#whenever my mom asks if i have love news of my own while we're talking about my sister's newest catch and i say no

[born-to-lose]

I love being the always single person in my family, mad respect to my sister for constantly dating guys for the last 8 years, I would have shot myself

[lesbianloml]

the beginning

my babysitter au

type of piece(s): imagine, oneshot, drabble, series

type(s) of writing: smut, angst, fluff, dark (the story will contain all of the above)

pairing(s): milf!dom!dark!wanda maximoff x innocent!sub!immune!witch!fem!reader

warning(s): legal age gap (wanda is 33, reader is 21), perverted men, mentions of sex, this is just where they meet so nothing big

summary: when wanda hires a new babysitter, she is shocked to find that there are some things she doesn't know about her town. the biggest shock is you, you are immune to wanda's powers. an even bigger shock comes when wanda finds out you have powers of your own.

a/n: this series is going to be LOOSLY based on my wandavision dr. if anyone has anything they would like to see or something, let me know. and if anyone wants to talk about shifting, hit me up. i kinda imagined reader as a soft and quiet girl. also, you're kinda a whore. and you love to read and bake. in this series, wanda doesn't really do a tv show or different eras, it's all just normal. but the agents and stuff outside the hex have a big part. reader works at the local café that she owns and spends most of her free time in the library. anyways, enjoy part one!

1.8k words

(not my pics)

(pretend she had billy and tommy before the hex)

"what's the name for your order?" you asked, a little annoyed. you loved your job, but the older man standing in front of you made you want to throw your apron down and quit. "cohen, babe. don't forget next time" cohen shoots you a wink. you hold back a gag as you try to smile politely, writing the name on the side of the cup and turning your back to begin making the drink. grabbing a bag from behind you, you set the cinnamon pastry you made a few hours prior into a container and set it in the bag. as quick as you can, you mix up his drink and slap a lid on it while rolling up the top of the bag, wanting him to leave as soon as possible. "here you go" you say, spinning around and handing the bag and the drink to him. he gives you a look and opens his mouth to speak, but before he can, you tap the counter three times swiftly. your work best friend, sophie comes around from the back. "hey babe! is he causing you trouble?" cohen glares harshly at sophie, but one thing you love about her is the way she doesn't back down. sophie gives him a look that immediately has cohen scurrying out the door, tail between his legs. "thanks soph" "anytime love. we get off in fifteen, where you going tonight? your apartment or your mom's house?" you look around to see an empty café, emptier than usual. usually, the shop is packed full of starved or thirsty customers. but it's dark outside, and who would come get caffeine and food at 9:45 at night?

"I'll just stop by the library real quick before it closes and then head home and watch a movie or something." you say, smiling as you think about the old library downtown. it was your favorite place to be whenever you had free time or just needed some quiet. you turn and stacked some more cups and filled up the napkin container while waiting for your shift to end or another customer to walk in. you hear soph come out from the back room, where she was restocking supplies. "hey girl, can i ask a favor?" "yeah i'll stay and lock up so you can go fuck shawn" you say with a smirk and a giggle. sophie gasps dramatically. "how'd you know what i was gonna ask?" "because you ask me at least once a week. and the fact that you're a year older than me and supposed to be more mature makes it even funnier" "thank you! i'll see you tomorrow. don't forget, on sunday night we're baking treats for the elementary school bake sale on monday." "got it. i love you. see you sunday. enjoy shawn!" you sing as sophie laughs. "i will. love you too." "today is friday so on sunday, i need to be here by 5:00am so i can set up the tables and stuff to be ready to open at 6:00am. then i'll work until 10:00pm, close up, and help sophie bake some treats for monday's bake sale at the elementary school" you plan your day tomorrow in your head. glancing at the clock, you see it reads 9:55pm. 5 more minutes until you can lock up and leave. you work on monday, wednesday, friday, and sunday from 5:00am to 10:30pm. you usually open at 6:00am and close at 10:00pm 4/7 days a week. you love your job but hate the hours. your job at the coffee shop payed extremely well, so no matter how much you hated waking up before the sun, you weren't going to quit. you grab a rag and wipe the counters down. 3 minutes until you lock up and leave.

you spin around when you hear the little bell above the shop door ding, signaling someone came in. you almost drop the damp rag you're holding when you see her, a women, maybe in her early thirties. she had beautiful red hair and striking green eyes. her clothes were casual and relaxed, but you were sure she was some sort of powerful figure from the way she walked and held herself. you had never seen her in westview before, you were sure you'd remember her, and you'd lived in westview since you were eighteen, so three years now. you shake your head before walking around the counter to greet the women. she's even prettier up close. "you came in at the perfect time. i was just about to lock up." you tell the women with a smile. "oh, i can leave if you're closed-" before the women starts apologizing, you cut her off. "oh no, it's ok. i don't mind, i was getting lonely in here anyways. what can i get for you tonight?" "just a coffee and a piece of apple pie, please" you nod and turn to make her order. you don't ask her name, too shy to do so. it's a good thing that this women isn't. "i'm wanda." "y/n. i don't remember seeing you around westview. did you just move here?" you ask, sliding her drink and bag with the pie in the container to her over the counter. "no, we haven't moved here yet. i was just looking around, getting ready to move in with my boys" "oh, you have kids? how old?" "i have twin boys. they're ten" wanda's face lights up when she talks about them. "cute! i guess i'll be seeing you around more if you're going to move here" "you sure will, sweetheart." you wonder what that's supposed to mean as wanda smiles at you before paying and exiting the café, leaving a trail of perfume in her wake.

wanda turns the wheel to the left, not really knowing what she's looking for, but knows she's looking for something. wanda reminds herself that she needs to head back to the hotel and rest up for tomorrow when she and her boys were going to move into their new home. ever since vision kicked them out, they've been staying in a hotel but then wanda remembered the house that she owned in westview. the perfect place for her and her boys to start over. as wanda is thinking, her head droops and stomach grumbles. she hasn't drank or eaten anything all day. wanda continues driving around the streets, looking for a restaurant or something that she could get a bite to eat at. wanda slows the car when she sees a little café on the corner, letting out a sigh of relief as she sees movement and light from inside. she wouldn't have made it the forty five minutes back to the hotel without eating something. she quickly climbs out of her car and enters the café, not really paying attention to who's there with her. wanda just wants to get back as soon as she can. "you came in at the perfect time. i was just about to lock up" wanda almost falls over at the sound of the other female's voice. it was so relaxing and quiet. so beautiful. she glances up to look and sees you. wanda swears she stops breathing for a moment. you were the most gorgeous thing she'd ever seen. with the prettiest smile, even at the disturbance, and the softest voice, wanda swore she just met an angel. you had to be an angel. you're smiling. at her. "oh, i can leave if you're closed-" "oh no. it's ok. i don't mind, i was getting lonely in here anyways. what can i get for you tonight?" you were so sweet, so kind. "just a coffee and a slice of apple pie, please" wanda smirks to herself when she sees the tint of blush on your cheeks. you were so cute, too shy to talk to her or ask her name. "i'm wanda" "y/n. i don't remember seeing you around westview. did you just move here?" wanda watches you slide the bag and coffee across the counter towards her. "no, we haven't moved here yet. i was just looking around, getting ready to move in with my boys" wanda states. "oh, you have kids? how old?" "i have twin boys. they're ten" she smiles at the thought of her boys. "cute! i guess i'll be seeing you around more if you're going to move here" "you sure will, sweetheart."

as wanda clambers into her car to begin the drive home, she thinks about the girl at the counter. "y/n" wanda thinks to herself, smiling at the name. she thinks it suits you. and as wanda is turning onto the freeway, she thinks to herself, "that girl will be mine"

as you lock up the café and slide into your car, you think about the women you saw. she was very pretty, and you hope that her and her kids move in ok. as you turn you car on and pull out of the parking lot, you rest your hands on the wheel as you begin driving home. your mind is pleasantly empty on the drive back to your apartment.

the first time wanda ever met you, wanda thought about you the entire drive back to the hotel. you were the most angelic person she'd ever met, and she was enchanted by you. the first time that you met wanda, you thought about her once before driving home. she was just another customer to you. but little did you know, you were becoming so much more to her.

little do you know, this is just the beginning

[lividstar]

ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤTHE CITY OF LOVE

ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎ Chapter Seven: Resolve

ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ㅤ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎ < previous | next >

masterpost

៚ wc: 12.1k (total: ???)

៚ fluff, angst, fashion designer!hongjoong x model!reader (ft. personal assistant!seonghwa & photographer!wooyoung), slowburn, strangers to lovers, soulmates au if you squint, do french people actually say bonjour irl?

៚ playlist !

៚ Seonghwa invites you to the serene local park where he delivers the exciting news that you’ve secured the modeling job, marking a significant step forward in your new life in Paris. However, as you bask in the joy of this achievement, a nagging concern about Hongjoong’s sketchbook lingers in your mind. By the time you get your first modeling gig, you form a plan to return it to him on the very same day, but the uncertainty of how he will react keeps you on edge. Could things possibly get any worse than they already are?

a/n: so sorry for the long wait (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠) i’ve been going through a major writer’s block lately (and i’m also really busy with my studies) but luckily i managed to finish this chapter before completely losing motivation again 😅 i’d love to have some feedback! <3

tags: @beabatiny

You were busy preparing breakfast for yourself—this time choosing to make an actual meal. You had finally caved in and decided to take a little portion from your savings instead of just settling for a pack of ramen. You decided you didn’t want to jeopardize your health with your terrible dietary choices. The aroma of sizzling eggs and freshly toasted bread filled the small kitchen, creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere.

In the background, the record player your mother had insisted you take with you to Paris was spinning an old vinyl you had secretly taken from your father back in Arcadia Bay. The familiar, nostalgic notes of “La Vie En Rose” filled the room, and you couldn’t help but hum softly to the melody, feeling a bittersweet connection to home. While your hometown wasn’t exactly filled with memories as lighthearted as a rainbow after a thunderstorm, there was a little portion of them that you deemed heartwarming enough to remember—such as this.

Just as you were about to turn off the stove, your phone rang, cutting through the serene atmosphere. You frowned slightly, wondering who could be calling you this early. Wiping your hands on a towel, you picked up the phone and saw your mother’s name flashing on the screen. A sense of unease crept up your spine as you answered. “Mom? Is everything okay?” you asked, feeling a somewhat strange vibe in the air.

“Hi, sweetheart,” she greeted you, but there was a noticeable heaviness in her tone that immediately set off alarm bells in your mind. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I really need to talk to you.”

You quickly turned off the stove and paused the record player, giving her your full attention. Whenever those exact words came out of her mouth, it never meant anything positive, which was precisely why you were now standing near the edge. “What’s going on, Mom? You sound upset.”

There was a brief pause before she spoke again, her voice trembling slightly. “Your father and I... we're having a really hard time sustaining our financial needs. The café... it’s just not doing well. We’re getting fewer and fewer customers every day, and we’re really worried.”

Your heart sank. You knew how much the café meant to them, how hard they had worked to build it from the ground up. Years ago, when they decided you were grown enough to be able to take care of yourself, they flew to a different city, hoping to find a glimmer of hope amidst all the struggles you and your family have and still are going through. That glimmer of hope in question was deciding to open up their own small business.

“Mom… I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there something I can do to help? Anything, really,” you asked, desperation evident in your voice.

She sighed heavily. “I don’t know, dear. We’re trying everything we can, but we’re really scared it might take even longer to repay our debts.”

The mention of their debts made you feel a pang of guilt, especially knowing the major turning point in your life from years ago was the cause of it all. You knew they had taken on a lot to support you and your dreams, and now it felt like you were only adding to their burden. “This is all my fault… I’m so sorry. If I get the modeling job, I promise I’ll work so hard and earn so much that you and Dad will never have to worry again. You’ve already done so much for me. Let me repay you.”

“Sweetheart, you’re not a burden, and none of this is your fault,” she reassured you, her voice softening. “We’re proud of you, and we want you to succeed. Don’t think like that.”

Tears welled up in your eyes as you choked out, “I just hate that you’re struggling because of me. Please, try not to stress too much. I’m going to make it. I’ll make sure of it.”

“I know you will, darling,” she said, trying to sound optimistic. “But remember, we’re always here for you, no matter what. We love you.”

“I love you too, Mom. Please take care of yourselves. I’ll call you soon,” you promised, your voice as quiet as the whisper of a passing breeze.

After saying goodbye, you ended the call and stood there, your phone still clutched tightly in your hand. The weight of her words embraced you heavily, making it hard to breathe. Slowly, you sank to the floor, your knees giving out as the tears you had been holding back finally fell.

You sat there, crying quietly, the phone pressed against your chest as you whispered to yourself, “This is all my fault.” The reality of your parents’ struggles and the pressure to succeed was a heavy weight to bear, leaving you feeling utterly helpless.

You had always felt like a burden, despite your parents’ constant reassurances that you weren’t. No matter how often they told you they were proud of you, that you were their greatest joy, you couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that you were the source of their struggles.

The thought that haunted you the most was the memory of that one terrible day when everything seemed to spiral out of control. If only things hadn’t gone so horribly wrong. If only the world had been a little kinder to your parents, maybe they wouldn’t be in this situation. Sometimes, in your darkest moments, you wondered if things would have been easier for them if you had never been born. These thoughts had followed you around for years, like a shadow you could never fully escape.

You thought you had left those feelings behind when you moved to Paris. For a month, you managed to keep those dark thoughts at bay, throwing yourself into your new life with a determination to succeed. But now, with the reminder of your parents’ struggles, the harsh reality came crawling back to bite you, and it stung.

You were as fragile as a piece of glass, easily shattered by the weight of your guilt and the pressure to make things right. The façade of strength you had built up over the years crumbled away, revealing the vulnerable, scared person beneath. Maybe you were never as strong as you had made yourself out to be after all.

While you sat there on the cold floor, clutching your phone and sobbing, you felt utterly alone and helpless. The weight of your parents’ sacrifices and the fear of letting them down was almost too much to bear. You wanted so desperately to make things better for them, to prove that their efforts and love weren’t in vain. But in this moment, all you could feel was the crushing weight of your own inadequacy. The dreams and aspirations that had once filled you with hope now seemed like distant, unattainable goals.

A message notification from your phone suddenly emerged, breaking the loud silence of your broken sobs. It was from Seonghwa.

Are you free later in the afternoon?

4PM, specifically.

Quickly wiping your tears, you typed out a reply, telling him that you were indeed free. His response was swift.

Alright, meet me at the park by then. I have something important to tell you.

Your heart dropped even more, worrying that maybe it was some sort of terrible news. But you just told him you’d make sure to be there on time.

Standing up, you wiped the remaining tears using the sleeve of your sweater. You put the record back on to distract yourself from your thoughts, humming to the melody once more as a way of pretending that things were as normal as they could be, as if the phone call with your mother hadn’t occurred at all. The familiar tune of “La Vie En Rose” filled the room, providing a temporary distraction to your troubled mind as you went back to preparing your breakfast.

Hours later, you found yourself walking around the park, searching for Seonghwa. Just as you took your phone out to ask where he was, you received a cryptic text message from him.

I see you.

This made you raise an eyebrow in amusement and maybe a little fear. You remembered how a few of your work colleagues from Arcadia Bay used to do this to you all the time when they invited you to hang out. Maybe not all memories from your hometown were horrible, after all.

After looking around once more, you spotted him sitting on a bench on the other side of the park, holding two cups of coffee in one hand while the other waved to you, a smile on his face. You hurriedly made your way over and greeted him, taking the offered cup of coffee and thanking him. “Thank you for this, Seonghwa,” you said, sitting down beside him. The warmth of the coffee seeped through the cup, comforting you slightly.

“Don’t mention it,” he replied, his smile lingering but a hint of seriousness in his eyes.

Curiosity gnawed at you, and you finally asked, “So, why did you ask me to come here so suddenly?” There was a slight shift in his demeanor as he turned a little more serious. This always seemed to happen whenever he needed to talk about work matters. Noticing this, you straightened up in your seat, bracing yourself for what was about to come.

Seonghwa took a deep breath, setting his coffee down on the bench. “I wanted to talk to you about the agency, the callback, and the process of choosing which aspiring models deserve the spot they’re aiming for. It’s a rigorous process, as you know. The panel looks at various factors: potential, adaptability, and how well a person can embody the vision we have for our projects.”

You nodded, your hands clutching your coffee cup tighter. “Yes, I understand,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady, as if you weren’t nearly losing your mind.

He continued, “The decision isn’t just about how you look in the photographs or how you perform in front of the camera. It’s about your story, your passion, and your determination. It’s about how well you can represent the brand and connect with the audience.”

You felt your heart pounding in your chest, each beat echoing louder in your ears. “So… did I… did I make it?” you asked, almost whispering.

Seonghwa paused for a moment, letting the tension build. Then, a smile broke out on his face. “Yes,” he said, his voice filled with warmth and pride. “You got in. You got the job.”

Your mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Relief, disbelief, and overwhelming joy mingled together, making you feel lightheaded. “I… What? I can’t believe it,” you stammered, tears welling up in your eyes again, but this time, joy was the cause behind it.

Seonghwa reached out and gently squeezed your hand. “Believe it,” he said softly. “You’ve worked so hard for this, and it’s finally paying off. We all saw something special in you.”

You took a deep breath, trying to steady your voice. “Thank you, Seonghwa. Thank you for believing in me… for seeing something in me. I won’t let you down.”

He nodded, his eyes full of sincerity. “I know you won’t. This is just the beginning for you. There’s so much more ahead, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve.”

The realization began to sink in, and you couldn't help but let out a small laugh, the sound of disbelief and happiness mixing together. “This feels like a dream,” you confessed, wiping away the tears that kept streaming down your face. “Just hours ago, I was breaking down, thinking about how I might never get this opportunity. And now… now, I have it.”

Seonghwa smiled warmly, his expression softening. “I understand. It's a lot to take in. But you deserve this. You’ve shown so much potential and passion. We all believe in you, and I’m so happy to have you on board.”

You let out a shaky breath, feeling a wave of relief engulf you in a warm embrace, much like the setting sun. “I don’t even know how to express how grateful I am,” you said, your voice trembling with emotion. “This means everything to me. I promise I’ll give it my all, every single day.”

Seonghwa’s smile widened, his eyes twinkling with pride. “I have no doubt about that. You’re going to do amazing things. This is just the start of a wonderful journey.”

You felt a rush of gratitude, your heart swelling with warmth. “I can’t thank you enough, Seonghwa. For everything. For believing in me, for giving me this chance. It feels like a dream come true.”

Seonghwa chuckled softly. “Well, consider it a reality now. You know,” he said thoughtfully, “I think this is just the beginning of something truly amazing for you. You’ve got the talent, the drive, and the heart. That’s a powerful combination.”

You smiled, feeling a newfound sense of confidence. “Thank you, Seonghwa. Your words mean a lot to me. I'm going to work hard and make you proud.”

“I have no doubt about that,” he replied warmly. “And don't forget to enjoy the journey. It's going to be hectic, but it’s an incredible ride all the same.”

With a final, heartfelt thank you, you both stood up from the bench. Seonghwa gave you a reassuring pat on the back. “How about we go on a walk? You know, a small way to celebrate this moment,” he said with a grin. “You deserve it.”

You laughed, feeling lighter than you had in weeks. “I think I could use a little celebration,” you admitted.

As you both continued to walk around the park, sipping on your half-empty coffee cups, Seonghwa began to delve into the upcoming autumn fashion week. “So, autumn fashion week is a massive event for us,” he started, excitement evident in his voice. “It’s where we’ll be showcasing all the new collections for the season. Hongjoong has been working tirelessly on this for months.”

You listened intently, eager to hear every detail. Seonghwa continued, “The theme this year is ‘Enchantment of Dreams.’ Hongjoong wanted to capture the delicate beauty of autumn, but with a twist. Think of flowing fabrics, soft, muted colors, and a mix of natural elements with a bit of fantasy. It’s all about creating a dreamy, almost otherworldly atmosphere.”

He paused to let the theme sink in before moving on. “The types of designs we’re aiming for include long, flowing gowns made from light, airy fabrics like chiffon and silk. There are also more structured pieces that incorporate natural textures like leaves and flowers. Some of the designs even have intricate beadwork and embroidery that give them a mystical feel. Like they’re made for forest fairies, you know.”

You could picture the collection in your mind, a blend of nature and fantasy coming to life on the runway. “That sounds so beautiful,” you whispered, nearly to yourself, genuinely impressed.

Seonghwa smiled, clearly pleased with your reaction. “It really is. Hongjoong has such a clear vision for what he wants to present. He’s been sketching and refining these designs for months. Each piece is a work of art.”

Curiosity got the better of you, and you asked, “How’s the process going so far?”

Seonghwa let out a sigh. “Well, aside from successfully recruiting models that are suitable for the event’s theme, we’re stuck in a bit of a predicament.”

You furrowed your brows in confusion. “What kind of predicament, exactly?”

Seonghwa’s expression turned more serious. “All of Hongjoong’s designs for fashion week were in his sketchbook, but the thing is, it’s missing. He still hasn’t found it.”

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks. Not only did the sketchbook belong to Hongjoong, but now you were also finding out that all his designs for autumn fashion week were drafted in there? Your steps faltered, and you nearly stopped in your tracks, eyes wide with shock.

I have to return it to him. No, I definitely need to return it to him. I can’t let myself be further consumed by my fears when the consequences waiting ahead are far worse than losing my job. Keeping something of such immense value is not an option. There will be a huge price to pay, but it’s nothing compared to the damage that could be done if Hongjoong doesn’t get his sketchbook back in time for fashion week.

Seonghwa noticed your sudden silence and the far-off look in your eyes. “Are you alright?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.

You snapped back to reality, giving him a reassuring nod. “Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts for a moment.”

Seonghwa seemed to accept your explanation and didn’t pry any further. “It’s understandable. There’s a lot to process,” he said kindly.

Trying to steer the conversation back, you asked, “How is Hongjoong holding up with the sketchbook missing? He must be really stressed.”

Seonghwa sighed again. “He’s definitely not in the best place right now. Losing that sketchbook was a huge blow. He’s been frantically trying to recreate the designs from memory, but it’s not the same. That sketchbook held his original inspirations and ideas.”

You could only imagine the pressure Hongjoong must be under. “That sounds incredibly tough. I hope he finds it soon.” I hope I can return it to him soon.

Seonghwa nodded. “We all do. Everyone’s been looking for it, hoping it will turn up before it's too late.”

As the conversation continued, you felt a growing sense of urgency. You knew what you had to do. Returning the sketchbook wasn’t just about doing the right thing—it was about helping someone in a desperate situation. The weight of that responsibility was heavy, but it also gave you a sense of clarity and purpose. You walked with Seonghwa a bit longer, discussing lighter topics and enjoying each other’s company. But in the back of your mind, the decision was made. You had to find a way to return the sketchbook to Hongjoong before it’s too late.

—

The Fashion Week was still quite a long road away, but Seonghwa insisted you should get your first exposure to the fashion world in advance. This way, you’d gain valuable experience and not feel too pressured by the time fashion week arrived. Today, you were set to do a photoshoot featuring Hongjoong’s recent collection released earlier this year. The collection’s theme was ‘The Beauty of Time,’ a blend of vintage charm and modern sophistication. It featured outfits with intricate lace details, flowing silk skirts, and structured blazers in rich jewel tones. The setting was an old Parisian mansion, with grand staircases and opulent chandeliers, perfectly matching the collection’s vibe.

