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kai-uh-arcadian · 8 months ago

Text

Something you’ll never know

synopsis: you and aeri were inseparable while you were growing up. Is that connection still there?

word count: 15k (jeeez) (it could've been 3 parts but I love you all so much so here you are)

cw: angst, cussing, drinking, f reader, childhood best friends to...(?) idk if there's any i missed please lmk!

notes! So sorry if its a confusing read with the timelines and such. the italic paragraphs are flashbacks/memories! for clarification Aeri and reader are ages 12, 22, and then 30 in this. It's inspired by the movie Past Lives (one of my fav movies, I recommend it!) barely proofread again, I also tried to add extra space in between different scenes, I hope it flows okay!

This is my first angsty fic ever but I had a lot of fun writing it! I really hope you enjoy it and if you'd like to, lmk your thoughts!!

as always dms and asks are always open!

xoxo love youuu (: <3

20 years ago in Southern California, SM Elementary School

Ever since you can remember, Aeri Uchinaga has been a constant presence in your life. You first met in preschool, where she quickly took a liking to you for reasons you couldn't quite understand. As a ‘slow-to-warm-up’ child, you were perfectly fine with doing quiet activities on your own while your classmates ran around, chatting amongst themselves. But Aeri must have seen you as a challenge or a game, maybe? She was determined to crack the ice and see what lay beneath your quiet exterior. She would always join you at the drawing table and start rambling about a variety of things that crossed her mind or even go as far as sharing her stuffed animals with you when she saw you playing ‘family’ alone with your own.

And before you knew it, she had you hooked. Aeri was more outspoken than you at the time, and she often took the reins in your friendship, but you were (more than) happy to follow her lead. You quickly learned that she had a habit of charging in head first, and it became your unspoken mission to keep her from getting into too much trouble.

You promised yourself that you'd always be there supporting her from behind.

You dribbled the soccer ball skillfully toward the goal, weaving through defenders with ease. Just as you were about to score, a loud yelp from the basketball court made you stop dead in your tracks. Your hesitation cost you as a player from the opposing team slid in, tackling you. Pain shot through your leg as your planted foot twisted in a way that it should NOT twist.

You got up from the ground and ignored the pain as you waved to a classmate on the sideline to take your place on the field. You limped as quickly as you could toward the court from the field, fighting back tears. The adrenaline kept you moving.

Eventually you made it to the basketball court where Aeri was.

“Are you okay?” you asked as you reached a hurt Aeri, who was hissing slightly at the sight of her skinned knee. Almost every ounce of pain washed away when you saw her.

She looked up, surprised, as your shadow blocked the sun. To her, you probably looked like an angel.

“Y/n,” she sniffled, “Where did you come from?”

“I was just playing soccer,” you replied, kneeling in front of her and offering your back. “Here, hop on. Let’s get you to the nurse.”

“Mm~ okay,” Aeri shyly mumbled as she climbed onto your back, resting her chin in the crook of your neck as you hobbled toward the infirmary.

“How did you know I was hurt?” she inquired softly.

“I dunno, my Aeri instincts must've kicked in... But you do have a pretty distinctive scream that I could hear all the way from the soccer field” You chuckled

“Ah~! What!? That’s so embarrassing!” She buried her face into your neck. “Why did you come over? You said you were playing soccer?”

“Well yeah I was, but remember when we were five and had our first sleepover?” you asked, chuckling. “Ya know, the one where you couldn’t stop crying because you missed your parents, especially your mom.”

“Hey! Why bring that up now?” she groaned, playfully hitting your back with her fists. “It wasn’t my choice! My parents were busy with work, okay!”

“Nono~ we made a pinky promise, remember? I told you, ‘I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.’ And I vaguely remember claiming I’d be your prince or somethin' like that.. I’m just keeping my word.” You smiled at the memory.

“That was like seven years ago…I can't believe you even remember that” she sighed contentedly. “Well, thank you, my prince.” she let out a teasing chuckle

“Of course, Lady Aeri,” you replied in a playful, formal tone, adjusting her higher on your back with a little hop.

There was a small break of silence before Aeri took notice of the cadence of your steps.

“...Wait, are you limping?” Her tone suddenly turned serious, like a mother about to scold her child.

“Uh…” You hesitated, “No…?” you chuckled nervously hoping she'd drop the topic (she didn't).

She peeked over your shoulder and saw your left ankle, red and beginning to swell.

“Ah~! What happened!? Let me down, I can walk! You idiot!” she exclaimed, trying to wriggle off your back.

“No way! We’re almost there anyways, and all this wiggling isn’t helping the pain either!” you bickered with the girl on your back before finally reaching the school entrance.

After school, your mom tended to your hurt ankle. It wasn’t anything serious, just a mild sprain. You worked silently on your assignment before she spoke up.

“Y/n, honey~” your mom cooed before sitting down next to you at the kitchen table while you were doing homework. “What do you think about Aeri? Do you like her?”

“Hmm,” You hummed while placing your pencil down as memories of her flooded your mind.

One specific memory came to the forefront of your mind,

You and Aeri were laying in the lush grass together with your heads touching and holding hands.

“Aeri, look!” You pointed to the sky “I see a shark.. Or maybe a really big tuna?” a playful giggle escaped your lips

“Mhm~!” she agreed, “Look over there! Doesn’t that look like Haku from Spirited Away?” Aeri’s eyes widened in excitement as her favorite character appeared in the sky, her finger excitedly pointing

“Yeah! I think it does!” You stole a glance of her.

Her eyes were glued to the blue sky adorned with fluffy white clouds that looked like they felt like cotton candy. The sun reflected against her dark brown hair and made it look like a beautiful dark ocean rippling in the wind

It was a cool summer day. A gentle breeze wafted her scent of strawberry shampoo and a light rose scent from her deodorant. The sky stretched over both of you like a blue canvas with puffy cotton balls. The warmth of the sunshine wrapped the two of you into an embrace only you both could feel.

You stared at her with so much… happiness? While she pointed out various shapes, her face lit up more and more each time she spotted one

“What is this feeling?” You thought “It feels like i’m going down a steep slope of a rollercoaster when I’m around her”

“Hm~ Y/n? Is there something on my face? Did you hear me?” She briefly stopped her tangent when she felt a soft gaze.

“Oh~! No sorry,” You giggled

“I- just” you began barely above a whisper

“Wow, look!” Aeri unknowingly cut you off “Those ones look like two hearts about to mash together” she exclaimed giddily

Your gaze went back to the clouds and you paused for a few seconds causing Aeri to look at you

“Were you gonna say something?” She mumbled and you met her eyes

“I’m just.. Really happy right now!” you said, unable to verbalize the feelings you were having.

“I like her” you replied to your mom

“Ohh~”She nodded in response before genuinely inquiring “Why?”

“Well… She said I’m like her prince” she responded to her mother so nonchalantly and innocently

“Her prince?”

“Mhm, I think i’ll marry her one day” You smiled before picking up your pencil again-- completely unphased.

“Mm~ I see, I see. Well Y/n, does she want to marry you, too?”

“I don't know if she likes me too, but if she does I know she'll say when we’re ready!” She smiled brightly at her mom

“Ah okay~ When did you grow up my sweet daughter?” Your mom lightly pinched your cheek which caused you to giggle. “Well, I was on the phone with her mom earlier... Do you want to go on a date with her?"

Of course you excitedly nodded your head in agreement

You and Aeri stepped into the park, nature wrapped around you two like a comforting hug. The trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves left a playful pattern of light and shadows on the ground below. While birds chirped happily overhead, their songs blending with the soft rustle of leaves, creating a soothing melody that seemed to dance through the air. Both of your mom’s made their way to a nearby spot to watch you both

“Aeri! Let’s go” You said as you grabbed her free hand

“Oh~ Ma, can you hold these?” Aeri swiftly passed the small bouquet of flowers you had bought her to her mother before being whisked away by your eager pull

“Oh!” was all Mrs.Uchinaga could get out before the two of you ran off exploring the park. She couldn’t contain her laughter and began to take a digital camera out of her purse.

“They look good together, so happy huh?” Your mom glanced at Mrs.Uchinaga as she was snapping a picture of the two of you running hand in hand in the luscious green field.

“Yeah~ Aeri talks about Y/n a lot. She says she wants to marry her one day” Her mom let out an astonished laugh “When did our girls grow up?

“That’s exactly what Y/n said! “ She laughed, “We can’t be too surprised right?

"Ah~ I guess not." Aeri's mom began, "Remember that time we kept Y/n overnight once and Aeri was crying uncontrollably and then suddenly stopped? My god, it was so scary! I thought something had happened to her but when I checked the baby monitor, Y/n snuck out of her own crib and into Aeri’s! And then they fell asleep like that!” She laughed with a tinge of nostalgic sadness

“Ahh~ They were about two and a half years old huh? Oh~! Remember that time I told you when I put them in charge of her brother while I was making them lunch and when I walked back into the living room and found all of them asleep on the couch with Kosei in between them! It was so cute~!” Your mom smiled brightly “I have the photo somewhere still!”

Both you parents sighed contentedly, reminiscing on you two. After a bit of comfortable silence, you mom spoke up

“My Y/n cares about Aeri a lot. I can see she does too, it puts my heart at ease to know my daughter has someone who cares so deeply about her.” Your mom’s eyes began to get a bit watery

Mrs. Uchinaga placed her hand reassuringly over hers, a warm smile gracing her lips. "She's a smart girl—you shouldn’t worry too much. I'm forever grateful she's been in my Aeri's life. Look at them," she pointed affectionately at the two of you, nestled under the low-hanging branches of the weeping willow tree.

"Aeri! This is where we can take our shoes off," you exclaimed, gently parting the "curtain" of leaves as if entering a secret world.

Your imagination ran wild, the simple weeping willow tree transformed into a spacious apartment in a bustling city.

"And here is where our dining room is," Aeri chimed in, moving to the large stones and pretending they were seats. "Here, sit. Let me get you a coffee, honey," she playfully immersed herself in the game of house.

Aeri returned with a hollowed out rock with a stick in it, “Here’s your coffee!”

You pretend slurped through the stick straw, “This is soo~ delicious” and you fake slurped more causing both of you to giggle

“Hey, Aeri” you placed the rock coffee cup down and Aeri joined you at the “dining table”

“Where do you wanna live when you grow up?” you met her gaze

“Mmm, definitely a city. I want my fashion business to be very popular!” She flashed a cheerful thumbs up “What about you?”

“Mm..” You looked down, shyly contemplating

“Are you getting shy?!” She gently nudged your shoulder teasing you

“Nono~!” You waved your hands in defense while a smile appeared on your face “Hm.. I guess wherever you go?”

While you and Aeri played house, imagining your future together, your parents sat nearby on the park bench in comfortable silence, smiling as they watched the two of you. A gentle breeze drifted through, rustling the leaves and carrying the scent of blooming flowers through the air, adding to the peaceful moment.

“We’re moving soon,” Aeri’s mom finally said, breaking the quiet. Which explained why she asked to take them on a 'date'

Your mom didn’t respond right away, her gaze still on you and Aeri. After a few more beats, she spoke, doing her best to mask her emotions. “Oh… where?”

“South Korea,” Aeri’s mom replied softly.

Your mom paused, her voice steady but tinged with sadness. “Why leave everything behind?”

“There are better opportunities ahead than the ones we’ll leave behind,” Aeri’s mom answered with a quiet sigh, as if trying to convince herself as much as anyone else.

Later, on the car ride home, you and Aeri had both fallen asleep in the backseat, your hands still clasped together, oblivious to the change that was coming. Your mom glanced back at the two of you and with a bittersweet smile, she snapped a quick photo.

Neither of you knew how much your lives would change in the next few weeks.

You sat at your desk, your gaze unfocused as you stared blankly ahead, lost in a haze of thoughts that swirled around you like fog. Aeri’s voice cut through the noise, her laughter ringing out as she animatedly chatted with her friends nearby. Her vibrant energy filled the room, lighting up the space, yet somehow, it made the gap between you two feel even wider. You were in the same room, but it felt like you were worlds apart—both of you in your own little world.

"You're leaving?" one of her friends exclaimed, disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah!" Aeri replied, her excitement unmistakable.

"Never coming back?" another girl pressed, curiosity laced her voice.

"I don’t think so!" Aeri laughed, her tone light, almost carefree.

"What?! Why not!?" the girl pushed further, as if she couldn’t fathom the idea.

"Well.. I could never become a fashion designer here!" Aeri giggled, like her answer was obvious… like she wasn’t about to leave behind everything you had known together.

After school, you found yourself walking past Aeri as she waved her friends goodbye. Her cheerful farewell echoed behind you as you caught a glimpse of her. Her smile was as bright as ever, but for the first time, it felt distant—like it no longer belonged to you.

"Oh, bye!" she called out to her friends, her voice cheerful before turning her attention to you.

"Wait up!" she hurried to catch up with your steps.

You slowed down slightly, but something in you hesitated.

"Oh, sorry," you murmured.

She quickly caught up and the two of you began the familiar walk home, the silence between you felt heavier than ever. Aeri seemed comfortable, at ease with the quiet, but for you, the weight in your chest grew with every step. Even though she was right beside you, it felt like she was already slipping away—like an invisible wall was growing between you, expanding with each moment.

It was disorienting, jarring even, to think that after today, she wouldn’t be walking next to you every day like she had since kindergarten. Each footstep echoed what was coming, and despite the comfort of routine, the reality of her departure pressed down on you, suffocating the words you wanted to say but couldn’t find.

The world around continued its hustle and bustle, completely indifferent to the storm brewing in your heart. Cars rushed by, bikes whizzed past, and people hurried along the sidewalk, insensitive to the internal chaos you were grappling with.

Every emotion flooded through you, leaving you drowning in a mix of sadness and anger. Each step felt trudging through quicksand as if your feet had been stuck in concrete. Your body was subconsciously pulling you away from your house to prolong your inevitable separation– like a dog who doesn’t want their walk to be over yet.

As you reached the fork in the road that diverged toward your respective houses, a heavy cloud hung above your head, thick with everything you wanted to say.

"Bye, n/n," Aeri's voice carried a tinge of melancholy as she began to walk away, her figure receding into the distance.

You paused, unable to tear your gaze away from her retreating form.

Every memory you’ve shared with her played in your head like a movie montage.

“C’mon Aeri, don’t be scared! I’m right here with you!” You aggressively whispered while carrying a bag of snacks and a blanket, trying to convince Aeri onto the roof of your house

“What if we get in trouble? What if we get locked out and we’re stuck here forever!” Aeri said to you from inside through the opened window

“My parents know I do this, it’s a flat surface so you have to be a real dummy to slip off! And don’t worry, it only locks from the inside and if you’re scared you can just hold onto me!” You reached out your hand to Aeri

She couldn't help but smile, your own reassuring grin reflecting back at her. She warmly accepted your hand, her breath hitched when your hands made contact.

“O-oh thanks, let’s place the blanket down!” Aeri was glad it was dark because she was sure her face was the same shade as a tomato!

"Not too shabby, huh?" You chuckled lightly, settling onto the soft surface and patting the spot beside you, inviting her to join you.

It was a warm summer night. A gentle breeze wafted your scent of shampoo and a cologne-y scent from your deodorant. The sky stretched over both of you like a dark blue canvas with twinkling stars. The warmth of the evening wrapped the two of you into an embrace only you both could feel.

You felt her staring at you while you pointed out various constellations, your face lit up more and more each time you spotted one

“Hm, Aeri? Did you hear me?” You briefly stopped your tangent when you felt a soft gaze on you

“Oh~! No sorry,” Aeri giggled “What did you say?”

You scooted closer so your head was touching hers, “See those stars over there? It’s kinda like a weird looking 7?” You extended your arm while pointing, trying your best to point out three out of the millions of stars in the sky

“Hm.. oh! Yes!”

“That’s me! And your birthday is October 30 making you a Scorpio! and hmm” You began to move your pointer finger to search in the sky

“Ah! There! You see that pattern that kind of looks like a snake with claws?”

“Yeah~ I actually do!” Aeri giggled as her imagination took over

“Well, Aeri if you ever feel sad or something and I’m not with you for some reason ” You chuckled sweetly. “I just want you to know that we’re always together in the sky!” You both turned to meet each other’s gaze at the same time

“Well I don’t think we’ll ever get separated, I want to be with you forever!” She innocently beamed which caused you both to giggle

“Me too Aeri!”

After a few hesitant moments, you found your voice, though it felt as if your heart might stop with the effort.

“Aeri,” you called out softly, the word heavy with all the feelings you had kept buried for so long.

“Mm?” She turned to face you, her expression softening when her eyes met yours, and the cheerful energy from earlier was nowhere to be found.

“I.. I like you,” you said, your voice trembling slightly, but you held her gaze, resisting the urge to look away. You felt as though you might crumble, but you forced yourself to keep going. “I’m glad we spent our childhood.. together.”

Her smile faltered, shifting into something sadder, something that you couldn't understand. She didn’t respond immediately, as if the words you’d just said had stolen her breath, and for a moment, neither of you spoke. She was at a loss for words and the silence stretched endlessly between you.

You bit the inside of your cheek, trying desperately to maintain your composure. “Bye… Aeri,” you added softly, your voice cracking ever so slightly as you turned away towards your house, trying to put on a brave face.

You couldn’t bear to see the sadness in her eyes any longer. Tears threatened to spill, but you fought them back, willing yourself to hold on just a little longer.

“Bye..” she faintly whispered out

The moment you started walking toward your house, your chest tightened. Tears streamed down your face as the weight of the world as you knew it came crashing down.

What you'll never know and what you couldn’t see, was that Aeri began crying too.

About 10 years later, you sat at your desk in your cozy apartment room at UCLA, the late afternoon sun casting soft rays across the scattered textbooks and notes. With a sigh, you pushed some papers aside to rest your elbow on the desk, propping your chin on your hand.

“How the actual fuck do I even solve this?” you muttered to yourself, staring at the confusing statistics problem on your laptop. After a moment of frustration, you searched for a tutorial on YouTube, hoping for a miracle.

As you scrolled through the list of videos, you could hear your roommate Yunjin bustling around in the kitchen.

“Jennie-poo~!” you called out, leaning back in your chair. “Can you come here?”

A few seconds later, you heard your door creak open. "Huh?" came Yunjin's voice, her (dyed) red hair poking around the doorframe as she stepped inside.

“Do you have any idea how to solve this?” you asked, switching your browser back to the page filled with complex formulas. You pointed at the screen. “I seriously have no clue what they’re even fucking asking”

Yunjin leaned down, squinting at the problem for a moment before laughing. “Yeah, I’m gonna be honest with you—zero clue. You’re so fucked,” she said, still giggling.

Yunjin, aka Jennifer, was from upstate New York, and the two of you had been roommates for four years. It felt like fate sometimes—being assigned to live together your freshman year was totally random, but she was practically you in a different form.

“You’re absolutely no help,” you groaned, laughing a little despite yourself as you buried your face in your hands.

“You’re so welcome,” she said, patting your head playfully. “I’m gonna make some jjajangmyeon, do you want any?”

“Not right now. Maybe save some for me later? I gotta finish this shit” you replied, sitting back up and stretching.

“Yeah, of course. Good luck!” Yunjin said with a wink as she left your room.

You sighed deeply as you turned back to your YouTube tab, clicking on a video tutorial. As fucking expected, an ad began to play—one of those painfully long ones you couldn’t skip.

“Do you want to be a model? Do you think you have what it takes?”

The words faded into the background as your mind started to wander, pulled back by an unexpected memory.

Aeri.

It had been so long since you’d allowed yourself to think about her. Years, even. But something about the mention of fashion, pulled you back into the past. The past where she lived, where her dreams had once shone so brightly.

Aeri had always talked about becoming a fashion designer—about where she'd live and make a name for herself. You could still picture her so clearly, sitting beside you, messily sketching her ideas in her notebooks. Dresses, bags, runway looks… She used to tell you all about it, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

“I could never become a designer here,” she’d said once, laughing. She was always so sure of her path. Always ready to go after her dreams, no matter the cost.

She may have been right

Suddenly, the thought of her became overwhelming. You couldn’t help but wonder what had become of that dream. Did she make it? Was she in South Korea, living the life she’d always wanted? Or had things turned out differently?

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard as your mind drifted back to the memory of her laughter and the way she’d talked about her plans with ABSOLUTE certainty.

Without thinking, you opened a new tab. You hesitated for a moment, a tightness in your chest returning.

A memory flashed into your mind to when you were having a sleepover with her

“Y/n…” Aeri’s voice came softly from the left side of your bed, sadness creeping into her usual playful tone.

“Mm? What’s wrong?” you asked, glancing over at her.

“I wish you wanted to be a model,” she pouted. “Then you could try on the clothes I design.”

You laughed softly. “I mean, I still could... Why are you thinking about that now?”

“Well, obviously I want to be a designer! SO of course I want you to be the first person to wear the clothes I make,” she beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

The video kept playing and the math tutorial began playing.

Why the hell am I thinking about that now? It’s been like 10 years?

Aeri Uchinaga…

You leaned back in your chair and positioned your head towards the ceiling

What are you up to…

With a sigh, you slingshotted forward and opened Facebook and began to search.

After an hour of searching, you finally found a lead—her father’s company page. It was a bit tedious to find her or her family, considering they lived in a completely different country.

“Hi, I’m looking for my childhood best friend, Aeri Uchinaga . Please let me know how I can contact her.”

And with that, you posted the message and, for the first time in hours, tried to return to your homework.

A few weeks later, on the complete opposite side of the world at 5:30 PM in Seoul...

Aeri sat in her dorm, the warm afternoon sunlight streaming through the window as she lounged on her bed, phone pressed to her ear, laptop resting in her lap.

“Ne~ umma, remember Xinyi? She plays basketball in college now!” Aeri said with a smile, scrolling through Facebook while chatting with her mother.

“Wow~! I’m not surprised,” Mrs. Uchinaga replied with a chuckle on the other end. “She was always knocking on our door, asking you to play.”

