#they are…. going to be 4 hours from me. but I don’t have a license and even if I did my dad would have a right panic attack if I tried to | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

enhard · 4 months ago

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sim jaeyun — “you’re in safe hands”

pairing: s.jy x fem!reader

not proofread, enjoy! (MINORS DNI)

: you can’t handle looking at your boyfriend’s nice and veiny hands without doing anything about it.

cw: SMUT SMUT ALLLL SMUT, everything is consensual, hand kink (obviously), a bit of size kink, unprotected sex, creampie, fingering, riding, jake calls you princess most of the time, playing with your tits, slight choking, mentions of sending nudes??, lots of whimpers from him, jake slaps your mouth, established relationship, jake has a drivers license woahwoahwoah

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you faintly hear the ringtone of your phone through the buzzing in your ear. you slowly open your eyes, let out a sigh and immediately grab your phone to stop that annoying sound.. until you look at the now lit up screen of your phone, that your boyfriend jake is calling you.

you quickly sit up in shock, trying to clear your throat and answering the call, remembering that you were supposed to go on a date today.

“mm..yes my love? how are.. you?” you say, trying your best not to yawn in the middle of your sentence.

you can hear jake laughing at you through the other line. “princess, you’re still sleeping at this hour? i’m sorry for waking you up but.. it’s 4 pm already.” wait.. what?? 4 pm?? you were supposed to meet up 3 hours ago. how is it possible that you slept this long?

“don’t worry.. sunoo told me that he tried calling you since morning and you never answered, so i just let you sleep. instead of lunch.. could we go out to dinner now..?”

“ugh..fuck.. i’m sorry. i didn’t realise i slept that long.. is it okay in 3 hours..? i need to shower..” you reply as you’re massaging your head from the massive headache you got.

“of course love. i’ll come pick you up.. although.. does this mean i get no shower sneak peek??” he chuckles, and you just roll your eyes at his words.

“hold your horses now.. you might get to see me another time.” you smile.

there’s a few awkward seconds of silence, then he decides to hang up so you can get ready.

truth is.. you slept this long because of the hangover you’re having after a longgg night partying with your best friend sunoo. main reason why your headache is also present. —

you hop in the shower, actually debating to send jake a little picture or a video but.. you decide to be a bit of a tease. you just finish your shower and start getting ready.

you get dolled up all for him, putting on a nice laced dress and your favourite ysl lipgloss, that jake bought for you as a present not long ago. you get your phone and keys, locking your huge metal gate. your phone makes a few clicking sounds while you search for jake’s number to call him.

“baby, i’m right in front of my house. i’ll be waiting for you.”

“okay princess, i’m almost there. i can’t wait to see you”

you smile at your phone as you hang up, already seeing the blinding lights of his black suv, stopping right next to you. he gets out the car to check you out for atleast 5 minutes, offering you a kiss and then opening the car door like a true gentleman. you get in the car, the seats all warmed up. “good.” you say in your mind. it’s mildly snowing out, you needed this.

jake sits back in the driver’s seat, getting ready to leave. you turn to look at him while he’s focused on the road and you can’t help but admire him. you would lie if you said that he’s not the hottest man you’ve ever laid your eyes upon. with his slick back black hair, a nice black suit hugging his waist while also complementing his eyes.

your eyes suddenly slip to his arms, more specifically his hands. they’re resting on the top of the steering wheel, his fingers so long and pretty, multiple veins following from his forearm up to the back of his hand. that scenery alone made you squeeze your thighs together, knowing you couldn’t act on it here..

there is only one thing you thought about on that silent car ride, his long fingers inside you. you needed that more than anything. right now. instead, you try to look the other way, your body as stiff as a rock.

jake looks at you for a split second wondering why you’re moving around in your seat so much. he smiles, reaching out one hand to place on your inner left thigh. “what’s wrong love? are you uncomfortable?”

you thought you would let out a moan right there, right as he placed his hand on your inner thigh. you quickly shake your head left and right trying to diffuse the situation. you accidentally look downwards at your lap, and see that same hand, now grasping the soft skin of your thigh, one vein getting more prominent with each squeeze.

you continue through this hell for a few more minutes until you arrive, exhaling when he gets his hand off you.

. . . you get to your table, through the reservation that jake made previously. the place is pretty packed for a high end restaurant like this one. you’re both making small talk, asking how your day was and.. what plans you have for tonight.. he’s flipping through the menu and all you can stare at are those hands. you begin to breathe more rapidly, getting impatient.

“who cares about food right now? all i want are those fingers in my mouth” you think, trying not to slap yourself from the realisation of what you just almost said out loud.

still, you finish eating, he pays with his black card of course. even though you keep insisting that you want to pitch in. he loves spoiling you every time and all you can give him in return are kisses or.. something more.

after another few excruciating minutes in that car, you arrive back at your home. jake sits down on the couch, manspreading while you take your shoes off.

“thank you my love.. the dinner was amazing. what can i do to repay you?” he plasters on a confused look on his face, almost replying with “you don’t have to repay me” but.. seeing how beautiful you were for him.. how you looked and how you got ready all for him.. made him needy. in a blink of an eye. he knew he was lucky dating you, and the thought that you were all his made him so excited.

“hmm.. there might be something you can do for me princess. you think i’m stupid? i saw how you were drooling over my hands. you really love them huh?”

you get a bit embarrassed, but you’re way too horny to deny anything right now. “yeah.. i really do… i need them. please.” you say already biting your bottom lip.

you can see him slowly form a grin on his face, not saying a word. he pats his thigh two times, to show you the seat you’ll have for the rest of the night.

you eagerly walk up to him and take off your coat to take your seat on his lap. he pulls you into a kiss that turns into a make out session. he travels his hands down to your waist, and you move yours to hold onto his shoulders. you don’t pull away from his lips for a long time, the taste keeping you addicted.

he makes you pull away at one point, smiling at you. he takes his own coat off, having only a white satin shirt underneath. two buttons of the shirt are already undone, showing his chest real well.. with a nod from him as agreement, you begin unbuttoning his shirt, in a few seconds leaving him shirtless. you saw those abs and muscles countless times yet.. it still makes your body have a reaction you can’t explain.

he softly tugs on your dress while whining and pouting. you laugh at his pouty face, finding him so adorable yet so demanding. “go ahead”, quiet words leave your mouth while looking into his eyes.

he does not hesitate. he takes off that dress almost ripping it off out of excitement, leaving you in your underwear. he uses his middle and ring finger to open your mouth, shoving them in and wetting them with your saliva. you suck on his fingers a bit, getting to be a bit of a show-off.

he pulls his fingers out of your mouth, taking off your panties now. he immediately starts rubbing your clit first, flicking it a bit and getting it all wet.. then he moves down to your folds, moving his fingers back and forth. you grab onto one of his shoulders for support, digging your nails in it.

“l..love please.. put them in..”

he does exactly as he’s told. he shoves both fingers inside you, slowly pumping them in and out.. you’re rapidly losing your mind, this is everything you wished for. you grab onto his wrist with your other hand, trying to make him keep going but.. to no avail.

he stops, giving you a signal to ride his fingers instead. you get into position, trying your best to move your hips back and forth. you moaned feeling his fingers in you, not being able to resist anymore already. when he curls his fingers up inside you, he was almost convinced you were about to cum.

you ride his fingers as well as you can, trying to get on his good side. he’s not quite satisfied with your pace, so he gives you a slap over the mouth. “ride them faster princess, what’s up? tired already?” you’re fucked up as is, his words are making this WAY harder for you. the moans are getting more and more consistent, figuring that you’re going to cum soon.

“okay slut, slow down now. i don’t want you to get too tired. i’ll make you bounce on my cock just like this if you’re a good girl for me.” but… you don’t slow down. with how much energy you have left, you keep going. “ahh..i need to cum..first..plea..” he cuts you off, his tone getting more irritated.

“oh? you wanna cum? let me help you cum then whore.” he grabs onto your neck, choking you ever so slightly while fucking you with his fingers. he’s moving his hand as fast as he can trying to make you cum. you moan uncontrollably at this point, getting so close to your release and not being able to talk properly from the choking.

you do end up cumming all over his veiny fingers and pants. the grasp on your neck loosens, leaving a red mark around it.

“mmm.. since i stretched you out so well with my fingers.. how about we put that to good use?” he smiles, that smile being far away from innocent. you know exactly what he wants and you’re willing to give him that.

you catch up your breath, grabbing onto his shoulders again. “let me ride you then.” you reply, trying to be as nonchalant as you can.

you move your hands down to his pants, slowly slipping them off him. the bulge in his boxers is huge, obviously you already knew that but the thought didn’t comfort you. he’s usually hard to take in, now imagine being all fucked up and having to ride him. you let out a small scared sigh, while taking his boxers off too.

his cock springs up immediately and you lick your lips looking at it. you grab the base to stroke it a few times, before getting into position to ride him. you intertwine your fingers with his as you slowly go down on him. you almost feel like giving out when you take him all in but you need to make him feel good.

you slowly start riding him, his size almost being unbearable to take. he loves it though, he loves how you struggle to take him and how that small bulge appears in your stomach everytime you bounce up and down. he grabs and pulls on your hair just to make you speed up, teasing you with that hair pull each time he feels you slowed down.

you pick up your pace significantly, moving up and down, back and forth on him. your eyes roll back from the pleasure and it really feels like he’s splitting you into two. he stops holding hands to take your tits out of your bra just to fondle them a bit. he’s running his thumb all over your nipples, sending you shivers down your spine.

“such a good girl.” he remarks, coming from him this is a compliment. you smile at his words, motivating you to keep going. he’s very deep inside you right now, any sudden movement almost making you cum a second time..

you can hear him getting more vocal over time, he’s whimpering and cooing.. the usual tough guy that would control every movement of yours, is now getting so vocal.. you love it though, your favourite part of it might just be his moans.

you clench your teeth and force yourself to go as fast as you can, just to make him cum.

“fffuck…. princess hold.. on.. i’m close..” just music to your ears. you want to let this man fill you up right now. you push yourself even more to overstimulation just to make him cum.

he lets out a whimpery moan getting so close already.

“cum.. inside me.. please my love..”

those are the last words you can say before he cums all in you. he’s filling you up to the brim and you can do is smile, feeling his cum leaking out of you. you give him a sweet kiss on the lips then on the nose.

“fucking hell… maybe we should go out to dinner more often hm?”

you laugh, running your fingers through his hair. “you’re so cute.. now, wanna join me in the shower? no games this time.”

“waittt.. so this is why you didn’t send anything from your shower today.. let’s go for another round baby. what do you think?” he says, hugging your waist.

“hmmm.. maybeee. if you use those hands of yours again.”

“well, you know you’re in safe hands with me.”

#enhypen hard hours #enhypen #enhypen smut #jake sim #sim jaeyun #jake smut #jake hard thoughts #sim jake #kpop bg #kpop

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no-144444 · 2 months ago

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his disgraced pop princess- (o.piastri 81)

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summary: oscar is there for you through your first real GP weekend

pairing: oscar piastri (no.81) x singer! reader

warnings: cyberbullying ans slut shaming

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Oscar Piastri was nervous. It had been two days since he first met you, and now it had been 4 hours since he last texted you. Beside him, Logan was scrolling on his own phone, still making fun of Oscar’s ‘awful puppy-love’, as he called it. It wasn’t awful, just slightly overboard. You two had been texting non-stop since the race, and he was enjoying it. You were funny, sweet, and probably just busy, right?

Oscar: Doing anything else today? I’m stuck training all day.

Oscar: Studio…?

Oscar: I think the fans need new music (it’s me, I’m fans)

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You were anxious. It had been two days since you met Oscar ‘perfect’ Piastri, and now he’d texted you multiple times while you were busy being on a plane. Beside you in the Uber, was Hallie, your best friend, texting her new mystery boy and laughing at your freak out over not texting him back. You two had been texting non-stop since the race, and you loved it. He was asking all the right questions, he was funny, he was so supportive of you going up against Charles, and evidently, a screenager.

“I feel bad!” you groaned as you tried to type something out, but nothing seemed good enough.

“You were on a plane, what was he expecting, a carrier pigeon?” she chuckled. “He’ll survive without texting you for 4 hours, calm down.”

“What do I say?”

She rolled her eyes. “Give me the damn phone.”

You: Sorry I was on a plane and their carrier pigeon network was down. Oops :)

“He is diabolical,” she laughed. “Immediate response, does he not have a life?”

You rolled your eyes and snatched back the phone. “Shut up!”

Oscar: Too bad, I was hoping you were busy making new music :(

You: Well, I’d need inspiration for that and that is the one thing I don’t have. Well, that and people that like me and want to listen to my music.

Oscar: :(

Oscar: What are you doing today?

Y/n: Lawyers, seeing Charles, helping put the case together and finishing up the legal side of my split from the band. Aka boring as fuck :)

Oscar: Good luck seeing Charles again, I hope it isn’t too bad.

Oscar: Whenever we’re on the same continent again we should meet up for dinner :)

Y/n: Sounds like a plan, and thank you. Good luck with training today :)

“You two deserve each other. You’re equally as cheesy,” Hallie rolled her eyes.

“It’s not cheesy to like someone,” you scoffed, getting out of the car. “You’re just alone.”

“Not anymore,” she chuckled.

“Shut up!” you cheered. “Who?”

She smirked. “Tell you later.”

You rolled your eyes. “You suck.”

“I’ll see you later,” she called as she walked off. You were left standing alone. Before walking in, you took a deep breath and willed yourself not to burst into tears.

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“It’s defamation!” Charles shouted, making you jump. Everything he did was making you jump. You hadn’t realised how badly everything had affected you until today. You were jumpy, you felt sick, you weren’t sleeping, you weren’t there mentally.

“No, you’ve defamed Ms. Y/l/n’s reputation,” your lawyer calmly pointed out.

You wanted it to stop, you wanted everything to stop. You wanted to go back to Sunday and relive the race over and over again. You wanted to be with Lewis again, with Toto again, with Oscar again. You desperately wanted to feel safe.

Your lawyer was good, and you knew you’d win the case against Charles no matter what, but cleaning up the band would be a big undertaking. You’d always been the one to sign documents for all of them, so that they could pull out at any time. That now meant that you were technically the owner of the name of the band, the licensing rights, the songs, and the money you’d all already made. You were hitting them where it hurts, and you were taking it all. If they wanted to push you out, you’d push them right back.

“Y/n, come on. It’s all of our band, and we deserve our name, at least,” your brother, Alex, begged. Up to last week you would’ve done anything for him. Now, he was fucking dead to you.

“You can keep one thing,” you answered, not even looking at them. They prematurely celebrated and thanked you, but you held up a hand to silence them. “You can keep your instruments. I’ll take everything else.”

The room erupted into shouting, from every member of the band. You just got up and walked away. The meeting was over. You had it all.

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BREAKING NEWS! WINGS BAND MEMBER Y/N Y/L/N DELETES INSTAGRAM, IS SEEN WITH F1 DRIVER OSCAR PIASTRI, AND IS PHOTOGRAPHED LEAVING A LAW FIRM!

The 22 year old singer, Y/n Y/l/n is fresh into the scene of being a solo artist after being dropped by her band ‘WINGS’. This weekend she was seen around the Silverstone paddock with long-time friend and possible boyfriend, Lewis Hamilton. Shockingly, the newly crowned ‘Queen of Homewrecking’ is also sticking her nose into another man, Australian driver Oscar Piastri. The pair were seen walking together in the paddock, looking quite close. We would advise him to steer clear of her mess if he was able…

In another turn of events, Y/l/n decided to delete her entire Instagram page, as well as her Twitter, Tiktok, Threads, and all other social media accounts. While she has opted for a ‘social-media-break’, her close friends and family have not posted about her, but some more famous friends have, including Lewis Hamilton answering questions about her in an interview during the Media day of the British Gran Prix. When asked about his opinion on the band, he said this.

“Y’know, half of the success of them (WINGS) was Y/n. She really pulled everything together and no one really sees that because she was so careful about showing people that. She never wanted anyone to feel like they (the rest of the band) weren’t 100% committed, because at that time, they were. It’s just sad how people turn on each other, especially after everything she’s done for them.”

And when asked about Charles O’Brien, he had this to say.

“That pathetic piece of s**t can f**k off and get out of the paddock. There is no place for him here, on any stage, or anywhere in the world. He is a vile creature.”

In other news, she was seen exiting the Law firm, Cravath, Swaine & Moore this afternoon, and 40 minutes later, the rest of the ‘WINGS’ band was seen leaving, looking much more upset than her.

Something tells us there might be more than meets the eye in this twisted tale…

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“Hey Y/n,” Oscar’s voice was music to your ears as you sat in your hotel room with dried tears on your cheeks.

“Hi,” you answered, voice hoarse, just happy to not be alone anymore.

“How did it go?” He asked, his voice softening.

You scoffed. “As badly as I thought it would,” you sighed, defeated. “I just wish it would all stop.”

“I’m sorry you’re going through this,” he sighed. “Charles is a special breed of dickhead.”

“So is the media,” you added. “Did you see the stuff everyone is writing about me? It’s awful-”

“I don’t read about you. I don’t need it anymore. I have the real you now, and that’s the you I’m interested in.”

Oscar ‘perfect’ Piastri strikes again.

Your lips broke into a smile. “Thanks Oscar.”

“I mean it. I don’t give a shit about the media, like at all,” he was smiling, you could tell.

“I’m glad. If you did I don’t think this friendship could’ve worked very well,” you chuckled. “You seriously don’t care that I’m a ‘homewrecking slut’, according to everyone else?”

He chuckled. “Wouldn’t want you any other way.”

Your heart swelled.

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It had been a few months, Oscar had gotten his first win, you’d wanted to personally kill Zak Brown, you’d gone through the beginnings of the court proceedings for the band things, and you’d finally filed a report against Charles.

Now, you were in London on your way to Abbey Road Studios. New music for the first time in a few months. First time you’d sung in a few months. Oscar walked beside you, his head covered in a hat to remain inconspicuous.

You stopped outside the door. Oscar took your hand and pushed the door open for you, then led you in.

“You’re here for a reason,” he reminded you with a squeeze to the hand.

The past few months had been emotional to say the least. Yet, Oscar had been there for you the entire time. He truly didn’t care about the press. He liked you. He liked you a lot. You liked him. You liked him a lot. But you two weren’t dating, right? You didn't really know. Friends didn't hold hands, or cuddle, and usually weren't there for you before you make the biggest leap of your life.

He stayed beside you as you walked through the building, getting the grand tour from an employee, only leaving you when you finally went in to record.

“You’ve got this,” he whispered, holding you in a tight hug. Inside was your manager, Ursula, and your producer Axel. “I believe in you.”

And those 4 words gave you the courage to go in there and sing.

You sat on the stool they had set up for you, headphones on as Axel droned on about something insignificant, and you brainstormed. You hadn’t even thought about writing for the past few months, despite Oscar trying to convince you that it would make you feel better. You couldn’t touch it. Though now, with no consequences, no one looking at you, no one interested, you reached for the guitar and strung a few cords. You thought about Charles, about the band, about Oscar. Then you thought about nothing.

“When I’m away from you, I’m happier than ever,” You sang, and then the words came flowing freely.

Three hours later, you had an album on your hands. A good album. A great album.

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“You did it,” Oscar smiled as you stepped out of the studio. “Write anything?”

“I think I like you. Like, like like you,” you confessed. He smiled.

“Good,” he answered.

“Excuse me?” you scoffed. “I just said-”

He pressed his lips to yours softly, wrapping his arms around your waist. “I’ve like like-d you since the day we met. I’m glad we’re on the same page now.”

You stared at him in shock for a moment, then a smile spread across your face. “You’re such an asshole.”

He chuckled. “I didn’t want to rush you,” he shrugged. “Anyway, write anything?”

“Yeah,” you smiled, handing him a CD. “One of two in the world, don’t lose it.”

His eyes lit up, a big smile on his face. “Is this the perks of being Y/n Y/l/n’s boyfriend? Exclusive insight into new music?”

“Calling yourself my boyfriend?” you quirked an eyebrow, smiling.

“Oh baby, I’ve called myself your boyfriend for the past 2 months, I’m not stopping now,” he smiled, and your heart could’ve melted.

You chuckled. "Always the charmer Piastri."

He smirked, then something behind his eyes changed, and he started blushing. He was about to ask you something important. “Come to Monza with me? Please?”

You rolled your eyes. “Only because you asked so nicely.”

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You touched down in Italy in Max’s private jet. You’d spent the afternoon getting to know him, Kelly, and Penelope, who’d taken a significant liking to you. The flight had been great, you’d never been on a jet before and it was as luxurious and comfortable as you’d imagined. Another part of the journey that was comfortable was Oscar letting you lay on him the entire time. You two were new but it looked like you’d been together forever. It felt like it too. It felt like he saw you. The real you. And he wasn’t scared or disgusted, or anything else that your brain told you he’d be. He was just Oscar.

You left the jet, the perks of flying in the middle of the night meant that no fans were waiting for you outside. You didn’t need to add more flames to the fire of his insane life. You wanted to keep your ‘scandals’ to yourself and to just let him race.

He gave your hand a squeeze to pull you back into the moment. “You alright?”

You nodded. “I’m ok, just nervous about this weekend.”

“You don’t need to be nervous, you don’t even have to leave my driver’s room if you don’t want to. I just… I wanted you here.”

“I want to be here,” you pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I want to be around you.”

Even though it was dark, you could see the blush on his cheeks.

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Media day began as it always did, walking into the paddock with about a hundred cameras on him. Only this time, the hundred cameras were pointed at him and you, more specifically, you two holding hands. It wasn't even a conscious thing you did. You just took his hand to try and calm yourself down. You liked how he gently brushed his thumb against the back of your hand, you liked how he would squeeze your hand every now and then, and you liked how he led you through the sea of reporters with a simple smile, and a firm hold.

When you got to the McLaren motorhome, you and Oscar parted ways with a quick kiss and a promise of lunch together. You decided to join Alex Dunne, one of McLaren's development drivers and a current F3 driver for a track walk and interview. You two chatted and laughed, getting on really well. The weather was sweltering, so you went back inside to meet Lando and Oscar for lunch.

"Y/n!" Lando smiled, running up to you.

"Hey Lan," you greeted, hugging him back as he engulfed you in one of his bear-hugs.

"How are you?" he asked, pulling back.

"All good thanks, you?"

"Fine," he shrugged, then turned his attention to Oscar and you. He smirked. "Has he asked you out yet?"

You chuckled, nodding. "He has."

"My ship has sailed!" He cheered.

"What? You have a boat?" Oscar questioned, as you and Lando laughed.

The rest of the day went well, only being bombarded with cameras every now and then, and somehow, whenever they found you, Oscar came right along to take you away. You appreciated the concern from him, and it definitely took the edge off some of the comments people made, especially the internet. Who knew you and Oscar would be such big news? Big news that hadn't even been confirmed, at that.

-------------------

After lunch, Oscar was forced into more press, this time, they decided to ask about you. You watched on from the McLaren hospitality as the interviewer said some choice words about you.

"So, you were seen earlier entering the paddock with Y/n Y/l/n, yes?"

"Yes," Oscar replied.

"You two were holding hands," she pointed out.

"There was a swarm of reporters, I didn't want to leave her behind," he shrugged. You quickly realised that you hadn't talked about whether or not you wanted to tell the media bout your budding relationship.

"So you aren't dating Y/n 'home-wrecker' Y/l/n?"

Oscar's face fell into a frown. "Her middle name is Y/m/n, not home-wrecker, and yes, I'm her boyfriend."

With that he moved on, leaving the interviewer shocked and defeated.

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navigation for my blog :) (masterlist)

#f1 imagine #f1 x reader #formula 1 x you #formula one imagine #oscar piastri x reader #oscar piastri #oscar piastri x you #formula one x reader #formula 1 #formula one #mclaren #oscar piastri x fem!reader #f1 fluff

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ivrousae · 1 year ago

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- Take A Chance With Me ✩°｡⋆⸜ 🦢✮

Synopsis: You and Gunwook have had a complicated history with each other since ages ago, but a 7-day trip changed it all for you both.

Genre: fluff, angst (with a good ending), academic rivals, enemies to lovers, childhood friends

Pairing: Gunwook X Fem!reader

Word count: 9.5k (lol………..)

Warnings: skinship, kissing, cursing, a lot of teasing, mentions of wearing make up, pet names, a lot of sensitive topics (parents, family, grades/academics, etc), please tell me if i missed some

A/N: there WILL be so many typos and grammar error bcs I did not double check hehe, I got confused about where I should have them go for the trip, and because I’m Indonesian, I was just like “Oh, Bali it is” LMAO, and let’s act like everyone In the story already has their driver's license☝🏻, OH, and play your sad playlist from day 3 until the end of day 4 for a better experience😋😋😋

You and Gunwook have known each other for basically your whole life, things were okay between the two of you up until the first year of middle school, at first, the two of you drifted from each other, he joined the soccer club, giving him a new group of friends, while you have your own, but the two of you have gotten a little competitive with each other, academically, creatively, or just generally.

There had never been a single day where the two of you didn't bicker with each other, now that is if you guys even talk with one another, other days are just filled with your own life, no interactions what so ever.

You’d be lying if you said that there has never been a day where you weren’t sad that your friendship with Gunwook changed so drastically in a snap of a finger, but that was way back during middle school, it’s safe to say that you’ve learned to accept it.

────────────

“UGH, Y/N WHAT IS TAKING SO LONG?” Your best friend Yunjin asked on the phone “Girl, I’m right behind your car,” you said as you rolled your eyes before hanging up the phone and opening the door of Yunjin’s car.

“Oh, HEY BAE! I’m so excited about this trip, I can’t wait to finally have some days off from these assignments” Yunjin laughs as she starts her car and drives away from your house “Is everyone on their way to the airport yet?” you asked “yup, they’re on their way” she smiled. The one-hour drive to the airport was filled with laughter and screams as your favorite songs played on the Bluetooth.

As both of you arrived at the airport, you noticed that your other friends had also arrived, Gyuvin, Ricky, Matthew, Sheon, Winter, and…Gunwook!?

“Yunjin???” You stopped in your tracks the second you saw Gunwook standing with the other guys in the waiting room “Huh? What?” “You didn’t tell me Gunwook will be coming?” You spoke out, a little frustrated from the sudden news “Oh…see, because I knew you wouldn’t wanna come if you knew that Gunwook was coming, so I didn't tell you about that, sorry..” she laughed nervously “You should’ve told me? Now I’ll have to deal with his ass for the rest of the week, this is not any better than 50 assignments, JENNIFER.” “WOAH, you even brought up my English name and all, MY BAD?!?!?!” “Whatever” You shrugged, continuing your path to the waiting room to meet with the others.

