#the fact that she says she wants to meet everyone in 5 years in school phase and then even after everything SHE STILL SHOWS

[aerithisms]

sometimes i remember how the silver snow route from fire emblem three houses had the potential to be the juiciest sexiest angstiest route in that whole game like edelgard is such a torturously tragic character on all non-crimson flower routes to start with but ESPECIALLY this route, where she allows herself to place her faith in the eagles and byleth and comes so close to escaping her despair only to die miserable and alone at the hands of someone she loved and trusted, should by all rights have been the slay of the century. and then i remember that it was half-arsed and soulless and i get mad all over again

[batsythoughts]

As the next installment, here is Yandere! Bruce Wayne with baby trapping!

Warnings: Possessive tendencies, manipulative behavior and actions, dubious consent, forced pregnancy (obviously)

Smut under the cut. Minors please do not interact with this post.

Your whole relationship with Bruce had started out completely innocent without him even being aware of how possessive he would become

You both met through a mutual associate and had gotten along fairly well so he asked you out for a date

The two of you went on 5 dates before Bruce finally expressed the idea of being official to one another

Bruce truly did enjoy being with you. You never had expectations on how he needed to act or treat you. You just let him be Bruce without complaint

He even felt comfortable enough to admit his identity as Batman after a few months of being with you

He half expected you to freak out, but you didn't. To his surprise, you mostly made a joke of it.

"Oh my god, no way! Super tall and extremely jacked billionaire with an army of adopted children Bruce Wayne is the Batman!? You two don't even look alike!"

He swears he had fallen in love a little more just by the sarcasm alone

A year into the relationship, your apartment building had to ask everyone to temporarily move out due to a mold problem in the basement while they got it cleaned out

Bruce offered to let you stay at the manor while it got worked out

Now, he wasn't worried about how long you might need to stay there. He was just concerned about how the kids would react to you staying there for so long.

Dick was super friendly and Jason didn't have a huge care for who Bruce was dating. And Tim was always busy with some random project that he was working on.

However, Damian might not like the fact that he was bringing someone into the manor who had the knowledge of their second life. He could barely remain civil on the nights you came over for dinner

And Cassandra had only been taken in a couple of weeks ago and hadn't been able to meet you yet. He was worried of how she might react to the new presence in the manor for an unknown amount of time so suddenly.

He sat all the kids down that morning to let them know of the situation before you showed up that night without any of them knowing why

As he expected, Cass was skeptical about the whole situation but Dick and Jason assured her she would like you

Damian flat out admitted to hating the whole thing before storming out of the room to get ready for school

When you finally got done with work, you came over with a small suitcase full of most of your clothes and a bag with the other important things you need

Bruce eagerly welcomed you in while taking the bag from you. Kissing you softly before guiding you towards his room to put your stuff away

He helped you find a place for all your stuff in his private spaces

He smirked as you got to setting your medicine up on the sink counter. His hands holding up the pack that held your morning after pills as he raised a brow

You innocently shrugged while saying neither of you liked to wear condoms all the time. Besides, you had to find a way to thank him for his generosity after all

He set the packet down before kissing you again with a little more intensity

He pulls away went you lightly swat his chest while telling him he can have his fun later, but you wanted to meet Cassandra

He chuckled while nodding his head as he lead you to her room

He gently knocked on the door and called out to Cass as you stood beside him with a calm smile

Cass opened the door while looking between Bruce and you with a curious look in her eyes

You continue smiling while holding a hand out while introducing yourself to her. Calmly asking about her and saying she can feel free to talk to you about anything if she wanted to

Cass cautiously shakes your hand while glancing between you and Bruce before saying she had a few things to do in her room before dinner

Bruce softly reassured you to give her some time after the door closed on you

Bruce guided you away from the door to give you an in depth tour of the manor for you to be comfortable navigating for the next few weeks you would be there

It doesn't take long for it to be time for dinner as everyone gathers around the table to eat

The silence that loomed over the table was almost suffocating each time conversation went around to Damian or Cass

Bruce repeatedly encouraged them to speak to you about anything, but Cass always shrunk into herself while Damian glared at his father for the suggestion

Dinner ended quite awkwardly as the three oldest boys found excuses to leave the table fairly quickly after finishing their plates

Damian simply left the table without a word, leaving you, Bruce, and Cass

You look at Bruce with a small frown as he gives you a small nod for encouragement while tilting his head towards Cass

Looking back over to her, you comment on how you would be going shopping in a few days for a couple of things and asked if she would want to come along to spend some time together

She looked up in surprise before giving a small nod while saying she would like to try if she was feeling it that morning

That night as he was about to get ready for patrol, he watched you get ready for bed with guarded excitement for the promised outing

Bruce smiled while walking over to place a soft kiss to your temple while saying they would all be back before dawn

You smile back while kissing his cheek and saying that you wanted them to come back with all their bones intact, which he assured would happen as he told you to sleep well

The next few days all went very similar to the first night with Damian still acting hostile and Cass still uncertain of your presence

The weekend morning you were going to be shopping, Cass had said she was willing to go out for a couple hours with you that day

Bruce gave you one of his cards as you got ready for the day while asking you to make sure Cass got a few things that she liked while you were looking today

You hesitantly take the card while saying you would before giving him a kiss goodbye and leaving for the shopping center

Everything is quiet in the manor for a few hours as the boys simply lounged around for that morning as they surprisingly didn't have anything that needed to be done that day

Around noon, Bruce got a text saying you both were caught up at the mall and would be home when everything settled down and grabbed a small meal

He felt concerned at first but quickly brushed the fears aside

You would have told him if something bad happened and you needed his help with anything

About two more hours pass before you and Cass finally make it back with a handful of shopping bags each

The boys all watch from a distance as you give her a small kiss on the cheek before she goes up to put her items away with a smile

Bruce, intrigued by the sudden change, got up to greet you while asking how everything went as you begin to hand him back his credit card

You shrug while saying it wasn't anything too important. Just a small misunderstanding with another customer who tried interacting with Cass when she didn't want the attention

Bruce's jaw clenched as he began to stand up, but you assured him that it was handled and the guy wouldn't be trying anything like that again anytime soon

Bruce reluctantly accepts the explanation as you quickly peck his cheek before letting you go put you own purchases up

"And on a completely unrelated note, I had to buy a new thing of pepper spray because I apparently emptied mine recently."

From that day on, Cass had taken a strong liking to you and would open up to you if she ever needed to talk

Bruce felt relieved that you managed to get her to feel comfortable, but he was still worried about Damian

The day he changed his mind came a couple weeks later when he was at school one day

You and Bruce had the day off, so of course you were both trying to spend it in his bedroom

'Trying' being the key word in that statement

Just as Bruce was slipping a hand under your shirt, his phone began to ring

You both groan slightly as he pulled away to see who was bothering him during the day

His attitude immediately changed as he saw Damian's principal calling him

He answered the phone with concern as he was told that Damian had gotten into a fight with a few boys that were a few grades above him

Bruce began to get himself presentable as he asked to speak to Damian as he watched you get ready as well while looking confused

He explained the situation as you furrowed your brows as you told him to put it on speaker to talk with Damian as well

When Damian's voice came from over the phone, Bruce couldn't get a word in before you spoke to the boy

"Speak in a simple yes or no. Did you win and did they swing first?"

The line goes silent for a moment before Damian let out a strained, "Yes."

"Are those kids somewhat racist towards you regularly?"

"...somewhat."

You give a look to Bruce as you begin to put yourself together as he tells Damian you will both be there shortly

The drive is quick as you and Bruce are taken to the waiting area where the other parents are already talking to one another

You and Bruce both go unnoticed at first as they comment about Damian being 'unstable' around the other children due to the environment he was brought up in

Bruce cleared his throat to get the attention of the other parents before they could say anything else

The principal ushered the parents into the office where all the boys sat in front of the desk as their parents stood behind them

Each of them had a bruise of some kind on their face or body, even Damian had a black eye and a busted lip

The principal walks in while telling everyone to calm down before explaining how the older boys had snuck up on Damian when he went to his locker at some point

Everyone listens as the principal begins to explain the 'no tolerance' policy the school has and that all the boys will need to be temporarily suspended while an investigation occurs. Including Damian

"I beg your pardon?" "The fuck he will!"

Bruce and you both go off on the principal at the suggestion that Damian would be punished for the fact he defended himself

You even put a hand on Damian's head while saying that 'your little boy' would never hurt anyone without a reason

Bruce maintained his surprise by the statement you said, focusing on making sure his son didn't get punished

Damian could see the angle you were playing as he looked up to you with big eyes as he leaned towards you

"I just trying to get a book out of my locker when they attacked me. I was just protecting myself, ummi, I swear."

Bruce bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling and giving away the two of you in your act. How you both could understand the act without any form of prepared plan was astounding to him

You stare down the principal with a frown as you raise an eyebrow

"You have cameras in the hallway. Check them and see that he simply defended himself from those boys. Damian will be back to school tomorrow to keep getting his education. Habibi, we're going home."

The three of you quickly leave the office and head to the car

Once inside and driving back to the manor, Bruce looked over at you with a quirked brow. You just looked at him with a smile

"You dating someone who was once a theater kid. We're all crazy on some degree."

Since that day, Damian had seen you in a different light and began to get along with you to a degree

Which Bruce found to be relieving as you had gotten a call saying that your apartment building was being condemned because the mold had apparently been in the walls of all the floors

He had made sure to help you get all the remaining belongings you had there out so you wouldn't have to worry about losing anything when they destroyed the building

He was a little happy about it because you would be around more with him and spending time with all the kids more often

Bruce thought everything was going great and that you were happy staying with them so you wouldn't have to move back out to just live with them again later on

He had thought you had felt the same way about the living situation

That was until he came back from patrol one night to see you passed out with your phone screen left open on a site with different apartment listings

He was confused when he saw that you had multiple tabs on your phone with similar information on each of them

Bruce quickly turns your phone off on the page you had been on as he lays down in bed with you as his mind raced

Why would you be looking at apartments? The kids all enjoyed having you around now and you got to see them everyday. Why would you want to leave them all?

The time passed quickly as the sun finally began to rise and your alarm went off

You turned it off before rolling over to smile at Bruce with a soft groan. Moving to his side to give him a loving kiss

Bruce returned with as he held you closer with his own smile

He carefully asked if you knew that you were welcome to stay with them all for however long that you needed

You smiled while saying that you knew before giving him another kiss while getting up to prepare yourself for work

He smiled as he watched you get ready before his mind began to wander again

Doubts crept into his thoughts as he got to work himself while trying to figure out some paperwork his attorneys were worried for some reason or another, he couldn't seem to recall what about

When the day was almost over, he was barely focused when his assistant came in with some personal business to talk about

Bruce forced himself to pay attention as he was told about how their family would be expecting a baby soon and they all would want some time off for every member to get to bond together with the new addition

Bruce couldn't help but smile at the news along with them while saying that he would be happy to give them the time as long as a temporary placeholder was found for their job

He still smiled as his assistant left as the fears and doubts quickly disappeared as he began to think

A baby? Babies normally do bring families together. And it takes a lot of work to take care of one alone. But with enough people to support and help out, it might not be as bad. And it would be redundant to live separately with the both of you having a baby together.

When he got home that night, he felt slightly relieved when he saw a new box of your personal hygiene products in his bathroom

Now he had a time frame that he could try to work on his idea to keep you around

About a week later after everyone finished up with dinner, Bruce gently guided you upstairs to his room

He locked the door behind you before guiding you towards the bed

You smile while pulling him in by the collar of his shirt

Bruce smiles while he begins to kiss you, one hand holding the back of your neck as the other moves underneath your shirt

You both begin undressing one another slowly as hands gently explore the skin that becomes exposed

Bruce trailed his lips down to press along your throat before going across your collarbone

He smiled at every small noise that sounded next to his ear with every touch he made on your skin

He pulled away to guide you to lay down on the bed as he ran a hand down your body while getting on top of you

He settled most of his upper body weight into his arms as he began to kiss you again

Just as he was about to get situated above you, Bruce felt you lightly push against his shoulder as you lift off the bed

Bruce smiled as he let you move him to his back so you could straddle his hips with a bashful grin

Oh, how Bruce loved it when you wanted to ride him

He intertwined one hand with yours as you leaned down to lovingly kiss him while grinding into him

He stared as you straightened back up so you could position him at your entrance

He squeezed your hand as you slowly sank down on him with a sigh

You placed your free hand on his abdomen while slowly rolling your hips against his

Bruce's head rolled back into the pillow when you raised up a few inches to sink back down

His hand slide down to grasp at the spot on your thigh just below your ass before squeezing the muscles under his palm

He smiled up at you while watching you gently fuck yourself onto his cock

Occasionally, Bruce would move his hand to make you roll into his hips again when you sunk back down

The two of you stared into each other's eyes before you slowly moved to lay down on his chest

Bruce wrapped his arm around your waist to help you push back onto him as the two of you began kissing once again

His ego swelled at the small whimpers you let out against his mouth as the both of you got closer to the edge

He felt you tightly grasp his hand as you began to shake on top of him as you came with a small cry

It took Bruce a few more moments before he finally stilled his own movement, continuously placing soft kisses to your lips and face as you calm down

It normally didn't last that long when you rode him, but Bruce couldn't help how intimate it always got between you both

He waited as you finally relaxed before lifting you off his lap with a groan

Helping you to your feet, Bruce lead you to the bathroom before turning on the shower for the both of you

He held you close as the water flowed over the both of you, helping scrub the body wash over your skin while massaging the muscles that were still tense

He even let you return the favor when you offered to wash his hair

He couldn't help the urge he got when he watched you worry about tending to his needs than the thought of you doing that for your future children

Bruce leaned in to passionately kiss you while pressing you into the shower wall

He used his hand to hold your head in place as he positions himself at your entrance again

He gently pushed in with a small groan as he begins rolling his hips against yours

Bruce remain soft with each movement as you lightly claw at the skin of his back

He stopped kissing you for a moment as he rested his forehead against yours as you both got a moment to catch your breath

"I love you. Love having you here with me. Like you were meant to be with me in all this."

Bruce groaned as he felt you clench around him as he spoke to you, the sensation sending a shiver down his spice

He trailed a hand down to lightly circle his fingers over your clit as he felt himself get closer to release once again

He gave a small grunt as he still his hips against yours as he helped you to your second orgasm

He continued holding you up while running his hands along your body to help you come down once again

Bruce grinned while beginning to wash the new mess he made before finally turning off the water for the shower

He helped get you into one of the shirts you wear to sleep before guiding you back to the bed

You lean into the cover while telling him to be careful out there

Bruce grinned while leaning down to kiss your forehead before he had to get ready for patrol

"Don't worry. I'll do everything in my power to see you waiting for me every morning."

When he got back from patrol, he was extra cautious not to wake you when he entered the room

After getting changed, Bruce went to your phone before unlocking it to turn off your alarms for that day

He carefully climbed into bed and pulling you to him before drifting into a light sleep

He made sure to not move around too much when he heard the rest of the family beginning to move about for their day

Bruce only began to stir when he felt like it was long enough past the time your alarm would go off for you to worry about getting ready for work

He gently shook you while saying you had slept through the alarm and needed to get up and soon

You groan while reaching for your phone to see the time before jumping up from the bed

He sat up as you quickly changed clothes before trying to head to the bathroom

Bruce quickly said that Alfred would make you eat something before leaving, so you should do that before brushing your teeth

You quickly agree before rushing out of the bedroom door to go and eat something

Bruce got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom to grab your vitamins and medicines that you would need to take

He waited until you rushed back in with a cup of water

You took it all from his hand to take before brushing your teeth

He waited as you gave him a small kiss goodbye before leaving for work before you would be late

Bruce waited until he heard the front door closed before picking up the pack with your morning after pill

Taking one out of the packet, Bruce let out a small sigh before tossing the pill in the toilet before flushing it down the drain

Throughout the day, Bruce felt slightly guilty about not being honest when giving your medicine when you slept in that morning

He was thinking about saying that he forgot about it when you came back that night, but stopped when you came walking through the door and immediately greeted the kids first before going to talk to Bruce

Oh, how he knew you were going to make a great mom with how amazing you treated the rest of the family

All doubts disappeared from his mind as he welcomed you home from work

The next few weeks, Bruce made sure to keep an eye out on behavior or physical changes that could be signs you did get pregnant

He noticed how you would occasionally get sick in the morning after he got back to the manor

You assured him it was probably a stomach bug that some of your coworkers had that was spreading around

He definitely had his suspicions though when you would get random little cravings at night or in early hours of the day

You said french toast was a perfectly reasonable food to eat at 7:30 in the evening

The week you didn't get your period on time, he began to get hopeful

One day, watched you come in with a grocery bag and a nervous look on your face

He immediately suggested that you both go to his room to talk before you nodded along

After locking the door, Bruce asked what was on your mind

You avoid eye contact while pulling a digital pregnancy test out of the bag for him to see

He looked at it for a moment before saying that it was alright and he would wait for the results to come through

You quickly went to the bathroom before going to sit on the bed with Bruce holding you to his chest as the results processed

Nothing was said when the time was finally up and you brought the test closer to read the results on the small window

'Pregnant'

Bruce holds you closer while asking what you wanted to do with the whole thing

You go quiet for a moment before saying that you didn't have the heart to just get rid of it

Bruce smiled while moving a hand to rest under your shirt before he said he understood and began a discussion on the options you would need to think about

While you only agreed to a few of the things Bruce specifically wanted you to do, he knew he still had some time to get you to see his ways and agree

You both did agree to do a small announcement for the whole family in the next few days to not hide the news and get discovered by one of the many vigilantes in the house

Bruce did push to have Alfred get you new vitamins and a few books to look over before then so then you could have a head start on the whole journey

As he laid you down to sleep that night, Bruce couldn't help the smirk on his face as he thought of what your future would entail

There was no way you would think of moving out now. He knew you wouldn't break the family up like that with the new child for everyone to fawn over that they would want around at all times

Oh, how perfect you truly were for this family with Bruce by your side

[multifandom-exe]

Intimidation – S. Reid X Reader 

A/N: this is a rewrite of a fic from like 5 years ago, if you want to check out the original here to see how much has changed. Feel free to leave requests! PLEASE LEAVE FEEDBACK IN COMMENTS OR ASKS PLS i need to know if I'm still writing like I'm 14 😭. Trying to rewrite one fic of each fandom so i get that reach. 

Request: hey could you make a spencer reid x reader where the reader is new to the BAU and she has more PHDs than reid. which makes him super intimidated and insecure (bc he also finds her very pretty) 

  Word Count: 2.1k 

Today was an emotional day. Quickly trying to blink back the tears that burned the back of your eyes, you stared up at the skyscraper. A lump rising in your throat, you reflected on all the hard work, all the time, all the energy, you put in just to be able to stand here right now. Years. Years of school, universities, exams, lack of a social life, and probably enough coffee to kill a small village. All to stand at the doors of the BAU, ready to take on your first day.  

You walked through the double doors, flashing your badge, and security directed the way for you. In a brief call with the Boss, Aaron Hotchner, he had given you a rundown of the people who will be on your team. You mentally revisited all the notes you took, trying to suppress the anxiety crawling up your throat. The elevator bell’s ‘ding!’ interrupted your thoughts. Quickly stepping out, you assessed your surroundings, briefly reveling the fact that you were actually here. You are actually, officially, FBI. You glanced through the double glass doors just in time, to catch a stare from someone you could only assume was Spencer Reid. Your eyes followed as he fiddled and dropped a stack of files on the ground. At his clumsiness, who you would assume would be morgan, followed his line of sight to see what all the fuss was about. His lips curled into a smirk as he said something inaudible to the other team members standing by.  

Looking particularly suspicious, just idling in the corridor, you made your way through the double glass doors. You put on your best smile as a distraction from the blush crawling up your neck. You excitedly walked over to the gathering of people; your happiness evident in every step.  

“Hi! I'm officially Supervisory Special Agent Dr. (Y/N) (L/N). Can you use two titles like that? I'm not sure, but regardless just call me (Y/N).” You beamed like a sunflower as you stuck your hand out to shake, who you assumed to be Emilys, hand. Morgan raised his eyebrow, looking you up and down. 

“Well, hey mama, what a nice Suprise.” He looked over at his team members to find their confused faces but raised his eyebrow, nonetheless. A pretty lady in his midst, Morgan would never complain, especially not when she carries a gun. 

“Team.” Everyone's head turned toward the stairs as Hotch ran down them. “I forgot to mention, new team member, (Y/N) meet, Morgan, Emily, JJ, Rossi, and Dr Reid.” He pointed at each one whilst introducing them.  

Your lips curled into a small smile as you beamed again. “Infamous Dr. Reid, Hotchner told me so much about you, apparently we are going to get along.”  

“Yes uhm.” He coughed, ready to list the facts he knew about you. “She can speak several languages, has 4 PHD’s, In Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering and Psychology, and she has 4BA’s, Philosophy, Sociology, Linguistics and archeology if I remember correctly, all at the age of 26. Very similar to you.” He took a breath after rattling everything off and gave you a smile. 

“A new resident genius huh?” You and the team turned to the source of the voice, immediately noting that it was Penelope Garcia. You gave a small wave as she walked over. “Our boy genius finally has some girl genius competition.” She smiled as a very speechless Spencer opened his mouth, but closed it again, finding he had nothing to say. 

You turned a confusing look at the girl next to him and spoke. “I'm sure we will have lots to talk about, I'm definitely a talker.”  

You gave him a big smile and God he could've died and went to heaven right there. So many thoughts rattled around his head. He was used to being the smartest person in the room. The one constant in his life was his intelligence. And here you were, looking like a fucking sunflower, taking that constant away. 2 degrees. 2 degrees more than him. He genuinely couldn't wrap his head around it. Attraction and intimidation swirled in his mind like oil and water. The best he could do was gulp down his fear, paste a small smile on his face as you walked away to get situated. 

- 

The hours wore on, and the effect of your first day at work was taking its toll on you. Heading over to the coffee machine, you spotted spencer, making what seemed to be his fourth coffee of the day. “I suppose Hotch was right about you being a coffee addict.”  

A giggle erupted from your throat as his head shot up and his eyes widened at you, looking like a deer in the headlights. And once again, he found himself without anything to say. The anxiety of making a fool of himself in front of someone smarter than him was too much. He just grabbed his coffee cup and ducked back to his desk. Your eyes bore holes into the spot where he once stood, a small frown on your face. Had you seriously offended someone on your first day? Shaking your head, you returned to make some delicious coffee.  

Morgan quickly placed himself on the edge of Reids desk as he sat down. “Our babies will be smart and beautiful.” He mocked in a dreamy voice, breaking Spencer away from his thoughts. 

“What?” He gave Morgan a look of feigned innocence. 

“Cmon, Pretty Boy. Youve already got it bad for wonder girl over there.” At the mention of your name, they both look towards the coffee station where you stood, looking like you were right out of a movie. He stuttered out an attempt at denying his friends accusations, but Morgan simply laughed and clapped him on the back, leaving him a stuttering mess at the thought of you. 

“Briefing room!” Your ears perked up at the sounds of your boss’s voice ringing out across the room signaling you had a case. You turned your head and caught Spencers eye on the way, flashing him a timid smile. Finally, something to draw Spencer's thoughts away from you and your intrepid little mind. 

- 

Having been briefed they introduced you to the private jet. Of course it was met with gasps of astonishment from you, never having seen something so amazing in all your life. Everyone had settled in, and you sat down on the couch next to Spencer, taking in everyone on the plane. “Hey Genius Boy.” The common nickname caused Spencer to look up from his book. “Listen, I'm sorry if I offended you, I'm not trying to take your place as resident genius here, I think we could have some crazy in-depth conversations, if you would actually talk to me that is.” Your hands moved to match your voice, as a giggle left your throat to cover the awkwardness. He stared at you, looking like the human embodiment of his dreams, and decided today was not the day for his brain to fail him, he will not come across as stupid as he feels right now.  

“Thank you, I think we would too, you didn't offend me, I'm sorry, I just get a little anxious about things sometimes. And honestly, I've never met anyone with more degrees than I have.” The way he talked with his hands mirrored yours as he explained himself. You beamed at him after hearing you hadn't offended him, and Spencer swore he was melting. He studied your face and noticed your darker eye bags, and your second cup of coffee in hand. He assumed you'd had a sleepless night. He was all too familiar with insomnia, and first day nerves. “I can move if you want to lay down and take a nap.” A nice offer in his eyes, so he was surprised at your reaction. 

Your hands shot to cover your face as you squealed. “Do I really look that bad?” You spread your fingers to look at him whilst still shielding your face. His eyes shot open as he waved his hands a little frantically. 

“Oh god no! No! You look beautiful, really, I just assumed you were tired because of all the coffee.” He gently grasped your hands and removed them away from your face. A blush creeped up your neck at the compliment, and your hair stood on end at the sudden contact. His hands darted back as he felt his own cheeks darken. 

“I'm kidding Spence, I have trouble sleeping on a good day but thank you for caring anyway.” You smiled at him, taking in his features. God he really was beautiful too. Something about having such an intricate mind made a person all the more attractive. 

In hopes to make you feel better, Spencer did what he did best, and rambled, his hands intricately moving as he practically word vomited on you. “Yaknow, some sleep experts have said that sleeping with someone around, and or cuddling with them, actually improves sleep. Your brain releases endorphins and dopamine and all that good stuff when you cuddle with someone, and it is said that aids sleep. I personally don’t believe in sleep studies, or dream studies for that matter, but it could be something to think about in the future.” He stared at his lap as he finished his ramble. 

“Are you asking me to sleep with you, Dr Reid?” You quirked your eyebrows as endless giggles spilled out of your throat at his reaction. His eyes shot open again and he stuttered out some form of apology. He really needed to get his shit together if he ever wanted to have a normal conversation with you. “Okay, okay relax.” Your giggles faded away as you laid a hand on his arm.  

“I was just suggesting, you know you need to be refreshed for a case, if you wanted to sleep near me, if that's okay with you. I mean I could use a little bit more sleep as well.” He tried to distract your eyes from his searing cheeks as he motioned to his coffee cup.  

A smile broke out onto your face as you nodded softly, heat climbing up the back of your neck at the thought of the close proximity. You had heard Spencer was afraid of germs? Huh, maybe that wasn't the case. With 5 hours left till landing, Spencer retrieved a pillow from the couch opposite and laid it in the crook of his arm. Twiddling your fingers together, you shifted on the couch, moving to slip in between his body and his arm.  

You had never been so glad he couldn't see your face, but at this point, you were sure he could probably feel the heat radiating off your cheeks. You sighed into the comfort, with the thought of sleep weighing heavier and heavier on your eyelids. You took in the scent of his shirt, Pine, and old parchment. You gave it 5 minutes until you were whisked away into dreamland.  

