of metal?" I asked. "Heavy metal," he replied. "Good choice," I said, "it's all in this section here, as well as that shelf there". "Cool, thanks," he grinned.

I sat on the spinning chair behind the counter, changing the cd over to Nirvana's 'Nevermind' album and skipping to track 3. The sweet sounds of Kurt's voice filled the store as I hummed along to the lyrics and bounced my knee to Dave's drumming. The same guy came up to the sticker-covered counter and placed a Deftones vinyl on it, "Just this,". I picked up the record and scanned the label, "Sophisticated taste," I said. "Says you. Nirvana is a great choice," he replied. "Thank my dad for that part of my music taste," I said, "Your total is twelve bucks,". He handed me the money as I slid the vinyl over to him. "In that case, my compliments to your dad," he smiled before leaving the shop.

I sat there after, picking at some of the older stickers that needed replacing as the image was almost completely faded and the edges were sticky, dirty and coming up.

I went through the rest of my day, a handful more customers came and went, some buying Britney Spears, some buying HIM and others buying 50 Cent. I couldn't get that one guy off my mind. He was literally perfect, black hair with red streaks, blue eyes, an amazing smile and killer music taste. A guy like that is hard to find nowadays, most of them have short, slicked back hair and only listen to songs based around misogyny. I should've asked for his fucking number. Idiot.

Its rare we get someone that likes heavy metal come into the shop. So that one person that comes in and buys a metal album always makes me smile. I had been raised on metal and rock music, my mum being into Guns N Roses, AC/DC and KISS while my dad was into Nirvana, Green Day and Blink-182.

I had also always been fascinated by the rock/metal culture, the music being loud and deafening while also serenading my ears. Metalheads as a group also peaking my interest, other people thinking that we're freaks or Satan worshipers when in reality, we just need an escape from reality. Metal and Rock music is our home, comforting on a bad day and making us smile on a good day — bringing people of all kinds together.

༺✧༻

As the time reached 6:45pm, it was time to close the shop. However, five minuets before I left that same feeling that someone was watching me took over again — it sent chills down my spine, causing goosebumps to rise onto the surface of my skin. I, as usual, brushed it off and locked the store, closing the shutters and went straight to my car. A black van was parked two spaces away from mine, death metal blasting from the slightly parted windows.

I listened to KoRn the whole way home, my vocals sounding butchered as I did my best John Davis impression. I'm sure that if anyone was to hear me, they'd think I sound like a cat being strangled.

I got back to my small house and immediately kicked off my shoes, the blisters from the harsh leather already stinging on the surface of my skin. I noticed the light on my back porch was on, making me mumble to myself, 'fucking cats'. I don't hate cats but they annoy me when they shit and piss on my garden. I shoved my frozen pizza into the oven and grabbed a beer out the fridge. I clicked the television on and put on a random movie on MTV.

I did my regular night routine; get home, eat dinner, drink a beer or two, watch crap on tv, get into my pyjamas and fall asleep on my couch. I could feel myself get taken away by sleep, off to a different world — a better world, mentally satisfying my every need. That was until I heard the front door unlock. Someone was breaking in, just my fucking luck. I grabbed the nearest heavy object which just so happened to be a shoe from my pair of Doc Martins. "Who's there?!" I yelled. I tried to keep my voice strong but my nervous tone seemed to slip through. I could hear a series of hushed words, something like 'I told you she wasn't fully asleep'.

The last thing I could remember was some kind of smoke filling the air as my lungs felt like they were getting tight inside my ribcage, suffocating me as I struggled to keep consciousness. My eye lids felt heavy, straining as they fought against falling asleep. The last thing I saw was four men standing around me in funky looking masks. Great. This is how I die.

[heyitsjooooanne]

Devastation

From Chicklit's prompt 8 on Wattpad:

"You just discovered that you're pregnant. That should be good news, because you've always wanted to have children. The thing is, you just broke up with the father less than 24 hours ago and it was a pretty bad break up."

