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[ryan-smith]

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[honey-words]

spider boy — spider-man!midoriya izuku x reader

synopsis:   you’ve talked to your neighbor a few times before and have waved at him on campus. But you’ve noticed he keeps really weird hours, sometimes hearing him go into his apartment at ungodly hours of the night. So when spider-man enters your apartment one night, it’s easy for you to connect the dots from there. 

content warnings: mentions of blood/injuries, hints of angst, hurt/comfort

wc: 3.1k

author’s note: I believe in spider-man!deku supremacy :)

part 1 of the spider boy series

“Spider-man does it again! Only three blocks from the UA university campus, the masked hero—”

“You’re a spider-man fan?”

You jumped, almost dropping your phone and falling off of the bench in the process. 

“Midoriya! You scared me.”

He laughed and you paused the video you were watching, a news clip from this morning. He settled down beside you on the bench, taking a sip of his iced coffee as he did. 

“Yeah, I guess I am a fan,” you said. “Campus PD sucks and I think it’s funny a spider guy is more reliant than all of them put together.”

You both shared a laugh. 

“I have to get to class,” Midoriya sighed, not making any movements to get up from the bench. “How’s Moony?”

“She’s great, thanks for asking,” you said, smiling back at him. Because Midoriya was the definition of a perfect neighbor. He had introduced himself when you first moved in and he saw the small cat carrier with a little black kitten, Moony, inside of it. From there it had been a pleasant acquaintanceship between the two of you. 

“I’ll see you later, then,” he said, really standing up this time. “Bye!”

You waved goodbye as he left, then turned back to the video. 

A thief had been running loose on campus for the last week, snatching cell phones and wallets from unsuspecting students on their way to class. Campus PD had found the thief this morning, literally on their doorstep with a sticky note that had a spider sketch stuck on his face. 

A smaller feat of Spider-Man’s, but a good one nonetheless. 

During your first lecture of the day you could see other people were watching the same video and reading the accompanying article. It was the first time Spider-Man had acted so close to campus, practically on the grounds of it considering where he had turned in the thief. 

The person in front of you had a Reddit post pulled up, and you had to bite your cheek to refrain from laughing as you read the title. Spider boy or whatever is totally a UA student. Here’s my proof!!!!

Finding the professor’s lecture increasingly dry and dull, you decided to pull up the Reddit tab on your own laptop so you could read it, too. 

By the time the lecture was over you had read the entire post (it was surprisingly long) and all of the comments underneath it, half-convinced of the theory yourself. It made some reasonable arguments—Spider-Man stuck to the surrounding city, usually went around at night, rarely seen throughout the day—keeping with the schedule of a college student. Sticking to the surrounding city pointed to the fact that he lived near campus. And the latest crime he’d solved was the cherry on top, because the alerts about it had gone out to all campus members since the incidents were contained to the campus. 

The dull lecture came with dull readings, which you idly flipped through later that night. It was nearing 1 am, but sleep had not yet found you, and even the reading was not putting you to sleep. 

You must’ve dozed off on your tiny kitchen table, Moony curled up on the chair next to you, because her surprised meow and the sound of a door closing close by woke you up a few hours later. Your phone lit up with an email notification (professors were truly unhinged with their work hours) and you were able to see the time without lifting your head up from the table. 4 am. 

The door that had closed and woken you and Moony up had been Midoriya’s, you realized even in your half-asleep state. Occasionally the sound would wake you up, but you never minded it much and usually rolled over and fell back asleep. 

This time you had to drag yourself over to your bed, and you could vaguely hear Midoriya moving around next door. What business he had this early in the morning you never knew. He seemed pretty normal, and you always assumed he was fond of late library study sessions. Even if it was not exactly exam season. But then again, he was a biochem major, you mused. 

You fell asleep wondering about this and woke up five hours later to the sound of your blaring alarm. It snapped you awake, enough to hear a thud from next door. Did Midoriya fall out of bed?

The day passed as usual. You went to class, took half-hearted notes (it was hard to focus at this point in the semester—everyone was already burnt out) came home and ate dinner with Moony, and cuddled up on the couch together to do your readings. 

This time you were ready to pass out outside of the warm embrace of your bed, so you’d done your nightly routine and brought over blankets to the couch, ready for sleep to come whenever it was ready. 

The sound that woke you up this time was much louder. And Moony hissed. 

She never hissed. 

You froze from your curled-up position on the couch, eyes still heavy with sleep and senses scrambling to catch up with your brain and racing heart. The coffee table was right across from you, and by some miracle, you’d been sipping on a lemonade earlier—one in a glass bottle. 

As swiftly as you could, you untangled yourself from the blankets and grabbed the lemonade bottle, wielding it in front of you like a sword.

It slipped from your grasp when you saw who was standing in front of you, next to your open window you always kept closed, scared Moony would climb out. 

As if on reflex, as if he expected you to drop your weapon, Spider-Man shot a web just as it slipped from your fingers, catching it in his hands before you could even register you had dropped it.

Moony, who had been very annoyed at being woken up just a minute ago, was now rubbing her head on his shins affectionately. 

“Moony,” you whispered. “Get away from him.”

“It’s okay!” Spider-Man said, mirroring your whisper. “I’m not here to hurt anyone.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Then why did you break into my apartment?” You looked around for your phone, or another potential weapon. Instead, your gaze found the small digital clock you kept on a shelf near the door, the bright green numbers clearing away the fogginess of sleep. 

It was 4am. 

You could not help the gasp that escaped you. 

“Midoriya?”

The effect was instantaneous. Spider-Man’s entire body language changed, that much you could tell, even in the dark. He took a step away from you, back toward the window, shoulders tense. 

“What?” he said. Trying hard to keep his voice steady, even deepening it a little. But you knew it was him. 

“Did you think this was your apartment?” You were connecting the dots now. “This is why you always come back so late.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, inching towards the window. “I just got a little lost. Thought this place was empty.”

“You’re bleeding,” you said, pointing at the gash in his arm as though he had not noticed it himself. “Why’re you bleeding?”

Moony meowed, as though echoing your question. She was still close to him, and leaned forward to rub her head against his shin again. 

This seemed to break him—his shoulders drooped and he let out a long exhale. He reached up and pulled the mask off, and you gasped again. 

The left side of his face was covered in bruises, his eye starting to swell a bit. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, glancing down at Moony. 

“Smart cat. She recognized me.” You winced and instinctively moved toward him when he tried to smile and grimaced at the action. 

“Sit down, please,” you said, remembering to speak quietly. “You can’t die in my apartment. You can’t.”

“I won’t,” he said, letting you manhandle him into sitting on the couch. “Promise.”

“If you thought this was your apartment you’re definitely concussed,” you said, reaching up to move his curls aside, careful not to touch his face. The bruises covered his entire left side, also the side his arm was bleeding. “What happened to you?”

You snatched your hand away when he realized he was frozen, eyes to the side where your hand was. 

“I got thrown into a wall,” he said, smiling again. A smaller grimace this time. “I’m really sorry.” 

“You’re sorry for being thrown into a wall?” You shuffled to the kitchen to grab the tiny first aid kit you kept there. It was dusty and unused and consisted mainly of bandaids, something you started laughing at a little hysterically as you opened it on the couch, in between you and Midoriya. He’d leaned back onto the couch, breathing evened out. He was lying so still you thought he was sleeping, until he turned his head to see what you were laughing at. 

“I only have bandaids,” you said, still laughing a little. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” he said. “Oh, I didn’t mean…” he started laughing. Quietly, then a little louder until you were both giggling and suppressing loud laughs. 

“It’s okay,” he said, catching his breath again. “Can you help me get to my place? I’m used to patching myself up.” 

It took five minutes, but eventually, you both managed to get out your front door, coaxing Moony to stay inside. Midoriya had one of his arms draped around your shoulder, keeping him upright. He had reassured you plenty of times as you both shuffled out the door that he was fine, he had been through worse. Which only made you feel worse. 

His apartment was the exact same layout as yours, though a little messier, which he apologized for. There were notes all over his kitchen table, his couch was covered in blankets. You had a feeling he was prone to falling asleep all over his apartment like you did.  

“Thank you,” he said once he had settled down on his couch. “I’m really sorry, again.”

“I know,” you said, sitting down beside him. You stared at the clock directly across from you, above his small TV. “I’m sorry for figuring out who you are.”

Another small laugh from him. “S’okay.” he shifted to look at you, and you mirrored him. It would have felt awkward being this close to someone you knew more in passing a day ago, but you felt as though this entire experience had automatically made the two of you friends. A trauma bond, of sorts. “You won’t tell anyone?”

You smiled back at him. “Promise.”

You didn’t remember getting back to your apartment, only that it took a lot of convincing on Midoriya’s part. The second you woke up (on your couch) you rushed to get out the door and knock on Midoriya’s until he opened, if anything to confirm you had not dreamed anything that had happened. But before you could get your slippers on, you saw a small note on the floor in front of the door. 

Two spiders drawn holding hands, with “friends?” written underneath.

You slid it back under his door with your own addition — a drawing of a cat and “friends” written underneath his question. 

——— * * * ———

“Trauma bond?”

“Yeah,” you said, shoving at his shoulder and ignoring his fake wince. “Am I wrong?”

“No,” he agreed, petting a meowing Moony in his lap. He was frowning down at her, and you had been around him long enough to know something was wrong. 

It had been over a month since the break-in incident (which Midoriya was still apologizing for) and you had grown used to each other’s company. It had started off small—seeing him in the library during the day, studying quietly next to him. Stifling your laughter when he slid a spider doodle across the table to you. 

After that, you noticed him around campus more often. You had always greeted him when he crossed your path, stopping to make small talk. But now you actually talked about things of substance. Setting up study sessions, inviting him over to play with Moony, exchanging recipes and even starting to cook at each other’s apartments. 

“Is my pasta not good?” you said. Moony meowed, echoing your question from his lap. 

“It could use some pepper,” he said, smiling teasingly at you. “No, it’s good. Just a rough night.”

“Wanna talk about it?” you said. 

“S’okay,” he said. “We’re trauma bonded enough.” You felt a pang of guilt at the sadness in his tone. 

“Midoriya—” 

“Thank you for the pasta,” he said. “I can help with the dishes.”

“I’m sorry,” you said. “You know we’re friends friends, right?”

He nodded. “I’m messing with you.”

“You little shit!” he laughed as you set your dishes down in the sink, shoving him slightly. He smiled slyly at you. He seemed like the perfect boy next door, but he was really a little shit. And he was the perfect boy next door. 

“I haven’t heard you come back late in a while,” you said. He turned to look at you from his place at the sink, eyebrows raised. 

“You wait up for me?”

“No!” you said indiginantly. “It just used to wake us up.” 

“Really? I’m sorry.”

“S’okay,” you said. “But you have to wake me up if you’re hurt really bad, okay? Even if it’s just to sit with you.”

A small noise of acknowledgement from Midoriya. 

“What was that?”

“Promise.” 

Satisfied, you got up from your place at the table, letting him finish up the dishes. “Are you going out tonight?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Sorry in advance about the early morning wake up call.”

He still would not tell you where he went. But the news reports the next day served as the answers to your questions. A crime solved here, a criminal turned in there. The Spider-Man news page, ran by dedicated fans, was bookmarked on your computer and one of your most visited tabs. On nights when you couldn’t sleep and didn’t know where he was, you would refresh it every few minutes, waiting for an update. 

Sometimes he would go during the day, and when you would get back from class he would be there on your couch with Moony, napping. You would sit on the opposite end and wait for him to wake up, then decide on what to make for lunch together. Not talking about the new bruise on his arm or the new cut on his leg. If he brought it up you knew it was okay to talk about it, but usually you both talked about normal topics. Avoiding the giant spider in the room. 

“All done!” he said, falling down on the couch beside you. Reaching to pet Moony, who was cuddled up on your lap. Arm muscles flexing, hands softly running through Moony’s fur. It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore how jacked he was. Especially when he was literally always stripping in your apartment, changing from his suit into his regular clothes. Letting you sneak glances at his back, his chest. 

“Take a nap,” you blurted. “If you’re going to be out tonight. You need to rest.”

“I will,” he said, smiling up at you. “Don’t worry.”

“I’m not!” you said, huffing. “You better not visit me tonight. I expect you to kick ass and come back with no injuries.”

“‘Kay,” he said. “See you tomorrow?” You nodded and watched him dramatically sigh, throwing his head back on the couch before getting up and shuffling to the door. 

The rest of your evening was spent anxiously trying to distract yourself. There was a nagging feeling in the back of your head, in the pit of your stomach. After finishing your homework and realizing it was hours before your usual bedtime, you cleaned your apartment. Reorganized, moved things around. 

You decided to settle on the couch for the night. Better place to hear Midoriya come back. 

The sound that jolted you awake a couple hours later was louder than usual, and it woke you up quicker. A quick glance at your clock let you know it was only 1am.

“Midoriya?” you said quietly, sitting up. “You okay?”

He was standing near your window, at almost the exact same spot as a month before, when he had first broken in. 

“No,” he said. Voice hoarse and almost too quiet for you to hear. 

You were up and leading him over to the couch in an instant. His mask was already off, clutched in between his fingers

“Are you hurt?” you said, patting down his arms and running your fingers over his face softly, scared to touch a bruise or aggravate a cut. A shake of his head. 

You gently took the mask from him, setting it down on the coffee table with one hand, the other gripping his hands tightly. “Want to talk about it?”

He nodded, squeezing your hands back. “Later.”

“Okay,” you said, scooting closer to him on the couch so your shoulders pressed together. “I’m here, okay? It’s okay.”

You were ready when his shoulders started shaking and he slid into your hug, staining your shirt with his tears. You ran your hands through his hair, rubbing your fingers along the nape of his neck. Repeating the phrase over and over until it felt like you were trying to convince yourself of the same thing. 

The bruises were on his side this time—no cuts deep enough to warrant him going back to his apartment to patch himself up. You helped him get his suit off slowly. The tears hadn’t stopped, and yours had started fifteen minutes after his. It hurt to see him like this and not know how to help. Knowing all you could do was help him get back to his apartment and keep his secret.

“Can I stay?” he said. He was holding the top half of his suit to his chest, hugging it. 

“Yeah, course you can,” you said. “I’ll get you some clothes.”

Moony walked out of your room with an annoyed meow. She had been sleeping, but once she spotted Midoriya she happily sauntered over, already purring. 

Once he had changed into the clothes his eyes started to droop, and you started convincing him to sleep in your room. He kept shaking his head, until he finally told you, “Don’t want to be alone.” 

“Okay, I’ll stay with you,” you said. Slipped out so easily you had no time to realize you had said it until he nodded and you were walking into your room and settling under the covers, Midoriya turning to face you, lashes wet with tears.

“I’m not leaving,” you said, reaching to intertwine your fingers with his. “You’re okay. We’re okay.”

He blinked slowly at you, sleep making his eyes heavy. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

masterlist

[chimivx]

That one fucked you over last year, this one is fucking you over this year, you had no idea she was involved with him, someone over here has been lying to you, you didn't mean to end up in that ones bed, he told you he loved you... Does anyone even trust anyone anymore?

