#the way he easily let will in without backtracking or double-checking

[a-little-cretur]

this moment when hannibal hands will the knife to 'slice the ginger', there's this hesitation between them; hannibal hesitates before handing him the knife, will hesitates before holding the hilt and then hannibal hesitates before letting go

i think there's a silent moment of trust here between them, well at least on hannibal's part.

his scar from will's attempt on his life is in view, he's aware that will has tried to kill him once and that to some extent, he still wants to and most of all, he knows will could take the knife and very well gut him with it right then

he's aware of all these possibilities but he truly believes that will wouldn't do any of that, he truly believes will is completely on his side. he trusts him and he wants will to know that

[sevsevteen]

Hi I'm a huge fan of your fics🤩! Can you please write a Svt × 14th member where the reader has a crush on one of the oldest members (preferably joshua) and is afraid to confess because of their age gap (5 or 6 years) and during an incident joshua realises that he likes the reader too and reacts emotionally and ends up kissing her in front of the members. SCoups is worried that it is too early for the reader to enter a relationship

helloo :9 this actually took a while because i was debating how to write this - please note i didn't include the kissing scene! i don't write for apparent romance between members, so this came in a way that's more of a quiet, caring joshua. i tried my best to fulfil your request ~ and i hope you still enjoy reading <3

-- જ⁀➴°⋆

It was the little things that made you double-take.

The way Joshua always reached for the mic closest to him and handed it over to you without a word. The way he lingered just a second longer when patting your shoulder after a long practice. The way his eyes sometimes scanned the room before quietly landing on you, and then flicking away just as fast.

You weren’t supposed to think anything of it.

He was Joshua.

Gentleman. Calm, composed, soft-spoken even within your own group. You were years apart - born into different generations of humor, playlists, and levels of self-awareness even if you did grow up together.

And you were careful. Too careful.

So you turned your feelings into something fleeting. A harmless fondness tucked between syllables when saying his name. A warmth that curled into your hoodie when he passed you a hot pack in winter without even looking up from his phone.

Like now.

You sat curled on the edge of the photoshoot set couch, arms wrapped around your knees, still catching your nerves. The shoor had run longer than expected, and everyone was sluggishly gathering their things to head out.

Joshua walked by with his water bottle, only to pause, backtrack, and gently press a folded jacket over your shoulders. Yours must have slipped off somewhere mid-film.

“Oh,” you blinked up at him. “Thanks.”

“You looked cold,” he replied simply. “You okay?”

You nodded - automatically. Smiled - barely.

Joshua looked at you for a moment longer than he needed to. Not with amusement or teasing, just that soft, unreadable gaze of his that always felt a bit too kind. And maybe that was what made your heart trip up in the first place. He was kind to everyone, but with you? It always felt quieter. Unspoken.

“It’s been a long week,” you said, voice barely above a whisper.

Joshua’s lips tugged into a small smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

“It has,” he agreed. “You’re doing well.”

The words landed somewhere in your chest, catching you off guard.

You ducked your head, unsure how to answer.

But just when you wanted to make a quick escape - your ankle bumped the side of the coffee table, hard enough to sting. You winced.

“You okay?” Joshua leaned down slightly, eyes narrowing in concern.

“I’m fine. Just… clumsy.”

“Still,” he said, crouching so he could be eye-level, brushing your hand away to gently check the bump forming above your sock. “Be careful.”

You froze - every part of you begging not to overthink the way his fingers brushed against your ankle, not to replay the way he softly clicked his tongue like he cared more than he let on.

“Hyung,” someone called from the hallway, probably Mingyu. “We’re leaving.”

Joshua glanced toward the door, then back at you. You weren’t sure what he saw - maybe the flush rising to your ears, maybe the way you avoided eye contact, heart thudding.

He stood up. Hesitated.

Then, with a soft chuckle, he reached over and gently tapped your head. “If I send hot packs to your room later, it’s because I know you’re going to pretend you're not sore.”

Your eyes lifted to meet his, caught off guard. “You don’t have to do that…”

“I know,” he replied easily. “I want to.”

And just like that - he left.

No implication.

Just warmth left behind in the silence. Just a small kindness you weren’t sure meant more than it should.

But when you found the hot packs outside your door later that night - neatly stacked in a paper bag with a sticky note that read, “Don’t forget to rest” - your heart thumped in a way that scared you.

Because maybe you weren’t imagining it.

And maybe he wasn’t either.

Not quite love. Not quite nothing.

But something.

And for now - it was enough for you.

.

Dusk in the dorm was quiet.

You sat alone in the kitchen, legs swinging slightly off the edge of the stool, notebook on the kitchen island as your pencil skimmed across lyrics. Your jacket was still draped over your shoulders - Joshua’s, you realised later on, with a pang of heat rising to your cheeks.

You had meant to return it.

But now…you weren’t so sure you wanted to.

Your pencil stopped moving when you heard the door click open behind you.

“Can't sleep?” Came Seungcheol’s low voice.

You looked up with a small smile. “Hey, Cheol.”

He walked in slowly, not with his usual leader bounce, but something more thoughtful. His gaze swept across the room - at your notes, the mug beside you, the jacket still not yours - and then settled on you.

“Do you need anything?” you asked, trying to fill the silence.

“Just a few check-ins. I figured I’d stop by.”

You nodded, unsure where this was going.

He moved to sit beside you - close enough for comfort. And when he spoke, his voice was calm. Gentle. But deliberate.

“I noticed something lately,” he started. “Between you and... you know who.” His voice trailed off.

Your hand stilled.

You said nothing.

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Seungcheol added quickly. “You’re both adults. And it’s not like I’d try to control that.”

You let out a slow breath, still not looking at him. “So… why bring it up?”

“Because it’s my job to make sure both of you are okay,” he said simply. “And that things don’t get… complicated.”

Finally, you met his eyes. There was no judgment in them. Just care. Quiet concern. The kind that had carried the team since debut.

“I’m not acting on anything,” you said softly. “If that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I know. But I also know you.” He tilted his head, eyes kind. “And I know Joshua.”

You swallowed.

He let a pause settle between the two of you before adding, “But even if no one says anything out loud, people feel things. Tensions shift. Rehearsals get awkward. Trust me - it happens.”

Your heart dipped, because he wasn’t wrong.

You thought of the jacket still on your shoulders. The way Joshua’s gaze lingered sometimes longer than it should. The hot packs. The quiet.

And the rollercoaster of emotions that came with it.

“I don’t want to mess up our dynamic. Or anything in fact,” you admitted, voice barely a whisper. “He means a lot to me. You all do.”

“I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt the group,” Seungcheol said. “But sometimes, when you care about someone too quietly… it hurts more.”

You blinked.

He smiled faintly. “I’m not asking you to stop feeling. I’m just asking you to be honest with yourself. Because pretending you don’t feel anything can cause just as much trouble as acting too quickly.”

You sat in silence, letting his words settle.

And then - you gave a small nod.

Seungcheol stood up, ruffling your hair gently before heading to the door. “You’re doing well. Don’t forget that.”

Just as he opened the door, he turned back.

“Also,”

You looked up.

“if he ever gives you his jacket again… at least wash it before returning it. He’s going to start running out.”

You flushed red, and he chuckled all the way down the hallway.

And for the first time in a long while, you didn’t try to hide the smile on your face.

--

[lilxberry]

Lost Then Found - Bofur

Requested By: @prestongoodplayisbabey​

Could I have a Bofur x reader where the reader gets lost (she’s part of the company) and when Bofur and the rest find her she’s eating a bear she caught with her own hands? I loved ur fic for @iwazoomingouttahere 💕

It’s probably a little different to what you were expecting but who doesn’t love a surprise amiright?! Also, I’m really glad that you liked the other fic so much that you wanted to request something for yourself so I hope that you like it

Warnings: A lil bit sad, wouldn’t say angsty though. Fluff. Mentions of death (animal). Mentions of blood. Mentions Bofur without his hat lmao. I think that’s it, don’t quote me on that.

Words: 2,713

Pairings: Bofur x Reader (female reader)

_______________

It was definitely NOT your fault when you had become separated from the company. Everyone takes a wrong turn occasionally and loses the entire group they were travelling with. Right? It’s not like you heard a strange noise a bit away and went to investigate and when you returned, you found that they pressed on without you. If anything, it’s THEIR fault you were now separated from you. The big knuckleheads are completely oblivious sometimes. Anywho, that isn’t the point. It most certainly, definitely, absolutely WASN’T your fault.

Honestly, you actually had no clue in which direction they took off in but nevertheless, you followed your gut. They’re quite the noisy bunch so it shouldn’t be too hard to find them if you were on the right track. So, when you hear no rowdy group of 13 dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard, you deducted that you either went the wrong way of they finally learnt the meaning of the word silence.

_______________

You huffed as you sat down on the damp ground as you were surrounded by forestry. The towering trees and shrubbery provided great cover for when you slept alone at night. You brought your knapsack that contained your bedroll over to your side where you rested against the mossy tree. You wrestle your bedroll from its confinement within your sack and roll it out, ready for when you rest when it gets darker.

As you finish up sorting your sleeping arrangement, you turned and looked at the slight clearing which you’ve chosen to set up camp before groaning slightly and setting out ready to find whatever you could for kindling the fire you plan to build. You set out slightly away from where you’ve set up your bedroll and knapsack and begin searching the ground for anything that isn’t to damp and will burn.

All you can think about as you collect fuel for your campfire is of the company, more specifically, a certain dwarf who had captured your heart with his whittling, singing and goofy hat that never leaves his head. You sigh, wondering if he even cared that you had disappeared, if any of them cared really. You had been separated for almost a week, surely, they noticed at least.

You shake your head. ‘Of course, they care.’ You groaned as you realised you practically came to a standstill as your mind wandered instead of doing what you intended on doing so. You look at the singular stick within your hand and huff. “It’s gonna be a long night…”

_______________

Bofur’s mood had been off lately, everyone could tell, especially his brother and cousin. They all dearly missed Y/N and were concerned about where she is now and whether she is safe, but it’s Bofur who’s losing his mind over his missing One.

Bofur knew the moment he first laid on the girl that she was his One, he almost instantly confided in his brother and cousin about the subject. He even asked Balins’ ear off over what he should do. He loved how Y/N’s smile always happened to brighten up his day, or how her laugh could lure any man for it was easily mistakable for a sirens call.

He even loved how she was the only person to truly make him flush a deep red. She matched him perfectly when it came to humour, making him flush when a sarcastic, dirty joke passed her lips.

The dwarf sighed as he sat himself down on a log beside his cousin and the young princes’. The three all shared a concerned look towards each other then turned their gaze towards the love stricken, hat wearing whittler.

“Don’t worry Bofur, we’ll find her.” Fíli spoke, placing a comforting hand atop his companions’ shoulder, offering a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah. She’s probably right on our ass knowing her.” Kíli joked, attempting to lighten the mood. Bofur could only offer a solemn shrug and a smile that couldn’t meet his eyes. The brothers turned to Bifur, hoping he would know what to say.

Bifur shook his head and shrugged his shoulders ever so slightly before looking towards his cousin and offering him the most comforting of smiles he could muster up. “We will find her soon. I promise cousin. We will find your One.”

Bofurs’ smile a tad bit more genuine at his cousins’ words. He sat up that little bit straighter before standing and facing towards Bombur who stood near the campfire. “I’m gonna see if Bombur needs help lads, thanks.” And with that, he slugged his way over, looking down towards the ground and sighing out deeply.

“Where the bloody hell are ya, lass…”

_______________

You head away from your camp and towards the deeper parts of the woods, ready to hunt for your meal. Crouching low to the ground, you spot small tracks, a rabbit most likely. You slowly and quietly followed the small tracks, hoping to come across meat for your food.

A small crackle within the bushes before you forced you to snap your head up. You smiled victoriously as you raised your bow and arrow, steadying your breathing, bringing your elbow back past your ear, forcing you to stare down the length of the piercing wood with a steel pointed head. ‘Got you, ya bastard.’

Just before you released your arrow to send the arrow piercing through the air, the small rabbit emerged from behind the bush, standing on its hind legs, revealing itself as not a small rabbit like you intended to find but a large, burly bear covered in a dark, fur coat.

You fell backwards from your crouched position on to your behind, clamping a hand over your mouth, your breathing becoming increasingly heavier, almost hyperventilating. Your eyes were wide with fear as the bear raised its snout into the air and sniffs, almost as if it were searching for you. You slowly crawled away backwards, putting some distance between you and the beast.

Your efforts had practically been futile.

The bear whipped its head towards you in a flash, staring at you for moment, a moment where you could only hold your breath and pray to whatever God could hear you. The beast released a loud, ground shaking roar, a heavy growl underlining it before it burst out into a run towards you. You scrambled to stand quickly and take lengthy steps back as you drew your sword, unsheathing it from its position at your hip, your bow and arrow long forgotten on the dirt ground.

It lunges towards you and you let a piercing scream tear its way through your throat. You drove your sword up into the chest cavity of the beast as it fell down from the force of its attack, impaling the beast on to your weapon.

It bawled out and whimpered in pain as it laid dying atop of your smaller form. You struggled to worm yourself out from underneath the beast and laid yourself beside it, sprawled out like a starfish and chest heaving heavily as your tried to catch your breath. “I’m sorry…” you whispered to the bear, a tear escaping from the corner of your eye.

You rolled on to your side and slowly came to a stand. You retrieved your dagger from your belt and stepped closer to the corpse. Embedding the blade into the bear, you began to skin and salvage any possible meat from the beast, your body quickly being covered in the luke-warm crimson liquid.

“I’m so, so sorry…”

_______________

The company had sat around the fire, eating whatever Bombur had been able to form into an appetising broth when they heard the loud roar of a beast. They all momentarily paused, all either halting their chewing or stilling the movement of the spoon coming closer to their mouths.

Their eyes travelled along each other as they sat a few moments in silence, some slowly lowering their bowls down, cautious if any over the few decibels they were making would draw whatever it was to them. But once they heard the feminine scream moments after, they jumped up and raced towards whatever they hoped to find.

Everyone was hopeful that it was their missing lass, all the while they wished it weren’t. The scream could never be a good sign. Bofur was the first to spring to action and burst through the treelines to head deeper into the woodland. All he could think is that his One could be in danger and he isn’t with her to protect her.

The others followed suit, rushing towards whatever it was. They dodged and weaved through trees and climbed over and under branched and roots. They ran and ran until they came across the carcass of a bear, a large one at that. It was partially missing some fur along with most of the meat that once encased its bones.

They searched the area, high and low. As Kíli crouched low towards the ground, he noticed the strange disturbances the ground had gone through. He assumed it was that of someone shuffling backwards in a vulnerable state. He brought the scuffle evident in the dirt to Thorins’ and the companies attention.

They backtracked the marks in the dirt and found where they had started, near a bush. They continued to search but one discovery had sent everyone into a state of panic and fear. Your bow and a singular arrow.

“She must’ve been here. You cannot deny it is hers!”

Finding your own tracks that came from your boots hadn’t been difficult to do. So, with that, they hastily followed your footprints, double and triple checking they were on the right track. A million thoughts whirled through their heads. What had happened? Were you alright? Had you been injured?

Bofur felt an array of emotions as he tailed the company, perplexed about what he had hoped to find. He so desperately hoped it was you, but what if they found you in a condition they so desperately didn’t want to come across. What he didn’t want to come across. He would never forgive himself if you had been injured or worse, never forgiving himself for not being able to protect you. His woman, his One.

He prayed to Mahal all throughout their search for you and soon, he found his prayer answered. There you were, sat beside a small campfire atop a thick coat of black fur, turning large chunks of meat over the fire, roasting it for your meal, all the while you were still covered nearly head to toe in nearly crisp dry blood.

Bofur dropped his weapon to the floor and rushed over to you, causing you to jump near enough a foot off the ground. “Mahal, Y/N, I’ve been worried sick!” He enveloped you in a bone crushing hug, dis-concerned about the blood, your shocked face and the other members who watched on. He pulled back ever so slightly and cup your face in between his hands, staring at you intensely. “Where did you run off to?!”

You swallowed down the dry lump that had formed into your throat and looked into his eyes, the other members of the company momentarily forgotten. “I uh-I heard a noise, so I went to check it out and when I came back, you guys weren’t there…” you trailed off, tears forming in your (E/C) orbs, threatening to spill at a moments notice. “I…I thought you guys didn’t care…”

The dam had broken and you now openly sobbed, tears had begun to stream down your face like salty waterfalls. Bofur had reacted quickly, bringing you into yet another hug, seeming more desperate than the last. You clung on to him like a scared child would cling on to their mother as you wept and wept into his chest. The other members all watched with saddened eyes, their hearts breaking the slightest at the thought of you thinking they hadn’t cared that you had disappeared.

“We’re right here lass, I’m right here. It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Bofur whispered sweet, soothing words in your ear as he laid a gentle kiss upon your forehead. “I ain’t ever letting you out of my sight ever again, ya hear?” You sniffled and even released the faintest of giggles as you lifted your head up to look Bofur in the eye. He smiled down at you and you could do nothing but return it with a tiny one of your own. “Aye, there’s my lass and that beautiful smile. Not as beautiful as mine though.” He spoke to you with such love and care.

You had laughed once more, always thankful for Bofur and his attempt at making others smile. “I missed you.” You whispered, leaning your forehead against his own.

He beamed towards you as the words passed your lips. “I missed you more, amrálíme.” He spoke not even a decibel louder than you before planting his lips firmly against your own. You froze, shocked by what was happening, but before you knew it, you melted into the kiss and matched his passion and love, raising your arms to wrap loosely around his neck.

The company all had smiles etched across their faces, some of them cheering and realising high pitched wolf whistles. You two broke the kiss as if remembering you were surrounded by others. You flushed a deep red whilst Bofur only seemed to beam towards you once more.

“I would like it if you would allow me to court ya and braid your hair, lass.” He spoke with such confidence that it almost made you neglect the pink tint his cheeks adorned. All you could do was nod and smile sheepishly as your blush intensified. He grinned from ear to ear and kissed you once more, one you happily returned.

Parting, he stood and extended his hand down towards you. You placed your smaller hand into his own before his encased yours and pulled you gently to stand beside him. As soon as you gained your balance, Bombur had rushed towards you and crushed you in his own embrace, him clearly missing you a lot just like his brother. You chuckled as you hugged him back, the company also finding Bomburs affection amusing. It even elicited a deep, throaty chuckle from the ever-brooding Thorin.

You all headed back towards the camp the company had set up, not without grabbing your belonging along with the meat and fur you obtained for the bear you had the misfortune of running into. Bofur had a protective arm around you the entire time, not even removing himself from your side once you had reached the camp.

Bombur and Bifur had taken it upon themselves to cook yet another meal for the company, seeing as you had salvaged much meat from the beast. You all sat and ate, they barraged you with questions about the week you had been separated from them. They even asked about the bear you had taken down and how you lugged so much its meat back towards your makeshift sleeping area.

As you talked and talked with the company on how you had no clue if you were even heading in the right direction towards them, Bofur stared at you lovingly, afraid that if he were to blink, you would become separated once again.

He thanked Mahal a million times over in his head, thankful that they had found you again, that he had found you again. He smiled, removing his hat which he then proceeded to place atop of yours. It fell past your eye, obstructing your vision, causing you to push it up whilst you giggled.

Bofur released a chuckled of his own as he brough you further into his side and rest his head on top of yours. “Amrálíme?”

You smiled as you hear his hushed use of the affectionate name. “Yes Bofur?”

“I love you.”

You turned and looked up at him through your eyelashes, that hat of his threatening to fall over your eyes once again and smiled. “I love you.” You snuggled further into his warm, loving embrace and you both sighed in happiness and contentment.

He’ll be damned if he ever got separated from his One ever again. And Mahal help whoever stands in his way.

_______________

.

.

.

.

.

First fic uploaded in 2021, lets gooooo!

