#what's even funnier is he left another comment and came back to leave this one

[pinkysberg]

made a tiktok in defence of calling arthur morgan cute and i

[cheapshrimpysheep]

Dance with Me

SUMMARY: The fairies left without the Fairy Gala decorations. Before the students take them down the next day, he sees an opportunity in the evening to invite you to meet him at the Botanical Garden.

CHARACTERS: Ruggie Bucchi, Kalim Al-Asim, Jamil Viper & Leona Kingscholar

TAGS: Fluf; GN Reader, Flirting, Kissing

WORD COUNT: Ruggie's part is the shortest with 600 words and Leona's the longest with 850 words.

COMMENTS: I was planning to write something shorter. But I got inspired while writing and it ended up in this. Ruggie's part is shorter because I think he would go direct to the point. Leona would need convincing to tell. I hope you enjoy. ;)

CONTEXT: The fairies left, but they left the Botanical Garden with the Fairy Gala decorations. Another group of students was assigned to remove the decoration the next day. But before that, he asked you to meet him in the Botanical Garden at night and in your Gala Couture.

“The fairies are back!!! We need you here! Don't forget the gala suit” This was the message you received from Ruggie when you were getting ready to go to sleep. You didn't question because there was no time. You just sigh, put on your Gala Couture and go. Grim told you this time he wasn't going, he wanted to sleep.

It was already night and the Botanical Garden with its fairy decorations and lit only by a few lights was beautiful. You call out to them, but only Ruggie appears. He was on his Gala Couture as well. And starts laughing at your worried face.

You sulk. “There are no fairies anywhere.”

“I mean, technically, there are two here right now.” He keeps laughing. You turn around as if you were leaving. “Hey! No! Wait! I'm sorry. I... just wanted to make sure you were coming.”

“You could have just asked.” you turn back to him.

“But...” he tries to muffle his laughter “This was funnier. Shehehe.” You were still pouting. “Aww. Don't be mad at me. Come on, admit that you're glad you came. Isn't the Botanical Garden so pretty like this?”

It indeed was. You didn't say anything because you know eventually he would tell you the true motive to make you go there.

“Hey, I was thinking.” He tells you “Despite Leona's grumpiness about all of this, I think they were having fun dancing. I want to have fun too. Shehehe.” He uses his phone to play music. It wasn't the Fairy Gala music, but it was the closest he could find. “Would you like to have fun with me?” He smiles and holds out his hand inviting you to dance.

He's not an elegant dancer but he sure is having fun dancing with you. So don't worry about your steps, get loose! That's exactly what he wants. His smile widens even more when he sees that you're having fun too. Looks like he actually learned some of the steps the others used at the gala. But only a few.

You eventually get closer to each other. Not exactly by accident. You two wanted to dance closer. While dancing you ended up looking at him with more affection. And that was what he took as a sign that perhaps he could go further.

“You're really cute, you know?” He tells you almost whispering, for how close you are.

“Are you saying that because of the suit and the flowers on my head?” You ask, hoping he denies it.

“No, that makes you beautiful. I'm saying that you are cute. It’s different. Shehe.”

“You're very cute yourself, you know?” You tell him and lift a hand to rub one of his ears surrounded by the wreath. “And this just makes you even cuter.” you smile. And he hugs you.

“Most people don't tend to think hyenas are pretty.” Ruggie says with his chin lying on your shoulder and with a little pity and annoyance in his voice. “Let alone cute.”

“They don’t know you. The more time I spend with you, the more beauty I see in hyenas.”

He takes his chin off your shoulder and puts his face in front of yours, your noses touching.

“The more time I spend with you, the more fun I see in humans. Shehehe.” He sees you pouting. “Oh come on, like I haven't already told you that you're beautiful.”

You kiss his lips. He was teasing you for that. That's why you feel him smiling for after reciprocate the kiss while holding you by the waist.

“Hey (Y/N)! Sorry I'm texting you so late. But could you come to the Botanical Garden? They still haven't taken down the decorations and it's so beautiful now at night. And could you come with your gala couture? I want to see how you look in these lights.”

This were the messages you received from Kalim when you were getting ready to go to sleep. You could have said no, but you wanted to be with him. Did Jamil know he was in the botanical garden? You decided not to wake Grim, and left a note in case he woke up and didn't see you in the dorm. “I'm with Kalim on the Botanical Garden.”

Kalim was right. At night, the botanical garden with its fairy decorations and lit only by a few lights was beautiful. You call out to him.

“I'm here. Just a minute.” You hear Kalim's voice, somewhere on the other side of the botanical garden. You're on one end of the green carpet the fairies used for the runway. Seconds later he appears on the other.

The two of you walk down the runway to meet in the middle. As he gets closer you can see that he has his hands behind his back as if he is hiding something behind him. You were smiling at him, so he didn't apologize again for sending you a message so late.

“You see? Isn't the botanical garden so pretty like this? It's a shame they have to undo this all tomorrow.”

“It’s beautiful.” you say “It has a kind of romantic atmosphere.”

“Yeah! That's why I invited you to come.” he said smiling and without thinking and only after that did he realize what he had just said, and blushed.

“And what are you hiding from me?” you laugh.

“AH?! Hiding? What? I'm not hiding anything from you. I just... um...”

“Behind your back, Kalim.” You clarify. You know you could mess with him a little, but poor boy. “You're hiding something behind your back aren't you?”

“Oh! That. He he.” He looks relieved, but the blush doesn't go away. “I was looking around the botanical garden and I thought like these flowers are so pretty. It's a shame they have to take them all out tomorrow. So, since they will be gone anyway...”

He took his hands from behind his back, revealing a beautiful bouquet. You can see that all those flowers are the same ones on the runway. You pick up the flowers with the sweetest smile and it makes him feel proud of himself for making you smile like that.

“Oh! But I asked you to come for another reason.” He uses his phone to play music. It wasn't the Fairy Gala music, but it was the closest he could get. “I had so much fun dancing, I wanted to do it with you.” He smiles and holds out his hand to you.

You put the flowers in a safe place and dance with him. As the two of you danced, you remembered one thing.

“Does Jamil know you're here?”

He looks at you with wide eyes like he's been startled. And then you finally see his carpet looking at you in a corner of the botanical garden trying to hide among the plants.

“I knew he would stop me from coming.” He said as an excuse he wasn't proud of.

“He'll freak out when he sees you're not in the dorm!”

“Yeah... I know... I'm gonna have a bad time after this. But it was worth it to see you so happy.”

You smile “I'm always happy when I'm with you.”

“I'm glad, because I'm always happy when I'm with you too.”

He was going to be grounded by Jamil after this anyway, so better give him your thanks now. You kiss him. And with this confirmation that your feelings are mutual, he returns the kiss enthusiastically to the point of grabbing you by the waist, lifting you up and spinning with you on his embrace.

“Good evening (Y/N). Is there any chance you could meet me at the Botanical Garden tonight? It's about the suits, so I'll need you to come with yours dress up.” Jamil didn't send you those messages too late, but late enough that Grim was already asleep but you still didn't get ready for bed.

Only you had a gala couture, so you decided to let Grim sleep and leave a note in case he woke up. “I'm in the Botanical Garden.”

It was already night and the botanical garden with its fairy decorations and lit only by a few lights was beautiful. You didn't need to call for Jamil. He appeared near by you with his hands behind his back, hiding something behind him.

“So was there something wrong with the suits?” you ask, knowing by the way he was looking at you that the answer was probably no.

He looks you up and down with a smile on his face, like he likes what he sees. “I don't think so. You look gorgeous on it, so I would say your is okay.” he says too naturally for you not to be flattered.

“Then why did you call me here?” you ask with a smirk “Shouldn't you be babysitting Kalim?”

“Don't worry. I already put him to sleep.” When he's with you, he feels more comfortable being his true self. Which is being more bitchy and smug than normal. Which in a way infects you.

He took his hands from behind his back, revealing a beautiful bouquet. You can see that all those flowers are the same ones on the runway. You pick up the flowers with a smile and look where they were taken from.

“They're going to be taken out of here tomorrow anyway.” Jamil explains “Better take advantage while they are here to give them a more dignified purpose.” he admires you with the flowers for a few seconds and then looks up “I'm glad I came to check out the botanical garden. It's really pretty like this.”

“It is.” you agree and then look at him “But why did you call me here exactly?” you raise an eyebrow “You know, since the suit thing was a lie.”

“I just wanted to make sure you came without spoiling the surprise.” He looks back at you “But there is one thing I would like to do with you. And that's why I asked you to come.” He uses his phone to play music. It wasn't the Fairy Gala music, but it was a slow version, quite similar. Jamil bows to you and holds out his hand. “Would you dance with me?”

“I'm afraid I'm not as good as you, though.”

“Would you like me to teach you then? It would be my pleasure.”

You put the flowers in a safe place and give him your hand. Jamil smirk and pulls you closer. You had to put your other hand on his chest to keep from bumping into him. And he puts his other hand on your lower back.

While you dance, he gives you some tips to improve your dancing, but over all he doesn't really care. Dancing with you is great by itself. That, and since you don't know all the steps, he might surprise you.

And he does! When the song is almost over, he spins you, and trips you so you fall back and he catches you. One of his hands on your back and the other on the back of your head.

You see him above you, the soft lights surrounding him. You notice him looking at your lips for a moment before looking back into your eyes (something that would be dangerous for anyone other than the one he have a crush on).

Your time to pay-back! You grab his collar and pull him to kiss his lips. You feel him smiling, like a smile of triumph. He puts you back on your feet while still kissing you. Calm and sensual kisses that soothe him. And this guy has been very stressed, so it might take awhile for you to separate from each other.

“Hey. Come to the botanical garden.” This was the message you received from Leona when you were getting ready to go to sleep.

“Now?” you text back.

“Yes”

“Why?”

“You'll see” Looks like Leona is on his bossy mood. “By the way, come with your gala couture on” Because he is being bossy, you decide to bargain.

“Only if you're also wearing yours. If I see you and I haven't got you on I'll turn around and go back to my dorm.” It took a minute or two for him to text back.

“Fine. But hurry up. I don't like to be kept waiting.”

Grim was already asleep, so you decide not to wake him up and leave a message just in case he looks for you in the middle of the night: “Leona “asked” me to go to the botanical garden.”

It was already night and the botanical garden with its fairy decorations and lit only by a few lights was beautiful. You see Leona lying at the other end of runway's green carpet. Was he napping? Well, he was wearing the suit, maybe not with all the trimmings, but it was his gala couture. Just like you agreed.

You walk across the green carpet to him. Leona sniffs the air and then opens one eye to see you approaching. He smiles and groans lazily, as if he's just woken up from a quick nap.

“It took a long time.” He complains as he gets up.

“I needed to change my clothes again. I was already in my pajamas.” you say, crossing your arms “And you're lucky that the botanical garden is close to Ramshackle.”

He laughs. That smug smile of his.

“So why did you call me here?” you continue “And with the fairy suit?”

“No reason in particular.” He perfectly lies “I came to check the botanical garden, saw that it had a good atmosphere and decided to stay for a while.”

“And what do I have to do with that?”

“I wanted my pillow.” he was referring to your thighs.

“What?! And the outfit?”

“I wanted my pretty pillow.” He laughs.

The truth is, you wanted to do it. One of the agreements you two have is that whenever you let him use your thighs as a pillow, you can pet his ears. But this time it wasn't enough. You were tired from the day, ready to rest and you had to change your clothes and leave the house in the middle of the night.

“And what do I get from that?” you ask

“You already made me wear this again and still want more?”

“That was for me to also come with the suit on.”

He sighs as he thinks for a moment. “Fine, what about this: I saw how you looked at me while I danced during the gala.” He smirk and you blush a little. “One song. What if I let you dance with me?”

“I thought you didn't like to dance.”

“I didn't like being forced to dance.” He clarifies. “But I also don't want to miss the opportunity to see that wonder in your eyes more closely.”

“F-Fine.” You try to control your blush, you can't give him more treats like those. “But don't choose a short song just to get this over with!”

“Ha, fine.” He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and searches for a song. It was so quick you could have sworn he had already prepared for it. “What about this one then?” You look at the time of the song, about 3 minutes, and it seems fine to you.

He puts the music to play. It wasn't even remotely like the Fairy Gala music. It was a song from his kingdom. But it was beautiful and slower than the fairies one. He straightens up and extends his hand to you, reminding you that he really is a prince. You took it.

He doesn't pull you towards him, instead he is the one who steps forward to approach you. Your right hand and his left were together, he takes your left hand and brings it to his shoulder and then he take his right hand behind your lower back. And then he guide you through the song.

“You know what happens if you tell someone this, right?” Despite what he said, he was smiling.

“Don't worry. I like to keep my privileges.”

"Your privileges, hum?" He brings his face close to yours, your noses almost touching. “What about mine, herbivore? I didn't even mention how sloppy you dance. Am I not being so nice?”

Was he asking for the privilege of having a reward from you? In his smug way. Why not? he was behaving well. He was even complaining less and smiling more than usual.

You kiss his lips, and he kisses you back with twice as much passion. The hand on your back bringing you even closer to him. The nap could wait a little longer. He could do it whenever he wanted, but that kiss was rarer and he was going to enjoy every minute of it.

If you would like to read more from me, you can find it in my pinned post: INDEX

[silentcryracha]

hi i wanted to ask a drabble or scenario based on this Innie interaction because it was sooo cute :(

https://twitter.com/hyunehans/status/1685531665761001472?s=20

Please innie is truly the cutest 😭 I imagined a first date/friends to lovers situation, like something very pure and sweet :(

I also kept the reader gn and used 'blank' instead of y/n. Just trying it out since I've seen a couple other people doing it. Hope you like it!

warnings: none it's literally fluff and shy people

word count: 1.82 k

masterlist

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

'"t's painful, really" Seungmin commented as Jeongin tried, yet again, to peek at his crush. The younger boy widened his eyes for a moment at his friend's words, quickly going back to his smoothie.

"I don't know how to act, Min. It's embarrassing." he confessed, sighing. The orange haired one sneered, also taking a sip of his own sweet drink.

'I'd say 'talk to them' but that's literally all you've been doing for months now. Is it really that hard to ask for a date? It's not like you haven't been alone before.' he discreetly nodded his head towards his crush and their friend, who were waiting in line to order.

"What if they're not single? What if they don't like me back, what if-" Jeongin started ranting, but stopped as soon he noticed look up behind him. He followed his gaze and saw you approaching, a sweet smile appearing on your face when you noticed him looking.

Jeongin instantly smiled back shyly, raising a hand to wave at you and your friend. Seungmin also gave a polite smile and a small nod.

"Innie, hi! That's so nice seeing you here" you said, making heat creep up the boy's cheeks at the nickname. Seungmin almost snorted a laugh as he mumbled 'Innie' to himself.

"Hi _, _' he responded, addressing you both. 'Are you taking a break from mathematics?" he joked, hinting at the latest exam you were almost going mad over. You rolled your eyes, huffing out a laugh.

"Yes, barely. But your notes have been so helpful, thank you again, Innie" the nickname again. If Jeongin were a dog his tail would be wiggling like crazy right now. But instead he just shook his head, smiling shyly as he waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't mention it, I'm glad I could be useful." at that moment a waitress approached your group, holding a tray with what you recognized being your orders on it.

"Hello, excuse me, these are for you right?" she smiled politely, but quite fakely. You were about to apologize and respond 'yes' but apparently it was more of a rhetorical question, since she just continued with "These are not to go, so you must pick a table'

"Right, sorry-" you looked around quickly to find an empty table, but Seungmin interjected, getting up to go sit next to Jeongin.

"You can sit with us" he nodded, signaling you to the empty couch. Both you and your friend thanked him quickly and sat next to each other, your friend facing the orange haired boy while you faced Jeongin.

The waitress threw an unenthusiastic 'Enjoy' and left as quickly as she came, leaving the four of you alone. Jeongin instantly blushed and stiffened up, not knowing if he wanted to punch or kiss Seungmin, yet.

"Thank you, you didn't have to. We could've found another place." your friend thanked Seungmin politely, and you tried to not smile, knowing that they were just as down bad for him as you were for his best friend. But they never really interacted before, which made it funnier.

"No worries, Innie and _ are good friends, so it's fine" he purposefully highlighted the nickname to piss off his friend, but of course Jeongin noted in his mind to make him pay for it later on.

-

All the four of you casually started to talk about your own lessons and exams. Turns out that your friend was being way braver than you in shooting their shot, because even they managed to make the Kim Seungmin laugh at their jokes a couple times.

Ironically you and Jeongin, which already spent some time together alone outside of school, and were friends, were pretty much silent. Which of course didn't go unnoticed by either of your cupids sitting by your sides.

"Think I'm going to get seconds, what do you think? Yeah I'll just get in line, be back in a bit" Seungmin got up from the bench before finishing his phrase. And right after your friend also stood up, saying "And I'll just go make a quick call, I need to check in with my mom"

Just like that, before any of you could say anything, your best friends basically dissolved into thin air. You and Jeongin looked at each other, then quickly looking away shyly at the same time.

"So, how's history going?" you said casually after a few minutes. The boy's gaze shoot back at you quickly, but his response took a few more seconds. He was just staring at you with his sweet, dark eyes.

"Would you like to go to the cinema with me on Saturday?" his words were a little fast but you understood each one perfectly. Your eyes widened, heat coming up to your cheeks.

"Sorry, I- that was too direct, I'm not even sure you're single-" he started rambling but you felt bold for once and reached out to take his hand over the table. Jeongin stopped talking immediately, looking down to your hands and then back at you.

"I am single. And yes, I'd love to go out with you." you responded with a smile, gaining back one from him. He released a small sigh, as if he couldn't breathe til that moment.

"I'm so relieved, actually." he chuckled adorably, and you joined him.

You didn't notice, but of course both Seungmin and your friend were peeking at you two and barely hid a smile when they saw your hands intertwined. They couldn't have possibly heard the whole conversation, but that gesture made things quite clear.

"I'm glad you had the guts to do it first, Innie. I'm too shy, so I would've probably took my crush to the grave." you confessed, hiding your face in one hand, making Jeongin laugh again.

"I'm shy too" he said sweetly, reaching out to remove your hand from your face and gently bring it close to the other one, the one he was still holding.

"Next time let's just be honest with each other okay? You can be comfortable with me, I promise." you nodded with a smile, before seeing that, casually, both of your friends were coming back to the table at the same time.

You and Jeongin almost automatically retreated your hands, but they both had a shit eating grin on their faces that told you clearly that you couldn't hide from them.

"So, did something happen in this exciting time?" Seungmin asked rhetorically as he sat down again.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。

[luimagines]

Hey it’s the same comfort anon! I really loved what did with the prompt!

If you don’t mind I have another rq 👉👈

RQ: You help them out during an embarrassing situation.

Masterlist

Comfort Anon! My first requester! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’m glad you think I did it justice!

I absolutely do not mind that you have another request!

I think I’m going to keep all of them in the same post this time around.

Set platonically and within the group since there wasn’t any specification.

You know the drill! Scenario under the cut!

Twilight

“Wolfie...” You try to fight the grin on your face and fail. “What are you doing?”

Said wolf pauses and stares at you thus beginning an impromptu staring contest.

You had been walking away from the camp to relieve yourself when you spotted familiar looking fur running around. It had sparked your interest so you ventured closer as quietly as you could.

When you reach your furry friend, you feel your face split into a large grin.

Wolfie was running in circles and rolling around the dirt trying to catch his tail.

It naturally amuses you greatly and you decided to watch for a little moment longer before Wolfie had actually managed to catch his tail and had begun chewing on it with fervor.

Realistically, you knew it probably itched and the poor thing was just trying to scratch it in the best way he could.

But it was still so adorably cute!

You ask your question, breaking the moment and try to hide your amusement for the sake of the creatures pride.