👫 -> college!teez x fem!reader/oc {frat/sorority} #️⃣ -> 10k (part TEN of ten) ‼️ -> 18+, sexual content, drugs/alcohol, college life, all the drama, heavy angst, infidelity adjacent moments, mean boys, mean girls, mentions of anxiety/depression… IF I MISSED ANYTHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

{ there are names & faces in here that come from NMWID <3 }

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 8:21 a.m.

Back pressed against the flat painter's grey wall, you were sat on top of the island counter, your knees tucked into your chest, the marble of the countertop cool beneath your bare feet. Arms wrapped around your legs, you clutched your cell phone, stomach dropping every time it buzzed. Heavy eyes scanned over every message you received, from Yunho, from your dad, from Keeho. Sleep was impossible. After the day you had yesterday your mind was unable to relax, your muscles so tense you felt like you were on speed.

The front door swung open, Tori stepping in with her hand on her purse and the other attached to another hand. Messy blonde hair and thin wired glasses followed her in, well, had to duck through the doorway to follow her in. His face fueled the nausea settling within your chest, but when he spotted you, he smiled, his eyes softening yet expressing his apologies all at once.

He had a coffee carrier in his other hand, the one not clinging to his girlfriend. Cozy, both of them, they wore hoodies and sweats, like you, but theirs actually belonged to them. You wore Wooyoung’s, and Mingi took notice straight away.

“Rora,” he whispered, looking to the couch, finding Seonghwa still snoozing away. Tori released him, your best friend heading back for the bathroom down the hall across from you. Mingi came to your side, it only took him two strides. Setting the very tall, very large coffees down on the other end of the counter, he wiggled one out and offered it to you. “Tori got this one for you,” he said, his raspy voice as gentle as it could be.

Peeking at the side of the cup where the Blend logo was, where Theo’s handwriting was scribbled on the side, he checked the label and smiled, proud of himself. Reoffering it to you, you couldn’t not take it from him. You wouldn’t be able to stomach the sugar or the caffeine, but if this was his way of apologizing you didn’t want to miss the way he blinked happily as you wrapped your hand around the cup.

Acquiring a coffee for himself, he took a sip and cringed. “Tori’s,” he coughed, successfully making you laugh. Swapping it for another, he checked the label this time before taking a drink. “This place is nice,” he said, looking from Seonghwa asleep on the small couch to the tan cabinets behind him lining the walls of the kitchen.

“It is,” you said, voice above a whisper so as to not disturb the snoring boy on the couch. “He only moved in Friday, but, it’s a start.” Mingi looked at you, trying so hard to not show off his inner turmoil, but the boy was incapable. Every emotion gets written on his face, his subtitles whether or not he shared his thoughts. “No,” you answered his unspoken question, and he nodded straight away. “He’s just a friend.”

A friend you weren’t sure you could be just friends with. Not after all you’ve been through together. You stayed here last night, and you slept in his bed, but it wasn’t weird, Tori was there. She slept next to you and Wooyoung took the floor while Seonghwa and Soul shacked up in the living room. The older boy was still asleep, but the younger one had a class to get to, one he couldn’t avoid because you were very much awake, and Soul was going to listen to you.

The five of you have been together since yesterday, and by the looks of it, you weren’t going to be parting ways any time soon. Somehow you and Wooyoung were able to find a chunk of time to yourselves while the others went on their ways to gather what they needed for the next day, Tori bringing you an outfit and necessities from ITZ.

On the couch Seonghwa slept on now, you and Wooyoung sat on opposite sides with three feet of empty space between you. The kiss was wrong, and both of you could feel it. From the moment you parted from one another, that first look, it should’ve been it, but it wasn’t. Sure, it was overdue. Sure, you both needed to get it out of your system. Sure, it was heated in the moment, emotions getting the best of everyone, but it wasn’t right. 

And it scared you.

Every moment spent with any boy thus far, you’ve had that content, this is supposed to happen feeling, and every single one of those boys screwed shit up, or they weren’t telling you the truth. Now, with this boy, with Wooyoung, who really seemed like he was telling the truth, it should feel right. It was legitimate.

You think.

Easily pulling the words out of you, Wooyoung heard it all, and he agreed with you.

You couldn’t trust him. Not like that. Not yet.

As much as it hurt him, he understood.

“How can I not?” he had said to you. “I get it. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

He took his vow extremely seriously, to the point that it was comical. When everyone had come back and you were circled around the living room, take out containers and empty cans scattered about the space, if you got too close he’d pretend to pull a wall up between you. If you were laughing and grabbed onto him in some way, he’d flash you some sarcastically stern eyes and gently return your hands back to you.

Even when he gave you the sweats you wore, he pulled them from a suitcase on his floor and said, “Here, bro, I want them back.”

This was how it was going to go until who knows when.

Boundaries. As much as you wanted to slip out of bed last night and crawl into the blankets he was wrapped up in on the floor, you didn’t. Boundaries. A word he used when you were talking on the couch, where he told you all about yourself with his psychology brain and started to analyze why sex was your choice of poison, a coping mechanism for you.

A conversation thankfully interrupted by Tori bursting through his door.

You were your father, but you weren’t your father.

“Friends,” Mingi huffed. “I remember when me and Tori were friends.”

“It’s not like that,” you said, keeping your eyes on him. He sipped his coffee and settled himself along the counter.

Looking up from his cup, only his disgustingly sweet brown eyes, he asked within a whisper, “Like you and Yunho?” He may as well have reached out a giant hand and smacked you upside the face. “We never got to talk before any of this.”

“Yeah, well, there’s nothing to say now, Mingi,” you said. A lack of feeling took over your body, fingers holding the warm cup going numb, the tightness within your chest furthering, yet going unnoticed.

Looking away from you, down at his cup, he twisted it on the counter and pursed his lips, thinking. Anything could come out of his mouth, and you’re not sure you were ready to hear any of it. The sheer mention of his name drove a stake through your heart, the pain numbing the nerves further, your body, your brain, trying to protect itself from whatever he was going to say. Trying to protect you from the month you’ve endured.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

You weren’t expecting that.

Shifting his gaze back toward you, he shook his head. “I didn’t know what he was doing. He hasn’t said much to me either.” Waiting a moment for you to take in his words, he continued on. “After Tori told me about you two he spilled it all, and he was nervous about it, telling me he knew what it looked like ‘cause he was publicly associated with Mina, and now so many people knew what you guys were doing… Had been doing.”

You didn’t dare interrupt him.

“I didn’t know they were hooking up,” he muttered, dropping his head, “Rora,” he shot it back up toward you, eyes fierce, “If I knew I would’ve said something the day Tori told me about you.”

“Yeah, you would’ve,” Tori said, emerging from the hallway. 

Mingi stood up straight and held open an arm for his girlfriend to swoop under. Sliding a hand around his back and over his chest, she melted into him as much as he melted into her. She fit perfectly under his arm, wedged against his broad chest. Their eyes said things to the other that you couldn’t place, that you couldn’t understand. Remnants of the rendezvous they were returning from most likely, though they’ve always watched one another this way. Stars in their eyes. A love so honest and true it brought tears to your eyes. 

Tori about leapt out of his hold when you brushed them from your cheek. “Wait, ah, why!?” She didn’t raise her voice, but she did slip out of Mingi’s arms and move to your side, putting both her hands around one of your ankles, leaning over the counter.

Wiping at your eyes, you laughed of all things, confusing her. “I hate him,” you whispered, a smile creeping onto your lips as you looked from her to Mingi. “I hate him.” Mingi bobbed his head, letting it hang as he kept his focus on his girl. “I thought Wooyoung started this mess. I put the blame on him for so long, thinking it was his fault that I got with Yunho, that I started to like him, and that caused all these problems…” Tori and Mingi waited with baited breath. Shaking your head ever so slightly, you laughed once more. “Whole time it was because of him… because of Yunho.”

How long before Yeji and Wooyoung were you falling for him without realizing?

How long before you ostracized Wooyoung had you been embarrassing yourself, chasing after someone who didn’t even want you at all, without realizing?

Wooyoung wasn’t to blame.

Unfortunately neither was Yunho.

It was you.

Lost in dusty brown hair and big brown eyes, charmed by banter that made you feel seen in more ways than one. The warmth of his arms, the way he’d bury his face in your neck, pressing kisses there when it got too quiet. Listening to you when you’d mumble endlessly about your dad, how you weren’t sure you’d make it through the year this time, allowing him to ease your worries with just the touch of his gentle hands.

He’d seen every side of you, the good, the bad, the ugly, the tears, the obnoxious body rocking laughter, and you believed him when he told you he’d loved it. That he loved you.

The months since May, a disaster in the making. Torture.

You’d let him in, thinking he’d be the one, he understood you in every way, how could it possibly go wrong? The one who dove headfirst into everything, the one who immersed himself completely in everything he’s ever loved, the one who moved with his heart first and his brain second. 

Yunho wouldn’t do this to you. Your Yunho wouldn’t hurt you.

Yet here you were, tears streaming down your cheeks with a knife in your chest and one in your back.

You’re starting to wonder if you ever really knew him at all.

“It’s all my fault.” Your whisper, half lost in the air, had Tori’s fingers tightening. With a tilt of her head she tried to give you some sort of assurance, that it wasn’t your fault, that you didn’t cause all of this, that the entirety of everybody in both houses was equally fucked, but it didn’t work. “I started this.”

“Aurora, you didn’t-”

You cut her off. “But, I did,” you gulped, “All of it. I didn’t see it, what I was feeling, and it pushed him away, and got him involved in Yeji’s stupid plan, and now he’s here instead of living at ATZ like he wants. I don’t have the other one like I thought I would ‘cause I was too fucking stupid to-”

“Ro,” his voice was stern, yet incredibly soft. Three heads turned to the hall where he came from, sleepy eyed with messy waves on top of his head. It took nothing for your heart to pathetically reach for him, it’s latest fix appearing on the scene with impeccable timing. Taking his time to get to you, avoiding Mingi, he said, “Don’t do this to yourself.”

“He’s right,” Tori said, breathing through a laugh at everyone's surprise toward her agreeing with Wooyoung, the boy she’s been pestering since yesterday.

“He is,” Mingi muttered. Wooyoung turned his chin, him and his former brother sharing a look, one of understanding after it was washed of all hostility. Within seconds it was decided that it was okay Mingi was in the room, in his apartment. After all, if Seonghwa could sleep on the couch, Mingi should be allowed to stand in the kitchen.

Never had there been any animosity between the two, not unless Yunho was standing beside his best friend. Wooyoung and Mingi shared a civility for one another, two brothers burdened with the same purpose, to work, to serve beneath the freshly revealed terror of their beloved hierarchy. Mingi, clueless to all that had gone down behind the scenes, something Wooyoung had always been aware of, he’d always be welcomed here. As long as he was cool in your book. And Tori’s.

“We’re just gonna all agree?” Seonghwa mumbled from the couch, his head buried in a pillow from Wooyoung's bed. Sitting up, pushing his hair back from his forehead, the way he could wake up so criminally beautiful, entirely illegal. Sleep filled his eyes, but in the purest way possible. His pale skin not even flush with any color yet, so clear and fresh. “Wooyoung’s right?”

Tearing your eyes from Aphrodite on the couch, Tori’s own gaze eating him alive, you blinked at Wooyoung. “He’s been right all week.”

Seonghwa rose to his feet and stretched his arms over his head, his t-shirt lifting the slightest, a strip of golden skin you’ve had in your hands before making an appearance above his sweats that hung too low on hips. He laughed as he did, then threw his hands by his sides and joined everyone at the counter.

“Congratulations,” he said to Wooyoung, tipping his chin down to speak to him as he fit himself in the space between the two of you. Reaching for the coffee in your hands, he twisted it to read the label. “What are you drinking?” Wooyoung settled his brows over his eyes and watched him closely.

“Something I don’t think I should drink,” you said, then glanced at Tori with a, “Sorry.” Something she brushed off with a sure shake of her head. 

“Perfect,” Seonghwa smirked at you, then took the tall cup from your hands and sipped the sweetened coffee like it’d been made just for him.

“Seonghwa?” you questioned, and every head turned toward you, the three of them already eyeing how the boy moved anyway. His dark eyes locked in on yours, him answering you with his softened gaze.

He spilled so much truth to you, about Yunho, about Yeji, about Soul, but there was one thing he had forgotten to mention. One thing that now, on top of anything, was something you needed to know most. You’ve known him as long as Yunho, this would make or break it all, and you asked him in front of everyone.

“That night,” you began, and watched the gears turn in his head back to that first week. “Now that I know you were assigned a job,” you paused, expecting him to snap back with something, but he didn’t, “I just need to know if what we did was all a part of the plan.” Tori planted a hand over her mouth, Mingi equally fixed on the conversation before him. Wooyoung wore a blank expression, staring down at the counter.

“No.” He spoke with a carefulness, a need to be gentle. “It wasn’t in the plan. I wasn’t given instructions, that happened on its own.” No one moved. “Consensually,” he added, a brow perking up, “Between friends. I hope.” The smile that bled onto your face took too long that he uttered, “Aurora,” ungodly fast with a brush of panic.

“Yeah,” you whispered. “As much as you caused problems, I needed that then, I guess.” Wooyoung shot you a look over Seonghwa’s shoulder, one that brought up your conversation from yesterday. “Shut up,” you breathed, rolling your eyes while he snickered.

When you looked back at Seonghwa, he was smiling at you. “It won’t happen again,” he said quietly, then gave a look to the boy behind him.

Wooyoung, confused, looked from him to you, then back to him, and said, “Don’t look at me, that’s her choice.” 

Tori scoffed. “Who are you?” Her entire perception of the boy had changed within the last twenty four hours.

Wooyoung grilled her with his gaze, until he smiled. “Someone with a false rep you were forced to believe in.”

In awe, she slowly looked over to you, her lips parted. Checking every one of her friends around her, she whispered, “Are we all brainwashed?” and soft laughter filled the air. “I’m serious,” she said, looking up at Mingi who shrugged.

“I sure feel it,” you muttered. “It makes me feel for these new students joining us. It’s unfair. They’re gonna be ruled by these asshats, manipulated and traumatized.” Tori nodded along as you spoke. “Yeji said from the start, she wanted like minded girls in the house, similar to herself, to Mina. Girls she thinks she’ll be able to walk all over, and use.” Gesturing toward the boys, you added, “She and Mina, her right hand, making sure you guys were recruiting boys that were easy to manipulate as well, I just… It’s awful, and disgusting, and it hurts to know that they’re walking into these chapters expecting success, and family, but they’re going to get the exact opposite.”

The way they watched you, the way their eyes held ounces of hope, it brought the tears back. 

