#when is the carnival photo going to come up?? | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

yannawayne · 9 months ago

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iv. what's up danger?

SYNOPSIS: "Alright, let's do this one last time. My name is Y/N Kyle. I was bitten by a radioactive spider, And I've been the one and only Spidey in Gotham. I’m pretty sure you know the rest." PAIRING: Older! Damian Wayne/Fem! Reader TAGS: Established Relationship, Wounds, Violence, Surgical procedures, Panic Attacks, Arguments AO3: yenwayne SERIES LINK: gotham's only spidey

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The room falls into a stunned silence, every gaze drawn to your disheveled, bloodied appearance.

You attempt a casual wave, but it comes off as weak and awkward. Blood drips from your bruised knuckles, each drop splattering with a muted plop onto the polished floor. “Hey, everyone. Sorry, I’m late.”

Jason’s eyes flare with a dangerous glint of green as he barks, “What the fuck happened, kid?”

A typical dinner at the Waynes.

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Wednesday, 6:54 PM - Catwoman’s Apartment, Gotham City.

Three Days Later

THE ROOM IS QUIET except for the occasional rustle of clothing as you pack your things. You carefully fold your favorite hoodie, tucking it neatly into the suitcase. Next, you grab a few pairs of jeans, some t-shirts, and your worn-out sneakers.

You pause, your fingers lingering on a framed photo resting on the edge of the dresser. It's a snapshot of you and Damian at a carnival, his arm slung over your shoulder, his lips gently pressed against your head.

It’s been three days of radio silence between you and Damian. Three days of not speaking, which is practically a record for your relationship. And just when you were starting to get used to the peace and quiet, Bruce had to go and invite you and Selina to a celebratory dinner tonight. A gourmet guilt trip.

With a sigh, you place the photo gently on top of your clothes. Then you move to your desk, gathering a stack of notebooks crammed with sketches and half-finished plans scribbled on napkins and crumpled scraps of paper. You tuck them into the side pocket of your bag, carefully arranging the chaotic collection so that it all fits.

The door creaks open, and Selina steps into the room, her arms crossed with a proud smile playing on her lips.

“Packing up for your big adventure?” she asks.

You look up from your suitcase, a small smile tugging at your lips. “Yeah. It’s only for a month, but it feels like I’m leaving for a year.”

“A month isn’t so long.” Selina walks over, her feet thudding softly on the floor. She picks up a small figurine from your desk, examining it with a thoughtful expression. “Think of it as a chance to stretch your wings and maybe learn a thing or two.”

“Thanks.” You smile and turn back to your packing, reaching for your suit. The sleek, black material glistens under the soft light filtering through the window. You run your fingers over the spider emblem stitched into the back, feeling the familiar texture beneath your fingertips.

“You’re not seriously thinking of bringing the suit, are you?” she asks.

You hesitate, feeling the weight of the suit in your hands. “I thought I might need it. Just in case.”

“Well, you’re not planning on fighting crime in Stark Tower, are you?” she snarks, hands finding her hips as she gives you a look that clearly says she’s not buying your excuse. “This internship is a chance for you to have a life outside the vigilante shtick. It’s good for your future. A chance to live a normal life.”

“Normal? Mom, I stopped being normal the day I got these powers. There's no going back to that.”

“Maybe not,” Selina concedes, running gentle fingers through your hair. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have something close to it. You deserve to have options, to see what else is out there for you.”

You meet her gaze, your resolve unwavering. “I hear you. But I think I need to bring it. Just in case something goes wrong.”

Selina sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly. “God. You are just as stubborn as me,” she says, rising to her feet with a resigned smile. “Just promise me you’ll keep an open mind about this internship. Give it a real shot, okay?”

“Promise,” you hum, feeling a small sense of relief. As you reach for the suit to tuck it into your bag, your phone buzzes insistently.

Quickly, you glance at the screen.

Morgana:

Busy tonight? There’s a shipment near the docks. Tech equipment from what I see.

You could infiltrate. They have valuable info.

It's… Black Mask.

For a while, you stare at the phone, your thumb hovering over the screen, itching to swipe through the new messages. But Selina is still standing nearby. With a soft cough and a resigned exhale, you place the phone face down on the floor, deliberately ignoring the message for now.

You turn your attention back to your suitcase, refocusing on the task at hand. Selina watches you with a knowing look but doesn’t press further. The silence in the room is filled with the subtle rustle of fabric and the soft clink of zippers as you continue packing.

“Ready for tonight?” Selina asks.

You nod, though a knot tightens in your stomach. Bruce’s congratulatory dinner feels less like a celebration and more like an impending test, especially with the unresolved tension between you and Damian hanging heavy.

“Ready as I'll ever be,” you reply, attempting to sound confident.

You zip up the suitcase, taking a moment to glance around the room. Everything seems to be in place, but you double-check, making sure you haven’t forgotten anything essential.

Selina nods approvingly, then steps closer, bending to pull you into a hug. “I’ll go get dressed. You do too, alright?”

Selina leaves the room, her footsteps fading into the distance. Turning back to your suitcase, you rummage through the clothes, pulling out a pair of well-worn jeans and a red jacket. After slipping on some socks and sneakers, you reach for a black shirt. But as your hand hovers over the fabric, your gaze is drawn to your suit laid out on the bed.

The spider logo on its back glares at you, its eight-legged emblem almost seeming to reach out with an imperceptible pull, as if urging you to embrace your other self.

After a moment of inner conflict, you give in. You carefully pull on the suit beneath your clothes, the snug material wrapping around you like a second skin. With the suit in place, you slip on your black shirt, followed by the jacket and jeans. You tuck your mask into the pocket of your jacket.

Wearing a superhero suit under your clothes for a fancy dinner—definitely not a sign of insanity. Totally normal behavior. Call it creative paranoia.

With everything packed and ready, you head downstairs. Selina is still in her room, and you catch sight of her as she steps into view, looking a touch more formal than you in a sleek, off-shoulder black dress that hugs her curves. It’s short, tight, and elegant.

“Done already?” she hums, moving to her vanity and starting on her hair and makeup.

You nod, leaning against the doorframe and giving your hair a casual tousle. “Yeah, figured I’d keep it simple. Not sure I’m in the mood for fancy.”

Selina glances at you through the mirror, a small, reassuring smile curling her lips. “You look great. And don’t worry too much about tonight. It’ll be fine.”

“I hope so,” you murmur, more to yourself than to her.

The clock on the wall reads 7:00. You have three hours before the dinner, and Selina, always the early planner, will be occupied with her preparations for a while.

Pulling out your phone, you check Morgan’s message again. If you played your cards right, you could handle the shipment bust quickly and still make it to the dinner on time.

Clearing your throat, you push yourself off the doorframe and tug your hood back on. You head downstairs, making sure to keep your movements casual and unhurried, as if nothing out of the ordinary is about to happen.

“I’ll be heading out for a bit. I want to get some flowers for Alfred,” you call out, your voice carrying through the house.

Selina glances up from her vanity, an eyebrow arching in curiosity. “Alright, but don’t be too long. We need to leave once the driver arrives.”

“Got it,” you reply with a quick nod, turning and heading out of the room. You make your way downstairs, slipping out the front door and into the crisp evening air.

Once you’re in the privacy of a nearby alleyway, you waste no time. Tugging off your shirt, you shove it into the pocket of your jacket, feeling a rush of adrenaline. You slip on your mask, adjusting it carefully until it fits snugly, the familiar material settling comfortably against your skin. Your jeans, jacket, and sneakers stay on for practicality, and you plan to put the black shirt back on later.

With everything in place, you secure your earpiece and gadgets, pressing the earpiece into position and activating it. The familiar hum of your tech springs to life, and you’re ready to move.

The city’s sounds fade as you slip into the shadows.

“Morgz? You there?” you call out, already scaling up the side of a building.

A crackle of static precedes Morgan’s voice. “Yeah, I’m here. You on your way?”

“Just about to leave,” you reply, grabbing onto a ledge and pulling yourself up. “Any updates on the shipment?”

“It’s scheduled to arrive in about 30 minutes. The tech equipment is being unloaded from a truck into a warehouse. Security’s decent, but nothing you can’t handle. You’re only 15 minutes away from your spot right now.”

“Got it,” you confirm, reaching the rooftop and taking a moment to scan the area below. “I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for the heads-up.”

You launch into action, web-slinging towards the docks with a focus on speed. Normally, you’d be showboating and performing flips, but tonight, every second counts. The journey takes a bit longer than expected—20 minutes instead of 15.

As you approach the docks, you spot a boat pulling up to the edge, its silhouette cutting through the darkness.

“Surprised you even took this up,” Morgan’s voice murmurs through your earpiece. “Thought you weren't allowed to patrol on school nights.”

“Technically… I’m not,” you reply, weaving between buildings and adjusting your trajectory for a swift descent.

“Yeesh. Going rebellious already?”

“Teenage angst, remember?” you quip, a grin forming beneath your mask as you prepare to intercept the shipment

Landing on a rooftop adjacent to the warehouse, you take a moment to plan your entry. The warehouse is a large, industrial building with a few tall windows and a side door that looks like it’s used for deliveries.

Security cameras are mounted on the corners of the building, rotating every now and then. You quickly survey the area, noting the guards' position.

There are a couple of guards patrolling the perimeter, walking in predictable patterns. One guard is stationed near the side door, checking his watch occasionally. The other two are more mobile, taking turns walking around the exterior and scanning the area.

Beyond the security, you see five workers moving boxes from the boat to the warehouse. The open doors at the far end reveal crates of tech equipment being unloaded.

You activate your earpiece. "Update. Three guards outside. Five active workers. They've got cameras. Can you get those down for me?"

Morgan's voice crackles through your earpiece. "On it. Give me a sec."

You watch the cameras, waiting for them to go offline. The guard near the side door looks at his watch again, oblivious to what's about to happen.

After a tense moment, Morgan's voice comes back. "Cameras are down. You've got about an hour before the system kicks in again. Oh. That and there are about 5 more guards inside."

"Perfect," you hum.

You time your movements with the guards' patrols, slipping through the shadows. You approach the side door, keeping low and quiet.

Inside, the warehouse is dimly lit, with stacks of crates creating narrow pathways. The workers are busy unloading the truck, their focus on the task at hand. You crawl up the walls swiftly and silently.

You spot a terminal near the back of the warehouse, its blinking lights indicating it’s connected to the inventory system.

Time to get to work.

“I'm at the terminal. What’s next?” you whisper into the earpiece.

Morgan’s voice comes through with a steady tone. “Plug in the flash drive to copy the inventory data. While that’s running, find the main control panel for the security system and plant the tracker. This will help us monitor future shipments.”

You nod, even though she can't see you. "Got it. Flash drive first, then tracker."

You slip to the terminal and plug in the flash drive, which hums softly as it starts copying data. Glancing around to make sure no one is watching, you head to the security control panel hidden behind some crates and quickly plant the tracker.

"The tracker is set," you inform Morgan.

"Great job. The data copy should be done soon. Once it’s finished, you can pull the flash drive and get out of there."

You head back to the terminal, keeping an eye on the workers and guards. The flash drive's light blinks, signaling it's almost finished. After a few tense moments, the light turns solid.

"Data copied," Morgan confirms. "You’re clear to go."

You pull out the flash drive, tuck it into your pocket, and start heading toward the exit, blending into the shadows. Just as you reach the door, you hear voices nearby.

“Hey, did you hear something?”

Your heart stops as the guard’s flashlight beam sweeps dangerously close to your hiding spot. You freeze, pressing yourself against the cold metal wall, barely breathing.

“Probably just a rat. Let's check it out just in case.”

You curse silently under your breath, watching as the guards start moving in your direction.

The first guard steps closer, his flashlight scanning the area. You silently crawl up the wall, positioning yourself above him. With a swift flick of your wrist, you shoot a web at the flashlight, yanking it out of his hand and into the darkness.

“What the—” the guard starts, but you quickly web his mouth shut and pull him up towards the ceiling, wrapping him tightly in webbing and securing him to the roof. You knock his head against the metal, and he passes out.

The second guard, alarmed by the sudden commotion, turns his back to you as he draws his weapon. The rifle fires, but your spider sense helps you dodge the shots.

Cursing, you shoot a web at his feet, yanking his legs out from under him and sending him crashing to the ground. Before he can react, you web his hands to the floor and sling his weapon away.

Dropping from the ceiling, you slow your landing with a web and slam your foot down onto his head, knocking him out.

Despite the quiet disposal of the two guards, the earlier rifle shot already alerted the other workers and guards in the warehouse. You hear shouts and hurried footsteps approaching.

“Someone’s here! Find them!”

Guards scramble, their flashlights slicing through the darkness, casting erratic beams that dance across the warehouse walls. You sprint away, weaving between crates and machinery, but a new threat emerges from the shadows—a massive, burly man, easily twice your size. He’s built like a brick wall, his muscles straining against his uniform, and his face looks like it’s been chiseled out of stone, etched with a permanent scowl.

“Who’s messing around in 'ere?” the giant roars, his voice reverberating through the cavernous space. He brandishes a rifle, and from the looks of it, he seems to be their leader.

You glance at your watch—damn, it’s been two hours already.

Only an hour left.

Still… you could probably get one fight in before leaving.

…

Swinging out of the shadows, you land in front of the giant, hands on your hips.

“Hi, Mr. Villain!” you call out, catching a punch he throws and giving his hand a playful shake. “I’m Spidey, your friendly neighborhood nuisance. Always nice to meet someone with such a ‘heavy’ presence. Looks like you’ve got a bit of a security problem here—totally my bad.”

The giant snarls at you. He fires his rifle, but you deftly dodge the bullets. With a swift move, you fire a web at his feet and arms, pinning him momentarily to the ground. The rifle is knocked from his hands, clattering out of reach.

The guards scramble to regroup, and you spring into action. Flipping back into the air, you disarm the remaining guards—quick web blasts here, a roundhouse kick there, an uppercut thrown. Each guard crumples under the assault, slamming against the walls one by one, webbed together in a tangled heap.

There’s a snap as the leader breaks free, roaring in fury and charging at you. You duck under his swinging arm and fire a web at a stack of crates. The crates topple and crash into his path, heavy wood and metal smashing together. He stumbles, cursing and flailing wildly.

“Careful there! You might just crush your own merchandise,” you taunt, sidestepping his erratic swings.

In that moment of distraction, you snatch his gun away with a quick webshot. But as you turn to face him again, a jolt of pure adrenaline slams through your veins, sharp and unrelenting, like an electric shock.

The world sharpens into hyperfocus.

DANGER!

Your instincts scream at you to move. You leap to the side, but it’s already too late. A shadowy figure springs from the darkness, their knife catching a deadly glint in the harsh warehouse lights.

The blade slices through your suit, leaving a searing, agonizing wound. You stagger, clutching your side as blood seeps through the torn fabric and pools on the cold concrete. With a pained grimace, you muster the strength to shoot a web at the attacker, slamming them against the wall with a forceful swing.

“Spidey?! Come in. Shit. What happened to staying stealthy?” Morgan's voice crackles through the earpiece. “PEPPER, run back their vitals on me.”

A mechanical voice responds through your earpiece. “Vitals are stable. The wound is a deep six-inch laceration on the left side, with moderate blood loss, but the suit's padding has helped. The injury missed major organs and arteries. Immediate first aid and stitches are recommended.”

“Looks like I’ve got a new scar to show for tonight,” you heave, trying to ignore the throbbing pain as the giant stalks toward you. “But I’m not done yet.”

The man's roar shakes the warehouse.

“You think you can take me, you puny spider?!”

You lift your chin, tilting your head with a smirk. “Puny? That’s funny. I’ve taken down bigger.”

The giant lunges, brandishing a scrap of metal like a battering ram. You barely dodge, feeling the whoosh of air as it swings past. You retaliate with a web shot to his face, but he roars and swats it away, his massive arms tearing through your webbing.

“Careful there, big guy,” you quip, “I’m not into heavy metal, but thanks for the offer!”

His hand clamps onto your chest, lifting you off your feet with an alarming strength. He hurls you against a stack of crates, the impact slamming you into the wall. You slide down to the floor, dazed and with blood trickling from a split lip.

While you're down, the giant strides toward you, his heavy footsteps shaking the ground like a mini earthquake. You struggle to rise, just as he launches a flying knee. Your senses scream, a blaring alarm urging you to move.

!!!

With a yelp, you roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow that hits where you had been seconds before.

“Hey, watch it! I’ve got places to be after this!” you yell.

Before you can react, a powerful punch slams into your face, sending you spiraling backward.

“Owie. That one’s definitely gonna leave a mark,” you groan, pain radiating through your skull. Desperately, you shoot a web at his legs, hoping to slow him down. The webbing holds for a moment before he rips through it with sheer brute force.

Groaning, you shake off the dizziness, rolling your shoulders to loosen them before pushing yourself back to your feet.

“Alright,” you mutter, taking a deep breath. “Clearly, the webs aren’t working. Guess we’re sticking to fists. Put ’em up, big guy.”

Laughing with a guttural, mocking tone, the giant charges at you. As he lunges, you brace yourself and bring your fist up to guard your face. With a burst of power, you jab forward. Your knuckles connect with his face with a sickening crunch, the sound of bone shattering and flesh splitting echoing through the warehouse like a thunderclap.

JAB!

The man staggers back, his head snapping violently to the side, blood spraying from his jaw. Before he can recover, you launch into a spinning kick. Your leg connects with explosive force, slamming him into the wall with a resounding thud.

You follow up with a powerful jump, driving a kick into his ribs. The impact echoes with a sickening crack. He roars in pain and collapses, slumped against the wall.

With quick reflexes, you shoot a web at a high pipe, coiling it tightly. You yank the pipe down with all your strength. It crashes onto the giant with a resounding clang, the impact knocking him out cold.

You take a couple of deep breaths, blood and sweat mingling on your clothes and face as you survey the wreckage. The giant groans weakly—alive, but definitely out of commission for the moment.

“Looks like the big guy’s all out of steam,” you murmur, wiping the blood from your brow with a grim smile. “Now, time to find that exit before my own steam runs out.”

With a final glance at the chaos you've left behind, you swing toward the exit. The cut on your side throbs with each movement—though it's slowly healing, the pain and blood are still very much present.

"Spidey? You alright? What the fuck, you just beat that guy within an inch of his life."

“He’ll live,” you huff as you swing through the streets. After fumbling around for a while, you pull your phone from your jacket and curse at the time.

Only ten minutes before the car arrives.

“Uh, Morgz, do me a favor. Where’s the nearest flower shop?”

"Christ. You just busted down an illegal tech deal and now you're out for flowers?" Morgan’s response comes through the earpiece before you hear some typing. “There’s a florist two blocks from your current location. I’m sending you the address. But—You really need to take care of that wound.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” you reply. There's a ping as the location pops up on your phone. “Just need to pick up some flowers. Trust me, it’s important.”

You adjust your swing to head toward the florist, landing quietly in the alley outside. With quick movements, you slip off your mask and start changing. You discard your jacket, revealing the bloodied suit underneath. The suit’s dark color masks most of the stains, but it's still a grim sight.

Pulling on your shirt over the suit, you try to conceal the worst of the mess. The sticky, wet feeling of blood against your skin is unpleasant, and you grimace as you adjust the shirt. Finally, you slip the jacket back on, hoping it will help you blend in and give you a semblance of normalcy.

Taking a deep breath, you straighten up and glance at your reflection in the nearby puddle. The image staring back at you is a disheveled mess: hair tousled, face bruised and bloodied, jeans stained with grime and blood, and a jacket barely concealing it all.

“Not my best look,” you bite your lip. “But it’ll have to do.”

With a sigh, you step into the flower shop. The bell above the door jingles softly, and the warm, floral scent is a welcome relief from the warehouse’s stench.

The florist looks up from behind the counter with a curious glance. His eyes narrow slightly as he takes in your disheveled appearance but he doesn’t seem particularly fazed.

In Gotham, a bloodied teenager is probably just another Wednesday.

“Evening,” the florist says, his voice carrying the neutrality of someone accustomed to the oddities of city life. “What can I do for you?”

You give a quick nod, trying to keep your tone casual despite the blood still seeping through your shirt. “Need something nice. Simple. No need for anything flashy.”

The florist nods and starts arranging a bouquet of flowers. You drift over to a corner and find yourself looking at some daisies, their bright, cheerful colors a stark contrast to your current state.

“Spidey? How’s it going?”

“Alright,” you shrug, though she can’t see it. “Can I get a rundown on my vitals again?”

Morgan’s voice hums and there’s the sound of clicking keys. “Vitals are stable. The cut is slowly healing, but you’ll need to properly bandage and get some of that stitched later Happy to say you're not going to die bleeding out.”

She pauses, and then adds, “You’ve got a couple of broken ribs though.”

You blink in surprise and pat at your sides, feeling nothing. “Really? Guess that’s my pain tolerance working overtime. Didn’t even notice.”

“Please tell me you’re getting that treated first,” Morgan says, a hint of concern in her voice.

“Nope,” you reply, moving to pay for the flowers. “Already running late. Mom will kill me if she finds out.”

Morgan’s voice is laced with skepticism. “She’s going to find out anyway.”

You sigh, trying to ignore the twinge in your side. “I’ll just say it was a mugging.”

“Do you really think she’ll believe that?” Morgan asks, her tone dry.

You let out a small, pained chuckle. “In Gotham, maybe. But realistically…no. I’m just hoping to buy myself a little time before it all catches up to me.”

With the bouquet in hand, you head back out into the night. You tuck the flowers into your free pocket and swing off into the darkness. As you soar through the city, you reach for your earpiece and say a quick, “Goodnight, Morgz,” before shoving it into the pocket of your jeans.

Just as you near the bridge, your phone rings. You glance at the screen and curse under your breath—Selina’s calling, and from the look of it, she’s been trying to reach you multiple times over the past hour.

Yeah, you’re fucked.

You answer the call, forcing a casual tone. “Hey, Mom. What’s up?”

Selina’s voice comes through, clearly agitated. You can hear her huffing as she closes the apartment door, the background noise of a car engine rumbling outside. “Where the hell are you? I’ve been waiting forever. We’re all set to head out.”

You quickly scan the streets below as you swing past, trying to gauge your location. “Uh, I’m on 2nd Broadway… actually, make that 3rd Broadway. And… 4th of Broadway! I’ll be there in… twenty minutes tops. Almost there, Mom!”

There’s a pause.

“... Are you swinging?”

“Nope,” you lie smoothly, narrowly dodging a pigeon that flaps angrily past your face. “Just a bit of a detour. You know how it is.”

“Honey. I can hear the wind. Are you really swinging around? It’s a school night. You know the rules—”

You wince, knowing you’ve been caught. “Just… had a few things to take care of. I’m on my way. Promise. Actually, why don’t I meet you at Wayne Manor instead? I’m near the bridge. Ya know, the one by the docks.”

There’s another pause on her end.

“Why are you near the docks?!”

You avoid the question, trying to keep the conversation moving. “Long story. Look, I’m running late. Can we just meet at Wayne Manor? I’ll explain everything after dinner.”

Selina’s frustration doesn’t ease, but she sighs. “Fine. Wayne Manor it is. But don’t think for a second you’re off the hook, young lady.”

You nod, even though she can’t see it. “Understood. See you soon. Love you, Mom!”

༻⊰───⋅

BEEP.

Selina scowls as she ends the call and heads down to meet Alfred. The gritty streets of Gotham greet her, the cacophony of sirens and street chatter providing a harsh backdrop to her mood.

Alfred, noticing her irritated state, opens the door for her with a raised eyebrow. "Good to see you Miss Kyle. May I ask where the young miss is?"

Selina forces a smile, trying to mask her frustration. “She’s… handling something that came up last minute. She’ll meet us at the manor.”

"Very well. I trust she’ll be punctual." Alfred says, a hint of concern in his eyes, but he says nothing more. He closes the door behind her as she slips into the car, adjusting her coat and glancing at her reflection in the rearview mirror.

The engine starts, the low hum blending with the city’s background noise. As the vehicle pulls away, Selina leans back against the cool leather seat, her fingers drumming lightly on the armrest, her mind already racing through the conversation she knows is coming.

You were dead meat.

༻⊰───⋅

After nearly an hour of high-speed swings through Gotham, you finally touch down in a secluded area near Wayne Manor. You're breathless and disheveled, your earlier efforts to look presentable having fallen short. You quickly scan the area, making sure the security cameras don’t catch your arrival.

Taking a moment to compose yourself, you adjust your clothes and press the doorbell. The chime rings through the grand entrance. You glance at your phone and wince—you're an hour and thirty minutes late.

The swinging took longer than expected, and to make matters worse, you had to intervene when this ginger reporter was being robbed. You couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Now, as you wait by the gate, you hear footsteps approaching from inside. The door swings open to reveal Alfred, who freezes for a moment, his eyes widening at the sight of you—bruised, bloodied, and clearly worse for wear. You lean against the gate, your fingers curling around the metal.

“H—Hey, Al.”

“Goodness me!” Alfred exclaims, hurrying over to the gate and pulling it open wide. He rushes over, opening the gate wider and pulling you inside with a practiced ease. His gaze sweeps over your injuries, concern etched deeply into his features. “Miss Kyle, you’re in quite a state!”

You manage a tired smile, carefully pulling the bouquet from your jacket. It’s in rough shape—torn petals, crushed blooms, and snapped stems. It looks like it’s on the verge of dying.

“Sorry I’m late,” you say, wincing as you hold up the sad arrangement. “These… are for you. I, uh, ran all the way here. I hope I’m not too late for dinner.”

Alfred takes the flowers with a gentle smile, his concern momentarily overshadowed by a touch of warmth. “Thank you, Miss Kyle. However, I assure you it’s fine. The others have already started eating. They won’t mind if you—”

“It’s fine! This is just…,” you pause, pursing your lips as you scramble for a plausible excuse. You force a smile, shaking your head and pulling your jacket hood further over your face to hide the swelling bruise around one of your eyes. “Hah, you know how Gotham can be.”

Alfred gives you a sympathetic glance but says nothing more. “Very well. If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you to the dining room.”

He guides you through the grand hallways, your footsteps echoing in the vast space and mingling with the soft murmur of conversation. As you reach the dining room, the door swings open, revealing a table set with care and already abuzz with activity. Selina, Bruce, and the others are seated, their animated conversations abruptly halting as they turn to look at you.

The room falls into a stunned silence, every gaze drawn to your disheveled, bloodied appearance.

Selina’s eyes narrow into slits, her irritation barely concealed behind a strained, tight-lipped smile. Bruce’s complexion drains to an ashen hue, his eyes are wide as saucers, looking like he’s about to pass out from shock. He casts Selina a panicked glance, which she meets with a weary sigh, her hands momentarily covering her face as if trying to shield herself from the mess. She looks utterly drained.

Jason’s eyes flare with a dangerous glint of green as he barks, “What the fuck happened, kid?”

Next to him, Cassandra’s face is blank. Her fingers fidget with her utensils as she shifts her gaze rapidly between you and Selina, trying to piece together the fractured narrative from your battered appearance and Selina’s body language.

Bruce, who had been quietly observing, stands up and approaches you with slow, measured steps.

“You’re hurt,” he says, his voice a deep, resonant murmur. His hands, surprisingly gentle for their strength, settle on your shoulders. His eyes, usually as inscrutable as the dark depths of a stormy sea, now soften with the tenderness of a lighthouse guiding you through a night. “What happened, kiddo?”

There’s a strange, twisting sensation in your gut, flaring just beneath your ribs. A lump rises in your throat, and despite your best efforts to stay composed, your eyes begin to well up.

“I—” you begin, but the words falter. Your gaze drifts across the room and locks onto Damian’s eyes. They’re like emeralds, gleaming with a ferocity that seems to pierce through the walls you’ve built. Though he remains silent, his piercing look conveys a thousand unspoken thoughts and emotions.

A wave of shame is crashing into you, pushing your words back down. “Just… a rough night. Got into a fight.”

Bruce’s eyes narrow, and a wave of seething anger ripples through him. You try to ignore it.

“And who was this?” he demands, his voice a controlled, simmering growl.

“It’s okay. It ended up alright,” you try to shrug it off, forcing a casual tone. “Really, it’s not as bad as it looks. Just a run-in with some rando on the street.”

Everyone’s reactions vary, but it’s the look in Selina’s eyes that strikes you the hardest. Selina’s weary gaze peeks out from behind her hands, and the sight makes your face crumple.

“Pull off your hood,” Selina commands, icy and devoid of warmth. As she straightens in her chair, her blood-red nails dig into the mahogany table, turning her knuckles as pale as frost.

You keep your gaze fixed on the polished marble floor, scuffing the dried mud across its pristine surface. The silence in the room grows heavier with each passing second.

“Take off the damn hood and show me your face!”

Scowling and clenching your jaw, you yank the hood off. As it falls away, the full extent of your injuries is laid bare. Selina’s eyes widen as they take in the black eye, the bruises, and the cuts that mar your face. Her shock quickly morphs into a deepening scowl, her lips trembling as she fights to control her rising anger.

Everyone waiting for the outburst that is sure to follow.

Instead, Selina’s hands fly to cover her face, and she looks as though she might fall apart at any moment.

Bruce stares at you with something akin to horror.

Before anyone can react further, Damian abruptly stands, his chair scraping against the floor. Without a word, he strides over to you, wrapping an arm around your waist and guiding you out of the room.

