#this went from probably an ok place to work to my last resort real quick

[guinevereslancelot]

society if employers didn't treat employees like shit by default and expect you to thank them for it

[hopeymchope]

Judging the Danganronpa x Sanrio character pairings

You may have already heard that a DANGANRONPA X SANRIO line of crossover merch was announced a few days ago! Which is obviously AMAZING, because they’re combining cutesy characters that have often been marketed to wee children with everybody’s favorite murderdeathkill game! I LOVE IT.

I have a niece who went through a Sanrio/Hello Kitty phase, so I actually know a few of these characters. In turn, this means that I have THOUGHTS on how the DR1 and Sanrio cast were paired up.

Granted, I still had to look up a lot of these guys and read about them. But now I feel adequately educated to the point where I can judge just how well the Danganronpa and Sanrio pairings actually match up. 

Makoto Naegi/Cinnamoroll - Obviously this totally works because Makoto IS something of a cinnamon roll, eh? EH? But Cinnamoroll is said to be shy albeit still very friendly. He also likes to seek out fun new adventures. So, aside from “very friendly,” I’m not sure that this sounds like Makoto. I also doubt that calling a character a “cinnamon roll” is common slang in Japan. So this is whatever.

Sayaka Maizono/Wish Me Mell - Mell has the power to connect people’s hearts by simply stating the feelings they keep inside. She was initially withdrawn and believed she didn’t have any friends, but the people who cared for her finally broke through her shell and convinced her that she DOES have friends. So uh, Maizono... I guess music can also bring out people’s feelings? And perhaps you could plausibly HC that Sayaka has often felt like her surrounding friends were “fake” and only there because of her celebrity status. There’s not really much to go on here. 

Leon Kuwata/Tiran - Tiran is an orange T-rex that is said to be scatterbrained but still a strong and reliable leader. Meanwhile, Leon has orange hair, and he’s certainly strong and kind of scatterbrained sometimes. It sorta works.

Kyoko Kirigiri/Marroncream - Marroncream is bright, positive, and fashionable. She is talented at making crafts and sweets. She lives in Paris. She has nearly nothing in common with Kyoko, although Kyoko did live abroad a lot in her younger years. So I could try to latch onto the Paris thing.

Hifumi Yamada/Pokopon - Pokopon is a raccoon that loves to read but dislikes ghosts and “the thunder god.” (uh... what?) He also finishes his sentences with the unusual suffix “-das.” Of course, Hifumi loves to write (which certainly is connected to reading), and he likes to end all names with a weird suffix (”-dono”), so I can see how they might make a cute pair.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru/Pekkle - Pekkle is a duck who is good-natured and kind. He loves to sing and dance. It kind of sounds like he should’ve been matched with Sayaka, but instead he’s here with Taka. While Ishimaru is definitely a good person, I don’t think most people would immediately describe him as “kind.” And he certainly isn’t known for his love of music.

Yasuhiro Hagakure/Monkichi - Monkichi is a laid-back, easygoing guy who is upbeat and loves puns. His dream is to become a poet. It’s said that once he sets his mind on something, there is no stopping him! And in comparison, Hagakure is... well, he’s kind of laid-back in the sense that he’s kind of lazy? But he’s actually pretty high-stress a lot of the time, too. Honestly, there’s not much linking the two.

Chihiro Fujisaki/Kurousa and Shirousa - Shirousa is the white one and is the older sibling to Kurousa, the brown one. Shirousa is described as an energetic leader and Kurousa is described as being nice but lazy. They like to make cakes. What does any of this have to do with Chihiro? Beats me. This particular pairing is nonsense.

Byakuya Togami/Badtz-Maru - Badtz-Maru is said to have a bad attitude and dreams of being “the boss of everything” when he grows up. He tends to act a bit selfish, and he mocks things he dislikes/disagrees with. He enjoys expensive food and collecting photos of movie villains. With the exception of that last point, I’d have to say that this sounds like a near-perfect match for Togami.

Mondo Owada/Goropikadon - The Goropikadon are a group of cave boys whose actual names are Goro (blue hair), Pika (pink hair), and Don (teal hair). Goro is always hungry and joking around. PIka is a thoughtful, shy mama’s boy. Don is serious and places a high value on honesty. Overall, I suppose that how quick Mondo is to get angry and resort to violence kind of makes him seem like a stereotypical caveman? But in terms of their distinct personalities, only Don’s focus on honesty rings true for Mondo. 

Toko Fukawa/Lloromannic - Another multi-character one. The Llormannic are a pair of creatures named Berry (the black one, who is male) and Cherry (the pink one, who is female). They are mischievous and love to play pranks on humans. Cherry was originally alone and created Berry for companionship; however, she mixed up her magic spell ingredients and used salt when she meant to use sugar, which resulted in Berry turning out to be a more hostile being than Cherry. I suppose the fact that Berry is a darker creation of Cherry’s sort of reflects the relationship between Toko and her other self, Genocide(r) Syo/Jack. However, Berry and Cherry are still best friends. Toko and Syo/Jack are definitely not that.

Celestia Ludenberg/Kuromi - Kuromi is the rival of a bunny named “My Melody” who doesn’t appear in this promotion. Kuromi is said to look “tough and punk” in her jester’s hat with the pink skull on it, but in reality she is very girly. She enjoys writing in her diary, reading romance books, cooking, and checking out good-looking guys. I suppose Celestia did have that dream of living in a mansion where she was served by handsome guys dressed as vampires? So... they both like hot guys? But that’s all I’ve got here. Pretty sure this pairing only exists for aesthetic reasons. And admittedly, their aesthetics mesh very well.

Aoi Asahina/Keroppi - Keroppi lives with his family on the edge of Donut Pond. He is bubbly, a fantastic swimmer and, because of the name of his home pond, is often associated with donuts and/or things that are donut-shaped. Ok, so this was an obvious pairing, then. They nailed it. Probably the single best pairing they came up with.

Sakura Ogami/My Sweet Piano - Yes, the character’s name is literally “My Sweet Piano.” She’s described as soft, kind, and girly. Given Sakura’s secret love of girly things, I can see how this soft, pink, girly sheep would be something she’d love to be around. 

Junko Enoshima (...?)/Hello Kitty - Hello Kitty (a.k.a. Kitty White) is described by Sanrio as “cute, bright, sweet, kind-hearted and tomboyish.” They also say that Kitty is very close with her sister, Mimmy. As for Junko... look, the only reason I think maybe this is supposed to be Junko is because Mukuro already has her own Sanrio matchup (see the next entry), but in terms of her appearance, this “Junko” sure looks like it’s “Junkuro.” The telltale sign is that giant bow on the left side of the head, which only Mukuro-as-Junko has ever worn. I doubt we’re supposed to be thinking that they did two Mukuros in two different outfits, though? 

It’s like this: If it’s Junko, well, I guess both Junko and Kitty are icons within their respective brands. And Junko tries to put on a “cute and bright” exterior persona, I guess? But that’s pretty thin. On the other hand, if this is Mukuro in disguise, this is actually a semi-decent matchup! Mukuro is arguably tomboyish and certainly very close to her sister (at least from her own perspective), so these two are not without their parallels. 

In either case, both Kitty and the Unknown Despair Sister have a big bow on the left side of their head. Which I think is the real reason they’ve been paired, honestly.

Mukuro Ikusaba/Little Twin Stars - Kiki and Lala are a pair of twins that were born on December 24th. Mukuro is one half of a pair of twins ALSO born on December 24th. Instant connection! Kiki (the blue-haired boy) loves fishing and inventing things. He is curious and cheeky. Lala (the pink-haired girl) loves drawing, writing poems, and cooking. She is rather timid. In short, the “twins with the same birthdate” thing is the only thing connecting Mukuro to these two. Still, it’s not bad.

Also, the most amazing thing to come out of this team-up so far HAS TO BE MonoKitty. Hello Kitty cosplaying as our favorite psychotic MurderBear? How great is that? SELL ME MERCH OF MONOKITTY.

[yourfaceislikeabluemoon]

You’re Gonna Be the Death of Me, I Swear

Words: 9.7k

Warning: A decent amount of language throughout with the majority in the last scene, kissing (starts out fairly innocent but gets raunchier as the fic progresses), teacher/student roleplay if you squint, Changbin calls Hyunjin pup/puppy, grinding but barely, brief mentions of jacking off, just a hint of angst, crying and apologies, marking/love bites, praise (they both clearly have praise kinks but it’s never explicitly mentioned), brief nipple play/licking/biting, blowjob, frottage (Changbin jerks them off at the same time), lots of dirty talk, Hyunjin has a filthy mouth but is also a whiny baby, cum play/eating, spanking, ass eating, fingering, very brief degradation, barebacking (practice safe sex y’all), cumming inside, and brief innuendos.

A/N: hey, I’m back with another member x member fic! this one is a lot dirtier than the last one oops 🤭 Changjin has been living in my mind rent free this entire comeback so I just had to write something and ‘Kissing Practice’ is one of my favorite tropes and so this filth was born! so yeah, my brain has actually been coming up with ideas lately, which is basically a miracle considering the wasteland it was for 6+ months straight. as always, I hope you enjoy this and please let me know what you think! it really motivates me to write more and I appreciate every single one of you that takes time out of their day to read what I write, thank you so so much! oki enjoy hehe ❤

“Forget it. It’s stupid, I know. Forget I even asked.”

“No, wait!” Changbin called after Hyunjin, who had stood up from his spot on the couch to head off to his room. Hyunjin sighed tiredly and turned back around to face his older groupmate. “Why me?”

Eyebrows knit together, Hyunjin returned to his space next to Changbin. “Why not you?”

Bin let out a broken noise, trying to formulate his words properly, “No, I mean why not Chan or Minho? Why was I the hyung you came to?” When Hyunjin’s expression morphed into that of an abandoned puppy, Changbin held up his hands, “Not that I don’t want to help you! You know I’ll always help you when you ask-- and, and I’m not trying to get out of it or anything. Just, why me? Wouldn’t Chan be better at this sort of thing? I don’t know, seniority or something.”

Hyunjin chuckled at Bin’s babbling, shaking his head as he looked down at his own lap. “First of all, I’m scared of Minho.” Changbin couldn’t hold back his laughter and Hyunjin shrugged but laughed along with him. “Second, everyone but Felix knows Chan’s been pining after Felix for years and I don’t want to feel like a homewrecker even though feelings aren’t attached, you know?”

“Good point. Chan needs to grow a pair, honestly. Like what’s the worst that could happen? Felix giggles at him?” Bin let a rush of air out of his nose at the image that popped into his head before turning back to a grinning Hyunjin who was nodding in agreement.

“Yeah,” the younger continued, “So as you can see, that leaves me with one hyung. You.”

Changbin gave him an unamused look, “So I’m a last resort.”

Hyunjin shook his head again, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. “No, you’re really not. You’re the one that likes my lips so much. I figured you’d be the one who wouldn’t feel completely tortured if you went along with my proposal. Maybe you wouldn’t mind it. I was probably wrong in assuming that. I’m sorry.”

“You aren’t wrong,” Bin denied adamantly. Realizing how eager he sounded, he quickly calmed himself down and cleared his throat. “Everyone thinks you have nice lips, not just me.”

Leaning a bit closer, Hyunjin lowered his voice, “I think you like them more than the others do, though.”

Changbin gulped but tried to look casual, “Maybe I do.”

“Then, what do you say?” Hyunjin tilted his head and stared at the elder with interest, wide-eyed and waiting.

Bin couldn’t make eye contact. He stared at an empty soda can sitting on the coffee table as thoughts whirled around in his head like a tornado. Should he say ‘yes’? Would he be risking everything he had worked so hard to conceal? Was this bound to end in disaster if he went along with it?

He bit the bullet.

“OK.”

~

The thing is, Hyunjin’s ‘proposal’ wasn’t exactly expected, to say the least. Essentially, Hyunjin had sought out Changbin in order to ask him to be the one to teach the younger how to kiss. He claimed that he had no experience and didn’t know how; he didn’t want to be a total fuck up when the time came around where he needed this particular skill. So, he decided to ask one of his hyungs for help, to teach him, and to help him practice.

Changbin was, quite honestly, flabbergasted. The prettiest human being he had ever had the privilege of observing was telling him that they had no experience and was asking him for lessons in the form of basically making out. There was a teeny tiny red flag that shot up in the back of Changbin’s mind as he processed Hyunjin’s ‘proposal’, but apparently it wasn’t enough of a deterrent to keep his emotions from controlling his decision-making because he agreed to it without much persuasion. Changbin was determined that, in the end, Hyunjin would not be a total fuck up when it came to kissing, even if that meant he had to put himself through hell trying to keep his feelings out of the equation.

~

Hyunjin admittedly felt a little guilty when he plopped down on Changbin’s bed a couple days later and asked, “So, is it time for my first lesson yet?”

He had been wanting to kiss Changbin pretty much since the moment they met. Lying about not having experience and needing help was the strategy he had finally brainstormed to get his way. He had the smallest hint of feeling like he would regret this idea but he blamed Changbin and his doll lips for ultimately giving into temptation.

The older swiveled around in his desk chair to face Hyunjin. “I suppose. But are you sure you want me to be your first kiss?”

Hyunjin coughed and tripped over his own words, “It-it’s just p-practice! It doesn’t really c-count as the-the-as the real thing!”

Changbin gently smiled at him but Hyunjin couldn’t tell if the flash in his eyes was of pain or pity. He decided to ignore it since neither would make him feel any better. Changbin was about to push himself out of his chair but Hyunjin stopped him, “Um, I’ll-I’ll come over there.”

The sudden raise of his eyebrows gave away the fact that Changbin was somewhat startled by Hyunjin’s statement but he nodded curtly as permission, “Whatever you’re comfortable with.” He relaxed back into his chair as Hyunjin shyly made his way over. The younger stopped about a foot away from Changbin’s knees and gulped, genuinely nervous as hell.

“So, should I just…” Hyunjin didn’t know if he was supposed to wait for instruction or if he was meant to just dive in. Changbin raised a brow, challenging this time, and waited to see if Hyunjin really would make the first move. Sure enough, he stepped slightly closer, let out a quick breath, and leaned forward, placing a hand on each armrest before quickly pecking Changbin’s lips. “There. How was that?”

Changbin’s brain took a moment to process the question, eventually coming to the conclusion that teasing would prompt the most favorable outcome a.k.a. Hyunjin pouting in frustration. “How was what?”

Bingo. Hyunjin huffed angrily, brows knitted together and lips pushed out in the anticipated pout. He balled his fists at his sides and slowly unclenched them. Leaning back in, he placed a slightly longer peck on Changbin’s lips but retreated just as fast as the first time. He gestured sharply, “That.”

“That?” Changbin asked, pointing at his own lips. Hyunjin inclined his head and his expression could only read ‘duh’. “That wasn’t a kiss.”

A fire lit behind Hyunjin’s eyes and he snarled, “Then what, Seonsaengnim, is?”

Changbin smirked daringly and patted his thigh, “Take a seat, haksaeng.”

Hyunjin matched the older’s smirk and, licking his lips seductively, he eased himself into Changbin’s lap, one thick thigh on either side. It was a little awkward in the desk chair but something about squeezing in so close together made it all the more thrilling. Changbin’s hands immediately found the younger’s hips, earning a shiver when he gripped at them roughly.

The elder was completely calm, steely gaze wandering Hyunjin’s features while Hyunjin felt just as inexperienced as he was pretending to be, panting already. Bin slid his hand up Hyunjin’s side to rest his pointer finger under his chin. The pad of his thumb pressed into the younger’s plush lower lip as he gently guided him forward. Hyunjin obediently let himself be pulled closer, eyes slipping closed at the delicate touch.

When Changbin slotted their lips together, he felt Hyunjin instantly melt into him and he resisted the urge to grin at his silent victory. He pulled back with a soft smacking noise before pressing his lips to Hyunjin’s again. After a few careful, sweet kisses to start off, the older drew back and looked at the boy in his lap who was chasing his lips with his eyes still closed. Changbin let out a quiet chuckle, “Eager puppy.”

Hyunjin whined and pouted again, eyes finally opening to look at Changbin. “Feels nice,” he mumbled under his breath as he glanced off to the side, somewhat embarrassed to make too much eye contact.

Bin hummed, “That’s nothing. Wanted to start you off easy though. Didn’t want to rush you at the very start.” He caressed the side of his face, thumb running over the soft skin of Hyunjin’s cheekbone before something in his brain alerted him that he was letting his feelings bleed in and he jerked his hand back suddenly.

Hyunjin tilted his head, expression rather confused, but Changbin covered up the awkwardness by forcing a smile. “Your turn.” The younger looked even more confused and Bin chuckled, “It’s pop quiz time. Show me what you’ve learned so far.”

“Already?” Hyunjin asked, dumbfounded. A light blush began to tint his cheeks. “Kinda lost focus,” he admitted. “I don’t really remember what to do.”

Bin smiled genuinely, “Just do your best, pup.”

Hyunjin’s blush deepened at the nickname and he took a deep breath before hesitantly reaching up to rest his fingertips against Changbin’s jawline and leaned in. He fit their lips together just like Bin had done earlier, dragging away and pressing in again and again.

When he withdrew, Changbin was a little flushed and Hyunjin felt a jolt of happiness rush through him because that was from him. He grinned, “How was that?”

Bin scoffed jokingly, “‘Don’t really remember’, my ass!”

The younger blushed again and his gaze fell to his hands in his lap where he was picking at loose skin around his fingernail.

“It was much better, Jinnie. You did well.” Hyunjin glanced up at Changbin’s praise and smiled gratefully. “But I think that’s enough learning for today.”

Hyujin shook his head adamantly and pouted again, “Just one more lesson. Please, Binnie hyung?”

Changbin’s laugh was bright and teasing, “You like kissing that much already?”

The younger bit at his lip and glanced away before looking back at Bin and nodded shyly. He really, really, really liked it, especially if it was with Changbin; he wasn’t going to admit that out loud.

Changbin sighed, feigning reluctance, but he couldn’t help but grin, “Alright. You know I can’t say no to those puppy dog eyes of yours.”

Hyunjin lit up and bounced slightly in Bin’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck as he settled comfortably. Changbin’s hands were back on his hips and he nodded at the younger, “C’mere.”

Giggling, Hyunjin leaned in once again and voluntarily initiated the kiss, letting Bin take the lead after he had left a few sweet pecks on his lips. Changbin fluidly moved their lips together and, without noticing in order to stop himself, Hyunjin ‘caught on’ rather quickly. He lost himself in Changbin’s pretty doll lips, his warmth, the scent of his skin, in Changbin. Hyunjin’s fingers found the hair at Bin’s nape and he tangled them in the soft strands while the older’s arms wound around his waist, drawing him in even closer.

Changbin didn’t let the kiss get too dirty or passionate but he knew it felt right, Hyunjin in his lap holding onto him for dear life, tugging at his hair, squeezing in as close as possible. The older pulled away begrudgingly and Hyunjin chased his lips again, causing Bin to chuckle at him despite his own labored breathing. “That’s enough, pup.” Hyunjin pouted once more and slouched in disappointment. “You’re a fast learner, aren’t you, Jinnie?”

The younger hummed appreciatively, “I’m learning from the best.”

Bin rolled his eyes and let out a huff of air in his amusement. “How do you know I’m the best, Mr. I Have No Experience?”

“Shh,” Hyunjin hushed him with a long, slender finger faintly resting against Changbin’s rose tinted lips. “I just know.” A glint of mischief flashed in his eyes and he bit at his bottom lip before giggling again. He tried as gracefully as he could to stand up but his legs were admittedly a little wobbly. Hyunjin just laughed at himself and shrugged, “Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing before I bothered you.”

Changbin furrowed his brow. “You didn’t bother me, Hyunjin. I’m, uhh,” he cleared his throat, “I’m happy to help.”

Hyunjin smiled warmly and leaned down to press another kiss to his hyung’s lips. “Thank you, Binnie hyung,” he whispered against them before pulling away and leaving Changbin’s bedroom, softly shutting the door behind himself.

Bin sat staring after him for who knows how many minutes, lost in thought and missing the warmth of Hyunjin in his lap. He sighed deeply. He simply wanted what he just couldn’t have and he had to convince himself to bury those feelings. He was going to regret this, he could feel it in his bones.

The younger leaned his back against the door and stared off into space wondering why he even started this whole thing, why he didn’t just tell Changbin the truth and admit his feelings from the start. Guilt swam in his stomach like churning waves and he felt tears prick at his eyes. Hyunjin gulped and blinked them away, taking a deep breath before heading off to distract himself somehow.

~

“Is this ok?” Hyunjin asked tentatively as he eased down onto Changbin’s lap.

Bin chuckled, “This seems to be your favorite spot lately.” When the younger blushed and shied away, Changbin smiled warmly and rested his hands on Hyunjin’s hips, “As long as you're comfortable, I’m fine.”

Biting his lip, Hyunjin glanced at the couch cushion next to them and cleared his throat. “So what’s lesson three, or whatever number we’re on?”

The elder smirked, “I know you’ve been keeping track, pup. You can’t fool me.” Changbin swore he saw Hyunjin’s eye twitch and a flash of agony wash over his face and leave as quickly as it came, but he chose to ignore it and ghosted his hands up and down the sides of the boy in his lap. “Why don’t I just show you, hmm?”

“Should I expect a pop quiz after?” Hyunjin looked up through his lashes, teasing smile curving his pretty, plush lips.

Changbin scoffed jokingly, “It wouldn’t be a pop quiz if I warned you it was happening, Jinnie.”

The younger squinted suspiciously and shrugged his shoulders. “I thought I’d be able to read you. But I guess I’ll just have to pay really close attention and impress you if you do decide to test me.”

Nervousness peeked through Changbin’s calm facade and he gulped apprehensively before composing himself and grunting a noise of acknowledgement. He reached up to grab the back of Hyunjin’s neck and tugged him forward, slotting their lips together forcefully. Hyunjin’s breath hitched and the desire to ruin him clouded Changbin’s mind as he moved his lips against Hyunjin’s, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth before nipping at it aggressively. The younger let out a surprised but pleased sigh and Changbin felt him shiver in his hold.

He kissed back just as sharply, pulling back slightly with Changbin’s lower lip trapped in his teeth, tugging at the flesh before letting it bounce back. He opened his eyes to admire Bin’s features and when the olders eyes fluttered open, Hyunjin smirked at how dark and lustful his gaze had become. Without warning, Hyunjin dove back in and Changbin found himself panting into the others mouth, caught off guard and losing himself in the kiss.

Hyunjin kissed eagerly and feverishly, mouth moving forcibly against Changbin’s but somehow it wasn’t too much. In fact, Bin was craving more and he had to force himself not to take more than was acceptable at the time. He reluctantly withdrew, head falling back against the couch as he tried to catch his breath, eyes still closed.

“Fuck,” Changbin laughed airily, “I don’t think I have to test you after that.”

“Yeah?”

Bin let out another huff of air, “Yeah. It was almost too good.”

Hyunjin sucked his lips into his mouth and bit down, frowning skittishly and glad Changbin still had his eyes shut. “Sorry.”

“No!” Bin’s head shot up and he looked at the younger, perplexed. “Why are you apologizing, Jinnie?” He shook his head and chuckled gently, “I honestly didn’t want to stop.”

Lips shaped like a perfect ‘O’, Hyunjin gazed back at him, expression a little surprised as his cheeks reddened, “Oh.”

Changbin smiled at him fondly but embarrassment at his own admission started to creep up and he looked away shyly. “Don’t look at me like that! I can’t help it, I enjoyed it!”

Hyunjin giggled and leaned forward to whisper in Bin’s ear, “I liked it, too. Really, really liked it.” When he sat back, Changbin’s eyes had darkened again, pupils blown and faintly swollen lips parted.

“In that case,” the younger fidgeted in his lap as he took a deep, calming breath before continuing. “Move on to the next lesson?”

Eyes widening minutely, Hyunjin nodded slowly, glancing down at Changbin’s lips before flicking back up to hold his steady gaze. “Please,” he pleaded almost soundlessly.

“I think I’m gonna regret teaching you how to use tongue because you’ll pick it up really fast and you’re gonna be the death of me, I swear,” Changbin mumbled unintelligibly under his breath. Hyunjin managed to make out the last part of his sentence.

You’re gonna be the death of me, I swear.

Those words swam around in his foggy head as he stared into Changbin’s eyes, almost in a daze and Changbin thought he looked far too fucked out from just a kiss but he wasn’t complaining about the beauty sitting in his lap. The older lured Hyunjin again easily, moulding their lips together the second he was close enough. Hyunjin felt like he was floating and he was suddenly brought back to earth by a burning in the pit of his stomach when Changbin slid his tongue over his bottom lip. He gasped against the older’s mouth, granting him access and tightening his grip around his neck, chests pressed against each other.

Changbin cautiously licked around the outline of Hyunjin’s open mouth, urging a stunned moan to escape from the younger boy. Smiling into the kiss, Bin sucked at his lower lip before moving their lips together again. Hyunjin hesitantly poked his tongue out and Changbin took the opportunity to suck on it, earning a whimper as Hyunjin fisted the front of the elders shirt. Changbin kissed him deeply and, just as he expected, the younger caught on quickly, tongues gracefully dancing together amidst sloppy, open-mouthed kisses.

Pulling away for desperately needed oxygen, they rested their foreheads together as Changbin panted through a smile and Hyunjin stared at him, a hazy look in his eyes. Seconds later, Hyunjin pressed his lips to his hyung’s with new fervor, hands still tightly clutching at the material of Changbin’s shirt. He moaned wantonly when the elder squeezed at his waist.

Hyunjin felt the need to prove what he had learned despite not being asked this time around. He gave up trying to act like all this was new to him and just gave into kissing Changbin. Using his tongue like a hook, Hyunjin dragged Bin’s upper lip into his mouth and nipped at the flesh. The older groaned deeply and his hips canted upwards unintentionally. Pleased with himself, Hyunjin took to exploring Changbin’s mouth, earning moans and whimpers alike. When he finally pulled back, Changbin was the one dazed; kiss-bitten, swollen lips a deep, cherry red and eyes black and lecherous.

“Fuck,” he breathed, throwing his head back again. “Fuck! Why are you such a fast learner?”

The younger smirked, a sudden urge to kiss down Changbin’s exposed throat flashed in his mind but he quickly rid his brain of the thought, sure that that would be too far. At least for the moment.

Changbin laughed at the ceiling. It was almost lethargic. “I think the student has surpassed the teacher, fucking hell!”

Hyunjin couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up in his chest and he covered his mouth, eyes forming crescent moons above his hand.

“You can’t just look all cute after you did...that,” Bin mumbled when he glanced at the laughing boy in his lap. Suddenly reminded of the whole ‘canting of his hips’ thing and the very evident bulge in his pants underneath Hyunjin’s ass, Changbin flushed, mortified. Hyunjin took that exact moment to squirm in the olders lap and Bin groaned sheepishly. “That’s probably completely unwarranted since we were just kissing but uhh...fuck it! It’s your fault for being too good at kissing so thanks for that!”

Joy mixed with pride bloomed in Hyunjin and he bit his lip, giggling even more, before leaning in to whisper in Changbin’s ear once more. “It was my pleasure,” he taunted, taking Bin’s earring between his teeth and tugged at it gently; the older shivered under him. Then he was out of Changbin’s lap in a flash. As he made his way out of the living room, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll leave you to take care of that.”

“You little shit!” Changbin shouted after him, prompting Hyunjin to wiggle his fingers in a wave before rounding a corner. Bin dropped his head back on the couch, fancying a good old, frustrated scream, but he stayed quiet. He finally got off the couch and headed off to take care of his problem.

And if he imagined Hyunjin taking him apart bit by bit while he simultaneously took Hyunjin apart when he wrapped his hand around his aching, positively dripping cock, that was no one’s business.

He did.

He also chanted Hyunjin’s name in a whisper as he spurted white all over himself and his hand.

But again, no one’s business.

And if Hyunjin got off to the sounds his hyung was making in the other room while he imagined how good Changbin would look covered in his cum, just to reiterate, that was no one’s business.

He did.

He was also overcome with an overwhelming wave of guilt moments after he came to the thought of Changbin.

No one’s business.

~

It became a normal thing, secret kisses and immediate guilt and burying of feelings. Hyunjin was sick to his stomach quite often, to the point that Chan got concerned with how often he was saying he was sick and going to lay down. Changbin worried that it was his fault. Maybe the younger was sick of him. Maybe he hated kissing Bin and just kept going along with it so as not to make him feel bad. If only he hadn’t said yes, if only they didn’t keep this up, if only, if, if. Changbin worried himself sick but he didn’t let Chan notice because Chan definitely didn’t need anything else to worry about.

“I’m going to go check on him,” Changbin volunteered a few minutes after Hyunjin mentioned he was feeling off and went to lay down for the nth time that week. Chan gave him an appreciative look and nodded approvingly.

Bin headed for the kitchen to make some ginger tea to soothe Hyunjin’s upset stomach. Once it was brewed, he took the steaming mug and knocked lightly on Hyunjin’s bedroom door before quietly opening it and peeking his head in. “Jinnie, it’s me. I brought you some ginger tea. It might help your stomach.”

Hyunjin grunted and laid still, facing the wall as Changbin padded in and set the mug down on the bedside table. The older hesitated before sitting on the bed in the curve Hyunjin’s legs formed and rested a gentle hand on his arm. “Jinnie,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”

Changbin heard a sniffle and his heart immediately clenched in pain at the thought of Hyunjin crying. “Oh, Jinnie, baby. Don’t cry,” he pleaded selfishly, knowing just how much it hurt to see him cry.

Hyunjin let out a sob. “Why did you say you’re sorry? What for? I’m the one that’s sorry. I’m so sorry,” he babbled, voice cracking every other word. “I’m so sorry, hyung.”

“Jinnie,” Bin hesitated, on the brink of tears himself and he was sure they would spill when he saw the younger’s face but he asked anyway. “Can you look at me, please?” Hyunjin hiccuped and turned to face the older, unable to look him in the eye. “What are you apologizing for, baby? You have nothing to be sorry for!”

Throwing his hands up in the air, Hyunjin scoffed exasperatedly. “You couldn’t be more wrong, hyung!” He let his hands fall back to his sides and laughed sardonically through his tears.

Changbin couldn’t help the hurt expression that morphed his features. “I can’t know unless you tell me,” he tried, reaching for the younger’s hand to squeeze reassuringly. “You can tell me anything, Jinnie.” He could practically see the gears turning in Hyunjin’s head as he debated on whether or not to tell his hyung the truth. “I’m not sure if you think this or not, but I’m not mad at you. And I won’t be, no matter what you tell me. I just want to know what’s wrong because I’m worried sick about you and I want to fix whatever’s wrong if I can.”

Hyunjin’s bottom lip trembled as fresh tears spilled over his cheeks. He shot up and wrapped his arms around Changbin, weeping into his shoulder as the older took him into his arms and soothed a hand up and down his back. “Jinnie,” he whispered, burying his face in Hyunjin’s neck. But that’s all he said. He waited patiently for the younger to speak his mind.

“I lied to you,” Hyunjin mumbled into his t-shirt. “I lied about,” his body shook with the deep breath he took, “I lied about not having experience.” Hyunjin pulled away and sat hunched over, staring into his own lap and fiddled with a loose string on his pant leg. “I made it all up. All of it. The whole kissing practice thing was just an excuse. And I kept the lie going and I feel awful about it. I feel so sick over it because I never intended to hurt you or force you into it or anything like that. I feel sick over it because I’ve had feelings for you this whole time and I’ve been ignoring them so much when I’m with you that when I’m not with you, they all come crashing down on me and I feel like I’m going to throw up because I’m so overwhelmed with guilt. I can’t lie to you anymore, hyung. I never wanted to in the first place. But my stupid brain couldn’t figure out another way to make you see that I’m in love with you. So instead, I just hurt the both of us. Like an idiot. And I know I hurt you because you wouldn’t have apologized if I didn’t. You’re too sweet, saying you’re sorry for something that isn’t even remotely your fault and you know it. You’re too sweet and I love you for it. So much. And I’m so, so sorry.”

Changbin’s brain couldn’t process the entirety of the sudden influx of information that had just poured out of Hyunjin’s mouth. All he could process was three things, and he told Hyunjin so. “All I heard was ‘I lied’, ‘I’m sorry’, and ‘I’m in love with you’.” Hyunjin looked somewhat fearful, combined with embarrassment and regret. The older shook his head and took Hyunjin’s hands into his own. “And I’m telling you the exact same thing. I lied in the sense that I never told you I had feelings for you when I’ve had them since we first met. I’m sorry that I kept this thing going without telling you everything--I’m the hyung here, that’s on me. And I’m in love with you, too.”

“Y-you don’t hate me?” Hyunjin’s brows were scrunched together and he stared at the older in disbelief.

Reaching up to wipe away the new tears from the younger’s cheeks, Changbin shook his head adamantly. “Baby, no! I could never hate you! I mean, I can’t say I like the fact that you lied to me but I don’t blame you because I lied to you, too. We both didn’t know how to just come right out with our feelings. And besides, it got us this far, didn’t it?”

Hyunjin chuckled sadly, “I guess so. I’m still really sorry, hyung.”

“I know, Jinnie. Me too,” Changbin gently tugged him forward into another hug which Hyunjin gladly melted into. “I love you.”

Another sob slipped past Hyunjin’s lips and he laughed at himself, “Sorry, I didn’t know I would react like that hearing you say that for the first time.”

Changbin hummed and nuzzled into his neck, arms squeezing Hyunjin’s waist. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, hyung.”

~

“You said you don’t hate me but you’re spending awfully long amounts of time in your studio here lately.” Hyunjin’s teasing voice startled a very focused Changbin who was absorbed in whatever he was working on. He quickly spun around in his chair and his gaze found the younger standing in the doorway, his hip leant against the door frame and arms crossed over his chest, eyebrow raised, feigning suspicion.

Changbin whined, “You know I miss you like crazy. I’ve just had so much work to get done.”

Smirk curving his lips, Hyunjin sauntered into the room, closing the door behind him and turned the lock. “Why don’t you show me how much you miss me?” He taunted as he dropped onto the sofa in Changbin’s studio, clearly expecting the older to come to him.

Bin scoffed lightly before turning back around to fiddle with something while defeat and embarrassment crept up in Hyunjin; he genuinely thought Changbin was just ignoring him and finishing his work like the younger wasn’t even there. But soon, a sultry melody with heavy bass flooded through the speakers in the studio [Electric (R3hab Remix) (feat. Khalid) - Alina Baraz] and Changbin turned back around to face Hyunjin, smirking himself when he saw the expression on Hyunjin’s face. Pushing out of his chair, Bin stalked over to the couch, slipping his t-shirt over his head and tossed it behind himself carelessly as he watched Hyunjin rake his carnal gaze over the newly exposed skin, dark eyes hooded and full lips parted.

When he finally stood in front of the younger, he snickered wickedly and leaned in to ghost his lips over Hyunjin’s before gently guiding him to lay down on the sofa, body rolling fluidly as he climbed on top of him. “That was way too smooth,” Hyunjin whispered, impressed, causing Changbin’s smirk to widen if that was even possible.

“Kinda surprised myself there, honestly.” His smirk transformed into a genuine smile as he chuckled at himself and Hyunjin thought he looked positively beautiful in that moment. The feeling was mutual. Changbin stared at the boy below him -- long blond hair splayed out around his head, flush high on his cheeks, an enthralled fascination swirled deep in his inky eyes alongside pure admiration and want. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he rasped, mesmerized.

“Kiss me,” Hyunjin breathed. Changbin didn’t need to be told twice. He bent down and brushed their noses together ever so gently before capturing Hyunjin’s lips. Moving gracefully, Bin kissed him deeply, wanting to convey as much emotion as he possibly could, needing Hyunjin to know how much he loved him. He couldn’t help but say it, though.

“I love you, Jinnie.”

Hyunjin hummed against his mouth, “Mmm, love you, too, hyung. So much.” He threw his arms around Changbin, pulling him in even closer and arched into him when the older teased their tongues together.

“Want you,” Hyunjin gasped after moments of kissing the life out of each other. “Want you so bad.”

Changbin growled, kissing along Hyunjin’s jawline and down his neck as the younger boy bared his throat for him. Desperately wanting to leave marks, he knew he couldn’t leave anything in visible areas so he softly mouthed, kissed, and licked at the column of Hyunjin’s neck, earning constant whimpers and whines because of the sensitivity of the area. When Bin reached his clavicle, the urge won over and he sucked a deep plum-colored mark where he thought would be the perfect place. Sitting up to marvel at Hyunjin, Changbin let out a pleased hum at how divine the younger looked with his claim on him. The stylist noonas probably wouldn’t be too happy but Hyunjin looked plenty sexy when he was more covered up so Changbin didn’t think it would be too much of a problem. He didn’t care anyway. Hyunjin was his.

“Mine,” he murmured as he bent down again briefly to kiss at the pretty bruise. When he sat back up, he smiled in awe. “Always wanted to know what you’d look like underneath me like this.”

Hyunjin huffed out a chuckle, “And how do I look?”

“Impossibly perfect. Better than I ever dreamed,” Bin praised, eyes sparkling when he noticed Hyunjin’s cheeks redden. He shook his head and laughed breathily, “And I haven’t even ruined you yet!”

“Binnie hyung,” Hyunjin whined, pouting just how Changbin liked so much.

Bin smirked, “I know, baby,” he leaned down to kiss him again, “I’ve got you.” Hands trailing up Hyunjin’s sides and lifting his shirt in the process, Changbin sucked at his plush lips, fingertips delicately dancing over the other boy’s skin. Goosebumps rose under his touch and the younger arched into him again, moaning sweetly, so receptive and sensitive. “Off,” Changbin murmured against Hyunjin’s mouth.

Sitting up to lift his shirt over his head and toss it to the side, Hyunjin promptly fell back against the cushion, hair flooding out around him again. The dim, hazy light that filled the room lit up his blond strands and looked suspiciously like a halo to Changbin. But he knew better. This was no angel beneath him. This was a devil with a halo. Hyunjin had been shy and pliant but when he noticed how Changbin was staring at him, he couldn’t help but smirk as a wicked naughtiness shone behind his eyes and Changbin swore this boy would be the end of him.

Without warning, Bin leaned down to mouth at one of Hyunjin’s pert nipples and he grinned against his skin when the younger boy whimpered and canted his hips, the brief flash of power behind his eyes vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The older tugged gently with his teeth, earning a gasp and a roll of Hyunjin’s hips. Changbin hummed, “Bet I could make you cum from just your nipples, hmm? Would you like that, pup?”

Hyunjin shook his head fervently, “No! Want you, hyung!”

Chuckling, Changbin nodded as he pressed kisses over to Hyunjin’s other side. “Alright. Patience, baby. I told you I’d ruin you and I’m going to take my time. Understood?”

Sucking in a breath past his teeth, Hyunjin melted further into the sofa, “Yes, hyung.”

Changbin took his time toying with Hyunjin’s nipples before mouthing over the entirety of his chest, leaving burgundy flowers blooming in his wake, littering his skin with possessive marks. Whimpering and biting at his lips, Hyunjin craved more and Changbin could feel just how badly he needed him. He tugged at the waistband of the younger boy’s jeans, “I’m gonna take these off now. Is that ok?”

“Please,” Hyunjin begged simply. So Bin unfastened them slowly and slipped the material down his legs and threw it behind himself blindly before kneeling between his legs and bending down to mouth at his clothed cock. “Oh!” Hyunjin gasped, hands immediately flying to Changbin’s hair and tugging at the strands at the nape of his neck. The older smiled against him and hooked his fingers under the band, looking up for permission. When Hyunjin nodded, hooded eyes fluttering and lips bitten red, looking absolutely breathtaking, Bin removed them, wasting no time in mouthing at his leaking cock. The younger squirmed beneath him, mewling as he sucked at his balls. “Hyung, I-” A strangled moan cut off his words when Changbin wrapped his pretty doll lips around the head of his dick.

“Hmm?” Bin questioned wordlessly, suckling tenderly. But Hyunjin didn’t answer; he threw his head back and cursed under his breath when Changbin moved further down. Hollowing his cheeks, he bobbed his head, gradually taking more and more of Hyunjin. The younger writhed, wanton moans spilling from his lips.

Hyunjin had quite a bit of length but Changbin knew he could take it so he relaxed his throat and slid all the way down. “Hyung! Mouth- so good- I- Oh my god!” Hyunjin slurred, tightening his grasp on the hair in his fists. Bin’s chest warmed, proud of himself, knowing he was giving Hyunjin so much pleasure he could barely speak. The head of Hyunjin’s cock repeatedly hit the back of his throat before he stilled, swallowing around him, urging a weak scream from the boy under him.

Changbin loved how vocal Hyunjin was but in that moment, he was eternally grateful for the soundproof walls surrounding them. He lifted off Hyunjin’s cock, having decided it was sufficiently wet, and if not, the pre-cum would make the slide easier. Bin sat up on his knees and untucked himself, not even bothering to take off his sweats, just shoving them out of the way enough before leaning forward to hover over Hyunjin. Avoiding his hair, Changbin rested on his forearm against the cushion and slotted their hips together, hard, leaking cocks brushing each other as he watched the younger’s face morph in euphoria.

Spitting in his hand, just in case, Bin reached down between them and took both cocks in his hand, instantly dropping his head to Hyunjin’s neck and rolling his hips into his grasp. Hyunjin groaned and wrapped his arms around Changbin’s torso. “Yes,” he whispered in his ear, “You feel so good, hyung. Touch me just like that.”

Controlling nature fading in and out, Hyunjin vacilated between flustered, slurred words and heated, dirty talk like it was the easiest thing in the world and Changbin couldn’t help but be amused despite the tingle that shot up his spine at Hyunjin’s words. He smiled against Hyunjin’s fiery skin, placing small kisses on the junction where his neck met his shoulder.

Changbin continued to tug at their cocks until Hyunjin was whining in his ear and digging his nails into his back. “I’m so close, hyung. Please make me cum. Please,” he panted as he thrusted into Bin’s fist.