“I mean,” you laughed between breaths, “What kind of fucked up mess did we allow her to create?” Seonghwa finally cracked, his lips tightening in frustration. “She’s still over there, after all of this, and she will find a way out of it. She was able to weasel her way in, who’s to say she won’t try anything to keep her place?” Wooyoung’s smile was small. “She’s gone this far, and now that she’s been found out I guarantee you she has plan after plan already set to ensure that she comes out on top.”

You and Seonghwa shared a look, one full of words he couldn’t say to you, but you knew.

“We go today,” you said, and his smile grew. Looking over at Tori, to Mingi, then to Wooyoung, his eyes full of pride, you took a breath. “We do it today.”

“Damn,” Mingi mumbled, acquiring the attention. Glancing from Tori to you, he said, “You really should’ve been president, Rora.”

Opening your mouth to answer him, you’re cut off by your phone ringing in your hand, the incessant buzzing stealing all of your focus. Turning the screen toward yourself, letting your friends fall into a quiet chatter of their own, you pull your brows into the center of your forehead as you read ‘Instagram’ across the top of your phone.

The buzzing stopped quick enough, taking you to your home screen where you’re faced with four messages in the app. Swiping into your dm’s, your stomach flipped. You’ve never tapped on a thread faster.

[@chan_1007]: Hey aurora, easier to find you on here instead of asking my sister for your number. We’re heading up to nasara today to get mina but you probably already know this. 

[@chan_1007]: I heard all about your talk with my dad. It was kind of crazy when he came home yesterday. They decided they were gonna go there today pretty quick. I have to give you my thanks though. For proving to them once again that the problem child is not me and in fact my sister. Lol.

[@chan_1007]: Think I’m telling you this cause I hope I’ll see you there. Its just me my dad and my mom. Wonwoos in school. Sunoo has a kid. Leaves me to be stuck in a car with her for over an hour. Wish me luck. Hope after all this your life gets better. Im sorry for my sister. See you soon.

He was who called you. All of those messages were sent two hours ago, but like the others, you ignored them, barely giving them a proper read. The last one he sent came right before he called you to get your attention.

[@chan_1007]: We’re leaving soon. Are you here?

“Holy shit,” you pushed from your lips and shoved your phone into Tori’s face. “We have to go, now.” Her eyes scanned the messages at lightning speed. She was always a faster reader than you were.

“Holy shit,” she parroted, her wide eyes gawking up at you.

“Uh, I think we need to go too,” Mingi grumbled, a sadness pooling within his demeanor as he looked up from his own phone. Seonghwa and Wooyoung seemed to already know what it was before he even said it aloud. “Vernon got called up, he’s packing right now.”

Wooyoung tapped his hand on the counter and took an audible breath. “I’ll take us,” he looked at the boys, then you and Tori, “You guys go together.” He narrowed his eyes and nodded toward you. “We’ll meet later and you’ll tell us when we’re charging the capital.”

A laugh came out of you before you agreed with him and the group dispersed, rushing to ready themselves for the day about to ensue. 

Charging the capital. It was unintentional. A history joke.

But it hurt.

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 9:58 a.m.

Along the curb sat a van, one unknown to you and Tori as you pulled up to ITZ where some girls were scattered along the porch, their curious eyes darting all over as Chaeryeong, Yuna and Ryujin carried bags from the house. Pressing your nose to the glass as Tori parked behind the van, you scoured the lawn for a gorgeous face, but you couldn’t spot him.

“There’s no way this is happening,” Tori murmured, having done so the entire ride over here. You both had changed into jeans, your respective boy's hoodies still on your top halves. October was chilly, fall was finally setting in. “How the fuck, how the fuck?”

You were afraid to speak, that if you did you would either be sick or spew words you genuinely didn’t mean. Energy buzzed within you, some sort of excitement tangoing with the resident nausea you’ve come to know and hate. The girls were carrying her things out of the house. She was leaving. They were taking her home, her family. This felt extreme.

You wanted her family’s understanding, you didn’t mean to take this away from her, her dream of attending Nasara like her father before her. Continuing on a legacy, one her parents worked hard to build for her. As much as you wanted her to eat it, as much as you longed to see the girl who kept the only boy you’ve loved away from you… You couldn’t place the feeling.

You wanted to blame her. You wanted to put it all on her, everything that had to do with Yunho, it was so easy to point the fingers and say it was her fault, she ruined what the two of you had, you couldn’t. She took part in it, she also took part in a huge plot against your life, but she wasn’t to blame for Yunho’s assholery.

Now that this was happening, what would even come of them?

Yunho didn’t know she had been conspiring against you the whole time, if his words held any truth, if the friendship you shared before any of this held any meaning, you were dying to know what he would do. There wasn’t a chance in hell he had another shot with you. No, everything between you and Yunho had been laid out in front of you at the dinner when he didn’t speak up for himself, or you, when you threw the truth Mina already knew into her face.

Part of you prayed his karma would be the loss of you both.

But, how terribly beautiful would it be if he was stuck with all that shit for the rest of his life?

Tori turned off the car, still grumbling her disbelief for the day before her when the front door opened and that gorgeous face rushed out, a bag thrown over his back. Every girl outside broke their necks, their whispers growing in numbers. Chan had no idea. He carried Mina’s stuff toward the van where your sisters were walking back from. He shot them a smile, not seeming the least bit distraught about what was happening. Ryujin and Chaeryeong nodded toward him, but Yuna, oh Yuna, she smiled back, spinning around as she got further from him, almost tripping over her own feet. Ryujin had to grab her by the shirt to get her inside.

“He’s prettier in person,” Tori said under her breath, and you shot her a smile. “Don’t even.” She laughed. “He followed you on Instagram, and he’s dming you. I don’t know if you’re cooking up revenge or what, but if you decide to mess with her brain like she did yours, I am so Team Fuck Mina’s Brother.”

Smacking her arm with a cackle, you groaned. “I am not. No more drama.” She pouted. “No more! Let’s go,” you said with a shake of your head, yanking the door open.

The second you’re spotted by one, you’re spotted by them all. Heading toward the van with Tori close behind you, you ignored the whispers that now spread because of you and directed your attention to Chan who tossed the bag he carried into the back of the van. When he spun around to tend back to the house, you swear Tori held her breath, the boy's gaze fawned over both of you. Bright eyes and the happiest of smiles.

“Hey, Chan,” you said.

“Aurora,” he sighed, then smiled at Tori. “Hey.”

“Hi,” she said above a whisper. Nowhere within the breath did it insinuate I have a boyfriend.

“This is insane,” you said to him, hoping to keep the conversation between the three of you. “I didn’t expect any of this to happen.”

Chan screwed up his face and scoffed. “You don’t know my parents,” he said. “As soon as they talked about it they planned this. It’s her own fault, don’t worry about that part.”

“But, because of what I said…”

He put a hand on your shoulder. Willing your body to relax, you prayed he wouldn’t notice how your breath caught in your chest with how close he had gotten. “It’s not you. She had to switch high schools because of shit like this, Aurora. Because she’s a problem causer. They had some sort of agreement, her and our parents, that if she kept a clean slate while she was here, keep her grades up, she could stay. She broke both of those. So, she’s done.”

“Holy shit,” Tori mumbled for the umpteenth time. 

Chan popped his brows and laughed at her. “Tell me about it.”

“How are you so calm about this? It’s your sister,” you said.

“She is my sister,” he nodded, “But, she’s a psychopath, and her shit catches up to her. We have a cousin who’s just as crazy, they’re like best friends. Rose went through this place, ITZ, Mina thought she could do the same. Rose wasn’t able to make it her bitch like she wanted, Mina wanted to try to do what she couldn’t.”

“Crazy,” Tori whispered.

“Clinically insane,” Chan corrected her with a wink, and brave of him to do so, but he clearly didn’t recognize the power he held, he could’ve knocked her unconscious. “I’m glad you’ll be free from her reign of terror,” he said to you. “But screw you for giving her back to me.”

“Sorry,” you smirked, patting his hand on your shoulder before he took it back and chuckled to himself. “Keep in touch,” you said, gesturing between you, ignoring Tori’s giggle. “I’d like to know more about this past our parents all shared.”

“I promise,” he said, then looked toward the house when the door opened. “Here she comes,” he breathed, waving you away. “You don’t wanna deal with this. Not right now.” Parting from him with a smile, you and Tori started toward the house, taking the long way to the porch, letting Mina pass by with her father behind her.

Tori placed herself closer to Mina on purpose, ready to lunge. Hurt was laced throughout her expression, and you couldn’t even begin to pretend to know how she must feel. This girl she’s grown closer to, has shared so much with within a short month, about the both of you… Tori gave her all when it came to people she cared about, and it was no secret that Mina had become one of them. On the outside of it all, used as a pawn in the game of Mina and Yeji, this had to be killing her too.

Soobin found you first. The lawyer dressed like he would be for work, a button down and slacks, his glasses on the tip of his nose. Nothing more than a subtle nod was given to you. With his hands in his pockets, tight lipped, he glanced between you and Tori and dipped his chin. Those pointed brown eyes though, they spoke to you, the father within them. They reiterated his words from your meeting yesterday.

You have his support.

Thank you for coming to me first.

At the end of the day he was a father first. Figures he would pull his daughter out of school when you and your friends were plotting to blow it wide open.

Like Chan had told you, this was her getting what she deserved. She didn’t need to be punished academically. This family knew what to do.

“Oh, they are all hot,” Tori whispered.

“Unfortunately,” you whispered back.

“You met that yesterday?” she breathed. “DILF.”

The front door to ITZ opened one more time. A five foot something in bell bottom jeans that clung to her thighs perfectly stepped out onto the porch. Yanking it shut, she flipped her very long, very natural hair over her shoulder and turned to skip down the stairs, some kind of lightness accompanying every step of the beat up sneakers on her feet. She wore a t-shirt, an old t-shirt, some anime on the front of it. Following Soobin and Mina, she glanced around her, her eyes meeting yours, and she stopped abruptly in her tracks. 

“Ror?” Tori whispered. It was the woman from the graduation photos on Mina’s profile.

Faden. This was Faden.

She wore all of her kids in her face, though you’d never believe she had four. If she was friends with your father that meant she had to be around his age, which makes her around fifty. Wearing no makeup, everything about her appearance natural, not the least bit high maintenance, you knew what you longed to look like at fifty.

The complete opposite of Soobin, you took in both of them. Him, put together, poised, a genius, seeming the more strict type of parent. And her, calm, a little edgy in appearance, a spunk about her, like she used to smoke weed in high school or something, you couldn’t put your finger on it. She didn’t seem his type in the slightest, and yet here they were, having raised four kids together, married for all these years.

A soft smile ghosted her lips. She looked you up and down, taking you in, then she started toward you.

“Ror,” Tori whispered again.

“Hang on,” you whispered back, putting a hand to her wrist, easing her worry.

Faden stopped a few feet from you, close enough to make out the little details in her face. And she did just the same to you, studying you, looking at you like you were someone she hadn’t seen in years.

“Aurora,” she said. Her voice was soft, but sure. A kind of gentleness one acquires over time. This woman knew. She knew too much.

“Yes,” you breathed, and her smile made a permanent home on her face. “Faden,” you nodded once.

She returned it. “How I wish my Mina found you first. Yeji’s a bitch, isn’t she?” Tori snorted, the two of you busting out into a fit of laughter together. Faden laughed along, just not as hard. “I never liked her.” Her eyes couldn’t part from you for too long, before you knew it they were back on you. “I’m sorry for what's happened,” she said, acknowledging how you waved the matter away, “I know you’ve talked to my Chan, the most honest of all my kids, so I know there’s not much I can say to try to patch this up other than I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize for her,” you whispered.

Her smile deepened. “Wish we were meeting in different circumstances.” A glimmer of the past, the mystery only Mina seemed to know so much about. “She’s wrong for holding your fathers past against you.” Faden took a step closer to you, stepping into your field of energy. You could feel hers. “If he’s created you… You must’ve rocked his world.”

His everything.

Something you didn’t believe until recently.

Faden’s smile flipped over, her face going soft. Opening her arms, she said, “Can I?”

You couldn’t say no. Something about her, her energy, you couldn’t say no, but thinking about it, you didn’t want to. With the quickest, “Yes,” whispered, you moved into her arms, your own wrapping around her back. A total stranger, both of you to one another, yet at the same time, one full of so much meaning for her.

And you still were in the dark as to why.

“Good luck, Aurora,” she whispered to you, one of her hands circling between your shoulder blades. “You’re deserving of everything good.” After a few more seconds of the most comforting hug, she pulled back and rested her hands on your shoulders, that smile finding her lips once more. “Tell Yeonjun I said hi, and that I’m thoroughly impressed by this daughter of his he’s managed to raise.”

“I will,” you whispered, and she nodded.

Dropping her hands she took a few steps backward. A question hung at her lips, one she wasn’t sure she’d say or not. It came out anyway, in a jumble of a sigh. “He’s okay?”

What did she know?

“Yeah,” you said and she took a breath. “He’s okay.”

She said nothing else. Instead, she flashed another smile, and then she was gone, joining her family in the car. Soobin was already in the driver's seat. Mina had disappeared somewhere inside, and Chan stood outside the passenger door, waiting with it open, leaning against the van with his arms crossed. Waiting for his mother, when she got closer his own smile appeared. Her smile. Motioning for him to get inside, she shut the door behind him and climbed into the back of the van where her daughter would be.

Turning to Tori, your best friend dumbfounded by everything that’s just occurred, you simply shrugged your shoulders.

“They used to fuck,” she said, and you smacked her arm.

“Shut up! That’s my dad!”

Tori, eyes wide, nodded. “Your dad, Ror, the man’s a fox.”

“Whatever,” you muttered. “Let’s go find Yuna and Ryujin.”

Bounding into the house, the girls around you following you with their eyes, some actually following you into the house, you and Tori wasted little time and hurried up the stairs. Rounding the hallway of the second floor, the space taken up by new recruits' luggage and school things, you pushed Yuna’s door open. Empty. Circling around the staircase to your side of the hall, you feel your heart yearn to go into your own room, but you don’t. Banging on Ryujin’s closed door, the only way you’d stop is if it opened, and it did after the seventh fist hit it. Snapping open a crack, Ryujin’s angry face poked out.

“Shut the fuck- Oh,” she switched up fast enough to make you laugh, her eyes shooting open all sappy. “Aurora,” she whined, throwing the door open. Without warning she had grabbed onto you, the physical contact from her was unusual, but you’d take it where you could get it, so you held onto her. Yuna hurried up behind her, eyes wide.

“Ror? You’re lying?” Her voice high pitched and rushed. Joining in the hug, she forced herself beneath one of your arms and pressed her head to your shoulder. Tori was next, her arms flinging around all of you, not missing her chance to get in on the lovefest.

“Tori said you’ve been at home?” Yuna asked, her voice muffled. “We saw her for a second yesterday, you’re staying at Wooyoung’s now?”

“Yeah, are you guys like getting together now?” Ryujin asked, and the questions poured in from them at lightning speed, you barely had enough time to answer them, but you calmed their curiosity and filled them in on every little detail between.