His muttered words are barely audible, “I’ll take care of their injuries.”

Bruce moves back to Selina’s side, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he tries to offer comfort.

You can hear his soft, reassuring whisper as you walk away, “You can stay for the night. It’s too late to head out now. Give her some time.”

Selina, her face still pale and troubled, nods gratefully, her gaze tracking Damian as he helps you toward the manor’s second floor.

Damian ushers you into his room, the door closing behind you with a decisive click. He motions to the bed, and you sink onto it with a heavy sigh, the weight of the day dragging at your limbs.

You watch Damian retreat to the bathroom, your gaze lingering on the raw, bloodied skin of your knuckles, tinged with a gnawing sense of guilt.

Moments later, he returns with a first aid kit in hand. He kneels before you, reaching out to tug off your jacket, but you quickly shake your head, not wanting him to discover the suit beneath.

“I’m going to change in the bathroom,” you rasp. Damian silently nods, moving to his closet and pulling out one of his cotton shirts and boxers. He hands them to you with a resigned sigh and leans against the wall beside the bathroom door, giving you the privacy you need.

You take the clothes from Damian and head to the bathroom. As you push open the door, the dim light casts long shadows across the tiled floor. You deliberately avoid meeting your reflection in the mirror, not wanting to confront the full extent of the mess you’re in.

Once inside, you drop Damian’s shirt and boxers onto the floor, followed by your jacket, shirt, and pants. The fabric makes a soft rustling sound as it lands. With a deep, steadying breath, you begin peeling off your suit, slow and painstaking.

As the suit peels away from your skin, the blood and sweat that have soaked into it reveal the severity of your injuries. You wince as the cut on your side comes fully into view, a raw, angry red line that stretches from just below your rib cage to the middle of your side. It looks even worse up close—jagged and still oozing a bit despite the healing process.

You quickly change into Damian’s boxers, opting to keep the shirt off for now. You carefully bundle your suit and hide it under your jacket and pants, folding it as neatly as you can manage. With a deep breath, you step back into the room.

Damian’s eyes narrow as he assesses the cut on your side, now reduced to a four-inch scar due to your enhanced healing abilities. His gaze is hard, and you can almost see the weight of the lecture that would have come if he’d seen the injury in its original, more severe state.

“Sit down,” Damian finally speaks, his voice firm. He begins to open the first aid kit, movements slow. You drop your ruined clothes in a far corner and plop back down on his bed, rubbing your hands together nervously.

A beat passes as Damian finishes cleaning the wound and reaches for the anesthesia, preparing to start stitching you up. You shake your head and push his hand away. “I can take it.”

“No,” Damian scowls and continues his work. He applies the anesthesia despite your protests, injecting it around the wound to numb the area. The needle pierces your skin with a sharp sting, followed by a dull, throbbing sensation as the anesthetic begins to take effect.

He sets the syringe aside and picks up a pair of sterilized tweezers and needle and thread. You watch as he carefully makes the first stitch, his hands steady and precise. The thread pulls tight, closing the wound with a series of tight, even stitches.

His long lashes flutter over his hooded eyes with each focused blink, his emerald gaze intense and filled with concern. The warm ambient light of the room casts a gentle glow on his deep tan skin, accentuating the chiseled contours of his face in a soft, almost ethereal light.

The beam of light highlights the light almost invisible scar that stretches from his cheekbone to his crooked nose, tracing the elegant curve of his cheekbone and the strong, defined line of his jaw. Your gaze drifts to his full lips, noting the perfect cupid’s bow of his upper lip.

His hair is meticulously styled, with longer strands on top falling in inky, sleek waves across his forehead, remnants of gel catching the light. Damian’s thick, well-kept hair frames his face like brush strokes, adding to his strikingly handsome appearance.

Unable to hold yourself back, you raise a hand to cup his cheek. Damian hums, a low, soothing sound that rumbles in his chest. He keeps his eyes focused on your wound but tilts his head slightly to press a soft, tender kiss to your wrist.

With the stitches complete, Damian shifts his attention to bandaging the wound. He secures the bandage, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary as he smooths out the edges. Finally, he raises his head and meets your gaze, eyes conveying everything he can’t say aloud.

Exhausted and overwhelmed, you slump into Damian’s embrace, dropping your hands onto his shoulders. He responds instinctively, taking your hands in his. Large, calloused fingers gently lift yours, pressing a tender kiss to each of them before moving to softly kiss your bruised knuckles.

With a whisper of your name, Damian draws your hands over his shoulders. You smile, sinking deeper into his embrace, arms draped over his strong back. Damian holds you close, lifting you off the bed as he pulls you into a hug. His arms wound up around your waist, pulling you tighter against him.

“You know, trying to keep secrets from me is pointless,” Damian murmurs, a thinly veiled threat in his words peppering kisses up the side of your neck. “I am the son of the greatest detective in the world. I will find out what happened.”

You chuckle softly, feeling the tension ease a bit. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just let me hold you, you insufferable know-it-all.”

Damian’s grip tightens slightly. His forehead rests against yours, hearts swimming in his emerald eyes. “You’re lucky I tolerate your nonsense. But seriously, you need to start talking.”

“Maybe later,” you reply, smiling against his shoulder. “Right now, I just need you.”

༻⊰───⋅

An hour later, it’s already 1 AM, but you and Damian are still awake, watching a show on his television. You’re curled up together on his bed, the flickering light from the screen painting the room in shifting hues of blue and gray, casting gentle shadows that dance across the walls.

You rest your head against Damian’s chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your cheek. His arm is wrapped around your shoulders, holding you close. Despite the late hour, the warmth and comfort of his embrace keep you from drifting off.

“This show is surprisingly bearable,” Damian murmurs.

You smile, nuzzling closer. “Told you it was worth a watch. Thanks for staying up with me.”

Damian’s fingers gently stroke your hair, each touch a soothing rhythm against your scalp. “Of course I’d do it, even if it means enduring your rather questionable taste in television.”

You scoff, pretending to be wounded. “Questionable taste? This show is a gem. You just don’t want to admit I’ve expanded your horizons.”

Damian raises an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes as he gives your shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Expanded my horizons? More like subjected me to a marathon of pedestrian entertainment.”

You roll your eyes, a smile tugging at your lips despite his words. The episode continues, the soft hum of the TV blending with the comforting rhythm of Damian’s breathing. The earlier tension and worry seem to dissolve into the background, replaced by a quiet intimacy.

Damian’s hand moves slowly, slipping beneath the hem of your shirt. His thumb begins to trace gentle, deliberate patterns on your back. You shiver slightly at the unexpected sensation, a delicate ripple of warmth spreading through you. His touch is soft yet firm, spelling out something with careful precision.

Though you don’t fully grasp the intent behind his touch, Damian’s fingers trace a delicate script across your skin, inscribing the words of Talia’s favorite Arabic love poem onto your back.

“My life shall be sacrificed for her beauty,” his thumb whispers across your skin, “my blood shall be spilled freely for her, and though I burn for her painfully, like a candle, none of my days shall ever be free of this pain. Let me love, oh my God, love for love’s sake, and make my love a hundred times as great as it was and is.”

The gentle pressure of his touch, the rhythmic way his thumb moves, slowly eases you into sleep. As each verse of the poem is imprinted on your skin, you find yourself drifting off, nestled against his chest. Damian tenderly presses his lips to your temple, wishing you sweet dreams.

༻⊰───⋅

Thursday, 3:02 AM - Damian's Room, Wayne Manor.

Dick moves stealthily down the moonlit hallway, his footsteps muffled against the plush carpet. He reaches Damian’s door and pushes it open with a gentle nudge. Despite his careful approach, the old hinges protest with a loud, protesting creak, shattering the quiet of the night and immediately stirring Damian from his sleep.

The sudden noise jolts Damian awake, his reflexes kicking in. His eyes snap open, and in a heartbeat, his muscles tense as he instinctively tightens his protective embrace around you. The world outside fades as his focus zeroes in on the intruder.

Damian’s gaze narrows into a steely glare as he locks onto Dick. In a seamless, fluid motion, he throws aside the blankets and reaches beneath the bed, his hand closing around the hilt of a gleaming katana.

Without hesitation, he draws the blade with a swift, practiced flick, sending the katana arcing through the air toward Dick.

SHINK!

Dick stumbles back, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. The katana thuds harmlessly into the wall beside him, its sharp edge embedded in the wood just inches from his head.

"Such a dramatic wake-up call… Good morning to you too," Dick grins, clearly used to this routine. “Alright. I know it’s late, but Selina is still up. I think she wants to talk to Y/N.”

Damian’s snarl is a low, dangerous rumble. “If you wake her, I will cut your hands off.”

Dick raises an eyebrow, clearly unfazed by the threat. “Come on, baby bird. It’s not that big of a deal. Just let her know she’s needed.”

Damian’s eyes remain locked on Dick, a burning intensity that could have melted steel. Yet, after a long, tense moment, he grudgingly nods, the anger in his posture easing ever so slightly. With careful precision, he unwinds himself from the cocoon of blankets that envelops you, making sure not to jostle you awake.

!!!

But as Damian shifts, your senses stir, your eyes fluttering open to the dim light of the room. Your hand moves instinctively, reaching out to grasp Damian’s wrist, your fingers curling around him with a surprising strength. The sudden contact startles Damian, and he pauses, his gaze softening as he looks down at you.

Confusion and concern flash across your face as you murmur, “Dames?”

He pauses, his gaze softening as he looks down at you, his eyes reflecting a tender regret. “It’s okay. I apologize for waking you, but Miss Kyle is calling for you.”

You tense immediately, and Damian feels a pang of guilt unfurl in his gut for disrupting your rest.

You sigh softly and rise slowly, wincing slightly as though the wound still bothers you. Although your injury has healed, you keep up the act, unwilling to make it too obvious that you’re fine. You know you’re on thin ice, and the last thing you want is to make things more suspicious.

Damian instinctively moves to support you, his hand steadying your back with a reassuring touch as you rise. Dick, lingering at the doorway, casts an apologetic glance your way.

Damian helps you to your feet, his touch steady and reassuring. He retrieves his soccer jacket from a nearby chair and drapes it around your shoulders with a gentle, almost reverent touch. The jacket, well-worn and carrying the faint scent of his cologne, envelops you in its soft, reassuring warmth.

As you and Damian approach the door to his room, you hesitate and turn to him.

“I think I need to handle this alone,” you say quietly. “Can you wait here?”

Damian's eyes narrow slightly, and he hesitates, his protective instincts flaring.

“Are you sure?” he asks, running a hand up your back.

You give him a reassuring smile. “Yes, it’s better this way. I’ll be fine.”

Damian’s expression softens reluctantly. “Alright. I will be right here if you need me, beloved.”

You watch as Damian retreats to his room, his hand sliding around the katana lodged in the doorframe. With a smooth, deliberate motion, he withdraws the blade, the metal glinting momentarily before the door closes softly behind him. Dick, meanwhile, falls into step beside you and guides you down the corridor. His presence is steady and reassuring, a calming force in the tense atmosphere.

As you walk, Dick leans in slightly, his voice a low murmur. “Your mom’s been on edge all night. I’m… not sure what’s going on, but she made it clear she wanted to talk to you immediately.”

You nod, feeling a knot of anxiety tighten in your stomach. “I figured as much,” you reply, trying to keep your tone steady.

Dick’s expression turns serious, but a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. “You really gave us a scare,” he says, his tone softening. “Just remember, as a future Mrs. Wayne, we’ve got your back, no matter what.”

You chuckle softly, the warmth of his words offering a small measure of comfort. Taking a deep breath, you steel yourself for the conversation ahead as you reach the door to Selina’s room.

You turn the knob and push the door open.

Tall windows, framed by heavy drapes, stand slightly ajar, allowing the Gotham breeze to drift through the room. The curtains flutter rhythmically, whispering softly against the glass panes. Selina stands by the window, her silhouette etched sharply against the city’s glittering skyline. Her back is to you, tense and rod-straight.

The door clicks shut behind you, and she turns her head slightly, her gaze meeting yours with a cool, unreadable intensity.

"Are you going to start talking, or am I going to have to drag it out of you?”

“I was just—” you stammer, struggling to find the right words. “I passed by, okay? I saw the situation and I had to intervene—”

Selina cuts you off with a sharp twist of her head. “I have eyes. I know what happened. I was informed about a tech shipment—an underground tech shipment by the docks. It was infiltrated. They found all the men webbed. Webbed. To the walls and floors. Don’t lie to me, honey.”

You sigh, the weight of the truth settling heavily on your shoulders. “Yeah. Okay,” you admit, your voice trembling despite your efforts to stay composed. “It… was planned.”

Selina’s eyes narrow dangerously as she strides towards you, heels clicking sharply against the floors. Her silhouette, framed by the soft, muted glow of the city lights filtering through the window, looms larger than life.

“Did you have a single clue as to whose men those were?” she demands, her voice slicing through the silence like a whip crack.

“I knew,” you say quietly, “I knew they were connected to Black Mask. It was a tip-off, and I thought if I could just—”

“You thought? You thought what? That you could handle it alone?” Selina’s eyes flash. “This isn’t some playground for you to experiment with your powers. You’re dealing with dangerous people—people who won’t hesitate to kill. And if you get yourself hurt—or worse—what good are you to anyone?”

You lower your eyes, feeling the sting of her words as if each one were a reprimand meant to cut deeper. “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”

“Sorry isn’t going to undo this mess!” she snaps, her hands gripping the edge of a table.

A hand tangles itself into her hair, strands of hair failing over her gaze. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through? What you’ve risked by acting recklessly? I’m not just scolding you because I’m angry. I’m scared. You’re my responsibility”

Your anger surges, and you shout, “I know, Mom! I know!” The words escape before you can stop them.

Selina’s expression shifts from anger to hurt, her eyes momentarily softening before hardening again. “Don’t take that tone with me."

“Excuse me?” you snap, stepping closer. “You think you’re the only one who’s ever lost something? Every time I bring up my mother, you just give me the bare minimum! I was going to start digging eventually.”

Selina’s eyes widen, a mix of hurt and frustration flashing across her face. “You think I’m holding back information from you? I’m trying to protect you! When your mother died, I promised myself I wouldn’t let anyone else I cared about get hurt."

“We’re so past that! I’m already knee-deep in this world,” you say desperately, your voice rising. “Mom, look at me! Just look! I have Spider DNA in my veins. My boyfriend is a vigilante. I’ve faced kidnappings and attempts on my life ever since I was born! You can’t keep treating me like a child who needs to be sheltered from reality.”

“I raised you! ” Selina screams, raw and primal, the words tearing from her throat with a force that leaves you momentarily stunned. “I gave up everything to keep you safe, to try and shield you from the worst parts of this life because I couldn’t bear to lose you too!”

Her voice shatters mid-sentence, the tears slipping from her eyes despite her best efforts to hold them back. But she doesn’t stop, pushing through, her words tumbling out in a frantic, desperate rush. “Every time you put yourself at risk, it’s like ripping open a wound that never heals! Don’t you get that? I can’t—I won’t—lose you, too!”

The raw emotion in her voice shatters your anger, melting it away like ice under a warm sun. You step forward, your movements gentle as you grab onto her shoulders, guiding her down into a chair.

“I know, Ma,” you murmur, your voice softening as you try to soothe her. “I know it’s okay. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’m sorry.”

Selina breathes heavily, her anger still simmering just beneath the surface. “I know. I know you’ve been through so much. It’s just—I don’t want you to be a target for Black Mask. He’s a fucking monster, and I didn’t want you to be in his crosshairs.”

“I’m already in his crosshairs,” you whisper, bending down and reaching into your sock, where you’ve hidden the flash drive containing the information you retrieved from the warehouse. You had tucked it in earlier while changing in the bathroom.

“This,” you continue, holding up the small device, “is information on all his future activities. This was the mission I had earlier.”

Selina’s eyes widen in alarm, her fear quickly reigniting into fury. “Have you put no thought into the rules I set? Putting yourself in that kind of danger—”

“Danger I’m already in,” you cut her off. “Danger I’m about to face.”

"Y/N," Selina hisses out in warning, her eyes flashing dangerously, fangs glinting in the moonlight like a cornered cat.

“What? You think you can stop me?” you scowl as she stands. “I’m done playing by your rules. And if you get in my way, I won’t hesitate to take you down.”

Selina’s eyes narrow, and a scornful smile twists on her lips.

"Prove it."

“What?” you manage to choke out.

Without a word, she launches herself toward you. Her foot whips out in a sharp, hard kick, sending you reeling backward. You hit the small balcony with a heavy thud, the harsh chill of the metal biting into your skin.

A pained grunt escapes you as you scramble to regain your footing, the cold air wrapping around you like a bitter embrace.

"Prove it, honey," Selina taunts, her voice dripping with contempt as she saunters toward you. She draws her claws with a slow, deliberate motion, the metal gleaming ominously in the dim light. “Show me you’ve got some fight.”

Before you can fully recover, Selina is on you again. You barely evade her claws, landing heavily on the cold metal railings. The chill bites into your feet, but you push off the railing with a powerful leap, ready to re-engage.

Selina's leg sweeps toward you with brutal intent, aiming to knock you off balance. Reacting quickly, you shoot a web to the railing, swinging yourself back into position and avoiding her strike.

You retaliate with a hard kick to her chest. The impact sends Selina sprawling, her body slamming into the ground. She rolls to absorb the blow, springing back up.

Her eyes flash with anger as she leaps from the balcony’s ledge, executing a high-spinning kick. You twist in mid-air, grabbing the edge of the balcony to dodge her attack and pulling yourself back onto solid ground.

“If you try to stop me, if you try to control me, you’ll only push me further away,” you shout, breath coming in sharp bursts. “And I promise, I’ll fight back with everything I’ve got.”

"Then fight!"

As she swings at you again, you snatch her wrist, twisting it with a sharp, decisive motion. With a sudden push, you force her own claws against her, the cold metal slicing into her shoulder.

Selina hisses in pain, her body recoiling as she shoves you away. The razor edges of her claws carve a deep, angry line across her shoulder, a vivid stripe of crimson blooming against her skin and staining her outfit.

The sight of it catches you off guard, a sharp pang of guilt gripping you as her pain registers. You stand frozen, eyes locked on the streaks of red that disrupt the perfection of her skin.

“Mom—” your throat tightens. “I’m so—”

Selina starts to smile, a small, almost reluctant grin that slowly grows wider. The sight is so unexpected that it momentarily takes you aback. Then, much to your surprise, she begins to laugh—a rich, genuine sound filled with a mix of relief, amusement, and something deeper you can’t quite place.

“You think this is funny?!” you exclaim, bewildered and on the verge of anger.

Selina looks at you with a bitter smile, her laughter fading. She clutches her bleeding shoulder, her expression softening as she lets out a long sigh.

“You really are my daughter,” she murmurs.

You slowly ease from your defensive stance, confusion furrowing your brows.

“Alright, fine. Point proven,” she continues, voice gentler now. “Trying to cage you would only make you fight harder to claw your way out. Literally. I should know better than anyone how that feels.”

“O… kay?” you mutter, still grappling with the sudden shift in her demeanor. “So, I guess we’ve proven my point. What now?”

“Now,” she says slowly, “we talk. Like sane adults. No more clawing each other’s faces off.”

༻⊰───⋅

An hour later, both of you sit on the edge of the bed, cradling cups of warm jasmine tea from the tea set provided in your room—because, of course, each guest room in the Wayne Manor has one.

The steam rises gently from the cups, warming your fingers and offering a soothing contrast to the cool air. Selina sits across from you, her shoulder wrapped in bandages.

As you sit on the edge of the bed, you fill Selina in on everything that’s happened: the mugging with Morgan, the shooting when you saved her, and the whole "guy in the chair" thing. You’re honest about all the other stuff and the support you’ve received, but you leave out the fact that Tony Stark knows your secret identity, keeping that bit to yourself for now.

Selina stares at her cup of tea, her eyes wide with disbelief. The steady ticking of a clock fills the room, punctuating the silence as she processes what you've just shared.

“So, you’ve been pulling all the strings?” she asks. "Orchestrating all of this?"

You lick your lips, choosing your words carefully. Orchestrating is a strong word. More like everything is falling into place. But that does sound better.

“Something like that,” you say, nodding.

Selina blinks, taking a slow, contemplative sip of her tea. “Trying to rein you in would be a lost cause at this point,” she says, setting her cup down. “So, what exactly is the plan from here?”

You place your cup back onto its saucer with a soft clink, the porcelain’s gentle chime briefly breaking the quiet. “I need to dig deeper into Black Mask’s operations. With Morgan’s help, I’ve got the tech and the intel, but there’s still a lot we don’t know.”

Selina nods, tracing a finger along the rim of her cup, her gaze distant. “Batman will notice. The moment you step out into the city proper, you’re going to be a target. And once you’re on his radar, a contingency plan will be set.”

You stay silent, fiddling with your fingers.

Selina’s gaze hardens. “And that’s what worries me. Bruce is just a man—no powers, no special DNA. But if he sets his mind to something, he can take anyone down. I don’t want you caught in that crossfire.”

You open your mouth, but Selina cuts you off.

“That’s why I’ve had my own contingency plan in case Gotham ever fell apart.”

You glance at her, a thread of dread weaving itself into your thoughts. “Contingency plan?”

Selina nods, her tone heavy. “When I first took you in, my plan was to leave Gotham as soon as possible. But then the Catwoman thing happened, and I got… sentimental. I couldn’t bring myself to leave. Still, I made sure we had a backup.”

“Backup? What do you mean?”

Selina’s expression softens slightly. “I bought an apartment in Metropolis. It was supposed to be a safehouse—somewhere to go if things got too dangerous here. I even set up fake identities for us, just in case we needed to disappear fast.”

“Metropolis?” you ask, your disbelief coming through with a half-smile. “Seriously?”

Selina winces, her expression sours. “Yes, it was meant to be a last resort. If things ever got too out of control, or if our secrets got out, it was our escape plan. I didn’t want us to be hunted down. I wanted us to have a safe place to go.”

She cracks her knuckles, releasing some of the tension in her hands.

“It’s still an option if things get too messy. But for now, I’ll help you as much as I can here."

༻⊰───⋅

Damian walks up the stairs, his steps muted against the polished wood. In his hand, he clutches a thick blanket he’s taken from the storeroom. The absence of your presence has made his room feel uncomfortably cold, and he refuses to go back to sleep without you there.

As he nears the guest room where you and Selina are deep in conversation, he slows his pace, the soft hum of your voices drifting through the slightly ajar door.

He knows he should respect your privacy—a lesson he’s learned the hard way after being caught tailing you during patrols more than once. But his curiosity tugs at him.

He lingers outside the room, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, straining to catch snippets of the conversation drifting through the slightly ajar door.

“That’s why I’ve had my own contingency plan in case Gotham ever fell apart.”

The voices are muffled, but Damian can detect the guilt in Selina’s tone.

“Contingency plan?”

There was a pause.

“When I first took you in, my plan was to leave Gotham as soon as possible. But then the Catwoman thing happened, and I got… sentimental. I couldn’t bring myself to leave. Still, I made sure we had a backup.”

“Backup? What do you mean?”

“I bought an apartment in Metropolis. It was supposed to be a safehouse—somewhere to go if things got too dangerous here. I even set up fake identities for us, just in case we needed to disappear fast.”

Damian freezes.

"Metropolis? Really?"

Selina’s voice carries a note of sorrow. “Yes, it was meant to be a last resort. If things ever got too out of control, or if our secrets got out, it was our escape plan. I didn’t want us to be hunted down. I wanted us to have a safe place to go.”

Damian remains frozen in place.

Hunt? Who was hunting you down that made Selina think it was necessary to move rather than seek help from his father? Did she not trust Batman's abilities? Did she not trust his?

His grip on the blanket tightens until his knuckles turn white, the rough fabric digging into his palms like a searing brand. A bitter, acrid taste rises in his throat, mingling with the bile of frustration and helplessness.

Had he not proven his devotion enough? Each time he threw himself into the fray, each time he fought with everything he had, did she still doubt his ability to protect you? His every act of defiance, every sacrifice, should have been proof—shouldn’t it?

Did she think that running away was the answer? Did she believe that abandoning Gotham and leaving him and Bruce out of the fight was a better choice? Her secretive plans, her carefully crafted illusions of safety, were they really a solution?

Panic starts to claw at him, twisting his insides into a tight knot. Or maybe it was because of him?

Gods, he knew you were too good for him, but was he so inadequate that she thought hiding you away was the only option? The thoughts gnaw at him like ravenous insects, feasting on his insecurities. He can almost feel the raw, hot sting of failure as it eats away at him from within.

He remembers the first day he was left with Bruce, the way his own father looked at him, the way his brothers looked at him—like something about him was inherently wrong.

He was the outsider, the boy who had to claw and tear and rip his way into their world, proving his worth to a family he barely understood, a family that barely understood him.

Every mistake he made, every bout of uncontrollable rage, felt like blood on his hands—dark, sticky, and impossible to wash away. Another mark on his name.

And now, Selina’s confession feels like another blow to his fragile sense of self-worth. If even she doesn’t trust him, if even she thinks he’s not enough to protect you, what does that say about him?

His legs grow numb, his head spins with disorientation. The edges of his vision blur, and each breath comes in shallow, frantic bursts. He stumbles forward, driven by an overwhelming need to escape. His body moves on its own, carrying him towards his room.

Was he what Selina was protecting you from?

The thought strikes him like a physical blow, leaving him reeling. The blood, the violence, the cold efficiency with which he was taught to kill—it all comes rushing back. Damian was trained to be an assassin, raised by the League of Shadows to be a weapon, a tool of destruction.

He feels numb as he stumbles into his room, the familiar surroundings doing little to comfort him. He collapses onto the floor, his legs giving way as he sinks to his knees. Clutching the blanket to his chest, he tries to draw some warmth from its fabric, but it feels like an inadequate shield against the cold, hollow emptiness that gnaws at him from within.

The voices of doubt and self-loathing grow louder, echoing in his mind. Damian doesn't know how long he's been sitting on the floor, trying to control his breathing. Time seems to blur, each second stretching into an eternity. His thoughts spiral, a maelstrom of fear and insecurity, until he hears the soft creak of the door opening.

You stumble in, and he freezes.

Your eyes widen as you take in his disheveled state, the blanket clutched tightly in his hands, his face pale and eyes wide with panic. You rush to his side, dropping to your knees beside him.

"Dames," you whisper. "What happened? Are you okay?"

He tries to speak, but the words catch in his throat. Instead, he shakes his head, unable to meet your gaze. He doesn't deserve to.

You hush gently, raising your hands to his face. "Can I touch you? You’re having a panic attack, baby."

He nods, his breath still coming in shallow gasps. Your hands are warm and steady as you cup his face, your thumbs brushing lightly against his cheeks.

"Look at me," you murmur softly. "Focus on me. Breathe with me."

He struggles to follow your instructions, his eyes locking onto yours. You take a deep breath in, exaggerating the motion, and slowly exhale. He tries to mimic you, his breaths hitching but gradually evening out.

"That's it," you encourage. "In and out, nice and slow. You're doing great."

Damian's grip on the blanket loosens slightly as he continues to focus on your breathing, finding a semblance of calm in the steady rhythm. Your presence anchors him, drawing him away from the chaotic storm in his mind.

"You’re safe," you whisper. "I’m here with you. Just keep breathing."

Gradually, the tension in his body begins to ease. He leans into your touch, his forehead resting against yours. The panic that had gripped him so fiercely started to ebb away, replaced by a fragile sense of security.

He sits there, the silence heavy around him, before his voice breaks through it, rough and raw. "Are you scared of me?" he asks.

The question hangs in the air. He doesn’t mention what he overheard, but the question reveals the depth of his doubt.

You gently brush a strand of hair from his face, your eyes soft with understanding. "Scared of you? Damian, I’m not scared of you."

He clenches his fists, the blanket still wrapped around his hands. "I… I can’t seem to do anything right. It’s like I’m always falling short."

"You’re not falling short," you reassure him softly. "You’re human, and you’re trying your best."

You lean in, your lips pressing against his in a tender, reassuring kiss. As you pull back, your eyes are filled with a deep sorrow.

"Can I ask what brought this on?" you whisper.

Damian takes a deep breath, his gaze shifting to the floor as he gathers his thoughts.

“I overheard part of a conversation between you and Selina,” Damian begins, his voice sharp and dripping with bitter resentment. “She spoke of a contingency plan involving an apartment in Metropolis and expressed concerns about someone hunting you down. If… If she felt the need to protect you from something by leaving, does that mean that I’m not enough? That I’m not capable of keeping you safe?”

His words come out with an edge. He meets your gaze with eyes darkened by hurt and anger. “I wanted to be someone you could rely on, someone who could safeguard you, not merely another liability. But now it seems I’m just… inadequate. As if my dedication and efforts amount to nothing.”

You start to speak, but Damian interrupts. “Who’s hunting you down? What’s going on? Beloved, I’ve let you into my life—please, let me into yours.”

“I know, baby,” you say softly, running a hand through your tousled hair as you try to gather your thoughts. “Alright, okay, I need to tell you about something important. It’s about the spider vigilante, alright? There’s something you need to understand.”

“Again with this?” Damian scoffs, his hurt evident as he starts to rise from the floor. The movement makes you panic, and you grab his arm, pulling him back down.

