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emberfrostlovesloki · 1 year ago

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Unwanted Attention [Hotch x Reader]

Prompt: Having to travel to the middle of nowhere Ohio for a serial killer was bad enough, add to the fact that the local LEOs are looking a little too hard at JJ, Emily, and _y/n_ was seriously testing Aaron’s resolve. Lots of protective Hotch here! This is another @imagining-in-the-margins inspired fic for her Meet Cute Writing Challenge. I’m using the dialogue prompt: “Watch where you’re going!” “… You ran into me?!”

Category: Angst/comfort - (mostly comfort I think).

Word Count: 5.8K

Content Warnings: Canon typical violence (serial killer - kills via strangulation but nothing explicit) unwanted physical touch (groping of the behind and pubic area) misogyny, sexism, the U.S. police, language, brief mention of intimacy.

A/N: Hi friends! I am very pleased with this one. I love writing Hotch with righteous anger. It just looks too damn good on him. I also love the duality of this man because one moment he is ready to bite someone’s head off and the next he only has eyes for you and he’s checking in and feeling guilty. You could read this story as a standalone or as a prequel to my story, Life can be Terrible, but At Least You're In It. (linked). I want to shout out @criminalskies for hyping me up while writing this. Last, if you enjoyed reading this, likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated! - Levi

List with all stories

y/n = your name

_f/c_ = favorite color

_l/n_ = your last name

_y/h/c_ = yuur hair color

Walnut Creek Ohio, who on the team had heard of it? Well apart from Spencer, because apparently he’d read a United States Atlas Map one night when his insomnia was bothering him, and he had retained all the information about nearly every tiny town that existed in the States. Spencer was rambling off facts about the tiny town stating, “There are 908 residents in the town as of 2017. It’s shocking that a serial killer would target such a small community where everyone has to know everyone else.” y/n, JJ, and Reid were all at the coffee station filling up cups. y/n pulled out her _f/c_ thermos. She always made sure that anyone who wanted coffee got to go first because her reusable metal container took about half the pot. y/n had finally wisened up after Emily and Spencer kept complaining about the coffee getting lukewarm, or worse, cold while sitting on the plane. Now her coffee stayed hot for hours if need be. She had bought the teammates that relied as heavily on caffeine as she did as Holiday or birthday gifts and the thermoses were stored away in one of her closets of her apartment, ready to be taken out and wrapped at the right moment. Spencer’s comment pulled her back to the present moments and she replied, “Nothing can stop a person going bad I guess. Not even a small town.” This stopped Spencer's comments on the location of the team's most recent case, and he shifted gears to talk about the psychological development of those raised in rural environments versus those raised in urban areas. y/n continued to listen to Spencer as he spoke, even if she couldn’t always keep up with his mile-a-minute commentary. She listened because Reid was a fount of knowledge and often a comment he made and maybe didn’t even remember would be helpful later on in the case. She also listened because sometimes the other members of the team didn’t when he spoke. It wasn’t that they didn’t think that what he was saying was important, it was just that they were trying to come up with their own thoughts and theories about the case. y/n was also guilty of tuning Reid out sometimes, but when she could listen to him, she did.

y/n had always been more of a listener than one to contribute to the conversation early on. y/n felt better about talking once she had more information and that normally wasn’t until the team arrived at the case's location or even saw the first crime scene. Once y/n had the bigger picture, she was ready and able to hope in and give her thoughts. Before that time came, she would listen and think about her prior knowledge. Although it might be less exciting than guessing and formulating theories, she found that often some basic information or past cases or criminals was useful when leads dropped or the case seemed to go cold. In her process, she was thinking about the future. As she had integrated into the team full-time at the beginning, Derek teased her for writing so much down in a notebook. She highlighted any relevant information the team stated or facts that seemed relevant. Morgan had joked in good humor but as the first few cases came to a close, the whole team slowly realized that she was approaching these cases from another angle, one that proved to be highly valuable at important points.

y/n settled next to Emily at her desk and pulled her go bag from underneath the space. The sound of Aaron’s door closing caught y/n’s attention. He was wearing that maroon tie she liked so much. She hadn’t told him that yet, it felt too trivial, but she really liked that tie on him. Aaron caught her eye for a moment and there was a small twinge in her chest before they quickly, discreetly looked away. Nobody knew that they were spending time together outside of work. They had to be discreet because it was mixing work and pleasure and in a place like the FBI, that didn’t just fly. y/n was sure Hotch knew everything about the rules and consequences of breaking those rules, but he hadn’t filled her in on those details. She had looked at the employee handbook but it was all legalese and it hurt her head. If she and Aaron did become more serious, and committed, she would ask him to interpret the confusing language for her. Thankfully they weren’t having a hard time keeping their work and private lives separate, yet.

Aaron felt the normal thrill of heading out to a new case. He considered the word, ‘thrill,’ thinking it wasn’t the perfect synonym for the arrival of yet another slew of murders, but it certainly wasn’t excitement either. Excitement meant something happy, something to look forward to. ‘Energized,’ his brain offered. Mentally Aaron nodded along, That would work for now. He had to be energized for this work. He wasn’t a young man anymore but there had to be a strength and calmness with him. He was the leader and even with Rossi being on the team for over a year, his agents still looked to him to make this all work. His eyes found y/n’s and there he found the look of thrill. This was still so new to her, even though she had been on the team for a while. He looked away as always, not giving into any desires that lingered when he was paying attention to his newest agent. He was grateful that y/n was professional and polite and had the utmost decorum even though outside of work they hadn’t been entirely professional. The thought of their last non-work meeting at her apartment and her heavy breathing and soft sounds on her lips, as he worked over her clothed body with his hands brought a momentatry flush to his face.

Hotch sobered as quickly as he had flushed as Dave came up beside him and said, “You ready for this?” Aaron looked over to his friend and bluntly replied, “As ready as possible, but it's still never easy.” Rossi nodded along as they both moved down the stairs and toward the parking lot. This line of work wasn’t easy. Aaron knew that every time his team left for a new case there was a chance that someone might get hurt, or even killed and no matter how good everyone was at their job, that possibility still worried him. y/n’s face popped up in his mind as he found his seat in the jet and he pushed away the thought. His relationship with her had shifted to something he wasn’t entirely sure he had under control. They hadn’t made anything official and hadn’t even said, “I love you,” yet. However, Hotch wasn’t a man who moved quickly, but as long as he and y/n had an open, honest conversation about where their feelings were headed, he wasn’t going to fight it. He had fought so many things, and people in his life that he didn’t have the desire to fight this too. Being around y/n felt good. It felt safe and he rarely got that in his life, so he was embracing it where he could. As JJ went over more of the facts and details regarding the case involving a serial killer wreaking havoc in the tiny town in Ohio, he shifted his full attention to what his media liaison was saying.

As the jet landed on the tiny airstrip, everyone got out and into the waiting SUVs. Aaron drove with Emily, Spencer, and JJ while Rossi took y/n and Derek. Spencer and Emily were discussing the need to work well with the law enforcement in the town as they were likely ingratiate into all aspects of the community. Meanwhile, JJ was preparing a statement for the media. In the other car, Derek turned from the front seat and asked, “So what are we thinking in terms of prior knowledge _y/n_?” y/n turned her gaze to Morgan’s and said, “Well strangulation is such a common signature that we’re going to have to look for something more specific to get traction here. The photos do look like this guy is strangling people from behind and the unsubs killing fit men someone who doesn't want to face what they’re really doing? Or it could be that they despise their victims so much they can’t stand to see them again, even while killing them?” Morgan nodded and elaborated on the idea that the killer might see these men as a competition of some kind. As having something the unsub lacked. This information allowed those in Rossi’s car to start to form a physical profile of the unsub. As the team made it to the small local police station, everyone got out of the parked cars and a man who appeared to be in his fifties who was balding badly came out to greet them.

Aaron stepped forward and extended his hand. The man took it and gave it a firm shake, saying, “I’m Officer Bronson. Thank you so much for you folks from coming out here.” Aaron nodded, replying, “I’m Agent, Hotchner and this is my team.” He indicated to the team, quickly introducing them. First, he gestured to JJ stating, “This is our media liaison, Jennifer Jareau.” JJ stepped forward and took the man’s slightly sweaty hand. Aaron moved through the rest of the team quickly, wanting to get the introductions over with and the real work started. He motioned to each of his agents saying, “This is David Rossi, Derek Morgan, Dr. Spencer Reid, _y/n_ _l/n_, and Emily Prentiss.” Each member nodded as Hotch said their name and Officer Bronson replied, Well welcome to Walnut Creek. I wish it was under happier circumstances. I’ll let you all get inside and out of this heat.” As the team moved into the small building, Aaron asked, “Is there a space where we can get organized and look at the evidence more easily?” Bronson nodded and led the team to a table at the back of a very small station and said, “Sorry it’s nothing fancy. I’ll have someone clean off the files and stuff off for you.” The man turned and semi-shouted, “Anderson, can you clear your junk off this table?” Anderson, a thirty-something-year-old moved around the team and got his things saying, “Sorry Chief.” Bronson looked to Aaron, almost for approval, and asked, “Will this do?” To which Hotch simply replied, “It’s fine.”

As the team settled a little y/n looked at JJ with a ‘Are you kidding me?’ expression and then looked at Anderson who was placing his numerous files on another table. JJ rolled her eyes in return. The fact that one of the officers had open files possibly containing sensitive or private data out on a table for anyone in the room to see displayed the station's lack of professionalism. The team worked up a preliminary profile and Aaron told Officer Bronson that they were ready to address his unit. Bronson called his team to the side of the room and as the officers sat down, Aaron moved forward saying, “Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for your attention. My name is Aaron Hotchner and I’m the Unit Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. This is my team, and we’re here to coordinate with you to try and stop these killings as quickly as possible. If you have any questions please hold them to the end. We appreciate you working with us, and now I’ll let Derek Morgan deliver our preliminary profile to you.”

Aaron stepped aside to let Derek deliver the profile. Hotch had asked Morgan to deliver the profile because something about the officers sitting in front of him didn’t seem like they were convinced that they needed the team's help. Given the fact that Derek was the closest in age to many of the officers, and he could be just as intense as Aaron if he wanted, Aaron thought that the men would respect Morgan over someone like himself or Rossi. It helped that Morgan also looked more like the policemen now listening with unveiled trepidation about the profile. This was another part of the job that Aaron disliked. He not only had to profile the unsub but the law enforcement officers as well. His team and the local authorities had to work together due to bureaucratic rulings and sometimes the officers didn’t want the Bau's assistance. The idea that the team was ‘taking over’ or ‘standing on their turf’ often caused conflict. Aaron always tried to nip this conflict early. His team didn’t need to worry about that and quite frankly they all had better things to do. Aaron looked at the ten seated men, as he listened to Morgan. Most of the officers were looking at Derek, but one or two were consistently looking over at JJ, y/n, and Emily. Aaron clenched his jaw and resisted the urge to sigh. He could tell whatever conflict his team and this police unit were going to have would be an uphill battle.

Hotch noticed when the men he was working with paid a little too much attention to members of his team. Hotch couldn’t deny that y/n, JJ, and Emily were all beautiful, intelligent, and capable and that combination was attractive. However, that did not give these men a right to act lewdly or leer at them. As Derek wrapped up the profile, he fielded a few questions from the assembled crowd. With that, Chief Bronson dismissed his men. Aaron gathered the team and they broke into smaller units to look for any clues that might bring them closer to finding the unsub. Aaron, Spencer, and y/n were headed to the high school which was the scene of the latest killing. Rossi and Morgan were headed to the hospital to see the bodies of the victims to determine if there was more to the signature than just strangulation. Lastly, JJ and Emily were going to go to the press to provide a statement for the townspeople who were panicking and holding up the police phones making those who really needed help unable to get it.

In the evening as the team regrouped at the station, there was the kind of frantic energy they got once the case had really started. y/n had lots of thoughts and was ready to see what the rest of the team had discovered. She knew she wasn’t going to see much sleep tonight, so she moved to the break room where the coffee pots normally were in police stations. As she approached the room she began to overhear a conversation going on inside. The snippet she heard was, “So who are you picking, Blondie, Brunette, or _y/h/c_?” There was a laugh before the other man in the room began saying, “What about all three?” There was more laughter at this and as the unseen man began saying, “But if you’re really making me choose…” y/n walked quickly away before she could hear the answer. As she moved back to the team she thought, ‘These guys really have no standards.’ She felt slightly repulsed but did her best to ignore the feeling. As she stepped back to the table, and Aaron looked over at her, he could see that something was wrong. A few minutes later, when he was finished listening to Spencer’s geographic profile, Hotch moved to stand next to y/n. In a quiet volume, he asked, “Is everything okay?” y/n looked up at him. His expression had the smallest hint of worry, and she alleviated that fear by saying, “Yeah. It’s nothing.” Aaron nodded and said, “Okay. Tell me more about what you were saying to Derek about the point of impact, we might be able to get a height on the unsub with that information.” y/n nodded and jumped into the conversation. Aaron could tell that something was off about y/n, but he wouldn’t push it. He trusted her to handle things herself and if she needed to, he knew she would ask for help.

The night wore on and eventually, the team moved to the tiny hotel the town had. There were barely enough rooms to fit them all. The town was very cozy and picturesque in its quaintness. y/n thought about this as she drove Derek and Rossi to the hotel. She assumed it was a nice place to grow up in. To grow old in. y/n wasn’t sure where these thoughts were coming from, but she chalked it up to tiredness and the case. Because for seven men there would be no growing old here or anywhere. The sadness of that realization only made her want to solve this case more badly. There were always a lot of emotions tied to the cases they worked on, and to protect herself, she had to try and stay disconnected from the pain and hurt that the victims and the victims' families went through. But she couldn’t always hold back those emotions and now was one of those times. As everyone settled in for the night and said their goodnights, which just meant ‘I’ll be sitting up in bed reading over the same evidence as you one door down,’ Aaron walked over to y/n and said, “Goodnight, y/n.” His brief interaction with her at the precinct from earlier in the day flashed in his head. He didn’t like it when she looked upset. It made him feel nervous, so he asked, “You’d tell me if something was wrong? Wouldn’t you?” The question came out of left field and y/n blinked for a moment, not really knowing why Aaron was asking. At this point, she had sort of forgotten the rude comments being made by the officers, so she replied, “Of course I would Aaron.” At her response, Hotch infinitesimally relaxed and the two headed for the elevator together. Rossi had seen the interaction between them. He didn’t hear what they said, or that y/n had used Hotch’s first name, but he couldn't help but feel that something was there between the two agents. Perhaps it was the way Aaron leaned down a little bit to be in earshot, or the way y/n looked at his friend like nothing else around her mattered. David wouldn’t say anything yet, but he was sure he was going to start paying more attention to Aaron. Rossi wasn’t against whatever was happening between his coworkers. Aaron had had a rough few months, and he thought the man deserved some comfort.

In the morning most of the team was out hunting leads. Derek and y/n had stayed back for a minute because _y/n_ thought she had seen something new in the geographical profile. They would both head to the sight of the first body once she had looked at the board again. y/n was standing, looking at the map, engrossed in the pins Spencer had pushed into all the significant locations thus far. She just barely acknowledged when Morgan said he was going to use the men’s room. She also didn’t notice when one of the officers came up behind her. The man extended a hand and grabbed her ass giving it a squeeze. At the unwanted touch, y/n whipped around saying, “Hey!” The phrases echoed around the nearly empty office. She looked at the man, clocking his name on his badge, Monroe. There was a moment of silence before y/n incredulously said, “What was that?” Monroe gave a laugh and said, “Sorry, babe. I thought you were interested.” With that, the officer quickly left, as he noticed Derek coming back from the bathroom. Monroe nearly brushed shoulders with Morgan as they both tried to fit through the door at the same time.

When Derek got into the room, he noticed that something was off about y/n. She was standing still with a look of shock and disgust on her face. y/n tried to fix her facial features back to normal, but Morgan had seen and quickly strode into the room next to her. Derek looked her over quickly and asked, “y/n, what’s wrong?” y/n looked to the floor for a second, biting the inside of her cheek. She couldn’t really believe what had just happened. For a moment she thought about lying but knew that Morgan would keep asking until she gave in. She sighed and looked up at Morgan’s worried face, saying, “That guy just groped me.” At hearing this, Morgan turned on his heel, but Officer Monroe was halfway out the door with Officer Anderson. They were both laughing at some unheard joke. It took everything in Derek to not go over to the two men and give Monroe an unadulterated piece of his mind. However, he knew that wasn’t his place really. And he wanted to make sure y/n was okay. He turned back to _y/n_ and asked, “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” y/n nodded her head no, saying, “No. I was just shocked, I guess.” Morgan nodded along and said, “It shouldn’t have happened, period. You need to tell Hotch.” y/n’s widened at the suggestion. It made sense of course. Issues like this were under his purview, but for some reason telling him about this made her hesitate. Before she could think about it too much Morgan repeated himself saying, “Hotch would want to know.” y/n put her palms up and said, “Fine, fine. I’ll tell him when he gets back.” Morgan gave her a look that made her say, “I promise I’ll tell him.” After a second of picturing that uncomfortable forthcoming conversation y/n said, “He’s gonna be so mad.” Derek could understand what y/n was saying but noted, “Maybe, but not at you, y/n.” There was another awkward silence before Derek finally said, “Do you need a few minutes, or would you like to head out?” Desperate for a distraction y/n, almost too quickly replied, “No. let’s go.”

At the supermarket where the first victim had been found. Morgan and y/n took notes and got the security footage. It seems like they had a real lead by finding the license plate of the van that had dumped the deceased man in the alleyway near the store's load bay. However, the footage was too grainy to make out. After finishing watching the video, y/n moved to call Garcia and see if she could enhance the video quality while Derek asked the security guard who had found the victim in the morning some questions. When she wrapped up her call with Garcia, y/n briefly slumped against the outside wall; closing her eyes. She tried to think about why talking to Hotch about what had happened with Monroe was bothering her so much. She knew that Derek was right. Hotch wouldn’t be mad at her, at all. Maybe it was a feeling of embarrassment? y/n’s logical side of her brain said that she didn’t need to be embarrassed. She hadn’t groped anyone, but the feeling persisted. Maybe because talking about the incident meant being vulnerable in front of Aaron which was all fine and good when they were alone in her apartment. But having to do so at work was entirely different. y/n let out a breath deciding to push all her feelings back for a moment. She would deal with it later. For now, she moved back inside the rendezvous with Morgan.

‘Later’ came as it always did. It was around five o’clock and the whole team was reconvening at the station. As the SUVs arrived one by one in the parking lot, everyone got out. y/n looked over the team. They all looked a little tired, but when didn’t they on a case? y/n felt the fatigue pull at her, but she knew she would find a second wind once she heard what everyone else had found out. She knew this unsub was here lurking in this little town, ready to kill again. She looked over to Aaron who was speaking to Emily about something. y/n desperately wanted coffee and she walked toward the front door as she got close, Officer Monroe walked out the door. His badge was off and it was clear that he was headed home for the day. y/n wondered if the man had a wife? Kids? The idea of it only made her more disgusted. As they neared each other she refused to make room for him on the sidewalk. She’d make him move aside for her. She wasn’t, however, going to look at him. y/n planted her gaze on the sidewalk. Much like Monroe’s unwanted touch that morning, she didn’t expect to walk into him full force. When she turned her face to the man he said, “Hey, watch where you’re going, sweetheart.” y/n could see that Monroe was actually enjoying this and she replied, “You ran into me!” Monroe smiled at seeing this woman like this -- uncomfortable. He had enjoyed the rush of her skin under his hands, and now he hoped for a repeat performance. Hardly thinking that there were others looking on, he quickly and forcefully placed a hand on her navel and then brushed downward. y/n stood stock still as this happened because she thought that it couldn’t possibly be happening. Not here in public, in broad daylight, in front of the whole team? It just couldn’t be happening.

Aaron was chatting with Emily about the profile as he looked over the team to see how they were doing. As he looked at Morgan, and Morgan returned his gaze with a facial expression that said, ‘We need to talk.’ Aaron gave the man a nod and Morgan looked over to y/n who was walking forward the precinct. Her shoulders seemed pulled tight under her shirt but in a way that hid that she was trying to hide her stress. He watched as she walked into one of the police officers from yesterday who had been overly enthused by y/n, Prentiss, and JJ’s presence. Aaron could barely hear the brief conversation between the two and as the word, “Sweetheart,” was thrown out, Aaron stiffened. And then it happened. He couldn’t fully see where or how far down the officer’s hand had landed because _y/n_ was blocking his view, but Aaron observed y/n stiffen, and that told him all he needed to know.