Aeri laughed lightly. “Yeah, even though I was pretty bad. She tried so hard to teach me, but I was just ass”

“It’s okay, darling. Sports weren’t really your thing,” her mother comforted warmly.

Aeri absentmindedly scrolled through her feed, clicking on old profiles and updates from people she hadn’t thought about in years.

“Who else should we look up?” She asked her mom.

Aeri paused, a small smile creeping onto her lips. “Who’s the one I had a huge crush on?”

“Y/n L/n” they both said at the same time, sharing a laugh.

Aeri’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, and she began typing your name, curiosity piqued as she searched for her old crush. As she clicked through posts, she suddenly froze.

“Umma! This is crazy!” Aeri exclaimed, her voice full of shock. “She posted on dad’s Facebook page a few weeks ago looking for me!”

“Oh wow really? Well~ I’m not too surprised, Aeri. She really liked you!” her mom replied, her voice filled with warmth.

“I’m looking for my childhood best friend, Aeri Uchinaga ...” Aeri read aloud to her mom as her eyes scanned the message.

Aeri’s heart raced as she scrolled through your profile. Even though your hair was longer and your features were more defined, the essence of you—the same joyful glint in your eyes—hadn’t changed at all. It was as if time hadn’t erased any part of the person she remembered so vividly.

“Umma, I’ll call you back,” Aeri said quickly, cutting her mom off as she reassured her with a chuckle, “Yes! I promise I’m eating well!”

She ended the call with a smile, but her pulse quickened as she stared at the screen. Her eyes scanned the message again and again, as if reading your name over and over would somehow make this more real.

“Ahh~” Aeri inhaled deeply, her fingers trembling slightly as she sent you a friend request and began typing a message to you.

“Y/n! It’s Aeri, you remember me?”

It was 1:30 AM in your on-campus apartment in LA when your phone buzzed, receiving the new message.

“Fuck her! She doesn’t deserve you! You’re like… sooo out of her league,” Yuna mumbled to your other friend, Ryujin, as she poured another shot for her.

“Right?” Ryujin sighed before pausing to take the shot. “I just don’t know why I miss her… so much,” she grimaced as the alcohol hit the back of her throat.

“Ryu, you should have some water,” you slurred, hiccuping as you passed her your water bottle.

“Y/nn~ how about you drink some water,” your roommate Yunjin chimed in, giggling as she slumped over on the couch.

The four of you sat in the living room, post-gaming the bar, waiting for your DoorDash to arrive. Ryujin rested her head in your lap, and without thinking, you rubbed her back to comfort her.

You took a long gulp of water with a satisfied “Ah~” before reaching for your beer.

“Wellll~ Beer is basically water. You should have some too Jennie-poo! It isn’t a post-game if we don’t drink till we die,” you exclaimed, taking a sip from the can.

“UGH~” Ryujin groaned, deadpanning, “I want to die~”

“Girl, she literally cheated on you and then wanted to be exclusive while she was fucking someone else—like, what?” Yuna added, deadpan.

That comment made all of you burst out laughing(she was right), even as Ryujin lightly punched Yuna in the arm.

“Hey~! Be niceeee~ Show some compassion!” Yunjin scolded, trying and failing to stifle her laughter.

You were still chuckling when your phone buzzed again in your pocket. Grabbing it, you blinked a couple of times, trying to focus your eyes on the notification.

Giselle?

Your vision was still a little too blurry to make sense of it.

"Hey!" Yunjin faked being cold

“You have a secret girlfriend or somethin'?” Yunjin teased, sounding just like a jealous girlfriend.

“Huh?” you responded, still distracted.

“Who’s messaging you at 1:30 in the morning? You have a sneaky link you’re not telling us about?” Yunjin continued, laughing.

Meanwhile, Ryujin was still moping in your lap. “Hey! Sensitive subject!” she groaned dramatically.

“Fuck if I know, I honestly have zero clue,” you mumbled, your words slurring as you stared at your phone before turning it off.

The next morning, you woke up in your bed with a slight headache. You groaned, rolling over to reach for your water bottle and chugged it like it was the last water on Earth.

The cold water worked its magic, refreshing you enough to (barely) function. You grabbed your phone from the charger and started scrolling through your notifications, still half-asleep. But then, one notification made you freeze—last night’s Facebook message.

You clicked on it, your grogginess instantly fading as your eyes widened in surprise. It was from none other than the girl who made you experience your first instance of love—Aeri Uchinaga.

“Giselle Uchinaga?” you muttered to yourself, reading her profile in disbelief.

That’s why you couldn’t find her! It made complete sense now. Her features were more mature, but that familiar smile—the one that had always warmed your heart—was still there, lighting up her face in every picture. You couldn’t stop smiling as you scrolled through her photos.

Just then, Yunjin’s voice broke through your thoughts, pulling you back to reality.

“Y/n! Are you awake? I made avocado toast and eggs!” she announced from the other side of your door.

“Ahh~ okay, yeah, lemme pee and I’ll be out!” you called back, your voice still raspy from sleep.

You quickly splashed some water on your face and pulled on a pair of sweats and a hoodie before stepping out of your room.

“Good morning!” you chirped, only to be met with a synchronized groan from Yuna and Ryujin.

“How the fuck do you have this much energy? What puts you in such a good mood?” Yuna asked, holding an ice pack on her forehead.

“Hm?” you replied, walking over to your coffee cup on the table that Yunjin had filled for you. “Thank Jennie-poo! And nothing, I just don’t have a massive hangover like you two idiots—should’ve drank beer instead of taking shots”

As you sipped your coffee, your mind of course, drifted back to last night. That damn text from Aeri.

The two of you exchanged a few quick messages, exchanging numbers, and catching up briefly before settling on a time that worked best for both of you to video call. It felt surreal, reading Aeri’s replies after all these years—like time had somehow folded in on itself, bringing the past back into the present.

You found yourself staring at your phone, the FaceTime app open and ready, but your heart pounding in your chest. What if things had changed too much? What if she wasn’t the Aeri you remembered? What if you weren’t the person she expected? Your thoughts spiraled as you adjusted your hair for what felt like the tenth time.

It’s just a call, you reminded yourself. It’s just Aeri. You’ve known her before.

But even though you’d told yourself that a hundred times, the butterflies in your stomach wouldn’t settle. The phone buzzed in your hand as the screen lit up. Incoming FaceTime: Aeri Uchinaga.

You took a deep breath, your thumb hovering over the screen for a moment longer than it should have. Then, finally, you swiped to answer.

Aeri’s face appeared, pixelated for just a second before the connection stabilized. There she was. Her familiar eyes, her smile—the same, but different? You stared at each other for a beat, neither of you quite sure how to start.

Aeri broke the silence with a nervous laugh. “Wow.. it’s been so long. I almost forgot what you looked like!”

You smiled, feeling the same rush of emotions you hadn’t felt in years. “I know right? I wasn’t sure what to expect either. You look… different. In a good way, of course.” nervousness still present in your voice

“Same to you,” Aeri said, her voice softening as she studied your face. “It’s like, you’ve changed, but... not really, you know?”

You laughed, the tension beginning to ease. “Except now you’re Giselle, huh?”

Aeri grinned, rolling her eyes playfully. “Yeah, that’s a long story. But trust me, it’s still me. Aeri Uchinaga at heart.”

You both chuckled, the ice slowly breaking as the conversation started to feel more familiar. It was strange, seeing her face again like this after so many years—older, more mature, but still with that same smile.

“Soo.. You’re really out there becoming a designer, huh?” you teased, shaking your head with an incredulous smile. “It’s kind of wild thinking about you... you know, living in Korea and actually doing all the things you told me you would like years ago”

Aeri laughed, her tone warm but modest. “Don’t let social media fool you. I’m not as glamorous as it seems. I’m still the same girl who couldn’t shoot a basketball to save her life.”

You grinned, shaking your head. “Oh god yeah! I remember! You were sooo bad. I thought for sure you were going to quit after that first fall.”

“Whatever! I literally was just trying to impress you,” she joked, her laugh lighting up the screen.

With each passing minute, the conversation felt easier. The laughter flowed naturally, memories of your childhood together resurfacing as if no time had passed at all.

“So... how have you been, really?” Aeri asked after a while, her tone more serious now. “I feel like I missed so much. of your life"

You nodded, the weight of the years between you sinking in. “Yeah, it feels strange, I feel the same too. I’ve been good, I guess. But seeing you like this… I dunno.. It feels like yesterday, you were just that little girl on the other side of the road from me.”

Aeri smiled, her expression softening. “Right? I don’t know, life is so weird sometimes.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, a small smile tugging at your lips. “And now, you’re the girl on my screen.”

As the night went on, you both talked about everything—your lives, your dreams, the things you had wanted to say but never got the chance to. It was like reconnecting with a part of yourself you thought you’d lost. By the end of the call, there was an unspoken understanding between you both. This wasn’t just a one-off conversation.

“So, let’s not wait another decade to do this again?” you said with a grin.

Aeri laughed. “Deal. Next time, I’ll tell you the full story behind ‘Giselle.’”

“I’m holding you to that, Aeri” you replied, your heart feeling lighter than it had in years.

And that’s how it was. For a few months, you both shared everything—your days, your worries, even the smallest details. You started waiting for her calls, looking forward to the time you’d spend talking. She was always there, her laughter filling your nights(and early mornings!), making you feel closer to her despite the distance.

It was almost as if you were in a relationship. The way she looked at you through the screen, the way your conversations lingered on hopes and what-ifs. You could almost imagine what it would be like to be with her again, for real.

You routinely called Aeri during your day.

Hey,” you greeted with a smile as the screen connected.

“Hey,” Aeri chuckled softly on the other end.

“Is it 7:00 in the morning there? I thought you said you never wake up before 10:00,” you teased, noting how early it was for her.

“I don’t,” Aeri replied, a smile tugging at her lips. “But this was the only time that worked for you, right?”

“Well yeah but don’t you have class today?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeahh~” she admitted, “but it’s later~” sleepiness still evident in her voice

You couldn’t help but tease her. “Ya know Aeri, your english is pretty rusty”

“Hey!” Aeri chuckled in return and her eyes opened slightly. “I only speak English with you and my mom!”

You both laughed yet some silence strung between the two of you

“So, you said you were leaving California to be the world’s greatest designer... You still want that?”

Aeri paused for a moment while shifting in her bed, then smiled. “Hmm... I think maybe I’ll have a business like.. My own line of clothes”

“Ahh wow~” You sighed, “ You’re the same Aeri I remember. Wanting to do everything, have everything and also still so sassy.” you teased again

She laughed, feigning shock. “Sassy? Wow, can’t believe you think of me like that”

Aeri’s grin widened before continuing, “Actually... I got invited to Japan this summer to design for this brand for a whole month. My professor helped me get into the program!”

“Wait, so you’ll be in Japan for a month?” you asked, surprised. “That’s amazing.”

“Yeah,” Aeri nodded, her excitement palpable. “It’s crazy. I can’t believe it’s happening.”

“So, how are your applications going?” she asked, her voice softening.

“Hmm, wellll~ they’re going,” you replied with a small smile. “I’m looking at Boston for grad school.”

Aeri sighed, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. “Ah wow, look at us.. when did we grow up? It feels like we’re almost... truly adults.”

“Hmm, I know,” you agreed, a thoughtful pause hanging between you. “Too soon though.”

You hung up shortly after and went about your day. You studied with Yunjin, and later, the girls came over for dinner, followed by a late-night study session. By the time you showered and finally settled into bed, it was already 1 AM when your phone buzzed—Aeri was calling.

“Hello?” You mumbled out as you turned your lamp on

“Oh sorry, were you sleeping?” she asked, her face slightly blurry on the screen.

“Mm,” you sighed softly, rubbing your eyes. “No, I just got into bed, actually.”

“Long day?”

“Mhm, but that’s alright. What’s up?” you asked, shifting into a more comfortable position and reaching for your glasses.

“I’m just.. in Haebonchang right now,” she said, flipping the camera to show the view. “Look how beautiful the sunset is, Y/n.”

The sunset was breathtaking, shades of pink, orange, and purple blending into each other like a painting across the sky.

“Wow... it’s beautiful, Aeri,” you said in awe.

Aeri’s voice softened before she flipped the camera back to herself. “Yeah... I wish you were here,” she said quietly, her eyes flickering between the camera and the fading light.

There was a pause, her words lingering in the space between you.

“Maybe one day.. We could go there together,” you whispered, your voice tinged with sadness.

“Yeah.. I’d really like that,” Aeri responded, her tone gentle but carrying the weight of something more.

There was a brief second of silence. As if both of you were hesitating to speak up.

“I miss you,” you whispered, barely audible, your voice filled with longing. Time zones didn’t matter, distance didn’t matter. You really just longed for Aeri.

Those three words heavily hung in the air between you two.

“I miss you too,” Aeri quietly admitted, her voice soft but sincere, resistance evident in her confession.

The day after that interaction, things started to feel different. The FaceTime calls slowly became more sparse, and her texts were less frequent. You tried not to overthink it, giving her the space you thought she might need. But as the days passed, the silence began to weigh on you. Eventually, you double texted her, unable to ignore any longer.

“Aeri, is everything okay?”

For the first time in days, her response came instantly.

“Yeah sorry, I’m okay. I just have something on my mind. Can we call later?”

Her words did nothing to ease your nerves.

“Of course,” you typed back, keeping it simple, though your heart raced.

The uncertainty gnawed at you, the anxiety tightening in your chest as you stared at the screen.

Finally, what felt like days but in reality was just a few hours, Aeri called you.

You hesitantly answered “Hey Aeri, you okay?”

There was a pause, and that’s when you knew it didn’t seem promising.

“Y/n,” she began softly, her face on the screen appearing hesitant, almost conflicted.

“..Aeri?” you prompted gently, your voice unsure now.

She sighed deeply, her gaze dropping for a second before meeting yours again. “Y/n… I need to talk to you about something.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “Yeah I know, what’s going on? You okay?”

“When is it possible for you to visit me in Seoul?” she asked bluntly, though her tone remained soft.

You hesitated. “Well, maybe about a year or so? Just with grad schoo–”

She cut you off gently, “I know.. You don’t have to explain yourself, I just– God,” She paused as if holding herself back from admitting something. “It’ll be over a year and a half until I can visit you”

Your eyes stayed glued to the screen, watching her struggle to compose herself. The pit in your stomach deepened

Aeri swallowed hard, clearly struggling with her next words. “I think we should stop talking for a while”

Your chest tightened.

“Why?”

“I came here..” She began, “ No– I’ve had this goal since forever. I want to accomplish something here but.. I can’t stop myself from looking up flights to California every day.

And I think… I think I need to focus on committing my life here”

You blinked, the realization slowly sinking in. She was leaving again.

“So you want.. to stop talking to me?” Your words trailed off, unsure of how to finish that thought or if there’s anything more you could possibly say.

“Just for now,” she said quietly, her eyes softening with what seemed like guilt. “And I really don’t want to lose you. But I know.. I have to give this my all.”

You bit your lip, trying to keep the lump in your throat from forming. “Aeri.. It took me 10 years to find you.”

She looked down again, exhaling slowly trying to fight a sob from coming out. “I know Y/n, but I’ll be back before you know it.. It’s just a brief break”

Fuck

You nodded slowly, though your heart ached. “Alright then Aeri ”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was barely above a whisper now. “I’m so sorry” She began to cry.

“No need to be sorry,” You said as you choked back your own tears, clearing your throat to cover it. “We weren’t dating or anything so don’t worry about it. Really.”

There was a long pause, the silence between you filled with all the things neither of you were ready to say.

“Take care of yourself and good luck, okay?” Aeri said, her voice soft but final.

“You too,” you replied, your throat tight, the words barely escaping. “I’ll be right here.”

The call ended, and for the first time in months, the silence felt unbearable.

Aeri never knew that this was the hardest you cried in years.

Whoever said times heals everything, is a straight up liar. Time doesn’t heal, it just lets you get used to how things are now.

It had been about eight years since you had last spoken to her and honestly, you didn’t think much of Aeri anymore. Life had moved on, as it does. Although, there were days when you’d think back on everything but those thoughts were extremely rare now, fleeting, like a distant memory and it didn’t sting the way it used to. You’d convinced yourself that was just how things went. People come and go, and life moves forward whether you’re ready or not.

Once you graduated and started your new job in Boston not long after. You settled into a routine that felt strange at first but eventually became your new normal

Somehow, you managed to entice Yunjin to move to Boston. She had moved into a place not too far from yours with her (now!) fiance. Her sister also lives in Boston too so the transition wasn’t too hard. Yuna and Ryujin had ended up in New York, so weekends/every other weekend often meant catching a train to visit them or planning get-togethers whenever everyone’s schedules aligned.

Your 9-to-5 job wasn’t glamorous, but it was steady—something you could rely on. You fell into the rhythm of it quickly enough. The crowded subway rides during rush hour, the packed streets of Boston, the distant hum of the city became part of your daily routine. You’d slip into your office, get your work done, and slip out at the end of the day. It wasn’t what you imagined back when you were chasing dreams in California, picturing something a little more exciting, maybe a little more daring. But it wasn’t bad either—it was.. just comfortable.

After work, you'd sometimes grab a drink with coworkers or meet up with the woman you’d met shortly after getting into grad school. There was nothing too serious between the two of you, just the occasional dinners or casual hangouts. She was fun to be around—easygoing, good company, someone you could relax with. You’d meet up after work at a bar downtown, sharing a drink and small talk about your days. Or sometimes, you’d catch a movie or grab takeout, sitting side by side on the couch in her small apartment, talking about work or random things that made you laugh.

It wasn’t the life-altering-head-over-heels kind of thing, but it felt normal, almost comforting. There was no pressure to be anything more than it was or used to be, and that was fine with you both. Life had settled into place without much fanfare, a quiet routine that you didn’t mind..

It wasn’t until one quiet evening, after a long day at work, that something finally disrupted your routine. You were sitting on the couch, nursing a beer, and scrolling through your phone without much thought, letting the noise of the day slowly fade away.

That was until a notification lit up your screen. You glanced at it out of habit, not expecting anything important. But the name made you pause.

Aeri Yizhuo.

Who?

Aeri…?

Your heart skipped a beat as recognition clicked into place.

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

For a second, your heart skipped a beat. You stared at the message, the familiar feeling creeping back into your chest, one you hadn’t felt in ages. You hadn’t thought of her in so long, and yet, there she was. After all this time.

And then, the truth hit you like a punch to the gut.

Aeri was married now.

You felt the sting of it, sharp and unexpected, cutting deeper than you would’ve liked to admit. It shouldn’t have hurt this much. You hadn’t thought about her in so long as you knew she’d been building a life in Korea. You had moved on! Or at least, that’s what you told yourself.

But here she was, after all these years she still had the ability to make you feel something. A feeling couldn’t quite put your finger on.

After all this time, part of you had still hoped for something. For something more than this.

About a month or two after your surprise catch-up with Aeri, you finally decided it was time to visit her. The timing was perfect—it was the end of the fiscal year, and you had some extra days off to use. You figured, why not? It would be a good vacation right? The thought of seeing her after all this time felt surreal, but exciting in a way you couldn’t quite describe. You’d booked your flight, set to leave next weekend so you and your friends decided to meet this weekend.

"So," Yunjin piped up, setting down her shot glass with a grin, "Why are you going to Korea?" You, Yunjin, Yuna, and Ryujin were all seated in Yunjin and Kazuha's shared apartment, a half-empty bottle of vodka in the middle of the table while your beer cans scattered around your side.

"She's going to see that girl, rememberrr?" Ryujin teased, her tone playful.

"Who?" you replied, pretending not to know who she was talking about.

Ryujin rolled her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Don't play dumb, idiot. You know exactly who I'm talking about—your first love, right? I thought she lives there, doesn't she?"

"Oh, I see how it is," Yuna chimed in with a smirk. "You just broke up with your girlfriend so you could go see her, huh? You dog"

"What! I’m going for vacation," you exclaimed, shaking your head. "And plus, you guys are crazy. She's married now."

"WHAT? Seriously?" Yunjin blurted out, her voice incredulous.

"Mhm," you nodded, your tone more casual now though it stung to admit it. "For like five or six years now"

You couldn’t even bring yourself to feel bad about it. After all, from your previous conversation with Aeri, it was clear how happy she was. She’d met her wife, Ning Yizhou, during her design trip in Japan. Aeri had described Ning as an absolutely beautiful soul, someone kind and supportive. They both work together now, running Aeri’s business, Giselle.

From the way Aeri spoke about Ning, you could hear the genuine love and admiration in her voice. There was no bitterness in your heart—how could there be? You were happy for her, happy that she had found someone who brought light into her life, someone who shared in her dreams.

In fact, you were proud of her. She really did accomplish everything she had set out to do. It was bittersweet, of course, but you were genuinely happy for her.

That’s all that mattered.

Right?

You stood just outside of Incheon International Airport, the thick scent of rain mingling with the smoke from your cigarette as you waited for your Uber. The weather had suddenly turned gray the second you had landed, casting a quiet gloom over the city, the kind that sinks into your bones(What a great sign, huh?). Raindrops softly patterned on the sidewalk while you took another slow drag, the smoke curling up into the damp air.

The second you crushed the cigarette beneath your shoe and bent over to pick it up, a car pulled up in front of you, headlights cutting through the misty rain. You quickly threw it in the appropriate spot in the trash can and opened the back door, climbing in with a sigh.

“Annyeonghaseyo~,” you greeted the driver in your best (broken) Korean, trying to remember the phrases you had studied years ago for Aeri.

The driver smiled politely in the rearview mirror, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Ah, I also speak English. Are you going to the hotel?”

You felt your cheeks flush slightly, nodding as you let out a small, relieved laugh, “Yes, please!” lowering your head in a polite bow.

