#wow this is the first post (outside of what's in my queue) going in her tag

[barracuda-shark-games]

Does the noblewoman have a little dog that gets scared very easily?

Yes and she wants more cheese and macaroni RIGHT NOW!!!!

Haha I often don't think about how her name is Muriel because her nickname and preferred name amongst friends is Muir, so that's how I refer to her in my head. Gonna update that on the RO page because it's what I use for her tag. :')

(Also ngl it took me a minute to get the reference and the first thought in my head was a trembling crusty white dog in a handbag, which is also so funny to picture if you know what Muir's secret lifestyle entails.)

[art3misg33k]

i see ur most recent post and obviously i have to ask abt trent

My favorite character right out the gate lets go!!

(Ok wow this got sooo long I am sorry)

Starting with my personal takes & headcanons Trent is so nonbinary to me. They give such vibes of being like “idk man I’m just existing” as well as at first thinking they just really didn’t care about gendered stuff bc society is stupid about it but then realized just how deep those feelings were. I also love just any headcanon of Trent not being cis in general. The gender queer vibes are so strong with that one. In terms of sexuality I’m really not sure? I think they’re to multiple genders but idk in what way. Bi, Pan, and Unlabeled are the ones I’m stuck between.

On a slightly more analytical note in I think in Island they are well showcased as a nice chill person but also having the capacity to stand their ground and be intimidating (that one scene with Cody).

I don’t think they’re really good with social queues and may be a bit gullible seeing how things went down with Heather. On the outside has that mysterious energy but can be a real goober when you get to know them. Insane silliness potential that was wasted in my opinion.

Crossing into the semi-headcanon but also canon implied type stuff is their neurodivergence. In TDA it’s obvious that Trent has some neurodivergent tendencies. I personally think OCD and autism. I hate the way it was handled, not because they gave Trent these traits in the first place but how they framed them as a crazy person. That treatment was definitely very damaging to Trent and most likely made them go to heavily masking, even more so than before. Being pitied so much also felt incredibly frustrating to them.

The way that Trent was launched into fame right after a messy breakup on international television definitely made things worse. They seemed like they were thriving while the band was together but in reality they were only being seen for their music and not who they really are, pointedly ignoring their neurodivergence, flaws or any wrongdoing on their part. It hurt seeing how they were treated so horribly when it came to their mental health but as soon as they started singing they were suddenly this sweet, emotional, amazing guy.

And in terms of my headcanon they were also dealing with a ton of dysphoria being seen a guy in the Drama Brothers because they were closeted. I personally think that they had only found out a couple of months before Island so they weren’t comfortable telling anybody yet. They felt like they could tell someone close like Gwen eventually but didn’t want to come out on tv so they said nothing. I think in the days between the finale and TDA Trent became afraid again not wanting to ruin things with Gwen in fear of her being upset that they wouldn’t be the cool talented boyfriend that she expected. On the Aftermath they didn’t really have anyone truly there for them only having those who pitied them or who thought they were an awful person, leaving them isolated not just about dysphoria but just their existence in general.

I do believe that between TDA and WT as well as onwards that Trent was able to build a genuine friendship with Justin, Harold, and Cody despite how messy things got with the band at times. Unintentionally they started unmasking a bit around them closer to when WT started and when they weren’t met with judgement (maybe a bit that was just genuine misunderstanding that got corrected but still) Trent was starting to more and more feel like they could be themself. (Back to more headcanony for a sec) After WT Trent came out to the three of them and was met with acceptance! From there Trent is able to progressively come out more and more from their shell and from the closet to more people!

Also hopefully patching things up and becoming friends with Gwen eventually but that’s just like a wish I have

I think I just unintentionally typed out a whole outline of what I think their life is instead of just my opinion on them in general but yeah.

Some random headcanons!!:

- (Stolen from Courtney-deserved-better) A lot of people think that Trent looks so cool and mysterious but in actuality they are usually just zoned out

- Biggest sensory issues are with sound. They’d go insane without headphones/earbuds bc the music is nice and their noise as opposed to how horribly loud life can be (Kinda projecting on this one but it makes sense for them so shhh)

- Listens to most genres but especially the ones within the general indie/alternative umbrella. A good amount of ppl think that they only listen to mainstream pop type stuff so when they’re with Trent and some darker/depressing type shit like CSH comes on from one of Trent’s playlists they are so surprised.

- Likes some of what the Drama Brothers made but a lot of their brand was pushed into them by producers and the whole band kinda hated how fake things felt at times. After WT they manage to get away from that company and the band gets a lot more creative freedom making what they want. (Also changing the band name eventually bc of Trent if we’re talking in a world with my nb headcanon. Not sure when or if Trent would publicly come out but if not before the name change then they all just make something up about rebranding)

About ships! - I personally love tons of td ships being a massive multi shipper, especially with characters that are my faves (With an exception of Raj I don’t rlly see him with anyone but Bowie). Gwent was the first ship I ever got into with Total Drama and it has a special place in my heart. It’s not my absolute favorite but I still love seeing them together and au’s where they actually work things out healthily during Action or where Action and or TD didn’t happen. I love a lot of other ones too like Trustin and Trody and a lot more! I think my favorite Trent ship may actually be Trenoah, it’s really my favorite rare pair. Ik they didn’t really interact but the POTENTIAL!! They would play off of each other so well and ahhh dude I think I’d need to make a separate post just taking about those two

And that’s the basics of my thoughts on Trent! (well maybe not the basics but trust me it’s not all that I have to say about them).

I think in the future I’ll make a post about what I think their potential backstory is bc I got carried away and didn’t rlly cover that here. @ashyjingles if you want me to @ you in that just let me know!

[eddiemunson-mylove]

I MET JOE - 18/03/2023

Okay first of all, this is probably going to be a really long post because I am making sure I get EVERY detail.

Firstly, the context:

Most of us had seen the Instagram story and the “there do be willies” mayhem. I saw the story after my lovely friend @joehhy sent it and asked what willies are (she’s French) I saw the post and read about the show and thought…. Fuck it I’ll go it’s sounds like fun.

Skip to the night of the show!!

I am in the queue, at the very front, joking back and forth with @joehhy about how it’d be impossible for him to show up because London is huge and it’s a 1/1000000000 chance right?! WRONG!!!!

Mr Quinn comes up to the lady at the door who’s stood right next to me and says that his friend is running a little bit late and if it was okay to just walk in. She says it’s fine and he says “thank you very much” (so polite 😌)

At this point, I’m shaking and my whole body had a sudden hot flush of adrenaline right? I saw him and I tried not to stare and saw that he looked at me in my peripheral (I’m at the front of the queue so I’m pretty noticeable) and then he walks away.

Now I’ll describe how he looks for you all 🥹🥹

His hair was SO CURLY tonight. Like I’m talking literal COCKAPOO hair. He had his glasses on too!! You know the ones….

The clear rims 🥹🥹

Yup those ones 🫠🫠

Now his outfit……….

Double dark blue denim. That’s right kids!

And he fucking owned that shit.

It was basically this outfit but you couldn’t see an undershirt as the button were up:

Anyways I didn’t see him inside the show because the audience is really dark but OMG!!!!!

Every time something funny happened you could HEAR HIM LAUGH AND GIGGLE

I had Joe Quinn laughing asmr for an HOUR are you kidding me 😭😭

After the show when all the lights came on there he was, on the opposite side of the room to me

Here’s my terrible drawing:

And I had to walk next to and behind him to get out. Turns out he’s hanging out with MISS THANG Lupita Nyong’o 🥰 and he’s telling her something so I leave.

Now…. I’m waiting at the doors outside, I initially had no intentions of speaking to him right I just wanted to see his pretty face again 🥴

He comes and speaks to the door woman again but I didn’t hear them this time and starts to walk towards the bar at the end of the hall

I’m walking after him feeling like and absolute creep and even start doing a little hop/skip to catch up (he walks FUCKING QUICK)

I place my hand on his shoulder blade…..

HE TURNS AROUND AND HES SO BEAUTIFUL OMG 😳

The conversation went like this

Me: Joe! Hi ☺️

J: Hello!

Me: I just wanted to thank you for recommending the show! I really enjoyed it

J: Omg no way really?

Me: Yes I saw it on your Instagram story

J: Wow, well I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! That’s amazing

Me: yes thank you ☺️ I met you at comic con not long ago too

J: Oh well it’s so lovely to see you again (proceeds to hold his hand out for me to shake and I do 😳)

Me: well I don’t want to bother you or anything so I’m going to go

J: Oh okay, well have a good night!

Me: Thank you, you too!

🥹🥹🥹

He was so lovely and pretty and his eye contact is IMMENSE from an autistic point of view

I didn’t ask for a picture because he seemed like he wanted to stay on the down low so I thought it would be rude

But fuck…….. I can’t believe it

[into-the-fraymotif]

just so you know, i have an ever-growing list of fraymotifs that i plan to ask you about you will not be running out of requests anytime soon lol

And This is not really a request, but i was wondering whether or not your opinion on any specific aspect or class has changed or grown in the process of writing/thinking up fraymotifs

Not to one up you or anything, but I have a finite list of 9504 Fraymotifs, get on my level scrub (/j). But fr the only thing I’m running out of is time to complete them to keep the queue up and running lmao

And I really haven’t been doing this for very long, so I will likely develop a more nuanced opinion later down the line, but that’s a tough question! My first instinct was the Maid, but then I got to thinking about it and the Bard has kind of grown on me? That’s not even mentioning how much I love Breath and Blood as aspects.

Idk I’m gonna draft this and let it stew for a bit

Back now, and this is no gap for you guys but I'm leaving this in for like, Fraymotif blog lore or w/e

So I think the Maid is probably my most redeemed Class. For a number of reasons. In cannon the Maid's exact abilities or Class symmetries are left unstated, only giving us examples through Aradia (Time), Jane (Life), and Porrim (Space). And for a while I thought the Class was just kind of... boring? if that makes sense? Like, yeah, okay, you can fix a broken thing, thats kind of what the Sylph does. And I see a lot of people analyze it as the active counterpart to the Sylph, under the verbiage [one who creates and creates through their Aspect], but I feel like that is still too similar to the Sylph, as one who heals their Aspect. It positions the Sylph as basically a downgrade of the Maid.

I interpret the Maid as being the passive (not an active Class) counterpart to the Knight. That's where I get the [one who serves and serves through their Aspect] verbiage, as a parallel to the Knight's protection. And I think that makes more sense and adds more nuance to what we see in the comic. Aradia serves Time, both in ensuring that Time can go one, but also in the sense of like, an actual maid, cleaning up Time and straightening out the clutter. She has the most clear example of Maid business in the comic, but we also see that in Jane. Jane serves Life, in the sense of she is devoted to growth and progress and evolution, so much so that she properly flies off the handle in the epilogues because she is so dedicated to preserving and maintaining and in many ways protecting her species (albeit in a completely crock-pot delusional way) that she tries to "straighten out" the other species she would describe as "clutter". Porrim tho, we don't really know much about how she established herself in her role.

And as I said in another post, their duty of service is not unlike a Knight's duty of protection. Whereas the Knight protects their Aspect from things that would interfere with it, the Maid tidies it up when it gets a little messy and acts on behalf of the Aspect's inherent motives.

To put this into an analogy that I think best describes the relationship between the Knight, the Maid, and the Sylph: The Knight stands guard outside of the castle, sometimes being sent out on crusades and being trained for intense war-torn battlefields, but they keep stuff from getting in to wreck the place. The Maid tends to the gardens and relics and halls of the castle, maintaining proper upkeep of the castle grounds after natural wear and tear, and acting as a second line of defense should anything get past the Knights. The Sylph is a mystic healer from the forest that comes in on commission to fix the castle after several explosions and or plagues besiege the place, often after the fact.

So yeah, the Maid went from boring to oh wow that really fits those characters over the span of a few weeks. More to come, though, this is a nuanced system.

As for Aspects? I really like how all 4 polar Aspects interact with each other within Fraymotifs. That being: Breath/Blood and Time/Space. Time and Space are noted to function on a sort of passivity scale, with Time being more active and Space being more passive, with both Breath and Blood equally in the middle. Breath and Blood though, which are my favorite pair, operate on a more vague abstractness scale. Breath is more ideal and abstract, while Blood is more concrete and material, with Time and Space equally in the middle.

I mentioned in another another post that some Blood Classpects can make their allies' abilities manifest in a way that benefits the team in a more passive way, but I didn't go into much detail. You see, Space is the passive Aspect, not blood. Passivity and activity are things I don't really focus on, but the general conception of them in Classpecting is that passive Classes use their powers for others, while active Classes use their abilities for themselves. This isn't entirely untrue, I suppose, but another equally applicable understanding of it is passive Classes go with the flow, while active Classes move against it. Now, Blood would aim to use their abilities for their allies--those who share bonds--but it absolutely would rather fight against the flow. Breath, in the same vein, would be more inclined to use their abilities for themselves--detached from anyone else--but would be far more in their element by going with the flow. That is why they are equally passive and active. So yes, a Seer of Blood would aim their allies to benefit all those they are connected to (passive quality), but a Knight of Blood is a stubborn knucklehead who absolutely will not budge on an idea (active quality). An Heir of Breath would love to just let go and let the breeze carry them away (passive quality), but a Page of Breath constantly fights for autonomy and individual accomplishment (active quality).

Which is a really long-winded and self-indulgent way of saying its actually the passive-active component that is hard-baked into the Aspects that have grown on me.

[subbyfoxelf]

[theme park review] halloween horror nights 30 (2021)

this year’s halloween horror nights will be my third! it’s turned into a pretty awesome tradition for me and one of my partners. we went to halloween horror nights 29 in 2019 on our first date. 2020’s was, of course, canceled due to the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic when the powers that be were pretending to actually try to prevent its spread. but when halloween horror nights returned to universal the following year, so did we!

our second year we were joined by her husband and my fiancx. my fiancx wasn’t feeling up for many of the haunted houses, and is a bit of a rollercoaster fiend (whereas i’m a huge rollercoaster wuss), so ve rode hollywood rip ride rockit whilst we were having our spooky times. ve ended up joining us for one of the haunted houses later, and for our apparently obligatory non-horror nights activity that year, men in black: alien attack.

really the biggest thing alien attack is missing is a truly pandering gift shop? like, you do absolutely exit through the gift shop, don’t get me wrong. but i wasn’t the slightest bit tempted to buy anything on offer there, and theme park gift shops are definitely a weakness of mine.

i fucking love the queue. it’s probably my favorite part of the ride? you just walk through mib headquarters, and it fucking rules. the ride itself is based on the shooting gallery j faces in his extended job interview in the movie. this makes perfect sense because that’s probably the most theme parky thing in the movie other than the ltd post-little red button depending on what kind of ride they wanted to go for, and i love dark rides so i’m glad this is what they went with. plus the story of the ride is that you’re an mib trainee and i love dorky shit like that.

shortly after the beginning of the ride an alien prison ship crashes in new york! and you get sent immediately into battle with your weapons switched from training mode to full-power mode! the animatronics in this portion of the ride are just fantastic. i had a blast (pun fully intended, though i think i had the lowest score in our ride vehicle). anyway, moving on to our regularly-scheduled spookiness.

since halloween horror nights was celebrating the big 3-0, they largely used the scarezones to pay tribute to past years’ horror nights. i didn’t have context for any of these, obviously, but i thought the overall concept was pretty rad!

there were only two scarezones that i really spent any time in that year or that left a lasting impression. one was seek and destroy, which was located right outside of the tribute store and was this really cool dystopian robot alien invasion thing where there are just these robotic voices demanding that you submit and like yeah wow i wonder if i liked that or not. the other one i remember pretty clearly was gorewood forest, where tree people capture and sacrifice humans. the costumes and sets here were just totally lit, and the queen of the tree people was just super dommy so yeah obviously i was so totally into that?

the haunting of hill house was a pretty easy skip because none of us have seen the netflix show it was based on and it was going to have long lines all night. also an easy skip was hhn icons: captured because it was based on the like literally 30 years worth of halloween horror night lore and again this was our second halloween horror nights so obviously i probably wasn’t gonna get much out of that. i think we also skipped revenge of the tooth fairy because it just didn’t sound that interesting to me. i think we also missed case files unearthed: legendary truth, which in retrospect i’m actually a bit sad about! but i’ve also gotten way more into detective/mystery type stuff in the year since, so it makes sense that i wasn’t nearly as interested in that one at the time.

puppet theatre: captive audience was one of the original concept haunted houses i was super looking forward to, but honestly it was kinda because i was expecting a whole lot more bondage imagery considering the title and the concept being people being turned into puppets? i mean, don’t get me wrong, it was still a pretty great haunted house–all the original concept ones usually are–i’m just whining.

we also checked out welcome to scarey: horror in the heartland, which felt kinda obligatory given that both me and my partner grew up in the midwest. in this one a small town in ohio is just absolutely overrun with all kinds of monsters. there’s a bunch of really cool settings like a house, a school, a local news station, and a butcher’s shop. they did a fantastic job of combining quaint small town settings with a bunch of different kinds of horror.

but pretty easily my favorite of the original concept haunted houses that second year was the wicked growth: realm of the pumpkin. i just really, really like pumpkins and i wish pumpkin monsters were more of a common thing around halloween because that would just kinda make sense right? and anyway as soon as i saw the entrance that was just fucking covered in pumpkins including like a literal arch of pumpkins, i knew i was probably gonna like this one. it did a really great job taking more traditionally “spooky” halloween imagery and making it genuinely scary. just fantastic stuff.

the licensed houses seriously kicked ass that year, though. i mean, okay, texas chain saw massacre is for sure not one of my favorite horror movies and i mostly did it because i was hoping there’d be a ton of bondage imagery since there is in the movies (look i have a bit of a one-track mind, i’m not sorry), but even though it didn’t really have any of that i could still at least appreciate what a good job they did recreating the creepy atmosphere of the movies even if it wasn’t super my cup of tea.

the other two, though… i wasn’t actually super excited for the beetlejuice house? like, i love the movie, it’s definitely one of my favorite tim burton movies, but i just didn’t know how well it would translate into a haunted house? but just… wow, guys, they knocked this one out of the park. like, i wouldn’t say it was scary, exactly, but i was just so damn impressed by how well they brought the movie to life that it kind of didn’t matter? it ended up leaving such an impression on me that i literally ended up suggesting we watch the movie when we got back in for the evening, and we ended up doing just that.

but by far my favorite haunted house from either of the two haunted horror nights i’ve been to so far was universal monsters: the bride of frankenstein lives. i liked it so much i bought a dorky souvenir t-shirt of it to show my loyalty. it was by far the least scary of any of the haunted houses we went to either year, but that just simply didn’t matter.

first of all, this haunted house was actually a direct sequel to the movie bride of frankenstein??? and just… i kind of super want someone to make that movie now???

the story is that after the destruction of the castle the anguished bride realized she actually loved frankenstein’s monster after all. i rather prefer my headcanon that she went off and found countess zaleska from dracula’s daughter and they lived gayly ever after, but in this version we see her recreating dr. frankenstein’s work while wearing his goggles and lab coat and uh yeah, that’ll also work! and she ends up having to capture the brides of dracula as part of her plan to save her monster, and it’s strongly implied that she’s giving them human victims so she can harvest their blood after they feed (at one point someone trapped inside a box yells for help), and just this is metal as fuck, y’all.

and it ends in triumph for the bride and her monster, as she dramatically throws the switch while fighting off dracula’s brides. and it’s just. so. fucking. good.

seriously, make this into a movie right now. and have it be exactly as throwback and amazing as this haunted house was. i was totally blown away. and yeah it was 0% scary, but it was still easily the best haunted house i’ve seen so far. i genuinely hope something tops it in the future, but right now it’s kind of hard to imagine!

[lady-snow-flower]

I posted 758 times in 2022

That's 700 more posts than 2021!

60 posts created (8%)

698 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@gem-morey

@brucewhite

@twentytanya

@rowsandrows-of-roses

@belladonna-wright

I tagged 758 of my posts in 2022

#gif chat - 390 posts

#mirror mirror on the queue - 143 posts

#snow quartz - 138 posts

#para - 131 posts

#snooze - 127 posts

#spooky spooky girls - 59 posts

#about - 36 posts

#text - 34 posts

#flor de nieve - 32 posts

#inspo - 29 posts

Longest Tag: 138 characters

#this is why i love snooze bc we were jsut like yeah cute pumpkin carving and now we're getting into bruce's language and snow's loneliness

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Skeleton In The Closet || Spooky Girls

The inn was almost completely booked!!

She couldn’t believe it. It was the first time since Snow had started managing the Hauntley Manor that this has happened! But the rush of autumn weather had ushered in a wave of bookings-- and even a brand new Nightly in the form of Mr. McQueen-- and so Snow’s days were full of making sure all her guests were taken care of.

She was finalizing the dinner menu with Bones in the kitchen when Tanya burst in. 

Snow startled, giving herself a paper cut. “Ow,” she pouted, then back up at a crazy-eyed Tanya. “Um, hello-- is everything okay, Tanya?” 

[outfit]

@twentytanya​ 

26 notes - Posted September 15, 2022

#4

Whistle While You Work Pt.4: Heartbreak Weather

The storm dropped out of the sky. 

That was how it felt. It had been on the radar, expected in the afternoon, and so Morey Construction turned up early to get as much done as they could. But by mid-morning, the sky was bruised and the atmosphere heavy. The only real warning was a couple of errant drops of rain dotting the wood. 

And then it poured. 

Chaos erupted on the site, the team scrambling to grab materials to bring inside. Janet and Gem began to wrestle with a massive tarp to cover the exposed part of the patio where the roof was-- well-- not. But the wind snagged it in its teeth, dragging it back over and over again. 

Snow raced outside to grab one of the ends. “I got it!” She yelled over the pouring rain, the howling wind. Sheet lightning brightened the sky for a brilliant second, followed by the crash of thunder. 

@gem-morey​ 

[outfit that is now soaked lmfao]

28 notes - Posted April 11, 2022

#3

Tea Time || Sessie

Snow needed a break. 

Normally, she didn’t feel this way. She loved her job-- even the difficult bits, in fact, especially the difficult bits. She loved schedules and meetings and balancing budgets and smoothing over guests’ worries or complaints. But it seemed there was an exception to this rule, wasn’t there? 

His name was Lightning McQueen.