Before y/n could find her voice and tell Monroe to ‘get the fuck off of her,’ Aaron’s clear sharp voice addressed the officer like a whip. Like a wound aimed at the man who dared to touch y/n. Aaron was over to y/n in an instant. He placed a hand on her shoulder, firmly but gently pulling her frozen body back and behind him. Aaron towered over Monroe, and he felt his blood boil. Aaron let a harsh breath out and said, “If you value your job, and your pension you will get your hand Off. My. Agent.” Aaron highlighted each word that evinced his anger. Behind him, _y/n_ felt a wave of relief from being pulled out of that situation. Quickly Spencer and Emily were pulling y/n farther away from the scene, but she could distinctly hear Hotch say, “Get in your car and leave. Now.” Derek watched as Monroe slinked away to his car looking defeated and small. Spencer and Emily walked with y/n into the precinct, asking if she was okay, and the team as a whole huddled around her to make sure she was really alright. When she had reassured them, everyone except for Hotch moved away from y/n. Aaron placed a hand on her forearm and led her to a chair. She sat and let the exhaustion of the case, disgust at Monroe's actions, and the feeling of his hand on her body overwhelm her for a moment. A shiver ran through her. Aaron knelt down on one knee to be more on eye level with y/n. If his words before had meant to intimidate and accuse, his tone now was one of reassurance and comfort. Aaron spoke professionally but with a hint of something more that spoke to their relationship outside of work. He asked, “Be honest with me. Are you okay? Are you hurt or bruised?” Aaron’s voice helped still her thoughts and she assessed her body before saying softly, “I’m not in any pain.” She didn’t answer his first question because she didn’t particularly feel alright, but she knew she was safe now. Especially now that she was with Aaron. Aaron registered this and asked, “Has this happened before while we’ve been here?” y/n swallowed and replied, “Yes, this morning right after everyone headed out for the day.” Aaron gave her that look that said, “Elaborate please.” y/n bit her bottom lip, wondering how to phrase what had happened. Not finding any more polite or dignified terms, she said, “Morgan had stepped out and I was focusing on the bulletin board and he, um, came up behind me and grabbed my ass.” She could see the anger, the controlled rage fire through him again and she wanted to say something to reassure Aaron that she really was alright, even if she wasn’t. However, he stopped her as the Chief of Police entered the building. Aaron turned his head back to y/n and said, “Excuse me for a moment.” Then with a tone of reassurance, he said, “This conversation isn’t over.” Hotch stood and looked at Emily who understood that he was asking her to sit with _y/n_. Prentiss moved to sit next to y/n. When this was done, Aaron turned his attention to the officer who had just entered the building and said, “Chief Bronson, your office, now.” His intonation left no room for questions or delays and the older man nodded and walked into his cluttered office with Aaron on his heels. Once the door was closed Hotch turned and he felt the anger bubble up to the surface again. As Bronson asked, “What seems to be the problem?” The man sounded nervous.

From outside the glass-walled room, the team listened as their leader said, “One of your officers just assaulted a member of my team.” Bronson’s response was inaudible, but Hotch’s reply of, “What do I mean?” Could be heard clearly. At this, the team flinched, knowing that the man inside with Hotch was about to have his soul ripped from his body and handed back to him. Everyone listened as Aaron said, “What I mean is that just a few minutes ago, Officer Monroe had his hands on a member of my team in a private area. And that wasn’t the first time this has happened today.” Aaron took a steadying breath before continuing, “As much as I respect law enforcement and what you do, I’m highly concerned about what’s just happened. If someone under your authority thought they had the right to touch a federal agent, I fear what’s happening with normal residents of this town.” Bronson stumbled to find words and said, “Well I certainly don’t condone that behavior.” Aaron let out a harsh scoff, not truly believing the man saying, “Perhaps not, but that doesn’t change the fact that your officer felt entitled to do what he did. And I don’t think Monroe thought he was going to face any consequences, and I can only imagine that he assumed that because you’ve let him get away with behavior like this before.” After this, Hotch’s voice dropped lower so the team outside could no longer hear him. Derek said, “Well I think Officer Bronson has had his ‘Come to Jesus’ moment.’” That comment actually made y/n laugh and she felt a little better now that she could laugh at this whole situation. Hearing Aaron stand up for her like that made her feel warm inside in a comforted sort of way. Aaron finished unloading with the warning, “You’ll be receiving an ethics complaint from the Department of Justice as soon as I’m back in Quantico. You might consider cutting your losses before then.” With that, he got up and left the office.

Later that evening in y/n’s room, she and Aaron sat. She was sitting on the edge of the bed facing Aaron who was in the only chair in the lamplit space. This was to be a continuation of their conversation from before. y/n looked over at Hotch and saw how perturbed he looked. She felt a tug in her chest seeing him like this. He already had to deal with so much and now there was this. She started the conversation in an attempt to soothe this new hurt by saying, “Hotch, it really wasn’t that bad. He didn’t hurt me, it was just unexpected.” At her words, he dipped his head and said, “It never should have happened, y/n. He touched you without your consent twice, and I couldn’t prevent it.” y/n frowned and felt that Aaron had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders with this job. She said, “It’s not your fault, Aaron. I know you see how they look at JJ, Em, and I.” Hotch lifted his head and placed a warm hand on her knee saying, “Of course I see, and it bothers me more than I can say. Having these men look at you is bad enough, but when one of them starts to act on those feelings, it's unconscionable.” y/n saw that she wasn’t going to make him feel any better, so instead she put her hand over his and gently rubbed over his knuckles with her thumb. She said, “I’m going to be okay Aaron. And if I’m not, I’ll let you know. Thank you for looking out for me.” Hotch let out a breath at her touch and words, simply replying, “Always, y/n. I’ll always be here.” He wanted to lean in and press his body to hers. To cover her from unwanted attention and hands. But there was still a case, and she looked tired, but he promised himself when this was solved that he would be spending a considerable amount of time either on his or her couch with y/n on his lap and his arms settled around her; as long as that was something she wanted of course.

The case wrapped up a few days later and the team headed home. On the plane ride back, y/n crashed on the couch facing Spencer. Emily, Rossi, and Morgan watched with a small amount of surprise, then a soft understanding as Hotch quietly took off his blazer and placed it over her curled, sleeping body. And when Rossi left his office and walked toward his car he stopped and made sure Aaron and y/n didn’t see him as Hotch held y/n and leaned down to kiss her forehead. As Hotch wrapped her in his arms, y/n’s hands moved to his chest, and after everything that had happened on top of the case, at least she knew that she was always safe with him.

#criminal minds #ssa aaron hotchner #aaron hotcher #criminal minds x reader #hotch x reader #fanfiction #reader insert #reader x hotch #angry hotch #protective hotch #derek morgan #emily prentiss #hotch blurb #comfort fic #hotch angst #i made this for you #spencer ried

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pearblossommina · 2 years ago

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ToG Read-A-Long, Tower of Dawn, day 9

ch 43

“…Hasar had not bothered to invite any of the healers from the Torre.”

Why not, Hasar! It’s YRENE’S birthday we’re celebrating. You’re kind of a bad friend.

Trading in a therapy horse for a horse with a little more spunk. He’s got this. He’s got improved mobility and strength. He can totally ride a spunky horse through the desert. (Yay!)

Ch 44

"Fae magic is passed down through their bloodlines. It doesn't appear at random. Perhaps these people came here. And then were forgotten by the world, forces good and evil. Perhaps they knew this place was far away enough to remain untouched. That wars would be waged elsewhere. By them." He jerked his chin to a carving of a Valg soldier. "While the southern continent remained mostly mortal-held. While the seeds planted here by the Fae were bred into the human bloodlines and grew into a people gifted and prone to healing magic.”

Uh… Implying Yrene is demi fae as well?

“Perhaps that is why whoever it is that's been stalking the Torre, was hunting me," Yrene whispered. "If they are indeed sent from Morath ...They don't want us realizing any of this. Through healing you."

Maybe she’s a powerful fae princess just like Aelin, the long lost bloodline of some third sibling to Maeve and Mab.

"Marriage is not an option for her."

Hasar's brows lifted. "To a man?"

Rena gave her a sharp look that Hasar ignored.

(Lol)

If this were a different book, I could get invested in a lesbian love triangle. *sigh* If only.

Dude, I want to love this snarky lesbian princess but she’s being kind of mean to Yrene - and they’re supposed to be FRIENDS. What the hell happened? Is she just jealous of Yrene dating a boy? Hasar. PLEASE stop being such a problem.

Ch 45

A conversation about exes with your new lover is always hard to have. But Yrene is kinda his therapist, too, so she does need to help guide him through his feelings and make him come to terms the knowledge that those relationships have ended.

I noticed how, he specifically said he doesn’t love Aelin and doesn’t love Nesryn but she didn’t make him tell her he doesn’t love Dorian.

(Lol) (never stop loving Dorian) (the truest love of all, very platonic love for your best friend)

“He found words. Found language again

Long enough to ask, "Have you ever - ”

"Yes." The word was a rough pant. "Once."

Chaol shoved against the ripple of darkness, the line on that throat. He only kissed it instead. Licked it. Then asked against her skin, his mouth skirting up her jaw, "Do you want to- ”

"Keep going.”

But he made himself pause.”

I don’t know where I got it into my head that Yrene was a virgin - but - did she just admit to where that scar came from? (Ow. Fuck, baby, I love you so much. My heart though. I’m not ready for this sudden trauma reveal! My poor heart was so excited. And now it just hurts)

Ch 46

Oh no, she wasn’t. She was… just the victim of unsatisfying casual sex.

Well, in that case… good for you Yrene! (Not trying to downplay the real trauma of receiving that scar on her neck) (I’m just glad it didn’t come with a big old heap of sexual trauma)(one way or the other I’m glad) (i just wasn’t ready for it, if she was about to reveal that) And hey. I’m glad she found someone like Chaol. Someone she wants to have sex with, and can finally enjoy the act. I’m glad things turned out the way they did. They needed each other. And now they finally have each other. And he helped her achieve several orgasms! Good job Chaol, your healing has gone impossibly well, I bet she’s so glad you’ve regained so much mobility and strength 🤭

And wow. Assassin’s Blade is such a fascinating prequel. How it leaves so much impact on the rest of the books. I guess I didn’t pay very much attention when I was reading it, lol, but it really is pinging my brain with memories of how it’s interwoven into the story.

Ch 47

“Then the prince was gone. Ripped from her hands.

As if he had never been.”

WHAT THE FUCK

THIS IS NOT OKAY

WHAT THE FUCK

“The spider had talked as if they would be taken alive to their lair. For a brief window before the feasting began. And if she had spoken true ...”

Oh good! Ok good, let’s go. Maybe we can still stage a daring rescue

Ch 48

Damn - this is spooky

MAEVE?

What!

I thought she was a fae queen!

She’s not?!

Does that mean - does that mean Rowan is part Valg, too?

Does that mean…. Aelin also is?

This is weird!!!!

Are Valg irredeemable monsters, or are they just… people, like the rest of us?

Is it alway considered a bad thing - to be Valg? Or is it…. Like a nature vs nurture thing, and you don’t always turn out to be an evil ruthless conqueror trying to stomp out all the good in the world? Cause Manon is part Valg, too… all the witches are, and they’re able to do good, and do what’s right… if they choose it!

I guess I have been sorta biased against this fantasy race, but now, I’m wondering if all this setup has been in play to make me see that we’re *really not that different* This is so weird. THIS IS COMPLETELY OFF THE RAILS.

Ch 49

Maeve tricked TWO sisters into believing she was one of their sisters!!!!!!!

TWO SISTER FAE QUEENS!!!!!

That means, Rowan is…… remember way back when… when I was like (ew) (they’re cousins) Does this new information mean, they’re in fact NOT cousins, because Maeve is in fact NOT related to Aelin’s ancestor Mab? is this secretly - now that he’s mates with Aelin - like a true Romeo and Juliet! Valg and fae coming together, the caranam, the combining of powers!!!! All the powers of this realm and the next!!!!

I did not expect this critical information, it’s like changing my view on EVERYTHING right now. This is WAY OFF THE RAILS.

Ch 50

Falkan! he’s not Lysandra’s dad he’s her uncle

I feel stupid for not realizing. (He’s too young to be her dad) (lol)

(This better not be the last time we see him)

Ch 51

Hell yeah, Borte to the rescue

Hell yeah, Kadara triumphant return!

My heart!

Damn!!!! This chapter set has so many intense feelings! Ships sailing, friendships forming, evil bad guys being revealed to be NOT WHAT THEY SEEMED -

I just want to keep reading!

#tog read along 2023 #tower of dawn

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neonacity · 2 years ago

Text

ARCANE : INIZIO | CH.2 | NCT DREAM X READER

Inizio (n) : an Italian word for the beginning or start of something.

*****

Summary: When human deviants granted with the abilities of the legendary Arcana cards find themselves racing against devious forces, they are left to make a choice that might change the fate of the world itself: be the victims of the game, or become the masters of it themselves.

But will this war end with a crowned hero?

Or will it just create another mad villain?

*****

Note: This is the second book of Arcane. The happenings in this story is a prequel to the first installment which you can check in my Masterlist. Since the lore is highly dependent on the first book, I highly suggest you check it out first—otherwise, new readers might have a hard time understanding what is happening here. Expect lots of time jumps and flashbacks throughout the chapters.

Pairings: Dream 00' Line + Mark x Reader

Trigger Warnings/Themes: romance, violence, torture, trauma, poly dynamics, suggestive themes, language, psychological, mystery, sci-fi. The concept of the tarot or Arcana cards will be loosely used throughout the series. Note that I am not a trained doctor so there may be some slips here and there about medical things. Again, this is a work of fiction and I am not implying any likeness between the characterization here of the boys to their real life counterparts. I also reserve the rights to all my work—I do not post anywhere else other than tumblr. Minors DNI. Please do not repost. I only publish my works in Tumblr.

IMPORTANT NOTE [PLEASE READ]: Since this is a prequel, a lot of the scenes have happened in the past before the happenings of Arcane. To make it easier for everyone to navigate, I’m putting this symbol [&] before the start of every part that happens in the present time, post Arcane.

Previously > CH. 1 |

"Chenle! Pass the ball!"

"Come on, that kick sucks!"

You watched with a small smile as seven boys ran in the open field, their voices and laughter filling the air. The spring wind slightly ruffled your hair and the sundress you were wearing, a yellow number given to you as a gift by the same people you are watching now for your twenty-first birthday. You remained seated on the mat the eight of you have lugged around to the clearing behind Rosewood today, surrounded by the half-eaten picnic set-up they have arranged as a surprise. The day was perfect, and you were content silently watching the rest just run around now after Haechan decided to distract everyone with a game of soccer.

"Yah! You're cheating!"

"I'm not! Maybe if you block the ball well then you'd have a fighting chance!"

"What are you talking about? There is literally no goal post and you're just kicking everywhere!"

A soft chuckle passed you now as you turned a daffodil stem between the pads of your thumb and pointer finger. Your days at Rosewood are always your favorite parts of the year… the only bright spots when you get to feel as if you are part of a family despite your erratic visits. For this year specifically, the moment feels a little bit more different, maybe because of the recent talk you just had with your father. You should have known that something must be up the moment the man decided to let you stay longer in the Academy more than usual, but never would you have expected for this specific ‘talk' to be happening so soon… and so swift.

"Hey, are you not joining us? The weather's really nice."

Your train of thought was cut by the voice beside you. Glancing up, you caught Mark just as he plopped on the mat next to you. His hair was ruffled and windswept, and there was a boyish smile on his face that made his eyes sparkle in the sun. Before you could even answer, he reached out to offer something to you—a bunch of spring flowers in a beautiful splash of colors.

"For the birthday girl," he grinned.

Your smile widened as you received his gift and tucked the blooms with the yellow daffodil you have been holding. Another breeze floated by, causing the scent of the bouquet to wrap around you.

"Thank you. You're all being extra sweet to me today. The dress… the picnic, everything is perfect."

The boy looked proud as he gave a shrug. "Renjun was the one who chose the dress. He said yellow would look good on you. It was Jaemin's idea to throw a picnic."

"It's lovely. I'm enjoying it so much."

Mark glanced at you as you lifted the flowers you were holding so you could take a whiff of their scent again. You took your time to enjoy the slice of moment, before you finally said the words that have been sitting at the back of your mind since the day started.

"He wants me to leave, Mark."

You looked up to watch the others still running around in the field. Beside you, you could almost physically feel the boy's stare as he processed what you just said.

"What do you mean he wants you to leave?" He finally asked, his tone confused. You blinked slowly before answering.

"He wants me to quit college and move to a different university far away from here. He told me he wanted me to stop visiting Rosewood until I finish my studies."

You slowly turned to look at your best friend. For the first few seconds when your eyes met, you saw the raw, unfiltered emotions in his face. But then something in him shifted and a look of resigned but controlled acceptance took over. He swallowed before breaking eye contact with you.

"Did he say why?"

His words sounded empty. It was a rhetorical question, one that the both of you already know the answer for. Ever since you were kids, both you and Mark have already known both of your fates as members of the Family. For your case, your father's condition is something that has been a long time coming. Still, you answered, your words soft as you stared ahead.

"He's giving me the choice to stay in the Family, or live a normal life. He wants me to lose all contact with Rosewood—to all of you—so I can experience being away from all these and make a decision."

"And what did you say?"

"It's not like I really have a choice, Mark."

"You don't, but I don't believe you didn't stand up against it."

That made you stop. Slowly, you turned to face him again. He was looking at you once more, the light in his eyes both inquiring and accepting. You felt your chest constrict a little.

"I told him I'll do it… But if I decide to come back, then he'll have to accept my decision and treat me as a member, free from his authority."

Mark's expression barely changed, but you know him well enough to recognize the emotions that your answer triggered, just simmering under his well-controlled facade. He was scared for you… but at the same time, he was also relieved… for himself.

"Being as far away from us as possible might be the best thing for you. Your father knows there might come a time when he won't be able to protect you anymore, so he's giving you a way out now," he said, though he sounded half-hearted. You smiled.

"Are you saying that because that's what you've been told by everyone?"

"I'm saying it for you. Your Arcana is the most desired in the family. You're safest away from the rest of us, where one of us might turn and betray you."

The boys' laughter echoed from the field and floated into the spot where you and Mark were sitting, a stark contrast to the possible future he was painting.

"Do you believe that might happen?"

"What I believe doesn't matter, you—"

"Then let me rephrase my question. Do you want me to never come back, Mark?"

That made him stop. You've known Mark since you were kids. In fact, he was the first member of the Family that you've ever gotten in contact with. Just like you who has a predetermined fate because of your ability, Mark follows the same vein because of his bloodline. His family is considered one of strongest clans in the network of the Famiglia, with generations and generations producing Arcana masters from their line. He is expected to act and think a certain way, but you also know there is more to the boy you've grown up with than just his heritage.

That was exactly what you saw now, reflected briefly in his eyes as he hesitated to give you an answer. He looked torn, but you already both knew what he was dying to say before he even spoke again.

"No. I want to keep you with me. With us, if it was up to me."

Your eyes slightly widened at the way he phrased it. It was too personal and intimate… two things the two of you have been trying to keep away from for the sake of your friendship. To be honest, you weren't even expecting that he would have the courage to say those words out loud, so it took you a moment now to process what he just said.

"So… will you wait for me then?" You finally asked.

"If you will come back, yes."

"You know I will, Mark. I belong here."

He smiled.

"Then I'll wait."

A moment passed as the two of you simply stared at each other. In that little bubble of time, nothing and nobody could ever get between the two of you. He was the one who decided to break the tension after a while, his eyes shifting slightly away from yours.

"You know what might happen once you come back, right?"

You faltered, but not for too long.

"Yes. They'll want us to get married."

He didn't say anything after that. You knew he was making a pointed effort to avoid your gaze but you kept your eyes on him, unswayed. Finally, you sighed.

"It was a silly arrangement between my father and yours a long time ago. When the time comes, we can talk to them about it. You know that we don't really need to go through with it right…?"

You were so sure that you were giving him assurance, so you were a little taken aback when Mark finally turned to you again, his emotions reflecting exactly the opposite of what you were expecting. You weren't sure if it was just a trick of the light, but for a split second, he looked like he was about to say something that you weren't ready for. But then he blinked, and he was back to being the boy you know—your closest friend in the world.

"Of course. We'll talk about it… At the right time."

Silence dropped between the two of you again. You were both looking at each other, trying to read off and pick apart things none of you were ready to talk about yet. You almost smiled at the same time, and that's when you knew that you'd definitely come back to him—and for him—again.

Your moment was ultimately broken when Mark suddenly turned just in time to catch the soccer ball speeding towards him with his fast reflexes. You both looked up to see Jeno looking at your pair, a knowing expression in his face. Chenle and Haechan giggled just a little ways behind him as the others looked on with smiles.

"You joining us, Mark-hyung?" Jeno asked with a slight nod. Haechan rolled his eyes from his spot and smirked.

"Or are we interrupting something? Stop hogging the birthday girl all to yourself. This ain't a date."

Mark was quick to give the others a scowl. He deftly threw the muddy soccer ball to his other hand before starting to pick himself up from his seat.

"I'm coming. Not my fault you all suck at playing."

You smiled at the banter but immediately reached out to fumble for something from your purse. Mark was about to join the others when you called out to everyone.

"Hey, I want to take a photo of all of you. Birthday remembrance."

Jaemin frowned as he caught your request.

"Right now? We're dirty."

"That makes it even more perfect~" you grinned as you stood up, camera at the ready. The boys exchanged unsure looks, but Renjun finally shrugged after seeing your hopeful expression.

"I guess we should. Wishes from the muse of the day."

You shot the group a pleased look. Mark had already started walking away when you called out to him softly again before he disappeared within ear shot.

"Hey, Mark."

The boy glanced at you, his eyes inquisitive. You smiled.

"Forget what I told you for a little bit, okay? I want to capture the perfect shot."

He paused. Finally, he relaxed and gave you a small nod.

"Only because you asked nicely."

You waited for him to join the others who have already taken positions in the field before you. Once everyone was ready, you lifted your camera and smiled as you checked your viewfinder.

"Perfect. Give me your best smiles, okay? One, two, three…"

Flash.

*******

"That was the day you told us you were leaving."

You slightly looked up from the framed photo that you've been holding when a familiar voice spoke up behind you. You were currently standing in one of the empty hallways of the Academy, right in front of a glass case holding other photos taken from other school events and personal gatherings of its students. You quietly returned the framed photo now, your back still on the newcomer.

"I'm surprised to see it here. It was a pretty personal shot."

"It is. Mark-hyung has a copy of it in his room, but your father wanted it on display here. He must have thought it would be the last one you will ever take of us."

A small ironic smile lifted the corner of your lips. You could still remember what happened next during your birthday two years ago, when you broke the news to the boys about your departure. They probably thought the same too.

"Did you think I wouldn't come back? You were putting up a good front back then if I could still remember, Haechan."

You met the steady gaze of the boy leaning on the wall opposite you when you fully turned your back away from the photo. He didn't immediately answer, but he did give a small, knowing smirk.

"No. I know you can't stay far away from here."

You slightly lifted your brows at his remark. There is always something about Haechan that is a little bit different every time it is just the two of you talking. In front of others, he is this happy go lucky boy who is always so straightforward of his affections towards you, to the point that people usually check off his behavior as superficial teasing. In intimate moments like this though, away from prying eyes, there is a different side to him that you know he only lets you see. There’s a more serious light in his eye… a curve to his lips that pulls you in.

