#like i hear normal people just like open one site and finish and another and then end p trapping themselves in a loop
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meaculpameahugeculpa · 2 months ago
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I'm sending you an ask as a follow-up, because the other post is getting long (not that I mind, I love this conversation) (also doing the lord's work and trying to keep ask culture alive)
"They are both people. Still human. " YESYESYES a thousand times yes
It's always been like that for me too! And since my interest in philosophy in the recent years I started experimenting even more with characters' morality that adds another flavour to their humanity. I love it when characters feel human and they can be as horrible as their little hearts desire and I can explore and dissect it. It's a wonderful thing to do. This also kind of led me to get rid of the "good guys" vs "bad guys" setup in my writing, they're all just guys. And I'm having sooooo much fun.
"Honestly, I am loving this online videogame! Let's play for a long time together, for an extra long time! But the game over is coming for everyone... and that's what we all share"
In one of the first short stories I ever wrote I made this exact point with a different metaphor. It wasn't written in English, so I'm loosely paraphrasing, but it was about that feeling, when you're sitting in a car and stop at a red light. You look around, see the cars next to you, hear them blast their music, maybe you turn up your own, but eventually that light turns green and you go on, on your own. (Damn this still makes me feel things, and I wrote it over a decade ago)
Also I'm so glad you like Marci!!!! She is my baby and yeah she is absolutely whumpee-shaped, I haven't thought about her in a bit, I shall get back to her once I deem the other story finished.
And speaking of; ugh I can't wait to finish Carter's story (again). I swore to myself that this will be the last rewrite I do. (The whole thing was up for a while, but I literally just took some chapters off a few days ago, so I can fix them up). That story is my child, it's a whole toddler now, it's over two years old, I have two tattoos for it (I can't say I'm normal about it unforch) and it's the longest story I wrote that I planned out from beginning to end (it's nearing 30k words, it's a whole novella)
She's a vampire hunter, who has a bad run-in with a vampire, who's extremely vengeful and has way too much time on his hands. And she dies in the end. It's heartbreaking and I love it so much.
Hi! I am enjoying this conversation a lot too! And, also, I agree: I absolutely love this feature, the asks feature! It's a very unique characteristic, and it really makes this site stand out! Tumblr is about reblogs and asks, these two are basically the entire point of this site, haha!
"I started experimenting even more with the characters' morality that adds another flavor to their humanity."
"They're all just guys."
YES! And you know what? I think that this openness to moral nuance is essential for good whumperflies! One of my favorite dynamic is "Affectionate Hero Whumper/Villain Whumpee" (you can switch out "Hero/Villain" with any kind of good guy or gal/bad guy or gal dichotomy): I just love the contrast, the double contrast even! You have a whumpee who is probably at fault, who is probably not-the-best-person-alive™️, and you also have a character that is supposed to be -and is perceived as- the rightful party, but is abusive and immoral by definition (because that's what a whumper is, fundamentally).
But the whumper is also able to feel pity towards the whumpee at times? I am not interested in whumpers who "enjoy abusing others," I am interested in whumpers who indeed are in bad faith, abuse their victims, but are like: why would I deny them a blanket? Or why should I not comfort them when they need it? I don't like hitting people, but I also like the control/I dislike the way they make me feel not in control/I hate that they challenge my worldview/I hate that they hurt my ego/I think that's what they deserve/Insert X motivation.
Sorry for the tangent, but I just adore this type of contrast! The angst, the confusion of having the hero hit the villain, and then patch them up after? Unbeatable.
Love that metaphor! It truly is suggestive, and it also has a sort of liminal essence to it? Which I love, to be clear !
She is really cute, she just is, sorry, haha! Also, also, she is going through a lot and she needs hot chocolate NOW! Hahaha!
You should continue obsessing over this story, and over Carter! You must, to be honest, haha. You should never be normal about that character and that story, lol! Also feel free hit the DMs, or send asks about your characters, and your favorite tropes, I love ranting and I love hearing other people's rants. I'd really enjoy reading that story, I hope I'll find the time to do so!
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Chapter 12 Nemo dat quot non habet (No one gives what they do not have) - Cartagena Part 2
I am so sorry for the lateness. Writer's block is a bitch and... well, you know.
Taglist: @glitterypirateduck @letsreadallday @jamesrifftapes @mmyrrhh @sofasoap
My beloved sister @mmyrrhh deserves double the mention because it was because of her push that I could finally finish this... and it got too long to fit in one part, so expect another, I hope smaller, later this week.
Warnings: None, just stupid awkward fluff.
Previous / Masterlist / Next
The day had started with a sour mood for everyone, that was true.
Now, in the late hours of the afternoon, strolling around the ruins of the… Roman Neighbourhood or whatever it was called, it seemed everyone’s mood had improved.
To be honest, Simon had conflicting feelings about undercover operations. On the one hand, he hated them. Being in the open, without the protection of his team, without Price, without visible weapons, without gear.
Without Ghost. As naked as you can be. Pretending to be normal.
On the other hand, he liked the normality. The day-to-day life. Waking up, having a nice cuppa in the balcony of their rented apartment before going down to the nearest café to have proper breakfast. Driving from one place to another, walking to one place or another, sitting down somewhere random to have lunch, just… living.
The light banter, the laughter, Christine’s thigh pressed against his underneath the table. Pretending to be normal.
And now, walking around the open air museum during the late hours of the afternoon, following Gabi, Johnny and Christine, and listening to their endless chatter about this and that, he thought that maybe he could get used to it. To being normal.
If only he deserved it.
‘‘Am starving!’’ Johnny complained, with his arms wrapped around Gabi’s slim waist and pretending to bite her shoulder after moving the strap of her sundress, making her squeal. ‘‘When are we eating?’’
‘‘After we finish the visit, you cheeky idiot’’ Gabi laughed, patting his cheek when he grumbled against her neck something about perishing from starvation. ‘‘You ate two steaks not even three hours ago!’’
‘‘As if that could keep satisfied that pit he has for stomach’’ Christine commented idly, busy taking photos of a mosaic with her mobile phone. Simon stood silently beside her, waiting patiently. She stopped everywhere to take photos of the ruins. A column here, a mosaic there, part of a road, the remains of a house. He just waited, enjoying the quiet hum coming from her, almost drowned by the chatter of the rest of the people visiting the site. She was wearing her mask again because of the crowd, but the happy light in her eyes made up for everything.
‘‘Ah’ll haf ye keen tha…’’
‘‘English, MacTavish’’ Simon grumbled, but when Christine looked up at him saw by the wrinkles around his eyes that he was grinning under his own mask. And she could hear a chuckle when the Scot swore at him and Gabi started to chide him about it.
They walked after the happy couple, in comfortable silence, to the next section of the open air museum. Some people looked at them strangely, and Christine ended up giggling quietly, which made Simon look down at her.
‘‘What?’’
‘‘Nothing, it’s just… funny’’ She shrugged, moving slightly to avoid being bumped into by a small family pushing a pram. ‘‘They are walking in front, all lovey-dovey, and we are following them, with masks on, as if we were the bodyguards or something. People are looking at us weirdly’’
‘‘Bodyguards’’ Simon grunted, earning another giggle from her. ‘‘I’d sooner sell him out to the highest bidder’’
‘‘No, you wouldn’t’’ Christine laughed, nudging lightly his forearm with her elbow, and he rumbled a laugh under his mask. No, he wouldn’t. He would protect Johnny until his last drop of blood. As he’d do for any of the 141, past or present.
‘‘I would’’ He insisted, just so she would laugh again, ignoring the people that moved away to avoid crashing into him. She moved a bit to walk behind him to do the same, with her quiet chuckle.
‘‘No, you wouldn’t!’’
Simon shook his head, still grinning like a fool underneath the fabric. Why was it so easy to just…
His train of thought was harshly interrupted when a rowdy group of young men – in their early twenties, he thought – crossed their path, coming from the museum section they were walking to. Laughing and chatting loudly, not really paying attention to where they were going or who they were bumping into. By the looks and language, Brit tourists.
Johnny was swift to move Gabi away, scowling at them when one of the tourists almost stepped on her feet, but the lad didn’t even notice. Too busy with the mates, maybe even too tipsy in spite of the early hour.
Without thinking, when they were almost upon them, Simon’s right hand darted out and grabbed Christine’s left wrist, pushing her behind him, allowing them to pass. One or two looked up at him, blinking and their faces falling at the dark, cold look in his brown eyes, but they had the sensible thought of just rushing past.
Satisfied, he continued walking, and it wasn’t after some steps that he realized what he had done, and a cold, piercing sense of fear formed a knot in his throat and gut. He grabbed her hand. Without permission or even thinking. What if she was triggered. Hell, he was tempted to tear his hand away as if bitten by a venomous snake, feeling the soft skin of a woman under his fingers and palm for the first time in… he didn’t even remember.
The moment he relaxed his fingers, opening them to release her wrist, her fingers slid softly along his palm, until they were intertwined with his. Her nimble, delicate fingers laced with his rough, calloused ones. Hands that had strangled one man to death together.
Simon almost didn’t dare to look down at her, feeling the heat in his face and his ears burning and for a moment missing the full balaclava, but he couldn’t help it. Christine was looking away, seemingly interested in a wall mosaic as they walked following Gabi and Johnny, but what he could see of her face was red. As a strawberry. Like he was sure his own face was.
But the corners of her eyes told him she was smiling, and that made him feel stupid, and weak… and good.
Half an hour later, Johnny’s hunger was out of control, or that was what he declared dramatically to Gabi, assuring her he was on the verge of starving. Gabi rolled her eyes, not buying it in the slightest, but decided that they better get going and find somewhere to eat, or she’d have a mutiny in her hands.
‘‘Let’s go find Simon and Christine and ask them if we should go find somewhere to have dinner…’’
‘‘Aye, we should’’
She rolled her eyes again, smiling at Johnny’s eager tone, and allowed him to pull from her hand towards one of the last rooms of the museum. She could have sworn she had seen them going in there, and once they stepped inside, her eyes fell instantly on the tall, burly man holding…
Gabi blinked, and then started excitedly shaking Johnny’s hand, and grabbed his arm with her free hand,.
‘‘Johnny!’’ She whispered, with a wide grin. ‘‘Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, look, look, look!’’
‘‘Wha… what is it, what’s…?’’ Johnny looked in the direction she was pointing, startled, and his own jaw fell agape.
Ghost and Riot. Simon and Christine. Holding hands.
She seemed to be deep into one of her lengthy explanations about whatever, gesticulating with her right hand and pointing here and there… but her left hand was engulfed by Simon’s enormous hand, their fingers intertwined, for the little he could see.
‘‘Fuck, fuck, take a photo’’ Johnny fumbled in his pocket, trying to get his phone out, while Gabi gasped and tried to stop him. ‘‘Gaz ain’t gonna believe it’’
‘‘What do you mean take a photo?? If they catch you, you are dead’’ She hissed, looking at the other… couple? discreetly.
‘‘Everyone else is watching… aww shite’’ He grumbled when in that precise moment that he managed to take his phone out and unlock it, Simon and Christine turned around and walked towards them, with her still talking and gesticulating with her free hand, and him looking down at her, listening, with his other hand in his pocket.
‘‘They look so cute’’ Gabi smiled, resting her head for a moment against Johnny’s arm, sliding her own hand in his. He smiled as well, thinking that maybe cute wasn’t the term he’d use to describe his friends to their face, and returned the phone to his pocket, squeezing her fingers affectionately.
‘‘Sorry, you must be hungry, I lost track of time’’ Christine apologized once they were standing in front of them, still holding hands with Simon. Johnny noticed with amazement that they didn’t even seem to be aware of it. ‘‘I mean, it’s early by Spanish standards but we can go look for somewhere to have dinner’’
‘‘And then clubbing!’’ Gabi giggled, and Christine rolled her eyes.
‘‘Tomorrow we kinda have something important to do, as much as you’d like to think we’re really on holiday…’’
‘‘Dinner first, then we talk’’ Johnny tugged from Gabi’s hand, ignoring his girlfriend’s giggles, and raised an eyebrow while staring at Simon. The bastard looked totally ignorant of what him and Christine were doing. ‘‘So… wanna tell me something or what’’
Simon looked down at him, his dark brown eyes soft for once. For fuck’s sake, he even seemed… content. As much as he could look like it, with his face half covered, but Johnny could count with the fingers of one hand the times he had seen Simon’s eyes without the cold, guarded look.
‘‘I guess we should tell you’’ Simon shrugged, with his usual deadpan, gruff voice, and that made Johnny’s curiosity get the best of him.
‘‘Tell me what?’’
‘‘I don’t know if you’ll be able to stomach it, Johnny’’ Christine followed Simon’s lead, her voice just as deadpan. Both bastards looked absolutely serious and Johnny felt cold sweat.
‘‘Out with it, what the fuck have you done’’
‘‘Got married yesterday’’ Simon commented, cool as a cucumber, and next to him, Christine nodded. Gabi gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand. Johnny felt a chill running down his spine.
‘‘What’’
‘‘In Benidorm, when we went to change the SUV and buy knives… I’m sorry, Johnny’’ Christine sighed, her blue eyes looking up at her friend with something that seemed half amusement and half seriousness. ‘‘We saw one of those chapels where you can get married right away and…’’
‘‘Yer…!’’ Johnny shouted, shaking off Gabi’s hand and starting to wildly wiggle one finger right under Christine’s nose, ignoring the looks of the passers-by. ‘‘Ye fucken’ asstards! Yer pullin’ ma leg! Ye’d never!’’
‘‘I’m sorry, Johnny…’’ She tried to maintain the deadpan tone, but she couldn’t. Her blue eyes sparkled with glee and she giggled while he kept wiggling his finger under her nose, sputtering with his thick Scottish accent to the point that none of them understood what he was complaining about. Then, he turned his attention to Simon and his smug look.
‘‘Yer gonna get it. Am her man of honour and ye won’t take that off meh!’’
‘‘Boys, boys…’’ Gabi grabbed Christine’s arm and forcefully pried her away from Simon and towards the exit, both of them laughing. ‘‘I swear, they’re like little kids…’’
‘‘Man of honour, with gown and all that? Or that skirt you Scots wear?’’ Simon chuckled, shaking his head, and even indulged in carefully nudging Johnny’s shoulder with his fist. Awkwardly. Sincerely. The way Johnny’s anger vanished and how his baby blue eyes lit up made Simon feel good.
‘‘Ye’ll find out, ye bastard, ye’ll be at the altar!’’ He saw with satisfaction a flash of surprise on his friend’s eyes, that quickly turned into something else. Something darker, and sadder, and that he didn’t quite like. He cleared his throat. ‘‘But first, dinner’’
‘‘Dinner’’ Simon nodded, both of them following the two women. Before reaching them though, he looked away from Johnny, awkwardly. ‘‘I thought you’d be mad at not being my best man’’
Johnny almost stopped in his tracks, his eyes boring a hole into Simon’s broad back as he continued walking. Then, he rushed to his side, almost tempted to shove him.
‘‘Thought that’d be Price’s place’’
‘‘Well…’’ Simon cleared his throat. Twice. Still awkwardly looking away and feeling the heat in his ears, and Johnny’s eyes still on him. Laughing, no doubt. ‘‘That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want you there’’
‘‘Oh, ah will be’’ Johnny laughed, and slapped Simon’s back with such force that it resonated in the museum entrance and made people look at them. Even Gabi and Christine looked back briefly before continuing walking to go outside. ‘‘I’m her man of honour’’
Simon grunted and rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but smile underneath the mask.
‘‘You’re going too fast’’
‘‘Ye’were holding hands’’ Johnny laughed and tried to grab his wrist, only to be swatted away firmly. ‘‘Given how the two of ye are, that’s practically a…’’
‘‘Shut the fuck up’’ The Lieutenant hissed, but didn’t really look angry. ‘‘We were blending in. We looked like your bodyguards. We’re supposed to be two couples on holidays’’
‘‘Sure, sure, if that helps ye sleep…’’
‘‘I can hold your hand instead’’ Simon looked down at his friend, and winked. Winked. ‘‘Or I could hold your neck and throttle you until you wipe that stupid smirk off your face’’
‘‘And here ah thought we had something’’ Johnny pretended to sigh, and smiled when his answer was one of Simon’s deep, rumbling chuckles. ‘‘Come on mate, we’re gonna have a nice night today, ah jus’ feel it’’
‘‘Are you talking to your penis, MacTavish?’’ Simon teased, almost feeling scared of how good he felt. Carefree, playful, even giddy. Normal. Damned undercover missions. Never knew what to expect or how to act.
Walking beside him while following their women down the street, Johnny snorted, with his wide, joyful grin. Life was being good.
‘‘Nope, but ah sure am talking to a dick!’’
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winderlylandchime · 2 years ago
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LOVER’S SPIT! YOU THINK YOU’RE A MAN! LETS HEAR IT FOR THE BOY! AND SANDSTORM! ARE ALL ON MY BROTHERS SPOTIFY WRAPPED! HE GOT CLOCKED BY SPOTIFY AND IVE BEEN LAUGHING AT IT SINCE I WOKE UP! He sent the screenshot of it to his friend and his friend replied ‘bro, i think Spotify just called you gay’ and I gotta agree with the other straight man.
Also: on Monday, shocker, he did not behave like a normal adult. When I got there to pick him up a nurse walked him to me and went ‘here, take him and all his obsessions home with you’ and i turned to him and asked what did he do cause he did promise to act normal. And he went ‘i did absolutely nothing. He asked how I’m doing and I told him’ and I just know that he told them all about Britin/Brian. Part of me is happy that I wasn’t there to witness it. But the other news is that he has another check up with all his doctors who did his surgery and were part of his case on Friday and I have to be there since I was his caretaker aka they wanna know how he’s doing at home and I’m actually worried because 1 of the doctors dealt with him when he ripped his stitches, 2nd doctor did his cast, 3rd doctor called him out on it..basically they all know bits and pieces about how he treats his check ups so this should be fun (for him) and mortifying for me.
ALSO Yesterday he had his therapy session and when I came home, he ran up on me before i even managed to open the door and went ‘(his therapists name) is going on vacation for a few days. And when he asked what my plans were for the rest of the week and i said im officially finishing up the show and I’m sad about it, he fucking stared at me for almost a minute and then went “(his name), you know ill still be available on my phone at all times. So you can call me whenever and i promise you, you wont be a bother” what the fuck was that all about? *then he waves his cast like to dismiss the topic* what a weird little guy’ So i think its safe to say that either 1) the therapist based on his previous reactions to just normal episodes, is reasonably worried OR 2) he knows. And i don’t know which one of these two options is funnier to me.
SPOTIFY KNOWS!!! that is so hilarious. It’s like people whose TikTok algorithm knows they’re queer before they do.
I’ll admit that QueerAnon with Mister Sister is my second listened to podcast (and I swear it’s not first because there are not enough Randy episodes to make it first).
I hope the treatment team meeting is not too mortifying for you. I imagine the team saying that they have to change their discharge instructions for future patients: do not allow patients to get obsessed with a tv show while recovering. The doctors should know that this has made your brother “famous” on “a social media site” and he has “tens of fans.”
Finally, THERAPIST KNOWS. I think he’s tipped his hand. He either looked up a spoiler to help himself prepare for what your brother is going to experience OR he’s seen the show. Like the therapist stared at you? Yeah. He knows. I just think someone who had no idea what was coming would say “oh I’m sure it’s going to be a happy ending!” Or something like that. Not offer up time during vacation for an emergency phone call.
So few episodes left. I think after 510, he’s going to want to watch the final 3 quickly because it does seem like it’s going to be a happy ending (if you don’t think too closely about the characters and how little it makes sense for Brian and Justin to be getting married given… who they’ve been for at least the first 4 seasons).
And we will all be here when he watches…
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f1united · 4 years ago
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Ensemble - Chapter Two: The Girl and The Gift
Charles Leclerc x Reader
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Summary: Your Arthur Leclercs best friend. So why, after a random night in London, are you falling for his brother?
Chapter One: The Start
Warnings: Mentions of alcohol and sex.
Word Count: 5.8k
Note: This chapter begins in London and is marked where it switches to Mykonos. There are then some flashbacks mixed in so just watch out for those. Let me know your thoughts, enjoy!
*****
Chapter Two: The Girl and The Gift
Not long after Pierre had joined your table, Charles emerged from the toilets. Pierre had waved his hands to inform him of his updated location as he sat in the empty seat, unknowingly signing himself up for a night full of girly gossip and drama. The evening was spent reminiscing on childhood memories and sharing stories. It wasn't until Nat checked her phone that you realised how late it was getting.
"We better get going," She announced as she checked her phone. "The last train is in half an hour." You lived just outside of London which meant that most nights out were cut short by trains unless you had booked a hotel. You hummed in agreement as you finished your drink watching as Pierre began to whisper in Lucy's ear. They'd been flirting all night so her next sentence didn't come as much of a surprise.
"I'm going to chill with Pierre for a bit, I'll find my own way home tomorrow" The rest of the girls saw it coming too.
"Are you sure?" Katie asked. "I don't want you ending up in London on your own with no way home." She had a point. London could be quite daunting when it was late and dark, especially if you weren't a local.
"Well why don't you stay too?" Charles nodded his head towards you as he spoke. "That way you could leave together." Not one part of you questioned Charles' intentions as he spoke. He remained the responsible 'Arthur's older brother' that was being sensible and mature, making sure that everyone got home safely.
"If that's alright with you?" Your question was answered with a nod of his head. You all began to grab your things and headed outside, saying your goodbyes, telling them to text you when they were home safe as they encouraged you to do the same. By the time they'd headed for the station, Pierre and Lucy were already nowhere to be seen.
"I'm not sure about you but I'm in no rush to go back to the apartment just yet!" You spoke to Charles as you looked at the night sky above you.
"Where do you want to go in the meantime?"
“Have you ever explored London before?" You answered his question with one of your own. He shook his head. "So you haven't seen all beautiful sites it has to offer." The sarcasm was evident in your voice as you pointed down the alley way you were walking past full of black bins and plastic bags full of rubbish.
"I've only ever been here to celebrate races and I can't say I've seen much other than the inside of some bars and restaurants.”
"Well you're in for a long night Leclerc." Two hours ago Charles wanted nothing more than for him and Pierre to go back to the apartment. The lack of alcohol he'd consumed throughout the night was only adding to the tiredness he'd accumulated over the race weekend. However as you dragged him through the streets of London he realised there was no place he'd rather be.
You'd ridden Boris bikes alongside the River Thames, shown him your favourite restaurant in Covent Garden and taken him through Piccadilly Circus all the way to Oxford Street where closed shops lined the dark streets, pointing out your favourite ones as you cycled past. He never did things like this. As a F1 driver it was difficult for him to go almost anywhere without going unnoticed but tonight not one person had recognised him because for the night he was just a normal person with another normal person having a good time. 
After abandoning the Boris bikes at the nearest drop off point you both headed towards the apartment. It belonged to Charles' mother and was often used by you and Arthur whenever he'd come to visit and couldn't stay with you.
"You seem happier than when I last saw you." His comment made you smile. It was all he could think about as you wondered through the dark streets. The last time you'd seen him you'd just broken up with your ex. Your relationship had been on and off for years but you'd finally called it quits for good. It didn't take a genius to see the relationship was making you unhappy, the anxiety, tears and sleepless nights were picked up on by everyone albeit your efforts to hide it. Arthur was the only person who truly knew what was going on and it hurt him to see his best friend in so much pain when she thought she was in love.
"Thank you, I'm in a much better place now. I've had time to focus on myself." You'd completely lost yourself throughout the time you were together, focusing so much on what he'd wanted and expected rather than what made you happy. The situation had increased your maturity and for that reason you were grateful your first heartbreak had come at such a young age. You'd correctly assumed that Arthur had made Charles aware of your sensitiveness to the situation to some extent as he made no further comments. 
He had approached Arthur with concern after your last meeting. Despite a fun grand prix weekend you'd been blinking back tears and spent most of the time with a blank expression on your face. He hated it. He could see you trying to compose yourself, when he came to thank you for coming you'd done your best to smile, your voice was laced with excitement, but your eyes were empty, drained of emotion. He was grateful to see it had made its way back.
"Did you know I've never been to Harrods?" His random fact was a relief as he quickly changed the subject, allowing your mind to be brought back to the present rather than the dark times from the past.
"Even I've been to Harrods Charles. We should go tomorrow, you'd have a field day in the clothes section." As a part time student most of your spare money went into savings, a fund you'd created for your planned travels when you were done with your studies. It wasn't very often that you brought yourself nice things so despite your multiple trips to Harrods, you'd never actually purchased anything. You could see him deliberating your suggestion in his head. 
"You can wear sunglasses and a hat with your mask, just don't wear a bright red Ferrari top and I'm sure we'll be able to keep ourselves to ourselves."
"Don't you have work tomorrow?" His question brought you back to reality slightly.
"I'll call in sick?" you offered. It suddenly occurred to you that this was the longest time you and Charles had ever been alone together and the idea of leaving wasn't something that you wanted to think about just yet. 
Charles opened the apartment door with caution, neither of you wanted to interrupt your friend’s spontaneous night, nor hear any of the antics they were getting up to. You frowned at each other as you stepped into the entrance corridor. There were no faint voices, no mumbling or laughs, just the hum of the city that echoed through the slightly open window.
“Maybe they didn’t come back here,” your judgement became increasingly more likely as you followed Charles towards the kitchen and stood around the island.
“I’ll send him a text.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped away before placing it on the marble countertop. It lit up with Pierre's reply not long after he'd set it down. “They went to some hotel, apparently he’s dropping her home in a second.”
“He’s not the type to bring girls back to his home turf then,” you took the bag off your shoulder and placed in on the counter, grabbing a hair tie from inside and gathering your locks into a low ponytail. “Smart move.” Charles shrugged his shoulders at your observation.
He’d never really thought about it before, but he was the same. The few casual hook ups that he’d had over the years had never been in places he spent a lot of time like his house in Monaco, or his favourite holiday home in Mykonos, and never this apartment. Sure, he’d slept with people in those cities, but never in his space. You were right though; it was easier to forget about the crime if you never returned to the scene.
"Do you have anything I can change into?" 
“There’s a top on the end of my bed.” You thanked him as you made your way towards his room. “I’ll grab some of my things so I can crash on the sofa once you’ve changed.” You stopped in your tracks, turning to face him as you stood in the doorway.
“I’m not kicking an f1 driver out of their own bed Charles, especially not post race weekend.” You crossed your arms as you lent against the door frame. “I’ll sleep on the sofa.”
“I’m not letting you sleep on the sofa.” He argued.
