#you guys are cowards!! chose the bugs!!

[touch-tone-crowley]

Everyone always talks about what fear entity they'd be most aligned with which I love, but people are always choosing the "cool" ones like the eye or the spiral but honestly?? I think the corruption gets overlooked a lot. You're telling me a bunch of trans neurodiverse people aren't drawn in by the only one that mixes fear with the need for a deep unforgiving love???

[bobbydagen24]

The way the movies Treat Crimp in comparison to Creek Honestly Bugs me because when you think about it logically its arsed backwards.

okay to start things off simply these two are opposites in the way they are Treated imo

Creek is overall a Victim who gets Treated like a selfish villain by Both the characters and the movie

while Crimp is a selfish Villain who gets Treated like she's a victim by Both the characters and the movie

simply put the way these two characters are portrayed is arsed backwards in logic imo the movie makes out like Creek is some selfish character who's actions make him pure evil

and we should find his suffering either amusing or at least cathartic since he Deserved it

while Crimp we should feel sorry for Root for her Redemption and feel happy for her when she's given a happy ending in the end

but that's backwards to me because Crimp is not a victim she's someone who willingly worked for people who she knew were Holding a sentient creature captive and torturing him for their own gain

the city she's currently in has laws strictly for this kind of thing but she went along with it because she didn't wanna lose her Job which no matter how much she needed it is still selfish and cowardly

the movie Treats it like we should feel sorry for her because she gets mistreated by her bosses but thing is this is the kinda stuff its actually okay to play up for laughs

since this is just seeing a crappy person get Treated in a comedically bad way by other crappy people Crimp had a choice she chose the bad one

and now she's paying the price of choosing to side with people who Treat her this way simply because she wanted money

compare this with Creek the guy who went to a party something which everyone else in his Village did got kidnapped by a Giant monster shoved in a cage

later pulled out of that cage away from your friends and Humiliated by being crammed in a Taco and then shoved in someone's mouth

only to then be shoved inside a tiny dark locket with no air holes for hours on end

only to then be shoved inside a dark waist bag and not see the light of day again until after you see that the monsters have also captured your friends aka your one chance of rescue

and by that point your scared as fuck your in a Hopeless situation and there's no real good option like I'm not saying its 100 percent Right what he did but Creek warrant's far far more sympathy than someone like Crimp does

he is a Victim in the situation the people to blame are Gristle and Chef for Treating him in these inhumane ways and forcing him to do it

and he was far more Deserving of sympathy and last minute Redemption than Crimp was and the movies way of Judging these characters makes no sense to me

Creek is a coward we should look down on with shame for giving in to human fear of not wanting to die Horribly after a day of Hell?

but Crimp is someone we should sympathise with even tho she was willing to go along with kidnapping and torture just to save herself the inconvenience of finding a new Job?

I'm sorry but no that is backwards as Hell Crimp is the far far worse coward since she had actual choices but chose to do evil simply to save herself mild inconvenience

Creek did what he did under threat of Gruesome Death and had no other options besides Gruesome death

that's what I mainly Judge a character on choices and well Crimp had choices she could have lived with but she chose to do evil

Creek didn't have any choices outside of doing this bad thing that wouldn't have Resulted in Horrible death

therefore Crimp is the far worse coward and no her switching sides at the end doesn't make her a better person because Creek wasn't given any such chance in the movie

after the village was taken he was stuffed back inside a waistbag and didn't see the light of day until he and Chef were sent tumbling out of Bergentown

and were later eaten by the monster.

Crimp was simply Treated far less Harshly by both the characters and the movie itself in every way possible and its just messed up imo

she is an example of a cowardly character people should condemn Creek is an example of a Human person who is flawed yes but Deserved sympathy and a second chance

Hence why he got one in the TBGO cannon presumably because the writers Realised what the fans didn't that Blaming an abused Hostage for his actions so Harshly was messed up of the first movie to do.

soooooo yeah Crimp is a selfish coward who did not Deserve the movies nor the characters sympathy whereas Creek Did/Does Deserve more sympathy given his situation.

I like Trolls as a franchise but its logic and morals are very messed up tbh. 😕😕😕😕

the next movie will probably have Bro zone's abusive parents and it will be about how JD Bruce and Clay need to Realise that their parents only beat them because they loved them

and they need to make peace with them Despite the parents treating them like crap in present day over and over again and showing no remorse

and the main villain will be a serial murderer who kills Random sentiment species for fun but he was teased once in school

so Poppy shows him sympathy and he's redeemed and let off the hook in the end.

not that far fetched tbh 😂😂😂😂

[jrob64]

A Fortunate Failure

A CS Modern AU One-shot for CS Spooky Season/Autumnal Bingo

Here is my second offering for the Bingo boards created by @hollyethecurious. This one is based on the prompt 'getting lost in a corn maze'. Now I can cross off two spaces on my card.

Special thanks to @hookedmom for her beta expertise.

Summary: At Mary Margaret and David’s annual ‘All Things Autumn’ party, Emma and Killian hope to win the competition championship again. The final event to determine the winning team is escaping the cornfield maze the fastest, but when the two friends get hopelessly lost, they discover that losing might actually lead to the best prize of all. 

Rating: T

Words: 3553

Can also be found on Ao3 and ffn

*********

Killian Jones finishes buttoning his shirt and checks his reflection in the mirror. Plaid flannel really isn’t his thing, but he’s trying to get into the spirit of the evening. Besides, when Emma Swan extends an invitation and tells him to wear plaid flannel, he will do it.

He will do just about anything for Emma Swan…except admit his feelings to her.

“Coward,” he whispers to his reflection. “If you don’t tell her pretty soon, she’s going to find someone else to date.” He doesn’t know if he could stand watching her with another guy like he had to when she dated that idiot Neal. Then he had to do it again when she went out with Walsh a few times, before she found out he was an egotistical liar.

Grabbing his black leather jacket from the hook on the back of his bedroom door, he double checks that his keys are in the pocket, then walks out the door and jogs to his car. He told Emma he would meet her at David and Mary Margaret’s farm at three o’clock and he doesn’t want to be late. That would be, in his brother Liam’s words, bad form.

As he drives, he hums along to the songs from his playlist. He chose every song on it because they remind him of Emma. Bloody hell, he has it so bad for her!

When he reaches the farm, he parks beside Emma’s yellow Volkswagen bug and sees that she’s still sitting behind the wheel, looking at her phone. She doesn’t seem to notice that he’s there as he gets out of his car and closes the door. He moves around the back of his car and taps on her window, causing her to startle and look up at him with wide eyes.

Killian could drown in the deep pools of Emma’s gorgeous green eyes.

*********

Emma could drown in the deep pools of Killian’s gorgeous blue eyes.

She’s frankly just so sick and tired of hiding her feelings for him. Her brother urged his friend Killian to move to Storybrooke three years ago when he was getting over a bad breakup. At that time, David told her the Brit needed friends, so that’s what she became. Now, she’s stuck in ‘friend’ mode, but oh, how she wishes she could move into the ‘girlfriend’ category.

At one point, she thought she could get over her feelings for him by dating other guys, but that turned out to be a terrible idea. Neal was a complete imbecile who thought women were inferior beings, and Walsh was an arrogant jerk. She sometimes wonders if she chose to date those two because in the back of her mind she knew that nothing would ever develop with either of them.

Killian Jones is the only man she wants to date, but he has no interest in being in a romantic relationship with her. So she settles for being his friend, because that way, at least she gets to spend plenty of time with him.

Tonight is Mary Margaret and David’s ‘All Things Autumn’ party. It’s highly anticipated by everyone in town and is one of Emma’s favorite nights of the year. For the first few years of the annual event, she sat back and watched as couples competed with each other in numerous events - cornhole, a scavenger hunt, as well as piggyback, wheelbarrow and burlap sack racing. Mary Margaret always tried to get her involved, but Emma was perfectly happy watching, laughing, and keeping score.

Once Killian moved into town, they decided to team up. Emma is even happier to finally be participating. It doesn’t hurt that most of the competitions require physical contact. She also enjoys sitting beside him during the hayride and around the bonfire at the end of the evening.

The best part, in her opinion, is trying to get through the cornfield maze the fastest. The first year she and Killian participated together, they were the winning team. He was so excited, he wrapped her up in a hug and spun her around until they were both dizzy. It was the best feeling in the world.

Now, as he stands outside her car, looking at her with those blue, blue eyes, she’s more than ready to have that feeling again.

*********

“Are you ready, Swan?” Killian asks, stepping back so she can open her car door.

She climbs out and stands in front of him, sliding her phone into the back pocket of her jeans. “I was just studying a diagram of the cornfield maze. I think I’ll be able to mauever us through it in record time.”

“Is that so?” he questions with a teasing grin. “Could you be seeking revenge for last year when Ruby and Victor beat us by fifteen minutes?”

“I still think Mary Margaret led Ruby through the maze before the party that night. There’s no way they could have gotten out that fast,” Emma grouses.

The two of them start walking toward the huge red barn, which is the hub of the autumn-themed festivities. “Why would your sister-in-law show favoritism to Ruby?”

“Because Ruby is her best friend and can talk Mary Margaret into anything. Plus, she knows I wouldn’t cheat.”

“And studying the diagram beforehand isn’t cheating?” Killian asks cheekily.

She gives him a side-eye glare. “That’s called preparation.”

“Is it, indeed?”

“You should be happy your partner prepared so well.”

I’m just happy to be your partner, Killian thinks. Out loud, he says, “You’re the most competitive person I’ve ever met, Swan.”

“If you’re gonna keep making remarks like that, I might have to find a different partner.”

“I meant it as a compliment.”

She rolls her eyes at him, making him grin again. They walk into the barn, where their senses are immediately inundated with the sight of fall decorations, smells from the abundance of food laid out on long tables, and sounds from spooky music coming through speakers and the large crowd already gathered.

Mary Margaret spots them immediately and grabs David’s hand before she heads their way. “Emma! Killian!” she greets exuberantly. “I was afraid you were going to miss the scavenger hunt!”

“I thought it didn’t start until three-thirty,” Emma says. “It’s only three o’clock right now.”

“You have to have something to eat first. Oh, you should try David’s chili! He added a secret ingredient this year.”

“Please don’t tell me it’s nutmeg,” Emma teases. “It might work in his pancakes, but I really don’t think it will work in chili.”

David chuckles. “It’s not nutmeg, and it’s not really that secret. I just used some of the jalapenos Mary Margaret grew in the garden last summer. We canned several jars of them.”

“He dices them up to put in the chili,” Mary Margaret gushes, gazing at David like he discovered a way to live on Mars. “Isn’t that clever?”

“Very clever, Mate,” Killian says quickly, giving a small tug on Emma’s sleeve. He’s pretty sure she is just about to make a sarcastic remark about Mary Margaret’s over-the-top adoration of her husband. Emma looks at him with a smirk and he’s convinced he was correct.

“Well, get yourselves something to eat,” David says. “We have some last minute things to take care of before the games begin.”

“One of them better not be showing Ruby through the corn maze,” Emma grumbles, as the couple walks away.

Killian laughs. “Perhaps we should aspire to keep Ruby within our sight at all times. Will that set your mind at ease, Swan?”

“No, because then we have to look at her hanging all over her new boyfriend, Jefferson. Victor was no catch, but at least he was only about a five on the weirdness scale. This guy is at least a thirteen.”

Killian’s grin couldn’t be much bigger as they head to the tables to load their plates. He’s looking forward to having a fun-filled evening with all of his friends. And with the woman he loves.

Someday soon, he’s going to have to tell her how he feels.

*********

Someday soon, she’s going to have to tell him how she feels.

Seriously, she doesn’t think she’s going to be able to keep pretending much longer, especially when he keeps giving her that heart-stopping smile. Plus, he keeps touching her; just little touches that send shivers up her spine. His palm on the small of her back, a brush of his hand down her arm, fingers combing snarls from her hair, sitting close enough for their thighs to touch.

It’s going to drive her crazy, but she never wants him to stop.

“Swan?”

“Hmm?” she hums.

“Is there something wrong with the food? You’ve hardly eaten a bite.”

She looks down at her plate, her fork hovering over it. He’s right - she hasn’t eaten anything. She has gotten too caught up in her thoughts.

“No, I was just…thinking about the scavenger hunt, I guess.” She scoops up some macaroni and cheese and sticks it in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she adds, “I stuck everything I thought could possibly be on the list in my bug today. I swear, if Mary Margaret has tampons on the list again, I’m going to strangle her. That was so embarrassing last year! Especially when Ruby asked if a used one counted.”

Killian nearly chokes on the drink of water he had taken. “I’m sure Mary Margaret won’t make that mistake again,” he says after clearing his throat. “She turned beet red when Ruby asked that question.”

Once everyone is finished eating, the list of items to find is passed out and the hunt begins. There is nothing embarrassing on it this time and Emma is elated that she, in fact, does have a few of the items in her car. She deflates when Belle and Will turn in their completed list just as she and Killian locate the final thing they need, but gets over it quickly when she sees how happy the other couple is to receive the prize of two movie passes.

“Second place isn’t shabby, Swan,” Killian says. “It still earns us two points toward the overall championship.”

They rack up more points by coming in third in cornhole, first in the piggyback race, and second in the wheelbarrow race. They fail to place in the burlap sack race when they get their feet tangled together inside the sack and fall, then are disqualified for trying to roll across the finish line. Emma doesn’t care. She is laughing so hard while laying on top of Killian, who also has tears of laughter running from the corners of his eyes.

Before the final competitive event of the night, everyone loads up on David’s flatbed wagon, lined with bales of straw, then he tows them around the farm. Mary Margaret joins him in the cab of the tractor and turns so she can see her friends enjoying themselves, telling jokes and stories, laughing and cuddling together.

Emma scoots as close as she can to Killian and is thrilled when he drops his arm across her shoulders. She tentatively rests her forearm on his thigh and relaxes when he doesn’t pull away. They remain that way for the rest of the ride.

Emma is content taking in the autumn colors of the leaves lit by the waning rays of sunlight. When one particular maple tree catches her attention - so bright with red and orange leaves, it looks like it’s on fire - she turns to see if Killian is looking at it, too.

He isn’t. His eyes are on her, a soft smile on his lips. She has the distinct feeling he’s been looking at her for a while, instead of enjoying the scenery. “Aren’t the trees beautiful?” she asks.

“Aye, lovely,” he agrees, though he never takes his eyes off of her.

“I love the way the sun makes the colors so vivid. Orange, red…”

“Gold,” he adds, as she feels him sifting strands of her hair through his fingers.

“Killian,” she says with mock exasperation. “You’re not even looking at the trees.”

He blinks rapidly, then pulls his eyes away to look around. Clearing his throat, he says, “Mary Margaret and David are very fortunate to own such a beautiful farm.”

“Yeah, they are. David always wanted to live on a farm when we were growing up.”

They make small talk until the hayride is over. When they disembark, Killian offers her his hand to help her step down, but once her feet are on the ground, he doesn’t let go. She feels his thumb slowly stroking over the back of her hand, sending tingles across her skin.

He’s never held her hand like that before and she feels a sudden rush of hope that maybe he does think of her as more than a friend.

*********

Emma doesn’t pull her hand away from him and he feels a sudden rush of hope that maybe she does think of him as more than a friend.

He couldn’t keep his eyes off of her during the hayride. The way her golden hair glowed in the light of the sunset was mesmerizing. When she called him out for not noticing the colors of the trees, it was all he could do to focus his attention on them. Their beauty couldn’t compare with hers.

His hope is also fueled by the way she sat so close to him and seemed to enjoy having his arm wrapped around her shoulders. It felt very nice, very natural. It felt like something he would like to do on a regular basis.

As he stands in front of her, he has the overwhelming urge to admit how he feels, but knows it isn’t the right time or place. When that will be, he has no idea. He just knows he is sick and tired of hiding his feelings for her.

His turbulent thoughts are interrupted by David loudly announcing, “There’s only one competition left to determine the winning team. Grab your partner and come get your flashlights for the cornfield maze!”

“Let’s go,” Emma says, tugging on his hand. “It’s time for us to nail down the championship!”

Killian willingly follows behind her, chuckling at her enthusiasm and determination. He’s happy because in this competition, she is a force to be reckoned with and he’s her partner.

Emma grabs a flashlight out of the basket Mary Margaret is carrying and tests it to make sure it works. Then she takes Killian’s hand again and marches them over to the entrance of the cornfield maze. While most of the couples are milling around and chatting, she edges them to the front of the pack so they’ll be one of the first ones to enter the maze.

When David blows the air horn signaling the start, Emma takes off running with Killian on her heels. Everyone is bunched up until they get to the first division in the path. Most of the group, including Emma and Killian, go to the left, while a few couples split off to the right.

At every intersection, the crowd gets slimmer as they make their choice of direction. Before long, the only ones still going down the same path as Emma and Killian are Ruby and Jefferson. Killian shakes his head fondly as he watches the two women elbowing each other, trying to gain an advantage.

Emma looks back at him and he gives her a thumbs up, his heart swelling at the smile she gives him in return.

*********

Emma sees Killian give her a thumbs up and her heart swells, causing her to give him a smile in return, even though they’re in the middle of a fierce competition.

The further they go into the maze, the darker it becomes since the tall corn stalks block out most of the moonlight. The circle of light their flashlight throws off isn’t enough to illuminate more than about a four foot diameter in front of them, which is a little disconcerting.

When they reach another fork in the path, she exchanges a challenging look with Ruby, then grabs Killian’s hand and heads in the opposite direction as the other couple.

“Are you quite sure this is the way to go?” Killian asks.

“When I looked at the diagram, I counted the number of right and left turns. I’m pretty sure this one was supposed to be to the left.”

“I trust your judgment, Swan.”

They walk on for several minutes, making a few more turns. Their pace gradually slows and finally comes to a stop.

“Is something wrong?” Killian asks.

Emma stands stock still, turning her head back and forth. “Do you hear anyone else?”

He cocks his head and listens intently. Then he shakes his head. “I don’t hear anything.”

“That means either we’re way ahead of everyone else or…”

“Or we’re lost?”

She turns to face him. “Yeah. I think we should have turned the same way as Ruby and Jeff back there.”

“We can head back…” he begins.

“No, let’s just keep going. There’s probably more than one way out of here.”

They continue on in silence, except for the crunch of the flattened corn stalks under their feet. At every intersection, they discuss which direction to go. After another ten minutes, Emma comes to a stop. “I think we’re hopelessly lost. I’m sorry, Killian.”

“There’s no reason to be sorry, Emma.”

“I was so sure I could lead us out of this maze before anyone else, but I failed.”

He steps in front of her, his face nearly obscured by shadows. “The night isn’t over yet.”

“Do you really think we can still win?”

He moves a little closer and she tilts the flashlight up so she can see his face more clearly. He is looking at her fixedly, an ambiguous look on his face.

“There’s more than one way to win tonight,” he says quietly.

“Do you have a way to fly out of here or something?”

He chuckles. “No, nothing like that.”

“How can we win, then?”

He takes another step forward and reaches up to cup her face in his hands. She draws in a quick breath, a hopeful thought entering her mind.

Is he going to kiss her?

*********

He’s going to kiss her.

He looks deeply into her eyes, hoping to see acceptance. Even in the dim light, he finds it. She wants this, too.

Leaning in, he tentatively touches his lips to hers once, twice. When he pulls back slightly, she follows him, her lips chasing his. He takes advantage of the opportunity and draws her into her arms to kiss her again. This time, the tentativeness is gone, replaced by eagerness and passion.

Gods, how he’s longed for this day, imagined it so often. And now he knows - reality is so much better. Her lips are pliant, soft and sweet.

He hears her whisper something and murmurs, “What did you say, Love?”

She rests her forehead against his, her breath ghosting over his lips. “It’s about time.”

He pulls away a little, blinking in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“Do you know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you?”

“If it’s half as long as I’ve wanted to kiss you, it’s a very long time.”

She gives him that heart-melting smile he loves so much. The one she seems to only give to him. “Do you remember the first year we won the cornfield maze and you picked me up and spun me around?”

“Aye.”

“When you set me down and looked at me, for a second I thought you were going to kiss me. Ever since then, I wished you would.”

His brows shoot up. “That long ago?”

“How long has it been for you?” she asks.

“From the moment I met you.”

Now her brows climb up her forehead. “Seriously? I thought you were getting over a breakup and was only looking to make new friends.”

“I did want to make new friends and wasn’t looking for anyone to date but you…there was just something there…a spark between us. At least, on my part.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I’m a bloody fool and a coward. Even when I saw you going out with those two wankers, I couldn’t work up the nerve to tell you how I felt. I guess I was afraid you wouldn’t feel the same and it would make things awkward between us.”

“I was an idiot to go out with them. I thought if I found someone else, I could get over my feelings for you. It didn’t work.”

“I’m very happy it didn’t.”

“So…what do we do now?” she asks.

“Well,” Killian smirks, swaying her back and forth in his arms, “now I suppose we should find our way out of this bloody maze.”

She wraps her arms more tightly around his neck to pull him closer. “We don’t need to be in any hurry.”

His eyes grow comically wide. “Who are you and what have you done with Emma Swan?”

She playfully slaps the back of his head. “Shut up and kiss me, Jones.”

He happily does as told.

