#what is wrong with you. we’re supposed to be on a school trip; how have you managed to start beef with the populace?’

[fingertipsmp3]

That post about the cybertrucks reminded me of how, when I was doing geography GCSE, my teacher was telling us about how we had to go to a different small town for our class trip instead of the nearest large city because the previous year’s class had gone to the city, managed to piss off gang members & when they were driving through a housing estate afterwards, someone threw a tin of beans and a bottle of cherryade at the minibus

[joelslastofus]

[SUMMARY: TW: miscarriage

Joel finds out you were pregnant and miscarried while he was on a work trip with Tommy.]

Angst fluff

Joel didn’t have to know you were pregnant in order to be hurt, the thought of you carrying his child was something he realized he wanted.

 “I’ll be home soon, honey. I love you” Joel’s voice on the other end of the phone causing a knot in your throat. 

“I love you too” you barely managed to say without a crack. Joel had no idea what had happened to you that morning. While Sarah was in school for the past seven hours you were in the hospital alone. Joel and Tommy had gone off to a work trip for the past two days and no one knew what was happening.

No one had even known you were pregnant. 

It had only been a week since you learned you were pregnant. In shock and unsure of how Joel would feel about it you stalled telling him not thinking this would happen. You wish you would’ve told him the second you knew, you wished so badly for him to be there with you at this moment, you knew he would’ve been. Thankful to be back home you decided that you wouldn’t tell Joel. With a sigh you stood up leaving the room only to see Sarah standing by the dining room table looking down at a paper. Immediately your heart sunk, she wasn’t suppose to be home for another hour, you hadn’t even heard her come in.

“Sarah-“ you walked up towards her swallowing nervously as she slowly looked back between you and the paper.

“Sarah, I can explain” you began nervously. You would’ve never left your discharge papers on the table when you walked in had you known she would be home early today. 

“You…you were pregnant?” The word still sending a shock through you.

“I…I-“ she finally looked up at you with confusion and shock herself. 

“I was but-“

“What happened?”

“Um, I…I had a miscarriage” the reality somehow setting in once those words were spoken aloud. Sarah’s light eyes widened, a bit of guilt not expecting to have barged into something so private.

“It’s ok, Sarah…I’m fine now-“

“It says you were bleeding heavily” she spoke with concern. 

“What did my dad say?” Once again your heart sinking, Sarah could tell by your reaction you hadn’t said a word to Joel.

“I..I haven’t had a chance-“

“What? Why not? You should call him, he’ll come home right away”

“I am ok, Sarah” you insisted slowly taking the papers from her hands. 

“But you should be resting and-“

“Please don’t call your father, he’ll be home tomorrow night. I don’t want to worry him.” 

Sarah sighed before noticing a hint of sadness in your eyes. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Her question making you look up. 

“There’s nothing to talk about but thank you, Sarah” quickly you turned away before she could spot the tears welling up in your eyes.

    Sarah went to her room with the house phone hoping you wouldn’t notice. Staring at her door hoping you wouldn’t come in she called her father despite what you wanted. 

“Hey dad, can you come home tonight?” 

“I wish I could babygirl but Tommy and I have another night of work here, everything alright?” He responded as he held the phone between his shoulder and ear while working. 

She stood silent which caught his attention. 

“Sarah, baby what’s the matter?” 

“Nothing I just think you should come home tonight” she finally expressed softly. 

“Have you spoken to y/n today?” 

“Not too long ago, why?” Joel stopped what he was doing grabbing the phone with his hand.

“What’s wrong with y/n?” 

“Don’t tell her I called you, just come home tonight please? It’s not for me, I’m fine just please, dad” 

“Alright, sweetheart. Don’t you worry, I’ll be there tonight” Sarah thanked him and hung up the phone not saying much of anything else. 

Joel stood in place concerned with what could be going on, concerned with what his daughter couldn’t say. 

“Alright, we’re leaving tonight” he turned to Tommy who raised a brow. 

“There’s no way we can finish this today-“

“Well it’s gonna have to wait, got an issue back at home” 

“What happened?” 

“Don’t know, but start packin’” Joel began picking up supplies as his mind wandered off. He knew it must’ve been important, Sarah never bothered him for anything while he was at work. 

   That evening you stood in the kitchen washing dishes, everything still felt surreal for you yet you still refused to say a word. Sarah came out of her room and noticed you slightly lose your balance stepping to the side, the amount of blood loss making you woozy. 

“You ok?” She asked making you stand up straight. 

“Yes” you lied, even with pain medication the doctor gave you the experience was anything but comfortable. That’s when you heard Joel’s truck pull up in the front making you quickly turn off the water. 

“Joel’s back?” You walked to the window as Sarah stood silently in the kitchen knowing why he returned. 

“He didn’t tell me he was coming-“ you turned to Sarah knowing she must’ve said something. 

“You called him didn’t you?” She stood silent not wanting you to get upset with her but she felt it was the right thing to do. 

“Sarah, I asked you not to call him-“

“He doesn’t know anything, I just asked him to come early. You shouldn’t be going through this alone” she explained but before you could respond Joel walked in through the front door. 

   At first he stood silent, he could tell he had just walked into something.

“Where’s Tommy?” You asked trying your best to seem as casual as you could. 

“He’ll be back in the mornin’” he set his bag down beside him before looking at Sarah whom stood beside you with her arms behind her back. 

“Sarah” he waited for her to speak, to give him something, but she remained quiet. 

“Look, I don’t know why Sarah called you, everything is fine-“

“Just tell him” Sarah insisted without looking up. 

“Tell me what?” He raised a brow as he walked towards you stopping just a foot away. Joel knew you very well, he knew something was wrong.

“Talk to me,honey” 

Looking down you began to fidget with your fingers, this wasn’t how you wanted to tell him.

“Joel, it’s nothing I just-“

“She was in the hospital” Sarah blurt out. 

“Hospital?” A deep crease forming between his brows, concern in his voice. 

“What happened? You alright?” He grabbed your face as if he was trying to see what was wrong but you quickly pushed his hands away.

“I am fine now I said” you walked towards the bedroom stepping inside as Joel quickly followed. 

“If she won’t say it then I will” Joel turned back to Sarah. A tiny piece of you wanting Sarah to get it over with but you knew it had to be you.

“No” you quickly yelled out before she could say another word with your back to them.

“I…I was pregnant, Joel. I was pregnant and I lost the baby,” you blurt out shocking them both. You didn’t look back, you couldn’t bare the image of his brown eyes at the news. Joel felt like he had been hit with a ton of bricks, how didn’t he notice? Having a baby wasn’t something either of you had spoken of but you always wanted to be a mother. 

Joel looked at Sarah and silently motioned for her to leave the room before he spoke. Sarah obliged and closed the door behind her just relieved that her father finally knew and that you weren’t alone. Joel turned back to you and could tell you were crying in silence. You could hear his footsteps slowly coming towards you before feeling his hands on your waist.

“C’mere” you took a deep breath before turning to him and burying your face in his chest. His arms wrapped around you as you for the first time allowed yourself to feel it.

Joel was silent hearing you cry..the thought of you alone in the hospital didn’t sit well with him. The thought of you being pregnant and him not knowing a thing…

You looked up at him and could tell he was lost in thought.

“Are you mad at me?”

Your question bringing his eyes quickly down to you.

“Of course not” he assured you.

“But I need you to understand one thing, darling” you looked up at him patiently to hear what he had to say.

“I can’t have you ever going through anything like this again and you not telling me, you understand?” he gently wiped your tears with his thumbs as you nodded and noticed his jaw tense up.

“How long did you know?”

“A week” you whispered seeing a hint of hurt in his eyes.

“I..I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know how you would feel. I was going to tell you when you came back…I didn’t expect this to happen” you began to cry again as his hands held your face.

“It’s alright, I’m here with you. Lets get you in bed” you took a deep breath and did as he said. Since coming home from the hospital you hadn’t exactly taken it slow the way the doctor asked. Laying in bed turning to your side you sighed as Joel covered you with a blanket.

“Where are you going?” You asked just as you felt the weight of his body on the bed beside you, his arm sliding over your waist pulling you perfectly against him.

“I’m right here, baby” he whispered in your ear. He kissed the side of your face holding you close as you for once felt some kind of calmness today.

After some time Joel made sure you were asleep and slowly slipped out of bed. Placing the blanket over you he kissed your forehead and walked out.

Sarah sat in the living room watching tv when she noticed her father come out of the room. He stood by the door rubbing the back of his neck, still taking in what he had just found out.

“She mad at me?” Sarah’s voice made Joel look up.

“No, sweetheart, she knows you were only worried” he walked towards her by the couch and sat down beside with her with a deep sigh.

“Did you guys plan this?” Sarah couldn’t help but ask. Joel silently shook his head leaning forward.

“I’m just as surprised as you were, kid”

“Well did you want a baby?”

Joel stood silent staring at the ground, a thought that hadn’t left his mind since you had expressed what happened. Yet, he didn’t know how to respond to that to his daughter, how would’ve Sarah felt?

“Look babygirl-“

“Dad, if you do it’s not gonna upset me. I like y/n, it’d be cool to have a sibling….” Sarah shrugged catching Joel off guard.

“I’m gonna go to bed” she stood up as she yawned before looking down at her father still lost in thought.

“I’m sorry about what happened” she unexpectedly leaned down and gave him a peck on the cheek before walking away. Sarah’s reaction only causing Joel to understand more of what exactly he was feeling.

He was hurt.

Joel didn’t have to know you were pregnant in order to be hurt, the thought of you carrying his child was something he realized he wanted.

He couldn’t imagine what it was like sitting alone in the hospital. He knew he should’ve listened to himself when he heard the way you sounded over the phone, something hadn’t seemed right but you brushed it off as a hard day at work. Staring into space thinking about all that happened he was distracted by you coming out of the bedroom. Quickly he stood up rushing towards you to make sure you were ok.

“I’m here, baby. I just couldn’t sleep” he stopped inches away as you leaned back against the wall.

“It’s ok, I just needed some water”

“Could’ve called out to me, I don’t want you doing more than you should” he walked towards the kitchen getting you a glass.

“I can get myself a cup of water, Joel” you responded softly following him to the kitchen.

You could still see the concern in his eyes.

“How do you feel?” He asked looking up as he bought you the glass.

“I’m ok, just tired” you could feel him watching you as you took a sip, you could feel there was more he wanted to say…more he wanted to know.

“How far long were you?” He crossed his arms leaning against the counter.

“Nine weeks”

He didn’t respond, pressing his lips together as he looked deep into thought. He caught himself lost in that moment and realized you were looking down in your own world, obviously upset. Joel reached for you grabbing your hand and slowly pulled you close against him. He didn’t say another word and he didn’t have to, the touch of him was always enough to give you a sense of calmness…Joel always had a way with touch. At a moment like this it’s all you really needed, his arms around you assuring you he was right there with you.

[cheynovak]

Crossing the line

Jensen Ackles x y/n F/Reader

Summary: Jensen and y/n have been friend since childhood. She always loved him didn't dare to tell him. But what happens when Jensen visits her on the night before his wedding?

Warnings: nothing much, little teasing towards spice.

English isn't my first language

Please do not copy my work. Comments, likes and sharing are appreciated.

Under no circumstances do I wish to harm the Ackles familie.

The soft glow of the television flickered against the walls of Y/N’s small apartment bedroom. She was half-asleep, wrapped in her blankets, when she heard the familiar click of her front door unlocking.

Jensen.

She didn’t even stir. He had a key—he always had a key. And when he didn't he'd found a way.

As little kids their parents were friends, they had sleepovers and play dates and barbecues.

In high school he crawled through her window to have movie nights or just nightly conversations on her bed, he often fell asleep next to her.

And when he moved out, following his dream, and since became the Jensen Ackles, the famous actor, she gave him a key to her apartment, so he'd still have a way into her little world. She supposed that meant something.

The bed dipped beside her, the scent of whiskey and Jensen’s cologne filling her senses. A lazy grin tugged at his lips as he flopped down beside her, fully clothed.

“Jensen?” she mumbled sleepily, rubbing her eyes.

“Hey, sweetheart.” His voice was slightly slurred, his green eyes hazy yet warm as he looked at her. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

Y/N sighed, shifting to sit up. “You’re supposed to be at your bachelor party.”

“I was.” He grinned lazily, stretching his arms above his head. “But it felt wrong, you know? My best friend wasn't there."

"Did Jared bail on you?" She joked

Jensen bumped her arm. "Fine, I meant my best girl wasn't there."

Her heart clenched at his words, but she pushed the feeling away. This was Jensen, her best friend since high school. The man who always found his way back to her, no matter how high his star rose. And tomorrow, he would belong to someone else.

She scooted over, making room for him. Without hesitation, he slid under the covers beside her, his body warm against hers.

The movie on the screen played out a familiar trope—two best friends secretly in love, dancing around their feelings until fate intervened.

Jensen snorted, watching the main characters exchange longing looks. “Come on. This is so unrealistic.”

Y/N smirked, glancing at him. “Oh, because love is so logical?”

“No, but—” he gestured at the screen. “Boy and girl, best friends. Cute, but why do they always have fall in love? That’s Hollywood nonsense. Why can’t they just be friends? Why does one always have to ruin it.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, ever the romantic. “Maybe some people do fall for their best friend. some people don’t realize what’s right in front of them. It’s not about inevitability, it’s about feelings. Real ones.”

He was quiet for a moment before smirking. “We’re living proof it’s fake. Look at us. Best friends for, what, fifteen years? Never crossed a line.”

Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten. “Yeah,” she murmured, voice softer now. “Never.”

After the movie ended Jensen exhaled deeply, turning onto his side to face her. “Remember that camping trip senior year? One tent, freezing cold.”

She smiled at the memory. “We had to share a sleeping bag. Because someone planned a last minute camping trip and forgot his bag.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, and you kept complaining that I was hogging all the warmth. I was just trying to survive. You were a human furnace, Y/N. I had no choice but to steal your heat.”

Y/N felt her face heating up remembering how it felt to sleep in his arms that night.

His eyes darkened slightly, though his smile remained. “Still. We never crossed a line. That means something, right?”

She hesitated. “Want to watch another movie?” Turning away from him so she could grab the controller.

She scrolled mindless through the movies she knew Jensen would liked.

He exhaled heavily, staring up at the ceiling. Then he turned back to her, his voice quieter now. “Do you think I’m doing something wrong?”

Her breath hitched. She stared at him, her mind racing. Did he mean being here with her tonight? In her bed, on the eve of his wedding?

Her heart screamed ‘no’— because she want him there, because she knew he belonged with her. And if he'd give her a change she would do her best to make him feel loved and happy.

“Jensen…” She hesitated, then finally whispered, “Maybe a little... I-I mean..."

Her voice broke."If you were my boyfriend, I wouldn't want you to stay at a girls house, specially not the night before our wedding."

A shadow passed over his face, his lips pressing into a thin line mumbling. "Yeah, the wedding.”

She frowned. “What?”

He exhaled heavily, staring up at the ceiling. “I meant… do you think I'm doing the right thing... marrying Danneel.”

Silence blanketed the room. Y/N’s pulse pounded in her ears as his words sank in. She had spent years locking away feelings she had no right to have. But now, here he was, lying beside her, questioning the biggest decision of his life.

“Jensen,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “You love her.”

“I do,” he admitted, turning onto his side to face her fully. “But it doesn’t feel the way it should. It doesn’t feel like… this.”

Y/N’s breath hitched. "L-like this?"

His fingertips brushed against hers under the covers, the smallest touch, yet it sent her world spinning. "Save."

Y/N kept looking at him, unable to read his expression. Was he teasing her? Did he meant it? Or better yet, how did he mean it?

“Say something,” he murmured, searching her face for answers.

She wanted to. God, she wanted to tell him everything—that her heart had been his since high school, that she had been waiting for him to see her the way she saw him. But what could she say now, on the night before his wedding?

“You’re drunk, Jay,” she whispered, though even she didn’t believe the excuse. “You should go to sleep.”

But Jensen didn’t want to. He whispered, his fingers still tracing hers. “I just… I always thought I’d find a girl who’s a little more… you.”

She swallowed hard. “Why?” she whispered, barely able to form the word.

“Because everything comes so natural with us,” he admitted, his voice rough with honesty. “I don’t need to think about what to say. I don’t need to watch what I do. I don’t have to work out to look good enough, because I know you'll love me as I am. I can just be me.”

Jensen moved to lean on his elbow, almost hovering over her.

His words poured out, unfiltered, raw. “You know me better than anyone. You see all my flaws, all my screw-ups, and you still let me in—hell, you still let me into your bed."

"You trust me, blindly. And I feel safe with you, safe enough to tell you anything. Even the fact that I'm afraid that I'm marrying the wrong person tomorrow. Maybe I need a girl like my best girl."

Jensen seemed to lean in, clsoing the space between them. But Y/N placrd her hand resting on his chest.

Y/N tried hard not to look at his lips while stumbling over her words.

“Maybe… you were never meant to find a girl like me. Because you don't... I mean... you chose her and, you know find her well... attractive. And I’m… me. And girls like me look like me.”

Jensen frowned. “You are beautiful.”

She pulled her hand back from his chest, looking up at him.

“Exactly. You would call your sister beautiful. And your girlfriend, I don’t know, hot, sexy... attractive?"

Jensen's smirk did nothing to ease her beating heart. "My point is, Jay. You'd never want to be or do... things, with a girl who you see as a sister."

His frown deepened as he stared at her. Then, his voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible in the quiet room. “Would I want to do this to my sister?”

Before she could process his words, his lips brushed against hers—soft, hesitant, but filled with something she had never dared to believe in.

He pulled back just slightly. Y/N’s lips parted, her breath uneven, his eyes locked onto her, searching a reason to stop, but she didnt look angry or upset.

Her mind screaming at her to say something—anything—but before she could, he kissed her again.

This time, her hand moved to the back of his head, fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer as the last of the space between them disappeared.

The kiss deepened, slow at first, but quickly unraveling into something more. Jensen’s hands roamed, his fingertips tracing familiar yet uncharted territory.

One hand gripped her waist, pulling her against him, as if closing the distance that had always existed between them.

He felt her hand tracing his chest, soft and unsure, but he needed to feel more of her touch. His free pulled the fabric of his shirt, tugging it over his head before tossing it aside. Before his hand grabbed the inside of her knee, so he could nearly melt against her.

That same hand tracing her thigh, her hip, feeling the soft cotton underwear while he make his way over to her stomach.

His breath was warm against her skin, his lips teasing against hers, lingering—testing. He hovered above her, eyes dark, questioning, waiting for any sign to stop.

But Y/N didn’t pull away, not this time. Instead, she pulled him closer, her own body betraying years of restraint. And for once giving in, not caring about the consequences, at least not tonight.

No. Tonight, the line had been crossed, one they could never undo.

So why stop now, right?

--

Jensen: @jackles010378 @libby99hb @winchesterwild78 @suckitands33 @mostlymarvelgirl @deans-baby-momma @ancles @tulipsvanilla @thesilmarillionblog @jays-bonnie-on-the-side @kr804573 @kamisobsessed @hobby27 @globetrotter28 @kindollss @muhahaha303 @shadysoulangel @lyarr24 @spxideyver @impala67rollingthroughtown @panickedbitch @deansimpalababy @livya99 @yvonneeeee @ladykitana90 @stoneyggirl2 @imsiriuslyreal @panickedbitch @roseblue373 @n-o-p-e-never @ariasong11 @lmpala1967 @sherlockstrangewolf @spnaquakindgdom @writtenbyhollywood @mishkatelwarriorgoddess @healojane @star-yawnznn

[amoreva]

FEIGNING FOR YA

—– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • · —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–

CHAPTER 2

pairing: luke castellan x fem!reader

summary: the first signs of acknowledgement from your family about your relationship and planning and…Luke is a good fake boyfriend!

warnings: not proofread! slow burn, college au, smau, fake dating to dating, cursing, clarisse x chris, aged up! pjo charcters, yn is older sister figure to percy, luke and thalia are older sibling figures to annabeth, drinking

a/n: inspired by charlie’s recent boxing photos! ik it may be a little choppy, but i wanted to put smthg out there before i go on my trip. comments and feedbacks about writing are much appreciated!

series list | next

—– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • · —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–

Ding!

A passive aggressive text shows up on your lock screen from Aunt Shelley. You were out with Silena, Clarisse and Thalia when the first signs of acknowledgment of your new relationship shows up.

The photo of your friend group covered by (now) two texts from Aunt Shelley:

Aunt Shelley

I wish you would tell us about this boy of yours before announcing it to the whole world.

3m ago

Kidding! He seems lovely.

1m ago

She was not kidding.

You sent back a short text, making up some excuse about why you haven’t said anything. Sure, you hard-launched the “relationship” intending for your family to see, but that backfired. Kind of.

Most of them didn’t care about social media yet they insisted on following you when you made an account.