It’s a little different to what the requester probably envisioned but the overall plot is still there so all I can hope is that they like it

BRO I HATED THAT I HAD TO WRITE ABOUT KILLING A BEAR, THAT SHIT SAD BRUH lmao

I hope you all enjoy

As always, constructive criticism and requests are welcomed and greatly appreciated :D

[kalaluchi]

chapter 05: Jagged Stone

previous | next

Marinette was confused.

How could two people go from comfortable banter to awkward silence in a span of two days? She’d heard of going from 0 to 100 real quick, but she’d never thought it’d happen to her.

More accurately -- to her and Adrien.

She stared at the back of his head, wondering where she’d gone wrong, as Mme. Bustier droned on with her lesson.

Marinette had really thought she’d finally gotten over the shy-awkward-start phase after the whole movie “date” last Friday. (She still wasn’t sure if that had been meant as an actual date, or as a chill friend hangout. And frankly, she was too scared to ask.)

But then the weekend came and they’d barely talked. (Though she’d been secretly hoping for a random good morning from him or something -- even just once.) She’d been busy baking and cramming assignments and random projects, and just like that the weekend was over.

It was now Monday, and she was sad to think all her efforts to become closer had gone down the drain. They’d exchanged greetings as she made her way to her seat that morning, but it was now 2 periods after lunch, and he hadn’t spoken to her at all. There weren’t even any of the corny memes he used to send when they were both bored in class.

Not that he’d been ignoring her, though. It just seemed like… he’d forgotten about her or had nothing more to say to her.

She probably could have reached out herself… but every time she was about to approach him, she felt like she was walking on eggshells. One wrong step, one wrong word, and something would crack.

She groaned, painfully aware that she was probably overthinking things too much. She checked her phone for the 10th time that period -- no new messages.

Marinette let out a sigh.

One apparently much louder than she’d intended.

“Anything to share with the class, Marinette?” Mme. Bustier’s voice broke through her thoughts.

She bit her lip, her ears red. “No, Mme. Bustier. Sorry,” she murmured, embarrassed.

She thought it was absolutely worth it though, because just then Adrien offered her a small smile in sympathy before turning back to face the front. So there was hope for them yet.

She sat back in her seat, deep in thought again. On impulse, she leaned forward and tapped Adrien’s shoulder while Mme. Bustier was facing the blackboard.

“Do you, uh, can I borrow a pen?” Marinette whispered in his ear.

If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought Adrien was blushing slightly from the sudden interaction. “Here you go,” he replied in the same quiet voice.

Her fingers tingled when they brushed his during the exchange, but she thanked him anyway. She really had no intention of using the pen (she’d never leave home without her beloved pencil case, with all the colorful pens and markers, please) so she decided to wait until class ended to return it and use it as an excuse to start a conversation.

Brilliant! This must be what Alya feels when she comes up with one of her schemes.

.

.

.

An hour later, as Adrien began packing his bag to go home, Marinette tapped him on the shoulder nervously. Her brilliant-a-period-ago plan was starting to not feel brilliant at all.

Nevertheless, she held out the pen to him, smiling. “Thanks for lending me this a while ago. You’re a lifesaver.”

He chuckled easily. “No problem. You looked like you needed some life-saving,” he joked.

Marinette couldn’t help but scoff at that. “I can save myself, thanks,” she muttered, in a tone sharper than she intended.

“Of course,” the blond backtracked hastily. “I didn’t mean to assume, I just--”

“Is… that a Jagged wallpaper?” Marinette asked suddenly, immediately forgetting the earlier offense.

“Uh, yeah. You listen to Jagged Stone?”

“Listen to Jagged? Get out, I practically breathe Jagged! Wow, I can’t believe he didn’t come up once in our conversations…”

“Well, I… didn’t really peg you to be a Jagged girl, honestly. No offense, though, I really don’t know why it didn’t occur to me. I mean, now it seems obvious. You’re nearly as cool as him.”

“Shut up,” Marinette laughed, waving away the compliment. “No one is as cool as Jagged. And it’s okay, I didn’t peg you to be a Jagged fan either.”

“You’re kidding. How could I not? A great singer, and a great player too. Piano, guitar, you name it! Heck, I bet he could even play, like, a lyre or something.”

Marinette scrunched her nose and raised an eyebrow. “A liar and a player at once? Can’t say that’s exactly my type. I’ve met too many of those, thanks.”

Red spots bloomed in Adrien’s cheeks as he sputtered, “No, I’m not-- that’s not what I--”

“I’m joking,” she interrupted, honestly surprised at his reaction. So annoyingly endearing.

“Oh.” Adrien sighed in relief, as Marinette bit back a smile.

There was an awkward pause as she thought of what else to add.

She had just opened her mouth when Adrien blurted, “There’s actually a Jagged show tomorrow.”

“Yeah, part of the Jagged Worldwide tour, right? I’ve got my room all set up with 3 flavors of popcorn to eat while I stream it.”

“Actually,” Adrien said somewhat nervously, “I may or may not have an extra ticket to the show, thanks to the Agreste brand and all.”

“Get out,” Marinette deadpanned, in shock.

(Adrien noted that that was the second time she’d said that in the last five minutes, and chuckled internally. How cute.)

“So, you wanna go?”

There it was again. That… awkward is-this-a-friend-thing situation. Marinette’s conscience told her no, don’t fall for his trap! He definitely only sees you as a friend, you’ll just get hurt if you hope for more! Which, true… but then again. This was Jagged. How could she say no?

“I’m in.” She beamed, bouncing on the soles of her feet. Even though the concert was on a school night, she was fairly sure her parents would let her go once they found out it was another ‘date’ with Adrien.

“Hey, Nino! Marinette said she’s game to come with us to the concert tomorrow,” Adrien called over his shoulder at his best friend.

“Sweet! See you there, my dude! I’ll pass the news on to Alya.” He gave a last wave before leaving.

Ah. So definitely not a date. At least she was aware.

Unless… a double date? Marinette groaned inwardly. Why did things have to be so complicated? She could almost feel the headache she was going to get from all this. (Especially now knowing that Alya would be involved.)

.

.

.

Marinette had never seen so many people in her life.

If she thought her bakery’s end-of-the-month sales were insanely crowded, that was nothing compared to the mass of people at the concert grounds, tightly packed and eagerly awaiting the arrival of their favorite singer.

As usual, something went wrong right off the bat. Their little group of four had gathered outside the grounds at 4:30pm sharp, but it hadn’t even been five minutes since they’d entered and already Alya and Nino were nowhere to be seen.

Marinette panicked immediately, obviously, frantically searching for the telltale brown-red-tipped hair of her best friend.

Adrien calmed her down immediately, saying that the lovebirds probably wanted to ‘spend some alone time together.’

Had Marinette been in a normal state of mind, she might’ve noticed that this practically reeked of another of Alya’s schemes. As it is, she simply allowed herself to be led by the blond-haired boy.

“Let’s go this way so we’re closer to the stage,” Adrien said gently, steering her one way. “Here, you can… hold my hand so we don’t get separated,” he added softly, taking her hand in his.

Soft. She was surprised to find that his hands were smooth and uncalloused. Well… she didn’t know what she had expected, but she thought they were absolutely fine as they were.

They finally made their way to the front as the singer stepped onto the stage to an eruption of cheers. She had to bite back a pout as Adrien dropped her hand to clap his own. She was about to suggest they link hands for the entirety of the concert, but all thoughts disappeared once the music started playing. She let herself get lost in the song, letting go of all her fears and doubts just this once, dancing to the tune, jumping to the beat.

A few minutes in, Adrien leaned in close. “I love this song,” he said, speaking directly into her ear to be heard over the crowd’s screams.

“Me too!” she shouted in reply, hoping in her heart it were actually words of endearment he’d said.

Once the first five songs ended, Jagged Stone stepped up to the mic, and a quiet hush spread through the crowd, waiting with bated breath for what he would say.

“I just want to thank everyone here for coming,” he started, pausing when the crowd roared their approval. He laughed heartily. “Never in my life would I imagine I’d be getting crowds like this, especially right here in Paris. Not many people know this, but I didn’t always like the name Jagged Stone. I mean, as is, it’s really nothing, right? It is what it is: a stone that is jagged. That means cut different from the rest, sort of sharp around the edges, prone to hurting others. Who would want that, right? Growing up, I was told I’d probably amount to nothing, so maybe I should choose a safer, more secure path. But then-- and here’s the key-- I grew up. And look where I am now.”

Marinette whooped along with the other concert goers, wanting her support to be evident.

“See, that’s the thing,”Jagged continued, on a roll. “These things take time. I came to love the name Jagged Stone. Because over the years, stones that are jagged smoothen around the edges. They become toned, weathered. They become the kind of precious stone you see being used in jewelry, maybe. Suddenly they’re something beautiful, valuable. Meaningful. Are they different from what they were before? Of course. But are they still themselves? Absolutely. Was that greatness there all along, right from the start? Without a doubt.

So to everyone out there: don’t rush it. Everything moves at its own pace. You may seem sharp around the edges, but that’s just how we are. Other people might not know how to approach those edges, afraid of getting hurt. But give it time. The ride will smoothen out. I want you to remember that there is already something valuable in each of you, even at this very moment. It’ll just take time for you to get used to that something, to hone it into the best version of you.

And speaking of time, I’d like to thank you all for the time you’ve given to be here! With that I’ll be performing my last song of the concert, my brand new single: Miraculous!”

.

.

.

“That. Was. Amazing.”

Ten minutes later, Adrien and Marinette had navigated their way out of the thick of the crowd, and were making their way to the meet-up spot as previously discussed.

“Definitely,” Marinette agreed, taking a bite of the cotton candy she’d bought. “That speech before the last song? That was my favorite part.”

“Really? He played six songs and not one of them classifies as your favorite part?”

“Oh, be quiet,” Marinette scoffed, shoving his shoulder lightly. “Stop judging. It just… hit close to home, I guess.”

“Oh… Well, uh, I don’t really know any of the context, but you do know you’re pretty amazing, right? As you are right now.”

Marinette took another bite to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks. “Thanks,” she said meekly, unsure of how else to respond.

“There you are!” a voice called. Marinette suddenly found herself enveloped in a tight hug. “I can’t believe we got separated right at the start! Nino here wouldn’t even let me go look for you because we’d found a great spot, he said.”

“Hey!” her boyfriend protested. “You were the one who said let the two lov-- oof, did you have to step on me foot?”

“Oops, accident,” Alya said lightly. “So anyway, how did you two find the concert?”

“It was fun,” Marinette replied softly, wrapping her arms around her best friend’s waist.

“Yeah? Something interesting happen?”

Marinette laughed. “No, I guess not. It was just… I don’t know, it seemed pretty--”

“-- miraculous,” Adrien finished, and they all had to agree.

As they headed back, Marinette reflected that maybe it wasn’t so bad she’d been treading on eggshells just the other day. Maybe her relationship with Adrien was just like what Jagged had said in his speech. At the moment rough at the edges, either party cautious of how to proceed in fear of hurting the other or getting hurt. And that was okay.

Because eventually, it would smoothen out.

And eventually, maybe, just maybe, it would bloom into something beautiful-- something hopefully more than friendship.

All they really needed was time.

previous | next

[strawberrywritings]

A/N: Here is part 3 of what I decided to call “Partners in benefits” (no imagination, my titles just state the obvious lmao). This pieces were so much fun to write and I hope you enojyed them, too! Thank you for the support, I love you all x

Part 1 / Part 2 / Masterlist

Warnings: mentions of death and sexual intercourse, angst

If there was something Rio took pride in, it was his ability in staying calm in difficult situations. Calm, collected, and cold, because that was what his job required. He had lost count of how many times he’d had a gun pointed at him, yet he always felt the same adrenaline rush; now, it was adrenaline rush mixed with something else: feelings. He didn’t know which ones, he’d think about that later, now his focus was on you, on the gun your hand, and the determination in your eyes. None of you dared to speak for a while.

“What are you doing?”, his tone of voice never changed, his mind switched to business-mode. “If you take your gun out, we can have a Mexican standoff. Otherwise, sit down”, your words were clear, desperately trying not to show all the emotions bubbling up inside. Your head tilted to the side, towards your table, and Rio sat down in one of the chairs, reaching for his gun and putting it on the table. “What are you doing, mama?”, his eyes were soft on yours, trying to understand what was going on in your head. Usually, he could scare everyone with a look, make them backtrack everything they had said, win the fight easily… but he had a feeling, this time, that was not going to work: he would not be able to win easily, he had no idea if he would win at all. “Why don’t you put that gun down and we talk?”, he put his elbows on the table and you laughed. “Talk? Is that how you call ‘murder’, now? I’m not stupid, Rio, I know where this is going.” “And where is this going?”. “One of us is dying tonight, and I’m not giving up without a fight”.

There was something in your eyes, something he couldn’t put his finger on: anger? Fear? Survival instinct? He licked his lips before speaking and he tried to keep his composure because he was torn between shooting you and not having to worry about what you might do or taking the gun and talk it out. “Killing me is not going to make your problems disappear. Killing me is going to double them. You kill me, you’ll have people coming for you”. “You are where my problems started. You fucking Beth was the first problem, you not cutting your shit with her was the second problem, and you fucking me was the end of it all. Do you see where I am?”, his eyes were trained on your eyes and then looked at the gun in your hands, “I see it”, he nodded and he looked into your eyes again. “You and your big ass ego are what got me in this situation. You think you can go around and fuck everyone you want and get away with it because you have all this money and power. You don’t care about what can happen to the people you fuck around with. Well, now you can’t run away from the consequences anymore. Your business with the girls is ruined, just like my life, and whether I die or not, tonight you lose something”.

Rio was speechless, he had no idea you could be this hurt from his actions and everything they caused. He knew you were probably pissed, but this? He was in deep shit. He was 90% sure he wouldn’t die, but you were right, his business was damaged and that was a problem, but he had to get that gun out of your hands. “Great speech – he started – but nobody’s gonna die”. You looked at him in disbelief, giving a humorless laugh. “I’m not fucking playing. Do you think I don’t know what happens when someone decides they want out? They don’t get to simply walk away. And you know what’s worse for me? I let myself be fooled by you, I let you play me, I trusted you. Fuck, I may even have feelings for you, at this point”. Rio noticed how your voice was starting to break, how your eyes were getting teary, even if you were trying to keep your feelings in check not to look, or sound, weak. You wanted to at least get the upper hand for a bit, buy yourself some time and figure something out, but your mind was full of Rio, Rio, Rio and your time was running out.

Rio got up, your hand instinctively gripped the gun tighter, as he walked slowly towards you with that damn smirk on his face. “You got feelings for me, huh?”, he stood right in front of the gun, his smile only getting bigger once your eyes met again. “This is not the point, don’t try to change the subject”, your stare was hard, your hand firm. “Do you remember when we watched ‘The Departed’? You had all your theories, things you thought were gonna happen. You’re good at seeing what could go wrong, and this is why you’re good at what you do”, he was still smiling. “I’m not part of that anymore, in case you’ve forgotten”. “Let me finish. As I was saying… when you were there, I was so annoyed that you wouldn’t stop talking, but when you left that night… I didn’t want you to leave. And I thought that it was just business for you, so I kept shit to myself. I tried not to think about you, but you don’t leave my fucking mind. When I went to the girls tonight it was to see you, I haven’t called you in two weeks because I don’t want you to think I’m just using you for sex, and going there was the only way I could see you. They told me what they did to you”. There was a pause and now you couldn’t help but cry, the gun wavering slightly in your hand. Rio looked sorry, he was beating himself up mentally for letting all of this happen, for even letting it get this far. “I never meant to hurt you, mama. I’m not good at expressing emotions, but… I care about you, not just as a business partner. That’s why I’m telling you to lower this this thing here – his hand reached out and touched the gun – and talk shit out with me. ‘Cause I can’t live with knowing you got hurt because of me”. His hand was careful, gripping the base of the gun, and when he was sure you wouldn’t press the trigger, he made quick work of taking the firearm out of your hand and putting it on the table. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you to him, rubbing your back soothingly while you sobbed against him. He held you for what felt like hours and he didn’t let go when your crying stopped, “So you’re not gonna kill me?”, you asked, sniffling. He laughed softly and shook his head, “Nah” you nodded and he kissed your head, rocking you from side to side.

“What happens now?”, you asked, looking up at him. He smiled and put both his hands on your hips. “Whatever you want, we can think about the rest tomorrow. What do you say?”, one of his hands was on your cheek, stroking your skin. “I’d like that”, you muttered and looked at his lips for a second, then back in his eyes. He started to lean towards you, pulling your face closer to his while giving you time to back away if you didn’t want to kiss him. You didn’t think twice about it and closed the distance between your lips. The kiss started soft, your body feeling warm and melting into his, after a few moments, he deepened the kiss and pressed you against the wall, hiking one of your legs around his waist. “Take me home, Rio”, your voice was breathless, your mouth moving to his neck and giving a few kisses there. He groaned and gripped the flesh of your thigh with his hand, so hard he’d probably leave a bruise. “Not sure I can wait till we get home”, he ground his hips into yours, making you gasp in surprise at the friction. There was a newfound hunger for each other; after calling Mick and telling him he could go home and after having sex in the backseat of his car, you made it home and you didn’t leave the bed till the early hours of the morning, only getting back to the bed to sleep after taking a hot shower.

Rio only slept for a few hours; first, he had to make sure you wouldn’t try anything on him, so he stayed up when you fell asleep against him, then, he had to fix Beth, and the girls. He woke up with your body next to his, he looked at you for a moment, before he made his way to the bathroom, to get ready for the day. He left you a note in the kitchen, saying he would be out all day, but you could make yourself at home and wait for him to talk things out in evening. You were still a bit scared about everything that happened the night before, you weren’t a hundred percent sure Rio had forgiven you for pulling a gun on him, seeing how he still hadn’t forgiven Beth for doing the same. He called you a couple times to check up on you, sending some guys to the house to keep you company. Before coming home that evening, he made a detour to Beth’s house, knowing everyone was out and she was about to come home. Him and Mick waited for her in the house, and he smiled once they scared her, she wasn’t expecting them, especially not in her own house. “What do you want?”, she was slowly making her way to the counter, to take out the groceries. “Just paying a visit”, he shrugged. “Busy day?”, she asked, hoping her small talk could make him stay a bit longer. “Not as busy as your days from now on, cause you’re gonna double the work”, she looked at him, confused. “What does that mean? I am not the one you should be angry with! She is!”, Beth was fuming, not even wanting to say your name. “You wanna have someone else pay for the problems you caused, and I ain’t good with that. She told me what happened, and yes, I was the one asking her to change the deal, ‘cause I didn’t wanna be around you. You thought that us having sex meant something to me? You think I need you? Ain’t nothing but a damn charity case to me”, Beth stood frozen, looking like she was about to cry. “Gotta get back to my girlfriend, now”, Rio lifted himself off the wall he was leaning on and made his way to the door. “Wait- girlfriend!?”. Rio didn’t answer and got out of the house with Mick, leaving her standing there, alone.

He told Mick he could go home and he drove straight to his house, finding you in the kitchen, preparing dinner and, honestly, he didn’t think you’d still be here. “Hey, mama”, he came up behind you, putting his hands beside you on the counter, successfully trapping you. “Hi”, you were still making dinner, you were not facing him yet, so he dropped his head on your shoulder, kissing your neck. Once dinner was finished and the dished were done, he sat down with you on the sofa. You beat him and talked first, “I’m sorry about yesterday. I was upset and scared and I… I would never hurt you”, you were out of breath because you said everything fast, afraid of missing you chance to speak. “That wasn’t very nice, yeah. Why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?”. You recounted how you felt alone after being excluded from the girls’ group, how you feared for your life and, therefore, how you were afraid of him. He let you explain yourself and his guilt came back up for a second.