“It’s one night Charles, I really don’t mind.”
“I’m not letting you sleep on the sofa.” He repeated.
“Well then it looks like we’re sharing the bed.” Your words not only surprised you, but also Charles. Neither of you were sure where this increased confidence had come from, but you didn’t want it to become awkward, so you tried to justify your statement. “Me and Arthur used to share a bed all the time!”
The look on his face as your eyes met with his across the room was one you’d so desperately been seeking without realising it. His head cocked, eyebrows raised and small smirk tugging its way onto his lips provided reassurance, giving you the confidence to confirm that this relationship was very different to your one with Arthur. You already knew it, you had felt it every time you’d looked at him since you were about 16, but this was the first time you could say with certainty that it was reciprocated.
Charles was dying to climb into bed with you. To wrap his arms around you and stay like it all night. He didn’t care about the fact that your hair would be in his face or that his arm would most likely be dead within the first half an hour. He just wanted you there with him, so he could learn things about you that he didn’t already know and fall asleep with the scent of your faded perfume beneath his nose. He suggested that he’d sleep on the sofa because he knew that wasn’t what you were implying. 
“I’ll stay on my side,” you offered. “Promise.”
That’s what he was afraid of. Charles was a respectful man, he wouldn’t cross boundaries without permission, but he wasn’t sure how much longer he could go without your touch. The thought of your body lying so tantalisingly close to his while dressed in nothing but your underwear and one of his shirts was driving him crazy.
“I’m a very good sleeper, you won’t even know I’m there.”
You couldn’t stop listing reasons for Charles to join you. He wished you would stop; his head was already full of so many.
“Well go and get comfy and I’ll join you in a minute,” In that moment he made the decision to give in knowing that if this was the only chance he got to lay in bed with you he'd take the opportunity, whether your bodies were intertwined or not. “Do you need a drink or anything?”
“A water would be great!” You smiled as you turned around and headed to the bedroom. Charles spent the next few minutes alone in the kitchen trying to convince himself that this was a bad idea. That it was wrong. You were his brother’s best friend and he shouldn't be this nervous or excited to lay next to you, but no matter how hard he tried to dislike the situation he couldn’t because it just felt right.
By the time he joined you in bed you’d already made yourself incredibly comfortable. He chuckled at the site of you tangled in the duvet before climbing in next to you. You laid facing each other and remained that way as you chatted about memories from the past. Childhood holidays and his earliest racing days to you latest life plans and hopes for the future. That's how you drifted to sleep, listening to his voice was more comforting than you'd like to admit. When you awoke in the morning you were unsure what terrified you more, the feeling of one of you completely reducing the few centimetres of space left between you or never knowing what Charles’ touch felt like.
*****
Maybe that’s why you were so unimpressed when Charles and Pierre joined the several of you seated around the long table on the patio with two unknown girls. The number of cocktails you’d consumed weren’t providing you with a great amount of rationality but then again it was difficult to justify being annoyed when you had no reason to be in the soberest of situations. The only person to blame was yourself, you’d had the chance to experience a night with Charles and a combination of your stubbornness, maturity and (let’s face it) fear of what could happen had meant that you’d missed out.
It was only as she threw her head back at one of his comments that it hit you, you were jealous. It was a feeling you hadn’t felt in years. Ever since your last relationship you had lacked almost every kind of emotion. You’d dated people since but that connection was never really there which is why you were full of confusion at the situation presenting itself to you. The feelings felt foreign to your body and you weren’t sure how to deal with them, so you did the one think that you were too young to do back then. Get drunk and try to forget about them for a night.
"Are you listening? Drink up, we're leaving in a second!" Arthurs voice provided a distraction from your thoughts whilst encouraging them. You tilted your head back as you finished the remainder of your champagne, your arm was already reaching out for the nearest bottle to see if you could sneak in a quick refill. You didn’t even like champagne but after having run out of cocktails about an hour ago you didn’t really have much choice. In any other situation you would’ve declined and waited until you were at the club but you weren’t really in the mood to sober up right now. You got up to follow everyone to the taxis, deciding that the bottle had too much in to be left at the table to waste, but not enough in that you couldn't finish it before you reached you destination. Putting the bottle to your lips this time, you took another gulp.
He noticed. He noticed the vast amount of alcohol you had consumed thus far. The unbothered façade you'd displayed during dinner was picked up by him the second he’d glanced in your direction. Your eyes often met his across rooms, at events, in the paddock, even at family dinners and it was always followed by a shared smile, but tonight you hadn't even looked at him and he couldn't stand it. Although he couldn’t be certain, he had a good idea what the cause was. Guilt was slowly consuming his thoughts. He shouldn’t have felt guilty, there was no real reason to, yet he did.
He knew if he had come alone you would've had a couple of drinks with dinner, just enough to prepare yourself for the club afterwards, allowing the sweaty people and sticky floor to become slightly bearable. He also knew that you weren't a huge drinker and that the lack of food you had consumed at dinner would only worsen the matter which was evident as he watched you fall into a taxi with Arthur and Carla as he climbed into a separate one with Pierre and, what they appeared to be to everyone else, their ‘dates’.
The club was busy, everyone excited to be back on the dance floor after its absence over the past year or two. Although it would've been nice to spend some more time with him, you were thankful that the crowds had engulfed you so you'd lose sight of Charles and her. You'd found your way to the middle of the dance floor and you remained there for hours losing track of time and somehow your friends too.
Unbeknown to you, Charles had lost his 'date' at the first chance he had. He'd met her on a boat during the day with Pierre and when his best friend had invited her best friend for dinner he felt bad for not doing the same. He was sitting at the bar with Pierre who'd picked up on the amount of attention he was paying you as you danced along with random strangers. The Frenchman questioned what he was doing when he noticed Charles tighten his jaw. Charles nodded his head in your direction and the pair watched as a man approached you.
The guy in front of you was only offering to buy you a drink but you knew you were way over your limit. You'd politely declined, naively assuming that he'd disappear back into the sea of faces but that wasn't the case. Your refusal  clearly not accepted as he insisted. grabbing onto your arm in an attempt to pull you in the direction of the bar. Yanking your arm out of his grip you instantly managed to sober up as you came to the realisation you were going to have to fight this battle alone.
Charles knew you were a big girl, that you could handle yourself in almost any situation thrown your way, but as the guy reached out to touch you he could've sworn he moved quicker than his Ferrari. His presence shocked you as you flinched slightly at the unfamiliar grip on your waist.
"It's just me ma belle." Charles whispered calmly into your ear, placing a feather light kiss onto your cheek. Relief instantly washed over your body. You wished you could focus on the conversation that Charles was now having with the strange man in front of you but you couldn't. The only thing you could focus on was the feeling of your skin heating beneath Charles' fingertips and the tingling sensation that lingered where he'd planted the kiss. He'd never touched you before, the brief hugs being the most contact you'd ever shared, and now he was standing in a club with his hand around your waist as he fended off a random guy who'd taken an interest in you. "I think we should head home." When Charles spoke it felt as though each word was coated in sex as it left his lips. He hadn't meant it in a sexy way, you knew that. He wanted to take you home so you were safe. However his intense grip on your waist and his stubble lightly grazing your cheek when he leaned in to speak to you was putting thoughts into your mind that you knew shouldn't be there.
You looked up at him, your eyes locking for the first time that night. Your eyes always showed a lot of emotion. Your body language was often hard to read but you always made eye contact when you spoke. He frequently used it to determine what mood you were in but this time he was met with one he'd never seen before. Despite them having a drunken glaze, your dilated pupils held a look of lust. He could've sworn you were mentally undressing him. You weren't. Instead you were thinking of how much you wanted him to undress you.
"I think that's a good idea." He could hear the smirk in your voice over the sound of the music as you let your lips gently brush his ear lobe while you spoke. He shut his eyes tightly and took a deep breath in an attempt to pull himself together. You were disappointed when his hand left your side but satisfied when it quickly intertwined itself with yours. His skin was softer than you were expecting, the rough patches slowly disappearing over the summer break. Your hands remained that way as you walked through the streets of Mykonos. Neither of you spoke, you just remained in a comfortable silence. As the villa came into view Charles was basically marching down the street, his strides increasing as your little legs tried to keep up. He dropped your hand when he reached the door, searching his pockets for the key to unlock it.
The villa was colder than you were expecting, a shiver ran down your spine as the air con hit you. You headed towards the kitchen and grabbed your sweater off one of the bar stools, sliding it on over your outfit.
“So you’d let Carla drive your car huh?” his face instantly broke out in a smile as you relieved some of the tension between you both. “You know that’s not true.” Charles followed you to the kitchen and watched as you perched yourself on the edge of the counter. He poured a glass of water and took a sip before handing it to you which you gratefully accepted.
“You’d let your date drive it instead?” He rolled his eyes as he chuckled at your sarcasm, hoping that you’d forgotten about the girl he’d sat next to during dinner as quickly as he had. “How many girls get a turn before me?” Although he didn't let it show, your question had offended him slightly. Despite his popularity with women he was never one to disrespect them, especially not you. He took a step closer to you, standing directly in front of your legs that were pressed firmly together.
“You’re the only one I want to see in that seat mon Cherie,” That was one nickname that he’d never called you, yet it rolled off his tongue so effortlessly. He leaned against your legs and you slowly parted them so he could stand in between, closing the distance between you both. “I’d let you drive it again in a heartbeat.” Your eyes were fluttering between his eyes and lips, your stare only breaking when he leaned in to speak in your ear just like he’d done in the club. He placed a kiss on your cheekbone and slowly worked his way up to your ear.
“You looked very sexy behind the wheel of my car.” You locked your hands with his while he continued to speak, closing your eyes in a desperate attempt to try and calm your heart rate down. You wanted to say something back, engage more in the conversation, but for the first time in a long time you were at a loss for words. You loved driving, you'd often join the boys go karting growing up and learned to drive as soon as you could, so when Charles asked if you wanted to drive his Ferrari back to your home after your Harrods shopping trip you were more than excited. It was a nice change from the train ride you were expecting.
He'd watched your eyes light up when you realised he was being serious. It was the closest you'd ever been to driving something even remotely similar to an f1 car despite it being different in so many ways. Your smile was infectious as you put your foot down on the motorway, leaving London behind. You'd never even driven an automatic car so this was a completely new experience. He'd taught you how to use the paddles to manually change gears if you wanted to and how to shift through its different modes as you drove around. The only disappointing part of the journey was reaching your destination, your trip home considerably quicker than you would've wanted. After spending the whole time focused on going fast and not crashing, you'd selfishly not noticed how Charles was feeling throughout the drive.
He'd been trying to keep his eyes trained on the road in front of him but couldn't help steal a glance in your direction every now and then. He was always surrounded by fast cars, something he realised after seeing you sat in his driving seat he'd begun to take for granted. He felt overwhelmed with pride, he was the one who was making you this happy. He felt privileged seeing you this free as your hair flew around in the wind while you rested a hand out the side of the car, trying to resist the force of the air pushing it back. It was his turn to be selfish as he realised that he always wanted to keep that moment for himself. He didn't want anyone else to make you feel like this, give you this experience. He wanted to be the one to make you smile.
“Don’t go quiet now mon Cherie.” That nickname. Again. “I think we still need to discuss what happened in the shower.” You instantly snapped back into reality at the mention of the shower. His hand fell from yours and toyed with the bracelet on your wrist. The one that you nervously played with in situations like these. The one that he’d gifted you last year. The one with his name etched into it.
The morning that you'd woke up in Charles' bed you were alone. An empty bed was something you'd become accustomed to over the past couple of years but in this instance it made you awaken quicker. The note left on his pillow stopped you from worrying, he was out on a run.
You respected his commitment to his career and took the opportunity to go for a shower. The warm water felt refreshing against your skin, goose bumps slowly appearing across your skin at the sudden change in temperature. Rubbing Charles shower gel into your skin you closed eyes and lent your head against the tiled shower wall. It wasn't clear at what point you'd become so aroused, but  the steam from the shower and the smell of Charles covering you definitely had something to do with it. You allowed your hands to roam your body, his name unexpectedly falling from your mouth as you brushed past your breasts. The careless use of his name had caused your eyes to widen and your hand to clamp over your mouth. It had left you lips so naturally but felt inappropriate to say aloud.
It wasn't until a few days later that you realised he'd heard. He almost hadn’t. If he’d unlocked the apartment a mere three seconds later your words wouldn’t have reached his ears. His run had been sweaty and he was still out of breath but his panting soon stopped. His eyes widened as he heard his name leave your lips and he froze. He didn’t want to announce his presence, he knew he wasn’t supposed to hear it and didn’t want you to feel embarrassed that he had. He didn’t know what to do. He felt as though he was invading your privacy but knew that if he shut the door you’d hear it close and know he was there. So instead he stuck his foot between the door and the doorframe to keep it slightly open as he waited for the sound of the shower to finish running. He tried to focus on something else, anything else, but he failed. All he could think about was you, in his shower, without him and how badly he wanted to join you, just so he could make his name fall from your mouth the way it just did over and over again.
You thought you'd gotten away with it. He'd entered the apartment just as you were stepping out the bathroom and he'd acted as cool as ever. The weekend was slowly becoming a distant memory that you were trying hard not to dwell on, hating that you were missing his presence so much already. It wasn't until you were at work the following week that it became apparent your secret crush was no longer a secret. You were in the office early, earlier than everyone else. That wasn’t unusual, you liked to be in early as it often meant you could leave earlier too. What was unusual was the box placed neatly on your desk.
Although the small parcel was addressed to you, you opened it with hesitation. A small gasp left your lips as your unwrapping revealed a red box, the golden engraving of the word ‘Cartier’ on top. Confused, you gently opened to box revealing a bracelet.
You placed it on your desk as you searched for a note. Despite it being awfully obvious who it was from, you wanted some kind of confirmation or, better yet, a reason as to why someone had put this into your possession. You'd spotted it in Harrods with Charles. You hadn't mentioned it, just spent a few minutes mindlessly staring at its beauty. There was no point even considering buying it for yourself, the price tag was close to your yearly salary. Eventually you found the note. 
'I've heard you like to moan it'
You picked up the bracelet once more, analysing it as you did so. It was so discreet, discreet enough that if the note wasn’t a big enough hint you might never have realised. His name. Etched into the inside of the band in the same font as the word ‘Cartier'. Any other name and he wouldn’t have been able to get away with it. No one had picked up on its personalisation in the past year. It had remained your little secret.
You gulped loudly, unsure of what to say next. The dull lighting hid your cheeks as they flushed red with embarrassment, just like they'd done when you'd read his note. Luckily it was situations like these you considered your stubbornness a strength. "All I could thing about was how much I wanted you to touch me Charles." With your lips dangerously close to Charles' ear you'd somehow managed to complete your sentence with confidence. The conviction in your voice had satisfied Charles although it was obvious that he hadn't expected it as he pulled his head back slightly to look you in the eyes. It was the first time you'd seen them so dark out of his crash helmet. They didn't have the same teasing smile paired with them as they did only a few moments ago. For a brief moment your heart dropped. What if he was just teasing you and you'd taken it too far? 
"Say something." Your voice was barely audible despite the eerie silence that had settled in the kitchen as Charles picked up on your nervousness. His expression softened but he remained silent, placing his forehead against yours and gently brushing your noses. You both very quickly realised there was no longer the need for words. The last thing either of you wanted to do right now was have a conversation about what was going on because quite honestly neither of you were sure. All you knew was that as soon as the space between your lips closed, there was no going back. You were craving each other's touch and it was as though the kiss you were yet to share would be the seal of approval you both needed to explore each other in a way you hadn't before.
You'd had enough of the teasing, enough of the wondering and what ifs, enough of wasting time without knowing how his lips felt against yours. You moved your head up slightly brushing your lips with his before releasing one of your hands from his grasp and placing it on the back of his head, pulling it down slightly. As soon as your lips pressed against his you became overwhelmed with emotions. You relaxed into it, it felt so right. His hands began to explore your body, one placed on your thigh and the other tracing lines up and down your back, sitting on the counter top had worked in your favour as you wrapped your legs around his waist. It wasn't long before his tongue found yours as you let your hands snake beneath his shirt feeling his back and arms tense beneath you as he lifted you up from the side and placed you on the dining table which was at a slighter lower level. 
His mouth left yours and you let out a small groan of frustration, he smiled at the sound as you realised he was only doing it to strip you of the sweater you'd not long ago put on, allowing him to rid you of it, not caring how cold it was anymore. In between the kisses he was placing down your neck you pulled his top over his head. Your eyes were trained to his shoulders as you admired him, only shutting when he re-joined your lips. 
The sound of a key turning the lock at the front door caught Charles' attention. There was a high chance he'd consumed less alcohol than you tonight which is why he giggled slightly when you chose to ignore the sound and bring him back in for another kiss. 
“WE’RE HOME” Arthur voice echoed round the villa. The sound of his brothers voice was enough for you to release him from your grip.
“Shhhhhhhhhhh, it’s 3am people will be sleeping.” Carla tried to whisper but the tiled walls carried the sound throughout the villa. You didn’t know if anyone else was home, you hadn’t checked and to be honest you hadn’t even thought about it. The only thing on your mind was Charles.
“Y/N and I are in the kitchen,” Charles called back. His eyes never left yours as he grabbed his shirt you'd thrown across the kitchen and redressed himself, not until Arthur stumbled through the door way knocking into chairs and making them squeal as the legs glided across the floor. You both watched as he regained balance and muttered a drunken apology before sitting himself on the floor.
"Good night Arthur?" you laughed slightly at the sight of him on the floor, he'd never been the most elegant drunk but at least he was entertaining.
"Great night." He confirmed as he laid himself down, a laugh leaving Carla's lips as she stared at the state of him. If someone had spoken to you a couple of hours ago you would've probably had a different opinion but as it turned out, you were starting to agree with him.
TAGLIST
@imthebadguyyy @abysshaven @phatyak​
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anaveragebibliophile · 4 years ago
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All For Him
Young!Legolas x Thranduil x Wife!Reader 
Summary: Lord Elrond comes to Mirkwood to ask a favor of his oldest friend, Thranduil. However, the stoic, unyielding king isn’t as willing to follow through on the request because of the danger it will put his family in. 
Honestly, when you stumbled into your husband’s study that morning, you didn’t expect to feel so puzzled and flabbergasted. You didn’t anticipate Thran’s summons to be anything more than a request for information about Legolas (which you were happy to provide), a question regarding supper, or an idea for date night. So the last person you expected to see was Lord Elrond, the ruler of Rivendell, arguing with his trusted confidant and friend of many eons near the balcony. 
“Thran, what’s going on? Is everything alright?” you queried as you stepped into the room, incisors biting into your lower lip. 
“Queen (y/n), what a pleasant surprise,” Lord Elrond replied, consequently ending the argument, as he walked over to take your wrist and place a chaste, respectful kiss on the back of your hand. “My sincerest apologies for not seeking you out sooner.” 
“That’s quite alright, Elrond. You know that. I too wish I had known you were here earlier, but I unfortunately got sidelined. We took a short walk in the gardens this morning, all three of us, when Legolas ended up tripping on a very small rock. Thranduil and I tried to utilize the open--and what we thought was a safe--space as a way for him to grow more comfortable walking without our help. That strategy worked well for us. Until today. None of us had seen the ant-sized pebble roll over his tiny heel, making him lose his balance and unknowingly place his hand on a grounded bee’s stinger to stabilize himself.” 
“My goodness! How is he doing?”
“As well as can be expected. As he got himself up, he whimpered a little bit which isn’t normally like him. Even if he takes a tumble, he’ll usually still maintain his normal demeanor--sweet, timid, and smiley. But once we saw his palm start to swell up, we knew something was wrong. Thran rushed him to the healer, who was more than willing to keep an eye on him. Ever since then, he’s been given herbs to reduce the swelling and irritation at the site of the wound as well as water to keep him hydrated. Thank you for asking.”
Once you finished sharing that traumatizing experience, you looked over to your husband, whose face was devoid of color. Out of the two of you, he had been the most panicked over Legolas’ well-being. ‘Is he breathing?’ he’d asked. ‘What if he has a reaction to the toxins?’ he’d wondered. ‘What if we didn’t get him to the healer’s quarters in time?’ he’d said, voice cracking under all the emotions. Unfortunately, the man is an aggressive worrier who feels the most stress when he’s involved in a situation that’s completely out of his control. His son inadvertently getting stung by a bee? Yeah, definitely an event that drove your husband up a wall. 
“He’s doing fine, Thran. He and I cuddled in his rocking chair for about twenty minutes before he fell asleep. Before that though, he did want me to tell you that he loves you,” I said, trying to soothe him as best as I could given the circumstances. 
Even though Legolas is still quite young and not fluent in Sindarin yet, he does have a few sentences that he likes to use every now and again. His favorite though is ‘gi melin’, the Sindarian version of ‘I love you’. Anytime he’s reunited with you or Thran, he’ll smile so wide (with his one tooth showing itself off) and almost shout the words out (as if you won’t hear him clearly without that extra pizzaz). Both you and your husband agree that it’s probably the sweetest thing your little leaf has ever done (and Legolas is the epitome of sweet). 
“I love him too. More than life. Which is why I cannot allow Sauron’s ring and its company to enter Mirkwood. I am sorry, Elrond, but my answer is final. You will not be able to change my mind on the subject,” your husband said. 
“Sauron’s ring? So young Frodo is alive then, is he not? I heard about your daughter saving him from the hands of the Nazgûl but wasn’t sure of its veracity,” you mentioned.  
“Yes. He is recovered and wishes to continue on the quest to destroy the ring at Mount Doom. However, we are trying to avoid the company’s traveling in the open at night and are looking for places for them to seek refuge. I am trying to convince Thranduil to offer his kingdom, but it seems that that has been more difficult than I originally presumed. He fears for your safety and Legolas’ too much.” 
Speaking of Legolas, a soft knock on the door soon presented you with the little leaf in the arms of his nanny, Elva. 
“Legolas, darling, what are you doing up so early?” I asked, my lips perking up into a small grin. 
“Ada, Nana!” he blubbered, pointing to us. “Gi melin, gi melin, gi melin.”
“I apologize, Your Majesties. As you can see, the prince woke up a bit early from his nap. All of the maids attempted to keep him occupied in his chambers, but it was no use. He only wanted to see his nostairi (parents),” Elva explained. 
“That is quite alright, Elva. I have not seen enough of him today. Thank you for bringing him to us,” your husband responded, moving over as Legolas reached out for him, and, once in his arms, began snuggling into his chest. “Hello, iôn nîn. I hope you slept well.”
“How’s his hand, Thran?” 
Your husband took your question as an opportunity to lightly pull Legolas’ right arm out from where it was hiding in front of his stomach. “It is still a tad swollen but not too severe.” 
You let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear.” 
“Nana, gi melin,” your son whispered behind your husband’s robes. 
“Oh, my sweet boy,” you responded, lightly running your fingers through his hair and down his back. 
Watching the interaction ensue, Thranduil softly smiled down at the two loves of his life. The first one--his wife--who taught him the beauty behind exuding kindness, positivity, and light. The one who guided him back to the meaning of life. And the second one--his son--who embodies all the genuine goodness that his wife bestowed upon him in their early years together. He’ll never know how he got so lucky, but that unknown answer will never prevent him from being grateful. 
“Ada, gi melin,” your son quietly hummed as he lifted himself up to kiss Thran’s cheek. 
“Iôn nîn, gi melin as well. Very much.”
But then the unthinkable happened. Your little leaf turned his body away from Thranduil to look at Elrond. “Gi melin!” he shouted, a smile creeping up his face (with his lone tooth on display). 
“Well, I cannot say I am not shocked,” the lord responded, just as confounded as the rest of the group. Although Legolas was a very empathetic elfling, the reality was that he only shared that sentence with two people: his parents. So his sharing that sentiment with another-- a person he doesn’t spend every day with, let alone see once a month--was very odd, yet exciting in its own way. In your mind, maybe this was a sign that he was feeling more comfortable around his parents’ trusted friends. Maybe he saw the camaraderie in the room and felt soothed by it. Maybe he was no longer experiencing such debilitating episodes of timidity.   
“It appears he has taken a strong liking to you, Elrond,” you responded. “And now that you know the depth of his affections, are you truly going to permit an evil, dark presence permeating Mirkwood’s halls?”
He pondered that question in no time at all before saying, “No. I will not be the one to put this child at risk. Perhaps Frodo and his company can stay a few extra days at Rivendell. It really is not a problem.” 
At that declaration, you and Thranduil humbly nodded (hiding your smiles as best you could because this was a serious matter after all). “Thank you, my friend. Your concern for our son is much appreciated and will never be forgotten.”
“I know you would have done the same for me had I been in your shoes. Legolas deserves to be safe and comforted in his own kingdom without his parents having to worry about whether the ring will wreak havoc and harm him in the process. Besides, I want to return to Mirkwood in a few months’ time and still be on his list of love.” And everyone, including Legolas, giggled at that. 
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just-dreaming-marvel · 4 years ago
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Unofficial Fathers
MAIN MASTERLIST
Avengers x Teen!Fem!Reader
Word Count: 5,450ish
Requests: I put two requests together for this one. I hope that it’s okay.
1-What about one with the Avengers and reader (maybe they have super speed???) where the reader is a teenager and super stressed out for whatever reason so the Avengers decide to get them moving by doing something with water (like water guns, balloons, slide, etc) with them. Just like fluff, I think it’d be kinda cute 
2-Can you write an avengers x teen!reader, where she lost function in both of her legs, which makes her really sad and depressed? The others have to help her with everything and she feels bad, so she ends up trying to do things herself, but gets hurt. Maybe steve and tony play a more significant role. Thanks!
Warnings: angst / fluff / paralysis / wishing to have died 
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“Hey Speedy!” Tony called over the comms. “You’re up!”
“Finally!” You exclaimed.
The mission had started almost an hour ago, and the plan had been for you to hang out in the quinjet until you were deemed needed. Which annoyed you. Even though you were barely 17, you had been a part of the Avengers for almost 3 years. Longer than even Peter Parker.
Due to some freak accident during the Battle of New York, you somehow ended up with super speed abilities. That’s how Steve and Tony found you almost 3 years old. The two were in the city for meetings and you were zooming around helping people and playing pranks. You thought it would be fun to do something to those two. But before you could do something, Tony and Steve had you pinned to the wall with part of the Iron Man suit. Apparently, their ‘meeting’ was to actually find you and bring you in.
The whole Team was interested in getting to know you very quickly and get you properly trained. Natasha, Clint, Bucky, and Steve handled your combat training personally, while Tony and Bruce tested your abilities and created gear that would help you.