Author's Note: My attempt at ChickLit's Prompt 8 from their "Prompts to Share" book on Wattpad. Although it's not very "chicklit" friendly. Or maybe it could be? I don't know. It seems more like a drama.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Claudia stared at the dark line in front of her.

No way.

No way.

She tossed the pregnancy test in the trash.

"There!"

Somehow, she thought that would make it null and void.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"But I thought you really wanted kids?" her friend questioned her over the phone.

"I do. I just figured I'd have them with someone less..."

"Two-faced?" her friend suggested.

"That's not very nice, Rose."

"Please. After seeing you break down in tears with snot coming out of your nose, that asshole is as good as dead to me."

"I..."

Claudia laughed, but it came out as a sigh.

"Thank you."

"Anytime."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"What did the doctor say?"

Her mother raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mom..."

Claudia picked up a box of crackers and put it into the shopping cart.

She looked around.

"Where's dad?"

"He's over by the bakery."

Her mother pointed in the direction of the bakery where sure enough, her father was perusing around the boxes of croissants and brownies.

They looked at each other knowingly.

"So?" her mother insisted again.

Claudia sighed.

"You better get those baby clothes ready. You're gonna be a grandmother!"

"Ah!"

She wrapped her daughter in a tight hug.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"Twins?!"

Claudia couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yes. See?"

The technician pointed at the ultrasound screen.

Claudia looked and sure enough, she could see two forms on the screen.

Shit.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Claudia paced around her living room.

"What are you gonna do?" Rose asked her, lounging on the couch.

Claudia stopped in her tracks as her mind wandered back to that day...

"What the hell, Travis?" Claudia asked a young man at his apartment door.

She held up her phone with a text message conversation that had been exchanged between them recently.

let's break up

i'm sorry

but I'll always love you

Travis' expression remained unchanged.

"You can't read?"

Claudia blinked.

"What's wrong with you?"

She stepped closer to him, but he backed away.

"If you come any closer, I'll report you for trespassing."

"Travis!"

She tried to step through his open door but he used his arm to block her.

"Please..."

Her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I already told you. It's over."

And with that, Travis shut the door in front of her.

But Claudia was determined.

"Travis!"

She banged her fists against the door.

"Travis!"

Silence.

"Travis?" she said, sobbing.

"Claudia?"

Rose's voice brought her back to the present.

"Yeah?"

"What are you gonna do?"

Claudia put her hands on her stomach.

She immediately felt the two fetuses movements inside her womb.

"I'm gonna tell him."

Rose sat up straighter on the couch.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"I have to Rose."

"You really don't."

"He's their dad."

"And? He's an asshole."

"Rose—"

"Claudia."

Rose adjusted herself so she could sit cross-legged, then she folded her hands in her lap.

"You were crying over him on and off for three months."

"I know, but—"

"No, you don't get it."

Rose paused for a brief moment.

"I already tried speaking to him."

"Rose! Why would you do that?"

"Because even though he broke your heart, I still wanted to see if there was anything I could do. So I sent him a message on MyFace seven months ago."

"You told him I was pregnant?"

"No. I just kept spamming him and demanding that he explain things. I even told him how upset you were but he never responded. Bastard even turned off the 'seen' sticker so I don't even know if he saw them."

"Travis never did like getting multiple texts," Claudia said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm. And how did he respond whenever you got upset? Because I started telling him about the emotional devastation you went through because of him. And you know what he did? Nothing."

Claudia stayed silent.

"He loved you for three years, and then suddenly—"

She snapped her fingers.

"He stopped loving you. And then he had the nerve to post that 'single and heartbroken' status on his profile like it was your idea to break up."

Claudia reached for a cup on the table next to her and drank a sip of water.

It was all she could do to stop her hand from shaking.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Ring!

"Can someone get that?" Claudia's father yelled.

Claudia glanced at the door of her parents' home and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, god. Mom, could you look after him?"