Spencer, on the other hand, had never been so awake. He desperately hoped you weren't able to hear his heartbeat thrum against his chest as you got close. He slightly inched his head to lay on top of yours, the scent of your shampoo absolutely intoxicating him. If it were up to him, he would fly this plane to Antarctica just to be here a bit longer with you. 

Bonus 

The jet took a sharp turn and Morgan looked up from his cellphone. His eyes caught you and Spencer, practically wrapped around each other on the couch. The biggest grin broke out on his face as he laughed under his breath. As quietly as possible, he nudged Emily and JJ, pointing his finger in the direction of the couch. Emily rolled her eyes with an incredulous look, and JJ cooed quietly over how cute you two were. Emily whispered, not-so-subtlety, to Derek. “Take a picture before they wake up.” Quickly digging in her purse and throwing him her disposable camera.  

“I hate you all.” They all broke into silent laughter as Spencer grumbled.  

Since that day, that picture had remained pinned on Spencer's desk. 

-

Let me know if youd like to be on the taglist or anything, and please leave requests!

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters as Teachers

As requested by @little-cute-pink-horrible-being :)

If Cosmere characters were teachers, what would they teach & what would it be like?

1. Jasnah: History teacher

Let's just say that she has, uh, high expectations of her students.

Jasnah: Anyone can memorize facts and dates. Jasnah: You all will do that, of course, but you will also learn to draw conclusions from those facts, track historical trends, and maybe, if you work hard, you can come up with a theory of your very own. Bravest student: Uh, miss? We are seven. Jasnah: I do not tolerate excuses.

2. Hammond: Philosophy Professor

He has a hardcore group of students who are huge fans of his.

Student 1: Hey, you're in Professor Hammond's class? Student 2: Yeah. Student 1: Isn't he the guy who wrote that book So What if the Poor are Genetically Destined to be Poor? Revolution is Still the Answer? Student 2: That's him. Student 1: And that's why your an anarchist now, huh? Student 2: Listen, he's pretty persuasive.

3. Elend: Political Science Professor

Elend, a Political Science professor at a university, is the sort of teacher who assigns a LOT of reading.

Elend: Remember: politics is for people. Even when the people you serve suck. A lot. Student: You...sound like you're talking from experience? Elend: You have no idea.

4. Shallan: Art Professor

She mainly teaches drawing and painting classes.

Shallan: You all need to decide what your art means to you. Shallan: Whether it be capturing a moment or representing a person's essence or seeing into realms not normally discernable to human eyes--as long as it's art from your soul, it will be right. Student: What, uh, was that last part? Shallan: Art should be from your soul? Student: N-No, the part before that? Shallan: Anyway, everyone start drawing!

5. Painter: Also an Art Professor

I mean, it's literally his name.

Painter: The key to art is repetition. Painter: When a Nightmare is staring down at you, you don't want to be hesitating over what to draw! Student: Professor Nikaro, please, we've been drawing bamboo for a week! Painter: ...I'm not sure what the issue is?

6. Sigzil: Science teacher

Sigzil is one of those general science teachers you get in middle school.

Sigzil: Remember: the key to science is...? Students, as a chorus: Writing things down! Sigzil: That's right! Sigzil: Now let's see what's the heaviest thing we can stick to the wall using glue--last year we managed to stick me to the wall for a couple seconds! Students: [cheering] Sigzil: ...I'm better at this than I would have expected.

7. Wayne: Theater Teacher

Wayne teaches theatre at a high school.

Wayne: Acting is all about not acting. Wayne: You gotta just be the person. Wayne: Understand their past, embody their present... Student: ...wear their hat? Wayne: Exactly!

8. Kaladin: Also a Theatre Teacher

Look me in the eyes and tell me that Kaladin doesn't understand drama.

Kaladin: [talking to an school administrator off to the side while the class watches] And you can tell the school board that the next time they want to cut funding to the arts, I will be there. Kaladin: I will be there at every meeting where even a word of funding reduction is breathed. Kaladin: I will haunt those meetings, carrying pictures of my kids doing their plays and being happy. Kaladin: And I will make them look me in the eyes if they dare to vote to take that away! New student, hesitantly: Performance art? Student: Nah, he always talks that way.

9. Sarene: English teacher

If only because I don't think they have dedicated fencing professors at most places.

Sarene: English is not simply about reading books--it is about learning to think and interpret information. Sarene: You can take the skills you learn in this class and apply them very widely: to understand the news, to read between the lines of what a person says to you, to craft effective rhetoric to get your own way. Sarene: Read everything. Sarene: Remember: you cannot defeat an enemy unless you understand your enemy. Student: ...enemy? Sarene: Don't worry: you'll have enemies when you're older. Student: Yay?

10. Navani: Engineering

Navani would be an engineering professor at a college.

Navani: Your job, students, is to get this ball through that window high up on the wall. You can do it any way you want. Student: I'm immediately seeing: trebuchet. Navani [nodding sagely]: Go with your heart.

11. Pattern: Math teacher

...Listen, I'm not saying he's a good math teacher.

Student: [staring gloomily at their test] Friend: That bad, huh? Student: Mr. Pattern wrote "Mmmm delicious lies" all over it! Friend: So...you failed? Student: Yeah...

12. Raboniel: Chemistry Teacher

She may seem strict, but she actually quite likes kids.

Raboniel: ...And that, students, is how you build a very effective chemical bomb. Students: ... Raboniel: Any questions? Bravest student: Uh, miss? We are seven. Raboniel: So...basically adults, right? Wait, how fast do humans age again? Teacher's aide: [whispering frantically] Raboniel: ...I may have made an error.

[melanieph321]

Kenan Yildiz x Reader - Thick Part 6/8

Y/N, done messed up in this one 😭 big time

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Kenan and Reader share the same high school friend group. As graduation is near, Reader sets out to pass her drivers license test but ultimately struggles to. Thankfully Readers friends agree to help her with driving lessons and take turns doing so. It is during one of Rader's lessons that it becomes clear that Kenan likes her. A chock to Reader, who has a crush on someone else in their friend group.

Enjoy!

Being Kenan Yildiz girlfriend included three things:

1. Long drives home from school.

2. A lot of listening and talking about football.

3. Late night cuddles.

Out of all these three things, the late night cuddles you enjoyed the most. It never came down to anything sexual. It would just be you and Kenan in his bed, cuddling. You'd stay at his house whenever your parents were away. It somehow became an ongoing thing one day after Kenan dropped you off at your house, and the two of you came to realize that your parents had left the country without telling you. It wasn't the first time that they had been late to inform you about a trip abroad, but seeing how hurt you got by it made Kenan convince you to stay with him whenever your parents weren't at home. And frankly, you loved it.

Kenan actually lived alone in a seemingly big house for a nineteen year old. But then again, he had no problem paying for it with his salary as a football player.

"What are you thinking about?"

You lay in bed with Kenan's head in your lap. You were watching a movie on his computer when he tilted his head to meet your eyes.

"Us?" You smiled.

"Us?"

"Yeah, I think like us."

Kenan chuckled. "I like us too."

Although dating Kenan included a lot of benefits, like unlimited driving lessons, it also included a few perks.

"Oh my God Kenan I love you. Can I please take a picture with you?"

It all came down to the fact that Kenan was seemingly becoming more and more famous as a footballer. The more games he played for Juventus. Fans, mostly young girls, would come up to him in the streets, begging for an autograph or a picture with him. Kenan, the nice guy that he was, would always accept. Even that one time when a group of young fans caused a line in traffic by pulling their car up alongside yours. Mind you that this was during one of your driving lessons, meaning, you were more than nervous to have other cars honking their horns at you because a car full of teenagers were getting their school books sign by your boyfriend.

Another perk were the comments that you were getting online. Somehow, people found out who you were and who you were to Kenan. The comments you received online were mainly from complete strangers commenting negatively about your body and the fact that you were on the bigger size.

"Why would he date her?"

"Oh my God what does she eat in a day, she's so big."

"Ahahahha I see Yildiz like em extra large."

These were only a few of the nasty things that people were saying about you. However, over time, you learned to ignore it and them. Spending time with your friends helped.

"So what are we doing for Y/N's birthday this weekend?" Rebecca held an informal meeting during lunch at school.

"Party, of course!" Gio exclaimed. "How about a themed one, like 'A night in Hawaii.'"

"Oh Gio, that's not....."

Everyone held their laughter.

Gio shifted his head. "What?"

"That's not what Y/N wants." Said Rebecca. "If we're having a themed party, it should be something cool like "The red carpet."

This time, you and your friends actually burst out in laughter.

"No?" Rebecca cheeks blossmed. "Why don't you guys decide then, since your ideas are that much better than mine."

"How about we let Y/N decide?" Maria, the rational one, said. "It's her birthday, not ours."

"Fine. What do you want to do for your birthday Y/N?"

You failed to notice how everyone's attention was brought to you. In your defense, you were sitting in Kenan's lap, his hands around your waist and his face nuzzling into the crook of your neck.

"Ugh, you guys are unbelievable."

"Yeah, get a room you two."

You were brought back to reality, locking eyes with Luca, who sat before you. Unlike the others, he didn't seem bothered by you and Kenan being overly affectionate with each other. Instead, he seemed genuinely happy for you. Stronzo. (Asshole)

"How about we throw a party at my place?" Kenan suggested. "We could make it low-key by listing people who are invited."

Gio raised his hand. "I can get us the booze."

Rebecca sighed. "Let'em guess, your uncle knows someone?"

"My cousin actually."

The party happened on a Saturday, with Kenan's suggestion to have an entry list, keeping him busy all night. He and Gio seemed to fend for their lives at the door. Once the word got out that Kenan Yildiz was throwing a party, all of Turin seemed to have shown up.

"A great party, no?"

You had been wandering alone for most of the night. The majority of the people at the party had no idea that it was thrown in your honor. You were a bit startled when Luca approached you at one point during the night, carrying a wrapped gift in his hand.

"Luca, you shouldn't have."

He smiled. "I felt like getting you a gift was the least I can do." He smiled. It was also cute the way he had to talk over the loud music for you to hear him. "Party's aren't really my thing. Although I'm impressed how the others managed to pull this off."

"Well, none of them have gotten a chance to give me a gift yet." You said, eyeing the package in his hand.

"It's nothing major, but I think you'll like it." He handed it over for you to open it. You did so immediately to Luca's amusement.

"Childish Gambino!"

"It's his knew album. Armeni actually help me...."

It was in the heat of the moment. The sudden rush of blood to your violently beating heart that urged you to do what you did. Nevertheless, in all haste, Luca caught you as you leaped forward, pressing your lips against his. The kiss was everything you could've imagined, soft yet sweet, with Luca's hand pressing to the side of your face. Except he wasn't pressing. He was pushing. Pushing your face away for your lips to detach.

"Y/N...I"

"Oh, shit."

Regret. You could see it on his face as well as feel it inside of you. Although the kiss was everything you dreamed of, it was hard to admit that it hadn't happened with the right person.

"Y/N....I had no idea that you?...I thought you and Kenan..."

"We are." You nodded. "I'm so sorry Luca,  I don't know what came over me."

"I do."

Your heart ripped at the sound of his voice. Kenan had spotted you and Luca in the corner of his living room. He had crossed the room to get to you, a small jewelry box clenched in his hand. However, once he got to you, that jewelry box was dropped to the floor, dropped along with all the feelings Kenan had developed for you.

"Kenan it's not..."

"Save it." He hissed, his eyes darting at Luca as if he wanted to kill him on the spot.

"Hey, man, she kissed me." Luca said in defense.

"I know."

"I thought that the two of you were a solid thing now."

"So did I." Kenan turned to you with nothing but darkness and hurt in his eyes. "We're done."

"Kenan?" You squealed, tears already running down your cheeks, ruining your make up.

He shook his head, fighting the urge not to give into you. "We're done Y/N, alright! Just leave it at that."

You didn't want to. You refused to. However, it's just what Kenan did, turn his back on you, and leave. You watched him make his way through the crowd and out the door of his own home. All because of your mistake.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

[evensquirrellier]

So track and field events for the Olympics start today and I thought that, in honor of that, I would make an appreciation post for all my favorite Team USA track athletes. Look, I know the Olympics have a lot of problems and I’m not typically the most patriotic person, but track is my everything and I really look up to a lot of these people, and I want to give them little shoutouts to show my excitement.

Here are some of my personal favorite USA track stars!!

1. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone!!!

She is one of my biggest idols. For one, she is literally the world record holder in my event (400m hurdles), and two, she is a female athlete who is great and isn’t afraid to say it, which we don’t get enough of. Whenever I’m practicing hurdles I like to imagine Sydney having once done the exact same drills and it makes me kind of dizzy. One of my teammates went to the same high school as her (not at the same time) and has gotten to meet her before and I’m actually so jealous. Plus she is gorgeous and it breaks my heart a little bit that she is heterosexual 😔

2. Gabby Thomas

She is so cool. Like so cool. The 200m used to be my favorite non-hurdle race and she absolutely crushes it! You can see when she races how determined she is to win and how she will just go after the people in front of her and ahhh it’s so inspiring. Plus she went to Harvard and had a master’s degree? Truly winning at everything. Fun fact: my godmother was college roommates with Gabby Thomas’ mother, which gives us no real connection but makes me feel cool! Also she is also Gorgeous! I will probably keep saying that about a lot of these people and that is because one, I am a lesbian, and two, track is my favorite thing in the world.

3. Alexis Holmes

Idk I can’t really explain why I love Alexis so much, I really just do. The 400m is one of my favorite events, and particularly in indoor she does really incredible in that event. Very few women can run under 50 seconds in the 400 and she does it consistently. I’ve been following her career for a while and always route for her when she runs, and she’s overall just a really incredible athlete.

4. Sha’Carri Richardson

She is so cool!!! She’s getting a lot of attention right now for being in contention to win gold in the 100m, and she’s just really awesome. It is very cool to watch her run because she is such a powerhouse and always looks so happy when she wins. I looooove her nails, like a modern Flo-Jo, and I feel like she is very unapologetically herself interviews in a way a lot of other athletes aren’t. She’s awesome and I hope she wins <3

5. Nikki Hiltz

Thinking too hard about them makes me start tearing up I love Nikki Hiltz!!! Currently the fastest women’s 1500m runner in the US and such a treat to watch run. They have an incredible kick and is another one that gets so excited when they win. They are also one of the few professional track athletes to be openly non-binary and a lesbian, which makes my non-binary lesbian track athlete self feel really really happy, and has organized runs to support the Trevor Project before. Overall a really cool person.

6. Anna Cockrell

Anna! Another 400m hurdler, and one of the best in the world. It is really incredible to see how much she has improved over the years after already starting out so strong, and how she can still hold her own against the best in the world. She’s also done a lot of advocating for mental health awareness in athletics, and is super cool.

7. Grant Holloway

This is the guy my coach has me watch to study good hurdling technique. In terms of technical ability, he is one of the best hurdlers ever, and is currently one of the best 110m hurdlers in the world. He’s kinda tall for a hurdler and so am I, which I know is a kind of weird connection to make but it always makes me route for him a little more.

8. Noah Lyles

I know he’s kinda the talk of everyone right now, but Noah Lyles is pretty cool! He is currently arguably the fastest man in the world, and has a dedication to the sport that I find really admirable. It’s always cool to watch videos of him training because he does so many of the same drills I do, which makes me think I must be on the right track.

9. Anna Hall

Ahhh how could I almost forget Anna? She is an insanely good heptathlete and is world-class level in so many different events. Her best event is hurdles and her “weakest” (still incredible) is javelin, which is also the case for me in the hep, so I like to think that makes me just like her. She’s another one that just seems very enthusiastic a lot of time and it’s really nice to see her happy.

[downthe-f4ndom-rabbith0le]

My Wonder (Spencer Reid x Reader)

My Wonder (Spencer Reid x Reader) Word Count: 14,842 Reader insert: she/her pronouns. She is not American unless you are, just has a previous history in American law enforcement. Warnings: mentions of murder, crime scenes, guns, near-death experiences, slow-burn romance, drug addiction, death, and some MAJOR FLUFF! Spoilers: none, as Criminal Minds has been out for literal decades so don't get mad.

All his life, Dr. Spencer Reid has been told he is a genius - gifted, different. When you, a new member of the BAU, arrive, he expects the same weirded-out reaction from you as everyone does. But when you don't, and you instead find him interesting, Spencer finds himself forming an attachment to you. And as the years go on, is it really any wonder that he falls for you?

This is six times you secretly say I love you to Spencer, and one time he says it back in the same fashion.

This man has been eating my brain alive for the past few weeks and I know I'm late but damn he deserves all the appreciation he gets. This was just a silly little idea I had because I'm the kind of person to get obsessed quickly and can't move on until I write it out of my system. Seeing how long this turned out, I have split each moment into six smaller, digestible chapters as linked below. Enjoy xx

Full Story | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

Spencer Reid was performing some of his physics magic for his colleagues when he first saw you.

He'd just mixed up some water with an antacid tablet and placed within a film canister. He'd done it a hundred times on his own, but he'd only just joined the BAU two months ago, and JJ and Derek hadn't seen it before so he just had to do it. Quickly placing the lid on, he said, 'You can turn around now.'

'I don't understand why we had to in the first place,' Derek said as he grumpily turned around.

'A magician never tells his secrets,' Spencer said, rubbing his hands gleefully. To him, showing off his intellect never got boring.

Well, show off wasn't the proper term. He understood that he could be a lot for some people, knowing so much for a man in his early twenties that looked barely old enough to be out of school, let alone with three Bachelors and PHDs under his belt already. Spouting little known facts or remembering minute details about cases that went back thirty to forty years was just his way of expressing himself. It was his way of contributing to the team. And while his team was getting used to his ramblings and intellect, even demonstrated admiration for it, others would call him a freak.

'If you ask me,' JJ said, 'I wouldn't want to know how he does some things.'

'Fair,' Derek replied, all their eyes on the film canister.

Spencer watched it in anticipation, how the bubbles slipped out between the lid and the canister slowly at first, then started bubbling faster and bigger and-

POP!

The canister rocketed up towards the roof, and all three of them watched with wide eyes as it arced over the bullpen and then down to meet the-

'Ow!'

Spencer ducked into his chair as he watched a young lady in a loose button up shirt, dress pants and boots pat her head. He heard JJ and Derek scurry away, but Spencer remained staring at the woman. Who is she? he thought, his eyes scanning over her.

Your (h/c) hair caught the sunlight, giving it a glow that had Spencer mesmerised. Your (s/c) skin shone with it, making your (e/c) eyes stand out most beautifully. And when you stood back up and made eye contact with him, canister in hand, he found himself frozen, unable to avoid the conclusion that he was the culprit.

'What is this, Reid?' Hotch said, walking up to his desk not looking the least bit impressed. 'Actually, don't answer that. Just don't do it again.'

'Sorry,' Spencer murmured out, a guilty smile stretching his lips slightly.

Hotch blew out a sigh. 'Never mind that now. I would like to introduce you to our new team member. Agent (Y/n) (L/n), a transfer from LA.'

Spencer finally realised that you had walked up with Hotch, and now that you were so close (literally standing a desk apart from one another), he was lost for words at how bright your smile was, and how beautiful you looked that way.

'So you're the one that thought my head was a good landing place for your little... rocket,' you said offering the film canister back, laughter dancing in your words.

It took Spencer a moment for him to realise you wanted him to take the canister back, so he scrambled to his feet, fingers fumbling for the canister. 'No, I-I was just showing how a-an antacid reacts with water, and how, put into a small, confined place, that can cause a chemical, gas-like reaction and cause it to exploded.'

'And launch it like a rocket?' you asked.

He paused as he watched your smile slip a little. Oh no. He'd done it again - made someone feel dumber than him. And while technically that was true, he never meant to make anyone feel like that.

'Y-Yeah?' he answered, awkwardness rising up in his throat, freezing his limbs, his brain.

But then suddenly your smile returned, melting his fear and doubt as you said, 'Cool! I've always loved chemistry. I actually did a Bachelor of Science with a major in archaeological science and a minor in chemistry before I started my BA in Criminology.'

'And now you're here,' he said, a soft smile of his own tugging at his lips.

You nodded, looking around what would now be your new home. 'And now I'm here.'

'Fascinating,' Spencer breathed out. He didn't mean to, but it made you smile more so he didn't mind. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't introduced himself. He struck out his arm, rigid as a board, and offered his hand. 'Sorry, I'm Dr. Spencer Reid.'

'Pleasure to meet you, doctor,' you said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. You skin was as soft as it looked, Spencer noted. 'I very much look forward to working with you and the rest of the team as we go forward.'

'We've got a briefing in five minutes, Reid,' Hotch interrupted, moving to step away from the conversation. 'I'll introduce you to the rest of the team then, (L/n). And if I find you firing another film canister through the sky, Reid-'

'Yes, yes, sorry, no more rockets. Airspace Reid is officially grounded,' Spencer quickly replied, not wanting to get lectured like a twelve-year-old like he usually did.

Your tinkling laughter drew his attention back to you, and he was baffled by the wonderment dancing in your eyes as you looked at him. 'You are a wonder, Dr. Spencer Reid.'

'T-Thanks?' he replied, although he wasn't quite sure if you were making fun of him or not. Most people did if they didn't straight up tell him he was annoying.

Hotch walked away, but you remained for a moment, leaning in close to whisper, 'That's a good thing, by the way.'

'Oh. Right.'

You flashed him one last smile before following your new unit chief, falling back into easy conversation with him as you gracefully floated through the chaotic goings of the office. Spencer couldn't take his eyes off you as you did, in awe of your grace and poise, and how you didn't even stumble when you spoke with him. You were genuine, upfront and honest. You couldn't be much older than himself, he noted, perhaps even younger. He was used to being the baby of the team, but it looked like that would be changing.

The prospect of being able to connect with someone his own age sent an unfamiliar but not unwelcome flutter through his heart.

'Oh, you've got it bad.'

Spencer spun in his chair to see JJ and Derek standing behind him once more, watching him with knowing grins.

'What? What have I got?' he asked. 'I'm not sick... I don't think.'

JJ rolled her eyes and giggled as she walked away, Spencer just catching a quiet, 'This'll be fun,' as she did. But Derek walked closer, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, and that knowing grin stretched wider, more feline and cheeky.

'Don't worry, pretty boy,' he said. 'You'll figure it out soon. You're smart, right?'

'Well, smart isn't really the quite term for someone with an eidetic memory and an IQ of 187-'

'And pep talk is over,' Derek interrupted, abruptly walking away back to his desk and leaving Spencer in a disarray of emotions.

So he looked back to where you had gone, and found you speaking with Penelope, nodding enthusiastically to whatever she was talking to you about. But you weren't just being polite, you appeared genuinely interested in the conversation, even though Spencer noted you barely contributed to it.

'You are a wonder, Dr. Spencer Reid.'

All his life, Spencer had been told he was a genius - gifted, different. It had just become an effortless part of who he is. It was almost expected at this point to see weirded-out or overly-amazed expressions from people he didn't know. So why then, when you said that to him, did he feel happy about it?

He checked his watch. Almost briefing time. He got up from his seat and made his way to the briefing room where only a place beside you was available. Maybe he would find out soon enough.

~

It became a casual thing, for you to comment on how wonderful Dr. Spencer Reid was. Every day in the office, whenever you travelled to cases, even out in the field, sometimes in not-so-great situations.

It was only ever once, but you always managed to find something to say, 'You are a wonder, Dr Reid,' to him. Sometimes it was his full name, sometimes just doctor. Sometimes, he was just Spencer. Apart from JJ, you were the only one who ever really called him by his first name. Oddly enough for him, he liked it when he was just Spencer, not the Boy Genius or freak or computer.

But the next time you told him that and it meant something to him was ten months after he ended his drug addiction.

He sat at his desk in the bullpen finishing some paperwork, or at least attempting to. They'd just gotten back from a long and exhausting case and his brain (the very thing he knew he could always rely on) refused to coordinate with his hands and eyes. The information he wished to write out felt jammed at his fingers tips, appeared blurry in his vision.

'Gosh,' he breathed out, leaning back in his seat defeated as he rubbed at his tired eyes. No doubt black bags sagged beneath them.

It had been a long, exhausting case. The team had gone to Dallas to find a serial killer who'd been leaving a trail of dead doctors and pharmacists over the span of months which had suddenly turned into weeks, then days once the team joined the case.

The unsub had spiralled, devolved so to say, alluding to a psychotic break. But when they'd found him, he was not the malicious, sadistic person they'd first expected. Spencer was the first on the scene and had instead found a young man in his early twenties, not much younger than himself. All he'd wanted was some off-market narcotic that took away the pain from the physical abuse he received from his father.

And while Spencer's trauma was not the same, he couldn't help but see the parallels. When he'd looked the young man in the eyes, it was like looking into a mirror. All he saw was himself, drowning in his own trauma, his own fear, his own pain.

Spencer scoped the bullpen, suddenly noticing the silence. Not a single person was left. He then looked at his watch - half past ten. He hadn't noticed people leaving whatsoever. Not surprising considering his current state, his current condition.

Spencer slowly reached down to the bottom drawer of his desk, a sudden urge coursing through him to do so. Slowly again, almost hesitantly, he pulled it open and leafed through the many spare manilla folders that sat oddly in there until he reached the bottom.

It was just one vial, but just the mere sight of it sent relief rushing through Spencer. Dilaudid. He gently cradled it up to his eyes, admiring how the glass doors of the entrance became obscured as he looked through the transparent but murky liquid. After this case, what he wouldn't give to have a needle right now. Just one hit-

'Well, if it isn't Dr. Spencer Reid burning the midnight oil.'

Spencer almost dropped the vial as he scrambled to shove it deep into his pant pocket just as you appeared out of nowhere from the conference room.

'Sorry,' you said, an apologetic smile already on your lips. 'I didn't mean to startle you.'

'It's okay,' he replied as casually as possible. It was one thing to nearly be caught out by your colleague that you had an illegal narcotic you used to have an addiction for in your hand, but another when that colleague is one you've admired since the day you met. 'I was lost in thought, anyways.'

'Well just as well then. I can only imagine how depthless your brain must go with all that knowledge crammed in there.' You walked down the stairs to the floor of the bullpen and walked to him. You were still in your clothes from the past twenty-four hours, and your light makeup looked like it was lifting off your face like a second skin. Even your unrelenting smile seemed to sag with exhaustion.

Spencer straightened up in his seat, suddenly concerned. 'You okay, (Y/N)? You look-'

'Like trash?' you finished as you pulled up a chair of your own and sat in front of him. 'I have no doubt.'

