#treating myself. see u was supposed to be part of my present but despite my vigilance in following official accs & searching in 3 languages

[red-dyed-sarumane]

happy birthday to ME specifically

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers DARK FATE ー Shuu Dark [Prologue]

ー The scene starts in front of the portal to the Demon World

Yui: ( Ahead of here lies the Demon World, right...? )

( I wonder if Shuu-san will be upset if I go there without permission? But... )

*HOOOOOOWL*

Yui: ...!

( I knew it...I have no other choice. Not only am I anxious by myself, I want to be by Shuu-san’s side. )

*Creaaaaak*

ー She enters the forest of the Demon World

Yui: ( This is...the Demon World... )

( It’s much darker than my own world...They said the lunar eclipse is currently ongoing, so could that be why? )

( I would be lying if I said this place doesn’t scare me, but Shuu-san should be somewhere in this world, right? )

( When I think of it that way...I’m no longer scared. )

( I won’t get anywhere by just standing still here, so I have to proceed. )

( I made the conscious decision to come here, so I shouldn’t hesitate, but move ahead. )

ー Yui starts walking

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to an abandoned building

Yui: Phew...

( I walked quite a bit, I’m beat. Is there anywhere I could rest...? )

( Ah, I can see a building in the distance...! )

( It looks dark and creepy, it should be fine to take a quick rest here, right? )

ー She enters the building

Yui: ( Now where could the castle Shuu-san and the others are at be? Is Ayato-kun doing okay? )

( I came here because I was feeling lonely by myself at the manor...But I feel like the situation has barely changed. )

...If only Shuu-san was with me...

*Thud*

Yui: ...!?

( I could hear a sound coming from the back just now...! Don’t tell me, someone still lives here!? )

ー Somebody approaches her

Yui: ( They’re coming this way!? W-What should I do...!? )

Shuu: ...Shut up.

Yui: Eh...?

Shuu-san!?

Shuu: I knew it was you. What are you doing here?

Yui: U-Uhm...

Shuu: Didn’t I tell you to watch the house? Why are you in the Demon World?

Yui: I’m sorry...

Shuu: Well, knowing you, I was convinced you would show up here sooner or later.

Yui: ( Uu... )

( However, I’m so glad I was able to meet Shuu-san. Almost as if that restless feeling from earlier was nothing but a lie. )

Shuu: Pwaah...

Yui: ( Shuu-san seems the same as always too... )

Uhm, why are you here, Shuu-san? I thought you said you were going to the castle...

Shuu: I’ve evacuated here.

Yui: Evacuated?

Shuu: This is my secret hideout. Ever since I was little, I would escape to this place whenever things got a little troublesome at home,

Yui: ( How very fitting of him... )

...This must be a place of memories to you.

Shuu: Memories, huh...?

...Say, you.

Yui: Yes?

ー Shuu steps closer and embraces her

*Rustle*

Yui: Wah...!

( H-He embraced me...!? )

U-Uhm, Shuu-san...?

Shuu: Haha...Why do you seem so surprised?

Let me suck your blood. It’d be ridiculous not to do anything now that you’ve come all the way down to the Demon World, no?

Yui: I didn’t come to have my blood sucked or anythiーー!

Shuu: Pipe down. Come on, expose your neck...

...Nn...

ー He bites her

Yui: Nn...!

Shuu: Nn...Phew...Nn...

Yui: ( He’s as forceful as ever... )

( However...How odd. For some reason, that puts me at ease right now... )

Shuu: ...You’re being surprisingly meek today.

Yui: That’s not...

( ...Actually, I might be. I’m relieved to have my blood sucked, and I even feel happy... )

Shuu: It’d be great if you could be like this all the time. Then I wouldn’t have to waste any unnecessary energy...Nn...

...Haah...

Yui: ( I wonder if it’s because I’ve been pushing myself this whole time. I feel as if my body feels more sluggish than usual today... )

Shuu-san...

Shuu: What? ...You’re tired already? I’ve barely had any though.

Yui: I’m sorry, but...

Shuu: ...Haah.

ー Shuu steps back

*Rustle*

Yui: ( He plopped down on the couch. ...I wonder if he intends to sleep here? )

Uhm...Shuu-san?

Shuu: What? 

Yui: Are you sure you shouldn’t return to the castle? That’s where everyone is, right?

Shuu: Why should I return? I told you earlier, didn’t I? I evacuated to this place.

Yui: However, unlike the castle protected by Karlheinz-san, this place might be dangerous, no...?

Shuu: So you were wandering around here, despite knowing the risks involved?

Yui: T-That’s true but...You guys said I’m not the one being targeted...

Shuu: ...Haah.

I want to avoid that castle at all costs. ...I feel like I can barely breathe in there. That’s why I’m here.

Yui: Still...If the wolves were to come after you guys again, it could end in another disaster, right?

Shuu: You’ve been awfully nosy this whole time...That isn’t something a human such as yourself should rack their brain over.

Or what...? You want to chase me out of here?

Yui: I never said that...

*Rustle*

Yui: Ah...!

Shuu: You can say it if that’s what you think. Tell me to leave, that is...

Yui: Shuu-sa...

Shuu: Nn...

*Smooch*

Shuu: You don’t want...us to be alone together?

Yui: ( ...The way he phrased that... )

Shuu: Come on, answer me. ...How do you feel?

Yui: That’s not what I meant. However...

Shuu: Then what’s the problem?

I’m gonna stay here a little longer. So stop spouting unnecessary crap.

*Thud*

Yui: ( ...Somehow Shuu-san seems a little different from usual today...? )

( I can’t quite pinpoint it, but I feel as if he’s acting off...Am I just imagining things? )

( I was told they may grow unstable during the lunar eclipse, so perhaps that explains it? I guess I shouldn’t let it bother me too much. )

Shuu: ...Che. I missed one song. It’s because you kept fussing about everything.

Yui: S-Sorry...What are you listening to today?

Shuu: You wouldn’t know even if I told you, right? Why not give it a listen? Here.

Yui: ( One of his earphones...I guess he doesn’t mind if we listen together? )

Thank you very much.

ー She puts in the earphone

Yui: ( ...What a beautiful violin performance. The melody sounds refined as well. )

What a lovely song. What is the title?

It’s called ‘Meditation’. (1) The best part has yet to come, so listen quietly.

Yui: O-Okay.

Shuu: ...

Yui: ( Shuu-san seems to enjoy it. )

( ...I would have never been able to imagine this in the past. That we’d one day sit next to each other and listen to music through the same set of earphones like this. )

( He can be oppressive and rarely ever holds back with his words but...When spending time with Shuu-san like this, Iーー )

Reiji: ーー Must be nice to be so carefree.

Yui: !

ー Reiji walks up to them

Yui R-Reiji-san!?

Reiji: I’ve found you, Shuu.

Shuu: ...It’s one interference after the other today.

Reiji: I figured you would be here. ...Although, I did not fathom to find her here as well.

What is this about, Shuu? Not only did you sneak out of the castle of your own accord, but you had the nerve to bring her here as well?

Yui: ( Bring me here...!? )

Reiji: If you brought her here despite knowing very well just how dangerous the Demon World is at present, then I must seriously doubt your sense of danger.

Yui: Y-You’ve got it wrong, Reiji-san! I’m the one who came here voluntarily...Shuu-san did nothing wrong at all!

Reiji: Save me the excuses. This man refuses to show any improvement because you keep doting on him like that.

Despite the circumstances, I doubt you are actually thinking things through? Therefore, you can easily pull these kind of farces. 

Shuu: ...My bad.

ー Shuu gets up and walks away

Reiji: Hold it, Shuu! Where are you going next?

Shuu: You’ll have no complaints if I return to the castle, right? I will, so let me listen to my music in peace already.

Oi, let’s go.

Yui: Yes...!

ー You follow after Shuu

Reiji: Halt! I am not done talking to you! Shuu!

...Good grief. That good-for-nothing never changes...

ー The scene shifts to the forest

Yui: Shuu-san, are you okay with this?

Shuu: With what?

Yui: Not telling Reiji-san the truth...If you don’t, he’ll have the wrong idea forever.

Shuu: I don’t mind. It’s not like he’d let me stay there even if I told him.

Yui: However, by acting so coldly, it’ll only make the situation worse...

Shuu: Shut up. Don’t make me repeat myself. If you want to come with me, then keep quiet.

Yui: ( ...He seems in a bad mood. I can’t say anything else. )

( However, I do think it would be for the best if they had a proper talk. )

( He might have actually had a valid reasoning for leaving the castle as well. If Reiji-san took the time to properly talk to him as well... )

Shuu: Oi, don’t stray away from my side. Do you want to become prey to hungry demons?

Yui: Ah, r-right!

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room of the Sakamaki castle

Yui: Ayato-kun...Still hasn’t woken up, has he?

Reiji: Yes...His wounds will surely heal over time, however, we have no choice but to wait until he naturally regains consciousness.

Yui: I’m worried...

Shuu: His wounds have been treated. If we let him rest, he’ll wake up eventually, right?

Reiji: Shuu, once again you...

Shuu: He’s a Vampire so he should be fine, right? You’re all overreacting.

Yui: ( I’m really worried though, knowing he got hurt because he wanted to protect me... )

( I guess I can rest assured since Shuu-san said he’ll be fine? )

Reiji: Well...I suppose it is true that this is nothing you should stress yourself out over. Do not let it bother you too much.

Well then, it is time for dinner. If you will be residing here as well, be sure to follow the rules. Understood?

Yui: Y-Yes.

ー Reiji leaves the room

Yui: ( I’m worried about Ayato-kun, I suppose we have no other choice but to pray for his swift recovery and wait. )

Shuu-san, we should probably go as...

Shuu: You can go by yourself. I’m returning to my own room.

Yui: Eh...? But...

Shuu: I’m exhausted. Gonna sleep.

ー Shuu leaves as well

Yui: Ah, Shuu-san!

ー The scene shifts to the staircase

Yui: Shuu-san, please wait! You really aren’t going?

Shuu: I won’t.

Yui: ( ...Shuu-san really is acting off today. Almost as if... )

Shuu: ...? What?

Yui: Ah, no...

Shuu: If you have something on your mind, why not just spit it out? It’d be more troublesome if I have to listen to your ramblings later. (2)

Yui: ( I do have something to tell him, but he might get upset if I do... )

( However, it really does bother me, so I’ll just ask him straight-up. )

Well...This might just be my imagination but...

Shuu-san...Aren’t you sort of avoiding everyone?

Shuu: Everyone?

Yui: Like Reiji-san, and your other brothers too...

( That might be why he had retreated to his secret hideout after slipping out of the castle as well...? )

Shuu: ...

( D-Did I upset him after all...? )

Shuu: ...I haven’t just been sitting still either.

Yui: Eh...?

Shuu: I’ve been putting in proper thought.

ー Shuu walks away

Yui: Ah...

...

*TIMESKIP*

ー The scene shifts to the living room

Reiji: ...Is it just you?

Yui: Sorry...

Kanato: What happened to Shuu? The two of you were together, right?

Subaru: Bet he’s snoozin’ in his room again.

Laito: Well, I don’t see the problem? Instead we’ve got Bitch-chan here.

Reiji: Keep quiet at the dinner table. ...I suppose it cannot be helped. You should quickly take a seat as well.

Yui: Yes.

ー She sits down

Yui: ( ...I know that Shuu-san is acting distant because he has something on his mind. )

( However, I’m not quite sure...What exactly this ‘something’ is. )

( I want to ask him, but being too nosy isn’t good either, so I’ll just wait and see for now. )

( Will Shuu-san be okay though? I hope he doesn’t overthink things... )

( I’m obviously concerned about Ayato-kun and the wolves, but Shuu-san worries me as well... )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) The song was composed by Jules Massenet and most known for being featured in the opera ‘Thaïs’. 