Aunt Shelley

Tell him to buy brighter clothes for Easter!

now

At least they didn’t seem to recognize Luke’s mop of curls. Luke has only been to your house once in high school in freshman year. Well, Luke had matured since then and he did gain some meat on his bones. You wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t recognize him.

“Their reactions will be funnier when I introduce myself.” Luke mumbled with closed eyes. An arm wrapped around you abdomen. His thumb rubbing your side. Cheek pressed against your shoulder as he listened to you.

He insisted on taking a nap at your dorm to strengthen the image of your faux relationship, totally not because he was escaping his frat’s latest activities. It was something like a date auction or car wash.

“Do you plan on listening to my Aunt?” You asked, referring to Luke’s closet.

“Fuck, no.” Luke answered with ease.

“Will you at least be civil?” You asked and nudged your shoulder against his head.

Luke picked up his head and looked at you. “We’re supposed to be rebelling. Pissing off your parents for being judgy and shitty and what not.”

Honestly, you were hesitant on “rebelling”. Sure, it was just bringing Luke over and dating him because your parents hate him. But, you didn’t want your parents to hate you for being disrespectful nor rude.

Luke noticed your hesitation. He sighed through his nose. “Fine. I’ll play nice.” He laid his head back on your shoulder. “But you owe me take out if the food is bad over there.”

Believe it or not, Luke had become more docile. His touch more gentle and caring. His pocket always had chapstick now that he had a “girlfriend” again. Was he always like this with his other girlfriends?

You been there everytime Luke was in and out of relationships, but you never seen how he acted with his significant others.

And thankfully, being in a fake relationship with Luke was quite easy. The two of you know each other like the back of your hands. It was practically the normal platonic chemistry, just add cheek kisses, holding hands and flirting. No butterflies appeared and no hands got sweaty around him.

Perfect.

Because thinking about your best friend in romantic sense was the wrong pathway to go. It’s not like you have, just…think about all the movies and books. Usually they never ended well (you think).

“Charlie knows I called it. I knew it!” Silena exaggerated pridefully. Both of you were walking to your Art History Class. “The way you guys would look at each other and—gosh…I still can’t believe it.”

You laughed at your friend’s delusional nature. You can’t exactly pinpoint a time when Luke and you gave each other a look before this contract, but whatever helps Silena sleep at night.

The two of you sit at your usual seats and wait for the rest of the students to trickle in.

Ding!

Mom

Your father and I are very excited to meet this new boyfriend of yours!

now

You wondered if she remembered Luke. He did leave an impression on her. The first time Luke met your mother, he was a little excited and rowdy because you and him were going to stream a new movie that left theaters.

Your mother hated when the quiet in the house was broken when Luke and you were excitingly talking. “You’re like a fly, disrupting this environment.” She scoffed from the dining room and went upstairs to her room.

Safe to say, you hung out at Luke’s house from that day forward (you just gave him your Netflix password). Thankfully, Luke didn’t feel too hurt.

“Oh! I know.” Silena placed her notebook on the table. A suggestive grin on her face. “There’s this party we can go to and celebrate you lovebirds!”

“Silena, that’s not really necessary—”

“You gotta see it for yourself though!”

“See what?”

“That twinkle in their eyes.”

“What?”

The professor entered the lecture hall and began the lesson on art from the transcendentalist period. Twinkle? What twinkle? Like the stuff that romance novels describe when a character falls in love? Come on, that can’t be real.

“Like romance book twinkle?” You leaned over and whispered to Selene. She smiled knowing she had you hooked. Her pencil moved as she talked.

“Like when you get dressed for a party or a date and…and…” She tore her eyes away from you to look if she spelled a word right in her notes. “…they get that first look and their eyes light up like you’re their whole world.”

Your professor called you and Silena out for talking and the both of you quickly write down the notes. Though you both continue the conversation.

“Listen, our friend group doesn’t have to go party or go to a bar. Just suggest a date with Luke tonight and watch his eyes when you’re in your date night outfit.” Silena and you walk to the gym, scanning your ID and going through the turnstiles.

You look at your phone again.

Luke<3

boxing with beckendorf

13m ago

Silena and you walked towards the destination. The familiar black compression shirt and mop of chocolate curls appearing in your field of vision. His gray sweat matching his top.

Beckendorf was spotting Luke as he hit the punching bag in calculated movements. He shifted his weight between his two feet and with laser focus the material of the worn out glove made contact. Beckendorf grunted quietly. Luke could pack a punch.

It was kinda hot.

“Charlie!” Silena disrupted the practice to go hug her sweaty boyfriend. Luke and him must’ve have been taken turns hitting the punching bag.

Luke turned in your direction. A slow smile spread across his fast. He was quick to get his gloves off before greeting you with a forehead kiss. “Hey beautiful.” His hands resting on your waist.

If your next boyfriend wasn’t meeting the same standards as Luke was right now, you didn’t want him. Luke was practically the perfect boyfriend.

“We should go on a date tonight.” You suggested, obviously curious about this “twinkle” Silena was talking about.

Luke grabbed his gym bag and put away his boxing gloves. You grabbed him a white towel to wipe off his sweat. “Yeah? For what?” He drank some water and tossed his gym bag on his shoulder. “Your family being shitty to you again?”

Silena and Beckendorf said quick goodbyes and left the gym. You took out your body spray and spritzed Luke with it a couple of times. “No…” You made sure Silena and Beckendorf were gone. “Easter. We need to talk about Easter with my family?”

“What is there to talk about?” Luke asked and sat down on the wooden bench. You joined him. His musk covered by your body spray.

“I don’t know…like—” You paused trying to get the words out. “What we should do if like—my mother asks some stupid question. Or my aunt flirts with you or if my family ask you to prove we’re dating.”

“You’re not trying to get me to take you out and get you food are you?” Luke nudged your shoulder and teased.

“Yes.” You stated bluntly. “But more importantly, Easter.”

Luke and you decide to go out to dinner at a diner nearby. You made him shower and change first before anything. While he was at his dorm, you were struggling to pick and outfit to successful procure a twinkle.

You stood in front of your mirror, looking at your reflection. Clarisse was on her bed, reading a book for her English class. Though she got distracted by you numerous times.

After what it felt like the umpteenth time putting on different jeans and skirts and some sort of clothing combination, Clarisse pulled her headphones away from her ears. She could feel your frustration and dilemma. The hot-tempered girl was in your shoes once.

“Wear something casual, but cute.” Clarisse suggested and scanned her eyes over the clothes scattered on the floor.

“Like that with…that.” The articles of clothing made sense together, but would it give that twinkle you were curious about. It would have to do for now.

“When’s he picking you up?” Clarisse sat up. “I promise you, you’re overthinking this. It’ll be fine.”

You look at her after changing into the clothes she picked out. “I know, I just—what if this doesn’t work out?” Of course, you had in the rebelling against your parents with this relationship, but to Clarisse—you looked worried about your relationship with Luke.

“It will.” Clarisse reassured. “You’ve been best friends for how long?”

A couple of knocks rapped against your door. Clarisse gestured for you to take a deep breath before she went back to reading. You stalked over to the door and opened it.

“Go change.” You immediately stated upon seeing his shirt.

In big bright white letters, his shirt read “I <3 my girlfriend.” Forgot the twinkle, that stupid t-shirt was going to haunt you forever if you let Luke go out in that.

“What, why?” Luke whined, knowing exactly why.

“Luke! Go change or—or…” You hesitated to find a right threat.

“Helpful hint, sweetheart. If you’re going to threaten me, find a viable threat before you start it.” Luke called out and went to change.

You were going to strangle him. Maybe this relationship won’t be as easy managing as you thought. You were praying Easter will go how it’s planned or at least work in pissing off your parents.

—– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • · —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —–

taglist:

@happy-mushrooms @m00ng4z3r @justanotherkpopstanlol @2hiigh2cry @celluifleur @thatbird-fromrio @yuminako @pookiebear16 @mxtokko @cxcillia @kai-islost @kidkrowk @iluvpjo

[jenn2sec]

English vers.

Based On My Dreams Series (MAIN LINE):

❝ Healing Trip ❞

start - thursday20022025

couple - bigbang(you decide who) x fem!reader

chapters summary - after your strong resistance against the abuse from your boyfriend's (now ex) family, you were suspended from school for a year, so what will you do during that forced break? of course, take a direct flight to korea to heal! lets see how lucky you will be with bigbang-boys!

note - chaotic, bad words, side characters, this post won't feature bigbang, but read on and make your choice at the end!, funny, quantum multiverse, alcohol

caption section - after reviewing and organizing more ideas for the plot, i decided to officially develop the Based On My Dreams Series into a long-form fanfic (when i say long, i mean it will have a more structured storyline). y/n is in the late twenties and about to enter their thirties, a third-year student majoring in film scriptwriting.

We’re always open to feedback and ideas to make the story better!

[ Before I could make sense of everything, my feet were already standing on his grave. ]

After reviewing the entire script draft for the short film, you sent it to senior H/n. Just thinking about it made you frustrated—why did you have to do his work for him? This was supposed to be his graduation project! Your head felt as hot as a furnace, yet you still had to sit in the library after your morning classes, rushing to finish his “problem.”

“That jerk…” you mumbled, slamming your laptop shut before quickly stacking up your books into a neat pile and dragging yourself out of the library.

Time flew by, and you were already close to completing your second semester of your third year in university. Just one more semester and another year, and you’d finally have that bachelor’s degree in your hands. Lost in your feverish state, you found yourself daydreaming about internships—completely unaware that the so-called "talented" senior you had just cursed was now striding towards you with an air of arrogance.

“Hey, y/n! Come here for a sec.” He waved a hand at you like an impatient boss calling over an employee just to scold them. Just great. You had only insulted him in your head a moment ago, and now he had appeared like a summoned ghost. With a deep sigh, you bit your lip and walked over.

"I really appreciate your help, but you should really reconsider $#%&—" He kept rambling, his words buzzing in your ears like an annoying fly. What was this? Was he actually complaining about a script that he got for free?

You were too stunned to speak. The only reason you put up with this lunatic was because he was your boyfriend’s older brother and the son of the head professor of your department.

Let’s see… He was the son of the department head but was still drowning in over ten failed courses, barely hanging onto his chance to graduate. And ever since you had visited your boyfriend’s house and discovered that both of you were in the same screenwriting major, more than half of his overdue assignments had magically ended up in your lap. Call you stupid if you guys want—at first, you thought dating someone from the same school would be nice. His mother was a well-respected professor, and surely his older brother must be talented too, right? Wrong. And now, your so-called “future brother-in-law” was acting like he was the professor and you were the clueless student, lecturing you in the middle of campus with no regard for your dignity.

"I am sorry, but I’m really exhausted. Can’t you see the fever patch on my foreh—" You weakly protested, carefully choosing your words to avoid bruising his ego, but H/n immediately cut you off, clicking his tongue and placing his hands on his hips.

"Y/n, if you’re going to do something, do it properly. You can’t use being sick as an excuse to hand in a script full of plot holes!"

You froze. Your face went blank, as if someone had just smacked you over the head with a hammer. You could only stare at this shameless man in disbelief.

"Hey, are y—" Just as you were about to snap back, your younger boyfriend suddenly appeared from afar, grinning as he approached. Without hesitation, he hugged you from behind and kissed your cheek.

"What are you two doing out here?"

Seeing your boyfriend felt like spotting a lifeline in the middle of an ocean. You turned around, ready to whine about your suffering, but before you could even speak, the brat jumped back in horror, shoving you away a few steps.

"Wait, you’re sick?! Hey, hey, don’t get me infected! I have an internship next week!" He hurriedly pulled a mask out of his pocket and put it on, while his brother scolded him for overreacting.

And then, just like that, he kept going. Your dear senior resumed his endless criticism of your script, delivering yet another long-winded lecture about character development and scene construction.

A childish boyfriend. A useless, arrogant brother-in-law. And you—sick to the point of collapse, with a very solid pile of books in your hands.

Yes. With a rage-induced fever clouding your mind like a drunken haze, you didn’t hesitate. You hurled the entire stack of books at that senior’s face, then grabbed the thickest one and jabbed it straight at your stupid boyfriend, who is gaping.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY SIGHT, YOU BASTARDS!!! ALL OF YOU, OUT! RIGHT NOW! F* OFF YOU MOTHER F******!!!!!!!!"

"That damn bastards….my gosh how can I know I’d break the library window! It’s all their fault! Huhuhu—" You wailed into your phone, sobbing so hard that your eyes were practically swelling shut.

On the other end of the call, your online best friend sighed. "So… what about your ‘future mother-in-law’?"

The mere mention of that woman made you cry even louder. "That witch! She only acted nice because she saw me as her eldest son’s academic lifeline! But the moment I broke their noses today, she went insane and demanded that the school expel me! Huhuhu—!"

Your friend let out a long, tired sigh. "So let me get this straight… You got suspended for a whole year just for assault and property damage? That’s kind of harsh. I’d say one semester at most." You sniffled. "No, no. Before that, I went to the academic office and reported that entire damn family—especially that bastard H/n—for forcing me to do his coursework."

"WHAT?!" Your friend shrieked in shock before bursting into laughter. Meanwhile, you grinned victoriously.

"Serves those assholes right."

You don't mind graduating a year late, you're a pretty good student after all—it's basically a gap year. But that asshole? His record's been erased. And his mom? Suspended for a whole semester. Ha!

"Why do you keep listening to those gay dudes all the time?"

A slipper flew straight toward the speaker—unfortunately, it missed. You've heard this comment enough times to no longer take it to heart, but you still had to put up some kind of resistance. Your older brother kicked your slipper further away—specifically, out onto the porch—before lazily walking over to the fridge to find something to snack on.

Meanwhile, you sat idly on the sofa, listening to your favorite music: K-pop.

It had been a long time since you last had the chance to relax like this. Ever since you got involved with that damn family, even your holidays were spent helping H/n.

So now, being able to unwind felt a bit unfamiliar. You started feeling like you had rested too much—your hands and feet were itching to do something.

"If you're so free, why don't you go out or get a job? Doesn't staying home bore you?" your brother asked, plopping down on the couch with a bag of snacks. He grabbed the remote and switched the TV to some streamer’s YouTube channel.

"HEY!" You grabbed your other slipper and threw it straight at his face—this time, it hit. After a brief scuffle, both of you lazily slumped back onto the couch.

"Getting a part-time job doesn’t sound too bad—"

Suddenly, your phone rang. It was your online best friend calling.

And with just one phone call, your plan to get a job turned into a healing trip abroad.

The room you rented was in an apartment complex located deep within a neighborhood already slated for redevelopment. Despite this, quite a few people still lived here. Most people—including your online best friend—found the place too cramped and bustling, but you actually liked it. Having lived with your parents and brother your whole life, you never had the chance to "coexist" with strangers like this. So even though you felt a bit uneasy, you valued this experience—it was something worth having!

Your online best friend picked you up from the airport and helped you find a short-term rental. (You had decided to stay for an extended period, given that you had an entire year of free time.) After finishing the move-in process, she immediately switched into tour guide mode and took you on an adventure through Seoul.

This was only the second time you two had met in real life—the first being when she visited your country for a trip. Now, it was your turn to visit hers. Twice was more than enough to erase any awkwardness. The two of you went all out, exploring every corner, from delicious street food to fun entertainment spots.

“Lucky for you, you know enough Korean to communicate, right?” she asked, biting into a strawberry tanghulu—the popular sugar-coated fruit snack often seen in TikTok dance videos. You nodded slightly, using your own candy stick to poke at the hardened sugar stuck on your molars before replying.

“Just a little. I’m definitely not fluent enough to compete with the locals.” You joked, recalling how, during your first meeting, she had been too flustered to even speak English properly.

Both of you had made an effort to learn each other’s native languages, but for the most part, you still communicated in English for convenience, occasionally throwing in phrases from the second language. So naturally, she reacted quickly to your teasing:

"야! 놀리지 마!! (Ya! Don’t tease me!!)”

She laughed awkwardly at her own outburst, making both of you burst into laughter. Your attention was then quickly stolen by a brightly lit bar nearby.

“Hey, I didn’t know Aven Star had a branch in Korea,” you remarked.

“Of course they do! They even invite artists over all the time. Wanna go in? Who knows, maybe you’ll run into one of your ‘husbands,’” she teased, nudging your shoulder.

You were about to agree instantly, but one glance at your outfit made you hesitate. “I can’t. I look like a complete mess right now.”

“Excuse me?! Stop acting like a pick-me girl! You look amazing, so get in there and have fun!”

Well, if that damn family knew you were out here vacationing and enjoying yourself, they’d be fuming. Just the thought of it made you relax a little more and confidently step inside.

The moment you entered, your ears were greeted by remixes of old-but-gold US-UK songs, refreshed with an upbeat twist that made them even catchier. The dim, flickering lights were adjusted just right—not harsh on the eyes—but the place was packed. That was typical for this bar. You never went bar-hopping much during your school days, but if you did, Aven Star was always your go-to. It was surreal that your favorite club had somehow followed you across the world, making your healing trip feel even more complete.

You quickly let yourself soak in the atmosphere while waiting for your best friend, who was busy flirting with the bartender (and ordering more drinks for both of you). The tension in your body gradually melted away, your shoulders feeling lighter by the second. It was hard to believe this trip was already working wonders—on just the first day.

Then, out of nowhere, a cold liquid spilled down the back of your neck, soaking your entire back. A sharp shiver ran up your spine, triggering an instant wave of shock and discomfort that shot straight to your brain, making you yelp. Luckily, the bar was noisy enough to drown out your outburst.

Spinning around, you searched for the culprit—and found yourself facing a guy dressed in a breezy, casual outfit. His face was undeniably Korean, but he wasn’t bad-looking at all. In fact, when combined with his overall aura, he looked…pretty cool!

His expression, however, was hilarious. Though the dim lighting made it hard to see clearly, his wide eyes, hand-over-mouth reaction, and panicked mumbling made it obvious he was apologizing and checking if you were okay.

You were in too good of a mood to get mad. You were about to say something, but then you spotted your best friend scanning the crowd for you. With no time to linger, you flashed the guy a quick grin, leaned in slightly, and said a few words before slipping through the dancing crowd to rejoin your friend.

"________"

| If You Choose to Say Something Playful.

| If You Choose to Say Something Reassuring. [comingsoon]

_____

F i x a r a w S o f t e n

thursday20022025

23:46

︾︾︾︾︾︾︾

to speed things up and because my english isn’t really that good, i decided to use a translation tool to help with the language switch. a bigbangxreader fanfic operating on the quantum multiverse theory, why not?!

every choice you make leads you to a different person, opening up distinct storylines, what do you think?!

hope you all understand and enjoy ♡

[punkrockmlchael]

Best Friends

Masterlist | Corroded Coffin Masterlist

Jeff x Gareth ; Platonic Eddie x Gareth

(Both Jeff and Gareth are in their early 20s)

This fic is for: it's complicated pop-up event by @corrodedcoffinfest ; the prompt is "it's complicated"

Prompt: It's complicated | Word Count: 3861 | Rating: E | POV: Jeff | Relationships: Jeff/Gareth | CW: Confessions of feelings, Explicit Sexual Content | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Best Friends, Are we really Best Friends?, Why'd you leave me?, Guys discussing their feelings, Feelings Galore

Warnings: 18+ mdni, Feelings galore, Lots of sappy and sad/awkward conversations and so many confessions, Smut: Oral (Male Receiving), Cum Eating

Synopsis: Jeff and Gareth were supposed to be best friends forever. Unfortunately, Eddie Munson came along and ruined their friendship real quick. Finally, Jeff has had enough.

Word Count: 3.8k

“Best friends forever!” 

Those were the three words that Jeff and Gareth had uttered to each other when they were seven years old, camping in Jeff’s backyard for the night. They sat beside each other in their superhero pajamas bundled into their sleeping bags. A small electric lantern in the corner of the tent was their only light source, illuminating the small one person tent that was still big enough for the two young boys. That very night they did everything together—they declared they’d be best friends forever, they shared laughs, they shared screams and tears as they jumped at the sound of the wind rattling a tree branch, they shared a blanket, they even stayed up most of the night talking.

Not a deep talk, really, I mean, how deep and meaningful of a conversation could two seven year old boys actually have? No, they just discussed the books they had to read for school, they discussed how funny it was that Grant tripped and fell on his ass on the playground in front of the girls, they discussed how the girls in their class were gross and had cooties. You know, all the typical things boys their age talked about. Oh, those two were so innocent and cute—time was so different back then.

Gareth giggled while Jeff laughed, the sound of their laughter and giggles filling the small tent they sat in. The two boys were side by side that entire night as they stared up at the top of the tent, cracking jokes only a seven year old boy could find funny. At some point Gareth yawned and sighed, moving closer to Jeff subconsciously. The little fluffy haired boy turned his head, looking at his best friend with a small smile. 