By the end of it all, their appetites satisfied and all the more shocked, the circle you created in the doorway had gained a few recruits on standby. The girls seemed to round the hallway one or two at a time, listening in, taking the information for themselves, but it wasn’t something you wanted to hide. It was all things they should know.

“Which brings me to ask now,” you sighed, “Is she here?”

Ryujin rolled her eyes. “Do you hear the creepy organ playing from the meeting room?”

“She’s not here,” Yuna said, elbowing Ryujin. “She’s been avoiding all of us all week. Now that Mina’s out… I don’t know what’s gonna happen.”

“She’s hiding,” you mumbled, gears turning in your head. Yuna nodded and Ryujin shook her head in Yeji disapproval. “That, or she’s getting to the dean’s office first,” you whispered and Tori gripped onto one of your wrists. “We have to go.”

Turning with Tori, tugging her with you, Yuna’s shout stopped you at the top of the stairs. Eyes were on you, your friends and recruits included. “Aurora!” Her voice softened as she said, “What do we do?”

Glancing around you, hopeful eyes staring at you, your cheeks flushed. “What do… what do you mean?” The way Yuna and Ryujin looked at you told you plenty. 

Oh shit.

Gulping, rolling your shoulders back, you cocked your head. “I’ll be back.”

It was quiet outside of the house, the girls having all fled inside to follow you apparently. You weren’t going to bring it up, which meant Tori wasn’t going to bring it up. Not yet. The way they looked at you, like they needed direction, someone to tell them what to do. Not yet.

Not yet.

You just about ran to her car to get away from the house, wanting nothing to do with it at the moment. That’d be a problem for later. A problem where you didn’t even know what the actual problem was. Grabbing the handle you yanked it, back and forth, fast, until she unlocked it.

“Okay!” she laughed, glaring at you as she rounded the drivers side. “Calm down!”

“We have to go get the boys,” you sighed. Anxiety pooled in your gut.

If she had gotten there first, if she beat you there and did what she planned to do, to pull Seonghwa down, to do god knows what else, you’d never forgive yourself. Sure, telling Soobin first felt right, it probably was right, but with Seonghwas well-being on the line, his entire life on the line, if she was there, you weren’t sure you’d be able to cope.

Tori glanced down the street toward ATZ, eyeing a blacked out car pulling to the side of the road toward the both of you. “Who the hell?”

The passenger door popped open and curly brown hair appeared with a small smile.

Vernon.

“Oh my god,” you muttered and hurried toward him, catching him in a hug. “You’re leaving us,” you mumbled into his shoulder. Pulling back from him and his little laugh, he hugged Tori who hurried up right behind you.

“Called up,” he said. Always calm, always the same Vernon. Even as his dreams were coming true, he still was as humble as ever. “It’s finally happening.”

“You deserve it,” Tori said, messing with his curls making him laugh. Shying away from her, he shrugged.

“Something like that, I guess,” he said. Looking at you, he pressed his lips together in his smile. “Good luck over here.”

“Good luck up there,” you said, nudging his shoulder. “Big leagues, Vernon. The girls are gonna eat you up.” A smirk graced his lips for half a second before another shrug came out of him. “You got this. We’ll see you on TV.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, then took some steps backward. “I’ll get you tickets to a game. Lots of games.” Tori’s face lit up. “I promise!”

And then, he was gone, disappearing into the blacked out car fit for a celebrity.

Tori moved just as quick, getting the two of you down the street in front of ATZ in a flash. She’d barely come to a stop before you were tumbling out of the door. Much like ITZ, boys littered this property. Some were hung over the porch, some were coming and going, some were on the balconies of their rooms on the second or third floors. It was like they could smell you, because like ITZ, the attention was hot on you.

Jongseob sat on the front porch with his group of friends right by the door. They didn’t say anything, figuring they’ve spoken with Soul, but you knew he’d say something to Tori by the time she made it up here. 

Heart pounding in your ears, from sheer panic of needing to beat Yeji to the dean’s office to the idea of just being in this house, you pulled the door open and your worst fear manifested before your eyes.

“Oh, great,” fell flat from your lips before you could stop yourself.

“Rory,” Yunho whispered in total surprise. Carrying a book coming down from the stairs, you could only imagine what he was about to do. Glasses on his nose, his hair a ruffled mess, he wasn’t up to much today, and now that his fuck buddy Mina had left campus, he was running out of things to do. “I’ve been trying to talk to you.”

If it were an hour ago. If it were early this morning, way before your friends had lit a fire under your ass, you may have folded in seconds. Especially with how he was looking at you. If you hadn’t known what he’d been doing with Mina, you’d have folded in seconds. But now, you knew too much. In fact, to make yourself laugh, you know everything.

“Rory, I’m-”

You held up a hand, and he snapped his jaw shut.

“I don’t want to hear it,” you said, calm as ever. “You could’ve lied to her all you wanted, and I probably wouldn’t have cared, but now we know she knew everything the entire time. But, if she didn’t, if she knew nothing, you could’ve lied to her. If what we thought was true, if it was only as simple as breaking things off with Mina, breaking things off with Seonghwa, which was never a thing by the way, I probably would’ve been fine.” He didn’t dare speak. “You lied to me,” you said, no change in infliction until you laughed and he flinched. “You lied to me, Yunho!”

“I was starting to think it was us,” you said, narrowing your eyes. “I was starting to think that we were the only normal people here, that everyone else was crazy, and it was you and I that had one another. Since the start, since we became friends, it was like you and I just got each other.” Everytime you paused, put him more on edge. “Yanno, we’re opposites, but maybe it could work. You got my hopes up. I wasn’t going to tell you this ‘cause now you don’t deserve to know anything about me ever again, but I do love you, Yunho.” Regret shattered across his expression, you watched him break in real time. “For two years, I’m pretty sure. And now, because you’re a filthy fucking liar, I have to learn how to unlove you, when I just figured out how to do that.” 

You hoped it hurt him. He knew what you dealt with, he knew how you grew up, he knew what you were implying. He knew it all, and you wanted it to hurt.

“Let me-”

“No,” you said, tone unchanging, cutting him off. Why he thought he had the room to speak, you’ll never understand. “You no longer talk to me,” you said, raising a brow. “You only speak to me when I speak to you. Understood?”

Yunho cowered within himself and nodded. “Understood,” he whispered.

“Ro?” Wooyoung called down to you from the second floor. Glancing up, Seonghwa, Mingi and Soul stood with him. The four started down the stairs, all of them eyeing Yunho before he scurried away into the living room.

“We have to go, now,” you said. “Yeji may already be at your uncle’s,” you said to Seonghwa and his eyes shot open.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Wooyoung slid a hand over your shoulder, his eyes shifting to where Yunho had hurried off to. “You okay?” he asked quietly, not convinced by your nod.

“I’m fine,” you breathed. “We just really need to go.” Looking past Mingi at Soul who stood behind them all, you smiled. “How was class?”

The freshman smiled back. “Good,” he said, his voice quiet.

“Where’s Tori?” Mingi asked, looking around the hallway for any signs of his girlfriend. About to tell him how you ran in here, his girlfriend gave away where she was.

Outside on the porch shouting could be heard from none other than Tori herself. Sharing a look with Mingi, you spun around and ushered everyone out of the house, Soul losing his shit when he caught a glimpse of what was happening.

Tori, leaning over top of Jongseob, had her hand clawed into his honey blonde hair, tugging at the strands, the poor boy's head tipped backward so he had nowhere else to look but at her. 

“You say some shit like that again and I’ll have your balls on stick, Jongseob,” she said through gritted teeth. The freshman attempted to nod his head but couldn’t move it very far. “This whole time I’ve threatened you with Mingi, when really it’s me you gotta watch out for. Open your mouth one more time and you’ll have to explain to future wifey why you can’t give her any kids.”

Mingi, holding back laughter his friends partook in, slid his hands over his girlfriends and gently shifted her away from the boy, freeing him from her deathgrip. Sending a glare down to him, Jongseob sat backward and hid his face away from you and your friends like Intak had already been doing. Only one had the guts to look at you, Jiung, the ginger hair.

Reaching a hand backward, putting it over Souls hair, you took a breath. “Can’t believe you’re friends with these people, Soulie.”

“Soulie?” Jiung sneered, his two friends laughing like they weren’t just threatened by Tori.

Wrapping your arm around his neck, you pulled him closer to you, nestling him right under your hold. Jiung, curious about it all, eyed you both. Knowing exactly what he was thinking, you opted to play it up, to let his friend assume whatever he wanted to assume. You laid your head on Souls shoulder, the boy many inches taller than you. Keeping it innocent enough to not get Souls hopes up, you allowed him some crush satisfaction and flashed him a sappy look. The way he looked down at you, like he was thanking you for giving him these points, made you smile.

“We should go,” you said to him, and he furrowed his brows, copying you. 

“We should go,” he parroted.

“Yeah,” Wooyoung said from somewhere in the back. “We should go.”

Taking Soul's hand, you glanced back at Wooyoung and winked. His smile gave you just enough courage to walk down the porch hand in hand with the freshman.

october 8th ~ tuesday ~ 12:53 p.m.

Deja vu.

This time, just yesterday, you were rushing into a building to speak to someone of importance with the same people behind you.

Granted, now you had one more, but it was still uncanny.

It was happening all too fast.

Hurrying inside the building of administrative offices, a tall building similar to the law side of the school, but not as big, not as old, you and your friends barreled down the stretch of halls acquiring strange looks from administrators as you moved as one unit.

Entering a room with a metal door, one that had a large window on the front with the words ‘Dean’s Office’ underneath it, you pushed it open and let everyone file in, the secretary very confused. Looking at each of you individually, she smiled when she found Seonghwa, welcoming him in, asking what was going on, why you were all there.

“We have to talk to my uncle,” he said, gesturing toward the door to Jimin’s actual office space. His hands were shaking, you could see it when he lifted a finger.

“He’ll be out in just a minute, I’m sure,” the woman said, then motioned toward the chairs along the wall. “Have a seat, he’s finishing up another meeting.”

As if on cue, like it somehow had all been planned down to the very second, Jimin’s door opened. All at once, collectively, the six of you loosed a breath, your own heart sinking through the floor of this building. You longed to physically fall to your knees, to burst into tears. A hole was punched into your chest, many, many holes punched into your chest.

Yeji waltzed out of the office with a smirk on her lips and the devil in her eyes. Jimin, a handsome man in a grey suit, seemed surprised to see the lot of you standing in his office. Yeji looked happy, Jimin, not so much.

“We’re too late,” Mingi whispered, and the urge to cry worsened. You didn’t even want to look at Tori, from the corner of your eye you could see her curling up into Mingi’s arms.

Screw Mina and her peace of mind, you should’ve come here first.

“Seonghwa,” Jimin’s voice was stern. Eyes pointed at his nephew, he said, “Meet me inside.” The boy's eyes fluttered shut, a breath shooting through him as he clenched his jaw. Wooyoung grabbed his arm for the few seconds he composed himself, letting it drop to his side when he walked away, disappearing into his uncle’s office.

Tori was crying, you could hear her. Longing to join her, to hold her and grieve, you couldn’t. Yeji was inching toward you.

“What did you do?” The words fell from you in a whisper, behind clenched teeth. 

She shook her head, her ombre hair dancing at her shoulders. “Aurora, you really shouldn’t have gone through so much trouble. All of this fuss, for what? You really know how to cause problems don’t you, but, you know, with what I learned about your father, it must run in the family.” Wrapping your hands into tight fists you catch Wooyoung moving your way, ready to jump in to hold you back like he’s had to do almost twice now within two days.

“How did it feel?” she asked, her voice a haunting whisper, chilling your skin. “So unwanted, so unneeded, so worthless not even Yunho could fight for you.”

“They’re gone, Yeji.” Relaxing your hands, you spoke to her like you spoke to Yunho. Calm, maintaining your composure even though you wanted to lay her flat on the floor. “Every person you’ve had to bribe and manipulate into spending more than five minutes with you, they’re gone. Anything you do at this point is desperate. You’re embarrassing yourself. I’m unwanted? Not needed? Worthless?” Glancing over your shoulder, you let out a laugh, your friends holding their breath. “I think I’m good. If anyone isn’t wanted, it’s you. You never have been, and you never will be. I don’t have to buy my friends.”

The door to Jimin’s office opened.

Nose to nose with Yeji, you took a deep breath, preparing yourself for the worst.

“Hwang Yeji,” Jimin said from his chest. Boisterous, he said, “You were instructed to leave this campus immediately.”

A gasp ripped through you. Yeji went unchanged. Without even blinking she turned away and left the office, with not a single look back. 

Paralyzed in place, the only sound left in the room was that of the door slamming shut, until Jimin released a sigh and sat on the edge of his secretary's desk. 

“Choi Aurora,” he said, folding his hands in his lap. Answering with a nod, he acknowledged your friends, taking in their faces, then he sighed again, brushing a hand over his face. “Sit down, please.” Everyone listened except you. Seonghwa was nowhere to be found, Yeji was just expelled in front of your face, and the dean of Nasara was before you with what seemed like valuable information.

“Don’t want to sit?” Jimin questioned you with a raised brow. You answered with a shake of your head and he breathed a laugh. “Course not, why would you? After what I’ve heard I’m shocked you’re still able to stand.”

“She’s been expelled?” Tori said, sitting beside Mingi, the two of them holding hands. Jimin shifted his dreamy eyes over to her and nodded. Your best friend tried to hide her smile, but it peeked through.

“A lot has been violated, and not just within this month of insanity you’ve been put through,” he pointed his eyes back to you, “But, as a whole, her entire student career here at Nasara. Aside from violating many rules and policies here, we don’t tolerate any behavior like Yeji has exhibited as of lately. I understand some of you have been pulled into it, the bribes, the threats, so we’ll handle that accordingly,” you shot a look at Wooyoung who gave you one back, “But, uh… I had a long, long meeting last night.” 

Jimin glanced away, thinking to himself, then he seemed as if he only spoke to you. “A good friend of mine, Soobin, I met with him and his daughter, Mina, who I know you all know. They sat down with me, and on her own accord Mina told me just about everything that’s happened, everything that’s been happening since last year.” He paused to take a breath, letting his words be digested by everyone. “She spoke with a truth that her own father could confirm because you said it to him word for word, Aurora. I know every plot, every plan, every sneaky little conniving detail. I may even know more than you do, I’m under the impression you and Mina don’t speak, Miss Choi.”

“Not anymore,” you whispered.

The corner of his lips perked up. “So the jury concludes,” he sighed. “She brought me something. Lots of things, actually,” he stood up and turned toward his office. “Seonghwa?”

Emerging slowly, holding a few papers in his hands, Seonghwa’s eyes were glued to the sheets, reading word after word, scanning line after line. His brows were pulled into the center of his forehead, the shock and disbelief within him on the forefront of it all.

“Mina brought me physical proof,” Jimin said.

Seonghwa, now in front of you, met your eyes and shook his head. Glancing at Wooyoung, he asked, “You’ve seen these?”

