#[the only thing we really about cliff is he watches burn notice. amazing]

[multifandom1writer]

Obey me! Replaced mc au brainrot part 2?!

Tbh when I posted that I didn't think anyone would like it less request for a part two but I was pleasantly surprised! So here you go!

Warning once again tho.

Mc= Noah

Part 1 :

Reminders ?!: @gayboychase @entolomaeden @bk-4-trash-fire

God I have never felt so free.

Ever since I moved into Purgatory Hall my life has changed so much and all for the better.

I could wear whatever I pleased, I wasn't in charge of anyone, I had my own room and the cliff once again just became a safe place to relax.

Simeon and Luke helped through my suicidal tendencies

Solomon helping me how he could, since he's also receiving help from Simeon and Luke

My scars were on show once again and I have never felt more comfortable

Honestly if I knew that moving to purgatory hall would have so many advantages I would have done so ages ago!

I have been so busy with my new life the demon brothers have never even crossed my mind.

The only time it did was when I noticed their pact marks had started to glow more frequently and time to time they burned a little.

I honestly didn't give it much thought, hence I didn't really care anymore.

My magic level went up drastically, it was amazing how much I could learn in the span of a month.

Solomon was honestly a great teacher, at the moment I was practicing a teleportation spell, it was rather hard but I'm getting the hang of it slowly

The small spark of magic slowly spread and spread until it turned into a full portal.

I smiled at it and Solomon spoke

-"Bravo Noah, you never cease to amaze me."- He spoke as he went and stood beside me.

-"Now imagine any place you want to go, go ahead there's no limitations."- He spoke softly while smiling at me kindly

I thought of the room beside this one, Luke's room.

I thought of the formal bed with the fancy design in the walls and the smell of pastries and small materials used for his famous cakes splattered around his room in random places.

The portal turned a soft blue and Solomon gave me the go ahead to go through.

I slowly walked through and closed my eyes as I slowly felt a bit sick from the feeling of the portal.

However when I stopped walking the soft smell of sweet invaded my senses as I opened my eyes and looked around, the room I was just thinking of earlier now being around me in real life.

-"Did you just teleport here?!"- Spoke an excited voice behind me.

There stood Luke who was working at his desk with some complicated homework he was bound to ask Simeon to help him with later on.

A smile playing at his lips as he watched me with sparks in his eyes

I laughed and said yes as he ran to me and hugged me.

He congratulated me and dragged me back to Solomon telling him my achievement while he chuckled at the eagerness of the boy.

Luke exclaimed and said -"let's throw a party to celebrate Noah! This is a huge step in magic you should be very proud of yourself!"- he said with a big smile adorning his face, my heart melted at the sight and I crouched down to look at him better.

-"we can throw the biggest party if you want to luke, you and Simeon get to bake all the treats!"- I said at the boy, he laughed and wrapped his hands around my neck as he gave me a big hug, which I returned.

And so we all spent the day, having fun and learning even more magic, giggling and making cookies, even Solomon tried! (Even though Simeon and Luke protested a lot against it). I ended up having to eat them, I'm pretty sure I have food poisoning now.

But there's the little things, these little deatils they do for me, when I learn a new spell they cleberate and don't care if it's the simplest and easiest of spells.

Their simply proud of me for doing it!

Are you sure about that?

Ah...but alas not everything in life can be perfect.

Since I relapsed my mind has fallen into a very depressive state, hence the residents of Purgatory hall refuse to leave me alone to make sure I don't do anything stupid or harmful.

There's a voice, it's a mix of all the demon brothers voices mixed into one, it's disturbing and has kept me wide awake at night multiple times.

It feeds and feasts on my insecurities and thoughts, how I look on the mirror, what I'm wearing, how I speak, my actitude, my personality.

Slowly breaking me down until I'm nothing.

You flatter me.

The fact it itself has grown a personality in my head does not help.

Each day, my hatred only grows and grows, even with the demon brothers out of my life hearing this damn voice doesn't let me move on.

Talking about them....it's been exactly 5 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, and 8 minutes since I left...

I know because Beel has been texting me everytime it changes, not every minute but every day, every week, every month.

He doesn't say anything else and he doesn't have any malicious intent I'm sure of it.

He's simply waiting for me to come back home...

Home..

Home

home

home..

What is home? Is is the people or the place? The feelings or the memories?

Is the house of lamentation even my home now? Even after I left, especially when the people that hunt my nightmares reside in that house.

Purgatory hall sounds more like home now, but I can't be to sure, how do I know their not waiting to replace me just like them?

What would happen if-?

No! No Noah! Don't let yourself think like that!

For now, I may have a house, but I'm not so sure about a home.

I sigh and look at the sunset Infront of me.

My black and purple bike behind me reflecting on the light of the red moon.

The days in the Devildom altered between a red moon and a black moon

Black being night and red being day.

I sighed and look down, this time no cigarette in sight.

I simply stared at the bandages covering my arm and sighed, noticing they had come lose.

I slowly tightened them again, thinking of everything that has happen over the last few months.

The tension has been unbelievable.

Do you know how hard it is, to be expected to go to class and act normal, as if one of your teachers is not only THE Lucifer but also the demon who revealed to the whole house of lamentation your self harm tendencies?

To be buying something for yourself or others and seeing Mammon running around buying carelessly but immideatly freezes the moment he sets eyes on you? Simply sulking over to the register staying deadly quiet, not saying anything or even looking in my direction.

To be playing a video game and be met with the same username I used to stay up all night playing games with immideatly leave once he notices I'm in the game with him?

And that's only three of the brothers! It has been so weird, being out with thirteen for makeup and seeing Asmo, to be picking out a book in a libary and seeing Satan on the other side grabbing the same book, making akward eye contact, one ending in putting the book back and walking away.

To be eating at a restaurant and see Beel's broken face on the other side of the room, watching me enjoy the foods and laughs I used to share with him not that long ago, to see belphie just stare at me through class instead of sleeping, burning holes through my skull.

It's been so hard trying to forget them, and I haven't even been thinking about them until now so what am I doing?!

I sigh and snuggle up to the warm sheets, checking my D.D.D and scrolling through Devilgram only to see new photos of the brothers with Angelica.

It hurt, even if I didn't want it to, knowing that one day not that long ago that was me.

That not long ago, I was the one reading with Satan and Lucifer.

That I was the one to help Mammon with his physics homework.

That I was the one that would help belphegor sleep.

That I was the one they cared about!

...

....

It hurts doesn't it?

To be replaced and thrown like nothing..

Maybe because you are.

Your just a human! Your nothing!

Angelica replaced you in a bat of an eye and they didn't even care.

Poor you, they only cared once the poor exchange student was crying and burning their arms to feel something!

How sad, you almost ruined their reputation so they had to get you under control thats all!

They don't care, they never cared, and they never will care.

Your worthless, just kill yourself already, nobody would care.

Their to busy with the shiny new girl to care.

....

...ouch.

I woke up the next morning, groaning and rubbing my eyes, I still felt tired and exhausted, and I could tell there were eyebags under my eyes.

But after what the voice said, I think it's finally time to do it.

I need to confront them about what happened.

Normally I'd be getting ready for school but thankfully it's Sunday and none of the demon brothers have plans on Sunday since it's their 'rest day'.

I slowly put on my leather jacket and turned on my motorcycle, the engine roaring to life, the purple stripes along it's metal body coming to life and shining a bright neon.

I took off into the street and looked around.

It wasn't a long drive so I didn't really need to take my bike but I didn't want to walk in the middle of the day on the side of the street, probably crying my eyes out.

So as I parked my bike infront of the house and put the lock on, making sure to hide it so no one would take it, I made my way infront of the house and knocked, holding my helmet between my hands and looking around whistling and looking anywhere but the front door, anxious about who would answer the door.

I looked around at its old structure and stopped whistling, my shoulders relaxing as I looked at the cracks and light emitting from it.

It's crazy to think I once felt like this place was my forever home.

I got to engrossed in my thoughts and didnt notice the front door opening.

I heard a creak sound and looked infront of me, then looked down a bit to meet the eyes of a surprised Satan.

We both just stared at eachother, me tensing up and getting nervous as I looked down at him, being tall had its moments, right now it was not one of them.

Why did I have to be taller than Lucifer?!

His bottom lip quivered and my brain immediately went to panic mode, I was about to ask what's wrong when I felt his arms around me and his soft murmurs.

-"you're back...oh my lord you are actually back..."- his voice came out as soft and quivering, something I would of never imagined of hearing from Satan.

I simply hugged him back as well as I could and waited for him to calm down before I asked if I could come in

He moved away and wiped his tears, letting me into the house of lamentation, admiring the halls that once seemed so familiar.

-"would you mind calling the rest of your family?..I think it's about time we all talked.."- I spoke softly and walked into the living room, afraid my normal actitude would piss him off or make him give me the cold shoulder.

He spoke rapidly and said yes, exiting the room as he left to look for his brothers

I looked around at the space and remembered all the memories I made in here with everyone.

I looked at the seemingly never ending fire and sighed as I remembered how safe I used to feel in this place.

I drifted off in my thoughts and before I knew it I heard Satan's voice on the other side of the door, not turning to face them as I continued staring at the ember fire.

The door creaked open and I finally turned around to look at their gaze.

I smiled and they all stared shocked at me, some with tears in their eyes.

-"Hi.."- I softly spoke and waved.

This was going to be long.

As I sat around with the brothers, I was drinking some tea Lucifer made for me, they were in akward silence while I was just happily drinking.

Lucifers tea was always a delicacy for anyone no matter the situation.

I took the last sip of my tea and sighed, some brothers tensed up as they saw I was finally gonna talk.

-"I think it's time we talked things through...about..what happened, I'm not really sure where to start so someone go ahead and ask anything, let's just really try to talk and get everything out of the way...okay?"- I softly murmured at them, smiling warmly.

Suddenly Lucifer came and kneeled beside me, reaching out his palm.

-"Can....Can I see?"- he spoke carefully as he didn't look up and meet my eyes, he talked carefully and warmly as if any louder would ruin the atmosphere in the room.

I gave him my arm and he slowly took off the bandages, relived to see how the burns were all healing well.

He looked up and smiled at me, I smiled back at him.

Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

It was worse than I thought.

It all started off really nice! They were all understanding and kind!

They were totally different! It was so nice for them to actually listen and apologize to what I've been through all this time!

But then they just had to do it!

They had to mention tHE FUCKING NEW GIRL.

'oh Angelica feels bad and guilty, you should apologize to eachother!' SHE CAN KISS MY BLOODY ASS AS AN APOLOGY THEN!

Why should I be apologizing?! Im the one hurting, not her!

Oh I'm fucking sorry I don't feel sorry for making a girl cry after I burned myself multiple times and relapsed terribly!

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY?!

It's fucking ridiculous, just thinking about it gets me mad.

I thought they would be able to understand but they don't!

They still thinking she's the victim after all this time! I gave chance after chance after chance.

And this is what happens when I try to make things right! I get spit right in my face by them!

I become a laughing stock! This is all too much, the voice is growing and I'm not sure I can handle it.

I need a place where I can cool off for a while and forget about this conversation and situation I just had.

I went to the cliff and looked lostly at the view, and then..

I looked down.

It was very deep and long.

Definitely death.

One jump is all it would take. Spoke the voice.

What?

I'm saying, one jump, and all this can be left in the past, doesn't that sound lovley?

Don't try to fool me with your words right now! It's not the time!

Any of my thoughts are your thoughts too, whatever I want, you want.

And that cliff right there, looks rather lovley wouldn't you say?

I slowly looked over at the edge and leaned closer, closer and closer.

Till I was one step away when-

-"Do you really want to die?"- Luke's soft voice cut through the silence, he said, walking closer to me, for a second it all sounded unreal because no one has ever asked me such a hurtful question in my whole life.

-"You can't do that, I can't let you do that!"-

-"You can't leave me here alone again!"- his voice shutters and breaks

-"you need to stay!"- he says, raising his hand to cover up his face.

-"I'm sorry.."- I spoke after a few seconds. His face all scrunched up and hurting is wounding me do deeply, against my will, I run back to the other side of the fence and away from the edge closer to him.

Hoping he understands my words.

-"I'm sorry..I'm sorry..I'm sorry..I'm sorry!"-

I cried out, yet I pause, and then, it all clicks in my head.

This boy, this angel of a person, I have finally understood that..

They needed me as much as I needed them! Even after hurting and thinking of myself as not worthy I have finally understood...

That these wonderful people I've met and bonded with, we all deeply care about about the other to lose eachother.

They wouldn't replace me or forget me, because I have truly made an impact, in their life's!

No matter who comes along, we'll always be by each others side, and that thought alone...brings me so much peace..I hug the boy tighter and pull away, wiping his tears away.

-"I think it's time to go home.."- he brings me back in for a hug and we just stay like that for awhile.

My conflicts with the demon brothers are far from over, and their sure to hear about this later, but for now, I'd like to live in the moment.

And ignore everything and everyone around me.

Maybe I don't have to matter in the brothers life's, just mattering in

Solomon's

Simeon's

Luke's

Thirteens

Raphael

And

Mephistopheles

Life's is all that matters, and I'm never letting that go, no matter what.

Sometimes you need to let go of the past, so you can start living in the present.

And I think it's time to let go.

[animefanwrites]

brother’s best friend [F] | pt. 3

b. chan x reader | brother’s best friend au

synopsis: “what happens when your brother invites over his (hot) best friend but forgets to even inform you about it? And what happens when you walk out of your bedroom and see him in your house with no sign of your brother in sight?”

word count: 1.9k

genre: brothers best friend au, teen rom-com

warning: fluff, language, tiny bit of angst

a/n: sorry i took so long for chapter 3! things have been quite hard for me this whole time. i hope you like it!

chapters: 01 | 02 | 03 +

status: on-going series

The night was quiet and almost no cars passed by while you looked outside. Seeing your reflection on the window, you carefully moved your gaze towards Chan, trying not to be so obvious. He was smiling slightly, hands holding the wheel. You smiled softly and turned to look at him.

“So, what’s this studio?” you questioned with a raised brow. Chan chuckled slightly but before he could answer you added “You said I can’t know where it is not what it is.”

“You got me there,” he replied while pushing some of his hair back. “Well, it’s a music studio. I don’t know if you’ll be interested,” Chan sounded quite hesitant as if you’d make fun of him for creating music. Instead, he was met with an enthusiastic gasp.

“You’re a musician?” you asked, eyes sparkling and lips formed into a beautiful smile. Chan was slightly shocked — he wasn’t exactly waiting for that reaction. He smiled and nodded his head, chuckling in the process while becoming embarrassed. “Jisung never told me anything! Will you show me what you have made?”

“S- Sure!” Chan internally cursed himself for stuttering. “Though, I don’t think you’ll like it. We’re not making anything big, it’s just silly lyrics with beats we make...” he added, wanting to warn you in case you had imagined anything big.

“If they’re original then I’m sure I’ll like it,” you assured him making a blush spread across his cheeks. He laughed and you could feel your heart flutter. Spending time with Chan was something that felt unrealistic but a dream coming to life at the same time. You didn’t even know the man for that long and you just wished you could sit down and talk about him for hours.

The car soon stopped outside a building and you quickly walked out slightly hopping from excitement. Chan walked beside you and opened the front door of the building for you, letting you walk in first with a “ladies first”. You thanked him and slowly followed behind him as you both skipped to the so-called studio.

He quickly opened the door with a key that he had in his pocket and walked inside, your eyes glowing with happiness as you looked around at all the different microphones, computers and speakers. It looked like they had paid a lot to get all that expensive stuff “just for silly lyrics” as Chan had mentioned earlier. Maybe he was just embarrassed to say what they were making.

“Well- here it is!” he chuckled and finally broke the silence that was haunting you two for quite a while now. “I can give you some headphones so you can listen, but um- again, I don’t think you’ll like this kind of music,” he muttered slightly and pulled some headphones from inside a drawer.

“Oh, come on, I’m sure I’ll like it if it’s from you!” you pressed and sat down in a chair, sighing at how comfortable it was. While doing the work, Chan was leaning over your shoulder, his head inches away from your neck and his arm extending from behind you to grip on the mouse. You gulped at how close he was — you could smell his cologne and see his pretty eyes from up close.

“This should do!” he smiled and looked at you, eyes staring right into yours. You nodded and immediately looked away to hide your blushing face. Without another word, he slid the headphones on your head and pressed ‘play’, seeing your lips turn into a big grin as you heard the music start. At first, he was hesitant, gripping the side of the desk without really wanting to, out of nervousness. Then, he saw you bob your head and smile up at him with a huge smile.

“It’s so good!” you exclaimed a bit too loud since you couldn’t hear yourself. He gave you a thumbs up and showed you a few more songs where the lyrics made you laugh and others that made you quite upset and almost even teared up. “It was... so amazing!”

“You think so?” he questioned while sitting on the chair, opening a program that you didn’t quite understand how it worked. “Maybe you can sit here too and help me choose beats?” Chan looked up at you with a hopeful smile when you were about to sit on the couch behind him.

Looking around, you didn’t see any other seat that could be moved next to him though. You were about to ask him about it, but he patted his lap which made you burn red right away, eyes going wide and cheeks getting a scarlet shade.

“CHAN!”

“I’m so sorry! I’m just kidding!” he laughed and covered his face in embarrassment. You could hear his heartwarming laugh as he tried sinking in the chair and hide his face. When you both calmed down from lauging, he pulled a stool from under the desk and placed it close to him so you could join in on the fun.

The whole time, you couldn’t easily focus on what Chan was asking you even if he explained it beforehand. You just nodded and randomly picked something that you liked. You were too distracted by the handsome man to pay attention to music right now.

The way he happily talked about how music helped him through his darkest times, how he relaxes while making it and pours his emotions into the lyrics. It made you even more interested in him — if possible. He looked at you and smiled shyly before speaking; " you know, we don't know each other for more than 24 hours but- I feel so relaxed around you, just like when I'm writing."

Once again, you were surprised by his words and were left with a mouth wide open. You sweetly smiled back at him and nodded while looking to the ground out of embarrassment. Finally getting the courage to look up at him, you gently placed your hand on his.

"I feel quite the same way," you replied and watched him blush a bright pink shade before chuckling and scratching the back of his head. You both knew it was quite early to say that you liked each other. But it felt so mutual.

You just knew that you were both thinking the same things, possibly having the same thoughts about the future and whatnot. You were looking at each other by now, his eyes hypnotizing your e/c ones and his hand slightly trembling at the thought of bringing you close to him. Just as he was about to lean in, a loud sound from outside made you both sit straight and come back to reality. You chuckled nervously and kind of awkwardly at the whole situation — you knew what was about to happen and it was rudely interrupted.

Maybe it was a sign that it was too early.

When you looked at the clock you gasped and so did Chan. You had spent two whole hours in there. Maybe they're right, time passes quickly when you're having fun. He stood up and held his hand out for you to hold onto, but even when you were standing, he didn't let go. Your firm palm fitting perfectly into his.

"It's a pretty night outside and... personally I don't feel like returning back yet. What do you say? Drive and go see the stars?" he asked with confidence that made you want to say yes right away. You held back though and pretended to think for a moment — which made him nervous in no time — but let out a soft laugh, in the end, agreeing with him.

“This night has been one of the best I've had in a while," you admitted once in the car. You were driving towards a high cliff that would give you a beautiful view of the starry sky. "Thank you," you smiled and turned to look at him, even if his gaze was at the road ahead.

“I didn't do anything, y/n,” he said and gave you a warm smile, turning to face you for a split second. “I'm just doing what I usually enjoy. Glad we have similar interests and enjoy each other's company!” he looked so happy and excited that you were enjoying yourself, especially if it was with his companion as well. From the start, his whole ‘plan’ was to make you happy, show you what he likes and see if you'll enjoy being with him while doing stuff he likes.

When the car reached the cliff, you both walked out and you sat down first, patting the space next to you. Chan sat down and stretched before one of his hands slid lower, holding your waist and bringing you closer. You bit your lip nervously and scooted closer, head leaning on his shoulder for comfort. That wasn't too much, was it? You soon relaxed and let a soft sigh leave your lips that Chan was looking at for minutes now, wishing he could kiss them soon.

How could someone be as perfect as you? Liking things he liked, a smile so bright he would replace the sun with, eyes that held the stars and all your secrets. He could find a billion reasons to show how perfect you are and they wouldn't be enough. Then it hit him. He could write them. Sing them.

“Chan, you good?” your voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he looked down at you, leaning on his shoulder and smiling slightly. “You were grinning just now, what were you thinking about?” you questioned while your eyes trailed back to the sky and its beautiful stars.

“Just... thinking about something that I can show you soon,” he chuckled and placed a hand on your head, softly. You nodded in response and hummed, which only made him more interested in his previous idea — spending more time with you would only mean more inspiration, more happiness, more... feeling loved and showing love.

He knew he had told Jisung that he would never date his sister, but on the other hand, Jisung told him that he wouldn't mind if Chan had a crush on her. That means he's okay with it, right? Absolutely.

A cute yawn from you made the boy chuckle and slowly stand up to show you that it was about time you head back home. You definitely didn't want Jisung waking up in the middle of the night noticing both of you gone. But, talking about Jisung, he was a heavy sleeper so there was little to no chance of this actually happening.

“Again, thank you for... this,” you chuckled and shrugged your shoulders once outside the front door. “It was a really nice night and spending it with you... made it ten times better,” hearing you say that, Chan blushed and laughed shyly.

"It- it was nothing, I told you,” he replied and his hand reached towards the front door. Before opening it, he turned to face you, a soft smile on his lips and his eyes looking at your figure in the dark with admiration - even if you didn't notice. "I wouldn't mind repeating it again,” he muttered, hoping you heard him. 

He opened the door and both of you froze, eyes wide and lips parting as a pissed-off Jisung stood in front of the door, looking at the two of you as if you were criminals breaking in the house.

“Where the fuck were you?!”

[ramzawrites]

Can I request a scenario of SMP members meeting reader who is a Warden hybrid? (I know the caves and cliffs update has yet to come but I like the Warden and I think they need more love.)

Warden!Reader meets the SMP

GN

Pairings: none

Characters included: Fundy, Ranboo, Philza, Niki, (mentioned) Tommy, (mentioned) Tubbo, (mentioned) Dream

Warnings: N/A

Series: A drabble request :)

Summary: Fundy and Ranboo wanted to do some mining together, maybe even make it a competition, in a new cave that Fundy found only to meet a new person.

Word count: 2578

Authors Note: My ADHD kinda went wild at the end so this might seem a bit more disconnected and rushed and I apologize for that. I also hope you are happy with this, you may always give me feedback or tell me if I got it wrong :] I might get back to this someday to write something more involved but college is kicking my ass :|

„I swear to you no one has been here yet. It should be full with resources!” Fundy rambled as he checked his equipment out one last time. His trusty netherite pickaxe resting on his shoulder.

Ranboo was holding onto his pickaxe with both of his hands. His body language screamed nervous but his expression was that of doubt.

“This isn’t too far out from L’Manberg. I bet they already mined it dry also if you have been here already how can I be sure you haven’t scouted out the best place yet?”

Fundy just rolled his eyes and continued to walk inside the cave that seemed to be surprisingly big and led further down into the depths “I have not. Besides you’ll be mining right next to me so you can basically check up on me. The wager still stands?”

The Endermen Hybrid sighed “Yes, sure. Let’s just get this over with. I won last time anyhow so let’s just do it.”

For some reason Fundy approached Ranboo again for another mining competition. Was it revenge for last time? Who knew. Ranboo just knew he didn’t have anything better to do and hey, he might find some diamonds or other useful minerals.

As they walked deeper into the cave Ranboo soon noticed the rather weird fauna covering the floor, walls and ceiling. When he checked for a reaction from Fundy he too seemed enamored with the plants. If anything this was probably proof that he was indeed never inside here.

Fundy opened up his backpack and got a torch out which begun burning with a fast flick of his flint and steel. While both had semi good eyes when it came to the dark due to their hybrid side they were still surprised when they saw everything in a better light.

There were especially a lot of vines snaking around the walls that carried some sort of orange fruit.

“I have never seen anything like this” Ranboo mumbled in awe “Well, I think”

Fundy nodded “Mhm, me neither. This is amazing!”

As he yelled that out both heard a rustling coming from behind them. Before they could react properly Fundy was crying out and flew through their landing a few feet further into the cave.

“Fundy!” Ranboo yelled out surprised. He ran over to his friend and got his sword out. What in the world was that?

The fox Hybrid was coughing and clambering for breath, his eyes wide in shock from whatever just hit him. Not sure what to do in this situation Ranboo put one of his hands on his back as a sign that he had his back but still positioned himself with the sword in front of Fundy. That’s when he finally saw what hit him and threw him through the air.

It was a person. A hybrid by the looks of it.

They were standing in front of him, tense and ready to jump in for another attack. Their eyes were directed towards the ground. White orbs that seemed to look unfocused. On their head were beautiful greenish antlers that wove around in on themselves. It reminded Ranboo of twigs bound together while moss was growing on it. These antlers were more or less directed towards them.

Scared that this might be the sign for another attack Ranboo yelled out a soft “I’m sorry! I have no idea what we did but we are sorry!”