“Nonono, wait,” you say urgently, trying to steady your voice. “Forget that for now. There’s something else I need to talk about—something personal. It’s about me, and I need you to listen.”

You take a deep breath, trying to keep your voice steady. “Okay. There’s a lot more going on than you realize. I’m investigating Black Mask. He’s got some operation threatening Gotham, and it’s connected to everything that’s been happening lately. I’m trying to figure out what he’s up to, and…”

You pause, struggling to find the right words. “And I might have something to do with that vigilante spider you’ve seen around.”

Damian’s eyes widen in surprise, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. He stands there, his mind racing as he pieces together the implications of your confession.

The increased absences, the unexplained injuries—suddenly, everything starts to make sense. He can’t believe he didn’t see it sooner. How did he not connect the dots? The vigilance, the secrecy—it all makes sense now.

You’re the one being hunted.

Brows threaded together, Damian steps closer, taking your hands in his. His fingers brush over your skin, gently massaging small circles.

“I understand,” he says with a grave tone. “I suspected as much. You don’t need to explain yourself, beloved.”

You smile in relief, misinterpreting his seriousness for support of your dual life as Spidey.

“I was going to tell you,” you say, your tone warm and reassuring. “Just… couldn’t find the right moment.”

Damian’s eyes soften, but a steely resolve glimmers within them as he presses a kiss to your knuckles, his lips lingering.

If the spider is the threat, then it’s the spider he’ll take down.

༻⊰───⋅

Thursday, 7:53 AM - Stark Industries, Gotham City.

Hours later, Damian pulls up to the sleek, glass-fronted Stark Industries building. The structure towers above, its façade a mesmerizing expanse of reflective glass panels that catch and scatter the sunlight, creating a dazzling play of colors. A polished steel entrance welcomes visitors, a bustling crowd already walking in and out.

As the car comes to a smooth stop, he turns to you with a soft, reassuring smile. You reach over, pressing an affectionate kiss to his lips.

His fingers gently brush your cheek as he murmurs against your lips, “Be careful.”

“I will,” you beam, pulling back to meet his eyes. “Promise.”

With one last lingering look, Damian reaches over to unlock the car door. You open it and step out onto the curb, unloading your bags. Damian gives you a final wave as he shifts the car into gear, gliding smoothly down the street and disappearing into the city’s bustling flow.

You clutch your bags tightly in your hands. Exhaustion pulls at your every muscle—patrol, the fight, and the travel have left you feeling like you're on the edge of collapse. After everything that went down last night, you can’t help but feel a bit relieved about the month off from school, courtesy of your internship.

Bags under your eyes betray the sleepless night, while the oversized shirt and sweatpants you’ve borrowed from Damian make you look more like you’ve just rolled out of bed than a professional intern.

Technically, you did roll out of bed, having snagged only about three hours of sleep.

How the hell did Batman and the Robins manage to juggle this kind of life week in and week out? Right now, you feel like death is just a breath away, waiting to claim you.

“Hey, kiddo!” Tony Stark’s voice calls out from a distance, cutting through your fog of exhaustion. “You planning to stand there and stare at the building all day?”

He steps out of his sleek convertible, tossing his keys to the valet with a flick of his wrist that’s more showmanship than necessity. As he strides towards you, his eyes do a quick sweep over your state.

“I offer you the top spot in my program, and this is how you show up?” Tony says, giving you a light shove on the shoulder.

You give a weary sigh and shuffle alongside him into the building. “Good to see you too, Mr. Stark.”

Tony continues with a smirk, “Don’t worry, you’re not the first intern to look like they’ve been dragged through a war zone.”

He leads you into the sleek, glass-walled elevator, pressing the button for the upper floors. The elevator hums softly as it ascends.

You turn to him, trying to muster the energy to keep up with his banter. “So, where’s Morgan?”

“Working on your new tech stuff,” Tony replies. “She’s buried under a mountain of circuits and cables. If you’re lucky, you might get to see her emerge from her tech fortress.”

The elevator doors slide open, revealing the upper floors of Stark Tower. Tony leads you down a pristine, modern hallway where glossy surfaces catch the ambient light, enhancing the tower’s futuristic vibe. He stops in front of a door adorned with a sleek plaque bearing your name.

You gawk at it, your sleep-deprived brain barely processing the sight. “Damn.”

Tony pushes open the door, revealing a spacious, elegantly furnished room. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a breathtaking view of the cityscape, and the room is equipped with a large, comfortable bed, a sleek desk, and a cozy seating area.

“Welcome to your new digs,” Tony says, gesturing grandly. “I’d say it’s a bit of a step up from your old place. Given your current state, though, I’d suggest you take it easy for now. Rest up, and maybe try to look less like you’ve just walked off a horror set, okay?”

Despite your exhaustion, a small but genuine smile tugs at your lips as you take in the surroundings. “Thanks, Mr. Stark. It’s really… nice.”

With a casual salute, Tony heads towards the door. “Anytime. Now, go on and get some rest. I’ll let Morgan know you’re here. If she manages to claw her way out from under her tech mountain, she might swing by to say hi.”

༻⊰───⋅

A few hours later, you’re well-rested and dressed in a much more presentable outfit: a crisp white button-up shirt with the first few buttons undone, tucked neatly into flared slacks, and paired with white sneakers.

After one last check in the mirror, you give your appearance a satisfied nod, then rub the last remnants of sleep from your eyes. You head out of your room and make your way toward the elevator.

Pressing the button, the elevator doors slide open with a smooth, hydraulic hiss. You step inside and swipe your ID card against the scanner. The elevator's high-tech screen lights up, displaying a seemingly endless list of floor options. You whistle as you scan the array, finally selecting the tech room.

Just as the elevator begins its ascent, a voice suddenly speaks up, making you jump with a startled yelp.

“Good morning!” the voice says cheerfully. “Welcome to Stark Tower. How can I assist you today?”

You quickly recognize the voice as FRIDAY, the building’s AI system. You’ve read about it in papers and seen it on TV before. The holographic interface on the screen activates, displaying a friendly, animated avatar of FRIDAY. The AI greets you with a warm, digital smile and a cheerful tone.

“Oh. Hi!” you respond, a bit thrown off. “I’m, uh, just heading to the tech room.”

“Understood,” FRIDAY replies smoothly. “I’ve already noted your arrival. The tech room is on your left once you exit the elevator. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can help with, sexiest vigilante.”

You blink at the nickname.

“That’s definitely Morgan’s touch,” you mutter.

The elevator doors slide open, revealing a workshop that looks like it’s been hit by a tornado of technology. Equipment is strewn everywhere, and tangled wires snake across the floor. In the center of the chaos, a few remains of a fire extinguisher lie scattered. Morgan is crouched in the middle of the mess, her hair a wild tangle and her face streaked with grease and soot. She’s working intently, completely absorbed in her task despite the disorder around her.

You clear your throat, and Morgan looks up, freezing mid-action. Part of her shirt is charred, and a small flame flickers from one of the devices she’s holding.

“Let’s be honest,” she says, waving a wrench at you, “you’ve seen me in worse shape.”

Shaking your head, you step into the room.

“Looks like you’ve been busy,” you remark, your eyes scanning the cluttered area.

Morgan quickly puts out the fire and brushes a few stray wires out of her path before standing up and stretching with a groan. “You wouldn’t believe the morning I’ve had. Between the latest tech malfunction and the mini-explosion, it’s been one chaotic circus.”

“Should I even ask what set off the explosion?”

Morgan chuckles dryly, wiping her hands on a grease-stained rag. “Oh, just a little experiment gone wrong. Nothing major. Just some excitement to kick off the day.” She steps over to you, grabs a case from a nearby workbench, and hands it to you with a grin.

You raise an eyebrow, intrigued, as you take the case from her. With a click, you open it to reveal a pair of sleek, high-tech glasses.

Morgan plucks them from the case and holds them up with a grin. “For you. They’re packed with all sorts of features—real-time data, targeting assistance, and even advanced communication options. Basically, they’re your new best friend in the field.”

You slip the glasses on, adjusting them to fit comfortably. The world immediately sharpens, and a translucent display overlays your vision, showing various readouts and notifications. You gasp in awe, your amazement reflected in Morgan’s fond smile as she watches your reaction.

She then moves to grab another device—a metal-looking belt that covers your entire stomach. At its center is a spider emblem. She clasps the belt around your waist and gives it a reassuring pat.

“Tell it to go on,” Morgan instructs.

Confused, you turn to her. “Huh?”

“Just think of a suit wrapping around you and command it to do so.”

You give her a skeptical look but decide to give it a try. Closing your eyes for a moment, you focus on the idea of your suit materializing.

“Activate?”

Immediately, you feel a tingling sensation as nanoparticles begin to stream from the belt, enveloping your body. The sensation is oddly comforting, like being wrapped in a warm, secure embrace. The suit materializes in shimmering panels, stretching and shaping itself around your form. The glasses transform into a sleek helmet, molding to fit your head with a satisfying click.

The entire process takes mere seconds, and when you open your eyes, you’re fully suited up.

The suit fits perfectly. The color is a deep, vibrant red that covers the majority of the suit. Black accents trace intricate web patterns that start from the center of your chest and radiate outwards.

The chest emblem is a bold, black spider, its legs extending across your torso and seamlessly merging with the web patterns. The helmet, now a sleek, black mask with a smooth, glossy finish, features white eye lenses that glow faintly. The same high-tech display you saw in your glasses is now visible in the helmet.

Morgan grins, clearly pleased with the result. “Not too shabby, right?"

"What. The. Fuck."

 ༻⊰───⋅

#damian wayne x reader #damian wayne #batfamily #dc robin #damian wayne al ghul #damian wayne imagine #selina kyle #bruce wayne #batman

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sturnioz · 9 months ago

Text

♯┆fully introducing. . . fwb!chris .ᐟ

you and fwb!chris stopped hooking up after realising you were both taking things way too far, and that the arrangement was lasting longer than necessary — but when you show up at the triplets birthday party empty handed, you both know one birthday present that he'll enjoy the most.

"you're here?" chris' eyebrows raises in surprise at your arrival, but it still doesn't stop him from throwing his arm around your shoulder to coax you into a hug that you immediately return, your hands rubbing his back. "i didn't expect you to, like, be here.."

"i'm not going to miss your birthday," you say with a light laugh, pulling back from the embrace to give him a sheepish smile. "i kinda forgot to buy a present on my way here... i'm sorry."

"no — no, s'cool. don't worry about it," chris dismisses with a wave of his hand before he scratches the back of his neck, adjusting the cap on his head. "the party is about to end soon but, do you — can you stay behind when everyone leaves, or somethin'?"

"sure," you nod slowly. "i'll go wait in your room.."

you've been waiting for fifteen minutes, listening to chris' laughter echoing in the living-room as he bids everyone goodbye and thanks them for coming to his and his brother's birthday celebrations, while you mindlessly walk around his familiar bedroom, capturing the small details of the space that hasn't changed since you were last here.

the walls are still white, decorated with a few random posters of his favourite artists. he still has that neatly stacked record collection that sits in the corner, untouched and left in pristine condition, and he still has his shoe collection tucked away in the other corner, some pairs left slightly askew.

he also still has a few photo frames sitting on his desk next to his computer, and your fingers ghost over the images of him with his friends and family, the locations holding a lot of memories. but you pause when your fingertips touch a particular photo that you were certain chris wouldn't have kept, and your heart swells uncomfortably in your chest.

the photo that catches your eye is one of you and chris at a carnival, both of you wearing silly headbands and grinning widely. chris stands behind you with his arms loosely draped around your shoulders, his cheek pressed against yours. your hand rests on his arm while the other hand squeezes his jaw playfully.

staring at it, your stomach swirls with regret as you take a step back. you feel suddenly guilty for showing up at his birthday, after you were the one that decided to call it quits on your odd situation.

you and chris were friends with benefits — an arrangement that lasted much longer than either of you had originally planned. you were hooking up to satisfy your needs, fucking each other when you were sexually frustrated and in need of a release, or sometimes when you were board.

what was only supposed to be a month-long fling turned into two months, then five, then a year, and eventually nearly a year and a half.

the predicament wasn't good for either of you — feelings had spiralled out of control, and even your shared close friends had pointed out how strangely long it had been going on.

it made you feel terrible when a girl once approached you, saying she liked chris and wanted to ask him out, but couldn't due to the uncertainty around your relationship.

that exact night, you had explained to chris that maybe you had both dragged out the friends with benefits situation longer than you should have, and in doing so, were preventing each other from meeting other people. chris was confused and hesitant, but he eventually agreed, leaving you both to shake on it as you ended your friends with benefits situation.

it's been two months since then, and truthfully, you've both struggled to keep in contact with each other without things feeling awkward and whenever you share eye contact, you're reminded of the intimate moments you've shared.

it felt a dent in your friendship, but you were desperate to still keep chris as the close friend as he once was, which is why you showed up tonight, despite the complicated history.

"sorry for makin' you wait so long," you hear chris apologise behind you, and you're startled at the sudden voice, peering over your shoulder to see chris close his bedroom door behind himself with a grin. "had to help matt and nick get nate into the uber, the kid didn't wanna leave."

"you should've let him stay," you tell him with a kind smile. "then you wouldn't be alone in here for the night on your birthday."

"well, i mean, i was hopin' that you would stay with me tonight," chris admits with an airy laugh, rubbing his jaw — a familiar nervous habit you recognise from your time together. "since we, like, haven't been able to spend time together, y'know?"

"i get it," you nod in understanding, wanting nothing more than to catch up and spend time with him as well "i... i'm still sorry for not getting you a birthday present."

"you can still give me one..." chris murmurs softly as he takes a step forward, his finger scratching his cheek. your eyes widen slightly, immediately knowing what he's hinting at when you feel his hands cradle your face, his thumb pulling at your bottom lip. "you... you can give me you."

"chris..." you warn him, and your fingers curl around his wrist, but you don't pull his hands away.

"c'mon.. you don't miss it?" chris questions you and you get surprised, watching as his teeth kneads down on his bottom lip as he stands closer to you. "i miss it. a lot — more than i'd like to admit, to be honest."

"i do," you admit quietly. "but that doesn't mean we should."

"we enjoyed ourselves, we — we liked it," he states, grazing his lips over yours. "that's all that matters, right? i mean, we were fuckin' happy, so — so who cares what others think? i'd never want them like i want you.. don't you want me too?"

"you talk too much," you sigh, fisting the collar of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss which he reciprocates almost instantly, refusing to give either of you a chance to breath as he's licking inside your mouth and kissing your lips raw.

his quick and nimble fingers are tugging down the zipper of your jeans, and you gasp when you feel his hand slip beneath the waistband of your panties, pressing his fingers to your folds and rubbing your clit in circular motions that elicits a whine from you, baffled by the fact he still knows your body so well.

he's laying you down on his unmade bed, hovering above you, resting one hand by the side of your head to keep him upright while the other plays with your pussy — the kiss hot and heavy as his fingers push through your opening, curling them and grazing the spot that has your thighs snapping shut around his hand.

chris is drinking up your moans, panting in your mouth as he grinds down on your thigh while bringing you closer and closer to your orgasm, and he's grinning against your lips as you're embarrassingly quick to cum over his fingers, the wet squelching sounds echoing throughout the quietness of his bedroom.

"yeah, that's it..." he sighs over your mouth. "good, ma.. jus' like that."

neither of you give yourself time to calm down as he's already sitting back on his knees to pull his pants and boxers down to his thighs, not wanting to waste any time in taking his clothes off fully.

you do the same, lifting your hips to pull down your own jeans and underwear, cursing under your breath when the material gets stuck around your shoes and chris laughs, helping you yank off your shoes to leave your lower half bare for him.

chris resumes his position above you — guiding himself to your slick pussy and stroking the head of his cock between your puffy folds, gathering your arousal for an easy slip in, and you wrap your thighs around his hips as he does so, the feeling of being full with his cock leaves you a moaning messy already, gripping at his shoulders as he thrusts, grunting with each deep stroke.

"chriiiis..." you mewl his name loudly and he grins, slotting his lips to yours as he pounds relentlessly, skin slapping against skin.

he's not letting up, his pace brutal when he feels your nails dig into his shoulder blades and he tastes the salty tears that slip down your cheeks from the pleasure and sensitivity of not being fucked in so long.

"so fuckin' pretty, ma," he compliments you when he parts from your lips, admiring you beneath him. his eyes dart above your head for a moment, glancing at the headboard that rattles but holds the birthday gift someone had gifted him earlier this morning, a chuckle rumbling in his chest as he shakes his head. "yeah... you're definitely my favourite birthday present."

#©sturnioz #☆ fwb!chris #★ ⋮ sturniolo hours !#★ ⋮ chris hours !#chris sturniolo smut

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cinewhore · 9 months ago

Text

Back in the Saddle

Pairing: Boone x fem!reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: angst, little fluff, tornadoes! more like one tornado but you get the picture. mentions of pregnancy - nothing described in detail.

A/N: you already know what it is. this is more angsty than what I planned but I enjoy it. I hope you do too. absolutely no beta. An alternate ending may be posted soon. Credits to the gif artist.

The screams of amused thrill seekers followed by the sweet smell of candy apples brought more warmth to your heart than you’d imagine.

A carnival camped out in the parking lot of your old community college felt typical of the town you left, resurfacing memories you swore you’d never revisit. You planned to stay in for the night, maybe catch a flick or catch up on some emails you’ve been avoiding but your little one insisted on coming after passing by one night on the way home.

“Mama, can we go to the party? Gigi says I’ve been good.” she mentioned earlier that evening. It was true, you had been taking her to your mothers while you acclimated to your new job. At first you were worried, nervous that she would throw tantrums and beg to stay with you because you were all that she had known up until this point. You packed your bags weeks into the pregnancy and handled going into labor all by yourself. It wasn’t ideal and looking back, a pretty big mistake but your mother always greeted you with grace and patience, even if you didn’t extend it to yourself.

Bailey took to her like moths to a light. They were inseparable and whenever Bailey left your mothers house, she’d always ask when she was going back.

“Well, if Gigi said you were good then we can go. Maybe we can split some pizza and ice cream?”

You’d never seen Bailey run faster to put her shoes on.

The two of you cheered during the pig race, got dizzy while riding the spinning teacups and loaded up the photo app on your phone with pictures of her riding her first roller coaster. It was rewarding to watch her navigate this space, eyes aglow. You were working yourself down to the bone as the new executive assistant to a local lawyer but if it meant that Bailey could enjoy her childhood more than you ever did, that was a sacrifice you’d make.

After a few hours of enjoying the rides, you decided it was time for dinner. You order two cheese slices and head to a quiet picnic table near the edge of the dining area.

With the slice mere centimeters from your mouth, Bailey taps you. “You’re supposed to say grace first.”

You sigh, setting the food down and crossing your hands together. Bailey watches you carefully, mimicking your actions.

“Go on, then. Say grace.”

Bailey squeezes her tiny eyes shut. “Dear Jesus, thank you for pizza. And Gigi. And momma. And piggies. Amen.”

“Amen.”

You show her how to fold the slice in half, making it easier for her to chew. You did your best to keep her clean, she insisted on wearing her new shirt tonight but children will be children. A big splat of pizza sauce lands on her shirt before dribbling down onto her jeans.

You groan and dab your finger along the excess red liquid, licking it before it has time to set it. “Bailey! Look at that, now I’m gonna have to do laundry tonight.”

“Sorry, mama!” The toddler attempts to help you but makes things worse.

You grab at her hands to stop her. “Just-can you be a big girl and grab some napkins for me?”

“From where?”

You gaze around before your eyes land on a condiments table, a full container of napkins resting beside the ketchup.

“Right there. Go on, I’m watching you from here.”

Bailey nods and takes off, going as fast as her little legs can carry her. Halfway to the table, she bowls straight into a group of people, colliding into a leg, landing flat on her tush.

“Woah! You alright there little speed racer?” the victim asks her and you freeze.

You knew this was always a possibility. Hell, the town wasn’t that big. You knew that at any given moment, you’d stop running from your past and run right into it instead. You just wish it wasn’t tonight.

Bailey is more stunned than hurt and she doesn’t give the man a chance to help her before she’s barreling back to you.

You stand and console her, hoping that if you don’t make eye contact with him that he’d disappear.

Unfortunately, Boone wasn’t the kind of guy you’d ignore.

He calls out your name in disbelief and you exhale softly, slowly lifting your head. There he was, in all of his tanned glory. Boone certainly had grown, muscles well defined and mustache thick. His hair was longer, tucked under a signature trucker hat. Crooked smile as bright as ever.

“Holy shit.”

“Hi, Boone.”

You break eye contact to see that he was with his crew, the infamous tornado wranglers. They all stare between the two of you, the unspoken history of your relationship hanging in the air above them. The silence was fucking comical.

Lily clears her throat. “Uh, guys, we should, um get in line for the funnel cakes. Before, ya know, it gets long.”

She not so subtly pushes Boone towards you, herding everyone else off into the opposite direction.

“This is the last place I’d expect to run into you.” Boone comments, attempting to lean on the picnic table across from yours but he miscalculates his reach and nearly stumbles into you.

“Oh!” you exclaim, helping him steady his footing. “Still clumsy.”

“You know I always fell for you.” He chuckles nervously. Bailey tugs on your jeans and you rub your hand across her head in a soothing manner. She stares curiously at Boone, who squats to meet her eye line.

“And what’s your name, pretty little lady?”

You look down at her as well, nudging her gently to let her know it was ok.

“My name is Bailey.”

Boone raises his eyebrows enthusiastically. “Well, I’ll be! That’s my favorite name. Did you know that? Are you a secret mind reader?”

Bailey giggles, gaining more confidence as she steps from behind your leg and closer to Boone. “No, mister smarty pants! You’re silly.”

Boone keeps the amused look on his face, searching yours for clarification.

“Ah, mister smarty pants is a puppet in this show she likes to watch. Everyone besides my mother and I are referred to as such. His pants wear glasses. It’s weird.” you explain.

“Well, how ‘bout this?” Boone rummages around his many cargo pants compartments before pulling out a pair of sunglasses. He places them above his knee, balancing it with precision.

“It’s me, Mister Smarty Pants!”

You shake your head, pointing upwards with your finger. “Higher octave.”

Boone tries out a number of voices, not giving up until Bailey laughs. You smile tenderly at the interaction. He gestures to your table and you all sit back down, Bailey going to town on her food. You had given up on trying to keep her neat, you would be staying up late regardless. May as well get laundry out of the way.

Getting Bailey settled means your attention was shifted and this allowed Boone to fully take you in. It had been about three years since he last saw you in person, the burner instagram account he used to keep with you digitally proving futile, as you weren’t the social media type. Your face took more shape, body fuller. Your accent was masked, bits and pieces of it slipping out when you pronounced certain words. You wore an effective mask, a sure symptom of your failed relationship and attempt to acclimate to the city life.

You look up to catch him staring. He blushes and bites his lip, toying with his hat. You prop your hand under your chin, tilting your head sideways.

“What has Boone been up to all these years? Still risking your life for random people on the internet?”

“You can say that. These folks aren’t random though, they are devoted fans of our crew! We’ve reached our million subscriber milestone. Look,” Boone pulls up his youtube channel and holds the phone up to your face. “Tornado Wranglers going global, baby!”

“Wow, that’s amazing. I remember when you first started that. I’m happy you stuck with it.”

Boone nods, reading in-between the lines. The youtube channel hadn’t been the deciding factor in you ending your relationship with Boone but it definitely was a cause. You thought it reckless, constantly begging him to consider getting a “real” job. It didn’t help that when he told you that he was going to work with Tyler full time, it was the same day you found out you were pregnant with Bailey.

You see him in her all the time, it was sickening. Their off putting humor, lopsided smiles and unrelenting curiosity was enough to drive you up the wall. Bailey would ask from time to time about her “papa” and you’d always switch the conversation, redirecting her attention to something else. It had gotten to the point where she just ultimately just stopped asking.

You’d always imagine having a family with Boone. Call it a teenage fantasy but it always felt like an endgame with you two. You met during your first year of college, both stuck as chemistry lab partners. Boone was the class clown, although it wasn’t like he was actively trying to be. He was off kilter and you liked that about him, it was a stark difference from everyone else you grew up with. It also didn’t help that he was the smartest one in the class.

He became your tutor, then your friend and finally, your boyfriend.

Boone studies Bailey as she eats. “How, uh, old is she?”

You sigh deeply. “I think you can guess, Boone.”

He nods gently. “You been in town long?

“Uh, about six months. It got a bit harder juggling her on my own. My mom’s been helping out. I started a new job at a law firm, so I’m there for most of the day.”

“That explains your clothes then.”

You glance down at your corporate attire, pulling your blazer across your slightly exposed cleavage. “Had to grow up someday, ya know?”

“You think I haven’t?” Boone asks, a hint of frustration in his tone. He rarely got upset and watching him wrestle with his emotions now was a bit unsettling.

“Listen, I wasn’t expecting to have this conversation today, so forgive me if I don’t use the right words.”

Boone hums, jaw ticking. “It’s just that, you know, I’ve been here. If you needed help or whatever, I could’ve done that. Especially seeing that she’s my ch-”

You hurry to cover Bailey’s ears. “Can you not! Jesus, Boone! It’s just like you, never knowing when to quit.” Bailey watches keenly as the two of you bicker, voices muffled and mixed in with the ambiance of the carnival.

“Just like you never know when to stop running.”

It shouldn’t hurt as much as it does but Boone’s words seep into an open wound and cuts deep. You bite your lip to stop them from quivering and Boone’s facial expression gives way, aware that he crossed a line.

“I’m sorry-”

“It’s fine. It’s true, anyhow.”

It was hereditary. Your grandmother left her children when things got too hard. Your mother gave you up for a period of time, passing you around from relative to relative while she got her shit together. Then there was you, getting knocked up unexpectedly and running off from the only man who truly loved you. After eighteen hours of agonizing labor, when the nurses plopped a pale and howling newborn on your chest, something clicked. You decided that for now, you were done running. You would be the mother to Bailey that your mother wasn’t for you and that your grandmother wasn’t to her children.

Telling Boone was a part of your plan, it really was but between work and raising Bailey, there wasn’t much time left to ruminate on how to notify him that he was a father after all these years. Not after the way it ended.

You were waitressing at a diner near campus during that time. You were trying to keep up with school but it proved more difficult than you could imagine. You and Boone moved hastily into a studio apartment, despite your mother’s warnings. The two of you were in love. What’s true love compared to anything else? Boone dropped out after freshman year, promising that his work with Tyler would catapult you two into a better situation. Just give me some time, he’d say. You did. You met Boone when you were 19. At that point, you’d turn 22, become a dropout and nothing had changed.

The straw that broke the camel's back was coming home after a long shift at the diner to find an eviction notice on your door. It had been Boone’s responsibility to give the rent check to your landlord so you were very shocked to find out that Boone hadn’t delivered the last two.

When you confronted him about where the money had gone, fearful that he began using drugs or developed a gambling addiction, he reluctantly told you that he was developing a tornado tracking device and that the money was needed for a prototype. You ran to the kitchen sink to vomit, told him that you’d save the conversation for later and went to bed.

You and your belongings were gone when he woke up the next morning.

Bailey claps her hands together, signaling that she was done with food. She points at the paper plate. “Trash?”

“Yes, baby, trash. You can put it in there by yourself, mommy can see you from here.”

Scrunching her eyebrows in deep concentration, Bailey wanders back over near the condiments table, making sure not to run this time.

“She’s pretty smart for a tiny person.” Boone notes.

“She is! My mom has been good with her. I think she benefits from spending time with her more than I do. It’s like she gets a second chance at raising a kid.”

Boone gazes at you, brown eyes pooled over with acute affection. “I’d like to maybe get a second chance at being there for you. The both of you. If you’ll have me, of course.”

Remember, you’re done running.

You smirk and attempt to smother down the heat rising to your cheeks. Boone mirrors your expression before it completely drops.

You frown, nervous that you said or did the wrong thing. “Boone?”

He stands to his feet abruptly, eyes darting across the dark skyline behind you. The air becomes still, the miniscule hairs rising along your arms and neck. A sensation you were all too familiar with.

You stand next to Boone on shaky legs, blinking your eyes rapidly to try and force them to adjust to the night sky, to see what he sees.

Thunder rumbles in the distance, lighting illuminating the terrifying reality you were about to come face to face with.

A twister.

“Boone! We gotta move! NOW!” Tyler’s voice roars out from behind you. The crowds surrounding you all begin to panic and scatter, the warning siren screeching violently.

You instinctively reach out to grab for Bailey but realize she isn’t there.

You spin in a circle, heartbeat rising erratically. Within a blink of an eye, your baby was gone. You could hear Boone repeating your name frantically, tugging on your arm, begging you to move but you couldn’t. You weren’t leaving without Bailey.

“She’s gone.” you whimper, hands flying over your mouth. “I lost her, Boone!”

He turns to look at his crew. “Go! I’ll catch up.”

“You fucking better!” Lily screams.

Boone turns to you, grasping your face with his hands. “Darlin’, we’re gonna find her, ok? We just can’t stand here cause if we do, we’re gonna die.”

You choke out a cry.

“Ok, ok! Die may not be the best word to use but it will not be good!”

He grabs you and the two of you run deeper into the carnival, calling out for Bailey. It felt useless, given the sheer amount of screams and bodies that were furiously scattering all around you. The wind picks up and scatters debris every which way, game stalls and food stands being ripped from the ground.