With an embarrassed nod, Wooyoung said, “Yeji… showed me them before I agreed to… her plan.” Meeting his eyes, his full of apologies, you let him know it was going to be okay with a tiny nod.

“Aurora,” Seonghwa whispered, looking at you in a way you’ve never seen. “Here,” he breathed, shoving the papers into your hands.

Flipping them around, your own fingers trembling now, you put them into some kind of order and now, you had to sit down.

Wooyoung had been telling the truth.

These were papers, documents, filled out by the board of ITZ from last semester, the last president a graduating senior. Tori was officiated into her spot, as was Yuna, as was Chaeryeong. Vice President was vacant, but, President… Your name was written.

Choi Aurora.

“It’s official, it’s not made up,” Jimin said, sliding his hands into his pockets. “The other sheet that matches that one, where Yeji’s name is, it’s also official, but now that we’ve acquired proof of her bribes, it’s a voided document.” Looking up from the paper, lips parted, you turned to finally look at Tori, your best friend rising from her feet, her hands slipping from her boyfriends. “Aurora,” Jimin said softly.

“Hang on,” you stopped him abruptly, squeezing your eyes shut, both of your hands shooting out to the side. Tori came up to you and took the papers out of your tight grasp. Your heart raced in your chest, blood pulsing in your ears. When you opened your eyes, Tori held tears within hers.

Asking her every question you possibly could with one look, her small nod gave you every answer, gave you all the courage you needed to face this.

Turning to Jimin, he assumed you were ready for more, and so he smiled. “Congratulations, Choi Aurora. You are now the president of ITZ.”

“Holy shit,” you mumbled, pressing your hands to your cheeks. Tori withheld a screech as you looked at her, your best friend throwing her arms around you, a hug you half reciprocated. The boys behind you, quiet, yet so full of love, wrapping themselves around you and Tori, whispering words of congratulations, of their support, words you couldn’t even make out because the overwhelm was too much to bear.

Wiggling out of the pile up, your hand caught onto another, and when you found it’s keeper, you’re given a smile. 

Wooyoung.

Wiping your eyes with your other hand, you give his a squeeze, and he squeezes it right back.

“Okay?” he asked quietly.

Nodding, after a sniffle you said, “Yeah, I just…” Pausing, you watched your friends smile and chatter together, then half smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

Moving from the group, stepping out into the hall, you slide your phone out of your pocket and count your breaths. Wandering from the dean’s office, tapping your screen, you steadied your hand and pressed the phone to your ear.

“Aura?”

A smile broke onto your lips.

“Do I have to come get you?”

“No,” you finally answered him.

“Jesus,” he groaned. “Had me thinking this was it. Is everything okay? What’s going on? I haven’t heard from you since last night.”

Wrapping your arm over yourself, you bit down on your bottom lip. Just as he was prepping to say more, you whispered, “Dad, you’re not gonna believe what’s happened.”

thank you for reading, i cannot believe this is over already. huge thank you to @minkieater i could NOT have written this without her. this is also my love letter to NMWID, a closing of sorts for the story.

if you've shown your support for me and my crazy ass little people on paper, thank you. <3 i see you, i hear you, i am you.

NU home ✧ nice for what masterlist ✧ talk to me ✧ thank you for reading <3

you do not have permission to copy or translate my works without my consent.

[jackiequick]

Duck, duck, duck, duck, Goose! | Top Gun Fanfic 🧸

Top Gun AU✈️

——

Pairing: Nick Bradshaw x Carole Bradshaw , Pete Mitchell & Tom Kazansky

Summary: When it came to kids Carole, Iceman and Maverick only had to worry about two. Bradley and his young brother, Dane. Then came Jenny. It seemed fit, 3 for 3! But when another Mitchell kid, came along they realized they had more on their hands. 4 for 4!

Characters mentioned/include: Audrey, Buzz, Wraith, Slider, Hazel, and the rest of the 86’ class

Timeline: Post-Top Gun (1986), Pre Top Gun Maverick

Warning: Canon character death mentioned

Fic type: Fluff and humorous, with small moments of angst

Previous fic —> Click here

———

There were moments like this where if you told Maverick and the others years ago, that kids would be part of the agenda they would’ve laughed at you so hard and through you were crazy.

But then the kids started coming over the years.

It started with Goose and Carole. High school sweethearts destined to get married and have kids of their own, where everyone can only wish to have a portion of what they had.

Of course, they had little Bradley Bradshaw or baby goose as he was nicknamed.

Adorable little blonde boy with cubby cheeks and a curious little smile that meant determination. He looked just like his father in every way, Maverick would tell his nephew that years to come.

It was great being a little group of 4. Memories made and laughs saved.

But sadly, then Goose died after a training accident while Carole and Bradley were there to visit them. Maverick felt horrible, so did Iceman, Audrey and the rest of the 86’ class. Gloomy painful days were to come after that.

However there was a flip side, a little surprise to come after the clouds were blowing away.

And that little beam of sunlight became Dane Bradshaw many months later.

Carole didn’t know she was pregnant at the time until Audrey pointed out how fuzzy she felt lately and honestly they couldn’t have been happier in that moment.

Maverick lightly joked, “Wow! I guess Goose really take you to bed.”

“Oh Mav, play nice and that was a little secret.” Replied the Carole with a smile joking back.

Sunset chuckled, “And made sure to leave a bag of surprises afterwards.”

—

Goose really did leave a bag of surprise afterwards but they didn’t know that yet until years later.

Duck, duck, duck, duck, Goose!

—

Dane Bradshaw was the spitting image of his mother with such a warmth and gentle smile to him, he was nicknamed pooh bear.

Him and Bradley were only 2-3 years apart in age, but there will be moments where they acted like they shared the same brain cell. Being silly little ducklings, surprising people with their charm and sweet tactics.

There were days Carole would come home to the kids (along with Maverick) causing a mess in the house baking. Days where the boys will go playing with water guns and end up getting Audrey’s clothes wet.

Or with Iceman, where Bradley would show their uncle an idea for an airplane to build with boxes and other items in the house. Meanwhile Dane would collect all the ideas, wanting to go big or go bold enough to shine with their plane where Ice couldn’t have the heart to say no.

Other times, Dane was the sweetest thing in the whole entire world. A gushing image is a gentle breeze holding up flowers to his aunties such as Hazel and Audrey, making get well cards for his mama. Hugging his uncle Mav and teasing his uncle Ice with a little grin.

But he was also very protective, him and his brother, being a guard dog when it comes their mother. That goes for Hazel, Valkyrie, Audrey and whatever other lady in their lives.

————

Speaking on ladies, they were surprised at the time she arrived. It was an unexpected surprise indeed as for she came at an old hour of the night. No alert, no phone call or an letter from the post man.

Just an knock on the door in a carrier held the first half of The Mitchell-Bradshaw clan. Jennifer Penelope Mitchell, or as she was nickname princess.

Don’t worry she gets a handful of nicknames later on, so do all the kids!

Pete and Ice were in total shock at the bundle of joy brought to their attention but welcomed her with open arms nonetheless.

It took Maverick a long couple of hours, even days to fully get his head around the fact he had a daughter.

It wasn’t until Carole met her and saw the cheeky little smile that she said, “Yup, Pete she’s yours alright!”

“Yes she is.” Audrey added, blowing raspberries into her cheek.

The girls fell in love with Jenny overnight, engulfed by her sweetness but since she was Mav’s kid the girl hated to sleep and very silly. According Iceman she was stubborn like her father but Audrey would say she’s stubborn like him instead.

When Carole brought the boys to meet their cousin/future best friend, Bradley was taken back by Jenny and Dane was curious rather shy about the ideas.

“Mama! Does that mean I have to share a room with her too?” Bradley asked pointed to the girl.

“Wha’ she do?” Dane added, his vocabulary and grammar not very accurate yet.

It was silly, since Dane Bradshaw was close enough be to around less than 2 years older than her but he was curious about the situation, not wanting to share the spotlight with anyone. Same thing when for Bradley, even though he was the oldest.

Carole had to correct them saying, “No boys, you don’t have to share a room with her. And she is just a baby, so she doesn’t do much yet. But I think you guys are gonna like her a lot.”

And as always, Carole Bradshaw is correct!

Since Bradley quickly warmed up to Jenny wanting to show her everything and take the girl everywhere he went like the big brother he is to Dane. Especially when Jenny got older he got to joke around, watching over her and and play with her a lot more.

Bradley nicknamed her Jenny Penny.

Dane, since they were somewhat closer in age range per say, the two were pretty close. Dane being softer, very silly toward the girl and more importantly being protective, catching up on new things with things he learned at school and playing with her a lot of the time.

He nicknamed her JenJen.

Eventually the boys would give her the classic nickname and future callsign, JenPen.

But Jenny Mitchell wasn’t the one who got nicknames, because to her Bradley was Brad Brad and Dane was Danny Boy.

Even though as the years went on, her nicknames for them changed to Chicken and Engineer.

———

Soon enough Baby Goose, Pooh Bear, and Princess had a 4th to complete the group (hopefully)…

…Daffy Duck!

Other name being used for Austin Mitchell.

If one Mitchell kid wasn’t enough, look no more to a second one! That was another surprise that left Carole, Iceman, Audrey and Maverick himself flabbergasted at the news. But it’s wasn’t an total surprise since Maverick was known for being in the dating scene a long time, falling in and out of love with several women because the attraction was a strong thing.

Like a lot things, it never lasted too long ending up in heartbreak, loneliness and confusion, thinking it was a short fling.

But as we learned that every actions has an equal opposite reaction. That resulted in his son, in which he chuckled and sighed in awe of the little smile that entered his world. He fell in love with his kid the moment he met him.

Slider joked, “Alright, either Maverick needs to do something about the love making around here or Goose had an grand ol’ conversation about bringing four ducklings with the big man upstairs when he left?!”

Iceman glared at his best friend jokingly, “Very funny, buddy. There is no way Mother Goose had this all figured out and planned for this to happened. It was just fate!”

Maverick shut them both up carrying his son in his arms and said, “Oh shut it you two! Before we know it you’re popping out kids of your own.”

Carole smiled, “My husband wouldn’t do such a thing, even if he did I think theses were gifts. Look how cute they are!”

~~~~~

Two blondes and two brunettes, all wrapped into a cute little gift baskets from Mother Goose himself.

“Yeah no Slider’s right, Nicholas Bradshaw brought down four ducking after his departure!” Audrey added a few minutes later.

~~~~~

Austin Mitchell was a spitting imagine and reminder of his father, times 10! From his brownish-green eyes to his nose, even the floppy mess of chocolate brown locks. His smile was no different, giggling about his favorite things and moving around with so much energy that he could become the next marathon runner for god’s sake.

But like any kid here, especially a kid that belongs to Maverick Mitchell, Austin was a clumsy boy knocking into everything and getting himself stuck in troubling situations. It was cute but also kinda annoying.

“A little tornado warning should come with him.” Joked Wraith once he met the boy with a smile.

Nonetheless he was loved. Jenny was only two years old when she got her baby brother, wanting to parenting him and keep the little guy out of danger with a pout. But then again, she was also very clumsy and cheeky herself so they both ended up in a little sticky situation.

Seriously, both kids were found in the kitchen once eating one of their father’s favorite sweet treat, being honeybuns, while on the floor giggling.

Iceman snorted so loud seeing his niece and nephew happily eating the dessert that his only questions was, “How did you two get your hands on it in the first place?”

“Unca Iceee!” Austin only yelled with a little smile and sticky fingers.

“You wan’ some?” Added Jenny with the similar little smile.

Other times, Austin would be the only one brave enough for certain things, dragging Bradley along to meet new people such as when they met Wraith or Buzz for the first time. Austin scared poor Wraith with his chaotic tendencies meanwhile Buzz laughed his ass off.

Plenty of times, that chaotic charm the young boy naturally held would bring a smile to the faces he meets, like when he met Ark and Hazel. When Austin finished hanging out with Hazel, she wanted to keep this boy for herself.

…but there were some moments where Austin’s shining personality mixed with the wrong crowd.

Let’s just say Ice and Mav enrolled him into little league baseball practice for one week, but midway through that same week the coach had to call Audrey to take the kid back home. Because due to Austin’s style, tiny temper and competitive nature when his team wasn’t winning, he decide to use his baseball bat and hit one of the kids from the other team with it.

The kid went as far as to chase the other children around the field in revenge and when Audrey heard that, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She knew it was a bad thing and they probably had to enroll him into a different sport, but the image in her head of her nephew chasing the other kids around like a Looney Tune character was too funny.

“Yup, he was definitely Pete’s son.” She said with a smile, picking up her nephew to take him out for ice cream and a small lecture onto how it’s not nice to hit people.

Let’s just say Audrey wasn’t the only one laughing at the news that day about why Austin Mitchell might not return to baseball practice that week.

————

Speaking of Austin, since he was hopefully the last baby for now at least, they decided to set up a color coordinated system for the kids.

That meant if gifts were given, certain items were being delivered, and everyday things like cups, hats, sweaters, backpacks, socks and or etc. each child had their own version of one.

Hell, each kid had certain days set on the calendar, where they all had to do something the other wanted. Like park, mall, trips to the beach and or going to the movie theater.

It was Carole’s idea! So there were no fighting, especially since they were all so little at the time.

Bradley’s things always had a cherry red dot, cute little red label or red post it note on them. (Sometimes apple or red-orange color)

Dane’s things always had a sunny yellow dot, little yellow label or yellow post it note on them. (Sometimes bumblebee or yellow-green color)

Jenny’s things always had a rosy pink dot, little pink label or pink post it note on them. (Sometimes lilac or pink-red color)

Austin’s things always had a sky blue dot, little blue label or blue post it note on them. (Sometimes olive or blue-green color)

And honestly, it was pretty helpful at the time when they were just little kids. Since they knew once they got older, all four of them would pick certain colors to wear, act differently for types of situations and understand the concept of what is not their stuff, don’t take.

But of course like any set of children, no matter what you did or how many times you had to lecture them about a topic, they will always fight about something. Like toys, bedding, backpacks, clothes, food and things to do together.

Like when Bradley and Dane were fighting over a certain Star Wars backpack they saw at Walmart to take for back to school time.

Or when Austin and Jenny were arguing about a DC LEGO sets they both wanted to buy, Batman or Superman sets.

They were kids! You can’t prepare for everything, so the parents always stepped in making the decision for them or had to settle on a small compromise on what’s the verdict. 

——

Nonetheless, they were good kids that’s what matters.

Yes, they were all different ages with vastly different views on things and personalities but that’s what makes them unique.

They care about their children way too much and thanked Goose for sending such a wonderful set of surprises and memories to come.

But the question that the adults tend to have on their minds was, how would the world handle their set of ducklings as they grow up?

What kind of experiences they will have?

Who will fall in love and who will get their heart broken?

Will there be friends or foes that come they’re way?

So many questions but only time will tell…

———

Thank you so much for reading this! 🎬 I know, it’s not exactly formatted like my other stories per say but it was an interesting way to introduce theses kids.