Let’s all be honest, we all know the nonchalant face you have while you walk over there was all an act, you hated the fact that you’ll have to put up with him, but you don’t wanna seem like a sensitive no fun loser in front of him, that’ll just give him more reasons to tease you.

“Y/N!!! YUNJIN!!!” The girls shouted in excitement, their faces were occupied with bright smiles as they ran to hug you and Yunjin, while the guys just smiled and waved before continuing their conversation.

After an hour or two, the plane has finally boarded. You sat down with Yunjin, Winter sat down with Sheon, Ricky sat down with Matthew, and Gyuvin sat down with Gunwook, unfortunately, their seat was behind yours and Yunjin’s.

“Hey, Y/n, lend me your phone real quick” Gyuvin reached out his hands while tapping your shoulders “For what?” you asked confused by his sudden request “I need to search for something, my battery died” he responded. You handed him the phone, a little concerned, but what is he gonna do anyways?

After a few minutes, he returned your phone, the second you opened your gallery, it was filled with silly selfies that Gyuvin and Gunwook had taken, “Was your battery even out?” you looked back to him “Nope” he chuckled while scrolling thru his phone.

A few hours have passed, and the 8 of you have finally arrived at your destination, Bali! You and your friends used the car that you guys rented to go to the Villa you’re staying at for the week, entering the car, Gunwook sat in the driver’s seat while the others were in the passenger’s seat. “You’re driving?…” You asked a little concerned “Yeah? I’m a good driver, trust” he laughed, putting on the seatbelt before driving “If I die, I swear to god Gunwook I’ll be keeping you awake for the rest of your life” “Go on” he replied nonchalantly while he starts driving.

“Can someone put on some music? It’s kinda quiet in here” Ricky sighed “Ooooo yes! I have the perfect playlist for this” Winter responded, pulling out her phone to open an app. Once again, the drive to the villa was filled with laughs and screams as your favorite songs played on the Bluetooth.

{ Section 1 - The trip! }

- Day 1

☆ 3.45 PM

When you arrived at the villa, you were happy to be there of course, but you were a bit too drained to join the others talking in the living room, so you decided to excuse yourself to your bedroom, “Guys, I'm gonna go clean up and rest for a bit, I’ll join you guys later on” You smiled, taking your bags with you to the bedroom.

You took a deep breath while you lay down on the bed, the room was cold, and the glass wall with the glass door in front of your bed led to a balcony, which showed a view of the pool in the backyard and the beach behind it have given you the best atmosphere ever.

You get up from your bed to go to the bathroom inside of your bedroom, removing your make-up before getting into the shower. You were drowned in the warmth of the shower, and the sudden rush of freshness yet comfort took over your tired body, finally waking you up for reality, the good thing is, you’re out on a trip with your friends, the bad thing is, one of the ‘friends’ is Gunwook.

After your warm shower, you go back to your room and change into something more comfortable before plopping yourself onto the bed and scrolling down on your phone. Without noticing, scrolling down on your phone has slowly drifted you to sleep.

☆ 5.40 PM

You woke up from your nap due to someone softly shaking you “Huh?” you said confused “God, you’re finally awake, get up, we’re gonna go get dinner,” Gunwook said while opening the curtains “Let me sleep in for another 5 minutes” you groaned, putting a pillow over your head “Fine, I only woke you up because everyone else is already getting ready, if we leave you then don’t blame it on me” he shrugged, leaving your bedroom and shutting the doors “Ughhhh, fine I’ll get up” you whined tiredly, sitting down on your bed to gather up your sober self first.

After getting ready, You went out of your bedroom to see that everyone else was sitting down in the living room while waiting for you “Oh my god, took you long enough” Sheon complained, standing up from the couch “I was taking a nap” you laughed “Okay okay, C’mon, we don’t have much time” Matthew spoke out while taking the car keys on the table.

☆ 7.05 PM

“I’m sitting beside you?” Gunwook said unhappily while turning off his phone “If it was my choice, I’d be sitting at a different table from you, so if you want to complain, don’t say it to me” You rolled your eyes “Can you guys not argue for once?” Yunjin asked while looking at the both of you up and down “No” the both of you replied at the same time “Suit yourself” she sighed.

“Gunwook, lend me that spoon,” you said while pointing at the spoon beside him “Take it yourself” he replied “Bitch?” “I’m kidding” he laughed, giving you a gentle push on the shoulders before handing you the spoon “Thanks” you smiled sarcastically.

The breezy air at night on the beach has given the restaurant such a cozy vibe, the most surprising thing, is that you still feel comfortable in there even when you’re sitting next to the person you hate the most.

The warm delicate food filled your and your friend’s stomachs in the best way possible, it’s safe to say that the dinner went smoothly!

☆ 11.55 PM

After a long tiring night, good sleep is all that you need, when you’ve arrived at your villa, you cleaned yourself up and went straight to bed.

- Day 2

☆ 7.30 AM

You wake up from your slumber, and a glimpse of the sun shines through the curtains blinding your eyes “That’s bright” you say in your sleepy voice.

You got out of bed and washed your face before exiting your bedroom, You were greeted by Gunwook who was making himself some breakfast “A lion’s out of her cage” he said teasingly “Shut up” you said quietly “Where is everyone else?” “They’re still asleep, why are you awake so early always?” he asked “I don’t know. My body just decided to wake up” You laid down on the couch, eyes still sleepy “Cool, get off I wanna sit down” Gunwook declared while holding a plate of food “No? Sit down on the ground” He clicked his tongue before pulling you out of the couch “You’re so annoying” You groaned, getting up from the ground and walking to the kitchen “If I’m annoying then you should go and check out what’s wrong with you” he scoffed as he searched for some shows to watch on the TV.

“Why are you guys so loud? It’s too early for this” Gyuvin got out of his room, hair messy and face sleepy “If your friend isn’t so bitchy, we wouldn’t be so loud” You said while slowly taking a glance at Gunwook “C’mon, he’s your friend too Y/n” Gyuvin laughed “No he’s not?” “No I’m not?” Both of you said in sync “Oh!” Gyuvin reacted “I tried, I’m going back to sleep” He entered his room and shut the door.

☆ 9.15 AM

Finally, everyone is awake! The 8 of you guys sat down together in the backyard of the villa, having random conversations while drinking some fresh beverages.

You guys spent the rest of the day out shopping and hunting for some traditional food, and of course, you guys had to visit the beach and experience the beauty there.

☆ 10.30 PM

The day has passed and it’s finally nighttime, you and your friends sat around a bonfire while having deep conversations, silly conversations, stupid conversations, and even drunk confessions on a sober brain. At this moment of the day, all 8 of you have grown to connect more, the bond between all of you has grown to be stronger than before, and what’s most important, is that all of you understand each other more, as shocking as this will sound, you and Gunwook have somehow slowly understood each other more, no, that doesn’t break the hatred you both have for each other, but it delivered the both of you some understanding

“Oh c’mon Ricky that’s such a dumb confession” Sheon scoffed “What? I literally just confessed my love for strawberries to you guys?” “Yeah, and we know about that already you dumbass” Winter chuckled “Hmmm, Gunwook, how bout you? Do you have any confessions?” Matthew asked, “Maybe about how you’re able to achieve the title of ‘best student award’ every year?” he chuckled “Oh..honestly, I think I just grew up with my parents having to force my academic scores to be high, even with the titles that I’ve gotten these past few years, they’re still not satisfied” he lets out a soft chuckle, a forced one for sure, “But you’re always first in class? Let alone class, our whole grade?!” Gyuvin spoke out shocked by Gunwook’s confession “It’s hard to satisfy them, dude, but it’s fine, really, I’ve already grown to accept it” he laughed

“Y/n, you good? Why are you so quiet?” Yunjin asked concerned “Hm? Yeah, I’m good, I’m just a little tired” You smiled “If you’re tired you can just go back inside and sleep, it’s getting late anyways!” Sheon mentioned while checking the time on her phone “No no, it’s okay, I’ll stay” “Just sleep, if you stay you’ll just end up falling asleep” Gunwook said teasingly yet softly at the same time “You know what guys, I’m also getting a little tired, let’s end today and go to sleep” Winter stood up while taking her stuff “Okayy, good night guys” Yunjin enunciated and everyone went back inside to their own bedrooms.

There’s something about that conversation keeping you up that night, you asked yourself “Am I just over-sensitive? Or am I just jealous?” while staring up at the dark ceiling of the bedroom. Ever since your rivalry with Gunwook started in middle school, You grew up with this pressure in your heart, constantly telling yourself to just..be better than him. You’ve always been compared to him, even by your parents, as much as you work for something. Your achievement can never be better than Gunwook’s, he’s first in class, so why are you always second? You work equally just as hard as him? And if you finally beat Gunwook on something, people would still have their focus on Gunwook, Okay?! He’s the popular smart soccer player in school that everybody has a crush on, but all you’ve ever asked for is to be appreciated.

“This is dumb” you sighed, holding back tears and putting a blanket over your body, letting yourself fall asleep.

- Day 3

☆ 9.15 AM

“Hey you seem like you’re in a bad mood, what’s wrong?” Gyuvin asked you “Nothing’s wrong? Just still a little sleepy, you know?” “I see, well if you’re really that tired just go back to sleep, we don’t have anything to do yet anyway,” he said while scrolling through his phone.

“Hey, y/n, come here!” Yunjin shouted from the kitchen “Coming!” you walked over to the kitchen “Help me make some cookies” she laughed “Call for Gunwook too, I need him to help prepare the ingredients” “Okay, hold up” you smiled, walking yourself to Gunwook’s room before knocking on his door “Come in” he shouted “Yunjin wants you to help her prepare some ingredients for making cookies, c’mon” you leaned over the door frame “Fine, give me a minute”

You went back downstairs and after a few minutes of waiting, Gunwook finally came down to help “What do you need help with?” he asked “Can you take the bowl on the top shelf?” “Yeah, hold on” he answered, reaching up for the bowl with such ease.

The baking session for the three of you was interesting, You guys honestly made a big mess and Gunwook kept on putting flour on your face, but the cookies turned out pretty good so you couldn’t even complain about it.

☆ 00.40 AM

The day ended, and everybody was asleep, but yet again, something was bothering you, you hated it, you hated having that weird burden inside of you. The worst part of it is that you know this is all because of your jealousy toward Gunwook, you didn’t want to be jealous of him, but you were.

You decided that you needed something to drink, so you went out of your bedroom to get something from the kitchen, but the sight of Gunwook sitting down on one of the chairs on the kitchen’s aisle stopped you, you hesitated, but you went for it.

You tried your best to avoid eye contact with him while taking some water from the dispenser, but knowing that he was looking at you made it hard for you to not look at him back.

“Hey, Gunwook..” You sighed “I’ve tried to keep this to myself, but sometimes it’s so hard to act as if I don't hold anything against you but I do.” you scoffed “Y/n” he spoke out with a low tone “Look, I’m sorry that your parents have put so much pressure on you, I’m sorry that it’s hard for you to satisfy them, but do you always have to steal every single fucking thing from me Gunwook?” “What?” he scoffed “What is it that I have stolen from you, huh? Everything they’ve pressured me to do is all because of YOU, y/n.” “You don’t understand Gunwook, All these years, you’ve been number one, constantly, number one, number one, and number one, and where am I? What place am I entitled to? Second. All this time I’ve lost to you, all attention is on you, all of the pride goes to you Gunwook. Oh, look! Park gunwook! The best student in the school huh? And then there's Me, Y/n, the student who studies day and night just to be a tutor for lacking students without being appreciated at all. You know my parents loved you like their son Gunwook, maybe you don’t notice this but I grew up being compared to you and it isn’t fair?! You’ve stolen everything from me, the least you can spare for me is just to let me make my parents proud, wook..” Each word gets louder and louder from all the rage you’ve held.

Pushing his shoulders with your fingers on every sentence to express your anger, Gunwook stood there listening to your rage, before he took a deep breath

“Look, I wasn’t trying to hurt you Y/n and I’m sorry if I did, but I never stole your chance of making your parents proud, I’m sure they’re proud of you but let me say this. You might think I’ve accomplished something by taking first place all the time, but trust me I never reached my goal. If being first can make your parents proud then take the place y/n, because as much as I try, my parents will never appreciate me for it, so even if I’m first, we’re equal aren’t we? I’m first yet the person I try to satisfy has nothing to say about it, you’re second and no one appreciates you for it, right? Loss and loss. Being first and second won’t make a change for me y/n, so if you want appreciation from people, take my place. I might have people mentioning me for it but all I need is for my parents to say the things THEY did, so take everything.”

Gunwook wanted to be mad at you, he wanted to shout at you, but he couldn’t. All the rage that you’ve held against him, he’s held the same amount, yet he can’t make himself shout at you, even with the biggest desire, his voice just couldn’t come out.

“Sometimes I wished our parents weren’t friends, maybe that way we wouldn’t get to each other’s ways like this,” you said, holding back pools of tears

“I wished for the same thing, trust me I did”

Holding back tears had been the hardest thing to do the whole night, and at this point, you couldn’t hold it in any longer, so you rushed to your bedroom, leaving Gunwook standing alone.

☆ 7.15 AM

“Y/n, wake up, let’s get breakfast!” Winter shouted while knocking on your locked door “I’m awake, give me a minute” you shouted back “Woah, you’re awake early” she laughed.

Of course you were awake early, you didn’t even sleep, did you? You let your emotions take over you, and you feel good after letting them out but there are some regrets wandering around.

- Day 4

☆ 7.30 AM

After quickly cleaning up, you went out of your room wearing something simple like shorts and a T-shirt, as the eight of you were just going somewhere nearby for breakfast.

“Oh, y/n come sit here” Yunjin tapped on the space beside her on the couch, signing you to sit beside her, but you saw that Gunwook was sitting on the other side of the couch, and you didn’t feel like seeing him so you sat down on the kitchen counter “Why are you sitting so far away? Just sit here?” Sheon questioned, “Because, why not?..” you laughed awkwardly, Gunwook turned his head from his phone to your direction, but he didn't say anything, his face was straight, and the burden that you felt was probably the same for Gunwook. “C’mon, I’m hungry” Ricky spoke out while rolling the sleeves of his button up.

☆ 8.05 AM

After waiting for the food, your orders finally came, you sat beside Sheon while Gunwook was in the seat in front of you, was it a good sitting, no, but was it a better option than having to sit beside him? YES.

As your orders finally arrived, you reached your hands to take the bottle of sauce on the table, when your hands touched the bottle, you felt Gunwook’s hand on top of yours, also trying to take the sauce, “Oh, sorry, you take it” the both of you said at the same time “No, no it’s fine, Gunwook you take it” “Nah, I’ll take it after you” “Gunwook, just take it.” you laughed awkwardly “Won’t you wanna be first for once? You know, I can’t be the first one all the time, right?” “Oh? You know, maybe when you decide to take that sauce first your parents will be pro-” “OKAAAYYYY, I’m taking the sauce, thanks guys” Matthew cuts off your sentence before you can continue any further “What in the world is going on with the two of you” Ricky asked “Sorry” You quietly said to Gunwook.

☆ 10.15 AM

What is a better way to relax with your friends in Bali other than going to the beach? The sensation of having a filled stomach made you and your friends too lazy to do activities that exert too much energy, so the eight of you went to the beach behind your villa to relax.

As your friends were playing with the water, Gunwook accidentally splashed water onto your body, of course, it wasn’t a big deal, but because it was Gunwook who did it, you rolled your eyes as a reflex. Although you didn’t want to ruin the fun for other people, you decided to ignore him and continue with what you were doing.

“What is it with the two of you?” Sheon asked while looking your way “What do you mean?” “God, forget it” she sighed.

It reached the point where you and Gunwook could not stop getting passive-aggressive toward each other, almost starting a fight, or even having small fights here and there. Some examples of the other times you guys fought that day was when you went to a tourist attraction a couple of hours after going to the beach.

You were just walking around the streets of the area, and Gunwook suddenly pushed you with his shoulders by ‘accident’, “Can you not?” you said frustrated by his action “What? It was an accident?” he scoffed, continuing his walk like nothing even happened.

Or maybe when the eight of you had finally gone home to the villa after a long day, and as you guys were sitting down on the couch, you and Gunwook would bicker here and there, it was a small fight at first but then it got annoying to the others.

☆ 6.45 PM

“What is it with the two of you, stop,” Yunjin spoke out in the middle of your and Gunwook’s quarrel, her voice close to shouting “You two were just fine yesterday, what happened?” she sighed.

You and Gunwook stayed silent. It was a normal thing for you guys to fight, it was weirder for you guys to get along rather than fight every single day, but that’s the problem. The two of you got along, well, kind of, but before the fight you two had last night, everything was fine, you guys can last a day without having to fight each other, and even have conversations to keep up with each other’s life after a while, but the two of you were stubborn, you both realized that, but being the stubborn person you two are, none of you wanted to admit it.

“You know, you guys just need to stop being so stubborn?” Winter said softly, her eyes still focused on his phone “You guys continue doing your thing, I’m gonna get cleaned up” Gyuvin stood up from the couch, stretching his body before heading to his bedroom.

☆ 9.01 PM

You were sitting down on the patio swing in the backyard of your Villa, drowning yourself in thoughts as you stared at the view. Without noticing, a tear fell from your eye as you were thinking about everything that had been overwhelming you these past few days.

You quickly wiped off your tears when you heard the backyard door opening, showing Gunwook’s figure walking to the swing that you were on, “Can I sit beside you?” he asked coldly, you nodded your head, signing that it was okay for him to sit beside you. Gunwook placed himself on the other corner of the swing, both of your eyes were fixed on the view of the backyard with no one brave enough to make an eye contact.

“Can I be honest?” Gunwook requested “Yeah, go on” “Remember in 5th grade when we’d have sleepovers at your place or my place with our other friends? when we played games together, we’d always end up on the same team, winning every single round?” “Mhm” you slightly smiled “Or, maybe we were against each other in some games, but if one of us wins, we’d give each other a hug while saying good job?” he laughed “Of course I remember” “Y/n, we were always so proud of each other back then, so why can’t we do that now? I don't know how it is for you, but having that pressure inside of me all the time because of the constant competitiveness we have toward each other is slowly killing me.” He said calmly while playing with his fingers. Once again, you were holding back tears, “Gunwook..” You said speechless, “These past few years, all that we’ve been doing is just working so hard for a title, a title that can make our parents proud of us, that was our promise right? But we got too competitive. If no one will be proud of us, then let’s just be proud of each other Y/n.”

The last few words that Gunwook said in his sentence were able to let all of your tears lose, you’ve tried your hardest to hold back the tears but they couldn’t stay, even when you were already crying, the tears just couldn’t stop, could it?

“Stop crying, you look stupid” Gunwook chuckled and pushed you gently, trying to make you feel annoyed rather than sad “Shut up” You laughed while tears were still falling “All jokes aside, I’m sorry, yeah?” he pats your shoulders “I’m sorry wook” You sobbed.

Who would’ve known? Who would’ve known that you and your childhood friend would finally apologize to each other sincerely on a trip where you didn’t even want him to come on?

Guess the world has its ways.

- Day 5

☆ 8.00 AM

You got up from your bed to exit your bedroom, seeing Sheon, Yunjin, Gyuvin, Ricky, and Gunwook sitting down on the couch in the living room “The sloth is awake” Gunwook teased “Yeah, good morning to you too Gunwook” you said sarcastically before sitting down next to Gunwook on the couch “Ya’ll good now?” Yunjin asked confused “Yeah, what happened to the fighting? I was enjoying the drama” Gyuvin yawned.

You and Gunwook just laughed, not agreeing but not denying their words as you looked at each other. What Gunwook said last night was right, what’s the point of hating each other when you have the same goals? It’s only better to support each other.

“Oh my god, you’re not denying?” Sheon gasped “Why are you so shocked?” you laughed “I can sleep in peace” Ricky cheered, this was the moment that all your friends had waited for, something as simple as ‘stop being so stubborn to each other’ took you and Gunwook ages to do, It’s about time to try and do so.

“Gyuvin, wake the others up, let’s go out” Yunjin smiled “Me? Why me?” he groaned “Because you’re the most energetic right now?” “Whatever” he sighed, getting up from the couch before walking to the other’s room.

The rest of the day went great, you and your friends had fun, enjoying the sky, the activities, the air, and of course the view. What made it even better is that you get to experience all of this with your friends, and most importantly, someone you can now call your childhood friend and not your enemy.

☆ 7.15 PM

It was now dinner time and you sat beside Gunwook in the restaurant. Jazz music and dim lights give a certain vibe to the dinner table, camera lights flashing from the number of pictures taken of each other, you looked at Gunwook, confused about what to order “I seriously don’t know what to order, I’m not even hungry yet” you sighed “Well, you still have to order something? This looks good” he said while pointing to one of the dishes stated on the menu.

While waiting for the food to arrive, the long day that you’ve had that day has made you feel drowsy, you place your head onto your arms on the table, close your eyes, and fall asleep. When you wake up, you see that Gunwook’s jacket is wrapped around your body to prevent you from getting cold, you sit down properly, taking the jacket to give it back to Gunwook, “Thanks” you smile, leaning your head on his shoulders from still being tired.

You hesitated to do that at first, but when you finally placed your head on his shoulders, it gave you peace, nothing feels weird when it comes to physical touch with him because of the memories you’ve shared since childhood, but it seems like you’ve forgotten about that before you rested your head.

“No problem” Gunwook smiled, patting your shoulders in response. As you had your conversations with Gunwook with your head on his shoulders, Yunjin, who sat in front of you, secretly took a picture of the two of you, capturing a beautiful memory that will last a life time.

☆ 11.45 PM

Coming home to the villa from dinner with a happy stomach, you immediately got cleaned up and went to bed, preparing yourself for the upcoming days.

- Day 6

The trip with your friends is nearing an end, so the eight of you spend the remaining moments walking around Bali, shopping, going to the beach, eating some more traditional foods, and learning more about the culture.

Spending the whole day out with different activities was a lot of fun, but it drained all of your energy by the end of the day. When you all went home to the Villa, you guys spent more time talking and ordering food before heading to bed.

☆ 00.40 AM

You were lying down on your bed while scrolling through your phone before hearing a knock on the door. When you opened the door, you saw Gunwook standing with his hoodie, shorts, and glasses, “Need anything?” you ask “Yeah, I’m bored” he sighed “So? What should we do?” “I have some ideas” he smiled, pulling your hands gently to follow his lead.

The two of you ran to the car that you guys rented on day one, “Where are we going?” you asked confused “Anywhere, just get in the car” he laughed. As he starts the car, he sets up his phone to put some music on the Bluetooth, giving a fun vibe to the moment.

Gunwook drove around the empty streets with the car, blasting music with the windows down for the wind to enter.

Suddenly, Gunwook stopped the car on the beach, the lonely beach was illuminated by the moon’s grace. The two of you sat down on a bench inside the beach, it was silent, the only noise filling the space between the two of you was from the waves in the ocean, but that was what made it beautiful, the silence wasn’t awkward, it was far from awkward, the silence connected the two hearts and the two souls.

“Hey, Gunwook” You looked at him “Hm?” “I’ve had a lot of fun, thanks” You smiled, and Gunwook gave you a sweet look, his eyes filled with genuine Awe before he wrapped his arms around your shoulders “My pleasure, y/n” he laughed, ruffling your hair till it was messy.

You spent your time at the beach walking around while having deep talks, writing your names on the sand, and chasing each other around. The amount of fun you had that night was unexplainable, believe it or not, you were glad you spent the night with Gunwook at the beach while opening up to each other.

“It’s late, we should go back to the Villa” Gunwook declared while checking the time on his phone “You’re right, let’s go” you replied, walking back to the car with Gunwook to head back.

☆ 2.18 AM

“Thanks again, I had fun!” you tiptoed to give Gunwook a pat on the head in front of your room “No need to thank me, Good night, sleep well” he laughed, giving you a short hug before heading to his room, the hug was warm, it gave you all the comfort you’ve ever needed.

The hug was short, but it stayed in your mind the whole night, it’s just odd to think that you and your childhood friend have finally fixed your friendship after years, but you’ve grown to love it

-Day 7

☆ 10.00 AM

Packed and ready, you and your friends finally went to the airport to end the trip. All eight of you felt a little sad to leave Bali, but there will always be another time to come back.

“Here, let me help you with that,” Gunwook said while taking your bag “You don’t need to” “I know, but I want to” he smiled, carrying your bag and his bag.

There were a lot of ups and downs during the trip, but it was great to end it on good terms.

In the airplane, your seat was beside Gunwook’s, if it was the first day of the trip, you would’ve complained and asked one of your friends to switch seats, but it isn’t the first day, so it’s safe to say that you were quite happy with the sitting.

You’d often fall asleep and wake up with your head on his shoulders, and sometimes your arms would be intertwined with his.

Other parts of the flight would be filled with your silly conversations with Gunwook, and some more catch-ups during the few years.

{ Section 2: Trip’s aftermath! }

After the trip, you and Gunwook would often hang out at school during breaks, and even hang out after school, some people were confused because of the sudden change of behavior between the two of you, and some of them were even jealous of you.

Gunwook would often come over to your house during his free time when the two of you were bored and had nothing to do.

One week after the trip the eight of you had to Bali, school unfortunately started and you had to continue your routine of studying all the time. You and Gunwook were assigned as pairs for a project, so you decided to come to your house to finish it.

“Gunwook?!” Your sister Amaya shouted from the living room when she saw Gunwook standing by the door “May?” he smiled “I haven’t seen you in ages!!” Amaya laughs, running to Gunwook’s open arms “How old are you now?” Gunwook asked as he let go of the hug “I’m ten now” she smiled, showing a shocked expression on Gunwook’s face “Weren’t you like five when I last saw you?” “Well, it has been a couple of years” “Okay you two, Amaya you can talk to your long-lost brother after we finish this project, and Gunwook you can also talk to your long-lost sister after we finish this project, okay?” You chuckled, patting your sister’s head softly “Okay sis, bye-bye Gunwook!” she smiled.

Considering you and Gunwook have known each other since birth, Gunwook has also been familiar with your sister ever since she was born, when your parents were out together, Gunwook and you would often take care of Amaya back then, but it stopped ever since your rivalry started with him, and Amaya missed Gunwook for a while, he was like a brother to her.

The project was a pretty big one, and the deadline was still in a couple of weeks, so you and Gunwook decided to only research things for the project today and continue the main thing on the other meets. When Gunwook exited your room, he saw Amaya sitting down on the couch “Amaya, I’ll be heading home okay!!” he said “Okay!! Please visit more” she replied with a smile “I will!!”