You can see the moment when Wolfie sees you. His whole body goes still and he stops chewing himself completely. Wolfie slowly lets his tail out of his mouth, making a small thump against the ground, while never breaking eye contact and waits.

You’re not sure for what but the way he’s staring at you makes you think you weren’t supposed to see what you saw. He looks the equivalent of getting your hand caught in the cookie jar and is trying to see how much trouble he’s going to get in.

It’s makes the whole thing infinitely funnier.

Your giggles escape and the animal begins to lower his head to the ground, ears back and flattened.

You’d dare say he looks embarrassed.

It softens your heart to see Wolfie in such a state so you try to rein in one final snort, fail, and begin to leave. “I’ll... leave you to it, Wolfie. I gotta pee. Have fun with what you’re over there.”

With your back turned, Wolfie gives out a pitiful whine that leaves you snickering until you find a more private spot.

Apparently, this one’s taken. 

Wild

“Wild...” You say, looking upward until your neck hurts. “How do you manage these things? I swear it’s only you who gets into this kind of stuff.”

“I just want to make eggs for breakfast!” He cries in defense. “I’m sorry for trying to do something nice for all of you!”

“Oh no, I get that. It’s this that worries me.” You sigh and try to get step back and assess the situation. Looking up is a little easier with and you’re able to see a better plan of action.

In theory anyway.

Wild, as mentioned, was about to make breakfast and had thus spotted eggs in  a nearby tree. Naturally he wanted to go collect them and feed his friends but there’s one thing he didn’t account on. The mother returned.

That being said, he freaked out enough that he dropped the sheikah slate, nearly fell out of the tree and in the ruckus had also scared away the mother.

He kept the eggs though.

However, when the word nearly is mentioned it’s meant to bring point that he didn’t actually fall out of tree. ...But he still might.

Why?

Because the only reason he didn’t hit the ground head first is because his foot got caught in one of the branches.

So he’s hanging upside down by his ankle and can’t access his tools to even attempt to get out.

This is where you, dear reader, come in.

Wild was actually far enough away and covered by enough foliage that the others haven’t noticed him in this precarious situation. You though, were heading to the creak nearby to wash your face and begin your morning routine.

Wild then yelled just loud enough to catch your attention and had asked for your assistance.

“Are you sure I can’t just get Twilight? Or Time?” You ask him. “I’m sure that one of them can just shake the tree and you’ll be free.”

“NO! Do not! Just-!” He flails around a bit, the branch creaking in protest but doesn’t  budge from the spot. “I get into a lot of stuff but neither of them will ever let me live this down.”

“What about Warrior then? Or Legend? He might have a tool of something to get you out-”

“No one else can know! Why can’t you just help me?” Wild begs.

“I have to say I’m little over my head here.” You admit. “Or rather, you’re a little over my head.”

“Very funny.”

“I think I have an idea but you have to catch yourself.” You grin and begin to move away.

“Just make it quick. All the blood is flowing to my head.”

You jog back to camp and take out your sword. A few more familiar faces are awake now and waiting for their food. 

“Hey,” Wind greets you with a tired smile and a yawn. “Where’s Wild?”

“He’s a little hung up at the moment.” You smile. “I just gotta go help him for a second and he’ll be back.”

Wind takes the answer for what it is, too tired to read too much into it and nods.

You sprint back and grin wildly. “Try to stay out of my way ok?”

“You couldn’t think of any other solution?” Wild nearly whines.

“This is the quickest way. You said make it quick.” You take a breath and run forward. With your momentum to run what you can up the tree and jump. With the added height to turn to where Wild is and swing in his foot’s direction.

With speed and accuracy on your part, you slice the branch that’s been holding him back and the two of you fall to the ground.

Wild dips into a roll and somehow manages to expertly swipe the slate off of the ground as he passes it. You do a similar motion but angle yourself to not come into contact with your blade.

Together you spot each other and grin, small laughs exiting your mouths as you get up.

“Thanks for that.” Wild pats himself off and turns on his heel. “I gotta get breakfast started but I’ll come get you when it’s done, ok?”

You nod and begin to head toward the creek once more, willing to play as if this never happened.

You decide on the way to not tell Wild that the branch is still stuck on his boot though. 

Time

Everyone was in Wild’s house for the day, chilling while they could, since there was little to no activity.

Time had actually retired momentarily to take a nap on Wild’s bed for the afternoon.

It was quiet.

Because the group was afraid to wake up the grumpiest member of the group.

So naturally you wanted to take advantage of the peace and brought your book and sat on the stairs while the boys took over the table and floor.

After a hot minute, you looked up to see that half of the group was gone, haven’t left to do something more chaotic and grinned to yourself.

Behind you the wood of the house creaked under applied pressure. You turned around to look at the cause and saw that Time had woken up from his nap. His eyes were closed and he was mid-yawn as he traveled down the stairs.

You got up from your spot and traveled a few steps to let him pass, but that didn’t happen.

Time hadn’t opened his eye yet and had mis-stepped.

His mistake cost him his pride as he fell down the stairs all the way down to the floor.

“Don’t break a hip old man!” Warrior called out in a laughing voice.

You threw your book onto the table and went to help Time up. “Are you ok?”

“Ow.” He deadpanned and grabbed the railing for good measure. “On top of that, I think I left my shoes up by the bed.”

“I’ll get them” You squeaked around him and dashed up the stairs. In your enthusiasm you over stepped one of the steps and fell up the stairs.

You paused in shame and shock while Warrior lost his battle and started laughing hysterically.

Swallowing the last of your dignity, you dash up the remaining steps and help your friend.

You came back down with an attempt to hold your head up high and held out Time’s shoes out to him. “I think these are yours.”

There was a small smile on his tired face. “Thank you. Are you ok?”

“Yes.” You nod. “I’m fine. Nothing happened. No one saw anything.”

Time snorted and took them from you. “Of course.”

Warrior

It’s was absolutely pouring.

Everyone was wet and there was no shelter in sight. It was dark and loud and everyone still had to continue forward.

No one was happy and everyone was silently fuming at the unideal circumstances.

You were walking next to Warrior, not making eye contact with anyone and you had to stop from commenting that he looked like a drowned rat.

His scarf has no doubt doubled in weight with all the water its absorbed and Warrior kept having to adjust it. It was sagging off of his shoulders and he kept having to adjust it or else it risked falling into the muddied ground.

As time passed Warrior had to continually fix it, and adjust it and he was growing exponentially frustrated with the prospect and was getting fed up with it.

You watched in growing amusement and restrained from offering your help because you were certain that he would snap at you.

In one final moment of baled up frustrations, he threw the scarf in one more lap around his neck and... well... he overjudged the strength needed and it swung all the way around just to smack him right back in his face.

Oh but it didn’t end there.

In his moment of blindness, he mis-stepped and tripped.

He hit the ground on his knees first but kept going, twisting to his side, just missing slamming his face into the mud as well.

You just stop in your tracks and tried your hardest to not laugh.

With hesitant steps, you walked over to Warrior who slowly started to get up.

His entire side was just brown. And Warrior... didn’t bother with showing the emotion on his face.

Just a neutral face of displeasure.

You quickly, helped him to his feet and and began cupping your hands to throw the collected rain water onto him and wipe off the mud.

It’s not helping.

“Not. One. Word.” Warrior takes a deep breath and begins to help you clean himself off.

“Yes, Captain.” You grin and take his hand. “You want me to take the blame? Say I pushed you down or something.”

“It’s fine.” Warrior bites the words as he says them. 

You pass a creek.

With the idea in your head, you shove Warrior hard and he goes right into the water like you wanted him to.

“Excuse me!” He screeches as his head bobs above the water.

The mud is washed off as least.

“You’re clean again! No one will know!”

Warrior is not amused.

You grin. “It’s not like you got any wetter.”

“...Why are you like this?”

“I’ll take my thanks in monetary compensation.”

Hyrule

“Hyrule.” You gasp. “Oh no. Oh boy. Don’t go back yet. Hold on. Don’t leave. Stay here.”

He pauses and does what you say, although confusedly. “Ok? Why?” 

“There’s a rip in your pants. Huge. I can see your whole-” 

“WHAT?” Hyrule grips the fabric and finally catches wind of the tear. It’s long and goes down the side of his leg but it’s... pretty revealing.

“I’ve got some sewing stuff in my pack.” You say dropping your equipment and dashing as quickly as you could. “I can sew it up. No one will know the difference.”

“...I can never show my face again.”

You roll your eyes and make the quick trip. There’s a small part in the reptilian part of your brain that calls to make it a quick mission. Stealth, silence and shadows are your friends and you make it back to camp, grab your supplies and make a break for it without tripping anyone else’s hand.

When you return to Hyrule, he’s sat down a nearby rock and inspecting what he can of the rip.

“I have no idea how you managed this,” you say when you get close to him again. “But I’ve managed to get there and back with no one knowing. I will, however, need you to take off your pants.”

Hyrule flushes bright red instantly.

“...Do I have to?”

“Unless you’re ok with my face being right next to your-”

“No, no, I’ll do it, I’ll do it.” Hyrule gulps and strips.

“I’m glad you agreed because I, for one, was not ok with that.” You hold your hand out and take the pants from him. “At least your tunic is long.”

“This is humiliating.” Hyrule mutters and sit down on the ground instead of the rock and hugs his legs close.

“Why on earth do you think I stopped you? Someone had to save you from the the ridicule of the others. Like don’t get me wrong, we all like you but there’s no survivors, no mercy, and no alliances when it comes to roasts.” You sat down in front of him and began to sew up the tear. “Any idea how this happened?”

“I think it got caught on a bush?” He rests his head on his knees and avoids eye contact. “I suppose I should thank you.”

“A bush?” You put it down and and stare at him. “A bush?”

He doesn’t reply.

“Hyrule if your clothes are weak enough to rip this badly on a bush then we need to get you knew clothes.” You finish and return to your task of fixing his pants. “We can get Legend and Wild and figure something out. Wild has enough clothes to spare and Legend knows good quality when he sees it. I’ll pay for your new clothes next town we invade, ok?”

“I can’t believe this happened.” He says instead.

“Give me ten minutes and you can at least put your pants back on.”

Legend

They were having a race.

The boys were so bored that they were having a race.

It was between Legend, Wild, Wind, Hyrule and Twilight.

Sky refused to run, Time was content with just watching and Warrior had a bet going so he had money on who the winner would be.

You were the judge and had placed yourself at the end of the strip with a small cloth for a flag and got in position. It was anything goes. Items, sabotage, dirty plays- anything.

Twilight was actually competing on Epona.

“Ready?” You call with a grin. “Get set! GO!”

You hear them take off but there’s a blast of wind next to you.

It’s so close to you that it takes you by surprise so you scream in shock but it ends in a thunk against the tree behind you.

There’s a groan and you turn to see the winner.

Twilight is next and he stops before he could run you over. “Are you kidding me? What the heck did he do? How did he do that?”

Legend is sitting in front of the tree and rubbing his head.

He wins at least.

The others make it within the next minute and they groan and whine but they leave without looking at the winner.

You grin and skip over to him, placing your hand on his shoulder when you get there. “Congrats, Mr. Hero. It looks like you were the- oh my god.”

You kneel next to him and tilts his face towards yours.

He’s bleeding from the face, a cut on his eye and a bloody nose.

“Hey, so you see this tree here?” He spits and it’s more blood.

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t.” He hisses and goes to wipe with his sleeve but you stop him.

“Oh boy. Hold on.” You gently take the cloth flag that you have and wipe his face, getting him to pinch his nose as you wipe his cut.

It’s thankfully not deep and not bleeding profusely. With a little inspiration, you take out your bag, your magically enchanted pocket and pull out a potion.

Legend is quick to refuse but you shake your head and splash a little on his face. The magic hits the cuts and is absorbed in his skin.

“Hey!” He splutters.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you want to explain to Warrior why your face is bleeding?” You smirk and begin cleaning the rest of the blood of him.

Legend pouts and looks away, letting you work.

“I guess not.”

“I thought so.”

Sky

“Oh... that is... not ideal...” You hear Sky say.

With your interest piqued, you turned your head to look at him and what was bothering him.

“Sky, what did you do?”

It... was interesting. Somehow Sky had managed to get his whip stuck in a tree. Not just caught between two branches, no that would have been too easy to pull out. It had somehow wrapped around the branch, at least three times and was too tall for anyone in the group to get out unless they had somehow managed to climb the tree.

The tree itself was also inclined to be easy to climb. You were quick to see that only The Champion could probably scale it but he wasn’t here at the moment. 

Twilight kidnapped him to go fishing.

“...How?” You ask and make your way over to him. “How did you do this?”

He glances at you with wide eyes and a bit lip. ”Help?”

“Ho boy...” You take a breath and get up. “This.... I have one solution.”

“Ok?”

“How good is your aim?” You glance up at the problem again. “Scratch that, how good is your throwing arm?”

“Pretty good I like to think.” He admits. 

“Ok, throw it over the branch but in the opposite direction. We have to undo the loops first.”

“We? Sounds like it’s just me.” Sky steps closer to the tree and prepares to throw the handle over the branch.

“Well there’s not exactly place for me to step in now, is there?” You put your hands on your hips and smirk.

It goes over one loop just fine.

It still doesn’t budge.

Sky throws it again, misses, tries again and makes it.

It’s only one loop over the branch but it still won’t move. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Sky growls and throws it into the air in frustration.

“Ok, hold on, if it just need one more throw-”

He made it loose in the process but neither of you were paying attention. It had sung for a minute, budged and had swung all the way back to to you both coming off of the branch in the process. The inertia was still in motion and it had managed to hit Sky directly in the face while you were talking.

Luckily, it wasn’t that strong of a hit.

“Oh hey!” You grin and try not to laugh. “It’s out!”

“Let’s never speak of this.”

“Come on, it’s funny.”

“Ever.”

Four

“Wild, do you have any towels I can dry my hands off with?” Four asks from behind you.

You were all in Wild’s house once more and currently getting ready for dinner.

“Yeah, top shelf.” Wild replies without looking up from the pot.

You glance back as well to see where Wild would have been thinking about.

Yup, you think, that’s the top shelf alright.

Four is stuck staring at the height and begins to slowly look around.

You get an idea of where he’s going with this and power walk to his side. Your intuition is proven correct when he then attempts to climb Wild’s house and furniture just to get it.

His hands are also still wet, mind you.

You can see his white knuckled grip as he tries to fight the lack of traction and decide to help him out.

“I got it!” He says, when you nudge him aside.

“You don’t.” You reply and copy his movements to reach a singular towel. You’re back down in a split second but the bounty in within your grasp.

“It’s not like you can reach it either!”

“Still took me less time and significantly less climbing to get it.” You toss the towel in his face with a grin. “I doubt you even had good grip either. I thought you were going to fall and crack your head open on the floor.”

“Please don’t fall in my house and crack your head on the floor.” Wild speaks up. “Blood is so hard to clean up.”

“Know from experience?”

“Don’t tell Twilight.”

“Get lower shelves Wild Child.” Four dries his hands and tosses the troublesome cloth to Wild.

He catches it with blinking and shoves it into his apron. “I’ll take your criticism to the manager and see what we can do.”

“Manager? This is your house! You’re the manager!”

“So? I said what I said!”

“You boys done play fighting or are we going to have to wait to eat?” You ask.

...

“I’d like to eat now please.”

“On it.”

Wind

It was your turn on watch and there was nothing to do.

Not that you were asking for trouble but it would have been nice to at least be able to do patrol or something.

But nooooo... For safety reasons, i.e. the storm just beyond your coverings, everyone was supposed to stay within the camp at all times.

You didn’t disagree with it so to speak. It was more of a mild inconvenience.

That was until Wind got up with whispered...but still loud, curses.

You stood up and tip toed your away around the half hazardly tossed limbs of your comrades. “Everything ok Wind?”

He jumps and grabs the blankets around himself, folding them, bunching them together and curling ever so slightly over himself.

“Everything’s fine!”

“Shh..” You put a finger to your lips and look around the group.

No one woke up.

“What’s got your jimmies in a twist kid?” You squat down and place your hand on the blankets. They’re wet and the smell....

Oh you know what happened.

You stand up again and give him the curtesy of not saying it out loud. “I have a plan but you have to do as I say, no questions asked. We can make it so no one will know what happened. Ever. And this stays between only you and me, ok?”

You wipe your hand on your pants and hold out the opposite one to the boy. He stares at you with a red face and contemplates the choice. After only two seconds of deliberation, he takes your hand and gets up.

You suppose that to have an out, verses having to explain to everyone that he’s been looking up to sounds very appealing in the end. Better for only one person to know than ten.

“You’re lucky it’s still pouring buckets.” you say and grab all the blankets from his bed roll that you can. Chancing a glance at him, you see that his clothes are wet as well, pretty much from the waist down. With another thing to fix, you notice that his very bedroll is right by a huge puddle that had been forming and no one knew.

The hand in the glass water trick, then.

Your friends have seen and done that a few times to a few poor unsuspecting soul.

“Ok, here’s what you’re going to do.” You turn to Wind. “You’re going to change out of your clothes and into some clean ones. And then you’re going back to bed in my bed roll.”

“But where will you sleep?” He asks with a hand gripping his shirt

“I’ll steal it from the next guy.” You lie...kinda... That actually sounds appealing but you don’t think on it too much. “I’ll take the next shift to buy time and I’m going to throw your blankets and bed roll out into the rain, ok?”

“You were too close to the borders of the tarp anyway.” You continue with your plan, throwing them out for a second before turning on your heel and getting some of your clothes for Wind.

You think you might have something that’ll fit him but if not, it’s only to sleep in.

He changes into the clothes while you back out to the blankets.

In your search for the clothes, you dug out your powered soap and tossed some of it on the blankets and bed roll. After rubbing the fabric together to get it sudsy and deep into the material, you set it up against the tree and branches, letting the falling rain drops hit it and filter through.

It’s rudimentary and it took you longer than you wanted because now you’re also soaked to the bone and only halfway through but you think back to being a thirteen year old and how embarrassed you would have been and plow on to save Wind from the same fate.

You step back into the tarp and guide Wind, taking his clothes away to where you were sleeping prior. You’re clothes are way too big on him and it’s honestly more endearing than you would have thought.

“Thanks.” Wind says in a small voice. He’s humiliated, you know but you don’t focus on it.

“Your hand got wet and you pissed yourself in your sleep.” You say and shrug. “My friends and I were... are brats and it’s not the first we’ve played that prank. Put the poor saps in a glass of warm water and watch them pee their pants. It’s funny when it’s planned and well... not you. I won’t tell a soul.”

“You better not.” He sits down in your bed roll and begins to get comfortable. “It’s smells nice.”

“I try.” You grin.

“Do I owe you?” He looks up with big eyes and you think that it makes him look younger than he is.

“It’s on the house.” You wave him off and dash back in the rain to clean the rest of his clothes.

On the way back to cover, you kick the support that was closest to Wind’s spot, sending a torrent of rain upon yourself in the process but the spot where the pirate was is considered useless now.

Wind tilts his head from his spot and you grin. “Cover story.”

The rest of night is spent watching the time, watching the others and taking turns with Wind’s clothes and blankets by the fire so that all three of you can dry off before the sun comes up and the other inevitably ask questions.

By morning you’re dead on your feet, but consider it a job well done. 

[yourlmanburg]

benchsquad meetup // benchtrio (& others) + reader

i know nothing about london zoo

word count: 1,485

(this hasn't been proofread or anything pls forgive how bad it is smh)

---

You hadn’t felt excitement like this since you received your invite to the Dream SMP, barely containing your smile as you sat on the train on your way to spend the day with your three best friends. You’d known Ranboo, Tubbo and Tommy for a good few months now after you met them through the server, and your friendship quickly solidified and morphed into an iconic group known as the “Bench Squad”, and today was the day you’d finally be meeting them in person.