Steve and Tony, though definitely not a couple, took on the role of your parents. You even had begun calling them as such. Steve was Pa and Tony was Dad. They didn’t always agree on exactly how to handle you. But they loved you and that was a step above your real parents, who you didn’t even know.
“Y/N! I need you to get in the building and get anyone and everyone out!” Steve instructed. “As fast as you can! I think the building is going down!”
“You got it Cap!” You responded.
Using your super speed you rushed out of the quinjet and into the building. You zig-zagged through each floor. The first few were empty, but eventually you ran into some people. You quickly helped them out of the building to continue your search. You were almost done with you sweep when you felt the building tremble. You paused, glancing around.
“Kid!” Tony shouted in the comms. “The building is going down. Where are you?”
“Uh… I don’t think you want to know,” you responded.
“Please tell me you’re not still in the building, Y/N,” Steve said.
“I’m sorry, Pa. I’m almost done with my sweep. Just one last floor.”
“No, Y/N! Get out of there now!”
“Just one more floor!” You sped away to get to the last floor.
“I’m on my way to you, Y/N,” Tony said. “Meet me at the Northwest window.”
“Alright. I’m almost—“ 
You suddenly heard a loud cry. You turned to see a little girl huddled up in the corner as the building’s tremor’s worsened. Rushing to the little girl, you barely missed the ceiling caving down and breaking the floor.
“I’m outside the window, kid!” Tony exclaimed. “You need to get here, now!”
“There’s a kid in here!” You retorted, grabbing the little girl. You sped to the window. “You need to take her.” You held her out to Tony. 
“Not without you!”
“Just take her, Dad! Please!”
He quickly took her from your arms. “Don’t do anything! I’ll be right back!”
He flew off and the floor began to crack worse beneath your feet. You knew, even with your super speed, that you wouldn’t be able to make it out of the building without Tony coming for you. When another section of floor collapsed, you knew you needed to get out of there.
“Dad!” You shouted.
“I’m almost there, honey!” He responded. “Just hang on!”
The floor cracked beneath you, sending you falling. You grasped onto the ledge.
“Dad!” You screamed.
“Almost, there—“
“AHHH!”
The building’s roof collapsed, with the rest of the building following. You were pushed down with the debris, screaming.
“Y/N!!!” A multitude of voices screamed over the comms.
But you didn’t hear anything else, because you landed with a thud, hitting your head and blacking out before the rest of the building landed on you.
~~~
“Tony, come take a rest,” Clint urged. “At least drink something.”
You had been stuck under the building for hours at this point, with Tony working non-stop to try and get to you. 
“I can’t,” Tony responded. “My kid’s down there.”
“Scott’s almost here, he’ll shrink down and see what’s going on.”
“I can’t afford to waste a second.”
“Stark, we don’t know if moving any of this will make it worse for her,” Bucky said. “We could just be killing her faster.”
“You don’t think I know that!” Tony spun around. “But she’s the closest thing I have to a daughter! And I’ve already let her down once today.”
“You didn’t let her down.”
“I’m the one who told her to go into the building,” Steve said, everyone able to feel the self blame in his words. “I did this to her.”
“Stop with the blame game here, guys,” Clint interrupted. “Y/N wouldn’t want that. Now, we need—"
“I’m here! I’m here!” Scott yelled, running up with Hope. “Romanoff and Banner got us hooked up to cameras and we brought extra Pym particles so that we can get her out of there.” He briefly made eye contact with Tony and Steve. “We’re going to get her out of there.”
“We’ve got this,” Hope confirmed.
Shrinking, the two quickly got into the rubble. The others rushed over to the screens so that they could hear and see what was going on. It was dusty, that much was clear. But the couple were quick to follow FRIDAY’s leads on where to go. The AI was trying to to its best to sense were you were by heat signatures.
“Miss Y/N should be just below,” the AI informed the two in the debris.
“There she is,” Steve breathed out, seeing your head on the screen. It was clear that blood had been, or still was, coming from somewhere on your head. “Tell us what’s going on guys. What’s her status?”
“She’s breathing,” Hope confirmed. “She’s scratched up, but it looks like the bleeding as stopped.”
“She’s lost quite a bit of blood,” Scott added. He turned, revealing her bottom half, squished under a large piece of cement. “That’s not good.”
“Shit,” Tony whispered. “No.”
“We need to shrink her before the damage gets worse,” Hope said. “Get on the other side of her, Scott.”
“On it,” Scott replied.
“You ready?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Shrink her in 3, 2, 1.” 
Your body was quickly shrunk. Hope and Scott quickly worked together to secure you to Hope.
“Okay, she’s secure,” Scott said. “We’re on our way up.”
“You’re going to want to get everything ready,” Hope warned. “We aren’t going to want to bring her back to normal size without being ready to work.”
“Helen Cho is waiting back at the compound with her team,” Bruce informed. “Natasha and I have the quinjet ready to stabilize her as much as we can on the way.”
“Steve, Tony, you may want to stay away. It’s worse than the camera’s probably caught.”
“Not a chance.” / “Like hell!”
“Hope is right,” Clint said. “Bruce needs to be able to check her out with out you two hovering.” He looked at Bucky, the two seemingly having a silent conversation. They both took a step towards the two other men. “When they bring her out, we can’t have you two going all papa bears.”
“We’re in the quinjet,” Scott informed.
Clint and Bucky were quick. Bucky went for Steve, fighting with him to slow him down. Clint quickly shot an arrow at Tony’s arc reactor, shutting down the suit and effectively locking Tony in it. While that was happening, the others raced to the quinjet, getting it off the ground before the four men could get there.
Scott normalized himself first before helping Hope with herself and Y/N. Natasha and Bruce were waiting, ready to grab you as soon as they could. You were limp in Bruce’s arms, so incredibly so that it scared even the Hulk to his core. He and Natasha worked quickly and efficiently together to do everything they could before getting to the compound.
Back at the site, the four men had slowed down their fighting.
“How could you do that Clint?” Tony asked, clearly hurt as he was able to get his helmet off. “You have kids. You should understand the need to be with them when they’re injured.”
“I do,” Clint replied. “That’s why we knew we needed to stop  the two of you.”
“Whatever happens, it’s going to be hard,” Bucky said. “And they need to be able to fully evaluate her. It was either this or sedation… We’re sorry. We want to be there for her too."
~~~
It was two hours before Cho had finished running all the tests and an hour after that before Tony and Steve could wait at your bedside. You were all bandaged, bruised, and scrapped, but you were alive. That’s all that really matter. The test results had yet to come back, so the men had to try and be patient. You sucked in a breath, alerting the men to the possibility of you waking up.
“Y/N?” Steve softly called. “You there, doll?”
“Pa?” You rasped, head turning towards the sound of his voice while your eyes crept open.
“Hey.” He smiled.
“Hi, kid,” Tony said. 
You turned to look at him. “Dad.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I feel a hundred feet and then a building landed on me.”
“We’re not surprised there,” Steve commented.
“Hey, Y/N,” Helen Cho greeted as she walked into the room with her tablet. “How are you doing? Any unusual pain?”
“Well the drugs you’ve given me are trippy,” you replied.
“Drugs?” She repeated concerned, glancing at Tony and Steve.
“Yeah. I can feel my upper half, but my waist and below are completely numb. What did you give me, doc?”
Helen immediately went to work. She tore off the blankets covering your feet and immediately began running her pen up and down them.
“What’s going on?” You asked, trying to sit up.
“Steve, go get Bruce,” Helen ordered. Steve nodded and rushed out.
You looked at Tony. “Dad? What’s going on?”
“I-I— oh my gosh,” Tony stammered, hand covering his mouth. 
“Dad!”
“We didn’t give you any pain meds, Y/N,” Helen stated.
“What?”
“We wanted to see if there was any damage done, so we didn’t want the pain meds getting in the way.”
“So… I—I… I can’t…” You began hyperventilating. “I…”
“Honey, lay down,” Tony urged, gently pushing you onto the bed. “Breathe.”
“I’m here!” Bruce said, hurrying in with Steve. “We need to get her into the scanner and compare it to the other tests we’ve taken.” 
Helen quickly went to the head of your bed, unlocking the wheels. All of this was scaring you.
“Dad?” You looked at Tony, teary eyed, before looking at Steve. “Pa?” They both grasped one of your hands.
“We’re right here,” Steve said, bringing your hand up for a kiss as Helen and Bruce began to wheel you away.
“You both need to stay here, while we run the scans,” Bruce said.
“No! Please!” You pled, crying.
“I’ll be with you, Y/N. Tony and Steve just need to stay here.”
Bruce and Helen pushed you away as you begged and cried out for Steve and Tony. The rest of the Team rushed into the hallway to see what was happening. They witnessed you being pushed down the hall.
“What the hell is going on?” Sam asked, looking into the room where Tony and Steve had been left. Both men looked distraught, and absolutely heartbroken.
“Steve?” Bucky questioned.
“She… She… I…” Steve couldn’t pull his thoughts together.
“Tony?” Natasha questioned. 
The man fell back into a chair, burying his head in his hands. “She couldn’t feel her legs,” Tony whispered. “She couldn’t feel her legs.”
“She thought they had given her pain killers,” Steve continued, whispering as well.
“Steve, sit down,” Bucky said, moving to help his friend. “You look like you could pass out.”
“I might… she couldn’t feel her legs…”
“She’s going to be alright,” Sam said. “Y/N’s a fighter.”
“Yeah, but… she couldn’t feel her legs…”
~~~
After getting you into the scanner, Bruce and Helen actually gave you drugs to help you calm down. You were asleep almost as soon as they were injected. The two doctors worked together to look over each scan and previously done test. Only to reach the same conclusion each time. You were paralyzed. This brought on a multitude of worries, but the biggest one had to do with your abilities. Would you ever be able to use them again? 
After finding out about the diagnosis, it was the first question to leave Tony’s lips. Tony and Steve were standing outside your med-bay room, Helen and Bruce in front of them. The two doctors sighed, glancing at one another.
“No,” Bruce answered. “She wouldn’t be able to use her abilities again.”
What they didn’t know was that you had woken up just in time to hear Tony ask the question and Bruce answer it. Covering your mouth, you squeezed your eyes shut and tried to stop from sobbing.
“She’s going to need help with everything, especially right now,” Helen continued for Bruce. “She’s going to need to be looked after. And I—“
“We’ll do it,” Steve replied, firmly. “We’re her family, we’ll take care of her.”
“I know that you two—this whole team, sees her as family. But this is going to be a long, hard road.”
“What are you saying?” Tony asked. “That we send her away? She’s almost 17! Who would be willing to adopt her at that age? Especially when we are her family!” He motioned between himself and Steve. “We are her fathers!”
“I understand, Tony. But you need to be prepared. She’s going to need help with the little everyday things. Bathing, getting changed, going to the bathroom. Somebody’s going to need to help her with it.”
“We will,” Steve repeated, still as firm as before. “Whatever she needs, for as long as she needs it. Whether it’s officially legal or not, she is our daughter and we will help her through it all.”
“I can make her braces,” Tony said. “Just like I did with Rhodes.”
“We actually believe that it would be more valuable if she learns to live with a wheelchair first,” Bruce responded. “Just in case anything were to happen with the braces, that she wouldn’t be completely helpless.”
“I agree with Bruce on this one,” Steve said. “She needs to be able to live in a wheelchair before she tries braces.” 
“We will have her in physical and occupational therapy such, so she doesn’t lose all the muscles in her legs.”
Just then, Wanda rushed passed them, heading for your door. “Wanda?” Steve questioned. “What’s going on?”
“The pain,” Wanda replied. “She’s in so much pain.”
Following Wanda into the room, they witnessed you trying to control your emotions. Though it was clear you were upset. Tony and Steve rushed to either side of you.
“It’s okay, honey,” Tony whispered, wiping tears off your cheeks. “It’s okay.”
“N-no…” you rasped, shaking your head. “It’s… n-not…”
“Did you hear what we were talking about?” Steve asked. You nodded. “I’m so sorry, doll. You shouldn’t have had to find out that way.”
You couldn’t stop the sobs at this point. You had just gotten the worse news you could have imagined. You were paralyzed and know unable to use your abilities. In your mind, you were basically useless. 
Steve quickly got into bed with you, pulling you into his arms. As he cradled you, he tried to get you to calm down. He glanced around worriedly at everyone else in the room, who didn’t know how to help.
~~~
“You need to eat, Y/N,” Tony pressed, trying to hand you a plate again. 
“I’m not hungry,” you replied, voice void of all emotion.
You had fallen asleep in Steve’s arms, where the two of you stayed until morning. Tony brought in breakfast while Steve went to get ready for the day.
“You need to eat,” he said again.
“I said, I’m not hungry,” you repeated.
Tony sighed, seating the plate down. “Do you not like waffles? I can have Happy go get something else. A burger? Fries? Ice cream?”
“I want my legs back.”
“Kid—“
“Don’t try to make me feel better about this. You have no understanding about how I am feeling.”
“I wasn’t trying to. I just—“
“Can you leave me alone? I want to be alone.”
Tony knew that you just needed a moment. So without responding, he got up and left, closing the door behind him. He leaned against the wall next to it, running a hand down his face. The guilt he was feeling was real. If only he had grabbed you and the kid, or if he had just flown faster.
“You’re going there too?” Steve asked, coming up to lean on the wall across from Tony. 
“The guilt is real,” Tony responded.
“Yeah… I shouldn’t have had her go into the building. What was I thinking?”
“I shouldn’t have let her convince me to take the kid… but, I guess, feeling this way won’t do her any good now, will it?”
“No, unfortunately, it won’t.” Steve looked at the closed door. “How is she?”
“She refused to eat… I’m thinking about having Happy get all her favorite foods for lunch.”
“Good idea. Maybe we could even try the wheelchair out and bring her to the common area.”
“I like it.”
“I’ll let everyone know about it.”
“Yeah, I—“
“Excuse me, Boss, Captain,” FRIDAY interrupted. “But Y/N is in need of immediate assistance.”
~~~
After Tony left, you huffed. This was miserable. You didn’t want to be stuck in this bed. And, honestly, the longer you sat there, the more you needed to go to the bathroom. You just didn’t want to ask for help, you didn’t want that to be your life. Studying the distance between your bed and the toilet for a few moments, you decided to get there yourself. Besides, they hadn’t tried to stand you up and get you to walk, maybe this was all one big cruel joke.
Taking a deep breath, you flung your covers off. You pushed yourself towards the edge of the bed, helping your legs to rest over it. Other deep breath in and you pushed yourself off the bed, trying to stand. You immediately fell. Trying to brace yourself, you landed on your hands. One of your wrists cracked, failing to break your fall. In the midst of the struggle, your bladder decided to let loose, causing you to lay in a pool of your own pee. You clutched your wrist close to your chest as your door burst open, revealing two extremely worried men. You looked at them, with tears cascading down your cheeks.
“I’m so sorry,” you said. “I just wanted to do something by myself.” They looked at you with complete pity, which you absolutely hated.
“It’s okay,” Steve said, getting on the floor beside you, minding the puddle. He noticed your wrist. “Did you hurt yourself?”
You nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“I’ll go run and get you clothes, sweetheart,” Tony said. “Steve will help you into the shower. It’s all going to be okay.” He rushed out.
“No it won’t,” you whispered as Steve scooped you up into his arms. “It will never be again.”
And Steve thought his heart couldn’t shatter more than it already had. As he lifted you, he could practically feel the weight that this was having on you. You wouldn’t look at him as he took you into the bathroom and set you on the shower floor.
“Can I help you undress?” Steve asked.
You inhaled sharply, closing your eyes. This was your life now. Though you could undress yourself, you would always need help, basically be waited on all the time.
“If you want, I can go grab Natasha,” Steve suggested. “Or Wanda. Or, Pepper might even be in today. You love Pepper.”
“I want to be alone,” you mumbled.
“Y/N, I just want to help. Just let me help.”
“And I just want to be alone.” Tears were still falling, though you couldn’t understand how.
“Y/N—“
“Just leave me alone!” You shouted, pushing yourself into the corner.
“What’s going on in here?” Tony asked, bringing in the clothes with Pepper following.
“Leave me alone!”
“Why don’t you guys wait outside?” Pepper suggested. “I’ll help Y/N.”
Steve sighed, straightened up from his kneeled position and hurrying out of there. Tony looked at you sadly before taking his leave. Pepper shut the door and came to your side.
“What do you want me to do?” She asked softly.
“I want to be left alone,” you responded, frustrated and not willing to look her way.
“That’s not going to happen and you know it, Tony and Steve won’t allow it. Those men out there care about you and are so extremely worried. All they want to do is help.”
“I don’t care.”
She let out a small sigh. “Will you at least let me help? We need to get you out of those clothes and washed up. Especially since that wrist needs to get checked out.”
After a moment, you gave in and looked at her. “Okay.”
Pepper smiled at you briefly. “Okay.”
~~~
Apparently, there was already a hairline fracture in your wrist because of the accident. Your fall off the bed didn’t do anything to help it. You had willingly let Pepper help you clean up, but other than that you were still fighting asking for help.
The Team had tried to lift your spirits at lunch out in the common area, but to no avail. After that, you were taken to your regular room, where a twin bed had been added.
“What’s that?” You asked, you hadn’t spoken since the bathroom. 
“Someone is going to stay in here with you until things start becoming normal again,” Steve replied, pushing the wheelchair further into the room. 
“Normal,” you scoffed.
“Buck and I were thinking we could have a movie night today. Maybe try and watch all of the—“
“I just want to sleep.”
“That’s okay too.”
“I would be here too kid,” Tony added, “but Pep and I are working out somethings with the physical therapist.”
“What’s the point of physical therapy? My legs don’t work.”
“It’s to keep your muscles, so that one day you can get braces.”
You nodded, glancing around until you were staring at your tennis shoes on the floor. They were brand new, Stark designed shoes. They were meant to not wear as fast because of your speeding abilities. Your speeding abilities that you could no longer access.
“Can you do something with those?” You asked, pointing at them. 
Both Tony and Steve looked over. They got a tad deflated after remembering how excited you had been about those shoes.
“Yeah, sure, kid,” Tony responded, grabbing them. “I’ll just put them up in your closet. We can—“
“No,” you interrupted. “I want them gone.”
“Y/N—“
“I don’t need any reminders of what I’m now unable to do.”
“Sweetheart,” Tony got down in front of you, “you can still, or will be able to, do a lot. You got lucky.” He immediately regretted his last sentence, even Steve flinch.
“I got lucky? I. Got. Lucky?”
“Y/N, that’s not what—“
“Get the hell out!”
“Hey, that’s not how you talk to your—“
“My what? Father?! Cause you aren’t, remember? Maybe you should take Helen’s advice and give me away! Might make it easier on everyone!”
“You are my daughter, damn it! Whether it’s official or not, or by blood!”
“Y/N, Tony—“ Steve tried to interrupt. 
“No! I actually will say that you got lucky. You did because you have people willing to help you, willing to support you.”
“Well stop!” You shouted back. “Have you ever thought that I don’t want any of your help?! Maybe I think that you should have just left me down there to die! It would have been better that way! I’m basically useless like this!”
“Enough!” Bucky yelled, barging in with Nat. “Steve, Tony, out.”
With a glare sent their way from Nat, the two men didn’t even argue. You were refusing to look at Bucky and Nat. Half embarrassed that you said those things to the men you considered your dads, and half embarrassed that you were believing the terrible thoughts your mind was taunting you with.
Bucky and Natasha looked at each other, unsure of what exactly to do. You let them help you into bed before they left you alone, leaving with a promise to bring food later. 
In the loneliness of your bedroom, you let your thoughts consume you. How you were now useless as an Avenger without being able to have super speed. How you wished they would have just let you die. How you wish they wouldn’t be so helpful, it was driving you crazy. How you really didn’t have any family, you were all alone.
~~~
To respect your boundaries, Tony and Steve decided to let the others help them. No matter how hard it was. It hurt them to see you struggling through everything and not rush to your side. Not that you would let them help, you weren’t letting anyone without putting up a fight.
Steve and Tony had had many talks since they realized you were wishing that you had just died. Tony had made sure that FRIDAY had surveillance on you 24/7 and the Team, besides Tony and Steve, were switching sleeping in your room every night. 
It wasn’t easy on anyone, especially since you were having nightmares about being stuck down in the debris. Someone would wake you from the dream, only to be quickly shut out. The terrors would leave you trembling, sweating, and in a state of panic. But, with you not willing to let people help, the others were forced to watch you struggle with this.
Physical and occupational therapy was a whole other issue. You were rude to the therapists and unwilling to do anything. As the weeks went by, the Team could see the affect it was happening on your legs and they were concerned. Steve and Tony would watch each session from above, angry at the whole situation.
It had been two months since the whole incident, and you still weren’t showing any signs of changing your attitude any time soon.
“Come on, Y/N,” your therapist sighed. “What I’m asking you to do isn’t all that hard. I’m going to do all the work.”
“No,” you stated, determined.
“Y/N—“
“Why don’t you go help someone who’s more able to do things? Maybe someone who will actually get better. I’m sure they’d love your help."
“I can’t watch this anymore,” Tony said to Steve, watching from above. “She’s hurting herself.”
“You know we can’t force her to do anything, Tony,” Steve replied. “We have to let her do this on her own.”
“No, we don’t.” Tony turned around and headed for the room you were currently in.
“Tony! What are you going to do?”
“Use the hate she is harboring towards what happened, towards us, for her benefit.”
Tony burst into the room, causing you and the therapist to jump. You furrowed your brows, confused at what Tony and Steve could possibly be doing here.
“Hand me your leg, Y/N,” Tony demanded.
“What? No,” you responded.
“Hand me your damn leg!”
“No!”
“Fine!” Tony marched over and picked you up from your wheelchair.
“Put me down!” You tried to push off Tony. “Let me go!”
“Tony!” Steve called. “What are you doing?”
“It’s time for some tough love,” Tony responded. He set you down, not gently, on a therapy table. He grabbed your leg and began doing the exercises.
“Let go of me!” You demanded, trying to reach and pry him away, but failing. 
“No! Don’t you see what you are doing to yourself? What you’re doing to those around you?! You are miserable and you are making others miserable! Yes, what happened to you was absolute shit. Trust me, Steve and I will have that guilt with us for the rest of our lives. But it’s up to you to decide how to come out of this. You ever fight to live, fight to find the new normal, or you let yourself whither away. And I’m not about to let that last one happen.”
“You may think you’re alone in this, but you aren’t,” Tony continued. “Steve and I, the Team, we all want to help you through this. Even if that means sticking with you for life.”
During Tony’s whole thing, you had began crying. He was right, you were making yourself and everyone around you miserable.
“I’m sorry,” you cried out. “I’m so sorry… I just… I just wish…”
“I know, honey, I know,” Tony said, moving to pull you into his chest. You melted into him, crying. He placed a kiss on your head. “I’ve got you… I’ve got you.”
“Don’t leave me, Dad.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Steve came over and grabbed one of your hands, gently kissing it. You gave his hand a squeeze.
“I’m sorry, Pa,” you croaked.
“It’s okay,” Steve replied with a tiny smile. “No need to apologize. Just please don’t say that you would have rather died again. I don’t think I could take it if you did.”
“If I died or said it again?”
“Both.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“Will you guys… uh, will you guys help me with my exercises?”
“Of course, honey,” Tony replied. “But maybe Steve should do the other leg, because I think I wore myself out.”
Steve stood. “I’ll exercise that leg better than you could, Stark,” he commented.
“Oh, you’re on, Rogers.” Tony swiftly stood up.
“Great,” you muttered. “Now this is going to be a thing.”
~~~
Now that you were accepting help, things were beginning to look up again. Not that things weren’t hard, but they were better and you could handle it all better. The Team had decided to celebrate, but wouldn’t tell you how. Wheeling your wheelchair into the common area, you found it pitch black.
“FRIDAY,” you called out to the AI, “can I get some lights?”
“Of course,” the AI responded.
The lights came on and suddenly you were being pelted with water from squirt guns. The Team came out of their hiding spots, laughing, as they continued to fire at you.
“Guys!” You squealed, trying to shield yourself. “Guys! St-stop!”
“Never!” Sam exclaimed as he made his way closer to you.
“Here,” Peter said, lowering himself from the ceiling. “Take this.” He offered you a large gun. “Save yourself.”
You laughed as you began to fight back. Suddenly, you were pulled backwards by both Steve and Tony, who were trying to use you and the chair as protection.
“They’ve turned against us!” Tony exclaimed.
“Help us, Y/N!” Steve added.
You couldn’t stop laughing as you, Tony and Steve worked together to try and defeat the others. The Team couldn’t stop smiling as they watched you act so happy. It was so refreshing. After the common room was all but turned into a pool, the Team decided to change and then meet down in the movie room to relax for the night. When Y/N had arrived down there, Tony and Steve had saved a place between them.
“Can I help you onto the couch?” Steve asked.
You responded with a nod and let Steve pick you up, wrapping your arms around his neck. He carefully guided you through the maze of lodging teammates to the spot him and Tony had chosen on the couch.
“Thanks Pa,” you said as he set you down. You pulled your legs up close to you.
“Not a problem,” he smiled, sitting down beside you.
Tony spread a blanket over you guys. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Of course,” Tony responded, leaving a little kiss on your forehead.
You curled up against Tony as Steve moved your legs to rest over his lap, allowing him to massage them. FRIDAY quickly turned on your favorite movie. You glanced around, taking in everyone around you, and you couldn’t be more grateful. Though your life was going to continue to have its challenges, you were glad you had found this family.
Part 2
807 notes · View notes
shxllxfx · 4 years ago
Text
Flirtatious || David “Deacon” Kay
David "Deacon" Kay x Street!Reader, Jim Street x Sister!Reader
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Summary: Jim's little sister visits and turns the life of a special Sergeant upside down.
Warnings: English is not my mothertounge. GIF isn’t mine, credit to owner.
A/N: I hope you all like this, let me know what you think. Love you all lots 💋
Words: 2097
Taglist: @browngirldominion
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For Deacon it was a normal day. At least what he could call normal since Annie left him. They tried as good as possible to make everything as easy as they could for the kids and they were as understanding as children could be. He stayed at the house with the kids while Annie went to her sister, who lived just down the street. It was Annie's wish. So in the morning, Deacon got up and ready, made breakfast and got the kids up for school. Annie would pick them up after. That was their routine since almost a year now. Once he got to work everything was as usual and normal as his day at work could be. Until she arrived.
