#we really fucking hate painting for 30 seconds and getting too close for 1 second and getting runs in the paint

[demoness-one]

Hooray painting we fucking hate painting

[sugar-petals]

can you give us more thoughts about domestic yoongles? the taemin's one (wich I love) just made me miss the cat boy so much ;o;

i have a phd in househusband yoongi so let me fire out some ideas for ya.

myg at home headcanon

🐱 word count. 1.9k | fluff, slice of life, slight nsfw mentions, x reader, bullet points

The doorbell sound is a recording of Yoongi imitating a doorbell. He’s such a meme. Ceci n'est pas une pipe.

Seemingly, he teaches himself a new recipe every week. To perfection. Yoongi is very particular about sticking to the recipe and wielding his kitchen tools in the right way. He collects knives, olive oil, and still hates cutting onions.

He separates sleep time, work time, and couple time as the holy trinity. For each, he switches his mood.

Blushes easily no matter for how long you’ve been together.

Establishes his own radio show where he DJs at one point.

Yoongi keeps an extreme track on the garbage schedule. He knows exactly what is due when. Separating the trash is a must. That includes sorting out fake friends trying to get between your relationship. Your social circle as a couple is extremely deliberate.

Yoongi deems himself a terrible host for guests. Unless Hoseok is there to drag him out, it's true he rather stays in the kitchen or at the barbecue preparing the menu courses rather than making small talk. He leaves the hospitality bits to you, however you want to go about it.

What he lacks in conversing with guests, he makes up in bed, God is absolutely fair.

He sings and hums pretty often and has his own vernacular of extraterrestrial uwu noises. It's an alphabet that you have to yet decipher but it's incredibly cute.

Self-made paintings everywhere around his house. 

Yoongi hasn't gone clubbing since grammar school. The most he does is going to a restaurant at lunch with very close friends. And always in a work context. His private life is so secluded from everything else and paparazzi just don't spot him anywhere, Dispatch thinks he must live abroad.

Very well, he does consider his big ole house a separate country. It's a living organism with a studio, gym, trophy room, small-size basketball court, and vastly equipped kitchen. A home theater as well, he likes American movies (like Inception) and Korean action genres, and you can stream whatever you fancy in there whenever you like. 

Yes, he has underwear with cute little bears on.

There's even a little pond in the backyard. Yoongi, Pisces he is, likes fishes after all. Sometimes he sits at the edge of the 'Little Ole Min Lake (LOML)' and stares into the water for literal hours with his chin parked on his palm.

His fridge is so high-tech and futuristic, even Yoongi is rendered clueless by its AI sometimes. The washing machine, too.

Yoongi watches RuPaul’s drag race. What did you expect? He finds it so humorous.

Owns lord knows how many comic collections.

Favorite holiday destination: New York.

Christmas is basically 50% you unveiling new music equipment to him in the garage and Yoongi almost fainting at the sexiness of it. The other 50% is spent holding hands and orgasm after orgasm until the new year since you loose track of time.

Goes on long rants why he’d marry you again every weekend.

Making you presents is his specialty. Always accompanied with a hand-written note. He writes a lot of things by hand for you in general. Texting, basically never. Always on paper.

No sex without a blanket and socks on. Yoongi gets cold very very easily and just doesn’t like showing skin. You buy him a heated blanket for his birthday, he even uses it in his studio chair.

Chronically addicted to making out.

Matching black outfits and glasses.

Laughs at even your worst jokes or phrases you didn’t expect you even uttered.

Yoongi owns the phoniest, most secretive-looking black car ever and nobody knows about it. Even he forgets he owns it, in fact he genuinely acts like it just doesn’t exist. Hilarious. And that guy has a level 1 Korean driver's license. Which allows him to drive trailers and busses and fucking trucks, and construction machines, let that sink in.

It's really a genius curse. Yoongi being put to the test will always deliver but he won't choose to execute his full skillset if he doesn't have to. Well, pragmatic. He's not as phony as he thinks he is, which is even more hilarious.

He uses that behemoth of a car so scarcely because he'd rather have things delivered to his doorstep and he's stingy with gas. Also, he doesn't like traffic and driving because of the traumatic shoulder accident and his tendency to space out. Translation: You drive that thing... that monster... it really is an impressive, fast, and scary machine. 

If someone devious ever even remotely manages to invade his privacy and get past the doubly-installed security system, he has enough money to deal with it no matter what.

If it concerns your privacy, he's a red belt. And owns Jin's number if a taekwondo master is required. Jimin's if it needs someone with kendo skills.

If Yoongi needs someone to go on a complete rampage, Jungkook lives just down the block. He can sprint to Yoongi's bunker I mean mansion within 45 seconds. 30 if it's very urgent. 20 if the reward is an instant ramen splurge with Yoongi's black card.

He has a sexy, glamorous sword collection hanging on the living room wall anyways, so. Who the hell is dumb enough to mess with him and his expensive lawyer in the first place.

But just in case, who knows... Yoongi settles matters shruggingly, anonymously, and with cash and he's too exhausted for violence, but don't underestimate his deter-min-ation and network for emergencies. Also, he is Agust D after all.

He will bonk a naughty burglar or kidnapper across the head with a wooden cooking spoon or take him down by throwing a basketball if the situation requires it. Damn, his reflexes are so fast, a feral cat in motion. So, lean back and sip on your drink of choice. Things are cared for.

If Yoongi is the one being kidnapped or a highly skilled stalker invades the property at night when he's fast asleep (nothing can wake this man during certain hours, strong REM right here): Don't forget that honeyboy is a Dodgers fan. There are signed baseball bats everywhere in this damn house.

In that sense, your parents visiting you here for the first time thought you were an undercover thug couple. Not to worry mom and dad, you both just like sports very much okay.

Yoongi walks around in all black clothes and the rooms are all seemingly dark. Even if you live together, you don't know his skin care routine. It's clear to you he's some sort of vampire.

Since Yoongi always forgets to remove his makeup, you made it a habit to wipe it down when he's about to pass out. He won't lie, he enjoys that kind of affection.

Holly is your resident child. You're essentially a family.

He insists to tackle this by himself, Yoongi sees his therapist monthly. Not shifting responsibility is something he's stubborn about and he pours his emotions into writing. You will do conversation about deeper stuff, but he says it's mostly up to him and his own mind. He dislikes burdening you or opening up too much and it's something to respect rather than force him about. If he wants to share a thought, he will. It doesn’t mean he can’t trust you or sucks at communicating (we know that he’s direct). Yoongi simply can’t put that much pain in such few words nor should you alleviate it for him.

Calls from the manager faze Yoongi as much as Jimin is bothered by gravity. If he’s busy kissing your body slow mo, who the hell dares to disturb his worship. 

This man had so many let-downs and interpersonal catastrophes in his life, he's super discerning with people. Because he rolls that way, during their first meeting Yoongi uses his psychology certificate on your friends. You see him squint at them, he listens very closely. After they pass the vibe check aka meow radar, he befriends them, too.

Yoongi doodles Grammy trophies everywhere to manifest them.

Yoongi shaves his legs.

All the sex toys he’s ever bought are black. Gotta vibe in style.

He spends ridiculous amounts of time in the studio but he's yours for the remainder of the night, breakfast, and he makes a lavish lunch and dinner.

Um, consider his head parked between your legs. The Hongkong line was not a joke.

Doesn’t mind you squishing his cheeks whenever and for how long you like. 

Every other weekend he gets flowers, vouchers, and gifts — not because of fans, they don’t know where his house is, but because he donates so much.

Namjoon often drops by and cleanses the area with his crystals.

Yoongi is a photography major so you can ask him to take professional, ceiling-high black and white shots of you.

Feeding each other food lovingly. Man, this guy got lips.

He set up a library just for you, in the exact historical aesthetic you like the most. Send him the link to any book you want, it's basically in the online shopping cart already. As I said, he wants to make you presents like every week.

Sometimes he sits on the other end studying English videos and vocab while you read. And yes, he's already 95% fluent but pretends being merely intermediate. He knows technical terms even native speakers have never heard of.

He collects pajamas and earrings.

Swears on the phone.

Namjoon being the horniest member is a cover-up story. Yoongi masturbates almost unreasonable amounts of times, by himself and in your arms when going to bed. Not gonna lie, it’s a sight to see his hands at work. He’s almost equally obsessed with fingering you once you ask him.

Yoongi was the one asking you to move in and almost had a nervous meltdown before meeting up with you to tell you just that. 

He’s the little spoon and of course a sleeping burrito to hold tight.

Finds you equally attractive in any state or styling. Yoongi practices what he preaches, he always reacts the same and says the same. 

Jams out to outrageous beats Namjoon sends him by dancing in the studio. You walk in on him every time. Was embarrassed at first, now you dance along.

Has bought you a life-sized Yoongi pillow and customized you a giant Shooky to hug when he’s not at home over night.

Owned a wine cellar until he quit drinking. Turned it into a piano room instead.

Only you know Yoongi has a serpent and dagger tattoo.

Scrubs the bathroom religiously.

The house smells like restaurant food and his extravagant perfumes half of the time.

Sometimes he has to remind himself he’s married to you and not his coffee machine. He shall be forgiven. You can’t complain that he doesn’t love you enough, nor is he ever not adorable when drinking his latte.

Never wears short sleeves. It can be scorching and he’ll wear a jacket. 

Tell him and the cap stays on during sex.

He grows his hair out and puts it in a low bun. The bangs remain.

Yoongi has installed the most fire-proof building in the entire city it seems. That he wanted to be a firefighter when he was young definitely shows. Figures the house has to be protected from heat: His blasting studio music and Yoongi himself are just way too sizzling.

Still melts into a puddle when you kiss his nose.

Couple sunrise watching. 

© submissive-bangtan 2017-2021. all rights reserved. do not repost or translate. all depictions fictional.

[horansqueen]

Stuck With You - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Sweetest Pain

🡪chapter 1  🡪chapter 2  🡪chapter 3  🡪chapter 4  🡪chapter 5  🡪chapter 6  🡪chapter 7  🡪chapter 8  🡪chapter 9  🡪chapter 10  🡪chapter 11 🡪chapter 12 🡪chapter 13 🡪chapter 14 🡪chapter 15 🡪chapter 16 🡪chapter 17 🡪chapter 18 🡪chapter 19 🡪chapter 20 🡪chapter 21 🡪chapter 22 🡪chapter 23 🡪chapter 24 🡪chapter 25 🡪chapter 26 🡪chapter 27 🡪chapter 28 🡪chapter 29 🡪chapter 30

College Enemies To Lovers AU

characters // masterlist // instagrams // mood board

See, I told myself from the start of things You can't rule my heart, you can't pull my strings

But, I'm a fool for you, baby, a fool for your love I'm just a fool for you baby, got me all mixed up I'm just a fool for you, baby and nothing's gonna change And maybe it's my sweetest pain

click here to be on the update list

(check the characters page, i updated it with all the characters!)

DEVON

                                                Everything happened in slow motion. I stared at this girl I had seen on some instagram pictures, this girl I was so jealous of, this girl who made my whole insides twist with fear, and I swallowed hard. I even feel like I recognized her before Niall did but when her name came out of his lips, my heart dropped in my chest. Did he ever say my name that way? I closed my eyes and shook my head slightly. Yes, he had. In fact, he had said my names in many different ways, and most of them were imprinted with feelings.

"Oh my god Niall!"

She walked quickly to him and for some reason, I took a step on the side to give her all the space she needed to wrap her arms around his neck after getting on her tiptoes. He looked in shock and I breathed in deeply when I realized he wouldn't hug her back.

"What are you doing here?"

I could hear slight panic in his voice but when she got back down on her feet and sent him a big smile, it's discomfort I saw in his face.

"Oh I just got back here, you know, I decided I had to get a degree." she shrugged, tilting her head and sending him a smile.

"No more vlogs?"

She laughed and frowned, hitting his arm gently, and I became obsessed with the way she was touching him. It bothered me so much I had to swallow and grab the hem of my shirt tight, twisting the fabric with my fingers to make sure I wouldn't just walk up to her and push her away.

The few days Niall and I had spent alone in his apartment brought me happiness like nothing else before, except maybe when everything was going amazingly well between Henry and I. That's why I knew that having Abby in front of him could make Niall a bit confused about how he felt. Maybe he was happy with me, but he had been in love with that girl, and some things just never leave... some feelings can linger for years after it was over. I knew it, and it scared me to look at this perfect painting right in front of me. Niall and Abby were perfect models for a photoshoot in a magazine, and the way they seemed attracted physically to each other was heartbreaking. It made me wonder what people actually saw when I was walking around with Niall, but I knew it was nothing compared to the sight in front of me.

"Oh no I still have my channel!" she chuckled, reaching for his hand and squeezing it a bit.

I swallowed again and after a while, we ended up sitting in the living room. For some reason, I ended up next to Niall on the couch but Abby was sitting on the floor in front of him. I hated that sight and when she put her hands on his knees, I held my breath, staring at them. I wanted to get up and run away but I was frozen and finally looked up. I immediately met Louis' eyes and he shook his head before grabbing his phone and typing something on it. It took a second or two and my phone beeped, catching my attention but also Niall's, who turned his head slightly to look at me. He bent down to talk to me but Abby got up on her knees, her hands now on his thighs, bringing his attention back to her. I knew she was doing it on purpose but what really hurt me was the fact that it worked.

'You stay right where you are. Don't let her push you away. That's her thing.'

I looked up at Louis and he raised his eyebrows. I had so many questions and even if I felt like Niall had opened up a lot about his ex, It was now obvious to me that I didn't know much.

"I was thinking maybe you could sneak in my room some night this week?" I heard her say, making my heart jump so high in my throat I thought I was about to throw it up. "Like you used to."

"Are you fucking serious?"

The words had escaped my lips without thinking and my heart started thumping hard against my chest. Her eyebrows raised and her head turned to me but I held her gaze when her eyes met mine.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, are you fucking serious?" I repeated in a mean tone. "After breaking his heart you just come back and act like nothing's happened? Like you can just snap your fingers and get him back?"

I was mad, a bit tipsy, and sadder than I had been in a long time. I wanted Niall to be the one to push her away but he was just sitting there, acting like all this was normal, and it made me want to cry. I wondered what he would have told her if I hadn't said anything and at the same time, I was scared to find out.

"Why do you even care?" she asked rudely, sending me a frown. I held my breath and glanced at Niall, making her chuckle. "Oh, someone's got a crush."

"And someone's got a fucking big ego." I replied quickly, trying to hide the fact that her words had embarrassed me.

"Who the fuck are you anyway?"

I was not the only one pissed, now. Abby was staring at me like she wanted to jump of me and rip my face off. I wanted to answer her but the problem was, I had no idea who I was. I was not Niall's girlfriend, I had made sure about it. I was his friend, of course, but I was so much more than that, or at least I wanted to believe it. Telling her I was the girl he was shagging was also a bad idea because it didn't mean much, and it certainly didn't mean anything to her.

"No one, yea, that's what I thought." Abby added with a smug smile. "Mind your own fucking business."

I swallowed my pain but I knew I was tearing up despite myself and I quickly got up, grabbed my hoodie and left, closing the door roughly behind myself. It was a mix of everything that made me so emotional and I hated it.  I was tipsy, scared, sad and mad, probably mostly at myself. It was so pathetic it angered me more than I thought it would. What did I promise myself when I left my old college? I had promised myself not to be this vulnerable girl anymore, I had promised myself that I wouldn't let my guard down. But here I was, letting some stupid girl affect me because of a man I was having sex with. It was ridiculous and I let some angry tears fall down my cheeks without wiping them off.

I was far from campus and I quickly put my hoodie on before wrapping my arms around myself. Snow had melted but it was still quite cold outside, especially for a twenty minutes walk, and I shivered as I walked. My feet made noise on the cement, echoing on the deserted street and it made me realize how late it was,

I could have sworn I had heard my name but just shook my head and sighed. It was probably the alcohol or the wind, or so I thought, but when I heard it again, my heart skipped a beat. The sound of his shoes on the sidewalk made a lot more noise than mine : he was running. I didn't want to turn around because I didn't want him to see me cry but eventually, I felt his hand on my arm and my body immediately relaxed.

"Devie!" he let out again, making me stop walking. He was panting, I could hear him, and when I turned around, I noticed his thin lips parted and his chest moving as he tried to catch his breath. "I was yelling your name, didn't you hear?"

"What are you doing here, Niall?" I asked, ignoring his question. "Shouldn't you be up there,  planning a night with your ex girlfriend?"

"Oh stop that." he frowned, suddenly very annoyed.

"Stop what? You said you wouldn't give her a chance to break your heart again! Look at you now! She's back and you're stuck to her! Attracted like a magnet, like-like a lost puppy!"

"Seriously?" he replied a bit too loud. "I just fucking ran after you and you say those things to me?"

"Why are you letting her flirt with you when she broke you?" I argued again. "Why didn't you just tell her off?"

"And why would I do that, Devon?" My lips parted mostly at the fact that he called me by my whole first name. I couldn't remember the last time he actually did that. "I mean what are we, Devon? What the fuck are we? Two idiots who fuck?" he threw his arms up and scoffed, shaking his head. "Because I love you! I fucking love you and you fucking know it! But you're pushing me away, over and over again! And I'm so fucking tired of it!"

His confession made something stir inside my chest and I teared up again. He loved me. He fucking loved me, he said. I was speechless and I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

"And this whole situation is starting to be dangerously similar to the relationship I had with Abby! Can't you see it?"

"Don't compare me to her!" I pointed out, taking a step closer as he laughed without amusement.

"But it's true okay!" he argued loud, passing his hand on his face. "You're with me but you're not with me! You know I love you but you don't want me to say it! You're keeping me around why? What for, Devon? As an entertainment?"

I felt nauseous suddenly and swallowed, trying not to throw up. "N-Niall.."

"That is what Abby did, okay?" I saw him tear up, his eyes watering and gleaming as the moon reflected on them. He was so pretty that it made my heart sink in my chest. "I love having sex with you, but you made sure we were not a couple! So you don't have the right to get pissed and tell me what I should and shouldn't do! You don't get to tell me what to do and how to feel when you can't even admit that you love me!"

I was so hurt at that point that I let tears freely fall on my cheeks. I was mad at him for throwing all these truths in my face, and also for what he was actually doing with his ex girlfriend, whether it was conscious or not, and I was mad at myself for letting all of this affect me.

"Fuck you." I let out calmly, pressing my lips together to stop myself from sobbing.

"Yea, I did that." he replied gently this time, passing his hand in his hair. "But that's not gonna happen again."

He turned around to leave as something hurt so much in my stomach that it felt like someone had literally hit me so hard that I couldn't breathe anymore.

"Look, I'll just... I'll give you a ride home okay?"

"No." I replied, turning around before I continued walking.

"Devie, I don't think it's safe that you just walk alone so late." he explained, genuinely concerned. "I'll send you Louis, okay?"

I stopped walking and heard the short conversation he had with Louis. It took about ten minutes of awkward silence before Louis arrived and it felt like an hour. I saw them shake hands and hug before Louis whispered something to Niall. When he finally left, I turned around and started sobbing, feeling Louis' arms wrap around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"It's gonna be alright." he whispered in my hair as I gripped the back of his shirt like my life depending on it. "I promise."

I didn't answer. I just let him hold me tight against him until I was too tired and we finally walked back to our rooms. When I opened mine, it was dark and I sniffed, turning around to send a sad smile to my best friend.

"Thanks, Louis."

"Hey, do you want to sleep in my room?"

"No, thanks." I shook my head a bit. "I need to be alone."

"Alright, but I'm only a few steps away, if you need me."

I took off my shoes as soon as the door closed behind me and did the same with my clothes. I stared at my bed, realizing I hadn't slept in it in a long time. In  the past few days, I had slept in Niall's bed with him, and I knew I was going to miss that. I grabbed his shirt that was on hos bed and hesitated but finally put it on before slithering between the sheets of my bed. I stared at the ceiling and swallowed hard again, trying not to cry more. It was exhausting to cry and I had cried way too much because of my last relationship.

I couldn't help but wonder what Niall was doing, and if he was with her. I was so jealous I wanted to scream but I was too tired to do anything. I finally let warm tears fall down my neck, leaving them to die on my pillow. He was probably with her, whispering her name the way he whispered mine when we had sex, and I gripped my blanket hard with both hands until my knuckles turned white. Despite being exhausted, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep at all, but about an hour and a half later, the door opened and closed. I made sure I remained motionless and he threw his keys on the desk, stopping by my bed and standing close to me for a few minutes. He finally moved away and took his clothes off, getting in his bed. My heart was beating fast and as it slowly got back to normal, I realized how relieved I felt that he didn't spent the night with her. I didn't know what had happened when he got back at Lewis' or what happened in those hours we were apart, but at least he was there and it was enough for now.

--

However, when I woke up, Niall was already gone. I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes before that aching pain came back. I had lost him and he was probably going to go back to his ex girlfriend now. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe in and out slowly for a while before getting up and getting dressed. I kept glancing at the hoodie he had left on his bed and I licked my lips before grabbing it. I just couldn't resist and put it on without remorse. I grabbed my book and walked out, knowing I was a bit early for my classes, which was seriously a first.

"Hey! Devon right?"

I blinked a few times and frowned, putting my hand over my eyes to hide the morning sun. I saw Mandy who was sending me a big smile and took a step closer. She was gorgeous, even so early in the day, and I sent her a smile back.

"Hey, how are you?"

"Good! And you? How are things with Niall?" she asked, genuinely curious. "He's not with you?"

"Mm, no, he's probably with.. Abby."

I had no idea if he was, in fact, with Abby. It was just a wild guess but somehow, I preferred to expect the worst so the truth didn't just blow up in my face. Perhaps it was a bad habit but I couldn't help it.

"Oh god, she's back now." she let out with a hint of bitterness. "You know she used to be my friend?" My eyes opened wider in surprise and I shook my head. "Niall didn't tell you? Yea we used to be very close but, it's hard to keep up with Abby, and if she gets tired of you just just gets rid of you. She's not doing it on purpose, she just wants things so bad she doesn't know when to stop."

"People too."

Mandy's eyes roamed on me and she nodded. "Yea, people too. Like when she wanted Niall's best friend. She didn't give up until she had him. I have no idea why she dated Niall afterwards. Probably because at some point, I told her he was cute. She couldn't risk it."

The more I learned about Abby, the worst it got. I was scared of her now, scared of what she would do and scared of how she would do it.

"She's not a bad person!" Mandy quickly added. "She's got her fair share of good qualities. She juts has history with Niall, so you may want to do something about it."

"There's nothing to do." I shrugged, feeling my heart shatter again in my chest. "I'm not gonna beg him to choose me."

Mandy frowned and took a step closer, hiding the sun. I could clearly see her face and she seemed confused and worried all at the same time. It was a miracle that Niall hadn't fallen in love with someone like her... a miracle for me. I wouldn't stand a chance against her.

"You don't want to fight for him?"

"Why should I have to fight for someone who's going back to the girl who broke his heart?" i argued, not even sure of what I was saying.

"Maybe you should fight for what you two have instead. Fight to save that relationship, whatever it is. Fight because you want it, and because you love him. he fought for you, didn't he?"

I blinked a few times, staring at the pretty girl in front of me, and finally nodded. "He did."

"Then fight for this. Not for his love, no. But for your love." she added with a fond smile. "He's worth it, don't you think? That relationship is worth it."

I frowned a bit and tilted my head. There was something in her voice, like an hint of nostalgia I didn't understand.

"Do you love him?" I finally asked curiously, unsure if she was actually going to tell me the truth.

"No." she chuckled, shaking her head and sending me a bit smile. "But I could have, perhaps."

I smiled back and we stared at each other for a few seconds before she breathed in and sighed. "And if it doesn't work, let me know. My brother thinks you're cute."

This time, I let out a louder laugh. "Yea, right."

"It's true!" she argued, her lips curling on the left. "People around you don't see you the way you see yourself because from what I can tell, you really don't think highly about who you are, and you should."

