#^^ guy who started thinking about americana. like whatever
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saturnisfallingdown · 1 year ago
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man supernatural might be bad but also ill be damned if thats not the most american show ever. like theres movies and tv that've tried to be this american but 99% have failed. you watch a particularly good episode of supernatural and suddenly you feel the hours of highway winds against your skin and theres more asphalt road than livable terrain for miles and you eat the best meal of your life at a pit stop and you havent gone to church since you were a kid but you still think about praying sometimes and you split a 6 pack with someone you love and a few too many people around you have guns and the land around you is so big when youre right in the center of it you feel like it could swallow you up and you know for a fact theres an unimaginable amount of mythology just beneath the surface. and then you watch the next episode where sam kills paris hilton or something
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moonshine999 · 2 years ago
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The Crows as Taylor Swift albums (pt.2)
because I’m awake, slowly losing sanity, and have nothing better to do <3
Nina Zenik : Lover
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💋 “I know that I'm a handful, baby, uh // I know I never think before I jump” - ME! 
💋 “I'm so sick of running as fast as I can // Wondering if I'd get there quicker // If I was a man” - The Man 
💋”Hey, it's all me, in my head // I'm the one who burned us down // But it's not what I meant // I'm sorry that I hurt you” - Afterglow
💋 “Tell me that you're still mine // Tell me that we'll be just fine //Even when I lose my mind” - Afterglow 
💋 “Killing me slow, out the window // I'm always waiting for you to be waiting below // Devils roll the dice, angels roll their eyes // What doesn't kill me makes me want you more” - Cruel Summer
💋”And I screamed for whatever it's worth // “I love you" ain't that the worst thing you ever heard” - Cruel Summer 
💋”But we might just get away with it // Religion's in your lips // Even if it's a false god // We'd still worship // We might just get away with it // The altar is my hips // Even if it's a false god // We'd still worship this love” - False God 
💋”They say home is where the heart is // But that's not where mine lives” - London Boy 
💋”Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh // We can follow the sparks, I'Il drive” - I Think He Knows 
💋 “My team is losing, battered and bruising // I see the high fives between the bad guys // Leave with my head hung, you are the only one // Who seems to care” - Ms. Americana and the Heartbreak Prince 
💋”Maybe you ran with the wolves and refused to settle down // Maybe I've stormed out of every single room in this town” - Daylight 
💋”But if the story's over // Why am I still writing pages?” - Death By A Thousand Cuts
💋 “Our country, guess it was a lawless land // Quiet my fears with the touch of your hand // Paper cut stings from our paper thin plans”- Death By A Thousand Cuts 
💋 “All the king's horses, all the king's men // Couldn't put me together again // Cause all of my enemies started out friends // Help me hold onto you” - The Archer 
💋”Cat and mouse for a month or two or three // Now I wake up in the night and watch you breathe” - Paper Rings 
Matthias Helvar : Folklore
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🪞 “You're not my homeland anymore // So what am I defending now? // You were my town // Now I'm in exile, seein' you out I think I've seen this film before” - exile 
🪞 “ And they said // "There goes the last great American dynasty" //“Who knows if she never showed up, what could've been" “ - the last great American dynasty
🪞 “‘Cause you weren't mine to lose // You weren't mine to lose, no”- august
🪞 “With you, serve // With you, I fall down, down // Watch you breathe in // Watch you breathing out, out” - epiphany
🪞 “Only 20 minutes to Sleep // But you dream of some epiphany // Just one single glimpse of relief // To make some sense of what you've seen” - epiphany 
🪞 “Keep your helmet, keep your life, son // Just a flesh wound, // here's your rifle “ - epiphany
🪞 “You drew stars around my scars // But now I'm bleedin'” - cardigan 
🪞 “But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss // I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs // The smell of smoke would hang around this long // ‘Cause I knew everything when I was young // I knew I'd curse you for the longest time” - cardigan