Ruby and Jefferson end up winning the team competition, but Emma and Killian win each other. That is, by far, the sweetest prize of all.

*********

Thank you for reading! Be sure to check out all of the great stories and art in the CSSpookyAutumnalBingo2024 collection on Ao3.

Tagging:

@qualitycoffeethings @grimmswan @cs-rylie @wyntereyez @kmomof4

@hookedmom @ultraluckycatnd @paradiselady19 @xarandomdreamx @motherkatereloyshipper

@lfh1226-linda @pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @tiganasummertree @bluewildcatfanatic

@eleveneitherway @elfiola @kday426 @julieenchanted-swans @gingerchangeling

@andiirivera @djlbg @jonesfandomfanatic @snowbellewells @anmylica

@booksteaandtoomuchtv @cocohook38 @ilovemesomekillianjones @zaharadessert @lyssapup27

@undercaffinatednightmare @winterbaby89 @jennjenn615 @xsajx @jackieorioncat

@teamhook @soniccat @jarienn972 @softkilly @kymbersmith-90

@apiratewhopines @hollyethecurious @laianely @resident-of-storybrooke @exhaustedpirate

@caught-in-the-filter @stahlop @veryverynotgoodwrites @darkshadow7 @fleurdepetite

@whimsicallyenchantedrose @earanemith @superchocovian @idristardis @captainswan-kellie

@beckettj @killihan-jones

[chadillacboseman]

Trying to decide how to handle the Nighthaven split for Notch. Since OBVIOUSLY Ace chose to stay with them, that would not only hurt her deeply, but would also piss her off royally.

My ramblings are below more for myself than anyone else lol

I had always planned for them to meet and have a standoff, which ends with Notch holding a knife to his neck, and him smiling and saying he missed her.

Notch truly being about to kill him when Kali shoots her and Ace panics, but gets drug away. Called weak for not simply killing her in the first place.

Notch wakes up in the infirmary pissed as hell, obviously.

She has no idea that Ace stays because Kali has threatened her life if he doesn't. She fully believes he's just being an egotistical prick (not entirely off brand for him tbh).

In the wake of that encounter, Doc and Notch get closer bc she's trying to heal up, and he wants to make sure she doesn't do anything reckless. She gets placed with Wolfguard when she's back to 100%, and starts taking missions alongside them.

Closeness with Doc persists until one late night he finally kisses her. Knows he can't replace Ace, and tells her as much, but says he'd like to try.

Kali has ears to the ground, so she tells Ace. He doesn't believe her until she shows him footage (idk I assume she has the place, like, bugged whatever) and he's absolutely broken by it.

The next time they encounter each other, Notch sees Ace and takes off after him before Doc can stop her. Ace refuses to fight back as she's just (Frank Costanza voice) RAINING BLOWS UPON HIM. She's pissed, telling him to stop being a coward and fight, but he can't bring himself to do it.

Doc is trying to get to them, and Ace makes an offhand comment about how she'll be safer with him anyway, and she realizes he knows and that she may have misjudged the situation.

Doc finds them and Ace takes off to retreat, leaving poor Notch with more questions and a weight on her conscience :(

Doc knows something is up, because she's distant after the encounter. He finally confronts her and she tells him she's conflicted, unsure of what to do or how to feel. Doc admits he was always upset that Ace got to her first and begs for a chance to make her forget about him.

(insert angst ridden fucking that does NOT make her feel any better)

Alone in her quarters later that night, she texts Ace on a whim (knowing he hasn't answered her texts since the split). To her utter shock he answers and asks to meet her.

SIKE it's Kali there and she's like "you have distracted my operator enough" and SHOOTS her ass. Notch is coherent enough to dial Doc before she passes out.

Doc is obviously very hurt by the fact that immediately after fucking him, she wanted to meet Ace, but he bites his tongue because of her brush with death. LION of all people is the one to come to her like 'he really does care about you, like, a LOT and this is making him sloppy in the field. I hate the guy but he's not covering our asses like he should be. In fact, I hate both of you, good day. Au revoir etc etc"

Notch tells herself that Ace made a choice (he didn't really have one), and that she has to let him go for good. Plus, she's yanking Doc around and he's having a very French meltdown over it apparently.

So, she comes to terms with letting him go and apologizes to Doc, telling him she's willing to give him a chance.

Kali moves another piece on her chessboard of evil.

That's all I have thank u for listening.

[emotionalcello-makefanfics]

Chapters: 2/? Fandom: Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Robin (Comics), Batman - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Tamara Fox, Some OC for cuteness Additional Tags: Angst, Fluff and Angst, Sickfic, Tim Drake is Not Robin, Tim Drake is Not Red Robin, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Crying, so much crying, Love Confessions, Cheesy, God it's so cheesy, Cringe, So sweet so cheesy so angsty that you'll cringe, Tim Drake-centric, some Jason POV tho, A wild X-men appereance, I know they're not the same universe but I'm running out of character and running out of creativity, So yeah X-men characters and vaugly their mansion/orphanage too, Bruce Wayne Bashing, Some things that I don't put down bcs it'll be a spoiler, Smoking, Implied/Referenced Sex, POV from a cat????, The Clichést Cliché that ever Cliché, Cliche Summary:

They meet again on a rooftop after ten years. They're different now, and things are not the same. It's all too late. Chapter 1 sneakpeek

“Don’t jump.”

Sighing exasperatedly, Tim puts down his cigarette-clutching fingers and drags his eyes to the source of the voice. His gelled-back hair loses its hold and a strand of ear-length bangs falls to his vision.

Sadly, without seeing him and just from the voice, Tim knows exactly who this person is. One of the Bat franchise, and it just had to be the Red Hood variation, fucking great. Out of all time, it has to be tonight. The world is playing a joke on him.

Tim is sitting hunched on the rooftop’s edge, wishing he’d have some peace and quiet for once, and of course one of these pestering bats just has to bug him at the worst time. Yet, it’s actually pretty rare for Red Hood to patrol Gotham lately, and Tim curses up a storm in his mind. Out of all the days, it just has to be fucking tonight.

No, Tim is not having it.

“This man has too much to do tomorrow to jump.” Tim looks away, getting a light from his suit.

One hand lighting another one of his death stick, and the other unbuttoning his suit and loosens his tie. After a puff and two, Tim drags in and keeps the smoke in, letting his nerves uncoil. Seems like it doesn’t work that well when the big bad shadow of a vigilante doesn’t move from the corner of his eyes.

“I’m not jumping, go away, I can’t deal with you tonight,” Tim says as he sighs the smoke away to the red polluted sky, thinking the man must be deaf or just not convinced. Maybe the latter, the bats are famous for their tact after all. People say they’re purely human. Seeing Red hood’s physique, maybe this one becomes meta-human at some point.

Tim looks the other way so the vigilante is completely out of his vision, to make a point that he’s not having this conversation. He looks to the city, engulfed by the red sky. It’s bright since this building is at the heart of the city, where the higher caste of Gothamites live and prosper. You can see the border around the bright side of the city where the lights stop dead and darkness begins. The poor side of the city. The gap is ghastly, it’s what makes Gotham what it is.

Tim is not surprised but highly disappointed when he hears shuffling instead, and when he looks at where the tall brick wall of a man, he already sits down next to him. Red Hood keeps a respectable distance though, at least he has that much of a tact.

Red Hood hooks his fingers inside his helmet, does some finger shimmy, and the red shiny mask helmet is off. His face is still covered by a domino mask, his hair looks damp, and his gloved hands rake his jet black hair back. Curls bounce to his forehead, sighing a fog, the only indication that the weather is reaching the end of the year. In turn, Tim felt his cleanly shaved nape chilled.

From inside the leather jacket, the vigilante digs to look for something, and that’s when Tim realized he’s been looking at the cuts on Red Hood’s exposed forearms from the folded sleeves. Very thick and muscled forearms. This guy either lifts all day or a meta-human, not that Tim cares anymore.

“Got a light?” Red says, plush lips smirking.

Tim sighs, guess he has company today. He digs into his suit and throws him his lighter. The masked man inspects it and Tim rolls his eyes. The lighter is a metal one that you flip, and on it engraved ‘From my heart with love, that this one lasts longer, Tam.’

“A sweetheart of yours?” Says the man, the second sentence he speaks, and Tim doesn’t recognize the voice. Deep, gravely, the typical voice of someone that smokes.

Red Hood extends his hand to give back the lighter to Tim instead of throwing it, must’ve thought it’s special.

“Kind of,” Tim says, receiving the lighter.

Red Hood drags in, keeps the smoke in, “Why kind of?” and sighs.

“Never established the relationship.”

“Commitment issues?”

Tim quirks an eyebrow at the man, sitting just as hunched as him. There’s a pillar beside Tim, and he lays his back there, thinking whether or not he should engage in this conversation. Eh, why not right? It’s not like it’s confidential information, and Tim is just so tired of caring about social politics.

“I was too late,” Tim says. It’s not as painful to say now, but lately, Tim has been numb. He’s been numb for years. Tim’s gay, or so he thought. When he began to really love her, she’s gone from him.

“Girl got another guy?” Red Hood teases.

“Girl got dead,” Tim deadpans. The smile dropped from the vigilante’s mouth, and if only he can see his eyes, panic would look funny on the all-powerful Bat. But, no, Tim can see his tell by the tapping hands.

“Ah fuck, sorry.”

Tim chuckles at the spectacle of an awkward vigilante. Maybe this night won’t be so bad after all.

“Relax, I’m not too sad about it now, it was years ago.”

It’s hard to predict Red’s expression with that domino mask that takes his cheekbones and half his forehead, but Tim’s pretty sure the twist on that mouth means his opinion of Tim isn’t good. Well, not that Tim cares.

“How did she die?”

“Wrong place, wrong time,” Tim put the filter on his lips and drags in as deep as he can. Too deep, and Tim coughs hard, once and twice that his vision blurs. Her face comes to vision, the morbidity of her expression tips Tim’s nerves off balance. Tim quickly takes another deep drag, “She was in the Joker’s way.”

At the name, Red Hood snaps his face at Tim. Slowly, languidly, Tim looks back. The vigilante clenched jaw and balled fists look like he’s about to kill somebody. Tim knows that a few years ago Red Hood kidnapped Joker, didn’t kill him, and just vanished before popping up again to have a vendetta against Batman. What a load of drama those bunch.

This also means that Tim knows exactly who this person is. Suddenly the voice registers, the familiar jaw, the soft fucking tone.

He blames it on the nicotine that his heart is calmer than he’d like, his mind still not on overdrive, still plagued with Tam’s face as she died in front of him. He’d breathe smoke instead of oxygen if he could. God he wished he’d breathe smoke from now on. Why does it have to be today? One grace from the universe is that Tim -for some reason- feels amused instead of dread.

“You look like you’re about to kill somebody, Red,” Tim says, can’t help the ease and sass in his voice. Tim lays back hunched, crosses his legs. “I thought you let go of your vendetta against the Joker.”

“Where do you hear that bullshit?” Redhood snaps and Tim can’t help but let go another chuckle.

“People talk, words get around,” Tim says.

“Then they’re far off the truth,” Red hisses before dragging in his cig.

“Yet the Joker still roams.”

“Ain’t my call.”

“Is it the big bat daddy calls?”

Red Hood splutters at the name and Tim smirks evilly at the reaction. “Ew, don’t call him that!”

“I can call that higher-than-thou furry hero wannabe anything I want,” Tim spits bitterly, looking out to the city. Sometimes when he’s really lucky, he’ll catch one of the bats twirling in the sky, and now one of ‘em is sitting beside him, but sadly it’s not the most shocking knowledge he has today. “One of these days it’s going to be my turn.”

“What?”

“Dying in the collision of mad men’s evil master plan you refuse to get rid of.”

“Ck, I don’t like what you’re insinuating.”

“Sorry then, I don’t mean to insinuate anything. This is me telling you loud and clear that you’re all cowards for not killing these maniacs that kill us like ants when you have the power to stop them.” Tim’s voice is even and chill, it did not raise a tone, but it reduces the bulk of a man beside him to still. “Some of us rooted for you when you caught the Joker, and your reputation gives us high hopes that it’ll be the last of him. Then he showed up again.” Tim feels the lighter in his pocket burn, “Then Tam died.”

Tim pumps his lung full of smokes, keeping it in there so that the clawing gloom will die before it takes roots.

“I almost did kill him, Batman stopped me,” the gravel voice says lowly.

Tim feels himself stiffens, now that’s something he doesn’t know. His eyes scan the hunched vigilante, trying to find any sign of a lie, there’s none.

“Shit,” Tim curses, sighing up smoke and quickly takes a deep drag in. “Fuck Batman.”

For the first time, Tim hears Red chuckle, “Yeah, fuck him.”

“Still your family though, right?” Tim says, earning what he thinks is a glare, who would fucking know with that mask. “Why else would you stay in his line?”

Red Hood looks away, not answering.

“Guess I understand. Proving something to someone.”

Red scoffs, “Would you?”

“You know who I am.”

“Yeah, not your story.”

Tim scoffs at the obvious lie, “Look it up. I have better things to do than telling you my backstory that’s a google search away.”

Tim Drake. Son of the CEOs of Drake Industries. Running smoothly since ever he becomes the COO. Yada yada, young and successful, yada yada, has the reputation to chew out the reporters and a resting bitch face, all that shit. Tim doesn’t have the best bedside manners, but when it comes to business, Tim gets things done, and his business partners know to swallow their pride for a potential too stupid to missed just because Tim has fangs.

“I dunno, you’re pretty mysterious in the eye of the media,” Red says.

“Because they’re nosy pricks and not worth my time when they’re asking me about rumors of my flings.”

“They’re not true?”

“What the fuck are you? Does TMZ sent you?”

“Good point, never mind.”

They let the quiet settle in, and Tim isn’t too bothered by the company so much. The red amber eats to his filter. Tim puts out the light and puts the bud back inside the pack while he gets another one. He looks down at his light, which reminded him of Tam. Damn, she was such a good assistant, she’s also his best friend but a damn better assistant. Tim doesn’t let himself think about it.

He lights another, and puffs.

“Shouldn’t you be patroling?” Tim says before he can stop himself.

“Nah, not here to patrol, just some errands.”

“Don’t mind me. I’m not jumping.”

“No, I know that,” Red says, tone softer that Tim narrows his eyes at him.

“Lonely?” Tim teases, putting the filter in his lips while locking eyes to the pair of white lenses.

Red shrugs, “Just wanna kill time with someone that doesn’t wear one of these,” he says, tapping to his domino mask.

Tim hums imagining himself with his family, “Yeah, me too, I’d take a vigilante franchise over family dinner anytime.”

“Aww,” Red surprisingly coos, making Tim flustered.

“Don’t get it twisted, my family sets a pretty low bar for good company.”

“I can say the same, Timmy.”

Tim flinches, “I didn’t say you can call me Timmy.”

“What about friends then?” Red follows up, ignoring him.

“Joker killed my only best friend. Oh god, stop making that face, everyone I know got someone they know killed by the Joker, or Bane, or.... shit just those freaks.”

“Doesn’t make me feel better.”

“I don’t care what you feel.”

“I’m wounded,” Red says in that joking ‘boo-hoo’ voice but it was the last thing to snap Tim’s patience completely. He hates this casual conversation as if nothing happened.

“I’m not jumping, and I know you’re not here just to talk to some random civilian. You know who I am, so say what you wanna say and go,” Tim inhales deeply after the low-toned rant, only to be met with another silence.

They stay quiet for a few whiles again. Smoking the tension away. After Tim’s cig burns halfway, his nerves calmed down. Then he realizes that Red is looking at him. Staring.

“What?” Tim says, sighing smoke.

“Would you kill Joker if you could?”

“In a heartbeat.”

“Killing someone isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially if you did it before.”

“You underestimate my anger then.”

Red Hood goes still for what Tim is insinuating. His phone vibrates in his pocket. Tim gets it and his new assistant reminds him of a flight in an hour and he needs to be ready in half. Tim puts out his cig and pockets it.

As he stands up, he looks down at Red Hood, really looks at him. It reminded Tim of the time has passed. It’s been so long.

“Nothing to say?” Tim asks, he has an underlying tone of ‘last chance.’

“Thanks for the light.”

Tim clenches his jaw and breaths slowly. What did he expect? “You caught me at a bad time but it’s good to meet you again, Jason.”

When Tim walks away, his elbow is grabbed and he’s spun to face Jason in all his bulk. Looming over him with his height.

“You know who I am?” Red says with a threat in his voice that makes Tim wants to laugh.

“Are you really that surprised? Or did you forget me when you fucking died?” Tim smiles bitterly.

Moments passed, eyes on each other, chest to chest. The last time he sees Jason, Tim was staring at these white lenses too, and Jason was still as tall as him. At this close, Tim sees tiny tears that heal pale than the rest of his tan skin, bulked up body looming over him that used to be similar to his. For anyone, Tim had two best friends, Robin and Jason Wayne-Todd, he had known the two are the same. Seems like Jason doesn’t.

Doesn’t matter now. Everything said and done. Too late.

“Say your goodbyes now,” Tim says, because why else would his childhood friend pops back again after a decade of not saying anything after he returned to life. Tim doesn’t realize it’ll hurt this bad though. Missing Tam doesn’t hurt this bad.

Perhaps it was because the scar never healed right, but he still thinks of Jason like a big chunk of him that’s been torn away forcefully, even now.

“I’m sorry,” Jason finally says, low and guilty, as he should be, but it irks Tim to no end.

“I lost you, and when you’re back you didn’t tell me,” Tim says, his voice cracks and he curses it to hell. Red Hood’s been around for years, and Jason never came to Tim to say he’s alive.  “If you have nothing else to say, let go of me.”

“I didn’t know that you knew.”

“What?”

“I didn’t know you know I was Robin... Did you know... everyone?”

Tim rolls his eyes, “Yes.” Gloved hands still on his elbow, and white lenses not letting him go. The non-challant face he wears slips off as if oil just slicked between the mask and his skin. His heart picks up a beat. There are layers between their skin, Jason’s thick gloves and Tim’s three-piece suit, but it feels warmer. Burning.

“Damn,” Jason curses under his breath.

It’s just a little thing, but Jason’s silence following that is a nother prick to Tim’s skin.

“Is that all?” Tim dismissed, pulling his arm away, but Jason only holds tighter.

“I didn’t know, okay?” Jason pushes, “And you’re a civilian, you’re not supposed to know Jason Todd is back to the land of the living.”

“A civilian,” Tim mutters under his breath. That’s all he is to Jason? All this time. His chest hurts, Tim knows this is because of Jason’s words instead of anything else. “Get away from me.”

“I’ll see you again,” Jason says before letting go.

Before Tim can say don’t bother, the man puts on his red helmet and grapples away. For a moment Tim can see the shadow of red yellow green flying away.

[mxndoscyarika]

Honeydew (Marcus Pike/Moreno x OC) | Chapter 2

Summary: Erin He moves to DC after working for the FBI in Texas and runs into a hero in disguise; Marcus Moreno. Something about him is familiar, too familiar, yet different in a way that she can’t quite place. Although confused, she can’t deny her feelings for him; perhaps, after years of regret, she finally found the one.

Warnings: food/drink, alcohol, loneliness

Ao3

Honeydew masterlist

Like my writing? Here’s my masterlist.

Author’s Note: Merry Christmas, everyone! Here’s a little gift from me to you 😌 I hope you like it! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

8 years later

Winter in DC was too cold. It had reached that time of year when the roads turned icy at the slightest humidity in the air, and it had already snowed at least twice since December began. Thankfully, the snow didn’t stick around very long; FBI agents were on-call 24/7. A double-edged sword, really. On one hand, it meant work was a great way to avoid problems. It was easier to forget. On the other hand, well, it was work.

“Six years in this city and it’s still so fucking cold,” Erin muttered to herself, shivering as her car warmed up. She buried her face into the scarf wrapped around her neck, trying to warm up. The warmth from the heated steering wheel seeped into her fingers, soothing the ache in her joints. She was supposed to meet Sachi at the bar for drinks. It had become a regular event in her weekly life; one night a week to go out and relax.

Some would’ve said that her promotion meant she could take more time off. That she could delegate a little more and take on a lighter workload as a result. But as a supervisor for the Operational Technologies branch, she had all the more reason to work more. Well, that’s what she convinced herself, at least.

Her friend and coworker, Sachi, was already seated at a table by the time she arrived. The bar was pretty busy, busier than the week before. It made sense; the holidays were always a time for friends and family to catch up on each other’s lives.

“Hi! Sorry I’m late, a meeting went overtime and I ran into some traffic on the way here,” Erin apologized, draping her wool coat over the back of her seat and sitting down. The next article to be shed was her scarf, which she kept piled on her lap. “Were you waiting long?”

“No, no worries,” her friend answered, shrugging. “I just got this table a couple minutes ago. Happy hour seems extra popular this week. How was the meeting?”

She rolled her eyes. “The usual; operations found some bugs in the new software and had some suggestions, so half of the developers will be working on that while the rest continue building our newest tool. How did your day go?”

“It was so slow, I don’t know which politician decided to choose yesterday to fuck up, but there were files everywhere,” Sachi groaned, rubbing her forehead tiredly. Her eyes landed on the sparkling gem on Erin’s hand. “I do have a question for you, though: why do you wear that ring?”