*
With your travel bag over your shoulder and your favorite hot drink in your hand you slowly left the airport and headed towards the cabs. You missed LA. The burning heat in summer, the beach, and the waves and maybe even your younger brother. But if there was one thing about LA you didn’t miss it was traffic. You sighed when the driver had to stop yet again. "The traffic, huh?" He sighed. "Gonna be the death of me one day." You gave him a soft smile and nodded. "Well I surely didn't miss it." He laughed. Whole heartedly laughed. A big grin grew on your face. He was mid-fifties, no hair on his head but a full grayish beard in his face. "Vacation was that good?" You shook your head slightly as he stopped the car in front of the big compound. "No vacation. Lived out of city for some time but I'm coming back now." You paid him and gave him a soft smile with a quick thank you before leaving the cab and heading towards the entrance.
You knew these people were thorough but having to go through a complete body and back check that was worse than the one on the airport was something you didn’t expect. Another thing you didn’t expect was being escorted to your younger brother by some big muscular looking dude. "Sorry to interrupt Lieutenant, Commander. Street you've got a visitor." The guy stepped aside and gave you a chance to investigate the big room where some people were standing around a big table. "Y/N/N? No way!" Jim sprinted towards you and you opened your arms wide for him to hug you tight. He kissed the side of your head while picking you up slightly. "God I've missed you! You didn’t tell me you were back!" You chuckled when he let you down and gave him a big grin. "Well, surprise?" You shrugged before looking at his colleagues, all staring at the pair of you. "If you are busy now, I can come back later. Just wanted to see my little brother first thing." He rolled his eyes at you but then turned his head to the lieutenant, who gave him a nod. "It's alright. You wanna meet the team?" Now your heartbeat increased a bit. Meeting new people always made you nervous. You gave him a nod and dried your hands from the little film of sweat forming on it.
"So that's Lieutenant Lynch and Commander Hicks, my bosses. Sergeant Daniel Harrelson or Hondo, as we call him. Officers Dominic Luca, Chris Alonso, and Victor Tan. And lastly Sergeant David, or Deacon, Kay." You gave every single one of them a small smile while being introduced. Jim had his hand reassuringly on your back in between your shoulder blades. "It's nice to finally get to know the lot of you. Jim talks about you nonstop. I'm Y/N." The girl in the group, Chris, gave you a comforting smile. "Street talks about you all the time, too. He said you studied medicine?" You looked at Jim and raised an eyebrow. "Street, huh?" He just scoffed. "Yeah, I finished 4 weeks ago, now I'm just waiting to start practicing." Jim removed his hand from your back and gave your shoulder a short squeeze. The other Sergeant, Deacon had his arms crossed before his chest and gave you a soft smile when you locked eyes. "I'm sure you'll get a job soon." His voice made you shiver a bit, like an electroshock. "Thank you." You smiled softly and looked down. You needed to break the eye contact, otherwise you would have melted right away.
*
It had been some time since you came back and you and Jim had been spending more time together than ever. He had allowed you to stay with him and Luca at the house till you found a place for yourself and till you got a job. Since they were close as a team, they often spend time with each other, so obviously Jim dragged you along. You stepped out of the hospital your application file clutched to your chest as a big smile grew on your face. You tried to control the outburst of happiness that grew in your chest but failed miserably as you let out a little laugh. You had to talk to Jim. You needed to tell him. Since you were a little child and Jimmy and you had been sitting up all night, in the foster care bedroom, talking about your dreams and plans. His had been the police, the swat and your dream had always been working in a hospital. You got into your car an old Toyota you bought and drove to the swat compound. By now they all knew you but that didn’t stop the body and purse check by the entrance. As always, an officer escorted you to your younger brothers’ team. "Y/N" Hondo greeted you and gave you a brief hug. Deacon looked up from the computer he was working at and gave you a big smile. "Street isn't here and I have somewhere to be but I'm sure Deacon will keep you company till Street is back." With that he left and you turned around, your body still bubbling with happiness. You sat down on one of the chairs, not wanting to disturb Deacon who seemed to be working on something but your body was filled with so much energy that you got up right away. Deacon looked at you and stopped what he was doing. "What's got you all excited?" He asked and gave you a warm smile. A smile that could literally melt anyone. "Okay I really wanted to wait until Jim is back but I really need to tell someone." You took two energetic steps towards him, hands shaking from all the happiness. "The hospital I applied with gave me the job." You blurted out, stumbling over your words. Even if Deacon didn’t know the long backstory of you wanting to help people, be there for them at their worst and be there for them to get better, he could feel the importance of your statement. "Congratulations. That's awesome, Y/N." He wrapped an arm around you and pulled you in for a hug, which you happily accepted. "Thank you. I've been working so hard for this; you don’t even know." You whispered and let go of him. You were still shaking and your cheeks started to hurt from smiling so wide. You whipped over your face and as you lowered your hands you took yours in his. They were warm and rough, sending small electroshocks through your whole body. "You are shaking." He stated, applying a little pressure on your palms, trying to calm you. "I'm just so excited and happy about it. It's... I've always dreamt of this." You heard footsteps behind you and when you turned around Jim walked in. You slowly slipped your hands out of his, the warmth leaving you. "Jimmy!" You hugged him tightly and your happiness and excitement started to bubble up again, pushing aside the weird feeling the situation with Deacon gave you. Right now, the only important thing was telling Jim about your day.
*
You were currently siting on the sofa while Jim and Luca were playing a game. Hondo was leaning against the counter sitting on his beer while talking to Chis and Tan. They were fun to be around and great to talk to. "Got you another one since yours was empty." Deacon handed you another bottle and plopped himself down on the sofa next to you. "Thank you" you grinned while pulling your legs to your chest. Since the situation a couple of days ago you and Deacon haven’t spoken to each other but even right now only hearing his voice felt like pure electricity in your veins. A weird feeling you had never felt. "You are so quiet today, everything okay?" He nudged your side with his elbow and you looked up at him. With a small nod and smile you put the bottle to your lips. "I think..." your little brother slurred, putting an arm over Lucas shoulder who just won again, "I think that we should take a picture. To remember this glorious day and Luca winning against me." A small laughter escaped your lips when you jumped up, always ready to keep memories as a picture. You reached out to Deacon, waiting for him to take your hand while the others already formed to a small bundle. Chris put up her phone with timer and when Deacon grabbed your hand and let you pull him up, Chris pushed the button, only leaving enough time for you and Deacon to stumble into the picture. It was only after the flash went off and the picture was taken that you realized the hand on your hip and the other one still in your hand. While the others fussed about seeing the picture you just stood there for a second before Deacon quickly pulled away both hands, winking at you when he left you all flustered. You didn’t know if it was the alcohol in your veins or the simple fact that the warmth you had from having him next to you was gone, but something inside you screamed for his presence.
It was getting late, Hondo and Chris already left and you were just bringing Tan outside to his cab while Luca, Jim and Deacon were having a conversation about being in the swat. "It was really nice; we have to do that again sometime." Tan laughed while getting in the cab. You gave him a small smile and wave when the cab left. The fresh night air was soft and nice against your skin. The sky was full of stars. You sat down on the bench in the garden, taking a deep breath in, eyes closed. "Here you are" Deacon walked toward you, hands in pockets. He had a small smile playing on his lips. You simply had to smile back. "It’s so pretty out here" You stated, smiling up at the sky. "Yeah it is." He said. When you looked at him, he was looking at you. You felt something warm around your heart. For a brief second you held his eye contact, before looking at your hands. "Well that was cheesy." You muttered and he chuckled quietly. "But true." He was whispering so quietly that you almost didn’t hear him. For a moment everything was quiet. He softly grabbed your hand. "You should go back inside. I just got a cab and Street and Luca are going to sleep soon." You let him pull you up, till you were standing so close you could feel his body heat and you could swear that if you would have breathed just a bit quieter you would have actually been able to hear his heart beat. “Spending time with you guys has really been awesome. I understand why Jim loves you all so much.” With a smile on his lips he hummed. He was still holding your hand in his but you didn’t bother to take it away. It felt good. Familiar. Deacon stopped right in front of the door. With a questioning look you stopped as well, your eyes on him as you waited for an explanation for his stop. With a soft smile he stared back at you. “Maybe we could spend some time together. Just the two of us?” You were confused and raised an eyebrow. “I am asking you to go on a date with me, Y/N. If you want to?” The confused look on your face changed to a soft smile which turned to a grin. The warm feeling in your stomach grew. “Yes, Deacon. Id like that very much.”
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rabbit-farts · 3 years ago
Text
Drying
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Pairing: Eustass Kid x GN reader. Modern AU.
Words: 1,367.
Warnings: none.
A/N: this will have a second part.
My alarm goes off, and I move like a robot. I put on my slippers and head to the laundry room. I put the clothes in the washing machine, throw the products and turn on the machine to go back to my bed.
I sit up, kick off my slippers, and climb back into my bed, pulling the blankets up high and drifting into a deep sleep.
*Beep*
As soon as I hear that annoying sound, I uncover myself and repeat the above process. Once I get to the laundry room, I turn off the washing machine, open it and put the clothes in a basket. I put on another washer and grab the basket. I'm about to leave in the direction of the clothesline when I stop in my tracks when I hear a crash. A thunder.
I leave the laundry basket on the floor and go to the window to look, only to find that it is raining buckets. Just great.
My mind goes to the clothes just washed and the ones in the washing machine, and tries to think of a way for the clothes to dry. Bingo.
The laundry.
I have breakfast and get dressed, waiting for the second washing machine to finish. When it's over, I take a large garbage bag and put it inside my shopping cart, and I put the clean clothes in there. The car fills up, and I take a small one that I have to put the rest of my clothes, first putting a normal size garbage bag.
I take my keys, my wallet, an umbrella and the two carts. While I'm in the elevator, I think, how am I supposed to carry the umbrella with the two carts? I go out into the street and sigh when I see that it's not raining.
I put the umbrella on one of the two carts and walk to the laundromat that is just one block away.
I arrive, and my heart stops at the number of people inside. Obviously she wasn't going to be the only person to have such a brilliant idea of going to the laundromat on a rainy day, but for some reason, she believed the opposite.
On site there are three small washers, three large washers, two small dryers, and two large dryers.
I go in and leave the carts in front of the counter where people fold their clothes and ask who is the last to dry. I have two men and a family of five ahead of me and at that very moment I consider going home, but I tell myself that it won't be that long either. One of the seats is empty, and I sit down to wait for one of the large dryers to be empty, since with a small one I would have to wait twice as long and pay more. I refuse.
I look around and see most of the people on their phones, and that's when my brain clicks. Shit. How could I have forgotten my phone? I huff and look at anything that catches my eye.
When I'm tired of looking around the place, I turn my gaze towards the entrance and my eyes meet the tall redhead who just entered as if he owned the world.
He enters the place and asks who is the last. A woman points at me and tells him that I am. He looks at me and our gazes connect again like the first time. He thanks her and returns to the entrance, where he stands with the door open. I look at him discreetly and unintentionally, my eyes stop on his butt. I scold myself for that and look away, then back to the door to search for him, only to find that he's not there.
I soon forget about it and check to see how the dryers are doing, only to be annoyed that the family has kept three of the dryers instead of just one and the other three for everyone else. One of the men who went before has finished drying his clothes and the next one runs to claim his turn in a hurry, before the large family takes it too.
Another woman walks into the laundromat and walks over to one of the small washers and loads her clothes.
The woman of the family sits next to me and starts talking to me about how today it's a bad day, and I agree with her.
The redhead walks back in and watches how things are going. After snorting, he goes out again, and I see how he stays by the door again. Apparently he's in a hurry and must be tired of waiting so long, which I completely understand.
I lose track of time, but my feet hit the ground again when I hear the beep of one of the dryers, so I get up. I sit down again when I see that, as soon as it is emptied by the man, the dryer is occupied by the family. As this happens, the woman's washing machine finishes, and I watch as she dumps her clothes into a red shopping cart with a black handle.
Not even five minutes pass when a beep is heard throughout the place. I smile when the family has finally freed up one of the large dryers, but it's not long before it disappears when I see the woman who had taken her clothes out of the washer less than five minutes ago runs up and throws the clothes inside in a hurry, not even giving me time to say something. I sink into my chair as a feeling of defeat washes over me.
I see how the small dryer only has ten minutes left. Couldn't she wait ten minutes? She doesn't even have that many clothes!
Suddenly I see him enter with another man, but this one is blond, wears a blue shirt and is not as tall as him. The blond sits one seat away from me, leaving one seat free. The redhead who stole my attention since he entered intends to sit next to me, but the lady from before arrives, and he tells her to keep the seat. The woman thanks him, and he looks back at me but walks away and sits on a curb and pulls out his phone, where he starts watching videos in another language.
Ten minutes pass, and the woman sitting next to me gets up to empty the dryer with her family. The redhead stands up and says that it's my turn, already knowing that the woman who is using the big dryer is doing it without it being her turn, since he knows that she hadn't asked for a turn. As the dryer that has been free is one of the small ones, I give him the shift. He asks me if I'm sure, and I say yes. At this, he happily calls the blonde, and together they put their laundry in the dryer. When the machine is running, he thanks me again and leaves the room, with the blond man following him.
When there are ten minutes left for the dryer to finish, they both come back, look at the timer and leave again, but not before the redhead looks at me. After that time, they return again and as before, between the two of them they pick up their laundry.
A man approaches him, laundry in hand, and he stops him.
—It's their turn.—and after saying this he turns to me—Because do you want it, right?—he asks me with a slight blush.
I nod.
—Yes. I was expecting the big one, but what a remedy.— and I give him a smile that he reciprocates. The blond, already at the door with the bag of dry clothes, calls out to him, and he reluctantly turns around.
After one last look at him, I turn and start to fill the dryer, hoping it will rain another day, so I can see him again, only to end up rolling my eyes when I see that I can fit all my clothes in the small dryer.
Brilliant…
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goldenraeofsun · 4 years ago
Note
A/b/o + celebrities and/or coffee shop 👀
Thanks so much for the prompt, Julesy, and I'm so sorry for the long wait! Part II should be up in the next few days, but hopefully this beginning 7k will satisfy for the time being 😘
Castiel is elbow-deep in suds when Jo plunks a medium to-go cup on the edge of the sink. “Thank you?” he says, bemused.
“It’s not for you, doofus,” Jo says, rolling her eyes. “There’s a customer out back,” she jerks her head towards the service exit that leads to the alley where they dump their trash and Ruby takes her furtive smoke breaks. “I need you to take this to him.”
“Out back?” Castiel repeats dubiously, craning his neck to catch sight of their on-site baker, Benny, who is busy kneading focaccia dough for tomorrow’s sandwiches. Benny, full of southern politeness, doesn’t give any indication he’s eavesdropping.
Jo gives Castiel a short nod, her alpha scent flaring with irritation. “I’d take it out there myself, but he always talks my ear off, and Kevin still can’t draw a latte art that doesn’t look like a dick, so…”
Castiel frowns but nods, and Jo’s expression eases once she doesn't hear a challenge to her request. Still, he has to ask, “But why doesn’t he order at the counter like a normal customer?”
Jo takes a step back towards the door. “You’ll see. Just… don’t make a big deal of it.”
“A big deal of what?” Castiel calls to her, but she’s already disappeared out to the front of the cafe.
Castiel sighs and wipes his hands on a dish towel. He picks up the drink, sniffing curiously.
He nearly gags at the strong aroma of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples all on top of espresso and milk. They definitely don’t serve that on the menu. Admittedly, Castiel hasn’t memorized the list of hot drinks they serve at Hunter’s Cafe, but this is an assault on anyone with a nose. He’s been their busboy and dishwasher for six months since his second year as a graduate student began, and Jo has only let him mind the counter three times, all as far from peak time as she could get.
But a job is a job. Holding the drink, he shoulders open the back door.
“Hey - oh, you’re not Jo,” a familiar voice says.
Castiel stops dead in his tracks because, despite the sunglasses, the baseball hat, and hunched shoulders, Dean Winchester is unmistakable.
Away from the limelight, Dean apparently favors soft-looking flannels over worn tee shirts and jeans. In one hand, he holds a half depleted sheaf of french fries. Stunned, Castiel doesn't immediately hand over the reason for his appearance.
“Whatever, is that mine?” Dean demands, zeroing in on Castiel’s cup.
Still beyond speech, Castiel dumbly hands the affront to coffee over.
After a muttered thanks, Dean takes a long drink. “Christ, this tastes even better than normal.”
Castiel inhales a surreptitious breath. It’s not every day one gets to catch the scent of Hollywood’s omega darling.
Not that anyone would know Dean's secondary gender just by looking at him. Dean stands a few inches taller than the average male omega - he has nearly an inch of height on Castiel, and Castiel is the dictionary definition of standard alpha physique.
While Castiel might not be Dean’s most knowledgeable fan, he hasn’t been living under a rock for the past five years. It was all over the papers when Dean was cast in his first alpha role. Dean wasn’t the first omega actor to do so, but he was certainly the most prominent. Castiel’s sister, Anna, an actual fan, spent a memorable dinner ranting about how all the prejudiced reporters on the press tour. Apparently they only asked Dean about the diet and exercise routine that transform into a “real” alpha, while, in the next round, his alpha castmates fielded questions about their characters’ moral code and complex development.
But, in the alley behind Hunter’s Café, Castiel’s nose is completely overwhelmed by the fryers of the fast food restaurant next door, the set of dumpsters directly to his right, and the almost offensively apple coffee Dean is currently drinking like his life depends on it. Dean could smell like old gym socks for all Castiel can tell.
“Where’s Jo?” Dean asks once he resurfaces. He jams a few fries in his mouth. Before he's finished chewing, he sucks down some more latte in an unholy taste combination.
“Busy,” Castiel replies. “We have a new hire, and so far Kevin can only draw genitalia on lattes instead of flowers.”
Dean guffaws, nearly inhaling his drink. Swearing unrepentantly, he takes his sunglasses off and rubs at his temple with his free hand. “Christ, I’m too hungover to laugh like that.” He squints over at Castiek before sliding the sunglasses back on his face.
Castiel stares. “If you’re hungover, why are you here at -” he checks his watch “-seven in the morning?”
Dean slurps at his fruity latte before he answers. “Got a meeting at nine. This,” he says, brandishing his mostly empty cup, “and a large fries are the cure.” His hands occupied, Dean ducks his head to fish a single fry out and holds it like a cigarette between his lips.
“That sounds disgusting,” Castiel says, aghast.
Dean inches the rest of the fry into his mouth. “Don't knock it ‘til you try it,” he says with a wink.
Cas blushes.
“Hey,” Dean says, a new thought coming to him, “What’s your name?”
Taken aback by the question, he answers, “Castiel.”
Dean mouths his name once, his brow furrowing at the new syllables. With a small shrug of capitulation he says, “Well, Cas, thanks for the drink.” He toasts him one before tipping the cup all the way back, draining it.
“You’re welcome, Dean.”
Dean grins. “I couldn't tell if you recognized me or not.”
“I did,” Castiel says, clearly unnecessarily.
Amused, Dean throws him a long, considering look. “You’ve got one hell of a poker face.” He unceremoniously shovels the rest of the fries in his mouth and balls up the wrapper. He tosses it with practiced ease into the waiting dumpster.
“Thank you?” Cas says, nonplussed.
“Thank you,” Dean says, pushing his sunglasses up his nose. “You’re the one who saved my hide.” He sidles forward and shoves a bill into Castiel’s slack hand. Without another word, he takes off out of the alley and onto the street.
Once he’s out of sight, Castiel unclenches his hand. Dean tipped him ten dollars.
* * *
“How is this even more pungent than last time?” Castiel demands, nose wrinkling as he sets a now clean muffin tin back on the shelf. It’s been a week since he met Dean Winchester, and hadn’t gotten so much as a whiff of apple pie since then.
He is alone with Jo in the kitchen, since Benny’s early morning shift ends at eleven.
“I added a caramel drizzle,” Jo says, her scent rising with her self-satisfaction.
Castiel stares at her in horror. “Why on earth would you do that?”
“’Cause I’m trying to see what his limit is, and so far - nothing,” Jo says, shrugging. “Get to it. He’s real grouchy if you make him wait too long.”
“And why aren’t you taking it to him?” Castiel says, eyebrows rising. “Kevin’s moved onto multiple hearts now. Admittedly, his first one looked like a labia, but he’s gotten much better.”
“But Ruby didn’t show up, so we’re short staffed,” Jo says shortly. Outside, Kevin yells something indistinguishable though the kitchen door, and Jo winces.
Castiel takes the latte.
Just like last time, Dean is waiting, wearing a different flannel but the same jeans with the hole above the left knee. He abandoned the sunglasses, since the clouds overhead cast the whole alley in shade. They’re hanging from the vee of his shirt collar, pulling the fabric down a tempting extra inch.
Unfortunately, the fast food restaurant next door must have just taken out the trash last night, since the alley reeks of stale bread and rotting fish patties.
Castiel lets the door slam behind him, unable to hold back his corresponding smile as Dean lights up as he sees him.
“Thank god,” Dean says as he reaches for the latte. “I was starting to think Jo was gonna stiff me.”
“We’re short staffed at the moment,” Castiel says apologetically, “so you got me again.”
Dean eyes him over the lid of his cup. “Not a downside from where I’m standin’,” he drawls.
Castiel has no idea how to respond to that, so he doesn’t. Dean can’t mean it like Castiel thinks he does. He’s an actor, feeding people lines is the dictionary definition of his job. Instead Castiel asks, “No french fries this time?” because he’s not nearly ready to leave yet.
“Already ate ’em, while I was waiting,” Dean says dismissively.
Castiel shoves his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry.”
“No harm, no foul,” Dean says with a little grin. “I got my caffeine fix eventually, and that’s what I really care about.”
“You look remarkably more put together than last time,” Castiel says as he leans against the doorway, watching Dean sip at his drink.
“Didn’t drink as much,” Dean says with a grin. He tips back his cup and takes a long pull. “Fries can only get you halfway there. Christ, that’s the stuff.”
Castiel can’t help but make a face. The latte smells horrendous; it can’t taste that much better.
“What?” Dean asks, eyes narrowing.
Castiel probably shouldn’t tell Dean what is exactly on his mind. Castiel has found very few people appreciate his default brand of honesty - Hunter’s Café customers, especially. But Dean isn’t technically his customer - he’s Jo’s - and Castiel has reached the point in his life where he doesn’t need to hang onto people who don’t like him and vice versa. Dean isn’t even providing extra publicity for the establishment, since he’s getting serviced in the alley behind the kitchen.
Technically, Castiel needs a celebrity acquaintance as much as he needs a free bag of cat food (he doesn’t have a cat).
But he does like having one.
A celebrity acquaintance, that is. Cats are inherently suspicious.
Reluctantly, Castiel says, “I can’t imagine that latte tastes very good.”
To his surprise, instead of demanding Jo bring him his coffee from now on, Dean laughs. “Not a fan of apple pie?”
“Not in my coffee.”
Dean takes an obnoxiously loud slurp. “I think it’s delicious.”
“I think your taste buds must be severely incapacitated.”
Dean waggles the near empty cup in front of Castiel’s face in what must be an enticing manner to someone with no sense of smell or taste. “Wanna try?”
Castiel valiantly holds back his recoil. “No, thank you.”
But Dean’s genial expression doesn’t waver. “‘M feeling pretty much human again, so it’s up for grabs.”
“I’d sooner lick the dumpster,” Castiel blurts before he can filter himself.
Dean whistles, rocking back on his heels. “Harsh.”
Castiel sighs. Honesty was a mistake. He mutters, embarrassed, “I’m just not a very big fan of sweets.”
“No?”
“I’ve been living with my cousin while in graduate school at Columbia,” he explains, his tone apologetic for his earlier comment, “and he has a horrendous sweet tooth. I don’t think he’s ever seen a carrot that wasn’t in a cake first.”
A wide grin splits Dean’s face. He laughs.
What Castiel wouldn’t give to scent Dean’s joy for himself. “He would probably love that latte,” Castiel continues wryly.
“Probably,” Dean agrees. He taps his fingers against the sides of the cup as he asks, “So you’re in school? For what?”
“Do you really want to know?” Castiel asks seriously. He’s had too many conversations with strangers and casual friends who have asked the exact same question and regretted asking it almost immediately.
Dean ducks his head. “I don’t know any graduate students, and I,” he breaks off, his cheeks going pink, “I never went to college, so I have no idea what it means.” He sucks on the dregs of his latte, gaze dropping to the vicinity of Castiel’s knees.
“Oh,” Castiel says, feeling lighter. “In that case, I’m studying ethnomusicology.”
Dean’s eyes narrow in suspicion. “Are you fucking with me? That doesn’t sound real.”
“It’s a legitimate area of study,” Castiel assures him. “I research music as it pertains to culture and diverse elements of social life. Ethnomusicology focuses not only on the music itself, but music as a social process, as a medium for humans to relate to each other. In short, it examines how music functions in a particular society.”
To Castiel’s surprise, Dean doesn’t get the glazed-over look most people do when he explains his field of study. “So what kind of music are you talking about?”
Now it’s Castiel’s turn to flush. His colleagues, while they respect his academic reputation, have nearly all looked down on his chosen object of study. “One of the main tenets of ethnomusicology is a global perspective on music-”
“What, like Tibetan throat-singing?” Dean interrupts. At Castiels’ stare, he explains quickly, “Sammy had a phase.”
Castiel chuckles. “Yes, I do know a professor at Cornell who is studying just that. But my focus is much closer to home. I study,” he inhales a small breath, “tribute bands.”
Dean’s mouth twitches. “What.”
“Tribute bands offer a fascinating definition of the nature of performance, the difference between authenticity and identity,” Castiel says, already on the defensive. He can already hear his voice trying to fall into his usual academic patterns, and tries to rein himself in, “and historical consciousness in popular music. Here -” He pulls out his phone.
Dean listens in complete silence to Yellow Dubmarine’s cover of I Want You.
“Anyway,” Castiel coughs, embarrassed he made Dean sit through all that, “I also teach Rock and Roll from the 1950s to 1980s. There is a great deal of crossover with my specialty since most tribute bands recreate acts from the 60s to the 80s.”
“Dude,” Dean says in a rush, “if you think that makes you less interesting, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Castiel blinks.
“What bands are we talkin’ about?” he asks eagerly. “More Beatles? The Stones? The Who?”
Castiel nods. “I’m hoping to go to a Lez Zeppelin concert next month.”
“Led Zeppelin?”
“Lez,” Castiel says, emphasizing the ‘z’, “an all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band.”
Dean frowns. “They have a gimmick?”
Castiel shakes his head. “They’re completely sincere, I assure you.” He smiles wryly. “I interviewed Misstallica for a paper I’m writing on diverse, for lack of a better word, musicians in the tribute world, and they felt right at home with the long hair and tight pants. I’ve never met people who more adore the songs they perform.”