(2) Literally he says that it would be more troublesome to have to listen to the compilation of all the different thoughts which she has piled up inside her mind, yet never spoke out loud. 

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<- [ Sakamaki Prologue ] [ Dark 01 ] ->

[prorevenge]

Friendship ruined by a booty call–I returned his birthday gift and donated the money to his least favourite cause.

THE BACKSTORY (sorry, I'm not known for my brevity. Skip to the bottom for the important part): 2020 has sucked. COVID and politics aside, my grandma died, I battled with addiction, and am now estranged from my family because I sided with a victim of abuse. Since the summer, I've done my best to focus my energy on improving myself and investing in my "chosen family".

One of my co-workers and I began getting to know each other more around this time. Our dynamic was really positive–we listened to each other's problems and held each other accountable. It was refreshing to have someone to be so candid with! We have a lot in common, so spent a good amount of time nerding out and laughing together (so much so that he got in trouble for spending too much time at my desk haha). We had already clarified at this point that this wasn't a romantic thing–he said that he sees me as a sister, and I was happy with that title. He spoke highly of his own "chosen family", so I assumed that the paragraph-long messages we swapped each day meant that was the direction he saw us heading too.

He began phoning me on a nightly basis. These calls lasted 1-2 hrs each and generally revolved around his dating life / "why" he's single, but also involved us just getting to know each other's stories / interests more. On a few occasions he called me after he'd been drinking, and even though I perhaps saw a darker side of him (more on this later) nothing crossed a line until one Friday night. On the night in question the call started off relatively normal, but he soon began asking me to "come over". I was shocked to say the least, and reminded him that this wasn't our dynamic (and that I had just gotten a COVID swab done!).. but he insisted, and even asked if he could drive over to my place despite how inebriated he was. When I made it clear that it wasn't going to happen, he then switched over to trying to plan a date for us the next day / following week. I again reminded him that we are friends only, and he ended the call shortly after to go to bed.

I didn't know how to approach the subject the next day, but we both appreciate people who are direct so I chose that route. He had forgotten parts of past drunken conversations, so it came as a surprise that he remembered almost all of the call and chose not to address it himself the next day. When I did bring it up, he told me to forget the whole thing happened and that nothing had changed between us. But it had? Our birthdays were this month, so I was already gearing up to have a margarita night with him to celebrate.. how could I trust that something like that wouldn't happen again? What was I supposed to make of him saying he wasn't attracted to me, but would "have me over" while he's drunk?

After sitting on it for a while, I became more hurt. I really wanted to work through this because we had a great foundation otherwise, so we talked on the phone to try to clear it up. This is where it all came crashing down. I explained that what happened fanned the flame of my insecurity–not only in terms of my appearance, but also who I am as a friend. He had nothing to say. I couldn't help but think, "surely, a friend can give you a pep talk when you're feeling down?" He then launched into a tirade about how "annoying" I had been for choosing to incorporate psychology/philosophy in our chats (despite this being one of the first things we bonded over?). He insisted that he "treats me the same as all of his other friends", which sucked because I thought I wasn't just another friend? (Unless he magically has time to call each friend for a few hours every night??) He pretty much scoffed when I mentioned that I thought we were on our way to becoming "chosen family"... things descended from there, but he showed little remorse for what had happened, and clearly did not value our friendship in the way I thought he had. His "dark side" involves what he admits are narcissistic tendencies–struggling to empathize with others, thinking he is special, always feeling like he deserves "more", etc... but it wasn't until this fallout that I realized just how one-sided our friendship had been–we spent hours analyzing texts from girls he hadn't even met, but he stopped checking in to see how I was handling my family drama. In our calls he had repeatedly acknowledged that he used me as a sort of therapist, but I didn't realize how disposable that meant I am.

THE "REVENGE": As I mentioned, it was his birthday this month. I knew how lonely he's been with COVID, so I wanted to make sure he felt special on his big day. I ordered him a custom wine glass ("Accio wine") and was going to fill it with his favourite goodies. He knows that I ordered something for him before everything, and had been bugging me to find out what it is. I fully intended to give it to him still, but found out that the Etsy shop would take a return. Part of his "lack of empathy" means that he HATES social justice warriors–and he especially can't stand the attention that the Uyghurs are [finally] starting to get in the media. This was obviously a huge red flag for me when we were close, but I thought that he would eventually come around to see how horrible the conditions are (he hasn't.. and thinks they deserve no sympathy).

I let him know that I would still be giving him his present because it was too niche and I thought I couldn't return it.. but now he'll be opening a wine glass-sized box with a receipt for a $75 donation to the Uyghur Human Rights Project.

(source) story by (/u/_a_pizza_my_heart_)

[helloblobbyblobfish]

Safety in coils

(Anîla refers to the mains humans as “kids”, but they all are in college, between 19 and 25.)

---

The 32 of July

New place, new diary! Hello, four diary, I will call you Helbert. I think it’s a common name for Americano males. Any way, I shall present myself to you to: I am a member of the proud race of naga, but I have yet to receive a proper name, having only 34 year old in human year. I am currently trying to live away from my tribe as a sign of maturity, however. I have decided that I would also record to myself what I am doing for my descendants to know what I did. I decided also, than, given the fact that I will pretend to be a human, I need to write in their tango, so that I would be prepared to speak with them.

I shall also name myself Anîla âbhoga, as respect for my elders, and because I lack creativiti.  I should try to find myself a cave before looking for a house. In all accounts I read, we need to wear “clothes” when we takes our human forms, so I will steal them later on.

See you soon, Helbert!

 ---

2 of august

Hey, Helbert! You wouldn’t believe in the number of kids that went into the forest today. I could have eaten any of them without issue, they are so trusting! But that would end up alerting someone, and I don’t want hunters yet. Americannans; They don’t seem to realize the danger that exist, I was told of their ignorance; but it is really worrisome.

Trough, that mean that I have plenty of Americanans that can explain to me everything. I am even more persuasive that most of my clan, the reason as to why I was allowed to travel the sea unsupervised. As you serve as my “recording devices”, I think I am supposed to give you the description of the youth I have met. They all got to see my eyes and should not be worried about my half-snake appearance, but I will keep a human look next to them, as to not push their limits. I could not make them come back to me at a precise time, so I will put them back under. It would also make them less suspicious of my questions.

The first kid I found was running, and scared. I guess he was lost for a while, and got into trouble, because he had what he told me were call b-r-u-i-s-e-s. (I Made him spell it, I am learning English word I was not told existed. The excitation!) It’s brownish marks that indicate you were p-u-n-c-h-e-d. He also had a similar marks on one of his eyes, but it was black. Apparently, it is black or blue around the eyes, and as such, you call those bruises “black eyes”. He has yellow hairs, with dirt and twigs in them when I fond him, but I clean him. He had green eyes, if I saw correctly, before he saw mines. I though he was short, but all the humans I met were close to his height. He has 19 year, and is name is Noah.

A few minutes after I brought Noah at the edges of the forest, I fond another male, who is named Andrew Evans. He is really different in behavior and look. I did not tell you about the clothes! It is kind of important! Humans wear different “styles” of clothes depending of their ages, gender or role in the town hierarchical structure. Noah was wearing gray “S-w-e-a-t pants” and a red “H-o-o-d-y” with a green stripe. It was way too big on him, so I guess he and his family does not have a lot of money. He also screamed and tried to run when he saw me. Andrew Evans has black hairs that he “greased”, brown eyes, I am sure for those, I thought to ask. He is wearing blue “J-e-a-n-s” with holes he said he made himself. I guess there is a meaning, but I was asking basic questions, I will interrogate the kids more later on.

Andrew Evans also has a silver chains dangling on the side of his pants, a white “T-s-h-i-r-t” who he cover with a “Leather j-a-c-k-e-t”. He also had dangling “dog tags” around his neck, who reached lower than his “P-e-c-s”. They are by two, silvery, oval, and contain info. His “dog tags” were about his father, who got them in a war. Andrew Evans is proud of his dad and wear them. Ritualistic importance? He also tried to attack me with a knife when I met him. As punishment, I kept the “dog tags” I do not understand the meaning of some of the info, like the “AB” mark.

It appear Andrew Evans was looking for Noah, so I showed him the way to civilisation. And then, I heard cries of “Andrew”, because I presume someone went after Andrew Evans. Perhaps they do know the forests are places you get lost in, but none of the kids seemed prepared to meeting me. Are americanos forest really without nagas? How?

Any how, the third kid has a darker skin color that the other two, but it is not as dark as the skin color of the humans who live in India. He had brown hair who looked that fluffy spikes, and I had a hard time flattening, blue eyes, and was wearing another “T-shirt”. They cover only part of their arm, fascinating choice, in my opinion. He also had “Jeans”, but his were gray, and without holes. He wondered where I was coming from as he never saw me, and did not believe me when I said I was a newcomer. To worry about. I simply calmed him and told him where to find Andrew Evans. I was not sure what to ask of him. Except his name, it’s Leo

I ended falling on a fourth and final kid by complete accident, nearly an hour later, despite him apparently entering with Leo. This kid was looking at least a head taller than the rest. His name is Chris. He stated he “was” 24, witch I think is a bit old to call a human, a kid, but I have to look more into it. He is as pale as Noah and Andrews Evans. His hairs are the fabled red, and his eyes remind me of hazels. He also wears a “Leather jacket”, who he kept closed, because he wears nothing underneath, and blue “Jeans”, who should be burned given the numbers of oil stains who covered them, and also massive holes, with is knees basically being in the open. I had to tell him to change clothes, or he would be hurt if he fall. He wasn’t taking me seriously, so I put him under my gaze at this moment.

Over all, it was an excellent day to start seeing what kids human act and look like. I will go into town tomorrow to meet adults.

---

3 august

Well, wouldn’t you know, Elbert, I was using phrasing of a sentence and idoms who sound old, for someone in his thirties. One day interacting in the town, and I already got a reputation as an “old-timer”. Who could have guess? Most people are wonderful, in any case. I also bumped into Andrew Evans, Leo and Chris. They were with another kid in their age range, Steve. He is taller than Leo, but smaller than Andrew. Oh, yes. Evans is a family name rather than a composite surname. My bad.

Leo was still suspicious of me, and I wasn’t able to talk with them. He said something about “stranger danger”. I wonder if he is more afraid of other humans than what is living outside his town. What are humans doing between themselves? It would appear our knowledge of their society is dated. I need to get alone with him if I want to examine their behaviour properly. Instead I met a few adults and discreetly made their door open to me. I did take a trip to the house seller, but I will need papers and money for one. It’s more difficult than we expected when I left my home forest. There is also that man named John Miller. He seems to think I am weak because he can’t see muscle. Probably an hunter. I need to keep an eye on him too.

Wait, there are footstep sounding close. I come back once I saw who is it, and why they are here. What if they already know?

It was Noah! Unlike the others, he still wears the same clothes than yesterday. Truly poor. And because he already saw my eyes, he is so easy to put under. Actually, he is sitting right next to me, and when I took my hybrid form, he was all too happy to snuggle in. Good human. So, because he is really easy to interact with, and he told me he just often goes into the forest when he is “overwhelmed”, he will be my number one source of information! So, I will ask some questions, and note the answers into you, Ebert!

So, Noah Miller! Turn out he is the son of John Miller, who isn’t a hunter, but a construction worker. Noah seem to be hiding something about him, but I don’t want to push. Noah seems nice, I don’t want to destroy his intelligence or his being. So, I will wait till he wants to tell me for further explanations. He also doesn’t want to tell me where do those “bruises” and cuts come from. I am a bit worried for his safety. Does he try to get into fights to prove himself to his father?