“Are you sure we’re going to be best friends forever?” Gareth asked softly, watching the shadows of the night dance across Jeff’s face. Jeff turned his head slightly, catching Gareth’s eyes. 

“Why wouldn't we be?” Jeff asked, looking at the other boy in the tent. Gareth shrugged, looking back up at the top of the tent before closing his eyes.

“I don’t know, just, you know… making sure.” Gareth mumbled softly, snuggling under the blanket more.

“We’ll be best friends forever, I’m sure of it.” Jeff replied, nodding as he did the same thing, getting comfy under the blanket next to Gareth. He sighed, staring at the top of the tent thinking over their conversation. 

Surely they were best friends, and they would stay best friends forever.

Right?

…

Wrong.

Because, Eddie Munson swooped in when Gareth and Jeff were freshmen in high school and put a damper on their friendship real quick. And, poor Eddie didn’t even really know what he did or that he did it; he had no intention of coming between two best friends. He was simply just trying to become friends with the younger boys because they all shared the same interests—the same music tastes, the same nerd hobbies of dungeons and dragons, the same stupid and immature humor.

Eddie just saw so much of himself in the younger boys. That’s really the main reason why he befriended them; he wanted to take them under his wing and show them the ropes of Hawkins High and beyond. Eddie wanted the younger boys to know that they had a friend in him whenever they needed it.

Unfortunately, Gareth had fallen under Eddie’s spell both fast and hard. Turns out the slightly older boy had a contagious and carefree attitude; he was a freak and he wasn’t ashamed to show it to anyone around him.

And, Gareth admired that about Eddie; he admired that no matter who came at Eddie for how different he was, Eddie just didn’t care. Eddie was Eddie, through and through. 

Not to mention, Eddie Munson was just—everything Gareth wanted to be and more. 

In Gareth’s eyes, Eddie Munson was perfect. He was funny, he was witty, he was charismatic, he was just… Eddie Munson. 

And for all the reasons Gareth loved Eddie, Jeff hated Eddie. Well, hate is such a strong word… more like: Jeff hated that Eddie took his best friend from him. 

It was always Gareth and Jeff against the world, and it was supposed to be like that until the end of time. 

Gareth and Jeff were supposed to share the awkward and fun parts of life together. They were supposed to have their first beers together, cringing at the taste of the poor quality alcoholic beverage that Jeff had stolen from his dad’s collection. They were supposed to have their first smoke session together, struggling to roll a joint while they sat with each other getting high. They were supposed to talk about the girls in their class together, discussing who they liked and how they wanted to do them. They were supposed to have all the dude and bro talks through highschool, discussing the new stupid thing that made them both pop a boner. They were supposed to be college roommates that got drunk together, laughing about their most recent hookup mishaps. They were supposed to graduate college together and move into an apartment together because, of course, they would still be single after college.

You see, Gareth and Jeff were supposed to be inseparable—together forever. Best friends forever. Only now, just a short five years after highschool they were so disconnected it was painful. If it hadn’t been for Corroded Coffin, Jeff truly wondered if he would still be seeing Gareth this far into his life. There were days where it seemed the two had really only interacted due to the band itself, and even those interactions were forced and limited. It hurt Jeff, really. 

Jeff just wanted his best friend back; he wanted things to go back to the way they were when they were kids. He wanted to yell at Gareth, to scream at him for abandoning him and leaving his side when he needed him the most. But he also wanted to hug Gareth tight and never let him go because he missed him that much. It’s funny, really, Jeff didn’t know it was possible to miss a person you still occasionally saw but then it finally hit him one day: Jeff missed the old Gareth. The Gareth that would drop everything to spend time with him, the Gareth that wanted to stay up late talking music and stupid jokes, the Gareth that would pop in from time to time just to ask Jeff how he was doing. Yeah, that’s the old Gareth; the Gareth that Jeff fell in love with. 

And now Jeff was stuck, because how do you overcome this feeling? This pain? This… betrayal? Jeff wished he could quit the band; he wished he could move back home and never see the boys again… but he knew he couldn’t do that. It didn’t matter how much he hated what was happening in his shitty life at the moment… he knew he couldn’t be the reason Corroded Coffin disbanded. That would have been a harder pain to live with.

Tonight was hard, though. Because tonight Corroded Coffin was playing back at the Hideout in their hometown of Hawkins, Indiana. They had played this venue countless times before, they knew it and the crowd that showed up there like the back of their hands. They knew how to play with that crowd and with each other… but the last few shows have been a little, well, lackluster to say the least. And Jeff might have been the one to blame for that.

Jeff just couldn’t get out of his own head no matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t stop thinking about their fluffy haired drummer with the bright blue eyes and dorky crooked smile who always had such a look of concentration on his face while drumming. 

Jeff just couldn’t stop thinking about Gareth Emerson.

“What are you doing?” Jeff asked Grant as he walked onto the Hideout stage for soundcheck. “And, where are Eddie and Gareth?”

Grant shrugged, tuning his bass while he waited for the others. “Who knows with them,” he said, swearing to himself as his bass continued to strum out of tune. “Last I knew they talked about getting lunch or something, they asked if I wanted to go but I declined… I figured they would have asked you to go with them.” 

“No, why would they?” Jeff scoffed, reaching for his guitar. “I’m surprised they asked you,” he added bitterly. Grant looked up from his bass with a sad smile, it was almost as if he could read Jeff’s thoughts before Jeff even had them. 

“To be fair,” he started, “I was standing next to them as they made lunch plans; it very well could have been a pity invite.” 

Jeff slung his guitar over his shoulder, looking up at Grant. “There it is,” he mumbled to himself, beginning to strum some cords. 

He got to work meticulously tuning his own guitar as he walked around the small stage, reminiscing on the memories the four boys had shared in this venue years prior. Usually those memories would bring a smile to Jeff’s face, but not today. Today he didn’t want anything to do with those memories. In fact, he even rolled his eyes when he heard Eddie’s voice and Gareth’s laugh ring through the stage area. There was a time when Gareth’s laugh would bring a smile to his face, it used to be able to light up even his darkest of days, but right now? All Jeff wanted to was play the show and head back to his house to drink and sleep in his own fucking bed. It had been far too long.

“Hey, guys! Ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking onto the stage. Grant looked up at him and shrugged while Jeff’s back continued to face them all, strumming along to his own beat in his head. “Jeff? Are you ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking towards the other guitarist.

Jeff turned slightly, looking at Eddie. “Sure,” he mumbled, ceasing his strumming. “Whatever gets us closer to our show.”

Eddie smiled, not really picking up on Jeff’s feelings. He walked towards the microphone stand center stage and turned to the drummer, a smile on his face. “Hit it, Gare!” Gareth took his seat behind the drumset and clicked his sticks together gently before he started the beat of their most popular song. During the entire soundcheck, Jeff had kept his distance. 

And that continued through to the show. Despite all the old friends and family that had come to see them perform tonight, Jeff just couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the energy to put into his performance so he played along on autopilot at his microphone stand. He strummed along to the music perfectly while he glanced up at Eddie and Gareth, watching as Eddie moved around the stage. He moved towards the drumset gracefully, continuing to sing before he walked over towards Grant and leaned against the bassist without missing a word. Eddie eventually made his way towards Jeff, smiling as he rested his arm on Jeff’s shoulder, watching him strum along to his guitar solo perfectly. Eddie nodded and smiled, making his way back towards the center stage while Jeff turned around slightly, taking a deep breath before he walked around the stage while strumming. He never stayed in one spot for too long, though. And, he made sure to stay away from the drummer—especially during their drum and guitar duet. Normally, Jeff would be right up next to the drumset, strumming his guitar with so much passion while Gareth drummed in perfect time, smiling at Jeff. 

But, not tonight. Tonight Jeff was avoiding Gareth like he was the plague.

Jeff felt like he had been successful in avoiding Gareth all night, both during and after the concert. It had become like a second nature superpower recently—Jeff would look to the side, avoid eye contact with Gareth and make a beeline in the opposite direction whenever the drummer even thought about coming near him. Jeff assumed he would be able to stay away from Gareth all night; he assumed he would be able to keep his distance all night, drinking his thoughts and feelings away before he was finally able to crawl into his bed for the night.

Jeff thought and assumed it would work. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t.

“What the fuck is your problem, man?” Gareth finally asked, cornering Jeff in his kitchen. It had been days, months, hell, maybe even years since Jeff and Gareth had had a one on one conversation without Grant or Eddie around to moderate it.

Jeff shrugged, swirling the amber colored beer around in his cup before he downed the rest of it, looking up at Gareth. “I don’t have a problem.” He replied, moving to pour more beer in his cup. Gareth finished his beer, glaring at Jeff.

“Yes, you fucking do.” Gareth snapped, following after with his arms crossed. “You’ve been nothing but short with me all day, and it’s been like that for at least a week. You’ve literally been ignoring me. What the fuck did I do to you?” 

“Nothing,” Jeff took another sip of his beer, his eyes trying to land on anything other than Gareth.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Gareth spit out, glaring at Jeff. “Dude, what happened to us? You’re my best friend.”

“Am I?” Jeff spit back, looking at Gareth. “Because it actually seems like Eddie took that role from me years ago. We’ve actually been so distant that I actually don’t even know at this point if I can call you a friend, let alone my best friend.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you’ll always be my best friend. I’m allowed to have other friends, you know.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve changed, Gareth. I don’t think I want to call you a friend.” Jeff said, downing the remainder of his beer before he set the cup on the counter and moved towards the stairs. He walked up the stairs to his room, with Gareth hot on his trail. 

“I’ve changed because we’re supposed to, Jeff!” Gareth scoffed, following after him. “We’re not fifteen anymore; we’re supposed to grow up and change; that’s the point of life!”

Jeff stopped, turning towards Gareth. “While we’re supposed to change, it’s typically meant to be for the better. We’re not supposed to forget about the people that actually care about us along the way!” He snapped, glaring at Gareth. “You completely threw me away for Eddie. We were in high school and you threw me to the side because you thought being with Eddie would be better for you.”

“Is that really what this is about?” Gareth asked, staring at Jeff. “So, what? Are you, like, jealous that I’m close with Eddie now? That’s a new low, Jeff. Even for you.”

“I’m not jealous of Eddie!” Jeff groaned, opening the door to his bedroom. “I would never be jealous of that freak.”

“Then what the fuck is your problem?” Gareth questioned, following Jeff into his bedroom.

“Oh, yeah, no, come on in.” Jeff walked towards his bed, flopping down while Gareth stood in the doorway. Gareth closed the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” Gareth said, moving closer to Jeff’s bed. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Jeff sat up on his bed, glaring at Gareth. “You want to know what my fucking problem is?” He shouted, “you’re my fucking problem.” 

“I’m your problem? How the fuck am I your problem?”

“Gareth, my problem is you! You left me, you tossed me to the side for Eddie and it fucking hurt! Do you know what it feels like to be second best? Do you know what it feels like to think your best friend doesn’t want you anymore? Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?” Jeff snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I never forgot about you!” Gareth replied quickly, looking at Jeff. “I never tossed you to the side!”

“Yes—you did. And, you know what? I don’t feel like having this conversation so, just, go.”

“No.” Gareth shook his head, stepping closer to Jeff. “I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”

“Then, get comfy. Because I’m not talking to you.” 

Gareth pursed his lips, looking at Jeff. He took a seat next to him on his bed and leaned back against the headrest. “I know you’ll talk to me. I’ll just sit here until you do.”

Jeff rolled his eyes, glancing at Gareth. “Good to see you're still a stubborn little asshole.”

“You love it,” Gareth mumbled, smirking slightly. 

“Yeah, that’s kind of the fucking problem.” 

“The fuck do you mean by that?” Gareth asked, looking at Jeff with a raised eyebrow. 

“I mean—that’s my fucking problem. You’re my fucking problem. That’s the problem. The problem is that I love you.” 

“You love me?” 

“Don’t act so fucking stupid.” Jeff replied, looking away from Gareth. “I think you know it’s pretty obvious that I love you.”

Gareth thought for a second, looking back at Jeff. “What if I told you that I loved you too?”

“Yeah, right. You know you don’t need to spare my feelings here.”

“I’m not sparing your feelings,” Gareth replied, rolling his eyes, moving closer to Jeff. “I’m telling you the truth. I love you too. That’s the reason I pushed you away—I felt like if I pushed you away then maybe I would lose these feelings for you… I was wrong.”

Jeff looked up at Gareth and raised an eyebrow, “you love me?”

“Yeah. I have loved you since we were in high school,” Gareth responded, leaning closer to Jeff. His lips brushed over Jeff’s gently, a sock of electricity flying down Jeff’s spine. 

“You have?” Jeff spoke softly, looking at Gareth. 

Gareth nodded slightly, moving closer. He pressed his lip against Jeff’s fully, embracing him in a soft and warm kiss. Jeff sighed, his lips moving against Gareth’s in a slow motion as he tested the waters. Jeff’s hand moved up to find Gareth’s face, caressing his cheek gently as he pulled him closer. Gareth’s hands rested on Jeff’s chest as he moved closer, running his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip gently. Jeff gasped into the kiss, pulling away slightly.

“Sorry,” Gareth mumbled, looking up at Jeff with a slight blush on his cheeks. 

“No, you’re fine, just… wasn’t expecting that,” Jeff admitted, leaning in again. He kissed Gareth’s lips again, pulling him closer. Gareth smiled slightly, kissing Jeff back. He ran his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip again, only this time Jeff’s lips parted slightly, allowing Gareth the access. Gareth’s tongue found its way into Jeff’s mouth, exploring every inch within as their tongues danced for dominance. Eventually, Gareth’s tongue won. 

Gareth pulled away, leaving soft kisses down Jeff’s jawline and neck. He moved slightly, pushing Jeff back on the bed before he crawled on top of him, playing with the hem of his shirt. Gareth pulled Jeff’s shirt up gently, pushing it up over his toned stomach and chest. Jeff helped him, throwing his shirt to the side in a hasty move. Gareth looked down at Jeff, running his calloused hands up his body gently.

“You’re so pretty, you know?” Gareth murmured, leaving soft kisses on Jeff’s neck again. “Can I show you how pretty you are? Can I show you how much I actually do love you?” Gareth whispered into Jeff’s ear.

Jeff’s breath hitched slightly, a soft moan escaping his lips as Gareth’s hands continued to explore down his body while his lips left soft and sweet kisses over the sensitive skin of his neck. “Yes, please,” Jeff replied softly, his eyes closing slightly as Gareth began trailing kisses down his neck. Gareth took his time, kissing down every inch of Jeff’s body. He kissed down his neck, over his collarbones, down his chest and down his stomach making sure to show Jeff just how much he really did care and love about him.

Gareth looked up at Jeff, watching his reactions to his kisses. Jeff’s eyes were half lidded, looking down at Gareth with a small smile. Jeff ran his calloused fingers through Gareth’s fluffy hair, pushing it out of his face gently as he leaned down to leave a couple soft kisses on Jeff’s hard erection through his jeans. A moan escaped Jeff’s lips as he watched his friend, tugging on his locks of hair gently.

Gareth unbuttoned Jeff’s jeans gently, unzipping them as he tugged them down his body slowly. Jeff raised his hips slightly, giving Gareth some help. Gareth tugged Jeff’s jeans and boxers down gently, watching as his rock hard erection sprung free, hitting his stomach. Jeff groaned as the air hit his sensitive cock. 

“Fuck,” Gareth moaned, looking up at Jeff. “God damn, you’re even prettier than I thought you’d be; so big too,” Gareth commented as he wrapped his right hand around the base of Jeff’s cock gently. He pumped it a couple times before he leaned down, leaving soft kisses on the overly sensitive tip. Gareth wrapped his lips around the tip of his cock, sucking it gently as he looked up at Jeff.

Jeff groaned loudly, his fingers curling on Gareth’s locks tightly. “Fuck, Gareth,” he moaned out, looking down at him, “god, keep going.”

Gareth smirked slightly, bobbing his head gently. He moved his head down slowly before he bobbed his head back up, repeating the process a couple of times. It was true that Jeff was too big for Gareth to fit all in his mouth so he used his hand to work on the part of Jeff’s cock that he couldn’t fit in his mouth. Gareth used his left hand to fondle and massage Jeff’s balls gently as he continued to move and bob his head.

Jeff groaned loudly, tugging on Gareth’s hair harder. “Fuck, Gareth,” he sighed, closing his eyes ad his hips bucked up, causing Gareth to gag around him slightly. “If you keep doing that I’m gonna cum,” Jeff groaned, looking down at Gareth. 

“Mm,” Gareth hummed around Jeff’s cock before he pulled away slightly. “Yeah? Come on, cum for me. Cum in my mouth,” Gareth mumbled, moving back to suck on Jeff’s cock. He swirled his tongue around the head of his cock, looking up at Jeff with a smirk.

Jeff moaned loudly, twitching inside of Gareth’s mouth. He thrusted his hips up again, whining as he released ropes of cum inside Gareth’s mouth. Gareth groaned around him, swallowing everything Jeff gave him. He bobbed his head a few more times before he pulled away, leaving kisses on Jeff’s inner thighs. 

“Fuck, Gareth,” Jeff sighed, watching Gareth kisses his way back up his body. Jeff shuddered slightly, his body feeling like it was burning with each kiss Gareth left. Gareth kissed his lips softly. Jeff sighed, kissing Gareth back gently. “I love you,” he mumbled against Gareth’s lips.

Gareth smiled into the kiss, pulling away slightly. “I love you too.”

tagging some people I think may like this! @keeryhours ; @the-witty-pen-name ; @the-unforgivenn ; @hawkinsmafia ; @iitsmandii ; @pupwrites ; @writhingg

[whereianonymouslypostfics]

Reunion 

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x reader

Word count: ~4.3k

Summary: You and Wanda attend your high school reunion.

A/N: This was fun to write. Wanda gets kinda mad. It’s so cute. Part one of the  jealous Wanda series. 

Warnings: jealousy😈, thoughts of violence, fluff

Going to your 15-year high school reunion sounded unappealing anyway you thought about it. You hadn’t really liked high school because of how stressful it was, and how mean people could be. You didn’t remember it fondly and when the phone call came one day, and the emailed invitation the next, Wanda found you in the kitchen scowling at your computer.

After a long discussion, Wanda had convinced you to at least give it a shot. She’d promised to take time off to go with you, and given that it was almost all the way across the country, it would be a three-day trip. The appeal of spending time away with your wife was much higher than that of going to your high school reunion, but you decided to worry about this later. You’d left Boone with Yelena, and Fletcher would get a couple of visits a day from Steve while you were gone, so they would barely miss your absence.

Right now, as you sit beside Wanda as she drives you through an unfamiliar part of the airport, you’re very confused. You look to your wife who takes off her sunglasses with a sigh before turning down a road that leads dangerously close to the runways.

“Uh, Wands.”

You’re supposed to catch your flight soon, but Wanda had driven you both somewhere that doesn’t seem anywhere close to the terminal. She smiles at you before realizing that you look a little worried, but she doesn’t have to wonder about it long as you voice your concerns hesitantly.

“Why are we here? Don’t we have to catch our flight soon?”

Wanda simply smiles at you as she turns down one last road and pulls into a small garage. You’re too focused on the plane that you drive by and you’re staring at it with an impressed look as Wanda explains what’s happening. You’d told her about your reservations about this trip, and she’d wanted to make everything as stress free as possible for you both. For this reason, she’d dealt with organizing your travel and your hotel room. You were just along for the ride until the reunion.

“We’re here, detka. This is our ride.”

Your head whips back around toward your wife as your jaw drops in bewilderment. You must have heard her wrong because Wanda definitely wasn’t saying what you thought she was. You followed her lead and got out of the car before peeking out of the garage at the damn jet that was not twenty feet from you.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Wanda smirks as she opens the trunk and grabs your bags before handing you your backpack with a smile. She reaches out to push your chin up to close your still gaping mouth, and she can’t help but chuckle under her breath.

“This is one of my planes.”

Wanda walks toward the jet where you now see someone is coming out to meet her. He looks like a pilot, but you can’t even comprehend this right now as you chase after your wife. You had so many questions, but the first one that you asked was arguably the most relevant.

“What do you mean you have a jet?”

Wanda smiles before she grabs your hand so you can meet the pilot and then the small three-person crew that will be with you on this flight. They offer to take your luggage, and you’re too stunned to protest as you follow Wanda up the stairs into the plane you’ll apparently be taking to Miami.

“It’s not just mine, or ours rather, but I made sure we could use it so we can enjoy the trip.”

Wanda leaves out the little detail of her not being able to fly commercially like you. She’s a known criminal and she’s pretty sure that if she stepped into the airport with the intent to ride on a passenger plane, they’d refuse if not arrest her for simply trying. Seeing your wide eyes and the awe in your expression, she realizes that this was a good choice. She doesn’t think you’ll mind this surprise as you take in the small yet somehow spacious interior that looks more comfortable than anything you’ve ever sat on.