You also had a mission to return the sketchbook to Hongjoong today—before your fear could fully consume you and let the day pass by as a heavy failure. You just had to find a way.

Now, you were at the photoshoot venue, being prepped by one of the stylists. She seemed a few years older than you, with a kind demeanor that put you at ease. As she worked on your hair and makeup, you two indulged in small talk. “Have you ever done something like this before?” she asked, her eyes reflecting genuine curiosity.

You softly shook your head. “No, this is an entirely foreign world to me.”

She seemed genuinely shocked. “Really? That’s hard to believe because you have the perfect features for a model. We’re lucky Seonghwa found you before any other agency did. Are you from around here?”

You smiled at her compliment, feeling a bit more at ease. “Thank you. And, no, I’m actually from a small town, not from Paris.”

“Ah, that explains it,” she said with a knowing nod. “Small towns tend to have restricted opportunities. Perhaps that’s why your well-deserved exposure is long overdue.” You nodded in agreement, appreciating her understanding. It was true, in a way. If Arcadia Bay wasn’t as small as it was, you probably never would’ve considered flying to Paris. Unfortunately, reality has a twisted knack for imposing challenges even when you’re not up for it.

After she finished styling you, she complimented your look and wished you luck. Just as she left the room, Seonghwa walked in, his eyes lighting up when he saw you. “Wow, you look elegant.”

You smiled, feeling a blush creep up your cheeks. You weren’t used to receiving compliments, much more being called elegant. “Thank you. The stylist was really nice.”

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Really? She isn’t usually talkative around models. She must’ve taken a liking to you.”

You chuckled softly, feeling a bit more confident. “Well, I’m glad. She made me feel comfortable.”

Seonghwa smiled, clearly pleased. “Good to hear. Now, let’s get you to the photoshoot.” You nodded, taking a deep breath as you followed him. You wore a stunning outfit from Hongjoong’s collection: a flowing, floor-length silk dress in a rich sapphire blue, with eye-catching lace details along the neckline and sleeves. The dress had a vintage yet modern feel, and it felt perfect for the theme.

The photoshoot began in earnest, with Wooyoung directing each shot. “Alright, let’s start with some classic poses by the grand staircase. Think regal, timeless elegance.”

You positioned yourself as instructed, feeling the weight of the dress and the grandeur of the setting. Each click of the camera seemed to bring a new wave of confidence.

“Beautiful,” Wooyoung praised, adjusting the lighting. “Now, let’s move to the balcony. I want you to look out as if you’re lost in thought, dreaming of something wonderful. Kinda like if you were Cinderella daydreaming about her Prince Charming.”

The example he set was… unexpected, to say the least, but much to your surprise, it actually did its wonders and helped you immerse yourself in the theme. You followed his guidance, leaning slightly against the ornate railing and gazing out over the mansion’s lush gardens. The soft afternoon light cast a golden glow over everything, enhancing the ethereal quality of the shoot.

Hours passed as you moved from one location to another within the mansion, each scene more breathtaking than the last. You posed by antique mirrors, draped yourself elegantly on velvet sofas, and even walked through a hallway lined with vintage portraits.

Finally, the photoshoot came to an end. Wooyoung clapped his hands together, beaming. “That’s a wrap! You did an amazing job.”

You smiled, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. “Thank you. It was a wonderful experience.”

Seonghwa approached you, looking pleased. “You were fantastic. I’m really proud of you.” Just as you were about to respond, you saw Hongjoong entering the venue. Panic surged through you, and you quickly turned away, leaving behind a confused Seonghwa and heading straight for Wooyoung, who was busy checking his shots.

“Sorry to bother you, but is there a restroom around here?” you asked, trying to keep your voice calm.

He looked up in surprise, eventually nodding as he pointed towards a hallway. “Yep. Just down there, to the left.”

You quickly made your way towards the restroom, heart pounding. Once inside, you leaned your back against the wall, a hand on your chest as you sighed in relief. You didn’t know why you were so scared of crossing paths with Hongjoong. Maybe it was the guilt of not immediately returning his sketchbook to him the moment he introduced himself to you. Perhaps it was simply because you’ve always been a coward, just like when you were young.

Taking a moment to steady yourself, you walked towards the mirror to fix your appearance and wash your hands. Just as your hand held the doorknob to leave, you overheard two familiar voices coming from a corner nearby—Hongjoong and Seonghwa. You paused, listening intently.

Hongjoong let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temples. “While I’m glad things seem to be turning out well for her, I still can’t shake off the thought of permanently losing my sketchbook. We already have the perfect model for the collection, but this predicament outweighs the greener side of the grass.”

Seonghwa tried to reassure him. “Maybe it’ll come by when you least expect it.” But even he sounded doubtful. Comforting Hongjoong through blatant lies was just as bad as adding fuel to the fire. Their voices grew more inaudible with each second until you could no longer hear them. Maybe they went back to the venue’s main hall.

You bit the inside of your cheek, making a mental note to ask Seonghwa for Hongjoong’s number before it was time to head back home. You couldn’t keep something with such a huge value in your hands much longer.

Once you were sure the coast was clear, you emerged from the restroom, walking back to the main hall while nervously fiddling with your fingers. You spotted Seonghwa sitting by the staircase next to Wooyoung, and as soon as he saw you, his face lit up.

He walked towards you with a welcoming smile. “Why’d you run off so suddenly earlier?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

You waved him off, hoping he wouldn’t pry further. “I just needed to go to the restroom,” you said, keeping your tone as casual as possible. Fortunately, he didn’t push for more details.

“Well, Hongjoong stopped by for a bit and left just a few seconds before you got back,” Seonghwa informed you, his eyes scanning your face for a reaction.

You tried to act as if you weren’t already aware—as if Hongjoong wasn’t literally the reason you ran towards the restroom. You forced a nod, your expression neutral. “Oh? Did he say why he was here?”

Seonghwa shrugged. “He was actually looking for you, but something urgent came up, so he had to leave early.”

Thank God for that, you thought, your relief barely concealed. You nodded again, a desperate attempt to act casual, subtly biting the inside of your cheek. “Did he mention why he was looking for me?”

Seonghwa shook his head. “He didn’t get a chance to tell me. But don’t worry, he’ll most likely elaborate further once he’s done with whatever urgent business he’s handling.”

You let out a small sigh of relief, though your mind was still racing. At least you had a chance to return the sketchbook before the day was over. But what if that’s exactly why he was looking for you? No, no, that couldn’t be the case. You had to quit stressing yourself out.

Suddenly, you remembered your mental note to ask for Hongjoong’s number. You glanced at Seonghwa, trying to keep your voice steady. “Seonghwa, could I get Hongjoong’s number? I might need to discuss something with him... you know, business matters.”

Seonghwa smiled, not seeming to be suspicious. “Oh, sure thing. Give me a moment.” He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts before finding Hongjoong’s number and sharing it with you.

“Thank you,” you said, grateful that he didn’t ask further questions. Being a model on the fresh start of her journey needing to message the creative director of the brand she’s under was perfectly plausible.

With Hongjoong’s number saved in your phone, you felt a mixture of anxiety and determination. You couldn’t let this opportunity slip away, but you also couldn’t let fear control your actions. Now, you just need to find the right moment to return the sketchbook and hopefully clear the air.

Hours had passed, and the photoshoot concluded perfectly. Before you left the venue, Wooyoung approached you with a smile. “I might take about a short while to edit the shots I’ve taken. I’ll make sure you’re the first to see them, just in case there are a few photos you wouldn’t like to be published,” he said, catching you by surprise.

You nodded, genuinely touched. “Thank you, Wooyoung. I appreciate that.”

He grinned, his eyes turning into small crescents. “No problem. It’s important that you’re comfortable with everything.”

As you left, you reflected on how considerate everyone had been. It shattered your preconceived notions about the fashion industry. Prejudices can indeed be harmful, you mused.

Now, you found yourself at the park once more, nervously shaking your legs as the tips of your fingers hovered over the letters on your phone’s keyboard. You deeply contemplated what message to send Hongjoong. Every possible phrase ran through your mind, each one feeling inadequate or too forward. How were you going to construct a message asking him to come to the park because you had something important to talk about?

After what felt like an eternity, you finally settled on a message you deemed sufficient:

Hi, Hongjoong. Sorry for the late notice, but I was hoping we could meet at the park for a moment. There’s something important I need to discuss with you. Let me know if you’re available. Thank you.

For a moment, you could only stare at the send button, which seemed to glare back at you with an almost mocking intensity. Letting out a sigh, you closed your eyes shut the exact moment you hit the button, trying so hard to keep yourself calm. Okay, maybe you were being quite dramatic right now, but you’ve always had a thing for being an overthinker—so what’s the surprise now?

It took a couple of minutes until your phone buzzed with Hongjoong’s response.

I’ll be on my way in a bit.

You sent a quick message back, ensuring he knew you’d be patiently waiting. Then, deciding to avoid making yourself more nervous, you turned off your phone. Your eyes drifted to the sketchbook inside your bag, a contemplative gaze settling on your face.

Your mind began to spiral into a torrent of overthinking. What if this doesn’t go the way you’re hoping it will? What if this makes things awkward between you two? The sketchbook held his designs for Autumn Fashion Week. Losing it must have caused him immense stress. Would he even be able to trust you again after this? What if the consequences were more severe than you anticipated? Each scenario played out in vivid detail, heightening your anxiety with every passing second. Most of all, you worried about Hongjoong’s reaction. Would he be disappointed? Understanding? Furious?

As you sat there, these thoughts swirling uncontrollably, you began to realize just how significant this moment was. The weight of the sketchbook in your bag felt heavier with each passing minute, a tangible reminder of the impact your actions could have.

Just as your thoughts were about to spiral deeper into a vortex of anxiety, a familiar voice softly called your name from behind. You turned around sharply, your heart nearly leaping out of your chest. There stood Hongjoong, his expression warm and slightly curious.

You immediately stood up from the bench, awkwardly fumbling with your hands, struggling to find the right way to greet him. At that moment, you realized how foolish your plan was. Here was the creative director of the brand you were now modeling for, and you had asked him to meet you at a local park? The idea seemed incredibly disrespectful in hindsight, and you cringed inwardly at your own lack of foresight.

Hongjoong seemed to notice the shift in your demeanor. His eyes softened, and as if he could read your mind, he laughed gently, attempting to put you at ease. “It’s all good,” he reassured you, his tone kind and understanding.

“I’m so sorry for asking you to come here at such an unexpected hour,” you apologized, your voice tinged with genuine regret and bashfulness. Truthfully, all you could wish for right now was for a lightning to magically strike exactly where you were currently standing. It would hurt less than having to endure the embarrassment you were currently facing.

“It’s alright, really,” he said, waving off your concern with a nonchalant gesture. “How about we take a seat, and you can tell me what you called me here for?”

You nodded, your heart still pounding in your chest. You sat back down on the bench, scooting to the side to give him ample space. Taking a deep breath, you tried to steady your nerves, your fingers trembling slightly as you clasped them together.

“So,” Hongjoong began, his eyes never leaving your face, “what’s on your mind?”

You opened your mouth to speak, but your words came out in a jumbled mess. “Well, you see, it’s just... I mean, I wanted to... there’s something important I...”

Hongjoong listened intently, his expression patient but slightly puzzled. He waited for you to continue, giving you the space you needed to gather your thoughts. He could tell you were avoiding the main topic, and his curiosity was piqued. After a moment of watching you struggle, he gently cut in, his voice soft and encouraging. “It’s okay. Just cut to the chase.”

You pursed your lips, feeling the anxiety tighten like a vice around your chest. With a shaky hand, you reached into your bag and pulled out the sketchbook, shoving it into his arms. Immediately, you stood up, your first instinct to run away. But Hongjoong quickly stood up too, catching your wrist in a gentle but firm grip and turning you back towards him.

The look in his eyes was unreadable, a mix of curiosity and something else you couldn’t quite place. Under his steady gaze, you felt a wave of shame and guilt wash over you. You began to ramble, the words spilling out uncontrollably.

“Look, I’m so, so sorry—I really didn’t want to keep it for so long, I just couldn’t find a way to return it to you because I was so scared my career would be jeopardized before it even started. I was afraid you’d be upset, and that’s completely valid because if I were you, I would be chasing myself around with a knife right now, and...”

Hongjoong let go of your wrist and laughed, a sound so unexpected that it made you fall silent. The tears that had been threatening to fall halted themselves, leaving you feeling both confused and relieved.

You looked at him with a puzzled expression. “... Why are you laughing?”

He smiled, still chuckling softly. “Upset? Not once was I ever upset the day I found out you had my sketchbook because I knew it was in good hands.”

This statement only deepened your confusion. “Huh? Sorry, what do you mean by that?”

He shifted lightly. “Do you remember the first casting audition you attended?” he asked, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. You nodded wordlessly, your mind racing to recall the details. “I knew my sketchbook was in your hands the moment I saw what you were wearing,” he explained, his tone matter-of-fact.

Then it hit you. The dress you had worn that day was inspired by one of his designs, a subtle homage to his work. “Is… is that why you approached me in the waiting room that day?” you asked, realization dawning on you.

“Yes, but I also wanted to see how you would react to me introducing myself,” he admitted, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I had a hunch you had no idea I was the owner of the sketchbook.”

You felt dumbfounded, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. “You knew all along? Why didn’t you confront me about it?”

He shrugged comfortably, his demeanor relaxed. “I knew I could trust you to return it eventually.” He looked down at the sketchbook now back in his hands, his expression one of satisfaction. “And I guess I was right, after all.”

“So… what’s going to happen to me now?” you asked, your voice small and uncertain, the weight of your fears hanging heavy right above your head, the rope holding it up a second close to snapping.

“What do you mean?” he replied, his brow furrowing slightly in confusion.

“Aren’t I going to get in trouble? It’s what I deserve, you know. Seonghwa told me about how much stress you’ve been having to endure because of your missing sketchbook.”

He waved you off, shaking his head with a reassuring smile. “You only would’ve gotten in trouble if you had chosen to leak my designs or didn’t come forward like you did now.”

There was a short pause as he reached into his shoulder bag. When you saw a tiny peek of what it was, your eyes immediately widened.

“So, now that that’s out of the way, I’m guessing this is yours, then?” he said, raising the object high enough for you to see.

Your journal.

You could only look at it in complete, utter shock, your eyes wide with surprise. He had your journal all along, too? But how come he had it with him now, at this very specific moment? Did he already know beforehand that you were the owner of it, too?

“How did you... how’d you know that belongs to me?” you asked, still dumbfoundedly staring at it as it remained in his hands.

He shrugged with a knowing smile. “Call it a hunch.”

You took it from his grasp, flipping through the pages just to make sure it was actually your journal. It was. “No, seriously, how did you know...?”

He paused, then admitted, “Well, may have read a single page. What I read was an entry about wanting to move to a new country to restart your life and turn over a new leaf. I remembered that the moment you told your story about your past to the casting directors during the auditions, and that’s when I put two and two together. I was just waiting for the right time to return it to you.”

“The right time as in the time I’d finally decide to return your sketchbook?”

“Precisely,” he responded, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“So you knew my intention behind asking you to meet up tonight?” you asked, a mix of amazement and embarrassment flooding through you.

“I did. Call it a hunch—for real this time.”

You looked up at him, trying to process everything. “So... where do we go from here?”

He tilted his head slightly, a curious expression on his face. “What do you mean by that?”

You fiddled with the hem of the sweater you were wearing, not really sure how this night was meant to be concluded—another thing you forgot to consider, thanks to your constant overthinking. “You have your sketchbook, and I have my journal... I suppose we should call this a day, then?”

He chuckled softly. “You’re still tense, aren’t you?”

You sighed, feeling the tension in your shoulders that you had been trying to ignore. “I can’t help it.”

Hongjoong tried to lighten the mood with a playful tone. “You better be, because who knows if I might switch up on you last minute or not.”

But his attempt at humor backfired. You immediately began to worry, your words coming out in a frantic scurry. “Please don’t! I mean, I really didn’t mean to keep it for so long. I was just scared, and...”

“No, no, I didn’t mean that,” he quickly interjected, his smile turning sheepish. “That was probably not a good joke... Sorry about that.” Hongjoong then spoke up again, his tone more sincere. “Let’s see… Why don’t we stop by the cafe where this all started? Just to get your mind off your persisting worries?”

You hesitated, trying to turn his offer down. “Oh, I don’t want to take up more of your time than I already did. You’re probably busy...”

He shook his head, his expression earnest. “That’s not the case at all. I don’t mind. Really, I insist.” Seeing the genuine look in his eyes, you finally nodded, a small smile forming on your lips as you caved in.

As you both started walking, you felt some of the tension begin to ease. The sketchbook and journal were back with their rightful owners, and despite the initial awkwardness, the evening was starting to take a more positive turn. The park was quiet, the air filled with the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hum of city life, creating a calming backdrop for your walk to the cafe.

Hongjoong led the way, his steps confident yet relaxed. “You know,” he began, glancing at you, “I’ve always believed that the right things find their way back to you at the right time. Looks like today was one of those days.”

You nodded, reflecting on his words. “Yeah, I suppose it was.”

You and Hongjoong eventually approached the cafe, the warm, inviting light spilling out onto the street through the large windows. The bell above the door chimed softly as you entered, and a comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods filled the air. The interior was cozy, with a few patrons scattered around, each immersed in their own little worlds. You both walked up to the counter, where a cheerful barista greeted you with a welcoming smile.

Hongjoong glanced at you, gesturing for you to go first. “What would you like?”

You scanned the menu briefly before deciding. “I’ll have a caramel macchiato, please.”

The barista nodded and turned to Hongjoong. “And for you, sir?”

“I’ll take an Americano,” he replied with a friendly nod.

As the barista prepared your drinks, you and Hongjoong made small talk, the earlier tension steadily dissolving into a more relaxed and natural conversation. Once your drinks were ready, you carried them over to a small table by the window, where the soft evening light created a serene atmosphere.

Settling into your seats, Hongjoong took a sip of his coffee before turning his attention to you. “So, about that dress you wore at the audition. How did you make it? Because, as my memory serves me, it was a hundred percent identical to the design I made.”

You smiled, reminiscing about the creation process. “The landlord of the apartment I’m currently staying in helped me with making it. It was her way of thanking me for helping her with grocery shopping one day. She’s really talented with a sewing machine.”

Hongjoong’s eyes softened, and a warm smile spread across his face. “That’s really heartwarming. It’s wonderful how small acts of kindness can lead to such beautiful collaborations. It’s like the universe has a way of bringing the right people together at the right time.”

Touched by his words, you nodded. “The design itself was really beautiful and eye-catching. What was the inspiration behind it?”

Hongjoong’s expression shifted to a more somber tone as he gazed out the window, his fingers tracing the rim of his coffee cup. “They’re inspired by the dreams I have failed to reach.”

Intrigued by the depth of his statement, you leaned forward slightly. “Sorry, could you elaborate on that?”

He paused, as if carefully choosing his words, before responding with a poetic yet cryptic tone. “Sometimes, the dreams we chase slip through our fingers like grains of sand, leaving behind a haunting echo of what could have been. But in that echo, there’s still beauty, still inspiration.”

His words hung in the air, carrying a weight that spoke volumes. You could sense there was more to his story than he was letting on. “Is this dream of yours still up there, or has it already dissipated?”

Hongjoong sighed, a touch of uncertainty in his eyes. “To be honest, I don’t know. All I know is that I don’t want it to be the latter.”

Sensing the mood deflating, you decided to steer the conversation towards lighter waters. “Tell me about Seonghwa and Wooyoung. Have you known them for a long time? The three of you seem really close.”

A smile tugged at Hongjoong’s lips, and he nodded appreciatively. “Yes, we’ve known each other since our youth. Seonghwa and I go way back. As for Wooyoung, we met him in college. He’s a year behind us, but it didn’t take long for us to become close friends.”

“How did the three of you meet?” you asked, genuinely curious.

Hongjoong’s eyes sparkled with fond memories. “Seonghwa and I have known each other since we were kids. We grew up in the same neighborhood and went to the same schools. Wooyoung, on the other hand, we met him during his first year of college when we were in our second. He was this energetic, passionate guy who always had a camera in his hand. We quickly became friends, and our bond just grew stronger over time.”

He continued, his voice warm with nostalgia. “Wooyoung had this knack for capturing moments, and he saw the world in a way that inspired us both. Seonghwa and I were drawn to his creativity, and he brought out the best in us. The three of us complemented each other perfectly, both in our personal lives and in our professional endeavors.”

Hongjoong turned the conversation towards you, his curiosity piqued. “What about you? Do you have any friends that you cherish as much as I do with Wooyoung and Seonghwa?”

You paused to think about it. The figures that appeared in your mind were the daughter of the diner owner you used to work for and another person whose friendship you were unsure about.

Clearing your throat, you snapped out of your thoughts and looked up, meeting Hongjoong’s gaze with your own. “Yes, I do. She’s from Arcadia Bay, my hometown. Her name is Chloe—she’s someone I met through her mother, who owned the diner I used to work at before I got fired for always gobbling up both the leftovers and incorrect orders.”

Hongjoong’s laugh broke the story, and he immediately apologized, but you smiled, shaking your head. “It’s okay. I have to admit, it was a ridiculous way to get fired.” You continued, recounting your friendship with Chloe.

“She’s really cool. A bit of a bad influence, but she was one of the few reasons why I still consider my life in Arcadia Bay worth remembering. She was like those typical angsty teens you’d see in movies—the whole starter pack, even. You know, dyed hair, tattoos, alternative clothing style, sneaking into concerts of rock bands. She had every right to be like that, though. During my shift hours, she’d always keep me company by entertaining me with life stories she definitely shouldn’t have been going through at her age back then. We were sixteen, but that’s usually the rebellious time period for teenagers, so I guess it checks out.”

Hongjoong listened intently to every word, his focus never wavering. You could tell he was genuinely interested in what you were sharing. His attention made you feel valued, as if your stories were as important to him as his own.

“Sounds like your typical high school friendship,” he mused with a smile. “Can’t say it wasn’t the same case for me and Seonghwa, honestly.”

“Hold on, you had a rebellious teen phase?” you asked, leaning forward, genuinely curious.

Hongjoong’s expression grew more animated as he recalled his rebellious past, his eyes twinkling with a mix of mischief and nostalgia. “Oh, you have no idea. Seonghwa and I were quite the troublemakers back then. We were involved in some pretty intense stuff—definitely not your average teenage rebellion, but I’m not too proud of that fact.”

You leaned in, intrigued by the shift in his demeanor. “Like what?” You had to admit, finding out that the man who always seemed to be so poised used to be a reckless teenager was jarring.

He chuckled, a hint of daring in his voice. “Well, for starters, we were heavily into the underground party scene. I’m talking about secret raves in abandoned warehouses and hidden clubs where the music was so loud, you could barely hear yourself think. The kind of places where the lights were always dim, and you had to know someone to get in.”

You listened intently, picturing the vibrant, chaotic scenes he described. “That sounds wild.” It was the type of life you’ll never be able to picture yourself experiencing—the very first proof of this being always turning down Chloe’s invites to parties taking place in a shady venue. It seemed fun, that’s for sure, but you just weren’t really built for it.

“Oh, it was,” Hongjoong agreed, his smile widening. “We were also really into street racing. Seonghwa had this old, souped-up car that he’d been working on for months. We’d drive it through the city streets, racing against anyone who dared to challenge us. Sometimes, we’d even have to make a quick getaway when the police showed up.”