The car slipped into the rainy Seoul night, the city lights blurring through the raindrops on the windows. The sound of rain hitting the roof of the car was soothing. Your eyes traced the streets as you drove deeper into the heart of the city. The roads were wet and glistening, the neon signs reflecting off the slick pavement, painting the night in hues of red, blue, and green.

The drive felt longer than it was, the beautiful city of Seoul was a lot to take in. Finally, you pulled up to the front of your hotel, the bright lights of the entrance cutting through the rain. The driver helped you with your bags, and you handed him some Won with a shy bow and a “gamsahamnida,” before heading inside.

Checking in was a blur of polite smiles and hurried conversations with the hotel staff. Before you knew it, you were standing in your empty room, the door clicking shut behind you with a finality that made the space feel even bigger.

The rain had picked up, drumming harder against the window. You crossed the room slowly, setting your bag down by the bed before making your way to the large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the city. The lights of Seoul stretched out before you, and they were incredibly bright.

A reflection of your younger self flickered in the glass, dim and blurred by the raindrops. It was as if your inner child was staring right back at you—smiling brightly in those stupid colorful shorts your Mom loved to dress you in with a big toothy grin stretching across your face.

As quickly as she appeared, she vanished. Then reflected back was an almost unrecognizable adult. It was you. The light in your eyes was still prevalent, but it just wasn’t as bright as it used to be. Years must have dimmed that spark and softened the edges of the person you once were.

You leaned your forehead against the cool glass, watching as your breath fogged up the window. The city below pulsed with life, its bright lights and movement carrying on unaware of your inner turmoil.

In that moment, surrounded by the bright lights of a city that was so beautiful and full of life.

You had never felt more alone.

Some bridges in Korean folklore represent reunion and enduring love, like the Magpie Bridge, where separated lovers meet once a year to reaffirm their bond. Others, however, represent a fleeting reconnection—brief moments that can’t last, like this one.

The next morning, you got ready and made your way to Seonyudo Park Bridge, a location Aeri had sent you earlier. The sky wasn’t rainy (luckily) and the soft hum of the city seemed distant as you stood at the edge of the bridge, anxiously watching pedestrians and tourists bustle around. Snippets of Korean and bits of broken English floated past you as you nervously fidgeted with the strap of your tote bag.

You shifted your weight, glancing around, when a voice called out, one you hadn’t heard in person in years.

“Y/n!”

Your head instinctively turned.

Suddenly, in front of you stood a child. She wore jean shorts, a Hello Kitty shirt, and had medium length black hair. Her smile was bright, lighting up her entire face, and her eyes sparkled with a familiar excitement.

It was a smile you could recognize anywhere.

For a moment, you were transported back in time. There she was—Aeri, as you remembered her as a child, standing on the other side of the bridge. You froze, staring in disbelief as the vision of her younger self ran toward you, wide-eyed and full of life. It felt so real—the way she moved, the way her smile hadn't changed.

But then you blinked, and the vision vanished and adult, present time Aeri was just walking toward you. She looked different—grown up. Her hair had grown longer, her figure more filled in, and her features had sharpened with time. But that damn smile, the way her eyes crinkled in the corners when she smiled, was exactly the same as you remembered it from 20 years ago.

Without thinking, your body moved on its own, a shy yet goofy smile creeping across your face as you walked toward her. Your strides were longer, more eager, and you met her about three-quarters of the way across the bridge. You met her where she was.

Now standing just a foot apart, neither of you spoke at first. You both stood there, taking each other in, as if afraid to break the fragile moment. Aeri was still shorter than you by a couple of inches, and she was dressed in a sleek black leather jacket with gray slacks that made her look effortlessly beautiful.

You looked down at her, your heart racing, and for a few seconds, the world around you seemed to fade away. The silence between you wasn’t awkward—it was heavy, but not uncomfortable. It was the weight of everything left unsaid, everything that had built up over the years.

Finally, Aeri sighed softly, her eyes locked on yours, and a smile tugged at her lips. “Wow~,” she whispered, looking up at you with a mix of awe and warmth.

She surprisingly embraced you in an unexpected hug. Your hands hovered, ghosting across her sides.

“I missed you” She muffled out on your shoulder

You didn’t respond.

You both pulled back from the hug, standing there, just staring at each other. There was something almost surreal about it—the way you both remembered each other so clearly, yet in this moment, you felt like strangers, familiar but somehow unrecognizable.

“You look amazing,” you croaked out, your voice betraying the flood of emotions. “You’ve changed but... you haven’t? If that makes sense.” A nervous laugh escaped your lips.

Aeri lowered her head, letting out a soft, breathy chuckle. “I could say the same to you... When did you get so tall?”

You shyly smirked “I think you’ve just always been short.”

“Ah~ so you haven’t changed at all. Still so~ annoying,” she teased, her laugh infectious.

The laughter faded, and a comfortable silence settled between you both as you took each other in again, the weight of time pressing gently on the moment.

“So...” Aeri smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “You wanna go? I’ve got a few places planned for us.”

“Yeah, of course. Let’s go,” you replied, and without another word, you followed Aeri much like a dog

The Han River has long been a symbol of flow, change, and life in Korea. Flowing water symbolizes the constant change in ones life.. they’re moving in different directions, but still connected in some way.

The walk wasn’t far, but neither of you spoke at first. Aeri led the way and you followed, both of you too shy to break the silence. Finally, she guided you to a quiet spot near the bank of the Han River, the water glistening under the dim light of the overcast sky.

“How’s here?” Aeri finally spoke, settling down near the water’s edge.

“Mmm,” you murmured, nodding as you sat beside her. The lush grass below you.

You both sat quietly, watching the water, the silence growing heavier with unsaid words.

“Was the last time we talked really eight years ago?” Aeri sighed, breaking the silence again.

“I think so? We’re 30 now... So, yeah, I guess it was,” you said, turning your head slightly toward her. “Feels weird huh?” You gave her a little half smile.

“Wow...” she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of those lost years.

After a brief pause, she added, “You know.. before I got married, I went to New York with my wife.”

“I know.”

“I sent you a message on Facebook, I didn’t know if you had changed your number” she continued, smiling softly but with a hint of sadness in her eyes. “But you didn’t respond”

There was another pause. It felt like she had more to say, so you stayed quiet, waiting.

“I wanted to see you,” she admitted quietly. “I was disappointed.”

“I’m sorry,” you said, your gaze fixed on the water, avoiding her eyes. There wasn’t much else you could say, something was hanging in the air between you.

Aeri shifted, her tone changing slightly. “Well, I also wanted to meet your girlfriend. How are you guys doing?”

“We’re not together right now,” you admitted.

“Oh, I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to— wait, did you break up?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.

“Oh well no, I don't know, we’re just... in a weird spot right now. She wants to get married but...”

“But you don’t?” Aeri asked, cutting through your hesitation.

“Yeah it's just, I don’t know, it’s just... complicated,” you sighed, trying not to reveal too much, keeping your emotions in check.

“What’s complicated?” she pressed, her voice direct, almost matter-of-fact.

You chuckled lightly at her tone. “I’m still paying off my student loans. I just don’t want my wife to carry that burden, you know? Boston is expensive enough as it is...” It wasn’t entirely a lie. But deep down, you knew there was more to your hesitation than just the financial part.

“I just feel like she deserves someone better than me. We’ve been together but.. not really together for so long... She deserves someone who can give her what she wants. Someone... less ordinary and..”

“Ordinary?” Aeri interrupted softly, her voice filled with disbelief. “You’re far from ordinary, Y/n. You know you’re...” she trailed off, as if catching herself before saying too much.

You gave her a small smile, ignoring her hesitation. It was clear neither of you wanted to dig into old feelings, not yet, maybe even never. There was too much that both of you were avoiding.

“So, how’s work?” you asked, gently steering the conversation away from the tension that had built up. The question felt like a safe place to land, something casual and mundane.

Aeri smiled, seeming to relax a little. “Busy, as always. Giselle’s doing well, though. It’s everything I dreamed of... and more stressful than I imagined.”

“That sounds about right,” you chuckled, the heaviness between you starting to ease. “But, I knew you could do it. I’m really proud of you, Aeri.”

Slowly, the awkwardness began to dissipate. You found yourselves laughing about silly memories from when you were younger, filling in the gaps from the eight years you had missed.

Aeri told you about the ups and downs of her business, her wife, her travels, and the unexpected ways life had changed her. You shared stories of grad school, your friends, your job, and the quiet moments of your own life that had shaped you. It was easy to get lost in the rhythm of it, the back and forth, as though no time had passed at all.

Before you knew it, the sun had started to dip, casting soft shades of pink and orange across the sky. .

“Remember that one time when you fe–”

Your stomach grumbled loudly, cutting through Aeri’s story

“Oh my god, are you hungry?” Aeri’s eyes widened with concern.

Oh, no I’m fine, really!” You tried to assuage but of course she did not relent

“No it’s okay, I could eat too. Let’s go get some food, there’s a great to-go spot nearby, and then I’ve got one more place I want to show you.”

She was already on her feet, tugging at your sleeve before you could even think to protest. Not that you would, of course.

You chuckled softly, offering a simple, “Alright,” as a smile crept onto your face. It just felt so natural. Aeri was still the same, always charging ahead, her excitement infectious, leading you from behind as she had so many times before.

Some things really never change.

Soon, you both arrived at a cozy 24-hour convenience store, the kind that makes it fresh right there. It was small and tucked away, but the smell of freshly made meals greeted you the moment you stepped inside. You ordered an onigiri, feeling like that’s all your stomach could handle after such a day like this.

You unwrapped it and took a bite, savoring the simple comfort of the food, but before you could settle in, Aeri was pulling you along again, her food in hand, excitement bubbling in her voice.

“Let’s go, the bus comes in three minutes!” she said, glancing at her phone with a grin.

You both made it onto the bus(after scarfing down your rice ball) barely just in time. With no seats available, you were left standing together, holding the same pole.

Strangers pressed in around you, the sounds of conversation and the hum of the city filling the space. But in that moment, it felt like it was only the two of you in the world.

Your fingers brushed against each other, but neither of you moved. The silence stretched between you, not awkward, just heavy with all the years missed.

You met Aeri’s gaze, and for a brief second, it felt like time slowed.

The bus glided (not) smoothly through the city streets, and yet the tension between you was almost tangible. Your mind raced with everything you wanted to say, but none of the words seemed right.

"Ae—" you started to say, but before the words could form, Aeri cut you off softly.

“Oh, we’re here,” she said, her voice gently pulling you both back into the present moment.

The bus came to a stop, and you followed her out, stepping into the cool evening air. The two of you walked side by side, the quiet comfort between you settling in again as you made your way toward Namsan Tower, known for its Love Lock Bridge.

“Do you want a picture?” Aeri asked, breaking the silence. “It is your vacation, right? I feel like you haven’t taken many pictures while you’ve been here. Probably my fault,” she laughed lightly, her tone warm.

“Oh yeah, sure!” you said, handing her your phone.

You posed in front of a scenic spot along the path, flashing your signature bright smile.

“Ah~ so cute,” she teased, snapping a few photos before handing your phone back to you.

“Thanks,” you said, quickly glancing at the picture before slipping the phone into your pocket.

The two of you continued walking, your shoulders brushing against each other now and then as the foot traffic toward the bridge picked up. Just before you reached the bridge, Aeri stopped in her tracks, turning to you with a serious look.

“Y/n,” she said, her voice soft but steady.

“Hmm?” you looked at her curiously.

“Why did you... search for me?” she asked quietly, her gaze lingering on you.

“Eight years ago?” you finished for her.

“Mhm,” she nodded.

“Do you really want to know?” you asked, meeting her eyes. She gave a small nod in response, waiting.

You took a deep breath, searching for the right words. “I wanted to see you again... I don’t know. You left so suddenly, and I guess I was a little pissed off, honestly.”

“I’m sorry,” Aeri said softly.

You let out a small huff of laughter. “Why are you apologizing?”

“I guess... you’re right. I don’t have anything to be sorry for,” she admitted, smiling faintly.

“You were just in my entire life, and then you left... and then, bam, I found you again,” you said, the words coming out more candidly than you expected.

“Why would you do that?” she asked, her voice carrying a hint of vulnerability.

“I don’t know, honestly... You kept entering my mind when I was in college. I thought about you... a lot,” you admitted.

Aeri nodded, her expression softening. “I see.”

“We were babies back then, huh?” you chuckled, the tension easing. “And even eight years ago... we were still figuring things out.”

“Yeah,” Aeri smiled, a bittersweet glint in her eyes. “I can’t believe we’re not ‘babies’ anymore.”

You both finally arrived at the Love Lock Bridge, the sky now a deep shade of blue, illuminated by the city lights below. The bridge was alive with the soft hum of conversations you couldn’t quite understand and the distant sounds of traffic, but you felt a quiet stillness between you and Aeri walked around.

“Ning and I came here for our anniversary,” Aeri said, her voice almost wistful as she glanced around. “It was hard to find at first. We spent months looking for the perfect spot to place our lock.”

She started scanning the rows upon rows of locks, her fingers brushing over the cold metal as she looked for hers. But while she was focused on finding it, you couldn’t stop staring at her—the way her hair fell over her face as she leaned in, the subtle concentration etched on her features, the soft smile that tugged at her lips every now and then as she searched.

You knew you should probably be at least trying to help her, but at this moment, it felt like she was a world away, even as she stood right next to you. She was talking about their anniversary, their love, and you couldn’t shake away the sinking feeling.

Then suddenly, She spotted it. A small, worn lock with their names etched in faded letters. Ning and Aeri. She pointed at it.

“There,” she said softly.

Your eyes followed your finger, and she smiled when she saw it.

“Wow... I didn’t think we’d be able to find it.”

You forced a smile, but the heaviness in your chest lingered. After a few moments of small talk about the lock, the conversation lulled, and Aeri checked the time. The soft glow of the city lights and the quiet hum of the evening reminded you both that this reunion, like everything, had to come to an end.

“I should probably head home,” Aeri said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance. She didn’t want to break the moment, but it was inevitable.

You nodded, your own smile fading. “Yeah, I should get back too.”

Home. She was going home to someone—to a life that didn’t include you. And as much as you tried to push the thought aside, it stung.

She walked with you toward the bus stop, in silence. The conversation from earlier echoed in your mind—how you had found her again, only to realize that the distance between your lives was now undeniable.

When the bus pulled up, Aeri watched as you stepped inside. She gave you one last, soft smile, the kind that carried more meaning than any words could, just before the doors closed between you.

You said your quiet goodbye, instead of walking her home like you used to, you headed back to your own place. Alone.

The next day arrived with a clearer sky, though the weight of the previous night still lingered faintly in your chest. You weren’t sure how to feel, but Aeri’s early morning text had a way of pulling you out of your thoughts: “Let’s go to Seoul Tower today! I feel like everyone who visits needs to see it.”

Of course you agreed, a few hours later when you had checked out of your hotel, you found yourself walking toward one of Seoul’s most famous places, N Seoul Tower, with Aeri by your side. The streets were alive with locals and tourists, bustling around market stalls and snapping photos.

There was a vibrant energy of the city surrounding you, but your focus was on Aeri, who was as animated as ever, pointing out landmarks and sharing random facts about the places you passed. It was cute.

“This place is sooo a must for anyone visiting Seoul,” Aeri said with a grin as you passed a shop offering hanbok rentals. “Wanna try one on?” She teased “Or are you more in the mood for food?”

You bantered back. “Let’s try food first. I don’t think I’m ready for a hanbok yet,” you playfully rolled your eyes

You stopped at a food stall, grabbing some hotteok, tteokbokki, and grilled meat skewers.

“You have to try this. It’s my favorite,” she said, handing you a cup of hotteok, her face lighting up as you took a bite of the warm treat “See?! I knew you’d like it.”

The day moved quickly as you wandered through the crowded streets, snapping photos, enjoying the ‘touristy’ vibe. It felt easier, lighter, as if you could both escape into the city, even if just for a while.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden hue over the city, Aeri led you to the top of N Seoul Tower. From the observation deck, you could see all of Seoul stretched out before you. The view was breathtaking, the city bathed in the soft light of the sun.

“This city... it’s strange how much it’s become home,” Aeri said quietly, her voice softer now. She leaned against the railing, staring out at the skyline. “I never thought I’d feel that way when I first moved here.”

You stood beside her. “It’s beautiful,” you said, your own voice hushed, as if speaking too loudly might break the delicate moment. You stared at her as she gazed out over the city, your mind was elsewhere.

For a while, you both stood in silence, taking in the view. In that moment, it didn’t matter where you had come from or where you were going.

For now, this was enough.

After spending the day embodying a tourist and such, the sun had long set, and the once-bustling streets now felt quieter as you followed Aeri back to her apartment.

You were nervous of course,

“She knows I’m coming. right?” you asked, pausing mid-step.

“Of course,” Aeri replied, leading you up the steps to her apartment—the place she now called home.

As you entered, Aeri's wife, Ning, was already by the door. You weren’t sure what you had expected, but seeing her in the flesh felt surreal, like a final confirmation of the life Aeri had built without you. It felt like the gap between your past with Aeri and her present had suddenly become tangible.

After a brief moment of silence, you gave Ning a polite bow, offering your best attempt at broken Korean. “Annyeonghaseyo,” you said, smiling awkwardly.

Ning returned the gesture with a polite bow of her own. “Hello,” she responded in careful English.

For a second, both of you stood there, staring at each other incredulously, trying to find the right words, the weight of the moment hanging between you.

You nodded, your heart racing slightly. “It’s nice to meet you,” you added, this time in your most broken Korean.

Ning smiled kindly, understanding the effort you were making. “It’s nice to meet you too,” she said

Ning chuckled softly, the slight language barrier immediately apparent but not uncomfortable. “Aeri told me… a lot about you.” she responded in English

“Likewise”

Aeri came to your side, sensing the mix of emotions swirling in the air. “Ning, should we grab something to eat? She’s leaving later tonight, so I think we should eat,” Aeri said in Korean, but you didn’t quite catch the words.

Ning nodded and turned to you, switching back to English. “What do you like to eat?”

You pondered for a moment, thinking of something simple but satisfying. “Hmm… samgyupsal?”

Ning’s face immediately lit up at the mention of her favorite food. “Let’s go get samgyupsal!” she said, her excitement evident.

You three ended up at a cozy late-night bar and restaurant, the soft hum of conversation and clinking of glasses filling the space. Dinner had gone smoothly, the samgyupsal hitting the spot, and now you were all nursing drinks, passing time until your Uber was set to arrive.

“So, have you traveled out of the United States before?” Ning asked in Korean, her expression curious. Of course, you didn’t understand, but Aeri leaned in, her voice low as she translated.

“She’s asking if you’ve been out of the country before,” Aeri said with a small smile, eyes flicking between you and her wife.

You shook your head with a soft laugh. “I’ve been to Japan and Spain before, but I think Korea has been my favorite so far.”

Aeri translated the words, and Ning nodded with a smile.

“She says Seoul is a good place to start when visiting Korea, but if you come back, you should visit Jeju Island. It’s beautiful there,” Aeri translated again, while Ning added in her own bit in Korean, her face lighting up.

“I’ve heard great things about Jeju,” you said, returning the smile. “Maybe next time.”

The small talk flowed easily enough, but as the night wore on, Aeri slowly stopped translating, and Ning sat quietly, sipping her drink. It created an odd dynamic—one where it felt like Aeri was caught between two worlds, and Ning, though polite, was drifting further into her own thoughts.

You couldn’t help it. With the drinks loosening your tongue and emotions swirling inside you, the words began to spill out. Leaning in slightly, you lowered your voice, careful to keep your tone steady. “Aeri… thanks for introducing me to your wife.”

Aeri blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in conversation. “Mm,” she mumbled, her gaze flickering between you and her drink, unsure of where you were headed.

“I can tell she really loves you,” you added softly, the sincerity in your voice clear. "I didn't realize liking your wife would hurt this much."

Aeri’s eyes softened, her brow furrowing slightly. “Really?” she asked, her voice almost hesitant, as if she needed confirmation.

“Of course,” you replied, your words gentle, but heavy with the weight of what you weren’t saying.

A moment of silence passed, the sounds of the bar fading into the background as the two of you sat there, the space between you filled with things that had been left unsaid for too long.

You took a sip from your glass, gathering the courage to speak again. “… When we stopped talking back then… I really missed you. Did you miss me?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and raw, as if you’d been holding it in for years.

Aeri’s gaze dropped for a moment, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. When she finally looked up at you, her voice was softer, almost vulnerable. “Of course I did, Y/n.”

A dry laugh escaped your lips. “But you met your wife then.” There was an edge to your voice, a bitterness that surprised even you.

Aeri responded instantly, almost defensively. “And you had a girlfriend.”

You scoffed softly. “Right,” you murmured, shaking your head with a small smile. “Sorry.”

Aeri fidgeted with the rim of her glass. “It’s okay.”

After a few quiet moments, you exhaled, the weight of your thoughts pressing down on you. The words slipped out before you had the chance to stop them. “Seeing you again… it’s made me have some strange thoughts.”

Aeri lifted her eyes to yours, her gaze gentle but curious. “What kind of thoughts?” she asked softly.

You hesitated, your fingers tracing the rim of your glass as you searched for the right words. “I keep thinking… what if I had come here eight years ago? What if you never left California? If we’d just grown up together, stayed in each other’s lives…”

You paused, the questions swirling in your mind before you continued, your voice growing softer. “Would I have still searched for you? Would we have dated? Broken up? Gotten married and had kids? Just.. you know, stuff like that.”

You glanced at Aeri, her expression unreadable as she absorbed everything you said.

“And what I’ve realized,” you continued, almost to yourself, “is that California… it was always too small for your ambition. You outgrew it before either of us realized. I’m happy you moved here, Aeri, I really am.

And the truth is, I liked you because you’re you. And who you are…” You trailed off for a moment, letting the words sink in before you finished quietly. “Who you are is someone who leaves.”