“Oh my God.”

There are sets of four seats that are divided into two groups on each side of the plane. The leather recliners are paired with tables that have drinks already set up. There are also two televisions on each side with charging stations beneath, and you can’t stop yourself from sitting down in the nearest chair. You turn to your wife with a stunned expression that you’ll probably wear for the entire trip.

“This is amazing, Wanda. Were you ever going to tell me about this?”

Wanda just shrugs as she takes off her coat and sits down beside you with a smile. She just wanted you to enjoy your weekend, and as she says this you can’t help but kiss her. She’s so sweet and you can’t wait to go on this trip with her. It’s been too long since you’ve had quality time alone and although reuniting with the high school mean girls wasn’t something you were excited about; you at least were going to enjoy the ride.

The 4-hour flight seems to fly by and when you and Wanda leave the plane you almost wish it had been longer. You and Wanda arrive to the hotel that she’d booked and you are once again surprised by Wanda’s choice. It’s very reminiscent of the one you two stayed in during your honeymoon, and you’re already recalling how much fun that was as you and your wife step into the elevator.

“So? How’s the trip so far?”

Your wide smile is enough of an answer for Wanda, but she doesn’t complain about you offering a verbal response as well. You are the only ones in the elevator so you don’t resist the urge to kiss your wife appreciatively. You sneak a hand in her hair, careful not to knock off her sunglasses on her head as you deepen the kiss with a sigh.

“It’s perfect, Wands. Thank you for this.”

Wanda’s hands squeeze your hips before she buries her face in your hair. She turns so she can kiss your neck before leading you off the elevator as soon as you reach your floor. The top floor.

“Of course, detka. I want you to enjoy this weekend, and not stress about the mean girls. I promise I’ll beat them up if they look at you wrong.”

You laugh as you follow Wanda into your room that resembles the rest of the hotel in its extravagance. You see your bags in the room already so you just hurry over to the king size bed and fall face first on it with a sigh. This weekend is proving to be unpredictable, but luckily, it’s in a good way so far. Hopefully this will continue to be the case as the reunion rolls around, but you have no real way of knowing.

Wanda comes to lie down beside you, and you adjust so you’re more comfortable and able to put an arm around her. You know that regardless of what happens tomorrow, you’ll have Wanda by your side and you couldn’t be more grateful for this. You appreciated your wife’s support and despite the fact that you would not let her beat up anyone for you, it was nice to hear that she would be in your corner. You hadn’t seen any of these people in nearly 15 years and you were nervous to say the least.

You hadn’t been popular in high school, but despite keeping to yourself you knew that you’d be recognized. You had no idea how people would remember you but you hadn’t been out of the closet then yet, so maybe some of them would be surprised to learn Wanda was your wife. You weren’t ashamed of anything, but you’d rather talk about how much you loved being a vet and maybe see some people’s puppy pictures. However, you were going to take what you could get, and not worry too much about it. You’d prefer anything to having to talk about Wanda’s less than legal career because that could definitely get dicey.

“Thank you, Wands.”

The rest of the day is mostly spent in bed ordering ridiculously expensive room service. You didn’t want to go out much before the reunion and Wanda understood. You were anxious and you’d rather just hang out, and luckily for her you were in the mood for sitcoms and cuddling. Her two favorite things. It wasn’t until you fell asleep that night that Wanda considered how tomorrow would go for you two.

She wasn’t too worried about being recognized because anyone that knew her there would have a secret of their own to keep. She supposed she was mostly wondering how meeting your former classmates would go. You’d never told her much about your time in high school, but from what she’d gathered you were more studious than social. You mentioned friends occasionally, but you didn’t really keep in touch with them anymore. You only talked to vet school friends every now and then, but never high school.

She wonders if you really wanted to go to this or if you felt guilted into it. Wanda sighs as she lies down next to you to finally go to sleep. It’s nearly midnight and she’s just been watching you sleep for the past hour. She supposes she should try to get some rest. Tomorrow will surely be exhausting with how much you’re going to have to socialize.

This is what you’re thinking about as you and Wanda arrive at the venue where the reunion is being held. You try not to cringe as you see the large banner that says ‘Welcome back class’. You’re regretting your decision to come here, but you choose to focus on the food you’ll hopefully get to eat and your beautiful wife that’s accompanying you. She’s wearing a dress that should make you jealous, but instead you’re proud to show her off to your former classmates. The dress isn’t overly revealing, but the black accentuates her assets and is complemented well with her bright red hair.

“Are you ready for this, my love?”

Wanda smiles as she takes your hand and leads you into the building. You come up on a table quickly and see it’s full of sticker name tags that you’re going to have to stick to your shirt. You smile at the unfamiliar woman sitting behind it. She’s blonde and you definitely could buy that she used to be a cheerleader, but you can’t be sure. You’re certainly not going to ask.

“Hi there, welcome! Let me try and guess?”

You don’t get to respond and you just watch as the blonde looks at the names in front of her curiously. You are actually surprised when she guesses right and you accept it with a small smile before Wanda’s handed a blank tag to fill out with her name.

“I remember you, Y/n. You dated my friend!”

You’re a little confused by this and when Wanda stops in the middle of writing her name you realize she is too. You don’t get to ask ‘Hannah’ for clarification before two other couples come in behind you and force you to move on. You just shake your head as you hold Wanda’s hand and whisper under your breath.

“I have no idea who she was talking about.”

Wanda just laughs at this as she follows you through the hall to the ballroom. The sound of a room full of people chatting makes you tense a little, but Wanda squeezes your hand and offers you a reassuring smile. You take a deep breath before kissing her cheek and leading her the rest of the way to the open doors.

“Let’s do this.”

You were optimistic to say the least about how this day was going to go. You’d believed that it would be fine and you could just mingle with your old friends and try to kill time. This had worked out for the first half hour, but then the group you’d been talking to decide to venture off to talk to others. You’re fine with this and after bidding them goodbye you look to Wanda with a smile.

This was all a little anticlimactic if you were being honest. Given who you were, you’d feared that something dramatic and uncomfortable would happen to you. However, you and Wanda had chatted and actually had a decent time catching up with your old acquaintances. You’d introduced your wife and told everyone that she was in sales. Something boring-sounding but potentially lucrative, yet not specific enough for anyone to try and look her up.

“Thank you for coming with me to this.”

You say this a little while later when the two of you are alone with your snacks. You’re sipping on your drink when Wanda takes one of your hands with a smile. She’s glad that she came here with you. She can tell that you’re less on edge and you’re almost enjoying yourself when someone new comes up to you.

Wanda hadn’t seen the other redhead here as she’d glanced around casually while you talked to your friends. She was pretty and Wanda hates this fact as soon as she realizes who she is or rather was to you.

“Dr. Y/L/N. Look at you all grown up! You somehow look even better than the last time I saw you.”

The urge to crawl into a hole and die overwhelms you as you force yourself to swallow what you’re chewing before you turn toward the familiar voice. You were torn between horror that you’re running into her, and shame at the fact that you’d forgotten about her existence up until this moment. As you turn around to face her you have to stop yourself from doing anything other than smiling.

She looks as good as you remember, albeit briefly forgot, and you meet her blue eyes before looking away to her shirt to remind yourself of her name.

“Jessica. Hi. I didn’t expect to see you here!”

It wasn’t exactly a lie given that you’d forgotten a majority of high school due to the sheer amount of stress it had caused you. Your tactic had been to repress whatever you didn’t want to remember which ended up being most of it. This happened to include your brief, trivial fling with the redhead in front of you.

She’s smiling at you still as she leans in for a hug that you feel obligated to give. You try to keep it short and you bounce uncomfortably on the balls of your feet as you watch Jessica shrug as she looks around the room.

“Of course! How else am I supposed to catch up with everyone. I knew for sure it would be the only way I’d ever see you again.”

Wanda notices that your smile is a little pained, and she doubts this could indicate anything good. She doesn’t have much time to consider this further before you’re reaching out for her and looking between her and the redhead who’s still staring at you.

“Jessica, this is Wanda, my wife. Wanda, Jessica was one of my friends.”

It would have been too lucky for this introduction to go unchallenged. You could feel the color drain from your face when Jessica laughs as she reaches out to shake Wanda’s hand. You can tell she’s confused and you want to explain, but not here and now.

“Mostly friends, sometimes with benefits.”

Wanda’s eyes widen when the other redhead says this, and she can’t help but frown as she turns back to you. You hadn’t told her about any relationships you’d had, other than that short stent with the guy you went to prom with. You take a deep breath before releasing an uncomfortable laugh that seems to spur Jessica on. You take a moment to look at her, and you see that she doesn’t have a ring on her finger. This could mean many things, but unfortunately for you it means that she feels free to flirt with you. Despite the fact that you’re wearing a wedding band and your wife is holding your hand, she’s bolder than you’d feared.

“It’s so good to see you! I hate that we lost touch.”

You run a hand through your hair yanking a good bit of it out as you use work as an excuse. It’s a valid one considering how busy you’d been, but you also hadn’t said a word to Jessica in person or otherwise since graduating high school. She couldn’t have forgotten this.

“Yeah, school was just crazy and now work is crazy.”

You talk a little bit about work when she mentions that she’d read that you were a vet. You ask what she does in return and you listen to her marketing spiel before realizing that Wanda’s near frozen beside you. She’s watching Jessica carefully as she speaks to and continues to ogle you. She’s amazed by this woman’s boldness; her blatant disregard for her presence as she looks at you like she’s imagining you naked.

“I bet you’re amazing at that. You were always so passionate.”

When she reaches out to touch your arm Wanda considers smacking her hand away. She looks to you as you let her do it for only a split second before stepping away. You tug at the hem of your shirt needlessly before covering your discomfort with a cough.

“Ahah thanks, um. If you’ll excuse me.”

You run off before either redhead can stop you and they just frown in unison before turning their attention back to each other. They’re sizing each other up and it’s fairly obvious to any onlooker as Jessica’s frown deepens before speaking up.

“So how long have you and Y/n been married?”

Wanda doesn’t need to think about this at all and she tells Jessica the truth. She has to remind herself to take comfort in the fact that she’d been with you for years, and you’d never once mentioned her.

“For 5 years, but we’ve been together since before she started vet school.”

Jessica nods before she looks toward the doorway that you’d disappeared through before grinning at your behavior. You’d always been a skittish thing until she got you alone, and it was then that you’d find your confidence. She remembers the time she spent with you fondly, and despite wanting to rehash some of that, she has a feeling this won’t happen since Wanda’s here.

“She did always have a thing for redheads.”

Wanda’s still scowling when you return from bringing the car around. You’d wanted to flee and you considered taking Wanda with you but she hadn’t followed you so you decided to just make it quick. You ran back into the building hoping to avoid any drama, but seeing your wife near glaring at Jessica’s smug expression, you realize you’re too late.

You walk back over to them quickly and reach out for your wife’s shoulder with a smile.

“Wands, are you ready to go?”

She doesn’t hurry to respond as she considers what you could have seen in this woman. Beyond her looks, Jessica is pretty intolerable and Wanda opens her mouth to say this when you cut her off. You’d seen the look in your wife’s eyes and you knew that things were about to get ugly if you didn’t get her out of here now.

“Jessica, sorry to run off but we have a flight to catch. It was nice seeing you.”

Two minutes later you and Wanda are sitting in a suffocating silence as you drive back to the hotel. You hadn’t bothered to say goodbye to anyone else because you were mostly worried about your wife. You’d made such a hasty exit that you wondered what rumors were spreading, but that thought is cut short by Wanda’s voice.

“Why didn’t you give me a heads up about her?”

Your grimace isn’t missed as Wanda turns to watch you come up with a response while trying to focus on driving. You hadn’t been able to think of an answer to this question that wasn’t more annoying than Jessica, but you didn’t have a lot of time or the courage to come up with a lie.

“I forgot about her, Wands.”

The responding scoff is probably paired with an eye roll you don’t see as Wanda crosses her arms in annoyance. She hadn’t thought that today would go like this. You’d given her no reason to believe that things would go so sideways, and that’s part of the problem and the reason why she’s ticked.

“Bullshit. You didn’t forget about her, Y/n.”

You open your mouth to protest but you realize you have no excuse so you just stay silent. Wanda seems to get more annoyed at this and she huffs in exasperation as you pull into the hotel parking lot.

“How could you? It sounded like you had a really nice time together.”

The sarcasm in Wanda’s voice makes you cringe in realization. You’d really fucked up and in more ways than one. Not only had you neglected to tell Wanda that you had a friend with benefits in high school, but you’d also just let her flirt with you right in front of your wife. You’d be mad too which is why you’re not surprised when Wanda gets out of the car and storms towards the elevator in silence.

“Wands, come on. I was just a kid it didn’t mean anything.”

She’s just angrily pressing the button for the elevator when you reach out for her only for her to jerk away. She watches the elevator crawl down to their level with an inaudible sigh. She really wishes that they’d just stayed in bed today.

“Well, you didn’t rush to tell her that did you? You just let her fucking flirt with you.”

The ride up to the room is made in silence, and you’re almost afraid that Wanda won’t let you go in as she practically storms out of the elevator.

“I’m sorry, it made me uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to risk her saying more.”

You realize too late that this is admitting to remembering something about your time with Jessica and Wanda zeroes in on this immediately. She opens the door to the room before turning to watch you sweat as she backs up.

“More about what, exactly? What more do you remember, detka? “

You’d like to lie down and cry right now because you’d almost been having fun. You’d been starting to think that it was a good thing that you’d come out here to see old friends, and then this bullshit happened. Sure, maybe you’d liked Jessica a little in high school, but that was 15 years ago. You’d moved on and had an amazing wife and you loved the life you shared with her.

“I remember that we had meaningless sex in the theater changing rooms. However, it’s not something that I’d ever want to think about because it wasn’t memorable.”

Wanda scowls at the confirmation that you’d had sex with the other redhead, and she can’t help but hate that she’d had you first. She knew it was irrational. You’d been in high school around the same time as her, but on completely different sides of the country. You would have never met her at that time.

“I also have it way better now because I’m married to my wonderful wife.”

Wanda sighs in frustration before she turns and walks over to the bed with a frown. She sits down on her side and crosses her arms and legs as she watches you follow her tentatively. She is mad at you for not telling her about this sooner, but unfortunately, she’s starting to forgive you for that. However, she’s still pissed that you hadn’t said anything to deter her from flirting with you, and she wants to remind you of this.

“I shouldn’t have had to watch her flirt with you.”

You’re nodding before Wanda’s even finished speaking, and you creep toward the bed as your wife continues. She’s shooting you a look that makes you want to agree to anything that comes out of her mouth. She’s furious and you don’t want to ruin the rest of your trip because of your stupidity. She watches as you kneel at the edge of the bed and just wait for any indication that you’re not welcome.

“You’re mine and you should have told her that.”

Again, you nod furiously in agreement as you do your best to placate your wife. You need her to know that she’s right, and that you will always be hers; never anyone else’s.

“I know, you’re right. I’m yours.”

Wanda’s eyes darken and she stares at you for the longest time before she lays back against the pillows behind her. She doesn’t want to fight with you about this. However, she’d love to teach you a lesson that will hopefully prevent you from doing something like this ever again. Her arms are still crossed as she watches you fidget nervously, and a smile creeps onto her lips as she decides what your punishment will be.

“Prove it to me then.”

Your head snaps up and you meet your wife’s hard gaze with a puzzled look.

“What?”

Wanda’s smile widens as she leans forward and takes a moment to look you over. You’re tense and flushed and Wanda has a feeling you’ll be very compliant given that you feel guilty for not standing up to your ex-friends with benefits or whatever she was. She plans on taking advantage of this, just so long as you’re game. 

“Prove to me that you’re mine and I’ll forgive you.”

To be continued...

Masterlist

[q-gorgeous]

Wing-Bully

fanfiction

ao3

word count: 5267

No one knows au except dash baxter @xscarletsakurax

this is a rework of something that was gonna go write some other writing i did but then i split them into two different fics because the halves didnt vibe with each other kjhgvcf

hidey hey

“Dash, you’re here so we can work on our project for Lancer’s class. We’re not supposed to be down here.” 

“Come on, ghosts aren’t even real. How dangerous can it be down here?”

Danny rolled his eyes. “Dangerous enough that we should really be wearing jumpsuits to protect us from ecto-contamination.”

He walked over to the closet that was down there and pulled out his jumpsuit while Dash laughed at him. 

“Matching outfits with your parents? Lame.”

“Don’t complain to me if you get ectoplasm poisoning then.” 

Danny pulled on his jumpsuit and groaned at the sticker on his chest. He pulled it off and tossed it away. 

“What’s this?” Dash pointed at the deep hole in the wall. Danny walked over to him.

“That’s my parent’s ghost portal. It didn’t end up working though.” 

Dash pushed him towards the portal. “Why don’t you go check it out?”

Danny frowned at him and tried to catch his footing. “No. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. I can’t-” 

“Haha, go in.”

“Dash, stopping pushing me-”

Danny tripped backwards over the threshold of the portal. He tried to catch himself on something on the wall but all he ended up doing was pressing a button that for some godforsaken reason was on the inside of the portal. It hummed around him and after a few moments everything went green. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Glad to see you’re not dead, nerd.” 

Danny looked up to see Dash. It was too early in the morning to deal with him after yesterday. 

“You already knew I wasn’t dead.” 

“A man can dream.” Danny rolled his eyes at Dash’s comment.

“I remember someone crying a lot of tears yesterday when they thought I was dead.” 

A blush rose on Dash’s cheeks. “My adrenaline was running like crazy! It’s not my fault your screams triggered some kind of primal response in my brain!”

“Crying is a primal response now?”

Dash rolled his eyes back at him and crossed his arms. “Have you figured out your whole ghost thing yet?”

“It’s literally been one day.” Danny stared at him. “How could I have figured anything out yet?”

Dash leaned in close to Danny and he glanced at Dash’s lips for a moment before his gaze darted back to Dash’s. “Maybe your parents have some sort of cure. Or maybe it was a one time thing. I don’t know.” 

“Why do you care so much? It’s literally your fault this is happening.”

Dash raised a hand and looked like he was reaching to place it on Danny’s shoulder. “I just-”

Dash was interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind them. They turned around and were met with Sam and Tucker. She was glaring at Dash with her arms crossed. 

“What are you friends with him now?” Sam asked, angrily gesturing at Dash.

“Woah, so what if he wants to be friends with me?” He asked, stepping towards her.

She barked out a laugh. “Come on! You’ve been bullying him the entire time I’ve known both of you. Why would he want to be friends with you? You must be blackmailing him or something.”

“Sam, he’s not blackmailing me.”

“How can we trust that? You could be lying because he’s blackmailing you.” Tucker frowned at him and reached out a hand, placing it on Danny’s shoulder. “I don't want what happened in elementary school to happen again.”

Danny shrugged it off. “That’s not what’s going on. Why can’t you just trust me on this?”

“Because this isn’t smart.” Sam said. “Why do you guys need to be friends?”

Danny threw his hands into the air. “Why are you getting so defensive about this? You’ve literally only seen us have this one conversation and you’re already mad at me. For all you know we could have been assigned a project together or he’s asking about his tutoring sessions with Jazz. Maybe he had to reschedule and wanted me to tell Jazz.”

Tucker shuffled where he stood but Sam still stared at him with crossed arms. 

“Yeah but are you going to tell us the real reason?”

“Does it matter, Sam?” 

Out of the corner of his eye Dash saw Danny start slowly sinking. He panickingly grabbed Danny’s arm to prevent him from sinking any further into the ground. Danny tried to keep his expression neutral but Dash could tell he was shaken. 

“Oh. Is that what’s happening?” Sam looked between the two of them. 

“Is what happening?” Danny asked, frowning at her. 

“What kind of enemies to lovers bullshit is this?” Dash’s eyes widened at her outburst. What was she talking about? What did she think was happening?

His gaze landed on where his hand was still wrapped around Danny’s upper arm and he pulled it back like he’d been burned. Sam scoffed. 

“Sam-” Tucker started but she interrupted him.

“Do you even realize how toxic that kind of relationship can be? He’s just going to hurt you.”

Danny recoiled at her words. “What are you even talking about?”

“The fact that you two seem to be getting real cozy with each other? Are you dating or something?” 

Dash stepped in front of Danny. “How shallow do you have to assume the only reason I’d be talking to him now is if we’re dating? For your information, we used to be friends as kids.” Dash frowned at her and watched as she backed up. “Just because you’re self conscious about your major crush on Fenton doesn’t mean you have to take it out on us because we’re having a simple conversation.”

A blush appeared on Sam’s cheeks before she angrily stormed away. 

“Sorry.” Tucker said as he looked between them again before he followed after her.

Danny watched them as they walked into the school. He was quiet for a few moments before he turned his gaze back to Dash.

“Sam has a crush on me?”