"And why is that?" You asked now as you slightly leaned your head a little bit to the side in curiosity. Haechan's smile widened and you watched as he pushed himself away from the wall to cross the distance to where you are. He stopped less than a foot away from you, just close enough for you to appreciate his beauty marks. For the first time since you came back, you realized just how tall he had gotten too as you looked up at his face.

"Because Jeno and Mark are here. And Jaemin," he casually said. He paused then, waiting for you to react. When you remained silent, his expression turned more teasing and brave. "And me… and Renjun. You know you can't keep away from us, just as much as we can't from you," he added slowly as he made another step closer to you. It took you everything not to back up against the wall and give him the satisfaction of making you lose your cool. Instead, you angled your head up higher to hold his gaze.

"Did you enjoy your little sleepover with Jeno, noona?" He whispered then. Your heart jumped in your chest, even though nothing about your expression changed. In the brief second that you didn't answer, you realized what it is about him that also changed ever since you left.

Haechan's Arcana has always been one of the most volatile in the Family. The Magician is a fickle master, because the nature of its power can easily be swayed to evil in the hands of the wrong wielder. Chaos is part of their nature, and right now, you could see a stronger hint of it in the eyes of the boy staring you down. This wasn't the same person you left years ago. This Haechan… knows more of what he wants.

"So you were listening. Why am I not surprised?" You asked steadily.

"You shouldn't. You should know by now that I will be a little jealous."

You didn't get a chance to retaliate as you felt him reach out and settle his hands on your hips. The moment he touched you, the corridor around you dissolved, replaced by a brief slip of darkness before it focused again on a different scene. You looked around in surprise, your eyes taking in the view of the fields captured in the photo. Everything seemed so real… the smell of the grass and the flowers… even the way the wind slightly ruffled your hair. It took a while for the realization to hit you, but when it did, you turned to look at the boy holding you in silent shock.

This isn't an illusion.

He was bending reality by moving you to a different space in time.

"Haechan… your powers…"

He smiled.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

"Since when have you learned to use chaos magic?"

"Not a long time. I wouldn't say I've mastered it. I can only do this now because of you."

You took a step away from him so you could see more of the place he had conjured. Behind you, he did a slight twist of his wrist as he watched you with a smug look. As if a switch was flipped, the field you were standing on changed from the bright colors of spring to the warm tones of autumn. Your lips parted slightly in surprise. You glanced back to meet his proud smirk with a look.

"Now you're just showing off…"

He simply shrugged and stepped closer to you again, pulling you in once more by gently tugging the belt straps of your jeans. You didn't give any outward reaction towards the gesture, despite your heart beating a little faster in your chest. It was obvious now that he was being more open than the boy you knew two years ago—he was never this brave, nor obvious. When your eyes met, his hooded gaze momentarily dropped to your lips.

"You can see it, right? How powerful we both can be together?"

You almost froze in his hold. You were expecting—no wishing—for him to say a multitude of things, but not this.

"What do you mean?"

A slight flicker of something quickly crossed his face, but it was soon gone before you could entirely catch it. You thought he looked momentarily guilty about the topic he opened, but there was something about the way he was looking at you that told you he was being pulled by a different desire. A slight jolt down your spine hit you when you realized what it was.

"Your Arcana and mine can do so much more—"

"Haechan. Don't say it."

Your voice was firm with a tinge of warning when you spoke. Haechan quickly stopped, but the look in his eyes remained. He didn't say anything, but the thick silence between the two of you said so much already.

"Do you like me?"

His eyes shot up to meet yours at your question. Ever so slightly, the curve of his lips changed as if he was about to answer you. His pause, however, gave you what you needed.

"You can't even answer… because you aren't sure yourself… are you?" You phrased what he couldn't say carefully. Haechan's jaw ticked, but he didn't move away when you took a calculated step towards him so you could stare deeper into his eyes.

"I'm right. You want me… because your Arcana feels pulled towards mine. It knows that The IL Matto can make him so much stronger, should I allow you to use me. It's what the rest of you feel," you stopped, your eyes bouncing all over his face.

"You do not crave me. You crave what I can do for you."

For a moment Haechan looked like he was about to disagree with you. His lips parted, but then he closed them again as if he cannot really bring himself to say something he himself doesn't believe.

To say that you are surprised would be an outright lie. You've always known this was going to happen—maybe not too soon, but in time anyway. You will never admit it, but there is some truth to what Mark said before in this very same field when he was trying to convince you to move away. Arcana abilities, after all, are energies. They are sentient outside of their human masters, but they do not have emotions, nor a soul. This nature makes them singularly pulled towards something that can make them stronger… bigger than what they can project in the human world.

The IL Matto is exactly that, the Arcana that can amplify other abilities should you wish to allow it. Haechan… doesn't want you.

It was his Arcana desiring yours.

"You can't even answer…" You smiled, though the gesture didn't really reach your eyes.

You were about to turn around to leave when you felt him reach out to you again. He almost looked pained when your gazes clashed again.

"Why can't it be me?" He managed to ask. Your expression softened and you took a while to gather your reply.

"Because you and I together can mean trouble, Haechan. We'll just bring out the worst in each other," you said softly. Ever so slowly, you flipped your hand so that it was you touching him instead. The moment the pads of your fingers got contact with his skin, the field around you dissolved, leaving you in the empty hallway of Rosewood again. You gently pulled back away from him and smiled.

"Will you like me as a woman, even without an Arcana ability? Maybe that's something you should try to find the answer first…" you said before finally walking away, leaving him staring after you as you disappeared around the shadowy corridor.

*******

You opened the door with purpose and trudged towards the bed in the middle of the room without sparing the surroundings a second look. With an ungraceful plop, you let yourself fall face first into the mattress, before lifting one corner of the duvet so you could crawl under it. A soft sigh of relief and satisfaction passed you as you finally managed to sink your head on the fluffy pillows, a light wood sage perfume scent wrapping you in a relaxing embrace. You took it in slowly before you closed your eyes to let the stillness in the room lull you to peace.

There was a slight rustling that you could hear from beyond your darkened vision but you didn't really react towards it, not until it was finally followed by a soft clearing of a throat. You pulled the duvet higher up your cheeks, but refused to open your eyes still.

"What are you doing, noona?"

You slightly frowned and took a pause before finally glancing upwards with a quiet sulk. Your gaze met Renjun who was currently seated on the wooden desk next to the bed, his hand still up in mid-air with a paintbrush loaded with paint. He didn't look surprised at all as he peered at you, though there was a look of curiosity lighting up his brown eyes behind his glasses. You blinked once before finally giving another sigh.

"Can I nap here?"

His brows rose as an amused look took over his gentle features.

"Well, you're already in my bed."

You grunted.

"Thank you."

He silently observed you as you adjusted yourself deeper under his sheets. Finally, he put down his paintbrush and turned his body a little on his chair so he could better look at you.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong…"

"Uh-huh? You never visit my room unless you want to escape from something."

You paused. Renjun smiled upon seeing your guilty look, despite only having half of your face visible under the duvet. The silence stretched between the two of you as his eyes steadied on yours. Finally, he frowned.

"What did Haechan do this time?"

You quickly looked away.

"You're reading my mind again…"

"Yes. Because you're letting me. What did he do?"

You hesitated before answering. You adjusted yourself a bit on his bed then, sitting up and leaning the back of your head against his headboard instead. You could feel his inquiring gaze on you, and you realized just how thankful you are to be with him at the moment. Your relationship with the others have their own intricacies, but Renjun is the only one who always manages to calm you down. Maybe it's because of his Arcana—the High Priestess is an energy of peace and reflection—but you've always felt like you can rest your head easy whenever you are with him.

"He's changed. He has become more powerful," you mumbled softly as you stared blindly at the wall. Renjun processed your words slowly, understanding the hidden things you didn't verbalize.

"We've all changed. Our abilities have matured a lot in the last two years," he said carefully. Your gaze flickered though you kept silent. When he spoke again, he could barely conceal the slight tinge of worry in his voice.

"Did he… force you to do anything?"

"No. No, he didn't," you were quick to correct his concern. "He was just—he was asking me… about the two of us. I guess I was just surprised."

This time, you could almost feel the unspoken words that his stare sent you. You made a pointed effort to avoid meeting eyes with him but he knew… you both knew…

"I don't think you're surprised, noona. You were just hoping it wouldn't happen so soon… don't you?"

Your fingers closed just a little bit tighter around the blanket covering you. Renjun continued, perfectly reading you, despite not having to get into your head with his ability.

"It's bound to happen. All of us are maturing, which means our Arcanas are also developing. Our instincts are shifting—it's part of who we are. Haechan is just a little bit different, because the nature of his powers can turn chaotic if he doesn't work on controlling himself. But all of us are changing. I think that's one thing you should learn to accept…"

You slowly turned to look at him. Renjun's face was still serene, but you thought there was a quick shadow that quickly passed his gaze when your eyes met.

"Is me being here hard for all of you, then?"

He smiled.

"Yes and no. Most of us have learned to control our abilities, maybe except for Jeno and Haechan since theirs are more dangerous and volatile in energy. But I would be lying if I say the pull now towards your Arcana is not stronger from how it once was."

A flash of guilt passed you.

"Should I leave your room… right now then?"

Your question made him laugh suddenly, the sound honey-like as it filled the room. You must have looked so worried because he shook his head after as he tried to calm his amusement.

"No. Unlike Haechan, I have self-control. I'm not a beast in heat."

You winced. You barely noticed it when he picked himself up from his seat to perch on the side of the bed. He nudged you playfully, and you made space for him to join you under the covers.

"You know what, I need a nap too," he said as he scooted to lay down on the mattress and removed his glasses. You blinked at him slowly, your gaze almost suspicious. You knew he caught it from the way his lips twitched.

"Just nap, right?"

"Why? Do you want to do more?" He asked with a raise of his brows. You grabbed one of his smaller pillows and playfully hit him with it. Renjun laughed but pulled you down with him after.

"I can't lose my pure boy yet. Don't."

He gave a slight scoff as he casually wrapped his arm around your waist. For anyone else, the gesture might seem too intimate, but you honestly felt more comforted than anything else. When he said you could trust him… you knew you could take his word on it.

"I never really was the pure boy you've always imagined to be, but if that's what will make you relax right now, then sure. Now, can we nap?"

He didn't need to ask you twice. As if it was something natural for you, your body relaxed on his hold. You were close enough to each other that you could almost count the long lashes that almost kissed the tops of his cheeks when he closed his eyes. Renjun has always been ethereally beautiful… but looking at him up close made you notice some changes on his features too. He definitely grew more into the curves of his face, and he looked more mature… manlier now than before.

"You smell like paint," you said softly without even realizing the words that left your lips as you admired his beauty. "And sage…"

He smiled.

"Good night, noona."

You closed your eyes slowly and moved to press your face closer into the crook of his neck. Your heartbeat was slow and relaxed and a soft breath left you as you let your mind relax in his embrace.

"Renjun?" You asked sleepily.

"Hm?"

"You never did try to make a move…"

He was silent. Just when you thought he had fallen asleep, you heard him speak again, his voice barely a whisper.

"You want to know why?"

You simply nodded, too sleepy to even manage speaking. You were a second away from slipping into slumber when he finally continued.

"Because if I do, I wouldn't want to share you with anyone else."

*******

[&]

"What do you think about the sunset here?"

You turned from the ledge that you've been leaning on and watched as the newcomer joined you on your spot by the rooftop. It was a few minutes before night falls and the sky was fading its last golden rays from the sun. You smiled at the boy beside you now as you straightened up and tucked yourself deeper into the oversized cardigan you're wearing. It's been almost three days since your escape from Cypher and the return of your memories, and you've been spending the time you have just recovering just like the others.

"It's beautiful… though not as beautiful as the view we have in Rosewood."

The man also trained his gaze at the sight, his expression solemn.

"I agree. Though I don't think anything can really come close to that."

"Thank you, though, for offering this place. I'm sure we're all safe here. This is such a big help while we're trying to come up with new plans. Cypher will never find us here,” you smiled.

"I don't think lending a former fortress owned by my family is much reason to be thanked for, but you’re welcome, I guess."

You easily caught the undertone in the voice he used. Looking around, you slightly frowned at him as he kept his face trained towards the view stretched out in front you.

"Kun-ge… You know you've done a lot in all of this, right?"

Kun's expression didn't change, but you knew him well enough to know the exact things running through his mind right now.

"I have to. I don't have an Arcana like the rest of you so I have to do more. I… "

"You are still a part of the family. A very important member of it," you cut him off firmly but gently. His eyes shot to look at you and you held it before he even had the chance to look away. In that brief moment, he confirmed exactly what you were thinking—his worries and frustrations in full display for that slip of a moment. This wasn't the first time you've seen it in him, and you know exactly where it was coming from.

The Arcana network is a complex organization, a secret brotherhood made up of families with heritages tracing back centuries. Masters of the twenty-two major powers are born every generation, jumping from one family name to another, which means that those who are granted abilities can change just as soon as a new Master is chosen. Kun—unlike you and the others who currently hold the status of 'Masters' in the hierarchy—is a 'Legacy,’ a born member of a family that has a heritage of being Arcana masters but is not currently a holder of any ability. Legacies often have more freedom in detaching themselves from the private circle of the network but some, like him, decide to dedicate their life working closely with the private circle of the current masters.

For some, the decision is a perfect show of loyalty. However, it can also be a main cause of frustration.

"You did so well. I'm sorry I didn't get to thank you sooner, but I couldn't have done it without you," you said now as you reached out for his hands. You gave them a gentle squeeze to urge him to look at you. "You saved all of us, you know that, right?"

Kun's eyes finally met yours again. This time, he actually looked a little pained, though he managed to give you a small nod.

"I know. But please, do not make me betray you again."

Your chest squeezed. As a Legacy, people like him are naturally pulled to help and protect the Masters. What you asked of him—to betray you at one point to make sure your plan goes smoothly—is going directly against that instinct. He must have been so torn in both directions ever since.

"I promise… thank you so much for helping me out, gege."

He took in a slow breath before he finally managed to smile at you again.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save your father. When Ten and I realized what was happening, we decided to go and help out your group instead."

This time, it was your face that fell a little. You finally let him go and turned towards the view again. This time, the sky is now painted an inky black with a smattering of stars that weakly winked from the distance.

"No. You made the right decision. It would have been worse for all of us if we all got stuck there."

"So… what's the next plan…?" Kun asked carefully. You set your jaw as you looked on ahead.

"We need to move as soon as everyone has recovered… We can't wait too long. Cypher has exact copies of the seven Arcanas. They might be creating armies of clones of all of them right at this very moment."

Kun looked equally worried. No matter how he looks at it, this war seems to be a losing battle. Mark and the others might be powerful, but they will still be against numbers in the end.

"How do we even win this…?" He asked with a low voice.

"We might not," you answered, not even beating around the bush. "We might not have a chance against the number of their forces, but I can help amplify our side's Arcanas if I want."

"But that will be extremely damaging and dangerous to you, and even the others," Kun reasoned.

You nodded.

"Which is why we don't only depend on that. Cypher only has access to seven abilities… What will give us an edge are those they haven't had their clutches on yet."

Kun's eyes slightly widened in realization as things clicked in his head. He was about to say something when the door to the rooftop opened, ushering Mijeong out of it. She gave you and Kun a quick look before she slightly gave a polite bow of her head.

"Miss, you have visitors."

You turned just in time as the door once more and ushered new guests in. A number of men stepped outside, unbothered by the icy bite in the air. Your eyes lit up when your gaze landed on the man in the middle with jet black hair. He gave a small nod of greeting as the rest filed in beside him.

You smiled.

"IL Matto, it's nice to see you again."

"Welcome back… Taeyong-oppa."

CHAPTER 3

-------

A/N: New chapter is up! I’ve dipped in activity for a little bit in Tumblr because of personal things but I wanted to make sure I push out something before I get lost on work. As usual, thank you to all of those who keep up with Arcane! I appreciate each and everyone of you. <3

P.S. If I might suggest, y'all cam reread Haechan's confession again in Book 1. 😏

Taglist [OPEN]: @negincho, @jhornytrash, @aaasteroidsky, @huangberryyy, @marijmin, @ashkuuuu, @reluctantserpent-101, @huskyhunny, @domojoo, @anaveragefangirl, @lostlovesoul11, @dreamisfelix, @lomlwoo, @coconuttiez8d, @jaehyunenthusiastsworld, @shininginthemoonlight, @bettyschwallocksyee, @w3bqrl, @smolpeyy, @chenlejjang, @kunssouschef, @thesunsfullmoon, @chokopocky, @azzygongez, @tito-the-mermaid, @jakeshuneybby, @yutacchin, @baehaechannie, @thefoxsleeps, @caspervoid, @jaeyuuns, @ssuungchans, @furryllamas, @meiinumaki, @yayaistime, @byunniebaekhyunnie, @parkthothwa8, @johnniverse, @bee-bl41r , @peachyjaemin, @injeolmiee, @kasperneo, @chelzinha26, @peaceout97, @yongboksfreckles, @kpopstanforlifeuwu, @dearj43,

Untaggable for some reason: @user103843,

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soul-controller · 2 years ago

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Life & Patreon Update (November ‘22)

Hey there everyone, hope everyone is doing well. I’m happy to announce that my mourning hiatus is over and the blog will become active once more starting this Friday with a new request story. I look forward to posting that story along with my submission for @thegreatstoryteller’s TF Exchange the week of Christmas!

Now with that little update out of the way, here’s a quick little summary of the stuff I’ve released over on my Patreon over the past month.

In case you missed it, my Patreon has now shifted to a new subscription method. Now instead of being charged at the first of the month regardless of when you signed up, you will now be charged 30 days from your sign-up date! Hopefully this can encourage more people to sign up to read my content now that the worry of being double-charged has been eliminated.

So yes, if any of the following stories intrigue you, please feel free to click on the title so you can sign up for the appropriate tier to read it! I’d love to have you join my Patreon and my Discord community, where you can view exclusive photo captions and also request future story ideas!

Sibling Rivalry

With her father's 60th birthday coming up, novice witch Kelly is eager to give her father a better gift than her rich lawyer brother James. After deciding to create a potion that will turn her dad into a 27-year-old version of himself while also altering reality to give him a second chance at his youth. Unfortunately, James figures out what Kelly is going to do and finds himself willing to do anything to make sure that he ends up with the best present for their father...

Tags: Gender Change, Age Progression, Muscle Growth, Reality Shift

The Great Change: College-Educated to Farm-Raised (Five Years Later)

In the five years since The Great Change put 65-year-old Cyrus in the body of 18-year-old Jackson, the former college professor has gone through several changes in both body and mind. While he believes this is all due to his own choosing, the reality is that Jackson's father and friends were just gaslighting him into becoming the Jackson they once knew and loved. Will Cyrus figure out what's going on or will he become perfectly content with his new redneck life?

Tags: The Great Change, Body Swap, Racial Change, Mental Changes, Sexuality Change, Gaslighting, Post-TF

Wrestling With My New Life (Part I)

This story was created due to a patron-voted poll that was meant to help influence who my new host body would become by picking a clothing item for me to base this new body on - the wrestling singlet option was the clear winner. Although this is a two-part story, I've set it up so each part of the story includes several transformations so hopefully everyone will enjoy!

After a long month-long delay, I finally receive my Halloween costume of a wrestling singlet. Upon sharing the news to my followers about the costume finally arriving though, they quickly turn the tables on me by making me the subject of their own transformation story. After magically forcing me to livestream myself while wearing the singlet, the devoted fanbase comment their desired changes towards me one-by-one and get to witness it before their very eyes...

Tags: Shapeshift, Twinkification, Mental Changes

Before Mac Jones’ Control (Part II)

In the final part of this prequel, Henry continued to try and adapt to the new life he's been given as Nick Bosa. This time around though, the man has the obstacles of going to training camp and both fixing Nick's relationships with his teammates and actually learning how to play football! On top of this, Henry dives in deep on repairing Nick's controversial image while also taking an opportunity to check in on the real Nick who has been forced into continuing Henry's simple life as a teacher and transformation writer...

Tags: The Mac Jones Series, Athlete, Body Swap, Mental Changes

Going All-American

This story is a complete rewrite / expansion of an old Tumblr request that I wrote back in 2021. I loved the concept so I ended up turning a 2k story into something that was much more erotic and longer (now over 9k words)!

Upon randomly receiving a letter informing him of a free trip to Los Angeles to visit the set of All-American, Arthur is quite excited about meeting one of his biggest celebrity crushes - Cody Christian. After getting a rude welcome from the hunky actor though, Arthur and an intern from the show come up with a plan to teach Cody a lesson that will also allow both of their fantasies to come true...

Tags: Possession, Revenge, Celebrity

Backing The Browns (Part III)

After accidentally trading bodies with Johnny Stanton and learning that he's been cut from the Browns, Henry has to think quickly and come up with a new plan so he can actually play football. Before long, fellow Browns player and Johnny's friend Myles Garrett comes into the picture and provides the man with the perfect avenue to get back into the sport and find his permanent new body...

Tags: Body Swap, Racial Change, Athlete

#announcement #Patreon Update

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whatanoof · 4 years ago

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Luck Be the Lady Tonight

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Maxwell Lord x Reader

Word Count: ~4.4k

Content: blood, violence, fluff, death, gods who like to fuck around with peoples' minds, oh did I mention swearing yet?

Prequel to I Wished For Your Happiness

Dawn filters across the sky like the coming of the tide. It pushes into the inky twilight gradually, so slowly that one doesn’t notice the changing colors until it’s in full swing. Reds and oranges and yellows and the slightest hint of pink streak across the clouds and chase away every memory of the previous night.

Not that you were awake to see it of course, Max made sure of that last night when he exhausted you with… um… certain activities. But shortly after the dawn, the door to the bedroom creaks, waking you from peaceful sleep to the drowsy world of the waking. The creak is the only warning you get before the seven-year-old boy equivalent of a mortar shell drops onto the covers, bouncing the bed violently and bringing weak protests from the man under the covers to your left.