Human kids his age like to play something call “video games”. I need to come to his house to play, however. Well, after I ended up asking question, we will play fetch. I heard pets like that, and I might keep Noah around, I really like him. His outfit is one he picked because he wants to cover “them”; Okay. Apparently, “cool” outfits for him show muscle, leather jackets always work, Jewellery show wealth, seem like the meanings are the same as we naga knew, just a bit differently.  Jewelry

Yes, I asked Noah to correct mistakes he saw. It’s useful for my human guise. Also, Andrew is the popular kid who has a bright future. That mean he can get away with selfishness and violence, in this society. I can’t believe it. Well, as a subject and potential pet, I should give Noah a good life, so the research is put on hold the time I get the other kids to respect him.

  ---

6 August

Hey, Albert. Been a few days, but I had to make Andrew, Chris, Steve and especially Leo way more pliant that they were. But today, they will all come to this forest with additional clothes they think would fit Noah and make him looks “cool”, so that he joins their “friend” group. It looks a bit more like a hierarchy in itself, but I will make sure they treat each other better. Win-Win for everyone! I hope I use those expression correctly. Anyway, Noah too got more contacts with me. He seems to really trust me “more than anyone” he says, but he still won’t tell me where his injuries come from. I am a bit disappointed. Seem like he made some strong barriers about it, if I force the answers from him, it would hurt his brain, a lot.

Leo has arrived. I had to get to his parents first, to be alone with him, but heh. I have a bed in their basement now. Leo was really distrustful. Now, he is a bit over-zealous to obeying me, but I don’t see any other psychological impact. I do keep an eye on him for his safety. He also is the one closer in size to Noah, so I expect his clothes to be most of the ones Noah come home with. Leo also make delicious chicken wings.

Now, Steve has arrived. Coming back to my few notes, I forgot to describe him. He has black hair, brown eyes, and the first time he saw me alone I was shirtless and that made him red, for some reason. But he doesn’t want to talk about it. He is 23. He is the drag-along man of his group, and easily scared. It amuses me to make loud noises behind his back. He jumps every single time! Today, he is wearing a sleeveless black cloth he calls “top”, and blue “shorts”. He really doesn’t know how to visit the forest.

Andrew and Noah arrived together. Andrew is surprisingly the one who brought the more clothes. When I asked, he stated he bought them. He is ironically the one who took the most the rings in my eyes, even more than Noah, who I found easy to put under. And I remind you I am strong in charm by naga standard. Andrew is also missing his dog tags. Apparently, you put “blood type” and height on it. I shall ask for their size and weight once I start the experience again.

Well, Chris is finally here. He at least wears something without “sexual innuendos” for once. I’ll admit I don’t understand them. Also, except Steve, they all have a weird combo with leather jackets and ties, to welcome Noah into the group. Really odd-looking, even fir me, and the fact that I wear “professionals” clothes all the time makes people talk. Noah, of course, is wearing a hoody and “baggy” pants. I’ll tell you how it went.

Really well!!! Now, Noah has a collection of “gym” clothes, rings, chains… the perfect “streetwear”, as Chris said. The boys are all very happy playing with the ball I gave them. And they all are super happy when I tap their head to signify that they are good boys. I’m so happy they stopped using gel, I can play with their hairs. But play time is over. I’m going back to studying them and their interactions, so they aren’t aware I was ever in their lives for now. I want to see them act normally.

Wait, why is Andrew berating them all. I understood he was mean to people outside his group, but he is controlling of the people in it? Chris is obeying him without question and making subtle threat for the others three to follow? Noah is afraid??! Leo is just done with this and complaint but does not act? Steve is not shivering like Noah, but I think he is afraid too. How could I miss that, and how can I let this happen in front of my eyes? I’ll be right back, Albert!

 ---

 So, they have been some changes in the group dynamics of the boys. Now, Leo is the leader one. He also asks for my opinion on things and agree that I am smarter and wiser than him, and as such, my decisions are absolute and override his. Andrew is really happy to be led. He takes more easily to my suggestions than the others, so he is “living the dream”, as the “omega” of his group. I don’t know what that mean, he declared himself one. In his opinion, Leo is an “alpha” and the rest are “beta”. Andrew also wanted to classify Chris as the second-in-command, but I preferred Noah, because I have to admit at being biased, but Noah doesn’t want to lead, and Leo will be a great leader under my guidance, and he wanted to be the “top dog”.

Chris is really the one who got the best changes, though. He was really afraid of what to do without someone who use him as a muscled henchman, so now, he can suck up all type of information. His “G.P.A” will improve, thanks to that. We might have a “smart one”, after a trip to the library. And the, there is Steve. I don’t know what to do with Steve. Steve never showed much personality. When I asked him how he would describe himself, he said “gaie”, which mean cheerful in French, is I remember correctly. Didn’t appear that happy for me… Well, now, he is being nicknamed “the cheerleader” by his friends. They will not question the changes, but I think I will have to drop by their parent’s house later.

Well, I’m glad to see they all are having fun. Leo started a “soccer game”. Look interesting. Steve is cheering for them because they are an odd number. He seems decided to compliment Chris on his muscle, for some reason. Well, he also commented a few times about mine. Maybe he just put a lot of attention in physical health. I’m going to watch.

  August 8

At the teaching place the boys are going (I though in English it was called school, but the refer to it as college), Noah is now one of the centres of attention, as a new friend of Andrew and thanks to his new look. Steve convinced him to wear “guyshadow”. Didn’t expect it to work well with the dark lines under Noah’s eyes (named “eye’s bag”, this language relies on such obvious terms, it’s worrying me. Are humans worried about being incomprehensible? It’s probably not the only human one to be this on the nose, but the only one I’m good at.), but now, he has a lot of weird attention from females and a few males, including Steve. I don’t understand why is external looks and money so much more important that what’s inside for humans.

Wait, I hear sobs. Why is Noah in pain?

HIS FATHER WAS VIOLENT TOWARDS HIM!!! THE FIEND! HE DESERVED BEING REDUCED TO A HUSK BY ME! SO GLAD HE IS NOW OUT OF NOAH AND MISS. MILLER’S LIFE!! Now, I heard a mother without a husband faces hardship in this “tolerant” society humans call America, so I will make sure the remaining Millers in town are wall-loved. I think I will move my human place from Leo’s house, he is okay, and go to live with Noah and his mom Susan.

 ---

August 10

Albert, while I was playing with Noah, he called me Dad. Apparently, it means he sees me as a major role model, and it’s a sign of a deep bond, said Susan. She seemed ready to laugh, and also a bit awkward, when she said that to me. Well, I’m glad he thinks so highly of me! I also think highly of my pet. Now, he is completely open to any change in personality or look I ask of him. I have a little doll I can dress and make talk as I want. He is a cowboy, a pre-re-education Andrew, a hunter, a servant. I asked of my sister she send me some jewelry, and now, he has wonderful gold hoops in his ear, and a silver chain with an emerald that he show to no one, but whose touch remind me of how good he is while looking at me... Truly, I am enjoying this study.

---

Author’s note (how do you make italics on Tumblr?): So, this is a story I wrote in Summer 2020 for a contest about supernatural on a hypno-site. I planned to make a one-shot, then I liked the characters too much and started making an universe for them. If you have questions on them, I probably have some answers. It feature no pron, so I though. You know what, I should publish my own stuff on Tumblr. Hope you people enjoy

[batboysandgirls]

Tim Drake x Reader - Explosions And Other Saturday Morning Activities - PART 1

Title: Explosions And Other Saturday Morning Activities Pairing: Tim Drake x Reader Summary: Your office in Wayne Tower explodes.  Red Robin almost dies in your arms.  Just a typical Saturday morning in Gotham. Notes: Canon-typical descriptions of violence and injuries. Words: 4.5k PART TWO HERE, PART THREE HERE, and PART FOUR HERE !

You almost forgot to breathe when you turned a corner towards the eastern stairwell and saw Red Robin convulsing on the floor.

This was not in the intern handbook.  But your office exploding wasn’t in the handbook either.

It was a shame this was happening, because you had been having an ideal summer after your freshman year at Gotham U until about twenty two minutes ago.

Twenty three minutes ago you had been working on a short introductory video for an upcoming presentation about WE’s philanthropy initiatives when you got up to stretch, walking over to the wall-to-ceiling window of Wayne Tower’s fourteenth floor and taking in the view of Old Gotham below you.  The office had been very quiet.  It was Saturday, which almost everyone didn’t work.  But you were planning to take next Friday off, so you came in on a weekend to make sure you’d be caught up on your work.  Wayne Enterprises was great about their interns.  Everyone got paid (miraculously!), and you were allowed days off like normal employees.  But the video needed to be done by the end of next week, and if you weren’t going to work on Friday, you should get an extra day’s work in.  So, working on a Saturday.

You’d been really productive this morning, actually, thanks to the silence and lack of interruptions.  You’d only seen the graphic design manager Ellen for about two minutes this morning when she popped by her desk to grab a flash drive with some packaging designs.  Otherwise your floor was totally empty, except you, of course.

(You’d passed more people in the elevator headed to other floors.  Some special events interns, development staff… you’d even spotted Bruce Wayne with Tim and Damian Wayne in tow in the lobby!  Probably headed to some board meeting.)

You were finishing your stretch, deciding you’d take your lunch break after wrapping up the next segment of the video when the window in front of you exploded.  A wave of force sending you flying backwards into Rachel from art direction’s desk.  The sharp edge of the desk cut a gash into your side—oh my god that hurts, that hurts, that hurts—and the computer fell forward onto your back, the monitor shattering into a thousand pieces and holy shit, wasn’t this supposed to be tempered glass?

You struggled to get up, your hands sliced by the sharp shards of glass now on the ground.  Your side had a laceration that was bleeding through your favorite work blouse, and your hands were dripping with blood.  It unnerved you more than you expected as your breathing became quicker and fear rose up in your chest.  You could feel a panic attack rising up in you, and you desperately tried to hold it off.

You’re okay.  You’re fine.  It’s just a couple cuts.  Get to the stairs.  Head down, head out of the building.  You’re fine.  You’ll be okay.

You felt adrenaline start pumping through your veins, and yes, yes, you could focus on that.  Don’t panic—move.

Your body moved despite your mind not quite ready to move on from a panic attack.  The window had shattered, and you could hear explosions outside, but better to focus on getting to safety… keep going…

You were down to floor six, mostly executive offices and advancement down here, when the stairwell exploded from beneath you.  You’d just reached a landing with a door, and you yanked it open, throwing yourself inside just in time to see the doorway filled with fire behind you.  Oh god.  Okay, the Wayne Tower western stairwell just blew up. Don’t panic.   Another way down.  The eastern stairwell.  Move.  Go.

You hadn’t been on the sixth floor before, but, while better decorated than floor fourteen, it had the same basic layout.  You were about to reach the east stairs when you saw Red Robin on the floor.

“Oh no,” you whispered, immediately rushing to his body.  When you kneeled next to him, you winced and held your bleeding side.  That motion hurt a lot.  Damn. 

Red Robin was shouting in pain, writhing before you.  Nothing on his person was an obvious source of the problem… no wounds.  Then a little spark on his face caught your eye.  At the edge of his mask, you saw bits of electricity leaking out.  You reached to touch and were zapped with a shock and HOLY SHIT—could you avoid pain for like two seconds today?  No?  Fine.  But that shock meant that electricity was coursing through Red Robin from his mask, clearly hurting him badly.  His motions had gotten jerkier over the thirty seconds you’d been at his side.