Dash groaned. “That is what you’re focused on?” He started walking towards the school.

Danny followed next to him. “But I didn’t know that! How did you know that?”

“You’re just about the only person who didn’t know, Fenton.”

Dash pushed through the front doors of the school. Danny had a dazed look on his face. 

“Is that why everyone calls me clueless?” He whispered. 

“Clueless strikes again.”

Danny frowned up at him. “Oh what, you’re so observant, are you?”

Dash pushed open the front door of the school. It swung closed behind them. “More than you. I’m not even friends with Manson and I could see the blackened heart eyes she was giving you.” 

Danny shuffled his backpack on his shoulders as they walked down the hall. “I’ve just never seen her that way. I don’t like her like that.”

Dash’s brows shot up on his forehead. “You don’t?”

Danny shook his head. He veered off to the right and Dash followed him to his locker. “She's just a friend to me.” 

Dash leaned against the lockers while Danny tried to open his but his hand just ended up passing through the dial lock. He groaned.

“Maybe you should tell her that, then. Get it over with so she doesn’t try to kill anyone that even thinks to get close to you.”

Danny rolled his eyes. He finally got his locker open. “She wouldn’t kill anyone for getting close to me.”

“I don’t know.” Dash drawled. “She looked like she was gonna claw my eyes out back there. Like a creepy bat girl.”

Danny slammed his locker shut and turned to look at Dash. “You know, if we’re going to be doing whatever this is, I would appreciate you not making comments about my friends like that.” 

“But she can talk to me like that?”

Danny frowned. “No. I literally told her there was no reason for her to be talking to you like that for having a simple conversation with me.”

“But she’s allowed to not like me?”

“That’s your own fault.” Danny rolled his eyes. “She has every right not to like you.”

Dash huffed. He was about to say something but then Danny started sinking into the floor again. Danny panickingly grabbed Dash’s forearm to prevent himself from sinking any further in. Dash pulled him up and when he set him back down, his feet were solid again. Dash looked around them and miraculously no one else in the hall saw what happened. 

“I’m already over this.” Danny mumbled as he let go of Dash. 

“Do you think you’ll get control over it eventually?” Dash asked him. 

“Hopefully. Otherwise I’ll probably have no choice but to ask my parents for help. I really don’t want to do that though.” 

“Maybe we could do some training? Or practice? You won’t get used to your powers if you just try to ignore them. If you try to do it, then maybe you’ll understand how to not do it.”

Danny nodded. “That makes sense. I guess that’s what we’ll have to do.” 

They came to a split in the hallway. Danny looked up at him.

“Well, I’m going this way.” Danny hooked a thumb over his shoulder as he turned to face Dash.”

Dash nodded. “See you later. Hopefully you don’t drop anything today.”

“Hopefully. We’ll see.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Thirty four beakers. 

Danny was finally getting ahold of his powers and all it took was thirty four dropped beakers and a lifetime ban from handling anything fragile while he was at school. 

Aside from the frequent ghost sighting, things were starting to look up.

“Manson!” 

If only Dash could learn to keep his thoughts to himself when it came to his friends. 

“What is this garbage?” 

He stomped up to where the three of them were sitting at their table in the cafeteria. Sam frowned at him. 

“It’s not garbage! It’s recyclable organic matter.”

“It’s garbage.” Danny and Tucker said together. 

Danny gasped out a breath of cold air. He looked around him. He saw a lunch lady ghost behind the food counter. 

Dash followed his gaze to where the ghost was. He saw it just as she walked behind the wall. 

Dash looked back at Sam and held up his plate of mud, pushing himself between Danny and his friends. “When I asked for a mud pie, I thought I was gonna get a mud pie. Not a literal mud pie!” 

“Actually, it’s topsoil.” 

“Whatever. Are you going to actually eat this garbage?”

Danny slipped away while Dash argued with his friends. Maybe Dash arguing with his friends could actually be useful for something for once. 

He found somewhere to hide and transformed. He flew invisibly back to the cafeteria to the room the lunch ladies worked in. She was floating there looking around and the food and the lunch trays. She kind of looked like Tucker’s grandma. 

She caught sight of him. Danny was ready to bolt as she floated up to him, but she wasn’t making any moves to attack him.

“Hello.” She said sweetly. “Can you help me? Today’s lunch should be meatloaf, but there’s not any here. Did someone change the menu?”

“Oh. Uh, yeah. They’re trying something new this week.” 

Danny jumped back as her hair suddenly flamed up with her anger.

“The menu has been the same for fifty years!” She shouted at him. 

“Wait-”

She levitated some plates and shot them at him. Danny dodged and caught them, avoiding getting hit. What was up with this lady? Why was the menu so important? 

“The menu is sacred! Lunch is sacred!” She spoke in her sickly sweet voice again. “Would you like some cake?”

Danny looked at her, confused. “If you’re offering-”

“No one gets cake until the menu is changed back!” 

She held her arms up and meat started flying towards her from every direction. It engulfed her and turned her into a meat monster.

“Meat is the most important food group! Without meat, you’ll remain puny and muscle-less!” 

“I’m not arguing with you there.” Danny mumbled. He geared up for a kick but she grabbed his ankle and sent him flying across the room. 

“I will restore the sanctity of the lunch menu! As soon as I find out who changed it!”

She disappeared in a tornado of meat.

The ghost was gone for now. Danny flew through the wall of the school and collapsed onto the ground. He transformed back and tried to push himself up. He was so tired. He’d never used his powers like that before. He groaned. 

“Hey.”

Danny opened his eyes and looked up. Dash was standing there with his hand outstretched to Danny. He looked at it for a second before he reached up and grabbed it, pulling himself up with Dash’s help. 

“Thanks. That ghost wiped me out.”

“No problem. I wanted to make sure that ghost didn’t kill you. I was trying to find you when I saw you fly through the wall and hit the ground out here.”

Danny nodded. “Yeah that wasn’t fun.” He looked down and saw that he was still holding onto Dash’s hand. He pulled it away and coughed. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I should go check on Sam and Tucker though. I want to make sure they’re okay.”

“The ghost attack was pretty contained.” Dash said. “I’m sure they’re fine.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Ah.” Dash said. “That’s fair. Sorry about dragging out that argument with her.”

Danny shrugged and started walking away. “It distracted them long enough to let me slip away for a bit so. No harm done. At least not to me.”

“Good luck. Hopefully she doesn’t chew your head off.” 

Danny pulled the door Dash had walked out open and stepped back inside the school, shaking the hand that had been holding Dash’s. He made his way through the hallways to find Sam and Tucker. 

Sam slammed open the cafeteria doors as Danny stumbled down the hallway. 

“I still can’t believe you’re talking to that meathead.” She shot at him with no preamble. “He literally antagonizes all of us. And then you ditch us to go meet up with him? I saw you two outside.”

“Sam-” 

“What can you say to defend him?” She turned to look at him. “He beats you up all the time.”

“Not anymore.” Danny said.

“What?” Sam stopped walking.

“He doesn’t beat me up anymore.”

She didn’t say anything to that for a few moments. She shook her head. “I still don’t trust him. I don’t get how you could forgive him so easily.”

“I-” He stopped. Had he forgiven Dash?

Sam shook his head. “Let’s just get to class.”

Danny looked around them. “Where’s Tucker?”

She rolled her eyes. “He said he smelt meat so he went to track it down through the hallways. I don’t know if he’s found it yet.” 

Danny scrunched up his nose. He knew exactly what meat Tucker was smelling. “He’s just gonna go eat whatever random mystery meat he finds?”

“Apparently.”

Danny didn’t respond after her last stilted reply. He followed behind her to their next class. When they walked in she went straight to her seat but he looked up and made eye contact with Dash. Dash gave him a questioning look and Danny just shrugged at him before sitting back down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dash walked into the Nasty Burger. Football had just ended and he was hungry. 

As he was walking to the counter he saw Danny sitting at a table with his friends. Dash smirked and walked over to them.

“Hey, nerds.” He placed a hand on the table and leaned his weight into it. 

Sam rolled her eyes. “What do you want?” 

“I just came to say hi to my favorite nerds. Is there a problem with that?” 

“If we’re your favorite does that mean you’ll stop making fun of us?” Tucker asked thoughtfully. “Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad, Sam.”

“He’s not going to stop making fun of us, Tucker. The two of them are over there ‘trying to be friends.’” She said with air quotes. “And he still picks on us all the time.” 

“I’ve tried talking to him about it, Sam, but he has a hard time with it.” 

She shot Danny a look. “So why be friends with him? Why give him a chance? What do you see in him?”

“Just because he doesn’t like you-”

Sam scoffed. “Maybe you’re too insecure about your own crush on Danny.” 

Danny whipped his head to look at her. 

“What?” Dash laughed it off. “What are you talking about, Manson?” 

“Yeah, Sam, what are you talking about?” Danny stared at her. 

“Isn’t that what’s been happening this whole time?” She shot back at them. “He’s got some kind of weird feelings for you, he’s trying to get into your pants. Get on your good side. The pulling the girl’s pigtails because you like her bullshit? Don’t you see how weird his sudden change in actions towards you is?” 

“What about your sudden change in actions?” Danny shot at her. “Do you realize how much of an asshole you’ve been lately?”

“Well, maybe if you weren’t friends with-”

Danny threw his hands up in the air. “God forbid if I make new friends! Or try to get along with someone instead of fighting! Or even make decisions for myself.” 

“Danny-”

He cut her off and stood up. “No I’m-” He gasped and Dash saw his ghost sense fog out of his mouth. He frowned. “I’m going home. I need some time alone.” He turned and started walking towards the door. 

“Danny!” Dash followed behind Danny out of the Nasty Burger. 

The ghost was flying above the parking lot shooting ecto-blasts every which way. 

The door slammed behind Dash and Danny turned his head to look at him. 

“I need some time to think. Please just go back inside.” 

He called on his transformation rings. Once they passed across his body he jumped up and flew into the air towards the ghost. 

He watched Danny fight the ghost. He could tell he was angry. He was sloppy today. 

Danny missed a dodge and got hit through the air by the ghost. He ended up turned facing the opposite direction so he didn’t see it start to charge at him. 

Dash’s heart raced as he watched the ghost fly up to Danny. His heart stirred with feelings he wanted to push down. He didn’t need to put himself in danger for Danny. He didn’t feel that way. Danny didn’t feel that way about him.

But as the ghost got closer, Dash couldn’t help as the anxiety skyrocketed. His resolve broke and he picked up a big piece of asphalt off the ground and chucked it at the ghost. It turned to look at him. 

Dash froze when the ghost’s eyes landed on him. What was he doing? Was Danny really that important to him now?

The ghost’s mouth filled up with ectoplasm and shot it towards.

He wouldn’t be able to move in-

Danny knocked Dash out of the way of the ecto-blast just in time. His arms wrapped around Dash’s chest and he flew back. The blast hit the ground where he’d been standing just a moment before. 

Dash wrapped his arms around Danny as they slammed into the ground. He groaned as his back slid across the pavement and Danny looked down at him. He started feeling the back of Dash’s head, running his fingers through his hair. 

Dash opened his eyes and looked up at Danny. He looked panicked. Like something was wrong, but he literally just prevented anything from being wrong.

“Dash, are you okay?”

He nodded. “Back hurts. Head’s fine.”

Danny leaned down and lay his head on Dash’s chest. Dash’s hands slid down Danny’s back and rested at his side and he closed his eyes again. He really didn’t like this whole ghost hunting thing. 

The ghost roared behind them and Dash felt Danny’s head shoot back up. 

“Shit! How did I forget about the ghost?”

Dash waved his hand above him. “Go. I’m fine. I’m just gonna get my bearings on the ground here.” 

Dash listened as Danny finished fighting the ghost. It ended quickly and he could hear Danny’s footsteps as he walked to stand over Dash. Dash opened his eyes and his heart jumped at the way the sun shone on Danny’s white hair. 

Danny held his hand out to Dash and he slowly reached up and grabbed it. Danny pulled him to his feet and looked at their hands. He let go a moment later.��

“I think we need a new rule. No interfering with ghost attacks.”

“What?” Dash frowned at him. “That thing was about to gobble you.” 

Danny crossed his arms. “Yeah, but if I didn’t get to you on time you could've gotten very badly hurt. I thought I knocked your head on the ground when I knocked you out of the way.” 

Dash shrugged. “But you didn’t.” 

“We can’t rely on that.” Danny looked away from him. “Just promise you won’t interfere like that again?”

Dash wasn’t sure if that was something he could actually do. But one look at the expression on Danny’s face told Dash he should at least try. 

“Yeah. I promise.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Danny was nodding off in the middle of class. They were given time to work on their homework today but all Danny wanted to do was sleep. Having to fight all these ghosts all the time was making his life way too stressful. He wasn’t to sleep or get his homework done or even get to class on time. It was starting to get to him. 

He yawned. While his eyes were shut he heard someone sit down next to him. He opened his eyes and saw Dash in the next seat over. 

“You look tired.”

“Thanks, captain obvious. I didn’t realize.” 

Dash shrugged. He slouched back in his seat. “Your friends are whispering about you back there.” 

Danny turned and looked over his shoulder at where Sam and Tucker sat at the table in the back of the classroom. When they saw him looking Sam turned back around. Tucker just waved at him awkwardly. 

Danny waved back at him. “I wish they’d just sit over here with me.” 

Dash waved them off. “Who needs ‘em if they’re going to be treating you like that.” 

Sam snorted behind them. Dash turned to look at her. “You got something to say Manson?”

“As if we could treat him any worse than anything you’ve ever done to him.” 

Dash shrugged as he faced back towards the front of the classroom. “Hey, at least my character arc is positive. I’ve made amends.” 

“You’ve hardly even done anything. What kind of character arc have you actually had?”

“I-” Dash started but then he stopped. His brows dropped down and he looked at Danny. 

It hit Danny then that the only thing that really changed with Dash’s behavior was how he treated Danny. He didn’t pick on him anymore and he had cared about him, but he immediately resumed the same habits with both of Danny’s friends. Any time that Dash covered for Danny’s whereabouts during ghost fights, the only thing he could think to do was antagonize Sam and Tucker. He could never think up any actual excuses that wouldn’t cause more problems. 

Danny missed part of the conversation. By the time he tuned back in, Sam was glaring at Dash from across the room. 

“Just because he’d rather spend time with me than you-”

Danny’s ghost sense picked that moment to go off and he couldn’t think of a more convenient time for it to have happened. He stood up sharply and made his way out of the classroom quickly. The door slammed behind him as it closed and he was a couple steps down the hallway when the door opened behind him again.

“Danny, wait-” 

“Why do you do that?” Danny turned and frowned at him. 

“What?” Dash’s brows furrowed.

“Why do you dig at them like that? Make them feel bad about what’s going on?”

“Manson-” Dash started but Danny interrupted him. 

“No. Sam and Tucker are mad at me because of you. They think I’m always ditching them to go hang out with you instead.” 

“That’s not my fault!” Dash shouted back at him. “That’s the ghost’s fault!” 

“But they don’t know that!” Danny stared at him. “All they know is that I’m on good terms with you now and I disappear all the time. They know something is up.” 

Dash shuffled where he stood. He knew he was causing a rift between Danny and his friends. No matter how much he liked to antagonize them, he wasn’t proud of it. He wasn’t trying to put distance between them. 

Danny sighed. “She keeps making jabs about us being together like it would be crazy. Like it would be the worst thing in the world.” Danny looked up at Dash. “I would like it if it wasn’t the craziest thing in the world. If it could actually be true. But with the way you treat my friends-” He shook his head. 

Everything around Dash stopped. What? 

“Danny-”

A blue mist came out of Danny’s mouth again. He shook his head.

“I gotta go.”

“Wait-”

Danny ran around the corner away from Dash.

“What did you do to him?” 

Dash looked down the hallway to see Sam glaring at him. Tucker stood next to her. 

“What?” He asked. 

“He just ran away from you? What did you do to him?” She stomped her way over to him.

“Nothing!” Dash held his hands up in a surrendering motion. “We were just talking and he had to go-”

“We’re in the middle of class. What else would he need to be doing right now?”

“Yeah. Why would he be leaving?” Tucker asked. 

“He, uh, went to-”

Sam ran past him and around the corner Danny went down, Tucker close on her heels. Dash followed behind them knowing Danny would already be gone but they didn’t stop there. They ran down the hallway and out the door leading outside. 

“Danny?” She shouted. “Where are you?”

Dash was the only one that noticed Danny floating in the sky. He was fighting an animal type ghost.

“Uh, guys, I think we should probably go back inside.” 

He pointed up at the sky and Sam and Tucker followed his finger. Sam’s eyes widened and she looked around the front of the school again. 

“Danny!” 

Phantom must’ve heard that one because he turned his head to look down at them. The ghost took that moment to hit Phantom, sending him flying through the air. Now he was much closer to them. 

This ghost looked horrifying. It was animalistic but it looked uncannily like a person. Stringy, hair looking fur and teeth curved into a creepy smile. 

“Get to safety! Now!” Phantom shouted down at them. He shot another ectoblast at the ghost. 

“We have to find Danny first!” Sam shouted in a panic. 

“He’s not out here.” Dash turned to go back inside the school. “Let’s just listen to Phantom and get somewhere safe.”

“That hallway doesn’t lead anywhere except outside! Where else could he be?” Sam asked, still turning around looking for Danny. 

“He didn’t-” 

“Danny!” Tucker shouted. 

Dash growled. Why didn’t they just listen to him? 

The ghost let out a shriek and Dash squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears. 

“Go inside, now!” 

Dash’s eyes opened at Phantom’s shout. He looked back up into the air. 

Dash stared at the ghost that was hovering in the air in front of them. It was cackling, its head thrown back into the air. It looked back at the ground directly at Sam and promptly shot an ectoblast out of its mouth. Dash saw Sam’s mouth open the slightest bit and everything slowed down. Danny turned, following the path of the blast but when he tried to fly towards her the ghost grabbed onto him, trapping him. 

This was one of Danny’s best friends. She might hate Dash’s guts but Danny cared for her more than she hated him. 

Without another thought, he pushed himself into a run and sprinted his way across the grass. He put himself between her and the ghost and grabbed her just as the blast hit him in the back.

He could hear Sam scream as they fell to the ground. Tucker was shouting from somewhere else but Dash couldn’t make much out past the ringing in his ears. He could hear scuffling in the air above him but it was muffled. The pain in his back radiated out and he could feel it in every jostle as someone shook his body. 

Everything started fading away and Dash hoped he wasn’t dying. Distantly, he wondered if this is how Danny felt when he died in the portal. 

