#ya i did this in ms paint what are you gonna do about it

[j0rbits-art]

dr. 100% youaere my fuckign gi>rlfreiongd

[backwzzds]

ೃ⁀➷ spoil you, plug!eren

eren hated when you spent your own money, but you don’t listen.

thinking about the way plug!eren would take you on his drops with him. you were so quiet and in your own world, he never minded the fact that you had your freshly white painted toes resting against the dash of his mercedes AMG coupe. the entire car was blacked out with expensive ceramic tints, protecting you both from your usual…late night activities.

your glasses rested on the cute bridge of your nose as your left leg was sat in eren’s lap while your right rested against the dashboard. eren was lucky that he fucked with most of his customers heavy…you two had been waiting for the dude to meet y’all for nearly thirty minutes now, and had it been someone else, eren would have sped away long time ago.

eren comfortingly rubbed your baby soft feet in the grasp of his tattooed hand, one with beautiful realism art of your own eye. with a turn of his head, he could see you practically nose deep in the bright screen of your phone illuminating through the car. “you growing bored mama?” his voice is concerned. “ian think we was gonna be waiting this long on dude…my bad baby.”

you hadn’t said much since you’d gotten in the car, just wanting to hurry and add all of your things to your shopping cart on the skims website. “nah, ‘m just…trying…to do somethin’ real quick,” you bite your lip as you tap away on your phone. you were trying to add as many things to your cart before it was gone. “before this shit sell out.”

eren being the nosy boy he is leans against your shoulder to see what you were doing. but the moment he’d seen you type in numbers that belonged to what he knew as your own debit card, he kissed his teeth in annoyance. “man how many times i gotta tell you to stop using your card to go shopping bae?” you roll your eyes at his words. “i’m serious, you got all three of my cards on ya phone for a reason. fuck is you typing in your info for?”

don’t get him wrong, eren loved the fact that you were independent and knew how to handle money almost perfectly now that you were in your twenties. but being together with you for so long, he continued to step up with his provider capabilities by always taking care of you. whether it was paying your bills, rent—everything in between.

but of course it was a struggle when ms. i can do it all by myself meets mr. i know you can but let me do it for you

“because i’m spending like 600 dollars,” you point out to his previous question with an obvious scoff. “i’m not asking you for that.” eren mirrors your actions and rolls his eyes again.

eren looks at you as if you’re insane and suffered memory loss for the past four years you’ve been together. “babe…i make that shit in one night. actually—fuck a night—i make that shit in two hours!”

it wasn’t like he was lying either, with the way that eren was one of the only trusted plugs in town, it was very easy that he’d bring at least a band a night on a consistent basis. selling for almost six years was finally paying off.

you two hardly ever fought, but if you did, it was always about money. eren knew how long you’ve had to do things on your own physically and financially. you couldn’t go to your mom for help, you didn’t have a dad to beg, so it was all on you since you’d been 16. but now that he had eren, he’d just wish you’d let him take the burden of money of your shoulders and take care of you the way you take care of him.

after a few minutes, your boyfriend holds his hand out. you give him crazy eyes, but eventually follow orders by putting your phone in his hand. “don’t know how many times i gotta tell yo stubborn ass, forreal,” he grunted. “‘s never a problem spoiling my baby. you don’t ever ask me for nothing. let me feel useful and get you stuff, mama.”

with a sigh, you nod your head, like you always did. there was no way eren was gonna take no for an answer when it came to spoiling his wife.

in response, eren uses his free hand to delete your information and instead place the correct numbers—the information to his amex black card. all the money he has, he sits and does nothing with it, so why not buy you all the things you’ve never had before?

when you hear the chime of your phone confirming your order, eren hands you the phone back and goes to look out his dark window.

with your acrylics, you grab eren by the neck and slowly turn him back to face you. “thanks papa,” you gave him genuine eyes.

eren leans forward and pecks your lips. with a serious face, he pecks you one more time before wrapping his tatted fingers around your neck erotically. with a look in your eyes he tells you, “always tell me what you want, no matter how much, mama. you know daddy gonna get that shit for you one way or another, regardless.”

[ghostsprettymama]

Task force 141's secretary.

Simon " Ghost " Riley - intended for black chubby readers

Unprotected, raw, meat to meat, pussy eating, daddy kink praising, degrading, breeding kink

You were the new secretary, you handled files on missions, peoples files, Scheduled meetings. Whatever, you just did it.

And god you were so good at your job. Sittin pretty, those pretty tits lookin so good in every bit of clothing, that fat ass just lookin good in every pair of pants, skirts, anything.

A hum escaped your lips as you typed away, the task force was away on a mission. As always of course. On yout wrist was a braclet from roach, it was like a welcoming gift yet a friendship token in a way.

You knew everyone, and everyone knew you. Except for him. Few weeks later, when everyone came in after a needlessly long mission. They were tired,angry or even upset, not even Roach spoke to you.

But that didnt bother you, there you saw him. your eyes wandered to his beautiful brown eyes, they looked so beautiful to you. He caught you staring, didnt mind it though.. he was talking to Captain John Price. His back was to you. To price, Ghost was looking at him, but in reality hes staring into your eyes figuring you out.

You tilted your head smiling. A soft wave came from you. you put those pretty nails on display too. Shit John for some reason paid for it, he was a wonderful man. When John left, you waved ghost over. He was curious. So curious if you were just like the other secretarys before you.

"Whats your deal?" He asked. Being completely straightforward "Whats your name?" You replied with a question. "I asked you first.." he added on "two is bigger than one, seconds usually the best.. sooo" you said, tilting your head. "Gho- "no, your name " you interupted.

He sighed. You were a presistent one, he could tell already. "Simon." He said, his eyes rolling like the sassy bitch he was "Now I answered yours, answer mine." He demanded, his hands on the counter top as he looked down at you. You typed away laughing softly. You smiled tilting your head softly. "Im just a secretary.. Y/n L/n." You said.

"I know who you are... your friend doesnt shut up about ya. I mean why were you staring." He replied, in response you raised your eyebrows "Thats it? I just think your eyes are beautiful, like a forest during autumn... Something cold and relaxing." You said, your eyes still locked with his. that kind smile never leaving.

He was caught off guard.. the man was so used to women just being extremely vulgar to him, but you..you were a sweetheart.

For months you talked to him longer and longer. One by one he got closer with you to the point... you were now in dorm on base doing his face paint. Ghosts fingers danced between your braids.. you sat on his lap. his other hand rested on your ass holding you up, you were so close he could just kiss those pretty lips.

His eyes stared at them as his thoughts were betraying him. What would yout lips look like taking him in? Or gasping so softly as he filled your cunt??? He needed to know this scientific information.. but what he really cared about is what they felt like.

His thumb brushed against your lips as he made a soft "mmh" in delight at how soft your lips were. "Simon? What was that about..?" You chuckled holding his face. Yes, he trusted you to the point you could hold his face, shit. even come near it.

He leaned into your touch like a cat, closing his eyes softly. Simon was like this at times, with him, you werent always gonna get an answer. You repeated his action but on his hands they felt rough. He had rough, big hands.. you gave his free hand a massage with your free one. He liked it which you assumed since he didnt open his eyes yet.

When you finished and moved your hand, his hands returned to your ass. you bit your lips getting flustered " what is it Ms Y/n? Mmh..?" He sounded sleepy, he was. He fell asleep briefly when you held his face. His raspy sleepy voice..that...thatll do it for you.

You burried your head into his neck as you felt your own wetness. Ghost felt it too after all your on his lap "you like that..? Me talkin to you like this...?' He whispered in your ear.. teasing you.

"Simon dont tease.." you replied. Your hands on his chest feeling his muscles, your hands traveled to his abs which made you squeak. You didnt know he was gonna be built like this..

Simon listened to your wish and flipped you over over. In the mating press position, instictively your legs gripped him in place. He grunted slightly at the strength of your grip, he could break it if he wanted, but he didnt want to.

"I want you. Youre s' pretty.. so smart... i just want you so bad." You admitted to him, he removes the baclava, his pretty blonde eyelashes, beautiful short blonde hair "dont start complainin pretty." He said kissing you so lovingly.

He was soon exploring your naked body, biting and sucking, when he found that beautiful fat cunt of yours he went to absolute town. His eyes, alike a predator staring at his prey as he ate your pretty pussy out. When you gripped his hair he moaned.

Such vibrations made you shove his head in as if it could be inside any deeper, for hours he teased your clit, eating you like his last fucking meal. Every so often you heard his pussy drunk cracking voice "mine.. only mine.. this pussy 's all mine.." he gripped your thighs making sure you knew.

"Ouu fuck im gonnna cum again daddy-"when you said that your mouth CLASPED shut, you could see simons sick and twisted grin. "Call me that again.." he said, and of course you did and his eyes closed in delight. You rode his face but he didnt need help. he held you still as he went back to his job forcing your legs behind your head.

Every moan you silenced he smacked your ass making you moan so loud "daddydaddydaddydaddy ohfuckimgonnancumucantholdit" you moaned out "cum in my mouth baby. Reward me. I deserve it princess dont i?" He said and you nodded squirting in his mouth as your body twitched.

You thought that was the end of it, nah. You heard a belt unbuckling. Pants unbuttoning, and then dropping, you tried to look but he shoved your head back down. "Want s' more baby? Do you think you could be good n take me? Like a good girl right?" He coo'd looking at you.

"Yes sir..." you replied, he gently smacked you "atta girl!" He smacked your cunt making you flinch a little . His tip aligned with your entrace, teasingly slow.. then... SLAM !! His cock went in rather easy from how soaked you were..

He couldnt hold back, he was thrusting relentlessly into your cunt, you were so wet that your juices got on his shirt. You were so embarassed covering your face. Ghost shook his head. " cant have you doin that pretty. I wanna see that face..." he said, he took it as he wasnt going good enough if you had the time to be embarassed.

He changed his pace as he worshipped your body with so.many.kisses. little "mines." As he pounded your cunt, you couldnt think. All you knew was hpw good you felt "mmhgfuck oh daddydaddydaddy m gnnnacumagain pleasee?" You moaned, you were teary faced, smuged makeup and all.

He smirked "mmh. You can wait baby" when you whine,Simon mocked you gently smacking your face again, anything this man did.. you love it. He had his hand on your stomach as he stuck his tongue out,this fucking slut man.

"Mmh... oou god baby im s' close. Want me to fill you up?? Yeah??' He asked,all you could do was nod." Cmon. Cum with me baby..i know you can" he said gently rubbing your face before planting a harsh smack on your ass.

He didnt stop thrusting, his hips stuttered as he filled you up with his hot seed, slamming every bit that came out back into you, as of course you both came at the same time...

A/N : Did you guys like this?😭im trying smt new

[spyroforlife]

Aight I’m doing it, gonna explore some of my VERY OLD writing, the first “books” I ever wrote. Gonna use the tag ‘my old writing’ for this if ya wanna block it, but anyway it is time for me to reminisce >:) I’ll probably devote a post to each book I decide to post pics of, and I’ll likely do a format where the cover page will be in the main post, and the rest under a read more. Now without further ado…

ah yes. The label on the shoe box I kept all these in. Love how I wrote this as if it would actually stop anyone from opening it

(it has my full name on there so I of course blotted that out lol)

Ahh gotta love that old school Microsoft Office clipart. Anyway it is time to open the box and select my first victim

OH I forgot I also used this much later on to store letters that were written to me in basic training (gently moves those aside)

…I’ve made a fatal error, this box doesn’t have my most ancient stories, it has ones from slightly later on in my childhood. NOO where is my Charmander and Torchic story!! Ah well I may have to delay this adventure until I rescue the early stories from my storage unit, but for now. This will do.

Once upon a time (probably before 2008 but idk when exactly) my older brother made the fatal mistake of revealing to me that people will actually go on the Internet and just post weird lil stories :O Like they’ll just write something funny. And post it. And other people can read it. Wow!

Naturally, I wanted to try it, and came up with a really ridiculous idea about giant weiner (or wiener, I kept changing the spelling) dogs that ended up morphing into a multi-story saga where it turned out the giant dogs are actually ALIENS and Earth ends up destroyed, also it features me and my older brother as self-inserts which he thought was GREAT. The best thing? None of this actually made it onto the Internet but I sure did print out the whole dang story, make a cover, and then tie it all together with nice gold thread. More under the cut

I just wanted to post the full first page so y’all can get an idea of the ridiculousness of my early writing. I was probably like. Actually I don’t think I was even 10 yet. Or maybe I was? Ehh about 10, maybe a little older but I’m relatively sure I wasn’t a teen yet. My brother helped contribute parts of this (like the strange, funky business part) but most of this was written by me.

As you can see the gross out humor is in full effect. Of course. As I was a young child who watched Nickelodeon. Moving on

A small excerpt I just happened to enjoy. “Let’s go drink the sacred toilet water!!” is quality dialogue let’s be real here. From here on out I’m just gonna share my titles from each story

This is the start of the second story in the series, and it heralds a running thing with me criticizing people if they happen to skip stories and read out of sequence

“if you had even bothered” TWEEN ME WITH THE SNARK

Yeah said picture of Kibblion is actually what was on the cover page. Made in MS Paint, to everyone’s shock I’m sure

I don’t care what anyone says, I was funny back then. My older brother said so which means it’s true

How much do you wanna bet this one wasn’t actually the last story? Don’t bet anything, it actually was, whoa :O I had a thing back then where I liked doing Animal House style epilogues so-

I promise there was context to all this. My self insert (Kari, of course) and the guy from the start, Joe, got to go to Kibblion and we inexplicably turned into alien weiner dogs ourselves. I think I handwaved this as “radiation”

My brother (Chris) got to be the villain who also survived Earth’s destruction and he had psychic powers just because.

the weiner dogs have a thing in their society about not eating animals unless they’re dangerous ones, hence them pulling bullshit like “oh this animal is tasty but not a threat? Oh- we’ll make it dangerous then :)”

Other names are just other random characters, mostly weiner dogs. but uhh yeah. There you go

the random shit I wrote back then. I promise I’ll dig out the truly old stuff but ohh my god looking back at this series was so funny. Maybe I could transcribe it all and post it to AO3. I already did that with some other old stories of mine which can be found here so. HmMM >:)

well lemme know what you think and I hope you enjoyed this ridiculous nostalgia trip

[biscuitqueen]

1. How many followers do you have? I forgot...

2. When was the last time you want on a date? Never lol

3.How many posts have you made? 𝓘 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓸𝓽

4. What shoes do you wear? Black boots, heels, converse

5. What color are your walls? Lavender and baby pink

6. Where are you right now? In my bed

7. Would you consider yourself a good artist? Yea kinda

8. What was your first kiss? Some kid in kindergarten I DID NOT CONSENT

9. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? Yiss

10. Whats your favorite peice of clothing you own? Idk if this counts but a spiked choker, i dont like the feeling of my neck being empty

11. What type of neighborhood do you live in? Suburban

12. Whats your favorite store you shop at? Spencers, they are a little cheaper than hot topic and have rlly good jewelry (also i love seeing teenagers sneak in there for the first time 💀)

13. If you had to choose one positive word to describe yourself Uuuuuh... silly?

14. Do you collect anything? Incense, green day merch, bad grades, can tabs

15. Whats the last thing you ate? M&Ms

16. If you go to therapy do you like your therapist? Omg thats the ONE THING I want rn

17.whats one thing you want, but don't have the money or resources to get? Therapy, sum 41 concert tickets

18. whos the first person you can think of? @your-everyday-theatre-kid and one of my moms friends who drowned his jeep in a huge mud puddle when i was five

19. How old where you when you found out santa wasn't real? 🅘 🅕🅞🅡🅖🅞🅣

20.if you could revive one show that was cancelled what would it be? MORAL OREL I WOULD DO ANYTHING 🙏

21. Would you consider yourself apart of any alt subculture? Goth and maybe a bit punk?

22.who was your childhood favorite music artist? Sia

23. CDs or record players? CDs

24. Do you believe in any conspiracy theories? That class of 09 the FOOT side was a hoax created by the government to test us :D

25. Would you get back with any ex if given the opportunity? NO

26. Favorite kids show character? PHIL AND LIL FROM RUGRATS

27. Is the person you call your best friend actually your best friend? Ya

28. When you sad do you prefer to listen to music thats matches your mood or happy music? I like being depressed with a guy i warship for having had the same problems as me 20 years ago and now that he's famous he will never care about me individually but i still love him <3

29. Whats the last outfit you wore? Voodoo donuts shirt, skirt and tights

30. Do you have online friends? Sorta?

31. Least favorite clothing style thats popular rn? I don't especially hate any of them, so this doesn't really count but im still gonna complain about it: how everyone calls everything trending between the 90s and 2015 "Y2K" thats not what it means!!!!

32. How often do you do your laundry? No

33. Do you prefer silver or gold jewelry? Silver

34.whats you tv/movie guilty pleasure? 2 broke girls

35. If you could choose your hair however you want how would you change it? Uuum id make the bleached part of my hair less crispy and more white, id make it a bit fluffier and more alternative

36. Do you paint your nails? Yea

37. What an uncommon / obscure topic your interested in? Idk uuuuh my hatred for adult swim?

38. Whats the name of your first pet? Multiple at the same time so: norah (cat) asia (cat) bettie (dog)

39. What one feature you would change on tumblr? How the paragraphs are too far away

40. Whats the most interesting item you own? Um the best i can do is a fore extinguisher sign

41. Would you rather go on a museum or concert date? As long as they have good taste, concert

42. Whats one regret you have? Wasting my time and energy on so many people

42 personal questions ask game

how many followers do you have?

when’s the last time you went on a date

how many posts have you made?

What type of shoes do you wear?

what colour are the walls of your room

where are you right now? (not exact location. ex: at a park)

would you consider yourself good at art?

who was your first kiss?

do you still sleep with stuffed animals?

what’s your favourite piece of clothing you own?

do you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area?

what’s your favourite store to shop at? (online or irl)

if you had to choose one POSITIVE word to describe yourself, what would it be?

do you collect anything?

what’s the last thing you ate?

if you go to therapy, do you like your therapist?

what’s one thing you want to buy, but don’t have the money or resources to get?