She raised a dark brow, then followed her line of sight to her hand. “Oh, this? It’s….it’s just something to keep the men away, that’s all. You know how they are.”

A curious head tilt. “I do, but are you sure that’s what you want? You deserve to find someone who makes you happy, Rin.”

Erin gave her a tight-lipped smile, twisting the metal band around her finger. It was a recent purchase; a gift to herself. A promise. A promise to remember. Even if he wasn’t hers to remember, at the end of the day.

“Is this still about that Marcus Pike guy?” Sachi asked, her voice softening as Erin avoided looking up. She reached across the table and covered her hand with hers. The glittering band of her own wedding ring seemed to mock her. “It’s been seven years since he went missing, Rin. You searched for him yourself; he’s gone.”

The news had broken just before Erin arrived in DC. Marcus Pike had gone missing, and there seemed to be no trace of him. His last known address was empty, his file had been wiped from all government databases, even his social media accounts were nonexistent.

One of the first things she did after her promotion was asking for a search squad. His number was still in her phone, but the number was no longer receiving calls. Even his email seemed to be deactivated, but it had existed before. There should’ve been a digital trail. It didn’t matter to her that it had been months since he was last seen–he was her best friend, and she wasn’t going to give up on him that easily.

Juggling her work with the investigation took its toll on her. Sleep eluded her, so she upped her coffee intake and spent countless hours off the clock. As a result, exhaustion settled in mid-day. Her work grew sloppy, obvious problems going untended and creating delays in operations.

The head of the department shut down her search after a year. He had cited it being a “waste of resources.” Maybe it was, to them. For such a large bureau with so many applicants, there was bound to be a replacement for Agent Pike. But even so, no one could replace Marcus.

“I know,” she replied softly. “I know. I’m trying, it’s just...I’ve spent years working for the FBI, and every time I stop to check the time, it’s like months have passed. And you know how my last relationship ended.”

She had been seeing a guy working for a tech startup, and at first it was great. The late nights and morning texts had been enough. But as time went on, and she became more immersed in her work following the election, her boyfriend grew restless. He wanted his girlfriend at home with him, preparing dinner and asking him about his day at the startup. Then he started the accusations. He accused her of cheating, of rubbing her success in his face.

Everything he said was false, but she had given up on trying to convince him. So she gave him a choice. He could leave if he wanted to, and there would be no hard feelings, just incompatibility. Or, he could stay, and she’d try to make more time for him. He chose the former.

“Oh come on,” Sachi reasoned, tapping the back of her hand. “You’re beautiful, smart, can kick ass. There has to be someone who’s into that.”

“Maybe,” Erin shrugged. Once upon a time, she had hoped she would meet someone like that. And in a way, she had. But at the end of the day,  she was a coward. She was a coward, and she paid the price for it.

They always said that time was money. In her case, the price she paid was high.

Sachi’s eyes lit up. “You know what? Why don’t you come to a holiday party I’m hosting? Maybe you’ll meet someone there.”

“Who’s going?”

“Some of our coworkers, some of my friends, and their friends, potentially,” she listed off, waving off her concern. “Nothing very special, in my opinion.”

A party would be nice. If not for the company, then for the food; and if not the food, then the drinks. Yes, the drinks. Drinks were good.

Erin conceded with a nervous grin. “Alright, but no meddling!”

“Yay!” she squealed. Then, her expression turned serious again. She pointed at the ring. “But whatever you do, don’t wear that.”

---

Sachi’s house looked like it was out of a movie. Tall and sparkling with lights, her home was the textbook picture of a family Christmas. There was even a wreath on the front door and a wooden sign with drawn-on snowflakes that welcomed the party guests.

The foyer was lined with emerald garlands and shimmering fairy lights, leading her further in towards the kitchen. From giant gold ornaments to wooden figurines, it seemed as if she had thought of everything.

When she reached the kitchen, there were already some guests gathered around the kitchen island. Platters of sweets and charcuterie boards were spread over the marble countertop, glistening in the soft light. The guests grazed from small plates as they greeted each other and raved about how great it was to finally catch up.

Perhaps she’d host her own holiday party someday. When she had the space, of course. The apartment that she’d chosen wasn’t the best for groups, and she wanted enough surface area for decorations. Her string of lights and small tree at home paled in comparison to the giant tree in Sachi’s living room.

The invite had specified a semi-formal dress code, so she chose a black off-the-shoulder dress that reached her knees. She paired it with some black heels and a white blazer draped over her shoulders for warmth. It wasn’t much, but it would do.

“Erin!” Sachi squealed, coming over to give her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. You’re right on time. Everyone else should be arriving soon.” She shooed her away. “Go have fun! And if you need a wingwoman, I’ve got your back.”

Erin shivered as Sachi swept off her jacket, the cool air brushing against her shoulders. Nevertheless, she smiled. “Thanks.”

“Of course!” she replied. The next thing she knew, a glass of champagne was tucked into her hand. “Now go!”

What Sachi had failed to tell her, though, was that she was going to be one of the only singles in the entire house.

Wherever she turned, she found couples congregated into circles where they could discuss...whatever couples discussed. Not wanting to barge in as a third, fifth, or seventh wheel, she stuck close to  the perimeter of the room.

Thankfully, she found an acquaintance from work who had also come to the party alone.

“Waiting for someone?” Ashley asked, sipping from a half-empty glass of wine. She was one of the receptionists for the technologies department. They’d spoken a couple times, but never much more than professional talk.

Erin shook her head and finished her third glass of champagne. Maybe she’d try the moscato next, just to change things up a little. The whole point of attending the party was to relax, right? So, she was trying to relax. “Just trying to loosen up. It’s been a while since I’ve gone to a party.” A soft laugh. “I can see why people like bringing a friend along. It would help a lot.”

“Why didn’t you, then?” At the lack of response, she sighed. “Is work still taking up a lot of time? You know you can take more time off.”

Yes, she knew. She’d heard it nearly a thousand times already. She knew she could take time off just like she knew she could forget about her past and move on. Part of her wanted to change, to move on as if nothing had happened. But after years of the same routine, and the same decisions coming back to bite her, it was hard to change.

“I know,” Erin replied, pressing a hand against her forehead. It was hotter than normal–did Sachi turn up the heating? She silently cursed her genetics; she’d probably have a fever later that night. “But as you know, there’s always more work to do. I signed up for this, so I need to do my job.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t rest,” she reasoned, nudging her arm. “Are you still leading the search for that guy? Marcus Pike? I remember you were pretty involved with that.”

Maybe it was the exhaustion, maybe it was the alcohol. She gripped the glass a bit tighter. Her voice was clipped as she said, “No, I’m not. The search squad was disbanded years ago. We spent a year searching for him and there was nothing. There was nothing.” She swayed as she stood up, but quickly regained her balance. “I’m gonna….get another drink. Is there anything you want me to bring?”

“No thanks,” Ashley replied. Watching as Erin stumbled, she asked, “Are you sure you want another drink? Maybe you should take a break first.”

She waved her off. “I’m fine, don’t worry. It’s just the shoes.”

Yeah, right.

Erin’s turn around the corner was much too sharp, and her sluggish mind barely seemed to register the fact that she collided with a broad chest. Strong arms came up around her, holding her in place so she didn’t fall over. They were warm. Before she could stop herself, she splayed her hands on their chest, brows furrowed. What did Sachi put in there?

Then, she looked up and met the person’s eyes. Dark brown ones, to be exact. With a depth and sparkle that she hadn’t seen since Austin. Softly, she said, “M-Marcus?”

The man’s lips parting in shock. As Erin’s slightly-blurred gaze drifted down to his mouth, she frowned. No, it couldn’t be her Marcus; her Marcus didn’t have facial hair, nor did he wear glasses. He was handsome, though–just as handsome. And he was strong–she felt safer in his arms than she had in years.

“H-how do you know my name?”

His voice was similar, too, though a bit raspier.

She blinked. Then, it dawned on her; it wasn’t a dream. She really was at a party, in a dress pressed up against a very good-looking man who looked vaguely like her late best friend. It felt as if she had jumped into the snow without clothes on. She blushed and flinched away from him–as if she needed to be even redder–and said, “Sorry, you just look a bit like an old friend of mine. His name was also Marcus.”

It was her, Marcus realized. He would have recognized her voice anywhere, and when she looked up at him with those dark, green-flecked eyes, his years in Texas came rushing back to him. Part of him didn’t want to believe it. What was she doing in DC? And what were the chances that they’d meet again, with his changed identity?

Even so, she was as beautiful as he remembered, her smooth black hair styled into shining waves and her full lips painted a muted pink. In their time as friends, he rarely saw Erin out of her work clothes; a side effect of working for the FBI. Seeing her in a dress, and up close, against his chest felt like a dream. A dream that had plagued his mind for nearly a decade.

At the same time, she looked different. There was an air of exhaustion that clung to her just as tightly as her authority. Her eyes didn’t have the same bright sparkle that she had on her first day. He wondered if her smile was the same, and if she still took her coffee with two sugars and a splash of cream. If she still collected houseplants as if they were pets. If she was still the Erin he remembered.

The tugging in his chest pulled him towards her, and the old whisper of Marcus Pike urged him to tell the truth. To drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness. To tell her that he was sorry for leaving her, for dismissing her concerns about Lisbon. For disappearing without a trace. But Marcus Moreno, his new identity, his new life, knew it wouldn’t be fair to her.

So he introduced himself. A wave of relief washed over him as Erin giggled softly and shook his hand, telling him her name.

He’d missed her laugh, and the way the corners of her eyes crinkled just slightly when she was happy. He missed everything. He missed her.

“So,” she began, swaying a little. Her last drink was finally kicking in. Her brows furrowed in concentration. “How do you know, uh, Sachi?”

The little furrow of her brows was still adorable; he knew it only showed when she was thinking really hard. He just hoped she would remember their interaction in the morning. She rarely drank enough to get drunk, not wanting to bother with her body’s violent reaction to alcohol. Or so she told him.

“I’m a friend of her husband,” he replied, touching her arm softly as she swayed again. “Do you…do you want to sit down for a bit? We can keep talking, I just want to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

Erin hummed softly and nodded. “Yes, but don’t worry, I can handle a little fall.”

“I don’t doubt you can, Miss FBI.” Realizing his mistake, he cringed. So much for trying to have a fresh start. He guided her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her, making sure she was comfortable before sitting down in the seat next to her.

She frowned. “How do you know I work for the FBI?”

A pause. Then, he answered, “I overheard Sachi talking about you. You two seem to be pretty close.”

Drumming her fingertips on the table, she answered, “I guess so, yeah. She was one of my first friends after I moved here six years ago.” Her eyes glazed over with a tinge of sadness. “Time seems to be flying by very fast these days.”

Marcus sighed softly. “Yeah.” He offered her a smile that made her heart flutter. Or maybe that was just her stomach?  “I guess it’s up to us to make the most out of it, right?”

She nodded. Propping her head up against her hand, she replied, “Definitely. So, tell me about yourself, Marcus Moreno. I think you mentioned a daughter?”

He couldn’t help but smile at the mention of Missy. If there was anything he didn’t regret in the past few years, it was meeting his late wife and raising his baby. But the story of his wife could come later; for now, he wanted to tell his best friend about his little girl.

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[burlesque-articulation]

Alright, I pulled out my corkboard and red string again, this time in hopes of dissecting the MAG timeline to see if there is anything there to support my fan theory of:

~Could Jurgen Leitner be Martin’s Dad~

And so far, signs point to a solid "it could be possible”. So in lieu of this, I will be presenting all my evidence with exceptional bias so it better illustrates my desired outcome. Okay? Okay! Let’s get into it.

Let’s begin with 1985, when Jurgen Leitner supposedly begins renting an office in Pall Mall, central London. Presumably this is just where he sets up an office, and not the actual location of the Library, which isn’t something we get-- anyways, getting sidetracked, uhhh.

Right, we know, vaguely, that Martin was born in 1987, two years after Leitner would have set up shop in Central London; and interestingly enough, in that same year of Martin’s birth, Leitner attempted to hire some people to dig a big ol’ hole in the floor of his office to lead into the tunnels built beneath the building. And this could just be wishful thinking, but I believe it is implied that these tunnels connect to the other tunnels of Millbank Prison. Interconnected, and with many exits leading to various parts of the city. Basically, a needlessly intricate means of escape (I guess balconies and back doors just didn’t exist yet, you know) should shit get real. Anyways, the point I’m trying to make, is that it would make sense for Leitner to suddenly be very interested in having direct access to these tunnels from his main office after receiving news that he’s a father, or whatever. Or maybe it’s just because he’s always been a loser that loves vibing in tunnels.

[Obligatory readmore, because this shit gets long, and even more ramble-y. Also I’m not sorry, because y’all are more than welcome to continue scrolling past this mess]

Alright, now fast-forward to 1994, the destruction of the Library. At this point in time, Martin would have been 7. Now hold up! According to the Magnus Archives Wiki, Martin’s father abandoned the family when he was 8 or 9; so isn’t that a whole in the theory right there? No. It’s not. Because the only thing that is implied about Leitner around 1994, is that he went into hiding after the destruction of the Library. At no point is it implied that he even left the country (or even London, but like, I refuse to believe he’s that stupid; even if that alternative is hilarious). To set up my point, I’m going to shift the focus onto Martin now, and what his life might have been like when he was younger.

So, by present events (present actually referring to like, pre-season 4, actually), Martin’s mother is in a care home in Devon. Could be because care homes are cheaper there, or something, I have no idea. Honestly people in my family don’t live long enough to ever even consider this option, so I don’t know how assisted living works at all lmao. But let’s say, for simplicities sake, that Martin actually just grew up around Devon; and I’m throwing a dart at a map and declaring Plymouth as the city he grew up in. Anyways, why does this matter? Because I do in fact believe that Leitner is stupid enough to think that changing which county he lives in counts as being in hiding. And he gets maybe one (1) good summer with his family before the weight of his sins bare down on him, and he realizes that staying in one place really isn’t an option. So maybe he tries travelling around a bit; but inevitably he always ends up coming back to Plymouth. It takes him a year, maybe two, to finally realize that this won’t work forever. His habits are too predictable, and what’s this? The mother of his child is getting sick; and her condition only seems to worsen over time (you know, like how it usually works when someone is taken ill.); and Leitner gets it into his head that he could be the cause of it; so what is the safest course of action, but to completely abandon his family? Surely things will turn out for the better for them all if he were to just... disappear. To cut ties entirely, so as to make sure no one ever comes after them in an attempt to get to him.

And that worked out fucking great, didn’t it.

Bunch of unimportant stuff happens, and eventually Martin ends up dropping out of school, presumably only a year early from graduation (weird but fine); and it’s safe to assume he eventually ends up traveling to London in hopes of better job opportunities. Plus, if he’s gonna be lying on his CV, probably better to head out of county to some place where no one knows him from anywhere to begin with, right? That makes sense, and none of you can say otherwise.

And where does he find himself sliding into a new job position? Oh, that’s right; at the Magnus Institute. In the Library. I’m just saying. I am just saying, that’s a little interesting. I mean, he lied about having a degree in parapsychology on his CV; so if Bouchard really wanted to play along like he thought the CV was entirely legit, it actually would’ve made more sense to put him in Research, or even in Artefact Storage with a degree like that. But nope, Bouchard put him in the Library. Though, I guess we don’t know exactly what all might’ve been on Martin’s faked CV. But I swear to god, if we get bonus content that’s just Martin’s faked CV and it even hints at him working at a “family library/bookshop” I will spontaneously combust.

Regardless, in 2009, supposedly (according to the wiki), Martin began working at the Institute. Personally, I always thought he started working there in 2010, but that doesn’t matter. I actually like 2009 better, because then a year later, Leitner apparently begins working with Gertrude Robinson. Which I find interesting. I mean, really there’s no reason for them not to work together, I just find the timing of it interesting. Of course, Leitner (in MAG80) alludes to the fact that Gertrude was likely only working with him because there was a lack of anyone else around. But that really only explains Gertrude’s interest in Leitner. What attracted Leitner to the Magnus Institute in the first place, I wonder? Aside from the fact that it’s essentially the Library of Alexandria of research on the Entities. 

But Leitner had managed to stay out of public eye for about 16 years, why would he chose right around then to start playing peekaboo with the Beholding? Rhetorical question, of course. Y’all should already know exactly where I’m going with this line of questioning. Martin. Martin is what lead Leitner to the Institute, and to Gertrude. Dude just wanted to check up on his son, and now he’s just as trapped as everyone who works for the damn Institute because of all these weird rituals and shit. Plus maybe there was another reason why Leitner went through so much effort to help Gertrude, even putting himself on the line for it; and I think we can all agree that Leitner is a pretty selfish dude who’s only real character trait is being like a fucking cockroach. Straight up, the only way to kill a cockroach is to beat those suckers until they pop like a fucking pimple-- sorry, I’m actually getting ahead of myself, I don’t want to talk about that yet, um.

Leitner’s biggest character trait, and on some level, character flaw, is his Self-Preservation instinct. When the going gets tough, his own health and safety comes first. But maybe he gets a bit sentimental in his old age, and maybe he struck a deal with Gertrude; if he helps her stop the Unknowing, (or actually I think it would’ve been the Dark’s ritual first), she will bring his son down to the tunnels so Leitner can see how he’s grown, and maybe even talk to him. I just think that would be interesting character motivation; because at the end of the day, it’s still a pretty selfish motivation. But at this point, Gertrude’s only other option for help is a teenaged Shadow the Hedgehog wannabe; so she’d likely agree to just about anything for the extra pair of hands. And given what later happens in regards to the Dark’s ritual, which then results in Gertrude’s death; Leitner gets scared back into his hole in the ground.

But hey, I guess things actually kind of worked out for ol’ Jurgen. Because like a year later, his son* (*allegedly, according to apparently no one but me) starts living in the Archives. It’s like he’s living in his son’s basement, he can just pop up for tea and say hi whenever. Maybe complain about all the bugs that keep crawling around. Or not, because Jürgen Leitner is a coward. But I 100% would not put it past him to shuffle his old bones up into the Archives to stand creepily at the edge of wherever Martin was sleeping and angst quietly at the sight of his son. It’s creepy, funny, and sad. Basically a peak TMA scenario right there.

Then Leitner gets brutally piped by Bouchard. Actually, can I say it like that? “Piped” isn’t some kind of... new-age slang for something, is it? God, I hope not. Anyways; Leitner isn’t just beat upside the head with a length of pipe, but literally pulped by Bouchard (or at the very least implied so), in a way that makes identifying the guy difficult enough that he remains a John Doe straight up until Elias confesses to the murder. Now, obviously there are plenty of reasons for this; given that both Daisy and Basira are familiar with the name Leitner, so presumably other sectioned officers would be as well; so there was at least a slim chance that whatever officer got sent to the Institute upon the discovery of the body might just recognize Leitner immediately. But, and sorry to sidetrack here, but there was just one thing that really stood out to me about Martin. One thing that always stuck with me, that for some reason was the main thing that made me thing Leitner could’ve been his dad.

Martin looks like his father, whoever that may or may not be. It is explicitly canon, that Martin looks like whoever his dad is. So wouldn’t it be better safe than sorry for Bouchard to beat Leitner to a pulp wherein no one could easily discern any major features of him once he was found. After all, it would make things rather messy and a bit too complicated if everyone who saw the body was like, “wow! That looks just like you, Martin.” So really, it’s for the best that not only did Bouchard kill Leitner, but he thoroughly did so. 

And so, I will end this already way to long of a ramble with the one thing that solidified me on this theory, and Spoilers for Season 5 of MAG, but... In MAG181 Salesa says, “Now you mention it, you actually remind me of Jurgen a bit. In his younger days of course.” to Martin. Of course, Martin did just shoot out a snappy one-liner about books, but... it’s the clarification of Jurgen “in his younger days”, that gets me. Mikaele could just have easily said something about Martin just “sounding” like Leitner. But the way this reads, and how it’s spoken, even, it seems more like someone that might’ve been looking at Martin for awhile, squinting at him as if he’s seen that face somewhere before, and then right when Martin mentions books, it finally clicks. After all, it would’ve been almost 20 years, or possibly more, since Salesa would have left Leitner’s employ.

So yeah, I admit this theory has a much weaker backbone then my Banks/Folger post, but... I just think it’s neat. And it’s another one of those things that actually doesn’t have any affect on the major plot whatsoever. I dunno, maybe it was meant to be some sort of subplot early on that got ditched or something? Point is, that’s all for now, and with any luck, I will never post another crack theory again, and the TMA tag can be safe from my ramblings once more.

[write-it-good-imagines]

Mine - Jackson Wang

So, @aggrocat121 said “If I could request a Jackson writing with your prompts ! and 25, I’m just a sucker for a jealous Jackson scenario!” and you know what I said? Mood hun, tbvh.

~2k words, fluff, if one squints, one can see the angst but honestly I think it’s just cute ok, 

Prompts: 1. “We’re not just friends and you fucking know it.”

25: “You’re mine. I don’t share.”

Summary: One would think jealousy only leads to dreadful things; and while it is true, it is also undeniable that, once in a blue moon, jealousy gives birth to even greater things.

It was not a date, per se. You did not phrase it like that. It was more of a meeting between two very close friends. Except you could have dialed anyone else’s phone number and request the presence of anyone else to accompany you in an afternoon shopping session. This meant that, with you explicitly calling him to join you and, subsequently, to spend quality time with you, it was more than just a meeting between two close friends. So Jackson settled for a date; in his mind anyway.