You had to do something.  You wanted to take off the mask, since it obviously seemed to be the source.  But… well, was it okay to remove a hero’s mask?  Even to help?  It felt like it would be violating Red Robin, somehow, but—

The shouting turned to screaming.  Agonized screaming.  It was horrible to hear, yet it steeled you.  No time to debate ethics; Red Robin was not going to die of electrical shock on your watch.  You took a breath and grabbed the edges of the mask, unable to help the screams that came out of your own mouth as you pulled it off.  It felt like your hands were burning, just burning, like your entire body was on fire, but you feel the mask lift off Red Robin’s face and you hurl it behind you.

Your body shook from the pain of everything, your eyes squeezed shut.  As you forced them open, you noticed that the cuts on your hands were… not open anymore.  Did the superficial burns from the shock just cauterize the cuts?  Fucking hell.

You looked to the figure laying before you, and you almost fell over—and not just from the pain.

Tim Wayne.  That was Tim Wayne.  Red Robin was Timothy Drake-Wayne.  Did you technically save not just one of Gotham’s most legendary vigilantes but also one of the most famous people in Gotham?  Who was also sort of your boss?  What was happening?

He was out cold, and you gently shook him awake.

“Hey— ” (Oh god.  What do you call him?  Tim?  Mr. Wayne?  Red Robin?  Just play it safe.) “—Red Robin, you need to get up.  It’s not safe here.”

Tim Wayne blinked his eyes a couple times, then tried to sit up but immediately laid back down.  He looked very pale, and his hands touched his maskless face.  He stared at you.

“What happened?”

“I’m sorry, but your mask was electrocuting you. You were screaming, so I had—I was afraid you were going to—I wasn’t trying to violate your privacy or anything, really, but—”

“Hood was right,” Tim (Red Robin?  How do you refer to this guy in your own head?  Is Tim too informal?  Whatever!) said, his voice was rough like sandpaper. “He got to our masks.”  He poked a hand into his utility belt, gasping for breath when he had to move his left arm.  It looked broken, and you instinctively reached out to lower the arm back down.  You pulled your hand back as soon as you realized, but Tim lowered the arm anyway.  It must be causing him a lot of pain.

With his right hand, he took out a small mask that seemed to just be a piece of cloth with eye slits.  Nothing more.  He struggled to put it on with just his right hand, lifting his head up just a bit.  You found yourself helping without a word, tying it in the back for him as he held it to his face.  It felt strangely intimate.  It didn’t seem like Tim was fully all there, his motions were shaky and his breaths were hurried.  But when his gaze met yours, his blue eyes heavy but focused, you felt struck by its weight.  It was honest, it was pleading.

Slowly, you gave him an almost imperceptible nod in reply.  Yes.  I’m here.  I’m with you.

He seemed to understand, closing his eyes and exhaling.  Now you could see mild burns all across his body, probably from the electricity, his costume smoldering in places.  You let a few moments pass as he just laid there.

(It started to occur to you then that if Tim Wayne was Red Robin, there were certain things you could conclude about all of Bruce Wayne’s wards, which then led to something almost unbelievable about Bruce Wayne himself.  But there’s no time to process any of it, there’s no time—)

“Red Robin, we need to get out of here,” you finally said.

“You do.  I need to meet up with the others.  We have to take down Black Mask.  He caused all of this,” he said, eyes still closed.

“I know I’m not a vigilante, but I really don’t think you’d be much help like this,” you said.  “Maybe if we get down to the ground floor, the paramedics can set your arm and treat the burns, then you can go back to help.”

“You sound like Nightwing,” he chuckled.  You did a double take.  Maybe he hit his head too.

“I sound like Nightwing?”

“Being rational and trying to get me to take care of myself,” he murmured, then paused.  “I don’t know if I can get up by myself.”

“I’ll help you, I’ll help you,” you said.  Tim lifted his head and upper body, and you slipped your hand behind his back, helping him sit up.  Carefully, you both rose, you supporting a lot of Tim’s weight and goodness—this boy could not be more than 5’6 but he was all muscle, and muscle is heavy.  Your side was aching as you started to move, but you hadn’t just been electrocuted for a minute straight so you couldn’t complain.  “My name is _____, by the way.”

“So, ______, why are you here?” Tim said quietly, “It’s Saturday.”

“I’m just an intern,” you answered as you entered the west stairs, “But I’m taking off next Friday, so I wanted to get a bit ahead.  In hindsight, maybe not my smartest idea.”

“Where do you intern?”

“Fourteenth floor.  Videography,” you said.  How on earth were you having a semi-normal conversation with Red Robin who was also Tim Drake-Wayne who you were bleeding on a little bit?  Was he going to ask for your major and hometown next?

“Cool.  Are you the one who makes the little intro videos for the board presentations?”

You smiled a little.  “Yeah, that’s me.”

“Those are so helpful.  Thank you.  Bruce would have no idea what’s going on without them.  He cares, but he’s just never as on top of WE business as he should be.”

Bruce Wayne.  Tim’s father.  The Batman.  Liked your videos.  This was too much.

“Ah, well, I’m glad you enjoy them.  They’re fun to make,” you said, noting that you just passed floor four.  You were moving slowly.  Really slowly, but you didn’t have much of a choice.  Make conversation, _____.  Keep things normal.  And keep Tim awake.  “So, uh, Black Mask?  Do you know why he did this?”

“He has always hated Wayne Enterprises, and he had this plan to take it down from the inside.  Some of the board were his guys, and they were funneling money out of the company.  I caught on to it, but Black Mask showed up to the board meeting this morning as I confronted them about it.  Things didn’t go as planned.”

“I’m sorry.  That must be frustrating.  Especially since you’d already figured it out.”

Tim turned to you, looking a little surprised, maybe a little confused.  You paused, worry fluttering in your chest.  Maybe you were moving too fast.  He was pretty disoriented.

“You okay?  Do you want to take a break?  We can stop at the next landing.”

“No, I just—I’m fine,” he said.  “Let’s keep going.”

So you did, and you were at the second floor when he spoke again.

“I wanted to say—with Black Mask, just—Thank you.  It was frustrating.”

Oh.  Had your… empathy puzzled him earlier?  That was odd.  You guessed it made sense that Batman’s protege wouldn’t receive a ton of external validation and compassion.  Might interfere with the Dark Knight aesthetic.

“Of course,” was all you managed to softly say in response.

You were now just a few steps from the doorway to the first floor (the door itself seemed to have been blown off the hinges), and you heard a mix of shouting, gunfire, and things exploding through it.  That was… not great.

“Um, so, I’m not sure we should go out there,” you said, turning to Tim.  Tim didn’t respond, probably because he seemed to be teetering on the edge of consciousness.  That was also… not great.

(Honestly, you weren’t feeling much better yourself.  You’d lost a lot of blood.  Overall?  Not great.)

You propped up the unresponsive Tim against the wall on the stairs, and you inched towards the doorway.  You peeked out and saw a lot of things.  The entire first floor was basically obliterated.  Batman and Red Hood were leaping around in the distance as a swarm of goons and Black Mask himself fired at them.  It didn’t seem like the heroes were winning.  More

important was that Nightwing and Robin were tied up and hanging upside down about six feet in front of the doorway, both struggling to break free.  They were pretty low to the ground.  Definitely would be within your reach if you were over there.

You stared.  If you could get those two unbound, then maybe they could help Batman and Red Hood stop Black Mask.  You weren’t sure if that was possible, but you knew someone who might.

You went back to Tim and shook him until he started to react.

“Hey, Red Robin, I need your help,” you said.

“Mdmmffm,” Tim groaned.  His eyes were still closed.

“Red Robin.  T—Tim.  Tim, please, I need your help,” you tried.  He opened his eyes and focused on you.

He didn’t say anything.  Just stared.  It was like when you’d taken off his mask.  The weird pressure of his gaze on you.

“Tim, I just need you for a minute.  Do you have something I could use to cut bindings holding Nightwing and Robin?  They’re close by but tied up and hanging.  I could run over and cut them down, then they might be able to help stop Black Mask.  It seems like Batman and the Red Hood are… struggling.”

Tim said nothing for a while, and you thought maybe if he didn’t respond at all, you’d just go through his utility belt yourself.  Thankfully, you didn’t have to.

“Third pouch from the center on my left,” he said slowly, “Pull out one of the batarangs, then press the circle indent on the underside to have a serrated edge pop out.  Hold the indent and it’ll heat up too.  Use that to cut.”

You reached for said pouch, and he kept speaking.  You glanced at his face, and he seemed a little more awake, a little more alive.  He was in vigilante mode now.  That was good.

“You can slice a finger off a little too easily with that, so stay sharp.  Also, before you run out, grab smoke pellets from the pouch on my right side.  You’re not used to moving through them, obviously, so you’re just going to face the direction you’re going to, then throw the pellets down with as much force as you can.  Ignore the smoke, just move straight ahead and don’t move off that path.  It shouldn’t be hard if it’s not far from you.  You will be able to see about a foot in front of you.  You’ll have about fifteen seconds from when the pellets hit the ground.  Cut down Nightwing first.  If you don’t have time to get to Robin, he’ll definitely free him before he joins the fray.”

(The way he said that made you wonder if in the inverse situation Robin would cut Nightwing down, or if he’d just charge in by himself.  Interesting, if you weren’t about to head into a life-or-death situation.)

“And I’ll sprint back here as soon as I’m done,” you said.  Tim nodded, then he grabbed your hand as you moved to leave.

“You don’t have to do this.  Really, you don’t have to.  I just started talking and thinking automatically.  You can just stay here and wait it out,” he said.  He looked apologetic.  You just smiled.

“Waiting it out isn’t my style.”  Hence why you didn’t just lie on the fourteenth floor, or ignore Red Robin on the fourth floor, or stay on the stairwell until the noise on the first floor ceased.  You had to keep moving, keep going.

Tim smiled a bit at that.  “I’m like that too.  Which is why this has been a frustrating day.”  He squeezed your hand, then let go.  “Be careful.”

“Of course,” you said, then you moved to the doorway.

No one noticed you as you stood in the door, the fighting was happening too far off for you to attract attention.  You lined up your shoulders to face the hanging heroes, then you threw down the smoke bombs as hard as you could with your right hand and bolted.

(One second, two seconds…)

You couldn’t see a thing, but trusted yourself.  You pressed and held the indent in the batarang in your left hand as you ran, slowing down when you found yourself standing right behind a hanging Nightwing.  The bands holding his hands back were metal, but the batarang sliced through it like butter.  You reached up to his feet and sliced that too.

(Three seconds, four, five, six…)

Nightwing fell to the ground.

“Who ar—”

“Ti—” (FUCK, YOU ALREADY MESSED THAT UP) “—Red Robin sent me,” you said, reaching for Robin’s restraints.  Hands done.  Feet next.

(Seven, eight, nine, ten…)

Robin was free.  You could see the smoke already dissipating, and gunfire scattered across the ground maybe ten feet to your right.  Figured you might draw attention.

(Eleven, twelve, thirteen…)

You sprinted back to the door, looking back just once to see Robin and Nightwing charging straight into the firefight.  You moved back to the stairs to see a very tired but pleased Tim sitting against the wall.

“You did it?” he asked.

“I did it,” you answered, plopping down next to him.  A wave of exhaustion hit you as soon as your butt hit the ground.  Whatever adrenaline had carried you through the past half hour was gone.  Your side was burning, blood was all over your shirt and pants.  Your hands were also bloodied, as well as strangely scarred from the shards of glass cuts sealed by electric burns.  You were in bad shape.

Tim seemed to be more aware than he was before.

“You’re bleeding.  A lot.”