🪞 “Time, curious time // Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs // Were there clues I didn't see? // And isn't it just so pretty to think // All along there was some // Invisible string // Tying you to me?” - invisible string 
🪞 “And that's the thing about illicit affairs // And clandestine meetings and longing stares // It's born from just one single glance // But it dies, and it dies, and it dies // A million little times “ - illicit affairs 
🪞”Look at this idiotic fool that you made me // You taught me a secret language // I can't speak with anyone else” - illicit affairs 
🪞 “All these people think love's for show // But I would die for you in secret // The devil's in the details, but you got a friend in me // Would it be enough if I could never give you peace?” - peace
🪞” I didn't have it in myself to go with grace //And you're the hero flying around, saving face //And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? // Cursing my name, wishing I stayed //  Look at how my tears ricochet “ - my tears ricochet 
🪞”And I can go anywhere I want // Anywhere I want, just not home” - my tears ricochet
🪞 “Stood on the cliffside // Screaming, "Give me a reason" // Your faithless love's the only hoax// I believe in // Don't want no other shade of blue // But you // No other sadness in the world would do” - hoax 
🪞 “ I want auroras and sad prose // I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet // ‘Cause I haven't moved in years // And I want you right here // A red rose grew up out of ice frozen ground “ - the lakes 
(Kaz, Inej, Jesper and Wylan are already posted)
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sowhatdoyoueat · 1 year ago
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Vegan Grocery + Resources
NEW YORK CITY
Orchard Grocer
Amazing little deli and grocery store with all kinds of essentials. A great additional stop to your normal Key Foods, Ideal, etc. regular grocery store or fresh market. Between Orchard and Natural Frontier, and our normal grocery stores we never have to go to Whole Foods anymore. Go there to pick up vegan essentials and pick up lunch while you're there. We always get The Miles and whatever the special is. Plus, there's a great potato salad.
Natural Frontier
Absolutely essential for us! 2 locations in Brooklyn and Queens. Very key produce, and all your essential vegan/vegetarian staples.
Kam Man
Fantastic store, great ramens, dried mushrooms, tofus and sauces. Huge tea section, and an irresistible housewares section– for me at least.
Genkiya Market
Great little Japanese grocery on Spring Street. Lots of things you can't find in other places – specialty produce, great lotus root etc.
PARIS
Mon Épicerie
I don't know what we would do without this store – we'd certainly have a different impression of Paris. Small but full of essentials: vegan meats, and THE best vegan cheeses – many that you can't find in the states. Great spices too. And a small but nice selection of wines!
Aujourd'hui Demain
For the longest time we only had brunch here, and then finally eventually took a look at the store. Lots of great food stuff besides having cool shoes, backpacks, clothes etc. Plus the savory pancakes are top!
Land & Monkeys
Several locations. Amazing sandwiches. We eat there A LOT. Great desserts and bread in general for picking up. Our friends got me a vegan cake for my birthday there last year. SO sweet, in every meaning.
ST. LOUIS
When we lived on Cherokee Street we always said, "you can't have a better grocery situation better than this." On foot, between Schnucks, Latino Americana and Jay International (and the occasional jumping in the car to get essentials from Whole Foods) we had everything we needed to thrive vegan.
OTHER ACCOUNTS + BLOGS
Brand New Vegan This guy makes some great recipes. I haven't used them in awhile but they are a lot of good veganized versions of traditional comfort foods and helped me build a cooking vocabulary for cooking vegan.
The PETA vegan starter kit and "how to go vegan" section was super helpful to us when we made the transition from vegetarian to vegan, and it was a PETA guide that helped me go vegetarian as a teenager way back when. I think a lot of folks think that PETA is just angry protestors throwing red paint on fur coats but they're actually SO MUCH MORE and rather just folks who care about animals and have a lot of helpful information and delicious recipes that we still use. Get your guide here!