Lightning McQueen was driving her up the wall. And so Snow decided to put on some tea and take her twenty minutes, escaping out into the garden where it was chilly, but sunny-- a perfect autumn day. Perfect for tea. 

“Oh, Ms. Wright-- do you mind if I join you?” she said as she approached Jessie, sitting with a book at one of the tables. 

@belladonna-wright​ 

29 notes - Posted October 15, 2022

#2

All’s Fair in Love and War || Snooze

Oh, now this was something right out of Snow’s dreams - a romantic carnival date!

She’d heard so much about the carnival too, in the weeks leading up to it. Ken had fawned about it with her, she’d pestered Robbie Ryeo for some more details...and of course her group chat with the girls had been blowing up, as everyone talked about who they were going to bring. Snow was thankful in that moment that she had someone. She’d forgotten what a great feeling it was-- to have a person. Maybe Bruce wasn’t her boyfriend (yet), but maybe after the carnival...

“Oh wow, everything looks so cute! Ah, I love fall!” Snow squealed, hanging loosely onto Bruce’s arm as they entered the fairgrounds. “You came to this last year, right? What was your favorite part?” 

@brucewhite​ 

[outfit]

32 notes - Posted September 13, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Does It Spark Joy? || Open Text

Snow: Hey! You know that cute little thrift shop that’s opening up this weekend? I was trying to go through some of my clothes to donate but i think i need help 😅 can i send you some pics? 

47 notes - Posted February 23, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[chuckbass-love]

Johnny smut#4

Hello lovely anon. Thank you so much for this request, again, i’m sorry for the long wait but i didn’t want to write this when i didn’t have much motivation and then have it turn out any less than perfect. I hope it’s worth the wait for you and that you enjoy it.

Also a lil A/N for everyone: To everyone who has requested, i’m gonna get back on it and try and get at least 2 or 3 out per week if possible. I lost motivation for a hot minute but i’m back. I love you all so much. Also, part 7 to only love can hurt like this will be up sometime in the next week or so. I’m still working on it but i already can’t wait for you all to read.

Disclaimer: My work is not to be posted anywhere else other than MY Tumblr, Wattpad and Ao3 without my permission. However, reblogs are welcome.

Pairing: Johnny Storm x Fem!Reader

Prompt #4: “You’d better be quiet if you don’t want to get caught”

Warning: Smut, explicit content, sexual intercourse, hair pulling, choking, mouth covering and swearing. 18+

Word Count: 5,160

GIF NOT MINE!!! Credit to @mcustarks go check them out❤️

Best Friends Brother

As your eyes glance around the beautiful garden filled with white chairs either side of the aisle with flower arrangements all the way to the alter. You can’t help but feel utterly enchanted by the scene, it’s stunning. However, you’re in the wrong place right now, Sue specifically asked you to meet her out back to help her get ready but as soon as you turnaround to head there, you bump into Johnny of all people.

To put it simply, Johnny isn’t exactly your favourite person and you’re not his either. Well, that’s a lie. When around others you don’t get along, you don’t hate each other you just don’t really have much to say since he’s always so cocky and you’re his older sisters best friend. But behind closed doors, the sexual chemistry is off the charts and you’ve spent too many nights tangled up in his sheets to count on two hands.

No one knows about your late night rendezvous though, especially Sue. And she can never find out. It would hurt her. You’re her best friend and Johnny is her little brother. So it’s a secret and it will always remain one.

“Wow” his lips curl up into a genuine smile as his eyes take in your figure in the floor length  dark purple bridesmaid dress you have on “you look, great” he says as he tugs on his bottom lip with his teeth, clearly unable to stop those dirty thoughts running wild in his head.

“Just great?” you ask, brow raising slightly before you chuckle and move to walk past him but he grabs your arm just in time to stop you from going anywhere “not just great, but gorgeous. In fact if this wasn’t my sisters wedding then i’d say you were the best looking one here” he turns his head in your direction, his dreamy blue eyes meeting yours, both filled with lust and need. But you can’t do this here. Today is Sue and Reed’s day.

“Johnny” you whisper lazily, the feel of his skin on yours makes you shiver with desire for him to fill you up, kiss you and make you cum around his cock multiple times but that will have to wait. You really need to snap out of this. So you do, you blink and look back up at him before slowly pulling away from “Sue needs me now, i have to go” and just like that he’s behind you, watching as you walk away. Mostly just to watch the way your ass moves in that dress. You can’t say you blame him though, your ass does look good.

The second you step foot indoors you hear Sue moaning about anything and everything to who sounds like Alicia.

“Your saviour is here” you announce and Sue turns around, beaming at you and you can’t help but stare at her. She looks absolutely breathtaking and her dress is the most beautiful you’ve ever seen. She looks just like a princess.  Alicia then leaves to go and check on Ben, leaving you two to it.

“Sue, you look amazing” tears brim in your eyes, drowning out your vision, she spots it immediately, rushing to hand you a tissue “don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry. You’ll ruin your makeup”

You take it from her, dabbing underneath your eyes before taking the eyeliner from her to re do what couldn’t be saved in time “i can’t believe you’re finally getting your big day” you finish zipping up her dress before helping her out with her veil.

“Well i’ve waited long enough” she laughs as you finish up and you turn her round so she can look at herself in the mirror.

“Now, i just need to finish my make-up. Help a girl out?”

You don’t even bother to respond, instead you start helping, picking up her bag of products. Her foundation is done so it’s just her eye makeup and lipstick that’s left to do. You go with a nice subtle smokey eye with a little silver glitter on top. Then to finish it off you apply some nude lip gloss to her lips before leaving her to do her own mascara, you would hate to mess it up after all.

“Oh i forgot to check with you, is Johnny outside?”

Even the mention of his name has an obvious effect on your body and it’s something you’ve never been able to control but instead of letting it show, you put your poker face on, clearing your throat and mumbling a quick “yes” and thank god she doesn’t catch on or say anything. You must have hid it well.

“Right, ladies the guests are arriving now and Reed is helping them all to their seats so are you ready?” Johnny pokes his head into the room and Sue nods, letting out a deep breath.

He glances at you before Sue walks over to him to make their way to the other room in which she’s going to be leaving out of to walk down the aisle, leaving you standing there sighing.

Guess it’s time for you to take your own place too. You follow closely behind them and then you and Alicia wait for your queue to go, she goes first, then you. Flowers in hand, smiling around at all of the guests, every one of them dressed up in bright colours, wedding hats galore. And as you take your place next to Alicia at the side of the alter, you watch your best friend walk down the aisle with pride. She means the world to you and if there’s one person who’s the most deserving of happiness, it’s her.

Reed wipes away tears as she stands next to him and you feel your heart melting, more tears forming. Johnny watches you from across the way, wiping your own tears of joy before his focus shifts to the vows.

Sometimes he gets urges to ask you out on a date but as quickly as those urges form, they fade. There’s not a chance in hell of you saying yes to him and he knows it. He’s just a hookup and he’s no stranger to half platonic relationships. He’s never particularly been one for commitment anyway but something about you changes his mind. Since you’ve been Sue’s best friend for god knows how long now, he’s watched many guys come and go in and out of your life. He’s watched and even listened to the many times Sue has held you whilst you cried and to tell the truth, he’s never been able to fathom why anyone would ever want to hurt you. Why anyone would ever cheat or leave you. He always had the biggest crush on you and it’s never left. 

Hence why one day he made a move, giving you his best cheesy pick up line at a party Sue threw one weekend. But you ignored him, it was only 2 hours into the party and you weren’t drunk enough to be taking him seriously. However, multiple drinks and shots later, he tried his luck again, and he hit the jackpot. You took him up on his offer. Whilst Sue was in the other room trying to clean up after her guests, you were in Johnny’s room, stripping off in-between heated open mouthed kisses.

It’s pretty obvious where that lead and the next day, you were so mad at yourself for letting it get that far. You cursed alcohol and your stupid brain as you quickly re dressed, repulsed at yourself and your actions. That’s when Johnny shot up, trying his best to make you stay, shutting the door as you tried to open it and standing in the way. You made eye contact with the player and he kissed you. You can’t recall anything else other than feeling captivated by him. His lips moved in sync with yours like they were always made to touch and you couldn’t control the way your body yearned for more.

And the rest is history. Since then you’ve been late night texting and meeting up whenever you could to hook up. Johnny eventually got his own apartment too which only lead to more often than not, the pair of you fucking like rabbits.

It hasn’t just been hookups though, as much as you’d love to lie and pretend that it doesn’t mean a thing, it does. You like Johnny, of course you do. He’s actually the only guy that’s ever been able to make you cum. The only guy who isn’t completely selfish in bed. He makes it all about you, every dam time and you feel torn when it comes to him. A huge part of you knows the two of you feel something deeper and more than just sex. You feel something more intimate. It’s definitely not love but it could be, one day.

Before you know it, you’re ripped from your Johnny themed thoughts as everyone starts cheering and clapping. You join in, watching Reed kiss Sue passionately before the two of them walk back up the aisle. You, Alicia, Johnny and Ben all follow behind with the guests joining in.

The reception is just inside and as soon as you all enter, the music begins. The real old school music. You’re The One That I Want from Grease. The DJ really has a way of luring everyone onto the dance floor right away. Usually at weddings, everyone sits down drinking and chilling before the buffet food comes out but not this wedding.

Sue grabs your hand and the two of you re enact the classic Sandy and Danny scene, overly dramatic though of course and unbeknownst to you, Johnny is watching your every move, unable to stop himself grinning like a cheshire cat. It’s very clear you’re having the time of your life and all he wants is to be able to dance with you.

Once the song is over, you walk around the room to look for the table that you’re going to be sitting at until you hear “over here” and you know that voice anywhere. You turn around to find Johnny sat down, a large glass of wine next to his beer. He ordered for you? Why?

“You’re next to me, hope that’s okay” he stands up, helping you into your chair and tucking it in for you before taking his seat again and sliding the glass of wine to you.

“White wine is still your favourite, right?” nerves fill his voice as he keeps his eyes locked on you “yes, it is. You remembered. Thank you” you waste no time in taking a big gulp of it, you can practically feel yourself getting aroused just by sitting next to the man and to think you’re going to have to deal with it the whole day is torture.

You press your thighs together, trying your hardest to stop whatever is happening in its tracks.

“You not going to dance some more?” he asks, sitting back in his chair, one arm draped round the back of yours “maybe in a minute, i’m still recovering from the first one” you giggle nervously, scared of being seen with him. Sure, you were put with him by Sue herself but what if your farce comes apart now, after all, he is being nice to you and the resting bitch face is missing instead a happy expression has taken its place.

Maybe no one will notice since it’s Sue’s big day, that could be the excuse you use if anyone says anything but then again, why should you care to make excuses? If you enjoy his company that shouldn’t be an issue. Maybe Sue won’t care. She’s always wanted Johnny to settle down with someone nice and you’re nice, right? She’s also wanted you to find someone too. But her best friend and brother getting together probably isn’t what she had in mind.

The song Crazy In Love by Beyonce comes on and Sue practically summons you to the dance floor, so you down the rest of your wine before you rush over to join her. Skipping the regular moves, you and Sue both start dancing like it’s just the two of you. No move off limits as you both grind your hips in circles, shaking your asses and laughing your heads off. She is the only person in this world that can make you laugh like that and you feel incredibly lucky to have her and to be here for her big day.

As your moves get more risqué you catch Johnny adjusting his cock in his dress trousers before drinking more of his beer.

The tension is building within you and you’ve never had to fight temptation so much in the whole year that you two have been doing this. You’re usually very good at waiting and making him wait for it but right now, it’s too hard. The next song that comes on is Check On It by Beyonce, again.

The more of the song that you dance to, you notice the lyrics surprisingly match your situation and a wave of confidence drenches you like rain.

If you got it flaunt it, boy I know you want it While I turn around you watch me check up on it Oh you watchin me shake it, I see it in ya face Ya can't take it, it's blazin’, you watch me in amazement

You continue to show off your best assets, making sure you tease and wind him up more before you make any kind of move which is what you usually do. Any time the two of you fool around, you make him wait and earn it, but it’s one of many reasons why he loves hooking up with you, you’re not easy, you know your worth and you’re 100% worth the wait.

The song finishes leaving yourself and Sue breathless almost. Reed stalks closer, handing his bride a drink and you head over to the bar to get another for yourself before sitting back down again. The buffet will be available soon and you’re desperate for something to eat. Peckish isn’t the word.

“Hello again” Johnny beams and you sip some more wine, a rather big sip yet again before you respond “hello. Are you gonna sit here the whole night?” you question with genuine curiosity, he only really danced a little when the Grease song was on but that’s about it and you aren’t oblivious to the other women checking him out.

“No i intend to dance i just need to be drunk enough for it first”

“I see, maybe then one of those lovely ladies will get a chance to dance with you” you say, observing one in particular who has been staring non stop.

“Please, i’d rather dance with you”

Your heart skips a beat and dare you say it, your vagina develops one. He’s such a sweet talker.

“You looked good out there, y’know” he motions towards the dance floor as if you didn’t already clock on to what he meant and you can’t deny the way your cheeks start to heat up as you thank him shyly.

That’s when he leans closer to your ear, his arm round the back of your chair again as he rasps “and that ass of yours in this dress, baby you got me so hard” his breath fans your neck as he returns to his normal sitting position but he doesn’t miss the way your breath hitches at the dirty comment. He knows all too well the effect he has on you and you know the effect you have on him.

In the past all it’s taken for him is for you to bite your lip and stare him down for him to get hard before. You’re his weakness.

Before you can even go to respond to him though, he clears his throat, tapping away on his phone as he stands up “anyway, if you’ll excuse me, nature calls” he slips his phone back into his pocket, walking away towards the toilets which just so happens to be right behind the DJ.

Your phone buzzes and you check to see a message from him ‘You coming?’ the text reads.

And that alone is enough for you to choke on your own saliva. You quickly sip your drink before standing up yourself and making your way over to the mens toilets. Thank God no one saw you.

“Johnny” you whisper yell until one of the cubicle doors opens, the bigger one at the end. He winks at you as he appears in the doorway and you strut over to him, allowing him to pull you in and lock the door. Your body is flush against his as he starts to kiss your collarbone first. If Johnny is anything it’s a man who loves to savour the moment. He hates quickies and loves to take his time with you.

You’re obviously not the first woman to fall victim to his touch but you’re the only one right now and you’re glad that he’s had experience, it’s clearly made him all the more sensational  in the bedroom.

“Oh” you throw your head back on a quiet moan, hoping not to be too loud despite music blasting outside making it impossible for anyone to hear you.

“Every time you dance, you drive me crazy. Shaking that perfect ass of yours in this dress, making me want you so bad” his lips hover over your sweet spot, his breath fanning it just like it did before.

You wrap your arms loosely round his neck as your back arches and his lips attack your neck like a man possessed, everything about this moment should feel wrong and yet it feels so right. The thought crosses your mind that everyone is out there dancing and most likely eating now all while Johnny is playing with your dress, lifting it up to reveal the new panties that you brought for today. Purple lace to match your dress.

“Oh baby” he groans, tugging on his bottom lip at the sight as his fingers wonder down and slip inside. His cold palm cups your sex making you shiver in surprise before he makes you forget all about it by spinning you around so that you’re pressed against the wall. Caged in by his muscular body as he towers over you.

He presses a chaste kiss to the back of your neck and heat starts to rise to your cheeks, you can’t contain the flustered feeling that fills you. He’s always had a way of being so dominant and stealing all control from you in an instant, since you’re so used to the roles being reversed in your life, he was more than into changing that. And to tell the truth, it’s one of the many reasons that you keep coming back. He pushes you out of your comfort zone in more ways than one.

His fingers play with the flimsy material of your new panties, grazing over your clit multiple times until you’re poking your ass out into his hand. “Someones keen, huh?” his low, raspy and taunting chuckle fills your ear sending shivers up and down your spine and causing goosebumps to form all over your hungry body.

“Please, Johnny” you beg pathetically, once again pushing back against his hand in hopes that he’ll get a move on and touch your properly. Which of course he does. You know he can never resist your charm. All the more reason why he’s slipping your panties to the side now so that his fingers can circle your arousal covered hole, almost dipping into your honey pot but holding back.

“Beg for it” he growls, taking your right earlobe between his teeth and biting down lightly “beg like the good girl i know you are” he continues and you gasp before breathing out a quick plea “p-please touch me Johnny, i need it” as your hands find purchase on the wall.

The feel of his knee spreading your legs apart gets you all the more excited for what’s the come and that’s when he gives you all that you’ve been craving, slipping two thick digits inside of you, coating them in your juices as they hit that spongy spot. He’s never had much trouble when it comes to finding your weak spots, he knows your body inside and out at this point and there’s not a time where you don’t cum when you’re with him.

“That good baby? My fingers getting that little cunt ready for my cock”

Your eyes roll to the back of your head in reaction to the pure filth leaving his not so innocent mouth and just as you go to let out a near enough pornographic style moan, throwing your head back too, the restroom door opens making you stop yourself. Footsteps make their way to one of the cubicles that just so happens to be next to the one your in.

Johnny then takes it upon himself to pull his drenched fingers out of you, reaching his hand in front of your face and shoving them into your mouth for you to suck on, using his free hand to undo his belt and now you know that you’re done for. You know exactly what he’s about to do. His cock rests at your entrance, staying there for a second before he slides in. Your walls welcome him in the best way, wrapping around his cock as he splits you open, stretching you beautifully yet again just like he does every time. The all too familiar feeling consumes you.

“You’d better be quiet if you don’t want to get caught” he mutters in hushed tones, switching it up so that his hand is fully covering your mouth, suffocating you as he drags his cock along your warm velvety walls deliciously. Obviously you don’t want to get caught but right now the anticipation of what could happen is enough to make you clamp down around him, earning a hiss.

A noise that obviously catches the attention of whomever is next door to your cubicle since the unsuspecting gentleman speaks up “are you okay in there, man?” shit. It’s Ben. You feel a wave of shame wash over you as Johnny picks his pace up slowly “yeah, everything's fine” he chirps, as if he has all the time in the world to converse when he’s buried balls deep inside of you.

“If you say so” Ben responds before flushing, washing his hands and then leaving the room. Now it’s just the two of you again. Johnny takes full advantage of the alone time by pushing you right up against the wall, your cheek squished against the tiles, his calloused hands splaying across your ass cheeks now and spreading them apart. Only so he can take a good look at the way he disappears into your tight chanel with ease.

“Doing so well baby, taking this cock like a fucking pro” he grunts, wrapping his hand around your neck and pulling your head back with the help of his other hand grabbing a fistful of your hair at the scalp but keeping your whole body pressed into the wall.

Sinful moans escape your mouth and at this point you’re way past the point of caring or trying to be quiet. Unless someone walks in then you’re going to let go and revel in the feel of him. The way his body traps you in makes your clit pulsate, you love being manhandled and you always have but only by him.

Anyone that takes even so much as a look at Johnny, they think ‘player’ and they’d be right but they’d also think he’d never be the type of man to be as filthy as he is in reality. Not only has he got a foul mouth on him but he’s kinky not to mention skilful in more areas than one. Dick and tongue game on point as well as those magical digits of his and the way they dance across your sex both delicately and brutally all at the same time.

You’re certainly not complaining though. 

“Fuck, Johnny” your back arches even more so than it was before as you shakily cry out his name with the kind of want that only he can spur on “what is it baby?”

“Don’t stop, i’m so close” you whimper desperately.

His pace is now rendering on animalistic as he fucks you into the wall with such vigor, wanting nothing more than to feel you come undone all over his cock, something he’ll never grow tired of.

“Come on then baby, give it to me” he eggs you on, keeping one hand wrapped around your neck still, tightening as the seconds tick by whilst his other hand smacks down on your exposed ass cheek, making it wobble a little which earns him a satisfied hum.

The two of you go crazy with you pushing back to meet his thrusts and him spanking your ass, both of you hungry for that release.

All of a sudden though the blaring music coming from outside stops. Making you panic. Johnny on the other hand is so close to reaching his peak and he knows you are too, so he doesn’t bother to stop.

But you hear the faint laughs of the wedding guests before what sounds like the DJ addressing everyone. Fuck. This better not be the speeches. You had one planned and so did Johnny.

He continues to fuck into you, grunting, growling and panting in your ear, driving you closer and closer to that edge. You can feel the coil twisting and turning in your stomach, on the verge of snapping at any second and you don’t think you’ll be able to hold back the noises when it happens.

“Gonna make you cream all over this cock baby and best believe i’ll be filling this sweet cunt up with my cum”

You rest your hand over his around your neck as your whole body starts to shake. You clench around his cock some more and just as you can taste the orgasm, the addition of his fingers pressing down on your clit push you off the edge and your head drops back onto his shoulder. The music starts up again, allowing you to really enjoy this. Your mouth hangs open whilst you scrunch your eyes closed, seeing stars as you fall into a pit of ecstasy. You can feel your legs shaking and threatening to give way but luckily for you Johnny moves his hands to your waist, wrapping around you so he can hold you up whilst he comes close to reaching his own end.

“Fuckkkkk, squeezing me so good baby”

You do it again for good measure and sure enough, he twitches inside of you, his hot cum painting your walls just like he said and a fucked out spent smile forms on your face making him laugh when he sees.

He rides the two of you through your highs before his thrusts come to a halt and he slowly pulls out. He then grabs some tissues, dropping to his knees and pressing yet another chaste kiss to your clit this time before cleaning you up. He can see that you’re struggling to stand so the second he’s done he rises to his feet, pulling you flush against him and then proceeding to push you up against the wall.

The two of you stare deep into each others eyes for a couple seconds, both of your chests rising and falling as you try to normalise your breathing. That was certainly an adventurous, dangerous and thrilling experience, one that you won’t be rushing to partake in again anytime soon. But it was amazing to say the least. The way he’s looking at you right now makes you want to throw caution to the wind and kiss him. So you do. You crash your lips to his, wrapping your arms loosely around his neck and as expected, he kisses back. His grip tightens on your hips, pulling you even closer if that’s even possible.

“What was that for?” he asks as you come up for air and you shrug, not even sure of what it was yourself. But all you know is you like him and this isn’t just some fling to you, some form of messing around until the two of you get bored. There is a genuine connection there, one that you can’t wait to explore some more.

“I don’t even know” you giggle, pecking his lips again.

Silence falls upon the two of you before he finally blurts out “go out with me” as if he’s telling you rather than asking.