Who’s the first person you can think of?

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real?

If you could revive one tv show that has been cancelled, what show would it be?

do you consider yourself a part of any alternative subculture? if so, which one(s)?

who was your childhood favourite music artist?

CDs or record players?

Do you believe in any conspiracy theories?

would you get back together with an ex if given the opportunity?

favourite kid’s show character?

is the person you call your best friend actually your best friend?

when you’re sad, do you prefer to listen to music to match your mood, or listen to happy music?

what’s the last outfit you wore?

do you have any online friends?

least favourite clothing style that is currently popular

how often do you do your laundry?

do you prefer silver or gold jewelry?

what’s your book/movie/tv guilty pleasure?

if you could change your hair however you want, how would you change it?

do you paint your nails?

what’s an uncommon/specific /obscure topic you’re interested in?

what’s the name of your first pet/what would you name your first pet if you had one?

what’s one feature you would change on tumblr?

what’s the most interesting item you own?

would you rather go on a date at a museum or a concert?

what’s one regret you have?

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Bad Reputation

Fandom: Marvel (High School AU)

Pairing: Chubby!Bucky x GN!Reader

Summary: For some reason, your high school’s resident bad boy, Bucky Barnes, seemed to have made it your personal mission to be a thorn in your side.

A/N: inspired by this gif set.

Your eyes glance up every so often to make sure your notes are correct as you scribble into your notebook. Mr. Coulson continues to talk about history and you're adamant to jot down every single thing he says.

You feel something hit the back of your head, but you ignore it. A minute goes by and you feel it again, along with a "pssst!"

You shake your head and try to keep your focus. Something something 1894-

"Hey," you jolt when you hear a whisper and a tap on your shoulder.

You look over your shoulder and see James "Bucky" Barnes now sitting the seat behind you that was previously occupied by Brunnihilde, "What, James?" you hiss.

James, or Bucky as he likes to be called, smirked at his first name. Not many got away with calling him that, but you did.

"Wanna hang out after school?"

You turn back around to continue taking notes, "Don't you have detention...again?"

He scoffs, "Yeah, but I'll skip it for you."

"Pass," you mumble.

You hear him sigh and lean back, "Suit yourself." Minutes pass and you turn back around and Brunnhilde is back in her seat.

________________

When you walk out of class, Bucky is waiting for you by the door. You ignore him as you walk down the hall to your next class. He follows closely behind, you hear the creaking of his leather jacket that he usually wears.

"Leave me alone, James."

Bucky rushes around to stand in front of you, stopping you in your path, "Y/N, why do you hate me so much?"

"Because you're annoying, you're a troublemaker, you never know when to shut up you, you-"

"Jeez. Alright. Damn."

"I have to go to class, James," you walk around him and continue your journey.

He catches up to you again, "I'll walk you!"

"No, thanks."

You continue to head to class, but Bucky doesn't follow this time. He stops in the hall sighing and pushing his hands into his distressed jeans. He looks down dejectedly and heads in the other direction to his class.

The bell already rang by the time he steps into class. Ms. Hill writes him off and he, to no one's surprise, get detention yet again for having three tardies in a row.

He slumps into his seat behind his best friend, Steve, and sighs. As Steve is writing notes, he murmurs only low enough for Bucky to hear, "No luck?"

"Nope," Bucky murmurs back. He looks down and looks how his black t-shirt clings to his round belly. He pats it and sighs, "Do you think they'd like me if maybe I wasn't so chubby?"

"Y/N may not like you, but they're not shallow, Buck."

"I just don't get it. Why don't they like me?"

"Probably because you annoy them so much," Steve answers with a smirk, which earns him a flick to the ear.

"Ow!"

"Steve, is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

He shakes his head, "No, ma'am."

Ms. Hill goes back to giving her lecture and Steve hisses, "Quick being a jerk."

"I'll quit being a jerk if you quit being a punk, you punk," Bucky retorts with an amused grin.

___________________

You head to your usual table where Scott, Hope, Luis, Carol, Brunnhilde, and yourself usually eat.

You sit in between Scott and Carol with a sigh. It's Tuesday, but you already want the week to be over. Carol leans in and whispers to you, "Don't be alarmed, but Bucky's been looking at you since you walked over here."

You groan and let your head fall onto the lunch table, "Why can't he just leave me alone?"

"Because he likes you," Hope answers.

You snort, "More like he likes to annoy me. I don't want anything to do with him. Bad guys like that are up to know good. I don't have time for that."

"I like Bucky," Scott speaks up with a smile, "He's cool."

"You just like him because he gave you a nickname," Hope replies with knowing smirk.

"He's a cool guy!"

You hear a burst of laughter and you look up to see Bucky throwing food at Clint and Sam two tables down.

You roll your eyes and pull out your own lunch. As soon as you're about to take a bite, you hear "WATCH OUT!" and you're hit in the face with a piece of pizza.

Everyone suddenly goes silent. You look up and see Bucky's look of horror. He's immediately rushing over to you, "Y/N! I am SO sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, James." you say calmly.

He looks at you in surprise, "Wait, really?"

You take Scott's cupcake that he got from Gamora and said, "NOPE!" and smashed it onto his face.

He wipes away the frosting and smushed cake, and smirked, "That's how it's gonna be? Fine." he grabs your tupperware of pasta and dumps it over your head, "FOOD FIGHT!"

Everyone begins to scatter and starts throwing their food left and right. You grab your food, Scott's food, Luis' food, any food you can get your hands on and throwing them to Bucky.

"YOU'RE SUCH AN ASS!" you yell at him.

"AND YOU'RE A STUCK UP!"

The doors to the cafeteria burst open and the principal, Mr. Fury, yells, "EVERYONE FREEZE." And you all do.

You're seething, glaring at Bucky, chest heaving.

"Who's responsible for this, huh?"

Everyone points to you and Bucky who are in a more isolated area of the cafeteria. Fury, watching where he stepped, marched over to you. He points to Bucky, "Barnes." and then you, "L/N, my office. Now."

________________

Two weeks. Detention for a whole two weeks. You couldn't believe this! Because of Bucky, your record was no longer clean. Your dislikeness towards Bucky just grew after that.

After school, you marched into the cafeteria where you'd be helping the lunch faculty.

"Alright James and Y/N, you'll help with dishes. You can discuss who will wash and who will dry."

Without looking at Bucky you head to the sink, "I'll wash."

Bucky cautiously follows you and stands by your side waiting for you hand him washed dishes.

"Y/N-"

"Don't talk to me, James."

"I'm sorry," he murmurs in a painted tone, "I really didn't mean to throw that pizza at you."

"Why are you like this?!" you drop the dishes back into the sink, "Why must you annoy me and bother me every chance you get?!"

"I-I don't mean to-"

"Bullshit, Barnes!"

"I like you, okay?! I like you and I-I don't know what to do! The only time you look at me or talk to me is when I bother you and I just-I just want you to talk to me, Y/N. To see me."

"Why me? There's plenty other people who'd rather have your attention!"

"I don't know. There's just something about you. You're sweet and smart. You're caring. I know-I know something like me doesn't deserve the attention from someone like you, but I can't help it."

You snort, "You don't know me though. Not really."

"Well, maybe I can get to know you now? Ya know, since you and I will spending a lot of time together here?"

"We'll see," you answer before heading back to doing dishes.

__________________

After a week of detention, you and Bucky were more civilized. You got to know each other a little bit more. You found out that he wanted to take over his dad's construction company, that he wanted to help Steve get into NYU with the money he's been earning from working with his dad.

Bucky learned that you wanted to go to school for journalism and that you have a pet bunny named Floppy.

You found out that Bucky knows Celine Dion's music very well because his mom loves her.

He found out that you wanted to be on Broadway when you were younger, but realized you had bad stage fright.

Whenever you two saw each other in class or in the halls, you didn't turn in the other direction. You gave each other a nod and a polite smile.

Then...the flowers started happening.

You walked into Mr. Coulson's classroom and found a daisy with a note next to it. You picked up the note and it read:

I saw this cute flower and thought of you. Have a good day.

-JB

You looked at the back of the classroom to where Bucky usually sat, but he wasn't there. You snort to yourself and roll your eyes. He's probably going to late, per usual.

A few minutes before class started, Bucky waltzed in and sat in the empty seat beside you. He pulls out a notebook and pencil. He writes the date at the top and looks up at the front of the class to see if there was anything on the whiteboard.

He then turns to you and smirks, "Hi."

"Hi. Thanks for the flower."

"You're welcome," he looks down at his notebook and then looks up to see you still staring at him. He chuckles, "What?"

"You're early to class and prepared....are you feeling okay?" you lean in, feeling his head with the back of his hand.

You swats your hand away, "Quit it! I'm fine! Just turning over a new leaf. I'm gonna be a changed man, Y/N."

"Okaaaay?"

Your school day went by fast. One moment you were in your first class and the next you're in the cafeteria helping clean the kitchen.

"So...what's the real reason you're suddenly trying to be a good student?"

"Does there have to be a reason?" Bucky asks as he wipes down the counters.

"There's a reason for everything, Bucky." you freeze and so does Bucky. You look up and he's looking way too smug for your liking, "It was a slip of the tongue."

"You called me, Bucky."

"It won't happen again."

"Can I hear it again?"

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Hell no."

"Okay...I do like it when you call me James, though. Just so you know." he looks at you with a soft stare and an equally soft smile.

You cleared your throat and went back to refilling the fridge with milk, "Anyway, the reason?"

Bucky sighs and walks over to you, resting against a counter as you work, "Had a meeting with Fury. Said if I don't improve on my grades, I'm gonna get held back. Means I can't pursue my goals with taking over my dad's business, can't help Stevie with school. I gotta be better."

You pause and then ask, "Do you....want some help?"

"Um...I'd like some, but you don't have to. I can't ask-"

"You're not asking, James. I'm offering."

"Sure."

So after school, while you and Bucky served your detention, you helped him study.

Eventually, your detention was over, but that didn't stop you from helping Bucky. During lunch, you two would be in the library. You two would study at the park near your house. You soon began to show you his grades and they were definitely improving.

When Bucky got his first A in a long time, you took him out to lunch to celebrate.

You guys went to the local café in your neighborhood, getting burger, fries, and shakes.

You lifted up your shake, "Congrats, James, to your first A in a logn time!"

Bucky held up his own and clinked it to yours, "And to you, Y/N, because I wouldn't have done it without you."

"Guess we make a great team, huh?"

Bucky smiles that smile that you've noticed he only does with you, "Yeah...we do."

____________

"You've been spending a lot of time with Bucky for someone who hates him," Carol states as you join them at the lunch table after what seemed like forever.

You rolled your eyes as you sat down, "I don't hate him. I never did, honestly. Just strongly disliked! But anyway, we're good now. Bonded a lot during detention and then I was tutoring him. We're....friends now."

"Just friends?" Brunnhilde asked.

"Yup. Just friends!"

After school, Bucky is waiting for you by your car.

He nervously wipes his sweaty palms down his round belly and runs a hand through his hair, "Um, hey."

"Hey, what's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know something. You know my feelings for you and, honestly, they haven't changed. In fact, they've only grown since we've been spending so much time together. And, there's another reason why I wanted to do better in school...and that's you."

"Me?"

"I wanted to be better for you, so I can show you that I'm not just that punk ass kid that doesn't care about anything and anyone. That I'm more than just my bad reputation. And, I think this past month, I've done a pretty good job at showing that. But anyway, I was wondering, if you feel the same? And if you wanna go on a date sometime?"

His confession floored you. You didn't expect him to say any of this, "James, I-I won't lie, that I have some feelings for you, but it-it takes a lot more than this for me to like someone. I mean, we just became friends. And while I do like how you've changed, I just-there's more to it than just that."

He nods and clears his throat, "Right. Got it. I'm sorry-"

"Don't be," you grab hold of his arm, "Maybe...we can just be friends for now and see how it goes?"

He nods, "Yeah. Okay. You set the pace and I'll follow, Y/N. I'd rather have you as a friend than not at all."

"I can't promise anything would come from this."

"I know. I'm just....glad you finally see me."

You smile at him with softness in your eyes, "I'm glad I finally see you too."

[starbuckie]

𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬

pairing: highschool!bucky barnes x reader

words: 1.0k words

warnings: senioritis, fluff, and bucky being a clingy little shit

summary: senioritis is a bitch, and that virus certainly extends to two teens in brooklyn.

a/n: i’m tired of high school and shit and finals are kicking my ass so i wrote this lil thing. (also look at this lil skinny noodle theater boy, i woulda dated the heck out of him) anyways, please enjoy <3

main masterlist || sebastian stan characters masterlist

Y/N’s eyes focused in and out on the pot of pasta her mother was cooking on the stove. There were many other things she should have been doing, pressing matters like the fifteen unfinished assignments she had to turn in by the next Monday, but the combination of a near-summer school day and the stress of not actually doing the assignments was getting to her.

“Honey, I’m home!”

Great.

The bane of her existence came in the form James Buchanan Barnes, God-like dick game and loved by all mothers. His fluffy chestnut hair was swept under a baseball cap, and he carried two bags of groceries, for her mother, into the kitchen where she sat.

It wasn’t as if she were bothered by her boyfriend, but with him around there was no way in hell she would get anything finished. Turning back to the half-assed, half-written page she had been working on for hours, she tried to ignore the presence of Bucky hugging her mother hello.

Once again, an absolute kiss ass.

“Hey, pumpkin,” Bucky dropped a kiss to her forehead as he started to put the groceries away. Fucking suck up. “How come you didn’t answer my text? I asked if I could come over.”

“I did answer your text, asshole.” Y/N turned over her phone to check the texts for evidential proof. “Yeah, see, I texted you no.”

Bucky shoved the phone away from where she held it out to him, placing an orange on the table. “And I chose to ignore that text because I wanted to see you.” He sang with a smile.

That little smirk he wore was enough for Y/N’s tough resolve to break and she stood to pounce up on him from behind with a hug. She nosed his neck gently and smelled his cologne, amber and oud filling her senses and making her mind all boggled with thoughts of him.

“Hey, if you two are gonna be gross, then go upstairs,” Ms. L/N smacked her shoulder with the dirty dish rag and she squealed away from the hit. “But if you two are gonna bang, then go to his because I’m not washing those damn sheets for you do that.”

Both of the teens blushed at her ribbing, and immediately grabbed their stuff to scramble upstairs. As they trudged up the stairs with their backpacks, Bucky noticed the way Y/N’s eyes would flutter shut for a moment and the way her steps faltered. It was no secret that her five AP exams were kicking her ass, and the studying was no better.

The way he saw it, there was no point in struggling onto the slippery grasps of sleep in replacement of studying. Highschool was three weeks from being done, and soon enough they’d be out of Brooklyn and on their way to California to hit the sun and study their asses off in college.

As soon as they entered her ivy-painted room Y/N slammed the stupid essay on her desk and slumped into her swivel chair. Bucky knew the drill well enough by that point, dropping his backpack by the foot of her bed and flopping onto the pristine white sheets with an obnoxiously loud groan. “God, this bed feels so good, pumpkin, I don’t know how you can stay out of it for so long.”

“Well, when you’re falling behind in school it’s a lot easier than you’d think.” Y/N quipped back distractedly. The words on the paper seemed to swirl and move right under her stare, and there was no way she could focus. She knew that eight more pages of blank papers sat right under the first, all waiting to be filled out with sentences about the effects of cardiorespiratory coherence on the spectrum of human emotions. 

Bucky groaned, hauling his legs onto the sheets and turning towards his girlfriend with a pout. “C’mon, babydoll, if you come over here, you can have sex with me. How’s that sound? You wanna have sex with me? I’ll do that thing you like, even make you shed a few tears...”

Though his offer sounded more than appealing, Y/N had to turn it down and shift herself in the chair to ease the throbbing of her core. “As much as I would like to cry on your dick, and trust me, I would very much like to cry on your dick, I unfortunately need to cry on my essay instead. I was getting work done all until you walked in with that cute lil’ smile of yours.”

Bucky blushed at the comment which made her grin. It was amusing how flushed he got after making such raunchy things to her. “Well, what do you want, babydoll. I can bring you a bowl of mac and cheese from your ma, or,” he scooped her up in his arms, reveling in her squeals of laughter, “I can snuggle ya to death. How’s that sound?”

Her voice was muffled against the fabric of his henley, but he could kinda not really understand the words she gurgled out. “I’m gonna take that as a yes.”

Y/N laughed in his hold, turning over to smush her face into his chest. “I’m just tired of this bullshit. All the assignments and late nights, and don’t get me wrong, I love my mother, but if I get one more comment about my study time management, I’m going to scream.” She sighed, clutching just a bit harder around his back. “I want it all to be over, I guess. Just you and me in California already, sitting in the sun and drinking green juices, or whatever shit they do over there.”

Bucky didn’t even have to say anything, Y/N knew he shared the same sentiment. College was fast approaching and scary, and the stress of the impending graduation did nothing but make it seem that much farther away. 

“God, you’re so warm, I wanna lay with you here forever. Studying can go fuck itself.”

“Then stay with me, pumpkin,” he chuckled, pulling her closer. “I ain’t going anywhere yet.”

Legend has it that there was no studying done for the rest of the night, and Y/N’s mom would find them passed out in each other’s arms before six o’clock.

[vixenpen]

Dabi smut with a teacher. Like in some quirkless au or something (He’s scarless but hella pierced and tatted), he had to pick up kid!Shoto one day and he sees his hot black teacher (Sis got thickness and curves for days, even in simple clothes) So he consistently picks up Shoto (even when he doesn’t have to) just to hit on her and when he finally scores a date with her, he’s at his limit after seeing her in casual wear and how amazing her personality is.

I LOVED this request. I had so much fun writing it and the details were amazing! I hope you enjoy

Hot For Teacher (Dabi x Black Reader) Quirkless AU

“Ah, come on kid,” Dabi sighed, expelling a stream of smoke as he waited at the curb for his baby brother to get out of school.

He rolled down the window to air out the car and watched the stream of middle schoolers burst through the double doors and head to their respective busses or cars.

“Shooo,” Dabi groaned, “where are you? I got shit to do, kid.”