“Huh,” Dean says, rubbing his chin.
“Except maybe Air-O-Smith,” Castiel adds, “an American all-omega tribute band of Aerosmith.”
Dean’s eyes widen to the size of dinner plates.
“My favorite all-omega tribute band, though, is Omega You Eight One Two,” Castiel muses, “a Van Halen cover band.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Dean says faintly.
“Their lead guitarist, as you can imagine, is phenomenal.”
Dean shakes his head, his expression going slack. “Wait, seriously? That’s a thing? All omega acts?”
“Of course,” Castiel says. “That’s one of the most compelling aspects of tribute bands, when they flip the traditional male-alpha dynamic of the original, and how they translate that into their own act while keeping the whole performance authentic to the creators. It’s a fascinating process to watch and study.”
“I bet,” Dean says fervently. “Hey, d’you think-”
The back door opens before Dean can finish his sentence.
Jo pokes her head out, looking askance at the pair of them. “Are you still out here?” She glares at Dean. “Stop complaining about your diet, and let Castiel come back to work.”
Castiel’s mouth purses. “You’re on a diet?”
“Not on cheat day,” Dean tells him, lifting his empty cup. He turns to Jo. “And I wasn’t complaining at all. Cas was actually telling me about tribute bands.”
“Really?” Jo asks, her nose wrinkling.
Dean tosses his trash in the dumpsters. “They sound awesome.”
“I like them,” Castiel says lamely, off-footed now the conversation is clearly wrapping up.
Jo rolls her eyes, alpha irritation practically radiating off her. “Good for you.”
“Alright, well, I’ll let you deal with Joanna Beth on your own,” Dean says as he pulls out his wallet and hands Castiel a folded bill. He gives a mocking salute as he takes a step back, “Good luck, dude.”
“Thank you?”
“Come on, fanboy,” Jo growls once Dean’s disappeared from view, “back to work.”
* * *
“Can’t you take it?” Castiel asks, his tone verging on pleading, as Jo follows him back into the kitchen. It’s too early in the morning for another meeting, closer to first time Castiel met Dean at seven am compared to their last meeting at a little before eleven.
This past weekend, Castiel went down a spiral of Dean Winchester content. He read up on all of Dean’s recent projects, scanned headlines about rumors of his next film - some action thriller that Castiel presumes is the reason for Dean’s diet, and watched interview after interview. Dean on Stephen Colbert. Dean on Good Morning America. Dean on some very confusing show where they forced him to eat spicy chicken wings, which just seemed like an exercise in pepper-based sadism.
Castiel didn’t really understand the Saturday Night Live skit where Dean played one half of a demon-hunting brother duo, but the live studio audience laughed uproariously at multiple points.
Jo all but slams Dean’s latte on the ledge above the sink. “You know the health inspector is here. I can’t let Ruby near the guy, and you know how Kevin gets around figures of authority.”
Castiel sets down his tub of dirty dishes. “He nearly peed himself when he had to tell you he dropped a tray of scones over the floor last week,” he says flatly.
“Exactly,” Jo says. “Benny is busy,” she says, tipping her head to where Benny is adding more flour to a huge bowl.
“Cheers, darlin’.”
She turns back to Castiel. “So, you’re it today, champ.”
“Great,” Castiel grumbles.
“What?” Jo asks, her hands on her hips. “You seemed to get along with Dean. I actually didn’t know you could talk that much before I sent you back there.”
Castiel carefully transfers the dirty plates to the sink. “Getting along with him isn’t the problem,” he says darkly.
“Getting along with him too well is the issue?” Jo asks, her eyebrows rising.
Castiel scowls at her observation. Her emotional intuition is what makes her an excellent café manager, so he can hardly fault her for that. He doesn’t respond to her question.
“Take it to him,” Jo says, her tone softening. “He likes you.”
Castiel raises his head to stare at her. “How do you know that?”
Jo pulls her phone from her back pocket and waves it in his face. “We talk,” she says. “How do you think he orders every time? He’s not getting those lattes for free, not after I spent so much time getting them exactly right.”
Castiel can’t hold back his grimace. The latte still smells awful, like a vat of boiled candied apples.
“Look,” Jo says, lowering her voice, “Dean’s famous, sure, but he’s actually a very private person. He runs his mouth to anyone who’ll listen, but he never really says anything important. So he doesn’t really connect with a lot of people. If he says he likes you, I’m gonna say that’s a good thing - if you tell him I said this, I’ll kick your ass - and make you his designated errand boy.”
Castiel bites his lip. “But I don’t -”
“Dude, don’t make me pull the boss card,” Jo says, just the barest hint of threat in her words.
“Fine.” Castiel snatches the latte off the counter. “But I want a raise.”
“You can get a free sandwich.”
Castiel glares daggers as he shoulders open the back door.
But the alley is empty.
Castiel breathes through his mouth as he steps out. The overflowing dumpsters carry the odor of moldering cheese and more rancid fish, and the fryers next door are still going strong. He doesn’t find Dean lurking behind the trash for some strange reason, and he’s about to head back in and dump Dean’s latte down the sink when a shout makes him turn around.
“Hey, Cas!” Dean calls, jogging in from the brightly lit street.
“Hello, Dean.” He hands over the latte.
“Thanks - sorry.” Dean rubs the back of his neck with his other hand. “Some fans caught me sneaking in here, and wanted a selfie.”
“Oh,” Castiel says for lack of anything better to say.
Dean tips back his cup, his expression falling into pure bliss. “Christ, that’s so much better when I’m not hungover.”
Castiel stares. “You’re drinking that with all your capacities intact?”
“Ain’t no better way to enjoy pie,” Dean says, grinning widely.
Castiel rolls his eyes. “That’s not pie.”
“It’s as close as I’m gonna get at eight in the morning on a Thursday,” Dean says with a shrug.
Silence falls between them, and Castiel can’t help glancing over Dean’s shoulder, tentatively scanning for the people who caught his attention earlier. Plenty more would have approached Dean if he didn’t have Jo’s latte waiting for him; Castiel would bet his job on it.
Dean is a celebrity.
Castiel is a grad student who can’t even afford to support a guinea pig on his stipend and café salary.
After a long beat, Dean asks, a touch hesitantly, “So, what’ve you been up to?”
Stalking you on the internet.
“Nothing,” Castiel lies. At the slight fall in Dean’s expression, he adds, “I cleaned my kitchen over the weekend.”
Dean chuckles. “You’re a weird dude, you know that?”
Hurt, Castiel takes a step back. Jo probably needs him for… something.
“Not in a bad way!” Dean says quickly. “Shit,” he swears under his breath, “please don’t stop giving me coffee.”
Castiel hesitates. “Why is it weird that I cleaned my kitchen?” He frowns. “I suppose you employ someone to do that for you.”
Dean seesaws his free hand back and forth as he sips at his latte. “Not always,” he lowers his voice, “I actually like cleaning - it helps me relax and shit. There’s nothing like blasting some tunes and scrubbing out that stain on the counter that’s been annoying you forever.”
Castiel lowers his voice too. “Is this a secret?”
Dean grimaces. “Not really. But, you know, it’s one of those omega things.”
Castiel doesn’t know. Well, he knows it is a stereotypical omega trait to like housework, but he has no idea why Dean would whisper it in a back alley like he’s confessing to defrauding an elderly relative. “And that is bad because…?”
Dean takes a long pull from his cup. “I don’t want to hammer the omega thing home too hard, alright?”
“But you are an omega,” Castiel says, feeling a little stupid for saying it out loud.
“Yeah,” Dean sighs, “but if I lean into it, I’ll stop getting alpha roles.”
“You only want to play alphas?” Castiel asks curiously.
Dean’s mouth twists. “They’re the better parts. Omegas are always the damsels in distress or get killed off first for the plot.”
“I’m sure not all films are like that,” Castiel says. God knows, Anna made him sit through enough films with an omega protagonist that did not fit the typical romantic comedy restrictions.
“Most.”
“The last movie I saw,” Castiel says, hesitant because Dean must know more about this than him, “my sister recommended it, it had an omega lead who led a team of paranormal investigators. A sort of horror-comedy.”
Dean’s face loses some of its hostility. Almost intrigued, he asks gruffly, “D’you know who wrote it?”
“Not off the top of my head.” Castiel pulls out his phone to look it up. He reads aloud, “Ghostfacers, directed by Ed Zeddmore, written by Harry Spangler. Starred Maggie Zeddmore and Alan Corbett.” He pauses, trying to remember the details. “I think they both were omegas. I’m sure there are more films like Ghostfacers out there for you to make.”
Dean sips at his latte. “A few. None with big enough names attached to really get on my radar.”
“Well, if you signed on, wouldn’t there be a big name attached?”
“Yeah,” Dean says in a tone that clearly conveys he’s thought of this possibility before. He runs a hand through his hair. “It’s just - what if I take one of these roles, and it gets all this attention just ’cause I’m in it, and it flops?”
Castiel tilts his head. “That would hardly be your fault. Most failed films are hardly the work of one person. Usually, it’s a combination of a bad story, bad production, and bad acting.” He levels Dean an appraising look. “Right off the bat, you control two of those elements - pick a good script and act as well as you always have.”
Dean blinks. “You’ve seen my stuff?”
Castiel’s brow furrows. “I thought I already said I knew who you were?”
“Yeah, but,” Dean says, his voice petering off with embarrassment, “that didn’t mean you liked my movies.”
“The majority of America liked your last movie, Dean,” Castiel says dryly. “Either that, or you have a very hardworking and wealthy mother who poured a hundred million dollars into ticket sales.”
“I mean, Mom’s a fan, but not that big of a fan,” Dean says, chuckling. “I’m pretty sure she’d rather get a twenty-minute call from yours truly than sit through a two-hour flick with my name on the poster.”
Castiel hands over his phone. “Here,” he says, tilting it so Dean can see the summary of Ghostfacers.
Dean brightens as he reads through it. “The Alpha dies first?”
“He thought he could deal with the ghost on his own.”
“Typical alpha macho,” Dean snorts. His head snaps up as he gives the phone back. “No offense.”
“No offense taken,” Castiel says easily. “With my lifestyle, posturing is a waste of time. I’ve long ago resigned myself to not being the primary breadwinner in any future household.”
“Really?”
Castiel throws him a look. “I’m in academia, Dean. Tenure is hardly a guarantee. Even so, there isn’t a wealth of money out there for ethnomusicology grants.”
Dean tips his head in acknowledgement. “It’s awful big of you.”
“Just logical,” Castiel says evenly. “It shrinks my dating pool considerably, but I’d rather do what I love than compromise that much for any potential partner.”
Dean inhales a deep breath, his eyes unfathomable. “I get that.”
“If it means I can’t afford to mate a house-omega, I’ll just have to keep cleaning my kitchen myself,” Castiel finishes with a shrug.
Dean grins. “I mean, if you spot me a six pack and don’t tell my trainer about it, I’ll clean your kitchen.”
Castiel turns bright red. He can’t bring himself to respond to that offer, so he changes the subject.
* * *
Castiel doesn’t even bother pretending to protest as Jo barges into the kitchen, the telltale scent of sugary apples wafting around her like a palpable shield. Castiel already set himself for heartbreak where Dean Winchester is concerned. He might as well take advantage of every interaction he has left.
He went to sleep late last night, watching one of Dean’s earlier movies. He was slimmer and younger, but he still shone with his signature charisma and talent. For the first time since Castiel started the morning shift at Hunter’s Café, he snoozed his alarm.
Hurrying through his morning routine, Castiel couldn’t help resenting Dean just a little. If only Dean hadn’t chosen a profession where his literal job is to be whatever his audience wants him to be.
As Castiel pushes open the door, Dean is waiting outside. Dark sunglasses shield his green eyes, and a violet bruise blooms over his left eyebrow. As the door slams shut behind Castiel, Dean winces. His left hand holds a half-empty paper container of french fries.
“Hello, Dean,” Castiel says. “You don’t look good.”
“Tell me about it,” Dean says darkly. “Gimme.”
Castiel pauses. “Did your hangover eliminate your manners?”
Dean flushes bright red. “No,” he mutters. “Sorry, Cas. I just feel like shit.”
“You look like shit,” Castiel says frankly as he hands it over.
“Thanks,” Deans says, his voice sour as old lemons. “I told Charlie tequila shots before Monopoly was a bad idea, but did anyone listen to me?” He gestures to his face. “Next thing I know, Jo’s throwing Charlie’s bag of DnD dice at my head.”
“You got that playing Monopoly? Wait, Jo did this to you?” he demands, gesturing to the cafe behind him. “Jo Harvelle?”
Dean just glares over the rim of his coffee cup. “Yeah, Katniss got me good.”
“God, why?”
One corner of Dean’s mouth lifts in a distinctly smug smirk. “’Cause she was going bankrupt, and she had to sell her last property to me.”
“So this was because of Monopoly,” Castiel says dubiously. In his experience, a board game has never led to actual violence.
Dean shrugs. “Game nights get intense. Why do you think I’m always bangin’ down your door the morning after?”
Castiel can’t believe it. “You’ve been getting this drunk at a game night? Every time?”
“So what?” Dean shoves four french fries in his mouth. “Whaddya think I was doin’?”
“Partying?” he suggests.
Dean snorts. “Maybe six years ago when I was doing B-level flicks and trying to meet as many people as I could. Now I have a back-to-back shooting schedule and hangovers if I don’t pace myself.”
Castiel watches Dean polish off his fries at a truly impressive and horrifying speed. He can’t help asking, “Why was Jo at your game night?”
“’Cause she’s a menace who knows how to pick locks?” Dean heaves a weighty sigh. “I’ve known Jo since we were kids. She and her mom - who started Hunter’s Café - were my neighbors.”
“I had no idea.”
Dean gestures to the alley with a wry hand. “Jo likes to keep it under wraps.”
“I see why Jo keeps making those drinks for you,” Castiel says, nodding at the half-finished latte in Dean’s hand.
“You didn’t make it?” Dean says, and does he sound almost disappointed?
Castiel shakes his head. “Jo is keeping the recipe close to the chest.”
“Probably worried everyone’ll want one if they get the taste.” Dean tips the cup back.
Castiel can’t help his noise of disgust. At Dean’s sharp look, he says aloud, “She’s probably worried everyone will never come back if they try it.”
Dean’s laugh cuts off with a wince. He raises a hand to his head. “Christ, last night was a mistake.”
Castiel surreptitiously scents the air for a better gauge of how discomfited Dean really is, but, as always, all he gets is trash and fryer oil. “How are you doing? Apart from the injury, headache, and general hangover-related malaise.”
“Oh, apart from that?” Dean echoes mockingly, but his words lack any heat. He crams a few fries into his mouth. “I asked my agent to send me a few more scripts with omega roles,” he mutters.
Castiel smiles. “That’s great.”
Dean hums his agreement. “Hopefully, she’ll pick out a decent one, and I can get something set up for after Two for the Show wraps.”
“Is Two for the Show the reason for your diet?”
Dean huffs. “Yeah. I have a bunch of shirtless scenes, so that means three months with the diet coach from hell.”
Castiel makes a noise of sympathy. After a moment, he asks, “Is it worth it?”
Dean chews a fry, scowling between bites. “Not really,” he says in a low voice. “Sammy’s the farmers market maniac in the family.” Wistfully, he continues, “Give me a good cheeseburger deluxe every day for the rest of my life with a side of pie, and I’ll die a happy man.”
“I didn’t think apple pie came as a side.”
“Not for you, maybe,” Dean says with an obnoxiously loud slurp of his latte.
Castiel doesn’t bother holding back his smile.
Dean sighs, rubbing his temple with the heel of his hand. “It’s just like, I don’t look like a traditional omega, so I figured I might as well try for the alpha roles.” He swallows. “’S a win-win situation. I look the part and the characters are better - what’s the downside?”
Castiel cocks his head. “Other than your restricted diet and inadvisable levels of drinking?”
A humorless smile pulls at Dean's mouth. “Not pullin’ the punches this morning, huh?”
Castiel colors, his face heating with shame. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well.” An inadequate excuse, but it’s not like he can tell Dean the real reason for his more uncharitable thoughts.
Castiel has never been one to lean into his alpha instincts. Possessiveness, aggression, arrogance - Castiel has had his (mostly regrettable) moments, but they hardly define his character. But over these past few weeks, he’s had to repeatedly tell himself that he can’t solve Dean’s problems. Dean is a wildly successful adult with millions of fans, while Castiel can’t even handle Hunter Cafe's front counter during the morning rush.
Dean would hardly welcome a nobody little alpha telling him to just… do what he wants and damn the consequences because he deserves to be happy with his life and his work.
Dean plucks out the rest of his fries and balls the wrapper against his hip. He lobs it in the dumpster. “No, I get it. I’m complaining about things that most people would kill to have.” He glances towards the mouth of the alley, his mouth set in a thin line.
But before Dean can leave, Castiel says quickly, “That’s not the way I see it. Your specific frustrations aren’t universal, but hardly anyone’s are. Society is inherently unfair, and it’s understandable to be angry about it.”
God knows Castiel railed enough about the unfairness of Dean Winchester to Gabriel enough over the past few weeks.
Even now, hungover and bruised, Dean is beautiful.
Castiel steels himself. “And, for what it’s worth, I don’t think not looking like a typical omega is a bad thing.”
Dean turns to him in surprise, and Castiel would give up that free sandwich Jo offered him to be able to scent what exactly Dean is feeling. But, after a second that stretches into an eternity, all Dean gives him is a quiet, “Thanks, Cas.”
Castiel nods, chastised by Dean’s reaction. “I should get back to work,” he says awkwardly.
Dean mutters something that might be a swear underneath his breath. Raising his voice, he says, his tone apologetic, “’Course. Sorry for keeping you.”
Castiel shakes his head. “It’s alright. I,” he pauses, “always enjoy talking to you.”
Dean’s mouth lifts into a small smile, and it’s like the sun rising through the early morning fog. “You too, man.”
* * *
After his next shift, Castiel asks Jo to show him how to make Dean’s apple pie latte.
Castiel’s first attempt is a disaster. He burns the espresso and adds too much nutmeg. Jo makes him try it anyway, as a non-monetary payment for her time. As Castiel gags, a smirking Jo dumps the bitter, weirdly savory mess down the sink.
“Passable,” Jo declares at Castiel’s second try. “You need more of the apple concentrate, though.”
“It’ll be too strong,” Castiel protests even as he shakes more powder in and gives it a stir. He hands it back to Jo for evaluation.
“You could barely taste it!” Jo says. She raises it to her lips. “Mm, that’s the stuff.”
“It is?” Castiel asks hopefully.
Jo nods and pushes the cup towards him. “That’s what it’s supposed to taste like.”
Castiel frowns as the overly sweet apples hit his tongue. He can barely taste the coffee underneath all the other layers.
“Trust me,” Jo says, flipping her hair behind her shoulder as she sets Castiel up for a third cup. “Your scent’s getting in the way, but it tastes exactly like an apple pie.”
“My scent?” Castiel echoes, baffled.
Jo throws him a look as she pushes a clean coffee cup into his hands. “Yeah, you already smell, I dunno, crisp but sweet? A little like apples. Makes you think the latte dials it up to eleven when it’s more like a nine for everyone else.”
Castiel hadn’t thought to put those pieces together, but it makes an astonishing amount of sense.
He brings his last apple pie latte home to Gabriel, and his cousin makes him write down, step by step, how to make it. In between actual licks into the cup to get the dregs, Gabriel swears to visit him at Hunter’s Café more often.
When Jo next ducks her head into the kitchen to tell Castiel that Dean will swing by in fifteen minutes, Castiel gets to work. He awkwardly sidles behind the front counter and maneuvers around Ruby and Kevin, nearly knocking Kevin’s elbow as Kevin attempts some elaborate leaf pattern.
Castiel draws a rudimentary apple on top of Dean’s latte, and if it looks more like a misshapen mango, nobody will see it but Dean.
For the first time, Castiel heads out to wait for Dean at the mouth of the alley.
Dean doesn’t keep him in suspense for long. He makes his way down the street, shoulders hunched, and head bowed. Gaze fixed on the dirty sidewalk, Dean doesn’t make eye contact with anyone as he turns the corner.
Dean isn’t even wearing sunglasses or a hat to hide his face, but everyone walks straight past him.
It’s the most riveting performance Castiel has ever seen.
A few steps away, Dean catches sight of him, and it’s like some magic switch is flipped on, and he is Dean Winchester again.
Smiling brightly, he jogs the rest of the distance and follows Castiel as he slinks further back into the alley. Dean wrinkles his nose as they get closer to the dumpsters and the smell of an entire rancid fast food menu hits him. “Hey, Cas,” he says as he takes his latte. “Thanks.”
“Of course,” Castiel says, tipping his head.
Dean stares down oddly at the demented pear and takes a sip. Face going slack with a bliss Castiel doesn’t even need to smell, Dean groans.
Castiel freezes and sends up a silent prayer of thanks for the apron covering his lower half over his pants. “It’s good?” he tries futilely because Dean is clearly beyond speech.
Dean just gives him a thumbs up as he lowers the cup. He licks his lips, chasing the taste, and Castiel has seen pornography less graphic.
“I might have to tip Jo this time too,” Dean says, staring at the latte in his hand in wonder.
Castiel coughs. “I - I made this one, actually.”
Dean chokes on his next mouthful. “Are you serious?”
Castiel nods because if he opens his mouth he’s not sure what exactly will come out. Probably something highly embarrassing.
“This is the best one I’ve ever had,” Dean swears.
Castiel’s whole body heats with the force of his blush. “Thank you. I asked Jo how to make it, since it seems like I’ve taken over your delivery duties.”
Dean grins. “You’re a lot more fun than Jo,” he says lightly, “so I’m not complainin’.”
Castiel didn’t think he could get any redder, but here he is.
After an awkward beat, Dean says, “I think I found my next movie.”
“Really?”
Dean shrugs, but his eyes glimmer with anticipation. “It’s a World War II biopic about an omega who sneaks into the army, disguises himself as an alpha, and rescues a unit trapped behind enemy lines.” He taps his fingers against the side of his half-empty cup. “A little on the nose, but the script is good.”
“It sounds very promising,” Castiel agrees.
“Their biggest problem was the budget - historical pics aren’t cheap. But they think if I sign on early, they can leverage my name with the studio.” He smiles shyly. “Get the movie done right.”
“That’s fantastic,” Castiel says, a delightful warmth filling his chest - still a pale reflection of Dean’s excitement.
“Thanks to you.”
Castiel’s eyes widen in surprise. “Me?”
Dean throws him a funny look. “Yeah, you. You told me to get my head outta my ass and movies I actually like doing-”
“Not in so many words-” Castiel interjects, alarmed.
“’Cause the whole point of doing these stupid macho alpha flicks was so I could get the clout and money to do the stuff I actually liked,” Dean continues. “And I kept thinking, can’t do it yet, not there yet, until some rando tells me, fuck yeah you can.”
“I definitely didn’t say that-”
“It was implied,” Dean says blithely, waving off his protests. “So I figured, if this dude who doesn’t know me from Adam-”
“I’ve seen several of your films.”
“- tells me to go for it - it being something I’d thought of doing for years - is there any real reason why I shouldn’t?”
Castiel just stares at him, stunned.
Dean beams. “I’ve got a meeting with the director next week.”
“That’s wonderful,” Castiel says sincerely.
“Anyway, yeah, it’s partially thanks to you,” Dean says, tipping his latte in Castiel’s direction. “I also want to talk about romantic B-plot since I think it’s stupid.” He shakes his head, scoffing. “True mates, bullshit.”
“You think true mates are bullshit?”
As far as Castiel saw online, Dean’s never spoken on the record about true mates or any mates at all. Entertainment news sources reported rumors about him and a one-named alpha singer, Amara, early in his career, which he denounced thoroughly. A few months later, someone published revealing photos of him and an older alpha actor, Fergus Crowley. When asked about it, Dean refused to give details.
Dean makes a face. After a pause, he says, “My parents said they were true mates, but it wasn’t… pretty. No Hollywood romance between them.”
“I’m sorry.”
“’S fine,” Dean says in a tone that clearly says it isn’t. “Whenever Dad took off for a few days, I’d get to watch as many movies as I wanted, and - well, the rest is history.”
“I don’t know anyone who’s found their true mate,” Castiel says. His parents had a cold, distant marriage. A few times over the years, he wasn’t sure his mother even liked his father’s scent. Anna happily mated another omega last year, and Gabriel avoids all romantic entanglements like the black plague.
Castiel’s dating history can best be described as dismal. During his last visit to his pediatrician, his doctor called him a “late bloomer” which Castiel eventually realized just meant socially awkward. In the decade since, Castiel’s slept with a grand total of three people. And, to his supreme regret, none of them managed to bring his rusty people skills up to par.
But, in college, Castiel found music and his calling. And all his faults didn’t matter nearly as much.
In the crowd of a concert, people are so far outside the ordinary conditions of life, and so conscious of the fact, that they free themselves from individual concerns and devote themselves wholly to the collective. All their fury, their joy, their hunger for what they can’t have, is sublimated into the music.
Castiel has never felt more connected to humanity than in the middle of a crowd.
Truthfully, none of his past relationships ever measured up. None of his past partners ever managed to get Castiel out of his own head - not like the music.
Castiel shakes his head ruefully. “I wouldn’t know what to do with a true mate even if I had one.”
“Have a lot of super sappy sex with the lights on?” Dean offers, laughing.
Castiel frowns. “I wasn’t aware that kind of intercourse was restricted to true mates. I’ve done that in the past since I've always shared an emotional connection with the people I've slept with.”
“Oh,” Dean says, reddening. “Were you mated? Jo didn’t say.”
Inordinately pleased that Dean had asked Jo about him, Castiel shakes his head. “No, I’ve never been mated.”
Dean drains his latte. Swallowing, he says, “Me neither.” He throws the cup in the open dumpster and turns back to Castiel. “I haven’t dated in a while, actually,” he says in a low voice. “Couldn’t risk being seen with an alpha and remind everyone of what I’m not.”
Castiel narrows his eyes. “Surely people can’t be that close-minded.”
“’Course they can. Most are,” Dean says, his voice full of assurance.
Castiel’s mouth twists. “That sounds like a negativity bias to me.”
“Huh?”
“Negative information sticks with us longer and more strongly than any positive counterpart,” Castiel says with a shrug. “It’s something I always keep in mind when reading my course reviews after the semester is over.”
“So," Dean says, eyes dancing, "you can take the nerd out of the classroom, but you can’t take the classroom out of the nerd, huh?”