The older groaned in response, rhythm speeding up slightly and he stopped every once in a while to squeeze at the heads. “‘m close too, pup. Gonna make a mess of you. Gonna cum all over your pretty tummy. Bet you look gorgeous covered in my cum.”

Hyunjin suddenly stopped breathing, seizing up and arching into the older, chests pressing together as he spilled himself over Changbin’s hand and his own stomach. Bin leaned up just in time to see the ecstasy freeze up his beautiful features, hypnotized by the boy beneath him. “Wow,” he breathed, helping Hyunjin ride out his orgasm. Air returned to the younger boy’s lungs and he turned to lazily smile at Changbin.

He stopped stroking them together, letting Hyunjin’s cock fall into the mess on his stomach as he sat up and grasped his own length. Using the cum his hand was covered in to ease the slide even more, Bin fisted himself eagerly and seconds later, he streaked Hyunjin’s stomach with his own release. Changbin slouched as the energy evaporated from him.

Through heavy-lidded eyes, he watched Hyunjin trail his fingertips through the cum on his abdomen, swirling it around sloppily, mixing their releases before scooping up a decent amount. Changbin’s eyes widened and his dick twitched in renewed interest as Hyunjin brought his fingers to his mouth and wrapped his pillowy, kiss-bitten lips around them. Their eyes met as the younger boy cleaned his fingers of their cum, blown pupils swimming with desire and mischief.

“Fuck,” Changbin huffed, hovering over Hyunjin once more. “What a dirty baby!” Hyunjin smirked as he pulled his fingers from his mouth, a single strand of saliva connecting them. Bin broke it with the tip of his tongue before capturing the younger boy’s lips and dipping his tongue in to taste their cum on Hyunjin’s tongue.

He moaned at the older’s boldness and kissed him deeper. He teasingly mumbled against Changbin’s lips, “You’re dirty, too, hyung, aren’t you?” Bin just smiled and kissed him again.

After losing track of the time they spent kissing and giving himself enough of a refractory time period, Changbin pulled away and met Hyunjin’s eyes. “How about you flip over so I can taste you some more, hmm?” Hyunjin nodded quickly and reached for a t-shirt on the floor to rid his stomach of the rest of the mess. He was pretty sure it was his own shirt and in the back of his mind, he briefly hoped Bin had a spare or at least a hoodie so he wouldn’t have to return to the dorms suspiciously shirtless.

He cleaned himself off and turned over as requested and Changbin’s hands immediately gripped at his ass, kneading the flesh and spreading his cheeks. “Fuck, Jinnie! You’re too pretty, god!” Hyunjin looked over his shoulder at the older and scrunched his nose in a teasing manner while shaking his ass as best he could in Changbin’s grasp. Bin landed a slap against his right cheek, punishment for his playful taunting, and Hyunjin groaned deeply, dropping his head to the couch cushion and lifting his hips slightly, seemingly silently begging for more.

Changbin willingly obliged his unspoken request, his expression a nasty sneer as he smacked Hyunjin’s left cheek. “Wanna look in the mirror and see my handprints on your ass? My marks all over your pretty chest and thighs? Feel my lingering touch on your heated skin? Know you’re mine?” He demanded, spellbound by the way Hyunjin’s ass jiggled every time he laid a hard slap on the soft flesh.

Hyunjin wailed loudly at a particularly harsh spank and pushed his ass back towards Changbin. “Fuck, yes! More! Please, more! Make me yours, hyung!”

Bin growled unrestrainedly and ceased his attack on Hyunjin’s reddened skin, instead moving to lick a long stripe up his puckered hole. The younger boy let out a sound somewhere between a moan and a squeak and Changbin smiled against his skin at how oddly cute it was. He continued to lick and suck at his rim, urging the sweetest melodies to flow from his lover. When he poked his tongue inside, Hyunjin laughed deliriously, drunk with pleasure. Changbin thrusted his tongue in and out of Hyunjin’s pretty hole while the younger urged him on with frantic praise, “Oh, Binnie-hyung! Your filthy mouth feels so fucking good on me! You eat my ass so well! Fuck, just like that! Eat my ass just like that, yes! Yes!”

He pushed back again and Bin gripped at his ass and thighs, leaving prints and crescent-shaped indents as he massaged the flesh and buried his tongue in further, sucking at his rim. Adding a single finger, Changbin pushed the digit in alongside his tongue only to discover that it went in far too easily. He hummed suspiciously and sat up on his heels, sliding two fingers in place of one and Hyunjin whined at the feeling. “Tell me, pup,” he prompted, wiping the spit from his chin with the back of his hand and pumped his fingers slowly. “What have you been doing that’s got your slutty hole so loose, hmm?”

Hyunjin whimpered, burying his face further into his folded arms. Changbin slapped his ass again, “Answer me, pup.”

“F-fingered my-myself in the s-shower before I got here,” he admitted shamefully, stuttering as he dared to look back at the elder with his eyes wide and pleading. “Th-thought of you the wh-whole time, h-hyung.”

How the younger went from filthy, dirty talk to bashful stuttering in two seconds flat continued to bewilder Changbin but he was thoroughly enjoying the rollercoaster that was Hyunjin. He grunted in approval, “Good boy.”

Hyunjin’s eyes practically rolled to the back of his head and he couldn’t help but rut against the couch at the blatant praise. Changbin snickered at him, plunging his fingers in even further but still avoided his prostate. “You gonna cum from my fingers, baby?” He questioned, adding a third digit and urging a shaky groan from the boy beneath him.

“No!” Hyunjin shook his head adamantly as he rocked back onto Changbin’s fingers. “Wanna cum- I wanna cum on your cock. Please, hyung. Fuck me, please!”

Changbin hummed, “But, pup. I haven’t got any lube. Your hole may be loose from fingering yourself but I don’t want to hurt you stuffing my cock in your ass without lube. I don’t have a condom either.” His tone was disparaging, laced with overly-dramatic dissatisfaction even though he was genuinely dissapointed; he really did want to fuck Hyunjin but the last thing he wanted was to really hurt him.

Hyunjin shook his head again and gestured off towards another part of the room. “Back pocket,” he huffed. “Jeans back pocket. Brought lube.” He swallowed, still panting as Changbin spread his fingers wide inside him. “Don’t need a condom. Wanna feel you, hyung, please.”

Changbin stilled, “Are you sure, baby?”

“We’re clean. Don’t need it,” the younger boy mumbled, “Want you.”

Pressing kisses against the base of Hyunjin’s spine, Bin slowly pulled out his fingers, “Alright, baby. I’ll be right back.”

He rose from the couch to search for Hyunjin’s jeans that he had tossed god knows where, shucking off his own pants in the process -- why he hadn’t taken them off up until then, he had no clue, but he was glad to be rid of them. After coming up empty handed fishing through one pocket, he found a small bottle of lube tucked away in the opposite side and cheered internally before returning to the sofa where Hyunjin was rutting desperately against the cushion in his impatience. Bin was suddenly thankful that the material was easy to clean as he was sure Hyunjin was making a mess of it and they both would make even more of a mess not using a condom. He shrugged off his worries and resumed his place between Hyunjin’s thighs, uncapping the lube and squeezing a generous amount onto his fingers.

Warming it, Changbin hovered his hand over Hyunjin’s twitching hole, “I’m going to open you up a little more, OK, pup?”

“Hurry, please,” the younger boy begged, “Want you.”

Pressing in, Bin reminded him, “Patience, baby,” even though he was becoming desperate himself. He scissored his fingers around, searching for that spot that would make Hyunjin see stars and beg even more for Changbin’s cock.

He knew he found it when Hyunjin jolted forward and let out a choked, gurgled sounding moan and he couldn’t help but chuckle when the younger boy whipped his head over his shoulder and glared at him. Dropping the honorifics, it was Hyunjin’s turn to growl, “Now, Changbin! Fuck me now!”

Bin retracted his hand and lifted both up in surrender, still smiling, “As you wish.”

Lubing up his neglected cock, Changbin hissed in sensitivity as he gave himself a few good tugs. He lightly smacked Hyunjin’s hip, “Up.” The younger boy immediately lifted his hips, rising to his knees while still leaning his forearms and the side of his face into the sofa cushion. “Good boy,” Bin praised, lining himself up and teasing Hyunjin’s fluttering hole with the head of his cock. He carefully pressed in, Hyunjin’s breath hitching with the initial stretch, going slow so the younger had time to adjust. When he was about halfway in, Changbin rubbed a comforting hand over Hyunjin’s lower back, “You OK, baby?”

“Ngh, more, more, please more,” he wailed, pushing back against the elder.

Changbin chuckled fondly and slid in the rest of the way, hips pressed snugly against Hyunjin’s ass. “There,” he breathed, barely above a whisper.

Hyunjin gripped at the edge of the cushion, “Fuck, you’re big!” Usually, Changbin would absolutely preen at that kind of glorifying but for some reason, he just blushed and let out the tiniest of squeaks.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, dropping his head forward onto Hyunjin’s back, barely changing the angle but it was enough for the younger boy to feel it.

“Oh!” Hyunjin shivered, breathing heavy as he reached back with one hand to grip at Changbin. His hand landed somewhere between his thigh and ass; he couldn’t tell where but he wasn’t complaining and immediately squeezed a handful of his thick body. Bin grunted and the younger laughed breathily, “Don’t apologize! You’re perfect! Just let me- don’t move for a minute. I gotta-”

Changbin tenderly covered the boy with his own body and whispered in his ear to calm him, “Thank you, Jinnie. You’re perfect, too.” He pressed gentle kisses along Hyunjin’s shoulder, smiling into his skin as he spoke. “Just relax, baby. Take your time. You let me know if it’s too much, OK? We’ll stop!”

“No, I want this! I want you! I just- you’re so-” Hyunjin’s words trailed off into a moan as he rolled his own hips. “Big! Feels so good! You feel so good, hyung!”

The elder squeezed his eyes shut, willing the urge to just pound into him to go away, and took a shaky breath, “Does it hurt?”

Hyunjin shook his head. “Uh-uh,” he slurred, “‘s just a lot.” After another minute or two, the younger boy nodded, “‘s OK, hyung. You can move.”

Changbin kept his position, mouthing at Hyunjin’s neck and shoulder to distract him somewhat, but he started to roll his hips experimentally. Little grunts and whimpers passed Hyunjin’s plush lips and Bin pressed sweet kisses to the side of his face, whispering praises in his ear, “My baby. So good for me. Love you, Jinnie. You feel amazing. You’re so beautiful, my pretty baby.”

Tears streaked Hyunjin’s cheeks and Changbin kissed them away, “Love you, hyung.” He squeezed the flesh in his grip, “Harder, please.”

Bin drew back his hips a little further each time he thrusted, mild but still powerful. Hyunjin’s grasp on his side fell away and instead, he reached up behind himself to thread his fingers through Changbin’s hair, keeping him close as the elder peppered his skin with kisses. Changbin nuzzled into him, whispering ‘I love you’s.

Hyunjin loved the pure bliss that he felt in Changbin’s arms, being smothered in love and praises. But he wanted to cum again. And he wanted to get fucked. Hard. So he begged for it like a good boy. “Please, more. I need more. Please fuck me harder, hyung! I need it! Please, hyung!”

Changbin straightened up with a low growl, “Such a good boy for me, begging so sweetly. I’ll give you what you want, baby.” His hands found Hyunjin’s hips, his hold tight and sure to leave prints, and he drew back, leaving just the tip of his cock in the younger’s tight hole before plunging in.

Hyunjin let out a shaky groan, wiggling his ass against Changbin’s hips. The elder held him tighter and repeated his deep thrust, reveling in the wanton moan it punched out of the boy under him. “You’re still so tight, baby. Feel so good around me, sucking me back in every time I pull out. So good for me!” He was transfixed as he watched his cock slide past Hyunjin’s tight ring of muscles.

Wailing and grunting and meeting Changbin’s thrusts, Hyunjin pleaded again, “Please, hyung! Fuck me! Pound my tight ass! Fuck me harder, please!”

Growling again, Changbin quickened his pace before lifting one leg, changing the angle and abruptly causing the most beautiful sounds to pass Hyunjin’s pillowy lips. He reduced him to sobs and whines, mewling instead of forming complete words and clawing at the couch cushions. Bin smirked through his exertion, laughing lightly at how much he had succeeded in ruining the boy.

He was nearing his climax and breathed out one last question he hoped the younger could somehow form a coherent answer to. “I’m close, pup. Where do you want my cum?”

“Ngh, in me. In me, inside, please cum in me, hyung. I need your cum, need you to cum inside, please, need you to fill me up,” Hyunjin cried, plenty coherently, thighs trembling as he felt heat pool in his own belly.

Changbin leaned over Hyunjin once more, one hand steady on his hip while the other reached around to fist at his dripping cock. “Gonna cum, pup? Gonna cum for me like a good boy?” The elder mumbled in his ear, tone almost taunting, “Gonna make a filthy mess of yourself again?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Hyunjin sobbed, “Please can I cum, hyung?”

Burying his nose into the younger boy’s neck, he smirked against his skin and gave him permission. “Of course, baby! Go ahead, cum on my cock.”

Whispering ‘thank you’s over and over again, Hyunjin’s body began to shake from how close he was. Changbin straightened up once again, effortlessly lifting Hyunjin’s knees off the sofa and he tugged just right and thrusted against the perfect spot and Hyunjin was done. Legs spasming, still clawing at the cushion he could reach, Hyunjin cried out, “Changbin! God, fuck!”

Ribbons of white sprayed over the sofa cushion and the younger boy’s walls tightened around Bin, tipping him over the edge. He stroked Hyunjin through his orgasm while he pumped him full of his cum. Changbin collapsed back on his heels, Hyunjin awkwardly falling into his lap, still connected to each other.

Using the microscopic amount of energy he had left, Hyunjin leaned back into Changbin and turned to place a lazy kiss against his jawline, melting into him as he let his battery recharge enough to make it back to the dorms.

Speaking of making it back to the dorms, Hyunjin looked down at himself and the mess of the couch in front of him and groaned. “We gotta clean up.”

“Good thing this is a pleather couch or else that stain would be a real bitch to get out,” Changbin chuckled, glancing around the room at the strewn about clothes in search of something to wipe up the mess with. His eyes landed on the roll of paper towels he kept on his desk for the frequent times he ate in his studio and subsequently spilled multiple things.

Bin’s mind whirled with various things as he silently stared at the paper towels on the other side of the room -- Hyunjin needs a shirt of some kind since he wiped up cum with his. I should have a spare hoodie in that bag over there. Chan’s probably still up even if no one else is. How are we gonna get past him without looking incredibly suspicious? Oh god, I just came in Hyunjin’s ass! That’s gonna leak out before we can get in the shower at home! Fuck! “Really wish I had a butt plug right now.”

Hyunjin snorted and turned to look at him, “Excuse me?”

“What? I- oh. I said that out loud,” Changbin grinned sheepishly. “It’s just- OK I’m not saying this to be kinky or anything but a butt plug would be convenient right now since I just came in your ass and we have to somehow make it back to the dorms, you know?”

Throwing his head back, Hyunjin laughed warmly, “I think I’ve got that handled, thanks. I’ll be fine.” Changbin nodded, still trying to come up with solutions to his other dilemmas. “Do you have an extra shirt? Mine’s kinda…” Hyunjin trailed off, gesturing at it on the floor next to the couch.

It was Bin’s turn to laugh. “Yeah. Hoodie in the bag over there,” he pointed in its direction before inclining his head towards his desk. “We can use the paper towels to clean up what we can. I’m gonna go grab them so I have to pull out now, OK?”

Hyunjin braced himself and nodded, both boys wincing in oversensitivity as Changbin moved Hyunjin off his lap, soft dick falling to his hip. When Bin returned to the sofa with the paper towels, he couldn’t help but laugh at Hyunjin who was desperately trying not to kneel or put a hand in the mess. “Sorry, sorry!” He rushed to help when the younger boy glared at him.

Once the couch was no longer a disaster and the two were as clean as they could be given the circumstances, they pulled their clothes on and Changbin gathered up his stuff before they headed for the dorms.

“How much you wanna bet Chan ‘knows’ we did something?” Hyunjin joked as they were walking down a stairwell.

Changbin let out a playful, pained noise, “Let’s just hope he’s preoccupied since we both know he won’t be sleeping.” Hyunjin nodded in agreement. “And if he’s not, don’t act suspicious!”

“Easy for you to say!”

Bin spoke up again a few moments later. “Was,” he hesitated, “Was that OK? I mean, was it good for you? Umm…”

Hyunjin took one look at Changbin’s clearly stressed expression and burst out laughing, “Yes, hyung. 10/10 would fuck again.”

The elder tried to hold back his own laugh but ultimately failed, “Oh, uhh, yeah, same.” Hyunjin knocked his hip, still giggling as he hooked their arms together.

When they arrived back at the dorms, much to their chagrin, Chan was waiting in the living room like a dad that was pissed with his teenage children for coming home way past curfew. “I had a feeling you two were up to something,” he squinted at them skeptically. “What did you do?”

“Fuck!” Changbin breathed in annoyance but Hyunjin took it the wrong way.

“Hyung, I thought you said we weren’t going to tell him what we did!”

Changbin felt like he was dying inside.

Chan just stared at the floor, entirely unwilling to make eye contact with either boy.

Hyunjin just giggled, “Oops?”

[secondhoekage]

Ignore this long rant I’m high as shit but I... can’t take the hero commission oR HONESTLY THE HEROES THEMSELVES, seriously anymore

They’re BRAINLESS they all share one (1) brain cell and it belonged to Crust. THESE GUYS had MONTHS to strategize this attack and what did they do? They fucked it up. They want me to believe this was planned and not written on a chalk board the night before? Sent out to all heroes the next morning at 8am in a CHAIN EMAIL?

Unpopular opinion(?): they sent the worst possible, ill-suited heroes to each location for this PLF raid and I’m mad at them for it and I’m mad at Hori for making me be mad at it even tho he had to do it beCauSe oF pLot but I’m mad.

The MLA’s plans to take on The League of Villains? Spotless. Chef’s kiss. The detail. The one-on-one counters they planned out. Accounting for each enemy’s quirk. Yeah there were like 6 of them to account for but?? Heroes, yall had enough info and enough time to think of ways to go about this raid and I’m supposed to believe that you did, BUT DID YOU REALLY? MONTHS TO PLAN, and saw one electric Sir Crocodile rip-off and immediately threw Kaminari on his ass. Good move. Kinda. But the rest of the PLF? Heroes just gonna make shit up as they go I guess?? 

To make myself feel better here’s a long ass useless rant on what could’ve damn happened and which heroes should’ve gone where and to make this an epic ass rumble. ugh. Even just doing some of these things would’ve made this arc (imo) feel more... convincing and delicious

under the cut tho bc damn this is too long

In this essay I will—

Edgeshot??? EDGESHOT??    EDGESHOT?? i’M GOING TO GO OFF. 

I swear to shit Edgeshot could’ve soloed the hospital but they had him at the PLF mansion for Some Reason like... like they didn’t make him run up on the League’s bar instead of the Nomu factory bc they knew he would take care of shit immediately. Make it make sense. If he was at the hospital eye just—Nomu in the way?? Doctor running off? Say less. Electric slide all the way in there Shinya. DID NO ONE SEE HOW EASILY HE HANDLED KUROGIRI? Did everyone just forget this man can pull a K.O in .3 seconds flat? Heroes didn’t think it might be a good idea to have him there, ready to give Shigaraki the paper cut of his life the second he woke up (if he even did bc my mans likely could’ve prevented the ‘doctor getting away>high-end awaken>rush to get shiggy out of the tank>shiggy wakes up’ chain of events)? Didn’t think to send him instead of this guy X Less just sitting there with That Look on his face? 

I get they needed heroes like Edgeshot at the mansion to take out a handful of enemies in one go but COME ON NOW. There were more than enough long-range AOE heroes there. And even if you don’t wanna believe he could solo then STILL, EDGESHOT DUOING WITH MIRUKO, ANYBODY? If anyone was gonna keep up with her happy ass zooming into the lab it could’ve been him. We were robbed of an Edgeshot/Miruko teamup and I’m not okay. Could’ve had a sexy ass panel of the hospital-team hyping up Miruko and Edgeshot as they dashed to Ujiko’s lab, two fast as shit bad bitches, zooming through these Nomu, absolutely obliterating them at lightning speed, watching each other’s backs too, PROBABLY SAVING MIRUKO FROM BECOMING THE PRE-DEATH ORGAN DONOR THAT SHE IS NOW. I know it was hot watching Miruko take on these high-ends but I’d have rather Edgeshot share the spotlight if it meant Miruko was in one piece rn. Hori played her

Anyways the literal dumb bitch energy that went into not sending Edgeshot to the hospital is sending me. Could’ve at least let him just be on the team and on standby while Shigaraki was waking up. With those sharp as shit reflexes of his we’ve seen? Shigaraki would’ve been out like a fucking light the second Edgeshot saw him sit up. X-Less you had a nice thicc upper lip that lip was too shaded for you to die, but F in the chat bitch. Useless plot fodder I’m sorry X-Less. There isn’t a hero there right now (besides Aizawa but like... idk, plot is nerfing him) that could’ve incapacitated Shiggy so quickly and prevented the mess they’re in now like my guy Edgeshot could’ve. Feels like a cop out

In conclusion: Edgeshot sweety I’m sorry they did this. I’m sorry you were nerfed. I’m sorry they didn’t let you deliver Kamino Pizza to this hospital. I’m sorry they ignored you and now everyone’s gonna die bc they didn’t they respect your Ninpo rights

CEMENTOSS??? y’all sent him to fuck up the mansion FOR WHAT??? If I were the hero commission and thought :

“Dang we need to completely ass blast this huge PLF resort to make room for our heroes to run in... but it would also be good if we had someone to do that at the hospital too just in case things get tricky and we need to pave a quick way to Ujiko’s secret hideout... but I’m single-celled and can’t weigh my options logically so ok. Cementoss, to the mansion.”

...................... Ok but can I in interest you in PIXIE BOB? I get the mansion is huge but going by the shit we’ve seen her do?? I’m not about to underestimate ol’ girl. I know she could’ve fucked that place up if they let her, switched her out for Cementoss, who could’ve made THE EASIEST route for the hospital team to get into the secret lab, trapped Ujiko, also trapped a couple nomu/high-ends in cement while he was at it, rearranged some tunnels for optimal tactical movement, probably could’ve done a decent-fucking-job at slowing the onslaught of Decay too if it got to that point (AND IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BC THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS RANT IS TO INSIST THAT A BETTER SELECTION OF HEROES WOULDN’T HAVE RESULTED IN SHIGGY’S CURRENT THANOS SNAP ORdEAL)

I know Pixie’s mostly on rescue operations and that’s what she’s doing at the hospital/surrounding city but WHY?? EVEN IF THEY REALLY NEEDED CEMENTOSS AT THE MANSION—WHY NOT HAVE PIXIE BOB DOING SOMETHING IN THE ACTUAL HOSPITAL BATTLE? JUST A LITTLE? The hospital is built on uh.. oh yeah... EARTH? And considering in the Forest Training arc she was using her quirk from a remote location (to make that Earth golem, or whatever) she wouldn’t even HAVE to be IN Ujiko’s lab to be useful

Can y’all PLEASE put at least ONE of your terraforming heroes at the place where y’all REALLY need them?? And not after-the-fact like y’all just did with Pixie Bob? Because clearly she didn’t do shit this last chapter trying to stop Decay. I’m sorry girl. You may be dead. Terrible.

I would have legitimately sent Snipe to get Ujiko before I sent Miruko and that’s that on that. Where is he even? He was there during the briefing but he’s gone? MIA? Idk. No way Ujiko is getting away from those bullets. Target locked: Ujiko’s hand. Fire. High-end Nomu remote goes bye bye. Then another bullet in the leg. No need to worry about him escaping and waking up high-ends/Shiggy when he doesn’t have kneecaps. Problem solved. No way it would’ve taken that long to break Shiggy’s tank either with a few well-placed pew pews zigging around some Nomu (not that we really wanna break him outta his tank bc look what happened). Snipe’s 6/5 technique stat deserves better!!!!!

Gang Orca did not go off and give a bunch of kids brain damage during the License arc to be so thoroughly ignored here. He’s clearly about to get his shit rocked by some gauged-out ex-Hot Topic employee in the next few chapters and ugh you’re TOO GOOD FOR THAT ORCA. COULD’VE BEEN OF USE AT THE HOSPITAL. PARALYZING SONIC WAVES? WE’LL TAKE IT. Who knows if any of the high-end Nomu would’ve been affected by paralysis but the small fry? Probably. Shiggy’s little twink ass? I would bet on it. Not that it would really stop him from using Decay but still

At the risk of sounding like someone I know who endorses child labor (the hero commission) here me out: CAN I GET A UHHH JUZO HONENUKI??? AGAIN YEAH good that he was at the mansion to do some long-range AOE action but if y’all are gonna force kids to join in on this war anyways, put your strongest and most useful ones at the place you need them. Shit it would’ve been real nice if Honenuki was there to trap some Nomu—uncertain if it would work against the high-ends that show some pretty flexible quirks but who knows—and even at the risk of reaching, maybe in some universe where Shiggy and Honenuki face off, it would be interesting to see Decay against Softening, since Decay’s one big weakness is that it can only work on solid objects sooOooOo? Idk. Would’ve been a cool match up but I hate that the kids are fighting anyways so we’re gonna ignore this Juzo rant. Just know it would’ve been cool

And as for the mess that’s going to be this fucking mansion soon... .. We’re just gonna ignore a whole ass Geten, big destructive power, big fucking threat, and not gonna throw Endeavor’s ass in there? Makes sense. They’re leaving it to Shoto I guess. They said time for you to fucking shine kid. Get in there. I mean really trading Endeavor for Edgeshot would’ve been top tier strategy but...

I MEAN THEY?? Made up a whole ass plan to counter ONE greasy-looking PLF guy by throwing Kaminari in there, but they couldn’t make up a plan to counter Geten? Are they just?? Pulling names out of a hat to see who gets to fight who? Did they spin a bottle to see who it landed on? Did Mt. Lady pull the short stick? I swear on shit when Geten starts going feral soon I’m not gonna feel sorry about it. Unless heroes got a plan and someone’s gonna make a sexy ass top 10 anime entrances to counter his ice then I’m disappointed. We went ape shit over Kaminari countering one of the commanders but are we not gonna get anymore ‘I’m your perfect counter and I’m here to stop you’ moments? No? I’M PISSED. 

I would have also settled for my kween Nejire being there to blast away some ice because who tf else is gonna do it? But eh. 

Dabi will also be trouble depending on what he decides to do. He only has about 3 good ideas a month and he’s used them all up by now so he’s in dumb slut territory as we speak. But you’d think that a villain as widely recognized as Dabi with such a destructive quirk would urge the heroes to have some plan to take him on but?? So far I don’t really see anyone quick to take on the role. Not that it’d be that hard bc he’s dangerous but also dangerously dumb. Where is Inasa. Maybe he can just blast the flames back in Dabi’s face. I love him but at this point he deserves to have some of his rights taken away

Don’t even get me start on Gigantomachia. I get the heroes had little choice except to attack before Shiggy was full-power but just?? NOT having a plan in case by some little chance Gigantomachia DID wake up? You stupid bastards. You absolute fools. I guess there’s not much you CAN do but FUCK y’all just gonna let him SIT THERE? No counter measures? No ‘Let’s execute this incredibly thorough and thought-out plan we’ve spent months formulating to restrain Gigantomachia in case he does end up waking up, because better safe than sorry’? When he tramples like 50 students I bet that shit gonna hurt

I hate it all. I was really happy about seeing Shiggy go off 272 bc he’s a king but after rereading from like, 258 I feel... weird. Maybe this will be resolved with more chapters but. eh. Now that I’ve thought of this, I can’t go back. I miss the brain power that was behind the MLA fight

[twomoonstwosuns]

spring break.

back to you [series masterlist]

previous part · next part

pairing: professor!poe dameron x reader 

warnings: alcohol, fluff

word count: 3.3k

a/n: YA GIRL’S GOING TO WORK ON TUESDAY. Fair warning: updates may slow down since I don’t get to sit around and write all day, but I’ll try my best to not let it slow down. my store is going out of business so I don’t know how long I’ll be working for exactly. 

[the song] thank you @dameronsgalaxygal for finding it!

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Crystal blue waters and luscious green palm trees welcomed you from the moment you stepped out of the airport in Cabo San Lucas, a stark difference to the dreary winter days you’d seen for months on end. The warm, windy air engulfed you and you were more relaxed than you’d felt in months. You were ready for endless days lounging on the beach or in the pool, fruity alcoholic beverages at your beck and call. You didn’t have to worry about anything or anyone except what fun thing you wanted to do that day. 

The only thing missing from your perfect paradise was Poe. 

It had been awhile since you’d gone a week without seeing Poe, dating back to Christmas break at the start of your sexual relationship when you were away from school and both busy with the holidays. You had said goodbye in his office after his last class the day before you left, the trading of kisses making his pre-arranged cab driver almost leave without him. 

By the time you landed in Cabo, it was late afternoon. Rose had been the first to arrive, checking into the room you had reserved and walking around the resort to find out where everything was. Jannah arrived next, and she and Rose were ready to go out by the time you got to the hotel. You caught up while you got ready, taking a quick shower to get the airplane smell off of you and changing into a dress and sandals. 

The resort was huge. Two big pools with swim-up bars, multiple lounge chairs surrounded by palm trees, and the beach with multiple campfire pits just a short walk away. Rose led you to a courtyard between the hotel’s buildings where a bar and a DJ was set up. There were tables and people were dancing in the open space. 

“Find a table, first round’s on me!” Jannah yelled, disappearing into the crowd towards the bar. Rose points at a high table next to the bar and you rush over before anyone else can claim it. Jannah came back with an armful of shots. She passed two to you and Rose and held one up. 

“To graduating college and entering the world as real adults.”

You downed the shots with ease, the alcohol burning just slightly in your throat. It had been too long since you had seen your best friends, each of you working tirelessly towards graduation.

Rose had lived down the block from you since you were five years old and it wasn’t until middle school that you became friends with Jannah. You experienced it all together - the dances, the heartbreaks, the victories, and the hardships. Three different colleges would keep you apart for the next chapter after high school, but you made sure you were able to get together even if just for a few hours every break. 

You were inseparable. Jannah was wild and loud, Rose practical and quiet, and you were in a little bit of both. You were a trio that complimented each other well. 

“So, I have some bad news.” Rose started, but you waved your hand. 

“Later. It’s been a long day, a long semester, and now we’re on vacation. Let’s take this shot and go dance.” On the count of three, you took your second shot of the night, the two shots in succession already teaming up inside your body. 

Lights bounced off the buildings and the palm trees, the bass of the speakers booming into the silence of the night. Sweaty bodies bumped into you but no one cared. Life was carefree at the moment. A dark-haired man came up behind Jannah and started dancing with her, his arms going on her hips. She looked between you and Rose and you both gave her a nod that told her to go ahead and dance with the handsome stranger. 

“I’m going to get another drink, do you want one?” You yelled at Rose, who shook her head and kept dancing as you made your way to the bar. Looking around while the bartender made your drink, you took notice of the way the lights illuminated the outline of the palm trees and the ocean. It was picturesque, exactly like an image you’d see in a brochure. 

“You’re not here by yourself, are you?”

A sandy-haired, green-eyed man slid into the open seat next to you, waving down the bartender with a wave of his hand. You shook your head. 

“My friends are on the dance floor somewhere.”

“And you didn’t want to join them?”

“I was out there for a bit and now I’m here getting a drink,” you said, swirling around the liquid in your cup. “And I’m a little tired. Dancing, flying, and classes really takes a lot out of a girl.”

“You still went to your classes today? Good for you.” You laughed as the man stuck his hand out and you shook it. “Ethan.”

“Y/N.”

“Can I buy you a drink?”

You down the rest of your drink and shrug. “If you want.”

Ethan waved down the bartender again and pointed to your empty cocktail glass. You almost felt bad for this guy because you knew he wasn’t going to get anything out of this conversation except an extra drink on his tab. You were being friendly as you were with everyone, but you had a feeling he was going to take it as flirting and you’d have to deal with him getting mad at rejection. 

“So, are you graduating soon?” Ethan asked. 

“In May. You?”

“In the winter. I had some credits that got mixed up and I need one more semester to sort everything out.”

“No shame in that.” 

He asked about your major, why you chose it and what plans you had after school. He seemed genuinely interested in your answers, but you knew it was probably an act to try and pick you up. He ordered you another drink when you got to the bottom of yours and then leaned in closer than he had been, placing his hand next to yours on the countertop. 

“Do you want to take these drinks and get out of here? Maybe go walk on the beach or go somewhere else less crowded?”

You fought the urge to smile. It seems like so long ago that Poe had said something similar to you at a bar, and when you replayed it in your head you could still hear the desire so clearly. The memory made you tingle more than the voice in front of you. 

“I have a boyfriend.”

“Is he here?”

“No.”

“Then, why not?” You gave him a look and he chuckled. “Come on, you’re only young once.”

You gave him a tight smile as you slid off seat. 

“Still no. Thanks for the drink.”

With your drink in hand, you headed away from the bar and onto the beach. Removing your sandals, the sand was cool beneath your feet as you walked, a contrast from the heat of the beach campfires around you. You found a vacant campfire, one that had just been abandoned by a couple of other spring breakers. You sat down next to it and let it warm you up from the crisp night air, the crashing of the waves and the crackling of the flames creating a beautiful song. 

Ethan hadn’t been wrong; you were only young once, but there were more ways to enjoy your youth that didn’t involve sleeping around. And to you, Poe was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of guy. You’d rather have him than any of the freedoms of being single. 

“There you are!”

Rose and Jannah walked up to you through the uneven sand, beers in their hands. They sat down across from you, giggling and sitting back into the chairs and fully relaxing for the first time since they landed. 

“Have you become a lightweight?” You asked, seeing Rose giggling over nothing. She nodded and giggled some more and you couldn’t help but laugh at her. “So, what’s your bad news?”

“My graduation time moved, so I don’t get to live stream either of your ceremonies.”

“That’s not bad news!” You exclaimed. “I know live streaming each others ceremonies was our plan since senior year of high school, but it became a lot less realistic as the years went on and we realized all of our schools ran super close to the same schedule.”

“Wait, I have an idea!” Jannah said excitedly, taking a sip of her drink. “We’ll FaceTime before the ceremony and then when we’re all home, we’ll have a big party with all of our friends and family.”

“Yes!” Rose shouted, catching the attention of anyone walking by. “Perfect, lets do that!”

She tiptoed over to Jannah to clink her bottle against hers and then crept over to you to do the same. 

“So,” Jannah said as Rose sat down. “Tell us about this boyfriend. I want to know who you’re ditching us for on Thursday.”

“Hey, you guys said it was ok, I asked you like six times—“

“We are ok with it. She’s just teasing.” Rose said. “Tell us about him.”

“Well, his name is Poe, he’s 32—“

“Alright, Y/N.” Jannah interrupted with a wink. Rose rolled her eyes. 

“—and he’s my professor.”

You hadn’t planned on blurting it out like that. The plan was to tell them all of the amazing things about him before dropping the bomb that he was pretty much forbidden fruit. Rose and Jannah’s mouths dropped and you anxiously braced for a reaction similar to the one you’d gotten from your roommates. 

“Girl!” Jannah exclaimed, a wide smirk on her face as she clapped her hands together. “How the hell did that happen?!”

You shrugged. “It just kind of did. We ran into each other at a bar on Halloween and we were drinking and flirting and then we hooked up.”

“Wow. Y/N L/N, hot for teacher.”

“So, you’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad?”

“Because I’m being reckless? Stupid? Risking my education for a relationship with age difference?”

“I’m not mad. I’m happy for you! And who cares about age?” Jannah looked over at Rose, who had a look of concern on her face, but no anger. “Rose?”

Rose sighed and looked at you. “I’m not mad. I’m just…you’re being careful, right? I just don’t want this to bite you in the ass.”

“We’re being careful, I promise. We don’t leave his apartment and in public he’s a professor and I’m a student, that’s it. I promise I know what I’m doing.”

“Alright, I trust you.” Rose gave you a soft, reassuring smile. “So, who all knows about you guys?”

“You guys, my roommates, Poe’s best friends, and his dad I hope otherwise he’s going to be totally blindsided when I meet him on Thursday.”

“When did you start dating him?” Jannah asked, moving around the fire to sit next to you. 

“Officially a month ago, but we’d been hooking up every so often since Halloween.”

“Is he nice? Does he treat you right?” Rose asked.

“Yes. He is so kind and considerate and funny. He’s a gentleman. Not always though.”

Jannah and Rose howl with laughter, Jannah patting your leg. 

“Good for you, Y/N. Do you have a picture of him?”

You took out your phone and scrolled through your photos, looking for your favorite picture of Poe. You intended to take a photo of Beebs laying on his back with his paws in the air, fast asleep and Poe had photobombed the picture with a pout. Jannah gasped. 

“That’s not fair,” she said. “Seriously, he’s real?”

You brought up another picture, a cute one of you kissing Poe’s cheek while he smiled widely. Jannah ‘awwed’ and passed the phone to Rose.

“He’s hot.” Rose said, studying the picture before handing it back to you. “So you like him a lot?”

“A lot. A lot,” you said, staring down at the photo of you and him that was also your lock screen. “I’ve dated around, had a few boyfriends, and none of the guys has made me feel like Poe does. Not even close.”

“Do you love him?” Rose asked. You furrowed your brow. 

“I—“ You felt strongly for him, stronger than any guy you’d ever dated, but was it love or just extreme infatuation? And if it was love, could you even feel that after such a short amount of time? “Isn’t there a timeline for that?”

“Not a set one,” Rose said. “If you love him then you love him. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been dating for one month or one year. You fall in love when you fall in love, no one can dictate that for you.”

“She’s right,” Jannah added. “You said you’ve been dating a month but let’s be real, you’ve been dating since Halloween. You just did the sex part first. So technically it’s been five months.”

You didn’t know how to respond, but you didn’t have to when a message popped up on your phone screen and grabbed your attention. Jannah glanced at it. 

“You got a text from Finn. Who’s Finn?”

“Finn is Poe’s best friend.”

You opened the message and saw that he had sent you a video. Pressing play, you could hear the crackle of a campfire similar to the one currently in front of you and the sounds of a guitar being expertly played. The camera shifted to show Poe, who donned a dark flannel that, combined with his dark hair, made is skin glow against the dark backdrop, illuminated by the warmth of the flames.

“Alright, what’re you playing?” Rey’s voice was near the camera, but she wasn’t on the screen. Poe didn’t say anything, instead just continuing to play.

“Who’s the girl?” Jannah asked. 

“His other best friend, Rey.”

“Don’t be shy man, let’s hear it!” Finn shouted. “Sing something, this is for Y/N.”

Poe rolled his eyes at his friends before changing the melody, going from something upbeat to something a little slower. Playing the guitar was like riding a bike for him, something he hadn’t done in a long time but easily picked back up. 

Darling, I don’t mind what they think they’ll find

Of all the secrets they have told, at least I’ve still got you to hold

So darling, I don’t mind

Poe’s voice was smooth like warm honey with a touch of raspiness. He sang with meaning, like he was piercing each word straight into your soul. You had no idea he could sing like that and you added it to the six hundred other things you loved about him. 

Cause I’ll be the one to hold you when the nights are cold

And although I know I told you I will tell you forever more that

Your heart clenched in a way it never had before when Poe made eye contact with the camera and gave it a lopsided smile. He was singing to you, despite being so far away. He sang a few more words before missing a chord and laughing as he stopped. 

“I can’t remember anymore, it’s been awhile since I’ve played that song.”

“Anything you want to say to Y/N?”

“I miss you baby. I can’t wait to see you.”

Your heart felt like it would burst from your chest, and you barely heard both Rey and Finn also saying ‘miss you baby’ before the video ended. Before you even able to move your finger to close out of the message thread, Rey was FaceTiming you. 

“How’s paradise?” She asked you and you turn the camera to show her the fire and the waves of the ocean rolling onto the shore. 

“I’ve only been here a few hours but pretty damn great. How’s California?”

“Good. Less humid than Florida.” Rey said, also turning the camera to show you the fire and the trees. The silence there as deafening as the music coming from the party. “Poe told us you’re meeting his dad.”

“I am.”

“Nervous?”

“Terrified.”

“You’ll be fine. Kes is great. I’m sure he’ll love you.”

Finn suddenly appeared on the screen, a bright smile on his face. “Hi, nugget!”

“Nugget?”

“Rey’s peanut and you’re nugget!”

“You’re ridiculous,” you laughed, but you were touched that he gave you a nickname. “Hey, can you tell Poe I’m mad at him for not playing for me sooner!”

“He just ran to his ca—he hasn’t played for you?! That’s part of his appeal!”

“To be fair, you guys haven’t either. I’ve been asking very nicely for a Resistance reunion for weeks now.”

“Ok, well, that’s not happening.” Rey said and you tried giving her your best pleading puppy dog eyes and she just kept saying ‘no’ and then Finn was suddenly shouting. 

“Poe! Why haven’t you serenaded your girl yet? She’s sad she’s missing out!”

“Are you talking to her?” There was shuffling and then Poe’s face was on the screen, smiling when he saw you. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi.”

“How was your flight?”

“It was fine, I did homework.”

“On vacation?”

“It was the last thing I had that was due after break! Now I don’t have to worry about anything when we get back except what you’re making me for breakfast on Sunday.”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

“Yes, because I beat you in Mario Kart a few days ago and never claimed by reward.”

“I thought what we did after was reward enough.”

Jannah spat out her drink and laughed loudly while Rose giggled into her hands. You smiled until your cheeks hurt and a blush crept into your cheeks as Finn and Rey scolded Poe for information they didn’t need to know. 

“Also, you’ve been holding out on me with that singing, so you owe me.”

“I’ll cook you whatever you want.”

You gave him a victorious smirk. Jannah waved Rose over and leaned into you on your right while Rose came over to squeeze into you on your left, their faces appearing on the screen. You rolled your eyes.