“Watch out!” you shout, shifting Boone out of the way of a falling dunk tank. The water rushes towards you, sweeping away a few who were not fast enough to dodge it.

“There!” he points and you follow the direction of his finger. Across the way is Bailey, standing by a water fountain, crying.

You both push your way through the frenzy, dropping at your knees to assess your daughter. Outside of sporting a few cuts and bruises, she was fine.

“Come on baby girl, we go to go!”

Bailey shakes her head furiously, planting her feet firmly in the ground. “I’m scared!”

You try to lift her into your arms but it’s no use, she won’t move. Boone tickles at her stomach to get her attention.

“You ever heard of a spider monkey before?” He asks.

Bailey shakes her head.

“So, they’re these freaky little monkeys, you know, with long legs and tails. They run around on each other like backpacks. You think you can climb on my back and pretend to be a spider monkey?”

Boone makes a few monkey noises, scratching underneath his chin. This elicits a small grin from Bailey and she gives in. Once secured to Boone, the three of you take off in the direction of the community college building, where people are taking shelter.

The tornado is unrelenting as it closes in on the parking lot, cutting power lines and sucking up everything in its path. The forceful winds tug at the sloppily put together mini ferris wheel right in front of you, the metal groaning in weak protest before it topples over, crushing a family underneath it. It blocks your clear exit to the building.

“We’re not gonna make it in time.” Boone announces.

“What are we gonna do?”

Boone scans the area with precise expertise, like a dog on the scent. It doesn’t take long before he’s taking your hand and leading you to a grassy area.

“There!” He points to an adjacent neighborhood, noticing a ditch in front of a small house. It wasn’t the best idea but given the situation, it was the only choice you had.

You dodge a few abandoned cars, trying to be mindful of your steps. Boone is gentle as he removes Bailey from her position and hands her over to you, instructing you to get in the ditch first.

“Bailey, I need you to hold on to me and keep your eyes closed, understand?”

You feel her nod against your chest. Boone hops in after you, shielding your body with his. The tornado whistles as it finally reaches you, the sound causing you to grind your teeth and squeeze your eyes shut. You don’t dare move until Boone releases his hold on you.

The place was wrecked to hell. Overturned cars, ripped carnival games, fallen trees. Years worth of reconstruction that only took seconds to destroy. It was a reason why you wanted to leave, why you wanted to raise Bailey elsewhere. You didn’t want to have to constantly expose her to such harsh weather but let’s face it, you’re a southern girl at heart. If it wasn’t a tornado, it would be a hurricane, flood or worse.

The best you could do is prepare her for this life and there was no one else better to help than Boone.

TWO YEARS LATER.

“You sure about this?” your mother asks you for the millionth time.

“Nope,” you sigh. “But it’s his day, he’s a professional and I trust him.”

Your mother scoffs, patting you on the back. “Lying to yourself. Like a good mother should. Bailey! Hurry up, your father is going to be here any minute.”

Bailey comes rushing down the stairs, dressed in a similar fashion to Boone. You give her a once over, smoothing down her wild hair. “Are you excited?”

“Mhm!” Bailey hums, bouncing up and down on her feet. “I’m gonna be a storm chaser!”

“Oh, brother.” you mumble, voice drowned out by the thumping bass of country music, a signifier that Boone had arrived.

You open up the door to reveal Tyler’s truck, Boone hopping out the passenger side before the vehicle could even be put in park.

“Monkey!” Boone yells, Bailey darting out from behind you and out the door, straight into her fathers arms. He wrestles her around, mindful not to overdo it while you are watching.

The horn sounds off and Tyler pops his head out from the driver seat as he waves to you, Lily and Dexter’s coming out from the back. You cringe at the ear splitting noise and wave back, knowing you were definitely going to get shit from the neighbors.

Boone walks up to you and presses a small kiss on your cheek. “Hey hot mama. I promise to have her back before dinner.”

You stare at him sternly, lips pressed into a thing line. “And?”

Boone groans playfully. “I promise not to let her ride shotgun, use Lily’s drone, have her within 1,000 feet of a tornado, alcohol or Tyler’s groupies.”

“Very good, thank you.” You pinch Bailey’s cheeks, smiling at her fondly. “Behave, the both of you.

“Yes ma’am.” they answer in unison.

You lean against the railings of your porch, watching as Boone helps Bailey into the backseat. Your arrangement wasn’t perfect but for now, it worked. You were still trying to figure out how to best repair your relationship and you felt it necessary to take things slow, get to know one another again as you eased back into things. Romantic feelings lingered but you wanted to make sure that you put Bailey first. She’d be the most hurt out of everyone if this didn’t go well.

Boone had adjusted quite nicely to being a father in his own way, full of quirks and surprises as always. It was nice having him around again after not seeing him for so long and you would do everything in your power to make things work.

“Hey!” you call out to Boone as he climbs back into the passenger seat.

Boone stops midway. “Yeah?”

“...I love you.”

Boone’s smile nearly splits his face in half. Tyler pretends to gag. He revs the engine and pulls out of the yard delicately, cranking up the speed down the residential street like a bat out of hell once out of your line of view.

You weren’t sure how you felt about being back in the saddle with Boone but you knew you had more confidence this go round.

Besides, it wasn’t like it was your first rodeo.

#Boone x fem reader #Boone x reader #Boone twisters

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miley1442111 · 11 months ago

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the picture- a.hotchner

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summary: a late night issue turns into something very nice when your boss that supposedly hates you decides to come clean.

pairing: grumpy! aaron hotchner x sunshine! reader

warnings: none

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Aaron Hotchner hated you, that was one thing you were sure of. From the morning when you would give him a small wave from your desk, one that he would never be caught dead responding to. To the evenings, when he walked straight by your desk as you wished him a good night, again, something he would never respond to.

He hated you, and you were ok with that.

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Aaron Hotchner was in love with you, that was one thing he was sure of. From your kind gestures in the mornings and evenings, to the small things you did to brighten his days. The way you smiled at every small joke Spencer made, how you geeked out with Penelope over totally niche things, how you always seemed to outrun or outperform Derek at the gym- and subsequently tease him for it all week, how you would trade recipes with David, how you shared a love of cats with Emily- always sending photos back and forth of your cats, and how you were always there for Jj when she needed a babysitter, a friend, or just someone to talk to. And… how you didn’t mind how awfully rude he was to you.

He loved you, and he was not ok with that.

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“Hotch, have you seen the picture that was on my desk? It’s a small gold frame with just a photo of me and an older woman outside the bullpen from when I first started working here?” you asked, popping your head in from outside his office.

“Y/l/n, what have I said about knocking?” He groaned, irritation flowing through him.

“Aaron, it’s 9:43pm, you’re not exactly on a work call, nor a personal one, and you’re clearly packing up. Please just answer my question.”

You’d never been so direct with Aaron. He’d never seen you get even slightly ill-tempered with anyone, let alone the slight curb of annoyance in your voice.

“No, I haven’t, sorry.” LIE. Aaron knew exactly where that picture was. It sat in the locked drawer of his desk, underneath some files of paperwork that were really just blank. Penelope had found it, and handed it off to him to put back on your desk because she had to run off. Aaron obviously didn’t put it on your desk, since it had stayed in his desk drawer for the past three days. “Maybe if you tidied your desk up, it would be easier to look?”

One thing Aaron didn’t love about you, was your habit of not keeping your desk very tidy. There were files stacked on top of more files, bright stationary and colourful trinkets Penelope had given you, as well as one small teddy bear you’d won at a carnival with Henry when you’d babysat him a few months ago. It drove him mad to see your desk get progressively worse, have Spencer help you clean it (for the most part, he was just jealous of the fun that he saw you and Spencer having when you cleaned, he wished it was him- even if his conscience wouldn’t let him admit it), then watching the mess pile up again.

You gave him a curt nod and left his office without another word, another oddity. Aaron tried to do his paperwork, but ended up watching from his window as you cleaned your desk for a whole 45 minutes, only to not find the picture.

Then he watched as tears welled up in your eyes and his heart broke. Why was this picture so important?

He pulled it out from his desk drawer and looked at it. The older woman and you looked eerily similar, and you’d taken personal leave for an entire week to go somewhere, somewhere you didn’t explain to everyone. You’ve seemed more distant, and a little less happy in recent weeks, and you've been texting and calling your sister back home a lot more often.

It clicked and he knew he had to come clean.

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He walked out of his office and stopped at your desk, putting a hand on your shoulder. You shuddered away, wiping your tears away, then looked up to see the picture. Your frown was replaced by a bright smile, your arms wrapping around his neck in a comforting hug.

“Thank you so much for finding it,” you smiled. “Thank you Aaron.”

Aaron’s brain was short-circuiting. Here you were, hugging him. His chest was against yours, his hands were on your waist, your arms were around his neck. His face slotted perfectly into the crook of your neck, where he could smell your sweet perfume. God, he loved your perfume.

“Thank you so much,” you beamed, pulling away. Aaron just nodded with an open-mouth, still slightly in shock. “You seriously don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I’m glad I could help,” he smiled politely, but couldn’t seem to pull himself away from your eyes. You were magnetic. Your beautiful face, your friendly demeanour, your gorgeous smile. Why was he denying himself the one thing he wanted? Why was he denying himself the pleasure of your company?

“Is everything alright?” you asked, noticing how the tension changed from your regular flat and slightly annoyed exterior, and changed to be something more… intimate. You suddenly realised how close he was standing, how you could feel his breath on your face, how the small freckles on his handsome face made constellations only you could see.

“Y/n…” he spoke, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Aaron…” you responded, unable to look away from him.

Suddenly there was no gap between the two of you. Aaron’s hands had grabbed your waist and pulled you into him, kissing you passionately.

God, you loved kissing him. He loved kissing you. Win-win.

You pulled back, confusion and adrenaline running through your mind as you stared at him. You just kissed your boss- actually; your boss just kissed you.

“I’m so sorry that was-” He started but you cut him off.

“I thought you hated me.”

Aaron wracked his brain and yes, all the evidence was there. But how could you not see the hidden meanings, the secret things he did for you, the way he looked at you? Did you seriously think you just happen to get the window seat in the jet that also reclines, even though it’s Jj’s favourite spot? I don’t think so…

“I’m in love with you,” he said, breathless from the kiss. “Sorry I ever made you feel differently.”

Now it was your turn to be confused. “What?!” you squeaked.

“Do you actually want me to say it again or-?”

“You’re in love with me?” You started pacing the floor, head in your hands as you attempted to process the insane revelation Aaron had decided to drop on a Tuesday night. “But you-you hate me! Everyday I wave-” “A wave I want to return-” “Every night I say ‘good night’,” “I know I ignore it and I’m sorry-” “when I came to you with a complaint you brushed it off-” “not liking someone’s attitude is not a grounds for dismissal, as much as I wish it was-” “You tried to get me fired!”

“No I didn’t?” He sighed, exasperated. “How could I see your beautiful face everyday if I got you fired?”

You stared at him. “Fair,” you shrugged.

There was a moment of silence between the two of you.

“This is the part when you ask me out,” you whispered, a flirty smile on your face. Aaron’s cheeks blushed and it took him a few seconds to collect himself.

“Yes! Umm, Y/n, will- can I take you to dinner?” He asked, and you nodded.

“Sounds like a plan,” you smiled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “See you tomorrow, Hotchner.”

Aaron watched as you left the bullpen, a bright smile on your face, very much looking forward to your first date.

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criminal minds masterlist :)

navigation for my blog :) (criminal minds, obx, the bear, marvel, top gun, the hunger games :)

#criminal minds #criminal minds imagine #bau team #criminal minds x reader #aaron hotchner x reader #criminal minds fandom #aaron hotchner #criminal minds fic #aaron hotchner fluff #thomas gibson x reader #thomas gibson #aaron hotchner fanfiction #aaron hotch hotchner #aaron hotch x reader #aaron hotch imagine #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotch fanfiction

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dickgraysonsbitch · 11 months ago

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MOTH TO A FLAME — DICK GRAYSON X JOURNALIST!READER

3.3k words | divider by @cafekitsune | requests open !

summary: your relationship with dick grayson was history two years ago. as of yesterday, you were (not so) happily engaged to another man, and your relationship with him was swoon-worthy, but it seems like it could crumble like a house of cards. so when your perfect ex comes back into your life for help on a case, will you go back to him like a moth to a flame?

you’re just a moth to a flame.

you were engaged. you knew this, this wasn’t new fucking information, and you were supposed to feel elated, on top of the world, like you were on cloud nine or some other shit people in love said—wait, no. you were in love with your fiancé, or at least you tried to be. he was sweet, and he looked good, with his fluffy blonde hair, deep brown eyes, and lean figure. nerd hot. just your type, but why did it seem like as every day went on, you kept trying to convince yourself that this was what you wanted?

you stretched your arms before lugging yourself out of bed, grabbing your phone to check your messages, which you assumed were the reason that your phone was buzzing so much that it was about to fall off your dresser.

PHOTOS NOTIFICATION: november, 2021, AMUSEMENT MILE THEME PARK. do you want to share this memory with DICKIEBIRD 💙?

you pressed your mouth into a line, reminiscing. that was probably the best time you’d ever had in your entire life. you, dick, wally and artemis, eating cotton candy and popcorn at an amusement park.

“one more bite of food and you’re going into carnival crime territory, wally,” you sing, your voice carrying its signature teasing lilt. “then i’m going to win, and you’ll have to pay for everything.”

“just make your stupid boyfriend pay, he’s the billionaire!” wally's disgruntled groan came from a foot behind you, were he was still struggling on his second milkshake. sucker.

dick threw an arm around your shoulder, spreading a hint of warmth over your torso. he was, as you liked to call him, your personal space heater. “hey, it’s the son of a billionaire. and i’d much rather see my super sexy girlfriend beat my best friend’s ass.”

artemis grinned, her phone ready to snap a picture of when wally would undisputedly hurl like a toddler who had eaten too many gerber puffs. “me too, so hurry up, wally.”

the memory of dick throwing up because of the amount of sugar he had consumed in the short span of three hours almost had you laughing out loud, with your fiancé in the bed right next to you. god, you were so pathetic.

“something funny?” his low voice was next to your ear, and you could almost feel his breath on your neck, but for some reason, you wanted to push him away.

your breath hitched, and the guilt crept into your heart again. you were in bed with your fiancé, and you were daydreaming about your ex-boyfriend, who probably forgot your existence. dick was charming, but even you knew that he had a steady stream of people on call to fuck. one of the plus sides to being the hottest person in blüdhaven, you guessed.

“uh, just checking the group chat. girl stuff, matt, you can’t see it.” your mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk, and you quickly stood up and walked towards the shower, rapidly checking the group chat that you opened up your phone for. curse dick grayson and his beautiful blue eyes, which were obviously the only reason you stared that that picture for so long. not the lovesick look he had on his face when looking at you, and definitely not his flirty smile when you made eye contact with him. that would be crazy, right?

maybe you should finally open the group chat.

rue: so how’d your night go?? 😉

annie: i bet she’s so tired that she can’t even walkkk

charlie: ofc she can’t, it’s matt myers!! he’s so fine 😩😩

the conversation then devolved into a discussion of which of matt’s photoshoots was the ‘hottest’, which should’ve made any other, self respecting friend group shy away from the conversation, but never rue, annie and charlie. no, they said that matt was too ‘sexy’ to be quiet about, and it was like they were waiting for you to mess up just to take your place. the sad part was that you wouldn’t mind letting them.

you had met matt, ironically, at a wayne gala that you were covering post breakup with dick, which was the only way that you measured time nowadays. he was hot enough to be… a rebound, and you were okay with that, until he started hounding you for a date. one date, two dates, and suddenly, a year and a half later, you were engaged. the next step, obviously (in matt's words), was the whole white picket fence, 2.5 kids, and living the rest of your days in your dream house. if it was so obvious, why did it make your stomach curdle like you had a flu? why did the idea of kids with matt, being bonded to him for life, make you want to toss your stupid ring at his face, pack your bags, and run? did he even know why your favorite color was dark blue? did matt myers know that the reason that the sapphire stone on your ring was because of dick grayson?

you glanced at your fiancé before looking at your phone and sighing. “matt, i'm going out for some fresh air.” your heart panged. maybe you should give matt some slack, because after all, he picked up the pieces of you after dick so abruptly left. maybe he was better than what you gave him credit for. maybe the two of you would work long term, and you could go the white picket fence with him. it couldn’t hurt. “wanna come with?”

“nah. get me some seaweed chips though, from erewhon. we ran out.” matt shot you a badly timed wink, which made you grimace, and in that moment, you realized a very disturbing fact. nobody could make your blood pump like dick grayson, and no matter who you were with, there would only be one man on your mind.

sighing, you quickly changed into a ratty hoodie and leggings, making sure you weren’t in some sort of nightmare dream that you weren’t able to get out of. because that was your dream, right? being engaged to an incredibly attractive, talented and kind person, and spending the rest of your life with him? you gave yourself a short pep talk in the mirror—“you are hot! everyone wants you! you are engaged!”—before slipping on your shoes and calculating the distance to blüdhaven’s nearest erewhon, which was an easy twenty minute walk away. maybe you could thank matt for the exercise that he was always hounding you to do.

step. step. step. your walk turned into the same banal rotation of the past year and a half of your life, always the same thing over and over, and the thought of what your life might have been like if you had just stayed clung in your mind like cobwebs. unwanted, unnecessary, but it made your heart ache just a little bit to get rid of them.

erewhon came faster than you expected it to, and you stepped inside, the chilly air hitting your face like a wall of ice, and you grabbed a basket, picking up those chips matt loved. he was safe. safe and comfortable, but why did safe and comfortable suddenly feel like boring and predictable?

you caught a glimpse of yourself in the reflective glass of the door, yearning to see the bright eyed, excitable girl that existed only a few years ago, but all you saw was… you. drained, unhappy, a permanent frown on your face. you attempted a smile, pulling your mouth from both sides, but the result was only a mix of a grimace and a clown’s toothy grin. you couldn’t smile right either.

your phone pinged, and a blue heart showed up on your screen. you hadn’t texted him in two years, but the icon still made your heart flutter with anticipation, before your squashed it like a bug under a boot.

DICKIEBIRD 💙: hey smartie pants! i need to talk to u about something important. let’s meet at 0900 at lux?

you bit your lip. the pros of this: you could finally get closure. dick grayson was hard to get ahold of, but maybe this was your chance to ask him—why did the two of you not work? was it you? was it him? or was it his true first love, nightwing?

you: hey. does 0930 work? i’m out running errands right now.

a beat.

DICKIEBIRD 💙: yeah! miss u lots, btw. see you then!

two hours later, after you had dropped off matt’s life-sustaining seaweed chips for a disgruntled “thanks, babe” in return, you walked into lux, your favorite sweater and skirt combo clinging onto you like a second skin. you’d worn a different, light blue dress on instinct, but you quickly realized that the dress you had picked out was dick’s favorite, so it immediately out of the question. shame, it was a damn hot dress.

“hey!” you heard a cheery voice from behind you. he said your name like it came off easy, like you hadn’t been each other’s confidants once upon a time. he said your name the way you wished that you could say his, with no meaning attached behind it. “it’s been so long, and you look great!” his eyes flicked to the stone on your left hand ring finger, and you could swear that his face fell the smallest amount, but if he felt anything, he didn’t tell you.

you didn’t have the same self control that he did. his name fluttered off of your tongue like a prayer, like he was a god and your only chance at salvation. “dick… um… hi. yeah, you look great too, but i guess enough people tell you that on a daily basis.”

“well, i hope you’re getting complemented just as much. what, your fiancé not doing it for you anymore, or is that just a pretty rock?” he grinned, his dimples highlighted by the dim light in the club. you suddenly kicked yourself for even showing up. how could he read you like a book by only looking at you for a minute or two, max?

your eyes widened, heart beating out of your chest. “uh, i mean… i’m engaged. matt. that’s his name. matt myers.”

as if reading your mind, dick’s smile fell, and he placed a comforting hand on your forearm. “hey, i didn’t mean anything by the pretty rock comment, okay? don’t stress, i’m not here to seduce you.” oh, dick. what you’d give for him to say the opposite. “i’m actually here about a case. not bruce related, by the way. my usual case partner on this one is having a little trouble, so i thought…” he shrugged, because telling you that you were a backup didn’t break his heart, not like being on the receiving end broke yours. it wasn’t a shatter, just a tiny crack to the ones that he’d been adding all this time.

“yeah, i can help you out. what’s up?” you tried to seem nonchalant, but maybe the pain seeped through your voice. you wouldn’t count it against your terrible emotional regulation skills, but a small part of you was itching to help—to get back into the routine that truly sparked fire in you, instead of the rabbit food conversations that had matt jumping around like it was Christmas.

dick pulled out a variety of manila folders, labeled with a variety of female names on them, and a type of flower. he pinched three different photos of the victims, you were assuming, who were mauled and then arranged into neat shapes, with their hands crossed over their chest like mummies, and a clean, crisp white flower placed on top of them. the flowers were all different species’, you noted, with some including a white rose, a white poppy, and a white petunia.

“what do you have so far?” your voice came off far too eager, far too fast and far too interested. no, this was a favor he was coming to you for, so why did it feel like you were a caged bird that could finally sing, stretch it’s wings and soar into the sky without inhibitions? dick pressed his lips together, running a hand though his tousled, raven hair. god, what you’d give to have the chance to do that one more time. maybe dick was right when he broke up with you, because if you couldn’t even control yourself when you had a fiancé, how did he know that you could handle being with him?

he hesitated—it was evident in the way that he froze before trying to say something again. perhaps he was also thinking about the other times that you helped him with his cases, spending late nights poring over pictures and elaborate pictures, only to end up watching the real housewives of beverly hills instead. or maybe he was rethinking, questioning, even, why he had even involved you in the first place. you wouldn’t hold it against him; you’d always been too interested for your own good.

“close to nothing. no prints, no dna, just these flowers, whatever they mean. i wanted to know if you could reach out to shy of your sources—see if they know anything. they’ve been helpful before.” his voice sounded tired, not the usual, cheery voice he pasted onto himself. it made you feel a bit better, if you could call it that, that he didn’t feel the need to pretend to be the golden wayne child in front of you. or maybe you were delusional in your belief that he’d even let his facade drop.

you bit your lip, and twisted the dark blue engagement ring on your finger absentmindedly. “is this a nightwing problem, or an officer grayson problem? because that makes a difference in which sources i use.”

dick grinned, and you were mostly sure that it was genuine, with a flash of teeth distracting you from the issue at hand (which was more like the issue on your left hand ring finger) but dick had always had that effect on you. “thinking about breaking the law, future mrs gr—future pulitzer prize winner? to answer your question, if you think about it,” he started, “it’s a both problem.” his face fell, and the wide smile that was there moments ago disappeared so fast that you almost thought that you imagined it. “they’ve started personally targeting people in my family. cass and damian both noticed a tail when they were walking out in the city, and i would be worried if they weren’t, you know, the deadliest people in gotham, but if anything happened to them, i don’t know if i'd be able to forgive myself. or worse, alfred…”

the look on his face is anguished, as if he’s imagining a lifetime of pain being inflicted on his family, and you know that he’s rather take it himself than let anything happen to them. “dick, don’t worry, okay? alfred is probably more dangerous than anyone in your family combined, and i say that after i've met cass and steph. nothing’s going to happen to them. we’re going to find this psycho, then we’re going to get justice for the victims and their families.” you reach out to touch his arm, but the moment your skin makes contact with his, you pull back like his forearm was on fire.

nodding, he looks back up at you, his eyes filled with an admiration you haven’t seen in quite a while. “yeah, i’m overreacting, right? and it’s not like they won’t be able to defend themselves. cass could probably kick my ass on one of her bad days.” he shudders. “she’s awesome and all, but scary as hell.”

you laugh, finally at ease, not on edge about what you’re saying or about to do. “yeah, well, clearly you’ve never seen her in the same room as a full english breakfast. i remember this one time that she came over to our apartment after patrol, and this was at three o’clock in the morning, okay? she walks in, starts getting the eggs out of our fridge…” your eyes catch a glimpse at dick’s face. he’s smiling, his face satiated and truly… happy. how long has it been since you looked like that? the earlier morning comes into your mind, and you stammer, recollecting how you looked in the glass of the fridge at the store. like a broken woman rather than the girl that you used to be.

now it’s dick’s turn to take your hand into his, and rub it gently, the way that he always used to do when you were nervous before taking one of your tests in university, or when you utterly messed up cooking dinner. it meant that he was here for you, that he would be there no matter what, but a small part of your brain wanted to question him nonetheless; if he had left you before, he would leave you again. that was the rule, the past precedent that he had kept for himself, and if he had wanted to stay, he would’ve.

his thumb brushes over your engagement ring, the one that you and forgotten even existed and now felt heavier on your finger than a ton of bricks, the one that your fiancé had given to you as a token of trust. you couldn’t break the one promise you had left, but clearly, dick must have been thinking the same thing. he pulled his hand away the moment he touched the ring, and looked at you with a guilty expression. “so… how long have you guys been…”

“last night.” you said, not an ounce of warmth in your voice. there never was, when it came to matt. it was more like a dry tone of obligation than anything else.

dick’s eyes widened, shame seeping into his expression. “i'm so sorry, sw—i mean, you shouldn’t be here on your engagement day. we can talk some other time, or i can send you—”

“if i didn’t want to be here, dick, i wouldn’t be.”

“good to know.” he smiled, before turning his attention back to the folder in his hands. “hey, i have to go. we’ll keep in touch, alright?” he stands up, about to lean in for a hug, but you stick your arm out, ready to shake his hand. cold and impersonal, but it wasn’t like you were doing a good job of that in the first place.

the two of you settle for a half hug-half handshake combination, somehow making the situation more awkward than it already was. he send you a crooked grin, and it cements itself in your brain, another blip of dick grayson in your grey life. maybe… maybe this isn’t a bad idea after all, and maybe you could rein in your emotions just to see a little more of him, his dark blue eyes haunting your dreams like an apparition. you could sacrifice that and so much more just to have his eyes in your life.

“see you later, right?” you smiled, the muscles in your face contracting in that direction for the first time in a few weeks, perhaps. oh, the things that he did to your poor heart. he waved, mouthing a quick bye to you before picking up a call on his phone, and you could hear a stern ‘jason’ before he vanished, out of earshot, out of sight, but not out of your mind.

you started on your path back home, deciding against taking a taxi when the fares would be the highest. maybe it was just an eerie coincidence on your part, but you swore that there was something behind you, a pair of eyes tracking your every move. you would have cast it aside as paranoia, but it was sending a creeping shiver up your spine, terrifying you to your very bones. perhaps that is what happens when one works on a murder case.

you brushed it off, but the feeling of eyes on your back did not dissipate.

ooh spooky right? does anyone fancy a part two for this one or nah?

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littlelamy · 5 months ago

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Could you do Reader meeting Drew at carnival or something? Reader is there with her two friends and Drew is there with his, Odessa and co. Both groups are in odd numbers, meaning someone always has to sit with a stranger during a carousel ride. This time it is Reader’s turn to sit with a stranger while her friends sit togehter. Same for Drew. Reader and Drew get put together in a ride. Some awkward tension, attraction and cuteness. As soon as they get off the ride tho, Odessa runs up to Drew hugging him, so Reader gets the impression that he is taken and is like ‘’Oh…guess I won’t ask for his number…..:/ ‘’ and walks off. But then at some point Drew sees her again at the carnival and well…….

hope you like it !!⭐️ the air was thick with the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the sounds of laughter and screams from carnival rides filling the night. you, along with your two friends, were making your way through the throngs of people, the vibrant lights casting a kaleidoscope of colors around you. your friend jenna was already eyeing the ferris wheel, while casey was determined to find the most ridiculous hat she could wear for a photo op.

“can we please go on something that won’t make me want to hurl?” you joked, clutching your stomach as you passed a spinny ride that looked like it could launch someone into orbit.

“oh, come on! where’s your sense of adventure?” jenna teased, giving you a playful shove. “we’re here to have fun!”

just then, you caught sight of a group across the way: a guy with tousled hair, a cheeky grin plastered on his face, surrounded by a couple of friends, one of whom was waving her arms like a lunatic. you couldn’t help but smirk; they looked like a band of misfits, and the guy—drew, you overheard someone call him—had an easy charm that was hard to ignore.

as you wandered toward the carousel, the sound of cheerful music inviting you closer, drew’s laugh carried over to you, loud and unapologetic. he had that kind of laugh that made you want to roll your eyes, but you also found yourself grinning. the carousel was in a weird configuration: you and your friends were odd-numbered, meaning one of you would have to sit with a stranger. guess who that unlucky bastard was? you.

“looks like it’s you, champ,” casey said, nudging you forward as jenna giggled. “have fun with your mystery date!”

you shot her a mock glare before stepping up to the ride. meanwhile, drew was being pushed by his friends toward the same ride, and you both ended up on the same horse—his a little to the left of yours. great.

as the carousel began to spin, you shot drew a sideways glance. he looked at you, and for a moment, everything blurred into the background. “so, this is fun,” you said, trying to fill the awkward silence. “i’m thrilled to be your carousel buddy.”

“thrilled? oh, it must be my lucky day,” he replied, his smirk making your heart flutter. “what’s your name? or should I just call you my new favorite stranger?”

“y/n. and you’re drew, right?”