He enjoyed hanging out with his youngest sibling, and he had no problem picking the kid up, but he also had a business to help run. If he didn’t get back to the shop in an hour and a half like he’d promised Hawks, he’d get an earful about responsibility and time management and blah, blah, blah.

He leaned back in the driver seat, deciding to give Shoto another fifteen minutes before he texted the kid.

Just then another wave of kids exited the building, Dabi’s bright blue eyes scanned them before landing on the finest woman he’d ever seen in his life.

Her cream colored silk blouse popped beautifully against her rich brown skin and a pair of slacks hugged her wide hips. Her makeup made her dark eyes sparkle and red lipstick painted her pouty mouth.

Dabi sat up, turquoise eyes running up and down that beautiful body of hers as the sexy teacher strutted past to talk to parents and wave good bye to students. When she turned around, his eyes slid down to the fattest ass he’d ever seen and he licked his lips.

Damn it must be hard as hell for her students to concentrate in class.

She turned again and began walking back towards the school. Fuck! If he didn’t stop gawking he would miss his chance. He couldn’t let that happen.

Holding his cigarette between his lips, Dabi quickly stepped out of the car and took leggy strides to catch up with the teacher.

“Excuse me.”

She turned around, her big dark eyes landing on him. Immediately Dabi knew she was sizing him up and wasn’t impressed. She gave that same disapproving teacher look Fuyumi gave whenever she was put off by someone.

Regardless, he flashed her his most charming smile. He may not be a goody two shoes like these other khaki wearing dads out here, but he knew he looked damn better than any of them.

“Sorry to bother you ma’am. I was just hoping you could help me out.”

“Sure,” she smiled back, showing off a pair of pretty white teeth. “Let’s start with that cigarette. It’s against our school policy to be smoking on the premises so if you could.” She cocked a brow expectantly.

Dabi cocked his own pierced brow back in response, but quickly stubbed out his cigarette on a nearby janitor’s cart and threw it away in the accompanying trash can.

Her smile widened. “Great. Now, how can I help you?”

Dabi chuckled. “Well, ya see, I just got this new phone and cleared out all my old contacts. Ya know, new year, new me and all that,” he shrugged, “anyway, my contacts are pretty empty now. So, I was wondering if I could get yours.”

She let out a little snort of amusement.

“That’s your pick up line? How many Girls have had the misfortune of hearing that one?”

“You’d be the first,” Dabi smirked back. “Figured the usual ‘hey beautiful, what’s your name’ line wouldn’t exactly help me stand out.”

“Trust me, you don’t need help standing out.” She replied, eying him again.

“Then that means I’m ahead of the game, right?” He held out a hand, “I’m Dabi.”

Tentatively, the teacher shook it. “Ms. Y/n.”

“Ms. Y/n, huh...” Dabi repeated slowly, his eyes ran over you with a barely masked longing. “Not ‘Mrs’?”

“Not yet.” You replied.

“How soon are you looking to change that?” Dabi asked, his smirk growing a bit smaller and more intimate.

“Who said I was looking to change it at all?”

“Certainly not me,” he replied, “that’s why I asked. I would love to talk more about how much you don’t want to change it over dinner sometime though.”

You fended off a smile. You were not about to give this over confident asshole any encouragement.

“Sorry, but I make it a point not to date my student’s parents.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not a parent then.”

“Oh? So you just like to stroll on the campuses of random middle schools and hit on the teachers for fun?”

Dabi chuckled again.

“I’m here to pick up my little brother. Ah, hell, speaking of which, I actually could use your help with that. Kid hasn’t come out yet and I’ve already been here over half an hour.”

Your pretty face immediately crumpled with worry.

“What’s your brother’s name?”

“Todoroki Shoto.”

“Oh!” You looked surprised. “Shoto. I think I saw him headed towards the baseball field. I think the team has practice today.”

“Dammit! Really? Well, I better go say hi to the kid anyway. You mind, uh, leading the way?”

“Sure.” You shrugged.

Turning, you took the lead and guided Dabi towards the baseball diamond behind the school. You could feel the man’s eyes on your ass the whole way, and couldn’t help but put an extra switch in your hips as you did. Much to his appreciation.

You had to admit the man was fine as hell. The black undercut with lines cut in the side, his multiple piercings and even the colorful tattoos you saw peeking from under his fitted black tshirt were hot as hell. However, you had long since given up on bad boy types. You preferred nerds. Still a little light flirting wouldn’t hurt anything, right?

“There he is.” Dabi stated once the two of you verged on the field. He held up his hands to his mouth and called out: “Yo, Sho!”

The boy looked up, heterochromatic eyes widening in surprise.

“Why didn’t you tell me you had practice today you little half and half?”

“Why don’t you ever check mom’s texts?” Shoto shouted back. “She told you to come later.”

You snickered as Dabi pulled out his phone and checked his text messages.

“Huh. Well I’ll be damned.” He muttered to himself. “Alright, kiddo, I’ll be back in an hour!”

“Can you stop shouting and leave now?! I have to concentrate.”

Dabi laughed before turning back to you.

“Anyway, thanks a lot for your help Ms. Y/n.”

“Just doing my job.”

“Still, I would love to thank you properly. Maybe over coffee.” He said, sounding hopeful.

“Before it was dinner.” You quipped, playfully.

“I know. I‘m just planning for future dates.”

You giggled, shaking your head. “It was nice meeting you, Dabi.” With that you turned and strutted off.

“I hope you know I’m gonna keep trying until I get a yes or no.” He called after you.

As you entered the school’s back entrance you could hear Shoto shouting: “Can you please stop hitting on my teachers? I have to see them everyday!”

Unfortunately for Shoto, his plea seemed to go in one overly pierced ear and out the other because almost everyday since then, Dabi made it a point to stop and talk to you when he came to pick up Shoto.

“Hey there, Ms. Y/n. My contacts are filling up fast. You sure you don’t wanna reserve a spot?”

“Sorry Dabi, but my no dating policy extends to immediate family members as well.”

“I hated to cancel our reservations, but you’re left me no choice, Ms. Y/n.”

“Nobody told you to make reservations, Dabi.”

“Dinner was lonely the other day. If only I had a beautiful black queen to keep me company.”

“I’m sure There are plenty of black queens out there that would have loved to accompanying you to dinner.”

“Yeah, but they wouldn’t have been you.”

Dabi was unrelenting. Always complimenting how amazing your outfits looked on your skin tone, how flattering your make up was, or if you wore a new hairstyle or new jewelry.

You couldn’t lie. The attention was both flattering and refreshing. Since becoming a teacher, you usually only got hit on by studious academic types. Attractive yes, but straight laced and all the same with their game

Unfortunately a disturbing amount of married dads also tried their luck with you.

But Dabi was different.

He may have been a far cry from your usual type, but he was always perfectly respectful and even funny. Not to mention he was much closer to your own age than other men that came on to you.

He must have started bribing Shoto for help or asking him about your interests too. Because sometimes when he would see you, he’d have a new book to give you or your favorite iced tea from a cafe you always frequented. Which, admittedly, was pretty damn cute.

The tatted up alt boy was actually growing on you. So one day, when both of you least expected it, you finally agreed to give him your number and go on a date.

That was the first time you ever saw him straight up smile. Not smirk or grin. He actually beamed. Just like a little boy who’d been told he could have a puppy.

Ok, ok. You admit it—he was cute.

Hopefully, that charm would extend over to dinner.

When the big date came, Dabi cleaned himself up. Opting out of his usual dark attire for a deep blue fitted Ralph Lauren polo and skinny khakis. He even took out some of his piercings in an attempt to look more presentable. He thought he cleaned up pretty nice if he did say so himself, but it was nothing compared to what you strutted in wearing.

Dabi had gotten used to your stylish but conservative work attire. He was so used to your hot teacher look, that he forgot you probably had some regular clothes in that amazing wardrobe of yours.

And damn did you pick out the most show stopping dress you had. You wore a wine colored dress that cut low in the front showing off those juicy tits of yours and stopped above the knee. The heels you wore made your thighs look even yummier and your ass was jiggling out of control with every step.

Down boy. Down boy. Down boy.

He scolded himself.

“Well, don’t you clean up nicely, Dabi?” You teased.

“I’m Touya tonight, beautiful.” He struck a pose like a GQ model. You laughed. “Dabi was that guy that kept hitting on you, Touya’s the guy that’s gonna try not to screw it up.

“Oh,” you ran a manicured finger along his solid chest, “well, I agreed to a date with Dabi, but I guess Touya could be fun too.”

Dabi licked his lip, and your eyes fell on his tongue piercing, hungrily.

“Depending on how well the night goes, you might see Dabi come out later tonight.” He replied, suggestively.

You rolled your eyes, but could feel your cheeks (and your pussy) warming.

“Boy! Come on.”

Dabi as Touya opened the door to the restaurant and ushered you inside.

The restaurant he took you to was definitely a high end place; complete with soft candle light, a jazz quartet, and a maître d’.

The chemistry the two of you had definitely translated over dinner.

Dabi was just as funny as he always was and he was genuinely interested in getting to know everything about you. He hung on to your every word about the funny things your students did in class. He enjoyed hearing your college stories. He even knew some of the books you enjoyed reading and could talk literature easily.

You discovered that he was the co-owner of a tattoo and piercing shop. He was the oldest of his siblings. And he enjoyed traveling and learning new things.

Dabi enjoyed vibing with you. He loved that your personality and sense of humor was just as amazing and substantial as that body he wanted a piece of so bad.

Dinner rolled into drinks and lasted well into the night. By the time the two of you were done it was damn near four A.M.

From that night on, you and Dabi became practically inseparable. He picked you up from school right along with Shoto for dinner after work, swung by with coffee, bought you any and everything you wanted (he does come from money after all) and after a year of dating, you became more than just a ‘Ms.’

Pt.2

[ticklishfiend]

Angry Little Guy

My Hero Acadameia - Kirishima/Bakugou

A/N: heyyy haven’t written in a hot minute (again lmao)!! my mental health has been taking a tolls recently so writing has been hard, but i still hope y’all enjoy what i wrote today!! i love these boys sm and i hope to write some more for them in the future :) hope u enjoy!! xx

Summary: After Ms. Joke visits the school and forces Bakugou to laugh after he was being a grumpy-butt in class, Kirishima can’t help that he just wants to hear that cute little laugh again. But when Bakugou refuises to laugh any other way, Kirishima decides to use some...persuasive methods :))

Word Count - 2,550

—

Today was a physical training day for Class 1A, all the students gathering in the training gym in their matching blue and red outfits ready for whatever task Aizawa had prepared for them that day. Aizawa’s demeanor today, however, was just a little…off. Sure, he was being hs regular boring, monotonous self, but something about the way his eyes seemed to sink deeper into their sockets, and the way his back seemed somehow more slouched than usual, showed that the class’s teacher was a little more annoyed today than he already was regularly.

“Does Aizawa-Sensei seem more…upset than usual?” Kirishima scratched his neck worriedly, heck cocked as he watched Aizawa pinch the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t know, man, the guy’s never exactly been the bubbly type. Maybe he just got less sleep than normal,” Denki shrugged, his eyes also meeting the groggy teacher stood in front of their whole class. “What do you think, Bakugou? Think Aizawa woke up on the wrong side of the bed or what?”

“Shut the fuck up, Sparkplug, he’s about to start class,” Bakugou grumbled, not even glancing down at his bright blonde counterpart for a second.

“Okay everyone, it’s time to shut up,” Aizawa spoke loudly, his eyes tense as he stared the teens in front of him down. The mumbles in the room went silent as Aizawa began his lesson. “Today’s gonna be a little…different. Despite my pleas against this, you’ll be taught your training by a different pro-hero today from Ketsubutu High.”

Muffled whispers slowly rose up from the crowd of teens before Aizawa, mumbling predictions of who the hell could be teaching them today and why it wasn’t someone already from their school. Of course, as always, Iida’s hand was the first to shoot up and question this strange decision.

“Aizawl-Sensei, why are we being taught by a teacher from another school? Why not use any of the many teachers we have available at UA?”

“Unfortunately, Nezu believes it would be best for you all to not only be trained by the same heroes, as you need to widen your options for training techniques, especially considering many of you need to learn better techniques of distraction. Which is exactly why they’ve brought in-“

“Helloooo~!” The gym doors behind the students’ burst open, a female figure standing in the doorway with her hands on his hips and a bright, wide smile imprinted on her face.

“Oh no way!” Sero pointed excitedly towards the woman. “It’s Ms. Joke!”

“That’s right, future pro-heroes!” Ms. Joke began making her way over toward Aizawa, his glare on her intensifying with every step she got closer.

“Ohhh, now I get why he’s been so moody all morning,” Kiri whispered to Denki, the two sharing a knowing glance as they both grinned.

“Joke, why are you so late? You were supposed to be here an hour ago so we could discuss-“

“Oh cmon, Eraser, don’t be so serious! Just got caught up in a little morning traffic is all, plus spreading a few smiles along the way!” Joke grinned widely at the stoic man beside her. “Y’know, I’m always happy to spread a few more smiles as long as they’re coming from your cute little face-“

“That’s enough, Joke. Please get on with the lesson,” Aizawa rolled his eyes, refusing to look over at his extremely smiley counterpart.

“Whatever you say, future husband!”

“Not your future husband-“

“Okay guys! So who here knows about my quirk and can explain it properly to the rest of the class?” Joke asked, followed by multiple hands shooting up into the air, Deku’s even waving about excitedly (as this IS his favorite thing in the world to discuss).

“Hmm…how about…you! Mr. Grumpy in the front!” Joke exclaimed, pointing towards Bakugou. His arms were crossed in contempt, eyes glaring into Joke’s happy persona like his gaze alone could burn right through it.

“I didn’t even raise my hand,” Bakugou scowled at his higher-up, his stance never wavering. “How do you know I have any idea who you are?”

Ms. Joke smirked at Katsuki. “Y’know, teachers talk, Bakugou,” the mention of his name made his eyes grow a little wide in surprise, not expecting her to know him by name. “Sure, I know you from the sports festival, but I also know you from a little more than that. I know that you’re an angry little guy who doesn’t like not being at the top, and you find satisfaction in knowing more than your peers. I also know you’re very smart, and you’re well educated on the status of most- if not all- pro-heroes today.  So, I’ll ask again; can you please explain to the class what my quirk is and how it functions?”

A silent but stressed pause fell over the group of teens. None of them had expected Joke to get so analytical on Bakugou like that, and it made them all feel a little fearful of what the “angry little guy” had to say next to her next. Bakugou’s glare on the woman deepened, his brow furrowing slightly.

“You can make people laugh uncontrollably, basically making it easier for you to fight them with one-on-one combat. And if you want me to be honest,” Bakugou’s face contorted into an ugly smirk, his arms crossing tighter as his body leaned in ever so slightly towards the hero. “-it’s one of the lamest quirks I’ve ever seen from a pro-hero.”

The air in the room was suddenly 10x thicker than before, almost making it harder for the students to catch a healthy breath. Ms. Joke only smiled fondly at the teen before her, walking closer to him until they were face-to-face.

“Y’know Bakugou…ever since I saw you perform at the sports festival, seeing you so red-faced and angry the whole time, I couldn’t help but wonder…” Joke’s hands went to her hips as Bakugou’s smirk slowly began to fade. “…does that guy ever really laugh?”

Suddenly and without warning, Bakugou began belting out one of the screechiest laughs anyone in that gym had ever heard in their lives. His arms came down to his stomach, harshly crushing his abdomen as if this would cease the laughs at any capacity. After a second, one of his hands shot towards his mouth, after he must’ve finally realized how embarrassingly girly his laugh must’ve sounded.

“Oh my god, no way! Bakugou can laugh!” Denki shouted, pointing at the hysterical boy in front of him. The rest of the class erupted into giggles, unable to contain it after hearing that contagious laugh leave that angry little man.

“SHUHUHUT UHUP! THIS ISN’T FAHAHAHAIR!” Bakugou’s screams were muffled behind his hand, but it did nothing to mask the laughs coming out of the boy.

“So, is anyone who didn’t know about my quirk starting to get how it works?” Joke giggled, Bakugou now crumbling to the floor on his knees without even meaning to. After another moment, his laughs began to die down to soft titters, before standing back up on shaky legs. To his dismay, his face was flushed an adorable shade of pink, and though everyone noticed it, no one dared to make a comment. His eyes made their way to Joke’s, an angry flash of light glaring from them.

“YOU MADE YOUR POINT YET, HAG?!” Bakugou shouted, his hands in a combat position by his sides, making small explosions not big enough to hurt a fly from his palms.

“Yes, actually. I think we’re ready to move on to the lesson at hand!”

-

“Man, I still feel sore after training today. Who knew Ms. Joke could be so ruthless at hand to hand combat!” Kirishima exclaimed, massaging his shoulder before turning back to his homework in his lap. He was sat crisscross on Bakugou’s bed, with said explosive teen leaning against the wall behind him also working on his homework.

“Whatever, Shitty-hair, it wasn’t that bad,” Bakugou rolled his eyes, earning him a shove on the knee from the red haired teen beside him.

“You’re just mad she had you laughing like a little girl in front of the class and you KNOW it!” Kiri chuckled.

“Hell yeah I’m mad, I’m fucking pissed! That hag had no right to do that, it made me look like a fucking idiot!” Bakugou grumbled throwing his head back and hitting the wall with a thud.

“Oh cmon, it wasn’t that bad, it was adorable! You should totally laugh like that more often, Bakubro. I know I’d sure love to hear it,” Kiri giggled, looking up at Bakugou, noting the small tinge of crimson painting his cheeks. He decided to be nice and not say anything, just like he had been at training.

“I’m not adorable, fuckface, and after that whole stunt I don’t think I’ll ever laugh again.”

“Bakubro, you know I can’t have that! I’ve gotta get my dose of Kats giggles every once and awhile, even if I have to pull em outta ya!” Kiri snickered, playfully shoving Bakugou in the shoulder. “In fact, I wanna hear you laugh right now! Cmon, gimme them giggles!”

Bakugou just looked up at Kirishima with the most blank expression he could possibly pull. Kirishima pouted, grabbing his and the other boy’s homework and moving it to the other side of the bed.