Aeri’s lips parted slightly, her breath catching. She looked away for a second, as if trying to gather her thoughts, before her voice came out in a whisper. “The Aeri Uchinaga you remember… she doesn’t exist anymore.”

Her words cracked slightly, as if admitting it to herself for the first time.

You felt a soft chuckle escape you, one tinged with understanding. “I know,” you replied. “I know.”

She nodded, but quickly added, “But… that doesn’t mean she never existed.” Her eyes met yours again, softer now. “I left that version of me behind 20 years ago. I left her with you.”

Her words, the honesty in them, tugged at something deep within you. “I know,” you repeated, meeting her gaze, a strange sense of peace settling over you. “I know we were only twelve… but I really did love her.”

Aeri’s lips curved into a small, sad smile, the kind that holds years of unspoken truths. “I know,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

You both let out a quiet laugh, the sound soft but comforting, a brief return to the simplicity of who you used to be.

“I think we must’ve been something together in our past lives,” she said after a while, her voice distant, thoughtful. “Otherwise, why would we be here together right now?”

You thought about her words, turning them over in your mind. “I agree,” you finally said. “But in this life… we obviously just aren’t those people to each other, are we? We’re finally in the same city for the first time in 20 years, and here we are, sitting together... with your wife.”

Your expression softened, as you quietly acknowledged the truth you both knew. “To Ning, you’re someone who stays,” you whispered.

A few moments of silence passed between you and Aeri.

“Who do you think we were to each other in our past lives?” Aeri asked suddenly, her voice soft, almost wistful.

You tilted your head, considering the question. “Hmm… I don’t know,” you said, your tone thoughtful. “Maybe we were forced into a political marriage to stop a war…Or maybe we were just two strangers on a bus who happened to sit next to each other. Or even.. maybe I was just a branch you decided to sit on as a bird on a cold morning.”

You and Aeri chuckled at that, though you could sense a sadness behind it.

You both sat in the quiet for a few more moments, the weight of those imagined lives lingering in the air, until Aeri excused herself to use the restroom, leaving you alone with Ning.

You turned toward her, feeling guilty for the past hour. “I’m sorry we spoke alone,” you said gently, your voice low. “It won’t happen again.”

Ning gave you a small, gentle smile, though there was something sad in her eyes. “Don’t worry,” she replied, her English hesitant but kind. “You two haven’t seen each other in a while. I’m glad I got to meet you Y/n.”

You nodded, her response easing some of the tension in your chest. “I’m glad too,” you said softly, offering her a smile in return

When Aeri returned, you paid the bill and the three of you made your way back to the apartment to grab your luggage. The atmosphere had shifted slightly—quiet, but not uncomfortable, just the natural stillness that follows the end of a long day.

“Hey, I’m gonna walk her to her Uber,” Aeri said to Ning, offering her a small, reassuring smile before turning toward you and the door.

You paused for a moment, glancing at Ning. Bowing slightly, you tried your best to piece together the Korean you’d practiced. “Nice to meet you. Come visit me in California.”

Ning’s eyes softened, and despite the awkwardness of the language barrier, her warmth was undeniable. She returned the bow, her own English just as halting but genuine. “Definitely,” she replied, her smile sincere. You offered her a small smile in return before following Aeri out the door.

As you and Aeri stepped out of the apartment, the cool night air hit you both. You walked side by side down the quiet street, neither of you saying much, both lost in your own thoughts.

The streets were dimly lit, the distant hum of the city lingering in the background. Every now and then, your shoulders brushed, but neither of you acknowledged it.

As you neared the end of the street, where your Uber was set to pick you up, you both stopped, standing under a flickering streetlight. The quiet air felt thick, the weight of the goodbye neither of you wanted to acknowledge.

Aeri shifted slightly, glancing at you before looking away, her hands fidgeting in her jacket pockets. “Will it be here soon?” she asked, her voice soft, trying to smooth over the tension between you.

You glanced at your phone, the screen glowing back at you. “Two minutes,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

Silence.

Some more silence fell between you two as the night deepened, the distant sounds of the city humming softly around you. Neither of you made any effort to fill the quiet, as if both afraid that words would shatter whatever remained between you.

Finally, the low rumble of a car pulling up signaled that your time was almost up. You glanced at the Uber, then down at your bags. With a sigh, you began to pack them into the trunk, your movements slow, almost hesitant, as if trying to delay the inevitable.

Just as you were about to open the car door, something inside you stirred. You couldn’t let this moment end without saying it.

“Aeri,” you called out, your voice breaking the silence as you turned toward her, your hand resting on the handle of the door.

She looked up, her eyes lighting up just a little as she responded, “Mm?”

For a moment, you hesitated, unsure if you should say the words that had been circling in your mind. But the thought of leaving without voicing them felt unbearable. So you smiled, that bittersweet smile tugging at your lips as you spoke.

“What if this is a past life as well, and we are already something else to each other in our next life? Who do you think we are then?” You could feel a deep sadness in your voice as the words left your lips.

Aeri blinked, the question taking her by surprise. Her eyes searched for yours, as if trying to understand the depth of your meaning. She looked almost vulnerable at that moment, her lips parting slightly before she whispered, “I-I don’t know.” Careful with her words

There was something in the way she said it—like she wanted to know, like she wished she had an answer for you but couldn’t bring herself to find one. The distance between you two felt like more than just the physical space separating you—it was something neither of you could cross.

You had realized just then. At that moment. That she hasn’t been looking at you with any sort of love or longing. She’d just been looking at you with nostalgia. A life before the weight of the world crashed down on her.

You lowered your head with a sad laugh in response to her.

“Alright,” you began, “Goodbye, Aeri Uchinaga.. See you then.” you whispered finally parting ways with the girl you'd known 20 years ago.

A feeling of loss over you, almost suffocating. You still managed a genuine smile because you were happy Aeri was happy.

Bittersweet.

“See you.. then, Y/n L/n” she whispered.

With that, you gave her a small nod, your heart heavy. The air between you felt thick with everything unsaid. Aeri looked back at you, her eyes holding a mix of emotions—nostalgia, sadness, maybe a little bit of both.

You opened the door and got into the backseat of the Uber. You glanced out the window one last time, catching a glimpse of Aeri standing there under the streetlight. She looked a little blurry in the dim light, but still the same Aeri you’ve always known.

For a second, your eyes met again. Neither of you waved, neither of you spoke. You both knew this was how it had to end.

You took a deep breath and nodded to the driver, and the car pulled away.

You silently stared out the window as the scenery of Seoul flashed by while tears streamed down your face.

You’ll never know that she was crying too. Harder than she ever had before.

#kywrites #aeri x reader #aespa #kytalks #aespa x reader #aespa x you #aespa giselle x reader #aespa giselle #giselle x you #giselle x reader #giselle #aespa x fem reader #aespa aeri #aeri uchinaga #aeri uchinaga x reader #aeri #kpop x reader

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swirledyouintoallmypoems · 1 year ago

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it’s nice to have a friend - stiles stilinski x fem!reader

“you been stressed out lately, yeah, me too”

summary: you didn’t have many friends in middle school, not until you met a boy one afternoon. it was nice to have a friend. especially one that lasted as long as stiles did.

“something gave you the nerve to touch my hand”

notes: friends to lovers (obv), it’s just very sweet and fluffy, i just love him sm :3

“it’s nice to have a friend”

☾

the first time you met stiles stilinski was on a cold winter afternoon back in the seventh grade.

snow in beacon hills wasn’t common at all, so you weren’t exactly prepared for the freezing weather.

and to top it all off, while you were in school, you had lost your gloves at some point during the day.

so now you were walking home with the fear that you were going to lose your hands to frostbite.

as you walked, you noticed the boy walking on the sidewalk next to you looking at you while you rubbed your hands together.

“you could borrow one of mine if you’d like.” he suddenly spoke and you turned to look at him.

“what?” 13-year-olds didn’t exactly always have the best manners.

he pulled one of his gloves off of his hand and held it out to you. “you don’t wanna get hypothermia. i did a science report on it, like, two years ago. it’s not cool.”

“who are you?” you asked as you took the glove and slipped it onto your hand.

“oh, right, i’m stiles.” he held out his bare hand to you.

“y/n.” you smiled, shaking his hand with your own non-gloved hand. “sheriff stilinski’s your dad, right?”

“yup.” stiles nodded with a smile. “are you doing anything this afternoon?”

“no… why?”

“wanna hang out?”

this strange and very sweet boy who you had just met was asking to hang out with you.

“what would we do?” you asked curiously as the two of you walked.

“i have a bunch of video games.”

you smiled. “yeah, sounds like fun.”

so stiles walked you to his house where the two of you hung out playing video games in his living room until his dad got home.

by then you had lost track of time and had to go home.

“see you tomorrow, y/n.” stiles smiled from the door as you walked down onto the sidewalk.

“see ya, stiles.”

the next day wasn’t as cold. the snow had all melted and it was warm enough to not have to wear too many layers.

at school, stiles sat at the desk next to yours first period and discreetly passed you a note when the teacher wasn’t looking.

you carefully unfolded it to see his messy handwriting across the lines on the paper.

wanna hang out with me and scott today?

it’s nice to have a friend

five years later you sat beside stiles on the hood of his jeep.

he had parked on the cliff side so the two of you could watch the sunset.

the sky before you was a soft, light pink as the sun had begun sinking behind the horizon.

this night was one where the two of you were free of the troubles of werewolves, banshees, dread doctors and theo raeken, who had recently been sent to hell.

you’d had a crush on the boy sitting beside you, your best friend, for the last two years at least. around the time where all the werewolf troubles began back in your sophomore year.

and this night in particular, you didn’t have a curfew. your parents thought you were staying at stiles’ house for the night, which wasn’t exactly a lie.

most nights you would sneak out when it came to supernatural stuff, but this time it was just you and stiles hanging out.

“wanna play 20 questions?” you asked as the sky began to grow darker, but the pink and orange stayed.

“why? we practically know everything about each other.” stiles chuckled and you shrugged.

“we haven’t been able to just hang out like this lately.” you pointed out. “there’s always been something else.”

so stiles agreed to the game and the two of you played. most of the questions were silly, stuff about movies and games that you already knew the answers to.

but some of the questions were more real. about school and college, or scott’s lycanthropy.

then stiles told you, unprovoked, about how stressed out he had been lately. with theo, donovan, the dread doctors, scott, and the overwhelming fear that everyone was going to leave him behind.

“yeah, i get it. i absolutely get it.” you bumped his shoulder with your own. “but you don’t need to worry. you’ll always have me.”

stiles smiled as he looked at you beside him, while you looked back at the sunset.

he looked down at your hand, which was sitting on the hood of his jeep in between the two of you.

and slowly, despite his nerves jittering, he moved his hand from his leg and sat it beside yours, your fingers brushing against his.

stiles didn’t know that small touch sent what felt like a jolt of electricity through your body and butterflies into your stomach.

then, while looking forward, stiles moved his hand even closer and sat his on top of yours.

your lips fought back the smile that was growing on your face, and stiles saw it from his peripheral vision as he laced your fingers together.

he held your hand tightly in his and you put your head on his shoulder as the sun disappeared from sight.

“i like you, stiles.” you spoke softly and stiles didn’t answer. for a moment you thought you had messed something up, so you lifted your head off his shoulder.

then stiles said the same thing. “i like you, too.”

and then he kissed you.

it’s nice to have a friend

“stiles, put me down!” you exclaimed, your arms wrapped around his neck tightly in fear that he would drop you.

he laughed but slowly helped you stand on the porch.

your hands trailed up his body until they were sitting on his shoulders before you kissed him.

his hands moved to hold your hips and yours drifted up to the sides of his face.

you pulled back and smiled.

“come on, mrs. stilinski, into the house we go.” stiles pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the front door.

you and stiles had gotten married just a month ago, not long after you had finished college and he started in the fbi.

as the two of you walked into your house, you took stiles’ hand in yours and intertwined your fingers.

you had moved out of beacon hills and now lived somewhere where it snowed a lot more frequently. that made you happy, because snow always reminded you of the day you first met stiles.

you watched the snow fall outside through the kitchen window while you started to make dinner.

“babe,” you called for stiles from the kitchen and he was before you in a flash.

“yeah?”

“you wanna watch a movie while we eat?” you asked and his face lit up the same way it would back when you were teenagers.

“star wars?” he asked, quirking his eyebrows and pressing his lips together, his own little pleading face.

“sure.” you chuckled and turned to grab something from the fridge.

stiles’ arms wrapped their way around your middle from behind and his chin sat on your shoulder. kissing your cheek, stiles smiled as he hugged you tightly.

“you want help with dinner?” he mumbled against your neck.

“yeah.” you lifted one of your hands back to brush through his hair. “you want to help?”

“of course.” he pressed a few slow kisses to your neck before slowly letting go of you and moving to the counter. “what are we making?”

it’s nice to have a friend

tags: @brvceyamada

#stiles stilinski x reader #stiles stilinski #dylan o’brien x reader #teen wolf #dylan o’brien #taylor swift #stiles stilinski oneshot #teen wolf fanfiction #lover #it’s nice to have a friend

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zuzu-tries-to-write · 5 months ago

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Title: Sparks Between Us 1

(A Bakugo x Reader Fake Dating Fanfic)

Part 2 & part 3⬇️

Part 2 Part 3

You never thought you’d end up fake dating Bakugo Katsuki. If someone had told you last week that you’d be clinging to his arm, pretending to be his significant other, you would’ve laughed in their face.

Yet, here you were—standing in the middle of a bustling café, surrounded by your classmates, with Bakugo’s arm possessively wrapped around your waist.

It all started when Mina, ever the matchmaker, had declared she knew Bakugo had a secret crush on someone. “There’s no way you don’t like anyone, Bakugo! C’mon, spill!” she had teased, her pink eyes gleaming with mischief.

The explosive blond had scoffed, crossing his arms. “Tch. Not interested.”

But Mina didn’t give up. She and Kaminari had devised a bet: if Bakugo couldn’t prove he was dating someone by the end of the week, he’d have to wear a ridiculous, glittery pink “King Explosion Murder” sash during training.

And somehow… you had ended up in this mess.

“Y/N’s my partner, so shove off,” Bakugo had growled at Mina earlier that day, slinging an arm around you. The entire class had gasped. You had choked on air.

Now, as you sat next to him in the café, pretending to be completely comfortable with the fact that Bakugo Katsuki—your hotheaded, stubborn, and admittedly very attractive classmate—was tracing circles on your hip absentmindedly, you wondered what on earth you had gotten yourself into.

Kirishima nudged Bakugo. “Dude, you never told us you were dating Y/N! How long has this been going on?”

Bakugo grunted, but you saw the way his jaw clenched. You had spent enough time around him to tell when he was uncomfortable. So, taking a deep breath, you decided to help him out.

“Uh—about a month?” you lied, forcing a shy smile. “We just… didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

Mina gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “No way! You’ve been dating for a month and we didn’t notice? Okay, I demand proof.”

You stiffened. “P-proof?”

Mina grinned. “Duh! Couples do couple things! Like, holding hands, pet names… kissing.”

Bakugo tensed beside you. His ruby eyes flickered to you briefly, a silent question lingering in the air.

You swallowed hard. This was part of the plan, right? Just convincing them long enough to win the bet. That was it.

So why was your heart pounding so hard?

Before you could overthink, Bakugo’s hand was suddenly cupping your jaw, fingers rough yet warm against your skin. His gaze darkened, a smirk tugging at his lips. “You want proof?” he drawled, voice dropping an octave.

Then, he kissed you.

It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t hesitant. It was explosive, like everything else he did. His lips crashed against yours, his other hand gripping your waist, pulling you closer. Heat shot through your entire body, and you barely heard the way Mina squealed in the background.

You should have pulled away. This was fake. Just an act.

But god, he tasted good—like cinnamon and spice, and his lips were just the right mix of firm and soft.

When he finally pulled back, his breath fanned against your lips. “That enough proof for ya?” he muttered, voice husky.

You barely processed Mina cheering, Kaminari whistling, or Sero smirking knowingly. All you could focus on was Bakugo—his heavy breaths, the way his fingers still lingered against your waist.

You were in so much trouble.

Because this didn’t feel fake at all.

And from the way Bakugo was looking at you—like he had just realized something dangerous—you had a feeling this wasn’t just an act for him either.

To be continued…..

#bakugo katuski #bakugou x you #katsuki bakugo mha #bnha bakugou #bnha bakugo katsuki #katsuki bakugo x reader #bakugou x reader #bakugou katsuki #mha bakugou #bakugou x y/n #bnha x you #bnha x reader #bnha #mha x y/n #mha x you #mha x reader #mha fluff #mha fanfiction #mha

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talesofesther · 1 year ago

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how we knew love was here to stay

Nami x Reader

Summary: On a cold, lonely night, Nami still has trouble finding peace; luckily you're there to chase the cold away.

A/N: The small amount of Nami fics in here is criminal, I tell ya; of course I had to fix this. I love her sm <3. Important disclaimer; I have not watched the anime, nor do I plan to. This story, and any others I might write within the universe, is solely set in the live-action series.

Word count: 3,1k

Masterlist

She could feel the cold metal of the chain around her ankle, the wetness of the tears that fell down the bridge of her nose as she stood with her head low. She could see the lone wooden table, and a pen and paper for the only thing she was worth for.

Arlong's voice echoed like thunder in the dark room. There was blood on his hands, she noticed, dried up and sticking under his nails; he wore it proudly and with a sick smile.

There would be no way out this time around, her friends, her family, were gone. Her hands were shaking violently, there was blood on them too; she couldn't see it, but it was there. It was all her fault after all.

Nami woke up with a start and a whimper clawing at her throat. She sat up in bed before her eyes even had time to begin focusing, the covers pooling at her waist as she breathed in, erratic and quick gasps of air that weren't nearly enough to fill her aching lungs.

Her nails dug into fabric, nearly ripping the bedsheets. Those same tears she'd felt in the nightmare now lingered, making a steady path down her cheeks and dampening the collar of her shirt.

Nami's lower lip quivered pathetically and she groaned in anger. It was so unfair. They had won, she was free at last. And still, Arlong haunted her, hiding in the dark corners of her mind. What if he's still out there? What if he's plotting revenge? What if he comes after them again with blood in his eyes? What if-

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if physically trying to chase away the torturing thoughts. Her hands came up, tugging at the roots of messy ginger hair as she gulped back a sob and tasted the salt of tears on her lips. Didn't she deserve peace? A shot at a normal life without having to watch her back at all times and close off her heart to everyone? Perhaps not.

Several moments went by in silence, with the only sound being the calm ocean outside and Nami's unsteady breathing. The small room she called hers was pitch black, which meant it was still the middle of the night, but alas, there would be no more sleeping for her tonight.

With shaky legs, she got up.

The air outside on Going Merry's deck was cold, biting at her skin and making the navigator pull her thin coat tighter around herself. And yet Nami closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, if she felt the cold, maybe she wouldn't need to feel anything else.

The night was serene, the vast ocean was quiet and the sky clear, allowing for a blanket of stars to dance above her along with a bright moon.

Nami had always enjoyed watching the stars, counting the constellations. She'd sit on the roof of her old house during nights like these after her mom and sister had gone to sleep, and just admire the cosmos above her. Simpler times. And as she looked up at those same stars now, she could almost feel herself being back there.

A breath of air stumbled past her lips, turning into a white puff in the frigid night air. Her eyes grew wet again, vision hazy until the stars turned into nothing but blurry bright spots. In the vastness of the ocean that reflected the endless night sky, she felt undeniably alone. Maybe there was no healing for the likes of her after all.

—

You woke up already cursing that last glass of wine, maybe if you hadn't drank that, you wouldn't be being forced to leave your warm bed for the sake of going to the bathroom right now.

A shiver ran up and down your body when your bare feet touched the cold wood of the ship's floor. Blinking the sleep away from your eyes, you lazily felt around near the foot of your bed for the fuzzy slippers you'd snatched before leaving the village.

Feeling more than seeing your way through, you made it to the bathroom. And as you were making your way back to bed again, a chilly breeze circled you and got the hairs at the back of your neck standing up.

With your eyes now adjusted to the darkness of the night, you could catch a peek at the main doors that led to the ship's deck. They were ajar, moving gently back and forth with the cold ocean wind.

The first you thought of was Usopp, maybe even Luffy; as the others were unlikely to forget the doors open. In any case, you walked up to them. Some windows here and there could be left open, but it was routine to close the doors as they were the main entrance to the cold night air.

The hinges creaked with complaint as you began to push them closed, yet before you were done, your eyes caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure sitting alone at one edge of the ship.

You'd recognize her in an instant, of course. Even in the dark night, the moonlight still highlighted those strands of tangerine hair like nothing else. It's like the natural satellite waited eagerly for when she'd step outside, what with the way its light favored her. Or maybe the problem was you, and she was all you could see.

Nami sat with her back against one of the tangerine planters, hugging her knees tightly to her chest as her gaze remained focused on the sky above her. She looked to be miles away, eyes hazy and missing their usual sharpness.

You shifted in your stance, fighting with yourself on whether you should go to her or not. The last few days had been tough on her, on all of your crew. You still couldn't shake the sight of Nami's desolate, teary eyes when she finally asked for help; the blood dripping from the tattoo she tried to rip off her arm; or the dark room with only chains and paper for company.

You started walking up to her before you could debate further, with deep worry tugging at your heartstrings. Steps slow and careful as if approaching a wild cat, still minding the gentle swaying of the ship so your sleepy self wouldn't lose balance.

Nami startled when she sensed your presence, you saw it clear as the moonlight; the way her muscles tensed, jaw set tight, and chin angling up to disguise the glinting of her blown pupils. Still, she stayed unmoving, tucked in her corner with her arms tightening around her knees.

It was a little awkward, really, the way you two simply looked at each other for a good minute, her sitting on the floor and you standing there in your pajamas. Eventually, you cleared your throat, but the best you could come up with was; "Hey." You winced as soon as the word left your mouth.