When Gunwook and you reached the front door, Gunwook bid his goodbyes by hugging you before entering his car, closing the doors, and driving away.

☆ 2.35 AM

Ever since you were young, you’d often get nightmares here and there, some of them aren’t that scary, but some of them are capable of keeping you awake the whole night, and in this case, it kept you up all night.

Your parents are on a business trip and your sister is already asleep, you are shivering and scared beneath your sheets, unable to move a single muscle due to the fear you have. The only thing within reachable distance was your phone, you thought of someone who could accompany you, but nobody came to mind, but there was one person who lives near you, and who you also feel comfortable with, Park Gunwook.

You took your phone, dialing his number with a heavy breath and panicked state. It took some time for him to answer, his voice tired and low, signaling that he was long asleep before you called him, “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked when he heard your heavy breathing “Gunwook, I can’t sleep” You replied slowly as your words were cut off by your breathing “Oh is it your nightmares again? Calm down, you’re okay, give me a couple of minutes and I’ll be there” he spoke out, you could hear the rustling from his bed when he hurriedly stood up to put on his hoodie.

“I’m not gonna hang up, so just lay down and scroll through your phone, I won’t take long” he comforted you while starting his car, driving through the empty streets at midnight for you.

After a few minutes passed by, you heard the passcode from your door getting unlocked, and as you were about to panic, you heard Gunwook’s voice through the phone “It’s me, don’t panic, I’ll hang up now” he enunciates

Your bedroom door opened, revealing Gunwook with his Hoodie and his shorts, accompanied by his glasses and messy hair, he walked over to you, pulling you into a comforting hug “You’re okay y/n, you’re okay” he chuckled, placing soft rubs on your head with the hug “Stop laughing” you whined “I just find it funny how you’re still scared of your nightmares, I remember having to comfort you all night during our sleepover when we were kids” he conveyed “Sorry for bothering you, It’s late” You sighed “It’s fine, I understand” he smiled.

Gunwook ended up staying the night at your place because it was also too late for him to drive back and he was tired….and you were also still scared.

A few days passed and Gunwook came over to your house after school again for you guys to finish the project.

When the two of you were taking a break, you both laid down on the bed, bored and hungry, “I’m hungry” you sighed “Same, any food downstairs?” Gunwook asked, “Nah, you wanna order something?” “Yeah, sure” he smiled, sitting down on the bed to stretch his body.

When the food arrived, you and Gunwook ate your meals while watching the series that the two of you started together.

You worked on the project until it was late at night. When the clock struck 11.30 PM, you and Gunwook had finally finished half of the project, raining the room with happiness and relief, both of you cheered and gave each other a high five before Gunwook lifted you in a hug to spin you around, making you shout “Okay okay! Put me down” you laughed “I’ll get going now, sleep well, call me if you get more nightmares” he smiled, quickly patting your head before leaving your house.

You went back into your bedroom, lying down and smiling to yourself from all the butterflies in your stomach, “Stop why do I feel like this, am I going insane” you laughed awkwardly, obviously denying the truth.

“Hey Amaya, Gunwook is coming over again for our project, so don’t be too loud, okay?” You smiled “You know me, I’m never loud! And, is he your boyfriend yet?” she giggles “What kind of question is that?” “Oh, I know you’ve been giggling about him, sis!” “In your dreams? Go back to your bedroom.” you scoffed before hearing a knock on your front door, Amaya shrugged her shoulders and sprinted to her room, leaving you alone to open the door.

When you opened the door, you saw Gunwook standing with a bag of food “So we won't have to order food again, I got us some food on the way here” he smiled “Thanks, Gunwook” you laughed, ruffling his hair while you tiptoe.

Okay let's be clear, your feelings are there, it's obvious to you that you like him, but you’re in denial. Why? Because falling in love with your childhood friend who then turned into your enemy, then your best friend feels a little…odd? You keep on questioning yourself ‘What is he gonna think about me?’ What image would he have on you if he figures out that you are quite literally in love with him? Is the friendship gonna end again? Or will it be a good ending?

But during your daily overthinking session, Gunwook suddenly texted you

Gunwook: Hey, let’s go somewhere, I’m bored

You: Sure, what time?

Gunwook: I’ll pick you up by 6, get ready

You: Okayyyy

You didn’t even know where you were gonna go, but it was an automatic response for you to say yes when he asked you to go somewhere, you didn’t even hesitate.

You wore an outfit that matched the weather outside, the outfit fits you well, starting from how the colors blend into your shade well, to how nicely fitted the clothes are with your body shape.

After getting ready, you checked and saw that the clock had reached 6 PM. Right when you realize, you feel your phone buzzing, showing an incoming call from Gunwook.

“I’m downstairs” his voice was heard from the phone “Gimme a minute” you replied, spraying yourself with perfume before going downstairs to his car.

As you entered his car, he wore an outfit that matched yours perfectly, making the two of you look like an inseparable couple. “Hey, we’re matching” Gunwook laughed, ruffling your hair in adorance “I know right, what a coincidence” you replied, a bright smile plastered across your face.

Gunwook started to drive his car, and you arrived at a park filled with cute restaurants and cafes. The area was lively, it was surrounded by flowers and nature, giving you a fresh yet graceful atmosphere.

Turned out, Gunwook had already booked a seat in one of the restaurants for the two of you, he chose the semi-outdoor restaurant, the walls covering you were all glass and the interior had a lot of greens, there was even a fountain on the center of the restaurant.

Because the wall and the ceiling were glass, the moonlight from above shined through the glass, with all of the beautiful things surrounding you, like nature, the moonlight, the small candle in the center of the table, and most importantly, Park Gunwook, you felt safe and comfortable.

When your meals arrived, Gunwook fed you some of his dish, smiling at your puffed cheeks while you munched on the food he fed you.

Eating and having silly talks with him definitely filled up your stomach, but there’s always enough space for ice cream.

While the two of you walked by the park to the nearest ice cream shop, he pointed at the stars, while you stared at the beautiful sight of the star, he was also starting at a beautiful sight, you.

“Wait here, I’ll buy us the ice cream,” he declared, pointing at the bench near the ice cream shop, you nodded, not thinking much about it. While waiting for Gunwook to come back with the ice cream, you spent your time on your phone, scrolling through endless contents, before noticing that it had been sometime after Gunwook left.

You were just about to text him before you felt someone’s finger tap your shoulder. You saw Gunwook standing there with a smile, holding two cups of ice cream…a stuffed animal and…flowers?

“Sorry if that took a little long” he chuckled, giving you the cup of ice cream “Oh, and here’s one more thing” he smiled, handing the bouquet filled with roses, “The sudden bouquet? What’s going on?” you looked at him suspiciously, “I think you missed the note inside there, read it” he laughs “Hold on” you sighed, taking out the note before quietly reading it.

‘Okay y/n, I know you hate bullshits so let me just get to the point HAHA, after the trip we had to Bali, we fixed our friendship and we were able to catch up with each other, and when school started again, we were paired up for the project, and from all those days I’ve spent at your house, I would find myself constantly thinking about you when I’m at home, even somehow missing your annoying ass the second I drove away from your house. Yeah yeah cringe whatever, but I like you, and it’s not something that I can control, thank you for understanding me, thank you for keeping up with me, so, will you Take a chance with me?’

You gasped the second you finished the letter and realized that Gunwook felt the same way as you. You faced him, holding back a stupid amount of tears after being relieved that he wouldn't think you’re insane, and also because it got to you, the guy you grew up with, the guy who was always there for you, but also the guy who you hate, the guy who you can't spend a single day with ever since middle school, fell for you, and you fell for him? The long years you’ve spent together, thinking that you will have no feelings for each other at all.

You laughed, feeling tears coming out of your eyes “This is so dumb, why am I crying” you whined, standing up from the bench to walk into Gunwook’s opened arms “Yeah, why are you crying?” he laughed, brushing soft strokes on your hair while he hugs you.

After taking a moment to let go of your tears, you took a breath, stepping out of Gunwook’s hug, still sniffling after crying “Sorry, your shirt is kinda wet now” you giggled “It’s been through worse” he smiled “And, yes, I'll take a chance with you, Gunwook” you looked at him, his face filled with mixed expression, you can tell that he was shocked, but you can also tell that he was happy about it “Seriously?” “Yeah” “You’re not joking?” “I’m serious,” you said, Gunwook hurriedly hugged you once again, lifting you while spinning you around “Thank you” he whispered while he slowly put you down.

You and Gunwook continued your time at the park while intertwining your fingers together, the two of you look like an inseparable couple, and you most definitely are an inseparable couple from now.

Even when he was driving you home, he drove with one hand, the other one holding yours as his eyes were focused on the road. You felt comfortable, so comfortable, to the point where you fell asleep in the car with your hand in his.

The end of the day had come, and it's safe to say that it’s been such a rollercoaster that day, but overall, it ended with the best thing you can ever ask for, you can call him yours from now on.

The two of you stood in front of your door on your front porch, before you entered your house, you hesitated for a good fifteen seconds before giving him a quick peck on the lips, his face was frozen, let alone his face, his whole body was frozen, and you were about to enter your house before he pulled you in for another kiss, one hand is placed around your back, and the other supporting your chin, you can feel the slight curve forming from his lips, expressing his happiness to be yours.

When you’ve gotten cleaned up, you lie down on your bed, rolling around and throwing pillows across your room, clearly flustered from what just happened.

You hug the stuffed animals that he gave you, falling asleep with his scent that’s stuck on the item you’re hugging.

You’ve never had a better sleep than that night.

{ Section 3: So…we’re a thing now? }

You and Gunwook would try to keep your relationship from your friends, but it seems like they just naturally figured it out by themselves.

Gyuvin and Ricky caught Gunwook kissing your cheeks once, and the others just assumed that you guys were dating.

☆ 3.15 PM

The eight of you were studying at a cafe together, preparing for the upcoming exam. You sighed, scrolling through the pointers on your laptop, overwhelmed by all of the things you have to prepare for, “You okay?” Gunwook, who sat beside you, asked you when he noticed your expression “Mhm” you nod, placing your head on his shoulders, “Cool, yeah, cute, get a room” Gyuvin sighed, earning a laugh from the rest of you.

It’s been a week since you and Gunwook started dating, this is all so new for both of you, so you’re taking the time to adjust, although Gunwook has been treating you in the best way possible, and there weren’t any awkward moments between the two of you.

There’s this one time when a junior went up to Gunwook while the two of you were walking together in the school’s hallway, and started to try and have a conversation with him, even asking for his number. Gunwook was a nice person so he kept up with the conversation, but when she asked for his number, he just smiled, holding your hands to give a code to the junior, she noticed the way your fingers were intertwined together, embarrassed yet sad, she walked away in defeat.

You continued scrolling through the pointers, taking notes of the topics that you didn’t quite understand yet. Even when your other friends were taking a break from studying, they’d order food and talk with each other, but your eyes and mind were still focused on your books and notes, panicked about failing the exam.

Gunwook was taking a sip of his drink while resting his back on the chair, keeping himself away from studying for a few minutes before coming back. He noticed you being so focused and stressed that your fingers were massaging the temple of your forehead, signaling the pressure.

He slid his plate of cookies to your side, also offering you his drink while rubbing your shoulders “Don’t think too much about it, you’ll do fine” he sighed, knowing that you were always the stubborn type when it comes to your grades “What if I don’t do well? What if my scores decrease?” you said panicked “At least take a break, yeah?” he replied, evidently worried about you “I will after I take notes of this slide, I promise” you smiled. He knew that you wouldn’t, he knew that you’d just continue studying without taking any breaks, but he also knew that forcing you wouldn’t make any changes, so he just sighed, taking another sip of his drink.

A few hours passed by and all of your friends had gone back to studying again after a few rounds of breaks, with no surprises, you hadn’t had a break at all, and the time was already showing 9.30 PM.

When Gunwook was revising his books and taking notes, he saw your head resting on the table with your eyes closed, he chuckled, finding you cute as you took a nap, but he also felt bad, because you’ve worked so hard the whole day while panicking about the exam until you didn’t get any rest. With some hesitation, he shook your body gently to wake you up, “Hm?” you spoke out tiredly “I’ll take you home, you need to rest,” he said softly, tucking your hair behind your ears “I’ll study for a bit more, please?” “No, you’re coming home.” he insists, his voice going firm to show his seriousness about his words “Fine” you yawned, knowing that you were tired anyway.

While he drives you home, he takes off his jacket to give it to you, giving you warmth and comfort so you can fall asleep again, which is exactly what you did.

When he was gonna drop you off on your front porch, you stopped in your tracks when you got out of the car, “Can you stay?” you asked “Hm?” “Stay for the night, Amaya’s having a sleepover at her friend’s and my parents are on another business trip, I’m uh..scared,” you said shyly, Gunwook staying over was a normal thing, it was never odd, it’s just that he’s always stayed as your friend, and not your boyfriend, “The clothes you left are still here, so…” “I’ll stay” he smiled “But you have to promise that you’re sleeping right away.” “I am, I promise”

After the both of you had gotten cleaned up, you both lay down on the bed in your PJs, you wrapped your body into the warmth of your blanket and Gunwook’s arm, falling asleep with his arms around you while his fingers played with your hair.

☆ 7.50 AM

As you woke up from your slumber, you felt an arm around your body, holding you close. You turned back your body to see Gunwook asleep, his hair covering parts of his eyes and his duck-like lips slightly parted.

The small ray of sun shining through the small opened space in between the window illuminated his facial features, without noticing, you found yourself staring at his beautiful face for a few seconds.

You were about to stand up from the bed, but your movement woke Gunwook up from his sleep. You faced your body towards him, giving you a clear view of his face, he smiled at you, rubbing his eyes while sitting himself down on the bed.

“Morning” he laughed, still trying to gather himself up while taking his glasses from the bedside table, “Morning” you smiled, standing up from the bed “It’s the weekend, let’s do something with the others instead of studying” Gunwook brought up while stretching his body “I mean, sure, but where are we going?” you asked “We can go karaoke? We’ve been planning on doing it anyway” he mentioned, bringing up an idea that you and your group of friends had planned on doing “Sounds like a plan” you smiled.

When you arrived at the karaoke place, you entered the room that Yunjin had booked for the eight of you, seeing that everybody had already arrived, you and Gunwook laughed awkwardly, acknowledging the fact that the two of you arrived late, “Took you long enough” Ricky scoffed, taking a sip of his strawberry milkshake “In our defense, there was traffic” Gunwook shrugged his shoulders, sitting down on the couch with your hand in his.

Yunjin passed the mic to you, signaling you to go and choose a song to sing, and at the same time, Matthew passed his mic to Gunwook, signaling the same thing. You and Gunwook chose to sing Almost Is Never Enough, showcasing both of your talents through a duet. Your voice and Gunwook’s voice harmonized as your eyes connected while singing, losing yourself in the melody of the song.

When the song ended, you and Gunwook laughed, bowing at the crowd, or your friends, earning applause from the room, “I might cry” Sheon whined “What” Gyuvin laughed “YOU GUYS ARE SO CUTE” she exclaimed, fake crying while adoring the relationship you have with Gunwook.

Singing with Gunwook brought you back to the days when your tiny bodies would sing together for fun in each other’s room, not caring about your surroundings as a child.

You and Gunwook sat back down on the couch, you placed your head onto your boyfriend’s shoulder, making him smile and wrap his arms around you in response, he kissed the top of your head before saying something, “Babe” he said “Hm?” you look at him.

“Thank you for taking a chance with me.”

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louloulemons-posts · 1 year ago

Text

Misunderstandings

Eddie Munson X Fem!HarringtonTwin!Reader

Summary : Eddie and Y/N have been dating in secret for months now, but what happens when Y/N can’t do it anymore?

word count : 2.6k

Warnings : Use of Y/N, angst, reader crying, couple drama, twin brother steve, supportive bestie robin, pet names, kisses, a few swears, happy ending.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

“Steve come on!” she shouted from the bottom of the stairs, “We’re gonna be late!”

“Alright Alright I’m coming,”

“Next time we’re taking two cars, how the hell do you make us late everytime. We still have to pick up Robs!” she sighed, pushing her brother out of the door.

“Well Robin needs to get a license!” he exclaimed getting into the passenger side of the car. “She can’t afford it, don’t be a douche.”

“Blah blah blah, can you just drive. C’mon you said we were gonna be late.”

Turning the keys, engine starting, “I will kick you out of this car and you can walk.”

“I have my own car!”

“Then use it!”

The remainder of the journey continued with the twins bickering between themselves, only halting when they arrived at Robins. Beeping the horn to let her now they were here.

“Okay get in the back,” Y/N said to her brother.

“What? Why?”

“Robins a guest, she gets front seat! She’s also my bestfriend so-”

“She was mine first!” he cut her off.

“No!”

“Yes we worked at Scoops together!”

“And what? She didn’t even like you until I said you weren’t ‘King Steve’ anymore. Now move it.”

“You’re so bossy! I think you should be the older twin,” he sighed, climbing out the car.

Robin ran out of the house, sliding her jacket on, chuckling as she saw Steve climbing into the back, grumbling as he did. “Hey Robs,” Y/N smiled at her friend as she climbed in. “What happened to 5pm?” she asked the pair.

“Well Steve decided to procrastinate until 4:30, knowing it takes him at least an hour to get ready,” she explained, pulling away from the house. Grumbling came from the back, “Steve I swear I wasn’t joking about kicking you out!”

Robin laughed at the twins, knowing it’d be an eventful journey to the movies.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

“And this is why we tell them to be here 45 minutes before we actually need to be here,” Dustin explained as the trio walked through the door. “I’ll remember that next time you want picking up from Hellfire,” Steve smiled him.

“Also we’re not even the last ones here, where’s Munson?” Robin asked.

“Eddies coming?” Y/N whispered to her friend.

“Mhm, maybe it’s time to tell Steve?” she wiggled her eyebrows.

“I’m here I’m here!” a voice yelled as Eddie Munson practically fell through the door.

“Great can we go now!” Mike complained, yanking Els hand towards the door. “I’m just gonna get something to drink. Robs you want anything?”

“Cherry Pepsi please.” Y/N hummed at her friend, walking over to the line.

“Where’s my offer?” Steve called after her.

“What do you want?” she sighed.

“Dr Pepper!”

“You’re paying me back later then.”

“I’ll help her, I want to get some snacks so,” Eddie said to the group who went ahead into the theatre.

Waiting for the people in front of her to finish ordering, Y/N felt arms wrap around her waist and a face nuzzle into her neck. “Hey Princess,” Eddie smiled, kissing her neck.

“Hey Eds.” Turning to kiss his cheek, “What do you want?” she asked.

“You.”

“Oh shush,” she wiggled in his hold.

“It’s true!” he exclaimed, which made her laugh. The people in front moved out the way and Y/N smiled at the worker. “Hey, can I please get a cherry pepsi, 2 Dr Peppers and … Eds?”

“I’ll order mine,” he smiled, which she nodded awkwardly at him. “That’s everything then please.” Paying for the drinks, she slid them across the counter, “Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll bring Steves,” Eddie said.

“Oh um yeah sure, I’ll see you in there.” Grabbing her and Robins drinks she passed her ticket over to the clerk, giving them a slight smile.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

She found Robin and Steve, walking up to their row she handed Robin her drink, “Munsons bringing yours.” He nodded facing the screen.

Sitting next to Robin she sighed, “You okay?”

“Oh yeah fine, fine.”

The curly haired metal head walked in soon after, just as the movie began to play. Handing Steve his drink he sat down next to Y/N. She smiled at him, which he reciprocated, but quickly turned to face the screen.

Normally Eddie was chatty and touchy with her, they were keeping their relationship quiet but they were friends too. What if he didn’t want that anymore? Oh my god.

“Are we okay?” she whispered to the boy.

“Uh yeah? Why?” he asked, putting popcorn into his mouth. “You just seem a little off, you know you can talk to me?” He nodded, about to reply before they were shushed by Henderson.

Y/N sighed, sipping her drink, trying to ignore the feeling in her stomach and focus on the movie. Clearly she wasn’t hiding her feelings well as robin squeezed her hand. She looked up at her friend who asked, “Bathroom? You want a breather?”

The girl nodded, almost trampling Eddie as she went, followed by her best friend.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

Cold water wet her face and she stood in front of the mirror, “Are you okay?” Robin asked, rubbing her shoulder gently. “I think he might want to break up. I mean come on, he won’t even look at me.”

“Hey he’s just being stupid, it’s probably just cause Steve’s here.”

“Yeah but he’s the one who wants to hide it not me! What if he’s embarrassed of me, or he’s hiding it cause he wants it to be a fling.”

“Listen to me, anyone would be lucky to have you. If he can’t see that then it’s his loss, he’s an ass. You’ve got this okay.” Y/N nodded at her, “Thanks Robs.”

“You wanna go back in? We can swap seats,” she suggested. “Would you mind?”

“Not at all, it means you can deal with your brother instead.”

“Oh goodie, lucky me,” she groaned, making them both laugh.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

Walking out of the movies, the two girls walked arm in arm. “It was so bad,” she laughed. “Wasn’t even scary!” Robin exclaimed.

“All you kiddies okay getting home?” Y/N asked the younger kids.

“My moms getting me, El, Mike and Lucas. Thank you though,” Will smiled.

“Max?” she asked the redhead.

“Eddie said I could ride with him.”

“Henderson?”

“Do you mind?” He asked.

“Nah kid, let’s go.”

As she was about to leave the theatre, she felt a hand on her wrist. “Hey, what happened in there? You okay?” Eddies familiar voice spoke.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

“Do you want to hang out tomorrow? Wayne’s working all day so, we’d have the place to ourselves,”he smiled, pulling her closer by her waist.

Wow, she really was just a booty call. “You know what Munson, I’m gonna have to pass. I’ll see you.” She said, pulling out of his hold and walking over to her car.

“What was that all about?” Robin asked.

“Nothing,” she shrugged, starting the car and driving towards Dustin and Robins homes.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

Robin and Steve were both working, but Y/N had a day off, so she was relaxing by the pool. Deciding that she wanted to spend the day by herself. Sliding into the water, she swam underneath, allowing herself to sink slightly.

Robin was right, she deserved more than to be someone’s secret, she deserved to be shown off and taken out on dates. Not just hidden away, never meeting family, a good half foot between them when friends were around.

Needing to take a breath she swam back up. Jumping slightly when she saw the familiar boy dressed in denim. “I did knock but no answer, and your car was out front so,” he explained.

Pushing herself out of the poor she squeezed out her hair and wrapped a towel around herself. “Did you need something?”

“I thought you were busy today?”

“Never said that.”

“What’s going on?” He asked and she walked passed him. “You tell me.”

“What? Baby hang on a minute.”

“Don’t do that,” she sighed.

“Do what?”

“Call me that!” Y/N exclaimed, walking up the stairs and towards her bedroom.

“What I’m not allowed to call you that anymore?”

“No you’re not!”

“Well why not, you’re my girlfriend aren’t you?”

“I don’t know am I?”

“What?” Eddie shouted, “What are you talking about?”

“Well you seem to only want me as your girlfriend in private! And even then it’s like we’re fuck buddies!”

“No it’s not!”

“Yes it is! You won’t even look at me around other people.”

“That’s not true!” Eddie starting shouting back.

“Yes it is! If you’re embarrassed of me just say so!”

“I-I … Y/N,” he stuttered.

“You know what just go!” she yelled.

“What?”

“Get out! If you’re so embarrassed of me, you wouldn’t want people to notice your van outside would you!”

“Embarrassed? I’m not embarrassed of you! Fuck will you let me speak!”

“Now you want to? Now you want to fix this? No I am done, get out.”

“What? Baby no-” he spoke gently.

“Get out of my house.”

She turned her back on the boy slamming the door of her bathroom and locking herself inside. Leaning against it she listened out. Footsteps pattered down the stairs and the house shook with the slam of the front door.

Unlocking her own, she ran to the window, watching him get in his van and slam his hand on the steering wheel. He sat for a few seconds, before starting it up and driving away at an unsafe speed.

Letting out a sob, her hands came up to cover her face. Wiping away her tears furiously she walked towards the bathroom to shower off.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

The phone rang out, echoing through the house, “Hello?” Y/N spoke.

“Okay what the hell is going on?” Robin spoke from the other end. “What?” she asked.

“Munson is currently going through romcom movies for himself, looking like he’s just been smacked in the face.”

Y/N couldn’t help it she sniffled, “Oh no, you broke up didn’t you?”

“Robs I couldn’t do it anymore! I’m so tired of being hidden away!”

“I know, how are you holding up?”

“I don’t know. Jesus Robs, I was so ready to tell him I love him, I feel like a fool.”

“You’re not. Hey I’ll come over later, we can have a movie night, I’ll make Steve take me to the store to get snacks.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

“Munson,” Robin spoke, walking up to him.

“Oh Hi Robin.”

“Listen, I’m not going to pretend like I don’t know cause I do. You and Y/N.”

“She told you?”

“I figured it out, you two kept making eyes at each other.” He chuckled at that.

“Yeah well not anymore. Pretty sure she hates me.”

“She doesn’t, just so you know. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why don’t you want to tell anyone you two?” she asked.

He sighed, “Robin, honestly, she’s way out of my league. I’m a freak. I’m a nerd. I’ve only just graduated highschool, and that was by the skin of my teeth. I have no money. I’m in a band. I have a shitty job.”

“Do you seriously think she cares?”

“I know she doesn’t, but she deserves the world.”

“Do you love her?” Eddie paused, putting the video he had in his hand back down, “More than anything.”

“Then that’s all that matters, now Munson, me and you are going to fix this.”

“Is there any point?”

“Eddie, I have never seen her like this over a guy. She adores you. You’re getting her back.”

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

Lay on her bed, Y/N heard knocking on her door, “Yeah?” she called out.

“It’s me, do you want dinner?” Steve asked.

She hopped up off her bed and walked to the door, opening it to come face to face with her brother.

“Woah, you okay?” he asked. She shook her head, tears filling her eyes, wrapping her arms round her brother. “Y/N hey, it’s alright. You’re okay. Stevies got you,” he shushed her, rubbing her back.

Once she calmed down a bit Steve pulled away slightly. “What’s going on?”

“Just boy stuff. I thought I meant more to him than I actually did.”

“Want me to hurt him?”

“Steve, you’ve only won one fight in your life.”

“Against a Russian soldier!” she laughed at that. “Can I ask who?”

“I don’t think you’ll be happy.”

“Oh I already know. You’re not good at hiding it. Just wanted you to tell me when you were ready.”