His words painted a vivid picture of adrenaline-fueled nights and high-stakes races. “The police? That must have been thrilling.”

“It was,” he said, his gaze distant as if replaying the scenes in his mind. “And then there were the run-ins with the law. We were caught a few times, of course. Nothing too serious, but we had our share of close calls. There was this one time we were cornered by the cops after a particularly wild race, and we had to evade them through the back alleys of the city. It was like something out of a movie.”

Your eyes widened, impressed by the intensity of his teenage years. “Didn’t that ever scare you?”

He shrugged, a nonchalant smile on his face. “Not really. At the time, it felt like living on the edge was the only way to really feel alive. It was exhilarating, but we always managed to stay one step ahead. Those experiences made us who we are today, and while I don’t miss the chaos, I look back on it with a certain fondness.”

“You seem so different now,” you observed, noting the contrast between his past and present demeanor.

“Yeah,” Hongjoong agreed, his smile softening. “I guess I’ve changed quite a bit. Those days taught me a lot, but I also realized that I needed to channel that energy into something more constructive. That’s how I ended up finding my path in fashion designing. It was like a transformation from chaos to creativity. I still have a taste for adventure, but I prefer it now in the form of pushing boundaries in design rather than… dodging the cops.”

You laughed, though it was soon followed by an understanding nod, taking in the depth of his transformation. “It sounds like those years shaped you a lot. What was Seonghwa like during all this?”

Hongjoong’s eyes lit up as he spoke about his friend. “Seonghwa was my partner in crime, quite literally. He was just as reckless and adventurous as I was. We were inseparable back then. He had a natural knack for getting us into the thick of things—whether it was by pushing our luck with illegal street races or sneaking into the most exclusive underground parties.”

You could sense the warmth in Hongjoong’s tone as he spoke of Seonghwa. “And did he ever get tired of all the chaos?”

“No,” Hongjoong laughed, shaking his head. “If anything, he thrived on it. We both did. But as we grew older, we started to see the value in channeling that rebellious spirit into something more sustainable. We realized that we could use our drive and creativity in more productive ways.”

He paused for a moment, his gaze reflecting a mixture of nostalgia and contentment. “It’s funny, really. What once was all about defying norms and breaking rules became a passion for creating something new and innovative. I think it’s one of the reasons why Seonghwa and I get along so well. We understand each other’s journey from foolish teens to responsible adults.”

“Do you ever miss those days?” you asked, curious if he ever longed for the simpler times.

Hongjoong’s expression softened. “Sometimes. Life was simpler back then. No major responsibilities, just living in the moment. But I also appreciate where I am now. Those experiences shaped who I am today, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”

You nodded in agreement, understanding his sentiment. “It’s amazing how those memories stay with us and influence who we become.”

He smiled warmly at you. “Right. And it’s the people we meet along the way that make those memories special. Like Chloe for you.”

“Yeah,” you said softly, thinking about your old friend. “Chloe was definitely one of those people. She made my time in Arcadia Bay memorable, despite everything.”

Hongjoong’s eyes held a hint of admiration as he looked at you. “It sounds like you had a real connection with her. Those kinds of friendships are rare and valuable.”

“They are,” you agreed, feeling a sense of nostalgia. “I’m grateful for those times, even if they’re in the past now.”

You leaned back in your chair, taking a moment to gather your thoughts before speaking. “You know, it feels a little weird sharing these stories with you. Not that it makes me uncomfortable, it’s just… I quite literally work under you. I can’t help but feel worried that I’m crossing a boundary by talking about these things.”

Hongjoong’s expression softened as he leaned forward, his eyes meeting yours. “I understand why you might feel that way, but you’re not crossing any boundaries. Outside of work and the industry, I’m not a creative director. I’m just a normal human, just like you. So, it’s alright to talk to me about these things.”

You smiled, feeling a bit more reassured. “It might take a while for me to get used to talking to you comfortably without feeling guilty right after, though.” You sheepishly rubbed the back of your neck.

He nodded, his smile understanding. “That’s completely understandable. Take your time.”

The conversation shifted to lighter topics, and minutes later, you both decided to call it a night. Hongjoong stood up, lending his hand to help you out of your seat.

“Let me take you home,” he offered. While your initial thought was to turn him down, you knew deep inside you had a huge fear of walking alone late at night, so all you could do was accept his offer with a wordless nod of gratitude.

As you walked together towards your apartment, Hongjoong began to indulge you in small talk. “So, tell me more about your landlord.”

You smiled, thinking of Madame Dupont. “She’s always been very kind to me ever since I first moved in. She’s a lovely woman. She has a beautiful garden at the apartment, and back when I was still on my job hunt, I’d see her early in the morning, watering her plants and flowers. I think it’s a nice hobby to have.”

Hongjoong nodded, appreciating the sentiment. “Gardening does sound like a peaceful hobby. Have you ever thought about making your own garden?”

“I actually have, quite a few times already. But I can barely even take care of myself, so taking care of something else—a whole bunch of them at that—doesn’t really seem like a good idea on my behalf,” you joked, and both of you shared a laugh.

The laughter faded, and you shifted the conversation. “What about you? Do you have a dream hobby you wish to indulge in one day?”

Hongjoong’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ve actually been wanting to learn how to play the guitar—an electric one specifically. But I’m just currently too busy with my work to sneak in a hobby.”

You decided to test the waters with a light-hearted joke. “That hobby is long overdue. You should’ve thought of it back when you were in your angsty teen phase.” Was that alright to say? Was it too far?

Much to your relief, Hongjoong laughed heartily. “You’re right. It would’ve fit perfectly with who I was back then.”

When you both finally reached your apartment building, you let out a small hum of surprise as a familiar figure darted towards you—a mischievous little feline known all too well to you.

“Pompidou?” you called out softly, crouching down as the cat stopped right in front of you, looking up with wide, curious eyes. You bent your knees, scooping it up into your arms with a gentle smile, feeling the comforting weight and warmth of the small creature.

Hongjoong watched this interaction with a fond smile, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and amusement. “Is that your cat?” he asked, stepping a little closer to get a better look.

You shook your head, still smiling as you stroked Pompidou’s soft fur. “No, he belongs to a fellow tenant. Pompidou just prefers to stay outdoors more. He’s quite the adventurous little guy.”

Intrigued, Hongjoong reached out to rub the cat’s head. “Be careful, he might—” You started to warn him about Pompidou’s unpredictable nature, but to your surprise, the cat began nuzzling its head against Hongjoong’s palm, purring contentedly.

You couldn’t help but smile at the sight, glancing up at Hongjoong. The proximity between your faces made your heart skip a beat, and you quickly looked back down at Pompidou, feeling a bit flustered. Clearing your throat to regain composure, you said, “It likes you.”

Hongjoong continued to rub Pompidou’s head, his touch gentle and kind. “Does it usually not accept physical touch from people who aren’t its owner?” he asked, looking genuinely curious.

You nodded. “You’re right. Sometimes, Pompidou doesn’t even like being touched by its owner. Poor Monsieur Frank always has to chase him around. It’s quite a sight.”

This made Hongjoong chuckle, a warm sound that resonated in the quiet evening. “But it likes you?”

You shrugged, still a bit puzzled by the cat’s behavior. “I honestly have no idea why that’s the case. Maybe he senses something.”

Hongjoong’s eyes softened as he watched the cat nuzzle against you. “I remember reading an article about animals and their behavioral traits, and it said that when a cat is naturally drawn to you, it means you have a kind soul and they can sense it.”

The thought of Pompidou seeing your soul as something pure warmed your heart, making you embrace the cat a little tighter. You glanced at Hongjoong, touched by his words. “Maybe that’s why it likes you a lot,” he mused quietly, almost as if speaking to himself.

As you cradled Pompidou in your arms like a baby, Hongjoong took a step back, reaching into his bag to retrieve his phone. He quickly snapped a candid photo of you with the cat, the moment capturing the tender interaction between you and Pompidou. Once the photo was taken, he discreetly put his phone back in his bag.

Only then did you turn your attention back to him, smiling warmly. “Thank you for spending the evening with me and walking me home. It was really nice. And… I’m still so sorry about not choosing to return the sketchbook sooner.”

Hongjoong laughed softly, shaking his head. “No need to thank me. I enjoyed it too. And don’t worry about the sketchbook. It’s really not a problem.”

You waved goodbye, watching as he safely crossed the road before finally heading inside. Setting Pompidou down gently on the floor, you bid the cat farewell too before heading up to your apartment. Once inside, you heaved a soft sigh of relief, feeling the familiar comfort of your home envelop you after a long day. Stretching your arms, you plopped yourself on the floor, leaning back against the couch to relax.

A message notification from Hongjoong pinged on your phone, showing a photo attachment. Opening it with initial confusion, you smiled widely as you saw a candid photo of you holding Pompidou in your arms. The image captured the warmth of the moment perfectly. You quickly reacted to the photo with a heart, typing out a response.

How come I didn’t notice you taking this photo?

Hongjoong’s reply then came swiftly, nearly a couple seconds right after you sent yours.

When you have a cat in your arms, it’s quite impossible to focus on everything that’s happening around you.

You laughed at his message, feeling a sense of warmth spread through you. You thanked him for today once more before shutting your phone and calling it a day—a well-spent one, at that.

—

It still felt surreal to everyone except for Hongjoong that the sketchbook was finally back in his hands, removing the key obstacle that had been troubling him for a while. It had been three days since he shared the news with Seonghwa and Wooyoung, and despite the word spreading quickly, people still found it hard to believe that it had resurfaced just when everyone least expected it. Relief was the dominant sentiment among the team, but Seonghwa and Wooyoung couldn’t shake their curiosity about how, when, and where Hongjoong found the sketchbook. This mystery led them to their usual spot for private conversations about Hongjoong: Seonghwa’s office.

Seonghwa sat at his desk, diligently working through paperwork, while Wooyoung sprawled on the office couch, staring at the ceiling with a thoughtful frown.

“I just don’t get why he’d be so cryptic about it,” Wooyoung said, breaking the silence. His voice carried a mix of confusion and frustration.

Seonghwa shrugged without looking up from his papers. “He’s always had a knack for being secretive. But in this situation, it doesn’t seem quite sensible.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” Wooyoung almost yelled, sitting up abruptly. Seonghwa glanced at him, surprised by his outburst. “Oops. But yeah, it’s not like he has to share every detail with us, but why wouldn’t he, you know?”

“I’m as lost as you are,” Seonghwa replied with a sigh, flipping to the next page of his paperwork. “Maybe he’ll come around eventually. For now, we should just be glad he’s got it back. You know how much it means to him.”

Wooyoung nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I do. It means as much to him as a worn-out bunny plush means to a child in a horror movie.”

Seonghwa chuckled at the comparison. “Nice observation.”

“You think he’s gonna magically appear anytime soon now?” Wooyoung asked suddenly, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous spark. “He always seems to show up exactly when we’re talking about him.”

“You think he’ll show up if you say his name three times?” Seonghwa asked, playing along with Wooyoung’s musings.

“What, like Bloody Mary?”

“I was leaning towards Beetlejuice, but that fits too,” Seonghwa responded with a contemplative look.

Wooyoung grinned. “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetle—”

At that exact moment, the door to Seonghwa’s office swung open, and Hongjoong walked in. “Speak of the devil,” Seonghwa said, unable to hide his amusement as he looked at Wooyoung, who appeared mortified.

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, clearly aware of their conversation. “Talking about me again?”

Wooyoung tried to play it cool. “Oh, I was actually summoning you right before you came in.”

Hongjoong gave him a deadpan expression. “I heard you chanting Beetlejuice’s name three times before entering.”

Feigning innocence, Wooyoung shrugged. “Pure coincidence.”

Hongjoong rolled his eyes and brushed him off, turning his attention to Seonghwa. “Anyway, we need to discuss the plans for Fashion Week now that the sketchbook is back. Can we go over the details?”

Seonghwa nodded, clearing his desk to make space for the discussion. He pulled out a large binder filled with notes, sketches, and timelines. “Of course. We have a lot to cover.”

Hongjoong settled into the chair across from Seonghwa, pulling out his own notes. “I’ve been thinking about our initial concept for the collection. Now that we have the sketches back, I want to make sure we stay true to the original vision.”

Seonghwa flipped through the binder, stopping at a section filled with sketches and fabric swatches. “I agree. The original vision was strong, but we need to ensure every piece aligns perfectly with it. Let’s start with the color palette.”

Hongjoong nodded, leaning forward. “I’m thinking we stick with the bold, contrasting colors. It’s a statement collection, and the colors need to reflect that. The deep reds, midnight blues, and metallic accents should remain as the primary focus.”

Seonghwa made notes as Hongjoong spoke, occasionally nodding in agreement. “And the fabrics? Are we still going with the mix of leather and silk?”

“We are,” Hongjoong confirmed. “The juxtaposition of the tough and the delicate is what gives the collection its edge. The leather jackets with silk linings, the silk dresses with leather accents—it all needs to be cohesive.”

Wooyoung, now sitting up properly, watched the discussion unfold with interest. “What about the accessories? Are we doing anything special with those?”

Hongjoong glanced at Wooyoung, then back at Seonghwa. “I was thinking about incorporating some custom jewelry pieces. Something that complements the outfits but stands out on its own. Maybe some statement necklaces and rings?”

Seonghwa jotted down the ideas, flipping to another page in the binder. “And the runway show? Do we have a clear vision for the presentation?”

“Yes,” Hongjoong said firmly. "The runway needs to reflect the collection’s theme. I’m envisioning a stark, industrial setting with dramatic lighting. The music should be intense, something that amplifies the mood we’re going for.”

Seonghwa nodded, his pen moving quickly across the paper. “Sounds perfect. We’ll need to coordinate with the production team to make sure everything aligns.”

Wooyoung, still lounging on the couch, suddenly broke the silence with a thoughtful question. “Would you ever tell us about how you got your sketchbook back someday? Like, you know, maybe after Fashion Week?”

Seonghwa, leaning back in his chair and stretching, hummed in agreement. “While I’m not usually one to pry, I have to admit I’m a little curious about that as well.”

Hongjoong simply smiled, leaning back in his seat. “It’s up to the answer if it wants to come forward. If not, I’m afraid all you can do is accept things as they are.”

Wooyoung frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the cryptic response. “Why are you always so mysterious whenever there’s something you don’t want to tell us about? You sound like a riddler.”

Hongjoong laughed, the sound echoing warmly in the room. “Maybe I am,” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He then shifted the conversation, clearly intent on steering it away from the sketchbook’s return. “Anyway, how did the recent photoshoot at that old Parisian venue go? I couldn’t stick around long because of work.”

Wooyoung’s expression brightened at the change of topic. “Oh, it went really well! She was fantastic. She had this natural ease in front of the camera that made everything flow smoothly. The venue was perfect too, with its rustic charm and vintage vibes. It really brought out the best in the shoot.”

Seonghwa nodded, visibly pleased with the feedback. “I’ve seen some of the raw shots. They’re set to be uploaded on our social media platforms tomorrow. Are the chosen photos finalized?”

Wooyoung leaned back, crossing his arms with a satisfied grin. “Yes, they are. I sent the file to you last night, actually. I left it up to her to choose which ones she wanted to be uploaded and which ones she didn’t. She has a good eye for these things.”

Hongjoong raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “That’s a lot of trust to put in her.”

Wooyoung shrugged. “She chose the best shots—she knows her stuff, that’s for sure. Plus, she’s the one in the photos. It only makes sense for her to have a say in how she’s presented.”

Seonghwa agreed, his fingers tapping thoughtfully on his desk. “I think it’s a good call. It’s important that she feels comfortable with what’s being shared. It builds trust and respect, which is essential in this industry.”

Hongjoong nodded, appreciating their insights. “I’m glad to hear it went well. It’s good to know we’re on the right track.”

Wooyoung’s grin widened. “I agree. And I have to say, she really brought her A-game. I think the location also played a huge role. There’s something about that old Parisian charm that adds a layer of authenticity and nostalgia to the photos. It’s like we’re capturing a piece of history.”

Hongjoong leaned forward, his interest piqued. “I’d love to see the final selections. Can we go through them now?”

Seonghwa reached for his laptop, quickly pulling up the folder with the chosen photos. He positioned the screen so all three of them could see. “Here are the ones she decided on.”

They spent the next few minutes reviewing each photo, discussing the angles, the lighting, and the overall composition.

“This one,” Hongjoong pointed to a shot where you were caught in a candid moment of laughter. “It feels so genuine and warm. It’s the kind of photo that draws people in.”

Wooyoung nodded. “That’s exactly why she chose it. It’s authentic. It shows her personality in a way that’s relatable and endearing.”

Seonghwa scrolled to another photo, this one a more posed shot with you looking pensively out of a window. “And this one has a different kind of impact. It’s introspective and thoughtful. It adds depth to the collection.”

Hongjoong agreed, his eyes lingering on the image. “It’s a good balance. We need both the candid and the posed shots to tell a complete story.”

Wooyoung chimed in, “She really knows how to work the camera. Even in the posed shots, there’s this natural grace about her that just comes through.”

Hongjoong added, “The lighting in this one is perfect. It highlights her features without being too harsh. It’s soft, yet striking. And the backdrop of the Parisian venue really adds a timeless quality to the photos. It’s like we’re capturing a moment in time, a blend of the past and present.”

Wooyoung leaned back on the couch, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “You know, while I think the backdrop and the angles definitely helped, I believe it was her visuals that completed the whole thing. There’s just something about the way she carries herself.”

Seonghwa nodded, glancing at the photos on the laptop screen. “I agree. Even when I first saw her on the other side of the road, she looked like she was part of some sort of painting. There’s an almost ethereal quality to her presence.”

Hongjoong, who had been lost in thought, found himself contemplating the same thing. There was something about you, not just your looks but your overall vibe, that felt different to him. It wasn’t just your physical appearance; it was the way you composed yourself, the quiet confidence you exude. It was as if you were in a world of your own, and yet fully present in the moment. He couldn’t quite place it, but it intrigued him deeply.

Snapping his fingers in front of Hongjoong’s face, Wooyoung dragged him out of his reverie. “Hey, earth to Hongjoong. You okay?”

Hongjoong blinked, realizing he had been staring off into space. “Sorry, I was lost in thought. Were you saying something?”

Wooyoung chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, I was just saying there’s something about her charisma that sets her apart from every other model I’ve worked with. Don’t you agree? It’s like she has this unique energy that just draws people in.”

Hongjoong nodded slowly, his mind still partially occupied by his earlier thoughts. “Yeah... yeah, I agree. There’s definitely something special about her. It’s not just about looks. It’s more than that.”

Seonghwa leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful. “I think It’s her presence. She has this natural grace and ease that’s rare. It’s like she belongs in front of the camera, but she’s not trying too hard. It’s effortless.”

Wooyoung smiled, his thoughts aligning with Seonghwa’s words. “You get it. It’s like she’s not performing, she’s just being herself. And that authenticity shines through in every shot.”

Hongjoong nodded. “That’s what makes her perfect for our brand. She embodies the kind of genuine beauty and charisma we want to showcase. It’s refreshing to work with someone who doesn’t rely on pretense.” He glanced at the photos once more, feeling a sense of satisfaction and excitement. “We’re lucky to have her on board.”

Seonghwa nodded, closing the laptop. “Agreed. And with Fashion Week coming up, we need all the positive energy we can get. This is a great start.”

Wooyoung stretched, a content smile on his face. “I can’t wait to see the reaction when these photos go live. I have a feeling they’re going to be a hit.”

As the conversation shifted to the finer details of the upcoming Fashion Week, the room buzzed with excitement and determination. They knew they were on the brink of something great, and they were ready to give it their all.

Yet, amidst all the planning and strategizing, Hongjoong couldn’t shake the lingering thoughts of you. There was something about your presence that stayed with him, a quiet, unspoken connection that he couldn’t quite define. He knew there was more to you than met the eye, and he found himself eager to discover what that was.

🪞 — lividstar.

[nalpurex]

i got souyo brainworms again and i gotta share some thoughts i have

this ones a long one so ill put a 'keep reading' thing here just in case yall dont wanna scroll past a wall of text

basically some headcanons about a healthy mix of chad narukami and normal yu, injecting loads of gap moe into this guy

(and it eventually devolves into some weird semi-story because my brains really spiralling here)

okok so, hear me out, chad narukami isnt that bad as an idea...? maybe as a more calm iteration, just another layer to yu

in the p4 manga, we get to see some of yu's backstory. (its been a while since ive read it so i might get some details wrong but) his parents are very busy people, always working and moving around, so yu's always moving around with them

because of this, hes a very independent but also lonely kid. poor guy doesnt talk much with his own mom and dad, and he never really have a good enough chance to form lasting friendships

so when he moves to inaba and starts making friends there, hes like 'oh i really want to keep these guys around...' so he starts putting up a bit of a persona (hah), some cool, unfazed guy that everyone can rely on thinking thats what people might like more. to his credit, it works pretty well, but its a bit stifling for yu himself. hes never had this many friends though, so he'll keep it up

we all know yosuke admires him quite a fair bit as is, just as a dependable friend and a strong leader. he looks up to yu in these aspects, thinking hes basically the perfect guy. (and lets never unpack that thought.) talented, charming, 'gets all the ladies', that kind of stuff

at some point its just the two of them, maybe walking home from school or something, yu gets pretty comfortable and his facade slips a little. maybe he says something completely silly, or heavens forbid theres a stray cat along the road! ("awww look at the little guy, cmeree, pspsps- oh- ahem- uh, its pretty cute...") it surprises yosuke quite a bit. he's thinking about it a lot as they part ways, it was... definitely a new side to his partner, but its also not a bad thing...

after that, yosuke starts noticing more small things about yu. whenever he invites anyone to share his lunch, its always something they like. whenever the IT are talking, he makes sure no one feels left out. he likes cats, a lot more than hes willing to show, and he loves nanako a whole lot too. his partner's... a bit of a softie under that calm and collected vibe, isnt he?

(alternatively, it'd be really funny if the entire IT knew? like "yeah, hes got a straight face all the time and sparkles fly around him whenever he strikes a pose, but hes got a dedicated schedule for hanging out with us and hes always asking when we're free. hes a big puppy, really.")

anyways, yosuke tries to encourage him to show more of this other side of him. stuff like "c'mon, we'll think you're cool either way!" and yu at first is a little hesitant, so yosuke suggests he just try it out with him

he feels some pride about it, because hes the first to learn about this side of yu! his partner trusts him the most, hes the most comfortable around him! (whats this strange other feeling? hm. dont like that.)

yu takes a little more time with the others, but theyre very welcoming about it nonetheless. specifically, they find it very charming! (making cute shapes in your bento? sewing cute stuffed toys with kanji? playing with literally every single stray cat you lay your eyes on? hell yeag.)

of course the facade doesnt completely shatter, because some parts of it are still true to yu. its just that he'll now crack the dumbest joke youve heard in your life with the same old straight face

(aaand now to derail for the sappy stuff huhuhu)

because yosuke's usually the first to be exposed to whatever new shenanigans yu's up to, eventually he starts getting some... weirder things. he brings some of it up to the other IT members and he looks insane, like:

"what? he hasnt been giving you guys origami?"

"why would he? i mean itd be cool, but thats just his part-time job isnt it? hes probably sick of paper cranes!"