Spencer looked behind your back into the conference room, his eyebrows furrowing when he spotted stacks of folders and loose paperwork spread across the table. 'That all yours?'

You looked back to the mess of words and paper you'd just escaped and sighed dramatically. 'Oh, yeah. Seems like the longer the case, the more paperwork you have to do. Poor trees.'

'Yeah...' Spencer found it odd how much paperwork you had to get through. Even he didn't have that much to get through. But before he could question you about it, your soft voice filled the damning void that surrounded him.

'How are you feeling, you know, after this case?'

'What do you mean?' he asked.

'Don't give me that,' you say, your smile now replaced by a seriousness Spencer only saw on you when you were making an arrest or in really dire situations. You've worked together for almost three years now, he knew all the faces you pulled, all of your likes and dislikes, how you liked your coffee only after you've completed one task for the day to prove you can survive without it but choose not to.

He knows you, so it should not be surprising that you know him just as well.

'The moment we found out the unsub's objective, you've been a little... off.'

'Well, it shouldn't be surprising considering that was me just ten months ago,' he said matter-of-factly, pulling back into his shell, putting up his guard. 'I mean, if Hotch hadn't have found out about it, that could've been me-'

'No it wouldn't have.'

Spencer scoffed, but not in a demeaning manner. He just didn't believe you for a moment because he could see the facts, the statistics, in his head. 'Over 45% percent of addicts relapse at least twice. This is without the intervention or support by health care clinics and families and friends, and this case just proved that. So, yes, it could've been-'

'But it wasn't,' you intervened again, your voice echoing like soft thunder through the empty office. It gave you presence, forcing Spencer to look at you, like really look at you, and face what you were about to say.

'You had help and support from people that care about you, Spence,' you continued, sitting forward in your seat. 'And I don't care about the statistics, you're not one of them. You're your own person and you can determine where you add value in life, not by some... statistically-informed percentage prediction... thing.'

That drew a laugh out him, the quiet but sudden sound surprising him slightly. 'Stastically-informed percentage prediction, huh?'

'Shut up,' you grumbled and playfully punched his shoulder. When you both calmed down, you continued. 'When I realised who we were looking for, for a moment I kind of got scared.'

Spencer raised a quizzical eyebrow 'Scared?'

You nodded. 'The truth is that... when you were kidnapped and... you had to endure all that pain alone... I was terrified. We all were. Even when we found you, I was terrified. Because I knew you would never be the same, and not that it's your problem, but I knew in that moment that I would never forgive myself for not finding you sooner. For not going with you and JJ to the farm.'

Tears welled up in your eyes and Spencer immediately leant forward. To do what, he didn't know, he just needed you to know he was there for you, like you always were for him.

'I'm sorry,' you mutter, blinking the tears away before they could fall. 'Your trauma is not my own. I have no right to express my guilt.'

'There's nothing to feel guilty for,' he said, reaching out slowly with his hands, the ones that slightly shook as he laid them on your own.

To his relief, you smiled. It wasn't full, but it was there. 'You're a horrible liar, Spencer Reid.' That brought some laughter out of you both, lightening the suffocating air of the office.

'But even when we found out about you and the dilaudid,' you continued, pulling yourself together, if only to let Spencer know your true thoughts. 'I wasn't even mad.'

A large lump formed in Spencer's throat, and he had a hard time swallowing it along with the threat of tears that burned behind his amber eyes. 'You... You weren't?'

It was the mixture of surprise and hope that pulled at your heart, that made you feel obligated to keep speaking. 'Why should I have been? I was not the one who was tortured mentally and physically by a split-personality murderer; and who also witnesses the darkest, most ugliest aspects of humanity every single day of his life. It was not my place to judge how you hold onto your own humanity.'

Your eyes until then had never left his, but they flickered downwards then, and Spencer froze at where your gaze landed.

It only lasted a moment before your eyes returned to his, and it startled him the lack of sympathy he finds there, but instead warmth. 'It is still not my place to judge,' you said, twisting your hands so they could clasp his fully. 'All I know is that... you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. So much stronger than me, JJ, Pen, Emily - heck, I'd say you're even stronger than Derek. But not Hotch, Gideon, and Rossi, though. Then again, no one is.'

You both chuckled at that, and all the tension in his body seemed to dissipate at the sound. So light and airy, it was what he imagined heaven sounded like.

'The point is,' you continued, giving his hands a squeeze, 'you are a wonder, Spencer Reid. We all see it. You've just got to now see it, too.'

Spencer stared at you, dumbfounded and conflicted within himself. He felt like he wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. And a great urge to suddenly engulf you in a hug started itching his limbs, which was weird because he didn't care much physical affection, or affection in general. But before he could decide what he wanted to do, you decided for him.

You gave his hands one last squeeze before letting go and standing up. The absence of your touch left him cold as he followed you as you went back into the conference room to pack up. Surprisingly it didn't take you long until you came back out, your coat and bag in hand.

'Don't stay up too long, now,' you said as you passed him by, your smile so radiant it was almost as if you weren't crying just a few minutes before. 'We've got a long day ahead.'

As soon as the elevator door closed on you, he pulled out the vial of dilaudid and stared it down. It was like it was taunting him, sitting idly, innocently, in his palm, as if it knew he desperately wanted it, needed it.

'...you are stronger than you give yourself credit for... you are a wonder, Spencer Reid. We all see it. You've just got to now see it, too.'

For some reason, though, he suddenly didn't need it. The fire, the urge, the want and reliance for it - he was suddenly weightless with clarity, if only for a moment.

Spencer chucked the vial in the dumpster outside the office when he left. It was hard, but he did it. He knew he wasn't cured, that there was still a long road ahead. But it was a start.

The next day when he came into the office, Derek was the first to comment on his haggard appearance.

'Seriously man,' he said, trailing Spencer out of the break room, 'you look like a ghoul. Did you sleep at all last night.'

'I was here late last night doing paperwork,' he explained, sitting himself and his coffee down at his desk. 'You should go see (y/n), she probably looks a little worse for wear herself from staying late last night, too.'

'Oh, she stayed late too, did she?'

'It's not like that,' Spencer insisted, swatting at Derek pathetically. 'She had a mountain of paperwork to finish of her own.'

'Y/N?' Emily said as she walked by with JJ, identical coffees in their hands. 'She finished her paperwork at about the same time I did.'

'Yeah, we were walking out together before she turned back into the office. Said she had to talk with Hotch,' JJ said.

'I remember that,' Spencer added. 'You guys said goodnight to me on your way out.' Not that he had responded, he suddenly recalled, a pang of guilt punching his gut.

'Who had to talk with me?' The man himself suddenly walked by, stopping at the congregated group upon hearing his name.

'Y/n,' Emily answered. 'Last night.'

'Oh, yes. She, uh, asked if there was anymore paperwork to do.'

'Why would she do that when she was done?' JJ asked.

'I don't know,' Hotch said, making his way towards his office, 'but who am I to turn away someone who wants to do paperwork for free? Now, briefing in ten minutes.'

As the others dispersed back to their desks, Spencer didn't know how to feel about this new information. It didn't help the matter when you finally dragged yourself into the office, dark circles peaking out from under your thin layer of foundation. But as you sat at your desk, eyes drooping as you logged onto your laptop, he knew just what to do.

It took you a second to register the cup of coffee being held in front of your dazed eyes, and another to realise who was holding it.

'Late night?' Spencer asked, a coy smile on his lips.

Despite your exhaustion, you managed to grab the cup without spilling any of the precious caffeine that would help you through the day. 'Yeah,' you decided to play dumb, answering as enthusiastically as possible. 'Paperwork, you know. Never-ending.'

Spencer hummed, contemplating his next words carefully. 'Well, I hope giving up your sleep was worth it, then.'

'I'd like to think it was.'

The way you didn't hesitate to answer struck a chord of truth in him that left him dumbfounded once more. Twice in under twenty-four hours? That had to be a new record for him.

But instead of freezing up, he managed an honest smile as he clanked his coffee cup with your own. 'Well... it is certainly most appreciated.'

~

The next time you dumbfounded him, he almost kissed you.

Ever since you had joined the BAU, you and Spencer had alway had a sweet partnership. But after that night in the office, you had become inseparable. Best friends, to put simply. You stayed late at the office to keep each other company, brought each other coffee and treats, spent free days checking out the new films playing in the cinema.

You had inside jokes, and fought like an old, married couple - a fact the team loved to bring up whenever possible. But you liked it like that. Spencer was your person, and you were his.

And as much as he wowed you everyday, you managed to surprise him on occasions, too.

You were both paired up to interrogate a suspect. You personally didn't believe she was the killer, but Spencer didn't like to base anything from solely his gut. In other words, he was skeptical.

'I didn't kill those women,' your suspect said. 'And even if wanted to kill them, it would be for something more worthwhile than a stupid role.'

'Jealously isn't as far-fetched a reason to kill as you may believe,' Spencer stated to her. 'Particularly in women, the feeling of being threatened or in danger of losing something important to them brings out almost a maternal instinct to protect what they believe to be is theirs.'

'You think all actresses are that low? That shallow?' The young woman was pretty, but her face scrunched up in an ugly manner at the insinuation.

'He doesn't think that at all,' you interjected. 'In fact, he quite likes actresses, don't you buddy?'

Spencer gave you a side eye to which you smiled sickly-sweetly at in return. You were never going to let the Lila fling down any time soon.

You looked back at the young woman, your face returning to empathetic, concerned. She had a wall up, she was wearing a mask. If you wanted answers out of her, you needed to connect with her.

You leaned forward on the table, positioning yourself in front of Spencer so all her focus was on you.

'Anna,' you said softly, like you were speaking to a friend. 'I know you didn't do it. You're different than all those other girls right? You've worked hard to get where you are. Small town girl wanting to make a name for herself in an industry that can be ruthless and heartless as the killer that's still out there. You are classically trained, by-the-book, no shortcuts. I bet you started on the stage of your elementary school, landing the lead role.'

The young woman looked at you with skepticism for a moment, then you saw a crack in her mask as she nodded. 'I was Mary in the Christmas production. But it wasn't until high school when we preformed Shakespeare's The Tempest that I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.'

Spencer noticed your smile now, how it lifted in a manner that sung of melancholy and fondness.

'"We are such stuff as dreams are made on.",' you said whimsically, and Spencer noted a familiarity that had the words rolling off your tongue with ease. Like it was muscle memory.

'Such a beautiful line, right?' the young woman asked.

'Yes, but, when translated into our modern English, it is quite sad really.' You make eye contact with the young woman and hoped she saw the understanding and slight desperation in your eyes. 'It means that life is an illusion, and a fleeting one at that. I don't necessarily believe in the first part of that, but it is true that life is fleeting. So before you end up the next aspiring actress in our morgue, you've got to tell us everything you know.'

The rest of the interrogation went smoothly. Honestly, it was the easiest one Spencer had ever sat in before. And all the while he had just sat there in awe of you.

'I didn't know you read Shakespeare,' he said randomly as they drove together in a local police SUV to meet with the rest of the team at the new suspect's house.

You scoffed. 'See that's the biggest misconception of Shakespeare. That it can only be read. In fact, it actually shouldn't be just read. It needs to be performed.'

Amusement danced upon Spencer's lips. 'Are you saying you were in a Shakespearean play? Which one? Actually, let me guess. Romeo and Juliet.'

'That's a cliche.'

'Twelfth Night? How about Taming of the Shrew?'

'Why do you want to know so badly?'

'Because I...' It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't quite know why he wanted to know. Only that he knows everything and you were his best friend and he didn't know something about you.

You spared him a sympathetic smile from the driver's seat before returning your eyes to the road. 'If you must know... it was actually The Tempest. It was my high school's production, too. And as much as he irritates me, I grew fascinated with Shakespeare's work after that. It even prompted me to do a unit or two in Shakespearean literature and performance during my uni days.'

You allowed yourself to slip back in time a little to those days, that melancholy and fondness finding its way back into your smile, Spencer noticed.

'Outside of Shakespeare though, I'll admit... I was a theatre kid.'

'No way!' Spencer exclaimed. 'You?'

'Why is it so unbelievable that I used to dress up and spout lines that no one really understood?' you asked, but you weren't offended. Simply amused that you seemed to have stunned the (until now) un-stunnable Dr. Spencer Reid.

'Because... it's just so left of field from anyone else in the team.'

'And is that a bad thing?'

'...not at all,' he said after a moment, and then proceeded to drop the matter entirely. Spencer Reid never forgets anything, he couldn't forget, not with his eidetic memory. But he made extra special care to file that little fact about you away for now.

A few days after returning home from wrapping that case up, you came into work to find your coffee already made on your desk, and beside it was an envelope. Curious, you swiftly opened the envelope and gasped with pure surprise at what you found.

'I thought you might like them,' Spencer said as he approached you, his own coffee in hand. 'The ticket vendor said they were the best seats in the house.'

'Oh my God, Spencer!' You couldn't help yourself, you leapt onto the gangly man like a frog and held him tighter than you'd ever hugged someone before, avoiding spilling Spencer's coffee. You were so excited you even smacked a fat, grateful kiss on his unsuspecting cheek before letting him go. 'Tickets to ASC's production of The Tempest?! How did you even get these, I was told they were all gone.'

'Believe it or not, I have connections everywhere,' Spencer answered a bit too vaguely but you didn't care. 'Even in areas that aren't of my particular expertise. I figured you and a friend could go enjoy it before it finishes up.'

'You mean you're not coming?'

Spencer tried not to read into it too much, but he swore he heard a little hiccup in your question, like you were upset. 'W-Well, I, I, uh, didn't want to assume anything. I mean, y-you might want to take JJ, or Emily-

'Spencer.' It was ridiculous how easy he listened when you said his name, how he dropped everything to listen to what you had to say whenever you did. And his heart faltered when he made eye contact with you and saw joy and hope lighting up your eyes. 'Would you like to come to the show with me?'

And it wasn't any wonder, then, that he replied without hesitation, 'Y-Yeah! All right, s-sure. Would love to.'

'Amazing!' Spencer once again had to juggle his coffee and you as you squeezed all the air out of him in another bone-crushing hug. 'Spencer Reid, you have just made my day.'

It was a week later and the night of the performance. You drove yourself and Spencer two and a half hours straight from Quantico down to Staunton to the American Shakespeare Centre, reciting and recalling your favourite Shakespearean moments the whole trip.

Spencer made the extreme effort to look presentable, pulling out a nice suit set, even replacing his usual casual sneakers with some shiny boots. His hair was slicked back out of his face, with only the slightest stubble on his chin and upper lip.

When you picked him up, you said he looked handsome. He never cared much for his appearance, but that comment warmed his heart slightly, made him sit more upright in his seat.

Once you pulled up and got out of the car, he finally saw you in all your glory. A navy blue dress clung to your frame beautifully; kitten heels cradled your feet as you walked up the stairs to the theatre's entrance; your jewellery brought out the (e/c) in your eyes, even further accentuated by your simple makeup and hair.

Spencer has met Nobel price winners, attorney generals, even spoken with the most psychotic people humanity has to offer. And yet there you stood - ethereal, angelic, striking him silent with just your presence.

'You coming, Boy Wonder?'

You'd reached the top the stairs without him moving a muscle. Embarrassed, he tried to cover it up with a cough as he scrambled to catch up with you. 'Boy Wonder? Where did that come from?'

You shrugged playfully as you hooked your arm through his. 'Just seemed appropriate.'

'I'm twenty-seven, (y/n). I'm hardly a boy.'

'Oh, so would you prefer I call you Batman?'

Spencer raised a quizzical eyebrow. 'I didn't know you liked DC comics.'

'There's a lot you still don't know about me, Spencer Reid,' you answered, handing over your tickets to the ticket vendor at the door. 'Like how I've always preferred Robin over Batman, anyway.'

You quickly found your seats, and Spencer tried not to acknowledge how tight-knit the seats were pressed together. His thigh pressed lightly against your own, and he couldn't tell if he hated or liked the feeling that suddenly sprouted in his gut.

It distracted him so much that instead of watching the performance, he looked at you. How you reacted to each sonnet, to the entrance of new characters, to the costuming and the music and emotion that filled the room with every word spoken. He watched it all, your joy, your love. Your heart was on your face, and it struck something new and unexplored inside him.

You cried at one point, and physical touch wasn't his forte, but he intertwined his fingers with yours and gave them a reassuring squeeze that he was there. You'd turned to him briefly and nodded, showing that you understood and that you were grateful.

You didn't let go of his hand for the rest of the show.

'Wow,' you breathed out as you exited the theatre, the performance finally done. 'That was...'

'Yeah. I feel the same,' Spencer finished, his hands shoved into his pockets as they walked down the stairs towards the carpark. His hand still burned from your touch, and that unsure feeling in his gut still remained.

'It was just so... magical.'

'I would say impressive, but magical works too, I guess.'

'Says the guy who still goes trick-or-treating on Halloween and believes in ghosts. Don't tell me you don't believe in the supernatural now.'

'I'm not saying I don't believe. I'm just saying that it's impressive that they were able to make fantastical magic seem slightly realistic.'

You playfully shove him, causing you both to fall into laughter. The two different melodies mixing together made Spencer feel lighter than he'd felt in a while. This was different to when you usually hung out. This time, there was no case, no team, nothing but yourselves to worry about.

'It doesn't matter, anyways,' you said, stopping on the steps suddenly. Spencer went down one more before stopping too. You smiled gratefully at him. It was a cool, autumn night, cool enough that your breath danced like ghosts in front of you as you spoke. 'Thank you, Spence. This was a wonderful night. You didn't have to do this.'

'I know,' he said, and it startled him how quiet and soft his voice was. 'I just... I just wanted you to enjoy the stuff you love. You deserve to enjoy the stuff you love.'

His acute eyes fell to your shoulders and noticed the slight shake in them. 'Here.' He wasted no time pulling his jacket off and wrapping it around your shoulders, pulling it tight to capture the warmth.

You gratefully held onto the jacket, the warmth it captured seeping into your eyes. 'You truly are a wonder, Spencer,' you said, your words dancing in between you two.

He was only the step down now, making you two eye level with one another. He was so close he could see himself in your eyes. He wondered if you could see yourself in his.

'Am I?' he asked, his breath mixing with yours.

'Yeah...'

He felt your warmth, and he suddenly decided that he liked the feeling in his gut. The one that had been driving him crazy all night. The one that had an iron grip on his mind, his heart. The one that pulled him closer to you, to your lips.

His eyes were almost closed and his lips almost on yours. You didn't back away - you didn't want to back away you realised. No matter how hard your heart pounded in your chest. No matter if he was your best friend.

So you leaned in too, and you could just feel the stars and planets align as you tasted his breath-

The front of your heel slipped on the edge of the step, sending you flying forwards into Spencer's chest. His reflexes had improved immensely since joining the BAU, and so he managed to grab hold of you and hold himself up before your momentum could send you both tumbling down the remaining stairs.

You both breathed in heavy gulps of air, steadying both your hearts from what could've happened.

'Nice catch,' you said after a moment, loosening your grip on Spencer only a little.

'Thanks.' He didn't know where to look. You, the ground, his surroundings. It all just felt muddled, as if his whole world had been tilted on its axis.

In a sense, it had.

But he felt your gaze, and he couldn't deny your eyes so he looked at you also. You eyes were blown wide, and the slight catch in your breath had him second guessing himself. Maybe he'd read you wrong after all. He'd never been wrong before, but there was always a first time for everything, he figured.

'(Y/n), look, I-'

Before he could attempt to salvage himself, the irritating ring of his phone went off, breaking the glass dome of solitude you'd' forged together with nothing but words and air.

This forced you apart, awkwardly so, as Spencer readjusted you on his step before letting you go completely and fishing his phone out of his pant pocket. He checked the ID caller: Hotch.

He accepted the call and brought the phone to his ear. 'Hotch, what's up?'

'New case,' the unit chief answered without pleasantries. 'I know we're all meant to be off for the weekend but this one is important.'

'Where is it and we'll be there.'

'You're with (Y/n), right? In Staunton?'

'Yeah, why?'

'Head to the local police. We'll meet you there. That's where the case is.'

'Okay. Gotcha.'

Hotch ended the call and then it was just him and you once more. Although instead of the air feeling freeing and warming, Spencer couldn't seem to get enough in his lungs. It was like he was suffocating, having to face you again.

So he slipped into work mode, keeping Hotch's urgency and the new case in the forefront of his mind. 'New case. Here in Staunton. Hotch wants us to head down to the police and meet them there.'

'Right.' You seemed to think the same as him - it's probably why you were best friends to begin with - as the ethereal light in your eyes dimmed with the severity of the new situation. Without another word, you both bee-lined for the car, jumped in, and made your way to the local police station.

But for the rest of the case, Spencer couldn't help but think about that moment with you on the steps. He'd kissed before, of course, even dabbled in flirting despite how little he knew about the craft. He'd never imagined he'd attempt it all on you, however. Not even in his wildest dreams.

~

He didn't hear your heart-stopping compliment again until it was almost too late.

After the Staunton case, you and Spencer had been... odd. Well, mainly Spencer, as he spoke as little as possible to you during cases, and always offered to go with anyone else but you on certain tasks. He even stopped coming over to yours for movie night each Saturday, claiming each time to be busy or unwell. It was Spencer's only way of ensuring nothing like that night ever happened again.

He convinced himself the moment was fleeting, just a mixture of chemicals in his brain combined with the adrenaline of being with a beautiful women he very much admired that made him read the signs wrong. You were friends, that was all you were, and all he would ever allow you to be.

This went on for three months.

And you were miserable.

Emily, JJ and Penelope recognised the change in your demeanour at work first, and when they found out the reason behind it, they slapped Spencer upside the head on their way out of the office one Friday afternoon and took you with them, promising a wonderful night out on the town.

That night, to Spencer's eventual annoyance, you'd met someone. A charming young firefighter named Riley who lived in Washington DC and was just in town to see family.

That night, you hooked up. And the next morning, he asked you on a date. That date led to another, then more. You were on your way to another one tonight when you got a phone call from JJ saying they found the latest unsub's house and were planning a raid on it.

Spencer knew you were on a date when he also got the phone call to come along. Despite his distance (by his own choice, he always had to remind himself), he kept tabs on you, checked in on you via others. And while the girls of the team were awfully mad at him, they always answered him when he asked how you were doing.

'You know, for a genius, you really are quite stupid,' JJ told him when he asked about you.

He quirked his eyebrow, genuinely confused. 'I'm sorry?'

'She's heartbroken,' Penelope added. 'Her best friend just gives her the silent treatment out of nowhere after what sounded like a magical night at the theatre. Who wouldn't be upset by that, Reid?'

'I just,' he paused, rallying his thoughts into words that couldn't quite describe how he felt. 'It's complicated.'

'Love shouldn't be complicated, Reid,' Emily interjected, a soft but sad smile gracing her painted lips.

Spencer swallowed thickly at that. 'W-What do you mean?'

Derek finished making his coffee and took a sip of it before answering. 'We all see it, Reid. You don't have to deny anymore how you feel.'

'I'm not denying anything, Morgan.'

'Maybe not to us,' Derek continued. 'But you are definitely denying it to yourself. All I can say is don't wait until it's too late. She's already slipping away.'

That's when Spencer found out about your dates with Riley, and an ugly, selfish, hurt part of him wanted to scream with anger. Mainly at himself, but the damage was done and he had to get over you.

But when you showed up to the unsub's home, your FBI bullet-proof vest on and mascara slightly smeared under your eyes, he was beyond confused. And concerned.

'You're here,' he stated matter-of-factly.

'You sound surprised,' you answered stiffly, loading your gun without even glancing at him.

'To be honest, yeah. JJ and the rest all said you were out tonight. I figured you-'

'What? That I would ignore the call because I had something personal planned?' You finally looked up at him, and man did your cold stare pierce him like an arrow. 'This is my job, Spence. I knew, same as you and everyone else, that I would have to make some sacrifices to do it. So please, don't think so little of me just because I attempted to have a life outside of it.'

He grew more concerned at your choice of words. 'Attempted?' he asked, but then he looked closely at your smeared mascara, at the redness circling your eyes. Like you'd been crying-

'Don't worry about it,' you muttered, brushing past him to meet up with the team. 'You haven't for about four months now.'

Spencer tried to ignore the sting your words brought with them as he followed you to the rest of the team, forcing himself to put the case in front of you. But he'd done that for the past four months as you had so brightly pointed out, and look where it had landed him.

'Now remember,' Hotch started, bringing the team and some other officers in to brief, 'this unsub may use this place as his base to build his bombs, but don't discredit the idea that he wouldn't blow it up to save himself. Tread carefully but be vigilant, he is in the house somewhere. Now move.'

Spencer followed you into the house through the front door, gun and flashlight at the ready. All that could be heard were the soft but swift patter of footsteps as the FBI and local police ran in. The lights were on, but no unsub.

You were silently directed by Hotch to investigate the back end of the house, to which Spencer and Derek followed. You focussed on maintaining your breathing as you tried not to think about your date, Spencer, your heart thrashing in your ribcage. Only the unsub mattered.

The three of you broke into the last room of the house, the laundry. Upon entry, you spotted him, the unsub, running out the back door into the backyard.

'Hey!' you called out, immediately breaking into a sprint after him. You broke out of the laundry onto a cemented path towards a clothes line, chasing after him towards the fence line. But as you stepped off the path and onto the grass, something gave way beneath your feet, followed by a resounding click that had your freezing with fear.

'(L/n), keep going!' Derek shouted from somewhere behind you.

'Hold up!' you cried, throwing an arm back behind you. 'I think the yard is full of bombs.'

'Well, let's go around the front and get him in the back streets, come on!'

'I can't,' you replied back, slightly breathless from running, but also from the fear constricting now your airways.

'Why?' You didn't have to see him to know it was Spencer, concern dripping from just one word.

'Because I'm standing on one.'

Spencer knew it was physically impossible, but he was sure his stomach just dropped out of him and onto the bomb-littered grass around them. This was bad. Like very very bad.

'Shit,' Derek breathed out before bringing his wrist up to his mouth. 'Hotch, the unsub got away over the back fence, send some men to intercept him two blocks north from here.'

'Got it,' Hotch answered efficiently.

'And send the bomb squad out here. Yard is like a mine field and (L/n) is standing on one.'

After that, it didn't take long for the rest of the team to run outside, making extra careful to stand only on the pavements as they got as close to you as they could. Spencer stood the closest, standing directly in front of you as the bomb squad swept the yard for the rest of them.

'I've got some good news and some bad news,' one member of the bomb squad said as she came up to the team. 'Good news is it's the only bomb in the yard.'

'And I just managed to find it. Super,' you muttered, your tone shaky although the intention was to lighten the mood.