“How long?”

“Couple months.”

“Well it doesn’t matter it’s over now.”

“I see the way he looks at you, I don’t think it is. I’m gonna order a pizza okay?” he said, to which she nodded. Pressing his lips softly to her head, he squeezed her shoulder.

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

“Y/N can you get the door?” Steve called out.

Assuming it was the pizza she opened it quickly, but it wasn’t. “Eddie?”

“Hi, um these are for you,” he said handing her a bunch of Tulips.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I came to fix this, hopefully. I want too. I will do anything I can to fix this.”

“Eddie I can’t keep being your dirty secret.”

“You’re not! Baby you’re not! You deserve the world, you’re worth so much more than me.”

“What?”

“I just, baby look at us. Look at me. Look at you. You’re worth the world and more. You deserve everything, I don’t want to let you down.”

“Eddie you mean the world to me! You are everything to me. I want you. I want us.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just got into my own head. I saw the way the guy at the movies looked at us, and I’ve seen others too,” he explained.

“Eds I want to be with you.”

“I want to be with you. I want to meet your brother as your boyfriend, I want you to meet Wayne. I want the kids to think we’re gross when we kiss in front of them.”

“Well I’d appreciate if you didn’t kiss in front of me,” Steve spoke, he was leaning on the doorframe. “You make her cry again Munson, and you’ll be at the bottom of Lovers Lake faster than you can say D&D.”

Eddie saluted Steve, “It won’t happen again.” Steve hummed and wander back to another room. “Could we start again? Please baby, I love you and I’d be a complete idiot if I didn’t try and get you back.”

“You love me?” Y/N asked, her eyes widening.

“Yeah I do. So much. The thought of not being with you, of you hating me. It made me feel sick. Made me hate myself. I love you.

“I know I don’t have much, but I will give you everything I can. If you’ll let me?”

“Of course I will you idiot, I love you,” she said, taking his face in her hands and kissing him fiercely. “You do?” he laughed.

“Yes!” she gave him a watery smile, “I love you more than anything Edward Munson.”

“I love you Y/N Harrington.”

When their lips almost touched, someone cleared their throat. “Uh I’m sorry to interrupt but someone owes me $20,” a girl spoke, with two pizza boxes in hand. “Oh sorry, Steve!”

~ / / / * \ \ \ ~

Thank you so much for reading, feel free to leave any requests 🤍

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xxavengingangelxx · 5 months ago

Text

Graves Defragged 1/?

As promised, here is the first part of deconstructing Graves. This part touches on the first half of the psychopath traits I want to discuss. Below is my take! I am NOT licensed to make these decisions. This is just for fun. It also touches on why I write Graves like a heartless mf'er in my longer fics. Because Graves is a heartless motherfucker.

Not proofread. I'm posting this before going to bed cause it's the only time I got between working 60+ hours a week, house chores, keeping hubby fed, etc.

To touch on my sociopath vs. psychopath post earlier, there are some in the field who argue that a sociopath is made and a psychopath is born. We don’t have enough information on Graves’s background to see whether or not he’s shown the same callous disregard for human life, disregard for rules, and narcissism earlier on. But he certainly shows those traits now.

And we do have this:

Graves: "That uniform was a limitation. I shed that skin..." Soap: "Like a fuckin' snake-" Graves: "Like a fucking soldier, son." — Soap confronts Graves about his past.

Let’s assume Graves was born a psychopath. It’s certainly possible. And if Adler is his father, then he’s got the genes for killing, anyway. Yes there are theories that say there are genes for criminality but I can post more on that later if y’all are interested.

How many traits of a psychopath does he actually have? Based on the behavior, we’ve seen, quite a bit!

Robert Hare, a Canadian psychologist, created the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (known today as the Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised). Let’s go through the items with our crush man Graves in mind. Each of these items is rated a 0 if it does not apply, a 1 if it kind of applies, and a 2 if it definitely applies. They are added up at the end. Max score is a 40.

Item 1: Glibness and superficial charm = 2

You’re kidding me, right? Graves is the man of charm and glib. His good fuckin’ looks certainly help him out.

Image credit: @Vault21 on Tumblr

Remember Dark Water? Yeah…they trusted each other like brothers. Soap even hugged Graves! Graves had them (and us) fooled because not much later he betrayed them like they were enemies.

Item 2: Grandiose sense of self-worth = 1

Graves is narcissistic. We can all agree on that, right? He thought he was too good for the Marines, that the Marines were not good enough for such a special person like himself. And I could be wrong here, but he is massively successful, likely a billionaire so doesn’t he get to be a little narcissistic?

Item 3: Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom = 2

Graves was so bored in the Marines, one of the toughest branches of the military, that he saw his uniform as a limitation and sought out to make his own company of mercenaries who don’t really answer to anyone. Also, how many CEOs do you see in the field like Graves is? Close to none. He lives for getting shot at and chased. He has a scar on his face to prove it!

Item 4: Pathological lying = 2

Is this even a question? Graves lied so well to 141 that they trusted him and saw him as a brother in arms. Also, remember the scene from Congress?

Image credit: BabyZone on YouTube.

Which leads me to…

Item 5: Conning/manipulative = 2

Phillip Graves is a conman. If you look up conman in the dictionary there’d be a picture of Graves or there should…it’d make the dictionary less boring. According to Google’s dictionary, the definition of conman is, “a man who cheats or tricks someone by gaining their trust and persuading them to believe something that is not true.” I can think of a few examples. Again, Dark Water

Image credit: Wallpaper Cave

Also, the Congress scene where he lies (about WAR CRIMES) like he’s talking about the weather.

And when he pulled the rug out from under 141 in Las Almas.

Which in turn takes us to…

Item 6: Lack of remorse/guilt = 2

Graves betrayed 141, the men he had fought next to, defended, befriended all while gaining their trust.

All while smiling about it!

Image credit: halgalvv on TikTok

Look!

Image credit: Call of Duty Wiki

Which also reminds me of the war crimes Graves committed in Las Almas. Some argue that Graves cleaned house by killing off people who were supporting the cartels but based on what I’ve been told there were children in this town as well.

This also brings me to the topic of Graves’s Shadows. These men are okay with war crimes. Shadows are okay with killing people just because Graves said to. In one (or more?) of my fics I portray Shadows as I see them: callous and even sadistic with how they agree to torture a prisoner of war (POW), going so far as using rape as a weapon if Graves gives the word.

Are there some Shadows who can’t engage in this kind of behavior? Perhaps. So Graves knows which men to pick to carry out war crimes. At least that’s how I see it.

Psychopaths have physical differences in the make up of their brain that make them UNABLE to feel guilty, remorse, or fear. So when I hear people asking how serial killers and other criminals deal with their guilt, I say they do not because it doesn't exist to them. They have no idea what guilt is.

Remember: It’s not that psychopaths choose not to feel/ignore guilt. It’s that their brain is completely INCAPABLE of this emotion.

You might be asking why/how: Psychopaths think the same thing about you…how can you feel guilt? Why would you want to?

Item 7: Shallow affect = 1

Only because we are unable to see how Graves functions emotionally away from the battlefield. My forensic psychology professor said that psychopaths have 2 emotions: rage and joy. Have you seen Graves portray anything else, really? In another fic, Graves supposedly says he loves OC. Like he even knows what that means. He doesn’t. He loves controlling her and abusing her, yes.

If Graves had a kid like he does in the same fic, he doesn’t feel much affection towards him. He just likely sees him as an extension of his partner. A future soldier, someone Graves can start training from young. Something he can use to control and keep his partner in line. That child, from the moment he was born is seen as an asset by Graves. Plus, there are some good chances that kiddo might have inherited Graves’s genes that pass on his psychopathy. And even if that child does not, there’s a good chance he could develop as a sociopath because he’s not likely to see much more other than Graves continuing to abuse and control his partner and battlefield conditions.

Item 8: Callousness/lack of empathy = 2

This relates to a lack of remorse. You might ask how can Graves not feel empathy for how 141 must feel after he betrayed them? Because, like the shallow emotions and lack of remorse, Graves’s brain cannot do it. He doesn’t have the neurons for it. He doesn’t have the brain structure for it. It’s not that Graves chooses not to feel or ignore empathy. He CANNOT. It’s almost like asking someone with very low math ability to do a PhD in physics. It’s not that they’re lazy. They do not have the aptitude for it.

Graves does not have the aptitude for remorse or empathy because he doesn’t have the brain structure that makes that happen.

He think's it's funny.

Image credit: Einstein Ibraheem on YouTube

Item 9: Parasitic lifestyle = 0

Finally, one that does NOT apply to Graves. This man refuses to depend on anyone. He’s a fucking billionare that can get whatever the hell he wants whenever he wants it.

Item 10: Poor behavioral controls = 0

Hear me out! Graves is not impulsive. Lots of psychopaths are due to limitations in a part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex as well as other parts to include the limbic system. Graves is not limited in that manner. He plans, he’s meticulous, he’s detailed, and he gets away with a lot of shit because of it. Graves is not impulsive. Get him mad and he might smack the shit out of you (more than once if you make him mad enough) but when it comes to important decisions, he takes his painstaking time.

So fear we are up to the score of 14! He has scored positive on 14/20 possible points.

More to come!

#phillip graves #cod mw2 #phillip graves x reader #cod mwii #graves x reader #cod mw3 #mw2 141 #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #price call of duty #gaz mw2 #forensic psychology #criminology #neurology

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gotham-ruaidh · 4 months ago

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Little Bit Better Than I Used To Be

Catch up: Chapter 1 (Starry Eyes) || Chapter 2 (Save Our Souls) || Chapter 3 (Dancing On Glass)|| Chapter 4 (Merry-Go-Round)|| Backstage (1) || Backstage (2) || Chapter 5 (Danger)|| Backstage (3) || Chapter 6A (Love Walked In) || Chapter 6B (Without You) || Backstage (4) || Chapter 7 (Stick To Your Guns) || Chapter 8 (Time For Change) || Backstage (5) || Chapter 9 (Take Me To The Top) || Backstage (6) || Chapter 10 (Home Sweet Home) || Backstage (7) || Chapter 11a (Nightrain) || Chapter 11b (Nothing Else Matters) || Chapter 12a (Handle With Care) || Chapter 12b (I’m So Tired of Being Lonely) || Chapter 13a (Angel) || Chapter 13b (She’s My Addiction) || Chapter 13c (Patience) || Chapter 14a (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 14b (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 14c (Where Do We Go Now?) || Chapter 15a (Dreams) || Chapter 15b (I Sing A Song of Love) || Chapter 15c (You Can Do This If You Try) || Chapter 16 (Let That Feeling Grab You Deep Inside || Chapter 17A: Never Tear Us Apart || Chapter 17B: It’s Tough To Be Somebody, And It’s Hard Not To Fall Apart || Chapter 17C: I’m Wishing, Lord, That I Was Stoned || Chapter 18: Turn The Page || Chapter 19A: When You’re Alone, Do You Let Go? || Chapter 19B: Heading For A Spin || Chapter 20A: I Don’t Need Nothing When I’m By Your Side || Chapter 20B: I’m Walkin’ Down This Rocky Road || Chapter 20C: You’re The Only One Who Gets Through To Me || Chapter 20D: Together We Can Make It A Dream || Chapter 20E: My Main Objective Is To Get You To Turn Your Mind Around ||| Also posted at AO3

Chapter 20F: Heaven Isn't Too Far Away

I don't need to be a superman

As long as you will always be my biggest fan…

-- “Heaven,” Warrant (1989) [click here to listen]

North Carolina || March 1989

“I’m sorry that I’ll miss you in L.A., but I’m really glad you’re going out there. for the rehearsals. Especially since you won’t be making it to Europe.”

Jenny Fraser Murray sighed into the phone. “I’m torn, Claire. On the one hand I’ll be so happy to have a few days away from the kids – Ian’s mom is a godsend. But on the other hand I don’t want to be away from them for even a minute.”

“Ian will be happy to have you to himself, though.”

Claire heard Jenny smile through the phone. “He said it will be like old times. When we were dating, and we’d sneak off behind the amps to make out before a gig.” She paused. “Something you and my brother probably do all the time now.”

Claire smiled. “When we’re together, yeah.”

“I was really surprised when Jamie told me you weren’t going out to L.A. Is this the longest you’ve been apart?”

“Yeah.” Claire twirled the long telephone cord around her wrist. “I’m not going to lie, Jenny, it’s been incredibly hard to be away from him for so long. But at the same time, it’s been really helpful.”

“How so?”

“Just…it gets intense with him. And as much as I love him, and as much as I know he loves me, we both needed the time to breathe.”

“I hear you. So what have you been up to this week?”

Claire leaned back in her chair. “There’s a clinic in town – I got in touch with them right after we moved in, and I’ve been going in every day to volunteer. Just a few hours, helping out with some of the walk-in patients. Cuts, burns, broken bones – lighter stuff.”

“Sorry. One sec.” Jenny’s voice was muffled over the phone, but Claire could still understand the words Maggie and share and your brother. Clearly the Murray kids were giving their mom a run for her money today.

“That sounds like fun, Claire. Or your idea of fun, anyway.”

“It feels so good to be a doctor again, Jenny. It’s a far cry from surgery, but – ”

“But it’s something. Something you’re good at, that you enjoy. And it’s something that’s all yours.”

“Exactly. When we get back from Europe, I want to do something more permanent at the clinic. I spoke to the woman who runs it – they’re definitely open to it. I told them everything about my past, and my license – they’re willing to work with me.”

“That’s awesome.” The line clicked. “Ah – Claire, I’ve been waiting for Ian all morning. This is probably him. I’ll call you later, OK?”

“OK. Say hello to him and the kids for me. Talk you soon.”

“Take care of yourself, sister.”

Jenny hung up.

Claire glowed a bit. Glanced up at the clock on the wall, and crossed the kitchen to make some tea.

Ten minutes later, snug on the couch that was one of the only pieces of furniture Jamie had shipped from his old house in LA, Claire dialed a 212 number on the touch-tone phone, set the receiver on the arm of the couch, and pressed the speakerphone button.

“Dr. Germain’s office. Jeanne speaking.”

“Hi Jeanne – it’s Claire.”

“Hello, Claire! Right on time, as always. I’ll transfer you over.”

A few clicks on the line, and then –

“Good afternoon, Claire!” Raymond’s voice boomed through the telephone. “Did you make it to the clinic after we spoke this morning?”

“I did!” She sipped her tea, tucking bare feet under her folded legs. “Three hours have never flown by so fast.”

“That’s wonderful. Are you still open to what I suggested in our session this morning?”

“I am. He’s not on yet, is he?”

This was the second week that Jamie, Claire, and Raymond had held their daily sessions – via telephone while Claire was home in North Carolina, Jamie was with the band in Los Angeles, and Raymond at his office in New York. Raymond had recommended they start meeting during Jamie and Claire’s time away from each other – and to help them all get comfortable working together before the Europe tour kicked off in a few weeks.

Speaking over the telephone was not as ideal as being in person – but it helped them all get into the new routine. Raymond met individually with Jamie and Claire each morning, followed by a group session in the afternoon. Claire and Jamie spoke with each other outside of their time with Raymond, of course – Claire called Jamie’s hotel room as his wake up call every morning, he spoke with her before bed every night – but the conversations with Raymond were different. Focusing on topics that were deeper than Jamie telling Claire about rehearsals or meetings with the label, and Claire telling Jamie about a patient’s antics at the clinic or how she had finally gotten around to staining the bedside table they’d picked up at a garage sale.

Raymond had approached working together in a very pragmatic way. He struck a balance between getting to know one another and probing deeper on certain topics – after all, there were many things that Jamie and Claire still didn’t know about each other. But there was no timetable – Raymond insisted they work at their own pace, because the real work would happen once they were in Europe.

Claire and Jamie actually looked forward to their time with Raymond. It helped them focus on themselves, and on each other, in a new and refreshing way. It bridged the thousands of miles between them, during their time away from each other. And having that separation – together with the telephone, and not needing to look at each other to speak – was indeed a good opportunity to explore some topics.

“I’m here. Hi, Claire.”

“Jamie,” she smiled. “Where are you?”

“I’m at the label’s office. Colum dragged me here to meet with the suits. I said yes, as long as I could get lunch delivered and an office for an hour. So excuse me if you hear some chewing.”

“What’s for lunch?” Raymond’s voice crackled through the line.

“In-N-Out. My favorite, a double double with a chocolate shake. Claire, the more I’m here, the more I don’t miss being in L.A. But this…this I miss.”

“Well, as your doctor,” she teased, “I’m also grateful for your arteries that we don’t eat that kind of food at home.”

Jamie snorted. “So what did you do at the clinic today?”

“Splinted a broken thumb and stitched up a gash on a little boy’s head.”

“You sound like you’re smiling. I love that it makes you happy, but I’ll never understand why.”

“If I may,” Raymond interjected, “there’s a little more to it than making Claire happy. She and I explored that this morning.”

“Yeah.” Claire sipped her tea. “You’re right, Jamie – it does make me happy. It makes me happy because I enjoy doing it. But more than that, it gives me a sense of purpose. I’m helping people, I’m making a difference.”

“And?” Raymond prodded gently.

Claire pursed her lips. “And, it’s something that’s only mine.”

The line was silent for a long moment.

“Jamie?” she asked gently.

“You mean, something that’s separate from our life together, Claire?”

“Jamie,” Raymond responded, “if you’re thinking that this is something meant to replace you, or any aspect of your relationship…trust me when I say it’s not. When Claire and I spoke about this earlier today, she made it clear that that’s certainly not the case. It’s a way for her to build her own identity, as Dr. Claire Fraser. Because she’s left behind who Dr. Claire Beauchamp was – the surgeon and pill addict. And she’s also built an identity as Claire Fraser – wife to Jamie Fraser.”

“And I love being Claire Fraser, Jamie. I do. God, I wish I could hold your hand right now.” She sighed. “But I need to find out who Dr. Claire Fraser is. In my time at the clinic, I’ve started doing that. And I’m still tied to you. I wear your letter and your ring on my hand, and your name on my driver’s license and my heart. This is…just…more than all of that. There’s room for more.”

Still Jamie remained silent. Claire’s heart began to race.

But Raymond let the silence stretch.

“Jamie…” he finally interjected after a while. “Do you want Claire to keep exploring this side of who she is? Who she could be?”

“Of course,” Jamie replied instantly. “I want nothing more than for Claire to be happy, and for her to be who she’s meant to be. She’s meant to be a doctor. She’s known that since she was a little girl, and that’s so awesome she knows that about herself. I still don’t know who I want to be.” He paused, chewing. “And I know that she’s also meant to be with me, to be my wife. That’s another part of who she is. Am I right, Claire? I’m not off base?”

“You’re right,” she said softly.

“OK. So – I know that she’s a doctor, and she’s my wife. I also know that there’s a huge part of her, that she hasn’t been able to grow for the entire time we’ve known each other. We’ve focused so much on our…our love, and our sobriety, and my music. But now I see that that’s been at the expense of other things. Like, her being a doctor. And I honestly feel kind of terrible that while I’ve been recording new music and touring and performing and dealing with my own shit, that’s all taken over and hasn’t given her the space to explore and grow.”

“That’s one way to look at it, Jamie.” Raymond’s voice was so focused, and Claire pictured him scribbling in his notebook. “But you can’t beat yourself up over it. Does what Jamie said, resonate with you, Claire?”

She rested her head on her arms, folded on the arm of the couch. “It does and it doesn’t, Raymond. Yes, I stepped away from medicine while I was getting clean, and then it was more important to me to figure out how to be with Jamie, and then get used to life on the road, and focus on my marriage. So I decided to push medicine to the background. To support Jamie in the way he needed, the last tour. I made that choice. Jamie didn’t force it on me – I would have said something if it wasn’t what I wanted. And now, I’m choosing to grow this side of myself again.”

“I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t support anything you want to do, Claire,” Jamie said softly.

“I don’t ever even think of that, Jamie. And if I did, I’d tell you.”

“I hope you would. I wouldn’t ever want that to be a misunderstanding between us. I will support whatever you want to do, you know that, right?”

“That’s a good segue way,” Raymond spoke softly.

Claire cleared her throat. “I’m glad you’re with Colum today, Jamie, because I’d like you to ask him something for me, for the tour.”

“Okay…he already agreed to have a doctor on standby, you know. If we get pregnant.”

“I know. I love that you did that for us, Jamie. But this is something new. When we’re in Europe, I’d like to find a way to volunteer at local clinics wherever we are. To spend time doing that in every city. I know that it won’t always be possible, of course – but I want to give back, when I’m on the road. I don’t want to just stop when we leave North Carolina – I want to keep going. I want to keep exploring this side of myself. And I know that everywhere we go, there will be people who need my help.”

“I would love for you to do that, Claire.” She could see him grinning. “God I wish I could hold you right now, so tight. I want you to do this. This is fucking awesome.”

She swallowed. “I miss you so much, Jamie. I love you, and I love being with you, and I can’t wait to be with you on tour. But I need to have something consistent that’s my own. I can’t be with you all of the time. And this helps me to do that.”

“Fuck yeah. I want this for you. Think of how cool it will be.”

“Yeah!” she grinned ear to ear. “And even if I’m pregnant, I can still do it. For a time, anyway.”

“I’ll speak to Colum about it today. The label or the local promoters have got to have connections. And I don’t want there to be any publicity. I don’t want people to think you’re doing this for the PR.”

“And you’d be OK, Jamie, with Claire being away from you during the day?”

“Yeah, Doc. Um…being here in LA without her, I’m more comfortable saying that now.”

“Versus before you left?”

“Yeah. I – Claire, I love you so much, but we were spending too much time together. It was…suffocating.” He paused, clearly uncomfortable with silence on the line. “Baby, talk to me. Fuck, I hate that I can’t see you. Talk to me. Does that make sense to you, what I said?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I get it, Jamie. I love you so much. I want to be with you all the time, but it’s not healthy.”

“Raymond, does that make sense?” Jamie’s voice was rushed, almost panicked. “Am I making sense? That I want to be with Claire all the time but I know that’s not a good thing?”

“It does, Jamie, and you are. You didn’t mention this to me before – is this something you’re only realizing now, in this conversation?”

“Umm…yes and no. I mean, I miss Claire so much right now that it actually hurts. But it’s been so fucking great to be here with the band. Angus’ girlfriends are out of town, so we’ve been spending a lot of time together, just me and Ian and Angus. And Colum, too. It’s been so much fun. I’ve been so busy. Almost too busy to think of anything else.”

“So – those fears we talked about during my visit. That without Claire beside you, you’d somehow fall back into addiction. That you needed her as your anchor, your constant reminder to stay sober. Do you still feel that way?”

“A little bit. But it’s not a big fear front and center every moment of the day. I mean, it sucks to come back to an empty hotel room, and it’s hard for me to sleep alone, but I know that’s temporary. And, I know that on the Europe tour I’ll be very busy during the day, probably more than I was the last tour. So even if Claire was with me all those hours, it’s not like I could really do anything with her during that time. I’ll be busy, and it’s not fair to her to just sit around without me. She can use that time more productively. Like volunteering at local clinics.”

“Good. I know that it was really difficult for you to fly out there on your own, and I’m glad you called me before you left for the trip, too, because I think we’ll all agree that you staved off a panic attack by doing that. But now that you’re there, do you understand why I had recommended you spend some time apart?”

“Yeah. Claire, did you understand from the beginning?”

“I did. But that doesn’t matter, Jamie. What matters now is that you understand. And that we have a new plan for Europe.”

“I love you so fucking much, Claire. I need you, baby. I can’t wait to see you again.”

She blew a kiss through the phone.

Jamie coughed. “Um, Claire? I need to tell you something.”

“Are you all right?” Raymond cautiously asked, after about thirty seconds of silence on the line.

“Um…yeah. I got another tattoo.”

“O..kay…” Claire replied.

“Was this planned, or impulse?” Raymond asked gently.

“Um…I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I knew what I wanted, but I decided a bit last minute.”

“I see.” Claire spoke slowly. “What is it, and where is it?”

“It’s the outline of the state of North Carolina. On my left arm.”

Claire couldn’t help but smile. “Where? In that space between the koi fish and your mom’s name?”

Raymond chuckled. “The two of you, I swear.”

Jamie laughed. Free. “Yeah, Claire. I don’t even want to know how you guessed that.”

“What can I say,” she laughed. “The perks of being a rock star’s personal physician.”

#outlander #outlander fanfic #jamie and claire #little bit better than i used to be

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stuckinapril · 11 months ago

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2023 almost over what have u achieved so far?

Graduated a year early with a wholeass degree in biochemistry!!!, traveled solo abroad for the first time ever (and multiple times at that, I was by myself hopping countries 4 times this summer), started embracing the bad moments as learning experiences, pushed myself out of my comfort zone way more, upgraded my skincare routine (and just self-care routine in general), made a concerted effort to be off my phone more, got in touch w my dad’s side of the family/my ethnic roots, drastically expanded my friend circle (younger me would never imagine me having multiple friend groups now and navigating that as well as I do), successfully juggled my teaching assistant positions as a chemistry/genetics tutor in addition to my full-time school workload and organic chemistry research, gave my ex the middle finger and worked really hard to move on from him by immersing myself in my studies and hobbies, got my driver’s license!!!!, got way more consistent w the gym, learned a lot of basic recipes (2024 will be about expanding my cooking abilities), finally got myself out of my reading slump, worked hard on alleviating my abandonment/anxious attachment issues, became way more accepting of people walking out of my life, started doing my hour by hour schedules (literally a game changer), stopped being so fucking nice to people who don’t deserve it, got my curly hair routine down after years of viciously straightening it, indulged myself w things I wanted a lot more this year, started giving far fewer fucks what people think of me, wrote down a list of things I wanted to change about myself and continue to actively work on those, just became a lot more adult in general (which is big for me bc I hail from an overprotective family that has notoriously coddled me). Stopped dimming myself for other people’s comfort/benefit. Really expanded my fashion sense. Tuned way more into myself—I’m only 21 so there’s a lot more to learn about me, but I feel like I’m the closest I’ve ever been to knowing what my likes and wants are. Became way more spontaneous in general. Did a lot of dumb bold young things this year and don’t regret them at all. Made so many memories. Realized my actions have a very real and tangible impact in other people’s lives. The person I am is very different from the person I was, even if I have a lot more to go—and I’m very proud of that. The biggest thing is I think I finally started developing real, genuine self-love. I’ve forgiven myself for a lot of things. I feel like I’m finally present for me/my wants, rather than spending so much time focusing on other people’s. The people pleasing is fading away, slowly but surely. And the best part is!! There’s so much more to come. I cannot wait for next year bc I know the woman I’ll become will be unstoppable

#ask

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haruka-norikoyo · 5 months ago

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Monoma x reader who’s Mirio’s younger sibling Part 2

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

Not much romance in this part, mostly focused on the brother sibling dynamic of Mirio and reader. But I do have a third part ready to go! Well, that one’s not centered around reader and Monoma’s relationship either… nor was the first part, now that I think of it..?