What was your favorite part? 💕

Please like, share and comment for more stuff like this! ✈️

Tags: @gcthvile @msrochelleromanofffelton @gaminggirlsstuff @topgun-imagines @starkleila @whitewiccan @comfortzonequeen @sherloquestea @theloveoftoms @mandylove1000 @mallowbee4 @rooster-84 @djs8891 @novavida and etc

[peel-a-potato-with-a-potato]

We really need better infrastructure for rural America. And I mean that in a couple ways. There’s no access to public transportation, so I have to own a car to get around. Which is fine for me, I guess, since I like driving. But also I have three options for internet access. DSL from the phone company (tops out at a pitiful 25 Mbps). Home access from Verizon (no other cell carrier has service here and it tops out at 4 Mbps on a good day). Or Starlink, which has modern speeds of 150-200 Mbps and okay latency, but is owned by a fascist. I don’t like those options.

[bacchicly]

A TURNING POINT

AKA Chapter 3 - Mountain Air (originally posted on Fanfic.net in 2021)

OR read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54640615/chapters/138581950

Summary: What really happened after Luke and Penelope gave Phil is his puppy!

NOTE: Thank you to everyone who reads this and especially those who leave comments! This chapter has mixed POVs and is set just after 13x07. It is just lots of lots of connection and lovely fluff...nothing particularly smutty for those who are here for mostly that. Don't worry more will come. Hope you enjoy!

Neither Penelope nor Luke have stopped smiling since they left a very happy but tired Phil and a happy but even sleepier Lou.

After the big reveal at Phil's physical therapy appointment, and once it was established that Lou was going to ride home with Phil in his usual pre-arranged taxi, they had made a quick plan to rendez-vous at Phil's place. Luke and Pen had then spent a more than just a few hours helping Phil set up his house as a doggie paradise. While Luke installed a doggie door to the backyard and made sure there was no way the puppy could escape the small yard by mending the fence in a couple places, Penelope and Phil got to work finding the perfect places for the about a million things that they had brought in from Luke's truck.

There was enough food for Lou's first week (similar to Roxy's diet but modified for Lou's puppiness), organic dog biscuits, food and water bowls, a slightly sparkly but still butch doggie placemat, a crate for home, a travel carrier, a grooming kit, two different pooper scooper contraptions, a rainbow of differently patterned poop bags, several themed leash / collar sets, doggie booties for rain and different ones for winter, a doggie raincoat, a doggie winter coat, three doggie sweaters in progressively bigger sizes, one doggie Christmas stocking, no less than five different doggie beds, and at least one of one of every type of doggie toy available at the local pet store.

Luke and Penny had basically conducted a raid of the establishment earlier that day before picking up Lou as arranged with a local breeder. The two FBI agents had been like kids in a candy store - laughing and joking - eventually each were pushing an overflowing cart. Penelope swears she saw Luke skip a few times... and the result was that Lou may be the most recent winner of "dog with the most things" award. The eyes of the lady at the checkout had been as big as saucers as she rang up the giant bill; which was then paid for by Luke with a laugh and flourish of his charge card.

The last thing they presented to Phil was a gift certificate for puppy obedience lessons and another equivalent to three doggie spa sessions with a local groomer. Penelope had, of course, checked that both businesses would be fully accessible to Phil whether he was in a wheelchair or not. As they left, Luke promised to drop in tomorrow to see how man and puppy were doing - while Penelope programmed her cell number into Phil's phone and demanded to be texted doggie photos DAILY.

Luke places his hand on Penelope's lower back as she boosts herself into the passenger seat of his truck. Not only could he not seem to stop touching her today - a palm to her lower back, his fingers on her elbow as he guided her to the truck as she carried Lou, an arm slung over her shoulder as they stood watching Phil get to know his new buddy - he knew he couldn't remember a better day. He was so glad he had gone against his first instinct to do it all himself - even when his first Google search for a puppy came up snake eyes - and had instead asked the BAU's resident tech genius and all around expert in pet things to help him. Together they had been able to find the perfect puppy for his best friend. Plus, on top of the joy of finally feeling like he had done something good for his best friend, doing it with her made the whole experience extra incredible.

As Luke jumped into his side of the car, he looked over at the beaming blond and felt his heart beat a bit harder. He really didn't want the day to end. So as he is backing out of Phil's driveway he asks...

"Hey, I'm starving - do you want to go grab something to eat before I drop you home?"

"um...I should probably get home...I need to feed Sergio...and um turn in."

"We don't have to work tomorrow - or at least hopefully - let me say thank you for all your help today. If you want we can stop by your place first and feed Sergio... and..." he glanced at the dashboard clock "..in fact, um it's later than I thought it would be...Roxy's due home in less than an hour...how about we feed Sergio - then pick up some food and go back to my place? Pretty please? With sugar on top?" He reaches over and squeezes her knee over her skirt "You can choose what we order...I just really don't want today to end."

"I get to choose what we order? And we stop in to check on Sergio? And I get to see your sweet girl?"

"Scouts honour, Chica."

"Oh alright. You've caught me in a weak moment."

She puts both of her hands over the one he's put on her knee. His insides do a giant somersault.

He can't help but glance at her quickly as he asks:

"Yeah?

She nods and grins.

"Yeah."

He flips his hand on her knee over so he's holding her hand.

"Yeah?!"

She's laughing and nodding now. She intertwines her fingers with his.

"Yeah!"

He squeezes her hand and smiles at her quickly.

"Cool. We'll eat."

She's squeezes back and smiles and nods some more.

"Yeah!"

They both look straight ahead grinning ear to ear.

After a few minutes she turns her head cheekily...

"Alvez?

"Yeah?"

"I'm still never going to stop giving you crap."

They laugh and hold hands all the way to her place.

Sergio is on the top of his new super glam cat tree. It's clear from the fur all over it that it is a well used and loved addition to the apartment. He opens one eye when he hears "Ok we've got 15 minutes to devote to Sergio then we gotta split if we're going to be back in time to meet Roxy's sitter!" from down the hall outside the apartment "So no dillydallying Ms Garcia!" then there's a much more feminine and familiar "I bet I am faster than you! Race you to the door!" then a deep "You're on!" followed by a squealed "Wait! Alrighty Mr. Super Special Agent...1,2,3..." then a low-ish kinda squealy "Hey!" then a high breathy giggly "Go!" and then the sound of running heeled-footsteps and Penelope's screaming laugh in the hall... .

Now Sergio picks up that the deep human voice is also laughing and there are more footsteps - no heels - "Tickling is cheating! Oh no you don't! I'm going to get you Penelope Garcia!" It sounds like she's being chased down the hall but in way that Sergio might describe as kitten-ish since she sounds to be enjoying it.

Next thing Sergio knows, there is a thump against the door and her laughter gets more and more wild and breathless "Stop it! I need to find my key!" more giggling and then "Stop! Stop!" "Ok, Chica but no more cheating in foot races!" then a triumphant "Found it!" and the key can be heard in the lock.

Humans! Sergio stretches but stays on his perch so that he can be ready for whatever mayhem Penelope has brought home. Although it had better include dinner and an ear scratch or he'll have to think up some suitable revenge.

The two humans practically fall into the apartment when the door opens. His Penelope, of course, addresses him right away as is proper and crosses to reach up and scratch his head. Sergio notes that the man is the one who delivered his current throne - so he supposes he's allowed to stay for at least a few moments.

"Hey Sergio! Good day, little man? Scritch then dinner?"

Sergio meows assent, so she gives one last round of ear scritches and then heads to the kitchen. Sergio, for his part, starts to make his way down the tree - pausing to sharpen his claws a bit on one of the posts and then again to let the man stroke him a couple times.

"See how much Sergio loves his tree you got him? I still don't know how I will ever thank you enough, Luke!"

"Penelope - first of all you have given Roxy like a billion things and second of all even of you had never done anything nice for me or Roxy ever before today - which we both know is not the case - I'm pretty sure you've paid your debt today!"

"Today was wonderful. I should be thanking you for letting me a part of it! Who knew giving puppies to good homes would be my jam?"

"Survey says...ding ding ding ding..In number one place for "Penelope's Jams", that was our number one answer, folks!"

"Oh shush."

But their eyes catch and they are both smiling again at each other for a long moment.

Luke is the first to break the moment and asks:

"So...can I do anything to help? Do you need to change or grab anything before we go out again? We've got..." he looks at his watch "exactly 7 minutes until we should be back on the road."

"Um if you could refresh Sergio's water - I'll just run and make sure his box is tidy and maybe I'll just throw on something a bit cozier? We're just going to hang out eat and maybe watch some TV or um something right?"

"That was what I was thinking."

He's got that look that she'd begun to think of as his heart-eyes again...but she doesn't want to think too hard about it. Today has been too special - so she smiles and spins off to make sure Sergio has nice clean litter. She doesn't have much time - so she can't freak out or fret too much about finding the perfect outfit. She wants to be comfy and sure a bit cute...but also she doesn't want it too look too much like she's trying...honestly she has no idea exactly what is happening between the two of them - which would normally freak her out - but for some reason it's not. She quickly settles on a nice lacy copper and teal underwear and bra set...trying not to think about why that pair appeals to her in this moment - then a favourite pair of pink polka dot fleece pants and a lilac t-shirt with a wide neck that shows her bra strap. The front has a line drawing of a winking cat and coppery purple curly letters shouting out "Cats are better than people - but you're alright". She puts on a comfy but cute pair of runners - they will probably take Roxy for a walk - does a lightning quick hair accessory and glasses change - both frames and hair bow are coppery and teal and sort of steampunk inspired but not over the top - and gives herself a quick once over in the mirror - perfect. At the last minute, she bites her lip and then makes a decision. She grabs a little wooden box from the drawer of her bedside table.

She's back out in the living room in 6 minutes and 30 seconds flat.

"Ta da!"

She does a little pirouette, grabs her purse and slips the box in quickly, then chooses a coat, bends over to give a quick but loving goodbye pat to Sergio, and then, as she heads for the door, calls over her shoulder to a staring Luke Alvez with a wink:

"Whatcha waiting for, Newbie? We don't want to be late! To the truck! No dillydallying now, Mr. Alvez."

The evening was pretty much the definition of awesome perfectness. They arrived at Luke's house just moments before Roxy and her sitter, ate an amazing meal ordered from an amazing Thai place she loved - and Luke even ordered all vegetarian without her even needing to remind him that she didn't eat meat. They had all then taken a walk around the neighbourhood and when the three of them got back - man, dog, and woman - sat together and watched a new movie none of them had seen yet. The movie was definitely what Spencer would call a film not a movie - and turned out to be as engaging, thought provoking, and even funny and sweet as the previews had promised. During the movie - ahem film - she had rested her head on his shoulder and put a hand on his thigh. He had put his arm around her shoulders - his fingers drawing circles on her upper shoulder just under where the neckline crosses her arm.

As the credits roll, Luke marvels at how in this moment everything felt very - what could describe it... adult and comfortable seemed to be in the right ballpark. What was it about her that made him feel so particular about words? It had felt like they were a couple today - an old married couple who forgot their cues and got annoyed and forgave small transgressions and touched and smiled and laughed and worked together as a team. He was still very aware of her and how sexy she was - how part of him was having a total body freak out party just because she was in the room ...not to mention he was touching her. He was still very aware of how much he wanted to do things with her - but another part of him felt a different type of joy that left him at peace and whole. There had been hints of this before between them - but nothing compared to what he was feeling now. So what was next? What to do with all of this?

He didn't know but for some reason he also wasn't in a hurry to solve the riddle. He was ok with letting things be. That didn't mean what he was feeling wasn't intense or even a bit scary - but it did mean he was willing to trust this strange new in-between.

Penelope was having similar thoughts. The fact that her mind felt calm and clear in this moment - comfortable rather than anxious was novel and gently addictive. She too was aware of his body and strength and her fierce attraction to him that stemmed from the realm of physical but was coloured with many more layers. Today had been momentous - she had known for awhile that Luke was a truly remarkable - respectable - man, but today she had seen that it went even deeper. Oh, she knew neither of them were perfect, but somehow they made a very good team. They seemed to balance each other and bring out the best qualities they each had to offer. She was in awe of this man for what he brought to the world: the battles he had faced and the heart that he was still willing to open. She knew it was love she was feeling - but she wasn't quite sure yet what type of love. After all didn't she love every single member of her BAU Family and Luke was part of that.

One thing she knew was that there wasn't the panicky showy insecurity that often ran through her with potential romantic partners...the feeling that she usually took as evidence she was interested in someone. That feeling had raced through her when she first met this man - this man she was comfortably and without fear sitting beside - it was those feelings that had caused her to fight or scurry away whenever he was near.

No, that near-panic-easily-confused-as-lust-or-love-or-anger-or-danger was no longer what she felt around this man...but she wasn't sure what it meant - except she knew it was somehow sacred and precious. So what to do? What would adult Penelope do now?

Finally the last of the credits have run and the screen goes to black. They sit there for another few minutes not moving or speaking. Just being with each other and their thoughts. Penelope surprises even herself when she looks up at him - pulling back slightly so she can see his eyes - and speaks quietly and confidently but in a voice that is still true sparkly blue Penelope:

"I did a thing."

To be continued...

[usafphantom2]

F-35 Crash Report Includes Sonar Image Of It On Seafloor

A British F-35B crashed into the Mediterranean Sea in 2021 after a protective cover got wedged in its engine intake.

Thomas NewdickPUBLISHED Aug 11, 2023 7:54 PM EDT

A newly released report on the crash of a British F-35B into the Mediterranean Sea in 2021 includes a picture of the jet on the seafloor.

Crown Copyright

Nearly two years after a British F-35B crashed in the Mediterranean after an aborted takeoff attempt from the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, we now have a sonar image of what the jet looked like resting upside down on the seafloor. This comes from a final report of the investigation into the accident in November 2021, which highlights broader concerns about safety and security aboard the carrier during its debut operational cruise.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense released the 148-page report, portions of which are redacted, earlier today. It says that the most immediate cause of the mishap involving the F-35B — serial ZM152 and also known by its construction number, BK-18 — was that one of the stealth jet's intake blanks had become stuck in the intake itself. This had already been confirmed in an interim report British authorities released last year.

Two Royal Air Force F-35Bs (with ZM152 further from the camera) accompany a U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bomber over the English coast during integration flying training in 2019. Crown Copyright

The blanks at the root of the November 2021 accident are supposed to cover the intake and help protect it and the aircraft's engine from foreign object damage (FOD). In this case, the blank became FOD itself. The deck crew did not notice it had gotten wedged deep in the intake, leading to the accident.

With the blank reducing airflow to the engine, the pilot experienced a loss of power on the takeoff roll. Instead of the 38,000 pounds of thrust that they thought they were getting based on the throttle settings, only 31,500 pounds were actually being delivered, equivalent to a 17 percent deficit.

As the F-35B reached the carrier’s ‘ski-jump’ ramp, the pilot made the decision to try to abort the takeoff. This process involved reducing the aircraft’s throttle to idle and allying the brakes. However, the jet had enough momentum to take it over the end of the ramp, at which point the pilot ejected.