'Bad news is it's a pressure-triggered bomb, meaning that if you move even a fraction it'll go off. Also, by stepping on it, you've set of a timer until it explodes. The only way to disarm it seems to be a code of some kind.'

'How long do we have?' Spencer asked, not bothering to mask his desperation. This couldn't be happening. Of all the people, it had to be you.

'Six hours now,' she said grimly. 'My team and I will do everything we can to dismantle it and shut it off manually, but it's built quite strong so it'll be tough to crack open without setting it off. Your best bet will be to get an answer from your bomber.'

'Uniforms just called in,' Rossi said. 'They're bringing him in now.'

'Good,' Hotch said with a ferocity that would send most people running for the hills. 'He's gonna give us that code one way or another.' He turned to you, determination blazing in his eyes. 'Hang tight, (Y/n). We're gonna get you off that thing.'

'I'll hold you to that,' you joked, and you were grateful to receive a soft smile in return from Hotch and the rest of the team. Except for Spencer, he couldn't find it in himself to smile. He could barely think no thanks to your dangerous position.

'I'll stay with (Y/n),' Spencer said, his voice strained compared to his usual calmness.

'Reid,' Derek started, 'you're our best bet to crack open this guy. If we find something-'

'Then I'll have my phone ready to pick up. I'm not leaving her.'

It surprised you the strength you heard hidden underneath his fear. It was there in his eyes too, blazing like Hotch's, except with more warmth, more determination.

Derek looked to Hotch, and Hotch just nodded. 'Okay fine, but you better pick up on the first ring.'

'Promise.'

'I'll stay to help with the bomb squad,' Emily said while also looking at you.

'No,' you said as Hotch, Derek and JJ left. 'You all should go. In case he somehow remotely sets it off himself.'

'We're not leaving,' Reid said firmly, making eye contact with you. 'Not until you're off that bomb, you hear me?'

You wanted to argue, trying to be selfless and strong. But the truth was you were terrified, and to hear Spencer's strength where you lacked helped you push your pride aside and nod in agreement.

Time had flown by and it was now the last ten minutes. Spencer had received phone call after phone call but nothing had been helpful. They'd tried two potential codes already but they didn't work. The bomb squad quickly realised that they only had three chances to get the code right and so they were down to the last chance.

'You guys should really leave,' you said amidst your chattering teeth. It was now just after midnight and your thin button up and the bulletproof vest were not cutting it anymore. Spencer wished he could give you a blanket, a jacket, his own shirt for God's sake if it would keep you warm slightly.

'That's not going to happen,' he answered without hesitation.

You yawned, eyes threatening to droop close. Your legs had gone numb long ago. You were unsure how you were holding yourself up. It certainly wasn't by adrenaline. Perhaps you were frozen in place.

'I mean it, Spence,' you said, bracing yourself as another shiver threatened to spasm your entire body. 'It's the last ten minutes. You should be clear in case it goes off.'

'I'm not going to do that.'

'Damnit, Spencer. Of all the times to be stubborn, you choose now?'

'I'm not being stubborn,' Spencer argued. Were you purposefully trying to tick him off now? 'I'm trying to save your life!'

'You're right, you're not being stubborn. You're being plain stupid,' you retorted. You weren't sure why you were suddenly so angry, you just didn't like him playing the hero when he didn't have to.

'Yes! I am stupid, I admit that. I'll announce that to the entire neighbourhood right now if you want me to! Because if it weren't for me being an idiot, you wouldn't have had those dates, you wouldn't have had a date tonight, and maybe you wouldn't be stuck standing on a bomb right now!'

You stared incredulously at Spencer. He blamed himself for your situation? For Riley?

Despite the bustling of people around them, everything grew silent as youO stared at one another, Spencer's chest heaving as he sucked in air hard.

'Spence,' you said softly, your anger suddenly dissipating. 'I don't blame you for any of this. I would've ended up on this bomb one way or another. Or even worse, it could've been you standing on it. And as for Riley...' You thought the tears would come up again like before, but your eyes remained dry, and your heart didn't pull harshly.

Not for Riley, anyways.

'Did something happen between you two?' Spencer tentatively asked. His tone bordered on concerned and hopeful, demonstrating his torn mindset to whatever you were about to say.

You nodded. 'I told him I had to go to work, which wasn't unusual, but he just flipped. Said he was sick of me choosing you guys over him and that he was finished.'

He hated himself for feeling the slightest bit happy at the news, but his best friend instincts kicked in, and all he wanted to do was reach out and hold you. 'I'm sorry. You could've said no. We would've understood-'

'Spencer, I will always choose you guys over anyone,' you interjected, and the complete seriousness on your face reflected your sincerity brighter than the full moon above. 'I will always choose you, Spence.'

It was then Spencer saw it: the same feeling he'd had swirling in his stomach for months reflected in your eyes. It scared him, but what scared him more was that it would all be gone soon if he didn't do anything about it.

He would be too late, just like Derek said.

The bomb squad lady and Emily walked up to them both, and Spencer did not like the grim expressions on their faces.

'I'm sorry,' the bomb squad lady said. 'It's the last five minutes. There's nothing else we can do but clear out of the blast zone.'

'What about the code?' Spencer pressed, but Emily shook her head.

'Reid, they've gotten nothing out of him. We've got to go.'

'But we can't just leave her here-'

'Trust me, Spencer, I don't want to either!' Emily cried, tears pricking at her eyes at the thought of you dying. 'But we can't do anything for her here. I've got the remote to input the code if they get another one, but until then, we've got to clear from the blast zone.'

'No.' Spencer shook his head vigourously. He couldn't accept this. He wouldn't accept this.

'Spencer,' you tried gently. 'It's okay. I can do the rest alone. I want you to be safe.'

'Well, too bad, because I'm staying.'

You squeezed your eyes shut as tears rushed down your cheeks. 'Damnit, Spencer. Please, just go. Don't make this harder than it already is.'

Spencer took a daring step towards you, the tops of his shoes dangling just over the edge of the pavement. 'I won't abandon you. Not again.'

You were most likely a blubbering mess, your heart hurting so much at the thought that he would get caught up in your mess. 'God, why don't you just leave-'

'Because I love you, (Y/n)!'

The four of you stood dumbfounded as his proclamation echoed through the yard, the house, the street back out the front. Hell, Spencer hoped the whole world heard what he said, because he felt free for the first time in months, weightless, powerful.

And it was all because of you.

'I love you,' he repeated again, softer this time. As the reality of the situation came crashing down on him, tears of his own sprouted in his eyes and ran down his cheeks. He'd finally built up the courage to tell you, and you were minutes away from being blown up.

Through your tears, you find it in yourself to chuckle a little. It's watery and gross-sounding, but Spencer likes it none the less because it's yours, and you haven't lost complete hope. 'Talk about great timing, you big idiot.' And then there it is, that bright smile he saw day one in the office. You wore it with such pride, such strength it pulled at Spencer's heart strings painfully. 'You truly are a wonder, Spencer Reid.'

'One minute,' the bomb squad lady said, her tone frantic now. 'We've got to move! Now!'

'Reid, come on!' Emily cried, backing up with the bomb squad.

'I won't abandon her,' he replied, never taking his eyes off you.

'Reid please!'

Before he could reply, though, his phone buzzed, and he immediately answered the call. 'Please tell me you go it.'

'HOME! The code word is HOME!'

'Punch in HOME!' Reid called out to Emily, keeping Derek on the line as he stared at you. If you were to die, he was gonna make damn sure the last thing you saw wasn't an unfamiliar face.

'Are you sure?'

'We're out of time! Do it!'

'Spence...' you muttered. But you never finished your sentence, as your breath got caught while watching Emily punch in the code into the device. You closed your eyes. Soon you would be in eternal darkness. You would not fear it, but embrace it.

But when nothing happened, you dared to sneak a peek at what was going on. You saw Spencer first, who looked at Emily, who looked at the device in her hands. The deathly silence was finally broken at the sound of a green light on the device switching on. You then heard a hundred tiny clicks somewhere underfoot and felt yourself being pushed up back onto level ground.

Spencer finally looked back to you, eyes blown wide with hope he dared not realise. That same hope fuelled your frozen, tired legs, to take the tiniest of steps forward, and when nothing happened, you took your other foot off the bomb and collapsed forward into Spencer's arms.

His heart pounded faster than the jet that flew them all over the country every week as he cradled you simultaneously gently and tightly. You sobbed into his chest, your arms circling around his back and pulling him as tight as possible.

Oh, how he had missed your touch, your affection, your love, you.

'It's okay, you're okay,' he soothed, patting your hair down with one hand while he cradled you with the other. 'I'm here. We're all here.' He realised suddenly he'd dropped his phone, and so with one hand, he reached down and picked it up, bringing it to his ear. 'She's off.'

He barely heard the cheers of excitement and relief on Derek's end before he was hanging up and helping you to your feet. After that, it was a whirlwind of the bomb squad excavating the bomb, paramedics arriving, and CSU investigating the house.

After giving his statement of events to the local police and finishing speaking to other officials, he found you wrapped in a trauma blanket in the open back of an ambulance.

'How are you feeling?' he said as he approached you.

You broke free of your own world to look at Spencer, and a soft smile managed its way onto your lips. 'Well, I can feel my legs again so that's a start. And you?'

'All the better now that you're not standing on a bomb.'

You chuckled, though a red tinge dusted your cheeks out of embarrassment. 'I must admit, it's true what they say about your life flashing before your eyes the moment before you die.'

'Really? What did you see?' Spencer had read articles about this kind of stuff before, but had never spoken with a person who'd experience it themselves.

You didn't answer straight away, instead standing up to face him fully. Your legs felt like jelly a little but you stood strong. 'I saw you,' you replied easily, as if breathing air. 'Only you.'

Spencer couldn't hold it back, his fear, his relief. It all came bubbling out in an ugly sob as he pulled you into a bone-crushing hug, pressing his face into your hair, using your scent to calm himself. He felt you sobbing too, how your body shook with your own anxieties.

'I missed you,' you said, your words muffled into his chest.

'I know, I'm sorry,' he murmured. 'I missed you, too.' He pulled you back slightly so that he could see your face. He wiped at your tears and forced his best smile just for you. 'But I'm back now. And I'm not going anywhere. That is... if you want me around.'

You heard his silent question, and it made you smile how confident and shy he could be simultaneously.

'Spencer Reid,' you murmured, like what you were about to say next was your biggest secret, 'of course I want you around. I love you.'

He chuckled with relief, tears still pricking at his eyes. But your words sealed your fate, as he used his small amount of confidence to grab the back of your neck gently and pull your lips to his.

You were the sweetest thing he'd ever tasted, and dare he compare you the most addictive drug he could ever hope to get high on. He couldn't get enough of you, and it was such a relief to finally let it out how much he needed you to breathe.

You were equally breathless, simultaneously feeling all consumed by Spencer's love without also having enough of it. Your fingers danced in the soft curls at the nape of his neck, threading yourself into him as much as possible. The truth was, the past four months were torturous.

'I'm not going anywhere.'

As you both finally broke apart, you pressed your foreheads together, nervous giggles of teenagers bubbling up in you both. This was fresh and new, but the love you had for one another had been there all along. No one was going anywhere.

'Finally!'

You and Spencer looked up to see the rest of the team watching from afar, with Emily and JJ smiling giddily, Derek and Rossi trying to suppress laughter, and Hotch having the simplest of grins on his lips.

'Oh, babygirl is going to have a field day when she hears about this,' Derek said, walking up to clap Spencer on the back and give him a hug. 'Well done, man.'

'It's about time,' Rossi said as the rest of the team joined you both. 'I thought I was going to have to take matters into my own hands.'

'Thank God you didn't,' Emily said, both her and JJ giving you a hug. 'As much as this has been traumatic for all of us, I'm so glad it brought you back together.'

'Say that to my poor legs,' you whined, but you hugged them just as tight. Truthfully, you felt the same. And as Reid held you in his arms that night, having refused to let you out of his sight after your brush with death, you couldn't be more grateful for it, too.

~

Your wedding was the next major point in his life that your words had impact.

The past five years leading up to your engagement had been some of the best and challenging in your life. There'd been many more close calls on both your lives since then - kidnappings, hostage situations, deadly viruses, the works. Even some romantic challenges that came in the form of other men and women.

But your bond ran deeper than superficial, petty spiffs. You always found your way back to one another, no matter how dark the road got. It was even on such a dark case that saw both you and Spencer on death row that he asked you. You'd both been captured and locked in a shipping container filled with no gaps for air and no way out. Before that, you'd copped a beating from your capture, forcing Spencer to watch all the while. Truthfully, it hadn't looked good, and that's why Spencer did it.

'What?' you asked deliriously, barely able to see straight no thanks to the lack of oxygen.

'I was planning on asking you... after this case,' Spencer admitted, his face mere centimetres from yours as he held you in a tight hug. He was breathless, running out of air and time it seemed. He had to do it now. 'Had it all planned out... We would go to that place on the hill we go to... a picnic all set out... and just as the sun would set, I'd ask you... and give you this.'

You would've gasped if you'd had enough air to do so, in utter shock to see Spencer pull out a simple gold band with a diamond embedded in it from in his pant pocket.

'I've had this for months... waiting for the... right time,' he managed to get out. 'It's my mothers. When I told her I wanted to marry you... she didn't even hesitate to give it to me.'

You were both weak, but he softly picked your left hand up and looked you dead in the eye. 'This might be it for us, but it also might not. Either way, I want to be yours for whatever time we have left. So, (Y/n) (L/n)... will you marry me?'

The tears that trekked down your face actually cleared your vision enough to see Spencer's smile clearly as you answered, 'Yes. I will marry you.'

Either some higher being was looking out for you that day, or your team was just really good at their job (Spencer never doubted them for a moment), but the team found you both in time, both unconscious and barely breathing, but hand in hand, with yours suddenly bejewelled.

Since then it had been a flurry of work and wedding arrangements and stress over the next seven months. Many speculated you were pregnant and that's why you and Spencer rushed the wedding. The truth was you just didn't want to wait any longer than you had to, not being in your line of work. Any day could be your last, so why waste it.

Spencer messed with the tie of his navy blue suit for the hundredth time as he stood waiting under the arch of flowers in the backyard of Rossi's mansion for you. He wasn't nervous, just... ansty, like he had ants in his pants and wanted to get out of them as soon as possible. But he couldn't deny he was just as excited for this day as you were. All of your friends and family dressed up, no case, no killer, nothing but what dessert they were going to have at the reception to worry about.

'Hey pretty boy,' Derek said, coming up behind him and clapping a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. 'Stop messing with it. You look fine.'

'I know, I just...' Spencer couldn't put into words what he was feeling, not as he stared at his good friend - his best man. Even though Derek had left the BAU, Spencer and him still spoke regularly, and he was more than happy to be there for his best bud at arguably the most important day of his life.

Derek smiled knowingly, straightening Spencer's tie because that's what the best man did for the groom. 'She loves you, Spencer. You've got nothing to worry about.'

'I'm not worried. I just...' He felt the tears already coming on and he hadn't even seen you yet. You were probably even more gorgeous than you already were. God he couldn't wait to marry you.

'I get it, man,' Derek said, and then the piano started playing a soft, whimsical tune that was so you and he stepped back into place. 'Show time, pretty boy.'

Spencer straightened himself up, told himself to hold the tears back. This was not a sad day, but a joyous one. But his breath was stolen the moment the doors of Rossi's mansion opened, after Emily, JJ and Penelope walked through, and you walked out into the backyard on your father's arm.

Your gown was simple, accentuating your body like the goddess you were. Your (h/c) locks were styled to perfection, hidden barely by the thin veil that fell like morning mist over your face. You held your favourite flowers in your hands, the glint of your engagement ring shining as bright as the sun that shone upon the whole ceremony.

By the time you reached him, Spencer was about ready to rip your veil off, kiss the living daylights out of you and runaway. But he resisted, instead waiting patiently for your dad to flip your veil up, and for you to hand over your bouquet to JJ, your maid of honour. When you finally turned to face him, he could've cried. You were so beautiful. And we was marrying you today.

You reached out to him, and he was more than glad to clasp your hands at last.

'Hi,' you whispered, a nervous but excited smile twitching your lips.

'Hi,' he whispered back, the threat of tears burning the back of his eyes again. 'You are gorgeous.'

'Thanks. You look handsome.'

'It's a wonder what a whole eight hours sleep and showering more than once a week can do.'

He was so glad to hear your laugh. It calmed his nerves, and apparently yours calmed too, as your hands no longer shook in his.

'All right, everyone,' Rossi started, stepping up to minister the ceremony. 'Let's get this started.'

The boring, ceremonious stuff went by quickly and soon you were reciting your vows. You'd both wanted to write your own vows for each other - agreeing that the usual script was not enough to express your love for one another, and what you would do to protect that love.

Reid went first.

'(Y/n),' he began, staring you straight in your eyes. He'd written his speech over and over again, but once he found the right words, it only took him a matter of seconds to memorise them. Forever. 'I've always been told I was different. Gifted, special. Being different helped me get this job, this family-' he turned to his friends, who watched them with bright smiles and teary eyes. 'But it also got me in trouble, held me back from experiencing... normal things like friendship, even love. So much so, that I started to believe... I was unworthy of love.'

You squeezed his hands, hearing the stutter in his words, the built up emotion that threatened to consume him. He gratefully squeezed back, grateful to know he was not alone, that he would never be alone from this day forth.

'But from the day I met you, you've shown me that I can be myself and be worthy of love. Theoretically, we shouldn't work. Despite popular opinion, studies have shown that people from different backgrounds, with different interests and completely different personality traits are less likely to feel attracted to one another than people with similar backgrounds, interests and personalities.'

'Come on, Reid. You really want people to sleep through your wedding?' Derek asked, prompting you and the rest of the guests to burst into laughter.

'I have a point,' he countered, and waited for the laughter to die down before resuming his vows. 'And while I usually rely on statistics and facts to make informed decisions about my life, from the day that I met you, you turned my entire world upside, inside out... and I didn't care. Because despite knowing almost everything there is to know about, well, everything, you are the one thing that has and always will make sense to me.'

He saw you trying to hold back tears, so he let go of one of your hands to caress your cheek where some tears rolled down. He swiped them away gently with his thumb without ruining your makeup, the most handsome, beautiful smile you'd ever seen on his lips.

'I love you, (Y/n) (L/n). I have loved you since we first met, at every case, at every movie night, every time you made me coffee. I love how you find the light amidst the darkness, how you give yourself completely to everyone you meet. I love the crinkle in your forehead every time you get mad at me. I love all of you, and I don't have to promise you that I will stay by your side through it all for the rest of our lives. You have had me since day one, and that will never change, even in death. But before that final day comes, I look forward to making the most of what time we have left loving you.'

The guests clapped so loudly that he almost didn't hear your soft sobs. But he did, and he pulled you into a quick hug before you pulled yourself away.

'Oh my goodness, I just want to kiss you,' you admitted quietly to him, bringing laughter out of him. But you quickly pulled your self away, using your free hand to grab an A4-sized piece of paper from JJ and return to face Spencer.

'Unfortunately, I don't have an eidetic memory so I will be using some assistance for this next bit,' you joked, stopping your flow of tears briefly as everyone chuckled, appreciative for the break in overwhelming emotions. Spencer breathed in deeply, steadying his heartbeat as much as possible. His part was done, but he knew this next part would be the hardest to retain composure.

'Spencer,' you began, one hand shakily holding your vows, while the other gripped onto Spencer like your life depended on it. In a sense, after today, it would. 'From the moment I first met you, I knew you were special. That you would leave a mark on my life in one form or another. Some sad part of me sometimes thought it would be when you inevitably shot yourself because you couldn't pass your marksman test after three goes-' Cue Spencer looking to Hotch apologetically while the rest of the guests laughed. '-or because, in our line of work, any day could be our last, and I wouldn't rule out any psychopaths intervening with that. However, despite it all, you're still here, and I couldn't be more thankful that you are. You amaze me everyday, Spencer - with your knowledge of the world, your intellectual insight, how you are almost incapable of growing any substantial amount of facial hair.'

You were glad people were laughing now, because what you were about to say next was going to take all your composure not to fall apart.

'But it is your heart and your ability to connect with people that has captured me completely. Our story has been... unconventional, to put it plainly. We were colleagues first, then friends, then you became my best friend, and I thought I couldn't be happier than that. But maybe it has something to do with some chemicals in the brain that are stimulated when you hang around someone you admire and adore long enough - you know, science stuff - or fate. I don't necessarily believe in either, but I do believe in us, Spencer. I believe that we are two souls choosing to become one for the rest of our lives; I believe you are my person, and the one I choose to face each and everyday with; I believe we haven't overcome all that we have for nothing; and I am not the least bit surprised it took nearly getting blown up to admit how I truly feel about you.'

Spencer couldn't care that what you said about brain chemicals was technically incorrect, it was so you, and there was not a dry eye in the backyard as you looked up at him finally, sheet long forgotten, and (e/c) eyes shining bright with tears and love.

'I love you, Spencer Reid,' you said breathlessly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. 'You have experienced the worst of humanity over and over again, and yet here you stand with me, smiling, happy, choosing to believe in happy endings. You are a wonder - my wonder - and I can't wait to spend everyday from now loving you, and being wowed by you. From now... until I cannot breathe, and even then beyond.'

You gave the paper back to JJ, then returned your full attention to Spencer. It was like it was only you two, the clapping from your guests dulled as well as Rossi's final words. But Spencer didn't miss a beat when he heard him say, 'By the power vested in me and my online-approved minister credentials, I pronounce you husband and wife. Go on kids, you've earned it.'

Spencer swooped you into the sweetest, loving kiss he could muster, gently cradling your neck and cheeks as your lips met in a soft collision. It wasn't lustful (that would certainly come later), but it was consuming, like two forces being pulled together by a magnet. You were separate entities choosing to become one, and it made you smile through your kiss and for the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening.

You both partied with your family and friends, but you always managed to find your way back to one another despite the chaos. He now cradled you gently as you swayed together on the dance floor, fatigue settling in. You held each other up as you did, content to just be with each other in the final moments of your special day. Emily, your new section chief, had ordered you both take two weeks off to celebrate your honey moon. Because God knew when the next time you'd be able to relax would be when you both came back to work.

You shifted in his arms, manoeuvring yourself to look up at him, a delirious, tired and happy smile adorning your pretty lips. 'I love you, Spencer Reid.'

He leaned in for a brief but loving kiss before saying, 'I love you, (Y/n) Reid.'

Something about how his last named paired with your first name sounded that warmed him inside. The same feeling lit up in your eyes, but maybe that was just the happy tears that formed there, too.

'We're the Reids now,' you whispered in disbelief, probably due to the amount of alcohol you had consumed throughout the day. 'You're my husband!'

'Yes I am,' he murmured, pulling you back to his chest to lay your head. 'Forever and always.'

~

The last time he heard you say those special words was the day you said goodbye.

It wasn't until you fell pregnant with your first child that you found a proper house to live in. You'd been content with the studio apartment you'd found and moved into one year into your relationship, but when you fell pregnant, Spencer knew you would need a bigger space. One that you could call your own and make a home out of.

Your forever home.

Surprisingly, it hadn't taken long to find something: a nice rustic, two-storey house on the outskirts of DC. It was in a nice neighbourhood , far enough out of the city to be quiet, but close enough you could both get to work quick enough in case of an emergency. The moment you'd laid eyes on it, you fell in love with it, and Spencer knew without question this would be where you brought your family up.

He traipsed through the house with two cups of tea. Coffee had started to disagree with him after he quit the BAU, as if that were the only place he needed it. Teaching and guest lecturing at all the local universities was nowhere near the stress level of the BAU, and so he'd switched to tea. Somehow, in his (as he called it) pre-retirement, it tasted sweeter.

You had stepped down from being a profiler at the BAU after your third child was born, realising that with a four and two year old waiting outside the birth suite to meet their baby brother, you couldn't risk leaving your three babies without a mother. And while leaving the BAU, your home of close to twenty years, wrought a grief out of you that was close to unbearable, you knew it was the right decision and right time.

And you soon found a love for writing - fiction, non-fiction, poetry, it didn't matter. What you'd experienced in your career as a profiler had changed you, and sometimes writing it out made it less haunting, it gave you closure. You went on book tours, consulted on scholarly and literary journals, you even were brought into Spencer's classrooms to guest lecture from time to time.

All the while building and loving the family both of you had always dreamed of.

Spencer smiled at the dusty pictures that lined the walls, of the faces of his children and grandchildren smiling back him. Of the faces of friends old and new, of ghosts he used to know from a time long gone. Sometimes he hardly recognised himself in those pictures. He wasn't the vain type, but when he looked at himself in his 20's and 30's, he couldn't help the yearning that pulled at his heart when he did.

He compared those youthful pictures against his present day, laughing at the barely existent grey stubble he now sported, of the white hair that curled and stood up in any and all directions, of the glasses he now permanently had to wear. You always said he looked sexier with glasses, anyways, so he didn't mind.

Those pictures were his memory, his legacy, his life. When he felt his brain burning, when his memory became a bit too fuzzy, he could always look at the pictures and find solace in how those moments would live on in the people he loved.

'Spence?'

Your voice prompted him to keep moving, to let go of the past and remain in the present. He wandered through the rest of the house to the backyard, where two garden chairs sat either side of a coffee table, looking over the yard. The gardens were filled with flowers of all shapes and colours. He wasn't a nature guy by any means, but Spencer wanted you to have something to look after other than him or the children, something you could be proud of when you were much older. So he'd planted it himself (okay, he needed help from Derek), filling it with flowers that expressed all the wonderful qualities he loved about you.

There was a small gardening shed in the back, a quaint barbecue/entertainment area to one side, and a build-your-own playground just sitting on the lawn. He found you sitting comfortably in one of the chairs, staring out at the yard contently. He placed both cups of tea on the table before taking his own seat in the other chair.

'Do you remember how Jason used to carry Diana on his back up the slide?' you asked gently, a fond smile cracking your dry lips at the memory of your children playing on the very same playground their children now played on when they visited. 'You always got so scared they would fall and hurt themselves.'

'Isn't that our job?' he asked, taking a sip of his tea. 'To worry for our children?'

'You didn't have to be a helicopter parent, though,' you jibed playfully. 'You got better when Aaron was old enough to climb himself, so I can't berate you for that.'

'Speaking of which, Aaron just called, said him, Rachel and the kids want to invites us to dinner on Friday.'