“Shitty-hair, I was working on that-!”

“Ah ah ah, Bakubro, you can get right back to your work as soon as I hear that laugh of yours that I heard earlier today!” Kirishima moved to sit cross-legged in front of Bakugou, giving him the dopiest smile he could pull in hopes to get the boy to giggle even a little.

Nothing.

“Kiri, I can’t just laugh on command. You’ve gotta do something funny, and you’re not a funny fucking person,” Bakugou’s expression remained partially blank, but Kirishima could spot that hint of mischievousness behind his eyes that got him all worked up and playful.

“Hmm…well, while I might disagree with you on that, it’s really hard to make you laugh. And trust me, I know that from experience,” Kirishima brought his hand up to scratch at his chin, looking Bakugou in the eyes experimentally. Then, a lightbulb went off over Kiri’s head.

“Hey, Bakugou?”

“Um…yes?”

“Are you ticklish?” Bakugou remained unwavered, but Kirishima could tell that question made the blood boy uneasy.

“No. Can I get back to my work now, Shitty-hair?”

“I already told you, we aren’t working until I hear you laugh. And, I don’t believe you.”

“Well you should, because I’m not.”

“Then can I?” Bakugou furrowed his brows confusedly at the question.

“Can you what?” Bakugou asked, his head leaning back in confusion.

“Can I tickle you? Y’know, since you aren’t ticklish.”

“No, that’s a stupid question, why would you tickle someone who isn’t-“ suddenly, Bakugou’s words halted as Kirishima grabbed the boy by his shoulders and turned him to push his back onto the bed. He sat down on the boys waist, pinning his hands beneath his knees, effectively trapping them. “WHAT THE HELL, SHITTY-HAIR?!”

“What? You said you aren’t ticklish, so this-“ Kirishima pulled Bakugou’s shirt up just above his lower ribs, before lightly and slowly tracing shapes into the boys sides. “-shouldn’t bother you at all.”

Bakugou’s entire body was as stiff as a board, his eyes shut tight and his mouth shut even tighter. His teeth grinder against one another and titter after titter left his lips against his mind’s wishes.

“Kiri- I- Stop- hehe-wait, just hold on a minutehehe-“ Bakugou giggled lightly, his hands struggling beneath Kiri’s knees. Then, Kirishima began digging his fingers into his ribs, and that’s when all hell broke loose for the explosive boy beneath him.

“WAHRHEIT! STOHOHOHOP! NOT FAIR! NOT FAHAHAHAIR!” Bakugou twisted and turned his body, but to absolutely no avail. Kirishima was massaging circles into Bakugou’s lower ribs, and the hysterical boy under him just couldn’t take it. “See? Now THIS is what I wanted to hear, Bakubro!” Kirishima moved his right hand down to skitter his nails on the boy's lower belly, resulting in high pitched squealy giggles to leave the Bakugou's lips. "Aw, you're so ticklish! I never expected this from you, it's so cute!" Kirishima cooed, only making Bakugou's laughs to grow more frantic and panicked.

"NOHOHO! NOHOHOT CUHUHUTE! NOT CUHUHUHU- AHAHAHA!" The boy's words trailed off into even more giggles as Kirishima brought his left hand down to sueeze at his hips. "NOHOHOT THEHERE! PLEASE! I CAHAHAHANT!"

"Aww, is this a bad spot, Bakugou?~ Is it really ticklish right there?~" Kirishima teased, now moving both hands down to sueeze and spider over his hips, which proved to be one of his worst spots so far.

"YEHEHES! TIHIHICKLES!" Bakugou screamed, his legs kicking out frantically behind Kiri as the red-head experimentally moved his fingers upwards and dipped into his bellybutton.

Bakugou let out the most high pitched scream Kirishima had ever heard.

"Oh my god, dude! Is it that bad here?" Kirishima used one nail to scratch at the inside walls of the navel, while another finger skittered around the entire button.

"BAHAHAHAD! SO BAHAHAD! PLEHEHEASE!" Bakugou whined, small prickles of tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Alright, alright, i'll quit. But-" Kirishima halted momentarily, his nails resting on Bakugou's lower tummy without moving. Even with the lack of movement, Bakugou couldn't help the small giggles that left his lips, his childish giggle box already turned on it's head, making those unmoving nails feel like their skittering all over his tummy. "-first you have to admit that your laugh is adorable."

Bakugou's eyes widened. "What?! Are you crazy?! I'm not gonna say something like th-hehehe!" Kirishima slowly began skittering over his lower tummy again, his fingers slowly but surely getting closer and closer towards his navel.

"Bakugou, you are way too ticklish to just not comply with me right now. Just say what I want and I'll let you go," Kirishima smiled, bringing one hand up to skitter at his lower ribs, resulting in a surprise shriek and louder giggles from the boy. "Unless...you don't want me to stop?"

Bakugou's entire face turned beet red, and this time Kirishima just couldn't help himself. "Aw, Bakugou~! Y'know, you're way more of a blusher than you'd like to admit, but that's just another thing that makes you intesnely adorable. So say it! Say you're adorbale!"

"Nohoho! I cahaha- Kiri plehehease! Don't make mehehe!" Bakugou whined, twisting his body as if trying to escape the unstoppable fingers on his torso.

"Cmon Kats~ Just say those two magic little words~"

"Alrihihight!" Bakugou shut his eyes tight, turning his face as much as he could to try and smush his words into the mattress. "I'm...I'm adorablehehe..."

Kirishima finally halted his fingers and moved them off the boy's body, but still not getting up off of his waist. "See? Was it that hard?"

"Yes!" Bakugou whined, finally pulling his hands out from under Kirishima's legs after the red-head gave him some leverage to, shoving them into his face to mask the ever-growing blush and smile emerging.

"You're too cute for me, Kats. I don't think I can handle it," Kirishima smiled fondly at the boy underneath him, his heart swelling in his chest unbeknownst to that angry little giggly guy.

-

A/N: i hope u enjoyed!! i just love lee!bakugou so i rlly couldn’t help myself LMAOO he’s so cute wtf :(( anyways, if u enjoyed this pls consider liking and reblogging!! reblogging is much more appreciated as it helps spread my fic to more ppl :)) love u!! xx

[mypersonmyg]

don’t sweat it | myg

pairing: yoongi x reader

genre: fluff, tiny bit of angst ig??, established relationship

rating: pg15

wc: 1.2k

warnings: some suggestive language, unedited :p

summary: your friends don’t think you spend enough time with them OR yoongi thinks you’re a distraction

a/n: yesterday you got misery chick and today it’s reliably listeless!! i kinds wrote this a while back but never posted it for some reason, so yeah. again,,,you don’t have to read the full fic to get it, but just know it’s in that universe

[drabble masterlist]

[reliably listless]

The fresh breeze gently glides the skin of your exposed arm, the scent of flowers in bloom wafting against your nostrils with imaginings of the petals colorful and swaying in the wind. You inhale with pleasure, nearly gagging when you’re brought from the reverie of the gym door half agape, reminded that you’re not in fact enjoying the beautiful weather of early summer but instead sitting inside watching your boyfriend play a game of pickup. The scent that greeted your inhale was not fresh flowers but the stench clinging to practice jerseys gone too long without a wash. 

You remind yourself to steal Yoongi’s from his bag while he’s showering, well aware that the stinging smell of weeks of buildup doesn’t bother him as much as it assails you and your sensitive senses. 

You draw back to the motion of the court, hands tapping at the caps of your knees not altogether following the score you were meant to be keeping but distracted by the sheen of sweat sticking Yoongi’s overgrown hair to the nape of his neck and the plains of his forehead. Your wrist itches with the neon hair tie that grips the skin, Yoongi’s nimble fingers snatching it from your hands when he caught wind of your intent to sprout his strands before he stepped onto the court. 

“You let me do it last night!” Was your baseless argument, the poke of your lips useless to sway him save for the short peck bestowed as a precursor to words that curled your toes. 

“You were the one that insisted you needed something to hold onto.” 

The words have been playing on your mind since he jogged away, immediately taken with the court, your way only graced with glances often enough to keep you on edge. You barely noticed the placement of a body to one side of you and your ears had graciously tuned out the senseless gossip falling from Seulgi’s lips from the moment her body hit the bleachers. 

“—and Hobi said he agrees you don’t spend enough time with us anymore.” This catches your attention, the smirk aimed in your direction cluing you on the knowledge that your overt ogling would not go unnoticed by the only other person not banking (or bricking) shots. 

“I spend plenty of time with you guys, Hoseok!”  

“Hobi did not say that!” His attention is drawn from where he stands at half-court, jogging his way to your seat with little to no attention being paid to the game at hand. “Seulgi said that she feels like she hasn’t seen you in years and she might throw Yoongi into a ditch soon if he doesn’t back off.” 

“Okay, well first I think you should both relax.” You mutter, eyes falling on your two friends, glaring childishly, Hoseok’s lips pulled into half sneer at being dragged in by no accord of his own. “Second, I’m sorry if I’ve been a little preoccupied but—”

“Hobi!” Jeongguk’s voice draws Hoseok’s attention with enough time for him, and you, to flinch when the ball appears to be hurtling toward the bleachers and too far over any of your heads for a hope to clutch the round menace before is bounces fiercely on the row of bleachers just a few steps higher. 

“Who was going to catch that?!” 

“You, if you were paying attention instead of talking to your girlfriends,” Jeongguk mutters, eyes rolling and hands thrown into the air with palpable annoyance. 

“Girlfriend.” Yoongi mumbles the correction, jogging over to the bleachers, ignoring the gape of betrayal Hoseok aims his way. You hop from your seat and scale the few benches to grab hold of the ball just seconds before Yoongi grabs hold of you, his chin resting against your shoulder. “I’m gonna have to stop inviting you to watch me play.” 

“Wha—I did nothing wrong!” 

“You’re distracting our players…” He hums, hands traveling the length of your arms so soft under his touch, the scent of your body somehow fighting through the stench of the humid gym. “—distracting me.”

“I’m just watching you play.” You hug the ball to your chest, aware of the heat radiating from Yoongi onto you, the sweat that coats his neck now pressed against your own. You would be lying if you said the thick moisture and panted breaths didn’t awaken you just the slightest bit, but you’re determined to prove your point. 

“Watching me play, right. So what’s the score then?” 

He’s got you and you both know it. Rather than submit to the corner pressing to your back and give Yoongi the satisfaction that seems to come naturally, you pull yourself from his hold and push the ball into his chest. 

“Ya know, I think that we—” You step past him, your attention falling on Seulgi who had taken to rummaging through your bag for the snacks that are always meticulously placed in the many pockets throughout. “—are going to go.”

“We are?” Seulgi seems less enthusiastic about spending time with you than she had just moments ago, her mouth filled with the pack of m&ms she scrounged. You wonder how she managed to acquire them still intact, the vivid memory of too long standing in the sun followed by the less than graceful squash of your bag under Jeongguk’s ass earlier in the day concerning to say the least. “But I just found a snack.”

“Well, we can go get a snack if you just…hey! Are you even listening to me?!” You don’t need her to respond when your neck cranes to encapsulate the landscape that has her attention tied and mouth hanging open, half chewed candy all but forgotten between her lips. 

Her sudden eagerness to participate in the remainder of whatever game is left to play is clear in the painting of perfection, shirts flying overhead to combat the sweat soaking tan skin. An ad too picture perfect for any moving picture and too annoying for your wandering eyes to properly enjoy, though the flattening of Yoongi’s half smirk is not forgotten in your periphery.

You snort, the irony of the situation not lost on you as you sling your bag over your shoulder. 

“Come on, I’m kidding.” Yoongi tosses the ball to Jeongguk, tugging you into him once more, his lips pressing to your cheeks despite the impatient mutterings from the court. “I love it when you distract me.” 

“Oh no,” You whirl on him, his lips spread in a goofy grin, unbothered yet entertained by your sudden attitude. “You do not get to do that!” 

“Do what?” 

“Be all cute boyfriend and expect me to just...forgive you.” 

“But I am sorry, what am I supposed to do without my number one cheerleader?” He pouts, eyes reflecting in pale fluorescents. 

“Lucky you, Namjoon is still here so you don’t have to worry about it. Come on!” Your arm hooks the crook of Seulgi’s, tongue shooting in Yoongi’s direction where he stands with his hands perched on his hips.

“Where exactly are you going?” 

“I was thinking that I’d go distract someone else!” The words are spoken loud enough for Yoongi to hear, but your eyes are too zeroed on the exit to note the disappointed look that befalls his features before he rushes back to the court. 

[super-unpredictable98]

Me and Ms. Adolphson (Me and Mrs. Jones AU)

Chapter 5: Operation Inca

Warning: Strong language

(Me and Ms. Adolphson Masterlist)

"So you're telling me you picked a shift today?" Saga laughed, holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder while doing Charlotte's hair. "My only day off this week?"

"Why? Are you upset we won't get t'spend time together?" Billy teased.

"Well, it would be better than caring for Jason and going to that stupid modern art museum with Ake."

"Not a fan of modern art?"

"I am, if you mean paintings and sculptures. I am not, if you mean blank canvases with one single black dot that are sold for millions of pounds..."

"I see your point."

"I'll try to drop by later with Alfie, alright?"

"Okay, I'll be here. See ya, S."

"See you," Saga hung up and placed the last hairclip on. "All done, Charlotte."

"Thanks, aunt Saga... Were you talking to Billy?"

"Yes, why?"

"I think you two would be a beautiful couple."

"I think so too," Jess was looking at her hair, also styled by Saga a few minutes back.

"Well, I already have a boyfriend," she took the girls' hands as they walked downstairs.

"He's quite handsome too, but he's not as nice and doesn't play with us like Billy does," Jess pointed out.

"I know, but that's the way life is sometimes. Not everything goes the way we would like..."

"Oh, look how pretty you are!" Gemma gave the girls their backpacks. "Say bye, we need to go."

"Bye, girls," Jason got up for the first time that day to give them a hug.

"Goodbye, have fun!" Saga held them tightly. "I'll see you soon, huh?"

"Did you talk to Inca today?" Jason asked as she sat down next to him.

"Not yet, I sent her a text earlier, but she never answers while she's at work."

"God, I miss her so much! Gemma is talking to her later."

"What?"

"Yeah, maybe she'll be able to make her let me back in."

"I doubt it, but fingers crossed."

—��————————————————

"I'm not listening to that," Alfie was about to turn off the record player Jason was using to listen to Bohemian Rhapsody for the 15th time that day.

"God, please, make it stop!" Saga hit her head on the kitchen counter.

"Guys," Gemma brought both of them closer. "I went to see Inca today and she gave me back the imaginary engagement ring, it's over. She's going on a date tonight."

"She moves fast," Alfie chuckled.

"Uh oh," Saga shook her head. "Yeah, there's no going back now. I told Jason it wouldn't work..."

"I need you guys to help me," Gemma whispered.

"Help you what?" he put one hand on his hip, knowing full well what she was going to ask.

"I need to tell him, but I need moral support."

"I've got plans! So does Saga, we're both going to the bar."

"It will be quick, come on! We need to rip it like a band-aid."

"Oh my God," Saga groaned on her way to the living room.

"Jason..." Gemma stopped in front of him. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to blurt it out. I went to see Inca today and she told me to give you this back, I'm sorry."

She reached for an imaginary pocket, where she grabbed an imaginary ring and offered it to him.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's the engagement ring you never bought her."

"She's just being dramatic, she'll have me back..."

"She's moving on, she's going on a date tonight. With businessmen Terry something."

"I'm going down there!" Jason got up and threw away the blanket covering him. "I'm gonna show that bloke..."

"No!" Gemma ran after him as Saga and Alfie laughed quietly.

"Inca is a fragile butterfly, she needs protecting."

"Jason, I'm sorry, but the last thing my sister needs is protection," Saga countered. "There's no way she'll take you back if you go down there, it's just gonna make things worse, right Alfie?"

"What?" he was caught by surprise. "Oh, no... You'll end up looking like even more of a plank."

"Thank you for the pills of wisdom," Gemma gave him a pointed look.

"You're welcome!"

"No, I need to go there!" Jason tried to leave again, but Gemma pushed him  onto the couch.

"What if... Alfie and Saga go to the bar and keep an eye on her?"

"I can't!" Alfie protested. "I have a date with the pickle girl, I hid my number in her baguette."

"You'll never cease to amaze me with how romantic you are," Saga mocked. "I  can't either, I have to go to this stupid museum with Ake."

"Get Billy to do it, he's working there tonight," Alfie suggested. "He'll do anything you ask, S."

"That would make me feel a little bit better," Jason looked at her with pleading eyes. "Even though I'll be completely alone. The girls are gone, you are all going out... Even Inca is going out."

"Alright, I'll talk to him," she agreed.

Meanwhile at the bar, Billy was cleaning the tables before opening. He kept looking at the windows, checking if Saga was coming, he didn't do it on purpose, it was just... Stronger than him.

When he finally did see her walking towards the door, he looked away, pretending to be concentrated on something else.

"Great, you're already here!"

"Hey there," Billy stopped scrubbing to look at her. "Happy t'see me, are ya?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time for your flirty thing."

"Flirty thing?" he chuckled.

"Yeah, when you look at me like that, with that charming boyish smile, saying those nice things, and makes me feel hot and bothered."

"Oh, does it now? Didn't know I had that sorta power... So you wanna just get down to business?" he smirked.

"Yes... I mean no! Not as in let's get down to business, more as in I have something to ask you. I need you to keep an eye on someone for me."

"So you wanna hire me as a detective?"

"Not really hire..."

"Free detective work? Y'know, I usually don't keep an eye on someone for nothin'. You're lucky you're so cute, and I'm a fool for those puppy dog eyes. Is it Alfie? Is he wearin' women's clothes again?"

"Oh, I wish! He does look pretty good in dresses... But I need you to keep an eye on my sister. She's coming here on a date later with a businessman, I think. Jason was ready to come down here himself, we practically had to strap him to the couch."

"Maybe he should do it," Billy brought Saga's head up so he could see her eyes. "Show Inca how he feels, stop pretendin' that there isn't anythi..."

"Are you talking about us?"