I had no idea what to answer to that and my heart jumped in my chest when I heard my phone. Mandy sent me a smile and waved gently at me as a goodbye before turning around and leaving. I sighed again and grabbed my phone, quickly checking my messages but I swallowed hard when I realized it was Louis. In that two seconds of not knowing, I had wished it was Niall messaging me and it told me just how fucked I actually was.

I checked the time on my phone and just decided to skip class as I felt the need to paint. I was inspired and if I didn't do it now, I was scared I would lose inspiration. I typed short answer to my best friend, proposing him to meet for lunch, when my phone beeped again. I knew it was not Niall but I wanted it to be. The name that appeared on my phone, however, made my jaw drop.

'Dev, it's Cammy, can we talk?'

[morepeachyogurt]

we are good people (and we've suffered enough)

word count- 2.5k      Pairing- Temily

Summary- After Scratch, Tara and Emily run away to Italy to start a new life, ft. cats, cafes, and gardening. Based on this post, and this prompt. 

Part 2 of my, maybe we’re from the same star, series, work is a standalone, part 1

read here on ao3

tw’s- very minor mentions of substances and ptsd

Things were never the same after Mr. Scratch. The two of them were filled with more trauma than they had room for in their hearts to still hold each other in. Nights were no longer filled with a movie and cuddling, or talking about philosophy but tense sentences, paranoia, and nightmares. Tara knew that something needed to change, anything to stop the monotony of desolation. But still, they went to work every day and drowned their sorrows in killers like that would bring back the part of her that died when Scratch took Emily. There are only so many times one can be held captive and wait for death before something inside them breaks.

One night they get wine drunk, Emily laying sidewise on their black couch, and Tara sitting on the table staring at the ceiling.

“I miss being young, god, that’s such a weird thing to say. I mean, I spent my youth hating it. Hated my mother, and all of our traveling, never could make friends. I hated that I never belonged, hated not being in control of my own life, and here I am 50 years old working for the government that I used to despise trying not to cry myself to sleep every night,” her voice takes on a bitter tone.

“We love in our old age the things we hated as children. Does that make us matured or foolish?”

“Both, I think.”

“What was your favorite place to live? I mean it sounds like hell to keep moving between places but there must have been someplace you loved, right,” Tara’s voice fills with a tang of desperation as she searches for a way to help her lover.

“Rome. The weather and the scenery,” her voice takes on a dreamy tone, “and the food! Man, the food is good, don’t tell Rossi but his carbonara tastes like Olive Garden compared to the real thing,” they both chuckled at that, knowing it would have sent Rossi in a fit if he were to hear that.

“That sounds really nice honey.”

“I miss it sometimes you know? I think about how gorgeous everything was. It feels like home in my distant memories.”

“Then let’s do it. Lets, go move to Rome. You aren’t happy here Emily, I know you say you are, but you do this job for our team, not the position now. I miss when you laughed,” both of them sobered up by now, knowing that it has taken a turn for the more serious.

“No, no we can’t. I, I can’t keep leaving this team and our friends. And, people need us. You love this job Tara I can’t take that away from you, not for me.”

“They’d understand Emily, they all love you so much. Yeah, I love this job, I won’t lie. But, I love you more, and I’m not happy if you aren’t. So let’s do it. Let’s fucking run away to Rome together and be happy .” The two sit in silence for a minute, the unanswered question still hanging in the air.

“Okay. Let’s do it. Maybe I’ll fulfill my long-lost dream to have a nice, big garden.”

The team took it surprisingly well, they’d all noticed a change in Emily in the months following Scratch and knew that Tara had Emily’s best interest at heart. Of course, they were sad to lose two of the best members of their team, but Emily was family, and family looks out for each other.

“I’m going to miss you my favorite dynamic duo and your guys’ jokes. Ugh, it’s going to be so quiet without you two lovely ladies,” her eyes are welling with unshed tears as she says goodbye to more of her family, “Send me things from Rome or I will install a virus in your phones,” they both laughed at Penelope’s antics and promised her that they’d send as much stuff as they could. The last two weeks of their stay in the United States were filled with mixed emotions. They were excited to start the next chapter of their lives together. Away from all the serial killers and monstrous people out there. They could finally live with a fraction of the naivety that most people carry. On the other hand, Tara only speaks minimal Italian, and now they’re going to be living in a brand-new country, surrounded by strangers. A fresh start, but one filled with anxiety.

“Okay 4:30 is way too early for a flight,” Emily grumbled as they made their way to the airport. The pair had woken up at three, knowing that Tara can’t sleep on planes they tried to go to bed early and were now making their way to the airport in the dead of morning.

“Wait, babe, look! It’s a full moon,” they pulled over just for a moment and got out of the car to sit on the hood. The silence between the two is peaceful, the wind was the only whisper in the air. Moonlight shone on Tara’s face and Emily knew that there was no sight in the world as beautiful as this. With the moon reflected in her eyes and a small simple ghosting on her lips. She’s home.

Security was a breeze, they are former FBI agents after all, and they made their way to their gate. Airports always have a certain air to them, a place where time seizes to exist yet completely runs the place. Their gate was quiet, filled with the tired murmuring of people excited to travel.

“Tara, honey, wake up we’re boarding.”

It was odd for the two of them to be flying commercial after all those years on private jets. It was nice to feel normal though, to fade in the background instead of being other . Human desire is both to be noticed and forgotten all at once.

Italy’s airport is very similar to the DC airport, it would seem like they never left. Outside was a whole different story, bustling crowds and hot air hits them as soon as they step outside the building. They had picked out a quaint apartment building a week prior. Yellow walls with a terrace looking out to an alley. The couple's belongings had been shipped and were waiting to be unpacked. Not right then though. Now, it was time to explore.

Hand in hand they walked leisurely down the narrow alley way of the small Italian town they are now calling their home. Vines and every other type of plant that could grow did. Hanging off banisters, and climbing up orange brick walls. The sunlight was close to blinding, and it hit Emily just right. The golden rays hitting her face and illuminating the ghost of the smile now appearing on Emily’s face. That smile told Tara all she needed to know about their decision. Emily catches her staring, “What are you looking at,” humor evident in her voice.

“You, I’m looking at you miss Emily Prentiss. You’re smiling again,” her words come out softer than she intended, but they convey her point.

Happy couples seem to fill the streets, old and new, young and old. The town may be old, but it was filled with a life that they had been lacking. They pass a quaint little bakery. Bread, cupcakes, and assorted pastries fill the windows. There're bookshelves on all the walls filled to the brim with different books. The walls are light blue and there are flowers everywhere. It looks like something from the movies.

“Un Piccolo Angolo di Paradiso,” Emily reads the name of the building in front of them, they’ve since stopped to admire the view in front of them. It reminds the two of them how Emily asked Tara out. With a cupcake and book who had ‘I know there’s plenty of sugar in that cupcake but it’d be even sweeter if you went out with me. Let me take you to dinner Tara? ’ written on the inside.

“As much as I love hearing you speak Italian, what does that mean? Something heaven?”

“Little Slice of Heaven.” It’s truly a perfect name for the place.

“Okay, now we have to go in,” they’re both smiling now. They push open the glass doors, greeted by the high-pitched ringing of a bell and the smell of freshly baked bread.

The woman at the counter finishes the greeting, “Benvenuti nel piccolo angolo di paradiso, cosa posso offrirvi, adorabili signore?” they blush at the compliment and Emily orders them both cupcakes and coffee. Tara busies herself with admiring the books. Some of them have the most beautiful covers she’s seen. She knows not to judge a book by its cover but sometimes the most beautiful things are just as gorgeous on the inside as out. Just like Emily. She buys a book, and they take their drink and desserts to go. They make their way to a waterfront and sit down on the stairs, side by side.

“Rome is just as beautiful as I remembered. I missed it. It really does feel like home, although, anywhere I’m with you is home,” at the end of her sentence, she turns to face Tara, a look of pure love shown clearly on her face. And for that, Tara just has to kiss her.

The next day they unpack their boxes of belongings into their apartment to help rid the homesickness. Paintings go up on the walls and furniture is placed with the best view in mind. After a couple of hours they’re done, their apartment a bit more homey than before. They crack open a bottle of wine, put on an album, and sit out on the terrace. They watch the sun set over the water, the sounds of big band music filter in as the soundtrack for their night. The sky painted yellow, orange, and pink in the way only nature can create. If nature were an artist they’d be in every museum and sold to the wealthy. Instead, they are for the masses, the beauty of nature is for all to enjoy, free of cost, for those who wish to escape and fly into the night sky.

“You know what I’ve always wanted to do?” Tara leans forward on the balcony, not taking her eyes off the view in front of her, even as the colors begin to fade the sky darkens.

“No, tell me, what?”

“I always wanted to open my own bakery. I know it’s stupid, me a baker. But, I don’t know making things, it feels so uncomplicated. Just me and the dough.”

“In this alternate universe, I’d be a gardener. You and your dough and me and my flowers against the world Tara. Wait a second. I think you and I are onto something my dear,” Emily’s joined Tara at the balcony, the two of them leaning against the railing.

“Actually? You’re serious? You want to do this.?”

“Yeah! Why not? We’ve got enough money in the bank for us to last a bit, you can work at Un Piccolo Angolo di Paradiso,” the Italian rolls of her tongue in a way that drives Tara nuts, “I’ll find a gardening place to work at. We’re in fucking Italy let’s make our dreams come true.”

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

Alessia, the owner of the bakery, is pleased to have another employee. Especially one that is actually interested and isn’t in high school. Tara learns the basics of bread and pastry making. She has some skill, she used to bake with her mother before she died, it had been awhile since she had been able to bake without bumming herself out. Now it’s a nice memory of her. Gone but not forgotten, as is the saying. Emily comes in every lunch break for whatever Tara’s whipped up and to get her caffeine fix. One of the things that she still keeps from her law enforcement days.

They aren’t perfect. A move across the country isn’t going to cure PTSD, she has good days, bad days, and worse days, but now they have the time to deal with it. There was never anytime to process things at the FBI. It was always, distract yourself and throw yourself into solving cases. Now they can slow dance in the kitchen and stay up until three am telling stories from college. They fill their days with the happiness that was once stolen from them and bathe in it like perfume.

True to their word, they send Penelope all sorts of things, books from the café, pressed flowers, trinkets from the small shops to adorn her desk. In return, she sends them pictures of Sergio.

“I miss Sergio, his little paws, and his ability to climb on top of anything.”

Emily finds a job at a nearby garden that sells flower arrangements and herbs to local restaurants. It’s convenient, more than they would have thought. Emily now gets to stop into the bakery on occasion to deliver herbs and has plenty of flowers to give her lover. She also sends a few bouquets back to DC. Hoping that the flowers can brighten up the office in a way that fluorescent lights never can.

On one of their late afternoon walks, they hear a rustling by a trash can.

“What’s that noise?”

“I don’t know, let’s go look, it almost sounds like an animal. Could be a mouse,” Emily suggests, absently reaching to where her gun used to rest on her hip. They open the bag to find three small kittens. Seemly abandoned in a corner.

“Oh god, they’re so cute. We have to keep them.” It’s not a question, Tara knows that Emily is thinking the same thing, their minds connected in the way people who love each other’s minds always are. They look up the nearest veterinarian to make sure that their new pets are okay to take home and healthy.

The vet is sterile and a stark reminder of all the hospitals they’ve spent time in. Tara squeezes her girlfriend’s hand to remind her that they are both safe .

“They look fairly health, a bit malnourished but that is to be expected in these circumstances,” the vet is an elderly man with a mustache as thick as his accent,

“I’ve give them the shots they need, for now, come back in few months and let me take another look. Ciao.”

The kittens are fast asleep by the time they make it home. They gently scoop the kittens out of the bag and into their arms and the couch.

“Okay, what are we naming these angels?” Emily’s voice is pitched up as she talks to the kitten in her arms.

“Well, I’ve always been a classics enthusiast, what if we name them Artemis and Apollo?”

“That’s adorable. Little tiny archery kitties, yes, isn’t that right!” she coos, “And I think I’ll name this one Carter.”

“I love it, and you. Come on, sit with me, you look tired,” Tara grabs Emily’s hand and pulls her onto the couch. They fall over a bit and Emily yelps in surprise. They put the old music back on, a sense of peaceful needs for their new lives. The two sit on the couch, Emily’s head in her girlfriend’s lap, a hand playing with her hair. Apollo climbs on Emily’s feet and lays down to rest.

“I love you, Tara,” she doesn’t respond, just lays a gentle kiss to the back of her head.

The world is big and scary but the two of them feel safe in each other's arms.

taglist- @royalpenelope @criminalmindsvibez @haleymalaffey @scandinavian-punk @abitcriminalminds @hellskitchensmurdock @criminalmindzz2 @rosesonmyheart @ssaemxlyprentxss @reidrights if you’d like to be added to my taglist, the survey is here

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

13 Keys to the White House: 2024 prediction (as of August 15, 2021)

Midterm gains: false, the Republicans are going to sweep the House

No primary challenge: probably true, no Democrat with a future would dare to challenge Biden or Harris

Incumbent seeking re-election: probably true, Biden has indicated he's going to run again even though he'll be 82 at the time

No third party: too soon to tell, we won't know how the Libertarians/Greens fare until 2023 at the earliest

Strong short-term economy: too soon to tell, who knows if we'll be in recession in 2024?

Strong long/term economy: probably false, inflation is rising and Republicans are threatening to let us default on our national debt, so things are looking bad going forward

Major policy change: false, Biden hasn't done shit, and if he doesn't do shit NOW he won't be able to do shit after the Republican dominated midterms

No social unrest: too soon to tell, it will depend on how bad things get between now and 2024

No scandal: too soon to tell, all eyes are on Biden, but there's no telling what he'll do

No foreign/military failure: FALSE, Afghanistan is going down in flames, tens or hundreds of thousands of civilians are going to die when the Taliban takes over, it'll be the worst humanitarian crisis in the planet

Foreign/military success: probably false, withdrawing from Afghanistan was supposed to be a huge success, but the last 20 years have been pointless.

Charismatic incumbent: false, Biden wasn't charismatic in 2020, he's not gonna magically gain 20 or 30 percent more approval going into 2024

Uncharismatic challenger: true, none of the Republican challengers resonate with anyone outside their base, Trump or DeSantis or Cruz or Cotton or anyone else

Democrats need 8 true to hold power

Republicans need 6 false to retake power

1 is definitely true

2 are probably true

4 are too soon to tell

2 are probably false

4 are definitely false

Republicans are almost certainly going to win in 2024 unless Biden pulls a rabbit out of his ass and magically reverses course in the next 15 months; things are in flux now, but come November 2022 they will be set in stone.

Key 1 is a lost cause because of partisan gerrymandering; the Republicans will take the House by force, though they'll likely lose the nationwide popular vote

Key 2 is probably safe because it would require a challenger to get 33% of the vote, and I just don't see that happening against a sitting president

Key 3 is true as of right now, but could easily flip false for any number of reasons. Biden ran on the unspoken promise that he was a transitional president and would step down in 2024, but Kamala Harris isn't more popular than he is (in fact, she's less popular), so the Democrats have painted themselves into a corner; either it's an old old old man or Hillary Clinton 2.0

Key 4 is beyond Biden's control; over the last century, third party candidates have gained traction about every 10 years, once every 2 or 3 election cycles. They did well in 1968, 1980, 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2016, so 2024 is up in the air.

Key 5 could go either way, I don't know enough about economics to make any informed predictions

Key 6 is more nuanced; the creator of the 13 Keys defines it as "real per capita economic growth during the term equals or exceeds mean growth during the previous two terms." The economy grew under Obama's second term, and tanked under Trump's first, so the average of the last two terms is either zero net growth or very slight shrinkage. If Biden can grow the economy at all, even a little, this key could flip in his favor. If he continues to do nothing, he's as good as gone.

Key 7 is a nonstarter; W turned the US into a police state, Obama slightly improved healthcare, Trump changed taxes from the ground up (and dismantled liberal democracy through a rigged judiciary and disintegration of federal authority over the states), but Biden and the Democrats have pretty much wasted the last 8 months, accomplishing zero of their campaign promises. They passed a neutered stimulus package, and might pass a neutered infrastructure deal, both of which gave major concessions to the Republicans even though they supported neither. Biden is Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush rolled into one.

Key 8 could very well lead us into another 2020 situation; not only have zero communities defunded the police, many of them have actually INCREASED funding. Republicans continue to dismantle our democracy by passing voter suppression laws, and are going to gerrymander their House into an unbreakable conservative majority despite only making up about 40-45% of the population. I expect to see major protests against Republican legislatures across the country, which will be quelled by both state and federal forces because Democrats never support active protests, only passive peaceful ones (ones that fail, but look polite on TV)

Key 9 could be real or invented; no matter what Biden does, whether he's squeaky clean or rotten to the core, the Republicans are going to impeach him in 2023. Hell, they'll almost certainly run in 2022 on the platform of "we will impeach Biden if we win." He'll be acquitted of course, but Republicans will control the narrative and gain popular support going into 2024. They might wait to impeach him until the election starts, or impeach him and hold a long protracted trial throughout the primaries and well past the national conventions. If they win the House, they'll almost certainly win the Senate too, which means they have all the power, even if they can't remove him.

Key 10 is a lost cause; there's no coming back from this, Afghanistan is an absolute failure, full stop.

Key 11 is very closely tied to key 10, so I don't see it flipping true because Biden doesn't really have any other major foreign policy objectives within his grasp.

Key 12 is a doubly lost cause because both Biden and his chosen successor are terrible candidates. Biden was picked by the establishment as a milquetoast "civility" candidate in opposition to Trump's extremism, and Harris is so unpopular she dropped out of the presidential race due to lack of enthusiasm before a single vote was cast. Biden was the lesser of two evils, and Harris is a lying centrist cop pretending to be a progressive. As I said in Key 3, the Democrats painted themselves into a corner; Biden/Harris is Carter/Mondale all over again.

Key 13 is safe now and forever because no candidate will ever have national appeal again. The creator of the 13 Keys gave examples like Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Kennedy, as well as controversial picks like Reagan and Obama in 2008 (though not in 2012). Love them or hate them, these candidates resonated with the entire country in their day, but America has become too polarized for a member of one party to gain support from the other.

This is a disaster waiting to happen. It's unfolding before our eyes in slow motion, and we're unable to stop it. I feel trapped all the time, trapped in the world, trapped in the system, no agency,m, no control, no hope. I don't know what to do, because the powers that be are FUCKING EVERYTHING UP ROYALLY! This party is a laughingstock, and the alternatives are either pure evil or insignificant; I'd be a Green if they stood a snowball's chance in hell, but they don't, not even in a single district, neither federal nor state.

The system has to collapse in my lifetime, it's not tenable as is.

[heresathreebee]

No Touching

[Ava Starr x Female!Reader]

Summary: Friend dates with Ava always brighten your day (and night). Tonight is more enlightening than brightening, though… 

Previous Masterlist Next

Word count: 1.7 words

Warning(s): 14+ | angst, gay panic, dolls, 1 (one) racist antique, Steven Segal movie, chronic pain, tears.

AN: No actually I didn't bother to edit this, not doing that anymore, I think too much as it is. As always, I write with a black reader in mind but feel free to read even if you aren't. 🖤

You are eighty percent sure that you and Ava are dating.

85%... 78%... 81.5% sure.

It would probably be best if you cleared that up (but be cool about it though). You've started seeing each other more and more, and on purpose no less. Never a dull conversation, she's reluctant to share some of her life story but she's eager to know everything about you and you're more than happy to indulge. It's not like you know nothing about her; you just don't know the specifics of her past. 

Her parents died when she was young, she's ex-military (you think?), and she just came off of a huge life change and is getting used to what she calls 'real life.' You figure out she's a bit of a shut in and hates crowds, so you go out of your way to show her quiet places and introduce her to things she's never tried before. The bowl by your front door where you put your keys has 20 or 30 marbles from ramune bottles in it. You can't seem to ring her secret out of her, she just gives you this cryptic knowing smile and laughs at your attempts to sweet talk or annoy it out of her. 

You feel so close, growing closer still, she's quickly become the best part of your week, and you catch yourself thinking about her even when she's not with you. But you've never held hands. Hell, you've never even so much as brushed shoulders with her by accident. If you're dating, shouldn't you at least hug her goodbye? Is she even able to be into you like that?? 

You try not to let the panic set in as you stand outside of the antiques mall. You told her you liked old things and promised to show her your favorite pastime. God, how do you go about this? Should you just flirt with her and see how she reacts? Also how does one flirt? What if you’re fucking up and she really just wants to be friends? God knows you could use some friends right now. 

When she does appear, you do nothing. You continue to act relaxed and enjoy her presence, promising yourself you’ll ask about it afterwards. Ava’s wearing that grey jacket again made of a thin sports fabric and you make a mental note it might rain today. 

“Ava,” you stage whisper, waving her out of the jewelry section by the front desk and into the maze of vintage old clothes and furniture. “Back here, to the left.” 

Deep deep deep in a corner of the massive store, Ava stops dead in her tracks (you run into her but back away quickly) and stares. 

“This... is…” Ava covers her mouth with her hands to hold her laughter in, “ghastly.” 

The shelf is wide, with dark wood trimming and protective glass. The lights are almost fluorescent as they illuminate dozens of humanoid dolls. Some are cute, but some are also creepy, unnerving, down right scary. 

You point at the one with the Jonbenet Ramsey likeness and deep cracks in her porcelain face. It was overly large compared to the rest, having to have stuffed legs crossed like a sitting child. "I think I fear that one the most." 

You felt Ava shiver and didn't even realize you were standing that close. Her eyes darted from face to face, taking in every terrible and wonderful detail of them. You smelled coconut in her hair and tried to distance yourself a bit, missing the conversation. "Huh?" 

"I said they're haunted, aren't they?" 

"That one definitely is." You look over the other dolls. "I don't know, I think the rest are kinda cute. 'Cept that one: that one can fuck off straight to hell." 

Down on the second shelf where the light began to struggle in reach belied an offensive porcelain joke. The decoration portrayed an over animated child at play, with oil black skin, fat red lips, and bulbous eyes. This child was dressed in white rags and sucking on a wedge of fruit. Guess which one. Fucking guess, I dare you. 

"It's not even a fucking doll," Ava grumbled. "Why is it here?" 

You leaned in to whisper, "someday, I'm gonna buy that thing just to fucking smash it on the pavement." 

"Oh, what a lovely sound it would make." 

You hum. "I'm not gonna give nobody money for that trash. Can't steal it either, we'd never make it to the door." 

Ava looked over her shoulder with a cheeky smile. "We?" 

You simply tilt your head at her, and she huffs out a laugh. She nodded as if agreeing with you, then drifted away from the case like a wary woman. You toured through the rest of the store like a treasure trove of other people's memories, war memorabilia, ancient brand merchandise (why would anyone want a life size green m&m in their house? Who is this for?), and paintings from the dadeism era by unpopular artists. You ate lunch at the vendor shops in downtown and retired to your place for a movie. 

You must have fallen asleep at the beginning but you came to during some big shootout between Steven Segal and generic Latino drug dealer #7 when you accidentally dropped your hand into Ava's lap. Quickly, Ava withdrawals, thrusting herself to the other side of the couch as if in disgust. Your head jerks up in hurt and confusion, you hadn't even felt anything except a light tingling. You could barely hear the tv audio over the sound of blood rushing in your ears. 

"You can't touch me," Ava spat. "You just can't. Ever. Please…" 

"I'm sorry. Ava, I– I am so, so sorry I didn't mean to–" 

"It's not your fault and you didn't know," she mumbled and faltered, "it's just… you can't." 

You feel tears prick in the corner of your eyes as you try to swallow. "I'm sorry. Really. It won't happen again." 

Ava looked up at you guiltily and sighed. She folded her legs and eased herself off of the couch arm rest, hands tucked into her lap and unable to meet your eyes anymore. 

"It's not what you think it is," she explained. "I… I have a condition of sorts. And it… it hurts.” 

Her words put a hold on the tears threatening to spill from your eyes. “Like a… skin condition? Or nerves or something?” 