You turned and smiled at him, but he saw how tired you were. It was in the slight droop in your lips when you smiled, it was in the slouch of your shoulders, it was the way you held out your hand for him to grasp and you could barely squeeze him back. You'd been like this for days, and it broke Spencer's heart to see the love of his life slowly fade away right beside him. He knew it was a natural way of life - considering their previous occupations, he was grateful to be even given the chance to grow old with you.

But despite natural law and despite his many blessings, it didn't dull the ache that grew more painful everyday.

'You don't have to be here, Spence,' you said, voice barely above a whisper, like it was just a secret only you two shared. 'You've seen enough death already.'

Spencer placed his cup on the table before getting out of his chair (a feat he struggled withe everyday now, his BAU days finally catching up to him) and walking around to your side, bringing both his hands to clasp yours as he knelt beside you.

'I'm not going anywhere,' he said, willing every ounce of sincerity and love into his words, into his hands as he held your frail ones. 'Forever and always, remember?'

Spencer almost broke down when your eyes locked with his, those shining (e/c) orbs sparkling with life and mischief and wonder. Despite what time had done to you, you were still his (Y/n), his best friend, his partner, his lover and saviour.

You nodded as if to say yes, I do remember. I always will. You pull one hand free of his grip, and use it to cradle his wrinkled cheeks. 'We've lived a good life, haven't we, Spence?'

He pulled one hand away to caress your hand on his cheek, holding it there for as long as he could. 'Yes. Yes we have.'

Your eyes scanned over him, suddenly seeing your life in rewind.

You saw him as he was now, white, Einstein hair, wrinkled skin and glasses. Then with only little streaks of white in his hair, more sleek. That's how he was with the kids. You kept going back, to your wedding, to your engagement, to the first time you kissed. Every movie night, every case, every late night in the office. Until you were seeing him as if for the first time. Kind of dorky, kind of sweet, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed to explain to you how his "physics magic" worked that very first day in the office.

It was like he was seeing you for the first time as well, as you smiled your bright smile like you did on that first day. The smile you had smiled for him every day since. The smile he saw in your children, and then your grandchildren.

'You are a true wonder, Spence,' you whispered softly, using what little strength you had left to squeeze the hand that still clasped yours as if to say thank you. 'My wonder.'

He waited for the lump in his throat to form, for the words to get stuck in his throat like they always did before. But the lump never formed, and so the words flowed like water out of him, finally feeling right.

'And you are mine,' he whispered back, smiling as bright as he could for you as he held you. 'You always have been my wonder.'

You bring his lips to yours one last time before dropping your hand from his face and sitting back in your seat, looking more tired than you'd ever been. But your other hand still held his, and he certainly wasn't going to let you go. Not yet.

'Spence,' you wheezed, eyes struggling to stay open on him.

Spencer pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, using his now free hand to stroke your grey hair in soothing motions. 'It's okay. You can rest now. I'll join you soon enough.'

The slight dip of your chin let him know you understood, and soon after you closed your eyes, your hand grew slack in his hold and your chest ceased rising.

You were gone.

And he was still here.

It was only then did Spencer allow the tears to fall, to acknowledge that despite both of your acceptances, he was sad. You'd lived good, long lives, and even then Spencer believed it was not enough time to love all of you. He knew it was selfish, but he figured after all he'd been through he would be allowed this one wish.

He held you for another hour before he called your children to notify them of your passing.

He held on for another year before he joined you. Cause of death: a broken heart.

He was buried beside you in the family lot, and on your joint headstone, it wrote:

Here lies Dr. Spencer Reid and Mrs. (Y/n) Reid. Loving Husband and Wife and Parents. "You truly are a wonder."

[anki-of-beleriand]

Bad Liar ch.7

Summary: Life is about lessons, and Wanda has been learning some harsh facts that had define her life and taken her to a place in which she was given a second chance. Then, all of a sudden, she meets you, and she realizes why it's easier to lie to yourself than to accpet what's right in front of her.

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff/ Female!reader - America/Kate - Mentions of past Vision/Wanda - past Natasha/Reader - Some Female!Reader/Carol Danvers

Warnings: Slow burn - slightly Enemies to friends to lovers - Mentions of abusive relationships - Toxic relationships - angst - drama - mentions of abuse - idiots in love - homophobia - more tags as the story progress.

Author's note: Here is a new chapter and right now there is no place to run, many secrets are out and it is time for everyone to start playing a part in the game.

As always, English is no my mother tongue, so please forgive the grammar, spelling and funny mistakes!

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17 - Chapter 18

Chapter 7

Whispered secrets

The Innovation Classroom had been a donation by the Bishop Family a couple of years ago. The main goal was to provide the school with the latest technological gadgets and programs so their students could always be up to date offering their students the right tools to keep up with their education. Everyone had access to the computers and the red of the school, but in reality only a few select students excel in the art of encrypted information.

America hated pne of those peoople, mainly because ever since she arrived at school her main goal had been to hit on a very clueless, and very exasperating Kate Bishop. But, after the long conversation she held with the team, America knew this would be their only chance to get some answers.

Everyone had their attention on Riri Williams.

The young woman chewed on the gun in her mouth, her brows knitted together while her brown eyes pierce every member of the advance class with a glint of curiosity in her eyes. Riri stopped for a moment on America, before her eyes set on Kate who was bouncing restlessly right behind her best friend.

Kate tensed lightly, her heart beating fast just as Riri smirked winking at her. Kate felt her cheeks warm, and America cleared her throat while positioning herself in the line of vision of Riri. The black-skinned woman chuckled tilting her head while resting her elbows on the table arching her back pinning America with her eyes.

"So, you guys want me to hack into personal files, get information from a private company and… What do I have in exchange?" 

Riri could tell her question caught everyone in the group off guard, they were not expecting such an answer and this was the perfect opportunity for her to make the right move.

"Money wouldn't be an issue." America intervened stepping forward.

"Money can't buy everything in life, Chavez." Riri rolled her eyes leaning forward while scratching the back of her neck.

America opened her mouth but Riri tilted her head, soon her eyes found those of Kate who looked around before settling her eyes on her. 

"How about a date?" 

The silence that followed could be broken by a needle falling to the floor. America was left frozen in place, her shoulders put back and her brows knitting together while she clenched her fists closed. Kate from her part was slightly confused, her heart beating fast just as she turned to America then back to Riri. 

Kamala had her eyes on Kate, whereas Yelena and Loki were looking intently at America. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife, and America had to hold herself for doing or saying something that she could regret. Riri for her part chuckled, playing the part she was asked to play.

“Come on, it shouldn’t be that hard! You guys came to me, after all.” Kate turned to America, and America hesitated for a moment. It was Loki the one who decided to break the silence.

“I believe we are very curious in knowing who you have in mind, Riri. We cannot force anyone to date you, as you so eloquently put it, money can’t buy everything and this would need to be a decision made by said person.”

“Always big with the words, and the fanfare, Odinson.” Riri rolled her eyes before she nodded towards Kate. “I was thinking, Bishop over there. What do you say? The Winter break is almost here, and I heard the Ball this year would be fantastic…so…Bishop comes with me, and I will give you what you want.”

That comment did it.

America straightened up, jerking her head to the side so her eyes locked onto those of Kate. The other teen was just as shocked as America, though America could swear she saw curiosity in them too. The young woman clenched her fist closed, while Kate started babbling away while trying to explain, and ask, and said a hundredth things at the same time.

"Well, what is it gonna be? Unless this information isn't as important as you made it look."

In all honestly, everyone was wondering the same.

While it was truth that during her babysitting duty, America had become overly found of the twins, their snooping around in the life of their newest teacher had become somehow America’s recent obsession. The young woman had not dared to revel that much, but Kate knew America had been worrying about her sister and the recent attraction she had developed for Wanda. When the black-haired woman turned to America she could see the conflict in her stance, and the way her eyes went from Riri to her.

Kamala stepped forward, chewing on her lower lip while crossing stares with Yelena. America for her part stood on her spot, her mind going over the different options they had. Why was it so important to find out about this woman? Why was she so curious about Wanda Maximoff? It seemed that everyone was wondering the same, and all eyes were now in America. 

Kate chewed on her lower lip, the decision should be easier than what it looked at the moment. Kate understood America’s worries, but they had other ways to find out about Wanda. They could use other means, and Kate had a hope that perhaps…that maybe America and her could go…

For a brief moment, America turned to Kate who was glancing at Riri, and Riri was looking back at her. A waved of jealousy grew inside America and she just clenched her jaw closed. This was such a mess, and it should be an easy decision on her part, still…

“America?" Kate asked, and all of a sudden her expression changed. Her face hardened and America could recognize the spark of annoyance in her eyes. "The decision should be easy, you know?" 

And of course, America knew it should be easier. But as of late she had seen the change in you, she had read the messages you and Wanda had exchanged and America couldn't help but think of the twins with their scars and the fear in their eyes. 

Loki locked eyes with Yelena, and both of them were as expectant as everyone in the room. Then Kate shook her head, she huffed, pushing America out of the way and walking straight towards Riri. 

"You have a deal, Riri." Then she softened her features, her tone of voice changing into one of pure sweetness flirtation. "And now that I think about it, I would be more than happy to go with you to the Ball…I promise you, it will be unforgettable." 

Kate leaned in, placing a single kiss on the woman's cheek before turning around, she walked past America towards Kamala, grabbing the hand of the other girl she left the room without saying another word. 

America felt a knot on her throat, the display of cowardice she just showed to Kate and her friends heavy on her shoulders. 

"Well, then who are we looking for?" Riri smirked, stretching her arms and getting ready to work. 

Loki hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to provide the names and what they were looking for. Yelena made her way towards America who seemed to be unable to move. 

"You are an idiot." Yelena hissed, shaking her head. "All you have to do is admit to her that you are in love with her and then she would have still done it but without the theatrics."

"I could not… She is… Kate is free to do what she wants." America replied quite stubbornly. 

"She is doing this for you, America." Yelena shot her a disappointed stare. "You better fix this or you will really lose her forever."

"Okay, found it!" Riri exclaimed and America dropped her eyes before going to the older woman. 

Yelena was tempted to hit America, but she decided against it. Loki shrugged and the both of them knew this would be the last chance Kate and America would have to finally be honest with one another and give into what they really want. 

“Fuck, you guys better take a look at this.” Loki said leaning forward, he and Riri wore the same angered expression.

America frowned moving closer while standing behind them. Her breath caught in her throat at the file, and Yelena cursed in Russian, the pictures, and the police records as well as the medical files were all there. Whatever or whomever Wanda was before getting to the school was not something nice, or even a happy life; the found the restriction order against her husband, the petition for divorce and the fight for custody. Riri whistled, she felt sorry for even asking for payment for something like this.

“Wanda Maximoff, isn’t she the new literature Professor? The one in charge of your class, Chavez?”

“Yeah, she is.” America replied softly.

“Damn, she really…this is…” Riri turned to the other girl shaking her head. “This is some heavy stuff, you know?”

“I know.”

“Please, Riri, no one can know about this.” Yelena intervened, Riri snorted pointing to the file on the computer.

“Of course not! She is hiding from her maniac husband, here let me show you the new underground railroad…It seems that she has been receiving help from some powerful people.” Riri stated tapping on some keys before showing the group a classified document.

_________________________

The halls inside the adjacent building to her school were empty and cold. America could hear the echoes of her footsteps and that of her friends following her to the main playroom. Loki and Yelena had been discussing the findings in whispered tones, none of them had been completely happy with the discovery but now many pieces in the puzzle that was their new Professor finally fell into place. 

America stopped right outside the playroom, her eyes falling on Kate who was laughing with Kamala while Balder and the twins played around the slides.

“You better fix your screw up, America, and soon, Riri is quite the catch and Kate doesn't seem that indifferent to her.”

With those words, Loki went in stretching his hand out to stop Balder from hugging him. The both of them engaged in their ritualistic banter of bickering, while the twins waved at America who shifted her weight from one foot to the other before going in. 

Tommy and Billy had changed in the last couple of months. America remembered the first time she met them, they were quiet and quite shy. At first America thought it was because they didn't know her and were still testing the waters around her. But then, she saw the fear in their eyes, how they would look at the clock and then at the door, how jumpy they were with loud noises, or how they would wake up sweaty and crying. Now for America it was obvious the shy, almost submissive nature of Wanda, how protective she was of her intimacy, or the fact the boys and her never used short sleeve clothing or why the twins had learnt to bathe alone without any help. 

Not that it helped a lot. 

America and Y/N had seen the scars, and while no words had been exchanged between them, they knew what was behind the Maximoff family. And America now had enough proof to prove her sister with the full background of Wanda. 

The question was, when should she tell her about it? 

“You are thinking too loud.” Kate approached her with her eyes never leaving America's ones. 

“I have a lot to think about.” She mumbled shrugging, the twins went back to their stuff putting everything away while Balder whined. 

“Yelena told us what Riri found.” Kate softened her stare putting her right hand around her left elbow. “It must be awful…”

“You know you don't have to go with Williams to the Ball, right?”

Kate cocked her head, glancing at America out of the corner of her eyes. America waited patiently, her eyes glancing everywhere but at her best friend and Kate sighed shaking her head, she turned around closing the distance between herself and America, the dark haired teen tensed with her heart leaping inside her chest. 

“I know, but you know what?” Kate said breaking her lips into a smirk America had never seen in her. “I realised that if the woman I want doesn't want me back, then I can't wait any longer… I’m going to explore my options. Thank you, America. I think I wouldn't have done this without your help.”

America stood there, dumbstruck while Kate winked at her, turning around to join the others. She could tell America was still watching her, and Kate smiled in satisfaction knowing her words had the desired effect on America. She just hoped America would do something, or else she would never forgive her for letting this chance go away. 

_____________________________________

Wanda glanced at the watch on her wrist, she winced noticing the time while her face turned to the rain right outside her windows. She had taken far too long grading some papers, the twins must be waiting for her getting restless back in the playroom in the small building in the compound. 

The young woman yawned, picking up her papers and her stuff before her hand went to grab her mobile. She hesitated for a moment until her eyes fell on the last message she received. Your name on her contact list was familiar, as well as the obvious signs that she was ignoring you completely. For more than a week, all Wanda had done was put your messages to the side, and those encounters she had come to look at with an eager heart were now almost non-existent as she made sure to always be out of her home before you. 

A part of Wanda, the rational one, knew she was being childish and that what she was doing was prolonging the inevitable. Another part, the emotional one, the damaged one… Was afraid. She was afraid of what everything meant for her, of the sudden surge of emotions she was experimenting for you. 

Wanda knew she was damaged goods, and that she had her children to look after. You on the other hand were free, intelligent, beautiful, and you already had someone in your life that apparently made you happy. Why would anyone want Wanda at some point? 

Not that Wanda was thinking about being with you. That would mean she liked you, and not in a platonic way. That perhaps her dreams, and the speeding of her heart at the thought of you, meant she was attracted to you, which was impossible because she was not like that. She liked men. Penis. Yeah, she liked that. 

So, you do like her in a sexual way, eh? 

A voice in her head asked, and Wanda hated to find the teasing tone of Pietro behind such a statement. She could imagine him, with his smirk and teasing glint, dancing around her while saying innapropiate things that would make her blush a hundred different shades of red. She missed her twin, and in moments like this, she wished he was still with her. 

“I don't like her like that, I can't.” Wanda replied softly to no one in particular. 

Wanda never thought her life would have changed the way it did. 

The weeks had turned into months, and she found herself experimenting changes that were affecting her in positive ways. No longer was she afraid of getting home knowing dinner was not done yet, or to get something wrong and get mistreated for it. She could finally have a voice and an opinion and people around her respect her, and actually took her word with admiration. Sometimes the dark clouds of her past came forward, and in those moments she went to her children to find the energy to continue. 

Wanda felt her life was finally getting into the right path. Her students had been amazing with her, and as of late it seemed as if their motivation had shifted and the young woman had never felt more supported than ever. 

She didn't need complications, and you had become one. A complication she never thought possible, a complication she couldn't afford to have. 

Whatever sadness she reflected in her face was soon wiped out when she caught the sound of laughter. She let out a sigh of relief knowing her children had not been alone for so long, and the fact the voice of her students reached her ears told her they had been in good hands. Her phone vibrated once more, but she ignored it completely, she never thought or even contemplated the fact that you might be there. 

She entered the room with a confidence she soon lost as soon as her eyes found yours. And whatever she was trying to not feel came back tenfold. Her sweaty hands, the tingling on her lower abdomen and the summersault from her heart. Everything came accompanied by a flush of her cheeks and the widening of her stare. 

You stood there rather conflicted, at this sudden appearance. The sound of laughter and conversation became too deafening, but you put your mobile away and took a few steps towards Wanda.

“So, you are alive.” You promised yourself you wouldn't let the bitterness you felt at Wanda's lack of response get to you. 

But that was easier said than done, the young woman was standing before you quite healthy and rather unfazed by the fact you had written to her a couple of times until you gave up on any answer. You felt humiliated, and also a little hurt, you thought the both of you were friends. And you felt ridiculous for hoping that maybe… 

“I… I was… Yes, I mean…” Wanda made a gesture with her hands, her eyes looking everywhere but at you. “I've been busy, uh with school and…”

“Hey,Maximoff, I'm not asking for explanations.” You replied nonchalantly, your stare hardening. “I was just curious because Tasha told me you and I were supposed to organise the Winter Festival.”

"The winter festival, yes! Yes, she did.We are!” Wanda interrupted her voice, raising slightly with a high pitch at the end. 

You arched a single eyebrow, your lips quirking upwards in silent amusement. Wanda almost slapped her face at such an answer, she tried to recover her momentum by clearing her throat and grabbing her purse with both hands. 

"I didn't understand much, but we'll, I guess we are in a committee…"

"We are the committee." You interrupted tilting your head, this time around you were frowning. "Nat didn't explain everything, did she?" 

Wanda pursed her lips and after a moment she gave in, shaking her head. You could only roll your eyes glancing at the ceiling, of course Natasha had not said anything to the other woman and it would be up to you to explain to her everything that needed to be done. You had a feeling this was the older woman's doing, a well-exécuté plan to torture you and make you spent time with the very woman that had been shaking your world as of late. 

"What else did she have to explain?" Wanda finally asked, she dreaded your answer for she had been trying to avoid you for more than a week and this sudden event would only make her spend time with you. 

She knew Natasha had placed the responsibility on her shoulders a week ago but Wanda had been down a road she was not familiar with. She hated the beating of her heart, the sweaty palms of her hands, the nervous tingling in her stomach and the flush on her cheeks whenever she was in front of you. Or whenever she received one of your messages that she had been ignoring for quite some time. 

She hated the fact she was standing in front of you and you seemed at ease, knowing Wanda was the only one suffering such conflicting emotions and not being able to do nothing to appease such emotions. 

"Well, this event is quite important, you know?" You lifted your hand to scratch he nape of your neck, a nervous trait you had picked up when faced with your reality. 

Wanda was about to speak when the twins and the rest of the teens came towards you. Her students were mostly smiling, while America seemed rather gloomy at the moment. 

"Mom!" The twins came running towards Wanda hugging her around her waist, Wanda smiled softly placing a tender hand on their heads. 

"Hey, boys, how was your day?" 

"It was awesome!" Billy exlciamed and Tommy nodded in agreement, you softened your stare watching the scene with a heavy heart. 

Soon Tommy and Billy were telling their mom all about their adventures, and you had to look away with a frown in your face. America and Loki glanced at one another, a plan already forming inside her head as to what she should do. 

“So, Y/N, we were thinking… It is late, and everyone in the room is hungry, right guys.?”  America turned to her friends, you narrowed your eyes when it took them half a second to react with nodding heads and hands on their stomachs. 

“Right, so hungry much, eh?”

“Oh, come on, Y/N, it has been a while since you last take us to Olympia and we could take the twins there too and Professor Maximoff of course.”

Kate grabbed your arm, she put on her best puppy stare while Kamala grabbed your other arms and America tilted her head amused. You snorted shaking your head, lifting your eyes you could see Wanda glancing at you and the twins frowning in confusion. 

“What is Olympia? “ Tommy asked tasting the word on his lips, Balder opened his eyes wide, grabbing the young twin by his shoulders. 

“You don't know??” Tommy scowled, lowering his eyes and shaking his head.

“It's the best place on earth!!” Balder turned to you and Loki. “Pleaseee, can we go?”

You raised your brows at Wanda, your eyes finding hers. The young woman was just as confused as her children, your heart shrank st the sheer familiarity you saw on those three faces. America pressed her lips together, she could see the conflicting emotions running through your eyes, the change in your posture, the softening in your expression. 

The young woman clenched her jaw tightly, fighting over the myriad of thoughts passing through her mind. America was ready to burst out until a familiar hand grabbed her softly, she turned to see Kate offering a single shake of her head while pulling her aside. 

“so, what do you say? We could have something to eat and discuss the preparations for the Ball.” You proposed shrugging, you could see the conflicting emotions running through those green eyes, but you could also see the lost battle as soon as the twins turned to her with begging eyes. 

“I guess we could…” Wanda winced when the twins squealed and soon everyone was just walking outside the building. 

Yelena caught up to America and Kate, her hand closing on America's wrist. 

“What are you doing? Aren't you going to tell your sister about Maximoff?”

America hesitated for a moment, she turned to see you talking lightly with the other woman. Your face had changed completely, no longer wearing the wrinkles of concern or boredom you usually wear after a long day in the office. There weren't any signs of tiredness or anxiousness you got whenever you were with Carol. There wasn't even the dark cloud above your head, the one you had been wearing all week long, whatever was happening through your head, America could see the positive effect Wanda had on you. And without a doubt, the young woman knew you had a positive effect on Wanda. 

“I think she should know.” Kate commented to America's side. 

“It is only right.” Loki chimed in, America hesitated and it was Kamala the only one to actually voice what America had been thinking all along. 

“But it is Professor Manximoff's secret, we can't go around telling everyone much less Y/N about this.” Kamala crossed her arms standing her ground. 

“Why not?”

“Have you seen Y/N? Or, Professor Maximoff for that matter?” The group all turned to Y/N and Wanda. “Whatever we say or do right now could be bad for…”

“For them.” America shook her head turning to her friends with a determined stare in her eyes. “Let's give them time, I agreed that this can't be kept a secret, but for now we should be able to protect Wanda's privacy.”

The group hesitated for a moment before all of them nodded. They could keep the secret, for now. But for America the situation was turning into something really problematic, and her first instinct was to make sure you were okay, that you were happy. Thus, with a pursed of her lips she decided it was time for her to give you a push in the right direction. 

_______________________

Olympia ended up being a restaurant right outside the city. 

It was a five storey building, it was surrounded by a beautiful garden with fountains made of Led lights. The twins were dumbstruck, walking down the road leading from the parking lot to the main entrance. To their side Balder had taken the task to explain what they would find inside, and you had taken your spot right beside Wanda to do just the same. 

“I can't believe you never heard of this place.” Wanda tilted her head, her eyes watching with some amusement your childish excitement and the small smile playing upon your lips. 

She thought your giddiness was quite adorable, and she had to stop herself from just leaning in and grab your hand in hers. Her heart hammering against her chest at the mere thought. 

The restaurant was owned by the most peculiar family; they had built the place as a theme restaurant in which families and friends could come over to enjoy games, shows and nice warm meals. Wanda and the twins were awestruck at the sight of mythological creatures and decorations welcoming newest arrivals. 

The smile on your lips softened at the sight of Wanda walking around the place with the twins shying away with big eyes glancing around the place. You could tell this was her first time in such a place, and a part of you had to wonder if Wanda had never been in a place like this one. 

“Mommy, can we go?” Tommy asked shyly pointing at the playground to the right, Wanda hesitated with her breath caught in her throat when your hand rested on hers. 

“It is completely secure, and they would have America and the others watching over them while we look for a table.” You said to Wanda, your thumb making soothing circles on the back of her hand. “What do you say, Princess? I know it must be quite the tortuous experience to be with me but we can…”

“It's not a tortuous experience.”Wanda replied, cutting herself off before she could reveal something else. 

You nodded curtly letting go of her hand before nodding towards the lifts. 

“I know just the place for you and the twins to enjoy this first time.” 

You waited patiently for an answer, you were trying to quiet down the thoughts running inside your head. The best policy you could apply to just ignore the growing need to connect with the redhead standing in front of you. You had missed your conversations with her, the banter you had formed with the woman after a fateful day in which you had come to appreciate the twins. For more than a week you had tried to reason with yourself and the piercing need to talk to Wanda. 

When she didn't answer, and it was quite evident she was avoiding you, something in you broke a little. You were not one to beg, so you stopped writing after two days, but seeing her again you knew you couldn't let go without, at least, trying to forge a friendship with Wanda. 

Because that was all you wanted, right? 

Friendship. 

And that was all Wanda was ready to give you, right? 

Friendship. 

“Don't worry, Professor, they are in the best…Yelena, No!”

Kamala screamed running after Yelena who was already trying to steal a Nerf gun from a kid, Balder and the twins were already getting armed with Loki giving clear instructions. America winced chuckling while Kate rolled her eyes crossing her arms. 

“Guys…” You said and America waved at you. 

“I know, I know.”

Kate turned to Wanda, wincing a little, “Don't worry, I made sure they are okay.”

Wanda chewed on her lower lip, her eyes had not stopped checking the crowded restaurant while her own panic rose inside her throat at the sight of the twins mixing up with the rest of the children. You could tell she was tensed, her eyes worrying but what you saw there was actually terror. 

In just a second, Wanda was breathing hard, her eyes going wide open and body covered with a thin layer of cold sweat. She started trembling, and you could tell she was about to have a breakdown. Without thinking too much you stood in her line of vision, your hand grabbing hers in yours. 

“Hey, Wands, it's okay, they are going to be fine.” You spoke softly, soothing words and brushed caresses on her hands while you dragged her away from the crowded hall. “It's okay, come…you're going to be fine.”

Wanda clenched her eyes closed, and she let you take her away until the sound of a bell echoed in a closed room and soon. The sound of people disappeared. Wanda opened her eyes only to see you looking back at her, you offered a reassuring smile with the lift sliding all the way to the last floor. 

“Are you okay?” You finally asked, Wanda flushed looking away. 

“Yes.” Her tone was cold, and you could tell she was embarrassed by the scene. 

“You know, there is nothing to be emb…”

“I know.” She cut in exiting the lift as soon as the doors opened. 

You scowled, glancing at your reflection before following the young woman out. The fifth floor was something out of a Jurassic Park movie, wherever she turned there was a jungle like atmosphere with replicas of dinosaurs around. You couldn't help the half smile stepping inside the floor while locating a good table. This was, by far, your favourite place to be; you walked past Wanda, your eyes sweeping the place really quick until you found the person you had been looking for. 

“Ajak!”