Part 2/?

* * *

“Everyone listen up! Form an orderly line and promptly make your way to school grounds!” Iida announces despite being the only one not in the line as Sero calls him out for. “…the dilemma of a class rep…”

You yawn, stretching your arms over your head. You stop right before your classroom, seeing Neito leaning against the wall by the lockers. Your face lights up upon seeing him, casting a bright smile at his direction, which he returns lovingly. Not for long, though, as Kaminari nears.

“I heard! Class A!” His sweet smile disappears, replaced by the demeaning sneer your classmates know him for. He dramatically projects his voice like he’s in a play. “Two people! Two people didn’t pass the provincial licensing exam in your class!” “It’s class B’s Monoma!” Sero exclaims as if Neito is a surprise boss of an RPG dungeon.

Kaminari backs away slightly, paling at the very sight of him. “…He’s as crazy as usual.”

You sigh with an exasperated smile. Ah… all my friends think my boyfriend’s insane… You wonder what their reactions will be, once the cat’s out of the bag. Mina in particular, who has a vague inkling that you’re dating someone— you swear, she can smell romance anywhere— would flip the moment she finds out.

Kirishima steps in, smiling in friendly challenge. “I bet you’re the only one in your class who didn’t pass, huh? Like with the final?”

Neito continues cackling, before abruptly stopping and turning around.

“Which is it?!”

Ah… he’s so cute… You feel like walking up to him and squishing his cheeks, but you compose yourself. You can’t just steal his moment by giving in. Though your expression makes it obvious that you’re having cuteness aggression. It’s a wonder how no one put two and two together with the amount of times this happens.

“We…” Neito waits for the rest of his classmates to show up for dramatic effect. With his usual flair, he turns, smiling triumphantly. “…all passed! We’ve pulled ahead of you, class A.”

Todoroki apologizes with a gloomy aura. While Kirishima attempts to cheer him up, Tsunotori walks up to greet everyone.

“According to Vlad teacher, we will all be having same classes this semester. I’m looking forward to it!”

You beam. Ah, that means I’d be able to have classes with Neito..! You turn to look at him to convey your excitement, but he isn’t looking, much to your disappointment. He’s too busy whispering something to Tsunotori to notice your annoyed gaze.

She nods, and looks back at Kirishima and Kaminari saying, “Touch me, and I’ll pummel ya till your mama don’t know ya!” much to the boys’ concern.

Hm? I feel like I’ve heard that phrase before. Like, specifically… You think about where you’ve heard it as Kendo knocks out Neito, cutting his manic laughter off.

Your classes are blocking the way for other students, so Iida immediately herds your class back into a single file line to make your way to the assembly.

***

“Say, I heard from Midnight-sensei that the rooftop’s sometimes open after school hours. Wanna check if it’s open today?” Neito asks.

Among the crowd of everyone that attends UA, you were able to slip away from the line Iida was hoping the class would make. Now, you walk side by side with Monoma among the second years and third years, away from the eyes of your classmates.

“Ah, sorry. I can’t today. I have plans with my brother, you see. Wanna do it tomorrow?”

“Oh, ah, mm… your brother… Y-Yeah, we can do it tomorrow…”

You tilt your head in confusion as Neito averts his eyes, now walking all stiff. “What?”

“What what?”

“What’s got you all nervous?”

“Hah, please, I’m not nervous,” he shrugs, visibly shaking.

You scoff, chopping your hand over his head. He always complain about it giving him PTSD from the amount of times Kendo would do that, but he doesn’t say a word now. “Do you know how long we’ve known each other? Don’t act like I’m stupid.”

“Wha— I’m not! You’re the most intelligent person I know and you’re—”

“So what’s got you nervous?”

You lean into him, and he leans back. You scrutinize his tense smile. It’s as if someone is holding him at gunpoint. This isn’t like him at all.

“(Y/n)-chan!” a cheerful voice calls out.

“Ah, would you look at that! Your classmates. I would love to walk all the way with you, but it seems they have come to part us once again, my dearest.”

“Neito, that’s not my classmates—” He gives you a chaste kiss on the cheek before promptly speeding away like a deer who just spotted a lion, leaving you dumbfounded in the crowd of second and third years. “…what the hell was that?” you wonder aloud, your hand reaching up to your cheek with a small blush.

“(Y/n)-chan!” the cheerful voice calls out again, making her way towards you. “It’s been a while..!”

You snap out of your confusion, smiling as Hado jumps up and hugs you. “Hado-senpai, hi.”

“Hey hey, you know—” She asks you questions left and right about was said at the assembly. What you thought of All Might retiring, the work study, and about the problem children rumored to be in your class. Behind her followed Tamaki and your brother. “Hado… don’t bombard them with questions like that…” Tamaki meekly says, causing her to huff and hug you tighter.

“Oof…” you wiggle yourself so that your not suffocating in Hado’s embrace, smiling at the boys. “Tamaki-senpai. Nii-chan.”

They both offer you a wave.

“Hey (y/n), how’re the dorms?” your brother asks.

“Tis great. Bakugo and Midoriya ended up fighting, though. Which honestly, doesn’t surprise me too much…”

Hado finally releases her grip on you, allowing you to breathe properly. She’s strong as hell, you know? “Aha! So it is students from your class who’re the problem children! I was right!” “Don’t sound so happy about it…”

“Ooh! And and— were you walking with someone just now? I thought I saw someone leave. Oh, but you’re really far away from the first years, why’re you all the way over here?”

“Yeah (y/n), tell us,” Mirio leans in. His smile is the same as ever, but there’s something menacing to it at the moment… You grimace. You had been purposefully vague about details of your dating situation with them, considering Mirio’s history with boys that have a crush on you. “Well, I mentioned having a boyfriend, right?”

Hado nods. “Mhm! The super secret one that you refuse to tell us about!” She huffs, still salty that you hadn’t told her after all this time.

“Well, actually, he goes to UA too. I was with him just now,” you shrug. Hopefully if you act casual about it, they’d be casual too. “Haha, romancing in school grounds, (y/n)? What scandalous behavior.” Mirio seems to have mellowed out quite a bit though, once he started attending UA. He can’t exactly be a hero while sneaking around at night to scare kids just cause they have a crush on his little sibling, can he? …right?

Still, you grumble at his teasing. “Scandalous? We were just walking beside each other.” “Ah! But since you’re all the way over here… Don’t tell me he’s a second year? Or no, third year? Ah, is it someone we know?!”

“That’s all I’m gonna say, Hado-senpai…”

“No fair!”

“It’s not our business, you know..?”

“Oh come on Tamaki, I know you wanna know too!”

“I mean, as long as he makes (y/n) happy, right?”

You huff, “I’ll be heading to class…”

“Oh, yeah sure. We should probably be going too. See ya, (y/n)-chan!”

***

Three days later, Aizawa speaks to class 1-A about the work study, stating that there will be guests who have experienced it first hand that’ll teach you about it.

“The big three!” the class echoes what Aizawa had said.

“The students who are closest to being pros…”

“Ah, (y/n), heyo.”

“(Y/n)-chan, surprise..!”

You blink as two of the three wave at you, Tamaki being filled with too much anxiety to greet you. “Nii-chan, you could’ve told me you guys were coming.”

“NII-CHAN?!!!???”

As it happens, your brother and his friends are the ones to do so. Now, you’re always happy to spend time with your older brother, however…

“Come on (y/n), I’m sure it won’t be that bad,” Jiro says as the class walks to the gym. “We have the whole class jumping him. We’re not small fries, you know?”

You grimace, already feeling your stomach hurt. And you haven’t even started! “You don’t get it. We’re gonna die.”

“Don’t say that (y/n)! You’re making me nervous!” Hagakure exclaims.

“You should be.”

“That guy’s your brother, right? I’m sure he won’t go too hard on you,” Tokoyami says like the only child he is. One would’ve thought Dark Shadow would be like a sort of sibling to him, but you suppose it isn’t the same since that’s his quirk.

“Yeah, he’ll try to hold back, but he doesn’t know how to.”

Your classmates around you shake their heads, chalking it up to any usual sibling thing. But they have not been through the horrors of training with Mirio, no. This is but a glimpse.

Jiro, who had been the most dismissive of your terrified mutterings, screams as Mirio’s clothes slip off. She was promptly knocked out like the rest of the long ranged fighters. But he also decided to tie her back to back with Kaminari with her own earphone jacks as if flashing her wasn’t enough.

…your brother’s a psychopath. And now he turns to you, crumpling your classmates at his wake. “Pleheeheese. Stop slowly walking like thaaaat…” You cry out, backing away bit by bit.

“Come on, (y/n)! Show some spirit! You’re in the hero course now!”

“I wanna drop OUUUUUTTTTTT!!!!!”

Of course, he’s chanting motivational messages to you as he steps closer to your demise. Kirishima uses this as an opening to lunge at him while distracted, but he immediately gets knocked out. While your friend gets the punched out of him, you charge in. For the split second you’re out of Mirio’s view, you’re close enough to power your quirk—

“Using your classmate as sacrifice? That’s mean, (y/n).”

“YOU’RE THE ONE WHO’S MEA— ACK!” Your whole body shoots back as Mirio’s fist connect with your stomach.

“POWER!!!!” he yells, basically emoting over your body sprawled on the gym floor while your soul seeps out of your mouth.

***

You’re still curled up into a ball when his footsteps approach you. “…I hate you.”

“I love you too my flesh and blood, now get up,” Mirio says enthusiastically, picking you up by the collar like some kind of cat. He turns to the rest of your classmates. “I tried to make it so you won’t see my willy. Sorry if you got a peek.”

“A ‘peek’ you say. Jiro was violated.” Begrudgingly, you stand on your shaky feet among the rest of your classmates in the same condition. He gave a hero like speech on what it took to make his quirk noteworthy, and what it’ll be like in the work study compared to the interns. You won’t be guests this time, you’ll be treated like real sidekicks. Your classmates found it inspirational while you’re still grumbling in pain. “You’ll be going now?” you ask, as Mirio, Hado, and Tamaki move to the gym door. “Yep. We were invited to go to class 1-B too.”

You smile wryly. Will Neito be okay? Mirio was able to hold back on your class, but there’s still a chance that he’ll get carried away now that he’s not worried. Then again, it’s not like he knows he’s your boyfriend, it’ll probably be fine.

“Well, we’ll be off now. See ya later alligator.”

Tamaki smiles and waves at you.

“Bye (y/n)-chan! Mirio’s gonna pummel some more kids till their mama don’t know ‘em!”

“You make it sound bad. I held back, didn’t I?”

You chuckle, waving at them until they left the gym. You stand there for a moment before heading back to your classmates. “That was pretty valuable information, but my stomach still hurts…” Jiro complains. It took a few minutes to untangle her earphone jacks from Kaminari earlier. “So do my ears.”

You look at her apologetically. “Yeah, nii-chan’s sometimes got a twisted sense of humor.”

“I feel bad that class B will face him next.”

Mina pipes in. “You think he’ll really pummel them till their mama don’t know ‘em?”

“What’s with people saying that phrase..?”

That phrase… Yeah that’s right, you did hear it from Mirio at one point. It’s pretty gruesome, but not exactly out of character for him to be out of pocket. And it’s the same thing Neito taught his American classmate to say. You stand there as your friends chatter.

Wait.

The same thing as Neito?

No way, right?

There was when Neito seemed petrified at the mention of your brother a few days ago too.

There’s a sinking feeling in your stomach. If being in the hero course has taught you anything, it’s to trust your gut.

“AH!” you shriek, causing your surrounding classmates to jump.

“W-Woah! What is it Togata?!”

“(Y/n)! You scared me.”

“He’s gonna kill him!!!” you spare no time for explanation, bolting it to Aizawa. “Sensei!!! Sensei, please, can you excuse me from class?! It’s an emergency! An emergency!” Aizawa’s eye twitches at the ruckus you’re making. “What? What’re you talking about?”

“I’ll be back!”

“What?! Togata, explain—”

“No time!”

And you were out the door.

“…can someone tell me what’s going on?” Aizawa looks around at the class, who were as dumbfounded as their teacher. He sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. “Everyone, head back to class. I’ll go see what’s happening…”

#my hero academia #monoma neito #monoma x reader #bnha monoma #mha monoma #mirio togata #bnha mirio #x reader #class 1b #class 1a #mha #bnha #gender neutral reader #gender neutral y/n #y/n #Fluff

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cottoncandyswisherz · 1 month ago

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nick sturniolo x male!oc

warnings: suggests abuse, mentions of abuse, alcoholism mentioned, meet cute

CHAPTER ONE:

The backseat is cramped. The boxes that hold what little life I have left are stacked in the backseat and trunk. I’m 16 years old and all I have to show for it is 12 boxes. I guess that’s what you get when you’ve been a foster kid since you were eight.

8 foster homes, 3 hockey teams, 4 tattoos, and one innocent father later and I’m here. In the backseat of an SUV listening to Mark bitch about how slow Hannah’s driving. I’d love to blame his abuse on him being drunk but he’s sober right now. Later, when he’s had a few glasses is when the full extent of his asshole-ness really shines. But even now, I don’t wanna hear it so I put my headphones, putting on my playlist and allowing Mac Miller to take me deeper into my thoughts.

I don’t wanna move. I somewhat had a life in New Hampshire and now I’m moving almost 3 hours away to Boston.

3 hours away from the cabin. 3 hours away from the woods. 3 hours away from my hockey team. 3 hours away from everything I’ve known my whole life. 3 hours away from my dad.

Dad. I have my license so it’s not like I can’t drive down and see him, but I won’t be able to go every weekend like usual. We’ll figure it out. We always do.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Mark threw a balled up napkin at me, which irked me just a tad but what pissed me the fuck off was when he used my first name because everyone that exists knows that’s a big no-no.

“Siles!”

God, even his voice makes me wanna deck him.

“What?”

“Go pay for the gas.” he demands, shoving a 20 in my face.

I look at Hannah to make sure she’d be good in the car with him by herself. But she only nodded toward the store with a smile that can only be described as weak.

But we’ve had this talk. It always goes the same. I ask why she stays, she says because she loves him, I get pissed and we argue, which ends in her apologizing, but staying with him nonetheless. The whole routine was exhausting, really.

So I step out of the car, taking one earbud out so I could hear what the fuck was going on around me. The store was empty for the most part, only three or four customers and the guy behind the counter. I decided it was safe to browse the aisles to buy myself some time away from the living breathing dysfunction in the car. But as I walk around the store, I hear the familiar sound of bickering. Sure enough, as soon as I turn the corner I see 3 people. A set of twins around my age and the other one has his back turned to me. He’s a little bit taller than the other two, and he’s louder than them.

“Chris, Skittle Littles and regular skittles are the same fucking thing, one’s just smaller.” Wrong. “It’s not this serious. We’ve been here 10 minutes, searching for candy!”

“They taste different!” Correct.

I figure I’ve heard all I needed to hear, so I move to slip past the group, but as walk by, the tall one steps to side, his back knocking into my front. Either I my balance is stellar, or his is terrible because he starts to fall, and my natural instinct is to catch him.

As soon as my arms wrap around him, he whips around and I notice two things.

They’re not twins. They’re triplets.

Even though they all have blue eyes, his are different. His aren’t sky blue. They’re ocean blue. Pacific Ocean to be exact.

I feel myself drowning in them for a second. Everything freezes and I can’t breathe.

That second passes by quickly, though, and I pull myself together, making sure he’s stable on his two feet, and go about my day.

I pay for the gas, pump the gas, get back in the car, and put my other earbud back in.

We’re at our new house in roughly 20 minutes. It’s small, but nice.

It’s not the cabin, but whatever.

It takes 45 minutes to unload the boxes and get them in their designated rooms. It probably would have take 30 if Mark would have brought something besides his case of beers inside, but Hannah and I managed.

The only issue is that by the time we’ve finished unloading, Mark is piss drunk and knowing what comes next, it’s not something I want to be around for. So I put my hoodie back on, grab my overhead headphones and tell Hannah that I’m going for a walk.

Frank Ocean’s singing to me as I make my journey around this town. It’s not even Boston. It’s Sommerville. Boston adjacent, I guess.

It’s August and the sun is setting so it’s a little chilly, even in my hoodie and sweats. I love this weather. The air is muggy and it makes life even more melancholy than usual.

I decide that since I was out, I might ass well find a job. Partly because I need money and partly because I do not want to be in that house longer than necessary.

Being that it’s fall and people ar going to start using their fireplaces and making bonfires and shit, it wasn’t hard to find a lumber yard that was hiring. The guy I spoke to was a tall, skinny whit guy with th most aggressive pornstache I’ve ever seen. But he was chill and hired me on the spot. So now I have a job… there’s that I guess?

niyah speaks: im writing a series for pat pat (my biggest opp) enjoy guys and lmk if you wanna be on the taglist.

taglist: @patscorner @55sturn @streamermattsgf @mattslolita

#sturniolo triplets #chris sturniolo #nick sturniolo #matt sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #nicolas sturniolo #nick sturniolo fanfic #matthew sturniolo

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snazzyturtles · 1 year ago

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“Backseat Lover”

pt 1 | pt 2 | pt 3 | pt 4

tsukishima x f!reader, nsfw, mdni

you and tsukishima have hated each other since the minute you moved into the house across the street from his. but when his car breaks down on the ride home, and you're stuck with him for the night, things are bound to happen

wc: 5 k

tw: enemies to lovers, car fucking, grinding, semi-public sex, unprotected, creampie, biting, marking, pet names (pipsqueak, shortie, baby), tsukki & reader are lowkey both tsunderes so prepare for smack talk

"sup pipsqueak-" tsukishima whispered in your ear as you opened your locker. you snapped your head around to look at him, yamaguchi snickering close behind him. you narrowed your eyes and rolled them.

"you do realize that it's pretty narcissistic to call anyone that's a centimeter shorter than you a pipsqueak, right beanpole?”

he chuckled a bit and leaned in closer. "pipsqueak" he whispered once more.

you grabbed your books from your locker, swinging and hitting him in the chest with it before turning around. "shut up kei~" you yelled over your shoulder as you walked away.

his eyes went wide, his back hitting the locker door he was pushed against. yamaguchi was bent over laughing at your actions as tsukishima simply stared at your back as you left, his breath catching. he didn't think you could hit that hard. "so the pipsqueak is still feisty…”

“i like feisty…” he whispered under his breath.

you and tsukishima had been like this ever since you moved into the house across the street from his in middle school. it was your final year in high school, and yet your dynamic had still never changed. you don't think you'll ever understand why he acted this way, picking on you nonstop, but you weren't someone who took that treatment. getting multiple classes with him and his friends this year definitely didn't help though, it only made you two have to see each other even more often.

he pushed himself off the locker and ran after you. ”hey, pipsqueak. you know i got my driver's license right?" he said smugly as he walked up to you.

you glanced in his direction with your eyebrow raised. "oh really? and that matters to me because…?”

"i don't know, pipsqueak, maybe because now you don't have to walk all the way home from school anymore? no wonder you’re still in shape, you have to cover a lot of ground.” he smirked at you.

you stared at him in silence for a bit, before sighing and looking away “...okay fine. whatever.”

"you actually want a ride?" tsukki’s smirk grew, “aweee, are you finally letting go of your pride and ego, pipsqueak?" he poked your cheeks, chuckling at you.

you rolled my eyes at him. "no, it's just probably going to be easier than walking home… i wanna give my legs a break.”

“awe, lazy little pipsqueak-“ he leaned down and spoke at you with a baby voice, before smirking and standing back up, looming over you. "but if you are thinking you're going to be sitting in the front, you’re wrong. the front seats are for big kids, and i don’t want to hear your smart mouth." he smirked at you.

you stared at him with furrowed brows, obviously upset and growing more annoyed as the conversation progressed. "are you serious? i'm already going to have to wait until after you finish volleyball practice, i think i deserve front seat rights.”

"nah, i'm the one doing you the favor. back seat or walk, pipsqueak~”

“…ugh fine! whatever. let's just… get to class and... figure this out later.” you mumbled under your breath, turning your head.

"hehe, shortie’s finally becoming submissive, as she should be. i knew it’d happen one day." he smirked at you and ruffled your hair as you entered the classroom. rolling your eyes, you sat down at your desk, looking away from him.

—————————

you sat through the final two classes of the day, collecting your things and heading to the library. you wanted to stay as far away from him for as long as you possibly could, but when the hour passed and the library closed, you were required to go to the gym and watch tsukishima's volleyball practice.

you knew he played, seeing him occasionally play with his brother or friends in the neighborhood, but you had never actually seen him in action. he looked…. hot.

the sweat was dripping off his body, muscles flexing and panting hard as he practiced. his t-shirt was tight, sticking to his skin, and you could practically count his abs from where you sat. you had never noticed his physique, and while he was still just about as skinny as he was when you first met him, he had definitely buffed up over the years. you kept having to look down at your phone to act like you weren't staring at him, but it was definitely obvious to the boys in the gym- especially tsukishima.

he could feel your eyes, watching every move he’d make, every play he did, every dive he made. after practice ended for the night, he turned and looked at you for a moment, smiling and winked at you as he went to the showers.

his wink made you freeze, eyes glued to his back as he walked away and out of the room. did he notice you staring?

he soon came out of the locker room after a quick shower and changing into different clothes, walking towards the parking lot with you trailing after him and his long strides. once you got to the car, he opened up the door to the back seat, snickering as you rolled your eyes and threw your bag in the back, sliding in after it. he slammed the door shut, turning to open his and sit in the front. starting the engine, he looked back at you with a smirk, "tired pipsqueak?"

you looked at him with a dead stare and shook your head.

"no." you said, putting your headphones on as he backed the car out of its parking spot.

you sat in silence for a few minutes, and he couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the way you were acting. he could hear you muttering the words to the song you were listening to under your breath. "you know i can still hear you, right pipsqueak?” he spoke up louder, smiling at you through the rearview mirror.

you were staring out of the window, trying your best to ignore him as he drove out of the parking lot and got on the road that led to your side of town. it was late, and you were too tired and annoyed to deal with his teasing or even bother to give any back anymore. The car became silent once he realized you weren't going to interact with him, and he decided to just stare forward at the road he was driving on while you watched the dark scenery passing as you moved through the mountainside on your way home.

suddenly, the car jolted, making you lurch forward in your seat and hit the back of his as the car abruptly came to a stop.

“k-kei? what just happened?”

"hm?" his eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at you through the rearview mirror, cursing under his breath. "damn this car is old. it must be the alternator- pipsqueak, can you come and check with me?” he yelled over his shoulder as he got out of the car and headed towards the front.

your eyes were blown wide as you followed him out of the car, circling to open the hood. when tsukishima opened it, smoke began to come out.

"yeah, i think the car's dead... here let me call-“ when you looked down to turn your phone on, you noticed it wasn't turning on whenever you’d hit the on button. the battery had run out- your phone was dead.

"uh oh…"

he just sighed, closing the hood again with an obviously frustrated slam. that car was ancient, a hand-me-down from his older brother when he got a new one. he should've known this would happen sooner than later.

"well, shit. we’re gonna have to wait until someone passes by on this road to help, or walk to the house. you want me to carry you on my back?”

your eyes blew wide at his suggestion, not expecting him to volunteer to carry you like that. “i-let’s just wait for someone to come by… another car has to drive past at some point tonight, right?” you sat back down in the backseat as tsukishima stood with his back pressed against the side of the car. you were stuck.

"damn, why did this have to happen to us?” you buried your face in your hands.

his foot was tapping against the road from the state of stress that was shared between the two of you. you already looked so tired and upset, and it made him feel more agitated. "relax pipsqueak, i'm sure someone will pass by… we just have to be patient.” he sank to his knees and sat against the car, letting out a long sigh.

you groaned, flinging your head back against the seat to look out the sunroof. “ughhhh.”

"our luck, nobody's going to pass by until tomorrow morning. let's face it, nobody drives around this part of town this late at night. we're stuck kei.”

he looked up towards you, and then stared out into the road that stood ahead. you were probably right. "maybe we should just sleep then. i have a blanket in the trunk, it gets cold around this part of town at night so we’ll probably need it…”

“you can sleep on my lap if you want" he smirked up at you in addition to his side comment, taking you by surprise from his forwardness.

your face started burning bright red. ”y-yeah, i guess you're right.” you looked at the front of the car, before turning to look back at him as he stood up again. “i’ll probably have to do that though, you're so tall that i don't think the front seat will be very comfortable…”

tsukishima chuckled as he went to open the trunk and picked up a small blanket. he walked back towards you and handed you the blanket, smirking again. “you’ll have to be the little spoon today, shortie.”

he picked you up and placed you against himself, his chest pressing into your back and the small blanket laid on top of your waists. the feeling was awkward, and you lay there in silence as you stared at the back of the front seat. you rotated your head slightly to look back at him, whispering, ”h-hey kei? can i ask you a question?”

he looked down at you, and his hand began to play with the ends of your hair. "sure, pipsqueak. you can ask me anything." he murmured in a grumbly voice. when his hands started touching your hair, you froze, suddenly unable to think.

"why are you so mean to me, and then act like… this, sometimes? it… it's confusing..”

he stared at you, implying that this was not a question he was prepared for. he kept playing with your hair as he stayed silent, thinking. the silence was definitely awkward, and he could see how uncomfortable you were becoming. he decided to be honest with you, not wanting to lie to you anymore.

"i don't really know. your voice, your face, your personality, everything about you has always been just so annoying, but i think i’ve slowly begun liking you, i guess? i don't know if that makes sense.”

you slowly shifted your body weight to the other side, turning over to look into his eyes. you were face to face, close enough that you could feel his breath ghosting your nose as you looked up. "w-wait... what? you... you... like me?”

you were so close that he could smell the leftover scent of your strawberry shampoo in your hair, making his heart beat faster and have to hold back a moan. he looked into your eyes, your facial expression looking so cute for once. "i think i do pipsqueak."

he looked scared of his own words, that his feelings might ruin the relationship you shared. years of holding the idea of mutual hate and irritation, suddenly turning into love confessions in a cramped car seat. you stared at each other in silence for a minute, unsure of what to do, before tsukishima shifted and began to lean his head down and forward towards yours.

he leaned in closer and closer to you, and you could feel his warm breath right next to your lips. "pipsqueak~" he whispered, just before your lips met.

his lips were soft, and he kissed you kindly as his hand snaked around to hold the back of your head closer to him. he was being gentle with you for what felt like the first time, his mouth almost teasing yours from how light he was being. it took your breath away- you would've never thought you’d be doing this with him. when the kiss finally broke, you sat there, panting and staring into his eyes. he was still blushing, and just looking at you made his body tremble.