Ava nodded quickly. “Yes. yes, like a nerves thing. My um, my nervous system. It's chronic."

“Oh Ava,” you cover your heart with a breathy sigh, “of course! I wish I’d known I would have never–” 

“It’s not something I like to talk about.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m really glad you understand. Sorry I freaked out, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or anything.” 

You tried to blow a raspberry. “It’s whatever, didn’t hurt my feelings.” 

Yeah, you could hear the weakness of the lie, too. Still, Ava went and parked herself on the couch exactly where she was before– close but not too close. Warm but not quite touching. You were ready to let it slide and go right back to pretending to watch the movie when– 

“So what’s going on between us exactly? I like girls– I like you– and I don’t mean just in a friend sort of way– is it maybe sorta possible you might feel the same way about me?” 

Who said that? You? Honestly you’re feeling a little dizzy as you try and stare a hole in the tv screen. And Ava? Well at least she didn’t hold you in suspense for too long. She chuckled– and god you had to look. You had to know if she was laughing at you or with you. Your eyes snapped to her completely unmocking face. 

She blinked at you, bit her lip even. “Yes, I am.. Capable of liking girls. Might prefer them actually. And I definitely like you in a more-than-a-friend sort of way.” 

It takes a second to sink in. OK, it takes a hot minute to sink in. Like the movie ended and you walked Ava home and you slept in until 10 am and made omelettes for breakfast at noon and laid down on your floor staring at the ceiling until sundown. Yeah that kind of hot minute. And your lips curled into a soft smile because you had a girlfriend and she liked girls and you could not be happier than you are right now. 

~

Ava asked you to meet her on the corner by the antiques mall that night. You don’t know how but she got her grubby, thieving little mitts on that disgusting tar baby doll from the haunted doll shelf. You made her swear up and down she didn’t pay real money for it, then nearly pulled out your hair when you realized it meant she definitely stole it and– 

"How the ffffUCK do you just DO that?!" 

"Slight of hand," she mused. 

Fuck, and she was a geek. Yeah, you're definitely in love. She pushes the ugly thing into your hands and despite being cold porcelain it feels like it's burning. 

"Do the honors." 

There's no build up. No ceremony. You don't want to drag this out anymore. You take a swinging leap and spike that shit and watch it shatter into a hundred pieces with the most glorious sound you'll ever hear. You land in slow motion, already replaying the image of thick glass pieces cracking on the indigo pavement. You stand over your mess, triumphant. 

The quiet of the night time street drifts back to you, as does Ava. "I'll be honest I expected a big speech." 

You shrug. "I've been waiting too long to do that. Thank you, Ava. I mean it." 

"Oh believe me it was my pleasure." Ava swaggers closer to you and if you didnt know better you'd think she was going in for a kiss. "Tonight, the tar baby. Tomorrow, the world." 

You resist the urge to clap her on her shoulders and throw your hands in the air instead. "Sounds like a date!" 

Next

[lookingthroughmirrors]

I’m Not A Serial Killer - Chapter 1

Alex Centric - Willex & Jukebox

His dad was never there to cheer him on, his Mum was never there to wipe away the tears. There’s always been something about him that was just never enough, he was never enough. Not for the perfect family, not for their image, not for anyone it seemed.

‘I’m sorry I can’t be perfect’

Everything had been going downhill since the second he woke up. It spiraled until he wound up barely coherent in an alley that looked like it had walked straight out of a horror movie. He doesn’t remember much except for the yelling, and the pain. HOMELESS seems to flash like a neon sign above his head, maybe luck is why Julie chose to walk home through there but he’s not about to jinx the only good that came from the day.