It’d been agreed that you’d meet in London, film a Tom Simons vlog, and then meet up with Wilbur, Philza, Jack and Niki to film another vlog for your own channel before spending a few nights at Tubbo’s house. You had a busy few days ahead of you filled with recording and streaming but you couldn’t care less; you knew these were about to be the best days of your life. You passed the time with your airpods in your ears with your guys’ collab Spotify playlist blasting through your ears and catching up on missed vods and YouTube videos, when eventually the train came to a halt at your stop.

This was it. You were about to meet the people who meant the most to you.

You pulled out your bags as quickly as you could, not wasting a single second that could instead be spent with them. Shoving through the congregation of people and stopping one or twice to greet fans who recognised you, you made your way over to a less crowded area of the train station to shoot Ranboo a quick “where are you?” text. It took a few anxious minutes for him to reply, but once he did there was nothing stopping you from practically running to where they waited.

And there they were. You could see them not too far away now, two tall figures and a slightly smaller one stood in a row, looking around as if they were waiting for someone. It was then that you were struck with an idea, what if you just…

You snuck round to the other side of where they stood, making an effort not to be seen. You crouched down a little and creeped towards them, praying none of them turned round.

“BOO!” you shouted, successfully scaring the three of them and even a few poor strangers around you. With a smile you jumped straight into Ranboo’s arms, and you held each other tightly as the four of you grinned like children on Christmas day.

“Y/n!” Tommy and Tubbo exclaimed in unison, while Ranboo simply commented on the pun you accidentally made. You chuckled as you pulled away, wiping the tears from your eyes and readjusting your bags. This is the moment you’d been waiting for for so many months now.

“How was the journey?” Tommy asked after you’d greeted them properly and had begun to make your way out of the train station and to the location of where the vlog was going to be filmed.

“Wasn’t too bad, it was a bit scary doing it on my own and it took way too long but it could’ve been worse, I guess.” you replied, the smile seemingly glued to your face. “Where are we going again?”

“This way,” Tommy led you through many busy roads and you really wished you had somewhere to put your bags, which is why you were grateful when Ranboo offered to carry one of them for you. You thanked him profusely, rubbing your sore shoulder from where the heaviest bag had been resting. It took a while to get there so Tommy decided to film the vlog intro while you were all walking, though soon enough you found yourselves standing outside the great entrance to London Zoo.

“Here we are,” Tommy said as he held his phone up to the sign, clearly out of breath from all the walking, “We’re at the zoo!” he showed you and the other two on camera and you all waved, just as worn out as he was.

You went in and got all the registration sorted, and now you were free to do as you pleased! As you walked into the main area the gorilla enclosure immediately caught your eyes and you ran to see them, Tubbo in tow. Tommy started complaining to the camera as he caught up to you and Ranboo simply laughed, standing back and watching the “argument” you two were putting on for content.

The four of you walked around the zoo for a while, filming the majority of it and laughing and joking around with each other. You were having the time of your life, and it was far from over; you couldn’t wait to meet the others.

“Hold on a minute…” you interrupted Tommy filming Tubbo trying to get an Alpaca’s attention as a certain species caught your eye, and being close to the one and only Wilbur Soot made it impossible to miss. “Are they anteaters?”

“Thank God Wilbur’s not here, huh!” Ranboo chimed in, walking over and standing beside you. This still didn’t feel real.

“Can we go and see them?” Tubbo asked, but there was hardly a chance of anyone saying no. So now you were on FaceTime with Wilbur (who was already with Niki) as he gushed about how much he hated those damn creatures, pulling up the infamous list. None of you could stop laughing rather loudly and you certainly got many dirty looks, but you didn’t care.

The aquarium was quite something, too. One of the staff members got particularly mad at Tommy for tapping on the glass and shouting at the fish while you recorded him for a bit, which was definitely a sight to see. Needless to say, you rushed right past that woman the next time you guys saw her.

You saw so many incredible animals and had so many laughs with your friends, and you didn’t leave until late afternoon. It didn’t really matter though, there wasn’t much planned for your vlog. You guys made your way out of the exit and caught a taxi to take you to another place, wrapping up Tommy’s filming there. You admittedly almost fell asleep, but the calm conversation you were having with Tubbo kept you awake.

The taxi eventually pulled up outside a post restaurant which is where your vlog was going to be filmed. You didn’t choose anything too extravagant, the plan was for a short but entertaining video with you and your friends. It took about ten minutes of standing and waiting for the other four to turn up. First it was Philza, of course he was the only one on time. You suspected Niki would’ve been too, but she was probably being held up by Jack and Wilbur.

“OLD MAN!” you shouted, zooming in on him as the first clip of your vlog. He burst out laughing as he greeted you, asking if the others were here yet. “Nope! Bet they won’t be here for another two hours.” you joked, stopping the recording and talking to Phil and the others until they did eventually turn up.

Soon enough all eight of you were sitting at a table in a fancy restaurant, trying to decide what on earth you were going to order. You were squished in between Ranboo and Wilbur which made you feel particularly small, and Tommy was laughing at you from the other side of the table, Niki jokingly scolding him for being mean.

“What? I didn’t do anything!” he retorted, amping up his personality for the camera again.

“Neither did Y/n and you’re being mean to them!” Niki said, a smile evident on her face as you caught her eyes and laughed.

“Thank you, Niki, I believe Tommy should learn his lesson from a responsible adult.” you thanked her, Wilbur tuning in from his conversation with Ranboo, Tubbo, Phil and Jack.

“Tommy, stop being a dick.” He said bluntly, causing you all to burst out laughing.

“I agree.” Jack said with a deadpan face, earning an eye roll from Tommy.

“Oh, shut up Manifold!” He whined, failing to notice the very confused waitress standing over the table, waiting to take everybody’s orders. Phil was, of course, the one to apologise for all the commotion and you all took turns to let her know what you wanted, going straight back to your previous antics the moment she left.

You left the restaurant hated by most people who were in there, and you all found it funnier than it really was. You said goodbye to the adults and finished up your very chaotic vlog, making your way to another train station and taking the train back to Tubbo’s house. You got back quite late and all of you pretty much immediately crashed after such a busy yet fulfilling day. And it was the first of many.

[vidavalor]

Can we talk about how Bucky isn’t jealous of Sam, he’s jealous of *Steve*?

In another kind of romance (or even just friendship story, let’s be real), The Lover/Friend From Before would be highly likely to be jealous of The Current Lover/Friend. For sure, back in the ‘40s, Bucky was jealous of Peggy but by the time we get to the current era, while Bucky for sure still has complicated feelings for Steve, he’s not actually ever jealous of Sam. Whatever else he and Steve are, Bucky loves him unconditionally and just acts grateful to Sam that he was there to watch Steve’s back. That is *very* generous for a man who was undoubtedly in love with Steve for most of his life-- which, at that point, accounted for most of the time he was in control of his own mind. But it really kicks into gear in TFATWS. 

While Bucky’s projecting all over the shield, he’s telling himself it’s *just* representative of Steve and all the family that Bucky had left but it’s also really Bucky himself. Bucky had gone off the grid a bit and not answered Sam’s texts and then he saw Sam retire the shield and was so deep in his trauma that he personalized it-- it’s not just about Steve but about him. It’s about leaving the shield in the museum exhibit of Steve, a place where Bucky literally *is part of* the exhibit, and saying that’s the past and it hit Bucky at the worst possible time-- as he was trying to find a way to get over enough to make a life in the modern era. (I’m not criticizing Sam’s very valid reasons for not taking up the shield. I’m saying they were on their own journeys with it and not really communicating or being in a place to fully appreciate the other’s POVs and that largely is on Bucky, as he was the one whose PTSD was keeping him from answering Sam’s texts.) 

But Bucky goes on this journey where we learn that not only is he jealous of anything presently in Sam’s world that gets his attention-- Redwing, Torres-- but he’s also jealous of the gone Steve, maybe every bit as much as Sam is when it comes to Bucky. The Marvin Gaye scene is Bucky literally so petty over it, in a total snit of jealousy, and Sam failing to see what he means because it’s actually *Sam* who let Zemo get in his head. 

Bucky never actually says he didn’t like Marvin Gaye. He probably actually loved it, not even just “liked it”, like he said he did, but he knows that it was in Steve’s notebook and he when he hears that it was Sam who suggested it, it triggers nothing but pure jealousy in Bucky-- not of Sam having a private thing with Steve but of *Steve* getting to have close, intimate music-and-life discussions and the attention and affection of *Sam*, with whom Bucky has completely fallen in love. He wants Sam to see him as more than Steve’s friend (ironically, what Sam also wants Bucky to do-- to see Sam as more than just Steve’s friend) and is frustrated by the comparison. Bucky’s like oh, great, decades later and him not even here anymore and I’m *still* invisible to everyone compared to Steve... 

So, he says he liked Marvin Gaye but he’s doing it in a way to just kind of keep from screaming: “I’M NOT AWESOME LIKE STEVE, I KNOW!” at Sam. Bucky didn’t mean it as a condemnation of Sam himself, not realizing how much Sam identifies so personally with Marvin Gaye’s music and when Zemo stirs it up to amuse himself by amping up the political side of the conversation by making it seem like Bucky couldn’t understand Sam if he wasn’t an instantaneous Marvin Gaye devotee, Bucky was just like... I f*cking hate you both right now. 

“I like ‘40s music, so...” is both petty and a burn that neither Sam nor Zemo really see, further alienating Bucky a bit. On one level, he’s saying “okay, well, I guess you think I can’t understand you and you won’t understand me, either, as you just think I’m this dusty relic from another era-- the pathetic old guy in love with Steve. You’re never going to see beyond that so f*ck you.” On another level, it’s a nod to the fact that the music of the late ‘30s and early ‘40s that he’s referencing-- big band and swing-- is literally considered the forefather to everything that came after it in American music. The first blend of predominantly Black jazz and predominantly white orchestral music to form what would be considered an uniquely American sound that provided the foundation for an evolution into rock ‘n roll-- and r&b/soul music. The music of Marvin Gaye and its popularity exists as a result *of* the kind of music Bucky grew up, all of which was equally progressive and revolutionary for its time (and as popular) as Marvin Gaye was in his. The comment is a pushback against Sam’s characterization of him as old and clueless but is also just equal parts frustration with how Sam can’t seem to love him the way that he loved Steve. 

He’s like ugh, I’m going to have to jump out of more planes, aren’t I? 

It makes the sheer over-the-top-ness of his wooing in Delacroix even funnier. He’s like how many heavy things do I have to lift? How much of this boat do I need to fix? How many times can I stand in front of you and stretch in a tight t-shirt until you get it, Sam? 

Sam:

[funkwhistle]

Bruises

Pairing: Dutch Van Der Linde x fem!Reader

Warnings: Fluff, a little bit of dubious content later

Prompt: 3.3k - Reader and Dutch being a secret thing in camp and at Clemens Point reader removes more clothes/changes and reveals these almighty hickeys and finger shaped bruises covering their body. - from @dragonwolf121​ - 

(Image is mine - don’t reupload without credit)

The hot summer rain had let up for a few minutes this morning, but it was back with vengeance by noon, drumming heavily on the tents and turning the usually dry grass in camp into muddy swathes. Cain loved these, of course, rolling in them and shaking mud on everything whenever he could. Miss Grimshaw had let you off any jobs which required you to leave the little shelter provided by the girls' wagon. Occasionally, someone left camp for some reason, and returned a few hours later looking dishevelled and like a drowned rat; even though the rain was warm, the air was cooling rapidly.

You were sitting cutting vegetables for the stew next to Tilly, watching as the rain created ripples on the lake. On the other side of camp, Arthur and Dutch were huddled, whispering, in the opening to the latter's tent, although it mostly involved pointing at the rain and scowling. As you were watching them, Dutch caught your eye and you could see the faintest hint of a smile crossing his face as he looked at you, turning back to the conversation before Arthur caught what he was looking at.

Just his look alone made you forget what you'd been doing, your heart dancing happily in your chest at the fact he was happy to see you. Chancing another glance, you could tell he wasn't as absorbed in the conversation as before, his eyes kept flitting to yours over Arthur's shoulder and he kept shifting awkwardly. You hoped he was thinking of what you were; how the pair of you had spent the majority of the last night.

You sighed as he moved, placing languid, open-mouthed kisses on your jawline. His hands held the top of your thighs, digging bruises into your skin as you straddled his lap on the bed, head tilted to the side to give him better access to your neck. The pair of you had been at this for a while, enjoying the comfort of the other's arms, and the soft kisses you placed on each other. Dutch, however, clearly had other ideas as he rolled his hips into yours, making you let out another breathy sigh, aware that all that was separating you from the rest of camp was four thin canvas walls.

“I've missed this,” he hummed, attacking your neck again with kisses which made your eyes flutter closed. He'd been away on a job with the Sheriff for a few days, and tonight was the first night the pair of you could reunite without suspicion. You couldn't remember how you'd lived at camp before seeing him, these illicit nighttime visits brought a thrill to your comparatively mundane life.

Much to your disappointment, however, he pulled away from you, allowing the both of you to catch a breath and look at the other's face; the pupils in his dark eyes were blown wide, and his usually well-pomaded hair was ruffled as a result of your roaming hands. You loved to see him like this, the usually powerful gang leader covered in smudged lipstick and eyes full of lust for you. Just thinking this made you smile, and you kissed him again, making him groan a little as you rolled your hips.

“Hello? Are you in there?” Tilly was waving her hand in front of your face, shaking you back into the present and making you realise you'd been staring into the distance, vegetables long forgotten in front of you. “What were you thinking about?” she asked, moving to sit beside you again, she was sewing Karen's dress which had a fresh tear in.

“Obviously it was something saucy, she's gone all red!” Mary-Beth laughed, throwing a cloth at you. You knew she loved the romance books, her nose always buried in one, driving Miss Grimshaw mad and making the rest of camp laugh. Shaking your head dismissively at Mary-Beth, you laughed their comments off, repressing the memory in favour of chopping tonight's stew vegetables.

The remainder of the afternoon passed without interest, the rain stopped as the evening drew in, allowing you to leave the wagon and walk around camp to stretch your legs. You'd walked to the edge of camp, sitting on a damp branch to look out over the lake when you heard footsteps behind you. Knowing you were outside camp now, you hand found the knife in your boot, wrapping your fingers around the familiar handle as the footsteps neared. Heart pounding, you spun around to point the knife at the oncoming stranger.

“Well, that's one way to greet me,” Dutch chuckled lightly, grabbing your hand and redirecting the knife away from his face as he walked to sit beside you on the log. You tucked the blade back into your boot, shuffling so he could sit comfortably, slightly embarrassed at your reaction to him approaching.

“You know someone could see us,” you objected, although you wished nothing more than for the pair of you to sit together for a little longer.

“Nobody dares to follow me out of camp aside from Hosea, and he's drinking again,” Dutch smiled a little as he said this, placing his hand on your knee, making your heart leap to your throat. Glancing behind you, you leaned so your head was on his shoulder, you felt him pressing a kiss onto the top of your head as you sighed in bliss, this was where you were happy.

You sat there for a while, enjoying listening to his breathing, and how his hands moved over your knee; both of you looking out over Flat Iron Lake, seeing birds on the island fight over some food, and, occasionally, a silver glimpse of a fish in the water. It was relaxing, and it took your mind off the worries of camp, or of the next job the man beside you was plotting.

This tranquillity didn't last long, however, and Dutch's hand kept riding higher and higher up your thigh, making your mind race into all manner of possible situations. Before you could say anything to him, he'd turned to look expectantly at you, indicating his lap. Happily, you straddled his lap, all previous inhibitions disregarded in anticipation to feel his lips on yours again. Even though he'd kissed you last night, you felt as though he was a drug you couldn't yet quit. And you didn't have to wait long, as he crashed his lips onto yours without hesitation.

Compared to the romantic, gentle kisses you'd exchanged last night, these were harsh and full of need from both of you - you'd been hiding this relationship since Blackwater. Quickly, the kisses moved from your lips to your jaw, to your neck. Then the kisses turned into gentle bites and licks, sure to leave their mark on tomorrow's skin. His hands found your thighs again, like last night, ensuring you couldn't move away from him as he continued his loving attack on your neck.

“We can't do this here,” you said, realising where this was headed and twisting away so you could look at him. “Someone could come and see us,” He nodded, placing a quick kiss upon your lips; while neither of you were happy with this decision, you moved from his lap, his hands still touching any part of you he could as you sat back down next to him.

“Come see me again tonight,” he said quietly, taking in his handiwork over your neck.

“I'll be late, I think Karen suspects something, she asked where I was last night,”

“I don't mind,” Dutch murmured, pressing a final kiss onto your cheek before he stood up, offering you a hand up as well. “I'll see you later my dear,” You smiled a little at his last statement, watching him disappear back through the trees to camp while you stood, thinking about him.

You pulled your coat up in order to hide the bruises forming on your neck, deciding to change as soon as you reached camp into something high-necked, praying nobody would speak to you as you did.

Fortunately, your prayers were answered, most of the camp was gathered around the campfire, making it easy for you to go to the wagon and change. Although as you snuck through camp, you could swear you had the attention of a Mr Van Der Linde who was very much enjoying your reaction. You could feel his smirk from across camp as you reemerged from changing, knowing he'd make a sarcastic remark about it tonight, before adding to the collection on your neck.

The night progressed, and you sat with the other girls, laughing over Sean's drunken singing and Uncle threatening to flash him if he doesn't shut up. You'd managed to drink a few beers, and everything was tinted with the blissfulness of feeling tipsy, somehow the awful jokes Bill told were funnier, and Lenny's dancing seemed almost professional. It wasn't until Miss Grimshaw came and told you all off for being up late did you go to bed, giggling over something trivial with Mary-Beth.

You removed the extra layers you'd been wearing, the darkness covering the bruises on your neck as you all settled onto the roll mats; praying the rain did not return overnight, the damp ground could be felt through your mat, but you were consoled by the fact you'd be nestled in Dutch's bed soon enough.

Fortunately, alcohol let the others get to sleep fast, Karen was soon snoring loudly, and you wiggled into a sitting position, so you could pull your coat around you and sneak to his tent. Javier and Micah were still sitting by the fire, so you made an effort to remain in the shadows, knowing if they realised where you were going you'd be subjected to endless teasing.

“Psst-” you hissed, fiddling fruitlessly with the catch on Dutch's tent, until you felt his fingers over yours, undoing it with ease and letting you into the warmth. The small wood burner was blazing, and some of his wet clothes were hung up to dry in front of it. You were endlessly jealous of this, your dresses had to dry at the whim of nature, praying it would remain sunny enough for them to dry before another rainfall. Dutch noticed you shiver a little at the temperature change, indicating for you to sit by the fire until you were warmer.

“Are you alright my dear?” he settled down beside you, wrapping you in his warm arms, sitting behind you on the pallet floor.

“I'm alright, just tired of the rain,”

He opened the book carefully in front of you, looking over your shoulder to read, his large hands engulfing the small book, rings shining in the light from the fire as he started to read.

“Me too,” Dutch replied, and after a little deliberation, he shifted from you, picking up something you couldn't see before moving back to wrap his arms around your waist.

“Can I read to you?” you nodded, noticing the book he had clasped in his hands, a well-worn copy you'd seen him read regularly, always seeming to be completely absorbed in it. You could feel him smile, knowing he loved nothing more than to speak about what he was reading with anyone who stood still long enough.

“The human race has travelled a long way, since those remote ages when men fashioned their rude implements…” you were only half listening to him, watching how the flames licked up the logs on the fire and revelled in the comfort of his arms. If you could sit here, blissfully warm in the arms of this man you could die in peace.

“…of flint and lived on the precarious spoils of hunting, leaving to their children for their only heritage…” Leaning your head, you rested it on his chest, letting it rise and fall in time with his breathing.

“…a shelter beneath the rocks, some poor utensils—and Nature, vast, unknown, and terrific, with whom they had to fight for their wretched existence.” Dutch paused for a moment, glancing down at you now, curled up with your head on his chest. As much as you were enjoying listening to him read, you were exhausted, wanting nothing more than to curl up and fall asleep here.