“What?” you furrow your brows in confusion.

“Go out with me, on a date”

“I thought Johnny Storm didn’t do dates” you quip back, raising your brows with a smirk to match “i don’t but i’d like to try if it’s with you” and that alone warms your heart. The same heart that’s been crushed and broken so many times before and it’s almost like he’s mending it. Not that you’re complaining.

You take no longer than a second to think before you’re agreeing and kissing him some more. That’s when the music stops and you both look at each other.

He quickly zips up his pants, doing his belt up again and shrugging his jacket back on before turning back to you. With you both now looking decent again, you get him to check your makeup, he wipes the stray bits of mascara that smudged before kissing your forehead.

He lets you leave first whilst he waits an appropriate 2 minutes before he heads out too. No one suspected a thing and now it’s time for the speeches.

This is definitely going to be a wedding to remember...

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Me and all my hoe personalities after writing this one: 

General Tags: @deadlymistress24 @coffeebooksandfandom @chris-butt @holtzkinnon @mychemicalimagines @llamadelreyx @haus-of-bitch-talk @buckstaybucky @thewinchestergirl1208 @chrissquares @patzammit @dummiesshort @cevans-fics @americasass91 @toni9 @aaliferous @bradfordmyworld @thereisa8ella @kaminorogers @yassspose @randomsevans 

Just Chris & His Characters Tags: @onetwo3000 @persephonequeenofthedead @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @rynabarnesrogers @princess-evans-addict @stxvercgersslut @chris-evanslover @bval-1 @thejemersoninferno @denisemarieangelina @janeyboo @evansphnx12 @whxre4cevans

LMK if you wanna be added to my tag list...

[rebeccccccaaa]

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ɴᴇʀᴅ ⓟⓐⓡⓣ ②

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ғʀᴀᴛʙᴏʏ!ʙᴜᴄᴋʏ ʙᴀʀɴᴇs x sʜʏ-ɪsʜ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴀᴜ (ɪɴᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ ɪ ɢᴜᴇss)

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: (two part series!) You’re starting to struggle in class and decide to ask your professor for some tutoring or extra classes to boost your  grade. He ends up assigning the last person you’d expect to tutor you. (is it really a surprise though?)

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: cw: talking about a car accident and infertility

smut 18+  (praise kink, dirty talk, oral fem receiving, hair pulling, marking, choking, slight spanking if you squint, slight bondage), major aftercare, fluff? This is pretty filthy lmao. 

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 𝟺.𝟹 ᴋ (ɪ ᴀᴍ sᴏᴏᴏᴏᴏ sᴏʀʀʏ ᴛʜɪs ɪs sᴏᴏᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ!)

ᴀ/ɴ: Thank you so much for all the love in the last part! I was truly expecting maybe about 20 likes but so far its gotten over 100! Thank you for being so nice to me on my first ever post and hope you enjoy part 2!

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For the next two or so weeks you avoid Bucky like the bubonic plague. You didn’t exactly hate the fact that he kissed, but he was your tutor. Isn’t that inappropriate? Let alone him being a part of a frat house. It wouldn’t be a good mix.

One good thing though is that your overall grade in class has gone up since your tutor sessions with Bucky so at least it wasn’t for nothing. He’s tried to talk to you in class a couple times when you didn't go to him but ended up giving up when you began showing up right when class started or going out of your way to even go near him. 

Again, you didn’t hate him; hell you weren’t mad anymore, but you still avoided at all costs. It’s totally not because you're scared you’ll actually fall for him. How could someone like Bucky even look your way? Maybe he just wanted to get into your pants like all the boys in the house.

You didn’t tell Natasha that Bucky kissed but she could definitely tell that something was up. You were usually at Bucky’s frat house on weekdays but you’ve been canceling sessions every night since the incident. 

One night you were studying alone in your apartment and Natasha was pacing around on her phone. She was dressed to go to a frat party tonight but it seems maybe her ride isn’t available. You wonder why she can’t herself when she has a car.

“Hey Y/n,” Nat crept up to you.

“Yes,” you drew out.

“Would maybe, possibly, perhaps, might be able to be my DD?” she asked.

“Your what?”

“My designated driver. Wanda has a family emergency; her and her brother flew out like an hour ago and I haven’t been able to find anyone to pick me up.”

“I can drop you off and pick you up,” you offered. You’d rather stay up late in case she wants to come home than stay at the party all night, especially if she finds another bed to stay in till morning. 

“I mean you could do that but would it be more fun to actually party for once. Come on babe you’re too uptight, you need to have fun especially with how hard you’re working in school right now.”

“Nat, you know that’s not my scene.”

“Just stay with me. Or Bucky I’m sure he wouldn’t mind hanging with you tonight,” she suggestively, bringing confusion to your face.

“Huh?”

“Oh nothing Just come with me please? If it gets too much text me and I’ll let you know if I need a ride back home.”

“Actually?” you asked.

“Pinky promise.”

“Ok give me like 5 mins.”

You ran to your  room and picked out an outfit you felt sexy but comfortable in; I mean if you were going to inevitably run into Bucky at this party might as well look presentable right? When you came out ready, Nat whistled, hyping you up and felt your face heat up a bit. 

“Stop, let’s just go,” you averted.

You arrived at the house music booming from down the street. People outside drinking from red solo cups, cars already picking up drunks and dropping people off to get said drunk. You hastily parked the car and Nat grabbed your hand and pulled you close as you guys walked to the party. You weren’t going to lie, you were really nervous.

You heard stories about these parties but you were trying to convince yourself that they may be exaggerated somewhat but still didn’t do much for your nerves. When you walked you eyes almost immediately locked with Bucky’s. To say he was shocked to see you at a frat party was for sure an understatement.

Bucky began to move through the crowd to meet up with you but when he got to the entrance it was like you disappeared. Disappointed, he returned to the mini bar where the drinks were all held, where Steve served the drinks. Asked for a beer.

“How’s it going, man?” Steve asked.

“She’s here.”

“Nat? I really think there's something between us. I’m thinking about asking her on a proper date you know?”

“Really? That’s awesome, but I’m talking ‘bout Y/n,” Bucky clarified.

“What? I thought she hated parties.” 

“I did too.”

As if on queue, you tapped Bucky on the shoulder.

“Hi.”

“Hey, what on earth are you doing here?”

“Nat needed a designated driver and Wanda and her brother are out of town.”

“Yeah Pietro lives here in the house, Steve drove him and Wanda to the airport a couple hours ago.”

You nodded your head and things got awkward again, but then again what’s new with that.

“Do you want anything to drink?”

“I can’t drink.”

“Oh right. Do we have soda?”

“We coke for the rum but you can take a can.”

“Thanks Steve,” you took a can of coke from him. 

You and Bucky and Steve all held wholesome conversation for a little  bit then Nat came and whisked him away. Bucky was put on bar duty from then on and you decided to keep him company until Nat was ready to go home. But so far from the way Steve and her were dancing together you didn’t think Nat was gonna wanna go home.

You asked Bucky how long Steve and Nat have had their little thing and apparently it’s been going on for awhile. You had sneaking suspicion that they were together in some way but since Nat never brought it up you didn’t want to bug her. It was pretty easy to figure out though considering she didn’t come home some nights.

They’re good together though and you hope they make it official soon.

Talking to Bucky, you felt a hand brush against but when you looked no one was there. You figured it was just getting crowded. After a couple of hours you decided to text Nat to see where she was. When she didn’t respond, you took it upon yourself to call her.

“Nat where did you go?”

“I'm in the car,” she slurred.

“What! You can’t be driving! How did you even get the keys?” you yelled.

“I snatched them from you when you and Bucky were flirting with each other. Steve couldn’t  find his keys so I took yours,” she shouted into the phone.

“When did you- whatever, is he sober?” you asked.

“Yeah and I am not even that dru-,” she hiccuped. 

“Nat…” you warned. 

“Steve is my boyfriend and we’re clean. I’ll be safe; it’s not like I can have kids anyway.”

“Nat.” When you moved in together at the beginning of the year, you noticed one time her grabbing her lower stomach in discomfort and offered her any products for her period. She told you she doesn’t get one and being the dumbass you are you asked why. She told you when she was a teenager she got into a car accident that caused extreme internal bleeding causing Nat to become infertle. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean it like that,” you apologized.

“It’s ok babe. If anything you be safe.”

“She can’t see you, babygirl,” you heard Steve say and laughed out loud.

“Oh! I’m winking!” she shouted.

“Oh my god. Whatever,” you rolled your eyes.

“Anyways buh-bye, girly!” she hung up the phone.

“What happened?” Bucky came up behind you. You looked over at the bar and saw Bruce bar-keeping.

“Nat took the fucking car with Steve.”

“Why didn’t he use my car?”

“She said he couldn’t find the keys and I guess it was easier to just steal from me when I wasn’t looking.”

“Wow, ok. Stealth much?”

“Right? She’s like a Russian spy,” you laughed.

“Well, you probably need a ride then,” Bucky brought up.

“I don’t know if I wanna go home knowing Steve is probably gonna be railing her into the next dimension.”

“Yeah, you can spend the night here. I can sleep on the floor.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah it’s not a problem. We probably have an air mattress hiding somewhere.”

“Thanks Buck. well since I’m not going anywhere I guess I could have a drink now.”

“What’ll it be?”

You drank a couple beers feeling the alcohol beginning to flow effortlessly through your veins. The music was still booming through the house and you found yourself getting lost to the rhythm. You made your way to where everyone was also dancing and let the music guide your body sensually. 

You didn’t notice it yet but Bucky was staring completely in love with the way you were moving. He’d never seen you in this kind of environment and definitely not in the clothing you were wearing. You looked truly sexy even more so dancing the way you were dancing; like you had control over everything in the world.

You soon felt a pair of hands circle around to your waist instantly knowing who they belong to. Bucky moved his hips snug against your backside perfectly fitting with you. You let your head lean back feeling Bucky breathe against your neck.  

“You driving me crazy, doll,” Bucky whispered against your ear.

You shivered at his words. 

“Please, let me show you how fucking stunning you are,” he moved his hands towards the front of your hips.

“What?” you turned around. You hadn’t expected Bucky to want to do anything with you.

“I can make you feel so good. You deserve it.”

“Bucky-”

“Do you want me to make you feel good?”

“I do,” you whined as he rubbed his hands against your lower back, pulling you so close.

He kissed you too softly, barely touching your lips, as he grabbed your hands and led to his room upstairs.  

When you reached his room, the back of his knees hit the bed and he sat while your knees went to either side of his thighs. God his thighs. His hands went up your shirt grazing your bare skin with his fingertips as you continued to makeout sloppily. 

“Can I take this off?” he asked, tugging your shirt.

“Please, yes please.”

Your arms went over your head and Bucky slowly kissed the exposed skin as your shirt inched higher and higher up until he tossed it to the side. The straps of your bra left off shoulders and Bucky continued to kiss any exposed skin on your body. Your hands ran through his hair and you tugged his strands earning a moan in return.

You tugged at his shirt as well and he complied quickly getting rid of his shirt and throwing it to the side. Bucky hands ran over your bottom and you jumped off him nearly ripping your bottoms off your body. You heard bucky chuckled as he too took the opportunity to take his pants off leaving him in boxers and nothing else.

“I want to taste you baby girl,” Bucky bit at your ear.

Your body tensed a bit because although you were not a virgin, you were not that experienced, especially compared to Bucky. 

“Is that ok? I’m sorry, we don’t have to do anything. I don’t want you to regret anything, princess. We can stop.”

“No! I don’t want to stop. No one’s just ever wanted to do that, you know,” you whispered feeling a bit overwhelmed.

“Oh baby, what kinda shit boys were you with? Let me show how good a woman is supposed to feel, got it?”

You swallowed hard, but nodded of course. 

Bucky picked you up and gently laid you down onto the bed. His hands rubbed your thighs softly and he kissed your stomach ever so softly. He was trying his very hardest to make sure you were comfortable and relaxed as much as possible. Bucky traced the lining of your underwear and looked to you once again to make sure everything was ok by you. You nodded but that wasn’t enough for Bucky.

“Words, baby. I wanna hear you say it,” he whispered, lips against your inner thigh. 

“Bucky,” you whined.

“Come on, baby. Use your words like a big girl,” he snickered.

“Please, touch me, Bucky. I want you to use your mouth on me like you promised.”

“There ya go,” he said pulling your underwear down your legs.

He slowly opened your legs and kissed your inner thigh leaving a dark purple mark for him to see and him only. When he was satisfied with the marks he left on your inner thighs he licked a slow and wet line against your pussy. Your hips instantly bucked into his face and your hands flew to his hair.

You tugged at his hair again and released a grunt from Bucky, the vibrations from his mouth pleasuring you even more. Bucky brought his fingers to your hole and he continued circling his tongue around your clit making you moan and arch your back. 

He entered a finger into you and then another. You were already beginning to feel full from just his fingers alone, you couldn’t wait until he was able to fuck you balls deep. Your orgasm was approaching quicker than you anticipated, your toes curled and your back arched off the bed. Your heels dug into Bucky’s back but he simply continued to eat you out until you finally peaked.

“Bucky!” you shouted his name in pleasure.

“That’s it baby girl. You're my good girl, right?”

“Yes, I’m your good girl. Oh god, I’m cumming,” you moaned.

Bucky helped you ride out your first orgasm of the night completely enamored by your beauty. When you finally came down from you high you reached for Bucky pulling him into a heated kiss. You could taste yourself on his tongue and moaned into his mouth. You pulled him closer and sat up moving him to sit his back against his headboard.

“I don’t know what I want to do more, return the favor or ride you until my legs shake.”

“You can return the favor another time. Let me see you ride my dick, doll,” Bucky growled. Another time?

You crawled onto Bucky’s lap after he discarded his boxers letting his dick spring up, the tip red from lack of attention. It shocked you if you were being honest, it was so… big. 

“Is that gonna fit?” you asked genuinely.

“Yeah, it will; but if it hurts too much you tell me to stop ok?” you nodded.

Bucky reached behind your back and unclasped your bra only to toss it to wherever the rest of your clothes were. His hands caressing your breasts; thumbs rubbing over your sensitive nipples, sending chills throughout your body. He kissed along your collarbone to your neck to your jaw before whispering in your ear.

“I have to grab a condom from the bathroom, baby girl. Sorry,” he began to move you.

“Why are you sorry?” you stopped him.

“I don’t wanna ruin the mood but safety is important before anything else.”

You weren’t gonna lie that actually kinda shocked you; and turned you on even more. You had completely forgotten about having a condom. You were on the pill but that doesn't mean you shouldn’t still use a condom. Bucky was back in no time and you took the condom from him wanting to put it on for him. Bucky moaned as you wrapped his dick and soon enough you were ready to go, arousal practically dripping down your inner thighs.

Bucky’s hand lid up to the back of your neck as you slid down his cock; both moaning at the feeling. You took a second to move but when you did things practically fell into pace. You quickly found a good rhythm for the both of you and soon enough you felt yourselves growing near climax.

Bucky’s hands gripped at your ass, grunting and moaning at the feeling of your walls gliding in and out of you. He smacked your ass leaving a slight red-ish mark for you to admire later. You pulled him closer, if that was even possible, burying your face in between Bucky’s neck and shoulder. 

“I can feel ya getting close, baby. Fucking squeezing me. Feels so good, princess.”

“I'm gonna come, I’m so close.”

“Don’t come until I say so. Hold it, I know you can. Be my good little girl and fucking hold it.”

You sucked and kissed and licked his neck leaving little marks not nearly as big as the ones he was leaving all over you. Soon enough you felt the coil building in the pit of your stomach snap and you moaned so loud into Bucky’s ear, he almost came from hearing your moans.

“Sorry I literally screamed in your ear.”

“I told you not to come until I say so.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t hold it anymore. You felt too good,” you whispered, barely audible.

“That doesn’t matter. I told you to hold it,” Bucky got off the bed and reached for his pants. You got so scared that he was going to leave; terrified. But instead he took his belt he was wearing and stalked back towards you. Oh how the butterflies in your stomach fluttered right now.

“Arms up baby girl. You don’t get to touch me now.”

You complied, your stomach fluttering immensely at the mere thought of what Bucky was going to  do with you now. When he finished looping the belt around the headboard of the bed his hands ran along your entire body kissing here and there until back up to you. 

“Too tight?” you shook your head.

“Perfect. Winter; say the word and I stop,” he kissed passionately, sliding back in you, pussy sensitive from orgasming twice tonight. 

Bucky didn’t take as much time as you did before starting to slam into you over and over again. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, toes curling in themselves, tears brimming your eyes. Bucky fingers dug into your waist surely leaving more marks for you in the morning. 

His hand came up to wrap around your neck and squeezed ever so slightly.

“Feel good? My little fucking slut, whining and wiggling under me,” Bucky said, more to himself than anything.

“Fuck-” you moaned. You wrists rubbing against the belt, trying to pull away so you could touch Bucky.

“What is it? You wanna touch me,” Bucky’s hand squeezed a bit more and you moaned even louder, legs wrapping around his waist pulling him closer that way.

“Oh good please Bucky, let me touch you!”

“Uh-uh, bad girls don’t get what they want. If you want to touch me you have to beg me like the good little whore you are,” Bucky growled.

“Fuck Bucky please, I’ll do anything for you just me let me touch you. Please, please, please!”

“Tell me your mine.”

“I’m yours, Buck. All fucking yours. No one else’s!”

“No one is ever gonna fuck as good as I do. Your mine.”

“Yes! I’m yours, oh god,” you moaned.

Bucky was extremely close to cumming and so were you so he undid the belt with one hand skillfully and your arms wrapped around his body pulling as close to you as humanly possible. Your hands ran through his hair and pulled hard as you both fell over the edge. Bucky settled between your legs for a minute kissing your breasts, your chest heaving trying to catch your breath. 

Bucky got up and discarded the condoms making sure there were no tears or rips considering how rough he’d been with you. He didn’t intend to be rough at first but his mind was so clouded with you he practically lost control; but you didn’t mind not one bit. 

Bucky came back with bottled water from a small refrigerator he kept in the corner of his room and held you back and head as you brought the water to your lips. After satisfying your dry and hoarse throat, Bucky picked you up and set down on his bathroom counter, the cold of the marble counter in extreme contrast to your hot skin. 

He cleaned you up and inspected your wrists making sure you weren’t hurt; although they were quite red and would probably hurt in the morning. Lastly, he grabbed a wipe and cleaned the remaining mess of makeup you had put on the night before speaking up again.

“Was I too rough? I didn’t mean to be,” Bucky caressing the sides of your waist. You shocked your head no; the face with a blissfully fucked out expression and a smile making Bucky chuckle. He rubbed your skin with lotion to ease any irritation anything may have caused and kissed the marks he made during sex. He admits that he really likes seeing you marked up by him knowing he’s the only one who gets to see them and make them. Makes him proud that he was able to fuck so good and you loved it too.

He picked you up and took you to bed; kissing you all over one last time before letting you fall asleep in his arms. The last thing you heard before you fell asleep was Bucky whispering about how good were to him, calling you his good little girl; rubbing your back ever so softly putting you to sleep.

+++

You woke the next morning arms and legs tangled with another. You turn your head to find Bucky Barnes’ face tucked into your neck soft breaths tickling your skin. You rubbed his arms and back, nails lightly scratching him causing him to stir a bit.

Bucky pressed soft kisses against your skin and rested his large warm hands on your ass and thighs. You felt the urge to use the restroom and haven’t going last night, you figured you should as soon as possible. Prying your mildly sweaty body from his was obviously unsuccessful with how much stronger he was compared to you. His legs moved further in between your thighs and he began kissing your chest making you giggle in return.

“Bucky, I have to use the restroom,” you grabbed his face.

“Oh, sorry,” he chuckled and released his hold on you, not without whining of course.

You ran into his bathroom and shut the door. When you turned around you gasped realizing how marked up you were. Dark purple spots littered all over your chest and neck. Your wrists were bright red from the belt he used last night; however they didn’t hurt, a bit sore but not painful. Your thighs were also decorated with love bites and hickeys from Bucky last night and you smiled to yourself.

After you used the bathroom you cleaned yourself as well as possible but admittedly needed a shower in the end. You opened the door only to find Bucky, grinning like a little boy. You folded your hands underneath your chin evidently hiding your body with your arms as much as you could. 

Bucky came up to you and placed his hands on your waist kissing the top of your head before turning you around to look at yourself in the bathroom mirror. His body was flush against your and you could feel his dick sitting against your ass and lower back. His face came up and rested on your shoulder then grabbed your hands to wrap them behind his head and yours. 

You played with his hair a bit feeling so confident and loved by the affection Bucky has been giving since you came into his room. His hands ran across your body everywhere they could reach before making eye contact with you in the mirror.

“Look at you, goddamn.”

“What?” you chuckled.

“Do you see what I’m seeing?”

You shook your head, feeling incredibly shy suddenly.

“Look how  fucking beautiful and gorgeous and perfect you are. Geez, I can’t even handle it.” 

You laughed out at how dramatic he was being.

“Goddamn, I could stare at your perfect body all fucking day,” he whispered, it wasn’t in a sensual tone however. It was almost like he was saying to himself, like he actually wanted to do as such.

“Please stay,” he asked you.

“Are you ok?” you sensed he was being incredibly serious, almost about to cry even.

His sad painted with sadness, eyes begging you to stay with him for the day. He wanted something with you.he wanted to be yours and hoped to God that you’d be his in return.

“Stay with me. Please?” you realized you didn’t think he was talking about staying for now, he meant stay with him, as a partner.

“What happened?” you caressed his face in your hands. He lifted you and placed you on the counter Like he did the night before, settling his hips in between your legs.

“They always leave,” he whispered.

“Who? ”

“I didn’t want to just sleep around with girls anymore so I started talking to them and taking them out but every time the night we had sex, they would always leave. I tried talking to them the next day but they always said they didn’t want anything out of it. So I stopped having sex altogether.” 

Your heart ached for him. You didn’t want to do that to him. Of course you thought about it, but that was clearly before you realized Bucky wanted to be with you.

“I won’t leave.”

“We can stay in my room all day. You don’t even have to get out of bed. I can grab a couple game consoles from downstairs and we play on the tv. We order breakfast. I’ll wash your clothes. We have a washing machine in the basement,” Bucky said excitedly, you smiled excited as well for your day with Bucky.