"cranes... haha, yeah..." (as he thinks about the row of stupid paper animals sitting on his windowsill)

yu over time starts getting real sweet with yosuke, and he kind of gets the feeling he should just... keep this to himself...? especially when he doesnt see him acting this way with anyone else, and a small part of him wants to keep it to himself. all of this, just for him.

but that would be kind of gay, wouldnt it? hes not gay, is he...? he gets pretty happy whenever yu smiles at him, whenever he does something for him, but its just because he appreciates him as his partner... right?

eventually it all comes to a head when yu invites him to that... that spot high up in inaba. (ykno the one, its got the railing and shit.)

yosuke's climbing the hill, wondering whats yu gonna tell him, and at the top he sees him already waiting there as the sun's about to set on a nice breezy day

he kinda jokes a bit about it, like "damn did you ask me to come here now for the atmosphere?" but yu's strangely quiet

so they kinda just stand in a bit of an awkward silence before yu clears his throat... and confesses to yosuke.

...

they just. stare at each other for a bit. yosuke's at a loss, heat slowly rising in his cheeks, because what the hell?

and then yu explodes into a flustered mess, bumbling about "hey yeah man you dont have to accept if you dont wanna, i was just saying things yknow? you dont really have to-"

yosuke cuts him off, sighing a little. he tells him its okay, hes kinda had a feeling he felt the same way but he wasnt ready yet... and now his partner's confessing to his face, he cant really put it off anymore, can he?

("by the way, did you plan this? like, the timing and everything?"

"i... had a hard enough time saying 'i like you' with a straight face as it was, i kind of had to..."

"... ah.")

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA For basically giving up on my cat?

It's been a few years and I actually have gotten minor trauma from this event. But when I graduated high school my dad came back one day with a gift for me: a little kitten. I loved him so much he became my emotional support animal and he naturally would help me come down from psychosis episodes and anxiety/panic attacks. He was my life. A few years ago, my mom moved out of our apartment and displaced me and my partner. We were technically homeless. My grandmother pushed me into staying with her and my partner stayed with his family. I had 2 cats at the time (one elderly and one my esa) but My grandmother hates cats and said she'd kill them if I brought them with me. So they went with my partner. Then my partners family became homeless after they got evicted because the new landlord wanted new tenants. They didn't do anything wrong, he literally just said, "I want to see new faces and start fresh" so he kicked them out. So I asked a friend of my mom if she could watch my cats. She said yes, but my esa didn't get along with her other cat, so she asked a neighbor to watch him while I figured out something. Two of my friends were moving in together and said, "hey we can take your cats with us that way they have a place to stay where you can see them whenever you want" cuz we literally have a key to their apartment and are allowed to go over whenever for whatever reason. So I talked to my mom's friend and she said "yeah you can take your (elderly) cat back" and no problem. Then she had me message her neighbor to get my ESA back. The neighbor said "no. I found some knots and mats in his fur, which means you're clearly neglecting him so I gave him to my grandson. If you try and take the cat back I'm calling the ASPCA and you'll never be allowed to have a pet ever again". Prior to him going over to there, I had previously actually shaved/trimmed him so I KNOW he didn't have knots/mats. If he did it was because SHE neglected him when he was in her care. Despite the fact that I gave her his entire grooming kit. I even told her, "he's a longhair you need to brush him every day and every few weeks you need to trim him" and she agreed to it. Clearly she never did it and blamed me instead. She said, "it's better he's with my grandson because my grandson is blind and ACTUALLY needs an ESA. you don't need an esa Just because you have anxiety". Readers, I have schizophrenia, autism, and adhd. Diagnosed. My doctor has my cat ON FILE as my ESA. I was at my two younger brothers birthday party, crying my eyes out. But to this day, I keep feeling this absolute guilt that I'm an awful person for not fighting to get my cat back. Last year that same lady texted me telling me I was a horrible pet owner for not even asking how he was doing and just giving up on him. I told her to never contact me ever again. I just thought what's the point? We're getting our own apartment soon but we were homeless for so long that at this point I feel like he probably has a better life now without me. But her saying I was an asshole for not fighting for him makes me cry at night still. I feel like a bad person. AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

From Hell to Home to Back Again

Summary: At the talent show, Chrissy Cunningham is so hungry that she nearly collapses. When she's found by Hopper, her parents ended up losing custody of her. She ends up being placed in the care of the Hendersons, and she finally finds the family she so desperately needed. She also ends up falling in love. What other changes are made in this alternate universe?

@emen-98 @1lostsoul0fishbowl @vulpixsworld

Prologue . . . Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chrissy rolled out of bed and moved to her window. She tied the curtains back and opened her windows. She could smell it in the air. Spring was coming to an end, and summer would soon be here. Steve and Tina would soon graduate, leaving the others with one more year left of school. . .well, Gareth had two. Eddie wasn't graduating again this year, and after finally pulling him out of bed, she gave him hope that he would manage to graduate this year. She might have threatened to use her powers on Principal Kissenger if she tried to do anything that would interfere with Eddie's education. It had cheered him up rather significantly.

"God, what are you doing up this early?!" Eddie exclaimed with a groan.

Chrissy smiled. She couldn't see him but she could picture already how disgruntled and messy his hair was. . .the scrunched up look on his face as he tried to dodge the light streaming through the curtains.

"I'm driving over with Dustin to visit the Byers', they wanted to have breakfast with us, and mom stayed out late last night. She went drinking with Sue again," Chrissy giggled.

"Hasn't Mama H learned by now that Sue Sinclair will always drink her under the table?" Eddie asked in amusement. "By the way, your mother is finally letting you drive her car?"

"I think she's been very nervous ever since my coma. She doesn't want anything else to happen to me, but I think she also realized that she can't hold onto me forever," Chrissy said.

Eddie hummed, and it was silent for a while. Chrissy enjoyed the feeling of his presence without talking as she welcomed the warm breeze that blew through.

"So. . .this seems pretty permanent. . .it hasn't gone away yet," Eddie said.

"Hmm, yeah," she said.

"You know what this means, right?" He asked.

"No, please enlighten me," she said.

"We're married! You're stuck with me, Henderson!"

Chrissy couldn't help it. She burst into laughter. It had been a couple of months since she decided to use her powers with Eddie. The side effects still haven't gone away. Nancy had been right to worry. . .something did happen, but no one got hurt, and it was definitely something they could both live with. Chrissy and Eddie have been telepathically connected. So far, it seems like it wasn't going away. Currently, Eddie was lying in his own bed at his house, and Chrissy was in hers. They had adjusted pretty quickly to what had happened and were even starting to learn how to block each other out whenever they wanted privacy. Chrissy didn't mind being connected with Eddie, but there was a part of her that was worried about what would happen if they broke up.

"You'll never have to find out," Eddie told her.

"Okay, that could be really sweet or really scary," Chrissy giggled.

"Shit, that did sound oddly ominous," Eddie laughed inside of her head. "Sorry, I accidentally threatened you."

"Get me some flowers and put that on a card. It would confuse the hell out of the flourist," Chrissy said, and Eddie laughed.

The door to her room burst open, and Dustin came in.

"What are you giggling about in here?" Dustin asked.

"Your face," Chrissy replied. "What did I tell you about knocking?!"

"Sorry, I'm ready to go," Dustin said.

"Alright, well, let me get ready," she said, and he stared at her. "In order for me to do that, you need to leave, butthead."

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me," Dustin said.

Eddie and Chrissy hadn't told the group about their newfound situation. Mostly because it was still new, and they just weren't quite ready to tell people. Also, Eddie did not want to hear about "I told you so" from Nancy.

"Would I ever lie to you?" Chrissy asked.

"Yes," Dustin said, and she heard Eddie snort.

"Look, I'm not going to tell you every little thing, but if you must know, Eddie and I recently tried something new sexually - "

Dustin shrieked and fled from the room. Eddie and Chrissy burst into laughter.

"Okay, that was funny, but I should probably take a shower," Chrissy grinned.

"Ooh!" Eddie exclaimed. "Are you going to put your hair into a spike?"

"Of course," Chrissy scoffed.

Finally, after making sure their mother was resting and had plenty of water, Dustin and Chrissy left for the Byers. Chrissy felt really good about driving now. It felt a little freeing and a little more grown up now that she stopped putting off getting her license. . .well, not putting off, life just got in the way. Now, all she needed to do was to continue up saving money for a car. When they arrived at the Byers, Jonathan was already at the stove and had started on breakfast. Chrissy immediately jumped into help while Dustin went to talk to Will. Joyce tried to help.

"No!" Chrissy and Jonathan exclaimed.

"We love you, mom," Jonathan said. "Seriously, but. . ."

"Your cooking sucks, Joyce," Chrissy said with a smile. "And from what I heard, Jonathan's tried to teach you several times."

"My cooking isn't that bad, is it?" Joyce asked.

"It's. . .edible," Will trailed off.

"Translation, it's not," Dustin snickered.

Joyce swatted at him playfully, and he dodged her hand, laughing.

"Yeah, I can't wait until he goes off to camp either," Chrissy said and Joyce laughed.

"Are you excited?" Joyce asked Dustin.

"Sooo, much," Dustin said, grinning as his eyes lit up. "It's going to be so awesome. . .what's not going to be awesome is leaving my sister alone with her boytoy."

"Eddie is NOT my boytoy!" Chrissy exclaimed.

"Tell that to the empty condom box I found in the bathroom," Dustin said.

"Okay, why are you going through the trash? . . . Dustin, did the raccoon you tried to keep bite you? Are you now part raccoon now?" She asked, and Will laughed. "And how do you know it's not Mom's?"

"Ew, gross, she's way too old to be doing that or trying to prevent pregnancy," Dustin frowned, and then he gasped. "You're pregnant! That's what you and Eddie have been hiding from us!"

"No!" She yelped and then muttered. "You gain a little weight, and your little brother accuses you of being pregnant."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," Jonathan said.

"You do?" Chrissy asked.

"No," Jonathan laughed, and she shoved him.

"Okay, why the hell are you so worried about me and Eddie?" Chrissy asked. "You do know we're serious. We're celebrating our one year anniversary with Nancy and Steve tonight."

"That's like forever in high school years," Jonathan joked.

"Your anniversary is coming up too, you know," Chrissy pointed out.

"Not for another couple of months," Jonathan shrugged. "Argyle already has something planned. We both agreed on handmade stuff."

"Aw, that's great," Joyce said.

"He's already thought of something for me, but I feel totally lost about what to get him," Jonathan said.

"Make him a mixtape," Will suggested.

"Yeah, his favorite songs change constantly," he replied.

"So, make him a mixtape of your favorite songs. He loves you," Chrissy said.

"Maybe make it your favorite songs that make you think of him," Joyce said.

"Oh, that is a good idea," Chrissy said. "Do that."

Finally, breakfast was done, and Joyce insisted on helping on laying the table. Joyce sat down in between Dustin and Chrissy.

"So, I was sad to miss hanging out with Claudia and Sue last night," Joyce laughed. "Claudia, try to out drink Sue again?"

"Yeah, and every time she insists that she'll never drink again," Chrissy laughed. "According to Sue though, Mom almost hooked a fish last night."

"Oh, so maybe that box could have been Claudia's," Joyce teased, and Dustin groaned.

After breakfast, Joyce refused any help on cleaning up and sent them off to enjoy each other's company. Jonathan and Dustin sprawled out on the floor of Jonathan's room, enjoying Jonathan's music as well as Will's comic books. Meanwhile, Will was sitting with Chrissy on Jonathan's bed as they both drew as Chrissy listened to Will complain about Mike, who had been complaining lately about El spending so much time with Max. Lucas had complained as well until Max threatened to break up with him and dragged him into her room with El to paint his nails. Now, occasionally, Lucas joins the girls when they hang, leaving Mike behind.

"Max called Mike a little bitch and said they would invite him occasionally if he just stopped whining," Will said. "Mike didn't like that idea. I think he wants El all to himself to like kiss and stuff. I don't understand the appeal about kissing girls. . .is there something wrong with me?"

Jonathan and Chrissy's head snapped up along with Dustin's.

"No!"

All three of them had said it so loudly, it had startled Will. He stared at them.

"Will. . .you know, you might not like kissing girls, and that's okay," Dustin said. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with Chrissy and Jonathan, right?"

"Of course, there isn't. Why would - oh," Will said with wide eyes.

Jonathan dropped the comic book and turned the music down low. He plopped on the edge of the bed beside Will.

"You okay?" Jonathan asked softly.

"Yeah, I guess I kind of always knew, I was just too scared to admit it," Will said.

"Yeah, I was scared when I realized that I liked too," Jonathan said. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, and there's going to be people who tell you otherwise, but it's them who are wrong. . .they'll never understand the way that we love. . .you more than anyone, I have yet to meet anyone with a bigger heart than you."

"That's not true," Will sniffled. "There's you. . .and there's mom. . ."

"Where do you think we get it from?" Jonathan asked.

"Lonnie, duh," Will said and they all laughed.

"Asshole, I'm trying to be deep here," Jonathan smiled.

Will hugged his brother tightly.

"I'm glad I'm not alone. Thank you," he said softly.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Chrissy and Dustin shared a look before grinning. They didn't say anything, just let the two brothers have their moment. Eventually, though, Jonathan pulled away and squeezed Will's shoulder before sitting down next to Dustin. It was comfortably quiet for a moment.

"Wait. . .," Jonathan said after a moment. "Do they not invite you to paint Lucas's nails?"

"Oh, yeah, they do. Sometimes I go, but sometimes I stay with Mike," Will said.

"Of course, you do," Dustin said, and Will sighed.

"Was I that obvious?" He asked.

"Well, when we all decided to practice kissing - " Dustin started to say.

"You did what now?" Chrissy asked her brother in amusement.

"It was a couple of years ago," Dustin said, waving his hand at her. "You were quite eager to kiss Mike. . .a little too eager."

"Okay, well, if I was eager to kiss Mike and I'm gay then what does that make you when you were disappointed that you got me instead of Lucas?" Will asked teasingly.

Dustin frowned thoughtfully as he closed his comic book. The smile slipped off of Will's face. Clearly, Will had been joking.

"You know what, now that I'm thinking about it, I think that I did have a crush on Lucas," he said. "I don't think I'm gay but I'm definitely not straight. Huh, what do you know?"

Just like that, Dustin went back to reading his comic book.

"That's it? You accept it? Just like that, you just accept it?" Will asked.

"Well, some of us are just better at handling it, William," Dustin replied.

"And some of us are assholes, Dustin Jethro!" Will exclaimed, laughing and throwing a pillow at him.

"That's his middle name?!" Jonathan asked, incredulously.

"It was our mother's father's name, okay! You swore you would never repeat it!" Dustin shrieked.

Pretty soon, an all-out pillow war started between Dustin and Will.

"And you're a terrible kisser!" Will yelled.

"You take that back!"

"Never!"

Jonathan flopped on the bed beside Chrissy, and together, they watched as their brothers duked it out. They both took bets on who would win the pillow fights. It ended up being a tie with them both collapsing on the floor.

"Okay," Dustin said. "Am I really that bad?"

"I have never kissed anyone before, but even I knew that wasn't the right way to do it," Will said. "You just need to practice."

"Who the hell am I going to practice with?" Dustin asked.

"Maybe the boy who told you you were bad," Will said.

He grabbed Dustin's hand and dragged him to his room. Jonathan stared at Chrissy in shock before rushing to the doorway.

"Keep the door open three inches!" Jonathan yelled before freezing and turning to Chrissy. "Oh my God, I'm turning into Hop."

"There's worse people to turn into," Chrissy giggled. "I did not expect that."

"Our brothers . . . ," Jonathan said and laughed as he threw himself on the bed. "Okay, I figured he was probably not into girls, but I thought it would be Mike."

"Well, they're still young, and they're just practicing kissing," Chrissy said.

"I can't believe you said that with a straight face," he scoffed. "Practice, yeah, right. It's because they want to kiss each other. Honestly, I'm kind of hoping for this. I mean, I know it's selfish. . .but El is obviously going to be my sister, if Hopper and my mom ever get their act together. She already kind of feels like she is. I don't want her to get hurt, I don't want Will to get hurt either. . .I just want everyone to be happy. Is that crazy?"

"No, it's not crazy to hope for an easier solution for all involved, but whatever does happen. . .Will's going to have you to help him through it even if it does hurt him. It's going to suck but I know you'll be there," Chrissy said and then paused. "You'll be there for El, too."

"Selfishness aside. . .they are kind of cute," Jonathan said.

"Okay, I might be a little biased because one of them is my brother, but, yeah, kind of," Chrissy giggled.

A little while later, Chrissy had to practically pull Dustin away and go home to check on their mother. Chrissy had noted the smile on his face when they got home as he closed himself in his room. It wasn't long after that, Dustin came out and told their mother he might be like Chrissy, but in that, he doesn't care what gender someone is when he's ready to fall in love. Much like with Chrissy, Claudia had accepted him with open arms and joyful tears. It ended with Dustin laughing and then quickly disappearing into his room.

Noon quickly turned into the evening, and Chrissy was soon preparing for her double date. It was going to be simple, a movie at the Hawk and dinner back at Steve's place. Still, Chrissy wanted to look nice. She put on a red sparkly dress and piled her hair on top of her head, leaving curls to frame her face. She had been finishing getting ready when Eddie burst into the room with a grin on his face and laughed. He wore his nice pair of black jeans and a white button-up. His hair was in a bun as well.

"Your brother is an absolute delight," Eddie cackled.

"What did he do now?" Chrissy asked.

"Have you seen the shirt he made?" Eddie asked.

"No."

"Well, he answered in a plain white t shirt that says: I'm as straight as my hair," he giggled.

"Yeah, he made some discoveries today," Chrissy grinned. "I'll just leave it at that."

"Damn, is anyone in your family straight?" He asked with a delighted giggle.

"Tews is definitely NOT," she replied.

"I fucking knew it!" Eddie clapped his hands. "I was definitely sensing something from her."

"She has a girlfriend," she said. "The neighbors across the street aren't pleased when they find Tews with their cat."

"You mean the very, highly religious ones who give me the stink eye whenever I pull up?" He asked.

"Yeah, it doesn't help that you antagonise them with your devil horns," she said.

"Speaking of the devil. . .you look absolutely sinful," Eddie said.

"That's just what I was going for," she grinned.

"I know something that would go great with your outfit," Eddie said, his brown eyes twinkling.

He undid the clasp of his guitar pick necklace and motioned for her to turn around. Chrissy did and let him put the necklace around her neck.

"Eddie. . .this it the guitar pick your dad gave you," Chrissy said.

"It belongs to both of us now," he whispered into her ear. "Happy anniversary, my witch. Thank you so much for loving me."

"Thank you for loving me," she whispered back and tilted her head towards him, pressing her back up against his chest. "It's the longest I have ever put the wall up between us."

"Then let the wall fall, baby."

Chrissy turned her head and pressed her lips against, letting the block in her head fall away. She reached out and felt him with her mind. . .hugging, touching, kissing his mind with her own. She turned in his arms and pulled herself closer, deepening the kiss. She broke away and turned to her jewelery box. She pulled out a golden necklace with her initial on it. Eddie grinned and turned around, letting Chrissy put it around his neck. Eddie went to her mirror and unbuttoned his shirt to reveal the necklace against his skin. . .against his tattoo. Chrissy wrapped her arms around him from behind, her hands pressing against his stomach.

"Do we have time?" She asked.

"No. . .sorry, darlin'."

"Damn. . .Are you planning to keep that shirt unbuttoned to show off your tits to Steve and Nancy?"

"Of course."

They met Steve and Nancy outside of the Hawk. Chrissy immediately gushed over Nancy's new perm and her new purple dress. Meanwhile, Steve complimented Eddie on his tats and winked at him. Together, they walked into the theater. Eddie and Chrissy giggled at the way Nancy admired Steve’s new yellow button-up and the tight fit of his jeans before gazing lovingly at his face. Steve did not pay attention, and when Nancy wasn't looking, Steve gazed affectionately at her. Eddie and Chrissy laughed harder.

"What are you laughing at?" Nancy asked and Chrissy told her.

"Oh, like you assholes don't do the same thing," Steve scoffed.

"We do?" Chrissy asked.

"Yes," Steve and Nancy said in unison.

After the movie, they made it back to Steve’s place, stumbling into the house.

"I can't believe it. . .we didn't get to watch any of the movie because of that asshole. If I can stay quiet for two hours, then you can stay quiet too, buddy," Eddie scoffed.

"My favorite part was when Steve threatened to sic an already ready to fight Nancy on the guy," Chrissy giggled.

"Yeah, I'm not going to fight you, but my girlfriend might. And I have the feeling you're the kind of guy who's so insecure that it's probably going to hurt more that you got your ass handed to you by a woman," Eddie said, trying to sound like Steve.

"I love Bitchy Steve," Chrissy sighed.

"And then the guy took a swing at Steve and Nancy fucking punched him in the throat!" Eddie said excitedly.

"Big mistake," Chrissy said in a singsong voice.

"I got us kicked out!" Nancy exclaimed. "I can't believe I did that."

"I can," Steve scoffed, and then he smiled, taking her hand. "Sexiest thing ever, you defending my honor."

"Yeah?" Nancy asked with a crooked smile.

"Yeah, unlike that guy, I'm secure in my masculinity," Steve said and paused. "And feminity."

Nancy smiled, touched his face gently with her hand like she usually did, and kissed him.

"I love you," Nancy said.

"I love you too," Steve said.

He pulled Nancy into a deeper kiss, and she wrapped her arms around him. They pulled away from the kiss, smiling.

"I also got us banned from the Hawk," Nancy said sheepishly.

"What? I guess I missed that," Steve said.

"We all did, man. Damn," Eddie frowned.

"Well, as much I hate it, there's the new theater at the Starcourt Mall," Nancy said and grinned mischievously. "Speaking of the Starcourt mall. . ."

"Oh God, please don't tell them," Steve groaned.

He walked into the kitchen to preheat the oven and pull out the casserole. Everyone eagerly followed him.

"Oooh, do please tell us," Eddie said.

Nancy laughed as she pulled drinks for everyone out of the fridge.

"So, Steve got himself a summer job at the mall," she said, sitting down with Chrissy and Eddie at the island.

Steve groaned and buried his head into his hands.

"Oh, boy, what could it be?" Chrissy asked as eagerly as her boyfriend.

"He, along with my sister, is now working as Scoops Ahoy, the ice cream parlor," Nancy declared, and Steve groaned louder.

"Please, whatever deity there is in the universe. . .please, let there be a ridiculous outfit," Eddie prayed, his hands clasped under his chin.

"There is!" Nancy giggled and rushed out of the room. "Keep an eye on the casserole!"

"It doesn't need to be kept an eye on!" Steve exclaimed, and he ran after her. "Nancy Eloise!"

"Steven Otis, they're going to see it eventually!"

Eddie and Chrissy heard Nancy's shriek of laughter, and then Steve let out a loud groan.

"Nance, that's cheating!"

A moment later, Nancy came running out into the kitchen, successfully wielding the uniform. Chrissy and Eddie burst into laughter. They began to clap.

"Try it on! Try it on! Try it on!" They chanted.

"The casserole!" Steve exclaimed.

"You have plenty of time," Chrissy said.

"Fine, but I'm changing in the bathroom. The only one who gets to see all of this is Nancy," Steve said.

"I guess that means what happens after we all graduate is off," Eddie muttered.

"Yeah, you should know that Nancy's a biter," Steve said.

"Damn, so is Chrissy," Eddie grinned as the girls high fived. "You should see the bite mark she left on my - "

"Eddie!"

Steve left the room, and they giggled as they heard Steve curse.

"Do I have to wear the hat?"