For some reason this seemed to work. The person seemed to be still in their attack mode but their shoulders relaxed a little bit “Then go. This is my home. Leave.”

“Oh my god you are a Warden Hybrid.” Fundy suddenly rasped out.

“A what?”

“You know of us?”

Fundy nodded and got back up, he was still a bit taken aback from the punch against his back “I only heard and read a bit about Wardens. They are strong, blind creatures that detect vibrations via their antlers. It’s said that Wardens are so strong they could kill a human in full netherite armor with just two punches at best. Now, I can see that you are blind, have antlers and you are certainly strong. I’ll give you that.”

The Warden Hybrid looked conflicted. They put their arms back down but looked still tense “Yes, that’s pretty much it. So, if you weren’t here for finding more about Wardens or even hunt us? What are you doing in my cave?”

This surprised Ranboo. They were still very wary of the two but they also seemed to be curious. Maybe it was just nature or they didn’t get the chance to talk to other people much and now used their chance. Whatever it was, Ranboo was glad for it. He didn’t look forward to being flung through the air like Fundy if he could avoid it.

“Uh” Ranbo nervously scratched the back of his head “We wanted to go mine and make it a competition. Didn’t know someone was living here which is surprising since this cave is actually pretty close to our main city.”

The stranger perked up at that “A city? With more of you?”

The two nodded in response only to realize that the Warden couldn’t see it so Fundy spoke up “Yeah. Do you- Do you wanna see, uh, visit it? We could introduce you to more people.”

They looked unsure but slowly nodded “Only if you promise me that if everything is too much for me, since I haven’t talked to people a lot, you will lead me back here.”

Ranboo let out a deep sigh. For some reason he was scared of their reaction “As a fellow socially awkward Hybrid I promise you we will do that.”

“You are a Hybrid?” They sounded so surprised, almost shocked at that.

That reminded him “Oh, yes. I guess we should properly introduce ourselves. I’m Ranboo, an Enderman Hybrid and my friend whom you punched is Fundy, a Fox Hybrid.”

“My name is Y/N” they introduced themself. “And I’m sorry for punching you. I just thought you were here to kill me.”

While Fundy was frowning, obviously not happy with this he sighed “Yeah, it’s alright. I understand.”

Together the group walked out the cave. Both Fundy and Ranboo had to get used to the light while Y/N was curiously spinning around, probably looking out for any vibrations their antlers picked up on.

It was actually surprising how difficult it was to lead Y/N back to the city. They would always get distracted by anything that moved or made sounds around them. It didn’t help that both were lowkey absolutely terrified of them.

Every now and again Fundy would rub his back. Honestly if there wasn’t a huge bruise that would be the most surprising thing about this situation.

At some point they finally reached L’Manberg and it seemed as busy as usual. Meaning it was a calm day with a few people around. Most just spent their time on their own somewhere outside the city dealing with their own projects.

The first person they came across was Niki who was busy carrying a few packets of seeds in her arms. As soon as she saw the two Hybrids she came walking over with a big smile and a wave.

“Oh! Hey guys! Who is that?”

Y/N tensed up as soon as they could tell that someone was running over to them and refused to move.

“Hey, Niki. We wanted to go mining but met Y/N here. We are showing them the city and wanted to introduce them to the people here.” Fundy explained.

Niki nodded, taking the information in “Well, it’s nice to meet you Y/N. My name is Niki. If the two are too troublesome you can always come to me for help. Also I’m sorry if this comes off as rude but I really love your antlers. They look really pretty. Can I ask what kind of Hybrid you are?”

“They do?” Y/N blurted out. An embarrassed blush appeared on their face “Oh, uh, I’m a Warden Hybid.”

Niki didn’t know what a Warden was so Ranboo gave her a short rundown, including mentioning how Y/N just threw Fundy through the air as if it was nothing. Not that he really saw it besides the flying part.

“That sounds amazing!” Niki marveled. Fundy gasped in anger at that.

Niki readjusted the seeds she was holding on to “Okay, I have to go since Puffy is waiting for me but I hope you have a good day here Y/N. I think Phil is in the middle of the city right now working on his house if you guys want to see him. Actually got these seeds from him!”

Everyone said their goodbyes and watched as Niki continued walking. A bit worried Ranboo took a good look at how Y/N was doing. While they looked nervous they still had a smile on their face. He assumed they were having fun.

“You good? Want to meet Phil? He is my grandfather, actually. He is usually a nice dude.”

Y/N massaged their own hands “Yes, this is good. I mean yeah, uh, yes. I’m nervous but I’m enjoying it.”

Fundy gave them one more look over before they continued walking, leading them into the heart of the city and indeed Phil was walking around his house deep in thought. Probably thinking about on how to improve his little abode.

“Grandpa!” Fundy yelled out happily which made Y/N flinch for a second.

Philza swiveled around only to stare at the group in shock “Oh my god.”

“We met someone new!” Fundy explained excitedly.

“Yeah, I can see that!” he yelled out.

Y/N wasn’t sure if that was good thing or not. This Philza seemed certainly surprised but they didn’t know if that was a good surprised or a bad, though if that was Fundy’s grandpa they were inclined to believe it was a good sign. They only held onto to this belief because otherwise they would be too scared to do anything.

Philza cautiously eyed Y/N “Who is that?”

For some reason Fundy seemed so proud of himself “This is Y/N and they are a Warden Hybrid.”

“Yeah, I know that! I’m just surprised that they are following you two so willingly. Wardens are usually wary if not downright hostile to other people! What did you guys do?” honestly Philza sounded more offended that Fundy dared to think he didn’t know what a Warden was. Which was fair to be honest. If anyone here knows anything about Wardens it’s probably Philza.

He didn’t wait for an answer from the two troublemaker but instead turned to Y/N “I’m really sorry if the two roped you into this. I’m Philza, by the way.”

Surprised Y/N shook their head and used their hands as well to gesticulate that they were alright “No, no, everything is alright. They offered to introduce me to some people. I don’t get the chance to talk to people often so I agreed.”

This seemed to calm Philza down and his worried expression got exchanged by that of awe “Wow. I have never seen a Warden Hybrid. I wonder what traits you have inherited.”

“Oh! They are strong!” Ranboo suddenly interjected. Fundy seemingly was still not over being flung around since he was glaring at Ranboo once he said that. To be fair he wouldn’t stop bringing it up to everyone.

Philza laughed “I feel like there is a story to it.”

“It was my fault. He scared me and I overreacted.” Y/N begun explaining what happened and how they now ended up here in the city talking to Phil. He seemed understanding but still lectured the others for being not cautious enough.

He asked a few more questions, mostly to make sure Y/N was doing alright and felt comfortable but after they sufficiently calmed him down he decided to continue with his project and leave you guys be.

Both Fundy and Ranboo showed Y/N around a bit in hopes of meeting other people but it seemed the city was empty. Apparently Tubbo was off doing something somewhere and when Ranboo offered to venture out to find them Y/N said that they were feeling a tiny bit overwhelmed and would prefer to go back to their little cave.

Ranboo didn’t hesitate and help them find their home again, Y/N even showed him the hidden little nook they were living in as thanks. It had a bed and a ton of little things and baubles they apparently made themself with the weird plants and vines of the cave. Even offered Ranboo to eat one of the weird orange fruits that hung off of the vines. It tasted a bit weird but good nonetheless. It was certainly different and Ranboo wasn’t sure if that is something he would eat a lot. Y/N seemed to enjoy it a lot though which he made sure to write down in his little memory book.

The next day Ranboo and Fundy met up again to look for Y/N. They would hang out with them for a bit but leave them alone after a short while.

This would become their routine for a while. Always checking in on Y/N at least once a day even just for a few minutes. Bringing them things that they think could be interesting for them and now and then Y/N would ask to visit the city again.

Over time the rest of the SMP learned of them as well. Most were surprised and baffled when they met them. A lot haven’t heard of Wardens and the few people that have like Philza, Dream, Fundy and Techno showed a healthy amount of respect towards them. Especially after hearing of their strength.

For quite some time whenever Y/N came to visit, which would happen more frequently and at points on their own accord, Dream would hang around them. Keeping his eyes on them. They didn’t know what to make of that but seeing as he owned these lands they felt not comfortable with telling him off for it. He tried to sneak around but Y/N’s antlers would pick it up most of the time.

Tommy loved to hang out with Y/N. He was absolutely amazed by their ability to sense almost everything around them as well as being amazed by their strength. Just to test this he asked them once to have a bit of a competition of how far the two could throw different things. It was no real competition. Y/N won easily.

Tubbo usually watched and joked with them and while he too was amazed with their abilities he was a bit more reserved, though once the shenanigans started he was very much involved with everything.

In the end they became so involved with everyone in some way that they offered them to build a home for themself in the city. Y/N didn’t immediately jump on that idea though it took them a few days before they agreed to build a house in L’Manberg. They did point out though they will probably still spent more time in their cave. Nonetheless a lot of people came together to help me them set up their own home.

It confused Y/N a bit at first that so many would come together for them. It made them feel good though and even safe. Maybe living inside of L’Manberg wouldn’t be so bad if the others are around.

[fantasydaydreamers]

“The Burning Rose Part 2/3″ Boyband!Au Bakugou x Reader

Summary: Continuation of PART 1

Word Count: 4,992

Warnings: Angst

Author’s Note: When I first published this fic, I wasn’t planning on making it a series, but TBR is coming to be a 3-part series!! I want to dedicate it to @sarcasm-is-my-form-of-attack because I believe she told me that this fic is how she found my blog and she’s just amazing so thank you!! I hope you’re all ready to meet The Heartless Heroes again~!

Song: Lullaby by Umi ft. Yeek

Dating the lead singer of a boyband was hard. It's been months since you went to 'The Heartless Heros' concert and received a burning rose from the lead singer, Bakugou Katsuki. After the show and during the meet and greet, Bakugou's approach to you led to something you'd never expect. That is--his number and a kiss on the cheek goodbye.

Your cheeks burned hotter than the rose did.

Since then, you and Bakugou's relationship has been a secret. A part of you still felt like you had to tiptoe around him because you still viewed him as 'famous.'

Untouchable. 

Why me? What makes me so special to be with him?

It was hard, but every day felt like a dream the way he sent you daily texts and pictures of his band practice or when he was in the studio recording. Your life seemed so...bland...compared to his but you felt welcomed and accepted into his life. Although his work sparked your curiosity, you didn't want to ask too many questions in fear of him thinking you're some weird obsessive fan.

You weren't. Well, you were a fan of him but you didn't want to give off the wrong impression and it was difficult. There were times when you two hung out and everything seemed normal where being a 'celebrity' or having a 'status' didn't exist. Moments like that even managed to make you forget who he was.

You'll never forget the day Bakugou picked you up in a truck, which Kirishima, the bass guitar player for the band, lent him. Why? Bakugou drove you two to a cliff overlooking the city below and set up a small bed in the back of the truck, an air mattress with pillows and blankets making everything comfortable to lay on. He even brought a small picnic basket for you two to feast on as you watched the sunset.

At that moment, nothing else mattered. You remember looking over at him, the orange, yellow, and red hues illuminating his face as he took a swig of water. The conversation died on your lips when you saw the angelic being next to you, staring up at the sky in wonder, a stray bead of water trailing down his chin. It was a rare emotion to witness on Bakugou's face and he looked like another person entirely.

'"What're you looking at, dumbass?" Bakugou had asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand without turning to look at you. "I can feel your gaze burning into the side of my head." His cheeks flushed a light pink which blended so perfectly with the dusk-colored sky. You smiled softly and reached out to grab his hand that had just put the water back off to the side. Bakugou tensed briefly next to you but accepted the affection when you turned your head again to watch the city lights flicker on. The sun was setting lower into the sky, the cool night air picking up and spreading goosebumps over your arms.

Bakugou must've noticed because he lifted the very top blanket the two of you were currently laying on and covered both of you, settling down further in the bed of the truck until you were laying on your back staring up at the now darkened sky. Being away from the city the stars were so much brighter and now you feel like you understood the wonder Bakugou must've felt. Realizing you have yet to answer Bakugou's question, you hum and give his hand a squeeze. "Do you think we still would've met if you weren't famous?"

The question came out as a whisper, a hint of sadness in your voice realizing that this whole date had been nothing but normal. Perfectly normal. Nothing was mentioned about his career until now, and although you didn't want to ruin the moment, you just wanted to know how he felt. Bakugou shifted next to you. You couldn't bother to look over at him but in the corner of your eye, you saw him prop himself up on his elbow as he stared down at you.

After what felt like the longest second in the history of time Bakugou answered. "Yes."

This time, you turn to look at him and see that even though he was embarrassed, there was a sureness in his eyes that made you shy away. "Famous, huh?" Bakugou scoffs, shuffling closer as he leans over to block your view of the stars. "Fame won't change me...the fuck do I look like?"

A sincere smile crossed your face which quickly turned into a teasing one. "Is that so? Well...I'll believe it when I see it." Sticking your tongue up at him, it wasn't even five seconds later when you were laughing and squealing at Bakugou to stop tickling you.

By the time both of you had calmed down, you were getting drowsy, overtaken by exhaustion, and comfortable with laying here next to Bakugou. Now side-by-side, stargazing forgotten, you two gaze at each other as he leans in close, keeping eye contact until he's just centimeters away from your lips.

"(Y/n). We would've met regardless of who I am. I would've never given you that rose if I didn't feel something that night I first laid eyes on you. As embarrassing as this fucking is...I'm serious and I promise that the shitty music industry couldn't change me if it tried."

Butterflies erupted in your stomach as he whispered those words against your lips, sealing the promise with a kiss.'

That was the night you fell in love and it was the last night you had a normal date with Bakugou Katsuki. The video of him handing you the rose circled the internet, reaching people who became intrigued. Overnight, 'The Heartless Heros' had grown in popularity which led to scheduled tour dates around the world. The day Bakugou told you, you felt your heart crumble the tiniest bit, your newly developing relationship being pushed back. You didn't even have the confidence to speak up about how you felt.

The was a big deal for them as a band. Something Bakugou had been wishing for and who were you to deny him of his dream. It didn't help that their record label became more strict and the time you were allowed with Bakugou became limited. His whole life became managed by other people and the promise he made you was hanging on by a thread.

It was the night he was about to fly out to the first stop on their tour, and he came over to your house thrumming with energy.

"This is really fucking happening, (Y/n). Who would've fucking thought that I would be going on tour? My friends and I together." He sounded so completely in awe, it just made your heart shatter more.

You offered him what you hoped to be an exciting smile and you continued to listen to him vent. He was currently laying on your bed, staring up at the ceiling as you tidy up your room, opting to stay busy because you knew if you laid down next to him, you would cry. 

"...I'll send you pictures every day of what city we're in and record my shows for you!" Bakugou was still hyping himself up, but a sudden thought of him at other shows made you stop in your tracks.

"(Y/n)?" Bakugou called out to you, noticing you were no longer paying attention. There was a long pause before he spoke again. "C'mere," he said softly.

With your head down, you crawl on top of him and place your head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around you. Warm. You felt so secure and safe in his arms which made you feel that much worse. It was selfish and you knew that but how could you not feel that way?

"I'm going to miss you," you mumble against his chest. Bakugou squeezed his arms tighter around you, rolling you two over to the side as he cuddled you close.

"Tsk. I'm not going to be gone forever," he replied, but you could hear the embarrassment in his voice. The only thing you could do was clutch his hoodie tighter, hoping he would understand you were serious. "I'm going to miss you too, dumbass," he mumbled this time.

It was quiet; his hand stroked your back as you bit your lip as hard as you could to not sob into his chest. Just then, it hit you. With him being gone for a long period of time wasn't the problem. It was the single most important thing that brought you two together in the first place.

 "...Are you giving out any more roses?" Your throat started to burn from you holding back tears as that single burning question slipped out.

The hand on your back stopped before wrapping around you tightly, crushing you against him. "Is that what's bothering you? No, I'm not going to do that because I already have you." Bakugou murmured, leaning up to kiss the top of your head. "No one could ever make me give out another rose. I promised fame wouldn't change me, didn't I?"

The bright glimmer of trust in his promise dimmed just the smallest bit. 

You didn't respond.

~*~*~*~*

🥀Babe: 'Fifth show! Everyone says hey btw!'

You smile down at the picture Bakugou just sent you. He was on stage, microphone in hand while throwing a peace sign, as Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero stood behind him at their stations, grinning widely sporting equally cute peace signs.

So far everything seemed like it was going well. You haven't heard any news of Bakugou giving out another rose and he did manage to text you often about what was going on in his life, but the amount of times he was cut off from his phone by management made you upset. At first, he tried to sneak out late at night when everyone was sleeping to call you but that just made you feel guilty. After a while, you convinced him that it was fine and to get some rest so he had enough energy to put on his shows.

Which, they were doing fantastic.

Not only did you watch the videos he sent you, but you also watched the video's fans were posting online. The fanbase grew larger with each passing day and the number of fangirls skyrocketed. Sometimes, seeing them talk about Bakugou online was too much for you to handle and you started to question if this was all worth it but then you remember the secret moments you and Bakugou spent together, and nothing else mattered.

It didn't help that there was another up-and-coming musician by the name of Camie who had recently expressed her interest in 'The Heartless Heroes' on social media. More specifically, an interest in Bakugou. This made both fandoms go wild, coming together to ship the two of them and comment on their posts for them to collaborate. It hurt. It hurt so much.

It wasn't long until you noticed Bakugou had followed Camie back on all social media platforms which made your heart sink to your stomach. You tried not to think too much into it, but Camie wasn't interested in the others. It was strictly Bakugou she was pinning after so that made you skeptical.

So you decided to stalk her page and look up her music and you hate to admit it, but she could sing. She had videos posted of her in a studio recording an upcoming song and even her singing acapella was amazing. 'Looking for a feature👀' the caption said and you opened the comments, only to see everyone tagging Bakugou and Bakugou only. You saw that Camie had pinned a few of them.

h3ro3s_fanatic: @HeartlessBakugou !!!! you would sound greatttt on this😩😩

cami.stan: omfgggg someone pls...get bakugou on this ASAPPPPPP😭😭😭

From what you saw, Bakugou didn't comment or like the picture, but him following her was enough for you to get the message. It was pathetic that you felt this way. This is how it was, right? Dating a famous celebrity only to have millions of fangirls thirsting over him while other equally famous celebrities tried to get with him? Whenever you felt like this, your mind strays to the memory of that day in the back of the pickup truck when Bakugou kissed you so sweetly that the world faded away.

The day he promised you nothing would change.

You had exited quickly from her page and decided to mute her account for your own mental well-being. Bakugou wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Right?

Brushing off your insecurities, you save Bakugou's picture on your phone when another text pops up on your phone from Kirishima.

Kirishima: Heyyy (Y/n) I have a question

You: yeah?

That was weird. Although you had gotten close to Bakugou's friends, it was strange to see them randomly hit you up.

Kirishima: The boys and I were talking and we have an idea👀

You: okayyyy...👀

What?

Kirishima: Bakubro has been moping around a lot and we think it's because he misses u~😉 soooo we were thinking about flying u out here as a surprise. What do u think?

Your heart rate sped up at the thought of surprising Bakugou and seeing his reaction. The media and your self-consciousness was making things harder with each passing day but maybe if you saw him again, things would be okay. Maybe everything could go back to the way things were. Maybe fame didn't change anything.

You: oh wow...yes please!

Kirishima: Great!😁 I'll send u the details when we buy the ticket. U have to fly out tomorrow though. We're leaving tonight and arriving at the next stop tomorrow so we'll meet u there.

You: ok!

The excitement was building up in your stomach so much that you couldn't sit still. As you get up to start packing your bags, you stop in front of your dresser and admire the burnt rose you had saved in a resin case. Bouncing on the balls of your feet, you turn on some of 'The Heartless Heroes' music and sang your heart out as you packed.

~*~*~*~*

Kirishima had texted you that once you landed, there would be a chauffeur waiting with your name on a sign to pick you up. Sure enough, after you walked through gates, a man was holding your sign and you approached him cautiously. "Uh...hi."

"Miss (Y/n)?" He asked. You nod your head and he grins and motions you outside the airport. To your shock, a limo was waiting for you and the chauffeur chuckled, holding the door open for you. "The boys said they wanted to treat you right so I hope it's to your liking."

You wordlessly get in the limo and see a note on the seat addressed to you. The chauffeur closes the door and walks around to his side of the limo to get in the driver's seat.

'Welcome (Y/n)! I hope you were surprised about the limo, but if it's too much for you we're sorry! Blame it on Kami if you don't like it.' 

You snort and roll your eyes.

'Right now your driver is going to be taking you to a music video set instead of the concert venue. Turns out Bakugou has something to do first before we could head to the show. But! We'll still surprise him. Just text us when you arrive at the set. See you soon!'

Music video? You furrow your eyebrows and think about what song they could possibly be doing a music video for. As far as you know, they haven't released any new music, unless Bakugou has been working on something and hasn't told you. Shrugging it off, you watch the city pass you by through the windows as butterflies start to erupt in your stomach.

What do I even say?

All this excitement and you haven't even thought about what to say when you see him again. I missed you. Well, obviously. How have you been? Too lame. I love you. Too soon? Did you forget about me? Of course, he hasn't. You were flown out here for a reason.

The limo slowed down as it pulled up to an apartment building, cars parked outside as people ran around outside. The chauffeur looks at you in the rear-view mirror and nods his head. "We're here."

"Thank you." Pulling out your phone, you start a group text with Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero and text them.

You: I'm here!

Deciding to wait in the limo, it wasn't even two minutes later that the three came waltzing down a staircase before sprinting to the limo. Opening the door you couldn't get out before you were tackled by three bodies in a group hug.

You laughed and hugged them back as they excitedly tried to ask you how your flight was and if you did in fact like the limo. Before you could answer, the chauffeur calls out to you. "Miss (Y/n), I'll be waiting in here until you're finished and then I'll drive you to the venue."

Thanking him again, you close the door and try to answer all of their questions. "Yes my flight was good, and I guess the limo was okayyyy~" You playfully roll your eyes and Kirishima and Sero shoot Kaminari a look.

"What?"

You laugh again and look around nervously, seeing some people stare at the four of you. "So...um what's going on? What music video are you guys doing?"

Instantly all of their expressions dropped into nervous ones. "Uh..actually...it's not ours."

Confused, you look at each of their faces, noticing they were avoiding eye contact with you. Sero sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, breaking the silence first. "We got a call late last night that Camie was going to be in this city at the same time we were so she and Bakugou could shoot a music video for the song they did together."

Time stopped as you took in his words. They did what? They actually did that song together? Bakugou didn't tell me this.

The three of them noticed your confused expression and they shot each other worried glances. This time, Kaminari chuckled and reached for your hand. "Hey! It's okay, you can surprise him when he's done shooting. They're about to do his verse right now. C'mon."

You were dragged behind Kaminari as Kirishima and Sero trailed behind you, giving each other a cautious look that you missed. Going back up the stairs, the four of you entered a long hallway that had more production staff with sound systems and lighting all filtering in and out of one room in particular.

Waiting for people to pass through, Kaminari poked his in and then pulled you in behind him, hiding you behind the camera screen that was focused on Camie. Even in the shadows, you could see how much beauty she radiated as she talked to someone on set. But that's not who you wanted to see.

Your eyes leave the screen and immediately find Bakugou who was sitting in a set chair. A low gasp escaped your lips seeing him dressed in a white t-shirt, a leather jacket over it with black jeans on. Chains hung from the pants and black biker boots pulled the look together. What really got to you was the famous eyeliner he usually wears during concerts that framed his ruby eyes so well.

He looks so handsome.

Your swooning was cut off as Camie cuts into your line of vision and starts talking to Bakugou, her hand resting on his knee as she talked. Noticing this, your eyebrows shot up and you were about to step over and say something until the man in front of you at the camera screen spoke up. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero were standing behind you and threw their hands over their face in disbelief.

"Lullaby apartment scene take one! Places!" The set people scattered and Camie moved away from Bakugou, not before trailing her hand off of his leg which revealed him smirking at her. Excuse me?

Everything around you started falling away as dark thoughts, exactly what you were worried about, consumed your head. Your eyes couldn't leave Bakugou as he stood with his back against the wall, by a large window, the sunset pouring in as Camie took her place down the hall and out of frame.

The lights on set dimmed as a camera on a track moved down the hallway to where Camie was and you could see her on the screen. A familiar melody started in which you recognized from her social media account that one time and you so badly wanted to turn away. A soft voice carried from the speakers as Camie began lipsyncing on screen.

I know you're hurting, you're hurting inside

Know when you feel it, you feel it at night

Why won't you let me in?

Why won't you let me understand you?

Why won't you let me in?

Baby, just take my hand and

She slowly worked her way down the hallway as the producer and someone from video editing discussed in low voices on how they were going to edit the final product. Camie worked her way out of the hallway and your eyes flicker briefly over to Bakugou who was watching her with a glint in his eyes you didn't like.

The camera wasn't even on him yet.

Now she was getting closer and closer to Bakugou, who had pushed himself off the wall and stalked towards her. She turns before they could meet and Bakugou's arms wrapped around her waist which you turn to the three boys behind you who looked equally as shocked.