“Come on my dear,” Carefully, Dutch moved from behind you, scooping you up and transferring you from the warm spot on the fire to the comparatively soft bed. His hands carefully pulled you dress you'd neglected to remove earlier, his movements soft, as though you could be broken if he pulled too hard. You laughed a little as he fumbled with one of the clasps on your boot, and you leant down to undo it with ease, making him huff a little.

Once you were rid of your outerwear, you lay down, pulling some of the furs over you as you watched Dutch remove the many layers of shirts and expensive vests in exchange for a red union shirt. While he was undressing, he would carefully hang his clothes on a singular hanger, ensuring they would not get a crease in. Anything he could not hang, such as his treasured pocket watch and pipe, would sit on one of the crates beside the bed.

Dutch crawled under the covers with you, pulling you close so he could nestle his face in the crook of your neck, your back pressed to his chest. His breaths ghosted over the kisses he'd placed earlier, you could feel his eyelashes fluttering on your neck, sending shivers down your back. You shuffled to get comfortable, finding your eyes were beginning to drift shut. Quietly, behind you, Dutch's breathing was deeper, occasionally letting out a quiet snore as you drifted to sleep.

Morning light pierced its way into the tent, and you found yourself being shaken awake by Dutch. Not wanting to get up, you buried your face further into the bed, knowing you had to leave soon or you'd be caught out. Camp was stirring, Pearson could be heard tending to the fire and clanking bowls together for some breakfast; soon enough the other girls would be up, and then you'd have no reason for your absence.

“Come on dear,” Dutch was handing you clothes which you pulled on haphazardly, not caring if you looked presentable in them. He did your boots up as you pulled on your thick coat, you could say you'd been on a walk. As he stood up, he placed a kiss on your lips, pulling you to him before holding the opening to the tent, allowing you to leave. Quickly, you snuck out the tent, hurrying to the wagon, praying the others had not woken up yet and you could sneak into bed unnoticed - usually you wouldn't have stayed so long with Dutch, leaving in the early hours of the morning instead of at breakfast time.

Your prayers were not answered however, Karen was sat, propped against the wheel of the wagon, plaiting some grass. The other girls were still fast asleep, but you knew you'd have to lie to her. As you approached, she looked up, cocking an eyebrow at your dishevelled appearance and overnight disappearance.

“I went for a walk?” you whispered, careful not to wake anyone as you neared Karen, but she shook her head, before indicating you to follow her to the water's edge. You didn't have much choice in the matter, so you followed, thanking god that the ground was dry enough to walk on now.

“Where were you, if someone found out- they think there's a rat already-” Karen hissed, as you both looked out over the lake, glad for your warm coat as the cool morning breeze swept off the lake.

“Do you want my coat?” you offered, pulling it off your shoulders and handing it to her, which she accepted, pulling it around her. You stood there in silence for a little while, you could tell Karen was thinking, trying to put the pieces together. Before either of you could speak, you heard Micah yelling behind you,

“I just went for a walk, as I said,”

“I heard you leave last night, that's one long walk,” you threw her a glare at this, she'd caught you out, you didn't have an excuse for this. Karen looked pleased with herself, although she was shivering with cold - she was still wearing just a thin slip dress.

“Come on! Breakfast ain't gonna make itself is it ladies?” you could hear his footsteps approaching, ready to say something about Karen or you again. Both of you turned at the same time, watching as he sauntered down towards you; however, his approach was halted when he caught a glimpse of you. Not knowing what he was looking at, you checked your hair and dress, sure you didn't look amazing, but you weren't flashing anyone.

“Well, what have we here?” Micah ignored his favourite target, Karen, in favour of approaching you, almost standing on your toes he was so close. You could smell the stench of last night's alcohol on his breath, and his moustache had the remnants of last night's stew on it still, something you'd never wished to discover. His fingers ghosted over your neck before you realized what had caught his interest; the dress you were wearing was low cut, exposing the purpling bruises over your neck from yesterday.

“Who gave you these sweetheart?” he asked, his voice dripping in false sweetness, his hands roaming from the edge of your neck to the top of your dress. “Didn't realise you were quite this much of a whore?” you whispered this last word, his spit hitting the side of your face. Your heart was pounding, wanting nothing more than to smack the smirk off his face, but knowing if you did so he was stronger than you were.

Over his shoulder, Karen was averting her eyes, glad not to be the target of his merciless comments. By now, Micah was hissing about how much you charged in your ear, and you took a step back from him, feeling the water flood into your boots in an attempt to get away from him.

“Mister Bell,” a very familiar voice called loudly across camp, shocking the both of you and making him step back from you rapidly. Dutch was standing at the opening of his tent, his face dark with thunder at Micah, anger etched in every line. This was the first time you'd seen Micah listen to something someone said, as he backed away from you, not without a parting comment,

“Well, I guess we know who the lucky guy is then?” You swore under your breath at him, pulling at your dress as he walked away, towards Dutch's tent. Breathing deeply, your heart rate slowed, now that Micah was far from you and you could move from the water, feeling your boots squelch with each step they made. After Dutch's yelling, the whole camp was up, most of them unequivocally staring at you on the shoreline. You could feel your face heating up, knowing they could all see the bruises as well.

Karen offered your coat back to you, and you pulled it on, hiding your neck from inquisitive eyes as you both returned to the main camp. As you passed people, there were hushed whispers, rumours about where the bruises came from. Your face was hot, so you hid behind the wagon, changing into a high necked dress and attempting to silence the tears of shame that ran down your face.

A/N: This is the longest single chapter I’ve written (it’s not much at 3.3k, but I like shorter ones?), and this took a while. Also sorry about the Micah slander at the end, I’m writing a Micah fluff in some sort of redemption for that XD.

(ik I did not tag this as fem!reader at the start - it's been changed!)

[leahseclipse]

More fear than harm

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Luke Alvez x fem!reader

Summary: Panic sets in when Luke and Spencer are told about a potential terrorist attack coming on a case, while their partner happens to be home with their child. 

Warnings: Mentions of case, usual cm stuff, all of them are worried asf messes

Category: Fluff/ a bit of angst

Word count: 4.4 k

A/N: hEllo!!!! I’m here for another fic :) It was @imagining-in-the-margins​ who gave me the original prompt, so I took it in!!! It’s my first Ralvez fic, so I’m really excited! Another one might come around soon!!! I hope everyone enjoys :)

          The peace and calm that they had finally managed to find in what seemed like an eternity quickly disappeared as soon as they took conscience of it, with a pleasant surprise known as: a case.

It kind of...ruined the mood of everyone, but after Luke and Spencer saw their partner’s reaction as they woke up at 5am after hearing the phone, they quickly decided to set aside their anger as y/n already had enough of it. 

Even if she was indeed quite mad, she tried to calm down, quickly helping them check their stuff within the few minutes they had, and before she could even say something, the door closed, and she just...stood there.

She’s been used to being alone with her daughter more than she can ever count with her hands, but when she finally thought that they’d be home for more than a few days, she couldn’t admit that she wasn’t upset about it.

She could handle it fine in general, but some moments, when it’d become too much, she couldn’t call them, have a proper conversation, because they’d either have no time, or just a few minutes, which wasn’t clearly enough.

Y/N was well aware of that when the relationship become more serious, she knew that it meant that she would be alone most of the time, even if they’d eventually call or send a text to try to ‘be with her’, she knew that she couldn’t do anything no matter how angry it made her, all she could do was hoping they’d both return as fast as possible and in one piece.

She had enough stress to deal with when they were away, so deal with the stress of knowing they’d gotten hurt, and not knowing right away if it was bad or not, she didn’t even want to.

They had given her enough heart attacks, whether they were hurt or not; various stories about it can be remembered. 

For example, when they didn’t happen to be hurt, both of their phones were out of battery, and she was there, calling again and again, she even went to JJ and whatever colleague that was with them, and they also told her that they went somewhere and didn’t answer.

Even if she really wanted to, she chose not to lash her anger on her, and...tried not to have a literal panic attack. 

Because after knowing them and their jobs along the way, she knew that the ‘not responding to the phone’ situation wasn’t always caused by a battery problem, a busy problem, but possibly them being in a dangerous situation.

She didn’t hear from them at all for half an hour (which, by the way, seemed like an entire hour), and they just called in like ‘Oh, hi, it all went well, we’re coming back soon’.

Oh, how she wanted to yell at them (which...she did) at this moment.

They were just there, calm as ever, as she was close to take the plates from the cabinet and smash them on the floor, so they clearly felt the anger all the way, it lasted a while before she could not yell.

Eventually, they still joke about it, but at least, it acts as a reminder to not let the mistake happen again.

After a brief moment of thinking, she just decided to return to the living room, not really in the mood to sleep anymore, it’s always stressful to see them go on cases. 

Especially when she has no idea what it’s even about, they just left in a hurry, and didn’t even have the time to talk a bit to reassure her, she just hopes that she’ll get to have a bit to call them.

She’s probably imagining stuff that won’t happen, and everything is going to be fine, she just can’t stop but worry after what happened with the previous cases.

*

*

Both of them were afraid that the car might crash on the way, they were told that it was local, but might have to go to another state, it kind of was...blurry.

They arrived around ten minutes later, thankfully. It would have been more like twenty with morning traffic and all of the joys of 9am rides. 

The main reason explaining why they were frightened about having a literal accident with the crash was y/n, they really didn’t like to be away knowing she was on her own.

Sure, she could protect herself, but, with all of the stuff that happened to their colleagues, their families, they couldn’t know in advance, hence, they wouldn’t even know at all if something would happen hundreds of miles away.

That’s what would get them stressed in most cases. That one was close to where they lived, but, at the same time, they couldn’t go there every minute because of the work, and also in case they happen to go to another state, all there is to do are phone calls, and hope she’ll be okay on her own.

Frequent work visits weren’t up either, they preferred her not to attend if a case was on, because of, again, all that happened, and security reasons.

As much as they wanted to just stay a bit more, other people needed their help and they happened to be the ones called to assist.

After rushing through the glass doors and walking in the direction of the conference room, only two members were missing, probably stuck in the traffic or called in in surprise like for them.

It didn’t take much for everyone to gather, in just a few minutes they had begun the briefing, which was quite short considering that not much evidence was there. But even if they happened to be limited, they were enough for them to have something to work on.

Once they had discussed a bit, a few orders were given as the one given a place to go exited the room, leaving the others in the bureau to work on what had been ordered to them as well.

Mainly everyone was less stressed, as they didn’t have to travel or anything, they could go straight to work and directly work which was a tad better than having to rush along with all of the directives that had to be done when boarding and all, which would cost a bit of time comparing to when the case was closer and only needed them to drive from a location to another.

But, the plane wasn’t ruled out yet, they couldn’t really know if they didn’t need to go somewhere else throughout the case, so, they just had to ‘enjoy’ their home-work moment. 

Not really ‘enjoy’, as...people had been killed, maybe on the work side for them, so, the ‘enjoy’ thing had to be kept to themselves and certainly couldn’t be said and heard by Hotch.

No one really wanted to upset him, he seemed upset enough when he stepped in the room, so...an inappropriate comment wasn’t up now, or even till the case was done.

*

*

Spencer and Luke have been the ones that had to exit the office to attend one of the scenes in order to meet the officers first present on the location, only a few minutes were necessary to be there, traffic wasn’t present in the roads they used for the ride thankfully.

This was always reassuring when they couldn’t allow themselves to take their sweet time, and in this case, even if they were only driving to the scene with only a few officers and evidence laying around, this wasn’t a reason to be slower than for another situation that requested immediate assistance before turning to dire.

More talking than observing stuff was done not long after they had arrived, presented themselves to the officers and made their way to the different evidences discovered.

Not a lot was to be seen, but each of the evidence was constructive enough to be discussed for long as they moved on a bit around the others, and possible history about the case and their possible witnesses, suspects, and everything that Spencer could spit out.

Facts included.

No matter how many times he’d do that, no one would expect it and would either, understand half of it, and kind of hesitate to ask for further explanation as they didn’t want to interrupt him, or just sit there as he’d deliver an essay.

This was funnier from everyone else’s point of view, at least the ones used to it, they liked reading the look on their faces. 

Even if it mostly happened in cases and no moment was to be found for fun, it still was something that’d quickly happen to brighten their mind before turning back to the ugly and dark stuff.

It isn’t always strict, they still happen to talk about ironic-ish stuff without making it sound offensive, but some situations are dark enough and certainly don’t need a fun comment to lighten the mood or something.

That’s why it’s better to think of the words about to be said, no one wants really to waste time for a stupid choice of words.

No one even noticed the time going by, they just talked about all that could be said from A to Z, and stood a bit outside as they briefly continued before Luke and Spencer headed back to the alley leading to the entry portal.

“Oh, I...didn’t even hear my phone, wait. Shit, I forgot to turn the silent mode off. Hotch’s going to kill me.” Spencer said, sighing as he walked further to take in the call. “Yeah. Oh, JJ?...I know, it was stupid and...what do you mean?” He asked, as the pitch of his voice was nothing but slightly alarming.

“What’s going on? Put it on speaker.” Luke asked, getting closer to the phone as Spencer displayed it in front of them.

“We just found out that there might be a potential...terrorist attack coming. We have no idea when it’s coming, and how important it is. We just know that it’s gonna happen at like...any moment.” JJ explained.

“Okay, normally, no offense- I would have thought it was a joke, but...it doesn’t really sound like one...anymore.” Luke admitted.

After a slight moment of confusion and panic, the phone call came to an end, as they just looked at each moment, not quite sure how to react, what to say, hence, even do.

“Um...in that situation, does y/n and the baby count as possible problems to count in? Because, even if they’re not involved in the case at all, they might be involved in the matter we just discussed over the phone. And I don’t think that I could...remain calm knowing they’re at risk...you know.” Spencer explained.

“Yeah, they might be.” Luke agreed. 

“Why does it have to be so...complicated? I really want to call her right now, but we can’t risk it. We could put them in danger before it even comes, that could worsen it.”

“We can’t let them, y/n doesn’t even know and won’t know until they discuss it and possibly do an announcement minutes after it could have begun. I don’t give a fuck if I get fired, I have to go. I can’t keep going with the case until they’re not somewhere safe.” Luke argued.

“Gosh, I...okay. You go, and make sure they’re okay, you do not let them by themselves until they’re somewhere really safe, even if y/n tries to play it stubbornly. Promise me that, you have to keep them safe, no matter what happens. I’ll find whatever Hotch can believe.”

“I promise, I can guarantee it to you.” Luke said, entering the car by the driver’s seat, not even wasting time to check around, he just turned the car on and began driving as fast as the car allowed him to.

They had to be okay.

*

*

Luke didn’t even care about counting the minutes,or whatever distance was between the scene to their place, because the potential twenty minutes ride had just turned to a thirteen-ish one, he doesn’t even think that he ever drove that faster than today.

Either him or the car would have ended with scratches if he didn’t take the time to think about being careful, it kind of was better to at least arrive in one piece to not stress her more than she would as no one could tell what was on.

Hell, they weren’t even supposed to be there until they could be told to in the first place.

They might end up with some problems, such as, a big talk, or in the worst case, a suspension, but, to be honest, none of them really had a fuck to give about it, not until they knew her and their child was okay.

Still trying to be careful, he parked the car in whatever space was free and seemed correct, and pushed the door of the building, going for the stairs as the elevator would be way too slow for his liking.

All of a sudden, the choice of settling at the 2nd floor wasn’t such a bad idea, in just a minute he stood in front of it, fidgeting with his keychain to find whatever key fit to the door.

That’s when he regretted putting so much stuff on it, he eventually found it, but as quick as he wanted to, nothing was going fast enough.

A rush of panic set itself in the whole place when he didn’t see them around, but both of them surprised the others when they faced each other.

“Gosh, you scared the hell out of me. What are you doing here? You barely left...five hours ago. Did the case miraculously end or what? Where’s Spencer?” Y/N catches her breath, holding her grip on the little girl.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t tell you, we have to go like...right now. Spencer will come later”

“What the hell is going on? You’re freaking me out. Is someone trying to kill me or what?”

“I still can’t tell you.” 

“Once all of this is done, you both owe me an explanation. It better be a good enough one.”

“I don’t have one yet, but I can guarantee you that I’m not pulling a prank on you, it’s serious enough that I had to rush here.”

“It better be. My heart is about to get the hell out of my chest.”

“Try to not have a heart attack, I promised Spencer to keep you safe, and even if he didn’t tell it...alive as well.”

“Easy to say, I have no idea what’s going on, and how dangerous it might be, as no one is capable of telling me how big I need to worry in order to possibly try to calm down if it’s not too bad.”

“It’s bad enough that none of us could wait until the end of the case, that’s all you need to know.”

“Okay, so I do need to worry, a lot. Right?”

“...you might, but not too much, don’t want you to have an attack, please.” 

“I’ll try.” Y/N admitted, as the same scenario that happened this morning repeated itself; they both hurried to get what was needed in a big enough bag, and after everything else was checked, he made his way back to the car with them.

After exchanging brief words, Luke started the car again, speeding up to the location, while trying not to cause an accident. He really had to be more careful this time, as he wasn’t alone at all.

The two most important persons to his eyes were with him, and not one single scratch was to be on them.

Not even a two millimeters one, nothing.

Even if Spencer wouldn’t have made him promise to keep them safe (which would have happened to matter what anyway), he didn’t need to, he was ready to protect them, even if from a bee flying in the room.

This example might be ridiculous, but he doesn’t need someone to tell him, he still does it when there’s absolutely no danger, even if there might be one in this case.

He just hopes Spencer’s safe as well.

*

*

What he didn’t give a single fuck about this morning had been bugging him off more than anyhting during the ride that seemed like an endless one rather than a quick ten minutes one. 

Traffic decided to mess up with him, and it wasn’t like he could just go and tell to the car blocking his way ‘Hurry up, a potential terrorist attack is coming’, because he wasn’t even supposed to be out in the street, he should be with his team and whatever people they called back in also whatever place they were at.

Normally, he should not be here, in a car with his partner and kid.

But he couldn’t leave them by themselves, waiting for a stupid announcement that would probably come too late along with it getting complicated for Luke and Spencer to reach out to both of them.

He didn’t care at all about getting fired. 

If y/n, his kid, and Spencer were safe, he didn’t care about the damn consequences, whatever Hotch had to say.

None of them could stand there while knowing they weren’t safe and sound.

They’d both have to come up with something to make up all of the panic that they caused, but the only thing she needs to know is that this action was necessary for their security.

...which wasn’t something she really wanted to hear, she was...really panicked.

Her face didn’t actually show it, as she didn’t want to worry her daughter and have to comfort two people, but when she doesn’t know what’s going on, it’s impossible for her to stay calm.

She doesn’t care about the whole, ‘don’t panic, take deep breaths, it’ll relax you.’, because the only thing you’ll get back after saying would be anything but a ‘Oh, thanks, I feel way better.”

They already did that with her, and...it didn’t go as well as they both planned.

It only got her more upset.

“Don’t you dare say the whole ‘deep breaths’ shit, I am not doing that. You know it better than me.” Y/N spat.

“...I’m aware of it, don’t worry.” 

“Can you at least inform me about Spencer? Since you can’t even tell me why you jumped in the apartment and why you brought me here, at least knowing if he’s okay would be...nice?”

“I can’t tell you either, because I don’t even know, I haven’t heard from him since I drove from the scene to our place.” Luke admitted.

“This is...great.” Y/N softly rocked the child in her arms, stroking her hair as she made a few noises. “It’s okay, shh.” 

“I can take her if you want.”

“It’s okay, thanks.” She gently answered, slightly raising her brow as the sound of a notification made itself heard easily. 

Luke quickly took the phone out of his pocket, turning it back on as he walked a bit further, still keeping his face visible to hers.

That was a mistake to do that.

His eyes revealed that the message was nothing but reassuring.