“I didn’t know ‘bout it, but I fixed it”, he said, “You don’t have to worry about them anymore”. “what did you do to them?”, your voice sounded alarmed and worried. He shook his head with a smile. “Nothing, just doubled their work”, he shrugged. You were silent for a minute. “What happens to me, now? I’m out of the business…”, you trailed off, not knowing what he was going to say. “You might not be in their business, but I still want you in mine. You could help me keep track of the warehouses, for now”, he watched you closely, wanting to see how you’d react to that, then, he spoke again. “But first, I want to take you out. A proper date”, your eyes went wide at his words, not expecting this proposal at all. “I know thigs are not done usually in this order, the date should come first”, he smiled when you giggled and nodded. “It should, but I’d love to go out with you”, you smiled brightly at him and he swore he’d do everything to always have you smile like that.

Later that night, after he convinced you to spend the night with him (it really didn’t take much for you to give in), you were cuddled up in his bed, Rio being the big spoon and pulling you to his chest with his arm. “Be my girl?”, he whispered as he brought his hand to your face to make you look at him. You simply nodded and turned your head to kiss the palm of his hand, turning again to press a soft kiss to his lips. You fell asleep curled up against him, one of his arms stretched over you as he looked at you, a soft smile on his face as he kissed your forehead, shutting his eyes, too, and falling asleep.

[makeste]

what we could have been

this is a post about the similarities between these old farts

and these lil bubbas

but more importantly, it’s a post about the differences.

so! the manga has recently entered the Internships 2 arc, also known as the Child Soldiers/Todoroki Drama 2.5 arc! so far it is very exciting, and I can’t wait to see how Deku and co. will somehow level up by a factor of 11 just in time to defeat Tomura and his new new upgrade. I assume that this will happen though, since the alternative is... [checks] everyone dies a horrible death. well shit.

anyway, we’ve already had like 12 arcs of All Might being a mentor, but this arc features the first time Endeavor has tried his hand at it! this is of course a universally beloved decision by Horikoshi which everyone in the fandom is very happy about! but I actually do like it, because the Endeavor redemption arc is complicated as fuck and endlessly fascinating to me, and because, truth be told, there is something that even a Certified Son Of A Bitch can still teach these young whippersnappers. even if Endeavor is 99.9% a dick, that 0.01% can still impart something of value. but anyways that’s not what I came here to talk about so let’s move on.

what I want to discuss is the fact that Izuku and Katsuki share very obvious similarities with All Might and Endeavor, and there are very obvious parallels between their respective arcs. Izuku is basically All Might 2.0, whereas Endeavor is presented as a version of what Katsuki could have been. but they are not the same people, either of them, and their paths have started to diverge in ways that are very much for the better. and the reasons for that can all be traced to one simple action, which in turn stemmed from one simple, honest impulse. and I have approximately 10,000 thoughts about it, so here goes.

first let’s briefly touch on those similarities. as far as Izuku and All Might go, their backstories very closely resemble one another. they both started out as quirkless kids who nonetheless held a stubborn idealism and were driven to help others. they’re both incredibly determined and remarkably self-sacrificing. both of them spent the first part of their lives overlooked, undervalued, and underestimated, and they both understand the combination of validation and gut-churning pressure that comes with being chosen as the successor to a great power and a heavy burden. the similarities between them are a large part of why All Might chose Izuku as his successor, despite there being other options on the table. All Might sees himself in Izuku, and that’s part of the reason why they share such a strong bond.

now let’s talk about Endeavor and Katsuki, who share absolutely no bond at all (for now, anyway), but nonetheless hold just as much common ground as their counterparts. they are both fiercely determined and have made it their goal to reach the top. they’re also both foul-tempered with notoriously unfriendly attitudes. and last but not least, they’re both loners who have a tendency to push others away.

one thing that’s interesting is that both Katsuki and Endeavor formerly held strong beliefs about quirks being inextricably tied to strength. Katsuki shunned and scorned Izuku for years because he lacked a quirk. meanwhile Endeavor wrote off 3/4 of his own children because their quirks didn’t develop the way he wanted them to. and it’s only recently that each of them has come to see the error of their ways, which in Endeavor’s case is quite unfortunate, because he’s already well into his forties and has only just now started to con on to the fact that he’s an asshole. whereas Katsuki started this process a whole lot earlier, and as a result is a lot better poised to bounce back from his mistakes and make redemption his bitch.

so segueing now into the “differences” part of this comparative essay, that is Key Difference # 1 for you: Katsuki managed to not waste the next 30 years of his life focusing only on Achieving Strength at the cost of destroying every other positive thing in his life. and while I think there is one reason in particular for this, which I’ll get to shortly, I’ll also go ahead and give Katsuki some of the credit here, because what he did is hard. it’s hard to realize that you have had the wrong way of thinking for your entire life, and to take the steps to get it straightened out. many people are not that open to change. rather than admitting their mistakes, they double down on them and stubbornly defend them. but Katsuki was willing to question everything he’d ever known, and look at it with an open mind, and realize that he was heading down a wrong path. and then he was able to course-correct.

and that takes strength. not the kind of strength he’s so preoccupied with, but an inner strength that he might not have even realized that he has. in this respect he is much stronger than Endeavor, who’s had much more difficulty doing his own course-correcting, although he too is finally starting to figure his shit out (too late to salvage some things, but “better late than never” is a term that still applies here regardless). in my opinion, Katsuki’s willingness to accept his own faults, and to try to change them, is one of the most unexpected and remarkable things about his character, because you wouldn’t necessarily see that coming based on his attitude at the start of the series. anyways, I really like it.

but I did say some of the credit, as opposed to all of it. and the reason for that is because in my opinion, it’s actually Izuku who deserves most of it. but before I explain, let me first backtrack and talk about another aspect of All Might’s character, one he does not share with Izuku.

All Might, like Katsuki and Endeavor, is actually a loner as well. we tend to not notice as much, because he doesn’t really seem to fit the stereotypical profile of a loner-type character; he has a very close bond with Izuku, and he speaks with an earnest and straightforward candor about emotions and subjects that most people wouldn’t be able to discuss with the same sincerity. but it’s true nonetheless. even putting aside this moment in chapter 166 where he outright admits it, there are numerous other little details in the series that show this. he has no family that we know of. only one close friend (and a non-hero at that). at the start of the manga, he was estranged from both his mentor (referring here to Gran, not Nana) and his sidekick. he’s close-lipped about a lot of things, including things he honestly should have been upfront with Izuku about much sooner. and he hides his true self from the world in an effort to preserve that unwaveringly steady image that people have put their trust in.

in the very first chapter of BnHA, All Might makes a speech to Izuku about the reason why he smiles: “to stave off the overwhelming pressure and fear I feel.” All Might was the Symbol of Peace, the pillar that society relied on -- but he was a lone pillar. he kept to himself, and made the choice to bear that weight alone. and this had consequences. I’m speaking not only of the chaos after his fall, but of other, subtler impacts as well.

so now, let’s talk about Izuku.

let’s start with Key Difference # 2: Izuku is not a loner. yes, at one point he was alone -- not by choice -- but that isn’t a defining trait of his character. Izuku reaches out. he reaches out to everyone. he makes friends easily. he’s open with his feelings in a way that All Might is not (and which All Might in fact often scolds him for).

boy just puts it out there. he’s not ashamed. but anyways, it’s actually the part about him reaching out to others that I want to talk about. I’ve said in past essays that Izuku has an instinct to save others which surpasses even All Might’s. when he sees someone in pain, his instinct is to reach out. he will do this every time. regardless of whether it’s asked for, and regardless of how often his attempts may be shunned.

and this, right here, is the most important difference between Izuku (and Katsuki), and All Might (and Endeavor). because you see, All Might, for all his strength and sacrifice, always stood alone.

he kept his burden to himself, and never looked back.

but Izuku did.

“I got my quirk from someone else.”

this was in spite of All Might, his hero, telling him in no uncertain terms to not share his secret with anyone else. and in spite of the fact that Katsuki hadn’t been anything close to a friend to him for many years. like, it’s actually wild to think about all of the reasons that Izuku had not to do this. but the fact of the matter is this: that where All Might never turned, never wavered, and never attempted to help anyone else cross that gap, when Izuku saw Katsuki in pain, he acted on the same instinct that has guided him his entire life: he reached.

and that...

...has made all the difference.

Izuku pulled Katsuki across the gap with him. he let him in. he did this with no expectation of reward, or even gratitude. quite the opposite; Katsuki had always rebuffed his attempts to help before, and even in this case, it initially appeared that he had misjudged again, and that he was just lucky that Katsuki didn’t press the matter. it was a move that defied not just common sense, but all of Izuku’s past experience; nothing about their past relationship ever hinted at a hope for common ground in the future. nothing, that is, except a shared dream.

but he reached out anyway. and because of that, Katsuki was eventually able to put two and two together. and when he did, he did something very unexpected: he reached back.

he asked Izuku for help. he did something that Endeavor never managed to do until after All Might had retired and he found himself, at long last, in the number one position, but adrift and without a driver’s manual.

it took a lifetime of failure and the loss of everything he’d been working toward for Endeavor to finally realize he was doing something wrong, and to ask for help. but this isn’t the case with Katsuki. partly because he was able to put his ego aside in this one crucial moment, but even more than that, it was simply because Izuku had never left a gap between them. Katsuki never had to work to build a bridge. Izuku was laying planks behind him every single step of the way. never expecting that Katsuki would actually follow them, but leaving them there for him regardless. leaving this path back open for them to reconcile, should Katsuki ever choose to finally meet him halfway.

and because of that faith, because of his open and giving nature, the end result is that he now has something that All Might never had: a partner. someone to help shoulder that weight. someone else who understands that burden. and someone who is now working together with Izuku with unexpected earnestness.

and so this is Key Difference # 3: whereas All Might and Endeavor were only ever at odds, two opposites on a polarized scale, Izuku and Katsuki are learning to work together. to learn from one another. to share what the other lacks, and to make each other stronger.

incidentally, just in case any part of this essay has come off as me being overly critical of All Might, or pinning the blame on him for the failures of the previous generation, let me assure you that I don’t fault him at all. All Might did what he thought was right, and managed to turn an impossible dream into a shining reality against all odds. the Symbol he became brought about peace for many years and inspired the next generation of heroes. he was not wrong in what he was trying to do; his only flaw was in being so determined to shield others that he ended up taking on too much by himself.

and I’ll say this for All Might too: in the end, he himself realized where he had gone wrong. there’s a reason why, particularly since his retirement, he’s started mentoring Katsuki in addition to Izuku. All Might knows better than anyone else the burden that sits on Izuku’s shoulders, and he knows just how hard it is to go that course alone. I already gave credit to the boys, but let’s go ahead and give All Might some credit as well, because he, too, is now course-correcting. he’s learning from his mistakes, and helping build a new generation that can succeed in building an even brighter future than the one he once sought.

as a certain melty-face scenery-chewing villain once said, “when people know that there will be an end, they entrust.” this series began with the passing of a legacy from one generation to the next. and now in this latest arc, we’re again seeing that theme of entrusting, of the old guard passing down the torch to the young guns. and shockingly, not just with All Might, but Endeavor as well. reluctant though he was at first, he, too, is now doing his best to help guide these kids down the right path. placing his faith in their strength.

I started off this essay by saying that All Might and Endeavor are who Izuku and Katsuki could have been. but now, to conclude things, I think it’s only fitting that I turn that on its head. All Might and Endeavor are not who Katsuki and Izuku could have been. Izuku and Katsuki are who All Might and Endeavor could have been. they are the ideal vision that never came to pass. the brand reimagined. the song remastered. Izuku and Katsuki will be able to reach heights that All Might and Endeavor never achieved, because they were able to shed loneliness and pride in favor of trust and a sincere willingness to learn.

so yeah.

 all hail the new kids.

[chaoticookie-autonomous]

Under Your Spell

Day 6 - AU

AU: Drive (2011 Film) with some of my own twists; Star Wars-verse(ish). No space magick, Jedi, or Sith. Pairing: Maul x Móni (OC) Rating: T Word Count: 2.5k

A/N: So... did a thing. Hope you enjoy :]

_________________________________________ 

A small window framed a dark location covered in smog and sweating buildings, often a flash of bright lights from speeders zooming past was about all the color that splashed onto the bleak picture. It was also the bedroom’s only view, the resident never bothering to cover up the gaping reminder of a life she had to force herself to wake up every morning to.

Durmónia tied her thick head of black curls on top her head, unable to pull back the stray strands over her forehead. She checked her dark features in the bathroom mirror and noted the black circles forming under her eyes--their sunset hues dimmed under the poor lighting. For a moment she considered hiding her weariness with some layers of make-up but decided it wasn’t worth the risk of being late.

Outside the room was the chattering voices of the holonews coming from a hologram displayed before a theelin teen in a hoverchair. He stared on without interest in what was being said, his thoughts far away from the drab apartment.

“Kyp,” Durmónia returned him to the present. “Want me to bring you something back from the diner?”

He angled his hoverchair to face her better, his blue eyes blinking slowly with a hardship no one his age should be allowed to carry.

“No. I’m okay. Betts is making something for me right now.”

Coming around the kitchen was a service droid on a single wheel holding a tall cup that gave off a whiff of fruit juices Durmónia was skeptical about.

“Where did you get those ingredients from?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” was its terse response before holding the smoothie’s straw to Kyp’s mouth.

With no time to argue, she gathered a double-breasted jacket with faded stains off a chair and slung a bag over her shoulder.

“Okay. I gotta go,” she pressed a kiss to Kyp’s lavender forehead then smacked Betts’ metal head. “We’re having a talk about stealing when I get back.”

Checking the chronometer, she cursed under her breath and sped down the hall of doors and glowing numbers to the lift at the end of it. The seconds it took to reach the garage floor, irritation igniting her nerves when it halted for other residents, was endless. At its final stop, she slivered her way out the moment the door spun open and sped walked to her landspeeder, passing the silent neighbor who was making their way to the lift.

His crown of ivory horns curved out prominently against the crimson skin where black tattoos marked every section of his bare skull, face, and neck. She glanced his way a moment and caught drops of golden amber peeking back at her as well.

+

A hand smacked a panel with buttons bent and faded from the number of times it had been pressed for an order ready at the window. Within the steam of food in the clamorous kitchen, a balosar female sigh in aggravation.

“Hey!” she pressed the panel several more times. “Get the kriffing food! Stupid droid…”

“Shysha, give them a second,” Durmónia came around and plated sizzling, charred meat. “Their processors are as old as some of the freeze packages of food still packed in the storeroom.”

“You know you can do better than work in some backwater diner, right?” Shysha rubbed one of her antennaepalps with discomfort from the oil spitting at them. “Only reason why this place is still open is because of you.”

“Yeah, well,” Durmónia finished sautéing a pan of multicolored vegetables and distributed them on several plates, “not easy to find work when you have an extensive criminal record you’ve been falsely accused of.”

“Thanks to that we got less shoot outs and bar fights in here.”

Durmónia broke into a laugh, “Is that the real reason why I’m being kept here?”

“Secret’s out.”

“And here I thought it was because of my charming personality.”

Shysha raised her brows, “Charming isn’t quite the word I would use to describe you.”

The order she had placed on the window was still being warmed under the heat-panel and slammed the panel prompter again.

“Droid!”

“I got it.”

Durmónia checked for the table number on the console and took the plate to the customer who had their blue hands patiently folded over their face. He moved aside his wide-brimmed hat to make space for the meal.

“Sorry, Bane,” she met the striking, red gaze meant to keep bystanders at bay. “It’s on the house.”

He waved a hand of indifference and spoke with grains in his throat and the support of his breathing tubes, “I’ll pay what needs to be paid.”

Unconvinced, she grinned at a proposition, “Ale on the house?”

“Two,” he agreed easily.

Durmónia squinted, “You didn’t sabotage our droid did you?”

“What gave you that idea?” he hid a coy smirk by taking a bite into his meal.

“I’m only allowing it this one time as a thank you for taking your bounty outside the restaurant and not shooting up the place the other day.”

“Much obliged, ma’am.”

Past the transparent pane that extended across the diner’s front face, a speeder bike parked alongside the other vehicles and a male with a horned helmet and a black, leather jacket swung off the seat.

“Is it our steel-legged regular?” Cad Bane observed. “What does the fellow order here anyways? Don’t think I’ve ever seen him eat.”

Durmónia followed the masked male, the neon lights of the diner’s sign reflecting off the visor.

“Tea.”

Bane hummed with mild interest and remained silent when the being with crimson skin removed his helmet and sat himself down.

“He’s a strange one.”

“You’re one to talk,” she scoffed. “You order the same thing every week too.”

“He wears the same jacket every night he comes here,” he explained. “New markings on it each time. New bruises. Carries no blaster. And he’s no bounty hunter. I would know.”

“That’s quite a study. You thinking of asking him out on a date?”

He released a grainy growl, “Get me my ale. Two of them.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Her eyes followed a droid hovering to the zabrak’s table and taking its order before returning to the kitchen where there was a single order on the console’s display.

“Same thing?” Shysha came up behind her.

“Same thing,” Durmónia confirmed.

+

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Three in the morning and her feet hurt from being on them all day without taking a single break, but her speeder decided to steam and made strange noises when she started it. She opened its hood and was engulfed with black fumes she waved and coughed at then stared at the coils, cylinders, and wires as if they were her greatest enemy.

“Okay,” she calmed herself and started to reach for the first thing Kyp had taught her from memory. But she yelped in pain at her burning fingers.

“Kriff!”

In the corner of her eye was a shadow looming beside her and on impulse slid her foot forward and brought a fist into an undercut that was stopped with ease by a leather bound hand.

Amber eyes gleamed with mild amusement at her hand in his, then fell away to the somber exterior she always saw on him in the sparse seconds of their silent interactions.

“Sorry!” she returned her hand. “Didn’t know—didn’t hear you. You’re so quiet.”

Durmónia cleared the nerves building in her throat at the proximity and catching the details of his tattoos for the first time; how well the designs accentuated his features.

“Do you require assistance?” his voice rumbled smoothly from his chest.

“Ah,” she rubbed her bare arm, the uniform discarded long ago to release the kitchen’s heat. “A bit. Not good with machines. They have a vendetta set out against me.”

“Let me take a look.”

“Oh, no. You don’t have to,” she held her hands up. “It’s really late and I can take the train home.”

Halfway through her protests he maneuvered his way to the speeder and dug his hands into the engine.

Durmónia scratched her head in thought, considering several times to push him out of the way and be more direct about it being alright to take the train. However, she lost herself in his tinkering, the knuckles moving under the fabric of his gloves in the low light of the neon sign which also reflected a helix earring.

“You need more light?”

“No. Almost finished.”

“That was fast.”

“A temporary fix to get you home. You will need to have it looked at.”

“I know someone who’s pretty savvy with this stuff. Keeps telling me to just get a new one.”

“It is...,” he faded as he straightened himself up, “not a good speeder.”

“The model?”

“This one specifically.”

“No need to be so harsh,” she patted the vehicle. “It’s been through some tough times.”

“Its time has ended.”

Durmónia barked a laugh, “Alright. Well…” What am I thinking? “To thank you for your troubles would you like to come over for tea? I have your favorite kind.”

He paused halfway to shutting the hood.

“I mean—,” spurts of panic elevated her heart rate and backtracked. “I mean, maybe not now. It’s super late and you probably have other things to do and I take stuff from the diner all the time, so I have a bunch of other stuff at home, not just that tea specifically. Plus, I don’t live alone and—”

“Now is fine,” he closed the lid then turned from her being able to see his face. “I will see you there.”

It wasn’t until he reached the speeder bike and placed on his helmet did Durmónia stumble into the driver’s seat and whirred the speeder’s repulsorlift to life.

+

The lift’s glowpanels flickered when they raised to their floor.

Durmónia softly chewed on her lower lip, taking in the disciplined posture of the being beside her who also stared intently ahead of them.

“I’m Móni.”

His rigid form softened, the shoulders dipping in just the slightest, and showed her a bit more than his profile.

“Maul.”

+

Steaming, black liquid poured through a strainer and into a cup, which was then set on the kitchen’s island that divided the living area. Durmónia did her best to not stare at the black diamonds on his knuckles when he grasped the beverage in his hands.