"We had no idea, (Y/n)," Sero whispers, tugging your hand into his. You look back and can feel the cold sweat start on your neck as Bakugou leans into her neck, Camie arching back into him as she finishes her verse.

Can you let me sing you a lullaby?

And maybe then you'd let me in tonight

Your heart crumpled.

She gracefully spins around to Bakugou and raises her arms, placing them around his neck as he begins his chorus. He places his hands on her waist, as they lean closer together, their foreheads touching as they gazed into each other's eyes.

Remembering what Kirishima told you earlier, you held back tears threatening to fall. It's just a music video, it's just a music video, it's just a music video...

Trying to convince yourself that this wasn't real, that Bakugou wasn't looking at her a certain way, made it harder as you feel another hand on your shoulder, not being able to look away. They look so good together...like they belong...

Bakugou opened his mouth and that familiar silky voice filled the room.

I've been cooking up a playlist

'Cause I don't know how I could say this

If love was a subject in school

Couldn't major in communication

Feelings (I don't want 'em)

They won't show

But when it's time to sleep

Halfway through his verse, Bakugou lets go of her and walks backward to sit down on the bed, moving towards the window, looking out at the darkening sky, smoothly adjusting himself in a leaning position. The cameraman zooms into his figure and you hold back your choked gasps as he leans his head against the window, finishing his part, a strange longing expression crossing his features.

You get emotional

You barely notice the camera panning back to Camie as she finishes the song. Your gaze remaining stuck on Bakugou as he absently kept staring out the window, his arm coming up to rest his chin in the palm of his hand on the windowsill. They picked the perfect evening to do this because his frame was lit up by the setting sun, making you think of happier times.

"Good! That was good!" The producer announces, making everyone erupt in applause. You watch as Bakugou doesn't move, a small sigh escaping his lips, his hand moving to mess up his hair. You're about to step forward to go surprise him when Camie comes bounding over to him.

"Katsu~! You did amazing!" She pounces on the bed and what you didn't expect was her to kiss Bakugou.

On the lips.

In front of everyone.

This time you let out a gasp, one of the boys behind you inhaled sharply. You back away slowly, your whole world crumbling around you as you bump into the wall, not tearing your eyes away from Bakugou who has yet to pull away.

Finally, a flood of tears comes pouring down your face as you turn and bolt out of the room. "(Y/n)!" You couldn't tell who called out to you, but somehow you found a fire escape, running up to the roof for fresh air. This couldn't be happening. Not this. I should've known.

Opening the door to the outside, cold air hit you suddenly as you tried not to cry out. Taking deep breaths, tears still fell freely down your face, not knowing what to do. How do I get out of here? I can't stay here.

You couldn't even get five minutes to catch your breath when the fire escape door opened behind you again. "(Y/n)!" The voice of the last man you wanted to see right now called out to you in panic. You didn't turn around and let him see you like this. Footsteps sounded behind you and soon Bakugou was trying to turn you around to face him.

"(Y/n)-"

"Don't!" You yelled at him, wrenching your arm free from his grasp. "Don't touch me."

Turning to look at him, you see him grit his teeth, panic clear in his eyes. "That's not what it looked like, (Y/n)!" Bakugou tried to reach out to you again but you gave him a broken look that had him pause again.

"Oh yeah?" You huff out a sarcastic laugh. "Couldn't have been part of the music video because I thought the producer said cut."

"It wasn't part of the video!"

"So it was real. That was real. Everything I just witnessed was real?! So what's your story, Bakugou? You think you can just keep me as someone to have when you come back while you get with all the girls you want now because you're famous." You spit that word out, glaring at him through your tears, feeling like a complete idiot.

"No!" Bakugou yelled out, making you flinch. "Listen to me that wasn't what you thought it was! Camie just-"

"Baku~! Where are you~?" A sing-song voice could be heard through the door and you laughed. You laughed at the irony of it all. Here you were coming to surprise someone you thought you could call your boyfriend. Someone you thought you loved.

Bakugou whipped his head around and immediately turned back to you shaking his head at the ridiculousness of it all. It was dark out by now, the full moon illuminating the two of you on this rooftop in the middle of some city you never want to step foot in again.

"(Y/n). She just kissed me. I didn't expect her to do that I promise there's nothing going on." It was weird seeing him plead, inching closer to you like he wanted to hold you. "Teddy bear...please."

You froze at that nickname. "Don't ever call me that ever again." You take a deep breath, pointing a finger out at him. "Do you realize what you've done, Bakugou? I can't even look at roses the same because of you! Every time I see one in public, I'm reminded of that night you handed me such a fragile gift. It felt like you were giving me your heart..."

Which is now sitting in a resin box on display in your room.

You take a shuddering deep breath.

"And now we're up here alone under this beautiful night sky, just like before, and depending on how this plays out, remembering this moment might make me hate the moon and the stars permanently! Watch what you say, Bakugou. Don't ruin this for me too."

A single tear fell from Bakugou's wide eyes, the cool wind touseling his hair gently as he stood unmoving in front of you, speechless.

"Fame won't change you, huh? Fuck you, Bakugou."

With that, you walked around him and back through the doorway, tears streaming down your face. Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero were at the bottom of the staircase with anxious looks on their faces. Once they saw you were crying, they looked guilty as they brought you away from the production.

"I-I'm so sorry (Y/n). We wouldn't have flown you out here if we knew this was going to happen-" Kaminari started to explain, but you held your hand up for him to stop.

They all stared at you as you took a deep breath, your chest aching from the pain you were currently experiencing. A shake exhale left your mouth as you wiped at your eyes pathetically.

"I want to go home."

They all glanced at each other like they weren't sure what to say until Sero finally nodded and grabbed your hand. "Let's go."

The boys had escorted you secretly to your ride, and you could see growing frustration on their faces the more you shook with sadness. You did offer them hugs goodbye because you knew they meant well and they each hugged you back with a firmness that made you think of him. The drive to the airport was deathly silent, your chauffeur looking at you in the rearview mirror every so often which you couldn't bother to tell him to mind his own business. You felt drained and empty the unknown city flashing by your window in blurs. 

All you could think about was how Bakugou didn't even bother to chase after you.

← Part 1

→ Part 3

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

Unexpected Places (Pt. 04 of 11)

Pairing: Ivar the Boneless X Reader/Bjorn X Reader

Word count: 3 K

Summary: As a princess, you've lived in a golden cage all your life, always a piece on someone else's game. But everything changed when the Norsemen came crushing down on Wessex, like waves in a violent storm. Their king spared your life and decided to take you with him to his kingdom, in what felt more like a rescue than a kidnapping. There, you were not only confronted with a completely different culture and lifestyle, but also with two of his sons. The oldest one has his eyes set on you, but it's the youngest one, Ivar, who gets who claimed your attention since the first sight. And he seems to have an unnamed interest in you. Of course you hoped whatever that was would pass, but when unexpected feelings start to flow a different way, things begin to change.

<- Previous part (03)

Next part (05) ->

{Vikings Masterlist}

×

Fit For a Princess

You're listening to the chattering between Aslaug and Helga, looking at pieces of jewelry at the market place. You say something every now and then, but you can't shake away Ivar's stare. On the last days, two weeks or so, he's right there, sitting across from you on every meal, eyes burning through you. Hvitserk said he's studying you, still expecting you to snap, to decide you had enough of all this and want to go back home. To Wessex, where your older brother now rules. And Ragnar already said he'd take you back if you wanted, so there's that.

But leaving Kattegat hasn't even crossed your mind, not before and not now. How could you trade all you have here, and slide back into the invisible chains you had on? It wouldn't be just stupid, it would be the death of you. You're finally understanding who you are, the things you like, the kind of people you like. In England, you had to play a specific role, because everything was political. Here, you're just who you are. And you do what you want to do. This is true freedom.

“I really like this one,” Helga says, as your eyes wander through the many rings, earrings, and necklaces. “I'd like those two as well.” She continues as you pace around, further away from both women, turning the corner and then walking to another store. The pieces they have here are all made of metal, delicately bent into beautiful shapes. You caress a bracelet with the tip of your fingers, wondering if it'd look good on you.

“Don't waste your time with these cheap things.” The voice, that you now recognize immediately, makes you turn around. Ivar comes from among the people, only stopping when he's standing next to you.

But despite his attention being on the jewelry, your eyes are on him. “You're tall.” It comes out suddenly, because he never stood beside you like this, so you couldn't have noticed.

“Well, you're tiny.” Ivar glances at you, playing with one of the rings. “Anyway, you shouldn't be looking at these things. They won't suit you very well.”

Giving the old man an apologetic look, you randomly pick a bracelet. You don't get why Ivar is being rude, but, judging by what Hvitserk had told you, his brother isn't one to hold back. He says what he thinks, it doesn't matter how mean it may sound to others. You're still trying to figure out if this level of brutal honesty is good or bad. “I really like this one.” Searching on the small bag attached to your dress, you take four coins, way more than what the bracelet is worth, handing it over to the man and putting the bracelet on. The silver color is beautiful, and the drawings carved on it remind you of the pattern you saw on one of the boats that brought you here.

Ivar rolls his eyes exaggeratedly, sighing. “You are such a kind princess.” Dropping the ring, he starts walking side by side with you when you set in motion through the market. You weren't expecting that.

“King Ecbert was king of Wessex. This isn't Wessex.”

“(Y/N)! Wait for us.” Aslaug calls and you stop, giving her a look and a nod before turning to face Ivar, who towers over you.

“Therefore, I'm not a princess anymore.” Shrugging your shoulders, you give him a small smile.

“That's a shame, isn't it?” He lowers his voice, leaning closer.

“Not really.” Shrugging your shoulders, you give a little step back, putting a strand of hair behind your ears before giving him a little wave, walking back to where both women are.

After they're done shopping, as you walk back home, the clouds push themselves apart just enough for the sunlight to appear. That makes you stop, taking in the warmth on your skin, but it soon disappears.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Hvitserk calls, coming from the beach with his father, Ubbe and Bjorn, who's walking behind them. “We're going to meet some traders. Wanna come?”

“Why not?” You mumble, elbowing Hvitserk when he's close enough.

“Go put on some pants then. We're riding there.”

“Oh.” It's so absurd it's stupid, how you can't seem to do the simple things people know by heart here. “I'm not very good at riding.” Whispering, you tell him, not wanting anyone else to listen.

“I'll help you out.” He nods, tilting his head to where Bjorn is. “Without cracking your head open in the process.”

Smiling you nod before heading inside to change out of the dress. You're just about to head out when Aslaug tells you to grab a cloak in case it rains later, so you have to make another trip to your room. But soon enough you meet Hvitserk and the others again, reading the horses.

“Which one is mine?”

“Over here.” Hviserk guides to a beautiful white horse. “Give me your leg.” He says, and for a moment you furrow your eyebrows, but soon enough you understand what he means. Raising your leg, Hvitserk grabs your calf and you push yourself up, successfully mounting on the horse with his help. It feels funny to be this tall. You have ridden before, but most of the time you used a carriage. There was no need for a princess to ride on the back of a horse at Wessex. It's wild though, and you've grown to love wild things. “Keep your feet like this on the stirrups at all times. Don't put of your feet all the way in or it might get stuck if you fall. If you touch her with your ankles, she'll move forward. Pull the halters and she'll stop. The same thing goes to pull her left or right, but since we'll ride together she'll just follow the other horses.”

“Got it.”

“Your ass might hurt at the end of the day, so be prepared.” He warns before jumping to the back of his horse. “If it'll help you feel more steady, you can hold on the saddle, but trust me, you'll get the hang of it once you lose the fear of falling.”

“Have you ever fallen from a horse before?” As you speak, the small group starts moving, and your mare does the same, keeping their pace, slow at first until everyone starts galloping, and all air leaves your lungs. You hold tightly to the saddle, scared at first, but you remember what Hvitserk just told you. If you let the fear of falling win, you'll never learn to ride properly, and you'll never enjoy it. Slowly, you let go of the saddle, holding only on the halters, making sure it's loose so she'll feel free to run.

And the sensation is amazing. The wind makes your hair whip your face over and over, and you lightly shake your head to get rid of it. Glancing at Hvitserk, you mirror his position, a smile creeping over your lips. The landscape, green, blue, and gray, passes by in a blur, and you try to take it all in. It's beautiful, breathtaking. Almost literally, because when you finally stop, you're struggling to catch your breath.

“You ok?”

“Yeah.” You answer, and Hvitserk nods before moving to stand next to his father and brother. You see a small troop approaching, riding up the hill.

“You're quite good at this,” Bjorn says, guiding his horse away from his siblings and near you. “A few more lessons you'll be riding like a true Viking.”

“I really like it. Its... Thrilling.” You're finally calming down, and your thighs ache a little bit.

“Wanna see the traders coming?” Turning his horse around, he gestures at a cliff, not too many miles away. “We could go up there, it'll give us a nice view.”

“Isn't it a little high?”

“The horses are used to it. C'mon.” Without waiting for your answer, he starts galloping away.

Glancing at Hvitserk, you hold the halter tightly to keep the mare from moving. “You think I should?”

“Sure, it has a nice view. But if you feel like the trail there is too much you come back here, alright? The horses are used to it but you're not.”

“Alright.” Touching the mare with your ankles, you loose the halter and she immediately moves, following Bjorn's horse. It doesn't take much until you're deep inside the woods, the horses now trotting. Bjorn keeps silent, giving you a few glances since you're slightly behind him.

“That way.” He says, and you just let your ride follow his. The smooth ground soon starts changing, with more rocks, and becomes unravel. When you see a steep slope, with apparently nothing to hold on to, you pull the halters, making the mare stop.

“I think it's too craggy.” You speak up, getting Bjorn's attention. “I don't want to fall on my first try.”

“She's used to this kind of inclination. You'll be fine.”

Considering it and also what Hvitserk said, you decide to leave the cliff viewing for another day, when you feel more secure on the horse. “I think I'll pass, Bjorn. Maybe another cliff where I can go on foot.”

“Don't be a pussy. It's not that craggy.” Then, he kicks his horse hard and it sets in motion. It doesn't surprise you, but when the mare moves as well, following him, you're startled, and in the sudden change, you let the halter fall.

Holding on the sell, you can only watch as Bjorn's horse easily climbs the slope, at a fast pace, and yours do the same. But when it suddenly turns left, around a huge rock, you lose your balance, and since there's nothing to hold on to, both your feet escape the stirrups, and you're pulled to the ground hard. Losing your breath, a sting on your ankle makes you yelp as you roll down the slope, only stopping once the ground is flat again. Rolling on your back, you take deep breaths, trying not to move the left leg since the pain is spreading through your foot and calf. “Damn it!” You exclaim, removing the hair from your face.

“(Y/N)!” It takes only a few seconds until you see Bjorn kneeling by your side. “Are you alright?”

“I just fell from a horse and rolled down a hill!” You speak fast, the pain on your back making itself aware. “Of course I'm not fine!”

“Let me take you–” He says as he starts to pull you up.

“No.” You cut him off, slapping his hands away. Bjorn has done enough for today. If he wasn't trying to be a freaking show-off, this wouldn't have happened. “Go get–”

“(Y/N)?” You hear his voice and breathes out relief. “I heard a yell.”

“Over here. Lying on the ground.” Annoyed, you cover your eyes with both hands. “Can you please see if my ankle is broken?”

“What happened?” He asks in a low voice, and you uncover your eyes to see him jumping to the ground, kneeling next to your stretched out leg.

“Bjorn made his horse bolt up the slope and mine followed.” You explain, giving him a hard glance, groaning when Hvitserk lifts your leg to remove your boot. “Easy there!”

“Sorry.” He mumbles. “But calm down, it's not broken, just sprained.”

“Shit.” Taking a deep breath, you sit up taking off the other boot as well and throwing it at Bjorn. “You can't keep yourself from getting me hurt, can you?”

“Me? Everything you had to do was hold on. The horse–”

“I'm not a Viking!” Bursting out, you look up at him. “I'm not some shieldmaiden, I'm still trying to fit in here and learn things. You can't expect me to follow your pace.”

“I just–”

“Bjorn, you should get back. Help father with the traders, I'll take her back to Kattegat.” Hvitserk interrupts him, and Bjorn leaves after a grunt, saying something you couldn't understand.

“And he thinks he has the right to be pissed!” Lying back down, you groan. “I think this is a sign to stay away from him. Every time he's in the situation, I get hurt.”

“Alright, c'mon.” Hvitserk pulls your arm until you're seated again. “You need to put some ice on this ankle, let's go.” Hvitserk takes your mare first, tying her up with his horse before mounting and pulling you up to ride with him.

Despite the slow pace he keeps, your back still hurts. Resting your head on his back, you sigh. “Why are you so quiet?” You ask after a while.

“I'm thinking about the right words to tell this to mother. She won't be happy.” He answers, a hand resting on his thigh as the other holds the halter. “She's not very fond of Bjorn already.”

“It was partially my fault too, I think. I let the halter slip and had nothing to hold on to.”

“You're know Bjorn likes you, right?” Hvitserk suddenly says, and you pinch your eyebrows together. This thought hasn't crossed your mind. “That's probably why he did that. That's how he... Gets a woman's attention.”

“Would you do the kindness of telling him it's not working?” Muttering, you rest both your arms on his back folding them as if his shoulders were a table. “Actually, I've been meaning to tell you... I met Ivar at the market place today.”

“...And?” He asks after a few seconds of silence.

“Nothing, just... It was nothing, really.” It's hard to understand exactly what you want to tell Hvitserk. You just can't seem to put your feelings or thoughts together. “I was looking at these things and he said they wouldn't suit me.” Stretching out your arm, you show him the bracelet. “I bought this there.”

“That's nice. But cheap.” Rolling your eyes, you remember Ivar said pretty much the same thing.

“He also said I'm kind. But that was probably in a mocking tone, so...” You get into Kattegat, and Hvitserk greets some people. “I don't know.”

“I believe it's safe to assume Ivar doesn't hate you.” Hvitserk slows down the horse when a group of kids run by. “If he did, he wouldn't put himself on your way like that... Or look at you the way he does.”

“And how does he look at me?” The words come out slowly because you're not sure if you want to know.

“The only thing I can say for sure is that he never looked at a woman like that.” You finally get to Ragnar's house, and Hvitserk asks a man to help you down. Once you're safe on the ground, he jumps off, telling the man to take the horses. “And I mean it in a good way.”

He puts a hand around your waist, helping as you jump on the right foot until the table in the main hall. “Do you think he–”

“What happened this time?” Aslaug asks, her voice already giving out that she's not happy.

“Twisted ankle. She fell from the horse.”

“Take her to her room, Hvitserk.” The Queen mutters, saying something to the girls who were following her. “And carry her this time if that isn't too much to ask.”

“Alright.” He replies, picking you up with a hand on the small of your back and another under your legs, quickly finding the way to your chambers.

Giggling, you give him a look “I love when your mother–”

“Careful with the teasing this time. I might just drop you to the floor and I don't care if your a princess who fell off a horse.” The fake angry tone makes you laugh again.

“My bad, Prince Hvitserk.” You snap back, rolling your eyes.

Aslaug has her maids help you bathe first, cleaning the dirt that is attached to your face and hair before lying you on the bed again and applying a piece of fabric with cold water on your ankle, keeping it elevated with some pillows. She isn't happy to know the whole story, despite you assuring her it's alright now. You could've died, she said, breaking your neck. But it's useless to worry about what could've happened. The best thing to do now is to focus on the ankle, which she said will be better in a few days, and let the whole incident go.

Later that night, you give little jumps to the main hall to eat something. It's just Ubbe and Bjorn, seated on a table at the corner. Nodding at them, not wanting to chat with Bjorn at the moment, you sit at the edge of the table in the middle, your back turned at both men, taking the jar and pouring yourself something to drink.

“How's your ankle?” Ubbe asks, and you look over your shoulder.

“It's fine. I'll be able to walk normally in a few days. But my back still hurts.” Completely ignoring Bjorn's existence, you turn away from them again.

Drumming your fingers on the table, you wait for the Queen's maids to bring your meal. When you feel someone moving behind your back, you assume it's them, and place your cup further away to open some space. But instead of the bowl with rabbit stew, a necklace is put down before you. And it's absolutely beautiful, with three blue stones surrounded by a golden metal, delicately molded around it. It's different from anything you've ever seen in Wessex. Taking it in your hands, you see Ivar dropping to the seat next to you, and you turn to look at him.

“What is it?” You ask, unable to hide the smile that comes to your lips.

“A necklace.” He simply says, and you roll your eyes at his tone. What a way to ruin the mood.

“Yeah, I noticed.” The smile slowly drops as your eyes go back to the piece, fingertips caressing one of the stones.

“This was made for a princess. Not those cheap things.” He gestures at your bracelet, and you giggle.

“Well, this is absolutely beautiful.” Glancing at him, you find he was already staring. “Is it for me?” You inquire in a lower voice, not wanting to make any assumptions that might embarrass you.

Ivar nods, lightly pushing your shoulder. “Turn around. Let me put it on.”

Doing as he says, you turn your back at him. Ivar takes the necklace and places it around your neck, and you hold your hair up so he can close it on the back. Once he's done, you let the hair fall before turning to face him, folding your left leg and carefully laying the wounded ankle on the bench between you and Ivar. “How does it look?”

You wait for an answer, but it doesn't come. Ivar's eyes were fixed on the necklace, but slowly, they come to meet yours. Tilting your head to the side a little, you feel heat spreading through your cheeks.

Shaking your head lightly and looking down, you take a deep breath. “Have you heard that I fell from a horse this afternoon?” You're glad you got your brain to function, changing the subject. “Twisted my ankle.”

Ivar's stare falls to your bare feet on the bench, the skirt of your dress pulled up to your knee. “Mother told me it was someone else's doing.” As he speaks, Ivar gives an angry stare at where his two brothers are, and it's obvious who he's looking at. “But I think you'll survive.” You feel his fingers caressing your skin, from your knee and down through your calf, so softly you wonder if he's really touching you.

“I will.” You assure him, biting back a smile.

“Ivar,” Ragnar calls, and it does take a while until you both look at where he's standing, near the thrones. “Your mother wants to speak with you.”

“What now?” He asks, annoyed.

“I don't know. Go ask her.” And he disappears.

“Guess I'll have to go.” He glances at you, grabbing the clutch.

But before he can push himself up, you grab his arm. Perhaps you shouldn't do it. Perhaps this whole thing is just some kind of joke he's pulling on you, but still, the necklace is beautiful and he was... Kind. So you lean closer to him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for the gift. It's very beautiful.”

Ivar is frozen, even after you let go of his arm. He stands there, blue eyes locked on yours. Slowly, painfully slow, a smile comes to his lips. And it feels different. True, genuine. “You're welcome, princess.” He whispers before pushing himself up to his feet and walking away.

You're still a little dazed when the rabbit stew comes, and you can do nothing but play with the spoon. But heavy footsteps get your attention, and when you look at your side, you catch a glimpse of a very angry Bjorn disappearing inside.

He saw everything. And it takes you by surprise to notice that, the moment you laid eyes on Ivar, you immediately forgot Bjorn and Ubbe were here. Everything just... Faded away, and there was nothing else, just you and him. And this is not the first time it happens.

×

@multific @revolution-starter @crackhead1-800 @youbloodymadgenius @clown-boyyy @kitten0394 @castielsangelx-blog @goldlion07 @midnightmystic @readsalot73 @xvxcarolinexvx @momowhoo @fangfoxy @msrawog @walkingonshunshine @alytavzla @anotherfan07

[rubykgrant]

okay okay, you've written the grimmons confession, grimmons when the others find out... what happens with the grimmons proposal?

OH HO HO HO

Grif knew EXACTLY what his boyfriend was up to.

It was obvious.

Well, maybe he didn't know each little detail, but Grif definitely knew Simmons was planning something, and there was really only one thing it could be.

The 20 year anniversary of the day Simmons asked him what they had jokingly come to call "the big question" was happening soon. In just a few months, actually. Grif hadn't kept track of that date, because it was just another day in Blood Gulch; it wasn't the first day they arrived, it also wasn't even the day they met (which had happened earlier in training). “The big question” day only became special later, after that stupid conversation turned into a repeating theme when they talked, and eventually turned into something important between the two of them during the whole evil-look-alikes incident. Grif remembered the conversation very well, but not the date.

Simmons had tipped his hand earlier this year by bringing it up himself. He tried to sound casual, like ho-hum, it has just been two whole decades since "the big question", isn't that funny, hahaha...

Yeah, pretty damn funny. Just like it was funny that the two of them had been dating for a few years now, and while some people might not think it was a long time, the fact was Grif and Simmons had actually "been together" for... a while. An expansive while. No more wasting time with a slow-burn, they were in a relationship speed-run now (well, not really; they were just finally having fun doing all kinds of couple-things). It was absolutely hilarious that here they were, boyfriends at last, and had a specific anniversary coming up... one they called "the big question". What ELSE did people call "the big question"?

Grif might not be a genius, but he isn't stupid. He knows what Simmons is planning.

Now he just has to beat him to the punch.

In fact... tonight wasn't especially important. As far as he knew, nothing significant or sentimental had happened with them in their past on this date. Oh, this was gonna be perfect... Simmons wouldn't see it coming.