“This doesn’t sound good, tell me what’s going on. Luke.”

“Nothing, it was just….uh, a stupid twitter notification.”

“Who the hell reacts to a fucking twitter post that way? Tell me what’s going on, or I swear to god that I’m coming to take that phone from your hands right now.”

“Y/N, just let me explain-” He said, trying to get her to calm down, but she quickly set down her child on the couch, taking the phone from him before sitting on the couch, setting her on her lap.

[Prentiss]

“Alvez, where the hell are you??” read - 10:02

“There’s been an explosion somewhere.” read - 10:03

“Call me ASAP” read - 10:03

Y/N stared at the phone for a minute, staring back at Luke.

“Um, care to explain? I hope it’s not a joke.”

“...it’s not.”

“Where the hell is Spencer? He should have gone here with you.”

“I know, it’s just...complicated. I wasn’t even supposed to be here myself. Just try to calm down, he’ll call.”

“There’s no way I’m staying calm until I’m not seeing a genius standing right in front of me.”

“I happen to be in the same boat, I have no idea when he’s going to be able to come.”

“You better find out, because I’m not going to be able to hold that attack long.”

“Me neither.” 

He couldn’t even find the courage and right time to say that he had to promise Spencer to take care of them if he didn't make it home.

How could he even think of that? 

Spencer not coming back? It couldn’t happen.

He had to walk right through that door, safe and sound.

How could he ever think of having to announce to her that she wouldn’t see him again?

He couldn’t.

He had to be fine.

Spencer had to…

The loud ringing interrupted his panicked thoughts, sending a sudden rush of fear as he took the phone back.

Was it going to be Emily calling to say Spencer was hurt? 

Was it going to be Spencer calling to say everything is okay?

Please don’t let it be the first option, please let it be Spencer, it has to be him.

[INCOMING CALL - SPENCE]

If God even exists, he swore that he’d thank him a million times for that.

“Luke, I- I’m sorry I couldn’t call earlier, it was just...a mess. Is everyone alright? Please don’t tell me someone got hurt on the way.” 

“Is that Spencer?” She asked, receiving a quick nod from Luke before he had resumed the conversation.

Turns out none of them will be having a heart attack today.

*

*

After Spencer arrived, (as expected), y/n both had them sit down on the bed, while she was (nicely) yelling at them for...quite a while as long as they can recall.

“What the hell were you both thinking? Risking literal national security? What is that...madness?” 

“We’re sorry, really. We didn’t mean to...cause that much trouble.” Luke exclaimed.

“That much trouble? You could have gotten fired.”

“We know that, we just...loved you and just wanted you to be safe even if...we could have gotten fired.” Spencer said.

“I love you too, but if you ever do it again, I swear to god, your superior and the whole FBI, that I will kill you myself, okay?”

“Okay...we’re sorry, again.” Spencer apologized, as Luke kind of repeated what he had said.

“Stop being sorry! You guys have no fucking idea at how angry I am at you two.”

“I mean...it’s kind of romantic in a way, you were worried and now you’re-”

“Luke if you don’t shut your mouth right now-” 

“I shouldn’t have told that.”

“Yeah, no.” Y/N sighed, putting her hand on her forehead, firmly keeping the other around the baby. “I just...why did you decide to stay back there? Who the hell was...going to do the damn taxes Spencer? We don’t know anything about it!”

“...the taxes? Why are we-” Spencer looks at Luke, confused.

“Don’t look at me, I don’t know anything about that.”

“Why are you confused about the taxes? That’s why we married in the first place! You knew how to do the damn taxes!”

“I mean- It’s kind of easy...to me.” He admitted.

“Well it’s not to us!” She stage-whispers. “How could you think that it was smart to do that?”

“I didn’t think about the taxes first.”

“You should have!” She exclaimed, gently tapping on her baby’s back. “How the hell do you think we could have done them? I truly wonder if you really have a 187 IQ sometimes, because right now, it was more of a 60.”

“...60’s a bit low, maybe 90.” Spencer quietly said.

“No, trust me, it wasn’t close to that, I’m being…” Y/N stopped for a bit, holding back tears. “...nice with 60.” She continued, as she resumed her motions on her daughter.

“Okay; I did...not really think about it.” He agreed, suddenly getting interrupted by the baby, who had just let out a pretty...loud burp that kind of, gave the envy to laugh at the three of them; at the moment. 

“I’ll punch you right in the face if one of your laughs. I am...certainly not in the mood.” She warned.

“We won’t.” They both answered.

“Great. Now I have to change!” She yells, exhausted. “This is the worst day ever. I really like this top too.” She says, getting a bit tearful as the baby moves a bit, getting comfortable in her arms.

“Here, I’m gonna take her for a bit.” Spencer gently takes her from y/n’s arms, as she sniffles. “There should be one hoodie in my bag, can you get it Luke? I left it on the couch.”

“Sure.” Luke answers, as he briefly kisses his cheek, doing the same gesture to y/n, as he wipes her tears from her face before leaving the room.

“I’m sorry, I just...It’s been a tiring day. I just want to get home Spencer.” Y/N explains.

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, we’re going back.” He reassured

“Are we going back?” She asked.

“Sure, sure. We are. We’re gonna get you changed, and then we’ll head back.”

“But, what about your work?”

“It’s okay. I...briefly got a talk. But, we’ll see later. Let’s get back home first.” Spencer explained, as he left the room along with them.

After a few words, Luke had helped her get changed, quickly checked on the baby, and once they had gathered the stuff left there, they all headed back to the car that had stayed in front of the building, starting it a moment after.

“I’m sorry about what I said. I...I didn’t mean it.” Y/N apologized.

“It’s okay, we understand. You don’t have to-” Luke answered as she cut her off.

“I know, it’s just that...I was really angry because...I was kind of, trying to process the fact that I could have...easily lost you both today. And, I wouldn’t have known what to do if Hotch had called to announce me that.”

“It’s okay, we’re here now. We know we scared the hell out of you, took a lot of risks, but, we’re all fine.” Spencer interrupted.

“I know, I’m really glad. I love you guys.” 

“We love you too.” 

*

*

If you liked this piece, let me know here!

[atinydise]

Ateez reacting to people talking bad about their s/o

❦ Genre: Fluff.

❦ Pairing: OT8.

❦ Word count: 11k.

❦ Requested: Yes, thank you! 🦋

❦ Masterlist.

HONGJOONG

Hongjoong invited you to come at MAMA 2019. You were a good support for him, so you needed to be there. Even if being in a relationship was not a good thing for Hongjoong’s career, he didn’t care at all. So, right now he was preparing to go on stage and enjoy your presence just next to him. “Stop hugging me! You are going to remove your make up.” You giggled. “I don’t care! I’m taking all the energy I need.” “Hyung! Stop being so clingy, we need to go.” Informed San. “Okay okay...” he kissed your cheek. “See you in 15 minutes.” You waved at him and sat peacefully on the couch, in front of the TV. After the performance, he wanted to ask you how you found him, but you were nowhere to be found. He saw the make-up staff members in the corner of the room. He approached slowly, not daring to disturb them.

“Did you see how she was yelling at the TV screen? Pathetic...” claimed one of them. “Yes! She’s a fan girl. I can’t understand how and why Hongjoong dates her!” Your boyfriend stopped. Why were they talking about you? “They are not in the same page. For sure he’s dating her for pity.” Laughed the tallest one. “He will break up with her soon.” Hongjoong coughed, letting them know his presence. “O-Oh Hongjoong,” stuttered one of them. “We didn’t know you were here.” He smiled, hands in his pockets. “Yes, I know. Otherwise, you wouldn’t talk so bad about my girlfriend.” “We were not-“ started one of them. “Please, if you have a problem with us. Just say it.” He added seriously. “I don’t want any gossip.” “Joongie?” You called your boyfriend, ignoring the situation. “Ah Y/N! I was looking for you!” He said, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. He led you near the other members, but he stared one last time at the staff. They were obviously super mad, but they didn’t say anything.

SEONGHWA

Luckily Seonghwa had good and comprehensive fans. If he could, he would share all of his secret with them. The main one would be that he’s dating. He was the one who wanted to tell the world that you were his girlfriend, but you didn’t allow him to. It was too risky. Even if you tried your best to keep it secret someone spotted both of you exiting a restaurant. You kept a good distance, but fans started to suppose that you were dating. So today, for a special performance, Seonghwa bought drinks for the whole team. At the coffee shop, he was in the line just behind a group of girls. Invisibly they were Atinys. “Do you think they are really dating?” Asked one of them. “No. She’s too ugly for Seonghwa.” Replies her friend. The other one laughed, clapping crazily. “She might be so sad. Being rejected by Seonghwa...” “So pathetic.” Sighed the third girl. “She’s so basic... no one would date her.” Seonghwa was quietly boiling behind them. Because of you, he couldn’t say anything. Even if he died to. Instead, he glanced at these girls grabbing their ice americano. His instinct controlled him. Faking that it was an accident, he bumped into one of them, causing her drink to spill on her outfit. “Oh! Really sorry!” Apologized your boyfriend. He couldn’t judge if the expressions on their face were funnier or when they understood that Park Seonghwa was there and might heard their little conversations. “It’s okay.” Said a girl, pulling her friends out of the coffee shop. Seonghwa stayed there, smiling proudly. If you knew you would scold him, but it was a good cause.

YUNHO

“Yunho-ah! It’s been a long time since we hang out.” Said Yunho’s friend, patting his back. “Yes, I was busy these last moths.” He mentioned. “Yes, your idol life and... your girlfriend.” Claimed the girl in front of you. You didn’t like the tone she used but you just smiled. “It’s good to see you here!” He said happily. You know that your boyfriend sacrificed a lot of things for his career, especially his friendship. So, when he had time, he would meet them. Right after the meal, you went to the restroom and Yunho joined his friends outside. “Why she’s always so quiet? If she’s bored, she can stay at her home.” Said the girl who dissed you earlier. “Yunho needs someone else to take care of him. She’s so...” started the boy next to the other girl. “Normal. Pretty sure he’s bored with her but he’s too nice to break up with her.” Claimed another friend. “He needs a girl like me. I will perfect fit with his idol image.” Yunho finally stepped up, next to his ‘friends’. “So? What were you talking about?” He smiled, faking that he didn’t hear anything. “Huh... nothing special? Casual things you know.” “Ah really? He narrowed his eyebrows. “I didn’t know that casual things were to talk so badly about my girlfriend?” They all remained quiet, probably ashamed. He faced the girl, “Y/N isn’t with me for my ‘idol image’. She likes me and don’t see me as a stupid trophy.” “Yunho, we don’t think she’s good enough for you.” She added. “You are the ones not enough good for me!” He claimed. “Sorry for the wait.” You apologized, joining the group. “We need to go Y/N.” Said Yunho, holding your hands. “What? Well okay but let me say goodbye at least.” You asked. “No, they don’t deserve it.” He cut you straight.

YEOSANG

You were enjoying a nice afternoon at the park with your boyfriend.  The weather was too nice, everything was perfect. Your man gave you an earphone so you could listen to music and feel the food and not wind on your skin. Even if he tried to focus on the moment, he heard two girls whispering a bit far away from you. At first, he just ignored it, but he understood that they were talking about you. He glanced at you sometimes but maybe or luckily you didn’t hear them. Yeosang shook your shoulders softly. “Y/N... can you get us ice-creams?” You stretched lazily, “okay... you paid for the lunch so at least I can get this for us.” “Thank you, sweetie.” He smiled. At the second you disappeared, he listened back the two girls. “Look at her hair... or even her legs.” Yeosang sat down and turned around. “Hi girls.” He smiled. They both muttered something, freaking out quietly. “Yeosang is talking to us!” Giggled one of them. “Ah... then you are an Atiny?” They both nodded enthusiastically. “So... if you are an Atiny... can you stop being so mean toward my girlfriend? I heard everything you said since we came here.” He said seriously. “Atiny are cool and kind. So please or at least keep your opinions for yourself.” He finished. “Yeosang?” You called your boyfriend. “Have a nice day! And listen our songs!” He bowed politely before going back to you. “Who are they?” You asked, handing his ice cream. “Oh, you know... fans. Don’t worry about them.” He smiled, enjoying his little victory.

SAN

“San-ie, do you want something to eat?” You gently asked entering his room. “Y/N- I’m playing right now. Can’t talk.” He claimed, smashing his keyboard. “Well okay... I think that I will choose by myself.” You rolled your eyes. “Again.” “Don’t be mad. It’s just an important game.” “Sure...” you growled, closing the door. After almost one hour, San joined you in the living-room. You were enjoying a good Korean mean in front of your new TV show. “Your meal is in the fridge.” You let him know, not even looking at him. “Thank you!” He kissed your forehead. “Oh shit! I forget to tell the boys that I would be AFK* for dinner!” “AFK? The boys? Still your online friends?” You asked. San nodded, running back to his bedroom. He messily set his earphone on his ears. Unexpectedly, someone else joined the channel. “Is San playing with you?” Asked the unknown player. “I think he’s absent right now.” Replied someone else. “Good. He’s a nice and strategic player but his girlfriend is so annoying...” he claimed. “In our last party, she was non-stop bothering him about snacks or drinks. We ended #2 because of her.” San saw red. Who was this man to talk badly about you like that? Your boyfriend activated his mic back. “If you were not playing so bad, we would win for sure.” He riposted. “Ah San... you are back.” “No, I wanted to say that I would be AFK for dinner. But this asshole got my attention.” He cursed. *Si Hyeon has left the chat.* “If I saw his pseudo in PvP** he’s dead...coward.” Muttered the boy. “San! Your meal!” You yelled from the next room. “And me at least I have a caring girlfriend!” He said before logging off.

*AFK: Away From Keyboard.

**Pvp: Player Versus Player.

MINGI

Mingi invited you to his mom restaurant. Of course, you accepted. You were hungry, you liked the menu and you would be with your boyfriend. Who would refuse that? When you entered the restaurant Mingi’s mom instantly hugged you. Your man spotted a bunch of old ladies in the back looking down at you. Luckily, you hadn’t seen it. “You should have told me that you were coming!” Said his mom. “Why? We just want to eat, not booking the whole restaurant.” “It’s okay Mrs.Song.” You asked gently. “Then follow me. I will bring you the special day meal okay?” You nodded politely and sat at the table, next to the ladies. Mingi glanced at them. Their behavior was really inappropriate. He hoped that you wouldn’t hear what they were saying. “Your mom is so nice baby.” You giggled. He simply hummed, trying to figure out if the next table was dissing you. And yes, they were. “I’m going to the restroom. Can you keep an eye on my bag?” “Sure.” He replied. When you left, he rushed at the elders’ table. “Excuse me ladies.” He started politely. “I heard you talking about my girlfriend. It made me really sad. I don’t want her to hear those terrible comments.” One of them, probably the youngest one, spoke up: “we know your mom since she opened the restaurant. We know that this girl is not enough good for you.” “Excuse me. I think you should leave.” Stepped in Mingi’s mom. “No one can say to my son who’s good enough for him.” All the seniors were outraged by the situation, but they decided to leave. Even to pay for their unfinished meals. When you came back, you saw both of them, arms crossed on their chest. “What is going on?” Mingi smiled and immediately relaxed when he saw you. “Nothing much. Just a Song’s thing.”

WOOYOUNG

You were sitting comfortably on the couch, backstage. ATEEZ had a big international interview today but seems like you were more stressed than them. “You are not stressed at all.” “No,” replied Wooyoung. “I think we are used to it now.” You smirked and added sarcastically, “excuse me, you are a pro now.” “Exactly, young lady!” He kissed you. “Ew… take a room.” Said Seonghwa disgusted. “Wooyoung, it’s your turn to take few pics.” Ordered the manager. “Sorry young lady. I have an important mission.” He smiled. “Don’t be too ugly,” you stuck your tongue out.” Wooyoung flicked your forehead and followed the manager. He gave the idol few tips with the photoshoot, but they were cut by a conversation next to them. He couldn’t see who the woman was, but she was clearly talking to the MC. “Really? I didn’t think they would date someone so early.” Wooyoung glanced at the manager who replied with a shrug. “I thought she was a staff member, not his girlfriend...” He stopped for a second but offered: “maybe I should ask Wooyoung few questions. He can’t lie to his fans.” Your boyfriend understood that he was taking about your relationship. The manager needed to hold him by the hand, or he would probably punch him. “It can be such a bad buzz for them but a good thing for us!” He laughed. “An idol dating and probably playing with the feelings of a naive girl.” “Y/N is not naive!” He shouted making the 2 protagonists turn around. “She’s smart and she doesn’t need to be involved in this.” “Wooyoung-Ah...” whispered the manager. “He doesn’t have the right to talk about Y/N. Should I tell a word to our CEO?” He threatened. “No, it’s cool. We are cool.” Panicked the MC. “We are not going to talk about you and Y/N.” Wooyoung smiled victoriously. The manager whispered to his ear. “I didn’t know you were so protective Wooyoung.” “Anything for my girl.” He smirked, proud of him.

JONGHO

Jongho spend the whole day at the vocal practice room. For the online concert, his teacher was always on his back. So, at 5PM, you came to visit your boyfriend. Just a simple visit with ice-creams and candies. “You seem tired.” You stated, pointing at his face. “I am...” he yawned. “You should ask your coach to let you rest a bit.” “I need to improve, for our online concert.” You rolled your eyes. “You are working too much...” Jongho stood up, “it’s my job.” He kissed your cheek. “I need to take the charger in Hongjoong’s studio. I’ll comeback soon.” “Take your time.” You shouted before he closed the door. Jongho walked to the 2nd floor. When he exited the staircase, he saw his coach on the phone. His back facing the maknae. “I don’t know what to do with him. He’s clearly wasting his time and talent with this Y/N.” Jongho stopped in his track. You had nothing to do with his career. “I can’t do anything, and he will clearly not break up with her.” He added. “At least, he could have dated a talented girl. Or a prettier one.” He laughed. Jongho coughed making understand his presence. “Oh Jongho...” he smiled awkwardly, hanging up his call instantly. “You are there... since when exactly?” “Enough to know that you shouldn’t talk about Y/N like this.” He smiled, provoking him. The coach stayed quiet, ignoring what to say. “Well... see you tomorrow, I guess? Y/N is downstairs, so I don’t think you are coming right?” He assumed. “It’s late anyway...” he excused. “Yes, sure. It’s late.” Jongho’s bower politely and walked around. Nothing better to shush the coach. Even if it’s was stressful.

[justactsupernatural]

The Ax

- Based on the fact that Alan has an honest to God ax on the wall next to his bed (even if it is like a collectable from his game) that I believe is a 100% real blade and he knows how to throw it

- And we know that he can use it because it was showed in Endgame (Season 3, Episode 11) so…yeah

-----------------------------------------------------------

They had no idea where it came from, because none of them bought it for him and they know for a fact that he didn’t order it online, it just appeared one day on the wall above his bed, with no explanation on the how, when, or where.

He never answered their questions about it, deflecting until the topic was forgotten or something else came up, not even Kayo managed to get an answer, and Kayo always got answers.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 Gordon was the first to see it, and, after questioning his brother with no success, he decided to raise the subject at dinner.

“So, are we going to talk about the ax on your wall or are we just supposed to ignore it?” he not so subtly asked Alan, causing the attention of everyone else at the table (including John’s hologram) to turn their eyes in their direction.

“The what?” asked Scott, his tone of voice and the way his eyebrows were disappearing into his hairline showing his obvious ignorance and shock on the subject. The rest of the table wasn’t any better, everyone with varying degrees of surprise and/or concern in their faces (if it was for the youngest Tracy’s security or their own no one knows) at the aquanaut’s comment.

“The ax on my wall” said Alan without missing a beat and happily shoving another spoonful of ramen inside his mouth, blissfully ignorant of the alarmed looks sent his way. “Alan why the hell do you have an ax on your wall?” asked Virgil, looking thoroughly disgusted when the blonde tried to speak with his mouth full before realizing he would have to swallow to answer “Why not? The space next to my guitar was empty and the ax fit, besides, it would have gotten dusty in the closet” replied the teenager shrugging his shoulders.