“guilty as charged. so, what brings you here? other than the joy of being awkwardly paired with a stranger on a spinning ride?”

you laughed, the sound a bit louder than you intended. “just here for the chaos, i guess. you know, cotton candy, overpriced games, and the constant threat of nausea.”

“ah, a connoisseur of fine carnivals! i like that,” he grinned, leaning closer. “i, too, have a refined taste in fine cotton candy and the thrill of potential vomiting on a carousel. it’s a true art form, really.”

you shook your head, laughing. “you’re ridiculous. but in the best way.”

the ride continued, the two of you exchanging jokes, the initial awkwardness fading into something more comfortable. you caught yourself sneaking glances at him, taking in the way his lips curled into a smirk and how animated his expressions were. he was cute—like, really cute.

but as the ride slowed to a stop, reality came crashing back. you were both about to disembark when suddenly, a blur of energy rushed up to drew. “drew!” she squealed, throwing her arms around him. it was odessa, the friend from earlier, and the two of them looked way too cozy. your heart sank as you realized that maybe drew wasn’t available after all.

“oh… guess i won’t be asking for his number,” you muttered under your breath, forcing a smile as you stepped away. you could feel the bubble of attraction deflate like a popped balloon. you waved goodbye to your friends and started to walk away, trying to ignore the sting of disappointment.

time passed, and the carnival lights danced around you, but your mind kept drifting back to the moment with drew. you were beginning to think you’d never see him again when, out of nowhere, he came sprinting back into view. his friends were trailing behind him, and he was looking for something—or someone.

“hey!” he called, spotting you. you turned, a little surprised he even remembered your name. “you didn’t get my number!”

“yeah, well, you were kind of busy being hugged by odessa,” you replied, crossing your arms defensively.

“trust me, it’s not what it looks like. we're just friends,” he said, rolling his eyes. "want to grab some cotton candy together? i promise to share, but only if you’re willing to do it like true adults—by faceplanting into it.”

your heart did a little flip at his invitation. “okay, but only if you promise to eat it straight off the stick like civilized humans.”

drew laughed, his eyes lighting up. “deal! and who knows, maybe we can find a ride that doesn’t require sitting next to strangers. unless you’re into that. i’m not here to judge. my friends and i have a running bet on who can make the most ridiculous small talk on rides, and i could use some competition.”

he led you through the carnival, weaving between the crowds, his hand brushing against yours like he was testing the waters. your heart raced as you made your way toward the ferris wheel, its lights twinkling like a galaxy above you. “this is the best ride for some real fun,” he said, leaning closer as you waited in line. “you get a killer view of the carnival and the chance to make out in the moonlight if you play your cards right.”

“oh, really?” you shot back, trying to sound nonchalant, though your cheeks felt hot. “is that a guarantee?”

“i’m just saying,” he said, a wicked grin spreading across his face, “i can be pretty persuasive. or maybe it’s just the cotton candy talking.”

as you climbed into the gondola and it began to rise, the world below you shrank, the lights of the carnival twinkling like stars. you could feel the excitement building, your heart racing not just from the height but from being so close to him. drew leaned closer, his breath warm against your ear. “you know, this would be the perfect time to kiss someone,” he murmured, mischief dancing in his eyes.

“oh, is that right?” you replied, challenging him with a smirk.

“absolutely. i mean, who wouldn’t want to steal a kiss while overlooking a carnival filled with chaos?” he asked, leaning even closer until your lips were mere inches apart.

in that moment, everything else faded away. the noise of the carnival, the lights, the world—it was just you and drew, suspended in that gondola. you could feel the heat radiating between you as you closed the gap, your lips meeting his in a soft, tentative kiss that quickly turned hungry. he tasted like cotton candy and adventure, and you lost yourself in the moment, the kiss deepening as you melted against him.

when you finally pulled away, both of you breathless, he grinned like he’d just won the jackpot. “so, how was that for some carnival fun?” he teased, clearly pleased with himself.

“definitely more exciting than a roller coaster,” you admitted, your heart still racing.

“well, the night is still young,” he said, his grin widening. “let’s see what other trouble we can get into.”

as the ferris wheel creaked to a stop, you couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning of a wild night filled with laughter, chaos, and maybe a few more kisses.

taglist: @namelesslosers @princessslutt @averyoceanblvd @iknowdatsrightbih @starkeysprincess @sixrosberg @anamiad00msday @ivysprophecy @wearemadeofstardust0 @kissrotten @rafecameroninterlude @sstargirln

#drew #drew starkey x reader #drew starkey #drew starkey imagine #drew starkey x you

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desultory-novice · 16 days ago

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...Did everyone Read The Announcement Post Very Carefully?

That's right. Kirby of the Stars: The Magic Crystal and The Mysterious Maze was my "A.P.R.I.L. F.O.O.L.S" joke! Sorry! XD

It started at the end of January when I remembered that I'd made a joke grouping of the four Dream Friends that get consistently left out of the novels: Marx, Adeleine, Ribbon, and Dark Meta Knight. I wanted to do something special for them and, partly inspired by Jojo's roleswap cover emulating the FL novels, I thought to make a fake novel cover just for MY forgotten favorites! Gryll and the Fairy Queen are a bonus, because if I was doing this, I would go all out!

I took a huge amount of reference photos, both from the novels and from Tau and Poto's "Find Kirby" books (the only place they've ever drawn Gryll! The Fairy Queen I referenced from Wave 2's ending picture in Star Allies - that's why her crown looks slightly different. Speaking of, Ripple Star Castle (?) is WEIRD looking, y'all!)

At ~40 hours~ of sketching, drawing, painting, refining, trying to get those distinctive Kirby novel touches right (don't get me started on emulating the cover's texture. I was a dumb bunny and remade it by HAND out of a clean scrap about the size of Kirby's body!) this was an immense challenge and the most time I’ve ever put into any illustration, but it was also a huge labor of love for Kirby and its cast!

For what it's worth, I actually did come up with a full on "plot" for this fake novel of mine! (And yes, it was a big stretch to combine Kirby 64 with Amazing Mirror, Milky Way Wishes, and Star Stacker!!)

Here is the "chapter list" (in English and Japanese!)

1 / "Marx the Magician Comes to Town!" 魔法使いマルクがやってきたのサ！

2 / "Into The Mysterious Mirror Maze" いざ！不思議なミラー迷宮へ

3/ "Ribbon The Fairy and The Missing Crystal" 妖精リボンちゃんと失われたクリスタル

4 / "Moving Reflections?! The Maze's Secret!" 動く反映？！迷宮の秘密！

5 / "Adeleine and The Path Leading Out" アドレーヌと出口への道

6 / "Oh No! The Jumbled Dimensions!" 大変！バラバラの次元回路！

7 / "Marx's Mocking Laughter?!" マルクの嘲笑？！

8 / "Catch That Clown!" あの道化師を捕まえろ！

9 / "A Day Packed Full of Delights" 楽しい満喫な一日

In the "backstory" Marx attempted to steal/use the large Crystal from Ripple Star ("It's just a prank, bro!") but something happened (maybe the Queen did something) and the Crystal split into shards.

So Marx makes up a fake show and comes to Popstar to dupe all the simpletons there (his words, not mine) to do the bothersome task of gathering all the shards for him to fix the crystal while he sits back and waits, disguising this arduous task as a "fun game."

Kirby and the rest fall for it and start to do Marx's dirty work, going into the mirror maze (related to the Mirror World?) But there, Kirby meets the hardworking fairy, Ribbon, who is working all on her own to try and get the crystals back before Marx can. (Or, if Marx duped the folks of Ripple Star that he'd fix his own mess, he then trapped Ribbon in the maze once they were out of sight!) But so far, she has failed to convince any of his "guests" that she is anything other than a clever attraction. Kirby believes her though and offers his help!

I hadn't fully figured out how the mirror worlders were connected, but I thought it might have been possible they were working with Ripple Star/the good guys (but seemed to be "bad" because they were "scaring" the carnival attendees) or maybe, DMK and Shadow Kirby (who I was originally going to put in the cover as well but it got too crowded for him) were there as guardians to warn everyone to stop messing around with powers they don't understand.

Bandee spends most of his time in the novel outside the maze (to skirt any questions of a mirror Bandanna Waddle Dee) waiting for everyone alongside Marx, where he will eventually figure the jester's game and goes into the maze to warn Kirby and friends. Just as the group seems lost, they will encounter Adeleine, who will be all big sister like and help guide the kids to the exit (using the never fail maze escape strategy of "keep your hand on the right-hand wall")

However, just as things seem to be going well, Marx has used what pieces of the crystal the Popstarians have collected for him to pull his prank, and the gang find themselves lost not in the maze, but in a cartoonish jumble of dimensions!! (Picture each door you go through, whether it's to the kitchen or the castle, leading you to an entirely different planet!) It's amidst this wacky dimensional comedy, trying to grab Marx to get him to Cut! It! Out! that they meet Gryll, who knows Marx well and gives the gang a tip to lure him out (probably involving them all NOT panicking and instead sitting down amidst the chaos and enjoying a simple Adeleine-sponsored picnic, pretending like they're having a great time without him.)

They defeat Marx once he shows up to confront them, complaining they aren't "playing along right" and Gryll takes the battered, bruised jester back for "remedial magic training" or something equally embarrassing for Marx. Back home at last, they find it's sunset now and Marx's One Day Carnival (now being run by the Waddle Dees, who just can't help from helping out) is coming to an end!

However, Kirby, Bandee, Meta Knight, and King Dedede invite Ribbon (and Adeleine and the Mirror Worlders) to enjoy the last hours of the carnival with them before bidding everyone goodbye.

They promise to remain friends, however!

Speaking of friends...

I'm taking a long break from fandom to tackle some new things and take on a new direction in my life. As such, I have taken down all my old work from this blog to get some much needed emotional distance from certain things. That said, I don't require anyone who reblogged any of it in the past to delete those reblogs, nor do you have to cease sharing/distributing things of mine. Just know that if you ask questions, I probably won't be here to answer them.

My love for Kirby and its cast will continue, despite this change. And I do hope the fandom will continue to bloom in my absence.

To everyone who left me such beautiful messages on my previous post, thank you so, so much. I won't forget you all. I hope if our paths cross again, it will be as friends once more. And if not...rest assured that you will forever be a part of my precious memories.

#Kirby #Marx Kirby #Ribbon Kirby #Adeleine Kirby #Dark Meta Knight #Meta Knight #King Dedede #Bandanna Waddle Dee #Gryll Kirby #Fairy Queen Kirby #Dess Art Post

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paintingwhiteceilings · 1 year ago

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❃S/O being drunk/tipsy around Seventeen❃

A/N: So I may have gotten massively drunk last weekend as the region I live in celebrates a specific type of carnival that goes on for five days straight. I might have, maybe, drank a little bit too much during the music festival day and as I was drunkenly stumbling around, I wondered what it would be like to get drunk around svt.

Also, am I the only one who has a K-pop idols I want to get drunk with bias line? Currently, my list consists of Lee Know, Xiumin, Jin and San (to name a few). Just wondering whether that is a normal thing to have or whether I should be concerned about my sanity.

Scoups/Seungcheol

❀ Chances are that if you are drunk around him, so is he. Coups loves a good party on the occasion and isn't a stranger to clubbing. However, where he can hold his liquor and knows his limits, you may have forgotten about yours. Part of him adores your clinginess and finds you adorable; thus, he lets you be your embarrassingly drunk self, laughing at your shameless and less-than-stellar dance moves. As long as you are in the safe, not-too-drunk zone, he will let you have fun and try to match your drinking pace.

❀ However, the moment he notices that you are crossing the line into way too drunk territory, the responsible part of him will kick in, and he will chase you around with water. He will get very serious, going all alpha leader on you and doing whatever it takes for you to take a sip of water.

❀ No amount of cuteness or begging will convince him to stop his getting you sober plight; you can flirt all you want with him, but once he is concerned for your well-being, it is difficult to persuade him to let you keep on drinking. He is definitely not above cutting the night short either, taking you home instead. If you do as much as refuse, he will throw you over his shoulder and walk out like you weigh nothing.

Jeonghan

❀ To the poor soul who decided to get drunk around this man, I hope that he will never feel the urge to show those embarrassing videos that he took of you to those around you. Although he will, of course, keep his eye on you to prevent you from getting progressively drunker, he is enjoying you being drunk way too much. He will have his camera out the entire time and instigate you to do something embarrassing that sober-you would very much regret.

❀ He has an entire folder dedicated to your drunken mishaps, whether it is a five-minute video of you slurring your words as you argue why cows are grossly underappreciated when it comes to favourite animals or you crying as you hug a tree, sobbing that they do not receive enough love. Jeonghan cherishes every single photo and video he took of you being drunk, frequently rewatching them to cheer himself up.

❀ Honestly, it never fails to make you regret drinking around this man because he has no problem using it as blackmail against you. Whenever you try to argue with him during game nights, he will subtly reference one of your entertaining escapades, teasing you that anyone who repeatedly drunkenly asked whether turning a phone on aeroplane mode would give it the ability to fly is in no position to argue with him.

Joshua

❀ He is so unbelievably gentle with you. The moment he senses that you are getting ab bit too tipsy or borderline drunk, he will make sure to switch to water for himself instead. Although he enjoys the occasional drink, he wants to make sure that he is able to take care of you, letting you freely drink whilst he makes sure you do so safely.

❀ He is genuinely the sweetest, listening to all your drunken ramblings with a fond smile on his face. Whenever you are not paying attention to him, he will secretly switch out your alcoholic beverage for water, cheekily gaslighting you into believing that it is still the same drink by taking a sip himself and pretending that you are imagining things when exclaim it no longer tastes like vodka.

❀ When you guys get home, he will go into full caregiver mode, helping you remove your makeup, making sure that you didn’t forget to plug in your phone for the night and laying out your comfiest pyjamas for you to slip into after a brief shower. He will tuck you into bed after making sure that you drank enough water for the night, preparing a glass of water and some medication for you to take in the morning when the hangover kicks in, before turning in himself.

Jun

❀ The moment you enter your shared apartment drunk, Jun feels torn between laughing at your ridiculous actions spurred by your drunkenness and helping you sober up. Seeing you put your hand in the fish tank as you try to pet your now traumatised goldfish because you felt bad for never petting it before is hilarious to him. He is curious about what else you might do, following you around as you try to do more ridiculous things. He is thoroughly invested in seeing where your drunken brain is taking you next and what else you will get up to if he lets you roam around.

❀ Jun will entertain your drunken childlike curiosity, using it to finally be able to do the totally safe experiments you usually tell him off for. The two of you will engage in a plethora of dubious food experiments, mixing different drinks to find out whether they will taste any good together and go to the supermarket to buy a dozen different ice cream flavours in order to rank them all. Where usually you would scold him for trying to see whether a bath can really overflow, drunken-you would join him in watching the water level rise slowly.

❀ However, he simultaneously will be very caring, preparing a hearty meal to combat your drunkenness. He might not be the best chef in Seventeen, but he can cook up a couple of meals that help with absorbing the alcohol, preparing one of them to help you sober up a bit. He will ensure that you eat plenty of it and drink enough water before you go to bed.

Hoshi/Soonyoung

❀ In no universe is this man not drunker than you are when the two of you go out drinking. Hoshi’s tolerance is so incredibly low that he could get drunk on the smell of alcohol alone. The other members have to babysit the both of you, not even for your own safety but for those around you. He would be the type of person who, when you buy your shots, forgets that they are not his and, in his drunken stupor, take them when you turn around to pay. You are too drunk to notice either, not that it matters much, as you finish most of his drinks on accident, too.

❀ The dance floor is a danger zone when you two step onto it. Neither of you cares much about dancing decently; instead, the two of you have a competition going on who can come up with the most creative, shameless dance moves. The dance battle only ends when one of you accidentally knocks over a slow-dancing couple during an emotional ballad.

❀ The other members will ultimately have to step in, guiding you back home before either of you does something illegal. It is easier said than done; the two of you are so incredibly drunk that you decide to pose and take pictures with random statues you spot on your way home. Once home, they try to get you both to drink water but miserably fail as Hoshi completely breaks down, professing his undying love for you between sobs. The night ends with the two of you in each other’s arms, crying about how much you love each other.

Wonwoo

❀ Considering he doesn’t really drink himself, he will make sure you are not exceeding your drinking limits, babysitting you the entire time. However, where he usually makes sure to stop you from getting drunk the moment he notices you are getting tipsy, he hadn’t anticipated that the dinner with the members would turn into an out-of-control drinking party. When they suggested doing some drinking games whilst waiting for the food, he had assumed they would have gone easy on you; instead, you had lost so many of the drinking games that you were borderline drunk by the time that the food reached to your table.

❀ Throughout the dinner, Wonwoo tries to get you to drink as much water as he can. Your glass doesn’t stay empty for long as, rather than eating himself, he is way too focused on making sure that it is constantly filled with water. You have barely swallowed your food when he puts another piece of meat on your plate, hoping that the grease will help you sober up somewhat.

❀ When the members insist on playing more drinking games during and after the dinner, he initially refuses on your behalf. If you insist on continuing, he will awe the members by taking every punishment shot going your way for you. Unfortunately for him, the members have finally figured out a way to get Wonwoo to join their drinking festivities, using you as bait to get the usually introverted member to drink.

Woozi/Jihoon

❀ As another member who rarely, if ever, drinks, he always tells you to be careful when you do. When you get invited out for drinks with the members, he fully trusts them to keep an eye on you for his sake as he is stuck in the studio, having to finish a song. What he is not expecting, however, is for them to call him at 1 AM to come pick you up, as they may have grossly overestimated your alcohol tolerance. He can hear drunk-you brabble about how much you miss him in the background of the phone call as he talks to the members about coming over to take you home.

❀ With a big sigh, he makes his way over to the pub you guys had been drinking at, realizing that it might not have been the smartest to have the members who frequently drink and have built up quite the tolerance take you drinking. He is not necessarily angry at you or the members; instead, he is disappointed in himself for not having been there with you to ensure you would not go past your drinking limits.

❀ He is incredibly gentle with you when he finally arrives at the pub, scooping you up in his arms, ready to take you home. He will hear no apology on your part or the members, reassuring you that it happens and that although he would like for it to be prevented in the future, he understands that getting drunk happens. At home, he will be so soft as he makes sure to give you whatever you need. He will make sure not to leave your side, helping you shower and giving you plenty of cuddles in bed to make you feel better.

DK/Seokmin

❀ Another member who is probably just as drunk as you are, if not more. He would be getting drunk with you, sharing most of his drinks with you to the point where neither of you remembers which drink belongs to whom. He is definitely enabling your drunk behaviour and perhaps even the cause of it because whenever he picks up his shot of soju, he makes sure to give you one, too.

❀ He will rope you into doing something stupid, putting on one of his infamous skits with you as the second lead. You don’t know where he got a wig from, but he is fully engrossed in his role as Sandra, the woman who is about to be eaten by zombies. Where sober-you would be mortified by his behaviour, you are currently too drunk to care, down to join him as one of the vicious zombies. It doesn’t help that a small part of him still feels embarrassed about his actions and keeps taking a swig of the soju bottle left on your now-unoccupied table, making him progressively drunker as the performance continues.

❀ At the very least, your performance will be enjoyed by a considerably large, amused audience who decide to pay for some of your drinks in appreciation, making it a relatively cheap night out. Neither of you will be able to do much the next day as both of you completely forgot to drink water before going to bed, too busy re-enacting the best moments of your play, resulting in a massive hangover. As a result, the two of you spend most of the next day cuddled up in bed; DK claims that your hugs are the best cure for his crushing headache.

Mingyu

❀ Mingyu sometimes forgets that taller people tend to be able to drink more compared to those who are more vertically challenged; thus, he accidentally got you very drunk when he dragged you to go clubbing with him and the members. That being said, he is not feeling too guilty about it because where sober-you would try to limit the PDA in front of the other members, drunk-you completely forget they exist. Mingyu is on cloud nine when you start to touch him more than usual, thinking he has officially gone to heaven as you hug him close and refuse to let go.

❀ He is giggling uncontrollably, as you are all over him, insisting on slow-dancing to every song that comes on, even if it is to the most upbeat techno song. Although he makes sure that you don’t get too drunk, he will not make any attempts to sober you up immediately either, enjoying your attention way too much. He, for sure, will take at least fifty photos and videos where you are kissing his cheek and drunkenly rambling on and on about how much you love him, saving them for a rainy day. You are the cutest person alive to him, and he seriously considers always bringing you along from now on.

❀ Once home, he will make sure that you are fully provided for, cheekily suggesting to shower together as he is incredibly ‘worried’ that you might slip in the shower in your drunken state. Part of Mingyu is slightly sad to see you sober up when he hands you your tenth glass of water in an attempt to prevent a nasty hangover.

The8/Minghao

❀ There is no way in hell that Minghao is not watching you like a hawk when the two of you go drinking, taking away your drinks when he notices that you are getting a bit too out-of-control drunk. You always try to argue with him when he does, whining that you, the adult, know your limits and don’t need him to babysit you. Thus, to prove you wrong and to get you to stop arguing with him whenever he stops you from drinking, he makes a deal with you; you get to drink however much you want, and he won’t interfere with drunk you whatsoever.

❀ This is how you end up drunk out of your mind at one of the members’ birthday parties, challenging Seungkwan to an arm wrestling match after you had tried to beat a drunk and crying Hoshi in a dance battle without much success. You even competed in Scoups’ and Mingyu’s beer pong competition, making you drunker than you already were. Minghao hovers nearby, ready to jump in when necessary, keeping a close eye on your questionable actions. His phone is in his hands as he quietly films you from a distance, ready to present sober-you with the consequences of your drunken decisions.

❀ Nevertheless, he will interfere whenever you are about to do something too embarrassing; sure, he wants you to learn that you do stupid things when wasted, but he does not want you to be relentlessly teased by the other members for your intoxicated mishaps. Minghao will immediately take you back home and sober you up when he thinks that he has let you go on for long enough and that he has collected enough evidence to prove his claims. The next morning, he will lovingly confront you with reality, regardless of whether or not you are nursing a hangover, after which you agree that maybe, sometimes, he might have a point.

Seungkwan

❀ Seungkwan is honestly one of the best people to get drunk around. Sure, he drinks himself, but the moment he notices that he is getting tipsy, he slows down his drinking. He has had to deal with the members being drunk so often that he has developed successful ways of dealing with drunk people, making him well-equipped to deal with you. The moment you sheepishly admit that you are slightly drunk when you two are having dinner with the members, he will do his famous drunk check, rubbing over your forehead, making you giggle uncontrollably, before concluding that, indeed, you are gone.

❀ The entire evening, he will treat you like a little kid, listening to your drunken ramblings and providing you with sassy and funny remarks in exchange. He loves that you are laughing even more at his jokes than usual, and he will not miss a chance to elicit another fit of laughter out of you by doing something stupid. Seungkwan is not above embarrassing himself as long as it means that you are entertained.

❀ Honestly, I can’t imagine Seungkwan letting you do anything embarrassing. He will make sure that you sober up a little, providing you with water every now and then, and talk you out of whatever stupid plan you were about to execute. The moment he spots you climbing onto the bar, ready to execute your and Hoshi’s well-choreographed but slightly ridiculous dance routine, he will expertly redirect your attention to something else, making you completely forget about what you were about to do. As funny as he knows it would be for you to embarrass yourself, he knows you would be mortified the next day when you find out what you did the previous night and is fully committed to preventing that from happening. He would never let you do anything you would regret sober.

❀ Still, if you refuse to listen to him or you manage to do something stupid when he is momentarily distracted, he would not let you live it down.

Vernon

❀ Similarly to Jun, he is highly amused by your drunken escapades, curious to see what you will do. Where Jun, however, will join you in your antics, Vernon will mostly observe you, laughing his chair-screeching laugh as he does. He is not going to interfere whatsoever and lets you do whatever comes to your drunken mind, highly amused by whatever you are doing. Unless you are doing something illegal or dangerous, he is letting you do whatever your drunken brain convinces you to do.

❀ Getting drunk around Vernon means providing him with an arsenal of slightly embarrassing pictures that will be stored for later use. His phone is in his hand the whole evening, and he will make sure to snap thousands of images of your intoxicated self as you pose for him. You completely forget about him taking the pictures until he starts using them as stickers and memes in your private chat. Most of his reactions to your messages are you pulling a weird face. It wouldn’t have been that bad if he hadn’t started using them in the Seventeen group chat and as his phone’s background.

❀ As Vernon doesn’t strike me as someone who drinks often, he wouldn’t really be much help in sobering you up and making sure you won’t have too bad of a headache in the morning. Instead of making sure you drink enough water and get enough sleep, he convinces you to stay up late to watch a movie with him, entertained by your drunken commentary throughout, most of which he records. Needless to say, when morning arrives, you wake up with a lot of regrets.

Dino/Chan

❀ Dino is the king of being drunk; the amount of stories this dude has where he is wasted and doing something questionable are too many to count. Of course, he will be drunk with you, and of course, you two will create the best, most amusing drunk story ever. He had tried so hard to take the punishment shots for you whenever you lost a drinking game, not wanting you to get too drunk, resulting in both of you being incredibly intoxicated and hyping the other up to do some questionable stuff. The members tried to supervise the both of you, but you managed to escape when they got distracted for merely a second.

❀ In retrospect, your memories are kind of hazy on what had actually happened that night. In flashes, you remember a couple of rich people inviting you guys along, a boat, a garden gnome and something about a museum. Somehow, at the end of the night, you two end up in a fancy hotel, holding a garden gnome under your arm, all expenses paid, with the staff congratulating you on your engagement as you sport a very cheap plastic ring on your ring finger.

❀ In the morning, the two of you are nursing massive hangovers, utterly confused about where you are and how you managed to get there. Dino sees the thirty-plus missed calls from the members, knowing he is in a world of trouble, and someone mysteriously saved under the name Bob the Magician. The ring is so tight around your finger that you barely manage to get it off. Still, neither of you is planning on leaving any time soon, enjoying the luxury hotel the next couple of days as you try to piece together what transpired that night after ensuring the members that you are not dead in a ditch somewhere.

masterlist

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seokmn · 14 days ago

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EYES OFF OF YOU — CHAPTER TWO

SYNOPSIS :: Seokmin was desperate to find the perfect model to pair up with his friend for his upcoming project, and he found you.

📝. word count: 0.9k words 🎧. now playing: Eyes Off You – PRETTYMUCH

Seokmin was starting to get annoyed at Mingyu and Wonwoo always asking “what about that one?”. He knew that they were just trying to help, but none of the girls they pointed out gave you the feeling that they were the right one.

He didn’t know exactly who or what he was looking for, he just thought that once he found the perfect model, he would know.

While he waited for the right girl to show up right in front of him, he took pictures of the carnival and of the students along Wonwoo. Even though he was getting frustrated by his mission not being accomplished, his smile and kindness never left his body. He would ask politely to take pictures of the students and grin at the people who would tap on his shoulder to ask him to take a picture of them and their friends.

“I’m gonna stay up all night editing all these pics.” Seokmin chuckled and Wonwoo mirrored his chuckle. “Me too, I think Kazuha will stay up all night too.”

“Did she volunteer as well? I didn’t know, she didn’t tell me.”

“She didn’t tell me either, I saw her name on the list when I went to sign my name up. Now I’m gonna go around, it’s not right to have two photographers at the same area. Good luck on the pictures and on finding the model, sorry for not helping that much.”

“It’s okay, I appreciate it anyways.”

Wonwoo patted Seokmin’s shoulder and left. Mingyu stayed beside Seokmin all the time, annoying the poor guy more than helping him out.

“Seokmin-ah.”

“What?” He mumbled, focused on taking a picture of the view.

“Let’s go see the dance covers.”

“I can’t, I gotta stay in this area. I think Wonwoo will be there, you can see the covers with him.”

“No, but think about it. Wonwoo is more skilled when it comes to taking pictures of landscapes, and you are better at taking pictures of people. I don’t know about Kazuha, but I’m pretty sure that you would be the best photographer to take photos of the dancers, think about how good they would look in the newspaper.”

Seokmin sighed and looked at Mingyu. “Fine, lead the way.”

“Yes! Follow me.”

Mingyu walked towards the big stage while Seokmin followed him behind. Meanwhile, you peeked from behind the curtains and saw people already gathering together and creating a small crowd.

“Holy shit, people are starting to wait for us,” You stopped peeking out and turned your body to face Sujin and Seoyoung. “They’re like, really waiting for us.”

“That’s so exciting!!”

“And kinda terrifying,” you added. “But it’ll be fine, right?”

Sujin chuckled and hugged you, her hand caressing your back slowly as a way to soothe your anxiety. “Yes, it’ll be fine. We practiced a lot, everything will go according to plan.”

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen!” You heard Sooyoung’s voice loud and clear because of the microphone. “Are you ready to see three incredible and talented dancers?”

“Why is Soonyoung doing the opening? He didn’t tell me about that! Why is no one telling me anything…” Seokmin pouted as he took the camera to capture his sight.

“He wanted to keep a secret, but he kept posting mysterious stuff on Twitter,” Mingyu chuckled. “I think he just didn’t tell anyone because no one asked him about the mysterious tweets.”

“Give it up for Dancing Queens!” Soonyoung shouted and left the stage.

You, Seoyoung and Sujin got into your positions, and soon enough the curtains started to open. You could hear the faint sound of people talking and clapping, but the sound of your heartbeat was louder.