He didn’t take a seat, instead standing while he took a sip.

“How long you been on Coruscant?” she leaned back against the sink, steadying the quake in her legs.

“Several years.”

“So, only relatively new here in the building.”

“Yes,” his attention was taken away to subtle movements behind a closed room. “You live with a boy.”

She nodded to Kyp’s room, “Yeah, he’s been with me a year before you moved in.”

“Related?”

“Uh,” Durmónia shifted her weight with discomfort and decided to start cleaning the single cup Kyp drank his smoothie out of before she left. “No. I’m a friend of his father who’s in prison. Taking him in until he gets out.”

The cup striking the counter hit her ears louder than the running water, and from over her shoulder caught a scowl pouring into his cup. Before he could open his mouth to speak his apologies, she dropped the dishes and dried her hands on her pants.

“What do you do?”

This time, it seemed it was her turn asking the wrong questions when he searched for an answer to give off to the side.

“I am a contractor for a businessman,” he chose his words carefully.

“Oh,” Durmónia felt she had broached a taboo subject which pushed her curiosity. “What kind?”

Maul remained unmoving, a shadow of anger casting over his features; hardening his appearance into something wild.

Cad Bane’s warning echoed in her head, inciting her to scan the leather jacket that was frayed at the ends and had darkened splotches of carbon scoring. There was also a decolorization on his cheek bone she recognized from experience what the cause was.

He downed the remainder of the tea and gently set it aside.

“The kind that provides my services to those in need of it,” the helmet slid off the counter and under his arm. “You should rest.”

Before Durmónia could try to act like a good host and show him out, the area littered with articles of clothing she really should have put away when she woke that morning, Maul already had his finger to the door panel.

“Thank you for the drink.”

“Not a problem. Hard to pass on a free drink, right?” 

Maul inclined his head some, unable to hide the deep furrow of concern on his brow ridge. 

Not wanting to end the night on a sour note, Durmónia sucked in a deep breath.

“See you at the diner again?”

He stopped just past the doorframe and faced her.

Their similar height forced them to look directly at the other, a spark igniting in between the distance.

How long had she watched the unnamed zabrak? From the moment he moved-in to his constant appearance at the diner. Never eating, only taking the same order while staring past the customers and the muggy moisture that fogged Coruscant’s lower levels. Always deep in his world, never been seen with another or held any interactions with another lifeform, except when she caught his stray glances into the kitchens.

But now the mysterious rider had a name to the face, and he had become a reality she could possibly touch and not this unattainable being. And when the lines of his discomfort smoothed away, she melted into the kindness that rose on the corner of his lips.

“Yes.”

She watched him off, the joints of his cybernetics whirring past several doors down the hall, until he reached his apartment.

“Who was that?”

Durmónia jumped at Kyp hovering close behind her.

“A friend,” she recovered from the scare then gathered her clothes from the couch and chairs.

“That’s good.”

She faced the teen with a pile in her arms, “Good?”

“Yeah,” he maneuvered the hoverchair to the couch and motioned his eyes to the space behind it. “You haven’t hung out with anyone since I’ve been here.”

“That’s…,” a bra was recovered she thought had been lost forever. “It has been awhile.”

“Shouldn’t stop your social life on my account. Also, if you’re worried about how I feel about it because of Dad, don’t be. I know you two haven’t really been together for some time now.”

Durmónia spun on her heel, “Alright. What do you want?”

Kyp hovered back to his room, hiding his victory, “I get to bring a friend over too.”

“I never said you couldn’t bring him over.”

“Yeah, but,” he gave a dramatic sigh, “didn’t want to make you feel like a third wheel.”

“How considerate of you. Little monkey-lizard,” she paused at pulling out a pair of shorts from under the couch. “Wait a second. Maul isn’t that kind of friend.”

“Alright,” Kyp didn’t sound convinced. “Tell me that when you’re not actually cleaning the apartment you haven’t touched in months.”

She clicked her tongue at him and carried the high stack to her room, “Go to bed. And tell Betts I haven’t forgotten her recent escapades.”

“Night, Móni,” he chuckled.

Durmónia collapsed on her bed, breathing in the rush still thrumming in her veins from the encounter and hugged a pillow to bury her grin into.

Her grip loosened when she recounted Maul’s possible occupation, though. How it could affect her life. Kyp’s life. If it was something that should be pursued.

She undid her hair and massaged the scalp under the thick mass of curls from the main dilemma at hand. How she had been completely trapped under his spell.

_________________________________________

A/N: I will be writing Maul’s POV for the SWPOC week for coded characters of color. As for the story itself.. depending on how many notes the fic gets, may or may not continue with this.

Thanks for reading!

[greekowl87]

Angst 5 and/or 10 I’m craving some angst

“I can't believe you did this, how could you?” / “This, us, was a fucking mistake and I should have known the second things went further than planned.”

A/N: I love me some good, old-fashioned angsts. Diana fueled angsts are my bread and butter so I thought I would try my hand at it. Again. So set around ‘Two Sons.’ I suck at smut so sorry if it sounds dumb :( And I apologize for it sound rushed. No beta. I just wanted to get this idea out while it was in my head. @today-in-fic @suitablyaggrieved @improlificinsarcasm @baronessblixen

On the bottom of the world in winter sunlight, Mulder gambled and won the thousand to one odds. He had found Scully in the maze of an alien ship, given her the vaccine, and somehow, they still escaped with their lives. Except, when they arrived back in D.C., they still didn’t have their old office back. The events in Dallas resulted in them being relegated to the bullpen where they were stuck doing background checks.

Mulder was certain, that despite the dire situation, Scully would have been transferred to Quantico either by the higher-ups or of her own accord. But each day he dragged himself to the office, she was sitting right behind him in the bullpen performing endless background checks. And things remained glacial between them; cold and frigid and unlikely to change anytime soon.

But he sensed it; they both did. They wanted to change. Whatever was left unspoken in the hallway of his Alexandria apartment before that blasted bee ruined everything hung in the air between them. You don’t go around professing that the person is their one and five billion without meaning it. But the tension between was palpable.

This Monday was no different.

Scully was already at her desk that morning when Mulder came in. He smiled and offered her a paper bag proudly. “What is that?” She arched her eyebrow. “A peace offering?”

“Breakfast. I stopped by the bakery you like so much in Old Town and picked it up on my way in.”

She took it cautiously. “What do you want?”

“What makes you say that?”

“No catch.” 

She took the offered pastry wearily. “Thank you, Mulder.”

“I actually wanted to see if you wanted to come over tonight,” he said slowly.

“Why?”

Mulder sat in his chair and choose his next words carefully. “No reason. Maybe watch a movie, enjoy a six-pack of Shiner Bock…discuss what I told you in the hallway.” He looked down at his hands. “I want there to be an us,” he finished.

“Mulder, not here,” she whispered sharply. She averted her gaze to focus on her computer.

“Scully, come on. We both can’t dance around what happened.”

Mulder watched her body language as she sighed and barely nodded. “Tonight. Seven. I’ll be there.”

He recognized the need for her control; if she at least came to his place, she could also choose to escape back to her Georgetown apartment if she wanted. He would take it. “Sounds great. I could order takeout? Italian?”

“Just pizza, Mulder,” she whispered. “Pizza and beer.”

He smiled and turned his chair around. Victory.

*****

The morning progressed agonizingly. Neither Mulder nor Scully was able to break away from the phone and the endless background checks. By eleven Mulder wrote, ‘I’m going to get something from the vending machine. Want your usual?,’ on a post-it note. Scully nodded shortly and mouthed ‘Thank you.’ “No, ma’am. I would never insinuate that. It’s a regular question,” she said softly.

Mulder smiled. A trained medical doctor who could easily leave the FBI and pursue a career in medicine choose to stay and with him no less. She really was his one and five billion. He got up and padded his back pocket for his wallet. Scully slammed the phone down angrily. “Everything okay?”

“I don’t remember my own background checks being so nasty,” she told him. “The woman basically called me a bitch and hung up on me!”

“Well, forget about it. Do you want a Butterfinger instead of the M&Ms?”

“No. I get that stuck in my teeth. Milky Way?”

“You got it,” he laughed. “Be back.”

“Thank you, Mulder.”

He was truly blessed with her. As he made his way to the vending machine, debating what to get for himself, a soft voice called, “Fox!”

He stopped dead in his tracks. No one called him that except one: Diana. He turned and gave a feeble smile. “Hi, Diana.”

“What are doing down here?”

Mulder awkwardly gestured to the vending machine. “Grabbing something to eat for Scully and me. Doing those background checks is hard work.”

Something changed in her demeanor. Diana stood taller, straightening her back so that her chest (and breasts) jutted out slightly. Mulder took a step back automatically, unused to someone else sharing his space beside Scully. “Well, if you are free today, I was wondering if you wanted to catch up over your lunch break down in the cafeteria today?”

Mulder was quiet for a second briefly thinking about Scully. He wasn’t stupid; he knew there was some tension between his partner and ex-wife. But Diana could be trusted. She had been there at the beginning. He understood that. Scully’s suspicion was in the wrong place. “Um, give me fifteen minutes and I’ll meet you there.”

Diana smiled and squeezed his arm affectionately. “See you in fifteen.”

Mulder quickly got his wallet and bought Scully’s candy bar. He walked back to his desk and deposited the candy bar on her desk and grabbed his jacket. She arched an eyebrow in surprise and put her hand over the mouthpiece of the phone. “Where are you going?”

“Ran into an old friend that is only here for a day. Gonna have lunch with them.” One little white lie couldn’t hurt. “I’ll be back at one. Don’t worry, we’re still on for tonight.”

“Mushrooms and green peppers?”

“And pineapple for me.”

She wrinkled her nose with a smile. “Have fun.”

God, Scully could torture him with her little quirks.

*****

Despite the Milky Way Mulder had gifted her at 11 that morning, by noon, Scully’s stomach was grumbling. She eyed the clock as the bigger hand hovered at 12:02. She was entitled to her lunch break and didn’t have to worry about it since she no longer worked out in the field. Scully typed a few quick things out before she grabbed her card and headed down to the Hoover’s employee cafeteria. 

Her stomach continued to grumble and turn as she took the elevator to the first floor. Scully decided against her yogurt and bee pollen and wondered what healthy options she had. She checked the menu and decided on a Cobb salad before she proceeded into the line to get her lunch. Her mind was fluttering around the meeting with Mulder that evening. Were they going to finish that conversation? Her blood rushed with excitement.

As Scully went through the motions to purchase her Cobb salad, she clenched her lunch tray when she saw Mulder laughing with Diana.

Diana.

Scully prided herself in not trying to cast judgment, blame her Catholic upbringing. But she couldn’t help it. It was something about Diana that crawled under her skin. Then she saw Mulder laughing, grasping her hand as she leaned against his shoulder laughing too. Then there was the hand holding. What did it for her was the chaste kiss on the cheek that Diana did and Mulder didn’t stop it. Her blood crawled, growing icey. Suddenly, Scully’s appetite was lost and she dumped the contents of her lost lunch in the trash can wastefully. Scully wondered if she was dumping her lunch or her baggage regarding her potential relationship with Mulder.

*****

Mulder smiled at Scully as he came back from lunch. “Hey, Scully,” he greeted.

“Mulder.”

It was the change in her tone that caught him off guard. “Everything okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure?”

“Peachy, Mulder.” She looked up from her work. “I can’t make it tonight. My mom called. I’ll be in Bethesda tonight.”

Mulder did a double-take. “What about our plans?”

Scully didn’t look at him as she replied, “Maybe next time.”

Mulder sat down at his desk. What had gotten into her? “What about our plans?”

“I can’t tonight, Mulder. Maybe next time.”

Mulder frowned as she avoided him completely for the rest of the at.

*****

Scully’s apartment was her refuge. It was her domicile, her kingdom; it was all in her control. As soon as five o’clock hit, Scully quickly left and took the Metro back home to her apartment leaving a puzzled Mulder behind. As soon as she locked her door that evening, she dropped her briefcase by the door, kicked off her heels, and immediately went to their bedroom, changed into black leggings and an FBI gray sweatshirt and collapsed on her overstuffed couch and flipped it to HGTV. Let her be dissolved in fixing and flipping houses rather than fixing her relationship with Mulder.

*****

Mulder knew she took the Metro that day but instead of going straight home, he sat in his car, watching her apartment building before the light in her living room turned on. He downed a miniature he had gotten at a Virginia ABC store. Liquid courage. He took a deep breath, locked his car, and marched to her apartment door.

She pulled it open before he could knock.

“I saw your car,” she answered. She stood aside so he could enter. “What is it that you want?”

“I thought we had a date tonight.”

“We had no date,” she answered cooly.

Mulder scoffed accusingly. “I can’t believe you did this, how could you?”

“What on Earth are you talking about?”

She went to her fridge and dug out a bottle of white wine.

“So my mere presence drives you to drink?” He snapped.

“You’re being selfish. No. What I saw at lunch did it for me.”

Oh, Scully was ready to scorch and burn everything between them. “Lunch?”

“Diana.” She cast her typical questioning left eyebrow before pouring her own glass. “Want some?”

“Sure you won’t burn it?”

“Quit being an asshole.”

She pulled down a second glass and poured some wine into it as well. “I’m not.”

“You are.”

Mulder took the full glass wearily as sipped the pinot grigio. “You aren’t helping.”

“I’m mad.” She gestured between the glasses. “This doesn’t help but at this point, I’m sick of your shit and backtracking.”

“What the fuck, Scully,” he asked.

Mulder was still standing in the doorway with a glass of wine. He groaned and set it aside. He stormed toward her couch as she sat down and crossed her legs. Scully murmured, “What the fuck indeed.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

She sighed and pinched her brow. “This, us, was a fucking mistake and I should have known the second things went further than planned.”

“What further things?”

“Beer? Talking? The hallway?”

“You aren’t making sense.”

Scully stared at him, narrowed her eyes and huffed. “You fucking kissed her, Mulder. Don’t give me bullshit lines that I’m your one and five billion when you’re off kissing other women.” She set down the glass of wine on the table with a thud. “If you want there to be an us, Mulder then come clean with me.” She stood up. Even without her heels, she was a giant. “I will fight for us but I won’t do it unless you’re all in too.”

Mulder eyed the glass of wine enticingly. “Diana is my ex-wife.”

“She’s your what?”

Fuck it. He downed the wine in one gulp. It numbed him briefly against Scully’s verbal assault.

“And you didn’t think that was important to mention?”

“Scully…”

She was on her feet now, pacing like a shark. “Don’t.   Mulder, I’m pissed. You’re dragging me along for months, pretending that I’m the only thing that matters and then boom, out to lunch with your ex.”

Mulder found himself floundering, stuck in the moment. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to be honest with me, Mulder. What happened to trust no one???”

“I trust you,” he defended.

“Trusted. Past tense,” she shouted. 

Mulder was stunned. “Scully…”

“There is no us!” She continued. “You know I don’t trust her. I don’t like her but go around strutting with her.”

“Scully, she’s my ex-wife. She was there when I got the x-files.”

“And I was just assigned.” She scoffed. “I get it, Mulder. Loud and clear. You can leave.”

“I’m not leaving, Scully.”

“Mulder, leave. Please.”

“I’m not.” In frustration, Mulder stormed across her living room and grabbed her. He tried to use all his expertise to put his feeling into his body language. A kiss. They were both breathless. “I’m not leaving, Scully. There’s you and you only.”

Scully was dumbstruck. The power of their kiss paralyzed her. “How can I believe you?”

What followed was a hurricane of clothes being removed and six years of tensions being resolved. On her overstuffed couch with all the lights on, in Georgetown, of all places, The tv was playing something that seemed irrelevant to what had just perspired. Mulder coiled around her bare body and pulled her afghan closer. “I got to admit.” He kissed the back of her ear soothingly. “Your couch might be more comfortable than mine.”

“Hmm…” she hummed.

From literally tearing out their throats to post-coitus, neither could complain. “You know, I meant what I said in that hallway, Scully.”

She turned to face him and gripped him tightly. He felt himself tighten with pleasure (or was it fear?). “Say it.”

“Diana is the past. We’re the future.”

“Again.”

“Diana is the past. We’re the future.”

After a moment, Scully released him. He nuzzled her hair. “Satisfied?”

“I will be once we go to bed. I hate sleeping on this couch.”

“Even with the company?”

“The bed is better with the company.”

“Where does this leave us?”

“To be determined?”

“Better than a no.”

For the moment, all anger was forgotten and they could move forward, even if for a moment into her bedroom. And of course, the pizza was forgotten.

[white-collar-lawmen-and-conmen]

Pulling Pigtails

Summary: Neal flirts with you by pulling your proverbial pigtails.

Word Count: 2,392

           Your phone flashed its warning again when the battery went down as far as 10%. You groaned to yourself and put your elbows on your desk and your head in your hands. You knew that you left a charging cord at your desk so you wouldn’t have to pack your home charger every day, but despite having used it just a couple of days ago, you couldn’t find it anywhere.

           “Troubles?” Diana asked from her place a few feet away, kicking a foot up and crossing her knees.

           You almost asked for help finding it, but if it wasn’t at your desk, you had a suspicion you knew where it was. “No,” you replied easily, giving her a wan smile and a small laugh. “I’m just the worst at keeping track of things, I swear.” This game you played with Neal wasn’t very understandable from the outside. You knew how it looked, and you didn’t mean for him to get in trouble.

           To be sure you weren’t just jumping to conclusions, you looked through both drawers on each side of your desk one more time, then checked your file organizer and looked on your sliding keyboard drawer. No charging cord at all. You looked at your phone again. It wouldn’t last until the end of the day, but it would probably survive until lunch.

           You settled down and waited for the time to pass, working on a case report that you’d been procrastinating since the day before. As with most procrastinated things, it didn’t take very long to get through and you weren’t totally sure why you’d avoided it. Then you answered a couple of emails, looked at your empty coffee mug, and decided it was time for your lunch break, albeit slightly early.

           After getting your meal from the kitchenette and popping it in the microwave, you took it and a refilled coffee mug back to your desk, but didn’t sit. You went back to the kitchen, poured coffee into a cardboard cup, placed a brown grip around the cup so it didn’t burn, and mixed in some creamer the way Neal liked it. With your offering in hand, you returned to the bullpen and walked past your desk towards the consultant’s.

           Neal was often teased by agents about slacking off because of the one or two times a week he was seen doodling, but in truth, he usually only doodled or played around when he had finished everything that was given to him. Without the status of an agent, he wasn’t allowed to find his own work because he lacked the confidence of the majority of agents. Now he was working on his computer, quietly focusing on whatever it was Peter had assigned to keep him busy. Mentally, you apologized to your boss for distracting his CI.

           You walked behind his desk and reached over his shoulder, holding the cup of coffee near his face and playfully, slowly swaying it back and forth before moving it around his shoulder and back towards you. Neal played along, humming appreciatively at the smell of the roast, and letting his nose lead him in a semicircle as he rotated his chair around to follow the coffee.

           “For me?” He asked with pleasure, reaching for the cup.

           “Not so fast,” you corrected, lifting it up away from his searching fingers. Neal pouted at you good-naturedly. “It’s a barter, not a donation.”

           “Oh, yeah?” Neal’s mouth smirked handsomely and he leaned back in his chair, rolling his shoulders comfortably. “What could I possibly have to barter with?”

           “How about my phone charger?” You accused, raising your eyebrows. Neal always did this – taking something you had left in plain view, pretending to be oblivious and innocent, and then relenting and giving it back when you asked for it. It was an unorthodox game, but it was a game. You were happy to play, since he never crossed a line or took it too far.

           He sighed like you’d given him bad news and opened his desk drawer. He picked up your neatly-bundled and wrapped charging cord and held it up for your inspection, then reached for the coffee. This time, you let him take it, and you plucked your charger out of his hand.

           “Pleasure doing business with you,” he said solemnly, but his sharp eyes were bright and mischievous.

           “Yes, sir,” you answered, wincing. Hughes sounded angrily. Thankfully, he wasn’t angry at you, but you felt sympathetic for whoever it was aimed at. “Right away.”