The woman straightened up, turning sharply towards you, her eyes going big while a grin broke on her face. She gave some final instructions before approaching you with arms outstretched to engulf you in a tight embrace. 

“Y/N! And here I thought you had forgotten all about me, mija.” Ajak stepped back giving you a once over, her eyes sharp and witty taking into the form of Wanda who was standing at a safe distance before they settled on you. 

“Never, Ajak, but work and life has consumed most of my time.” You winced apologetically. “But I am here and I have new guests that have never tasted your amazing cuisine.”

Wanda found herself under black, piercing eyes that were a mixture of warmth and curiosity. The woman stretched out her hand, Wanda took it in hers almost wincing at the tight grasp. 

“Now, a guest of Y/N will always be welcome, I'm Ajak.”

Wanda offered a tentative smile, her eyes going to you then back at Ajak. 

“I'm Wanda.”

“Well, we cannot have this! A table for two? For you and your date.”

“No!” The quick, rather panicky scream coming from Wanda and yourself made Ajak turn suspicious eyes to you then to Wanda. 

You knew you were blushing, but you didn't dare to look over at Wanda before clearing your throat to clarify the situation. 

“We're not… She is not.. I mean… She is my sister's teacher so we just…”

“Yeah, no date or, her sister is my babysitter and…” 

Whatever else the both of you were going to add soon died off while you just stood there rather awkwardly. Ajak snorted, shaking her head while pointing to the tables. 

“So not table for two…”

“We came here with everyone, America and her friends and Wanda's children.”

Ajak nodded in understanding, finally pointing to the furthest corner in the room pointing to a balcony and a couple of torches. 

“Well, you can have the spot by the balcony, I will send someone soon…” Ajak then winked at you, and there was a hint of mischief in her eyes as she continued. “It's always good to have you back, and this time around with such a beautiful woman by your side.”

You put a hand on your face hiding away your embarrassment, Wanda merely clapped her lips closed blushing lightly at the implications of those words. Without nothing much to say, you and her were led directly to the last spot. 

“This is beautiful.” Wanda sighed dreamily, lifting her eyes to the sky above their heads lowering her gaze to see the outline of  the city on the horizon. 

Your heart twisted painfully in your chest, you furrowed your brows turning away to glance outside the balcony. 

“I still can't believe you didn't know about this place.” You commented lightly. “This is the best restaurant in the whole East Coast, and it can be quite fun to spend some time with friends and family.”

Wanda sighed knowing she had missed the chance to get to know the world right outside her universe. She did not know much about the world, or places outside Westview or the events Vision used to take her to. The only holidays they had shared had been to Sokovia for the funeral of her father, a holiday she would always remember. Wanda jerked awake when a warm hand placed softly in her hand, she turned sharply to you and her breath caught on her throat. 

“Are you okay?” You asked tentatively, Wanda stepped back from your grasp offering a shaky smile. 

But before she could answer or you could say anything else the sound of laughter and loud conversation distracted the both of you and the group of teens with the three boys came around to occupy a chair in the big table. The twins ran directly to Wanda, and their excited chatter was enough to distract Wanda of her thoughts and the emotional situation she found herself in. 

Dinner was a strange event for Wanda and yourself. You both found yourselves sitting side by side with everyone sharing stories about school and Summer holidays, the twins were quiet watching and hearing everything while enjoying the dinner. Your eyes never drifted away from Wanda for too long, the young woman was quiet at first, her fingers tapping on the table while holding a strained smile hovering protectively around the twins. 

Wanda had always been a mystery for you, from the moment you met her she had been a contradiction of shyness and resolution. There were moments in which you could see a fire inside her eyes, the sharpness of her tongue and her intelligence always challenging you in ways you found fresh and exciting. There were other times in which she made herself small, the dark clouds of fear and uncertainty shadowing those flames while offering a vulnerable side you wished you could protect. 

You snorted, shaking your head while everyone at the table laughed, your eyes drifted slightly only to see Wanda glancing at you with amusement. 

“And then, of course, Y/N had to come out of there all dressed up in clothes that were not even hers and mom and dad decided to have the talk with both of us.”

All the twins winced while Wanda chuckled, raising a single eyebrow. You rolled your eyes hiding your blush, the twins scrunched up their noses looking around until Billy decided to speak. 

“What talk?” He asked innocently, and the question soon quieted down the laughter making everyone squirmed on their spots. 

This time around you raised a brow at Wanda, daring her to answer that question to them. 

“Want to explain that, Mommy Wanda?”

The deep shade of red that decorated the woman's cheeks caught you off guard. The woman looked away hiding her flustered expression, you didn't expect that reaction to your comment. Something inside you ignited with curiosity to explore that sudden discovery, but soon Balder decided to break the uncomfortable tension in the room with his own innocent comment. 

“The talk about sex, dummy!”

“Balder!”Loki exclaimed, slapping his hand while his little brother turned big curious eyes his way. 

“How does he know about that?” Kamala asked, but Loki made a face. 

“He overheard Thor, and he is a little brat that can't keep his mouth shut.”

“You’re the brat!”

Loki opened his mouth to retort but you lifted your hand shaking your head. The uncomfortable moment had passed, but you were still thinking about Wanda's reaction. 

“Okay, you two stop it, let's choose the desert.”

“Dessert?” Tommy turned to Wanda. “Can we have dessert, mommy?”

You smirked watching as Wanda squirmed under your stare, she was trying really hard to ignore you but you made sure this time around it was impossible for her to do so. 

“Oh, what do you say mommy, can we?” You spoke before you could censor yourself, Wanda glared at you clenching her fists closed. 

“Y/N, really?” America asked in disbelief, she glared at you and you opened your mouth. 

“Just stop, it is not as funny as you think it is.” Wanda turned around, softening her facial expression while placing a hand on Tommy's head. “I think we should go. Perhaps another time.”

You yelped, feeling the kick in your chin, turning around you saw America flaring at you still but this time around she was pointing to the other woman, her eyes big and eyebrows raised trying to speak to you without words. 

The twins moaned in protest, but Wanda was already standing up until she felt your hand on hers. She didn't turn around, but you didn't need to, you stood up and circled the young woman standing in front of her, your free hand on Tommy's shoulder. 

“Please, desserts here are delicious and… It's on me.” 

“I don't think…” Wanda started but her resolution crumbled as soon as you stepped forward. Your eyes softened greatly, and your next words piercing Wanda's resolution. 

“Please, sorry I was an ass, I just don't know how to act when I'm around someone like you.” You didn't mean to be this honest, you knew everyone was watching the interaction and probably this conversation would be something America wouldn't let go anytime soon. 

“Like me?” Wanda asked confusedly. 

You broke into a bitter smile shrugging, “like you.”

The silence would have grown even more uncomfortable if it hadn't been by Kamala and Kate that soon were making quite the ruckus to select the best dessert of the night.  

“Why do you like to make my life more difficult than it already is?” The question left her lips before she could stop it, and while she didn't quite mean to ask that, once she had said it a burning desire to know grew in her. 

You blinked a couple of times, looking away while shrugging. 

“I don't know.” You sighed lifting your gaze to the woman in front of you. “You just…Make it too easy and I just can't help it.”

Wanda let go of Tommy who had joined the others around America and Kate that were now explaining what each dessert had. Wanda had enjoyed her afternoon with her children and her students, that you were there with her had been just a plus she was still trying to pretend she didn't enjoy. 

Truth was, if she were to accept why she was so conflicted with your presence, why she had been avoiding you for the last couple of days, why she got so nervous around you. She would be admitting to something up until a couple of months ago she thought was a sin with someone that was already engaged in a relationship. 

Wanda had a lot to lose and nothing to gain. So it was better to pretend nothing was happening, it was easier to break something that was just starting to grow. 

“My grandparents and Tony's parents started the tradition of the Winter Festival.” Your voice broke into Wanda's thoughts, she turned to you quite surprised and you offered a single smile nodding towards the balcony. 

The morning breeze brushed against your cheeks, you leaned forward with the palm of your hand stretched out to receive the first snowflakes of the season. 

“My grandmother was a writer, and she was quite the romantic fella.” You chuckled remembering your childhood, the stories your grandmother used to tell right before going to bed. “She thought that a Ball and a festival around the Holidays would bring everyone together and would make a good way to find love.”

“A dreamer, then.” Wanda offered a half smile, she wrapped her arms around herself standing a few feet away from you.

The night had been strange, but not unpleasant. She couldn’t remember the last time she went out to a nice restaurant to eat, or to have some amount of fun and see her children free the way they had been that night. She looked at you out of the corner of her eyes, her heart fluttering lightly when you continued talking about your family and the traditions of the school, your tone of voice softening with the weight of memories and wishfulness. The confusion Wanda had been experimenting as of late was diminishing as you continue speaking, and the young woman knew sooner or later she would need to face whatever was growing inside her heart.

But for now, she could pretend.

“Then, whatever we do, whatever we plan, must be incredible.” Wanda stated after you had finished talking, you snorted shrugging.

“It’s a matter of honour.” You replied conspiratorially, your eyes twinkling at her reaction. “Believe me, we have been at this since we were at school so…”

Wanda chuckled shaking her head, for what little she knew about you and the others, everyone had gone to the same school and your friendship was based on banter and familiarity. She had seen firsthand how competitive all of them were, the great friendship amongst the families that controlled a whole school and many important businesses in the world. Wanda’s face fell for a moment, she had entered a world that could turn against her at any moment, one wrong step, or one wrong word could kick her out and leave her exposed to the man she had been running from. Natasha had been right when she said this would be important for her, and while Wanda didn’t think for one moment the older woman had tricked her in any way, she knew right now great things were expected from her, a payment for the favours she had received so far.

Movement to her side called her attention, and Wanda soon found herself far too close to you. From this distance she could see the light in your eyes, the small happy wrinkles around your eyes and the curve of your lips. She could also feel the warm emanating from your body, and a part of her, a crazy almost childish part of her, wondered what would happen if she were to close the distance…

Have you ever been attracted to someone other than Vision? Have you wondered what would have happened if people didn’t try to tell you who you should love or be with?

The words of her last therapy session with Hope resounded inside Wanda’s head, but before anything happened you chuckled nodding your head towards the restaurant.

“You’re gonna have two kids running on sugar rush in a moment, you know that, right?” You couldn’t help but laugh at the glance of pure horror she put on as soon as she realized the twins were eating a huge plate of dessert while bouncing restlessly on the chairs.

“They have never had so much sweet before…” Wanda started worriedly, your grabbed her hand winking playfully at her.

“Then, let me help you with tiring them up so you won’t suffer later on.”

“What do you mean..?”

“Well, this restaurant has many playgrounds, and I’m friends with the owner so…let’s go, time for you and me to play some!”

Wanda was not sure what was happening, or what exactly were you talking about. But whatever it was, she didn’t care at the moment, the only think she could think was your hand wrapped tenderly around hers, and the childish grin playing on your lips. Everything else was forgotten.

______________________________________

It was way past midnight by the time you parked Wanda’s car in the garage.

“You didn’t have to come with me.” Wanda shifted her position on the front seat, she turned slightly to see Tommy and Billy fast asleep.

You turned off the care tilting your head to see the twins then at Wanda who was looking completely tired. While it was true that you didn’t need to drive Wanda and the twins back home, but you couldn’t help yourself; you offered while lending your car to America so she could take the other’s home.

A part of you didn’t want the night to be over yet.

“I know but I just figured you may need some help with those two.” You pointed to the twins, Wanda smiled softly.

“Thank you.” She mumbled lowering her gaze, her hand closer to yours. “I don’t remember the last time I have so much fun.”

You smiled satisfied, “I’m glad to hear that.”

There was a moment of silence filled only with the knowledge that you were lost. As soon as you lifted your gaze you could see those green eyes glancing back at you, Wanda was looking confused and tired. But there was evidently some sort of happiness in her face, she was relaxed and for a moment your thought perhaps the weight she had been carrying was lifted. Not for the first time you wondered what had happened to her, what had really brought her to your doorstep with two kids and not husband.

It's not my secret to share.

“I think you should have more moments like this one, you and the kids.” You said after a moment, breaking the growing silence in the car.

“I think we are still getting use to this.” Wanda replied softly, and while she didn’t elaborate you could tell that this was part of the past you were dying to get to know.

“Well, if there is any way for me to help you loosen up more, Princess, don’t hesitate to tell me.” You winked at her enjoying the soft colouring on her cheeks, Wanda straightened up trying to gather her thoughts.

“Right, I think we need to first work on the preparations for the festival and…” She trailed off when you placed a hand on hers.

“Yes, yes…don’t worry about that, Princess.” You then opened the door and grabbed the car keys. “Come, I will help you take these two to bed.”

It didn’t take too long to take the twins into their room, both of them protested and turned around as soon as their bodies touched their beds. The only thing Wanda could take off of them were his shoes and jackets, she was about to insist on them getting in their pyjamas but your hand on her shoulder stopped her.

“Let them be, we really tired them up in the laser tag.” You whispered by the door, Wanda hesitated for a moment making sure that the boys were only on their shirts and with a blanket on top of them.

“I guess it wouldn’t make any difference.”

Wanda whispered back making her way towards you, finally the tiredness of the day was catching up to her and you could see the bags under her eyes and the cold of night sneaking inside her clothes. You pulled her out of the room gently, closing the door behind you leading the young woman to the hall and the stairs, Wanda stood by the stairs glancing at you then at the door down the hall. You shifted on your feet before glancing down the stairs.

“Look, today was nice.” You stated scratching the nape of your neck. “I haven’t had so much fun in a long time.”

“Me neither.” Wanda answered truthfully, her lisp curling slightly at the memory. “And the twins, they were happy too.”

You nodded smiling, “yeah, I could tell.”

Wanda put her right arm on her forearm, she glanced down then back at you.

“I’m sorry I was avoiding you this last week.” Wanda finally said without looking you in the eye, this was easier said than done, and while the reasons of her avoiding you were not clear for you, Wanda was not about to admit them yet.

“I’ve been having a long week, and I just…”

“Hey, that’s okay, I guess. I understand.” You replied leaning in, making it impossible for Wanda to look away. “I just hope you’re not doing it anymore because we need to start making preparations, and I was hoping you would come to my place and have some lunch.”

Wanda opened her eyes; she nodded slowly still a little confused until you rolled your eyes at her.

“You know? So we can start planning the Winter Festival.”

“Oh, right, yes, sure.” Wanda bounced slightly, flustered she tried to hide her yawn but it was almost impossible to do so.

“Go to sleep, Wands. See you tomorrow.”

Before either of you could do something, anything at all, you decided to lean in and kiss Wanda on her cheek. It was a short brush of lips, but it was enough to make her catch her breath and warm all over.

And just like that, you turned around and left before anything could be done or said.

_____________________________________________________________

Next Chapter: Reader and Wanda start getting closer, the twins like this new addition to their family. America and Kate find themselves at a crossroads after Riri decides to play a flirty game, and Carol is at her wit's end with Reader. Someone from Wanda's past come into the scene, and Reader is dangerously clueless about the whole situation.

[zorosjuicymelonsx]

Finding You

A/N: Guys I'm here and I'm so sorry I'm a week late with this. I got a new job after losing mine a few months ago so things have been hectic lately with my schedule. All I can say is sometimes adulting SUCKS but I love money so 😭🤑

A lovely reader on AO3 had helped me realise there was an anomaly with the timeline of how Y/N and Zoro meet and all so I went through it and I thought I would go through this:

Y/N's flashback of Zoro sleeping in the forest in Chapter 3 was when they were 15 so its actually 7 years ago and not 4 years ago. I've edited this and amended the story you tell Zoro slightly in Chapter 5 to correct this so my apologies for not finding this sooner. I wanted to show that she had a crush on him before they officially met after he rescued her in the alley. They then turn 16, graduate school and then Zoro asks her out. They date till 18, get engaged and marry at 19. Zoro disappears a few days after this and you spend the 2, almost 2 and a half years looking for him so he's 21 and your 21.

Its sometime after Wano and Egghead doesn't exist in this "dimension" when you find him in Chapter 1 so they're just cruising right now. I wanted to match the actual One Piece ages he was before and after timeskip.

I hope this has helped clarify if anyone else was confused of the timeline but please do enjoy this chapter. Because of my new job, I'll do my very post to work and post in a timely manner. Thank you for everyones patience and support with me.

Chapter Eight Previous Next “Zoro? You okay?”

“i-I have to go, m’sorry.” 

That was the last thing he said to you a week ago in the Crows Nest. You had gone through every single possible reason for why he suddenly would switch up the way he did which left you nowhere near to a conclusive answer. You were sure you’d done absolutely nothing but at the same time doubted yourself and wondered if you had done something unconsciously. 

Since then, he'd practically been living in the Crows Nest. He never ate in the galley anymore, never came on the deck to hang around with anyone and you weren’t even sure if he was sticking with his once a week baths. Every time you tried to seek him out, you noticed the hint of stress in his face and would walk away in the opposite direction. Thankfully you weren’t the only one who noticed the swordsman's strange behaviour. 

“Marimo is really starting to piss me off, can you believe he’s making me bring his meals to him like I’m some waiter?!” Sanji spat with annoyance as he piled nourishment onto Zoro’s breakfast plate. You knew Zoro wouldn’t have asked Sanji for food, you just understood Sanjis code of ethics when it came to making sure that every member of the crew was properly fed and nourished. You appreciated him for it. 

You were one of the few who remained in the galley after breakfast, sitting with Jinbe and Usopp who were finishing off their own meals. You’d leaned forward to sit your chin on your forearms as you traced the rim of your coffee cup with your finger caught in a net of progressive overthinking of the enigma that was your husband. 

“Has he really not said anything?” Usopp asked Sanji, the cook turning to face them, the plate in his hand piled high in mostly eggs, sausages and toast. 

“Not a word. I swear the algae on his heads really taken over his brain.” Sanji cursed before leaving the galley, chewing on his unlit cigarette. 

“Isn’t this normal for Zoro? I mean he is pretty quiet.” Jinbe asked Usopp. Since Jinbe was the most recent crewmate to join Luffy and the crew before you, it was understandable he would ask. You would have agreed with Jinbe on the fact Zoro was quiet, however, you knew better than to mistake this for just his regular self. 

“When something is bothering him, he shuts down. He avoids everyone, he won’t talk, he’ll just isolate. I just can’t figure out what's bothering him.” You grumbled out before lifting your cup to take a gulp of your coffee. Setting the cup down, you realised you couldn’t hear either of them talking anymore and turned to see them both staring at you with wide eyes. 

“Has he really never done this in front of you guys?” You questioned the gaping pair with a raised brow slightly mocking their owlish stares back. Jinbe shook his head as expected whereas Usopp's gaze drifted off behind you in thought. You assumed he was revisiting his album of memories with the swordsman. 

“Well…there was the time on Thriller Bark when he shut himself away to train but it wasn’t anything like this.” Usopp answered cautiously, his mouth slightly turned down in slight distress.This caught your attention and your heart filled with anxiety. 

“What happened?” You asked, unconsciously frowning. Usopp's gaze refocused back to yours, adjusting himself uncomfortably in his seat as he seemed hesitant to retell the story. Nonetheless, he sighed before clearing his throat to speak. 

“We were on Thriller Bark where we met Brook. Brook was stuck on his old crew's ship and he couldn’t leave because his shadow being taken by the ex-warlord Gecko Moria.”

“Brook has a shadow?” You asked in surprise trying to suppress a laugh. You valued Brook as a crew member despite his panties fetish. Thankfully Nami always stepped in after he asked to put him in his place.

“I don’t even know anymore, ANYWAYS ....we managed to defeat him but another ex-warlord named Kuma came for us.We don’t know what exactly happened because Kuma knocked us out but we know Zoro got really hurt. He was unconscious for a few days after that. I think at the time we underestimated them but knowing him, he blamed himself for not being strong enough.” 

Usopp clarified, his tone laced with guilt. Your heart ached at the idea of Zoro being that severely injured to that extent. You knew he didn’t care as long as he met his goal in the end even if you did reprimand him on his mentality many times over the years you both dated. You had eventually accepted it and you didn’t want to stand in his way.

“Let's just give him space and see what happens.” You spoke assuringly to the two despite your chest hammering with the anxiety of unsurety. 

One Week Later

Two weeks had passed since you last heard Zoro's voice. The patient person you were two weeks ago was buried deep inside and now your patience was wearing thin along with your paranoia running rampant. You couldn’t take the silence anymore and neither could the rest of the crew. 

It was the afternoon and Nami had called everyone in for a crew meeting on deck, including Zoro who had unsuccessfully attempted to blend into the background. Your eyes has locked in on him from the moment you walked in and spotted green. You also saw the obvious attempt he made to avoid looking your way as he chose to focus his gaze on the wall behind Nami. 

‘Just what was so interesting about the wall you fucker?’ You thought to yourself as you leaned back in your chair in observation. 

“Right guys, I called this meeting in because I came across information that there's an island nearby rumoured to have a fuck ton of treasure. We gotta make a game plan.” Nami excitedly spoke, the berries practically beaming out of her eye sockets. Reluctantly, you took your eyes away from Zoro to focus on Nami. 

For about an hour, she went over and planned in detail how to navigate the island, showing you and the others the maps and other sources of information from a book she read detailing the treasure and its history. 

“I also decided that not all of us can go on the island so I’m picking Zoro and Y/N to stay behind on the ship.” Nami added. From the corner of your eye, you noticed Zoro stiffen before clearing his throat to speak up. 

“I’m coming with you guys, have Sanji stay on the ship with Y/N.” Zoro spoke in a low, reserved manner clearly disguising his obvious discomfort towards you. It was the first time you’d heard his voice in two weeks but hearing the words he chose only had you gritting your teeth. You took a deep breath in and decided that at that moment you couldn’t take anymore. 

He had drawn your last straw. 

“Oh Y/N-chan, I’d love to-” You cut off Sanji as you stood up from your seat, the feet of the chair roughly scraping against the floor boards as you paced your steps towards Zoro to now stand strong in front of him. You felt the intense gaze of the others on you but ignored it, the anger you felt overpowered your rationality. 

“Whats your fucking problem?” You spat out as you looked up at him. 

This caught him off surprise. You could see he was trying to shift away from you but you weren’t going to allow him to get out of this. You moved in tandem with him whenever he attempted to get away from you only to have him give up and stay glued to the wall behind him. 

“I ain’t got no problem-”

“Bullshit. You’ve been avoiding me for the past two weeks. In fact, you’ve been avoiding ALL of us.” 

“You’re being dramatic.”

“No I’m fucking not.” You somehow got even closer, your chest practically touching his as you felt his body heat against you. 

“She's really not Zoro, did something happen between you two?” Nami asked cautiously behind you.

“Did I do something?” 

He could see you were frustrated with him and he could see he was only hurting you more than he wanted to. 

‘I’m sorry….’ He thought as he looked at you, the guilt overwhelming him. 

Whilst he didn’t appreciate the questioning from you and the heavy gazes of everyone, he will admit he had isolated himself from you. It wasn’t because you did anything to him personally and it wasn’t because he started rejecting your presence on the ship; by far you'd been patient with him by letting him be. The persistent questioning he got from the others, especially the shitty cook despite being appreciative of him bringing his meals to him only to be met with silence from him only fueled his guilt. Since the discovery of his feelings for you, he felt overwhelmed. Being around you distracted him. He felt the want to be with you but at the same time, his mind shielded him from you as if he was protecting himself from you. He prided himself in being strong minded and he felt frustrated with himself over how he could possibly feel this way when he prided himself in being strong minded. He could only theorise that this mental block with you had to do with the guy who’d wiped his memory. 

‘Was his named Edward? Ethan? Whatever, it didn’t matter.’

He knew he was being a dick by staying away from you but he didn’t know what else to do. The moment he accepted his feelings for you, he’d also accepted what felt like an overwhelming burden in his stomach. He felt panic, a feeling he hadn’t felt in a long time. He left you in the Crows Nest, remembering the feeling of not being able to breathe. This was why Zoro did not do feelings; they were complicated. 

“You didn’t do anyth-”

“Then why have you been avoiding me?” You persistently questioned, the frustration brimming in your eyes. 

“I’m done with this, I’m leaving.” He felt his heart climbing up into his throat with you being so close to him.

“Oh no you don’t, you’re not getting out of this one.” 

You made an impulse decision out of anger. With your free hand, you summoned a hole behind Zoro. You pictured the very island where you spent time training yourself with your devil fruit, knowing it was quiet and you wouldn’t be disturbed. The hole behind him had formed and Zoro had realised too late he was no longer leaning against solid and fell through the smoke of clouds that enveloped him. 

You turned to the others who were gaping at you in shock. Even Luffy stayed glued to his seat with no attempt to jump through the cloud of smoke. 

“I’ll bring him back tomorrow.” You huffed out before going through the hole yourself. 

As you landed in the sand of the island, you looked up to see the hole you summoned. You then looked around to see your surroundings. The island hadn’t changed one bit; the wave of nostalgia hit as you breathed in the smell of the sand and sea, the lingering scent of greenery coming from the forest coming into the mix as well. If you looked around again, you’d be able to find the rock you carved the last date you were here before leaving to continue your search for Zoro. 

You purposefully summoned the hole on the empty side of the island, choosing to leave the small population of habitants to the other side undisturbed. They were peaceful people and had even shared a few meals with you from time to time whenever a few of them found you exhausted from exertion after training. They knew you well and that you didn’t pose a threat, choosing to peacefully coexist with them. 

Once closed, the anger still ever present in your system you looked around to spot Zoro sitting in the sand as he looked around taking his surroundings. 

“Wh-where are-?” 

“You gonna talk or what?” You aggressively asked. 

Zoro was now angry. He didn’t want to fight with you, he just wanted to piece together his feelings and rebuild his courage to be around you. He wasn’t ready to face you and being here with you only made him feel worse.  

He stood up from the sand and stomped over to stand over you, pushing the bile from his thumping heart back down his throat.

“What…the FUCK…were you thinking? Why would you do that? Do you realise without me there, you’ve put the others in danger? Take us back NOW.” 

“First of all, step the fuck back and calm down. Second of all, they’ll be fine. Third of all, were not going anywhere until we sort whatever the fucks gone up your ass and died.” You said as you matched his energy. 

“Fuck this, I’m out.” Zoro refused to admit anything. He couldn’t. He turned away from you and began walking. 

“Roronoa Zoro, come back here now.” You ordered him as you followed behind. 

“No. Piss off.” He called back as he continued stomping. 

“Zoro, stop.” You shouted, your voice almost broke as your anger now turned into hurt. 

“Leave me alone Y/N.” 

“WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?” You now cried out. You couldn’t stop the tears and the lump in your throat as you stared at his back. 