"Yes!"

"Goddamnit!"

Meanwhile, Nancy pulled out Steve’s Polaroid from behind her back and shook it at them. Eddie blew her a very dramatic kiss. A moment later, Steve came out in a blue sailor uniform that consisted of very tight shorts, high white socks, and a white hat to match. Chrissy and Eddie squealed as Nancy snapped a picture.

"Every single goddamn day of my day off, I am going to come down there with the guys and mock you mercilessly," Eddie said.

"You don't mock Chrissy's uniform," Steve scowled.

"I'm sorry, but she looks cuter in hers. Although, now that I'm seeing it from the back. . ." Eddie said and tilted his head.

"I'm changing!" Steve exclaimed.

"Oh, baby, I hate to see you go but the view. . ." Eddie whistled. "WAIT!"

"What?" Steve asked with a sigh.

Eddie pulled out his wallet with a grin and pulled out a dollar bill. He waved it in the air and tucked it into Steve’s pocket.

"Hey! No touching!" Nancy hissed, trying to hide her amusement, slapping Eddie's hand.

"Steve, your bouncer is mean!" Eddie exclaimed. "I'm never coming to this establishment again. Abuse!"

Steve rolled his eyes before laughing as he walked away to change. Chrissy leaned against the counter, laughing so hard until she couldn't breathe. After a while, the four of them sat down to eat.

"So, we talked about Steve’s new job. Nancy, are you looking forward to working at the Hawkins Post?" Chrissy asked.

"Definitely. I don't expect to be running any front page articles, but I'm hoping that I'll be doing more than just taking coffee orders. I know that's part of an intern's job, but I'm hoping that there will be someone there to show me the ropes," Nancy said. "I'm really looking forward to learning what a reporter does in a real news room."

"It's all she can talk about. She's so excited, it's cute," Steve said. "You're going to knock them dead."

"Well, there's going to at least be one person you know there. Jonathan's doing photos, right?" Chrissy asked.

"Yeah, I'm glad he'll be there," Nancy said.

"Me too," Steve said.

After dinner, they cleaned up the kitchen, and Eddie blasted the stereo so they could all dance together. They danced with their partners, laughed as they switched off, and then went back to dancing altogether. They ended up collapsing on the couch.

"Happy anniversary," Nancy sighed happily. "Thank you for letting us celebrate together."

"It wasn't a problem. We loved celebrating with you," Chrissy said.

"Yeah, believe it or not, we actually like you," Eddie replied.

"So. . . There's something we want to tell you," Chrissy said. "And you have to promise not to judge us."

"Well, hey, we talked about it, and if you want to move that graduation thing up, we don't have a problem with it," Steve said.

"Okay, lovely, but no, despite what Eddie's been saying, he's all talk, and he's not quite there yet," she said.

"I'm ready! I'm up for anything!" Eddie scowled, and then she deflated. "Goddamnit, she's right."

"Okay, so what's this about?" Nancy asked, and then her eyes widened. "Oh my God! You're pregnant!"

"Oh shit! Okay. . .so we're having a baby?!" Steve asked.

"What do you mean we're having a baby?" Nancy asked.

"Nance, we're all so close if one of us has a baby, then we're all having a baby," Steve said. "Okay, so, there's the money my parents remember to leave me I can set aside, and once I start working, I can put more aside. And on my days off, I can happily babysit."

"Steve, we don't even know if they're going to have the baby," Nancy said.

"That's true. . .well, whatever decision you make, we will support you," Steve said and Nancy nodded in agreement.

"Gee, thanks, mom and dad. . .but Chrissy and I are not having a baby," Eddie said and then paused to look at her. "Right, we're not? Chrissy?"

"No! Why do people keep asking me that? Did I really put on that much weight?" Chrissy asked Eddie. "Do you think I put on too much weight?"

"Yeah, I am NOT answering that! Steve, I'm tapping you in as my lawyer to save my ass," Eddie said.

"Yeah, my client does not have to answer those questions on the grounds of entrapment," Steve said and paused when they looked at him. "What? I picked up some lingo from Robin who picked it up from Ronnie."

"I'm fucking with you, baby," Chrissy giggled. "I just want to say though that you got mad at me when I pointed out you gained some weight."

"You patted my stomach and said, "That's where the extra cookies went!" Eddie exclaimed. "You're so lucky you're cute!"

"Okay, okay, so, what's the big news?" Nancy asked.

"Chrissy and I are married!" Eddie exclaimed, slapping her knee with a grin.

"What?! You're married?!" Nancy and Steve shrieked.

"Way to bury the fucking lead!" Steve yelled, running his hand through his hair.

"When did you get married?!" Nancy asked and then shook her head. "And why weren't we invited?!"

"So, when I told you we WEREN'T going to say it like that, you just ignored it?" Chrissy asked softly.

"I'm sorry, I thought you said TO say it like that," Eddie said softly.

"Are you married or not?" Steve asked.

Chrissy bit her lip. She then told them how she and Eddie were psychically connected now because of Chrissy using her powers while they were having sex. Nancy stood up.

"You did what? Chrissy! That was unbelievably dangerous of you. . .you didn't know what could have happened!" Nancy exclaimed. "I thought for sure you would come to your senses."

"I know. . .all I was thinking about was Eddie, but it's fine. . .we're fine. No one died!" Chrissy exclaimed.

"They could have! Oh, I knew Steve and I should have gone with you," Nancy said.

"To watch us have sex?" Chrissy asked.

"Your girlfriend is a freak, Stevie," Eddie laughed and Nancy playfully glared at him, her cheeks red.

"To make sure that Chrissy didn't accidentally open a gate while she. . .you know. . . " Nancy said.

"Arrives at the station on time?" Eddie asked in amusement.

"Yes," she said with a sigh and leaned back against the couch. "What you did was really reckless, but it's not like we all haven't all done reckless things for the people we care about. So, I really don't think I can judge you."

"So far, it's permanent?" Steve asked. "Aren't you worried about what you might accidentally think?"

"Well, we've got really good at putting our walls up and keeping each other out whenever we need privacy," Chrissy said. "We just image it as a wall and it comes right up."

"What happens if you break up, though?" Nancy asked.

"We'll deal if that does happen, and we have always sort of agreed that no matter what happens, we always managed to find each other," Eddie said.

"Always," Chrissy said.

"Never thought I would see her again, but here she is. . . The best thing that's ever happened to me," he said, looking at her. "My witch."

"My freak."

Chrissy and Eddie kissed each other, wrapping their arms around each other while also entangling their limbs. When Chrissy pulled back, Steve was smiling, but Nancy still looked worried. She could see the question in her eyes because it was the same question that Chrissy was afraid to bring up with Eddie. What would happen if they felt the other person die?

"We'll be okay, Nance," Chrissy said, hoping that what she said turned out to be true.

The following weekend, Steve and Tina graduated. His own parents hadn't shown up as they got caught up with work, but it didn't damper Steve’s spirits.

"It's okay, my real family is here," Steve had said when they spilled out into the parking lot.

The Byers had shown up as had Hop, and he had surprisingly brought El who, to Steve’s surprise, had hugged him tightly. She had also awarded him with a picture that she had drawn for Steve. Claudia had shown up with Sue and the rest of the Sinclairs. Lucas and Dustin were quite eager to support Steve. Even though they didn't know Tina all that well yet, they congratulated her and hugged her as well. Argyle had shown up as well. Nancy, of course, had shown up with her parents, Mike, Robin, and Max. Max living with them looked like it was going to be permanent. Neil wasn't going to get out of jail anytime soon, but Billy already had. He was currently staying with Susan, which was obvious by the fact that she was there with Billy, trying to dote on him. Max had watched with a scowl until Steve put an arm around her.

"It really means a lot to me that you came," Steve said.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Am I a part of your real family?" She asked, trying to play it off by using a sarcastic voice, but Chrissy could hear the vulnerability underneath.

"Couldn't ask for a better little sister," Steve grinned sincerely.

Max hugged him tightly and everyone practically melted at the sight.

"Oh, you are so cute, I could just kiss you! Come here, big boy!" Eddie exclaimed and rushed towards him.

Nancy scowled and pushed him out of the way before tucking herself into Steve’s side. Max giggled.

"Now, Eddie, you should know by now how jealous my girlfriend gets," Steve laughed.

"She's so territorial," Eddie cackled. "Isn't there enough of Steve to go around?"

"Congratulations, dingus! I can't believe you're going to leave me alone with the rest of these idiots," Robin said as she threw her arms around them.

"Hey!" Nancy exclaimed.

"I stand by my statement," Robin told her sister, and Max laughed as she wiggled out of the group hug. "Nance! Our sister is getting away! Catch her!"

"Yeah, like I'm going to help you after you insulted me and the rest of our friends," Nancy laughed.

Ronnie had surprised everyone when she made her way over. She had been sitting in the stands when she got lost in the crowd. Robin had been the first to hug her and then quickly followed by Eddie. Steve had hugged her next.

"What are you doing here?" Steve asked with a grin.

"Well, I figured since you were at my graduation, it was only fair that I went to yours," Ronnie said. "Plus, I finished my exams early, and I am now officially here for the summer. Dougie, unfortunately, could not make it."

Robin squealed and hugged her girlfriend tightly, elbowing Eddie out of the way.

"Ow! Goddamn you Wheelers are vicious," Eddie said. "And do you sharpen your elbows at night before you go to bed?!"

"They all get that from their father," Karen said in amusement.

"And you carried them inside of you," Eddie said in mock horror. "How did you sleep?"

"Painfully," she laughed.

"Mom!" Robin, Nancy, and Mike exclaimed.

The graduation party for Steve and Tina had been arranged for Surfer Boy, which is where they went next after everyone got plenty of pictures. It had been shut down for friends and family only, and Argyle had insisted upon it. Chrissy watched Steve glowing with happiness and remembered that he was still in the same boat that she had been stuck in with her biological family. Seeing how happy Steve was being surrounded by his true family made Chrissy so unbelievably glad. Tina looked happy as well, even though her parents decided not to come at all. Tina had an arm around Steve, laughing at something he said. Clearly, they were bonding, and she wondered if it was over their shitty parents. Chrissy didn't ponder on that any further because suddenly Mike yelled. She turned her head to find that El and Argyle were trying to feed Mike pineapple pizza. Max and Lucas were cheering them on. Apparently, Jeff and Gareth had gotten the same idea to do it with Eddie. He shrieked as Frankie held him down as well.

"CHRISSY! Save me!" Eddie yelled.

"I don't think I will," Chrissy laughed.

"What?! You're supposed to be on my side! Chrissy, save me from this hell! Pineapple does NOT go on pizza!"

"Oh, look, I think my mother wants to talk to me! Hi, Mommy!" Chrissy waved happily.

"Christine Elizabeth! You save your boyfriend!" Eddie hollered.

"Now, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I just did whatever my boyfriend told me to?" She asked.

"This is not that kind of situation! It's in my mouth, it's in MY - oh, wait, it's actually not that bad. You were totally right, Argyle," Eddie said.

"Try before you deny, my friend," Argyle laughed.

Chrissy slipped into the booth beside her mother and tucked her head into her neck, letting her mother smother her with affection.

"There's my kitten," Claudia cooed. "Oh, I can't believe Steve is graduated."

"Me neither, I can't believe it was only over a year ago that Steve came into our lives," Sue said as she sat across from Claudia with her husband.

"Yeah, it seems like he's always been there to be Lucas's and Erica's older brother. They happily play basketball with him, and Steve is just happy to let Erica give him a makeover while they gossip about Tina," Charles said. "He comes up with better solutions than I ever could."

"I can't believe that he let Erica touch his hair," Chrissy said.

"Yeah, me neither," Sue said with a laugh. "I'm so proud of our kids."

"Me too. I can't believe that's going to be you next year," Claudia said.

"Don't worry, mommy, no matter how old I get, I'll always be your little kitten," Chrissy said.

"Aww! . . . Erica, why don't you come and say sweet things to your mother!" Sue yelled.

"What's in it for me?" Erica yelled back.

Sue sighed, and Charles pursed his lips to keep himself from laughing. Claudia buried her face in her daughter's hair, giggling. Chrissy laughed and enjoyed the feeling of celebrating with her family. Meanwhile, in the back of her head, the voice was trying to break through her barrier. . .the voice she had been trying to keep out.

"Chrisssssyyy. . ."

Chapter Twenty-Six

[tparker48]

"Emil!" Amy, his girlfriend, called to him. We're just about to head out for the evening, are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yes yes, I'm sure." He ushered away the offer, tilting his cap over his eyes to block the sun from the window. "You and your mom enjoy yourselves."

"Alright, well dad is up in his room. He should be having his shower, so he shouldn't bother ya for a while."

"Aw the old man? Why is he staying while you're out." He groaned.

"The same way you’re staying while out. So please do your best not to kill each other okay. For me?" Amy asked. She leaned close to his head and removed his cap, kissing him on the forehead before placing it back on. "I love you."

He grumbled from her affection, but smiled as he brushed through her curly hair. "I love you too." he said.

After sharing more words with each other, Amy eventually left with her mom. Leaving Emil all to himself in the living room. Taking the opportunity, he grabbed the remote and a couple of snacks as he sat upon the couch. Taking in the bliss of solitude he had to himself, all the while enjoying his shows he loved so dear. 

"Ah that's what im talking" Emil sighed, raising a slice of pizza over his mouth as he chewed at the tip.

Everything seemed to be going so well, Emil fully relaxed in the center of the couch. But in second, that would change. Digging through his stash of candy, he chewed on a twizzler until its end touched his lips. "That's a..a funny taste.."  His head felt dizzy as his mind spun around the room, his vision becoming blurry as he tried to reach for his own hand. Within seconds, he blacked out.

About an hour later, he eventually woke up.

"Ooo..my head." he groaned, barely able to get up as his body still felt numb. He opened his eyes to gaze at his surroundings, shock filling his soul when he looked to the couch he was on. The green wool stretched into the horizon, The TV standing further in the distance like the sun. 

"What happened to me!?" He yelled. He got up as he scaled the rest of the area. But stopped when the pressure in the room changed, a rush of air shaking the blinds as the sound of a door closed in the distance. 

Emil looked to the hallway when a shadow loomed over the walls, the sound of wet stomps lingering through the air the closer it got. Getting to the end of the hall, the figure came into more clarity, Emil's eyes widening to see Amy's dad enter the room. 

"What a shower that was, I feel like a new man" he announced into the room. Adjusting his towel as he walked through the living room, knotting the edge that came undone as his thigh swung over the flap. 

Emil watched from the couch as his stepdad moved along the carpet, making way towards the laundry area as he went to fetch his clothes. Watching him exit into the door frame, he went to get off the couch. Whenever he saw that oaf enter the room, problems always seemed to follow when he was around. He wobbled around the soft surface of the couch, the cushion sinking underneath his weight as he made his way to the middle. The gap between the cushions blocking his path. 

"Ah, how am Ingoing to get across this?" Emil puzzled.

"Damn it!" He heard from the laundry room, the stepdad exiting out of the frame with a set of pants and shirts in hand. Their colors darkened as their fabric was wrinkled. "I thought I told Amy to put them on most dry, now I gotta redo them!"

his stepdad threw the clothes into the mouth of the dryer, slamming it before he turned back  to the living room. Entering, Emil saw him approach, his form growing larger with each step he'd take. His mind raced on what might happen if he found him like this, he wasn't in the mood for his daily lectures, not at a time like this. He looked to the gap between the cushions as he made a decision.

"I guess I could hide a bit until Amy gets home. Anything to not bear dealing with her dad's barking." He thought. Leaning into the gap, he jumped into its maw and dug his way through the cushion. Wiggling himself inside until his entire body was hidden away from the surface. "It's not watching TV, but it couldn’t get much worse than this.

Emil curled on his side to give himself more comfort for his side, looking at the space between the cushions as light shined within the gap. But that light suddenly started to fade, stomps echoing from the outside. Puzzled, he pushed his arms into the closed gap, opening a window for himself to peek through. What he saw next, made his face grow pale. A hairy crack hurtled towards him, the towel flying behind it like a cape as it loomed closer. "Oh no no-!"

Plomp! The ass crashed in the center of the cushions, splitting the gap open as bubbled flesh forced its way through. A portion of its muscle managing to touch Emil's body inside.

"I guess I got some time to kill before they're done." The stepdad said. turning to the TV, he grabbed for the remote, but grabbed a twizzler wrapper instead. "Gah, what a mess this is." he scoffed. "I bet it's that boyfriend of hers. I swear that man always seems to push my buttons. 

He threw the wrapper to the side before leaning into the cushion. When he relaxed, he sat harder onto the couch. Meanwhile underneath, Emil’s hands held against the hairy bubbled skin. It smelled of axe soap as its scent overrode the once clear air. Its smooth surface blocking the way, gravity sending its round form against Emil’s body.

"Grk! Old man really needs to shave back here!" Emil gritted, his palms sliding across the damp strands of asshairs. Shifting his upper body toward them, he took a regretful breath before pushing into the glutes. Their center cushioning as his hand sunk inside, droplets from the crack trickling onto his face.

 "Ugh!" He groaned, lowering a hand to rub off the lingering fluid. The cheek quick to advance as it enveloped the other, swallowing Emil's arms. "Damn it! Let go!" He pried at the flesh, but they were too heavy and damp to slide through.

As he struggled to get his arm out, the stepdad above shifted in his seat. Tilting to the side, his fingers crawled their way to one of his cheeks, spreading them apart to ease the discomfort. When it opened, Emil's arm did become free, but was in a bad spot. When the cheek spread apart, the stepdad shifted forcefully on the couch, making the ass jump before landing back onto the gap. Sending Emil’s upper body half up the crack before the flesh clamped at his waist.

"Ah! I can't move!" Emil strained, flesh sandwiching him on all sides. "Gotta get..out of this!" 

He moved around the little space he had, pushing into them before they retracted with a clench. The walls were thicker than they were from the outside, they were tender, more dry as they grinded against his body. Perhaps now would be the best time to let the old man know, he thought. Groaning at the option, he proceeded to knead into the walls. They felt like he was pressing against a mattress as the surface barely cushioned beneath his hands, but he didn't let that deter him.

"Just think of getting out, just think of getting out" he chanted to himself.

"I really need to get new furniture. This couch is ticklin' at my behind.”

"It's not the couch old man! It's-"

Pfft! A sudden squeeze sent gas from above, showering Emil in a putrid smell. He coughed on its oaky scent, racing to clear his nose to block his pure air from becoming tainted. But that wouldn't stop it, for another burst raced through the crack, seeping from the hole in a low but deep hiss as water spewed from its maw.

"Aah that's better. Maybe that.will teach this couch not to tickle me" the stepdad side, tilting a leg upward as he released another. Its sound unceremoniously louder than other, it was bubbly, and messy as it made his rear bounce.

Bzzz! A sound came from the laundry room.

"Finally they're done." The stepdad said.

Getting up, he leaned into the couch as his rear took in more couch gap, jumping to his feet before he made his way to the laundry room. Unraveling his towel, he took it off to let his body bask in the cool air. Scratching his crack as the tickling feeling seemed to diminish. As he walked, he wondered where Emil would be. Amy said he was going to be here too, perhaps he went on a walk. But little did he know, her boyfriend was right there with him, ankle deep between his moon-sized glutes as they hid him away between the bushes of asshairs.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that night, Amy and the others finally cane him from their event. Her father, fully clothed as he sat along his lounging chair.

"Hey dad, we're home." She announced to him, bags in hand as she set them upon the table.

"Good to see you are home sweet home sweet heart." He said.

"How was you and Emil's time together?" She asked "Please tell me you two didn't argue while we were gone."

"Hah! As innocent as always." He replied. "The day's been quite quiet, haven't seen him for the entirety."

"Uh..that's new. It’s unlike him to not cause a ruckus."

"Meh, why get uncomfortable with a new change of habit. Place has been rather quiet, let him have it I say." He fanned at the air before pulling up at his seat.

"Well suppose that's a plus." she replied. She grabbed her bags on the floor and made her way into her room. Typing at her phone to see if she could call him.

When she disappeared into the hallway, the stepdad wiggled his body around the cushion before he leaned back. But lifted up when something ringed between his cheeks. "This damn chair.." He scratched at it, digging his fingers into his rear before sitting back down.

[doueverwonder]

For that character ask, Poland #0

sorry this took so long! I've had a busy weekend 😅

#0 All numbers in the list!

1, what would their social media page/activity be like

A mix of Straight girl and history obsessed white cishet guy.

He has "You have to try this Starbucks secret menu item!!!!" and *inaccurate history meme taken from reddit* right next to each other.

also Christian memes and horse girl memes.

2, What animal they remind me of

a cat actually; like, how dare you ignore him but also how DARE you bother him when he doesn't want to be bothered.

3, my thoughts on their design/aesthetic alone

canon Poland looks like his name is Stephanie and he's a wine mom who says "I'm doing this for my crowns in heaven!" whenever doing a favor for someone.

Fanon Poland Is amazing I love him, we all really went "This man is actually a walking thrift store but in a good way" and it works amazingly on him.

4, physical headcanons

he sleeps with like 7-12 pillows. It drove Liet insane when they were married.

when he's home alone he THROWS every door open looks around suspiciously then makes a mad dash to whatever other room he needs to go to. my guy DOES NOT linger in hallways.

hates knitted stuff on his skin. Can't wear sweaters without a long sleeve shirt under them, loves the knitted crop top look, can't commit to wearing them for more than 5 min.

everyone thinks he's a 17 step morning routine person; his darkest secret is he owns 1 watered down face wash and uses 3 in 1 shampoo, conditioner, body wash.

5, Social Headcanons

The Friend Group(TM) consists of Lithuania, Latvia, Prussia, Estonia, Hungary, Finland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Belarus.

"If we're gonna go out we should get the whole group together!!"

individually;

Lithuania: The Ex Husband, the boyfriend, the mom friend he's literally a 3 in 1, it's great. LietPol is one of my "Soulmates in more than 1 flavor," examples, they're stuck together. Whether it's romantic, platonic, or somethign you need a whole fic to explain.

Latvia: The little brother that tags along so much you accidentally become friends with him too. Feliks loves Raivis, they're buddies. They 100% sincerely pray for each other, like "Hey this is happening, could you pray for me?" "Of course <3"

Prussia: The former enemy. They're friends now but Feliks is still super snarky to him. "I'll pray for you <3" but condescending and unsolicited. They fuck sometimes ngl.

Estonia: Feliks takes one look at Kalev and just!!! Look at this little nerd!!! He needs friends!! I'll take pity on him and be his friend!!! Feliks is just as nerdy and knows it, but like,,, still calls Kalev a nerd, lovingly ofc.

Hungary: THE RIDE OR DIE. The shared experience of being genderqueer and horse girls. Feliks would die for Erzí, Erzsébet would die for Feliks. They complain and brag about their bf's and Erzí talks about his kids while Feliks (depending on the day) cements himself further into "I'm never having kids" or "I want a baby so badly :(((((("

Finland: Feliks straight up does not remember becoming friends with Kasper. He just knows one day Kasper tagged along with Kalev and Erzí and then they became friends? Tbh more than anything is just "Erzí and Kalev's little brother"

Czechia: his relationship with Adéla can be summed up in "I wouldn't take a bullet for you bc If I have time to jump in front of it you have time to move" but like, he would actually take a bullet for her. Tbh they really only hang out at like 3 am when drunk.

Slovakia: i... don't actually have hc on them yet.