           Hughes didn’t answer and instead you heard a loud plastic sound in your ear from the phone being slammed down. You put yours back on the desk receiver much more gently than he had and grabbed the papers you had been working on. They were related to a case he was getting called upon to explain to his bosses, and needed them pronto. You stacked them together in order and straightened them on the desk, then reached for your stapler only to find it wasn’t there.

           “Oh, come on,” you groaned at the bad timing and checked both of your drawers. It was nowhere.

           You reached into your lower desk drawer and pulled out a piece of the expensive caramel chocolates that El had told you (in confidence) that Neal couldn’t get enough of. You had armed yourself with an entire box of them a week ago but hadn’t needed them… until now.

           Taking your papers with you, you hurried to Neal’s desk. He looked up at your fast footsteps and put his hands up over his head with a lazy smile. “Where’s the fire?”

           “Shut up,” you remarked, not having the time for his sarcasm. You then remembered you were playing it nice and backtracked. “Wait, no, sorry. Barter. I want my stapler.”

           “Why would I – ooh.” Neal cut himself off when you held the golden-wrapped candy between her finger and thumb for him to see. He nodded slowly and didn’t take his eyes off of it – it reminded you of how Satchmo kept his eyes glued stubbornly to a treat, even as he did whatever El told him to do. “You have a deal.”

           Neal took your stapler – and you knew it was yours, because it had a cute sticker on the bottom – out of his drawer and put it on the desk where you could grab it. You put the caramel next to it and took your stapler.

           “Thanks,” you said quickly, smacking your papers on his desk to straighten them out and then stapling them in the corner.

           “That took you a couple of days,” Neal commented, unwrapping the chocolate and popping it in his mouth with an appreciative moan.

           “I don’t use my stapler every day, almost everything’s electronic,” you noted distractedly while you flipped through the papers, making absolutely sure you had everything you needed to hand over.

           “I was starting to think I should swap it for something more interesting.”

           “And forfeit this round?”

           “You’re right,” he allowed. “Follow-through is key. What is that?”

           “File for Hughes, he wants it yesterday.” You explained quickly, taking your stapler back to your desk and dropping it off on your way to the big boss’s office.

           Neal winced and called after you. “Sorry about the bad timing!”

           Friday mornings were always the best mornings. Everyone was excited for the weekend, so the mood in the office was always lighter and brighter than any other day. Fridays were also the day of the happy hour at the coffee shop you loved just outside Federal Plaza, where coffees were half-off from eight to ten. You picked up an extra one for Neal and were excited to see him smile at you.

           The elevator doors slid open after the machine pinged on your floor. Right away, you could hear Peter’s raised voice from the bullpen. You considered going back to the lobby and pretending traffic kept you late, but decided Neal deserved his coffee, especially if he was getting yelled at, so you went through the double-doors and stood out of the way. Neal was standing by your desk and Peter was thoroughly scolding him.

           “You can’t just take people’s things, Neal!” Peter lectured, pulling something out of Neal’s left hand. You recognized it right away – the paperweight you had owned for several years. “That’s wrong, and you’re right smack in the FBI, for Christ’s sake!”

           “I’m not stealing it,” Neal argued defensively. His jaw was tight with embarrassment but he stood his ground. “We do this all the time, I take something of hers and I give it back as soon as she-“

           “All the time?!” Peter repeated, shocked and displeased. He didn’t let Neal finish. “You’re lucky she hasn’t taken you downstairs to test the Kevlar on you!”

           “It’s a game,” Neal emphasized clearly, grinding his teeth. “When she wants it back I give it to her! I swear, Peter.” His voice dropped and you almost didn’t catch what he said. “I’m not trying to steal from her. It’s just a way to play and get her attention.”

           “Get her att-“ Peter started to repeat, but stopped and shook his head. “You commit theft for attention? This is how you handle a crush? Neal, you sick little puppy!”

           You thought this would be a good time to intervene. Neal was looking more and more humiliated at the public berating, and Peter didn’t seem prepared to lighten up. Actually, you doubted he realized right away that he was putting Neal through the office gossip wringer. Hearing that the playfulness was exactly what you had suspected all along put the spring back in your step and you beelined right towards the two men to rescue the artist.

           “Hey, Neal,” you said conversationally. Peter shut up when you joined them and watched in surprise as you pressed a kiss to Neal’s cheek. Neal looked down at you with some confusion and tentative delight as you offered him his coffee. “I got you some coffee, it sounds like you need it.” You looked at Peter and pretended not to have heard as much of the argument as you did. “Hey, what are you doing with that?” You said, objecting loudly and taking it out of his hand.

           “I – that wasn’t me. I didn’t take it,” he promised, shooting Neal looks for not piping up.

           You pretended Peter hadn’t said anything and intentionally let your fingers brush along Neal’s knuckles when he took his cup. “Hey, I know we said Sunday was good, but something came up and I’m helping a friend move. Can we do dinner tonight instead?” You lied through your teeth about preexisting plans as you asked Neal out, helping him to save face in front of the other agents. The gratitude in his eyes warmed you as he realized what you were doing and played along, sincerely answering.

           “Tonight is even better,” he amicably stated. “Do you want to leave together after work?”

           “It would be pretty convenient,” you agreed, “And we could do an early dinner before the movie.”

           “I know an amazing Mediterranean restaurant within my radius,” Neal smoothly suggested, quirking his eyebrows.

           “That sounds delicious, I haven’t had it in a while.” You finished the conversation by giving Neal another kiss to his other cheek, soft and sweet, right in front of the shocked and speechless Agent Burke. “I’ll talk to you at lunch, honey.”

           “Thanks for the coffee, darling.” Neal took your cue and kissed your forehead. You smiled, sent Peter another scolding look, and returned your paperweight to your desk as you sat down with your coffee and powered up your computer.

           Peter found his voice again. “Hold on-“

           “Please stop being angry with me,” Neal calmly interjected, giving him an innocent face. “I was just trying to play with my girlfriend. I’m sorry, I’ll keep it out of work in the future.”

           Peter glowered at having the tables turned.

           Neal was gone at lunch when you went by his desk to talk to him, so you assumed Peter pulled him out of the building for some field work. When Peter came back from lunch without his CI, you weren’t so sure about your theory, but it didn’t bother you for long because you had other things to do. Close to one in the afternoon, a small box was set down on your desk and you looked up, finding that Neal had returned and was offering you something.

           “Barter?” You asked, amused. Neal didn’t usually ask permission before taking something, so this was a change.

           “No,” he said with a modest shrug. “Donation.”

           “That’s not in the rules,” you chuckled, but you opened the small box. It was a cupcake, dressed neatly with creamy, sweet icing and dusted with sprinkles and sugar. “Ooh! Delicious. From your bakery?”

           “I might have made a trip,” Neal said cryptically. The bakery he technically owned was out of his radius, so you reinterpreted his response to understand Mozzie probably fetched the order and met Neal halfway back. “The point is, thank you for bailing me out. It was… uncomfortable.”

           “I was going to offer alternative words, such as mortifying,” you quipped. “Peter really went after you.”

           Neal shrugged a shoulder. “He thought I was stealing from you. I can’t really blame him for being upset. I just wish he hadn’t gone at me in public like that… I also wish I hadn’t been caught,” he admitted, giving you a grin.

           “You’re losing your touch,” you teased. “But you’re welcome. About tonight – I wasn’t just bailing you. That was a real offer.”

           Neal’s grin became a little less toothy, but looked all the more sincere for it. His blue eyes were soft and warm. “I was serious about the Mediterranean restaurant.”

           “See you at five?” You checked hopefully, leaning towards him.

           Neal nodded and nudged the cupcake box towards you, encouraging you silently to enjoy your treat. He turned to go back to his desk and you pursed your lips. You let him get a few steps away before you called his name. He stopped and looked back at you, and you pointed at the edge of your desk.

           “Put back the pen.”

           Neal huffed as he came back and put your favorite pen down where he had found it. “I really am losing my touch,” he grumbled.

[yangssunglasses]

All right, not into femslash as you know, but for the sake of seeing you fulfill such a random prompt (because you numbered Naruto girls, didn’t you?): 8, 12 and ‘Give up’

Thanks for the prompt! I also used FemslashFeb2020 prompt: denim.

Pairing: Sakura/Anko (or as I’m calling it, Ankura :)

Rating: T

Length: 2k+

Available on FFN / AO3

.

Full Circle

.

The sexy and beautiful Mitarashi Anko was great at many things, usually having something to do with maiming and torture. She knew how to get under the skin of her targets, slip under their guard and into their minds, then strip them bare of all their secrets. Alternatively, she threatened them with her snakes, that usually did the trick. Whatever worked best, she would do it, she was flexible like this when the situation called for it. No wonder she bragged that she could touch her heels when she did a back bend.

What Anko didn’t know was what to do with an itty-bitty pink-haired genin standing in her way with a determined look on her little face.

“What do you want, kid?” Anko asked bluntly, fingering her new senbon pack as she fought off the trained reflex to turn anyone that even slightly inconvenienced her into a pincushion.

“Anko-san, right? You probably don’t remember me, but I was in the chunin exams when you were a proctor. I’m Haruno Sakura. Tsunade-sama’s apprentice,” the girl introduced herself.

Actually, Anko remembered her, it was hard not to. She was one of Kakashi’s cute ducklings and a teammate of that moody Uchiha kid that had gotten a little love bite with a cursed seal as a bonus and then had run off to that bastard for more power. Ugh.

Anko crossed her arms. “Whatever, I have shit to do, so cut to the chase, kid. I don’t have all day.”

A fire lit up in the girl’s clear green eyes. Anko had a bad feeling. She knew that look and it only meant something fucking annoying was coming her way. (Boss Nara would simply call it troublesome, but she wasn’t a boring old man playing shogi for fun.)

“Teach me,” the kid implored. “Teach me how to beat Orochimaru.”

Anko lost it. She doubled over, howling with laughter.

“You? You want to fight Orochimaru? And beat him?” She wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. “Man, do they make genin stupider these days or what?”

The girl looked like she ate a lemon. “I’m serious! Please teach me. I heard you were his apprentice. You must know something about his strengths and weaknesses.”

Anko straightened up again, her momentary amusement gone with the mention of her past relationship with that bastard. That was where she drew a line at tomfoolery. The girl wanted serious, she’d get serious.

“Kid, Orochimaru is a freak of nature. And a real genius of ninjutsu. Whatever I know of him is a decade out of date. Go home.”

“Anko-san, please, he has Sasuke-kun! I need you to teach me so I can rescue him!” the girl still insisted, like she didn’t understand a word of what Anko had said to her.

The jounin scowled, getting mad. This was becoming ridiculous.

“Kid, what rescue are you talking about?! From what I hear that Uchiha brat defected. He joined the bastard out of his own free will. Traitors don’t get rescued, they get eliminated like they fucking deserve.”

“E-Eliminated? No… but we promised to save him… that can’t be true…” Blood drained from the girl’s face and she turned ghostly pale as she stared up in disbelief at her. Anko would have felt bad for the poor, delusional genin if she had any feelings to spare, but her deficiency of caring was permanent and incurable, so she just shrugged it off. That’s just what happened when you were smacked in the face with a brutal reality check.

“Let me give you a little advice,” Anko leaned in towards the shocked girl. “Give up, kid,” she told her straight to the face. “There’s nothing I can teach you about Orochimaru, besides don’t you have Tsunade for that? She was his teammate, wasn’t she? Just let her teach you how to crush mountains with your pinky or flatten the forest like a pancake. Then we can go together traitor-hunting if you’re still interested,” Anko suggested with a feral grin.

Sakura shuddered, but didn’t back down. The fierce light returned to her eyes. “No! I won’t give up on Sasuke-kun so easily!”

“Bad choice, really,” Anko replied, shaking her head, then sidestepped around the genin. “Well, you just study hard with Tsunade, kid, and I’ll ring you up when I figure out how to beat Orochimaru. See ya!”

She shunshined away from the aggravating little pink blob, then changed direction and made a beeline to her favourite dango shop. She was in a desperate need of a pick me up. Anko couldn’t believe she discussed going after Orochimaru with an unfledged genin, Tsunade’s apprentice or not! Hell no! Better forget this had ever happened.

Thankfully, the girl took some of Anko’s advice and left her alone, concentrating solely on the apprenticeship with Tsunade. Anko didn’t cross paths with the pink menace again for many years, but Konoha wasn’t that big. Bumping into each other was bound to happen someday.

The Fourth War was but a memory by then and the lasting peace among the nations basically put her out of the job. Orochimaru was contained by the village and no amount of begging and cajoling could get Anko close enough to finally shank the bastard (she swore it was all Kakashi’s fault. Damn that smug one-eyed masked party pooper.)

Her best friend, Kurenai, popped out a baby and was so busy with diaper-changing and all that motherly shizz that she had no time to hang out with Anko anymore. Maybe that was for the best, she’d be a bad influence on the tyke.

Everything was boring and peaceful, there were no new prisoners to interrogate and Anko was too keyed up to devise another brilliant plan to achieve her revenge on the snake. Instead, she restlessly prowled the streets of Konoha, looking for something, anything she could do. She was munching on dango, the sweet flavor filling her mouth and calming her mood like a horse tranquilizer, when she saw someone interesting.

Some babe in a red tunic was browsing through skirts at the clothing stall. She was putting some of them against her hips in order to decide which to buy without actually trying them on.

“Get the denim one, it will look good on your butt,” Anko’s foul tongue activated, giving unsolicited advice before she thought it through.

The woman jolted and whirled around. Surprised clear green eyes landed on Anko, mesmerizing her. She cursed herself internally for not recognizing that pink hair sooner. But how could she be blamed, the last time she checked, it belonged to some headache-inducing, scrawny genin. Not this… sex on legs.

“You’re not a kid,” Anko stated dumbly.

Sakura cocked her hip and put a hand on it. “You thought you were saying that to a kid?” she asked in disbelief.

Anko winced. Right, that butt comment made her sound all kinds of bad. “No, hell no. I just thought it was some hot chick, not you,” she backtracked, belatedly realizing she again put a foot in her mouth. She couldn’t help it though, Sakura really wasn’t that kid anymore, she was a grown up bombshell of a woman and Anko still couldn’t get over that.

Sakura’s brow scrunched up as she regarded her with narrowed eyes, fists clenching and releasing with indecision. “I can’t figure out whether you just called me ugly or hot,” she said slowly. “If it was the former, I would deck you.”

Anko’s eyes gleamed eagerly. “Then if it was hot, would you come with me for some drinks? Uh, I mean, coffee?” she proposed, since it was still too early for sake. “We could catch up.”

Sakura pinned her with a hard look, then shrugged. “Only if you’re paying,” she stipulated and Anko nodded.

“You know, I meant it about that denim skirt, take it. It will really look good on you,” she added.

Sakura hummed thoughtfully and examined the piece of clothing in question again. Then she folded it and took it to the seller.

Two minutes later, Sakura joined Anko and they walked side by side to a nearby café. They placed their orders and settled on the opposite sides in a booth. Sakura put her shopping bag on the seat next to her, then looked at Anko inquisitively.

“You wanted to catch up?” she reminded.

Anko startled, realizing that she was caught staring. “Right! Sooo… how’s it going?” she asked with a chuckle to mask her awkwardness.

Sakura shrugged. “Not bad. We have peace.”

“Yeah… that’s the worst. I’m so bored most of the time. There’s no work for me!”

Anko’s outburst of frustration made the other kunoichi blink. “I didn’t think about it before, but it makes sense… So you’re free most of the time?” she asked.

“Pretty much…” Anko confirmed with a morose sigh.

“Then what do you do? Any hobbies?”

“Not really…” Anko replied, frowning. Their coffees arrived and Sakura poured sugar in hers, then took a dainty sip. Anko didn’t touch hers, she wasn’t really that thirsty. Instead, she discreetly took in Sakura, when a brilliant thought occurred to her. “Say, you were Kakashi’s student and he’s been a real bother to me recently…” she said.

Sakura looked at her in surprise. “Kakashi-sensei? What did he do?”

Anko scowled darkly into her coffee before raising her eyes to the other woman. “He’s protecting that lowlife Orochimaru from justice. Killing the bastard would be a community service at this point and he won’t let me,” she gritted out.

“Oh,” Sakura muttered in understanding. “I’m sorry.”

And that was it. Anko knew that she wouldn’t get any help. It was a long shot anyway. In the silence, they both contemplated the absolute unfairness of it all.

“For the record, I was against letting him go, but all the villages decided to take his offer and let him live,” Sakura informed her with an anxious look.

“I know. The slippery bastard got away again,” Anko said and sighed in defeat, closing her eyes.

A warm touch on her hand made her open them in surprise. Sakura gave her a light, reassuring squeeze.

“That doesn’t mean the battle is over. Old habits die hard, you know. The moment he puts one toe out of line…”

“… I will be waiting,” Anko finished with a bloodthirsty grin. “And take his head off.”

Sakura smiled back. “Exactly. Don’t give up.”

She took back her hand and Anko found herself already wishing the touch lasted a little longer. She leaned back in her seat, more relaxed, and tried the coffee. Too strong, she thought with a grimace and set it down.

“Well, at least everything worked out for you. You got back your teammate. I didn’t think it would be possible,” she remarked lightly.

Sakura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes, that was like a miracle. I’m glad Sasuke-kun is okay now,” she said modestly.

Anko pierced her with a hawk-like stare. “So, anything going on between you two?” she asked candidly.

Sakura jolted, a few drops of her coffee spilling on the table. “What, me and Sasuke-kun? No. It’s not like that… He’s a very dear friend of mine now, but that’s all,” she explained as she wiped the stains with a bunch of paper napkins.

Anko internally cheered, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anyone else in the way. Better double check if she actually needed to get her assassination kit from storage. “Oh, so you’re ‘too busy for romance’ kind of gal?” she teased.

Sakura frowned. “Kind of… I’ve really got a lot of work,” she admitted despondently. “What about you, Anko-san? Any success in love?”

“Nope! I am completely single!” Anko announced with a broad smile. “But I’m always up for a bit of fun with a right person,” she added, giving her a suggestive wink. She noted with pleasure a subtle pinkening on Sakura’s cheeks.

“I-I see,” Sakura mumbled and reached for her coffee. Anko let her have a moment of peace to compose herself before changing the topic to something less personal. Fashion. Clothes were good.

They chatted for a while, then Sakura checked her watch and put down her empty cup on the table. “Sorry, I need to get going,” she said regretfully.

Anko nodded in understanding. “Duty calls, right?”

“Right. It was great to talk to you, Anko-san.” Sakura bit her lip, thinking something over, then she fished a pen out of her purse and wrote an address on a napkin. “Here.”

Anko picked it up in a daze. She couldn’t quite believe her luck. Did she just get invited to Sakura’s place? After all that lame flirting and constantly putting her foot in it? “Aww, are you going to miss me so much that you already want me to visit?” she joked.

Sakura gave her a slow, careful once over, then smirked. “Maybe.”

This time it was Anko’s turn to flush at the unexpected flirtation. She was blindsided!

“Actually, I’m starting a children’s mental health clinic. I could use your help there,” Sakura offered in all seriousness.

Anko gaped at her. “You would allow me around kids?”

“Don’t worry, they don’t bite. Most of the time,” Sakura answered blithely. “You said you were bored at work. These kids are war orphans. I think with your own experiences your advice would be really useful in the clinic.” She checked her watch again and hissed. “Shizune will kill me!” Sakura grabbed her shopping bag and stood up. “Please, just think about it, Anko-san. That’s all I ask. See you!” she threw the last words over her shoulder as she left the café in a hurry.

Anko watched her go, then looked at the address pensively. After a moment, she crumbled the napkin into a ball and threw it across the room straight into the trash bin. Score! Ha!

At leisure, Anko stretched, paid the bill, and ambled out of the café, hands in pockets of her trench coat. She walked the streets of Konoha until she stopped in front of a new building. She looked at the freshly painted, cheerful yellow walls and read the gleaming sign.