“Yeah, I got kind of hit when the windows on my floor exploded.  And my hands.  Yeah.”

“I might have some bandages in my belt,” Tim said, but you shook your head.

“I’m not bleeding out.  I’m hurt, but I’ll be okay.  I think now I just need a rest.”  You closed your eyes, leaning your head back against the wall.

You heard Tim’s voice, soft, gentle.  “You can lean your head—” you tilted your head to the side, lowering it onto the former Robin’s right shoulder. “—like that, yeah.”

You listened to Tim’s breathing as it became in sync with yours.  Slow, strained, but steady.  In.  Out.  In.  Out.  In...  It couldn’t have been long before you let the darkness overcome you.

✹ ✹

It was dark when you woke.  Your eyes cracked open to the plain, sterile ceiling of a hospital room.  Probably good someone took you to a hospital.  You were so tired, plus your head ached, so you didn’t try sitting up.  Instead, you turned your head to check out the room.

You had the room to yourself, not that it's too large.  There was a window on your left.  You could make out Gotham U’s Vincent Hall sticking out above what looked like another wing of the hospital.  So you must be at Gotham Mercy General then.  Cool.

On your right was a bedside table that already had a smattering of cards and even some flowers, as well as a clock telling you it was 10:32 PM, that same Saturday.  You could make out your videographer boss’s handwriting on one card.  Another looked like a bunch of your neighbors in the intern housing had signed it.  And the flowers… the flowers were beautiful.  Poppies, a brilliant red that reminded you almost exactly of the vermilion shade of a certain vigilante you had fallen asleep on’s uniform.

It was a slightly ridiculous thought that Red Robin, that Tim Drake-Wayne, sent those flowers.  But was it really that ridiculous?  You didn’t know.  You couldn’t think.  Your head was throbbing.

Something moved out of the corner of your eye, and you jerked your head back to look at the window.  Nothing.  Did you just imagine it?  Was it a shadow?  Could it have been—.  No, no.  It wasn’t Red Robin.  It looked more like—.  No.  Don’t think about it.  Don’t think about it.  It’ll only creep you out.

You shut your eyes and decided to go back to sleep.  All would be better in the morning.  There certainly wouldn’t be a particular Dark Knight watching at your window.

✹ ✹

When you were discharged in the morning, it was a strange metro ride home.

Your entire hospital bill was covered by Wayne Enterprises, and the nurse actually laughed when you asked about how you should pay.

“Are you kidding?  After this incident, Bruce Wayne probably would pay for some face-masks if you asked for them.”

You laughed with her, trying to banish the image of Bruce Wayne’s face behind Batman’s cowl hanging you money for face-masks.

All your wounds had been wrapped and treated, but the nurse gave you a bag with some ointment for your cuts and gauze to rewrap the gash in your side as it continues to heal.  So, feeling oddly normal holding a bag of medical supplies (and the cards and flowers you’d stuck in there, too), you hopped onto the Gotham U East metro two blocks from the hospital headed towards the Wayne Tower station near your apartment.  You prayed the ride back would be quiet, but a couple teenage boys approached you from across the car as the train crossed Finger River.  Oh god.  Please don’t catcall.  Please don’t try to take your wallet.  Please.

“Hey, aren’t you the girl from the news?”

“The news?” You raised your eyebrows.  That was not a sexual comment or threat.  Good so far.

“Yeah!  From the Wayne Tower thing.  You cut down Nightwing and Robin.  It was badass.  Local news had the CCTV footage.”

“You come through this cloud of smoke and just—” one of the boys swung his arm around “—SWOOSH.  Dude.  You saved them.”

You smiled.  “Yeah, I guess that was me.  I didn’t know it made the news.”

“Well, it’s not everyday that Wayne Tower blows up.”

“Bro, it did happen, like three years ago too, though.”

“Kevin, did I say every three years?  I said everyday!”  You held back a laugh as Kevin looked embarrassed at his “bro.”

“Sorry, sorry.  We’ll leave you alone.  But nice job,” said Kevin.

Kevin’s bro gave you a fist bump, and they retreated back to their side of the car.  What sweet boys.

(“Why do you always make me seem silly in front of cool people?”

“I don’t mean to, bro.”

“...yeah.  I know, dude.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”)

You got back to your apartment easily after that, thankfully not running into anyone in the lobby or hall.

Your apartment was dark, and it felt so tranquil after the chaos of the past 24 hours.  It was a pretty nice apartment for interns, but this was Wayne Enterprises.  They didn’t skimp out on anything.  It had three rooms: a bigish open space with a sitting area and kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom.  And you had it all to yourself.  Thank goodness.  You weren’t sure if you could have handled dealing with a roommate after everything.  You needed a little alone time.

You dropped your bag on the kitchen’s counter, laying out the cards nicely near your other mail and stacking up your medical supplies.  You lifted the flowers out and couldn’t stop the stupid smile that came across your face as you smelled them…  a boy had quite possibly sent you flowers.  Setting aside the good chance the flowers were just to appease your knowledge of his secret identity, it was nice to indulge in the thought of Tim Wayne picking these out for you.

After putting the flowers in a vase, sprinkling in some sugar into the water so they’d last longer, you went to sit on a couch and do nothing for as long as you could justify when your blood ran cold.  There was something on the kitchen table.  It looked like a pile of little notes.  And you had definitely not left them there last time you’d been in here.

You glanced at the door, then at the windows on the far side of the room, then at the table.  Other than the notes presence, everything looked untouched, but someone had gotten in.  Just no obvious sign of where.

You slowly approached the notes, fearful of what they could say.  Until the train, you’d assumed no one knew of your heroism.  But if it had been on the news… well, Black Mask probably wouldn’t like knowing a college student interfered with his plans.  You didn’t have much that could be held for ransom, but other threats were a possibility.  You held your breath...

Reaching the table, your heart slowed down a bit.  The note on top was just a square piece of white paper, and someone had written:

Good work.

         -  B

B?  Who’s—holy shit.  Could B mean Batman?  Or Bruce Wayne?  OR BOTH?  Okay.  It was still a little creepy he had broken in, also that he probably watched you in your hospital room, but it was far better than your mind’s initial reaction.

You lifted that note to reveal another.

Nice assist, _!  We appreciate it.

         -  D & d

Okay.  Two D’s.  So, Dick Grayson, who is probably Nightwing, and Damian Wayne, who is probably Robin.  Big D and little d.  That was actually super cute.  And then one note below that… oh.

It wasn’t a note.  It was a picture.  It was you, asleep, head on the shoulder of Red Robin.  Of Tim.  And  he was sleeping too, his head leaning on top of yours.  His simple mask had slipped down around his neck, revealing all of his dozing face.  Despite the blood stains across your limp hands and side, despite the burns visible over Tim’s body, despite the exhaustion and grime all over the both of you… the image was remarkably peaceful.  You turned it over:

Thank you.

         - T

You didn’t lie on the couch.  Instead, you dropped the first two notes next to the other cards on the counter.  Then, you brought the vase to the center of the kitchen table, and you propped the photo against it.  You rested your head on your hands, just admiring the poppies and the ease on your sleeping faces.

We’ll meet again, Tim, you thought, I’m sure of it.

(PART TWO CAN BE FOUND HERE!  AND PART THREE HERE!  AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST PART FOUR HERE!  Thank you for reading!!)

[fairycosmos]

LMFAOOO NOT TO B ANNOYING HERE BUT UHHHH i turn 17 next month n am not excited (~: bc i am too scared to turn 18 n be an adult n have responsibilities bc nothing in my life has been stable enough. i feel like i have to worry n prepare myself now bc if i don’t it’ll hit me like a fucking bus. but yeah!! i’m straight up not looking forward to it!! feel like i have no chance!! cannot make it in this life!! so i must kill myself before the day comes!! proud of all of u for making it this far

HEY you’re not annoying ! but also HEY, try to slow down and take a moment. or several moments. you’re very young, and i’m saying that in a good way. growing up is such a paradox because we never realize how much time we have until its ran out. treating everything as a transitional phase, as a means to an end, is an exhausting habit. you haven’t lived the solutions to your worries yet. i think it’s important to try to hold onto the present moment because it’s the only thing that actually exists. and you’ll never be who you are currently, ever again. the past is over, and the future is impossible to predict and CONSTANTLY changing. the only thing that’s in your control is this moment. right now, you don’t need to be anything other than what you are. every second of uncertainty is necessary, everything is working out this way to get you to where you need to be - which is a lifelong journey in and of itself, it’s supposed to be a long and confusing process. i know it probably feels like everythings moving so fast, and the world likes to lie to us, likes to say we have to have everything figured out by eighteen, cause they want to make money off of us. if we put all of our mental stability into how well we’re doing career wise/academically, then we’ll push ourselves to the limits working for them. just to prove ourselves, right? it’s all an illusion and a way to keep us down. the older you get the more you realize that nobody has a clue about anything, really. i mean ANYTHING. and you dont have to expect yourself to be sure of the rest of your existence, especially not at sixteen. there’s no set schedule for your life, where you have to complete X achievement by Y age or you’ll burn in an eternal pit of failure. there’s just these days, and this growth, and what we choose to do with what we have. getting lost is normal, not knowing is normal. only then will you experience those inner epiphanies that make you realize what you REALLY want, putting you back on track. and this can happen at 21, at 30, at 50. and there are so many different tracks, too. nothing is definitive. when you’re a kid, especially a kid with a traumatic background, it’s easy to see things in black and white. i used to too, sometimes still do. but what i’ve noticed is the more you push yourself out into the world, the more you understand that everything is coloured in shades of grey. we grow weirdly, stunted in one area and abundant in another. we achieve our goals unexpectedly, on top of the world one day and then falling the next. it’s the balance. i think....it’s important to take your childhood into account, how its shaped your perception and your self image. questioning the fundamental beliefs you have, about what you’re worth, is a good place to start. whether that’s through counseling, or implementing healthier coping mechanisms int your daily life, or even just having an honest conversation with yourself at first. either way, you’ll see that you have to sort of relearn everything you thought you knew. you have to make a concentrated effort to center yourself and practice patience with your own life...it’s hard at first, but it makes everything easier in the long run. constantly screaming at yourself in your own head simply for existing is just too suffocating, too exhausting. not everything is going to be this chaotic all of the time, i promise. look, i said the exact same thing about turning eighteen. and i’ve been saying the same thing about turning twenty in four months, that i’m just going to kill myself. but it’s becoming clear to me now that that thought is more of a defense mechanism than anything else, at least for me. if i’m going to die young i don’t have to have any sort of plan, and i dont have to worry about messing up. it’s comforting. but i feel like life just sort of sneaks up on you, and you don’t even really realize it. your mind knows on some subconscious level that you have the rest of eternity to be dead and only one chance in this history of ever to be a person. so despite all of the learned fear and the quiet terror, it’s easier to think about simply disappearing than it is to actually die. just by being here, you have a chance. and if you feel as though you’re really going to act on those compulsions/self destructive thoughts, please please be sure to alert those around you and call the authorities so you can receive the care you need. no matter how scary it is, because you dont want to make such a long lasting decision when you’re in a unclear headspace. it’s just not worth it, it doesn’t change or improve anything.

this is getting too long, and these are just my thoughts on the matter, not objective facts, but. yeah, existential horror is a part of the human condition and a defining characteristic of what differentiates us as a species. and there’s strength in this, in knowing we’re all in the same boat and everyones feeling the weight of it. but you’ll find reasons to stick around if you seek them out. everything is terrifying but we should try to focus on our individual lives and getting through each day, one at a time. the quote that comes to mind is “and while the future is fast coming for you, it always flinches first and settles in as the gentle present.” you are doing so much better than you think. adapting is inevitable, and you’ll be so many different selves over the course of your lifetime - how can you be mad at the 16 yo version that just wants to try their best? seriously, if you give yourself some time, and you try to give yourself the tools you need to remain grounded and present, then you’re going to be okay. i wouldn’t say it if i didn’t believe it. sometimes we’re looking for an answer but the answer is simply to wait. anyway, i really hope you’re able to take it easy. again, you’re sixteen. mistakes are human, and they’re all lying to you about how you have to decide what you’re going to ‘be’ for the rest of your life. please take care. if you need a friend or if you want to talk about anything, i’ll be here. you’re not in this alone.