Some accounts I like, here's a great place to start:
veganeatsnyc
veganzinga
plantbasednews
thekoreanvegan
association_l214 (French)
Not exactly "vegan" but super relevant:
Vakita (French)
Maybe work your way up to these:
veganstreet
For real, varsity. I love this guy, but there was a time he would have been too much for me. But not anymore!:
earthlinged
But seriously, this one is maybe vegans only. But once you're there, it's so perfect:
Elwoodsorganicdog
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mizu-amia-akiyama · 2 years ago
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GUys I'm dying /j /j /j
Miss Americana and The Heartbreak Princess thing bc why not also i'm dying i had to run so much today my lungs hurt
I wake up the next morning feeling like shit. Maybe we should do a satanic ritual at recess? Doesn't matter. I get up, do my morning routine as usual, and head to school. I don't even bother with breakfast. I just take a snack bar and head out the door. My mom doesn't ask questions, as this has happened many times. Last night literally half-ruined my day. Whatever, it's fine. I walk to school and see Dorothea on the sidewalk just as I reach school. "Shit," I say under my breath. I know she sees me, too, and she tries to look away from me. I ignore it and walk past her, walking over to the bestie group. "Heyy," I say in my tired morning voice. "Heyy," James says. "You look tired, let me guess, stayed up all night?" Este says, "Been there, done that, bestie." I'm really tired, and Inez isn't there. I look around and see Dorothea, Alice, and Brittney all going into school. They'd just let everyone go in. We walk into school, and James looks concerned about me.
"You alright, Jules?" He asks. "No, not really. I talked with Dorothea last night," I say. "Oof. You guys stopped talking ages ago, though," He says. "Yeah, well, last night was a special case, I guess," I say. We walk into school and to our lockers to put in our stuff for the day. The bell rings and we head to class...
Lunch starts and we sit at the same table. "Hey guys, I was thinking that maybe we could do some sort of satanic ritual?" I say out of nowhere. "Hmmm, sounds interesting, go on..." Este says. She always wanted to get back at her ex, and she's been losing sleep over a way to do it. "So, here's how it would go. We make a circle, either with ourselves or some other thing, we write the names of people we absolutely hate on a piece of paper, we put the paper inside the circle, we hold hands, and chant 'BRING ALL HELL TO THESE PEOPLE" or something like that. What do you think?" I say. Inez seems shocked. "Bestie, we can't do that. That's so mean!" She says. Inez is really nice, and she would NEVER do a thing like that. "What about we do a good luck ritual instead? Write down what we really need to be successful and do a ritual with it. C'mon, it'll be fun!" Inez suggests. Now that sounds like a better idea. Este doesn't think so, though, as her expression sort of drops when Inez says that. James is sitting beside me, talking with Emma. Ever since he met her, he's always been talking to her. Even if it's only been two days, he's ALWAYS with her.
James zones back in on our conversation. "Huh? What we doin'?" He asks. "We're gonna do a good luck ritual, y'know, like the bad luck ritual we did last year, except this time it's good," I tell him. We go out to recess and get a piece of paper. I lead everyone, writing down their names and the things they want. James isn't participating in the ritual, since he's never believed in our ritual things. But having a best friend that's a bit different from you can actually be good. "Ugh, I need a fourth person," I say, frustrated. I look over at Dorothea and Alice, who are a couple feet away from us. God, she's pretty...
I try to look away and focus on the ritual. "Hey wait," I think to myself, "Maybe I could just, y'know..." I write 'Dorothea Kloss' on the paper, and write down something she's been really wanting: a plushie of her favorite character. "Jules, what are you doing?" James says over my shoulder, "C'mon, Jules, you're too obsessed." "I'm not obsessed!" I snap back at him, "I just want Dorothea to get what she wants, that's all..." I fold up the paper as Inez gets the leaves to make the circle. I place the paper on the ground and Inez surrounds it in a circle of leaves. All of us, except for James, sit around the leaf pile. "So, what now?" Este says. "Actually, I didn't think this through," I admit. We just sit there for a while, and eventually, it's time for us to go back to class. "Welp, failed," I say as we walk inside.