Jackson fantasized about confessing his feelings for you in an incalculable number of ways, his fictional plans leading to the same happy conclusion. Nevertheless, there’s a common saying that, although applicable, Jackson loathed: ‘it was never the right time’. And it truly never was. Not because he was unsure of his feelings, or because he didn’t suspect there was something on your part too, but because he discovered he was too much of a coward to take the reins.

And now he was stuck waiting for you to finish your conversation with an affable man who kept on repeatedly touching your upper arm as he grinned a tad too excessively at your words.

Jackson checked his watch and observed an excruciating five minutes had passed since he had met you outside your favorite shopping center and the only words you bothered to throw his way were a mere request to wait for a little bit, the rest of them undeniably flowing the stranger’s way. And boy, was he getting mad.

After your interminable conversation finally met its end, the man luckily went his way, refraining himself from doing an audacious thing such as hugging you, and Jackson let out a heavy sigh. You turned your body to him and were surprised you weren’t greeted with the usual bear hug and blinding smile. 

“Seunie, hello! Sorry about that, it was one of my co-workers.”

Jackson could figure as much. “Yeah, don’t mind. Shall we go?”

You blinked at the coldness of his words. Jackson started walking ahead, neglecting the usual pace he settled for when the two of you would walk together. You lifted a brow but chose to say nothing. He would ordinarily speak his mind on his own whenever something bugged him so you opted to wait for him to find his words.

However, it was a lie to say you were not intimidated by his icy silhouette.

“Thanks for coming. I know you must be busy with everything but I really need to buy some new jeans and office trousers. And we both know you’re more stylish than I am.”

Jackson glanced at you briefly and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his denim jacket. The brown trench coat you wore over a simple white shirt, tugged in the flared jeans and the low-heeled ankle boots were forming a look that Jackson planned on commenting about. Of course, you were beautiful regardless of the clothes you wore but that was positively his favorite look on you. “You’re exaggerating.”

“No need to get all modest now, Wang.” You chuckled and entered the first store for a quick scan. Jackson extended his arm to take your handbag so you could better look around. He kept a small distance from you, fiddling with his phone, giving minimal response to any of the questions you asked.

At first, you thought that he genuinely did not like anything that you showed him so you simply shrugged your shoulders and went on your way to the next store. It was the same irritating process in the next couple of stores you walked in. You’d show him an article of clothing, often picking ones that you truly liked, and he’d either nod his head or say you should buy it if you liked it. Jackson was slowly but surely stepping on your every nerve. If you wanted to randomly purchase something just for the sake of it, you would have sent your brother. 

His attitude was peculiar in itself. He had an annoying glimmer in his eyes and a pouty expression that you had never seen on him when he just wanted an ounce of attention. During all those memorable times you spent with Jackson, both good and bad, you fell for every antic he’d do, from jutting out his lower lip in a silent cry for hugs to the serene smile he only offered you when you were around him. It was, still, a bit far-fetched since he was friendly with every breathing creature. This time, his indifference toward you was a harrowing prospect.

As you were browsing through Zara, your eyes fell on some beautiful jeans that you were determined to try on, with or without Jackson’s help.

“Are you coming?” you asked shortly and walked to the fitting rooms without waiting for an actual response. Jackson followed you silently and folded your coat over his forearm, seating himself on an outer chair. It wasn’t long before he noticed the curtain opening. 

You were checking for the fitting when you called him over. “Jackson.”

Jackson stood up and walked over to you, almost chocking on thin air at the sight. He had shamelessly examined your curves before, occasionally informing you even, yet your ass looked splendid in that particular pair of jeans. He remembered he was upset, though, and he had to act accordingly. 

“These are okay.”

You could feel your eyes rolling out of their respective orbits. You pulled the curtain to change back into your clothes and stormed out by Jackson when you were done to pay for the jeans. You offered a small smile to the employee and offered your credit card; scarcely had you reacted when Jackson took the shopping bag in his hand and walked on ahead with that, along with your coat and handbag. That was the last straw.

“Okay, I am done receiving the silent treatment.” You declared and settled yourself by his side. “Can you please tell me what is going on with you?”

Jackson peeked at you, then turned his face forward. “Nothing.”

“Jackson Wang, I am going to ask this only once before I turn around and go home. What is going on?”

Jackson closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “How long have you known that guy?”

So that was the problem.

You scoffed in amusement. “Who, my colleague? Dang, Jackson, we’ve been working since I joined the company. If I think about it now, he is my senior by a year.”

Jackson did not find what he was looking for in your answer. The air in his lungs evacuated all at once in an excessive sigh. You did not know what to do with that side of Jackson’s. Well, one could always presume, but you didn’t know if he was simply dramatic for the sake of it, or was genuinely bothered. You looked up at him, a small smile plastered on your lips. 

“Jackson, we are only friends—“

“We’re not just friends and you fucking know it.”

Jackson mirrored your confused expression, although his was sprinkled with a mixture of fear and uneasiness. Your eyes were visibly widened.

“What?”

“What?”

“I was referring to my colleague, Jackson.”

He clicked his tongue. “Oh.”

You opened your mouth a couple of times, trying to form a coherent sentence, but failed each time. Out of all the things Jackson could have said, his last sentence astonished you. Or more accurately, it shook you down to your core. There was no turning back.

“Wait a second, are you acting like a brat right now because you are jealous?” you mumbled, your eyebrows knitted together. “I can’t believe it.”

Jackson scoffed. “I’m not jealous.”

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but I am going to give you a moment to reconsider your answer.”

Jackson turned his body completely to you, moving all the articles to one hand so he could gesture his argument freely. “I don’t like it. How come a random guy out in the street gets to be all mushy-mushy with you?”

You chuckled and folded your arms over his chest. His face was priceless at that moment. “A random guy? I just told you he’s my senior!”

“Oh, so in this modern age all seniors get to run their filthy hands up and down your arm, thinking it comes as a motivational bonus?”

You felt your blood beginning to boil. You were not happy with the mixed signals he was giving you so faithfully, confidently traversing back and forth between platonic friendship and romantic interest, and yet you did not run to him to rub them in his face. “What’s it to you, Jackson? How come you’re suddenly interested in who gets to run their hand up and down my body?”

“You’re mine. I don’t share.”

You would have actually felt the heart skipping a beat in your ribcage had it not been for the veil of anger clouding your senses. You would have also realized you developed a weak spot for that assertive side of Jackson. Especially now as it was exclusively yours. “Oh? Since when?”

He ran an exasperated hand through his hair. “Since now.”

Jackson lost no time in cupping your cheek with his free hand and crashing his lips against yours. The air hitched in your throat as he pressed the lingering and otherwise addicting kiss to your lips. You froze in your spot, all the awareness exiting your body at once. He pulled back, his earnest eyes piercing through your soul. You could not remember a single moment when Jackson was that serious.

“I like you, hell, I like you so much that I simply don’t know what to do with myself in your presence. I don’t think there is anyone in this galaxy who adores another person as much as I adore you. You see all these people around here?” Jackson stopped succinctly to gesture to the crowded corridors of the mall. 

“Jackson, I don’t know what--”

“I know you must think I am exaggerating, or that I am crazy, or that I am a mess and God knows I truly am a mess, but trust me when I say there’s no one alive who can take care of you the way I can. I am horrified to lay a single finger on your beautiful skin, so who are they to think they even deserve such a blessing?”

There was no tremble in his voice, no hesitation in his eyes, not any snippet of insecurity in the words he spoke. To say you were petrified was an understatement. At least your blazing cheeks hinted you were alive.

“That and your ass looks majestic in those new jeans.”

Jackson lowered his hand to pat your ass playfully. He then straightened his body and cleared his throat, still studying your features carefully. A sly smirk was sketched on his lips as soon as he noticed your bright complexion and turned happily to skip away.

“Hey, Wang Jackson!” he heard you calling out his name and snickered to himself, wiggling his fingers at you. You were in a conspicuous state of denial as you dashed over to him. “Did you just brazenly flirt with me?”

Jackson intertwined his fingers with yours effortlessly. “Have been for the past century, but thanks for noticing.”

“No, no.” you shook your head and your now tangled hands. “Did you just confess to me?”

Jackson opted to wink at you, taking advantage of your perplexed stance. Out of all the countless scenarios he outlined in his mind, he had to admit that, with a little bit of outside help, that was probably the best existing way to break it to you. With much-desired success, too. 

“So what if I did? You have yet to give me an answer.”

You had had enough of his smug expression. Without letting go of his hand, you pulled him by the collar with your other one and returned the favor by attaching your lips to his in a heartbeat. He smiled into the kiss and you figured he got the message. That was until he slid his hand out of yours and into the back pocket of your jeans and gave your butt a light squeeze.

“What are you doing right now?” you cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I have to assert dominance.”

You burst out in laughter and decided to play along. You also stuffed your hand into the back pocket of his jeans. “What an eloquent way to say you just needed and excuse to grab my ass in public.”

Jackson let out one of his irresistible laughs and leaned over to you to peck your cheek. It was more comfortable than he thought it would be, walking like that. “Don’t act like you’re any better, Y/n.”

[vinaity]

Hey! So! I heard you wanted DR requests 👀 How would you feel about writing a Hanahaki au with Gundham? I really like your writing so it’d be really fantastic!

thank you so much! I’m so sorry this took so long to write but life has been rough and I put some work into this! i hope you enjoy dear! 🥺🥺

Sonia Nevermind.

It was all that stupid princess’s fault. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t have been going through what you’re going through right now.

You were slightly envious of the princess, she was basically everything you weren’t. That’s why you hated her, because of the fact that she was up to his standards.

You have had a crush on a boy for months, Gundham Tanaka to be exact. At first, you denied having any form of liking to him as you thought he wouldn’t be into you. Scratch that, you still think he isn’t into you.

That was because of Sonia’s mere existence.

You knew that Gundham had standards, he called himself ‘The Dark Lord’ for a reason. At first, you thought that he wasn’t looking for anyone to be with romantically- that was until you saw him hang out with Sonia more and more often.

That’s how you saw things of course.

Sonia met Gundham’s standards, while you were probably just a mere peasant to him. Sonia was definitely the girl Gundham was looking for, she was an actual princess after all- why not promote her to his ‘Dark Queen’ while at it.

This leads to where you are now, hunched over the toilet bowl and throwing up ‘Queen of the Night’ flowers. You hated this, you wish that everything would be over- you were sick of throwing up flowers for a boy who probably doesn’t even know who you are.

It really made you feel like trash, it made you realise how stupid you were for liking Gundham in the first place.

You were so close to not getting to the bathroom this morning, it took you a ton of effort just to leave the bed. Mikan had told you a while back that your state was getting worse; that one day either the thorns would be too much for your insides, or you’ll choke on the flowers you’ve been throwing up.

All this pain, pain that Sonia and Gundham would never understand. That pain just made you hate her even more. At this point, you were disgusted by her name even mentioned in a conversation.

Today, you had enough of this pain. One day or another, you would have to tell Gundham your feelings or you would die- and today was going to be that day (if you could even get out of the bathroom that was).

-

“Are you sure you want to do this? What if he doesn’t believe what you’re saying?” Mahiru questioned, grabbing fresh clothes for you to change out of your bloodstained clothes.

“Don’t say things like that!” Akane hissed, coming out of the bathroom with you in her arms.


You had asked for Akane and Mahiru to come to your cottage to help you out with today. You had told them both about you wanting to confess, and they were more than willing to help you out.

“I know he likes Sonia more than me.” You rasped, “But it’s worth a shot. If he does know, at least he’ll regret it if I died. It’s sort of like a death bed wish.”

“Don’t remind me that you’re dying.” Akane placed you down on your bed, “It breaks my damn heart that you are, especially over a man like Gundham.”

“To me, he’s not even a man.” Mahiru walked over towards you and Akane, “If he’s going to down right ignore how you’re feeling, that’s just being a coward! Men aren’t supposed to be cowards!”

“But what you said, how do you even know he even likes Sonia more?” Akane countered what you said, starting to help you change.

“H-He talks to her more then me.” You coughed, a flower falling onto your thigh, “He’s hangs out with her more than me. You saw them the other day right? They’re that close that they finish each other sentences!”

During home room the other day, you had saw Sonia and Gundham laughing while they were talking. At one point, Gundham was talking and Sonia had finished his sentence.

“You never know Y/N.” Mahiru assured, “They could just be best friends. To me, it doesn’t even look like he’s interested in her in that way.”

“What makes you think that?”

“It may be because I’m naturally observant, but there’s this vibe with them that feels like they’re only friends you know.” Mahiru shrugged, “I’ve just noticed from the start that Sonia isn’t the type of girl he’s into- to be honest, I think she’s hanging out with him because of his hamsters.”

“But it looks so different. Why are they that close if she’s just in the friendship for those hamsters.” You furrowed your eyebrows, looking down and picking up the flower that fell on your thigh.

“I said that was my opinion on it. But think whatever you think of it. Just remember, Y/N, there’s more then what meets the eye.” Mahiru finished up helping you get ready.

“As much as I hate to say it, I agree with Mahiru on that one.” Akane chimed, helping you stand.

“Hey!”

“What? I’m saying my opinion. Come on, let’s go and find Gundham and the others.”

-

You had chose the wrong day to do it, why did you have to choose today.

Currently, you were with everyone else at the restaurant. Everyone else seemed to have a good time, except you of course.

You had noticed that Sonia was sitting awfully close to Gundham, and you tried to brush it off. It was stuck in your mind the entire time everyone was there, you had tried to distract yourself by talking to Akane, Mahiru and Ibuki- but it only seemed to make things worse.

As you looked down to eat some food, that’s when you felt it.

You could feel the flowers coming through your throat. You stood and ran out of the restaurant, leaving everyone confused and shocked in their seats.

“Why aren’t you guys doing anything, you cowards!” Mahiru yelled as she rushed out of her seat and towards outside, Akane following her with a plate of food in her hands.
-

Mahiru and Akane walked outside to a horrifying sight.

You were kneeling in front of the garden, flowers coming out of your mouth without control. You arms were clutching your throat, coughing continuously as tears brimmed in your eyes. From a distance, you could see thorns slightly poking the skin of your throat.

Blood was staining your clothes and the grass around you as it seeped out of your mouth. It was all over your hands as you gagged and coughed.

“Get Mikan!” Mahiru screamed to Akane, who nodded and ran back inside as Mahiru ran to your side to try and help as much as she could.

-

“What happened to Y/N?” Kazuichi thought loudly, “She was acting strange- running outside and all that.”

”I’m not sure why.. But I do hope that she’s okay.” Chiaki replied with concern, “She looked more pale then usual, she has for a while.”

”Ibuki thought she was the only one who noticed!” Ibuki added, “Ibuki also noticed that Y/N hasn’t left her cabin in a while.”

“Maybe she got a bug or something. Something isn’t right with her in any way.” Sonia chimed in, “Like, something really isn’t right.”

“Maybe she has been cursed.” Gundham sighed, “But what would she be cursed w-“

“MIKAN!” Akane’s voice boomed and she slammed the door open, “IT’S Y/N, SHE’S DYING!”

“H-Huh!” Mikan turned around startled and starting to stumble towards Akane, “I-I’m on my w-way!”

-

Akane and Mikan rushed outside together, Mikan instantly going to Y/N after seeing the state she was in.

Mahiru’s clothes were covered in blood and petals, a gloomy yet concerned look on her face as she was pulled away from Y/N by Akane.


“Please Y/N.. Don’t die on us..” Mahiru whispered, tears filling her eyes, “I tried as much as I could to stop the bleeding bu-“

“Oh my god.”

Akane and Mahiru turned around to see everyone else on top of the steps, looking down at Y/N’s body and Mikan near them.

“What’s wrong with her? Why is she like that!” Sonia screamed.

“I am right, she was cursed-“ Gundham began.

That’s when Akane lost her cool, she couldn’t stand Gundham at this point. He’s the one bringing Y/N pain, if it weren’t for him you wouldn’t be dying.

“IT WAS BECAUSE OF YOU!” Akane snapped, pointing at Gundham, anger filling her eyes.

“What do you m-“

”IT’S BECAUSE OF YOU AND SONIA! YOU TWO ALWAYS BEING TOGETHER!” At this point, Akane was being held back by Mahiru. If it weren’t for Mahiru, she probably would’ve knocked him out by now.

“Akane, calm down please. Being violent isn’t going to help the situation right now.” Mahiru tried to calm Akane down, much to her avail it made Akane even more angry.

”I DON’T CARE! HE NEEDS SOME SENSE KNOCKED INTO HIM!” Akane broke from Mahiru’s grip and starting to storm towards Gundham.

Grabbing him by his shirt, Akane looked at Gundham in the eyes and hissed, “You better make things right with Y/N. She’s been in love with you for the longest time, and you’ve been ignoring her for Sonia. So you’re going to make things right with her.”

-

Gundham was beyond shocked with what Akane said.

Y/N liked him too? She thought he was ignoring her for Sonia. He had to admit, Sonia was consuming too much of his time lately.

He knew that Sonia had a crush on him, he knew that if it weren’t for his Deva’s- Sonia probably would’ve never spoken to him or even have feelings for him.

But he liked you, he yearned to be in your presence every time he was hanging out with Sonia. He wanted to talk to you, to see if you had feelings for him too, but he knew that you probably weren’t interested in him.

But now, after knowing that you had liked him back and finding out the hard way, he had wished that he had spoken to you earlier about it.

He was going to when you first arrived, but Sonia was in the middle of talking to him and she moved towards him.

But now, he regretted every second he spent with her today. If he had spoken to you, you wouldn’t be in the situation you’re in. Because of that feeling, he had the urge to shut everyone out so it’s just you and him, and pour his heart out to you.

But he had to keep calm, like what Mahiru said, being violent isn’t going to help or change things.

“I will.” Gundham hissed to Akane, “I am now, get off of me, mortal.”

Akane complied, letting go of her grip so Gundham could walk towards Y/N.

-

“I-I’ve tried as much as I c-can! I-I’m s-sorry if it made Y-Y/N worse!” Mikan exclaimed sadly, looking over at Gundham with wide eyes.

“It’s fine, Mikan. I think I know how to get rid of this curse.” Gundham reassured Mikan as she slowly nodded and stumbled away from him.

“Y/N..” Gundham whispered as he crouched next to you, “I’m so sorry for this..”

“Why are you apologising?” You coughed, looking at him with dark eyes, “I thought you would want to see someone like me in pain.. especially when you have feelings for her.”

He realised the hurt and bitterness in your voice at your response, he didn’t want to admit it but what you said had broken his heart.

“My dear Y/N, why would you think that I have feelings for her? I get why you would, but if you were to observe my actions closely you would see that I have no attraction to her.”

“It didn’t look like that way to me.” Your eyes teared up as you started to cough up even more flower petals. You felt the thorns pressing harder and harder into your neck, making you gag.

“Y/N? P-Please don’t pass on.. it’s n-not your time. ” He was concerned, you could tell by the shakiness of his voice. That’s when you realised that he generally cared for you.

You kept on gagging, it was all too much to handle. You didn’t want to muffle out what Gundham is saying but your mind is starting to fuzz out.

“I-“ Before you could continue, flower petals fell out of your mouth along with blood, the pink staining Gundham’s hands as he placed them on your shoulders.

“P-Please.” You also realised that Gundham had broken character, that he wasn’t his usual ‘evil’ self, “Don’t leave.”

“I-I love you.”

Once he had said that, you could feel the thorns start to retreat from your neck and start to shrink down from your neck. You could feel the petals shrinking in your stomach along with the stem of the plant.

Your head was pounding, but you didn’t care. Relief felt through your veins as you looked up at him with teary eyes.

“So you weren’t lying..” You looked up and him and murmured as he took your hands into his, “You really do love me.”

“Like what I said, my dear Y/N.” Gundham pulled you close, whispering into your ear, “I love you.. and I always will.”

[bookdorp]

Getting back into reading!!!!

For about two years now reading has been hard for me. Even though for most of my life, ever since I learned to read as a kid, I have devoured book after book after book, usually several per month. But for some reason for the past two years I could bearely get through one book every two months.

But two months ago I finally got my reading fire back. Huzzaah! And the book that got me fired up again was (to my utmust and complete surprise and even a little frustration and dissapointment) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. One of my best friends was doing a re-read and ofcourse the re-read bug bit me too.

When I read this book for the first time 4 years ago, I read it like a masterpiece and loved it so much that I immediatly ordered the second; A Court of Mist and Fury. Which at the time also felt like a masterpiece to me. The second time I read these books was right before the third came out; A court of Wings and Ruin, a book I’d been waiting for and marked in my dairy and even pre-ordered. 

So the second time I read ACOTAR, I was slightly dissapointed because I no longer got the rush from it like I did the first time I read it. And to my memory it felt bland next to how I remembered how ACOMAF made me feel, which read like a train the second time I read it, even though I started noticing some small things that bothered me. So eventually I got to the third book; A Court of Wings and Ruin. Which was definitly disapointing to me, even reading it for the first time. I was expecting to love it.