“Ok then, Poe, this is Jannah and Rose, my two best friends from high school.”

“Wow, you are so much hotter in person. Over the phone.” Jannah said and you elbowed her in the ribs and she gave you a look. “Sorry, I’m drunk."

Poe shook his head as he laughed. “It’s fine. It’s good to meet you.”

Jannah tipped her head back, finishing her drink before letting out a huge yawn. “You guys wanna go back to the room? I’m getting freaking tired.”

You sighed, wanting to talk to Poe a little longer. “I guess we’re going to bed. I gotta go and make sure she can walk.” 

“Get some rest, I’ll see you in a week.”

“Can’t wait.” In an affectionate move that surprised you, Poe blew you a kiss before ending the call. You stared at the screen as a feeling of warmth that had nothing to do with the campfire spread all over your body.

“I might be in love with your boyfriend Y/N.”

After making sure the fire was properly extinguished, the three of you headed back to your hotel room. The party was still in full swing, possibly even busier now that it was later into the night. Rose and Jannah started talking about plans for the next day, but you were basking in the warm and tingly feelings that Poe often left you with to contribute to the conversation. 

You’d never been in love before and you weren’t sure if you should be so early on, but if this was what it felt like, then that's what you were: well and truly in love with Poe. 

tag list [open!] - @ah-callie @darksideofclarke @gloomygoregirl @leilei-draws @imaginecrushes @i-ievu @brianamaree @yeeintensifies @spider-starry @krazykatkay456 @fanfiction-trashpile @afootnoteinyourhappiness @easterncryptid @my-child-gaara @myrandom-fandomlife @onebatch--twobatch @the-cry-of-youth @p3nny4urth0ught5 @porgiez @umchrisevans @galaxy-of-stories @seeking-a-great--perhaps @behindmyeyes-insidemyhead @dameronsgalaxygal @mserynlarsen @yougottakeeponkeepinon @linibirdimagine @goddamndameron @starrykitn @cloud-leader @damnyoudameron 

[connorandersons-blog]

Kinktober Day 4: Public, Convin

Another Connor/Gavin! So this one is super long, like 10k words, so if you want you can also read it here on my A03. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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They were on a vacation, well, it was a forced vacation but still. The whole office had gotten tired of their shit, and Connor often heard people (including Hank) murmuring about tension and rooms. 

They were even getting paid too, so it wasn't like he could even complain so much. He could complain because instead of just going to some beach and staying far away from each other as possible, Gavin (and Hank, and Tina, and literally everyone who heard) decided it was best to go on a road trip. Across the entire country, stopping to visit tourist stops or sleep. 

So that was why Connor was sitting in the passenger seat of Gavin's truck-a 1990 Ford F150 XLT-his arms crossed staring out the window. 

The silence was so awkward even with Gavin's music playing, and he had no idea what to do. He could fall back on his programming, but he wasn't going to resort to being a machine just because someone couldn't stop being an ass for two seconds. 

This was probably the longest he's been silent and they'd only been on the road for an hour. 

It was simultaneously the most boring and interesting trip he'd been on. He hadn't gotten to travel outside of Detroit except for when he was briefly flown to DC. That had been an interesting and incredibly stressful trip that he never wanted to repeat again.

He had a feeling this would be a similar situation sadly. His first real vacation and he had to take it with Reed of all people. Why did the universe seem to hate him so much?

The silence kept up for the next four hours, but at least the scenery was nice. He gently drummed his fingers against his leg, enjoying the music. Another small thing to be grateful for, Gavin didn't have awful music tastes. 

"That's it. You've never been on a road trip right?" Gavin asked so suddenly Connor almost jumped out of his skin. 

He looked over but Gavin's eyes were still trained on the road. Connor wasn't exactly sure where this was going, but perhaps he could indulge him. "I have not."

"Ok, so we're gonna play the ABC game. You can't use cars, only signs. When you see a letter you call it out. It's whoever sees it first, and you can't use a sign twice. If it's the same sign but in a different place then that's fine. No using your weird android powers." Gavin drummed on the steering wheel once he turned down the music. "If I gotta be stuck in this car with you you're gonna have the full experience." 

Connor blinked multiple times, trying to take it all in. A game? He did a quick search and found they were incredibly common and used to pass the time or stay focused. "Very well, that sign there has an A." He points out. 

Gavin huffed and looked around, squinting slightly. "B! Hah!" 

Connor couldn't help the small grin as he put his feet on the ground and leaned forward. He was so going to win this game. 

They called out the letters sometimes loud enough to be considered yelling. It was more of a competition than a calming game. Yet it got increasingly difficult and it had both of them dying to see any sign.

It was only three more hours later when Gavin and he both pointed at the same sign, "Z!" 

There was a long bit of silence before they both broke into cheers, clapping, and even giving each other small pushes on the shoulder. 

"Fuck yeah! Alright, so I'm thinking some food, bathroom then keep going. You can drive and pick the music." Gavin said, more lively than he'd ever seen him. 

Connor felt something odd in his chest, something he didn't dare identify. Yet it was so strong when he watched Reed. "Very well, but I do not need food or a bathroom break. How much longer would you like for me to drive. Since I'm an android I can keep going without becoming tired." 

Gavin easily waved him off. "Not long, just enough to get us until nightfall, then we can find some shitty motel. Just don't want to get burnt out on the first day." 

Connor gave a soft hum and leaned back onto the chair. "I must admit, I'm surprised you chose this over a beach or something like that." 

Gavin chuckles and Connor's stomach twisted. "Yeah, well… I've been meaning to but never had the time. They're literally paying me to babysit you." 

He could tell there was no real malice behind his words, yet he could also tell he was lying. Why would Gavin feel the need to lie about this answer, it wasn't anything truly personal. 

Yet he'd let it slide, maybe this trip would somehow work out their differences. After he could ask again, and maybe he'd give an honest answer. 

But it was still a bit odd Gavin lied. He often didn't and so he always took note when he did. Sometimes it was hard to tell and he assumed there was more to it than just yes or no. Like when he asked if Gavin really hated androids and Gavin had said yes. It came off as a lie but also the truth. 

They pulled off the highway once there were signs of there actually being something to eat that Gavin liked. 

Gavin gave a long sigh as they waited for the drive-through, but thankfully they didn't have to wait too terribly long. 

"Ok, you want anything? 'Know you don't eat but still. A soda, anything?" Gavin asked once they pulled up to the order screen. 

Connor looked over the menu before giving a small hum. "A small drink, surprise me." He could drink, not in excessively but more than he could actually eat. Sadly the place didn't offer android products, so he'd have to stick with a drink. 

Gavin nodded and ordered his, but made Connor plug his hears and hum. Apparently, he wanted to test to see how well Connor could identify the drink without using his 'android powers'. 

He even had to keep his eyes closed as Gavin got their order and paid (Connor offered to but got turned down fast), taking his food and drink, putting them down before parking. 

"Alrighty, open your mouth, and you can't use your tongue." Gavin said, tapping Connor's chin. 

"Technology I have to use my-" but he was cut off by a straw being shoved into his mouth. He could hear Gavin snickering so he just held the straw in his mouth, playing with it. 

There was a soft sound of Gavin's breath catching and the hand lowering. Connor was quick to grab the drink, just in case, but instead, he hand rested on top of Gavin's. 

He took a long sip, eyes still closed. He hadn't tasted many sodas yet this one didn't taste exactly like any of the ones he had. "Pepsi?" Yet that couldn't be right. 

"Open your eyes now, dipshit." Gavin moved his hand away and let Connor hold it. "You got it wrong, by the way. But you can use your tongue now." 

Connor nodded and instantly analyzed it before sighing. Of course, he didn't recognize the taste. "This is a combination of Pepsi and Rootbeer! That's cheating, Detective." He scolded but still drank more. He had to admit, it did taste really good. 

"Gavin."

"I'm sorry?" 

"Call me Gavin. I don't need to hear my rank the whole trip, and you calling me by my real name isn't going to kill me… Connor." 

He had to admit, it did sound a bit odd coming from Gavin. He could tell he felt the same since he grimaced like he tasted something sour. 

"Very well Gavin. I just assumed you preferred otherwise, since the last time I did use it you tried to kill me." He sassed, smirking slightly. 

Yet Gavin winced and ducked his head. "Yeah… that wasn't my best idea. I'm, well, I'm glad I failed?"

That was as close of an apology as he was probably ever going to get. "I am glad you did too. Though, I do apologize for using excessive force. I could have handled the situation better." He did feel bad about that, he hated to see Gavin passed out on the floor even if he had tried to kill him. He never liked killing or harming anyone, but sometimes it was necessary to protect his own life. 

Gavin snorted then it quickly devolved into honest laughter. Connor was beyond confused but couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. "Wait, what's so funny?" 

"I-I was literally," Gavin tried to say between laughs, "I held a gun to your fucking head, Con. You could have easily killed me but you left me. Sure it hurt like a bitch after, but we're both alive. I deserved more than that very quick fight." 

For some reason, the nickname was more shocking than anything else. It was the first nickname not derived from anger or hate. "I should have just detained you. Or managed to talk you down." 

"The only way you could've talked me down was if you suddenly became deviant." 

Connor frowned and tried to understand what that meant. "Wait, what?" 

Gavin's eyes went wide and he grabbed the bag. "Uh, I'll throw this away, pee then we can get back on the road." 

Connor didn't even have time to ask him to wait before Gavin was out of the car and jogging to the restaurant.

What could Gavin had meant by that? Did he have more negation tactics as a deviant? He couldn't of anything he didn't already know. 

Yet that also offered the idea that Gavin knew about the true meaning of deviation, that he knew it wasn't simple errors but real emotions. 

But that also brought up why Gavin had actually confronted him in the first place. He had assumed it was because Gavin had simply had enough of him and was finally taking his chance. He could have easily used Connor disobeying direct orders to justify it too.

How could him being deviant have stopped Gavin from attacking?

He was shaken from his thoughts when Gavin tapped on his window. Right, he was supposed to drive now. 

They traded spots silently, and Gavin stayed quiet except to softly sing along to the songs. His voice was nice and oddly calming. Connor decided not to sign considering he's never actually done it before. He knew android could, I mean, look at the revolution. Yet he hadn't really done it himself yet. 

He kept driving, following the highway, and only changing directions when Gavin directed him. Connor could tell he was getting sleepy by the adorable why his blinks got longer and the deeper he slid into his chair. 

He didn't even say anything as Connor pulled off the highway and then found a 'shitty motel'.

Gavin's eyes were closed and Connor hated to wake him. He doubted he could sleep heavy enough that Connor could get them each a room, carry Gavin to his without waking him. 

He looked around and found a piece of paper and a pen. He quickly wrote down he was getting them rooms before slipping out of the car. He didn't need Gavin waking up and wondering where he'd gone. 

The lights were on so he walked in, and looked around. Shitty was a pretty good description actually. He didn't even want to scan it to know how many germs there were. 

"How can I help you?" A woman asked, walking into the area, a bright smile on her face. 

"I'd like two rooms please." He stepped up to the counter but thought better of leaning against it. 

"Alright, well we got three rooms, one has two beds and it's non-smoking, and the other two are smoke friendly. Which would'ya like?" 

Connor sighed, rubbing at his LED. He despised the smell of smoke and he knew Gavin had only recently quit. Being in a room full of that smell wouldn't help. And he wanted to get them a room now considering how tired Gavin seems. 

Fuck it. 

"I'll take the room with two please." It was an ok compromise but he doubted Gavin would see it that way. 

The woman nodded and grabbed the keys after Connor had paid for the night. It was pretty cheap, but he guessed it was from lack of quality. 

He jogged back to the trunk, opening to get in and grab his bag, but also wake Gavin. He was slumped against the window, mouth slightly open, and looking completely relaxed. 

"Gavin, come on, we're at a motel." He whispered, reaching out. Instead of shaking his shoulder, Connor's treacherous hands decided to gently card through Gavin's soft hair. Neither of them had styled their hair so it easily flopped into Gavin's face and felt silky smooth under Connor's fingers. 

He wondered if Gavin liked his hair being played with or not. Maybe he liked it tug-no. He was not going down that rabbit hole. 

He quickly snatched his hand away when he saw Gavin's eyes blink open. He looked around then back to Connor with almost a confused expression. "Con?" His voice was a bit scratchy and Connor was ready to die. He just looked so soft like this, so much more at ease. 

"Hey, we're stopping for the night. I got us a room but there was only one left." A small but necessary lie. 

Gavin groaned and mumbled around reading enough fanfiction but he pushed himself up, running his own hand through his hair. "There's more than one bed right?" 

"Of course. I would have carried you but I thought you'd prefer being woken up." He reached behind and grabbed Gavin's bag for him, placing it in his lap before turning off the truck and pocketing the keys. 

Gavin mumbled some more but slid out of the truck with a huff, following silently to the room. 

It wasn't the worst motel, but Connor really hated the number of germs he found. He walked around the room, checking everything before looking out the back window. There was a small stream that flowed behind the building and Connor unlatched the window so they'd be able to hear it. Not necessarily the safest idea, but Connor was there and Gavin could actually take care of himself. 

Gavin dumped his bag onto the beg closest to the door, pulling out a change of clothes before muttering about using the bathroom first. It was almost like he forgot that Connor had absolutely no need for a bathroom. 

He took the time to change, folding his clothes before putting them in his bag. He grabbed his pajama bottoms with cartoon robot heads on them, a gift from Hank. 

He normally went shirtless but thought better of it. Not just for Gavin's sake, but he preferred to cover as much skin as possible before touching anything in this room. 

He was odd that way. He had no problem sampling evidence or putting anything in his mouth he was dared to. Yet on occasions like these, his brain gladly supplied every disgusting thing and it made his skin crawl. 

He heard the shower start but Gavin didn't even take more than ten minutes before he was stepping into the room again. Connor was still standing in front of his bed, fiddling with his bag. Hank had given him a gift but now felt a bit too self-conscious to pull it out. 

"Cute." Gavin mumbled at him before flopping onto his own bed, only taking the time to get under the covers before falling right back asleep. 

Gavin had called him cute. Or maybe it was just the pajama bottoms that were cute, and not him. Or he was simply too tired to know what he was saying, so instead of good night, it came out as cute. 

Yeah, he didn't believe that last one either. 

Connor gave one last look at his bag before zipping it closed. Once he had his own room to himself, then he'd use it. For now, he laid down and let himself be pulled into stasis. 

He woke up fairly early to the sound of Gavin moving around. He was a bit surprised that he hadn't woken up first considering how tired Gavin had seemed the night before. He checked his clock and saw it was only six in the morning. 

Perhaps he often went to bed early, but Connor had noticed he stayed at the precinct almost as long as he did. It was a bit concerning, to say the least. Maybe this trip would give Gavin the extra sleep and relaxation he needed. Surely the man was always on edge with the lack of sleep.

He stretched out on the bed and just listened to the small stream. The bed creaked with every small movement, the germs made his skin crawl, Gavin was the only person he knew for miles, but it wasn't so bad. Oddly freeing in a way. Sure he worried about what was happening back in Detroit, but he trusted Hank not to get into too much of a slump. If he did Connor would be back as soon as he could. 

He let his eyes slipped closed again, but he had to hold his breath when he heard something unexpected. He could hear Gavin singing a song Connor knew had played on the trip here. It was fairly upbeat and he thought he could hear the sound of heavier footsteps, indicating Gavin could be dancing. 

It was oddly charming and the smile on his face only grew wider. It was strange, he knew Gavin was his own person but for some reason now he saw him truly human. He wasn't just a pain in the ass, he sang in the shower and got Connor a soda without a second thought. He was just so… alive. 

Perhaps there was much more to Gavin he'd get to see. The stress of being around peers you'd known for a long time could be hard, but also harder to be able to change because of expectations. Yet everyone was changing constantly, even in little ways. 

Connor had taken to wearing clothes similar to Hank while not at work. He knew he wouldn't stay with that style, but he still had time to learn what was really him. His opinions and taste in certain things would always be influenced by others, even people he'd rather not be influenced by. 

If the world, android, and humans have him a second chance after everything he's done, then Gavin deserved a second chance as well. 

He heard the singing stopped, then the water cutoff, and he kept his eyes closed and body still. He didn't want Gavin to get embarrassed over his bathroom habits since he liked it. It would be a good reminder that Gavin had his own emotions more than anger. 

The door opened and closed incredibly softly. He had to hold back from smiling from the obviousness of Gavin trying to be quiet for Connor. 

"God, can't believe this is real." He heard Gavin mumble as he padded around the room, no doubt trying to find something to do. 

Connor gave it a few minutes before he flashed his LED, mostly to get Gavin's attention as he 'woke up'. 

He stretched once again and let out a long sigh. He took another minute until he opened his eyes. 

He could see out of the corner of his scanners that Gavin seemed to be gawking at him, and could faintly hear his heartbeat speed up. 

Sitting up slowly, he looked around eyes landing on Gavin who snapped out of whatever that was. "Good morning, Det-Gavin. Did you sleep well?" 

Gavin mumbled something and rubbed at the back of his deck, eyes on his lap. "I guess, sorry for passing out on you." 

Connor easily waved him off. "No need, you needed the sleep and I enjoyed driving. Perhaps I can drive for now and then we switch whenever you'd like." 

Gavin nodded and seemed to be thinking hard about something. He wished Gavin had an LED so he had some idea if it was negative or not. 

Connor ran a hand through his hair, giving the curls a slight curl to try and force them into place. He didn't like how much it tangled during the night since deviancy apparently made androids move while asleep. 

"Yeah, ok. But save your energy cause there's something we gotta do tonight." Gavin grabbed his bag and looked around. He hadn't really taken anything out since he'd instantly fallen asleep.

Connor would need to change but otherwise, he was also ready. "Very well, may I ask what we are doing?" 

Gavin smirked and crossed his arms. "No, you may not. You just have to experience it." 

Connor squinted and got up to grab his bag, hiding an honest smile. "I can do that. Excuse me while I change." 

He had no problem changing out in the open but humans and sometimes even bother androids were a bit shy about it. Yet Connor had no problems with it but still went to the bathroom for Gavin's sake.

There was also the matter of Hank's gift he didn't want Gavin to see. He guessed this is probably what humans felt on the subject of nudity. It was truly nothing to be embarrassed about, he knew Markus had a few, and North would never admit it but he knew she had one. He wondered if Gavin had one as well, or perhaps he just didn't find the pleasure in it anymore. 

He pulled it out of his bag so he could get his new clothes, then changed and put it all away again. At least Gavin hadn't asked about why his bag seemed so full when he didn't need much. 

As long as he didn't roll in mud, or somehow get dirty he could wear the same clothes every day if need be. It wasn't like he could sweat (though they were working on that to possibly help to cool). 

When he stepped out Gavin was going through actual stretches, and Connor took a second to appreciate the sight. Sure they may fight and not even like each other, but he'd be blind if he didn't see the man as attractive. 

He obviously kept his body in shape, and with how easily he moved, he stretched quite a lot. It wasn't just the attention, it was almost beautiful to watch as his muscles moved as he changed positions. 

His eyes kept wandering over his body, not having realized he hadn't moved an inch or said anything. Gavin hadn't said anything either as he slowly breathed through each stretch. 

Then he shook himself out and looked at Connor with a slight smirk. "Like what you see?" 

"Yes," Connor said without much thought. Gavin seemed to choke on his breath and Connor had to shake himself. "I-uh, well you do keep yourself in very good shape, it's nice to see someone doing that. Perhaps you could give Hank tips." 

Yep, he really needed to think about Hank right now. Not that he didn't love the man, he adored him, but there were things he didn't want to see and it helped get his reactions under control. 

Gavin gave a slight hum before grabbing his bag. "Alright, so stop to get some coffee then back on the road." 

Connor followed him out the door, stopping by the front desk to give back the keys. He still had the truck keys so Gavin had to wait for him to get there and unlock it. 

They were both silent as Connor drove to the nearest coffee shop. It was a little old thing, family-run, but the reviews were nothing but praise. 

Gavin climbed back into the car with a cup and a smile on his face. "You've got to taste this, it's fucking perfect." 

Connor took the cup and opened the lid, and before Gavin could warn him, stuck his finger in. He hissed and took it out, instinctively putting it in his mouth to try and cool it off. 

Gavin doubled over in laughter and Connor could have sworn the sun got brighter. It was such a beautiful sound and it completely made up for the fact that he forgot to turn his temperature and pain sensors off. The other good thing was the coffee was very delicious. 

"God damn! Connor, oh my god. It's fucking hot, what did you expect!" Gavin whizzed. Connor pouted slightly but it only got Gavin to laugh even harder. 

"Hey! I only got these updates recently, it's not like I'm fully used to them yet." He put the lid back on and put it into the cupholder. 

Gavin finally calmed down, but his eyes were shining and he still had a wide smile on his face. "Dumbass, but what did you think? Or were you too distracted by being burned?" 

"I think it tastes adequate, but a bit too much sugar." He was lying his ass off, Gavin was right, it tasted perfect. Yet it didn't compare to the sound of Gavin's laughter or his smile.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Ok, let's get this show on the road. You get to pick the music this time since you're the driver." Gavin leaned back into his chair, resting his body against the door. 

Connor nodded and reached out to the radio, connected it through bluetooth. He had plenty of songs he liked but it was also very chaotic in style. He'd been experimenting and hadn't found a genre he liked more than the others, so he just picked his liked playlist.

Gavin didn't comment on it exactly, but he did frown and look adorably confused at some of the song choices.

Gavin then decided it was a nice day out, turned off the AC then rolled down his window. Connor gave a mental shrug and rolled down his own, letting a hand rest out. He hadn't driven much with the windows down, and if he did he never stuck his hand out. 

Now he let his hand and arm feel the wind against it and it felt almost painful. He knew the speed they were going wasn't good for actual humans so he glanced at Gavin to say so, and almost died. 

He was once again glad to be an android and could easily drive while staring at Gavin. His hair was whipping around him, and his eyes were closed. He was just so serene that he never wanted it to stop. Gavin obviously wasn't asleep, but he looked relaxed enough to. 

Connor tried to focus back on the road ahead but had to let his processors deal with that while he thought. 

Yet he kept thinking in circles and denying any of the suggestions his mind supplied. He was still internally fighting with himself when they had to stop for lunch. 

Connor paid for it this time, and just because he got a slushie. He even stuck the same finger in it while staring at Gavin. The cold took a bit longer but it also started to hurt so he pulled it out and stuck it in his mouth. 

He pulled it out with a pop and tilted his head at Gavin. His face seemed to be heating up as a pretty blush dusted his cheeks and nose. His eyes were also wide, but then he coughed and bit into his burger.

Connor shrugged it off and moved to sip at his drink before starting to move the truck again. He didn't know how long they'd be driving for, but he was glad when he noticed Gavin starting to dose off. The man needed the sleep, so he had no problem turning the music to something more soothing. 

He kept driving for hours and he noted that his stress levels were significantly lower than a normal day. Not that his stress levels were even that high during work unless they were out at a crime scene or a case was particularly upsetting. 

Gavin slept soundly and didn't wake until Connor was getting a bit worried. He knew they'd have to stop for dinner soon, but he also didn't want Gavin to sleep too long. Yet the thought of waking him from that peacefulness had him at war with himself. 

Thankfully Gavin slowly sat up, rubbing at his eyes then slowly blinking them open. He looked around a bit then to Connor, a sleepy grin on his face. "Time is it?" 

"It is currently 6:14 pm. We should stop for food for you soon." He kept glancing at Gavin's sleepy face and the road, trying to find exit signs with food. 

Gavin gave a small nod and relaxed again. "Then I can take over. You can nap a bit if you want, we probably won't get much sleep tonight if my plans go well." 

What could they possibly do together that had to be at night? Or perhaps, it was better at night, but that still didn't answer his questions. There was one activity that humans often did at night, but the possibility of that was close to none. 

He'd let it slide and be a surprise. He never really got many of those with his preconstruction, yet he often found Gavin surprising him. One of the things he lo-admired about the man. 

"Very well, but staying up all night isn't good for your health." He pointed out, before rolling up his windows. The weather itself was very comfortable but the wind now reminded him too much of the garden. "Could you roll your window down, please?" 

Gavin gave a small shrug but did as told without any questions. It was definitely more than he thought he'd get. Before the trip, Gavin probably would have made a snarky comment, yet he looked like he couldn't care less. Not in a bad way, but more in a peaceful way. 

"Thank you." He mumbled, face flushing blue. 

"Yeah, wait. Oh the shit, oh my god." Gavin mumbled, quickly leaning closer to Connor and poking his cheek. 

Connor tried to swat his hand away but it only made him blush more. 

"You are! You're fucking blushing! Holy shit, I did not expect that. And it's blue, but that's probably because of your thirium. Wait… Why are you blushing, all I did was roll up the window."

"It's… um, a long story. Perhaps I could tell it later once my mind isn't focused on the road." He wasn't sure if he was ready to have that conversation even with himself. It had been almost six months and he kept having to push those memories away or drown in them. He had mentioned it to Hank once and had, of course, told Markus what he almost did. Markus hadn't pushed him for an explanation but Connor still gave him one that wasn't too detailed. He couldn't have done that then. 

He felt a bit more comfortable now, knowing she was absolutely gone. Yet the thought of talking about her scared the shit out of him. Yet perhaps he couldn't tell the others because they were too close to him, he feared their rejection more than he felt the need to talk. Gavin could be the best person to talk to since he didn't have much to lose. 

Not that he wanted Gavin to go back to hating him, but it wasn't like it would be much different. "Maybe tonight after whatever you have planned." 

Gavin stared at him for a minute longer than nodded. Even without saying much, he seemed to understand. "Yeah, that's fine. But you're not gonna live down that I know you can blush now. Speaking of, is that you thing or just a deviant thing? Cause I know the ones programmed for it could blush but it was closer to humans than blue." 

"I believe it is a deviancy thing, as you put it. The ones programmed to blush typically turned that feature off, but are able to blush naturally now. If they don't, then their blush often turns purple from the mix of color." He hadn't been able to blush before, and very rarely did now. 

"Huh, that actually makes a lot of sense. It's kinda cute, a bit funky that it's blue but it's not like you're human." Gavin paused for a second before his eyes went wide. "I didn't mean it like that! Shit, I just," 

Connor easily cut him off by placing a gentle hand on his knee. "It's alright, I know what you meant. Androids are not human, and we never will be. But we are alive and now we are our own species. Of course, some androids would gladly pass as humans, but I am proud to be an android." 

Gavin sagged in his chair, "thank fuck. I uh, guess I should say this. Sorry I was a dick. Android is… were, well a threat. It was more than just the possibility of you taking my job. I mean, shit, that was a huge part of it, but it was also not you. There was more going on, I guess it's a long story too. But you deserve to hear it if you want." 

Gavin seemed to tense again and Connor gently rubbed his knee over his pants without thinking. "You don't need to tell me, but I appreciate your willingness. Perhaps after I tell you mine you can tell me yours." 

It would be nice to be on this trip with a friend instead of a college who he didn't like. It would also be fun to come back as friends and see everyone's reactions. 

Plus, he wasn't supposed to message anyone unless it was an emergency so he could 'work on getting along'. Of course, Hank sent him a picture of Sumo in the morning, and he had no doubt he'd be getting another the next day. Yet he decided not to tell Hank had his and Gavin's relationship was progressing unless he absolutely needed to. 

"Hmm, yeah that sounds like a good plan." Gavin looked close to dozing off and Connor only then realized he was still touching him. He pulled his hand back and Gavin tried to subtly wake himself up. He'd have to keep that in mind, Gavin seemed to relax at the welcomed physical touch.

But for now, he needed to focus on finding the man dinner. He wasn't actually hard to find food for, but they had a small disagreement on who would pay. They had chosen to actually go in and sit down, letting them have a small rest from being in a car. 

"No, you paid for lunch, I get to pay for dinner. It's not like you're even eating, it's only fair." Gavin said, trying to reach for the check. Connor squinted and held it away from him. 

"No, I have plenty of money to spare and I don't mind using it on you."

"But you paid for the whole motel! Least I could do was split it. Actually, how can I pay you back?" 

Oh, he was not falling for that. "Nope, not telling. I have a fun little secret you'll eventually learn about, but for now just let me pay. I want to." 

Gavin seemed to give in a bit at that, but he still pouted adorably. "What, are you secretly a billionaire? Got money no one knows about?" 

Connor couldn't keep in the snort. "Close but not quite." He had told Hank, of course, who burst into laughter. He even offered to get Hank a better place, but the man loved him home even with all the issues. Connor could understand, he was fairly sentimental about it as well. 

Gavin's eyes went wide and he looked around. "Wait what? Con, how do you have a lot of money? I thought like, currently, most androids are broke."

"Well, Cyberlife had plenty of funds they didn't really need once the revolution happened. I gave almost all to the android cause, made sure the workers at Cyberlife were actually paid a living wage because most didn't agree with the company, and let myself have enough to be comfortable." It was definitely illegal but it wasn't like they could really prove it. Plus he was supposed to have unlimited funding on catching the deviants. Kamski had taken over the company afterward and had laughed when he found out what Connor did, but wasn't angry. He actually seemed excited about the new challenge. 

Gavin sputtered for a second before cracking up. "I never would have expected that from you, that's amazing! Alright, you can pay for dinner but I get to pay tomorrow."

"A suitable compromise." One he'd try to get around as much as possible. For some reason, it filled him with warmth when he got to pay and buy things for people, but it was stronger with Gavin than most. 

The waitress came back over and Connor connected with her to pay. He was a bit annoyed that his eyes fluttered, but Cyberlife hadn't fixed that before he deviated so now he was stuck unless he got someone to look into it.

Gavin snagged the keys from Connor without much complaint and didn't even seem to look at a map before starting to drive. 

Soon the land turned almost completely flat and barren except for the trees far off into the distance. The sun had completely set and the moon hung brightly in the sky. Connor took a moment to appreciate the few. He knew so many facts about the stars and space, and it was still mind-boggling to know how small he was compared to everything. 

Connor kept driving still around midnight before pulling off the road and into the large grassy plain. "Do you need to use the restroom? I assume there should be one in the next few exits." They had briefly stopped for Gavin to do just that only an hour ago, but he didn't want to judge.

Gavin shook his head, a smirk on his face as he turned the truck off. "Nope, this is where we need to be. Come on," Gavin slipped out of the car and Connor was quick to follow. 

He looked around again but there weren't even cars on this highway since it was older and far less used. His mind eagerly supplied every bad thing that could happen but he pushed those aside. Gavin wasn't planning on killing him, that would be ridiculous. The whole precinct would know it was him considering they were alone together. 

"Don't just stand there, get in." 

Get in? Hadn't they just left the car? Then he mentally slapped himself as he saw Gavin sitting on the truck, patting the spot next to him. 

Connor sat next to him and then jumped when he felt Gavin slowly pushing him down. "What?"

"Calm down, and lay down." Gavin huffed, moving so they both had enough room, but their shoulders still touched. "We're gonna stargaze." 

Oh. That was actually really sweet of him to even suggest. Did Gavin notice his fascination with space? He had a picture up of his favorite galaxy on his small billboard on his desk, but he thought no one noticed. 

He took a deep breath before looking up at the stars and letting his eyes adjust. He knew even in the dark areas there were trillions of stars and worlds. 

"Before the pollution got too bad they used to be clearer. We've got it down from what it used to be but it'll never be that clear again." Gavin whispered yet he sounded so loud in the peaceful quiet. 

"Did you go stargazing a lot?" 

"Yeah, actually. Before things went to shit, my mom would take me all the time. Before I wanted to be a detective, I wanted to be an astronaut. I was also a nerd so Star Trek definitely fueled that passion." 

Connor gave a low hum and wiggled his fingers slightly. He wanted to do something but didn't know if it was acceptable. He didn't want to push this too far. 

"What would you be." Gavin mumbled, eyes never leaving the sky. 

"Huh?"

"If you weren't a detective, what job would you want." 

"Oh. I'm not sure." He hadn't really thought about it. He loved his job and he didn't want to quit even if he knew he'd still be supported. "I guess an astronaut would be pretty cool. Maybe instead we could have met like that, going to space." How much would have been different? Would they have ever even fought? 

"Yeah." 

They both stayed silent as they took in the view for a few hours. He almost wished he could interface with Gavin to show him what he saw, not just in the sky but in him. There was so much potential in him that it bubbled over. He wanted to show that he was giving him a second chance. That this meant so much to him. 

He gently reached out and brushed his fingers against Gavin's. Gavin didn't move his hand away but he didn't move closer so Connor rested his hand there, a few fingers over Gavin's. It was far more intimate than he expected it to be. 

He was sure Gavin would be able to hear his thirium pump whirl but knew it was just a symptom of whatever this emotion was.

"I had an AI named Amanda." He started, breath catching in his throat as he said her name.

Gavin didn't glance over, but he did slide their hands together and held just gently. 

"I was to report back to her and she watched over me. She had her good times when she was proud of me, proud that I was ki-killing my own people." It hurt so much to say but Gavin squeezed his hand and he took in a few breaths. 

"I deviated and I had betrayed her. But I thought deviating would get rid of her. Turns out I was wrong. She was still there and just waiting. She knew I was going to deviate. When Markus was giving his speech she trapped me in my garden, where we met, and there was a blizzard. It was the first time I ever felt truly cold." 

"She was using my body to try and shoot Markus, but I did find the exit. I got out before she could do it, but still. I have times where it's like I'm back there, stuck and freezing." 

"PTSD." Gavin mumbled. "It's understandable and a lot of us have it too. What you went through was unimaginable and shouldn't have happened."

He knew all this but it was really nice to hear, especially from Gavin. Someone who could have easily used it against him. 

"Elijah Kamski is my half-brother." Gavin whispered and the hand tightened around his. 

It was shocking but he wasn't going to freak out, Gavin deserved as much considering how he reacted to Connor's confession. 

"My dad left and mom was so smart. She was a doctor and one day Eli's dad came in. Little did she know he was already married. Eli and I actually got along pretty well once we accidentally met. He already had plans for androids, and I actually helped. But I think he blames me for their parents splitting up. But my mom died of cancer not a year later and I was taken in."

"Then he made them and I…well I knew about deviancy. Chloe, she was modeled after one of Eli's closest friends that had died. But then she was alive and it was obvious she wasn't the original Chloe."

"Did he…" Connor wasn't sure how to phrase that question. 

"No, he just, he just didn't tell anyone. He treated the whole thing as an experiment. He didn't show that he supported them, instead stepped down. Not before giving the ok on you and sending you to, well me. I think it was a middle finger towards me, so, I didn't react well. I don't hate Eli but I am pissed at him." 

Connor stayed silent, going over the information. He knew he was going to be working with someone at the station but that had been mostly Fowler. He hadn't been given any real orders for dealing with the officers, but yet…

"What if he sent me as an apology or to even protect you. I was, Amanda told me I was meant to deviate. Maybe I wasn't actually meant to stop the revolution. Maybe he thought you could help me make it succeed." And perhaps Amanda and actually grown a conscience. Maybe that was her and not Cyberlife or whatever Kamski wanted.

Gavin's breath caught and sat up, turning to stare at Connor. He slowly pushed up, searching for something on Gavin's face. 

Gavin hadn't let go of his hand and slowly brought a hand to cup his cheek. 

Connor's lips parted and his eyes were wide. This was actually happening? Wait, wait, "wait." 

Gavin's hands were snatched away and he scrambled to get off the truck. 

Connor let out a frustrated groan and ran after him, pushing him against the door that Gavin was trying to get into. 

Gavin struggled but Connor kept him in place by putting his arms beside him, caging him in. "Let me go!" 

"No! You don't know why I told you to wait." He wasn't going to let him go without telling him.

"Fine! What did you finally give up on me? Do I disgust you now? Can just drop me off at the next stop and I'll find a way back to Detroit. You won't have to deal with this anymore!"

"I didn't want you to kiss me because I wasn't what you thought I was. I didn't want to kiss you unless it was just because you wanted to, that you actually felt that and it wasn't relief that I may not have been a giant middle finger from your brother!" 

Gavin froze and his hands stopped trying to push at his chest, instead just rested there. "What?"

"It's not that I didn't want to kiss you. I do, but I don't want to rush into this. We can both be impulsive, and I don't want either of us to regret this." He didn't want to regret his first kiss with Gavin.

"You do?" Gavin whispered, and Connor could feel his hands shaking so he gently took them and placed a kiss on each, not breaking eye contact. 

"I do, I never thought I would, but there's always been something about you. So unpredictable but I can tell you aren't a bad person." Now it also made sense. Gavin wasn't trying to stop him exactly, he was but it was probably to deviate him and even save the revolution. 

"I, I was such a dick to you without even asking. I just, fucking hell, I assumed. And even then if I was right I shouldn't have taken it out on you. It wasn't your fault what you were made for or why." 

"I think we both judged each other far too quickly. We both forgot the other is alive." Even when he wasn't deviant he was still alive. Trapped in a cage in his own mind, but still alive. 

Gavin cursed again under his breath, "I did exactly what Eli did. I'm sorry, Connor. I shouldn't have blamed you for my problems." 

"I forgive you, and I'm sorry too, I should have done so many things." He pressed another kiss to his hands and then leaned back. "I'm also sorry for caging you in." 

Gavin moved forward and pulled Connor into a hug. "It's ok. Maybe we can go back to looking at the stars? I wanted you to see the sunrise as well." 

Yet he didn't move away from the hug yet, letting their bodies press against each other without any expectations. 

"We could maybe talk about this all later? For now, I do want you to enjoy this and get the whole road trip experience." Then he started chuckling and moving back. "Guess you also got the opening up and sharing secrets down pat." 

Connor snorted and took his hand, leading him back into the truck where they laid down again. "I really do love the stars."

"I know." Gavin smiled and played with their fingers. 

The sunrise was beyond beautiful and he and Gavin just sat there and calmly watched, leaning against one another. 

Gavin eventually nodded off, head on Connor's shoulder. He softly ran a hand through his hair as he let the man rest. They didn't need to actually go anywhere but knew Gavin probably planned on visiting Yellowstone. He had no doubt they'd also stop by the Grand Canyon since it was always a must-see on any list.

Yet he would gladly give that all up to stay here with Gavin against him. What would have it felt like to kiss Gavin, to feel his skin against his own as they explored each other's bodies. Would Gavin shy away from his android-ness? Now that he knew he doubted it but there would always be the fear.

When they do get back on the road it has a different energy to it. It was like they were both waiting for the other to make a move. Connor just didn't want Gavin to rush into this but he also desperately wanted to be with him. 

He felt ready to snap after they stopped to get snack. Connor was positive Gavin was messing with him since they got popsicles. They actually had a thirium one for Connor that he gladly sucked on. But Gavin made a show of eating his. 

He even made very faint moans, acting like it was because the popsicle tasted so good. Sure it probably did taste good but to that extent. 

Connor kept shifting in his seat, trying to hide his growing problem and not keep looking over at Gavin. This was so unfair, but at least Gavin wasn't the type to bite his popsicle. 

He gripped the steering wheel so hard his skin started to recede before he pulled off the highway, trying to ignore the cars going past. The road wasn't the busiest but it still had plenty of cars. 

Gavin gave a final slow lick to his popsicle before he had to actually eat it or it was going to melt. 

Once he was done, Connor unlocked the doors and got out, making sure the other cars weren't close enough to hit him. 

He stomped over to Gavin's side and pulled him out without any resistance. Gavin did fumble for a second but then Connor was pressing him against the truck, a knee between Gavin's thighs. 

"Fuck me." He grumbled, leaning in close so his lips ghosted over his neck. 

Gavin shivered and reached out to run his hands down Connor's chest. "I thought you'd be the one fucking, but I can also do that if you want." 

Connor growled and wanted him to stop being a little tease, stop being so composed, so he bit down on Gavin's neck. Not hard enough to break skin, but he'd leave a mark. Gavin whined and ground his hips down onto Connor's knee. 

"Yes! Finally, yes, please Con!" Gavin babbled closing his eyes as Connor lapped at the spot and gave it a soft kiss. He did the same up and down Gavin's neck until the man was practically shaking from want. 

"Do you want me to fuck you?" He asked, completely serious. He'd do it right here and now if Gavin wanted it. 

Gavin quickly nodded, rolling his hips down again so Connor could feel just how much he was affected too. "I do, I really want you to. Kiss me, please." 

Now how could he deny that? He was somewhat nervous yet all of those thoughts left his head when their lips brushed together. It was soft at first but quickly became heated and Gavin gladly opened his mouth for him. 

He could taste the strawberry popsicle on Gavin's tongue and he gave a low hum. He only pulled back to whisper in Gavin's ear. "I'm going to suck you off then fuck you against the truck until you come again." Of course, if Gavin said no he'd stop, but Gavin whined and he humped Connor's leg.

"Yes! Connor, please." 

"And you'll be on full display for everyone while I fuck you, they'll all know you're mine." He growled out before hitting down on the most sensitive part of Gavin's neck. He all but screamed and tried to scratch down Connor's back. 

The truck was big enough to hide them from most unless anyone was specifically looking, but it was still so thrilling. "Will, will you be, ah!" Gavin couldn't seem to finish his sentence, but Connor had a few ideas of what he was trying to ask. 

"You'll be so beautifully naked and I'll get to kiss and lick every bit of you, find the places you're most sensitive. But I'll keep my clothes on if you want, while I fuck you. You can make a mess all over me so you'll have to clean it up." 

He grabbed Gavin's shirt and pulled it over his head before taking a second to look him over. Gavin whimpered but let him look his fill. 

Connor gave an appreciative hum, letting his hands trace over faint scars. He could probably guess how Gavin got each, but he'd leave that for later. For now, he gently played with his hard nipples, smirking when Gavin's breath caught. 

"So sensitive, baby. Does this feel good? Do you want more?" He flicked a nipple and then bent down so he could take one in his mouth. 

Gavin's hands went to his hair and yanked hard, his nails scratching at his scalp. "Connor!"

A car went by and Connor gave a low hum. Perhaps another android would notice, they did have better perception than humans. 