Footage showing the final moments of ZM152, with the video in question having apparently been captured on a cell phone from the video camera system on HMS Queen Elizabeth:

Tap RELOAD TO VIEW VIDEO 👇

Thanks to a combination of wind, the forward movement of the ship, and the swing of the parachute, the pilot ended up back on the deck of the warship. Their parachute canopy snagged on a light shroud at the end of the ramp and tangled in flight deck nets to the side of the top of the ramp.

The stricken aircraft plunged into the sea and remained briefly afloat alongside the carrier before sinking to the bottom of the Mediterranean. It came to rest largely intact, but inverted on the seabed, at a depth of over 6,500 feet. A number of "minor parts," including the Martin Baker US16E ejection seat, end up separated from the rest of the aircraft during the accident, but were later located near the main wreck, according to the report.

Somewhat ironically, the flow of water into the aircraft, including the intakes, forced out the air intake blank, sending it bobbing to the surface, where it was recovered.

The left intake blank after recovery from the sea. Crown Copyright

The main wreckage of the fighter and the other "detached" parts were ultimately brought to the surface in December 2021, as we reported here, at a cost of around $3.35 million. A month later, unofficial imagery of the salvaged jet appeared on social media, which you can read more about here.

As for the aforementioned intake blank, this was part of a set of protective equipment colloquially known as “red gear,” on account of its color. These items are generally intended to be placed around the aircraft when not flying, for its own protection, and that of the crew.

At the same time, the red gear has particular relevance to the F-35, in terms of making it harder for potentially hostile actors to conduct espionage, according to the report. With its stealth technology and other highly advanced features, many aspects of the jet remain closely guarded secrets.

A picture of a full set of “red gear” for British F-35Bs as shown in the accident report. Crown Copyright

The report notes that, because of the F-35’s sensitivity, the red gear would routinely be fitted to the jets when they were in port, to protect from prying eyes, but does not elaborate on exactly what these fixtures would help conceal. The intake covers would prevent people from getting a closer look at the serpentine ducting that helps shield the fan face of the jet’s F135 engine from enemy radars. This is a key part of the aircraft’s stealthy design.

Regardless, once at sea, amid the frenetic activity of daily flying operations, the red gear would often not be used. The primary reason for this was the realization that it was fairly easy to lose the different items of equipment and that they could, therefore, become a FOD hazard. In particular, a gust of wind over the deck or jet wash from another aircraft could cause one or more red gear items to go astray.

In fact, the report gives examples of other occasions when intake blanks were dislodged, blown out, or lost overboard during shipborne operations. It also mentions four similar incidents involving air intake blanks on U.S. F-35s, although none of these led to aircraft losses.

A very grainy shot of ZM152 seen on the evening of November 16, 2021, but with the blank just visible in the left-hand intake. Crown Copyright

As well as an intake blank becoming unaccounted for and getting inside the intake, the aforementioned serpentine ducting also meant that it was very hard for anyone to see where it had ended up.

Interestingly, the report also describes how there have been three different iterations of the intake blank design, based on successive shortcomings.

The first design was a wrap-around cover from an unspecified source. Lockheed Martin later determined “these were difficult to fit and caused damage to the external skin of the aircraft, as well as materially breaking down and presenting a FOD risk,” the report says.

Wrap-around intake covers fitted to No. 617 Squadron aircraft at RAF Marham, England. Crown Copyright

A second design involved an intake ‘plug’ locally manufactured at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort in South Carolina in the United States, where British F-35B pilots spent extensive time training. “In the U.S., private companies offered customized aircraft blanks which were used on both US and UK F-35Bs at MCAS Beaufort,” the report notes.

Locally acquired intake plugs in a U.K. F-35B at MCAS Beaufort. Crown Copyright

Eventually, a third design from Lockheed Martin was put into service. These were the approved blanks in British use at the time of the accident. Even the third variation was found to have issues, with the report noting that the ‘Remove Before Flight’ lettering could peel off, causing yet another FOD hazard. To mitigate this, maintainers onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth removed the lettering and submitted a report regarding the issue.

A low-quality shot of the approved design of intake blank as was used at the time of the accident. Crown Copyright

As part of the investigation, an F-35B intake blank was deliberately positioned at a point where most of it was around the first turn in the duct, leaving only a small corner of the blank visible from outside. Crown Copyright

While the red gear, and the intake blank in particular, was the main cause of the accident, the report also flagged up other contributing factors. Such was the level of concern about other potential shortcomings that the report makes no fewer than 46 recommendations for things that should be changed going forward.

Perhaps most alarming is the finding that many personnel aboard the carrier, especially those tasked with flying and maintaining the F-35Bs, had not received enough training for operations at sea, a problem compounded by high levels of fatigue.

Related to this is the report’s questioning of whether No. 617 Squadron (617 Sqn), the Royal Air Force flying unit responsible for the F-35Bs aboard the carrier at the time, was also ready for the deployment. Only "55% of 617 Sqn had previous embarked experience and 77% of the [squadron's] personnel had completed the minimum sea survival training," according to the report.

The investigation further notes that the squadron “faced a higher operating tempo than it was prepared for, as the Carrier Strike Group aspired to a baseline flying rate associated with so-called surge operations.”

A pair of British F-35Bs on the deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth. Crown Copyright

The report paints a picture of the squadron's personnel becoming increasingly fatigued as a result of the pace of operations with a higher-than-usual sortie rate. This meant that some of them had reduced opportunities to take measures to help keep themselves sharp. They also reported limited time for recreational activities and even fresh outside air. One witness the investigators spoke to described the carrier as “the largest submarine in the Navy” — a pointed reference to the fact that some personnel were denied routine access to outside spaces due to their working commitments.

COVID-19 also exacerbated this, the report stating:

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were particularly acute on [HMS Queen Elizabeth]. Personnel in eight-berth cabins suffered consecutive isolation periods causing some personnel to remain isolated for periods of up to 28 days. Isolating personnel caused those remaining at work to have fewer opportunities for rest.”

The investigation states that all of this was among a host of contributing factors to the accident.

Perhaps also with an eye on the leaking of video and photos showing the moment of the accident as well as the jet after being salvaged, the report also calls for better standards around security relating to the F-35B. It says that commanders need a better understanding of “safety and security requirements for a fifth-generation platform,” before pointing to this particular aircraft’s “elevated security thresholds, which places extra strain on safety.”

Even the process of finding the F-35B was not without problems. The report explains that the sonar locator beacon fitted to the jet was not detected during the search and recovery. Although chartered vessels equipped with remotely operated vehicles were able to find the jet on the seabed, the report warned that a failure of the beacon “could lead to a failure to locate a submerged aircraft in the future.”

With the aforementioned concerns surrounding the sensitivity of the F-35B, in particular, the inability to find one of these aircraft, once lost, represents a serious operational security risk.

Speaking before the U.K. House of Commons Defense Committee back in December 2021, National Security Adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove pointed directly to the security threat posed by Russia, when it came to the F-35B that was lost. With its fleet of deep-diving special-mission submarines, as well as the deep-sea salvage ship Yantar, Russia had the means to recover parts of the jet.

“The kinds of precautions and operations that we are undertaking at the moment are designed at least in part to ensure that the technology of the F-35B remains as confidential as you would like it to be,” Lovegrove said at the time. “Those security aspects are very much at the top of our mind. My understanding is that the experts know where the aircraft is.”

Another view of ZM152 on the seabed prior to its recovery. Crown Copyright

There’s no doubt that operating fast jets from carrier decks is among the most challenging operational settings in military aviation. A level of risk is always going to be present and the potential for things to go dramatically wrong, very quickly, is always going to be exacerbated in this environment.

This was also the first carrier deployment for the U.K. F-35B, so some hiccups could certainly be expected. However, the report suggests this deployment was likely more problematic than it necessarily needed to be.

With a small fleet of U.K. F-35Bs and lingering concerns over the overall size of the procurement, the loss of one of these jets was also going to be particularly keenly felt, especially coming as it did amid what was a very high-profile cruise.

The report concludes by stating that the U.K. Lightning Force has not yet reached “critical mass,” meaning that squadrons are not able to mutually support each other during deployments. “Until critical mass is reached, [the Ministry of] Defense must recognize the trade-offs between readiness, growth, and safety,” the report warns. That situation might start to improve starting later this year, when a second operational unit, 809 Squadron, is established. This should help pave the way toward a declaration of full operational capability for the U.K. F-35B by 2025.

With questions remaining over how many more F-35Bs the United Kingdom will procure, especially with pressure from other major defense acquisition programs, not least the Tempest future fighter, the report into the loss of ZM152 is a reminder of the investment, financial and otherwise, needed to have a truly operationally effective — and safe — fast-jet carrier component.

Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com

[melpomeneprose]

𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂: 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

repost, don’t reblog. bold whatever applies.

Vampire Alternate Universe! Benjamin Tallmadge. Benjamin ( בִּנְיָמִין‎) -> son of the right (hand) -> “the chosen son.” -> Tallmadge (of Normandy French origins) -> sack carrier. -> I prefer “one who endures burdens with grace.”

𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐂 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑: gaslights. corsets. ballrooms. candlelight. mist. starless nights. full moons. cobbled streets. horse-drawn carriages. mysterious strangers. bogs. moors. forests. mountains. castles. velvet. silver. brass. gold. jewels. domino masks. the opera. dangerous romances. tragic romances. violins. roses. lilies. empty graves. crosses. cemeteries. snow. ice. the gallows. crows. ambiguous illness. fangs. pointed nails. something howling in the night. capes. gloves. top hats. straight razors. lightning. pipe organs. underground caverns. bats. mice. rats. ravens. cats. pearls. attics. talismans. axes. wood. isolation in a room full of people. vampires. werewolves. ghosts. coffins. western europe. eastern europe. bones. churches. catacombs. mausoleums. books.

𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑: black and white. powder puffs. red lipstick. winged eyeliner. white kitten heels. black lace lingerie. icy blue eyes. rain. abandoned cars. skeletons. acid. poison. voyeurism. switchblades. strangling. overcoats. looking over your shoulder. trans-atlantic accents. private detectives. dinner parties. haunted mansions. alcohol in glass decanters. cobwebs. perfect blonde curls. kitchen knives. shock. cellars. dust. dark alleys. empty streets. driving at night. horn-rimmed glasses. radiation. zombies. serial murder. paranoia. the city. witches. the devil. cannibalism. conspiracies. amulets. abject terror. the american south. the american northeast. england. analog cameras.

𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒: bloodbaths. massacres. wanton nudity. newspapers. leather jackets. letterman jackets. converse sneakers. obscured faces. social unrest. bonfires. lakes. babysitters. suburbia. high school. lockers. dead leaves in the fall. jack-o’-lanterns. outdated television sets. nightmares. psychiatrists. hospitals. unstoppable forces. gunfire. police. landline telephones. household objects turned into improvised weapons. halloween. secrets. revelations. character masks. scrunchies. queerness. wild curls. jeering children. parties. fire. swearing. revulsion. california. the american midwest. ambulances.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑: malevolent spirits. seances. spells. missing bodies. hidden graves. white noise. static. flickering lights. rings of salt. demons. poltergeists. dark histories. old buildings. cold air. mausoleums. wells. urban exploration. a dog barking at something you can’t see. black ooze. old photographs. faces you can swear you’ve seen before but can’t for the life of you figure out where. dark bodies of water. crucifixes. priests. possession. exorcisms. dolls.

𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃 &  𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐑: aliens. blinding light. dark woods. driving at night. claw-marks. bite-marks. men in black. memory loss. dismembered bodies. sewers. flashlights. cell phones. video cameras. cars with tinted windows. abandoned houses. unlabeled cassette tapes. bugs. big cities. urban crimes. clowns. something rustling outside your window. glowing light. unsolved mysteries. suburbia. mirrors. the american Pacific Northwest. the american midwest. hiking  /  backpacking.

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐒: daylight. fluorescent lighting. morgues. asylums. unwavering eye contact. tension. lit rooms with no one inside them. a dog digging in the newly-planted flower bed. steely gazes. paperwork. anagrams. codes. convicted killers. missing persons. law enforcement. federal agents. small towns. suspicion. paranoia. subdued terror. dimly-lit parking lots.

Tagged by: @fanatiquee ~ awhile ago ~ thank you nonetheless!

Tagging: @honorhearted, @curseconsumed (Jacob), @gildinbainas (Louis de Pointe du Lac), @sideburnsandmelancholy, @eclipsecrowned (your choice) & @bladedwoe.

[boostmobileusa]

Boost Mobile Leading the Way as the Premier Cell Phone Store in Kansas City

In today's fast-paced world, staying connected is more important than ever. As technology evolves, consumers seek reliable service providers and cutting-edge devices. One name that stands out in the mobile industry is Boost Mobile. Known for its exceptional service and competitive pricing, Boost Mobile has established itself as a go-to cell phone store in Kansas City. In this article, we will explore the rise of Boost Mobile, the services it offers, and why it has become a trusted name in the Kansas City community.

Boost Mobile’s Journey to Success

Boost Mobile started with a simple mission—to provide affordable and accessible mobile services to everyone. Over the years, the company has expanded its reach and diversified its offerings, making it a major player in the telecommunications industry. By focusing on customer satisfaction and innovative solutions, Boost Mobile has transformed the way people connect with one another.

Why Choose Boost Mobile in Kansas City?

Affordable Plans: Boost Mobile offers a variety of plans tailored to different needs and budgets. From unlimited talk and text to high-speed data options, customers can find a plan that fits their lifestyle without breaking the bank.

Wide Selection of Devices: Whether you need the latest smartphone or a basic model for essential communication, Boost Mobile’s cell phone store in Kansas City has a vast selection of devices. Popular brands like Samsung, Apple, and Motorola are readily available, ensuring you find the perfect fit.

No Contracts, No Hassle: One of the standout features of Boost Mobile is its no-contract policy. Customers enjoy the freedom to switch plans or carriers without the burden of long-term commitments. This flexibility is particularly appealing to those who value control over their mobile services.

Reliable Network Coverage: Boost Mobile operates on one of the nation’s largest networks, providing reliable coverage throughout Kansas City. From bustling downtown areas to quieter suburbs, customers can expect seamless connectivity wherever they go.

Local Presence with Personalized Service: With several locations across Kansas City, Boost Mobile’s local stores provide personalized service tailored to the community’s needs. Knowledgeable staff are always on hand to assist with device setup, plan selection, and troubleshooting.

Services Offered by Boost Mobile in Kansas City

Prepaid Plans: Boost Mobile specializes in prepaid plans that eliminate the need for credit checks or monthly bills. This pay-as-you-go model ensures complete transparency in billing, making it an ideal choice for budget-conscious consumers.

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Mobile Hotspots: For those who require internet access on the go, Boost Mobile offers mobile hotspot devices. These portable solutions are perfect for remote work, travel, or providing Wi-Fi access in areas without traditional broadband services.