Children’s Mental Health Clinic in Konoha.

Kids. Anko mentally sighed. She wasn’t so sure she’d be any good at dealing with them, but she supposed Sakura wouldn’t let her traumatize the munchkins even more. Just having the opportunity to see her every day was worth giving this a try.

Well, at least Ibiki wouldn’t lose any more hair because of her. Anko trembled with quiet snickers at her own joke and turned back. She had some paperwork to fill and a superior to shock into a cardiac arrest.

[psychosistr]

Talk to Me- Chapter 6

Summary: So much for a peaceful, quiet evening. With their date and their lives in danger, Domino and Steelbeak work together to find their attacker before he finds them.

Notes: Time for another classic spy movie-style scene complete with some minor bloodshed and unnamed character death! >:D

-First Chapter-

Dominic had no idea what happened for a minute. One moment he’d been telling his partner about what he did to his former academy instructor, and the next Steelbeak was suddenly rushing towards him.

He was now on his back on the ground behind a pair of large trees and a few surrounding shrubs. He felt pressure on top of him and soon realized it was Steelbeak, who’d landed on top of him on the ground.

“What have I said about touching me?!” Dominic snapped as he easily shoved the other bird off of him and pinned him to the back of one of the nearby trees. He grabbed the collar of the rooster’s shirt in one hand, the other curled into a fist primed and ready to hit the other’s face repeatedly. “You, of all people, should know better than ANYONE-!!” He saw red, but not in the usual figurative sense. He literally saw red- it was on Steelbeak’s hand when he pulled it away from his upper arm with a pained hiss. There was a tear in the fabric of his right sleeve that allowed him to see a bleeding gash. It was too straight and far too clean to have come from a branch or stick from the surrounding foliage, it looked more like- “!!” Dominic let his partner go in favor of drawing and loading one of his pistols, looking around for anything out of the ordinary. “What did you see?”

“Laser sight on ya from your left- started at the shoulder and went up towards your head.” Steelbeak wiped his hand off on the grass below them to get rid of the excess blood before reaching into his pants’ pocket. “Didn’t have time t’ see where it came from.”

“Must have been one of the buildings down the street..” Dominic glanced to his partner and saw him take out a handkerchief, preparing to wrap it around his wound. “…….” He reached into his own pockets and pulled out a familiar glass vial. “Here.” He popped it open and put a few drops over the middle of the handkerchief.

Steelbeak eyed the vial curiously, clearly smelling the minty scent in the air. “You gonna tell me it’s a healing serum now?” He asked while tying the handkerchief around his arm using his left hand and his beak.

“Not exactly,” Dominic closed the vial and stuck it back in his pocket, peeking around their cover to look for any movement in the nearby buildings. “But it does have some anti-bacterial properties and should at least keep you from getting strepto or staphylococcus until we can treat it properly.”

“Good ‘nough for me.” Steelbeak peeked out from between the trees cautiously. “So, can ya tell where the guy is?”

Glancing down at where they were on the ice a couple minutes ago, Dominic spotted a crack in the ice a couple feet away but no bullet lodged in the surface, so it must have ricocheted. “No, I don’t have a clear angle to backtrack the shot’s trajectory.” He shook his head, tying his scarf back in place around his neck as he tried to think up a plan.

“Hm..” Steelbeak took a look at the park around them, paying particularly close attention to the trees. “How many shots would ya need t’ figure it out?”

“Three or four, ideally.” He responded automatically before the question fully sunk in. “Wait, don’t you dare-!”

“I can get ya three.” By the time he turned to face the taller bird, he was already preparing to run. “Just keep those pretty eyes of yours on the target!” And then he took off before Dominic had a chance to stop him.

Despite his reservations on the idea, Dominic did as he was told and stayed in place while keeping his eyes open for any signs of the shooter. It was a solid, effective plan, but it was also incredibly risky. One wrong turn or slip and it would be all over for Steelbeak. Not too mention the fact that, if he couldn’t accurately pinpoint the sniper’s location, his partner would be left out in a much more compromising position with significantly less cover- he was essentially putting his life in Dominic’s hands.

As he watched Steelbeak sprint towards another cluster of trees nearby, the rooster keeping his movements serpentine and erratic to make himself a more difficult target, Dominic saw some dirt a few feet away get kicked up. The first shot. The angle of the bullet in the ground was particularly steep, so that meant a shorter distance and greater height- ruling out any of the buildings that were less than five stories high or further than the first two streets he could see.

Steelbeak tucked and rolled behind a cluster of smaller trees, some leaves falling around him in the process. Dominic spotted a red dot moving across the leaves then, just an inch behind Steelbeak’s neck as he ran, he saw a trail of the leaves change their fall-path. The second shot. The disturbed leaves were being blown towards the right and he spotted a couple of them with damage on one side- both factors suggesting that the shot came from somewhere to the left.

Looking at the buildings on the left that would have a good vantage point of the park with high enough elevation, Dominic noted that there were only two possibilities within the appropriate distance: A six-story apartment complex and a half-constructed twelve-story corporate office building.

Keen eyes stayed on the pair of buildings, flicking between the two for even the smallest sign-

There.

It was brief, but he caught a glimpse of movement on the roof of the office building and saw a tiny red light gleaming from the same area right as he heard the third shot clip the trunk of the large tree that Steelbeak dove behind for cover.

Now that he had the location, Dominic sprung into action.

Pulling out his second pistol and loading it with a different type of ammo from his stash, he lined up the shot and fired. A small white sphere flew out of his gun with a trail of gray smoke trailing behind it, eventually falling in a gradual arch so that it landed right in front of the tree Steelbeak was hiding behind. Within an instant the sphere exploded in a blinding burst of white light.

Shielding his eyes with his forearm, Dominic ran towards the park gate with Steelbeak following not far behind him. “They’re at the construction site on Third Street- up on the roof. Also,” Once they reached the gate and the rooster was close enough, he reached over with one of his pistols and used it to give the taller bird a swat on his uninjured arm. “Don’t ever do that again.”

“Ow!” Steelbeak rubbed at the likely-bruising spot on his arm, but, despite the slight sting, he still had his usual grin on his face. “What’s the big deal? It worked, right?”

Dominic shot the other man a glare as they hurried out of the park and back to his car. “You could have gotten yourself killed running off like that.”

“Nah, I knew I’d be fine-” His partner said confidently as they got into the vehicle. Dominic was about to snap at him for being overconfident in his own abilities while he started the car- “-‘cause YOU were the one watchin’ my back.”

“……” For the second time that night, Dominic was grateful for his darker feathers that hid the warmth blooming across his cheeks. Why did he always end up falling for crazy and reckless men who still managed to be so sweet and trusting? Apparently he just had a type.. “You should still be more careful.” He sighed and shook his head, driving towards the construction site.

As he drove, he noticed that Steelbeak was keeping his focus on the building ahead, likely keeping an eye out for any signs that their assailant was trying to escape. “How ya wanna handle this, Dee?”

“Divide and corner them.” He replied, finding a spot along the side of the building to park the car when they arrived. “Find all possible routes to the roof, close off as many of them as possible, then corner them when they have nowhere else to run.”

The duo snuck inside through an unactivated fire exit that was left open- likely being the entrance the sniper themself used- and double-checked it for any traps before heading in. Once they were inside Dominic pulled out his guns, Steelbeak untucking his shirt and pulling his own revolver out from the waistband of his pants. It seemed he wasn’t the only one who decided to pack a little extra heat for their date. Good, Dominic appreciated not being the only one who was well prepared for the evening.

“There’s gonna be a floor map down here somewhere.” Steelbeak told him as he looked around. “Tells ya what’s workin’ an’ what’s not.” After a few seconds of searching, he stopped at a wrinkled map taped to the wall. “Jackpot.” He took a moment to study the sketched and scribbled-over blueprints before tapping at two different spots. “There’s only one elevator with power goin’ to it right now…and this staircase’s the only one goin’ all the way t’ the top without takin’ a buncha detours.” He went on to tap a few other staircases on the map. “And these’re the only ones connected t’ the ground floor.”

“Impressive.” Dominic nodded as he listened, looking over each point on the layout.

“What can I say? Ya sleep in enough construction sites, ya learn a few things.” The rooster replied with a smirk before looking back down at his partner. “What’re ya packin’?”

Taking a moment to think it over, Dominic counted each type of ammo off on his fingers as he spoke. “Fire, ice, lead, flares, slime, and a few gas rounds.” Considering their options and the best course of action, the loon swapped the ammo in one of his guns to the slime shots before handing a single darker casing- one of his poisoned gas rounds- off to Steelbeak. “Take the elevator up and set this off once you reach the top- that should keep them from taking it back down. I’ll boobytrap the minor staircases then meet you up top on the main one.” He gave the taller bird a stern glare, his voice low as it took on a strict, warning tone. “Do NOT engage them until I get up there. Is that clear?”

Steelbeak took the offered bullet, rolling his eyes a little at the other bird’s tone of voice. “Yeah, yeah, I got it, red eyes: Don’t start the party without ya.”

“And don’t get into any trouble before I can bail you out.” Dominic gave the rooster another smack on the side of his arm with his pistol before heading towards the stairs. “I’ll meet you at the top.”

“Lookin’ forward to it.” Was the last he heard from his partner as the rooster made his way to the elevator.

Dominic went to each of the indicated stairways and made sure to thoroughly coat a good number of the stairs and handrails in sticky green slime that shot from his gun, keeping lead bullets in the other just in case he ran into their attacker. Luckily, he made it through the smaller stairwells without incident and took the main one up as quickly as he could. Hopefully he would get there before-

The silence of the stairwell was broken by a series of loud gunshots.

Had it not been for the guns currently being held in them, at least one hand would have met Dominic’s forehead in record speed. “I honestly don’t know why I expected any different..” He heaved an annoyed sigh and quickly ascended the final steps to the exit at the top.

Opening the door to the roof, Dominic kept his guns drawn and ready. The rooftop was a large, flat, dimly lit area that was currently being used to store crates and stacks of extra building materials as well as the machinery used for lifting heavier loads to the upper floors. After hearing another gunshot, the loon took cover behind a stack of loosely tied together metal pipes.

Peering out cautiously to get his bearings, he saw Steelbeak near the far edge of the roof. The other bird was currently engaged in a firefight with a male pitbull in a suit. While the dog’s large rifle was far more powerful, the light weight of Steelbeak’s own revolver made it easier for him to maneuver around the obstacles set up on the roof and get off more shots before ducking behind a stack of crates for cover. Dominic was fully prepared to go in and give his partner some backup-

“Did ya REALLY have t’ go an’ do this TONIGHT?!” Steelbeak took the opportunity to reload his gun, a scowl visible on his face from Dominic’s position. “I mean, seriously- ya couldn’t wait ‘til tomorrow or somethin’?!” He peered out from behind the corner of a crate, quickly ducking back behind it to avoid a shot that grazed the side of the box. “Any other day of the week, and I might’ve let ya walk away with a couple missin’ limbs..but you just HAD t’ go and ruin my friggin’ date night!” Looking around, he found a hammer that had been left out and tossed it over the crates to create a distraction.

The pit bull fell for it all too easily, shooting at the object reflexively but growling in frustration when he realized he’d been tricked. “Date night?” The words were spat venomously as he tried to tell where the rooster had run off to while he’d been distracted. “You monsters slaughter an entire squadron of my comrades then go on a date to celebrate?!”

“Lemme tell ya somethin’, pal: When the guy you’ve been pinin’ after for nearly TWO MONTHS asks YOU out on a date, ya don’t go tellin’ ‘im ‘no’ just ‘cause ya killed a few nobodies last night.” The dog turned quickly when he heard Steelbeak’s voice beside him, but it was already too late. The mouth of a long-barreled .38 revolver was pressed against the side of his head and a pair of dark eyes were glaring down at him menacingly. “I have been waitin’ a long time- a REAL long time- t’ make this happen.” The enemy agent’s flimsy attempt to fight back by hitting the tall fowl with the butt of his gun failed almost instantly when Steelbeak used his free hand to grab the dog’s elbow and apply enough pressure to make him drop his weapon. “I’ve tried harder t’ get this guy’s attention then I have with literally every broad I’ve ever dated put together ‘cause he’s somethin’ special.” As he spoke, he steadily forced the cornered dog closer to the edge of the roof. “He’s wicked smart, good lookin’- gorgeous, really-, the sharpest guy I know, and he’s got a sarcastic, twisted sense of humor I just can’t seem t’ get enough of. Basically, he’s the total package and I REALLY wanna make this work with him, y’know?” He now had the much more nervous looking S.H.U.S.H. agent backed all the way to the edge. “And I’m not gonna let some two-bit revenge-obsessed chump ruin this for me, capiche?”

“You know, it’s almost sweet hearing you talk like that.” Dominic emerged from his hiding place and approached the two men on the other side of the roof.

Steelbeak turned his head just enough to glance back at his partner, the loon catching a trace of red under the other’s off-white cheek feathers. “Aw, geez- you heard all that?”

“Every word.” He replied with a smirk, thoroughly enjoying the way the red color spread across the rooster’s cheeks. “Though I am still disappointed you started without me.”

“Hey now, I didn’t start nothin’!” The taller bird stated defensively. “This guy-” He jabbed his gun further against the pit bull’s head in indication. “-caught me comin’ outta the dang elevator an’ tried t’ blow my head clean off!” He rolled his eyes with a scowl. “Seriously, no banter, no conversation- just no courtesy with this one.”

“I showed you the same courtesy you showed my brother when you shot and used him for camouflage, you murderer!” The dog growled as he glared up at the rooster, his earlier nerves being replaced with fury. “I was monitoring the remote security feed last night- I saw everything you did to my brother and the rest of our squadron!” He turned his glare in Dominic’s direction. “My original plan was to kill the monster responsible for most of my comrades’ deaths-” His furious eyes returned to Steelbeak. “-and make YOU suffer with the pain of being left alone- just like me!”

Neither of the F.O.W.L. agents were moved by the other man’s emotional outburst- if anything, they just looked bored.

“Wooooow, how original.” Steelbeak’s tone practically dripped with sarcasm. “This guy’s real unique, ain’t he, Dom?”

“A once in a lifetime find.” Dominic’s attitude matched his partner’s perfectly. “It’s uncanny, though- I could swear I’ve already heard that same speech fifty times this year.”

The deadly duo glanced at each other, maintaining their bored, deadpan expressions for a moment more before simultaneously breaking into a fit of laughter with matching wicked grins.

Once his laughter died down a bit, Steelbeak looked at the confused and affronted agent with an amused chuckle. “Look, buddy, in our line of work, ya hear one revenge monologue, ya heard ‘em all. You’re just another sad loser in a LONG line of failures.”

“The only thing we might remember you for will be how you interrupted an otherwise lovely evening.” Dominic sighed, rolling his eyes.

Rage and indignation were clear on the enemy agent’s face when he bared his fangs at them with a snarl. “Maybe you’ll remember THIS!!” The hand furthest from Steelbeak moved, pulling out an extremely small .32 Beretta pocket pistol and moving with clear intent to shoot the fowl beside him.

“!!!” Dominic moved on instinct, instantly raising one of his own pistols and shooting the pit bull in his shoulder.

The action accomplished its goal of stopping the enemy’s attempt at shooting his partner, but the impact sent him off-balance. Flailing as he began to fall, the S.H.U.S.H. agent grabbed the back of Steelbeak’s shirt on his way down.

“Oh cr-!” The swear barely had time to leave the rooster’s beak before he started to topple over the edge, too.

Dominic felt his heart stop and his eyes widen.

Falling..

Steelbeak was falling…

He was falling and would di-

“NO!!” The loon’s legs were already sprinting forward before his mind could catch up, his precious pistols falling from his hands.

In that moment, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion.

He saw Steelbeak falling backwards as he ran across the roof to close the gap between them. Along the way, he scooped a hammer up off of the ground (the same one that Steelbeak had tossed earlier, but he was too distracted to realize it at the moment) without breaking his stride and, with the other hand, pulled his scarf from his neck. Hands working as quickly as his feet, he managed to tie the hammer to one end of the scarf and wrap the other around his left hand twice before reaching the edge. At the last moment before he’d reached the edge, Dominic slid onto his knees and tossed the weighted end of his scarf down towards his partner, bracing his free hand against the ledge.

This had to work! He couldn’t lose him! Not now, not like this-!

Off-white fingers grabbed onto the dark purple fabric and held on for dear life. “Nh!” Steelbeak winced when the sudden interruption of his downward momentum resulted in him slamming into the side of the building, but his grip stayed firm.

Relief quieted Dominic’s racing mind when he looked down at the other man suspended in the air below him, causing him to let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. “Hold on.”

“Trust me, Dom- I ain’t goin’ nowhere.” Dominic never thought he’d be so happy to hear the other man’s sarcastic remarks but, right now, it was like music to his ears. With a grunt and a combined effort from both parties, Steelbeak was hoisted back up onto the roof. Once he was safe and sound, both fowls collapsed into a seated position next to each other while catching their breath. “You..are gonna tell me..where..ya got this-” Steelbeak gasped as his breath evened out, holding up the loon’s scarf in his right hand. “-and me an’ you are goin’ shoppin’…‘cause I need t’ buy at least FIVE of these things.” He had a huge grin spread across his face, the beginnings of a laugh evident in his voice. “I don’t care what it costs or where you got it- I’ll borrow a jet if I gotta- this thing was worth EVERY penny!”

With a smile on his own beak, Dominic nodded agreeably. “Sure..that can be our next date.”

“So I’m already gettin’ a second date?” The lighter bird asked coyly, even wiggling his eyebrows in an over the top comically flirtatious manner.

That was all it took for both of them to start laughing hysterically- the kind of laughter that follows surviving a near-death experience unscathed when the heart-stopping adrenaline wears away and leaves a person feeling giddy and lightheaded. It lasted for several minutes, leaving them gasping and panting for breath all over again, but in a far more pleasant way.

Looking at his partner while the other snickered quietly and wiped tears away on his wine colored sleeve, Dominic felt a soothing, gentle warmth flowing through his veins. To be here, next to Steelbeak, and to still be able to see that smile and hear that odd laugh, it was one of the best things he’d felt in a long time.

With a gentle smile on his face, he moved his left hand just enough to give the scarf still wrapped around it a light tug.

The motion was just enough to be felt by Steelbeak, earning his attention. When he saw the smile on the loon’s face his own grin softened as well and he pulled the hammer out of the loose loop in the purple fabric. It only took a moment for him to untie it and wrap his end of the scarf twice around his right hand and give it an answering tug in return.

They sat there quietly, simply gazing into each other’s eyes and enjoying the light pressure around their palms.

<-Previous Chapter Next Chapter->

End Notes: What a fun little emotion and adrenaline fueled roller coaster of a chapter x3 I’m not the best at writing action scenes, but for times like these they are still fun to write ^/////^”

[kinsbin]

A Dash of Flour

Title: A Dash of Flour Word Count: 2097 Pairing: Alexys/Katriona [si/oc]

Summary: When Alexys has a rough day, Katriona decides the best way to cheer her up is with cookies. The two trying to bake together leads to a bad joke or two, but also a confession sweeter than the treat they’re making.

A/N: Commission for @space-sweetheart of her and my OC! These two are so cUTE TOGETHER and I’m so happy Kat has... a loving girlfriend...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone had sad days.

Kat had to admit that hers were few and far between, even with the abuse she had suffered she preferred to keep a smile on her face and her mind focused on the present and future rather than the events of the past. Still, when they hit, they were hard and fierce in her mind as she was forced to come into the realization that she couldn’t always be happy. It was hard, but, with the help of her girlfriend she always got through it! That was the important part in the end, wasn’t it? To have someone else with you to get through the events of your sadness and talk about how you, in the end, as a person were okay. That was how she liked to view the concept at any rate, ever positive as she was. Though she was positive, of course, that didn’t mean she was stupid. Or oblivious. Or a fool.

So, when Alexys was sad, she was always able to tell.