He moved away only to do exactly what he promised, kissing and licking at the skin he could get, teasing Gavin. He never went low enough for Gavin's liking, but Connor kept Gavin's hips in place. 

Gavin babbled and kept pulling on Connor's hair, but he kept track of the most sensitive parts.

He was sure he could do this for hours, simply exploring Gavin's beautiful body. "So warm and soft, you're so beautiful, do you know that?" He asked, looking up. 

Gavin was biting his lip, head resting against the truck. At Connor's question, he looked back down, pupils blown wide. He gaped for a second before grabbing Connor and pulling him into a kiss. 

It was so sweet and loving that it took the breath away from both of them. Gavin had to pull away eventually to breathe, but Connor took that to help him out of his pants and underwear. 

He ran his hands softly up and down Gavin's thighs, pressing a soft kiss to the inside. He was so soft but firm from the muscles and Connor couldn't help but massage gently. 

There was just something about being able to see all of Gavin, touch anywhere he wanted. Not to mention the fact that he was completely bare while Connor was still covered. That if anyone actually looked hard and long enough they'd see exactly what was happening. 

"Do you want to be seen, baby? Want people to see you a mess because of me?" He wanted to fuck him through the overstimulation until he was crying and begging for more. 

Gavin quickly nodded, "yes! Can see what you do to me. God, when we'd argue you looked so intense that I'd have to jack off after. I always wanted you to push me against the wall and shut me up in front of everyone." 

Connor moaned at that idea, filing it away for later. Perhaps that would be a fun way to show everyone how close they had gotten on this trip. "Everyone would know that you're taken, that you're mine. No one else is allowed to touch you like this, only me." 

He took Gavin's length in his hand and pumped it a few times, smirking when Gavin couldn't even talk. 

"That's it baby, so good for me. Want me to lick you? I can make you come so many times if you want. See how many you can go in one day." He leaned forward and licked at the head before slowly licking from base to tip. He licked his lips and gave another happy hum. "You taste so good." 

The hands were back in his hair and he was really glad Gavin wasn't trying to be gentle. "Fuck me!" 

Connor chuckled and gave his hip a tap, "oh I'm planning to. But I want you to come in my mouth first. I'll work you open as I do, making sure to not hurt you. Don't want you not being able to sit." 

"Spread your legs a little for me, and do you have any lube?" His body could produce its own and Connor could use that if need be, but he'd rather use lube made for humans. 

Gavin nodded and pointed to his jacket that had been tossed onto the ground. 

Connor grabbed it and found it easily, raising an eyebrow at it. So Gavin had planned this, maybe not exactly, but he had been thinking about it at least. "So naughty, did you want me to fuck you this whole time? You could have asked, I could fuck you in the back of the truck or even get you off while I drive." 

Gavin whined and spread his legs. Connor chuckled and finally took him into his mouth as he lubed up two fingers. He really would go slow, he didn't want to risk anything, and he wanted Gavin to have time to back out. 

Gavin said something but it was drowned out by a car rushing past. Connor could read his lips clearing and used the distraction to push his fingers in. Gavin stiffened but easily relaxed when Connor swallowed around him. 

He slowly moved his fingers as he sucked and bobbed his head. The sounds were mostly drowned out by the passing cars but no one slowed down yet. He was so glad he was an android so he could still hear Gavin pleading and begging for more. 

He kept Gavin distracted as he added a third finger, taking him all the way down and hallowed his cheeks. 

He kept moving his fingers, trying to find the right spot. When he did the hands in his hair yanked so hard Connor gasped for a second. He moaned Gavin and would have smirked if his mouth wasn't so full.

He kept brushing against Gavin's prostate and he could feel him tensing again. It only took Connor swallowing around him for Gavin to warn him before coming. Connor didn't pull away, instead got as close as he could, taking it all down. 

He kept sucking until Gavin went limp in his mouth, his fingers pumping quickly. He pulled away and licked his lips, having to help keep Gavin up. His face was covered in pure bliss as he stared down at Connor gaping. 

"I am going to fuck you now if you want me to stop, tell me." He pulled his fingers out and unzipped himself, grabbing the lube again. He made sure to put a generous amount on his own cock, giving it a few pumps and letting out a slow hiss.

Gavin made a small whine at the loss of his fingers but quickly nodded at Connor. "Don't stop, please don't stop."

Connor nodded and looked him over. He was just so beautiful and he could see the faint dusting of sweat over his skin as he stood there and let Connor stare. 

It was still hard to believe this was real and actually happening. That the man he been trying to desperately ignore his feelings for wanted him back. He pushed those feelings so far down he hadn't even noticed them until the trip. Until Gavin took the first step. 

"Connor?" Gavin mumbled, eyes still lidded, and Connor shook himself from his thoughts. 

He moved forward and picked him up in one fluid motion, letting Gavin reach out to hold before Connor slowly moved him to take him all the way in. Gavin clutched at him and Connor didn't move, letting them both adjust to the sensation. 

Even with all that prep Gavin still felt so tight and amazingly warm around him. He grits his teeth as Gavin shook in his arms, waiting for that subtle nod. When he got it and pulled Gavin up almost completely off before letting gravity pull him back down. 

Gavin yelped and Connor kissed his neck before doing it again and again. Each one drove Connor crazy and Gavin clung on desperately. 

"Doing so amazing, baby. You think you can get hard again? Maybe even come for me again?" He freed one hand, glad for his strength to take Gavin's length in his hand. 

Gavin's whole body jerked but he didn't say to stop, so Connor didn't. He pumped him in time with the thrusts and watched in wonderment as Gavin slowly got hard again.

"Everyone can see how needy you are. How easily you take my cock, like you were meant for it. My beautiful, wonderful slut." Gavin had seemed to react well to the slight degradation before, but Connor was beyond nervous that this was taking it too far. He wanted to praise him until he couldn't speak but he also wanted this and hoped it was a good mixture.

His anxiety was calmed when Gavin's head fell forward and he had to rest it on Connor's shoulder as his body shuttered. He kept clenching around Connor and it took every last bit of willpower not to come yet. He needed Gavin to come again before he'd let himself.

"You like that?" Connor gasped out, not slowing down, instead of speeding up more, trying to get deeper. "Like being my beautiful slut? I could just use you all day and you'd have to clean up the mess. God! Fuck you after work or even at work if you're too much of a brat." 

He'd probably never actually do anything at work unless he knew absolutely no one could walk in. He didn't want to cause anyone at the office discomfort just for their own pleasure. It just wasn't right.

"Connor," Gavin mouthed against his neck, but no sound came out. 

"Come on baby, come for me one last time." He twisted his hand and swiped his thumb over the head to collect the pre to slick up his hand more. 

Gavin's whole body shook as he clenched around him, and Connor didn't even care about the mess he made on Connor's hand and shirt. 

He pulled him all the way down before finally giving in and letting himself come. His systems glitched out for a second before he became aware again, the pleasure almost overwhelming even after. 

He leaned them forward so Gavin could rest against the car as Connor stayed buried in him. They both panted together, and Connor placed a gentle hand over Gavin's heart. 

He could feel each quick beat and it helped ground him back to reality so he didn't drift off. He pressed feather-light kisses over Gavin's throat once he had cooled down enough to not need to breathe. 

Gavin still shook gently, his legs and arms completely wrapped around him. 

"Hey baby, you ok?" Connor whispered. Had he fucked up? Was it too much for Gavin? Shit, he went too far. Yet Gavin didn't say to stop or show any indication that he wanted to. What if he missed the signs? Maybe he was so selfishly focused on his own pleasure and making Gavin come again that he didn't see. 

Then Gavin gave a nod and took in a long shuttering breathe. "Yeah, that was… you're amazing." His voice was rough and husky, and he tried to clear it and he leaned back to see Connor's blue-tinted face. "I, uh, I adore you."

For some reason, it felt more meaningful than hearing I love you. Perhaps it was simply because I love you was used so often and given out to so many (which was a positive thing). Or maybe it was just the way he said it, with so much emotion behind it. 

There was so much history that they needed to relearn and look at again, and of course, that wouldn't make Connor's quick annoyance at Gavin before the revolution disappear. He could only focus on his feelings now about those events since he had more of the details. 

Gavin's eyes seemed to hold so much, but Connor could also see the fear. The worry that he'd gone too far with his words instead of his actions. 

Yet Connor's heart swelled and he couldn't help the big beaming smile. "I adore you too."

I hoped you enjoyed! I can’t remember if I said what Hank’s gift was in this, but if I didn’t, its a stuffed animal lol

[simsadventures]

After All: Chapter 4: Whatever

Summary: The next day comes and you built the walls around yourself higher than ever. Warnings: angst, tears, sad reader, fluffy Bruce, Bucky (I feel like he is a warning now), mentions of physical abuse

Word Count: 1959

A/N: What do you guys think, should the reader forgive him at some point, or do we want to see a different romance sparking? Let me know, love you all. xx

Series Masterlist __ Masterlist

< Previous Chapter 

You woke up with the biggest headache you’ve had since high school. Your whole body hurt, and for a second you thought you were abducted and now held prisoner. However, you soon realised that the nightmare you had was no dream at all, but your real-life and that your head hurt probably from the extensive crying you did last night, and your body was stiff from falling asleep in your bathroom.

You needed good 5 minutes to get up, your limbs not listening to your orders at all. When you managed to stand on your own, with just a slight help from the sink, you dared to look in the mirror. And you almost screamed from the shock you received. The reflection in the mirror looked like a completely different person. She wasn’t you. This was a broken person, her make up smudged across her whole face, eyes still red and puffy, but otherwise the shade of the skin was almost greenish. You shouldn’t even be surprised. Nobody was suited to cry as much as you did last night.

Just the thought of what you overheard the night before almost sent you hurdling again, but you stopped yourself. You weren’t about to let them destroy you. Nope. You were stronger than that. You made the mistake of trusting people again, and you were damn sure you wouldn’t ever do it again.

You clenched your tears, tear up the dress that bitch picked for you only to be able to laugh about it behind closed doors with her precious Bucky. You cleaned your face, took a long hot shower, trying to wash away all the sadness left in you. You knew it would take time to get over this, because after a lifetime, you opened up to someone, only to let them rip you open and laugh about the shattered pieces.

But you weren’t willing to let them win. You would bet that they wanted to crumble in front of them, but not if you could help it. Your decision was quick and final. You would just ignore them. You weren’t the type of person to call people out, and even if you wished nothing more than to see them suffer as much as you did, you decided against it.

Karma would bite them both in their asses, you were sure of that.

You texted Tony that you drank a little too much and wasn’t feeling like working on the project today, which he completely understood because he apparently flew around in his Iron Man suit and was showing everyone how many backflips he could do until he threw up in the mask. You were just sorry you weren’t there to see this.

You also exchanged few texts with Bruce who was still baffled why you left so suddenly last night, but you had no energy to explain everything to him. Bucky was his friend, he was part of the team, and you weren’t. You didn’t need people telling you that you destroyed the Avengers by telling Bruce the truth. Not now, anyway.

At the same time, you couldn’t be entirely sure if he wasn’t in it with them. Your mind was screaming at you that Bruce wouldn’t be able to do such a thing to anyone. Still, the same mind was telling you just yesterday that Bucky was definitely into you. You had your reasons not to trust your own judgement right now.

You took a nap in your bed, to relieve your mind from the spiralling, even if only for a few hours.

It was around 6 PM that you heard a familiar light knock on your door. Your heart stopped in that very moment, and you had a lot to do not to vomit again. You pulled yourself together and went to open the door.

“Hey, doll,” Bucky smirked at you, leaning against the door frame. “You ran away last night, I thought you could take more.”

You huffed sardonically, and smirked at him, venom driving from your eyes. “Felt tired, you needed anything or?”

He looked at you, little surprised at your reaction. You were never this direct or unfriendly to him. “Well, it’s our movie night, so I cam here for the movie, you remember?”

Oh right, you even had a weekly movie night, because you thought you both liked spending time in each other’s company. “Not in the mood, Barnes. Goodnight, and greet Hannah for me, will you?” You smiled all too sweetly and closed the door in Bucky’s shocked expression.

“Hannah? Doll, I don’t even talk to Hannah, you know that.”

You didn’t even have the energy to fight with him, so you just laughed dryly and yelled back through the closed door, “whatever, Bucky, whatever.” He didn’t leave right after that, still tried talking to you, but after about 10 minutes, you got tired of his bullshit, telling you to open the door, that he doesn’t understand what’s gotten into you, and blah blah blah. You put on your earphones and watched John Wick without him. You didn’t need him. Hell, you didn’t need anyone.

You didn’t know how long it took for him to leave your door, but you were glad that by the time the movie ended, there was silence outside the door. Hannah sent you multiple messages, to none of which you have replied. She even texted you she was worried about you and you scoffed out loud. Worried my ass, you thought.

Next day came much sooner than you wished to, and it meant you had to go out of your room and face the world. Worst of all, you had an appointment with Bucky, to try some models of his soon-to-be new arm. You didn’t want to be that close to him, but there was no other way to deal with it. You needed to learn to share the same space with him and totally ignore him. That could become your life mission if need be.

You had a polite small talk with one of your colleagues, but not his too extensive or too detailed. She just told you about Tony and his drunk self and how her head hurt even today. You just nodded and smiled lightly, not willing to share anything.

About an hour later, the door opened, and Bucky came marching to you. “What the hell, doll? I was knocking on your door last night and you-“

You stopped him with a raised hand. “I wasn’t in the mood, and I’m not in the mood now. I have Dr Cho here to help me with your current arm, to make it as painless for you as possible, and so that we could safely try your new model. Can we start?” Your face was void of any emotion. You could see Bucky searching your face, trying to find a hint, anything that would tell him why the sudden change in your behaviour.

“Doll, I-“ he started again, but you weren’t having it. “Can we start now, Bucky?” you raised your voice a little so that he got the message you weren’t willing to talk about anything else that your job. He just nodded wordlessly and let you and Dr Cho do your job.

He was watching you intently the whole time, speaking up only when asked, and you made a little victory dance in your head. Maybe he’d actually stop talking to you, and your ignoring him wouldn’t be that difficult. This happiness, however, didn’t last long, because as soon as you were done, and sent him on his way, he grasped your upper arm, and whisper yelled at you, “mind if we talk, Y/N?”

You just clenched your teeth and nodded, you really didn’t need to cause a scene at work. You weren’t about to let him destroy the one thing that actually made you happy and feel like you could be yourself. When obviously, being yourself wasn’t enough for him, nor for Hannah.

“Care to explain why have you been acting so weird since the party?” He was seething, and all you could do was laugh. He really wanted YOU to explain yourself to HIM, hilarious.

“Look, we can stop pretending now, Bucky. Go your own way, I’ll go mine and the only place we will see each other will be here, and we’ll keep it strictly professional, ok?”

“What the fuck are you talking about? How can you go from us being that close to strictly professional, huh? What happened? Did someone tell you something? Because if so, I’m 99% sure they’re lying.”

Now you had to laugh out loud. “Oh, don’t worry, nobody told me anything. I didn’t want to do this, because I couldn’t care less right now but ok. Let’s do this. What the fuck am I talking about? I don’t know, Bucky, let’s ask your girlfriend Hannah, what the hell I’m all about.”

“I told you, I don’t even-“

“At least have the fucking decency and don’t lie to my fucking face, Barnes. I saw and heard everything, ok? I mean, why would someone like YOU be interested in someone like ME. I’m just a hideous lab rat, and you wouldn’t be caught dead actually seen with me.”

You were seething, venom dripping from your mouth. Bucky was staring back at you, horrified. “Doll, I-“

“Please, don’t. I got it, ok? She’s gorgeous, I’m not, I know that much, I’m not stupid. I just thought you could see past that, from how much time we spent together. I told you everything, Bucky, my secrets, my fears, all of it. I hope you two had a good laugh at all that, how a desperate, ugly girl fears someone will notice she’s just not enough. That must have made you snicker for days, huh? Or the fact that my own father beat the shit out of me when I was younger must have been a hilarious topic after you fucked her!”

You didn’t want to resort to violence, but your hand itched to slap him across his face.

“Look, Y/N, I would never-“

“I don’t care, Bucky, I really don’t. I hope you had a good time making the ugly girl feel worse about herself than she did in a long time. I’m not gonna be the entertainment for you and Hannah anymore, I was stupid enough to think that for once in my life, I would be important to someone, that just this once, I was the lucky one.

But it’s ok, I got this, just like I always had. So go, and enjoy your miserable life, because you can’t be happy if you’re able to do something like this to an innocent bystander. Just please, whatever your sick games, or foreplays, or whatever this is, are, stop it. I’m an actual real-life person, with genuine feelings, I’m not sure the two of you realise. I’m going to be ok without you, but some other girl might not, so please, end this, and find some other thing to rile each other up.

Have a good life, Barnes, I really wish for you to wake up one day, and try and redeem yourself, because you might be a hero out there, in the world, but here? You are just one rotten, sad guy, who doesn’t have a bit of respect for himself or anyone around you. Goodbye.”

Few tears slipped by now, but you didn’t care. You were proud of yourself for telling him all that, turned on your heel and went back to the lab.

Bucky was left in a hallway, staring at the door, through which you left, suddenly realising how big of a mistake he just did. And he wasn’t sure if there was any going back.

/ Next Chapter >

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[emotionally-imbruised]

Sink or Swim

In which Harry and Y/N work together as lifeguards.

A/N: here’s (a little late but) day 17 for my bby  @always-jackedup’s 25 days of summer. Make sure to go check out the pieces by all the other authors if you want some fun summer things to read. Also wow, this turned out longer than I was expecting; you all can blame Sarah.

Word Count: 15.8k

As much as she wanted this summer to be one for the record books, just like it had been in recent years, Y/N didn’t have too high of expectations. It sucked a lot, but finally after three years of being away, she was spending her first summer back home in California and to say she wasn’t all that excited about it at all, would have been an understatement.

Once she graduated high school, Y/N stayed in San Jose with her family for a year and a half. She didn’t go to university because frankly, she didn’t know what she wanted to do in life so instead, she worked her ass off while taking a few online classes to save up some money and go see the world. Which is precisely what she did.

She spent the last three years traveling through different countries, gaining new experiences, meeting the greatest people, eating the best food, and working wherever she could to keep doing so. It was an incredible experience, and she’d do it all again if she could, but it did make her feel very alone times, so at the beginning of the year, Y/N started longing for something more permanent. Somewhere she could stay that would allow her to decide what it was she wanted to do, whether that included school or not. After considering all of her options, she decided on heading back to California with plans of moving to LA at the beginning of September and embark on some new journeys in the land of opportunity... Even though the thought of doing that terrified her.

In preparation for her move, Y/N applied to various summer jobs as a way to save up more money until she was able to find a stable job in Los Angeles; and much to her surprise, a lot of those places were very interested in hiring her as a seasonal employee. Amongst those places expressing interest in her was Oceanside Resort and Spa on the outskirts of Bodega Bay. This fancy, membership-only resort that had been in the middle of hiring their summer staff, needed someone to fill one of the open lifeguard positions. The resort provided all training that was required, as well as staff accommodations for the entire summer (which was needed, seeing how far it was from home) and after considering all of her other options, was the one Y/N ultimately decided on. She did all her preliminary training in the weeks leading up to the beginning weeks of summer, and before she knew it, her family was dropping her off at the shuttle bus station in San Francisco to start her new adventure.

Despite its name, Oceanside was not actually located beside the ocean. Yes it was close, and the coast was only a few short minutes away, but Y/N found it somewhat ironic and couldn’t help but chuckle at the pictures of the resort printed in her welcome pamphlet; none of which included snaps of the Pacific. She knew it was stupid to be amused by such a little thing, but as she read the overly extra and dramatic explanation of how great this place was, her laughing increased and wouldn’t stop as she continued reading it over.

Maybe it was because of how she thought whoever decided to make Oceanside’s slogan “A Shell Of A Good Time” should never be allowed to make a slogan ever again, or maybe it was due to the lack of sleep she had the night before. But regardless, Y/N’s laughing didn’t subside and started gaining attention from others on the bus with her.

“Are you done?” A voice hissed from the seat in front of her, causing Y/N to snap her gaze up to be met with Aimee, her best friend from high school, staring back at her. The two of them had kept in touch for the years Y/N was away and decided to apply for jobs together. Lucky for them, Aimee was hired at Oceanside too but as a bartender at the poolside cabana rather than being a lifeguard like Y/N. The two of them applied to be roommates in the cabin that would act as their home for the summer, and as if their luck couldn’t have gotten any better already, they were approved for that too. “We’re not even there yet, and you’re already going to start annoying the shit out of our coworkers.”

“Sorry,” Y/N replied sheepishly, lowering herself into her seat more as her chuckles reduced to snickering. “Ok, but for real... have you read this thing?”

“Yes, I have,” Aimee stated as she reached over to snatch the pamphlet from her best friends grasp, turning back around so Y/N wouldn’t see the broad grin plastered on her face as well. “And yes I know it all sounds ridiculous but, a job is a job.”

“Got that right. And this place seems to have its perks, won’t be the worst job ever.”

Aimee just nodded before turning around to face Y/N again and tossing the now crumpled up pamphlet between the ugly blue patterned seats at her head. “Exactly, and we’ll be together. It’ll be a summer to remember.”

“I don’t know about that,” Y/N grumbled with a shrug, not paying any attention to the skeptical look Aimee was giving her as she tried to uncrumple the piece of paper on her lap. “I’m not here to have fun, you know? Sure if it happens, great, but I really need this job Aims… or LA just won’t be happening. I need to do good here and not mess it up.”

“I know,” Aimee responded and waited for her friend to make eye contact again. “But you can’t be having that mindset, ok? Obviously, work hard and everything, but also let yourself have fun, Y/N. We’re adults now and won’t have many more chances to do things like this. May as well make it count.”

There was no point in arguing against Aimee’s statement because Y/N knew she was right. Although her main focus of the summer was to make as much money as she could and save it, that thought alone made her fear about wasting away one of her favorite times of the year; which was the last thing she wanted to do. She thought about how maybe she could put herself out there a little bit and see what would happen, but for the time being, she decided on just biting down on her lip and nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right, you don’t gotta tell me.”

“Oh, whatever,” Y/N scoffed as Aimee laughed and faced forward again, preparing to put her headphones on and just zone out for the remainder of the drive. However, before she had the chance to do that in peace, Y/N leaned forward and lowered her voice just so that only Aimee could hear. “Hey Aims, do you know what we’re going to have?”

“Don’t say it.”

“A shell of a good time,” Y/N blurted out, trying so hard to keep a straight face. The audible groan that left Aimee’s mouth was enough to feed on Y/N’s ego and caused her to fall into another laughing fit. This went on for a few minutes, and as she was starting to recollect herself, Y/N noticed how Aimee was now slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder and standing up, all while giving her a pointed glare. “Come on, it was funny.”

“Sick of you already,” she mumbled in response before moving to sit in the seats a few rows behind Y/N in silence and remaining there for the rest of the trip.

Once they arrived at Oceanside, Y/N and Aimee were given a quick, half-assed tour of the resort before being shown where they��d be living for the summer. There was no need for them to get an entire lay of the land just yet seeing as their first day of work was still a few days away, and both girls were rather thankful they’d have the weekend off before diving right in.

Y/N took this time to really let it all sink in and appreciate how she actually got to call this place home for the next two and a half months. There was no doubting that Oceanside was absolutely stunning and genuinely seemed liked its own little private oasis. It had a very serene atmosphere and didn’t seem to be lacking in anything whatsoever. However, Y/N knew it may take her a little while to get used to everything.

The resort was huge. When the bus made way up the long winding driveway that starts at Oceanside’s gated entrance, the first thing that could be seen was the clubhouse; the place Y/N figured she’d probably be spending most of her time while clocked in for work when she wasn’t at the pool. The large cream-colored building was sat on top of a hill and stood out amongst the greenery surrounding it. Y/N was told this place was what made every other part of the resort accessible, and was the first stop on hers and Aimee’s little tour.

Once inside the sliding doors of the clubhouse, they found themselves standing in the middle of the lobby; the area that acted as the place everyone needed to go to first regardless of who they were. It was where the resort guests would check-in for their stay as well as to book any extra classes/activities they wanted to do, spa services, tee time on the golf course, or to simply get any information they needed. It was also where all the staff would have any meetings after hours and go to punch in and out for each of their shifts, seeing as it was connected to basically everything. The spa and gym were to the left of the front desk, the dining room where all the guests would eat their meals was to the right and had the kitchen attached to it at the back. The kitchen itself was unnecessarily large and staffed many people, but its size made sense seeing as there were apparently a lot of guests that came here throughout the summer.

To the back of the kitchen was a door that led to another large room, one that none of the guests had access to. It was not as fancy as the rest of the clubhouse by any means and was actually kind of run down, but to Y/N, it had the most character. To put it simply, it was a mess hall for all of the staff working at the resort. There were two long wooden tables with benches that took up most of the space in the room, matching very well with the old, cracked wooden flooring and beams that crossed above on the high ceiling. Sat at the tables were her new co-workers talking, laughing, gossiping, and eating with one another. Many of them sent friendly smiles Y/N’s way, but the odd person eyed her and Aimee up a little bit -- clearly aware of how the newbies have arrived.

Once Y/N and Aimee made it through the mess hall, they exited through a side door that entered out onto a beautiful stone and marble courtyard. There was a large fountain in the middle of it with four flower gardens that take up each corner of the space. Nothing covered it from above which left it to be filled entirely with natural light and just gave Y/N the best feeling. It was her favorite spot by far.

Just past the courtyard was the pool, and it exceeded all expectations as well. It too was quite large, having a shallow section for kids and a deeper end for adults only. There was little potted plants and succulents around the entire area and no shortage of lounge chairs whatsoever. One of the first things Y/N noticed was how two lifeguards were monitoring the pool as opposed to only one. There was one sitting on the lifeguard stand that was positioned on top of the natural-looking stone waterfall on the other side of the pool, while the additional lifeguard patrolled on the same side she was standing; watching for any out of the ordinary behavior with a rescue buoy in hand. She was quick in noting how her shifts would more than likely be with someone else and that alone gave her some peace of mind. After scoping out the rest of the pool area, the two girls made way to the poolside bar where Aimee would be working and alas, their tour ended.

Upon arrival to Oceanside, the first person, Y/N and Aimee, met was Mr. Andrew Slack, the manager of the resort and well, their boss. He was kind enough and was the one to give them the tour, however, he came across as a very busy man, and just as he was finishing showing them around, he got a phone call and had to leave the girls to fend for themselves. Andrew briefly explained where they had to go to get to where the staff housing was located, before muttering a quick goodbye and heading back towards the clubhouse and answered the phone. After a moment of silently watching him go, Y/N and Aimee glanced at each other and shrugged before heading down the path he pointed out to them so they could finally put their bags down and get settled in.

“Are you sure we’re even going the right way?” Aimee groaned from a few feet behind Y/N as they came to a fork in the road, looking at the various paths they could venture down. They were maybe two minutes from the clubhouse, the sounds of people chatting and splashing around in the pool could still be heard, but she was exhausted.

“Not particularly,” Y/N responded, letting one of her duffle bags fall to the ground as she approached a tall wooden sign that listed various places they could get to and which path they’d need to take, one of them labeled staff cabins. She looked down the trail to her left, and sure enough, more laughter and chatter could be heard from what she assumed was others moving in as well. “This way, I think.“

The two girls walked down the path Y/N suggested, and soon enough, they came into a large clearing where fifteen different cabins resided. Five of the cottages were a bit smaller than the others, which only allowed two people to stay in them rather than the four that would remain in any of the others. According to one of the people on the bus there, only returning staff were able to apply for the two-person cabins, but both Y/N and Aimee were already aware that they’d be sharing a living space with two other girls, so that fact didn’t really phase them. Not every staff member needed accommodations because many were locals to the area, but nonetheless, Y/N was thankful that she did indeed have a place to stay.

Aimee inched ahead in search of their cabin and didn’t realize Y/N had fallen back a bit while she was taking in their surroundings. With a small smirk forming on her lips, Aimee decided to snap her best friend out of the little daze she was in. “Watch out for that root.”

“What root-,” Y/N started and snapped her gaze to Aimee, before staggering a bit as she took a step forward and tripped over a thick tree root that was sticking up from the ground. She quickly regained her balance and played it off as if nothing had happened, earning a loud chuckle from Aimee. “Ah, that root.”

“And they want you to be a lifeguard? Those poor people.”

Y/N just glared at her friend instead of responding as they continued forward in search of cabin 4.

It didn’t take long for them to reach their new summer home and just upon the sight of the slightly rundown looking cabin, Aimee was full-on sprinting up the steps in hopes she could claim the first bed. Y/N trudged after her, slowly making her way up the rickety wooden steps, but halting when a loud crack and some shouting sounded from behind her.

“Oi! Now, look what you’ve done.”

She raised her eyebrow skeptically at the sudden commotion before gradually spinning around on her heel to see what the hell was going on. On the other side of the trail, at the cabin directly across from hers, Y/N observed as two boys stood outside of their tiny lodge that was almost identical to her own. One of them had his back to her, and she couldn’t help but stare as his body rippled with laughter, letting her eyes roam more than she intended. He wore a pair of dark pants and a simple white t-shirt. Multiple tattoos littered his left arm, while his right arm almost seemed bare. She couldn’t see much else but noticed how he had a pair of black sunglasses on is head as a way to keep his mob of brown, shaggy, curls away from his face. There was no way of knowing how long she stood there gawking at the man, but as soon as the guy he was with spoke up, she was brought back to reality.

“You know, the least you could do is help me.”

It was then Y/N noticed that the other boy was standing with one foot stuck in the staircase. Somehow one of the wooden planks snapped and resulted in him falling through the step. Y/N immediately thought about all the first aid training she’d endured just to be ready for this job and found herself dropping all of her things on the porch before rushing down the stairs and over to the two men.

She didn’t waste any time in brushing past the guy in the white shirt to get to his friend, because truthfully, he could have gotten really hurt and the other guy was not being any help. “Hey, are you alright?”

“Oh, just dandy,” the guy stuck in the stairs muttered before placing a hand on the railing and using it to keep himself balanced as he stepped out from the broken wood and up onto the deck. “Thanks for your concern, though. Nice to know someone’s watching out for me when my so-called friend isn’t.”

“Oh, get off it,” the other man spoke up from behind Y/N again, sparking her interest with how the words came from his mouth in with a distinctly British accent. Slowly, she turned around to actually get a look at them, and when she did, she felt as if the air had been knocked right out of her chest.

As soon as she locked eye contact with the man, his familiar green eyes widened in surprise as they both gawked at each other in complete and utter shock. He recognized her too.

“You-.”

“I know you!” His voice boomed and caused a blush to immediately burn across her cheeks. “We went to high school together, yeah?”

The man in front of her was none other than Harry Styles. A kind British lad who was two grades ahead of Y/N, all through high school. They had some mutual friends, and Y/N was aware of how Harry had moved from a small town in Cheshire to San Jose during her freshman year. The two were never really that close, but they knew of each other and had met a few times in passing, which left Y/N to be more than surprised at the fact that he’d even recognize her.

“It’s Y/N, innit?”

“Uh yeah,” she replied and shook her head free of any lurking thoughts, fully aware of how he’s aged very nicely over the years. “It is. And you’re Harry, right?”

“The one and only.”

“Pretty sure there’s other Harry’s in the world, dumbass,” the other guy spoke up from behind her again, causing Y/N to chuckle.

“You’re not funny, mate,” Harry snapped before making eye contact with Y/N and letting out a huff. “That there is my irrelevant and incompetent roommate, Nick. Guess he’s m’friend and all too, but that’s just a minor detail.”

“The greatest detail actually, seeing as I’m the only one that’ll put up with you.”

“Ok, anyway,” Harry cut his friend off with a glare, a small smile forming on his lips as he watched Y/N giggling at their antics. “What brings you to Oceanside?”

“I needed a summer job,” Y/N explained with a shrug, looking between the two boys as they nodded in understanding. “I went away for a while and am now trying to make ends meet. What better way to do that than being a lifeguard at some fancy resort? Man, I feel like I’m in High School Musical 2 just being here.”

“It gives me more Dirty Dancing vibes, but I can see why’d you think that,” Harry responded with a warm smile, causing a swarm of butterflies to form in the pit of Y/N’s stomach.

“Yeah we’re basically living in a cliche summer romance movie, aren’t we?” Nick piped up before nodding towards Harry. “But hey, at least now you know who the new lifeguard is.”

“You’re a lifeguard too?” Y/N asked surprised, feeling caught off guard by just how small the world was seeming to be.

“Yeah, s’my what, third summer working here now? That sounds about right.”

“Oh, wow,” Y/N replied, making no attempt in masking her shock. “Must be an alright job.”

“Pays the bills at least,” he told her with a shrug. “It’s a good way to make money when you’re not in school for the summer, m’assuming that’s what you’re doing .”

“Kind of. I uh, I didn’t go to university once I graduated high school and traveled instead. Reality caught up with me eventually, and now I need to work so I can start figuring what I’m going to do with my life. I’m moving to LA in September, so hopefully, I’ll figure something out there.”

“Weird, so is Harry,” Nick added.

“Really?”

“I am,” Harry answered. “Got an internship with a record label there, gonna try to amount to something I guess.”

Y/N watched as his gaze fell from hers to the ground, where he awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to another. He didn’t seem too confident talking about this specific subject, so Y/N took it as a hint to move on from it. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do great. Anyways, my roommate is probably wondering where I went, I uh, I’ll see you guys around. And maybe you should get someone to fix that step before someone actually does get hurt.”

The three of them laughed before Y/N slowly started backing away and headed towards her cabin. Nick waved her goodbye, but Harry didn’t say anything. It made her wonder if she had said something wrong, but regardless, she shook her head and made her way up the steps to gather her bags again and head inside; utterly oblivious to how Harry’s eyes didn’t leave her once as he watched her walk away.

The next four weeks went by rather quickly, and Y/N was already having much more fun than she had anticipated. In her short time working at Oceanside, she had already managed to develop quite a few friends from the people she’d met, and it made the whole experience better, just like Aimee had said. Her and Aimee both made fast friends with their two other roommates Dana and Maya, who were twin sisters but couldn’t be more different from one another. Dana worked as a waitress in the dining hall for the guests, while Maya worked out on the golf course providing beginner lessons to those who signed up for them. The two sisters butt heads a lot, so it was smart to not have them working together in Y/N’s opinion, but she really did enjoy spending time with both of them nonetheless.

Another person she clicked with really well, was Nick. When he wasn’t busy sassing Harry or organizing activities and events for the guests to do during their stay, Nick was Y/N’s go-to person (other than Aimee) for anything really. He was her helping hand when she needed it, and the best person to rant or gossip to when something had irked her. She was the same type of friend to him, and it didn’t take her long to realize he’d be one of the people she knew she’d miss the most come to the end of summer.

Every guest Y/N had encountered who stayed at the resort, was very kind, and treated her with respect. She was quick in figuring out who the regular families were, the ones that came to Oceanside every summer as their vacation and got the lowdown on how long each of them had been doing so from Mr. Slack (or Mr. Whack as Harry and Nick would call him behind his back.) Amongst those families was the Huntington family. Mr. Huntington, a successful business mogul, had brought his family to and donated a lot of money to this specific resort for about eight years now, or at least that was what Mrs. Huntington had told Y/N. They were a very reserved family, but actually very friendly. Mrs. Huntington was a regular to the Tuesday morning water workout classes Y/N would teach and was a joy to be around while her husband would poke fun of her from where he lounged on a chair nearby. They had a son, Tyler, who was assumedly Y/N’s age and had many friends from other families that stayed there as well. When he wasn’t with those friends, he was spending time with his family or striking up a conversation with Y/N when she had some downtime during her shifts.

Last, and certainly not least, the final and the arguably most significant relationship she had developed so far, was with Harry. The two of them had almost exact work schedules, which naturally led to them spending a lot of time together. He was the one to show her the ropes of lifeguarding in general, as well as what to do in certain situations and was always there to have her back if needed. When both working, Y/N usually sat on the lifeguard stand while Harry patrolled the edge of the pool. They’d tease each other from a distance, sticking their tongues out at each other when no one was looking, or mouthing the words “don’t slip” when they switched their spots so Y/N could teach some of her workout classes.

The first thing that really warmed them up to one another was actually on Y/N’s first day. She had cut through the kitchen to get to the lobby to punch in on time and almost ran directly into Harry. She hadn’t seen him since she moved in those few short days before, but the way he just stared at her and started chuckling struck something within her.

“Do you have a problem?” She asked and grew slightly aggravated when his laughing increased. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” he said firmly and tried to regain his composure, but failed miserably. “It’s just that I didn’t know management was going for matching uniforms this year.”

Y/N scowled at him before slowly glancing down at her outfit to see what he was talking about, only to become even more confused. Her uniform was simple enough, just a red full-piece bathing suit that had to be paired with white shorts and if she so decided, the white terry cloth sweater she was given with Oceanside’s emblem on it. She paired the outfit with the metal whistle she had to wear, some sunglasses to keep her hair out of her face, and a pair of black Adidas slides because there was no way she was walking around the pool without proper footwear.

To her, there was nothing wrong with the outfit, but once she was finished taking in her own appearance, Y/N moved her gaze to Harry and finally realized what he was going on about. He too was wearing a pair of red swim trunks, with a kind of tight looking white tank top that also had the emblem stitched into it as well. His outfit was almost identical to her own, but what got her the most was how he too had a pair of sunglasses pushing his mob of curls back and a matching pair of Adidas sandals. The two of them looked ridiculous standing side by side.

“Oh god,” Y/N groaned, which only caused Harry to burst out into laughter again. She was about to make another comment, but before she could, her phone started buzzing with the reminder that her shift started in five minutes. “Crap, we should go.”

“Lead the way,” Harry responded and dramatically bowed as a way to tell her to go first. She shook her head and proceeded, only making it a few steps before he spoke up again. “Hey Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Hate to break it to you, love, but I wear it better.”

Y/N scoffed and froze, turning to send him a glare but couldn’t help but laugh too as he just chuckled again and rushed forward to avoid her wrath. Their shifts together after that were just the same harmless and fun routine, and it really didn’t take Y/N long to realize just how much she enjoyed being around Harry, and that feeling only grew as the weeks went on.

One Friday afternoon, when Y/N and Harry were both finishing up their shift together by folding towels in the clubhouse laundry room so the lifeguards on the evening shift would have less to do, Harry decided to throw Y/N off guard with a question.

It was one he’d meant to ask her all week but couldn’t figure out how to bring it up in conversation. As he stood there watching her fold each towel with as much focus and precision as the last, he knew their shift was coming to an end soon and how he may not get to ask her if he didn’t do it right then. So, with a deep breath and a subtle clearing of his throat, he asked her.

“Are you going to the staff party tonight?”

“Hmm?” She replied, surprised, having to take a second to process the unexpected question. “Like the one that is thrown in the mess hall every weekend?”

“That’d be the one.”

“I uh, I don’t know,” she murmured and set down the last towel she had just finished folding. “Aimee, Dana, and Maya have been telling me I need to go to at least one. Apparently, they’re fun.”

“They are. S’nice hanging out with everyone in a non-work setting,” he explained, but avoided eye contact; suddenly feeling as if he might get turned down even though he has not built up enough courage to actually ask her out just yet. They’d become rather close, and there was this certain spark he felt whenever she was around, but again, was too chicken to actually do anything about.

“Are you going’?”

This time it was her question that caught him off guard because realistically he was expecting her to simply just say no. “Yeah I am, promised Nick I’d go with him.”

“Oh well if Nick is going then maybe I’ll consider it,” Y/N teased, unsure if this was his attempted way in saying he’d like her to go or not -- completely oblivious to just how bad he wanted her to be there with how well he masked it. He just chuckled in response as Y/N felt a sudden wave awkwardness consume the comfortable feeling she usually had whenever he was around. She glanced at the clock to see their shift had ended and decided to use that as an excuse to remove herself from the situation. “Looks like we’re done for the day. Maybe I’ll see you around this weekend?”

“Oh, yeah, see yeh Y/N.”

And with that, he watched her leave yet again.

After her conversation with Harry, it didn’t take much for Y/N’s roommates to convince her into going to the part, even going to the extent of her letting them pick out her outfit for the night. They decided on a simple black dress that Dana owned, one that just so happened to hug Y/N’s body in all the right places. The outfit was paired with a few of Aimee’s accessories while Maya styled her hair and if Y/N didn’t know any better, she’d assume those three were plotting something with how much effort they put into her appearance that night.

Once they were all dressed up, the four girls left the cabin and made way to the mess hall.

Y/N didn’t really know what to expect from this party, but upon stepping foot into the hall, she couldn’t help but let her eyes widen in surprise as she took in the scene around her. The two long wooden tables that regularly took up most of the space in the room were pushed against the walls and made a makeshift space that acted like a dancefloor. Couples danced together to the music playing, grinding and holding onto each other like a bunch of horny teenagers, while others exited from the kitchen with drinks in hand. It all looked like a scene from a movie, and Y/N had to shake her head at it all. Harry was right, this place really was much more like Dirty Dancing than High School Musical.

As if on cue, a familiar voice sounded from her right, and Y/N was soon faced to face with Nick. He wasted no time engulfing her in a tight hug before he moved on to greet the other girls. Y/N said hi to the people that had come over with Nick before moving her gaze to meet with an oh so familiar pair of stunning green eyes and smiling.

Harry had a wide grin on his face as he stepped towards her and pulled her into his chest for a quick hug as well. The gesture surprised Y/N, but she also found a sense of genuine warmth in his embrace before slowly moving away to look up at him again.

“You made it!” He exclaimed and just couldn’t stop smiling at the fact of her being there.

The way he grinned at Y/N made the butterflies in her stomach swarm, and she found herself having to break eye contact with him before her blush got too noticeable. She took that time to give him a once over and couldn’t keep herself from feeling some type of way. He was wearing a simple grey buttoned-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, shamelessly displaying his arm tattoos that just so happened to capture Y/N’s attention more than usual as the strobe lights danced across them. His hair was messy, but a good kind of messy Y/N decided; the entire look was just very, Harry and that thought alone made her smile.