“I think what Virgil meant is why do you have an ax at all and where did it come from?” said John, turning slightly to check something in one of the monitors in Five before looking back at his fellow star-lover sibling.

“Wouldn’t you like to know” replied Alan cheekily before taking his empty plate (the third one, his stomach really was a bottomless pit) before excusing himself and going to his room, leaving everyone to look after his retreating back and wonder just what the fuck.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 After carefully paraphrased questions and no answers, six months later they still had no clue where the ax had come from and why Alan had it. The youngest Tracy insisted that it was firmly secured to his wall and it wouldn’t fall on top of him and chop him up like pork while he slept (starting with the fact that he slept on the floor more often than not), so he was allowed to keep it.

Life kept going and the knowledge of the ax hanging on Alan’s wall became one of those things Scott talked about on his whiskey and complaining meetings with Colonel Casey, but there was no other mention on it, aside from the time John told them he figured out it was a toy from the video game their little brother was always playing (Cave Trek or something like that).

With the reassurance that the double-blade ax was a toy and presented no real, sharp threat to the resident astronaut’s life, rescues and other shenanigans kept happening on Tracy Island as normal.

And then the spider happened.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 It wasn’t common for all the earthbound brothers to be at the house at the same time with no rescue taking any of them away, but it appeared that whoever was out there ruling the universe decided that giving the four Tracy brothers a good scare was funnier than only scaring one of them.

Virgil saw the spider first, screaming his head off and yelling at Scott to kill it while climbing on top of the couch to escape the bug; the brunette, who at the moment had been doing some paperwork on his desk, looked up to see what the commotion was all about.

Alan and Gordon had been playing a rather aggressive hand of Go Fish in the kitchen table before deciding that laughing at his older brothers’ shenanigans was more interesting, only to have any amusement in them die at the sight of the arachnid.

That thing could only be a demon trying to take a physical appearance because the size of its body was not normal.

With a newfound respect for Mother Nature and all her creatures, the four boys slowly moved towards the staircase that would take them to their rooms, moving with a synchronization that could only come from years of working rescues together. But the spider saw through their plans and attacked.

Separating and looking around to try and spot the arachnid before realizing it was nowhere in sight, the brothers jumped on the table and formed a circle to try and see where the spider could come from at all angles.

“Wait!” screamed Alan “I have an idea, I’ll be right back!” with that, he turned and ran towards the stairs and their rooms, leaving his brothers behind. Ignoring the outraged and betrayed cries of his fellow spider-kidnap victims, the blonde ran up the stairs and disappeared down the corridor.

“Coward” screamed Gordon, turning to look at the remaining two before looking to the couch and walls to try and spot the home invader. “Now what? I can’t find it and I am not getting down from this table if we don’t kill it” said Virgil while holding a pillow in front of him, mimicking a shield.

“Look we just need to reach the holo-phone and call Grandma or Kayo, they can find it and kill it and then we can ju-OH MY GOD IT’S THERE!” hollered Scott, jumping out of the way just as the spider jumped in his direction. The other two scrambled off and started walking backwards towards the kitchen, never losing sight of the arachnid.

The demon spawn followed them slowly, climbing to the floor before making its way across the wall leading to the kitchen and corralling the brothers when there was a sudden yell from the balcony upstairs.

“Get down!” dropping to the floor without a second thought, the three of them heard a whoosh over their heads and an inhuman screech followed by the sound of running footsteps. Slowly rising and turning to look, they saw what could only be the remains of the spider, nailed to the wall by a very real and sharp looking ax.

Alan reached them and grabbed the ax, pulling out of the wall and grimacing at the spider bits that clung to the blade. Looking at their baby brother, Scott could only register one thing in the whole situation “IT’S A REAL AX?!”

“Uh…yes? What other kind would it be?” responded Alan with a not-so-subtle condescending tone to his voice.

“WE THOUGHT IT WAS A TOY!” apparently, the oldest Tracy was far from calming down and he had more to say “WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU HAVE A REAL AX HANGING OVER YUR BED ALAN?! AND WHY WOULD YOU THROW IT AT US?! YOU MADE A HOLE IN THE WALL!”

“Ok, first of all it’s not going to fall alright? Its pretty secure” started the blonde, ticking off his fingers with each point made “second of all, I know how to throw an ax Scott, I’m not going to chop your head off” rolling his eyes the youngest Tracy walked over to the wall and continued “and third, we can just cover it up” moving the big pot slightly to the right, the astronaut successfully covered the hole.

“There is still spider in it” pointed out the resident aquanaut, a confused and slightly disgusted look on his face.

“Meh, I’ll clean it up later” stated the blonde ax-thrower before turning back to his brothers with a smile.

“I’m too sober for this” sighed Scott, pinching the bridge of his nose and turning towards the kitchen, Virgil at his heels.

Turning towards his fellow blonde, Gordon looked Alan up and down before focusing on the ax and nodding slightly “Cool” with that, he turned and followed his older brothers.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 That incident was the first of man, and a lot of the pots, tables, jars, paintings, and decorations throughout Tracy Island were moved a few inches to the right or to the left, rescues keeping them from fixing the walls or floors.

So, it was only natural that they completely forgot to tell their father about this when he came back.

“Why is there a hole in the wall?” asked Jeff Tracy perplexed, holding the painting he was trying to admire more closely while looking at his sons for an explanation.

Turning to look at Alan, the other four brothers turned around and left, leaving the blonde to explain to their father the reason behind the many, many, many holes in the villa.

“Well…you see Dad, there was this spider”

[sirensmojo]

Hunted Species - Geralt x Reader x Yennefer

Summary: During the quest of a Dragon which could grant any wish, Geralt keeps an eye on Yennefer that keeps an eye on you that keep an eye on Geralt, which leads to unforeseen outcomes.

Warnings: fluff, angst, mentions of sex & comedy II sassy!reader, witcher!reader, love triangle

Word count: 2,476

A/N: kind of rewriting episode 6.

Masterlist

When you heard about a hunt of an old dragon, you thought it was a great deal, a great purchase, or just a way to get away from here and discover uncharted territories. Even if you never allowed yourself in those areas for another witcher was already occupying the territory and to one witcher belonged one area, it was either ignoring precepts and instructions or living a life full of boredom and sorrow. You’d even heard a mage will be there, a so-called Yenefer and as if it wasn’t enough, the witcher will join the team, Geralt Of Rivia.

When you heard about a hunt of an old dragon, you thought it was a great deal, a great purchase, or just a way to get away from here and discover uncharted territories. Even if you never allowed yourself in those areas for another witcher was already occupying the territory and to one witcher belonged one area, it was either ignoring precepts and instructions or living a life full of boredom and sorrow. You’d even heard a mage will be there, a so-called Yenefer and as if it wasn’t enough, the witcher will join the team, Geralt Of Rivia.

You’ll probably look like a supernatural scout band.

At the moment, you’d preferred focusing on gathering your essentials and get mentally prepared for this new challenge. Although you hated to stay in one place and fulfilled the need to always be on road as soon as you could, neglecting the sedentary life, the kingdom became too small. You soon enough got fairly tired of it, this whole trip was the only exciting sparkle you could hang on in your life, not to be overly dramatic. 

On the J day, your bored self paced up and down the streets of the main city you’ve worked in, Chastisey. With such a name, no doubt why you were chastised. On your back was hanging a large hessian bag with some spare clothes and utensils for when you’d sleep in the forest. The thin material collided with the sheath of your huge sword at each of your heavy steps. No need to mention you couldn’t wait to drop foot in the other kingdom.

***

Two days and a half later, here you were, facing the Witcher Geralt Of Rivia. His eyes widened when hearing you too were a witcher. Not that you've waited for another reaction from him... or anyone. 

"Is that you the witcher of Chastisey who people talk about?" Asked Yennefer, suddenly interested in you for the first time since you got in here. Every head of the areas turn to you and the mage, as she gladly continued her tail "Your people say of you you're the fiercest of all, human and creatures put together, they seem to respect you very much," she giggles, her voice dripping in sarcasm. "Yeah, we share a strong bond," you nodded. 

They all start to laugh and give you sympathetic looks and smiles while he chuckles. "I bet you know what she's talking about, huh? What about you, Mr. Of Rivia?" You raised a brow. Yennefer muffles a laugh as your stare pierce Geralt's imagining shield. His head abruptly turns to you before dropping down as he grunts. "Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about," you added out loud as if nobody was here. "A man only speaking by groans and curses, what a reputation," you finished as the murmurs stop. The previous looks of sympathy changed into worry as their eyes flickered between you and the other witcher. Yennefer squinted her eyes, what were you trying to do? She thought. "And you, a mage that gave everything to end up wanting everything back to have the only thing you could never have," you chuckle as you lift your cup to your lips. A giggle escaped your lips before you sip your mead. 

Now everyone was uncomfortable, Geralt looking at you, eyes narrowing as the mage in question looked at the fire in desperation. 

"Can I ask what was that?" He asks as you were laying with the horses. "She wanted to play, I just gave her a taste of her own medicine. Don't worry she's a big girl, she'll be alright," you bluntly let out without an ounce of bitterness. Geralt didn't know if he should laugh or be mad at you, so he reluctantly grunts remembering you made fun of that too. "That was a bit much, for the first words leaving your mouth since we meet," "First impression if everything Geralt, don't you live with humans?" You asked wincing as if he said the stupidest thing ever. He looked over at you, confused, but didn't add anything. "Are you not traveling with your boyfriend, Jaskier?" You ask out of nowhere, which made the man frowning even more, "boyfriend?" He raised a brow. "A man, singing praises of another man in order for him to be liked by other people, a boyfriend," you explained with ease. He choked on his drink as you glimpse of the smirk drawing at the corner of his lips. "So he not here?" You ask again, running out of patience. "No, he is" He let out as motioning his hand to Jaskier talking to some men. Geralt hassled to give you what you wanted, expecting you to leave him alone after that.

He was wrong.

Three days later, you were still stuck with him as if your life depends on it. He wasn't so sure how to react, if it was only on him he would ask you to back off but as Yennefer seemed to be occupied with her little pet accompanying her. What he didn't see happen were you to be with her anytime you weren't around him. Saying you were above being glad that you came here, even it if was to search for a Dragon that you didn't even believe existed, was an understatement. Indeed you found life with other non-humans more than satisfying and full of unforeseen development. Whereas it was the glares that Geralt throws to the man that seems glued to Yennefer or even the desperate stares he would throw at her, hoping she would come back. You found it even funnier that you could discuss the witcher's deeds with Yennefer when she felt lonely at night. Not that she will ever admit she felt lonely all the time. After the death of her escort, she kinda let herself be herself around you, even more seeing you were patient with her, but still being sassy at times, making her laugh.

"I could never catch those looks you're talking about Y/n," she shook her head. "Come on, don't act like that with me. I know you see it, more often than you'd like to say." Your brows raised as you filled your cup with more mead. "It doesn't matter anyway, not now." "Why not?" "Does anyone ever told you to stop getting into stranger's business?" She snapped. "You are no stranger, neither is Geralt," "Lies," she hassled to retort. 

"How?" She lifts her glimmering eyes to you, a glimpse of curiosity dancing behind her facade. "How can I lie Yennefer?" "I don't understand"  "It's you lying now," you titled your head, brows high looking her up and down. 

She suddenly got up and started to walk away, "Okay! How can you be that annoying but still speaking the truth!" She turned to you and closed her eyes a bit before coming near the fire again and sat beside you. "People lie, that's all they do," "So you surmised I could lie," "Don't you?" Her eyes find their way to yours, even if her head stayed down. You shook your head and for the first time, a smile curled your lips. "Humans lie, but even their kin still find a way to believe in each other anyway." You lowly let out. "I thought you were just making fun of me the whole time." "I was" You agreed. "That doesn't mean I don't see the truth lying behind you livid eyes and the walls you think you build up high," You sing, quite pride of the fact you managed to make it through her guards. "I don't like you," wrinkles appearing at each side of her eyes, looking at you. "Yeah? I don't either," you shrug.

"So you see my truth? If I follow your statement," she engaged the conversation back, ignoring your comment. You give her a steady look, as she swallowed. How uncomfortable you could make people around you was something you never understood, but that you gladly welcomed at this moment, as long as she'll be uncomfortable, she'll open up to you. That was all that mattered. "There was something between us for a time, but there's nothing left of it now," she throws a bough in the fire. You remained silent, looking at her movements. "What can lovers bring, I wonder. Besides silly pleasures, it seems anything life has to offer is deception." She exhaled deeply, shaking her head. "You're disappointed in me?" You suddenly demand, out of the blue. Her eyebrows joined before she stops moving, still gazing at the dancing flames. "It's not like I wait for anything from you," she nonchalantly shrugs. "Indeed," you nodded. And before her mind could even get the meaning of this, her body that understood turns to you, her lids fluttering. A second later, she frowned even more before glancing at the woods in confusion. "Yeah," you spoke. "I don't even know what I could expect from you," She openly speaks. "Nothing, honestly," you chuckled. She looked at you again and neared her face to yours. "I didn't mean tha--" You tried, as she kissed you. She pulled away before you could even close your eyes. "I let you in before I could even think about it," she murmurs for herself. Her lips came crashing onto yours once again.  As you were about to kiss her back, she pulled away once again, "Because I didn't wait for anything from you," she continued mumbling. 

This time, you pulled her arms towards you, before your mouth encountered hers in a blissful kiss. She kissed you back, with as much haste and appetite as you, lips moving together in a moment that failed to pass. You finally let go, out of breath, your eyes snapped open to her. "I didn't put you in a case," she continued her thinking. You rolled your eyes and came to her lips again to definitely shut her up, your hand dawdled on her thigh as your free one find refuge on her cheek.

The next morning, you woke up all naked in a bed and a tent that had nothing to do with yours. After you moved away your hand that was initially shielding you from the rays of the sun, you catch sight features you knew you previously touched and kneaded feverishly. "Yen?" "oh you're finally up, then get changed and out of my space," she hissed between gritted teeth as placing her fur on her shoulders. "Oh come on!" You deeply huffed as you dropped your head back on the pillow.

No need to mention you spend the rest of the day together, even though she made some teasing remarks here and there to annoy you. You knew that game and were heartily playing it with her.

"I don't think it is necessary," "Ask Y/n about what's necessary," she giggled thinking about the nasty things you did earlier, while eating like she didn't say a thing. The group exchanged some stares before glancing at you then the mage as wrinkles appeared at the corner of your eyes, in anticipation of Geralt's reaction. He swallowed whatever was in his mouth and clenched his jaw throwing the rest of the meat on the ground. Jaskier looked at him in frustration. 

[daddysfangirls-anime]

You good Big brother

Warning: language, fluff, a child is hurt

Summary: a one-shot of Levi Ackerman if he had a toddler sister, and how like protective he would be of her. 

“It’s okay, stop it,” Levi said for the third time as she apologized for the fourth time. She was apologizing for having to leave (Y/n) with him but he knew it was necessary for the recent months she had fallen ill and it was getting worse by day. She made plans to go to a village to see a doctor that could possibly help her get better but the village was far away and she knew (Y/n) couldn’t take such a long trip so here she was dropping her off with Levi for the next week or so until she got back.

“ I know, I know,”  she said as she fixed the blanket on the sleeping child “... She’s going to have to get used to this place anyways. If this doctor doesn’t work out-”

“Don’t think like that. Go get better. I’ll take care of her.”

“Okay I-... bye, bye”

Levi watched as (Y/n)’s mother got on her wagon and slowly rode away looking back every few minutes before she was finally too far to actually see them. When Levi could no longer see her is when he finally went inside. The sun was barely rising as made his way back to his office he hoped to get some paperwork done and have (y/n) get another hour or so of sleep before having to wake up.

A good two hours later the sun was up and Levi could hear the buzzing of soldiers outside his door.

Levi was just about done with his paperwork when he heard movement and felt a small presence next to him.

“Good morning, “ Levi said without looking he picked her up pulling her into his lap she laid her head on his shoulder and watched him finished his last few sentences. “ How about we and go down for breakfast?” she nodded in his shoulder.

-

Ignoring the overall surprise of everyone and dodging questions the day went on as normal for Levi, training, meetings, cleaning, yelling at brats all the normal stuff. Although he did turn it down a bit due to his small female shadow slowing his pace, less cursing, and lowering his volume.

(Y/n) was a good mini-Captain giving orders and handing out punishments, although Levi thought the punishments she was handing out was light he made no comment. She was a very good Mini-Captain and everyone downright adored her. That’s why when Levi was called to a meeting and Erwin said (Y/n) wasn’t allowed he felt okay leaving her with a few of the recruits more specifically Armin and Petra. He trusted the blonde pair to keep an eye on her until his meeting was finished.

He didn’t think they’d get up to much within 30 minutes but to be on the safe side he told them to put away their gear and gave the chores to do until he got back. He thought it would be fine she was 4 and couldn’t do much. He did not account for Jean Kirstein and his bad attitude.

“That’s not how you do it” (Y/n) as she came up behind Jean. The boys were assigned to clean the dining hall while the girls were cleaning the kitchen. Jean had been cleaning the windows when (Y/n) came up behind him and told him he was doing it wrong.

“Get lost brat”

(Y/n) pouted she wasn’t upset about being called a brat when irritated or upset Levi slipped up and called her a brat as well but he always apologized what upset her was the fact he was cleaning incorrectly. Much like Levi (y/n) did not like dirty things or being dirty she’d often take three baths a day to ensure her cleanliness. Most toddlers spent their time running around getting dirty but not (y/n) she took great effort to keep clean.

“I’ll do it,” she said as she dragged a chair to one of the windows picking up her own towel to do it properly.  

“I said get lost,” Jean said snatching the towel from her

Jean” Armin softly scolded his friend

“go to the kitchen with the other women. sho, sho.”

(y/n) would have happily gone with the other women but they were in the kitchen and the wouldn’t allow her because there were too many sharp and big objects on shelves and they didn’t want her to possibly get hurt.

“You’re doing it wrong and Levi won’t like it unless it’s done right,” she said snatching the towel back and showing him how to do it properly.

“Hey, horse face,” Eren said before  Jean could say anything “ leave her alone. She’s just trying to help and fix your mistake”

“It’s just a fucking window,” Jean said flailing his arms. Flailing his arms without realizing it he hit the chair which (Y/n) was standing on knocking her off. With a startled cry (Y/n) hit the ground with a thump.

It was like the entire world had just stopped as the boys looked to (Y/n) laying on the floor. They watched as she slowly sat up and looked at her knee she gasped lightly as she watched blood slowly begin to drip down her knee. She looked a Jean with the most horrifyingly sad face ever. Her red misty torn face was enough to make him tear up.

“Owie” she whimpered “ owie, owie, owie” she continued to say as she started sobbing and hyperventilating. Armin was quick to come to her aid picking her up and gently rocking her in his arms to soothe her cries and inspect her wound.

“What happened?” Petra asked as the girls exit the kitchen all alerted to the sound of (Y/n) crying.

“Her knee,” Armin says as he shows them. They all gasp and wince.

“Here let me,” Jean said trying to wipe her wound

“NO THAT’S DIRTY” both (Y/n) and Eren cry out stopping Jean he shoots Eren a dirty look. (Y/n) begins to cry even harder than before.

“Give me, give me,” Eren says taking  (Y/n) out of Armin arms. Eren rocks (y/n) gently in his arms and whispers softly in her ear, most likely insulting Jean. “Better?” he asks when she sobbing stops she looks down.

“M-my knee hurts”

“How about we take you to the infirmary and patch you up and make it all better. How about that?” she nods and buries her head into Eren’s neck still sniffling.

“Finish cleaning do it right and make it spotless.” Eren says making a point to look directly at Jean who resisted the urge to comment “ Armin and I are going to take her to the Infirmary to get her bandaged up.”