"No! Absolutely not, I'm a professional and we're talkin' spy business. Would you stop bringin' around to us all the time? I'll have t'tell Thor about this..." he turned around trying to look outraged. "

"You twat!" Saga punched him on the shoulder, making him cackle.

"Is that how you treat all your employees?"

"I'm serious, William Delaney!"

"Alright, Ms. Adolphson, don't worry... So I just spy on Inca and report back t'you?"

"That's right."

"Do we have codenames? Cause I was thinkin' you could be the Swedish Fish and I could be..."

"The Irish wanker?"

"Ouch," he tried to fight a grin. "That is very hurtful."

"Just text me with updates? I wish I could stay and do it myself, but I need to go to that bloody museum."

"Would you like me to intercept if our client is in danger?"

"Of course! That's my sister!"

"So y'want me to put my life on the line for you, then?"

"Yes, why? Are you too scared to do it?" Saga bit her lip and cocked an eyebrow.

"You are an evil little minx, you know I'd do anything for you and you take advantage of me."

"Seriously now, thank you, Billy. I'm a little worried about her."

"No problem, S. Can you stay for a drink?"

"Sorry, I gotta meet Ake... Stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" he giggled.

"With those lips, and those eyes and this adam's apple..."

"Adam's apple?"

"Yeah! You know what you're doing! Stop that, I have to go."

"Alright, see you later?"

"Hopefully, if I don't die of boredom."

——————————————————

As Inca walked into the bar everyone stopped to admire her (except for Alfie and his date, too busy on the quiz machine), Billy couldn't help but think that's where Saga gets it from.

"Inca, you look lovely..."

"Thank you," she sat gracefully by the counter.

"What can I get for ya?"

"Scotch, on the rocks."

"Nice. Are you nervous about your date?"

"Saga has told you already, hasn't she?"

"She might have mentioned..." Billy set a glass in front of her.

"Well, I'm not nervous. I've been on many dates, it's always the same. They invite me to a second date and I'm always saying no."

"But you went on a second date with Jason."

"Yes, but that's because on the first date he was forgetting his wallet, so I paid. We had to have second date, so he could be paying me back."

"I see..."

"We are Europeans, you and I. Foreigners getting mixed up with the English and their scared little hearts... It is pain-making."

"Yeah, but real love is worth the pain, isn't it? Havin' your heart ripped out, it's part of knowin' you're alive," Billy leaned over the counter.

"But you can't live without your heart, Irish."

"You can't live if you keep it to yourself either."

"I'm wanting to show my love..." for the first time Inca was showing a shadow of vulnerability. "Yodel it from the mountains, but it's hard. My sister is having similar problem."

"Is she?" Billy tried not to sound too interested, even though his heart nearly jumped out of his chest.

"She's wanting to show her love as well, but she can't. I should've brought her with me when I was moving here, our dad did a lot of damage to her mind, making her think that she can't follow her heart. I remember when our father told her she was supposed to be dating Ake, she called me crying because she liked some boy from school. I thought dad was only trying to do what was best for her, but now she's stuck with Ake and loving some other boy."

"Loving?"

"That's what she was telling me. You're her friend, you must know too, right?"

"I guess I do..."

During the four interminable hours in the museum, Saga could only think about her sister, and Billy, and Alfie (who apparently was on a date with a gay man, according to a very weird text).

"That was amazing, wasn't it?" Ake smiled as he parked in front of Gemma's house.

"It was... Something."

"Thanks for coming with me. I love you."

"You're welcome. I'll text you later, alright?"

"Alright," he kissed her quickly before she left.

Every single time Saga went on a date with Ake she thought that would be the time, that she'd finally say it, but she always lost the nerve. She hated herself for it, for being such a wussy.

"Hello, you annoying creature," she picked up the phone as she walked through the door.

"Hey there, sister I never asked for," Alfie argued with a laugh.

"Is everything alright with Inca?"

"Yeah, sure, I'm taking her home in a minute. I just called to ask if you know the  name of Sherlock's maid..."

"Sherlock Holmes? You could've texted."

"Well, texting takes longer, do you know?"

"Mrs. Hudson."

"It's B, Mrs. Hudson!" Alfie shouted. "Thanks, see you in a bit."

"See you..." she shook her head as she hung up.

"You alright, Saga?" Jason asked while shoving a spoonful of frosting in his mouth. "You look upset."

"I'm fine," her phone buzzed and she took a look at it. "Oh, Billy messaged me!"

"What did he say?" his face lit up.

"He said that Inca was at the bar, she was very sad."

"She must be missing me."

"He said that the guy got there and he was very good-looking."

"No! I'm going down there..."

"Wait! I'm not done, she turned him away."

"She does love me after all!"

"Seems like it, let's see what else. Billy says... I need to talk to you, I think my feelings-" she stopped reading out loud when she noticed that message was for her only. "Oh!"

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, he said... She's going home, that's all. Jason, do you mind if I go upstairs for a second? I feel like I'm burning up."

Saga ran to the bathroom to read the rest of the message: I need to talk to you, I think my feelings are not going anywhere, anytime soon. I had a talk with Inca and she really opened my eyes, she also gave me some perspective on why you have been so scared to break up with Ake. Please give me some time to talk to you properly after my shift and let's sort things out. I'll support you no matter what, but I need you to know what's in my heart before it eats me alive. I want you more than I've ever wanted anything or anyone, and I know you feel the same, all I ask for is a chance.

Her eyes filled with tears and she felt like the worst person in the world for making a nice guy like Billy go through so much pain, and a nice guy like Ake get stuck in a loveless relationship.

Saga splashed some water on her face and took a few deep breaths with her eyes shut, trying to gather the courage to get a cab to the hotel and let her boyfriend know she's in love with someone else.

"Piss off, Alfie! I'm going through something," she groaned as someone turned the doorknob, but when she opened her eyes, it wasn't Alfie who was there. "Billy..."

Without saying another word, he placed his hand gently on her neck and brought her close. He moved slowly to give her the chance to back off if she wanted, but when their lips met once again, they both felt that wave of electricity. That spark that Saga never truly had with anyone else.

"Ah," Billy sighed as he pulled away to catch his breath. "I've been wantin' to do this for a while..."

"We really need to stop snogging in bathrooms," she refused to let go of him, she never wanted to let go of him again.

"Which would mean be in other places where people could see us? And look at me and think I'm such a lucky bastard cause I'm with the most wonderful girl on this planet?

"Yes," she chuckled.

"Which would mean tellin' people and breakin' up with Ake? Yodel it from the mountains?"

"That just sounds like my sister talking."

"It was."

"Billy, it's complicated..."

"I know, Inca told me a little bit about it, but she also mentioned you said you're in love with me."

"She said that?"

"To her credit, she didn't know I was the boy she was talkin' about," he laughed against Saga's lips. "But yes. And the thing is that I'm in love with you as well. I know Ake can give you blonde nordic babies, but he can't give you curly-haired lanky ones with a cute Irish lilt... I wanna be with you and tell the entire world about it, I wanna make you happy."

"I want that too, Billy, I just don't know how."

"If that's what you really want, I'll give you some time to figure it out, I'll wait for ya."

"Please, that would be perfect, I just need a couple of days to untangle this  mess."

"You got it, but can I get another kiss while I wait?"

"It will be my pleasure."

Their lips crashed again, urgently, eagerly, and their bodies pulled one another closer. They didn't even notice that someone opened the door.

"Wow, okay," Gemma murmured, making Saga scream, pulling away instantly.

"Hey, Mrs. Jones," Billy was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Gemma, this is..."

"I guess I'm gonna use the bathroom downstairs then."

——————————————————

Inca was listening to Jason's voicemail for the millionth time when she heard the doorbell ring, she ran to open the door with a huge smile:

"Saga! Come in, come in..."

"I heard that you didn't go through with the date."

"Yes, I'm still very much in love with Jason. I know it's stupid, but I am."

"He's not a bad guy, we've been watching quite a lot of daytime television  together, he's a nice brother-in-law."

"I'm happy to hear that," Inca brushed her sister's hair with her fingers. "Why are you making this face?"

"What face?"

"This one, the face you made when mamma gave you that Barbie Dreamhouse you wanted so much when you were turning six."

"He kissed me."

"Who? The boy you like?"

"Yes, and it was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. I-I need to see Ake, I need to break up with him."

"You know what? Yes, you do! You are way too young to be getting stuck with someone you don't love. Who is this boy anyway?" Inca dragged Saga by the hand towards the couch.

"It's Billy."

"Billy? The Irish?"

"That's him!"

"Oh my God! So I might have told him you are loving him..."

"I know, and thank God you did. I really needed that, I would never make up my mind if he didn't pin me up against a wall."

"Metaphorically or literally?"

"Both..."

"Oh, you little naughty thing! So, when are you gonna talk to Ake?"

"That's why I came here, I need your help. I have no idea how to do this, so I thought you could coach me on breaking up."

"You came to the right person, I'm pretty much an expert at rejecting men."

Tag List: @elliethesuperfruitlover @firstpersonnarrator @spanishmossmagnolia​ ​@a-ghoulish-tale @seanfalco @salvador-daley​

[astro-rain]

delicate; b.barnes

chapter three - “penny for your thoughts”

delicate masterlist

word count: 1.5k

synopsis: reader runs into a familiar face at the lake near her quarters in wakanda and they get to know each other a bit (kinda meet cute)

pairings: bucky barnes x fem!reader

[A/N]: not my photo

The sunrise in Wakanda was one of the most marvelous things (Y/N) had ever seen. It was truly divine. Magnificent shades of burnt orange and gold bled through the boundless canvas of clouds. The sun, rich and saturated, was the epicenter of these vivacious gradients. It was almost as though Odin himself was painting the sky.

Her windows, encompassing the space of an entire wall, opened her room effortlessly. They led directly to the outskirts of a small lake that perfectly reflected the sunrise. It almost felt like a vacation. Or a dream, whichever came first.

She had slept wonderfully, but woke up early all the same. The beginning of her morning consisted entirely of sitting right outside her room staring at the ascending sun. She supposed she could've stayed there all day as Shuri told her they wouldn't start working until tomorrow; something about settling in and adjusting. Although she thoroughly enjoyed her quiet, warm morning, wasting the whole day cramped up near and inside her room would be a very poor choice.

There's so much here, I might as well enjoy my mini vacation.

She slipped on her shoes, closed the glass door, and made her way to the very lake she was admiring so dearly. She sat at the edge of the lake, letting the smooth sound of the flowing water fill the air around her. It was so quiet, secluded. She was alone; it was lovely. Tranquile even. Being by herself brought a strange sort of comfort, like she was safe and-

"Hello."

She turned around, still sitting. "Oh. Hi Jame- I mean... Bucky."

He smiled, and gave a ghost of a laugh. "Thanks."

"Did you need something? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, it's good. I was just looking around. This place is beautiful."

"Tell me about it," she returned his smile. "I keep thinking like I'm on a vacation or something. It doesn't feel like I'm supposed to work tomorrow."

Bucky nodded his head in agreement. "If I was gonna be... fixed somewhere, I'm glad it's here."

"Yeah, no one's gonna bother us here. Except maybe Shuri when she shows you how much smarter she is than you."

"Kid's a genius," he chuckled. "I've only talked to her a bit and she's smarter than I'll ever be."

At this point he was still standing, his hands clasped politely in front of him. He was just standing next to (Y/N)’s sitting figure. It wasn't a problem until an awkward silence settled over them. She wasn't quite sure what to say.

She wasn't the best with people. She knew exactly how the brain worked and she knew how to analyze behavior, and when it came to her job she knew the right things to say at the right times. But her job has rules; if she's talking with someone, she's treating them. When doing so, there are specific sets of clinical terminology. There were guidelines to follow, scripts to recite. Talking to patients in a work setting was analytical and made sense. Talking to regular people was a bit difficult. There was so much grey area. Bucky was going to be a patient, but right then, in that moment, he was just another person.

"You can sit if you want," she offered, patting the spot next to her. "I feel weird, it seems like I'm making you stand."

He gingerly accepted such an offer. He sat next to her, but not too close. The respectful distance gave her comfort.

We both have our own space.

"Hey, can I say something?" he asked.

"Mhm."

"I just wanted to thank you, ya know, for coming all the way here. Steve told me about the whole situation - you and Sharon and everything. I'm just really grateful. You probably have a whole life of your own back home, but it means a lot that you came here to help out. I know it's not exactly easy."

Heartfelt. If she had to describe it in one word that's what it would be. It almost surprised her.

"Oh you don't have to thank me!" she sounded deflective. "It's my job. I'm just glad we have a chance to provide you with treatment after all the pain you've been through."

Was that too personal?

"I mean, after all this time, I think you're pretty deserving of a reprieve."

"Have you read my file?" he asked, a little quieter than before. He was staring intently at the lake in front of him.

(Y/N) rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, I did."

"Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"That you had to read it. I know it's a lot."

He sounded guilty, like somehow what happened to him was his fault.

"That's alright," she said almost too quickly. "I've gone through plenty of abuse and trauma cases. To be fair, none of them are quite like yours, but I'm not in completely foreign waters here."

"Oh, I don't doubt it. I've heard you're more than highly qualified. It's just a lot of bad stuff."

"I can handle bad stuff," she replied, reassuringly. To her, it sounded more factual than reassuring. Unbeknownst to her, it gave Bucky some sort of comfort. Like he was in good hands.

Another awkward silence settled over them. Her eyes remained on the body of water in front of her; she wasn't sure what to say. Casual conversation was not her forte, and Bucky seemed rather shy himself. She felt responsible for any conversation that should take place, but to be fair, he wasn't talking either.

It was then when she subtly aimed her gaze towards him, getting a thorough impression of his features. He was, in all honesty, quite handsome. Objectively speaking of course. He was sharp features and soft edges at once, if you could consider that possible. And the bluest blue eyes she'd ever seen were luminescent in the direct sunlight. She reminded herself not to stare, and tore her line of vision away from the man next to her.

In lieu of this, she closed her eyes, leaned back on the palms of her hands, and relished in the warmth of the Wakandan sun. This lasted a few moments before she once again realized that not a word had been passed between them. She wondered what he was thinking about.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

"You look pensive."

"'M just thinkin'"

"Well, that much I could tell," she snickered.

He flashed a bashful smile. "I'm just tryin' to grasp the fact that I'm actually here. Y'know, safe. Ready to be helped. It's been a while. I keep having to remind myself that it's real."

Makes sense. He probably thinks that any minute, this seemingly secure safe haven is going to be ripped out from under him. Like it was all a rouze and he'll have to return to pain and anguish.

"It's definitely real...well, last time I checked anyway. But who knows? Maybe we're in an alternate reality and any moment we'll see a woman in a red dress," she joked, trying to lighten his mood and simultaneously referencing The Matrix.

It worked. He laughed; a soft gentle chuckle, but a laugh all the same.

"Woman in a red dress?" he asked through a grin.

"Oh, you probably haven't seen The Matrix, have you?"

His face scrunched up in endearing confusion. "No...?"

She adamantly ignored when the word adorable entered her mind when she saw his expression. "It's a movie, a classic really. You'll have to see it at some point or I'll feel like an idiot for referencing it."

"Oh God," he shook his head, "I haven't seen a movie in... ages."

"I think that's a crime in and of itself. They've gotten infintely better than they were in the forties, I can promise you that."

"I got a lot to catch up on, don't I?"

"Maybe a little. But don't worry about it. I'll make you a list!"

"Man, didn't think I'd have homework," he quipped, a meek attempt at a joke.

It made her smile. There's some personality! She showed some of her own in return.

"Man, I didn't think I'd ever meet someone who doesn't like movies of all things. One of the best things ever created by mankind!"

He laughed and threw his hands up in mock surrender. "I never said that! I don't know if I deserve such slander."

What a wonderful laugh.

"Watch every movie on my list and I'll clear your name," she beamed.

He feigned annoyance. "Fine. You drive a hard bargain, Ms. (Y/L/N)."

"That's Dr. (Y/L/N), actually."

Before he could question whether or not he made a mistake, she continued. "I'm totally messing with you. (Y/N) is more than just fine. Dr. (Y/L/N) sounds too much like someone's pretending that I'm my dad anyway."

"Okay then," he smiled, "(Y/N).”

[stillbandofbrothersthirsty]

Rock Bottom

Joe Liebgott x OC

*Rated T for language and adult themes. (5,471 words)

“Have you guys seen that new girl?” Frank Perconte asked as he squeezed into a small seat along the dining table bench.

“What new girl?” Bill Guarnere asked through a bite of food.

“The new intelligence girl,” Frank said as means of explanation.

“She’s an intelligence officer?” Joe Liebgott asked.

“I heard she was with the OSS before this,” Pat Christensen added.

“I don’t think intelligence officer,” Frank pushed the food around on his plate, “but apparently she speaks like 20 languages.”

“No,” Joe said doubtfully, “no way, that’s so many.”

“Who knows? Once you know one language it’s easier to pick up others,” David Webster said.

Joe shot him an annoyed look.

“I think she’s from the Bronx too, Web.”

“Well hey, there ya go! There’s so many languages going around in the Bronx, she probably picked them up there. It’s so much easier to learn languages when you’re young ya-“

“Where’d you get all this info?” Bill cut David off.

“Luz.” Frank was barely intelligible with his mouth full.

“Hm,” Bill grunted. The information was likely true coming from George Luz, the kid had a way of finding things out.

Their formal introduction to the newest G-2 recruit occurred the next day prior to starting their classroom instruction. The men hadn’t expected the classroom time. They knew the forecast had predicted rain but they didn’t dare to hope Sobel would let them off just because of “a little water”. However, by eleven, the early morning drizzle had grown into a downpour that even Sobel didn’t want to be caught in. He relinquished his company to the instruction of basic compass and map reading.

“Gentleman,” Sobel addressed them dryly, his hands folded behind his back, “before we get started, I would like to introduce you to the newest member of the intelligence general staff.”

The men were gathered in a large tent propped up by recently constructed whitewood. Beside Sobel stood a woman dressed neatly in an army issued pencil skirt, jacket and tie.

“This is Valerie Marchetti, she will be working with the intelligence office as a linguist.”

“Told ya she knew like 20 languages,” Frank whispered to Joe.