“Can we take a shower first?” you asked.

“Yes of course, let’s take a shower.”

“Let’s?” you wiggled your eyebrows.

“Of course. Maybe we can pop in a couple rounds while we’re at it,” Bucky winked.

“Bucky!”

______________________

Ok, all done. :) Hope you liked it and maybe give it a little like or reblog? You don’t have  to though lol

ᴛᴀɢʟɪsᴛ! 

@baddie-barnes

@calwitch

@red42985

[luke-patterson-owns-my-soul]

The Interview: Part One

Title: The Interview - A Luke x Reader One Shot

Words: 3,177

Summary: Y/N gets to interview Sunset Curve when they finally go on tour near where she lives.

TW: None

Author’s notes: Ok… the interview part is kind of inspired by a glorious evening when myself and a friend got to interview our favourite band just before a gig. I was much clumsier that Y/N and made a complete fool of myself on more than one occasion, but it seemed to have worked because they loved the interview – or so they told us.

I hope you like it. I’m not 100% with it, but didn’t want to drag it out for the hell of it. This is set in the UK, so spellings may be a little different.

(credit @nikascott​)

The first time you heard Now or Never, you knew there was something special about Sunset Curve. Their lyrics and the beats of their pop rock tracks made you feel amazing and you couldn’t help but dance every time you heard them.

You spent all your time online anyway, so you decided to set up a Sunset Curve fan account. You didn’t expect much to come out of it due to bein in the UK while they were based in the US. But you religiously shared photos of the guys, wrote funny articles about them after speaking to people who’d been to their shows. Shared credited photos from gigs which soon got you respect from the fans and you began to build up a following.

You managed to fit running the account single handed, fitting it in between being at university studying for your degree in media and working part time. You’re not in it for the recognition, you just want to show your appreciation for a band you love.

Your best friend, Carrie, doesn’t get it. She doesn’t understand how you can spend so much time expelling energy on four guys you’re never going to meet, but she indulges you because you also run one for her band, Dirty Candi. Your friend and the rest of her group are insanely talented, and even though they’re not a genre you tend to listen to, you support them because that’s what friends do.

It’s been a year since you’d first heard Now or Never and since you set up the account. You’ve amassed over ten thousand followers, most of whom are also in the UK, when you get your first band member follow. Bobby Wilson, the rhythm guitarist likes a post you shared about him and promptly follows you. You get constant likes from him and sometimes the odd comment. Your followers go insane but you manage to keep calm, ish.

The second follow is Alex, the drummer. This time you do go a bit crazy, because he’s adorable and you can’t help be a little in love with him.

It takes less than a day after Alex’s follow before the bassist, Reggie to follow you and send your notifications into overdrive by commenting on a ton of posts. You scream into a pillow on your bed because it’s 2 a.m. and you don’t want to wake Carrie up.

The one follow you’re waiting for doesn’t come. Luke Patterson, the lead singer and your favourite member hasn’t joined his bandmates, and while you never expected it, you’re more than a little upset by the fact.

“Honey, he’s like a Rockstar. He’s got more important things to do than follow fan accounts online.” Carrie was right, but it still stung a bit.

“I know, but…”

“Y/N, sweetie. I adore you, but you need to let it go. I don’t want you working yourself up over this, please. Why don’t we have a girlie night, just the two of us? We’ll watch cheesy films, eat junk food, and sing bad karaoke. No phones.”

“I love you, do you know that?” I told her.

“How could you not?” She flicked her pastel pink hair over her shoulder with a laugh before going to prepare snacks while I got the lounge ready for an evening of lazing around.

:: ::

Halfway through The Greatest Showman, Carrie falls asleep, so after you cover her over with a blanket, you pull your phone out of the box she hid it in and scroll through social media.

         |Hey, @SunsetCurveFansUK did you see this??

Included in the message is a link to the official Sunset Curve account. You click on it and there’s a note from the band. Announcing a UK tour. You begin to hyperventilate as you try and prevent yourself from screaming out loud, but it doesn’t work and you let out a loud squeak, waking Carrie up.

“What’s wrong? Y/N, are you okay?” She sounds worried, so you shove your phone at her, unable to speak. “Oh, wow. This is cool. Start saving because I know you’re gonna want to go to every show.”

“Yes, yes I will.” Getting to your feet, you do a crazy dance around the small lounge of your apartment, making Carrie laugh. You only realise at the last minute that she’s recording you. “Don’t you dare post that online.” You warn her.

“Too late, sweetie. It’s already on my story and I tagged the band.”

“I hate you. Worst friend ever, I think I’ll advertise for a new one.” You grumble, making her laugh as you settle down on the couch to catch up on everything you’ve missed online.

:: ::

When tickets go on sale, you’re disappointed they guys are only doing four dates in the UK, but you buy yourself a ticket to all of them. Sadly, they don’t offer up any VIP tickets because they’re running contests for fans to win them for each show. Their tour manager, Trevor – who also happens to Bobby’s dad – has messaged your account asking if you’d like the opportunity to interview the band as a thank you for all the work you’d put into promoting them.

“Oh my God, Y/N. You’re gonna meet the band, your favourite band.” Carrie is grinning, happy for you as you stare at the message on your phone screen in disbelief. “Are you going to reply?”

“I… er… what is going on?” You stare over at your best friend who’s grinning widely at you. “This is a joke, right? Someone’s pulling the ultimate prank on me, aren’t they?”

“Y/N, look. For over a year, you’ve been pimping out those guys like crazy. You’ve increased their fan base here, which has made them want to tour here, and now they’re offering you this amazing opportunity. Take it and run with it, You deserve it.”

At her words, you reopen the message and reply to Trevor, saying you’d be honoured to do the interview. Then you freak out.

:: ::

The night of the first show and you’re hovering outside the venue waiting for Trevor to come and meet you once the guys finish their sound check. You can faintly hear the strains of Now or Never, and you get goosebumps. Thankful you’re nowhere near where the queue to get in is growing longer and longer, you start to pace outside the door. It suddenly opens outwards, making you jump, and Trevor’s head appears before behind it.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah, hi.” You hold out a hand for him to shake, surprising him and yourself with how composed your voice sounds. He shakes your hand and then motions for you to enter the venue.

“Great to meet you. The guys all love your account.”

“That’s amazing to hear.” You make conversation as you follow Trevor through a maze of narrow corridors.

“Are you ready?” He asks as you approach a closed door. You can’t help but hesitate, making him look back at you in worry. “Hey, are you gonna be okay?”

“Yeah, it’s all just a bit… overwhelming.”

“Look, they’re great guys, as normal as they come. There’s no need to feel nervous around them.” He smiles at you and pushes open the door, gesturing for you to enter. “Guys, this is Y/N from the UK fan account. Go easy on her, okay?” Once you’re fully inside the room, Trevor leaves and closes the door behind you.

“Hey,” Reggie speaks first as they all stand up. You shake hands and instantly feel at ease. “We all love your account, it’s very honest.” He’s clearly referring to your review of their last album where you openly said you weren’t a huge fan of a couple of the songs. It was an integrity you were determined to have on the account. You didn’t want to be seen as the type to blow smoke up their asses just because you were a fan.

“Thanks. I love running it. It keeps me busy and out of trouble, apparently.” You laugh as you pull a fold-up tripod out of your bag and set it up to record the guys for your account. “Do you mind if I film the interview?”

“Go ahead.” Alex waves his hand for you to continue. Once you’re set up, you pull out your journal with your questions written in.

“Hey, Luke. That looks like your journal.” Bobby comments, making the lead singer smile. So far, he hasn’t said much and it’s putting you on edge. Especially as he’s the only band member who hasn’t followed your account. Maybe he hates what you’ve done online. Trying to ignore the doubt, you press record on the video and start to ask the questions.

“My final two questions were submitted as part of a contest I put out to my followers. First up from Ellie is ‘if you could give the others a tattoo, what would it be and where?” As you’d hoped, the response to this question is all four of them bursting into laughter as Reggie’s face lights up.

“I pick Luke and would definitely get my face across his back.” You laugh at his enthusiasm. “Maybe if I get him drunk enough, I could at least get my name somewhere.

“Dude, there is no way I will ever have your name, any of your names, tattooed on me.” Luke grinned at them. “I’d probably get Bobby a dick, on his forehead. Just because it would be hilarious.”

You know Bobby is known as a bit of a womaniser and you’ve heard rumblings in the fandom that he’s slept with fans after shows, but you keep quiet as the guys laugh. Bobby picks a rainbow for Alex and Alex picks a cowboy hat for Reggie.

“Okay, the final question is from Sarah and her son Henry. ‘If the zombie apocalypse hit, who would be the first to die.”

“Reggie.” Three out of the four spoke in unison making the bassist pout and you laugh.

“But, we’d try our best to save him.” Alex pipes up, smiling at his friend. “We’d at least try to stick together, but if it’s a choice between me and them, I’m picking me every time.”

“That’s me finished,” you stop the recording. “Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to sit with me. I really appreciate it.”

All four guys reassure you it’s been their pleasure and that they enjoyed the interview which pleases you as it took you almost six weeks to think of questions that they hadn’t been asked hundreds of times before.

“I’ll leave you guys to get ready for the show. I need a drink.” You stand after packing everything away and move toward the door to leave.

“Hey, Y/N.” Reggie’s voice calling your name makes you turn back to face them. “We put together a little goodie bag of merch for you as a thank you for all the work you’ve done in helping promote us here in the UK.”

“Oh, you didn’t need to do that.” You’re blown away and speechless. “I do it because I enjoy it.”

“And it keeps you out of trouble?” Bobby winks at you. Unsure how to react, you smile a little, positive it looks more like a grimace. You take the overflowing bag and clutch it in your hand.

“Hey, we need a selfie.” Alex says, pulling his phone out of his pocket. You suddenly find yourself between him and Luke, Alex’s arm slung over your shoulder and Luke’s hand resting on your waist. All you can feel is the head from his hand as you look at the camera Alex is holding out in front of you. Once he’s done, you take a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of Luke before stepping away.

Another round of thank yous and you leave the room and close the door behind you. Then realise you have no idea which way to go.

“Hey, you okay?” Luke’s voice makes you jump.

“Yeah, I just can’t remember the way out.” You’re embarrassed to admit, but you have to meet up with Carrie in the queue. She’d finally agreed to come to at least one of the shows with you, but only one.

“It’s a bit of a maze, here’ I’ll show you the way.” Luke falls into step beside you, his shoulder brushing yours in the narrow space.

“Thanks, you don’t need to do that.”

“It’s no problem, I’m on a drink run for the guys anyway, and the bar’s this way.” He shrugged, his shoulder once again brushing against yours.

“Well, thanks again. And for doing the interview, I hope it wasn’t too much of a chore.”

“Nah, it was fun. I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure what it was gonna be like at first, but you had some great questions.”

Silence fell and you start to feel awkward walking through the venue with a guy you’d crushed on from afar for well over a year. Eventually, the maze of corridors opened out into an area you recognised.

“Well, I guess I’ll see you later, at the show I mean.” You feel like a complete idiot.

“Yeah, it should be a great show.” You give Luke a small wave and make your way towards the door where a member of the security gets ready to let you out.

“Y/N?” Luke calls out. You turn to look at him. “Do you want a drink?”

Stunned, you kind of freeze to the spot you’re standing in. After a moment, Luke mumbles something and turns to walk away.

“That would be great.” You call out, knowing Carrie would kill you if you said no. You return to Luke’s side and follow him into the space that would soon be filled with fans. The stage was set up with their instruments and you can’t help the shiver of excitement that goes through you.

“Are you cold?” Luke asks.

“No, I just had a chill.” Before you finish speaking, he’s pulled off the flannel shirt he’s wearing and handing it to you. “Honestly, there’s no need. I’ll be fine.”

“Y/N, take the damn shirt. It’s cold in here and you’re in a tank top.” He insists with a laugh.

“God, you’re pushy.” You snap at him playfully as you take the shirt and slide it on. It’s still warm from him wearing it and you resist the urge to bury your nose in it.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Just a beer is fine.” You pull some money out of your purse, but he waves it away as he hands over a card to the bartender.

As you take a sip of cold beer, your phone chirps with Carrie’s ringtone.

“Sorry, I have to take this.” You pull your phone out as Luke asks the bar tender to take three of the bottles to the rest of the band. “Hello?”

“Where are you? The doors are opening soon.” Carrie’s voice is almost drown out by the noise around her.

“I’m just finishing up, I’ll be out soon.”

“Was Luke as dreamy as-”

“I’ll be out as soon as I can. Bye.” You cut her off, worried Luke will hear her question and shove your phone away again. “Sorry, my friend’s in the queue. I really should get out there.”

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” You go to put your almost full bottle of beer on the bar. “Take that with you. You can’t waste good beer.” You laugh and slide the bottle into the sleeve of Luke’s shirt to hide it from the security staff as the two of you walk over to the door. “Hey, it was nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too.” The two of you lock eyes for a few minutes before you remember Carrie. “I… I better go. Break a leg tonight.”

Before he can answer, you’re outside with the door slamming closed behind you. You take a deep breath to try and calm your racing heart as you walk around the building to find Carrie.

:: ::

“Where did that come from?” She asks, pointing to the shirt, as soon as you join her. You look around to make sure no one’s listening. You don’t want to be overheard.

“It’s Luke’s.” You whisper, laughing as her eyes widen in shock. Even more when you pull the bottle of beer out from the sleeve and take a long drink from it.

“When we get inside, you are telling me everything. But especially how you came out of an interview with the lead singer’s clothes on.”

Before you can answer, a cheer goes up near the front of the queue as the doors open and security begin letting the fans in.

Slowly, as tickets are checked, the queue moves forward and you’re finally at the front. The security guy recognises you and gives you a smile as he lets you and Carrie inside.

The first stop is the cloakroom so you can check in your bag and the goodie bag the guys gave you after the interview. Then Carrie drags you to the bar and starts pumping you for answers.

“How did the interview go? What took so long? Why did you come out wearing Luke’s shirt and carrying a beer?”

“Woah, slow down.” You order a couple of shots for the two of you from the bartender who served Luke earlier. He waves away your money, explaining you’ve been added to the bar tab the guys have running to your surprise and Carrie’s giggles. “The interview went really well. The guys responded so well to my questions and I took a selfie with them. Oh, shit. The photo’s on Alex’s phone.”

“Oh, really?” Carrie raises an eyebrow at you.

“Do you want me to tell you or not?” You move away from the bar so no one can overhear you. When you’re certain you have some privacy, you fill her in on what happened after the interview ended.

“Holy shit, Y/N/ I think you’re in with a chance there.”

“Carrie, no. He’s a bonafide Rockstar, who lives like thousands of miles away. I’m a student from London. Don’t get carried away. He was just being friendly.”

“Oh, sure. Because all rockstars offer their shirts to fans and buy them a beer.” She looks at you, a weird look in her eye as she orders another round of drinks. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Trevor the tour manager walking toward you.

“Hey, Y/N. I was asked to give you this.” He hands you a slip of paper before melting away through the crowd toward the stage.

“What is it?” Carrie askes as you unfold it. Written in the hardest writing you’ve ever had to decipher is,

Meet me backstage after the show? Luke.

You don’t know what to think, but Carrie crows like a damn rooster, attracting attention from other fans around you.

“Just being friendly, huh?” She hip bumps you, “I’m coming with you to the other shows, I need to see this unfold with my very own eyes.

Read Part Two here

[your-1up-girl]

Once Upon A Dream (Hera x Ventus)

Uhhh....okay so this wasn't supposed to post until the 31st but I must have gotten the queue wrong soooooo. Have an early gift.! I dedicate this fic to the very lovely and absolutely gorgeous @sammilimyy! Why do you ask? Because it’s her birthday (I'm early sorry)!!! I was so inspired by your royal/fantasy AU with Hera and Ven that I just had to write a fanfic for it. Now this is basically inspired by a certain movie from a certain company that shall not be named out of fear they will take this down, but if you know the song then you know the movie. I hope you like it Sam (and I hope that I got it on time for your b-day) have a happy and wonderful birthday!

Word Count: 4339

Pairing: Hera (OC)/Ventus (Kingdom Heart)

Warnings: Nothing but pure fluff! I hope you have a good Dentist Sammi, cuz this thing is gonna give you cavities!!!

It was happening again. This dream she found herself in was coming to her with much more frequency now. Always in this dream, Hera would find herself wandering through a forest where the birds graced her ears with beautiful melodies and the way the light filtered through the trees was practically angelic. In this dream, she would always wear a tea-length dress so it would not drag against the soft grass and dirty the pristine fabric. Said dress was adorn in mute yellow skirt and bodice with pale pink trimming and a bow in the back. It flowed with grace as Hera continued barefoot down the unmade path. A path she has taken several times before.

At this point she would reach a clearing where the trees created a canopy of sorts and the brush and wildflowers bloomed and grew with no outside interference. Standing in the middle of this clearing was a figure. It always looked like the spirit of a young boy. Someone who Hera would guess was about her age but taller than her. He had spiky hair and clothes that looked different from that of what she had seen in the nearby villages of the kingdom. As he turned to face her, she could see the phantom of a smile on his face but never his actual features. Soft music would fill the air as they approached each other and they began to dance. The soft whips of his fingers held her waist as they twilered and glided across the grass. They could never speak to each other but they could laugh. And Hera thought his laugh was better than any orchestra in the world.

Despite never speaking to this boy and only sharing these dances, Hera had fallen for this mysterious stranger. It was a dream, but in her heart, it all felt completely real. This boy was out there. At this point, after they had their dance, the music would end and Hera would wake up to the knocks of her Lady in Waiting telling her to start the day; but this time was different. For just a brief moment, when Hera looked up and faced the spirit, she could see him. It was still in a ghost like form but his features were there and she took it all into memory. The bangs across his forehead, the goofy yet loving smile he wore, and most importantly the shadowy blue eyes that looked back at her. He had never appeared tangible to her once during these late night rendezvous but after seeing him in this apparariton form, Hera knew. She was completely in love.

Hera woke with a start in her bed. The sudden movement had scared her Meow Wow Polly and her friend Naminé who was drawing the curtains to let light enter the room.

“Your Grace, you’re awake.” The Lady in Waiting spoke once the initial shock faded. “I knocked on the door to wake you, but you didn’t respond. Then, when I came in, you had the most peaceful smile on your face that I didn’t want to wake you just yet.”

Hera held her heart as Naminé spoke, remembering the dream once more. “Did you have another dream about him?” Naminé sat on the bed next to the princess as Polly let out a small whine and cuddled back into her owner.

“Yes, I did. We danced like we always do. But this time,” Hera paused as her smile became more giddy, “This time I saw him, Naminé.”

Naminé wore a similar smile at this development, “Really! That’s wonderful Princess. What did he look like?” Hera adjusted herself on the bed so Naminé could begin taking her hair out of the braids she wore to bed.

“Well, he still looked like a ghost of sorts but his facial features were there and not just a blank face. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, Naminé.” A love-struck sigh left Hera’s lips, “It was like looking into the night sky itself.”

“You are absolutely smitten with this boy. Do you think he’s real?”

“Why else would he appear to me in this dream? And remember, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen him.” Hera got out of bed and walked out onto the balcony. She leaned on the stone railing and gazed out into the horizon; her nightdress flowing in the early morning breeze. A sigh of doubt escaped her, “Naminé?”

Her Lady approached, “Yes Princess?”

“Answer me honestly, please. Do you think that boy is out there? Am I foolish to think that he could exist?”

Naminé’s eyes softened at her friend's sudden realization that this could all just be a dream. She held Hera close and spoke, “I think that in a world where magic exists and mythical creatures are a prominent part of our lives, having recurring dreams about a mysterious boy is calm by comparison.” This made Hera laugh, “I think he’s out there my Princess. If this truly is love that you feel, then you will both find your way to one another.”

After that, the day continued on as normal. Naminé helped Hera get dressed for the morning. Hera went to her lessons with Eraqus, the king. His lessons involved looking after the kingdom when she eventually came to rule. She had Keyblade training with Young Master Riku, Naminé would always remain close by during these lessons as the Lady in Waiting was very smitten with the Keyblade Master. And on this particular day, she ended her training with Master Aqua. The sworn protector of the Princess, Aqua specialized in magic and was well versed in wielding a Keyblade. She would teach Hera about combining magic into her basic attacks. However, Aqua took notice that Hera was not as focused as usual.

“Is there something bothering you Hera?”

“Huh? No Master Aqua, what makes you say that?” Their keyblades dissipated into the air signalling that they were done for the evening.

“It’s just that you haven’t been as focused as you should be during your lessons. And it’s not just with me, the King has noticed you’ve been more aloof with your teachings. Merlin has taken notice as well and so has Riku.” Hera hung her head in shame, should she tell Aqua about the dreams and the young boy? No, surely she would think the Princess crazy for looking into something like dreams. And falling in love with an apparition whom you don’t even know the name of would get her a lecture from the King. Hera couldn’t come up with a response quick enough but Aqua took the silence as something different. “You seem so worn out. Maybe you haven’t been getting enough sleep?”

At that, Hera’s head shot up, “Yes! Yes Master Aqua, that’s exactly it!” The sudden change in demeanor startled the blue haired Master from her train of thought. “I’m just so tired as of late Master Aqua. I think it would be best if I went off to bed now even. I had my dinner sometime before training so I’m not hungry.” Aqua blinked a few times. Hera seemed...excited to go to bed? It was an odd development in her attitude for sure but it seemed to be an improvement to what it was before so Aqua let it slide for now.

“Of course Your Grace, I’ll send for Naminé to meet you in your chambers to assist you for the night. Sweet dreams Princess Hera.” It was hard for the young girl to contain her excitement and Aqua could have sworn she heard a whispered, They will be as Hera passed.

Naminé carefully brushed Hera’s hair in the large bed of the royal chambers. Both girls wore their nightgowns and were discussing the events of the day. Polly sat comfortably in Hera’s lap, listening just as intently as if she were to join the conversation at any moment.

“I couldn’t help but notice that you were paying extra attention to Master Riku’s lessons today.” Hera jested with her best friend; a smirk proudly displayed on her face.

“At least one of us was.”

“Hey! Naminé!” The Princess turned to push the blonde girl as they both laughed in the empty, fire lit room. “He likes you, you know.”

“Oh please, I’m just a maid, he wouldn't like me.”