International Calling: Stay connected with loved ones abroad with Boost Mobile’s international calling options. Competitive rates and various add-ons make it easy to reach out across the globe without excessive charges.

Phone Trade-In Program: Boost Mobile’s trade-in program allows customers to exchange old devices for credit towards a new phone or accessories. This eco-friendly initiative not only saves money but also reduces electronic waste.

Customer Testimonials

Boost Mobile’s impact as a leading cell phone store in Kansas City is evident in the positive feedback from satisfied customers:

Jane S. from Kansas City: “I’ve been a Boost Mobile customer for years, and their service is top-notch. The no-contract plans are perfect for my unpredictable schedule.”

Michael T. from Overland Park: “Switching to Boost Mobile was the best decision for my family. We get great coverage, and the family plan has saved us a lot of money!”

Community Involvement

Boost Mobile is not just a business; it’s a part of the Kansas City community. The company actively participates in local events, sponsors charitable initiatives, and supports small businesses. This commitment to community building strengthens customer loyalty and enhances the brand’s reputation.

How to Find a Boost Mobile Store in Kansas City

Locating a Boost Mobile store is easy, thanks to its widespread presence in Kansas City. Whether you’re in need of a new device, want to explore plan options, or require technical assistance, visiting a nearby Boost Mobile store is a convenient and rewarding experience. Simply search for “cell phone store in Kansas City,” and you’ll find several Boost Mobile locations ready to serve you.

Conclusion

Boost Mobile has carved out a prominent place in the mobile industry by offering affordable, flexible, and reliable services. As a leading cell phone store in Kansas City, it continues to meet the needs of its diverse customer base with integrity and innovation. Whether you are a new user or a long-time customer, Boost Mobile is committed to providing you with the best mobile experience possible. Visit your local Boost Mobile store in Kansas City today and discover the difference that quality service can make in your digital life.

[sozib49]

Exclusive Top 10 Motorola Xfinity Mobile Phones-2025

Motorola Xfinity Mobile Phones, a subsidiary of Comcast, serves as a wireless carrier exclusively available to those with an active Xfinity Internet subscription.

If you fit the bill and are hunting for a new smartphone, you’ll want to explore the latest Xfinity Mobile phone deals we’ve rounded up. But before diving into the discounts, let’s take a closer look at phones that work seamlessly with Xfinity Mobile.

As you search for a compatible device, it’s worth considering the right cell phone plan to match. Xfinity Mobile offers plans at a competitive price point, but it’s a more straightforward option compared to giants like AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. If you’re not swayed by perks like streaming bundles or additional extras, Xfinity Mobile might suit you perfectly. Operating as an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), it relies on Verizon’s robust network infrastructure, ensuring reliable coverage without needing its own cell towers.

Feeling intrigued? The next step is securing a compatible phone to connect effortlessly to Xfinity Mobile’s network.

Let’s break down the selection of devices that work with Xfinity Mobile. In general, most iPhones, Samsung Galaxy models, and Google Pixel phones are compatible. If you’ve purchased an Android phone, like a Motorola or LG, directly from Xfinity Mobile, those are also supported. Below, you’ll find a complete list of phones offered by Xfinity Mobile.

After identifying the perfect Xfinity Mobile-compatible phone for your needs, you can use our free, impartial Phone Deal Finder to compare the best offers available from Xfinity Mobile and other leading carriers.

[notafunkiller]

So, Brandon, our supposedly neutral journalist insert the world's biggest eye-roll here has turned his Twitter into a shrine dedicated to Sebastian Stan. We're talking a full-blown tweetstorm, with over a dozen tweets extolling the virtues of Saint Sebastian. This isn't just about that interview anymore, oh, no. This man's practically campaigning for Seb to win an Oscar, a Nobel Peace Prize, and maybe even actual sainthood while he's at it. He's replying to every. Single. Tweet. Like his life, or perhaps his paycheck, depends on it (which, let's be honest, it probably does).

But here's where the plot thickens. Brandon claims that Sebastian, the same guy who treats social media like it's a radioactive wasteland, slid into his DMs. Not directly, mind you, but through AW's Instagram. You heard that right. That AW, who doesn't even follow him. And, drumroll please… Brandon's account is private. We're talking Fort Knox level private.

This supposed "sweet note" from Seb was apparently so time-sensitive that email or text just wouldn't do. Nope, gotta use AW's account, who, and I can't stress this enough, does not even follow him! So, how in the name of all that is logical did this message penetrate the impenetrable fortress that is Brandon's private account? Telepathy? Did Sebastian suddenly morph into a world-class hacker? Or is AW secretly an Instagram sorceress, bending the platform to her will?

It's as if he's trying to convince us that Seb and AW are joined at the hip, sharing passwords, a single toothbrush, maybe even a single brain cell. It's the kind of 'we finish each other's sentences' vibe that makes you wanna puke. And this whole song and dance is about as convincing as a screen door on a submarine.

And to add insult to injury, Brandon claims Sebastian thanked him for supporting "A Different Man," when his Twitter feed is practically an ode to "The Apprentice" and his portrayal of Trump. Seriously, dude, pick a lane!

Now, let's break this down:

Social Media Ghost: Sebastian has practically declared a public allergy to social media, treating it like the Black Plague. But suddenly, he's sliding into DMs via AW's account? Yeah, that tracks. (Narrator: It did not, in fact, track.)

Phone Number, Anyone?: If Sebastian and Brandon were in contact to arrange the interview (which, obviously, they had to be), wouldn't Sebastian have, you know, Brandon's number? You know, for basic professional communication?

Mission: Impossible - DMs: Brandon's Instagram is private. AW doesn't follow him. So, how did this mythical message even get through? Carrier pigeons? A glitch in the Matrix? Magic Beans?

The Tell-Tale Detail: Why even mention the whole "sent through AW's account" bit? It's like they're trying to force-feed us this fairytale romance, but it's so over-the-top it reeks of desperation and pure fabrication.

.

[littlemissidontcare]

So, Brandon, our supposedly neutral journalist insert the world's biggest eye-roll here has turned his Twitter into a shrine dedicated to Sebastian Stan. We're talking a full-blown tweetstorm, with over a dozen tweets extolling the virtues of Saint Sebastian. This isn't just about that interview anymore, oh, no. This man's practically campaigning for Seb to win an Oscar, a Nobel Peace Prize, and maybe even actual sainthood while he's at it. He's replying to every. Single. Tweet. Like his life, or perhaps his paycheck, depends on it (which, let's be honest, it probably does).

But here's where the plot thickens. Brandon claims that Sebastian, the same guy who treats social media like it's a radioactive wasteland, slid into his DMs. Not directly, mind you, but through AW's Instagram. You heard that right. That AW, who doesn't even follow him. And, drumroll please… Brandon's account is private. We're talking Fort Knox level private.

This supposed "sweet note" from Seb was apparently so time-sensitive that email or text just wouldn't do. Nope, gotta use AW's account, who, and I can't stress this enough, does not even follow him! So, how in the name of all that is logical did this message penetrate the impenetrable fortress that is Brandon's private account? Telepathy? Did Sebastian suddenly morph into a world-class hacker? Or is AW secretly an Instagram sorceress, bending the platform to her will?

It's as if he's trying to convince us that Seb and AW are joined at the hip, sharing passwords, a single toothbrush, maybe even a single brain cell. It's the kind of 'we finish each other's sentences' vibe that makes you wanna puke. And this whole song and dance is about as convincing as a screen door on a submarine.

And to add insult to injury, Brandon claims Sebastian thanked him for supporting "A Different Man," when his Twitter feed is practically an ode to "The Apprentice" and his portrayal of Trump. Seriously, dude, pick a lane!

Now, let's break this down:

Social Media Ghost: Sebastian has practically declared a public allergy to social media, treating it like the Black Plague. But suddenly, he's sliding into DMs via AW's account? Yeah, that tracks. (Narrator: It did not, in fact, track.)

Phone Number, Anyone?: If Sebastian and Brandon were in contact to arrange the interview (which, obviously, they had to be), wouldn't Sebastian have, you know, Brandon's number? You know, for basic professional communication?

Mission: Impossible - DMs: Brandon's Instagram is private. AW doesn't follow him. So, how did this mythical message even get through? Carrier pigeons? A glitch in the Matrix? Magic Beans?

The Tell-Tale Detail: Why even mention the whole "sent through AW's account" bit? It's like they're trying to force-feed us this fairytale romance, but it's so over-the-top it reeks of desperation and pure fabrication.

[deepesttreephilosopher]

What Is Reverse Phone Research - Understanding the Basics and Benefits

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Reverse cellphone look up services offer such a large amount of merits. They guide recognize unknown callers, reducing the menace of falling sufferer to scams. By knowing who's calling, that you can opt even if to respond to or ignore the call. This can retailer time and avoid useless strain. These prone additionally assist in reconnecting with historic pals or friends. If you have a neglected name from an unexpected quantity, a opposite research can disclose the caller's id. This is additionally especially constructive once you've misplaced contact facts. Additionally, reverse phone search for facilities can expand very own protection. They assist you be sure the id of callers, ensuring you're not enticing with individual who could have malicious purpose. For agencies, these functions can develop shopper interactions. By picking callers, firms can tailor their responses and offer better carrier. Overall, opposite phone lookup providers offer a fundamental but successful approach to control phone communications. They supply %%!%%f4b61f82-0.33-47de-a04b-1bbd17077dcb%%!%% guidance, editing either

[indigo474]

122224

I went to an open mic last night with Marci- she did great. now i'm thinking I want to give it a try. Most of the comics were just awful-they were trying out new stuff and well.. it just wasnt funny. Marci didnt try anything new- her opener was new only because she's in a sling because of her shoulder.. It is the ultimate not giving a fuck what people think. I have to write a joke. I jotted a few things down - we'll see. I worked and I have an incredible amount of stress. i'm using my cell phone for work and I don't get good reception here and I don't know what i'm going to do- I don't think I'm suppose to be using my cell phone- i'm not really sure - I have a work laptop that I would have to use my cell phone with so I can always say I'm using the lap top- I think I need a new cellphone carrier. Madison claims she has never had an issue.. I feel like I didn't have an issue but now I am and i cant figure it out. Kika came up on my best of 2024 camera roll. I feel like I'm getting sick. my mom hopes I didn't get her anything for Christmas. of all the things to hope for I'm not sure why she would hope for that but whatever. Michael was in my dreams again- this was the first time he actually talked to me. him and his wife were going out and she was driving- he said he might drive because he drives now. he was smiling and happy. it hurts

i'm really just trying to live a life I don't have to forgive myself for. it took a long time for me to be ok with myself and life. thoughts, words and deeds. how do I treat myself when I make a mistake- do I make myself suffer? not anymore. I've come to realize there is no getting around being human.

Madison told me she has a favorite Beach Boys song and I feel like that could be a joke because no one has a favorite Beach boys song... only she wasn't joking. I don't think shes Vegan anymore. She's eating pizza. and Reeses cups.. Something about pizza with friends. I agonized over buying myself a $1.49 pack of Christmas stickers- you would have thought they were $149- I picked them up and put them back and debated in my head if should get them or not. I mean, i'm 50 years old and buying stickers- yup- i'm so glad I got them because I had so much fun writing Christmas cards and decorating the envelopes.

my sex toys came in. I am thankful for discreet packaging.

And we are officially heading into the light. I hope I feel better tomorrow-

i met with my know it all rep- she tells me she has always been this way. she has a hard outer shell and when talking to customers she doesn't know how to relate to them. I don't know what her story is- 60 years old, never married no kids and she's always been this way. she doesn't listen and talks over everyone. I want to tell her people can change- but maybe she cant maybe she doesn't want to. maybe -

[citrimobile]

HandPhone Repair Shop: Top Picks

In nowadays’s rapid-paced virtual age, smartphones are critical gear that maintain us connected, informed, and entertained. When these crucial devices stumble upon issues, finding a reliable cellphone restore service is essential. Whether it’s a cracked screen or a malfunctioning battery, having a relied on repair save guarantees your device receives the professional care it needs. Singapore gives severa alternatives, but choosing the proper HandPhone Repair Shop involves thinking about elements along with reputation, purchaser reviews, and the variety of offerings provided. With the proper desire, you can make sure your telephone stays a reliable accomplice on your daily existence.

Leading Cell Phone Repair Stores in Singapore

Singapore boasts quite a number top-rated cellphone restore shops, each offering precise offerings to meet diverse client desires. Among the nice are stores acknowledged for their quick turnaround instances, outstanding customer support, and specialised restore talents. These stores regularly function offerings like on-the-spot repairs, mobile restore offerings wherein technicians come to you, or even loaner phones to preserve you connected even as your tool is being serviced. Notable mentions encompass people who provide know-how in coping with each hardware and software issues across a big range of cellphone brands.

Locating a Nearby Cell Phone Repair Store

Finding a close-by cellular cellphone repair save is less difficult than ever with the assist of online tools and directories. Begin your seek by means of exploring on line critiques and ratings to assess consumer pleasure. Websites and apps like Google Maps, Yelp, and specialized restore provider structures can offer insights into the best of carrier offered through numerous shops. Pay attention to client comments on factors together with provider pace, professionalism, and restore success quotes.

Additionally, recall the benefit elements like area and working hours to ensure the shop suits into your time table. Some repair services even offer mobile repair alternatives, in which technicians come to your vicinity, which may be especially beneficial for those with busy existence.

Repairs for Specific Phone Brands

Each telephone logo comes with its very own set of specific layout and technological capabilities, requiring specialized restore services. Shops offering Asus Phone Repair Singapore offerings, for example, are adept at coping with troubles specific to Asus gadgets, from battery problems to display malfunctions. Similarly, OnePlus Phone Repair services are tailor-made to address the unique hardware and software of OnePlus devices, ensuring specific and powerful answers.

For OPPO and RealMe users, specialized restore shops can manipulate common problems like digital camera malfunctions and software glitches efficiently. Samsung Phone Repair stores are especially noteworthy for their information, as they regularly cope with a wide range of models and problems. Whether it's a Samsung Repair Centre or a shop imparting Samsung Tab Repair, those professionals can manage the entirety from screen replacements to battery issues.

Costs and Services Overview

Repair expenses vary based on the smartphone model and the kind of difficulty. Screen replacements, one of the maximum not unusual upkeep, regularly range in price due to factors like display technology and component availability. For example, Samsung Screen Repair Singapore costs is probably better as compared to other manufacturers due to the advanced screen generation used in Samsung gadgets. Battery replacements, some other frequent repair, also can vary in price depending on the logo and version.

Specialized services for brands along with Asus, OnePlus, OPPO, RealMe, Vivo, XiaoMi, and Apple Watches might also come at a top rate because of the unique knowledge required. It's important to get an in depth price estimate before proceeding with any repair. Some restore shops offer diagnostic offerings to pinpoint the issue, which can help in knowledge the ability expenses involved.

[pennysrecoveco]

Check out this listing I just found on Poshmark: $248 Dooney & Bourke Dillen Letter Carrier Caramel Pebble Leather Crossbody Bag.