“Italian!” Bill nudged Johnny Martin.

“Please make every effort to make her feel welcome,” Sobel finished unenthusiastically, “Alright, let's get started. Radio men, follow Ms. Marchetti.”

“Lucky!” Floyd Talbert clapped George on the shoulder as he stood up. George winked at him with a grin.

“So, what’s she like?” Floyd asked as they headed back to the barracks.

“Aw she’s an angel,” George enthused, “so sweet, and she knows her stuff too!”

“You’d think anyone that pretty was an angel, Luz,” Frank said.

“That,” George said, “is because angels are beautiful.”

But George wasn’t the only one over the moon to have a woman among them. All of the Toccoa men were eager for any chance to ogle Valerie. They were oversexed and grateful to have a beautiful woman in their midst, if only for the hope of earning a smile. Most of the men were limited in their interactions with her seeing as she was part of the intelligence general staff but somehow Bill really got to know her, and by extension, Johnny Martin did too. They became a trio on nights out. Bill jumping from group to group, socializing with all the men while the more mellow Johnny posted up at a table with Valerie.

“Does she actually know 20 languages?” Shifty asked Bill innocently.

“Nah, not actually twenty, but she knows quite a few. She’s damn smart!” Bill said taking a long drink of his beer.

“What languages does she know?” Joe asked.

“Italian, her pa’s Italian. Polish ‘cuz of her ma. Yiddish and I think her German’s okay too,” Bill listed.

Joe nodded thoughtfully, “not bad,” he admitted. “Not gonna be any use to us if we go to Japan though.”

Bill shrugged, “who knows where we’re goin’, they got her here for a reason.”

“Was she posted somewhere else before this?” Moe Alley asked.

“She was a code breaker! Can you believe that? So smart,” Bill shook his head in awe.

“Ya sound like you’re in love there, Bill,” Joe teased.

“God damn right, I love that girl. She’s great!”

Joe chuckled, she was a good looking dame that was for sure. Just his type: curvaceous, dark hair and warm eyes. He admired her just as much as every other guy in the bar. There were plenty of local women around, some of who Joe had gotten to know quite well, but there was something about that army pencil skirt that just did it for Joe.

“She gotta fella?” Joe heard himself asking.

“Why? You interested Joe?” Bill asked.

Joe shrugged, “just curious.”

Bill looked over his shoulder where Valerie sat smiling, her full lips painted a rich red. “I don’t think so, but I’ll tell ya what Joe, she’s not any ol’ dame. She’s a spicy one that’s for sure. She’ll tell you what’s what.”

Yeah, Joe found that out for himself the first time he experienced classroom instruction with Valerie Marchetti.

“Well, actually we’d actually refer to this group as the Allgemeine SS,” Valerie said.

“Deutsche Ausrüstungswerke is German Equipment factories so I don’t-“ Joe defended.

“Well yes, but it’s important to know that this is an armaments division under the SS, Allgemeine SS.”  
“Are you sure? You said yourself you aren’t fluent in German, are you sure you’re translating-“

“Yes. I don’t speak fluent German but I know these terms and I know the organization of the SS. You would do well to listen to me, I know what I’m talking about.” Valerie snapped.

“Okay, calm down,” Joe threw his hands up.

Valerie sniffed at his gaslighting before spinning on her heel and walking away. After that it was game over, nothing about her was attractive to Joe any longer; not her silky, dark curls, not her full red lips, not the way the dark lines on her hose travelled seductively up her leg. He decided she was more trouble than she was worth.

A cheer rose up from the dart boards that Friday night where Bill, Johnny, and Bull were playing darts with Valerie. She was wearing trousers that night, which Joe found rather flattering. But he caught himself as his gaze travelled down from her waist, and quickly looked away.

“Okay, if I make this last one, drinks are on me.” Valerie bit her lip in concentration.

“Well now I kinda want you to win,” Bill said jovially.

“Ah!” The men around her cheered again as the dart hit another bullseye.

“Damn, how do you do it?” asked Don Malarkey in awe.

Valeria smiled coyly and shrugged. “Who needs a drink?” she asked to the men gathered.

“Nah, you can’t possibly cover all the drinks here,” Bill held up his hand in protest, a cigarette burning between his fingers.

“Don’t worry about it Bill, I pretty much owe everyone in here a drink anyways after the way they all tripped over themselves to buy me a drink when I first got here.”

The men sung her praises all the way up to the bar where Valerie instructed the tender to pour everyone in proximity a beer and to put it on her tab. She had come up right where Joe had been standing with Moe. Valerie glanced down at his nearly empty glass, “you need a beer Joe?” she asked.

“No thanks, still workin’ on this one.” Joe held up his glass.

“James?” Valerie asked Moe. He nodded appreciatively and accepted the drink even though his original glass held more than Joes.

“You sure Joe?” Valerie asked in a sing song voice. It grated on Joe’s nerves.

“I’m good, thank you though Valerie.” His dark eyes met hers. The piercing darkness of them sent a shiver down her spine and she abruptly looked away, blushing.

Joe was walking back from the latrine later that night when he heard some voices out in the dark, in the direction of HQ. The tone of the two male voices that carried on the air made Joe stand to alert. The speakers weren’t too loud, but there was a forcefulness to them. Then the voice of an agitated female broke through. A coldness rushed into Joe blood. He rushed towards the noise. He came upon two F company men who were walking on either side of Valerie. They were walking fast, the pace clearly set by Valerie who sped forward. The men kept in step with with her all while trying to box her in between their bodies.

“Hey!” Joe snapped, stopping them in their course, “what the hell is going on here?”

Joe looked at Valerie, a chilling look in her eyes: fear.

The men hardly seemed bothered by Joe’s presence. “We’re just making sure this young lady gets back to her quarters safely,” one said.

“Are you?” Joe asked, “do you even know her?”

“Sure we do,” the other said arrogantly, “mind your business pal.”

“Val, you know these guys?” Joe asked. Even with adrenaline coursing through his body he winced internally at his use of her nickname. He wasn’t familiar with her like that, why did he call her Val in that moment?

“Don’t worry about it Joe, I can take care of myself,” she said firmly, “I’m just right here,” she turned towards the main HQ building where she was posted up with the other few females. The men made to follow her into the darkness. Although it was only yards away, there were too many spots of darkness for Joe to feel comfortable letting those men follow her all the way up to her doorstep. Joe stepped in front of them, giving Valerie the time and space to disappear into the fold of the night.

“What’s your problem man?” one of the men snarled.

“It’s late, you’re just gonna have to accept you struck out tonight,” Joe sneered back.

The other man, who was significantly larger than Joe, took a menacing step forward. “She your girl or something?” he asked with narrow eyes.

“She’s no ones girl,” Joe said, and he turned away to head back to his barracks.

“Hey, you should’ve stayed out of it, guy.” Then Joe felt a hand on his collar spin him around before a fist made contact with his eye.

“Do you know what guys from F company?” Edward Tipper asked as he took in the blue and blackness that was beginning to come out around Joe’s eye socket.

Joe shrugged into his breakfast, “whatever, I’m not worried about it.”

“Those bastards,” Moe said, “we oughta give them what they deserve.”

“I said I’m not worried about it,” Joe said, “will you drop it?” His friends reluctantly sat back.

It was then Joe noticed Valerie standing a few feet away, a breakfast tray clutched in her hands. She was staring mournfully at the injuries he incurred. As soon as his eyes met hers she quickly walked to the table where Johnny sat, taking a place beside him and disappearing behind the figures of the Easy Company men she loved. Not Joe, he was not part of that group.

“Joe,” Valerie came up behind him as he was bussing his tray. He turned around to face her. Bags hung under her eyes but her signature red lipstick was applied flawlessly.

“Yeah?” he asked impassively.

“Um, I..” she hesitated, taking in his appearance. His jacket was unbuttoned, revealing his PT shirt. His dog tags hung heavy around his lean neck. His cheek bones were sharp, the top of the left one was split just slightly below where the blueness had spread to fill his entire eye socket. Valerie winced looking at him.

“I just want to say I appreciate you checking in on me last night,” Valerie began.

“Don’t mention,” Joe flicked his hand dismissively and began to walk away.

“But you didn’t need to, I feel bad, you’re eye, I would’ve been fine-“

Joe looked at her like she was crazy, “Valerie I saw how you looked last night, you knew it wasn’t goin’ in a good direction.”

“I was almost back to my quarters, I would’ve been fine,” she insisted.

Joe let out a sharp laugh, “why were you alone anyway? Walking in the dark?”

“It’s none of your business,” Valerie said.

“Wow, this is a hell of a thank you, Val,” Joe winced. Damn it, why did he keep using that nickname?

Valerie wrinkled her own nose in discomfort, “well thank you, but next time I got myself.”

“Valerie I wasn’t going to just leave you there!”

“You don’t need to worry about me! I can take care of myself,” she doubled down.

“God damn it, would you get over yourself?” Joe snapped. Valerie reeled back in momentary shock.

“Get over myself?”

“Those guys were trouble! We both know it!”

“Get over myself? What do you mean? You don’t trust me-“

“I don’t even know you, I would’ve done the same for any girl-“ 
“So because I’m a girl you don’t trust me to take care of myself?”

“It was two against one.” 
“I’m a soldier same as you and you were prepared to take them on-“

“Don’t be ignorant, it’s diff-“

“Ignorant? Who’s calling who ignorant?”

“See, you just think you’re so much better than every-“

“I have to be better than everyone! I have to work twice as hard as everyone here!”

“In your cozy little intelligence office? Yeah, sure, try doing the stuff we have to do.”

“I have to train too! I’m strong!”
 “But not strong enough to-“

“I am strong enough!”

“Look what those bastards did to me, you don’t think they would’ve done the same to you?”

“Well, maybe not, because like you said I’m just a girl.”

“Yeah well let me tell you that’s exactly why they could’ve done worse.”

“Do you just assume the worst of your compatriots?”
 “Do you not? How dumb are you? I thought you were from the city!”

“You know what, just stay out of it next time Liebgott. I don’t want you getting injured on my behalf.” Valerie stormed away angrily.

“You’re welcome!”Joe shouted after her defiantly. “God damn it,” he cursed under his breath. He kicked a trash bin nearly kicking it over, “fuck this.”

Joe was still heated later that night when he finally retired to the barracks.

“Tough day, Joe?” Bull asked. A cigar hung from his mouth as he unlaced his boots.

“Little bit,” Joe eased down on his bed. His face throbbed where he had been hit. Bull looked up at him thoughtfully, “everything alright now?” he asked cryptically.

“All good, Bull,” Joe lay back on his cot exhaling.

“Not all good,” John Martin was suddenly standing over him, “you were fighting with Valerie?”

“Not really, it’s fine,” Joe draped an arm over his eyes, trying to block out the little light that filled their canvas living quarters.

“It better be, I heard you two shouting at each other earlier. What’d you do to deserve that?”

Joe sat up, “I didn’t do anything!”

John crossed his arms and eyed Joe suspiciously, “well, if she’s after you you probably deserve it.” He stalked off and Joe fell back onto his bed.

“She’s a tough one that Valerie,” Bull said.

“So I’ve heard,” Joe muttered.

“No shit from nobody,” Bull continued.

“You gotta point, Bull?” Joe snapped glaring at the guy in the bunk next to him.

Bull chewed on his cigar, carefully considering what he was going to say next, “it was good of you to look out for her. You did the right thing, Joe.”

Joe hadn’t expected that. He nodded at Bull then rolled over in his bunk. He didn’t know how much Bull knew, or what exactly he had heard through the grapevine, but Bull’s words meant more than he thought the would. Finally a little acknowledgment for preventing the crime he had seen coming. No matter how tough she was, there’s no stopping that when two men decide they’re going to do it.

Joe slid his arm under his pillow, trying to get comfortable. That’s when his hand grazed something hard and rectangular. From underneath his pillow he pulled out a chocolate bar. Wrapped around it, fastened with twine, was a note. In neat cursive were the words: You were right. Thank you for your help.

Joe couldn’t help but smile a little bit. Who the fuck was this woman.

She was a goddamn rule following narc when she wanted to be, that’s who she was. Joe and Moe may or may not have snuck out of the base one Tuesday night and gotten pissed at a nearby bar. They were too drunk to be cautious when they stumbled back onto base, their arms around each other, singing.

Valerie was walking along the well lit path to the women’s latrine when she ran into them.

“What are you guys doing?” she hissed confronting them.

“Hello sweetheart,” Moe slurred with a grin.

“Valerie!” Joe said enthusiastically, “wow thank you for the Hershey bar.”

Valerie flushed bright red, “you guys are being so loud! You’re going to get in trouble.” She looked them up and down, “how drunk are you?”
 “Not drunk at all,” Moe shook his head.

Valerie wrinkled her nose, “sure smells like you are.”

“That’s rude Valerie,” Joe said jokingly.

“Yeah well you guys are going to get all of Easy in trouble tomorrow if you show up hungover.”

“We’ll be fine!” Moe waved his hand, “don’t worry about us, doll.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Valerie said sharply, “its the rest of the company you’re screwin’ over. Goodnight!” she walked off shaking her head.

“What a bitch,” Moe said off-handedly.

“She’s not a bitch,” Joe immediately snapped.

Moe swayed in place, grinning stupidly at his friend. “Whoa there, you’re not in love with her now too are you?”

Joe rolled his eyes and the men stumbled back to their barracks, now a little quieter.

He would never admit it after the way Valerie had confronted them, but waking up the next day was rough. Joe was determined to keep it together just to spite Valerie. He had muscled through the morning and was hoping for a moment of respite at lunch. But to his great misfortune, tuna casserole was being served. Joe’s stomach churned as he looked down into his plate. He was hungry but he was sure that the final remains of alcohol digesting inside of him would not be happy to share his stomach with this meal.

As he contemplated whether to eat or not, Joe felt eyes on him. He looked up to see Valerie’s sympathetic face from across the mess hall. She smiled at him tenderly at him and he immediately felt pathetic in her eyes. A irrational sense of anger flared up in him and he stabbed at the casserole with his fork. He brought a first big bite into his mouth all while maintaining eye contact with Valerie. The sympathetic smile dropped from her face as she watched his performance. She narrowed her eyes, her lip curling in disgust at his juvenile defiance.

After the meal ended she came up to him, her tray as empty as his was.

“Feeling alright, Joe?” she asked as sweet as syrup.

Perspiration was beginning to form on his forehead. He was not feeling alright, in fact he felt rather clammy. Moe had done the wise thing and only eaten his buttered bread. Joe was seriously regretting not doing the same.

“Feelin’ great, how’re you feeling, Valerie?” he asked obstinately.

“I’m feeling great too,” she said smugly, because she was, and he clearly was not even if he wasn’t admitting it. “Enjoy the rest of the day!” She sashayed off.

Luckily, the mess hall was mostly empty because as soon as she was out of sight, Joe dived for a nearby trashcan and regurgitated the lunch he had just consumed.

“Better out than in,” Moe said as means of comfort, looking equally washed up.

By the end of the week Joe was ready to go out again. Just as it happens to all young men, the short term memory of how he felt after a night of binge drinking had left him by that Saturday night. Having secured and successfully retained their weekend passes, Joe and his friends bought tickets to the dance that Saturday evening.

The majority of Easy Company had the same idea and they, along with the other companies of the 101st airborne, filled the local dance hall. Joe was having a pretty good time. Beer was flowing, the band was hopping, and there was an endless supply of beautiful women to dance with. Joe was taking a break from the dance floor when he spotted Valerie spinning across the room in the arms of a dark haired gentleman from another company.

“Look at her,” Edward said appreciatively from next to Joe.

“Who?” Joe asked, pretending not to know who his friend was referring to.

“I know you don’t like her much, but Valerie, she is a looker,” Edward whistled.

Joe scowled but allowed himself a moment to check Valerie out. She wore a slightly-outdated red belted dress. Little white flowers peppered the fabric from the hem to the shoulders where the cinched neckline generously revealed her delicate collarbones.

Joe cleared his throat, “yeah, but there’s lots of good lookin’ broads around tonight.”

Edward just shrugged and downed the rest of his beer before setting out for the dance floor again. Joe did his best to avoid Valerie. He distracted himself with drinks, jokes, and other beautiful women. Despite his best efforts Joe still found himself looking across the low lit dance floor directly into Valerie’s eyes when a version of Mood Indigo came on.

It wasn’t Valerie in his arms, it was another woman. A woman he hadn’t known long enough to truly enjoy the moody slow dance with. Valerie was in the arms of the same guy she’d been with all night and she did look like she was enjoying the dance. Joe realized she was enjoying it a lot more than he wanted her to be.

The glance they had shared had been brief, she had broken it off quickly to nestle her cheek against her fellas shoulder. But that short moment had stirred something in Joe. In the dark golden light of the numerous high-hanging light bulbs Valerie’s eyes had looked like melted amber. The shadows that flickered across the hall softened her face, giving it an ethereal look. She was breathtaking and Joe wanted to be the one with his arm around her waist. He wanted to be the one she leaned her cheek against. He felt an overwhelming unreasonable hatred for this random man he didn’t know simply because he was the one who held Valerie so close.

Once the song ended, Joe politely bid goodbye to his partner and made a beeline for Valerie. She stood talking to her partner and a few other guys Joe didn’t recognize. He approached their group stiffly, his hands in his pockets. Everyone looked surprised at his arrival, especially Valerie, who was obligated to introduce him considering she was the only one who really knew him.

After a quick nod to the group Joe said, “Valerie can I talk to you?” Valerie’s brow furrowed in confusion but she politely excused herself. Joe lead her to an unoccupied side of the room near the door.

“Is something wrong?” Valerie asked, a fresh glass of champagne clutched in her perfectly manicured hands. Joe had no clue as to what he had wanted to say to her or what exactly he wanted from her. His goal had simply been to remove her from that man’s presence. In all honesty, he had no plan because he was confused on how exactly he considered her; was she a friend? An enemy? Or just another beautiful woman?

“Well, I just wanted to give you the option to dance with me,” he hesitated, watching her face for a reaction, “or one of the other Easy guys,” he added.

“Um, I’m alright, thank you, I’ve been happy dancing with-“ she gestured back at her partner.