Hera thought about this for a moment as Naminé worked an intricate updo into the Princess's hair for the night. She could tell her friend was discouraged by this separation of class so she tried to lighten the mood, “If he rejects you, I’ll have him beheaded.” Naminé nearly choked on her own saliva and snorted out a laugh. Having accomplished her mission in making her friend laugh, Hera joined as well.

“As kind as that is, please Hera, don’t kill anyone on my behalf.” Naminé was grateful for the joke and Hera enjoyed the lack of formalities with her best friend. The conversation continued in this matter but before Naminé got up for the night, Hera asked her a question.

“You want me to draw you a picture?”

“Yes, please, if it’s not too much to ask?” Naminé, not wanting to refuse her friend or the Princess, took a piece of parchment from the desk, some graphite, and a flat board to give her some stability and joined Hera back on the bed.

“Alright Hera, what is your request?”

“I want you to draw the boy from my dreams.” Big, pleading blue eyes met confused blue ones as Naminé took in what Hera asked.

“I-Your Grace-Hera, you know that I don’t know what he looks like, yes?”

“Oh, I know. That’s why, you’re going to sit next to me and I’m going to watch you draw as I describe him to you.” Hera grabbed the pillow next to her and made room for her friend and tapped the spot. A small smile adorned the Lady’s face as she made herself comfortable and ready for the long night ahead of her.

~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the Kingdom, some yards away from the borders, a young farm boy sat upon the roof of his home looking at the horizon as the sky changed from warm tones to cool blues and the stars greeted him for the night. He came to look out into the sky when he needed to clear his head. And after having a busy day of training, fram work, and running errands, Ventus was in need of a small break. Not to mention that this moment alone gave him some time to think about the spirit girl he saw in his dreams. At first, Ventus just blew it off. Strange dreams happen all the time, take ‘em with a grain of salt. But then, she kept coming back, the same girl, in the same forest, with the same dress, and the same beautiful smile. God that smile. It was barely noticeable with the form that she took in his dreams but Ven was in love with it nonetheless.

He chuckled to himself. There I go again, Terra would have a fit if he could hear me. Falling in love with a forest spirit just because she danced with you in a recurring dream was ridiculous. Right? Ventus sighed and ran a hand through his hair, groaning when he had to pick more sticks out from when he fell herding the animals earlier. That girl made sleeping more exciting yet also somewhat frightening. Why did he see her all the time? Was she some sort of nymph? Was she even real? Would she love him back? And, why did he feel such disappointment if the answer was no? He didn’t even know this girl, and yet? Ventus put his hand over where his heart would be and gripped that part of his shirt. This girl had his heart and he didn’t know what to do about it.

“Ven? Ventus? Where are you?” Terra stepped out of the house to call for the young boy. It made Ven laugh just a bit. No matter how many times Ventus escaped to this spot, Terra never thought to check there. “Come on Ven, you’ll never get to be a royal guard if you don’t get a good night’s sleep!”

“And you will never be a detective if you don’t think to check in the obvious spots for the suspect.” Terra turned to see that Ventus was in fact, on the roof. They both shared a laugh and Ven made his way down. “If you keep yelling then you’ll wake the Tama Sheep and the Electricorn.” They both made it back inside the house and Ventus sat with a warm tea Terra had made. The young blond sat and stared at the tea with a look that was both focused and unfocused all at once.

“Hey Terra, do you believe in love at first sight?”

The brunette sat across from the boy and pondered the question, “I think it’s possible. I think that if someone really is the one then you’ll just know.”

“Hmm.”

“You thinking about your dreams again?”

“Yeah. It’s always with the same girl. She comes to that forest, doesn’t say a single thing to me, just laughs, and we dance. They’re getting more frequent and-” Ventus paused a small smile creeping onto his face.

“And?” With raised eyebrows, Terra waited for a response.

“And...I saw her face.” Ven couldn’t hide the smile or blush at this point and Terra’s eyes widened, not expecting that to be his response. “It was all ghosty and weird like the rest of her but I could see her eyes and the way they had so much life to them. I saw her and I just fell for her, Terra. Even more than I already am in love with her.”

“Does she look like anyone you know? Maybe it’s someone from the marketplace?”

“No, her clothes look different from that of the marketplace or even from the nearby towns. I could be wrong but they kinda look like a type of nobility.”

“Wow, look at you; dreaming about a Duchess.” It never crossed either of their minds as they drank the tea that the mysterious girl could have been a princess. Terra listened more to Ven’s recounting of dreams as it got a bit later. An hour had passed and the tea was all gone and both boys sat at the table trying to figure out what to do about the spirit girl.

“I think you should go talk to a woman who goes by Fairy Godmother. No one knows her real name but she is really good at figuring out people’s dreams. She lives on the far side of Traverse Town near the kingdom borders.” Ven listened closely. “If anyone can help you out, it’s her.” It was discussed that Ventus would take one of the Yoggy Rams and travel there tomorrow morning.

By early morning light, Ventus did just that. It was a long ride but not too tedious. Around mid-afternoon Ventus arrived at Traverse Town and began asking for this Fairy Godmother. Some people lead him to the back of the town where, in the middle of a water well, there was a house that was similar to that of a doll’s but less childish. Ventus carefully walked over the rocks with his Yoggy Ram to the front door and gave it a pensive knock. He waited no more than a minute when a kind looking older woman answered the door. She smiled at him like she was his grandson and enveloped him into a hug.

“Oh hello young man, it’s good to see you. Please, please, come in. Let your Ram drink from the water around my house. I don’t mind. I just prepared some warm milk if you would like some.” Fairy Godmother brought him into the quaint living room and he lifted the milk to his lips taking a sip. It tasted faintly of vanilla and hazelnut; it made Ventus smile. “So,” Fairy Godmother sat across from him in her own plush chair, “How can I help you dear.”

“My friend told me that you could help me with my dreams?”

She lightly laughed and placed her tea cup down, “Yes, he is correct; dreams tend to be my specialty. Tell me everything my dear.” Ventus did just that. From the smiles, to the laughs, and all the joy he felt in between. When he finished, he sat anxiously for the answer. “Hmm, this sounds like a very special girl.”

“She is Fairy Godmother.”

“But you have never seen her before?”

He hung his head, “No I haven’t Fairy Godmother.”

“And yet you’re in love with her.” There was no malice in this question and she asked knowing exactly what his answer would be.

Ventus sighed, the milk long finished as he searched for his answer, “I-Fairy Godmother, I know it sounds crazy to love someone you have never met but, my heart tells me that she is someone who I want to spend the rest of my life with. I don’t have much to give. I am a stable boy who is training for a guard position and doesn't have much control of his Keyblade yet and I can be kinda naive but I love her. More than anything.”

The Fairy Godmother smiled at his answer; it had exceeded her expectations. “That’s even better than what I had expected you to say.” She stood up and went to a bookshelf and handed him a map. A map of the kingdom more specifically. “You see this area?” She pointed to an unnamed forest that was about halfway to the castle and his ranch. “There is no name on the map but people call it The Somnium Forest. It’s a magical forest where people go when they need help in their lives. They say that it feels like time stops when you enter and no one leaves the forest unsatisfied. The inside of the forest, they say, never looks the same for one person.” She held Ventus’ hands in hers, “Tomorrow young man, I want you to go to the Somnium and walk around for a bit. I’m sure it will help you with your dreams.”

Ventus wasn’t sure how a forest would help, but he was willing to try. He gave the Fairy Godmother one last hug and left with his Yoggy Ram.

Returning to the castle once more. Hera walked around the grounds with more disdain than usual. Why? She didn’t dream about the boy. His picture was carefully placed in her tea-length dress pocket (courtesy of a very late drawing session with Naminé) but having the paper wasn’t the same as seeing him in her dreams. It had only been a day and yet it was enough to put her in an upsetting mood. It was to the point that she didn’t want to hang around the castle anymore. That was how she found her way to the library asking Merlin for his map of the kingdom.

“Any place you want to go, in particular Young Hera?” He asked with his usual chipper tone.

“No, just want to explore, get out for a bit.” Hera held her head in her left hand as her right hand grazed over the different locations of the map, pointer finger out. She could go to the castle town? No, that was far too close to home. She could go to the outskirts and explore the hills that acted as the land border on the west side? No, if she was gone for too long Aqua would have a fit. Her eyes noticed a forest and that peaked her interest. “Merlin, what’s this place?”

He adjusted his glasses, “Ah! You mean The Somnium Forest? It’s a place where dreams come true as they say.” He takes a sip of his tea, “People go in there and not one person leaves upset. Forest is magical.”

“A magical forest?” Hera could use some more magic in her life. And even if it wasn’t, having the comfort of a forest setting could give her some semblance of her dream. “Thank you for your help Merlin, could I trouble you to watch Polly while I’m gone?”

“Oh it would be no trouble at all Princess! I love the little thing after all. Come along Polly, let’s see what potions I can make to help Aerith in the garden.” The Meow Wow and the Wizard walked in tandem as Hera packed the map and made her way to the stables. As much as she wanted to leave with no one’s notice, the brunette unfortunately ran into Aqua.

“Oh Princess Hera, why are you heading to the stables?”

“I just wanted to take my Pegaslick and explore for a bit. I’m not sure when I will be back so can you tell Naminé that she has the rest of the day off? Maybe tell her to have some sweets with Master Riku.”

“Princess, by yourself? Are you sure you don’t want me to join you? I could quickly-”

“No, Master Aqua, I’m fine.” Hera didn’t feel good about brushing her Master and protector off but she needed to go to this forest. It was calling her the same way her dreams did.

She got to the stables and had the royal stable boy Prompto helped ready her Pegaslick. “The reins are all good, Your Grace, enjoy your ride.”

Hera took off after a quick thank you and without a second thought. It was difficult to ride while holding the map but after an hour, Somnium Forest greeted her. She got off the Pegaslick and decided to walk the remainder, her companion close to her side.

Upon entering, the Princess did feel different. There was a strong happiness that washed over her. The fresh smell filled her nose and the grass seemed so soft that she took off her riding boots, hanging them on the saddle and continued barefoot. Eventually, Hera found herself walking deeper into the trees but she couldn’t find it in herself to worry about getting lost. A part of her knew that she wasn’t. In fact, the way the trees and flowers created a path. And the light through the trees. Her dress flowing in the soft breeze and the birds. It all made her stop to pinch herself.

“This has to be a dream.” A whisper that she barely heard left her lips but the muzzle of her Pegaslick acted as a reasurace that this was all real. With a new found fervor, Hera kept going.

On the other hand, Ventus was having the same feeling of déjà vu; only he bounded into the forest with reckless abandon. All these trees, flowers, and rocks he rode past were familiar to him. And as he approached a clearing, he knew this was the moment of truth.

They stared at each other on either side of the clearing. Both shook with excitement but neither moved out of fear of breaking this perfect scene. Ventus had to get off his Yoggy Ram but his eyes never once left hers. Carefully, they approached and once they met in the middle?

“You-are you-?” Hera couldn’t speak. So overwhelmed with joy that he stood before her as a flesh and blood person and not just some apparition. Rather she took out her drawing from the dress pocket and held it up. “It is you.”

Ventus held her face and she leaned into his touch. He wiped a tear that fell from her eye and nodded his head. “The boy from the dreams? Yes, that’s me.” Hera dropped the picture and hugged him. Her arms around his middle and his holding her head into his chest.

“I thought you weren’t real. I thought the universe was playing a horrible trick on me.”

“I promise I’m real. My name is Ventus, and I have wanted this moment ever since that first dream we had.” The dropped drawing was retrieved and put back into her pocket.

“Ventus,” What a beautiful name, “I am Hera. Your voice is so wonderful! I’m so glad to finally hear it!”

“The Princess? I’m so stupid for not recognizing you sooner. I must say Hera,” Ven brushed her hair behind her ears, “The dreams don’t do you justice. I didn’t think there could be a blue more clear than the sky, yet your eyes puts it to shame.” Hera blushed and smiled, wiping some tears from her cheeks. “There is just one thing missing to make our dream a reality.” Hera tilted her head. What more could they want? “There may not be music but, may I have this dance?”

He was right, no music played in this forest, but Hera happily accepted his hand as they moved across the grass. The laughter sounded even better than any of the nights they shared.

Off behind the trees, Aqua watched with the purest expression. Against her better judgement, she followed the young Princess to see if she was alright. Once she saw Hera with this young boy she knew everything was fine.

“So, you followed her I’m assuming?” Aqua looked and saw Terra approach as he went to the spot next to her.

“Yes, and I take it that he is yours?”

“Yeah, less ‘mine’. I’m more of his friend slash guardian.” They watched the kids dance and laugh and converse in the clearing. Terra broke their silence again, “Ventus, he’s training to be a royal guard.”

“Is he now?” Aqua smiled as she knew where this conversation was headed.

“Yes, I’m just a stable boy like him but I did undergo some training as well. I teach him everything and he is a very fast learner. I don’t want to overstep my boundaries but, perhaps the Princess could use another personal guard?”

Aqua laughed and didn't take her eyes off of the lovely couple as, "Yes, I'm sure Her Majesty would love that."

[madamewriterofwrongs]

May and the Rainbow Kingdom

911/Buck & May

Written for @cirrius-akiyo who wanted a Buck & May friendship.

The station was unusually quiet when she walked through the front door. The trucks were still in their place, being polished and restocked by other crew members – most of whom paid her no mind or recognized her as the ‘captain’s kid’. She’d only been called that once, but she remembered the uneasy feeling and the sneer of the probationary officer’s voice. A well-practiced eyebrow raised, and her best customer service smile, ensured he never bothered her again.

Today she wasn’t here as the ‘captain’s kid’, she was here as a friend in need of help from another – older and wiser – friend. A glance at the ambulance missing from its usual station dampened her expectations slightly.

“Hey, May.” She looked up to see a familiar face waving at her from the loft and she jogged to meet him.

“Hey, Buck. I was hoping to talk to Hen, is she around?”

The blond-haired firefighter returned to his task of tidying the upper floor (the table smelt comfortingly of bleach and lemon so he was nearly done) while she knelt on the couch to watch him work.

“Sorry; she just left on a call with Chim and Bobby. Is there anything I can help you with?”

She tried to keep the dejected sigh from her voice. “How versed are you on Bioethics of Non-Existence?”

It was almost comical, the way Buck paused in his sweeping to take in her question. “I definitely recognize some of those words.”

As she suspected; May turned to collapse onto the couch with a groan. “I really needed to talk to Hen.” Not that she didn’t trust the other adults in her life – Maddie had tried to help, but she’d been out of Medicine for too long – Hen was her last hope.

“School going that well, huh?” She didn’t have to look to hear the amusement in the man’s voice.

“It’s actually pretty good.” She admitted, still slumped half-off the couch. “I just have mt midterm on Friday and I really need someone who can test me on this stuff.”

“I’m sure you’ve got a handle on it. You were always a smart kid.”

May did smile at that. It was easier to accept being called a child from someone who actually knew her as a child. Granted, she and Buck weren’t overly close, but he was always nice to her, and Bobby seemed fond of him.

“I’ve studied this stuff over and over but I just don’t feel ready” she admitted to the ceiling. Maybe Buck should clean those rafters (he was certainly tall enough). Better yet, maybe she could do it. “I either need a distraction or another month of review.”

Maybe if she hid out at the station, she could lie to her professor and say she had a medical emergency. Or maybe, she could convince him to let her take her exam tomorrow and put her out of her misery. She hated the waiting game. The more she reviewed the material, the less secure she felt in her knowledge. It just needed to be over and done with so she could start stressing about the next thing. Her English essay was due next week. It could use a third rewrite.

“I don’t know about the review.” Visions of Buck peering over top of her, pulled May out of her spiral. “But if you’re in need of a distraction, I could use a co-babysitter tonight. I’m watching Christopher while Eddie’s out on a date and I’m sure he’d love to hang out with you.”

An evening spent with her stepdad’s friend, and her stepdad’s other friend’s son was not exactly what she had in mind for a Monday night, but it was better than nothing. Besides, she liked Christopher well enough; he was a cute kid with a sensible head on his shoulders. And Buck was nice – if a little bit accident-prone for the amount of times she’d visited him in the hospital – plus it was an excuse to get out of her routine for a few hours. Maybe she could come early and ask Eddie some questions (an army medic had to have some thoughts on ethics in medicine, right?).

“Sure,” she smiled up at him. “why not?”

Which was how May found herself squished between a surprisingly calm 10-year-old, and an overly-energetic 29-year-old, splitting the difference as she scrolled through their Netflix Kids’ queue.

Christopher had insisted that they didn’t need to use the kid’s channel as he was absolutely old enough to handle all the scary movies. She remembered Harry, not too long ago, with the same attitude (along with the same nightmare he’d had for weeks about a clown in a sewer). While Buck didn’t have the same experience, he was with her decision to stick to the lighter stuff for tonight. Perhaps he was being overly cautious as he always was with the boy.

Everyone in their circle knew about how Buck had saved Christopher during the tsunami and how close the three of them had become afterwards. It was no wonder he wanted to do everything in his power to protect him – even from the CGI monsters.

As they continued to scroll, she paused on their ‘Continue Watching’ bar, to see if there was anything they wanted pick up. She wasn’t about to watch whatever they chose for their post-dinner treat; she had her textbook and laptop in her bag all charged up.

Just as she was about to continue the search for the perfect movie, her eye caught one of the titles with a half-full red bar and shot a confused glance to Buck. The man kept his eyes purposefully trained on the screen, eyes darting to hers once, as a sign that he knew what she was looking at. Still, he showed no sign of explaining himself so she moved on. For now.

They ended up settling on one of the dinosaur documentary movies, but May kept her promise to herself and reviewed through the entire 90-minute event. It was easy enough to tune out, the graphics were fine, the story was predictable, but at least the boys on either side seemed to be enjoying themselves. Every once in a while, Buck would elbow her to pull her attention back to the screen but it never held her interest for more than a few minutes. Then Christopher would do the same, asking her questions or feeding her facts about the various dinosaurs. That did help for a little while, but even that kid’s endless enthusiasm couldn’t keep back the voice in her head that told her she should be studying.

As far distractions went, this night seemed to be a bust.

When she heard the water run in the bathroom, signally the beginning of Christopher’s bedtime routine, May found herself reaching for the remote once again; if only to keep her hands occupied while she waited to say goodbye to Buck. The least she could do was thank him for his attempt to distract her – even if it had failed.

That was when she found the ‘Continue Watching’ bar once again, and her curiosity got the better of her.

“What’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom?” she asked once her companion had returned. “’Cause it doesn’t seem like something Christopher would be into.”

Buck huffed as he flopped on the couch next to her. “Okay,” he began his confession by raising his hands in surrender. “I watched an episode to see if it was something that’d be appropriate for Nia, but I kind of started watching it on my own.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really” he matched her mocking tone. “Not all the time. But I’ll admit, when I’m having a bad day, it’s nice to turn my brain off with some mindless fun.”

She wasn’t laughing at him – maybe she was, but she wouldn’t tell him that – it was that the image of this grown man, sitting at home, watching what was clearly a Sophia the First carbon copy (if the design was to be believed), was very amusing to her.

“Wow, I see how it is.” Buck lightly pushed May as she shuffled over to create more space. “I try and help and instead you mock me. Very nice.”

Even as a joke, she saw his point and the laughter turned into a smile, which morphed into an eyeroll.

“You’ve got to admit, this doesn’t exactly fit your image.”

“I have no image” he protested. “I’m allowed to like whatever I like.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I text my mom that” she had barely begun picking up her phone from the coffee table, when he reached the device first.

“Don’t you dare.” More laughter did make her heart feel a little lighter.

He only handed her phone back once she’d half-heartedly agreed not to text her mom this fresh blackmail material. “I bet you’d like it. It’s about a girl and a cat, and she gets these wishes from a tree, and she uses them to help others.”

“The cat gets wishes?”

“Just” Buck rolled his eyes, grabbing the remote from the cushion between them. “we’re going to watch it right now.”

Without waiting for her response, Buck tapped the first episode and shushed her failed attempt to protest.

The first scene introduced a reasonably catchy theme song with bright colours, along with the main character True and her talking black cat named Bartleby. There was something about a party and a bitchy princess and a weird walking pill they called…something Banjo? Admittedly, when the cat said something sarcastic towards the girls, she cracked a smile, but her mind was still reviewing the differences between Potter’s and Callahan’s philosophies.

The next time she tuned back into the episode, they were sitting on mushroom stools under a tree, attempting to solve a problem as a group. When they took a deep breath, May found herself exhaling with them, and her forehead ached from holding tension for so long. Admittedly, it felt nice to relax her shoulders.

Okay, so this was clearly a kids’ show and nothing else. Mining wishes from a tree and using a book to decipher what all the wishes could do, as though they were Pokémon characters.  It was ridiculous, why was she still watching this? She needed to get home to study.  

“Sure, they get to use the ‘wishopedia’ but my professor won’t let me use Wikipedia as a starting source?” she grumbled under her breath.

“What was that?” She startled when Buck smirked at her.

May tucked back into the arm of the couch with a half-hearted glare. “Nothing.”

She really should be reviewing. The more time she wasted outside of the classroom, the worse her chances of success. She shouldn’t be wasting her time watching this kids’ monstrosity. This really was a stupid show. Why would True forgive Grizelda after she was such a bitch to Bingo-Bango? She was always so positive and patient. And she only used her special powers to help people. That was pretty nice.

That theme song was pretty catchy.

Before she knew it, she was four episodes in, watching two mushroom people win a motor race after everyone got detoured by falling crystals and Grizelda being a bitch (again).

“She should just toss the Cu-Bigly over the cliff and then throw Grizelda.” At Buck’s look of amused indignation, she shrugged. “What? She deserves it for sabotaging the race. It’s not like she’d die from that height.”

A quick glance at her phone told her it was after ten and she had a class in the morning. What astonished her most, was that she hadn’t thought about her course work in an hour. For the first time since starting university, she’d let herself escape her thoughts just for a little while; and honestly, she felt lighter for it.

Still unbelievably guilty for not spending every waking moment of her life preparing for her next test or assignment – but just a little bit lighter.

“Hey, Buck?” She turned to the man barely hiding the fact that he’d begun to doze off. May smirked when he awoke with a snort. “Thanks for your help, I really needed this.”

For a moment, she saw the ‘puppy dog’ that her mom liked to call him: the puffed chest and kind smile and excited eyes. She saw what won over her, somewhat cynical, mother; it made her smile brighter.