AO3 Link    

~~~~~~~ Chapter 1 ~~~~~~~~~~

Julie kicks a pebble and watches as it rolls along the pavement, the sun shining down harshly causing a bead of sweat to roll down her face. Normally she’d be in school but with the heat wave it was decided to have school break early so there isn’t a risk of heat stroke. Julie’s dad is stuck at a shoot and was unable to cancel when she called him to make sure he knew she wasn't skipping. Adorning sunglasses she strolls happily down the street despite the heat. Not paying attention she rams straight into somebody hitting the deck with a solid thud. “Shit, wait-er sorry?” the person she collided with rambles slightly frantic.

Looking up she met with a boy her own age grasping a helmet in one hand and an old, slightly dingy looking skateboard in the other. Dropping the helmet he extends his hand out and she takes it with an appreciative smile hoping she doesn’t look too pissed. His wrist is adorned with multiple cord bracelets complementing his darker skin tone, hair as long as her own cascading down his back as he effortlessly pulls her back up onto her feet. “Thanks um-” “Willie, I’m Willie” he introduces with a charming smile “Julie”  “Sorry for running into you” he mutters sheepishly through a mischief filled lopsided grin.

“Don’t worry about it-shit, Flynn is going to kill me” she breaks off into a grumble forgetting about the guy that just flattened her scrambling to pick up the trashed sunnies. “Oh for fucks sake” she grumbles looking at the cracked lenses, one side of the frame snapped in half, a chuckle breaks through her mutterings and she whips round with a piercing glare. “Hate to break it to you but you can’t make me melt” the asshole continues to chuckle at her misfortune “ See ya Sunglasses” he calls cheerful getting the bird flipped in his direction, his laugh echoing as he skates off down the streets.

“Chivalry isn’t dead my ass” she grumbles, turning down an empty street only a few minutes away from her house, stopping short when a groan sounds in the desolate open street. A shriek escapes her mouth as she stumbles upon a boy her age looking half dead blood and dirt caking his body. He flinches at the sound but that doesn’t stop her from slowly approaching him, his eyes flickering open his gaze following her movements nervously. “Are you okay?” he lets a low groan at her words, clutching his rib tightly and she puts her hands out infront of her as she gets closer. “Will you let me help you?” Julie holds her breath realizing it after a few seconds pass and he gives her a jerky nod. Sliding an arm under his Julie helps him up, barely stumbling along as she tries to support most of his weight. It takes 10 minutes for her to stumble and limp to her house, knees nearly buckling under the other teens weight. Julie glances at the barely conscious teen with a huff “Here’s to hoping you’re not a serial killer” she mumble managing to get them inside the studio ignoring the wave of emotions that crash over her deciding to focus on the injured guy slumped over her lounge.

Since mystery boy is decidedly not going anywhere she deems it safe to leave him for a minute to track down the first-aid kit stashed somewhere. The only sound is Julie’s quietly muttered curses and the groaning from the injured boy every few seconds. Finally digging it up, it’s pretty trashy looking, washed out paint and a thick layer of dust making up the cover. Putting the case down and checking that he’s not dead she goes to get a bowl of water and a face towel. Coming back into the room she barely manages to skid to the side, nearly sending the bowl flying , as mystery boy barrels past emptying his stomach contents into the bin.

‘Mental note, get new bin for the studio’

“What is it with people and body slamming today?” she mutters with a roll of her eyes before her expression softens once again as she turns to the boy, arms hugging the bin close to his chest as dry heaves sounding in utterly pathetic. placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, he still flinches but not as bad as before. “ L-lu-” the boys mumbles his hands shaking, “ R-reg-” filing the names away for later she bites her lip staring helplessly as he gets more frantic mumbling unintelligibly. Making a split second decision she drags her fingers through his hair and the tenseness seems to melt away.

She’s not sure how long they end up sitting there in the silence, tension melting away from the boy as more time passes. As the golden hue of the afternoon light starts to shine through the window the beaten up teen starts to become coherent, eye’s not as unfocused and cloudy as before. He never quite passed out, almost vomiting every time he seemed to relax but he wasn’t really aware either.

His eyes flutter open and Julie only has a split second to register his eyes widening in panic before she stumbles backwards and the other teen darts to the other side of the studio eyes scanning the room frantically. “Hey, it’s okay” Julie says and the guys eyes dart to her still wringing his hands together nervously “I found you in an alleyway looking pretty beat up, I only brought you here to patch you up” while still radiating nervous energy he seems to calm down slightly at her words while still extremely wary, eyeing her suspiciously “How do I know you are telling the truth” without missing a beat she responds “How do I know you aren’t a serial killer?” eyeing her warily for a couple more seconds he finally lets his shoulders sag slowly walking towards her.

“Thanks” he stutters out “I mean-um for uh h-helping me and-and not leaving me in that alley” he rambles out through one breath bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. “It’s okay, I’m Julie” she tries to give him what she hopes is a comforting smile, he returns it with a faint smile “Oh uh, I’m-I’m Alex” Julie puts her hand out and he grasps it with his much larger one, shaking it gently.

“Um d-do you want me to leave?” Alex's voice squeaks at the end of his sentence, looking like he wants to do anything but leave and her mind flashes to what he looked like when she found him and she can’t find it in herself to make him leave when he obviously isn’t in a good spot. “Nah, we can chill out here if you want to, we can watch T.V?” he looks at her incredulously, obviously not believing her.

“Seriously it’s fine, as long as you don’t want to leave you don’t have to” she gives him a kind smile flopping down onto the lounge flicking the T.V on, Alex, albeit hesitantly, follows her lead sitting on the other end of the lounge. About 30 minutes pass of them mindlessly watching T.V before he speaks up, face littered in prominent bruises “You’re oddly cool with a random person at your house” he comments looking at her in slight amusement and she replies with a smirk “Well I figure if you planned to do anything to me you would’ve done it by now” he huffs out a laugh, stopping short with a grimace of pain Julie wincing in sympathy “I don’t think your ribs are broken, I tried to check but i’m not the best with this stuff so i’m not sure but i think it’s only bad bruised” Alex nods and they both turn back to the T.V talking back and forth.

“Julie!” her dad’s voice echoes Alex freezing panic, sitting up ramrod straight as Julie flounders “In the studio!” she calls back shrugging at Alex’s glare. Her Dad freeze’s when he sees that she isn’t alone, his gaze melting to concern when he sees Alex’s state, Julie immediately shooting up beelining towards her dad “Dad please don’t be mad, Alex and I are partners for a school project and I told him we could work here. When I was walking home I found him like this and helped him get here, I think he could be seriously hurt and I didn’t know what to do, please don’t send him away” Ray makes a shushing motion, placing his hands on Julie’s shoulder “Calm down mija, I’m not mad. Alex? That’s your name?” that jolts Alex making him jump up from the lounge that he’d previously been trying to sink into “Um. yes s-sir. Alex Mercer”

“Call me Ray. Why don’t you come in for dinner, you look like you could use some food, we can discuss everything afterwards, assuming you don’t have to go home?” his words end in a question and Alex ducks his head, scuffing his shoe against the floor “Yeah, uh, my parents aren’t exactly happy. They told me not to come back, they’ve never really cared, I guess” Ray looks absolutely heartbroken while Julie can’t stop herself from linking his fingers with hers.

“Come on, dinner’s getting cold. Let’s just eat first and talk everything over later” Ray nods towards the house, leaving Julie and Alex to scramble after him towards the house. Alex grips her wrist, tugging slightly to get her attention “Why’d you lie?” he asks and she looks at him with a raised eyebrow “You think he’d let some random person I just met stay in our house?” Alex rubs his neck sheepishly “Yeah, good point. If it helps I have actually seen you around at school before, I’m in year 10” Julie smiles at that, she thought she recognized something about him “I’m in year 10 too, at least we know it wasn’t a full on lie, only a white lie” Alex seems to relax at the idea of outright lying to someone opening their home to him “Thanks, I mean uh, again, yeah uh, thanks again” he stumbles on his words Julie laughs as they continue into her house.

Dinner passes incident free with everyone getting to know Alex, Carlos barely took a second to breath while asking Alex question after question. Carlos heads off to play some ghost hunter video game that he hasn’t stopped talking about while Ray moves the conversation to the lounge. “Okay” he claps his hands together in front of him sitting on the coffee table as Alex and Julie take a spot on the lounge, Julie hugging one of the throw pillows to her chest. “Now mijo, I’m not going to send you away but the spare bedroom isn’t set up so I was thinking you could use the pull out couch in the studio until we work out everything. You are going to need to talk to your parents, I don’t know you well enough to say anything about it but you will need to talk to them, I won’t push as it’s not my place but you get it. Both of you have school tomorrow so don’t stay up too long, Julie you can only help set everything up out there before coming inside, both in rooms by 11, no later. Now I’ll leave you to watch a movie or something. I promise we will work everything out” with that Ray shakes Alex’s hand and placing a kiss on Julie’s head before going to his office to finish up some photo edits from a recent shoot.

“That went better than I thought” Julie mumbles and is immediately swooped up into a massive bear hug blonde hair flying in her face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you” he mumbles repeatedly into her hair, she doesn’t say anything letting him hug her tightly. “Sorry, ‘bout that” he mumbles pulling back sheepishly “I get it, today’s been all over the place” Julie reassures, she knows his emotional outbursts are just from whatever happened to him that’s ended with him having to sleep in the garage of a girl he’s never met before, not exactly what you would call normal.

An embarrassed blush taints his cheeks, though Julie just gives him a smile and flicks on ‘ Ghostbusters’. Slowly they build up a conversation and in the end the movie is forgotten as the two are immersed in a debate of whose better ‘ lady Gaga’ or ‘Ariana Grande’, Ray could barely make out what they were saying with how fast they’re talking. He watches from the kitchen, he stuck his head out to check and his brain nearly short circuited when he heard the music discussion. Since his wife’s passing 2 years ago Julie never touched the piano and would never even mention anything to do with music, she would just shut down. Now there she was sitting and talking about music, a bright smile on her face with the bruised and beaten looking blonde teen.

Speaking of the blonde haired teen, Alex seemed more carefree too like he’s in his element talking about music. It’s the first time he’s seen Julie look so genuinely happy in so long then surely the kid can’t be too bad. Despite his beat up, border lining on homeless appearance he can’t imagine the kid was out getting into fights or a laundry list of other things he could be doing. It’s nice to see that light return to Julie’s eyes, sparked with happiness.

[hadenodom-stories]

Clair’s Voyage, Part 1

Clair woke up in a cold sweat.  There was no light breaking through her open window, and her heavy dark Navy curtains made no noise as they wavered in the summer wind.  It was the 5th of July, and she was freaking out.  Have you ever had a dream that stays on your mind and colors your mood for an entire day?  Clair had just endured the second such dream in as many nights.

Regardless of the dread her dream had instilled in her, she knew she had to get up and moving.  Yesterday's dream had nearly sapped her of all of her energy, and her friend Elaine had noticed at the neighborhood 4th of July cookout.  "I've never seen you in such a foul mood", she'd remarked.  She couldn't let that happen today.  She had a very important interview, and her entire future potentially hinged on it.  She couldn't be in a dour, depressed state -- 'Then I'll have to fake a smile', she thought, 'and I'm absolute shit at that'.  

Despite a grim determination to force herself into a better mood, she found herself dwelling on the previous day's events as she trudged through the hallways of her quiet house towards the kitchen.  By the time she was sitting down, her head full of frizzy auburn hair slumped forward beholding the sight of a depressing bowl of some "healthy" cereal that'd been sitting in the cupboards well past its expiration date, her mind was busy replaying  and reliving the most traumatic part of that day.  The part that she'd seen before in a nightmare just hours before it happened in real life.  The part of the day that was at first clouded in a sense of Déjà vu -- a surreal "I've seen all of these events, in this exact order, before..." sense -- until it burst into traumatic realness.  The pops and whizzes of fireworks zooming into the sky.  The cheers of the neighborhood kids as one particularly bright, low, and loud firecracker exploded.  Her younger brother looking at her with a cheeky "watch this" expression as he prepared to light a cobbled-together collection of old fireworks that he'd taped together and put into a small pipe to launch.  His uncomprehending, still-excited face as the spark ran along the fuse far too fast and the pipe began to tilt back towards him.  The flash and screams afterwards.  And everything going black once she saw the blood and exposed bone.  Once she realized how bad it might be...

She neatly placed her spoon back on the table and stood up.  'No way I can fucking eat now', she thought.  As she walked out onto the back patio and tossed the now-soggy cereal out into the yard for the local cats to enjoy, she remembered her mom's instructions:

"Look, go home.  Just go home.  You heard the doctor, honey.  He's going to be alright.  They're doing their best.  We won't be able to see him for quite a while.  I'll stay here for now.  Just go home and sleep in your own bed.  Get you mind off of it and come back when you're able."

Clair slammed the patio door shut behind her, furious now.  She understood that her mother wasn't exactly a master of emotional understanding or empathy, but how could she be so fucking stupid?  How could her mom just think that she'd be able to go home and be comfortable knowing her brother was in surgery, having seen what happened to him?  'I'm an adult now, but goddamn, how do I even process this on my own?  How do I just move on with my life?  How can she expect me to just go home, forget all about it, and then get ready for this interview?"

She continued to ruminate and curse her mother's lack of empathy - or at least the kind of empathy Clair expected - as she lazily got ready for her interview.  It was only 5 AM and her interview wasn't until 9, but there wasn't anything else to do and she certainly couldn't go back to sleep.  She was going to put on a frightfully awful dress - she hated dresses - with a pair of shiny black businesslike pumps - which she also loathed - and apply more makeup than usual, and then go spend a couple of hours at the hospital trying to get an update on her brother's situation.  'I'll go ahead and let mom know that I can't handle this on my own while I'm there', she thought.  'She won't care, but I'll let her know'

In her old, grey Civic hatchback with the paint peeling, she barely focused on the road or on driving.  The static-filled dulcet tones of an NPR reporter reciting headlines momentarily calmed her, but she wasn't processing any of the words.  She was just busy thinking of what she could remember from last night's dream.  It was a mess - all she could remember was some boy she barely recognized (but couldn't place) talking to her mother, and her mother suddenly displaying more emotion than Clair had ever seen from her - but she still wasn't able to actually identify the emotion her mother was feeling in the dream.  Something like shock - or confusion - or betrayal - or all of those.  Clair tried in vain to figure out who the boy in the dream was - his face looked very familiar, but she couldn't remember where, other than the dream, she'd seen him. And as for what emotion her mother had been reacting with or what the boy had been telling her mother, she was at a complete loss.  Her eyes flashed upon a sign and her brakes squealed.  Lost in thought, she'd almost missed the exit for the hospital.

The hospital was a tiny rural hospital on the edge of town, a decaying building full of old doctors and young underpaid nurses, kept alive on a shoestring budget despite the exorbitant prices it charged you for the simple privilege of remaining alive.  Clair was sure that her mom wasn't ready for any of the financial burden her brother had just incurred -- at least not on the meager retirement checks and alimony they'd subsisted on since her dad had left.  Walking into the main waiting room, she was mentally prepared to hit her mom hard with three questions:  "How is he?", "When can I see him?", and "You're not going to make me stay at the house by myself for another night".  The last one wasn't a question, but she expected, at the very least, her mother's acknowledgement.  Instead, she was met by the face from her dream - the unfamiliar boy - walking out of an empty waiting room.  She couldn't help but stop in her tracks and stare at him.  "You're Micheal's sister, right?", the boy said, seemingly unphased by her glare.  "Yes", she finally managed to respond.  "He's not here anymore", the boy replied.  

"What?"

"They took him to a hospital in Jacksonville.  He's stable.  Your mom didn't call you and tell you?"

"No..."

"Oh, well.  They left about 30 minutes ago.  He's stable, but your mom's kind of a wreck.  I stayed to meet up with his friend Lisa who wants to ride with me to Jacksonville.  He's going to go into another surgery to try to save his face and they said he'll probably be ready for visitors by later tonight."

'This is absurd', Clair thought.  'How can this random boy know more about my brother's situation than me.  How could my mom be so detached as to not tell me any of this?  And I'll be goddamned if anyone's going to finally visit my brother's hospital room before me'

"You can ride with us if you'd like", the boy offered.

"No, thanks, I actually have to drive to Jacksonville this morning anyways.  I have an interview at 9..."

"Say no more... I guess I'll see you there"

With that, the boy walked past her.  She turned and followed him outside.  "So... who are you?"

"Oh, we've met before I think.  I'm Cavill, Micheal's... we're friends.  I've been here since last night worried sick about him.  I guess your mom wanted you to be home so you wouldn't worry yourself sick like her."

"Fat lot of good that did", Clair replied drearily.  "And yeah, we have met... Micheal just never bothers to introduce his friends to us.  I guess he gets that from mom, the habit of keeping everyone at a distance"

"Cigarette?"  Cavill was holding out a crumpled pack of smokes.  It was odd to think that anyone Micheal hung out with smoked -- to Clair, she couldn't think of her brother as anything but a kid.  Hell, she had a hard time calling herself an "adult"

"No thanks", she replied, waving sheepishly.  

"I quit like a month ago - most on your brother's insistence.  But sitting here waiting last night and stressing out... I just couldn't do it.  I went and bought a pack of smokes.  Micheal would be ashamed of me."

"Don't say that.  I've never known Micheal to be anything but supportive"

"Yeah, but he..."  Cavill's voice trailed off as he began to choke up.  "He's the only person that really ever cared, you know?  And I care about him too.  I don't want to let him down."  A single tear ran down his cheek.

Clair was at a complete loss.  She always came to a complete loss when anyone cried or became vulnerable around her.  'I guess I'm not too unlike my mother', she thought.

"You won't.  You know he talks about you sometimes?  The other day he told me that you're learning guitar and that you're pretty good"

"I'm not, and he knows it.  He just..."

She wasn't sure why Cavill was trailing off now.  She'd met friends of her brother's before, but something was different in the way Cavill talked about his bond with Micheal.  What was it?  

Suddenly, some neurons firing in her brain or some semblance of emotional intelligence came to her, and it made sense.  Months before, Micheal had confessed to her that he was in a relationship but said it was a secret and refused to give her any more details.  It'd annoyed her at the time - she hated secrets in any form and saw them as puzzles or riddles that she needed to solve - but now, with her brother's somewhat-secretive friend quietly crying over a cigarette in front of her, an uncomfortably vulnerable figure, she felt like she was close to unraveling this particular puzzle.  She eyed Cavill again, taking him in.  He was a bit taller than her brother, and thinner.  His hair was golden-brown and jettisoned out from his head at odd angles, like some sort of anime character's.  His face didn't quite match it - soft angles, a small button of a nose, and thin lips.  Blue eyes.  He looked absolutely sad, and she couldn't stand to leave him here on his own.

"You're going to Jacksonville, right?", she said.

"Yeah, but I'm waiting for Lisa, remember?  She's my ride"

"Well, you can ride with me if you want.  I'm going right now."

"That's probably more convenient.  Lisa lives between here and Jacksonville and hasn't even left her house yet".

"Well, I'll make some room in my car.  And I have an interview later on, so I won't be able to give you a ride back until after lunch"

"That's okay, I'm staying at the hospital for the day if I can help it"

Clair looked at Cavill, who'd extinguished his cigarette between his fingers and was starting to walk behind her towards her car.  "Go wash you hands and splash some water on your face", she said.  "I don't want the smell of cigarettes in my car, and besides, you look tired"

Cranking her car, her head disappeared in thought again.  What was the meaning of the dream she'd had the night before?  What kind of secret life had her brother been living?  Who is this Cavill kid she's seen around who's suddenly very attached to her brother?  Why would her mom not tell her that her brother had been taken to a hospital an hour's drive south for surgery?  What was Cavill telling her mom in the dream she'd just had, and why did it make her mom so... upset?  

She couldn't sit there with her thoughts for a second longer, so she reached for the pair of pliers in the center console and used them to twist the metal stub on which her car radio's volume knob had once rested.  The dulcet tones of the NPR announcer now filled the silence:  

"Next on NPR:  We talk to an experimental psychologist about a new study on the phenomenon of apparently precognitive dreams.  Can dreams predict the future?"  

Not even NPR was going to give her a moment of escapism. 

=============================================

This is part one of my unfinished series about a girl named Clair whose dreams begin to mirror reality (sounds fun until it happens to you!), which for now is going to be titled “Clair’s Voyage”.  I started writing a story along these lines, with much less detail, a few years ago until it was apparent that I was writing a longer story than I’d set out to write.  At that time, I just saved the draft but left it unfinished.  Now, I’m adding more details and breaking it out into different parts.  It may become a book by the time I’m done.  Clair, you see, is an aspiring psychiatrist - she loves studying the mind and how it works - but right now she’s just trying to struggle through community college and get a job as a secretary at the local psychiatric hospital.  She’s also trying to struggle with the traumatic events surrounding an eerie July 4th, on which her brother was grievously injured in a scene that played out exactly how it had played out in her nightmare the night before.  With her brother’s boyfriend, Cavill, at her side, she’s about to embark on a journey of discovery and empowerment filled with ups and downs and unspeakable trauma.  So be sure to tune in for the next Part of Clair’s Voyage. 

[hey-hamlet]

BNHA AU Ideas: True Might

Also on AO3! 

TL;DR:  Powers don't make the hero - passion does. Luckily for Izuku and Toshinori, this is something the quirkless have in droves.

AKA: All Might is a quirkless vigilante, One for All isn't a quirk that exists and 1A gets a whole 3-week buffer before villain's start kicking their face in as opposed to the 3 days of canon.

Basically: Quirkless!Vigilante!All Might and Quirkless!Successor!(gen ed) UA Student!Midoriya. It’s a riot.

Yagi is stupid strong, his only form in this AU is basically Muscle Form from canon, but he’s a little less ridiculously cut. Not quite chubby, but huggable. This is mostly because he A, isn’t a celebrity that needs to have a marketable image and B, he really likes carbs.

He’s not exactly a vigilante by choice, in his day and age quirkless kids weren’t permitted to apply to UA, either gen ed or heroics. When Nezu got the job, that all changed, but it was a solid decade too late for Yagi.

He’s admittedly a little bitter about it, but he refuses to do anything but his best. He might be a little snippier with Pros than he really needs to be but oh well.

Katsuki and Izuku are utterly enamoured with this crazy vigilante that just doesn’t lose, refuses to back down from a fight even when he’s outmatched, and somehow coming out victorious anyway, rescuing everyone. They have a tense relationship, but often find time to get together and just ramble about how cool All Might is, share theories and dissect his fights. It’s not uncommon for Katsuki to have been hurling abuse at Izuku during class, only to show up at his house after school with a backpack full of snacks and a notebook full of questions.

Izuku knows most of what Katsuki does is to keep his status in the school. If he showed pity to a dumb quirkless runt he’d be painted with the same brush. This doesn’t make what Katsuki has done right! Only Izuku doesn’t blame him because he’s way too forgiving.

Izuku is the smartest person Katsuki knows and vice versa – they are each other’s measuring stick. Katsuki shows Izuku bravery, Izuku shows Katsuki determination.

Episode 1 goes as it does but you see a real flash of regret when Katsuki tells Izuku to jump off a roof because they are kinda-sorta friends. Izuku looks so betrayed. We meet the slime villain like before, All Might saves Izuku and 100% doesn’t expect the kid to fanboy about him and ask for two autographs – one made out to a “Kacchan”.

“Can someone quirkless be a hero?” “The whole world will be against you. Most places won't even give you a shot – no matter how good you are. You’re better off picking something else.”

Izuku is crushed but he does understand. All Might leaves and Izuku trails off kinda hopelessly. He follows the sounds of explosions without meaning to.

It’s Katsuki! He’s dying! Like usual at this point lmao. Izuku rushes in much like canon, All Might shows up, pulls Katsuki free and slams a dumpster on the slime villains head before making a speedy getaway. The police rip into Izuku but Katsuki actually defends him. “You were doing fuck all while I fucking died – don’t knock the only asshole who tried.” Izuku quietly slips him the autograph before running off the scene. Katsuki cries because Izuku got that for him even after he was such a fucking bastard that day? He can’t bring himself to be a dick to Izuku again, even only for show.

All Might finds Izuku and he's like “Sorry I was an ass I was being a dick because I had low self-esteem – I’m quirkless. If you’ll have me I’ll make you into the best hero the world had ever seen

Izuku, obviously, says yes please!

Also, hypermobile Izuku with joint braces as support gear because just let me project please my arms are killing me ( I wrote this a while ago and yes. My arms are still killing me - yes even now). He gets them after All Might sees him miss a dodge because his ankles rolled beneath him. They support his joints beyond the normal range of strength, letting him do some crazy pivots and handsprings, making it easy to support all his weight on a single-arm with very little strain. They can also lock in place, lessening muscle fatigue if he needs to hold onto something for ages and preventing injury if he’s pushing against something. Produced by David and Melissa Shield and imported through Nighteye Heroics.

Is support gear illegal for civilians to own? Yes! But medical equipment isn’t so if you can just convince people its medical not support you can get away with a lot.

Yagi has no weapons himself, other than the random shit he picks up and swings at people, and has little support gear other than a communicator, panic button, and a whole lot of zip-ties.

Izuku should probably have weapons but I’m struggling to think of anything other than war fans because how cool would that look? Because Shonen they would also have the ability to create powerful downdrafts that would give a boost to a jump or dodge.

Probably doesn’t get them until later and needs to train with them.

In this AU, One for All isn’t a quirk. Rather, it’s a role, passed from quirkless person to quirkless person, the only people who can’t be hard countered by All for One. They tend to be vigilantes, crime lords or hero managers, doing their part to foil as much of All for One’s plans as they can, through whatever means necessary.

It’s a role with a pretty high fatality rate.

No one knows All Might is quirkless other than those close to him, they instead think he has a strength quirk. He’s the most prolific vigilante in Japan and is almost as much of a household name as canon All Might. More divisive though, with most people decrying his vigilante status when he could ‘easily make a respectable hero’. He’s also pretty brutal with his takedowns of some villains, leading a lot of people to call him an unregulated brute. Still more call him a villain which, legally he would be - were he using a quirk.

Nighteye is his contact in the heroics industry, gives him loads of inside info that’s typically not something he should be passing on. He’s still close with David Shield. Nighteye imports any costume parts he needs from David and leaves them at various pickup points for Yagi.

He went to college with David in America after Nana died; America having a quirk blind admission process helped - but he’d have gotten shit talked a lot if people didn’t just assume he had a strength quirk. Dude was and is crazy big.

David was one of the only people that knew he was quirkless

OH FOR FUN; Nighteye was also going to this American college and that’s where he met All Might. The three of them became the world’s strangest group of friends and may have lowkey done some slightly illegal vigilante work around the campus and surrounding town. They had a reputation for getting no sleep ever and being the most mismatched set of people

Secretly Smart Jock, Business Man with a Touch of E-boy, Science Hipster. They all tumbled into class together with varying levels of alive-ness. Nighteye and David were very much not morning people.

UA! It’s a ride. Izuku fails the practical but he’s not shocked – he was prepared for this.

He actually got like 30 hero points? But they refused to admit him on hero points alone due to his ‘deficiencies’. They don’t exactly tell Izuku this but Aizawa was there and he was furious.