The voices fell away and so did Dash.

~~~~~~~~~~

Slowly, the world came back to him. The first thing he noticed was the steady beeping nearby. The second thing was how bright the lights were against his eyelids. 

He groaned and he heard some shuffling to his left. Someone placed a hand on his arm. 

“Dash?”

His heart skipped a beat and he slowly pried his eyes open. He was laying in a bed in the hospital and Danny was standing to his left. 

“Danny?” Dash croaked out. He tried to sit up but Danny pushed him back down against his pillows. 

“You shouldn’t move too much. You got hit pretty bad.” 

“You got the ghost though?” Dash asked. 

“Yeah, he got the ghost.”

Sam and Tucker walked into the room and stood next to Danny. 

“Uh, no I asked if Phantom got the-” Dash fumbled, trying to cover it up.

“It’s okay, Dash.” Danny said. “I told them. I thought it might be better if they knew.”

Dash looked at Danny’s two friends. They didn’t look like they were mad at him anymore. Or like they hated him. It was relieving that they knew. Danny didn’t have to keep avoiding them or keep secrets anymore. 

“If we’d known in the first place we could’ve helped, you know.” Sam said, shooting both of them a look. 

“Yeah. A team always needs a tech guy.” Tucker crossed his arms in mock frustration.

“But we do understand why you guys have been acting weird for the past couple months.” Sam turned to look at Dash. “Thank you for helping him even though you didn’t have to.”

Dash nodded, dumbfounded.

She stared at him a moment longer and pulled her gaze away. “And thank you for knocking me out of the way of that hit. Sorry it landed you here.”

Dash shook his head. “You’re Danny’s friends. You’re important to him. I didn’t want you to get hurt because of all this ghost stuff.” 

“That’s a nice thought, but you should also try not to get yourself hurt.” Sam said. 

“Yeah.” Danny frowned. “You promised.” 

Dash shrugged. “We can call it karma.” 

Tucker stepped forward. “We need a name.”

“A name?” Danny looked up at Tucker.

“Yeah, like a cool ghost hunting team name.” He waved his hands in the air. “What about Team Phantom?”

Sam snorted. “That sounds dumb.”

Tucker planted his hands on his hips. “Well, do you have any better ideas then?”

Danny’s hand slowly made his way down from his arm to his hand as they talked. He entwined his fingers with Dash’s and gave him a squeeze. Dash squeezed his hand back. 

Everything would be okay. Everything was okay. 

[sergeantsporks]

Dadrius Week 2024 Day 1: Puppet

“Goodbye. I’ll see you this evening. Might be late, there’s been trouble lurking around the new palistrom tree, and we’re supposed to be shoring up defenses in the Bat Queen’s forest.”

“Good luck. Do you need any help?”

“Maybe, but you are going to school, so don’t even offer.” Darius handed Hunter his backpack and lunch, stepped back, and disappeared in a puddle of abomination goop.

Hunter shrugged. He hadn’t said anything about not going after school. And if he finished his homework, then really, Darius couldn’t complain. For a brief, fleeting moment, he thought, that’s a terrible plan, you know what he meant, a thought that was quickly replaced with well, he should have been more specific, and he’ll be exasperatedly proud that I found a loophole.

Even after a year of living with him, some days he still wasn’t sure where he stood with Darius. He knew the ex-coven head appreciated a little rebellion and a little sneakery, but he could be an absolute stickler for the rules sometimes. At least when they were his rules. Not so much other people’s.

But it always surprised him how much less scared he felt about breaking the rules when it came to Darius.

Hexside’s warning bell rang, and Hunter shook himself, darting indoors and heading straight for his first class. Amity arched one eyebrow at him when he slid into his seat.

“Hungry there?”

“What?” Where had she gotten that idea? A snide comment about how he’d almost been late would have been way more understandable.

“You’ve got two lunches.” Amity tapped the back of his bag. “Or is one of those breakfast?”

Hunter twisted around. Sure enough, his lunchbox was clipped to a loop on the back of his backpack, completely separate from the bag he held in his hand. “Ah—Darius must have handed me his lunch by mistake.” He must have been distracted if he’d missed the lunchbox on Hunter’s bag and given him an extra. Then again, Hunter supposed he hadn’t noticed either. “You think I can sneak out to get it to him during lunch?”

Amity gasped in mock surprise. “Planning to sneak out and skip school? Who are you and what have you done with Hunter?”

“Stop it, I’ll be back before lunch is over. I won’t miss any class.”

I hope.

Xxx

It’s just a quick trip, I’m barely even leaving the school grounds. I’m not going far.

Hunter repeated the words over and over to himself as he climbed carefully out the window and quickly warped towards Bonesborough. Even though no one stopped him, his stomach churned at the blatant rule breaking. Darius probably wouldn’t like this. Bump definitely wouldn’t. Hunter sent a quick thank you to the dead titan that the detention pit had never been repaired. It sounded… well, it sounded like a great incentive not to break the rules, but in the worst possible way.

Hunter reached the palistrom tree in record time—he really would be back to class with time to spare. Now he just had to find a place to set Darius’ lunch where he’d see it and get out of here before—

“Hunter? What are you doing here?” Steve’s hand closed around his arm. “You shouldn’t—”

“I just brought Darius’ lunch,” Hunter said quickly, “Hey—please don’t tell him, I was…”

Steve’s mouth hardened into a firm, worried line, and he glanced at the trees.

“Is everything alright? Is Darius okay?”

“Uh—yeah, it’s—it’s fine, we’ve got everything—”

Belos had been a world-class liar, and Darius an expert in hiding his rebellion; Steve held nothing on them. Hunter warped out of his grip, darting towards the area Steve had been looking at.

“Hey!” Steve yelped, “Hunter, it’s dangerous, don’t—”

Hunter was already gone, sprinting into the trees. The worry that Darius would be upset he’d skipped school fled to the back of his mind, consumed by the terrible, sick feeling in his stomach that something had gone horribly wrong.

He heard Darius before he saw him. His abomination form slithered over the fallen leaves, whispering with each movement.

Hunter burst through the trees in a flash of gold. “Darius! Are you oka—”

A flood of abomination rushed towards Hunter’s head, and he warped out of the way, this time halting in front of Darius. “It’s me! Sorry, I didn’t mean to… startle…”

Darius’ face twisted up in a snarl, and his eyes glowed a sickly yellow instead of their usual green. Even his abomination matter looked... wrong, like the magic had been leeched out of it, somehow. Darius’ arm moved twitchily, almost like…

Hunter teleported again, this time to the top of a tree when Darius lurched towards him. Every movement he made was jerky, slow, like he was fighting himself—no, not like he was fighting himself, like he didn’t know how to move his own limbs.

Like strings had wrapped around him, moving his body around in an imitation of Darius’ usual fighting style.

Hunter warped to another tree, his mind racing. The Collector was on their side—weren’t they? No, he was sure of it. But Darius’ movements were so similar, and the yellow eyes… it was almost the exact same. Had something happened to them? Had they failed to talk to their family, and another Archivist had come down to finish the job?

And how were they controlling Darius? Titan magic wouldn’t work to break him out of it, not without King.

Hunter warped again, the tree he’d left behind cracking in half from Darius’ blow. But as Darius twisted to face him, he spotted a glitter that didn’t belong. A glowing yellow gemstone in Darius’ chest—it was well hidden, masquerading as one of the many eyes that covered Darius’ abomination form, but it shone just a little too brightly, and moved too much like something solid and firm inside of the gooey abomination.

Get the gem.

Save Darius.

Hunter warped down to the ground, twisting fluidly to dodge another blow. Warp left. Right. Right again, to keep whatever was controlling Darius guessing. Left. Left.

Darius lashed out again, and Hunter seized his chance, warping in close while Darius was off balance. He plunged his hand into the false socket, shuddering at the slimy feel of the not-quite-right abomination. But despite every instinct screaming at him to yank his hand away, his hand closed around the gemstone, and he skipped backwards, ripping it out of Darius’ chest.

“Haha!” he crowed, holding it triumphantly to his chest. “I got it! You’re okay! Dariu—”

He caught it as a flicker of movement, a familiar rearing back, and he flinched to the side just as Darius lashed out, one hand turning to a sharp spike and hurtling towards him. His instinct saved him, but still, the attack slammed into his upper arm, cutting deep. Bright, aching, stinging pain erupted from his arm, and Hunter stumbled back, realizing too late, too dizzily, that Darius’ eyes hadn’t changed from yellow. The gemstone fell from his numb fingertips, and he scrambled for it with his uninjured hand even as Darius closed the gap between them.

A vise of abomination wrapped around Hunter’s throat, and Darius lifted him off the ground, squeezing. Tears ran down Hunter’s face, outmatched only by the blood dripping down his arm.

“Dari—” Hunter broke off in a squeak as Darius’ fingers jerkily tightened.

Steve

Amity

Anyone…

He would have loved to believe that Darius was fighting back, that the reason he wasn’t dead yet was because he was fighting with every ounce of his being to keep Hunter alive.

But Darius’ marionette-like movements denied that. Told him that the only reason Hunter could still gasp for a trickle of air was because the person controlling Darius hadn’t figured out how to make him crush Hunter’s windpipe.

Crush…

Hunter felt the gemstone in his hand, heavy and brittle. His hand tightened around the stone, and he took one last desperate look into Darius’ eyes, begging him to recognize him, begging him to fight back.

They stared back, blank and yellow.

Please… titan… whoever… let this work.

The gemstone shattered in Hunter’s grasp.

[rivendellwatch]

[Spice Week: Boundaries ≠ Prudery]

(Because sadly, people cannot be f*cking decent anymore)

⚠️ Content Note / TW: Mentions of non-con, abuse, SA, and fandom discourse ⚠️

This post discusses why themes such as rape, non-consensual acts, and abuse are not welcome in this event. It also responds to some… colorful feedback I received through the event form, and offers some clarification around boundaries, BDSM, kink, and tagging culture in fandom.

Babes, consider this a small rant cause I just have to reply to this gem I received in one of the forms-

First of all: the fact that someone genuinely thought it was appropriate—or even remotely mature—to crawl into a feedback form (you know, the kind meant for thoughtful, constructive event participation) and spit out that little gem of bile just because I drew a clear, respectful boundary against content like rape, abuse, and non-con… it’s genuinely mindblowing. I mean… really? We’re not in middle school anymore.

Calling someone a "prude" for saying “hey, maybe let’s not center sexual violence during a fandom event that's supposed to be spicy, fun, and enjoyable for the majority of people filling this out” isn’t some big intellectual mic drop. It’s not edgy. It’s not rebellious. It’s just pathetic. It’s the fandom equivalent of angrily knocking over a Jenga tower because you lost one turn.

You know what’s really wild? This wasn’t even an open comment box.

Anon asks are still very much closed.

They had to go find the form, read the rules I laid out, and still go “you know what? I’m going to call her a prude and then throw a tantrum, and say no one will join her stupid event because I cannot write what I want.” Like okay, sorry Netflix didn’t pick up your pilot script for Law & Order: SVU—but make it horny. Maybe next time?

Also—and I cannot stress this enough—me not wanting rape/abuse/non-con in a community event isn’t an attack on your kinks, your freedom of expression, or your 400k tragic dubcon elf fic. It’s literally just me saying: “some things are not welcome in this space for the safety and comfort of participants.” If that enrages you? I beg you to talk to a houseplant, do some breathing exercises, or consult a licensed professional.

Because if you think calling someone a “prude” for protecting survivors, drawing boundaries, and setting community standards is a zinger… babes. The only thing you’re swinging is a damp sock full of sand.

You wanna write that content? You can! Tag it properly! Find an event made for it! Throw a rave in the non-con tag if you like! But this event? This is not the dungeon you're looking for. This is my digital living room and I’ve vacuumed and put out snacks, and you’re trying to piss on my carpet because you didn’t see a whip in the decor.

“Don’t come crying when no one joins your stupid event”—ohhh okay, thank you Nostradamus! 😭😭 Truly, how would I have ever survived without this anonymous prophecy from the Oracle of Bitterness dot com?

Like people haven’t already dmed me asking for the dates because they want to join, filled the form with kind words, expressed gratitude for having a space where they can actually breathe and write without fearing they’ll trip over yet another trauma minefield. The sheer delusion of thinking I’ll shed even one single solitary tear because you personally can’t write about violence and coercion under a pastel banner that says “spice week” with a cartoon heart?? Babe. Be serious.

I’m hosting a community event.

One where people can enjoy sexy, dramatic, angsty, spicy stories without having to read through emotional landmines. And if your first reaction to not being able to write abuse and non-con for this event is “WELL NO ONE’S GONNA JOIN THEN”—dude. That’s not the mic drop you think it is. That’s you basically saying, “I can’t function creatively unless I include something non-consensual and I think everyone works like that so I'm gonna insult you to show you you're wrong, since you don't allow it in this optional event.”

Do you hear yourself?

Also? I’m not doing this for numbers. I’m not playing the fandom popularity game, I’m not tallying RSVPs like a clout-hungry cryptid. I’m doing this for the writers, artists and readers—especially the survivors, the ones who messaged me privately and in GC to say thank you, the ones who feel seen, the ones who’ve been burned before by content labeled “spicy” that left them shaken instead because yes, sure, some people tag correctly but not everyone.

I’d rather have ten people join and feel safe, respected, and excited, than a hundred who think consent is just a suggestion.

So no. I will not be crying. Not when I have a google doc full of enthusiasm, a schedule full of genuinely thoughtful creators, and so on.

But thank you for your concern, Weather Channel. I’ll be sure to wear my raincoat on the day nobody joins.

And let’s talk about the word “prude.” The way that dusty little insult got yanked out of a mothball-filled hope chest like we’re living in a 1950s sitcom and I just scandalized the town by showing ankle at a high school dance (*gasps in French*). Like girl, be serious.

“Prude”? In the year 2025? Because I had the lion, the witch and the audacity of a bitch—to set clear boundaries around an event I’m voluntarily organizing, in my own free time, for free? That’s what you landed on?

You wanna know what’s actually bold in this day and age? It’s not pretending you're edgy because you write dubcon in lowercase italics and slap a shrug emoji on it. It’s choosing boundaries. Choosing safety. Choosing to say, “Hey, let’s maybe make sure no one logs on and gets slapped in the face with a trauma trigger disguised as ‘haha silly smut week’.” THAT takes guts. That takes a spine (something you should normally, have but since you came as anon to spill bile, I guess yours isn't really doing her job).

That takes community care, not a superiority complex.

And you wanna call me a prude? Me, a person who has survived real abuse and SA—who has had to fight like hell just to feel safe in fandom spaces again—and now wants to create a space where others don’t have to go through that same minefield of "well it's just fiction, lol" excuses?

You want to call that prudish?

That’s not just offensive. That’s wild. That’s the level of bad take where the smoke alarm should’ve gone off before you even hit submit. It’s dehumanizing. It’s invalidating. And above all, it’s painfully, hilariously revealing—because if someone’s first reaction to a space with clear consent policies is “you must be a prude,” then I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you’ve told on yourself louder than any warning tag ever could.

This isn’t about prudishness. It’s about respect. Respect for creators. Respect for readers. Respect for survivors. Respect for myself.

Let’s be very clear: 👉 Not allowing rape, abuse, or non-con ≠ prudishness. 👉 It means I actually give a damn about people feeling safe. 👉 It means I care about the survivors in fandom. 👉 It means I’m not gonna risk people being hurt just for "numbers/engagement in said event".

If that makes me a "prude" in your eyes? Good. I’ll wear it like a shiny little badge.

Look—if you love writing dark fic, non-con, dubcon, abuse-centric dynamics, or deeply complicated content for whatever reason (whether it’s cathartic, personal, narrative-focused, or just your jam)… then genuinely, go off! Do you! There’s absolutely a space for that in fandom, and there are countless readers and writers who engage with that content mindfully and responsibly. You know what would be amazing? Host your own event!

There are many people who would absolutely join you in that, and you could build a space that fits your needs and tastes beautifully. No one is stopping you. Because you deserve a space that suits you, just like I’m trying to make one that suits me and the people who expressed that they wanted this kind of vibe.

What’s wild is that some people who filled out the form literally said, “Hey, this event probably isn’t for me—but no hard feelings, I wish you luck!” and then just… left. Like functional, emotionally regulated adults. And I loved that! That’s normal. That’s healthy.

Not every event is for everyone—and that’s the point of having different events!

You don’t crash a themed party just to complain that the theme you like doesn't exist in said party.

This isn’t about kinkshaming. This isn’t about labeling people as "bad" or "wrong" for what they write. It’s about boundaries. Clarity. It’s about an event—a specific, time-limited themed space—that has a particular tone and audience. That’s it. That’s all.

No one is being persecuted. No one’s AO3 account is on fire.

These are optional rules for an optional event that literally no one is being forced to join. It is free. It is for fun. It is a sandbox I’m building because I care about curating a space that feels safe and warm for a specific group of folks who want to show up and vibe together without having to brace themselves for untagged trauma bombs or power dynamics that make them flinch.

So if that ain’t your scene? That’s okay. Honestly, truly. Just don’t try to rip down the vibe for the rest of us who do want it. That’s not rebellion, that’s just being the kid who yells during storytime because they’re mad it’s not about them.

Ending note: Also, if any other bright lightbulbs of rage are thinking about dropping their hot takes into my form to “put me in my place”—just a heads up: I do collect email addresses for each response, thanks to the form settings, from now on. So! By all means, be bold. Make my inbox sparkle with your tantrum. I’ll know exactly who to thank.

[cam-stopped-eating-candles]

@june-doe-event swap Penny drabble for day 6, a swap AU !!

For mine we have Penny lamb, the angriest girl in town >:)

Two hours of detention for fighting. She didn’t even start anything, she only finished it. She digs her head into the desk and scrunches up her hair in her fists. She would be in so much trouble once she got back to their house. It’s all for her foster parents, not even fit to be normal parents, let alone try to wrangle her.

It wasn’t Penny’s house, it was all theirs. At Penny’s house, her home, she had her own bedroom, upstairs. She had her rabbits out her window, her toys and trinkets. Now all she has to her name is whatever she could fit in a backpack, and a cold basement to put it in.

She slouches in her seat and puts her head down, praying that it’ll fly by fast enough for them not to notice. Not that they ever notice when she’s missing. She would be better off just living on her own, she essentially already is.

Only if she were on her own, she wouldn’t have these strangers pushing her around. She had to be home by a certain time to “stay out of trouble” only to be sent downstairs with the door locked. Lest Penny “corrupt” all their real children.

Ever since she was 13, she’s been ostracized from the place she was supposed to feel safe in. Alone in the basement, her only friends are the same animal documentary tapes and dvds. When animals get pushed around, they push back.

She doesn’t have her brother to keep her grounded, she doesn’t have to care for him anymore. She doesn’t get to care for him. It leaves her in a position of complete isolation. And animals raised in isolation, well they tend to go a little crazy. They pace in circles, they lash out, they tear out their fur, they attack their keepers. And they get blamed for it.

After all those years of build up, she just snapped. When kids in the hallway shove her down the stairs, like they always do, she shoves them back.

One kid, she didn’t know his name, whispered something inaudible to his friend, while stepping on her heels. He tried to trip her, but she held onto the rail, and didn’t even think twice as she mindlessly kicked behind her, nailing him in the shin.

“Fucking bitch!” He yelled, and gave her a hard shove downwards.

Only Instead of falling, she swung around, balled up her fist, and went right for the face. She didn’t even register how much it hurt to have her knuckles, slam into his eye. They went back and forth at the bottom of the stairs, gathering a small crowd until it took two teachers to pry her off him.

Which puts her where she is now. He sits behind her in the nearly empty classroom, glaring through her head. Like she did anything wrong.

When her two hours of occasionally clearing her throat is over, she’s pulled into the counselors office. Again.

“Penny, you know this can’t keep happening.” Her counselor says as she sits stiffly at her desk, “It’s like you’re the only one I ever see in here, last week it was the yelling and slamming doors-“

“I was upset.”

“But that’s not how we should react when we’re upset, now is it? Remember we can’t control what other people do, but we can control how we respond to it. We’re going to have to call your parents-“

“They’re not my parents.”

“If you keep up with all this, then your going to get kicked out of school,” she quickly changes the subject, “You’ve already been suspended twice.”

As much as she hated school, anything was better than that house. All the children laughing and giggling upstairs while she picked at her cold dinner, left at her door.

“Well It’s not like you guys are much help.”

————————————————————————

“Jesus, Penny” her foster father sneers at her, the minute she walks through the door, “what the hell.”

“I just got here, what did I even do?!” She yells back, exasperated, clutching tightly to her backpack.

“The school just called, you beat up some kid, you’re always starting shit! You are literally impossible to deal with, you know that?”

“So just fuck me I guess,” she gestures to the bandage over her own nose, “and nothing happened to me?”

“Watch your language! If you’re gonna talk to me like that, you can go to your room.”

“That’s not a room that’s the basement. You keep me in the basement, like a-“

“Oh!” He retorts, “would you rather be sleeping on the street?”

“Maybe I rather would!” She storms downstairs, slamming the door and locking it herself.

She throws her backpack across the room, and frustratedly plops herself onto the old pull out sofa she calls a bed. She digs her face into her hands and blanket she hates, trying to pretend that it’s something a little more familiar.

She pulls out her old hand me down laptop from under her bed, and gets online. At least there’s YouTube. She scrolls through to distract mind, deep breaths, she reminds herself. Don’t break it with tense fingers on the keyboard.

Online she had friends, or acquaintances at least. Girls in chats who will assure her that there’s nothing wrong with her. She has her anonymous love, she doesn’t know her name, but every message she gets sends her heart into hysterics, almost enough to make her forget where she is. It’s her only escape.

She’s not a bad kid, she swears she not. She just wants somebody else to see it.

[ourtearsofrain]

Slow It Down (D.R.W/S.F.K)- Chapter 12

Pairings: Danny Wagner x Sam Kiszka, (barely a mention of) Josh Kiszka x Male O.C.

Genre: angst, fluff