Este and I have AP science class next, so we walk there together. "So, I saw you wrote Dorothea's name on the ritual paper," she says. I didn't realize she'd seen that! "What do you mean? I didn't write that..." I lie, denying the truth like I've done multiple times. We walk into the classroom and sit at our table. Three more periods, then I can go home...
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grem-archive · 3 years ago
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Tag Game To Better Know You! Send this to people you’d like to know better!
Oh, geez, so I’ve never really done one of these before haha but thank you to @draw-a-circle-thats-the-compass for the tag!
What book are you currently reading?
Unfortunately, I haven’t been reading much lately, but I am looking for suggestions! The last thing I read was Pox Americana by Elizabeth A. Fenn. It’s about the smallpox epidemic that hit North America around the time of the American Revolution and its effects, but it simultaneously takes you on a broader look at the impact, such as on Native American populations and the outbreak in Mexico City. Granted, it was for a class but a wonderful read that will make you not only think about history but reflect on the pandemic of today.
What’s your favorite movie that you saw in theatres this year?
Top Gun Maverick…I went and saw it three times with three different friend groups.
What do you usually wear?
Ah, well, the winter fit is usually sweatpants of some kind coupled with any random assortment of t-shirts, both short- or long-sleeved, then some kind of hoodie or jacket. I’ve been trying to break in a leather jacket though so that I can paint it! That thing is far comfier than it should be.
How tall are you?
5’ 5” or about 165 cm.
What’s your Star Sign? Do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event?
I am a Cancer. I don’t really believe in astrology, but I know far too much about it because of friends. They tell me I am a “classic Cancer,” and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. And I do! June 21. I share a birthday with Chris Pratt and the U.S. Constitution. It’s also the day the Sox pitcher Rube Foster no-hit the Yankees 2-0 at Fenway in 1916. Make of those what you please.
Do you go by your name or a nick-name?
I go by my nickname Jill, or Grem/Gremlin online. Call me whatever the hell you want though, I’ll reply regardless.
Did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be so many things as a kid. Astronaut, microbiologist, paleontologist, a whole plethora of other things… As long as it had to do with using my hands for something and getting to learn and sate my obnoxious curiosity, I would be happy. Doing archaeology checks all those boxes, so I can’t be mad! I’m a recent convert to anthropology and I love it. Learning more each day just makes me love how diverse the Earth and its inhabitants are. I’m a filthy optimist, okay?
Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?
Single and vibing.
What’s something you’re good at vs. something you’re bad at?
I don’t think I’m much good at anything, but I guess I can draw! Would love to be better at writing.
Dogs or cats?
Don’t make me choose.
What’s something you would like to create content for?
To keep it in the scope of Hetalia, I would like to continue the historical fic I started writing centered around the American Revolution, as (early) American history is my secondary study. But I’m not confident in my skills enough to continue it. Forget posting it anywhere. But I had a prologue, first chapter, and second chapter in different states of completion before putting it down.
What’s something you’re currently obsessed with?
Cold War-era armor.
What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year?
My grades. [rimshot and laugh track plays]
What’s a hidden talent of yours?
I don’t think being ADHD-fueled human encyclopedia counts so…I can write with my toes. I can sing and play euphonium, too, I guess! Idk guys fr
Are you religious?
Not particularly. I am a very lazy pagan, at the very least.
What’s something you wish to have at this moment?
All my friends and mutuals with their fine asses right in front of me so that I can give them all ginormous, lung-squeezing, spine-cracking hugs. Y’all need to stop being gorgeous double-cheeked-up baddies on this Tuesday evening.
I’m nominating @sunnysssol @ironicorange @cicadatalia @magictrio1118 @sunnylolli @modernday-jay @abbittheturtle because you are all wonderful and are either close beloveds or super chill!