Gets into 1C with Shinsou, Shinsou fuckin hates him on sight for reasons best known to him (It’s bc he was so god damned cheerful he just – assumed Izuku had a quirk. I love Shinsou but he’s more than a little judgemental). Izuku is like smiling through the pain because he just wanted to make a friend his age – Katsuki barely counts.

He sits with him at lunch and makes friends-ish with the hero kids who dragged Katsuki along, meets Ochaco again. She’s upset he didn’t get in – especially after he tells her he apparently got 30 points. The whole table gets mad on his behalf and hes embarrassed and happy.

Like day 2 he’s leaving gym and someone is like “Oh LMAO it’s Deku – he was in the year below me at Aldera. Only fuckin quirkless kid in the whole school; can’t believe he got into UA.” He turns to Izuku. “Who’s dick did you suck to get in you - ?” And Shinsou just decks him. He grabs Izuku – who is super confused fyi – and s p r i n t s. They have to stop after a while because hes having a panic attack and Shinsou doesn’t know what the fuck to do and he’s mad and upset and the sunshine boy is sobbing –

Aizawa shows up, having seen the (end of the) altercation and is ready to expel some gen ed kids he can’t legally expel – until he sees the two kids from the entrance exam he was interested in – including the quirkless kid who should have gotten in. Well he’s much more willing to hear them out.

100% requests expulsion on those 2 2E kids because that’s Discrimination and they should know better as second years. Nezu grants it because those 2 were di ck s

No USJ because no All Might – stuff like that will come,,, later : )

Sports Fest! Izuku and Shinsou kick ass, Aizawa is Watching. All Might may have gotten in as a crowd member with Nighteye and a visiting David and Melissa and they are cheering on their sun son. Also, Nighteye is going to go cheer on Mirio so he just got a pass to attend all 3 days of the sports festival. He’s just buying snacks on the second day because he’s never talked to one of the second years in his life.

Shinsou and Izuku make it to the tournament. Izuku has been training pretty seriously with All Might for a while now and hes a very good fighty boy. Makes it to the 3rd round of the tournament where he loses to Iida. Shinsou makes it second where he loses to Katsuki. Izuku is like “Iida might you be Ingenium’s brother or something?” “Yes, I am!” “OH MY GOD I LOVE INGENIUM ISN’T HE THE COOLEST” “YES MY BROTHER IS AMAZING” Shinsou is just watching while faintly amused.

[imagineredwood]

Part 1 Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5    Part 6 Part 7    Part 8   Part 9       Part 10    Part 11  Part 12 Part 13   Part 14  Part 15  Part 16   Part 17  Part 18 Part 19  Part 20  Part 21   Part 22  Part 23 Part 24   Part 25  Part 26  Part 27  Part 28  Part 29  Part 30 

Pairing: EZ Reyes x Camila (OC)

Warnings: None really, mild baby talk 

Word count: 2.2k

***Bit of a filler chapter so that we can start seeing the bond between Coco and Cam grow a little more.***

“He showed up at your job?”

EZ’s nostrils were flared in anger as he looked at Camila, her face neutral. She knew she had to tell him, not one for keeping secrets. She knew he wouldn’t take it well though and so she’d tried to soften the blow as much as she could. EZ’s shock and disbelief were weird to her though.

“You were meeting with his wife behind his back. What did you expect?”

“I didn’t expect him to drag you into this shit.”

“I got dragged into this shit way before I even knew who Miguel was, EZ.”

He didn’t have a response for that.

“I don’t want him near you.”

With a sigh, Cam shrugged and started running her fingers through her hair.

“I don’t have any control of that EZ. He found out where I worked, I didn’t tell him. With the power he had, there isn’t anything that he can’t find out. I don’t know what you expect me to do.”

He could tell that she was frustrated, and he ran his hand over his head roughly.

“I don’t expect you to do anything Cam. I just want you to be safe.”

She nodded and looked at him for a few seconds before walking toward his, wrapping her arms around his waist. She turned her head sideways and laid it against his chest as his own arms wrapped around her shoulders.

“I’ll be as safe as I can. I’ll keep my eyes open. I’ll call you to check in.”

EZ was quiet for a bit before he spoke again.

“Are you scared?”

He was dreading her answer even though he already knew what it would be. All he had wanted to do was keep her happy and safe and his rendezvous with Emily had destroyed that. Sure, they had talked it out and established that Emily was to be left in the past for good, but now in getting rid of Emily, he had brought about a whole new beast altogether. Camila’s voice sounded small when she answered him.

“Yeah.”

EZ closed his eyes and blew out a long breath, squeezing her tighter.

“Don’t be scared, mi vida. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll do what I have to do, make it right, but I won’t let you get hurt. I promise you.”

He took a handful of her hair and gently tugged at it, pulling her head back and off of his chest so he could look at her. She looked tired, worry over the encounter with Miguel robbing her of sleep for most of the night. He could tell something was bothering her and he wished she would’ve told him when she had gotten home. She had let him enjoy the rest of his evening though and had told him now, the morning after.

“I’ll fix it.”

Camila nodded, smiling softly and leaning forward to press a kiss to his bare chest. She removed her arms from around his waist and brought them up between their bodies, running her finger over the gold chair that he wore. She fiddled with it before looking back up at him to find him watching her with pure adoration. She giggled and it only brought a smile to his face.

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Ezekiel.”

They stood there in each other’s space, him holding her and her tracing patterns along his chest.

“you thought about us living together?” His question caught her off guard and she looked at him.

“I’ve already been thinking about it but now with these Miguel and KJ situations and you getting more involved with me and the club…”

He wasn’t lying. He would feel much more comfortable living with her where he could protect her every night as opposed to worrying on the nights he stayed in the trailer, but he had been thinking about living with her for a little while now. Now with Miguel popping up and getting close, EZ felt like there had never been a better time. He was relieved when Camila nodded her head.

“I mean, sure. Of course I have. You already kinda spend more time here than you do at the clubhouse or the trailer.”

EZ agreed with a chuckle.

“I hate that fucking trailer.” Camila tilted her head looking perplexed.

“Why? It’s not terrible, its comfortable, it’s yours- “

“It doesn’t have you.”

His rebuttal wasn’t something that she had considered, and she nodded.

“That’s true. You could move in with me. I just don’t want…”

She paused as she tried to look for the words and EZ rubbed his hands up and down her back.

“Just say it.”

“I just don’t want you to feel like you’re losing your freedom. Like you won’t have a say because it’s my house. I may have bought it, but I already consider it our house. I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking you in. I want it to feel like we’re making the step together.”

EZ nodded, understanding where she was coming from, but not agreeing in the slightest.

“And it will. We’ll make it feel like that. I have a lot of my shit here, but it’s in a couple drawers. I sleep here, but not every night. So, we can take that step so that it feels like our house if that’s what you want. I want to live with you so I can always keep you safe but as far as I know, I’m already home.”

It was cheesy and corny, but full of love and Camila pulled him into a hug. He returned it, holding her to him as she spoke into the crook of his neck.

“Let’s start planning it.”

EZ smiled and pulled away taking her face into his hands and pressing his mouth against hers. She gripped his sides and kissed him back until he pulled away and looked down at her tummy. He reached down with one hand and ran his fingers lovingly over the soft flesh through her tank top.

“I wish things were normal.”

Brows knitted, Camila questioned him as he continued to run his fingers over her tummy.

“What do you mean?”

“I wish we could have a normal life. I wish I could give you a normal life. That we could get a house together and get married and have a family and not have anything threaten it.”

Camila smiled apologetically and shrugged.

“I know, but its too late for that now. This is the life that we have, and we need to make the best out of it. Abuela always said that regretting choices you’ve made in the past stops you from enjoying your present and future.”

“I feel like my mom and your abuela would’ve really liked each other.”

That made Camila smile brightly.

“Well I’m sure they’re both sipping their cafesitos and getting to know each other up there now.”

The picture Camila’s words painted in his head made him smile as well and she pushed his hand away from her tummy playfully.

“And quit thinking about getting me pregnant.”

EZ blushed and followed her as she walked into the kitchen.

“You didn’t have to call me out like that. I still gotta make you a Reyes before I do that.”

This time it was Camila’s turn to blush, EZ wrapping his arms around her from behind as she began cracking eggs.

“Camila Rosa Reyes. I don’t know about you but I’m feeling it.”

She laughed lightly and looked back at him over her shoulder and agreeing.

“Yeah. I think I’m feeling it too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

“I’m planning on moving in with Cam.”

Both Angel and Felipe looked up from their sandwiches to look at the prospect who wore a small smile. Angel matched it and nodded his head.

“’Bout fuckin’ time.”

Felipe chuckled at his oldest and returned his eyes to EZ.

“That’s great, son. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. She said once I do, she’ll make a dinner for us and we can all go over. Kinda like a housewarming dinner, even though it’s the same house.”

Angel nodded and took another bite of his sandwich, speaking around a full mouth.

“Why don’t you guys get a new place? The MC’s bringing in some decent money now.”

Shrugging, EZ took a swig of his beer.

“It’s her place. She’s got her garden there and its almost exactly how she wants it. She’s got the house set up how she wants it. She’s comfortable and stable. I don’t want to pull her out of that and stick her somewhere new.”

Both Angel and Felipe agreed, understanding where he was coming from.

“Is she…”

EZ looked back at Angel to find the older brother eyeing him. EZ laughed lightly and shook his head.

“No, she’s not pregnant. We just thought it would be a good idea.”

“Well hurry up. I found this company that sells matching snap backs for uncles and toddlers- “

“Slow down Angel.”

Both brothers laughed as Felipe lightly scolded Angel who defended himself playfully.

“Look, you two are the ones who just got off the shit list so I’m the favorite at the moment. I can joke.”

EZ nodded but couldn’t help the pang of hurt he felt thinking back to how frustrated Cam was with the deal and the fact that EZ hadn’t told Angel yet. They were close, and the thought of Angel being upset at her for EZ’s secret brought a feeling of unease over him that showed clearly on his face no matter how much he tried to hide it. Angel’s smile slipped away, and he kicked at EZ’s foot under the table.

“You good bro?”

EZ nodded quickly and took another bite of his sandwich. Angel could tell he was lying but he decided to let it go, knowing that overthinking was something EZ did often. The three men continued to eat and finished their meal in silence, all caught up in their own thoughts of the issues they were having themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Camila and Karlene worked quickly to get the coffee’s poured and the cake sliced, a few of the other club girls helping them out. Bishop’s birthday party was in full swing and now that they had all sang happy birthday, Cam had been volunteered to get cake cut and distributed. Some of Vicki’s girls were there as well and they had all fallen in line, grabbing a plate and a cup from Cam to hand out. Off to her side a girl stepped up to her. Cam was busy and spared a glance, thinking that it was one of the other girls wanting a plate but when she finally looked at her, she could tell she was way too young to be one of Vicki’s girls. Offering a smile, she wiped her hands on a towel she had laying around and faced the girl.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

The girl gave her a soft smile that seemed a bit forced and just as quickly as it had shown up, it disappeared.

“EZ told me to come get you. He’s inside, he wants to talk to you.”

“Oh, ok.”

Camila looked back at Karlene to ask if she would be ok for a couple minutes, but she didn’t even get the chance to ask, the redhead already giving her a smirk.

“Go. I got this.”

Camila handed her the towel and walked around the table, making her way to the clubhouse with Letty. The girl was quiet, and Cam tried to make small talk.

“So, you’re Coco’s sister?”

“Mhmm.”

“Nice to meet you. Leticia, right?”

“Yeah.”

Camila could tell she wasn’t interested in conversation and stopped talking. She didn’t want to bother her and made it the rest of the way in complete silence. They walked into the clubhouse together, the music much quieter than it was inside. Bishop was off to the side, girl in his lap and a beer in his hands, laughing and joking. EZ was over at the bar with Angel, Coco and Gilly and Cam walked up, stopping to stand in between Angel and EZ.

“What’s up, corazón?”

EZ smiled immediately and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into him. She brought her own arms up and hugged him around the shoulders.

“Just wanted you to come in and talk. Coco was saying that he wanted to see if he could stop by the garden, pick some stuff up.”

Camila looked over at Coco with a smile.

“Of course you can. Stop by in the morning when it’s not to hot so you can go out and not get all sweaty.”

Letty looked on as the conversation went on. She hadn’t met Camila let, hadn’t dealt with her, and while she trusted EZ’s judgement, she was always hesitant to be around new women if she didn’t know exactly what their intentions were. Hearing about her garden though, Letty remembered Coco giving her a box was strawberries earlier that Cam had sent just for her. Once Coco and Camila had finished making the plans for him to swing by, Letty spoke, her large eyes on her.

“You grow those strawberries yourself?”

Her voice threw Cam off for a moment, having thought that maybe the girls silence earlier was simply because she didn’t like her. She smiled anyway and nodded, EZ looking at her proudly.

“Yep. I grow more vegetables than fruits, but I have a few. Blueberries, strawberries, oranges, kiwis.”

Coco nodded and looked over at Letty.

“It’s a beautiful garden. You should come with me tomorrow.”

Letty smiled softly then and agreed, eyes back on Cam and not looking as apprehensive now.

“Yeah, that’d be cool.”

Taglist:  @caramara3   @lostgirl219 @mrsjaxtellerfan   @actuallyazriel   @vannabanana1995   @unnecessarypineapplesstuff  @thegreat-annamaria @negansdirtygirl22 @svintsandghosts @piccasoe @tobesurroundedbysplendidthings @jadert15  @lovejn29 @may114   @meltingicequeen

[skekheck]

30 Days of the Dark Crystal Challenge

Decided to do poultry-blocks Dark Crystal challenge because it looks like a lot of fun to do. However I’m cheating and I wrote all of this within a couple of days. Warning: fairly large post with pictures and fan ramblings. 

EDIT: I FORGOT TO INCLUDE DAY 16 WHOOP. It’s in there now. 

Day 1. Your favorite skeksis

Idiot, feral, wildman who stole my heart. How? Why? Who knows. *chef kisses* Beautiful stinky bastard.

Day 2: Your favorite gelfling

Bless her and her skeksis cosplay. What a queen.

Day 3: A character that you love that everyone seems to hate.

The tides are changing for her it seems. I think people are appreciating her more, but she still faces her fair share of controversies. Not that I don’t think it warrants discussion nor am I excusing her actions. But she’s way more complex than what a lot of people are making her out to be.

Day 4: A character that you hate that everyone seems to love. 

Hate is a strong word as I don’t hate him, but I don’t really care for Amri. He feels like a bootleg Deet mixed with a little bit of Kylan and Gurjin. Wasted potential and honestly shouldn’t have been the POV for Tides of the Dark Crystal. Seems I’m alone in this opinion, though. Maybe the book warrants rereading?

Day 5: Movie or TV Show? Why?

TV Show by miles! I think the series accomplishes way more than the movie does, like establishing lore,  better written characters, and a more engaging story. I actually cared about the gelfling and it really fleshed out the skeksis in an interesting way outside of “oh they do evil things because they’re evil!”. Doesn’t mean it does everything right, but I’ll get into that later.  

Day 6: Something you wish that happened in the series but didn’t.

Just a few things. I miss the gelfling intermingling with the mystics, particularly urVa. I love everything that happens with urGoh and skekGra, but some of the bonding moments Naia had with urVa are precious and I wish we had more of that. I also wished the gelfling got the message out to the other clans like they did in the book where Kylan dreametched their message onto the Santuary Tree’s blossoms and scattered them all throughout Thra. I also wished Tavra and Onica were an established couple, but maybe it’s not too late for that.

Day 7: Favorite gelfling clan

The Sifa! It was the Dousan at first, but the more I learned about the Sifa the more I grew to love the clan. If I were a gelfling I would probably be a sifa myself LOL. 

Day 8: You opinion on Aughra

She’s a fun and fascinating character! Aughra puts a unique spin on the whole beautiful, wise earth goddess trope by making her ugly, old, and cranky. She’s also a character with her own flaws, even having a mini arc about neglecting to take care of her planet and doing whatever she can to make amends. Not to mention she’s wildly entertaining. Much love for Aughra!

Day 9: Skeksis or Gelfling?

Both!

Day 10: Your opinion on podlings?

They’re just funky little potato people who just want to have fun, dance, and drink all day and I respect them for that. They’re great. Also Hup exists and he’s just an amazing character so there’s that.

Day 11: Your The Dark Crystal unpopular opinion

I think it’s okay to sympathize with the skeksis as long as one is not excusing their actions. I see a lot of people say you shouldn’t because they’re evil and they commit atrocities. Which, yes, it’s true, but I think both can co-exist. I mean, skekTek’s whole cycle of abuse is written very sympathetically yet the show doesn’t coddle him. It shows the ugliness of his character and what happens when someone isn’t capable of cutting off from said cycle. Also the writers consider the skeksis as tragic characters due to their broken nature so I don’t think it’s wrong to be a little sympathetic. But once again with great emphasis, sympathy is fine as long as their actions are judged. They are awful bastards and no amount of sympathy will change that. 

Day 12: Something you dislike about the series

I think the stuff I don’t like about the show is a result of its pacing and cluttered cast. There are so many stories going on and while I liked how they handled it for the most part, you can also see how the show rushes to get through all of them. A lot of important moments where a character should reflect or something that should simmer more is pushed aside for the next thing. Maybe if the show was given more episodes and time to breath it would have been better off. 

Day 13: Most disappointing thing about the series

SkekMal and urVa didn’t have enough screen time and we were honestly ROBBED. 

Day 14: Your OTP

Speaking of which... . Its a crack ship, but I’m all about that allegory for self love (and I just want these two to be alive). Day 15: Favorite quote

Listed plenty of my favorite quotes before, but I’ll pick this one:

“ Life is my paint. Death is my canvas”

Day 16: Rate the skeksis from least favorite to favorite OR rate the gelfling from lest favorite to favorite [or both!]

And if you want my gelfling hot takes, here’s this list (just backwards in context to this post)

Day 17: Opinion on Raunip?

Raunip is a fantastic character. I loved him in Creation Myths and I can’t wait to see what role he’d play in the resistance. And I absolutely love the parallels between him and the urskeks it’s great. 

Day 18: A character that is most similar to you.

I too am a dark-dwelling gremlin who constantly forgets where I put things and crack a few dark jokes at my expense. 

Day 19: Which character do you strongly dislike, why?

This is entirely based on the books, but I find Mera to be awful.  I think it’s because she’s so fake and condescending? When Naia arrived in Sami Thicket, she was acting nice and polite but when the Drenchen asked her why the skeksis never visited Sog Mera responded  “It’s only worth counting what’s valuable”. She continuously disrespects her by calling her pet names even when Naia became maudra. It doesn’t come off as cute, it’s gross. I don’t recall Mera ever apologizing for any of the shit she did to Naia... or Kylan for that matter. She was a pretty neglectful step-mother to him. She doesn’t have an excuse being busy with Maudra stuff because Laesid was a kickass mom to her kids. So in conclusion, fuck this bitch.

Day 20: What do you like so much about the Dark Crystal?

The better question what’s not to love about the Dark Crystal? It has amazing creature design, an expansive world that feels real and alien from our own, having complex and interesting characters as well as villains, the fact that it relies heavily on practical effects a.k.a puppetry... . There’s nothing like it and that’s what makes it so wonderful and unique. It needs to be appreciated more. 

Day 21: Favorite music piece from the soundtrack?

Can’t beat that opening theme. 

Day 22: Your opinion on the sequel comics [Power/Beneath the Dark Crystal]

They have cool concepts and ideas, but they’re not written well. Power is just the movie if it was put into a blender and shredded and ignoring a large portion of established lore for the sake of plot. And Beneath is just a generic fantasy story with the Dark Crystal logo slapped on it. 

Day 23: Which character from the YA novels/comics do you wish we would see more of?

There are plenty of characters that are a given to appear in the series at some point (skekSa, skekLi, urSan, etc). And of course I want to see them, but I really hope Periss shows up (and his brother too). He is one of my favorite characters from the book series and we could use some more Dousan rep!

Day 24: Your opinion on the Age of Resistance comic?

I have yet to read the comics. I’m waiting on them to be part of a collection so I don’t have to buy all of the volumes at once (I prefer owning physical copies). I’ve heard good things about them, especially the story with Hup and the current Mayrin arc. I’m excited to get my hands on them. 

Day 25: The best moment/scene in the series?

There are a lot of great moments, but Rian and Ordon’s fight with skekMal is still my favorite in the entire series. The "Speak For the Dead” scene is a close second.

Day 26: The death of a character that hurt you the most?

He did not deserve this. Fuck you, skekMal. 

Day 27: Your favorite episode from the series?

It’s got to be 4. Not just because a number of my favorite characters debut in this episode, but it’s an important one for the plot. Stakes are being raised, we’re seeing set ups to major story elements and character arcs, and events that impact the rest of the series. It also has a handful of my favorite character moments and interactions. 

Day 28: Your favorite non-skeksis and non-gelfling character? Why?

I’ve come to realize the reasons why I love urVa are the same as why I love skekMal (incredibly appropriate I might say). There’s enough information about him that we get a good understanding on who he is as a character, but still mysterious enough that there’s interest in wanting to know more. Much like his skeksis, he’s unique from the other mystics and thus giving him unique experiences that are fun to speculate. However, the YA novels are responsible for my current fondness of him. 

Day 29: Do you like the urru and skeksis apart or like them as urSkeks together?

A main theme of the Dark Crystal is unity and balance. The main conflict of the franchise are the skeksis, the broken fragments of their urskek self who, according to the writers, “...[have] a dire need for the qualities they lack”. Their only salvation is to become urskeks again and unfortunately many of the pairs never achieve this.  They’re basically a giant allegory for the self and self-love. While we don’t really know what they were like when they were an urskek (aside from SilSol perhaps), we can get some understanding when we look at their pairs and see what traits they share. Speculation is also fun! So as much as I love the skeksis and mystics as individuals, I prefer them to be whole again.

Day 30: What are your wishes for a possible season 2?

A whole bunch of things. I want to see them explore more about the mystics and their lifestyle, having Raunip play a big part in the plot, seeing more of skekSa’s fall from grace from her perspective, the beginning of the Garthim Wars, and more. 

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, here is a rec list of fics where Harry and Louis fight or argue over the course of the fic. While there is at least a small argument between them in the vast majority of fics, we tried to narrow this list down to include fics where there’s either a larger fight or a bunch of smaller ones. Happy reading!

1) Forever, Uninterrupted | Explicit | 8578 words

Harry finds a mysterious picture in Louis' bag one night and drives himself crazy over it. It's definitely not what he thinks. An excuse to write Harry in rut, because there's already so many heat fics out there.

2) Poppies In May | Explicit | 9457 words

And maybe he deserves it, Louis thinks bitterly. His hand curls around the fence tightly, and he feels like if he lets go he’ll slid onto the cold ground and never fucking get up again. Maybe standing here, staring at Harry’s hunched over, retreating back is what he deserves.

3) 3B Neighbor | Explicit | 10407 words

A mysterious neighbour keeps slipping the worst sort of notes under Harry's door.

4) Rather This Than Live Without You | Explicit | 10715 words

Harry decides to give it all up. Louis refuses to be left behind.

5) We Should Get Jerseys | Mature | 12147 words

Harry is a hockey player, and Louis is his slightly melodramatic boyfriend.

6) No Bleeding Hearts | Explicit | 12651 words

“I’m going to come out,” Louis says abruptly. His grip on the controller is tight, knuckles whitening. He doesn’t look at Harry when he says it.

“What?” Harry says. Louis sucks in a breath through his teeth.

“When we re-negotiate our contracts. I’m going to come out.” Harry fumbles with the controller and manages to set it down on coffee table without cracking it in half.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Harry says. Louis is still pointedly not looking at him.

“I’m not having this argument with you again, Harry,” Louis tells him. He leans forward and deposits his own controller on the table beside Harry’s before standing up. “I’m gonna go to the hotel.”

7) Know You Got That Thing (That I Like) | Explicit | 15798 words

Note: This fic has a BH mention.

In all the ways he thought about their reunion going, watching Louis finger himself open was not on the list.

8) Wait For Me (To Come Home) | Explicit |  16066 words

A future fic of time stamps where Louis finally comes to grips with a love he'd denied for too long.

9) My English Love Affair | Explicit | 19198 words

The thing about sleeping with a member of a famous indie band is that the inevitability of having a song written about you is most likely a hundred percent. The second thing is that in the end, nobody's supposed to find out it's about you.

The one where Harry writes a song about his English love affair and Louis sleeps with someone in White Eskimo and all he gets is a stupid song written about him.

10) Dance Like Warriors On A Battlefield | Explicit | 20083 words

Down in the arena, the triumphant gladiator places his foot on the back of the loser, holding him there as he waits for instruction on his next move. Kill or let live. It’s barbaric, really, the bloodlust involved in this sport. Louis is pretty sure that if it wasn’t for his distaste for the killing there would be a lot more blood soaking that sand.

As it is, his father rarely gives the kill order anymore. He gives the order to let the loser live. Louis rolls his eyes, turning away. He doesn’t miss the way the gladiator’s eyes linger on him.

11) Up To No Good | Explicit | 26525 words | Sequel #1 | Sequel #2

Harry doesn’t think of himself as a womanizer, not at all. Sure, he enjoys sex, enjoys how women feel underneath him, and by some people’s standards he has sex with quite a lot of people, but that’s no reason to tell him that he can’t have a female PA anymore.

It’s especially no excuse for giving him a male PA who’s possibly the most gorgeous boy in the world who won’t even let Harry look at him for too long.

Sometimes Harry hates his life.

12) All The Lights are Full Of Colour | Explicit | 26727 words

So, fast-forwarding eight years from the day Harry met Louis, he is now a twenty-seven year old owner of one of the most up-and-coming eating establishments on the London restaurant scene, father of two wonderful boys and… separated from his husband. Now, that last part definitely was never a part of the original plan.

13) Time Out | Explicit | 27539 words

Harry and Louis are perfect for each other.

Everybody knows it.

They know it, their friends know it, everybody knows it.

That's why Zayn, Liam and Niall won't let them get away with breaking up.

No chance in hell.

14) Carnelian | Explicit | 30631 words

Louis finds himself donating blood to the most beautiful being he’s ever seen.

15) Where The Lights Are Beautiful | Mature | 31170 words | Sequel

The accidental bonding a/b/o fic. 

16) Close To Nowhere | Explicit | 34589 words

Louis and Harry are psychics who kind of hate each other. They go to Tennessee to investigate a haunting.

17) No Matter Where You Are (No Matter How Far) | Explicit | 35799 words

An Everest AU where Louis sets out to climb the tallest mountain on the world and meets a curly-haired guy named Harry who worms his way into Louis’s life. It’s not long before reaching the summit becomes the least of Louis’s worries. 

18) The Things I’d Do To Wake Up Next To You | Mature | 36019 words

AU. Harry wakes up to a pregnant Louis Tomlinson and a wedding band on his finger.

19) Bloodsport | Explicit | 40283 words

“You know how our next game is against the Cardinals, right? You remember how vicious those guys can get. I wanted us to come up with some plays, maybe work on a block from the left--” Louis stops when he hears a chuckle. He doesn’t think he’s said anything particularly funny, so he turns to Harry, waiting for an explanation. "‘S funny, ‘s all.” Harry throws his finished bottle somewhere near the other discarded ones. “This is the first time you’re talking to me in eight months, and it’s still about football.”

20) The Sweetest Incantation | Explicit | 40598 words

Harry is a witch who's still working on developing his powers and Louis is a werecat who falls into his life and turns it upside down. 

21) Falling Into Place | Explicit | 40754 words

Louis and Harry spend nine years apart but inevitably find their way back to each other.                        

22) Another Hazy May | Explicit | 41043 words

Louis is a terrible poet and Harry lives in the now and they have six weeks to fall in love but, really, it only takes six seconds. Bookshop meets military meets summer romance AU ft. Malboros, the Backstreet Boys, and underrated literary devices.

23) Show Me Life Like I’ve Never Seen | Mature | 42953 words

Louis never expected to leave the small art studio three blocks down from his job with anything besides the painting he caught a glimpse of and simply couldn't forget.

24) Can I Not Like You For A While? | Explicit | 43346 words

Louis Tomlinson is awful. Harry is just as difficult, and they’re both terrible to each other. It makes being in the same acapella group together quite complicated. 

25) Just A Feeling | Explicit | 43977 words