“That guy? Psh,” Joe said dismissively, “guys a cement mixer, don’t you wanna dance with someone good?”

Red rose up in Valerie’s cheeks, “who? Like you?” she asked.

Joe shrugged, “anyone’s better than that fool.”

“You don’t even know him, Joe.”

Fair point, Joe thought, but he didn’t like the guy. “I can tell he’s a dip, just look at him!” Joe laughed.

“This is a really terrible way of asking me to dance with you!”

“Hey, I’m doin’ you a favor.”

“Me a favor? Could you be more full of yourself?”

“Me full of myself? What about you little miss perfect. I’m not the one walking around acting like you know everything.”

“I know more than you!” “See there you go, why do you gotta go around putting people down?”

“No one seems to have a problem with me except you!” Valerie shot back.

“Take it outside lovebirds,” an intoxicated private said as he passed them.

His interruption killed the argument between them. Instead they just stood glaring at each other, dark brown eyes meeting golden ones. 



Finally, Joe said, “come on, let’s dance.”

“You wish!” Valerie stomped on his foot.

Joe swallowed his curse, “fuck,” he said in a strangled a voice. Valerie turned to stalk away but Joe grabbed her elbow.

“Get off of me,” she hissed, trying her best not to make more of a scene than they already had.

“Come on.” Joe pulled her out the nearest door, throwing them both into the cool Georgian night. Now engulfed by darkness they were really free to fight it out.

“What the fuck was that for?” he demanded.

“Who do you think you are?” she shot back. “Interrupting my evening for what? Just to invite me on a pity dance? I don’t need your pity, I was enjoying myself quite a bit tonight until you started all this!” She threw her hands up in frustration. Some of the champagne from the glass still in her hand spilled over the side, onto her hand. “Ugh,” she exclaimed. She wiped her hand angrily on her dress.

Jealousy stabbed through Joe’s chest at her words. She had been enjoying herself with that guy. “What’s so special about that guy anyways? Didn’t you just meet him tonight?” he sneered.

Valerie opened her mouth to speak, then stopped. She closed it, examining him. A devilish smirk crossed her face, “oh is this what it’s about Joe? You jealous?”



Yes. “No!” he said, “I just don’t know why you’re all moony over this guy. This is a social, not something you bring a date to.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Don’t believe me about what? This isn’t a place for dates? Not usually-”

“That you’re not jealous! What’s your problem Joe? If you’re interested in me just be a man and tell me.”

“Typical, you thinking that everyone has got to be in love with you.”

“Then tell me why you’re being so rude tonight! Either you’re jealous or you hate me.” Was there a third option? Because Joe felt like he was somewhere in between. He definitely didn’t like Valerie. She got under his skin like no one else. At the same time, there was a magnetism about her that kept drawing him in. Those eyes, those lips, even that temper. He wanted to grab her and kiss her just to shut her up.

“And if you hated me you wouldn’t be bothering with all this!” 
Joe was barely even listening to her at this point.

He could feel his blood pumping; the adrenaline and anger mixing together to create a roar in ears that made it impossible to comprehend everything she was saying. He knew he was going to do it even as he counseled himself against it. He surprised himself with his sudden movement; he snatched her waist and pulled her into a hard kiss.

Immediately, she pushed him away. “What the hell!” she threw the remainder of her champagne in his face. Cooly, Joe wiped the liquid off his face with the sleeve.

“You told me to tell you!”

“Not like that!”

He stood glaring at her. She glared back, her now empty glass hanging pointlessly from her hand. There was nothing but silence between them, and the chirp of insects in the night sky. The faint sounds from the festivities inside filtered out but Joe and Valerie were completely in their own world, in a standoff.

Then suddenly, mutually, something shifted between them. Flaring rage turned to lust. Simultaneously they lunged for each other. Joe wrapped one arm around her waist, the other hungrily snaking up her thigh. Valerie’s fingers twisted in his hair, tugging at the thick, dark tendrils. He bit down on her lip as she pulled on his hair. Their kisses were messy and hungry; all the pent up anger and tension that had built up between them expressed in an intimate power struggle as they moved to devour each other.

“You drive me crazy,” Joe pulled away for breath.

Her lipstick was completely gone, its last traces staining her swollen mouth red. “I can’t stand you,” she retorted. He kissed her again, tangling her hand in her hair. Their pace slowed from the previous feverish speed to something more sensual without losing its fervor. Joe had her pressed against the building wall. His hands cupped her her jaw and slid down her throat. His mind was muddled with his detestation for this woman and the aching physical desire that was taking over him. She must have felt similarly as one hand pushed against his pelvis, as if warding him off, while the other dug fingernails into the nape of neck, forcing him in closer.

Once again they surfaced for air, this time taking time to really look at each other. The sound of their panting filled the space around them as her eyes searched his for some explanation.

“What’re we doing, Joe?” her voice was oddly vulnerable. Joe traced her jaw with a calloused thumb.

“I don’t know.” He pushed away from her and ran a hand through his tousled hair. Cold air entered the space where their bodies were previously connected. It sent a shiver through Valerie. “I don’t know,” Joe repeated.

He stepped back even further into the dark, his hand on his hips. He kicked a rock on the ground.

“You don’t like me,” Valerie said with the slight intonation of a question. Joe sucked his teeth. “And,” she continued slowly, “I don’t know if I like you.”

“I don’t know how I feel about you,” Joe said.

Valerie crossed her arms, her eyes bore into him. She was waiting for him to say something else, to offer a but. But it never came.

After a few unbearable minutes of silence she finally said, “I’m going back inside, Joe.” The patch of darkness he stood in was filled with a momentary field of light as she opened the door. Then, she was gone and Joe was alone in the darkness.

Joe did his best to avoid Valerie after that, but he felt her golden eyes on him in the mess hall. He wanted to provide her with answers, to tell her how he was feeling, but he didn’t know. He told himself there was a nothing to like about her - she was a pretentious kiss ass who seemed to have every guy wrapped around her finger. But he saw through her - he wasn’t going to fall for her like everyone else had.

Yet, she consumed his thoughts. All the pieces of love and hate swirled in his mind as he desperately tried to conceive a clear way to explain how he was feeling. He didn’t like her, but he might be falling in love with her. But even if he had realized this sooner, it still came too late.

In a matter of weeks she was stepping out with the dark haired guy she had hit it off with that night. He was a boring, strait laced guy, or at least that’s what Joe had gathered from Bill. The guys dullness was obvious. From what Joe witnessed, there was no fire between them. Not that it was his place to care, he reminded himself. Every time Joe saw them together he avoided her gaze. He knew he would see that look that was begging him to step in, to step up and interrupt this course she was on. But, as long as she was with this guy Joe had an excuse not to love her.

[wintersky94]

Revolutionary Girl Utena: After The Revolution By Chiho Saito (Review) Part 1. (⚠SPOILERS!!)

.Okay so back in 2018, I had ordered the original Japanese manga and held it for a while until the Viz English version came out last October 2020. I gotta say, Ms. Saito's artstyle has evolved over the years and I fell in love with her work even more! Okay, don't read this review for those who haven't read this manga if you don't like spoilers.

Okay, let's get started.

"After the Revolution" consists of three short stories that give us an update on the Student Council members who are now Ohtori Academy Alumni. We can tell that these stories pick up after the anime. The first one focuses on Touga and Saionji, the second one focuses on Juri, and the third one on Miki and Kozue. The similarities are them all encountering the disturbing memories of Ohtori Academy (i.e., Akio's Paintings, The sword of Dios, and Anthy's abuse at the hands of her own brother) and uncovering secrets they are trying to find their own Revolutions. In this book, Utena's the new Dios, now! It was nice she got to keep her boyshorts uniform with the princely epaulets, but I would've liked it better if she had an outfit that was similar to Dios' just like in her final confrontation with Akio. That kind of outfit would have made Utena more princely and fully bloomed (matured).

I. After The Revolution- There's an auction taking place and everybody is bidding on a Picasso nude painting. Among those bidders, we see Touga and Saionji outbidding each other...on telephones! Not gonna lie, I didn't know that's actually something you could do at an auction. I've gotta research some more.

So Touga wins the auction and the painting belongs to him. After the auction, Touga and Saionji cut eyes at each other for the first time in years, and Touga, being the playboy that he's always been, has a new gal on his sleeve. Touga recognizes Saionji but he seemingly doesn't remember him. Saionji tells him that he's a Galleriste hired by a client to do a job and Touga said he was also doing the same. This could mean that these two either own an art gallery or operate at an art gallery. Saionji points out that Touga has always been flirting with different women to which Touga responds that the woman he's with doesn't understand Japanese. The unnamed lady took offense to that and insisted that she did understand Japanese. Saionji expresses his displeasure at Touga as they part ways. Boys will be boys, they always say. Geez, Touga would be better off being a Gigolo than a Galleriste. Maybe he is a Gigolo, this art thing must be his side job. I mean look at him, he has the looks, the charm, anything that a girl would want in a man. So why not have Touga be a Gigolo?

NOTE: (*Did I forget to mention that Chiho Saito had a manga called "Gigolo"? Think of it as "Two Broke Girls" but with guys. It's about these two broke rich guys that are desperate to get back into the game by looking for more rich women. I sure can't wait for more of her work, besides Utena, to get serialized. It's like she's received the same treatment as Naoko Takeuchi. They both have a manga that became a worldwide phenomenon while their other works get overshadowed by the most popular manga they've ever created. Which is a shame, really. Oh well, can't win 'em all, I guess. Enough of my rambling. Let's get with the program!*)

Now Touga is in the middle of a business call with a client. Ya' know, just doing some galleriste stuff and then he receives some daily mail but the envelope that stood out the most was the one with the rose seal. Sound familiar? He opens it to reveal a cryptic letter that said: "You who seek the Revolution, Return to the academy". Okay, so imagine being an adult years after you've graduated (escaped) from Ohtori Academy only to find out that you have to go back to that twisted world full of messed-up fairy tales and people getting manipulated by a rich handsome chairman whom everyone looked up to as an ideal prince when he's really the Prince of Darkness, The End of The World. What would you do? You mean to tell me that I have to go back to that crime scene of a school, after being taken advantage of mentally, physically, and sexually by "The End of The World"?? By the looks of this, I could already tell that Touga has forgotten about the shady biz behind the ritzy, glitzy school and the duels that took place. To be honest with you, this would've been called "Surviving Ohtori Academy". If I was one of these main characters, let alone a female main character, this would reopen old wounds with me.

Anyways, Touga goes to revisit his old Alma Mater, the now-defunct Ohtori Private Academy. He saw a bunch of auditors wheeling out boxes of rare items to possibly sell them or something. He couldn't go through the entrance of the academy so he took the other way in. Touga runs into Saionji yet again as they had both received the same letter. So the Student Council "Frienemies" began the search for the Revolution that the letter mentioned. Touga mentioned that The Revolution was a painting that belonged to Akio Ohtori, the former chairman who was also a famous artist. Twenty years after the chairman had killed himself, the value of his work had increased. He even explained that a painting of the chairman's younger sister, Anthy, was sold to a winner at an auction but the painting disappeared before the winner could collect it. Oooh, scary! So Touga finds a portrait of the chairman and his sister, then they get a surprise visit by none other than the man himself, Akio Ohtori! (*cue Phantom of the Opera theme song*)

The dead chairman appeared before them in all his ghostly wickedness with the Akio car behind him. He asks them, as a favor, to keep his painting, The Revolution safe because he didn't want anybody to have it. Akio didn't disclose the location of the painting but he said that if Touga and Saionji did what he asked, then they can have his whole art collection. Then he showed them a will he wrote years ago before he died. When Touga asked who wanted the Revolution, Akio tried to tell them but a sword flew right through him. Was Akio trying to say it was the Rose Bride that wanted the painting? Maybe, maybe not. So Akio's spirit disappears and Saionji and Touga were trying to figure out where that sword came from and next thing you know, a storm came and knocked them into a flashback memory of the day they lost their families as little kids. Touga wakes up in a hospital and sees Saionji crying and saying everybody was dead. Touga wanted to know where his sister was so he gets out of bed to go look for her. Touga calls out for his sister, Nanami while they look around the hospital. Then they see a trail of rose petals that lead to a door and find a room with three coffins. A little girl, none other than Utena, was inside one of those coffins mourning her parents. Touga notices the Rose seal on her finger which Utena reminded herself that she can't die yet because she saw a girl (Anthy) that literally has the world on her shoulders. She declared that she's going to become a prince and save her and revolutionize the world. Saionji tells Touga that the castle was falling on them.

The two awaken back in the present and realized they both had the same dream about Utena. Then Touga gets a call from an artist named "Rime" much to Saionji's disgust. "Rime" called to tell Touga he's finished with his piece and Touga arranged to see it in person. Saionji is against it saying that "Rime" has a criminal history of pedophilia, kidnapping, and sexual abuse! That's gross!! 🤢🤢🤢Touga, of course, disagrees and says it's in the past, and Saionji counters that "Rime" has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and he changed his identity and ran an art school to collect more children. Despite showing him evidence, Touga still believed that we should separate the art from the artist, which is pretty tough to do given the circumstances that someone we look up to turns out to be a terrible person underneath.

(It has been an ongoing debate over the years, it's become the new "chicken or the egg". What do you think, ladies and gents? Is it possible to separate the Art from the Artist?)

Saionji is a bit perturbed with Touga supporting someone like that and pulled a sword on him saying he doesn't deserve The Revolution. They clash swords causing the all too familiar dueling arena to appear and they are wearing their dueling uniforms. This began to ring some bells with the frienemies and they duke it out some more. Then all of a sudden, the bells were tolling and rose petals began to shower them. The castle appears once more and a familiar pink-haired girl appeared before them. It was none other than Utena Tenjou in all her princely goodness! The way she descended from the sky was almost similar to Dios when he came to her. It turned out that she was the one who sent them that letter. She gives Touga a rose ring and uttered yet another cryptic message, "The power to revolutionize the world".

Once again, Touga and Saionji woke up and realize that Utena was the same little girl they saw in their previous dream. Touga gets a little teary-eyed at the fact that Utena had fulfilled her goal to become a prince. He tries to hide it from Saionji, though. Thanks to the rose ring that Utena gave Touga, they begin to put two and two together and use the Sword of Dios that was lodged in the wall as a key to Akio's Sex Dungeon-I mean Secret Chambers. There, they finally get a good glimpse of The Revolution, which is a framed painting of Anthy naked in a bed of roses. (Oh No... *has Adolescence of Utena flashback*) Then, Akio's spirit rematerializes for the last time to take back his precious Revolution. And this time, he's armed. He aimed his sword at Touga but Saionji took the hit for him. As Akio prepares to do away with the two, Touga slips the Rose ring that Utena gave him and prays to Prince Utena for the strength to revolutionize the world. He picked up the Sword of Dios and, with his newfound strength, knocks Akio's rose off, and the wicked spirit of Akio Ohtori was no more. Touga checks on Saionji to see if he's okay and begins to help him up. Touga's ring was gleaming and they notice that the ring was reacting to the painting. The painting of The Revolution had changed from naked Anthy to Anthy and Utena together. Then the painting disappeared. As they leave Ohtori, Touga believes that the reason they were chosen was that she needed help in rescuing Anthy from her brother and escape his world and that was the meaning of having the power to revolutionize the world.

Well, that's the end of this review of the first short story of "Revolutionary Girl Utena: After The Revolution"! Whew, what a ride that was. We have Touga and Saionji, two former student council members with an interesting taste in art, Prince Utena, who is the new Dios working her way up to save Anthy, and we got Akio Ohtori, the dead chairman (or genius loci) that haunts Ohtori Private Academy trying to hold on to what little power hs has left while guarding his painting of his NAKED SISTER!! This lead me to believe that sometime before his death, he painted her while she was drugged or that's what he thought (The Adolescence of Utena). That picture made me uncomfy, like "I-touched-wet-food-in-the-sink" kind of uncomfy. Though, I liked that Touga channeled his inner Ghostbuster and sent Akio on his way. But why was he crying after seeing Utena as a prince? Anyways, Part 2 will come up if I feel up to it.

~Until Next Time, My Friends! 💖☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

[dcbicki]

holding my breath for you (crowd my grave)

A Rick/Harley fix-it fic • Chapter 1/?

To say he’s surprised to see Harley Quinn standing in the doorway of his shabby, middle-of-nowhere motel, in shredded jean shorts and heart-rimmed sunglasses, would be a serious fucking understatement. And it’s not because it’s one o’clock in the morning and the sun went down hours ago.

“How the hell did you find me?”

She shrugs, picking at a long thread on her jacket, “I know people.”

Rating: T/M • Characters: Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, and mentions of others • Read on AO3 or below the cut

“I think I just walked in on someone screwin’ a goat.”

To say he’s surprised to see Harley Quinn standing in the doorway of his shabby, middle-of-nowhere motel, in shredded jean shorts and heart-rimmed sunglasses, would be a serious fucking understatement. And it’s definitely not because it’s one o’clock in the goddamn morning and the sun went down hours ago.

“How the hell did you find me?”

The blonde shrugs, picking at a long thread on her jacket. “I know people.”

“Better people than mine, apparently,” Rick rasps, and he runs a hand through damp hair. Thankfully he’d managed to trade in the towel for sweatpants before she’d started pounding on the door. “So much for flying under Waller’s radar.”

“Nah, you’re good,” Harley says, and the sunglasses slide down the bridge of her nose when she dips her head to shoot him a devilish look, single brow raising, “I promise she don’t know I’m here.” Suddenly there’s a hand in his face and she’s wiggling her right pinkie finger as if that'll prove anything.

She taps one foot against the carpeted floor then, toe of her boot crossing the threshold, and Rick has decided she reminds him of a vampire; one covered in sparkles and tattoos with a pink, fluffy duffle-bag dangling from her fingertips, but a bloodsucker all the same. “Ya gonna invite a girl in or what?”

“You plan on telling me what you’re doin’ here first?” he asks, but then he’s moving out of the way so she can duck under his arm and enter. Harley breezes past him, tossing her bag somewhere across the room, and she plops herself down into the old, worn leather seat by the television. There’s some Spanish soap opera playing to itself on the screen.