Word Count:  2.1k

Warnings: pain. Pain and suffering. So much angst (the girls are fighting [again])

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The second Danny’s mind stops short circuiting and he fully processes Sam’s words, his heart drops. “How many drinks have the twins made you?” He tries to play the question off as a joke, offering Sam a smile that didn’t reach his eyes fully, hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“None. Why?”

“None? Really?”

“Uh yeah… I’ve only had a White Claw, wanted to remember tonight and I knew if I drank something they made, I’d be shitfaced by 7 pm. Why do you ask?”

“Why did you say that, Sam?” The question causes Sam to misstep, nearly tripping as he forces his eyes away from Danny.

“We’re here.”

What? He can’t just ignore my question like that- Danny’s train of thought derails as he tears his eyes from Sam to see an old park before them, the setting sun turning the late summer sky vivid pinks and oranges. “Is this-?”

“Yep.” Danny can only stare at Sam in wonder as tears come to his eyes, Sam’s smile setting his insides on fire as he begins pulling him towards the swing set. He finally lets go of Danny’s hand to sit down on one of them, looking up at Danny expectantly, waiting for him to join him. “So, you remember?”

“How could I forget?” Danny pulls himself together long enough to take a seat, the rusty chains groaning as he settles his full weight onto the plastic. “This is where you brought me the day I moved in next door. You saw me sitting sad and alone on the curb as my parents moved our things in and you popped up over the fence, told me to just trust you and follow. We sat right here for hours.”

Sam smiles, his eyes bright at Danny’s sentimental words. “We did. I was afraid you wouldn’t remember that.”

“I’ll never forget it, Sammy. I never- I never told you how scared I was. Moving across the country with no friends, starting at a new school where no one knew me. I was so fucking afraid no one would want to be my friend; everyone would think I was this new weird kid.”

“I mean you weren’t half wrong. People did think we were the weird kids.” He tries for a joke, worried that if Danny kept talking like that, he’d be crying in no time.

“At least we were weird together.”

“Yeah… together. Wouldn’t change it for the world, Danny boy.”

“Me neither.” Neither man says anything for a while, watching the sun sink lower into the horizon, only the sound of the crickets chirping in the grass around them and the creak of the swings as they shifted in their seats to break the silence.

“Do you remember drinking in the parking lot by that trailhead?” Sam’s voice is quiet, slightly sad as the realization that Danny would leave him again slowly sinks in.

“Cross park? Yeah, weren’t we like 17?”

“Yeah.” His voice was distant, as if he were lost in his memories.

“Yeah…” Danny shifts in his seat, the silence uncomfortable as he recognized the shift of mood in his friend. “Remember that cop drove right past us making dead eye contact, and we almost shit ourselves?”

“Yeah, I do.” Sam finally laughs at the memory, but it comes out halfhearted, as if he were wishing they were stupid kids again, scrambling to hide the alcohol they shouldn’t have.

“Weren’t we supposed to go back there before I left for school?”

“Yeah, I think we were…” Sam trails off, his eyes finding the gravel beneath him, knowing that he had intentionally “forgotten” to go through with their plans, having been too wrapped up with handling the reality that his best friend was leaving him. “I guess I just got busy, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” Silence falls between the pair once more as they separately grapple with their own feelings, not knowing what more to say to fill the hours until Danny’s departure.

“Why didn’t you visit until now?” Sam’s voice is flat, hurt lurking underneath the monotony as he stares at Danny.

“What?”

“Why did it take you almost three years to come back to Frankenmuth?”

Is he actually serious right now? “My life is in New York, Sam. That’s where my school is, my work and friends too. My parents have come over to visit at least twice a year since I left.”

“Yeah but- I wanted to see you.”

“Are you joking right now?” Danny tries to keep his tone even, anger beginning to boil in the pit of his stomach.

“No? Why would you ask that?”

“Because you have a really funny way of fucking showing it.” Danny snaps, no longer trying to hold back at Sam’s apparent ignorance. “You didn’t pick up my calls or call me back, you didn’t answer any of my texts, you cut me out of your life for three goddamn years with no explanation. How the fuck was I supposed to know you wanted to see me, Sam?”

Sam knew those words were deserved, he knew they were more than true, but they still cut him deep like a knife straight to the chest. “I- I know. I’m sorry. I was just-”

“You were just what, Sam?” Danny’s tone is cold, serious as he stares daggers at the man.

“I was just afraid.” He offers no further explanation, only furthering Danny’s anger.

“Afraid of what?”

“Afraid of how I felt for you, Danny. Because I loved you, I love you, and I fucked it up right before you left. I was terrified you hated me.”

Danny’s left speechless at his confession, his mind racing at a mile a minute as he tries to grasp his words. “What?”

“God, I thought I had been so painfully obvious all summer. Guess you’re just as oblivious as I’ve been.” Sam laughs dryly, his head dropping to rest his palms against his face momentarily. “Listen, if you don’t feel that way about me anymore, if you never did, I understand. We can just move past this, I just needed you to know why I dropped off the face of the planet. You didn’t deserve how I treated you.”

Do something, idiot. Danny snaps himself out of his daze, his mind still looping Sam’s confession in his head. “No, Sam. Please.” He gets up, moving to stand in front of Sam before dropping to his knees and gently pulling his hands away from his face, their positions forcing Sam to look at him. “I love you too. I always have, always will.”

Sam tries to respond, his mouth only opening and closing wordlessly before Danny pulls him down towards himself, their lips connecting in a searing kiss. Both men want to stay this way forever, their heaving breaths fanning across the others cheek as they drink each other up. After a few heated minutes, Danny finally pulls back, his forehead coming to rest on Sam’s as a smile graces his lips. “Come to New York with me.”

Sam’s eyes fly open at the words, leaning back as he tries to pull his hands from Danny’s, the other man finally opening his eyes to stare up at him in confusion as his hands find the skin of his thighs. “I can’t.”

“Why not, Sammy? Please. Please come with me. You can move in with Josh and I, he’ll be happy to have you so close, and Austin pretty much lives with us already. Please.”

“I can’t, Danny.” Sam repeats, tears coming to his eyes as he looks down at the man he loves.

“Please, I beg you. You won’t be alone, you can find a new place to call home. I can’t lose you again, not after finally getting you back. Please just trust me, you’ll be fine.”

“You won’t lose me, Danny. We can make this work with me here and you in New York.”

Danny drops his hands from Sam’s skin, his heart shattering at the words. “No. Sam, I can’t do that. I’ve wanted this for years, I can’t- I can’t do long distance.”

“Why not?”

“Because it would hurt too much, Sam!” Danny finally snaps, his patience running thin. “Why won’t you come to New York with me? Do you have any other reason than ‘I can’t’?”

“I-” Sam says nothing more, his eyes dropping as a tear runs down his cheek.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Danny gets to his feet, turning to leave before Sam catches his wrist desperately.

“Wait-”

“Wait for what, Sam?!” He shouts, thankful that the park was empty so no one would hear what he was about to say as he rips his arm from Sam’s grasp. “Wait for you to stop being so goddamn afraid?! I’ve waited long enough for that.”

“Danny, please-”

“No. You know what, Sam? Now there’s nothing left to do but to finally tell you what you put me through.”

“What?”

“I made a whole new life, got a bit of distance and everything, hoping that would help. Saw the New York lights and I came right back after growing. But you’re still the same, Sam.” Danny takes a deep breath, his tears streaming down his face. He can see them, I don’t care anymore. He deserves to know how much he’s fucking hurt me. “You know, it’s almost funny, though it’s me who may be broken, it is you to blame. It always has been”

“You can’t- you can’t blame me for this.” Sam whispers, his voice breaking.

“Yes, I fucking can, Samuel. That night I kissed you, I bared my heart to you and you crushed it. You didn’t give me a chance to explain, you just left. I’ve been waiting for you long before that night, and I can’t keep holding myself back because of your fear. I can’t do this anymore, Sam. I can’t have just- just most of you. It’s killing me; you’re- you’re killing me. And I know now that I deserve better than to be strung along. I’m not something you can just play with when you want, only ever talking when I’m next door. If I can’t- if I can’t have all of you, then I’d rather have none of you. It hurts too fucking much. I’m so goddamn tired of staying silent to spare your feelings when you have never done the same for me.” Sam says nothing, looking up at Danny in the darkness of the night, the pale, rising moon the only thing illuminating the space as he blinks through his tears.

“That’s what I thought.” Danny mutters defeatedly, moving to walk away before stopping himself. “I wish I could go back in time to all those years ago, to the night before I met you, and tell myself what to do. To not follow you, to not fall in love, and to not wait around hoping you’d love me back. I’ve lost so much time, gone through so much hurt, waiting around for you. And when you find an old picture of us and you clear away the dust, I hope you miss me sometimes. I hope you hear and see me in everything you do, everywhere you go. And I hope it hurts just as much as you hurt me. You will never get away from the sound of the man that loved you.”

Danny turns, walking away from Sam without another word. After a few seconds, Sam shoots to his feet, beginning to trail after him. “Danny, please wait!”

“No.” He stops, turning to face him, the moonlight glinting off the angry tears pouring down his cheeks. “We could have been an ‘us’. Don’t bother trying to text or call, I’m blocking your number. This is the end, I’m done. Goodbye, Samuel.”

Sam freezes in his place, watching the other man leave for the final time. As soon as Danny disappears from his sight, he falls to his knees on the soft grass, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he bends towards the ground, sobs racking though his body. He knew Danny was right, that was what hurt the most. No, what hurt the most was that even after Danny had said everything he had, the only person Sam wanted in that moment, the only one he knew would be able to console and comfort him, was Danny.

He collapses onto his side as he curls into himself, feeling as if he just lost a piece of himself, fearing he would never be able to get it back.

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A/N: …I’m sorry

(Also yes, that was a good omens reference)

taglist: @gretnavannfleet @aioba1503-sdm @jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka @milojames16 @sanguinebats @theres-a-tvjoe @jakekiszkapunchmeintheface @currentlyfangirling10

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Next Chapter

[simslegacy5083]

Today's (12/5/2024) Episode: Teen Troubles

Skye now had a label for his personal feelings about gender, but he hadn’t settled on a properly agender pronoun to use for himself yet.

He was sure that deciding how he’d like other sims to refer to him would give him a good starting point for telling friends and family the news. However, the thought of doing so and possibly being rejected terrified him so much he made himself sick just thinking about it.

It didn’t help that puberty decided to choose that moment to hit with a vengeance. Bad breath… acne… Skye felt like an ogre, and all of it happened just in time for the most important romantic events of his young life!

It seemed like all anyone at school wanted to talk about was Love Day and the prom, which would follow shortly after.

Skye dreamed of impressing Elyse with a romantic promposal during a Love Day date like the one his family had set up for his parents before he was born, but he was sure that she’d be disgusted by how “gross” he’d become and had been avoiding her. That made it really hard to ask her out!

Skye threw himself into his studies, using the excuse of being “too busy” to avoid hanging with Elyse the way he had before. When Mr. Haas insisted that he “go have some fun” during free periods, he hid in the bathroom or snuck to the pool for a swim after everyone was seated in the lunchroom.

All Skye’s hard work in the classroom paid off, and he soon found himself an “A” student. His academically mind parents were thrilled, but they were also preceptive enough to notice that something wasn’t quite right.

“Fantastic job son, we’re so proud of you!” Luigi began “but I have to ask, how are things going with your friends and the newspaper? I noticed Elyse hasn’t come to visit in awhile and you haven’t told us anything lately about your assignments for the Weekly.”

“Well…” Skye began, “My last assignment for the paper was supposed to be taking photos at sports day, but the event got rained out. Mrs. Romano was there; she was really disappointed she wouldn’t get to see Bruce play.”

“That’s a bummer all right” Luigi nodded “What about your friends? Is everything OK there?”

Skye sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to wiggle out of this conversation. When his cheerful father sensed something was wrong and focused on someone other than himself, he wasn’t satisfied until he felt like he’d helped them find “the silver lining”. “I haven’t really seen much of them lately. My face is a mess, my breath smells… I sort of wanted to ask Elyse to prom on Love Day but there’s no way she’ll want to go anywhere with me now!”

Luigi grinned at finally hearing confirmation of what he’d long suspected regarding Skye’s feelings for Elyse.

“So…” he began “I’ll admit I don’t know the first thing about a successful promposal, my attempts at it were a complete failure, but I think I can confidently say Elyse isn’t going to reject you because of a couple pimples or a little bad breath. Anyway, I can help you fix those right up!”

“And I can help you with the promposal Skye” Noemi chimed in “Unlike your father I got my prom invite right” she stuck her tongue out playfully in Luigi’s direction. “My ex-partner Pat and I had a great time at our High School dance.”

The next morning Skye began his day in front of the mirror, using the toothpaste and face powder Luigi had made a special trip out to purchase for him.

Just as promised they worked wonders, leaving Skye feeling much more like his old self and ready to once again enjoy the company of his friends.

Now that he was feeling better about his appearance Skye was ready to approach Elyse about Love Day. “I think your idea sounds perfect Skye” his mother told him “Ask her on a date for the holiday, take her somewhere special, and then surprise her with your promposal at the end”.

Skye caught Elyse after their next newspaper meeting. “Hey” he began, before suddenly being flooded with self-doubt… what if she says no, and then hates me for ruining our friendship? “Hi!” Elyse replied, arresting her friends doom spiral with three little words “I’ve missed you”.

 “You have?” Skye was shocked to see Elyse looked a bit nervous herself. “Of course! … I wanted to get together, but didn’t want to bother you.”

“I’m sorry” Skye said “I… well it doesn’t matter.” he took a big deep breath, closed his eyes and said all in a rush “ElysewillyoubemydateforLoveDay?”

Elyse nodded “Absolutely. Do you know where you’re going to take me? Wait… don’t tell me! I want it to be a surprise.” Jumping out of her chair she engulfed Skye in a giant hug “I just know we’re going to have a great time.”

That night Skye made his promposal sign and finally chose Xe/Xem as xir new pronouns.

Xe wanted xir best friend to be the first person xe told about xir new gender identity, and if xe did it before xe promposed then Elyse would be saying yes to the real them. Skye went to bed that night nervous but excited, hopeful that everything would work out according to xir grand plan.

Skye's Pronouns:

View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[paraliveimaginesblog]

hi i like the new list jdsjbs might have letter 9 with hajun yeon? well I imagine a context where he and mc have had triplets hehe so you can imagine all the lovely chaos that happens with no spare time for them until uncle allen or Anne comes to take care of the naughty ones and they finally rest for a while :') Thank you!

(hajun getting triplets is truly just karma)

Hajun Yeon:

“Surprise!”

And you were surprised, as Anne hadn’t even called before they showed up at their doorstep. They struck a cute little pose just in case you forgot them, which was impossible as despite living separately from them now both Anne and Allen still invaded your home daily like they lived there. You never really minded, telling Hajun to stop fooling himself about calling the upstairs rooms ‘guest bedrooms’ when they were clearly meant for the only two friends he had. The comment had really solidified that you were a match made in heaven for someone like Hajun but he didn’t bite back, likely because he knew there was no point in arguing the obvious.

But still, Anne was generally the one courteous enough to let you know when they wanted to drop in.

“Is something wrong?” You must’ve looked frazzled because Anne reached out to straight your hair up, smiling contently while you let them do what they had to.

“Nope! Just came to get my kids for a shopping trip!”

“Yeah?” Your head tilted in confusion but you felt your son at your back, leaning from under your arm as he looked up at Anne.

“You’re dropping me off at Uncle Allen’s, right?”

“It depends on if the place looks like a maze that’ll gobble you up or not, but yeah.” Anne playfully pinched at their cheeks in greeting, kneeling to their level which must take incredible balance considering the height on their heels. “Can you get your brother and sister and tell them Anne is here to save the day?”

You feel like you’re missing something, not connecting dots or perhaps just completely blacking out on previous plans that had been made. Were you supposed to go out with them tonight? Hajun, the one who normally remembered things, hadn’t mentioned anything lately… Having triplets was one of the most exhausting things in the world, and even as they grew older with more of an ability to occupy themselves, it felt like the chores around the house tripled too, leaving you with little to no free time for yourself. Even with Hajun’s help there were some days that felt hopeless.

“It was a surprise for Hajun, too,” Anne giggled, able to read your expression quite easily. “I called him this morning to let him know I wanted to take the kids back to school shopping! Since they don’t go to school with a boring uniform I thought it’d be fun to help them find their own styles.”

You could’ve cried at how helpful and kind Anne had proven themselves to be yet again, reaching out to give them a hug which they happily reciprocated. They didn’t know if they wanted kids themselves someday but getting two nephews and a niece left them quite happy. They patted your back as you pulled away, all three of your kids now lined up neatly at the door. You received hurried kisses that almost hurt your feelings if you weren't also craving a moment to yourself, telling them to be on their best behavior which you knew they took as a challenge rather than an order.

When you stepped back into your living room you saw your husband lounging on the couch, pretending to read though you knew he was actually waiting for you. The kids were ready almost too quickly, considering you hadn’t been on time once since the three of them were born, and you suspected he knew a little bit longer than Anne had implied. You can’t curse him yet though, there’d be plenty of time for that when the kids were back home.

“I can’t believe we’re alone for the first time in…forever.”

You flopped yourself practically on top of him, legs thrown across his lap as Hajun chuckled and patted your thigh affectionately. It was nice not to cram onto it with three other bodies; they were little but they were all starting to grow taller, and each wanted to lay down or stretch their bones specifically when their siblings tried to sit next to them. Hajun interrupted your thoughts when his arm wrapped around your shoulder, bringing you close enough to exchange a kiss.

“Finally alone, my love,” Hajun hummed against your lips, his next kiss slower and much more deliberate; you don’t know the last time you’d had uninterrupted intimacy, realizing that you truly missed your husbands touch despite laying next to him every night, “What ever will we get up to?”

 “I can think of a few things.”

[eepyuii]

frostbite — pt. 8

pairing ; childe x gender neutral! reader

content ; childhood friends to “rivals” to lovers, slowburn-ish

cw ; none

notes ; listen guys. i can explain. rly tho, i’ve been horribly busy with school stuff and for a long time i wasn’t rly inspired to write but i got SOME free time now and managed to finish this bad boy up!

sadly, kind of a boring chapter imo, just a LOT of continuing childe’s story quest. i’ve mentioned a bunch of times before how i hate writing by the quest dialogue and how tedious it is and i believe that’s partially why i couldn’t continue writing for a bit. anyway, i promise i’ll try to get the next chapter out sooner as next chapter WILL have some things i’m looking forward to writing LOL

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the bright high noon sun shines against the blades of grass in the hills of qingxu pool, making the greenery seem like shards of vibrant emerald. the very same sun, unfortunately, nearly causes you to melt right then and there- with impossible steep peaks to cross and a whole child in your arms to carry. teucer had fallen asleep in your arms somewhere along the trip and he still snores soundly as you round up to the location childe had referred to earlier and where you immediately spot him, as well as some other men.

“found him! there’s childe!” paimon exclaims as she floats on ahead, effectively waking up teucer at the mention. he tries to move around and gather in his surroundings within your hold, sleepy eyes adjusting to the light once more.

as you get closer to the group, you find that the men childe is speaking to are… treasure hoarders. and it certainly didn’t look like the friendliest of exchanges, some kind debt collecting that lunatic does. you hear half of a taunt coming from childe when you approach earshot.

“…i suppose i should forgive you country bumpkins for your ignorance, for i am-“

“brother!” teucer yells excitedly and the harbinger freezes in his tracks the next second.

“you’re selling them toys, aren’t you, brother? that’s so cool, i’ve always wanted to watch you work!”

childe stammers. “w-why yes, of course! for i am, uh…

…the greatest toy salesman in snezhnaya!”

oh, for the tsaritsa’s sake. this time, you truly cannot fight the involuntary reaction within your muscles to facepalm at his half-assed save, if you can even call it that. though, what makes it worse is when he raises his fists triumphantly, clapping as if there was nothing wrong with what he said.

“so cool!”

“…huh?” says one of the treasure hoarders.

“you playin’ games, pretty boy?” goes another and you snort at the nickname.

“so, will you buy, or not? the toys that snezhnaya produced three months ago will run you.. yes, six hundred thousand mora- to be paid in full.”

another treasure hoarder chokes on his breath. “t-toys..? a-and how much mora…?”

“wow, is that what it’s gonna cost to fix that head of yours?”

the three hoarders bark out in mocking laughter. childe doesn’t seem to be dissuaded in the slightest, in fact his eyes drop into a lethally serious glare.

“i’ll say it again- toys from snezhnaya. three months prior. six hundred thousand mora. paid in full.”

“yeah… no, sorry, salesboy. the same joke isn’t funny twice. or were you always cruisin’ for a bruisin’?”

the harbinger sighs. “alright then, i’ll make things a little easier for you- i’ll join the treasure hoarders. perhaps you’ll be more willing to pay when we’re brothers-in-arms?”

you frown, slightly skeptical of childe’s methods of negotiation. however, you know better than anyone that childe, for all that he seems, is not an idiot. he’s just as aware of the means as he is of the ends and he wouldn’t be making statements like those with such certainty for nothing.

“hah- would you listen t’yourself?! you think we just let any old person into the treasure hoarders? i’m not so sure you could hack it…”

“heh, well then, why don’t you put me to the test, dear seniors? i like to think of myself as quite talented in the field of treasure hunting.”