When the song started to play, you took a deep breath and forgot about all the people with their eyes and cameras on you and on your friends. You imagined that you were back in the practice room and there was only you and the girls. It always helped you to not freak out during a presentation.

Seokmin was in the crowd doing his job as a photographic major, but someone captivated him, the brunette girl on the stage dancing smoothly to such a difficult choreography. He couldn’t explain what made him so fascinated by you, but there was something there that stopped him from looking somewhere else. He watched you for a few seconds before reluctantly getting back to Earth and taking pictures once again.

Once the song finished, you and the girls struck a pose and heard the loud applause and whistles. You smiled brightly, clearly proud of yourself and of your friends for your hard work being rewarded with such love from the other students.

“Everyone, please don’t forget about us. We’re Dancing Queens!” Sujin spoke in the mic and waved at the crowd, and you and Seoyoung mirrored her action and waved before going backstage.

Seokmin stayed there, he had to take pictures of the next dance covers, but all he wanted was to go after you and talk to you, to kill his curiosity about you. But the thought of Soonyoung probably knowing you made him more relieved, he would see you again no matter what.

“Woah! It was amazing, I can’t believe we did it!” You were so happy and euphoric that your voice came out as a shout.

Seoyoung screamed from happiness and hugged you and Sujin. “We did amazing, girls! They loved it, they loved us!”

“Now we can finally enjoy the carnival. Let’s go, I’m starving!”

MASTERLiST - PREViOUS - NEXT

🔔. tagging! :: @svtmaru, @wonkierideul, @noircheols, @mi9yuz, @u7140823, @paradiseoflosers, @tastyluvr, @starshuas, @sooviiee, @supi-wupi, @starsunoo

#📺 - Eyes Off Of You.#seventeen #svt #lee seokmin #lee dokyeom #seokmin #dokyeom #svt dk #svt dokyeom #svt seokmin #seventeen smau #svt smau #seokmin smau #dk smau #dokyeom smau #kpop smau

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spiceofvy · 1 year ago

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🐙 here. again. How about Stray Kids as sugar babies? I don't mean that they're like, broke, but like if their partner treats them so much and so often that the sugar baby sugar parent jokes speak for themselves.

Anyway, who likes what kind of gifts; such as For-maximum-eyecandy-effect, being taken to events, cool tech, treated to food, that sort of thing. ...something around those lines, I mean, you're the writer so maybe you got a cooler spin on this.

Am currently unemployed and can't treat nobody rn but I feel the itch to be a sugar parent nowdays.

Hope you knock em dead ✌️

Spoiling SKZ with gifts

cws: fluff, gender neutral reader, two sensual innuendos (hyunjin, jeongin)

Chan: Noooo don't buy him things. He is the one that wants to spoil you instead. That's like his duty in the relationship. But he will wear anything and everything you buy for him. Especially if it's skzoo merch, but only if you also get something matching for yourself or else he will get it for you. Will pout and blush when you give him something but when someone asks him about it he will proudly tell everyone that you got it for him.

Minho: Shamelessly asks for things he likes but only he is 100% percent sure that you don't mind spending money on him and actually enjoy buying him stuff. Would totally love some expensive cat toys, or those treat dispensers that cats have to activate by pressing a button or solving a puzzle. Also enjoys being taken to super fancy restaurants, but he always insists on paying for the dessert. Once send you a picture of a fancy kitchen appliance as a joke and was very shocked when you actually got it for him.

Changbin: Our rich boy makes a challenge out of it. Who can spend more money on the other? Doesn't love to go out to restaurants but likes to get luxury takeout instead. Also enjoys a lot of expensive workout gear. Sends you even more workout pics afterwards. Answers any gift of yours with one of his own. Also shares every piece of food with you that you paid for and asks you to come to the gym with him so you can see him in the new gear.

Hyunjin: Less shameless than Minho, he wont straight up ask for things but instead sometimes just sends you links to stuff he likes. Especially likes being taken out to art shows or galleries. Or full shopping trips. Always models the stuff you got him afterwards for you. Especially when it's jewelry or perfume he wears only the jewelry and the perfume. Will totally tell the other boys that you paid for it, like the proud sugar baby he is.

Jisung: Mostly asks for food. Like snacks and (imported) candy. Ask absolutely shamelessly for it. Especially at food stands, picks like every different taste and makes you try it with him. Gets super happy about the good food. Also likes to be taken out to carnivals and theme parks. Prepare to pay and wear silly headbands and pose for all the photo ops. Also always buys you something in return.

Felix: Really enjoys being treated like that. Blushes dark red when you give him something and thanks you by plastering kisses all over your face. Especially like some fancy gaming equipment or lootboxes or genshin pulls. Totally shows off his new equipment to you and brags about it towards the others. Would never directly ask for anything, except for plushies. He gives them names and then treats them like they are your children.

Seungmin: Was really shy when you started to buy things for him. But he actually enjoys being spoiled. Mostly baseball tickets and manga. Really impressed when you know a new release before him. Gets soft about those gifts and treasures them a lot. Always blushes a little when he gets something from you. Invites you out for dinner shortly after you gifted him something.

Jeongin: Really enjoys being spoiled, full maknae mode. Loves getting clothes and short vacations. But always pays you back afterwards. Models the clothes, and gets you something matching. Massage your shoulders on the beach you took him too. Surely only with the intention to spread sun protection on your shoulders and back. Don't mind his hands wandering lower, and his pretty new clothes landing on the ground.

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never-stop-dreaming30 · 5 months ago

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The Things You Give Pt. 35

OH MY GOD I'm so sorry! I never intended for this to take as long as it did! I did work on it almost everyday, I promise! I just got caught up with work, baby, and then sickness! I hope ya'll didn't forget about me. To be fair, I did make this chapter super long because the next chapter will be the finale! I can't believe I've been doing this for three or four years, guys! It's been a wild ride and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a like and a comment if you kindly could. Thank you for the ride so far. You guys have been amazing <3

Steven sat right outside the room, hunched over in his seat while he fiddled with his wedding ring. He was trying his hardest to keep tears from surfacing and spilling over, but knowing that his wife was possibly dying, he couldn’t handle it. He hid his red rimmed eyes behind his aviators as he focused solely on his hands.

“Hey,” Red’s gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts as he approached him.

“Hey,” Steven responded, voice gravelly and sniffed.

“Have you heard anything?”

He shook his head. “No, they’re still in there with her.”

“Have you seen the twins?”

“No, not yet. I haven’t gotten a chance to even hold them yet,” Steven responded, his voice growing weaker. “It all just happened so fast.”

“They’re in the nursery,” Red explained and gently sat next to Hyde. “They’re beautiful, Steven. Congratulations.”

“Don’t congratulate me if I’m about to become a widower.”

“C’mon,” Red said under his breath. “Nothing’s going to happen to her. She’s going to be okay.”

“You didn’t see her the way I did,” Steven whispered. “She became unconscious…so fast…I couldn’t even register what was happening.” He put his face in his hands and took a deep breath. “I can’t lose her, Red.”

Red placed a comforting hand on Steven’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “You’re not going to. She’s going to be just fine, son.”

“Yeah,” Steven said shortly and sniffed before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. When he opened it up, he pulled out the polaroid picture from the day at the carnival all those months ago.

He stared down at picture, down at her beautiful face remembering that day. How he didn’t want that picture taken of them because he was afraid it would get published in the paper and everyone would find out. How stupid he was. If he knew then what he knows now, he wouldn’t have been so aloof about taking a stupid picture.

“You know I didn’t want to have this picture taken,” Steven told Red. “I was so afraid that we would get caught I didn’t want any ‘evidence’ of our relationship. Can you believe that?” he sniffed again. “I didn’t want any proof that we were together in fear of everyone finding out.” He shook his head and looked back down at the picture. “God, I was such an ass.”

Red looked down at the photo fondly and then back to his son-in-law. “Come take a walk with me.”

Hyde shook his head. “I need to be here when they come out.”

“This won’t take long.”

Hyde sniffed before nodding and stood. “Okay.”

Red led him down the hall and made a left. When Hyde looked up, he was staring through a window to a room full of babies. Some crying, some sleeping, and some lying there while staring up at the ceiling.

“Look, do you see them?” Red asked quietly, as if he was afraid that he was going to wake up the sleeping babies.

It took Hyde a minute, but after a bit of searching the room, he finally saw his babies laying in their own individual bassinets that were labeled “Baby Boy Hyde” and “Baby Girl Hyde.”

“Are those my—?”

“Those are your children,” Red answered with a certain adorning look in his eye.

“They’re amazing,” Steven whispered, feeling a lump form in his throat.

“They really are.”

“They look just like Y/n. We haven’t even named them yet. We didn’t get a chance to…”

Red placed a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder. “You will. Together.”

Steven didn’t respond, but continued to stare at the miracle of his babies. He was completely awe struck by just looking at their features; he could see so much of his beautiful wife in them, but when he looked at his boy, he saw himself when he was baby. Edna hadn’t been a complete monster growing up. She had at least baby pictures of him scattered around the house—granted it wasn’t many, but she still had taken some of him when he was just a baby and he swore his son was a carbon copy of him.

But when he looked at his baby girl, all he saw was Y/n and oh, was she perfect.

He wasn’t sure how long he was standing there before Eric came up behind them.

“Hey, man, I heard about Y/n. Is she okay?!”

“I don’t know,” Hyde responded without looking up. “She’s still in surgery.”

“How long as she been in surgery?” Donna asked.

“Bout an hour,” Red answered.

“That’s a while,” Donna commented and placed a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “Are you doing okay?”

He shook his head and looked away from the babies. “No. No, I’m not.”

Before he let anyone say another word, he walked away to get back to the room he was waiting outside of.

After a minute of silence, Donna turned to the glass and laid eyes on the cutest babies she’s ever seen. “Oh, my God…are these the twins?”

“Yes, they are,” Red said proudly.

“They’re so tiny,” Donna whispered. “And cute. They’re so cute.”

Red and Eric quickly exchanged panicked glances.

“Uh, Donna…” Eric whined.

“I want one,” she said.

“CRAP!” Red and Eric said in unison.

∞∞∞

Hyde wasn’t sure how long he had been staring at the white wall ahead of him before it looked like it started to warp and move in front of him. He quickly rubbed at his eyes and sniffed before standing to start pacing.

How much longer was she going to be in there? Being in there for this long certainly couldn’t be a good sign if it has taken them over an hour to save her life.

“Steven,” another voice called from behind him.

When he turned, he rolled his eyes and turned back around. “Now’s not a good time, Edna.”

“I’m not here to start anything. I just want to be here for you and Y/n.”

“Sure, you are. How did you even find out? Did Mrs. Forman call you again?”

“No, I called the house phone and some loud-mouthed girl picked up.”

Hyde sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Jackie.”

“Look, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that I’m here and I can help.”

That made him turn sharply towards her. “Help with what, exactly? I don’t know if you remember, but you weren’t exactly ‘helpful’ raising me.”

“Oh, Steven, let’s not hash out the past.”

“Okay, I’m not having this conversation with you in the middle of the hospital. You can go now.”

“But Steven—”

“I said go,” he said sternly, this time making direct eye contact with her. “I don’t know what you think I mean when I say I don’t want you in mine or my children’s lives, but it sure as hell doesn’t mean to stay. I will not allow you to treat my family the same way you treated me.”

“But that’s why I’m here—to make things right!”

Steven was about to open his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by Dr. Lee walking up to him. “Mr. Hyde?”

He spun so fast to meet the doctor. “Yes?”

“They’re finished if you want to come to see her.”

“Is she okay?”

The doctor gave him a gentle smile. “She’s going to be fine. She’s still out of it from the anesthesia but you’re welcome to come see her.”

“Yeah, one second,” he said and turned back to Edna. “You wanna make things right? Stay out of my life.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer as he turned back around and followed the doctor, leaving a quiet and irritated Edna.

Once they reached the room, the doctor stopped him from entering.

“Before you go in, there’s some things we’d like you to know.”

“Okay?”

“She lost a lot of blood while in the OR,” Dr. Lee said. “While she is stable, she’s going to take some time to recover. So, any nausea, lightheadedness, or dizzy is normal. Definitely will feel weakness. She may feel anxious, but I assure you this is all completely normal. We have her hooked up with fluids to help the recovery process speed up.

“But the biggest thing I wanted to explain is: if you two decide to get pregnant again, there is a chance this could happen again. Especially, if she gets pregnant right after this birth.”

“Are you saying she could possibly die next time?” Hyde whispered, his heart pounding.

“That is always a possibility,” Dr. Lee answered carefully. “But not always either. The next pregnancy could be fine and ideal, but we do need to be aware of the risks for next time.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“And we’ll bring the babies once she’s awake and alert.”

“Of course. Thank you,” he said under his breath and quietly let himself in the room. Seeing the love of his life lay there unconscious made him feel weak in the knees as he approached her. Seeing her chest move from her gently breathing brought a huge wave of relief as he listened to her heart monitor give out a steady beep.

He took a seat next to her and clasped his hands together, resting his chin against his fist. This reminded him of the first time she was in the hospital, right after she collapsed in the driveway. He was there for her, too. Now, she lays once again in another hospital bed after nearly knocking on death’s door.

A sharp breath through the nose made Hyde’s attention snap towards her. She was finally waking up.

“Steven?”

“Oh, my God, Y/n,” Steven said, nearly choking and quickly grabbed her hand.

“How are the babies?” she asked, groggily.

“They’re great,” he responded, fighting back tears. “They’re really, really great.”

She smiled sleepily at him. “What do they look like?”

“Well,” he started and swallowed hard. “Our daughter looks just like you—beautiful,” he responded, caressing her head. “And our son, I see a lot of me.”

She chuckled lightly. “So, he’s handsome just like his daddy.”

He chuckled with her and kissed her forehead. “I guess you can say that.”

“I want to see them.”

“Y-yeah, of course you’ll see them. They’ll bring them in a second. We just need to have the drugs wear off first. You lost a lot of blood.”

“Well, that explains why I feel like crap.” She sighed and winced when she tried to sit herself up.

“Whoa, take it easy. I got you,” Hyde said gently and helped her sit up. “You’re going to be a little out of it until the anesthesia wears off.”

“’A little out of it’ is putting it lightly,” she responded and leaned against the bed. “How’re you doing?”

Hyde scoffed at her. “I should be asking you that. You just pushed out two people and lost a lot of blood in the process.”

“Well, I’m fine, but I want to know how my husband doing.”

Hyde sighed and grabbed her hand, kissing it. “Better now.”

“Better now?” she repeated.

“How do you expect me to react when my wife was dying?”

“Oh, Steven, I’m so sorry,” she whispered and rubbed his hand.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He was quiet for a second, avoiding her eyes. “But there is something I need to tell you.”

Y/n’s face fell at his seriousness, her heart dropping. “What?”

He sighed before continuing. “My mom is here.”

She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. “That’s it? I thought there was something wrong with the babies.”

“No, no,” he chuckled, relieved that she wasn’t upset. “I just wanted to warn you in case she came in.”

“How did she find out?”

“She called the house.”

Y/n sighed. “Jackie.”

“Yep,” he responded. “But I sent her away.”

“Well, if you think that’s best.”

“It is,” he said firmly. “I don’t need her stressing you out while you’re in this state.”

“I’m surprised she even showed up.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Same here. She couldn’t bother herself to show up to my graduation, let alone my entire upbringing, but she’ll show up for our children.”

“Maybe she wants to do things differently,” Y/n defended gently.

He shrugged. “That’s what she said, but I don’t know. Not that it matters. Right now, I just want to focus on you and the babies.”

Y/n hummed and grabbed his hand. “You know…we still have names to think of.”

He smiled gently at her, rubbing circles with his thumb on her hand. “I think I’ve got an idea.”

--Meanwhile-

“Have you heard from Y/n’s doctor?” Kitty asked Red as they sat in the waiting room. She checked her watch. “It’s been a while.”

When Red didn’t respond, Kitty looked over to her husband who was asleep in the chair next to her, snoring.

“Red!”

“What?!” he startled awake.

“How can you be sleeping at a time like this?”

“Kitty, she’s fine,” he grunted as he sat up in his chair. “The doctor came out and confirmed it. Steven is with her right now.”

“What’s even worse is that their friends couldn’t even be here to make sure she’s okay!” Kitty continued.

“Kitty, it’s two o’ clock in the morning, it’s okay that they went home to get some rest. Which we should do, too.”

“I’m not leaving until I see my baby and meet my grandbabies,” she said stubbornly.

“Hey, do either of you have any cash for the vending machine?” Eric asked.

“Sorry, my cash is reserved for those that are staying in the country,” Kitty responded.

Eric groaned. “Are we going to do this now?”

“No better time while we wait!” Kitty answered. “Why Africa? Why do you have to leave?”

“You know why, Mom.”

“No! No, I don’t! You’re leaving behind not only me and your father, but your sisters and now niece and nephew! You’re going to miss so much!”

“What do you expect me to do, huh?” Eric asked, feeling exhausted and frustrated. “Put my entire life on hold because you don’t want me to leave Point Place?”

“Well, no,” she responded, sputtering a bit. “I just mean…you can have your life here in Point Place.”

“What life?!” Eric almost shouted. “There’s nothing for me here. This town doesn’t offer me anything. If I want to do anything with my life I need to leave.”

“This town has been home to you for almost nineteen years. You need to respect it.”

“Respect what?” he challenged. “Just because I was born and raised here means I’m bounded here? I’m not going to stay stuck here just because you feel like I should feel obligated to stay here!” It was quiet between them for a second before Eric spoke up again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I want to do bigger things than this town can offer. I can’t grow here if I don’t. It’s not like I’m leaving and never coming back. I can always come back. But I’m not going to know what’s out there for me if I don’t leave.”

Kitty opened her mouth to respond when Hyde popped around the corner, exhausted, but upbeat.

“Steven? Is everything okay?” Kitty asked, pushing past Eric. “Please tell me it is.”

He smiled tiredly at her. “Yeah, everyone is great.”

“Oh, good,” she sighed in relief.

“Did you guys want to meet them?”

Kitty’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, smiling.

“What kind of twins are they?” Red asked, beginning to feel excited.

“A boy and a girl.”

“Oh, my God!” Kitty almost exclaimed and turned to Eric. “Just like you guys!”

“Come on, I can’t wait for you to meet them,” Steven responded and led them back to the room.

--A few minutes later—

Y/n sat in the bed holding her newborns in each arm, staring at them in awe when the door quietly opened.

“Hey,” Kitty, Red, and Eric all greeted gently as they entered the room.

“I hope it’s okay that we’re all here,” Kitty said.

“Of course. Come on in,” Y/n practically whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

As the new grandparents and uncle neared closer to the babies, they could all feel their hearts begin to swell.

“Oh, my God,” Kitty whispered, putting her purse down beside the bed. “They are so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Y/n beamed and looked up to Steven who had seated himself beside her on the bed and looked down fondly on his new family.

“How’re you feeling, kiddo?” Red asked.

“I’m okay,” Y/n answered honestly. “Sore, exhausted, but I’m okay. I’m just happy that they’re here.” She looked down to her children and smiled as they grunted and cooed at her. “I’m so in love.”

“Can I hold one of them?” Kitty asked, fighting back tears.

“Yeah, of course,” Y/n answered. “You can take her.”

Kitty sniffed and gingerly picked up her granddaughter in her arms. “She’s perfect. What’re their names?”

“Well,” Y/n started. “We decided to name her Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina?” Kitty asked, her eyes widening.

Y/n nodded. “We thought the nickname ‘Kat’ fit her nicely.”

“Oh,” Kitty sighed, tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes. “Just like Kitty.”

“And of course, Donna, because she’s so great and the godmother,” Y/n finished.

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Red said, resting a hand on his wife’s shoulder as he looked down to his granddaughter.

“Y/n, Donna is going to love that,” Eric said, looking down at his new niece.

“And the little tyke?” Red asked.

“Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald Hyde,” Steven responded, watching Red’s expression carefully.

Red snapped his gaze to his daughter and son-in-law. “Really?”

Hyde nodded. “I thought we would honor the people that stepped in and helped me when I needed it the most.”

Red could feel his eyes starting to get misty, but he cleared his throat and sniffed before pulling Steven into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Yeah…well,” Steven sniffed and cleared his throat.

“Can I hold him?” Red asked.

Y/n nodded, smiling wide, and handed her son over to her father who was fighting tears back.

“Wow,” he whispered, a proud smile beaming his face.

“I know,” Kitty choked out without looking up. “They’re perfect.”

“Okay, okay, my turn,” Eric said and turned to Kitty. “Can I hold her?”

She handed Katerina to Eric’s welcoming arms. “Hey, little baby,” he cooed. “You’re so cute.”

She looked up at him with a familiar looking grumpy face. Eric chuckled.

“Y/n, she has your grumpy face,” he laughed gently.

“Oh, no, we’re in trouble,” Y/n joked and leaned over to look at her daughter.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing the nurse. “Hello,” she greeted. “Don’t mind me, I’m just here to check everyone’s vitals.”

“Alright, we’ll leave you guys alone,” Kitty said as Red and Eric set down the babies in the basinets.

“We’ll come by later,” Eric informed. “I have to anyway. I’m getting my shots for Africa.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Y/n responded, slightly disappointed. “You’re still going, huh?”

“Just for a little while. It’s not like it’s forever,” Eric said, trying his best to comfort his sister.

“We can have this conversation later. The new family needs to rest,” Kitty said, ushering everyone out. “Love you, sweetie. We’ll see you guys in a few hours.”

Y/n nodded before leaning back and allowing the nurse to do what she needed, while all concealing the hurt she was feeling.

--Later That Day—

“You guys aren’t going to believe this!” Jackie exclaimed excitedly as she skipped into the basement where Eric, Donna, and Kelso were hanging out. Markus was right behind her, however, looking unhappy and disappointed. “I got offered a job in Chicago!”

“What?” Eric and Donna asked unison.

“Why were you offered a job in Chicago?” Donna asked.

“Well, you remember that tv show I did a while back?” Jackie began to explain and sat down on the adjacent chair from the couch.

“The incredibly degrading one? That I, for whatever reason, helped you air? Yeah, I remember,” Donna replied.

“Well, a station in Chicago reached out to me saying they loved my public access show and wants to offer me a position over there.”

“No way, that’s awesome,” Eric said. “Are you going to take it?”

“Well, that’s the problem,” she continued. “Markus doesn’t know if he can come with me.”

“What do you mean? Why not?” Eric asked.

“I have my family here,” Markus answered. “I mean we moved here to be closer to my grandparents who aren’t doing too well. They need my help.”

“And I told you we can do long distance,” Jackie said, a little frustrated.

“And I said that long distances rarely work out,” he responded, matching her frustration.

“This sounds like a couple problem. So, if you two don’t mind…” Eric said, and waved his hand towards the door.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Eric.” She turned back to Markus. “Look, baby, I already told you the one thing that can make me stay.”

“Jackie, we’ve only been going out for a few months. How can you expect me to marry you?”

“Because I love you…” Jackie whispered in disappointment.

“Oh, this is serious,” Eric mumbled to Donna.

“Yeah, we should probably go,” Donna responded and followed Eric up the stairs.

“Markus, this is my dream,” Jackie continued. “But you are the most important thing in the world to me. I’m willing to give it all up and stay here with you, but I need to know that we have a future together.”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed not to talk about our future right now,” Markus said. “Look, I love you too, but we haven’t even been going out for a full year. If we can find a place here first and live together for a while, then—”

“I might never get another opportunity like this again,” she argued, standing up. “The future is happening now, Markus, and the station needs an answer by noon on Sunday. And so do I.”

Markus stood across from her with his hands on his hips. “You already have your answer…you’re just not willing to accept it.”

It was silent between them as Jackie didn’t know what to say next.

“If I may,” Kelo said, opening the door. “Offer some advice: RUN!”

--The Next Day—

Y/n and Steven relaxed quietly in their hospital room, one each carrying a twin.

“I still think Katerina looks more like you than me,” Y/n said.

“Not when she is as beautiful as you,” he responded cheekily.

“You’re just trying to butter me up so that I don’t tear you a new one for almost missing the birth of your children.”

“No, I wasn’t, but have I mentioned how gorgeous you look today, Darling?” he asked, batting his eyes at her.

She squinted her eyes at him. “Can it, Hyde.” She couldn’t help the small laugh that erupted from her. “It’s okay. You ended up making it on time anyway.”

Steven let out a breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding. “So, we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” she responded. “Although—”

“Crap!”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation—and Hyde was grateful for it.

“Come in,” they said in unison.

Donna peeked her head. “Hey, you guys,” she said gently. “Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, it’s perfect, come on in,” Y/n said and look down to Kat. “You wanna meet your Auntie Donna?”

“And Auntie Jackie!” Jackie announced. “And I come bearing gifts!”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed that you can’t talk around the babies,” Hyde said, irritated.

“What? We didn’t have that conversation,” she said, confused.

“Oh, sorry, I meant to,” Steven mumbled. “I decided to make a rule. No talking around the babies.”

“Well, then, how are we ever going to talk?”

“We don’t. In fact, why don’t we get started right now and you be quiet and just leave, yeah?” Hyde asked.

“Steven,” Y/n chided. “Come on in, guys.”

“Wow,” the two girls squealed gently as to not wake the babies.

“Oh, my God you guys!” Jackie gushed. Her eyes landed on Steven who was gently cradling his son’s body to his own. Something about the image in front of her made her smile. “I knew you could do it.”

“Do what?” Hyde asked.

“Be a dad,” Jackie said. “I always knew you were going to be a good one.”

“Jackie, I’ve only been a dad for a day and a half.”

Jackie shrugged. “Pretty sure a bad dad doesn’t look at his kid like that.”

Before Hyde could respond, Donna cut in. “So, what kind of twins are they? And what are their names?”

“That’s a boy,” Y/n responded, pointing to her son. “His name is Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald.” Donna and Jackie awed and cooed at the name.

“I bet your dad loved that,” Donna said.

“He did,” Y/n said and pointed to her daughter. “And this is a girl, Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina Do—did you name her after me?” Donna asked, choking up.

Tears started to well in Y/n’s eyes as she nodded. “Yeah. You’ve been like a sister to me this whole time, even before all this.”

“Oh, my God, Y/n!” Donna sobbed and squeezed her arms Y/n’s shoulders.

“Um, WHAT?!” Jackie shrieked.

“Ow, Jackie, please. I don’t want my babies’ hearing to be affected by your shrilly voice,” Hyde snarked.

“What the hell is this, Y/n?” Jackie demanded. “Why didn’t you name your daughter after me? What’s wrong with Jackie? It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl!”

“Well, thank you for thinking my daughter is beautiful, but—”

“I’m not talking about her, I’m talking about me!” Jackie cut in. “I’m the beautiful girl with a stunning name! You should be grateful I allow myself to be seen with you.”

Y/n looked at her, unimpressed. “Yes, I am so, so lucky,” she deadpanned. “Jackie, Donna and I have been friends forever. And she’s been there for me for years. She’s family at this point.”

“You’re acting like I haven’t done stuff for you either!”

“You have, but—”

“Ah, to hell with you!” Jackie snapped and stormed out. “Last time I’m nice to any of you!”

As she slammed the door, Y/n turned to her best friend and husband. “This whole time she thinks she was being nice?! That’s her being NICE?!”

--Two Days Later--

“Red, what’re you doing sitting down?” Kitty asked as she walked in the kitchen.

Red was sitting in his green chair, peacefully watching TV. “How else am I supposed to watch the Packers game?”

“We’re going to go see Y/n and Steven in the hospital. Why are you watching the game?”

“We just got back three hours ago and you want to go back?”

Kitty placed her fists on her hips. “Yes! You act like it’s such an inconvenience to go see your daughter and her children.”

“It’s not that. It’s just..I…” Red stuttered. “They’re down five to two and I need to see them win.”

“Red!”

“Ugh! Fine!” he groaned and turned off the TV while glaring at his wife. “But if they lose, I’m blaming you!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s my fault,” Kitty grumbled, rolling her eyes and turned to get her purse. “I want to get there at a decent time before the parking lot gets too full—”

The front door opened suddenly, revealing Y/n and Hyde walking through.

“Hi!” Y/n sang-song as she held one car seat and Hyde held the other.

“Oh, my gosh!” Kitty yelped in surprise and practically jumped on Y/n with a hug. “What’re you guys doing home so early? Here, let me take—which one is this?”

“Leo,” Y/n answered and handed the car seat to her mom. “They were going to keep us for a couple more days, but we were all doing so well I requested we come home.”

“Oh, honey, you both look exhausted. Have you gotten any sleep?” Kitty asked.

“Well, it’s a hospital,” Steven explained. “If you expect to get any sleep, might as well get a hotel room.”

“That would’ve been nice,” Y/n commented. “I just want to go upstairs and sleep for twenty hours.”

“Well, why don’t you?” Kitty asked.

“What?” Y/n and Red asked. Y/n shocked, Red pissed that he’d be having to help Kitty watch babies instead of watching the game.

“You’re going to need all the energy to raise these babies. Let me help,” Kitty offered. “Really, it’s okay.”

Hyde and Y/n looked at each other with exhaustion and relief.

Y/n shrugged, nodding. “That does sound nice.”

“Okay, well, go take a couple hour nap and Red and I will watch the babies.”

Y/n hugged her mom. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Forman,” Steven said and kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll only be a couple hours.”