"Hey, darling..." Grif poked his head into the bedroom. Simmons was sitting in the chair by his desk, typing away on his computer. "You busy?"

"Not especially, sweet-heart..." somehow the two of them had both decided to start using extra-cute lovey-dovey pet-names for each other, in tones that were both sarcastic and yet still genuine. It was the little thrill of knowing how stupid they sounded, but also knowing they really meant it, that made it so fun. "Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking about going out and getting a pizza... " nobody eats pizza as a proposal meal. This was going to be the ultimate fake-out.

"Pizza sounds good... you want to eat at the place, or bring it back here?"

"Maybe we pick it up, but then go eat it somewhere... how about the picnic spot, near the beach?" it was casual, but also just a little bit romantic... because yes, Grif was a softy. As much as he wanted to trick Simmons, he also wanted it to be something nice. "We could get ice cream on the way back,"

"Yeah, that actually sounds pretty good. OK, you go call the pizza place, let me save what I'm doing and get ready. I'll be out in a minute..." Simmons smiled at him before turning back to the computer.

Grif waited until he was out of the room to start grinning. Maybe he really WAS a genius!

After calling ahead to get a medium pizza with pepperoni/mushrooms/olives, two sodas, some cheesy garlic bread, and even a salad (because he knows what his boyfriend will want), Grif grabs the keys and waits by the door. Simmons comes out of the bedroom, pulling a jacket on, and the two of them leave- holding hands.

For an impulsive decision, this was working out even better than Grif had hoped; it isn't dark out yet, but the sun was starting to dip. By the time they got the food and made it through the city to the picnic area, they'd be right in the middle of a picture-perfect sunset. For once luck is on his side, because one of their favorite songs comes on the radio as they drive, putting them both in a good mood. Everything was going smoothly... but it wasn't "special", nothing to make Simmons suspect what was coming his way. Just a regular evening...

Once they have the food in the car and start going toward the beach, Simmons automatically breaks off little bits of cheesy bread to pop into Grif's mouth (so he doesn't take his hands off the wheel as he drives). This is just routine for them any time Grif is driving and they have food in the car, but Grif is sometimes overtaken by how touching this is... so casual, but also very intimate... Simmons does a lot of little things like that for him. Actually, Grif does a lot of little things for Simmons, too... maybe even a few things he doesn't notice, but just come naturally when they're together. God DAMN, Grif loves him.

Nobody else is here; just a large empty parking lot on top of a cliff, several picnic tables, and a guardrail that overlooks the beach. The air outside was still warm, but the ocean below was sending out a rush of coolness. It felt good here. It smelled good, too. Thanks to that sunset, it also looked good.

Grif had to be careful now, if he let himself get all caught up in the romantic atmosphere, he wouldn't be able to surprise Simmons properly. This was just a casual evening, no big deal...

They took the food over to the railing. They ate, sipped their sodas, and talked... there came a moment when they both watched the sun on the horizon of the sea blink out. Grif glances at Simmons right then, sees how peaceful he looks, and Grif knows; right now.

"Hey... I've got a question for you," this was going to be amazing. This was going to be incredible. Simmons was probably going to be a little upset with him at first for ruining whatever surprise that had been planned for the anniversary, but oh well. What was he going to do? Say "no"? Grif can’t even picture that as an option.

"That's a funny coincidence, I've got a question for you too," Simmons says, leaning away from the railing and digging around for something in his jacket pocket. "Will you marry me, Dexter Grif?"

WHAT.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED.

WHAT IN THE HELL JUST HAPPENED.

Grif looks down, and sees that Simmons is holding up a little box in his hand. The kind of little box you keep jewelry in. Jewelry like rings.

"Simmons... what the f- how do you... why do you have that!?"

"Open it," Simmons tells him in a happy little squeak.

"No wait, how do you already- it isn't the anniversary yet! I thought that you were waiting- I thought you were planning something for-" Grif keeps sputtering, caught between anger and delight.

"Open it," Simmons repeats, practically shaking with excitement.

Grif finally does, slowly and carefully...

There are two rings in the box. On looks like gold with a stripe of dark red running through the length of the band. The other is dark red with a stripe of gold.

"I knew you'd probably figure out what I was up to..." Simmons smirks at Grif, very satisfied with how sneaky and crafty he's been. "And besides, once I had the rings made, I was too excited to keep waiting... so I decided, I would hold on to them and let YOU try to ask ME... this was a double-bluff! I expected you to try and fake me out by popping the question on a casual, regular date, and I've been bringing these with me every time we did anything for the last few months!"

Simmons reaches out with his other hand, placing it gently on the side of Grif's face (the side that has the patch of skin that came from Simmons), and gently tilts Grif's chin up to look him in the eyes.

"So, do you have an answer for me? Or is this going to be another one of life's great mysteries?"

Grif tries to think of a come-back, a clever one-liner, something that could qualify as witty banter... and he can't. It was like he had fireworks going off in his brain. Little bursts of joy and sparks of happiness that have destroyed his ability to be a sarcastic smart-mouth. He's even starting to cry. This was all Simmons' fault... Simmons, who always had to get one-up on Grif. Simmons, who was such an arrogant attention-seeker he had to turn a marriage proposal into a game of psychological warfare. Simmons, who couldn't let anybody else have the spot-light. Simmons, who was so cute, and considerate, and sweet, and adorable, and funny, and entertaining, and clever, and smart and dozens of other lovey-dovey words. Simmons, the man Grif loved.

"Yes... I want to marry you, Dick Simmons,"

Grif keeps one hand over the box with the rings as Simmons pulls him close, bringing them together for a kiss. At this point, he's crying too... and as it goes on, they have to pause to gasp for air because they're also laughing; kissing, and crying, and laughing. Once it seems like they can finally breathe, Grif looks at the rings again. He knows which one is for him; the gold with the dark red stripe. He puts it on, and then slips the dark red one with the gold band onto Simmons’ finger. Gold and dark red... orange and maroon~

[nanaminsonyfans]

⛓️Taken⛓️

Masterlist ✨ Requesting Rules

Request; Hey can I request a wei beifong x metal bender!reader were when they are fighting the red Lotus she gets captured and tortured? He goes crazy trying to find her and when they do she is badly hurt. I just want some angst with fluff at the end.

A/N; oh hell yeah. this is ANGST at it’s finest, we love a man in uniform to kick some fucking ass, also in this oneshot we are going to pretend they stayed in zaofu for like two months ^^ rock and roll buckroo

Pairing; Wei Beifong x Fem Metalbender!Reader

Warnings; Kiddnaping, torture, angst, descirption of wounds, cursing

Honestly, everything seemed okay at the time. You were apart of Team Avatar, just growing up as a kid on the streets you found Bolin and Mako, and they decided to take care of you. Birds of a feather stick together. Because you were apart of Team Avatar you got to travel with them to find the rest of the new airbenders. Asumi appreciated having a metalbender on a metal airship. Like, if there’s a dent you’ll bend it out ya know?

Being a metalbender meant you are also an earthbender, you never really liked bending rocks and stuff, plus you could manipulate metal into whatever you imagine. Knives, swords, bracelets, literally anything. When you arrived at Zoafu, you were amazed by how everyone manipulated the metal. A boy had caught your eye, his name was Wei Beifong. He was a twin to a brother named Wing, both the youngest of the family. That was amazing to you, being the youngest one of this entire group.

You both had a lot in common, shared the same sense of humor and competitiveness. You clicked immediately. Fell in love even, he was the flirt that always made you blush. “You look amazing today.” “Green is a great color on you.” “Wow, do you just metalbend? Because something else his bending up.” You always got flustered and stopped what you were doing. If you were bending while he said any of that? It stops immediately and the metal crashes to the ground.

Wei finally asked you out, and you became his girlfriend. You were so fucking happy and so was he. The relationship was amazing, everything was so pure and loving, practicing bending together, cuddles, power naps. Everything with him made you happy. Everyone was so happy for you, Mako and Bolin has never ever seen you that happy. Your smile was simply beautiful and everyone noticed. Korra, your close gal pal noticed more, happy about it. 

Everything changed when the Red Lotus attacked.

Korra was being abducted by them, and because you shared a room with the young Avatar, they took you as well. Knocked you out by hitting your head since they didn’t have another tranquilizer. Your head was bleeding from the force of the blow to your head, leaving a small droplet trail of blood. Pabu woke Mako and Bolin up, both waking up to fight and hopefully save both of you. 

They all tried their best, Wei fought with his aunt and mother to let him go down to save you but being a mother, Suyin refused. They weren’t able to get you, they were fast but Ming-Hua was faster, basically encapsulating your body in water. Bubbles of oxygen rose up to the top, everyone watched in horror as the last bubble rose from your mouth and nose. 

The Red Lotus immediately took you to the hideout that would eventually hold Korra. You woke up to a burning sensation in your chest, you rolled over and started to vomit up water mixed with the last thing you ate. Your head was pounding as you finally regained your vision that was blurry. Your clothing wasn’t the same as what you had on when you went to sleep the other night. More like rags. 

“Don’t bother trying to bend.” A man’s voice said, causing you to flinch and turn towards the voice. A man with tanned skin, broad shoulders, long black hair, and a small and thin mustache. You didn’t recognize this man so your face of confusion caused him to sigh. “I am Ghazan.” Okay, that name rang a bell. You heard of him from adults while growing up, he’s an earthbending master with the unique ability to lavabend. Metalbending was already a substyle of earthbending, but he was the only one you have ever heard of that could lavabend. Even growing up you thought it was a myth.

He also was a criminal, everything was making sense now. You tried to stand up but your chains and registrants only jiggled. “Yuh-You don’t know who I-I am.” You state, fear overtaking your body as if you could sense his power, and that fucking scared you. “You don’t think an earthbending master can’t tell one of their own?” Your eyes widened in which Ghazan just smirked and chuckled softly. “I didn’t know which type but, your face confirmed that suspension.” “Bastard.” You mumbled under your breath earning a slap to the face. “Watch your tone. You are not in control here.” 

Your eyes watered from the hit, your left cheek started to sting from that slap. You tried to bend the chains away to no avail. “Yeah keep trying, you can’t bend platinum.” Ghazan taunted and backed up to the doorway. That’s when you realized you were in a wooden cage, suspending above the ground. You started to panic. “What do you want with me?! I’m not important.” You yell, thinking that they could let you go, they obviously wouldn’t.

“We’ve been doing our best.” Kuvira said to Wei Beifong, who had been worried sick for you for two weeks now. “Well try HARDER.” He hissed and stormed off. “Wei…” Wing sighed and ran after his brother. “Listen, we all care about her and we are looking for her but there’s only so much we can do.” Wing explained to his brother that was now fuming with hatred and anger. “You didn’t care for Y/n the same way I did! You don’t understand how I fell! The person I love his captured and possibly being tortured-” His voice cracked as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. “I don’t even want to think about it.” He sniffled and quickly wiped his eyes before turning down the hall.

Your screams were deafening, this was mostly because Ghazan was burning you with lava, Ming-Hua delicately stabbing your sides with ice spikes, and Zaheer suffocating you then letting you slip unconscious. You felt so weak, like you were on the verge of death but they wouldn’t let you die. That was the worst punishment for you. You just wanted to die or see your friends and boyfriend again. Blood trickled down your leg as you blinked back tears from the spike stabbing your left thigh. Your throat was raw from screaming, so you didn’t even bother with it. Why scream? It’s been clear for weeks that no one was coming to your aid.

To your understanding, it has been five weeks since they originally brought you here. Yes, you were fed, dressed, cleaned, and you had been given water, but doesn’t mean the torture ever stopped. Each passing week they took their frustrations out on you, until you heard other’s come, murmurs of them being Airbenders. ‘Opal, oh my god Opal is with the airbenders.’ 

“Opal! Jinora! Ikki!” You scream, your voice cracking and raw, that’s when you saw then, under your cage. Oh no, these bastards took children? You weren’t anywhere close to the ground so you couldn’t even help them, shit. “Y/n? Oh my spirits you’re okay!” Opal said happily and looked up at you. “Wei? Is-Is he okay?” You whisper weakly and grip the wooden planks with your bloody and bruised body. “He’s worried, hopefully they’ll be here soon…”

It was easy, Korra is going to let the airbenders go and then they would reveal your location. Wei was nervously waiting along with the rest of the Zaofu soldiers, shaking from the anticipation and worry for his girlfriend. “She better be alive.” He mumbled under his breath as they waited on the side of the cliff, remembering the moment he found out you were taken.

Wei’s face fell when Bolin told him what had happened to you, his girlfriend, HIS Y/n. “What?” He snapped, his voice and expression going dark with murderous like intent. “Wei calm down-” Wing started, “Don’t FUCKING tell me what to do.” Wei snapped at his brother and whipped back around to Bolin. “So you’re telling me, you had her, you had them knocked out, and YET you didn’t fucking grab her? You had her in your sights and you didn’t do shit? Ha...haha.” He started to laugh a ran a shaky hand through his hair as tears started to flow down. “She’s gone...and it’s all of YOUR fault.” Wei made the ground beneath him bend into a crater as his emotions got stronger at the loss. He shoved Bolin back and stormed off, leaving a trail of tears behind. 

Wei Beifong was shattered at the loss of his first love. He never gave up hope on finding her, he made SURE everyone was looking for you. No stone was left unturned when searching for you. He was so hurt by this, he swore that the Red Lotus would be fucking obliterated for laying a finger on his Y/n.

Your vision blurred when seeing a familiar tanned skinned girl in blue, but your ears worked. “Strap the Avatar to the platinum chains, and let that earthbender down, she’s too weak to even hold her head up. Bring her to where the Avatar will be held.” The familiar voice spoke, Zaheer. Fuck sake, you were gonna die. You let out a bitter chuckle as you were dragged out of the cell by Ming-Hua and her waterbending. “You’re going to try and kill the Avatar yeah? Good luck, she’s a tough nut to crack. I doubt you’ll be able to do it.” 

Taunting earned you a firm slap to the face which made your vision get spotty and blurry for a second while your head spun. “Do you really want your last word to be bitter and taunting?” Ming asked with snark in her tone. “How’d you know? Really, I’ve been begging for the past three weeks now, thank you for finally taking that request.” You said faintly and breathlessly as you felt yourself loose consciousness. “Fuh...Fuck you...you…” You whisper as you tried to fight the sleep. ‘Damn, I really failed again huh? This shit sucks.’

Your ears rang as your eyes fluttered open, you heard movement, the earth under you was moving, you felt every vibration, you heard whooshes of fire, and a voice. Bolin? Mako? “...Y/n?! Y/n!” The familiar voice of Bolin called out to you. You coughed and looked around, moving your head. “Bo...lin?” You were weak, your voice showed that. “We have to go.” Mako said as he ran over to you, the entire cave seemed to shake. “If I’m going down, SO ARE YOU!” Ghazan yelled as boulders crashed down. The firebender scooped you up in his arms as he ran, Bolin following close behind. “Don’t drop her!” “I am not going to drop her! She weighs like nothing Bolin!” You laughed softly at their sibling bickering. 

“Tha...Thank you...Mako.” You whisper weakly, cupping his cheek. “Y/n save your energy.” Mako said, all big brother like because that’s our beloved mako. You squinted when you got outside. “Y/N?!” Wei’s voice snapped you toward the boy. He rushed over and took you from Mako’s arms. “What...what did they do to you?”

Your legs were covered in burns, gashes, bruises, your collarbone had semi-deep cuts, bruises around your neck, black eye, busted lip, bleeding nose. There wasn’t one place that wasn’t injured. Your hands seemed to be the worst. Your fingertips seemed like they were shaved down, your nails ripped out, and your knuckles bloody and bruised. 

“That doesn’t matter…” You whisper, tears running down your cheeks. “You came for me?” Your voice was soft, almost in disbelief. “Y/n, I never stopped looking.” Wei whispered back and took your hand, kissing your bloody knuckles. “Your safe now.” He said calmly as he noticed you shaking and trembling. Six weeks, that’s how long you were there. Finally, you were safe.

✨Epilogue✨

After a year of healing, you were finally able to do everything you did before you were kidnapped. When you were found, you had brain trauma from the constant suffocating and you had some nerve damage. You recovered, not fully but enough to be able to nothing for yourself, you regained your comfortability to bend again! Wei was with you every step of the way. He did his best to help you and honestly? That was enough for you. You had grown closer with his family as well, them being your family too now. I mean, you were obviously going to marry Wei so everyone accepted it. 

You fought along side them when Kuvira was being like, a major bitch, and Toph had taken a liking to you! After everything happened, a few years later once Wei and you turned 20 you finally had a wedding. Everyone was so happy, Bolin was your maid of honor because he apparently called dibs. You looked simply beautiful and Wei started crying because after everything, he’s just happy to have you, safe and sound.

[lunarastrobabe]

Sam Drake x F!Reader- Thief

(Mainly Fluff. No warnings.) 

“Look Sam, just admit it, we’re lost.” You whined, folding the map back up and stuffing it into your fanny pack that was slung across your chest. The snow crunching under your combat boots as you walked, the icy wind nipping at your skin like sharp needles. The sun was out, shining across the snow making it sparkle like glitter. 

You were in Sweden chasing some leads on lost Viking Treasure, but this time with just you and Sam. Nate had a baby on the way, even though he wished he could come, he needed to look after Elena. You had both been left with an empty, unsatisfied feeling after finding Avery’s treasure few months before, but with Sam, it hit him hard the most. But being here with him, now, was all you ever wanted. You two were just friends, but he was your best friend, you could always count on him whenever you were in trouble or whenever you needed support, he was always there. You were in love with him, and you had been for a long time, all you wanted to do was tell him but never found the right time. You were hoping he already knew. 

“We are not lost, you just don’t know how to read a map.” He said in a snarky tone, walking up beside you and unzipping your fanny pack and pulled out the map again so he could take a closer look at it. 

“You’re an ass. You know I’m smarter than you.” You elbowed him in the rib. He jerked a little clutching his side with his hand. 

“Rude.” A light laugh left his lips, his breath showing from the cold, turning his head and smiling at you. “Now, lets see where we are.” He carefully scanned the map, you just watched him with a smile on your face, taking in every little detail and aspect of his skin, his hair blowing in the breeze. His hazel eyes had a glow from the suns rays, you could look into them forever, like tiny golden pools. Being in Sweden with Sam reminded you of being in Scotland with him and Nate, with Nadine’s army blowing shit up every five seconds. 

“Right, we are here. We need to get to that wooden structure over there.” His fingers pointed to the area on the map then to a building in the distance, luckily it was still standing but who knows, everything you’ve stepped foot on in the past has either exploded or fallen apart. You weren’t listening to a word he said, too busy falling even more in love with him than he already knew. He felt your eyes on him, folding the map and putting it into his sherpa jacket pocket. 

“Like what you see, hm?” He said in a seductive, husky tone purposely in your ear then pushed your shoulder gently to get your attention back to the mission. Your cheeks felt a burning sensation, either from the cold or from embarrassment for staring for so long. You snapped yourself out of it and scoffed, “You wish Samuel,” then rolling your eyes and continued walking along the path along the cliff, staying as far away from the edge as possible. 

“Alright, so what exactly are we looking for?” You asked, putting your hands in your pockets to keep warm, you were freezing, and you were sure he was too, even if he wouldn’t admit it. You looked at the ground and at every step you took, kicking snow off your boots as you went along, tucking some hair behind your ear.

“Well, it’s a very, very old viking helmet, supposedly encrusted with the finest jewels and diamonds.” A smile was brought to his face, he loved to talk about hidden treasures and artefacts, especially talking to you about it in particular. He was thankful that you’d listen to him, for hours even, sometimes he would come over to your place at four in the morning just to talk about lost cities. 

“And how much is it worth? Um, do you think?” You stopped in your tracks to look at him, the excitement was showing in him and he couldn’t contain himself. 

“Not as much as Avery’s treasure but, a great amount,” He shrugged. “I’m just glad I’m not searching for it alone.” Your chest tightened slightly at his words, you swore you could feel the love rising inside of you. 

“Me too.” Was all you could say, you just so badly wanted to tell him you loved him, that you loved every scar, every wound, every scratch and mark that covered his body and that you still thought he was perfect. 

“We should start climbing now.” You said looking up at the tall black cliff that stood before you and rubbed your hands together to keep them warm. 

“Need a boost m’lady?” He smirked, he always liked to give you the first boost, just to get a good look at your ass every chance he got. 

“Thank you, loverboy.” You gave him a flirtatious wink as he crouched down a little in front of you holding out both his hands on his knee. Holding onto his shoulders you stood in his hands and he pushed you upside the cliff, grabbing onto the first hand hold you saw incase you fell. Falling to your death into a black abyss was not on your agenda right now. Sam watched you in awe at your skills and your strength, memories of yours and his friendship from the Avery job was circling his mind, wishing he had made a move before, wishing he had kissed you back in Italy when you were in that skin tight, red dress that brought out your eyes. That night he couldn’t take his eyes off of you, almost forgetting to steal the cross from the auction. And the time you also got shot while he tried to cover you, he still blames himself for getting you hurt but you were a strong girl, and you still are and he knew that. Not realising you were at the top of the cliff already while he was drowning in his own thoughts about you, you called down to him, catching his attention. 

“Sam? Are you coming or are you going to just stand there?” You shouted down to him, he snapped from his thoughts and laughed awkwardly. 

“Yes ma’am.” Talking to himself, he ran his fingers through his hair and jumped up, climbing the cliff faster than you could but he was more trained than you at scaling high places and considering he was taller. He grunted, pulling himself up on the ledge and standing up, brushing the snow off his jeans. You felt your hands get colder, he noticed you shivering, since you were high up the wind was a little stronger and a lot more colder. Fuck, you hated winter when you weren’t inside your home, drinking hot cocoa, reading Sam and Nate’s mom’s journal by the fireplace, wondering how amazing of a mother she was to them. 

“Hey, you’re cold. C’mere.” He quickly wrapped his hands around yours before you could say anything, he brought your hands to his lips, giving them small warm kisses, his eyes looking into yours. His surprisingly warm hands making you feel safe and secure. All you could do was smile, “Thanks Sam.” You whispered, he pulled you a little closer to him by the hands, holding them to his chest. 

“Anytime darlin’,” His smile was your favourite thing about him. He removed his hands from yours and wrapped them around you holding you tight against him to keep the warmth in before resuming your quest. His chin settled on the top of your head, your ear was pressed to his chest and you could hear his heart pounding a million miles an hour. His cologne was strong, but he wasn’t wearing a lot. 

“[Y/N]?“ He felt like his chest was going to explode at what he was about to say. He was nervous, but it was a good feeling. He was sure of it. He wasn’t usually nervous around women, he was actually very confident in flirting and making moves on the girls he’d come across in bars, or on the job. He knew this was something real, something different with you.  

“Hm?” You lifted your face away from his chest and looked up at him. 

“I have to tell you something.” He pulled back from the hug, taking a seat down on the snow away from the edge of the cliff you had climbed up from. 

“Okay, is everything alright?” Your voice was full of worry, going over and sitting beside him, stretching your legs out in front of you. 

“Yeah, yeah everything’s fine, it’s just-,” He tied up the laces tighter on his boots, accidentally kicking snow at you. Brushing it away you watched him, waiting for his explanation. 

“Sam, spit it out, we got a lot of ground to cover. You can tell me anything.” You placed a hand on his shoulder, gently touching his cheek with your thumb. 

He turned to face you. Taking a deep breath, hoping you wouldn’t run away or slap him for what he was about to say. 

“I love you.” He reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear. 

“Sam-, I-, wha-, really?” You were surprised, but not that surprised, he would always find a way to make you notice him, sometimes he’d find a way to ‘accidentally’ touch your hands or your body or compliment you at any given time. 

He chuckled, “Yeah, really.” He felt proud, he felt good about himself that he was finally able to tell you, especially in a beautiful country such as Sweden and sitting in the snow looking at the view, with a pink and blue sunrise shining over the mountains. 

You leapt over and pushed his back to the ground, straddling his body, his hands immediately attaching to your waist. Leaning down you whispered in his ear, he shivered at the feeling more than the cold ever could. 

“I love you too.” He moved his hand to your face bringing you to look at him, pushing your hair out of his face and gripping your neck gently, finally kissing you like he had been begging to do. Your tongues making contact with each other, the nicotine and breath minty taste collided with your tastebuds. Kissing for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes, he pulled back just to gaze into your eyes once again, his hazel eyes glowing with happiness. 

“Goddamn I’m a lucky man.” He sighed happily, running his fingers through your hair. 

“What can I say? A thief stole my heart.” Both laughing you went in for another passionate kiss. 

[skitter-kitter]

Fic Recs

Here are a few fics I’ve read recently! They’re all in my bookmarks on ao3. There’s only a few, but I’ll probably make more of these lists! There’s a lot of fandoms I’ve put in the list, so they’ll be sorted by that.

They Let Him In by Shay_Nioum

Sanders Sides

Logan dwells in the aftermath of his plans being pushed to the side once again.

A really interesting logan-centric fic! I really enjoyed the use of the orange side in this, and the ending was really well done.

Orange Eyed Delight by Shay_Nioum

Sanders Sides

Virgil finds out about Logan's orange eyes.