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karlie-what-you-want · 2 years ago
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Lmao, people need to start getting serious and stop pretending that people immediately picking random famoua guys to pair Taylor off with after she announced she ditched Toe is something that would ever bother her, she is literally the woman who told a Vanity Fair interviewer in 2020 that in 2016 she and her dumb little female brain couldn't comprehend American politics until a big strong smart man with a superior man-brain came to the US from Britain and told her "Trump bad! Vote Democrat!" within like the first month he ever spent in America because for some dumb reason she thought it'd boost her chances of Miss Americana making the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary
I love Taylor too but people really need to stop putting her on a pedestal and pretending that she doesn't quite often and quite purposely use misgogynistic tropes and shit to promote and sell whatever she's got going on at the time and that misogyny is actually something that bothers her 24/7 instead of something she likes to use to her advantage on occasions 💀
Anon, I think you are assuming that these truths cannot coincide, when I just don’t think that’s the case. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post this, because I think some of the language is harmful, and I’m not honestly sure if you’re actually a Taylor fan or just a troll. But, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.
First of all, many of us have been perplexed and frustrated by some of the things she says and does—especially in the case of crediting joe for her political activism. However, Taylor has never portrayed herself as having a “dumb little female brain,” and I find that assertion to be offensive, even though I don’t think you’re actually knocking her intelligence.
I am also of the opinion that joe was a stand-in for Karlie in many ways. So Taylor saying that he encouraged her to speak up and be braver about her political stances could have been her way of honoring Karlie (who has always been politically outspoken) for encouraging Taylor in a similar way.
Taylor does a lot of things that mystify me. I don’t always understand her motives, other than to succeed in the music business. I think that’s always come first for her, even to the detriment of her personal life and relationships. Things like this or Grammygate perhaps are not the best look for someone who has framed herself as a feminist activist, but I think that can coexist with the fact that Taylor would be bothered by people constantly trying to tie her to a man.
It takes me back to the Archer: “I cut off my nose just to spite my face/ then hate my reflection for years and years” She does a lot of things that are contrary to her own beliefs out of fear and the need to be liked by the public. (See also: “I’ve never had the courage of my convictions as long as danger is near”). She doesn’t like that she does these things, and she doesn’t like that (to her it seems) the only way to succeed is by tying herself to a man. I think it’s clear through her lyrics (too many to list) that she wishes it wasn’t so.
Plus, it’s one thing to do it herself (and hate it all the while), but it’s a completely different thing to have others do it for you and rub your face in it. That would really suck.
So while you might say it’s hypocritical for her to be offended by the notion of people trying to match her up with a bunch of famous men, it’s not unrealistic for her to feel that way. I have always worked very hard to keep from putting her on a pedestal, as you mentioned, and I think part of doing that is recognizing the duality of Taylor, her beliefs, and her lyrics.
She’s a businesswoman, yes, but still a woman. Still a person. We’re all hypocritical sometimes, we all do things that we hate, and we all want to be told we’re strong enough to succeed on our own.
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sxbrinalogan · 3 years ago
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Strawberries & Cigarettes - Troye Sivan “long nights, daydreams, sugar and smoke rings. i’ve been a fool, but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you. headlights, on me. racing to 60. i’ve been a fool, but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like blue eyes, black jeans, lighters, and candy. i’ve been a fool, but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you.”
This song reminds me so much of teenage West and Sabrina. I always see a little montage of them getting up to trouble in my mind when I think about it and this song captures that perfectly. No matter how far away they get from their teenage years, little things will always bring them back to those moments. 
Thinking of You - Katy Perry “comparisons are easily done once you’ve had a taste of perfection... i guess second best is all i will know...he kissed my lips, i taste your mouth. he pulled me in, i was disgusted with myself. ‘cause when i’m with him i am thinking of you. what you would do if you were the one who was spending the night. oh, i wish that i was looking into your eyes.” 