Castiel smiles wryly. “Trust me, I’ve tried.”
Dean laughs. “Look,” he starts, his expression turning a fraction more serious. “I might be fucking up a good thing here, but do you want to go to a Lez Zeppelin show next week?”
Castiel’s mouth falls open as Dean reaches out and pulls out his phone to show him a ticket confirmation email.
“It’s no big if you don’t want to,” Dean says awkwardly into the silence.
“I - I do,” Castiel says, stumbling over the words. “You do?”
“Uh,” Dean throws him a bemused look, “Yeah? I bought the tickets, dude.”
“I’m just surprised,” Castiel says honestly.
Dean stares at him. “This is seriously comin’ out of nowhere for you?”
“A little,” Castiel says defensively.
“Seriously?”
Castiel shrugs helplessly. “You’re … you. You’re famous. Why would you ask me?”
“Because I like you?” Dean says, nonplussed. “You’re nice in a way a lot of the alphas I know aren’t, and,” he breaks off, reddening, “you said you didn’t mind that I didn’t fit in with other omegas, looks-wise-”
“I don’t,” Castiel interrupts. “I think you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”
Dean gapes. “Did you seriously -” he breaks off, apparently unable to voice the rest of his thought. His face turns an impressive shade of crimson.
Castiel shoves his hands in his pockets. “Should I not have said that?” he asks, brow furrowing. This can’t be the first time Dean has been complimented on his looks. As Castiel understands, good looks are one of the main precursors to acceptance in Hollywood.
“No - I mean, maybe - never mind,” Dean fumbles, more out of sorts than Castiel has ever seen him. “It’s that nobody just out and says that, even to me.”
“I just did.”
“Yeah, I got that,” Dean says, but he’s smiling. “You should look in the mirror sometime, though.” He winks, and Castiel’s brain nearly fritzes out. “So that’s a yes?”
Castiel nods, an all-encompassing warmth filling his chest and exploding out to the tips of his fingers and toes. “I’d love to.”
“It’s a date.”
Read Part II here!
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aminiatureworld · 4 years ago
Text
Frustration
Characters: Childe, Diluc, Xiao, gn!reader
Word Count: 2,068 words
Premise: Commissions don’t always go as planned, much to your frustration. Luckily there’s someone there to make you feel better.
Author’s Note: So I’ve been thinking of writing Genshin stuff for months now but haven’t, for various reasons mainly that being how much this blog is already a bit of a disarrayed mess. But after awhile I decided another fandom won’t hurt. Besides I think it’s better to write something than nothing, even if the fandom keeps changing. So… yeah?
This particular scenario was basically my day today. The characters have been chosen out of my own personal will. I was going to do Zhongli as well but I’m exhausted so if this is well received perhaps I’ll do that another day.
Also I’m so tired I’m halfway to a headache and feel a bit floaty so sorry if there are grammar mistakes and such. Anyways, hope you like!
Character Banners in progress
Ao3 link in reblog
Childe
“I’m gonna kill someone.” You muttered, slamming your weapon down on the table, causing the ginger next to you to start.
“As long as that person’s not me I’ll be glad to help you.” You weren’t sure whether you found the comment worrying, insulting, or charming, and decided not to reply, instead throwing yourself in the chair across from Childe, usually reserved for customers or some member of the Fatui higherups, though today you could care less.
“Hey, am I not good enough?” Childe half whined half joked. You only grunted before getting up and walking over to his chair, plopping yourself on his lap and promptly picking at a stray thread on his coat which had caught your eye and was now becoming an increasing source of irritation.
Taking this as a sign Childe gently pried your nails away from the offending thread. Placing your palms in his gloved hands he smiled and placed a kiss on your forehead. “Want to tell me about it?”
“It’s this stupid ley line! You know, the one in the stone forest? I was commissioned to keep an eye on it, normal stuff, but this one seems absolutely crawling with all sorts of slimes and the like, hilichurls too and a stray bandit here or there. They keeping breaking the damn thing and the minute I fix it they’re back again. At this rate I’m not going to finish it!” You chewed on the inside of your cheek, thinking of the hours you’d spent fighting with the thing. You’d even let out a few tears of frustration in the process, and having nothing to show for it was intensely irritating, to say the least.
“Poor darling.” Childe’s smirk was timeless, but there was a softness to it that you took as confirmation that he understood. I mean if anyone was going to understand it was going to be a member of the Fatui. As much as you disliked the group on principle, you did have to admit that Childe was certainly a hard worker, and running around at the whims of the far off Tsaritsa certainly had its trials.
Slumping against his chest you allowed yourself to relax a bit, some tension brought out simply by the act of telling someone about the frustrations that were building up, like someone shaking a corked bottle. Childe kissed your hands, a welcome distraction, before giving you a peck on the nose. You smiled at that, squeezing his hands. It felt good to have someone to complain to, to have someone who understood. But that was Childe, surprisingly understanding. And always looking for a fight.
“So…” as if on cue Childe spoke up, tone becoming truer, his smile becoming more foxlike. “You have something you need help fighting I hear.”
“Don’t let this get you any ideas.” You smirked right back. “I can still whip you when it comes to sparring at you know it. Besides, won’t I get in trouble if you’re there.”
“Give me half the commission rate and we’ll call it square.”
“Such a steep rate!” You gasped in fake horror, nevertheless lifting yourself off the chair. Childe was up no sooner, giving you a mischievous grin.
“Well of course! I can’t have you fleecing me out of my money. Not when I’ve already given you my heart, which is quite expensive by the way.” Giving you a quick forehead kiss he took your hand then, giving some half assed excuse to the poor desk clerk when they asked where he was going. “I have to save someone some trouble.”
You scoffed at that, but it was true. Childe was saving you a lot of trouble, and keeping your pride in some sort of piece. That was Childe. Wild, passionate, aching for a fight, perhaps not a great person – no in fact decidedly not so. But he was also surprisingly caring, reliable, and steadfast. And that was all you could ask for in the moment.
 Diluc
“Do you know where in Monstadt someone is supposed to find 50 Windwheel Asters?”
Diluc whipped his head up at that one; out of all the things he expected you to say that was certainly not one of them. It was almost closing time at the Winery, and this was normally the time when you came up to see him, chatting about this and that, waiting for him to close the ledger so you two could have some time together. In the entire history of your relationship there’d never been an evening that began such as this.
“There should be some around here, and Windrise if you’re in for a bit of a hike. But 50 is an awful lot, and I’m not sure the florists would be happy if you carted off with all their flowers.”
“I know.” You raised an eyebrow, leaning against the wall, picking at your fingernails. “I know that finding 50 of anything in a day is a hard task. But I was given a short noticed commission by some wealthy tradesman who’s passing by and wanted some flowers for a gala or some such thing. It’s important for the Guild that I complete these you know, and I’m not looking forward to telling Katheryne about it tomorrow.”
You sighed, glancing out the window of the Winery. You thought of all the places in Monstadt the view was perhaps loveliest here, cozy, with a view of all that made Monstadt, the planes, the forest, even a glimpse of the waterways that ran through it. But right now all you could think about was how in such a vast swath of land you’d still failed to meet the goal, you’d still turned up empty handed.
“Would you sit next to me?” Diluc’s voice broke you out of your depressing reverie and you sat down in the chair adjacent to his – a recent addition to his office – laying your head somewhat awkwardly on his shoulder, running your hands through his soft hair. You two sat in silence like that for a bit, the steady flow of Diluc’s pen keeping your eyes occupied while your hands braided and twisted at random, gentle and absentminded.
Finally the ledger was closed and Diluc turned to you. Smiling he massaged your left shoulder slightly, eliciting a sigh from you.
“You shouldn’t blame yourself for things like this.” He began, his tone soft and low. “No reasonable person on Earth would ask you to gather so many flowers in a day. Even Flora doesn’t sell that many to a single customer without an order, and her whole job consists of selling flora. You’ve watched me work long enough, do you think I’d sell 50 kegs of wine to a tradesman on site?”
“No, of course not.” You mumbled. “But it’s my job to do the unconventional requests, how can I pick and choose at random? I can’t very well complete only half of my commissions.”
“Of course not, but nobody expects you to simultaneously catch 50 flowers out of thin air either. The Guild has its own regulations and rules you know, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a violation of one. No one doubts your prowess my dear. You’ve slain Eyes of Storms and have scaled mountains taller than most people in Monstadt might ever imagine. You done what might be considered impossible to some many times. So you should trust in the Guild and in the people of Monstadt. They aren’t well likely to turn their back on you over such a ridiculous request.”
You hummed a reply, resting your hands on Diluc’s. All he said was probably right of course, Katheryne could very well tell you how ridiculous such a request was, and no harm would come to your reputation. But your relationship with Diluc was still young, there was still so much to learn about the other, and so hearing such confident praise from him felt like a sort of gift, recompense for such a frustrating ordeal. Humming once more you leaned your head on his shoulder again. Tomorrow you would go and tell the Guild about the debacle, and let the man know the ridiculousness of his request. But tonight you just wanted to rest with the person you cherished the most. That was all you wished for.
 Xiao
“Something’s wrong.” Xiao’s voice was purposefully flat, and you wondered not for the first time how the adeptus in front of you had become so good at reading your mood, especially considering the fact that he admitted himself that his grasp on human emotions was a tricky one. He always seemed to know when you were upset at least, and your initial urge to attempt to hide your frustration immediately blew away.
“It’s been a rough day.” You admitted, standing next to him on the Wangshu Inn’s railing, letting the cool evening breeze cool you down. It’d been an obnoxiously hot day, and you were glad for any bit of fresh air. Xiao said nothing, but you could feel his gaze on you, waiting for your decision as to whether or not you’d let him know the reason you were upset. Not that it was really a question, at this point you couldn’t imagine a time when you didn’t tell Xiao practically everything, from the most mundane to those things that loomed largest in your life. You’d never met someone you trusted so much in your life before, and it felt rather freeing, knowing that he didn’t mind a bit, something that had scared you when you first began opening up to him.
“It’s just a commission, nothing ground shaking. Thankfully.” You added on, thinking of when Liyue had almost been swallowed whole; the moment when it seemed all would fail, before the miraculous traveler had bound the adept and the citizens of Liyue together. It was something you weren’t likely to forget, and something you never wished to relive. “That being said.” You added on. “It’s something that, well, is distressing me a lot.”
Xiao stood patiently as you explained to him that your deceptively simple commission of delivering food to someone had managed to go horribly awry after a group of Cryo slimes had left the food frozen solid, with the angry customer unwilling to pay or wait for a replacement.
“It wasn’t too expensive thankfully.” You remarked. “I mean it was just food. But it feels silly, and a bit embarrassing. I mean of course I should’ve paid, I don’t begrudge that. I just don’t understand how I managed to screw up something so fundamentally simple. It seems… somehow a bit of a slap in the fact. I mean, aren’t I any good?”
“Of course you are.” Xiao’s answer was firm, but not unkind. Instead it held in it the certainty of one who’d lived thousands of years, and whose trust in you was absolute. Drawing closer, the adeptus glanced around, making sure there was no one around, before slinging an arm around your own, drawing you close and running soft circles around your shoulder.
“You’re a great adventurer.” He remarked, voice filled with as much serious as there was fondness. “I’ve seen many warriors, many adventurers come and go in my time. Those whose feats will fill the pages of books and the staves of songs long after they themselves have been reduced to ashes. Those who will be called great heroes. All of them fell sometimes. And, if you must fall, I’d rather it be over something so simple as a botched food delivery.”
You glanced up into Xiao’s eyes. Normally he was reticent with words, even moreso with gestures. Every word let you deeper into someone’s life, into their past, their personality, their soul. No word was careless with Xiao. And as you stared at eyes filled with pride and love and worry, suddenly you felt as if what had just passed was small, oh so very small. There would be another commission, just as there would be another tomorrow. There’d be another failure most likely too. Many of them even. But they were small stones in a great big pond, quickly sinking out of sight and out of mind.
“I love you.” You breathed, and Xiao’s face seemed to open all of a sudden, shedding a thousand cares and a thousand worries. He pressed his forehead to your own.
“I love you too.”
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existslikepristin · 4 years ago
Text
A Two-on-One Match
Part 2 of 3 of the OC Jung Hyunjin's arc. A request from Rex [of the ever-changing name] I recommend starting with A Quick Fix to follow the plot if you haven't read it already.
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Tags: TheLounge, Gfriend, Eunha, SinB, male OC Jung Hyunjin, "oh hey I know you", one dom one sub one clueless boxer, some butt stuff, request
~~~~~
The bell rang to announce Yuta’s departure. He turned back as he walked through the door and waved. “Thanks Hyunjin! Good to meet you!”
“You too man! Enjoy!” Hyunjin waved back. It was his second week working at The Lounge and he was getting to know quite the wide range of people, and the first day he was working the morning shift, now that he was fully finished with his evening training.
A familiar voice came from behind, just at the entrance to the kitchen. “Nice catch. How’d you know Yuta would like the cinnamon sprinkle?” It was Hyunjin’s new boss, Kim Soomin.
“Wish I could tell you Ms. Kim. Honestly I just guessed.”
Soomin shrugged. “We’ll chalk it up to intuition then. Anyway, it seems like you’ve got things handled up here. I’m going to start up the oven for some brownies. Sungho is going to be here in half an hour, but I’ll be right there if you get rushed, alright?”
“You got it, Ms. Kim.”
Hyunjin wasn’t especially worried, since he didn’t imagine they’d be getting that many more customers in so early in the morning. When Soomin was gone, he leaned back against the perfectly clean counter and pulled out his phone.
Sowon had told him she was an idol, but he still hadn’t bothered to look up her music. It seemed to him that while he was waiting for customers was as good a time as any. He opened up his default browser and tapped in her name. A second later, his phone was flooded with pictures of Sowon in a variety of outfits, generally much fancier than what he usually saw her in. In the sidebar, her real name appeared, as well as the company she worked for and the group she was part of. “Gfriend,” rung a bell in Hyunjin’s head, at least, though he had no clue if he’d actually heard any of their music before. Maybe at a convenient store while he wasn’t paying attention?
He tapped the link to change the search to Gfriend. The images that showed up were far more zoomed out than before. He could pick out Sowon’s face among the six women in each picture, but immediately scrolled down and saw their names. He nodded his head and kept going down the list. Jung Yerin was next. No clue who she was. Then Jung Eunbi, also known as Eunha. That name sounded somehow familiar to him, but he continued to read. Choi Yuna, also known as Yuju…
He was interrupted by the bell ringing. He bounced away from the counter and popped his phone back into his pocket. Looking up, he saw two women had entered. One of them took off to the side toward the lounge chairs right away, but the other one approached the counter. She walked normally at first, but slowed down when she and Hyunjin’s eyes met.
“H-hyunjin?” she asked.
Hyunjin hesitated to respond. He pulled his phone back out and looked at the images still on the screen. “Do you go by Eunha?”
Eunha nodded slowly. “Yeah… Were you in drama club in middle school?”
“I was.”
There was a long pause.
“Holy shit, Hyunjin! It’s been such a long time! When did you start working here?”
Hyunjin laughed. He knew the name was familiar. “Just a couple of weeks ago. I got referred by Sowon.”
Eunha laughed back. “She and I are in a girl group together!”
“I literally just found that out! I was looking you guys up! See?” Hyunjin held out his phone.
“Woah! Yeah! How are you doing these days?”
The two took some time to reminisce and catch up. Despite the initial moment of not recognizing each other, they quickly remembered their connection. They had grown up in the same neighborhood, and recalled a variety of events they had gone to together as children. Eunha was a year above him in school, but had encouraged him to participate in drama. The Lounge continued to stay effectively empty the whole time. Hyunjin told Eunha about how he and Sowon met and how he ended up there, and about how he was training again to fight. Eunha told him about the rest of Gfriend, and how the other woman she entered with was Umji.
To avoid making Umji wait too much longer, Hyunjin took Eunha’s order and got to work. He was all smiles. When he brought their coffee to them, he included a napkin with his phone number on it and invited Eunha to the fight, but couldn’t continue to chat with the other customers that began to pour in, the bell going wild.
* * *
The bell went wild. It was the end of the last round. Hyunjin wiped at his nose with his arm. His opponent backed off and the two bumped their gloves together. Hyunjin wasn’t especially happy with the turnout. It had been far too long since he’d stepped in a ring, and it showed. That wasn’t going to stop him from being a good sport though. He kept a smile on.
Fortunately, the referee still held his arm up in the end. “... by split decision: Jung Hyunjin!”
The crowd cheered. Whether it was for Hyunjin or not, he couldn’t really tell. The crowd wasn’t exactly huge, and the two fighters nobody had heard of (it was only his opponent’s second official match) in a small venue didn’t exactly have a fanbase yet. Hyunjin couldn’t pick any familiar faces out of the crowd either.
His disappointment was quickly abated by who he saw while making his way to the locker room. Dressed in frumpy, nondescript sweatshirts and hats, Eunha and another girl Hyunjin barely recognized from Gfriend’s group pictures as SinB caught him right at the doorway.
“Hey! We were hiding out in the back row. Congrats!”
Hyunjin ran his fingers through his hair. “Thanks. I was rusty though.”
“Rusty? What do you mean? You were great!”
SinB tapped Eunha on the arm. “No, he’s right. They both looked like amateurs.”
Hyunjin grimaced, but before he could say anything, Eunha grabbed him by the arm. “Hey, let’s go in there, where it’s not so noisy! I can barely hear you two!”
She wasn’t wrong. When the door closed behind them, the lack of noise was a relief.
“So yeah,” SinB started, “what I was saying is that he’s right. They loo--”
Eunha silenced her with a strict look. “SinB...” is all she said, and it was all she needed.
SinB averted her eyes and a blush crossed her cheeks. “It’s um… Nice to meet you, Hyunjin. My name’s SinB.”
Hyunjin smirked. “Hey, good meeting you too. Don’t worry about the fight though. I used to be a lot better. I’m just out of practice. I’ll be starting regular training again next week.”
“You really did do great though,” Eunha said, “I mean, you had to, right? You won.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I’m just being critical of myself. But anyway, thanks for coming! I really appreciate the support.”
“Of course! Just think of us as your first fans?” Eunha ended with a questioning tone, but followed up quickly. “Actually, let’s not be fans yet. It’s weird for fans to take you out to dinner.”
“Dinner, huh? I’d like that. I need to get washed up first. Pretty sure I’ve still got some blood in my mouth.”
“Totally, yeah! We’ll just, uh, wait here.”
Hyunjin gave a nod and went to the locker room. He could hear Eunha hushedly giving SinB an earful the whole way.
Undressing was a bit painful. Hyunjin had taken a particularly strong hit to one of his left ribs, and now that he could see the site of the impact, he could already tell it would be bruising. He hoped it wasn’t broken.
As he made his way to the open showers, he could hear Eunha and SinB again. They sounded like they were close to the locker room. There wasn’t a door to block the sound though, so he didn’t think much of it, but he knew something was up when he heard footsteps over the sound of the running water. Nobody else should be on this half of the building except his coach, who he hadn’t even informed of the fight. He quickly covered his dick with his hands and turned to the entrance.
And there was SinB, blushing furiously, looking straight up at the ceiling. “H-hey, Hyunjin. I’m sorry.”
“Um. Well, cool. Apology accepted. But is this really the--”
Hyunjin cut himself off as Eunha brushed past SinB. But unlike SinB, she was completely undressed. She walked toward him, small breasts bouncing with each step, getting soaked as she went directly through the spray of the showers. He started to smile, but noticed and quickly got rid of it. “Eunha, you’re…”
“I’m here to help you get cleaned up,” she finished his sentence for him, though it wasn’t what he was intending to say. “We can get to the restaurant sooner this way, right?”
Eunha grabbed a bar of soap from one of the little shelves along the wall and stopped just short of Hyunjin, who had lost all hope of being able to hide his erection. Not that Eunha seemed to mind, or even pay any attention. But it’s what she said next that made her intentions much, much clearer.
“You and Sowon aren’t exclusive, right?”
“No. I suppose we’ve been very clear that we aren’t.” Hyunjin took a hand away from his crotch to rub the back of his neck.
Eunha put a hand on Hyunjin’s arm, pointing at his neck. “Oh no. Are you feeling sore?” She gestured toward a stool. “Let me give you a massage. SinB!”
Hyunjin watched, half afraid and half mesmerized, as SinB quickly undressed and tossed all of her clothes back into the locker room. He let Eunha pull him down to sit on the stool she dragged underneath the stream of the shower. “I don’t really need a massage. It’s okay.”
“That’s good to hear! I’ll just get started on washing you up then. In the meantime, can you do me a favor?”
“Uh… Sure?”
While sitting on the stool, Hyunjin was just barely shorter than Eunha, which let her lean down to whisper in his ear. Her tone made it clear she was asking a question. “Let SinB practice on you?”
Hyunjin’s eyes went wide. “So Eunha, I don’t mean to sound like a perv here, but are you implying something about practicing a blowjob? Because I’ll take that.”
Eunha motioned for SinB to approach. “No, no. Why would you think that?” she asked, clearly twitching at the corner of her mouth as she tried not to smile. She slowly pulled Hyunjin’s other hand away from his full-mast dick.
In no time at all, SinB was standing in front of Hyunjin, hair getting drenched by the shower, hands behind her back, and eyes anywhere but on him. With a little difficulty, she moved to straddle his lap. The width of her legs put her bare pussy dangerously close to his cock.
Sure he knew where the situation was taking them, Hyunjin shifted his legs, pushing SinB’s a little farther apart. The head of his dick speared her. He watched as her chest rose and fell rapidly. She used her hands to brace herself on his shoulders. He wanted to make a snarky comment, but was having difficulty coming up with anything good. He was also distracted by the feeling of something hard against his cock. He reached around SinB and grabbed her butt. As his fingers explored, he was able to verify immediately that she had a butt plug inside of her.
“This is an interesting night,” he said simply.
Just then, Hyunjin felt Eunha pressing her front up against his back. Her skin glided over his, as if it was (and it was) covered in soap. At the same time, SinB lowered herself further onto his dick in a jerking, twitching way.
“I don’t know what you mean. Is something unusual, Hyunjin?” Eunha asked as she rubbed her tits and stomach up and down his back.
Hyunjin’s sarcasm struggled its way out of his throat as SinB started fucking him, bouncing herself and making a beautiful, wet scene of her slim body. “Not at all…” Hyunjin said, “Perfectly normal Wednesday night.”
Eunha couldn’t contain her giggle. She ran her soapy hands over Hyunjin’s shoulders, arms, and whatever parts of his legs she could reach with SinB in the way. He winced a little when she swept over his new bruise, but otherwise did his best not to react.
“How do you like SinB’s pussy?”
Hyunjin groaned. His grip on SinB’s asscheeks tightened subconsciously. He had to unclench his teeth to say, “It’s alright.”
“Hear that, SinB? Just alright. Maybe a bit amateurish.”
SinB’s shoulders tensed up visibly. “I said I was sorry…”
Eunha walked around to the shelves on the wall to pull a bottle of shampoo off. The close up view of Eunha’s plump, naked, wet ass just about set Hyunjin off. She was obviously arching her back just enough to make it noticeable.
“Damn, Eunha. I always admired your butt when you were my senior, but now… fuck…”
She turned to look at Hyunjin over her shoulder. “Oh thank you! Sounds like you’re thinking about cumming?”
Hyunjin nodded. With no hesitation at all, Eunha set the shampoo back down and pulled a visibly shocked SinB off of his cock. He was shocked too, about ready to ask why Eunha would do such a thing, but found his answer right away.
Eunha, facing away from Hyunjin, positioned herself between his legs and spread her ass with one hand, and grabbed his cock with the other. She directed it to an unexpected target, and Hyunjin’s breath caught in his throat as he was hilted completely in Eunha’s asshole.
“Now you can cum,” she said.
Hyunjin didn’t need to be told twice. He barely needed to be told once. His orgasm hit him harder than his opponent did in the ring. He grabbed Eunha’s hips and held her down against him as he pumped a gigantic load into her ass.
He brushed his hair back, suddenly light headed, feeling like his soul had just been pulled out of him through his cock. He saw SinB sitting back against the wall, still blushing bright red, masturbating as she stared between Eunha’s legs at the spot where Hyunjin was impaling her.
“So then,” Eunha said casually, despite having an ass full of Hyunjin’s dick and cum, “Did you want anything special for dinner? I have an idea if you don’t!”
Hyunjin smiled. He was still trying to comprehend what just happened, but he was happy with it, even if the intensity of his climax left him with the sound of a bell ringing in his ears.
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give-grian-rights · 5 years ago
Text
Bets Against The Void (Whitelist AU)
Well.. I DID IT. This is only chapter 1. I planned on this being a one-shot, but if it was, it would take me so long to finish it. So, chapters it is.
This is crossposted on AO3. I don’t exactly stand with a lot of what it’s doing, but it’s not particularly easy to find fics on Tumblr I feel..and I will never go back to Wattpad. Not again.
@petrichormeraki Whitelist AU fic :)
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
They had just left the server to practice for MCC, that was all. Wilbur would be so proud, the two youngest would be sure, if they managed to win one. For Tommy, it would be his first win not aided by his  (Troubled, distrustful, anarchist-)  family, and Tubbo’s first-ever. 
Teams for the next MCC had yet to be announced, but it hadn’t mattered. Tommy had been invited back to every competition since MCC 2, after all- and the competition had already become accommodating to Tubbo, following the..Circumstances, of The Festival. 
The admins hosting the event were concerned, following the events they’d hear of about their server. They hadn’t known much; no one outside their world, really did. But, well..When asked about the status of Wilbur, and if he’d attend- the silence and reaction of the residents of his world were telling.
Barely a handful of players were at the server, practicing. It was calming, for the teenagers. The two had primarily stuck together, as they tended to do after the Pogtopia-Manburg war. The siblings were back together again. And they had each other- they trusted each other, unquestionably. Something more than they could say about anyone else.
By the time they made it back to the world hub, they were already exhausted. The timezone of their server would be late, they were sure. Their arms ached, and legs wobbled with every step. They both felt as if they could fall down, anytime.
Tubbo’s arm was looped around Tommy’s, content to be in the presence of his best friend, without the responsibility of the world on either of their shoulders’. Other players had barely batted an eye at the two- it wasn’t uncommon for teenagers or children to server hop by themselves. Nor for someone passing through a world hub to have outlandish and otherworldly scars. For them to both be teenagers, and scarred so heavily- well, that was a different story.