You thank every star in the faded night sky that Max had the awareness to redress both you and him last night before falling asleep. Good luck.

“Good morning!”

Max groans sleepily and pulls the covers over his head, “Alistair…”

You smile and blink blearily, “Good morning, Alistair.” You stretch under the covers luxuriously, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

“Come on, come on! We have to go soon!” Every other word is accompanied with another bounce on the sheets, and you wince. Ali is pretty much situated completely on top of the Max-sized lump under the blankets, and that can’t feel good.

“Okay,” You laugh, sneaking out from under the sheets. “Come on, let your dad sleep in just a little bit more. What do you want for breakfast?”

“Silvia usually makes eggs,” You nod. Silvia is Alistair’s nanny that accompanies him back and forth between his parents, but you had given her the weekend off. It was her twenty first birthday, and you only turn twenty-one in America once.

So you decided to take time off too, and to take Alistair for a day on the town. Max had been more reluctant to take the day off, but you’d pestered him until he’d given in. And you’d promised him a weekend of nighttime fun in return, so who was he to deny you? “But I want pancakes!”

You laugh, “Pancakes it is! Chocolate chip, or strawberry?” You don’t even have to ask, you already know that Alistair is going to pick chocolate. That child is just like his father: a ridiculous sweet tooth and too adorable for you to say no to.

You’re halfway through the mixed pancake batter, and Alistair is most of the way through his second pancake by the time Max stumbles into the kitchen, hair mussed and eyes half-open without coffee. It’s a struggle to hide the giggle that threatens to burst from your throat, but you manage and pass him the steaming mug that’s been sitting by the stove to keep warm.

“Woman, you are a true goddess.”

“I know. No need to feed my complex.” You smile as Max hugs you from behind and buries his nose into the crook of your neck before going to sit beside his son.

“Big day planned?”

“Yep.” You flip the last pancake onto the plate. It’s a little crooked, but passable considering your normal amount of cooking talent. “Sight-seeing, museums, walking around…”

“And parks!” Alistair interjects, “And the airplane museum!”

“Of course the airplane museum!” You place the dishes in the sink and pick up your own plate, “You coming, Lorrie?”

“Have some work to do, but I’ll be done before noon.” His shoulders hunch even as you stare him down. “Promise, baby. Something came up right before I left the office last night. It’s urgent.” You raise a single eyebrow at him, and he raises his hands in mock surrender, “I didn’t plan on it. Bad luck, that’s all.”

“I--” You level the dirty spatula at him, “--will take your word for it, Lorrie.”

He grins and stands, taking the kitchen tool from you and gently placing it in the sink. “Thank you, my love.” He folds your hand into both of his and kisses the tip of your nose, and you giggle as he nuzzles into your neck.

“Gross!” Alistair claps both of his hands over his eyes. You and Max laugh together as he detangles himself from you.

“I am going to get dressed.” Max grins at you rakishly before walking over to his son, who still has his hands covering his face. “And you--” He taps Alistair on the nose, and Ali giggles as Max leans in and gives him a hug. “--have a good day at the airplane museums.”

---

The minute you step into the Metropolis Space Museum, Alistair is heads over heels in love. You truly can’t believe that it took the kid seven years to get to the most iconic airplane museum in the city that he grew up in, but his childhood wasn’t exactly normal. You understand Max’s work ethic and schedule all too well, having parents who were workaholics as well. So when you’d first met the starry eyed little kid, you’d silently promised yourself that he was going to have a better childhood than you. You’re not his mother or his nanny, but Max is a dedicated father. And you’ll be dedicated to this kid too.

Alistair sprints through the museum with all of the speed of The Flash himself, and it’s all you can do to keep up with the little ball of energy. You wonder how he’s able to even take in the aircraft with the combination of the speed and his small stature, but this is his day, and you’re just the chauffeur.

He finally hits a wall when he reaches the astronaut exhibit. You’re walking among the space shuttles when you find Alistair gazing up at the Artemis I craft.

“See something you like?” You stop beside Ali and grin down at him. He hasn’t ripped his eyes away from the craft, and you can see the fluorescent lighting reflecting in his dark eyes. You turn to admire the shuttle again.

“That.” Alistair only speaks the one word, and you raise an eyebrow down at him. He’s pointing, “I want to be able to fly in that when I grow up.”

You chuckle, “It’s possible. You work hard, and you can be an astronaut when you grow up.”

“Work hard like Daddy?”

“Yes. Just like your Daddy.” Your gaze softens as you look down at the boy, seeing shades of his father in his determined expression. You check the time on your phone, “Speaking of, he should be meeting us soon. Wanna grab a snack, then we can go see him?”

You can see Ali’s obvious reluctance to leave the exhibit. “Alistair, ice cream…” You trail off with a teasing grin as Alistair turns.

“Yes please!”

You grin, “Alright! Come on.”

Alistair speeds ahead yet again, and your phone buzzes. You take it out, and it’s from work. You send a text off to your partner as you reach the stairs.

Your heel hits the edge of the step wrong. Your heart drops in your chest as you pitch forward, your arms wheeling in the air. A scream lodges in your throat as you fall forwards down the steps.

You land hard on your chest and you feel a stabbing pain in your chest as the air is knocked clean out of your body. Alistair screams your name, and you roll over to find the gazes of dozens of concerned strangers fixated on you as Alistair rushes to you.

“Are you okay?” A woman crouches over you.

You chuckle dryly, the air coming back to your body in small increments. Embarrassment floods your cheeks with heat, “Yeah, missed that last step. Bad luck, huh?”

“Good luck that it was the last flight. Could have been much worse.” She straightens and extends a hand to help you to your feet. “Anything hurt?”

“Besides my pride? No, I’m fine. Just got the wind knocked out of me.” You accept her help and stand, wincing at the residual pain in your chest. You remember what you’d distracted with that led to the misstep, “Where’s my phone?”

Alistair holds his hand out with a solemn look on his face. He’s holding your shattered phone, “I think it’s broken.”

You sigh. Bad luck. “Thank you Alistair. And thank yo--” You turn, but the woman is gone. Huh. Interesting. You look all around you at the bustling crowd, but no one looks familiar, and all of the gapers have gone back to their business. You prop your hands on your hips, “Well. How about some ice cream now?”

---

Max’s brow furrows as he stares down at the glinting ring. A twenty-four karat gold band, platinum setting with tiny obsidian studs and a diamond the size of a pistachio. The ring is exactly his style, and it’s the ring that he always imagined himself buying for the hypothetical girl that he would have if he ever got his work done. But ever since meeting you, he’s been learning to remember that his likes aren’t necessarily the likes of the others.

For example, you don’t like flashy. Which is ridiculous, because his entire existence is flashy, so he can’t begin to imagine how you ever were attracted to him. The memory of your first meeting draws a grin to his lips. But now he knows better after a couple of botched Valentines and anniversary gifts. Your look of horror at the massive bouquet of flowers and yards of chocolate will be forever seared into his mind. Flashy and gaudy is a big no no, though maybe he can make the proposal a little more to his tastes. His gaze is drawn to another ring to his right.

“Excuse me?” The sales associate comes over to him. “Can I see that one?”

---

“Alright, you don’t tell your dad, and I won’t tell either.” You plop the massive ice cream cone into Alistair’s hand before settling down next to him with a cone of similar size.

Alistair grins mischievously at you, “This is a lot of sweets for one day.”

“Ah!” You hold up your free hand, effectively silencing the kid, “Snitches…?”

“Get stitches!” With that, Ali digs into his chocolate fudge cone with sprinkles, and you start with yours, gazing at the city across the water. The beach is empty on an early spring day that is much too cold for swimming. Seagulls screech across the sky, and the sand looks fun and inviting, but Ali seems content to sit beside you on a bench and look across the water at Gotham City.

The sun is shining, the water is glowing in the afternoon sun, and it’s a perfect afternoon. Until an explosion rocks the building that you’d been admiring in Gotham City across the bay and the miniscule figure of a supervillain appears as a shadow in the dust. You sigh. Bad luck. “View ruined.”

Alistair shrugs, “Pretty. Big booms are cool.”

“Since when do you like explosions?”

Alistair looks up at you, and makes a zooming motion with his hand before mimicking a takeoff with massive engine explosions. Oh. Right.

You finish your ice cream and reach for your phone to check the time before remembering that it’s broken. “Hey, Ali. What time is it?”

He shows you with his little digital watch, and it’s half past noon. Max is probably looking for you. You rummage in your pocket for some change, and pull out the coins to count them. Oh good, you have a quarter left over from the ice cream cones.

“Come on, we’re going to find a pay phone.” Alistair stands and follows you off of the beach and towards the street.

Only, I shit you not, a chunk of building hits the water with a boom near shore, and water explodes into the sky like a geyser. Debris scatters the beach, and you wince as you see the amount of rocks that hit the bench where you had been sitting not five minutes before. You stare for a split second, then over at Gotham, where you can see the supervillain hefting cement chunks over his head and lobbing them at a speck in the sky. That’s an interesting combination of luck that you’re not sure you want to dissect mentally at the moment.

Alistair whines, “How did we miss Superman in the sky?!”

---

Max walks out of the museum, squinting in the sun as he fumbles in his pocket for his phone. You’d said that you would be at the museum until afternoon, but he’d waited at the entrance for an hour and you and Ali never came out. He calls you, but the line rings to voicemail.

The little velvet box weighs heavy in his breast pocket. It almost feels like it is burning a hole in his chest with how hyper aware he is of the promise pressing on his chest. He can’t even remember when he woke up feeling like this. Well, of course he only recognized the feeling today, but he’s been feeling it for sometime now. That swelling in his chest when he looks at you, the one that seems to increase everytime he sees you with Alistair, or when you’re laughing, or when you raise that single infuriating eyebrow that communicates every feeling of skepticism within your body. It’s been building over the past years, it’s not new. The label is new, it’s the one that he realized this morning after you got up and promised Alistair pancakes for breakfast.

He’s ready to make this promise. He’s ready to swear to spend the rest of his life with you. Now, if only he could find you. Bad luck, it would seem.

His phone rings right as he pulls it out of his pocket, and he glances at the caller ID. It’s you, and he swipes the ‘answer’ icon excitedly and raises the phone to his ear.

“Hey, I’m at the museum, where are you?”

You sound a little harried, “A payphone near Stryker Beach. Sorry, my phone’s busted up, so I couldn’t tell you that we left the museum.”

“No, no it’s fine. I’ll come get you. Give me an address.” He swipes around on his phone until he gets to his maps, but he’s interrupted by a resounding boom on the other end of the line. “What was that?”

“Nothing. There’s another Gotham villain, and Superman is fighting him over the bay. On second thought, you probably shouldn’t come here.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you two could be in danger.” He already has the car keys in his hand when you cut him off.

“Lorrie.” Your voice is every bit as intimidating over the phone as it is in real life. “Stay there. Traffic is awful over here anyway, we could walk to the museum and back twice by the time you get through it. See you in a few.” He can’t wait, excitement thrilling in his chest even as worry tamps it down a little.

---

His palms are sweating. Why are his palms sweating? He hasn’t been this nervous since his first kickstarter campaign for Black Gold Corporations. He’s scanning the crowd for any sign of you and Alistair, though he’s simultaneously dreading your appearance as much as he’s anticipating it.

There! He sees a flash of your hair through the mass of people, and then you’re standing on the other side of the major street, gorgeous and windswept and smiling at him while holding Alistair’s hand. Cars whizz through the intersection, but even the minor interruptions in his line of sight to you can’t detract from your beauty. Fuck, he’s nervous,

So nervous, apparently, that he fumbles his phone and drops it on the sidewalk. As he bends over to pick it up, the velvet box slips out of his pocket and falls to the ground with a small thunk that may as well have been the impact sound of a meteor.

His gaze darts up nervously at you, and your eyes are glued to the small black box. They flick back to his, and read the nerves as clear as the day. Understanding floods through your face, then shock, then your mouth falls open and he can hear your joyful laugh from where he crouches twenty feet away.

Shit. He had wanted to do it differently. Maybe by the massive fountain, or on the Ferris Wheel by the bay. Something that brings a little bit of pizzazz and flash and romance, something that is distinctly him. But he sees the giddy look in your eye and everything else falls away.

The pedestrian sign flicks on, and the rest of the crowd starts moving across the street, pushing you and Alistair with the flow of people. Your hand still firmly grasps Ali’s as you move across the street, and his heart fills at the sight of your love for his son and steadies his hand as he picks up the box and opens it towards you. His knees bend, and he sinks to the hard concrete, awaiting your approach.

His knee is centimeters away from the sidewalk when a swoosh echoes overhead and Superman rips through the intersection. The crowd tracks him with a rush of murmurs, but you’re still watching Max and walking forward with a spark in your eye.

Then the gunfire starts. Everyone ducks as Lex Luthor’s latest mech suit flies overhead in pursuit of the flying hero. Bullets whizz through the air, pinging off of telephone poles and shattering windows. You’re only a fraction behind the crowd, your eyes widening in panic as you finally notice your surroundings. Max is frozen in time, watching you cover Alistair with your own body. Bad luck.

Then the spell breaks, and everyone is running and screaming, and Max’s heart rises into his throat. He loses sight of you in the middle of the road, and he stumbles to his feet and begins shoving through the crowd.

“Alistair!” He screams your name too, but his voice is lost in the surrounding noise.

Finally, finally, he catches sight of your hunched form in the middle of the road. Right as he sees you, your head raises and begins scanning around you, and he allows himself to breathe. Good luck.

He grabs your arm and yanks you to your feet, his other hand securing around Alistair’s upper arm. Then he’s moving and dragging you to the other side of the street. You’re almost there, you’re almost safe when the explosion happens.

It’s small, a stray thermal charge that’s miniscule compared to the previously witnessed destruction. But a shudder passes through your group. Max’s heart sinks in his chest and he turns to look. Alistair is staring up at you with a look of complete horror on his face. Your hand lets go of Max’s, drifting up to your chest where a bloodstain is rapidly spreading over your chest. Your eyes meet Max’s, and then your eyes roll back in your head and you pass out.

---

The ambulance ride is a blur. Alistair is crying into his chest, and it’s all Max can do to keep it together while he holds your hand. You’re still unconscious, but the ambulance had gotten there fast, and you’d been one of the only casualties in the intersection. Hope. He has to hope, because he has to hold it together for Ali.

Words float around his head from the paramedics, words like random, ricochet, shrapnel, and bad luck. Bad luck. Fury swells in him. Your life is worth more to him than simple bad luck. Villain or hero, how can it matter? Who gave them the right to leave charges in public places, to scatter bullets like rice on a wedding day?

But what can he do about simple bad luck? What can he do about super-powered people who hold the power of gods in their hands? The answer is nothing, not right now anyway, because Alistair needs him, and you need him, and he will bide his time.

---

You wake up when the ambulance gets to the hospital. The gurney jostles as they lift you down from the ambulance and he wants to yell at the paramedics. But he holds himself back. Your voice echoes in his head, ‘They’re just trying to do their jobs, Lorrie. Leave them alone.”

So he does, clinging to you as your eyelids flutter. “Lorrie?” Your voice is a painful rasp that hurts in his own chest. You tighten your grip, bringing your interlocked hands up against your chest, slightly to the right of the roughly bandaged wound.

“I’m here.” He grips your hand all the more tightly, pressing a kiss to your knuckle. You murmur something, and he doesn’t catch it the first time. He leans in, “What? Say it again, baby.”

“Yes.” You whisper into his ear. With shaking hands, Max takes out the little black box and puts the ring on your bloody finger. It’s a simple gold band, curling around a teardrop onyx gem. Perfectly you and him. You only have time to lift your hand to gaze at the ring before you're whisked away to surgery. Max is left standing there with empty hands, feeling like the world has been yanked from his grasp.

---

When you wake up again, the world is sterile and cold and Max is gone. Your hand instantly flies to your chest, where the phantom wound throbs. But your hand grazes over nothing but your own skin and clothes. A glance downwards confirms your suspicions. The wound is gone, the ugly shrapnel vaporized as if it never existed.

But the glance down confirms another suspicion that only just started brewing in the back of your mind, one that you hadn’t dared to confront.

“Am I dead?” Your eyes widen in shock, and you reach to touch your lips. They hadn’t moved, and yet you had heard your own voice echoing into the void. You whip around, your toes hovering above the surgical table where your body rests. Surgical tools scatter around the trays, and the monitor emits a continuous, flat tone. Doctors lay down their tools, taking off their masks and caps with an air of exhausted defeat. Your body is still, covered in tubes and sheets so that you can barely see a hint of gray skin. Fuck, Max is going to be devastated.

“In a way.” The voice is wonderfully melodic, and you look to find that one of the doctors is staring at you while the rest look right through you. Her mask is still up, but there is a familiar air about her that you can’t place. “You are caught in-between right now, unable to move on, but unable to return.”

“So, purgatory?” Again, your disembodied voice speaks the words directly from your mind.

She laughs, and the tinkle settles somewhere deep in your soul. “No. Powers of another sort, past the Catholic tradition.”

You work your jaw, testing it before mouthing the words along with your voice. It just feels right, more natural. “I don’t understand. I’m trapped here?”

“Not trapped. Suspended, perhaps.” Her eyes are a piercing gray. “The Lords’ refuse to let you go. One might say that it’s luck. Good or bad, depending on if you are scared of what’s after. I hear you and Maxwell like to keep count.”

You blink. She’s right. You and Lorrie had a running joke that bad luck seemed to follow the both of you wherever you went. Today had been especially heavy with bad luck. “And if I’m not scared?”

“Luck is entirely dependent on perspective, child. But, I will admit, your death was more accident than anything.” There’s a cold, callous tone in her voice as she remarks about your death as no more than a minor inconvenience. “Couldn’t have been avoided, and that’s true bad luck.” Her brow furrows, then it lightens and she claps her hands, “But, good luck now! You get to go back!”

Your spirits lift. Back to Earth. Back to Alistair and Max. Max. You bring your right hand up in front of you. The ring is gone.

“Missing something?”

Your gaze darts back up to the woman, and she’s holding the ring to the false light, examining it closely. You try to keep the tremor out of your voice, “That’s mine. Give it back.”

She gives you a long side-eye, “You do not command me, girl.” You shudder at the tone of her voice, vibrating through your non-existent body and threatening to dissipate it. You grit your teeth, and continue to stare her down. She raises an eyebrow, and you think that it’s a look of approval in her eyes. “But, I suppose it is yours. Catch.” She tosses the band back to you, and you snatch it from the air. She continues, “Consider that my token to you. A favor from luck itself. Not many mortals ever gain such an item.”

“I don’t care what it is to you.” You only care about what it means to you and Max. It’s a promise. There had been a shared understanding in the emergency room, that you probably wouldn’t make it. And that understanding had been correct. But he promised anyway, and you’d promised him right back. “Who are you?”

“Lady Luck, at your service.” She winks, pulling her mask down finally. It’s the woman from the museum, but there’s a different air about her. An air of power that didn’t exist back on Earth hovers in her every word and motion.

A chime echoes through the air, and Lady Luck straightens. “That’s my cue. Don’t worry, you won’t remember this encounter when you wake up on Earth.”

“What was the point of this conversation if I’m not going to remember it?”

She looks back at you with a hint of humor in her eyes. “There wasn’t one. Just me testing out my wisdom on a mortal. Don’t get much chance for that anymore.”

“Any last wisdom then?” Your lips twist in a wry grin.

Lady Luck regards you, “Luck isn’t everything. But it isn’t nothing. Remind your Lorrie of that for me.” Then she turns and waves her hand, and the world filters to blackness around you.

A/N: This made me sad, but it was actually pretty fun to write and play around in the DC universe. I don't get over there much, it's mostly Marvel over in Oofville these days. But yes, now I'm expanding this universe as well too, because it's not like I don't already have enough WIP yet. It's fine, it's all going to be fine.

But Max's planning for the engagement?! Gave me life, it made me so happy.

Taglist: @alliterative-albatross

#maxwell lord x reader #death #angst #sad feels #fluff #gods are kinda bitches in fake universes

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snowdice · 4 years ago

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Birthday Gifts (Part of the Road Trips and Everything In Between Series)

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Relationships: Janus & Virgil, Janus & Remy

Characters: Janus, Virgil, Remy

Summary: Janus visits his 10-year-old brother before attending his sweet 16 party.

From the GRUMPY AFFECTIONATE STARTERS prompt list. @fudgingheckdudarino prompted “Listen, I enjoy this hug and all, but can you stop?” and “Hey, stop looking at me like that– I don’t like how cute you look.” I hope you like Road Trips and Missing Persons, but even if you don’t I think you’ll still be able to enjoy this one because it has little to do with that story.

Notes: Secret Agents AU (but not even subtly mentioned), implied child abuse (emotional)

This is set in the same universe as Road Trips and Missing Persons and is a prequel. You can read what’s done of that story below.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 My Master Post

Janus knocked on the door to the small house. It took a few seconds for the door to open, revealing a man who looked like he’d likely just rolled out of bed despite it already being 9am.

“Haven’t had your coffee yet?” Janus asked. Remy grumbled something in response and moved out of the way to let him in. It almost made Janus want to smile.

“Virgil,” Remy called up the steps on his way to the kitchen, “your brother is here!”

Almost immediately there were footsteps on the stairs and the next thing Janus knew, there was a 10-year-old flying at him. Virgil crashed into his side, pining one of his arms and almost bowling Janus over as his arms came around him. “Janny!” he said. “Happy birthday!”

Janus managed a half smile. “Thanks runt.”

He got a happy smile back and another squeeze.

“You going to let go now?” Janus asked after a few more moments.

Virgil shook his head. “16 years old means 16 minutes of birthday hugs.”

“I don’t think that’ll be happening,” Janus said dryly.

“But it’s the rules!” Virgil insisted. Janus started to try to squirm out of his grip, but he was strong for a 10-year-old, and Janus didn’t want to hurt him. He ended up wrapping his entire body around Janus’s leg like a vise. Janus gave up and attempted to move into the kitchen dragging him along. He did not get far.