After West, Sabrina swore off love, but she definitely did a lot of dating around. The entire time she could only really think about how they were in comparison to West. No one ever lived up to him and that’s because no one else could possibly be the love of her life. Even when she was with Bertram, West was always at the back of her mind. There was always a part of her that wanted to run right back to him. 
This Love (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift “in silent screams, in wildest dreams i never dreamed of this... in sinking ships, in losing grips, you showed up just in time... your kiss, my cheek, i watched you leave. your smile, my ghost, i fell to my knees. when you’re young you just run but you come back to what you need. this love is good, this love is bad, this love is alive back from the dead. these hands had to let it go free. this love came back to me.”
Okay, this one chokes me up I cannot tell a lie. Sabrina never wanted to end things with West, but she was forced to by her mother. He promised her that they’d find their way back to each other one day, but I don’t think she ever really believed it from her spot under her mother’s thumb. West came back into her life at exactly the right moment, right as she started to lose sight of who she is. Now that their love has come back to her, she’ll do whatever she has to, to protect it. 
Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince - Taylor Swift “its you and me, that’s my whole world. they whisper in the hallway she’s a bad, bad girl. the whole school is rolling fake dice, you play stupid games you win stupid prizes. its you and me, there’s nothing like this, miss americana and the heartbreak prince. we’re so sad we paint the town blue, voted most likely to run away with you.” 
I love the imagery of Sabrina the prom queen, pageant girl gone bad and West as this heartbreaker guy. Everything is falling apart around them, but the two of them are pretty much all that matters to her. 
Little Did I Know - Julia Michaels “the summer before you, you can’t spell ‘drama’ without consonants. and i admit, i usually was the cause of it. now here we are, you got me changing all of it. slow me down, i want you too. it’s different when it comes to you. but little did i know you would be the one i confide in, learn how to try with. little did i know it was you before i ever decided... just look at you can you blame me?” 
Let’s throw it all the way back to teenage West and Sabrina for this one. West Virginia and Sabrina Logan were probably the last two people on Earth anyone thought would fall in love. Glenda Logan’s seemingly uptight daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks? Sabrina agreed to go on a date with him to piss her mother off, but it only took five minutes for her to realize there was an intense spark between them. Both then and now, West makes her want to be the best version of herself. It’s the version he deserves to be with. 
@beachboy-west
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luci-in-trenchcoats · 4 years ago
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Miss Americana (Part 3)
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Summary: The reader recovers from her second dose of Compound V and explores her stronger abilities with Dean. But the events of a fun night out might give Miss Americana and Soldier Boy an unlikely ally...
Masterlist
Pairing: Soldier Boy!Dean x reader
Word Count: 1,900ish
Warnings: language, implied past torture/assault/killings
A/N: Enjoy this final part! This contains very minor spoilers for The Boys...
______
“Let me hide this stuff and I’ll be back in five, okay?” he asked. You nodded, Dean cupping your cheek before he was gone. It was barely a minute before he was returning, wearing sweats and a henley, a box under his arm. “Brownies from the bakery down the block.”
“I thought you liked pie.”
“I do. But you like brownies,” he said. “Something to look forward to after you spend the night shaking and sweating.”
“Lovely,” you said. He sat down beside you, urging you to lean into him. He tucked a blanket over your legs, watching the fire crackle. “I don’t think I mind if you’re a monster.”
“I can be pretty horrible.”
“You’re not horrible to me. You’ve never been that way. Even if your first instinct was to try to manipulate me you decided not to.”
“I hate most people. Think they’re worthless. Only care about myself.”
“So? I told you when we met...I’m the nice bad guy. I frankly don’t give a fuck anymore about being the pushover, the one that gets hurt. I just want to never be afraid again.”