Belarus: Feliks is actually 2 seconds away from adopting Natalya. He's gonna be her new dad and he's going to raise her right. Feliks relationship with Natalya is really complicated, but he does really feel bad for her and has moments of "I could save her from everything probably"

Psychologic headcanons

Has to be surrounded by people at all times. He has 'safety in numbers' drilled into his subconscious.

has APD, It made learning to read really hard, and like you can't talk to him in a noisy room bc your voice and that fork clinking on the plate over there are the same sound sorry :\

has nightmares so often he started taking nyquill every night so he sleeps through them bc no I don't have time for this.

7, ships with them that I like or at least consider

LietPol, legit did not think about this two until I started following 2 specific people I will let you all guess who they are.

PruPol, i have to be a specific angsty/slap-hCppy mood to enjoy it tho.

8, Made up connections with other characters that weren't in canon

I think I accidentally answered this one with #5

9, Headcanons about their past

Feliks is one of the few nations to have both human parents (Japan is one of the others I have rn) he was only a few months old physically when his father died, and 2-ish when his mother died.

They didn't throw him out. After their parents died, his younger brother (a human) took him. Generation after generation they took care of this little mystical being.

Most nations born to humans are thrown out as curses. Feliks' family called him a blessing, some family members even claimed he was their guardian angel.

Generation after generation they took care of him, they loved him so much.

A tragedy struck, they all died. He buried them all himself. He laid next to the graves and cried for days, he begged God to kill him.

He was only physically eleven years old.

He didn't know what he was, but he had bought into the guardian angel thing. He thought he had failed. Eventually he got up and moved on, he left just wandering...

Then he met Liet... found out he wasn't alone.

10, Content about them I'd like to see more of

tbh more platonic PolHun, I love them <3

[heartfucksmouth]

not to sound like a broken record cliché, but motherhood is truly the most difficult and beautiful thing I've ever experienced.

I'm constantly fascinated by my child, I can't get enough of kissing his face and head and smelling his scent, holding his tiny hands or massaging his little toes. I'm in love with his bright curious eyes and the glimpse of a smile passing over his face.

and I'm also overwhelmed and frustrated when he cries for hours and won't sleep for more than 20 minutes all night. I'm terrified when he suddenly spits up so much formula it comes out his nose and he can't breathe for the longest 10 seconds of my life. I'm anxious when he isn't near me, and I get waves of distrust washing over me whenever someone else is caring for him so I can sleep. I have moments where I question what I've done, whether I've ruined my life - or his, I search my mind for ways of escaping and I scare myself with scenarios of grandparents taking custody of him bc I'm unfit. I make myself cry picturing Myles trying to raise him by himself without me.

6 weeks post partum. 1 month and 11 days. I'm finally asking for my meds to be adjusted bc I feel I'm barreling head first into PPD/PPA and my high blood pressure is back. I just got a new therapist that also is a parent by my request, and she called me today bc she wanted to check on me. my mom has been here most days to let me catch up on sleep, but she talks about her life and freezes when I have moments of anxiety and actually look to her supposed parenting experience for comfort and help. it wounds me deep. and myles mom takes Aidan for hours at a time, so I can sleep or shower or eat dinner with myles, but its not always to my liking because I fear she'll hold it over our heads someday - or she secretly thinks we're incapable of being parents. I get help with Aidan every day (while others do it all by themselves) and yet I feel so alone and like no one will come to my rescue when i need it. all the offers of help during my pregnancy seem to have disappeared. I wish friends would offer to come instead of the mothers I have relationship issues with. but then... who are my friends, really? my therapist says how I'm lucky I have all this support but it feels like a gut punch and I need to tell her next time that I don't feel like I have support at all. when I go into panic attacks, I message multiple people reaching out, asking for encouragement, for validation from other parents. but I don't have anyone checking in on me or offering to get together or even offering to help in a physically present way. besides my damn mom. my therapist and psych nurse are like "I'm always here for you, reach out" but they don't mean "text me at 3am if you're having a hard time" - they mean "call my extension and leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can"

the pendulum of my emotions is swinging so wildly and I just want some balance. I keep getting told everything I'm experiencing is normal, but if that's the case, there's something very fucking wrong with the way we treat motherhood, pregnancy, all of it (and there is).

I hope a med adjustment will help me, and I'm trying to reach out and build a village of my own. everyone talks about mental health, and recently PPD etc but everyone is burnt out and dealing with their own overwhelm and everyone is a breath away from a crisis. it all just feels crazy. I want to feel hopeful again. I want to feel like the world isn't on fire.

[lexifer-666]

It's the new year and I've got weird family stuff happening I need to rant about. Under the cut. CW/TW for: mentions of emotional and physical neglect, manipulation, general abuse, homophobia, transphobia, ableism. Basically a huuuge traumadump post because i gotta have some place to work shit out. There's a silver lining at the end if you're willing to read.

so like. I spent years… YEARS being the family scapegoat. Everything I did was wrong. Everything about who I was… Was wrong. I spent the majority of my life building up walls and armor, carefully constructing this Person I should be. Quiet, calm, invisible. Never allowing myself to exist, never letting anyone know who I was. I hid so many aspects of myself- My gender, my religion, even the music I listened to, the books I read… The shows I watched. Because each of these things were weaknesses my family used against me. To belittle and manipulate me. There was… So much abuse and neglect. I've finally kind of accepted myself for being disabled, but I spent the better part of 3 years trying to convince my family that I wasn't faking or being dramatic, that there was actually something seriously wrong. It's been… 5 years since I moved out. I spent a lot of that time healing, letting the people around me see me for who I was. I stopped masking as much, and let my neurodivergent qualities show. I was floored when I would tell someone about something I was interested in, and instead of mockery I was met with genuine interest. I came out as trans openly, changed my name, started T. All the while… I had little to no contact with my family. I only showed up for funerals and shit like that.

In the past… Year? Ish? My family have all done a complete 180. They no longer act like I'm some demonic, sinner child. They all actually took the whole trans thing pretty well.. Which was a stark contrast to the hours-long lecture I got whenever I came home from my dad's house wearing men's clothing on my 14th birthday. It… Weirds me the fuck out. They actually treat me like a part of the family, they're listening to me when I talk instead of just talking over me. (I spent the ages of 16-17 barely speaking to anyone because I had literally fucking given up.) It's… I went to christmas this year. Voluntarily. I drove there myself. No one yelled. No one beat the shit out of eachother. I didn't feel disrespected at all-- The only time it even got close was when my mom was worriedly asking me if I could carry my own plate, to which I told her "I do this every day, mom." (I was doing things one handed, forearm crutch and all.) But…. I don't know. I should be happy that they're taking an interest in who I am now. I should be ecstatic! I might actually be able to have a relationship with my family! And… I am, to an extent. I'm… Happy I actually have a relationship with them now. Rocky, fresh, like I just got adopted and I'm still testing the waters.

But… There's also resentment. I spent my whole childhood, and 5 years of college and couch hopping, not feeling like I belonged anywhere. Of hating myself. They come to me now? After I've healed from them? After I already grew and moved on, began to accept myself, made real, genuine connections with other people? They enter my life with real love and acceptance now? When I don't fucking need them? Where were they when I was homeless? Where were they when I felt like my life was worthless? When I felt like only 3 people in this entire world actually cared for me and loved me? There's also guilt. I built friendships where… I related to my friends on the basis of. Oh fuck, none of us have good relationships with our family, we're all kind of outcast and scapegoated. Now… That's changing for me. And… I feel guilty. Because my friends deserve to have a family too. I shouldn't be the only one who gets to have this. All I can do is not.. Talk about it too much. It would feel like rubbing salt in the wound, and I do not want to hurt them like that. Soooo. I'm sitting here. At 5am. It feels like I've been sucked into an alternate reality where my family is… Not a bunch of traumatized, cycle-repeating abusive religious zealots.

My mother has discord? And knows what pronouns are? She straight up said "I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to disrespect your pronouns, I'm still getting used to this." Like… Jesus christ man she's 61. 61, ex-mormon, now evangelical, lives in a small town of literally 200 people. My stepdad didn't even really talk to me, either. Normally he would have some smartass thing to say, something to get under my skin and make me snap at him. And I was prepared to, he can't hit me now that I'm an adult without going to jail…. But he didn't even try. In fact, when the tarp on my car tore, he went to the next town over and bought me two rolls of expensive ass tape to fix it. Didn't even ask me to pay him back. I… Don't really know what to make of all this. The tiny, jaded 14 year old Lex that still lives in my heart is screaming at me. He's pissed, he doesn't want me to trust them a bit. But…. I don't know. I'm tired of not having a family.

[fvrsaeken]

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY — JULY 7, 2022: judith grimes has released her third studio album, the second under her label freebird records, a division of Campbell Worldwide Media. Throughout the week, Judith had been in New York City, visiting radio stations and being featured on various late night shows including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she performed marjorie live for the first time and Late Night with Seth Meyers.

During her interview with Seth Meyers, Judith talked about how this album really helped her solidify her sound as an artist. "It was nice actually, after spending so long kind of hiding away making all of these things happen, all while grieving the loss of my girlfriend Hannah and grappling with almost losing my brother, everything fell into place. In the thickest part of my grief I wrote the second half of delicate and actually most of afterglow, almost like I could make the grief lighter by writing." Seth then asked about her lead single for the album. "So you chose... not only did you write a song for your mother named marjorie, but you made it the lead single. Why did you change her name?" Judith took a moment before responding. "I didn't get a lot of time with my mom, she and my dad divorced when I five and she died when I was seven. But whenever I went to write the song, I just... for some reason having a song named after her felt too hard to write, but having it be written for her was easier if that makes sense. Kind of like how I wrote dorothea from my best friend Gracie's perspective about a friend who gets famous and moves away, I wasn't going to have it named after myself. It's easier once you remove a small portion of the personal aspect." She explained. "No I get it, you take out the part that makes it almost too unbearable to do, and you make it a little easier to swallow." Seth agreed. "Yeah exactly! And who knows maybe someone lost a loved one named marjorie so they can relate to the song."

The next night, while on The Late Show, before her performance, Judith sat down with Stephen and began with: "Okay, so because you were with Seth Meyers last night I won't ask you specifically about marjorie, which by the way we are all very excited to see you perform." He paused as the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. "I will say, this is one of your first performances in quite some time. Was this a personal choice or did it just not work scheduling wise?" He'd asked. "Thank you for that amazing fanfare by the way, gonna keep that moment in my back pocket forever. But um, it was kind of both. My first album came out and then life was kind of just like: "surprise, we're gonna actually throw you the largest amount of curveballs." so that kind of derailed any plans I had to perform." She explained. "Around then, you also... kind of famously went public with calling out Interscope Records for how they treated your brother, what was going through your head that day?" Now this question did make Judith visibly uncomfortable prompting Colbert to add: "Whatever you're comfortable with sharing of course, I know this is probably a still healing wound for you and your family." Judith gave a grateful smile before continuing: "The main thing going through my head was: I'm about to ruin a career I just started, but at least I'm going to go out on my own terms. Up until that day that I almost lost my brother, I had tried so hard to get his team to notice something was wrong, I tried to get him to notice but it's hard when you're barely seventeen and no one really wants to take you seriously. No one around him saw what was happening, or if they did see then they didn't care and I didn't want other artists, especially young artists like my brother go through that. I wanted them to know what happened, and family before fame every time." Which was met with some awww's and cheers from the crowd.

On the morning of Friday July 7, Judith sat down with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America to promote her album. "Congratulations! I can't believe it, this is your third album and you... you just turned twenty is that right?" He asked her. Judith laughed and nodded along before saying: "That's true I just turned twenty last month. It's been a wild ride." Michael agreed with her saying: "I can only imagine, you and your brother both have had very busy teen years, and in your brother's case early twenties. I'm sure that you've had this question but with both of you being famous, what does your dad think about it all?" Judith paused for a second. "Oooh I don't think I've actually had this question before, maybe Carl has but I mean I'd hope that he's just happy that his kids are doing something they love. You know we get to do really cool things for him, my brother and I. He gets to travel with us and see the world, although I'm pretty sure he's seen New York City more than anywhere else." She paused her answer to wave to her dad who waved back earnestly. "I didn't know he was here with you! I guess that makes sense, okay so let's ask him, Rick how do you feel about your kids being famous? What do you think of it all?" Once the PA had made their way to Rick with a microphone, the father of two answered: "I mean I really am so proud of both of them. They worked hard to get where they are, overcome more than their fair share. To be able to watch them both grow and flourish in their own ways in the same industry is incredible." The answer moved Judith to tears as she was seen grabbing Kleenex once the camera cut back to her. "We definitely couldn't have done it without all of his support, and I think Carl would be okay with me saying that for both of us."

[imthebadguyyy]

I : The First Meeting.

pairing | steve harrington x reader

synopsis | steve meets Eddie's best friend...and her little baby love.

warnings | some talk about abandonment, single mom struggles, and some sugary sweet fluff

a/n • it's been a while, but im back!

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

steve wasnt a 100% sure when he and eddie 'the freak' munson had become such good friends. and yet, here he was, sitting in eddie's trailer, a cold beer in hand as they watched the rerun of some show eddie had taped, while metallica played in the background.

he would never admit it, but he had begun to enjoy the bass of cliff burton's guitar more than he'd ever thought he would. and what he'd never admit even more was that eddie was a much better person than he'd ever thought, and had quickly taken up a spot next to robin on his list of closest friends.

the knock on the door of the trailer snapped him out of his train of thought, and he reached for his wallet before eddie could protest, assuming it to be the pizzas he had ordered for the two of them to share.

but as he opened the door, wallet in hand, he caught sight of a little girl, hair in loose curls that fell way past her shoulders, with the prettiest hazel eyes he'd ever seen gazing up at him, lower lip wobbling.

she was scrunching the material of her denim dress in her tiny first, and he noticed the tears forming in her eyes.

"uh, eddie? there's a kid here" he stated, and the man in question stick his curly head of hair out the door. "oh well, well, well,if it isn't little miss princess!" Eddie exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face, before it slid right off, noticing her watery eyes and wobbly lips.

"whats wrong princess?" he asked, worry filling every bone in his body as he scooped the little girl up in his arms, eyes widening in alarm as she began to sob again.

"i fell" she cried, little sobs breaking her voice and breaking steve's heart into a thousand little pieces.

"oh baby, you fell? how'd you fall? are you hurt?" Eddie questioned, closing the door of the trailer and setting the little girl down on his lap.

"was playing with mr tibbles, and he fell, i try to pick him up but i fell down on the floor" she exclaimed, a sharp wail leaving her mouth and steve flinched. "it's okay baby, we're gonna fix you right up" Eddie said, pressing a little kiss to her cheek.

"so whose the crying baby?" steve asked, rummaging around eddie's bathroom for the first aid kit.

"ah, you know y/n l/n? she's her daughter"

"wait wait y/n? as in smartest girl in the school, y/n? wasn't she supposed to move new york to pursue law?" steve asked, remembering the girl he had crushed on since he was a little boy.

"yeah, she dated some jerk who got her pregnant, then ran the moment she told him. so her uni plans were cancelled, parents kicked her out, and she's been raising aurelia on her own" eddie muttered, cutting out a length of gauze.

"what a jerk" steve said, feeling his heart go out to the girl he had once known so well.

"yeah, she lives a few trailers down and so uncle wayne and i help her out whenever we can. lucky for all of us, little aurelia has the sweetest temper and she's rarely upset. she's a sweetheart" he cooed, gently pouring antiseptic cleanser onto a piece of cotton, before gently cleaning the scrape on her knee.

aurelia hissed, but was quickly distracted by steve, who took the opportunity to grab the stuffed bunny she was carrying, bringing him up to his face before putting on a funny voice.

"wellll if it isn't my favouriteeee little baby! hello aurelia! i hear you have a boo boo, and im sooo sorry to have given you a boo boo. how about a biggg hug" he continued, in a high pitched voice that sounded nothing like his own, ignoring Eddie's snort.

"you know she's 3 dude. you can just talk to her" he said, putting a little blue bandage on the scrape. "there we go m'lady, all done and ready to go" he said, bowing to aurelia.

she giggled, and to steve's surprise, grasped onto his fingers. "whats your name?" she asked, bubbly voice reaching his ears in an oddly wholesome way.

"uh, steve" he said, still holding mr tibbles in his hands.

"hello uh steve, im aurelia. this is mr tibbles" she said, earning a louder chuckle from Eddie.

"no no, im just steve" he said, blushing a little.

"then hello just steve" she said, beaming brightly at him. eddie snorted again, unable to contain his mirth at what a mess the babysitter of the group was with an actual baby.

"angel, his names steve. thats it. now can you tell me where mommy is?" he asked, saving steve from his predicament.

"mama's at work. i stay with miss cooper but she left me to go get a bubbly" she said innocently, too young to comprehend that a bubbly meant a beer.

steve understood though. and he felt a surge of anger at this miss cooper for abandoning the sweet girl before him to get a beer.

"mama should be home soon, you hungry angel?" eddie asked, pulling out a box of cookies he kept specially for aurelia.

"yes! m so hungry. miss cooper forgot to feed me my apple" she stated, reaching for a cookie and offering eddie a large hug.

then, with her mouth half full of cookie, and half a cookie left in her other hand, she turned to steve, offering her hand out to him, with a smile, "we share cookie?" she asked, and steve swore his heart melted then and there.

"sure baby, we share" he agreed, reaching for the crumbly cookie and making a great show about eating it.

"mmm how delicious. do you love these cookies?" he asked, gently rubbing away the crumbs from her mouth.

"yes! eddie always brings. i love eddie" she stated, squeezing eddie around his knees.

"well gosh lady aurelia, consider your good ol' eddie honoured" the metalhead grinned, hopping out the door to grab the pizza that has just showed up.

"you want some pizza?" steve asked, pulling out three plates.

"i love pizza. but mummy says we shouldn't eat it too much. tummy ache" she said seriously, raising her arms up.

"oh, you want to be carried?" steve asked, gently scooping her up.

before aurelia could reply, she was interrupted by a flurry of frantic knocking.

"eddie! eddie! is lia with you?!" a frantic voice asked, and Eddie rushed to open the door.

"yeah yeah she's with me, calm down, here come in" he made quick work of reassuring the frantic woman at the doorstep.

when you stepped in, steve felt sure his heart had stopped.

"y/n, babe, you remember steve? steve harrington? high school? king steve? the whole pizazz?" he smirked, and as much as he loved eddie, he wanted to sock him in the face.

"uh, hey y/n, how've you been?" he asked, offering you a warm smile.

when you saw steve harrington, those butterflies you used to feel around him came rushing back, and you suddenly felt conscious about your outfit. you'd been dressed in a loose shirt and a skirt, and the jacket you were supposed to wear to cover your shift at melvald's with joyce byers.

"oh, hey! i've been alright, how've you been?" you asked, taking note of how calm aurelia was in his arms.

speaking of whom, the little girl in his arms let out a squeal, kicking her little legs against him, reaching out for you.

"mommy! mommy! you're back!" she squealed, and you instantly felt the days frustrations melt off.

"hi baby, I've missed you so much! how'd you end up here!" you asked, pressing a flurry of kisses to her chubby cheeks. even as aurelia had grown older, she'd retained her cute chubby baby cheeks. and you loved kissing them.

*she scraped her knee a lil, but uncle eds fixed it right up, so don't worry. also, y/n, just leave her with me next time. cooper sucks balls" Eddie said and you shushed him.

"language eds. cant have her repeating that all around the trailer park" you mumbled, pressing a kiss to her knee.

"mumma's sorry she left you and you got hurt baby, do you forgive her?" you asked, gently brushing her hair behind her ears.

"yes mommy, i love you! issok, uncle Eddie fixed my boo boo and Stevie helped too!" she exclaimed and you giggled.

"well, thank you, the both of you" you smiled.

steve felt his heart melt a little more, watching the interaction between the two of you.

he watched as you bounced little aurelia on your hip, and as she fiddled with the loose strands of your hair, which is noticed were considerably shorter than they had been a few years ago.

it was then that he noticed how much thinner you looked, how your eyes, albeit smiling at your daughter, held the traces of many a night spent crying or worrying over the future, the soft worry lines in between your eyebrows, and finally the slight slump of your shoulders, signifying how tired you were after what he could only assume numerous extra shifts.

"we were just about to sit down and share some pizza with our little lady" eddie chimed in making you giggle. "that sounds lovely" you smiled, trying to ignore the tug of hunger in your stomach.

and that's when realisation hit you.

fuck. you had forgotten to get the groceries from the store. joyce was always kind enough to keep some spares for you to take home, knowing how hard it was for a single mom to make ends meet.

you wanted to cry. but you couldn't. all you had at home was some baby food and some snacks for her and peanut butter. that was not going to cut it.

a frustrated exhale left your nose, and steve noticed.

"wanna join us for some pizza?" he asked nonchalantly, hoping you'd say yes.

"uh.. it's okay i have food at home" you lied through your teeth, ignoring the rumbling in your stomach as the smell of the pizza wafted towards you.

"doesn't matter, we have way too much pizza here so we'd probably not finish anyway. c'mon, my treat" he smiled, and sweet, sweet relief washed over you. you did not want to scoop peanut butter out the jar on wheat crackers for the third night of the week.

so you smiled, and nodded shyly, "thats sweet of you, but only if you're sure" you said, slight guilt bubbling at not being able to contribute. but you'd promised aurelia to rent a cassette of duck tales for her birthday later that week, maybe even buy it if you could afford it after the groceries and a new skirt since yours had torn.

"yes of course we're sure, c'mon grab a plate" he smiled at you, putting a slice of pizza on your plate.

you broke off a tiny piece, holding it tip to lia's mouth when steve tutted. "wait, here's her slice, and there's more if she'd like" he said, handing you a smaller plate with a slice of pizza for aurelia.

"oh no, its enough that you're sharing, besides the two of us have shared before, we don't mind" you were quick to cut him off with a soft smile, but he shook his head.

"that may be so, but we have more than enough so you can both have as many slices as you want. isn't that right eds?" he asked, scoffing at the metalhead who was shoving pizza into his mouth.

"wha-? oh yeah y/n, go full on stuff mode, we have so much. want a cold beer?" he asked, and you giggled. "sure, i don't mind one" you replied, catching the can he tossed at you.

you watched as aurelia chewed her slice slowly, giggling with eddie as they watched the kermit tape he'd bought just for her.

steve watched you take a slow bite of your food, savouring every morsel, and he saw how happy it made you. he wondered how long it had been since you'd had pizza.

you were wondering the same. prices had shot up recently and it had been more than six months. the taste of the cheese was warming and it made you feel happy.

the moment your slice was over, you got up to wash your plate, only to be stopped by steve stopping you and firmly sliding another slice into your plate.

"c'mon, have another one. I'm done and so is eddie. we filled up on chips. please, just one more slice?" he pleaded, and you felt your heart melt.

how long had it been since someone had checked to see if you had eaten properly? or asked you to take more? it made you wanna cry.

so you smiled, said a soft thank you and took another slice.

aurelia finished her slice, and began to fuss. you looked at the click and swore under your breath. it was way past her bedtime.

"oh i gotta go, it's time for lia's bath and then i have to put her to bed" you mumbled, grabbing your keys and your purse.

"just hold on to her eds, I'll do the dishes real quick" you continued, picking up the plates.

"woah woah y/n, its okay, we can do the dishes ourselves" steve interrupted, grabbing your hand, a slight frown appearing on his face. "you just concentrate on getting lia to bed" he said, brushing his thumb over the soft skin of your hand.

you blushed. he noticed.