Honestly loved this!! I wasn’t expecting it to be Virgil’s POV at first but it really shows his perspective well. I love his panic, and how it evolves from his normal paranoia to the decision to be there for Logan. Him comforting Logan was a really nice end! Plus the parallels with him leaving the dark sides with him thinking Logan would leave the light sides was really good!

My Darlin’, What Did You Expect? by Cultivation

The Walten Files

Five times Felix pines for Jack and one time Jack notices.

Really loved the descriptions in this! You can really tell how deeply in love Felix is with Jack. Plus, as always, love the author’s use of the time period!

Since You Don’t Remember by Cultivation 

The Walten Files

“How much is left ‘till we get home?”

Edd’s voice sounds… afraid. He swallows.

“Not much. I’m just kinda lost, I think.”

“Uncle Felix?” Molly says. “Were you drinking?” His fingers are still at the wheel. The radio fills the silence. “Our teacher says drinking is not good—”

“No, no, no— I’m just— I’m just— I’m just feeling dizzy. It’s not that big of a deal, alright?” Molly shifts nervously in the rearview.

“Alright,” says Edd.

“I wanna go home.”

Felix repeats the day— again and again.

And, he can never forget what he did the first time.

Little Molly and little Edd… left to rot in shallow graves.

He can never forgive himself. No matter how many times he tries to fix it.

(CW/TW in the tags!)

This fic is amazing. One of my all-time favorites for the fandom. It’s a time-loop fic of Felix going through the day he crashed the car, and him desperately trying to save the kids. Fucking adored the repetition in this! Can’t hear “It’s ringing, ringing… and ringing” without having flashbacks. 

Revenant by Bee_4

Dream SMP

Jack Manifold will keep the fire burning in his chest, or he will die.

This proves to be a problem when Tommy has been the thing keeping him burning for so long, but there is a solution to that, isn't there? Why not just... go back to hell, and pull Tommy out himself? What, like it could be that hard? (And hell, as always, reaches terrible hands back out for Jack.)

Honestly, I adore the descriptions in this fic. The way Jack throws himself into his goal of getting Tommy back is honestly terrifying to watch. Loved this fic!!

These steep woods and lofty cliffs by Rimeme

Harry Potter

He lets himself think about it—what a life without magic, without Voldemort, without this constant looming expectation to perform at the whims of the wizarding world might be like—and he feels little more than relief and an itch to get going already.

---

Overcome by grief and guilt after Sirius’s death, Harry leaves the wizarding world behind for a new life across the pond. As an unassuming Muggle, his life is ordinary and unglamorous, but fate eventually has its way of drawing him back to where he’s meant to be.

AU after Order of the Phoenix

A really enjoyable Harry Potter AU. I really love how they completely shifted the script, but manage to explain Harry’s life leaving without boring the reader. Honestly, I’m loving everything with voldemort and Harry in this fic!

running through the darkness with his own becoming light by imadetheline

Star Wars

His troops have already been through here, clearing out any remaining rebels and important information that may have been left behind. The transports are already taking off outside. Vader can hear them, feel the rumble beneath his feet, as well as sense the life forms moving towards the Executor waiting in orbit.

He is the only one here, standing like a spectre of death in the rubble and ruins that have been his companions for years. Only now are they beginning to wear on him and join the swirling emptiness his chest cannot contain.

Or: Luke leaves pieces of himself in every evacuated base and Vader is left trying to piece together the clues of his son's life without him.

Love the character study of luke through Vader’s POV. It’s the little details that Luke himself would never notice. I really loved this fic, the descriptions of everything luke leaves behind really manages to create a story of Luke’s life without ever truly having him in the story.

Keep quite still and wait by dimtraces

Star Wars

Decades after his brother’s death, there is little else left for Maul to seek but revenge—against Sidious, Kenobi, the galaxy—and the power to exact it with. He’s found a rumor of one such weapon. He should have expected a trap.

God. This fic. I’ve thought about it for MONTHS. It’s so good, it has Maul’s angst about his brother. Someone trying to help maul, only to fail. It has a monster taking on Savage’s face to manipulate Maul!!

That was just a hint of some of my bookmarks. Hope you enjoyed!

[kpop-sports-books-series-fangirl]

I can’t focus (Peter Parker X Fem!Reader)

Masterlist

Request form and prompt list

Plot - Y/N is late for her tutoring session.

Warnings - None

Requested? - Yes!

I ran. I ran, clutching the folder to my chest, my shoes hitting the pavement loudly, making a clunking sound. My breath uneven and my lungs burning as I try to push myself to go faster, the wind rushing past my ears.

I come to a sudden stop at the entrance of the small apartment and take a second to catch myself before flying up the flight of stairs.

I am late for my tutoring session again because I forgot it was at Peter’s house this time.

I take a moment to catch my breath as I knock on the front door. May opens the door.

I smile at her, “Hey May! Is Peter in there? Ok thanks, I’m going to his room!” I say quickly, not letting her reply as I run into the house and to his room. I don’t knock, I just swing the door open dramatically, and start explaining my (again) late self to Peter before realizing he isn’t waiting for me like he usually does.

“Yeah, (Y/N), Peter isn’t home yet, but you can wait for him, I’m sure he’ll be here soon,” She smiles at me. “Oh, I’m sorry for barging in like that,” I say sheepishly, scratching the back of my neck.

“It’s okay, really, make yourself comfortable,” she tells me as she leaves the room. “Would you like anything?” she asks from the kitchen.

“Nope I’m good, thank you!” I say back.

I close the door and fume for a minute. I literally ran because I thought I was late, but he doesn’t even bother showing up at his own house!

I place the folder down on the desk and plop down on Peter’s bed. I observe the room, star wars posters hanging from all walls, all kinds of things scattered around the floor.

I plug in my earphones and hit play on my playlist.

I get up and run my hand over the books messily stuffed in the bookshelf, skimming the titles. Nothing interesting.

I pluck the sock lying at the edge of his desk and scrunch my nose from just imagining the smell. I drop it back down and decide to organize the room a bit.

I pick up all the clothes strewn over the place and leave them in a pile next to the door. I pick up random lego pieces and find an empty box and them in it. I place the box on the bookshelf. Then, I take out all the books and organize them into the bookshelf size-wise.

Just as I turn around to find something else to organize, I see the door and a wide-eyed Peter looking at me, one earbud in hand. I pause my music too.

“Hi!” I volunteered as he made no attempt to- do anything really. “May let me in, I- uh, the place was a bit of a mess so I kind of cleaned it up, I didn’t do much, just picked up all the tiny lego pieces, organized the books, and placed all the clothes in a pile there,” I point at said thing.

“Um- ” He says flustered, “Yeah, yeah it’s fine.”

“So, why are you late?” I ask him.

“Um, I just got caught up with Ned, I’m sorry,” he apologizes. “Okay, well, can we get started, please? I have somewhere to be in an hour,” I say, glancing at the clock on the wall.

“Sure, so what subject are we doing today?” He asks as he makes his way over to his desk and swings off his bag.

“We have a chem test tomorrow, so can we review that first?” I ask him. He simply nods, opening his chemistry textbook.

I grab the extra chair in his room and settle next to him. He starts going over the topics, but I can’t focus on that as I observe his face. Not in a creepy way, but I started zoning out after the first line, just watching him talk, then I noticed how good he actually looked without trying. It’s unfair really.

I didn’t see the way his eyes glanced at me to see if I was listening and then look back at me. I didn’t notice when he cleared his throat. “(Y/N),” I snapped back into reality.

“Yes?” I ask, hoping he won’t question me on something he was saying.

“Were you even paying attention?” He asks.

“I think so?” It comes out like a question.

He chuckles and shakes his head. “At this rate, you’re going to fail the test,” he chides.

“Right, sorry,” I say, turning back to the textbook.

I felt vibrations as he scooted his chair closer towards me, he chuckled and flipped the page.

I look upwards and blush at the proximity of our faces.

“Um, I need a break, I can’t focus right now.” I blurt out.

He raises an eyebrow but nods anyway.

“Okay, pack your things, there’s this really good ice cream shop I found recently,” he says enthusiastically as he gets his things together.

I just put my things back in my folder and leave them on his desk. Tucking my phone in my back pocket, I make my way out of the room. Peter follows me out and informs May we’re going out.

We walk down the stairs, side by side. Peter walks a little ahead of me, guiding me.

“So, what’s up with you recently?” I ask him as I fall into step with him.

“We literally just met up two days ago,” he says, glancing towards me. “So, nothing really new, what about you?”

“Well, I saw this really cute dog the other day and I’ve been trying to convince dad to let me get one, but you know, the same excuses. You’re not responsible enough. You can’t take care of the dog.” I reply, ranting.

“Well, isn’t it true?” He asks, chuckling. “No, I am very much capable of taking care of a dog!” I defend myself.

“Really?”

“Yup!”

“You really think so?”

“Yup?”

“I mean, with us about to get into college soon, all the studies, extra activities...tutoring...do you really think you’ll be able to take care of a dog as well?”

As it dawns on me, Peter slightly smiles. When I see this, I pout and look away. I hate being wrong.

“Anyways, we’re here!”

I look ahead to see a tiny shop across the street, its bright and vibrant colors make it stand out from the rest of the monotone grey-colored stores in the line.

The wind was howling, carrying a plastic bag in swirls along with it.

Peter looks both ways of the street before crossing it, I follow.

The door opens with a ‘ding’, letting everyone know of our presence. The cool air of the air conditioning hits my face as I walk through the doors.

Rubbing my palms together, I try to warm myself up from the sudden change in temperature.

Peter walks straight to the counter where the multicolored array of sweet, cold heaven was displayed. As he chooses what he wants, I observe the cones stacked up in the corner.

I peek over his shoulder, eager to get a look at the treat I’m getting.

Peter finally orders chocolate with no toppings. As the staff is getting that ready, I narrow my choices down to; Oreo shot, Vanilla, and Cookies and cream.

“Hey, Pete,” I whisper to him, not wanting to disturb anyone. “Which should I get out of these three?” I ask, pointing at the respective flavors.

“I’d say go with oreo shot, it sounds really good!” He says as he takes his ice cream, thanking the staff.

“Yes ma’am, what would you like today?” He turns to ask me.

“Um, I’ll go with the oreo shot in a cone please!” I say politely, smiling.

“Any toppings?” He asks back cheerfully. “Chocolate chips, kit kats, and some chocolate sauce,” I list everything I want.

He hands me the cone and Peter offers to pay, but pauses when he looks at the bill.

Stopping Peter, I take out my purse and pay, “I was the one who wanted a break anyway, it’s on me this time,” My father is pretty rich, so I didn’t mind spending money.

Thanking the cashier, Peter and I head out.

“Ooh! I know the perfect place, not too far from here!” I tell him as I grab his wrist, and drag him behind me.

I take him past a few streets and make him close his eyes as I lead him through a little patch of woods, towards a cliff.

It overlooks the whole city- and at sunset, it looks even prettier.

The orange tinting the buildings, the birds chirping in the cool, humid air.

I let Peter open his eyes and he gasps at the sight. I observe his face as he takes in the scenery.

He looks back to me and breaks into the biggest grin I’ve ever seen. “This is amazing...it’s perfect,” He says.

“I know!” I say as I sit down, letting my legs dangle over the ledge. The ground is only 10 feet below us.

Peter takes a seat next to me and starts eating his ice cream. I do too.

We enjoyed each other’s presence in silence.

Suddenly, Peter breaks the silence, “So, I thought you had to be somewhere in an hour?” he asks.

I look at the time and realize that it’s already late, but I’m enjoying this too much to let that bother me. “Yeah, I can reschedule,” I smirk.

“So, why were you staring at me earlier?” He asks me. I blush and I look away.

“I-I like you,” I confess.

“Wait- you do?” His eyes widen.

“Yeah. Why?”

“No, it’s just- I thought you were gay? I’ve only seen you date girls,” He says.

I chuckle, “No, I’m bisexual, which means attraction to 2 or more genders,” I explain. “I am attracted to all genders,” I wait for his reaction.

A few seconds later, he asks, “Then, um- doesn’t that make you pan?”

“No, it doesn’t make me pan. Bisexual, pansexual, gay, lesbian, all of these are just labels. For example, some women prefer being called gay instead of lesbian, it’s just their choice. Some don’t like to label themselves and just call themselves queer, which is also completely fine. Just like that, I prefer being called bisexual, not pansexual, it’s as simple as that. What you have to do, is just accept the person as they are, and respect them, because they are humans just like you,”

“So, you like me?” He asks, shyly.

“That’s what you concluded from all of this?” I ask, blood rushing up to my cheeks. I look away, trying to hide the blush.

“Yeah, because, I-” He takes a deep breath, “I like you too,”

I stare into his eyes for a moment, trying to find any hint that he is lying or just messing with me. When I don’t, my eyes flick down to his lips.

I look back into his eyes for permission, but he’s already closed the gap, my lips on his, and my eyes flutter close.

His lips tasted like the chocolate ice cream he was eating.

It’s a short but sweet kiss. When we pull away, I keep my eyes closed for a few seconds before opening them to the sight of his hazel eyes.

“The oreo shot really is good, I should get it next time,” he whispers.

I giggle at it, not knowing how else to react.

“So, what are we?” I ask him.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I would love to,” I grin so widely my cheeks hurt.

“We really should get going though, it’s getting late, May and your parents will worry,” Peter says to me.

“Yeah,”

We both walk back through the woods, and as we reach the road, I slip my hand into his.

“You know, I’m kinda glad I couldn’t focus, this was perfect.”

A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked my first Peter Parker imagine! If you have any requests, you can leave them in the comments or message me separately!

-TheBlueBookworm is out~~!!!

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

HASO, “Saint.”

This is a bit short today, but we were also short-staffed at work so I didn’t have a lot of time. I hope you like it anyway

Sunny sat beside the pool of water, her spear resting across her knees watching the strange Drev as he knelt by the pool staring at the water below him. She still couldn’t tell how old he was. He could have been as young as she or older than her father had been when he passed, but either way she couldn’t tell.

The dark black of his carapace undulated so black it reflected blue.

They didn’t speak for a very long time, and she closed her eyes thinking quietly to herself as the sun rose overhead.

With the way the mountain encroached in around them, they didn’t see the sun for more than an hour or so before it sunk below the high cliff face once again. Moss was soft below her, and when the sun hit it it burned white hot, but she closed her eyes and relaxed taking long, slow deep breaths through the breathing holes at her neck. In for several seconds and out for several seconds until the world around her seemed to fade away.

In her mind it felt as if she could hear the thrumming of an engine, the Omen whirring above her in the darkness, comforting and warm like the arms of a parent. She missed its warm darkness…. Or did she just miss Adam who she associated to heavily with that place, with the ship.

It occurred to her just then that…. Well she didn’t really associate him with anything else.

The thought gave her a wave of displeasure as she realized.

His identity had been so tied up in his job and ho he was that she…. Well she wasn’t entirely sure if she had ever known him otherwise. Had she just been in love with an idea, had she just loved him simply because no one else had ever seemed willing to try. He was.... The captain of a spaceship, and that was simply everything.

It made her sad sadder than she would have liked to admit.

He had seemed so much more to her then that, so much more than just his job, but th more she thought about him the more she realised she couldn’t rationalize why she had thought that, and what sort of logic had brought her to that original conclusion. He was hollow, a representation of something amazing on the outside but filled with sawdust in the middle.

It wasn’t commentary on him of course. These thoughts weren’t here to make her regret or even to convince herself that he hadn’t been worth it because he had.

He was just…. So lost.

The past few days had convinced her not to feel sorry for herself. That wasn’t the way of the Drev.

But thinking about him, lost and alone, a gossamer through of a person with an identity not his own. She wanted to weep for him, feeling more sorry for the man than she ever had for herself. She thought she understood him now.

Sunny knew she understood.

He was a man who knew he was broken, a half man constructed from one thought. He didn’t believe himself worthy of someone’s attention and so had let her go to save her the hurt of bein with someone like him. He was wrong, of course, but she understood the logic.

In the same way that she would rather take any physical punishment so he would never have to experience it is the same way he would take any emotional punishment to protect her. Inside her chest her heart slowed and her body grew still under the sun, growing warm and then cool as the shadows passed over her.

Until there was nothing.

“It is good to see that drev of your generation have mastered such mental discipline and patience.”

She opened her eyes looking in consternation at the dark Drev who now sat before her, not feet away, and facing her.

She thought she would have noticed him approach, but evidently had been too caught up in her own musings to notice.

On his lap, the Drev held a decorative silver spear with intricate carvings up the side, and the blade sharpened to deadly cutting points by the most artfully crafted Drev obsidian under which would have been a steel and iron cutting edge for when the obsidian was likely to break. It was the most beautiful weapon Sunny had ever seen and she stared at it in awe.

“In past epochs many foolish and impatient Drev have been weeded out by this one simple test.”

Se frowned, “What test.”

He hummed in amusement, “Patience. They storm in here spears bristling and demand I teach them the way of the saints. They threaten and hey rage, and sometimes they would demand I duel them, those that demanded a duel never left this place. But patience is a thing not many Drev understand, for striking first may be advantageous, but the ability to wait for the perfect moment, is a skill not many acquire. Before that there were others, those who would almost have the patience but then would break the silence too early. Sometimes it took them weaks to pass the test with their incessant questions , you're not the first who has come to me, bu you are the first to pass this simple test.”

Sunny looked down at her feet, “I am afraid it is not patience so much as… preoccupation with other things.”

The other Drev seemed to be pleased with this revelation, “Using silent meditation to sort your thoughts is a worthy endeavor, and shows someone with an active mind. Tell me…. Did you find any peace in your thoughts.”

Sunny looked up at the distant blue sky and the clouds that rolled down from above, “I think I did.”

He seemed pleased.

“That’s good, you are further along than most of the Saints were when they came to my mountain.”

Sunny stared at him, “You talk as if you were there, but you can’t be that old.”

He chuckled, “Perhaps I was, perhaps I wasn’t. It's hard to remember with a life like mine. Maybe I was an extension of someone else, maybe I was told the stories as a child as if they were my own. Who can say. Regardless, you have already mastered the skills of patience and careful thought, which is not something that is often common in those who come to my mountain.” 

“What IS common.”

He sighed, “Impatience mostly, a lust for power, greed. They don’t usually last long.” 

There was silence between them for a long moment, “What’s your name/”

“Naktan Chal but Naktan will do, and yours?”

“Chalan.”

“The name seems like a stranger on your lips.”

She shrugged sheepishly, “I am not used to hearing my name spoken in my own tongue.”

He tilted his head in curiosity, “And what tongue do you hear you name in.”

“The tongue of humans.”

“Humans.” he seemed surprised, “I have never seen a human. I have heard their ships, and their war machines, but have never ventured down from my mountain.”

“Sunny is what they call me.”

“What strange sounds, but surprisingly melodic.” he tilted his head, “tell me, Sunny, why are you here and what do you hope to achieve while on my mountain.”

“It is complicated.”

“The whole story then.”

She sighed, “I assume you can see that I am…. I am….”

“I see that you are short, is that what we are getting at?”

She looked down at the turquoise water, “yes.”

“And?’

He didn’t seem to care and she looked up at him in surprise.”

“Everything, everything about you is an opportunity to take an advantage on the battlefield. Some of our traditions are steeped in lies and the misconstrued words of a few confused prophets. Traditions often become twisted and as times go on. The important part of that particular piece of spiritual doctrine is if you can lift a spear. If you cannot lift a spear is when the original wording of the original doctoring takes effect. Though you are small, you can lift a spear, if you only have one hand, you can lift a spear. The tradition of the recycling only comes when the Kit being born has defects so severe they cannot lift a spear.”

“If a kit were born blind?”

“The kit can still lift a spear, can still smell and feel the currents of wind, can still hear the thundering of feet on the ground and the spear whistling through the air.”

Sunny stared at him in awe, “I had…. No idea that's what the…. Original doctrine said..”

“No one remembers. There is a certain air of elitism in the new drev tradition.”

Sunny paused and nodded, “I think that is what I wish to change.” he listened intently, “I fought the humans, during the Drev war…. Do you know of it?”

“I am kept appraised, yes.”

“Well no one expected me to be good at fighting because of my…. Disfigurement. When the Drev war came along I finally found a foe, I thought I could beat, but when we ripped them apart they came back later with synthetic limbs and we lost the war. In an effort to fight against a mother who never approved of me, I went to learn from the humans, thinking that maybe they could help me. I learned in that time that…. The way we have been doing things, may be done better. That we could learn from them, and in my travels across the universe, that assurance has only grown. I wish to bring the Drev into a new age of martial doctrine, one that matches with the universe we have found ourselves a part of. I want to keep the old tradition alive, and by doing that I know that it has to change.”

Naktan stared at her his fance unreadable for a long moment, but then he bowed his head, and when he looked up again his yellow eyes were twinkling with some sort of…. Merriment, or perhaps excitement.

Either way she couldn’t tell, but supposed the expression was a good one.

“The saints smiled down upon you, wanderer.” 

He stood, and with the tip of his spear, he reached out and touched the surface of the water causing a delicate wave of ripples to roll out over the pool, “I will guide you in the right of creation.” he rolled the ip of the spear in the other direction, “I will guide you on a journey to bring the martial doctrine of the Drev into a new age. I cannot tell you how long it will take, and I cannot guarantee you will leave as the same Drev who came here. But I can promise you, that I am glad to see you, and I am pleased to help in your honorable efforts.”

He kicked up a wave of water into the air, and when he did shining sparks of clear seemed to refract rainbows against the sky.

“Sleep, and tomorrow we begin.”

“And may you begin your journey unto sainthood.”

[artificialqueens]

Ever in Your Favor, Chapter Three (Rosnali) - Athena2

Summary: Rosé and Denali arrive at the Capitol Training Center and begin training, all while Denali tries to come up with a strategy that will help them survive.

A/N: Thank you so much for the lovely feedback on chapter two! There's a bit more action in this one, and I really hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much to Writ for beta-ing! Please leave some feedback if you'd like, I really appreciate it.

The Training Center is as big and white and gleaming as always, so tall Rosé has to crane her neck to see the top. Even though she was scared her first time arriving here sixteen years ago, part of her was excited by such a huge building, by the huge room that was all hers, no parents nagging her to start homework or sisters barging in to steal hair brushes. In the years since, she’s come to hate this place, walls heavy with anger and fear and sleepless nights in a bed soft enough that it shouldn’t cause them.

They’re in the Capitol now, miles from the coal-dusted world of District 12 in every sense. Everything here comes at the push of a button, and there are so many to choose from. There are ones in the train compartment to regulate temperature and recline the seats, and once they get to their rooms, they’ll face so many buttons in the shower that Rosé almost flooded the bathroom trying to figure them out her first time there. She hates how familiar it’s become. Hearing her name yesterday felt like a dream, but now that they’re here it feels like her old life in District 12 was the dream, and her home has always been and will always be in this center, in the arena.

No.

She doesn’t ever want this to feel like home. Home is the smell of fresh bread and flour clinging to hands. Home is her father whistling songs for her mother while he decorates cakes. Home is her sisters wrapping her in a blanket and loving her even on days she’s sure she doesn’t deserve it. The Capitol will never be home.

She and Denali are awake when the train pulls up to the center. They had stayed awake all night, sitting together even though Manila offered them private sleeping compartments. But Rosé didn’t want to be alone and unable to sleep, so she figured it was better to be unable to sleep with Denali instead. Less lonely, at least. The world faded through the windows as they stuffed themselves with every donut the dining car offered, washing it all down with hot coffee--nothing like the watery stuff in District 12--to ward off sleep. Rosé wonders if the Games made Denali scared to sleep around people, like they did to her.

“Good morning! Rise and shine, everyone!” Manila crows from the doorway. She’s changed into a hot pink dress with a matching hat, frowning at Rosé and Denali’s rumpled clothes.

“Morning,” Denali says, while Rosé just grunts. Everything feels too heavy to rise or shine right now.

“I hope you’ll be more cheerful for the cameras,” Manila frets. “Interviews aren’t far off, they’re—”

“We know, Manila!” Rosé snaps. She knows Manila means well, that she’s trying to help them create a good public image and survive. But Rosé has been awake for over 30 hours and she’s not in the mood. The reaping feels like a lifetime ago, a lifetime Rosé has felt every year in. She sighs. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired. We’ll be fine in the interviews, I promise,” she says, because Manila’s face has fallen and Rosé doesn’t have the energy to be mean.

“We will,” Denali agrees.

“Of course,” Manila says happily, because nothing bothers her for long. “Let’s go to your rooms. We could all use some rest.”

They follow without protest, up to the same floor and into the same rooms they always stay in. Are the other floors already filled with their tributes? Tributes who will stop at nothing to kill Rosé so they can win? She forces the thought away, sinking into the thick carpet in her room.

Manila says they’re free until dinner, and Rosé drops on the bed and falls asleep.

---

The training room is empty at five in the morning, which almost makes it worth the early wake-up. Rosé had slept through dinner and woke up foggy and confused about the bed underneath her, to find a note from Denali inviting her to train. Denali stretches beside her, shorts and a sleeveless black shirt revealing her smooth skin, and Rosé’s stomach twists at the sight. Denali is beautiful, a beauty Rosé never lets herself notice.