“Virgil, would you…” he said. “Hey, listen, I enjoy this hug and all, but can you stop?”

Remy plodded back into the room, hand around a cup of coffee. “A little stuck there Janus?” he asked, amused.

“Remove your spawn from my person,” Janus growled.

Remy thought about it for a moment. “Nah,” he replied.

“It’s the rules,” Virgil repeated.

“Ugh, you’re both horrible. At least move to my arm so I can walk you leach.” Virgil complied, hanging off Janus’s arm as they moved into the kitchen.

“Want breakfast?” Remy asked.

“Is breakfast overly sweet cereal?” Janus asked.

“What else would breakfast be?”

“I want Coco Puffs!” Virgil said.

“…I’ll have Coco Puffs too,” Janus said. Remy went about ‘cooking’ them breakfast as Virgil continued to squeeze Janus’s arm just a bit too tight.

“So, what are you doing here this morning, Janus?” Remy asked.

“Well,” he said. “Since my birthday party is this afternoon and evening,” A whole painful 10 hours. “I figured I would come and visit Virgil in the morning.” He grimaced thinking about the imminent birthday party. He was already exhausted from planning the stupid thing. Or, more accurately doing his best to pick whatever options mom wanted for the party, so he didn’t get berated.

“Ah, yeah,” Remy said knowingly as he placed the bowls of cereal in front of them. “The Sweet 16 Party. Is there going to be a horse?”

“Mom’s paying for it. Of course, there’s going to be a horse.” Janus had never liked horses. He’d been forced to ride one and not allowed to get off when he was 4 or 5 and though it had been a docile animal, it had been far too big, and he’d been afraid he’d fall. He’d had nightmares about falling off things for months.

“Speaking of,” Remy said, seeming to think. “Did you drive yourself here?”

“Just noticed?” Janus asked.

“A bitch needs coffee in the morning.”

“Bad word,” Virgil identified through a mouthful of cereal.

Remy shrugged. “Emile’s not here.”

Virgil nodded. “Fuck,” he commented seriously.

“Good boy.”

“You’re parenting strategies are awe inspiring,” Janus informed Remy.

Remy just winked at him. “Well anyway,” he said, moving to grab something from the cabinet. “The two of us got you something that will go well with the car.”

Janus blinked at the honestly horribly wrapped flat present that was laid in front of him. “Oh…” he said. “Should I open it now?”

“Go ahead,” Remy said.

Janus easily was able to tear the wrapping paper off the present and looked at it. “An atlas?” Janus asked.

“For your car,” Remy said.

Janus looked up at him dubiously. “GPS systems exist,” he pointed out.

“You should always have a physical map with you. You never know when you might need one.”

Janus rolled his eyes, but he did smile. “Thanks,” he said.

“And I decorated!” Virgil said excitedly. He grabbed the atlas and opened it so Janus could see the inside front cover. He’d drawn all sorts of squiggly lines over it in crayon. “They’re snakes!” Then he turned to the next page. “And that’s me and you! And that’s dad and Uncle Emmy! Dad didn’t let me color on the map pages, but he let me on all the unimportant parts.”

“Oh,” Janus said, touching the purple stick figure that was meant to represent Virgil. “Now it’s a much more useful present.”

Virgil beamed even as Remy glared at him.

“Mark my words, Janus.”

“Marked, Remington.” A rouge Coco Puff was shot across the table to hit Janus on the forehead.

Virgil giggled and finally released his arm. “Hey Dad,” he said excitedly. “Can Janus take me on a car ride?!”

“I don’t see why not,” Remy answered.

“Yay!”

“I’m a pretty new driver I’m not sure-” Virgil turned to look at him with a wobbly lip. “Don’t,” Janus choked. “Stop that.” Virgil placed his smaller hands on top of Janus’s over the table. “Hey,” he tried and failed to scold. “Stop looking at me like that-I don’t like how cute you look.”

“Please?” Dammit.

“Fine,” Janus relented, “but only around the neighborhood.

“Yes!” Virgil said. “I’m going to go get dressed!” He shot off towards the stairs.

Janus and Remy watched him go. “Come for a movie tomorrow night,” Remy suggested.

“Why, so I can fall asleep on your couch? I’ll be exhausted.”

“That’s exactly why,” Remy said. “I’ll even let you pick the movie.”

“Fine,” Janus agreed, “but only because I have nothing else better to do.”

Remy chuckled. “Sure kid.”

Now with a follow up:

Birthday Cuddles

#sanders sides #janus sanders #virgil sanders #remy sanders #platonic anxceit #implied/referenced child abuse #adriana writes #road trips and everything in between

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kolbisneat · 4 years ago

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MONTHLY MEDIA: July 2020

……….FILM……….

Palm Springs (2020) I feel like there was a big marketing push for this movie at the start of the month and it totally worked. All the good buzz and fun artwork I saw relating to this was perfect and it was a fun time at the movies...at home.

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) It’s been yeeeeears since I last watched this and it turns out I remembered next to nothing. The worldbuilding was fantastic and while I still can’t piece together how the aging/curse on Sophie, it just feels that much more magical. Absolutely going to pick up the book to see if I can get a more in-depth narrative.

……….TELEVISION……….

What We Do In The Shadows (Episode 2.01 to 2.04) Hot dang this is continues to be a great series! I really hope Nadja’s doll sticks around for the whole season (or the rest of time) and it’s all just so fun!

Mad Men (Episode 4.07 to 4.11) Knowing there are 7 seasons really makes me feel like we’re in the middle of act 2. Things are getting real low for Don and I’m still baffled at the idea that anyone sees him as a role model/inspiration. It’s feeling bleak and I hope season 5 starts to point upwards again (not for Don but for everyone else).

Dear White People (Episode 1.01 to 2.10) So good! I don’t want to give too much away but what’s started out as a drama/comedy seems to be evolving into something else and I ready for it! I hope season 3 and 4 expand on what I hope it’s building.

……….READING……….

Forever and a Day by Anthony Hororwitz (Complete) A really fun Bond prequel and I think this is going to start me off on reading the original Fleming novels! Filled with all the best tropes from the movies (and maybe the books? Time will tell) and it was such a light and fun read. It was the perfect birthday gift as I needed a beach read.

Dracula by Bram Stoker (Complete) The pacing of this book is a good example of why I tend to prefer modern takes instead of the classics themselves. I appreciate what this book contributed to our collective consciousness, but the back drastically reduces the amount of vampire content in favour of Mina’s deteriorating health, the hunting party discussing their plans, and recounting an extensive travelogue.

The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Classic by Jason Surrell (Complete) I’ve always loved this ride so I was hoping to learn more about what’s happening with each illusion and effect. While I got sooooome of that, they clearly held back a bunch of secrets and I suppose I understand why. With that said, the history of the original ride’s development was super interesting! Same goes for how the attraction has evolved over the years and when moving to other parks.

Delicious In Dungeon Vol. 8 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Everything about this series, from the world to the characters, strikes a perfect balance (for me) between familiar and new. The monsters are typically based off of well-established mythology, but there’s usually enough of a twist that it feels more unique to this world. It’s excellent. And the same goes for the characters; at first glance they may look like simple tropes but the series consistently breaks them down or adds depth to inform why a character acts a certain way. Please go read this series.

Fun With Milk and Cheese by Evan Dorkin (Complete) This has the sort of confidence and frantic energy that it could only come out of the late nineties. Some of the stories work better than others, but I think that’s just my own taste.

Dragonball 3-in-1 Volume 1 by Akira Toriyama (Complete) Decided to return and reread this series and I always forget how jarring some of the early stuff is (mostly around gender and Bulma)...I know it’s likely cultural or a product of being over 30 years old, so I won’t fault it too much.

The Perry Bible Fellowship Almanack by Nicholas Gurwitch (Complete) It’d been years since I’d read through most (if not all) of the PBF comics and I appreciate the variety of style even more now. Despite each comic being illustrated in a way that suits the narrative/joke/premise, it all still feels cohesive. It’s something I need to remind myself as I question if any of my own work is unified by anything. Also the insight into the abandoned and forgotten comics at the back of the book were so interesting to read! I love seeing how other creatives think.

The Mushroom Fan Club by Elise Gravel (Complete) Very cute all-ages introduction to mushrooms! Illustrations are so fun and personable and it really encourages outdoor adventuring and wandering around in the woods (safely), so that gets an A+ from me.

Death Wins a Goldfish by Brian Rea (Complete) A wonderfully charming book about Death on vacation. The art is breezy and the light text was surprisingly funny. It was a good reminder to kinda just take a break and recharge, you know?

……….AUDIO……….

Cuz I Love You by Lizzo (2019) After hearing Juice on a friend’s birthday playlist, I couldn’t NOT check this album out. It took me about three listens to really get into and it’s all great.

Bastionland Podcast - Tabletop Roleplaying Game Design (Podcast) If you’re interested in what goes on behind the curtain of game design (specifically tabletop role-playing games, but I think the principles and takeaways are fairly universal) then check this out.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The party has recovered a Mermaid’s prize coat and have a few other goals on the go, but most pressing is the weapon (an umbrella) of a Lich that they need to destroy in the lava flow of Neverland’s mountains (very Lord of the Rings). Also I’ve been doing more detailed write-ups on Reddit, if you’re into that sort of thing.

D&D Homebrew Adventure (Menace of Merlin) The group spent a session saying farewell to their undead minion (a yeti named Norm); role-playing games are fun.

And that’s it! As always, please feel free to send any recommendations my way and happy Friday!

#Monthly Media #Kolbisneat #Andrew Kolb

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alexander-turners · 5 years ago

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Roger’s Little Family

Pairing: Roger Taylor x Reader (Ben Hardy!Roger Taylor x Reader)

Summary: Roger returns home at 3am and finds you and the kids sleeping together. He spends some quality dad time with his children in the bed. Also a puppy named Sprinkles makes an appearance.

Wordcount: 2224

Warnings: fluff, dad Roger (is that a warning?), implied smut

A/N: I’m so sorry if there are any mistakes. English is not my first language.

I hope you guys like this one. It’s like a prequel to my other fic Home Is Where the Heart Is but it’s a sequel to Skin-to-Skin Contact. But they can be read in different order too. Tell me what do you think ;)

Gif credit goes to owner/maker.

Roger unlocked the front door as quietly as possible. You and the kids were probably sleeping; after all, it was 3 in the morning.

Finally, he managed to carry his huge suitcase inside the house. He let out a deep breath, eyes roaming around the dark hall and the stairs. “Home Sweet Home,” he whispered before making his way to the kitchen.

As he reached the kitchen Roger turned on the lights, but immediately regretted it. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness outside and the lights only hurt his eyes.

Reaching over his head, he grabbed a glass and filled it with water. He lifted the glass towards his lips but something on the fridge caught his eyes.

Roger left the glass on the counter and walked to the fridge. Usually, it was covered with magnets all around the world – New York, Sydney, Rome, Paris; polaroids of Roger holding baby Ben and Sophie, silly family pictures. Also, you would put some of Ben and Sophie’s drawings and new photos which Roger hadn’t seen because of the touring. You would pin them using the magnets.

He grabbed the first new photo and squinted at it. It was Sophie’s. Her face was covered with chocolate ice cream but her smiling face was enough to make him happy. The next photo was you and Ben making kissy faces to each other. Roger let out a chuckle and pinned them back.

You weren’t Linda McCartney but your photography skills were as good as hers.

Roger drank his water, washed the glass and left it on the drying rack. He turned off the light and grabbed his suitcase, walking up the stairs.

He passed the kids’ bedroom, knowing where they were. As he reached the bedroom you and he shared, the drummer opened the door very quietly. And there we you and the kids, asleep in the king-sized bed. His son was sprawled on his side of the bed. You loved to joke that Ben was sleeping exactly like him, which meant like a dead person, nothing could wake him up.

You were snuggled with Sophie but your left hand was touching Ben’s chest too, just to be sure he was there.

As much as he loved recording, touring he was most happy with you, Ben and Sophie, with his little family. Damn him when he said to John ‘Your “Best Friend” song sucks” almost ten years ago, because he was wrong.

Roger left his suitcase next to the door and took off his jacket. The sound made Sophie shift in your arms, Roger stopped moving and his daughter fell asleep.

Throwing the jacket over his suitcase, the drummer made his way to the bed. He sat quietly on the bed. Ben was not only sprawled on the bed but also he kicked the covers. There was no need for a DNA test, Ben was his son. Roger himself would kick off the covers when he’s sleeping alone.

The blond drummer tucked him in, then leaned down and kissed Ben and Sophie’s foreheads. To kiss you Roger got up and went to your side of the bed because he didn’t want to squish Ben and Sophie.

The bed sank down when he sat. First, he removed a piece of hair which has fallen over your eyes, then he kissed your forehead and lips.

That woke you up. You slightly jumped and stared at the person next to you. You were ready to scream but when he spoke and you calmed down.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry I woke you up, love.”

Roger grabbed your outstretched hand and kissed it, “Rog, you scared me.”

“It wasn’t my intention,” he whispered, kissing your lips. “I will take a quick shower. You go back to sleep.”

You sighed sleepily but nodded, pulling him by his shirt to kiss him one more time.

Roger broke the kiss and pushed you back towards the pillow, you both chuckled, “Go back to sleep, love, it’s late.” he mumbled.

You lied back; Roger covered you with the blanket then went to Ben’s side, who had pushed the blanket again. After tucking him in, the drummer undressed silently, grabbed a white t-shirt and black boxers from the drawer and got inside the bathroom.

The shower helped a lot; the hot water calmed his sore muscles and increased his desire for sleep. Nothing could replace sleeping in bed than sleeping on the plane. Nothing could replace sleeping in his own bed with you and of course sometimes with the kids too.

Roger got out of the shower with a towel in his hand, drying his wet hair but something in the bed has changed. This time Ben was sleeping next to you and Sophie on his side of the bed. The drummer blinked a few times, still trying to figure out how this happened. But he let it go, threw the towel to his suitcase and got in the bed.

You let out a tiny sigh and hugged Ben closer to you, probably thinking it was Sophie. Before closing his eyes he kissed both of his children’s foreheads and your lips.

Sophie clutched herself to her dad like a koala; Ben did the same thing to Sophie. Roger smiled and closed his eyes. Sleepily his hand reached for yours and squeezed it.

Before drifting off he felt your hand squeezing his.

***

Ben opened his eyes and rubbed them, trying to wake up. He watched you sleeping, a mischievous smile appeared on his beautiful face. He raised his hand and booped your nose. You shifted in your sleep but didn’t wake up. Ben chuckled, he wanted to do it again but withheld himself. Instead, he peeked over your head at the clock. It was 9:15.

He still remembered how Grandma Winnie taught him the clock and how to recognize what time it was.

Ben turned to Sophie, he was ready to wake her up as well but when the boy saw his dad sleeping next to his sister his blue eyes widened.

He started shaking Sophie, at first gently but a few moments later more forcefully, he started whisper yelling too.

“Sophie, wake up!” the blonde girl opened her eyes reluctantly, “Daddy’s home!”

Sophie blinked, still sleepy, “What?”

Ben pointed at Roger, whisper yelling once again, “Daddy’s home! Look!”

The three-years-old girl turned around and her eyes almost fell from their sockets.

Ben helped her to up and both of them started jumping up and down, yelling “DADDY’S HOME!” as loudly as they can, neighbors were probably awake now.

Which woke you and Roger as well.

When the siblings saw that their dad was up they threw themselves over his body.

Roger grunted loudly as his kids’ bodies landed over his. You, on the other hand, were laughing, it was the funniest but also the most heartwarming sight.

“Daddy, you are home!” Ben and Sophie said at the same time.

“Yes, I am.” he smiled as his kids sat between him and you.

“When did you come?” asked Sophie, as she held his right hand in her tiny ones. She’d help him later put some cream over his blisters on his hands.

“Last night, you were sleeping.” they nodded, “So tell me what did you and mommy do when I was away.”

Ben and Sophie started speaking together; their arms outstretched gesticulating like crazy. No one could figure out what they were saying, even the best lip-reading expert would fail in his job.

Roger held out his hands laughing, oh god he had missed this, yes he had seen you and the kids three weeks ago when he returned home for a few days for Sophie’s birthday, but he still missed it. The craziness, the never-ending questions from them, how they talked together when they were excited.

“I can’t understand what you are saying,” you laughed and moved next to your husband.

“Daddy wants you to speak in turns, can both of you do that, please?”

“Thank you, mommy.”

Sophie looked at Ben and whispered something in his ear, your son nodded and jumped out of the bed dragging his little sister behind.

“What was that?” Roger chuckled.

You kissed his cheek, “You will see. They want your approval to keep something.”

He hummed, pulling you to his body; you chuckled breathlessly as he pressed his lips over yours. But for his taste, the kiss lasted less than two seconds.

“Roger, the kids are in the house and they will return any second,” you warned him.

“That didn’t stop you three weeks ago.” he reminded you.

Your cheeks turned red, god he loved making you blush, “Shut up, the door was locked then and it was middle of the night.” you looked over your shoulder, as you heard your children’s voices, “They’re coming.”

First Sophie entered the room, she jumped on the bed and asked with her sweet voice, “Mommy can you tell daddy the story how we got Sprinkles?”

“Sprinkles?”

“Of course, sweetie.” Ben entered the room too; he was clearly hiding something under his t-shirt, the thing was moving and squirming.

Roger’s gaze moved from you to Ben and back to you.

“Rog, you know Mrs. Eastman, right?”

Mrs. Eastman was your neighbor, she is in her 70s, a very nice old lady who would look after Ben and Sophie for a few hours when you and Roger are working at the same time.

“Yes,” he answered but didn’t quite catch where this conversation was going.

“So you know Mrs. Eastman has a golden retriever named Lucy right?” he nodded finally figuring out what Ben was probably hiding under his t-shirt. “A few days after you left Lucy had 5 puppies,” Sophie held out five fingers, which made Roger smile, “and she gave us one of the puppies as a gift.”

As a cue, Ben jumped on the bed and pulled the small golden retriever puppy under his t-shirt. “Please, daddy can we keep it?”

“Pretty please!” Sophie wrapped his arms around his neck, it always worked, she knew it and damn it Roger knew it too.

You and the drummer exchanged a look, you smiled and shrugging.

“Mommy agreed on keeping Sprinkles but she said you have to agree too,” Ben explained, petting the puppy. “And Sprinkles is a boy, like you and me, daddy.” Ben gave his dad a toothy smile.

Roger looked at the distance, like he was thinking, “I would agree on two conditions. First, he won’t be sleeping on this bed or yours, okay?” his children nodded, “Second, what kind of name this that? Sprinkles? We better change it if he will be staying with us.”

“No!” the children yelled.

“His name is Sprinkles!” Sophie yelled.

“But we didn’t hear daddy’s answer,” you interjected which made your kids stop talking and looking at Roger with hopeful eyes, “can Sprinkles stay with us?”

“Yes, he can.” Ben and Sophie jumped on him, kissing his cheeks. “Okay, okay, now go wash your faces and play with Sprinkles until mommy and I make breakfast.”

They stormed out of the room, the last thing you heard was Sophie’s muffled voice and Sprinkles’ tiny bark.

“Fuck Y/N, I just allowed them to have a dog,” he laughed.

“Technically it’s a puppy, Rog.” you kissed his lips, making him sure that what he did was right, “It’s good for them to have a dog at home, it’s good for their self-confidence and can reduce their anxiety and depression.”

“Babe, you sound just like Brian.”

You hit him playfully, “Oh, shut up. We gotta get up,” Roger’s eyes landed on your exposed stomach as you stretched, “make breakfast.”

Roger hummed, eyes still on your exposed tummy, “Do you think we have some time for a quickie?”

“Rog, the kids are probably in their room…”

“Playing with Sprinkles. How did he get that name?” he asked casually when his hand went under your t-shirt but he only caressed your stomach.

“He ate the sprinkles Sophie gave him.”

The drummer let out a snort and shook his head, “Those kids will be the dead of me.” he murmured, before asking, “Do you know that they’re switching their places while they’re sleeping?”

You pointed a finger at Roger, “I knew something was off, because a few days ago I found Ben sleeping at the other side of the bed,”

“Why am I not surprised,” Roger admitted, “last night when I came home you were hugging Sophie and after I showered and entered the room you were hugging Ben,” the drummer nodded to confirm because you were shocked, “I still don’t know how it happened.”

You shook your head, “Wow, I’m shocked…”

“Yeah, me too.” The drummer took a deep breath, as his fingers made their way to your boobs, “So, do you think we have time for a quickie?”

“No, I don’t think so, Rog,” You kissed Roger’s pouty lips, “I promise to give you the most unforgettable blowjob after we put the kids to sleep.”

His eyes widened in shock and desire, “More unforgettable than the one you gave me on my 30th birthday?”

“We will see, but you have to wait, Rog.” you left the room after winking at him.

Roger lied down on the bed, chucking to himself, “It’s good to be back.” he whispered and got up.

Tagged: @rogmeddows @ohtheseboysilove @witchbloodsworld @liamarietayor @benders-diamond-earring

#roger taylor x reader #roger taylor imagine #ben hardy!roger x reader #ben hardy!roger taylor imagine #queen fic #queen imagine #roger taylor x you #roger taylor

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pernesophe · 22 days ago

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PerShu Directory

Perne and Shuhei Hisagi <3

Minors, Ageless and Blank blogs DNI!

Photo Board

PerShu Collage

About Perne

TBA in the New Year

PerShu Lore

TBA in the New Year

PerShu One-Shots

Can I Have My Birthday Gift Now? Please? (formatted as x reader! TBA Jan 10, 2024 @ midnight)

PerShu Poems

cubicle walls (prequel to "Can I Have My Birthday Gift Now? Please?")

#Perne and Shuhei Hisagi <3 #pershu #pershu directory

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fandom-necromancer · 5 years ago

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1420. I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to lose you.

This was prompted by an amazing anon! I hope you enjoy, I certainly had fun writing it!