Her mother stretched out her hands so Claudia could place the four month baby in her arms.

She gently kissed his forehead.

"I'll be back, Clarence. Grandma will look after you."

She pointed at her mother.

"Grandma," she repeated to him with a smile.

She walked away from the two of them and made her way to the door, passing her father and Rose on the floor with the other baby Jeff, who was on a soft blanket.

She turned around and bent down to give Jeff a kiss on the cheek.

"How's he doing?"

"Pretty good," Rose told her.

"Little guy definitely loves cuddles," her father said.

The doorbell rang again.

"I need to get that."

Claudia continued for the door.

She placed her hand over the doorknob, but she paused.

What if?

No.

Don't get your hopes up.

She took a deep breath.

Then she opened the door.

"Oh."

'Hi, Claudia."

Claudia turned around to look at the scene behind her, then back at him.

"Hi, Shawn."

She turned around again to shut the door behind her.

"I almost thought you were Travis."

"Just me, I'm afraid."

"How did you know I was at my parents house?"

"Town gossipers. I bumped into your mom's friend at the grocery store this morning."

Claudia chuckled.

"Of course."

He stroked the bottom of his chin with his finger.

"Listen...Is there anywhere private we can talk? Maybe I can drive you to the park down the street."

"Shawn, I can't—"

"Your babies will be fine. And anyway, this has to do with their dad."

"Why? Is he at the park?"

Why couldn't he face me himself?

"No. But we really need to talk."

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Shawn drummed his fingers on the car dashboard as they sat in the parked car.

"Travis is dead."

Claudia felt all the air leave her chest.

"What?"

She turned to look at Shawn.

"No."

Shawn rubbed the corner of his nose with his finger.

"Yes."

He placed both of his hands on the steering wheel, possibly to steady himself.

"Travis he..."

He took a breath.

"Travis got on the wrong side of a shady businessman. Told him he wasn't gonna let the man get away with bossing him around just because he was rich. The next day, he got a threat on his life."

Claudia thought back to the week Travis' demeanor suddenly changed...

Claudia stood behind Travis who was in front of the stove cooking something.

She wrapped her arms around his back and rested her head on his right shoulder.

"What are you making?"

"Something," he told her playfully.

"Tell me."

"Come see for yourself."

"I can't look over your shoulder, I'm too short."

She felt his stomach heave as he laughed.

"Lazy. Lazy."

"Hey!"

She leaned over to the right and found him searing chicken cutlets in oil.

She looked up at him.

"Taquitos?"

"Yep."

"I'll take fifty."

"Damn. Hungry are we?"

"Very."

She rubbed his shoulders, then looked around the kitchen.

"I'll help you."

"Thanks."

She let go of him and went over to the refrigerator to get the rest of the ingredients.

Buzz! Buzz!

"Do you want me to get that?" she asked him as she looked around the refrigerator trying to decide what would go in their dinner.

"No, I got it."

She shrugged.

"Hmm."

She pulled out a bag of shredded cheddar cheese.

"This could work."

She closed the refrigerator door

"Travis, did you eat the last two avocado—"

She found him staring at his phone.

"Travis?"

He looked up, his expression tense.

"What is it?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just..."

He put the phone back down on the dining table nearby.

"Just Shawn getting himself into trouble again."

"Typical."

"Yeah."

She placed her head on the dashboard as tears spilled out of her.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Claudia sat down in front of Travis' headstone.

"Two months."

She looked up at Shawn, who was looking down at her glumly.

"He was dead for two months and not one of his friends thought to reach out and tell me. Including you."

Shawn raised his shoulders up and down quickly out of nervousness, then he put his hands in his black leather jacket.

"It wasn't safe for you to know yet."

"Bullshit!"

She got up.

"You know what? It's not even your fault. Or any of Travis' other friends. He should have told me this himself! He should have been brave enough to tell me himself!"

"He really wanted to. But he got threats on his apartment all the time. If he let you back in, you would've been a target too."