“Mi casa es su casa… and all that.” Flag grumbles, pulling the door to a close behind her—but not before shooting a quick look out over her shoulder towards the parking lot. He locks it, then turns and presses his back up against it, hands on his hips.

“You can stop looking so constipated, Flag, I told ‘ya. I’m off the grid myself these days.” She taps the side of her neck twice. “The old dragon lady ain’t coming for either of us.”

“Right.” A nod, then, “Dubois told me about that.” The deal. The squad forcing Waller to meet them halfway and offer freedom in exchange for silence.

(He hadn’t exactly been shocked to find out Dubois was still in possession of the drive. It was a smart move; not the best one, or the right one, and it was a far cry from the one Rick had fucking died trying to pull, but not everybody lived by a code of honor. He couldn’t blame the rest of the team for following suit.)

“Milton knew?! He knew where you were this whole time and didn’t tell me? That mother fucka!” She grits her teeth, nails strumming atop the television cabinet.

(He doesn’t ask about Milton. It’d probably be a long, convoluted story and he’s not exactly in the mood for one of Harley Quinn and her gift of gab. Not that he has much of a choice right now...)

“Now you wanna tell me what you’re doin’ here?”

Ignoring him, Harley takes in her surroundings, chewed-end of her plastic sunglasses between her teeth as she eyes the dingy room. It’s cramped for sure, dull magnolia paint is chipping off the walls, and there’s a queen-sized bed with crumpled up grey sheets and three flat pillows, a sign of recent use. Odd number, Harley notes. Would four kill them?

The little washroom is beside the dresser, and there’s a towel hanging from the bathroom doorknob, wet footprints still clear on the tiled floor. It’s only then that she looks up and realizes he’s shirtless. Oh.

“This place got food? I could so do with a burrito right about now.”

(A place this rundown probably doesn’t even have a cleaning crew, much less any other kind of service. Although, there was half a pack of mints beside the sink when Rick first rented the room so does that count?)

(He’s not ashamed to say he finished them off.)

“I got whiskey and half an eggroll, that do ‘ya?” Rick quips, and there’s a smirk starting on his lips.

He’s still waiting for an explanation as to why the hell she’s here, how the hell she’s here, and what the fuck she thinks she’s doing by checking up on him in the first place. He’s supposed to be laying low—supposed to be dead—and she’s supposed to be free. Or at least as free as someone like her can get, which probably isn’t very free at all.

But there’s something off about her whole demeanor, something decidedly un-Harley, and the man can’t help but feel like he’s just waiting for something. Whether it’s one of Waller’s goons bursting through the door, or Harley herself finishing the job or, hell, Harley breaking down (and God, he hopes it’s not that), he’s not sure. He’s not great with emotions. And she’s without a doubt the most expressive person he’s ever had the (dis)pleasure of knowing.

“Hi, Harley. You know, I’m doing pretty good after havin’ my heart practically ripped apart by a fuckin’ toilet seat. How ‘bout you?” She lowers her voice as if to match the bass in his own and goddamnit he finds it charming.

(He doesn’t have the heart to correct her.)

“You know, a little heads-up that you weren’t DOA might’ve been nice, Colonel.”

“Wasn’t exactly high on my priority list,” he informs her, voice dipping as he nods, slow. “Staying alive kinda won that round. You know, ‘cause of the shit jammed in my chest.”

“They said it came out the other side, ‘ya know. My guys. Wanted to see for myself.” She stands up then and walks to him until she’s about four inches away from his face, taking in the long gash above when his heart lies. “I’m thinkin’ they lied though because that don’t look too deep to me.”

“Yep. Not much to see.” He shrugs, heavy as though there’s weight on his shoulders, casting a glance down at his chest when she raises a hand. She doesn’t touch him; just lets her fingers dance in the air above the skin. “Sorry to disappoint, Doc.”

The scar runs right down the middle of his chest. From left collarbone to navel; a rushed surgery in a (probably, totally) sketchy makeshift hospital. It’s not a good look. But she’s seen worse. “It’s healin’ just fine. I’m getting plenty of fluids and I’m takin’ my meds. Think you can be on your way now you’ve done your check-up.”

“I thought you died.”

“False alarm.”

“You died,” Harley repeats, and there’s an edge to her voice Rick doesn’t recognize. She moves from one foot onto the other, swaying back and forth on her heels, eyes unmoving from off of his chest. “And I didn’t even get a goodbye out of it.”

“Was I…” he pauses, considers the look on her face for a moment. “Apologies.”

“That’s not good enough.”

“The fuck you want me to do? Go back in time and tell him to wait so you can make it about you first?”

“Just think it’s kinda rude for one of my friends to go off and die and leave me alone like that.”

“Tad dramatic, don’t you think?” Rick asks before remembering who he’s dealing with. Harley Quinn is theatrical and melodramatic and showy. Of course, she’d turn this into a whole fucking thing. “You’re a grown ass woman with a criminal record and probably a couple dozen bounties on your head, I think you can handle getting on a plane without a handler.”

She stops swaying. But the look on her face is ice cold and calculating and if he didn’t know her any better, he might be slightly terrified. So this is the infamous killer queen, huh? She wouldn’t hurt him. Maybe once upon a time, a few years back, but not now. Not after… “You’re supposed to be the leader.”

“You had Dubois.”

“But not you. And I know Milton’s a fine leader an’ all, but he’s not exactly a great conversationalist. Or much of a hugger.”

“I ain’t either.”

“But you humour me. ‘Ya put the effort in, Flag.” The blonde pokes his chest, manicured and pale fingernail against his sternum, skin hot to the touch. “And no one else is gonna do that for me, so yeah, I’m kinda mad that you went and got your heart broken into little tiny pieces and didn’t think to let me know you weren’t buried under a fuckload of concrete. Not very friendly of you.”

“And since when are we friends?”

There’s a silence then, and now he’s reconsidering not showing any signs of fear. He’s in no position to fight her. Harley is… Well, one kick and it’d be lights out for Flag.

(Since Waller forced her to take swimming lessons with a mean, ‘It’s a basic life skill, Ms. Quinn. No one else is going to have your back out there'  and he made sure he was her assigned instructor. Even brought her a cute two-tone bathing suit that wasn’t Belle Reve-approved and all. Since everyone in Gotham decided they wanted Harley Quinn six feet under and he let her crash on his couch that one time—those three times—and he made her bacon and eggs in the morning. And he didn’t even get mad when she got ketchup all over his carpet. Since she got drunk that second time and kissed him out of loneliness and he never held it against her.)

“Whatever,” she backs away from him with a huff, but her eyes are still dark; a sure sign that she’s not happy. “I’m starving.”

“There’s a place around the corner.”

“Aces,” she grins, then picks up a discarded shirt from the foot of the bed and tosses it to him.

    There’s no mention of her getting her own room. It goes unspoken: she’ll be staying here with him.

“Not sayin’ this is better than sex, but it’s definitely better than a lot of the sex I’ve had lately.”

“Good for you,” Rick retorts, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He glances around the restaurant. There’s only one other patron in there aside from them, and the chef is off somewhere in the back. He glances down at his watch, then fists the napkin in his other hand.

“Am I keeping you up?” Harley jests, curling her legs up beneath her on the stool. It squeaks under her weight, one of the metal legs unevenly balanced on the patterned tiles. “Got plans I’m disruptin’?” She clicks her tongue, a devilish grin in full swing.

“Nope. Just rest ‘n recuperation, right, Doc? That your diagnosis?”

“Prognosis,” she corrects him, then drops the rest of her tinfoil-wrapped burrito onto the little round table, a thin layer of grime coating the surface. “And yes,” Harley says with a light nod,  putting on her best matter-of-factly voice. She feigns pushing glasses up her nose, head tipping back to look down at him for a change. He’s leaning against the table with his forearms crossed, tanned skin pressing against the greasy tabletop as his sharp chin rests on a curved wrist. “Sleep and that bottle of bourbon my little eye spied hiding under ‘ya bed will do the trick just fine, Colonel,” she says cheerily.

He nods, only half-listening. “Can’t wait.”

“You could smile every once in a while, ‘ya know. I came all the way to Ti-fuckin’-juana to make sure you weren’t rotting away and letting yourself go in some ol’ shitshack. Would a little appreciation for the thought go amiss?”

“I didn’t ask you to,” the man tells her, leaning back in his chair. He clasps both hands in his lap. “Matter of fact, I’m still wondering why you did. What’s the deal, you get bored running from the feds for a change? Didn’t think you tired so easily.”

“What if I just missed you, huh? ‘Ya consider that possibility, soldier?” She pushes her hands out, her chair scraping back against the floor again. Harley picks up the rest of her food, casting him a dark look. “You’re no fun.”

“Never have been, Harley, that shouldn’t be news.” He follows after her, rushing to keep the door from swinging back in his face when she exits the restaurant in what he can only assume is anger. Or maybe she’s just messing with him; truthfully, it’s hard to tell sometimes. “You’re not exactly a ray of sunshine yourself, you know.”

“I am a delight,” she says, whipping around to face him, palm flat against her chest. The many rings on her fingers tap against her necklaces, and she stares up at him with furrowed brows. “Everybody loves me.”

“Pretty sure that’s not true, either.”

“OK, well not everybody hates me, how’s about that?” The scowl on her face turns into a smile then, teeth-baring and wicked. Her eyes are blown wide like saucers, and the crimson lipstick on her mouth suddenly becomes the only thing Rick can focus on that isn’t… Doesn’t...  Deranged, he thinks.

Harley Quinn is an absolute basket case and he must be out of his fucking mind for finding her so damn… what? Fascinating? It’s as close as he can get to thinking of a word to describe her that isn’t derogatory. She’s a character and a half, a whole clown car full of crazy jam-packed into one tatted and made-up doll of a woman, but God help him if he doesn’t kind of want to--

“That’s more like it.” She’s probably hard to love, but she’s not easy to hate.

Rick smiles back, finally, then reaches out a hand—tentatively. She’s still her and he’s never a hundred percent certain she won’t slit his throat with a Hello Kitty keyring or something—and wiggles long fingers. “Wanna get drunk and watch god awful late-night television?” He leans down; not too close, not close enough for her to grab, and adds, “Friend?”

Whatever that thing was he’d been waiting for, that unidentifiable something he’d felt looming over them since she showed up in his doorway an hour ago, looking somehow both tired and elated, finally revealed itself; in the form of tears in Harley’s eyes and a shaky hand accepting his.

She nodded and excitedly said ‘yes!’ and then he realized all she’d been after was a friend; the comfort of knowing that there was someone in the world who wasn’t out to get her, who had nothing to gain by being good to her.

And she’d almost lost that. Lost him.

(So when she hogs two of the three pillows on his bed and helps herself to one of his shirts—his favorite, actually. An old wife-beater with torn sleeves and a faded wildcat on the front—Rick doesn’t say a thing. Just lets her curl up in a ball beside him, red tips brushing against his bare shoulder, and rest.)

[blackhakumen]

Mini Fanfic #776: Text Before Graduation (Persona 5)

Futuba: Ladies!!

Futuba: Gents!

Futuba: You will NOT believe what just happened today!!

Ren: I'm not gonna do the big speech after all?

Makoto: Ren.

Ryuji: Dude.

Ann: Don't even start

Haru: That's not the news Futuba is talking about at all.....

Ren: I know.

Ren: Just trying be hopeful is all.

Futuba: 'Kay. We'll DEFINITELY talk about all that later. But first, some exciting news are ahead!

Morgana: GUESS WHO'S FINALLY HUMAN FOR A DAY!?

Morgana: Real Human Boy!.jpg

Ann: ＼(◎o◎)／＼(◎o◎)／＼(◎o◎)／

Ren: Oh my god.....

Ryuji: HOLY FUCKING SHIT, DUDE!!!

Haru: RYUJI!!

Haru: What did I say about texting out cuss words in group chat with children present!?

Ryuji: Sorry. Sorry. I was just surprised is all.

Ryuji: But seriously tho, is ALL OF THIS FOR REAL, DUDE!?

Morgana: Yes, Ryuji. It's for real.

Morgana: I'm a human now! :D

Morgana: For the day at least lol.

Ann: OMFG MONA YOU'RE SO CUTE I JUST..... CAN'T!!!!! (≧▽≦)(≧▽≦) (≧▽≦)

Makoto: I agree. You look wonderful, Mona.

Lavenza: And very handsome too.

Morgana: Thanks, Lavenza ( ꈍᴗꈍ)

Lavenza: (✿^‿^)

Yusuke: Did your wish of being one has finally been answered?

Morgana: Not exactly. I asked Ludwig to make me a potion to make me human for day so I can be able to see you guys graduation tonight.

Ren: Neat. We're happy for you, kiddo.

Ryuji: Yeah. Being a human makes you feel alive now, doesn't it?

Morgana: You know it!

Morgana: This maybe a one time opportunity, but I'm still gonna enjoy every moment of it!

Futuba: We're gonna be with ya no matter what! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Morgana: Never doubted that for a second, Futuba. Thanks.

Makoto: Speaking of which, Haru, where are you guys right now?

Haru: We're just leaving out beauty salon and finding ourselves something to eat.

Lavenza: Ms. Haru wanted to receive a "Graduation Makeover" before the ceremony begins in the next couple of hours.

Ann: Cool. Shiho and I are getting ready ourselves. Looking our best and whatnot.

Makoto: Sis is helping me get ready too. Which reminds me.....

Makoto: Ren, have you been able to write down your speech yet?

Ren: I did.

Ren: Still not sure it's gonna be good tho....

Futuba: What kinda speech you gotta do, Ren-Ren?

Ren: A Graduation Speech. I was nominated to do at some point during the ceremony.....

Makoto: You'll do just fine out there, Ren-Ren. Trust us.

Ryuji: Makoto's right, man.

Ryuji: Remember that speech you did on your birthday?

Ryuji: You totally nailed that one mo problem!

Ren: Yeah. But only because you guys and everyone else in the mansion were there to see it.

Ren: Meanwhile, there's gonna be a crap ton of people in the ceremony. Sone of which I don't even know, some that might have high expectations of me, and with the exception of you guys, Shiho, Mishima, Eiko, and even Kawakami Sensei, I'm pretty sure everyone else in school still doesn't like me.

Ann: I'm sure most of the people in school has already warmed up to you as of late.

Ann: And even then, u shouldn't have to worry about them or anyone else in the audience think. Just have the same confidence u been having ever since you first came to Shiyuba and you'll be just fine.

Ren: That's almost easier said then done really....

Ren: What if I randomly mess up?

Yusuke: Then you simply keep going and never look back. It'll be less stressful that way.

Haru: You've endured so much since when we first met you. Your false accusations, the mementos, even the Smash Tournament.

Morgana: And against all odds, you were still able to pull through in the end.

Futuba: Which is all the more reason why you shouldn't back this one out.

Futuba: We believe you, bro. Always.

Lavenza: I wholeheartedly agree with everyone on this, Joker. You must gain more confidence in yourself.

Lavenza: You are the chosen one after all. (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Ren: You guys really believed in me that much, do you?

Ryuji: We've always believe in you, man. And so does the boss and almost everyone in Smash Family.

Makoto: We love you so much, Ren. And we'll always be there for you no what anyone else says.

Ren: I knew I see you all as my real family for a reason......

Ren: I love all of you too.

Ren: And it might not be important to tell you all this, but... I'm already in tears lol.

Ren: The Crying Joker.jpg

Makoto: Oh honey~ I'll be sure to give you lots of love once my sister and I get to the café

Ryuji: Already on my way right now. Ain't no way I letting my bro cry us on now lol!

Ann: Neither am I!

Yusuke: Nor me as well.

Haru: We are also on our way to to café too, Ren-Ren!

Haru: You better prepare yourself for the bestest group hug of your life!~

Futuba: YEAH!

Ren: Sure thing, guys lol.

Ren: By the way, Morgana, you're having a good time being a human so far?

Morgana: Oh definitely. The salon was great and the burger we ate was pretty good.

Futuba: He even get to hold hands with a certain velvet girl every time we take scroll~

Morgana: NO I HAVEN'T!!!

Futuba: You so did! Haru and I were there to witness it.

Lavenza: I can conjure on saying that what Futuba is stating is true. Mona-Chan and I have been holding hands since we left the mansion.

Lavenza: It makes me happy to see that he cares about me ever so much. ( ꈍᴗꈍ)

Futuba: Holding Hands!.jpg

Ren: Now that's adorable.

Makoto: I agree. It's so cute!~

Haru: I knooooow!~ I couldn't stop gushing about earlier!~

Ann: I just told Shiho about and we're already gushing about it RIGHT. NOOOOOOW!!!~ (≧▽≦)(≧▽≦)(≧▽≦)

Ryuji: Oh I am SO gonna tease you about this, cat! >:)

Yusuke: Maybe I should create a reincarnation of this in my paintings....

Morgana: ALRIGHT, LISTEN!

Morgana: I only hold her just to make sure that neither of us get close to the road. THAT'S. ALL.

Morgana: Nothing more! Nothing less.

Haru: It's okay, sweetie. We believe you.

Haru: Isn't that right, you guys?

Ren: Yeah.

Ryuji: Whatevs.

Makoto: Of course.

Yusuke: If you say so.

Ann: Whatever you say~

Futuba: I still ship it.

Morgana: CAN WE NOT, FUTUBA!?

Lavenza: What does "Ship it" means, Mona-Chan?

........................................................

Morgana facepalms himself as he continues texting.

........................................................

Morgana: I tell you about it, later, Lavenza.......

Kazooie Joins the Chat......

Kazooie: Hey. I don't wanna alarm u guys or anything, but we saw some blue haired kid earlier ago in the mansion that sounds EXACTLY like Mona!

Morgana: That's because that blue haired kid was me, Kazooie.

Morgana: I'm a human now!

Futuba: Human Morgana!.jpg

Kazooie: Huh.

Kazooie: Well, I'll be damned......

Kazooie: Not bad. I'm happy for ya, squirt.

Morgana: Thanks!

Kazooie: Also I've just seen the messages you posted just now and I agree.

Kazooie: You and the white haired girl look cute together.

Futuba: RIGHT!?

Morgana: KNOCK IT OFFFFF!!!!

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