Nami's eyes lowered then. She gulped, and sighed, body sagging back against the wooden planter. It looked a lot like defeat; from what, you weren't sure.

"Hey," she said back, voice uneven and husky.

You bit at the inside of your cheek as you looked at her, feeling your heart hammering against your chest as if berating you for the distance still separating you from her. You had long since given up trying to fight it; the way your insides filled with butterflies at the mere sight of her, the way your cheeks warmed up at the sound of her voice speaking your name, the way goosebumps filled your body at the smallest of touches from her; and the way that, just like now, your heart bled upon seeing those bright eyes of hers so full of sorrow.

"I just…" You started, matching the quietness of her tone so as to not break the bubble of peace that had enveloped you, "I saw the door open and just, wanted to ask if you're okay?"

The cold breeze ruffled Nami's hair, a few strands getting caught between her lips. She took her time pushing it back behind her ear. It could have been anyone, any of the crew members to find her in this sorry state and she would've been able to talk her way out of it. But oh, not to you.

You, who had squeezed your way past every last one of Nami's so carefully built walls and defenses. You'd made her care and grow fond of you even if she was actively trying not to. And it was difficult to deny the fragility of her heart when you were the one who asked for it. It was difficult to bury the rawness of her feelings when your hands were the ones offering solace.

Nami bit onto her lower lip until she tasted hints of blood, the skin of her arms was cold under the thin fabric of her coat. "I don't know," the words fell past her lips of their own accord.

A moment went by, and then a breath of relief nearly escaped Nami when she finally felt the warmth of your body as you sat down beside her, your shoulders just shy of touching each other.

You fidgeted with your hands, now sitting so close to her, you could catch a glimpse of dried tear tracks on Nami's cheeks. Part of you wished you could physically take her pain to yourself. "Did you want to stay back with your sister?" You choose to play safe and ask carefully first, even though you had a feeling this wasn't the reason.

The navigator ducked her head, she had yet to meet your eyes again. She forced a chuckle, a broken thing that didn't feel real at all. "Please, I love that place, but one more night sharing stories and watching kids play, and I'd die of boredom." She tried joking as her own voice broke in the middle.

It was the smallest and most vulnerable you've ever heard her sound, and you realized this might be the first time Nami stood bare before you. No high walls around her heart, no carefully woven lies, or chains dictating her every move. Just Nami.

And she was raw, and new, and fragile. Treading foreign territory when for the first time she was allowed to simply feel and be.

You hesitated, wanting to bring her comfort yet not knowing how. The boundaries were unclear and blurred. When before she'd pushed you away, just yesterday she'd been clinging to you for dear life with Luffy's hat falling from her head and hanging around her neck as the building, that had once been her prison, collapsed behind her and she hid in the cocoon of your embrace.

Back then, when she was finally free of Arlong's claws, you'd nearly cried from relief, nails burying into the fabric of Nami's shirt as you relished having her in your arms again after having to watch her turn her back on you and sail away with the fishmen and that same glint of sorrow in her eyes.

And right now, under the blanket of stars and amidst the cold sea wind, you wished you could do the same. Still, you'd wait for her. You'd always wait for her.

"Is it… because of Arlong?" You asked in a whisper that barely stood out in the night.

A shiver ran up and down Nami's back at the mention of the name, and the dread must have shown on her face because you quickly added; "You don't have to talk, just… tell me what I can do for you."

Nami bit onto her lip to keep it from quivering. You had always been so sickeningly sweet. Always caring and staying even if there were times when she'd been nothing short of cold with you.

There had been moments, 'almosts' stolen away when you were alone together. A brush of hands, a brush of lips. Nami could still remember the ghosts of your touch and her heart ached for it. She remembered your fingers brushing away her hair and how she involuntarily leaned into your touch. She remembered the racing of her heart and how her breath had stumbled when her nose bumped yours. An almost kiss. An almost reverie.

Those moments whisked her away from reality. Away from Arlong, and deals, and maps, and painful memories. You had a thing about you that wrapped her up in a blanket of warmth and for a moment nothing else existed.

Yet, every time, Nami had pulled away before the gap was closed, avoiding your eyes and mumbling some half-assed excuse that no doubt had stung you. And maybe it was selfish, even then, because she couldn't bear the thought of what Arlong might have done to you, had he learned how much she cared for you. Fear twisted her stomach each time she remembered what happened to the people she allowed herself to be close to. So she pushed you away, breaking her heart along with it, and perhaps yours too.

She wondered now, briefly, if the chance had been lost forever.

Waves gently rocked Going Merry, with just the two of you awake amidst the vast ocean; the cold air felt suddenly warm with intimacy.

"I keep thinking," Nami began, she hated how her voice sounded and how a single tear rolled down her cheek, "What if he comes back."

There was the ghost of a touch on her hand that rested above her knee. Nami held her breath as she watched your fingers timidly intertwine with hers. Your touch, warm and steady and real, was all it took for her to crumble. A sob stumbled past her lips and more tears fell freely down her cheeks, dripping from her chin as she clutched your hand tightly. "What if I've just made things worse and- and he'll come after them again? This time with no mercy or deals?" She uttered desperately, and then finally, turned to look you in the eyes, "What if he comes after you?"

You struggled to keep to yourself how soft she made you feel, to hold onto your composure for both your sakes. Gazing into those bright pools of green that were her eyes, twinkling with the sparks of a thousand stars; you could see galaxies there and gladly be lost in them. Strands of fiery hair framed her face and flowed in the wind, kissing her cheeks in a way you could only dream of doing.

As you gazed upon her, you realized this is the beauty poets write so much about.

With your free hand, you cupped her cheek to dry her tears. "Nami, sunshine, listen to me; he's gone, for good. He's dead, we made sure of it."

A quiet whimper fell past Nami's lips at the nickname. The same nickname you'd dreamily called her the very first time you'd met, when she'd been secretly glad for having another girl in the 'crew' and was none the wiser of her growing feelings.

"And I will never let Arlong, or anyone, lay their hands on you or the people you care about again," you spoke with the conviction of a promise you'd kill and die to keep, hesitating only for a second before leaning forward to rest your forehead against hers. Your thumb swiped at the apple of her cheek, and your heart soared when she leaned into your touch. "I promise."

Nami's already unsteady breathing stumbled with your closeness, she brought your joined hands near her chest, in a foolish attempt that maybe the beating of her heart could tell you everything she still couldn't.

It hit her like a tidal wave that, with Arlong gone, she was free to indulge in you without restraints, without fear. She was allowed to bask in the softness and warmth of your touch and lose herself in it.

Nami felt her throat close up tight when the realization hit her, she could feel her eyes pooling again and she hated it. But you were there, and you were close, and you were present, and you were warm and sure and you stayed. Maybe she could blame it on the raw emotions that the deep hours of the night brought forth, but her heart screamed, and for once she listened to it.

In one swift movement, Nami let go of your hand only to have both her arms around your waist, squeezing you tight as she buried her head in your neck.

You asked no questions. Perhaps you knew, perhaps she was more of an open book than she realized. Or perhaps you had just grown to know her, and surprisingly, Nami liked the sound of that.

You brought both your arms around her as well, hugging her to you in the comfort you knew she needed, all gentle and steady.

It felt like lifting a heavy anchor that had kept her at the bottom of the sea for far too long. Nami shivered when she felt your fingers burying in between her hair, a touch so tender she couldn't remember the last time she felt anything of the sort. "Thank you," she spoke against your skin, "for not giving up on me, as difficult as I might have made it."

A breath of a chuckle escaped you and your lips found her temple in a kiss, "Bold of you to think I give up easily."

Eventually, Nami was the one to pull away, a genuine smile finally breaking through her tear-stained cheeks. She refused to go far though, her hands still gently tugging at the fabric of your shirt.

You took the liberty of tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear, fingers lingering, tracing the edge of her jaw.

Her smile faltered only for the briefest moment; "I… don't think I can go back to sleep." Nami's words fell timidly and quiet, not at all used to saying her feelings out loud.

Your gaze wandered from her and up to the night sky, adorned with a myriad of stars and a pale moon bathing you in silver light. Looking back at Nami, back to those ocean eyes that were the brightest and softest you've ever had the privilege of witnessing, you thanked the heavens for that last glass of wine that made you get up tonight. "I don't mind the night," you mimicked her adoring smile.

Nami's cheeks blushed a faint shade of pink, bashful eyes avoiding yours. She shuffled closer to you, until you had an arm around her shoulders and the cold air of the night had no space between you.

⋆* ☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

Thank you for reading this little story. Feedback and reblogs are literally what keeps me motivated to continue posting here, so I’d appreciate it if you could take some time to reblog and comment. <3

You do not have permission to repost, copy, or translate my works on any platforms (even with credit), please respect.

Nami’s taglist: @milkiane@v1ci0us

#nami #nami x reader #nami one piece #nami opla #one piece #one piece live action #nami imagine #nami one piece x reader #one piece x reader #imagine #fanfic #fluff #angst #nami fanfic #my story

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probablysimpledreams · 6 months ago

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What Is the Truth? (Hawks x Reader x Dabi)

⋆｡°��You use to follow the path of heroism, wanting nothing but to save those in need. Life felt like a dream as you rose in the ranks and you began dating the no. 2 hero Hawks. Unfortunately what was once a dream turned into a nightmare as you witnessed the ugly side of the hero world. This led you to question everything, switching sides and joining the League of Villains. Troubles and choices soon follow as running away from the past does not come easy.⋆｡°✩

I plan on making this a little series so here is the first part! It starts when you've already been in the League for a few months, on the run from the Commission and hero world. Hawks is battling with his feelings where Dabi is slowly beginning to develop his<3

cw: no real warnings other than angst for my Hawks enjoyers

wc: 954

"Before we talk, I need to pat you down. Can't say I trust you much after our last incident," you state sternly as you walk into Hawk's apartment.

"That eager to get your hands on me? Ya know all you gotta do is ask nicely darling," he winks, laying on his charm thick to try and catch you off guard.

"I'm not in the mood for this today," you sigh. After you confirm he's not wearing any recording devices or any other tools to report this conversation back to the Hero Commission, you take a seat on his couch. "This is the last time you'll be hearing from me, so make it worth both our time 'kay?"

"OO but you said that last time," he hums as he sits down beside you, hand lingering on your thigh for longer than you'd like. "Admit it baby, you're obsessed." You roll your eyes.

"Hawks." You tone makes him stiffen up as he begins to realize it's not going to be easy to repair the damage he's caused. He knows that he broke your heart. He knows he's the reason you don't trust him. And it pains him in a way he's never experienced. He's always able to keep emotions separate from work, knowing that at the end of the day the job had to get finished. So why was his heart beat racing? Why could he not look you in the eyes right now? Why did he feel so guilty for hurting you? His silence only enraged you further. You take a deep breathe before speaking again. "I decided to trust you again after everything, only for you to show your true colors. I mean it when I say I'm done. We're done."

He swallows hard at your words, cheeky expression quickly faded and replaced with a serious one. "I was just trying to protect you _____. You don't understand, this whole situation is bigger than you."

Your blood boils at his words. "My safety huh? That's why you fucking put a tracking device on me after we slept together last month? That's why there was a surprise hero attack on the League last week? Give me a break."

"______ you don't know the full story."

"Okay then," you turn to face him, "look me in eyes and tell me I'm wrong. Tell me that you're not just fulfilling orders from the Commission by dating me and tracking me."

Hawks goes to open his mouth, but no words come out. He shifts his gaze away from yours.

"I fucking knew it." Tears threaten to spill from your eyes as you got up and began leaving. Your heart breaks further as he doesn't chase you out, but instead sits on the couch with his head hung low. You close the door behind you, falling to your knees as you begin sobbing. From the outside of the apartment you can hear him curse, glass shattering on the ground.

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

It's almost been a week since your last meeting with Hawks, and you could barely sleep. On top of all the relationship drama, the League was still upset with you. While you completely understood their anger and distrust, it didn't make the loneliness any easier. Ever since joining the League earlier this year, you've grown to truly love your fellow comrades even if they could be a tad off putting. They always treated you with much more respect than any hero ever had back when you worked for the Commission. It was going to take a lot of time and work to regain their trust back, but you were ready to put in all the work and-

"What the hell are you doing?" Dabi's rough voice snaps you out of your tired thoughts. Your grip on the broom tightens as you jump, caught off guard by his sudden appearance.

"Cleaning," you respond, trying to act unfazed as he approaches you. He looms over you, studying your face once you finally look up at him.

"You look terrible," he states coldly, brushing against you as he heads for the door. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

You blink a few times, mind feeling at ease as you process his words. You place the broom against the table, grabbing your jacket and shoes as you walk beside Dabi. The cold winter air hits your face painfully upon stepping out the door, Dabi snickering at your visible discomfort. He couldn't help but notice how stupidly cute you looked cursing the brutal winter wind. The two of you walk in silence, faint sounds of sirens in the distance.

"Are you still mad at me?" you ask anxiously, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Why does it matter? I'm mad at everything," he shrugs, stopping to sit on a bench and light a cigarette.

"Yeah but I don't want you upset with me," you sighed, sitting next to him. "I don't want any of you guys upset with me. I hate that my loyalty is being questioned."

"You're still here though aren't ya?" he takes a long drag from the cigarette before offering it to you. "Get out of your head and think straight, or else you'll actually be in trouble."

Though his words come out cold, you feel a level of care and concern from them. You smile, taking the cigarette from him.

"Guess you're right," you hum before taking a quick puff and passing the cigarette back to him. "Thanks Dabi."

The two of you continue to sit together on the bench, a comforting silence shared between you both. You admire the view of the city as he finishes his smoke. For the first time in a while a sense of peace washes over your body.

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justslightlymental · 7 months ago

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Hazard X Reader - Can't live without ya

Hi hi hi hihi This was the request from anon for Hazard X Reader where reader got hurt and hazard goes into rage yada yada. (sorry) I had a bit trouble thinking of a good enough thing where this could happen so i just decided to rewrite based on the Hazard Hero Trailer, hope ya dont mind anon! <3 Its a short one!!! (again sorry) :,D TW: A bit detailed gorey shit - It was supposed to be a quick mission, an easy one. Drive up, sneak in, steal the weapon and get out. Instead an alarm rang out, soldiers flooding the oasis. It was hard to see through the flashing red lights, and the smoke started to fill the room from all the gunshots. All four of them took cover between the tables or the pillars in the room, their guns drawn out and taking shots whenever possible, but they were heavily outnumbered. (Name) and BoomSlang were behind a pillar, a little bit less covered, but not in any life threatening danger. “I told you we needed extra guns, UGH!” BoomSlang cursed, taking a shot before retreating to cover again. “You really should listen to her more!” (Name) yelled out, using her (gun type) to take a shot, successfully eliminating one of the guards. Hazard waited for the canister to fill with the purple ooze from the weapon oasis had kept hidden, once the process was done he took it and immediately jumped behind the counter for cover, right next to suzy. “We can’t keep this up!” BoomSlang said again, not able to take any shots with the amount of fire they were met with. Hazard took a moment to think, his gaze landing on the container filled with the purple ooze, his eyes sharpened. Anyone who knew him would immediately know what he was thinking. An explosion shattered the glass next to Suzy who then noticed his gaze. “You can’t! s’too unstable! We don’t know what it might do to you!” Suzy tried to tell him. (Name) picked up on the distressing voice of her friend, she stared at their interaction, her eyes widening. Oh no no no, she couldn’t let him do that! What if he completely lost his mind, started attacking them all, or what if the ooze just destroyed him from the inside out. The negatives weighted out the positives by a landslide. She did not want to lose the one who cared for most, her other half. “Hazard no! You can’t! Please, for once listen to your friends!” She yelled, afraid. “What do I always say, Suzy n (Name)?” Hazard asked with a slight smirk, not hearing (Name). “If you’re in it with me…” Suzy began, becoming more convinced by the moment. “You’re in it for life.” Hazard ended the sentence.

“No no no! Suzy do not inject his back with that ooze!” (Name) yelled, sprinting out of her cover to try and stop her, completely forgetting the ongoing fire around them. “(Name) NO!” BoomSlang yelled, panicked, trying to grasp onto the running girl, but it was too late. Hazard and Suzy both stopped what they were doing, their heads snapped towards BoomSlang's yell. Hazards eyes widening as he saw (Name) running towards them, her hand extended towards him. Time seemed to move in slow motion as the bullets barely missed her every step she took, her only concern was to get to her partner. She knew what she did was foolish, she might get hit, she might die. But she doesn’t care about any of that, she just wants to feel Hazard’s arms around her for the last time if she truly is going to do this, just in case the worst happens. Hazard extended his arm towards her, trying to snatch her to safety, away from the danger that could end her life in an instant. With just one well shot bullet…. He yelled out, Suzy did too. His heart was racing, he had never felt such fear before, not even when he almost died himself. I guess at that time he didn’t have anything important to fight for, he had no one to care for. But now… now all he wanted was to keep her safe, but how could he when she was the one putting her life on the line. Then it happened. Her pupils shrinking as a bullet swooped right through her extended hand’s shoulder. Her blood spilling into the air as she fell onto the floor, gasping for air. Her body in shock, full of adrenaline still not really registering the pain. She fell onto the floor right in front of Suzy and Hazard, BoomSlang watched in horror as she fell down, not knowing where the bullet really hit. Time stopped. He felt nothing, he could hear nothing. The only thing he saw on repeat was her getting shot, her body falling onto the floor with a loud thud, her blood staining the clean tiles under her. He could feel his body acting on its own as he turned to look at Suzy with this scary… scary look. A look he had never had before, it scared both Suzy and BoomSlang. “Do it Suzy. Now.” He said with no emotion in his voice. She reluctantly did as told, fearing he would do it himself and mess something up if she didn’t. She placed the canister on his back and the liquid oozed into his cybernetics, his head snapped upwards, his expression becoming feral almost. He let out a loud yell, spikes growing out from his back, his weapon systems maximized. He jumped from out of cover, killing every single soldier in his sight with no mercy. Impaling them with his knife, shooting their brains out. No one would leave alive…. “I’LL TEAR YA ALL DOWN!” He screamed out in anger, the place turned into a fucking massacre. The last soldier who still stood could only feel his knees give out from under him, his body shivering in fear as Hazard walked towards him. Hazard held the man from the collar of his uniform and brought him real close to his face.

“If she dies, just you know… This whole place is burnin’ down. Be glad you ain’t gon’ be here to see it.” Hazard spat at him before slashing the man in half, watching the now lifeless mutilated body smacking against the floor.

He turned around to see BoomSlang and Suzy attending to a wounded (Name). He rushed to their side, they got spooked for a moment before relaxing as they figured his rampage was over now.

“Is she alright???! Talk to me.” He demanded, taking hold of (Name)’s hand-

“She is stable, but we gotta get her back home. Her wound needs tending to. Good thing the bullet only hit her shoulder…” BoomSlang said, with a relieved smile on her face, she knew (Name) was a tough trooper to kill.

Back home after her wound got treated, the bullet removed and completely bandaged up she was put into her bed to rest. Didn’t take long for her to wake up with an annoying headache and this ache in her shoulder. She groaned trying to sit up but a hand stopped her. She looked up to see Hazard staring down at her with a gentle smile.

“Uhh.. What happened…” (Name) sighed, Hazard helping her sit up gently.

“You got shot tryin’ to stop Suzy from injecting me with tha’ ooze.” Hazard explained, pointing at her shoulder.

“Oh… fuck me mate… Sorry for making you worried hun…” She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Ya, you should be sorry. I thought I’d lost ya for good, can’t live without ye bonny.” He said, holding her close to him, his face in her neck. “Oh you big baby… I’m a tough nut to crack…” She giggled, rubbing his back in a soothing manner. “So how did the rest of the mission go, everyone got out unharmed.. except me?” (Name) asked, eager to hear if Suzy and Boom we’re okay. “Yeah, can’t say the same about those soldiers thou. Did a number on em.” Hazard laughed, extending his arm as the purple blade appeared. “Holy shit, when did you get that?!” She asked, surprised and intrigued. “That ooze really did wonders for me, good thing we got it.” He answered proudly. “That’s good thats good…” Before realization kicked in. “SHE INJECTED YOU WITH THE OOZE??!!!!!” - I fear this one sucked ass ngl i could do sm better.

#hazard overwatch #hazard x reader #overwatch #overwatch x reader #fanfiction #overwatch 2 #slight angst

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msmk11 · 11 months ago

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perhaps a tangerine x fem!reader where she's an agent they work with on 3-person jobs, and she gets severely injured (like I'm talking shot in the abdomen or severe head wound or pushed off a roof), nearly fatally and tan goes into a rage, then Angst because she's on the verge of death?

(sorry I really don't know ask etiquette)

Tangerine x fem!reader

CW: Angst, fluff, violence and blood, r almost dies

A/n: thanks for requesting, love! happy reading :)

- - - -

Things went to shit quickly.

The plan you, Tan, and Lemon had put into place should’ve been flawless. You were all supposed to bombard the target at once in hopes of overwhelming their forces. Though there were only three of you, when your individual strengths were combined, you guys were an unstoppable team. Tangerine was impeccable in hand-to-hand combat, Lemon could outshoot anyone with a gun, and you were so agile on your feet that it was already too late for the enemy by the time they noticed your presence.

But this time, they noticed. Maybe you’d taken one wrong step, or the man before you just had a bionic ear, but regardless, you were in trouble. Instead of surprising the target, he surprised you. You were creeping slowly towards him from behind, knife in hand, when he suddenly turned on you, gun pointing straight at your chest.

The cruel smirk that decorated his face made your stomach drop, and you knew this was it. This was how you’d die. You threw up your hands and dropped the knife, hoping your surrender would encourage some sort of mercy.

It seemed your luck had run out, for he pulled the trigger anyways, sending a bullet right into your abdomen.

You’d been shot before, but never so fatally. Instantly, you crumpled to the ground with a loud cry. The searing pain in your stomach was severe, and you writhed on the floor in pain.