"I don't care! I want—"

She rubbed her hand against her forehead.

"I just want him here with me," she said hoarsely.

Shawn could do nothing for her, except watch her cry.

But somewhere in the back of his mind...

He really wanted to comfort her.

Hold her close.

Tell her everything would be alright.

And that the hitman who killed Travis would be brought to justice.

But he also knew the chances of any of that happening were slim to none.

And that right there...

That was the source of his devastation.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Author's Note: ???? Writing a full length story is hard so I'm gonna end it here. And it was just from a writing prompt anyway.

[jammedmuses]

@curseofbreadbear said: ❝ Happy Valentine's Day, Banshee! ❞ [Freddy offered the technician a warm smile, a stark contrast to his demeanor from most of her visits prior. In his paw is a small hand-made card that reads: "Your friendship is out of this world!" He's also carrying a star-shaped sticker that, of course, says "superstar." Banshee would always finish her check-ups by giving them some sort of treat, often a magnet that they could wear as a badge. A superstar sticker felt like the human equivalent of that!] - SOME BELATED VDAY LOVE FROM GLAMFRED <3

Routine troubleshooting.

But Banshee liked to call them "routine check-ups;" Ever since the sunny animatronic alikened her to a nurse (her actual job is listed as "tech assistant,") she was all on-board with it! Especially since her assigned procedures are in fact similar to a check-up appointment with a doctor or pediatrician.

It felt... more right, more humane that way.

She was looking down at the company-owned tablet, checking the Glamrocks' reports for anything specific that needed attention tonight, and so far all of them had only "routine troubleshooting" listed (meaning it was just to check if everything was indeed in order.) The only exception had been Monty, who had his jaw stuck open also listed on his report, and when she inspected it turned out he just had an aluminum splinter stuck between his jaw joints, which she took care of herself by plucking it out with tweezers. Silly gator most likely got taken over by the "cronch instinct" and cronched on a FizzyFaz can. It may have a "zero braincell" move from his part, but he still got a treat at the end anyways.

" Hello, Freddy. " Banshee says without looking up from the tablet (yet the gentleness of her tone still ever present,) as she entered the bear's green room, door automatically sliding open once it detected her employee badge, hanging by her lanyard. " Tonight is just a routine check-up, so we can take it easy. " She reassures.

She had to look up with a confused blink from her visible eye before Freddy's sudden energetic greeting, at the first moment not having fully registered what had him so happy. It's not that she didn't like seeing them in lifted spirits (on the contrary actually!) but Freddy at least usually goes through the troubleshootings with a bit of anxiety despite her best efforts to have them be as stress-free as possible.

" Huh-? " The "nurse" couldn't help the mild rose shade on her face upon realizing he was greeting her on behalf of Valentine's Day-- a day that just passes by her like a regular one, since she's forever alone a single pringle and she's not positive she'd achieve that sort of relationship anytime soon. " Oh, um- "

Gingerly taking the friendship appreciation card in her left hand (tablet now resting on Freddy's vanity,) and realizing he actually put effort into crafting it himself, it finally puts a smile on the young lady.

" Oh, Freddy. This is very sweet of you, thank you!! I'm certainly going to cherish this! " She carefully slips the card into the folder under her arm (where she keeps the paper-based "equipment" of her procedures,) to make sure it won't get folded, crumpled or damaged at all. " I'm sorry, you just caught me by surprise, is all! I wasn't really expecting anything to come from this holiday. " She explains.

Taking the sticker in her left with a beaming giggle, she sticks it to the back of her employee badge (the side scanners and detectors don't look over.) She doesn't attach it to her uniform simply because stickers in general don't last on fabric.

" It really makes me glad to know I help! This is how I like to see you, bright and smiling for real! Sorry Superstar, I don't have anything for Valentine's to gift you back, but I'll make sure your treat from tonight is extra special, okay? "

This alone? Has already made her entire day!