Still, not a soul stopped them as the tall blond led his friend to a nearby empty portal. As they stood still, Tubbo instinctively released his arm from the boy. Tommy kept Tubbo grounded to him as he worked, talking idly to them and inquiring about build plans. As Tubbo talked, Tommy quickly fidgeted with his communication tablet.
The thin, hovering device was pressed against the large obsidian frame of an otherwise normal, unlit portal.  Pressing out of his inventory, which by mandatory was empty, Tommy opened his server list. The individually named servers popped up. 
Some servers were empty, others grayed out and unavailable, no longer tended to. Muscle memory brought him to Dream SMP.  The status of the server was buffering- it’s availability of connection unclear. It wasn’t unusual- not for world hubs filled with tens of thousands of players at any given time.
With their SMP selected, the portal flickered for a moment- sparks of neon green rippling within, before quickly fading. The whooshes and crackling of a portal being lit, before failing, caught Tubbo’s ears.
“Uh...Is- is the portal good? Did it light? Why does it feel like it’s uh- not?” They tilted his head to the side, towards Tommy. The blond paused for a moment, blinking in bewilderment with his brows furrowed. “No- no it’s not lit..Uh.. What the shit? Hold on, Tubbo-” he huffed, pulling his tablet off the obsidian wall with ease to inspect it.
Blue eyes squinted at the screen. At the edge of the selection for Dream SMP, was an error sign, much to Tommy’s slight horror. “Fucking..Shit-” he hissed, pressing the icon. “‘Server closed for maintence’- what the fuck!” The teen spat. That got a few heads turned him, at his shouts. Most continued walking, merely giving him a wary glance.
Tubbo’s mouth dropped, scrambling for words. “Wh- why? I- I mean, I guess it makes sense- the- the server’s been acting up, and stuff- but- with what noticed?” He squawked, fumbling with their own device. Gliding their hand over the graphics, each thing he touched was read aloud to him quietly in his comm systems.
While Tubbo worked on locating his own messages, Tommy already found his. He scoffed indignantly, his hand clenching at the frame of the tablet. “The chat system for the server’s down too! Holy shit, fucking- what? Were no one fucking prepared for if we all get knocked out of the server at once? What the fuck!” Slight panic edged into his angered words as he shouted.
“Guess not,” Tubbo shrugged, pushing his tablet away, already frustrated with it. “Did Dream send out any sort of alert, for this?” Tommy only scoffed. The brunnett was sure he was rolling his eyes, as well. “Yeah, with a three-minute fuckin’ notice!  Just told everyone to figure it out for themselves, while he fixed shit! What a lil bitch!”
Glares were most certainly being sent towards them by now, Tubbo was sure. Gently pressing himself against the visibly upset and angered boy, he looped their arms back together, reassuringly squeezing his hand.. “We should get out of the way. I’m sure other people are waiting, there’s nothing we can do.” The brunett resigned himself to being the level-headed one between them.
“We can’t just fucking stay here, Tubbo! We ain’t got shit to eat, or anything. It’s not exactly like we thought of packing shit for a few hours of practicing!” The boy protested. He had just gotten L’manburg back, finally, a place he and his Tubbo were okay.
After a moment of silence, Tubbo would speak up once more. “I started installing some more, uh..Hack clients-” “TUBBO WHAT THE SHIT!” “Please, I’d really like to not get in major trouble today.” They’d wince, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The feeling of stares lingered on his back.
“I got a client that should let me into the world last opened on a portal- which, in this case, should be Dream’s server. So we can get on there and- “Call Dream a dick.”
“Exactly. I wouldn’t think it’s dangerous, or unstable or anything to be there..I’m sure he and the rest of Dream Team are there.”
Walking back to the portal, guiding Tubbo back with him, Tommy unattached his own device from the frame. “Uh, want me to put yours on the portal? Or do you got it, Big Man?” The blond tilted his head towards the other boy expectantly.
Dipping their head in thought for a moment, Tubbo hummed. “You can do it. It’s all set up- besides I already turned my text-to-speech off, I was getting a headache from the voice.”  They decided, handing off his tablet to Tommy.
Within moments, Tommy had gotten it set up. Rather than having an individual server selected, the “Connect” button had been highlighted as seen as he reached his friend’s serverlist. 
A flurry of colors splashed within the portal, before settling on a distorting purple. Tommy squinted, glancing towards Tubbo. “That..Does not look like Dream’s server color.” Tubbo tilted his head curiously. “Well.. The site did say it could do that- It’s kinda just ripping the IP and plugging it in illigitmently- it’s incapable of displaying the correct resource, basically.” He played with his friend’s sleeve idly.
“..Fucking- alright, sure. Assuming this is safe- are you ready to hop in?” He pushed down any doubts. Really, nothing worse than what the two already lived through could happen. Tubbo grinned, nodding their head. And so, Tommy led the boy into the portal alongside him. Swirling particles filled his vision, as they flurried around the two- and then they were stumbling to the ground.
Tommy’s eyes shot opened- a dull, thudding pain in the back of his head, as he got his footing. Tubbo was doing the same, losing his hold on Tommy to lean against the portal frame to catch himself.  “...Well. Fuck.” Tommy hissed, rubbing his temple as he looked around the room.
The large portal behind them had dropped them into a large, pyramid-shaped room. The floor below them was sandy, greenery and bookshelves pressed against the walls. Tommy’s mouth dropped to the floor as he viewed ahead of him.
“W-What the fuck! What the shit these people- th-there’s just! Diamond armor!  On display - t-they have fucking elytras!  Holy fucking shit! ” He stammered out the words, his brows furrowed together in complete bewilderment.
“What? That’s insane!..This- this sounds like an ocean? Why can I hear water? Are we on an island?” Tubbo warily stepped, testing his footing.
Tommy instinctively reached back to grab his friend’s hand protectively, nodding vigorously. “I think we’re fuckin’ underwater, or some shit! There’s a water column, and- and the walls fuckin’ tilt, and then it’s all water and shit! The ceiling is just the ocean!”
..Descriptions never seemed to be Tommy’s strong suit. Nonetheless, Tubbo nodded along to the words, warily listening. All that could be heard was the crashing water overhead the water-bound structure. The boy shivered with unease at this.
“Are there any players? Did- did us joining get sent through the comm system, do you think?” Tubbo summoned his comm’s back to his hands, but Tommy must’ve already had his out. “Fuckin- i’m still connected to Dream’s. It didn’t give me the option to look at whoever the fuck’s this is. Tommy growled, uneasiness and anxiety gnawing at him.
 And then, there was a flash of light and particles. A man in a..Bee-themed, space/futuristic-Esque suit appears on the other side of the room. Another, far more mundane seeming man, manifested next to him.
The energy in the room shifted to something unfamiliar to the two teens. Tubbo shivered, desperately grasping tighter at Tommy. The blond boy had stood rigid, blue eyes cold and wary as he stared challengingly at the two strangers.
While the helmeted, bee-colored man visibly had plates of enchanted Netherite glittering on him, the human beside him was bare of any protection, defenses, or armor.   The teen didn’t know what to make of either of them.
Pacifyingly holding up a weaponless hand, the helmet man cleared his throat. “We weren’t particularly expecting visitors, or any surprise drop-ins this late to our season.” Their voice wasn’t accusatory, but it certainly edged on the skeptical side
From the yellow-tinted helmet, Tommy could barely make out a faint reflection of light in purple eyes. His throat felt full of vile, the blond boy practically growling as he held he pushed himself in front of Tubbo.
In retaliation, Tubbo gently shouldered the boy before poking out beside him, facing vaguely towards the man who spoke. “I’m sorry for him- this..This is an accident, uh, Sir.” They chuckled anxiously.
The helmeted man- who by now, Tommy had presumed was the admin- tilted his head. “While accidents aren’t necessarily uncommon on a server such as ours- one quite like this, so far into our progress certainly is.” The Southern fellow beside the bee-helmet man spoke up, his expression passive and at ease as he stared over the boys.
“You two don’t look like you’re here to give us issues- don’t you agree, X?” The helme-  X,  apparently- surveyed the two teenagers for a moment more, before nodding. “Good, then.” The human(?) smiled, dipping his head.
Tommy scoffed, glaring at the man.  “Where the fuck are we?” The blond’s eyes flickered between the two adults stood opposite of them. While the man remained unphased, glancing expectantly at X- said player took a step back, tilting their head.
“Well, considering there’s not really a way to  accidentally derp your way into here- I’d expect you’d know.” While X wasn’t unkind, his tone was expectant. Accusatory, maybe. 
Before Tommy could open his mouth to blabber and cover their asses, Tubbo put his arm out in front of the other. “It really was an..An accident- it wasn’t this server we were trying to get into- wherever we are.” He’d chuckle uneasily, shifting their weight. They weren’t sure what to make of their unknown surroundings.
“Our home-server seems to be down.. And- no one told us where to go,  so I said i knew a way we might be able to go back, and uh..It got us here.”  They’d finish, anxiety spiking as he was unable to gauge their reaction.
“Yeah- and we’re not gonna fuckin’ do shit. We don’t even know where the fuck we are. Just- leave us be!  Or send us back, or some shit-” “Alright, alright! Hey, we’re not fighting with you!” X would cut off Tommy, who’s blue eyes shot a cold glare to the slightly frazzled man.
The younger Brit couldn’t help but get amusement from the way the masked man was so visibly startled from his swears. “You two..Don’t particularly look in the condition to just.. stay in the World Hub. Do you have someplace else to go? How long have you been locked out?” 
Beside the apparent Admin, who had not-so-subtly manifested a transparent screen in front of him, the human looked in exasperated amusement at the helmeted fellow. “Forgetting something there, Shashwammy?” The Southern man spoke with fondness.
Before the admin could react, the man turned back towards the accidental intruders. “You’re in the wonderful world of hermits and crafting, my friends! Hermitcraft Seven, to be specific. I’m Joe, of the Hills variety- and this is my pal, Xisumavoid! Though he’ll likely go by just about anything you can think to call him.”
Tommy looked beside him at Tubbo for a moment, his brows pinched together as he quietly scoffed. This is gonna get really tiring if he talks like this all the time. The blond thought absentmindedly.
In the meantime, Tubbo himself was speechless- positively bursting at the seams. “Hermitcraft?! This is Hermitcraft? Oh, oh void I just broke into Hermitcraft-” They babbled for a moment, jittering as he attempted to compose himself. Tommy raised a brow, eyeing them. 
“You say that as if that means fuckin’ anything to me, Tubbo-”
“I. I’m so sorry, uh, Mr. Hills, Mr. Void!” Their voice cracked, as the words ran out of his mouth. “I swear this isn’t something we do on the regular, I’d never want to disrespect anyone, or any server- especially not Hermitcraft!” He’d continue, laughing anxiously. 
“I’m a huge fan of the work done here! Just, everything I’ve seen- uh, and, and heard, about the Hermits! Fu- frick. Uh. Sorry!”  Tubbo finished, practically panting. 
While Joe had seemed appreciative and amused, Tommy couldn’t get a read on Xisuma. Not that he particularly cared what either of them felt; he barely understood the meaning of the words from Tubbo, all that mattered was they weren’t about to belittle the other boy.
“Mr. Void.. That- that might be a new one-” The British admin had quietly chuckled easily, shaking his head. “No, no need for that. I’m Xisuma, or X. I’m glad you appreciate our work, the Hermits around here work non-stop. And we’d be glad to try and help you two, yes?”
“We don’t fuckin’ need help- We stay here, or we don’t. We don’t need pity or some shit. If you’re gonna get all fussy at the fuckin’ idea of us staying in the Worldhub, then just leave us be here, I guess. We don’t need anyone’s help or charity.” Tommy growled, his arms crossed stubbornly. He could hear Tubbo sharply inhale beside him, weakly nudging at his side.
The two inhabitants, Hermits, Tommy mused, seemingly shared a look for a moment. Tommy’s blue eyes were unyielding from them, as Tubbo’s quiet babble of scolding went through deaf ears.
Slowly nodding, the helmeted admin stepped back. “You two don’t have anywhere you could go?” He’d ask, hesitantly. Tommy glanced beside him, at the short, blinded boy. Blue from Ghostbur weakly stained his hands.
No one else outside of Dream SMP had learned about Wilbur’s fate, not yet. That certainly wasn’t a conversation either of them was willing to have yet, with anyone. Dream would be mad. Dream would be furious if word got out on the nature of his server. 
With that thought, Tommy tore his gaze away from his friend. The boy stared as close as he could to the Admin’s eyes, a challenging look in his hardened blue eyes. “Nowhere.”
Xisuma conceded, nodding. “Fine, then.” He agreed, his tone far softer than it had any right to be, from such an imposing figure. Tommy pondered for a moment if the Admin was taller than him. The possibility made Tommy feel all the more disdain towards him.
Tommy tilted his head, watching expectantly. “Well then? Can we just be- be fuckin’ left here, or some shit? We don’t need to be babysat.” “Tommy, please, don’t pick a fight here-” “Yeah, yeah, Tubbo..”
Xisuma winced, nodding. “Sure.. If you want to be left alone, that’s fine. There’s Elytras’ in the room behind us, and rockets in the chest. That’s the only way to get out, besides from the Nether. It should be linked to our Netherhub, so you shouldn’t have too big of a trouble, yeah?”
Tubbo hesitantly nodded, his grip tight around Tommy’s hand. “Alright, then.” Xisuma nodded, glancing towards Joe. Tommy had all but forgotten the man was there, the Southerner having been quietly observing them.  “Joe, you’re free to go, my friend.”
To Tommy’s perspective, Joe certainly seemed to have some reservations. Whether they were about leaving teenagers unattended or leaving strangers in their server, the blond wasn’t sure. Nonetheless, Joe accepted his fate, nodding breezily before enderpearling his way out of the spawn.
Xisuma turned back to the two, one final time. Tommy didn’t miss the way that Xisuma flinched at Tubbo’s large scars, nearly growling when he saw the admin’s reaction.
“You two have been competing in MCC.” That caught Tubbo, off-guard. The brunnett’s brows furrowed together, tilting his head. “Huh? How do you know that-”
“My Hermits have been competing there for a good while. I need to keep track of them all, I haven’t missed the team announcements.” Xisuma explained breezily, something akin to fondness in his tone. “The other Hermits said that they love MCC, and the other participants. And that they trust almost all of them- don’t take advantage of that, alright?”
Quietly scoffing, Tommy looked away. Beside him, Tubbo nodded. “We’ll try- thank you. For letting us stay here, just for now.”
Despite the situation, Tubbo couldn’t help but feel slightly giddy at the idea of being in a Hermitcraft world. He hadn’t been able to hear about, or see anything about their recent achievements in a long while.
“If you need anything, don’t be afraid to ask. I’ll add you two to the communication connection. Most of the Hermits have a..Tendency of getting themselves in trouble, quite a bit. Don’t be alarmed if someone spawns, they’re almost never here long enough to be dragged in,” He spoke casually, easily. Tommy wondered for a moment what exactly their definition of trouble was.
“Someone will be here to check on you, soon. Don’t get yourselves hurt, please. We’re happy to help here.” He continued, glancing between the two. Tubbo fidgetted, nodding numbly, as he could practically hear Tommy roll his eyes beside him.
Quiet mechanical whirring buzzed as holographic, shimmering bee-like wings expanded behind him.  “Good, then.” Xisuma dipped his head, before familiar red-and-white rockets appeared in his hands.
Before Tommy could lung to cover Tubbo’s ears, Xisuma had already taken off. White particles were left behind him, but the expected boom never came, merely a small pop and smoke. The sight of them, nonetheless, couldn’t help but leave a bitter taste in Tommy’s mouth.
While Tubbo was visibly startled, cringing and nearly tumbling over, he didn’t feel his chest constricting the way it usually would, typically. They’d both consider it a win, for now. Tubbo fell over into Tommy’s arm, as his best friend pulled him into a side hug.
They both slid down against the wall. The conversation alone had taken out all remaining energy they had left in them. Tommy’s gaze surveyed his friend for a moment. “So,” He said pointedly, Tubbo lifting his head to face him.
“What the fuck was that, and what the hell is Hermitcraft?”
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vivianweasley · 5 years ago
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Reason Why I Hate You (Fred Weasley X Reader)
Summary: You hated Fred Weasley, but you just didn’t know why. Maybe it was because there was some unfinished business between you two from a past life? past life au and a bit of enemies to lovers.
Prompt: this is for @slytherinsunrise‘s writing challenge and the prompt is Historical AU! Hope you guys would like it:)
Pairing: Fred Weasley X Fem!Reader
Warnings: murder, major character death, arranged marriage, terrible husband, reader’s family in past life is pureblood supremacist, sound of explosion (firework), angst in the past life, fluff in this life
Word Count: 2.2k
Special thanks to @valwritesx for giving me wonderful advices<3
Disclaimer: all the pictures in the moodboard are from Pinterest. Credit goes to the original owners.
Please do NOT repost or translate my work on another site without permission! Thank you! Reblogs and comments are always welcome:)
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It all began on an early autumn afternoon.
1815, an afternoon in September, Frederick Weasley just threw a water ball on his potions professor, and he was now hiding in a broom closet, waiting for his angry professor to go away.
But he heard footsteps approaching the door. Just when Fred was sure that detention is waiting for him, he saw a girl at the door.
“What are you doing-” before you could even finish your question, Fred pulled you into the broom closet, closed the door, and covered your mouth with his hand.
The space inside the broom closet was so limited that your bodies were pressed together now. You felt your face heating up, and your heart was racing. You should be furious. You should scold the man in front of you for being rude or even slap him for that, but you were just standing there stiffly, with your eyes wide opened.
There was another series of footsteps approaching the broom closet now, and you heard the potion professor yelling, “You’re dead if I catch you! Ten points from Gryffindor!”
After the sound of footsteps faded, Fred finally let go of you. You finally got the chance to step on his foot, causing him to jump in pain.
“I probably deserved that.” His hands were still rubbing his foot, but he didn’t forget to joke, “So, tell me, what brings you to the broom closet?”
You glared at him, “I was looking for my cat.”
He nodded, “I’m guessing that you are curious about what brings me here, to this broom closet, to meet with you.”
“Oh, I already know. You just threw a water ball on the potions professor, and now you are on the run.”
His face suddenly lit up, “So you just saw my work?” 
“Who doesn’t know about Frederick Weas-”
“It’s Fred.”
You glared at him and continued, “Who doesn’t know about Frederick Weasley’s shenanigans.” 
“So you already know my name!” He smiled, couldn’t hide the pride on his face, “May I have the honor to know yours?”
You rolled your eyes, “Y/F/N Y/L/N.”
He bowed a little and pretended to tip his imaginary hat, “Y/F/N Y/L/N, my pleasure.”
This man was frivolous, reckless, and didn’t respect any rules. You had all the reasons to hate him, but why was your heart beating so fast? You sighed, as you could already foresee a future that’s out of your control, “My displeasure.”
~
Like many romance novels from that period, the girl with a strict upbringing fell in love with the infamous troublemaker. You and Fred were very different people. You were like different sides of a coin, but this couldn’t affect the attraction between you two. Once the spark between you was ignited, there was no turning back. It was as if fate was pulling you together.
You decided to get married after graduating from Hogwarts, but your family forbade this marriage.
They said the Weasleys were blood traitors, and Frederick Weasley was nothing but an ignorant boy of ill-breeding. Your pureblood supremacist family could never give you their blessings. In fact, they already betrothed you to the youngest son of the Burkes, Ralph Burke.
You’ve met Ralph a few times. Not only did he believe in pureblood supremacy, but he also believed that women should do nothing but stay home and be a good wife.
Fred’s situation wasn’t too good as well. His family hated your family, and they wanted their son to marry the Johnson girl.
~
You and Fred met under a sycamore tree. He sounded desperate, “Let’s run away! Let’s run to a place where no one knows us. France, America, anywhere but here!”
You nodded. You didn’t want to care about how eloping would ruin your and your family’s reputation. These ridiculous rules controlled you all your life; it was time for you to finally do something reckless, something for yourself.
He let out a sigh of relief and held you tightly, “Three days later, I’ll wait for you under this sycamore tree at night. We will get married the next morning!”
~
After the longest three days in your life, you tiptoed around the house to make sure that everyone was asleep, and you started running as soon as you left the house. You only brought a small bag of galleons to help you survive the first few days and left everything else behind. 
You wanted nothing from your past. All you wanted was to start a new life that is carefree and full of choices you could make on your own. A life that you could spend with someone you love. 
But when you reached the sycamore tree, the person waiting for you wasn’t Fred, but Ralph.
Ralph’s face was emotionless when he told you that Fred already left the town two days ago because he was afraid. He was afraid of being tied down by you and being forced into another marriage by his family, so he ran away on his own.
You couldn’t believe it. You knew Fred loved freedom, but he was never someone who would break a promise. 
Ralph took you to the Weasleys, and Mrs. Weasley’s reaction confirmed everything as she yelled, “Where is my sweet Frederick? What did you do to him??”
So it was true. He ran away, without you. 
You felt lifeless as you collapsed. You couldn’t understand it. If he was so afraid of the restrictions that marriage brings, why would he even suggest eloping with you?
You felt deceived and betrayed. Anger and sorrow were clouding your reasons. You were willing to sacrifice everything for him. Your reputation, your family, the life you had, everything. But he still ran away without you. He left you behind.
You felt like a joke.
You felt hopeless.
~
Three months later, after still not hearing anything from Fred, you gave in to your family’s expectations and agreed to Ralph’s proposal.
You were locked up in the Burke Manor after becoming Ralph’s bride. Misery and resentment were the only things that kept you company in this cold cage that was shaped like a luxurious manor.
Finally, after two years of living in this agony, you closed your eyes forever.
You left this world still resenting Fred. You left without knowing that two years ago under that sycamore tree, he closed his eyes before you.
That night when you and Fred met at the tree for the last time, Ralph was there, too. After hearing that his fiancee was planning to run away with another man, a blood traitor, he couldn’t stand the humiliation. He confronted Fred, but Fred didn’t seem to care at all. Merlin, Ralph hated that smug smile of Fred.
Rage took over him, and he raised his wand at Fred. It was a simple death curse. Ralph took care of the crime scene calmly and returned home, pretending like nothing ever happened. 
And just like that, Fred disappeared. No one knew the truth. No one knew that until his last breath, he was still holding a wedding ring. The world only knew a coward called Frederick Weasley, who ran away on his own after promising forever to a poor girl.
~~~
September 1991, you were admitted to Hogwarts along with the famous Harry Potter. You soon became friends with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. And naturally, you also became friends with the other Weasley kids, except for one, Fred Weasley. 
You were even great friends with George, but there was something about him that warned you to stay away from him.
Fred was hurt, but he wasn’t too worried because he knew for sure that he could find a way to make you like him.
1995. You were having lunch with your friends at the Great Hall. It was a perfectly normal day until you saw a spark floating in front of you. And before you realized what it was, something exploded on top of your head. For a moment, you thought your heart was jumping out of your chest.
You looked up and saw fireworks exploding across the Great Hall and spelling out “Y/N Happy Birthday.” You rolled your eyes, knowing exactly who would come up with something dramatic like this. 
You also heard some people gasping and saying that they were jealous. But you weren’t happy with it at all. It not only almost scared your soul out of your body, but also made you feel embarrassed. 
You stood up and tried to run away, but you heard Snape’s voice, “Ms. Y/L/N, Mr. Weasley, this is not a carnival. Detention.”
“Professor, it was all me. She has nothing to do with it!” Great, at least he’s not only a stupid git, but a chivalrous stupid git.
“Good. Ten more points from Gryffindor.”
The Gryffindor table soon started groaning, and you sighed. What kind of birthday gift is this?
~
After class, you and Fred were sent to the divination classroom to wipe all the crystal balls. You were sent here because Snape didn’t want to risk having Fred breaking all of his precious potion bottles. As of Trelawney’s crystal balls? Snape couldn’t care less.
Looking at the classroom that was filled with crystal balls, you sighed. What did you do to deserve this bloody simpleton in your life?
“Y/N, I’m sorry...” You could hear the guilt in his voice.
But you still replied bitterly, “Forget it. It was nothing. Who cares about spending birthday at Hogsmeade anyway, right?” You knew you shouldn’t be so passive-aggressive, but you just couldn’t put away the hostility towards him.
But Fred couldn’t take it anymore, “Why do you hate me so much? If it was something I did, I apologize. But you hated me from the very beginning. What the bloody hell did I do?”
“I-” You rolled your eyes. Isn’t it clear enough? You hated him because...Then it struck you. You didn’t know how to answer his question. Yes, you could say you hated him because he was reckless and pompous, but was this the real reason why you hated him? 
“I-I don’t know.” You lowered your head, feeling both defeated and confused. 
“Then could you at least try not to hate me that much?”
Guilt started rising in your stomach, but you didn’t want to admit your defeat, “Why do you care? There are so many others who love you.”
“I care because I fancy you!”
You were still dumbfounded and not sure how to react, but you heard a cough behind you. You and Fred turned together and saw Trelawney.
Except now, her eyes were rolled back, and she started speaking in a hoarse, guttural voice, “180 years later, the star-crossed lovers meet again...One with regret... and one with resentment...On this fateful day...destiny ties them back together once again...”
And then she coughed again and returned to her usual self, “Oh, that was embarrassing. What was I doing here again..Oh right! You two can leave now. I don’t need cleaning here.”
“But Professor Trelawney, Professor Snape said...”
“Oh don’t worry dear, I already told him. You two are good to go!” Trelawney thought back on how scared she was when Snape told her that Fred Weasley was cleaning her classroom. She came here as fast as she could and was relieved when she saw all the crystal balls were still intact. 
~
“Do you think Trelawney was talking about us?” Fred asked after you two left the classroom.
“When did you start to believe in that?” You sounded nonchalant, but deep down, you always believed that Trelawney was actually excellent at divination, so you started panicking after hearing that oracle.
Fred ignored your question, “What did she say? One with resentment? That sounds like you.”
“And you’re the one with regret? Do you even know what regret feels like?”
“Yea! I regret that I did make a great impression. I regret that...I didn’t make you fancy me like I fancy you!”
“You are hopeless, Frederick Weasley. Stop saying that if you don’t mean it!” You were angry. Does he even know that he shouldn’t say something like that? What if people took it seriously? But knowing how frivolous he was, he probably said that to everyone. So why were you still blushing? The more you thought about it, the angrier you got, so you decided to walk faster to get rid of him.
But Fred kept up and stopped you, “But I’m serious. I mean it.”
He looked so sincere when his warm brown eyes met yours, making your heart skip a beat. You stuttered, “F-fine...then I guess I...don’t hate you either...”
“Great! That’s some progress!” He grinned, “You know, if we start running now, we might still have time to go to Hogsmeade.”