“It better be,” Red piped up and held up his wrist, staring at his watch. “I’m counting down starting…now.”

“Oh, Dad,” Y/n chuckled.

“Now, you have an hour and fifty-nine minutes left.”

“Dad, come on.”

“Fifty-eight!”

“Okay, okay, we’re going!” Hyde said and directed Y/n and himself upstairs to their bedroom.

--Two Days Later—

“Good morning,” Kitty greeted everyone as she walked in the kitchen. Y/n and Steven had been sat at the table since before the sun came up, feeding the babies, Red was sitting at the table reading the daily paper and Eric had just walked in a few minutes prior, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

“Morning,” the Hydes greeted sleepily as they each held a feeding baby.

“How’d you two sleep?” Kitty asked, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Y/n was so tired that she barley could form a sentence, so all she could do was grunt in response and blink slowly.

“I heard the little rascals screaming so cutely all night,” Red responded with a forced smile.

“Really? I slept like, well, like a baby,” Eric laughed and stretched his arms above his head.

“Shut up, Forman,” Hyde grumbled before yawning.

“I don’t think I will,” Eric replied cheerily.

“Kitty, what’s for breakfast?” Red asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I was thinking I could make some rainbow sprinkle pancakes,” she responded.

“Oh, that’s great!” Eric said excitedly.

“Oh, Eric, I didn’t realize you still lived here. I thought you left for Africa,” Kitty said bitterly.

“No, I’ve been sitting here for, like, ten minutes,” he whined.

“Then you better get going or you’re going to be late for Africa!”

The look of realization crossed Eric’s face. “Oh, I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to make me feel bad for leaving.”

“You’re still here? I thought you were in Africa!”

“Mom, what’re you doing?” Y/n asked. “By repeating ‘Africa’ is not going to make Eric stay. Try taking on a different approach. Like this—” She raised her fist that wasn’t holding a baby and hit him hard in the shoulder. “Don’t go to Africa, dillhole!”

“Ow!” Eric whined and rubbed where his twin’s fist connected to his shoulder. “You’re mean now as a mom.”

“I think she was mean before she got pregnant,” Hyde grumbled as he casually popped the bottle out of his newborn’s mouth to check the measurements.

Y/n glared at him. “You’re lucky you’re holding our daughter right now or I’d slug you, too.”

“Women usually are,” Red mumbled as he flipped a page.

“What was that, Red?” Kitty asked with an eyebrow raised.

Red gave her tight lipped smile. “Nothing, dear.”

Kitty hummed and got to work with making breakfast.

The sliding door opened, revealing Donna.

“Hey,” she greeted everyone before turning to the babies with a giant smile on her face. “And hello to my baby godchildren who look so adorable this morning. Oh, why, yes you do.” She played with their toes while avoiding eye contact to Eric. “I still can’t believe you named her after me. I’m going to be riding that high for a while.”

“Well, her middle name is your name. While my name is her first name,” Kitty said smugly.

“Correction, your full name is Katherine while hers is Katerina. Close, but not her name,” Red corrected.

Kitty’s smirk fell into a grimace. “Dream killer,” she muttered before sharply turning around to finish cooking.

“Oh, yeah they were real cute last night when they were both screaming keeping everyone up,” Hyde mentioned, moving Kat to his shoulder to burp her.

“I slept great,” Eric repeated, smugly.

“How?” Donna asked.

“Earplugs,” he responded.

“You got any extra?” Hyde asked. When Y/n whipped her head at him, glaring, he didn’t flinch. Instead, he shrugged and moved Kat to his shoulder for burping.

If Y/n wasn’t so tired, she would’ve had his head. But instead, she handed him Leo.

“Where you going?” he asked her.

“To find me some earplugs,” she responded over her shoulder as she walked out.

--Later that day—

“Hey, you guys,” Markus said as he entered the basement where everyone was hanging out, minus Jackie. “I really need your help with this whole Jackie thing.”

“What ‘whole Jackie thing?’” Y/n asked as she tended to the twins in their bouncers.

“She got a job offer in Chicago and she’s threatening to go unless Markus marries her,” Eric answered.

“Yep, sounds like Jackie,” Y/n quipped. “What do you need help with exactly?”

“I really do love her, but I don’t know if I’m ready to marry her. For God’s sake, we’re only eighteen!”

“Says the guy telling this to nineteen-year-old married parents,” Donna chuckled.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Y/n assured. “Having kids and getting married at our age definitely wasn’t in our plans, but it’s something that happened and to be honest, I have no regrets.”

“So, you’re saying if I marry Jackie, I won’t have any regrets?”

“Oh, no, you’ll have a lot of regrets,” Y/n laughed. “I’m just saying age isn’t always the factor.”

Markus sighed and slumped down into the lawn chair. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lose her either.”

“Why?” Hyde asked. “That’s usually the best part.”

“Thanks, man,” Markus deadpanned.

“Look, Jackie is complicated. She does this sorta thing all the time,” Y/n explained. “When she was with Kelso, she threatened him all the time to marry her.”

“Yeah, all the way to California,” Eric chuckled.

“Wait, Jackie does?” Markus questioned.

“Well, to every boyfriend she’s had. All three exes here can testify,” Donna chuckled and looked at Hyde, Kelso, and Fez.

“Who?” Kelso asked with a dumb smile on his face.

Everyone turned to look at him with stoic expressions.

Kelso put his hands in the air. “What? It was just a quest—oh.”

“There we go,” Eric said casually.

“Hey, be nice. I haven’t slept in a week,” Kelso whined.

“I was wondering why your usual porcelain skin looked so dull and tired,” Fez commented and looked offended when everyone stared at him. “What? Is it a crime to notice?!”

“Uh, okay,” Kelso continued, slightly distracted. “I just found out Brooke and Betsy are moving to Chicago and I’m thinking about joining them.”

“What?!” Everyone shouted.

“First Eric, now you?!” Y/n asked.

“I need to go where my kid is,” he confessed. “If I don’t go, I’ll only see her a few times a year, whereas I’ll be able to see her every other week.”

“Man, I don’t know what’s freakier: Kelso being a responsible parent or that he just said ‘whereas’,” Steven said.

“What’re you going to do there? Do you have a job?” Donna asked.

“I do, actually. I got a security job at a strip club.”

“You lucky son of a bitch!” Fez said excitedly. “Now I have even a more reason to visit you.”

“Uh, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you need a passport to come to Chicago and—and foreigners can’t get passports.”

“Kelso, that makes zero sense,” Y/n cut in.

“Hey, it’s what my new boss said,” Kelso defended.

“When do you leave?” Donna asked.

“Two weeks.”

“That soon?” Eric asked.

“Hey, you’re leaving in a few days!” Y/n snapped.

“Okay, you guys have got to quit doing this!” Markus shouted in frustration. “Can we focus on my problem please?!”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Y/n said. “Markus, do you love her?”

“Yes.”

“You want to stay with her?”

“Yes.”

“You see a future with her?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like you’re moving to Chicago,” Y/n said before turning to Kat who started fussing in her bouncer.

“But I can’t.”

“Okay, then don’t,” Hyde said.

“But I love her.”

“Then go,” Donna said.

“But—”

“Markus, in case you haven’t caught on by now, we’re bored of this conversation,” Eric quipped.

A look of frustration flashed across his face. “Great, thanks. You guys were helpful.”

“You’re welcome!” Everyone cheered as Markus stormed out the basement.

“If you can convince Jackie to move with you, that’ll be making it up for leaving,” Hyde said to Kelso with a smug look.

--Later that night—

“How dare she give me an ultimatum?!” Markus drunkenly vented as he, Eric, Hyde, Fez, and Kelso sat at the bar. “I mean, t-this is my life she’s—” he hiccupped. “She’s messing with!”

“You know, Forman, when you said let’s go out to the bar for a guy’s night, this isn’t what I had in mind,” Hyde said as he nursed his beer.

“I didn’t think we’d be coming to a bitching session, alright?” Eric defended.

“She can go to hell!” Markus continued, his words beginning to slur. “I’ll see her in hell!”

“Well, since you’re with Jackie, I think you’re already there,” Hyde commented.

“One more couldn’t hurt,” Markus said again and waved the bartender over. “Another round for me and the boys!”

“Maybe we should keep him around if he and Jackie break up,” Fez said with a hopeful smile. “So, Eric, Y/n told me that Donna had a date tonight?”

“What?” Hyde and Kelso said in unison.

“Oh, you know what, man? I don’t care,” Eric responded and took a sip of his beer. “She just wants me to come running after her and I’m not going to do that.”

“You know what? That is totally the right move man,” Kelso said. “Plus, it’s like 9:00, so if you go over there now, you'll probably walk in on her and that guy sliding all over each other. And if I know Donna, she's moaning like a ghost.”

“Okay, Donna does not moan like a ghost,” Eric said, almost offended and glared down at the bar. “I can make her moan like a ghost.”

“You know what, guys?” Markus piped up, slurring his words. “I love you guys. Really, really love you guys. You guys can be my groomsmen when I marry Jackie.”

All the guys whipped their head at Markus.

“So, you’re going to do it?” Eric asked. “You’re going to marry Jackie?”

“I’m going to be Mrs. Jackie Scott!”

“His last name is Scott?” Kelso whispered to Hyde.

Steven shrugged and sipped his beer. “I guess so.”

“Cheers to my boys! I’m getting married!”

No one moved or had a reaction until Markus said, “Second round is on me.”

“Hooray!” All the boys cheered with their beers in the air.

“He’s so screwed,” Hyde chuckled as he watched Markus talk to the bartender.

--The Next Day—

Eric, Hyde, and Y/n all sat in the basement, watching TV while the babies slept in their arms.

“Man, I still can’t believe they had Fonzie jump over that damn shark,” Y/n complained as they watched Happy Days. “Really ruined the rest of the series for me.”

“How long are you going to complain about this?” Steven asked.

“They ruined one of my favorite TV shows!”

“Speaking of ruining things, like lives, guess who’s getting married?” Eric piped up.

“Did you purpose again?!” Y/n screeched. “How you got that woman to say yes the first time—”

“It’s not me!” he defended, feeling insulted.

“Oh,” she said quietly and looked to her husband who was biting back a smirk. “My bad.”

Eric sighed annoyed. “No, it’s not me. Markus is going to purpose to Jackie.”

“No freaking way!” she exclaimed. “What made him decide to do that?”

“A lot of beer,” Hyde sneered and shook his head. “The poor bastard.”

“Well, wait, does this mean Jackie is staying then?” Y/n asked, sitting up.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she?” her husband asked her.

“Because I talked to her this morning and she was packing up, getting ready to leave.”

“Um…oh, no?” Eric questioned.

“Shut up, Eric! If Markus means this, he doesn’t have much time! I need to go call both of them.” She turned to her brother. “Here, take the baby. I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, what do I do if they start crying?” he asked, panicked.

“I won’t be that long,” she promised before running up the stairs.

As Y/n left the basement, Donna entered it through the door. Eric’s face hardened at seeing his girlfriend.

“Crawling back to me after your date so soon, huh?” he sneered.

She crossed her arms at him and made a face at him. “What?”

“Yeah, you heard me. Used to be you have to buy a girl dinner, if you wanted her to slide all over you moaning like a ghost.”

Donna rolled her eyes at him. “Okay, you know what? I didn't have a date, but I should've.”

“Wait,” Eric said, incredulous and stood up—carefully as to not wake Leo. “You lied?”

“Yeah, I was pissed.” Her face dropped as she stared into his eyes. “I mean, all of a sudden you’re leaving me.”

Eric’s face softened. “Oh…well, look, I'm only gonna be gone for a year.”

“I don’t care, I don’t want you to go,” she replied, fighting back tears.

Eric knew where this conversation was headed and turned to Hyde was listening to the entire fight. “Hey, Hyde, can I have a minute with Donna?”

“What? No way,” he said, clearly entertained. “You always had to watch mine and Y/n’s talks. It’s only fair I get to watch yours.”

“Hy-y-yde!” Eric whined, not having it.

“Fine, if you’re going to be a girl about it,” he responded and carefully stood with Kat in his arms and scooped Leo with the other before walking upstairs.

“Look, Donna, I’m only going to be gone for a year,” Eric explained as he guided them both onto to the couch.

“You've always been, like, 20 steps away from me my entire life. What am I supposed to do without you?” she asked him with tears in her eyes.

“Look, Donna, this is gonna be really tough for both of us,” he started. “But, hey, you know what? The good news is, when I come back, we're gonna spend all this time together because, you know, you're probably gonna have to nurse me back to health from some horrible African disease.”

Donna chuckled.

“Look, you know I love you,” he continued. “And we're wasting our time fighting.”

“You're right. We should just enjoy the time we have left.” She wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck and pressed her body tightly against his. “I’m going to miss you, Eric.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Donna.”

As they were caught up in their embrace, neither one heard the basement door open revealing Jackie.

“Wait, Eric, you're back,” she said. “Where’s Markus?”

“Fez drove him home from the bar. He was pretty drunk,” he answered.

“You mean he’s not coming?” Jackie asked and sunk down onto the lawn chair. “He's gonna say no. Oh, my God.” She put her head in her hands, stifling a sob.

“Oh, Jackie, I'm sorry,” Donna whispered and broke free from Eric’s grasp to give her friend a hug.

The Next Day…

“Where are the babies?” Fez asked as Markus, Eric, Hyde, Y/n, and Donna sat in the driveway,

“Inside sleeping,” Y/n responded from Hyde’s lap and yawned. She tucked her head in the crook of her husband’s neck and sighed. “Maybe I should be, too.”

“They’re all by themselves?” Kelso asked. “I may have only been dad for less than a year, but I don’t think you’re allowed to leave babies by themselves.”

“Chill out, will you?” Hyde asked annoyed. “They’re sleeping in the den and we have the door open so we can hear them.”

“Besides, we have the baby monitor here,” Y/n answered more patiently and waved the fancy gadget in her hand.

“Babies didn’t let you sleep?” Donna asked.

“No,” Hyde responded. “It’s like they have a weird twin radar thing, man. When one stops crying, the other starts. And it’s like they’re competing on who can be the loudest.”

“I can’t wait to not hear that at night when I leave,” Eric said.

“It’s better than getting some African disease,” Y/n taunted.

“Donna?!” Eric whined. “Do you have to tell her every single conversation we have?”

“Hey, she’s all I’m gonna have left when you leave! Besides, that’s what girls do.”

“She also told me when you guys had sex the first time,” Y/n continued her taunting. “I expected more from you.”

Eric whipped his head at his girlfriend. “SERIOUSLY?! I told you not to tell her about—” He looked around his friend group who were all giving him amused looks. “About when I—you know—when Eric Jr. wouldn’t wake up.”

Donna chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“But you just did!” Y/n laughed, making everyone else join in.

“Y/n!” Eric whined.

“Hey, I gotta get my fun in before you leave us for a year,” she replied and heard the doorbell ring. “I’ll go get that. Hopefully, it didn’t wake the babies.”

She slid off Steven’s lap before disappearing into the house.

“Well, it’s almost noon,” Markus said, checking his watch. “I better go talk to Jackie.”

“What are you gonna tell her?” Fez asked.

Markus ran a hand through his long hair. “I don’t know, man. I’m thinking about taking my dad’s mustang and letting it make the final decision.”

“Like, how?” Kelso asked.

Markus shrugged. “If it pulls to the left, marriage, pulls to the right, nudie bar.”

“So, you haven’t made a decision yet?” Donna asked.

Markus gave her a little smirk before answering. “Oh, I’ve made my decision.”

“Markus,” Y/n called as she walked back out, holding a piece of folded paper. “Jackie stopped by and asked me to give you this note.”

“Oh,” he replied and took the note from her. With his heart suddenly pounding, he carefully unfolded the paper as to not rip it and read it.

“What’s it say?” Y/n asked.

“It-it says she took the job in Chicago and she left this morning,” he whispered, eyes never wavering from the note.

“Oh, Markus, I’m so sorry,” Y/n said and wrapped her arms around his torso, but he stood still like a statue.

“Yeah, man, so sorry,” everyone muttered, not knowing what to say.

The room went quiet as Markus fought back tears and reluctantly reciprocated the hug.

--The Next Morning—

“Tell me why again we’re up so early?” Hyde complained as he got dressed. “The babies actually let us sleep last night and you want to wake up early.”

“We’re taking Markus out today to help him feel better,” Y/n responded, as she put on the finishing touches to her makeup in her vanity mirror. “Starting off taking him out to breakfast.”

Steven groaned as he put his belt on. “This is going to be a long day.”

“Come on, wouldn’t you want to be surrounded by your friends who love and support you if Jackie did this to you?”

“No. I’d go off to Vegas and drink and gamble my pain away,” he responded and walked over to the vanity, grabbing his watch. “That’s my plan if you ever decide to divorce me.”

She gave him an amused smile and stood up. “I’d kill you before I divorce you.” She kissed him on the cheek before walking over to grab her shoes from the closet.

“Well,” he replied, clicking his tongue. “Don’t I feel safe.”

Y/n giggled and slipped on some comfortable flats. “Come on, let’s grab the babies and go downstairs. Everyone is meeting us here.”

As she bent down to grab Leo, Hyde couldn’t help himself by checking her out. “How much longer until your six week check up?”

“Three weeks,” she answered, innocently and turned back to face him. “Why?”

She turned to him just as he was eyeing her up and down.

“No reason,” he said casually, shrugging.

She picked up what he was putting down and lightly punched his shoulder, laughing. “Pervert.”

He put his hands in surrender as he bent down and picked up Kat. “Can’t blame a guy.”

“Come on, let’s go before everyone gets here,” she chuckled.

--Scene Transition��

Once the Hydes were downstairs and sitting at the table, feeding the babies, Donna, Fez, Kelso and Markus walked in.

“Good morning!” Fez sang. “Today is a beautiful day to have some fun!” He turned to Markus who wasn’t doing anything to hide his misery. “Right, buddy?”

Markus shrugged. “Sure.”

“Oh, Mark, I know it’s hard, but we’re here for you,” Y/n comforted. “As soon as we’re done feeding the babies, we’re going to start this day of fun.”

“And I get to babysit my grandbabies!” Kitty sang-song through the kitchen.

“So, what are we doing exactly?” Markus asked, uninterested, but didn’t want to be rude. Even though he was one grumpy, miserable bastard, didn’t mean he had to be unappreciative to his friends who were trying to help him.

“I was thinking we take to your favorite breakfast joint first—” Y/n began.

“The Pancake House is out of town, though,” Markus interjected.

“Yes, but it is also on the way to…Fez, drum roll please,” she said and Fez started tapping on the table. “Funland!”

“Funland?” Hyde asked, unenthused.

“Yes, Funland!” she repeated with a giant grin on her face, waiting for Markus—and Steven—to show excitement.

When neither returned her excitement and enthusiasm, she quickly dropped her smile. “Why aren’t you guys more excited?”

“Funland is for babies,” Hyde commented.

“We went, like, almost two years ago,” Y/n responded, a little disappointed. She had racketed her brain all day the day before trying to come up with a fun plan for Markus to get his mind off the break up. When she remembered what everyone tried to do for Eric when Donna broke up with him, they all went to Funland and they had a blast—even though they lost Kelso and he had to hitch a ride with a random lady and her obnoxious twins. Or so he said. “It was fun then, it can be fun now!”

“Yeah, we were kids. We’re adults now,” he argued.

“Look, Y/n, I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t think anything is going to cheer me up,” Markus said and plopped himself down at the table. “Jackie is gone. I mean, who the hell is she to give me an ultimatum and then leave before I can give her an answer?”

“Speaking of Jackie: have you heard from her?” Donna asked.

“Nope,” he replied, glaring at the table. “Not like it matters anyways.”

“Look, man, she let you off the hook,” Kelso said and walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is she didn’t give me a chance to answer her!” Markus responded and stood abruptly, angrily. “She didn’t let me tell her that…” He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.

“Tell her what?” Y/n asked before her eyes widened in excitement. “Oh, my God. Were you going to say ‘yes?!’”

“No!” he replied quickly. “Well…maybe…” He looked up to see everyone, including Kitty, eyeing him. “Yeah…yeah, I was.”

“Oh, my God!” Y/n and Eric exclaimed at the same time.

“Awe, you love her,” Donna teased and tickled his ear.

Markus shoved her hand away. “I shouldn’t love her. This whole time—this whole relationship—she’s been such a huge pain in my ass. With her shallow, materialistic, self-centered, conceited attitude, everything we did always had to be about her. We always had to do things she wanted and was like pulling teeth to do things I wanted. I always had to apologize for when she was rude or mean to people—I mean, God, it was like teaching a five-year-old! But you know what?” he ranted and sat back down at the table. “It’s my fault. I was warned about her and like an idiot, I fell for her anyway. You know what love is? Love is for losers who don’t want to be alone. Well, I don’t care. I don’t care if I’m alone because I never want to fall in love again.”

When everyone was sure his rant was over, Fez quickly spoke up. “I-I think you’re thinking about kittens.”

“Shut up, Fez,” Hyde sighed. “Listen, man, I think the best thing you should do is go to Vegas and drink and gamble and sleep with whores…you know, a deep cleanse.” He didn’t miss Y/n’s glare at him. “Also, you should take me and we can take the El Camino.”

“Nice try, Steven,” Y/n said, irritated and turned back to Markus. “Markus, what do you want to do today? We don’t have to go to Funland. We can do anything you want.”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I think I’m just going to go home. I’m sorry everyone,” he responded before walking out.

“Man, he’s really taking this hard,” Eric said.

“I don’t blame him,” Kitty interjected. “Break ups at your age always feel like the end of the world.”

“Yeah…anyway, I gotta do,” Eric announced and stood from his seat and turned to Donna. “I gotta go wrap your going away present.”

Donna chuckled. “You do realize that I’m the one that’s supposed to get you a going away present? Not the other way around.”

He smiled at her and gently touched her arm. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

She returned the smile and cocked her head to the side. “Well, I wanted to. I knew you were going to get me something.”

“Well, I don’t want this to be awkward again, like Christmas.”

“Well, I did get you something,” she said cheerily and leaned over to kiss him before he left. Her demeanor dropped once that door closed and she turned to everyone, panicked. “Oh, crap, I didn’t get him anything! He leaves in three days!”

“Well, you can give him an ultimatum,” Hyde commented. “It’s free and it’ll make him want to kill himself.”

“I gotta go find him something. Hopefully, the mall has something for him,” she said and rushed out the door.

Y/n huffed out as she turned Leo to her shoulder to burp him. “Well, our plans went to hell.”

“Great! I’m going back to bed,” Steven announced and stood with Kat in his arms. “Let’s go catch some more Z’s, baby girl. Our day has just been cancelled.”

“Or!” Y/n called after him. “You can go be with Markus and be with him during this time.”

Hyde groaned. “Why me?”

“Because you’re his friend,” she reminded him and grabbed Kat from him. “Now git.”

--Later that day—

“Hey, guys,” Jackie greeted everyone in the driveway. The girls sat in the chairs holding the babies while the guys played basketball. “Is Markus here?”

“No, he’s at work,” Hyde responded. "Oh, but before he left, he was throwing around everything you’ve ever gave him. It was like a hailstorm of stuffed animals and ABBA records.”

“What’re you doing here, anyway?” Y/n asked. “I thought you were in Chicago.”

“I would have, but my mom took the car to Tijuana and won’t be back until Cinco De Mayo. Whenever that is,” Jackie responded, rolling her eyes. Everyone didn’t do anything to hide their snickers. “So, until then, I need you guys to help me avoid the horrors of seeing Markus until I figure out a way out of here.”

“Well, that’s too bad because I think I see him coming right now,” Hyde said, eyeing down the road.

“Oh, my God. What do I do?!” Jackie asked, panicking.

“Here, hide under the blanket in the bed of the El Camino!” he offered.

Jackie dived into the bed and ripped the blanket over her body.

“Oh, by the way, Jackie, I lied,” Hyde said, smiling.

“Ugh!” she groaned and jerked the blanket off her. “Why does this blanket smell like sex?”

“Oh, that’s mine and Y/n’s car blanket,” he responded casually.

Jackie screamed and threw herself off the car’s bed. The guys cackled at her as they watched her freak out.

“Really, Steven? You had to throw that out there?” Y/n asked, unpleased.

“Eh. It was funny,” Fez said, earning a grin from Steven.

“Uh, oh, Jackie, he’s coming for real this time!” Kelso announced.

“Get down!” Fez shouted and pushed a screaming Jackie back in the El Camino and forcibly wrapped the blanket around her. “I got her! I got her!”

“I’m going to kick you both in the nads,” Jackie threatened as she shoved Fez off her.

“You’re going to have to do it later because here he comes now,” Fez said.

“Yeah, now I just don’t believe you,” she responded, smoothing down her shirt.

“Hey, Mark!” Fez said to no one. “Good to see you.”

Jackie screamed once again and ran into the garage and out the back door, leaving everyone laughing.

Leo suddenly started squirming in Y/n’s arms and as she looked down, she noticed an odor emitting from him.

“Oh, Leo,” she chuckled and stood. “I’ll be right back. I need to change his diaper.”

“I’ll come with you,” Donna said, carrying Kat inside. Once inside and out of ear range, she set Kat down in the bassinet and turned to Y/n who set Leo down on the couch to change his diaper. “I didn’t want to say anything to you with Eric out there, but I figured out the perfect going away gift.”

“Oh, really? That’s great! What is it?”

“A paper and pen writing set!”

Y/n paused briefly before returning changing the diaper. “A-a paper and pen writing set?”

“Yeah!” Donna said, her enthusiasm not fading. “So that he can write to me while in Africa!”

Y/n finished up Leo’s diaper before standing back up to meet her. “Well, Donna, that sounds so—” she abruptly cut herself off to let out an exaggerated snore.

“Y/n!”

“I’m sorry, Donna, but a going away gift should be something meaningful, personal,” she responded. “Like, one time I was going through my mom’s closet—”

“Why were you going through her closet?”

“Because I was looking for her throw over sweater for a date. It was from her high school years and I thought it was so cute. Anyway, I saw a box and when I opened it I saw some boudoir photos.” She shuttered at the memory.

“Okay, do I want to hear the rest of the story?” Donna asked, disgusted.

“Yes, sorry,” Y/n said and shook off the vivid picture from her mind. “Anyway, when I asked my mom about it, she said—well, first she got mad that I went looking through her closet without her permission. Now I see why…and second, she said she sent those out to my dad before he went off to Korea.”

“Ew…too much information, Y/n.”

“But you see my point?”

“Grossly, yeah,” Donna said in deep thought.

“Oh, and if you’re thinking that boudoir shoot was ‘sexy’, it wasn’t,” Y/n responded, shaking her head. “It was really just my mom wearing booty shorts and a crop top. But then again, showing a lot of ankle was sexy.”

“It was the 1800’s after all,” Donna joked.

--Meanwhile—

The guys had moved from the driveway to the basement to gather around for circle time. As the air quickly filled with smoke and everyone started to feel good, Eric looked at his watch.

“Oh, man, I gotta go over to Donna’s and get my going away present.”

“Why do you make it sound like it’s the worse thing ever?” Hyde asked.

“Because Donna sucks at gift giving, okay? Do you remember that awful sweater vest and big ugly man ring? Now, I gotta get excited over some over lame thing. ‘Oh, wow, Donna, clown shoes. Thanks so much.’”

“I dated a clown once,” Kelso said nonchalantly, lighting up an incense stick. “But once I learned how to make balloon animals I dumped her.”

--Later—

Everyone minus Donna, Eric, and Markus were hanging out in the basement while the twins slept in their room. The TV was on playing Scooby-Doo, Hyde and Fez were wrestling and Kelso was watching intently, keeping score while Y/n sat reading a magazine, and Jackie sat filing her nails.

“You can’t beat me this time, Hyde!” Fez gloated as he attempted to get Hyde in a headlock. “I’ve been training for this and I—ah, ah!”

Hyde had maneuvered himself out of Fez’s grip and flipped him around onto the ground, belly down and pushed his left arm up to his shoulder blades.

“What was that?” Hyde taunted.

“I fold! I fold!” Fez cried out, tapping out.

“Point goes to Hyde!” Kelso shouted and laughed. “Fez, you wuss.”

“He had a hold on me!” Fez whined.

Hyde laughed at his friend’s misfortune and glanced out the door window. “Uh, hey, Jackie, Markus is coming for real this time. Quick, drink this old root beer!”

“You know what, Steven, I’m sick of you lying to me about Markus and trying to humiliate me,” Jackie retorted.

“You’re right,” Hyde said. “Let me make it up to you and offer you this different, not old root beer.” He pretended to swap out the soda with a new one from behind the shower.

“It’s the same one, you idiot!” Jackie shrieked.

“Jackie, Markus is coming right now,” Kelso warned.

“You know what, Michael? But I’m not playing your little games anymore,” she huffed and went back to her nails.

She heard the door open and close, but refused to give her idiot friends (and exes) the benefit of looking up. She assumed they had opened the door and closed it just to mess with her until,

“Jackie?”

Her gaze snapped up to meet a shocked and angry, familiar face.

Markus.

--Meanwhile—

Over at the Pinciotti’s house, Donna sat in her room, waiting for Eric to come over his surprise. She wore Princess Leia’s white robe with her hair in side buns, just like the movie.

“Hey,” Eric greeted as he walked through the door. “Alright, Donna, I’m here for my surprise and I—holy mother of Skywalker.”