"that was... uh…” he looked at you with his eyes darting around in uncertainty. he just kissed you, and neither of you could believe what just happened. “uhhm… pipsqueak? can i kiss you again?”

you were shaking, your breaths coming out short and heavy. you definitely didn't expect that. "y-yes kei" you whispered. he leaned closer to kiss you once again, wrapping his arms around you so he could hold you even more closely.

"god i want you, pipsqueak.” he whispered in your ear while moving to kiss your cheek. you whimpered at his words, eyes squeezing shut. it made you blush- you weren't expecting him to say that.

he suddenly sat up, pulling you up onto his lap as he began to kiss you again, more passionately. faster. harder.

after the first two kisses, he definitely wanted more. he wanted you to be his, and only his. ”i think i might love you, pipsqueak.” he murmured under his breath. your breath caught at his words. love? kei tsukishima loved you? a moan left your throat as he continued to kiss you, your mind and thoughts blurred by all of this.

you both didn't want your lips to stop touching, feeling like you could finally be happy for once by just kissing each other. your lips were his heaven. he began feeling your body and running his hands through your hair as he started to kiss and nibble you on the neck. "baby, i want you so bad~" he whispered in your ear.

a long whine escaped your mouth as you felt his teeth tug at the skin on your neck, his hands beginning to trail under the back of your shirt. “w-w-want you too kei" you breathed out.

he let out a small exhale at your words, smirking to himself. his hand began to explore your body more, feeling the curves and bumps of your soft, sexy skin. he wanted to be with you right there, and he wanted you to be his. "you are so soft, pipsqueak-" he whispered as he kept kissing and licking at your neck.

your neck was so sensitive, more sensitive than you thought it could be. his actions were making you go crazy, and his hands touching you at the same time as his mouth was almost too much. the noises you were making were loud and constant. your hands began to trail from his shoulders down too, trying to trace his abs through his shirt.

his lips kept moving further down your neck, leaving hickeys as he kissed your neck like a starved man. "pipsqueak-" he whispered seductively into your ear, as if the nickname was now a dirty word.

you moaned loudly when you heard him say that, your head rolling back, exposing your neck even further. his hands lowered to your ass, gripping it and lifting you slightly to pull you closer to him. your chests were now touching, and you could practically feel all of him. your legs were on either side of his, pressed against each other so close you could feel the other’s breaths and small shivers. you could feel his body heat as you became closer and closer to him; your hips, your waist, your legs, all pushed against his.

he leaned in closer to kiss your neck, trailing his tongue from your ear along your jaw, tickling your throat. he could finally feel you, everything. you were one. his hands slowly tightened around to your hips, grabbing them and starting to pull them back and forth, aiding you in grinding atop him. the feeling made you whine even louder.

“p-pipsqueak..! o-oh my god..." his jaw dropped and his cheeks turned bright red when he began to feel your movements. his heart was racing as he tried to keep himself from making noises, but he couldn't help it. he was surprised that you continued grinding on him, but then again, he wanted this too- he wanted you. his body was becoming sensitive, reacting to your touches and movements. he continued to kiss your neck, slowly moving his tongue up the open skin as he felt your warm friction.

it felt so good, you felt closer to him than you could have imagined you’d ever be. your uniform skirt didn't leave much fabric between the two of you, just his pants and your small panties rubbing against him. "k-kei...aH" your voice caught when you felt his arousal poking you, at the same time as him biting your collarbone.

"p-pipsqueak, i have to..." he couldn't finish that sentence, he was becoming too sensitive to keep his cool. his hands were shaking, as he struggled to take off your skirt. his fingers found the buttons, quickly removing them and throwing your skirt into the seat next to you. he ran his hands under your shirt, warm fingers brushing against your skin as he began pulling your shirt and bra up and over your head at once. the air was cold, and your breathing was heavy as you sat atop him in only your panties.

"k-kei... please…”

it was hot now, and he was still wearing both his shirt and pants, the fabric now rubbing against your bare skin. you began to touch all over his body eagerly searching for more contact. you were so close to each other, your body on his, your legs wrapped around his waist, and he began to let his hands wander around your soft, smooth skin.

"baby... i want you so bad… i can't wait anymore.” he whispered in your ear as he started to kiss your body all over, his lips finding every inch of your skin as his fingers started to explore as well. he was sucking hard against whatever skin he could reach from his position, wanting to mark you, claim you.

your moans and whining became louder as his lips and hands went to places they hadn't touched before. you tugged at his uniform top, trying to quickly unbutton and take it off of him. you wanted to see him more, make it even between the two of you. he made a loud noise when you touched a sensitive spot, mumbling something about volleyball bruises, before gripping your hands and taking control. he wanted more, he needed more.

tsukishima quickly threw the rest of his shirt off and snaked his hand up from your thighs to your hips as he lifted you with one of his arms, the other reaching underneath himself to yank his pants down to his knees. placing you back down on his lap, where underwear was the only barrier that protected you from touching each other, making you whine louder and his eyes roll back once he felt your heat.

his heart started beating super fast, and he was sweating lightly in his anticipation. he could feel you, your thighs, your hips, your breath, everything. when you shifted your weight to lean in and kiss him again, it pressed his clothed cock against the wet spot in your panties, making him groan loud and shiver. god, you were his. he took off his boxers, making him more vulnerable to you. you were one, and you were more than just friends now.

he stared into your eyes as he slowly reached towards you, lifting you again, pulling your panties to the side, and lowering you down on his cock. the moan that left your mouth was deafening, and made his eyes roll back. you were lightly panting as you tried to slowly sink onto him, your eyes squeezed shut. “i should have known how long you’d be, considering how lanky you are.”

“shut up.” he grunted, bucking his hips as almost a punishment for your response, slamming balls deep into you. your mouth hung open and your head flung back, looking like you wanted to scream but couldn't. your expression turned him on even more, and he grabbed your hips, aiding them in moving on him.

you felt him slowly, gently, moving you up and down, your legs and arms wrapped around him like he was your safe place. his eyes were locked into yours, his hands holding you around him as if all he wanted was to keep you close to him, keep feeling you. your grip around his chest was practically choking him, your gummy walls squeezing and milking his cock. your breath was shaking and your legs were quivering as you started moving. “fuck! you’re so tight, baby.”

you wouldn't have believed it if you told yourself a few hours ago that you’d be doing this with tsukishima kei, fucking him in the back of a car on the side of the road, but here you were. enjoying all of it, whining and moaning at the top of your lungs for him.

”k-k-kei..." you couldn't form full sentences as your hips rocked back and forth against his.

your hearts were exploding as you moved. your body against his, it would be a sin not to enjoy it. he was feeling you all over with his large calloused hands, slowly and gently exploring you. he kept you close to him by holding your hips tight, nibbling at your neck and jaw. you were his lover now, and the world outside the car didn't exist. only the two of you, only intense pleasure.

you were mewling, it felt so good. his hands trailing your skin made goosebumps form and you shivered under his touch. "kei i-i.." a groan left your throat as you felt his cock bump your sweet spot.

hearing your moans, he couldn't keep his cool anymore. he felt like he was losing himself and that he was going completely insane from your touch. he began moaning and whispering praise into your ear, coaxing you to continue even more. "pipsqueak, please... don't stop."

you started moving quicker, bouncing up and down on his lap while your mouths were glued to each other. your stomach was beginning to feel twisted, and you couldn't help it when your whines got more constant. his body was twitching with every sensation that was made, and he had lost all his patience. he didn't want it to end, he wanted the night to go on forever.

he was sweating heavily even though it was cold inside the car. he felt crazy, insane, like he had lost every feeling of logic in his head, and it was all about you and him. his moans were becoming louder now, the sound of leather squeaking against hot skin amplified each time you moved.

"k-kei? i-i'm close" you whispered out. your legs were squeezing even tighter around his hips as you moved, almost like a warning.

he felt you, and your words made his heart stop. "baby... can i..." he looked at you, begging you for permission. "can i…” he whispered.

you nodded your head furiously, panting and looking into his eyes. ”yes... please.”

tsukishima felt like he was going to blow up, and he was begging you silently to just do it. his body was shaking so hard because of what you were doing to him. even though he was trying not to, he looked so desperate, staring into your eyes as you were riding him harder and harder. "baby, i'm all yours”

you felt him buck his hips, his cock ramming up and hitting that deep spot inside you that had you seeing stars, and that was the final thing to make you explode. you tensed up, practically screaming your whines out as your body shook around him, gripping his shoulders so hard you were sure your nails would leave indentations in the morning.

he was barely controlling himself, whimpering your name over and over again just hoping you were enjoying him as he was enjoying you. the look on your face, the way your eyes were squeezed shut, your voice mewling, your cunt squeezing and fluttering around his cock. everything about you was making him lose control. he closed his eyes and moaned loudly through gritted teeth. "ohhh my god baby… fuckkk…”

you felt him tense up, and his cock began twitching inside you as he came, a warmth spreading through your core. you looked up at him, both of you panting heavily as you leaned up to kiss him again.

the sounds of the two of you breathing mixed together, almost synchronized. he was panting heavily, but he continued to kiss and hug you like he couldn't get enough of you. when your mouths finally split, you started to lift yourself from his lap so you could sit on the seat next to him, only to feel his warm cum begin to drip out of your pussy once you began to move. you stopped, looking down, and shaking as a moan left your mouth at the feeling.

"pipsqueak, i, uhm, was that..." he looked a little bit scared, staying silent for once, waiting for your response and wanting to help you as much as possible, he didn't want anything bad to happen to you.

you nodded slowly, chuckling at his reaction. "it's you kei…” you looked back up at him, “-it’s okay, thank you.”

tsukishima stayed silent, still trying to process what happened. "thank you too, baby." he whispered to you. his face was still flushed, but he was starting to calm down. "are you okay? i didn't hurt you, did i?”

you looked into his eyes, smiling. ”i'm alright kei..." you giggled, "you've hit me with a volleyball before, many times. don’t worry about pain.” he smiled at you, he was glad you were okay. the conversation felt flat, almost nervous, but it was still sweet.

"yeah, that makes sense." he laughed gently. you shuffled off of his legs, sitting next to him in the backseat. the air between you two was awkward now, with the only sounds cutting the silence being the sounds of nature outside the car and the heavy breaths you were still making. "so what are we gonna do now?" he whispered, staring up at the night sky through the sunroof.

the stars above you were beautiful, the wind felt soft and peaceful. you looked up, watching the view above you as you tried to think about what just happened. “...don't really know to be honest…”

you took a breath and swallowed. "i mean, we could go back to acting like we hate each other, pretending this never happened…” you paused, glancing over to his face, then whispered, “...or do you want to do something else about it?”

"mmm, i don't think we can just forget about this..."

suddenly, a smirk crossed his face and he began to laugh a little under his breath.

"okay, i have to admit, the first time i met you, i thought you were gross and a pipsqueak, and i didn't expect that i would ever be in a situation like this with you. it's insane... but, i want to be with you now, i want to be your lover. can i be your lover? can i make you fall in love with me?" he asked with a soft voice.

you smiled, turning your head to look at him. "i have to be honest, i thought the same way about you. you were always cold and bitchy towards me from the start, and i didn't know why, so i had just decided to return that back towards you... and now? i don't think i can do that anymore.” your reached up, brushing some of his fallen, sweaty hair away from his brow. "i think i might like that though.”

tsukishima took your hand in his and softly smiled. he wasn't the same guy you knew, he was different now, he was vulnerable. he whispered to you. "i never want to be away from you, i want to share everything with you. i’ll be your lover. i'm yours now.”

a soft smile spread as you nodded, leaning up to press a small kiss on the tip of his nose. his whole body was filled with butterflies and he was blushing hard at your response. "pipsqueak, you are adorable." he leaned into you again, resting his head on top of yours, burying his face in your hair. "can we stay here for the rest of the night? just the two of us?" he mumbled, sighing, "don't wanna leave.”

you nodded, shuffling to be closer with him, curling your body to press with his. you grabbed at the small blanket that had long since fallen to the floor and draped it over your bare bodies cuddled next to each other. you knew that in the morning, things would be different. things would change. and you couldn't determine if that would be a good or bad thing, but at that moment, it was just you two, in your own little world of the backseat. you fell asleep with his warm arms wrapped around you, your face tucked into his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breaths as you drifted off, not waking until the sun rose the next morning.

a/n: the fic was named after a song they play nonstop where i work & it lowkey matched the fic a lot lol, if you wanna listen to it as a prerequisite it's "back seat lover" by mayer hawthorne :)

tag list, comment to be added ^-^

@tsukiran , @msbyomimi , @sun-yo , @leenmizeke , @kei-tsuki21 , @hissy-fit18 , @totallynoanalien , @riiceandsoup , @ks-tsukki , @qyiyiqng , @yuri-2004 , @c1nn-amon , @em-writes-posts , @longhairandnormalhairtsukkisimp , @goryki , @blackreadersalty , @dinotittes , @utaralita-blog

if your username is bolded, your blog isn’t showing up for me to tag! i’m sorry!

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scribbles97 · 9 days ago

Text

The Nightmare Come True - Part 5 and The End

Christmas had come and gone as loudly as it always did in their house.

The best gift for Gordon was the day his oldest brother had turned up at a training session alongside Jeff, the kid hadn’t stopped talking about it for a week. Jeff had been confident Scott would soon be making his way into the pool himself, especially if his request for an olympic sized pool on their newly purchased island was anything to go by.

John and Virgil had both returned home for the holidays full of stories and with open invites for their big brother to visit them at their respective colleges come the following semester. Scott had been keen, immediately opening his calendar and circling dates between appointments and other plans.

Even Jen had paid a brief visit, greeting the younger brothers as old friends proving just how much Scott had spoken of them all to his squad at one point or another.

By spring Jeff had noticed just how Scott had begun to fill out again, his time in the gym paying off and rebuilding the muscle that had been lost. He was starting to relax, to enjoy life as he once had and found the confidence he had always worn like a comfortable jacket. Gradually, he was becoming a version of the son Jeff recognised.

March was spent in the air, racking up supervised flight hours after passing the required psych exams. It had taken time for him to be comfortable in the pilot's seat again, but Scott had said himself that being in the air was as natural to him as being in the water was for Gordon. All he had needed was a supportive shoulder, one that Jeff was willing to offer.

By his birthday, Scott’s full pilot’s license had been reinstated, giving cause for a celebration alone without the news of John’s new Space Rated status. They had called Virgil on hologram, celebrating from their separate corners of the country louder than they had done over the festive period.

It had been late in the night when Jeff had found Scott out on the porch, a letter discarded but evidently not forgotten in his lap.

“I was going to tell you earlier, but the surprise party kind of distracted me.” Scott had smiled as Jeff had joined him on the step and poured them each a measure of whiskey.

“Cambridge offered me a spot to study English Lit, it’s all online so I’d only need to go over twice a semester so I’d still be able to--” He paused to glance over his shoulder, making sure no younger brothers were lingering in the kitchen.

Jeff had chuckled, glad that Scott was doing something for himself, something that didn’t immediately lead to any plans that had seemingly always been in place.

“You don’t have to, you know?” He had pointed out, “If you want to take some time for yourself before joining the Project…”

Scott had shook his head, grinning as he sipped his drink, “I want to get in the air again, Dad, and that rocket? I’m not letting you have all the fun.”

Both had laughed at the implication, wordlessly reaching their glasses towards one another in a silent salute to everything they had overcome in that year alone.

Things still weren’t perfect, Alan and Gordon were far from happy about moving to a boarding school away from their family. Scott still had a way to go before he was back at his full strength and fitness, but with the encouragement from Val and Lee, he was well on his way to outperforming them all.

“This is what I need.” Scott had nodded, “Despite everything, I’m glad we’ve ended up here Dad.”

Jeff had slung an arm over his shoulders and pulled him close, “Me too kid, me too.”

Of course, it hadn’t lasted.

A short eighteen months later, Jeff had been shot into the farthest reaches of their solar system. He had been sure that he would never see his family, his boys, again. It hadn’t mattered what he had tried with the engines, there had been no way for him to get home. He had tried, time and again to find a way to get through to them but it had eventually become apparent that all he could do was try to stay alive.

He had taken to sketching and writing when he wasn’t trying to keep himself alive, focussing on thoughts of each of his boys. How Scott was at least back doing something he loved, that John had made it to space as he had always wanted to, that Virgil was close to graduating with Honors on his engineering degree, that Gordon would have made it to the Olympics, and Alan at least had four older brothers to look out for him. It had been the thought and memory of them that had kept him going, the irony not lost on him that it had been the same things that had kept Scott going through his imprisonment.

There had been little else to occupy him over those long years.

He had never given up hope, not even as the planetoid had begun to separate beneath his feet, he had known they would come.

Right at the last possible second, he had spotted Scott.

Just like that, their roles were reversed.

Scott had stepped up in the time Jeff had been gone, and the more he had seen of the man his eldest had become, the more his heart had hurt.

He had dropped out of his Literature degree almost immediately after Jeff had gone, had taken up the role of commander in International rescue, and the role of Father to younger brothers that weren’t ready to be orphans. Once again, thanks to Jeff, Scott had lost sight of the man he wanted to be for himself.

Once again, Jeff had vowed to set that right.

There had been months of recovery, hospital appointments and physiotherapy, most of it familiar from the year before he had taken the unexpected trip. Scott had resolutely been at his side through all of it.

“Alan asked how you did it…” Scott had started one night, sat out by the pool waiting for Virgil and Gordon to return home from a rescue.

Jeff hadn’t needed further clarification as he had trailed off. He’d had therapy that morning, had spent the day pulling his boys closer after talking about what the isolation had done to him. Of course, they had all picked up on it.

“I imagine much the same way as you did during the war,” Jeff admitted softly, “Thinking of your family, remembering all the good times.”

Before he had left, talking about the war had been coming easier for Scott. It hadn’t taken long for Jeff to realize that Scott had clammed up once he had no longer had his father to talk to about such times.

Scott snorted, looking out to the horizon, “Admittedly, it’s a good method.”

Jeff smiled sadly across to him, “It got us both a long way.”

It had gotten them both back home, back to their family, to somewhere where they could find their feet again and work towards the version of themselves they wanted to be.

The man sat next to him was physically recovered from his time as a prisoner, but had never found a solid enough footing to find himself amongst all the chaos life had thrown at them.

“You didn’t end up where you were aiming, I’m sorry for that.” Jeff sighed after a moment, reaching out to Scott’s shoulder, “Because of all of this, I think you lost yourself again Scott.”

“I--” For a moment it seemed like he was ready to argue, before his shoulders had fallen and he had nodded in admission, “I became who I needed to be.”

They had shared a look, one that spoke of burdens that had fallen back on tired shoulders that had barely gotten free before being weighed back down again.

“You deserved to live life for yourself Scott.”

Scott ran a hand through his hair, “I know that now.”

“I know it wasn’t my fault,” Jeff continued, “but I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you see that, Son, I’m sorry that life has been so cruel and unfair.”

Scott’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, “I’m glad you don’t blame yourself.”

Jeff would never admit to him that it was a concept he still sometimes struggled with, but something he was working on regardless. His son didn’t need any more burdens.

“So,” He started, looking across with raised eyebrows, “Alan’s headed to college in the Fall, how about you take another look at that Literature degree?”

Scott’s laugh was full bodied against Jeff, “Yeah, I suppose that doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”

Laughing with his son, Jeff nodded to himself.

They were going to be just fine.

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds 2015 #scott tracy #jeff tracy #scribbles writes #thunderbirds #loopstagirl

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adidastain · 1 year ago

Text

bad decisions

1996 serj tankian x fem reader (y/n)

warnings: a little smutty (cockwarming)

notes: all lowercase, first person perspective (I, me, my, etc.)

word count: 2893

—

long-time best friends, adrenaline, and freezing temperatures create the perfect recipe for poor decision-making.

thank god his place was only 4 blocks away from the venue.

“i don’t believe in global warming anymore.” his trembling voice carried easily in the cold, breezeless air. serj cursed under his breath through gritted and chattering teeth.

i scoffed. “we’re almost there,” i said, equally as trembly. it wasn’t this fucking cold when we left, 4 hours ago. now everything was covered in a thin layer of frost, and if we hadn’t kept moving, we might’ve been too.

serj didn’t have his own car and i didn’t have my license, so we were forced to walk a measly 4 blocks to the local niche concert venue, which really doesn’t seem like much of a trek. now try walking 4 blocks home in below freezing temperatures. we’d met some friends at the concert and had a pretty good time, but failed to account for the fact that it was past 12 AM by the time it was over, nonetheless in the middle of january. and of course, like the geniuses we were, we’d left before we could catch a ride.

“why didn’t we get a taxi?” i asked rhetorically, letting go of a heavy sigh that i could see in the form of a thin cloud in front of me as it escaped my lips.

“we don’t have any cash,” he laughed. he paused his steps for a brief moment to dig in his pockets. “right?”

“right,” i shivered. “genius, aren’t we?”

serj smiled at my joke. “genius enough to decide to walk home instead of getting a ride. remarkable.”

i playfully punched his arm. “seriously though,” he continued. “global warming my ass.”

“it’s midnight in mid-january, serj. i don’t know what to tell you,” i smiled, now walking backwards in front of him.

“yeah, in southern california. you would think it never gets this cold. my dick is fucking shrinking, y/n.”

i snorted and scrunched up my nose. for some reason, that was always my reaction when he said my name like that. i wasn’t sure if it was his tone, his accent, or something else.

we finally landed on his doorstep and i waited patiently behind him as his trembling hands frantically fumbled with the keys while trying to unlock the front door. serj then dropped said keys and i laughed at him.

“you try unlocking your front door when you can’t feel your fingers,” he playfully hissed at me while i picked up his keyring for him.

eventually we made it inside. it was warmer but not very much. the air was calmer though, we were in our safe bubble.

i flopped onto his couch while serj set his keys on the kitchen counter and winced. “my dick is fucking frozen,” he whined while running his fingers through his long, curly hair. i sat up and smiled at him, watching him pull his hair back into a ponytail.

“why don’t you grow out a beard, keep your face warm,” i suggested, standing back up and stepping towards him. “you already have a little bit of pedo stubble.” i laughed as he swatted my hand away from scratching his chin.

“did you know that thinking about sex can make your facial hair grow faster?” he changed the subject.

“you must not think about sex very often,” i teased, trying to hide my smirk.

serj rolled his eyes, palming my face and pushing me away. i hated it when he did that and he knew it. “rude,” i scoffed, following him to his bedroom.

“er, excuse me, love. i’ll be changing in here now,” he said in a godawful attempt at a british accent, stopping me at the doorway. i flicked his forehead out of revenge and he snorted before closing the door in my face. “your british accent is proper rubbish.” i yelled, in a much better british accent. “won’t survive the islands with that lump o’ shite up yer sleeve, mate.” i then said in a scottish accent.

he cracked open his door, showing just his face and bare shoulder. serj glared at me as if he had something to say, but i spoke before him, saying, “you might want to try studying foreign films if you plan to travel around the world in that band of yours,” in a german accent.

he glared for another moment or two before rolling his eyes and chuckling slightly and muttering, “you’re such a showoff.” he once again slammed the door in my face.

a few minutes later, he came back out in pajamas. flannel pants and a big, grey pullover hoodie. oh, and the star of the show, his signature scooby doo socks.

i’d helped myself to some oreos and was sitting on his sofa before he sat next to me and grabbed the TV remote. i held in a laugh as he shivered again.

“jesus christ I’M STILL FUCKING COLD,” he groaned, throwing his head back.

“dick still frozen?” i asked.

“yes.” he sighed, looking at me with a pouting lip.

i held in a laugh and looked him up and down as his head fell back again. i don’t know if it was his clothes, his now exposed neck, his gorgeous hair, or the idea of cockwarming itself, but he looked good. really fucking good.

very few moments went by before i gently took the remote from him and asked, “want me to warm you up?”

his head snapped up and he stared at me. his eyes were wide and a disbelieving smirk crept up his cheek. “excuse me?” he laughed sheepishly.

i’d meant it. now i was embarrassed and i felt stupid.

“do you want me to help you with… that?” i asked again, quickly glancing at his crotch to reference his frozen dick.

“wh- i- how?” he stammered.

then i felt really fucking stupid. why did i ask him that? what the fuck was i thinking?

i moved barely an inch closer to him after setting the remote back onto the coffee table and stared him dead in the eyes. my voice shrunk and i said, “i could just sit on you.”

a quiet moment was shared before he broke into a laugh and broke our eye contact. he looked around at seemingly nothing and bit on the tip of his finger, before pinching the bridge of his nose and laughing some more.

“why not?” he sighed, opening up the space in his lap for me to sit like a fucking hen on a newly laid egg.

i slid carefully into his lap, every single muscle in my body locked in a tense state. he avoided eye contact as i adjusted my position and rested my hands on his shoulders to stabilize myself.

i then became fully aware of his scent as it flooded my nostrils when i got that close to him. a soft blend of cigarettes, fresh laundry, and whatever cologne-y scented shampoo or body wash he used. my body relaxed and i allowed my weight to settle on his hips.

his hands rested in the pockets of his hoodie and he sat with his head rested back and his eyes closed. his broad chest rose and fell softly but swiftly.

“where’d you get this hoodie?” i asked softly, desperately attempting to break the silence. i was ruining our friendship more and more with each passing second.

…but i kind of wanted to ruin it.

i always thought serj was really intelligent and had a great sense of humor, and i could never understand why more girls didn’t want him. in the past 7 years of knowing him he’d only been through two real relationships, and barely any smaller, less serious flings. i myself had been in and out of relationships and such, but serj and i worked so well together as friends that it was hard to imagine being anything else with him.

“goodwill,” he exhaled. “3 bucks.” serj smiled, keeping his eyes closed. i could feel him relax a bit underneath me. i smiled too and let out a soft laugh through my nose.

“do you feel any warmer?” i asked, even lower than before.

a short few moments passed by before he shook his head and answered “not really.”

in response, i adjusted my position again, earning an unexpected reaction from him. his breath hitched and he briefly opened his eyes as i seemingly hit a nerve or something. his body tensed up again and his breathing grew deeper.

i soon understood why. i squirmed slightly for the billionth time, but felt a little something poking up against me.

every single ounce of my confidence rushed back into me and a devilish smirk came upon my face.