The man stalked towards you, gun still in hand, prepared to finish you off entirely. Your life flashed before your eyes and you were overcome with so much regret and remorse. This was it, and you were so young. You hadn’t even confessed to-

Bang.

Another gunshot went off and you flinched, but the pain never came. You opened your eyes to find the man on the ground before you, blood pooling from his head and Tangerine above him, jaw tight and a severe look on his face.

Already you felt so weak, and you could barely whisper his name, “Tan…”

Tangerine rushed towards you and fell to his knees, gun cast aside with a clatter. He pulled you into his arms and you hissed in pain.

“Love? Lovely?”

You gave him no answer, only casting your hand aside to reveal the wound. There was already so much blood.

For the first time ever you saw fear flicker through Tangerine’s eyes, “no, no. Fucking shit. No, you’re okay. You’re gonna be okay. You’re fine. Nothing we can’t fix just gotta-“

With shaking hands, you cupped his face, “Tangerine, sweetheart. It’s okay. You’ll be okay.”

Without me.

He shook his head at you, unruly curls bouncing everywhere, “no, don’t say that. You’re going to be fine. You’re going to survive this. Bloody fucking he’ll I should’ve been there. I could’ve stopped it, I could’ve saved you and-“

When Tangerine got into one of these rants, there was little one could do to stop him. So you did the only thing you could think of- and also the thing you’d been dying to do for years- kiss him. His mustache tickled your lips, just like you’d imagined countless times, and he tasted of whiskey and cigarettes. You only pulled away when you felt your grip begin to weaken, “Tan, let me go.”

The tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by something darker and more severe, “No. Like hell I will. I finally got to kiss ya, and I won’t let anyone take that away from me. You’re gonna live, I swear it.”

“Tan-“ you protested pitifully.

Tangerine kissed you tenderly on the forehead and propped you up against the wall, “I’ll be back.”

He ran straight back into action and screamed at Lemon, “take ‘er to the car. I’ll finish this off. She needs medical help, now.”

“Bruva’-“ Lemon protested.

Tangerine only screamed at him again, a wild look in his eyes. You were starting to fade in and out of consciousness, everything around you going hazy. But you heard it all, his screams, then the gunshots, and then the screams of others. You thought there was a lot of blood on your hands, literally. But it was nothing in comparison to the blood on Tangerine’s.

“Darling, please, my love. Don’t, don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.”

Bits and pieces of the words that tumbled from Tangerine’s mouth reached your ears as you struggled against unconsciousness.

The sharp pain in your stomach had subsided and you weren’t sure if that was a good thing or not- either it meant you were one step closer to death, no longer feeling the pain at all, or somehow, miraculously, you’d gotten medical help in time.

It took everything in you, but you forced your eyes open and were met with Tangerine’s piercing blue stare.

“Love, you’re awake I-“

Tangerine didn’t finish his sentence. His voice was so thick with emotion, he couldn’t manage it. Instead, he reached out, stroking away stray hairs from your face, and you could feel how much his hand was trembling.

“You- you almost died, love. I- I” a single tear rolled down his cheek and landed on your forehead.

“Tangerine, hey, look at me,” you whispered hoarsely.

He tried to look brave as he did, but his jaw shook and tears brimmed in his eyes.

“You wanna know the first thing I felt when I thought I was gonna die? Regret. I laid there thinking- god, I’m about to fucking die, and I never got to tell Tangerine that I loved him. And while the bullet in my abdomen was painful, it was nothing compared to the pain I felt when I understood that I was losing you. My chance to be with you. To be happy with you. To love you. So I’m telling you now. I love you.”

Adoration and awe decorated Tangerine’s face so prettily, and you were sure that you could look around him forever.

“My love, my beautiful girl,” he sighed, “I love you. I love you so much. And imma kiss you every day for the rest of my life, so you always know it too.”

You were surely gonna hold him to it.

#tangerine x you #tangerine x y/n #bullet train tangerine #tangerine x reader #tangerine angst #tangerine and lemon #tangerine fic #tangerine fanfiction #tangerine fluff #tangerine #bullet train movie #bullet train fanfic #bullet train

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matty-bear · 1 year ago

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hey! i love your fanfics. crazy idea, but what if Nick finally gets his lesbian tattoo artist bestie that he's been longing for?! a cross of the two perspectives. Also, crazy thought, what if the Lesbian has only come out to Nick and not the rest of the group, so Matt keeps trying to win her over, but Chris is sure she's got her mind set on him... OMG i would melt if you wrote this!!! (can it be from Nick and y/n perspective? if you think that'll work that would be amazing!!) love ya xx

0I, New Tattooist, New Romantic Tension

type: request !

pairing: idk ! LOL (nothing romantic is gonna happen srry guys 💔)

warnings: SFW, fluff

summary: in desperate need for another tattoo, nick texts mez and asks for an appointment. unfortunately for him, she’s not gonna be available for quite a while. to save the boy's despair and cure his needs, mez suggests nick to go to you. it took a bit of convincing, but the oldest triplet ends up in the shop with you. who knew that the blooming friendship between the two of you would cause some issues regarding nick’s younger brothers to form ?

notes: idk why finishing this took so long 😓 u guys don’t wanna know when i started writing this 😭 anywho hope u guys enjoy the first part of this ! not sure if it will be a mini series but i def know that i won’t be able to satisfy anon’s request in a single post :3 we need plot guys 💔 hope anon doesn’t mind that their request is gonna turn into a multi part fic 😭

WC: 5.6K

'•.¸♡ ♡¸.•''•.¸♡ ♡¸.•''•.¸♡ ♡¸.•''•.¸♡ ♡¸.•''•.¸♡ ♡¸.•'

“Guys~” Nick lets out a loud whine as he plops down on the sofa. He allows his head to fall back and rest on the back cushion, his eyes shutting momentarily as he shifts a little to get more comfortable. From the kitchen, both Matt and Chris stare at the brunette blankley. The two boys exchange eye contact for a moment before one of them speaks up.

“You got boy trouble or something?” Chris asks as he turns on his heels and approaches the cupboard. At the boy’s question, Nick abruptly lifts his head and narrows his eyes at the younger boy.

“Oh, please. I’m not a teenage girl, Chris. I don’t have ‘boy trouble.” Nick mumbles under his breath, his eyes rolling.

“Then why are you huffing and puffing?” Matt chimes in, his light footsteps barely sounding through the house as he enters the living room. As the boy takes a seat on the opposite sofa from the one Nick is sitting at, the latter sighs again, this time raising a hand to run it over his face.

“I need to get another tattoo.” The brunette huffs out. “It’s genuinely bringing me pain like I need to get one or I might drop dead.”

Chris goes to open his mouth to comment on his brother’s statement, however is quickly cut off by the boy speaking again. “Is this what getting addicted feels like? Is getting tattoos my drug?”

Matt lets out a breathy laugh as he raises the can of soda up to his lips. He takes a quick sip before he replies, “I’d like to think so.”

“Why don’t you text Mez and ask if she can come over? You have her number for a reason.” Chris suggests as he sets a small skull-shaped glass on their marble countertop. As the boy pops open his can of pepsi with a loud hiss, Nick forces his lips together in thought. Matt silently watches with an unamused expression as the older takes his pointer finger and lightly taps it on his chin.

“You know what, I think I will.” Nick declares, a wide, child-like smile spreading across his lips as he digs in his pocket for his phone. As the boy busies himself with searching for Mez’s contact, Chris mumbles a small ‘you’re welcome’ under his breath as he picks up his now full glass of pepsi and heads towards the living room. He cautiously takes a seat near Matt, being careful not to spill any of his previous beverage as he sits down.

“Okay, what’s a good greeting message?” Nick asks, both of his thumbs twilling around his keyboard. Matt raises his head to allow his gaze to shift from his phone to the brunette across from him.

“Are you serious?” The boy asks, his voice monotone.

“What?”

Matt takes a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose, trying to collect the remaining bits of his sanity and brain cells before he replies, “You don’t need a greeting message Nick. Just text her that you want a tat and ask when she’s available.”

“Alright, alright. My God, no need to be so aggressive.”

“I’m not- Never mind.” Chris snickers under his breath as Matt leans back against the sofa, completely done with the current conversation. Nick flashes the boy an innocent, tight lipped smile before averting his focus back to the device in his hand. After taking a moment to allow the dials in his brain to turn, he finally begins to type out a text.

After hearting the female’s message, Nick lets out yet another loud whine. The sudden noise causes Matt and Chris to divert their focus from their devices to look over at him.

“Is she not available or something?” Chris asks, a single eyebrow raising as he eyes his brothers ‘distressed’ state.

“No. She’s checking her availability right now.” Nick replies, a loud, dramatic sigh escaping his slightly glossed lips as he allows his phone to slip out of his hand and fall to the cushion with a soft thump.

“Well, you seem like you’re going through it right now so-“

“I am.” Matt narrows his eyes at Nick as the boy cuts him off. The brunette takes a deep breath to collect himself before he continues, “You seem to be going through it so I suggest that you go eat something. You know, to calm down your nerves and get your mind off you innerly dying.”

“I have a feeling that I should be offended by that but I'm gonna do what you suggested anyways.”

“I didn’t have any negative or hurtful intentions behind what I said but whatever helps you sleep at night, kid.” Nick gets up off the sofa with a soft huff, his eyes darting to his two brothers who have both returned to busing themselves on their separate devices.

The boy huffs softly and makes his way to the kitchen, the hollow sound of his platform shoes thumping against the wooden floorboards filing the house.

Upon arriving at the kitchen, the brunette swiftly opens both doors of the fridge. The moment he goes to scan the contents inside, the feeling of his phone vibrating in his pants pocket causes him to halt his actions.

Without hesitation, the boy whips his phone out, the sight of Mez texting him back sending an excited spark down his spine. With a rather large smile, the boy unlocks his phone and opens up his chat with the mentioned female.

It didn't take Mez very long for her to send Nick the tattooist’s Instagram. The brunette eyes the @ in the chat for a moment before sighing softly and copying it to his board. The boy didn’t know why he was so anxious about this whole situation. Mez wouldn’t try to set him up with another tattooist who’d do him dirty, right?

right?

Before Nick allows his thoughts to spiral, he quickly opens up Instagram and clicks on the magnifying glass at the bottom of his screen. In a few taps, the boy pastes the @ in the search bar and taps on the first account that pops up. Immediately, the brunette is greeted by your profile. The boy subconsciously hums faintly as he begins to scroll through the profile, his eyes scanning the countless numbers of posts illustrating the work you’ve done.

It didn’t take long for the boy to be super impressed by the numerous tattoos you’ve done and the amazing quality each of them have. It seemed to him like some of your best works were simple lined tats with no color, which for him is a perfect fit for what he’s looking for.

While your colored works are wonderfully done, he wasn’t looking for media like that at the moment. The moment the brunette saw an Edward Scissorhands tattoo that you had made for a client about a week back, he immediately knew you were the one.

With no further hesitation, the boy scrolls all the way back to the top of your profile. He taps on your bookings highlight and allows his eyes to scan the quick and simple information found there for a moment. Surprisingly to him, you have a lot of open spots. Who knew such a talented tattooist like you would have so many openings?

Closing out of the highlight, his eyes immediately lock on the number in your bio. Unbeknownst to Nick, the boy began to grow a small, excited smile on his lips as he held his thumb over the number. When it highlights with a light blue color, he removes his finger and swipes out of Instagram.

He quickly opens up his messages app and the moment he goes to open up a new chat, a loud and sharp ringing sound pierces his ears. The boy immediately flinches at the sound, both of his hands shooting up to cover his ears in hopes of muffling the ringing.

“Nick, shut the fucking fridge! What the hell are you doing?” Matt exclaims, his voice carrying a sense of irritation as he looks over at the older boy standing in front of the refrigerator.

Nick’s mouth shapes into a small oval as he raises his head and locks his eyes on the inside of the fridge. After allowing himself to come back to reality, he takes a few steps back in order to softly shut the fridge’s doors.

“My bad. Wasn’t paying attention.” Nick apologizes, his free hand raising to rub his nape out of slight embarrassment.

“You’re fine. You were letting all the cold air out. I was starting to feel it from way over here.” Matt reassures the male, the tone of his voice much softer than it was moments ago.

“Dramatic ass.” Nick mumbles, his eyes narrowing as he shoots a quick glare at the younger boy. Matt simply shrugs at the brunette’s statement, deciding not to add to the conversation at hand as he brings his phone up to his face again.

Nick can’t help but sigh at the male, his eyes rolling as he turns on his heels to walk to the dining table. Instead of pulling out a chair and seating himself down, the boy stands behind the dark wooded furniture.

When his chest hits the back of the chair, he subconsciously allows his left arm to drape over it, his right elbow resting on the back and bending upwards as he holds his phone up to his face. It takes a moment for the boy to remember what he was originally doing, considering how the fridge so rudely interrupted his train of thought. However when he opens his messages and sees the new chat holding your phone number at the top, everything comes back to him.

Without a second thought, the boy allows his thumbs to type a message. After briefly scanning over what he wrote, he sends it with a confident tap.

“WHOOP! WE GOT AN APPOINTMENT!” Nick exclaims happily, both of his hands shooting up in the air in pure joy.

“With Mez?” Chris asks as he quickly reaches for the remote next to him. He quickly pauses the show that’s faintly playing on the television and turns his body slightly to give the older male his full attention.

“No.” Nick’s arms shoot down and plop down on both of his slides with a loud slap. A small frown can be seen creeping onto his plush lips as he paddles out of the kitchen and back into the living room. He plops down on the same seat he sat in moments prior before Chris decides to continue the conversation.

“With who then?” Both Matt and Chris knew that Nick was, as said previously, ‘attached’ to Mez. The brunette has stated multiple times in vlogs that he won’t allow anyone but Mez to tat him. You know, ‘until she gets sick of Matt going on random tangents about Wingstop’s spice scale.’

“She sent me another girl's instagram since she doesn’t have any available for a whole month. She does pretty good work, actually. Like I'm very impressed.” Nick replied, his lips slightly shaping into a pout as he faintly nods.

“Wait, I wanna see.” In an instant, both Matt and Chris scramble off the sofa and seat themselves down on either side of the older brunette. With an encouraging nudge to the side from Chirs, Nick narrows his eyes at the boy and adverts his focus back to the device in his hand.

The boy has to swipe his screen a few times before your profile on instagram pops up again. When he goes to open his mouth to make a quick comment about your work, Matt snatches the device from his palm.

In response, Nick’s jaw drops and he slowly turns his head to look over at the younger boy who’s now focusing on scrolling through your account. The boy radiated major ‘old person energy’ in accordance to Nick due to him holding the device very far to his face, his eyes squinting slightly as his eyes scan the screen.

“Now why would you think that snatching my phone from me is a good idea? You stupid fuck.” Nick asks, irritation laced in his tone as he seemingly stares bullets at the boy next to him.

At the sight of the latter waving him off and paying no attention to him, the brunette huffs heavily and turns his head to look over at Chris, who has an unreadable expression on his face. When the boy realizes the older is looking at him, his eyes shift over to him.

“You’re just gonna let him do that?” Chris asks, a single eyebrow rising slightly. Nick simply shrugs in utter defeat, not knowing what to do. When he goes to reply, the sound of Matt speaking up catches his attention.

“Holy fuck, look at his Eeyore.” The brunette gushes, his eyes widening and shining out of astonishment as he turns the device in his hand over so it faces his two brothers. Immediately, the latter two examine the detailed Eeyore tattoo done on someone’s calf.

“Holy shit, it looks like she took it right out of the cartoon. That’s literally unreal.” Chris states, his jaw slacking in utter shock.

“I’m telling you she’s really fucking good.” Nick says as he crosses his arms over his chest.

“So when’s the appointment?” Chris asks as he reaches to grab the phone from Matt.

“This friday.”

“You know you need to upload and possibly edit that day right?” Matt questions the older boy with a single raised eyebrow.

“I know, Matt.” Nick replies sassily, side-eying the younger boy before looking over at his phone which is still in Chris’ grasp. “We’ll film the car video tonight and I'll spend all day editing tomorrow so I don't have to worry about it on Friday. I got it all under control, promise.”

“Alright… But if the fans start having another freak out because your ass didn’t upload on time, don’t come crying to me because you planned shit terribly.”

“Matt. I got it.” At the sight of the intense glare that Nick is sending him, Matt raises both his arms up in the air in defense. When the boy allows his arm to fall to his lap, Nick huffs softly, a faint thinking expression painting his features for a moment. “Can we go pick something up?”

Matt’s eyebrows furrow in slight confusion at the sight of the older sending him a blank expression. “Like… to eat?”

Nick can’t help but roll his eyes at his brother’s stupidness. With his pointer finger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose, he replies, “No to own. I’ve decided we’re getting a dog today.” Before Matt (and chris’) stunned expressions turn into one of excitement, the brunette continues, “Of course, something to eat! I’m fucking starving.”

Matt’s expression falls and shapes into one of disappointment before he sluggishly stands up. “Let’s go then.” The brunette mutters with a heavy sigh.

Immediately, a wide smile appears on Nick’s lips as he hurriedly grabs his phone back from Chris and also stands up. Matt goes to open his mouth to ask the brunette where he wants to eat, however stops himself when the boy seemingly bolts downstairs and to the garage. As Nick’s rapid footsteps fade, Matt turns to Chris with an unamused expression. When the boy points at the staircase, which the older took moments before, Chris simply shrugs and gets up from his seat.

“I’m kinda hungry too.” The brunette mumbles, his speech getting cut short as a yawn rips through him. Matt allows the younger to stretch out his sore limbs before he pushes his head and walks to the staircase. “Ow, mother fucker!”

_____

After two days of conversing with you and making a few adjustments to the tattoos Nick wants, the boy finally finds himself in the car on the way to the tattoo shop. Matt is (obviously) driving the boy to the said shop and Chris has joined the two in his designated passenger seat.

The brunette told the two that he would ‘feel lonely all by himself’ so Nick reluctantly agreed to him joining. Now, the three boys are sitting in comfortable silence in the car, the faint beats of Melanie Martinez, Mac Miller, and Lil Skies all playing through the speakers.

“When you said that you were going to get the tattoos done in the shop, I was a little surprised.” Matt speaks up, his soft voice cutting through the silence.

Nick lifts his head up from his phone and looks up at the rear view mirror to momentarily lock eyes with the younger boy. “Really?”

Matt shrugs his shoulders and focuses on the road ahead of him before adding, “I mean you always get your tats done at home. I’ve never seen you go to get one done at a tattoo shop.”

Nick hums softly, his lips forcing together into a straight line for a few seconds. “Well, I've never gotten a tattoo done by y/n before and letting her in my house without properly getting to know her would be a little…”

“It wouldn’t set right with you?” Chris asks, finishing the boy's sentence for him.

“Yeah.” Nick nods his head in agreement before continuing, “Besides, y/n said that she's more comfortable in the shop and I would never want to make her uncomfortable.”

“I love how considerate you are of other people, Nick.” At the sight of Chris turning in his seat to look back at him, Nick sends the younger a weary look and shuffles in his seat a little.

“Thanks…” Nick mumbles, not really knowing how to respond to his brother’s sudden compliment. Chris sends the male a soft smile before turning forwards in his seat again.

Comfortable silence fills the car once more as the three boys focus on their separate tasks. After a few minutes, the GPA displayed on the center console alerts Matt that they’ve arrived at the tattoo shop. The boy takes a quick glance at the illuminated screen before looking ahead of him and taking in his surroundings. When his eyes land on the shop, he nods faintly to himself and finds an empty spot to park in on the side of the street.

“Do you want us to come with you Nick or no?” Matt asks as he pulls the gear shift down to park.

The mentioned male quickly picks his head up, snapping out of the slight gaze he was in, before he looks through the windshield. “Uhh…” Nick trails off as he eyes the tattoo shop a few feet away. “I can go in by myself, it’s fine. You guys can go somewhere or something if you want.”

“We can wait here for you.” Chris ensures the brunette as he turns back to look at him.

“Alright. I’ll go in then I guess.” Nick mumbles softly as he reaches for the door handle. With a soft tug down, the door begins to slide open, allowing the boy to slip out of the car.

“Have fun!” Matt exclaims with a small smile. Nick simply waves his hand in response and pushes the button on the door handle to shut it. After hearing the faint click, the brunette turns on his heels and begins walking towards the tattoo shop.

A sudden wave of anxiety washes over him and the boy finds himself biting down on his lip subconsciously as he walks down the pavement. Getting a new tattoo isn’t new for him so why is he so nervous?

Upon stepping in front of the shop door, the brunette seemingly has a small stare down with the black, metal door handle.

Don’t be a pussy, Nick. Just go in already. You're literally embarrassing yourself.

With a heavy intake of air, Nick finally grabs onto the handle and pulls the door open. Immediately, the sound of the bell ringing above his head rings in his ears as a small greeting. The boy can’t help but wince slightly at the loud sound as he steps inside the shop. As the door shuts behind him with a soft click, the brunette takes a few moments to take in the new and unfamiliar surroundings.

The interior was decently dark and decently large to say the least. Despite only being able to see the entrance of the shop, the male carefully examines all the furniture and decorations. Most of the furniture was black apart from the off- white tiled ceiling, framed movie posters which decorated the majority of the walls, and the occasional plants tucked in the corners or the front desk.

Speaking of which, the moment Nick walked into the shop, a dark haired male twirled around in his spinning chair. He was sitting a little ways away from the front and after sitting up a little, his eyes landed on Nick. The male allows his eyes to study the brunette for a moment before he rolls closer to the desk. Upon reaching the dark furniture, he props his feet up on another chair nearby.

“Newcomer?” The male asks, his slight raspy voice ripping through the silence in the shop.

At the sudden voice, Nick flinches slightly and quickly whips his head around. At the sight of the male staring right at him, his brain struggles to search for a simple response. The male ahead of him can’t help but chuckle at the brunette ahead of him and reluctantly slips off the chair he’s perched on.