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

The first time that Harry thinks about marriage in relation to Louis, he’s eighteen years old, standing in the middle of a crowded frat house, six drinks down and another in his hand.

It’s not the first time that he’s laid eyes on Louis. It’s not even the second time, or the third time, but Harry doesn’t believe in denying what his brain is trying to tell him, and his brain has been telling him that Louis might be the prettiest person in the world ever since that first fateful meeting, when Harry hadn’t been able to stop looking and Louis had ‘accidentally’ spilled his tea all over Harry’s lap in retaliation.

26) Love's Truest Language | Explicit | 48193 words

“I don't want your flowers.” Louis chided before directing all of his attention to the arrangement in front of him. Harry laughed under his breath as he stood to his full height, “Who said anything about them being for you, love?”

27) Tug-Of-War | Explicit | 55475 words

Louis' husband dies suddenly and he is left with nothing. Well, not really nothing. He has Harry. And a St. Bernard puppy named Link, whom his late husband left behind for him. Louis takes care of Link and Harry takes care of Louis. Everything is okay until suddenly, it isn't. 

28) Into The Midnight Sun | Explicit | 63523 words

It's 1983, Harry embarks on his first world tour and Louis is a budding actor in LA. Life spent apart isn't easily adjustable, but somehow they make it work.

29) Why Can't It Be Like That | Explicit | 63567 words

A fashion AU with a royal twist, where Louis doesn't need a stylist, Harry's thrilled to have a real life Barbie doll, and they're both very wrong about each other.

30) Perfect Storm | Explicit | 80230 words

What do you do when your best friend asks you and your (now) ex to be the best men at his destination wedding? You can either tell him the truth, tell him you’re not together anymore, and deal with the consequences, or you can pretend you’re still together and roll with it, just pray you don’t spiral. Fake it ‘til you make it. You know, for the sake of the wedding. Harry and Louis choose the latter.   

31) Pinkies Never Lie | Explicit | 83615 words | Sequel

AU in which Louis hates his job and loves Harry, Harry just wants a distraction, everyone else wants them to get their shit together, and Louis learns the hard way that new beginnings are only possible when something ends.

32) I Want You So Much (But I Hate Your Guts) | Mature | 83648 words

AU in which Louis gets accepted to play for the Manchester University Alpha-Beta Football Team. The only problem: Louis is actually an Omega. He is determined to make it big in the football world, though, and he can't do that bound to an Omega team. With the help of a faked doctor's certificate and some pretty strong suppressants he is ready to fight for his dream. That Harry Styles (Alpha, second year and youngest football captain of the A-B team in ages) doesn't seem to like him complicates matters, though.

33) Electing Strange Perfections | Explicit | 84757 words

Back for the summer from university, 19-year-old Louis is faced with a massive problem: their new gardener is quite possibly the most gorgeous man he's ever met. Over the course of the summer, Louis and a 25-year-old Harry will learn that love can be found where you least expect it.

34) For Reasons Wretched and Divine | Explicit | 94655 words

Ten years ago, Harry Styles was just a nerdy kid with one friend and a debilitating crush on the captain of his school’s football team. He thought the stars were smiling down on him the day he and Louis Tomlinson were paired for their end-of-term Literature project. But because Harry’s life is decidedly not a fairytale, the budding friendship quickly leads to the least happy ending of all time. Now, Harry Styles is a household name. Barely twenty-seven with two Grammy nominations to his name, the singer-songwriter is poised to take the music industry by storm with his highly anticipated third album. So, what happens when the best producer in the business is also the only person Harry’s vowed never to speak to again?    

35) Blue Ice | Mature | 102967 words

An AU where Louis finds himself in a marriage he didn't bargain for. 

36) A Taste Of Desire | Explicit | 104414 words

A Victorian ABO where Harry is the owner of the most successful cotton mill in Manchester, and Louis is an opinionated social activist about to disrupt Harry’s world.

37) Tainted Saints And Velvet Vices | Mature | 126056 words

A self-fulfilling Hogwarts AU in which Louis is new to seventh year and Harry is the resident devil-may-care Slytherin set to make his entire experience a living misery. Due to less than favourable circumstances they're forced to forge an unwilling, tentative relationship for their own survival. Repressed emotions, decidedly unromantic ballroom dancing, Triwizard Tournament tasks, creative jinxes and twilight flying above the Forbidden Forest ensue.

38) All I Want | Mature | 289307 words

When Harry and Louis got together it wasn’t under the best circumstances. Louis was taken by another. But go figure that the way they ended up together is the very same way it ended. And Harry left Louis. He left him with a lot more than he thought. A story about how people’s misconceptions almost destroyed a love that went beyond measure.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[poisxnyouth]

hs!dave. chapter 1. (d.d)

A/N: hi babies. it's been two weeks since i've posted anything. me and aly, @fukgoldbars, (🐝, go follow her) have been working on this nonstop for the past week. 17 pages later on a google doc.....and this is what we made. let's goooo. please enjoy. we're both really proud of this. much love. -hailey (and aly)

WC: 7.1k (on the dot)

“Natalie, Y/N, fucking hurry up! The game starts in 30 minutes and I don’t wanna miss the coin toss. I don’t understand why you both had to redo your face paint. You literally had it on at school and it looked fine. They’re dots, for fuck’s sake. I’ll leave your asses, I swear. Did you both forget I’m your fucking ride?” David is standing at the bottom of Natalie’s stairs, propped against the banister on his phone, waiting impatiently for you and Natalie.

“Fuck off, David.”

Dave had been haphazard with his face paint 12 hours earlier, leaning over his sink with paint on his fingers (blue on one, white on the other) as he smeared one of each color across his cheeks. You and Natalie, on the other hand, had applied it with care in the backseat of Dave’s Corolla on the way to school. He had protested the entire time, “If you get paint on my seats, I’ll kill both of you. I mean it, you guys.” Two pencils for each color, erasers dipped into paint caps for the perfect circle and wiping off any asymmetry of the dots. They’d slightly worn off through classes and the pep rally, so you both had decided to redo them, much to David’s dismay.

“Seriously, I don’t get why you didn’t just do it in the car like you did this morning. It doesn’t have to look good.” You and Natalie come down the stairs, all 3 of you in Vernon Hills High School gear.

“Stop being an asshole,” you say, hitting the back of his head, “That’s exactly why you don’t have a fucking girlfriend. Let’s go.”

“Hey! Courtney likes me,” he defends, pulling his keys out of his pocket and moving to the front door. Natalie locks it, grabbing her purse and keys before you both file out after her.

“In your dreams. When’s the last time you got laid? Like, freshman year? Shotgun, by the way.” David unlocks the car, all 3 of you climbing in as he starts it.

“Fuck you, Y/N, you know I didn’t get shit freshman year. Got laid in June, just so you know. Tennis camp.” David’s pulling out of Nat’s driveway, craning his head to look through his rear window.

“Get the fuck out,” you say, “No way. You fucked at tennis camp? Was it any good?”

David laughs as he switches gears, driving straight through Nat’s neighborhood. “Hell no. It was terrible. Barely even came. But sex is sex, I guess. When’s the last time for you?” You shake your head, flipping his visor down and opening the mirror. You dig through your bag, finding your mascara and beginning to apply it; Dave had shortened the time you had to get ready.

“That’s not true. Terrible sex is terrible sex. But great sex is great sex, you know? You go back to that shit over and over again. It’s okay, Davey, you’ll find someone who fucks you good.” You reach over to poke his cheek as he drives, David swatting your hand away in defense. “And last weekend. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great, either.”

“Oh my gosh! Y/N! You finally had sex with Jordan?” Natalie pipes up from the backseat, leaning in between you and David’s seat to be included in the conversation.

“Yeah! But since it wasn’t good, I broke up with him on Tuesday.” You shrug, twisting the mascara closed and dropping it in your bag.

“Damn. Is this how girls work? I’m hopeless. And good, I hated that fucker. You can do better, Y/N. He’s lame as hell. I don’t know why you keep dating those football players, they’re assholes.”

“I don’t know why either. I don’t think I should date anybody for a while, but I want the sex...I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.” David is half listening as you sit at a red light, leaning over into your seat to dig through his dash.

“Nat, are you smoking with us tonight?” David asks, finding the weed and stashing it back in its place, closing the dash.

“Nah, I’m good. Maybe tomorrow night after homecoming. You guys can smoke and come in the house, though, you won’t have to worry about the smell ‘cause my parents are out of town. Isa and Lauren will be asleep too. They want pictures of us from you guys’ parents, by the way!”

“Alright,” Dave responds simply as the light turns green, hitting the gas.

“Stop speeding, Dave!”

“I’m sorry, you guys held me up for 15 minutes because you were doing your damn face paint. I can go 5 miles over if I want to.”

++

The game goes smoothly, no injuries or setbacks; the quarterback and cheer captain win homecoming king and queen, and you win the game. It’s a successful night, and pissing David off by removing your face paint in his car is the cherry on top (even though he begs you to wipe the stripes off of his cheeks as he drives).

It becomes even more successful when you and Dave light up in his car in Natalie’s driveway. You have the joint in your lips, David’s eyes watching as he flicks the lighter and holds it for you. You take a deep hit as he watches, breathing in and passing the joint back to him. You hold it for a few seconds before exhaling, immediately coughing.

“We do this every Friday and you cough every time,” he chuckles, lighting the joint again, looking down at it. “And I always finish the joint. It’s like every time is your first time. Is that how you have sex, too?” David passes it back to you, fingertips brushing.

“Go to hell,” you reply, “I’m good at sex. I worry for the girls you’ve fucked.” You meet his eyes as you take a hit.

He watches and says, smile hinting at his lips as you look at him, “The girls I fuck are perfectly satisfied. Most of the time, I’m not. Seems to be the same for you. Sucks for us, I guess.” David hits the joint fairly hard, inhaling for a generous ten seconds, staring out of his windshield at the front of Nat’s garage. He rests his hand on the steering wheel, joint between his fingers as he holds the smoke in, then exhaling slowly.

“Yeah. I don’t know how to fix that.” Dave doesn’t reply, dropping the subject.

You repeat the back and forth process a few times, David finding a bottle of water in his backpack to ease your throat. You smoke quietly until you’re too far gone, insisting he finish it off for you. He does, putting it out in his cup holder and tossing the roach in a plastic bag. David leans his seat back, head resting on his hands as he stares up at the ceiling.

“You really broke up with Jordan ‘cause he didn’t fuck you good enough?” He asks, “Why? Isn’t it a learning process?”

“Ummmm,” you clear your throat, “It’s not cause he was bad. He just didn’t wanna do the shit that I wanted to, so...I broke up with him. You know, kinda like what we were talking about.”

Dave continues staring at the ceiling of his car, eyebrows scrunched together. “Huh? What does that even mean?”

“He didn’t fuck me hard enough. He was too vanilla. But I know I’m gonna miss sex, so I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I don’t wanna just go around fucking people, you know?” You mimic him, putting your seat down and resting your head on your hands.

“Oh. I didn’t know you were like that. I mean, we could…..Nevermind. That’s weird. Sorry.”

You look at him, concerned, turning on your side in the seat. “Say it, pussy.”

He shrugs, still not looking at you, “I just thought...I just thought that - that like, I’m in kinda the same spot you know? I like sex. Maybe - maybe we could help each other out? I don’t know. It was weird. I don’t know why I thought of it. I’m so fucking gone.”

Your eyes widen, mouth dropping open. “You’d fuck me?”

David’s eyes nervously fly to yours and back to the ceiling, “I mean. Yeah. Look at you. You’re sexy as fuck. There are days where you wear shit……..I have to tell myself to cool it ‘cause we’ve known each other for so long. Literally, oh my God - I don’t even wanna go into detail.”

“Would you fuck Natalie?” You ask, ignoring his statement and sitting up, propped on one arm.

He sits up at your question, weight on his elbows, face scrunched. “What the fuck? No. Gross. She’s like a sister to me. You know that.”

“So how am I any different? We’ve all been friends since you moved here.” You’re looking at him like he’s dumb, confusion and judgment spread across your face.

“You just…..are,” he shrugs, “Always have been. I dunno, I kinda thought we have sexual tension? Like, earlier? I can’t talk about sex with Nat like I do with you. But obviously, now I know you don’t think that.” David moves his seat back up, sitting straight in his seat. "I just think that people like you need to fuck people like me, not people like Jordan whateverthefuckhisnameis. I don't know. It was a stupid suggestion. Sorry for bringing it up. I like your company and I don't wanna change shit between us. Let's just drop it, okay?"

You meet his eyes, biting at your lips before looking away. “No,” you say timidly, “I wanna fuck you, too. But not when we’re high. I wanna be sober.”

“Huh? What? Really? You’d fuck me?” Dave asks, still staring at you.

“Um, yeah,” you admit, “I know I make fun of you but...you’re not too bad, either. Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Y/N, you’re like, the hottest girl in school, I’m not gonna take it lightly-.”

“Ugh, shut up. You’re just stoned.” You wave him off, turning to look at him.

“You’re hot and you know it, Y/N. I mean, haven’t you dated like, 10 guys? There’s no way you don’t know how fuckable you are,” David defends, shrugging his shoulders.

You gasp and smack him over the head. “David!”

“I’m kidding, Y/N, I’m kidding!” You sigh and reach into the backseat to grab your bag, pulling on the handle to escape his car. He grabs your forearm and you turn back to him, David’s eyes going between you as he slowly removes his touch.

“Wait, but seriously...like, you’d fuck me? For real?” You retreat back into his seat, shutting the door and tossing your purse into his floorboard.

“If we’re talking seriously...yes. I would. You’re pretty hot. But again, once we’re sober, ‘cause I don’t wanna do something now and regret it later. Am I making any sense?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I hope you remember this when you’re sober, though.”

You ignore his comment, “So...people like me need to fuck people like you? What is that supposed to mean?” David fiddles with the stitching on his steering wheel, eyes flitting between his hands and you.

“Is that what I said?” He feigns, smacking his lips as you nod, “Well...how many football players have you fucked?”

“Five,” you admit, “But I don’t see why that matters. I don’t have a type.”

“I think you do, Y/N,” David shoots back, “Why else would you-.”

“Don’t be stupid and act like you’re the only one who’s been thinking about it, Dave. Sure, you’re out of my league, but I’ve thought about it, too. I just didn’t want to admit it, ’cause we’re best friends, but you’re cute. You can be an asshole, but you’re cute.”

“Yeah?” He asks, nodding at your approval. “Cool. Wait, what the fuck? I’m out of your league?” He scoffs, hand covering his mouth, “Holy shit. You think that? Fuck...So, um, we’re not doing anything tonight? When can I expect something? Or do you wanna plan it?”

“Surprise me, Davey.”

“That’s bullshit. I don’t wanna do something wrong,” David complains, “Like, if the timing is wrong, then-”

“Be quiet. Stop overthinking it; it’s simple. Make a move when I’m sober, Dave. That’s all I’m asking. Don’t be a pussy,” you move to get out of his car again, purse in hand, before changing your mind, pausing in your seat and staring into his windshield.

It’s silent for a few seconds, eyes cutting between each other, both of you chewing at your lips.

“We should probably go insi-,” David tries to say, hand reaching for the keys and turning them, removing them from the ignition.

“Wait,” you interrupt, “I just - Let me see.” You drop your purse in his floor again, glancing between his lips and eyes. His face turns from confused to understanding as he notices your stares, dropping his keys in his cup holder. Dave doesn’t do anything, though, waiting for you to make the first move. You comply, slowly and timidly, not looking at him as your hand reaches forward, landing on his chest. Your body soon follows, leaning in closer, fingers tangling in his shirt. Dave’s cheeks brush against yours, his hands coming to each side of your waist in an attempt to comfort your uneasiness.

“You don’t have to do this, Y/N,” David tries to explain in an apprehensive whisper, halted by the shaking of your head.

“No. I wanna,” you promise, “‘S just kinda weird.” He nods slightly in agreement as you both gaze downwards and lean closer, eyes fluttering closed and lips attaching.

It’s nervous at first, David's hands gripping your waist slightly tighter than he had been before, sitting up straight and leaning further into your closed mouth kiss.

Dave leans out slowly, lips still close as his eyes drop between you, “Is this okay?” You don’t answer, hands sliding onto his shoulders as you lean in once more. It’s more comfortable this time, his palms shifting to your lower back as you pull him in, forcing him to lean over his center console. You continue for a few minutes, falling into a subtle give and take after an easy transition of lips to tongues. It’s slow, tongues sliding together easily accompanied by hands sliding lower than they should have. His hands slide into your back pockets, lightly squeezing, before you break away from him softly.

“Um, we should…” You say, David immediately catching on and nodding quickly, removing his hands from you and turning back in his seat, wiping at his mouth. He doesn’t say anything as he retrieves his keys from his cup holder, crawling out of his car before you follow him. He locks his car after you’re out, letting you walk in front of him.

“Nat, we’re here!” you yell once you’re through the front door, both of you kicking your shoes off. You can hear her walking around upstairs, quickly coming into sight, coming down a few steps and leaning over the railing to peer down between you.

“Can you shut up? Isa and Lauren are asleep!”

“Sorry,” you whisper, “Are you going to bed?”

In your peripheral vision, you see David step around you to get to the kitchen, then hearing him fill a glass of water at the fridge. Natalie nods, “Yeah. Your bags with all of your clothes and shit are in the living room. If you wanna come up and sleep in my bed it’s cool, but I know you guys are gonna be up for a while so just be quiet, please. I have to take them to cheer and basketball in the morning, so if you and Dave wake up and I’m not here…”

“Got ya. We might just stay down here,” you reply, shrugging lightly.

“Okay. Goodnight. Tell Dave for me.” You nod in response, turning to go through the hallway into the kitchen. David is pushing himself onto the top of Natalie’s kitchen island, phone in hand, before you mirror him, dangling your legs slightly.

“I wanna kiss you again,” he admits, “It felt wrong at first, but I liked it. You’re good at it.” He’s taking his lips between his teeth, chewing lightly as he stares at you, awaiting a response. “Only if you’d let me, though.”

You’re not looking at him, crossing your ankles and focusing on the pattern of the bland tile rather than the blush rising in your cheeks. “I’d be cool with it.”

David takes the opportunity, placing his phone down, to gently turn your head and lean in.

“So...hypothetically,” he whispers in between kisses, “In the morning...I could fuck you, ‘cause we’ll be sober.”

“Mmm,” you reply into his mouth, “Good theory. You’d really wanna fuck in Nat’s house? I’d feel bad for that.”

He grunts softly, “Shit. I don’t wanna fuck in her house either, but I’d do anything to fuck you as soon as possible. I’d fuck you in the backseat of my car in the driveway if that’s what it takes.” David pulls away gently, sliding off of the counter and tugging you along. He presses you against the edge of the surface, hands on your hips as his neck bends down slightly.

“I’m just saying. I don’t wanna have to wait, like, a week to fuck you. ‘Cause you want it soon, right?” You feel his cheek brush against yours, his fingers pushing the edges of your t-shirt up.

“...Right?” Dave asks again, torso coming closer in contact with yours, pulling you closer. You nod in his hold, eyes staring down at the lack of space between your bodies.

“Okay, then it’s settled. I’m fucking you in the morning.” You admire his sudden confidence, a complete opposite compared to his actions in the car. David’s lips start trailing down your neck, teeth lightly grazing against the skin. Your arms drape lazily around his neck, fingers finding the hairs at the nape as he sloppily kisses up the column of your throat and down your jaw.

“Dave, maybe we should...Maybe - fuck.” You sigh as he kisses a certain spot on your neck, tongue running across it lightly. “Maybe we should get ready for bed.” He kisses down to your carotid before stepping away, removing his hands and sighing lightly.

“You’re right. Sorry. Your bag’s over there, mine’s over here,” David points halfheartedly, turning to move towards the opposite side of the living room, pulling at the neck of his shirt and tugging it over his head. You watch his shoulder blades shift slightly as he walks, quickly tearing your eyes away and going the opposite way, crossing your arms and lifting your shirt off by the hem. You adjust the cups of your bra and the straps before your hands reach for your belt buckle, undoing it and swiftly sliding out of your jeans. You toss both articles of clothing into your bag, subconsciously tugging your underwear up your hips. You’re about to grab your shorts and t-shirt before you hear Dave speak:

“Get the fuck out. Oh my God,” he says, forcing you to look at him, confused, his eyes glued on your ass. “Jesus Christ.” David tears his eyes away, glancing back quickly before pulling on one of his tennis shirts. He side eyes you as you pull on your shorts, your hips squirming to squeeze your ass in them. You don’t watch him at all, keeping your eyes to yourself as you get dressed and place yourself on the couch next to him. Dave doesn’t miss a beat, sliding you into his lap, hands on your waist.

“What are you doing?”

“We can’t make out?” He questions, brows furrowed, looking up at you. You shrug in response, moving to lean in and tangling your fingers in his hair. Your lips attach, seemingly more comfortable each time, and David’s hands slide from your waist to your hips, down to your ass, squeezing lightly. In no time, he tugs on the waistband of your shorts. You grunt into his mouth softly in response, pulling away to allow him to do so. You feel his knuckles rub against your skin as you move to rest your weight on your knees, sitting up straight. He gets them past your hips, cheek against your waist as he looks around you, watching your ass as he squeezes you out of the shorts, and you allow him to push them off of your legs.

“You’re so hot,” he says as you settle back down in his lap, arms draped around his shoulders. “Like...fuck.” Dave removes one hand, sliding it in your hair and pulling you in to another kiss, slightly quicker as your tongues slide together. He’s toying with the hem of your shirt, causing you to pull away and tug it off, knowing it’d be coming soon.

He attaches your mouths for a few seconds, leaning back out and resting his hands on your thighs, thumbs rubbing slightly as he stares upwards at you, making eye contact.

“How was your day?” David asks randomly, hands running up your hips, toying with the lace.

“Um, fine? I had a good time. You were with me for most of it,” you reply, bewildered as you run your hands over his shoulders. He adjusts his posture, sitting up straighter and shrugging slightly.

“What are your grades like?” Dave’s switching up on his touches, fingertips barely touching your spine as he runs them down every vertebrae. He takes his bottom lip between his teeth as you shiver beneath his touch, gripping his shoulders slightly tighter.

“Good. I’m pissed off at Mrs. Barnes, though.” His fingers and knuckles are dancing up the insides of your thighs as he keeps eye contact, watching you tense up at the close proximity of his hands and your pussy.

“Yeah? Why?” You’re aware of his game, now; he’s slowly touching you, pushing your hair out of your face and running it over your body. He’s continually switching up on how he touches you: soft, barely felt touches with his fingertips, hard knuckles, and whole hearted grabs with his palms and fingers. He’s trying to distract you, to tease you, and it’s working. Too quickly for your liking. It doesn’t take long for you to begin only focusing on his touches, and not the conversation at hand.

“Hmm?” He gently reminds, hands going over your shoulders, softly running over the lengths of your arms.

“Umm. W-well, my grade was a 95, right? And now it’s an….umm….um. An eighty - an eighty one and it makes me really mad ‘cause - oh my God.”

“Hm? What was that?” David chuckles softly, giddy at how undone you are for him already as he grips at your tits, cupping them over your bra. Your nails dig into his shirt as his fingers find your nipples through the soft cups, rolling and pinching them. He allows you to grind your hips down against him, back arched and head thrown back, the only barriers between you being the lace and his boxers.

“I said - I said it makes me really mad.” You’re pissed off and embarrassed that he’s working you up so quickly, even though you were doing exactly as he wanted. Your high mental state does not help your situation whatsoever, feeling practically every goosebump he brings to your skin.

“Really? Why?” You open your mouth to speak as he pulls your underwear to the side; he doesn’t touch you, free hand on your waist, as you whine at the feeling of being bare as you grind against his boxers.

“Keep going,” he insists, “What were you going to say?” You rut into him once more, whine escaping your lips.

“David, please.”

“Finish what you were saying, Y/N.” Your brain feels fried as he stares up at you, lips parted. Your fingers are digging into his shoulders as you try to remember what you were talking about.

“Ummmmmm…,” you say, Dave laughing lightly at you, “What was I saying?”

He pushes your hair off of your shoulders, free hand running down your back. “Your grade went from a 95 to an 81 in Barnes.”

“O-oh, right. Um, it just p-pisses me off ‘cause she gave me a zero in the gradebook for the - for the - fortheprojectwedidtogether.” You slur the words out in one breath just to get your response out, attempting to not stutter.

“I got a 100 on it. I don’t know why yours doesn’t say the same,” he offers half-heartedly, knuckles running up the insides of your thighs as he pulls your underwear back into place.

“Sorry, what? What did you just say?” You push your hips down once more, rubbing up against his semi hard dick through his boxers, whining at the contact. David can tell how far gone you are as he kisses down your neck and you breathe heavily, pulling him in closer and gasping lightly.

“Does it feel good, baby? Can you feel everything I’m doing?” It’s all you can do to nod in his hold, feeling as though the room is spinning as he reaches behind you, unclasping your bra. The pet name should feel weird and foreign, new territory for you both, but all you can focus on is his touch.

You push your hips down again, squeaking out a “David, please.” He barely complies, pushing the lace to the side once more, feeling a drop of your wetness drop against his boxers. He gasps at the sight.

“How’d you get this wet, baby?” David still doesn’t touch you, guiding your hips over his, feeling his boxers get damper and damper.

“Y-you.”

“You like it that much?” You don’t need to reply; he knows the answer. You’re more turned on than you think you’ve ever been with a guy, and Dave is soaking it up. He had hoped touching you would sober you up some, but it seems to have done the opposite: you’re now further gone than you were in the car. He loves watching you be so malleable in his touch, fingers tangling in your hair in tugging lightly. Your mouth drops open slightly, neck exposed for him. He watches you as he releases his grip, feeling as though he’s dreaming. Dave no longer feels high, sobering up more and more as his dick gets harder and harder.

“Daaavvviiiiiiddddd,” you whine, “Pleasepleaseplease touch me.”

“I don’t think so, baby. Why should I?” He’s still teasing, even though you’re unraveling beneath him.

“‘Cause I want it?” You offer.

“That’s not good enough,” he disagrees, picking up on your lack of ability to form sentences as you push your hips down onto his, taking his hand in yours and leading it to your throat, eyes rolling back as you take your lips between your teeth.

“This is what you wanted? That Jordan wouldn’t give you? He’s a dumbass. Did he see this ass, baby? And these tits? Fuck.” You don’t reply, David taking it upon himself to slide his mouth around your tit, removing his hand from your throat. Your fingers tangle in his hair, pulling as a whine escapes your throat. It feels as though you can feel every single one of his taste buds as he slides his tongue around you, pulling you closer and forcing you to rock forward, feeling the length of his dick.

You gasp in his hold, “You’re fucking kidding me,” you say, halting your movement. “What the hell, David? Your dick is not that fucking big.”

He’s momentarily confused, pulling away from your breast, but you slide yourself along him, against his boxers and let out a moan at the feeling. He’s instantly cocky, chuckling at your reaction.

“Please, David, please. I just want you inside of me,” you beg, hands haphazardly pushing up his t-shirt, palms resting on his pecs. He hadn’t planned to touch you, but he can’t go any longer without doing anything. He brings a hand down, fingers slowly coming into contact with your pussy as he swipes through the folds. You nearly cum at the contact, hips stuttering and collapsing against him.

“You’re so fucking wet.”

You give him a whine, “Uh huhhhhh,” stuttering out an, “A - all for you.”

“I know, baby, I know,” he reassures, one hand rubbing at your ass and the other tearing away from your pussy. David still feels like he’s trapped in his REM stage, pushed by how much you’re trying to please him, even in your current state. He loves it. He had never seen you so vulnerable, and even through your whining and childish behavior, it still turns him on endlessly due to the fact he has never seen you struggle to form sentences. You’re one of the smartest people he knows, someone he respects and loves dearly, and to see you completely fucked out without him actually laying a finger on you is everything to him.

After he removes his hand from you, he holds it up, fingers spreading to show your visible wetness.

“Do you see this?” Again, you don’t answer him, hand going over his to steady its movement. You stare absentmindedly, brain not fully functioning, before leading his fingers into your mouth, looking into his eyes as you suck. His jaw drops.

“Oh, baby…” he lets out, eyes flickering between your lips and eyes, feeling as though he died and went to heaven.

“I bet you taste sweet. Do you?” You nod against him, still sucking.

"Yeah? Let me see.” David takes his fingers from your mouth, pulling you in and attaching your mouths, eyes fluttering closed and tongues immediately coming in contact. He groans into the kiss, leaning out.