“what’s got you so excited?” i teased.

finally he looked at me again. his cheeks were red and he swallowed hard. we both broke into a blushing laugh and he rubbed his face with his palms.

he threw his hands outward and let his arms fall defeatedly. “you’re sitting on my dick, y/n, what do you expect? it feels good,” he argued.

my heart leaped. why was i so fucking excited about this? i was making him feel good and that was more fucking empowering than any chic flick i’d ever seen.

“it feels good? want me to grind on ya a little bit? like this?” i teased him, biting my lip. i started gently rolling my hips back and forth against his and held his shoulders to stabilize myself.

“NO! no, no, oh my god, fuck, don’t do that,” he whined, covering his face with his hands as he threw his head back again. his breathing was almost rapid and he was forcing himself to inhale and exhale deeply.

i stopped moving, but left my hands on his shoulders. i watched with a contented smile as his breathing became steadier.

“serj~” i said softly, letting my hands fall to his chest so i could feel his heartbeat. it was racing.

he took a deep breath and mustered up enough strength to look at me again. he looked tired, but his eyes were doe-y and somewhat anxious. he was blushing hard and he felt really warm now.

i took a long look at his face, glancing between his eyes, his nose, his lips, his freckles. i bit my lip and leaned in slightly closer.

“i wanna make a bad decision…” i whispered, fidgeting with the strings of his hoodie and staring at his lips and into his eyes.

“you already made a bad decision, y/n.” he stated, his voice deeper and softer than it previously had been.

butterflies exploded in my stomach and we stared at each other for another few, long moments. i planted my palm in his sternum and slowly leaned in, laying my lips between his.

both of our hearts were now racing respectively, and i grew lightheaded from holding my breath before we pulled away naturally, slowly.

we looked at each other for a moment, seeing how the other was reacting to what just happened. his eyes danced around my face and his lips slacked open, breathing deeply despite his racing heartrate.

i brought a hand up to softly caress his neck, and we kissed again. his lips were wet and soft and the kiss was a little on the slower side. i could feel each of his breaths cover my face as his nose brushed against my cheek. i could have sworn that i felt him grow harder each second.

every ounce of strength that was left in my body instantly vanished as i felt his hand slide gently up my thigh. i softly whimpered into our kiss and pulled away for a moment. “your hands are cold,” i giggled, out of breath.

serj smiled at me and looked down. “sorry,” he laughed.

“it’s okay.” i gently tilted his sweet head back up to face mine and kissed him again. my hand caressed his stubbly cheek and i felt his other cold hand gently graze my jaw.

he opened his mouth and licked my lips briefly. i gasped and pulled his head closer to me so i could slide my tongue into his mouth to meet his.

i adjusted my position again and he immediately let go of the kiss, letting out a low, quiet moan against my lips. “careful~” he warned with a smile as he resumed the kiss.

his hand inched closer to my hips and i let it. his hands were huge and fit perfectly on my bony hips. i felt his entire palm rest against my right hip before his thumb slid under my pants to gently stroke the outside of my underwear.

i whimpered his name and pressed myself harder against his hand and his crotch, deepening the kiss even further. my underwear was beyond soaked but i didn’t even care.

i decided to deliver some karma and let my hands sink below his chest and slip up under his shirt. i placed my hands on his warm skin of his abdomen, which immediately tensed up at my touch. his skin was smooth and i could feel a bit of hair in the center of his body moving lower. my thumb brushed over his belly button and my palms were soon met with the elastic waistband of his pants.

before i could get to work on those, he pulled away and stopped me. “wait,” he said.

i looked at him, worry building up inside me.

his hands moved to gently hold my waist and he softly asked, “what are we after this, y/n?”

i stared into his eyes, at a loss for words. i pulled my hands out from under his shirt and hoodie and rested them in our laps, fidgeting with my fingers. “i-” i started, not really knowing where i was going to go with it after the fact. “i don’t know…”

now i felt stupid again. i only got the idea as a joke, i didn’t expect it to turn into this. but i liked it, and it seems like he did too. but we couldn’t go back to what we were, our friendship was ruined.

“...pretend it never happened?” he suggested, sounding just as uncertain as me.

i shook my head, lowering it in shame. it was such a stupid idea.

serj noticed my defeated state and gently held my face. “hey,” he said softly. i looked at him with a shame-ridden face, but quickly moved my eyes away from his. his thumb stroked my cheek and he gave me a small smile. “y/n~” he sang. “look at me.”

i scoffed and looked at him. he grinned and nudged my nose with his.

“listen, no matter what we end up being, you’re still my best friend, okay? maybe we can talk about it tomorrow over- well, later today, i guess. over breakfast. i think we should sleep on it, does that sound good?” he said softly.

his little stutter was so fucking adorable, i could barely contain my grin. i nodded and pressed my forehead against his.

“good,” he whispered. a moment or two passed before he held my face with both hands and softly said, “i love you, y/n. in every way.”

i smiled wide and wrapped my arms around his neck. “i love you too, serj,” i whispered.

he grinned, dear god. his smile had never hit me so hard as it did in that moment. “one more kiss?” he offered, his voice risen in pitch with his eyebrows raised and a sheepish grin.

i nodded, and we leaned in again. it was soft, slow, but not too deep, and a little on the shorter side. it was perfect.

“get some sleep, y/n,” he told me as we pulled away and i stood up from his lap. i nodded again, completely out of words. the only thing i managed to come up with was a simple, but sweet, “good night, serj.”

he gently grabbed my hands, softly kissing each of my fingers while looking up at me. “good night, y/n,” he said, before pausing for a brief moment. he then continued and whispered;

“i don’t regret anything.”

#serj tankian #system of a down #daron malakian #shavo odadjian #x reader #serj tankian x reader #fluff #smut #fanfic #fanfiction #fem reader #au #1996 #soad #nu metal #y/n

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girlfriendsofthegalaxy · 8 months ago

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tuesday again 4/2/2024

in which i try to clean two different boxes with varying success

new people: hello! the tuesdaypost is a weekly roundup of stuff i've been listening, reading, watching, playing, and making. it is NOT a recommendation series, although i sometimes dabble in critique. when im firing on all cylinders i ask "what is the core concept of this? does it succeed in what i think it's trying to do and what it says it's doing?is it well-made but i dislike it/beautiful but not for me? why? what parts Really Work?"

if you are into purity culture, yelling at other people about the problematic media they consume, or are under 18 i am going to have very little patience for you.

listening

now that i live in houston i am legally obliged to loop the new beyonce album 24/7. there is absolutely truly nobody fucking doing it like her. every song is a multimedia art piece. goddamn do i miss the album as a tool to convey a specific concept/listening order/flow. sometimes (chappell roan most recently comes to mind, although it does feel unfair to compare anyone to beyonce) every individual song is pretty good but the listening experience if you sit down and listen all the way through the album is unpleasant and choppy. not so here. NEVER here.

my favorite like Dance Number is YA YA (it samples nancy sinatra's boots! and the beach boys' good vibrations! wildly different tones despite coming out a year apart!)

youtube

the one that goes on four different character/tone playlists is BODYGUARD.

youtube

great early roundup of influences, samples, and collaborators. delighted to see five fingers for marseilles listed, a rocky but underrated south african neo-western free on tubi rn for americans

reading

also very texas-relevant with the recent pornhub lawsuits! pornhub and sex tech (among other things) have been samantha cole's beat for almost ten years. i trust her to report sensitively and not for like. shock clicks

this site has a free paywall (sign up with your email for a link to the full article) so bots have a harder time scraping articles: this is a journalist-founded site with only the four founders running it and writing articles. while annoying i do think this is a reasonable measure

The platform still has problems, but after years of critical reporting and a litany of legal and reputational consequences, Pornhub is now more heavily moderated than any other porn platform, and most major social media platforms, for that matter. A growing list of age verification laws has put Pornhub in a position where it is compelled to block access to its site in seven states and counting. In theory, these laws are designed to prevent children from being able to access pornography online. In reality, what is going to happen is that children are going to end up on pornographic sites that don’t care what the law says, and where some of the most harmful content that exists online is actively promoted to them.

she's also got a new limited series podcast with CBC about the rise and fall of pornhub, which was fascinating and kept me company during an extremely early morning drive

watching

i'm lukewarm about this one but i spend a lot of time getting there, much like this movie

ive been watching a lot of frankly dogshit thrillers, which has made me wonder: what's the deal with supervillans? where did they come from? and thence arrived at the prototypical film Dr Mabuse the Gambler (1922, dir. Lang). the four and a half hour cut on Kanopy is two normal-length movies superglued together, which makes sense as a streaming product but it is sort of a terrifying runtime and took me three days to get through.

sometimes, as we know, i get a real bee in my bonnet about visiting the early versions of things. dr mabuse is the blueprint for every james bond and mission impossible villain, or really any shadowy supervillain with power over [INDUSTRY] or [THE MARKET]. it is a four and a half hour long cat and mouse game through lavish, eccentric sets between mabuse and prosecutor wenk. it has some trouble sustaining itself bc it is four and a half hours long but does deliver on the cat and mouse aspects. this letterboxed review has interesting things to say about the political climate of 1922 germany and how lang subverts the formula of the pulp serial.

really the film opens with mabuse yelling at his cocaine-addicted assistant, but the film properly gets going with mabuse's henchmen stealing a trade agreement (nothing really carbon dates a movie more than a missing trade agreement. vanishingly few post-early-30s movies have missing trade agreements as plot points) and then he crashes the stock market. for fun and profit.

however. i think every time you see an evil man who is a banker or stockbroker or generally uses money as power you have to interrogate whether it's antisemitic. the answer here is "maybe" but i'm not sure if intent matters when contemporary nazi critics were eager to hold mabuse up as "this is the typical jewish criminal". (sorry about the link directly to wikipedia, it's been touch finding online sources for this section). mabuse is not specifically jewish, but there are certainly elements of stereotype. i am still not good at being presented with "this movie has a shadowy behind the scenes figure manipulating the government and all the money ever" and going "hey wait a minute".

after that tremendous glaring caveat, for which i read more contemporary reviews and reviews in general than i ever read for movies in these posts, is it good? eh. a contemporary VARIETY review remarked (and i largely agree)

The direction of Fritz Lang has moments – but Lang somewhat negates his good technical effects by twenty forty-word captions of a ludicrous unconciseness.

the night scenes are particularly well done, and imo are better than many modern night scenes--other contemporary reviews remarked

In this film the techniques of the film camera (Carl Hoffmann’s brilliant photography) are brought to perfection. The problem of how to film lit-up streets at night has been solved for the first time. It is unbelievably impressive to see the glaring lights of speeding cars flash through the night or the rapid passing of an elevated train of the initially blurred, then gradually focussed glimpse through a pair of opera glasses on to the variety stage, the nuances of light and shade—these things alone prove the value of film documentary.

look at this shit! filmed from within the cars! in 1922!!!

youtube

this film asks you to believe hypnotism is real and really effective, so i don't think it's that big of a leap when it asks you to believe in ghosts. i don't understand that quibble from contemporary viewers. there are several on screen suicides with like. specific methods. which is not currently regarded as good filmmaking practice. im curious to know what contemporary audiences thought but couldn't immediately turn anything up, and wading through masters’ theses on cinematic suicide is a little beyond my current mental health.

if i were a more content-minded woman this would turn into a clickbait video essay about the antisemitic origins of every supervillan. however i am unqualified and untalented at video editing and i'm sure there are forty theses on this already. this movie is a hard sell to anyone jewish or employed. it is also a stunning example of cutting-edge film technology and part of the genesis of the modern supervillan. Fritz Lang films tend to fall in the category of “movies i am happy to see once and feel no need to revisit”.

playing

playing what is effectively the same game three times back to back (breath of the wild, tears of the kingdom, genshin impact) has sort of burned me out on open world games with a focus on battle skill progression and stumbling across little puzzles in the overworld. i have to get itch.io up and running on this pc and find the most linear jankiest possible one-sitting indie thing. or several of them. i might try the solo ttrpg Gentleman Bandit i seem to have acquired in one of the giant charity bundles

brief breath of the wild update bc i don't want to pull screenshots off my switch: i have gotten to the boss fight for the gerudo and goron regions, have not completed them bc my focus in this game is NOT hearts, and am in the middle of the zora temple. despite the quality of life improvements and new regions in totk i think i prefer botw: progression is a bit easier, there are fewer mmo-style hub quests and repeatable quests. things like the stable photos are cute but very repetitive, so are the sign bracing puzzles, and the sky crystal quests for sky shrines feel VERY samey. also dislike how the CLEAR OUT: [REGION] quests with the monster suppression squads reset at the blood moon.

anyway! to genshin! there was an exceptionally fun little event with a surprisingly involved management sim tacked onto the game??? you make and sell potions fulfilling different requirements, and can eventually stock travelling merchants all over the continent. the actual act of making the potions was this block-filling 1010! style thing (screenshot from polygon)

the new region, a port town and tea-growing area called Chenyu Vale, is maybe the prettiest one in the game so far? it's the one that feels the most picturesque and Designed, like this is one huge mansion garden studded with follies. they also added background chatter and noise in the cities and towns, which really startled me and makes them feels much more lived in! this is a fun trick to avoid putting in a thousand NPCs and making everyone's framerate crash. the less stuff in your game, the less shit can go wrong.

also pulled for and got chiyori, a geo-aligned seamstress (and sometime spy???) swordswoman who has what i can only call domme voice

making

ok now we'll talk about boxes. i was rearranging my kitchen, as unemployed women are known to do, and noticed this recipe box i picked up back in mass was disgusting. the finish is starting to fail but it was genuinely grody and last summer i packed my kitchen in a blind panic inside an hour and did not have time to address it. i have never seen a recipe box at an estate sale before or since and it made me desperately sad.

it was full of a lot of stuff.

i went at it with a somewhat inadvisable combination of things: wood soap didn't budge it, so i dampened a paper towel in vinegar and wiped it down in the vain hope it would do something. the thing that worked, and would be inadvisable for anything veneered or less densely textured, was baking soda paste and the scrubby side of a sponge. it still smells Very musty even after 48h of loose baking soda inside with several changes, but that might be partly the recipe cards' fault. i would like to refinish this at some point but i don't have polyurethane on hand and the fun little project budget is empty until further notice/i get a job.

the hinge did rust a bit despite my best efforts but that has since been lightly steel wooled and oiled. a well loved object! it's possible the lady who died just fucking sucked and that's why literally her entire estate including many other things families usually keep was on sale, but i would like to think perhaps she simply had no other family? a well loved/used object even if all the recipes are for semi-horrifying fifties new england recipes.

the other box, pre-acids but post-washing: this topp trading card box with seven episode one packets of cards was intact with the original seal. i have verified it was not worth much more than the $5 i paid for it with the trading card obsessed man in my best friend's husband's friendgroup. i bought this three months ago but the man was unavailable to open it until uhhh last week. some sort of liquid got inside it at some point and it was super corroded. i was going to store embroidery floss in here but even with all my powers (barkeepers friend. brasso.) i cannot completely remove the corrosion. it's not corroded Through but it looks bad and feels rough. so it goes. it'll probably hold the tiedown straps in my car bc that plastic bucket is rapidly failing

#aaaaaaand we're back baybee!!!#tuesday again #tuesday again no problem #uncharacteristically nervous about this one since there are so many new people haha

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blerb-f1 · 4 months ago

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"At the harbour" - Charles Leclerc x fem!german!reader PART 4/FINALE

Charles and Y/N visit the party but it's just Monaco.

Here's part one, if needed. You can find the other parts and fics on my masterlist!

Blinding lights, ocean waves and shining golden watches are the things making Monaco what it is. The curvy roads leading past apartments the average human will never be able to afford, coupled with cars in price ranges covering the downpayment for one of these places.

Monaco also is Social. Monaco thrives in interaction, in glamor and in gossip. The inhabitants of Monaco, the born ones and the ones less inclined to pay taxes, love to mingle. Gossip, Chatter and Business Deals are done over a flute of champagne, over a delicacy cooked by a specialized cook flown in from Japan - all just as background noise to the large numbers being written on crisp white paper, signed with fountain pens more expensive than an average designer dress.

With the Grimaldi family throning above Monaco, as their glittering leaders, Money is what builds Monaco. The framework keeps everything up.

Being a person not from money, is difficult. The true Monegasque will be able to spit the little hair on the trim of your trousers, the crack in your diamond earring and the hole in the mask covering your identity.

Y/N was 100% underprepared for this.

Charles Leclerc sat next to her, driving his beautiful Ferrari with the Monegasque flag painted on it’s bonnet. He still hadn't gotten his driver’s license back but he clearly chose to ignore this. “Y/N, I can’t have you drive me around here! "My image!" he whined. The way to the ball wasn’t long yet Y/N understood why people went there by car. Walking around normal streets in evening gowns is quite unfashionable, no?

Once the car came to a stop, a Clerc quickly took the keys and rushed off to park it, surely doing much better than what its owner would be capable of and also surely enjoying this special vehicle. Y/N was feeling nervous, her stomach knotting into a tight ball as Charles already got out, opening the door for her to aid her. The fabric of her dress was incredibly lightweight, making moving around quite easy. The black glittery material was reflecting the lamps and shimmering, illuminating the jewelry along with it.

‘It’s like armor’ she soon realized, looking at all the other people arriving. The women were draped in designer clothes, head to toe. Jewelry attached to them like an overly decorated christmas tree.

Taking her arm into his, Charles led her inside the building. Large Chandeliers with hundreds of gemstones drooping down low, marmor tiles polished to perfection and waiters in crisp uniforms buzzing about. Her chin would have been hanging low, if the threat of committing a major faux-pas hadn’t been clouding her mind.

“It’s Breathtaking!”, she exclaimed, eyes wide open and still taking in the beautiful ballroom.

“Breathtaking?” Charles asked, one eyebrow quipped. “It’s the average party in Monaco.”

Y/N hissed. “Chuck, not everybody is used to this. I told you so!”

“Yeah-Yeah…” he mouthed, turning to the side before coming to a realization. “Wait a minute. You just called me Chuck? How the hell do you know that nickname?”

Y/N answered him with a defiant expression. “I looked you up, you know. Being famous has it’s downsides. I know way more about you than I ever could have wanted to know or not know.”

Charles was surprised. Y/N had consistently acted as if she didn’t care to know anything he wouldn't directly tell her. Had Monaco changed her?

“Don’t get any wrong thoughts! I just wanted to know about you in case anyone asked me something. No way in hell I’m going to look that stupid.”

“You already look stupid.”

“Didn’t you just call me breathtaking an hour before?”

Charles turned to the side, realizing hitting him. “That uh…That was a spur of the moment.”

Y/N nodded. “Spur of the moment. Sureee. Just l-”

Before she could continue, Charles interjected. “How about we get some Horsd’œuvre, to not risk your stomach rumbling?”

“How about some Eclairs?”

Charles was too stunned to speak. “No. Not that one as well! God”

Instead, he signalised the waiter to come over. With him was a little plate of, in Y/N’s opinion, weird looking food and some drink. He placed them on a decorated standing table before disappearing again. Y/N stared at the treats with an unsure expression before taking one and popping it into her mouth.

It was not good.

She chewed quickly and swallowed, angrily pointing at the others. “These things probably cost as much as my rent! Why are they so disgusting?!”

Charles looked at them more closely. “Maybe we got a bad batch? But it’s highly unlikely anything bad would be able to pass through these doors. Loss of business and all.”

She huffed. “Well then they better start doing quality control because this is unbearable. Bah~”

As the two were talking, a rich looking business man in a suit approached. Speaking French, he aggressively patted Charles' shoulders while laughing loudly. Was this the so-called money laugh, Y/N had been hearing off before?

While speaking, the man kept eying her with a suspicious look on his face. Charles kept lifting his hands, deflecting. He was scratching his cheek again, definitely unsure about something. Or trying to say a clear no without saying a clear no. Whatever it was, it looked like he needed help.

She leaned forward, hooking her arm into his again while looking at the businessman. A shining grin was plastered on her face, just as fake as the one all the surrounding people had on.

The man made an apologetic gesture, said something and quickly left looking embarrassed. Charles looked just as embarrassed as he did.

“What did he say?” Y/N asked curiously.

Instead of responding, Charles looked around shyly.

“Don’t pretend like you’re the countryside innocence. Tell me! Afterall, It looks like i rescued you, right?”

“You did…”, he responded quietly.

“Then. Tell. Me!”

“He said that for young couples we should have gone somewhere else to flirt. And he recommended his Hotel to us.”

Y/N L/N was too stunned to speak.

“Yeah…”

“What ‘yeah’? I answered you. What now?”

“I uh- I didn’t expect that.” Y/N was very surprised.

Charles just looked at her blankly. “That’s what people here are like. Relationships are superficial, even relationships. Cheating’s quite common, you know? If both sides do it, it’s fair again…”

He sighed. “I hate that. A lot.”

Y/N looked around the hall which was starting to fill up. More and more people were gawking at him. Gawking at their Prince of Monaco.

“I know this invitation is important and all” she said. “But what if we just left?”

Now it was his turn to be surprised. “Didn’t you dream of visiting a big ball? Dancing and whatnot?”

She placed her hands on her hips. “Well, I visited a Ball, didn’t I? Dancing can be done just as easily in any other location. I’d rather just leave now.”

Charles pondered for a moment. “Yeah, me too.” He entwined his hand with Y/N’s, leading her outside. The clerk wanted to bring the car, but was just shushed away.

The sun had started going down now and was reflecting on the harbor. Painted all red, it looked totally different than what it did during the day.

Y/N looked around the area, imagining a Formula One setup. Cheering fans, Teams working hard. She imagined the party afterwards. The whole place being so alive and real. With beating hearts and loudly screaming voices.

Charles and her were slowly walking along, not caring how they were looking to others or if this was going to spawn scandals. Just the two of them.

“Charles, have you ever considered leaving this?” she asked him directly, gesturing around. “While you seem to love this lifestyle, it also appears to tire you.”

Charles turned towards her, downtrodden. “I have. Many times actually. I don't want to leave Maman behind. But some days… Some days I wonder what it would be like to live a normal life. One away from glitz and glamor.”

“Like mine?”

He frowned. “Well not THAT far away. But in that direction, yeah.”

Y/N was thinking hard, whether she could ask what she wanted to. She decided that she could.

“Would you like to stay in the countryside with me for a while? That’s not like moving away, right?”

“Well that’s pretty direct.” He chuckled. “If you wanna date me, just say so. I’d like that”

Y/N huffed again. “Stop joking, Idiot. This is me really proposing that idea to you. I like your mom. I’d like to visit her again but I seriously cannot afford Monaco. That would be one hand washing the other, right?”

“Also i can’t imagine personally having a friend-”

The realization hit him like a truck.

Y/N looked lovely, with the low light reflecting of her face. Normally he’d stay silent, keep these thoughts for himself. He decided to go for his heart for the first time in a long while.

“Y/N”, Charles said softly. “You even like my mother and want me to stay with you, what else do we need to be in a Relationship? A cat?”

“Adopting a cat sounds lovely-”

It was his turn to get angry. “Now you’re the one not being serious!”

Charles took her hands in his, directly staring into her eyes. “Y/N”. He took a deep breath, sorting his thoughts. “I Like you a whole dang lot. Seriously. Please, don’t push away my thoughts. Not like that.”

Y/N was stunned. “Did I ignore you?”

“Yeah.”

She looked legitimately unhappy with that thought. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Her words came out faster than his. “I- I’m not good with serious emotions. Really. It’s tough saying what you really want to, without sarcasm. So..”

‘How about my actions speak for my words?’, she asked herself.

A strong hand lunged forward, grabbing his tie and pulling his head to her height. The gloved hands took his head between them, placed right on his cheek as she leaned forward, capturing his lips in a short kiss.

She continued her point from before. “I think I like that idea. Does this count as a first date then?”

Charles was speechless, his face red. Burying it into her shoulder, he mumbled:” If you want it to…” Y/N tightly embraced him back, both of them being more starved for affection that they’d actually think themselves to be. Or ever admit it.

Then, Y/N’s stomach rumbled loudly, causing Charles to laugh out loud.

“See, that’s why I told you to eat something.”

“Not this weird stuff! I can’t do that again.”

Charles took her hand, before giving it a kiss.

“Mademoiselle, what about a visit to the restaurant of the golden Seagull?”

Y/N laughed along. “I’d like that a lot, Sir Leclerc.”

##############

Blerb thoughts:

If you want to be added to the tag-list, hit me up!

Proud of myself for finishing this! Though i don't think i'll write any actual series again. One-Shots with more parts, yeah. But no direct series. I don't want to finish on a cliffhanger.

Taglist:

@barcelonaloverf1life

@itsjustkhaos

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kylobith · 7 months ago

Text

Little Town Tails

Chapter 4: A Fish Out of Water

Summary: Halsin meets the potential new member of his team and tests his craft.

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

Trope: Modern AU, Meet-cute, Little countryside town, Cosy

Word count: 6,034

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

Pushing his sunglasses further up his nose, Astarion grunts for the hundredth time since he hopped into the car ten minutes ago. With his arms folded against his chest and a straw tucked between his lips as he sips from his cup, he blasts Hungry Like The Wolf through the speakers.

After receiving Karlach’s text message the previous afternoon, he has thought of various ways to care about this new mission that could earn his license back. But not a single reason came to his mind. Sure, he likes cats, but that is about it. Ironically, he does not care enough to spend his life around them, while he gladly welcomed his husband’s tressym when they moved in together a few years back.

But after all, as many of his friends and his husband can testify, Astarion is a man of contradictions.

The car stops in front of a typical old house, whose ground floor has been refitted to welcome a shop or, in this case, a veterinary practice. What a peculiar location for such a thing, he finds himself thinking. It differs greatly from other surgeries he has walked by in the city. Most blend in with neighbouring shops and few notice it unless they peek in or especially look for it. Emerald Grove, on the other hand, stands out by occupying the lower floor of a historic home on the forest’s edge. Most curious choice.

Gale presses the handbrake button and smiles at Astarion, giving him a soft caress on the cheek.

‘Time to go, Starry,’ he murmurs tenderly. ‘You have a good day, mh?’

‘Don’t call me that,’ Astarion replies curtly.

His husband sighs and drops his hand onto his lap. Astarion eyes him from behind his sunglasses and grimaces. No matter how often he has advised Gale against it, he finds it obnoxious how his partner insists on dressing like he is an old-timey esteemed professor at one of the best universities of the land when in reality, he is merely a history teacher at a senior school. On weekdays, Gale is much too reluctant to part from his tweed suits and his antique pocket watch he merely carries around because he believes it makes him look cool. The watch itself has long been unusable. But, as he always says, at least it gets the time right twice a day.