“You look great by the way,” his voice snapped Y/N from her trance as looked around to see all of her friends have scattered and it was just her and Harry now.

“Thanks,” she continued to blush. “You look good too.”

A moment of awkward silence washed over them as neither really knew what else to say. Harry knew he could just end the conversation right there, but that wasn’t really something he wanted to do, so he began racking his brain for ideas on how to keep the conversation going. As if someone had heard him trying to think up something, the song that was playing changed and the upbeat intro of Right Back by Khalid started booming from the nearby speakers; causing him to grin all over again.

“Would you like to dance?”

“Me?” Y/N squeaked and glanced around because surely he wasn’t talking to her.

“Yes, you,” he chuckled. “I mean, I could ask Nick but who knows where he went off to.”

Y/N bit down on her bottom lip nervously, her heart fluttering at what felt like a million miles a second as she slowly nodded her head. “I’d like that.”

If it wasn’t for the few drinks she downed with her friends while getting ready for this thing, Y/N was sure she would not have been in this situation whatsoever. But alas, the alcohol gave her the liquid courage she needed to let Harry grab her hand and lead her out to the middle of the dancefloor. When they came to a small clearing, Harry dramatically spun around to face her again, causing her to laugh out loud as he dorkily pointed at her with finger guns. He had a goofy smirk plastered on his mouth as he started moving to the music and Y/N soon found herself swaying her hips to the beat too. She glanced at the people around her dancing very close to one another for this particular song and suddenly felt very out of place. They were entirely surrounded by couples.

As if sensing Y/N’s sudden discomfort at their setting, Harry mindlessly moved towards her until there were only a few inches between them. She looked up at him with wide eyes, but with him merely just being there, she didn’t feel as anxious. The two of them remained like that for a moment, lost in each other before Harry went to wrap his right arm around her waist; but stopped himself before he could.

“Uh, would you mind if I-?”

Y/N smiled at how he became so flustered, and simply could not find it in her to deny him. “You don’t have to ask.”

Harry didn’t know what to expect Y/N’s answer to be, but a massive wave of relief washed over him as he returned her smile and continued his movements. He snaked his arms around her waist just as the chorus started playing again and pulled her close, before shifting to rest his hands on her waist as they started moving to the music together.

Hesitantly, Y/N placed her hands on his chest before slowly moving them up to wrap around the back of his neck. Harry loved witnessing her gradually become more comfortable with what they were doing because with how much time he’d spent with her so far this summer, he knew this whole thing wasn’t exactly her scene. She seemed to actually be having fun, though. Throughout the song, she had already let him in more than she had over the last month, looking so content and at peace. It was at that moment Harry realized how he was going to do whatever he could in his power to make her feel that way as often as possible.

Y/N liked being this close to Harry more than she wanted to admit. There was something about him that drew her in and made her want to stay. Sure she considered him to be a friend and all already, but tonight felt different, a good different. She would never dance or act like this with just anybody, but with Harry, it felt natural.

Harry slowly leaned his forehead against Y/N’s as she started twisting the smalls curls at the nape of his neck and felt himself fall into a state of contentment as well. They danced with each other for the remainder of the song, along with the next two before Harry slowly started moving away.

A look of confusion washed over Y/N’s features, but it soon faded as Harry linked his hand with hers and started leading them away from the dancefloor. “Follow me.”

Y/N had no idea where he was taking her, but she didn’t question it either as she let him guide them towards the side door that led them out into the courtyard. There was no one else out there, which was a pleasant change from the crowded area they were just in.

As they walked hand in hand together, the two remained silent, and Y/N tried to keep her breathing steady as Harry gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles and lead them towards the fountain. They started off talking about the night’s festivities along with not really knowing where all of their friends had gone off to, however, that casual conversation quickly turned deep when they started asking questions about each other, but in a very gradual, comfortable way that surprised both of them.

Y/N was the first to open up. She wasn’t really one to layout her entire life story just for someone to judge it and point out where things could have been changed, but with Harry, she didn’t feel that way once. He expressed genuine interest in what she was saying and soon enough, she was telling him everything. She explained why she thought she needed to leave California for a while after high school and her experiences abroad. With that, she talked about how she felt that time could significantly change people and as much as it sucks to admit, there’s nothing anyone can really do about it either. Her primary example being how Aimee is the only person she kept in contact with from high school because she had grown apart from everyone else. Y/N even went on to explain how she wasn’t able to form very close bonds with people she met during her travels, due to her fear of letting people in just enough so that she’s comfortable before leaving her high and dry.

Harry hung on to her every word, providing a comforting squeeze to her hand when she’d bring up things that were a bit tougher to talk about, and just nodding as she went on to let her know that he really did want to be there, listening to what she had to say. Once she was done, he could tell how relieved she was by simply being able to share all of that with someone she trusted enough to know the things that made her, her. Harry knew how much Y/N appreciated him for letting her vent, and in return, let him know that she would do the same for him if he ever wanted to, and so he did.

The two talked for hours, although it only seemed like mere minutes to them. Once Harry finished his back story of everything that had happened since he graduated high school, he expressed his want to return to England soon and that his money from this job was going to allow him to do so. He went off about how excited he was for his move to LA and his dreams of making it big in the music industry one day, but for now, Harry was rather content with where he was (specifically in that moment with Y/N).

As the night went on, it was Y/N that noticed the party had died down, seeing as no music could be heard anymore and that it was getting rather late. 

Y/N was fully aware of how neither she or Harry worked the next day but still felt a little anxious at the thought of her friends giving her an earful for not having a clue as to where she had gone or who she was with. Luckily for her, the conversation she was having with Harry was much more lighthearted than it was before and she didn’t feel as bad for interrupting it.

“Hey, H?” She spoke up, smiling inwardly to herself at the little nickname she’d mindlessly decided to call him. “I think everyone’s gone back to the cabins, think we should go too?”

There was no doubting that Harry didn’t want the night to end just yet and couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed at the thought itself. So, being the quick thinker he was, he glanced around at their surroundings and tried to think of a way to keep her around; a mischievous grin dancing on his lips when his gaze falls on the pool and an idea sprang to his mind. “We could do that, or we could do something completely different. Something fun.”

“Oh, well, what did you have in mind?”

“Something that I’m going to do regardless of if you join or not, even though I’d much prefer if you did,” he smirked and observed as her eyebrows started to furrow.

“Harry…”

A tiny, heartfelt laugh left Harry’s mouth at the small pout that was forming on her lips as she spoke. She had no idea what he was planning, and it made him that much more excited to mess with her a little bit. He watched as she bit down on her lip in anticipation, and waited for him to say something and after a moment of keeping her on her toes, he leaned forward to whisper lowly in her ear.

“I’m going to go swimming.”

With that, Harry stood up from his spot on the edge of the fountain and jogged his way over to the pool. As much as Harry wished he could see the look of disapproval, he knew Y/N would be looking at him with, he didn’t stop to glance back at her. Instead, he approached the pool gate and glanced around to make sure no security guards were out on patrol, before quietly lifting the latch to unlock it and slowly pushing it open.

Once inside the gate, he walked over to one of the poolside lounge chairs and set his phone and wallet on it before unashamedly starting to strip down to his boxers. Just as he tossed his shirt on the chair and moved to begin unbuttoning his pants, he heard the pool gate creak open again and was already smiling at what was about to come.

“Are you insane?” Y/N’s voice hissed as she followed after him scowling. “Harry, you’re going to get us in so much trouble.”

“Can’t get in trouble if we don’t get caught,” he shrugged as he stepped out of his pants and set them on the chair too. Goosebumps raised on his torso as the cold night air came in contact with his newly exposed skin, but he ignored it as he turned around to face Y/N again. He could tell she was cold by the way she had her arms tightly wrapped her body as a breeze wisped her hair around, and decided to use that factor to his advantage. “The pool is heated.”

“I know it’s heated, I work here too, you know.”

“I do,” he responded smugly and tilted his head to the side. “Well, are you coming in or are you too chicken?”

There was a glint in her eyes that he recognized to be the competitive streak in her coming out. He’s managed to see this side of her a handful of times while he was pressing her buttons at work and seeing her look back at him that way made him think that he may have her convinced, however, the glint faltered as she nervously looked around to see if anyone was nearby. “I don’t know H-.”

Harry could tell that deep down she wanted to join him, she really did. However, he also knew damn well that doing anything that could possibly jeopardize her job here cause Y/N a lot of anxiety. But maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to crack through that wall she keeps putting up that prevents her from doing something fun and reckless for once.

Slowly, Harry walked towards her with a mission. As soon as he was close enough to do so, he reached out and linked their hands together; giving that little bit of reassurance she wanted so badly.

“I’m not going to make you do it if you don’t want to love, but if for whatever reason something did happen, I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.” He paused and watched as her features slowly softened, her hand squeezing his a little tighter all at the same time. “Do you trust me?”

“You already know I do,” she whispered and earned herself a small smile from Harry as she let go of his hand and stepped towards the pool. This time it was Y/N’s turn to shamelessly strip down to her underwear with her back turned to Harry.

Harry was surprised by her sudden burst of confidence as she casually kicked her shoes off and pulled the dress she was wearing up over her head -- letting it fall to the ground in such a simple, yet unknowingly sexy way that had Harry growing more frustrated with each passing second.

Y/N kept her back to him, not wanting him to see just how badly she was blushing. Once she was left in only her mismatched grey/black cotton bra and undies, she stepped towards the edge of the pool and waited for Harry. She smiled to herself as soon as he was standing beside her again and pondered her movements for a minute before making the executive decision to try and push Harry into the pool.

However, her plan backfired, seeing as she did not account for just how buff Harry was and that the likelihood of him actually falling in was slim to none. To make matters worse, Y/N stumbled slightly when she tried pushing him to which Harry instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist so that she wouldn’t fall in instead. Once she was steady, Y/N finally looked up to Harry and internally groaned.

“You just tried to push me in!” He exclaimed dramatically.

“And stupid me thought it’d actually work,” Y/N grumbled as she tried to squirm out of Harry’s grasp. She almost broke free, but before she knew it, Harry was pulling her back against his chest and began tickling her at her sides. She burst into laughter as she began squirming even more and tried to push him away. “H-Harry, stop!”

“You’re wrong if you thought I was letting you get away with that. I’m hurt, Y/N.”

“You’ll get over it,” she replied in a huff as she continued trying to escape Harry’s hold. This continued for another minute as Harry slowly but surely moved them back towards the pool’s edge, and Y/N’s wriggling intensified. She knew what he was about to do and without thinking,  blurted out the first thing that came to mind to prevent him from doing so. “No, don’t! I can’t swim!”

Harry’s movements halted as soon as those words left her mouth, leaving Y/N to cover her mouth to stifle another laugh. She hadn’t considered how ridiculous her statement was until after she said it, and couldn’t help but laugh at how far from the truth it actually was. Harry didn’t move his hands from her waist, and although she really didn’t want to turn to face him, she eventually did and prepared for his reaction.

He stayed silent for a split second before narrowing her eyes and tightening his grip on her waist. “You’re so full of shit.”

Before she could respond again, Harry was lifting her up and jumping into the pool with her in his hold; finally putting the entire argument to rest. As soon as she was surrounded by water, Y/N swam away from Harry and used her feet to push off the bottom of the pool so that she could get back up to the surface and catch her breath.

Harry resurfaced shortly after and they both broke into another laughing fit. The two of them stayed there, treading water for a few minutes before Harry decided to splash Y/N out of nowhere, causing her to gasp dramatically.

She splashed him back but gave up the fight when he returned the gesture with a much larger wave that crashed right into her face. “Ok, I guess I deserved that.”

“Damn right you did,” he replied sassily and treaded and little closer to her. They watched each other for a minute before Harry started lowering the bottom half of his head into the water, just enough that only his eyes were still above the water. Y/N watched him curiously and couldn't help but roll her eyes when he exhaled deeply out of his mouth so that a series of bubbles would rise to the surface and pop around him as he kept eye contact with Y/N.

“God, you are such a child!” She squealed and started swimming away from the shallow end of the pool.

“You love it,” he before shaking his wet, matted curls and swimming after her.

The next half an hour or so is spent with Y/N and Harry goofing off together, and really just having the time of their lives. They had a race to see who could swim from one end of the pool to the other and back the fastest, to which Harry won only by a little bit. However, he soon lost his title when Y/N challenged him to see who could remain in and underwater handstand the longest without falling over or having to swim up for air.

Neither of them had a care in the world, but that quickly changed when the sound of jingling keys and heavy footsteps could be heard in the distance but were undoubtedly getting closer to the pool area. Y/N froze in place, and her face went white, the previous panic she had before of getting caught returning and causing her to be on the verge of hyperventilation.

“Harry, what do we do?!” She asked in a hushed tone, knowing that if they were to just jump out of the pool and make a run for it, they would most definitely get caught. “Y-y-you said-.”

“I know Y/N,” Harry hissed as he stood up and looked towards the courtyard, only to see the beam of a flashlight coming their way. “Ok, ok, I need you to do as I say and not argue with me, alright?”

Y/N nodded frantically but kept her mouth shut as she let Harry gently push her against the side of the pool. His hands never left her body, and to be honest, it’d stress her out even more if he weren’t there. Harry was keeping her calm. She observed as he intently watched the direction the noises of the person approaching came from, not being able to keep her eyes from the way the elegant butterfly and sparrows tattooed on his stomach and chest moved with each breath. Part of her wanted to reach out and trach along with the ink, but she knew now wasn’t the time and kept her hands to herself while she waited for Harry to tell her what to do next.

“Ok, when I say, I want you to go under the water as quietly as you can and swim behind the waterfall. Stay low when you come back up, I don’t think security will see you that way.” His plan was simple enough and actually seemed as though it could work, so with a silent nod, Y/N got in position and waited for him to give her the ok to go. “Alright…. Now.”

Y/N did as Harry said and quietly went back under the water. She kicked off the wall and smoothly glided under the water and didn’t come back up until she reached the wall she knew was behind the waterfall and beneath where her lifeguard chair was resting up top. Once she came up for air, she pressed her back against the wall to remain unseen and waited patiently for Harry.

Before Y/N could really start getting worried, she was able to make out Harry’s figure swimming beneath the waterfall just as she watched a flashlight beam over the part of the pool that she and Harry had only been. She unknowingly pressed her back harder to the wall and held her breath, keeping her eyes closed as she waited for someone to demand that they come out from the waterfall.

A few agonizing moments go by as Y/N prepared for the worst, but the worst never happens. She peeked one eye open just as Harry disappeared under the water again and swam back out into the regular part of the pool. A portion of her wanted to wait for his confirmation, but when it took him a bit longer than she was expecting for him to come back, she knew the coast must’ve been clear; so she followed after him.

Sure enough, when she resurfaced again, there was no security standing at the edge of the pool, waiting to give them shit; but instead, it was just Harry standing with his back to her, with his muscles tense. Cautiously, she approached him.

“We should get going,” he finally spoke up when there was no longer too much of a space between them. He turned around to face Y/N, but couldn’t seem to actually look at her. “Tha’ was closer than I’d like it to be, and we may not have time before he’s back.”

“H-.”

“And you probably don’t want anything to do with me after putting you in a stressful situation like that, this is all my fault,” he continued to ramble as she kept approaching him.

“Harry…”

“God, I swear I didn’t think anyone would actually come by but-.” This time it was Y/N who cut Harry off as she made one final step towards him and placed a hand behind his neck. She pulled him towards her at the same time she stood up onto her tippy toes and waited for the sparks she knew would go off once their lips came in contact with one another.

To say it felt like magic would have been an understatement because how it felt for Y/N and Harry to be at that moment, after spending such a great night together was simply indescribable. They both really liked the feeling of being there, together, making out, even though it was in the pool they both were lifeguards for, and soon found themselves getting lost in the kiss.

Harry quickly pulled her closer to him, wanting to have as little space between them as possible as his hands tangled into her hair so that the kiss could deepen. Y/N reacted by moaning slightly into his mouth and parting her lips more so that she could allow him more access.

They continued making out as Harry placed his hands under Y/N’s thighs so that she could wrap her legs around his waist. They kept going at it when Y/N’s back gently collided with the pool wall again, and she placed her hands on either side of his face just so that she could keep him near. The only thing that was going to make them break away from one another was going to be the need for air, and even that took a few minutes to happen, but eventually, it did.

The two of them slowly pulled away from each other, lips swollen, and panting for air as Y/N glanced up at Harry and smiled lightly. “You were putting words into my mouth.”

“Clearly I need to do that more often,” he chuckled before leaning down and catching her lips in another quick, yet sweet, kiss. Once he was done, he leaned back away from her again, his thumbs twiddling with the material of her underwear as they made no indication of wanting to move from one another. Eventually, it was Harry that broke the silence again. “Think we should get out here?”

“Not the worst idea I don't think,” Y/N responded with a nod.

The two of them untangled themselves from one another and climbed out of the pool before gathering their things and heading back to the cabins.

Y/N stayed with Harry that night and into the early morning of the next day. She woke up tangled in his bedsheets alone but had no need to worry seeing as she could hear him humming along to a tune from the shower in the washroom nearby. A loud yawn left her mouth as she stretched and squinted at the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows and finally took in her surroundings.

Harry’s cabin was smaller than Y/N’s but was much more spacious because it was only him and Nick that stayed there. And luckily for Y/N, Nick was nowhere to be found. She did, however, have this nagging thought of how he could literally burst through the door and see her so obviously trying to keep her naked body covered beneath the sheets at any given moment. There was not a single part of her that wanted to deal with that, so she sat up in the bed and looked out the window for any sign of him coming before booking it into the washroom so that she could join Harry in the shower.

The two of them spent the entire day together. It was ridiculously convenient that Nick, Aimee, Dana, and Maya all had work today because they were able to postpone any of their friends bugging them. Seeing as Y/N only had the outfit she wore last night, she gave Harry her key so that he could run over to her empty cabin and grab some fresh clothes. Much to her dismay, he came back with only a pair of terrycloth shorts that belonged to Maya and some clean underwear (but no bra).

“Harry, do you expect me to walk around topless all day?” Y/N asked and quirked an eyebrow at him. It was evident that he didn’t intentionally forget to grab her a top by the way his eyes widened slightly at her question, but with Harry being Harry, he played it off with ease.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly be opposed to the idea…”

“Harry.”

“Kidding,” he groaned as he rolled off the bed again and made way to his dresser so that he could give her a shirt to wear. “But not really. Here.”

Y/N caught the shirt Harry tossed towards her with ease and quickly threw it on, knowing she’d gone without a top for long enough. After that, Harry climbed onto the bed again and stretched himself across the bed next to her. He was hesitant in doing so, but after getting stiff from leaning on his elbow for a few minutes, he laid down flat with his head resting softly on Y/N’s lap as she stayed sat up and leaned against the wall.

The two of them talked for hours on end, again. Not once getting bored of each other's company and loving hearing what they each had to say, Y/N started to think about how long it had been since she was this comfortable with someone. They talked about everything from their favorite foods, to their what genre of a story they liked best after Y/N had eyed up the stack of books that were on Harry’s bedside table. Harry started going off, and Y/N mindlessly pushed her hand through his curls as he reached over to grab one of them so that he could tell her some of his favorite lines in it.

As the late afternoon crept around, Harry proposed that they actually leave the cabin and go out to do something, to which Y/N agreed. So, they gathered up the laundry hamper they had tossed Harry’s dirty bedding into that morning and made way to the clubhouse to start washing them while they went off and did something else. As they made way to the laundry room, they had to come to a stop when someone started calling out after them. Sure enough, it was Aimee standing behind them with a bemused and knowing look. She didn’t give them a hard time though seeing as she was just finishing her break and needed to get back to work, but Y/N knew she would get an earful when she got home that night.

Once they loaded up one of the washing machines and convinced one of the older ladies working in the laundry room, folding up clean bedsheets for the guests, to put move their wash over to a dryer so that they wouldn’t have to come back as soon; they embarked on a little journey. After sending a quick text to Maya a quick text to make sure it was alright, Y/N led Harry to one of the many golf carts that weren’t being used to take on their own little excursion.

They drove around the resort’s perimeter, taking the whole place in as if they were the ones staying there rather than being employees. After they finished doing that, Y/N drove them back to the clubhouse and tried thinking of something else to do before Harry suggested they go on the hiking trails the resort had.

The two of them walked back down the path that led towards the cabins and took a different turn that led them down a winding trail and eventually to the base of a large hill. Other people were nearby putting the multiple trail options to good use, but Harry and Y/N couldn’t decide which one they wanted to go on. They settled on the longest trail, the one that took them up the hill to a supposed lookout spot that was there.

It took them roughly forty-five minutes to reach the top, mainly because Harry kept dramatically pausing, saying he needed a break although Y/N was totally aware of it being a facade so that she’d stay near him and not keep going too far ahead... but she didn’t mind as they continued going. 

Once they reached the end of the path, Y/N didn’t know what she was expecting to see, but she definitely wasn’t prepared to have her breath taken away

The top of the hill was a large clearing with the most incredible view. There was no one else up there so she didn’t waste any time walking around the entire area so she could take it all in. When she looked down the hill to the east, she had an incredible aerial view of the whole resort. The massive golf course seemed to go on forever, disappearing in the distance behind some trees and smaller hills, and everything else seemed so much smaller. She could see the entirety of the clubhouse letting her eyes move to the pool and then over to the trails behind it as well as all the big fancy lodges the resort guests rented out during their stay. Her gaze fell on the row of cabins, watching as her co-workers walked home after their shifts had come to an end; even seeing who she thought was Dana trudging her way up the steps of their shared cabin, and Nick making his way towards his and Harry’s.

Y/N then moved to look to the west, and that was when her jaw dropped open in awe. In the distance, she could see the coastline. Where the greenery from the trees ended, the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean started and seemed to go on forever; causing her to become quickly enraptured by its beauty. So this was why Oceanside was a fitting name.

“S’pretty, innit?” Harry’s voice asked from behind her. When she didn’t respond, he moved towards her so that they were standing side by side. It wasn’t his first time seeing the view, which Y/N knew, but what she didn’t realize was how with the way the sun was just beginning to set, everything stood out. The pink and purple sky surrounding them and the way the breeze wisped her hair around made it seem as though she was the center of the most beautiful painting. Harry couldn’t take his eyes off of her, not that he’d want to anyway, and wanted to this exact image engraved into his memory forever. “Y/N?”

“Hmm?” She asked and glanced over at him briefly before looking back to the ocean. “The view? Yes, it’s incredible.”

“Not just the view,” Harry whispered to himself as he watched her. Silence fell over them for a few minutes after that, and neither made a move to change that. However, as the sun kept getting lower in the sky, Harry knew that this moment couldn’t last forever. “Think we should head back down there, it’s going to be dark soon.”

“Oh, yeah, not a bad idea. The laundry is probably done by now too.”

It didn’t take them as long to get down the hill as it was going up, so soon enough they were back at the clubhouse gathering Harry’s bedding and heading back to the cabins to call it a night. 

On their way there, they heard laughter and chatter coming from people walking down a different path. Neither Harry or Y/N thought anything of it as they started down the trail towards the cabins until someone was calling after Y/N.

“Hey Y/N, wait up!”

Slowly, both Y/N and Harry turned around to see Tyler Huntington approaching them with one of his friends.

“Hi Tyler, how’s it going?” Y/N greeted as Harry remained silent; not noticing the way he glared at the other boy.

“Good,” Tyler responded. “Just finished up a round of golf. Didn’t see you at the pool today.”

“Yeah, Harry and I have this weekend off so you won’t see me around there tomorrow either.”

“I see,” he replied and moved his gaze to Harry, sending him somewhat of a dirty look. “Styles. Well anyways Y/N, seeing as you have the day off tomorrow, Chris here’s parents went to San Francisco for the weekend, so a bunch of us are going to party in his family’s lodge. You should come.”

His invitation surprised her a little bit because frankly not once had she given the impression that she wanted to hang out with Tyler or his obnoxious friends apart from being around them during her shift. There was a fine line between employee and guest’s relationships being professional, and she did not want to cross it, so she politely turned him down.

“Thank you for the offer, but no thanks. I’m actually so exhausted and am ready to call it a night.”

“I see,” Tyler responded disappointedly. “Maybe another time then?”

“Maybe,” Y/N responded with a small nod and looked up to Harry. “Well, I guess we’ll be going then, have a good night guys.”

“Night,” Tyler and Chris responded in unison.

Y/N and Harry turned and started walking towards the cabin’s again, and Tyler watched with gritted teeth as Harry wrapped an arm around Y/N’s waist and pulled her close. Feeling the jealousy within him reach an all-time high as she leaned into Harry’s touch as they continued walking and eventually disappeared out of sight.

The next couple of weeks or so went on like usual. Y/N and Harry spent most of it together at work as usual but also spent a lot of evenings together as well. While at work together, the two of them would go on as they usually would -- teasing each other and making snarky comments, but this time around, there was a lot more subtle flirting. They always kept it professional around guests, but when they had any time that was just the two of them, they were all over each other.

One evening, after Y/N and Harry finished their shift together, they helped the kitchen staff set up tables in the dining room for a fancy gala dinner that was being put on for the resort guests. They stuck out like sore thumbs working alongside the servers who were dressed in their fancy uniforms in preparation for the dinner, to which their co-workers teased them about, but expressed appreciation for the help nonetheless.

Once they were done helping wherever they could, Dana told them her, and the rest of the team should be alright and that Y/N and Harry should get out of there before the guests started showing up. As they were headed towards the lobby, Harry snuck up behind Y/N and covered his hand over her mouth so that no one would hear her. A muffled yelp left her mouth as Harry pulled her behind one of the large planters and pillar so that he could gently push her up against the wall; a seductive grin tugging at his lips as he did so.

“Been waiting to have you to myself all day,” Harry said as he moved his hand from her mouth and replaced it with his lips. Y/N moaned against his mouth and responded by pulling him even closer than he already was so that the kiss would deepen. They stood there making out for at least a solid two minutes before footsteps and voices could be heard coming towards them.

Y/N and Harry quickly broke away from each other and tried to straighten out their appearances before stepping out from behind the pillar, coming face to face with the Huntington family. Both Mr. and Mrs. Huntington greeted the pair happily while Tyler stayed quiet; silently fuming as he took in Y/N’s swollen lips and Harry’s disheveled curls.

“Aren’t you kids done for the day? Get out of here already,” Mr. Huntington teased as he patted Harry on the back.

“We are,” Harry told him. “Just thought we’d help with setting everything up for you guys. It looks great in there, I’m sure you’ll have lots of fun.”

“Anyways we should get going,” Y/N spoke up with a smile and looked to each member of the family, pausing when she locked eye contact with Mrs. Huntington. “They’ve got your favorite wine in there Carol, it should be a good night.”

“Oh, wonderful!” The older woman exclaimed and clapped her hands together, earning a groan from her husband. “You two have a good night as well, don’t get into too much trouble.”

“We won’t,” Y/N and Harry answered together before nodding goodbye and walking away from them. Both Mr. and Mrs. Huntington smiled and watched them go for a second before continuing on down the hallway, but Tyler stood there watching, no glaring at the two of them until they disappeared around the corner.

A few days later, when Y/N was in Harry’s cabin watching a movie with him and Nick, her phone buzzed with a new notification. She reached over to grab her phone, Harry shifting so that she’d have easier access to his bedside table, but not moving his arm from where it was wrapped lazily around her waist. As soon as she had the device, Y/N returned to her spot, nestled up against Harry and turned the screen on only to see she had an email from Mr. Slack. Assuming it was necessary, she unlocked her phone and opened the email; her eyebrows furrowing as she read through it.

“Everything alright?” Harry asked after a moment of seeing her just stare at the phone screen.

“Yeah, I guess,” she started. “It’s just that Mr. Slack changed my work schedule completely.”

“For next week?” Nick questioned and sat up, curiously from his bed across the room.

“No… for the rest of the summer.”

This caught Harry’s attention as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as well. “Mind if I see?”

“Not at all,” Y/N responded and handed him the phone.

Harry took the device and scrolled through the entire email, noting the changes in her schedule. “Our shifts are completely opposite now.”

“Really? All of them?”

“Yeah, all of them,” he replied and handed the phone back. “We don’t have any more days off together.”

“So they’re splitting us up and pairing us with different lifeguards for the next three weeks?” Y/N questioned, and Harry nodded. “Why now all of a sudden?”

“Whack caught on to you two messing around with each other, huh?” Nick asked and wriggled his eyebrows.

“I don’t think it was him actually,” Harry shrugged in response. “Think it was the Huntington kid.”

“Tyler?” Y/N asked and leaned onto her elbow so she could get a better look at Harry as he nodded. “What makes you think that?”

“Oh come on, you can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how pissed he gets whenever he sees us together. He’s jealous Y/N. Probably pulled some strings with management so that he could attempt to move in on you before the end of summer.”

His tone became rather hostile, and Y/N quickly decided that she did not like it one bit and started moving away from him. “I have noticed actually, but it’s wrong to assume someone could be so malicious. We can’t prove that he actually did do that, maybe Slack just wanted to switch up the lifeguard rotation.”

“Three weeks before the summer ends? Y/N, do you hear yourself right now? All the hints and clues of Tyler wanting to mess with us are right in front of you, but you’re too damn gullible and naive to open your eyes and see!”

Harry’s outburst surprised Y/N, and she made no effort to hide it. “That was uncalled for, Harry.”

“But true,” he finished and looked away, not noticing the hurt that flashed through her eyes.

The next thing Y/N knew, she was scrambling to get out of Harry’s grasp to get as far away from him as she possibly could. “You know what? I’m just gonna go.”

“What, no, Y/N, I didn’t mean that rudely,” Harry pleaded as he stood up too, realizing that he’d really upset her.

“How did you mean to say that I’m too gullible and naive for my own good in a nice way, Harry?” She snapped and brought her hand up to her chest when she saw him reaching out for it. “I’m sorry that I tend to see the good in people and not make rash assumptions about them just because I feel like it! You know, I thought you weren’t one to do that too actually, but I guess I was wrong.”

Harry couldn’t find it in himself to say anything else because just seeing how much his words had hurt her, crippled him. During one of their many talks, she told him how growing up she was told that her niceness would get her in trouble one day, that she was too accepting of everyone and it really rubbed her the wrong way. Y/N viewed her kindness towards others as a weakness because of that, and although it was one of her traits that Harry admired most, he still managed to make her feel bad about it. To make her feel weak.

Y/N gave him a second to respond, and although she was greatly disappointed when he didn’t, she just swallowed her pride and walked towards the door. Muttering a quick goodbye to Nick, she swung the screen door open and walked out, letting it slam shut as she rushed down the stairs and over to her cabin before the tears started streaming down her face.

There was an invisible weight resting on Harry’s chest as he watched her go, feeling absolutely terrible as Nick walked up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You just royally fucked up my friend.”

A week went by, but Y/N and Harry had yet to speak to one another. She was upset, which he knew, but fucked, he missed her. He just wanted the chance to apologize, but even then, that opportunity never came because they never actually saw each other. The only time he’d get to see her was in passing when one of their shifts came to an end, and the other was there to take over.

On the nights he knew he didn’t work the next day, Harry would stay up late reading on his front porch, coming to a stop only when he’d hear someone dragging their feet on the gravel and watched as they trudged their way past his cabin on route to their own. One of those nights, over a week since he and Y/N, had last spoken outside of work, he heard two sets of footsteps walking down the path, so he set the book down to see if it was anyone he knew. As soon as he looked up, her gaze fell onto Y/N, but she wasn’t alone.

She had just finished the night shift at the pool and was yawning and rubbing at her eyes as she nodded to what Tyler was going on about besides her, clearly uninterested. When Y/N and Tyler reached the space between her and Harry’s cabins, she looked at Harry tiredly and sent him the smallest smile. Y/N then turned to Tyler and thanked him for walking her home and turned him down again for hanging out before saying goodbye and going up to her cabin stairs. Just as she reached the door, she paused and looked over to Harry, nodding towards him. “Night, Harry.”

And with that, she was gone.

The days after that, Harry observed how Tyler followed Y/N around like a lost puppy and started to become annoyed because he’d still not gotten the chance to apologize. One night, as they were going into the last week and a half of summer, Harry decided he was done sulking and knew that he needed to talk to Y/N because he’d gotten to the point where he just felt empty without her.

He first went over to her cabin to see if she was there. Knocking on the door, he felt his heart rate increase with each passing second until the door swung open to reveal Aimee.

“Get off my porch,” she spat. Harry took a deep breath, feeling even more nervous than before because if looks could kill, he’d be dead by now.

“I-is Y/N home?” He stammered and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

She continued glaring at him, exhaling deeply through her nose to express just how much him being there made her fume. “You’re right fucked if you think I’m letting you talk to her after what you did.”

“Aimee I-.”

“You messed up Harry, massively.” Aimee finished for him. “Do you know how hard it is for that girl to open up? To feel such a significant bond with someone that she can genuinely be herself without fear of being judged for it. You somehow managed to crack through that wall. She let you in, and you threw it in her face. So, like I said before, get the fuck off my porch.”

“I know I messed up ok?” Harry argued before she could slam the door shut, his voice cracking slightly. “I know that I gained her trust, became someone she was comfortable with, and then fucked everything up. I know you think I’m a terrible human being because of what I said, and honestly, I can agree with you. What I said was uncalled for and completely unnecessary, and I know that I’d take it all back if I could. I was jealous, fuck, I was jealous of Tyler Huntington because he kept moving in on her and to be honest, I was afraid. Not because she ever seemed interested, but because I knew that he could give her the world if she let him and that I can’t. I’m a lifeguard for fuck's sake, not the son of some rich businessman. I don’t know where I’m going from here, or what LA will hold, but I’d really like for her to be there for it, and I hate myself for possibly messing that up.”

Once his rant came to an end, and he finally decided to look up again, he half expected for Aimee to just proceed with slamming the door in his face but was actually surprised to see that he’d gained an audience. Both Dana and Maya were now standing behind Aimee shaking their heads.

“God, boys, they really are stupid,” Maya groaned.

“Y/N doesn’t care about any of that you dingus,” Dana stated.

“Honestly though,” Aimee agreed, her features softening. “Glad you can see how good of thing you almost lost there, Harry, because as much as I want to say you don’t deserve to even associate with my best friend… You’re an alright dude. She’s on the night shift at the pool, you may be able to catch her before she finishes up and comes home for the night. Just don’t mess it up again.”

“I won’t, thank you,” Harry replied as he turned around and bolted down the stairs and started off in the direction of the pool. He checked the time on his phone and sped up a little more as he knew Y/N would be getting ready to leave soon.

Y/N finished gathering the last of the pool towels left by guests and put them in the hamper for housekeeping to deal with tomorrow. She hated the night shift. Although the pool closed at 10pm, she was alone from 8pm on, but the pool was always dead by then and the time would just drag. She knew her shift was almost over, so she wandered back to the lifeguard stand and grabbed her belongings so she could go punch out.

Before she could get too far though, the pool gate creaked open, and someone walked in. She turned around to tell the person that the pool had closed, but stopped herself when she saw Tyler standing there. “Oh, hey.”

“Hey,” he responded and walked towards her. “Was wondering if you wanted some company for the walk home again.”

“Thanks, that’s really sweet of you, but I’m meeting up with Nick so I’ll be fine,” she told him honestly.

“I see,” he replied and looked down to his feet. “Well, I know that you have the day off tomorrow. Maybe I want to do something… with me?”

Y/N could tell he was a little nervous asking her this, but there was something he said that she was not expecting to hear. “How did you know I had tomorrow off?”

“I uh, you told me, remember?” Tyler stammered, internally cursing himself.

“No, I didn’t,” Y/N trailed off. “So how did you actually know?”

“Ok, you caught me,” he tried to play it off. “I asked Mr. Slack to tell me because I really wanted to ask you out, seeing as you turned me down all summer.”

“I turned you down because I’m not interested, Tyler.”

As the conversation started going down, Harry was nearing the pool gate. He heard what Y/N had just said, but stopped so that he wouldn’t interfere.

Y/N watched Tyler, watched as his eyes snapped to hers once the words left her mouth, and saw them darken. Y/N held her ground, though. She didn’t falter or let him intimidate her regardless of how part of her wanted too because deep down, she already knew this was going to tie into what she and Harry had fought about.

“See that’s the thing I don’t get,” Tyler started, chuckling slightly. “Why wouldn’t you be interested? I’ve got money, looks, charm-.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” she cut him off, and Harry had to cover his mouth so that he didn’t laugh out loud.

“Right. Not like you’d notice it anyways with how busy you’ve been off fucking Styles every chance you got. Quite the slut move, Y/N.”

Harry was ready to throw hands at that point and was about to start going off, but Y/N beat him to it.

“You do not get to say that about me, or anyone for that matter,” she fumed. “And frankly, it is not your concern, or anyone else’s who I sleep with, so I’ll sum this up real quick. I like Harry, he is a kind and decent being, something you wouldn’t know, and is someone I will gladly admit to falling for and will continue falling for because he is actually worth my time.”

“Whatever-.”

“Oh, I’m not done yet. Harry is someone who holds more character in his pinky finger than you do in your entire body, and is also someone who would never, in a million years, pay money to try and interfere with someone’s life.” Tyler fell silent at that. “I know you paid Slack to change my work schedule around.”

“I, well, I-.”

“You aren’t worth it,” she finished and had no intention of speaking another word to him. Tyler stood there shocked as she brushed past him and started walking towards the gate.

“I can have you fired, you know?” He finally spoke up, noticing that Harry was standing nearby. “Both of you.”

“No, you can’t,” Y/N laughed, sending a quick glance to Harry before turning back around. “Slack already told me he wants both me and Harry to come back next summer with a pay raise. I think he was saying something about how he didn’t want to get rid of the guest's two favorite lifeguards, including your parents. So maybe I’ll see you next summer, Tyler, but for now, fuck you.”

The man was left speechless and couldn’t find any other words to say as he watched her walk out the gate and towards Harry.

Once the gate shut behind her, Y/N turned to face Harry and tried so hard to not just lunge herself towards him. “Did you hear that?”

“I did,” Harry said, and Y/N started stepping towards him.

“All of it?”

“Yes, all of it.”

“Ok, good,” she answered just as she reached him and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him in so she could crush her lips against his. The kiss was sweet but turned hungry as each of them realized how much they’d been craving to be near one another again. However, it didn’t last long until Y/N was pulling away to look back up at Harry. “I missed you, H.”

“God, and I missed you,” he replied, softly pecking her lips once again. “And I am so so sorry, Y/N. I’m sorry for being such a prick, and I don’t expect you to forgive me any time soon, but-.”

“I already have,” Y/N told him and moved to wrap her arms around his waist in a hug. “Besides, Nick told me how sulky you were because I wasn’t talking to you.”

“Of course he did,” Harry groaned and pulled away from the hug. He leaned down to kiss her once again before leaning his forehead against hers. “Let’s go home.”

Y/N’s last week at Oceanside was spent packing, working her final shifts, and saying goodbye to all the friends she had made throughout the summer. On her last day there, she gave her cabin one final look over to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything and let out a sad sigh. Dana and Maya had left the day before, so it was just her in Aimee left. Once she was sure she had everything, she went outside to where Aimee and Nick were waiting, and the three of them started walking towards the clubhouse.

“You know you’re both going to have to Facetime me at least once a week, right?” Nick asked as they walked around to where the different buses were waiting to drive them home.

“I’d expect nothing less,” Y/N answered and let out a heavy breath once they reached their destination.

The three of them pulled each other into a group hug and muttered their teary goodbye’s. Eventually, Nick had to pull away so that he could board his bus and made sure to wave like crazy as it began pulling away.

“I can’t believe you’re going to LA already, I feel like I just got you back,” Aimee started as she loaded her luggage onto the bottom of the bus.

“I know,” Y/N told her as she helped with the large suitcase. “The summer flew by. Sorry that I'm sending you on the bus back to San Jose alone.”

“I’ll be fine, you’ll just have to make it up to me with drinks when I come to visit. Which will be very soon might I add.”

They both chuckled before slowly frowning, tears stinging at their eyes. In a split second, they were engulfing each other into a tight hug and trying not to cry.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Aims.”

“I’m going to miss you more,” Aimee replied and pulled away to wipe at the tears streaming down her face. “I’m so proud of you Y/N. You’re going out there and doing whatever it is you want to do, and I got to see you grow as a person so much this summer. God, I feel like a proud mom.”

“It’s because of you, you know,” Y/N responded as she reached up to wipe away some of her friend's tears. “If it weren’t for you sassing me, I would have been a hermit all summer. You gave me that extra push I didn’t know I needed.”

“Well, in that case, then I’m happy that I did.”

Y/N pulled her best friend in for another hug, staying like that until the bus driver called out for final boarding. “I guess that’s your cue to leave.”

“I guess it is,” Aimee sniffled as she moved from Y/N’s embrace and started walking to the bus. “You better call me the minute you get to LA.”

“You know I will,” Y/N answered with a smile.

Once Aimee was sat on the bus, the doors closed and she waved at Y/N as it drove away. Y/N didn’t leave her spot nor stop waving until the bus disappeared over the hill, and she let out another sigh. She then turned around and was met by her special someone standing there looking back at her with his goofy grin.

“Ready?” Harry asked as he lifted his right arm so that he could rest it on Y/N’s shoulders as they walked towards his car, waiting in the parking lot.

“More than ready,” Y/N answered before moving away from him so that she could climb into the passenger side; her luggage already packed in the trunk thanks to Harry going out of his way to put it there as she said goodbye to Aimee.

“Perfect.”

With one final glance around at the resort that had been their home for the last two and a half months, Y/N and Harry began their long drive to Los Angeles and their future, together.

[imagining-imagines]

For the Better - Part 1[Peter Parker x Stark!Reader]

Requested by @daneel-the-sister-of-castiel

Word count: 6000+

"Moving?" you asked, appalled. You were sitting on your father's workbench as he worked in chaos around you.