“Glad I could help.”

Buck was scrolling mindlessly through his phone two weeks later, when it buzzed with a new text notification, and his mood instantly improved.

87%

Also I may have finished the first season of TatRK

I totally ship True and Zee

Do you want me to wait for you to catch up?

“Hey, May passed her Bioethics Mid-Term” he announced to his friends sitting in the loft; the rest, he would keep as his own reward for a job well done.

Bobby looked up from his usual place in the kitchen, buttering a pan for some dish most of them wouldn’t get to eat. “Since when did May start telling you about her exam results?”

There was no honest answer that wouldn’t make him feel embarrassed, but Buck blushed regardless. “I, uh, helped her study.”

Eddie slapped his shoulder jovially as he passed on his way to grab a bottle of water. “Is there something you want to tell us? You have a secret Bioethics degree?”

Buck brushed him off with a smile. “No, but you do what you can to help out family, right?”

His eyes met with his Captain’s and there was a fondness he only saw with May and Harry. Something he hadn’t seen for himself in a long while.

“Yeah, kid, you do.”

[buzzdixonwriter]

The Four Gospels Of Sci-Fi

The “canon” of science fiction is in the news again in the wake of the recent Hugo awards, and since I’m nothing if not opinionated and I also want to load up my posting queue before diving into my next big project, this struck me as an apt topic to write on.

So settle back; we’re going to touch on the history of sci-fi, the influence of its old guard, how it pertains to religious literature, and perhaps even delve a little bit on Christianity itself at the end.

First off, a quick recap of Christian scripture for those who aren’t read up on the subject.  Vacation Bible School veterans can skip this part.

. . .

The foundational works in the Christian New Testament are the four gospels:  Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The first three are referred to as the synoptic gospels because they tell basically the same story in the same beats, differing in style and detail, but essentially the same.

Mark is considered the oldest of the three and the primary source for Matthew and Luke (boy howdy! Am I ever streamlining a lot of Biblical scholarship here but bear with me; I’m doing this to make a point about sci-fi, not religion).

The common Christian reading of the three synoptic gospels are that Mark is the basic story, Matthew (because of its focus on Old Testament prophecies) was written with a Jewish audience in mind, Luke was written for gentiles.*

John is the gospel that sticks out.

To grossly oversimplify, the biggest difference is that the synoptic gospels mainly record what Jesus said and did, John focuses more on the who and why.

And that’s all we need to know at this moment…

. . .

The four gospels of sci-fi are Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury.

(Before we go further, let us stipulate this applies only to those who came to the genre prior to Star Wars -- indeed, an argument can be made it only applies to those who were fans before Star Trek.)

Sci-fi’s synoptic gospels are the oeuvre of Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke; Ray Bradbury is the oddball.

I say they are the synoptic gospels because truth be told, you can only tell them apart by style, not content, certainly not by point of view.

If all three exchanged story ideas and plot outlines, the end results would be different only in tone and vocabulary, not theme or character.

Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke were all technically trained and worked professionally as engineers or chemists when not writing; Bradbury was a gosh-wow! fanboy.**

If Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury are the gospels of sci-fi, their John the Baptist was another John:  John W. Campbell

Campbell is a problematic figure in sci-fi, so let’s just get him out of the way ASAP.

He was a good but not outstanding writer, but when you write “Who Goes There?” (basis of the various film versions of The Thing From Another World) you’ve earned your place at the table.

He was a visionary editor and under his helm Astounding / Analog set the gold standard for sci-fi for decades to come.

He was a white supremacist of the paternalistic bent, and while on the one hand that’s better than being an outright hate monger, on the other it’s more insidious since it presupposes a correct worldview without challenging that assumption.

He was a male chauvinist of the same stripe, not particularly open to female writers but willing to publish the occasional story with a female protagonist…written by a male.

He was a crank who believed a bunch of goofball ideas, from psionics (ESP, telekinisis, etc.) to dowsing to the Dean Drive to the Hieronymus Machine (a device so wonderous that even a schematic drawing of it would work!).***

Campbell by all accounts was not a bad individual and the field is still replete with those who knew and loved him, but like the cranky patriarch**** who refuses to divulge the contents of their will, forcing everyone in the family to kowtow to them, Campbell’s position atop the highest paying / most prestigious market in science fiction shaped much of the genre around him.  (Full disclosure:  One of the greatest highlights in my writing career was finally placing a story in Analog after fifty years of trying!)

Writers would typically aim at Astounding / Analog first, and failing to sell there, the Campbell rejects would start a long, laborious trudge down the stairs to the cheaper markets.

This held true even in the 1950s when sci-fi magazines of a more literary bent (Fantasy & Science Fiction and Galaxy in the US, New Worlds in the UK) started attracting stories written for them, not Campbell hand-me-downs.

As Jeannette Ng observed in her acceptance speech for the 2019 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer*****:  “Through his editorial control of Astounding Science Fiction, [Campbell] is responsible for setting a tone of science fiction that still haunts the genre to this day.  Sterile.  Male.  White.  Exalting in the ambitions of imperialists and colonisers, settlers and industrialists.”

Campbell’s absolute faith in science and technology to solve all our problems (including the ones created by science and technology) while ignoring the very real problems that plague humanity since time immemorial (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride) coupled with his prime market position led to a genre that unquestionably accepted those settings as the only viable ones.

Campbell certainly held more direct sway over the writings of Heinlein and Asimov than he did Clarke, but Clarke’s earliest sci-fi sales were to Astounding and nothing he wrote in his first decade as a writing professional fell outside the big cushy box Campbell crafter for the genre.

And even though Heinlein and Asimov broke off for cushier writing gigs elsewhere (Heinlein in novels, Asimov mostly as a popular science promoter), they remained steadfastly loyal and respectful -- as did Clarke -- to the ends of their lives.

And on a personal, individual level, that’s a good thing -- we all need friends who will stick by us.

But Bradbury never got invited to the party.

Which is not to say he didn’t try to crack Astounding -- he did, on four occasions, two of them humorous short-shorts for the magazine’s “Probability Zero” feature, one run of the mill magic-shop-disguised-as-super-science-store tale sold in the middle of WWII when Campbell’s best writers were on active duty, and the last in 1950 when he was no longer Ray Bradbury, fanboy, but Ray Bradbury, Important American Writer!!! and Campbell published an excerpt from The Martian Chronicles.******

. . .

We’re going to take a sidebar here to discuss one of Al Ries’ immutable laws of branding.

Ries long observed there are only two models for any brand category:

A single dominant top brand with a distant second place competitor then a host of niche brands (Microsoft then Apple then everybody else)

Two big rivals fighting for first place with a competitor placing a distant third then a host of niche brands (Coke vs Pepsi with RC Cola trailing third then everybody else)

The way to break through in branding is not to waste time and effort trying to knock out a dominant brand but to create a new category to dominate!

That’s what Bradbury did in the late 1940s and early 1950s:  He stopped aping the default Campbell / Astounding style and began writing more lyrical / less techno-focused sci-fi.

Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke were no dummies and soon they too branched out more consciously to mainstream audiences.

But as successful as they were, none of them ever fully shook the influence Campbell weighed down upon them.

That is why telling people today they must read the old masters results in eyerolls.

Too often the old masters trafficked in cleverness, not as Faulkner observed “the human heart in conflict with itself.”

Heinlein managed to transcend the genre a few times, but finding the gems in his work requires a lot of effort.  

Clarke remains dry and antiseptic:  it speaks volumes that his best known character is HAL 9000.

And Asimov just isn’t that goof in either concept or execution.  His Three Laws of Robotics demonstrates a failure of nerve and imagination:  Humans won’t build robots programmed not to harm humans because the first thing humans will make robots do it kill other human beings!

So there’s our canon: Mostly irrelevant, often impenetrable. 

The last author standing is the least technology oriented of the lot and Bradbury’s stories continue to work and delight because he doesn’t lecture on weights and measures but allows the reader to imagine along with him.

. . .

Okay, short Christian content now; if you came just for the sci-fi you can either stop reading or skip ahead to the footnotes.

Any field of human endeavor that does not constantly re-examine itself and challenge previous assumptions is doomed to irrelevance.

This does not mean established works need to be rejected out of hand, but we do need to ask what those works mean to us right now.

Truth is indeed timeless, but the package has a sell-by date and the contents do no one any good if they aren’t periodically taken down from the shelf and examined.

Modern Christianity -- in particular mainstream American protestantism -- has failed to closely examine the contents for quite some time.

While the field of sci-fi brims over with exciting new voices, we’re still straining to listen to the cracked / garbled / low fidelity wax cylinders of theologians long dead.

We need fewer Christians.   We desperately need better Christians.

Instead of demanding those outside or struggling with the faith must read things the way we were taught to read them, understand them the way we were taught to understand them, follow along the way we were taught to follow along, perhaps we should show faith in the material and let those who will read and re-imagine the text in the light of their own experience a fair hearing.

The old canon in sci-fi fails today because it is too dated, too rooted in the mindset of a bygone era.  The exception -- Bradbury (he himself a Christian and it shows in his stories) -- stays vibrant and alive and appealing because he doesn’t tell us what to think, he walks with us as we discover things for ourselves.

  © Buzz Dixon

  *  Acts Of The Apostles is a sequel to Luke and while Jesus appears briefly in the beginning in almost a flashback fashion, that book focuses on what his disciples did afterwards.

** An interesting trait Bradbury shared with Harlan Ellison was that despite their fanboy origins, both were one helluva lot more savvy to the business of writing and publishing than anyone else in the genre, and both skillfully created public personas that served them well (Bradbury’s better than Ellison’s, granted) while they guided their careers through the treacherous shoals of gatekeepers and public fancies.  Bradbury has written of his fanboy epiphany when he asked himself if he was satisfied being a fan / autograph hound or if he really wanted to be a creator, and immediately began directing his career in a fashion that could only be described as ruthless were it not attached to such a charming gentleman.  Wannabees are urged to study his career and how he did it if they want to be truly remembered.

***  All well and good as fodder for sci-fi stories, not so good in reality.  As the movie They Might Be Giants states:  “[Don Quixote] carried it a bit too far.  He thought that every windmill was a giant.  That's insane.  But, thinking that they might be... well… all the best minds used to think the world was flat. — But, what if it isn't? — It might be round — and bread mold might be medicine.  If we never looked at things and thought of what they might be, why, we'd all still be out there in the tall grass with the apes.”

**** To stretch our Biblical analog to the breaking point, if Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury are the New Testament gospels and John W. Campbell is John the Baptist, then sci-fi’s Old Testament has patriarchs such as Swift, Verne, and Wells plus the matriarch Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, a major prophet in Hugo Gernsback, and a host of minor prophets in various pre-WWII niche media including comics.

*****  An acceptance speech which in turn won a 2020 Hugo for Best Related Work -- how cool is that? ******  Basically, Bradbury was perceptive enough to recognized he turned a creative corner in 1944 with “The Lake” and broadened his submission range to include far more prestigious slick magazines such as The American Mercury and Mademoiselle and Collier’s and The New Yorker and when tipped off that Warner Bros. planned to plagiarize “The Foghorn” as the basis for The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms he didn’t waste time or money suing but sweetly judo leverage this to get his name prominently displayed on the movie posters as “Ray Bradbury…Saturday Evening Post” writer and then holy %#@& he was a Major American Writer!  I loved Ray, but his gosh-wow sweet exterior camouflaged one of the most brilliant strategists I’ve ever met.

[tealin]

Long Trail to McMurdo, Part 5: Getting There

At 5.45 on the morning of November 13th, I hauled my newly repacked luggage to the Antarctic passenger terminal to check in. Once ticked off the list, I had to find my two orange ECW bags from the other day and put on the parka, overalls, and bunny boots which were required to be worn on the flight. The rest of my stuff was sorted into four categories:

Carry-on – the items to keep with you at your seat on the plane. These can come in as many pieces as you want, but they all have to fit at once in a prescribed volume, measured by a plywood box at the CDC. Anything that doesn't fit in that box has to be checked.

Checked – Just like on a commercial flight, checked luggage gets stowed with the cargo and you are reunited with it at your destination. Unlike a commercial flight, even if your flight is cancelled or turned around in midair, you still won't see it until you arrive in Antarctica, because one it's been palletized it's a right old pain to get it out again. This is why you have a . . .

Boomerang Bag – Weather in Antarctica is extremely unpredictable, and as we have learned this year, aircraft maintenance can be, too. Sometimes you can be well on your way when a blizzard swoops onto the airfield and the flight has to turn around back to New Zealand. This is called a 'boomerang.' As your checked luggage will stay checked until you arrive in Antarctica, it is therefore wise to pack a few days' worth of clothes and toiletries in a separate bag which will be checked but not palletized, in case you end up with a prolonged holiday in Christchurch.

Leave in Chch – It's summer in New Zealand and also summer in Antarctica, but the former can be quite warm while the latter is well below freezing. Therefore there are probably clothes you won't be needing until you get back to New Zealand, and these are kept for you at the CDC until you return. I left my two skirts, a light cotton shirt, sandals, and antihistamine.

Once everyone was dressed and all our bags were appropriately tagged and checked, we were given our boarding passes and released to have breakfast at the strip mall around the corner. It was a rather quiet and rugged-looking bunch who poured into the trim café that morning; I wonder what the more casual visitors must have thought.

Then we were back to watch another video – I have seen so many of these now I forget what this one was about – probably the Antarctic Treaty, which is an agreement between all the nations that operate in Antarctica to preserve it for peaceful science and not to claim sovereignty over it. This makes it one of the few things that North and South Korea agree on.

After the video, we queued for security, which was much like any security queue at any small airport, with the exception of the refreshingly low-tech boarding pass check. Once through the metal detectors and hand luggage scan, we boarded a school bus which was old enough I might have taken it on a field trip as a kid, to be taken out to the waiting C-17.

We passed the lame C-17 on the way to our shiny new Hawaiian one.

Had I been quicker into the queue, I might have got onto this very special private-hire city bus:

On the way into the plane we were each given a bagged lunch and some earplugs. The C-17 is not designed for passenger comfort, and we would be flown south in close proximity to four enormous jet engines. The hearing protection was appreciated.

There were about ten rows of forward-facing seats in the plane, but I wanted the proper C-17 experience so I made my way to the line of lengthways seats behind them. We shared the fuselage with the cargo, and it became apparent why, once bags were checked, they weren't coming out again.

Just like on a commercial flight, we got the standard flight safety briefing, only our cabin crew were a pair of Guardsmen straight from central casting. Turns out, even on a C-17, the life vests are under the seats and are inflated by pulling on the toggle, but as there are no overhead lockers, the oxygen masks are in a compartment in the wall behind your head. Now you know.

There were quite a few first timers on my flight, but it was obvious who the experienced polar travellers were, because they knew the most comfortable way to get some shuteye and got right to it. More sleepless ones had books or e-readers. The man next to me was reading quite an interesting history of the leadup to WWI from a naval perspective, but the book that most caught my interest (by which I mean, it made me laugh out loud when I saw the title) was a few seats up from me.

It was a strange thing to take off on a plane with no windows. We evidently turned a few corners, and we seemed to taxi the entire length of the runway before turning around to take off, but when they hit the gas, WOW did we ever go!

I had noble intentions of polishing off a good chunk of Worst Journey during the five-hour trip down, but the suspense of the last few days and the early morning soon caught up with me, and I joined the sleepers instead. When I woke up, I noticed a cluster of people around the porthole aft of my seat. Had we reached Antarctica?

YES.

Not long after this, we got the announcement that we were beginning our descent, so it was back to seats and on with ECW and seatbelts. For such an enormous bird, the landing was admirably smooth, and once all post-landing checks had been completed, the hatch was opened. Long before we felt the cold, we could see our breath in the air, as the moisture levels in the cabin met the declining temperature. I had read about how stepping off the plane was like walking into a wall of cold, so I'd put on my balaclava and goggles, but when my turn came to start down the gangway, I realised it was actually quite mild. Not what one would expect for being . . .

IN ANTARCTICA!

A low ceiling of cloud obscured the tops of the mountains, but all the same I had much the same experience as I had when I first came out of the tunnel into Lyttelton, as suddenly all my reading and reference photos slammed into place. There was Observation Hill, and up along the Hut Point Peninsula a surprisingly large square promontory – that's why they call it Castle Rock! Windless Bight, White Island (it's white!) and Black Island (it's black!) and though I couldn't see its stripey dome, what was obviously the foot of Mt Discovery. And my feet, standing on the snow of the Barrier! I barely had time to be surprised how close everything was before our gaggle of shuffling scarlet penguins was ushered onto an enormous red people mover and we started our ride to McMurdo.

The windows were above eye level but if I stretched up I could see out. It turned out this was not a an effective strategy, as within a few minutes they had fogged up and I could only see through a narrow strip at the bottom. That may have been the more exciting way to come in to town, as the teasing glimpses of turquoise pressure ridges and the piebald slopes of the Gap suggested more than they revealed.

We pulled up outside big blue Building 155, the hub of activity in McMurdo, and as I stepped out into the light flurry of snow, there was Observation Hill with the Polar Party's memorial cross positively looming over everything. My coordinator, who had worked tirelessly all through the summer to line up resources for my visit and calm me down every time there was a hiccup with my medical, met me with an enormous hug, and I had a little cry on her shoulder. Here I was at last.

[eastasianfeelings]

I’ll be your fan: Hongbin

Summary: Hongbin isn’t sure whether you like him as a fan, as a friend... or as more than friends.

— requested by Anonymous: "Hi hun! So, umm... I'm a *huge* fan of your Hyuk fics and I wonder if you'd consider writing something equally smutty + emotional for Hongbin. Something like friends to lovers with Hongbin being the hesitant one, or fangirl to lover with Hongbin doubting her sincerity/if she only likes his idol persona or his gf wanting him to stop holding back in bed and just embrace the intimacy... Basically, cracking Hongbin's shell is my kink. 😫 (Also wouldn't say no to a size kink, TBH.)"

Words: 2.8k

Warnings: angst with a happy ending, making out

*

“Why are we friends?” Hongbin asks you out of the blue one day.

You look up from your knitting. “What?”

He’s just finished an hour-long stream, and his apartment seems quiet now without the gratuitous blood spattering noises and groans of murdered undead from his gory game.

You sit up straighter from your lounging position on his bed and, carefully, repeat, “Why are we friends?” How on earth are you supposed to interpret this question?

“Mm.” He stares at his screen, absent-mindedly clicking through all the gifts he’s received during the stream. “I mean, any time we hang out, it’s basically just me streaming and you watching.”

“I don’t mind, though,” you say slowly, unsure as to how this relates to his question. “I know you’re busy. And you help me promote and sell the game character plushies that I knit, too.”

“So if I didn’t help you make money…” He trails off, which makes your back go up.

“I’m not only here because you help me make money,” you say, a little stiffer. “You know I was your fan before we met.”

“You were a fan of Vixx.” His gaze is still fixed on the screen.

“Yes, and now we’re friends because we met and decided that we like each other.” You say it as a statement, not the question it is in your mind, hoping he’ll agree, or at least not negate it.

You’re pretty sure he doesn’t like you the same way you like him, but you’re—or at least, you were—also pretty sure you could call him your friend.

Why does it sound like he’s not so sure?

“But I mean, is this what friends do?” Hongbin finally turns from his desk to gesture between you and him; his brow is creased as he frowns at you. “Just meet up so one can watch the other play games?”

“Why not?”

He stares at you.

“Never mind.” He shakes his head and deliberately eases his frown. “I think I’m just tired from streaming. I’m going to get some water.”

Well, that’s a lie if you ever heard one; one hour of streaming is nothing to him. So you pick up your knitting needles and follow him out into his apartment and hover just outside the small kitchen.

You wait for him to finish gulping down an entire plastic water bottle before speaking. “Is there something going on, Hongbin-ah?”

He tosses out the bottle and flicks a short glance your way. “No. It’s nothing.”

“Then, if it’s nothing… why ask if we’re friends?”

You feel like you’re pushing the tentative limits the two of you have drawn, but he was the one who posed the question, and you need to know why.

Hongbin braces his hands against the counter, his gaze pointed downward. “I don’t know. When I finished the stream today, I looked over and saw you knitting, and I just thought, I don’t know anything about knitting. But that’s all we ever do—I stream, and you watch and knit.” He looks up. “We don’t even know that much about each other.”

“I think I know a bit about you.” Cautiously, you lower your voice to prevent it from quavering. “And I enjoy knitting and watching you stream. I could tell you about knitting if you wanted to know more about it.”

“But how does that make you different from a fan watching me at home, then?” Hongbin paces to the other side of the kitchen.

You take a steadying breath. “I mean, it’d be nice to do other things together. I was just trying to be mindful of your time, I know you’re busy as an idol—”

“I don’t need someone to be mindful of me,” he interrupts, speaking to the wall. “I need someone to be my friend, my actual friend.”

Oh, you’re so close to having your feelings hurt. “I’m trying to be, Hongbin-ah—”

He turns. “Isn’t that just because I’m Vixx’s Hongbin?”

Ugh.

“Look.” You take another breath. “If you want to believe that, then I don’t think I can change your mind.”

“You should try,” he insists. “Otherwise how can I know?”

“Me saying this right now, this is me trying,” you point out. “I’m telling you right now, I like you as a person, not as an idol. I want to be your friend. I… I want to be more than friends.”

It’s the calmest confession you’ve ever given, even as turmoil twists inside you.

For a moment Hongbin just blinks. Then he opens his mouth, and you brace yourself:

“You only want to because you’re my fan.”

Quietly, you reply, “I don’t think that’s true.”

“You can’t know for sure.”

All right. That’s it. That’s the extent of emotional labour you’re putting into this conversation. You’re not going to single-handedly break down the walls Hongbin’s built around himself or the labels he’s placed on you.

“Maybe you’re right about that.” You gather your knitting supplies and grab your backpack from the couch. “I guess the only way we’ll know is if we stop being friends, right?” You work up a thin smile and send it his way. “Then… goodbye.”

He doesn’t stop you as you walk out the door.

*

Making new friends is hard when you’re an adult. You sign up for a local knitting club, even though almost everyone there is older than you, and tell yourself you’re going to try it for at least four consecutive Saturdays.