Now, we are a few years later and I’ve just read ACOTAR and ACOMAF all over again. And I’m grateul to these books for getting me into reading again. And to my surprise, this time I preferred ACOTAR over ACOMAF. (MINDBLOWN!)

I no longer think this series is a masterpiece (anything but) but it’s an easy read, you don’t need to think too hard, the writing is pretty simple and sometimes even pretty. The plot is never complicated and, honestly, I do love myself some good smut. 

ACOTAR

So ACOTAR Round 3: I really liked it best this time. Especially because the plot is so much smoother than ACOMAF and ACOWAR, and most important, it’s THERE, it’s visible, it’s noticable. Every little thing the characters do, especially Lucien and Tamlin, make sense at some point. Things just click once you get to Under The Mountain. And I love that in books! Books that leave hints for you to pick up on (or not), so nothing seems like its a sudden *gasp* suprise! I mean, plot twists are fantastic, but only if they’re executed well. When you feel something coming or you pick up the bread-crumbs left througout the story, and even though you don’t know how to put them together yet, you know they mean something and it will make sense in the end. And ACOTAR gave me this! It all made sense in the end:

-The mention of Tamlin’s heart of stone several times

- The vague mentions of a plague or blight on the land

- Lucien and Tamlin purposely letting her spy and figure things out on her own

 You know, those little things, that all become more logical at the end. I really appreciate that in a book. 

The Love story between Tamlin and Feyre was also nice. It’s wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad either. I’m still not sure if Tamlin truly loves her but I do believe he cares about her a lot in this book. After all, he is being nice to her on purpose and that purpose is to save his people and ending a curse. So does he love Feyre or does he love what she could represent for the future of his people? But I am convinced he cares about her lot, otherwise he wouldn’t have send her away before UTM to save her and so condemn his own people. So maybe there was some love in the end.

The ending itself was great. I loved that Feyre ended up solving the riddel, I only thought the riddle was a little obvious? I mean, I figured it out before Feyre did (even at the first read), but being good or bad at riddles isn’t something I can judge a person for. I think it was amazing Feyre died before being Made Fae, even if, secretely, I would have loved for her to have stayed human. That would have been an interesting story too.

There were definitly consequences for the main characters to work through at the end of the book. Something I looked forward too in book 2. And each character has their good parts and bad parts and the writing accepts that and doesn’t apolagize for it. No one loves perfect characters (looking at you ACOMAF Rhys and Feyre!). 

So I finished ACOTAR with a happy feeling.

ACOMAF

On to ACOMAF, knowing that I loved it in Round 1, was dissapointed in Round 2. And in Round 3 I found myself somewhere in between love and disapointment.

Things I loved (because you always start with the positive:

- The slowburn romance building. Was it eye-rolling at times? Definitly. it’s not my favorite romance couple of all books (Phèdre and Jocelin from Kushiel’s Dart *chef’s kiss*) but I liked how it build slowly and how both of them were given the time to get to know eachother. 

- The Inner Circle. Always nice to welcome new characters into a story. I love their love and friendship, their banter in amusing, and I’m a sucker for found family.

- Learning more about Prythian. We go to so many more places then in ACOTAR. In ACOTAR we only got the human realm, Tamlin’s Mansion and Under The Mountain. In ACOMAF we get Spring Court, Human Realm, Night Court, Velaris, The Prison, Weaver’s Hut, Illyrian places, and (most importantly!) Adriata. So many Courts out there and we are now on Court 3! So much more to explore!

- Lucien. I just really like his character. He’s both a good guy and a bad one. He tries. He wants to be loyal to his only friend, support him and help him, and that is so admirable, but at the cost of Feyre. Which is bad. He is just so conflicted. The right thing to do is not so easy from his point of view. For Feyre it’s easy: yes, he should just help her and stand up for her. But from his own point of view he sees a Court, his Court, that has been devastated for 50 years, his friend comes back broken and in pieces, and in the end he’s only known Feyre for 6 months or so? I understand him chosing the Spring Court and Tamlin before anything else. Even if it’s terrible for Feyre. And it does makes him something of a coward. But he tries to the best of his abilities, even if it’s not enough. I love the duality of Lucien. This is what makes a character interesting: the good AND the bad. Because he did, UTM, help Feyre as much as Rhys did. He healed her, warned her during the Myddengard Wyrm thing. He tried. But he’s not al all powerful High Lord who has somewhat gained the trust of Amarantha.

And in ACOMAF he still tries though it’s obvious he’s chosen Tamlin. He’s allowed to do that, even if it makes him an awefull friend towards Feyre. It doesn’t make him a terrible villain monster. 

The only thing agree with does make him the worst, is him trying to force Feyre to go back with him in the woods. And yet he did that for Tamlin. All of it, all of what he does, is (in his mind) in the name of friendship and protecting his Court. The goal is good, the means are wrong. 

Anyway I like Lucien, even if we didn’t get much of him in ACOMAF.

The things I was dissapointed in (because hate is too strong a word):

- The drama of everything. Everyone gets a sob story, a horrible painful sobstory, because that’s the only way to know if you can like and trust someone I guess? Rhys’s father, mother and sister are murdered, Mor was tortured and brutalized by her own family, Cassian is a bastard that had to fend for himself nearly to starvation, Azriel is a bastard brutalized by his borthers and ignored by his family, and Feyre fits right in I guess. I know it’s fantasy, but please, does no one get a happy childhood in this book? I’d like to include Amren but we really don’t know much about her at this point and we don’t learn much more either.

- Taking away Rhys’s bad boy points??? It made him as interesting as Lucien in my book, the bad he’s done. Why does everything that he did Under The Mountain have to because a ‘Mask’ now. What made him so interesting was because he did all those things thinking he maybe liked them. Now we need to find out he was suffering all along and didn’t want to do it. He just had to to protect his people. I mean, make some things a ‘Mask’ but maybe leave us some bad things because he enjoys them?

- Which leads me to the third things that I disliked: the constant comparison to Tamlin. Suddely, all the good things about Tamlin in ACOTAR disapeared, and Tamlin becomes monster villain number 1 with no good qualities whatsoever. I totally agreed with Feyre staying away from Tamlin for awhile, but to just never go back again? Once she felt like she was strong enough to talk to him, she should have. Was Tamlin in the wrong with how he treated Feyre, YES ABSOLUTELY. But she could have gone back, with Rhys and the Innder Circle for back-up, and sat down with him to talk to him about it. I wish an attempt was made. But I think we all know that Sarah just needed us to hate Tamlin to make Rhys look more perfect. Feyre shouldn’t go back to Tamlin, after Under The Mountain, they’rr not good for eachother. But Tamlin doesn’t know Rhys is secretly a good guy. Feyre got to know him but no one else in Prythian knows Rhys is just pretending. So it’s incredibly ridiculous to assume that Tamlin knows Rhys is good? Rhys behaved like a villain in public on purpose and it worked. And now they are surprised eveyron thinks Rhys is a villain? Of course Tamlin and Lucien believe Feyre is being controlled or manipulated. It’s why I can understand why they want to force her to come back. they truly don’t know any better.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY. Feyre complains how Tamlin never asked her how she felt or how he never wanted to talk abou what happened UTM, but she never asked him either. So this shit goes both ways. I feel for Tamlin and I feel for her. They BOTH couldn’t talk about it but everything gets blamed on Tamlin because his behaviour is more outrageous. She should have gone back (WITH BACK-UP) and talked to him. Would have prevented the weird ending

- And that leads me to the ending. Did anyone really think it would be that simple? Just sneak in and out and that’s that? Like. I love clues in books, but this really screamed TRAP AHEAD *Leliane voice is DA Origins*. Also, Rhys is supposed to be the most powerful High Lord ever, but he’s really easy to subdue and trick. I mean, the King of Hybern is supposedly a warlord of masterful cunning....

 And the fact they left Amren in Velaris. Everyone seems to agree she’s even more powerful than Rhys. They should have left Mor and Cassian in Velaris and taken Amren and the King of Hybern would have died then and there. Making stupid decisions to further the plot is not fun to read. Write better! But then again, ACOMAF was never really about the plot so if you read this book accepting it’s all about romance building and some smut, it’ll be easier. It’s what I did :P

And some minor annoyances:

- I feel liked everyone’s going to find love in these books. Because being single is BAD I guess. It’s too convenient.

- I would have loved for one weaker character to be in the Inner Circle. Not everyone can be overpowered. Where are my bookworms that make plans and don’t have flashy powers that can make mountains tremble when they orgasm?

- Velaris was too modern? I miss a more fae place? Less with bars and dancings and stores selling lacey underwear? Feyre in leggings and an over-sized sweater annoyed me. Seriously.

And that’s that.

I’m so happy to be reading again! And writing about reading ><

Next is A Court of Wings and Ruin. 

[alolanrain]

Cursed Object

(all true stories, just with characters swapped in for people)

It starts on July 3rd, 2007. Delia is inlisting all of Red’s friends, their parents, Ash, and the Oaks into helping clean out her garage and finally throw away junk from her late husband since he was a fucking Packrat. At this point she enlisted like half of pallet Town in the beginning. The sun was setting and they can finally see most of the garage flooring. Everyone was chugging drinks and eating several boxes of pizza Blue’s mom had ordered because no one was cooking that night. Everything was fine...

Until Red, at the ripe old age of 7, came ambling out of the garage with a large plastic bat that was a horrid Orange color.

“Mama?” Red yelled across the yard to his mom who was talking to Blue’s Grandma, easily getting Delia’s and half the people’s attention as well, “what’s this?” Raising the plastic bat into the setting rays it flashed an even brighter disgusting orange.

“I don’t know, sweetie.” Delia sighed before waving her eldest away. Eyeing Blue who was cooking over 4 year old Ash and Gary who was six months younger.

“That’s a Wiffleball bat, my boy.” Professor Oak scared the living daylights out of Red by landing a hand on his skinny shoulder. “Your father was great at baseball and Wiffleball was his first sport. He wanted to play with you and Ash when you two had gotten older but never found the time with his job.”

“Ah.” Red muttered lamely before ducking out of Oaks grip and trotting over to his friends. Green had his baby brother in his grip that was eyeing the bat. Red gave the bigger end to the boy, allowing him to feel the surprisingly soft playable plastic, and pulling it away soon after when he tried to put his mouth on it. Luckily he didn’t fuss, turning back to his teething ring instead while eyeing at Blue who still cradled Red’s own brother.

“You know,” Green started, that greedy look in his eyes shining brightly and caused a sinking feeling to form in Reds gut, “Wiffleball and baseball sound pretty lame and boring. I would be embarrassed if my dad made me play baseball.” He spat.

Next thing any adult knew Red had Instinctively swung the large plastic bat as hard has he could in his sitting position next to Green directly into the boys face. Causing Green to drop Gary and for both boys to start wailing. Gary because he bonked his face directly into the dry, hot summer ground, and Green because his nose was now bleeding.

“At least my mom didn’t leave me by choice.” He spat before making eye contact with Blue who looked at him with wide eyes and then at Ash who started tearing up from the yelling.

“Alfred Johnston Ketchum!” Delia screeched across the yard. Making everyone, who was in shock because passive, soft spoken, and loving Red had just down that, jump at the women’s sudden scream of rage.

Red immediately let go of the bat and immediately looked between Green, his hands, and then to his mom before repeating.

———

The next time the bat was taken out of the garage, and Delia had sworn to the police that she had torn the thing up in front of all the rest of adults after the kids were sent home, was next month. Red and Green made their truce yet again for the fifth time since the end of July.

They were playing some kind of ball game out in the back of Greens Grandpa’s lab. Gary and Ash were at some kind of baby appointment so the kids were put under Oaks watch... though he isn’t really doing a lot of kid sitting when he’s staring at the TV half dead basically from the heat.

Red had gone home, while Blue went to hers and Green went down to the Professors basement, to try and find a bat. When he got into his garage, sitting right in the middle of the concrete floor, was the Wiffleball bat. Shrugging he leaped down the two steps and scooped the bat up before charging, much to his mistake, across town and back to the Oak Labs. Both Blue and Green couldn’t find a better bat at their place so they used the one Red brought.

They only lasted an hour until the sun peaked at its hottest and the parents weren’t back yet either. Probably having lunch or grocery shopping since they are in Veridian.

“I’m hot!” Blue complained. Dragging her feet and pulling at her dress. Red chose not to comment at the pit stains that were growing where her dress was pressed between her armpits. “Can’t we go inside?”

“And listen to Grandpa snore the entire time?” Green asked, Shaking his head, “absolutely not. We can’t even change the channel or else he’ll get super mad when he wakes up.” A loud snore echoed from the open window into the living room and made all three kids flinch a little. Lousy old man. “Let’s just continue on playing.”

He tossed the ball to Blue, who had the orange bat that looked even worse out in the sun, who tried to swing it but was to slow.

“I’m tired!” She threw the bat down. Tears pricking her eyes as she continued to stomp her feet like it was supposed to intimidate Red and Green besides being annoying. ”tired, hot, and hungry!”

“Oh stop being a pansy!” Green snarled. Red could only nod his head and murmur and verbal agreement with Green.

“I’m not a pansy!” Blue shouted before stomping off and into the porch. Twirling around and sinking down onto a shaded step. Crossing her arms and pointing while glaring holes into Greens head.

Reds best friend turned to him and pointed behind his back at Blue, “girls are always so weak against guys, that’s why they stay at home and take care of the babies and chores while we men do the real work.”

Next thing Red knew Green had almost fallen into him. Blue standing behind him with the Wiffleball bat raised and an angry rabid look into her eyes. Before Red could do anything to try and placate both or just one of them. Blue descended upon Green.

Hit after hit, Blue didn’t stop. A look Red had only seen in one of those horror movies on the killers face on hers. His little feet carried him into the hose before nearly barreling into Grandpa Oak who started awake with a shout.

“It’s Blue and Green,” Red panted, “their fighting and Blues trying to draw blood.”

“Fucking Arceus-“ Oak struggles to get up from the rocking recliner.

“Grandpa! Make Blue stop!” Green shouted from the backyard. Pokémon from big to small had come out fo their hidy-holes to see what was happening.

“Make me yourself coward!” Blue shouted back before a particular loud Thwak! Was heard.

“Grandpa!”

“What happened to men being stronger then girls!? Where’s your logic now you wet-willy bug-sucker!”

That had ended with the parents rushing home, police called by a bitchy neighbor named Mr. Hickiby, and an ER lady stitching the side of Greens forehead in an ambulance that was also called because Mr. Hickiby had exaggerated every detail over the call.

All three were so grounded.

———

The Wiffleball bat popped up once more around 2010, August 18 to be exact. No one knew where Ash had gotten ahold of it since the three had set fire to the bat last year. but soon he was charging out of the front entry way with Houndoom hot on his heels, speedy little fucker Ash is, and came speeding past Red who was walking home and Berliner straight for Champion Lance who was walking a bit behind Red to enjoy the view of the country side of Kanto.

Lance has bugged Red to show him his home town, not like there’s a lot to see in little ol’Pallet Town besides fields and farms and more fields. Now that Red was an equal to Lance and also technically Lance’s boss since he’s apart of the aka to Elite Four he had wanted to get to know more fo the soft spoken boy.

The Champion wasn’t expecting him to have such a terror of a little brother.

Ash had planted his feet down and slid in the loose gravel. Sliding by and swinging the Wiffleball bat as much as he could into Lance’s groin. Making the much older man double down and the force swung little Ash aroudn to where the bag had hit Lance’s ass with the same amount of force. This causes Lance to sink to his knees with a high picked whine.

Soul the Houndoom, Red and Ash’s mother’s Pokémon, barreled into Ash and bit into the loose part of a shirt and continued to tug the little seven year old back to the house.

Red had yelled at Ash without any words before turning to Lance. Not knowing what to do. All the while trying to ignore Green and Blue who chased Ash and Soul out of the house and are fucking loosing it behind the two in the grass.

Ash shouted that he was in the right because the strange weirdly dressed man, who must be higher then a kite, looked like he was gonna mug Red. That had sent Green and Blue deeper into hysteria while Red tried not to let his anger get the best of him.

———

The bat didn’t make a resurface until December 12 of 2012. Ash was nine and Red was twelve. His ass had just gotten dragged down from Mount. Silver by Green, Blue, two kids named Gold and Crystal, and then his hidden affair brother named Silver a year ago and Red was having his first Christmas with his family after two years.

Red was sleeping off a cold and Ash had just coe charging into the living room. Livid and holding the same plastic orange bat from Green and Blues memory.

“What’cha got there bud?” Gold, a fucking year older then Ash himself, asked.

“Someone,” Ash was already nearly yelling as he glare sweeper through the room, thankfully Delia had left to go last minute Christmas shopping and left everyone to watch Ash, “destroyed my snowman with this!” He shock the bat in the air before letting it fa back down by his side, “and not the hole in its stomach is bright red!”

Blue scrambled up from her slouched position on the one person seat to look out the window at Ash’s actually destroyed and fake bloodied snowman with a large red hole in the middle and red flakes everywhere. “Well damn,” she muttered, “He’s right.”

“Well I know it’s no one in here.” Green didn’t look up from his phone. Texting Lance about his orientation of being Viridian’s new gym leader after Red had knocked that greasy Mankey Giovanni down.

The others muttered their agreement, which was a mistake, and Ash raised the bat to grip it with two hands and yelled “Red you big meanie! You killed my snowman!” And then went charging up the stairs to Reds room.

The other kids were left speechless and in shock before there was a familiar loud Thwak! Noise and then a angry shout before Ash’s scream of terror then the two brothers charging down the stairs.

Ash was only saved by certain death by the hands of Red because Red was only in a shirt and some shorts and also obviously still very sick.

———

It was September 30th, 2015, and Silver had gotten his hands on it this time around. No one really stopped him as he had pinned Gomd down and had beatened him over the head continuously for four minutes before throwing the Wiffleball bat down and storming into the house. Hiding himself in Ash’s unused room, who was in Orange Isles at the time, to scream wordlessly.

Red and Green just dipped their coffee while Blue stomped forward for her own piece.

[ice-cream-nekogirl]

like a dark paradise (Tokoyami Fumikage X Reader)

I’M BACK FOR A BIT! WHAT’S UP MOTHER-TRUCKERS~?!

Ahhhh school is really kicking my ass you guys... >.< But I had this in my head and I wasn’t going to just let it go while the bug was still in me! I can’t get enough of dear Tokoyami so I wrote this! He’s one of my favorites!!

I apologize for any OOC-ness cuz my writing skills are NOT getting any better XD

Featuring... Birb boi!! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZwCu8u0bzA

Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise... No one compares to you, I'm scared that you won't be waiting on the other side...

6 YEARS AGO

He was never treated like the rest of the other children. Then again, not all of the children had features as unique as his, some actually looked more bizarre but they always chose Tokoyami because he was an easy target. Ever since he started school he’d gotten a lot of stares, not subtle jokes made at his expense and he was a sensitive child back during those days so he spent a lot of time hiding in the bathroom, crying.

All he wanted was to keep to himself so he wouldn’t bother anyone with his presence as he sat outside, but they never left him alone and they always followed him just to torment him more. The boy cringed and whined when he felt little bread crumbs being thrown at him. Again. They always did this, any chance students got they would toss bread at him to ‘feed the bird’.

‘Let me at them! Come on!! I can’t let them hurt you!’

But he had gotten his quirk by that time, as Dark Shadow arrived in his life when he was 4 years old and has been with him for the past 5 years. Tokoyami was partially relieved to have a sentient quirk that made him feel a little less alone, but the shadow could be very willful at times and he didn’t have the best control over it yet.

‘No! Don’t! You’ll just make it worse!’

Tokoyami knew better than to fight back, the worst thing children could do at this age of childhood was to stir the pot and give bullies more reason to pick on him. On top of that he had gotten in trouble a few other times because of Dark Shadow’s intervention and he didn’t want a repeat of that because he always got blamed for it even if he and his parents knew that it wasn’t his fault.

“Hungry Tokoyami?” The voice belonged to a slightly older boy, maybe 12 at best with three other 6th graders beside him, all of them boys too. Tomo was the name of the ringleader he thought. The others were Katou, Goda and Maeda.

He slowly stood up where he sat. He could feel all of their judgmental, taunting eyes on him but Tokoyami didn’t dare say anything back to them though, because he feared if he did it would somehow give them more to tease him about.

“I love feeding the birds, but I don’t get why you don’t ever eat what I give you? I go out of my way to feed you dude.” Tomo asked him, leaning in a little closer as he kept his eyes to the ground and kept quiet.

“You need to show a little more fucking gratitude you stupid bird.” Goda then roughly raised his voice as the boy cringed and closed his eyes, his fists clenching from fear as he held them to his chest and trembled where he stood.

“Maybe he don’t like bread. Maybe he’d rather have worms instead? Birds love to eat worms.” Katou suggested with a small smirk, and Maeda had gone off, likely behind a rock to find said ‘worms’ as Tokoyami flinched and gasped a little bit, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes that the other boys noticed.

“Ooh! That’s right… sorry bird boy, I’m an idiot for forgetting that birds like to eat bugs… here we’ll give you something juicer…”

Tokoyami took a step back, but didn’t realize what a mistake that was as Goda hooked his arms under his shoulders and prevented him from trying to get away. “N-No…” He whimpered quietly as he saw Maeda coming closer, hands full of dirt and worms he could see slithering about as he gasped and tried to wriggle away but Katou helped Goda pin him to the ground and held his arms down.