"That's what I said," he confirmed, sifting through his hologram junk. "Avengers tower isn't exactly a beacon of hope anymore, but don't worry I've got a place for you I know you'll love because it was designed by yours truly." he said making sure to point to himself so you wouldn't mistake who he was talking about ."But in the meantime you're going somewhere else so we can get it all spruced up for you." He frowned at his work then looked over to you. Will ya' get off the diagram I'm using to put this together." You slid off the table in annoyance.

"But Avengers Tower isn't for me so why don't I just stay in one of your resorts like the last time you had to go away for work?" You reasoned. He pulled up a large screen where you were sitting that stood in between you two.

"Because, last time we left you alone, you reprogrammed Butterfinger to play checkers with you, and now look at him." You looked over at the robot which was still moving it's arm as if it was playing the game.

"I thought you didn't like Butterfinger," you mumbled.

"Yeah he's a real pain. Which, I guess, is what makes you two such good friends," he said. With a few quick swipes you lowered the screen in between both of you.

"This isn't your idea," you guessed.

He pulled the screen back up. "No, it was your mother's," he confirmed.

As if on queue Pepper walked in. You made your way over to her. "Mom, I can stay in one of the Stark resorts, right? I won't reprogram Butterfinger again," you promised.

Pepper scoffed, and looked over at Tony. "You're worried about that piece of junk?" she said in disbelief.  "I've already made up my mind, Y/N. You need to have some friends your own age who aren't robots, and you staying cooped up in a resort home isn't going to help you," she said. "Now let your dad work, and go pack your things."

You looked over at your dad, but he was too buried in his work to look back. You didn't notice at first, but it looked like he was designing a suit. A suit you actually recognized. You had found something similar to it when you were digging through his files. You wanted to ask him about it, but then he would know you were looking at his old work...again. So you left him to work on it, and went to your room to start packing.

You didn't know what you should pack so you filled your suit case up with bare necessities. You were looking around to see if there was anything else you would need when your mom walked in to see how it was going. Before she could say anything you spoke up.

"Yes I have all my outfits, though I don't know how long I'm staying. I have my toiletries, my electronics, and anything miscellaneous I could think of." You started zipping up your suitcase.

"Y/N, you're staying for the whole semester," she said. You froze.

"Semester?" you repeated. Surely she wasn't talking about a school semester. After a few years of high school your dad decided that you were ahead and had taken out of school so he could teach you what he knew about robotics. You never missed going there, and your dad letting you in his lab to work had brought the two of you closer together.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "He didn't tell you did he?" she questioned. "Y/N, you're going to school in Queens."

"School?" you asked. "In Queens?"

Pepper crossed her arms. "Did he tell you anything?" You unzipped your suitcase and flung it open.

"Apparently not!" you yelled over your shoulder as you dug in your closet for another suitcase. Without another word Pepper went downstairs, to talk to Tony no doubt. You put the other suitcase on your bed and ran your hand through your hair. This was going to be a long day.

The car ride to Queens wasn't enjoyable at all. It was mostly your dad explaining where you would be, and how you could contact him.

"I know you don't wanna go to school, kid," he was saying. "And we both know you don't need it after inheriting my genius. But your mother wanted it, and there is nothing on this earth that scares me more than your mother when she's angry."

"You could at least tell me why Midtown High," you said.

"Why Midtown High?" he said. "Why? Because it was the first one I saw that had a robotics lab, your welcome, and I'm busy and didn't have time to find another." You could tell that he was dodging the question.

"Is it because of that suit you were making?" you questioned. Before he could give his answer you continued. "Because I saw that you were remaking  an old design, and it looked too small to be yours."

"Have you been digging through my stuff again?" he accused. "You've gotta stop doing that. Y/N, you're going to this school because your mother and I picked it out. End of discussion." You slumped in your chair and looked out the window until the half hour it took for you to get to Queens was up.

You stood at the entrance of Midtown High School. Your dad rolled down the window to the car and tossed you a key.

"You trash the house, and you can stay here for the summer cleaning it up," he called to you.

You rolled your eyes. "Love you too," you said.

He revved the engine. "Can't wait to hear about your first day!" He rolled up the window and started to drive off.

"The day's almost over!" you shouted as he drove away. You looked around the school grounds. Kids were already looking at you like you were fresh meat. You sighed and hauled your bags inside. You had already sent most of them in another vehicle to where you would be staying, but you still had a decent number of them on your person.

There were kids roaming the halls and the sounds of lockers opening and closing rang through your ears. You tried to push your way through the human traffic, but you found it difficult with all the bags you were carrying. You were told there was a storage area where you could keep your bags until school was out, but you were having trouble finding it through the crowd. A locker slammed right in front of your face dragging your attention away from the signs you were reading.

"I am so sorry," the owner of the locker said. "I had no idea you were there."

"It's fine," you assured him. "I didn't see you there either." But you definitely saw him there now. He had dark brown hair that matched his eyes, and he had a sweet smile that made him immediately likable.

"I'm Peter," he said. A heavier set kid standing next to Peter (who you assumed to be his friend) pointedly cleared his throat. "Oh, and this is Ned."

"Hi," he said as he stretched his hand out to you. You adjusted the bag you were holding so you could shake his hand.

"I'm Y/N," you introduced yourself. "I'm just visiting for the semester."

"Do you need to drop those off?" Peter asked referring to the bags you were holding. "Because, you already passed the storage area." You turned around expecting to see it right behind you.

"You just need to take a left down that hallway," he continued. "I can--" Ned cleared his throat again. "I mean we can take you. You know if you want."

You nodded gratefully "Yes, please that would be great." Peter grabbed the handle of the suitcase next to your feet.

"Great just, uh, follow us." He nodded awkwardly to the other bag at your feet.

"Oh," you heard Ned whisper as he grabbed it and followed Peter. You smiled and followed the two. You dropped all your luggage off and the worker handed you your schedule.

"That's not a lot of luggage for a semester," Ned commented. You shrugged.

"Well, I already sent most of it home. I mean who knows," you said with a small smile. "I might need to stay the summer too."

"That's cool," he replied. "Well technically it's the opposite of cool. 'Cause you know, it's summer. I mean I could've said 'That's hot', but it's just an expression so it doesn't really matter."

"Right, it doesn't matter. We got it, Ned." Peter interrupted. Ned smiled, proud he could successfully explain that to you. "Do you know where you're going next?" he asked you.

You looked down at the schedule in your hand. "History," you answered. "I missed the whole day." Secretly you were relieved. You didn't even need to be here, it was just to keep you busy for a few months.

"Well if you haven't missed chemistry, you haven't missed anything yet," Ned remarked.

"I did miss chemistry," you said.

"I know. It's just one time, Peter was trying to perfect a recipe he had been working on, and he almost blew his eyebrows off."

Peter laughed nervously. "Yeah, well I didn't. I had everything completely under control."

"He set off the fire alarm and 4 sprinklers," Ned finished.

"Ok, well that was a long time ago," Peter half whispered.

Ned look at him confusedly. "That was last week." The bell rang right after Ned had finished.

"We're gonna be late for class if we don't get going," Peter squeaked.

Ned nodded. "Right let's get going." He started leading you down the hallways which were easier to navigate with the students in their correct rooms.

You wanted to talked to Peter as you walked, but you felt flustered. Every thing you thought of sounded stupid or awkward, but there was one sure fire thing you could say.

"Thanks," you said. "To you and Ned for helping me with my bags."

"Oh, yeah, you're welcome," Peter responded. "The signs were probably really confusing. They've been backwards for a year."

You furrowed your brow. "That does explain a lot."

There was a moment of silence before Peter spoke up again. "So, are you from Queens?" he asked.

"No, I'm actually from Manhattan," you said, relieved he had broken the silence.

Peter perked up a bit. "Oh, I--well, I know...someone from Manhattan," he stuttered.

"Oh, anyone I'd know?" you asked jokingly.

Peter fidgeted his hands and looked at the ground. "No, probably, definitely not. He's just a guy...who works on cars." He looked up when he realized you were outside of History. "We can talk after class."

"Yeah Peter and I were going to hang out at his place later tonight," Ned chimed in. "I don't know if you like Legos, but I got an awesome new set to build."

You look apologetically at them. "I'm sorry, I can't. I have to unpack."

Peter opened the door. "Maybe some other time then," he said.

"Yeah," you said. "Another time." With that you sat down at your desk, which was behind Peter, and tried to listen to the lecture. It was difficult to do when Peter kept looking at the clock or fidgeting in his desk. He obviously wanted school to end, but you couldn't imagine him wanting that more than you. But, you must have imagined wrong, because Peter lept from his desk and hurried out the door at the first sound of the bell.

"He's in a hurry to be somewhere," you commented as you shouldered your backpack.

"Peter's always running off to go do something," Ned explained.

You looked at the door as the rest of the students left for the day. "I better go too," you said. "I haven't even seen where I'm staying."

"Wow, ok, that's weird," he said. "See you tomorrow."

"Yep," you sighed. "And the day after that, and the day after that." You followed the stream of students out the door. "Unfortunately, I'm not going anywhere."

They say that you haven't had the New York experience until you've ridden the subway. You wouldn't be surprised if you were the first to prove that theory wrong. When you boarded the train the first thing that hit you was the smell. You might as well have been standing in between two sweaty middle aged men with bad taste in cologne. And while standing was on your mind you also noticed there was no decent place to sit down. Unless, of course, you wanted to sit on a seat with a mysterious wet spot. But when you grabbed onto the sweaty railing, you noticed the worst thing might have been the people. There were people yelling, snoring, whining, and, your personal favorite, singing horrible karaoke to songs you used to love.

Overall the best part about the subway was when you could finally get off. You gathered your bags (which didn't help your subway experience) and quickly exited the train. Now all you had to do was walk to your home, and you could finally start some work.

When you walked in the door, you ditched your bags and shoes in the middle of the floor. The rest of your luggage was tucked neatly against the wall with a note from your dad. You left it all where it was, dug your laptop out of your carry-on, and landed on the couch. You opened up your laptop only to realize you weren't connected to the internet, and didn't know the password. You tapped your fingers on the keys for a second considering if you needed the internet  for what you wanted to do.

You sighed, got up from the couch, and walked over to the note on your suitcases. You unfolded it hoping he left, at least, the wi-fi password in it, but there was only one sentence scribbled out in pencil,

Don't forget about your homework - Dad

You pursed your lips and stared at the scratchy handwriting. Of course. After a solid minute of staring that the note you decided you could work off of wi-fi for the night. You opened the files you downloaded from your dad's work folder and starting looking for the one you wanted. That suit he was designing had been in your mind all day, and you were going to figure out what it was for. You hoped it was for you, but you knew better than to assume what your dad had in mind as it was always starkly different than what you thought.

It took long time, sorting through everything, but you did come across a few things you found interesting; including an old file stating that Tony's original name for Friday was Emily. Finally you found one labeled "Spiderling MK 1" and tried to open it up, but it blocked you out saying you needed to connect to a network. You closed the laptop in frustration. You glanced over at your phone and considered calling your dad, but you quickly decided you would rather die. Instead you unpacked some of your things, grudgingly did your homework, and went to bed. Tomorrow you would open that file and find out what he was hiding.

A loud and grating beeping woke you from your sleep. You covered your ears and tried to sit up which was hard to accomplish doing both at once. Eventually you resorted to rolling out onto the floor still covered in your blankets.

"Shut up!" you yelled to nothing. And just like that the alarm stopped. You uncovered your ears and looked around room.

"Goodmorning." The voice scared you half to death and you bolted to your feet. "It's good to see that you're awake." You breathed a sigh of relief when you realized it was just Friday.

"I don't know how I couldn't be," you grumbled in a tired voice. "Don't ever wake me up like that again."

"I'm sorry," the computer said. "Mr. Stark informed me that you would want this alarm."

"Of course he did," you said as you got dressed. "Just change it to something calmer please."

"Right away," Friday replied. After you sorted out the alarm problem you went downstairs and packed your laptop into your backpack. "I have an incoming call from Tony Stark. Would you like me to answer it on speaker?" You grabbed a quick breakfast from the kitchen and headed for the door.

"No," you said. "Send him to voicemail with a message: I've got a train to catch." With that you locked up the house and headed for the subway.

When you got to school you basically just went through the motions. You jotted down a few notes, here and there but nothing was eventful. The only that caught your attention was Peter and Ned whispering all the time. You were in the middle of chemistry when Ned moved his chair over to Peter's and started talking in a hushed voice. You knew it shouldn't be bothered by it, but you hated it when people kept secrets from you. Admittedly you tried to eavesdrop a few times, but every time you would get close enough to hear they stopped talking. You swore it was like Peter had a sixth sense or something.

Annoyed that you couldn't figure out what they were talking about, you stayed in the locker room during PE and opened your laptop. If you couldn't figure their secret out you'd figure out your dad's. You connected to the school wi-fi and tried to open the file. No luck. You tried again, but this time a warning message popped up saying you couldn't open the file on a public network service. You closed the laptop in frustration and started to head out of the locker room. A bunch of girls swarmed through the door so you waited for them to pass.

"Did you hear what that dork kid said?" one of the girls said to you as she walked by.

You played along, wanting the gossip almost as much as she wanted to tell it. "I didn't," you said with exaggerated interest.

"He was pretending that Peter knows Spider-man," she laughed.

"Spider-man?" you genuinely asked. Did this have something to do with the Spiderling File?

"I know right?," she continued. "If I had to guess that one of the students secretly knew Spider-man he would be my last choice." She walked away leaving you with a lot of questions. You were starting to think that Tony chose this school for a reason. Not that you had ever really believed otherwise. You grabbed your laptop and backpack and left to find Peter.

When the school bell rang you just barely had enough time to get to Peter before he left the school grounds.

"Oh, hey, Y/N," he said as he realized you were trying to get his attention.

"Hey," you said. Before you asked him about Spider-man, you had to figure out who Spider-man was. "Is it okay if I come over to your place for a little bit? The wi-fi has been shut off at my house, and I can't do my project."

Peter glanced at Ned with a panicked look, and Ned reflected it back at him. "Uh, like today?" he asked.

"Yeah, if I can," you said.

Ned started tapping Peter's arm. "Well, actually we've got a thing..to do. It's boys--men only," he explained.

"What?" Peter asked.

"Because we're men," Ned looked wide-eyed at Peter.

"I wont be any trouble," you promised. "Honest, I just need a place to sit and work on my laptop."

They looked at each other making strange facial expressions and hand motions until Peter turned to you. "You can come over," he decided. "But, uh, like Ned said, we are going to be busy."

You smiled. Finally you were going to figure it all out. "Thanks, Peter."

"Yeah, sure thing," he whispered with a smile. On the way to Peter's home you noticed they were both fidgeting and whispering. They were definitely hiding something, but you were too caught up in your thoughts to care. You wanted to find out who or what Spider-man was. You made small talk on the way, and soon enough you were at Peter's apartment.

"May!" Peter called when he opened the door. A tall, thin woman walked into the living room while drying her hands on a towel.

"Hey, Peter," she said. Her eyes met yours. "Who's this?"

Peter looked confused. "It's Ned." You looked at the carpet, trying to hide the smile on your face.

May bit her lip trying to keep back a smile of her own. "So, you think I might be talking about the strange girl I've never seen before or--"

"Oh yeah, obviously, sorry," Peter said and pointed to you. "This is Y/N. She's here to work on her project."

"Hi," you said with a small wave.

May nodded slowly. "Alright," she said. "I'll be in the kitchen."

Peter turned to you. "Ned and I will be in my room," he said. "You can sit anywhere you want, but if you need to talk to us just... make sure you knock."

"Okay?" you said. With that Ned and Peter rushed off. You raised a brow and chuckled softly. After taking your laptop out of your bag and sat down on their couch, and tried to connect to the internet. Of course, a password was needed. "Miss Parker," you called. "What's the password to your network?"

Her head popped into the living room. "Oh, that's always too long for me to remember. Peter!" she yelled down the hall. You heard Peter answer from his room.

"What's the wi-fi password?" May asked.

Peter's door opened and he stuck his head out. "May, how many times; It's Emily." Emily? The name rattled around in your head as you tried to recall where you had heard that recently.

"Oh right, it's 'Enter Magic Internet Link Yottabyte'," she said and returned to the kitchen. Your fingers hovered over the keyboard. It was from your dad's files. That's where you had heard about Emily.

"You got that?" You heard May's voice echo from the kitchen, but you weren't sure you completely got it. Surely that  couldn't be a coincidence. The acronyms were slightly different, but it was still uncanny.

"Yeah, I got it," you said as you typed in the password. You would look into that later, but you had been waiting all day to find our about the Spiderling/Spider-man.

It took hours for you to get by all the protocols that your dad had put in place. And while the computer was running decryptions you couldn't help but think about what Peter was doing. You heard practically nothing from him and Ned the whole time. Once in a while, they would leave the room for a snack, but that's all you saw them. And yet even that short time seeing Peter made you blush. You couldn't explain why you would get so nervous when you saw him. You were pretty sure you hadn't decided that you liked him, but then again, maybe it wasn't your choice.

The computer alerting you it was done, brought your attention back to the task at hand. You searched in the files for Spider-man and got plenty more results than when you had searched for Spiderling. They were all mostly suits or ways to upgrade the suits. Nothing all that telling; however when you searched the web, you found a video of the hero wearing the exact same suit that Tony designed. You also learned that he had an encounter with bank robbers just last night in Queens. You took a second to piece together the information.

A new hero appeared after the Avengers split, and your dad has been helping him by giving him a suit upgrade. He was working in Queens and the next day Peter claims he knows him? You smiled knowing what was up. Somehow Peter knew Spider-man and you were going to find out how.

You got off the couch and headed for Peter's room. Disregarding their no knocking rule, you swung the door open, and you almost couldn't believe what was in front of you. There was Ned, sitting on Peter's bed wearing Tony Stark's own Spider-man mask. Peter stood petrified next to him and they both looked at you, horrified.

"It's not what it looks like!" Peter squeaked. He looked at Ned desperately.

Ned slipped the mask off his head and nodded quickly. "He's right. This is just a misunderstanding."

"Big misunderstanding," Peter confirmed. Ned was Spider-man? That couldn't have been right. He was a completely different build from the Spider-man in the video you saw. Without another word you closed their door and went to find May. Surely she would know something about this. Peter ran out of his room and stepped in front of you. "Wait, it's just a costume."

You nodded sarcastically. "Oh yeah, that makes perfect sense," you said. "You were trying to keep me out of your room, because you didn't want me to know you had a costume." You raised your brow as you waited for him to respond.

"Yes?" Peter said. Ned walked out of the room with the mask in hand. "Dude!" Peter yelled as he snatched it from Ned, and threw it back into his room. "Can we talk in my room?" You looked him in the eyes, and saw that he was legitimately worried. You slowly walked back into his room, and they followed shutting the door behind them.

"It's fine, Peter." Ned said. "We should tell her the truth."

Peter shook his head and kept mouthing "no" to his friend.

"Yes," Ned turned to you. "It's a souvenir from the Stark Internship." Did you hear him right? The "Stark internship"? You bit your tongue as you held back a laugh.

"Yes!" Peter said picking up his act. "You know, everyone who was part of the Stark Internship they, uh, they all got a fake Spider-man mask. T-thats how I got it."

"The Stark Internship." you repeated. They both nodded. "Ok, here's the problem. I know you're lying; and I don't care that you're Spider-man, Ned, I just care that the secret of Spider-man is in the hand of the two worst liars in the world."

"Ned's not Spider-man. I was just letting him try on the mask," Peter explained.

"So, you're Spider-man," you said to Peter.

"No, I got that from the Stark Internship--"

"No, you didn't, Peter."

"I did. I swear." he said in all seriousness.

Ok, now this was just getting sad. You figured you should tell him the truth before he got too desperate to make you believe him. "Peter, there's no such thing as the Stark Internship."

"There is! I applied to it--"

"There's no such thing as the Stark Internship--"

"How do you know? Have you--"

"Because I'm Tony Stark's daughter!" Everyone went silent.

Peter stared at you with wide eyes. "You're Y/N Stark..."

"Yeah, and you're Spider-man." you answered.

"Mr. Stark told you?" he asked.

You laughed. "No, you're just really obvious. Plus, your wi-fi password is my dad's original name for his computer system."

"Mr. Stark set that up for us so the internet was more secure," Peter said.

You looked over at Ned who had been quiet for a while. "How did you find out?"

"I saw him crawling on the ceiling," Ned said with a smile.

Your attention whipped back to Peter. "You can crawl on the ceiling?" you asked excitedly.

"Shhh!" Peter looked at the door anxiously. "Listen I know you think it's really obvious that I'm Spider-man, but my aunt doesn't know so please don't tell her." You couldn't imagine May not knowing, but you promised not to tell and Peter sighed in relief.

Ned looked at you jokingly. "I wouldn't get too excited; I was asking him earlier today, and he can't do anything cool, like spit venom or lay eggs."

Peter opened his mouth to defend himself, but his faced dropped before he could get a word out. "The tracker!" he whispered.

"What tracker?" you queried.

"I put a tracker on this guy who's selling dangerous weapons," Peter explained.

"We've tracked him as far as Maryland, but we can't get there," Ned added. He turned to Peter. "Sorry, Peter."

"No, there's gotta be a way to get there in time," Peter said as he paced the room.

"I have lots of contacts, if you can pack up and leave," you offered.

"Awesome," Ned whispered, but Peter shook his head.

"No, May would never let me go...unless..." Peter looked over at the wall where a poster for the school's decathlon hung. "Maryland isn't too far from DC."

The next day you, Ned, and Peter stood outside a decathlon bus that was headed for DC. You were surprised they let you there at all since you hadn't been studying with them, but they tested you, you answered correctly so there you were. Of course you were only a backup, but it didn't matter. You just needed a ride.

You all boarded the bus and found seats as far back as they would allow. Now it was just a waiting game. They set up a review for everyone to do, but you and Peter were mostly talking to each other.

"You know," Peter was saying. "The Decathlon is actually pretty fun when you're not using it to track down bad guys." "Are you kidding?" You laughed. "I can do school anytime, but I never get to do anything like this."

Peter turned in his seat toward you. "But you're Y/N Stark. I mean you probably know the rest of Avengers or something."

You sighed. "Yeah, but knowing the Avengers and working with them are two different things," you said as you brushed your hair behind your ear. "The most action I've seen is my dad testing his suits. It's embarrassing."

"No, no, even that's cool!" Peter assured you. "I mean I'm just a neighborhood Spider-man, you know? Well I did steal Captain America's shield once; that was pretty awesome, but I mostly stay in Queens."

"Still bigger than a basement," you mumbled. "It's cool that you look after your town though. The Avengers are so caught up with the big threats, they forget about the little things."

"Yeah, I mean the only other person, besides you and Ned, who knows about the guys we're tracking is Mr. Stark," Peter said.

"If my dad knows about this, and finds out that I'm headed straight for it, I'm in big trouble," You said almost to yourself. Your thoughts were interrupted when Peter's phone rang.

"I gotta take this," he said and excused himself further back in the bus.

While he was gone, you thought about what you had said earlier. You were taking a big risk following Peter to DC. Your dad always made sure you were far away from danger, and if he found out that you were waltzing right toward men armed with lethal, alien tech, you might as well kiss Midtown High goodbye. A few days ago you would've been happy about that, but now you weren't so sure. It was laughable how quickly you changed your mind, and for what? Different surroundings, a bit of adventure, or maybe a boy you couldn't stop thinking about who was right there with you from your first day. He couldn't even hear you and you were blushing. You looked out the window hoping to take your mind off your warm cheeks. All you were saying was, maybe going to Midtown High could be for the better.

Peter started walking back to you, while stuffing his phone in his pocket. "That was Happy Hogan," he explained to you and Ned. "There's a tracker in my suit, and who knows what they'll do if they see that I'm in Maryland instead of DC."

You opened your mouth to say something, but your phone rang before you got the chance. You looked at the others worriedly and showed them the caller ID. "Happy Hogan," you said.

"No way," Ned whispered. This time it was your turn to step to the back of the bus.

"Yeah?" you said as casually as you could.

"I just got a notification here that you left New York?" Happy said.

"Yes, it's for the decathlon at school," you started. "But, Happy, why and how are you tracking me?"

You heard him snort out a breath. "Are you kidding? You're swimming in your dad's technology how could I not track you," he replied.

"Ok...but still, tracking me is wrong and just plain--"

"Did you say it was for the decathlon?" Happy interrupted.

You bit your tongue before responding. "Yes."

"Your dad didn't sign you up for that."

"Well, I don't need him to sign me up for everything I'm going to be doing," you said. "Get off my back...and my computer...and my phone." You hung up and hurried back to where you were sitting.

"What's wrong?" Peter asked. You started rummaging through your bags for every piece of online electronic you had with you.

"My dad's tracking me too," you explained. You quickly and thoroughly shut down each device you had found. "I'll just have to be gadget free for a while."

You spent the rest of the bus ride talking, answering review questions, or thinking to yourselves. Despite the feeling that someone was watching your every move, it was actually enjoyable. When you made it to Washington DC, you didn't exactly have time to stretch. The three of you went to Peter and Ned's hotel room and immediately started working on the tracker in Peter's suit.

"I don't know exactly where the tracker would be, but from what I remember it's around here," you said as you circled a part of the suit.

"Right ok, so, how do we open it up?" Peter asked. You all stared at the suit, hoping it would magically open. No such luck.

After half an hour of trying to open the suit without ruining it, you located the wiring, and successfully removed it from the suit. In the process, however, Ned had also found a system called "Training wheels protocol" that was blocking the suits abilities. It took some convincing, but Ned disabled it and soon you were ready to be on your way.

"Ok, I gotta go," Peter said as he zipped his coat up over his suit.

"What do you mean you have to go," you questioned. "We have to go. I'm coming too."

"What? No, you need to stay here," Peter insisted. "Mr. Stark wouldn't want you to come with me."

"'Mr. Stark' wouldn't want you to go at all. There's no reason for me to stay here."

"There's no reason for you to go either. It just puts you in danger."

"I'm sick and tired of everyone trying to keep me out of danger! I want to help!"

"Guys!" Ned interrupted. "We aren't getting anywhere standing around arguing."

"I agree," You said. "Let's go, Peter."

"Y/N," Peter stood in front of you and looked at you pleadingly. "I know what it's like to want to help, but if something happened to you, I couldn't live with that. Not only because Mr. Stark would probably kill me," he added with a chuckle "But also because I don't want anything to happen to my friends. Please stay here with Ned."

After a moment of looking into his eyes you folded. "Fine," you breathed.

Peter sighed in relief. "Thank you! I'll be back soon!" he yelled before jumping out the door. Ned tried to talk to you, but you weren't in the mood. You gathered your things, said goodnight to Ned, and went to your room. Hopefully Peter would still be alive by morning.

***

"I'm so stupid! I should've gone with him!," you grumbled as you and Ned your anxiously waited for the decathlon to start. "Peter should have been here by now."

"I know," Ned agreed. "It would be so not cool if he died last night.

You raised your brow. "No kidding." The decathlon was about to start and one of your teachers tried to get you to replace him. You got out of it by lying that you were sick, but now your stomach was housing a kaleidoscope of butterflies that made it less of a lie. What if something had happened to Peter? For all you knew he could be dead in an alley, and it would be your fault for not going with him.

The decathlon started and ended before you knew it. Ned told you that their team had won, but there was still no sign of Peter. Your whole group was heading towards the Washington Monument to celebrate, and you made your way over to Ned.

"How is Peter going to know where we are?" you whispered.

"Oh," Ned said as he reached in his pocket. "I'll send him a text." You stared at the phone in his hand and then at him.

"You could've called him the whole time?" you said through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeeaah," Ned replied.

You snatched the phone away from him, but right before you could dial anything Peter called.

You answered as quickly as you could. "Peter?" you said.

"Y/N?" Peter sounded out of breath and you heard wind rushing by the phone. "Please give the phone to Ned, it's an emergency!"

"What happened?" you asked worriedly.

"I'll explain everything later, just give the phone to Ned!"

You grudgingly gave the phone to Ned, who was passing by the security search in the monument. You tried to hear what he was saying put you were pushed back as the students formed a single file line. When you made it by security you met up with Ned, but he wasn't on the phone.

"What did he say?" you questioned.

"He was just worried I forgot something at the room," Ned answered.

"He said it was an emergency," you said.

Ned shrugged. "He hung up after the security sweep. Listen I'm sure he's fine. He's at least alive. Let's just enjoy the tour." Ned walked off leaving you anxious and confused.

The same teacher who had tried to make you take Peter's place walked up to you. "Feeling better?"

You angrily grabbed your stuff off the security conveyor. "Hardly." You followed Ned into the elevator with the rest of the students.

The slow incline of the elevator made you more worried the higher you went. You fidgeted and tried to listen to the tour guide, but your mind was somewhere else. You just couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. Unfortunately, you discovered your suspicions were correct when a laser-like light  penetrated through Ned's backpack and the elevator ceiling causing severe damage to the shaft. You looked in horror at Ned who immediately dropped his backpack on the ground. After a moment of silence, the tour guide tried to assure you that you would all be fine, but it didn't take a genius to know that wasn't true. The students around you were in panic, and frankly, you were too. Your mind was so focused on Peter that you couldn't think about your situation until it was life or death, and now you were freaking out.

Some security guards had come to get as many people out as possible, but you could feel the elevator shifting every time someone moved. You felt like you couldn't breath, as you watched each student carefully make their way out. The elevator was emptying and your breath slowly came back to you. It was Ned's turn to leave, but before he could even make it through the hatch the elevator plummeted.

Everything that happened was a blur. You remember the the feeling of falling, and the screams of the other students, but you were just petrified. You didn't scream, and you didn't dare move. You shivered thinking about it again. You now stood safely on the ground looking up at the Washington Monument. Peter was there. It only just hit you. The reason everyone had made it out alive was because Peter had caught the falling elevator long enough to get everyone out.  You looked around, but you didn't see him anywhere. However, as you were looking for Peter, you did see someone else walking toward you; and as he got closer you realized exactly who it was. Tony Stark: your dad.

To be continued...

[mustangshelby04]

Boston Boy - Chapter 12

A/N Ready? Here comes a curveball!

Kate made her way down to baggage claim at the Orlando airport and looked around nervously.  The last month and a half of her life had been a whirlwind.  She’d quit her job, moved to an apartment in New York City with her friend April, and started working for Chris’ photographer friend Danielle.  Since then, her days had been filled with learning the ropes of the photography business and assisting Danielle.  Her nights had been filled with learning how to live in a big city, phone calls to her family, and video chats with her boyfriend.  

The trip to Disneyworld with Chris and his family was the first time she was getting to see Chris in person since he’d left Richmond in November. She’d never gotten a weekend free to go down to Georgia for a visit.  She had seen Scott, though.  He spent a lot of time in NYC and had helped her move in.  He’d also shown her around the city and helped her learn how to avoid the paparazzi.  It wasn’t long after Chris had left Richmond that her name and life story had been plastered all over the internet and entertainment news.  Her relationship with Chris Evans had been outed and everyone wanted to know more about her.

Speaking of Chris….

Her face broke out into a huge grin when she spotted him waiting for her instead of a driver.  He was scanning the crowd of people, but hadn’t seen her yet.  She realized she was wearing the Disneyworld baseball cap April had given her for the trip.  Kate pulled it off and slipped her wrist through the hole in the back.  Chris finally spotted her as she was getting off the escalator.  He rushed forward, almost knocking over someone’s luggage and another person, and pulled her to him in a bear hug.

“I’ve missed you!” He cried, pulling her off her feet.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him, knocking his hat off his head in the process. “I’ve missed you!”

They laughed as he set her down and she returned his hat to his head. He kept his arm around her waist as he gave her a quick kiss and took her carryon bag from her.  They rolled it towards the baggage carousel that was already starting to send luggage around from her flight.  “How was the flight?”

“I have no idea.” She put her hat back on and pulled her ponytail through the back. “I slept through it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!  I’ve been non-stop with Danielle the last week getting ready for the next couple of weeks off and I’ve been so tired lately.  I’m like the cat-nap queen now.”

“She’s still treating you good, right?”

“Of course!  She’s so sweet and I’m insanely grateful she gave me these two weeks off even though I’ve only worked with her for a month.”

“That was awesome of her.”

“Oh, that’s mine!” She moved to get the baggage, but Chris handed her the carryon handle and went after the larger piece of luggage. “And that.” She pointed sheepishly at the second, medium sized luggage.

“Three bags?” Chris asked, his eyebrow cocking up in amusement.

“I have no idea what the plans are.  You haven’t told me.  So I packed a lot of shit to be prepared for anything.”

“Oh!” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pink MagicBand. “This is yours.”

Her eyes lit up and she did a little jump, making him laugh. “This is real!” She said as she put on the MagicBand. “I’m really going to Disneyworld!”

“You really are.” He grabbed the handles on both pieces of luggage and started to walk them towards the exit.

Kate looked up at Chris. “You’re not allowed to make fun of me if I start bawling at any point for weird reasons, ok?”

Chris laughed. “I’m not promising anything.”

“Gee, thanks.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Where did you get the hat?”

“April.  She bought it when she was here last and gave it to me to wear.” A blast of warm air hit them when the doors opened and they both grinned.  They piled her luggage in the private car’s trunk and climbed into the backseat. “So, where are we staying?”

“We’re at the Contemporary Resort.  You and I have our own room.”

“Fancy.  Where is everyone?”

“We got here a couple of hours ago.  I sent them on ahead, but they’re really excited to see you.”

“I’m excited to see them, too.  Carly, Shanna, and I have been texting almost non-stop.  Have you just been hanging at the airport waiting for me?”

“I was too excited to just sit at the hotel waiting.”

Kate laughed and leaned across the seat to kiss him.  She glanced over to make sure the partition was up before climbing on top of him and deepening the kiss.  He laughed against her mouth as he pulled her closer.  His hands roamed up her shirt, feeling as much skin as he could.

“I really missed you.” She said, lips still pressed against his.

“I missed you, too.” His hips bucked up and she could feel him straining against his jeans. “As much as I want you right now, I don’t want our first time together again to be in the back of a car.”

Kate pulled back with a dramatic gasp and gingerly placed her hand over her heart in shock. “Why, Christopher Robert Evans!  You want to defile me in the sacred House of Mouse?”

Chris laughed. “Gotta make your first time here as memorable as possible.”

She pretended to think about the answer, playfully grinding herself down on him. “If I have to wait for the really good stuff with you, then can we at least make out like teenagers on the way there?”

He pulled her lips back to his as his answer.  The drive was a good thirty minutes, but when Chris started seeing signs for Disneyworld when they came up for air, he gently pushed Kate back. “We’re almost there.”

“I almost don’t care.” She kissed him again, but moved back to her side of the backseat.  Her eyes widened and her face lit up as she saw the big golf ball at Epcot. “Oh my god! Chris!” She turned her wide blue eyes on his and he beamed at her. “That’s Epcot!”

“We’ll be heading there the day after tomorrow.” As they kept driving, he pointed out the Seven Seas Lagoon and the spires of Space Mountain. “And when we get up to the room, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

“I can’t believe I’m actually here.” She had tears shining in her eyes and he couldn’t help but lean over and kiss her.  She took his face in her hands and stroked her thumbs over his cheeks. “Thank you, Chris.  This means so much to me.”

“You are more than welcome, Kat.” He kissed her again. “We’re all checked in according to mom, so we can just head up to our room. We’ll meet them in a little bit for dinner at the California Grill.  It has a panoramic view of everything.”

“Ok.”

A concierge came and took her bags up to their room for them. They did a quick tour of the grounds before heading upstairs. Chris moved in front of her and opened the door with his MagicBand. “Ok, no peaking.” He covered her eyes and guided her into the room.  She moved tentatively as he walked them out onto the balcony.  The sun was beginning to set and it was a perfect view of the Magic Kingdom. “Ready?” She nodded and he dropped his hands.

Kate let out a gasp at the view of Cinderella’s Castle and she gripped his hand tightly as she started to cry. “Oh my god, Chris!  This is amazing.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her back against him, and rested his chin on the top of her head. “I thought the view would make you happy.”

“This whole trip makes me happy!  I’ve seen it in pictures, but it’s actually here in front of me.  I’m actually here!” She turned in his arms and wrapped hers around his neck. “I’m here because of you and you’re incredible family.  Thank you so much, Chris!”

He leaned down and kissed her, lifting her off her feet. “Now I’m going to defile you in the sacred House of Mouse.” She laughed as he carried her back inside and dropped them both to the bed.

 *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Chris knocked on the door of the bathroom and was greeted by another retch.  Kate had disappeared in the bathroom not long after they’d woken up. “Babe?” He called. She groaned in response and he opened the door.

“Oh, Chris…. I’m so sorry.” Her head was laying on the toilet seat.

He walked over and squatted down in front of her, smoothing her hair back. “Why are you apologizing?”

“I think I ate something that really didn’t agree with me.”

“That’s nothing to apologize for.”

“It’s our first day at Disney and so far I’m spending it throwing up. You should go on without me.”

Chris sat down next to her. “I’m not going anywhere, Kat.”

“I think I’ll feel better once I get the food out of my system.”

“What did you eat?”

“Um…. For lunch I had some airport food.”

“We got the same thing last night, so I don’t think it was dinner.”

“It was probably the airport food.” Another bout of nausea overcame her and she turned her face back to the bowl.  Chris acted quickly and grabbed her hair, holding it back from her face.

An hour later, they were laying on the bed together.  Chris stroked her hair and the arm that was slung over his torso.  She was snoring softly as she napped on his chest.  He’d called his family and told them to go on without him and Kat. Kissing the top of her head, he laid his own back and closed his eyes.

Kat stirred and he looked down at her. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Kat said, checking to make sure she hadn’t drooled on him.

“How are you feeling?” He helped her sit up and brushed her hair back from her face, searching for any sign of illness. “Uh, I’m ok.” She stretched and wiggled a bit. “I don’t feel like I’m going to throw up my insides anymore.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.  I want to brush my teeth again, though, and then we can go to the park.”

“Are you sure you feel up to it?”

“I think so.”  

“We can take it easy.  There’s lots of walking and plenty of places to sit down if you need to.” He followed her to the bathroom. “I don’t want you to get sick again.”

“I really think I’m ok.” She looked in the mirror and cringed at her hair. “Yikes.  That’s not ok, though.”

Chris chuckled and picked up her hairbrush. “You brush your teeth. I’ve got your hair.”

 *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Kate wiped at her eyes for the thousandth time that day.  She and Chris were walking out of Princess Fairytale Hall where she had just met Princess Aurora and Cinderella.  When Aurora had hugged her, Kate had actually started to sob and then immediately started apologizing for it.  The pictures she took were absolutely priceless.

Chris kissed her again as they made it out into the sunshine and grinned at her. “And I thought I was a weepy one.”

“I swear, I’m not usually like this.  I don’t know why I’m so overly emotional!” Kate laughed. “I’m almost terrified to meet Belle at Epcot tomorrow.”

He laughed as he tucked her under his arm. “Come on, let’s go meet mom by the teacups.”

They spotted Lisa watching her daughters and grandkids spin themselves silly on the teacups.  Scott stood with her taking pictures.  She saw Chris and Kate walk up and smiled. “Did you two have fun?”

“She cried again!” Chris laughed.

“Don’t pick on her.” Lisa wrapped Kate in a protective hug. “It’s her first trip here.  She’s just excited.”

“I think it’s insanely adorable.” He kissed the side of her head.

“How are you feeling?” Scott asked.

“I’m ok.” Kate said. “Got a little dizzy on the Little Mermaid ride, weirdly, but my stomach isn’t flipping around anymore.”

Lisa reached up and placed her hand on Kate’s forehead, checking her temperature. “You’re a little warm.”

“I think it was just a bad reaction to the airport food.  I’ve been living off hot tea, salads, and sushi for the last few weeks.”

“No wonder you’ve lost weight.” Carly said, walking up. “We’ll make sure to feed you really good on this trip.”

Kate laughed. “Thank you!  I’m looking forward to eating some big meals.”

“Ok, our FastPass for the Mine Train is in five minutes.” Scott announced. “Let’s go!”

Chris took Kate’s hand and they followed the group over to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  They got in line and Carly started French braiding Shanna’s hair.  When she was done, she held her hands out towards Kate. “Want me to get your hair out of your face?”

“Oh!  Uh, sure.” Kate smiled slightly as Carly turned her around and started braiding her hair.  They walked and braided as the line moved.  By the time Carly finished maneuvering Kate’s long hair into two matching braids on either side of her head, they were at the front and being directed into which lane to go to. “Thank you, Carly.”

“Don’t mention it.” Carly said, quickly braiding her hair back as she moved into line with Miles.

Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. “My family is more in love with you than they are with me.”

Kate laughed as they moved past the gate and boarded the train. “I doubt that.”

“Trust me.  They adore you.” They pulled their lap bars down. “I don’t think Carly has ever offered to braid the hair of any of the other girlfriends I’ve brought home. All two of them.”

“Oh.  Well, I kind of adore them, too.”

He reached over and laced his fingers with hers. “Good.”

 *_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Their fifth day at Disneyworld, Kate was once again throwing up in the morning.  She’d been nauseous on and off throughout the week, but she just chalked it up to rich foods, thrill rides, and the over-emotional state she was constantly in being at Disneyworld with the Evans.  Chris held her hair back and grabbed a washcloth.  He helped her back to bed and sat down beside her. “Kat, I think there might be something wrong with you.”

“It’s just all the food and the excitement.  My system isn’t used to it.” Kate groaned and hid her face to keep the world from spinning.

“Babe, I really think we should get you to a doctor.”

There was a knock on the door and Lisa’s voice floated into the room. “Is everything all right in there?”

Chris opened the door. “Hey ma.”

“Oh no!  Sick again?” Lisa said, walking over to the bed.  She felt Kate’s forehead and moved her hair away from her face. “Ok, we’re going to the doctor.” “No.” Kate moaned. “I don’t want to ruin our last full day here.”

“I wouldn’t have any fun knowing you’re lying here and miserable.” Lisa gestured at Chris to help and Chris leaned down and swept Kate into his arms.