“I was right.” His fingers move to your pussy again, causing you to whine once more as he feels you up. You groan, throwing your head back and digging your nails into his chest as he slips two fingers inside, going to the second knuckle. You’re so wet David can hear his fingers sink in, groaning at the noise.

He exhales, “Yeah, baby, I don’t know if I’m going to fit. You’re so fucking tight -.”

“Nononono, please, I need it.”

“We can try, but you’re so fucking tight. Can you feel how hard you’re clenching around my fingers? I can try to help you but shit, you’re so tight for me. How are you so tight when half the football team has been here before me? Are you gonna be this tight every time I fuck you? It’s gonna be like fucking a virgin. Isn’t that what I said in the car, baby? Hmm?”

You whimper slightly, “Fuck you. Who said we’d do this more than once?”

His free hand pulls haphazardly at your hair. “You can’t talk to me like that, baby. Understood? I can stop this at any time. And you’ll be back, babe, I promise you.” You nod, submitting to him easily.

“You think I’m gonna fit?” he asks, eyes meeting yours.

“I-I hope so. I need it.” Dave doesn’t reply, nodding and bringing his free hand to your face, fingers pushing into your mouth.

“Your mouth is so pretty,” he compliments, fingers pulling out and pressing against your tongue. “Wish those lips were wrapped around my dick.” You immediately register what he’s asking for, automatically moving to get off of him and drop to your knees.

He stops you before you’re successful, hands on your hips, “Not right now, baby. Thank you, though. Such a good girl for me.”

You whine, “But I wanna…”

“I know, baby, but I don’t wanna cum yet. I have self-control, unlike somebody.”

Your face scrunches up in a bratty complaint, “I have self-control.” As you say this, David leans up and kisses at your jaw lightly, promising you as you push your hips down, “It’s okay that you don’t.”

“Just let me see it,” you beg, changing the subject, fingers in his hair.

“See what?”

You squirm in his hold, a blush rising on your face as you’re suddenly embarrassed. You reach down and try to touch him, David grabbing your wrist to stop you.

“Please, let me see it. I wanna see it.” You try to grind down against him, David putting his free hand on your waist and holding you in place in defiance.

“Come on, baby, say it. I know you can. What do you wanna see?”

“Just - just let me - let me see, David. I wanna see.”

“Say it. I won't know what to let you see if you don't tell me what it is.”

When you refuse again, he pulls back, leaning back against the couch with his hands behind his head. You groan, grabbing his shoulders.

“Daavidddddd!” He laughs and shakes his head.

“I’m not gonna touch you until you tell me what you want,” he insists.

“I just wanna see you,” you groan in frustration, moving to pull at the waistband of his boxers. David doesn’t comply, pushing your hands away and adjusting them before his fingers find the collar of his t-shirt, leaning forward and pulling it over his head.

It momentarily distracts you, David’s hands returning behind his head as you run your fingers over his chest. You lean down, Dave moving to hold your hair back as you begin leaving sloppy kisses across his shoulders and up his neck.

“Hey,” you say, chock full of courage, lips on his collarbone, “Let me see your dick, Davey. Please.”

He lets out a soft chuckle, hands moving from your hair to the front of his boxers, quietly pushing the clothing past his hips. He lifts them in the process, and you move off to the side as he takes himself into his hand.You immediately push his hand away, replacing his touch and dropping to your knees, placing yourself between his thighs.

“You don't have to, baby.”

“I want to,” you promise, eyes on his dick as you stroke him. You want to deepthroat him, beginning to lick and suck at the head, kissing up the underside of his dick and continuing the movements. David’s hands go to your hair, pushing it out of your face.

“Fuck,” he says, watching as you pull back a few inches and spit down his cock, hand working over him. You take him back in your mouth, David pulling your hair into a makeshift ponytail, and you can easily recognize how badly he wants to push your head down but is too scared to. He leads your head gently, careful not to force your mouth down onto him.

You pull off once more, looking up at him, “David, you can face fuck me.”

“Can you take it?” His voice is taunting, yet genuinely concerned. You nod, opening your mouth and waiting for him to do something.

He grabs a hold of your hair again, pushing your head down slightly. You try to take more, opening your mouth wider, but he doesn’t allow it, pulling your head back up by your hair.

“No, that’s too much for you, baby,” Dave insists, pulling your head up slightly, mouth off of his dick. He gazes at the spit dripping from your lips before your fingers come and wipe it away, using it as lube as your hand replaces your mouth.

“I know how to suck dick, asshole. Do you even want me to?”

“Fine, Y/N,” he gives in exasperatedly, “I’ll face fuck you, but don’t talk a big game and then throw up on my dick.” You roll your eyes as he pushes your head down, still gentle as you open your throat for him.

“Oh, shit,” he exclaims as you take him deeper, gagging as he hits the back of your throat. David is being too timid for your liking; his grasp is too malleable - you could pull away at any time and he’d let you. Still, though, you persevere, forefingers wrapped around the base of his cock as your lips reach your fingertips. You hold yourself there, repeatedly swallowing around him and breathing through your nose, eyes closed.

“Oh my God, babybabybaby baby. Stop.” You look up at him, doe-eyed, and obey as he forcefully tugs you off of him. David loves the sound your throat makes as he leaves you, your body instantly coughing as you continue to spit down his dick, hand working slowly.

“Fucking give me a minute, Y/N,” David bitches, hands leaving your hair and pushing your touches away before running them through his hair, chest heaving slightly. “Jesus fucking Christ. I almost nutted right then. I need a second.”

“Where the hell did you learn that shit? When?” Dave pulls you back up to the couch, half-heartedly kissing down your neck as he tries to calm himself down.

You shrug in his hold, cocky, “I’ve never done it before.” David gapes slightly, muttering a soft what the fuck? and pulling you in, attaching your mouths. You shift in your seat, hands in each other’s hair as you wait for his breathing to slow. You move away from him, going to settle between his knees once more.

David’s hand forges a half-assed ponytail as you take his dick into your mouth once more, Dave finally taking the liberty of moving your mouth up and down on him.

You continue that way for a few minutes; the consistent exchange being a combination of him bucking his hips up and pushing your head down - until you gag one final time and he pulls your head up completely.

“Okay, enough of that, baby,” he sighs, blinking and rubbing at his eyes as he tries to calm himself down.

“Why?” you frown, reaching to grab him again but he pushes your hand back, shaking his head.

“You’re being too loud, I don’t wanna wake anyone up. And I’m seriously about to fucking bust.”

“Fine - are you gonna fuck me now?” you ask, running your hand up his leg. “Please.”

“You really want me to?”

You roll your eyes and begin to tell him yes, obviously, shithead but he cuts you off by pulling you back onto the couch by your hands and pushing you on your back. You’re taken aback by his sudden movements, looking at him as he shakes his head at you.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me,” he warns in a low voice. You whine in response, grabbing his arms and pulling him on top of you, torsos rubbing together.

“Okay, I’ll fuck you, but you have to be quiet. Okay, baby?”

You nod quickly, but begin to whine again when he gets up from the couch, grabbing his wallet and pulling a condom out.

“Dave, I’m on the pill, you don’t even need that,” you try, but he ignores you, slipping it on anyways and moving back in between your legs, one hand resting on your knee.

He positions himself at your entrance, looking you in the eyes and whispering a be quiet before pushing in timidly. You gasp harshly and he quickly covers your mouth with his hand, shushing you and gently kissing you on the forehead.

“It’s okay,” he promises in a whisper, stilling for a moment to let you adjust. You whimper into his hand as he slowly attempts to push in more, only going about halfway before stopping again.

“I’m gonna stop there,” he mumbles under his breath, hips halting their movement.

“Nononono, David, all the way,” you beg, shaking your head and tightening your legs around his waist, trying to get him to go deeper. Dave pushes you back down by your waist in a defiant response.

“No, that’s enough, baby. You’re already overwhelmed.” As much as you hate it, you don’t fight him on it, because taking his dick proves to be a challenge for you.

“How are you so fucking tight? I don’t get it,” Dave questions, expecting no response, “Can you be quiet for me now, baby?” You nod in his hold.

David sets a slow, steady pace, removing his hand from your mouth at the agreement you would be as quiet as possible. He interlocks his hands with yours, holding them to the couch on either side of your head, thumbs rubbing comfortingly.

He starts moving a bit faster once he’s able to tell you’re comfortable, trailing wet kisses down your neck. Dave remains careful, not moving his hips too quickly for fear of the volume. It gets the job done.

“Fuck, Dave, holy shit.” You feel your eyes begin to water, tears slipping down the side of your face and into your hair. He presses his lips to yours again, removing a hand from yours and wiping your tears away. He had been frightened at first, but ultimately encouraged by your cursing and whimpers in his ear.

“Does it feel good? You like it, baby?” He asks huskily as you throw your head back, trying your best not to moan. Your free hand begins to dig your nails into his shoulder, moving to bite at the skin by his collarbone to keep yourself quiet.

“So - ohmygod - so fucking good, Dave. Keep going, please.”

He takes his free hand from your cheek and reaches between you, rubbing your clit. David doesn’t move his fingers too quickly, lightening his touch and working you in conjunction with his hips. It takes everything in you to not cry out, nipping repeatedly at the skin by his collarbone. You don’t understand how he isn’t bleeding yet, the flesh already turning from a pale white to a darkened purple. It hurts him, but it’s only encouragement for him and he needs to stay quiet; he groans softly between you as you continuously squeeze around him, pussy gripping his dick tightly.

“Are you gonna cum?”

You can’t get an answer out before you start to clench around him, mind going blank as you whimper.

“Fuck,” he hisses, “Baby, be quiet.” David slides his fingers into your mouth, muffling your noises.

You realize he still hadn’t finished, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling his face closer, whispering encouragements into his ear as your fingers tangle into his hair.

“Cum, David, please, cum for me. I wanna be good for you, please cum - cum for me, Davey.”

His hips stutter and he groans, head dropping to your neck, slowing down before halting his movements entirely.

You lay like that for a few minutes, catching your breaths and looking into each other’s eyes. David lets out a breath.

“Nat can never find out about this.”

[nomnomsik]

To Catch a Dream - (1)

Teaser

Pairing: Yoongi x Fem!Reader

Genre: Yandere, CollegeAU, Slowburn

Word Count: 1428

Warnings: Yandere themes, no specifics TBD. Please do not read if sensitive.

Summary:  It’s difficult for Yoongi, who’s completely infatuated with you, to quietly remain your college friend. With a slow appearance of unusual tendencies in him, he realizes what he needs to do to attain his dream. However, jealousy and possession are universal in everyone.

A/N: I said screw the second teaser. You’ll get the first chapter now. It’ll be a slow one. Buckle your seatbelts and prepare for a long one. 

|Teaser| | 01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10 || 11 || 12 ||

Chapter ONE

“Open up.”

“Yeah yeah.” The faint voice came from the other side of the door. The door cracked open, revealing Yoongi's disheveled hair as a black blob as he pushed the door fully open for you. He turned around and walked back to his desk as you came in.

“Good morning.”

“Yeah.” 

“Wow, how sweet. Since when did you get soft?” You stared, folding your arms in front of your chest. 

“I realized how special you are to me.” He deadpanned, refusing to look up from his desk. 

“Yikes, Yoongi that was cringy.” 

“Shut up.”

“Anyways,” you continued, leaning onto his light yellow painted walls. “Thanks for replying to my good mornings, finally. I was starting to lose hope.” 

“That's because you give up easily.” 

“How could you be so wrong?” You muttered, rolling your eyes.

“Remind me please, who was the one that didn't want to go to the movies and sulked when I tried to get them to wake up because they thought movies started directly on the time listed on the ticket and to top it all off, whined how it wouldn't matter if we were late. Who again?” 

Your ears heated up from embarrassment as you stood up straight, making your way over to him. 

“Hey! So not cool. Why would they put the time on the ticket if that's not when it starts? It makes no sense if you ask me! It's like saying, ‘come to this event at this certain time, but it'll really start 30 minutes later!’ it's ridiculous.”

“Anyone who's been to a movie theater knows it's common sense that the movies always don't start on the exact time the ticket lists. Unless-” He looked up, giving you that look. 

“Don't you dare say it, I swear to God, Min Yoongi! If you say what I think you're about to say, I will-” 

His voice cut you off, “Now it makes sense why you begged me to go to the movies with you. Never been to one I'm guessing. Or… you had no one to go through your whole life so you didn't know.” 

Before you had a chance to lash out from all the embarrassment, An annoyed voice broke in, startling you. 

“Gosh will the two of you kindly shut up? I was trying to sleep but you two are bickering like a stupid couple.” 

“Jimin!” You shouted, folding your arms. “Don't pull that shit. Almost gave me a heart attack.” 

“Well, I guess what, sweetheart, I don’t care. Can you guys bicker somewhere else or do I have to shove you guys out of the dorm?” Jimin spoke out from his covers, his yellow blanket draped over his head and down to his feet. His eyes looked back and forth from you and Yoongi, completely annoyed from being woken up from his beauty sleep. 

“Yoongi say something!” You shouted, staring at said man who was not so diligently working on homework. Unusually, Yoongi didn’t click his tongue in annoyance like he always did. Instead, he looked up from the papers, smirking up at you. 

“Being a couple doesn't sound too bad, baby.” 

You stared, your mouth agape in disbelief. On the other hand, Jimin laughed, his eyes scrunching and his hand coming up to cover his mouth. His shoulders fell as he laughed, his voice muffled on his pillow. He muttered a fuck a few seconds later as his drowsiness was starting to get to him.

“Yoongi you're unbelievable.” You sighed out, hand coming up to your forehead.

“Aw, why's that baby?” He teased, never breaking out eye contact.

“I will literally hit you with this fist.” 

“Oh, that small fist that wasn't big enough to hold the glass beaker that dropped onto the ground and shattered to pieces in our chem lab? That one?” 

Jimin let out a tired laugh in the early morning air, his head still completely faced down onto his soft pillow. He slowly lifted his head back up, propping it up on his hand.

“Oh my God, y/n, do you always get completely burned by Yoongi every day?”

“Oh, would you like to know.” You muttered. 

“That's why he asked,” Yoongi's voice broke in. “Because he was curious.” 

You met Yoongi's eyes with a dead expression, your ears picking up the sound of Jimin's giggling in the back. 

“You're dead to me,” 

“Already knew that baby~” 

“STOP THAT.”

“WHY SHOULD I?” He retorted, slowly breaking out into his infamous gummy smile. 

“That’s enough. I’m leaving first, Yoongi.” You pouted, adjusting your backpack and glancing back at Yoongi one more time before leaving his dorm. Yoongi just chuckled to himself as he watched your figure disappear. 

As he was about to make another mark on his homework, a voice broke him out of his thoughts. 

“You’re whipped.” His head sprang up, meeting Jimin’s eyes that seemed to stare straight into his soul. Yoongi cocked his head to the side, making Jimin sigh. “Please don’t tell me you’re oblivious to yourself. What I mean is you’re in love, my friend.”

“I know,” Yoongi stated simply, tilting his head back in an intimidating manner. “And what about it?”

“Whoah, bro chill. I’m just simply pointing it out. I hate people who are oblivious to the fact that they’re in love. It’s infuriating.” Jimin ran a hand through his messed up bedhead. He pushed the yellow blanket off his body, his feet coming down and planting onto the floor. 

Yoongi hummed, turning his direction back onto the papers spread in front of him. “It’s cute when I tease her. I enjoy it.” He felt his insides warm up and his heart flutter. He placed his hand on top of his chest, feeling his increased heart rate. With a smile, he closed his eyes, beginning to daydream about you. 

“Yeah, I guess I know what you mean. She is cute.” Jimin spoke up from his spot in front of the dresser mirror. He tilted his head from side to side, checking his skin. Yoongi’s eyes jolted open, turning his head to look at Jimin. 

“Do you-?” 

Jimin laughed at him. “Oh Yoongi, you know I wouldn’t do that to you, even if I did,” He smiled, pulling the brush through his hair. “Besides, I don’t genuinely fall in love with people. You know that. I’m fine with hookups.” He winked. 

Yoongi’s gaze softened as he stared at the papers he wasn’t able to focus on all morning. He furrowed his eyes as he looked over at the gash on his paper. Examining the indent, he realized the sharp point of his mechanical pencil made the mark. 

When and why did I grip it so harshly? 

Before he was able to consider the possibilities, Jimin’s voice came out from the bathroom. 

“Hey, Yoongi! You better leave before you’re late for class. It’s almost 9:30.” 

“O-oh! Right, yeah. Thanks.” Yoongi scrambled out of his seat, realizing he had only 5 minutes to get to class. He stacked all the papers and shoved them into his folder. He zipped up his bag, grabbing his coat and rushing out the door. 

“See you later, Yoongi!” He heard Jimin shout as he closed the door. 

Yoongi looked up at the November sky, the orange leaves dancing through the air and the chilly breeze sending chills down his body. He had a sullen look on his face when he realized he was alone. 

He shook his head and swiftly made his way into the mathematics building, spotting the back of your head and finding his seat next to yours. Yoongi looked over to see you devouring your morning breakfast. 

“Hey,” he whispered. “Did you get me one too?” He pointed to the last chunk of the donut that you held in your hand. 

“Absolutely not,” you spoke, your cheeks filled with the sweet deliciousness of chocolate. Yoongi pouted as he poked your arm. “Just kidding.” you smiled, handing him over the bag. 

Yoongi felt his insides melt into a puddle. Beautiful angel. Adorable kitten. And she’s. All. Mine. She doesn’t treat anyone else the way she treats me. And even if she did, I’d have to make sure they-

“Yoongi,” you whispered. He turned his head, his hands still holding onto the bag. “You never said thank you, you prick.” 

Wait, did I really- 

“A-Ah, I’m sorry, y/n. Thanks.” He sadly smiled, feeling disappointed in himself. I always mess things up. 

“Hey hey hey, I was only joking,” you whispered, soothing his arm. “Don’t look like that. I’m not upset.” 

Yoongi broke into a small smile. You really are the one. My dream. You’re everything.

Chapter 2

[upinthestarsx3]

Off Limits (m) pt 5

Professor!Reader x College Student!Jungkook au

Genre: short series|smut|mostly angst|fluff|au

Word count: 3.5k

Warnings: Langauge, mature content, domjungkook, some physical fighting, a little domestic violence if you squint (not reoccurring) and this chapter is a little more dark than we’ve seen in previous chapters.

Summary: You’re fresh out of college having just received your masters degree in Math. You begin working at a nearby college and meet your headstrong student, Jungkook. After a drunk hookup; things get complicated.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

A/N: sorry this took so long! I hope you’re still interested and I hope you enjoy.

“You really should call before you show up.” Are the first words to come out Jungkook’s mouth as he eyes his mother’s small frame.

“Well I was in the neighborhood and I figured I would check on you.” She replies, unaffected by his cold tone. When you look up at her you realize she’s already staring back through thick wooden framed glasses.

“Jungkook who is she and why isn’t she wearing pants?” Her eyes still grilling you as she speaks as though you aren’t in the room.

“Go put on clothes, y/n.” Jungkook whispers from behind you and you quickly run to his room.

You’re already dressed by now but you don’t dare leave his room,

“Is that your girlfriend?” You put your ear to the door and listen to his mom rip the both of you apart with words.

“Mom, mind your busin-“

“Don’t you dare! Your father and I have done everything for you! Everything! We got you a beautiful apartment, enrolled you in college so you wouldn’t be a loser; and here you are with a half naked hooker in your apartment. Is that what you do now, Jungkook?”

“Get the fuck out!” He explodes, you feel your eyes widen and your first instinct is to open the door and calm him down- but you stay put.

“I wonder when you’ll grow up and stop being a disappointment.” Her words cut like knives; the minute you hear the front door open and close, you emerge from his bedroom.

He’s quiet as he sits at his kitchen table. His head drooped low and you can hear his heavy breaths and sniffles. You frown at his disheveled appearance as you slowly approach him.

“Kookie?” You whisper, placing a soft hand on his lower back. He jumps, clearly unaware that you’d even left his room. He uses his sleeves to wipe his tears and lets out a chuckle before mumbling,

“I wonder what’s taking our delivery so long?”

“Don’t joke.” You tell him sternly. As much as you loved his playful attitude, you learned that it was almost always a facade.

“I, um-“ he stops as his eyes begin to water, “I don’t want to talk about it.” He finishes, rubbing his hands together and bouncing his leg, another habit you noticed he did when he was anxious.

You bring your hand to cradle his cheek, just like he’d done to you when you were sad,

“It’s okay, you don’t have to.” And with that, you pull him into a hug, one that he clearly needed. In no time his head was on your shoulder as he cried. He hugged you so tight you were sure you’d run out of oxygen, but you couldn’t pull away from him, not when he needed you like this.

He finally releases you, his red swollen eyes looking into yours,

“I really like you being here.”

“I like being here too.” You admit.

“I think I might lov-“ you know what’s coming next, but before he can finish, the doorbell rings again; and you’re grateful for it.

“Delivery!” You hear a person shout from behind the door.

“Finally.” Both of you cheer in unison.

**

The night passes by too quickly, you’re not sure how you can possibly survive on three hours of sleep and teach hours worth of math to lazy college students.

“Good morning.” He sings, arms wrapped around your waist, nuzzling his face into the back of your neck.

“Morning.” Your greet him with a smile, “You must be in a much better mood today.”

“I am.” He whispers in a lower tone. His arms around you tighten and you feel his erection press against you from behind.

“No.” Is all you say.

“Come on.” He whines, dragging the last word.

You don’t budge, “I have to be on campus in an hour and a half, Jungkook.”

“What happened to, Kookie?” You can hear the humor in his voice at the use of your inside joke, and it makes you laugh. You turn around to give him a quick kiss before pulling him off of the bed and forcing him to get ready for his day as well.

Once you’re on campus, you rush to your desk and let out a breath of air. You hadn’t even been able to think about all that has happened in such a short period of time lately.

Your first class flies by quickly; which is odd considering they were your least favorite class. You pull out a stack of ungraded papers and get to work, not a grade above 55 yet. You angrily began ranting to yourself,

“Wrong.”

“Wrong.”

“What the fuck? Wrong!”

“Miss, y/n. How are you?” You hear a familiar voice speak from your doorway, and you jump, your red pen falling to the ground and your eyes wide opened; embarrassed that he might’ve seen your outburst.

“Oh! Professor Kim! How are you?” You ask with a large smile. He was the head of the art department, and you had a hard time wrapping your head around how someone so important could be so humble.

“Ah, please, you know I hate when colleagues call me that, Jin is fine.”

“That’s right, I always forget that.” You stutter unknowingly, he just smiles before questioning,

“Do you want to be a judge for this art show I am having? I’ve collected some work from students; just some paintings, photography, sculptures- I remember you saying you like that sort of stuff. What do you think?”

“Oh my God! I would love that! It’s so nice that you remembered that.” You say without realizing. You begin to blush but he just chuckles,

“How could I not? I think it’s super attractive when a woman is passionate about something. I’ll text you details, later?” He gives a little smirk and doesn’t wait for a response before he walks towards the exit. You follow his every step until he leaves and then your eyes lock onto another angry pair in the doorway, belonging to Jungkook.

“Hi, Jungkook. Can I help you?” You ask sternly; all while secretly motioning for him to come in and close the door behind him. When he finally does as he’s told, you jump to your feet and skip over to him,

“Sorry, the professor next door is very nosey. I have to put on a show, just incase.” You explain, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning forward to nibble on his lips. He gives you a slight push backwards and he places his hands on his hips.

“What was that?” He wonders. His voice laced with sadness, looking down at you while you pretend to be confused. He continues to stare you down; waiting for you to explain yourself.

“So, I’m not allowed to talk to my coworkers?” You demand.

“Y/N...”

“Jungkook go. You don’t have my class for another 30 minutes.”

“If it’s nothing then why are you being so defensive?” He pushes further,

“Jungkook this is literally a high school age argument and-“

“It’s not an argument at all.”

“You know I hate it when you cut me off.” You shout,

“Then don’t say stupid shit!” He shouts back.

You both grill each other another 10 seconds before falling into fits of giggles, as usual.

He pulls you to his chest and wraps an arm around your waist- using the other hand to lift your chin as he gazes into your eyes.

“I trust you, you know. I don’t trust many people.” He admits. You just nod your head, eyes flickering to his puffy lips before he playfully rubs his nose against yours,

“I trust you.” He repeats, more to himself this time,

“Not so sure about Professor Kim, though.” He continues, pulling you closer to him and leaving a kiss on your lips.

“Mine.” He grunts, hands trailing down to squeeze your butt. You let out a light moan when he pushes himself against you, your pink polka dot dress rising with each soft thrust. He lowers his hands further down to reach your thighs and lift you up, you wrap your legs around his waist and allow him to bring you to your desk. He pushes a stack of graded papers onto the floor where they scatter.

You let out a whine and push his chest, “Kookie.”

“Shh.” He threatens, placing you lightly onto your desk without letting you go. His arms stay wrapped around your waist, his face stuffed in your neck as you allow him to breathe you in.

“I love you.” He whispers with a small voice. It’s almost like he knew you wouldn’t answer. Instead, you just hold him tighter. You feel him pull up your dress until it’s above your waist. He softly and slowly rubs himself against you. He’s hardening beneath his pants with each thrust and you bring your palm to rub his bulge, but he quickly shoves your hand away. Jungkook unbuttons his jeans, and allows his cock to spring free against his stomach.

You throw your head back and try to contain your squeals when you feel him push your underwear to the side and tease your entrance.

Frustrated at his lack of urgency, and the fact that time seemed to be running out, you begged, “Fuck me, Kookie.”

“No.” Is all he says, pressing the head of his cock against your clit.

“S-stop playing around. Please.” You spit.

“You want me to fuck my professor in a classroom? What do you think, I’m some horny teenage boy with a fetish?” He jokes.

You lean up on your elbows and stare him down, “You love to ruin good moments, don’t you?” He laughs at your anger and pushes you back down. Your frown quickly fades when you hear him tear something open- knowing it was a condom.

You get no warning when he enters your pussy, slamming into you and moaning a little louder each time you clench around him.

“Faster, Kookie.” You hiss. But instead, he slows down,

“Beg.”

“Please go faster. Make me cum. Make me feel good.” You’ve never begged for anything in your life, but for Jungkook, you’d make an exception.

Without another word, he does as he’s told, wrapping his arms around your thighs for a better grip, and fucking you as fast as his body would allow him. You ignore the screeching sounds the desk made with each thrust; and focused on how much Jungkook praised you each time he heard you moan.

He brings a thumb to your clit and lightly presses on it, before rubbing it softly, knowing how crazy it made you.

“Cum, baby.” He encourages, and you do; exhaling loudly into his neck while holding him down with you.

When you finally release him he walks to the other side of the desk where your head is; lightly tugging on you and pulling you back until your head is hanging off of the table, and you’re face to face with his hard dick.

“Open up.” He sings, slapping his cock against your face before rubbing his tip against your lips; generously spreading his pre cum over them. You lick your lips and open your mouth wide for him.

“Tap my legs three times if it’s too much, okay?” He mumbled, not waiting for you to answer back before he slides himself in. Your hands held each side of your desk while you try to concentrate on his movements so you wouldn’t gag.

“Fuck, y/n.” His voice is barely audible. His head is thrown far back, making only his adam’s apple visible to you from where you are. Without warning, he snaps his hips forward, allowing his cock to slip past the back of your tongue and to your throat. The sound of your gag fills the room as you feel your entire body tighten and relax again.

“I’m gonna remember the sound of you gagging around my cock for the rest of my life.” He mutters while looking down at you. You let out a chuckle and look back up at him with watery eyes. His hands that were on his hips now land on each side of your neck, slowly sliding himself back in again.

You feel the hands around your neck tighten as he begins to speed up; and your gagging only seems to encourage him. One of his hands unwraps itself from your neck to travel south of your body; his fingers timelessly find your seconds lips and he begins playing with your clit.

“I’m gonna cum.” He finally admits and your jaw is grateful for it. Your hips squirm on the table as you cum for a second time. Then warm liquid fills your mouth and slides down your cheek as Jungkook slowly fucks your face until he rides out his orgasm.

He pulls out and grabs a few tissues from the tissue box that had been thrown onto the floor.

“Thanks.” You stutter shyly as he cleaned you up; fixing your underwear and your dress so that you looked appropriate. He then walks over the windows, lifting each one up just a little for some air.