“hmm.. looks like you’re not gonna pack it up until someone packs you in. alright then, show us what you got.”

the leading treasure hoarder proceeds with the proposition of a challenge where childe would have to collect some loot on a nearby hill within a time limit set by them. while you could see the hill from where you were, it was impossibly far to reach on foot in such a short amount of time. a tinge of worry creeps into the back of your neck and you shoot childe a concerned look, which he receives like he’s perfectly understood your silent doubts.

in return, he only cheekily winks to you and takes off.

he expertly uses the powerful gusts of wind shooting nearby to cut the path toward the hill in short and before you can even think of keeping track of his movements, he’s back with a small chest in hand- nonchalantly brushing dust off his uniform.

“well, i have the goods, here you go. so how’d i do? pretty well, i’d say.” childe smirks.

one of the other treasure hoarders starts sweating and whispers worryingly over to his fellow bandit. the leader turns back to childe, somewhat containing his shock.

“please… hold on a moment, sir. we need to discuss something amongst ourselves.”

the three turn to a small circle, where they mutter back and forth to each other, unintelligibly to you. periodically, one of the hoarders throws childe a quick, fearful look to ensure that he’s not becoming impatient- lest something freakier than his show of inhuman speed happens. finally, the leader turns back.

“so, mister.. salesman. my apologies but we can’t have you joining us.”

“oh? i didn’t pass? i must say i never imagined that the treasure hoarders would have such strict entry requirements…” childe replies unimpressed.

“no, i-it’s not that- ..what we mean is you’re too big a fish for our little pond. but we fully understand the situation with the uh… toys, sir. we’ll fetch that six hundred thousand mora for you right away.”

you scoff, shaking your head incredulously at how… somehow childe managed to get his way with such a ridiculous front to impress his brother. teucer, on the other hand, could not be happier with the outcome.

“that’s my brother for you! toy sellers are so cool!”

some rustling of grass from behind you grabs your attention and you instinctively tense your shoulders, hand ready and reaching out towards teucer if you had to protect him from an unexpected ambush by the sour treasure hoarders. fortunately, the arriving individual turns out to be a familiar fatui employee, felix. he recognizes your presence with a curt bow-like gesture before directing himself towards the harbinger.

“ah, master childe, you’re here. a new batch of fresh recruits have just-“

“hey now, keep your voice down. can’t you see i’m entertaining some clients over here?”

“clients? well uh… the motherland has dispatched a new batch of recruits to liyue. they’ve just arrived and i’m afraid we must ask you to speak to them.”

“ugh, do i have to? now is hardly the best time…”

you decide to interject with a suggestion. “couldn’t signora give them the initiation? she’s also an acting superior here in liyue.”

felix shakes his head. “i’m afraid the fair lady has already returned to the palace to attend to other affairs.”

dammit, you really couldn’t keep track of that woman. both you and childe seem to simultaneously deflate slightly at the news, as if you’d both imagined at the same time how hard it’d be to keep teucer satisfied and ignorant towards the truth with so many predicaments.

“i truly must apologize for troubling you, master childe, but they are already waiting for you south of lingju pass. every new batch of recruits must be baptized by the tsaritsa’s will through the words of her harbingers. this has always been our rule.”

childe groans and rolls his eyes petulantly.

“well, alright then, i’ll go. just give me a moment to catch up with my brother and i’ll be right with you.”

“do you have to keep working?” teucer finally speaks up, with his saddened tone from earlier returning.

“yes teucer, we have a group of new toy sellers fresh from the motherland and i need to go teach them the ropes.”

“that’s great! when i grow up, i wanna be a toy seller too. can i go listen?”

you stammer to answer quickly. “ah- maybe not now, teuce’. you’re still a little too young for that, bud.”

childe nods in agreement. “besides, most of it is rather boring. why don’t you go play with y/n and the traveler instead? sound good?”

teucer shoots out the most impossibly heart wrenching combo of big eyes and a pout towards his brother. “b-but.. but…”

“i really do have to go, teucer. a lot of people are waiting to see me. i’ll see you around, alright?”

the boy sighs melancholically and for a moment you do understand his side of the situation, but again you’re reminded of the harsh reality of the fatui and how hard it must be, no- how hard it has been to keep such a young, adventurous kid oblivious to all of it. it truly has not been easy for childe for his little brother to show up so absurdly unannounced.

the traveler and paimon are a few feet away, whispering to each other while teucer still sulks, and you catch a bit of their conversation.

“to think he’d go this far just to prevent his family from seeing his… dark side.”

“i wonder how much longer he can hide it from teucer…” the traveler responds.

“paimon wonders too. but hey, let’s at least help him

out while we’re out in liyue…

wait- where’s teucer?”

panic shoots up your spine chillingly and you turn around to where he just was, to find nothing. the few seconds you’d kept your eye off him he disappears. you scan the grasslands for teucer almost involuntarily, but no sign of him at all.

“ugh.. we were too busy chatting! where’d he go?”

you sigh frustratedly and stomp down the hill, eyes still vigilant. “dammit, i shouldn’t have taken my eyes off of him while he was still upset. not even for one second… of course he’s going after childe.”

—

“…from this day forward, you will honor the oaths you have made to her majesty the tsaritsa and you will stop at nothing to bring snezhnaya victory.”

you can still taste the very same oath you swore years ago on your tongue. you still remember how tense your shoulders stayed and shaky the fist held to your heart was, how harsh and vile the words of the fatui initiation sounded coming out of dottore’s mouth. and now, they sound just as sharp coming from childe- you find that it gives you an unpleasant feeling in your chest.

teucer and childe, and consequently the new recruits, were not at all hard to find. you approach the gathering to see teucer propped up on a nearby rock, head held in his hands as he attentively watched the ceremony. you truly wish you’d kept your eye on teucer before and stopped him from coming here. it’s hard to be reminded of childe’s cold and devoted demeanor when it came to the tsaritsa- though, cold and devoted is what you could call any of her followers.

for some reason, the occasion causes you to pause and watch a bit of the procedure yourself, but you don’t focus on how intense the harbinger’s words are, nor on how the recruits react to it. no, instead you focus on childe’s scars.

they’re so evenly distributed throughout his body, or at least what you can see of it, that it almost seems intentional. at any other time, you would’ve thought them to be artistic and beautif- but err, uhm… but now they only look like glaring reminders of childe’s nature as the tsaritsa’s weapon of war. you’ve always thought that was a baffling title to have.

you notice teucer stand up to wave to his brother in the distance.

“…for the trials that we face are harsh, and the enemies are like- ..ehm,”

childe also looks over to where you were at that very second, catching onto teucer’s excited movements. his eyes asses your group, then they trail over to you and the seconds where your eyes meet seems to last longer than it should- there’s a shocked shift in his gaze and it’s then that you realize you’d been frowning this whole time. the harbinger then regards his brother’s presence and he stutters on his sentence.

“a-ahem, like… kites a-and rattle drums.. who shall become redoubtable foes of mr. cyclops in the marketplaces of liyue..!”

you hear teucer approve of his message right next to you, although the recruits don’t seem entirely sold.

“this is, of course, an analogy. as they say, ‘the marketplace, too, is a battlefield.’”

nobody says that.

“so, as your… sales manager here in liyue, i demand that you obey my every order! a refusal shall be considered a betrayal, and the price for betrayal is to be dishonorably discharged from.. a-ahem, the institute of toy research.”

this time, he can’t stupidly get away with this, as both teucer and the recruits seem queasy about the statement- much to childe’s dismay. he looks down for a moment as if to consider his options and shoots up again.

“eh.. uh… forget it! perhaps a round of hands-on training will suit us better!”

just how in teyvat is this guy your superior?

as if everything could not become any more absurd, childe’s proposal seemed to utterly please the new recruits- they whisper and rave to each other about the huge honor that it would be to fight with the eleventh harbinger. you could see the duels’ ends before they even began, with all of these poor newbies licking the dirt as they’re kicked into ground by childe with minimal effort.

just as expected, it’s over rather quickly- though the recruits do hold up their own for longer than you anticipated against someone like childe.

“well then, do you all understand what i said earlier?” childe interrogates with nonchalant confidence, as if he wasn’t slipping up and stumbling on his own words earlier.

“yes, sir!” the recruits heave out exhaustedly.

“excellent, and you all almost managed to get me limbered up. in other words, you’ve done well- for new recruits.”

“thank you, lord harbinger!”

childe gives the recruits some more encouragement before dismissing them as soon as possible. once they take off, teucer takes the opportunity to run up and tell his brother how amazing he was just then.

“teucer- what in the world are you doing here? there i was thinking that these three had taken you to play at wangshu inn, aha!” childe says, the latter sentence is pointed, much like his subtle glare up at the three of you.

“you really did get stronger.” the traveler admits with dignity and childe’s ego, as if it hadn’t been inflated enough by the drooling recruits just now, seems to swell.

“hah, i told you, didn’t it? i never pass on an opportunity to improve my strength. i’m not the

man i was when we first met.”

“you didn’t go all out, though.” she teases.

“by that, i assume you mean i didn’t use foul legacy transformation, yes?”

“it puts a great strain on my body, so it’s best saved for crucial moments.”

your eyes lower into a warning glare, thought playful one. “as if i’d ever let you use it in a situation like this.”

childe laughs with his full chest, amused at your quip.

“ahaha! yes, that much is true. if it hadn’t been for y/n’s medical prowess, i’d still be ways in recovery from the injuries i sustained back at the golden house. and they wouldn’t be a very good medic if they just let me slow down my own healing process, now, would they?”

you two share a knowing look and you give him an approving nod- and as everyone follows suit to look over to you, you fold your arms and pose out proudly, fully drinking up the praise towards your skill.

“anyway, i’m no signora. i don’t use lethal force against recruits, come on now…”

teucer scratches his chin in confusion. “the foul legacy transformation? does it make you stronger than mr. cyclops?”

“ahah… you could say that.” paimon laughs awkwardly.

“i wanna learn how to fight too! i wanna be cool like you!”

“now teucer, fighting isn’t about looking cool. you can only continue to get stronger if you know the reason why you’re fighting.” childe gestures to his younger brother in a lecturing manner.

“i can teach you. but think carefully first- why do you want to fight?”

“i…”

“hm?”

“..i want to protect sister tonia.”

the breath is taken from your chest for a moment. you don’t know what exactly you were expecting teucer’s answer to be but it was certainly not that. it’s so noble and honest and so… ajax, in a sense. you can’t describe what it is, but it sends you back to the times where you and ajax would have late-night deep talks inside pillow forts, whenever he slept over at your house. you’d deliberate about your lives and ambitions and you’d hear ajax express how much he aspired to become like the heroes in his father’s tales. courageous and selfless, so he could brace his fears and protect his loved ones. it’s uncertain if childe recalls the same memory as you, but he’s just as visibly pleased with teucer’s answer.

he pats the younger boy on the top of his head tenderly. “that’s a good answer teucer. when i return to snezhnaya, i will start teaching you fighting techniques.

then, you’ll have to protect tonia for me- how does that sound?”

“hehe, leave it to me!”

“you’ve had a nice long time here in liyue, haven’t you? isn’t it about time you took the boat back home?”

teucer pouts. “but, but… but you’ve been so busy, and we didn’t get any time to play together yet..”

“teucer, you know i’m very busy at work.. and hasn’t it been fun traveling all over the place with y/n and two proper travelers?”

you can tell childe feels like he hasn’t spent enough time with his brother either, but his worry about keeping up the toy seller appearance to protect teucer overcomes him. today has been nothing but close calls for him.

“w-well, how ‘bout this? if you just do one little thing for me, i’ll be a good boy and go back home!”

“oh dear, who taught this little devil to bargain.. alright, what’ll it be?” childe chuckles.

“take me to visit the institute of toy research!”

what? surely he doesn’t mean the research lab… once again, childe seems to have the same thought as you and you take the opportunity to throw him an incredulous, threatening look- as if to tell him ‘this might be your most gods awful idea yet if you take him there..’, but seemingly to no avail.

“done deal. after all, you’ve come all this way for me, teucer…”

childe persuades the traveler and paimon into taking teucer back to the facility at lingju pass and they take off soon after. you decide to stay behind and hopefully steer the harbinger away from the idea and he only faces you in waiting, like he already expects you to reprimand him. you cross your arms disappointedly and sigh.

“you know what i’m about to say to you, right?”

“hm, i might have an idea or two but just-“

“childe, that’s not just some abandoned facility for tourists to frolic inside- it’s dottore’s research lab and it’s active! if the machines inside that place don’t crush us all the second we walk inside, then surely my boss will do worse to us if we put anything out of place. i mean, this whole ordeal started because i had to go regulate the lab, then we found teucer and had to take him elsewhere so nothing bad would happen, who in their right mind-“

two strong, gloved hands come up to hold either side of your face.

the touch is somehow firm enough to effectively shut you up and hold up your head as to fully face childe, but still gentle enough as to not hurt or startle you. the committer of the act stares you right in the eyes, a doting look is apparent on his own azure gaze.

“y/n. answer this simply, do you trust me?”

there’s a pause as you process the development of the literal last 3 seconds and think of an answer- though the distracting, fluttering sensation in your chest also factors in the time you take to actually speak.

“w-well, it’s- it’s not about trusting you or-“

“do. you. trust. me?”

another pause. you look into his eyes as deep as you can and search for anything that says that maybe there’s an off-chance you shouldn’t trust him, but there’s nothing. he’s shown himself more than capable of steering situations back in his control today and it doesn’t need to be spoken how serious he is about protecting his family, even a scratch on teucer’s cheek would be a last case scenario to him. you sigh.

“i trust you, ajax.”

taglist ; @kentply @osaemu @rain-and-a-nice-nap @koichirana

[busybeewriting]

The Story Keepers: Chapter One.

Summary: Feruna Wynyra is a bard attending Strummlot's College with her favorite little bard buddy, Aerial Windarin. When they find a book that allows them to travel to the Fairytale Realm- what could possibly go wrong?

Fern.

It’s another day. That’s all. Just the same as the last four years had gone. Wake up, make breakfast, go to class, do homework and then rinse- repeat.

Not that was much different from home. The main difference was the company. No siblings running around, no Riddle to keep you up to date on homework. No Ace and Deuce snickering and fucking with said Riddle. It was...less lively here. That I was certain of.

Shaking my head, I refocus. No amount of reminiscing will be worth it if I can’t find her. With a heavy sigh, I drop my bag at the usual table. Carefully unstrap Banny from my back and set her down against the side of the table before I take my seat. Kicking my feet up and sighing again. Finally. Some time to relax. I hold my head up and close my eyes. Knowing just the right way to angle my face so that the sun hits me and lets the warmth spread across my face.

Nothing could get better than this...except maybe some food. Food would be the cherry on top of this relaxation sundae. “Aerial?” I call, not bothering to move. I knew he was never that far from my side. “What do we do for lunch?”

Aerial Windarin, was my best friend. We meet our first year in Strumlotts- the prestigious Bard school in all of Tylwyth- and were quickly assigned as buddies. They’d often pair a more skilled bard with a bard in training to show them the ropes. We rarely left each others sides after that. He was the first real friend I had here, and I think I might have been his first real friend period. But none of that really mattered. Not when we were so different. I, well I am the way I am. There’s no fixing that. But Aerial? He was a soft, caring, shy individual and the kindest person I’d ever known.

I can hear him shuffle in his seat. Almost picturing the way he fiddles with the ends of his braids. One of his nervous stims he often did. Slowly, peaking an eye open to see him. Watching as his mouth slowly opens and closes before the words seem to finally make their way out. “We-well...um, I think we should...probably work on the assignment Mister Treble gave us?” He says quietly, still avoiding looking at me directly. “I-it’s due tomorrow and we don’t even have a verse...or a melody…”

Fuck. I forgot about that. But I can’t let him know that. I’m supposed to the mentor here. “Ah!” I say as I wave my hand dismissively. Like Aerial didn’t just remind me that was due and I had this plan all along. “That’s just cause we’re gonna wing it!”

Sitting back up straighter I grunt, smacking my thighs lightly as I stand. “Well, c’mon lets go get food.”

Aerial stands quickly, almost tripping over his feet trying to match pace with me. “Ah-Fern!” He protests meekly. “We can’t just-” Aerial lets out an exasperated sigh. “Y-You know how bad I am at lying! I’ll-- I’ll mess it up!” His voice has a slight tremble in it, as his eyes dart around the library to see if anyone had just heard him. Like they weren’t also a bunch of college students just trying to pass.

He acted so much like my sister, Fauna. The two were one and the same, anxious little messes with bleeding hearts and waterworks at their disposal.

In a strange way, it was moments like this that made me miss her. Looking back over my shoulder, the red hair gets me. For a moment it slips- “Relax Fau-” And then I see those eyes. Teal. Fauna’s aren’t teal.

And I remember that I’m alone.

My sister isn’t here. My family isn’t here. And all I have in this realm is Aerial. Swallowing down the lump that formed in my throat as I came to that realization, I quickly correct myself.

“Aerial.” I nod. “Relax Aerial.”

After a pause, and taking a deep breath I continue. “It’s not lying. It’s called improv and it’s an important Bard skill to have!”

As we pass the archives, my foot steps falter. I can feel my ears twitch at the strange feeling in my chest. Almost like a thread was wrapped around my heart and tugging me closer. Turning to look only makes the tug stronger. As if acknowledging it made it more confident that this was what it wanted.

I quickly put a hand on Aerial’s shoulder to steer him into the same direction. “This way, c’mon.”

“But I- wait did you just..?” I can hear Aerial but the tugging persists. So whatever he was saying would have to wait. I made it four years without telling him anything. I could last a few more minutes.

Putting a hand over his mouth I shake my head. “Shshsh...look.” I whisper, pointing toward the archives. “We’ve gotta go in there.”

“Mmf-!” Aerial pushes my hand away. And I can tell he’s an only child by the lack of spit on my hand. He shakes his head. “No! Fern, we’re already in enough trouble for always winging our assignments! Going into the archives will be much worse!”

I can’t help the eye roll. As much as I loved Aerial, he did not always have a good sense of adventure. Or as he liked to put it, risk taking. “Do what you want then. But I’m going in.”

That ladies and gentlemen is years of being the eldest sister shining through. More often than not, you can trick them into joining you by giving them a choice.

Taking quick steps forward, following the tug at my heart. I motion for him to follow, slipping into the shadows.

“Fern-!” I can hear Aerial protest. But his footsteps follow closely behind mine. I grab him again, putting a hand over his mouth as I press a finger to my lips. Slowly leading him in further and further.

For the first time in almost four years. It feels like I could finally have hope again. Alice, here I come!

It’s only a few more steps until I see it. On a dark oak podium, under a spotlight and enclosed in glass sits a story book. But not just any story book; Leabhar Scéalta. A book that allows you to step into the Fairytale Realm, (Not to be confused with the Fae Realm- They really don’t like when you do that.)

As I started to reach out, a cold hand wraps around my wrist pulling me back. Before I can get a good look at him, he speaks. “I don’t believe that Lucian told me anyone was supposed to be back here.”

Ripping my arm away, glaring at the voice I can get a good look at him now. Pale, almost too pale. Pointed elf ears, purple shaggy hair, olive green eyes- though paler than normal and round glasses sitting on his nose. He was shorter too, young. But not out of place in a college for his age. As I squint at him I huff out, “Oi. Don’t touch me.” I snap at him, trying to place where I’ve seen him before.

It then dawns onto me, that I should be nice to this twink or he wouldn’t let me go home. And god there was nothing more I wanted to do than go home. I clear my throat and give him my best- cordial smile. “We need to read a book for class. And that-” I say as I point back to the book. “Is one. So if you don’t mind?” I grin before taking another step toward it.

The annoyance steps in front of me. Frowning as he crosses his arms and shakes his head. “I believe it is my job to mind. This part of the library is not open to students. As they tell you in orientation.”

I want to smack those glass right off his stupid little face. If only he knew what was at stake here! I can’t exactly say ‘Hey, hi, so sorry but I’m actually princess of the realm inside that book! So I will be going back home. Thanks so much okay bye!’ I’d get locked in the looney bin.

“Um --- we’re really sorry, we’ll leave-” Aerial squeaks out, taking my arm and gently trying to pull me out. And for a second, just a second, I almost feel bad for what I’m about to do.

Taking a deep breath, rolling my shoulders and glaring at the book keep. As if I had become larger than life, towering over him. (It’s all really about your demeanor. Thats what Dr. Daunting taught me.) I keep my voice low to add to the affect. “I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with. So turn around, and pretend you never saw us. Okay?”

“F-Fern! You- You can’t!” Aerial tries to protest my actions. But this was the only way to go home. The only way to find her. He didn’t understand why I had to do this!

The bookblock stumbles back as his eyes widen in terror. His mouth opening, but nothing coming out. And some part of my got a sick satisfaction from that...I’ll unpack that later.

I pat his shoulder and smile. “Atta boy.” I praise, “Now just run along and pretend you didn’t see us.”

Blindly, I reach back and take Aerial’s hand. If I was going anywhere, it have to be with him. A good buddy never lets the other one get left behind. As I reach toward the book I feel it. The tugging at my heart only getting tighter. This was it. This was right.

And then, we got sucked right in.

Hi everyone! If you made it this far- thank you! For a little bit of context this is a more long form written out version of me and my girlfriend (@maegicalgirl) starting with my character Fern! I hope you all enjoy this and I promise that it gets more exciting! But if you guys have questions about it feel free to shoot her a message over there!