[btgalaxy]

Ineffable

➳ pairing: namjoon x reader, yoongi x reader

➳ genre: ceo!au, smut, angst, probably fluff too

➳ word count: 3.8k

masterlist / previous / next

Chapter 2

The office has changed. There were refurbishments going on for a couple of weeks over summer, but you never went in to see what was being done. The walls are now a dark grey and the whole office is minimalist and sleek— Namjoon’s desk is at least a couple of meters long yet only holds a black lamp, a MacBook and some paperwork. Behind the desk are some shelves, again almost completely bare, with only a couple of framed photographs and a few books. There is nothing in here to say of family, a girlfriend, friends; nothing. It feels so isolated. He sits behind the desk and you awkwardly shuffle forwards to stand in front. He doesn’t say anything for a few moments, just clicks away at his laptop.

“So,” he starts, “the presentation was… adequate.” Adequate. The presentation you worked your damn arse off for was adequate.

“I think it had the potential to be great, but your ideas were underdeveloped, and the hindrances weren’t thought through well enough. You need to be more thorough,” he is unforgiving with his criticism and meagre with his praise. Although you should have expected this.

“Right, sir. I’m sorry, sir. Is there anything in particular I should work on?” you ask, bringing your lower lip between your teeth. His focal point falls to your lips for a second and lingers there momentarily, before his eyes snap downwards and back to his laptop. It’s a trivial movement, but it doesn’t go unnoticed by you.

“There’s a lot of work that needs doing,” he tells you.

“I know, sir. Will you be able to help me please, sir?” You trail off, head lowered slightly, although not far enough to miss the lustful look on his face, watching you with a heated gaze. Can he be at least a little less obvious?

“Yes. I’d like you back here tomorrow evening, after my final meeting of the day. I’ll discuss this with you then further,” he focuses back on his laptop and you frown slightly.

“You mean your 8’o’clock meeting?” you question. His hands freeze above the keyboard for a moment before continuing.

“Yes, will that be a problem?” He doesn’t even look at you as he continues to type. You look off to the side in irritation before taking a deep breath.

“No. Of course not. I will see you tomorrow,” you announce before turning around. You reach for the door handle when he calls your name.

“Yes, sir?” you answer.

“Wear another dress,” he tells you. You can’t find the words to respond so you simply excuse myself, shutting the door behind you to finally be able to breathe again. What was that supposed to mean? He really must be a sleazebag if he’s already hitting on the only woman in the senior team. Ugh, you should’ve known. Those sultry lips and that deep voice was never going to lead to anything good.

You dismiss the thoughts occupying your mind and instead leave the building promptly, saying goodbye to Jihee and the image of Namjoon with his ruffled hair and untucked shirt.

When you open the door to Yoongi’s apartment with the key you’ve been given, you’re greeted with the sound of the shower running. You sigh, sliding into some slippers and padding over to Yoongi’s fish tank which he always forgets to feed. You sprinkle some pellets into the top of the tank and watch as they all flock towards it. You’re going to have to clean them out this weekend, it’s starting to look extremely grimy. You aren’t even sure why he keeps these damn fish, he doesn’t look after them at all. If it weren’t for you, they’d be long gone already.

You straighten back up and head into the kitchen to scavenge the fridge for some food. There isn’t much, bar leftovers from the takeaway you had a couple of nights ago, so you settle for the days old Chinese, placing it on the side and heading over to the kettle just as your phone vibrates from your bag.  

6:03pm Chimchim: you wanna come out tonight?

You look at the clock and note the time then push your mouth to this side, contemplating. You could ask Yoongi to come with you, but you aren’t exactly sure you want to go out. The kettle switches off and you pour it into two mugs, adding in two teabags and taking everything into the lounge.

6:05pm You: maybe Wednesday? I have to work late tomorrow and already told Yoongi I’d spend the night with him

You pick up the remote on the coffee table and switch on the tv, flicking between channels to find something other than a soap opera as the shower is turned off.

6:06pm Chimchim: why so dead y/n, see u tomorrow xx

6:06pm You: u too xx

The bedroom door swings open as you send the text and Yoongi ambles in with a towel hung low around his waist, a lazy smile poking at his lips when he spots you.

“That food’s a bit old, babe,” he laughs slightly, coming round to place a kiss on your lips from behind the sofa.

“I’m hungry,” you mumble against him, wallowing in the soft lemon scent of his shower gel.

He moves his hand to the back of your head to kiss you harder before pulling back, “We can order something new.”

He quickly jumps back as you lunge for his towel, playfully attempting to rip it off, but he rather jogs through to the hallway to retrieve the landline. You shrug internally, still picking up an old box of chow mein and digging your fork into it.

You flick through Netflix as Yoongi calls the local pizza place, searching for something you can both enjoy, but the newest rendition of Pride and Prejudice looks far too appealing to scroll past, even though it’s not exactly your boyfriend’s cup of tea. Some moments later and he ambles back in, now clothed in only a pair of loose shorts, the outline of his crotch looking a little too good and making your stomach churn slightly.

Sometimes you just want your boyfriend to screw you hard until you’re seeing stars, but he’s always been a bit funny about sex— all these rules and precautions. He won’t have sex with you without a condom because ‘it isn’t safe’, and he couldn’t even consider making love to you anywhere other than in your bed or his, in any other position than missionary. You’ve tried talking to him about it, but he shies away and gets all embarrassed, and if you ever attempt to ignite something in a restaurant say— just a hand on his crotch under the table, he remains completely calm. Sometimes he won’t even bring it up. But you suppose you do find his shyness and familiarity endearing and comfortable. He does keep you happy, you can’t really complain. In fact, more than that, he takes his time with you in bed and always ensures you finish before him. He’s perfect, no matter what.

“Pizza will be here in 15— I thought I said not to eat that!” he chastises, prying the box from your hands despite your pouting and pushing it to the other end of the coffee table. He then slumps onto the sofa beside you, offering his arm so you can crawl beneath it and curl up into your chest.

“Why are we watching Pride and Prejudice?” he chuckles slightly.

“I had a bad day.”

You can feel him scowl and look down at you, “The new CEO? Did you meet him?”

“Yeah, and he’s a sleazebag; just like I thought.”

Yoongi stirs in the seat, manoeuvring himself uncomfortably, “The girls in my class tell me he’s the most attractive man in Seoul.”

He’s always hearing the gossip from the class he teaches, “Yoongi, I love you. I would never leave you for such a pervert.” You look up at him, offering a warm smile and he presses a kiss to your forehead.

“What does Jimin think of him?”

“Didn’t really have much of a chance to talk about him.” You hold back the comment Jimin made, not wanting to give Yoongi another thing to feel insecure about. “He’s even implementing this stupid clock-in-clock-out system, as if we are some teenage part-timers or something.”

He exhales, despondently, “You could always leave that job, you know.”

You curl into him tighter, full well knowing if you did want to leave he’d pick up extra classes and probably even find another job just to look after you. He’d do anything to keep you happy and safe. He always puts you before himself, whether it’s the fuller glass of orange juice or buying something that you want rather than for himself, it’ll always be you. You’re certain Namjoon could never treat anyone as well as Yoongi does.

“I love that job, and I’m not going to let a pig like him drive me out,” you contend, placing your hand on your boyfriends thigh, then glancing at his face. He is a handsome man, and he’s worthy competition of that new pig CEO. He’d be perfect if— no. He is perfect.

You kiss him hard, gradually moving till you’re on your knees on the sofa facing him, “How long did you say till the pizza gets here?”

He grunts, sliding his tongue across his lips, “About another 10 minutes.”

“Brilliant,” you smirk, jumping to your feet and dragging him by the hand behind you, straight into the bedroom.

When your eyes open, sunlight is spilling in through the blinds. Your face is squashed against the pillow of Yoongi’s bed, an empty pizza box by your feet and a pale arm slung across your waist. You groan as you sit up and rub your face, disgusted by the make-up that comes off onto your hands and you sluggishly get to your feet, padding into the bathroom to wash the remnants off your face and brush your teeth.

You amble back into the bedroom and leans against the doorframe, admiring Yoongi’s face with a small smile as he sleeps, looking so vulnerable and innocent. You could never hurt him; he’s all that you seem to live for these days.

You yawn and head back into the lounge to pick up your phone, switching it on lazily and starting to clear up the mess you made last night. As you walk into the kitchen, however, your eyes flicker to the clock.

7:56am

You do a double take. Wait. Suddenly, you’re running through Yoongi’s apartment to the bathroom where you pick up your hairbrush from the side of the sink and frantically begin to attempt de-knotting it all, running into the bedroom to retrieve some clothes from your small duffel bag. Coincidentally, after Namjoon’s whole ‘wear a dress’ you brought a sleek black bodycon, which you slip into it as fast as possible and blast on some powder from your handbag.

“Babe?” Yoongi groans, finally succumbing to racket you’re making and waking up slightly.

You push all your stuff together with your feet while you apply some perfume, awkwardly shuffling over to Yoongi’s side of the bed, “I’m late for work. I need to go, otherwise my idiot boss will fire me.” You lean down and press a kiss to his lips, relaxing into him for a second before snapping away again, squeezing his hand and telling him goodbye.

You race back into the lounge, picking up your phone and shoving your hairbrush and powder into your bag to hastily make your way to your car.

As you’re driving, you rapidly whip your hair up into a bun and get beeped by other drivers too many times to count. You have three minutes left by the time you reach the car park, in which you have to park at the furthest space from the building due to everyone already being here after Namjoon’s little announcement about being on time yesterday. Typical. You slam the car door shut and practically run to the building where you enter at exactly 8:30am. Just as you let out a sigh of relief, you hear a deep voice resonating beside you.

“Cutting it a bit close, don’t you think Miss y/l/n?” Namjoon raises an eyebrow at you and you see him standing in the foyer with some kind of a checklist. Clearly signing people in. Talk about tyrannical. You bite your lower lip and he moves towards you, one of his hands ghosting on your waist as he leans down to your ear.

“The dress is nice,” he tells you quietly, smirking. You open your mouth to say something back, but no words come out, your chin instead dipping down to your chest.

“I’ll see you in my office this evening then,” he takes a step back, “And don’t be so risky tomorrow, Miss y/l/n. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to have to face the punishment.” The corners of his mouth seem to lift ever so slightly, and you frown, not entirely convinced he is talking about getting fired, or something other than that. Pig.

He then strides away, as if nothing just happened, and you can breathe again. You move towards the reception desk and greet Jihee, still a bit dumbfounded.

“I think he likes you,” she smiles, excited. You shake your head and frown.

“I don’t care if he does or not. I have Yoongi,” you persist.

She rolls her eyes from her chair behind the desk, “y/n, that doesn’t mean you can’t find him attractive—”

“Yeah, it does. I’m dedicated to my boyfriend.” Although you’re the one saying the words, it doesn’t feel like they’re entirely authentic. You are dedicated to Yoongi, in many respects, but does wanting something— someone— else make you less so?

Never. Because you don’t.

You tell her all about your first meeting with Namjoon and talking to him in his office. You also tell her you’re seeing him tonight to discuss your presentation.