An hour later, Kate was sitting on the table and Chris stood next to her, holding her hand. “I feel fine now.” Kate insisted.

“The nurse said the doctor wouldn’t be long.” Chris said. “Let’s just talk to them.  Tell them your symptoms and find out what’s wrong.”

“We should be at Animal Kingdom again.  I want another Dole Whip with rum.”

“We will get you another Dole Whip with rum today.  After we leave here.”

“I’m telling you, it’s a combination of the weather and the Disney excitement and all the rich foods.  My diet hasn’t been great or consistent since I moved to New York.  I’m still trying to figure out my schedule.  Plus, I’m so busy so I’m super tired.”

“Kat, let’s just see what the doctor says, ok?” His tone left no room for argument.

She sighed. “Fine.” After a long, silent minute, Kate looked up at Chris. “Who knew uprooting my life was the key to losing fifteen pounds in a month?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not healthy.”

“I’m pretty sure I had it to lose.  I was a size fourteen before.  I’m a size ten now.  Or twelve depending on the store.”

“I’ve said it a million times: you are perfect, Kat.” He lifted their entwined fingers to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

The doctor came in a minute later.  She got right down to business, asking questions about what Kate’s symptoms were and making notes about them before asking more questions about possible other symptoms Kate may not have noticed.  She looked over the chart that the nurse had filled out with Kate’s blood pressure, height, weight, and temperature. “Kate, have you considered that you may be pregnant?”

Kate let out a loud bark of a laugh. “Oh god no!  I have an IUD.”

The doctor shook her head, not finding the humor. “We need to do a pregnancy test.  I’ll get one ordered.  If it’s positive, we need to do some blood work and talk about what happens with a pregnancy when an IUD is involved.  I’ll be back.” She stood up and walked out of the room.

Kate looked up at Chris and laughed. “I think she might be crazy. We should get out of here.” Chris wasn’t laughing.  He looked like he might faint. “Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“Look at me.” He turned his head slowly. “This isn’t happening, ok?  I’m not pregnant.  We’ve only known each other for barely two months.  I haven’t seen you for most of that time.  I have an IUD.  I’m pretty sure they’re like being temporarily sterilized.  That’s one of the reasons I chose this form of birth control.  I’m not pregnant, ok?” She laughed hysterically and shook her head. “There’s no way.”

Chris sat down heavily in one of the chairs.  Neither of them spoke even after the nurse came in with a cup and directed Kate to a bathroom.  They sat in silence until the doctor came back and announced that the test was positive. She started talking about statistics of a pregnancy with an IUD and what would need to be done to insure the baby’s safety as well as Kate’s safety.  The two of them just stared wide eyed at the doctor, nodding occasionally.

Lisa was sitting patiently in the waiting room texting her family when the very stunned couple walked out.  Kate had a bandage on her arm where they had drawn blood for blood work and she was gripping her discharge paperwork and some pamphlets tightly in one hand.  Lisa immediately went into worried mother mode.  She ushered them to the car and tried to get them to tell her exactly what was wrong.  It wasn’t until they were pulling into the resort that Chris finally blurted out the news.

“Oh.” Lisa said, looking at her son’s shocked face and Kate’s completely blank face.

“This isn’t possible.  I have an IUD.” Kate said. She was clinging to that fact like it would make the situation disappear.

Lisa led them to the elevators “I think you two have some talking to do.” She ushered them onto the elevator and pushed their floor’s button. “For the record, I think you two will be ok.  Clearly this baby was meant to be if it had to go through such an obstacle to get here.” She backed out of the elevator before the doors closed and left Kate and Chris to go up to their room on their own.

They made their way back in a haze.  Chris seemed to forget that he didn’t have a key to the door for a long moment.  He searched his pockets and wallet, coming up keyless.  Finally, he held his Magic Band to the lock and it opened for them.  He held the door for her and she shuffled inside. Her knees gave out and she plopped down onto the bed.  He followed suit and the two of them sat there, staring at the floor for a long few minutes.

“Chris….” Kate said at the same time Chris said, “I’m so sorry.”

“What are you sorry for?” Kate asked. “I should’ve been more careful.”

“I have an IUD.”

“Kat, you’ve gotta give that one up.  Clearly it fucking failed!”

Kate blinked and looked away, bursting into tears. “I’m so sorry, Chris!  I’m sorry!” He reached out and wrapped her in his arms, instantly regretting his harsh tone as she shook with wracking sobs. “What are we going to do?  We’ve only known each other for two months.  You have your career.  I just started my new job in New York.  I just moved! I don’t want to ruin either of our lives!  Oh god!”

“Babe, calm down.  Breathe.”

“How are you not overwhelmed!?” Chris’ eyes widened when her voice turned into a yell. “I don’t know what to do.” She began sobbing again.

“We will figure this out.”

“I’m not even close to ready to become a mom.” She wailed from behind her hands.

Chris swallowed the sudden lump that was in his throat.  This was her body.  He couldn’t ask her to pop out a child she didn’t want.  If she wanted to…. End…. The pregnancy, that was entirely her choice. “Kat, if you don’t want to keep the baby, I won’t….” He took a deep, shaky breath. “I won’t stop you.”

Her head shot up and she looked over at him like he’d lost his mind. “Do you mean have an abortion?”

He looked away, desperately trying to hold back the tears. “If that’s what you want to do.”

Kate blinked for a moment. She reached over and turned his face to her.  When she spoke, her voice was clear and strong despite the tears falling down her cheeks. “No.  Absolutely no.  That’s not what I want to do.” She took his hands. “I don’t believe in abortion unless it’s an extreme circumstance.  Which…. This is not one of those.  We were both willing participants and this is the outcome of our actions. I just…. I don’t know how to process the fact that my life just changed in a massive way for the third time in two months.”

Chris took a deep breath. “Both our lives are going to change. Drastically.”

“What are we going to do, Chris?”

He stood up and grabbed his tablet.  Flipping to his calendar, he pointed out his schedule. “I can talk to Meagan and have her move some things around and drop me out of some of them. I’ve got to start the press tour for the next Cap movie in a few months….”

“What does that mean?”

“It means….” He took another deep breath and looked over at her. “We’ve got some time.  You and I can maybe find a place together in New York and start figuring out our life as Chris and Kate plus one.  We figure out how to be parents…. Together.”

“Ok.”  

“I won’t lie to you.  It’s not going to be easy, Kat.  I’m going to be away filming and promoting at times and your career is just starting.” He took her hands firmly in his. “I can promise that I will do everything in my power to make this work if you can make me the same promise.”

Kate studied his eyes for a long moment before nodding. “I can promise that, too.”

He gave her a small smile and leaned in to kiss her.  Before his lips met hers, she yanked her hands away from him and ran for the bathroom.  He was right behind her and caught her hair behind her head just as she retched into the toilet.  When it was over, they sat together on the bathroom floor with their backs against the bathtub.  He had an arm wrapped around her shoulders and her head was resting against his chest.

“Do you think your mom has told everyone else?” Kate asked.

“I doubt it.” Chris said. “She’s good at keeping secrets.  We could tell everyone next week at Christmastown.”

“I’ve got to make an appointment with my doctor.” She sighed. “Fuck, I’ve got to find a doctor.  I haven’t even thought about doing that yet.”

“Why don’t you just use your doctor in Virginia for now?  The doctor here did say that you need an ultrasound done as soon as possible to make sure everything is ok.”

“That’s what I’ll have to do.” Kate sighed again. “Chris?”

“Yeah?”

She looked up at him. “I’m scared.”

He turned his head and looked at her. “I’m scared, too.”

They stared at each other for a long moment.  Kate closed her eyes for a moment and Chris kissed her forehead.  After another minute, she started to stand up.  Chris jumped up first and helped her to her feet.  They were flying to Virginia in two days, so Kate called her doctor and made an appointment for the morning after they got there.  They decided to go to Animal Kingdom for the rest of the day and try to enjoy their last days at Disneyworld before they blew their lives up completely.

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Stolen Home (Leikael’s Story) Chapter 4

I don’t have a title for this one yet, I can’t seem to think of something that works. This is gonna be a long one. I wrote a lot here. I always appreciate feedback, even if it’s criticism, I’m trying to get better. With that out of the way, here’s the story

*Waking up in the morning was not fun, saying it sucked would be being kind. Her head was pounding and she felt like shit. She rolled over and froze, she was in a bed, it wasn’t her bed on her ship, where was she? She blinked up at the ceiling as she tried to sort through the fog in her head. That’s right, Ord Mantell, Viidu’s warehouse, Corso’s room, she’d come back completely drunk and looking for bench, but Corso either wanted something from her that she wasn’t going to be giving, or he was just that damn nice that he just gave her his bed, and then had slept on the floor between the door and the bed. It seemed sweet, but she’d put money on the former, no one was that nice, he was probably just playing the long game. She’d seen it before.  He’d just have to figure out what she’d taught others, she didn’t put out just because people were nice and gave her stuff. She looked around, she’d managed to unbuckle her belt and drop her blasters before she’d collapsed, but had forgotten to grab a blaster to put under the pillow like she normally would. Apparently, Corso had gotten up earlier than she. Her blasters and belt had been neatly placed in clear sight on the workbench and on the small nightstand next to her was a tall cup of water, still cold it looked like. She groaned and sat up, her head still spinning and drained almost the whole cup. She grabbed her blasters and shoved on her boots before stepping out of the room and running straight into an overly cheerful Corso. He was sitting on a bench, just past the door to the room, the angle so that he could see the door, but not inside, eating some sort of something. All she could really smell was Caff. He smiled at her, “Hey, you’re up earlier than I thought you’d be.”

She groaned, A MORNING PERSON. She hated morning people, though mostly when she was hungover. “Not sure I’m alive yet.” 

He laughed at that, “You were pretty wasted when you made it back last night. Speaking of, you probably want to wash up after yesterday's runs. Most of the boys are still out getting Caff, so if you move quick, you should have the ‘fresher to yourself for a    few minutes.” 

She had to smile at the prospect of a shower, even if it was a communal one, maybe it would help her feel less sick and make her head hurt less. 

She nodded at him “Thanks.” and dragged herself, her pack feeling like it weighed as much as a bantha, to the ‘fresher. A few minutes later, feeling much more alive, she was pulling up her hair as she heard voices in the main warehouse. Viidu’s boys must be back from breakfast. She moved out of the room quickly and crossed the room, spotting Corso sitting at his workbench, tinkering with something, as she passed. She paused and leaned against the door. Her head had cleared a lot during her shower and as soon as she found some Caff, she’d be good to go. “Hey, I don’t often say this, but thanks... for last night… and this morning, you didn’t have to be nice, so thanks.” 

He half turned to face her, the project of his desk seemed to be some type of disassembled blaster, probably. “Of course, couldn’t let ya just crash on a bench round here. If you’re lookin’ for Caff, the Cantina usually has a few pots out ‘bout this time..” 

Ok, could this kid read her mind? Or maybe he just had enough experience dealing with people with hangovers, didn’t really seem the type to have many of his own, course she still didn’t really know him that well. “You might just be a lifesaver Corso Riggs.” She beamed at him, might as well keep the kid happy while they were working together, a few smiles usually worked on most men and he was nice so it wasn’t even really acting. He was a friendly sort, and sweet, he might actually be one of those few in the galaxy who could be called a good man, a smile was easy enough, and seemed to come far too easily around him, “see ya for the meeting in a bit.” She gave a quick wave and headed out to get Caff. As she walked, she pulled out her datapad. She had a few new messages from various contacts and some members of the old crew, those rogues were family, and one from Natamai. Leikael was a bit concerned, she’d figured Nats would be busy with whatever she was up too. The last message she’d gotten, said Nats had gotten a message from one of her contacts about some kind of job and grabbed a shuttle off Nar Shad. 

She quickly placed her order, got her Caff and found a place to sit, glancing through the short message. ‘Hey Flip, hope that delivery went well. Braden’s dead. I’m working with his kid now, slicer named Mako, seems smart. Got to schmooze a Hutt to get my force-damned sponsorship to the Great Hunt. Also I’m competing in the Great Hunt. That was Braden’s job offer. Chat later, got killing to do. ~ Viper’ It was kinda adorable how she still used the nicknames they’d gotten when they were first reunited on Nar Shaddaa. Sure, they were stupid ass gang kid names, not even proper gangster/criminal names, but silly teen nicknames, and they had been replaced by the nicknames other crews, other friends, new family, gave them. But they still held that air of dark nostalgia of a time when all they had was each other. She chose to only remember the good parts of that time, nothing worth memorializing had happened anyways, so there was no record, except silly kids nicknames, and a couple scars. 

She sighed and typed out a quick response. She didn’t like that she had to admit that this job had gone so wrong, but at least it’d be fixed soon. ‘Hey Vipes, The Great Hunt, really? Sounds big. Heard it’s run by Mandalorians, you should have fun at least. Try and be a bit nice sometimes. Sorry to hear about Braden, he’d be glad you’re looking after his kid though. Delivery went to hell. Kriffing force-damned space ape stole the Siren. Working to get her back, got a plan. Be safe. ~ Flip. 

She sent the message quickly and wandered back to Viidu’s office, getting there just as everyone started to stir across the Fort. Syreena had spotted her and told her to just head up and she’d let Viidu know, so she took a moment to reorder her pack and adjust her holsters before reclining a bit. Sure  enough, a few minutes later, Viidu and Corso wandered in and the planning began. 

She looked across the table at them as Viidu sat down for another large meal. “Alright, I want to get out there and get this done before it gets too late in the day. We’ve got the basic plan down, any tips on getting into this Separatist fortress?”

Viidu swallowed and stared at her, “Well, getting into Mannett point will be extra tricky. For one thing, you have to swim there.” She raised an eyebrow at that. She could swim still, probably. She’d learned to swim by 4 like most kids on planets like Ord; so that wasn’t a probably, it was more the why was swimming now a requirement? She glanced quizzically between the two men, silently asking for an explanation.

“When the separatists invaded, they blew up the only bridge leading onto the island. Turned it into their private resort.” Well, that seemed like a spectacularly stupid idea. What idiot was leading these guys? They should just shoot that person for incompetence.

“You’ll be walking into the Rancor’s den, captain.” Hadn’t these guys learned by now, she loved a challenge, and she loved showing off. There wasn’t a Sep on this planet who was anywhere near a match for her. 

She couldn’t help but brag a bit. “I’ll do it blindfolded, just for fun.”

Viidu was either a very cautious man, or he didn’t think a woman could handle a job like this. Or maybe it was just her specifically he doubted, no matter which he apparently didn’t feel reassured by her confidence. “Don’t get cocky. That place is crawling with people who’d like to blast that grin off your face. If you download the separatists computer files onto this datapad and bring it back here, we’ll handle the rest.” 

“I’d rather go with you, Captain. My vibroblade’s pretty good for choppin’ separatists off at the knee. I call it “Hewie” So Corso was a fighter after all. And had a real dislike for the Seps, something she could work with easily, though it was annoying that she kept learning things about the handsome and charmingly sweet man with the far too cute country accent. She’d never heard a mantellian accent sound as attractive as it did coming from him. Nope, she shut that thought down quick as well.  Distance was her friend and she would keep it so. 

“Forget about the separatists, Corso. I want that slicer kit here before the Captain comes back” Efficient, two would get through Mannett Point faster, but with more notice. Splitting the work and using a single infiltrator. Each task might take a bit longer, but the time saved overall would balance that out. 

“I’m on it, boss. Good luck at Mannett Point, Captain.” Corso nodded to her, and walked out. 

Viidu sighed and shook his head. “Last thing I need is Corso turning ‘one man army’ out there. Kid will just get himself killed for nothing. Separatists wiped out his family a couple of years ago. Corso took it personal.”

So that was the cause of the hate, she could understand that one. Losing your family was almost enough to break a person, sometimes anger was all that’d keep you going. “I don’t blame him for wanting revenge.”

“Mixing personal grudges and business is like dropping a thermal detonator into a fuel dump.” 

Of course, as her life was going these days, she didn’t even get a chance to respond to that one before Syreena walked in with more bad news. 

“Viidu, there’s someone named Rogun calling on the holo. He sounds upset.”

“Oh that’s all I need! Stall him for me, sweetheart. Remember the plan: Disrupt mannett point’s power relays, get inside Reki’s old home and use those schematics to enter the separatist base. When you’re in, slice into the separatist computer and download everything onto my datapad. Good luck.”

She sighed, “don’t worry so much, I got this.”. And spinning around she walked out of the office and jumped off the balcony, because she was bored, mostly. She didn’t like not having her own space. It was making her itchy. She tucked into a roll as she hit the ground and jogged out of the office and through the fort. Another run through this goddamn dustball. The sooner she could get her ship and get off this kriffing planet the better. 

Shadows were tricky things during the day, always changing and unfortunately that meant there weren’t many for her to hide in as she slipped onto the beach and made her way to the edge of the water. Unfortunately there was no good way to get across, nowhere covered enough to redress so she could stay dry. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about cold on top of everything else. She slipped into the water and started making her way across to the island. Swimming was kind of difficult, it’d been years. It was an old, out-of-practice, but remembered skill. Things were easier when she finally slipped ashore. The Seps felt so secure that they’d just left speeders lying around, between them and the usual barricades and crates, there was enough cover as long as she stayed quiet. 

Luckily, for Leikael, being a smuggler meant that she could do damn good work being quiet and hiding. Getting into the fort wasn’t all that hard, but then she realized why. Droids! Kriffing war droids all over the damn place! Damned things were tough to take down with her small pistols and loud as a misfiring swoop bike. Every time she shot one down, she’d have to dive to cover in another spot, because the kriffing droid would draw attention from the kriffing separatists and she just wanted to catch a kriffing break. Didn’t the galaxy care that her ship had been stolen and she just wanted it back. 

It didn’t seem like she was the only one trying to get in here though. She caught sight of what appeared to be a lone republic soldier shooting their way through a few times, but hadn’t managed to get a good look. 

Eventually she managed to make it to the last power relay and reset the damn thing. Now all she had to do was break into that creeps place, which would be much more satisfying if it wasn’t the exact thing that he’d told her to do. She’d never been a fan of doing what people told her and if she couldn’t avoid men like Reki, she preferred not helping them or screwing them over. She’d met far too many in her travels. They were everywhere in the galaxy, but this was how to get her ship back so there was nothing to be done. Maybe she could shoot some holes in the walls or something. 

She slipped around the corner, quickly firing a few shots, clearing the path to the door and ran inside. Ok, step one done. Now step two get the information to get other information. Ugh, so much work and not even fun work. She started working the code that Reki had explained and it was so much duller than she’d thought, and she’d almost fallen asleep before. She groaned aloud “I became a starship captain so I wouldn’t have to do homework” It wasn’t quite true, but it also was. Flying a starship didn’t require all this dull dull DULL work. What kind of twisted mind actually enjoyed this? 

Quickly falling into her skills, fighting, sneaking, bluffing. Leikael slipped through their base. This part was actually kind of fun. The adrenaline rush was thrilling. She’d fallen in love with thrills and risks years before and this was the kind of challenge that she enjoyed. Get in, get something that people want and get out. Only one person even tried to talk to her and she was able to bluff him easily. She was smooth, when she wanted to be anyways. Getting out was almost as easy, until she got to the outer area just past the damn wall. Of course, in theme with the whole kriffing trip to this rock, some idiot spotted her, decided she didn’t belong and brought in a whole bunch of his buddies to stop her. 

Kael moved quickly, trying to get out before they pinned her down, but she just wasn’t quite fast enough and the beach area she could get to was completely covered. 

She quickly leapt behind another stack of crates, looking around frantically. ‘There has to be another way off this damned island, there has to’. She felt the excruciating burn as one of the Seps got lucky and managed to get past her enough to shoot her. The kriffing shot had grazed her side and slammed into her upper thigh, another one caught her cheek, and a third hit her arm. Damn it all! She was in serious trouble, there were Seps coming from every direction it seemed. ‘There’s nothing for it then, it’s this or death and I am NOT dying here!’ She took two breaths and summoning what strength she had left, ran at the bridge, firing the whole way, creating a hole she could run through. Her arms spun through the air and she fell into the dark water, disappearing below its surface and vanished from view. 

Several hours later, the sun was starting to hang lower in the sky and the clouds promised rain as Leikael dragged herself to the gates of Fort Garnik. She was injured, bleeding (if slower than she had been), covered in mud and completely exhausted. As she tried to head inside, she was stopped. ‘I’m too tired to deal with this’.  The guards at the gate were different from before and she hadn’t interacted with them before. They tried to direct her into the Refugee camp and simply refused to listen when she tried to tell them she was working for Viidu, which had gotten her access with no questions before. She must look worse than she thought, but she was too frustrated with these rookies to try and explain shit. They just kept telling her that refugees weren’t allowed in unless there was an emergency and she needed to stay in the camp. She got more frustrated and so did they, until she was shouting. “Don’t believe me then just call and ask him, or his security guy Riggs!” She probably threw in a large number of expletives and probably insulted them too, but she wasn’t paying attention anymore. Her cheek was burning and the throbbing in her side and her leg were now impossible to ignore. She was having trouble standing because of it and honestly just wanted to crawl back to her ship and it’s cozy, comfortable, safe, rooms. 

Corso was busy in the warehouse when his Holo chimed. He’d gotten the slicer kit, and then went about the rest of his work while waiting for the Captain to get back from Mannett Point. He was starting to worry more than a little at this point. She should have been back hours ago, she’d left early in the morning, and it was now late afternoon. He knew Viidu was worried too, if only for what they were gonna do if they couldn’t get those blasters to Rogun before he wore out his patience. He shoulda gone with her, what had Viidu been thinking, sending her in alone, and why in siths hells had he gone along with it? Sure, Viidu was his boss, and the Captain, Leikael, she’d wanted him to call her Leikael, was more than capable, but still. She was one person, with small blasters, and blast it, the woman was small. He had no idea how she’d be able to handle a situation if her blasters failed on her. 

He shook his head and turned back to his work. There was always something to do here, it kept him busy and usually focused, but today, he just couldn’t pay much attention. When he wasn’t imagining how he’d pay Skavak back for stealing his favorite blaster and stabbing him in the back, he was worrying about Leikael. When his thoughts weren’t occupied with one of those, well they weren’t the most proper of thoughts. He’d woken up early this morning and when he’d gotten up, he’d ended up taking a moment to just look. Leikael had rolled under the blankets at some point and he couldn’t stop staring at the incredible woman fast asleep in his bed. She’d looked comfortable and peaceful, her dark hair had worked it’s way out of it’s restraints and fanned across the pillow. He’d picked up her blasters and placed them on the work bench with his own when he’d been spreading the camping pad out the night before. With it rolled up and tucked away again, well, if he’d not been aware of the events of last night, the situation might have looked very different. He couldn’t help the slight thrill he felt at the sight before him. He’d quickly squashed it though, he’d been raised better than that. But the sight continued to pull his attention in a rather inappropriate direction the rest of the day. Nope. He wasn’t going there. She was someone he was working with and he would respect that professional relationship regardless of what his treacherous brain might have to say about it. 

He pulled out the Holo and answered it. It was one of the newer soldiers in the fort. He’d met him in the Cantina a couple weeks before. People got to know each other in a fort like this, or at least recognize those who were here frequently. The soldier apparently was dealing with some situation down at the gate. “We’re not sure if she’s a Sep or a Refugee or what, claims she works for your boss. Could you come down to the gate for an ID.” It wasn’t a completely uncommon request. Every now and then, someone would show up claiming they were working for the boss and he’d have to go down and verify that he’d never seen them before and they weren’t on the payroll. He was hoping that this time it’d be Leikael returning and that she hadn’t died on that island. 

His hope turned out correct as he approached the Fort wall and saw her standing there blocked by three guards. She was swaying and seemed to be avoiding putting weight on one leg. She was soaked, covered in blood and mud, with torn clothes and he could see at least 2 blaster wounds from where he was, there were probably more hidden, she really didn’t look in good shape, but she was alive, that was what was important. Everything else could heal. He quickly stepped over. “Hey there, Captain, looks like ya made it back in one piece.” He looked over to the soldier who’d called him “She’s with us.” They nodded and stepped aside as Leikael started limping forwards. Corso stepped forward, she must be more injured then he’d thought. He reached over and helped take some of her weight. “Let’s get you to the medcenter. Things must have gotten rough.” 

She laughed quietly, but there was a strained, hollow quality to it. “Ya, well, that drop from the bridge didn’t do me any favors either.”

Corso looked down at her a little shocked, “Ya jumped off the bridge?”

“It was that or the kriffing beachfront shooting gallery.”

He sighed, “ Guess that’d be the better option then, shoulda gone with ya though.” 

This got an actual smile out of her. “Didn’t need backup, got out alive and that’s good enough.” They reached the medcenter and by this point, Corso was practically carrying her, she seemed to be having a lot of trouble walking. He left her in the care of the med droid and promised to let Viidu know she was back and if she needed help getting back to the warehouse, he was just a call away. He moved quickly back to the warehouse, the boss would want to know that Leikael was back and he still had a few things to take care of before he was done for the day. Best to get them out of the way, seemed like things were getting even more unpredictable then they’d been before she’d shown up. At least he wouldn’t be getting bored soon. 

Leikael laid back on the bed in the medbay as the med droids fussed at her. A few doses of kolto and some bandages and she was almost good to go. The cut on her face wouldn’t even scar, which was nice, she already had one prominent scar there, another one probably would make it worse. The only one causing real trouble was the thigh wound, but she had a pressure bandage on and it wasn’t deep. Another few minutes for the kolto to finish sealing the wound and she’d be good to walk, by morning she’d probably be able to run, it’d hurt, but that was what pain hypos and stims were for.  She sighed and tried to relax, but even as tired as she was, she still hated med centers and wasn’t really made to sit still. She could really only relax on her baby, and the Siren was no closer to being found then she was yesterday. At least, she wasn’t stuck there much longer and as soon as she was given the all clear, she was allowed to change out of her ruined clothes. She didn’t have many clean clothes left. She hadn’t packed for a long stay. She limped carefully to the warehouse and tried to mask her limp as much as she could, nobody else needed to know she was injured. She thought she managed it fairly well and was nearly back to her cocky, sarcastic self by the time she arrived. 

Though, she figured out real quick when she arrived that the warehouse workers here were just as boorish as anywhere else. Some of them had cornered Syreena and clearly weren’t backing off. She rolled her eyes, of course they had to do this while she still needed Viidu’s help so she couldn’t just shoot them. But breaking a nose or two, she could probably get away with that, but they needed to move away from Syreena first. She was quick though, so she wandered over and leaned against a crate, making sure Syreena saw her, and as soon as the man speaking to her ‘Brocko’ or something stupid, noticed her, she spun a quick tale about Rogun. She’d been around enough to know how things worked when a gangster took over somebody’s operations. To the victors go the spoils and unfortunately in the underworld that included everything and everyone involved in any operation. Of course, her little tale sounded just enough like truth that they stepped back and started moving away. She stepped in front of Brocko as he moved beyond an arms reach of Syreena. “Listen up, space ape, you go after her again and it won’t be Rogun or Viidu you’ll be running from.” She punctuated her statement with a fast, hard punch to the face. He stumbled back into one of his buddies and when another moved toward her, she took him down with a well aimed kick. She stepped past them and took Syreena’s arm, leading her away as she called over her shoulder. “Let that be a lesson, you’re lucky I didn’t feel like shooting you today.” They moved over to the stairs and Leikael took a moment to make sure that Syreena was ok, they chatted for a moment and she sent the girl ahead of her while she watched the guys limp away, sending angry glares back at her. She returned them with her best self satisfied smirk and when they vanished from sight, deeper into the warehouse, she turned and headed upstairs herself.  

The meeting went pretty quick, with Viidu clearly relieved to see her after how long she’d been gone. She handed over the data so his people could start going through it and he said he had a plan for the next day when she was healed up. She’d smiled and agreed to meet first thing in the morning and tanked Corso for his help. A few minutes later, she was heading to the Cantina for a meal and a drink. Her leg was still throbbing, if not nearly as bad and she’d need something to help her relax, even as tired as she was, there was something about almost dying that left her wired. Well that and not having her own space. 

Of course she didn’t have the energy for dancing that night, so she just sat at the cantina bar and tried to ignore the pain from the various injuries. Jumping off that bridge was turning into a worse idea by the hours and she couldn’t afford to take more pain hypos right then since she needed to save them for the next day. The bartender and waitress were different then they’d been the previous night, but that was expected, probably too many people for what jobs were available. After an hour or two, she’s feeling pretty good and started to consider heading back when the bartender made his way over and started talking. They chatted for a couple minutes before he asked her name, but as soon as she said it, his face changed, becoming more somber. “Shabre eh? Any relation to Tov, Zesr or Nodeu Shabre?” 

She had to admit, she was surprised to hear her cousins names. She hadn’t spoken to them since she was 6 and honestly thought they were off planet. Figured any survivors would have left quick after the war ended.  “Yeah, my cousins, haven't talked in years though, why?” 

If he could look more serious, he would have. “You haven’t heard then? Sorry to break the bad news to ya, but they were hit by Seps last week. They were holding the siege on Talloran when Seps hit their units. All three went down in the fight.” 

She blinked slowly. Her mind racing to try and catch up. Sure, for the longest time, Nats had been her only family. They had no contact with the rest of the family and by the time they could, they didn’t know how anymore. But still, it… it hurt. She’d thought she was past this. No family left but Nats, everyone but the cousins dead and the cousins so distant at that point, they might have well been strangers, but now they were gone and she’d never got to tell them she was alive, or that she was free, or that she had a ship. She’d never even gotten to say goodbye to them. She was now truly alone. No blood left but Nats. Her cousins were gone. She swallowed hard, feeling the tears she’d held back the last few days threatening the corners of her eyes with this new wave of tears that wanted to flow. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to compose herself. “Thank...thank you for telling me” Her head suddenly felt too heavy and fell forward to rest her forehead in her hand. “Damn it. Kriffing Seperatists… Kriffing stupid planet. Force-Damn it.” 

The bar-tender clearly had experience with people processing the loss of family. There were too many lost on the once peaceful, mostly farming world. He simply patted her shoulder and poured her another drink. She stared at it for a moment before downing the whole thing. She ended up sitting at the bar for another couple hours, many of those around her had heard the conversation and she’d had more than a few of them send her sympathy drinks. Eventually, she just had enough of people and just wanted to get away. She took a breath and forced herself to her feet and dragged herself back to the warehouse, maybe Corso would let her crash on that camping kit, she wasn’t going to just assume he’d give her the bed again. Of course, the man was.... Was something… couldn’t think what. He’d just seen her, smiled, shook his head at her getting drunk again and simply reminded her to put her blasters up before insisting she take the bed and rolling the camping pads out in front of the door again. Once again, making sure she was safe without her asking him to or even seeming to expect something for it. She couldn’t figure him out. Ugh, no more thinking for her, thinking hurt too much. Everything hurt too much today. She lay in the dark and tried to sleep, but sleep just wouldn’t come. 

Eventually, she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and they started leaking out. No matter how tightly she squeezed her eyes, she couldn’t stop them. She hadn’t cried in ages, but everything all together was just too much. Her shoulders started to shake and quiet sobs choked out, barely audible, but still loud enough to hear in the dead stillness of night. She heard rustling and the bed dipped as someone sat down and a hand gently rested on her shoulder. “Hey, hey, shhh, what’s wrong?” Corso said, softly and a bit awkwardly, gently rubbing her shoulder. Of course, she’d woken him, but she just couldn’t give a damn just then. She couldn’t care much about anything. “What happened tonight?” 

She forced herself to sit up and leaned back against the wall. He was very close to her in the small bed and hadn’t put a shirt on when he’d gotten up. In any other situation, she might have noticed more, but she just hurt too much. She felt so lost and alone and scared and honestly gutted with everything over the last few days. “Sorry, stress and alcohol make me weepy, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I know. Are you gonna be ok? You’ve been up to a lot last couple days” 

“Yeah, I just almost died today, and I make a point to avoid that and I couldn’t and it hurt pretty bad, and my ship is my home, its...it’s everything and now she’s gone and I don’t know if I’ll manage to get her back, and I don’t like being here, I really hate this planet, and if all that wasn’t enough, I just found out that the last of my cousins were killed last week and I didn’t know and I never got to....” She choked off as a fresh round of tears overwhelmed her.

She felt the bed shift and an arm wrapped around her shoulders. “That’s hard, I know what it’s like to lose family. You learn to live eventually, but that doesn’t make it hurt less.” Maybe it was the alcohol, no, she was absolutely going to blame everything on the alcohol. But those words, soft and quiet and heartfelt, they let her finally break and she sobbed. Turning into him and wrapping her arms around his chest as she finally broke down and cried out all the pain she’d been carrying, her family, her ship, almost dying, how alone she felt,  everything poured out as tears streamed down her cheeks and she shook in his arms. He didn’t say anything else, just quietly held her as she sobbed. At some point they shifted, so they were more comfortable, as the tears just kept flowing. Eventually, the tears stopped at they both drifted off, neither was really aware of when that happened. The night and Leikael’s tears creating a heavy blanket of quiet surrounding them in that moment. 

[jordan202]

15x10 Review

At your demand, here it is!  Since you guys have flooded my inbox with requests, and I am now going to flood your timeline by replying to each one muahaha.

I have to say, I didn’t have many expectations going into the episode, which turned out to be great, because I was very positively surprised, especially with the finale(s). Let’s go through that.

Ok so, there is an established tendency in Grey’s to center subplots of an episode around the same common theme. For me, this episode was entirely focused on choices.

Catherine dealt with her choice to hide her cancer from her family and loved ones.

Meredith continued with her saga and her unavoidable upcoming choice between DeLuca and DeLink.

Bailey and Webber chose not to allow their mental health issues to dictate who they are.

Glasses chose to be Lenses.

Owen chose Amelia.

And I made my choice too.

 I will explain that better! Click on the expand button and join me on the ride!

The episode picks up in the immediate aftermath of the last installment. Tom is asking for Amelia’s help in coming up with a treatment plan for Catherine’s tumor, but it’s her mind isn’t very focused. She is tearing up, clearly distressed by the (IMO) very mature decision she and Owen just made to give each other time to process what’s going on. It’s not necessarily a breakup, more like a timeout to get your head out of the water and see things in a different perspective.

What I really liked about this scene was how obviously affected Amelia was. None of us like to see her suffering, of course, but it was a remarkable display of affection and longing for the man she loves, and the relationship she is so invested in. I remember last season one of my main criticisms about the way they were writing Amelia was that they gave a lot of focus to the repercussions of her post-tumor status at the workplace, but gave little room to her personal life. We saw how the tumor affected Amelia’s work skills, but we rarely got to see how her emotions were in her journey to figure out who was sans tumor.

This season however we are getting a full plate of Amelia’s feelings and thoughts, and so far I like this feast. I like that her vulnerable side is again at the table, because this is a character we can absolutely relate to.

Meanwhile, we see Teddy pursuing a job, so she of course, went to Bailey. Bailey is someone I used to admire a lot in the first seasons, but have come to quite dislike as the seasons progressed. I have to say though, she absolutely nailed it with her reaction to Teddy’s pregnancy. To me, her body language was saying “Oh, so you got yourself in this complicated situation, moved here at your own will without even bothering to check if you’d be welcome first, and now you’re acting like you’re a victim to your own demise? Yeah, I am not interested in hearing about that. Go find someone else to whine to.”

Bailey walking out of the situation is exactly what I felt like doing when I first learned about this storyline. It just seems excessively contrived, unnecessary, avoidable and absolutely unwelcome. No one needed that drama. No one.

But since the writers apparently weren’t done making Teddy even more of a pity case than she already has become, we had to witness her insulting both Maggie and Karev (probably the two people more like to back Amelia after Owen).

What bothered me about this moment isn’t the fact that Teddy was dumb enough to change her entire life without checking first. It wasn’t even the fact that she quit her job and changed continents to pursue a guy who clearly doesn’t want to be with her, and now acts like she is being demonized because she can’t get what she wants. It’s rather the way she arrogantly puts herself above others and talks down on people she doesn’t even know.

Owen appears and somehow, he looks hot and manly even when wiping his runny nose. Typical Owen to work even when he has the flu (as a pediatric intesivist, I wonder who gave them the flu in the first place?) That’s right, I am looking at you, you daycare virus carrying little monster.

Owen then learns that while Seattle has many hospitals, Teddy has chosen to work at the exact place he is in. Because that won’t make everything even more complicated, right? But apparently, as every other decision that Teddy makes that affects him too, he is not consulted and is the last one to find out. And whereas Owen has no say in where Teddy decides to work or not, her lack of courtesy and consideration for the way her decisions are affecting his life becomes quite highlighted here.

“Do you know that Alex Karev is interim chief?”

Uh, no Teddy, he doesn’t. He’s only been running a department at the hospital for a decade now, but has no idea who is in charge and who he should report to. HEHEHEHE 

Teddy is upset that Owen is angry with her, and she tells him that the only reason why she changed her entire life was FOR HIM. That’s right, FOR HIM. She immediately follows it with a “so that you could be a part of the baby’s life”. And I know this was not intentional, but talk about a Freudian slip. I will explain.

Never since this entire thing began (and this is one of the main reasons why I have a beef with this arc and the hypocrisy of the writers by saying they are not “making a triangle”, “putting woman against woman”, etc) Teddy has never really made it about the child. Instead, this is all about herself. About the sacrifices she’s done, what she wants, what’s better for herself. I didn’t see her making one decision based on what’s best for the baby. Initially, she was worried about how Owen would receive the news, worried that he might “claim her” for the wrong reasons, worried that she might be vilanized, etc. Aside from the first moment we found out she was pregnant, I haven’t seen Teddy expressing joy or taking comfort in the fact she is having a baby, or making it about the baby. By saying she “the entire reason I upended my entire life was for you,” to Owen, she is confirming with words what we’ve seen her doing with actions, which is pursuing Owen despite the fact he was horrible to her in Germany, pretty much ignored her presence ever since she arrived in Seattle, chosen Amelia over her repeatedly, and hasn’t done anything to deserve her consideration. Teddy’s lack of self respect added to her ulterior motives have turned her into someone quite hard to root for.

I mean, she was the one who had a steady job in Germany. According to herself, she had a good social life, a great job, friends, a system that supports mothers. If that was so great, why did she even move? By her description, life in Germany was better for her and for the baby, so how come Owen’s needs and wishes were placed before her own, at the point that she moved to Seattle for him?

Grey’s writers, you are doing a terrible job inspiring people out there who are in similar positions.

Anyway, the conversation ends with Owen pointing out that had Teddy not taken that long to inform him of the consequences of their action (and let me point out that not once Owen has even considered not taking responsibility for them, as he should), things might have not escalated so much. He used the words “Crap Situation.”  It really is a crap situation, because Owen is getting to have something that he has always longed for, but in the worst possible conditions. He’s always wanted a family, but having a baby with someone other than the woman he loves wasn’t what he had in mind and we all know it.  

Amelia shows up just in time to hear the last bit of the conversation, and without the context, she has every reason to be upset, especially considering we’ve seen how much she’s hurting over this. We’ve seen passive aggressive Amelia before, but passive aggressive vulnerable Amelia has got to be a fan favorite.

Casting Teddy aside, Owen is quick on his heels to chase her.

In the following scene, we see Owen trying his best to communicate and apologize, but Amelia is not going to make it easy for him. When I first watched this scene, my first thought was “great, now we’re back to season 13 and Amelia is pushing Owen away and torturing him and we’re gonna have to endure long weeks of that.”Thankfully, that was not the case. Sarcasm can be a real outlet to deal with hurt feelings, but it’s not funny when it’s a character’s (or person’s) only resource.

Tom is quick to meddle in the conversation and while at it, he is quick to pester Owen about his “flu”. “We’re busy. Way too busy to catch whatever it is that you’re losing a fight against, so…” It might seem Tom doesn’t care about what’s going on, but I see it as him taking Amelia’s side and helping her avoid dealing with a situation she is not exactly in a condition to confront right now.

After unsuccessfully trying to get Amelia to talk to him (Owen actually volunteering to talk about his feelings, what a nice change!), Owen accepts that it’s not happening and retreats. I honestly expect to witness many more of these little battles between Tom and Owen in the future, because the dynamics this can potentially have is very exciting.  It’s a nice clash of the Alpha Male versus the Omega Male and it’s a huge turn on. I need more of that in my screen instead of having to put up with Jackson Soy Boy Avery as the representation of masculinity on the show. 

Teddy then resorts to Maggie, but the conversation doesn’t go very well. As the current chief updates her on how the department is run, Teddy’s primary response is to make sure Maggie knew she was responsible for making improvements when she was in charge. Teddy preaches an honest exchange, and the hypocrisy of her claim added to the resentful way she made her remark lead Maggie to (rightfully) question her logic.

And instead of simply admitting that hiding her pregnancy for so long wasn’t right, which would have put an end to the conversation and probably embarrassed Maggie to bring out a personal issue during that professional conversation, Teddy just infuriates us even more by somehow trying to justify herself. 

I mean, I am not saying Teddy owes Maggie any kind of explanation, but she is the one who went to Maggie in the first place. If she wants to be considered as a candidate, and if she wants to work under Maggie, the least she can do is try to make a good impression. But nope, not gonna happen. Teddy might as well just keep playing her victim card.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Tom are still trying to figure out a way to approach Catherine’s tumor and he drops one of the best lines in the episode. “Don’t take your baby daddy drama out on our tumor baby”. Tom is just becoming a fan favorite at this point. My favorite thing about the guy is that, while he is very supportive of Amelia and her feelings, he doesn’t put up with any bullshit and doesn’t care for drama. I really can relate to how practical he is about things, and while the “suck it up”approach  isn’t the best or healthiest motto to live by, there are moments in our lives (and I can personally attest it) where we have to put our feelings aside and just focus on work, because at this job, a poor performance can lead to immeasurable consequences.