It would start off with small tells that she viewed in the other girl’s attitudes for a brief moment in their conversations. Signs of her words wavering in soft tones against her beautiful lips alerted Katriona to the possibility of a bad day. Alarm bells would ring in her mind like the sound of a buoy on the harbor of an ocean, echoing with loud clangs to remind sailors of the dangers of waters beyond their safe havens of boats and cruises. Then she would notice her eyes, ever averting from her gaze as she talked in that same soft voice, fingertips playing with each other before one eventually found its way to her lips to bite idly at her nail. Sometimes, when she ran out of nails, she would bite her thumb. Her teeth would find the lose flesh and pick at it.

Each movement made Kat wince, the sight of Alexys hurting herself never good as she sat at her girlfriend’s side and observed the ever-processing stages of the other’s current upset attitude. The two had opted for a day inside together, the world around them cloudy and sleepy as they wrapped themselves up in one another, made breakfast, and were now enjoying a movie as they discussed the possibility of cleaning the house a little bit. Alexys’ voice had been that same softness. Her teeth had found her nails and thumb with reckless abandon. A soft coo of worry bubbled up in Kat’s throat as she brushed some of her hair back behind her ear and reached out with her other hand, touching Alexys’ knee.

Alexys startled slightly before turning to face the other girl, grey eyes meeting green ones as they locked their gazes together and the world seemed to slow down. Alexys’ heart sped up, as it always did when she got to stare at her girlfriend for as long as she had been. Kat was beautiful, even in the gloomy light of the cloudy Seattle day. Her hair curled extra with the humidity around them, leaving her untamed mane even more intense than it usually was. She had settled with a pair of shorts and a tank top for her clothing that day, her seal coat wrapped firmly around her shoulders as if it were a blanket. She looked warm. Soft. Cozy. It made Alexys’ heart leap despite the sadness that gnawed on it like a starving dog as she attempted a weak smile.

“What’s wrong, gillfriend?”

Kat smiled when Alexys couldn’t help the chuff of laughter from her lips at the badly timed fish pun that echoed from the other’s mouth. Katriona had long since revealed her pension for making ocean and water-based jokes on a regular basis. Each morning seemed to start with some sort of badly timed fish joke that only pushed into at least ten or twenty more by the time noon even rolled around. Each one just as cheesy if not more so than the last she had spoken out. How one girl could have a plethora of horrible jokes at her disposal at any given moment was a mystery to Alexys as she curled herself into a comfortable ball and took a deep breath, the white noise of the television not helping to settle her rattling brain.

“I… don’t really know,” Alexys admitted as she chewed the inside of her lip with an exhausted sight, “Just… a sad day, I guess. Sorry, I wish I had a better explanation. I know it’s stupid of me to even-”

Kat silenced her with a squeeze to her leg. Leaning forward, the selkie went to place a tender kiss on her human’s cheek, making Alexys blush a bright red as she stared on at the other at her side. Kat’s smile was warm and soft in its execution as she brushed her thumb once more over her knee. She wasn’t angry with her? Or annoyed that not even Alexys knew why she was as upset as she was? The concept of patience in another human being, let alone patience directed at HER, was baffling as the gnawing anxiety fought harder to break out into the surface of her thoughts.

“Sometimes sad days happen,” Kat stated with an easygoing tone to her voice as she gave a nod, “I don’t blame ya or think it’s bad for ya havin’ one… Hey, how about I make ya those cookies you really like? The ones with the three kinds of chocolate chips and extra cinnamon, hm?”

The mention of Kat’s specialty cookie had Alexys mouth salivating as a small smile dared to grace her lips.

“I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to…”

“If I didn’t want to then I wouldn’t a bothered askin’, silly fish!” Kat giggled and ruffled the other’s hair, placing a chaste kiss on her nose before standing to skip into the kitchen. Alexys, not wanting to be left alone, followed easily after the other like a lost puppy.

The kitchen was already warm with residual heat from the oven as Kat set it to preheat for the time being. Alexys let her eyes follow the scurrying form of her girlfriend as she shot from corner to corner with the speed and efficiency of a practiced chef. Kat had always talked about owning her own cafe someday and Alexys understood why she would be confident about herself being good at it. Her movements were smooth even as she pushed herself upwards to reach taller items in cabinets, skidding around with ease as she put all of the memorized ingredients down before her with a smile on her face. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing Kat in the kitchen, after all.

It seemed to be the only place that Kat felt safe. That the world around her disappeared and no longer did she hold the paranoia of people around her. No longer did she look warily out windows or have the urge to double check all of their locks. Alexys wondered, briefly, if the kitchen was the one spot her ex boyfriend never went in. Judging by the type of man he seemed to be, of course, that made perfect sense. Alexys took a breath to try and forget about her mind bringing the man up, the anger he encouraged in her veins never mixing well with her own sense of depression. So she took a deep breath and leaned on one of the counters, hiding a smile as she watched the sight before her with moderate amusement.

Kat stood on the tips of her toes, biting her lip as her fingertips just barely grazed the edges of a bag of flour that she needed. No matter the extra stretch she tried to provide in her body the friction was not enough to nudge the flour even remotely close to her. Alexys bit her lip to stifle her laughter as she watched her girlfriend jump up and down to reach the item at hand before relenting and approaching from behind her. Kat stopped jumping when Alexys’ shadow came over her and she turned her head, eyes widening and smile forming as the taller of the two reached up with a hum and plucked the bag with ease from its spot in the pantry. Lowering it down, Kat accepted it with a slowly forming grin of excitement as she bared her teeth.

“Oh, why Alexys,” Kat giggled despite her words not being finished, “Flowers, for ME? You shouldn’t have.”

The joke was bad and cheesy, the words falling from her lips with the expectance of them being far more hilarious than it actually was. Still, Alexys found a genuine laugh bubbling up in her throat. A tackling giggle followed by a chortle broke through her mouth despite her trying to cover it with her hand. Kat felt the infectious sound of her girlfriend’s laughter burn through her own veins and, soon, the two were laughing together in the kitchen. The fit they were both in burned their lungs as they had to lean down and grip the edge of the counter, wheezing through silent laughter and tears.

They sat on the floor after a few more moments, Kat cradling the bag of flour to her stomach as she finally caught her breath. Alexys followed shortly after, her gasps sharp and adrenaline pumping as the smile on her lips pulled hard at her muscles. The words that followed her shortly came out without her thinking about, flowing as naturally as her laughter had at the bad joke presented by the woman before her:

“God, I love you.”

There was a silence afterwards, heavy and shocked in between the two of them as they stared on at one another. Alexys felt her face heat up red with embarrassment, her mouth opening to backtrack but failing as she realized there was nowhere in the conversation that she could go.  Kat’s own cheeks suddenly warmed up, the redness of her previous laughing fit only intensifying as she realized the words from the other girl before her. Her grip on the bag of flour tightened as she searched Alexys’ eyes. It was all suddenly so intense. So electrifying. So… True.

True because Alexys DID love her.

She loved Kat. She loved her curly hair and sharp smile. Her cute chirps of laughter and the way her forehead wrinkled when she was happy. The way she never liked to wear clothes and the way she got a fond look in her eye when she talked about her family… Yes, Alexys decided a while ago that she liked all of it. Every single aspect of Kat was, by all means, beautiful. Perfect. Amazing.

She just can’t believe that she said it out loud.

“I mean… I j-just…”

Suddenly Kat was upon her, her lips finding Alexys’ in a bright and excited kiss that consumed her very being. Alexys startled as the flour fell from the other’s lap, gently sending a puff of white powder into the air and on their clothes as the two of them knocked down into the tile floor. Kat’s lips tasted like saltwater and sweets, a strange and beautiful combination that reminded of something just off of salted caramel as the two of them lay on the floor together. She could feel Kat’s smile blossom against her own as the two of them finally released one another, Kat’s hair cascading around them like a curtain. Framing her beautiful face as she smiled down at her lover with a caring expression. An expression full of warmth and appreciation for the being she was looking at.

“I love you too.”

The words filled Alexys all at once, her body consuming the serotonin that offered itself up from those four simple words returned to her with all of its emotion and appreciation. She smiled, wide and excited and thankful, and Kat couldn’t help but smile back, giggling as the two found each other’s lips again in a short, sweet kiss.

“Now,” Kat whispered with a smile, “How about helping me make those cookies?”

“I’d be happy to.” Alexys returned with a laugh, pecking her girlfriend’s nose one last time as her heart swelled with such strong emotion that she thought she might cry from it.

Yes, even on the saddest of days, ther was always one thing she could count on: Loving Kat.

And Kat loving her back.

[dafodilion]

Okay so one person asked so I’m gonna share all of them. Also it’s Family day so :/

- Peter cooks for both of them usually but only because he likes when Harley sits on the counter next to him. He loves when he can just easily pick Harley up.

- He also likes it when Harley comes up behind him and wraps his arms around him. He always smiles when it happens.

- They have one couch that’s three cushions wide and most of the time they take up all the space. Sometimes they’re actually cuddling but more often than they like to admit their feet are in each other’s faces.

- They also have a cat that absolutely does not play favorites. Harley just isn’t attractive enough.

- They also, routinely, have little debates about the proper way to do things. Peter stacks his books left to right. Harley stacks them down to up.

- When they pack to go anywhere they have different check lists and never manage to pack doubles of anything. Do with that as you will.

- There have been a couple of fights about Peter being Spiderman but they mostly consist of “YOU DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT” “OTHER PEOPLE ARE SQUISHY” “SO ARE YOU” Harley is just really scared of losing Peter okay

- When they have movie nights there is more popcorn on the floor and on the couch than there actually was consumed. And they can’t remember which movie they’ve watched.

- They don’t have the big ceremony but they do get married. It was something they’d talked about doing for years but in the most casual way like “We should get married.” “Yeah.” And then they’d go back to looking at memes on their phones. Then they actually went through with it on an impulse cause they were already dressed anyway so why not

- When everyone found out there was a mix of ‘finally, thank god’ and ‘what the fuck’.

- Harley genuinely thought that MJ was gonna deck him for not getting her permission

- Peter was also scared that MJ was gonna deck Harley

- After they got married they casually started throwing around the idea of adopting and then one night had an extremely serious conversation about whether or not they actually do and it ended with a tearful cuddling session cause they both really really really want kids

-  They started all of the paper work and were initially danced around cause they’re a same-sex couple and then again when the agent realized that Peter was Spiderman and couldn’t really produce a consistently stable home

- They wait like three years before they decide to take themselves off the list and look for other methods. But like literally right before they leave to go do that thought they get a call saying that there’s a girl pregnant who doesn’t want the child

- They go through all the proper wires and at the end of it all they had a little boy the end the mom wanted to keep the baby

- A few weeks later Harley and Peter are still absolutely devastated and may or may not be taking turns sleeping on the couch there’s a disaster and Spiderman is there to help drag people to safety.

- There’s a John Doe about four years old who refuses to talk to anyone so the police and nurses let Spiderman talk to him alone

- Peter introduces himself first as Spiderman then as Peter. The little boy is ecstatic to learn that Spiderman is a man dressed like a spider and not a spider pretending to be a man

- Spiderman is able to get his name (Cameron Herrera) and realizes that both of his parents and his sister are dead. He stays with him while the police tell him this. Cameron refuses to go or do anything without Peterman

- The nurses are fine with it cause now they can make sure the kids okay but the cops are less so cause they know what’s been happening and they don’t want Peter to get too attached cause more than likely it won’t end well.

- They do let Peter take the kid home and Cameron falls in love with Harley and vice versa. After they set Cameron up on the couch they go to their room and have the serious discussion again. Warts and all about the situation. The most likely probability that Cameron has family he’ll end up with. But it’s the first night in a long time that they’ve been able to be within five feet of each other and neither one of them wants to cry or yell so they take advantage of it and get the best sleep they’ve had in just as long

- Cameron does have a grandma but she’s not an option for him to live with so the cps takes him

- Harley does everything he can to get Cameron back and Peter is absolutely following suit

- A judge allows them custody as long as Peter stops being Spiderman.

- Harley starts to fight it but Peter agrees to that being the stipulation before Harley can say anything.

- They have another long, stressful night of talking and crying. It’s like an hour before Peter can get a word out about his plan and another hour before Harley calms down from ripping him a new one

- Spiderman disappears but in his place is Night Monkey.

- The judge is incredibly upset but he can’t backtrack cause peter has receipts

- Cameron is enrolled in pre-school and his dads absolutely adore everything he brings home.

- They all go to the park regularly and Peter and Harley start relaxing around each other a bit more.

-They’re not necessarily the best dads but Cameron always feels loved and safe. And they don’t try to make him forget about his birth family. They take him to their graves anytime he wants to talk to them.

I don’t really have anymore at the moment but my ask box is open so 

[theasiantvshipper-blog]

The Malec Breakup (and why it came to be)

I had to dedicate a separate post for this Malec episode 3x18 just because there’s so many layers to this episode that needs to be addressed.

There’s an old proverb that goes: “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”. And boy this episode is that road. When Alec conjured up Asmodeus using a deadbeat warlock- he knew what he was getting into- there’s no fooling the trickster. As Magnus would always say, there’s always a trick a the heart of the game for Asmodeus. Nothing is ever as it seems with him. And we found out towards the end of the episode that Asmodeus has just summoned himself to earth, because why not. He’s the Prince of Hell, ruler of Edom. Suck on that Nephilims. (kidding).

Alec had the right intention, seeing the love of his life suffer like that without his magic was gut-wrenching and knowing he can’t do anything about it just made it worst. So in his head, what he was doing is right and just. Breaking his heart to save Magnus’ life; but at this point in their relationship, could he really say that Magnus’ magic was more important than him? He thinks so, but if there’s any evidence that Alec matters to Magnus’ more than his magic; just take a look at 3x16 when Lorenzo took his magic back from Magnus. You saw how Magnus refused the thought at first but upon seeing Alec, he knew he had everything he’ll ever need in his life. And Alec must have missed that. Magnus didn’t give up his magic for the 2nd time because he wanted to make Alec happy, Magnus did it so Alec would never have to make the hard decisions for their relationship again. It was a step in the right direction, albeit a painful one.

Then came the proposal that never was, which should never have been in the first place. I know, I know, I love me a good, ol’ sappy proposal, who doesn’t? But let’s face it, you propose to the love of your life after he just lost his magic the 2nd time around? I don’t know what world you live in, but Alec seem to have forgotten that Magnus was immortal, but he isn’t made of stone. He should have seen the pain that Magnus was in, before jumping the gun, not that he was able to anyway. By this time, the relationship had gone from- sweet to sour to bitter, all in a span of an episode. And then the breakdown happened, y’all I can’t even stress how devastated I was seeing that breakdown of Magnus, it was a performance worthy of another GLAAD award or an Bi-oscar, if one ever existed. But alas, next episode came and Magnus was back to his old defensive, deflecting self. Always making fun of the situation, no matter how dire or pressing it maybe. That’s one of his most endearing qualities, one that Alec is very familiar with. But Alec was firm with his resolve, he knew he couldn’t live without Magnus (and Magnus felt the same); he knew their love for each other is eternal (because duh, they have a love lock in the next episode) and that he wanted Magnus to be happy. That’s it, he wanted Magnus to be happy, like a fix to their mile-long list of issues. (don’t even get me started) These writers really enjoy tormenting the characters and the fans to the brink of oblivion, eh? 

Let’s go back to the Malec breakup, apologies for being side-tracked but I was getting to a point there. Magnus happiness’ is a lot different from Alec’s. I think that’s what we can all agree on- happiness is relative, that’s an absolute truth. Alec made the deal with Asmodeus to possibly give Magnus’ happiness back, because he thought that:

1. I can’t make him happy without his magic.

2. i’m not enough fo Magnus, I’ll never be.

3. I want to make him happy and this is the best solution I can think of (yeah right)

The entire ordeal was in the first person (I think, I want, I should). If you can’t see anything wrong in that, better get yourself checked. 

Now let me backtrack a bit to the time when Magnus lost his magic to save Alec and Jace. Trust me, I’m getting somewhere with this, bear with me. 

At the time Magnus offered his father his magic, he did so out of love for Alec and Jace’s relationship as parabatai. Again, Magnus acted on his own volition to trade his magic for the parabatai of Alec, whom he knew will not survive the loss of the other. And in this episode, Alec argued that Magnus saved Jace in order to make Alec whole again. Fair point. But what the writers failed to realize is that Magnus wasn’t going to lose Alec in this deal. Whether or not the ordeal was successful, Magnus will still have Alec, with or without Jace in the picture. When Alec went to Asmodeus, he was bartering one for the other. He knew Magnus couldn’t live without his magic, but he also knew both of them couldn’t live without each other. So it was a lost cause because not only is he signing away the love of his life to a life of eternal damnation, he was doing so under the pretense of true love and selflessness. Magnus was never made to choose, the decision was made for him. And I think that’s what makes this breakup really unfair, I’m looking at you Asmodeus. 

But the stark difference between that episode and this one was the knowledge or consent of the action.  Magnus told Alec that he was going to make a deal or ask for help from his father to save Jace, Alec was aware, they both knew the risks. Magnus wasn’t going to choose between Alec or Jace at that time, he was made to choose between his Magic to save Jace. But Alec had to choose between Magnus magic and Magnus’ love without Magnus in the equation. How do you win in that kind of game?  

 Arguably, it would seem that Alec would be the one hurting the most, you can see it when he broke up with Magnus, he couldn’t get himself to do it, but mustered enough strength to convince Magnus that he was no longer the man he loved. And there’s nothing like a dialogue that resembles “you’re no longer the man I fell in love with”  to drive the point home, like a dagger to the heart, imbued with heavenly fire. I could think of worst analogies, but let’s not go there. 

Magnus was on the receiving end of this angst, an angst that came out of nowhere but was right in front of him, like a truck ready to bamboozle. Sure, he had a mental breakdown, he’s a warlock, not a statue. He’s never felt more vulnerable in his entire life- immortal to mortal, powerful to powerless, high warlock to homeless, I can make you a list of things that Magnus can longer do since he lost his magic, but I can tell you this, what got him through all that, was Alec. And now, he’s about to lose the only person who gave him the reason to live. And that’s not even the worst, it was the love of his life, the person he entrusted his entire life with, doing that to him. If that’s not worst than death, I don’t know what is. So forgive me for wanting to hug Magnus more than Alec at this point, because unlike Alec, who has Jace, Izzy and the Institute. Magnus literally has nothing- LITERALLY. Now I know y’all would say that Jace and Izzy wont help Alec recover, yes, you are right. They wont, but they are warm bodies in a time when your heart has been plucked out of your body, left to die out in the cold. They’ll keep it warm until it beats again. I can’t say the same for Magnus, he’s got no one. Except for his emotionally manipulative demon prick of a father, Asmodeus. 

Now to those who will argue that what Alec did was selfless, in a perfect world, yes, I can see why it’s easily construed as a selfless act. Choosing to break your own heart to save the life of another. But to break your heart, is to break his as well. It’s a double edged sword, either way, you’ll both bleed, the question is, who will bleed faster to their death. And that’s where the next episode comes in, how much of an impact does this breakup affect both of them and how irreparable is it going to be? We’ll find out soon enough. 

[mirage-babey]

Respawn - Mirage x Wraith

Summary: The voices could only ever be heard by her - it hadn’t mattered much until now. This time, as the grenade sailed through the air, the only person who had time to be warned was her. Dragged through a portal, wracked with guilt, all she could hope for was that a respawn point was near.

AO3

“Jackpot! Don’t mind if I do-“

“Back off.”

“But, guys- I’m a legend in this-“

“Legends don’t choke under pressure. That clears things up: this is mine.”

“Heh, yours? If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be laying down on the job!”

“I believe with ten kills, the loot should be mine.”

“Ehh, that’s a made-up number.”

“Right- so I think we’re all in agreement that-“

“They know where you are.”

“You’ve been spotted.”

“Grenade!”

Sinking back through the portal, Wraith is spat back outside the shack, just in time to see the shockwave travel across the water, smoke pouring from the building as three figures step inside.