“And you came here looking like that?” she gapes, and you remember you barely brushed your hair and didn’t have time to shower— you haven’t even looked in a mirror since last night. You must look gross.

“I woke up late,” you sigh, groaning.

“If you want, you can go take a shower at my place during lunch,” she offers, and you accept immediately. She lives just next to the office so it’s easy to get there and back quickly, and you offer in return to take her out tomorrow with Jimin as a thank you, then head up to your office.

Lunch cannot come around quick enough; you feel revolting. You practically race out of the office and down to reception where Jihee gives you her keys. You cross the road and go up into her apartment and just the steam from the shower makes you feel better, scrubbing away all of the dirt from yesterday and today and washing your hair of grease and oil with Jihee’s mandarin-scented shampoo.

You dry off your hair and borrow some of Jihee’s make-up: some foundation, a bit of mascara, some pink-y red lip stain. You look and feel a hell of a lot better once you’re headed back to the office, with freshly washed hair and some deodorant on. You walk back into reception and over to Jihee who looks you up and down and sighs.

“You’re so effortlessly pretty,” she pouts. You laugh at her, shaking your head.

“You saw me earlier, right?” You grin and she chuckles before taking back her key from your offered hand.

“So are you excited for later?” She speaks in a far more hushed tone as you perch against the desk, tapping your fingers on the marble surface warily.

“I don’t know- I don’t know what to think,” you run your tongue over your top teeth and purse your lips. Your eyes dart about the room in a futile attempt to look for something to distract you.

“I think you should be. Y/n, I don’t think you’re appreciating the possibilities,” she tells you.

“Jihee, I have a boyfriend,” you try to tell her as she smirks, but she simply shrugs in response and turns back to her computer.

“Doesn’t mean you can’t, y’know, get in his good books as Jimin might put it,” she grins. You choose to ignore her and tell her if you don’t see her later then you will tomorrow.

Back in your office, you slump into the chair with what feels like the weight of the world on your chest. Jimin’s left a little note on the computer screen telling you he is out scouting locations for an upcoming event with a co-worker and Jen told him you’re taking the two of them out for drinks tomorrow night. You switch on the desktop and scroll through your most recent emails, a little shocked to find one from Mr Kim, your old boss. You open it up and find he has asked you to come and see him in his new office on floor 7 whenever is convenient. Odd. You frown at the email, first to ensure it’s actually meant for you and then trying to figure out as to what he would possibly want to see you for; he was always very kind to you, yes, but never more so than other colleagues.

You send an e-mail back, telling him you’ll come now.

You walk deliberately slow down the corridor after exiting the lift at floor 7, analysing all the different names on the doors. This block of offices are far less extravagant than those on the top, such as Mr Kim’s old minimalist, open-plan, beautifully sleek headquarters of which he used to keep the door open at all times, unlike Namjoon. He believed keeping his door open would make his employees more likely to communicate with him and co-operate better. He always put his workers first, before even the success of the business— although he’d probably argue that’s what constructs a prosperous company.

After a minute or so of walking, you’re faced with a silver plaque on a deep, mahogany door that reads ‘MR KIM’. You hesitantly bring up a fist and knock twice gently on the wood. At first, there is no response, so you go to knock again, only for the handle to turn and Mr Kim’s face to be smiling at you, warmly.

“Y/n,” he says, “come in.” He steps back and holds the door open for you as you take an awkward step past, noticing the smell of the pipe he must’ve just been smoking. That was one thing you always appreciated when he used to keep his door open back when he was CEO— it reminded you of your grandfather in front of the fire at Christmas when you were a child, smoking his black gold tobacco he saved for special occasions while your grandmother nagged at him to take it outside, so you nor your brother would inhale the steam. He’d always stay, of course, insisting he couldn’t enjoy it anywhere else. You got a lot of your stubbornness from him.    

Mr Kim pulls out a chair for you to sit and seats himself comfortably on the other side of the desk opposite. He leans back slightly, shifting in the chair while he takes a breath

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve asked you here,” he announces, smiling a tad awkwardly.

“Yeah,” you laugh slightly. “A little…”

“Well I wanted to talk to you about my son.” His question takes you by surprise— you’ve barely spoken to his son.

“Namjoon?”

“I am sure you are aware I demoted myself to this position to help him starting off at this company,” he tells you, “but that stubborn boy isn’t telling me anything. He’s shut me out. He thinks he is capable of running this place entirely on his own and I am just a burden, I-“ He stops himself, dropping his head as he pinches the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.  

“I just need someone I trust to keep an eye out for him. I know this is a lot to ask of you and I am in no way asking you to spy on him I just,” he fumbles for the right choice of words, “I just want to make sure my son isn’t hiding his failures from me. I don’t want him to be forced to ask me for help because he has really messed up one day. I want him to stay stable until he is capable enough to start taking some risks.” You sit across from him in absolute awe.

“But he seems so sure of himself,” you speak, startled.

Mr Kim chuckles at you, “I have no doubts he does think highly of his abilities. Right now, he feels more than capable, I’m just worried he isn’t considering the responsibility of running a company that has hundreds of employees relying on their paycheques.” You nod in response, understandingly. You’ve never seen this side of him; a father concerned about his son, but it doesn’t really come as a surprise. If he cared so much for his employees, he must care immensely for his own relatives.

“So, what do you think? Just keep an eye out for me? Just tell me if he says or does anything out of the ordinary; anything that makes you even the slightest bit concerned.” His eyes are pleading, and you don’t know if you’re able to say no.

“I can’t guarantee he’ll even talk to me very much,” you disclose, honestly.

“A gorgeous girl like you?” Mr Kim looks at you incredulously, “I know my son, and I know you, y/n.” He smiles knowingly. What’s that supposed to mean?

With a somewhat reluctant sigh, you agree. You feel a little guilty, as if you’re prying into your boss’s personal life unjustly, but you cannot reject the man looking so stressed about his son in front of you.

You continue to chat for a while, just about life and the company. He really must be a wonderful father. It’s a shame that Namjoon’s cut him off like this; he doesn’t deserve it.

When you leave, you feel a little more confident in your position here now Mr Kim is clearly on your side, in case anything were to happen. It’s reassuring to know he trusts you— even better, he likes you. You feel a little giddy and smile to yourself slightly as you step off the lift at the top floor, about to head to your office. However, as you fleetingly glance to the right, down towards Namjoon’s office, you stomach drops. What the—

[asras-damn-smirk]

If you're still doing 5 word prompts, can you do "I want you to know" for fluff boi Asra please?

[heeey! this is kinda long. my love for this fluff cutie knows no bounds. hope you enjoy!]

Asrasits across from Nadi, the table between them full of succulenttreats he’s had a hankering for since stepping foot in her chambers.Though his focus isn’t on the food, despite her telling him to spoilhimself. He knows he should be attentive, but his mind is elsewhere.Even though he’s gotten better about being able to be apart from you,he couldn’t remove you from his thoughts completely. Warmth builds inhis chest as he recalls the urgent yet sweet kiss you’d given himbefore pushing him out of the shop.

However,he can’t help wondering. Why the hurry? It was almost like you wantedhim out of the way. Also, you were insistent on having Faust’scompany…which isn’t too odd. Faust has always been a constantcompanion to you. What makes him suspicious is that she never turnsdown a trip to see Nadi. She gets all her favorite snacks from her,after all.

Justwhat are you two planning?

“Iknow that look, Asra,” Nadi declares from the lip of her tea cup.Her eyes glitter with amusement as she sips. “Your mind is on yourbeloved, isn’t it?”

Ablush darkens his cheeks. “I guess I’m that obvious, huh?”

Sheraises an elegant eyebrow, as if saying that he shouldn’t thinkotherwise. Asra shifts his weight onto his hands when he leans back,smiling. Of course he’s just an open book to her. Perhaps he shouldseek out her advice. Nadi has always been a wonderful source ofsupport for him.

“Sorryfor not paying attention. It’s just…I’ve never seen them so eagerto send me out before,” he explains, smile turning into anuncertain grim line. He stirs his lukewarm tea with a spoon, castinga forlorn gaze at his reflection. “It makes me think I’ve gottenclingy with them all over again and maybe this was their way oftelling me. Perhaps I’m imagining it, but I don’t know what I shoulddo.”

Returningto those days where he was consumed by his love for you is hisdeepest fear. Ever since he’s made a promise to you and himself thathe won’t be so dependent on you emotionally. There would be timeswhere he’d wake up in a cold sweat because he’d have nightmares thatyou’d left him due to him worrying over you too much or being tooreliant on your presence. Despite him doing nothing of the sort, Asrastill frets over the thought that he could lose you at any time.

“MayI ask you something?” Nadi asks, violet tresses falling over hershoulder. When he nods, she puts down her cup and leans forward,interlocking her fingers. “Given what you’ve been through together,don’t you think they wouldn’t waste time in telling you how theyfeel?”

Asragives another wordless nod, mind traveling back to the past oncemore. His heart gives a painful twinge as he revisits bad memories.Yes, you’ve both been through the worst and that has strengthenedmany bonds between you, communication included. If you had a problemwith anything he’s done, he’d usually be aware of it. Either becauseyou told him or he’d already know due to how familiar he is with yourbody language. So there’s no way he could miss any discomfort youhad.

Right?

Thetea cup returns to Nadi’s hands. The ring on her finger gleams in away that reminds him of your smile. “It seems like you have youranswer,” she says. “If your thoughts are so occupied by them, Idon’t see why you should remain here. Go to them.” A smirk aftershe takes a long sip of her tea.  “Who knows? There might be asurprise in store.”    

Hiseyes widen. The lilt in her voice suggests that she’s more informedthan she lets on. Leave it to his close friend to plot around him ifit means him getting the surprise of his life. If she’s involved,then maybe there isn’t too much to worry about than he thought. Thefear swirling in his gut disperses, snuffed out by a morelighthearted suspicion. His own smirk makes an appearance when heleans forward.

Histone is warm and playful. “Nadi.”

“Hmm?”

“Youknow something.”

Sheclears her throat theatrically at the accusation, acting as thoughshe’s miffed by her eager tongue.  “Oh dear. I’ve entertained youenough, it seems. At least take some refreshments before you go?”

Asrais already gone.

Heuses magic to hasten his trip back to the shop, nearly sprinting hisway there. Footsteps quiet as he steps inside, he scans the entrywayfor activity. You’re nowhere to be seen. The lantern has been putout, the only sources of light seeming to be miniature paper versionsthat hang from the ceiling. Decorations? Anticipation quickens hispulse. You’ve been busy. Just what is the occasion?

Decidingagainst calling you and Faust, Asra listens for any sign of yourpresence. He hears the sound of your voice coming from the backroomand follows it, staying right outside of the curtain. Peeking aroundit just a bit allows him to see the loveliest sight he’s ever laideyes on. You’re sitting on a pile of pillows, dressed in a vibrantred outfit—much like the one you wore at the Masquerade years ago.You’ve taken to wearing the color more and he hasn’t stopped beingeven more head over heels when you do. Faust is with you and sheseems to be wearing something he can’t identify on her head. Shewaits as you speak to her.

“Asra…eventhough I’ve said it countless times before, I want you to know,”you declare, much to his confusion. “I want you to know how muchyour love and devotion means to me. You’ve been so strong for themost of us—”

“Both!”

“Bothof us! You’re right, Faust. I thought I’d have this down already! Howam I ever going to propose?”

Fausttilts her head, the tiny white wig she’s wearing nearly flopping tothe pillow she’s perched on. Is she supposed to be him? Asra would’vestifled a laugh, but he’s so touched and full of adoration. So thisis what you’re up to? A proposal? And to think he thought himself anuisance—

Aproposal.