“No… no please…”

He shook his head and pleaded with the boys to show mercy, but he knew that they weren’t as Tomo gave him a menacing grin. “Hee-hee-hee… calm down… just a little bite. It’s delicious… birds eat them all the time… and that’s all you are anyway. A bird we get to feed…” His smirk darkened as the worms Maeda gathered were set to the ground and the latter made sure to hold the 4th grader’s legs down.

“Please! D-Don’t… no…” Tokoyami shook his head, involuntary tears springing to his eyes as he squirmed in their hold but they were stronger than him, bigger than him and older than him.

‘I WANT TO COME OUT! I WON’T LET THEM HURT YOU!!’

‘DON’T!’

The young crow shut his eyes as Dark Shadow demanded to be released but he couldn’t let him, because then the whole school would be after him if he did. “Lunch time Tokoyami~.” Tomo held up two long, wiggling worms as Tokoyami’s eyes widened and he turned his head when those disgusting things were brought closer, and closer to his beak…

“N-NO!!”

Meanwhile…

You weren’t a particularly special student, and you didn’t have a particularly special quirk. All you could do was construct things out of light and you could barely do that. The most you could make was a ball of light, real awesome. You sucked at it…

And on top of that, everyone here at school was lame too, well… maybe except this one guy. He seemed like he was okay but he was a bit of a loner based on what you noticed from the boy.

Perhaps you were a cynical 4th grader but no one really talked to you and you couldn’t find it in you to talk to anyone else either so you decided to just go outside for a bit with your backpack to draw or something instead of being around the other students.

However, you froze when you stepped foot outside and the loud sounds of retching hit your ears as you cringed.  It sounded like someone was sick…

“OH HE PUKED!!”

“DISGUSTING!”

“What the hell is wrong with you?!”

You heard voices, and they were yelling, and by the sound of it they were yelling at someone. Now the logical side of you was telling you to go and get a teacher, but the impulsive side of you instead forced you to run towards the sounds as the voices and the laughter got louder.

And you gasped and hid behind the corner, your (E/C) eyes widening as soon as you saw what was going on. There he was, that boy, hunched over with his arms around his stomach and a puddle of vomit in front of him with three other boys standing over him and laughing. They looked much older too, hell they were 6th graders! What were they doing picking on a 4th grader?!

It made you so mad you shook and breathed heavily, what the hell was wrong with those psychos? Whatever they did they made the boy throw up and it pissed you off to no end as you looked around the ground…

“Unbelievable… we give you food and this is how you repay us?” Tomo asked the smaller boy as Tokoyami heavily panted in an attempt to catch his breath after purging up what the force-fed him. 

He whimpered lightly as he made the mistake of looking at the thick, pale-yellow and chunky liquid that used to be his breakfast, along with the two worms that had been shoved down his throat, still wiggling and undigested. He couldn’t dare look at it anymore without fearing he’d throw up again as he fearfully peered up at Tomo’s face. He tried to glare at him but the tears streaming from his eyes hardly made him look threatening.

“You know… I also read somewhere that mother birds puke up what they eat to their babies.” Katou once had an evil idea as Tokoyami gasped. No, that wasn’t going to happen, he already choked down those vile worms and vomited them back up. He couldn’t take it anymore…

“No…!” He stood up on shaky knees to run away but Goda grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down to the ground. Clutching a fistful of his feathers. “If you don’t eat that throw up I’ll tear off all your feathers one by one bird boy…” The boy growled as Tomo laughed a little bit.

“Well Goda… go ahead… let him eat up his own puke… c’mon it’ll be funny. Do it!” He demanded of the boy and he smirked, picking up the boy and motioning him over to the vomit as Tokoyami shook his head, crying more openly as he pleaded and begged for them to stop, but they weren’t going to…

He shut his tearful eyes as he cried, he didn’t want to look at it, he didn’t want to…

“RAHHHHHHH!!”

Without warning you whacked the brutish Goda on his head with your backpack hard and made him shout as his hands released Tokoyami, making him hit the ground just inches away from his own vomit. Quickly he backed away with wide eyes of shock, gasping as soon as he saw his savior.

His classmate, he had seen you before but not once did he ever expect you to come to his rescue…

You were panting and carrying your backpack with contempt in your eyes as Goda growled angrily at you, while Tomo, Katou and Maeda looked at you in shock. “You bitch!” Goda shouted as he held the back of his head, obviously in pain as you glared at them.

“Go away! Why don’t you ass-clowns go pick on someone in your own grade?!” Despite being a fourth grader, you already picked up on some swear words, but that didn’t matter to Tokoyami. The second he realized that he was saved, he quickly stood up and ran from the four boys and hid behind you. He felt like such a coward but he couldn’t help it.

Tomo on the other hand, still had the gall to be smug as he laughed and smirked, “Oh look Tokoyami. It’s the princess coming to save you… it’s supposed to be the other way around though… hehe c’mon girly girl… what are you doing? Are you really going to try and mess with us? For that freak?” He asked with his hands on his hips, his smirk pissing you off so much that you grabbed one of the rocks you filled your backpack with and threw one right at his stomach.

“OH!!” The boy suddenly held his stomach, groaning and moaning in pain like a little bitch as his friends all gasped and backed away. “AH!” But then they all started screaming when more rocks and small balls of light were tossed as you didn’t hesitate to throw whatever you had on you at them. Unknowingly giving them a taste of their own medicine now that they were the ones getting pelted.

“What the fuck?! Are you crazy?!”

“Get lost Tomo!”

“Bitch!”

“Hey! Leave your mom out of this!” You exclaimed, grinning a little bit when you saw Tomo’s face turn red, and out of impulse you grabbed a very stunned Tokoyami’s arm to run off. The boy yelped a little bit, but he ran away with you as Tomo kept screaming at you both. 

“I’M GOING TO GET YOU BOTH!! I SWEAR IT!!”

Neither of you paid him anymore mind though as you and Tokoyami made your ways back into the semi-safety of the school building. Both of you were panting after such a brisk run, but you started to laugh a little bit as you leaned against the wall.

Not noticing Tokoyami looking right at you, his red eyes still wide as he stood stunned, almost marveled and in disbelief. You looked like a heroine in his eyes as he blushed warmly at the sound of your laughter. Such mirthful laughter sounded like a sweet melody to him. You saved him… why did you save him?

“Hey… are you okay…?”

He was so distracted he didn’t even hear you speaking until you waved your hand in front of his eyes. “Hello…? Are you all right?” You sounded gentle, yet concerned and confused especially since the poor thing got sick from whatever it was those assholes did.

Tokoyami finally noticed that you were talking to him, you were talking to him. “I…” He couldn’t quite muster up a sentence though, so he could only timidly nod at your question. “Good… do you need to go to the nurse’s office?” You asked again though, but Tokoyami shook his head.

“ ‘m fine…” He said rather quietly, voice full of trepidation as he averted his eyes shyly. 

“W-Why did you… w-why did you do that…?” Finally, he found it in him to ask you a real question, which surprised you since you hadn’t ever really heard him talk before.

“Help? I had to… I don’t know what they were doing but I couldn’t just let them hurt you.” You gave your answer, pretty simply too as if it were obvious. And it was to you, there was no way you could let that happen and not do anything.

However, Tokoyami was still surprised that someone, anyone, would even bother to help him at all. After all, he was just a creep and a weirdo.

“But… I… I-I’m a freak… aren’t I…? Just… some weirdo…” He quietly said, tearing up slightly when he repeated all the things almost all the kids he’s ever met in his life called him. You could see how sad the poor guy was though, so you wiped a tear from his eye and he perked up with a light little gasp, his face growing hot at the unfamiliar touch.

“Don’t show them your tears. We’re all freaks. We all have powers… I’m a bigger weirdo than you…” You smiled with a little giggle, “Anyone who tells you you’re a freak is just a nasty little shit, those boys are nasty little shits and if they think they’re gonna try and be heroes like All-Might they’re as stupid as they are ugly. And they are ugly.” You reassured him kindly despite your language as you flashed him a grin.

“T-Thank you...” He said very shyly, his voice cracking a little bit as you swore you could finally see a little smile from the little crow.

“Anyway I’m (L/N) (Y/N).” Finally you shared your name and gave a little bow, and Tokoyami immediately bowed back, except his bow was lower, more respectful. “I’m Tokoyami Fumikage.” He said in the politest voice you had ever heard from any other fourth grader as you giggled happily, making the boy blush as he looked away shyly. If there’s one thing having a bird head was good for, it was hiding any blush on his face.

‘FUMIKAGE LOVES (Y/N)~!!’

Dark Shadow did nothing to help as he sang that in his head, and the boy immediately grew flustered, “N-No I don’t!” He shouted back at his quirk, outloud as you perked up and looked at him in confusion… now he was REALLY thankful that he had all the feathers…

PRESENT

Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise... No one compares to you but there’s no you, except in my dreams tonight...

Tokoyami’s eyes slowly opened as he escaped dream world but that wasn’t a dream, it was a memory, bitter and yet sweet, just like a dark paradise.

He sighed heavily when it all came back to him, all the bullying, all the torment, and yet here was now. In the prestigious UA Academy, already dubbed one of the stronger students, and he actually made friends. Friends who didn’t judge him based on his appearance, and friends who actually cared about his well-being, amazing friends that he was so happy to have made.

However…

He had to admit that none of them compared to you, as you had gone to UA with him. The two of you remained friends, rather close friends after that day and you freed him from his loneliness. Although Tokoyami had gotten used to solitude and at times preferred it, he made you an exception as the two of you could just be alone together.

Something he considered a personal paradise.

But now that he was awake, he realized that you were not here, you weren’t in his bed as you had been previously. He swore you were just here, you were in bed with him weren’t you?

Tokoyami knew that he shouldn’t have gotten so frantic, but he couldn’t help the rapid beating in his heart as he sucked in a sharp, shallow breath and looked around. He opened his eyes and you weren’t there. Did he dream the whole thing? Did none of that really happen and were you just a figment of his fragile imagination?

If so why did he have to wake up? He didn’t want to wake up anywhere if you couldn’t be on the other side with him. And you weren’t here…

He shook his head as he couldn’t go back to sleep, he wished he could but he couldn’t. All the crow could do was exit his room and go look out the window, clear his head despite the faint tears he tried to fight back. Dammit there was no way that this could ever leave his head…

He hated this, he hated feeling like the same, pathetic little boy he was all those years ago.

The same boy that had to be saved by a kind human being that he wasn’t even sure was real anymore. But then he paused and froze when he heard a familiar voice, a familiar melody.

“Whether near or far… I am always yours… any change in time, we are young again…”

You sang somewhat cheerfully, shaking your hips as you grabbed the small canister of ice-cream and a spoon, “Laaaay us down… we’re in love… lay us down… we’re in love…” Softly you twirled about in your pajamas, not seeing the shocked face of your boyfriend as he slowly walked closer to something he hoped was real…

“Ahhhhh…” You started to hum, but stopped as soon as you finally saw Tokoyami right there, a pink blush coating your cheeks as you couldn’t help but grin widely and nervously. “Oh boy… hee-hee you’re awake… well… good evening handsome~.” Still you kinda flirted with him, but grew a bit confused when you saw his figure slowly slouch as he let out a subtle breath of relief…

So it was all real…

“Good evening.” Feeling somewhat embarrassed for freaking out like that, he reverted back to his polite, ‘edgy’ self as you giggled. You remembered back when he was just a shy little thing and now he was the gloomy prince of darkness, but you fell in love with that, all of him. Of course you had to be the one to ask him out first though, since secretly, Tokoyami was a little bit shy when it came to things like romance even though he was a secret romantic at heart.

“What are you doing awake?” He asked you, a hint of curiosity in his voice as you chuckled sheepishly, shrugging your shoulders. “You know me… it’s hard for me to go to sleep and… I tried to sleep but I just couldn’t…” You sighed a little bit, having had some trouble sleeping since you never did go to bed early, and Tokoyami knew that.

He gave a small sigh as he went over to you, “I can stay up with you.” He offered to you politely, scratching the side of his beak a little bit as you couldn’t help but smile, “Yay~. I’m glad you’re here actually, I don’t like bein’ up all by myself… less I’m gonna be dancing…” You chuckled a little bit and earned a small smile from your boyfriend.

You always knew how to light up a room, like you had lit up the darkness in his life just by being in it. For all his talk about his love of the darkness, you were his break from the darkness by giving him light.

“What about you? What woke you up Fumi?” However, the fact that Tokoyami was awake at the same time you were, didn’t go unnoticed. It was 1 in the morning, and while Tokoyami didn’t exactly go to bed early, as most teenagers didn’t, you were still concerned.

Tokoyami almost froze, the last thing he wanted was for you to ask any questions like that since it honestly still embarrassed him. It’s not like it was even a nightmare or anything, but the memories of those ‘nasty little shits’ from his childhood still haunted him from time to time. How they made him feel, how they treated him, it was something he hadn’t quite let go of yet even though he tried.

But he would never lie to you, he swore to never lie to you when the two of you got together. “I had that dream again. The memories of my childhood.” He admitted lowly, his eyes downcast as you frowned a little bit, eyes narrowing slightly when you recalled those little assholes that you were happy to never see again after they picked on your dear Tokoyami.

You knew it was something Tokoyami didn’t like thinking about, even if something good came out of that memory, parts of it was something that brought out all of the feelings of worthlessness and self-hatred back to him. So you put your arm around him, gently leading him over to the couch, sitting him down as you gently kissed his beak.

He jumped ever so slightly, his red eyes widening as his face burned hot at the little kiss. Even if you and him were dating he would still always blush like a schoolboy every time you kissed him. “Remember what I said? How those boys were all just nasty little shits? Well I stand by that…” You said to him gently, nuzzling up to him and making him blush even darker, but you couldn’t see under the feathers.

“You’re a hero Fumikage… leagues ahead of any of those little shits, and stronger than anyone else I know. To go through all of that, and to be here now… that goes to show that you were always better than them. I always thought so…” Your voice was gentle as you gently hugged him, running a gentle hand through the soft feathers you loved as you felt Tokoyami’s arms slowly engulf you into a soft embrace.

“Thank you (Y/N)… thank you for everything…” Tokoyami whispered to you as he held onto you a little tighter, wanting to feel more of your warmth. It gave him peace during these times as it just reminded him that this wasn’t a dream, and even if it was, he never wanted to wake up from it.

Smiling warmly, you gave his beak another little kiss as you giggled when his feathers floofed up a little bit, no doubt from embarrassment, “C’mon… it’s Friday night. Let’s stay up together love… wanna watch The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina?” You asked as you grabbed the remote, remembering the ice cream you grabbed as Tokoyami couldn’t help but give you a smile.

“Yes I would like that very much.” He said with a very content, relaxed tone as you grinned and turned on the TV but kept it low so you didn’t wake anyone up. Your head on his shoulder as you and Tokoyami gently put his arm around you while the credits played.

I don't wanna wake up from this tonight

[brucewaynehastoomanykids]

Truth or Dare

"I can not believe you made me eat an insect." Donna cringed.

"You're the one to chose dare," Jaime replied, "look on the bright side, Damian didn't make you put on Kori's lipstick."

"It wouldn't have been as amusing." Damian smirked.

"Going back to the bug thing though," Garfield glared at Jaime, "I take personal offense."

Jaime chuckled. "Sorry, amigo, but I couldn't think of anything else. And that beetle just happened to cross by."

"Whateves, but don't think I won't be watching my back now, dude." Garfield said, pointing a finger at his friend. "Whose turn is it?"

"Yours I think." Raven said plainly.

The Titans sat in a circle in the main room. It was a rainy day out and they didn't have much to do with Kori away visiting Dick, and crime being abnormally low. So, Garfield decided to gather everyone to play Truth or Dare. Of course, Damian and Raven tried to refuse but were annoyed enough by Gar's begging that they gave in.

"Alright!" Garfield grinned and looked around the group, looking for his next victim. His eye landed on Damian and Raven. A devious smirk formed on his face as he said, "Alright, Rob, truth or dare?"

"I'm no coward, Logan, you know my answer."

"Okay, wise guy... I dare you to kiss the person to your left!" Garfield pointed a dramatic finger at Raven.

Raven's eyes went wild and Damian began to pick up a bit of a sweat as he glanced at her sideways.

"What's the matter, Robby? Scared?" Garfield smirked.

"Ha, no... pass." Damian answered semi nonchalantly.

Outwardly, Raven looked relieved, but inside it had, in fact, stung a bit. She had a little bit of a crush on the boy wonder but she never felt the need to say anything.

"Hey," Jaime protested, "you didn't let me skip!" He pointed to the lipstick he was still wearing.

"Aww," Garfield cooed. "Don't be upset, Rae, I'll kiss ya!" He began to lean in before Raven put a hand over his mouth.

"No thanks." She bluntly replied.

"Well, then I suppose that makes the boy a coward." Donna huffed, folding her arms.

Truth be told, Damian did want to fulfill the dare. He, too, had developed a crush on the empath, but never felt the need to act upon it. But what really got under his skin was Donna's comment. He didn't want to seem like a coward, but he was afraid his friend would reject it.

"How dishonorable." Donna said, giving him a sideways glare.

That's when he caved in. He whipped himself around and pulled Raven by the front of her cloak to his face as he smashed his lips into hers. A mixture of 'ooh's and disgusting noises could be heard throughout. The two were tense at first but eventually melted into it. The kiss lasted far longer than any of the Titans had expected it to, and Damian could see the gapped expressions of them all.

The two pulled away just in time for Kori to walk into the door.

"Oh my," She teased, "clearly I have returned at a bad time."

The birds looked at their leader with embarrassed yet terrified expressions as they awkwardly scooted away from each other.

"Wow. Didn't expect that." Garfield said awkwardly as he looked at Jaime, whose mouth was still agape.

"Appears I was wrong, then." Donna said plainly with a slight smile.

Damian jumped up and grabbed Raven by the wrist as he marched away from the crowd.

"If you'll excuse us." He said quickly.

"Y-Yeah." Raven added, still in a slight state of disbelief as the room filled with laughter and giggles.

[seelaa26]

1. Next Stop, Vegas Please

“Gonna sell my car and go to Vegas, ‘cause somebody told me that’s where dreams would be”

My eyes were confused when I opened them due to the sun setting on my window plane. I lost track of time after so many hours flying but I knew we were arriving to Vegas. From the air, the city was unmistakable; you could distinguish  The Strip, it’s almost a 7 km stretch, known by its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. Honestly, that was the reason why I chose this city to do my internship, besides the fact that the Crime Lab was the best forensic scientific laboratory in the whole country, Sin City had everything; everything and anything you want to do, you can do in Las Vegas.

The airplane landed a while after and when I set foot on the ground, I couldn’t help but smile even though I was terrified. Leaving my country to go to live to another one all by myself. ¿Was it one hell of a step? Yes, but a necessary one. I wanted to push myself because I needed proof of my inner power; if I could do this, there was nothing I couldn’t do. I worked and studied hard for four years, graduated with honors and got the scholarship. The scholarship covers part of my staying in the city during the nine months; pays half my rent and the car rental. The rest of my payroll was for me. Obviously, I wasn’t going to earn the same money as my coworkers, I had a scholarship contract but it was enough to live comfortably.

My college made the car rental for me, a red Opel Astra with manual transmission and Diesel fuel. I only knew how to drive with manual transmission, so I figured that’s why they rented that car. I adjusted the seating position, started the car and typed the address of the apartment. Dream Apartments was a complex with a clubhouse and a gym, besides the apartment of course. It took me 20 minutes but I got there with success. I parked the car in front of the complex, went to reception and after the registration, they gave me the key to my new home. I followed a tile path and saw a wooden door with a door sign; 898 SF, my apartment. I opened the door, climbed the stairs carrying my suitcase and as soon as I was upstairs, I was impressed by the elegance. The apartment walls were white, wooden floor and everything else was black; doors, frames, curtains, paintings.. I loved it. After the excitement, I realized that I didn’t sleep in the plane but I needed to start getting used to the night shift so I had to stay awake at least until 8 am, since the shift was from 11 pm to 7 am. So, ¿where shall I start? Let’s walk around the neighborhood.

***

When I asked at reception where Gil Grissom’s office was I couldn’t believe it. I did not know what I expected, but his office wasn’t it. There was a metal desk in the middle of the room, which was normal but the rest of the office was full of shelves with glass jars that contained all kind of things you can imagine; a small pig fetus, spiders, frogs, snakes.. all of them dead, obviously but still, creepy.

If that wasn’t enough, he also had specimens of butterflies and bugs framed on the wall. When I was a child, I had a collection with various specimens of scorpions, spiders and beetles conserved in glass, but that was just for fun.

-¡Hi! –a voice spoke behind me, which made me jump from the scare, but he smiled afterwards- Sorry. Welcome to Forensics. Gil Grissom, I’m your supervisor on “Graveyard”.

-Laura Serrano –I introduced myself while shaking hands- ¿”Graveyard”?

-That’s how we call the night shift.

-¿Why? –I asked curiously.

-Because of the same reason you chose this shift –I wondered how did he know that, but he answered before I could even ask- ¿Do you remember what you wrote on the application?

-Actually, I do –I nodded- I wrote that I wanted to work the night shift because of the number of crimes that occur at this time. People are drawn by the allure of the darkness, and so am I.