“Enjoying the view?” Denali teases, sticking her tongue out.

Rosé sticks her tongue out back at her to avoid responding.

Denali continues stretching, her toned legs and muscled arms sparking some worry in Rosé. She’s not fifteen anymore, and she can’t remember the last time she went for a run or did anything that might count as exercise. Her days are mostly spent watching TV and trying not to think until one of her sisters shows up and coaxes her off the couch and into helping with dinner. The only good thing is that she doesn’t really drink anymore--only because she’d have to go out and buy liquor, and she hates leaving the safety of her house, hates how the world is so open like the arena, hates how people look at her. Either way, she’s in nowhere near as good shape as Denali. And that’s just Denali--what about the Career districts, where everyone works out in fancy facilities every day? What about the added challenge of every competitor having already won the Games and knowing how to fight?

Rosé turns her gaze to the weapons along the wall. Knives and spears and swords and axes, all gleaming and razor-sharp. She never thought she’d have to use one again, but seeing them just proves how real this is. She’s really going back into the arena, and she has to fight if she wants to survive. Even if it means fighting the woman smiling next to her.

“Are you gonna use a sword again?” Denali asks.

“I guess. I--I never actually trained with it last time,” Rosé admits. “I practiced with knives and spears, but a sword was all I could get from the Cornucopia. Figured it was--”

“Like a giant knife,” Denali says, and Rosé laughs, because that’s what she would have said.

“Yeah.”

“Like a knife and a spear had a baby, really,” Denali says thoughtfully. “Wait. So that fight with the District 1 boy, you beat him with no training?”

“I think it was instinct,” Rosé says. “I knew I was dead if he got me, so my body just reacted. And I got lucky. He slipped, and his chest was exposed, and then...you know.” She squeezes her eyes shut against the memory of him gasping as her sword sunk into his chest. Denali talks about the Games so easily, so freely, that Rosé forgot she doesn’t talk about it herself. It’s why she so rarely talks about anything besides the weather with Denali, because she can’t handle much else. Sometimes even just looking at Denali is too much, a reminder of the past that Rosé lost, and it’s easier to wrap herself in silence.

Denali nods.

Rosé clears her throat. “What about you? Sticking with your bow?” Denali is better with a bow than anyone Rosé’s ever seen, each arrow an extension of her arm. She was amazed every time Denali used it in the Games, mesmerized by how fast she loaded the strings and released each arrow.

“Definitely. I’ll practice with it later. For now”--she leads Rosé away from the weapons-- “I thought we could run.” She points to the track circling the upper level of the training room.

Rosé groans and follows, more grateful than ever that no one’s here to watch.

She keeps up with Denali, but she knows Denali is slowing her pace. Denali was so fast in her Games that people called her the Fox, and her quick, graceful movements prove the nickname. Her knee is bothering her, though. Rosé can tell, even if Denali won’t admit it. She hurt it the last day of her Games, so brutally Rosé could barely watch, her heart clenching at Denali’s pain. It had been down to Denali and a girl from District 4, and the girl pinned Denali underneath her. She grabbed a massive rock and crushed Denali’s knee so she couldn’t run, then dragged her by the ankle to the edge of a rainy cliff, twisting her leg until Denali was screaming in pain, mere seconds from death. Only Denali managed to grab a tree root, holding on with all her strength, and the District 4 girl lost her grip and tumbled over the cliff herself. Denali was barely conscious when the cannon marked her as the winner, and it took the doctors a lot of work to put her knee back together. Rosé spent days at the Capitol hospital waiting for her to wake up, needing to see that she was okay. Denali’s tough, she’ll give her that.

“Another lap?” Denali asks. She’s hardly broken a sweat, and Rosé takes back her previous thought, because that toughness is annoying. She wonders if Denali ever lets herself rest and sadly answers her own question.

Rosé pretends she isn’t huffing and puffing. “Let’s do it.”

---

Denali quickly makes herself a routine at the Training Center. She starts every morning working out with Rosé, her heart swelling with pride when Rosé keeps up with her, cheeks burning when her arms flex as she lifts weights. Rosé trains only with Denali, because she’s been practicing with spears and knives and doesn’t want anyone to know. It’s a good plan to keep her skills secret, even if it means Rosé hasn’t had a chance to size up the tributes herself. Then she has lunch and spends the afternoon watching Games of this year’s tributes, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. Denali does a second workout before dinner, when the training room is littered with muscular tributes, watching them in between stringing her bow. Then they have dinner, where Rosé ignores any discussion of tributes or strategy. Denali spends the nights coming up with ideas, anything at all that can benefit them in the Games.

Denali understands that Rosé wants to avoid it, wants no reminders of what they’ll be walking into. Denali should use it to her advantage--if Rosé is rattled and in denial, she’s that much easier to defeat. But she can’t. Not when the world has been so cruel to Rosé, stripping away so much of her, taking that confident gleam in her eyes and replacing it with tired mistrust. Not when Rosé has been so good to her since they were kids and helped Denali survive the first time. Denali won on her own, but Rosé taught her to fight and got sponsors to send anything she needed, looking out for her the way she would her sister. Rosé had believed in her the whole time, and Denali wants to believe in her, wants to help her, too.

Even if helping Rosé makes it harder for Denali to survive in the long run.

---

The training room buzzes with grunts and fists smacking into punching bags. Denali hovers in the corner, watching the District 8 tributes. Their industry is textiles, and Denali’s been watching them work with ropes and knots, picking up new skills. Their female tribute seems nice enough, at least, and even shoots Denali a thumbs-up when she completes a knot successfully. Denali returns a hesitant smile, trying to forget that if she wants to live, this woman, no matter how kind she’s been, has to die.

She runs through tributes in her mind. Districts 1 and 2 are Careers, towering over her with giant muscles. Those districts have so many victors their victor pool was a regular reaping pool. The man from District 1 won the year before Denali, and she was grateful he wasn’t in her Games; he had cut down tributes with his axe in mere days, the footage soaked with blood. That relief was for nothing, because she’s facing him now. District 3’s tributes are older than Denali, and putter around the room with wires. Their industry is technology, so it makes sense. But Denali’s yet to see them train with a weapon, and wonders if it’s strategy or lack of ability. She won’t underestimate anyone. She had been underestimated herself, with her District-12-underfed frame and no advanced training, but she was born with her father’s bow in her hand, and nothing could stop her with it. District 4’s tributes--

“So it really is the Fox.”

Denali looks up to see the man from District 4--she’s pretty sure his name is Finn--looming over her. His hair is sun-gold, eyes sea-blue, and his looks are the main reason the audience had fallen in love with him. His charm in the interviews didn’t hurt, nor did the way he won in a week.

“Not like it could be anyone else from my district,” Denali says, making herself as tall as she can.

“Right, right.” He flashes a blinding smile. “Your other tribute never seems to be here. She’s not scared of us, is she?”

“Definitely not. She just has her own plans,” Denali says, anger rising in her at the thought of anyone thinking Rosé is a coward. She’s braver than this whole room put together.

“Good to have a plan,” he says cheerfully. “I have a wife back home. Baby on the way. Capitol will eat that up. Good love story, you know?” He tries to come off casual, but he’s truly excited about his family, Denali can tell. Just like with the woman from District 8, she doesn’t let herself think of the odds.

“Why are you here?” Denali asks.

“To talk to you. You were something in your Games. You and McCorkell both. I couldn’t believe how you hung on to that tree at the end. I thought you were a goner for sure. You’re tough, Foxx.”

Denali sucks in a breath. The worst nightmare she has about the Games is about that last day. Every time, she can hear the bones in her knee shattering under the rock, feel the branches scratching her arms as she was dragged along, smell the metallic tang of the blood pouring over her leg. Every time she wakes up, soaked in sweat and gasping for air, she tears the blankets off and checks that her knee is in one piece. Sometimes even in daylight she’ll be hit with a sudden pain and fully expects to see a mess of blood and bone when she looks down. The girl who did it was from District 4. Denali knows it wasn’t personal, that Districts don’t matter when it comes to that, but it leaves a bad taste in her mouth as she watches the man, who’s still talking.

“--If you and McCorkell want an ally in the arena, let me know.”

An alliance with Rosé is risky enough. There’s strength in numbers, but how big can she extend her circle? Can she let someone else in, trust them, and run the risk of getting betrayed in the arena, or having to kill a friend?

“I’ll think about it,” Denali says. But she’s really thinking about something else. About families and love stories and Capitol sympathies. She has a plan. She just needs to get Rosé on board.

---

“Knife practice today?” Denali asks once they’ve finished their run.

Rosé nods, grabbing two knives and tossing her one, which she catches easily. They face off, lunging and dodging and blocking, and it’s so like Denali’s first time training, carefully watching Rosé and being in awe of her, that she feels some of her seventeen-year-old energy take over. Even Rosé seems less tired when Denali looks at her with eyes of the past. Her moves are fast and graceful, almost enough to distract Denali. She could watch Rosé move for hours, eyes tracing the sweat dampening her hair, the curves of her arms.

“Tired, Rosie?” Denali teases after her knife almost gets Rosé, the old nickname flying out and feeling so good on her lips.

“I could do this all day,” Rosé shoots back, even cracking a smile.

Denali takes the buzzing in her body from looking at Rosé and uses it, knocking the knife from her hand and slamming her against the wall, knife pressed to Rosé’s throat. Her other hand holds Rosé’s arm in place, and Denali’s palm tingles at the hard muscles beneath her. She’s close enough to see the freckles snaking under the collar of Rosé’s shirt, close enough to see the flecks of green in her hazel eyes. Rosé has always been beautiful; it’s just that Denali doesn’t see her often enough--and never this close--to truly appreciate it. Now, she takes everything in like a person gulping water after escaping the desert, desperate to drink in every detail.

“Take a picture, it’ll last longer,” Rosé mutters, and Denali’s cheeks burn.

“And so the student surpasses the master.” Denali smirks, but before she knows what’s happened, the knife is snatched out of her hand and she’s being twisted around. Denali gasps when her back hits the wall and the knife is at her throat, one arm braced by Rosé’s body and the other pinned to the wall by Rosé’s hand over her wrist.

“If you were really the master, you wouldn’t have left my other hand free,” Rosé says. “And I taught you that move in the first place.” She tightens her grip on Denali’s wrist, thumb stroking her skin so gently she’s sure Rosé isn’t even aware of it. For a second, her smile is the one Denali remembers, the one that shows all her teeth and stretches into her cheeks, and Denali’s breath flies out of her. Rosé releases her grip, and Denali is sad to lose her touch.

“Wanna do another round? With a bet this time?” Denali asks, raising an eyebrow. “I win, you have to talk strategy with me. You know we need one. District 1 has been running sprints and training with every weapon. I think they’re gonna sprint to the Cornucopia, get everything they can, and attack from the start. The man from District 4 is gonna talk about his family for sympathy points. He offered me an alliance, actually. You won’t even look at the other tributes. You know some of them think you’re afraid? We need a plan, Rosé.”

“Why, so the Gamemakers can shit on it?” Rosé demands. Anger crosses her face, and Denali isn’t sure if it’s because she’s calling Rosé out, or because her courage is being questioned.

Denali clenches her fists. “Well, we need something! I know you’re pissed, but why don’t you use that anger to prepare? Do you think Jan wants you going in the arena with no plan?” Rosé flinches and Denali immediately knows she’s gone too far. Not just in bringing up Jan, but in using her against Rosé. She opens her mouth to apologize, but Rosé is already speaking.

“The boy who was chosen with me had a plan too,” Rosé says hoarsely. “He wanted to risk getting food at the Cornucopia. I watched him get killed ten seconds in. My plan was to keep to myself, avoid everyone. That worked until the Gamemakers got bored and conjured fucking murder-wasps to draw us together. It doesn’t matter to me who the other tributes are. If I want to survive, they have to die, and you know my plan this round? Survive.” The anger she started with has collapsed into sheer exhaustion. The exhaustion of waiting for 23 kids to die so she could live, and having to do it all over again. The exhaustion of watching 23 more kids die every year, and never being able to save the ones she’s supposed to guide. The exhaustion of someone who managed to survive and constantly wonders why they got so lucky, constantly questions the price of that life.

The same exhaustion Denali pretends not to feel weighing down her bones.

“Rosé, I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry, Denali. You’re doing everything right and I’m not helping. I taught you well.” Rosé offers a weak smile and rubs her hands over her face. “I just--I never wanted to do this again.” She sinks to the floor, back against the wall, knees cradled protectively against her chest.

“I understand. Can I sit with you?” Denali asks gently, since Rosé still seems a little fragile, like glass held together with tape. Denali’s not used to seeing her like this, and it hurts her chest somehow. Rosé nods, and Denali copies her position.

“Denali, are you sure you want me in the arena? I wouldn’t blame you if you allied with other tributes. I mean, you’re you, and I’m”--Rosé shakes her head helplessly, like she’s trying to figure out exactly what she is-- “I’m just me. I won almost twenty years ago. I’m not in shape like you. I don’t want to hold you back.”

It breaks Denali’s heart to know Rosé thinks of herself like that, and she won't let her. “‘Just me?’” Denali asks angrily. “Just Rosé McCorkell, one of the youngest victors in history? Who won a sword fight with no training and taught me to fight in the first place? Don’t even think that, Rosé. You’re already keeping up in training—you just crushed me in that knife fight. There’s no one else I want on my team.”

“Thanks for the ego boost,” Rosé says, but Denali can tell she’s touched by how her eyes soften at the edges. “I’m not giving up. I can’t. And I don't want to let you or my sisters down either. It’s gonna take those Capitol bastards a lot more to get rid of me.”

Denali smiles, glad the fight has returned to her. “I know planning seems pointless. I just want to have something, so maybe we don’t get sucker-punched again.” It’s how she’s lived her entire life since the Games--watching old footage, staying in shape, sleeping with weapons. Never a moment to rest, because any moment of rest in the Games means almost certain death. It was her way of staying ahead of the Capitol, of not letting the Games beat her. But maybe they did win, and her routine is a losing cause. Maybe she did all that stuff—in essence, training—because she had already lost herself to the Games and would do anything to tip the balance in her favor, to fully escape it all. Maybe some part of her was always afraid of going back, and wanted to prepare for the next round.

“What did you have in mind?” Rosé asks.

“Well, we don’t have a mentor, so we’re especially screwed.”

No other victors means no mentor for them. They don’t need fighting tips, but the mentor is the one out in the Capitol advocating for them, getting sponsors to send supplies. With no mentor, they have to be enough on their own to convince people to send things. Everything they do, from the minute tribute interviews start, has to make the crowd love them enough to keep them alive.

When she was seventeen, she followed the strategy Rosé gave her--be cheerful and excited in the interview; stick with your bow; keep away from the others and let them weed themselves out--and relied on her to get Denali supplies. That’s not an option here.

“I didn’t have a mentor my first time either,” Rosé says.

It was bad enough being torn from your life and having to compete; Denali couldn’t imagine having to do it alone. And Rosé was only fifteen. She must have been so scared, and Denali wishes she could have helped somehow, protected that young version of Rosé.

“Right,” Denali says. “But people loved you and sent you stuff anyway. How did you make it happen?”

Rosé shrugs. “I knew I had to make them like me, so I wanted to be perfect at first, but Manila—she felt bad for us and kind of made herself our mentor—suggested a little more honesty. So I turned up the charm, kept smiling, and whenever they brought up Jan, I said how I felt. I didn’t want them using her against me.”

Denali nods. She had been glued to her screen for Rosé’s interview, hanging on every word. She was absolutely genuine, radiating pure charm, making comments she let you think were serious for just a second before her brilliant smile and breathy laugh let you in on the joke. The only time she got emotional was when she said how she loved her sisters and kept touching the lion pin from Jan, which the crowd thought was the sweetest thing. They called her the Lion and went wild for her, and when she needed water or food in the arena, a silver parachute was never far behind.

“That’s what we have to do this time. Be extra likable, so the audience wants us to make it.” Denali takes a breath. “But we need something more. A lot of the tributes were audience favorites. We need something special to stand out.”

“Aren’t my stunning good looks enough?”

Denali ignores the joke. “I think we need to pretend we’re in love with each other.”

Rosé doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t run either, so that’s something.

“Think about it,” Denali continues when the silence is growing too long. “They want drama, right? Two childhood friends turned star-crossed lovers, loving each other even in the face of danger? The audience will eat that up. They’ll love us.”

It’s a perfect plan, really. There have been victors who ended up in relationships with other victors after the Games, but never two tributes who have gone into the Games as a couple. It immediately sets them apart from even the most beloved tributes this year, making them the ones to watch, to remember, to love. The drama makes the Games just as much as the action, and who wouldn’t love the drama and sweetness of romance? If they can sell this, the audience will instantly root for them, sending parachutes of whatever they need to keep watching them until the end.

The end.

Denali doesn’t want to think about what happens at the end.

“That…could work,” Rosé says hesitantly. “I just--you’d be okay with me using you like that?”

Of all the protests Rosé could have made, worrying about Denali was the last one she expected. Even with everything the Games took from her, Rosé’s heart is still intact in her somehow.

“I mean, we’d be using each other.” Denali smiles ruefully. “Look, you said yourself the goal is to survive. This will help us do that. It doesn’t have to change anything between us. It’s a fucked-up game. We’re just playing it.”

Rosé closes her eyes, breathing in and out slowly, deliberately. She does it two more times, and Denali can’t imagine what’s going through her head. She opens her eyes, and Denali sees her answer.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

Rosé nods. “And Denali?”

“Yes?”

“Tomorrow I’ll train with you when the others are here. Let them see us together,” Rosé says confidently. There’s a dim fire sparking in her eyes and she seems like her old self again, the one Denali admired so fiercely. “The last thing we need is someone calling bullshit on us.”

“You’re right.” Denali didn’t even think of that. They have to be careful and really make it believable. But they have a shared past, and even if they no longer know each other as well as they did, Rosé is just as determined and dedicated as Denali, and they’ll make this seem real.

It can work.

Denali just hopes it doesn’t come down to the two of them at the end. Because looking at Rosé like this, her eyes shining and cheeks gently flushed, Denali doesn’t think she’ll be able to kill her.

[popsiclemania]

My 2020 in K dramas (+1 J drama)

I began watching k-dramas in 2018 but I’ve never watched as many shows, Korean or otherwise, as I have in this one. 2020 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I think what helps me really enjoy this over Bollywood+Malayalam+ American pop culture I grew up with is that a smirk on the wrong character’s face doesn’t make me seethe with rage and want to burn everything down. It’s not like growing up with SRK on screen and then having SRK wannabes leave you with lifelong trauma in reality. I can just move on. It’s removed enough from my everyday life but still familiar in a generic Asian family way. Does that make sense? It’s not perfect and it’s not free of its own harmful stereotypes and narratives, but there’s enough of the good stuff to make you stick around. This year I fell in love with Nana, Kim Hye Soo, Han Yeri, Park Eun bin, Ahn Eun jin, Kim Bum, Kim Yong ji, Flower Boy’s Go Dok Mi and Search:WWW’s Bae Tami. Cancelled Ji Chang wook (bye). Desperately missed Kim Jae Wook. Had thoughts on Hwang In Yeop, which were mostly heart eyes. Discovered J dramas and fell in love with Cherry Magic’s Adachi.

My year-in-review below:

LOVED

Into The Ring - I am so glad I saved this for a rainy day because it’s exactly the kind of upright citizen shenanigans my unemployed ass needed at the end of the year.

Goo Se Ra thinks the govt should work for the people but that doesn’t mean her own moral compass always points north. Her purpose is to make steady money, and I love seeing her go hard to survive and cobble together what she needs. The thing that really works for me is that she wants to be good, but she isn’t always. And you get to see her be disappointed, upset, embarrassed and hurt from being publicly kicked in the gut as she navigates a job where she appears, on the surface, to be a supremely confident, self-serving, accidental politician. What you see as her naiveté is mostly just her being a regular person in an environment dictated by backhand deals and rich people politics. She gets hit again and again, and you see what it does to her sense of worth to get back up again, how she grapples with her self. And through all this the show is funny?! Se Ra is what writers of manic pixie characters think they are doing and not doing at all. Love her friends, and Jang Hye-jin is *chef’s kiss*!

Hyena - Kim Hye Soo’s Jung Geum Ja is perhaps Se Ra’s older and darker contemporary.  Geum Ja is a survivor and will get what she wants and where she wants to, however many hells she has to cross. She’s single-minded about her success, ruthless and has no qualms about bending morals to get the outcome she needs. She’ll never compromise on who she is or justify how she lives, can build people up and also tear them down, but she also knows care and kindness.

I turned to Signal for more Kim Hye Soo but was disappointed in how the first few episodes seemed to shortchange her. May try again in 2021.

(Highly recommend @saltr0se​’s  fic series which just GETS Geum Ja so well. Fic writers are the best)

Search: WWW (Finished in 2020) - It took me half a year to finish this. I started watching Search in Oct 2019 and raced through the first 6 episodes because I couldn’t take my eyes off the rollercoaster of Bae Tami’s life. And then I had to take a break because it was a little too close to the frenetic pace of my own industry. As @drivingsideways wrote, a lot of Search is premised around ‘patriarchy? who dat?’, which is why watching its politics play out is so fascinating.  It’s also deliciously turmoil-y to watch a very clear-sighted, weathered Tami put on rose-tinted glasses for her romance and then frequently peer over them to evaluate whether it could actually meld into her life.

Catch The Ghost - Kim Seonho oozes charm and perhaps Startup was a showcase of how effectively he can be a typical male lead. But Catch is exactly not that. Go Jiseok and Yoo Ryeong have moulded their lives around to meet their most desperate wishes in life and in the process also left parts of themselves untended. There is guilt, pain and need. Now guess who will tend to whose wounds? Their dynamic is electric even when the central mystery flags towards the last few episodes of the show. I really hope Moon Geun Young is doing well and gets more amazing roles soon. She is so good here.

(Highly recommend @melonatures​‘s fic for putting that sizzling on-screen chemistry into words. HOW?!) Cherry Magic - Stories about painfully awkward people are my jam and Eiji Akaso gets Adachi’s shy, nervy energy so right. Cherry Magic is straight up just 12 hours of 🥺🥺🥺. 

Stranger/Secret Forest - I’ve been devouring the entirety of Agatha Christie’s work this year after Stranger reminded me how comforting murder mysteries can be. I love Bae Doona. I also love characters who don’t get social norms, not always because they are out to flout them but because that’s just not how their mind/brain works. (have to watch S2)

Flower Boy Next Door -  Honestly, the opening scene introducing Park Shin Hye’s character Go Deok Mi sold me on this immediately. An introverted, penny pinching copy editor living alone and working from home thanks to extreme social anxiety? Love. All the side characters are a lot of fun and I’ve never loved Kim Seulgi and Go Kyung Pyo more. It’s a warm show, slowly rounding off the sharp edges of every character.

JUST FUN

The Spies Who Loved Me -  It’s been a year of disappointing rom-coms and Spies kind of quietly turned it around for me. I want to be the fly on Yoo In Na’s wall as she figures how to play her characters. I’ve only seen her in 3 roles but somehow she always manages to be in character arcs that don’t short change her. Spies could’ve been and sometimes is the regular heterosexual fare, but In Na ups the ante over and over again, coming out on top as the smartest person in the room.

ENJOYED WITH *RESERVATIONS*

I have to watch A Piece Of Your Mind again because I don’t understand how Jung Hae In and Chae Soo bin built SO MUCH warmth and crackling chemistry with barely a kiss. I was iffy about how the whole AI thing started off and the tortured musician plotline (angsty male artists will forever be an eyeroll for me).

Park Min Young is a queen who never disappoints and When The Weather Is Nice is everything you want in a winter romance. My reservation was in how they explore so much of domestic abuse and the complex ways its traumatised the women in this family. I’m ok with the characters having imperfect ways of processing and understanding the violence, I welcome it. I’m not ok with the show dancing around whether the pivotal crime was justified/ self defence (it was).

A lot of dramas did this. I loved Han Yeri and Choo Ja Hyun in My Unfamiliar Family, I didn’t like the free pass the show gave their dad’s abusive character. 

Hwang Jung Eum’s comedy style is generally not my thing but she was pretty great in Mystic Pop-UP Bar. But I’m side-eyeing the sanctity surrounding motherhood. Maybe I should read more about babies and Korean folklore.

Hospital Playlist was my comfort watch through June and July. I think its wholesomeness and non-plot writing came at a good time for me. But I noticed then that the throughline for all main characters was moral superiority and hence what I then saw as *wholesomeness*. It’s kind of what makes it a grating rewatch in parts. Plus the real life of misogyny of Yoo Yeon Seok makes me want to push his angelic catholic character off a cliff. (For context, i was raised catholic). I want to continue loving Chae Song Hwa, and for that the showrunners need to stop cornering her with overbearing romantic interests (let that woman breathe! she literally ran away to another city!) 

Hospital is good at creating moments of comfort, so much so that I went to watch Reply 1988 after it, but had to drop it coz I couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll come back to it next year.