"are you sure? i can do that much, i didn't even pay for dinner" you said, guilt rising in your chest.

"dinner was my treat, and Eddie and i can handle four plates. trust me y/n, we got this. go home" he said, still running his thumb over your hand.

"thank you so much. for dinner, and for taking care of aurelia, and for helping her knee. lia, say thank you steve!" you told the toddler.

"tank you stevie!" she exclaimed and he grinned.

picking up your stuff and Mr tibbles, you scooped aurelia up into your arms.

"lia, say bye bye to uncle eds and stevie" you said, and the life girl obliged, leaning forward to kiss eddie's cheek.

"bye bye stevie" she giggled, looping her arms around his neck and tugging him in.

"bye bye princess" he smiled, gently patting her back.

"wait, let me walk you two ladies to your trailer" he said, and you shook your head. "no it's quite alright, you've already done so much" you said, offering him your sweetest smile.

"it's alright, i don't mind" he smiled back, and so you let him.

it felt good to have someone walk next to you in the dark trailer park, to listen to him chatted with lia and keep an eye out for the both of you.

you felt safe. you felt cared for. and you craved that feeling more than you'd ever admit.

the yellow lights of your trailer came into sight and you suddenly became conscious of the fact that the steve harrington was standing in front of your trailer.

as if sensing your insecurities, steve said, right on cue, "youve done it up so nicely, it looks stunning" as he watched you walk up the steps.

"thank you. it's not much, but...it's home" you murmured, feeling tears rise in your eyes.

steve noticed too.

"i think you're very brave, to be providing for your beautiful baby and managing to manage a pretty home. Eddie told me about what happened...it's brave of you to start over" he murmured back, running a comforting hand down your back.

you let yourself lean in for a moment. it felt so good to be commended and praised for what was a tiring job and you wanted to squeeze him in the tightest hug. you resorted to squeezing his hand.

"well, this is me" you smiled, and he laughed.

"you can come over to sometime" you continued, "i think lia would like it" you rushed to cover up, hoping you didn't sound over hyper to see him again.

"of course, I'd love to see lia again, and you of course" he smiled, and you felt your cheeks heat up again.

"good night steve, thank you for everything today" you smiled, opening your trailer door slightly.

"no problem, good night y/n. ill see you soon. good night lia!" he said, and she waved to him, head resting sleeping on your shoulder.

with a final smile in his direction, you closed the door, biting your lip with a smile as you rested against the trailer door.

outside, steve stood in front of your door, smiling like an idiot in love.

oh shit, he thought.

he was an idiot in love.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧*:･

TAGS *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

and here it is! this will have multiple parts, this is just the beginning of steve, lia and y/n's story ❤️ 🥺

as always, likes, reblogs, comments and feedback is appreciated! feel free to send an ask or drop by the dms!

i'm always open to making new friends!

everything - @roslastyles420

stranger things -

to be added to the taglist, send me an ask or a dm or reply to the post, specifying which fandom ❤️

[thefallennightmare]

One Mind-Six

Pairings: Druig x Eternal!Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, swears, and maybe some smut here and there.

Summary: For so long, the Eternals were on their own. That was until a Celestial event brought them all back together. Reader is reluctant to help because in order to do what her fellow Eternals are saying, she would have to connect with a century old love; one that she promised herself that she would never work with again.

A/N: Thoughts so far?

TAGS (OPEN): @niiight-dreamerrrr @moonlightreader649

The sun began to beat down hard on the back of my neck as I chewed on my lip, waiting to see if he would show up. My right foot tapped impatiently, knowing that we were about to leave. I hadn’t spoken much to him after the funeral last night, me opting to stay the night with Thena to make sure she was fine. We spent the night talking of old memories with Gilgamesh and the others, something I knew she needed.

So, at the early rise of the sun, I ran into Druig’s home, hoping to catch him before we left. My voice rang out to an empty home, so I scratched out a quick note to him, leaving it in the same place we always left little notes.

The fridge.

Before I left the home, I took the picture of the two of us in bed out of its frame, sliding it into my pocket.

“Y/N.”

I saw Phastos standing in the doorway of the plane, right on top of the stairs.

“The pilot said he figured out the problem with the engine, so we're good to go now.”

“Two more minutes. Please?” I begged.

He agreed with a nod. “Not a second later. Sersi is freaking out about wasted time.”

“Tell her to bite me,” I muttered, turning back to face the tree line of the forest and waiting to see if he would emerge.

One minute and fifty-six seconds later, Druig walked out with black sunglasses covering his face and his signature black leather jacket; one that I gifted him so long ago.

“Cutting it close, are we?” I tried my best to hide the huge smile that spread to my lips.

Of course, I failed.

Druig smirked. “How did you manipulate the pilot into keeping the plane grounded for so long?”

I mocked fake shock at his accusation.

“I did no such thing.”

His tongue rolled over his bottom lip, blue eyes burning straight down to my core, and I mentally closed my legs. The intensity created a scratch that I couldn’t itch quite yet.

“Uh, we should probably get going. Sersi and Ikaris are waiting to give us a debriefing,” I threw a thumb over my shoulder towards the plane.

Druig groaned while throwing an arm over my shoulder, the two of us began walking towards the plane.

“I can’t wait to be told what to do by mom and dad.”

I playfully smacked his chest.

“What you’re asking us to do is impossible,” Druig shook his head. “We can’t do that.”

Phastos leaned forward in his seat, elbows on his knees. “I can create something that will link us all together. You two can use our energy to put Tiamut to sleep.”

Druig’s hand was on my knee, tracing small circles over it, and he looked over towards me as if waiting for my own answer.

“We have to at least try, right?” I shrugged.

He let out a sigh before lounging farther down into his seat of the plane and nodded. “If this goes wrong, I’m blaming you two.”

He pointed towards Sersi and Ikaris, who both had a look of annoyance on their own face.

“Pleasure to have you with us, Druig.” Ikaris muttered.

“So,” Sprite spoke, trying to break the new tension, “Anyone remember where we left the Domo?”

“The same spot we left it,” Phastos informed while opening his palm, showing a globe that had one lone red spot on it.

“With Makarri.”

I looked over towards Druig, something pulling hard at my heart.

“How do you even know if she’s still there?” Sersi asked.

“We talk every now and then,” he stated as if it wasn’t a big deal.

I, however, couldn’t stop feeling as if it was a big deal. The two of them always had a close relationship, obviously not as close as Druig and I, but it did nothing to stop the small pangs of jealousy I felt whenever I saw them together.

Druig sensed how I started to feel so he gave my knee a loving squeeze, his voice suddenly coming through my mind.

You have nothing to worry about my love.

My eyes snapped over towards him. As comforting as those words were, I was more upset at the way he spoke them.

“You said you wouldn’t do that anymore,” I reminded him.

Centuries ago, he would always speak into my mind, and I loved our own private conversations. But after some time, it began to mess with my own mind. My powers began acting haywire, which caused me to become severely hurt in a battle against a Deviant.

Ajak chalked it up to since the two of us used our mind solely for our powers, that the extra control interfered so Druig promised he would stop. That was three thousand years ago and my mind felt stronger now so maybe it wouldn’t affect me the same way.

I won’t do it again, well after this time.

I couldn’t help but smirk at his voice.

The plane cruised through the clouds, bringing us closer and closer to our destination, and I allowed my body to relax in a much needed rest. Being by Thena’s side last night, I didn’t sleep even for more than an hour. Darkness took over, my head falling onto Druig’s shoulder.

Red took over my vision as I felt myself floating in air, surrounded by the blackness of space. I looked up and gasped at the large face in front of me, almost as if I was staring at a mountain. Six holes in its face, three on each side, and my hands shook in fear.

“Arishem,” I shuddered.

“Y/N, it’s an honor to finally talk to you.”

I shook my head, confused. “But how? Sersi has the sphere.

“Your mind is such a powerful gift. It’s unfortunate that you haven’t tapped into your full potential yet.”

“I still don’t understand,” I rambled.

“You and Druig cannot connect your minds with the others. The power alone might kill you.”

“What, how do you know what we’re planning on doing?”

“I know everything that the Eternals are doing. I created you all.”

My eyes blinked rapidly, trying to process his words. I still had no idea how I was talking to him but thought that it was only because I was dreaming.

“What did you mean it would kill me? How?”

“You and Druig are meant to be one, connected the moment you two were created. Any other involvement from minds not strong like yours can be catastrophic.”

“How? How can it kill me?!” I bellowed up to him, angry that he wasn’t giving me the answer I had been seeking.

I sat up in my seat with a start, a loud gasp falling from my lips. My chest rose and fell with each deep breath I swallowed, trying to gather my surroundings. I was back on the plane and had seven sets of eyes staring at me, one of them more worried than the others.

“Hey, it’s alright. It was only a dream.”

Druig was rubbing soothing circles on my back, trying to calm my erratic breathing.

But was it a dream? Or was I actually speaking with Arishem?

“I don’t know if it was,” I voiced my concern.

“What are you talking about?” Ikaris questioned.

With a shaky breath, I explained to them what I had just experienced. It felt too real to be a dream, but I knew that if I didn’t have the sphere, I couldn’t possess the powers to talk to Arishem.

“Are you sure it was real?” Kingo asked.

I shrugged. “I have no idea. It felt so real, the fear I felt standing in front of him.”

Sprite squinted her eyes at me. “How do we know that you’re not making it up?”

My own eyes sliced into her. “Why the fuck would I make something like this up?”

“I mean, you were never Ajak’s favorite. You and Druig went against her wishes many times so this could be a way at getting back at Sersi since Ajak chose her.”

I was quick on my feet, ready to attack. A tray that had previously held cups for our drinks flew towards Sprite but missed by an inch when Druig’s arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me into the air. He carried me to the back of the plane, pressing my body against the wall and with both hands on either side of my face, he forced me to look at him.

“Take a breath.”

“I’m going to kill her,” I seethed while struggling in his grasp.

He tightened his hold on my face. “Take. A. Breath.”

The voice in my head was quiet but enough to calm my anger immediately.

Druig searched my eyes and when I nodded, letting him know that I was calm, he turned to look over his shoulder to the others.

“We need to think of another plan,” he informed.

I tried to protest but he snapped back over to me, worry etched across the skin of his face. “I’m not letting you do something that could kill you, Y/N. This isn’t worth it.”

“We don’t have another plan,” Sersi said. “Not to mention the time to think of one.”

Druig took a step towards her but I grasped onto his hips, locking him in place. Tears welled in my eyes because I didn't want this to happen. We were unsure if it was true what Arishem had said but in the midst of uncertainty, my words began to create chaos among the Eternals.

Thena realized how upset I was becoming as I desperately tried to keep Druig calm so her quiet voice spoke up. “We’ll find another way.”

She nodded towards Druig to reassure him. “We will.”

“Ya better because I’m not allowing her to kill herself for Seri’s pleasure,” Druig spat while storming into the other part of the plane.

The door slammed behind him which caused me to jump and I let out a shaky breath. With hands stuffed into the back of my pocket, I sauntered back to my previous spot and sank low into the seat.

Everyone else steered clear from me for the rest of the flight except Thena who causally sat next to me, hand softly placed on my arm.

[milkybonya]

shoes by the door

Pairing: bf!Eric x (gn)reader

Summary: how college bf!Eric ends up moving into your apartment :]

genre: fluff! complete fluff :]

word count: idk but short T.T <1k ?

[a/n]: IM DOWN FOR ERIC SO BAD PLEASE HELP ME mom i have a crush on him <3

Eric pushed you into your bedroom, as if it was his own house. no, it was yours, yet he still acted like he owned the place.

giggles escaped both of your mouths as he pushed you again, onto the bed, mumbling something about how it's time you pay attention to him instead of the book you were reading.

he hops onto your bed after you, placing the back of his head on your stomach and closing his eyes, already having memorized your habit of running your fingers through his hair whenever he lays his head on you.

he hums as you massage his scalp and gently stroke his hair.

"what did you want to tell me, bub?" you ask Eric, whose eyes light up.

"right! so i've discovered a new hobby recently, and it's so fun. you should try it too! you.."

his precious voice continues on and his hands lift into the air, making dramatic motions while he speaks. it looks like he's mapping out the stars for you.

cute, you think, gently taking hold of one of his hands and bringing the back of it to your lips. he doesn't realize that your lips are glued to his hand until moments later when he stops talking mid-sentence and whines.

"[y/n]! [y/n], what are you doing?!"

you reply by kissing his hand again, which he pulls away and uses to turn himself onto his stomach and lift himself up. he hovers over you, his face just above yours as you laugh.

"what are you doing, huh [y/n]? making my heart beat so wildly!"

"i-"

he kisses you without warning, deeply and full of love. you're filled with butterflies, wondering how Eric's lips fit on yours so perfectly every time.

when he pulls away, he looks down at you with pride and satisfaction, as if you're a masterpiece (cause you are <3). his eyes take in every inch of your face before he leans in to kiss your forehead gently this time.

"[y/n], i think i'm in love with you," he said, smiling slightly with his lips parted.

"uh i think we've established that?" you say.

he shakes his head, his hair flowing from side to side.

"no, i mean truly in love. you make me want to... drop everything for you like i could just... move away with you and we could live together away from everyone and everything and..."

"Eric that's such a lie. i know you can't live without your roommates."

Eric laughs in agreement nodding.

"okay, you got me there!" he says.

"but seriously.. come here," he growls, laying back on the bed and pulling you onto his chest with his arms wrapped so tightly around you that you loudly squeal.

he kisses your shoulder, bare from your oversized shirt sliding down, then your neck, then your cheek.

"god i'm so in love! just marry me already dammit!" he huffs, burying his head into your neck.

"i will in the future, if we're still together and the time is right," you say, smiling at the thought.

"i'll treat you so well..." Eric mumbles.

"you already do!" you say, laughing.

he nods in agreement even though you can't see him with the way you're positioned.

"but [y/n], i was thinking... how about i move in?" Eric asks, slowly and shyly. you can feel his heart racing against your back.

you turn around to face him, and he's blushing ever so slightly.

"have your roommates finally pushed you to your limit?" you ask him.

he shakes his head, no. then laughs when you raise your eyebrows at him with suspicion.

"i swear, no! you know how much i love sharing a house with them... it just drives me crazy that we're both on opposite sides of campus and can barely meet cause our schedules conflict, with all our classes and stuff... imagine how nice it would be to at least wake up... next to each other and fall asleep side-by-side, too," Eric explains, and your heart melts more with every word he speaks.

"Eric..." is all you can say.

"it's okay, babe, take all the time you need to think about it," he says, hugging you more tightly.

it only takes a whole month later until Eric steps into your apartment with a suitcase and a few boxes. two toothbrushes in the bathroom, two mugs by the water filter, two pairs of shoes by the door. it makes your heart soar.

although you and Eric have slept over at each other's places before, this time, knowing that you'll get to do it for months and months to come makes your heart race as Eric stretches out his arms while laying beside you. you shuffle into his embrace and he buries his head into your neck.

"i'm so happy..." you say, almost tearing up.

"me too," Eric says, pulling back to gently kiss your forehead.

when Eric's alarm goes off in the morning and he doesn't wake up, you shower his face with kisses and whisper into his ear, tickling him until he finally opens his eyes. when he does, he hugs you tightly.

"are you sure you're okay with being my morning alarm? you know normal alarms don't work one me..." Eric says.

"i knew what i was signing up for when i let you live with me," you say, kissing his cheek.

"i know you don't have class until 2pm, but-" Eric starts.

"i'll come to campus with you to study. ah, hold on! i can make some breakfast for you now while you get ready," you say, getting up and shuffling to the kitchen.

"[y/n], i could cry!" Eric calls out after you, dramatically.

once he's finally dressed, he approaches you from behind as you stand in front of the stove, giving you a warm back hug.

"don't expect this every morning. i just feel nice today," you say, jokingly.

"i'll wash the dishes~" Eric sings, kissing the top of your head.

after eating together and laughing at a youtube video you both watched, you head out. the two pairs of shoes by the door disappear onto your feet as you run down the stairs to make it to the bus.

packed with people, Eric lets you sit as he stands right beside you, making sure no weird people fall on top of you. he hands you one of his earbuds and you both listen to your shared playlist of favourite songs. as you turn to look out the window, Eric takes a photo of you. he knows you'll scold him for taking it, but will probably end up uploading it on sns, and the thought makes him smile.

holding hands while exiting the bus and walking around campus to Eric's class, having to let go of his hand is sad even though you know you'll see him later today.

"study hard!" Eric tells you.

"you too, pay attention in class!" you tell Eric, who smiles before running to his lecture hall.

you look down at the shoes on your feet. just like you, they once sat alone at home. but now, both of you have someone to end the long day with, side-by-side.

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Thank you so much again for the prompts, @pablos-fanfics! Here is #38! Sam turned out demisexual while I was writing this, and I went with my muse, so I hope that's okay. I hope you enjoy the drabble! 🥰

Prompt 15: Sitting Close and Touching Knees

| 14 | Prompts | 16 |

"Did your friend just come to a boil on the hottest day of the year with an ice cream cake?" asked Carlos as Sam did his best not to look Bucky's way.

Sam failed. He found his eyes wandering to Bucky. Smiling. Looking like a party was his natural habitat. Talking to Sarah and another mom as he let children dangle off of him, a few of those children being Sam's own nephews.

Wearing Sam's shirt.

Sam took a sip of his beer, trying to give himself time to think of something witty or smart to say back to Carlos. Sam found that there was no amount of time that would prepare him for dealing with questions about James Buchanan Barnes Jr., though.

"I told him to get a cake. I didn't say ice cream cake," said Sam, and he shouldn't feel this antsy answering questions about Bucky.

He thought about how he once told Bucky he loved ice cream cakes. Years ago. Cookies 'n cream ice cream cakes.

He tried not to think about it.

He kept finding his eyes drifting to Bucky.

"I noticed he came in your truck rather than that bike he drives over to the docks whenever he picks you up from helping Sarah out," said Tommy in a way that felt way too amused for Sam's liking, "And isn't that your shirt?"

"He was bringing other boil supplies, so I told him he could use my truck while I rode with Sarah and the boys. And. Um. Bucky doesn't exactly have a lot of clothes. We're getting him some this weekend," said Sam.

Which was a bit of a lie. Sam had... meant to talk to Bucky about the fact that he kept wearing Sam's clothes. Stretching out his shirts. But then Sam saw Bucky in his clothes and wanted Bucky to wear his things forever.

Maybe Bucky was a wizard. Maybe that was why he wasn't okay with Sam calling sorcerers wizards, he was a wizard who kept hypnotizing Sam with too tight shirts.

"Mmm. Okay," said Carlos, and Sam wasn't sure if he could be that mad at the skepticism.

It had been a month since Bucky decided to live in Delacroix, after all.

"This is a party for me becoming Captain America," said Sam halfheartedly, "If I ask you not to ask me any more Bucky questions, would you?"

Tommy shrugged.

"I don't know. Will you make it less fun for us to ask you about your new boyfriend?" asked Tommy.

"He's not my - he's not - we're not," said Sam, laughing nervously as he looked for an escape route out of that line of questioning, "Oh, look! Sarah and the boys are sitting down to eat. I'm just. Going to join them."

Sam found himself wandering over to the line for food, absently cobbling together this plate as he tried to think about that word. That concept.

Boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

Sam didn't have boyfriends... did he?

He supposed Riley was... he was something. A more than friend. More than a best friend. In the dark of the night. Hands. Kisses. No secrets between them. And maybe there were nights where Sam dreamed of more than hands or mouths. Where maybe Sam wanted...

But they weren't.

Weren't boyfriends.

Did Sam hate the idea of having a boyfriend? He searched himself for a while, maybe too long near the cornbread from how people were telling him to hurry up, and he found that... he didn't hate the idea.

He delved deeper, tried to think about what he was attracted to, if he could be... if there were parts of Bucky he wanted.

And it would have been fine too, if he didn't want that. He didn't want that most times. Not before he knew someone well. Not before he had some spark of connection with someone. He thought of Bucky's pecs, his scruffy face, his thighs and felt... yeah.

So, maybe he did feel something for Bucky, something he found out way too late near the crawfish as another wave of "keep it moving, Sam"s erupted from the chorus of hungry people behind him.

Sam moved, and he felt a slow build of excited energy flood him as he let his mind wrap around it. Around the thought that, yes, he could be attracted to men.

Maybe he wanted to hold onto Bucky tightly whenever they were on Bucky's bike because he wanted to be close to Bucky. Hold him. Know Bucky was there. Feel Bucky in his arms.

Maybe he was okay with the thought of them being more. Maybe more than okay with that.

Boyfriend.

There was something that lit up in Sam just thinking about the word. Like he understood a part of himself now that he always knew he had. That he never realized he wasn't understanding until now.

Boyfriends.

Sam couldn't stop smiling at the thought.

'This is my boyfriend, Bucky'.

Sam wasn't sure how he got from the line to Sarah's table, but he was sitting down, only to realize that Bucky was sitting right next to him. Well. Close enough for their knees to bump under the table.

Sam then remembered that he had no clue how Bucky felt.

For a moment, there was barely controlled panic as Sam moved his knee away, but then... was Bucky playing footsie with him?

Sam felt Bucky poke at Sam's shoe with his own, playfully distracting Sam as he wrapped a leg around Sam's.

Sam glanced down at Bucky's leg around his. He looked up to see the asshole grinning at him, winking at Sam as he turned back to Sarah and said, "No, he's fine. I think he's just had a long day. Parties can be draining, even if you're the one being celebrated."

Because Sam totally forgot to greet Sarah and the boys and Bucky as he sat down. No, Sam just sat down and reeled at the thought of Bucky maybe not liking him back right after having a huge revelation about himself.

But the way Bucky was acting... maybe Sam had nothing to worry about.

"I don't see why we're talking about me and not talking about the fact Bucky thought it was a good idea to bring an ice cream cake to a boil," said Sam as everyone laughed.

"Look, Sam said he liked cookies 'n cream ice cream cakes, so I got him one," said Bucky, his leg still wrapped around Sam's, "I wanted to bring something Sam loved to his party."

Sam couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop smiling. He couldn't stop thinking about how Bucky got him that because of an offhanded comment Sam said years ago.

"You're so sweet," said Sam as he leaned over, grabbing Bucky's face as he kissed Bucky's cheek, "You're kind of an idiot. But you're just... so sweet. Unbearably, ridiculously, adorably sweet."

Sam watched Bucky turn shades of red Sam didn't know existed. He watched Bucky sputter nonsense words as he flailed in feelings Sam knew well.

Yeah. Sam would have no trouble at all asking this guy out later.

*****

This series is to celebrate Pride Month with some fun prompts. Since I got more prompts than I anticipated, I’m going to extend this event to finish all the prompts.

[rendevousz]

mum?

mother figure!nat x fem!teen!reader

avengers x reader

req by @teenwonder ; i absolutely love the entire teams adoration for reader skfksngnsf its so cute! could i please request one a little more nat based? maybe r treats and loves nat like a mom but nat hadn’t noticed that before, and the whole team is like listing examples of how and why 🥺🥺🥺

summary: the four times you needed nat and the one time she admits that she needed you too.

warnings: blood, a random attack out of nowhere because i'm not creative, inaccurate writing of medical situations because i have no idea how those things work, also let's just pretend bruce was around during iron man 2 when tony still had palladium in his arc reactor, also inaccurate descriptions of palladium effects bcs i just...don't know much about palladium pls forgive me thanks, and idk any hospitals in new york/manhattan or even the states LMAO so uh bear with this, and last but not least, my inability to write good endings

word count: 5426

notes: that's a long ass warning nevertheless pls do enjoy this fic <3

"i'm going now, bye!" you bid the team who were having breakfast together, walking out of the common area.