“I should come too” Petra stepped forward after all she was supposed to be watching (Y/n) with Armin.

“No, you stay and make sure they do it right. You know how Levi likes it”

“Man, he is going to be up in our asses when he sees,” Oluo said

“You’re going to have a lot of explaining to do Kid,” Eld said shaking his head as he went back to sweeping trying to forget the pending doom of Levi.

-

The meeting had gone ten minutes over but overall it was good Levi was just eager to get back (Y/n) as much as he trusted Armin and Petra the others didn’t get that much off his trust, at least not with his sister. He was quickly making his way to the dining hall when heard a giggle that stopped him in his tracks. That was (Y/n)’s giggled that giggle should be nowhere near here he gave them enough work for an hour. Slowing down he followed the sound of her giggles to the infirmary.

With a heart attack nearing he was walked in and found (Y/n) sitting on the bed giggling as Eren tickled her toes.

“What happened?” he immediately demanded and he rushed forward picking her up and spinning her around looking her all over to find any one thing out of place. He found a bandage on her knee but no other signs of a wound.

“(Y/n) scraped her knee nothing serious,” the doctor said reassuring Levi she was okay.

“It doesn’t even hurt anymore, does it?” Eren asked her completely ignoring Levi as he went for her toes again. She shook her head smiling before bursting in a fit of laughter.

“What happened” Levi demanded as he glared at Armin 1/2 of who he left in charge of her.

“well-”

“Jean” was all Eren said and that was all Levi needed. He gently poking her forehead and promised to return. While Armin seemed a bit wary Eren didn’t mind, as he knew what was going to happen, and continued to play with (Y/n).

20 minutes later Levi returned with Jean in tow limping and with the right side of his face swollen.

“Apologize” Levi demanded, pushing him forward “ eh? I can’t hear you and neither can she.”

“(Y/n) I am sorry for causing you to fall. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. I’m also sorry for getting angry at you for correcting me on what I was doing wrong. You were only trying to help.”

“It’s okay. “ (Y/n) smiled “You look like you need a bandage too” she poked his swollen cheek he flinched and winced.

“No. He’s fine he’s got stalls to clean.”With a salute, Jean quickly left to do as he was told. “ You two out”

Armin was very much relieved to leave and was quick in his steps. Eren was not so quick and actually pouted as he slowly left the room. He really liked (Y/n). Once everyone else gone Levi laid down next to (Y/n) in bed looking at her knee again he gave it a gentle kiss.

“Besides this, did you have fun?”

“Yes,” Levi laid on his side as she began her long ramble about her time away from him. Her three favorite people of the day were Oluo, Eren, and Armin. Armin for his amazing stories about the so-called Ocean, Oluo for being a funnier version of Levi, and Eren because he actually planed with her and he was very good at cleaning. Those two had fun cleaning together.

In this mist of her rambling, she slowed down and dozed off Levi held back a chuckled as she was in the middle of a sentence. She needed a nap anyways. Pulling a blanket up covering her he kisses her forehead and lays with her, his paperwork can wait. “Hey” (Y/n) whispered her voiced slurred sleep pulling her  “ You good big brother.....Have good friends”]

“...thanks.... you’re a good little sister. Now sleep”

[egcdeath]

a blip in the reader-verse

chapter 3: someone in the crowd

summary: in your expedition through the multiverse, you find yourself in the crowd of a war bond show.

warnings: somewhat of a bittersweet ending

word count: 1.8k

author’s note: let me know if you’d like to be added to the taglist. i’d love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, so any likes/reblogs/comments are very much appreciated! 

previous chapter / series masterlist

Steve sat up abruptly, breathing heavily and heart racing from the vaguely distressing experience of being in someone else’s dream. And to top that off, the stakes of being in the dream were extremely high. If he couldn’t contact you and convince you that something was off, he could be stuck here, in the wrong universe, forever.

Steve rolled over and sighed, only to be met with the curious expression of the Ancient One, and nearly jumping out of his skin.

“Did it work?” She questioned, and Steve wordlessly nodded while anxiously cracking his knuckles.

“So now we wait?” He asked, turning his body around so his feet were planted firmly on the floor. Feeling the ground against him gave him a slight sense of comfort, knowing that he was back in the real world.

“You and I cannot take that risk. I’m going to try to send your consciousness into another universe, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll find your way home. If not, then… I’m not sure what else there is to do.”

“It’ll work though, right?” Steve looked up at her through furrowed brows.

“We can only hope so.”

——

Before your eyes even opened, you noticed the all-encompassing raket of a crowd clapping and hollering for… Captain America?

You opened your eyes and glanced around at your surroundings. If you were sure of one thing, it was that you weren’t in a time that was even somewhat close to yours. That quickly became clear to you as you observed the people sitting around you, and the astoundingly monochrome clothing of those around you.

You looked down at yourself, and observed your own time period appropriate outfit, your knee-length flowered dress fell nicely against your body, but the shoulder pads weighing on your collarbone kind of made you feel like a football player. You also quickly caught onto the fact that your watch seemed to turn itself into a pendant on your neck. You then glanced up at the stage, and noticed your alarming proximity to it.

As the curtains on the stage opened, a profound silence fell across the audience. You looked up at the platform expectantly, and you were not disappointed when your boyfriend of many years popped out.

Except, he seemed much more jovial. The dark circles under his eyes weren’t so dark, and he seemed to have a lightness in his step as he pounced around the stage. In the midst of your ogling, the woman next to you leaned over and set a hand over your knee.

“Didn’t I tell you he was gonna be cute?” she whispered in your ear. At the sound of her voice, you felt a wave of recollection surge over you.

This was your friend Aaliyah, just like your closest childhood friend back in your own reality, who’d dragged you out to this war-bond-promotion thing to see her man crush of the week.

“He’s really dreamy,” you concurred, not taking your eyes off of the man.

“So you’re not mad at me for bringing you out here anymore?” She asked, an air of teasing in her voice.

“Shh!” a voice from somewhere above you hissed down at the two of you.

The both of you rolled your eyes, then you looked over to Aaliyah and shared a knowing look with her.

You looked back at the stage, and watched the routine play out, giggling to yourself at times. The whole show had been at least 10 times funnier, now knowing Steve, even if this wasn’t exactly your Steve.

In the midst of a giggling fit, Steve glanced down at you, and flashed you a pearly grin. Despite seeing that beautiful smile millions of times, you couldn’t help but to slightly swoon, and look over at Aaliyah excitedly.

She gaped her mouth open at you, and pointed at you with a brow furrowed in confusion, ‘You?’ she mouthed. You responded by pointing at yourself with an equally shocked expression, and mouthing, ‘Me?’

It seemed like the show was over after that, and the lights in the room slowly rose back to their original colors.

“Holy shit!” Aaliyah squealed, grabbing your arm. “Did Captain fucking America smile at you?”

“If you saw what I saw, then yes!” You grabbed her opposite arm, “we have to celebrate this somehow, right? I think this deserves celebrating.”

You were honestly surprising yourself with the words coming out of your mouth. Part of you knew that Steve looking at you was a regular occurrence that you were used to, but the part of you that actually lived in this universe’s feelings must’ve been strong enough to override even the most logical part of your brain.

“Uh, hell yeah it deserves celebrating. Let’s go!” The two of you stood up, and you straightened out your dress a bit before squeezing through the aisle of chairs, and heading out of the concert hall.

Leaving the hall turned out to be more of a hassle than you’d initially expected. The lobby towards the exit was packed like a can of sardines, and you and Aaliyah seemed to be standing around for an excruciatingly long period of time.

During this period of time, you zoned out a bit, only half-listening to Aaliyah drone on about some new John Ford movie.

In this downtime, you decided to ask yourself why you hadn’t left this universe yet, since this was so clearly not the one you belonged in, and not the reality your Steve was in. You came to the conclusion that your morbid curiosity of what may happen next in this reality was more than  enough to motivate you not to leave. Besides, who knows? Maybe you could learn a lesson about yourself, or some other corny thing like that.

Lost in your own thoughts, you failed to notice the built blonde man draped in a brown trench coat and looking down speed walking straight into you, and sending you stumbling back into your friend’s arms.

He looked down at you with worry in his eyes, and extended a hand out to you quickly. “My gosh, I’m so sorry!” he exclaimed.

Steve.

Of course, fate had decided to bring you to the man (who technically wasn’t really your man).

You gladly accepted his hand, and let him pull you forward a bit. Your cheeks warmed at the little touch, and you swore you could sense Aaliyah gawking behind you.

“Again, my apologies…?” You could tell that Steve was leaving an opening for your name.

“Oh, uh, Y/N,” you smirked a bit at him.

“Let me make it up to you, Y/N,” he offered politely, and speaking softly so that he wouldn’t attract too much attention.

“Make up pushing me on accident?” You giggled at this. Steve somehow managed to be a bit of an unsmooth dork in every reality.

“Uh, yeah, I guess. But only if you want me to… make it up to you,” a bit of a rose tinted blush was clearly visual on Steve’s face.

“I would love that.”

----

“The perks of having a circus monkey take you out, is that he knows all of the back entrances and exits,” Steve explained while weaving his way through the building.

“Is that some sort of saying from the 40’s?” You casually threw out, following behind Steve as the two of you made your way through the back of the concert hall. As soon as you realized the weight of your words, your eyes went wide.

“What?” Steve asked, looking back at you while the two of you continued your trek.

“Nothing,” your eyes bounced around the room, and you tried to think of something to change the subject to. Luckily for you, you’d arrived at the door, and that was subject change enough. Steve opened the door for you, and held it as you walked through.

You immediately recoiled at the scent of the city. Simply put, it smelled like the Industrial Revolution. Quickly playing it off, you turned your head to look at Steve, and reach out to grab his hand.

“So, where are you planning to take me, Captain?” Steve gladly accepted your hand back, and you happily intertwined your fingers, despite the slight dampness you noticed on his palms. Was The Captain America sweating from nerves from being around you? You’d have to mentally note this to tell Aaliyah later.

“Well, there’s this diner somewhere around here that I’ve heard is pretty good. You interested?” He glanced over at you, and you pursed your lips as you faked deep thought about the proposition.

“You really know the way straight to a gal’s heart, huh?”

----

You had been sitting in a booth across from Steve for what must’ve been hours now. The conversation between the two of you seemed to flow naturally, as if you were longtime friends. In a way, you kind of were, but in another very real way, this was just the beautiful start of something that would blossom more with every second you spent with Steve.

You picked at a napkin, and Steve glanced down at his watch.

“Shit,” he muttered to himself.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, concern clearly present in your tone.

“It’s just really late, and my manager’s gonna be pissed if I miss my flight tomorrow,” Steve sighed sadly, and reached into his pocket for a pen. “I’ll be trading New York for Wisconsin. So exciting, I know, but we gotta get the war bonds somehow,” he chuckled.

“I get it,” you nodded sadly, then noticed Steve scribble something onto a napkin.

“You know Howard Stark?” he questioned.

“Heard of him,” you nodded slowly.

“Well, he’s working on this new thing. It’s just like a phone, but it comes with you everywhere you go. I have a prototype of it, I think it’s pretty neat,” he slid you the napkin. “This is it’s number. You can call me any time, anywhere, and I’ll pick it up.”

You smiled sadly at Steve, but accepted the napkin, folding it into a neat little triangle, and slipping it into your dress pocket. “Is this goodbye?”

“Just for now,” he stood up from the booth, and you followed suit, before he reached for your hand and laced your fingers with his.

The two of you silently walked out of the diner, hand-in-hand. Steve eventually pulled his palm away from yours, and started for the direction of his hotel. Although, before he could get too far, you scurried over to him, and pressed a quick peck against his cheek, catching him by surprise, “Bye, Steve. I’ll see you soon.”

“Of course. Bye, Y/N,” Steve waved as he departed, and you made your way towards the curb so you could hail a taxi.

A taxi quickly pulled up to you, and slipped into the backseat and muttered your address. The soft vibration against your chest that alerted you that it was time to go, did not go unnoticed by you, and you closed your eyes as you attempted to relax into the rather uncomfortable seat.

next chapter

[toovirgins]

Le Rêve - Part 6

Summary: After an unproductive studio session, George and Ringo leave in a hurry. John later returns to find his glasses and another unwelcome surprise.

Things were different now.

Not entirely—they still had the band, the songwriting partnership, the united front for the media and press. It’s just that now, the tour was completed with determination and efficiency, becoming just another box to check off. Now, Paul relied much more heavily on George’s suggestions, and in a fit of jealousy or competition (Who could be sure? What was the difference?), John did the same. Now, Lennon-McCartney hardly wrote together and never wrote alone, needing George or Ringo to be in the space as a buffer.

When Paul had come back into the room that night, George knew he’d found John. He entered wordlessly, immediately throwing all of his belongings into his trunk, and George didn’t have the heart to ask where he was going. He and Ringo simply stared, too afraid to test the waters that were more tumultuous than they’d ever seen.

When Paul had finished packing, he’d looked pointedly at Ringo until the man understood. Ringo pushed himself up out of the armchair and followed him out of the room. He’d returned only minutes later with a sad smile in George’s direction that he assumed was meant to be reassuring, but instead was plain unsettling—a visual marker of the notion that something had changed within the group. Ringo had unpacked his things on Paul’s side, and that was that.

They weren’t allowed to talk about what happened. It was this unspoken rule, but a rule nonetheless—which was rather fine with George at first, anyway. But as time dragged on and the air grew no less hostile, George figured that he would rather talk about it for hours if it meant getting the old dynamic back. He was torn between two opposite poles of the spectrum, a futile effort of trying to please both Lennon and McCartney. There was a bitterness flourishing within him at the recognition of his usefulness only when they didn’t need each other. But objectively speaking, he was given more say, more credit, more songs. He couldn’t complain. Or he shouldn’t complain.

Something about the unspoken rule led George and Ringo not to talk about it with each other, either. George knew Ringo was absolutely dying to; at every uncomfortable or unnatural interaction between John and Paul, George knew a concerned glance from Ringo was coming his way. Ringo needed to talk about things, and George felt right guilty in deliberately ignoring the desire. He was just holding out hope that if no one addressed it in any context, the universe would wash away that it even happened, and the band—their livelihoods—would live on.

The quick succession of knuckles against the side of his head jerked him out of his daydream (nightmare?).

“Hello?” Ringo quipped. “Anyone home?”

George scowled and slumped deeper into his seat. “Barely.”

He and Ringo had been dicking about in the studio for the past half-hour. It was just the two of them—Paul hadn’t shown up, and John, already in a sour mood for the day, had cursed the man under his breath and stalked off. That had been about an hour ago, and when John didn’t return, the remaining boys gave up trying to focus. After a brief quarrel over who dropped the ball on bringing the marbles and playing cards, Ringo suggested a friendly competition over who could butcher “She Loves You” on their respective instruments in a funnier fashion. Which, credit where credit was due, was incredibly entertaining; only minutes before now, George had been rolling on the ground in laughter when Ringo had seemingly pulled a bicycle horn from his arse and honked it in place of the famed McCartney-Harrison “Ooh’s”.

However, as many things do when one has an attention span of about two minutes, the game soon grew tired—the song was only so long—and the pair had resorted to quiet, mindless fiddling on their instruments. In turn, the lapse into silence and thought had led George down his aforementioned neuro-rabbithole.

“Are you all right?” Ringo questioned, lifting an eyebrow in his direction. “Y’just seem a bit… off lately, I dunno.” There was an urge there, a pull. Ringo was nearly leaned forward off his chair.

“Off how?” George mused, entertaining the idea a bit. His tone was light, but his expression was stern. It was clear that they were both acknowledging the Unspoken Thing; it was also clear that it would remain as such.

Ringo bit his lip and shrugged back, evidently noting George’s reservations. “Y’know. Quiet-like. At least, more so than usual.”

George scoffed at the referenced nickname. The Quiet Beatle. As if! Give him a question worth answering, and they’d see who the quiet one was then. Certainly not him. “I’ve just got a lot on me mind,” he muttered, lifting a shoulder.

“You’re more in demand than before,” Ringo pointed out bluntly.

A rub of the temples didn’t do much to soothe the stress in his body. The weight of the emotional and mental burdens he’d carried over the last few weeks was beginning to settle on his shoulders with Ringo’s prodding. A sudden exhaustion clouded over him. “I know.”

“Is that bad?”

George looked at his friend with dull eyes. “Should it be?”

He didn’t need an answer, but it still stung a bit not to get one.

After a long beat of silence, Ringo hastily changed the subject. “Maybe we should call it quits for the day,” he suggested with a half-hearted grin, tapping the bass drum lightly and modestly. It was almost a tick at this point, the drummer seemingly wholly unaware of his actions.

George decided to play along with the shift in energy. “I agree, Ritchie. Feels a bit useless without Their Royal Highnesses around to conduct us,” he added with a roll of the eyes and a giggle.

Ringo hummed in agreement. “Oh, John, oh, Paul, please save us! We can’t even remember what album we’re supposed to be working on!” He cackled at his own joke.

“Help!, isn’t it?” George partly ignored the dramatic flair and turned to flick off the amp. He caught Ringo’s sparkling stare as he reached to unplug his Rickenbacker.

“No, mate. We’ve done that one already. Y’know, the whole ‘film’ bit?”

George blinked. “Right.”

“George Harrison, foremost Beatles expert,” Ringo chided. He glared reproachfully at an imaginary camera. “Don’t do drugs, kids.”

“Piss off!” George tried to glower, overruled by the laughter in his voice. Ringo offered him a hand and pulled him up out of the chair.

“Fancy a smoke?”

George’s lips drew into a wide grin. Based on the context, he knew exactly what kind of smoke he was implying. “Race ya to the car.”

—

“Mind telling me where everyone ran off to?”

Paul lifted an accusatory gaze in John’s direction as the man entered the room, his brow deeply furrowed in concentration.

“How should I know?” John answered, scanning the room fervently. His eyes hadn’t met Paul’s yet, Paul noted with a twinge of annoyance.

“Was there not a session today?” Paul hinted, irked by the idea that John too may have tried to skip out. Sure, Paul had been late, but at least he’d intended on coming.

John paused for a moment, shooting him a critical glare. “You tell me.”

He didn’t feel like trying to defend himself.

After a long moment of staring expectantly, John realized he wasn’t going to get an answer. He huffed and returned to his search, tipping over a chair to peer underneath it.

Paul rolled his eyes and offered the glasses at arm’s length, clearing his throat to draw the attention. John blushed and hurried over to snatch them up. He quickly stuffed them back into his pocket.

In response to the twinge of curiosity in his gaze, Paul only shrugged. “Left ‘em on the settee over there, you did. Just figured you would return for them sooner or later.”

John grunted in response.

Paul raised an eyebrow as the man began to head for the door. “All right, then. Mind at least telling me where you’re running off to?”

“I just came back for me glasses.”

“Came back?”

“You weren’t there,” John muttered, nearly inaudible. “I left.”

Paul stiffened, viciously reprimanding the sentimental twitch his heart gave to John’s response. “’M just late. Got caught up in traffic, is all.”

It was a silly excuse. John quirked an eyebrow at the boldfaced lie, knowing good and well Cavendish was barely a ten-minute walk. Paul watched him chew his lip for a moment before deciding to let it be.

Paul accepted John’s compliance graciously and returned to tuning his bass. His skin prickled as he felt John’s eyes on him, watching him closely. Tensions were still incredibly high between them, on account of the thing-that-happened-but-“never-happened”—and it was taking a lot of getting used to. The feeling was unsettling; time and again Paul would have to physically restrain himself, ignoring the twitching desire in his hand to touch John or biting back a witty comment that only John would understand. The emotional connection they’d had was gone, or at least dormant, and Paul couldn’t for the life of him figure out what was going through that thick head anymore. It even seemed that Ringo and George had a better guess than him.