What a dork, Astarion scoffs internally. Yet he cannot help but ogle how the tweed embraces his husband’s curves.

‘Astarion? Are you listening to me?’

‘Huh?’

Astarion snaps back to reality and looks up into Gale’s eyes, elegantly surrounded by browline glasses. Years of being hunched over books even in poor lighting does that to a man.

‘Sorry,’ he mumbles, taking another sip from his cup, ‘I was thinking about something else.’

‘Mh,’ Gale responds, knowing quite well where his partner’s eyes have wandered. Not that he minds. ‘I was saying that too many places have refused you for your community service. Without your salary combined with mine, we can’t pay for the house, and you know quite well that it will take us even further away from the city, and that’ll make you miserable.’

His finger strokes the paler man’s jawline.

‘Can you promise me to make an effort this time? I’m worried about you, you know?’

‘Well don’t be,’ Astarion snaps. ‘I just couldn’t care less about these missions they want me to take. I don’t care about the community, I just want my godsdamn job back.’

‘And it will happen, but first, you need to make these hours and redeem yourself. It’s merely three months, Astarion, it will be alright. Plus, see the bright side of things, you’re going to work with Karlach!’

‘That’s the only reason why I came.’

‘No, not really, the other one is that I drove you here.’

Astarion glares at Gale, and the latter laughs as he presses a kiss to his partner’s cheek.

‘Come on now, mister, time to go. Call me when you need me to pick you up, or if Karlach is bringing you home, alright?’

‘Alright,’ Astarion grumbles.

‘Have a nice day, my love. And say hello to Karlach from me.’

‘Mh.’

The pair shares a fleeting kiss and Astarion drags himself out of the car. He waves his husband off, and before he can even make a step, he hears the door of the practice fly open, followed by a squeal.

‘Fangs!’

Karlach leaps out of the practice and enfolds him into a back-snapping embrace as she lifts him off the ground, squealing again. Astarion kicks his legs and grunts.

‘Ow, ow, ow, Karlach! Down!’

‘Whoops, sorry, soldier.’

She puts him back on the ground with an embarrassed chuckle as she looks at his friend.

‘Looking dapper for an interview to work at a vet’s office,’ she notes, eyeing his pristine white shirt and straight brown trousers whose hem stops about two inches above his waxed brogues. On his hip rests his brand-new brown satchel.

‘Well, this outfit certainly looks better than your blue sapphire scrubs, Karlach.’

‘Aw, damn! Halsin said they were teal!’

Astarion rolls his eyes and drinks from his cup again.

‘Anyway. Tell me of this… Halsin. What should I know about him?’

‘Oh, you’re going to love him! He’s great! Super nice, good with animals and all.’

‘I hope so, he’s a vet.’

His friend cackles and nudges him towards the door so they can enter together. As the two stand by the reception and Karlach shows him her desk and the waiting room, Halsin comes in, alerted by her enthusiastic talking. He beholds the tall and slender man with sunglasses on his nose and silky, curly white hair combed back, except for one lock grazing his eyebrow.

‘Good morning,’ he chimes, holding out his hand, ‘I am Halsin, the owner of Emerald Grove. You must be Astarion Ancúnin?’

‘Actually, it’s Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin,’ the man corrects him while shaking his hand.

‘My apologies. Karlach told me much about you yesterday, but I believe I still have much to learn about you. Would you mind coming with me to my office so we can have a proper introduction?’

‘Sure.’

Halsin grins and shows him to his office, pulling up a chair for him and sitting at his desk himself. He turns around to face his guest, examining his every gesture. Although he is now indoors, Astarion seems to have a mind to keep his sunglasses on.

‘Would you like some tea, Mister Dekarios-Ancúnin?’

‘No, thank you. And uh, Astarion is fine.’

‘Very well.’

The veterinarian leans back against his chair, remembering what Karlach told him about her friend at the end of their shift.

‘So, let us go straight to the point, shall we?’ Halsin suggests, noting the reluctant demeanour of his interlocutor. ‘Karlach told me that you were in a bit of a pickle, as she phrased it. She said you need to do community service so you do not lose your job?’

‘Indeed.’

‘May I ask what this pickle is?’

Astarion sighs and sets his cup down on a small file cabinet next to him, before reaching into his satchel. He takes out a thin binder with all the documents relating to his current situation, forms that must be filled in should Halsin decide to take him in, and other decisions made by his firm’s board and the judge. He hands it over to his host, who skims through the carefully sorted file.

‘I work as a lawyer in the city for the Szarr Associates,’ Astarion begins to explain nonchalantly, having explained the whole story countless times already to the point where it has become almost mechanical. ‘And I messed up. I was on thin ice already because some of my colleagues suspected that I breached my clients’ confidentiality on multiple occasions and used that to win their cases. Plus, a few of my recent clients fired me from their cases. That was a new development in my career, truth be told.’

He runs a hand through his hair and drinks. Halsin continues to peruse the document with a crease on his brow.

‘But one night I was caught drunk driving, speeding, and shouting obscenities to the police. My driving license has been taken away, and my firm has decided to temporarily suspend my license. I got away easy only because the judge knew me well and felt pity for me, or something of the kind. He said that if I could do three months of community service, I could ask for a hearing and I could potentially get my license back and work again.'

Halsin closes the binder and hands it back to Astarion. A pang of worry tugs at him. Even though the younger man is Karlach’s friend, so far he does not strike him as somebody who can be trusted. Thankfully, it is not another veterinarian he is seeking, but merely someone who can complete sewing projects for him so the animals under his care can receive the best care he can offer. Yet, he finds it quite important to trust everyone working at his practice. He has not saved up for years to have one element throw his life project away.

‘That does not look too good on you, I am afraid,’ he confesses to the younger man. ‘Have you already done some hours for your community service?’

‘Of course,’ Astarion replies, his voice dripping with quite misplaced sarcasm, ‘I have done my hours, that is why I came here!’

‘How good are you at sewing?’

His sudden, off-topic question seems to throw Astarion off guard. He stutters for a moment, wondering whether all of this is a joke, a bad prank organised by Karlach. No. She would not do this to him in such trying times, especially if Gale is already breathing down his neck instead of nibbling lovingly at it. Ugh.

‘Sewing is my favourite hobby,’ he answers, a bit more quietly and seriously this time. ‘Would you like me to show you some pieces?’

‘By all means!’

Astarion reaches into his pockets and stands up for a moment to give Halsin a single twirl.

‘I made this outfit, to begin with,’ he says, slowly gaining in confidence. ‘Just not the shoes, of course.’

He sits back and begins to scroll through his social media to find photos of clothes and accessories he has created over the years. Halsin rolls his office chair to come next to him and look at his screen. Astarion shows him a variety of projects, some that the veterinarian believes to be worthy of the greatest designer brands.

In one photo, Astarion poses in a burgundy blazer with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Three thin chains hang from one hem to the other, resting against his torso, clad in a black, skin-tight turtleneck. The second picture of the post displays the back of the blazer and its magnificent floral design, embroidered with silver and gold thread.

Another post shows him again, modelling a striped shirt, unbuttoned at the top and tucked into elegant corduroy trousers. On his head rests a broad felt hat, which he customised with a different ribbon and feathers for a vintage and extravagant look.

The next one shows Gale shyly exhibiting a purple jacquard waistcoat, accessorised with his pocket watch, of course. Astarion tells Halsin that, while he did not make the jacquard pattern himself on the fabric, he did embroider the hems with golden thread and used antique buttons because he knew that his husband would be crazy about them. And he had been right, it seems, since Gale nearly wept with joy at their sight when he first saw the result.

Halsin nods all along, impressed by his skill and his obvious sense of aesthetics. Astarion seems to have quite an eye for it and he does not hesitate to flaunt it even just in the way that he photographed each outfit to post them to his social media.

‘When Karlach said that you were good with a needle, I certainly did not expect this,’ Halsin confesses with a soft chuckle. ‘If anything, she has undersold you.’

‘Karlach does not know how to dose her praise,’ Astarion sniggers, slipping his mobile phone back into his pocket. ‘Either she exaggerates one’s greatness, or she does not do it enough.’

‘The first option is the most common, isn’t it?’

‘Quite right.’

They share a laugh and Astarion drinks the last of his beverage, his suction noises filling the room. He gives Halsin an apologetic look, but the latter shrugs it off, allowing him to catch every last drop before resuming the conversation.

‘Has Karlach told you what the idea of your work here would be?’

‘Not really. I figured you needed somebody to cuddle with the recovering pets, or to hold them down when they’re reluctant. But now that you mention sewing, I am praying that you’re not asking me to stitch them up during surgery.’

‘Hah, not at all. Let me show you.’

Halsin rolls back to his desk and unlocks his computer. He clicks on the tabs he left open for this interview of sorts and displays the broad pillows he wishes to acquire for his practice.

‘These pillows are quite affordable for me when they are in standard sizes,’ he begins, ‘but I need them much larger. We opened two days ago only, and we had a surprise with our first patient.’

‘A very big shepherd dog?’

‘An owlbear cub.’

If Astarion still had something to drink between his hands, he would have spat it all out in shock.

‘A what now?’

His host laughs warmly and shows him his notebook, where he has scribbled down the approximate measurements he would need the pillows to be.

‘Do you think that you could make, say, three of those to be safe? Perhaps two even larger ones if the need arises?’

‘Are you planning to heal all the animals of the forest? Perhaps an actual bear next?’

‘Hah, I would in a heartbeat,’ Halsin admits with a smile. I did think of a wide table for consultations and surgery, but nothing for the recovery. The owlbear was a harsh reminder that any situation can occur and I should be prepared for it.‘

‘I see. Well, that should be doable. I can see how the smaller ones are built and I can make the larger ones from there. That shouldn’t be too much of a challenge.’

Halsin nods in approval and proceeds to open the tab for surgery recovery suits for cats and dogs. Astarion only needs to catch a glimpse of what they are before shrugging.

‘Oh, easy. I have one of these at home from when my husband’s tressym needed to have a cyst removed. I can make some for tressyms, too. They’re built a bit differently because of the wings.’

‘Good thinking,’ Halsin reacts. Another thing he has not considered. ‘If you could make several of these, perhaps enough for a small stock, I would be beyond grateful. These will be given out for certain recoveries only, others will just require the cone.’

‘I can even make these pets look quite fashionable post-surgery.’

The veterinarian laughs, clapping his massive hands once.

‘That will not be needed, that might be a tad much. Practicality and comfort need to be prioritised over beauty here. However, I can compromise and let you choose different fabrics, so long as they are suitable for the animals’ recovery and within budget. I am not strict when it comes to prints, although they must remain presentable, of course.’

‘How about I go home and fetch the tressym’s shirt to study the pattern and I make you one by the end of the day? Then you can judge the quality yourself and base your decision on it.’

Halsin considers Astarion’s offer for a second, then nods in approval.

‘Very well. I will ask Karlach to drive you home so you can fetch your material and equipment and then you can work in the recovery room, there will be plenty of space for you to work. Would that be suitable for you?’

‘Perfect,’ Astarion smiles, internally cursing Halsin for not letting him work from home instead. He has no wish whatsoever to bring all his equipment from his house, but what choice does he have?

‘That settles it, then.’

The two of them stand up and Halsin tosses Astarion’s empty cup into the bin, before showing him back to the reception. Karlach instantly looks up, eager to know how it went. Before she can even ask, her boss hands her a set of keys.

‘Could you drive Astarion to his home so he can bring his equipment here? You can take my car, it is parked on the side of the house. I also would like you to use the company card and let him buy some suitable fabric for his tryout from the haberdashery.’

‘Ugh,’ Astarion groans with a roll of his eyes, ‘from the fabric shop, grandpa!’

‘Sorry?’

‘Nothing!’

Without wasting time, Karlach links arms with Astarion and guides him out to Halsin’s car, already chatting away happily. Left alone at the practice, Halsin sighs and stretches his back, before sitting behind the reception and browsing the latest wildlife photography posts on his favourite blogs and forums.

While his assistant and her friend are away, he answers a few phone calls and makes some appointments for new furry patients. Some of the owners, much to his delight, already tell him that they wish to transfer their pets’ files over to his practice out of practicality, but in some cases, because they only heard praise about his work. He already creates some of the files and sends the right requests to have the medical records passed over to him, then re-organises his agenda.

Four appointments occupy the first half of his morning, all going smoothly. One of his patients, a tiny puppy whose expression when panting always makes it look like it is smiling, came for his very first visit to the vet. Remembering Karlach’s advice, Halsin asks his owner if he can take a picture of the puppy so he can update Emerald Grove’s social media page and build a small community around it. He gives the dog two treats and waves it off as the satisfied owner leaves, eager to find his puppy’s photo online.

Halsin sits back on his chair and writes the post with the puppy’s picture, praising the little dog’s bravery during his first consultation, using its name with the owner’s consent. But as he is about to post it, the door opens and the little bell rings. Before he can look up, he hears a roaring but friendly voice.

‘Halsin, my good friend!’

‘Good morning, Minsc!’ he greets back, locking his phone and putting it away in one of the drawers. ‘How have you been?’

The forest ranger wipes his feet on the mat and steps forward with a beaming grin. Minsc is as tall as he is, making them stand out in town, and probably as broad as him as well. However, unlike the long and plaited locks on Halsin’s head, Minsc’s scalp is bare, only decorated with a purple tattoo that also covers his eye.

Minsc was one of the first people that Halsin met when he came to Heawick, back when he hesitated between settling down here or in Riverway, about thirty miles north. It was, partially, the ranger’s depiction of life in this town that tipped the scales in its favour. The eternal optimist, Minsc described it as a haven of peace, perfect for writers and those who have grown weary of the bustling city. He was quite right, from what Halsin has experienced so far. Everybody knows everybody, even between the neighbouring villages, and it seems that anyone is willing to go out of their way to give friends and acquaintances a helping hand.

Ever since he made his decision to make Heawick his home, Minsc regularly invites him over to his home for the occasional drink in his garden. There could not have been a more friendly face for one’s drastic life change.

‘Minsc has been good, my friend,’ the ranger replies in his thick accent, clapping him in the back. ‘He was wondering if you had some time to see Boo today?’

‘Anything wrong with your hamster, Minsc?’

‘Miniature giant space hamster,’ his friend corrects him with a finger pointing up. ‘The distinction is quite important. As vet, you should know.’

Halsin chuckles and notices Boo peeking out of Minsc’s breast pocket, rubbing its head with its tiny paws.

‘Boo is strong and well, only his claws are too long. Minsc told him to wear them down more often on wood, but Boo has mind of his own. A bit stubborn, at times.’

‘That is not a problem at all, follow me.’

He takes the wireless phone from reception and drops it in his pocket while guiding Minsc to the consultation room. Without being asked, Boo hops onto the table, continuing to take his bath. Halsin puts on his gloves and grabs the pet nail clipper. Minsc gently holds Boo in the palm of his hand.

‘Minsc holds Boo. He wouldn’t want him to think that you are foe, my friend! Oh, heard about Mr Bongle from Combury?’

Halsin smiles to himself and nods.

‘I have,’ he speaks quietly while starting to trim the hamster’s claws. As Minsc said, they have not been worn down in a while, considering how curved they are. ‘He confessed to setting up the bear trap in Combury, I heard?’

‘Yes! Minsc thought that Tav would gouge his eyes out on the spot! And honestly, he would not have intervened, no. Minsc doesn’t understand people’s cruelty with animals. Why do it? Animals are friends, unless they try to maul you.’

The concentrating veterinarian chuckles at these words. Tav has not struck him as a woman who would resort to violence, but he has witnessed firsthand how attached she is to her owlbear. Unless relocated, Beaky will never know a neglecting or abusive home, and he is sure of it.

‘Quite right. I do not understand it myself either.’

‘Do you know if Beaky is recovering well?’

‘No, I do not. He went home yesterday morning and I have not heard anything from Miss Ashguard since.’

‘Oh.’

Finishing up the hamster’s hind paws, Halsin moves on to the front pair.

‘She told me that you referred her to an animal protection lawyer. I am glad that you did.’

‘Ah, Minsc only does his job.’

‘Still. With Mr Bongle agreeing to cover the veterinary costs, it was easy for you or even her to drop the matter altogether. But I am happy to hear that you decided against it. Besides, if you or she needs Beaky’s medical report following the incident, I will be happy to make one. You can refer the lawyer to me if they get in touch with you.’

‘How nice of you, my friend! Perhaps it will be handy. Tav will tell,’ Minsc declares, before looking down at his hamster and smiling. ‘Boo will make sure that nobody hurts Beaky anymore!’

‘That is an honourable goal,’ Halsin laughs, cutting the last of the animal’s nails. ‘And here you go.’

‘Thank you, friend!’

Halsin quickly writes down the impromptu consultation in his log and removes his gloves, tossing them in his bin.

‘If Boo is unwilling to walk on wood to trim his nails, I recommend that you use cork wherever it is that he spends the night. If he has a food bowl, coat the path around it with cork so he will walk on it. You can also put some on his wheel, but I do recommend buying one that already has that. I can send you a link for it.’

‘Great advice, Minsc will look for that. Do you hear that, Boo? You need to walk on cork!’

He lifts his hamster and tucks it in his pocket again. After a brief conversation, Minsc pays for the consultation and leaves in even higher spirits than when he arrived. Soon after, Karlach and Astarion return, carrying his sewing machine and a bag of supplies, some that he already owns and others they acquired at the fabric shop.

Karlach takes Astarion to the recovery room and brings him a chair for him to work in a comfortable environment. She closes the door behind her as she returns to the lobby, finding Halsin standing there.

‘Hiya there, Doc! Astarion’s about to start making the shirt.’

‘Perfect.’

‘Anything happened while we were gone?’

‘All four patients were received, and Minsc came to have Boo’s nails trimmed.’

‘Aw, dang! I’m gutted that I missed him, I love this guy.’

She sits behind the desk at reception and checks the agenda for the other appointments of the day. Halsin has a look as well, then proceeds to show her the post he wants to post with the puppy he examined earlier in the morning. Karlach takes his work phone and tweaks the text, explaining as gently as she can — which means not subtly — that his manner of writing makes him sound antiquated.

Halsin takes no offense, however. He is much aware of how little experience he has got when it comes to social media. He used to have his own profile, but besides using it for the occasional farming game, he found little use to it. In truth, he struggled to even comprehend how it worked. There was never any profile picture set, since he did not know how to upload one. It was Karlach who taught him how for the practice’s official page, and even then, he still struggles with it all. Not that it occupies his thoughts much, of course.

Once Karlach has posted the photo online, Halsin leans towards her and whispers.

‘Karlach, this friend of yours, do you trust him when it comes to working? He told me what caused him to lose his license and I must say that this worries me.’

The tiefling smiles, although taken aback by the sudden question.

‘I would trust him with my life, and you know that I don’t give my trust to just anyone,’ she declares with a solemn tone that strangely does little to ease Halsin’s worries.

‘His work… problems, do you know if they are commonplace with him? Do you think I should call his manager at Szarr for a reference?’

‘No need, Doc!’ Karlach responds while waving a dismissive hand. ‘He’s just going through a rough time. Actually he’s one of the best lawyers in his firm! If there’s a dire case, they usually refer to him.’

He nods slowly. He is struggling to figure Astarion out. He is a man who obviously possesses a lot of talent, especially when it comes to sewing. If anything, Halsin cannot wrap his head around the fact that he is a lawyer and not a designer or tailor. Perhaps this sort of career would suit him better.

But what could have driven such a successful lawyer, if he is to trust Karlach’s word, to throw it all away so recklessly? Surely if he has so little consideration for his career, there must be something at hand. If he is experiencing a burn-out, there are other ways for him to cope, and surely Karlach, as his good friend, would have advised him to seek medical help. And if the matter is one of the heart, then that is quite a different problem. She could do her best to help him, but ultimately he has to be the one to cope with the issue. However, it seems that he is married, and the waistcoat that he designed for his husband is quite recent. Merely a month old.

What to do?

‘Well. I will not call his firm,’ Halsin sighs. ‘I will trust you on this.’

‘You will not regret it, Doc, I promise you.’

He smiles at her and pats her shoulder, which instantly illuminates her eyes.

‘After all, it is just for three months and it is merely sewing. Nothing so dire as pet surgery.’

‘Exactly! Plus, he loves sewing and working on his own. He hates it when people are in his space when he’s focused, so that’s a win-win situation if you ask me.’

‘We shall see. The pet shirt will decide.’

Halsin grins and paces towards his office. He sits behind his desk with a sigh and grabs the salad he has been keeping for his lunch break, but since he is already hungry, he prefers to indulge himself already. While chewing his seasoned lettuce, he opens his browser and pauses, thinking about something to search for. He eyes his tasklist but sees that he is up to date already.

Without thinking, he types in the words ‘Szarr Associates’ and reads about the law firm. When skimming an article in an opinionated online newspaper, he grimaces when he reads that the firm has a tendency to save the hinds of big corporation leaders when sued for environmental damage or violation of workers’ rights. Decidedly, that is not improving his image of Astarion.

Putting his fork down, he adds ‘Ancúnin’ to his research and finds a few articles from several sources. He clicks on the first one, a news site supposedly neutral. Under the title is a photograph, and he quickly recognises Astarion in his robes, raising his hand at prying journalists while accompanying a man with a sombre expression on his face.

‘Big win for Arledrian Group, sued by a worker’s union for an alleged case of salary withdrawal. Wilril Mistflow, 28, joined the union after his employers supposedly refused to pay out overtime hours after several months. When Mistflow demanded to receive his payment, he claims that the company repeatedly withheld his salary, causing him to fail to pay his rent on multiple occasions. “This whole debacle has almost cost me my home,” Mistflow declared to the press. “I can only hope that they will see reason and finally give me what they owe me. I worked extra so I didn’t have to worry at the end of the month, but it’s done just the opposite.” Ruthos Sine, the regional manager of the branch where Mistflow is employed, appeared at court under the counsel of Astarion Dekarios-Ancúnin, a top lawyer from Szarr Associates. The court ruled that Arledrian Group was not at fault and a contract termination has already been issued against Mistflow.’

Halsin shudders at the thought that Astarion has defended such people and managed to save them from trouble for what seems to him like sheer injustice. He sighs and plants his fork in his salad, trying to put things into perspective. Defending such scum is merely Astarion’s job. Justice cannot be carried out fairly unless all parties are represented, and that only means that Karlach’s friend is a link in this chain. Hopefully that is not telling of his character.

Putting his morals aside for the time being, Halsin finishes his food and spends the day doing his work. About two hours after Karlach and Astarion returned from the fabric shop, they hear the faint clicking sounds of the sewing machine inside the recovery room. Halsin’s worries are somewhat quelled; at least it seems that the deprived lawyer does take his task seriously.

When the last patient leaves and it is closing time, Astarion comes out with a bunch of folded fabrics under his arm. Karlach locks the door and turns the sign on it, while Halsin wraps up his call to a supplier to order more dog kibble for the practice. Upon seeing the pale man, still with his sunglasses on, he rushes the conversation and eventually hangs up.

‘Ah, Astarion, there you are! You did not even take a break, are you not hungry?’

‘Oh, no, I’m fine,’ he mumbles. ‘Big dinner at home tonight anyway.’

‘I see. Did everything go well?’

Astarion walks over to the counter and unfolds all three shirts that he has created. He made them in different sizes, all befitting several types of animals. The first one, cut from an elastic fabric with floral patterns is perfect for a kitten around sterilisation age. Its hems are decorated with pleated green fabric, giving the impression that it has sleeves. The second one, adorned with blue feathers on a white background, stands out with adjustable holes cut out in the back. The third, suitable for a dog, was sewn from a burgundy fabric with paw prints and adorned at the collar with a fake lace ruffle.

Halsin chuckles at the sight of the frills and picks them up to examine the handiwork.

‘We will not need all these fashion details,’ he says, ‘since they are supposed to remain medical garments. But I must admit that the diversity in patterns is something we can offer. I suppose it can help the owners with dealing with the surgery as well. It makes the whole thing seem less dramatic.’

Karlach gasps as she admires the garments over his shoulder. Maintaining a serious and professional demeanour, Astarion steps forward and picks up the second suit to show its structure.

‘This one is modelled after the tressym shirt that I brought as reference. Technically it was just a cat shirt that the vet adjusted for our Tara. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough push buttons for this one, but I marked where I’d position them on the flaps. They can be adjusted according to the tressym’s wing size.’

‘Quite clever.’

Halsin takes a deep breath and looks the younger man in the eyes.

‘Listen, Astarion, I have done a superficial background check on you. I read that you are quite the prolific lawyer, but your recent… blunders do worry me. If I take you in for your community service, can I trust you?’

The man, put on the spot, is about to grace the veterinarian with one of his usual snarky remarks. But when he sees Karlach giving him a reproving look while Halsin is not looking, he stops the words from flowing out. He merely clears his throat, although visibly bugged by the question.

‘You can.’

‘Uh, Fangs?’ Karlach calls him in a soft tone, which earns her a glare from Astarion. ‘Perhaps you should let him know about your condition?’

Halsin frowns and looks back at the younger man, who sighs and finally removes his sunglasses. Under them, ruby-coloured irises seem to have been the object of this attempted dissimulation.

‘Oh,’the veterinarian says in a surprisingly calm tone. ‘I see.’

‘Yes, I’m a vampire,’ Astarion scoffs and clicks his tongue. ‘I suppose that it’s the moment you kick me out?’

The older man chuckles and shakes his head.

‘Not at all. If you can promise that the animals and owners here are safe around you, then I see no issue with your condition.’

Astarion appears genuinely surprised to hear that he is not about to be thrown out the door for his nature. His fingers fidget with the tressym shirt as he thinks over a way to thank him. But thanks are not often part of his vocabulary.

‘I promise,’ he declares, biting his tongue.

Halsin considers him for a second, before holding out his hand.

‘If you think I can trust you and if you think you could survive working here for as long as you need to have your license back, then do you think you could come back tomorrow?’

The vampire stares at the hand for a moment and finally allows a smile to grace his cheeks. He shakes his hand firmly.

‘Now that is done, I will discuss some details with you. Since you are a vampire, you are allowed to bring blood into the office as long as you don’t scare the patients and owners off. I can allow several breaks for your back’s sake and you can fetch blood from the butcher’s while on the clock, as long as you do not abuse the opportunity.’

‘Sounds good.’

Halsin nods and pats his back.

‘Welcome to the team, Astarion.’

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