"bye, cupcake! don't get into trouble, don't do what i'd do and definitely don't do what i wouldn't do." tony advised and you rolled your eyes because tony says that to you every morning before you leave for school.

"wait, don't forget your lunch!" nat stands up from her seat and grabs your lunch that she had packed, from the kitchen island, bringing it over to you. "thanks, nat!" you grabbed it, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before leaving.

nat smiles at the action, turning around to walk back to her spot on the table, only to find the team staring back at her with knowing looks.

"what?"

"you know, you only need to sign a couple papers and the kid's all yours." tony states matter-of-factly. nat snaps her head towards the man, an incredulous look on her face. "what are you talking about?"

"we all see the longing looks on both your faces. she's dying for you to call her your daughter and you, her mother." clint explains and the others nodded in agreement.

"that's nonsense. she has wanda too," nat reasons, sitting back down. "i'm pretty sure she sees wanda as a sister considering how much she drags wanda with her whenever she's causing trouble around the tower." steve raises his brows at the redhead who was in denial.

"she sees you as her mother, nat. just accept it," wanda tells her, taking a sip from her glass. "really? name me one time she showed it." nat challenges them, not knowing that they've been watching your interactions with her for the longest time.

"you have no idea what you just got yourself into, romanoff," clint chuckles, cracking his neck and knuckles as if preparing for a fight.

"remember new mexico?" he smirks and nat only frowns, trying to remember.

i.

"no!" you screamed, dropping down to the ground. you didn't care that you scraped your knees doing that, the only thing that mattered was the overwhelming feeling of grief engulfing your whole being. tears streamed down your face as you looked at the debris on the ground, the remainder of what used to be standing in front of you; a building. blown up, now in ruins.

clint, bucky and steve watched you break down in front of them, their hearts breaking at the sight in front of them as well as the fact that their teammate had been caught up in the middle of the explosion.

"y/n/n? come on, tony's team called for back up. we gotta go," steve tried to get you to stand up, failing when you kept your ground. you screamed when he tried again and their hearts clenched at the heartbreaking sound.

"we can't just leave her! please, we have to find her," you cried, clinging onto steve's body as he ran his hand up and down your suit-cladded back to soothe you. "y/n/n, we can't. the whole place is in ruins now," he didn't want to say it but he had to. he had to in order to get you to leave. "she's gone."

"she can't be gone! she can't just leave us! we need her! i need her, stevie.." you cried into his chest and he had to control himself so he didn't cry right then and there too.

he looked up to see bucky looking at the two of you guiltily, tapping his wrist to indicate that they were running out of time. steve had no choice but to carry you in his arms, getting you to leave the site against your will. but you were too weak to fight back now. "what am i gonna do without her now, stevie?" you asked quietly.

"we're gonna be okay, y/n/n," he tells you, sitting you down on a chair and settling down next to you as clint flew the jet to your next location. the atmosphere was tense and you could tell everyone, too, was sad about this.

"what if we're not? what if we're not gonna be okay, stevie? i know i won't be." you wiped the tears streaming down your face despite the fact that your face still wasn't drying up any time soon.

"because nat wouldn't want to see us like this. she'll be angry if she sees that we're risking people's lives just because of her." he says truthfully.

"we're landing, guys." clint announces and the team prepared for another round of fighting. steve turns to you, wiping the tears on your face as he made you look up at him. "now let's save some people and make nat proud, yeah?"

you nod at him sadly, preparing your weapons. all of you got out the jet and the second battle of the day begun. boy, were these people unlucky because they were on the receiving end of your fury.

you were busy taking down a group of guards alone when you heard a familiar voice. "y/n, behind you!" and you turned just in time to take down a guard who was aiming at you.

you didn't even have time to register your shock of seeing the redhead because more guards came at you two. you guys fought alongside each other until all the men were taken down.

"nat?" you breathed out. "yes, bub?" she answers as you both carefully walked over the knocked out men. she was taken aback when you slammed into her, hugging her the tightest you ever did since you met her.

"please don't ever do that again." you mumbled into her chest. she was about to ask you what you meant when she heard you sniffling. figuring out it wasn't the appropriate moment to ask, she continued to just hug and comfort you in silence.

"wait, that was why she cried that day? because she thought i was in that building when it blew up?" nat asks after steve finished the story. "i never found out why because she never told me."

"yeah, you should've seen her when the building exploded. completely shattered my heart, dude." clint states, remembering the broken down state you were in that day.

"wait, did you guys not grief over my supposed death then?" nat glares at clint, bucky and steve. "in our defense, they were about to blow up about a hundred people, we didn't have much time to process the whole situation." clint tries to convince his best friend, only to receive a glare again from her.

"alright but just because she cried when she thought i was dead, doesn't mean she sees me as her mum. i'd cry too if any one of you guys died," she states, still in denial.

she did love you like how a mother would love her child. but she didn't want you to feel that she was forcing the title onto you. after all, you had so many other adults around you, who's to say that you saw someone else as a parent figure instead of her? she didn't want to make you uncomfortable.

"woman, are you serious?" sam exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. "need i remind you that the girl sacrificed her life for you?"

ii.

"nat, watch out!" you stood right behind her where the man was about to attack her. you gave him a harsh kick to the head and that was all it took for the man to go unconscious.

the redhead turned around, not having enough time to comprehend what had happened before you dropped into her arms. you two were lucky the last of the men had already been taken out.

"bub? what's wrong?"

at this point, you were fully leaning against her. she was holding up your whole weight, hands wrapped around your middle to support you. that was when she felt it. the familiar thick substance on her fingers, leaking from the back of your suit.

her eyes widened, pulling one hand away from you to look at it. red. her breathing picked up as one of her hands felt around your back, finally feeling the handle of a knife sticking out from your back.

your eyes were already drooping by now and she lightly shook you awake, careful to not hurt you. she lowered you down and you were both sat on the floor now.

she presses a finger to her ear and you could hear her voice echo in your ear from your own comms. "can someone come please," she paused, exhaling shakily. "y/n's down."

if it had been any other person, she probably would be bringing them to the jet by now but it was you. she didn't know what came over her but when she saw that you were injured, it was like her whole body shut down. her knees felt weak and she couldn't bring herself to move.

"hey, hey, keep your eyes open. can you do that?" she asked gently and you nodded weakly. "bub, why did you do that?" she cried softly, moving your hair away from your face as you leaned sideways against her. the action caused your face to be smudged by your own blood from her hands but she didn't care as she caressed your cheek.

"he–he was gonna hurt you. i–i couldn't..." you paused a while, the pain getting too much for you to bear. "y/n, don't strain yourself. you need to stay awake," she tells you as tears streamed down her face.

"rather me than you," you whispered. nat's eyes widened at this. "don't say that, bub." she scolds gently.

you smiled weakly at her. "i've grown too dependent on you, nat. it's to the point that i," you coughed and nat worried that you were straining yourself but you continued. "that i'd rather die than live without you. you probably can go on with life without me but i can't without you. i need you, nat." your eyes closed and nat panics, shaking your body.

"y/n?! bub?! stay awake, please, they're coming!" nat cries out loud, holding onto your limp body.

"did we not agree to not mention that to me anymore?" nat glares at sam for bringing that up.

the night of that incident had been one of the worst nights for nat. she sat by your bed all night after you had been treated. she had been the first one you saw after you woke up. she had been the one you broke down in front of after you admitted the full reasoning behind your actions. she had been the one who opened her arms for you to make yourself at home in.

"i'm sorry but you must be blind if you can't see how really she sees you for the past years," bucky states. nat turns to him with a glare. "you don't know what you're talking about."

"oh really? who does she call whenever she has a really bad nightmare?" bucky questions rhetorically with his eyebrows raised.

iii.

"no, please, don't!" you begged, asleep and thrashing around in your bed. quiet whimpers turned into heavy breathing as you plead for your life in your nightmare. "please," you whispered, inhaling and exhaling harshly.

FRIDAY, noticing the amount of distress you were in, alerted the closest person to your room, that being bucky who was returning from a late night trip to the kitchen for some water.

he quickly went into your room, only to see you shivering and thrashing around in your bed. "doll?" he approaches slowly, finding you still asleep, though sweating a lot. nightmare, he realised.

"doll? wake up," he gently shakes you and you immediately jolt awake, breathing heavily as you register what was going on. "it's okay, it was just a nightmare," he soothes you, holding you close as one hand rubbed up and down your back while the other held your head to his chest.

none of that helped as you were still in the same state as you were when you woke up. "are you okay?" he asks, worried. "nat... i need nat.. please i need her," you whimpered, shaking in his hold. you were having trouble breathing.

"FRIDAY, get romanoff."

within minutes, nat arrived, looking panicked and disheveled like she had just woken up, which she just did. "what's wrong?" she asks bucky, approaching you two.

"she was having a nightmare and woke up and i think she's having a panic attack. she asked for you," he informs her and immediately moves away when she approaches, so that she could take his place.

"bub? it's me," you look up to meet natasha's pretty green eyes. "you're okay, bub. can you tell me five thing you can see?"

you looked away from her eyes, looking around your room. "i–i see my book on my nightstand, my lamp, my jacket on the chair, my laptop and the painting on the wall." you told her after some difficulties.

"good, that's good. four things you can feel?"

"i feel the socks on my feet, my fluffy blanket, the pillow i'm leaning on and your hands around me."

she smiles softly at you. "three things you can hear?"

"i hear your voice. a–and the faint noise from the ac and i can also hear bucky's breathing." you look up at the man and he smiles sheepishly at you, standing around awkwardly. you gave him a small smile back.

"two things you can smell?"

"i can smell my own shampoo..and my room's air freshener." you told her more calmly now, feeling the panic attack already going away.

"one thing you want to taste?"

"i wanna taste wanda's blueberry pancakes." you pout and the two adults couldn't help but chuckle. "you can have them in the morning. right now you need to sleep so you can have the energy to devour them tomorrow, okay?" you nod at the woman as she tucks you in.

not long after, you fell asleep. she then presses a kiss to your forehead before leaving with a less worried bucky now. and sure enough, the next morning, wanda made you blueberry pancakes.

"okay, so what? we all need someone to help us through panic attacks?" nat rolls her eyes. "did you miss the part where i came in and tried to help but she specifically asked for you? she needed you, nat."

"guys, i... i love her with my whole heart but she has all of us. i don't wanna make her feel like she's restricted to only one of us. you all love her too," nat reasons.

"yes but she doesn't have anyone to call her mum and frankly, i think you'd be perfect for it." wanda encourages the older woman.

"i—" before she could continue, her phone rang loudly and she thanked whoever it was that called her because now she didn't have to make up excuses about her doubt of becoming your official mother.

iv.

she looks down at the caller id, sighing when it was you, meaning the team had more against her now. of course she didn't mind you calling her, you could call her when she'd be asleep after a mission and she'd still pick up with a smile on her face. but it was the fact that the whole team could see how she softened when she realised it was you who called that bothered her. she really didn't want them to let her have hopes that you'd accept her as your mother.

"bub?" she said into the phone and half the team smirked at her while the other half gave her knowing smiles. "aren't you supposed to be on your way to school?"

"yeah but uh are you busy right now? i um, i need you."

nat immediately stands up, worry etched onto her face and the team frowned at this. "what happened? are you okay?"

"you know how i told happy i wanted to walk to school today? yeah, i just remembered why i don't walk to school anymore."

"what do you mean? what happened? are you hurt? did someone hurt you?" she bombards you with questions out of worry. at this point, the team had also stopped their chatter and teasing looks, equally worried for your well-being.

"yeah, i am. wait, maybe not. i mean, i was just being dramatic but uh, i tripped on who-knows-what and now i have a sprained ankle. i can't walk now so i'm standing in an alley right now so i'm not in the way of people. can you come get me?"

nat sighs in relief, thankful that it wasn't anything that she was thinking of. "you are unbelievable, y/n." she chuckles in disbelief at your clumsiness. "can you tell me where you are? i'll come get you now. i'll have the school know you're not coming today." you told her your location and she immediately leaves after telling the team what happened to you.

you were expecting nat to call again, to tell you she was around the corner but instead you heard a whoosh of air beside your head, followed by a crack sound. your head followed the sound, eyes widening when you saw that a dart had struck the wall beside your head. you looked ahead, trying to see where that came from.

if it hadn't been for your fast reflexes being an avenger for the past few years, you probably wouldn't have ducked in time when another dart came flying right for your head. "what the hell?" you grunted, staying low but still looking around for the source. you squinted when you looked up, the sun blazing but you managed to catch a glimpse of a man on a rooftop nearby. he had blonde hair and was dressed in all black, donning a same coloured mask that covered the bottom half of his face.

"you had one job! how could you miss her twice?!" the blonde hears his colleague hiss in his ear through the earpiece. "i'm sorry! i'm no hawkeye, how was i supposed to get her in one try?!" he scolds back.

"you didn't even get her in two!"

"shut up and just let me work! you're distracting me!"

"hurry because i see the redheaded one nearing the alley. boss'll kill us if he finds out we didn't get her in her vulnerable state."

"i'm trying, i'm trying!" the blonde closes one eye, his sight now locked on your crouched state. he saw you move once you saw him and he cursed under his breath, his weapon following your movements. "she's moving!"

"just take the shot and be done with it! you have to go now!"

and shoot he did. after he shot the dart gun, he immediately fled but it wasn't like you were going to be able to chase him down or anything. a scream left your lips as a dart pierced through your skin, right under your shoulder.

you dropped down to the ground, right in the middle of the alleyway. you cried when you felt the burn in your flesh. you had been stabbed multiple times before with much bigger objects so why did this feel different?

"y/n?! is that you?!" you heard nat's voice yell from a small distance away. "i'm here," you croaked out, feeling your body grow weaker at an alarming rate.

"oh my god, bub, why are you on the ground? it's dirty, c'mon let's get you up. which foot did you sprain?" she places both her hands under your arms, pulling you up on your feet before accidentally dropping you back when you let out a shriek, crying out in pain.

"oh my god, did i hit your ankle? are you okay?" nat assumed that your tear-stained face was because of your sprained ankle but then you wheezed, your eyes drooping the longer she stood there.

your right hand slowly reached across your left shoulder, the butt of the dart sticking out of your skin now in between your shaking fingers. nat's eyes followed your hand movement's, a gasp leaving her lips.

"y/n, what happened?!" she panicked but before she could even get an answer from you, you had already blacked out. her eyes widened, knowing it was the dart because why else would you pass out that quick from a simple penetration in the shoulder. you had dealt with much worse than that and she knew your tolerance level.

she took off your bag, careful to not move the dart. she then placed her hands under your knees and behind your back, easily picking your unconscious body up and rushing back to the tower.

when she arrived, she was met with many confused yet concerned looks from the tower staff, seeing the black widow, rushing in with the youngest avenger unconscious in her arms. they had seen you leave the tower for school about half an hour ago so they knew something must've happened on the way.

"get bruce in the hospital wing. tell him it's urgent." she tells the woman working the front desk, hurrying into the elevator and telling FRIDAY to get her to the floor she so desperately wanted to arrive at quicker. black lines appeared on the left side of your neck, slowly spreading to the right side and she assumed it was from that damned dart in your left shoulder.

"natasha! what's wrong? they said it was an emergency," the doctor spoke in a panicked voice when nat entered, immediately going quiet when he saw you in her arms, neck lined with seemingly black veins.

nat laid you down on the surgery table, frown growing when black lines steadily spread to your arms now. though she was too worried to think, she managed to at least tell bruce what was outwardly wrong with you.

"dart. left shoulder." she blurted, incapable of forming proper sentences now that she had seen more of you. the black lining your skin got her speechless and anxious. bruce got ready with medical gloves, removing the dart from your flesh before analysing the pattern of your skin. it looked familiar.

"FRIDAY, get tony down here. it's urgent."

"bruce, please, what's wrong with her?" she cried, tears now freely streaming down her face. she didn't cry much in front of anyone but when it came to you, you always managed to get her to do just that.

"hey, what's going on? FRIDAY said there was an emergency here, who's hurt?" nat heard tony's panicked voice but she didn't make an effort to reply. her gaze was fixed on only you.

tony's jaw dropped, frowning when he saw you on the bed, upper body covered in black lines. "what the hell happened?!"

tony stepped beside bruce, taking a closer look at your skin. his frown deepened. "wait, it looks like.."

"yeah, looks exactly like when you had palladium instead of vibranium in your arc reactor."

"does that mean—"

"palladium's been running through her veins for about twenty minutes now. FRIDAY, how high is her blood toxicity level?" bruce asks, sampling a drop of your blood from when he took out the dart.

"53% and it is still steadily increasing."

"tony, at the rate it's going, if she's not treated in the next fifteen minutes or so, she'll.." bruce pauses, not wanting to say it out loud.

"no, she just needs lithium dioxide. that's how fury and i cured your palladium poisoning, tony." nat finally speaks.

"SHIELD probably has them but they're all the way in dc. they're not gonna reach here in time," tony states solemnly, reaching over to move your hair out of your face, looking down at you sadly.

but he was immediately pulled aside, nat grabbing his collar and looking him straight in the eyes. "you have your stupid iron suits that can probably travel faster than the speed of sound if you try. you can go down there yourself and get the damn thing. i swear to god, tony, i'm literally going to destroy those stupid suits myself if you don't put them to good use." nat threatens, glaring at the billionaire.

tony's eyes widened, the genius having not thought about nat's idea yet. "yeah, yeah, you're right, i'll go now."

he left immediately and nat approached your bed hesitantly, not wanting to see the black lines making home on the skin on your upper body. "do you think tony'll make it back in time?" she sniffles and bruce's worried frown on his face softened. "of course he will. he won't let anything happen to y/n. we won't let anything happen to y/n." he assured her.

there was nothing they could do now but wait for tony to come back with the lithium dioxide. nat sat beside your bed, hands gingerly grasping one of your own. despite the black staining it, nat held it to her face and her tears rolled past the back of your hand.

bruce decided to give her some privacy, opting to inform the whole team of the situation instead of standing around idly.

nat pulled your hand away from her face, rubbing her thumb over the back of it, crying even more at the sight in front of her. "y/n, please. i've never told you this but i need you." she pauses, breathing in shakily. "i've always needed you and i'll always need you. you can't leave me, please. you said i could go on with life without you but you're so wrong, y/n. you're the reason i'm still here and you're the reason i still want to be here. if you're not here then it's as if i have no reason, no purpose. i need you, y/n. so much more than i'd like to admit. heck, probably much more than you need me. so please, don't leave me. i can't do this without you." nat sobs out, watching the patterns on your skin spreading and growing bolder.

at this point, the whole team had now gathered outside of the room, watching nat cry over you. they wanted so bad to get a closer look at their beloved baby avenger but they respected nat and instead, waited for her to finish talking to you. once she stood up and looked around, bruce knew she was done so he entered, followed by the team.

"status, FRIDAY?" bruce asks, sampling a bit of your blood again. "blood toxicity at 96% now."

the team looked your unconscious body in apprehension, some crying and some worried out of their minds.

"goddamnit! where the hell is stark?!" nat growled. her eyes were now puffy after having spent the last half an hour crying. the team had never seen her lose her cool like this but they figured why.

as if on cue, tony's iron man suit crashed through the windows of the room but he couldn't care less. his main priority was to get to you quickly. in his hand was a silver briefcase that he passed to bruce.

bruce opened the case before wasting no time in plunging the syringe containing lithium dioxide, your supposed cure, into you. immediately, the black patterns on your skin started disappearing. it was slow but noticeable. it started from the tips of your fingers, going up towards your neck.

everyone sighed in relief, and to tony's surprise, nat hugged him tightly. "thank you. you have no idea how much this means to me." she whispers. tony pats her back gently. "hey, i care about her too, okay? of course i'd do this for her. any one of us would."

nat smiles at him when she let him go, turning back to you and almost crying out in joy when your skin had finally turned back to normal. she let the medical assistants set your bed up and handle your sprained ankle before going back to sit by you. the team left her alone with you once again.

it was only about an hour later did you wake up, squinting when bright lights shone down on you. you moved around but you felt hands around your left and you heard a familiar voice.

"and remember when you dragged wanda to pull that prank on me with you and after you did, i grounded you like i was your mum or something?" you hear her chuckle, still not noticing that you've woken up.

"i didn't mind, though. frankly, i don't think i would ever mind if you continued acting like my mother or something," you spoke and she immediately tore her gaze from your hands, looking at you, now wide awake.

"bub!" she hugs you so tightly you didn't think you could breathe. you still returned the hug though, laughing. "i was worried you might still have some palladium in your bloodstream."

"wait, palladium?" you asked her in shock. "yeah, the dart that got you in that alley, it contained palladium. it's highly toxic so we used lithium dioxide to counter it. speaking of the dart, i'm going to find out who did this to you and they're never going to see the light of day for putting us through all of this." nat says, disturbingly calm.

"yeah...you do that," you tell her, slightly scared. "but palladium? in my blood? how cool is that? i had literal metal in my blood! i could've become like tony but like...palladium woman or something." you said excitedly.

"you do know we already have metal in our blood, right bub?" nat questions in amusement. "oh." you say dumbly. "and palladium don't belong in our body and you literally almost died because of it." your mouth opened but no words came out.

"speaking of, can you please not do that again? i really thought i was gonna lose you." she whispers, stroking your hair. "oh yeah, of course. i'll just announce to the whole world to not target the youngest avenger," you joke, smile dropping when nat gave you a stern look.

"nat, being part of the avengers at my age undoubtedly means i'll be a target for the bad people out there, but i don't care because while i get to kick ass, i know all of you have my back when it's my ass that's kicked. and i think that's the best part of being an avenger; the sense of security i get having you amazing people as my teammates." you tell her honestly and she smiles softly.

"oh come here you," she pulls you in for another hug but this time it's better because you could still breathe. you make yourself comfortable, snuggling into her.

"did you mean it?" she asked and you look up at her in confusion. "mean what?"

"when you said you wouldn't mind me acting like your mother."

"of course i do, you're like the mother i never had. i wouldn't even mind you being my actual mother." you say without a second thought, eyes widening when you realised what you had said. you swore under your breath, knowing you've just made it awkward between you two.

"i– really?" despite the teams efforts to make her see the truth, it was much more meaningful when she heard you say it yourself. "y–yeah.." you admit sheepishly.

"then you wouldn't mind if i actually adopted you?" she asks carefully, gauging your reaction. your jaw dropped, eyes going wide once again. "are you serious?!"

"yeah." she smiles at you fondly. "no! of course i won't mind!" you hug her tightly, tears forming in your eyes. you had gone all your life without parents so this was a huge thing for you. not only were you going to finally have a mother, but the most amazing woman you knew was going to be your mother.

"mum?" you tested the title, smiling when she acknowledged it. you were now crying in joy.

"hey, don't cry." she soothes you, running a hand up and down your back. "no, no, i'm just so happy. this is the best day of my life." you tell her. "me too, bub."

you stayed in her arms until you fell back asleep, nat tucking you in before going back to sit down on the chair. she looked down at you fondly.

sure, she was scared of the big step she was about to take with you but she had you with her and she knew that was enough. "i love you, y/n." she whispers, planting a kiss on the side of your head.

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