Fandom: Detroit become human | Ship: Allen60

[Prequel] [Part 2]

I have a partner now.

Joseph sat on a bench outside the precinct enjoying his break in the last sun before it would disappear behind clouds for most of the winter. He held his phone loosely in hand, texting with his mother. He had initially thought he would just settle a few things about her birthday and get back inside, but them she had asked about whether there was something new going on. It had been the first thing coming to his mind that didn't involve him telling her about his latest gruesome case. And he couldn't have expected her response to be so, well... lengthy.

>Oh, Josey, I'm so happy for you! Finally you found someone! Told you love would find a way! >Who is the lucky woman? >Or man, you know I don't mind! >Oh, you have to bring them with you when you come over! >You know I always wanted to see my boy happy before I leave this earth! Ah, I'm rambling again, but I'm really happy for you! >I will let you get back to work now! See you next week! >Don't you dare come without your partner! >Love you, sweety! Stay save!

Well... That certainly would be a problem.

'Hey, Sixty', he addressed the android as he walked back into the office. 'Would you be up for another err... undercover mission?' 'Sure’, the incredible workaholic android was quick to answer. ‘What gang hideout is our target this time? Or do we crash a weapon handover?' 'Yeah, kind of', Allen trailed off amused. 'Err... the target is my mother's house and we are indeed likely to crash her birthday.'

Sixty just looked at him. Allen would be damned how much emotion the android could put into a complete and utterly neutral face. He just sighed, sitting down on Sixty’s table and threw him the phone with the open chat. ‘Knock yourself out.’ The android still stared at him, phone in hand, shook his head and began reading. 'How the hell did she think you meant... romantic partners?', he finally asked as he had read the short conversation.

Allen shrugged. ‘Guess she understood what she wanted to hear.’ ‘Wanted to hear?’ ‘Hey, I never exactly managed to stay in a relationship, okay? With my work being dangerous and me spending so much time away from home… It isn’t easy. I think the longest relationship I had been in had been for four years and I really thought it would stick. But then it didn’t and well… I gave up on that. Doesn’t mean I still want it, but I learned to stay alone. It’s not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. I mean it can get lonely from time to time, but you get over it. Also spares you the heartbreak.’ Sixty still just stared at him, his face not showing if he had put any thought into what Allen had said or if he even listened. ‘And how is that important?’ ‘Listen, my mother was always one to think you can only be happy in a relationship and that I am suffering terribly staying single. She just wants to see me with someone, you know? She means well, though. So, when I tell her the word “partner”, the first connection isn’t colleague. Should have known to word it better.’ ‘And why should I accompany you to your mother’s birthday?’ Allen sighed. ‘Well, for one I’m tired of having to explain to her why I still didn’t find someone and listening to her ramble on that I’ve missed the chance to have a family and all that. And second, I guess it would make her happy. She isn’t the youngest anymore and even if it is just pretence, maybe she won’t worry as much. I know it’s shitty to ask you for it, but it would only be a few days and just a role to play, I assure you. I mean you can say no, if you want, I can make up something.’ ‘You won’t have to’, Sixty declared then, handing the phone back. ‘I’ll play along.’

So, they found themselves sitting in Allen’s car parked in front of his parent’s home. It was a small house with a big garden at Whitmore Lake, roughly an hour’s drive from Detroit. Allen found himself hesitating. It was Sixty, who made him jerk out of it, as he excited the car and got the flowers from the backseat. Allen sighed, taking his mother’s favourite chocolate and a gift card from his side. ‘Here goes nothing…’

They rung the bell and his mother opened almost instantly, laughing at him and hugging him for a greeting. ‘Ah, you are early! Nice to see you arrived safely!’ She released him only for his eyes to fall on Sixty. ‘Oh! You didn’t tell me he was an android!’ She stopped herself only to go pale. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean you any offense, I was just surprised!’ Knowing how Sixty handled criminals who gave him special treatment because of his identity, Allen watched him warily. But the android surprised him by smiling at her, handing over the flowers and politely shaking her hand. ‘Most people are surprised, I’m used to it’, he brushed it off. ‘I’m Sixty.’ ‘Oh, it’s such a pleasure to meet you Sixty, please come in! Just excuse me for a moment, will you?’ As soon as she turned and waddled down the hallway, Sixty gave Allen a pointed stare, pushing his shoes off. It changed promptly to bewilderment, as the prior to this polite and gentle elderly woman managed to shout in a commanding tone that left no space for arguments: ‘Wallace! Get your old ass in the car and look for something an android can eat! I’m not leaving my guests hungry!’ Sixty just watched as a tiny man jogged past them, got in the car and drove off. Allen just laughed shrugging. ‘I think now you got to know my mom.’

It was all in all a pleasant day. Sixty was a master at faking their “relationship”, engaging in conversation eagerly and telling his mother how Allen and he met each other. He kept it simple. Met at work, had a few cases together, liked each other’s company. It was so convincing, Allen would have believed it. The android had slapped his back a few times companionable and they had hugged to make it more believable. Thankfully, the one time, Sixty had been brave enough to quickly kiss him on the cheek, Allen had flushed so red, his mother had just taken it as embarrassment because they watched, not because he had been kissed by someone who very much wasn’t his romantic partner in any way. She had then made it into a monologue as to why he didn’t have to hide anything long enough for Allen to compose himself without any attention.

It stopped being a pleasant day as his mother led them to his old room as evening came. His old room they hadn’t changed much. His old room that was still outfitted with only one bed. ‘Err… I hope this isn’t a problem? We don’t have another mattress unfortunately, but you could always-‘ ‘No, no, Mrs. Allen, not a problem at all! Joseph likes to cuddle.’ Thankfully, Allen was the one turned to the room, not his mother, because again, he was red as a tomato. Sixty was right, he liked to cuddle, but not with- His mother laughed loudly at that, patting Sixty on the back. ‘Have a good night you two!’

As soon as the door was closed, Allen fixed a grinning Sixty. ‘God, don’t tell me you are fucking enjoying this!’ ‘Come on, it is quite amusing!’, the android pointed out. ‘Besides, I can always just enter stasis standing.’ ‘So that my mom wakes us tomorrow morning and finds your mannequin-ass standing in the corner? Why couldn’t you take the couch?’ ‘Because that wouldn’t be convincing! Also, you do like to cuddle.’ ‘That was one time and only because I fell asleep and thought you were-‘ ‘Come on now. There’s nothing wrong sleeping in one bed with a friend. It’s just one night.’ ‘Fine.’

They got to bed, dressed in pyjamas they had taken along. Allen lay on his side, back to Sixty’s, carefully trying not to touch him. ‘Captain, if you are tense like this you will never fall asleep. Just relax, I won’t tell anyone.’ Reluctantly, Allen obeyed, relaxing but cringing at the touch all the same. This brought up memories he didn’t want to think back to. Yes, he liked to cuddle with someone. Yes, he had always wanted a relationship. No, this would never work, and no, this was just Sixty playing his part! Could his overactive imagination please fuck off? He finally fell asleep later, but maybe he should have just faced another birthday of his mother listening to her scolding him for not having a partner.

The next morning, he woke up slowly. His mother had not woken him up and in fact, the moment he came back to consciousness he thought he was at home in his own bed at first. He had his arms around a warm body, his own pulled flush and he smiled at the thought, nuzzling deeper into the other’s neck. Until he froze as there was no smell. No smell at all, that body in front of him wasn’t human and this wasn’t his home. He was at his parent’s house with Sixty. He had hugged Sixty in his sleep. Shit.

Only then he noticed that the android likely was still in stasis. Otherwise he would have done something about his inappropriate behaviour. So maybe, he could enjoy this for a little while longer? He relaxed, but it was a stupid thought to have. They just played a role here. Still, when was the last time he had something like this? And Sixty was in stasis, he wouldn’t notice.

Except that he did. Allen was truly mortified, as he heard the android whisper: ‘I don’t want to lose this. I don’t want to lose you.’ Sixty had been awake the whole time? Allen panicked, trying to get his arms away, but the android grabbed his wrists to gently hold them in place. ‘Please. I had been awake since you first hugged me two hours ago’, he said. ‘This feels nice. Can we stay like this for a while?’ This had to be a dream of some sorts, Allen was sure of it. ‘Wh-What do you mean?’, he stumbled, rigid and overwhelmed. ‘I know this is fake, but I feel like I don’t want this to end. I never thought to like or even need this and being an android on top of that, chances of having this are very slim. Especially with a human. I knew I admired you before, but I didn’t even know something like this is possible. I know when we leave this place it will be over, you said yourself you accepted being alone. I would like to keep this moment a little longer.’ Allen just lied there unable to find words. He had never thought this was how their whole charade would end. He had never thought Sixty would like to stay like this… ‘Who said it has to be over when we leave’, Allen said, regretting it already. Surely Sixty would turn around every moment laughing at him like the idiot he was believing him. But no, Sixty’s grip on his wrists hardened for a split second, before the android turned around to face him surprised. ‘I thought you didn’t want another relationship’, he wondered. ‘I don’t want another heartbreak’, Allen disagreed. ‘But I’m willing to try it with you. At least you won’t leave me because I spend too much time at work.’ ‘No, I wouldn’t… You are really willing to try this?’ ‘Sixty, I already said I am. And with you I would even think it could work.’ He smirked at the android. Now that they were on equal terms, he actually liked the idea a lot. ‘As long as you want to try it with me.’ ‘I would love to.’

[> next part]

#detroit become human #dbh #Allen60 #Captain Allen #Sixty #RK800-60 #Did I mention I'm a sucker for people finding love in unexpected places #and sixty being badass until it comes to feelings #and the there is only one bed trope #well now I have #also RIP wallace the npc

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kinomiakai · 5 years ago

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Fic Decade in Review!

I thought I’d do something a little different this year - so, instead of going over all the fics I’ve written this year, let’s talk about this decade! They’re all SNS (except for the original stuff I’ll throw in there for the sake of accuracy) and will be under the cut :)

If you want to check out the actual summaries and stuff, this is my fanfiction.net account, here is my ao3, and here’s all my original work!

2010:

August: Konoha’s Number One (a dramatic dark!naruto thing that I only keep up to show that I’ve grown as a writer oh my god please don’t read it I’m just putting it here for the sake of honesty ajkhdksa)

2011:

...whoops

2012:

August: Alcohol Induced (my first ever attempt at smut)

September: Perceptual Organization (my attempt to both study and write fic)

October: Worthless (my only ever attempt at first person)

2013:

...uh

2014:

nope

2015:

we’re getting there

2016: (we take off!!)

October: How To Break a Mask is finished after 10 years (whoops), and I get an ao3 account!!! (HtBaM, Alcohol Induced, Perceptual Organization & Worthless are moved there - in the interest of time I’m only going to put ao3 links from now on but everything is also on ff.net!)

Still October: Both Name? and Strictly Professional are posted!

November: Home and The Jutsu are posted! (what the heck I wrote so fast back then???

2016 + prior word count total: 88,285!

2017:

January: I post Sleepless and Miscommunication and Masquerade! Woooo!

September: Posted both The Bet and Can’t Stand You! Can y’all tell I was trying to get better at smut lmao

October: Speaking of smut, Stress Relief was posted this month :D

December: I pause writing Enter Naruto to write Rebuilding in like a week like some sort of fever dream, and somehow have it ready for sns month! (I think this was a big turning point ksjdhkshf)

2017 Word count total: 60,784!

2018:

January: I post the first chapter of The Birthday Chronicles! (which was originally supposed to be a oneshot, oops)

February: I immediately follow it up with the prequel, The Present

April: I post Long Enough! which is definitely long enough to not be a oneshot but is the first fic I genuinely couldn’t bring myself to break into chapters

May: I update The Birthday Chronicles with another chapter that kinda sorta maybe stands alone?

June: I post Unnoticed!! Nice to be back in canon :)

July: I post Some Nights are a Storm! The first time I’ve wildly rewritten a fic. You guys are nice enough to want to read the first draft, too :)

July (again) to August: I start posting Enter Naruto on Sasuke’s birthday! I post a chapter a day and you guys read along and it’s amazing. It’s a culmination of at least two years work and every bit was worth it, I have such fond memories of that :) (A whole bunch of firsts here - writing Sasuke’s parents, writing Kakairu, writing slowburn, writing this MUCH, writing that many smut scenes, writing consistently over a long period of time)

September: I try my hand at one of my favourite tropes in (6+1) Times :) Also the first time I’ve ever written them as kids!

October: I post the third bit of The Birthday Chronicles!

November: I write Online for one tumblr prompt and A Night of Poor Choices for another!

December: I give a christmas gift to all my readers in the form of ‘Tis the Season (and I made a hard deadline!! Woohoo!)

2018 word count total: 203,850!!!! (lmao thanks Enter Naruto)

2019:

January: uhhhhh Under Pressure just kind of happens

February: I write C’mon in a burst of speed in the hopes of cheering up a very sweet anon!

March: we’re back in canon again for a flame, a cave and a feeling!

April: I fiiinnnaaalllly get around to write that Proposal x Wedding prompt and I take lots of liberties with tradition in Reborn by Flame!

June: I finally start posting Something Good! And you guys are all so sweet, even when I make you cry. (Definitely a sadder fic then I generally post, but I’m so glad you came along with me for the ride!) - /// - I also make a patreon and start posting my original work for the first time ever - starting with Some Sort of Feeling!

July: we celebrate Sasuke’s birthday to his unending annoyance in Sasuke’s “Not a Birthday Party” Birthday Party! - /// - (July’s patreon fic is The Worst Date Ever!!)

August: I give you guys a teaser & give a lovely anon a oneshot they requested in the form of Bite Me! (it’s gotten so long now friends. there’s so much happening please help) - /// - I also finally post a wlw fic on my patron as 🍀 (the girl from the bus stop)

September: I post Waiting for an Answer, based off an idea I had yeaaarrrsss ago! - /// - (Similarly, on patreon, I post The Woodcutter and The Witch, set in the world I’ve been thinking about for absolute ages!!)

October: I spend a whole bunch of way too late hours in a haze writing A Hostage Situation until somehow a fic just kind of morphs out of it

November: I finally get to share Moments, the piece I did for @eclipsed-zine! I also post Undeniable, linking all my fics together :) - /// - On patreon I make up for last month by posting chapter 1 & chapter 2 of my long-term project: The Forest!

December: I forgo the christmas present in favour of making your yuletide gay with The Best Best Man! I get to finally write some proper inosaku in :D - /// - I post chapter 3 of the Forest on patreon, and my patreons vote for their christmas gift to be chapter 4 :D <3

2019 word count total: 137,965 of fanfic & 40,100 words of original content!

Stats of the decade: 39 fics - 539,984 words!

I’ll try to beat it in the next ten years :) Thanks for being part of my life, guys! It’s really been awesome to be able to invest myself into writing like this. I hope I can bring you all even more happiness in the next few years!

#kinomi talks #fic year in review #fic decade in review #fics #sns #I normally post summaries and stuff #but I thought it'd be fun to make this a little more reflective #you guys like it!!!#ep3otp #mywriting #writing stuff #long post #text post

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seven-oomen · 5 years ago

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Okay, I’ve managed to scrape back up some of the thoughts that were drifting in and out yesterday. I was trying to think of stuff I remembered from high school (what hasn’t been lost to an ADD haze at this point anyway) that might be interesting/cute to see crop up in the prequel. For example; we know Peter played basketball, but did he or anyone else participate in any other extracurriculars or sports? Student council? Debate team? Academic team? French club? Band/orchestra/choir? Cross country/Track? Ecology club? Gay/Straight Alliance? Martial arts? Science club? Softball? Pagan Student Union (I think that might have been a college thing, but whatever)? Art club? Cheer/gymnastics? Other things I’m forgetting right now?

Speaking of Peter and basketball- Did the gang ever go to his games? Did he have supportive sports boyfriends; did they make cute signs or run to hug him if Beacon Hills won? (Did we ever find out Peter’s jersey number? I legit can’t remember.) Did he bother to get a letterman jacket? If so, did he give it to either of the boys? (Or did he just get two? I forget how/when you got patches, I wasn’t much for that sort of thing. I think maybe I got one for softball at some point?) I love him with the leather jacket, I just thought it was a cute image. Did they get class rings (and exchange them)?

Also, yearbooks. Who all actually had their picture in the yearbook? Did Peter shake his hair over his eyes to block the weird reflective thing (and would that work)? Did they pop up in any group shots or candid pics? I had a mental image of a shot from some sort of home game, maybe for football, or girl’s basketball, or something, of the group of them clustered on the bleachers; Peter between Chris and Noah, with an arm thrown around each’s shoulders, his smiling face pressed into one of them’s hair (I can’t decide which) partially to prevent any reflection, partially just because; Chris holding the hand Peter has wrapped around him with one hand and with the other stretched across to rest on Noah’s knee, smiling in the genuine yet vaguely stilted way of someone who’s not used to being this happy yet; Noah with one arm wrapped around Peter’s waist, his other hand resting on the one Chris has on his knee, staring at the camera with an amused grin that’s flirting right on the edge of a smirk; Claudia cuddled up to Noah’s side, both hands wrapped around the top his nearest arm, head leaning against his shoulder, grin clear and bright and open; Melissa next to her, arms enveloping Claudia in a loose hug, camera catching her mid-laugh. (God, I really wish I had something approaching passable art skills at times like these.) Maybe the kids find a copy of that yearbook in the school library, and make framed copies of the picture for Melissa and their dads for a gift.

Do you have any plans to cover Prom? Or any school dance (Homecoming, maybe?), really, Prom is just the big one. Because part of me with never be over the ridiculousness of that scene with Peter and Allison at Macy’s (as cute as it is). Random middle-aged dude walks up to teenage girl and starts offering her unsolicited fashion advice (as part of an intimidation tactic against her boyfriend, no less), and she not only is not worried or weirded out in the slightest, but she actively takes his advice and buys the dress he suggests. (I legit laughed so hard I snorted when I realized it was the same dress.) (Momentary segue: Do you think she ever described the encounter to Chris? Peter just gets a random angry text one day from an unknown number that just says “Stay the hell away from my daughter!” and he just knows, so he sends back “Don’t blame me, her selections were utterly abysmal. Didn’t your wife run a boutique or something? You’d think she’d have taught her better." Chris never does answer back.) But anyway, yes, school dances with that group could be entertaining. Sneaking off (for various reasons), special song dedications, spiking the punch with assorted substances, inappropriate dancing under the cover of semi-darkness. Lots of potential shenanigans.

Also can’t wait to find out more about how everybody met. One of the things I love about long-running series is being able to go back and compare where characters began their relationships versus where they end up. We’ve seen how Chris met the boys, but not Claudia or Melissa. (Did he already know Melissa? Was she still a hunter at that point?) We know how Noah and Claudia met, but not how Peter and Noah met, or Peter and Claudia, or how any of them met Melissa. Plus all the potential bonus drama because of the supernatural issues involved. When did Claudia and Peter realize what Elias was really like? (Did Claudia ever give either of the other boys a "shovel talk”?) How did Melissa’s relationship with Rafael develop? How did the rest of the gang get along with the assorted Hales (or did they know them at all)? And re: the preview for it you posted - what kind of car does Peter have, and can you comfortably fit three growing boys in the back seat? (I do occasionally remember to ask the important questions, lol.) Is the Jeep still Claudia’s here? What kinds of vehicles, if any, do the others have? (Can you tell I’m excited about the prequel?)

Bonus thought from last night -

Me: *trying desperately to fall asleep so the day can just be over*

My brain: So what about a vaguely, very loosely Breakfast Club inspired Chris/Noah/Peter fic? Like, Chris could be Emilio Estevez’s character, and Noah could be Judd Nelson’s, because Andrew’s damage is more internally focused (I can’t live up to my father’s expectations because I’m not good enough), where as Bender’s is more externally focused (I’m pissed that my dad treats me this way because he’s an asshole, but also secretly worry I actually deserve it). Peter could be Claire; popular, charming, probably more intelligent than they let on, emotionally distant and neglected. Claudia’s probably the best fit for Allison, although you could maybe make Melissa work. Finstock is totally Brian. Could we shove Harris back in time to make him Dean Vernon? It’s fic, you can totally do that sort of thing, right? I mean, you’re already planning to completely redo the relationships, so who cares, right? Who would be Carl, though?

Me: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, BRAIN, NOT NOW!!! PLEASE JUST SHUT UP AND GO TO SLEEP ALREADY, I’M BEGGING YOU!! NOW IS NOT THE TIME! WE CAN THINK ABOUT THIS TOMORROW!

My brain: …okay but seriously; Peter in a peach colored v-neck and overly snug khakis, Chris in that wrestling top, Noah in the trenchcoat and plaid… Do you think Peter could do that lipstick trick with a chapstick?…

Me: AAAAUUUUGGHH!!!

(Thankfully, sleep was at least eventually had.)

I’m glad you’re feeling better today, and hope that work was busy enough to pass the time quickly without being overwhelming, and blissfully free of excessive stupid people. As someone else stuck in the world of heat, storms, and humidity, you have my sympathy. Sending hugs and cooling vibes!

Alright so I finally got some time to sit down (or lie down technically) for this and go through it. I’m excited!

we know Peter played basketball, but did he or anyone else participate in any other extracurriculars or sports? Student council? Debate team? Academic team? French club? Band/orchestra/choir? Cross country/Track? Ecology club? Gay/Straight Alliance? Martial arts? Science club? Softball? Pagan Student Union (I think that might have been a college thing, but whatever)? Art club? Cheer/gymnastics? Other things I’m forgetting right now?

I think Chris was a cheerleader at some point. He wanted to join gymnastics like in his old school, but BH didn’t have a separate gymnastics team, so he joined the cheerleaders instead. His dancing skills are abysmal, but he makes up for it with gymnastic skills, strength, and agility.

Peter’s on the student council I like to think he would do well as the secretary but I also feel like he’d definitely try to run for president.

Noah’s on the Martial Arts team (couldn’t resist) and I like to think he’d participate in the ROTC, as he served in the military in canon. (Obviously due to having children at 17, he never enlisted in this Au.) But the prepping definitely happened.