Donna smiled at Eric before getting off the bed and sauntering over to him. “You can do whatever you want to Princess Leia. Her force field is down.”

Eric looked at her with the most adorned look. “Donna, this is the best thing—wait a second.” He pulled away to look at her. “Leia doesn’t have a force field—you know what, I’m too excited to quibble. Come here!”

Donna laughed as Eric attacked her with kisses, both going down onto the bed.

--At the Forman’s House—

“Jackie, what’re you doing here?” Markus asked, clearly upset. “Why aren’t you in Chicago? I thought you left town?”

“Why? Because you’re so amazing and incredible that I simply couldn’t exist in the same town as you knowing you couldn’t make a commitment?” Jackie rambled, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No, because you left me a note saying you left town,” he responded slowly. His response was too calm and it unnerved everyone in the room, except for Hyde.

“Well, that, Markus, was a metaphor, a metaphor for the fact that my heart and mind are gone, but my body is still here, in this very awkward situation!”

“Want a root beer?” Fez asked after a minute of silence.

Markus gave Fez a dirty look.

“Hey, Fez, I think Mark wants some alone time,” Hyde said.

“Right, right,” Fez replied.

“You know what? Perfect timing because I have to get that—that thing you know, ready for that thing,” Y/n stammered.

“Yeah, I know what think you’re talking about. Let’s go,” Hyde said.

“I’ll help,” Donna said, rushing up the stairs.

“I’m going to listen through the vent,” Kelso announced.

“Me, too!” Fez said excitedly and slammed the door.

Once they were alone Markus turned back to Jackie. “So, what are you doing here, Jackie? You got something you wanna say to me?”

“Yes. I wanted to say that I'm leaving for real this time.”

“So, you came back to tell me that you're leaving again?”

“Yes, but this is goodbye.”

Markus clicked his tongue. “All right, I'll see you tomorrow then.”

“Markus, I'm serious!”

Markus sat down and spread his arms behind the couch, making himself comfortable. “Wanna hang out next week?”

“I'm going. Unless...Unless, Markus, there's something you'd like to say, in which case, I'm listening.”

She stared at Markus with wide, hopeful eyes, praying that she got the answer that she so desperately wanted.

“Yeah,” he said calmly and stood to meet her. “Have a nice trip.”

She could feel her heart break all over again, fighting back tears. She nodded and avoided his cold stare. “I will.”

“Can you guys stand closer to the vent and speak louder?” Fez shouted into the vents.

Jackie scoffed before stomping out the basement, leaving Markus by himself.

--Donna’s Room—

Eric sat staring at Donna who sat awkwardly in the white robe. “Wow, so, it's like, I can do anything I want? Can I touch your buns?”

“What? You wanna touch my butt?” Donna asked, confused.

“No, not those buns. You know, the buns.”

“Eric, that’s kind of weird.”

“Yeah. You know what? That is, like, a little weird,” he responded. “Maybe I'll just rub my face up against one of them?”

Donna chuckled. “Yeah.”

His eyes fluttered close as he slowly brought his cheek to her hair and rubbed it like a cat.

“Okay,” Donna said after a minute, accepting the weirdness from her boyfriend.

“Leia, oh, Leia,” Eric moaned.

“Hey, Donna,” Bob said, knocking on the door. “Meet me downstairs T-minus 20 seconds for some fried shrimp. And wear an old T-shirt, these things get greasy.” He shut the door before Donna could respond.

“Wow, that's almost enough to take you right out of the moment, huh?” she chuckled as she got up to change.

“Okay, Donna. From now on, the only thing I'd like you to say is, ‘Use the force, Eric.’”

“Okay, that seems—” she said.

“Do-o-onna,” Eric sang-song.

Donna sighed and rolled her eyes. “Use the force, Eric.”

He nodded in approval before he started rubbing his cheek against her hair once again.

--Over at the Forman/Hyde Residence—

Y/n and Hyde were in their room, just finishing settling the twins down.

“Hey, Y/n?” he whispered as to not wake the babies.

“Mhm?” she hummed as she smiled down lovingly at Kat who was staring up at her with her soulful eyes.

“Do you remember when you almost left for Denver?”

Y/n turned her loving gaze to her husband. “Oh, my God, that’s what those letters in my desk are for.” She smirked at him. “Of course I remember. Why do you ask?”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you, you know, regret not going? Do you feel like I held you back?”

Hearing this shocked her. She never thought about her husband, Steven Hyde, ever having these feelings. “Steven, honey, where is this coming from?”

He shrugged. “Curious.”

She gave him a pointed look. “Is that all?”

“Just answer the question.”

Y/n gave Kat a kiss before placing her in her bassinet and faced Steven. “Is this about what’s going on with Jackie and Markus?”

When Hyde didn’t respond, she raked her fingers through his hair. “No, I don’t.”

He looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Really?”

“Yes!” She kissed him and wiped her gloss off his lips. “I thought my life would start when I went away, but in reality my life started when I chose you.”

A soft grin spread across his face, but it quickly went away when he looked down at her lap. “You know that would mean a lot more if Denver hadn’t rejected you and then didn’t get knocked up right after.”

She squinted her eyes at him with a sly grin before rolling her eyes at him and shrugging. “Yeah, you’re right.”

His grin dropped immediately. “That’s not funny.”

A smile broke out on her face as she laughed and gave him a chaste kiss. “Yes, it is.”

“So, if Denver hadn’t rejected you and I hadn’t knocked you up—”

“I would still be miserable,” she cut in, this time serious.

His eyebrows furrowed, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Steven, it doesn’t matter that it didn’t work out that way because it wasn’t meant to. This was,” she began. “Even if I were to go off to Denver, or New York, or even London—”

“London?”

“Denver wasn’t the only school I applied to, anyway,” she said quickly. “None of it would’ve mattered because you wouldn’t be my side. My life wouldn’t be as complete now if I didn’t have you and the twins. My life didn’t stop just because we got married and had kids young—I can still do everything I wanted to do and you know what? It’s more exciting and less scary because I have you right beside me.” She grabbed his hand, weaving her fingers through his. “I could have the highest college degree or the most successful, prestigious career, none of it would mean anything without you and the babies. None of it.”

He smiled before bring a hand to her cheek and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Liar.”

Y/n chuckled with him and kissed him once more. “I mean it.”

His eyes searched hers for a moment. “I know.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have any regrets?”

He shook his head. “No. Not one that includes you or the kids anyways.”

She smirked at him—the look that made Hyde excited and his pants a little tighter—and cocked her head. “I’ll take it.”

“Good,” he husked and closed the gap between them once more, this time the kiss lasting a bit longer. When he pulled away, he looked at her once more. “One more serious question: if you get into school out of state, how would that work with the store?”

“Well…” Y/n thought. “We could do it one of two ways. One: we pack up and move and you could either leave the store in someone else’s hands temporarily or give it up completely or two: you stay here to run the store and the kids and I go…I’m not a huge fan of option 2, though.”

“Me neither. How bout we figure it out when the time comes?”

“I’d like that.”

“Me too.” He kissed her once more before pulling back with a mischievous look in his eyes. “So...is there anything you can do before the six week mark?”

Y/n withdrew her hold from him, laughing. “Perv.”

The Next Day…

“So, Jackie really left, huh?” Eric asked while sipping a grape soda at the table.

“Yeah, last night,” Y/n responded. “She even got Kelso to drive her.”

“She probably gave him a purple nurple until he did,” Hyde chuckled. “That’s the only good thing about her.”

“Hey, Eric,” Bob said, shuffling into the kitchen. “You’re going to love teaching in Africa. I heard women walk around with their hoo-hoo’s out.”

“Dad,” Donna groaned, hiding her face behind her hand.

“Have you gotten your shots yet?” Bob asked.

“Shots?” Eric asked.

“Yeah, the ones you get to protect from exotic diseases.”

“Oh, my God I completely forgot!” Eric shot up from the table. “Guys, I leave for Africa in two days. What do I do?”

“Oh, shoot, did I forget to remind you?” Kitty asked while sipping her coffee. “Well, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to give them to you. I am your mother, I will help.”

“Good,” Red said from behind the paper. “Because I will not let you crush my dream of getting rid of him.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Eric said, relaxing.

“Oh, but I should warn you. Those needles are as big as sausages and if I miss, even by a hair, it could make your heart explode. But don’t worry, it only hurts until you die.”

“Mom,” Y/n warned and turned to her brother whose eyes were as big as saucers. “Don’t listen to her. She’s lying.”

“Yeah, right,” Eric responded, voice wobbling.

---Later—

“Hey Donna,” Y/n greeted as she walked inside Donna’s house. “I know Eric said he didn’t want a party, but I never cared about what he wanted. So, I’m going to need you to distract him when he gets back from getting his shots so I can decorate.”

“Yeah, sure,” she responded, a little distantly.

“Oh, and I also got this for him, too. I wasn’t sure what to get him, but I thought he would like something like this.” In her hand was a picture frame and handed it to Donna. The picture was Donna, Y/n, and Eric when they were all six years old.

Donna chuckled sadly. “I remember that day. We had just came back from the park because it started raining, but Eric fell in a huge mud puddle. When you tried to help him, you slipped, taking me down with you. When we got home our moms were so mad, but your dad thought it was so funny he snapped this picture.”

“Yeah…Eric’s not graceful. Like, at all.”

Y/n and Donna laughed together as they recalled the memory. As the laughter died down, Donna grew quiet, staring at the picture.

“Donna…are you okay?”

She shook her head, fighting back tears. “I’m just really going to miss him.”

Y/n nodded her head sadly. “Me, too.”

Donna nodded before wrapping an arm around her best friend’s shoulders knowing this was probably a little harder for her than anyone. The one person she’s literally known since the womb would be thousands of miles away was a pain that Donna couldn’t even fathom.

“I’ll go to the store with you,” Donna said after a minute.

Y/n sniffed and rubbed her nose with her sleeve. “Thank you.”

Eric Forman’s Basement

Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez all sat in the circle as they enjoyed the affects of their favorite green plant. As usual, the lights were dimmed and incense was mixing with the smell.

Eric checked his watch and rubbed his clammy hands on his jeans. “Crap, I have to leave soon to go get my shots. Yeah, why do I have to get shots anyway? So I get Yellow Fever. I could use a little color.”

“You guys, this might be our last circle together,” Fez said. “We're growing up. I mean, these two have jobs, and Eric is off to start his life, and I'm doing more shaving than ever.”

“Eric, I know you're scared of getting your shots,” Kelso said, his eyes drooping and his smile wide. “So I'm gonna be a pal and get them with you, 'cause I owe you for that time that I chucked that dead raccoon at you, and then it turned out to not be dead.” He started to giggle recalling the memory. “And then it bit you, and then you kicked it back at me, and then it bit me, and then we both had to go and get rabies shots.”

Hyde laughed along with them. “Remember, on the way to the hospital, Kelso saw that dog, and he jumped out of the car 'cause he wanted to go pet it, but he forgot the car was moving, and he broke his arm? That was the funniest, bloodiest, most rabies-filled day ever.”

“Look at us,” Eric said. “Best friends offering to help each other. You know, we always have to remember this moment.” He looked around his friends who had gone silent with frightened looks on their faces. “What?”

He suddenly felt a presence behind him when they lowered themselves to his ear. He didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Upstairs. NOW!” Red barked. He didn’t wait for an answer and stomped back upstairs.

“I am in huge trouble,” Eric said and started laughing.

“I can't believe that is what you idiots have been doing in my basement all these years!” Red yelled at the four young men who sat in chairs in front of him. “I wish I had 2,000 feet so I could put 500 of them in each of your asses!”

Eric tried so hard to listen, but it was hard to digest anything his parents were saying when the wall was moving and dancing behind them.

“I am shocked!” Kitty said. “Steven, you’re a father now. I thought this would be put behind you by now. Do you really want to set this kind of example for your children?”

Hyde rubbed his red eyes, knowing that the patterns on the wallpaper weren’t changing before his eyes.

“The basement door closes and out come the lighters and the drugs.” Kitty continued. “And I am sure Donna's down there bouncing around without a bra.” She gasped and held a hand to her heart. “Is that how Y/n got pregnant?!” She clicked her tongue in disappointment. “It’s like Amsterdam down there.”

“Did someone shove a vacuum up your nose and suck out your last, lonely brain cell?” Red continued to yell.

Fez could swear he was suddenly in a fish bowl and they were eyeballing him through the glass.

“What is going on in your head?” Kitty asked. “I am so disappointed in you boys. And here I thought it was my dryer that made our clothes smell funny.”

As their yelling started to fade in the distance, Hyde’s eyes were caught by a single twinkie laid on the counter. Before he could stop himself, he found himself drooling over it.

“Who taught you how to do this?” Red asked. “Was it those damn Beatles? All You Need Is Love.” He scoffed.

Kelso wasn’t even listening to the whole lecture because he found himself laughing at the scene before him. Red’s and Kitty’s heads floated off their bodies and swirled and danced in the air before switching onto each other’s bodies.

“All you need is a job and a haircut. And you, wipe that stupid smirk off your dopey, dope-fiend face!” He yelled at Kelso.

“Do you know what drugs do to you?” Kitty asked. “They shrink your brain until one day you wake up, and you think you're Superman and you can fly, and then you wind up jumping off the roof in your underpants.”

“Oh, this idiot doesn't need drugs for that. He does that every Saturday!” Red yelled.

“Well, this is the worst thing that you have ever done!” Kitty almost sobbed.

“Eric, I am gonna make you...I’m going to…well, I can’t think of anything worse than sending you to Africa,” Red said. “You’re going to Africa.”

--Later—

“You freakin’ what?!” Y/n screeched at her husband. They sat in their room with Steven sitting on the bed and Y/n pacing the floor. “What the hell, Steven?! How could you guys have gotten caught?! You’ve been kicked out once for getting caught, my dad won’t have a problem doing it again!”

“Actually, he kicked me out thinking he caught me, but it was actually Jackie’s,” Steven corrected.

“Steven!” she said sternly. “Now is not the time! We have children now! You can’t be doing this anymore.”

“Whoa, wait,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Are you telling me that I have to…to quit the circle?” he asked shakily.

“You’re quitting the circle, Steven,” she said sternly, crossing her arms.

“Come on, you did it, too!”

“We’re parents now! We can’t keep doing this! It’s time to grow up and be responsible.” She grabbed her jacket and wallet from the chair at the vanity.

“Wait, where are you going?!”

“I’m going out with the girls for girls night,” she responded without looking at him. “You’re staying in with the babies.”

“What am I going to do?!”

“Feed them in a couple hours and change their diapers. Then put them back in their bassinets to sleep.”

“You’re going to leave me here all by myself?!”

“They’re babies, Steven, not terrorists.” She opened the door to leave when Steven called out.

“Wait!”

Pausing, she turned back around with an arched brow.

“I want to talk about this some more!”

Y/n shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. You got caught, deal with it. I’m going out and I’ll see when I get back.”

“What’re you going to be doing? When will you be back?”

“We’re going to go to a strip club to meet some male strippers and then take them to a hotel and have our way with them,” she deadpanned.

He made a face at her. “Isn’t that a movie?”

“Bye, Steven,” she said and walked out the room.

--The Next Day--

“Y/n! Y/n!” Kitty called, running into the house while her family ate at the dinner table. A large white envelope was gripped tightly in her “A letter from a college came in!”

“Mom, that’s not a letter, that’s a—” Y/n gasped and ripped the envelope from her grasp. “Oh, my God! This is an acceptance package!”

“What?!” Steven, Red, and Kitty cried out in unison.

“What college did you apply for that you didn’t tell me?” Hyde asked, his heart sinking into his stomach.

Y/n eyed the envelope. “It’s for New York!”

“New York?!” Hyde exclaimed. “Are you friggin’ kidding me?! That’s so far away.”

“Great! Now all you dopeheads will be out of my house!” Red snarked.

“How ‘bout a ‘congratulations, Steven?” Y/n said sternly and ripped open the large envelope, but froze as his words sank in. “Wait, does this mean that you’re going to follow me?”

“Well, yeah, man,” he responded. “We’re married and have a family now. I don’t want us to be split up.”

“Awe, Steven,” Y/n gushed and kissed his cheek.

“You’re leaving me for New York?!” Kitty hollered. “What the hell was wrong with the university in Milwaukie?! Or Madison? Or Kenosha?! Or you know what, I think the Point Place Community College is just fine, too!”

“NYU has the strongest science program,” Y/n responded quietly, as if trying to tame a wild animal. “Especially for what I want to do. And they accepted my scholarships from high school.”

“Did you ever think of how this would affect me?!” she continued. “First, Laurie can’t seem to stay in one place even if her life depended on it—by the way who the hell moves to London out of all places—and then my baby boy is leaving to also leave the freaking continent—”

“For only a year!” Eric exasperated.

“—And now YOU are leaving me? You’re taking my grandbabies away from me?!” she sobbed.

“Kitty,” Red said gently. “They have to leave the nest at some point.”

“Why can’t you ungrateful brats stay in one spot?!” Kitty exploded, causing a tense hush to fall over everyone. Her eyes widened at her own words before she burst out laughing. “Oh, my goodness, I really let the beast out of its cage on that one.” She started laughing as she walked over to the cabinet and brought out a bottle of sherry and a glass. “What I mean to say is, ‘congratulations.’”

“And we are proud of you,” Red added in, a smile wide on his face. One that said be careful what you say next!

“Thank you,” Y/n said slowly, eyeing her mother. “We will come visit long weekends and holidays.”

“Oh, well that’s just freakin’ great!” Kitty shouted. “I don’t get to see my family everyday like I deserve to, but I get the good gracious of long weekends and holiday breaks. Whoopee-de-freakin’-do!” She stomped out the kitchen with the bottle in hand.

Red sighed heavily and stood from the table. “I’ll be right back. This was such a nice dinner, too.” He left the kitchen, grumbling to himself.

“Um,” Y/n awkwardly cleared her throat as she read the letter. “It says here if I want to register for fall classes I need to do so by the end of this week.”

Hyde sighed and set down the napkin on the table. “I guess I can get coverage at the store for a couple days.”

“Who? Mandy?” Y/n asked with venom in her voice.

“What do you have against her?” he asked. “She’s proven to be a good addition to the store.”

“She’s constantly throwing herself at you!”

“You mean when she tripped and literally knocked into me?”

“Or how about she’s always flirting with you?”

“She barley talks to me?”

“Or how she’s always giving you sex eyes!”

“She doesn’t even look at me!”

“Yeah, when you notice,” she argued. “I catch her all the time checking you out! I swear I almost pounced on her the other day when I caught her checking out your butt.”

He smirked. “That’s hot.”

“Steven!”

--Scene Transition—

Later that day, Hyde was working the evening shift at the store when Leo walked in.

“Hey, Leo,” Hyde greeted. “So, I decided, tomorrow after I say good-bye to Forman, I’m going to New York with Y/n and the babies.”

“Hey! Nice Girl is going to New York!” Leo said, smiling dumbly at him. “You should look her up. She’s real nice, man. She’d be perfect for you.”

“Good idea,” Hyde deadpanned. “Anyway, I was thinking you could cover for me, you know hold down the fort while I’m gone. It’ll be just like the old days at the Fotohut. You remember that, right?”

“The little blue house in the parking lot with a drive thru?” Leo asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, man, exactly.”

“I don’t remember that at all, man.”

Hyde pressed his lips into a fine line, choking back laughter—or disappointment. He couldn’t tell anymore.

“Yeah, anyway, can you watch the place for me? I’ll be gone for three or four days, tops.”

“Wait, why can’t I run the store?” Mandy asking, rounding the corner.

Steven spun around to face her. “You sure you can handle it?”

“Yeah! I mean, I’m not exactly new here anymore. I’ve learned where everything is, I’ve opened and closed for you multiple times so I know the register, and I have run the place by myself a few times.”

He jut out his lip in thought. “Well, I mean—”

“No, man, I want to do it!” Leo whined.

“Leo, you don’t even know where you are half the time!” Mandy argued.

“Do I know you, man?”

“Leo, it’s me! We’ve met like ten times already!”

Leo stared at her for a solid minute before shaking his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

--Meanwhile—

Eric and Kelso sat in the hospital room awaiting their dreaded shots. Donna sat away in the corner as she came for support and Kitty stood in the room, explaining that she was going to be the one to administer their shots.

“Okay, Michael, Eric, pull your pants down and lean over the table. I'll go get those gigantic needles. I just hope somebody remembered to bring them in out of the rain so they're not all rusty!” she said dramatically as she left the room.

Eric couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he and Kelso turned to lean on the table.

“Hey, Donna, I'm gonna need you to help me pull my pants off,” Kelso said with a smirk.

“Fine, turn around,” Donna sighed before grabbing Kelso’s pants and yanked them upward.

“WEDGIE!” Kelso shrieked and tried to move out of her firm grasp.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you say ‘off?’ I thought you said ‘up your butt,’” she snickered.

“I still liked it,” Kelso mumbled before Donna rolled her eyes and left the room. As he and Eric pulled their pants down and waited for Kitty to come back, they leaned forward on the table. “So…here we are.”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Yeah…and it’s kinda weird that we’re spending our last moments together bent over a table with our naked butts in the air,” Eric said, chuckling.

Kelso laughed. “This is how I always hoped it'd be. You know, I was gonna say that I'll miss you, but I'm not a nancy-boy.”

Eric nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Kelso, man, listen…there’s something I want to say to you—son of a BITCH!” He looked over his shoulder to see Kitty holding a needle in her hand, looking unimpressed. “That hurt like hell!”

“That was the alcohol swab,” she deadpanned.

“Well, it was freezing!”

Later that day…

Red sat in his chair, holding Eric’s gift in his hand. He was surprised that he felt sadness and—dread? As much as he looked forward to this day, he never thought he would be feeling conflicted about it.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Eric come bouncing down the stairs. “Well, this is it. I just have to make it passed Mom’s farewell ambush and then I’m off to Africa.”

Red stood from his chair and met him in the middle of the living room. “Eric, wait I want to talk to you for a sec.”

Eric looked at him confused, but allowed Red to continue.

“I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve been looking forward to you getting out of my house for a very long time.”

Eric sucked on his teeth in thought. “Yeah, I remember that. I believe your exact words were, ‘It’ll be more glorious than D-Day.’” He chuckled at the memory.

Red pressed his lips into a thin line, a ghost of a smile. “Yeah, well, I’m your father and you’re my son. So…here.” He opened his palm up to Eric’s gift—a pocketknife.

His eyes grew wide. “Your pocketknife from Korea?” He gently plucked the knife from his father’s hand and held it in his own. “You said if I ever touched that, I would meet the same fate as hundreds of other Godless commies.”

A proud smile made its way to his face. “Yeah, well, I want you to take it to Africa with you.”

“Really? Wow, Dad, that…that means a lot.”

Red placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And son, I want you to know that I’m going to miss you, I love you, and you have a good trip.”

Emotion filled Eric’s eyes. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“I said have a good trip.”

“No, before that.”

Red smiled proudly at his son. “You heard me.”

“Wow,” Eric breathed. “This feels like a moment where regular people would hug.”

Red didn’t hesitate and pulled his son in by his shoulders into a tight hug. Eric clapped his back as he took in the moment.

When they finally pulled away, Eric looked at him. “Thank you, Dad. So, really, any last minute advice?”

“Yeah,” Red answered, clearing his throat. “You lose that knife, don’t come home.”

They laughed together before Eric made his way to the driveway, Red in tow.

As they reached the driveway, Eric found Donna sitting on the hood of the VistaCruiser.

“Surprise,” she said quietly.

“It’s just you?” he asked, smiling. “Wow, Donna this is amazing. This is where we had our first kiss.” He leaned his head down and pecked her lips softly.

“I know, I remember,” she said and kissed him again, more passionately.

After a second, Eric pulled away breathless. “Wow.”

“Well, it’s gotta last a really long time.”

“Man, it’s weird. Me leaving. Feels like it’s real,” he said, grabbing her hands.

“Yeah, but you’re going to be back before you know it and then we’re going to have our whole lives together.”

“Listen to me, Donna,” Eric said, pointing a finger at her. “I love you so much and—and you’re my best friend. And thank you for not letting my mom throw this surprise, going-away thing.”

Donna smiled at him. “I love you, too and I’m sorry.”

His eyebrows knit together. “For what?”

“For this…okay guys!”

The garage door swung open and everyone walked out with banners, balloons and confetti.

“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled.

“Oh…hell, I wanted this!” Eric said gleefully.

“Oh, Eric!” Fez said and wrapped himself up in Eric and started bawling.

“I know, buddy,” Eric said, uncomfortable and awkwardly started patting Fez’s back. “Uh, Y/n, a little help here?”

She giggled and walked over to him with Leo in arms. “Hey, Fez, you want some candy?”

His head popped up from Eric’s soaked shirt like a goffer. “Chocolate?”

“What else would there be?” she giggled.

“Where?”

“Kitchen.”

“Be right back.”

Fez raced off to the kitchen before anyone could say anything else.

“We have about five seconds before he’s back,” Y/n said and turned back to him with sad eyes. “I’m really going to miss you, Eric. We’ve never been apart longer than a few weeks. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“Hey, you got this,” Eric said gently as Hyde joined them, holding Kat in his arms. “You’re going to do awesome in New York.”

“Won’t be the same without you,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said and brought his twin in for a hug as she gripped baby Leo. “I feel the same. But like Donna said, I’ll be back before we know it.”

“Maybe you can come to New York with us when you get back?”

He gave her small smile and nodded. “We’ll see.”

“Here you go, Forman,” Hyde said and handed him a bag. “Consider this your going away gift.”

Eric took the bag and opened it. “Hyde, this bag is empty.”

“I know,” he smirked at his brother-in-law. “I heard about the stuff they have over in Africa. Fill that bad boy up, send it back to me.”

Eric chuckled and gave Hyde a hug. “Will do.”

"I thought I told you, you were done," Y/n said sternly.

"You said it, I didn't."

"Steven--"

"Not here, Darling. Not in front of your brother," Hyde said, faux concern.

“Make sure to write me and to call me,” Y/n reminded him, returning to the conversation. “And if you can send pictures. I want to see where you’re going to be staying. Oh, and I want to send you pictures of the twins so that you’re not completely missing out on them.”

“Yeah, I’m bummed that I’m not going to be around to watch you two try to handle this,” Eric said and chuckled and gave his sister one last hug before turning to the babies. “You two be good for your parents. I love you both and I will see you in a year, yeah? Don’t grow up too fast.”

Y/n looked at him with teary eyes. “I’ll give Mom our new phone number and address to give to you.”

“Sounds good, sis,” Eric said.

“Hey, man,” Markus said as he joined them. “I just wanted to say that I know I haven’t been part of the group that long, but thank you for making me feel like I’ve been a part of it all along. You’re a good friend.”

“Thanks, man,” Eric replied and hugged Markus. “Thank you for keeping a muzzle on Jackie this whole time.”

Markus chuckled. “I sure did my best.”

Kitty ran over to Eric. “Honey, I'm sorry if I smothered you. That's just what a mother does. But I've accepted that you're leaving, and I'm ready to let you go.”

She tightly wrapped her arms around him that caught Eric off guard.

“Oh, mom. Mom, you...” Eric said and hugged her back. He tried to let go after a minute, but he ended up dragging her alongside him as he tried to get to the car. “Uh, Mom, you know I’m only allowed one carry-on, so…Dad?”

Red nodded and stepped in, grabbing his wife by the shoulders. “Come on, Kitty. Come on.”

Kitty sniffed as she stepped away and watched Eric get in the car. Donna got in the passenger side along with him.

“So long, Point Place!” Eric called out and started the car, only for it to die.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Red grumbled. “Everyone push!”

Hyde handed Kat over to Y/n as he, Red, Kelso, and Kitty pushed the car down the driveway.

Eric shot a fist out the window. “So long, Point Place!”

Fez and Y/n stood in the driveway, watching Eric leave.

Fez sadly waved as tears and chocolate rolled down his face. “Bye, Eric!”

Later that evening…

Jackie laid on her bed in the motel room, flipping through a magazine when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Michael, she casually called out, “Come in.”

Markus was the last person she was expecting to see.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he shut the door behind him.

“Markus!” she said excitedly, trying not to jump on him. “Um, what are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact. “Nothing. Had some free time and thought I’d just come and check out Chicago. How’s it going?”

Her heart fluttered at his sudden shyness. “Um…good. Do you want to take a walk? Maybe get something to eat?”

Markus was about to answer when the door opened, revealing a half-naked Kelso, only being covered by a towel and holding an ice bucket.

“Hey, Jackie, I checked from the parking lot and no one could see us doing it—” he let out a shriek.

Markus gaze hardened at the sight before him. “You’re dead,” he growled.

Just as he was about to reach for Kelso, he slipped out the door. Markus was able to grip the towel and rip it off of him as he sprinted into the parking lot.

“I’m nude!”

Taglist: @not-shy-nanya @taysirene @maddieschampagneproblems @mdittyz123 @undead-sierra @random-thoughts-004 @lieswithoutfairytales @chloem4a1 @srhxpc @zhonglibxitch @leothesquishy @because-makeup @cinemadaydream

#that 70s show #steven hyde #that 70's show fanfic #eric forman x reader #donna pinciotti x reader #michael kelso x reader #michael kelso #eric x donna #donna pinciotti #fez x jackie #hyde and jackie #jackie burkhart

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