Working nearly on autopilot, she aims the Triple Take rifle, eyes glowing with a still, calm, white rage as the voices whispering guidance to her. With deadly accuracy, the squad that killed her own falls.

It would seem as though arguing over loot is never a smart use of time.

The second the threat has passed, Wraith trips over herself getting back inside the wooden structure, desperate for any sign that the inevitable didn’t happen.

She pays no mind to the lifeless corpses of her enemies as she steps over them - the voices deep in her mind murmur their aliases to her anyway: Gibraltar, Lifeline, Bloodhound - instead, the only thing she can acknowledge is the guilty lump that’s formed in her throat and left her sick to her stomach; this is the Apex Game, this is always how it ends, so why is she so bothered? She’s angry, not only at her squad’s ambushers, but also herself, for not saving her teammates. Her eyes are resting on Pathfinder - the robot was always so enthusiastic, so helpful, only here to try and find the answers they longed for.

It didn’t matter here, though. Their metal frame has not a spark running through it, left slumped against the wall.

There’s a bubble of panic rising in her chest, and Wraith is unsure as to whether or not she can handle looking down. Her limbs feel weak, her entire being suddenly numb, a desperate attempt to process the situation without taking in the final detail of the massacre.

In an attempt to prevent the hyperventilation she feels coming too fast, she just stops breathing. It’s only for a moment, and any air she inhaled would have gotten caught in her throat anyway as she forces herself to look down at Mirage.

Just a few moments ago they were teasing each other about their rescues, this death match kept light by his humour. Now, he’s simply silent, motionless.

It’s futile - she knows it’s futile - but falling to her knees and checking for a pulse is the first instinct she can follow. With trembling hands, she searches for a pulse, a breath, any sign of life, but there is none.

She stops, both her hands curled around just one of his. She slumps back, no longer leaning over him, staring blankly at his face.

Her mind is numb, but she still finds herself asking what did he fight for?

That’s what his dumb, overdramatic speech was about, just before she cut him off - just before it all went wrong. He’d spoken about what Pathfinder fought for, he’d spoken about what he presumed she fought for, but he hadn’t mentioned what he fought for.

Huh. Funny. Ironic, considering the proud reputation he’d built himself.

Wraith takes a deep breath, stealing her nerves, meekly hoping the cameras hidden around hadn’t focused too much on her. She knew they did, though. The people watching the Apex Games love drama, and what’s more dramatic than five deaths in rapid succession followed by a near-breakdown?

She’s nervous to flip his wrist over - what if something went wrong? What if there’s no respawn available? - but her fears are unfounded, and there it is in bold text on the screen strapped to Mirage’s wrist:

RESPAWN AVAILABLE

The hesitation to leave his body is forcibly shoved away as she instead grabs his and Pathfinder’s banners, ripping open a portal to the nearest respawn beacon.

The effort required almost makes her throw up, and she sways on her feet for a moment as she stares into the void. Swallowing thickly, ignoring the dull ache in her skull, she stumbles through the tear in the fabric of this reality.

Shadows flash behind her eyelids as she tumbles out the other side, keeling over, her body thumping against the ground. Sweat beads her forehead and her breathing is ragged. Her head is pounding. A scratch at her lungs forces her to cough, the metallic taste of blood being hacked up into her mouth. She was overexerting her powers, dangerously so. Nevertheless, she grits her teeth, wiping at her bloodied nose with a tightly clenched fist as she forces herself to her feet. She was almost there.

Her stomach churns at the sight of the neon green beacon up ahead. It was a good sign, of course, but situated next to the opening to a cave system and on the edge of the desert, it was so open, so unguarded, and she was alone - if the voices failed her now, not only would she die, but her friends would be lost forever.

Wraith sways slightly as she crouches down, trying to go unnoticed as she plugs the banners in. Her vision is beginning to blur - the strain of using her abilities was catching up - so she closes her eyes, resting her forehead on the respawn beacon, and waits.

Respawning wasn’t an instantaneous occurrence; the bodies would have been collected once the surrounding area had vacated, leaving behind nothing but crates holding their belongings, but the actual process of bringing a participant back to life wouldn’t start unless a squadmate reached a beacon within the allotted time.

And Wraith lost track of how long she waited.

The ship carrying her resurrected teammates wasn’t quiet, though. Anyone in the vicinity would have heard, but right now Wraith didn’t have the strength to do much else but crawl back, slumping against one of the loot bins arranged around the drop point.

“Mirage to the rescue! Well, after being rescued.” At the voice, the interdimensional skirmisher cracks open an eye, coming face to face with a dozen or so decoys designed to offer cover.

“Good.” She murmurs. One of the Mirages catches sight of Wraith, his expression immediately falling. From his spot amongst his doubles, the real one runs forth and slides on his knees towards his weakened teammate.

“Hey, hey, hey, what happen? Are you okay?” He questions, worry seeping into his quick words, his usual bravado vanishing in an instant. One of his arms had slipped around her waist, his other hand resting on the side of her face, angling her to look at him.

“I’m fine, just... tired,” Wraith states through gritted teeth, refusing to let her guard down any further. As she pushes herself to her feet, Mirage is there for her to lean on. “What about you? You died.”

“Psh, yeah, thanks for the warning back there, by the way,” He rolls his eyes, referring to the grenade that ended him. His tone clearly indicates that he’s joking, but he recognises his mistake the moment Wraith averts her gaze. He swallows thickly, quickly backtracking. “Hey, uh, sorry, that wasn’t the best time to joke around, but seriously, I’m fine,” He pauses, gauging her reaction. She still doesn’t meet his gaze, but she has relaxed again in his grip. “Though I think I owe you dinner now. Y’know, with you saving my life and all-”

Mirage cuts himself off as Wraith breathes out a laugh, glancing up at him as she cracks a smile. Their eyes lock for a second, and the holographic trickster can’t help the swell of pride he feels at getting his partner to laugh.

“As exciting as this reunion is, we should move before someone finds us.” Pathfinder speaks up, interrupting the moment, though they do mean well. They’ve found a weapon, and the way the robot is positioned suggests they’ve been keeping a lookout while their squadmates talk.

Wraith shrinks a little, leaning into Mirage as she embarrassedly realises she momentarily forgot about their robotic support. Mirage laughs - a little too loudly, a little too forced - as he agrees with Pathfinder, hoping to distract from the way his grand facade slipped away for Wraith so easily.

He doesn’t move from her side though, and she doesn’t make a move to push him away.

As the trio begins to move away, Wraith speaks in a quiet voice, her words meant to be heard only by Mirage. “Earlier you implied I fight for the fortune; that’s not exactly true - at least, it’s not anymore,” He looks at her as her gaze flickers to him and away again. She forces a cough, as if struggling to finish what she has to say. “I think I’ve found something else to fight for.”

She doesn’t say anything else, and for a few moments, neither does Mirage. He almost doesn’t need to. There’s some deeper, unspoken understanding between them, but still, after a few seconds, he quietly speaks up. “Yeah... yeah,” His gaze rests softly on Wraith’s face.

”I think I have, too.”

[xxsanshinexx]

Forget-Me-Not Pt IX

Characters: Junhui X Reader (featuring seventeen)

Genre/Warning: Angst

Words: 2,807

Summary: Junhui was dragging you off to an unknown room. The name itself made you cautious, the people you could find in there even more so. Junhui didn’t seem to understand that.

Previous II Next II The Beginning

“The Dark Room?” You frowned as Junhui began to lead you away from the shooting range. There were several odd named rooms in the building; The Vault and The Dark Room being the only two you knew. Never once had their uses been hinted at to you. For all you know the Dark Room could be a prison

He nodded, “Yeah, The Dark Room. It’s where I was this morning.”

Your eyebrows furrowed at his answer, “But what is the dark room?”

“You’ll see when we get there,” He answered with a sigh, avoiding your question.

A frown etched its way onto your lips as you listened to how he was answering, “You’re being rather suspicious right now.”

“It’s hard to explain, okay?” He huffed and marched up the stairs letting your hand fall from his own. A sinking feeling flooded your system as you followed him up the stairs. You knew he was exhausted but did he really have to act like this? You were just being cautious.

“Well,” You said and came to a pause on the top step, “Can you at least tell me why i’m going there?”

He sighed and continued walking, “Said they needed you to take a look at something.”

“See, there you go again,” You huffed, coming to a stop and crossing your arms, “You’re being suspicious. Can’t you just give me a straight answer?”

“Look, I don’t know anything either.” He snapped and whirled around to face you, “Wonwoo just said he needed to talk to you.”

His tone of voice made your lips set into a hard line, “God, no need to get aggressive. It was just a question.”

“Why are you questioning everything anyways!” He growled and you raised your eyebrow at his explosive behavior. 

You snarled at the anger in his usually inviting brown eyes, “I’m just being cautious! You really think i'm gonna be totally fine with you dragging me off to unknown places all the time?”

“Do you not trust me than?” He growled, his brows furrowing together from his outrage.

“Of course I trust you dumbass!” You groaned, running a hand down your face. “But do you really think I wouldn’t be asking questions about where you’re dragging me off to?”’

“No! You’ve haven’t asked a single thing so far!” He said throwing his hands out to his sides like that was going to make his point any better.

“Oh I’m sorry,” You rolled your eyes and glared at him, “But once my whole life got blown to shit you’d think I’d be a little more cautious of what you’re going to drag me into!”

The rage that had encased the room was immediately diminished by your words. It was if you had sucked the life right out of the air. Junhui’s face contorted with such sorrow and you had to look at the ground, if your eyes stayed trained on his face you would have wanted to take back all the words you had just said. 

“So you think I’m the reason for your problems?” He asked, the fire in his voice extinguished. You nodded your head, not wanting meet his eyes you knew were more than likely showing heartbreak. Just the tone of his voice made your resolve shatter into pieces

The bubbling anger underneath your skin changed to an overwhelming emptiness, cascading all over your body, “Yes. I think you’re the reason for a lot of my problems. Once you came into my life everything got flipped upside down.”

His shoulders slumped with each word you spoke and he mumbled out his response, “I-I’m trying...trying for you to be happy, for something better.”

“It’s not that I’m not happy!” You said, knowing no amount of backtracking could ever fix the burden you had just placed on his shoulders, “I’m just scared. I need to learn to be better. This place is new, it's terrifying and I've already gotten into trouble. I need to be cautious of everything now, and that can mean even you.”

The sadness on his face was too much, “I know.”

Without another word he turned around and walked away, leaving you no choice but to follow behind. You wanted nothing else than to run and comfort him but the words needed to be said. You had thought about it and after the encounter with Joshua, you needed to be better about what you were doing. Junhui just needed to know how you felt before you were dragged into anything else.

No more words were exchanged between you two as he lead you towards the only metal door in the hallway. You could hear muffled voices on the other side but they all went quiet as Junhui knocked on the door. He didn’t even spare you a glance before he walked in, Minghao opening the door for him.

Minghao raised his eyebrow at you after Junhui stormed passed him, “Trouble in paradise?”

“You could say,” You frowned and he opened the door wider for you to come in. Naming this place The Dark Room was spot on. There were no lamps or anyway for light to seep in through the door or windows to illuminate the room. The only light source was the wall of computer screens that showed surveillance footage of your flower shop before the explosion, downtown and even the outside of the warehouse you were in.

Junhui went to lean against the table besides Wonwoo who was furiously typing away at a keyboard. Wonwoo looked like he hadn’t slept in days; hair ruffled, skin concerningly pale, and dark bags underneath his frantic looking eyes. Had anyone in here even bothered to tell him that he needs water and a hint of fresh air? As you turned to look at everyone in the room, they were all just the same. Seungcheol hung in the back besides Jihoon, both looking worse for wear with coffees in their hands. Minghao stood next to you with his shoulders slumped and exhaustion evident on his face. The only one who seemed unfazed was Joshua, who sat on top of a desk in the back with a sickly smile aimed right at you. Just the look in his eyes made your blood boil.

“Y/n, we need you to answer a few questions,” Seungcheol said, his voice calm but just the tone told you there was no other choice but to answer.

You nodded your head, watching as he took a sip out of the mug in his hands, “Of course.”

“You remember much from yesterday?” Wonwoo asked with his eyes glued to the screen, not bothering for Seungcheol’s response.

“I remember practically everything,” You said, looking up to meet the eyes of Junhui who watched you instantly, “Names, faces, the whole event.”

Wonwoo nodded, not sparing a glance towards you as he gestured to the seat next to him, “Good, come here.”

You complied after a glance to Minghao who assured you with a nod that it was alright. Wonwoo pushed the chair back with his foot for you to sit in while he brought up a new screen. On it was footage from inside your flower shop right when the two men walked into the shop. Seeing them again put a sick feeling in your stomach, especially as Wonwoo zoomed in on each of their faces.

“Do you know these men? And I mean know know them, cause I’ve watched you talk to them thousands of times already.”

You swallowed at the question, “No. They gave me names but I just assumed they were aliases.”

“What were they?” Jihoon piped up, the intimidating male now standing right beside you peering at each of the males in question.

You were quiet for a second before speaking, “They said their names were Sungho and Jaeyoung… but they didn’t say who was who. I’m assuming you know that?”

“No we don’t know anything,” Wonwoo stated with a dead look in his eyes as he pointed a finger at Junhui, “Him and Minghao are the only ones who know anything, but these bitches are refusing to share a lot of information.”

“We literally told you we don’t know who they are, that’s not refusing to share information.”

“Shut up! I’m stressed and haven’t slept in 48 hours, give me a break!” Wonwoo huffed as he pulled up a screen of just the flower shop, “Is there anything here that I am missing? Because there have been little to no traces of who these men are after they leave the shop. They just get into an untraceable car and drive away. I really need to know everything you know, Y/n.”

“Do you have a street view,” You breathed out, the most vivid memory of yesterday playing on repeat in your head.

Wonwoo frowned but nodded, bringing up a street view from just the edge of your shop, “I’ve looked over everything. Double checked and triple checked even the most insignificant of details. I don’t know what you’re trying to-”

“There,” You pointed after scanning the frame for a second, “Is there any way to see that?”

Your finger was right on what looked like a mere shadow but you knew. The shape of the figure was exactly as you remembered, tall and lean with black clothing covering every inch of their body. The man blended in so well from all angles that you could see how Wonwoo easily missed it. Not even an inch of his skin was showing on the camera so there was no way to even notice the looming male mere feet away from the shop front.

Everyone shuffled to crowd around you two, struggling to see what you were so adamant about. Seungcheol even gave you a skeptical look as he stared, “Y/n… there's nothing there.”

You rolled your eyes, “I wouldn’t have pointed it out if it was nothing! Wonwoo, see if you can get a view from a straighter angle.”

The room stilled as Wonwoo hesitantly scoured the limitless amounts of security footage he had acquired in the last several hours. Each one was from different days and from all different shop fronts. For all you knew, he could have had the whole town on here, everyday and every passing hour. The audible final click of his mouse as he pressed on an entirely different file was the only noise in the room. On the screen, the view from right outside the shop from yours came up but now you could clearly see a man. 

Up close he was even more terrifying. He still had the same tall, muscular build, but with white skin that was almost translucent and beady black eyes barely showing from underneath his cap. The outline of an array of weapons could be seen from underneath the coat he wore and the handle of a gun poked out from inside his pocket. What left you with a chill was the way he smiled, especially as he turned to walk away which gave you a clean look at his haunting face.

“Julong.” Junhui and Minghao said in unison, a fearful tone prominent in each of their voices.

“You know who this guy is?” Jihoon questioned, reeling back so he could look the duo in their eyes.

Junhui nodded, a sad expression befalling his face as he spoke, “He’s the reason why I ran away from China.”

A sigh escaped Minghao’s lips, “Julong is one of the most notorious criminals… not just in East Asia. Some of the bombings he’s planned have gotten world-wide attention. He’s not a man you want to mess with.”

“I don’t even think he’s human,” Junhui growled, eyes now alight with anger the longer he stared at the replaying footage. The fact that Junhui had ran away from China made your heat sink, especially because he had to run from what seemed like an exceptionally powerful male. You knew that wasn’t an easy topic to bring up just from the look on his face. It was sullen and fearful, the exact same expression Minghao wore besides him. Having the past come back to haunt you wasn’t exactly an ideal for a good day.

Seungcheol sucked in a breath, “You’re saying were up against an pyromaniac?”

“Practically just a worse version of Jeonghan.” Junhui joked, the lightheartedness of it not matching his eyes. You knew someone terrified when you saw them.

You gulped, tapping your hand anxiously against the table,”So… what do we do than?”

The question seemed to make everyone think. A stillness took over the room while everyone took a glance at you. Apparently, none of them had even began to think what any of this would mean or potentially lead too.

“Factually speaking…” Wonwoo trailed off, fiddling with his fingers while everyone waited for an answer. “Something should potentially be coming our way. Big or small I don’t have any clue, but given what happened with Y/n’s flower shop… I expect explosions. The warehouse is fortified beyond comprehension it’s just the fact we don’t know what he’s going to do.”

“Bottom line is that we don’t know anything,” Jihoon met everyone's eyes one by one before settling directly on Junhui, “Except that he wants you.”

“I made a mistake,” Junhui mumbled, his voice wavering and you could only watch him struggle for words, “I didn’t know it would lead to all this.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Minghao glared at Jihoon as he crossed his arms, “You forget that the both of us worked for him. I know his entire inventory stock, his passcodes, how his brain works and even his damn birthday! We need to think about that rather than how we all might die in an explosion.”

“Might die,” Joshua rolled his eyes and you rolled your eyes. Too say you now loathed anything that came out of the mouth of the charming eyed boy was an understatement. 

“Joshua, shut your greasy mouth,” You sneered, taking a slight satisfaction in his hurt expression before turning back to Minghao, “Hao, what do you think is going to happen?”

Minghao frowned and rubbed his chin in thought, “Explosion of some kind. An onslaught of people. He’s notorious for hitting someone in daylight or in plain sight. The second we step out of this building he could gun us down.”

“We’re trapped here basically.” Wonwoo pointed out the obvious fact with a sigh.

Junhui nodded, putting his head in his hands, “Like rats in a cage.”

“We’re not rats in a cage, we’re much smarter than rats,” Seungcheol’s voice was worried as he spoke using his hands, “There’s always a way out. We have systems and support on every block in this city. We went against bigger guys than this before it’s just because it’s personal now. We’ll make a plan and we’ll find a way.”

You had to give Seungcheol’s little speech credit. It seemed to be the boost that you all needed to agree with one another. It wasn’t the end just because everyone was having a mental breakdown over what to do. You could see now why he was the leader.

“You always say we need a plan, but we’re shit at making them and following through,” Jihoon gave a light laugh as he stuffed his hands into his jackets’ pockets.

Seungcheol rolled his eyes, “It’s mainly because we keep getting interup-”

Loud banging sounded against the door, only emphasizing Seungcheol’s point. Everyone in the room jumped at the noise before Jihoon walked over to inspect it. The constant knocking was still going even as the male swung open the door and Hansol fell through, collapsing onto the hard cement floors. 

“Hansol?” Jihoon frowned as the boy pushed himself up into a standing position. He looked like he had just woken up, with hair sticking out in all different directions and an almost crazed look in his eyes. Even his clothes were askew and hanging off him in odd places.”What is it?”

“Hyung…” Hanol looked straight over to Wonwoo, “There’s something going on at the West end.”

Wonwoo spun around in his chair and began typing away. The only sounds in the room were Wonwoo’s frantic clicking of the mouse as he pulled up screen after screen. Finally, a tab named west end came up and everyone sucked in a breath as it opened.

The pale face of Julong was the only thing taking up the screen. His eyes were wide and crazed much like the smile on his lips. You couldn’t even see anything behind him, just his dead eyes. It was as though something long buried and forgotten had crawled out of the ground. For the few seconds you looked at them, it was like you were staring right into your worst nightmare. His painted grin grew wider, no one retracting from the screen. Everyone could only watch on in horror.

That’s when the explosion rang out.