Zoro stopped at the sound of your voice breaking. He frowned at the thought of you upset, his heart ached but he couldn’t turn around. 

“I’m not doing anything to you Y/N. I just need space.” He spoke regretfully before he continued walking again and turned left heading into the forest. You stood still as you watched him walk away.

“Fuck.” You whispered to yourself, taking your palm to rub against your forehead in frustration and then using the back of your hand to wipe your tears away. You hated crying, you’d always felt so weak. No matter how much you try to control it, the tears always win. You decided to sit, digging yourself further into the sand before leaning back to let it envelop you. 

You breathed in, allowing yourself to take in the sound of the waves crashing against the damp sand. You didn’t realise how much you missed being back on land. You loved being on the Sunny, you really did but sometimes allowing yourself to be grounded for a bit always helped. 

You let your hands moved with the sand, feeling the softness of it between your fingers. You clenched the sand into your palms finding the action soothing and allowing the anger you’d felt seep into each particle.

What were you going to do with Zoro? 

————————————- ⚔️✨ ————————————

A few hours had passed and you found yourself waking up from a nap you had unconsciously taken. You noticed the sun was beginning to lower, you predicted you had a few hours left before nightfall. You sighed before getting up from the sand, swiping off the residue of sand that was left on your clothes and turned to face the direction Zoro left you from. You were grateful the island was small and you knew it  wouldn’t take you long to track down the lost swordsman. 

As you were about to start walking, you felt a presence lurking near you. You stiffened before smiling and realising there was more than one and posed no danger. 

“How long have you guys been there for?” You called out. You turned to find a small group of what you assumed were hunters gathering food. The group consisted of three men and one woman. 

“Y/N, are you okay?” One of the male hunters asked. 

“I’m fine don’t worry…you didn’t happen to see a green haired guy with three swords roaming around?” You queried. You didn’t know them personally but you assumed the few that did check in on you when you were training spread the word to the others of your existence.

“He’s sitting by the waterfall.” The female hunter softly answered. You nodded as you brought the memorised path to the area up into your mind to plan out your short walk. 

“Thank you, don’t mind us. We’ll be gone tomorrow.” You promised before you began making your way to him. A short walk through the forest and your feet found you at the beginning of a small lake. As you continued, your eyes caught the waterfall and the blue hues of water falling over into the lake. You looked around and soon enough your eyes caught on a head of green hair. You frowned at his slouched demeanor, noticing his eye was lost in the water and in thought. You took a quick breath in before continuing your walk to now stand near the swordsman. You noticed his body stiffened as you felt your presence before slouching back, his eye not breaking out of his lost gaze. 

“Zoro…I.” 

“Don’t speak.” 

Your mouth closed into a straight line, the words ‘I’m sorry’ stuck at the tip of your tongue. You felt like you stood for eternity but just a few short minutes later and you decided to find a seat on the grass near him. Your eyes followed his and soon enough you were also lost in the water with him. Apart from the sounds of the water crashing into the lake and the gentle calls from the birds in the trees, the angst between the both of you laid thick. 

As you watched the water, you were reminded of how much you missed swimming and the ability to just float. You had thankfully never fallen into the ocean since obtaining your devil fruit but the thought of sinking struck fear in you. You missed the feeling of saltwater soaking into your skin, letting your fingertips wrinkle and allowing your mind to wonder and be free. Sure you were able to shower in non-sea water but it just wasn’t the same. 

Time had passed and the sky had turned into a deep hue of orange indicating the end of daylight. The forest had begun to fill out with fireflies, adding to the ambiance and giving light to where you both sat. You knew you’d have to start a fire and look for food soon but you couldn’t find the will to do so yet. 

You had decided to scoot closer to the edge of the lake, allowing yourself to indulge in the only closeness you can have to water. 

“You ain’t plannin to jump in right?” 

Hearing his voice shook you out of thought, you shook your head to answer his question. 

Zoro had every right to be pissed at you but seeing the sadness in your face made him feel guilty for letting himself behave like a teenager for hours. This was his fault after all but admitted he let his pride get the better of him. 

“Why’re you moping?”

“I’m not moping..I’m just remembering how much I enjoyed swimming and just being in the ocean.” You confessed, pouting and allowing yourself to lean on your hand. 

“I thought you didn’t regret-” 

“I don’t regret anything. I’m allowed to feel sad.” You snapped. 

He allowed silence to fill the space between the both of you for a moment before he made an anxiety-consuming decision that would definitely change everything. 

“You wanna go in?” Zoro softly asked. 

You turned to face him, surprise evident in your face. 

“That's impossible, I’ll just feel weak and sink.” You answered. 

“Not if I’m holding you.” Zoro said. 

“I thought you were avoiding me, now you wanna hold me?” You questioned back. 

“Answer my question; you want to go in yes or no?” Zoro bit back with slight annoyance at you being argumentative. 

You bit your lip to stop yourself from going into a tangent, turning to look back at the water before nodding. 

From seeing your physical consent, Zoro stood up and began to strip. You visibly blushed and let your gaze turn away from him refusing to turn it into ogling. He brought himself into your line of vision as he walked forward and stepped into the water, waiting with his back turned to you at the edge to allow you privacy. You were able to see he was just left in his boxers. You stared for a bit before finding your brevity and beginning to strip until you were just in your underwear and bra. You walked a few steps forward until you stood just behind him but you hadn’t stepped in the water yet.

“Am I okay to pick you up?” Zoro cautiously asked, his back still facing you.

“y-Yeah you can.” 

Zoro turned around, pushing back his raging heartbeat and ignoring the growing heat in his skin before scooping you into his arms bridal style and slowly walking back into the lake until he was halfway submerged. You relished in the warmth of his skin and you hadn’t realised just how much you missed his presence. 

“If it gets too much for you, tell me and I’ll take you back.” Zoro’s voice almost broke. He was currently fighting back the blush that had threatened to consume his wholebeing as he avoided looking down at your naked body. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen a naked woman before, heck Nami and Robin walked around the ship in practically nothing and it never once bothered him. Seeing you see this way; shy and almost vulnerable gave a completely different meaning to it. He couldn’t fathom anyone else seeing you like this and the mere idea of any man seeing you this way made his skin itch and his temper rise.  

He hadn’t even allowed himself to be consumed in the lust-filled thoughts he had of you since his recent awakening of feelings he had for you. He felt too much respect for you to subject you to his internal needs. He didn’t even know if you both even consummated the marriage before he disappeared but refused to go down the tangent of thoughts surrounding it. 

He slowly began to lower you into the water, allowing the flow of the water to cover your legs and your arms. You gasped at the sudden coolness of the water, immediately feeling the weakness of the ocean consume you. Rather than fighting the weakness, you allowed it to sit as you relished in the feeling of the cool water and Zoro’s body heat. 

“You okay?” 

“Thank you Zoro.” You quietly spoke, grateful to him. 

His concern alone was enough for you to choke on a sob. You were overwhelmed. 

“Why did you avoid me?” You weakly asked, allowing yourself to cry. 

“M’sorry.” Zoro mumbled back as he bit the inside of his cheek.

“I don’t want a sorry…I want an answer.” 

Zoro said nothing. He didn’t know how to confess his feelings to you. He couldn’t even begin to explain or know where to start with talking about what was wrong with him. Seeing you broken hurt him badly and he knew he couldn’t let this go on anymore. 

‘Show her.’ 

A small voice in his head spoke. He frowned at the intrusion of the voice. 

‘Show her how you feel.’ 

He looked down to see you looking back up at him. The yearning he felt to hold you closer, the want to be with you overtook him. 

He decided to listen to the foreign voice, putting his anxiety to one side as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours in a chaste kiss.

————————————- ⚔️✨ ————————————

A/N: HE DID IT!!! FINALLY HE KISSED YOU AHHHHHHH 🥳 😭💚

Taglist: @starlightanyaaa @eggrollforyou @rosellerinfrost @qalable

[pocketramblr]

I don't know if you're still doing it, but an AU where Gran Torino raises Kotaro.

1- as Shih put it, Sorahiko's an all-or-nothing guy. Nana tells him that Kotaro isn't safe anywhere near her, that she can't handle losing her son to AfO. Sorahiko nods, and asks if he should hide the boy, or go with him. Nana asks him to stay with Kotaro, and cries a lot. Sorahiko holds her, and then goes inside to tell Kotaro that he's going with him, and needs to pack up, and tell his mother goodbye.

2- Kotaro Yamada is raised in a strange way. Sorahiko can't cook any better than his mother could, but he doesn't try anymore. He knows Sorahiko used to be a hero, like his mother, but when he asks all the man tells him is he got his license because he just wanted to use his quirk, and now he keeps it in case whoever is after his mother comes for the boy. And oh, is Kotaro conflicted about his mother- he certainly can't say a bad word about her in Sorahiko's earshot. He knows she loves him, and is likely going to die trying to protect him from something. But he doesn't like it. *Yamada is just a common name, since Sorahiko is sure that AfO would know to look out for any Shimuras or Torinos.

3- When Kotaro is twelve years old, Sorahiko gets a call from a phone number he hasn't in years. He answers it, and there's a young voice on the other side, rough from tears, saying that Shimura-sensei told him to call the number after she died. Sorahiko knows this means Nana needs something else from him- the last thing she needs from him. But he has to help the first way too. So, he sneaks to UA during the day, and trains Toshinori while Kotaro is at school- Toshinori is excused for personal training, for "meetings with the school counselor after losing his teacher", and makes up classwork in the evenings after Sorahiko leaves. Toshinori stays in an altered apartment in one of the fake cities on UA grounds, alone when he isn't training. When Toshinori once tells Sorahiko that Nana was like his mother, Sorahiko asks quietly if Nana ever told him about her son. Toshinori just says she lost him, a bit of sadness in her heart no matter how she smiled or spoke of romantic dreams. Sorahiko tells him (Toshinori) that it's his (Sorahiko's) fault Nana never saw her son again, and that he's going to train Toshinori to make sure he can kill AfO, not the other way around. Which means he needs to leave the country. The last training session the day before graduation is the last time Sorahiko speaks to Toshinori for decades. And it will not be Toshinori reaching out.

4- Kotaro goes to high school, then university. He becomes an architect. He falls in love. He's surprised when Sorahiko is happy to hear this- weren't they both hurt so much by Nana? Isn't that why Sorahiko closed himself off from anyone but Kotaro? But he's encouraged. He marries Nao, builds a house for her and her parents and him and his. Eventually, they have a little girl, Hana. She looks so much like Nana. Sorahiko and Kotaro never say this fact outloud.

5- Eventually, AfO finds Kotaro. Hana is eight, too old for him to spark a quirk awakening in her without suspicion. But with enough eavesdropping quirks he hears that Kotaro and Nao are considering another child, so he starts setting up coincidences to nudge them along the line. When Tenko is born, four years later than in canon btw, AfO moves. Hana sits down at the dinner table, and when she touches her mother's arm, the woman turns to dust. Everyone starts screaming- except Sorahiko, who moves. He grabs Hana and breaks the window to the backyard, leaves Hana floating above the grass in terror, her jacket falling to dust as she hugs herself. Then he goes back, and grabs baby Tenko. He looks up to see Kotaro, covered in Nao's blood, looking to the front door, that also fell apart. A tall man stands behind it, reaching out a hand to the wall. Kotaro looks back at Sorahiko and tells him to go with the kids, now. Sorahiko breaks into Might Tower about half an hour later, with a child and a baby, and tells All Might these are Nana's grandkids, and he needs All Might to arrange tickets to I-island for the three of them, as quickly as he can while keeping it secret. He leaves a report in a file behind them. Toshinori only tells David to protect them, and Dave does. The baby's a year younger than Melissa, he has to help. Over a decade later, he finds that Hana's headaches seem to be from stress for her two quirks, the sort of opposite problem with Toshinori's decreasing power. But maybe he can build something to help- Melissa the engineer and Tenko the programmer are eager to help too, anyway they can. Sorahiko, feeling as useless as he always has, thanks them.

[shitpostingfromthebarricade]

what are your honest opinions on Les Mis 2000

Before receiving this ask, I had only seen a little under half of Les Mis 2000 (French version). In order to provide a fair and complete response to this question, I started over and watched the entire show from beginning to end over the course of 5/6 weeks.

I will provide more details below the cut, but my completely honest opinion on Les Mis 2000?

Looking at the show as a whole, without considering adaptational value, it's scattered and confusing. A lot of storylines get picked up or dropped with little to no explanation, the characters and their motivations make little sense, and the time skips are inconsistent at best (Félix abandons Fantine when she is still pregnant, JVJ is released after Cosette is already 4yo and just being left at the Waterloo Inn/Fantine is already on her way to Montrieul-sur-Mer, Immortal Gav is 12 for ten years, meanwhile Javert undergoes a dramatic appearance change many scenes into the time skip, Cosette ages up when I assume the time skip takes place, and Depardieu [I refuse to call him Valjean] never ages until after the wedding). If you look at the context, it makes sense: they decided to (rather than dubbing after the fact) shoot everything in French and then again in English, so of course performances are going to flag, editing is going to be a mess, and the storyline is going to get lost in the changes they've made while shooting two shows at once.

Which takes me to my next point: as an adaptation, it's also incredibly weak. I don't know if I should be blaming the writer, director, or a terrible combination, but so many elements are not only not accurate to the book (fair enough, if you want book accuracy watch '25 Les Mis or '64 I Mis, or '72 Les Mis for accurate barricades specifically) but seem to totally miss the messages of the book altogether! Fantine was always in trouble before she gets fired (undermines Hugo's message that even doing everything "right" Fantine was still put in an unwinnable position), Javert gets his usual "obsessed with JVJ specifically and also treated as unusually cruel by everyone else" treatment, Gillenormand looks out for this fellow old man who was a gardener and has now been joined into his family by marriage, and Depardieu's character is going to get an entire section below. The Thénardier sex scenes are a lot but ultimately harmless compared to, say, the part where Javert cuts his hair (?) and attends law school with Marius and Enjolras as himself (?), and then later arrests the entire class for treasonous speech. This kind of belongs in the previous editing section, but a lot of the reveals (Marius knowing his neighbors are the Thénardiers, the Thénardiers recognizing the old man in the sewers, Cosette knowing her dad saved Marius, Gillenormand and Marius knowing Cosette's dad's background, Depardieu's character knowing about Javert's death) happen WILDLY out of sequence, and since they are plot-driving sequences, the motivations become confused, the choices make no sense, and you get scenes like Éponine trying to coerce Marius into having sex with her. I kind of liked the switch from jet beads to stinging nettle fabric except again, it didn't matter because Fantine's downfall was so badly done (forget that she turns to sex work immediately, only later selling TEN TEETH and her hair to make ends meet — Javert threatens to [and later does] arrest her for the completely legal profession of sex work before showing her where she can sell her teeth???) and Madeleine was so opposite from everything his character is supposed to be and show.

Which brings us to our next point: yes, in both the English and French versions, Depardieu's performance falls flat, but more importantly, there is an inherent misunderstanding of who and what Jean Valjean is at each phase of his life. I'll be honest, there was a lot going on when he was in prison with Javert tormenting JVJ for fun and the fire that Cochepaille needed saving from and Myriel announcing that he was buying JVJ the same way Judas sold Jesus and Cosette already being with the Thénardiers, so I don't have much feedback about JVJ's characterization or the paper that was yellow like sunshine at that point, but (ignoring the fact that Fantine apparently shows up in Montrieul-sur-Mer with no established factory in sight) then he becomes the most corporate businessman possible, with no regard for the wellbeing of his employees or town who spends all of his time running numbers? The hospital is underfunded, he only rubs elbows with other government officials/bankers, he is painfully out-of-touch with the people of his town, and apparently he doesn't even pay enough for Fantine to be making ends meet even before she is fired. A big part of what JVJ goes through in the book is that he feels like he cannot safely express his feelings about the system to anyone, leading him to act like a scared animal after Petit-Gervais, living in constant fear of being kicked ( @secretmellowblog has a great post about this here), but this Madeleine is CONSTANTLY venting and complaining to anyone who will listen. Not only that, but after he leaves M-sur-M, the police admit to Javert that they knew who he was and just decided to ... leave him be? This isn't a man who's living in fear, and this isn't a man who has to make hard choices in order to do good and help his fellow man. For some reason, Sister Simplice seems to be like 85% of his morality? (and we are very much skimming over the romance subplot that was going on there) So it doesn't even feel like he helps Fantine altruistically, it feels like Sister said "Please help" and Depardieu sighed and went, "Fine, I'll see if I can't pull some strings." When he gets Cosette and begins taking care of her, it feels ENTIRELY self-serving and creepy, and he later confirms with his own words from his own mouth that his feelings for her are not fatherly. He cares about prison reform because he experienced it, not from any sense of altrustic human kindness, and Toussaint ends up robbing him for having taken a chance hiring an ex-convict? (because ofc this Toussaint is a mute manservant, not a maid who can actually help Cosette, because all of Depardieu-Dad's choices are to serve himself, not to keep Cosette safe or happy). By the time Marius is sending Depardieu's character away, it's the only only adaptation that you're cheering on Marius, because this man calling himself Cosette's father who bought her for 1500 francs and still sometimes shares a bed with her and locks her in various rooms and has just admitted his love is not fatherly needs to LEAVE.

Finally — and I will freely admit that this is the pettiest section — the historical accuracy is in shambles. Electricity in the 1820s? 1840s fashions in the 1830s? The hair and makeup are given as errors, but how do you have accurate men's shirts and repeatedly let them wander around without cravats? And no one, not a single person, thought to check 1800s French currency? Sending Cosette off to buy bread with FIVE FRANCS (~$100USD)? Leaving one hundred thousand francs for the funeral of someone who canonically doesn't even have a marked grave? Even the part where Fantine sells her teeth: these were simple numbers they could have checked (two teeth, one napoléon aka twenty francs each — not ten for four each). All of the prices and amounts were in the book. It is not that hard to call the imaginary coin being passed between two characters a sous instead of a franc: we couldn't even see it.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how I would respond to this ask before finally answering, but ultimately, I was asked for my honest opinion, and this is it: it missed the mark for me in every way. I'm sure there are some people who enjoy it, and I am happy for them, but it is not an adaptation that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good Les Mis adaptation or a well-executed show.

[slime-sandwhich-nom]

New tawog headcanons because I have nothing to do

Leave me be

They'll never stop

- once gumball tried cheerleading with penny (this time without embarrassing himself to the judges) but honestly all he could do was jump higher than her.

He can fold like paper and yet he can't do what she can do

Unless he's stuck somewhere, because then he'd be doing backflips.

- penny and gumball met at the park actually. When they were little.

penny liked to read, instead of playing with gross and chaotic children, and gumball..just didn't like people lol

he did enjoy climbing stuff and play around but he usually left the socializing part to Darwin.

So, gumball had nothing to do so he sat down next to penny on a bench, because he was waiting for Darwin, and she was quiet so he didn't mind sitting there.

they had a small talk but nothing too big, they became small friends, then met again in middle school.

- Darwin wasn't allowed in the park for a while because he traumatized a bunch of kids before (accidentally.)

- gumball promised to not become sappy and corny like everyone whenever they got a partner but he very much failed.

- if gumball gets asked who would he want to kiss, I'd be penny, if penny wasn't an option he'd say Tobias or something

Or himself

- we all know gumball is a jealous cat, and you bet he stares down and plans multiple ways of killing whatever boy that talks to penny that he isn't sure won't try and steal her. heck he's so jealous he even tried it with Darwin!

penny has to stop him because last time it was a spirit of jealousy, this time it's gumball being clinically insane and jealous. Bad combo.

- gumball is scared of tiny spiders but he could potentially (and probably already did) pick a fist fight with a bear or a crocodile, or both.

You know those cats who chase bigger animals and those bigger guys are scared and run away? Gumball.

- Darwin is the one who pays, gumball is the one who freeloads (he has the money but doesn't wanna spend them.)

- gumball was exactly like Anais when he was 4-5, aside from Darwin he had no friends whatsoever. But it's not because no one wanted to talk to him, it's because he didn't wanna talk to anyone.

- gumball thinks Anais just needs a little bit of time to get a friend, her situation is weird and he knows that, a 4 year old around 10-12 year olds is tough but soon she'll meet someone, he's sure.

- penny likes games like animal crossing, gumball is more for the resident evil,bendy and the ink machine, amnesia, stuff like that.

but, gumball did install animal crossing (cracked because he refused to pay anything) just so penny is happy with taking care of her and his island (she makes matching and cute couple stuff, stuff like that)

- gumball talks so much about rob because he knows that if he doesn't keep reminding everyone that he exists, he'll be back in the void. And gumball feels bad about that so he tries to avoid that as much as he can.

- Darwin has to pay to watch films, games and stuff like that because then he feels bad. Gumball embraced fully the illegal sites to install games and watch films.

- gumball can speak french. And he tends to use British words rather than American ones (like biscuit or pavement.)

This is a reference to the fact that the Wattersons are a caricature of the creator of the show Ben Bocquelet and his family, and Ben is a british-french animator and director.

- gumball's favorite thing at the park is the swing, he constantly wishes for people's downfall if they come in before him to use the swing.

Darwin likes to play with sand \^_^/!

- gumball is an introvert and doesn't like going first to talk to someone, but since Darwin is too shy for it, he forces himself to go and start a convo or ask for something.

- penny was the one who talked first to gumball, if it wasn't for her getting the courage to speak to her crush, gumball wouldn't even know she existed. (Now he's down bad for her.)

- penny and gumballs dates consists on playing videogames or eating at joyful burger. They are not romantic ever

- Darwin and Carrie ARE big romantics, super romantic dates forever

Literally you can see them with flowers at the fancy ass restaurant and the super expensive clothes and gifts

- gumball when he was wayyy younger, back when he was 4-5, he scared his parents way too much.

It was because of him being aware, so he was just odd for people, but sometimes his mother just thought he was hallucinating or something.

Darwin just found it funny, but there were moments where gumball was mad scary because he sounded frickin insane.

Y'know, imagine your kid talking about being watched by an imaginary audience.

- Richard does dad jokes. Only gumball laughs at them. In return, gumball does them to Darwin.

- Richard was a pretty fun dad, he made jokes, fun games and he somewhat managed to take care of gumball and his craziness.

He's still like that, he just sleeps way more. (Much to gumball's liking.)

- Anais Is a daddy's girl. Gumball is a mom's boy (not in the toxic sense.) and Darwin is a mix of both.

-

Gumball: you're killing my tough guy personality

Penny: who's a good kitty?

Gumball: meeeeee :3

- if gumball gets too quiet he's either plotting or he's going to scream because he's too overwhelmed by people and noises. Usually the tail and ears give it away.

- penny has a very very ugly laugh. Like yeah she's gonna be loud and snort, will sound like a pig eating

Gumball doesn't mind anymore, at first it simply scared him because he would randomly hear a snort

- gumball's Saturdays consist of sunbathing all day.

- Penny's a peanut and Leslie is a flower. How is that? Especially since they are cousins.

Both flowers and peanuts grow on the ground. And for sure either Leslie's mom or dad is one of Penny's parents sibling

So let's go with, let's say. Patrick.

Patrick is a peanut, and so is Leslie's dad. their father, or mother, if not both, were flowers! (Because peanut plants do have a flower!!!)

Patrick went with another peanut, and so he had two other peanuts

Leslie's father went with a flower, and grew a flower!

(though, I'm assuming they planted different seeds. Because if they planted the same seed, Leslie would have been also a peanut. So, I imagine Leslie's mom was "infertile" and so "adopted" or had a surrogate to "give birth" [planting another seed] to her child, which was leslie. A flower.)

((yes mammals give birth, birds lay eggs, so do fish and I imagine the objects or plant directly plant the seed of their kid or ""create"" their child like the toast kid. Forgot his name, sorry HAHAH.))

- Anais and gumball are both bunnies and cats. They are a mix.

Gumball has some slight traits and behaviors of a bunny, but he's like 99% cat and 1% bunny.

Same goes for Anais.

(technically there's some rat genes around too.)

- gumball is definitely that cat that has beef with every other cat in the neighborhood

- gumball is down bad but penny is down bad harder

- people keep saying they see clear similarities between gumball and Nicole, and gumball doesn't understand if it's a good thing or not. Because usually when they say that they mean the scary part of his mother.

- Patrick doesn't hate gumball, he was simply scared for his little girl. he was scared his little girl would have ended up being heartbroken, cheated on, or worse, nothing personally against gumball, just some paranoia.

But seeing how happy they are with each other, and how happy gumball makes her, it's not something Patrick is against. As long as his daughter is happy then it's all good.

He's still skeptical about the shell though, but it's nothing about gumball.

- penny and gumball both have a pretty short temper, actually. I guess both took it from one specific parent.

- gumball used to meow loudly at his parents door so they would get up and he could tell them he threw up on the floor. (Occasionally he would do that for Darwin too.)

-

Darwin: gumball no.

Gumball: gumball yes.

Darwin: ...

Gumball: gumball no.

- (these are headcanons I have showed before, but I wanna say them again :3)

Darwin, Richard and Anais are the autism gang 😈🔥

Darwin has the + separation anxiety, and Anais Is also hyper intelligent.

Richard was hit by being babied his entire life and he doesn't have the basics.

gumball has dyslexia and dyscalculia! Along with anxiety (his human version has also amnesia. cat gumball just sleeps 16h a day.)

Nicole has anger issues. And is a workaholic.

- gumball...does not understand kisses. like, the gesture.

And it's kinda weird to do it as well, he usually just puts his face on you and that's it.

He knows it's a way to show affection, so he does it instead of his usual language (because apparently people don't get that him headbutting his own brother isn't beating him up but is actually showing affection) but he still does not get it.

He just. Mimics, per se. he mimics others who do it (like penny to him) because he knows people will get it more than his headbutting.

- penny sometimes looks up documentaries or facts about cats to understand his own boyfriend better

- yes gumball and Nicole drink like actual cats do.

- Tobias probably had some kind of thing going on with ocho. I bet.

- gumball and tina hang out every Friday!!! Sometimes you can see gumball rub himself on Tina's leg.

- gumball bites ice cream.

- Nicole's ex is masami's mom. They dated in middle school, but during the last year Nicole got feelings for Richard.

And..shit happened (nothing too angsty. Nicole and masami's mom just broke up and Nicole then went for Richard.)

Nicole bisexual arc I must say.

- gumball enjoys watching those gacha life videos.

- I did say this before but I'll say it again because it's funny af

gumball did went to that party, did got drunk and did beat the shit our of dream. Next day, all over the news. Everyone was talking about it. Every single kid in Elmore Jr high. The only one who don't know are the parents.

Darwin hates gumball for it because he came back at 3am or something, drunk, telling him the entire story

- gumball is the one who would joke about you being gay (he's gayer.)