In a few steps, he stands directly behind the desk and bends his upper half to lean over the furniture. The male proceeds to drum his polished nails on the wooden surface, waiting for Nick to reply to his question.

After a few moments, which seemed like an eternity for Nick, he finally opens his mouth. “Yeah.” He manages to get out.

The male in front of him slightly nods his head and reaches over to the clipboard next to him. “You have an appointment?” He asks as his free hand begins to dig in a drawer nearby.

“Yeah, I do. It’s with y/n.”

The male yet again nods his head, this time with a soft chuckle. As the male retreats his hand from the drawer, a ballpoint pen now in his hand, he begins to flip through the pages in the clipboard. “That girl has been getting new bookings left and right. It’s fucking insane.”

“Well, she is pretty talented.”

“Oh, definitely. Gotta say she’s the most talented person in the shop.” Nick nods his head in agreement and finally begins to walk towards the large front desk. He silently watches as the boy in front of him scans the countless number of sheets in front of him, his pierced eyebrows furrowing slightly in concentration.

After a moment, the boy mumbles a small “ah” and taps the tip of the pen on the paper. He swiftly lifts his head and locks eyes with the brunette in front of him before saying, “Name please.”

“Nick.” The boy instantly replies.

“Alright, Nick. I’m gonna have you sign a few papers before I bring you to y/n’s space. Is that alright with you?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Perfect…” The male mumbles softly. He turns on his heels to grab a small packet of papers behind him. When he turns back around, he sets the pack as well as a pen on the table and slides it towards Nick. “Here you go. Sit wherever you’d like and give me the papers back when you’re done.”

“Will do.” The male gives Nick a small nod as he grabs the stack. As the brunette walks to the waiting room, the boy plops back down on his spinning chair, a soft sigh escaping his lips. The male begins to busy himself by pulling out a miniature sketchbook from the front desk and doodling small designs on the empty pages as Nick gets busy filling out the documents.

_____

“I filled everything out.” Nick’s sudden statement startles the tattooist behind the front desk and snaps him out of his slight daze. The male quickly gets up from his seat and walks up to the boy with a small smile. After setting his sketchbook down, he sets an open palm out in front of him, gesturing Nick to set the pack in his hand, which he does.

“That didn’t take very long.” The male comments as he begins to scan through the packet. “You sure you filled everything out?” He teases.

Nick can’t help but squint his eyes at the boy before replying, “I’ve filled them out before so it really wasn’t that difficult to finish.”

“Have you now?”

“Yeah. I’ve gotten tattoos done before.”

“Really?” Silence fills the shop for a moment as Nick stares down at the male in front of him. After recollecting his thoughts and holding himself back from saying anything smart, he replies, “Yeah, I have a whole sleeve done and some of my leg.”

The male hums softly, finally lifting his head from the packet to lock eyes with Nick. “Proof or you’re lying.”

A heavy sigh escapes Nick's lips and he pushes down the strong urge to call you and get him out of this annoying predicament. What’s this dude's deal? After receiving a single eyebrow raise from the male in front of him, the brunette reluctantly rolls up the sleeve of his black zip-up. He turns his arm slightly to allow the male to get a quick look at the designs littering his skin before he rolls his sleeve back down with a faint huff.

“Hmm. Nice.” Nick rolls his eyes yet again at the bland reaction he gets. As he crosses his arms over his chest, the male before him chuckles slightly and stashes the packet of papers in a vanilla folder nearby. “Shall I get you to y/n?”

“Please.” After gesturing Nick to follow him with a single wave of the hand, the male slips out from behind the desk and begins to walk to the hall a few steps away. As he begins to walk off, Nick quickly chases after him. As he trails close behind him, he can’t help but allow his eyes to trail down both of his arms, which are filled with numerous tattoo designs.

From what the brunette could see, there was not a single empty space of the male's skin, even his elbows held intricate designs. Before his gaze wanders further down, the male stops abruptly in front of a door. Nick, not paying attention to anything around him, bumps into the boy a little harshly, a soft ‘fuck’ escaping his lips as he stumbles back.

“My bad.” Nick mumbles out a quick apology as he rubs his nape, the apples of his cheeks taking on a soft red hue.

“You’re all good. Just be more careful when you’re staring at people.” The tatted male replies. The boy doesn’t allow Nick to defend himself before he knocks on the door they stopped at. “y/n! Nick’s here!”

“Come in!” You shout out, your voice sounding muffled due to you being on the other side of the door.

“You heard the woman.” The black haired male states. He sets a hand on Nick’s shoulder and squeezes the male's clothed skin before adding, “Have fun, kid.” And with that, he retreats back to the front.

Nick stands in front of your door, his jaw slightly dropped in shock as his brain tries to comprehend what just happened. When your worried voice calls out to him, the brunette snaps out of his daze and quickly opens the door in front of him. Nick slowly pushes open the dark surface and peeks his head inside the room.

“Nick!” You exclaim excitedly, a wide smile visible on your lips. “Come in, come in!”

Nick quickly slips inside the room and shuts the door behind him, a small smile of his own decorations his features as he locks eyes with you. “Hey y/n! Great to finally meet you in person.”

“Same here! Gotta say right off the bat, I absolutely LOVE the Edward Scissorhands tee.” At your compliment, Nick looks down at the graphic tee covering his torso, his smile widening ever so slightly.

“Thanks!” The male beams. Nick takes a quick moment to examine your space, the room giving off a completely different vibe in comparison to the shop. The first thing the male took note of was the color of the walls. They were a soft pastel pink, which seemed to be the perfect shade considering how your chosen decor complimented the color perfectly.

Speaking of decorations, the brunette could make out a few Sony Angles and other small figures set on shelves attached to the walls and on the main desk, as well as a few posters of presumably your favorite artists and shows. When his eyes locked on the Cry Baby and Portals posters, Nick couldn’t hold back the gasp that escaped his lips.

“You like Melanie?” The male asks, his jaw dropping in pure shock.

“I love her! I attended her LA show The Trilogy Tour as well the K-12 Tour!” You reply with a wide smile.

“NO FUCKING WAY!” A small giggle escapes your lips when you watch as Nick’s jaw drops.

“Yes fucking way.”

“Bro…” A soft laugh escapes you when Nick rubs his face with his hands, a loud groan sounding from him moments later.

“I fucking love Melanie. I have yet to see her live and it’s KILLING ME.”

“Well…” You start as you roll towards your desk and pull out the main drawer. “When she goes on tour again, we can both go.”

Nick’s hands slap down to his sides with a loud slap. “Don’t fuck with me…” The brunette states, his eyes narrowing as he sends a small warning glare in your direction.

“I’m not!” You defend with a small laugh. Nick’s expression quickly shifts into one of excitement as you slip a small folder out of your drawer. “Now, I promise we’ll go back to talking about Mel but I think we should start getting you tatted.”

“Oh, yeah! Where should I sit?”

“In the recliner chair please. Also, do you mind rolling up your pant leg for me?”

“Of course!” Without a word more, Nick scurries over to the wrapped recliner and seats himself down on it. After swinging both his legs over so he’s laying down fully, he sits up and reaches down to his leg. As he begins to roll up his pant leg, you roll over to him, vanilla folder in hand.

“So.” You state as you set the folder on your lap. “You excited?”

“Very.” Nick replies with a bright smile. You can’t help but smile softly at the brunette as you reach over to the nearby rolling tray holding all your needed supplies and pull it over. Before you go to grab the pair of black gloves, you freeze in your spot and furrow your eyebrows. Noticing the sudden change in your demeanor, Nick turns his head to face you, a worried expression instantly painting his features. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s no music playing.” You mumble, a soft sigh escaping you as you sit up. Nick can’t help but chuckle at how upset you became over something so small. “Was it always this quiet?”

“Yeah.” When the brunette softly nods his head, a frustrated groan escapes you.

“Mike must have turned it off again. I swear to God, that dude drives me to the brink of insanity sometimes.” You begin to ramble under your breath as you walk towards the door.

“Mike?” Nick asks, his head tilting to the side as he grows confused.

“The dude at the front desk. He’s also the one that walked you here.” When Nick’s mouth shapes into a small oval and he nods his head in understanding, you reach for the doorknob and twist it to open the door. “I’ll be right back, hold on.” When you slip out of the room and shut the door behind you, Nick finds himself examining your room again.

He begins to hum a random tune under his breath and subconsciously bops his head along to it as he gets more comfortable on the recliner. After a few moments, the door opens and reveals you. When you step inside the room, you flash Nick a small smile and make your way over to him again.

“Sorry about that. I needed to get the speaker since I let Jen use it for her last session. You don’t mind if I play some music right?” You ask as you set the miniature bluetooth speaker on the counter behind you.

“I don’t mind it at all. I actually prefer listening to music while getting tattoos done. Helps calm me.” Nick replies with a smile.

“Okay, perfect.” Whipping your phone out of your cargo pants, you immediately open up Spotify. After scrolling through your playlists, you finally settle on your go to one and push play.

As Red Wine Supernova By Chappell Roan plays on the speaker, you put your phone away and finally reach for the black rubber gloves on your tray. “So, before we start, I am going to prep your skin for the stencils. When that is finished, I’ll set the stencils on the area we discussed over text and move it if needed. And then, we can start. Sounds good?”

“Sounds perfect.” Nick confirms with a firm nod of his head.

“Alright, let’s get started then!”

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mermer27 · 11 months ago

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“My issue” | Gojo x reader

|FIRST POST|

Warning: mention of blood. Kissing and mention Of smut. 16+. Spelling and grammar errors

Summary:

You and Gojo are married and when Gojo got sent on a mission, you got into a fight and barley can out victorious. Not wanting to wait any longer to see Gojo you decided to go home and not see a doctor.

You and Gojo have been married for almost 2 years now. At this point, you have figured out how to fit both of you working as jujutsu sorcerers (and gojo working as a teacher at jujutsu high school) into your life well still being able to indulge in your typical couple things. It does get lonely sometimes but I always remind myself of the moments we hug and kiss after a long day.

Gojo was sent out on a two-week-long mission. I missed him so badly. I just got stuck with boring missions but it made sense since you only just got promoted to grade 1 sorcerers and you didn’t get there easily due to personnel reasons.

On the last day of the Gojo’s mission you got sent out on a mission witch turned to shit in seconds

What was supposed to be a grade 3 curse that was fooling around in an old school turned into a special grade curse spirit.

The only reason why I was the one sent out was because the school was on a side of town that no one dared to go to because of its high criminal rate. You only went because of the money. When you went to the location you got caught in a very horrible battle with this spirit. You made it out alive but just barely. You made multiple wounds and were bleeding a lot.

“I can’t be late for Gojo’s arrival,” you thought. Even with your wounds you only thought of him

You make it home and are still in a great deal of pain. You slowly walk upstairs and take a shower to wash all the blood off and get your hair nice and clean. You put gauze and bandages around all of your wounds but even with them still there, the pain does not go away.

“Just make it till the morning and then we can go to the doctor,” you say to yourself in the mirror. You put a cute and sexy outfit on the covers of the bandages not wanting Gojo to see any of them because you know that he would flip out if he found out.

You give yourself one final look and go downstairs to make dinner. “What do we hal- ohh..” You remember that you were meant to get groceries when you were out but you forgot. “Well, a home-made dinner might be everything Gojo would want he is going to have to deal with pizza”.

As you put down the phone from calling the pizza place, you hear the door open and a very familiar voice. “I’m home!” Gojo says as you run towards him. Swinging your arms around him and your legs around his slutty waist. “I think someone missed me,” his tired voice said.

Yes, yes you missed him so much. You just wanted to strip him there but knew you couldn’t. “I forgot to get groceries for dinner tonight so you're going to have to deal with pizza,” you say looking at his beautiful blue eyes. “You forgot? That's nothing like you, what were you doing that made you forget?”Gojo says taking his shoes off. “Ya well, I got a little busy with a curse, it was meant to be a grade- hum” you start to say stopping yourself because you don’t want him to ask questions. “Sorry got lost for a second there, I meant to say it was just a strong grade 3 curse, that gave me a bit of trouble”. He looks at you with eyes of worry as you both walk into the living room and sit down. “Are you hurt darling?” He asked with a voice that made him sound like he already knew the answer. “No I'm not hurt at all, as if I would let a curse touch me” you respond. You turn on the TV and snuggle into Gojo in a way that would not hurt. You guys also ate the whole pizza by yourself.

He knows, you know he knows, or does he? The whole movie you trying to figure out if he knew. If he did he would carry you like a kid and take you to the doctors but he wasn’t. Yet that look on his face earlier, those eyes.

The movie ends and you both start to walk upstairs. You felt like collapsing but just put it off as being tired.

As u both are walking up the stairs you trip over your foot but catch yourself before you hit the ground. Looking at the stairs you feel an arm pick you up. “Ok, that’s it, what is going on with you? I know you and you would never trip or not clearly say something on the first try or eat the whole pizza and not put half away for the morning. What is going on” Gojo asked with a worried face and sad eyes. “Nothing I’m fine, I'm just really tired you see”. You say walking past him into the bedroom not making eye contact with Gojo not wanting to see how worried he looked.

You couldn’t bear it, seeing him worry or feel sad towards you. You hate being the problem or the topic of the conversation. That was your weakness, your “issue”. You wait for Gojo to get changed so you can get into PJ’s.

Gojo walks out only wearing plaid PJ pants and no shirt. He looked so hot, you just wanted to make out with him right there. You stand up to go and do so but the moment you stand up your ears start ringing and you feel yourself falling right onto Gojo.

The last thing you hear is Gojos pleads asking if I was ok or for me to get up before losing consciousness.

You wake up in the hospital. “Gojo..” you say very weak. Gojo wakes up and stands up off the chair he was sleeping in saying “Y/n! Holy shit don’t ever do that again… you scared me”. He hugs you so tightly like he has never hugged you before. “I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!” You say completely breaking down.

“No it's mine for not noticing, all I care about is that you're safe my love,” Gojo says pulling away. You gasp as you notice Gojo’s beautiful teary blue eyes. “No need to cry over me,” you say.

Gojo stares at you saying “You are everything to cry over. Your everything”

#yn #gojo satoru #jjk gojo #gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo smut #gojou satoru x reader #jjk #jjk x reader

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mybullshitsensesaretingling · 2 years ago

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Optimistic

Request:

hi hi!!! i've been reading through some of your stuff and its all just ahh<3 anywho I was wondering if you could write some AOS!Chekov x reader maybe? somethin with either a doctor reader working under Bones or an enemies-to-lovers type? of course you don't have to if you don't want I just though i'd ask

ok love ya bye

A/N: I got this request in 2021. Anon, if you're still out there, I am so sorry. What's worse is that I genuinely wrote most of this soon after getting the request and then just... got distracted. I went with the doctor reader request but tried to put in some enemies-to-lovers vibes. Its more annoyances-to-partners, but I hope you still like it. It's a different side of Chekov than I normally write too. Hopefully y'all enjoy exploring that side as much as I did

ok love ya too bye

“Yes, thank you so much for explaining my job to me,” you said through a forced smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, you really must be going.”

“I must be going? Is it not-” Chekov started.

“No, you must be going.” You stood in front of the sickbay doors so they slid open. “Goodbye.” He opened his mouth to speak again but you had no intention of letting him and quickly repeated, “Goodbye.”

Finally, he took the completely unsubtle hint and left through the doors.

You let out a sigh of relief and let your muscles relax to the point of slouching.

“That kid drives me nuts.” You crossed the near-silent sickbay to Bones' desk in a few strides.

“‘Kid’,” he repeated with a half-laugh. “You’re practically the same age.”

“Maybe he should act a little more like it.” You dropped into a chair across from him and stretched out a kink in your neck. A knot started to form anytime you had to deal with a bright, shiny cadet or ensign. It formed twice as fast when that bright, shiny ensign was Chekov. He was hyper and chatty and over eager. It made your muscles tighten. You were sure that it was all an act to cover up his true self. A self you had convinced yourself you saw peaking out on the edges when the two of you argued or when he got a little two confident.

“He does act like it.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You act like a 75-year-old cynic who's been hardened by a lifetime of troubles,” he informed you, barely glancing up from his computer.

“That’s why you love me.” You leaned into the back of the chair, letting the sharp smell of antiseptic and tritanium sooth you after your long shift.

“It could be good for you to spend time with people your own age. Maybe make some friends.”

“You’re my friend.”

He grabbed a PADD and scanned the information. “I’m your senior officer.”

“Are you saying we’re not friends?” You picked up the PADD when he set it down, scanning it yourself.

“I’m saying it would be beneficial for your emotional wellbeing for you to form bonds with other members of the crew whom you share cultural touchstones with.”

You raised your eyes to his but they were still focused on his work. “And that’s Ensign Chekov?”

“It could be.”

You put the PADD back on his desk. “The only thing we share is a location.”

“If you say so.”

You watched him for a second longer, before letting out a sigh and going to prepare for your next scheduled appointment.

His knowing look that followed you to a biobed made you want to press him, but something told you that was not a path of conversation you wanted to go down. You hoped by dropping the conversation, he wouldn’t push the issue, but that was naive and you knew it. All you were doing was biding your time.

And you had less of it than you thought.

A week later when you asked him what he wanted for lunch, Bones had informed you that you weren’t to eat in the sickbay. You didn’t have to go to the mess hall and socialize but he recommended it and was more likely to let you be if you did. The man was like a dog with a bone when he got it in his head that he was doing something good for his crew mates and you would do anything to get him off your back when he did. So reluctantly you went to the mess hall and grabbed a tray.

You stood by the replicator, scanning the room and weighing your options. Taking a deep breath and gripping your tray a little tighter, you decided that if you were going to do this you might as well go all in and started moving towards the tables that a group of ensigns had pushed together.

As you got closer, one of them quickly moved his bowl away from the empty seat to give you more room at the table. You gave him a grateful smile as you sat down. He graced you with a smile of his own before turning his attention back to the conversation. For a brief moment, you forgot why you ate with Bones or in your quarters. The crew was so kind and inviting. Then you realized what the conversation was about and you remembered.

“Did you really get to be part of the landing party to Markoddia?” an eager ensign asked.

“Yes,” Chekov answered from the end of the table.

“What was it like?”

Half the group leaned forward to better hear his retelling. He glanced up from his soup to check that he had their attention before starting.

“It was a standard assignment.” A few people leaned back in disappointment and the corner of his mouth tilted up. “Until it wasn’t.”

He regaled them with the story that you were sure was at least partially exaggerated. Ensigns who got to work with the senior staff were treated like minor celebrities by certain members of the lower decks. Over the years Chekov had learned to love the attention and even occasionally, on slow weeks, play to it. His definition of a slow week was expanding and the mess hall was starting to become his own personal stage.

You didn’t have much interest in the landing party play by plays when it didn’t have anything to do with your job or furthering medical knowledge. You had even less interest people twisting the truth so they could play the hero.

“You were attacked by a Markoffian sea lizard?” someone gasped.

“I could have died!” Chekov answered.

“Not from that,” you scoffed into your food. You thought that the comment would have gone unheard in all the commotion of the mess hall but when you lifted your gaze you found a dozen pairs of eyes on you. “You barely had a scratch on you,” you clarified a little louder.

“Maybe I fought them off.”

“Or maybe they’re herbivores,” you countered.

“Markaffian sea lizards are omnivores.” He pointed his spoon at you, clearly thinking he had got you.

“Maybe they just don’t have a taste for show off navigators. I don’t know. I’m not an exozoologist. But I do know that you were not anywhere close to dying.”

“How would you know?” one of his peers asked.

“I was in that landing party.”

“On the other side of the city,” Chekov added.

“Yeah, treating the President, who happened to have a sea lizard as a pet. His two year old daughter was hand feeding it insects.” You raised your brows at him. “Are you saying you were almost killed by the same thing that a toddler was playing with?”

“What about the pollen from the carnivorous flowers?” he asked. “Even you said it was incredibly toxic.”

“Okay, sure,” you conceded. “You were almost killed by some flowers. Is that what you want to hear?”

“Yes.”

You rolled your eyes and returned your attention to your lunch.

“My throat was closing up!” he started again, a dramatic hand clutching at his neck. “Neither I nor the Lieutenant could breath. I thought it was the end, but luckily the doctor here was quick at finding an anti-toxin.”

There was a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at you. It seemed like he was throwing you a bone but it felt like he was dragging you into something you didn’t want to be a part of.

***

“Bones, Stapes,” Kirk greeted as he entered the sickbay. “Slow day?”

“Not at all,” you answered before turning to Bones and lowering your voice. “If I had known that this job came with a demeaning nickname I wouldn’t have taken it.”

“It grows on you,” he responded in the same low volume.

“Like a cyst?” You glanced up at him. “That’s disgusting.”

Bones shook his head and looked back at the captain. “What can we do for you, Jim?”

“We received a distress call from a nearby planet.” He handed Bones a PADD and you leaned over to look at it with him. “Looks like they could use a doctor.”

“Seems simple enough.” Bones handed the PADD to you. “(Y/L/N) will take this.”

The captain turned to you. “Report to the transporter in fifteen, Doctor.”

“Aye, Captain.” Your attention dropped to the PADD as he left. Anxiety bubbled up inside you, mixing with your excitement. “Are you sure?”

“You can treat Chamberlin virus in your sleep,” Bones said without looking at you.

“You’ve never let me go with a landing party without an attending.”

“Do you want me to change my mind?”

“No!” You said quickly, starting to read the report to prepare yourself. You swallowed thickly and lowered your eyebrows when you got to the short list of officers that would be on this mission. Just two.

Your head snapped back to Bones. “I want you to change your mind.”

“Too late.” He handed you a medkit. “Have a safe trip.”

You shot him a glare before giving him a reluctant “Aye, sir.”

“Have fun.”

“Is that an order?” you asked.

“No.”

“Then I won’t.” You started towards the door.

“I know. Just do your job,” he said after you.