-That quote is the reason why I accepted your internship –he confessed- You know Laura, this job requires someone who is not afraid to explore the darkest corners. CSI’s see everything and deal with the most twisted things you can imagine. It takes a strong mind to handle it, and I believe you have one.

-I agree and that’s why I can’t wait to be on the field.

-We’ll begin our shift when the team arrives, so while we are waiting.. ¿would you mind taking off your jacket and rolling up your sleeve? I need a pint of your blood. It’s mandatory for all new hires.

A few minutes later, we left the office and headed to the locker room, where the CSI’s store their personal belongings, so I could leave my bag. As we were approaching, two male voices could be heard louder. From the way Grissom smiled, he recognized them. Two good looking guys were talking while putting on their shoes leaning on the bench. One of them was an African American with brown hair and green eyes and quite tall. The other was American with dark hair and brown eyes and a little bit shorter, although I have to admit that I fell for his smile. When he smiled, laugh lines appeared around his cheeks and eyes making him look cuter.

-C’mon, give me a winner for tomorrow.

-Green Bay, minus seven and a half over Niners –answered the African American- Always go with the better quarterback.

-Warrick, Nick –Grissom called, making them look at him and me- I want to introduce you to Laura, she’s the girl who comes to do the internship.

-Nick Stokes –the cute one introduced himself.

-Warrick Brown –he shook my hand after Nick did- You’re from Spain, right?

-Yes, Barcelona –I nodded.

-Man, how I wish to be there.. –Nick mumbled- Great gastronomy, cool weather and views to the Mediterranean.

-¿You’ve been there? –I asked.

-Not yet, but I’m looking for a place for my next vacation –he answered- Now that I’m CSI Level 3 I can afford to travel further than Texas.

A brunette woman entered the locker room in a hurry and greeted everyone without noticing me. I guessed she was another member of the night shift. She was tall and skinny.

-Hey Sara, do you remember that the new girl started working today? –Grissom asked, but she didn’t even look.

-Yeah, ¿why? –she answered and looked for a moment, then she realized- Oh sorry, I’m Sara Sidle, nice to meet you.

-Don’t worry –I smiled- Nice to meet everyone.

-Not everyone.. –Grissom looked around- ¿Does anyone know where’s Catherine?

-She had to pick Lindsey up from her ex’s house, but she’s on her way –Warrick answered- It’s Lindsey’s birthday today.

-Wait for her outside, you’re working together and take Laura with you. 401A at Fremont Street –Grissom commanded as he gave me my CSI credential- Nick, Sara, you’re with me.

-¿What’s a 401A? –I asked Warrick while we were leaving the locker room.

-Hit and run.

I put the credential around my neck and followed him to the exit of the building. When we arrived outside, I saw a skinny, blonde woman approaching us with a weary look on his face.

-Hey guys.. –she said- You must be Laura, the new girl.

-That’s right –I smiled to make her feel comfortable- You must be Catherine.

-Nice to meet you, Laura. Sorry for being late –she looked at Warrick- ¿Are we working together?

-Yeah, hit and run on Fremont –he showed the keys that belonged to one of the cars the CSI’s use to do their job- I’m driving.

***

When we arrived at the crime scene it was already cordoned off. Warrick parked a couple of meters away from the police tape and then we got out of the car. The first thing I saw was the victim; a little girl. I didn’t expect that since it was night and kids don’t go alone on the street. Besides, it was a little girl. ¿Who is capable of leaving her there without calling the police? Cowards.

-¿You okay? –I heard a male voice asking that, and then I realized I stopped walking the moment I saw the girl.

-Yeah, yeah.. It’s just that.. –I tried to find the words to say ignoring that they were both looking at me.

-It’s hard –Catherine finished- I wish I could say it gets easier, but I’m not a liar. The only thing you can do is find whoever did this and get justice.

-Then I’m lucky.. Because that’s exactly our job -I looked at them and sighed- ¿Hoy many hit and runs have you had this year?

-Too many –Warrick replied as he bent down to look at the ground- One thing I can’t stand is a punk coward.

-My daughter wants one of these scooters –Catherine indicated with the flashlight- She says that she’s the only kid in the world who doesn’t have one.

My gaze went back to the little girl’s body but it was something I couldn’t control. I couldn’t concentrate on anything else but her. She had a scared look on her face. My heart shrunk from the sadness of her accident. She was so young and full of life and it only took a couple of seconds to take that away.

-¿Do you want me to tell Grissom to put you in another case? -No –I answered- ¿Why?

-¿You feeling alright Warrick? –Catherine asked in a worried tone- ¿It’s that thing with Holly Gribbs, isn’t it?

-I’m just looking out for my partners, you know.. –Warrick replied with a frown- It made me think who I am to you.

-Hey relax –she smiled at him and then looked at me- I’m sure Laura can handle this one.

-I can –I nodded- I’m okay, but thank you for the offer.  

-So, Laura the first thing we do is take a close look at the crime scene and then we take pictures of everything that could be evidence–Catherine explained- In this case, for example, the scooter, the victim’s shoe, the tire marks.. Then we try to recreate what happened with the evidence we’ve got so far. Warrick, ¿you wanna call it?

-Vehicle’s coming down from Rochester, victim was on her scooter heading east, car breaks here, impact here and the vic was thrown.. ¿What? ¿20 meters? –he explained while indicating everything with his fingers.

-And all we’ve got is some paint that’s going to match up to about 20 million other vehicles.. –Catherine sighed- Bastard.

***

I saw them collect the evidence from the crime scene and the next step was get it back to the lab while the coroner performed the victim’s autopsy. Luckily, she was the only dead body that night so it wouldn’t take long. Warrick took the evidence to the rightful departments.

-¿Have you had the chance to walk around the Lab?

-Actually, no.

-I’ll show you around while we wait for the autopsy then –Catherine said and started walking- First we have the DNA Lab, territory owned by Greg Sanders, lab tech specialized in DNA and also in listening commonly rock artists while running lab machines. You’ll meet him, you’ll like him.

-Rock is my favorite genre so I already like him.

-Next to DNA we have Ballistics and in front Audio/Video –we continued walking- We have Trace and Fingerprints over here and down the hall to the right we have the Evidence Garage next to the Evidence Vault and to the left the Locker room, Grissom’s office, the Break Room and the Layout Room.

-¿Layout Room?

-We use that room to review evidence and look for new evidence, compare notes, display the photos from the current case and use the table to draw out rough sketches on maps –she answered with a good explanation- ¿Any more questions? -I have one but it’s not about the Lab.. –she looked at me waiting for me to ask- ¿Who’s Holly Gribbs?

-She was a rookie who started working with us two weeks ago. Holly and Warrick were working together on a case but he left and when Holly was alone collecting evidence from the crime scene, the suspect came back and shot her –Catherine explained it regretfully- She died on the operating table.

-Warrick feels guilty., -I concluded- That’s why he asked me if I wanted to work another case, to make sure I’m okay.

After I finished my sentence, Catherine’s phone rang. It was time for us to head to the morgue, which was downstairs. Before entering the morgue itself, we stopped on the hall to put on the sterile lab coat.

-¿Have you ever seen a dead body?

-Yeah, I took human anatomy classes –I nodded- I wanted to be ready.

-Good –she smiled proudly- Usually, the night shift coroner is Dr. Albert Robbins, but today is his day off so you are going to meet Dr. Jenna Williams.

We entered the morgue and approached the central table while making introductions.  

-This is your hit and run victim –the coroner uncovered the girl and looked at me- Bad thing about this job is you stop asking yourself why. The cause of death was the hit by the car, but I’ve found a bruise on her leg.

-Oh my god.. plate numbers, from the license plate when impacted her skin.

-Looks like a 4.. –I looked at the bruise trying to decipher the license plate- ¿And a J?

-Yeah –Catherine agreed- We have to call DMV.

-¿DMV? –I asked.

-Department of Motor Vehicles, we’ll get them to cross check this partial plate in a 5 mile radius.

***

Actually, waiting for an answer from DMV didn’t take as long as I expected. Within the hour we already appeared at the door of the car owner’s house. This was my first time face to face with a suspect and as my first night was full of unexpected things, an older man opened the door.

-¿Hello? –Catherine said with a smile- ¿Mr. Charles Moore? We are with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. We’d like to talk to you about your car.

-We believe it may have been involved in a traffic collision earlier this evening.

-I told the police when they called me.. my car was stolen.

-That’s why we have a search warrant, sir –Catherine gave him the paper- So that we can look in your garage.

When he opened the garage door with that face I already knew we were going to find his car in there and in what condition. From the sad attitude he had, he knew what happened. The front of the car was busted and the license plate hung from its place. We looked at each other, and then we looked at him. We were waiting for an explanation.

-It.. it was an accident.. I saw the girl and I tried to break but I accelerated by mistake. I got confused.. I shouldn’t have left. I was wrong. ¿Is she okay?

-She died at the scene –Catherine said without being affected by the man’s repentance.

-You are going to be charged with manslaughter, Mr. Moore –Warrick added- Felony and run. You have a lawyer?

He didn’t answer, but he looked like he was sad and sorry to hear what happened. Obviously, killing the girl wasn’t his intention, but he had to face it. After finding the car, we had to make sure it was the correct car and we needed evidence so we called Traffic to have the car confiscated and brought in. While we waited, we went to the break room to eat and drink something.

-¿Is it me or did he give it up so easy? –Catherine asked us as she was taking out a cake from the fridge.

-Old guy was scared –Warrick answered with a soda on his hand- ¿What do you think, Laura?

-I also think that he was scared, I mean he almost cried when he heard the girl died but I feel like there’s something more.

-¡You have to see the birthday present I got for your daughter! –Grissom entered the break room while carrying a bag- I had one of this Chem Labs when I was six, I almost blew up the whole house.  

-¿What’s the rule.. how long do I have to be here before kicking in for gifts? –I asked with confidence.

-When your spirit moves you –Catherine answered with a smile- But don’t worry because Lindsey doesn’t want a party.

-¿What kind of kid doesn’t want a party? –Sara asked.

-My kid.

-Hey Catherine.. ¿at what time is your little girl coming by? –Nick entered the room with a gift- I got her a Chemset.

Grissom and Nick exchanged surprised looks. They had bought the same gift.

-Keep it –Sara intervened- You might learn something.

-Stop flirting with me –Nick ignored her- Cath, really, ¿when’s the party?

-¿What do I have to do? –Catherine got up from the chair a little bit upset- ¡There is no party! ¡My daughter doesn’t want a party! ¿Is everybody clear on that?

No one was going to answer after that. Crystal clear.

***

-¿How tall do you think Mr. Moore is? –Warrick asked us leaning on the car.

-Six feet, I’d say –Catherine answered after we exchanged a look.

-Old people must love hugging the steering wheel ‘cause this sit is pushed all the way forward –Warrick opened the door and got into the car. He didn’t quite fit- I’m six feet and this mirror isn’t helping me at all.

-¿Can you start the car? –I asked.

-¿Why?

-If you haven’t noticed I’m 5 feet and when I drive I have to push the sit all the way forward.

-You think that it wasn’t Mr. Moore who was driving but someone shorter.

As soon as he started the car, the radio turned on and a rap song started playing. Warrick whistled impressed by the song and started moving his head to the beat of the song. In my case, I knew the song and started rapping it.

-So they can hear everything that you say when you ain’t home. I guess Michael Jackson was right, “You are not alone”. Rock your hardhat black..

-¿You listen to Mos Def? -Warrick asked impressed.

-I thought you said Rock is your favorite genre –Catherine intervened.

-¡And it is! But I listen to everything and when it comes to rap Mos Def, 2Pac, Nas, The Notorious B.I.G, Eminem, Blackstreet.. are some of my favorites.

-¡I like your style! –Warrick smiled at me.

-Mr. Moore was not the last person to drive this car –Catherine was the only one who wasn’t absorbed by the song- ¿Turn the music off?

Now it was time to find the evidence that would sustain our theory. Since it was my first day, I limited myself to observe how they did the search and collection of evidence. The steering wheel cover was leather but it had small breathable circles and there was something stuck in one of them. Catherine took it with the tweezers and showed it to us.

-¿Can you tell what that is?

-¿Is it me or that is a piece of tooth? –I questioned.

***

After collecting the evidence and come to a conclusion, came the part of the confrontation with the suspect. I wanted to see how my colleagues faced the situation in the interrogation room. I had no experience, so I couldn’t enter just like that. Instead, I watched it all from the observation mirror.

-¿Does anybody else drive your car, Mr. Moore? –Warrick started.

-I was driving yesterday.

-Sir, that doesn’t answer our question.

Suddenly, the door opened and a boy about 19 years old entered the room. It was the suspect’s grandson. The boy seemed lost, but the grandfather more.

-¿What is he doing here? –Mr. Moore asked.

-Your grandson is an approved driver on your insurance –Catherine explained- He had him pulled out of school

-So James, ¿you like Mos Def?

He sat down without saying a word.

-¿Did you hit that girl with your grandfather’s car?

-Pops, let me explain to them –the boy said addressing his grandfather- They should hear what happened.

-No, they are going to from me –he nervously clasped his hands together and began to explain- When I hit that girl, James switched seats and took over the wheel, drive me home. He was worried about me, not the girl. I’m not saying good judgment was used, but that’s what happened.

-James, ¿do you want to add anything to that? –Warrick asked, but since the boy didn’t say anything, he continued- Sir, ¿can we look at your teeth?

Mr. Moore took out his dentures and put them on the table.

-James, we found a tooth chip embedded in the steering wheel of your grandfather’s car –Catherine explained again- It doesn’t appear to be of your grandfather’s teeth. ¿Do you have a chipped tooth?

-Pops, I’m sorry but I got to –he was going to tell the truth.

-He is a good boy.. it was an accident. I make him call, let me know where he is. He drove straight home and wanted me to go to the police station with him.

-I didn’t know that little girl was dead. I swear.

-I wouldn’t let him turn himself in, that was my decision –he appealed to our emotions for his grandson- Boy’s going places, college.. he’s got a real future.

-I’m very sorry, Mr. Moore –Catherine mumbled with a sad tone- James, I’m afraid you are gonna have to be taken into custody.

-Miss, please.. –he begged- I’m willing to serve his time.

-I know you are Mr. Moore but we can’t let you do that.

Two police officers entered the room and handcuffed the boy. Taking him by the arms, they left the room and went to reception, where he was going to say goodbye to his grandfather. When Warrick and Catherine left the interrogation room, I joined them. There was a feeling of sadness between us.

-Hey, ¿why don’t you go home? We can handle this –Warrick said to Catherine- Your daughter gets out of school in a half hour on her birthday.

-I owe you –she smiled at him, and then look at me- See you tonight, guys.

Warrick and I exchanged glances and approached them.

-Don’t worry pops, I’ll be okay.

-My grandson going to jail is never okay. You survive in there, ¿you hear me?

-You too –James nodded- Don’t be going downhill.

They hugged each other for the last time with tears in their eyes and honestly, they were not the only ones who had them.

-James, the first days are going to be the toughest –Warrick took his hand and wrote something on it- Here’s my cell number. If you are in any problems, call me. I’ll be right there. Keep your head up.

James was taken away and his grandfather left too. We both stood there, watching them go. Watching how they were forced to separate.

-That has been very good of you –I said touched by his act of kindness.

-They remind me of me and my grandmother –Warrick confessed- ¿How do you feel after the first case? This has been a pretty tough emotional one. You have seen two very hard emotions; tragedy and sacrifice.

-Thanks to them I have realized something –I nodded- You’ve got so much power in this job, which you use to get the bad guys but once in a while, I’d like to use it to help the good guys.

-¿And what.. forget about little Renda Harris?

-No.. –I looked at him- What I’m saying is that putting James away isn’t gonna bring her back and Mr. Moore was willing to do the time. I mean, the victim’s family gets closure..

-I know.. but we got to follow the evidence, even if we don’t like where it takes us –Warrick turned to face me- Laura, it’s the job. If you start making deals with the devil, you don’t get to walk away. ¿You understand what I’m saying?

-Yeah..

-Now it’s time to go home –he said watching reception’s clock- You did very well on your first day. Get some rest, ¿okay?

I went back to the locker room to collect my things and when I left the building, I got in the car and just sat there. I had waited so long for my first case and to feel that high when I’d solve it, but I didn’t feel that way. Not at all. Instead, I felt guilty and this had only just begun.

[padfootagain]

The Flower Shop Around The Corner (XI)

Part 11: On A Monday Morning

 This is the last part for this series!! I'm very emotional to say goodbye to this story, I loved writing it. But it's time to finish it. Thank you to all of you who stayed for the whole thing :)

I hope you like this last chapter.

Gif not mine

Word count: 3694

He watched you from across the room. You were laughing with a cameraman as you waited to get a coffee. The sun came in from a window behind you, the sunbeams embracing your shape the same way he wished he could hold you right now.

He brought back the memories of the previous night and that morning to play before his eyes, one more time. The whole world had been just you then, all around him, nothing but your kisses, and your skin, and your heart beating against his, and your smile, and your whispering voice lost in the night…

Was it all he would ever have?

He took a deep breath. He had to talk to you now. You hadn't mentioned the letter he had left for you the previous day, but you had not come to work with him, and had arrived quite late. He knew perfectly that it was because you had dropped by the flower shop before coming to work. At least, you had been honest with him in the morning, telling him that you were to meet Wallet Guy. He couldn't say that he had been that honest with you, but then… could you forgive him?

It wasn't like he had meant to hurt you. His intentions were not evil. He just needed time to be with you, to show you who he really was, and that's all. Lying was never a good idea, but it had been the best he could come up with. He just hoped he wasn't too late to tell the truth now. He really had no idea how you would react.

But it was time.

He walked to you and asked you if he could talk to you for a moment, alone. You found a quiet space in an empty corridor.

"What's up?" you asked him with a gentle smile.

He took another deep breath, gathering his courage.

"I need to tell you something."

You gave him an encouraging smile as he fell silent once more. But it was so hard to tell you…

He stared at you, and just like the previous night, he couldn't find neither the words nor the strength to tell you. This fear to lose you came drowning his heart once more, and he felt his throat tightening at the thought.

"I just… I…" he stuttered.

I love you. I've loved you for so long now. I'm sorry I lied. I'm Wallet Guy. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make all this as complicated as it has become.

His thoughts were in the right place, but as the words formed on his tongue, they were changed. Because he had to speak the truth while staring at you, terrified of your reaction.

It was a coward's choice to wait for tonight, and yet…

It made sense to him, for some reason. He had spent a while thinking about what you had told him that morning, and he had come to the conclusion that you were right. You had to choose. You had to choose between him and Wallet Guy. They were not the same. If you chose Wallet Guy tonight, there was no chance for the two of you to be together. Not really. If you loved a fraction of him he showed you on paper, then you did not love him. Not the way he loved you, so completely, so wholly, and he needed you to love him that way too…

He didn't only need your forgiveness for lying to you. He needed you to choose him in the first place. It was useless to tell you everything for now. His fate was in your hands, and he reckoned that it was best to let you choose first, and tell you later. Instead of admitting his lies, he chose to show you how he truly felt. Both truths were, after all, just as important.

He took your hands in his, gently stroking the back of your fingers with his thumbs.

"I just wanted to tell you that… for tonight… I hope you make the right choice. And if you happen to not choose me, then, it's okay. Do what is best for you. I'll respect your choice.

But I…"

He tightened his hold on your hands and leaned a little closer, enough for you to see tears clouding his eyes.

"I'm real," he let out in a breath. "I'm here. And if you let me, I'll always be here for you. I'm real, I'm with you, the whole me. And he's not. He's not really with you, he's not… You can't see all of him, but you can see me now. I mean… appearances are not what people truly are. You have to learn to know them better than that. We are the perfect example! And I'm sure that you only know a tiny fraction of who he is. Just like you knew a little fraction of me when we didn't get along. Look at us now! Would you have guessed we could spend a night together when we started this movie together? I couldn't have. And yet here we are."

He deeply breathed in, realizing he had been speaking while holding his breath all this time. You stared at him, but remained silent, your expression unreadable.

"You have to do what is best for you," he went on. "And if you think that it's him, then I won't fight back. Only you can know what is best for you. But I want you to know that… I want this. I want us. I want you. And I know you, for real. I'm not just a few words on a page, and you're not just a stranger I write to either. I know how you drink your coffee, and I know how you love eating the icing on your cake first, how you cry watching romantic movies, how you ramble about the news, how you smile under the sun, how you're scared of the dark and terrified of bugs, how you bite your lip when you're thinking, how annoyed it makes you when people don't stop their car at the yellow light. I know you, and I want to be with you. Now, it's your choice to make if you want to be with me too or not. I just… I wanted you to know that I… I…"

He focused on your eyes, on their colour and how intense they stared back at him, and through them he felt like he could see the light of your very soul, and all of a sudden, the words that seemed so hard to let out were on his tongue with ease.

"I love you."

Your eyes grew wider, but he merely smiled.

"I love you. And no matter if you want to be with me or if you choose someone else, I need you to know that I'll always be here for you. Even if you choose another path than mine, it's okay. I'll always be here if you need me. Because I'll always love you."