-

Leslie: hey, I'm gay

Gumball: you owe me 5 dollars

- gumball likes to be on top of Darwin's head, like that one video of that dude screaming while he has a cat on his head.

-

Tobias: fuck

Gumball: watch your FUCKING language, man! Darwin is here.

Darwin: i

-

[savingsallow]

CHARACTER ASKS WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! #14 for Val and #20 for Ale, pretty please? :)

YOOOOO CORINNE HELLOOOO :D

— thank you for the ask 🤭❤️‍🔥

(14) Do you have any quotes tied to the character, either from the story itself or from another source that fits them?

I have found a few quotes from Pinterest that screams Val and here they are:

This kid of mine used to be a people-pleaser. However, she eventually got tired of being one and decided to be unapologetically herself. Naturally, it wasn't an overnight thing, but to sum it up, that's what practically happened 🤫

Most of the time, Val treats people how she wants to be treated; not that she expects it, but it's something she'd be thankful for if the energy of the exchange is reciprocated.

(20) Bonus question: share any additional thoughts, art, favourite scenes, anything you've been waiting for a chance to ramble about.

Hehe, did someone say 'ramble'? 👀

Will gladly do so! 😁✨

Well, I've been wanting to share more of canon Ale since I realized he has more AU contents than canon 🤣 As much I as enjoy the meddling pathetic lover boy that he is in AUs but Ale might sulk that I'm not defending him 🤣🫂

So here we go:

Fun fact! I actually have a more detailed lore for Ale than for Val. But for some reason, I haven't shared much of his lore yet XD

Let's talk about Ale regarding romantic love.

Ale is definitely romantic. He knows all the words to say, the gestures to do, and how to make his partner feel like they're literally the best. He's the human form of the word 'romantic' if I'm being dramatic.

Ever since his first year in Hogwarts, the ladies really fancies him (even the lads aren't safe from his charm). His energy naturally draws people towards him.

If I had to describe Ale in 5 words it would be: charming, classy, suave, playful, and gentleman. From those words itself, you can already tell why the ladies like him so much XD

To add on, he is a huge flirt. He can literally flirt his way out of almost anything. Despite that, Ale usually just flirts for fun or just because it comes so naturally to him that he forgets he comes off as flirting.

But underneath that flirty exterior is just a boy wishing to have a real connection with someone someday. It's safe to say that he daydreams about finding the one and even makes poems about it sometimes.

The funny thing is that once he meets his 'the one', suddenly he turns into a clumsy and stuttering mess. Meeting Val during his fifth year is something he isn't prepared for at all.

For instance, there's this narrative he keeps telling himself that there's no way he's gonna meet the love of his life in school since he already met everyone (boy is sociable af it's not even funny 🤣). Sure, he had like a few crushes back then but he knows that there's nothing really more to it than admiration. But meeting Val, that really caught him off guard.

Luckily, they eventually became best friends since they have a lot in common in their core values and their traits are complementary so it's fun and enriching.

There was actually a point in their 6th year when he got so sure that he and Val actually had a chance (he wasn't wrong tho 🤫). But teenage love is messy, so some things happened that were out of his control and out of his perspective as well that changed the course.

Now here's the fun part 😈

Then in the 7th year, here's when Valreth became a thing.

On the contrary to the AUs (which I love btw 🤭), Ale never meddled in Val's relationship with Garreth. WOW surprising 🤣 but yes, he never did.

He supported them because in his defense, "if she's happy and safe, then that's all I need to know."

Although, he actually dislikes Garreth even before meeting Val. But I'll try not to drop spoilers too much 🤫 (it's just an academic-related thing 🤣).

For that whole year, Ale focused more on his studies and spent an unholy amount of time on his poems instead. As much as he's content with the friendship he has with Val, he decides to just listen to his heart shatter into pieces in silence and with nature.

I'll leave a few quotes I have found on Pinterest as well to give a hint of what his poems sounded like while being heartbroken:

He's very cheesy, yes.

That's all for my Ale's Ted Talk for today!

Thank you for attending (I mean reading)! 🫂❤️‍🔥

—

I hope you enjoyed reading this! ❤️‍🔥

[lynzishell]

List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore 💙

Yay! I'm finally going through my asks, lookit me go! We'll start this week with the winner of the poll... The one and only ✨Dawn Stephens✨

💖She has a Sociology degree from Foxbury Institute. She did not graduate with a high GPA, in fact she barely passed. She’s very smart, but genuinely hates reading and studying. She is the type of person that likes to be up doing things all the time. She struggles to just sit quietly. If she’s going to sit for an extended period of time, then it’s usually to watch a movie or a favorite TV show (with someone else, never alone). Even then, she’ll likely be distracting you the whole time.

💖During college, Dawn dated a lot, and had a lot of relationships that were short lived and full of drama. To be honest, being so heavily neglected growing up had left her desperate for love and affection. Most of the guys she dated wanted to date around and have fun and enjoy their college years, but Dawn would become instantly attached and clingy which would drive them away. It took her a while to work through this phase in her life, to understand why she felt/acted the way she did, and what she really needed. Before meeting Phoenix, she hadn’t dated anyone in nearly a year and was finally in a good place. That coupled with the fact that Phoenix is a very present and attentive partner means we’ve never seen that needier side of Dawn.

💖The necklace that she wears everyday was a gift from her high school best friend, Claire. Feeling rebellious one weekend, the two of them hopped a bus to visit a mall (strictly forbidden, of course). Claire caught her eyeing the necklace and bought it for her. Unfortunately, Dawn was never able to wear the necklace because A – she wasn’t allowed to wear jewelry and B – she would’ve had to explain where she’d gotten it. When she and Atlas left, Claire stopped talking to her, just like everyone else, and they’ll likely never speak again. But wearing the necklace now is kind of a symbol of her freedom from that life.

💖She loves the process of getting her nails done but can’t stand them afterwards. Every once in a while, you’ll see her with long painted nails, but they never last long because she removes them after a few days. (fun fact: she has beautifully manicured nails when she gives birth to Aspen because I forgot to remove them from her swimwear after their Sulani vacation. I didn’t want to risk messing up the childbirth process by going into CAS to fix it… so let’s just say she had her nails done while in labor, cos why not?)

💖There is an intentional inconsistency in the story that I doubt anyone noticed, it’s such a small detail… In this scene, Dawn mentions having a dog growing up: “He was a miniature schnauzer named Snickerdoodle. [giggles] But I would call him DooDoo.” … But then later, in this scene, it’s stated that Atlas has never had a dog: “He’s not used to dogs. In fact, he’s never had a pet of any kind before, so he isn’t sure what to do.” These two grew up in the same home, so what's the deal? Who was Snickerdoodle? This was actually Claire’s dog, and Dawn was absolutely smitten by him and would pretend to herself that it was her dog. (And she did in fact get in trouble once for saying DooDoo.)

[cadybear420]

OTP Relationship Asks for Evie and Aiden

Started working on this about a year ago. I could do an ask game but... might as well finish what I started. Also I lost the Source unfortunately, so there's that. But the questions themselves are still here lol

1. Who most initiates PDA?

Usually Evie, she can not keep her hands off of her man. Aiden sometimes likes to relish the attention and praise, other times he likes to initiate it himself and return the affections.

2. Any sleep habits either had to get used to?

Sometimes Evie tosses and turns while trying to find a sleep position that isn't making her uncomfortable and that can get a bit irritating for Aiden. Evie also likes to stay up later sometimes, whereas Aiden tends to fall asleep a bit earlier and doesn't stay up late quite as easily.

3. Hot and Steamy or Soft and Tender?

Yes.

4. How did they first meet?

Berry High. If you've played the game you technically already know. But there are a few differences + headcanons, kinda. I elaborate on it here.

5. What is their love language?

Both of them gravitate towards pretty much all 5 of the love languages. Aiden's favorite to receive would have to be words of affirmation, and Evie's favorite to receive would probably be quality time.

6. When did they realize they loved each other?

Evie realized she loved him not too long after they became official, but she wanted to give it time and let it sink in, not wanting to rush things.

Aiden realized he loved Evie during their after-promposal picnic night, but he wasn't able to say it until prom.

7. Who is more sentimental?

Evie. She is able to focus on the present and future, but she also places great value on preserving past memories as it helps her see how far she's come.

Aiden has generally always been more of a "focus on the present" kind of guy, but has also come to somewhat share Evie's value for this.

8. What’s one way their personalities compliment one another?

Both of them are very passionate about their hobbies: Aiden with his music, Evie with her sports and writing. Even though they don't really engage in each other's hobbies, this sort of passion and dedication is something they can relate to each other on and thus they can share their passions with each other better. In fact, Aiden's passion is what drew Evie to him in the first place.

See also: Their parallels and them coming full circle

9. How are their personalities different?

Aiden grew up in a semi-strict household and, for the most of his life, has been very reserved and focused on his music. He's often been a lot more shy and quiet. Sometimes he's proud of his skill and dedication, sometimes he sees himself as a failure or not good enough.

Evie on the other hand tends to be a bit more free-thinking and less openly insecure about her own artistic passions as well as her GNC identity– she'd grown up in a more relaxed household. Though not everyone in her past schools was easy to get along with, and that did some damage to her social skills. She's tended to be a bit impulsive at times.

10. What are some non-sexual activities they do together? 

Basic cuddling and kissing, usually involving Aiden in Evie's lap.

Evie listening to Aiden perform music. Sometimes he'll play a song he composed, other times he'll do a cover of a song that Evie really likes.

Dancing with each other. Their favorites are ballroom/waltz dances and sexy sensual dances.

Watching favorite movies with each other (and geeking out over the really really good soundtracks when they come up).

Simply cuddling under a blanket and dozing off in each other's arms during a cold day. This often results in them having a very intense and exciting lucid dream together.

Massaging each other.

Bathing or showering together. More often than not, it gets a little more steamy, but they also really enjoy scrubbing each other down, washing each other's hair, and (for baths) watching a movie together.

Cooking food together and then pigging out on whatever dishes they just made. Evie tends to like simpler and more basic dishes, but sometimes with a little twist. Aiden usually enjoys what she prepares. Even when it leaves him stuffed to his head afterwards, because Evie likes to give him tummy massage.

Shopping. Aiden usually finds shopping boring, but when Evie's with him (and it's a store that at least one of them is invested in), it's anything but that. Their primary shopping trips generally involve going to clothing stores and Aiden getting dressed up in all the cutest little numbers that they can find– he LOVES the attention and praise he gets from Evie when he wears stuff like midriff tops and short shorts.

11. Which member is more physically affectionate?

Both of them equally, though I think Evie can be a bit more hyper-affectionate.

12. Which member is more verbally affectionate?

Probably Evie. Aiden does like to his feelings verbally too, but it is a bit more difficult for him. He also really adores stuff like praise and compliments and words of affirmation from Evie, so she kind of goes out of her way to give him that, and he does enjoy reciprocating.

13. Which member steals borrows the other ones clothing?

Evie has her own set of crop tops she likes to wear to show off her abs. Although Aiden owns his own crop tops, he sometimes likes to "borrow" from Evie.

14. Are they an introverted couple or an extroverted one—AKA would they prefer to go out to a party or event together or would they rather stay in?

They're kind of a mix of both. They love parties and social events just as much as they do staying in. What matters to them in the end is just spending quality time with each other.

15. Who is more likely to make an impulsive decision and who is the voice of reason?

Evie has usually been the one to do or say something without fully thinking first. She tones down on that a bit, but Aiden does play the voice of reason to it when she does.

16. Who stays up way too late and who tries to drag them to bed?

Evie sometimes has more difficulty falling asleep earlier. She might stay up in bed listening to music, playing games, writing, etc. while Aiden is asleep. He never feels the need to drag her to bed, though.

17. Who fell in love first?

Although Aiden was the first one to confess his love, Evie was technically the first to fall in love with him. She'd fallen in love with him sometime around when they first became official, Aiden fell in love with her during their post-promposal picnic.

18. What song fits them perfectly?

Oh boy. I can not even begin to list all the songs that vibe with them.

19. How do they deal with being away from each other for a long time?

This hasn't usually been a problem for them, besides when Aiden graduated and started at Terman U while Evie was completing her senior year at Berry. But they'd always manage to keep in touch and talk regularly via text. Occasionally they'd phone call or video chat each other.

In fact I once had a random headcanon that Andy Kang from ILITW also went to Terman U after he graduated high school (by my calculations it's fair to assume that they both graduated the same year), and he and Aiden were placed in a dorm together. And while the two do bond, I'm also just imagining Andy getting slightly annoyed with how Aiden will often spend long periods of time on a phone call with Evie. Like he's happy for him but he's also like "dude chill", IDK lol.

20. Who holds a grudge the longest?

Neither of them, really.

21. Which of the two is quick to speak and which one is quick to listen?

Evie and Aiden respectively. But it usually depends.

22. Who gets more easily embarrassed?

Aiden. Obviously. Though I guess it kind of depends.

23. Who overthinks the most?

Both of them, but probably Aiden more.

24. Which of the two is the most competitive?

Evie, but it's in a very lighthearted way.

25. Who’s the most stubborn?

Usually Evie.

26. How do they comfort each other?

[1] [2] [3]

27. What random everyday object/activity makes them think of each other?

Evie can not look at anything music or music-related without thinking of Aiden.

Eggplants kind of make Aiden think of Evie. Same first initial, purple is Evie's favorite color, and... I think you know why else he makes the association.

28. Do they get along with each other’s friends and family?

Scott is of course very chill, though sometimes his dad jokes can get a bit embarrassing.

Glen and Bridget used to look down upon Evie back during the whole Isa drama, but after that they've become more accepting and have grown to have a lot of respect for her.

29. What is their sex life like?

At this point now I have a ton of posts about it. But here are the basics.

Neither of them like traditional mainstraight sex roles/acts. Both of them far prefer pegging, as well as Evie fingering Aiden.

Evie has major bottom dysphoria and never wants her "lady bits" touched aside from friction from wearing a strap-on or grinding Aiden's ass. Nor does she ever want to experience being penetrated– it's an incredibly discomforting idea.

Aiden is lukewarm at best to the idea of penetrating and having his genitals touched. At the very most, he's okay with Evie occasionally squeezing his dick for a little bit while she pleasures him. And maybe her giving him oral with the use of a flavored condom (and even then it's a huge "maybe" for both of them), but that's it.

They take turns taking the lead, depending on how they each feel. Evie loooooves being a service top. Sometimes they do it more slow and tender, sometimes they do it hard and rough.

They also like to use other toys such as vibrating eggs/plugs, non-strap dildos.

They also enjoy forms of sexual intimacy other than intercourse/penetrative as well, such as grinding, sensual dancing, body massage/kissing/worship. Aiden loves having his perineum stimulated.

Evie in particular loves to shower Aiden's body with attention, and he absolutely adores being made to feel sexy and desirable like that. He wears lingerie for her a lot as well, and seeing Evie's breath become ragged at just the sight is another thing that really gets him going.

Even outside of the bedroom, many of their other displays of affection can be fairly sexually/sensually charged. Evie sneaking a squeeze to Aiden's ass, Aiden dressing in a cutesy slightly revealing outfit that makes him feel confident and that he knows will make Evie's pulse race, Evie gently brushing her fingers along Aiden's waist/hip/thigh, Aiden sashaying his hips a little when he walks in front of Evie, Aiden swaying and rolling his hips side-to-side while dancing with Evie, Evie deliberately flexing her abs and biceps in front of Aiden, getting a bit extra close against each other when Evie hugs Aiden from behind or when Aiden straddles Evie's lap or when Evie rests her head against Aiden's chest, and much more.

Some more in-depth headcanons: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

30. What is their favorite place to kiss the other? (Cheek, hand, closed eyelid, neck, nose, etc.)

Aiden has an affinity for kissing Evie's jawline, neck, biceps, and abs.

Evie has an affinity for kissing his cheek, forehead, the top of his head, collarbone, stomach, hips, butt, thighs...

31. What’s the relationship like? Smooth? Rocky?

Mostly smooth. They've come across the occasional rocky challenge, but it's mostly easy for them to get through it.

32. How do they resolve their arguments?

Communication. Simply talking out the issue with each other, listening to each other's sides of the situation, etc.

33. Who has the most nightmares and how do they deal with them?

Evie's a little bit more prone to nightmares. Aiden hugging her like a mama cat with her baby can be very soothing to this, though.

34. Do they give each other nicknames?

Evie loves to call Aiden: Darling, Baby, Babe, Baby Boy, Babygirl, My King, Princess, My Princess, Sweetie, Cupcake, Love, Honey, Honeybun, Honeybuns, and probably more that I'm forgetting about.

Aiden loves to call Evie: Sweetheart, Darling, My Muse, My Love, and probably more that I'm forgetting about.

35. What movies do they enjoy watching most?

There are a lot but here are some significant ones:

The Incredibles: Already a major favorite of Evie's, and it was the first ever movie that the two had watched together. Evie invited Aiden to her house a few days after the homecoming dance and they watched the movie together that night.

The Matrix movies: More favorites of Evie's, and also something they watched early on into their relationship. They have mixed feelings about the fourth one, though.

Fantasia (both the original and 2000): Aiden's favorite Disney animated movies, obviously.

Mulan: Evie's favorite Disney renaissance animated movie. Aiden considers it the Disney's second best musical movie (first best is Hunchback of Notre Dame, unless you count Fantasia as a musical IDK).

Aladdin (both the original and the live-action): Guilty pleasure movies because Evie is obsessed with the soundtracks. Aiden can definitely see why and agrees with her. Also they maaayyy somewhaaaat fit the Aladdin-Jasmine dynamics, somewhat.

Tangled: They had a random Tangled phase for a bit, taking place some time after prom. They don't anymore but Evie kind of holds the movie close to them.

Mean Girls: Another favorite of Evie's. Fun fact, the first time I played HSS I'd named my MC "Cady Heron". Eventually I changed the name to make it a bit more personalized. And yes, that is how I chose my Tumblr username, from hearing Scott call my MC "Cady-bear" all the time.

James Bond movies: Evie loves the whole aesthetic of James Bond and other secret agent/spy movies. They both love the soundtracks, especially the opening themes. They sometimes like to do karaoke/duets/solos of some of the opening themes (Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Skyfall, Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Tomorrow Never Dies opening & ending, No Time To Die). Aiden may also do a recreation of the "From Russia With Love"

And probably a lot more I'm forgetting about

36. How’d they meet each other’s families?

I mean if you've played the game you technically already know lol. Aiden first met Evie's dad after he asked her to hoco, and Evie first met Aiden's parents when she went to see him after he got suspended.

37. What do they like the least about each other?

Something Evie doesn't like about Aiden: The way he sometimes has downplayed compliments and can be self deprecating. And also sometimes his humming can be a bit disruptive when she's trying to focus on something.

Something Aiden doesn't like about Evie: Sometimes her impulsive tendencies can get him by surprise and be a bit much for him.

38. What was their most memorable date?

They really can't pick just one.

39. What other couple would your OTP get along with the best?

Michael & Maria (who get together as a QPR in my headcanons) are the couple they're closest with. Jade & Caleb and Nishan & Sakura are close seconds though.

I also have a headcanon that a year after they marry, they move into a small apartment in San Francisco for a while. While there, they end up becoming neighbors with my MAH MC Peggy Stone and Tyler Woods (who is her boyfriend), who have made a permanent move to there a couple of years earlier. The two couples become close friends very quickly, and stay close in touch when Evie and Aiden move back to Cedar Cove.

40. Who makes the other smile with almost no effort at all?

Both of them, but mostly Aiden. Him literally just existing makes Evie smile.

[iluvshinytwink]

The Night We Met - Jude Bellingham

"Take me back to the night we met."

Synopsis: It's the last year of highschool, someone throws a huge party to celebrate. The music's loud and the lights were achingly bright but you meet him, Jude.

a/n: im a sucker for highschool au its not even funny

Now Playing . . . The Night We Met by Lord Huron

The end of highschool. The end of an era and the start of a new. It felt surreal. You remember the first time you stepped into your class a freshman, your first quiz, your first friends. And now, you were experiencing your last. How long were those years? And why did those years feel so short?

Everyone was happy that everyone was graduating, all of you would start a new chapter of your lives. And while everyone was smiley and happy, you weren't. You didn't know how to start that new chapter. This feeling that you need to basically restart highschool with a new school, new batchmates, new teachers, and new lessons- it scared you.

"Hey!" Your friend snapped her fingers, finally making you slip out of your thoughts. "Class is over. We have to go prepare for the party!" She exclaims with a smile.

Oh right, the party.

A batchmate of yours was gonna go throw a party because it was almost graduation.

You nodded in response.

Luckily, you weren't the only one feeling this sense of uneasyness.

Jude was making his way through the hallways, his eyes glued on the people swarming their lockers as he mindlessly walked. Laughter was heard and the harsh slams of lockers rang through his ears.

After he graduated, he was going to go to Germany because Dortmund had offered him a contract. He was happy, of course he was. But he didn't consider the fact he would have to leave everything behind. His friends, his family. Everything. And it scared him in a way, he didn't want to tell anyone about this feeling.

"Jude! Are you coming to the party?" One of his friends stopped Jude from his mindless walking. His eyes widened and he blinks. "Yeah. What time is it?" He quickly responded. "Uhh.. I think they'll start around 8." His friend smiled at him. The boy nodded and gave a small smile before resuming his walk.

You checked your phone for what felt like the millionth time. 8:19 pm. Your phone read.

You looked around the parking lot and your friend was nowhere to be seen. Above, in the apartment complex you could already hear the music blaring. A sigh escapes your lips and your leg jolts up and down in a nervous panic. Finally, you see your friend jogging towards you. "Jesus Christ." You said, your leg finally stoping its jiggling. "Sorry!" Your friend huffed out.

The music was indeed loud. It roared in your ears and the room was dark and it was only accompanied by led lights which didn't help much.

Your friend hands you a classic red cup with liquor inside it. You stare at the cup, trying to find out what brand of beer or whatever was in your cup. You look up to ask your friend of the contents but alas, she disappears. An uneasy sigh escapes your lips. The only person you knew well was gone. You looked around and see a couch with a vacant spot. You walk over to it.

You plop down the couch. Still looking at the red cup.

Jude looks over to you, his airpods were in.

Jude arrived at the party 20 minutes ago, found the couch and never left. Minutes pass and more people rush in, the room began hurting his ears. Laughter, simultaneous chatter. A friend of his hands him the same red cup.

"What's in it?" Jude asked, examining the cup. "Some cheap beer, I guess. I've had like 5 and I'm still not feeling anything." His friend joked. "Might be beer with water." Jude says, taking a sip. His friend laughs before walking away.

"It's cheap beer. My theory, it's beer with water." He says. You look over to him, the dim lights weren't really helping you. "Huh." You chuckle, taking a sip. "This tastes like iced tea with water." Your nose scrunched, putting the red cup on the table. Jude laughs, and for the first time since he came here, he puts his phone away.

And then it worked just like that. A simple joke bloomed into a conversation. Every passing minute you take a sip of your beer/ice tea concoction and so does he.

Several minutes pass by and the liquid inside the red cup was indeed beer because you felt a little tipsy. You closed your eyes for a few seconds before opening them back again. "Drunk already?" Jude chuckles, taking another sip of his drink. "It fucking reeks in here." You commented.

"Let's get out of here." Jude offered before standing up. Jude offers you his hand and you gladly take it.

The two of you exit the apartment, the loud music finally dying down for just a moment.

Jude trips and fumbles into a wall and you bump into him. You laugh, trying to regain balance.

Jude walks over to the balcony, resting both of his arms on the railing. The wind howls, blowing into his face, sending a feeling of comfort through him. You follow, putting your hands on the cold railing.

The moon glower tonight. It was a bright full moon and it was there for the both of you to admire. Jude looked over to you, your somber eyes stared peacefully at the moon. But somehow, someway he could tell something was on your mind.

"What're you thinking about?" Jude asks softly. You look at him, eyes softening. "Just scared, to go to college." You shrugged your shoulders.

College. He almost forgot about college. With the transfer of him going to Germany to play for Dortmund, he couldn't go to college.

Jude nodded. "I'm scared too." He whispers, his heart aching. You knew about his move to Germany and as much as you felt happy about your batchmate, you also felt sad for him. He was going to leave everything behind, his childhood, everything.

Your body inches closer to his, eyes still on the moon.

The both of your arms collide against each other. Jude looked at you and he felt a sense of comfort washing over him.

You looked at him, eyes slowly meeting his. "You're gonna do great." You whispered with a smile. A smile creeps Jude's lips, a chuckle escaping. "You too." He says, pushing you jokingly.

Jude knew deep down that he was going to have to leave you behind. Even though he'd only properly met you for a few hours, he didn't want to leave you behind. He wanted to help you if you were struggling, and if he couldn't help you the two of you could struggle together.

Even though the two of you have only smiled at each other a few hours ago he wanted to smile with you everyday. He wanted to go on stupid convenience store runs with you with your parents' given allowance. He wanted to stay up with you on call studying but he doesn't study and ends up looking at you through his laptop screen.

But he couldn't.

"Look." You said, pointing at a star. Jude snaps out of his thoughts once more and looks at whatever you were pointing at. "Ha, made you look." You chuckled, putting your finger down. Jude looks at you before laughing. He wanted to stay distracted like this forever.

Jude looked over to you, a monotone expression on his face. His mouth gaped open, his white teeth peeking out. You look back at him, a small smile on your face.

Jude's face starts nearing yours. He wanted to stop in his tracks but he couldn't, his body refused to. Your heartbeat raced. You didn't move, hell you didn't even blink. You held your breath. Whatever that would happen in this night, you'd accept it.

Jude's eyes slowly close as his lips meet yours. It didn't take long for you to kiss him back.

His lips felt soft, plump.

Something rushed through your veins, adrenaline? Fluster? Embarrassment? Whatever it was, you loved the feeling.

A few seconds pass and Jude breaks away. You finally breath. You look at Jude and he has a flustered expression on his face. "I'm sorry." He muttered, a smile on his face. You couldn't see it but he was blushing. Jude felt his ears redden and his entire face felt hot. You couldn't help but chuckle. "You taste like beer." You smiled.

I did this in my bed with no music just the sound of my loud ass aircon and my bitch ass dog snoring. No deadass why he snore like thst. I'm convinced the mf was a pig before he was a dog. NO BEVAUSE MY DOG SOUDJS LIKE HE HAS ASTHMA WHEN HE SNORES LIKE WHAT

SNAHS RHAT LIKE BUTTON SUBSCRIBEZZ FOR MORE BANGERS I DID IN MY BEDROOM BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLEEP ‼️‼️