“Of course, sir,” you said with an eye roll so strong you were sure he could hear it in your voice as you entered the hall.

You never worried too much about maintaining a perfectly respectful attitude with Bones despite him being your CO. Your eye rolls and complaints and casual demeanor didn’t come from a place of disrespect, but a place of familiarity. It came from the comfort of looking into your mentor and seeing yourself reflected there. He had looked into the same mirror when you were in the academy and took you under his wing. He guided you through your time there and your time serving as a cadet on another ship. Your similarities to Bones had earned you a place on the Enterprise and the nickname Stapes. As the smallest bone in the body, the captain saw it as a natural progression from his original nickname for you, Little Bones. You saw it as silly and a little demeaning, not that you would say that to his face.

You knew that the reflection of Bones’ cynical but driven personality that shined through you was why he pushed you out of your comfort zone. He didn’t just want you to be the best doctor you could be, but a better person than he could be. But that didn’t mean you didn’t occasionally fight against it.

You wanted to fight against this, but you didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity even if it meant-

The transporter doors opened to curly hair and bright eyes.

-having to work with him.

“Where is Doctor McCoy?” Chekov asked.

“Sickbay.” You stepped up on the transporter. “He’s not coming. I’m coming.”

You had hoped that arriving five minutes early would make you the first to arrive. You wanted some time to prepare yourself, both for your partner for this assignment and for the assignment itself. You knew that Bones was right and you were ready for this, but you hadn’t fully convinced that insistent little voice in your head of that fact. But of course Chekov had to get here even earlier. He always had to out do you just a little bit.

“Oh. Is this your first time on a solo mission?” he asked, joining you on the transporter.

You adjusted your grip on your kit, watching the hands of the engineer at the terminal. “Yes.”

“Are you nervous?”

You snapped your attention up to him. “Are you?”

“I wasn’t.” There was that twinkle in his eyes. It was like he was playing a game you didn’t have the rule book for.

You narrowed your eyes but decided to let the slight slide.

“Energize,” you ordered the chief at the controls.

Within fifteen minutes of landing in the colony, you had set up a make-shift examination room in a small lab and had over a dozen people waiting to see you. You had quietly bickered with Chekov the whole while. Even your tones contradicted each other. His comments were bright and confident, mixing off-handed insults with what appeared to be genuine attempts at helpfulness. Your own words remained on the icy side of sarcasm, giving the impression that you were only partially tuned into your conversation with him. You just wanted to focus on your work.

Thankfully when you started seeing patients he stopped talking to you. Unthankfully, he started talking to the waiting patients. At first, you figured your irritation over it was due solely to your usual level of pettiness when it came to him. You set equipment down louder than necessary when his voice got louder, causing him to look at you. He would give you a smile but wouldn’t miss a beat in the conversation. When you had finally managed to tune him out mostly, you overheard him explaining that this was your first time working alone so they needed to be extra patient with you. It was amazing the amount of condescension he could fit into innocuous phrases.

You tried to grit your teeth and focus on your work but a few minutes later his laugh made something rise up inside you. You found yourself unable to focus. You must have read over the readings on your tricorder three times before you gave up.

“Ensign, if you insist on being this loud, could you at least take the chit-chat elsewhere?”

He smiled up at you from the seat next to a few patients. “Yes, unlike some people, I can be charming anywhere.”

“How special for you. Please take your charm into the hall.”

He did as you asked and you were finally able to work in peace. Without Chekov constantly drawing your attention you were able to get through the rest of the patients fairly quickly. It wasn’t until after the last one left the lab that you realized how draining that had been. Bones was right, you could treat Chamberlin virus in your sleep, but the pressure of doing it alone was greater than you had expected and you had never treated this many patients in such a short time. They just kept coming. You must have seen most of the colony.

You dropped into a chair, letting your head lull back and your eyes slip shut. Your feet ached from standing. Your face hurt from smiling. The mere thought of moving or talking to someone almost brought tears to your eyes.

The door to the lab swished open and you jumped to your feet, praying you hadn’t missed someone. You were grateful to see that it was only the mayor and Chekov.

“Doctor,” the mayor greeted, taking one of your hands in both of his. “Thank you. Your help means more than I could communicate.”

You felt Chekov’s eyes on you while you mustered up what you hoped to be your last smile of the day, “Your people should be free of the virus now, but I have provided the updated vaccine recipe. Everyone who hasn’t been sick in the last nine days should receive it.” You handed him a PADD and he thanked you.

The rest of the pleasantries washed over you. You knew you participated in them, but if you were asked to recount what you had said you wouldn’t be able to. For the first time, you were actually glad that Chekov was with you. He carried the weight of the conversation and handled correspondence with the ship. As much as you hated to admit it, he was charming.

When you had made it back to the ship. You let out a sigh and took your time stepping off the pad and into the hall, but Chekov remained behind you. You stopped when you came to the lift, trying to decide if you should go back to sickbay or your quarters.

“Good work down there,” Chekov said, stepping up beside you.

You eyed him for a moment, before responding, “Yeah, you too.”

***

After your first solo mission it seemed to have been decided, much to your chagrin, that you and Chekov worked well together. After the third time you were paired up together in a single month, you stopped fighting it, but you still dragged your feet. Now, as your shuttle shook and the lights turned red, you wished you had fought it harder.

“What’s happening?” you shouted, gripping on to your arm rests for dear life.

“I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t-” A squealing sound interrupted Chekov’s panicked yelling. He scanned the readouts in front of him before looking over his shoulder at the source of the noise and then at you. “You need to fly.”

“What? I’m a doctor not a pilot! I haven’t flown anything since the academy and you want me to fly us out of planetary rings while we're being shot at? I’ll get us killed.”

“How long has it been since you have done environmental engineering?”

You blinked at him then turned to the control panel. “Okay, I’ll fly.”

The shuttle rocked as you took over, causing Chekov to stumble on his way to the back.

“Sorry!” you shouted.

Your hands trembled as you tried to remember the flight training you had done five years ago. It felt more like a dream than a memory and you couldn’t recall any of the specifics.

As you got deeper into the rings the dust filled your view screen and you were forced to operate using the sensors alone. Sweat began to bead on your forehead and your stomach twisted from the jerky movements the craft made while you tried to dodge large chunks of ice and phaser cannon blasts from the assailant ship. Every sway and jolt made your thoughts swim and your heart hammer against your chest a little harder. Behind you Chekov let out a string of stressed noises.

“What? What’s happening?” you asked without really wanting to know. The view screen started to clear as you flew through the last of the rings.

“The shields are down and the nacelles are down and-”

“We only have axillary engines?” You had to force yourself to keep your attention locked on the controls instead of swinging back to the ensign.

The shuttle rocked again as it was hit. You gripped the terminal to keep yourself steady. The lights dimmed and everything came to a standstill.

“No, we had axillary engines. Now we have nothing.”

“Did you fix the environmental controls?”

“Yes, but we can not fly out of here and emergency power is declining fast.” His anxiety was making his accent thicker and his words stick together.

“I got us out of orbit, and,” you leaned forward, watching the other ship pass you by, “they seem to think we're dead in the water. They’re leaving. How much time do we have?”

“Twenty hours.”

You slumped down. “Not even a day.”

“No.”

Glancing over your shoulder, you found him bent over a tricorder. He started to bounce nervously. Watching him made you feel even queasier.

“There’s nothing you can do?”

He responded with a series of unintelligible Russian sounds as he started digging through the compartments of the shuttle. He must not have found what he was looking for because he dropped to the floor with a defeated huff.

“No.”

In all the assignments you had had with Chekov over the last several months he had only ever been stubbornly optimistic. Even when he was overcome with stress or complaining he still acted with a firm belief that what you were doing was important and you would make it out alive with a job well done. Not once had you seen him even consider giving up. You had not so secretly been waiting to see his optimism falter, to see what lay beneath his showy exuberance, but it wasn’t the slip of the mask or the peak behind the curtain you’d thought it would be. This defeat wasn’t revealing something about him, it was taking something from him.

You got to your feet slowly, gripping the back of your seat and closing your eyes as a wave of dizziness passed over you. You didn’t do well in a shuttle on a good day. After being rocked around my phaser fire and ring debris and having to pilot yourself you weren’t sure your stomach would ever settle down.

You were glad to see that Chekov was staring down at his tricorder and seemed completely unaware of your momentary weakness.

“Come on. Where’s that trademark pep and sense of adventure?” You sat down on the bench next to him. “Don’t tell me you’ve finally met a mission you can’t glorify into heroic splendor.”

He looked up at you through narrowed eyes. The corners of his mouth were drawn down further than you thought was possible. Was he actually about to start pouting? Was it actually endearing?

“Aw.” You puffed out your lip in a pout that was both sympathetic and mocking of his. “What happened to Ensign Chekov, hopeful hero of the lower decks?”

“He went down with the shields and the nacelles.”

Rolling your eyes at his dramatics, you grabbed your medpack and pulled out your tricorder. You pointed it at him without bothering to actually look at the readings.

“Huh,” you said in faux contemplation. “This says that he’s still operational, he's just offline.”

He looked up at you. The twinkle in his eye was starting to return, clearly delighted that you of all people were willing to play this game. “How do you suggest we bring him back online, Doctor?”

“Oh these things tend to work themselves out.” You replaced your tricorder and leaned back. “When would we be back, if we hadn’t gotten in that chase?”

He barely had to think about it. “Four to five hours.”

“How long does it normally take them to suspect a mission has gone awry?”

Chekov spent considerably more time with the majority of the senior staff. He knew their usual patterns. You spent most of your time with the Chief Medical Officer, who tended to assume a mission went awry the moment they left the ship. He was right more often than he was wrong.

“Between two hours and one week.”

You raised your eyebrows at him. “Can you narrow down that estimate for me?”

“In this situation, I would suspect it would not take longer than a day.”

You didn’t have a day.

“Doctor McCoy usually pays more attention to missions that have medical staff on them. Something about not wanting us to die because he hates paperwork,” you told him. “And he almost always assumes the worst. That should bring your estimate down by a few hours.”

The navigator suddenly jumped to his feet and sprinted to the controls.

“If I could get a message to them, they might get here in time!”

You rested your forearms on your knees both to steady yourself and to more easily watch him. “Are we close enough for that? I thought shuttles didn’t have subspace communication capabilities.”

“They do not, but…” he faded off as he fiddled with the screen. His movements had regained that jerky, impatient quality they often had, like his hands couldn’t move fast enough to keep up with his brain. He let out a triumphant sound and spun to face you.

“If I send out a distress beacon and put all remaining power into transmitting a signal they could find us faster. If I divert all emergency power not needed to keep us alive, I could keep it running for the full 20 hours and the beacon would increase our range by 35%!” He quickly dropped into the pilot's chair and got to work.

You smiled despite yourself at his returning optimism and moved to the environmental controls he had been working on earlier. Most of the readings were all but nonsense to you, but you had a decent understanding of the most essential functions and an even better understanding of the math needed to calculate how much time you had left.

“What are you doing?” Checkov turned in his chair.

You kept your eyes on the screen as you spoke, “Say we ran into some minor difficulties on the planet and/or the mission took longer to complete than we thought, then maybe it would take us another eight hours to get back to Enterprise.”

“Okay,” he said hesitantly, trying to figure out where this was going.

“Given that this was a fairly straightforward assignment and we both have a reputation for working efficiently, those eight hours would already make the more observant members of the crew suspicious.”

“If there is not another crisis happening on the ship.”

“That is a major if, but we’re trying to be optimistic here.”

“We are?” he asked in an almost teasing tone, just as surprised as you were that you were abandoning your cynical ways.

“Yes.” You pulled up the oxygen output. “Dr. McCoy will definitely assume something had happened if I don’t show up for my shift tomorrow at 0800.”

“That’s almost eighteen hours away. It would take them three hours to get here unless they’re at top speeds.” He seemed to remember that you were being optimistic and asked, “Could you sedate us?”

“I could but then there would be no one to respond if we were hailed and no one to deal with the next crisis. Besides, we’d only use about 6% less oxygen, but we could survive with 20% less.” You started messing with oxygen controls.

“That would give us four more hours.”

“I could push it to 25% to give them even more wiggle room, but we would start experiencing symptoms of hypoxia.”

“Will it kill us?”

“No more than doing nothing will.”

He made a noise and you turned to face him. “We’ll get sick. Headache, confusion, difficulty breathing, anxiety, tachycardia. But if they find us we’ll recover quickly. And if they don’t find us,” you lowered the oxygen output, “we’ll die either way.”

“They’ll find us,” he assured you, before turning back to the terminal. “I wish there was more we could do than wait.”

The temperature dropped quickly as the power that normally went into keeping the shuttle comfortable went to keeping the distress signal broadcasting. It wasn’t cold enough to cause any health risk but it would be soon enough. You wonder what would hit you first: hypothermia or hypoxia.

You pulled open one of the storage compartments and grabbed two dark gray blankets. They were perfectly folded and soft to the touch. They probably hadn’t ever been used before.

Chekov was watching you as you placed one blanket on the bench you had been sitting on and held the other out to him.

“We do what we can to stay alive.”

He took it and sat down on the other bench. You followed suit, wrapping yourself in your blanket, leaning your head back, and shutting your eyes against a fresh wave of nausea.

“Doctor, are you okay?”

Distantly it occurred to you that normally you would have responded to the question with brusk sarcasm or at the very least the truth forced through tight lips. But in that moment you didn’t feel the need to push him away or put on a brave face, and you told the truth freely.

“Just a little nauseous from the flight. It’ll pass.” It was already starting to pass now that things were calming down. The waves were gentler and no longer crashed down on top of you.

“You get space sickness?”

You peaked your eyes open at him. “Yeah, why do you think I didn’t want to come on this mission?”

He shrugged. “Because you don’t like me.”

“I can have more than one reason.” You adjusted the blanket around your shoulder and shifted around on the seat a bit. The benches may have been designed to double as beds for long journeys, but that didn’t mean they were exactly comfortable.

“You can.” Even though he fell silent, you could tell from his clipped tone that he was biting something back and history had taught you he wouldn’t for long. “But why do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t like me.”

“Not everyone’s gonna like you, Chekov.”

“Yes, but why do you not?”

“It’s not like you like me either.”

This gave him pause. Just when you had thought he was dropping the subject he responded, “I do not dislike you.”

“But you don’t like me.”

Again he hesitated. “I did not.”

You opened your eyes fully and sat up a little straighter. “Did?”

“What?”

The blanket slipped from one of your shoulders as you leaned towards him. “You said ‘did’. Past tense. Implying that now you do.”

“You have grown on me.”

“Like a cyst.”

He considered that for a moment before shaking his head. “Like moss.”

You looked away to try to conceal the smile you were struggling to fight back and a realization settled in your chest. It fell slow and heavy like snow piling up on a roof in the middle of winter.

You couldn’t have beared being stuck in this shuttle alone. You would have died trying to get off world. Even if you hadn’t, this quiet waiting with nothing to do would have driven you insane. But sitting here, across from the man you had fought so hard to never share a space with, it was bearable. Everything was more bearable with Chekov. He was the otherside of a very high strung coin. You weren’t just growing on him, you were growing to rely on him.

The temperature fell further and you shivered, pulling your feet up onto the bench to curl in on yourself more.

“Are you cold?”

The exasperated look that took over your expression couldn’t be helped. “Yes, Chekov, I’m cold.” You took in the blanket he had draped only across his lap and his comfortable posture. “How are you not?”

“Russian winters are much colder than this.”

You chuckled. By the end of your time serving aboard the Enterprise you would be able to write a history book on Russia just from the facts Checkov shared at any given opportunity.

As long as that time didn’t end tonight.

Your breath caught in your throat at the thought. You slipped sideways down the wall until your head hit the bench, but you kept your eyes on him the whole way down.

“Tell me about it.”

His grin was brighter than the stars outside and took over his whole face, scrunching up his cheeks and eyes. He launched into a story from his youth that rolled easily into another. His descriptions made the Russian winter sound like a magical fairy land. Again you were sure it was exaggerated. You knew how many people had died from that cold. You knew that it was a dangerous and vicious winter. But you didn’t care anymore. You let yourself enjoy his version of reality.

When he had to pause to catch his breath and cover himself more with the blanket, you took a turn at storytelling. Your voice was thin and breathless as you told him about the winters of your childhood and some of the nastier cases of frostbite you had treated. Your chest started to burn for more air and your fingers started to ache, growing stiff in the cold.

The pauses between your stories became longer and longer and your voices morphed into barely audible murmurs until you started to drift into a restless sleep. You knew you shouldn’t sleep and kept trying to claw your way back to consciousness, but you kept sinking deeper and deeper. Until a choking sound came from the otherside of the shuttle.

You sat up, trying to place your surroundings. The soft hum of the dying shuttle sounded so unfamiliar to you. The deep aching cold sinking into your bones and the harsh roughness that screamed in your throat and lungs every time you took a breath felt all encompassing. Your heart raised and your head pounded as you glanced around.

Chekov slept across from you. You called out to him as a series of coughs and wheezes racked his body. His face was twisted with pain but he didn’t open his eyes. You wrapped your blanket tightly around yourself and moved to hover over him. Shaking his shoulder gently had no greater effect than calling his name. His coughing got worse and then it stopped. He went still. You shook him harder. His name turned to a wheeze in your mouth. His eyes fluttered but he couldn’t keep them open. You tried to force him into a seated position but he was a dead weight that your freezing arms struggled to manipulate.

You dropped to your knees, brushing a hand against his face. It was so pale it looked almost gray.

“Please, Chekov. Just take a breath. Just a small one.” Your hand dropped back to his shoulder and his hand found it. His purple lips parted to let in a shaky breath. It left him in a cough, but it was enough to give you hope.

You pushed his shoulders up and wriggled underneath them. His eyebrows furrowed and you did your best to pull him up to rest against you. With his lungs more up right, he was able to take a few shallow breaths.

“Good. That’s good. Just a little longer. Keep breathing a little longer.” You turned your head away from him as a coughing fit hit you. When your breathing evened out, you leaned your cheek against his curls. “The hero of the lower decks doesn’t die like this.” The sentence barely made it out of you before you were drifting off again. A pressure on your hand kept you from drifting entirely.

“Stapes neither.”

A smile tried to work its way onto your face. You had no idea he even knew the nickname.

His hand fell from yours, but not all the way. The tips of his cold fingers remained on the side of your hand, holding you there with him. You would keep breathing as long as he did. It was a silent promise you made. Your old need to out do him mingling with a new need to stay with him.

Sleep found you again, dragging you down to a quiet but panicked place. An insistent beeping filled your head, but the harder you tried to wake, to identify the noise, the tighter sleep’s grip on you became.

You had no idea how much time had passed before its grip finally loosened and you swam your way back to consciousness. Your body no longer ached or burned. Your heart was calm, almost still. The panic had faded. For a brief moment you thought you weren’t waking up. You were dying and it was peaceful. But then you sucked in a breath. It was deep and cleansing and filled your lungs with ease and without pain. It smelled like that beautiful mixture of antiseptic and tritanium that meant you were home. You were safe.

You bolted upright.

“Chekov.” Your voice was rough and desperate. The bright light above you kept your eyes from adjusting. You looked around trying to find the golden uniform through the speckled static filling your vision.

Then the light was pushed aside and Bones came into view. His warm hand landed on your shoulder.

“He’s okay. He’s still asleep. The two a’you had a rough night.” He searched your face. “How are you feeling?”

“What? I’m- I’m fine.” Your brain was working overtime trying to catch up to now while still piecing together the memories from the shuttle. “Are you sure he’s- because he was-”

“Chekov is in perfect health,” he told you gently.

Relief filled you and passed through you in a sigh. Your shoulders slumped and you rested your arms on your legs. You hadn’t realized how tired you were until that moment.

“Heard you were down right cuddlin’ the boy.”

You narrowed your eyes at him as he stepped behind you to get a better look at the biobed readings.

“I was keeping liquids from pooling in his throat and blocking his airways.”

“I bet you were.”

“I’m his doctor. It’s my job to keep him alive,” you pointed out.

The corner of his mouth ticked up. “Never had to cuddle one of my patients.”

“Well, I’m more hands on than you.”

He stepped back so he was facing you again. “You did good, kid.” His hand fell to your shoulder again, squeezing softly like he was making sure you heard him. “I’m giving you a clean bill of health. Go get some rest.”

You got to your feet and headed towards the door, but you only made it a few steps. Something held you back, rooting you to the spot.

“Unless…”

You looked to Bones. Your eyes felt raw with exhaustion, but you didn’t want to close them again. Not yet.

“You want to stay until he wakes up.”

“He is my patient. I should make sure he’s okay,” you told him.

Bones just gave you one of his knowing smiles and pointed you towards Chekov’s bed. You followed his direction and found Chekov laying still in the corner. The blue tinge to his skin was gone, replaced with a slight roseiness. You watched his chest rise and fall, listened to the smoothness of his breathing, and resisted the urge to slip your hand into his. You wanted to touch him, to confirm that he was real and alive and safe, but instead you wrapped your arms around yourself and stood by the end of his bed.

He moaned softly, turning over. His eyes opened slowly, looking out across the sickbay.

“We made it. I am alive,” he said to himself like he needed to hear it outloud to be sure.

“Yes,” you answered.

He scrambled into a seated position at the sound of your voice. A smile lit up his face when he saw you. His right hand lifted off the bed for only a moment, reaching for you on instinct before his conscious thought took control of it again.

“You are alive.”

“It would appear so.” You walked to the head of the bed to check his vitals. You could feel his eyes on you as you tripled checked them, still trying to convince yourself that he was okay and wanting a reason to stay by his side for a moment longer.

“Do you still hate going on missions with me?”

“Yes.” Your answer came quick, but it was followed by a smile.

You turned to leave, satisfied that he was indeed in perfect health. He let out a breathy laugh and you stopped at the end of the bed and looked over your shoulder at him.

“Wouldn’t have wanted to be on that mission with anyone else though.”

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