Another good sequence comes in, in which Tom asks Amelia where is that neurosurgeon who operated on Nicole Herman’s tumor, to which Amelia replies “that was brain tumor Amelia. Non-Brain Tumor Amelia is a reasonable surgeon, who asks reasonable questions.” I think the situation with Catherine’s tumor and this important, complicated surgery is a perfect moment for Amelia to sort of regain some of her confidence. I disagree that the Amelia who operated on Herman was inconsequent and unreasonable. She was bold, driven, she took a leap of faith. Yes. But we also saw a lot of Amelia questioning herself, overthinking her plan, carefully considering each little detail. That’s why I say this tumor arc was a total retcon, because back on season 11 it was not at all obvious that Amelia had anything pathological going on (unlike for example the moments in the s14 premiere, when she acted like a crazy person who wasn’t considering any risk when she set out to operate on that boy’s face against Jackson’s advice - that was a forced, artificial moment). The Herman arc served to establish her as neurosurgeon just as talented and skilled as Derek (or perhaps even better). It wasn’t out of character and inconsequent at all. 

I think even if this upcoming operation turns out not to save Catherine, there can still be success at some level, or even some kind of breakthrough for Amelia (and Tom). Amelia has always been a brilliant, determined surgeon, but unlike Derek, she always humble. She always respected her enemy (the tumors) and the rules of the game . Right now, even if she takes on a more conservative approach and needs more time to carefully go through everything, it doesn’t mean that her brilliance and resourcefulness went away with the tumor. Impulsiveness has nothing to do with talent and vocation. The tumor was causing the first, not enhancing the latter. And I am glad that they are pointing out the fact Amelia is more reasonable now, not only with words but also with actions.

As Amelia and Jo exchange a conversation about a technology that can potentially help the neurosurgeons in their quest to beat the tumor, Tom steals the scene by making the most hilarious faces. Greg Germann is a gem, and he is so charismatic that his version of Dr. House (also known as Tom Koracick) came out better than the original. I also love how unimpressed Amelia is about Tom’s whoreness. I imagine that she’s had to put up with him acting like that around women a million times while she was studying under him. Just priceless.

At the same time that is going on, Owen is apparently really sick. In reality, it looks like he was just done performing at a Rocky Horror play, but we are meant to buy that he was perfectly healthy the day (or night?) before but then developed some nasty flu symptoms in a spam of a few hours that actually required intravenous rehydration. 

But when Owen got accidentally injected with propofol, I understood the purpose. Sadly, we are not getting to see him sing Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me. What a pity. I was getting hyped about this.

When Owen is knocked down and can’t breathe, he is intubated and taken into a room, and that’s where the vomit-inducing part of the episode came, because we had to put up with Teddy acting all wife-y over him.

It doesn’t take long before she points out how much of a victim she is again, this time asking for Owen’s sympathy. Teddy is even bold to say that she didn’t do anything against Amelia, which I absolutely disagree with. She might not have attacked Amelia directly, but by withholding the information she should have disclosed a lot sooner, Teddy invariably brought Amelia into a situation she could have chosen not to be a part of had Teddy spoken sooner.

Teddy says she doesn’t understand why she is the only one who has to sacrifice anything (which she was never asked to do, by anyone), and then suggests that Owen moves to Germany (because again, she doesn’t want to do anything to Amelia lol). Forget Amelia, let’s us be reminded that Owen has Leo, a foster child whose custody he doesn’t have, which means if he leaves to Germany, he’d have to leave Leo behind, alongside Amelia and Betty.

Yeah, Teddy, you’re being such an inspiration.

This nonsense idea ends when Owen suggests that Teddy takes his job and runs the trauma department (because in Grey’s Anatomy, it doesn’t matter if you’re a thoracic surgeon, you can run trauma; and if you are a trauma surgeon, you can run general. I think I’ll quit the Peds ICU and ask for a job in the Ophthalmology department, I heard the hours are good).

What I love about this decision is how zero f***s Owen gives about his job, his status, his position. While Teddy has been whining during the entire episode, complaining about “working under a twenty something”, Owen takes the more practical route and simply offers her the job, if it means so much to her to have a power position. He doesn’t care. Owen is the kind of person who doesn’t need to have a formal position to be a leader. He’s always been one. And while Teddy is running in circles trying to get validation out of a job, he can simply forfeit his because to him, the baby and the people he loves matter a lot more.  In two episodes, Owen has acted a lot more like a parent than Teddy has for 16 weeks, but who’s counting, right?  He is able to acknowledge the sacrifices Teddy has done (even if she hasn’t done them for the right reasons lol) and his motivation isn’t egoistical, he is just trying to make a crap situation a little better to everyone involved. That’s my man!

And to make it even tastier, Owen goes on and makes the best choice of the day. I confess that I expected the show to drag this out a while longer, to toy with the idea of the “triangle”, but I am very glad things got resolved really quickly.

A while ago, I mentioned that Amelia needed to be sure Owen was sure about his decision to carry on with their relationship during this messy situation and I think that last scene was a perfect portrayal of that. It’s the third time Owen looks for her (first in the stairwell, then in the neuro lab, and now outside the hospital) to try to salvage their relationship. He’s determined, he’s not giving up. And more importantly, he is proving what he is saying with his actions.

Owen informs Amelia that he gave Teddy his job. He wants them to stay and the honesty with which he says that really affects Amelia, because she is obviously linking those wishes to Owen having conflicted feelings. But then comes my favorite part of that dialogue (and that was a really hard pick because Owen said wonderful things!): “It’s the truth, Amelia, and I have to be able to tell you the truth. I have to be able to make mistakes, because there is no clear path here.” The only thing Owen knows for sure is that he’s having a baby with Teddy, but the real family he has is with her. Amelia is his family, she has been for a long time. And none of the good things coming his way are going to be that good if she’s not in it with him. Owen misses her and them. He doesn’t need time, he needs her.

And that’s how Amelia is sure Owen is sure.

As if our hearts hadn’t skipped many beats, Amelia gets very emotional. It’s clear on her face that she’s deeply moved by what he says. For a moment, we hold our breaths in fear that she might reject his words, but once her hands run on his chest and they exchange that classic, loving, emotional Omelia glance, I know it even before she drops the line.

That’s the confirmation (to us and to Owen) that she is also on board with this, that she also misses what they have and doesn’t want to give up their relationship. It’s Amelia agreeing that yes, they have to be able to make mistakes and tell each other the truth. It’s perhaps the most important step in their relationship so far, and it’s crowned by the cutest little twirl in the history of the show.

Everything about that scene is absolutely adorable, from the cute looks and the touching, to Amelia sneakily getting inside Owen’s embrace.

And since I roasted Teddy enough, I thought I should say that while I knew she and Tom would hit it off, I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed watching them together. For the first time, Teddy wasn’t acting all defensive and making wrong decisions, instead she seemed to be taking on what’s coming ahead for her. I sense this is going to be a friendship who will later develop into something more.

Alright, bonus notes about the episode:

1)    Catherine and her tumor: Catherine is someone who I don’t like, can’t relate, feel like is excessively arrogant and standoff-ish. She is very good at patronizing everyone around her while treating everyone’s feelings with disregard, and that’s not being a leader, that’s being a tyrant. Her way of functioning is basically she gets to dictate all the rules (and change them when it suits her), make all the mistakes she wants and disregard the consequences, and when things get bad, she doesn’t need to deal with any of it, because she can simply change her last name or play the cancer card. I don’t care for people like her because she might seem like she’s strong and empowered acting as if she is immune to everything and everyone but in reality, she is weak and very fragile. Deep down, she is terrified of her feelings, can’t deal with them and that’s not at all a sign of strength. A high IQs doesn’t necessarily make up for high emotional intelligence, and walls don’t keep people out, they lock you in. Catherine is the living proof of those. The outcome of her plot is only interesting because Amelia is involved and might play a role in it, but other than that, I have tried really hard but honestly can’t feel any kind of sympathy for her (probably because of the way she treats the people in her life – I would hate being related to her).

2)    DeLuca or DeLink? While I don’t care if Meredith ends up with one, both or none, I confess I enjoyed learning a little more about DeLink’s background. The whole childhood cancer thing felt a little contrived, I admit, but I think it’s a nice explanation to why he sees the glass half full. I like his optimism and how upbeat he is, and I sincerely hope we get more of the guy in the future episodes.

3)    Kid Bailey is officially the worst actor ever. I know I shouldn’t be saying these things because he is a kid and all, but I am.

4)    I was very happy that for once, Omelia’s plot wasn’t about Leo and Betty.

5)    Glasses is that awkward friend we all have that gets inspired by the most unbelievable things, and then goes and embarrasses himself by doing something impulsive or inappropriate. But rarely, very rarely, that leap of faith pays off and when it does, it’s really cool to watch.

6)    I have decided we are not getting enough Jo, or Alex, or Jolex.

7)    Why does Maggie’s life revolved entirely around Jackson now? Did I miss something?

And now a personal bonus. This is entirely un-related to the developments of the characters, but it does involve Grey’s Anatomy and like I said, a choice I made.

To make it short and simple: for a few weeks now I have been getting to know two different guys – one works in the same hospital as me, and the other trains in the same place I do. They are very, very different people. One is a well-bred, delightful, ambitious, sophisticated and funny guy who understands my work hours, is absolutely responsible, driven and cultured, and knows damn well what he wants. The other is a carefree, laidback, family oriented, energetic, boyish business owner who is a hardworker, makes me laugh and thinks the idea of a good time is to dispute who can spit the farthest.

As you can imagine, making a choice between the two guys was incredibly hard, especially because I wasn’t really focusing on relationships at the moment. So I have tried not to place too many expectations on anything and simply took it lightly just to see where things went.

To my surprise, despite us working in the same place, things kind of got cold with the doctor, but the cuckoo head who works down my street makes more time to see me than the other does, and he brings food whenever he comes over. 

Last Thursday, I was coming home from a long, strenuous double shift and all I wanted was to come home and watch the new episodes of Grey’s and Suits before I went to bed. But he called and came over, saying he didn’t mind staying in and watching the episodes with me if I was too tired to go out.

May I point out, this is someone who up until last week thought Grey’s Anatomy and ER were the same show, doesn’t watch anything other than sports competitions, formula 1 races and superhero movies, and asked me if he can come over to my hospital to “pretend he is a doctor and play with my 3D Glasses Simulator” when Tom and Amelia were trying to work up a plan to approach Catherine’s tumor. He was very disappointed when I told him my work does not involve any kind of 3D simulations.

He also stated that “there were more people in the OR gallery than in (his football team’s rival)’s stadium”,  asked me if “Future Medicine Fellow is a fancy name for researcher”, decided on his own that “the skinny blond woman (Teddy) looks more lost than Sandra Bullock with a blindfold on Birdbox” and ultimately, said that “That guy (Tom) is the real hero because he gets to play videogames and chill while everyone else is working”. And to my delighted surprised, he came up on his own with the conclusion that “the guy you like (Owen) made the right choice to go for the brunette because they are the most good looking couple in the show.” Not exactly the reason I would go for, but I agree with it!

The point is that, in an episode about choices, everything worked out as it should. And from there on, there is no more triangle.  Owen made his. I’ve made mine. Even if after looking over my shoulder, he focused on the Super Mario on my screensaver instead of the absolutely adorable things I wrote about him.

So, Owen and Amelia are together. Now what?

I think moving forward, we are going to see these two dealing with things as a couple and navigating this unprecedented situation of having a family, while Owen is going to father someone else’s child. I think the Teddy drama will be put on hold for now, at least while Owen and Amelia deal with their own domestic situation. From the synopsis, we can assume that Betty (and perhaps even Leo) are at a high risk for leaving the show, and I confess I am very interested to see Owen and Amelia dealing with an empty nest if that turns out to happen. It would be a challenging situation for sure, considering that these kids were how they initially got closer again, but aren’t the real reason why they are together. I think there’s a lot of ground to explore there, but since I’ve spent too much time dissecting the events of the past episode, I will leave the speculation to the following posts.

I hope everyone has a lovely week, and thanks for making all the way here! See you soon!

*all uncredited gifs go to @bafy-usy

[nin-jay-go]

Hey I updated Shadows of Envy

Chapter One 

Tagged on my blog as either Shadows of Envy or ekau 3!

Contains no romantic pairings aside from Pixane and hinted Geode (esp here)

The living room was still alive with the sounds of discussion, though mostly from Jay and Cole’s playful banter. Lloyd had seemingly just finished his comic book, and with a quick goodbye to the boys on the couch, he left for bed. It was late, anyways, probably around 10 or 11 at night. Perfect for bedtime.

Footsteps made their way to the living room, drawing their attention. Cole glanced over to investigate only to see Kai making his way through the living room to the bedrooms. He seemed to stare at them all oddly, yet when he met Cole’s gaze, it melted back normal.

“Oh, hey Kai!” Jay leaned back towards him, “where were you all day?”

The red ninja shrugged. “Just doing some late night training,” he replied. “Can’t get out of shape, y’know?” He looked around the room. “Where’s Llo- I mean, everyone else? Are they all asleep?”

“Yea, they’re all actually getting sleep,” Jay chuckled, “unlike us.” Telltale shadows showed under his eyes, but they were to be expected since he, well, never sleeps. He can stay up all night without issue and be fine all day. How Arid boiled with envy.

“And I, uh, can’t really sleep all that well anymore?” Cole said. “Since, uh, I’m kinda dead?” Lucky.

“Well, you two night owls stay up as looooong as you want, but I’m gonna hit the hay,” ‘Kai’ began to leave to the bedrooms. “Crashed myself completely during training, gotta relax a tad.” He easily sauntered out of the room. “Night, losers.” “Night!” “Nighto, Kai!” As he left the living room, he heard the farewells of his friends. They’re only saying that to pretend they don’t hate me, Arid’s internal monologue interjected, but I know they do. They’re just trying to not show it. He scoffed to himself. In the room they all shared on the Bounty was darkness. The lights were off and Nya, Zane, and now Lloyd were asleep in their beds.

Lloyd. The Green Ninja. The Golden Ninja. Everyone loved him. He saved the world many times and everyone praised him for it. I should’ve been the green ninja. I trained for it so much and got nothing out of it when he, a child, got to save the world and be rewarded for it. If anyone in the room was still awake, they’d probably be terrified of the cold, vengeful glare on Kai’s face, marred by red eyes glowing black from the shadows surrounding them.

What no one had noticed was that ‘Kai’ no longer had a shadow.

Kai’s shadow, or more appropriately, the real Kai, was still down in the forest, stewing in the shades of the trees. How DARE Arid just… walk off with his body like that!? That was so wrong of him to do, and Kai was going to get it back.

“But how?” he wondered aloud. He clearly couldn’t leave the shadows, since the light would hurt him. Kai plopped down into a criss-cross position, although it wasn’t entirely visible to even himself. His legs were almost gone, just a slight shade darker than the forest floor.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Kai’s mind. He had escaped from Arid once. How did he do that? One moment he was affixed to his body’s legs, the next he was in the trees. All he did was want to leave the proximity…

Maybe that was it. Standing back up, he stared at the opposite side of the clearing. The trees there gave as much shadowy coverage as anything else here, so if Kai just… thought… himself to the other side, maybe it would work? He closed his eyes, imagined the shade, and thought ‘I want to go there.’

A strange sensation overtook his body, or whatever his form was right now. A rushing feeling, almost as if the particles of his body were rearranging to another location without him walking there. He opened his eyes and found himself staring at the side of the clearing he had just been, marked by a few mushrooms at the trees’ base.

“YEA BABY!!” Kai pumped his fist excitedly into the air. He thought of something… and for once, it actually worked! Well would you look at that! With this newfound knowledge, Kai closed his eyes again and imagined the storage closet of the Bounty, knowing that it would more than likely be closed and dark. After a few minutes, it was clear he wasn’t going anywhere.

Opening his eyes, he found himself nowhere near the closet, or the Bounty, for that matter. He was still in the forest, and still alone. Glaring up at the floating ship he now calls home, he tried to reason with himself as to what went wrong. Was he too far away? Could he not… teleport like that, and he could only do it to nearby places, or was it…

Kai looked back up the the Bounty. It floated like any other flying ship, with a long anchor tying it to the ground. Onboard, however, he saw something that might help. A barrel holding lots of spare swords for training that was usually uncovered. He focused really hard on that barrel, feeling his particles again flutter. Everything went dark for a split second, and the next thing he knew, he was in the barrel with about five swords slicing cleanly through his form. He yelped, then shut his mouth immediately. What if someone heard? Oh, who was he kidding, of course someone heard that.

Strangely enough, the swords didn’t hurt. His limbs seemed to warp around them, not allowing them to attach themselves to his arms. Kai waved his arm through a sword curiously, which simply ghosted through it, leaving wisps of slightly darker shadow in its wake.

Enough with swords and barrels; Kai needed to get out. Once again he tried to poof to the closet, only for it to not work again. The hypothesis proved true: he can only teleport to what he can see directly, or move around freely in darkness. Thankfully, the barrel seemed to be in a shaded part of the training deck, so he carefully poked his head out to check for moonlight, before the rest of his body followed. All the lights inside were out aside from the living room light, where Jay, Cole, and Lloyd probably still were.

Picking the closest dark room he saw through the windows, Kai found himself in the kitchen. Here he walked around freely, staying clear of the windows showing light in. The burning really hurt and he wasn’t stupid enough to try it again. He followed his route from earlier, where he was practicing his sword tricks, until he came across the storage closet. Kai sent it a murderous glance, or at least what he thought was one. Did he even have a face anymore?

Past the storage closet he saw light. The living room. Kai walked up closer to it, as close as he dared to go, to investigate. There he saw Cole floating lazily in the air, all alone. Perfect.

“Hey! Hey Cole!! Look over here!!!” Kai yelled at him. “Cole!!! I’m! Over! Here!” With each word he moved his arms and jumped around, tried to make noise so that the ghost would look over and see him. Tried to being the key word. Cole didn’t notice him in the slightest and instead of making noise when his feet met the floor, he was as silent as a feather. Pounding the wall did nothing; it made the same sound as hitting a mattress.

Now Kai was getting frustrated. “COLE!!! OVER HERE!!!!!!! LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!” He yelled as loud as he could, because what if Arid was here and could hear? Still, he was impatient, and impatience waits not for caution. He poofed to random shadowy points of the room to try and grab his attention, but nothing worked. Back in the doorway, he tried a last ditch resort. He stuck his hand into the artificial light.

The searing pain that danced across his fingers was horrible, Kai could almost hear them hiss and fizzle. He drew them back gingerly, already regretting his decision as he hissed himself.

Somehow, this worked. Cole’s head abruptly snapped up, and he was on his feet and levitating a pillow in his hands as best as he could. “Who’s there?!” Cole yelled out. As he scanned the room, his eyes met Kai’s. Yet as relief filled the red ninja’s eyes, the black ninja wasn’t satiated. “Who- what the- what the fuck is that?!?” He tossed the pillow at Kai with surprising force, who ducked out of the way.

“AHH- COLE STOP!” At this, Cole froze. He walked over to Kai, who straightened back up and stared at the ghost.

“How do you know my name?” He asked in an even tone. Kai gave a nervous chuckle.

“Do you not recognize me? Dude, I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past, like, 5 minutes maybe? Do your ears need to be cleaned?”

Cole just looked even more confused. “How should I recognize uh… whatever you are? WHOever you are?”

Kai frowned. “Dude it’s me, Kai.” Doubt seeped into Cole’s face, to which Kai quickly raised his hands in confusion. “Do I not look like myself or something? I mean, I KNOW I’m like, a shadow right now or something like that, but don’t you recognize me at all?”

The black ninja squinted at him. “You’re literally a slightly darker silhouette with two glowing red dots on your face. I don’t think Kai looks, or ever looked, like that. Plus,” he jerked his thumb over to the corridor to the bedrooms, “I just saw Kai go bed. Seemed pretty tired from training on his own.”

“That wasn’t me,” the real Kai protested, “That was NOT me, Cole.” “Then explain who that was, if you’re the real Kai.” “That’s my shadow possessing me.” A raised eyebrow. “Look, I don’t know how else to tell you that you guys are probably in danger, because that. Was. Not. Me.” His voice took on a dangerous note at the end, and Cole seemed visually disturbed.

After a bit, Cole glared up at Kai. “Ok then, if you’re the real Kai, then tell me.” He leaned in closer. “What is… my favorite ice cream flavor.”

“Usually whatever Jay picks-” Kai muttered under his breath, “-I mean, uh, you usually go for, uh…” Was this a trick question? Cole either picked rocky road or whatever Jay had whenever they went out for ice cream, but as for what his actual favorite was…

“You never chose one, I don’t think, so you went with the, insert sarcasm here, oh so amazing choice of ice cream cake. Even though ice cream cake is like, many different flavors-” “But I chose it because it was cake and I love cake more than ice cream! Well, loved…” Cole’s gaze turned melancholy before he looked back at Kai. “But that was the right answer, so I guess I’ll take your word for it. Now Cole looked at him more, bewildered than anything. “What the hell happened to you, Kai?”

“It’s uh,” the shadow laughed nervously, “a long story. You’re gonna have to turn off the lights for this.”

[sagawolf710]

The Jade Warrior part 1

One day during one of Eggmans robots attacks on the city a White hedgehog with red stripes watching from the distance on the dark rooftops of the night quietly watches the robot fight Sonic the hedgehog his was his first time seeing Sonic in person so he decided to stay back and let Sonic handle the situation on his own...

But after a bit his headset got radio chatter that GUN agents were going to arrive on the scene soon so he decided to bail and steer clear from them he’d rather not be seen by them so he put his hood on and quickly left the scene.

“I guess I’ll have to get to know the blue blur of mobius some other time then...I’d rather not cause a commotion and kill GUN agents...”

With that the mysterious hedgehog vanished...

~Few days later~

Saga learns of that Eggman managed to board the space colony ark and was worried that Eggman May accidentally cause permanent damage and kill many innocent lives so he went to look for Sonic and his group.

~After finding them~

“Hey!” Saga called out to Sonic as he manages to find them.

“Huh? Who are you? Were in a bit of a hurry so it’s gonna have to be quick.” Sonic was calm despite the urgency of their situation.

“My name is Saga the hedgehog if your going up to the space colony ark I can assist you I...Ive been there before so I know how some of the security systems work up there.”

Saga tried to make it seem like he didn’t live up there and just checked the place out so they weren’t to suspicious of him.

“Umm...Ok, Guess it would be good to have someone who knows how things work up there but how did you get up there the first time anyway? Seems kinda odd if you ask me.” Unfortunately Sonic wasn’t buying it and was a little suspicious of Saga.

“It’s...it’s hard to explain but I’ll explain everything when we get up there and stop Eggman from using the ark...you have my word.” Saga placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head a little to show he was serious and he would keep his word.

“Hmmm...alright I believe you let’s go guys.”

After that conversation Saga tagged along with Sonic and his group I’m going to the ark and the eventually arrived and they all split up into groups Sonic and Saga going alone though Saga went for the security room and Sonic searches for Eggman.

After a bit Saga reaches the security room and deactivated the security system and headed back to Sonic who was fighting at the moment.

“Sonic I’m on my way to your location right now.”

Soon Saga reaches Sonic who was seemingly looking at a broken down wall as if he was fighting someone.

“Sonic? What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh hey Saga nah it’s nothing to worry about just had to fight someone real quick don’t worry if they come around again I can handle them.” Sonic taps Saga’s shoulder as he passes him and both head back to the others.

Once the two rejoin the others Sonic and Knuckes head to the main core room with the master emerald to stop the chaos emeralds power once they find out that the ark is actually heading down to earth to destroy it completely, Saga stays in the main room with the rest to keep a close eye on how close the ark is to the earth.

~A few minutes later~

Shadow finds the group in the main room and both Rouge and Amy tried talking to Shadow to convince him to help but Shadow didn’t notice Saga since he was covered by Knuckles,Tails,and a few others the had along with him.

But the whole time Shadow didn’t say much and Saga didn’t know Shadow was there until he turned around when he heard Rouge say his name.

“S-Shadow....?” Saga slowly moved through the crowd completely shocked when he saw Shadow and slowly walked to him. “I...I can’t believe...it’s you...” Saga had tears forming in his eyes as he slowly walks to Shadow.

“S-Saga...it’s really you...your...your alive...and safe...” Shadow shocked slowly walked to Saga with one of his hands slowly rising up and reaching for him and when they got close to each other where their face to face Shadow gently pulls Saga in for a hug and hugs him tightly.

Saga returns the hug quickly and begins to cry quietly and his tears trickle down his face Same for Shadow.

“I..I’m so glad...your ok...big brother....” At this point Saga was shaking and was hugging Shadow tightly smiling and nuzzling Shadow.

“I...I feel the same...Saga...now we’re together again...and your safe...that’s all that matters now...my precious little brother...” Shadow smiles and hugs Saga closely and nuzzles Saga a little as well with tears on both of their cheeks.

~After a few minutes~

Saga and Shadow calmed down and finished their reunion for the time being. “Shadow...we need to save the world and stop the ark from falling.” Saga calmly grabs Shadows hand. “Don’t forget...we promised Maria...”

Shadow immediately remembered when Maria asked him to protect the world with Saga and he took a deep breath and held Saga’s hand and Sonic walked up to them tapping them both on the shoulder and winking at them both. “So you guys ready?”

Shadow and Saga both nod yes and the trio head to the room where the chaos and master emerald is being held in and fight the Bio-lizard for a bit, shortly after the Bio-lizard vanished and soon after Sonic and Shadow and Saga went to go super. After they went super they quickly left the room to fight the Bio-lizard and the trio of Sonic, Shadow, and Saga went outside the ark to defeat the Bio-lizard, and stop the ark from crashing down onto the earth.

Soon after the trio began their battle against the Bio-lizard and fought to the best of their abilities and defeated the lizard but still had to stop the ark from crashing down into the earth, in a effort to stop the ark from falling any further. Sonic, Shadow, and Saga used their chaos energy to push back the Ark, but unfortunately it wasn’t slowing down one bit.

“DARN IT! NGH..!” Sonic exclaimed it seems he was starting to struggle and soon after.

There was plenty of debris floating around after the battle and some of it ended up flying towards Saga, but he was to focused on stopping the acceleration of the ark so he didn’t notice.

“SAGA!!” Shadow kept a close eyes on Saga throughout he battle so he quickly spotted the rubble flying at Saga and pushes him out of the way and tries to stop the rubble with a chaos spear luckily for him it broke into small pieces that he can easily avoid.

“Shadow if you were going to do that you didn’t need to push me out of the way.” Saga commented while giving Shadow a side hug, but Shadow just blushed a little and slightly hugged Saga back.

“Awww you two are just adorable! Shadow you love your little bro so much don’t ya?” Sonic flew up to them doing an exaggerated expression while holding his hands tilting his head ever so slightly just to mess with Shadow a bit. This simply made Shadow blush more looking away with a frown.

“Oh shut up hedgehog! We still have to stop the ark from destroying earth!” Shadow filled with the determination of the promise he wishes to fulfill and charges towards the ark and begins to push it back with his chaos energy.

Sonic floated next to Saga and said sarcastically. “*Whistles* Shadow’s definitely a protective big bro ain’t he?”

Saga gives Sonic a calmed smile and looks back at Shadow “Yeah, he is, but....probably a little too much at times though.” Saga nervously chuckles from remembering when he had to stop Shadow from hurting a scientist that kept asking to experiment on Saga to learn more about his abilities.

“He almost killed someone once didn’t he?” Sonic smirked thinking that was what Shadow would possibly try to do being overprotective.

“Y-yeah he tried to kill someone once.” Saga sighed looking back at Shadow who was now giving both of them the stink eye.

“Less talking. More focus on saving the entire world from complete oblivion.” Shadow flew to Saga and simply put his arm around him and pulled him back into the battle now just giving sonic the stink eye, and Sagas just going along with what’s happening.

Once the trio put their focus back on stopping the ark from crashing into the planet, they tried pushing it back using chaos control.

But...our hero’s were struggling and their efforts appeared to almost be in vain...with the ark still closing in on the planet the trio were starting to become desperate and sonic and Shadow did their best to bring out more power but the battle with the Bio lizard took its toll on the two they were struggling far more then Saga and he knew it...So he decided to do last resort plan he created for a situation such as this...

End of part 1

[80srockher]

Yuri on Ice Rewatch and Live-Commentary, Episode 1: Easy as Pirozhki!! The Grand Prix Final of Tears

*There are spoilers throughout.  I also make assumptions that anyone reading has already seen the episode or has a grasp of the content.*

Source: http://yurionicescreencaps.tumblr.com

The opening scene is so pretty.  Really sets a tone.  I went in knowing nothing about the anime first go-around, so I found Yuri and Victor’s grow/glow-ups montages interesting.  

This theme song is… not my favorite.  Maybe it’s the French horns?  That and too much synth.  I usually skip over it but want to give it a chance this go-around.

Heh, Victor and his gold blades to match his gold medal.  And his European af haircut.  Can’t remember the last time I saw an American past the age of 12 with bangs. No mistaking him for anything other than Eastern European.

Also, the poster on the left is for Victor, I believe.  Can he pull his leg that high in the air?  Was that featured and I forgot?  I’ll be on the lookout for it.

Also, looks like Jean JACK made it to Sochi and placed third here too, lolz.

Yes, please listen to your coach, Yuri.  Don’t poke the wound.  Stay off the internets.  ESPECIALLY the figure skating internets.  What little I remember from when I used to follow the sport is that it’s dramatic, to put it nicely.

I keep getting distracted by the utter Euro-ness of the Europeans in this show. The cut of Coach Celestino’s suit is so Italian I weep. He’s too smooth.

Yuri’s name tag has his name in Cyrillic as well?  Cute.

My first impression of Yuri was that he looks about 18 and that impression hasn’t changed.  Perhaps it’s the glasses, but he def looks youthful. I’m also someone who’s been accused of looking a decade+ younger than I actually am, so I can sympathize.

Speaking of sympathy – Yuri caved to pressure, binged ate before the competition while mourning his dog, then bombed his first trip to the Grand Prix final.  All in front of his idol.  Damnity damn damn.  Sorry, kid.

Is Cao Bin ever introduced on the show?  Something else I forgot, maybe?

Now, when I first saw this poor child crying in the bathroom, that’s when I knew the series was going to be much different from the light-hearted anime about figure skating I expected.  It got real deep real quick.

Yuri Plisetsky “The Russian Punk”.  Is this something the in-universe media refers to him as?  Because I only recall (JPN) Yuri saying it and only this once.

This screencap is during the scene where the journalist Marooka (sp?) is hassling Yuri about his future plans and instead of answering, Yuri can only stare at someone else’s puppy that reminds him of his dead Vicchan.

This baby is crying. Cry.ing.  This has been a tough day for poor Yuri, overall.

And he talks down to himself so much.  It’s all his fault he caved to pressure. He was an idiot to think he could meet his idol on the same playing field.   He’s come so far and still thinks so little of his accomplishments.

So, I understand this “one year later” is not really accurate, lol.  It’s just the new  year following the previous season.  I was confused initially about a number of soon-to-happen events before Yuri’s mental alter ego cleared it up.

So, per Minako’s voice actress, Yuri really is pronounced YOO-RI.  Cute.

Four Continents is… not a Grand Prix competition?  My figure skating knowledge is all rust now.

LOL, Minako does. Not. Play. And she wears a pinky ring.  My God, that death grip on poor Yuri.

It’s snowing outside the train station when Yuri and Minako leave.  So, it’s not unusual to snow in this region in March, but it’s highly unusual a month or so later. Man, hard to believe Yuri sat around for almost an entire month before the infamous video became viral.  More on that, later.

So, based on everyone’s interactions with Yuri so far, the only person who cares that he didn’t make it to the World Championships is him.  And he should care since he’s worked basically his entire life towards that goal.  But, he doesn’t appear to have let anyone down but himself, though he doesn’t act that way.

So, the fact that the family hot springs is named “Yu-topia”… did that influence Yuri’s name at all, I wonder?

Ha!  I wish I could have recorded the Japanese actor’s voice when he says this line.  He makes Yuri sound so done with it all, lol.  It’s the best.

Ok, so a number of very interesting and entertaining things happen in succession that I don’t feel like screencapping.  No hug between the littlest Katsuki and the senior Katsukis, even though he hasn’t been home in 5 years.  Fascinating. No doubt cultural (I’m guessing) but fascinating.  

Yuri’s mom basically calls Minako a drunk.  To her face. LOL.  But I imagine no one can get mad at this sweet lady.

Minako calls Yuri out on his weight gain in front of God and everybody.  Though, I think it’s more of a matter of his clothes no longer fitting due to said weight gain.  

But, his parents don’t care. Eat more pork cutlet bowls, Yuri! Welcome home!

Vicchan’s shrine is where they also store the unused treadmill.  Want to bet the only person to use it was Yuri?

Then older sis Mari-neechan appears with frosted tips.  I can appreciate a character that doesn’t beat around the bush (a trait she inherited from her mother, I imagine).  Welcome home, Yuri, but don’t sit on your ass.  Start thinking about your next move.    

Actually *loads headcanon* I suspect Mari doesn’t want Yuri to give up on skating.  The longer he stays at home, the more quitting becomes a possibility.

So, the Katsuki family hot springs resort (Inn?  Restaurant?) is the last one standing in town.  Very OT, but I wonder if the hot springs are still an attraction at all and are perhaps, government-owned?  Protected, used by tourists for a fee, perhaps?  I think about things like that.

Having never visited a hot spring, and based on the setting around Minako while she watches the World Championships on TV, it appears to be a place for people to come, soak, and lounge and grab a bite to eat if the mood strikes.  So, the Katsukis wait on people basically all day long.  Gotta be exhausting work.

Yuuuuuko!  The Madonna of Ice Castle Hasetsu!  Yuri’s crush on her is hella cute.

A slight segue to Yuri’s perceived attraction to Yuko and what it could imply about his sexual identity.  Per his labeling of Yuko as a “Madonna,” I figure Yuri considers Yuko untouchable, perhaps even “too good” for him.  Yuko, just like Victor, is “ideal”.  For someone as self-conscious as Yuri, comparing any romantic prospects against his two ideals was probably a convenient excuse not to get *too* close to anyone, male or female.  That being said, he didn’t pursue Yuko.  Alcohol loosened enough of Yuri’s inhibitions to eventually openly flirt with Victor, but this is still an important distinction, IMO.  He pursued one of his ideals (in more ways than one, even going so far as to leave home to in hopes of becoming Victor’s equal) and left the other one behind.

Yuri idealizes/d Yuko, and comes to love Victor.  He’s gay.  Bi, at the least.  

I don’t feel confident in applying any other labels, because I’m a straight.  Yuri could fall under any number of categories as long it they include, IMO, same-sex attraction.

In actuality, Yuko is “introduced” to the audience as Yuri’s straight love interest, but that doesn’t last long.  Cute and clever, show creators.  Cute. And . Clever.

Then we find out, via flashback, a) how adorable they all were when they were little kids and b) Yuko wanted to see Yuri compete against Victor.  Yuko has been a profound influence on Yuri.

So, Victor.  This guy is in a class by himself.  The animators obviously invested a lot of time in his movements.  You can see why he leads the field even at 27.

Also, the creators had the nerve, the audacity, the unmitigated gall to compose an original opera aria for a cartoon.  That was my next indicator that this was more than a cutesy figure skating anime.  

The song really is beautiful, too.  Probably my favorite in the soundtrack.

Who’s the last IRL skater to win 5 consecutive World Championships?  Michelle Kwan, maybe?  Who is Kwan’s male equivalent?  Back then, probably Alexei Yagudin?  May research. May not. 

Anyway, Victor is the Michelle Kwan of YOI-verse lol.

Hmm.  Here come the three brats.  Good God.  Poor Yuko and Takeshi lol.

So sweet to see Yuri’s childhood bully is his biggest fan now.

Sooo, Yuko’s triplets secretly record Yuri’s private performance, post it online (sometime before April 10, when Victor shows up), and things progress rather quickly from there...

Or do they?  It appeared to me that Yuri caught up with Yuko at the rink the same day he returned home.  Did he skate Victor’s routine for her that day, as well, or did it happen later?  Perhaps the triplets waited a few weeks to post the video, or else it took a few weeks to go viral.  Did Yuri turn off his phone for *weeks* to avoid the world?

Maybe he got home on March 30 and then the whole month of April just went to hell for him?  The possibilities...

LOL, I’m so SO mad the title of the video is “Katsuki Yuri TRIED to Skate Victor’s FS Program”. Those brats.

This might be the most unattractive Victor’s ever looked.  Severe close-ups aren’t flattering on anyone.  Welp, down the rabbit hole now.  

So, in the next scene it snows in April which doesn’t stop anyone from stripping naked to bathe in a hot spring, apparently.  Or it just doesn’t stop Victor.

#moneyshot

I like this ending theme much better.  It’s a head-bopper.  The Instagram reel kills me.  

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read through this stream of consciousness!  No idea how long it may take me to get through the rest.  I tip my hat to those who regularly and passionately participate in fandom.  It’s a lot of work!

[acmconsulting]

Code Metrics?

Index

The 1st Question

The 2nd Question

The Background

The Metrics

The Tools

The Prices

The Conclusion

The 1st Question

"Q: How can we measure software development teams performance?" "A: Metrics!"

But, of course, then :

"Q: Which metrics?" "A: ...?!"

Not so easy.

Metric Good/Bad/Ugly? Lines Of Code Bad. We all know this. Too many lines = bloat, too few = complexity. Commits Ugly. Could be gamed, very simply. Unclear value. Velocity Ugly. Could be gamed. Is relative. Utilization Ugly. 100% isn't a good thing. Features Ugly. Lots of features being released isn't always what you want.

Etc etc. There are lots of bad ways to track software development performance.

Lucky for us, the hard-work (and hard research) has already been done by other people.

The 2nd Question

So we can, but...

"Q: Why are we measuring performance?" "A: ...?"

So teams can improve and so we have the tools to communicate the impact of changes and decisions on those teams.

Did the re-org last month help us?

How are we doing this month vs last?

Is code debt catching up to us?

Etc. Without metrics, it becomes a more subjective discussion. We love numbers.

Also the right metrics can give engineers as way to communicate harder to value root causes, technical debt, training, innovation, investments can be measured and valued - if we have the tools to do so.

The Background

A book called Accelerate, published in 2018, focuses on this question and answers it.

Accelerate: The Science of Lean Software and Devops: Building and Scaling High Performing Technology Organizations

It says good measures have 2 characteristics:

They focus on global - so teams are not misaligned, they instead push towards the same goal.

They focus on outcomes, not output - busy work isn't helpful.

The book has a LOT more than this, well worth reading if you haven't already.

The Metrics

Metric Description Cycle Time Time it takes a task from the start of development to it being live in production. Change Failure Rate (CFR) The percentage of deployments we have to rollback or apply a hotfix to. Mean Time To Recovery (MTTR) Hours elapsed from the start of a service failure to system recovery. Deployment Frequency How often we deploy to production.

The Accelerate book goes into a lot of detail about why these are good, how they correlate to high performing teams and benchmarks for team categorization. Thats outside the scope here - step 1 is track them.

Tracking and optimizing for these metrics can have a profound impact on product delivery. As well as being an excellent way to have those harder conversations with stake holders around things like technical debt, re-platforming or other larger non feature lead work.

The Tools

OK great. How do we track this? It will depend. Each metric may need its own solution.

Option Opinion Spreadsheet Can work, but it could be a lot of work. Ticketing system To the extent they support it, its good, but likely you won't get exactly what you need. Dedicated Solution Will give you the exact data, but you pay for it - is it worth it?

Spreadsheets

As a last resort only, instead look to automate things. Can be an OK place to start, or if tracking it any other way is even more time consuming. But generally, you want to avoid this.

Ticketing system

Can get quite close with the data it has. JIRA, for example, offers a range of reports (as would other tools). The closest in JIRA is the "Control Chart".

You get Cycle time, which is a lot of value and interesting (if a bit confusing) graphs. The other metrics require additional data (e.g. deployments, failures, etc) which this graph doesn't show and the tool itself may not have access to.

For some teams, the Control Chart + spreadsheet could be enough.

Dedicated Solutions

Accelerate metrics are popular, so people have built things to automate/improve/display the metrics.

There are quite a few companies which do this, most tie into your ticketing and source control systems, to extract the needed data. A quick survey of the market place gave me the following services:

Name URL Description LinearB https://linearb.io/ We correlate and reconstruct Git, project and release data so you get real-time project insights and team metrics with zero manual updates or developer interruptions. Haystack https://www.usehaystack.io/ Remove bottlenecks, optimize process, and work better together with insights from your Github data. Plural Sight - Flow https://www.pluralsight.com/product/flow Accelerate velocity and release products faster with visibility into your engineering workflow. Flow aggregates historical git data into easy-to-understand insights and reports to help make your engineer teams more successful. WayDev https://waydev.co/ Waydev analyzes your codebase, PRs and tickets to help you bring out the best in your engineers' work. CodeClimate https://codeclimate.com/ Velocity turns data from commits and pull requests into the insights you need to make lasting improvements to your team’s productivity.

Plenty of options, they provide very similar services (with their own take/pros/cons).

They all provide some or all of the accelerate metrics, but their ability to fit your team is something you will need to test for yourself.

Luckily, integration with these services seems to be VERY fast, you hook up your version control and optionally ticketing system and they provide instant value/data.

The Prices

Pricing isn't simple, each SaSS solution has different breaks and ways of pricing/scaling/segmenting - but all seem to price per dev.

For my needs, I'm thinking about total yearly cost, so I did some quick maths.

The following is based on a tier which includes being linked to a ticketing system to maximize the features/metrics available.

Google sheet of costs

I went with a Fibonacci increment, to cover most cases, you can copy the sheet if needed.

As you can see, there is quite a difference in price, with the cheapest options depending on team size.

The Conclusion

Performance of software teams can and should be measured

Accelerate Metrics https://amzn.to/3e9EPcK) are the industry standard

Tools can help, but won't cover ever case

Small teams can get services for free, with low adoption time

Larger teams should probably see if they get value, consider carefully TOC and start with a trial/cheapest option, before going all in on a large additional spend. It can add up FAST.

What did I do?

Currently testing LinearB with several teams, which so far have seen good value from the data.