You raised your eyebrows and he continued, “If I could make up for your birthday, would you go on a date with me?”
“I... could consider that.” Your face was heating up, but you started walking faster again so he won’t see how flustered you were.
But of course, he kept up again. “Why are you always calling me Frederick?”
“I don’t know. It just appeared in my head. Plus, I feel like you hate it.”
“I do. It sounds sad.”
“Who knows, maybe it’s your name in your past life,” you joked.
“Then I’m pretty sure I hated it in my past life, too,” he shrugged, “Whatever, this life is all that matters now.”
You didn’t reply as you looked at him. He was smiling at you, and at this moment, you knew your future was going to change, in a good way this time.
~
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vemuabhi · 4 years ago
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ITS OKAY TO TAKE A BREAK
Stressed Reader Comfort!
Hello!!! I am so happy you requested my dear! I am so happy to write for you. Please drink water and take care of yourself. I know it’s a hard time. But don’t lose hope and don’t let stress eat you up. You are loved and you are needed.
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Pairing : Sanji X Reader
Word count : 2.2K
Warnings : Not proof read, Stress, insomnia, Hurt then comfort and a very adorable Sanji
Sanji post Tagging : @ye-rin164
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 Assignment after assignment. Projects, seminars and exams. Forget about dates, you are not even having time to sleep properly since the last month. Still you stayed up many nights writing all the assignments. Researching stuff needed for the seminars. Memorising all the chapters from all the subjects. Praying to get good credits every time. Even sleeping for those 3 hours a day seemed so stressful because of your piled up assignments, which your teachers just dumped on you mercilessly.
Slowly because of lack of sleep and hectic works, dark circles were visible clearly under your eyes. Headaches became regular now. You weren’t able to focus on things properly. You just… tried to go along with the flow of day. Anything you ate tasted bland making you to loose appetite. All you now wanted was a day to just… rest.
Ignoring the good morning and good night messages from a certain someone made you feel guilty. But because of work, you couldn’t even catch a break. Yes… stress was building up in you.
Researching and taking print outs for the next “group” seminar made you work even harder. Yeah as you know how there is at least one person in the group who doesn’t even attempt to do work. Now you had FREAKING two of them in your 5 member’s team. Guess what happened. You three had to now share the burden of the remaining work.
‘Good thing Sanji isn’t here to see how much of a mess I am right now’, you thought sipping your caffeine. You felt lucky that you were at least getting time to take a quick shower every day.
On the other hand, Sanji knew. He knew how terrible your work was getting, making you to give him a single reply every two days, letting him know you were alive. If you didn’t give him that reply, he’d have gotten a panic attack on how you were. No regular messages, no dates, no video calls, not a single god damn normal call. He was really getting worried. But he stayed patient.
Nami and Robin chan suggested him to go and meet you, but he thought if he went, he’d be a problem to you for not letting you finish your work. His heart was earning to see you. To hug you. To make you something to eat. To just… be with you.
As days passed, you were getting more and more annoyed and you started to have breakouts for almost everything and nothing. Even the smallest things were making you cry. Like once You even cried as you saw a small puppy outside your apartment.
You hated to cry. But because of this pressure you couldn’t even control your emotions. You felt like you were losing yourself.
At Sanji’s house, he and Zoro were doing dishes but Sanji couldn’t help but to worry about you.
“Its just a gut feeling but I cant help but to worry”, Sanji sighed.
“If you feel like shit, why not just go to her place?”, asked Zoro
“Tsk, Its not that easy. What if I interrupt her?”, replied Sanji washing his hands after giving the last plate to Zoro.
The green haired man took the plate and placed it into the shelf. He sighed and said, “Look cook. It’s okay to go and check on her once a while, If you are worried. Maybe she needs you too”
Sanji never thought of that. He was always insecure and felt that he might disturb you if he met you. But this gut feeling of his was telling him to atleast go and see you.
“In 5 minutes, I’m leaving”, the blond told his roommate before going into his room. Zoro just smirked before closing the shef door.
You sat in the corner of the room. Your books were still open and you knew you were supposed to study. Then… the negative thoughts hit you. Your brain wanted to play some tricks on you. And it chose this freaking time to do that.
‘Yeah… you are not gonna get good grades even if you do this’
‘Sanji is so hardworking. He’d be so disappointed to have a person like you as his lover’
‘All your assignments are worthless, stop giving yourself enough credit’, you looked into your mirror.
Tears slid down your face. You looked terrible. With messy hair, unwashed clothes, dirty room. You wanted to tear the place down. You were so hurt and pressured.
*Ring*
Your train of thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. You wiped your tears quickly and stumbled as you made your way towards the main door. You swung open the door and your (eye colour) orbs met the all blue orbs. The golden hair smoothly covered one of his eye. His smile brightly as seeing you.
“Aish! Y/N, how many time have I told you to check before opening the do-”, He didn’t even complete his sentence and you ran into his arms, tightly embracing him, making him to take a step back.
He instantly knew something was wrong with the way to you hugged him. He wrapped his arms around your body. You started to cry as he hugged you.
“Sanji… I… I can’t… I hate this. I don’t like this”, you whimpered between your sobs. He soothingly rubbed the back of your head.
Without breaking the hug, he pulled you inside the house and locked the door. Leaning his back on the door, with still you hugging him, he pulled you even closer. He patted your back while you buried your head in the crook of his neck.
“Y/N, look at me dear”, he asked and you slowly looked at him. His expression from worry turned to one of a sad one.
“I missed you so much”, you cried even more looking at him.
“Shhh~~ Y/N, I’m here. Please don’t cry. This hardship will pass away. Don’t let the stress eat you up”, he kissed your forehead as he calmly whispered into your ear.
Actually Sanji was also so hurt because of your situation. But if he wasn’t strong, who would encourage you.
Soothing your tears away, he kissed your eyes.
“I am sorry. I look horrible”, you sniffed and damn yes, he was not happy by the way you said it.
“Don’t ever say that. You are the most amazing and hardworking person. Give yourself a bit more credit”, he shook your shoulders as he said that.
“Listen here, you are tired, but you are still very much beautiful. All you need is a good night sleep”, he said as he pulled you towards your bedroom.
The bed was a mess. Books, papers, laptop, stationary on it. You felt embarrassed as Sanji saw you in your worst state.
“Sorry Sanji for making you see this”, you said as Sanji just made his way into the room and started to quickly clean the bed.
“You are apologising way too much Y/N. If I didn’t support you now, I shouldn’t even call myself your friend let alone your boyfriend”, he said.
Within minutes, he cleared everything up. You went towards the table to continue your work, but then, you felt your wrist being grabbed.
You looked at him and he looked at you with worried eyes.
“Y/N, I never said you should now write your paper”, he said sternly. Even though his voice was deep, his eyes showed worry.
“But I should complete it”, you said but he was quick to pull you towards him. He lifted you up with grace and walked towards the bed swiftly and plopped you on it. You couldn’t even protest because of how quickly it happened.
You tried to get up but then he decided to jump on you and cuddle you. You chuckled at how he behaved like a small child. When he heard your laugh he looked up to you, his head still placed on your chest. Oh how much he wanted to hear that laugh of yours. But you yourself didn’t knew when you fell asleep. As Sanji was looking while you laughed, you almost immediately fell asleep.
He smiled at you as you slept. He woke up and went towards your desk and sat on the chair.
Looking at the assignment that you should start, he analysed what you wrote in the roughly at the side. He took your phone and placed his thumb on the finger print scanner. Yes of course, you guys are having the healthiest relationship. He went towards the pdf of the assignment due dates and found the assignment you were working on. And damn he got angry at how many assignments you were given. The one you were working on was to be submitted the day after tomorrow.
‘Damn… no wonder Y/N had to stay up most of the night for these’, he thought as he called one of the smartest people he knew. No… it wasn’t Luffy. He has the devils Luck to pass his exams.
“Hey Robin chan! This is Sanji”, he said as he looked at the assignment.
“Hi Sanji. What happened?”, she inquired
“Robin chan, I actually need some help”, he started to ask about the assignment and how to collect the required information related to it.
Robin chan understood the situation and started to explain.
“So Sanji, Don’t waste your time searching all the websites. Just go to the websites I told you and you can see almost every possible explanation required to you”
Sanji searched on the laptop as he placed the phone between his shoulder and ear. The un-lit cigarette was dangling between his lips. The habbit of having it made him focus on things even more. But he ofcourse didn’t want to light it and make you wake up from its smell. And for gods sake, it was your divine room. He would never light a cigarette here. Soon he could see the information required to your assignment.
“Oh yes! I got it Robin chan! Thanks for your help”, he thanked her and they both ended the call after the exchanging a few more casual talks.
He looked at some other sites Robin mentioned and found everything that you required for writing this assignment. He actually wanted to write for you but, he knows that you’d feel guilty if he wrote it. So he just searched it for you. Then looked at another assignment which was the next one you had to submit in 5 days from now. So, he started to search for it and found the required information. He looked at the time and noticed that, it was already 2 in the morning. He didn’t even knew how the time passed while he searched for the information.
Sanji stretched his arms and stood up. He walked towards the bad, where you were sleeping peacefully. He smiled at you before kissing your forehead. He hugged you as he slept beside you.
The next day you woke up to the aroma of the food. You woke up from the best sleep you had. It was so refreshing and you felt so much better with it. You got up from the bed and went to the kitchen, where you saw the blond cooking for you.
You hugged him from behind as he grinned at your cute behaviour. “Good morning love”, he greeted you as he placed one of his arm around your shoulder and snuggled closer to you.
“Thanks for making this baby. I am so thankful for this”, you said pecking his cheek. He smiled and continued to make the breakfast.
“Its alright. Well, Y/N, you need to eat before you start writing the assignment. You smiled looking at him. ‘I am sure lucky’, you thought. You ate breakfast and then Sanji showed you the information he collected to write the assignment. Just when you thought you couldn’t fall in love with him more, he proved you wrong.
He was beside you leaning down with the laptop before you two as he was talking about some websites Robin chan mentioned. You placed your hand on his chin and turned him towards you then  pulled him in for a kiss.
“I think, I found the best boyfriend one could have. I’m so lucky”, you said as you hugged him
He blushed so hard when you said that.
“AHHH!! AND YOU ARE THE BEST GIRLFRIEND Y/N, I LOVE YOU TOO”
That day you both wrote the assignments together and finished them.
“Its okay to ask for help Y/N, I am always happy to help you”, Sanji said as he held the finished papers of the assignment.
You smiled back at him and said, “Thankyou Sanji. I… I’ll ask your help”
XOXOXOXO
So, I hope you liked this one shot. I felt so connected writing this. If you are facing a similar situation. Just remember. You need rest and you can always ask for help. Please give yourself credit and stay positive.
Like/Vote, Comment, Reblog/Share if you liked it!
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whatisthiswritingthing · 4 years ago
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Forged - Tierna Davidson x Reader
Prompt: Could you do one where R is a part time black smither. Like R is making hand forged rings and stuff for the uswnt and Tierna absolutely loves it cuz it makes R very muscular and she’s gay. 
“You alright there T?” Alyssa smirked at the younger defender.
“What?” Tierna shook her head, dazed at the question, clearly distracted.
“I asked if you were alright,” the keeper smirked again, laughing this time.
“Me? Alright? You bet,” the defender tried to focus back to the keeper, blushing.
“You sure? You seem a little distracted,” Sonnett came from behind, slinging an arm over her shoulders.
The brunettes blush deepened, dropping her gaze to the ground, embarrassed at being caught staring.
“How the fuck do forearms look hot?” She suddenly took a step away, motioning an arm to Y/N on the other side of the weight room.
“Seriously? That’s the part of Y/N that you find the hottest?” Alyssa asked confused.
“I mean, it probably means she’s pretty good with her hands,” Sonnett winked.
Everyone on the team was well aware of Tierna’s feelings for the forward. Tierna didn’t hide her feelings for Y/N, but Y/N was oblivious to them. The defender had asked the forward out several times, the forward would agree, only for her to be unaware of Tierna’s intentions. How Y/N still didn’t know how she felt, was beyond everyone on the team.
“She just did a 48” box jump, and you’re interested in her forearms?” Ali joined.
“I mean, that’s hot too, but like, you’ve them, right?”
“Well yea, she would, she works with her hands. Don’t say it” Becky cuts Sonnett off with a firm glare and a pointed finger when she sees the blonde defender about to say something. “She’s a blacksmith.”
Sonnett snapped her mouth shut at the look Becky was giving her, but still smirking.
“I agree with Sonnett,” Ali smirked too. “Definitely means she’s is good with her hands.”
“Not helping!” Tierna dropped her arms to her side.
“Ask her to see some of her stuff between practices,” Alyssa tried to help. “She does really good work. “
“Yes!” Tierna whipped around to the keeper.
“She lives in Chicago with you! How have you never seen her work?” Becky questioned. “I think I figured out why you aren’t dating yet.”
Tierna blushed while everyone else smirked at the defender.
“Y/L/N!” Sonnett yelled out across the gym, getting the attention of everyone else in the room.
Davidson smacked the blondes arm, staring at her eyes wide.
Y/N looked toward the group, eyes squinting, cocking her head to the side, and awkwardly waving.
She took a few tentative steps to them as Ali and Emily frantically waved her over towards them.
“Uh hey guys,” Y/N started unsure, looking between each person, confusion evident on her face.
“T has something she needed to tell you,” Sonnett gripped the other defenders shoulder, turning her to look at the forward.
“Oh? What’s up T?” 
The rest of the group all muttered vague excuses and scrambled away, Becky and Sonnett pausing to give Tierna a thumbs up behind Y/N’s back, Ali mouthing you got this, Alyssa rolled her eyes at the groups antics.
“What are you up to for the day off tomorrow? Alyssa mentioned you might be working in your shop or something,” Tierna started shyly.
“I am! I’m working on something really cool for the  team for the end of the season. You can totally come check it out if you can keep it a secret,” Y/N winked, earning a blush from the defender.
“I can definitely keep a secret. I’ll bring lunch?”
“Perfect! It’s a date!”
The loud clap of hands could be heard behind Y/N as Becky and Sonnett high fived.
“Get back to work!” One of the trainers called out, noticing so many of the players not accomplishing anything.
 The next day, Y/N was already gone that morning, having gone home the night before for the day off.
Tierna nervously picked at her plate at breakfast that morning, she would be joining Y/N in her shop in only a couple hours.
“Why are you so nervous? You’ve asked her out before and she’s said yes before.” Alyssa glanced up from her own plate.
“But she has never actually referred to it as a date!”
Alyssa rolled her eyes at the defenders dramatics, going back to her plate.
“It’s going to be fine T, take some lunch, chill out with her while she works, tell her how hot you think her forearms are,” Ali rubbed a hand on Tierna’s shoulder.
Tierna nodded to herself, continuing to push the food around on her plate.
“Do you think she thinks it’s a date?” Tierna glanced shyly at the other defender.
Ali stopped her ministrations and squeezed her shoulder, encouraging Tierna to look up and make eye contact.
“If she doesn’t, this is the perfect opportunity to make your intentions clear.”
“Yea that’s true. I’m just starting to think she doesn’t feel the same way. We’ve gone out a few times, but she never seems into it or like she is just too nice to say no.”
 A couple hours later, Tierna approached the open shop door, hearing the banging of metal.
Entering, she paused. Y/N’s back was to the shop door, her t-shirt was tight across her shoulder, the flexion of her muscles apparent, jeans fitted and dirty. Tierna swallowed, this was going to be a long lunch, and this was just what she could see from behind.
Waiting for an appropriate pause in Y/N’s work, she knocked loudly on the door. If Tierna felt overwhelmed from seeing Y/N from behind, the front made her speechless. The t-shirt was stretched on her biceps, veins popping in her forearms while they gripped her tools. Sweat apparent on her forehead and forearms, causing the soot and dirt to smear across the uncovered flesh.  
“Hey! You came!” Y/N turned around, smiling at the defender.
Tierna opened and closed her mouth a few times, too stunned at the very attractive appearance of the forward. Y/N cocked her head to the side at the hesitation.
“Hey! Of course I came, you said it was a date,” Tierna shook her head and gave her a wink, holding up the bag of sandwiches she brought with her. “Brought lunch.
“Perfect, I’m starving. Just let me wash up.”
Tierna set the bag down on the cleanest portion of the work bench she could find, then wandered around the small shop.
“Sorry, not the cleanest place to work,” Y/N apologized as she walked back in.
“This stuff is all so cool,” Tierna looked back up to the forward.
“Thanks, why don’t we eat and I can show you what I was working on.”
Y/N grabbed a clean rag, wiping down the work bench, pulling a chair out for Tierna to sit down. Tierna brushed past Y/N, gently squeezing her arm in thanks as she sat down. Tierna began pulling out sandwiches, handing one off to Y/N before opening her own.
“Ahh you remembered extra pickles!” Y/N gave the defender a big smile, dirt still smeared on her face.
“Of course I remembered you weirdo, you put them on everything,” she teased.
The pair talked about everything, teasing and bantering, Tierna asking about all the tools within her eye site, Y/N eagerly telling her all about them and what they did. As soon as she finished eating, Y/N hopped up and turning the heat back up on her forge, gathering a few of the extra tools.
“Wanna try a little bit?”
“Absolutley!” Tierna took the leather apron handed to her.
Y/N set up Teirna in front of the anvil, bringing out a heated piece of metal and placing it on top. Pressing a hammer and chisel into her hands.
“I’ll hold it with the tongs, you,” Y/N guided one of Tierna’s hand with a chisel, “hold it here like this,” she adjusted it how she needed it, “and this one,” she shifted the other hand with a hammer, “strikes here.”  
Y/N used one hand to firmly hold the metal in place while guiding the hand with the hammer to strike the metal.
“What are we making?” Teirna asked without taking her eyes off their hands.
“Rings,” Y/N replied, shifting to readjust the brunettes hands.
Tierna’s hands stopped, “how is this going to turn into rings?”
Y/N took over before the metal cooled too much to work with. Once satisfied it was alright to leave it, she pulled away, taking the tools from Tierna’s hands.
“Come look!” Y/N tugged Tierna over to another bench, pulling out a small case.
Tierna took the box, opening and gasped.
“You made all these?” she gently shifted the rings, looking at all of them.
Y/N nodded shyly, “I made them for the team for after the Olympics. Kind of cheesy I know, just a little thing for how hard everyone has worked this year. 
“These are so good!” Tierna reassured, “they’re all different.”
“Yea I made one for each one, tried to make them all personal.”
“Which one is mine?”
Y/N took the box and placed it back on the work bench, pulling one out and holding it up.
Tierna gasped again; the ring was gorgeous.
“This is amazing!”
Y/N blushed at the praise. Tierna slid the ring on, then gently grasped Y/N hand with one hand, the other gripping the opposite elbow.
“I like you Y/N.”
“I like you too T,” Y/N cocked her head to side at the change in topic.
“No, I like you as more than a friend Y/N.”
“Well that’s good, or this would have been very awkward,” Y/N chuckled.
“What?” Now the defender was confused.
“I don’t normally date people I don’t like and I kind of assumed you didn’t either.
“What?”
Y/N laughed and stepped into Tiernas space.
“I’m going to kiss you now T.”
Y/N placed a hand behind Tiernas head, pulling her in for a gentle kiss.
The kiss remained gentle, Tierna pulled away, leaving her hands on Y/N’s arms.
“Wait, you knew I had asked you out?”
“Of course did? What did you think had been happening for the last couple weeks?” Y/N laughed again.
Tierna pulled away more and shook her head with a chuckle. “I thought you were just oblivious to me asking you out.”
“Anyone would be a fool to say no to you,” Y/N pulled her in for another kiss.
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starsfic · 4 years ago
Text
10 Different Happenings: Red Son
In different worlds, there are different what-ifs.
Here’s ten what-ifs for Red Son
(1 is the Swap AU of @winterpower98, 2 is the roleswap au of @ninja-knox-ur-sox-off, 3 is @masterbuilderintern’s Spirit Monkie AU, 6 is inspired by an art piece done by @fre-dream, and 8 is Smoke, Flasks, and Unfinished Tasks by @skellebonez.)
-_-
1.
Fire.
It burned around him. Through him. In him.
There was something about it though... but did it matter? No. No, it didn’t. All that mattered, all that remained was the fire. He walked, focusing on the flames as he walked, focusing on the heat, the-
“Red!”
A voice?
Ignore it. It doesn’t matter.
“Red! Listen to me, please!” The walking stopped, although he wasn’t sure why. Some part of him demanded it, demanded he focus on the voice. It brought a different heat then the soothing flames. And... a memory. A memory of a pretty smile...
“Please come back to me.”
Then the heat was wrapping around him, almost overpowering the heat of the flames. It stroked... what? Pity? Sadness? Grief that the pretty smile’s owner was attached to something so foul...
The heat’s voice spoke again, in a whisper, low enough that he had to strain to hear it.
“I love you too.”
And then the hoop was around his neck and Red Son was back.
2.
It had been bugging him since he had been knocked out.
Red had barely caught a glimpse of it, but the gold around everything revealed that it was the truth.
Xiaotian was currently rummaging through his closet, looking for a hairband before they headed to the arcade, leaving him to sit on his bed. Now was a perfect time.
Red took a deep breath and blinked. When he opened his eyes, the world was cast in a lovely shade of gold. Then Xiaotian stepped out of the closet. “Hey, Red. Ready to go?”
But he couldn’t respond.
Because the sight in front of him was both lovely and utterly awful.
Xiaotian was green, like a pretty jade figurine. But cracks ran through him, blue-green and yellow bouncing off each other to create an unsettling image. The worst part was the dragon wrapped tight around him, claws digging into his eyes, which were now nothing but blue-green.
Then Red blinked again.
“Red?” The world was back to color and Xiaotian was normal again. Except he wasn’t. “You okay?”
Was he?
3.
Red groaned as he poked his head behind the corner, looking around. He resisted a shiver at the cold temperature- he had plenty of time to get used to the cold. “I can’t believe you had to wake me up of all people.”
Behind him, the dragon girl snorted. “You’re welcome, your Highness.”
The title was only reminding him of the blue and white robes he wore, stuff he would save for his mother’s stuffy dinner parties. Stuff that Xiaotian had dressed his sleeping body in.
Okay, time to go away from those thoughts.
“All that power going to his head,” Red explained, looking around again. “He needed something to tether him to what’s real. Someone on his side.” And Red had happily been that tether, making sure Xiaotian didn’t do something too wild. He whirled around on her.
She needed to know how badly she’d screwed up.
“In the dreaming world, I could talk to him any time I wanted. What you just did-”
And the chill became an overwhelming cold.
Red breathed out, noting the clouds that had formed at the breath, and sighed.
“You just took a knife to that tether.”
4.
When the message about his father’s defeat at Sun Wukong’s hands came, Red turned back to his meditation.
Princess Iron Fan waited for her son to come home, but he never did.
5.
When Xiaotian came down, he found DBK madly cackling, red painting his hands.
6.
Red Son turned the necklace over in his hand, considering it.
The Demon Bull family’s symbol was on the front in careful red strokes. His mother had assured him that he’d always worn it. And besides, it would remind their enemies who their defeat came at the hands of... except that had been a lie. It had all been lies.
“I think I had a traumatic childhood.” he admitted out loud.
Both to himself and the black-furred monkey next to him.
7.
Red stared at the image.
He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and then returned to staring.
On-screen was the campus’ latest meme. He couldn’t tell you if he wanted to what the words were. What he was focused on was the image that created the meme.
It was of him.
Dressed in what could barely be called an outfit, just a piece of gossamer fabric that had been wrapped around him for practice of fabric, lunging at Qi Xiaotian. He could remember the event- it was last Friday, his most recent modeling session. He and Xiaotian had been doing their regular argument when the latter had said something and...
He hadn’t been able to control the urge to throttle him.
And now the outline of his ass was out for all to see.
Red barely noticed the screen of his phone cracking under his grip. All he could focus on was finding that stupid noodle boy and finishing the job.
8.
His father was gone.
His father... was gone. Had left him. Had disowned him and cast him out and abandoned him. Was never coming back for him.
Red Son felt his knees grow weak. He collapsed onto them, staring at where he had last seen his father. Unnoticed by him, tears rolled down his face, turning to steam as they touched his skin.
He wasn’t sure how long he stayed there, on his knees in the little corner his father had secluded them in. At least he had given him the mercy of privacy before disowning him.
Finally, Red Son staggered to his feet.
With nothing else to it, he disappeared in a rush of flames.
Heading towards Flower Fruit Mountain.
9.
Xiaotian and Xiaojiao stared at the scene- the empty digsite and the fact that Red Son was digging in the middle of it.
He paused. “Don’t worry. I won’t attack. There’s no need anyway. It’s all gone.”
“Then...” Xiaotian paused to reach the bottom of the slope. He held out his staff just in case. “Why are you digging?”
“Oh, it’s simple really. My parents needed this artifact to power Father’s armor since going after the staff would be a waste of time.” Unwillingly, Xiaotian’s grip tightened on his staff. He and Xiaojiao shared an uncertain look. “Since I failed my last mission, I thought hey! A chance to make up for it! Except,” Red gestured grandly to the dig site, empty of people.
And artifacts.
“And I can’t go back empty-handed! Not like last time! So,” Red Son returned to pawing through the dirt. “This is my grave.” He glanced over his shoulder, his wide grin and messy hair revealing his unravelling state. “Want me to dig you two ones as well?”
The two shook their heads.
“Suit yourself.” Without another word, Red Son faceplanted in the dirt, dragging dirt over his head.
Xiaotian and Xiaojiao shared another worried look.
Oh boy...
10.
Red Son stared at the scene in front of him. Finally, he had to speak.
“And, pray tell, do you want me to join this little...” He picked up one of the figurines. It looked like the Noodle Boy’s little sister, the real one glaring at him, except this figurine was dressed in white and blue. “Gaming session of yours?”
“Uh, because it’s fun?” The Dragon Girl handed him a figurine. Much to his displeasure (and secret amusement) it was of him. A little scowl on his face and all. “Come on... It’ll be fun!”
“That’s your opinion.” the pig demon said. The next moment, he winced as if she kicked him.
Red eyed the rest of the room. Sun Wukong didn’t seem to be paying attention, quietly whispering to the Noodle Boy’s sister. The Noodle Boy himself seemed to be unsure but was still smiling gently. The pig was rubbing his leg, whispering to the scholar.
“Fine.” He sat down at the table, resisting an urge to make a face at the cheap beer that was pushed over.
“Now that’s settled,” Wukong grinned from his place. “Let’s begin.”
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