Chris would also join the swim team, which is a nod to Jackson joining later in Once Upon a Time.

And oh yeah, they went to every game. Chris as a cheerleader and Noah was up in the stands with signs for every single game. Claudia and Melissa often came with. Whenever BH won, Chris would run out and ‘cheer’ the star player, which was almost always Peter, and lift him up on his shoulders.

I don’t think there’s a canon answer for Peter’s Jersey Number. I’ve seen some places sell a shirt with 01 on it, but I kinda wanna say it’s 15. Due to his birthday being May 15 in this au. (Chris’s is July 22nd, Noah’s is September 14th.)

I feel like Peter got a class ring, maybe Noah, but Chris didn’t bother. It would just be one more thing his father could potentially take from him and he wouldn’t need something like that to remember the other two by. He already has the Triskelion necklace. As for the letterman jacket, I think Peter definitely got one, as did Noah. Chris once again skipped it, probably because he still felt like they might move at a moment's notice and he didn’t want to bother with all of these things.

Omg, my heart...

yes to all of this. Seriously <3

Do you have any plans to cover Prom? Or any school dance (Homecoming, maybe?),

I do. In both stories. The canon school dance in Once Upon a Time. And the prequel will feature either a homecoming dance or prom. The potential for drama there is too good to pass up on.

Also, Peter giving fashion advice to the girls is way too funny because of course, he would. And to some of the guys as well. Seriously McCall... that’s what you’re going with?? Wear a fucking tux for Mel, jfc...

I feel really bad, but I actually never saw the Breakfast club, though it sounds like a really dope movie. And those visuals are very nice visuals ^^

I’m also writing all of these questions down for the prequel. XD This is awesome writing fuel <3

No but seriously, I don’t say this often enough, but you are awesome and I adore you <3

Thanks for sticking with me and this au for so long already, I love talking to you.

#ben says stuff #once upon a time comments #life unfolds in chapters comments #submission

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falseroar · 6 years ago

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Anniversaries Part 3: “Just Like My Japanese Animes!”

((I honestly thought I would come up with a better title for this before today, but here we are. Here’s a link to the slightly better titled Prequel: A Little Magic, Part 1: The Best Laid Plans and Part 2: One Day, Many Surprises.))

The King of the Squirrels moved cautiously so as not to make a sound on the ancient floorboards as he threaded his way through the path between stacks of boxes on either side. His nose twitched at the musty smell of dust shot through with the scent of fresh dirt that filled the attic, but he held the sneeze in when he spotted the small creature sitting on the floor, tail twitching as it checked out one of the molding cardboard boxes.

The squirrel’s ears moved and it paused to look around, but in one swift movement the King dove forward and caught him before he could get away again.

“Got you!” he crowed.

A growl came from his left and both the King and the squirrel squeaked in unison when Dark stepped out of the shadows of his own aura to glare down at them.

“What do you think you’re doing up here?”

The King pointed at the squirrel just as it squirmed out of his hand and ran up his shoulder to hide under his cloak. “Someone got a little lost in the new house, but it won’t happen again—"

“I warned all of you to stay out of the attic, I put a sign on the door,” Dark said, his aura spreading until the King could barely see the junk to either side.

“Monkey Joe Jr. can’t read. He’s just a squirrel.”

“Can you?”

“Something could have happened to him,” the King said softly, his head tucked into his scrunched-up shoulders as if trying to make himself appear smaller. “And he gets scared when he’s alone.”

Dark’s aura was all around them now. It was difficult to tell whether the creaking sounds to either side came from the attic or from something else in that surreal darkness, but it was the only sound for several seconds before Dark sighed and allowed the darkness to fade and retreat back into the bare outline that usually surrounded him.

“Then do not let it happen again.”

The King breathed out and straightened, one hand on the trembling lump under the cloak near the back of his neck. In the retreat of the aura, he could now see something behind Dark that had been hidden before.

“You’re growing something up here?” he asked, tilting his head to get a better look at the large planter against the far wall, where it received the most sunlight from the windows in the roof and one side of the attic’s sloping walls.

Dark’s aura started to spread again, this time protectively as he said, “Forget you saw that and get out of here before I—”

“It needs more water.”

Dark’s aura stopped as he stared at the ego. “What?”

The King of the Squirrels brushed by him and stuck one finger in the dirt beneath the plant before promptly sticking it in his mouth and savoring it for a moment. “Yeah, more water. And this dirt’s not big or fresh enough, that’s why there’s only one flower.”

Dark slapped the King’s reaching hand away before he could touch the single rose growing on the plant and said, “How do you know that?”

The King of the Squirrels shrugged. “I spend a lot of time outside, and I notice things.”

Dark glanced briefly at the ego before turning his attention to the rose. It had finally started to bloom, but he had to admit he had hoped for more than one after all this effort.

“I know a place back home where it would do a lot better,” the King offered.

“I don’t want it near the house.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I was thinking about the cabin out in the woods. Do you know it?”

“I’m…aware of it.” Dark studied the ego and said, “You’re being surprisingly useful this morning, King.”

“You’re welcome,” the King said, giving him a brief smile. He looked back at the rose and said, “Those don’t last long.”

“It doesn’t need to.”

“But I can show you the place for the plant when we get back,” the King said. He rubbed at the lump of the squirrel still hiding out of sight. “When are we going home?”

“Tomorrow evening,” Dark answered and the King sighed. This was probably the longest the ego had been away from the house and its surrounding woods since he was created. “You are not to tell anyone about what you’ve seen up here. Is that understood?”

The King nodded and, taking the hint this time, turned to leave the attic. He stopped on his way and told Dark, “You know, all of this reminds me of something. The scary mean guy hiding away from everyone else, the rose hidden away in the attic, it’s all like my favorite anime—"

Softly, to himself, Dark said, “Please don’t say it.”

“—Beauty and the Beast.”

Dark closed his eyes and exhaled in a long, low groan that could not begin to express the pain he felt in the center of his being at those words. “Just…just leave. Please.”

The King of the Squirrels fled back downstairs and to the nest he had created in a corner of Eric and Chef Iplier’s room to wait until the others were ready to wake. Eventually, Dark also left the attic, careful to make sure that the door was locked behind him and the sign warning the others to stay out was still in place. It wouldn’t do anything to stop Wilford, which is why he was the only other person who knew what Dark had brought with him to their beach house.

He paused when he noticed one of the bedroom doors was still open and approached it cautiously, but the bed inside was empty and hadn’t been slept in. After a quick and infuriating conversation with one of the Googles wandering the halls, he made his way downstairs to the kitchen and stopped short in the doorway.

By the time Chase, Jackieboy Man, and Jameson noticed him, Dark had recovered from his surprise and went to the sink to wash the dirt off his hands as if nothing had happened.

“You three are up early,” he remarked as he dried his hands on the nearby towel. The sun had risen not long ago, judging by the light outside the kitchen windows. “I’m assuming that’s more to do with the time difference than any of you actually being early risers.”

“We have a lot to get ready,” Jackieboy Man responded as he continued to fill in one of the letters of the word “Happy Birthday Jack” printed across a large banner with one of the markers piled up on the kitchen table. His tone was unusually cold and flat as if he begrudged every word he wasted on the man, but he added, “What has you up so early? Or do you not sleep?”

Dark ignored the question and asked, “Have any of you seen Y/N? They never went back to their room last night.”

All three looked at him at that, Jameson paused halfway through struggling to get the tape off of his hand and onto the half-wrapped present in front of him, Chase absentmindedly letting the glitter pour out all over the table as he just said, “Dude. Seriously?”

Dark’s aura flared sharply. “Their door was—That doesn’t matter, Google said he saw them go outside with the Host last night, but…”

But he refused to tell Dark any more than that, and was very lucky that Dark apparently had more than his usual store of patience this morning.

“That Host fellow said they would be along when he came back in a few minutes ago,” Jameson replied. He taped one side of the paper down and spun his gift around to start taping the other side before he noticed the look his brothers gave him. “What?”

“They’re still out there?” Dark asked, but Jackieboy Man leapt to his feet and blocked him before he could reach the back door. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Jackieboy asked. He was roughly the same height as Dark, but he puffed out his chest to appear bigger as his masked eyes locked with Dark’s. “Can’t you just leave them alone for once?”

“But if they’re alone out there—”

“Nah, Marvin and Schneeps went out to check on them,” Chase responded. He stood as well, but his hand went to the superhero’s shoulder as he said, “Look, they’ll be back any minute. Do you really want them to walk in on you two puffing up at each other?”

“I am not—” Dark started, but then became aware of the sharp ringing coming from his aura. He took a deep breath and it subsided. “You’re right, this is childish. If you’ll excuse me.”

Jackieboy muttered something under his breath, but Dark chose to ignore it and walk away. A few minutes later, he heard the sound of the back door open and the doctor’s loud greeting before he began to describe to you what all they had planned for Jack’s big day.

He retreated to a corner of the main area with a book in hand, as if he could actually get any reading done with the noise that soon followed as the Iplier egos made their way downstairs, joined in turn by Mark and Jack. He could hear the rumble of conversation over breakfast, but he ignored most of it beyond noting when Dr. Iplier said that the Host would be resting in his room all day, with apologies to Jack for not joining in the celebration today. That, and when Mark remarked on how you weren’t eating much, you responded with a jaw-cracking yawn before admitting you weren’t hungry. Clearly, the Host wasn’t the only one in need of some sleep.

Dark sank further into his chair when the others began to drift into the room, but they did little more than glance his way as they flopped into chairs or onto the couch while discussing the best flavors of cake with all the seriousness and gravity of a Discord chat. When the doorbell rang, he glanced up briefly at the sound of Mark shouting he would get it as he pushed his way past the egos and paused, watching as you walked into the room last with Jackieboy Man, the superhero’s arm thrown around your shoulder as he spoke.

Dark briefly had time to register the voices at the front door or the bark before the dog zoomed through the room, tail wagging furiously as she made her way straight to you. You startled back when she rammed into you but laughed as Jackieboy said, “Chica! Who’s a good girl?”

Chica leaned heavily against your legs while you pet her, and the egos lost their minds over her, the other two dogs at the door, and Amy walking in with Tyler, Ethan, Bob, Wade, Kathryn, and a host of balloons that bobbed against the ceiling and bapped Jack in the face as they all tried to hug him at once.

It was all noise and laughter for several minutes until Bob said, “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was promised a beach and I don’t break out my swim trunks for just anybody.”

As if summoned by those words, Wilford was in the middle of the group of friends, smiling widely as he said, “That’s right, last one gets buried in the sand and left for high tide!”

“Which isn’t as much fun as it sounds,” Jack admitted while everyone went about getting ready. Amid all of the confusion, he made his way over to where you stood off to one side, still awkwardly petting Chica as if hoping to stay out of this mess. Dark couldn’t hear what he asked you, but you smiled and spoke to him in a low voice that failed to carry.

That didn’t stop Wilford from overhearing, or from booming out in his typical, bellowing voice, “What? Stay inside by yourself? I don’t think so!”

“Wait, Wilford, don’t—” you protested, but with one easy gesture Wilford had you over one shoulder and was already out the door.

Jackieboy Man, for his part, looked up from giving Henry a belly rub and said a succinct, “Shit!” before running after him. From his seat, Dark could see the ego stop on the back porch before swinging himself up and over the railing to try and intercept you and Wilford before he made it to the water.

Too bad he’d just been told to leave you alone for once, Dark thought idly to himself as he flipped a page in his book, or he might have been tempted to help. Besides, Jackieboy could handle Wilford on his own. He was supposed to be a superhero, after all.

Straining his ears, he could hear Jack, or maybe it was Chase, who could even tell them apart these days, on the back porch say, “Nah, he’s got it Marvin. Or, well, Y/N’s got it, but I’m not sure they meant to pull on his mustache like that.”

Before long, the others all joined you on the beach, leaving the house strangely silent and still in their absence. Dark made it about an hour before he put the book down and began to roam around the house restlessly, but the only ones still inside were the four Googles, who he had no patience to deal with right now, and a sleeping Host.

“Wow, you can walk out in the sunlight without bursting into flame,” Mark said when he spotted Dark standing at a distance from the others in the sand. “I feel like I just lost a bet with someone.”

“It seemed a waste to come so far and not enjoy the view,” Dark said as he took in the crowded beach. Everyone was running around, laughing, playing, splashing in the water or chasing the dogs around the sand. Everyone, he noted, except for you, sitting by yourself under a large umbrella whose origin Dark could only guess at. “Have you noticed…”

He paused when he became aware of Mark giggling and realized that the man was looking at Dark’s bare feet and pants legs rolled up to his knees, but it was when Mark pulled out his cellphone that Dark’s aura flared, looking pale and sickly in the bright sunlight.

“I will break you and everything you love.”

“And I will put this on Instagram if you give me a reason to,” Mark replied as his phone’s camera clicked. He smiled at Dark before running off to join Amy and Ethan in playing fetch with Chica, Henry, and Ethan’s dog Spencer.

Dark considered his options and decided to bide his time on that particular problem. For now, he stopped by the cooler sitting open near some of the chairs and made his way over to your umbrella.

You were staring out at the water, eyes unfocused as if your mind was a million miles away, but you blinked and turned your head at the sound of Dark’s approaching footsteps.

“Y/N! I have ze screen to prevent ze sun burn!”

Dark flinched at the sound of that “German” accent as the other doctor came running up with a massive bottle of sunblock in hand.

“Oh, Darkiplier,” Dr. Schneeplestein said when he spotted Dark, “Would you like some as vell? You are looking mighty pale around the toes.”

You snorted trying not to laugh at that, and Dark scowled. The doctor was one to talk with those pasty legs. “No, I’m fine.”

Dr. Schneeplestein shrugged and took a seat next to you. “Hold out your hand, Y/N, and be sure to get your ears! I vill help you vith your back.”

“Thanks, Schneeps, but I can—”

“No, no! Sun burns are very serious, ve do not want any accidents!”

Dark dropped the bottle of water in his hand onto the sand beside you and you drew your hand back as if afraid of it. “I thought you might want this.”

He made it a few steps away before he heard the doctor say quietly, “Is just a bottle of water.”

Dark paused and started to turn around before he was suddenly attacked by a pink maniac in an old-timey bathing suit.

“Dark, you old son of a gun! Finally decided to join us and stop being a grouchy puss?” Wilford said as he pulled Dark into a bone-cracking hug.

“Not a puss,” Dark muttered, even if he felt like a strangled cat trying to get out of that death grip. “I was just going to go for a walk on the beach—”

“Oh, we can do better than that!”

Mark’s laughter at the sight of Wilford sweeping Dark up and carrying him toward the water quickly turned into a scream of horror when Dark reached out and snagged the cellphone out of his hand on the way, because if he was going down then he wasn’t going down alone.

“Do I want to ask?” you said as you rubbed the sunscreen onto your face and up and down your arms.

“Don’t vorry, I am recording it on my phone,” Dr. Schneeplestein said happily beside you. “I vill send it to you later.”

You grinned as you heard Dark’s unholy shriek when he hit the surprisingly cold water and said, “Glad you’ve got my back, Doctor.”

“No, I haven’t started yet,” Schneeplestein said. You felt his hand on your chin, tilting your head as he examined your eyes. “And you vill stay in the shade, yes? Your eyes cannot protect zemselves if zey cannot feel ze sun hurting zem.”

You nodded and, once your hands were clear enough of the sunblock, fumbled to get the cap off the bottle of water Dark brought you. It was a surprisingly nice gesture and one you wished you could have thanked him for before he walked away. At least he’s having fun, you thought as you heard the screech of his aura as Wilford tried to dunk him again, and smiled to yourself.

---

Everyone had finished their impromptu lunch of sandwiches and chips before Dark ventured back downstairs again, dry but pride still stinging. Mark and friends were already planning on where to take Jack for an afternoon in town, and you had a few recommendations for where to go after your time with the Host yesterday.

“—And there’s an awesome shop that sells enamel pins just down the street from the theater, it was called…Uh…” You hesitated, but the name failed to come. “It was definitely a pun…”

“Well you can just show us where it is,” Wade said.

“Oh, I was actually planning on staying here,” you said, gaze drifting toward the ground before around at the others. “I told the Septic egos I would help set things up for tonight, remember?”

“Are you sure?” Mark asked. “I’m sure they can figure it out, you don’t have to stay here.”

“I’m sure,” you answered. “Besides, I honestly don’t know if I’m up to going into town. Sorry, Jack—”

“Don’t be,” Jack interrupted. He smiled and threw an arm around your shoulders. “You don’t have to apologize for that! Besides, who knows what we’ll end up getting into without you around to stop us?”

He gave the others a wink, but you didn’t seem to notice as you nodded and said, “Yeah, you guys are totally getting arrested. Be sure to leave some bail money before you leave. And speaking of your egos—”

“Right, I think they’re in the kitchen? Come on, we’ll see if we can track them down,” Jack said, his hand moving down to grab yours as he led you toward the kitchen through the dining room.

“Is everything okay with Y/N?” Amy asked quietly.

“Yeah, I think so,” Mark said as Dark walked in the opposite direction, around the stairs in the center of the house. “They were just out all day yesterday.”

His voice faded into the distance as Dark circled around the first floor to the other entrance to the kitchen. As he silently neared the door, he could clearly hear your voice as you again apologized to Jack.

“It’s just harder than I thought it would be, around everyone else.”

“What was your plan before?” Jack asked. “To hide out with these guys in Brighton all day?”

“That’s pretty much it,” Marvin admitted. “We had their room ready for them and everything.”

“And plenty of music to keep their spirits up,” Jameson’s speech slide added.

“And none of you were going to tell me?” Jack asked.

You spoke up for them, “I asked them not to. Everyone would just worry about me if they knew.”

“Well, yeah. That’s what happens when you have friends who care about you.” Jack’s voice sounded muffled, and Dark could imagine that he had just pulled you into a hug. “Don’t think I won’t drag you around town and make sure you have the best day ever with me.”

Your laugh was muffled, but you said, “I was serious about being tired though. Let me save up my energy for the party, at least.”

Dark’s aura gave him a brief warning and he moved away from the door just before the blue-shirted Google entered the dining room and narrowed his eyes at the sight of him. He could still hear the conversation going on the other side of the door, but Dark walked toward the android and, more importantly, the exit behind him.

“What was Darkiplier doing in here?”

“I fail to see how that was any of your business,” Dark said, but Google side-stepped to block him from leaving the room. “Do you want me to break you? Because I won’t say no.”

Google turned his head toward the other door that led into the kitchen and his eyes glowed briefly before he said, “Ah. Eavesdropping. Dark is still obsessing over Y/N.”

“Obsessing? No, I am just—” Dark exhaled, trying hard to reign in his aura before it was heard by those in the kitchen. “I do not have to explain myself to an overclocked piece of junk like you. Move out of my way.”

Google’s eyes flashed again behind his glasses, but he stepped aside and watched Dark as he walked away. Dark spotted a second Google in the hall when he went upstairs, watching him as he turned to go in the opposite direction. He did not doubt that the android watched him until he disappeared into his own aura and reappeared in the peace and quiet of the attic.

Dark took a moment to check in on the rose, and through the nearby window he saw Jack, Mark, and the others leaving. You were nowhere to be seen among their friends.

You had planned to spend today, of all days, in Brighton, away from the Iplier egos. Away from Mark. Away from him. Being tired he could easily blame on an apparently late night, but you were actively avoiding going out, barely eating, and clearly Jack and those egos of his knew there was something wrong with you. They acted as if they were afraid to leave you alone for even a second.

And they’d known it was coming, today.

Of course.

---

Jack returned to the beach house with the others to find a bright, colorful banner wishing him a ‘Happy Birthday’ hung across the main room. A table holding cake and pizza had been set up to one side and music played from speakers strung up around the room. One half of the room had been cleared, with most of the chairs and couches pushed around the TV and gaming consoles set up there. On one wall was a screen where Chase had, with a little help from Bing, set up a feed which highlighted the fan art and birthday wishes submitted by Jack’s fans across the Internet and from all over the world.

Jack absolutely beamed when his egos tackled him in a group hug, and could barely stop smiling as the party went on, most of it spent wearing the sweater given to him by a proud Dr. Schneeplestein eager to have him open his gift first.

Dark, of course, kept his distance from the party. He watched as you were roped into a game of Smash Bros., Chase insisting on picking your character for you and laughing delightedly when you won a round and could only say, “How?!”

He listened as Mark and Jack dragged the others into an argument over pineapple on pizza while you sat on the couch, head tilted in their direction as if listening but staring at nothing in particular, eyes unfocused as if you were a million miles away.

And, for the moment, you were alone.

In the time it took Dark to cross the room, Jameson, that muppet, appeared seemingly out of nowhere to bow down in front of you and tap you on the shoulder before taking one of your hands. As Dark watched, he put two fingers in your palm and moved them back and forth until you said, “Oh! You want to dance?”

Jameson nodded and tugged your hand toward him.

“Uh, I don’t know about that,” you said, but when he took both of your hands and started to swing your arms back and forth as if cajoling you to stand, you laughed and said, “Alright, but don’t blame me if I step on your feet.”

Jameson mimed a shocked expression at the idea as he pulled you away from the couch and closer to the middle of the open area. Dark watched in silence as he placed your hands for you and started to lead you through the steps.

“Yeah, you really have to nip the rival situation in the bud before it gets to this point.”

Dark slowly turned and stared at Yandereplier, who was leaning against the wall nearby. Their schoolgirl outfit had been swapped for a sundress in concession to the beach, but they’d kept the red neckerchief for some reason. “Excuse me?”

“That whole unrequited love triangle bs you’ve got going over there.” Yan gestured vaguely in the direction of you and Jameson, without even looking up from their phone.

“I don’t think you understand what is going on here,” Dark said, putting as much emphasis on his words as possible to get the point across to Yan that they should really stop talking now.

“And don’t get me started on that whole thing with the Host yesterday. That’s some late stage dating sim game right there.” Yan typed away at a text message that involved a gratuitous amount of knife emojis before looking up at Dark. “Just sayin’, I wouldn’t let that kind of thing happen with my Senpai unless it involved me.”