The only sound heard in the large classroom is the strong wind. The two of you hadn’t uttered a word in five minutes. Was he upset with you already? Did you do something wrong? His mood swings were something you’d never get used to.

Once he is finished helping you pick up everything that was tossed from your desk; he sits across you. He’s sat his usual seat as he waits for people to begin filling the classroom; in hope of relieving both of you of the awkward tension you’d been sitting through for the past few minutes.

“Look- I don’t want to ruin the moment but-“

“Then don’t, Kookie.” You shut him out instantly, but he goes on anyway,

“I told you that I loved you,” he says with a small voice, his leg bouncing up and down again as he twirls his thumbs.

“I.. I know.”

“It’s not like I expect you to say it back but... I don’t know why I’m even surprised. You’ve made it clear to me that I’ll never come before anything.”

“Kookie, that’s not fair.” You complain, but you smack your lips shut when Jimin and another one of your students, Taehyung walk in. You remember Jungkook telling you about Taehyung, and how they used to be best friends but they, ‘kind of just grew apart.’ In his words; but you always knew there was more to that story.

“Good morning, y/n.” Taehyung says casually, earning a hard slap from your other student, Jimin. You see the flash of sheer panic on his face; almost like he’s told a secret he knew he shouldn’t have.

“Ouch, Jimin! What was that for? Me and y/n are friends, she’s cool with all of the students, right, Kookie?” He smirks, his playful attitude not sitting well with Jungkook.

“Why don’t you know when enough is enough, huh?” Jungkook snaps, standing to his feet with pursed lips and clenched fists; clearly still angry from the conversation you two were in the middle of just moments ago.

“Calm down, Kookie. You know I won’t tell. I just wanna know what I have to do to get a turn.” He sends a wink your way and you try your best to stay quiet and not cry on the spot.

This was it, you thought. You’d been given so many chances to stop this, to tell him to find someone else, but no; and now here you are.

When you see Jimin exhale loudly and bury his face into his hands, you knew he opened his mouth to Taehyung about you and Jungkook. At this point the class is filling up with other students, whom are trying to get a glimpse of the fight between the two ex best friends.

“Taehyung.” Jungkook warns, his jaw shut tight and sending a glare his way. Taehyung puts both of his hands in the air,

“Okay, okay.” He complies with a wicked smile, flopping down onto his chair next to Jimin, whom still hid his face from both you and Jungkook.

The entire class is filled with awkward tension and anger towards you, since you decided on giving them a pop quiz for the behavior they all showed today.

40 minutes later you find yourself googling ways to write a resignation letter until you realize class was over in less than a minute.

“Place your quizzes on my desk on your way out.” You spoke emotionlessly, your thoughts filled with dread and regret.

“Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin will you three please stay a few minutes?” You ask as the rest of the class curiously files out of the classroom. You follow the last student to the door and close it softly behind him. When you finally turn around; you’re faced with three sorry looking men.

“I’m so sorry; to all of you. I didn’t mean to start dram-“ Jimin pleads, but Jungkook cuts in with fire in his eyes.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” He roars, marching to Jimin until he’s towering over him, his shoulders visibly becoming broader with each deep breath he took.

“He’s not gonna tell!” Jimin tries to defend himself but this just frustrates him further. He takes another step forward and throws an unexpected fist to Jimin’s face. He falls to the ground with a loud thud and stares back at Jungkook with a pained expression. Before Jimin can even get another word out, Jungkook is speed walking over to Taehyung and the next thing you know- the two of them are going at it.

You take a step forward towards the two stuck in a wrestling match when you notice sprinkles of blood on the floor.

“Kookie, stop!” You cry out, not wanting the chaos to grab the attention of anyone that might be nearby. Yet- the fight ensues anyway. You’re stuck listening to the sounds of t-shirts tearing, shoes screeching against the freshly waxed floors, and heavy breathing.

“I said stop!” You freak out, pulling Jungkook by the back of his ripped shirt to separate them, but he quickly turns his body towards you and shoves you backwards, leaving your lower back throbbing from the impact it made with your desk.

Needless to say, the fight comes to an end, but you aren’t Jungkook’s main concern right now,

“Fuck. You.” Jungkook mumbles through clenched teeth, pointing a finger at Taehyung, who looks just as angry,

“I trusted you.” He speaks up again, blinking away the tears that were bound to fall.

“And I trusted you, Jungkook.” Taehyung replies calmly, a 180 attitude from the rude behavior he displayed during class.

You let a deep breath of frustration without realizing, and three boys turn their head towards you,

“I’m sorry, Professor. I won’t tell. I was just trying to make Jungkook upset.” You frown at that. Yet another person you had to trust to keep a secret; and you two hadn’t even been together for very long.

All you can manage is a simple nod and a small, “thank you.”

Jimin and Taehyung walk to the door, still mumbling their apologies; but you shut them out. You stare daggers into Jungkook’s back as he faces away from you with hands on his hips.

“Your anger, Kookie; it’s out of hand.” You whisper just barely loud enough for him to hear and he turns to face you,

“What?” He questions, searching your face for any clue that might tell him that you aren’t being serious right now.

“You scare me when you are angry.”

“I don’t understand. I was protecting us!” He explodes, taking a step forward but in return, you take one back.

“Baby... Not you too. Not you.” He breaks. His cries meet your ears but you stand your ground. There was just so much of Jungkook that you didn’t know, and it really did worry you.

“What happened between you and Taehyung?” You press,

“Nothing, y/n. It doesn’t concern you.”

“You said you trusted him and he said he trusted you too; so what happened?”

“What did I just say? Huh?” He raises his voice again.

“Don’t talk to me like that, Jungkook. You’re always acting like such a little freaking boy!” He lets out a chuckle and combs his fingers through his hair,

“Oh, I’m a little boy now? Well you’re fucking this ‘little boy’ so what does that make you?” His snarl makes your insides turn, you can’t believe the words that just came out of his mouth,

You grab your bag and begin skipping out the room in a hurry, “We are through. I’m picking up my things tonight; and I NEVER want you speak to me again!” When you reach the door, you take one last look back at him, and yet again he looks unfazed by your outburst. Giving you a small smile he explains,

“We are over when I say we’re over.”

A/N: Did this chapter trigger your anxiety cause it did for me while writing. I don’t know when the next update will be but I promise not to wait another month lmao.

Part 6

[cptnsantiago]

i hope i never lose the bruises that you left behind

summary: It was seventeen years to the day. Everyone he knew said it would get easier, that the pain would lessen; and he thinks he’s figured out why. This revelation only makes it more painful. 

Jake is forgetting her.

read on ao3 / major character death

-

Jake hasn’t seen Amy in seventeen years.

He’s 58 years old now; their daughter is fully grown and about to graduate from college. She’s thriving, maybe because she barely knew Amy. Maybe because she didn’t have to experience the same trauma he did. Luna had only been four years old when Amy was shot in the line of duty. He still remembers it so clearly. Every time the memory returns to the forefront of his mind, he digs the heels of his hands into his eyes so hard until he sees stars.

Stars are more beautiful than watching your wife fall to the ground again and again.

It was seventeen years to the day. Everyone he knew said it would get easier, that the pain would lessen; and he thinks he’s figured out why. This revelation only makes it more painful.

Jake is forgetting her.

He’s surrounded by memories of her, photos and videos. But he can barely hear her voice or her laugh in his head anymore. He used to close his eyes and see her beautiful smile with the crinkles forming as the smile grew, or her concentrated frown with the other cute crinkle in her eyebrows. She rarely shows up in his dreams anymore, it had been a few months since she last made an appearance in his imagination where everything was okay .

Since Luna was old enough to understand the pure grief her father experienced, the day had always gone the same. A schedule of sorts. She was her mother’s daughter.

Jake usually remains in bed until Luna shows up with two bowls of Lucky Charms at midday. They would eat in silence, even when she was a child and she would want to wake him up earlier, she would remain silent. Luna knew it was the hardest day of the year, it always was. She would eat their favourite cereal in silence before snuggling, the both of them silently crying.

Luna usually leaves after thirty minutes, allowing him sometime to drag himself to the shower and put Amy’s favourite flannel on - it’s old and in tatters, but she always loved it on him so he’ll sew the crap out of it until it falls apart -  so they can go about their day. This process usually takes over an hour. His chest constricts, walking around their room, trying to function without her. The room is a mess and she would loath it; so he needs to clean it. Sometimes he thinks to himself that he doesn’t want Amy to be upset when she gets home. It’s been seventeen years but sometimes he believes she might come home.

Jake usually exits his room by 1:30, and they get out of the house a half hour later. The drive to the graveyard is exactly 34 minutes away, and he tries his best to keep himself calm on that drive. Luna was already freaked out enough by driving in Brooklyn, and with her nerves amplified by the day itself, he needs to remain sane. So he closes his eyes.

This time he can’t force the stars to keep one of the most distinct memories of Amy away.

~

“Okay Luna, you’re spending the day with Grandma and I need you to remember one thing.” Amy is squatting in front of Luna, hands on her shoulders. “Can you remember what it is?”

“That I’m the best kid ever?”

“Yes, of course.” Amy rolls her eyes with huff of laughter, “But what about Grandma’s rule?”

“Don’t touch her paint without her express permission…” Luna tips her head back and slumps her shoulders. “The walls aren’t canvas.”

“Good girl.” Amy pulls her in for a tight hug, “I’m sure if you ask nicely, Grandma will let you paint your own vase.”

“Really?” Luna pulls back, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Definitely. I’m sure she’ll even show you the vase I painted at your age!” Jake interjects.

“I love you, mija.” Amy pulls her in, squeezing her one last time, before letting her go.

“Love you more, mom.”

Amy scoffs, trying to hide her growing smile. “Not possible! I love you the most.”

“I can prove that I love you more!!” Luna stands proudly, hands on her hips. She holds the pose for a moment before wrapping herself around Amy again, smothering her face with wet kisses, finishing off with a raspberry to her cheek.

“I’ve been convinced.” Amy laughs, tucking the loose strands of hair out of Luna’s face. “What about you dad?”

“I think you’ve finally been beaten, Ames.” Jake kneels down as Amy gathers herself, “Now it’s my turn.”

Jake joins Amy in the car just a few minutes later , she has a dreamy smile on her face and has a hand over her heart. “I can’t wait to have another baby.”

“Luna is spectacular, she’s gonna be the best big sister.” Jake notes, lacing his fingers with her spare hand and running his thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t wait either.”

Amy leans over her seat to place the softest, and probably the most intimate kiss they’ve ever shared. Jake sighs happily as the separate, leaning against her forehead. “Do you think your mom knows we’re pawning Luna on her so we can have hot baby making sex today?”

“Definitely. She can read minds!”

~

He wishes more than anything in the world that Amy had said yes to calling in sick so they could spend all day together instead. But Amy insisted he go to work, because he had a stupid important killer perp still on the streets. He tries to shake the thought away, one that haunts him. It was his important case that got her killed.

He doesn’t even notice they’ve arrived until Luna places her hand on his. “Dad?”

Jake looks from her hand to her face, a weak smile appearing on his face as she does the same. In a way, he will forever have memory of Amy. Luna was almost a clone, in personality and looks. This was both a blessing and a curse; some days it’s a great comfort that they were so alike, it was as if she was always there but then other nights it made Jake miss Amy so bad that he would cry to the point of not being able to breathe properly.

“Dad? Let’s go, yeah? Mom’s waiting.”

“Mom’s waiting…” Jake’s hands begin to tremble under Luna’s, his throat tightening. “Maybe you should just go, I’ll wait in the car.”

“Dad, I’m here. I won’t leave your side.” Her grip on his hand only becomes tighter, and her eyebrows knit together just like Amy’s always did. “Promise.”

Jake always struggles visiting her grave. He’s never been able to go alone, or with anyone but Luna. After all, she’s the reason he’s still a reasonable member of society seventeen years later. Jake hadn’t been a great parent. Luna tries to convince him otherwise, but there were countless times he had been unreliable. Not being able to get out of bed for weeks sometimes and she had to step up to look after the both of them.

Daddy, I can’t imagine how you feel. I know you miss her. Luna at eight years old, only just beginning to really understand the reality of what happened.

Stop blaming yourself, she made her choices. This isn’t your fault, dad. Thirteen year old Luna when he had barely left his room for two weeks.

Tell me more about her. I want to know her more, dad. It had only been weeks after a two week stint in bed and missing a parent-teacher conference.

He eventually opened up, it was the first time they went to her grave. Only his second time there since her funeral. He cried for the first time in front of Luna there, really cried. Jake told her all about his life with her mother before she was born, after she was born.

His healing process had been long, but he did return to being a functioning member of society outside of work. Still, he had weak moments like any human, and sometimes they were so heavy he forgot how to breathe. But he did it anyway.

Jake had only kept the day’s leading up to Amy’s death secret to Luna, she didn’t need to know or experience that pain if she didn’t have to. He never spoke of the funeral either, about his epic meltdown and being held down by Captain Holt as he experienced a pain unknown to man.

~

Gina had stayed with Jake overnight before the funeral. She helped get Luna ready, and cried with Jake as he asked her to help him with his buttons as well. Luna had mostly been confused during this time, always asking her aunts and uncles why daddy couldn’t stop crying and asking when mommy was coming back .

Jake didn’t remember arriving at the graveyard, only remembering the sight of her casket ready to be lowered into the ground. She would absolutely hate being buried underground, too claustrophobic, he had thought. People made speeches he couldn’t listen to and he somehow managed to drag himself up to the podium and unfold his paper with great care.

“A-Amy… Amy Santiago, um… She, she was-” Jake shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut and letting the tears fall freely. A few moments that felt like an eternity later, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Holt. Jake moves aside and allows Holt to take over.

“Amy Santiago is the love of my life.” Holt starts, his voice already cracking but continues with a clear voice. “Amy is the smartest person I’ve ever met. So smart, and funny and wonderful and beautiful. She is the best mom and the best wife. Amy really was the ultimate human slash genius, none of us at the nine-nine couldn’t keep up with her if we tried.”

Jake and a few others laugh slightly at this, and he wipes fresh tears off his cheeks before Holt continues. “Amy was a strong and determined woman, she never let anything get in her way. Her dream was to become the youngest female Captain in the NYPD, and I’m grief stricken that I’ve lost her but also just as bad that she was only able to make it to Lieutenant before she passed. She would have made the best Captain, sorry Ray.”

Holt takes a pause as he reads on a few sentences. “I don’t know how to live without her, and it’s so unfair. To me, to Luna - she will never really know her mom and that makes me angry. She’s the best woman I’ve ever known and she won’t know her. That’s the worst, pardon the language , fucking thing about this. I miss her, I’m going to miss her for the rest of my life. I love you forever, Ames.”

Soon after, when the casket is lowered is when Jake loses it. He collapses besides the ditch, his hand laid flat on the and he just can’t breathe. Amy is really gone and she’s not coming home.

He feels Holt wrap his arms around him, and he thinks even Luna runs up to him and hugs him. It’s not very clear but if it was, he hoped she would never remember this moment.

~

It’s a hard day, it always was. But watching as Luna places Amy’s favourite flowers on the gravestone before sitting on the damp grass and pulling Jake down with her truly warms his heart. “Hi mom.”

“Let’s get into it. Our daughter is actually the smartest woman ever. End of story.” Jake laughs softly, “But really, tell her Luna.”

“Okay, so. I’ve told you before that I’ve been studying forensic science and psychology, and I’m almost done with that degree. I’ve decided to further my education, gonna get a masters so I can be a more of a leading force in the field.” Luna pauses for a few moments, as if giving Amy the chance to react. She twists her hands and takes a deep breath before continuing, “I hope you’re proud. I’ve worked really hard to do well, and I know dad is proud and he never fails to remind me of that. I just hope you are too.”

“Of course your mom would be proud, Luna.” Jake takes her hand this time, seizing the opportunity to be the comforter for once. “She would so adore the smart, independent woman you’ve become.”

Luna nods with a shy smile, tucking her hair behind both ears just like her . “I miss you so much, mom.”

“We both do. So much.” Jake adds with a sad sigh.

“I don’t know if you’re feeling it too, but this year feels especially heavy and sad.” Luna shrugs, “I keep watching videos of us from when I was younger and the photos. So many. It just sucks that you’re missing from all the photos now.”

Jake nods along with this, managing to hold back his own tears and wiping the ones falling down Luna’s cheek. “Any other updates for mom?”

“I met this guy, pretty recent, and I really like him.” Luna looks away, knowing what her dad’s face said without looking at him. “ Dad it’s pretty new, and isn’t now a good time I can tell you both ?”

“I guess. I will be getting more info later, get ready for dad cop.”

Luna lets out a snort, and it’s lighter from that moment. They joke and chat as if Amy was there next to them, and it was just a regular picnic as a family. It’s not long before Luna stretches and stands up. “Shaw’s? Everyone’s gonna be waiting for us.”

“Uhm, I think I’m gonna hang back here.” The shock is evident on Luna’s face, it takes her a few moments to process what he’s said.

“Dad, are you sure?” Luna kneels next to him again. “Are you gonna be okay?”

“It’s been seventeen years since I’ve been alone with her... I owe her this.” Jake shrugs, “Go ahead without me. I’ll meet you there.”

Luna crashes into him, hugging him tightly. “I love you, dad. Bye mom, I love you the most.”

With a press of her fingers to her lips onto the gravestone, Luna is gone. Jake is alone with Amy for the first time in seventeen years. Jake simply sits there for a few minutes, staring at the engravings on her stone. Her final resting place.

Lt. Amy Santiago

August 7, 1983 - October 19, 2024

Ultimate human slash genius.

Daughter. Friend. Mother.

“Hi Ames. It’s been a while.” Jake bites his lip, a sudden guilt washing over him as he sits there longer. “I’m sorry I’ve never come to talk to you alone. I was… scared? I don’t know, I miss you so bad. I can’t bare coming here to talk to you and you not being able to talk back but… That’s not fair to you.

“I don’t know if it’s my age, or my general goldfish memory b-but I feel like I’m starting to forget you. Not forget you but just the little things. Smaller memories that aren’t significant but they’re precious, every moment with you was important and it’s fading .

“They discontinued your favourite shampoo. I kept using it so I would never forget what you smelled like, but one day I went to the bodega to stock up and they were out. I looked everywhere, Amy. But now they don’t make it and I can’t quite remember what you smell like, it was flowers I know, but I don’t know at the same time…. And your laugh… I can’t hear it as clearly, I have to watch videos to remember it. I feel so awful, how can I forget my wife like this. I’m a bad husband, a bad dad and god I miss you Ames.

“Luna was right. This year is harder, and I just want you in my arms again. I can’t remember how it feels to hold you in my arms, I just remember it was good. You were good. Great. All I needed in this world. You were too good to leave us so soon. I know you would hate me for this but I still blame myself. I can’t stop it, you are the one that helps me think logically but you’re gone and you have been for seventeen years. Because of me.

“We keep on having all these celebrations lately. Like Nikolaj got an art deal with a comic book publisher, and Charles was so proud. It was a great party, and I went home that night and all I could think about was how you weren’t there.

“I wish I had been more careful. If I hadn’t been so careless in the first place, I wouldn’t need to call for stupid backup. You’re gone because of me. Amy, I’m so sorry. You should have been here for Luna growing up. You should have been able to make Captain. It was my case - Amy, I can’t forgive myself.

“I want to remember every detail about you. But I can’t. What your lips feel like, how it feels when you run your hand through my hair, how it felt when I would return the favour. You deserved so much better. I love you and I’m so sorry.”

Jake lets himself go then, sobbing until he can’t get air into his lungs and it hurts. “How does it hurt the same? I wish it wouldn’t hurt this much. I wish you were alive.”

He doesn’t know how long he’s there crying but he assumes it’s a few hours. Luna shows up eventually, a bottle of water and a muffin in her hand. She helps him up, and he lets one last tear fall before Luna helps him walk to the car. His suspicions of how long he was there are confirmed on the drive home as he watches the sunsets, driving past Shaw’s.

Arriving home, he heard Luna mention cooking dinner but he hears nothing past that as he lays on the couch, his eyes heavy from crying.

~

This case had been kicking his ass. Weeks spent on it, more women were being killed and he couldn’t find him. A survivor had even been able to give a good enough description of him to find the identity of the man, but he hid well. So well. When he was finally spotted a precinct over, Jake had immediately rushed out, nodding when Amy offers her support with a few officers as a back up.

And on his way there, there was an updated report of shots fired. It very quickly turns into a more serious situation, and the backup he didn’t think he’d need was summoned.

Amy.

She was a very capable lieutenant, but the thought of the two of them being out in a situation such as this together made his stomach turn. This would be the first time they’re out in the field together in dangerous conditions, the first time they were in danger at the same time. He almost freezes.

Luna.

This was too risky, a chance one of them could get hurt was doubled, even with backup. He almost wants to tell her to go back, he didn’t want to put her in danger. But he knows his wife, she would argue and this was not the time nor place. Amy would stay. They couldn’t leave Luna alone, they had to be careful.

Amy gives out her orders, and positions are taken. Except he fucks it up, he had been too in his head about Luna potentially being by herself. Jake ends up where Amy is supposed to be, and at first it seemed like it was going to work out for them. The victim is lying on the floor, only a graze to her face but she’s terrified.

The perp had been right next to her, holding his gun at her head. Jake and Amy had their own weapons aimed at the man, telling him to freeze and put the weapon down. Amy’s eyes skirted to the shaking girl on the floor, ready to protect at a moments notice.

He sees everything in slow motion, and of all the things present Jake wants to forget, this was the main one. He watches as the main raises his gun anyway, and Jake is firing his own weapon as the perp does as well. He wishes he didn’t see Amy in the corner of his eye, jumping in front of the innocent girl, struck by the bullet despite her vest and collapsing to the ground.

Amy groans loudly as she hits the floor, clutching her thigh as the girl scuffles away and Jake is shouting something into the radio and he disarms the bleeding criminal on the ground. All he can focus on is his wife on the ground, blood rapidly flowing from her leg despite the pressure she’s trying to put on it.

Jake rips off the jacket over his vest as he slides to his knees next to Amy, taking her bloody hand in his as he uses his other hand to apply as much pressure as he can. “Hold on, Ames. Ambulance is coming.”

His tries to make his voice as soothing as possible, but he watches as the blood doesn’t stop even with the pressure he’s put on the wound. The bullet must have hit a major artery. Fuck.

If Jake had just focused on his orders, he could have taken out the perp from behind with the butt of his gun without anyone getting hurt. But instead he was on the floor next to his wife who was slowly bleeding out. “Where the fuck is the ambulance?”

“Hey, Jake. Look at me.” Jake hesitates before looking down at Amy. She’s so pale, but she attempts to smile at him, trying to sooth him when she’s the one bleeding out on a dirty floor.

“You’re gonna be okay, Ames. Just stay with me okay?” Jake voice cracks, adding more pressure and watching as it does nothing to stop the bleeding.

“I’m okay. I’m with you.” Amy reaches her bloody but uninjured arm up to touch his cheek. “Jake, I need to say something.”

“Amy no, we’re not going there.” Jake shakes his head furiously, ��The ambulance will be here soon. I’m not leaving your side.”

“Tell Luna I love her, Jake. Make sure she knows this, okay?” Jake looks down at her again, somehow paler than before and now she’s crying. “I love her and never let her forget it. Support her, be the great dad I know you are.”

“Amy stop, you’re gonna be okay.” Jake is sobbing at this point, he hates the idea of her thinking she’s gonna die. Because she wasn’t.  “You’re gonna be okay and you’re going to continue to be a great mom to Luna and our family is only gonna get bigger. Just stay with me.”

“Jake…” Amy struggles, “Promise me you’ll both be okay?”

“Amy, I… I can’t. We’ll all be okay together.”

“ Jake , please.” Amy hiccups, her arm now too weak to stroke his cheek.

“I… I promise.”

They spend the longest minutes sharing words of love, and Jake is still insisting that she’s not going anywhere but there is so much blood - his jeans and other clothing is drenched in it. “I love you forever, Ames.”

Amy motions for him to move closer, and when he’s close enough she threads her fingers in his curls and pulls him down for one last kiss, whispering her reply. “I love you forever.”

~

Jake wakes up with a gasp, and he can’t find air to put in his lungs. “A-Amy, Amy.” It’s all he can manage to get out and Luna rushes to his side, her hands gripping his shoulders so he stops shuddering. “It’s all my fault. My fault.”

“Dad, no. Please take deep breaths, remember what we practiced when we feel scared.”

Jake really tries but he can’t stop crying. It was his fault. His fault, he could have followed orders correctly. He fucked up, it was his fault Amy was dead.

Luna pulls him in, holding him tight until somehow his breathing evens out and the tears are less of a waterfall. “I need to know what happened that day, dad. I want to help you. It kills me to see you hurt like this and blame yourself when I’m sure it’s not your fault.”

Conflict rages inside him. Luna is surely mature beyond her age, and she deserves to know but she shouldn’t need to know. It hurts, so why should he burden her with the knowledge of what happened that day? To help himself? He was used to the pain that came from that memory dream that appeared often. He won’t be selfish like that.

“Dad, please .”

Jake gives in, and he doesn’t realise how much of a relief it is to talk about it. He had been set in his stubborn ways and always refused to go to therapy, to recover .

Luna cries a lot, and he holds her the way she has done for him countless times after the nightmares he’s had over the years. “So mom sacrificed herself to protect that girl from this criminal. And you blame yourself?”

“I could have done something different, like properly follow orders instead of being skittish. Things would have turned out so different, and this was my case. My case that took us out on the field that day. I could list so many more reasons her death was my fault, Luna.” Jake laughs with a sarcastic huff. “No matter what anyone has ever said, I stand by it being my fault.”

“You know who I blame?” Luna asks softly.

“Me? Because it’s my fault.”

“No. The criminal, for being a criminal. Trying to hurt an innocent woman, who was then bravely protected and kept alive by my hero mom.” Luna’s passion matches the way Amy got angry, maybe even exceeding Amy. “This was in no way your fault. Mom was doing her job, and she died.”

He was the reason he couldn’t remember her voice on demand, it was his fault he can never run his hands through her hair. It’s his fault he can never be truly happy again. “But-”

“No, dad, I’m talking!” Luna screeches. “You’ve been torturing yourself over this for seventeen years and it’s time to stop! It’s tragic and I miss her and I know you do so much, but you can’t blame yourself when it was the criminal who pulled the trigger. You didn’t kill Amy. A murderer did.”

“God, your passion matches your mother and I’m just a little scared.” Jake laughs, more tears streaming down his face. “I think I can accept that? With a bit more time… That it’s not my fault.”

“I think mom will rest even easier knowing you’ve said it.” Luna wipes her father's tears off his face, “Forgiving yourself for things you can’t control is the only thing that will bring you peace.”

“I’m so glad you got your mom's smart genes. So wise.” Jake says, “Now, tell me what you made for dinner and I’ll tell you some new stories.”

“Oh! Yes!” Luna claps happily, still sniffling. “I found a recipe written in her handwriting so I cooked that!”

“Oh sweetie .” Jake grimaces, unable to control his laughter. “I got a story for you! But first you’re gonna want to throw whatever concoction you made in the trash. And quick .”

It will forever startle Jake to look at Luna. What a miracle he had created with Amy, his reason for living. She had become everything he and Amy had wished for, late at night when Luna was pressing on Amy’s spine and she couldn’t sleep. She was so her own person but so like Amy. How Jake would have coped without her in his life he doesn’t want to know.

Jake doesn’t think he will ever fully recover; Amy was the most important person in his life. He almost doesn’t want to stop feeling the pain, it helps him remember. The good and the bad, and his memory is bad enough that those smaller things about her are gone. It breaks his heart.

Amy will stay with him forever, she’s a permanent scar on his heart. He couldn’t blame himself, hurt himself, forever. It wasn’t fair to Luna, almost as unfair as having her mother ripped away from her at such a young age. Jake forgives himself, for Luna.

So Jake cherishes the scar, he feeds it with love and new memories made with Luna. It’s all he can do, for Amy.