On the third week, a younger member, Haeun, introduces you to an online creative arts platform that’s apparently popular for sharing fandom-related projects. There, you rehome the game character plushies that you’ve been unable to sell ever since you cut off contact with Hongbin.

At your fourth meeting, Haeun greets you excitedly outside the bookstore your club meets at.

“Y/N-eonni! You posted your game monster plushies online, right? You did, right?”

You’ve accepted that Haeun considers every single game character a ‘monster’, no matter how humanoid. “Yeah, I did. Why?”

She tugs you inside the bookstore and waves someone over. “This guy’s here to meet you!”

“Meet me?” You blink at the scruffy younger man who’s fixed his ardent gaze on you.

“Excuse me, did you make this?” He’s holding the completed Sonic plush that you’d added to your club’s little display in the bookstore’s bay window. “I was wondering if you would sell it to me. My girlfriend loves Sonic and I know she’d die over this.”

“Oh.” Warmth spreads through you at his eagerness. “Ah, well, it actually took me a while to make that, so to be honest I’d only sell it for a high price…” Knitting, stuffing and sewing Sonic’s spikes had been a nightmarish experience, one you’re never going through again.

“Just name your price!” the guy declares.

Wow, okay. As you think, Haeun tugs you close. “Don’t charge him under fifty thousand,” she hisses.

“One hundred thousand won,” you blurt out.

Though the man’s eyes widen a bit, his hand goes to his pocket without hesitation. “Can I e-transfer you the money?” is all he says.

That’s the start of your realization that handmade game character plushies are, apparently, a unique and lucrative niche, one that Haeun helps you develop and build. With the knitting club manager’s support, you start selling your items in a small booth inside the bookstore for half an hour after every club meeting.

One Saturday is particularly busy. The bookstore’s running a promotion, which means there’s more traffic in the store and more people chancing by your small booth. Haeun’s delighting in managing the short queue that’s formed in front of you, occasionally bounding over to pass along some info.

“Eonni, that guy in the beanie says he’s been checking your site every day for that final monster in the SEGA set! Save it for him and charge him double, okay?”

“Oh my God, eonni, the cutest little girl was asking for a monster called Pikachu. Do you have a finished Pikachu to sell? I told her yes, I hope I didn’t lie.”

“Eonni! This really hot guy asked for you by name. By your actual name, not your online username!” This time she’s shaking you hard enough that you have to turn away from the customer in front of you, who for some reason just wants your ‘autograph’. “Look! Do you know him?”

You follow her pointing finger to see: Hongbin.

He’s standing a short distance away, squinting over in your direction like he’s not sure what he’s looking at. Just as you make eye contact, Haeun draws your attention back as she slides the paper out from under your hand.

“It’s ten thousand for an autograph,” she sweetly informs the customer, and waits for him to fork over his money before letting you take the paper back. “Eonni, you should charge them for signatures, okay?” she whispers in her ear. “Fighting!”

Then she’s off to manage the crowd again, your own personal PR professional. What a gem.

After that, you explain to two more customers that you’ve sold your Wrecking Ball plushie already and no, you don’t have multiple because it takes you at least a week to knit one up, which leads to a suggestion from one of the customers to do online auctions instead of selling first-come, first-serve.

You have to chuckle a little at the idea. “I don’t think there’s enough interest to do an online auction.”

“No, you’ve got tons of fans,” the guy says earnestly.

The other girl nods. “My boyfriend actually brags to his friends about the fact that he bought your first and only Sonic plush.”

“Really?” You can’t stop your smile from spreading. “I’ll think about it then. Thank you for your interest.”

The guy hesitates for a second. Then he blurts, “Can I have a high-five?”

Boggled, you say, “Sure,” and hold out your palm.

He beams, taps his hand to yours, then bows profusely before departing.

You watch him go in bemusement. Is this what an idol hi-touch is like?

Speaking of idols:

The next customer is Hongbin.

You look up at him and manage, “Hello.”

“Hello.” He looks back for a few moments before letting his eyes drop to your table. “It’s… it’s been a while.”

“Yes. It has.” You’ve always been short next to him, but having him tower over you while you remain seated makes you feel extra tiny. For half a second you want to ask him to kneel down like he’s at a fan-meeting.

“…I’ve seen your knitting around online. Looks like you’re doing well.”

“Yes.” What does he want?

Hongbin’s quiet for a few more seconds, almost long enough for the customer behind him to get fidgety. Then he looks up into your eyes.

“I missed you,” he says.

And for the first time in over a month, you let yourself think it, let yourself say it: “…I missed you too.”

Just then, Haeun inserts herself in between Hongbin and the table. “Excuse me, are you interested in buying anything?”

“Ah, he’s not a customer,” you say hastily.

“Oh, wait, it’s this guy! Do you know him, eonni? Is he a friend?” Haeun asks.

You open and close your mouth.

“I’m just a fan,” Hongbin says to her.

A fan.

“Ahh.” She smiles at him. “If you’d just like Y/N’s autograph, that’ll be ten thousand won. But please don’t take too long, in consideration of other customers.”

“Yes,” Hongbin says politely as she takes off again.

A fan, you repeat in your mind.

“Y/N-ah.”

You look up to see his eyes fixed on you.

“Can we talk after you’re finished here?”

“…Yes.”

*

Outside, you weave your way through the crowded sidewalk toward Hongbin. He’s waiting at the nearby taxi stand, face mask pulled high and bangs hiding his eyes.

“Hi.” You stop a few steps away so you don’t have to crane your neck. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Um.” He goes to pull his face mask down, then glances around. “Maybe we should go somewhere quieter.”

“Your place?”

“No,” he says quickly. “I’d like to go to your place… if you don’t mind.”

Your brows rise. “Why? You’ve never been to my place.”

“I know,” he admits. “But—that’s why I want to go.”

Okay. You grab a taxi, and Hongbin slides into the backseat with you as you give the driver directions.

As the car pulls away, you feel Hongbin give you a side-glance.

“Er. Will it be quieter at your place?”

“What do you mean?” You keep looking straight ahead.

“I mean…” He clears his throat lightly. “Will there be anyone else home?”

“Oh. No, I live alone.”

“Ah.” He relaxes into the seat, and the rest of the ride is silent.

Once you’re in your apartment, you lead him into your small kitchen. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

His throat works for a moment before he speaks. “I thought a lot about our last conversation.”

You stay silent.

“And… I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Hongbin steps forward suddenly, making you back up a little too hastily. “I didn’t listen to you, and I was wrong.”

You regain your distance before looking up at him again. “That’s okay. Thank you for saying that.”

“I do want to be your friend, Y/N-ah.”

“I’m glad, Hongbin-ah.” You nod.

“But—” He catches hold of your hand, a very light grip that you could break if you wanted. “Do you…” He swallows. “Do you still want to be more?”

Your heartrate rises. “More?”

“More than friends.”

Slowly, you pull your hand free. “Not if you don’t want to.”

“I do.”

And all of a sudden he’s stepped into your space and your back is against the counter, his arms enclosing you. You look up, up, and he looks right back at you, eyes calling to yours.

“Y/N-ah, I do. I want you,” he says, and there’s almost some kind of pleading edge to his voice, some earnest, yearning note that tugs right at your heartstrings. “Please.”

“Are you sure?” you ask softly. “Are you sure, Hongbin-ah?”

“Please,” he repeats.

So you stretch up, up, up, and kiss him.

He meets you more than halfway, closing the substantial height difference swiftly to touch his lips to yours. When you try to push for more, he draws back.

“Is that a yes?” he checks.

This guy, seriously. “Yes, Hongbin-ah, that’s a yes.”

A wide smile lights up his face, so dazzling you have to blink moisture out of your eyes. “Y/N-ah…”

You lift your arms and tug on his shoulders. “Come back, I can’t reach you up there.”

He chuckles, the sound pure delight, and then grips you by the waist to hoist you onto the counter. Locking his arms around your lower back, he tugs you to the edge and steps between your spread legs to continue kissing you.

“I missed you,” he murmurs against your lips. Your eyelids flutter open to see him only a few inches away, looking at you with something close to adoration. “At first I didn’t even know if it was because I liked you or because I was overthinking it.” He keeps kissing you leisurely in between his murmurs. “And that kind of scared me.”

“Mm.” You want to respond to his sincere words, his apology via confession, but the way he’s surrounding you so closely, closer than you’ve ever felt to him, is making your mind whirl. 

“But when I saw your knitting online…” He pulls back, tongue flicking out as he eyes your mouth. “And all the views and comments you were getting…”

You hesitate. “So you’re just jealous?”

“No! No. I thought, These people know more about Y/N than I do. And I realized it was my fault.” He brushes his mouth one more time against yours, an affectionate caress, then continues down your jaw. “If I hadn’t pushed you away, you wouldn’t be selling online…” Down your neck, his lips pulling and sucking. “You wouldn’t have all these fans after you…”

It’s getting hard to form coherent thoughts with the way he’s tucked his face into your neck, but you try. “You—ah… don’t you want me to be successful?”

He presses his nose into the curve where your neck meets your shoulder and inhales deeply. “I do. But… you’re not an idol.”

“Mm. So?”

“So, you don’t need teenage gamer boys following you around online.” Hongbin lifts his head to make eye contact again. “Do you?”

Clearly, the only correct answer is: “No… but I’m just selling my knits, Hongbin-ah, it’s not like I’m streaming with a face cam or anything.”

“Y/N-ah, I was a teenage gamer boy once. I know how they think.” He leans in to nip at your lips. “Do you think that guy today wanted a high-five because he likes your knitting so much?”

“Ye-es?”

“Wrong.”

“Okay, but…” You wriggle backward a little to get some space and make your point. “No harm, no foul, right? It’s fine if people like me, as long as they don’t actually do anything weird.”

“I like you.” He pulls you in again, negating the space between you, and spreads his hands wide over your lower back.

“I mean my customers—”

“I’ll be your fan.”

“I thought I was your fan.”

“No,” Hongbin says. “Now you’re just mine.” And he kisses you once more.

*

[ezilyamuzed]

Ten Years Gone- Chapter One

Description: Ten years ago, your world had changed. Ten years ago, you had met him, leading your life to never be the same again. Time is running out, but is it too late after all these years?

Word Count: 5963

Warnings: Language, angst, death (I think that’s about it)

A/N: The first chapter to a new series. If you haven’t read the prelude, you can HERE. This takes place at the end of season 1, beginning of season 2. I re-watch specific episodes to integrate the story in as much as I can into the real one (some things are bound to be reworked a bit!) This process takes lots of time, so please let me know what you think. Also I suggest a re-watch anyways because - come’on, they’re worth it!

Any grammatical mistakes are all my own, because I am human. Remember all comments and feedback are welcomed! If you want a tag in future posts regarding this series or other writings please send an ask!  Please  leave a comment if you like it, it keeps me motivated to continue! As always thank you for reading! Enjoy!  

TEN YEARS GONE MASTERLIST

*Picture and lyrics used are not mine. Led Zeppelin is Amazing.

* Flashbacks are all BOLD and Italicized. 

*Oh, do you know my name? Do I look the same. You know I'm the one you want. I must be the one you need.

You reached over and turned the knob of the radio up, getting lost in the rhythm of Zepplin while on your way to Bobby’s reminded you of old times; the good times when you would sit in the back seat while your Uncle Danny sung along while driving. Now it was just you and his ‘70 Chevelle, taking on the world one monster at a time. 

You were still grimy from the last hunt, and the fact that there was no A/C on a 90 degree day left you a sweaty mess sticking to the seat, even with the windows rolled down. Your tank top was practically drenched and your shorts probably looked like you peed yourself, but that didn’t really matter. In a few minutes you’d be walking into the place you had called home for the better part of 9 years and honestly, Bobby had seen you in worse shape. Hell, he’s bandaged you more times than you’d like to admit. 

Spending your birthday with him had become somewhat of a tradition. Each year that past was another one closer to countdown. At least you were never alone. You were early this year by almost a month, but only because your car needed fixing. And it was also nice to relax every once in a while, but you’d never tell Bobby that. 

As you pulled up to the sweet sight of home, you noticed a different black car parked along the side- John Winchester’s unmistakable black impala. After shifting into park you sat in the car for a minute, contemplating whether you should or should not go in. It had been years since you had seen him and the last time, well, that was something that no one wanted to ever talk about. So what would he be doing here? 

You exhaled deeply as you peeled yourself off of the seat, walking slowly to be greeted by your favorite living being in the world.

“Hey ya Rumsfeld,” you smiled as you crunched down and rubbed the aging Rottweiler behind his ears. “We got company huh?” 

Rumsfeld turned his head towards the house and back to you, licking your cheek to show his affection.

“Missed you too boy,” you gave him another pat on his head as you stood. “Guess I’ll go see what’s going on.”

You walked through the back door to the kitchen and called out for Bobby. He yelled that he was in the living room and he would be right with you. You heard someone ask who Bobby was talking to, to which he didn’t respond. That was supposed to queue you to stay out of it, but curiosity got the best of you. It always did. 

“Why does it look like John Winchester’s car is out there?” You asked as you walked into the living room. 

You stopped in your tracks as you saw Bobby staring at you in disapproval as a young tall guy turned his head towards your direction. He looked like a green eyed god in a leather jacket. Your heart skipped a beat as he flashed a slight smile to you while he looked you up and down with widened eyes. He was smooth looking like James Dean. That’s when it hit you. Dean. No, it couldn’t be.

“Y/N,” Bobby spoke up. “You remember Dean and Sam.”

Dean. Dean fucking Winchester. Your first kiss. Hell your first love was standing there after so many years. The man who made you go all stupid so long ago.

“Wait, Y/N?” His eyes grew wider in surprise, almost like a disbelief. 

“Wow,” you heard a voice from behind him. A tall, practically a giant to you, shaggy haired kid stood up from the desk with a huge smile on his face as he approached you. He wrapped his arms around you in a tight embrace picking you up a little, knocking the breath right out of you. “It’s been a long time.”

“Sam?” You exhaled out as you realized that this was now post pubescent little Sammy cradling you in his arms like a rag doll. “Holy shit you’ve grown!”

“Yeah, I can kick Dean’s ass now,” he smiled as he dropped his arms and stepped back.

“You wish,” Dean snarked back, before turning to you with a sheepish grin. “Good to see you Y/N.”

“Yup,” you popped off your lips, really hoping that he didn’t think you were still pining over him for almost a decade. 

“Did you lose all your clothes in a fight there Y/N?” Bobby spoke up again in that damn fatherly tone, making you realize that your outfit was practically nonexistent, especially when there was company around. No wonder Dean had looked at you that way.

“A/C is busted,” you shrugged. “While in town, I figured I could use the garage. Didn’t think there’d be company.”

“Took a liking to cars anyway huh?” Dean smiled, knowing that it would be your biggest complaint when he would suggest things to do.

“Anyways,” you turned your head to Sam. “What brings you here after all this time? Finally remembered the address?”

The barking of Rumsfeld stopped anyone from saying anything else. Bobby ran to the window with Dean as Sam looked over to you in panic, pushing you back to go to another room. Whatever was going on, you didn’t have enough time to question it as you heard the front door bust open with a woman’s voice now speaking.

You listened to them carefully, waiting to see if it was possible to stop whatever had come through that door. Whatever it was, they did a lot of monologuing for some colt. Wait, not THE Colt? You thought that was an urban legend, not real. And the Winchester’s had it? That could only mean one thing; the girl was a fucking demon. You listened as she talked, hearing her voice move through the room with the steady steps of someone else leading her further in the room.

“Good job Bobby,” you thought to yourself. “Get her into the trap.”

Hearing Dean’s voice inform her that they got her, you breathed out deeply after realizing that you had been holding it in. Fucking demons, the worst thing you’ve ever come across. Impossible to kill and impossible to predict.

“Bobby,” you moved from your hiding spot to the living room, only to see the demon in a young girl’s body, probably around your age. Poor thing, she was probably dead already. 

“Salt. Windows. Now!” He instructed, making you jump to hit all the upstairs entrances in a hurry, a task you were all too familiar with. 

As soon as you finished you went back down the stairs, witnessing Dean double fastening the knots on the rope he had tied around her. She looked at you with a grin, almost like she had known who you were. 

“Y/N, you need to get out of here now,” Bobby stated as he walked past you.

“What’s happening Bobby?” You asked as you grabbed his arm to stop him. 

“It’s John, he’s been taken,” he spoke clearly and firmly. “Now you need to go upstairs now.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Now Y/N!” He growled as he shook off your grip, going back to the boys to inform them that everything had been salted. 

You stood there for a second, wanting to protest Bobby’s directions, but you knew whatever was going on, it had to be big. Hell, if John and the boys were involved it most definitely was. You looked back towards them as you ascended the stairs, catching a glimpse of Dean looking at you with his jaw tightening and fury written all over his face. A look you had seen only one other person do before; his dad.

————-

You laid out on your bed, finishing up the last bit of a creative writing assignment; integrating Hamlet into the current year. That was easy enough. Your world was definitely not short of witches, ghosts, magic, and vengeance. Besides Bobby, it had been rather quiet weeks that followed after the boys had left. The last you had heard from your uncle Danny, he was onto something big. That was almost 3 weeks ago. You started feeling dread in the pit of your stomach, but Bobby would try to reassure you that he would be coming back, just sometimes it was a hard task to get a phone. That excuse made you roll your eyes every time he used it. He was trying to keep you safe, but unfortunately in this life you can’t always do that. 

Hearing a rumble of an engine approaching you got up and looked out your window to the driveway. Kicking up the dusty ground you saw for the first time in months the sleek black Impala you had hoped to see again. Your heart was racing as you ran out of your room and bolted down the stairs. Flinging the door open, you ran outside with a bright smile, only for it to fade as you realized it only had one occupant.

“Y/N,” John stated as he walked around the car.

“Where’s Dean and Sam?” you asked while moving your head around him, hoping that somehow they would spring up from hiding.

“We need to talk,” his voice sounding grave and eerie.

You stopped and looked up at him, his face twisted in guilt, as if he was searching for the words to tell you the worst. That’s when the dread grew larger in the pit of your stomach, filling your throat with bile, and your eyes with tears as you managed to mumble out your question.

“How?”

“Demon,” he breathed out, as he looked you in the eyes, his filled with fury with his clenching jaw. “I’m sorry Y/N, but Danny is gone.”

——————

You sat with your knees up to your chest on top of the stairs, feeling like a kid again listening in on her parents when she should have been sleeping. They were exercising her out of the meat suit, at least attempting rather slowly to try and get answers out of her. Demons lie and they trick people into believing it’s real. That’s just what they do. 

As you felt the house shake, you knew the exorcism was happening; sending the demon back to the hell from where it came. You slowly stood up, grasping the banister as you overheard Dean and Sam with the prodding questions to the girl that was clearly dying. 

As Bobby moved to grab her water he stopped and just shook his head to you, signaling you to stay away and for once. You listened and sat yourself back down, hidden away from their sights. 

You could hear the eerie gurgle of her last words, and the desperation in Dean’s voice making you feel your heart break for him. He had known loss, but this? No one ever gets used to this. 

“You boys better get a move on before the paramedics get here,” Bobby instructed them, which was a blatant lie. No paramedics were coming. He knew and you knew what was going to happen before they did. 

“What about Y/N?” Sam spoke up. “Is she okay?”

“Don’t you worry about her,” Bobby insisted as he led them out the door. “You just get back your dad and bring him back here.”

“Thanks Bobby,” you heard Dean say as they left out the door. 

As soon as you heard the engine rive up, you finally descended down the stairs, already prepared for what was to happen next. 

“Bury or burn,” you asked with a sigh to Bobby as you glimpse down at the young girls lifeless body. 

“It’ll be dark soon. We will burn the body and bury her after,” he stated while taking off his signature hat and running his fingers through his hair.

“Bobby,” you spoke up again. “Those boys don’t know what they’re getting into. We should have gone with them. I could help. I-“

“No,” Bobby shook his head. “Whatever mess they’ve gotten themselves into, those boys will make it out.”

“They didn’t even know what they were doing. You're sending them in blind without backup.” You argued. “They barely knew how to do an exorcism.”

Bobby looked at you, giving his own disapproving glare that you would want to ever get involved with the Winchester’s and demons. 

“They’ll be fine,” Bobby tried to reassure you. “They’re stronger than you think.”

“What about when they realize that John is dead?” You found yourself asking out loud. 

Bobby exhaled deeply, shaking his head slowly to your words. A circumstance he didn’t want to admit was possible, but you knew better. 

“Then we will be here for them after,” he responded with certainty. “Those boys, well like you, they are family. I know you don’t like this, but it’s for the best.”

You didn’t want to argue anymore since you knew there was no point in ever trying to change Bobby’s mind once it was made. You rolled your eyes and turned to the door. 

“It’s almost dark, I’m going to set up everything for the fire, but after we’re done, I’m not sticking around to see whatever mess they come back as,” you stated as you opened the door, pausing for a moment before shutting it behind you. “If they come back.”

As the door shut behind you, you lifted your head to feel the dusk air turning cooler. You looked over to where Rumsfeld used to lay on the old truck now vacant. Your anger rose inside of you as you thought about how in less than 5 minutes upon your arrival at Bobby’s, demons had managed to come back into your life and of course Winchester’s were involved.

———

“His storage locker isn’t too much further away Y/N,” John stated to you from his spot in the driver’s seat. “You sure you want to do this?”

“Everything he kept from his childhood, his life and my parents' lives before is in there,” you stated while leaning your head against the window of the passenger side. “I can’t just leave it there to collect dust and be forgotten.”

“Anything else-“ he paused to see your reaction before continuing. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t get into the wrong hands.”

“Take whatever you need,” you shook your head with a sigh. “I want nothing to do with that life, not when it’s taken everything from me already.”

John remained silent as his eyes stayed fixed on the road. You could see out of the corner of your eye that he was subtly nodding in agreement.

“Bobby will take care of you,” he broke the silence after a few minutes. “You can live the normal life you deserve.”

“Normal. What’s that,” you asked yourself as you turned your head back to the scenery. After John had told you the news he offered to take you to collect items Danny had hidden in storage. It wasn’t a short trip, especially next to John Winchester. You had wished Dean and Sam were at least with you, but Bobby was on his way to pick them up at their latest school. 

For once it wasn’t  just trees galore you were looking at, but skyscrapers and buildings with luxurious architectural fixtures. Definitely different than your usual, which most certainly explained why Danny had chosen it. 