It was miserable, really, having to pretend that everything was just dandy. There had been a substantial amount of press upon return from the tour, which was more of an irritation than anything else. There, he could slide into his Paul McCharmly persona, the façade already being somewhat of a character. The lie got quite easy to live when one was already acting. But the media circus was relatively quiet now (as it would ever be), and the hardest part was trying to pretend in front of the three people that knew him better than anyone else alive.

He wasn’t even sure who the pretending was for anymore. It certainly did nothing to quiet his mind or soul.

“What are you working on?” It was a half-arsed effort at conversation, but an effort nonetheless.

“Nothing, yet,” Paul answered, frowning in the direction of his instrument. “I’ve got a bit—real simple, for ‘Wait’. Might add some flare to it, might finish it. Might run it through and absolutely hate it and scrap it. Who knows,” he concluded, almost to himself.

“I think we should talk.” John’s voice, quiet, low.

Paul glanced up at him with a start, desperately trying to mask the surprise on his face. John was looking at him with an odd expression on his face, something Paul couldn’t quite put words to. Only then did he realize that it was the first time the two of them had been alone since the incident.

Heart pounding, he tensed. “When?”

“Now.” The answer was definitive.

“About what?” Paul responded sheepishly.

John’s eyes flashed.

Let’s just forget it ever happened.

Paul felt a sudden wave of stubbornness wash over him, feeling hollow at the abrupt activation of the memory. Of course he couldn’t fucking forget it happened. He couldn’t, and he shouldn’t be expected to. None of them should. Paul noticed the sad, wondering gazes from the other bandmates as well. Sweeping it under the rug had been wholly counterproductive to the entire group (though he didn’t entirely want to test the alternative, either). Best case scenario, the whole thing wouldn’t have happened.

But it did. And life was infinitely worse now because of it.

Paul swallowed hard. This was all John’s fault. Paul could have kept the dream a secret for the rest of his life. A few shameful wanking sessions was probably all it would take to get over it, and while he might look at John a bit differently after, at least John wouldn’t be looking at him differently. About a week of awkwardness would likely ensue, and John would make some offhand comment about how Paul was acting queer, and the two would laugh it off, only one of them knowing how much truth the comment carried. It was John’s fault, because Paul could have figured it out on his own.

“You know what,” John answered coldly.

John wanted to be cold? Paul could do cold. “I really don’t,” he countered with sickeningly false innocence. “What’s got you all worked up, Johnny?”

“Fuck off, Paul, you know what I’m talking about. Don’t try to fuckin’ skirt around it anymore.”

Paul’s heart was hammering in his throat, the blood rushing in his ears. After weeks of drowning in his own head, hearing the words come out of John’s mouth so… dismissively was blindingly infuriating. He had been driving himself mad trying not to talk about it, to think about it, to feel it. He’d shoved the memory down with so much force he’d thought his soul would pop, only to watch it helplessly bubble back to the surface. There was no forgetting it, and there was no addressing it. And now, John was breaking the number one Unspoken Rule of the Unspoken Thing like he never gave a shit about them in the first place.

“Skirting ar-? I’m not skirting around anything. I’m truly blanking, Johnny.” He paused, throat too constricted to swallow the massive lump in it. “Are you sure it’s not something I was supposed to forget?” The comment didn’t have near the effect Paul had hoped.

“Every conversation’s got to turn into a fuckin’ brawl with you, doesn’t it?” John crossed his arms, looking like nothing more than a pissed-off older sibling.

Paul was beside himself. His voice cracked, the words coming out in a near-shriek, but he was so furious that it hardly mattered. “With me? Every conversation is a brawl with me?”

“D’you need to bloody hear it again?” John looked minorly inconvenienced. If he’d had a watch on, he’d be sure to check it right now lazily. His demeanor was utterly vexatious, awakening feelings Paul didn’t even know he had. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this upset with someone.

“You think you get some type of medal, standing up in front of me and acting like none of this matters?” Paul was on his feet now, openly striding towards him. Startled, John stumbled backward a step before smacking his back against the wall. “You want a bleeding award?” Paul raised his tone an octave and fluttered his eyelashes dramatically, a mockery on all levels: “Oh, John, you’re so stony and brave, I bet nothing ever rattles my big, strong man!”

“Fuck you,” John whispered, his eyes begging the conversation to slow down. But Paul was on a roll now, and he’d be damned if he didn’t let out all of the pent-up pain John and John alone had caused over the last few weeks.

“No, fuck you. Do you know how hard it’s been? News flash, John. Not everything is about how you feel. Hard to believe, I know.” John opened his mouth to speak, but Paul cut him off. He was practically on him now, pushing John against the wall as he helplessly cowered under Paul’s alarming tirade.

“Do you know how hard it’s been for me? Trying to figure out if I’m a goddamn queer because of you? And how about the sleepless nights, eh? You’ve had those too, I know it.” A sick sense of pride effloresced in Paul’s chest as John’s eyes shot wide with recognition. “Lying in bed and wondering if you’re not who you thought you were. Wondering what when wrong along the way to make you this way, and what the hell you can do about it now. It’s maddening. And you took my right to get an answer, John.” Paul’s voice broke a bit at the next part. “Talking to you was my only hope at figuring this out and you took it away from me. And now we can’t talk about anything anymore.”

When John started to speak again, Paul lifted a final triumphant hand in his face. “I’m not done. Because let me tell you, Lennon, I don’t care if you need to bawl it out or never think about it again. But don’t stand here and fucking bullshit me like this. I know you.”

John straightened against the wall, eyes flashing with a hatred that almost made Paul’s knees buckle. “You don’t have a bloody clue what’s bullshit. Your whole foundation is bullshit. You’re not pissed at me because you’re upset that our pretty union wasn’t consummated, and thus I robbed you of a chance to explore this bit of newfound sexuality.” John’s tone was mocking, saturated with pretentiousness and exaggeration. “You’re pissed at me because I was just another shag you didn’t get to fully add to your sexual conquests. Grow the fuck up, Paul. You want to talk about knowing each other? I know you. You’re the one who’s bullshitting yourself, not me.”

Attacking John back felt like a safer bet than trying to defend himself. “Like you were there for some miraculous consummation? Some beautiful, heart-wrenching dénouement to a tragic love story? You’re full of it. Don’t come for me like you had some higher ground to speak from. We’re not special, John. We don’t have some kind of cosmic soulmate connection where we can read each other’s minds and desires. You and I, as anything, aren’t going to live happily ever after. Go buy into some other fuckin’ fantasy.”

“You were a mistake,” John spat.

“Mistakes happened,” Paul concluded. “I didn’t.”

John gaped at him as Paul pushed off. His chest was heaving, tight with unrestrained breaths, looking like a cornered animal. Though it was impossible to explain, Paul watched in real time as something shattered in John’s soul. He didn’t know what it was, and it didn’t seem like John knew, either. Paul turned on his heel before he could give the sight any more thought.

“You told me to forget it. So that’s what I’m doing. For good.” Paul stalked back to where his guitar lay on the ground. He began to gather his belongings and pack up for the day. “This conversation is over.”

“So that’s it? You don’t want to talk about it?” John called out to him, planting himself in the doorway as Paul made for the exit.

“Get out of the way, John.”

He held his ground and spoke honestly for the first time in a long, long time. “You’re not gonna talk about it, yeah? That’s fine. Fuckin’ beautiful. I’ll talk about it. I love you.”

[rafecameron]

“I’d punch you, but that’d ruin that pretty little face of yours.” for topper pls bc we all know he’s a pretty boy :)

WARNING: A little more canon like Rafe than I usually write

You felt guilty every time you looked at Topper. You hated him, you knew you hated him and you knew all your friends did too. But you had no control over the butterflies that would stir up at the sight of him, nor could you stop the intrusive thoughts about what it would feel like to have his lips against yours. Your eyes would rake over his body, imagining his chest pressed against yours, his hands wandering your body and his lips pressing against your neck. He was handsome, you could at least admit that. He stirred up so many different feelings within yourself that you never knew how to act around him. If you saw him walking over to you you’d get fidgety with nerves, wanting nothing more than for him to grab you and kiss you right then and there. But then he’d make a comment to one of your friends and the butterflies would turn to lava in your stomach and you’d boil up with anger. He could get under your skin in all the right and wrong ways and you hated it.

You’d gotten into your fair share of fights with the kooks, admittedly not physical, Topper didn’t seem the type to hit a girl no matter how much he disliked them. Rafe on the other hand you were sure wouldn’t mind taking a swing at you if he could. But Topper always held him back, from you if at least not anybody else.

So it came as no surprise when you looked up from your book and noticed the trio sauntering over to you and your friends. The feeling of JJ stirring beside you was what pulled you out of your trance with the pages. He stood up, the rest of you not far behind him, meeting the kooks in the middle like some sort of battle was taking place - you were sure it would do.

“How many times do we have to tell you to stay off the cut?” JJ sneers doing his best to get in Rafes face but no one could match the tall boys stature.

Rafe simply looks down at him amused, “We wouldn’t have to keep coming down here if you’d dare to show your face in figure eight.”

“Have you been missing us, Rafe?” John B asks with a smirk.

Rafe snorts, “I’ve been missing pounding your faces in. Gets a little boring with no one to beat up.”

“I feel sorry for you if the only fun you can find is in beating people up. Must be a pretty boring existence on figure eight.” You comment crossing your arms over your chest.

“No one was talking to you, pogue.” Rafe snaps out, his eyes shooting a glare in your direction before turning back to the blonde in front of him.

You tune out to the rest of the confrontation, your eyes meeting that of Toppers who looked nothing if not amused with his friends antics.

“Don’t worry, we missed seeing your little face too.” He teases with a smirk.

You roll your eyes with a scoff, “Well we didn’t miss yours, feel free to leave at any time.”

Topper laughs at this, “You mean you didn’t miss undressing me with your eyes, y/n?”

If you weren’t so annoyed with the boy you’re sure you would have blushed furiously, “You know, it’s a sign of madness, imagining things that aren’t there.”

Topper just smirks and takes a step closer, his face the closest to yours it’s ever been and despite the anger you could feel the butterflies returning.

“Please, I know you want me.” He states in a teasing manner.

You furrow your brows together, trying your best to look unfazed by his close proximity, “As if. I’d punch you, but that would ruin that pretty little face of yours. Couldn’t have you running off crying.”

“So you do think I’m pretty,” Topper smirks ignoring the weightless threat, “I can see right through you.”

Topper stumbles back at the hard shove to his shoulders, JJ appearing beside you red faced with blood on his upper lip, “Back off kook, don’t lay a fucking hand on her.”

Topper laughs and holds his hands up in surrender, “Wouldn’t dream of hurting that pretty little face of yours.” He grins, finding himself a lot funnier than he was.

JJ glares at the kook as he backs off, joining his cronies as they disappear off down the beach again.

“What was all that about?” JJ asks, taking your shoulders and looking over your face to check Topper hadn’t done anything.

You simply shrug, half in answer half to get his hands off of you, “Just idiot kooks being idiot kooks.” You state then offer him a smile to show you’re truly okay, “Nothing to worry about.”

——

You didn’t usually attend parties on figure either. Preferring to stay as far away from that side of the island as you could - you much preferred the keggers your friends threw on the beach. But Sarah had convinced John B to go, who in turn had convinced Pope who begged the rest of you to go with them. You couldn’t say no to anything Pope asked no matter how much you’d like to.

So you found yourself in the Cameron house, surrounded by drunk kooks who all offered you looks of disdain as you walked around the house. You ignored them like you usually did, if one of them wanted to start a fight you’d be more than happy to entertain them.

You drank too much and danced like crazy, no different to the parties you usually attended. If you were going to be in kook territory you may as well drink their alcohol, and lord knows you have to be drunk to be around them all for this long. You thought the night was goi pretty well, you had managed to avoid Rafe and more importantly Topper pretty well so far. Being small enough to duck behind someone anytime you spotted them and slink away before they noticed you.

It wasn’t until you were exiting the bathroom upstairs that you were cornered. Rafes chest pressing against yours as he backed you into a corner, his arms resting either side of you to stop you escaping.

“Would you look at that, Sarah brought her little pets to the party.” He smirks.

You huff and roll your eyes, pushing on his arm to escape but he was too strong, his arm like a stone wall which you couldn’t budge.

“Back off, Rafe.” You sigh, you were in no mood to deal with him and honestly, Rafe frightened the hell out of you.

He was built, and he towered over everyone. You saw what he did to your friends every week and didn’t want to be on the end of the rage you knew lived inside of him at all times. You’d never been alone with him before and instantly decided you never wanted to again.

“Please, just leave me alone.” You say when he doesn’t budge, your eyes focusing on his chest not wanting to meet his eyes.

“Not so feisty when you’re alone are you, pogue.” He smirks, “Look at me.” But you don’t, your eyes stay glued to his chest.

You feel his hand around your jaw and your face is fired up, your eyes landing on Rafes which were wild with something other than alcohol, “Do I scare you, princess?” He laughs but it’s humourless and dark.

You don’t answer him, not sure what to say even if you could form words. Your heart was beating rapidly, your mind running rampant with all kinds of thoughts about what Rafe was going to do. You wished more than anything that one of your friends would turn up to save you but you’d left them all outside.

“I asked you a question.” Rafe speaks through gritted teeth, his fingers tightening on your jaw.

You open your mouth to speak but Rafes grip on you disappears as hands on his shoulders pull him back. He shoots a glare at the person behind him.

“Kelce’s looking for you man.” Topper states, starring Rafe down until the taller boy finally disappears down the hallway. “Did he hurt you?” Topper asks turning to face you now.

You stare him over for a moment, wondering why he cares at all but deciding the polite thing to do was answer.

You shake your head, your jaw a little bruised from his grip but you could live with that, “Thank you.” You say quietly, your terror soon turning to nervousness as the boys blue eyes study your face.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “He shouldn’t do stuff like that. It’s not right.”

You shrug simply, “it’s Rafe.” You reply with a soft laugh, pretending not to be as affected by it as you were.

“That’s not an excuse.” Topper sighs, he places his red cup down on the side next to you, his hand reaching up to tilt your chin eyes examining where Rafes fingers had been.

“I’m fine, Topper.” You try to get away from his grasp but you were already backed up to the wall and had nowhere to escape from, but you weren’t scared of Topper.

His fingers linger on your jaw, his thumb rough as it ran against your cheek and you felt yourself subconsciously lean into his touch. He moves forward, his chest against yours as he looks down at you. The setting much like the one with Rafe but instead of the fright you had felt you were consumed with fluttering nerves. Your breath caught in your throat leaving you unable to speak for a completely different reason this time.

Topper could sense your nervousness, he could see the way you looked at him and knew he was right with what he’d said the day previously, it caused him to smirk.

“I knew you thought I was pretty.” He comments, you frown and open your mouth to deny it but his lips cover yours before you get the chance. You melt into him, not willing to fight him away even if you had the energy. You let his tongue slide past yours lips, tangling with your own as your hands moved up his chest and around your neck.

You had imagined kissing Topper before, but this was nothing like that you thought it would be. You imagined him to be rough and dominating but instead this was soft and tender. His hand held your jaw gently as his other cane to rest on your hip, his lips moving slowly against yours trying to savour the moment and burn it to his memory.

When he finally pulled away you were both left breathless, eyes staring into one another’s as if you’re the only two people in the world right now.

“I guess I find you pretty too.” Topper murmurs, his thumb running over your lower lip before his own are back on them.

@rafej-cambanks @joshy-obx @topperthornton @starlightstarkey

[mothpress]

FRUIT OF THE LOOM MANDELA EFFECT

I apologize for the long post in advance

I understand that most mandela effects are a product of our brain misremembering or making false memories. Such as looney tunes being remembered as looney toons because tunes sounds like toons and also reminds people of carTOONs. It just makes sense. There's a video explaining these common misconceptions HERE. If you like this kind of stuff, I recommend you watch it, because it goes over this mandela effect very well, but I’m just not satisfied with the conclusion. I’m usually a skeptic of conspiracies. It’s fun to research and speculate, but I prefer to believe rational explanations. BUT this particular mandela effect just hits different and I want to talk about it. It’s also one of the rare instances that I personally have experienced the mandela effect. I do in fact remember thinking 'huh they must have changed the logo' years back. I swear that I remember the logo looking different back in the days of elementary school. I'm just so baffled because, as the linked video explains, cornucopia (which is the swirly basket in the background) is not a very commonly depicted object. It would be difficult for our brains to add something, that we don’t even know. I’ve never actually seen a real cornucopia in real life, but that could just be me. Additionally I've read a lot of comments where people said, that as children they actually learned what a cornucopia was BECAUSE they saw it in the logo and asked their parents for an explanation.

This is an artistic rendition of the logo as some people remember it. It is fake and has never existed. Even the company itself denied it.

This is a screenshot from a 2006 animated movie ‘The Ant Bully’. I’ve never seen the film myself but this is a scene where the main character apparently shrinks and the film shows a close up on the underwear. More importantly it shows the label on it. Fruit of the loom makes underwear so that’s not surprising, what is though is that there’s a cornucopia behind the fruit. Is it an elaborate joke? Did the animators experience the mandela effect or was this particular mandela effect already known on the internet and they were just in it on the joke?

In an episode of South Park,  season 16 episode 6, we can also see a cornucopia on the main character’s underwear tag. I won’t be posting a picture because it’s a bit nsfw (it shows some ass and poop so it’s a little nasty) but here’s a link to a reddit post where a user shared the screenshot of the episode.

Read this paragraph from a book called  "Signs of the zodiac : a reference guide to historical, mythological, and cultural associations". It was written by Mary Ellen Snodgrass in 1997. She wrote about horn of plenty (synonym for cornucopia) as a symbol of maternity, nurturing etc. and gave some examples, one of which happens to be ‘Fruit of the Loom underwear’.

There is this news article that  mentions the cornucopia ( "Florida Today" October 14th, 1994)  <<(click link for full article because I cropped the picture)

My favorite ‘proof’ I want to go over is this album, titled “Flute of the Loom” by Frank Wess, an american  jazz saxophonist and flutist. This album is from 1973 and the cover was illustrated by a man named Ellis Chappel. Here is a link to yet another reddit post, where the user actually contacted the illustrator. The post shows that it wasn’t Ellis who responded, but his son Reed. He claims he clearly remembers the cornucopia, just like his dad, and that it in fact was the inspiration for the cover. To me it very clearly parodies, not just the name but also the look of the Fruit of the Loom logo. Another thing I thought about was that flutes are usually straight (at least to my limited instrumental knowledge), which is even funnier when you see this particular cover where the flute is so misshapen it almost resembles more of a french horn. It is so similar in shape to a cornucopia I am actually getting the creeps. And remember this was the 70′s. No social media, no quick access to google etc. There was no way to just stumble upon mandela effects on reddit, insta, tumblr and consequently create false memories. Wherever the illustrator came up with the idea that Fruit of the Loom had a cornucopia, it surely wasn’t the internet. 

Ok so now that I have gone over the parodies and the written references, I am left with only one picture in my ‘conspiracy theory’ folder, and it is this one. This crappy, low resolution image from 4chan (allegedly). I am not a 4chan user and couldn’t for the life of me find the source of this image, so if anyone out there has the original post: share it, reblog, message me whatever. Could this be a knock off tshirt? It doesn’t make much sense since the brand is known for producing cheap affordable clothing while imitations typically happen with designer brands. Why would someone make a knock off of a product which originally costs like 5 €?? The shirt also looks old and the logo appears washed out and faded. On the other hand, Fruit of the Loom always produced a label with a colorful logo, they never stamped it onto fabric.

In conclusion, I’m not sure what to think and feel about this mandela effect. I gathered a lot of material which works in favor of the cornucopia’s existence. However the company itself denies it’s existence. The logo had brown leaves instead of green at one point, which could explain the confusion, but it doesn’t explain the clear cornucopia shape on Flute of the Loom album cover. Can you tell I spent way too much time on this