Once Again is what I call joint family propaganda. What it does well is lay bare the mechanics of living in a society that prizes the heterosexual family structure, the loops you have to jump through to hide when you break its rules and what happens when you are found out. I love the characters, their fights, their frustrations. I just don’t love the validation of joint families. (context: i grew up in an oppressive joint family lol). In my au, Nahee and Gyujin don’t get married again or immediately have children, but take the long route to figuring out how to love the person the other is. Gahee is openly dating Hyo shin and her parents have to figure out how to process her success and her romance. Young dal and Ok boon have to learn to stop dictating their children’s lives.  Joon sun runs his company from home, so his wife Hyun kyung can work on what she wants. Choyeon, Joori and Ga-yeon go back to being flamboyant AF and the market learns to not judge. Gyujin and Jaesok have to actually work on the relationship with their mother and what sent her into depression. Just a lot of learning involved.

Just Between Lovers was a nice watch, i just don’t get how Kang doo and Ha Moon So’s relationship will survive his constantly simmering anger. 

Crash Landing on You was so much fun until the main romance turned angsty, but it gave us North Korean soldier shenanigans and the epic romance of Seo Dan and Alberto Gu that we needed more of.

Tale of The Nine Tailed is probably what Goblin wished it was. I, however, will never be over Lee Rang. (Also, when can gods stop meeting their love interests as babies? Asking for my sanity)

I literally ignored everything in Oh My Ghost except Park Bo Young and Kim Seulgi and it was amazing. 

NOPE

Goblin, Dinner Mate, Oh My Baby and My Secret Romance were a whole lot of NO, NAHI, ILLAAA. 

I loved hate-watching The King:Eternal Monarch with the rest of k drama tumblr but someone please take away Kim Eun-sook’s access to gigantic budgets and all-star casts.

It was painful to watch Do You Like Brahms squander away its potential but I’m glad to be introduced to Park Eun bin. Age of Youth is next on watchlist.

More than Friends to me is only Ahn Eun jin. Someone give her amazing lead roles asap.

Why did Record of Youth do that to Park So Dam and her clothes? Just why

WANTED TO WATCH, BUT COULDN’T BECAUSE *INTENSE* 

World Of The Married, It’s Okay Not To Be Okay, Sweet Home, Extracurricular, Penthouse, Flower of Evil, Lie After Lie

WILL WATCH NEXT YEAR

SF8, Stove League, Birth Care Centre but I’ll start the new year with School Nurse Files coz it looks very good.

[devnicolee]

The Chosen Ones (7)

A/N: Enjoy! There is one chapter left, which I am really excited about :)

Warnings: Slow burn, verbal abuse (and one mention of physical abuse), angst

Word Count: 6,000 words

Pairings: M’Baku x OC 

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Asha groaned as she felt something nudging her shoulder, assuming it was M'Baku's feeble attempts to wake her up. "Five more minutes," she mumbled, her voice groggy and tired. She shifted on her side, burying her face deeper into his chest, her hand sliding across his midsection to hold onto him tighter. There was no response to her exhausted pleas for more sleep. In fact, she quickly realized that all she could hear were his loud, deep snores. Yet she still felt another more forceful nudge hit her back, forcing her eyes to pop open.

Her eyes trailed up his torso and landed on M’Baku’s face, eyes closed as he continued to sleep. Her lips curved into a content smile as she just stared at him… her boyfriend. It amazed her how far the pair had come in mere weeks… from only existing in quiet, hidden moments to being able to love each other loudly and freely. She decided to lean on his advice, not to dwell on those broader implications, the details they would have to sort out back home. She knew he already gained her sister and brother’s approval, which was all she truly cared about. But the jury was still out on the Council and her mother. Asha already had two strikes against her where the majority of them were concerned. 

It does not matter, she decided. She seceded 25 years to the will and opinion of the Council and her parents, she refused to cower or give them a day more. She worried about the other things and how to be in a successful relationship when she had no experience. But she and M'Baku loved each other and they both had the will and desire to be together. That meant they would climb any walls, weather whatever storm, and extinguish any fires this world threw at them. She finally had the person and love she prayed for every night; she would not let him go without a fight. Her thoughts were interrupted by something hitting her yet again. She frustratingly turned around to come face to face with the same black panther as last night. Inches away from her face, the panther used its nose to nudge her shoulder, a silent demand to start the day.

"Fuck!" she yelped, sitting up abruptly. She, of course, knew it meant her no harm but was also not expecting such a jarring wake up call. Her traveling companion, however, did not have this luxury. Her loud outburst immediately pushed M'Baku out of his restful sleep. Forever the warrior, he leaped out of the sleeping bag, robbing Asha of his warm body heat, and immediately raised his knobkerrie, ready to strike. He examined the cave terrain wildly, searching for an unknown threat.  

"Stand down soldier," Asha chuckled as she ran her hands through the soft, thick black fur of the now resting panther, laying down relaxed after doing their job to wake the couple up. Her heart still thumped loudly against her chest as it tried to return to its resting rate. "It woke me up and I was n-not expecting a Bast wake-up call. Sorry for screaming," she offered before standing up herself.

"Damn panthers," M'Baku mumbled angrily under his breath. But he shook off his annoyance rather quickly as Asha cleared up their makeshift camp. "What time is it?"

Asha fiddled with her beads, immediately distracted by two texts from her brother and sister. "U-u-uh just after 7. But we better get going. Brother called an emergency council meeting 2 hours before the King's Exhibition. We need to find the herbs and get back to the palace before then." The balls of light keeping them warm the night prior bounced around as the two moved about, getting ready to finish the last leg of their journey. Asha raised her hands, each instinctively moving back toward their owner as her skin absorbed them. 

"Why a council meeting?" M'Baku asked as he pulled bags of fruit out of his bag for both to munch on for breakfast and swung it back on his shoulders. 

"Well, we do not need to convince the whole country... just the Mining and Border Tribes. No need to wait for the King's Exhibition if we can avoid it. It is supposed to be a fun and joyous event, believe it or not."

The two emerged from the cave, the Panther waiting for them on the small cliff. They fell in step behind it as it led them back to their original trail. The morning air was crisp and cold, the sun peeked through the swaying tree tops giving them a sliver of light. It still didn’t look like morning on their path though, the thick forest blocked out most of the sun. The mountain had a new layer of fresh, undisturbed snow, which did not remain long as their footprints smashed through it.

"What is the King's Exhibition anyway?" Despite not following the Panther Goddess, all of Wakanda was invited to partake in the celebrations of the week-long Festival of Bast. This was to be the Jabari's first year and he planned on participating to show solidarity. However, M’Baku quickly realized he had no idea what was involved.

"Oh, it is just a show of our King's strength and prowess in battle. Really just a chance for my oh-so-humble brother to show off. He basically fights the Dora, members of the King's Guard and then any challenger from across Wakanda. But unlike Challenge Day, no one is fighting to the death. It is more of a public training session. Everyone loses to him, of course," she added. 

"What is the point of it?" he inquired, knocking some branches out of their path. 

"It shows the strength Bast gives her protector. Her power and by extension, his power to protect all of us. It is quite fun to watch, or so I have heard," she added as a caveat. Snow drifted down lightly around them from the branches and leaves above them, immediately melting to water as it connected with her clothes. 

"You have never been?" 

She chuckled, managing to keep at least some of the bitterness out of her voice. "You would be surprised at the amount of things I have never seen or done. I have not celebrated a Festival of Bast in 15 years. Though, I didn't much care to celebrate her in those later years to be honest." M'Baku glanced over at her and noticed a flicker of shame and regret passing behind her dark brown eyes. 

"Hey," he said gently, pulling on her arm to stop her. "You don't need to feel ashamed about that. You did the best you could. Bast forgives, clearly," he said, gesturing toward the panther that stopped a few feet ahead of them to wait. 

Asha nodded softly, looking up at him to find concern in his big brown eyes… concern and intense love and adoration for her. Love and adoration that made her legs grow weak and the butterflies in her stomach flutter. She couldn’t explain it but it felt like the farther they went on this journey, the easier it became to open her heart and share her soul with this gentle giant beside her. She immediately thought back to what Bast told her, how the journey of loving and accepting herself would make loving others that much easier. Bast is rarely wrong.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that... be reminded of that. T-there is just so much I would have done differently had I known what I know now… you know?" she responded as they broke their eye contact and continued uphill. Asha, being someone who did not train incredibly often, was beginning to feel the strain of this journey as the air grew thinner and the path steeper. M'Baku seemed perfectly capable and fine with the hike but she was starting to grow that uncomfortable stitch in her side that she usually got when she trained with T'Challa. 

"Yes, regrets are the price we pay for living. We all struggle with that… trust me. But it is not about how you lived before, but how you choose to live now. All those things you would do differently, you can do going forward. You have a bright future ahead, Asha. You have to just decide what you want to do with it."

Silence fell over the two; the only sounds were the soft crunch of snow beneath their boots, the random babble of animals moving through the trees around them as she contemplated his words. Asha went from having no real future at all to the one she always dreamed of. However, she now had to apply those dreams to her real life. She was no longer limited, chained in darkness with small fleeting glimpses of the sun. She was fully stepping in the light and she could finally bask in its warmth, serenity, and peace. Now that she was standing in the sun, she was not sure exactly what path she should forge. But she knew, a path without M'Baku was not a viable one. Where the light took her, she was determined to have him by her side loving and affirming her. 

The inner light now flooding Asha's life was only eclipsed by the darkness the forest plunged them in as they trekked farther up the mountainside. It was as ominous as the night before, possibly even more so since they both knew the sun was shining above the thick treetops. The rustles and chatter of the forest seemed to get louder as they went, M'Baku constantly raising his weapon and shielding Asha as if a monster was seconds away from emerging from the trees. Each step seemed to dial up the creepy meter of the whole journey, putting the two on edge. They were not deterred; at the top of this summit laid their destiny, their reason for being. They had no choice but to press forward, stomping out any anxiety or fear that tried to poke through their armor of confidence. 

"Do you like Jabariland?" M'Baku asked out of the blue.

Asha gave him a confused look from the corner of her eye, noting the way his hands fidgeted. Was he nervous? "It is gorgeous... the people were amazing. I felt more at home there... more at peace than I ever had in the Golden City. What is not to like?" 

"Yes, but could you see you-" he started to say before he cut himself off, raising his hand to stop her. The panther leading their way had stopped, halting in front of a break in the trees. Asha walked to stand behind it and saw them.

"Glory to Hanuman," M'Baku whispered, amazed that a childish dream and a hunch led them to this. The only two people in the world who could make it to this promised land. The herbs sat in the middle of the clearing, covered in thick clear ice. But nothing could diminish the distinct and almost magical purple glow of the heart-shaped herb. The purple glow reflected across the white snow as the bright sun shined down on the field, filled with more herbs than either could have dreamed of. 

"Bast... M'Baku, this is it. You were right!" Asha exclaimed, clutching his thick bicep. "W-we can save T’Challa, w-w-we can save the Black Panther." She hadn’t let herself get too attached to the idea that they were right, after all, it was a longshot. But here they were, staring their and Bast’s dreams in the face and it was glorious. 

The moment her foot connected with the hard Earth in the clearing, it started. It was soft initially, like faint distant whispers as several quiet voices invaded her ears. She pushed forward, ignoring them. Nothing would stop her now. With each inch forward, the voices grew louder and more unruly. Asha had no idea what they were saying, what they wanted. She knew it was all in her head but she understood why such a phenomenon would drive people away from this place. It was almost impossible to ignore and it was terrifying. A piercing pain started to spread through her skull as she tried to continue. Soon the pain, the symphony became too loud to ignore.  

"Ah!" she cried out as she fell to her knees, so close that a herb was within arm’s reach.

"Asha!” He had been watching from the tree with the panther and rushed forward when she hit the ground. He was at her side in record speed. He clutched her face, rotating her head in his hands as tears streamed from her eyes. He examined her head and body finding no obvious injury, realizing that the voices they were warned found their next victim. 

She whimpered slightly from the pain, unable to speak as it became too much to handle.  He felt his world crumbling at her pain and distress. He wondered if his hypothesis was wrong. Had he brought her all the way here, pumping her soul with false hope with every mile only to push her into a world of pain? 

"Asha... It's gonna be ok... Go back and I will get the herb. It is ok, you have done more than enough," he whispered, offering more encouraging words as he helped her to her feet. The pain had yet to subside, she was not sure if she had experienced agony such as this before. But as she started to walk back toward safety, the black panther, a casual and quiet guide up until this point, brandished its teeth at her and growled deeply. Its body blocked the way back toward the trees, forcing her to stay there. As if a cue, more panthers emerged from the trees surrounding them, pacing so neither could retreat. M'Baku, deciding that the sooner they had an herb in hand, the sooner they would be allowed to leave, reached to pull one out of the Earth. However, he pulled and pulled but its roots were unmovable. The ice casing around the herb was too thick to break and remove the herb from its flower and the ground was too hard to rip the flower from the soil. He tried everything he had in his arsenal while whatever magical properties inhabiting this mountain brought his all-powerful partner to her knees. 

Asha pushed through her pain and watched him struggle with the plant, a realization dawning on her. There was a reason it was the two of them and no one else. Further proof that their survival depended on each other, that their destinies were intertwined long before they knew of each other's existence. He got them here and now, she had to do her part.

"I-I h-have to melt th-th-the ice, M'Baku. W-we can’t t-take them frozen l-like… this. I c-can do it," she pushed out, her breathing labored as she tried to overcome the pain and channel her powers. 

M'Baku immediately shook his head, "Asha... you were on death's door not even a full 48 hours ago, you are not strong enough to use your powers like this yet." 

Asha shook her head, "I made it up this m-mountain. This is my purpose, I c-cannot.... I w-will not fail.” She crawled closer to the herb and sunk her warm hands into the thick snow around the herb closest to her. 

“Bast, give me strength," she whispered to herself. She closed her eyes and channeled all the fire, the heat in her being down into her palms and fingers. She imagined the field in her mind and pictured projecting that heat outward like a blanket. Her labored breathing grew as she fueled all the power in her body into the ground beneath her. the heat from her internal flame slowly melting the clear ice protecting each herb. 

Asha grew concerned, as she tried to melt all the herbs that she did not have enough energy for this task. She could feel her steam running out. Thankfully, the ice transitioned to water on the last herb just as her body grew cold, void of any flames. As soon as the last herb thawed, Asha's eyes fell closed slowly, her body slumping into the snow as her mind succumbed to the voices and tumbled into her past. 

T'Challa and Asha circled each other on a deep blue training map, the 10-year-old pushing her exhaustion aside to train with her older brother. She and T'Challa went blow for blow for a few minutes, trading hits as they danced across the training floor. She had gotten surprisingly better since they started training together, improving far more in their secret limited sessions than her actual training. She was small and quick, which helped her keep up with him even though he was clearly more skilled and stronger. 

A few minutes of skillful fighting and she found herself on her brother's back, arm around his neck holding him in a chokehold. "Yield!" she demanded playfully. 

"Never," he retorted as he flipped her over his head and forced her to the ground. He did it as slow as possible, as to not actually hurt her. She rolled on her back for a few minutes, catching her breath before standing again and starting the process over. 

Their second fight went similarly. However, Asha suddenly felt different. She felt like another energy source coursing through her veins. She figured it was merely a second wind to help her fight. It propelled her to fight harder than she usually did, forcing T'Challa to up his game. She and T'Challa circled each other before he lunged toward her again. She raised her hand to block his first attempt when he jumped back unexpectedly, dodging with grace toward the side. Bewilderment filled her eyes until she saw a line of fire separating the two siblings. 

"A- Asha... what is going on?" he asked tentatively as he pushed himself to stand.

Asha looked down at her hands to find them covered in flames. "Oh my bast!" She dropped to the ground and tried to stomp them out by banging her hands on the floor, but they wouldn't die. Her hand felt fine, she did not feel the agony of being on fire and yet she was. "T'Challa... what is happening to me??" she cried, panic setting in as she stared at this peculiarity.

"I do not know. But stay calm, I will get baba. It will be alright Asha."

Asha sunk to the ground, tears streaming down her face as she watched her hands and, unbeknownst to her at the time, her future burn right before her eyes. 

The training room dissolved, her father's office replacing it as Asha sat, hands back to normal, next to T'Challa as he tried to calm her down. He rubbed comforting circles into his young and extremely distraught sister's back as they waited for their father to speak. Her father paced by his desk, throwing agitated looks at his daughter every few minutes, making her feel as though she had done something wrong. 

"She is one of them. A mutant," he spat out with disgust. 

"So what do we do?" their mother asked quietly from the other side of the office, keeping a healthy distance from her now dangerous daughter. "You have campaigned against mutants in our borders for years. This will look like hypocrisy." 

"We do nothing," T'Chaka hissed. "We do nothing, we say nothing. No one can know about this." 

T'Challa stood, a look of disbelief painted on his face, "How do you expect to keep this a secret? She is a princess? It is not like you can just hide her away." 

"No, that is exactly what we are going to do. She almost killed you, T'Challa! Her powers are uncontrollable. We will find a way to suppress them until she is old enough to control them. Until then, she will not leave the palace," her father decided resolutely. It was not lost on Asha how they all spoke about her as if she were a mere object and not a person sitting right in front of them. 

She shared a scared look with her brother before the scene changed again. She was now sitting on her brother's bed as he prepared for his 18th birthday party. They had been laughing and joking around, until their father appeared in the doorway. 

"Yes baba?" he asked. 

"You look good, strong. Please finish quickly. It is not good to be late to a party in your honor." Asha wanted to shrink herself or have the floor dissolve her as her father's eyes scanned the room. In the last three years, she found the best way to survive in her home was to simply avoid her father at all cost. At least then, he could not verbally castigate her for merely existing. 

"Asha!" he barked, "What are you doing?" 

Asha hung her head, "I was just helping T'Challa get ready. I will go back to my room." 

He nodded, "Good. We cannot have anyone seeing you wandering around during the party. Go now." 

"Yes, baba." Asha climbed off T'Challa's bed and started to walk toward the door. "Happy Birthday, T." She gave him a tight hug and a wide smile, mainly for his benefit. She did not want him worrying about her on his big birthday and knew he was already concerned about leaving her without her only advocate when he went away for university. That smile carried her until she was out of the view of his door and down the hallway to her own room. 

 Her brother's room disappeared as an intense argument in the royal gardens formed, Asha face to face with Hasani.

“What is the issue? It is just a date outside this Bast forsaken palace?" 

An adult Asha tried to let him down easy, gave all the excuses her father outlined for her and he refused to accept any of them. It was almost as if he wanted to catch her in a lie. "I cannot leave. I would feel more comfortable if we just stayed in." 

"No! I want to go on a real date outside of this palace. Today!" he demanded rudely. Asha scoffed silently. She knew the courting dates were part of the royal deal, her dad's attempt to pawn her off on someone else. However, she did not need to put up with another verbally abusive man in her life, her father was more than enough. 

"Perhaps we should just chat another day? You seem upset, Hasani and I do not wish to upset you further. You know your way out, yes?" she said politely, deciding to deescalate the situation before it grew out of control. She turned away from him slightly, preparing to walk out of the gardens. 

"No!" A hand enclosed around her wrist and yanked her back. His grip was so tight that Asha knew a bruise would blossom on her wrist later. 

"Hasani, you are hurting me! Let me go!" she whispered, trying to avoid a scene as she failed to tug her hand out of his grip. She looked around for a passing Dora, cursing herself for telling Alexis that she did not need to watch over her during this date. She could feel the Panther beating against its cage, determined for release as someone attacked its owner. Even with the rings donning each of her fingers, she knew the flames were growing to uncontrollable levels. "Hasani, I do not want to hurt you, please let me go!" she begged, knowing that this was not headed in any good direction. 

He scoffed, "What could you do to hurt me?" 

As if on cue, sparks flew out of her hands, one hitting him right on his wrist causing him to jump back several feet. Fire shot out of her extended hand, drawing a line between them to protect her. 

"W-w-what the fuck? I-I knew you weren't sick!" he cried, outraged. 

Asha's hands clamped over her mouth in shock as she tried to approach him and make this right. "Hasani, please! I-it is not what it looks like!" But it was too late, he was off, Asha knew, to tell his mother who was meeting with her father in his office. She took off running after him, knowing that whatever happened next... she would certainly pay for this. 

She was back in her father's office, Asha arguing with her father who refused to listen. "But I do not love him, baba! And he doesn’t love me! H-he hates me! H-he treats me horribly. You cannot expect me to marry him!" 

"I don't particularly care if you love him or not. Sometimes arranged marriages are a necessary part of being royalty. You were the fool that showed your… disease to him. These are the consequences."  

Asha threw up her hands, anger causing tears to stream down her face as she defended herself for the 100th time for the incident that thrusted her into this mess. She shared an exasperated glance at her brother and sister, the only two people who were ever on her side. "It was an accident, baba! I swear." 

She knew she messed up, she regretted it everyday but she didn’t deserve this. She especially didn’t deserve the bloodied cut and bruise on her face, the reason her brother dragged her to her father’s office to demand the engagement be called off. It took Asha, Okoye and three other Dora to pull T’Challa off Hasani after he happened to walk in on an argument between the couple right as the back of Hasani’s hand connected with Asha’s cheek. It was the first time he had ever done such a thing and Asha knew it would be last since her brother made it clear he would not live to tell the tale if he touched her like that again. 

"Sometimes I think you are determined to destroy this family and everything I built," he said as he settled behind his desk. "It is like you do not care if this family survives."  

If he had slapped her in the face, that would have been less painful. "How could you say that?" she whispered, the hurt clear in her words. 

"Baba! Please!" T'Challa said, no longer a young boy now but a grown man who refused to let anyone, even his beloved baba, attack his sister. He pushed Asha behind him as if he could act as a physical barrier between her and their father's verbal abuse. He, of course, knew it was too little too late to protect her from him but he tried to mitigate where he could. "Asha is not trying to destroy us by refusing to marry an abusive man. You did not hear the way he spoke to her. Why would you want her to marry a man who cares so little for her? Who is blackmailing our family into it? He has already proven that he has no self-control or respect for her. If you think those bruises were a one-time incident, you are mistaken. These lies have gone far enough, it cannot be worth it anymore." 

"Enough!" King T'Chaka yelled, silencing his disobedient and reckless children. "T'Challa, you will stay out of it. You will be king one day but that is not today. And Asha, you will marry Hasani. You are lucky I was able to find this man for you. He is of royal blood, far better than you could have hoped for. Now, T'Challa and I will be leaving for Sokovia in a week's time. I suggest you take that time to accept this. I will not have this conversation with you again." 

Asha nodded softly, her "Yes baba" so despondent and quiet that it broke T'Challa's heart. She shrugged off his comforting hand from her shoulder and raced out of the room. Asha rarely left her dad's office without tears clouding her vision, today was no different. 

Asha woke among the dirt and swaying grass of the Ancestral Plane. Her second visit was far less confusing, almost as if she expected it. Bast did say she would see her again so she supposed this was that time. And this time, she knew she was not actually dead, which offered a small comfort. 

She stood up and dusted the dirt off the long white dress with gold trim now hanging over her shoulders. Her bare feet sunk into the soft dirt as she walked toward a tree overflowing with black panthers. She did not need prompting, did not need Bast to lead her way. The path, the course forward, who she needed to speak to was as clear as day. She did not get very close before one jumped down from a high branch and landed in front of her. 

Baba, she thought to herself. Sure enough, she watched as the panther quickly turned into a man... her father. 

The two simply stood there, feet apart and stared at each other. He looked smaller than he did in life. He was never a big person, but his presence made up for what he lacked in stature... strong and intimidating. She never got to see the gentle King everyone else adored and worshiped. She had always only gotten the worst of him. She could not deny the small part of her that was filled with the urge to rush forward and hug him, the part that was still desperate for his approval and his love. But the larger part forced her feet to stay planted like a tree firmly in the same spot. She expected there to be more resentment toward him. What once was a burning inferno seemed more like a small contained fire, still present and noticeable but not all consuming.

"Why are you here... again?" he asked. 

"That seems to be a question for Bast, not me... I found a new garden of the Heart-Shaped Herb and when I thawed it, I passed out. And I guess she brought me here." 

"You found a new garden?" He did not even try to hide the surprise in his voice. 

Asha scoffed, bowing her head slightly, turning away from him to study the horizon and the pale yellow and orange sky. "Always a tone of surprise. Apparently, Bast doesn't hate me or my kind as much as you did." 

"I never hated you Asha." 

"Really? You could have fooled me. 15 years... 15 years, you treated me like a prisoner, like I was nothing to you. If you did not hate me, you certainly didn't love me. It does not benefit either of us to pretend otherwise," she added coldly. If she was going to speak to him, it would be rooted in honesty, not historical fiction to sugar coat his actions simply because he died. 

"I did not know how to deal with a child who was more powerful than I. Bast told me you were destined for great things and I refused to believe it. I was so obsessed with the mantle of King that I lost sight of... well, everything. I have had much time to think since being here." 

"Yes, I would imagine death gives you all the time in the world to contemplate your failings," Asha responded, that small fire of resentment showing in her words, regardless of how she tried to contain it. The beautiful and serene terrain of the Planes did nothing to counter the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. She did not know what she expected from a conversation with her father but this was lacking. But she wondered if every conversation would; after all he could not come back from the dead and redo her childhood. His damage was set in stone and no words would fix it. 