The two of you stayed in silence until he pulled up to the storage  place- Castle Storage. As he put the car in park you prepared yourself for whatever you were going to find in there. It wasn’t going to be easy looking at things that would remind you of what you had lost, but it had to be done. 

‘Happy birthday to you’, you had thought as you followed John’s lead to inside the building, turning around corners until he finally stopped at a door. You watched as he unlocked it with a key that had hung on your uncle’s keyring, popping open the door and turning on the light to the side of him. 

“Wait one second,” he advised as he held out his arm to stop you from moving. “Your uncle could be a paranoid SOB, so there may be traps.” 

He glanced down by his feet, and crouched down low, seeing something you obviously did not.

“Tripwire,” he informed you as he stood back up. “Watch your step and follow my lead.”

You nodded as you watched him take a few steps in and followed him exactly. It was like an arsenal and a museum of fucked up shit all at once. His life, all collecting dust in a storage room to be forgotten. You glanced down at the floor, there was a weird star painted on it with markings all over.

“Devil’s trap,” John commented as he moved further in. “Stops demons from moving anywhere.”

You felt a sense of dread as you drew closer, every nerve in you telling you that this was a bad place.

“Can we hurry up? I don’t want to be here,” you stated as you drew your arms close to your chest.

“In and out,” he stated as he opened up a couple of cardboard boxes. “I think this is what we’re here for.”

You peaked inside, right on top was a collection of family photos. Your family photos. You reached in and gathered them up, taking a moment to remember your parents faces.

“He definitely had a collection. It’s going to take me awhile to get this all out of here,” John said, breaking you from your thoughts.

“Just keep it all here then,” you shrugged as you continued looking throughout the box that was filled with random papers at the bottom. “It’s not like anyone else is using it.”

“Maybe I will,” he stated while moving around some of the weapons that were carefully placed along a caged wall. 

“Well, now. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

That voice. You knew that voice. It was your uncle Danny’s. John and you quickly turned your heads to it, your heart was racing out of your chest.

“Danny,” you breathed out in cry, about to move to him but John grabbed your arm before you could move.

“Y/N stop. That’s not Danny.”

—————

 After scrubbing the foul stench of burned flesh and dirt of your skin, you made your way to the local pub. You didn’t want to argue with Bobby anymore about not helping Sam and Dean. Dean Winchester, after all these years he still made your heart ache just by thinking of his name, meaning you had to find a quick distraction for the night, so what better place to do it?

 Some familiar faces gave you a nod as you sat down and ordered a double whiskey neat and a beer. 

“I see trouble is back in town,” you heard behind you, making you turn your head to see the skeptical glare of the sheriff that had on more than one occasion threatened to arrest you for good, but nothing could ever stick.

“Sheriff Mills,” you grinned. “Isn’t it about time to retire?”

“Not if you’re still hanging around these parts. You and that old drunk Bobby.” She grinned back. “ So what are you doing back in town? It’s been almost a year.”

“Nice to see you miss me when I’m gone,” you scoffed back as you took a sip of your beer. “It’s my birthday in a couple weeks, so I’m just visiting the ‘ol man. I’ll be out of your hair soon.”

“Stay out of trouble Y/N,” she warned. “You’re still young. I’d hate to see you throw away your life over something stupid.”

You let out a quick laugh as you shook your head.

“Have a good night Sheriff.”

You watched as she walked away before she let out that damn motherly sigh of disappointment. What did she know about anything anyways? You weren’t purposely throwing your life away, you were living it with the little time you had left.

“Hey there trouble, I see the Sheriff already gave you your yearly warning.”

You looked at the man behind the bar grinning back at you as he leaned back with his muscular arms crossing his equally muscular chest. Josh Adams, the local bartender that had been your on and off again distraction since high school when you came into town. 

“Just the trouble I was looking to find,” you winked and smiled as you downed your shot. “How about another round?”

————————

John’s words rang in your head as you stared at the face of your uncle. How could it not be him?

“Aw John, why of course I am,” his eyes flashed bright yellow as he grinned and let out a manic laugh.

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus,” John stated to say, making the yellow eyed fraud stop smiling and grow in anger.

“Enough of that John,” he snarled. “We don’t want things to get messy now do we.”

“Omnis  satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii,”John continued before the demon waved his hand and knocked him back hard enough to the ground to knock him out.

“That’s better,” he grinned again before looking at you.

The fear was growing inside of you the way that his eyes glared. The tears couldn’t stop flowing as you witnessed your uncle’s face twisting as he moved towards you. Your eyes moved down to the floor. The trap. You could get him in the trap until John woke up. Unfortunately your eyes gave it away, as he looked down and smiled as he stepped around it.

“What a pretty little girl you are,” he smirked.

“Wh..what do you want with me,” your voice quavering. 

“You are just what I’ve been looking for,” he grinned as he drew closer. “I need someone with a little fire for my army.”

As you felt your breath catch in your chest while his eyes gleamed yellow at you again, you felt a hard metal  object down by your right hand. Panic rose in you as you picked it up and smashed it up against the skull of your uncle’s body. It had taken him by surprise with you continuing in a frantic, pushing him closer to the demon trap. Before he crossed over he opened his mouth up wide and a cloud of black smoke filled the room, rushing towards John’s limp body until it cleared away. You went to rush over to him, but stopped dead in your tracks as his eyes sprung open, now bright yellow.

“I see spending time with hunters has turned you brave,” he smiled as he stood. “That’s good. It means that you’ll be strong enough for what will happen. You’re a fighter.”

“I will never agree to join you. I won’t do it!” You yelled out loud.

“How sweet. Do you think you have a choice? How about I change your mind,” he smiled as he pulled out a pearl handled gun from the waist of John’s pants and shot it right to where John’s heart should be, making you jump out of your skin as you heard the sound. “So what will it be Y/N? Your life or his?”

———————-

You had lied when you said you would be leaving again, and Bobby knew it but went along with it as you took your time finding your next hunt. You had to know what had happened, if they even survived. Six days had come and gone when Bobby got a call from Dean, letting him know what had happened. John was dead thanks to the yellow eyed demon that was still out there. Your demon. They had failed. 

Bobby took one of his tow trucks to go get them, a couple days there and back. You stayed perched in his living room, flipping through books as you waited patiently for them to return. Anxiously waiting to see why the demon was so interested in them and if they even had the slightest plan.

You awoke to the sound of the heavy truck making its way down the gravel driveway. The slam of the doors made you look out the window as the three men stood there talking about something in the darkness. There was a solemn look on all their faces as the lights hit the mangled impala and their own matching  bruises. You watched as they turned to the house to enter it, and for some reason instead of getting up, you shut your eyes tightly and pretended to still be sleeping.

“I see the couch is taken,” you heard Dean chuckle with sarcasm before hearing a wince or pain. 

“Take a bed upstairs,” Bobby instructed them. “You need some sleep.”

“Thanks Bobby,” Sam muttered as you heard them ascend the stairs.

“They’re gone. You don’t have to pretend to be sleeping anymore,” Bobby stated after a few minutes, making you open your eyes.

“How’d you know?”

“I know you and how you’ve probably been sitting here since I left, waiting to see if everyone was alright.”

“What happened?”

Bobby shook his head as he picked up the near empty bottle next to you and downed it in a gulp. 

“It’s only the beginning, isn’t it?” You found yourself asking the obvious.

He shook his head to confirm your words as he sat the empty bottle down and walked towards his desk to pull out another.

“I think it’s worse than what we know. Something bad is brewing and it’s no time to be hanging on the sidelines.”

You let out a little chuckle, knowing that was Bobby���s way of saying he was wrong and you were right. No time to sit out. You had work to do. 

———————————

“So what’s your choice?”

Your mind raced as your breath quickened while you watched the blood pour from John’s chest. Sam and Dean. Their dad was going to die if you didn’t make up your mind right there. They were going to be alone in the world just like you. 

 “Tick tock goes the clock,” he teased. “He won’t have much blood left if you wait too long.”

Could you let this happen to them? How would you even live with yourself knowing you choose yourself over their dad; even if he wasn’t the father of the year. They would never forgive you.

“Yes,” you breathed out as tears rolled down your face as you claimed the position of the martyr.

“Yes what?” He grinned. 

“My life for his,” you looked up to him through your tears.

“That’s a good girl,” he stated as he drew closer. “Now to make it official. Your life for his. You get 10 years and then you are mine. Standard deal of course.”

Ten years? You had expected him to kill you right there. Why wait so long? 

“Oh the little fire pistol you’ll be when that day arrives. Oh yes, you will be useful to me then. Until then; a kiss to seal the deal,” he grinned. “Now be a good girl and give daddy a kiss.”

Your face twisted as you fought the sickness in your throat from coming up as you kissed John’s lips. Your second kiss and it was to promise your life away. You quickly pulled away and saw his eyes flash yellow once more before the cloud of black smoke rushed out of John’s mouth, making him fall down to the ground.

You dropped down to your knees, examining where the bullet had gone. There was nothing but smeared blood over the now healed spot. He was safe. He was alive.

John’s eyes fluttered open as he groaned.

“Y/N, what happened?” He demanded in a fierce rage.”What did you do?”

Happy birthday to you.

—————————-

The sun shining through the curtains awoke you, making you stretch out along the couch. As you stood up, you glanced at Bobby asleep on the desk. The fresh bottle from last night was now empty as well. You threw your hair up into a mess on top of your head as you made your way to the coffee pot. Caffeine was a necessity on most days and you were sure that was certainly true now especially after the couple days that the boys must have gone through. 

After the coffee was done and you made some toast with jelly, you sat at the table with your legs nestled under you to read the latest obits online.

“Um, morning,” you heard Dean say as he entered, rubbing the mess of hair on his head, a healing gash bandaged across his forehead. “Didn’t know anyone would be up this early.”

“Coffee is fresh,” you stated back, trying not to look at him.

“Thanks,” he mumbled as he retrieved a cup of his own.

He took the seat next to you and sat in silence as he sipped his drink. You didn’t allow yourself to flinch as he started to tap his thumb off the table.

“So what are you looking-“

“Sorry to hear what happened,” you said cutting him off. He was trying to make small talk and you wanted to get down to business.

He let out a deep sigh before responding.

“Thanks,” he mumbled before taking another sip.

“So what’s your plan now?” You asked while finally looking up at him, his eyes now furrowing to you.

“I don’t know,” he replied quickly. “Fix my baby out there and who knows.”

You leaned your head to look out the window at the broken down Impala. It looked like a freaking parade of MAC trucks had a demolition derby on it.

“Scrap it,” you rolled your eyes.

“You shut your mouth,” Dean hissed with anger, making you look back in surprise.

“It’s just a car Dean.”

“Yeah and what would you do if that had happened to Danny’s car out there?”

You let out a sigh as you came to the agreement in your mind that you would murder anything for fucking with it. Hell, you have before. 

“Touché,” you shrugged.

“So what are you looking at this early? Don’t you have a job or something to get to?”

“I’m looking for the next job,” you stated as you turned the computer screen to his view. “A couple outside of Toledo were found dead, drained of blood. Might be vampires.”

“You’re a Hunter?” He questioned with a gasp. “How the hell did that happen?”

“You know the standard dead parents, fucked up childhood, raised by an old drunk of a hunter kind of way,” you sassed back. “Limits the desire to sit behind a desk.”

“Touché,” he shook his head with a laugh. “I had hoped you had done something better with your life.”

“And who’s to say this isn’t something better than the pitfalls of being normal and ignorant to what’s really going on?”

“Says that scar I can see on your upper thigh, those dark circles under your eyes and the scent of last night’s bourbon on you.”

You looked down to see the reminder peeking out from your shorts from a run in with a wolf during a full moon. Bastard had got ya good, but he was now a rug somewhere. 

“I’m just tired and you’re the one to talk for looking like shit.” You rolled your eyes before you realized that you had just taken a jab at the fact that he just went through hell and lost. “I-I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to-“

“It’s alright,” he let out a breath. “We all have our scars and the stories to match ‘em.”

“Eventually they all heal right?”

———————

“How could you let this happen John?” You heard Bobby screaming from inside the house.

You sat outside by a worn down truck playing with the little puppy Bobby had surprised you with when you returned for your birthday. Rumsfeld. With everything that had happened, he wanted you to feel safe and loved, even if he couldn’t give it to you. 

“They’re going to kill each other in there,” you heard Dean state as he sat next to you, giving Rummy a rub on his ear. “What happened anyways? Thought my dad was just taking you to pick up some stuff from your uncle?”

“He did,” you simply replied, not wanting to go into it. 

“So why are they yelling at each other?”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged, lying directly to him. You knew exactly why. You had sold your soul for John’s life and 10 years. Definitely not something anyone should be happy about, but you couldn’t bear seeing the alternative. “Where’s Sam?”

“In the car,” Dean motioned around the corner. “Dad told us to wait for him in there, but I wanted to see what was up before we left. I don’t think we will be welcomed after this.”

“They’ll get over it eventually Dean,” you stated. “They have too. You’re all the family I have left.” 

You felt a tear roll down your cheek and as fast as it happened was just as fast as Dean moved to wipe it away. He then put his arms around you, giving you a deep hug as you laid your head on his shoulder. 

“Hey eventually it’ll get better, I promise.”

“It feels like I’ve been stabbed in my gut,” you softly stated, breaking away from his embrace.

“Look at this,” Dean pointed to the little scar on his chin. “When I was little I fell doing dumb stuff outside and my mom had to banged me up. Hurt like a bitch, but it healed. Even after all these years, the scar tissue can hurt, but it’s a reminder that I had someone who loved and cared for me. Scars heal Y/N, but the memories are what make us who we are. Don’t forget that.”

“You always know the right thing to say Winchester,” you smiled back. 

“By the way, happy birthday,” his emerald eyes gleamed. “I know it’s a little late since it was yesterday, but you were gone. I just wanted you to know that I was thinking about you.”

The grin on your face spread as you looked over at him. He went to lean in, to give you that soft sweet kiss you wanted, not the harsh one from a demon you had gotten just yesterday. 

The two of you jumped to your feet as you heard the door slap open hard. John was yelling for Dean and Bobby was yelling at John to get the hell out of his sight. Dean looked back at you and pressed his lips quickly on yours before running towards their direction. You followed behind to witness Bobby waving a shotgun at John, his face red with rage. 

“Don’t you ever come back here you son of a bitch!” 

As soon as Dean and John jumped in the car with a frightened Sam in the back, they peeled out of the driveway leaving a trail of dust behind. 

“What the hell Bobby?” You screamed. “Why would you do that?”

“He had no business getting you mixed into this shit. Danny never wanted that and I’ll be damned if I allow it to happen,” he seethed. “I swear I will find a way out of this. Whatever it takes.”

The dust was settling down along the driveway, the impala nowhere in sight. You stood in your spot for what felt like forever, hoping to see them coming back. But they wouldn’t...not for a long time.

....to be continued....

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[chuckbass-love]

hi love! can I request a Bucky Barnes x trans!female reader fic? Reader has had a lot of bad experience with guys in terms of dating and so when Bucky decides to boldly and honestly flirt with her at a stark party, reader is surprised and shocked that someone *actually* likes her. Bucky finds this appalling and takes her out on a fun date. thank you!!

Hi love, thank you so much for the request! I’ve got the other two from you and the ideas in my head right now.. i feel like i’m about to explode! 

I was going to upload this tomorrow but tbh, i’m too excited about it so imma give it to you now, the other two will be uploaded between now and Thursday.

Disclaimer: My work is not to be posted anywhere else other than MY Tumblr, Wattpad and Ao3 without my permission. However, reblogs are welcome.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Trans!Female Reader 

Warnings: Fluff overload 

Word Count: 1,504

GIF NOT MINE!!! Credit to @sunoficarus go check them out 💙

I Like You

You don’t know why you even bothered coming here in the first place, but yet here you are. 

One of many parties thrown by Tony Stark who by the way dragged you here. 

You make sure to greet everyone that you know, sending soft and welcome smiles to those you don’t before you make your way over to the bar and sit down. 

You order a porn star martini and tap your heel on the side of the stool, glancing around the room to see what everyone is up to.

That’s when a soothing voice breaks you from your daze, causing you to jolt slightly.

���Sorry i didn’t mean to scare you” you turn your head to find him sitting next to you... Bucky Barnes.

You know of him, seen him around at other events but you’ve never spoken to him. He’s a friend of Steve’s but you and Steve aren’t all that close so he never introduced you to him.

“It’s fine, my own fault for daydreaming i guess” you giggle nervously. 

He’s hot, of course he is but he’d never like you back. A girl can fantasise though, right?

You’ve never really had a proper relationship, or at least one that counted. Sure you’ve dated but it never ended well. The guys were all jerks and you began to give up hope of a guy actually ever treating you right.

The last one lasted a good 4 months, he was nice enough for a while and then bam, he cheated. 

Tony has tried to set you up a couple times, so have Natasha and Wanda but it’s not your style, being set up that is.

You’re picky and prefer to scout the guys out yourself rather than have someone do it for you and besides, you’re enjoying the single life right now. Being alone and having time to yourself to focus on work and building your confidence up. 

“So, i’ve seen you around a lot, you know at these parties” he speaks up, you sip at your drink.

“Yeah, i’ve seen you too. You’re Steve’s friend right?” he nods, you do too. 

“I gotta say though, i’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while tonight. I just, every time i tried to, i got too nervous” he chuckles, your eyes widen. 

You make him nervous?

Why?

“I’m sure i don’t” you look around the room, avoiding his eyes. 

He doesn’t like you, you’re just taking it the wrong way. The man is probably nervous around new people. You’re not his type, surely.

“You do, i’m sure you get that everywhere you go right?” 

Okay, what is his deal?

“I actually don’t” he looks shocked, his jaw practically falls to the floor, his eyes grow wide and he shakes his head.

“What?”

“Are you single?”

What even is this?

“I am indeed, yourself?” he nods in response. 

How can a guy like him be single?

“I’m sorry i just, i never expected you to be sing-” you cut him off.

“What is this huh? Some sort of prank? You chatting to me to win a bet?” you snap, your words coming off meaner than intended. 

“N-no, it’s not a bet. I like you or at least like how you look. I just, i’ve heard so many great things from everyone and you’re beautiful. I just wanted to ask you out but didn’t wanna jump straight in before probing a bit that’s all. I’ll leave to it, sorry for the trouble”

He gets off stool, your heart sinks, you stop him.

“Wait” 

He turns around

“I’m sorry”

“It’s not every day that i have guys flirt with me so i just, i got a bit defensive. I guess i just assume that no one would want to even talk to me let alone find me attractive” you look down at your hands but not for long.

He lifts your head up with his finger under your chin.

“Well then they are fools and i better snap you up whilst the queue is short” you can’t help but giggle again. He’s funny not to mention very hot.

“So is that a yes then?” he raises his eyebrows at you, waiting for your answer.

“It’s a yes” you sip your drink, getting off the stool.

You lean closer, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. 

“Great, i guess i should get your number then right?” you take the phone from his shaky hands, typing the number into it before walking away.

“Text me your address gorgeous and i’ll pick you up at 8:00″ you smile as you walk away from him and into the sea of people.

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

Okay Y/N pull yourself together, this is not the time to get the nerves. 

He’ll be here any minute. It’s 7:58pm and he said he’d be here at 8:00.

You have 2 minutes to pull yourself together.

*3 KNOCKS* 

That’s him, omg. He’s early.

You let out a deep breath, trying to relax your tensed shoulders. 

He mentioned that he wanted you to dress casual so you have on some high waisted black jeans with a yellow top, thin straps and low back. You check yourself out in the mirror before grabbing your bag and coat and heading to the door.

You open it to reveal him stood there, jeans and a white shirt. He looks so good. You feel your legs turn to jelly at the sight.

“WOW” he ogles you, not even trying to hide it.

“What?” you smirk

“You just look really good. I don’t feel good enough to be going on a date with you” you wave him off and step outside.

“Oh shush, you look good too by the way. Anyways where are we going?” he shrugs. 

“That my dear is a surprise” he tuts at you.

His hand brushes past yours as you walk, still unsure of where he’s taking you.

“So, tell me about yourself. How long have you been single?” you sigh at his question.

“A year now. I’ve not had the best experience with guys. They all ended up using me for sex or cheating i guess”

“God, i’m sorry to hear that. Steve mentioned about you being you know”

You laugh again.

“Trans? Yeah you can say the word you know it’s not a swear word. But yeah, i find a lot of men lately just want to mess around or have a girl but not be too serious about her and i grew tired of it so i decided to stay away. So when you approached me at the party, i didn’t think in a million years someone would actually like me and want to talk let alone be nervous to talk to me”

He takes a hold of your hand, holding it as you talk.

“So how come you’re single?” 

“Well let’s just say women do like me but not the ones i want” you feel your cheeks heat up.

“So what is your type?”

“I like women with something to them. Women who are independent, sassy and of course women who are sexy”

He lets go of your hand, coming to a halt.

“Of course i don’t just want anyone though. I want you. I know that’s cliche but yeah. So i plucked up the courage to ask you out and here we are” he gestures to the sight in front of you.

“A fairground. OMG” you squeal, taking his hand in yours and running through the entrance.

He gets you some tokens for the rides and attractions. 

First up, bumper cars.

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

“Alright alright, you won. Happy now?” you roll your eyes.

“Ecstatic” 

You can’t help but smile from ear to ear as you grip onto your giant panda stuffed toy that Bucky won you at one of the games.

“This panda is quite literally the fluffiest and the largest thing ever. He’s going to be taking up a whole lotta room in my house” 

You walk side by side, back to your place.

“What you gonna name him?” 

“James” 

He told you his first name, so it only seemed right to name the panda after him. After all, he did win it for you.

“Very cute” 

“Just like you then huh”

You come to a stop as you reach your house.

“So this me” you nod.

“I had the best time tonight” you second that.

You look into his eyes, getting lost in them. It doesn’t take much.

You see him leaning closer, you follow. Your heads both tilt, coming closer until your lips touch.

The kiss is magical, like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.

“I’d love to see you again”

“I can’t say i blame you. When?” 

He looks shocked, as though he can’t believe you want to see him again too.

“How’s Friday?” your smile is getting bigger.

“Perfect”

“I’ll see you then” 

And with that, he presses another kiss to your lips, a little more open mouthed this time.

“Goodnight Y/N”

“Goodnight Bucky” you walk away, swaying your hips.

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

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