“My…relationship with Y/N can hardly be compared to your infatuation with your so-called ‘Senpai,’” Dark said, that last word dripping with contempt.

“Yeah, you’re more into that whole ‘possession’ thing, right? Kinky, but you do you.”

A burst of static from a nearby speaker warned Dark in time to get his aura under control. Yan had no concept of a relationship outside of what they wanted (Senpai) and the people who could either help them get what they wanted or would just get in the way. On one level, Dark could respect that. On another level, he had to wonder if anyone would really notice if the ego went missing.“Either way, I do not recall asking for your advice.”

“Well, good, because that just happened,” Yan said.

Dark followed their gesture and saw Chase, apologizing profusely while you tried in vain to wipe the spilled drink off your drenched shirt. Jameson gestured toward himself and you and upstairs, and Chase nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ll just clean this up. Sorry, Y/N—”

Dark watched Jameson take you by the hand and lead you upstairs, toward your room, very aware that Yan was still standing nearby, even if their attention was back on their phone again.

“I would hardly consider that a concern.”

“Sure.”

“But the gentleman thing to do would be to see if they need any help.”

“Yeah, wet shirts are hard to get off.”

Dark’s aura flared out but he quickly reined it back in as he said, through clenched teeth, “Not. Like. That.”

“Okay, but there’s like a hundred ways to hide a body in this house,” Yan said as Dark walked away. “Just something to consider.”

Dark was considering some other things at the moment, starting with how to possibly bleach Yan saying the word “kinky” out of his mind forever. As he reached the top of the stairs, he spotted you and Jameson down the hall and sped up to catch up with you.

Only to slow back down again as he watched how you walked, how you leaned against Jameson now that no one was watching and left Dark quickly reevaluating his earlier assumption.

You stopped a second after Jameson and heard him open your bedroom door just before a familiar voice called from down the hall.

“Hey, Y/N. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, Mark, I’m fine,” you said before Jameson squeezed your hand in warning. That’s when you heard the ringing that had been held back, and the unmistakable double pattern of Dark’s voice.

“Liar.” And then, closer than you were ready for, his voice again. “You can’t even see me, can you?”

You took a step back and turned your face toward his voice. “It’s not a lie, I’m fine. It’s only for a day.”

Dark inhaled sharply and his aura became just that much louder for a second before he calmly said, “I’m going to skin a cat.”

You reached out and, finding the lapel of a jacket, twisted it and pulled it closer. “Don’t you dare. I swear, if you do or say anything, anything to Marvin or any of the others, or even think about ruining yesterday for the Host, I will never forgive you and I will never let it go.”

“…Impressive,” Dark said, but his voice came from further away than you would have expected and with the hint of a laugh.

You reached up cautiously and found a bushy mustache and, above that, a bowler hat.

“Sorry, JJ,” you said and felt a reassuring pat on your shoulder.

“If it means that much to you, then fine,” Dark said, the short trace of humor gone. “But why today?”

You sighed. “Look, I already know it sucks that I let this happen on Jack’s birthday, but the spell was supposed to affect both of us at the same time. Marvin said it was hard enough to delay its effect on me until the next day—”

On Jack’s birthday. Only Jameson noticed how Dark’s aura seemed to flare between blue and red, leaving erratic afterimages before settling back into place.

“Because any longer would have done more than take away your sight for the same amount of time it was given to the Host,” Dark said, the ringing increasing briefly. “These things always come with a price. You’re just fortunate that magician is better at real magic than he is at card tricks.”

Jameson nudged you with his elbow and you said, “Yeah, that did almost sound like a compliment. I’m just as surprised as you.”

You allowed Dark and Jameson to help you find a shirt and then pushed both of them out of the room while you changed into something not completely soaked. Outside, you could hear Dark ask, “Why exactly did they let the one person who can’t talk to them go upstairs with Y/N?”

You couldn’t see Jameson’s speech slide, but when you stepped out of your room, Dark feigned a gasp and said, “Jameson Jackson, I didn’t expect that kind of language from a gentleman.”

You could practically hear the frantic, angry gestures Jameson was giving Dark, but before you could say anything you stumbled, arm outstretched to catch yourself.

Dark, for his part, moved without thinking but froze when you grabbed onto his arm for support. He could see your eyes, unfocused and unseeing as the hand gripping his arm trembled. And, for a moment that lasted far longer than he would care to admit, he was back in that hallway exactly one year ago, bracing your broken body as visions and pain overcame you.

“It looks like—”

“What?” Dark said, snapping back to the present and aware of your grip tightening for a second before you straightened up and let go.

“It looks like I tripped on something,” you said, but Dark didn’t believe for a second that was what you were about to say. You turned as if to look for the culprit out of habit and sighed when you realized what you were doing.

“Perhaps we should get back to the others?” Jameson suggested, visibly concerned for you. Dark nodded mutely before remembering you could not see the speech slide and repeating the words for you.

He accompanied the two of you as far as the stairs, where he muttered some excuse about needing to check on something and walked away. Jameson escorted you back to your seat on the couch, before Wilford bellowed, “Jamie! JJ! Son of the Jacks! I see you’re a dancer, but I have to ask: how familiar are you with K-pop?”

You would have given anything to see Jameson’s reaction to that or what happened next as BTS started to play over the speakers, and as if in response Dr. Schneeplestein said, “Do not worry, Y/N, I have got your backside and am recording everyzhing.”

You spent most of the rest of the party chatting with whoever wandered by, almost always accompanied by Jack or a Septic ego completely willing to loudly declare the name of anyone who walked up to the point it became a joke as the night went on.

And, when you nodded off, apparently everyone was nice enough to let you finally get some sleep, because when you woke up again the room was quiet and felt empty. That is, aside from the person who slid an arm each under your legs and shoulders and picked you up. In a haze, you felt yourself being carried upstairs and thought you tried to say something before the person laid you down on a bed. You felt the blanket being draped over your shoulders and the hand brush your hair, the kiss on your forehead. And you heard the soft tread of the person you could not see, even if you could get your tired eyes to open, walking away and gently shutting the door behind them.

((End of Part 3! Thank you for reading! Today does happen to be the one year anniversary of the start of Can You Wake Up?, but as the Host pointed out, that’s not a particularly happy memory for most of the people in these stories. Tomorrow, though...

Is the last part of this short series.

Link to Part 4: A Different Kind of Birthday

Tagging: @silver-owl413 @skyewardlight @cherrybomb-jaguar @blackaquokat @catgirlwarrior @neverisadork @luna1350 @oh-so-creepy @purpstraw @weirdfoxalley @95fangirl @lilalovesinternet-l @thepoolofthedead @a-bit-dapper @randomartdudette @geekymushroom @cactipresident @hotcocoachia @purple-anxiety-blog @shyinspiredartist ))

#markiplier #jacksepticeye #fanfic #Darkiplier #wkm y/n #jameson jackson #wkm mark #happy birthday #one year later #iplier egos #septic egos #king of the squirrels #yan no #a single rose #a single vision #a single warning #wilford attempts to yeet everyone into the ocean #i don't know why

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kyleknight · 6 years ago

Text

excuse my tantrum

Waterparks Creations Challenge // caimani ➥ Theme: Entertainment // Prompt: TANTRUM

AN: so this is a prequel to The Stigmata / Boys Don’t Cry Blood, and it reveals the reason why Awsten and Otto ended up at the reform school

content warnings: vandalism, arson, bullying, hospitals, vague mentions of major traumatic injuries from a hit and run

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

CRACK!

The impact of the sledgehammer against the windshield of the truck jarred Awsten’s arms. The head of the hammer bounced against the surface more than anything else. There was a clear impact, but barely any damage from all the force he’d put into it. Awsten tightened his grip and swung the hammer back again.

This time, the hammer smashed harder into the glass, creating a huge spiderweb of fractures from the impact site. Awsten’s eyes narrowed and he hefted the sledgehammer up again.

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

“That dent’s just from a deer, dude, fucking chill,” Chris said, shoving Awsten back so hard he fell onto his ass on the ground. “Fucking paranoid.”

Awsten leapt back up. “A deer, huh? So if we test that and it’s got traces of human blood—”

Freddie grabbed Awsten before he could even reach Chris and shoved him away again. “Watch it, you little bitch. No one’s testing anything. He’s got a witness. I was with him, and it was a fucking deer.”

“Where’s the deer now?” Otto said, a short distance behind Awsten. “What road were you on?”

Chris snorted, but his mouth cracked with a smirk. “Oh the deer’s still alive.”

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

Awsten was out of breath when he was finally satisfied with the remains of the windshield. It didn’t shatter like he had been hoping, but there was a gaping hole now, and the insides of the truck were littered with broken glass shards.

Shaking, he jumped down from the roof of the pickup to where Otto was standing beside the car. Otto flipped his knife closed, done with slashing the tires into ribbons. He picked his own sledgehammer off the ground.

“Wanna take out the mirror on the other side?” he said.

Awsten grinned. “Yeah.”

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

They had the fucking counselor sit Otto and Awsten down in the little conference room together. Awsten was barely holding himself together. He was only in school that day so he could find Chris and… and do something.

“In case you haven’t heard it yet—” Mrs. Fleming started.

“Jawn’s in the hospital,” Otto said, his voice cold.

They’d known since— well, since Jawn’s parents called them from the hospital late last night. Awsten hadn’t slept at all afterwards. He and Otto both wanted to stay with Jawn, but Jawn’s parents made him leave. They said they needed to rest. The doctors couldn’t predict when Jawn would wake up.

Instead of resting, Awsten had burned.

“This is going to be a hard time for you two,” Mrs. Fleming said. “I know you three are good friends. If you need to talk to anyone, please—”

“We’ll be okay.”

Mrs. Fleming went still. She folded her hands in front of her. “I know you boys are upset and angry. But it’s not a good idea to keep this all bottled up. If… if you need, you can stay in here for a while, where it’s quiet. Your teachers will understand if you’re not up for going to class—”

“No,” Awsten said, standing up from the conference table. “I think I want to be in class right now. I wanna… see some familiar faces.”

Mrs. Fleming still looked concerned but she let him and Otto go with only a few more reassurances that they could come and talk to her at any time.

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

The side windows came off easily. It was easy to smash dents in the side panels too, but Awsten was desperate for more damage. He tried smashing the windows, but like the windshield, they needed a lot more force to shatter.

Panting, he stepped back. He glanced across the car at Otto. Otto hefted his sledgehammer over his shoulder and nodded towards the front of the car.

“Lights?”

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

“A hit and run,” Jawn’s mom said through choked tears. “Someone… someone hit my baby and… and just—”

Jawn’s dad hugged her close as she broke down into sobs. “We’re lucky someone found him so fast,” he said, swiping at his eyes. “He… god, I can’t believe this.”

Awsten’s vision blurred as he looked at the door of the ICU. He wasn’t going to be allowed inside until the doctors and nurses were done. He was scared of what he would see. His imagination had been running wild ever since he picked up the call from Jawn’s dad.

Awsten looked away from the door and looked at Otto instead. Otto reached out and took Awsten’s hand, grasping it tightly.

“We’ll be here for him,” he promises.

Awsten nodded.

Jawn would make it. He had to. A world without Jawn… just wasn’t right.

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

Awsten looked over the smashed and battered truck. It wasn’t enough. Nothing would be enough. Nothing would even come close to making up for the sight of Jawn lying on the hospital bed, wrapped up in bandages and casts and surrounded by machines that were working to keep him alive.

Nothing would make up for the doctor telling them in a gentle tone that, while Jawn might wake up soon, he might also be in a coma for a long time.

Nothing would make up for how Jawn’s parents fell apart while gently holding their son’s hands.

Nothing.

Awsten turned his back on the truck and started walking back towards Otto’s car.

“That’s it?” Otto said, following him after a moment of hesitation.

“No,” Awsten said. He opened the trunk and pulled out a five gallon gasoline can. “Not yet.”

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

Jawn was extremely still as Chris passed. Awsten glared at him and Freddie, but both of them paid him no mind. Chris smacked Jawn’s head from behind, laughing when Jawn reached up to push his hair out of his eyes.

Awsten tensed, not sure whether he should jump out of his seat and stand up for Jawn and definitely get his ass kicked or…

The opportunity to do anything was gone though. Jawn sighed and moved to the other side of the table, sitting between Awsten and Otto.

“It’s not—” he started, right as Otto said “You should—”

“It’s not like they’re actually doing anything,” Jawn muttered, looking down at his tray of food.

“I’m gonna kick their asses one day,” Awsten said. He looked over at where Chris and Freddie had gone, and couldn’t help the flinch when he saw them looking at them.

Otto scoffed. “Yeah, you wouldn’t last a second. We just gotta stay away from them. We’re safer together.”

“And we all have the same classes,” Awsten said, brightening up. He was rewarded by a small smile from Jawn. “It’s gonna be fine. They’re graduating this year—”

“I bet they’re not—” Otto said.

Awsten laughed, and Jawn joined in.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “Just another two months and they’ll be gone.”

“Hopefully far away from here,” Awsten said.

Jawn nodded. “Hopefully.”

. x . x . x . x . x . x .

The flames stretched high into the sky. The clouds of smoke rolling off the carcass of the truck were thick, heavy, and black.

Awsten felt a little shaky watching the pickup burn. They would have to get rid of their clothes— they smelled like fire. Take longass showers. Or use those bath bombs Jawn had given Awsten as a joke gift for his birthday.

Otto’s car was far enough away that it’d be fine. They’d be fine.

If Chris could get away with hitting Jawn with his fucking truck and putting Jawn in the hospital, then Awsten and Otto could get away with burning Chris’s truck to ashes. There wasn’t anyone around; they had checked plenty of times. They could get rid of the evidence. Awsten had gotten away with burning plenty of things before, just nothing so big as a truck.

“We should leave,” Otto said. “Before someone sees the fire.”

“Yeah,” Awsten said. He picked up the empty can and carried it back to Otto’s car.

#mani playing with words #parxcc #waterparkscc #the bullies are original characters and totally not named after employers that I have had nope #jawns ok hes just sleeping #he will be fine when he wakes up I promise

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freerebelmentality · 6 years ago

Text

The Forgotten One pt5 (Final?)

AN: To catch up links are here ONE TWO THREE FOUR

Another thing as well, there is a sequel to this series and wondered how either feel about this series continuing on. Let me know in the comments or even send an ask or however.

**************************************************************

Word Count: 1,803

Michael handed you a present, the first is from Gabriel.

As expected you love the gift he has given you which is the Loki Helmet and scepter.

Second is Deans gift which is the nail polish set, nail art brushes and dotting tools. You thanked him for the gift which he proudly accepted.

Third is Sams gift which is the nail art pens, nail polish remover and the makeup sponges. You thanked him for those as well and couldnt be more happier for the nail polish kit from them already because you really needed and wanted them.

Krissy gift to you is an Itunes card along with a Star Wars mug set.

“I saw the mug set and knew I had to get them for you” Krissy says with a smile on her face

“I really love this, thank you so much” you thanked for the awesome gifts and she knew you wanted them.

Aiden’s gift to you is a gift card from StarBucks along with a nail polish rack he has made for you.

“Aiden, thank you so much” you said while giving him a hug.

“You are very welcome, I knew you needed a place to store your very huge collection of nail polish” he says while he still has you in his arms.

“I didnt know you can make a thing. Thats very innovative Aiden” Michael says as he looks to him. He is very impressed with his carpentry skills.

Michael and Lucifer look to the gift Aiden has given you and didnt realize there would be such a thing. They are happy he made that for you, now Michael wouldnt have to see those things laying around now.

Josephine’s gift to you is a gift card from Barnes and Nobel along acrylic paint that you have always wanted to try while painting the manicures.

You thanked her for the much needed gifts you have been wanting.

Adams gift is The Hobbit series which you absolutely loved.

“Adam these are great and something that I have always wanted to get. Thank you so much” you got up from your chair and gave him a hug for the thoughtful gift.

Lucas gift to you is a drawing he did for you on The Avengers in chibi form.

“Lucas this is so awesome, I have always wanted one of your paintings on canvas” you thank him while being completely grateful he has given you a 16x20 canvas.

“I wanted to save the best for last. This gift is from Castiel” Michael says as he hands you the present.

You tore away the wrapping paper which revealed a 16x24 portrait of your late mother. You begin to tear up and looked to Castiel right away.

“Thats you Bumblebee, you and mom” he says with a bright smile also beginning to tear up as well.

Its a portrait of your late mother who was eight months pregnant with you at the time. Castiel looked through the photo albums Michael had stored in the storage room.

When he stumbled upon the very picture is when he showed it to Lucifer and asked who she was pregnant with. He teared up at the picture and told him she was pregnant with you.

He went to the nearest store that printed out large portraits and got it framed.

You got up from your chair to give Castiel a big hug.

“Thank you so much. I love it” you tell him while a sob escapes from your mouth.

You and Castiel remain hugging while everyone else is beginning to tear up as well.

Michael passes the picture around for all to see, your brothers tear up at the picture and remember the fond memories of mom.

“I am very happy you love the gift” Castiel says still keeping you in his embrace.

You slowly pull away from him. He towers over you and wipes away the tears from your face and you do the same with his.

Michael swore the both of you are twins, always looked out for each other and did things that were your best interest. But he knew that Castiel is the oldest one out of the both of you. He wiped away the tears that were streaming from his face.

“You are the best big brother a sister could ask for. All of you are” you tell him while looking to you older brothers.

“What about your gifts guys?” Gabriel asks looking to Michael and Lucifer.

“My birthday gift to Y/n is this” he looks around the room for the party he is throwing you.

“My gift is spending as much time with my baby sister from now on” Lucifer says keeping his eyes on you.

“Aww thats so sweet, Lucas give me your napkin” Krissy says while trying to hold in her sob.

Lucas hands her his napkin while rubbing her back with a smile on his face.

Adam finally sees his opportunity to talk to you in private, since everyone else is enjoying ones company. Talking about the interior design of the house and how they love the back yard.

“Hey Y/n, can I talk to you in private?” Adam taps your shoulder as you turn slowly to him from talking to Josephine.

“Yeah sure, we can step out since everyone is comfortable in the kitchen or living room.” You lead him away from the crowd and head outside while Michael and Dean turn their attention away from Lucifer and Sam.

“For sometime now I have had these feelings and didnt know how to express them. Basically I got shy and always brushed it a side and now I cant do that anymore. Y/n I have always had a crush on you for sometime and would it such a bad idea if you would go out with me?” he asks with a smile on his face that just brightens your day because no one has ever given you a bright smile such as his.

Michael and Dean look on from the kitchen window, they wanted to see what their siblings were doing in private.

“I cant hear what they are saying” Dean says trying to eaves drop.

“Well whatever it is, it wouldnt bother me” Michael says with a smile on his face.

Lucifer looks to where Dean and his brother are standing.

“Whats going on?” he ask standing between them trying to see what they are looking at.

“I had no idea and I definitely wasnt expecting this. As for the going out part um yeah I dont think that would be a bad idea, I mean I have had a crush on you for sometime as well” you admit to him as you shy away from him.

He lifts your chin to pull you gently closer to him and gives you a kiss.

“I cant see this anymore” Lucifer says as he tries to walk out of the kitchen to stop the both of you.

“Lucifer stop. You are just going to embarrass the poor girl” Michael says as he holds him from going any further out the door.

“Yeah I knew that was going to happen sooner or later” Sam says looking away from the kitchen window.

“What? And no one told me this why?” Dean whips his head to his brother why he hasnt told him anything.

“Because you have loose lips, dont know how to keep secrets” he says while taking another bite of his cake and enjoying every minute of it.

“No I dont. Im the best at keeping secrets” Dean says while taking a sip of his beer

“Liar” Lucifer says from the other side of the counter

Adam’s and your brothers begin laughing at Dean while he leans against the counter and isnt amused by the whole thing.

You pull away from him slowly while your eyes are still closed.

“Yeah I definitely wasnt expecting that” you say as Adam has a smile on his face looking to you adoringly.

“I wanted to make sure your birthday is extra special. Happy Birthday” he says while entwining your hands together and that just felt right to you.

The both of you enter the house while everyone stops to look, your brothers Castiel, Gabriel and Lucifer dont look amused.

“Looks like I got some explaining to do and tell them not to kill you” you tell Adam as you walk away from him.

Dean and Sam walk closer to him with wide smiles.

“Am I getting out of this house alive?” Adam asks looking away from the glares.

“Dont worry about it. Im pretty sure Michael and Y/n will get them to stop over reacting.” Dean says as he pats him on the back.

“Its about time, after how many years of talking about her” Sam teases while elbowing Adam to his side

“Years? Again why am I the last one to know?” Dean asks while whipping his head towards his brothers.

“You got loose lips man, cant keep anything a secret” Adam replies while going into the kitchen to get something to drink.

Dean glares to both of his brothers and follows Adam into the kitchen to get another beer.

“Lucifer, Gabriel and Castiel stop it. Can you guys just let me have this one thing?” you tell them.

“We just dont want you getting into something you are not comfortable with thats all” Lucifer says with concern.

“Im comfortable with him and please dont worry so much. I can handle this” you tell them while they nod and to your relief they will get used of having Adam around the house more often.

Michael comes to stand with his siblings and thats when you begin to worry on how he will react, you look to him in hopes he will not banish you from seeing Adam.

“Dont worry, Im ok with you and Adam. Plus he is a really good kid” Michael says and your surprise he has accepted the both of you.

They all spread out to entertain the guests as you look at the people in front of you and couldnt be more happier for this moment. You had your brothers who will always be there for you no matter what.

You have found someone who has a kind heart like Castiel, a sense of humour like Gabriel, the protectiveness like Lucifer and who is accepting like Michael. You have found all the traits you could ever want in a person to have within one.

You werent expecting Adam to come along into your life or you werent expecting anything at all. Your brothers caught you off guard by pulling something off so quickly and you knew deep inside that they would pull through. You love the people in your life and will cherish the ones who have entered your life.

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