You couldn't speak, nor move, nor do anything, really. Chris used your surprise to lean to drop a soft kiss on your forehead, and to turn around and walk away in a hurry, leaving you standing motionless in the corridor.

He loved you… You finally grinned, gasping for air and feeling tears forming in your eyes. He loved you…

His words echoed through your whole frame. He was right. You needed to make a choice.

Wallet Guy, or Chris?

You closed your eyes, trying to shush your thoughts and listen to your feelings instead. And you realized then, that you had already made a choice weeks before. Before Chris's words, before you would spend a night together, before you would kiss, before…

You had chosen a long time ago, indeed, and neither Chris's words nor seeing Wallet Guy tonight would make any difference. You knew what your heart longed for, and for once, you chose to listen to your heart instead of your head.

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

 Chris stopped to the flower shop, one last time. He was on his way to the Empire State Building. He knew that he wouldn't have to come back after tonight, and if you chose Wallet Guy instead of him, bringing your relationship to an early end, he wasn't sure to have the strength to come back to the shop and see Carlotta ever again. It would hurt him too much…

He walked inside and waited for the florist to finish taking care of a client.

He wanted to thank her for everything. No matter how this evening would end, he didn't have any regret. Even if it cost him his heart, he would never regret loving you. He knew it was thanks to Carlotta that you had stumbled into his life, and he was so grateful for it all. You were the best thing that had ever happened to him, and it was all thanks to her.

He meant to tell her all that, thank her properly. But he was at a loss for words all of a sudden. It didn't matter, though. It seemed that she already knew all that he meant to say, as if she could read it all in his eyes and the tears glimmering there.

She meant to tell him that she wished for him the best in the world, and that she was happy to have helped the two of you. That she was happy to be able to call him a friend now.

But Chris seemed to read all this in her expression, and they both found out that there was no real need for words then.

So, instead of speaking, they merely hugged, hiding their tears, for a rather long while.

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

 The sun was setting on New York City, painting with orange, red and purple lights the blue sky. The skyscrapers glimmered in the warm dusk, while the inhabitants barely paid any attention to the beauty that surrounded them.

You had to admit that the view from the top of the Empire State Building was breathtaking. It would have been a shame to live in New York for a few months and missing this sight.

You thought you would be nervous, waiting for Wallet Guy, but you weren't. Your decision was taken, and it brought you peace.

In your hand, you held a letter you had written for Wallet Guy. You didn't trust your words to tell him how you felt, you had written it all down instead. Just in case.

You checked your watch: it was time.

You kept your eyes fixed on the city for a few more seconds, taking a deep breath, before turning towards the entrance. You searched through the crowd, but no man was holding peonies.

Another minute passed, but you weren't worried that he would not come. There was an unexplainable feeling deep in your heart that told you he would come this time. You knew he would, without any proof or sign to make you believe so, and yet you had no doubt. So, you patiently waited, your eyes on the entrance as a second minute flew by.

You checked the time again, the few seconds that you spent distracted on your watch just enough for a man with a bouquet of peonies to enter the observation deck.

You saw a pair of brown shoes advancing towards you at first, and moved your attention from your watch to the pair of feet. The shoes looked… familiar.

Your eyes climbed up a pair of dark jeans, and up to a burgundy jumper, and two hands holding a bouquet of peonies.

You had recognized the man already by now, but you kept on looking upwards anyway, until you met Chris's gaze.

He didn't stop walking towards you until your eyes met. He was just one step away already, but he froze as he fell into your eyes.

He tried to take a deep breath, but almost choked instead. He expected you to frown, or laugh, or shout… but you merely remained motionless before him, and for some reason, seeing no reaction coming from you was much worse than any scenario he had imagined on his way to the skyscraper. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

You merely kept on staring at each other for what seemed like forever, although it only lasted a minute or so. But the silence and stillness and the lack of reaction coming from you were killing Chris too much, and even his fear gave in after a while, and he was finally able to speak.

He gave you a sad, sheepish smile and handed you the bouquet. You didn't make any movement to take it though.

He had prepared dozens of speeches, imagined how the scene would play in his head non-stop since that morning. He knew what he wanted to say and how he wanted to express his thoughts and feelings. And yet, now that he was there, standing before you, he could barely say a word, and all his glorious speeches were gone.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in a breath, words that despite the busy deck and blowing wind reached you all the same. "I'm sorry, but it's just me. It's always been just me."

He fell silent again, struggling to find the strength to speak again. Meanwhile, you were slowly processing it all, but somehow, it all made perfect sense. You recognized him in the letters now, you recognized his spirit and his thoughts.

Memories brought you back to that night at the café, when you had waited for Wallet Guy all night. But he had come.

He had come.

You smiled, tears blurring your vision. Ever since you had arrived in New York, he had always been there for you. He had never let you down. You had never been more certain to make the right choice than you were now, about choosing who to trust with your heart.

You handed him your letter without a word. You couldn't trust your voice right now, the emotions were too strong for that. You were most definitely right to have written it all down, you couldn't have spoken if your life depended on it.

He took the envelope with a frown, and you took the flowers in exchange. You breathed in the sweet perfume with a grin while he tore the envelope open, and read the short note. He knew it would be the last note he would read from you, no matter your choice, and he struggled to withhold his tears at the thought, but he read the words anyway.

 Dear Wallet Guy,

 Thank you for coming today. I needed to see you in real, to tell you how I feel. Our relationship has been remaining in a grey area for a while now, but it can't keep on being this way.

You have been my friend for these months I've spent in New York, and I will forever be grateful for your friendship. However, I know our relationship cannot remain the same, it has to evolve, one way or another. We can't remain the friends we are now, in that grey cloud of uncertainty. We must either grow closer or grow apart. And I have taken the decision already.

I'm leaving at the end of the week, and it's time for us to bid our farewells.

I've met someone else during my stay in New York. And today I am choosing him. I love him. I'm happy with him. I will forever look back on our letters with a fond smile, but when I ask myself who I want to be with tomorrow, his face is the answer.

I wish you all the best in the world.

 Y/N.

 He looked up at you once more, tears rolling down his cheeks and getting caught in his beard. You met his gaze with a warm smile and tears in your eyes as well.

"I chose you," you breathed, your voice shaky but your decision final. "I love you."

Before you could say another word, Chris had closed the distance between the two of you and wrapped his arms around you in a tight embrace, that you hurried to reciprocate.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked with fear in his voice.

His question made you realize that maybe it would have been legitimate for you to be angry against him. He had lied to you, after all. He had known who you truly were ever since that night at the café, and had never told you the truth.

"I just… I wanted to get to know you better," he went on, still holding you close, now afraid that you would walk away if he released you. "But then I… then I fell in love with you and I was so scared you wouldn’t love me back and would leave…"

His voice broke, and you tightened your hold on him. A reassuring, warm embrace that made his heart swell with love and affection.

And maybe you could have been mad, but you weren't. Because everything finally made sense, and you found out that you didn't care. You tried to imagine how you would have reacted if you had been the one discovering his true identity that night, and you guessed you would have done more damage than he had. Besides, in the end, you guessed that if he had acted differently and refused to give you a chance after the incident at the café, you would have never been with him at all. And that truly was an unbearable thought now.

You shook your head.

"I'm not angry. I'm just… happy. I chose you. I chose you, Chris. I love you."

His expression finally broke into a bright grin, and he moved just enough to look at you. He drowned into your eyes for a moment, before leaning to kiss you.

The bouquet fell on the ground in a hushed thud as you dropped the flowers to run your fingers through Chris's hair instead. And your letter floated softly down as well as Chris abandoned it in favour of holding your face with both his hands.

Behind you, the sun kept on sinking behind the tall buildings, but the magical view could hardly compare to kisses, after all…

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

 Epilogue

18 months later

 It was a Monday morning in New York City, busy and tired, like all Monday morning always are. Carlotta was tidying her shop, ten minutes before opening. The town was frozen under a deep pile of snow, but it was still warm enough for the bravest to go outside, so the streets were pretty busy all the same. Carlotta took a gulp of her warm tea to warm herself, as the mere thought of going outside made her feel cold. An angry taxi honked at a frozen pedestrian who crossed the street too slowly. Snowflakes kept on falling, white balls of delicate ice covering the world in a beautiful blanket.

She arranged her favourite orchid on the counter, thinking that she should keep this one for herself. She took one last look around, but reckoned that the shop was ready for the day to begin. All she had left to do was to check her mail, so she sat on her stool behind the counter, enjoying her little break and her warm tea before she would open her shop.

She pushed aside some advertisement about pills to lose weight, and some more for a free pizza. She opened a bill but quickly pushed it aside. That bad mail was not meant to be opened in the morning, and especially not on a Monday morning. She needed to keep her spirit high for the rest of the day.

She had one last letter to open, and she wondered who could have sent it to her. It took her a moment staring blankly at the envelope to recognize that the handwriting with which her address was traced was yours, and a grin formed on her lips. Chris and you had kept in touch with Carlotta, although it was just from afar. You were not in New York City anymore after all, but you still called once in a while, or sent a postcard, and she did the same. She had not heard from you in almost two months though, so she was more than happy to open your letter.

She couldn't refrain a gasp and a grin as she recognized the invitation to your wedding.

With the simple card written in golden letters, stating that she was invited to the event, along with the date and place, there was a short note attached, and she recognized Chris's handwriting in the blink of an eye.

 Dear Carlotta,

 You once ordered me to invite you to my and Y/N's wedding, and I have no choice but to stay true to my word. We would be happy and grateful if you could make the trip to Boston in May for the ceremony. After all, you have been our cupid, and Y/N and I would have never found each other without you. Give us a call to let us know if you can come, and also to have a chat, it's been too long.

Thank you again, for everything you've done for us.

 Chris and Y/N

 PS from Y/N: we might need a florist for the wedding too… would you be up for the job? After all, you do sell the best peonies in the city.

 Carlotta reached for a tissue and dried her eyes, letting out a loud laugh as she read the note again.

Of course, she would travel to Boston for your wedding. She reached for her phone to call you, but her mind was already creating bouquets and picking colours and flowers. She had so much to do to give Chris and you the perfect flowers for your wedding!

She heaved a happy sigh as her gaze drifted towards the snow falling outside once more.

Some Monday mornings were not so bad, after all.

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[justakpopfic]

Jump Scare

Summary: Mingi does everything in his power to scare Yeosang. But what happens when Yeosang gets scared?

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 2,177 words

Masterlist

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ

Seonghwa’s hopes that today was going to be a normal day were thrown out of the window when he walked into Mingi, sitting in the living room, surrounded by hay.

Hay was scattered everywhere, some have even been caught in Mingi’s messy morning hair. Mingi had a shirt and a pair of pants in front of him, along with paint, and what looked like a potato sack at his feet.

Seonghwa stared silently at Mingi before speaking up, “What are you doing?”

Mingi let out a startled gasp. “Goodness,” he said. “What are you doing up at 5 am?”

“That’s exactly what I was going to ask you,” Seonghwa said. “What’s with all of the…hay?”

“I’m making a scarecrow.”

“Why?”

“I need one.”

“Why do you need a scarecrow?”

Mingis face turned pink. “To scare Yeosang.”

“Why do you want to scare Yeosang?” Seonghwa asked.

Mingis cheeks grew into a darker shade of pink. “Today is October 1st,” he said, “I’m going to prove to everyone that I’m not a coward. And I’m going to do that by scaring everyone of you guys, starting with Yeosang.”

Seonghwa slowly backed away from the younger boy. “I think I’ll just go back to sleep, and this will all just be a strange dream,” he said before he left Mingi alone in the room.

It was no secret that Mingi was scared of almost everything. Personally, Mingi thinks that he’s just easily startled, but of course that never stopped the teasing. The constant jabs Mingi got at his cowardly nature was all in good fun. But with the Halloween season slowly coming up, Mingi has the amazing, or crazy, idea of scaring as many people as he can.

But this year, Mingi’s main target was Yeosang. Why Mingi chose Yeosang, no one really knew. Maybe it was because Yeosang always had the attitude that nothing really scared him.

And Mingi wanted to prove that wrong.

When Mingi had finally completed the scarecrow, he looked at it for a good five minutes. It looked like any other scarecrow, minus the fact that patched of hay were falling out, and for the clown face with fangs that Mingi had painted on. However, Mingi thought that it would be perfect to give Yeosang a good scare.

Mingi quietly crept to the door of Yeosang’s room. He leaned the homemade scarecrow on the wall, facing the door. If all went according to plan, then Yeosang should wake up, walk out, see the clown scarecrow, and hopefully scream.

Mingi had to hold back his giggles as he walked away.

Soon enough, everyone else began to wake up. Yeosang was not the first person to see the finished product. It was Hongjoong, who walked up in front of it to stare at like a kid at an aquarium. He was soon ushered away by Seonghwa, who seemed adamant on pretending that it didn’t exist.

After almost everybody except Yeosang came out, each reacting to Mingi’s creation with a combination of confusion and curiosity, finally, Yeosang’s bedroom door opened.

Mingi held in a breath as he saw Yeosang emerge. Yeosang groggily rubbed his eyes as he walked towards the dining room. He lowered his hands once he began to walk down the hall. Mingi sat at the end of the hallway, stunned silent.

Didn’t he see the scarecrow? Was he so tired that his brain didn’t register the clown scarecrow? There was no way that he could just walk past it, without any reaction.

Mingi sat at the table with disappointment. He was so sure that he’d be able to get him. As he and the other boys were eating, a shout came from the end of the hall.

“Woah! Look at this thing! It’s like someone had to create Pennywise on a budget!”

A few seconds later, Jongho rushes into the room with Mingis scarecrow in his arm. His hair told Mingi that he had just woken up, and his eyes were widened with surprise more than fear.

Glancing over at Yeosang, Mingi could see his eyes widened for a split second, before morphing back to normal.

“Weird,” he said. “I didn’t notice it. Was it in your room?”

“No,” Jongho said.

Mingi had to do everything he could to not scream in frustration right then and there. He didn’t notice? A clown scarecrow? Right in front of his door? What was this boy on?

“Can I keep this in my room?” Jongho asked eagerly. Judging by his reaction, Jongho wasn’t scared of the scarecrow at all. None of them were. Mingi suppressed the urge to groan. First plan, failed.

Mingi wasn’t about to give up so quickly. He still had an entire month to scare Yeosang good. He was just going to need a better plan.

A week later, the boys had finally begun decorating the house in orange and black streamers, and signs of ghosts that say “BOO!” To some Halloween enthusiasts, (a.k.a Wooyoung) it was way too late into the season. But nobody listened to him.

Covering the bushes in fake cobwebs, Mingi opened the pack of plastic spiders. He placed a couple of spiders on the cobwebs, and when no one was looking, he’d pocket a few for himself.

Hiding fake spiders to scare someone. Not the most original idea, but effective. And much more easier than making a clown scarecrow, which was now sitting in Jongho’s room, much to Seonghwa’s distain.

As Hongjoong and San we’re arguing where to put the fake skeleton, Mingi snuck back inside to Yeosang’s room.

He walked over to Yeosang’s bed, and he lifted up the covers. He sprinkled the fake spiders and spread the blanket back out over them. After a few moments of unnecessary patting down the covers, Mingi left the room, silently praying that his plan would work.

“Why are you hanging around Yeosang’s room?” Seonghwa asked Mingi that evening. Mingi had been walking up and down the hallway, failing to not look suspicious.

“Waiting,” Mingi answered.

“Waiting for what?”

“Yeosang.”

Seonghwa just sighed and walked away.

After what felt like ages, Yeosang finally was walking towards his room. Mingi ran to hide in his own room, almost like a giddy child.

Yeosang opened the door. He closed it as he entered. Then there was silence. And more silence. Which was followed by even more silence.

Okay, why wasn’t Mingi hearing anything? Yeosang must’ve not pulled back his blankets yet. He’s probably sitting at the end of his bed, unaware of what Mingi had left there.

Mingi left the bedroom door. He’d comeback when Yeosang got ready for bed. Then he’ll see the bugs and get startled at the least. Mingi was sure of it.

The sun was setting and Mingi has now unapologetically sat himself right outside of Yeosang’s room after he saw him enter. Mingi was hugging his knees to his chest, waiting to hear Yeosang’s scream.

Mingi felt somewhat guilty at himself for wanting to scare Yeosang so badly. But all of that went away as he heard someone moving around. Mingi held his breath. He’s going to find it. He’s going to find it and scream.

But no scream came. And before Mingi could wait any longer to see if Yeosang even noticed the spiders, Hongjoong told him to get ready for bed. So Mingi would have to wait until morning to see if Yeosang got scared.

Morning came, and once again, Mingi was hovering over Yeosang’s door. Seonghwa didn’t even pay attention to him as he walked by. If there was a way to disown your best friend, Seonghwa would probably do it to Mingi by now.

Yeosang left his room, ignoring Mingi as he walked by. Strange. When Yeosang left the hallway, Mingi went into Yeosang’s room. The first thing he sees, sitting on Yeosang’s nightstand, were the fake spiders.

Mingi collected his spiders, feeling like someone was dragging him into water. He didn’t even bother to try and get an answer about last night from Yeosang. He was pretty sure he just causally moved them because they were uncomfortable.

Time was running out. The 31st was now only two weeks away. Mingi didn’t want to try and scare Yeosang in November, he would feel bad. He had to scare Yeosang. By now, he would even be okay if he was startled.

October 30th. Tomorrow would be Halloween. Technically speaking, Mingi only had tonight and tomorrow to scare Yeosang.

As if Mother Nature herself wanted to prepare for Halloween, she sent a huge thunder storm over. Rain poured over the windows, and Mingi could see flashes of light in the clouds, followed by a boom that seemed to shake the whole house.

Naturally, Mingi was terrified. But tonight, he wouldn’t let it show. He crept into Yeosang’s room. He walked to the windows and drew the curtains close enough to paint the room in black, but also so that lightning could shine through.

Another round of lightning illuminated the room before disappearing with the bang of thunder. Mingi jumped at that, before deciding where to hide.

He wouldn’t fit under the bed. The closet was too full. It would seem that the best choice would be behind the bedroom door.

If there was one time Mingi wished he wasn’t so tall, it would be now. He was so sure that Yeosang would see him before he had a chance to scare him. And if Yeosang does see him coming, then tomorrow he would definitely be on his guard, knowing about Mingi’s plan.

It had to be tonight.

The longer Mingi waited, the more powerful the storm became. The rain pounded rather than poured, and lightning painted part of the room in stark white.

Mingi hoped that he wouldn’t make a sound, despite the storm wanting something different.

As if Yeosang heard Mingi’s prayer, he walked into the room. Mingi held his breath, ready to jump out, but he was too slow.

The second Yeosang opened the door he closed it and went for his bed. He didn’t even turn around. Mingi was just standing, mostly confused by Yeosang.

Then he noticed what Yeosang was doing. Yeosang went under the covers, wrapping himself with the blankets. He lied down in the fetal position, like he was a baby.

Lightning appeared and disappeared. Then a clap of thunder sounded throughout the room. Yeosang shivered.

Was he scared? Mingi never knew that Yeosang was scared of thunder storms. But by the way Yeosang hid himself under the blankets, it was obvious. He was scared.

Mingi wanted to comfort him, but he was also sure that if he went up to him and spoke, he would definitely scare him even more.

But then again, that’s why Mingi was here in the first place, so why didn’t he want to do it now?

As other bang of thunder sounded, Yeosang sniffled. Over the loud rain, Mingi could hear him sniffle even more. He was crying.

Mingi never knew how scared of storms Yeosang was. He had to do something. Mingi reached for the doorknob. As quietly as he could, he opened the door, and closed it. Now standing in front of the door, Mingi spoke.

“Yeosang?” he said.

Yeosang stayed quiet. More thunder rumbled through the room. Yeosang seemed to shrink into the covers.

Mingi took a step closer. “Are you okay?” he asked.

Yeosang didn’t say anything. He still faced the opposite direction of Mingi. Mingi had no idea how he was feeling, other than scared.

As more lightning flashed, Mingi slowly climbed onto the bed. Yeosang turned around, almost hesitantly. Mingi could see his tearful eyes even in the dark. Without saying anything, Mingi just lied down, and wrapped his arms around Yeosang.

Yeosang was frozen for a split second, but then he heard the booming thunder and wrapped his arms around Mingi, pressing himself into him.

They stayed like that in silence until Yeosang’s breathing calmed down. He wiped his wet eyes, before slinging his arm back around Mingi.

Neither of them said much after that. Mingi unconsciously petted his hair like he was a small puppy. After who knows how long, the storm began to calm down, and there was less thunder and lightning.

Yeosang looked up at Mingi in the dark. He wore a small smile on his face.

“Thanks, Mingi,” he said.

“Oh it’s nothing,” Mingi said. “I never knew you were scared of storms.”

Mingi could sense Yeosang blushing slightly. “Yeah,” he said. “I know.”

Mingi hugged Yeosang tighter. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here when there’s a storm.”

Yeosang giggled. “Won’t you also be scared?” he asked. “I know how you’ve been trying to scare me all month.”

Only the rain could be heard. Until Mingi spoke up after probably a year. Or, more accurately, 2 minutes.

“You knew?” he said. Yeosang nodded, even though it was dark.

“Seonghwa told me,” Yeosang said with a small smile.

Mingi didn’t say anything for the rest of the night. Instead, he had another victim he was planning to scare tomorrow.