"What will you do now?" 

"I will take the herb down the mountain and save your golden son and your tribe from being uprooted. That is all T'Challa and I seem to do lately, save our country from your failures. I will save your country, as Bast destined it. And then, I will find my place in that country, the place you selfishly denied me for decades," Asha responded. 

T'Chaka nodded sadly, "Can you forgive me? I was not perfect in life. I made so many mistakes that forced you and T'Challa down paths that almost led to Wakanda's destruction. If I could go back, if I could have a chance at life anew, I would do so much differently. I did not hate you, I hated your powers and what they represented. But for you, I am sure that distinction means little. I failed you as a father... I failed you as your King and unfortunately, my realizations came too late. I can't fix it; I can't make it up to you. But I can apologize… and I am so sorry. Truly." 

Asha did not hate her father, that was true. She did not know if she loved him either. But she had finally lost almost all the anchors of her past life, this was the final one. No amount of harbored resentment would fix his mistakes. Hating him until the end of her days, refusing to forgive until she was in a tree in the Planes next to him would not give her the life and childhood she desperately had wanted and deserved. She knew she needed to learn how to move on, to stop being weighed down by the past. She did not need to love her father to forgive him. She could not carry this pain, this resentment into her new life. She deserved to be light, not weighed down by someone else's failures and insecurities.

"A king who admits his faults? Quite the rarity." She refused to look at him, still studying the horizon, "You know I used to pray to Bast to take my powers, take my life, take everything so that you could love me. So that you could look at me as you looked at T'Challa and Shuri, with love, adoration, and hope. I wanted that so bad for so long that it almost killed me. Everyday felt like a festering wound that just would not heal. Your ego allowed me to wake up every day without hope, without light. Y-you caused that and, to be honest, I never thought I could forgive you for it. For planting seeds of hatred so deep in my heart that I started to believe them to be my own thoughts, my own insecurities." 

She turned to face him finally, "But I cannot live that way anymore. I have finally started to uproot those weeds and my soul is so light," Asha sighed as tears sprung to her eyes, "that sometimes it feels as though I could fly away. I will never again be weighed down by the hatred you sowed nor the hatred your actions sowed in me for you. I will never feel for you as your other children do, but I do not need to hate you. I appreciate your apology and I forgive you."

 "Thank you. I wish I could be there... to see the new garden," he whispered. "I wish I could be there to right so many wrongs." 

"You are right where you need to be, T'Chaka," an angelic voice interrupted. They both turned to find Bast behind them. T'Chaka bowed slightly, stepping aside so the Goddess could approach. Asha stood tall as Bast stood directly in front of her, her face beaming with pride and joy. 

"So, you solved my riddle?" Bast asked. 

"Yes, but you couldn't have made it easier?" 

"Well... There is just no fun in that. I am so proud of you, Asha. You fulfilled your destiny and Wakanda's future, that was once destroyed, is now like that garden: overflowing and teeming with life and hope. That is because of you and Lord M'Baku. Now I have a few final requests of you before you return to your life, if you do not mind?" 

Asha raised her eyebrow, knowing the only acceptable answer was yes. She just nodded and waited for Bast to proceed. 

"One, keep the Garden where it is. There will be a desire to move them to the Hall of Kings. But that mountain will serve as the bridge that connects the Jabari to Wakanda and the Black Panther. It must stay where it is to thrive. Two, you are learning about your powers, finally understanding and controlling them. Do not let another living soul limit them again. Three, love is overflowing in your life. It has not always felt like it, I know, but I hope you feel it now. Do not lose sight of the love you have, the family you have, as you settle into the mountains with your new one. There is space for it all." 

Asha wrinkled her nose, laughing lightly. "Family in the mountains? M'Baku and I certainly are not there yet. Besides, I still need to find my place here." 

"Of course... your place in Wakanda just may have a bit colder climate than you think, Asha Udaka," Bast mused. "It is time to go now. I expect I will not be seeing you again until your life has run its course, but worry not. You have a long and vibrant life ahead surrounded by those you love and who love you immeasurably." 

Bast wrapped Asha into a hug so loving, so tender that only a Goddess could conjure such a thing. So much waited for her on the other side, and for the first time, she could not wait to get back to them. 

***

Tag List: @destinio1 @muse-of-mbaku @jellybean531 @skysynclair19 @ashanti-notthesinger @gloriousgam3r @archivistofwakanda @leahnicole1219 @mygirlrenee @dramaqueeenamby

[shedreamsofstars]

our union is a secret i’m hoping, dreaming, lying to keep - chapter eight

you’ve all heard of ‘pretending to be married when you’re not’, now get ready for ‘actually married but pretending you’re not’

When Tohru and Kyo accidentally find themselves married, they must keep their new union a secret from their friends and family. That’s easier said than done when you’re both newlywed dorks who just want to spend some quality time with one another whilst said friends and family are always one step away from discovering the truth.

in case you missed it, i posted the spicier chapter 7.5 - king of my heart, body and soul over on ao3 . it's definitely not necessary to read it before this one or even at all, but it is there if you're interested <3

start from the beginning | previous chapter | next chapter

Kyo felt euphoric.

He’d been walking around all morning, feeling as if he was floating on air and smiling to himself like a complete idiot.

It was a little ridiculous if he was being honest, but he was much too happy to care. So much to the point where even the possibility of bumping into Shigure did nothing to put a damper on his exuberant mood.

He was currently flipping pancakes with his wife cosied up beside him and the entire moment was idyllic. If it was possible to live in a single moment for the rest of time, Kyo would be hard pressed to find a better one than this.

It was quiet, and it was peaceful, and it was them.

“So,” he started, sliding the fluffy cakes off the pan and splitting them between two plates. “Any idea what we should do today?” He knocked the plates in her direction as he spoke, ready for Tohru to decorate.

Tohru’s brows furrowed in thought as she threw fruit over the top and began to bury their breakfast in icing sugar, just the way she liked. “Actually, I have one thing I’d like.”

Kyo rounded behind her, locking his hands on her waist as he nuzzled her neck. “What is it?” he hummed against her skin, pausing to lift his head as she turned to look at him.

“I was hoping we could maybe walk along the cliffs today?” she said. Her words tilted up into a question as she turned back to the pancakes, sifting the sweet powder liberally over the top. “I know you really like hiking, so I thought it might be fun for us to go together.”

Kyo smiled involuntarily, his chest warming at the thought she’d put into her choice. He loved hiking – he had done ever since Master Kazuma had first shown him there was a freedom to be found beyond the Sohma’s – and the fact that Tohru remembered made him love it just that much more.

He pressed a light kiss to her temple for her thoughtfulness before indulging in trailing a few more down her cheek. His face heated at the memory of the night before when he reached her neck and he sighed softly, releasing her as he stepped back.

He hoped she hadn’t noticed the way his face was burning as he retreated to the table to recover. “You done over there?” he asked a moment later.

“Um,” Tohru hummed, shaking another layer of icing sugar on the pancakes for good measure before placing it down. “Yes. All done!” she exclaimed brightly, lifting the plates and placing them effortlessly onto the table.

“Here, let me,” Kyo said as he stood and proceeded to pull out a chair. Tohru seemed momentarily surprised, but she smiled and pecked his cheek in thanks as she seated herself. “These look amazing by the way,” he added, taking a seat beside her.

“I might have gone a little overboard with the sugar,” Tohru admitted with a shy smile, nudging the thick layer of white with her fork.

“Ah, I’m sure it’ll taste just fine,” Kyo said, and without any more hesitation he dug in before his stomach could betray just how hungry he actually was. He’d demolished almost half of his plate when Tohru knocked his foot with her own.

“Huh,” he said, mouth full of pancake and berries as he glanced towards Tohru. He hurriedly finished his bite as he noticed her curious expression. “What’s up?”

She was fiddling nervously with the ring around her neck again, refusing to put it on properly in case they accidently bumped into Akito and Shigure again on their trip. But more than that, Kyo noticed she had barely touched her food, and she loved pancakes.

“I just realised,” she said quietly. “You don’t have one. Her honey brown eyes watched him cautiously, as if she was unsure on how to proceed.

Kyo frowned for a moment, confused by what she meant when he noticed that she was still clutching at her neck. “Do you mean a ring?” he asked, tilting his head towards her own.

“I do,” she said with a simple nod.

“Don’t be silly. Of course I have one,” Kyo said, his lips twitching into a half smile.

Tohru cocked her head to the side as she took in his words, her face scrunching up in disbelief. Kyo only shook his head at her ridiculous expression before reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

He pulled out a piece of small paper from within, thin and folded flat. Opening it out, he revealed one of the two delicate paper rings they’d received at the shrine on that fateful day they had been married.

“Oh,” she gasped, hands flying to her mouth, her eyes beginning to shine with unshed tears. “Kyo, you kept it?”

“Course,” he replied simply. “Why do you look sorta upset by that?”

“It’s not that,” she said softly. Kyo reached over to brush a thumb against her cheek, prompting her to go on, but Tohru only reached for his right arm in answer. Her gentle fingers traced the band of skin that circled his wrist, lighter than the rest.

Her eyes met his, warm and caring.

“Would,” she started softly, her voice almost a whisper – as if he were some wild animal that would be spooked back into the wilderness with a slight misstep. “Would wearing an actual ring remind you too much of your Juzu beads?”

But Kyo was past those days. He lifted her fingers from his wrist, entwining them with his own instead. He was done running from his past and everything else he had faced, and he would prove that to her a hundred times over if he had to.

“No, I wouldn’t,” he admitted, meeting her intense gaze with one he hoped conveyed just how serious he was.

Kyo really wasn’t a huge fan of wearing anything that wasn’t immediately necessary.

Most of the time all it did was interfere with his training and teaching. But wearing a ring to remind himself that someone out there loved him just as much as he loved them - that Tohru even loved him at all - that was something he could tolerate the irritation for without question.

“I’d wear anything if it was from you,” he told her. “Even those dumb crown-like things that sit on your head or whatever.”

Even the beads.

“They’re called tiara’s, silly. But … if I got you one, would you wear it?”

“Would I actually wear a tiara? Course,” Kyo joked, unable to help but make light of the situation.

“The ring, Kyo,” Tohru corrected with a shake of her head, a hopeful smile flickering on her face. He nodded softly, biting on his bottom lip to keep his own nerves at bay.

“Sure.”

“Really?” she said, her voice rising a few octave as she bounced in her chair like an excitable puppy.

“Of course, really.”

Tohru smiled brightly, untangling her fingers from his only to smoosh his cheeks together with a giggle of pure delight. “Kyo, I’m going to find the most perfect ring. Just you wait!”

“You’re such a dork,” he murmured, the words barely coherent as he interrupted her rambling to mimic the gesture on her. Her cheeks were soft and warm, and her lips were-

“Ah, good! You’re both awake.”

Kyo and Tohru jumped apart from one in another with embarrassed flushes, ears tinged pink as they spotted Shigure loitering by the hallway, a knowing smirk plastered onto his smug face.

“I must admit, I was a little worried I’d find you both in a flattering state of undress. But, it seems I find you in another sort of intimate … whatever it is you were doing to each other just then,” he said flapping his hand in their direction.

“If the thought crossed your mind, why did you let yourself in without a warning?!” Kyo growled, already regretting his earlier thoughts. As it turned out, Shigure was too powerful.

Nothing could stop him from ruining a person’s day after all.

“I could smell pancakes,” the man said simply, as if that completely excused his barging in unannounced.

“Leave,” Kyo seethed at the man’s flippant response. “Put the spare key on the table and get … out.”

“Now, now Kyo. That’s no way to speak to your elder.”

“You’ve done nothing to deserve being treated like one! Why are you even here?”

“Now there’s a question,” Shigure said, lacking all subtlety as he bounded across the room and draped himself across the sofa. “I do come bearing news actually. I just had an unexpected call from Kazuma, so I came to let you know you’re probably going to have to cut your little vacay short.”

“What did he call you about?” Kyo asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes at the older man.

“Oh, who even knows. Something about some important announcement or other.”

“Announcement?” Tohru said with surprise. “I wonder what it could be?”

“Wait,” Kyo said slowly,  a horrible feeling creeping into his bones. “Isn’t … Hanajima in Tokyo right now?”

“I think so,” Tohru clarified, her easy smile betraying that she had no idea about the turmoil her simple answer was putting him through.

“I’m going to go call Master,” Kyo said hurriedly, doing his best to hide his alarm as a certain terrible thought surfaced in his mind, hauntingly menacing as it had been back when he’d been at school.

With his phone ringing at his ear and quick ruffle of Tohru’s hair, he retreated to the hallway, his remaining breakfast sitting on the counter forgotten.

“Hello, Kyo.” Master’s voice was bright and cheerful, and the smile Kyo could hear in his words did nothing to assuage his fear. “What a coincidence, I was just about to call you.”

“Master, are you getting married to Saki Hanajima!?” Kyo blurted out, unable to form even a hello without first getting out the only question in his mind. He listened on in wide-eyed silence as a low chuckle came down the line.

“Master?” Kyo prodded, his brows furrowing.

“Kyo, that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard all week,” Master said, still chuckling. “And believe me, I’ve heard some pretty unbelievable things this week.”

The red headed boy sighed in relief.

“Well that makes two of us,” Kyo murmured, glancing back at the room to see Tohru talking animatedly with Shigure. “But then why were you going to call? I mean, Shigure said you had an announcement, but to be honest I thought he was just lying.”

“Well, even Shigure tells the truth when it suits him I suppose,” Master said cryptically. “I actually do have something to tell you, but I’m afraid you’ll have to make your way to visit this old man to find out what it is. He did mention that you were off for a few days so I hope you can make it.”

“Of course,” Kyo started before remembering that he wasn’t just talking about himself anymore. “I mean, I need to talk to Tohru about it first but, we’ll do our best.”

“As you should Kyo. I’m glad to see you’re taking good care of her.”

“Hmm,” he hummed, not sure how to respond without telling the only father he’d ever really had the biggest news of his life.

“Well, I should go. Be sure to let me know about tomorrow Kyo, it’ll be great to have the two of you stay over. It really is quite important so do try your best.”

“Yeah, we will. Bye Da-” Kyo started before the rest of the phrase dried up in his throat. “See ya Master,” he finished lamely, wondering if he’d ever be able to call the man what he deserved.

He heard Kazuma sigh softly down the phone before a sharp click disconnected their call. Someday soon, he told himself. Someday soon.

“Why are you still here?” Kyo groaned, directing his words at Shigure as he returned. His bad mood flared instantly at the sight of the man. “Don’t you have a fiancé to take care of?”

“Don’t you?”

“Tohru’s not my fiancé,” Kyo blurted absently.

“Ah of course,” Shigure said, thankfully completely missing Kyo’s point and turning to Tohru with an air of disappointment. “How could I forget. My humblest apologies dear.”

“Get out Shigure,” Kyo seethed.

Shigure stood to leave, an immovable pout on his face as he began to make his way towards the front door. “Well I hate to love you and leave you, but I did promise Akito I would take her to a lovely restaurant today. I guess this is goodbye for now.”

“Goodbye Shigure-san. Say hello to Akito from us.”

“Oh, I’ll be sure to. You two take care now,” Shigure said smugly as he disappeared from view, leaving the front door wide open in his wake, a testament to his lasting presence. Kyo sighed as he stomped over to close and lock the door, wondering if Shigure had bothered to drop his spare key inside or not.

“Was everything okay with Master?” Tohru asked when he returned to the kitchen. She was in the process of clearing away their breakfast plates and she plucked a strawberry from her own plate before turning to him.

“Oh, yeah everything was fine. Um, he actually has some news to share with us, but he wants us there in Tokyo with him tomorrow to tell us.”

“Oh, tomorrow?” Tohru said her eyes sparkling with intrigue. “How exciting!”

“Yeah but do you really want to go? I mean, it is really short notice.”

“Of course I do Kyo. It’s Master! He must have some very big news to share if he wants us there so soon.”

“Yeah,” Kyo said warmly. “He was excited about having us stay with him. We could even go and see your grandpa while we’re there if you like. It’s been a while since you saw him, right?”

“Yes, it has. I really would like to see him soon.”

“Then, it’s settled that we’re going tomorrow?” Kyo asked, reaching for her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. The last thing he wanted to do was make her do something she didn’t really want to.

Tohru leaned over to nudge her nose against his and the excitement in her smile soothed his reservations immediately. “It’s settled.”

... xxx ...

if i don't post again this year, i love you guys and wish you all the best in 2021. stay safe <3

[sativaasiren]

Line without a Hook: Part 7

Pairing: Oikawa Tooru x Reader

Genre: slow burn, fluff

Summary: Y/N is a shy student, but with a cat sized curiosity. Will her curiosity get the best of her when she overhears about Great King and his Kingdom? Will he even notice her in a crowd of adoring fans?

Notes:  Sorry for the delay! I wanted to really do this fic justice so I took a few weeks to mull over the plot direction and where I wanted this to go!

Time stopped feeling linear the moment you laid down to go to sleep and didn’t resume its normal flow when you woke up. Your date with Oikawa was today and you needed to nail this. You’ll never get another chance to make a perfect first date with your crush. He probably had a lot more experience in this area of his personal life than you did. You had never been on a date before.

The morning was spent cleaning your house and helping your mother with chores. Normally you’d be hesitant to volunteer to do extra chores but you needed something physical to keep your mind on instead of the building anxiety in the pit of your stomach.

You wrapped up cleaning the kitchen around 4PM to give yourself time to get ready. Rushing through your shower, you needed as much time as possible to curate an outfit. Sitting in a towel on the floor, you searched through piles of clothes, hoping something would jump out and scream “pick me!” but you weren’t going to get lucky twice in one week.

Rifling through a stack of sweaters, you paused when you uncovered a pink sweater with a strawberry milk container printed on it. What if you dressed to match your nickname? Would he notice?

Grasping at the fabric, you pulled it out of the pile and set it aside. It was late spring and warm enough for a multitude of bottom options but something about this screamed skirt. You wore a skirt every day as part of your uniform and felt more comfortable in them than the jeans and leggings you had laying around your closet and floor. A simple black skirt? Perfect.

You hunted around the room, searching for the skirt in question. You searched through every pile twice before finding it. Your nerves were showing and your senses were taking the hit.

Glancing over at the clock, you noted you only had 15 minutes before Tooru was expected to arrive and you had no grasp on his timeliness. Quickly getting dressed, you stood in front of the mirror in your room, stuck again. “What am I going to do about my hair?”

You pulled out a large box full of hair accessories, hoping something would jump out at you. There were clips, pins, ribbons, and scruchies scattered with no organizational system inside. After moving around the layers of stuff, keeping your eyes peeled, there it was. A pink silk scrunchie with strawberries printed on it. If he didn’t notice the top, he would almost certainly notice this.

Pulling your (H/C) hair back, you decided on a simple updo, pulling your long hair in front into a small ponytail that sat upon the loose hair in the back. Pulling two tendrils out to frame your face in the front, you dusted yourself off and did a half turn. It wasn’t much but it would do for now. Had you not been so excited and wound up over the idea of a date, you could have put more thought into what you were wearing.

Picking up a small clear tube of lip gloss, you gently applied it to your lips and threw it into your purse, along with your cell phone, wallet, and whatever various trash that had since accumulated since the last time you dumped your purse out and cleaned it.

While you were thumbing through your purse, trying to analyze if you had everything you needed, the doorbell rang and the urge to pretend you weren’t home rushed to the forefront of your mind. “I could hide in the closet. Pretend I forgot?”

You shook your head and slowly made your way to the door, using the extra seconds to brace yourself. Reaching for the gold door handle, you took one last deep breath, and turned it.

The sun that was hanging low in the sky made for the perfect illumination for him. If he looked any more angelic, he would belong in a story book. Oikawa was grinning before you had even opened the door and it only got wider when he saw you. “Yahoo, look at my little cutie. You get more beautiful every time I see you. Are you ready?”

Still squeezing the handle of the door like a stress ball, you bashfully nodded. You had to let go of the door to get your shoes from beside it. Crouching down to slide into small black heels with a tiny ankle strap, you fastened them and stood back up with care. You were out of practice on heels. The last time you wore them, you vaguely remembered being weak and deer like, trying to maintain a mature image at a family wedding. Hopefully this time, you’d look more graceful.

“Let me grab my purse and we can go.” Of course you had forgot it, you were so wired that you had moved to the front door on autopilot. Leaving Tooru leaning against your door frame, you retreated back to your room and grabbed the purse where you had left it, teetering on the edge of the bed. Tooru watched you leave and enjoyed the sight, waiting for you to turn around so he could really take you in. This wasn’t the first time he had seen you in a skirt, but the heels were. Maybe it won’t be the last time.

You returned to the door almost as quick as you had when you left it. “I’m ready, let’s go.” You turned the locks on the door while Oikawa slowly backed up enough to give you room to exit. You grabbed the door handle and backed out into your front porch, twisting the handle to ensure it was locked. You were happy to fixate on your surroundings instead of him for the time being, you wanted to stare and take him in all night, but that would seem creepy and you couldn’t handle the sheer excitement that rose inside you when you saw him.

You turned to face him and smiled softly. “So King, you never did tell me where we were going on a date.”. Oikawa chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a surprise. We can head there now.”. Tooru reached out his hand, offering to take yours. You panicked but couldn’t stop your hand from automatically reaching out and taking his. Your heart was soaring, or maybe falling off a cliff, they both felt the same didn’t they?

Your walk side by side felt comforting, picturesque. The silence felt safe. Tooru squeezed your hand and started to speak.

“I can’t stop thinking about you, Strawbery. You’re making volleyball hard to focus on.”

You froze for a second. You were taking him away from his hobby. “I’m sorry...” your voice soft and with the slight wobble of pressure to say the right things.

Tooru laughed “It’s not a bad thing, I spend a lot of time on volleyball, I could use a break sometimes...”

Hiding how surprised you were by this conversation, you wanted it to keep going. Learn as much about him as he’ll let you. The King was elusive and while the rumors had been rampant, what was actually known about the inner workings of Tooru Oikawa was few and far between.

“So does that mean you don’t get out much? I thought volleyball was everything to you?”

Oikawa exhaled through his nose, guiding you to turn down another street. “It is everything, and it’s still my dream, but perhaps there could be room for other things.” He took a pause, and you chose not to fill it with words, giving him time to continue.

“I know you’re aware of my fanclub, and what that comes with. Gifts, snacks, phone numbers, but they don’t mean much. The girls chase me around, begging for my attention, but it’s tiring. Don’t get me wrong, I love that I have a fanclub and the fans mean a lot to me, but they only know The Great King, and i’m not so sure they would like me.”

You were looking down at your feet, you didn’t want to say the wrong thing and taint this pure moment of honesty. After a beat, you decided to comment. “Why wouldn’t they like you? You’re amazing, and you light up any room you’re in. It’s a gift to be speaking to you. The Great King may be a nickname, but it comes from how great you truly are and appear to be. I want to know both sides of you”. Shit. Words came out too fast and you were gushing about him TO him.

Oikawa squeezed your hand again. “That’s why you’re here and they’re not. You’re different than the rest of the girls. I could see it from the first time you came to one of my games. Your eyes, you yearn to know. To understand. So now I’m going to show you. We’re almost there, just a few more minutes”

You casually reached up with your free hand and rubbed at your chest but it didn’t alleviate how you were feeling. He really did pick you, and it wasn’t something he did often. You were special to him.

Oikawa kept leading you down to your destination, opting to go down a slightly worn dirt road. It was hard to walk without stumbling but the anxiety kept you hyper alert to your footsteps and you managed to look outwardly cool.

“Here we are! Sorry for the lengthy trip, but I thought it would be good to be away from prying eyes.”

You were at a small plot of land at the end of a dirt road. It was lush, speckled with flowers and a few trees for cover from the sunlight, and completely isolated. The rest of the surrounding land was completely wooded. There would be no one around to overhear your conversation.

Oikawa looked you up and down, taking in your stunned reaction to where you were. He stopped his gaze onto your shoes and laughed. “It might be a struggle to get down to our spot in those. Can I carry you?”

You instinctively reached up to cover your mouth and part of your face, poorly hiding the blush rising across your cheeks. “S-sure. Thank you”.

Oikawa let go of your hand and you already missed his touch. He approached you, getting as close as he could and reached down to put his arm behind your knees and one behind your back. Oikawa lifted you and carried you like a bride down the small hill at the opening of the plot and headed down towards the end of the expanse. You wrapped your arms around his neck for stability, clinging to him and nuzzled softly under his chin.

Tooru carried you as if you weighed almost nothing, the strength training he did for volleyball paying off. Once he got to the back tree line, he gently set you down on your feet. “Alright, almost ready.” Tooru walked behind a tree and you tilted your head to watch him. What on earth was he doing?

Oikawa reappeared with a basket and a bundle under his arm. Setting the basket down, he untucked the bundle and shook it out into the air. The large fleece blanket unfurled and he slowly set it down on the grass.

“There ya go. Have a seat, little cutie”. You reached behind and brushed your skirt, making sure it was still in place from being carried and sat down on the left side of the blanket. You tucked your legs under your body and looked up, watching Oikawa carefully.

Oikawa set the basket down in the middle of the blanket and took his seat on the right side. “Now we can get started.”