Asragasps, hit with a long overdue realization. He’d been so overtaken byrelief that he failed to take in the gravity of the situation.You…you want to marry him? He knows that almost everyone in townhad considered you both a married couple, what with being in eachother’s company often. But…to actually make it official seemeddaunting yet wonderful to him.

“Asra!”you exclaim, having spotted him. Many emotions fly across your face,disappointment and shock standing out the most. “Nadia said you’dbe home a little later! Oh…oh, no. How long have you been there?”

“Longenough. I’m sorry,” he replies, his expression apologetic.

Youbring your arms around him. “It’s okay. Just…if you don’t mind,could I finish what I was saying?”

Asranods, his smile bright as you link your fingers with his. He might’veoverheard part of your proposal, but you figure he’d be delighted tohear it regardless. Your jittery nerves are apparent in the way youhold yourself, but he kisses the back of your hand to encourage you.This is what you love about him. He never ceases in showing how he’shere for you. You’re so fortunate to have him and it’s your deepestdesire that he’ll be yours for as long as possible.

“Eventhough I’ve said it countless times before, I want you to know. Iwant you to know how much your love and devotion means to me. You’vebeen so strong for the both of us, on many occasions and I’m sograteful for that. For you.”

Judgingby the tears forming in his eyes, Asra senses the gratitude you havefor him in every syllable. You hope that he feels as warm and lightas you do. After placing a kiss upon his hand, you put it againstyour cheek to nuzzle it.

“Ilove you so much,” you continue. “I love how understanding andkind you are. You don’t hesitate to give. So I’d like to take a pageout of your book and give myself to you…” You take out a ring andpresent it to him. The jewel encrusted into it is the same type ofjewel found on his necklace. Your lover makes a surprised noise, awatery chuckle leaving him. “Asra, will you please marry me?”

Hisresponse is immediate and jubilant. “Yes! Of course I will.”

Hetakes your face in his hands and kisses you. Once, twice, threetimes. You both break out in a peal of giddy laughter, hands strokingthrough hair and gently caressing skin. Once you find it in yourselfto part, you slip the ring on his finger.  He seems to glow with joynow that he’ll soon be your spouse. You kiss him again, on the cheekwhile Faust coils around your joined hands.

“Married?”she asks, excited.

“Soon,”you both reply.

You’re lost in each other’s gazes, as eager as she is.

[5hfanfiction]

The Maid - Chapther 1

A/N: So I thought of this  idea two days ago and since I was bored af I decided to write it. It was supposed to be a one shot, but I got too excited. That rhymed, oh damn. lol

Omniscient Narrator

Lauren Jauregui was one of the most well-known business women not only in Miami, Florida. She owned a company named after her last name that made millions and millions of dollars every month, making her one of the richest people in the United States.

All of this wasn’t handed to her by God and it wasn’t any kind of luck like some people would say, she was able to achieve all of this power by working her ass off while she was in college and if you add to that her intelligence and her innate ability to make business her success was pretty much understandable. As if all of that wasn’t enough she also possessed an undeniable beauty that didn’t go unnoticed by the media, earning her a lot of first cover pictures in several renowned magazines.

But there was a side of Lauren Jauregui that nobody really knew and that was because she made sure to hide it deep within her. When people first encountered her they would feel intimidated by everything that that woman emanated, her power, intelligence and beauty. She could have any man or woman she wanted in her bed, but she didn’t. She didn’t go to parties and beside the hours she spent at work she barely left her home, she had always been like that, an introvert. In college, when her friends, yes she actually had friends, would hang out they would’ve to literally insist for her to join them for approximately 20 minutes before she finally accepted. It’s not like she didn’t know how to talk to people, in fact some classmates found her funny because she would always make silly jokes in class or at launch time, but it was the fact that she neglected going to social gatherings what made her not have social experiences.

Regardless her cold personality when interacting with people, she actually managed to have a boyfriend her first year of college only because he was the one that approached her and asked her out, Lauren accepted since she felt like she needed to experience being with someone, at that time she still hadn’t even had her first kiss yet.

 Despite of her inexperience in that department she had always been a really sexual person, ever since she turned 14 and discovered all the pleasure her own hand and touch could bring her. Her relationship with Brad didn’t last more than three months, she got bored of the fact that he was being too clingy and constantly pressuring her to go out with him. She felt like she never really loved him, she had first agreed to be with him to experience her sexuality but her desires were far from romantic. Since that relationship she hadn’t had sex or been in a relationship with anyone and she was almost 26 years old.

Lauren was the type of person that felt more comfortable alone than with people, even her friend, but when she was alone there was still a part of her that wanted to get out of that loneliness. She desired to be alone, but still she hated being lonely.

Lauren’s POV

I had just moved into my new house three days ago, well… it was more like a mansion than just a big house. It was placed near the coast since I always loved the beach, it was really modern and its architecture was certainly unique, it had a huge glass windows in the living room allowing you to enjoy the beautiful view of the imposing sea.

It was Wednesday night and I was at my home’s office room working on some stuff for work and arranging details regarding my new place. When I finally finished I stood up and checked my watch, it was almost 11p.m and I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch. It had only been three days since my beloved maid Maria had renounced because of health problems, it wasn’t anything serious she was just getting too old for this job. However, I was already going crazy, I needed someone to cook, wash my clothes and clean the house because I didn’t have time nor clue on how to do that.

I decided to go out and buy some pre prepared food, I chose lasagna and was really excited because I fucking loved lasagna. After following the instructions and serving it on a plate I brought a spoonful to my mouth and after tasting it I literally shed tears. “Oh my god that shit is disgusting. People eat that? Why would you do that to lasagna?” I said to myself with a look of displeasure plastered on my face. I really couldn’t last one more second living like this. I needed a maid as perfect as Maria was and since I trusted her to death I decided to call her and ask her if she knew someone who could help me.

“Ya se quien le puede servir señorita Lauren” (I know who can help you Miss Lauren) Maria said over the phone after spending some seconds thinking.

“En serio? Quien?” (Really?Who?) I answered excitedly. If Maria was recommending her, she must be good.

“Se llama Camila Cabello, es mi sobrina. Escuche que necesita dinero extra y es muy buena en las cosas de la casa. Su mamá le ha enseñado de pequeña ya que tenía que cuidar a su hermana menor.” (Her name is Camila Cabello, she’s my niece. I heard she needs some extra money and she’s really good at housework. Her mother has taught her how to do house work since she was young because she had to take care of her little sister) Maria explained.

“Bueno, si usted dice que es buena, la acepto. ¿Sabe cómo la puedo contactar?” (Well, if you say she’s good then I´ll take her. Do you now a way I can contact your niece?) I replied expectantly.

After Maria gave me the new maid’s phone number I decided that it was too late to call her, its better if I wait till tomorrow.

—-

It was 11 a.m. the next day and I was at my company, sitting in my office chair working nonstop, I’ve been there since 8a.m so I needed a break desperately. As I threw my head backwards to try and rest for a second I remembered that I needed to call this Camila girl and ask her if she was willing to work for me and be my new maid.

I dialed the number I had saved the night before and waited for someone to answer. After some seconds a slightly raspy but feminine voice was heard. “Hello?”

“Hello, Camila, right?” Lauren asked.

 “Yes. And I guess you’re Laur- I mean Miss Jauregui.” Camila replied.

“Y-yes actually, I am” I said a little taken aback by the confidence present in the girl’s voice. I wasn’t used to it, people often felt intimidated by me. “How do you know my name?”

“My aunt told me you were going to call. She said it was a great opportunity and then she started screaming at me in Spanish to not fuck it u- oh sorry, to not mess it up for like an hour.” She confessed and I slightly chuckled due to her attempt at covering up her cursing.

 “You know what I need then?” I questioned as I played with a pen in my hands.

“Yep, basically housework and cooking. I’m super good, trust me, I’ve been helping my mom in the house since I was eight so yeah, I’m ok with the job.” Camila said confidently, trying to convince me that she was suitable for the job.”Emmm, I need to know the schedule though, like the days and time you need me to be there because I’m in college and I can’t skip any classes.”

“Wow, you’re in college I thought you were going to be older?” I asked surprised by what she had just said.

“Ah, yes. Do you have a problem with that? I mean, were you looking for like an older lady or something?” Camila asked and I could sense she was worried or disappointed.

“No, not at all, I was surprised that’s all. I don’t care as long as you are good and hardworking, that I’m sure you are” I explained myself. “Oh and in relation to the working days I only need you to come three times a week, I think that’s reasonable. And regarding the time, I really don’t care as long as you do your job so you can decide what schedule is best for you” I explained as I stood up from my chair and started walking towards the large glass window that gave me a wonderful view of the city.

“Ah, thank you. I need this job, but I don’t want my grades to be affected. Wait, let me check” Camila said and went silent, I assumed she was revising her college time table. “Ok. What about Tuesdays and Thursdays from six to eight p.m and Saturdays in the morning. Is that okay?”

The fact that she was worried about her grades made me believe that she was a really hard working person which was just perfect and everything I wanted from my workers. “That’s great. I’m usually at work at that time on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I can give you an extra key for you to get inside the house” Lauren replied and internally celebrated because she would no longer have to eat those meals that tasted like paperboard. She felt like this girl would do her job right.

Lauren’s trail of thought was cut off when her secretary entered her office. “Lauren, Mr Callender is here, he says it’s important.” Normani explained with a wary look on her face because she wasn’t planning on interrupting Lauren’s conversation over the phone.

Lauren made an ok sings with her hand. “Sorry Camila, I got to go. I’ll text you all the details later. Have a nice day.” Lauren apologized.

“No problem, see you soon.” Camila replied after ending the call.

—–

Camila’s POV

It was already Saturday morning, two days have passed since my conversation with Miss Jauregui. I knew this woman was rich as hell, but my aunt had also told me that she was a really nice person, she was really humble and always treated her kindly.

I was on my way to Miss Jauregui’s house, it wasn’t that far from mine, but not close either. I took the bus my aunt suggested because it dropped me off only two blocks away from Lauren’s house. I was super nervous since it was my first job as a housemaid, but when I thought about all the money my billionaire boss was willing to pay me all my nervousness would disappear.

After getting off the bus, I started walking towards what I thought was Miss Jauregui’s house according to the instructions she had sent me the night before. “Well, holy shit” I whispered to myself as I studied the house. “That’s not a house, that’s a freaking mansion.”

I started walking to the main entrance through a garden path that was surrounded by some beautiful and colorful flowers, the whole front garden was just gorgeous. When I reached the door I took a deep breath and rang the bell. I waited for more than 20 seconds and when I was about to try again the door swung open and I almost fell on my ass because of what I saw.

“Oh, hello Camila. You’re right on time” the goddess in front of me said. I was just speechless, this girl was the most beautiful girl I´ve ever seen and I wasn’t exaggerating. Her eyes were the first thing that called my attention, they were strikingly green and so penetrating that I had to avert my gaze down. That wasn’t the best thing to do either because when I looked down I caught a glimpse of her body and realized that she was only wearing a sports bra on and some tight leggings, she was probably having a work out session when I rang the bell. Her body was just as attractive as her face, I could see a hint of her abs and I felt like I was dying. She was just fucking hot, I don’t know why I was expecting a thirty year old cat women that just happened to be rich. But now that I remember I did find her voice attractive when we talked the other day. I was so fucked, oh my God. 

—-

A/N: Hey Guy I’m going back to college in like five days and I’ll prob not have that much free time, but if you enjoy this I’ll try to continue. Sorry for any mistakes Englich isn’t my first language. Have a nice day.

I’ll post this on my wattpadd too. @sofiasbangtan