“We never have to be afraid after tonight. Never,” he said. “You’ll be stronger than Homelander. Stronger than me. You’ll be safe.”
“For a bad guy, you were awfully nice giving me that dose with no strings attached.”
“There’s no strings,” he said. He stroked your arm when you shivered. 
“Partners?” you asked. He leaned down, kissing you more gently than he ever had. No need behind it.
“I like partners,” he said. He was warm as you started to feel cool, Dean drawing shapes on your bare skin. “I had a little brother.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“He got sick right after I shipped out. Died the morning I got my first dose of Compound V. Only reason I volunteered for the shot. They said volunteers got special benefits. I wanted my brother to get to a good hospital and proper care and he was already dead by the time I got my shot. Then uh, then some of us started dying cause they didn’t know dosages or shit. I thought at least Sam’s gonna be okay. Then I spent three days wishing it would kill me so I could be with him instead of having been away for the last year of his life. But I didn’t die. I was the only one. Then they gave me more and...I guess I enjoyed becoming the super soldier over grieving. Then it goes to your head and changes you and...Sammy wouldn’t even recognize me now. At least I know I’m not going to the same place he wound up so he won’t have to see.”
“What was that like, being honest just now,” you asked, goosebumps covering your skin. You bundled into him more, Dean pulling up the blanket.
“I miss Sammy. I haven’t thought about him in years. I hope the kid’s happy wherever he is.”
“Maybe you’ll see him again someday,” you said. You shook, sweat forming all over you, muscles aching. You turned, unable to get comfortable. “How long does this last?”
“About six hours. Then I passed out and when I woke up it was over.”
“Awesome.” You gripped the blanket tight, Dean massaging your tense shoulders. “Tell me more about Sammy. Please.”
“He absolutely hated being called Samuel,” said Dean with a chuckle. “So naturally I did it all the time when we were kids.”
“Keep going,” you said, stomach churning briefly. “Distract me.”
“Let me tell you about the time we jumped off the shed roof.”
You were in sweaty clothes when you woke, lifting your head off Dean’s chest to find him passed out and snoring lightly. You sat up, shaking out your head. Something was different. You stood, deciding to test out flying first. You yelped when you nearly hit the ceiling, freezing and plopping straight down onto the couch and Dean.
He groaned awake, peeling open his eyes to find you hovering above him.
“Sweetheart I’m all for a little rough in the bedroom but not a full body tackle awake,” he said. You moved to the side, the motion second nature quickly but it required much less effort than before. You looked around, nothing in the room heavy enough to test your strength. Dean sat up, smirking as he looked at you. “Wanna arm wrestle?”
“Yes!” you said, Dean chuckling, groggily taking a seat at the counter. You stood on the other side of the island, Dean clasping your hand.
“Let’s go,” he said. You squeezed, Dean keeping up with you for a good few seconds before he started to go down fast. You heard the counter creek and then it was breaking, Dean backing up. 
“Uh,” you said. 
“Don’t worry about it. What do you expect when you got supes in the place? But you, you’re stronger. Stronger than me,” he said. “How do you feel?”
“Good. Very good. I um, I’d like to go fly. I think I might be faster.”
“Go for it. I’ll call someone to get this fixed. Just be careful. Try not to fly into any planes.”
“I’ll do my best, Soldier Boy.”
“Again?” asked Dean that night. You flew up high and smiled, Dean letting go of you, free falling a few seconds before you dove down and caught him. He giggled and you flew higher, Dean jumping off. You could heard him laughing and went down, something hitting you on the way. You threw a punch and arms released you, Dean holding on tight when you finally caught up with him. You both looked up and glared, a cape and pair of red eyes looking down. “You do realize the fall won’t kill me.”
“Probably not. But it’d be fun to try,” said Homelander. He floated down to your level, your arm tight around Dean’s waist. “Oh relax. I won’t touch your boy toy again.”
“I thought I said to stay the fuck away from us,” you growled.
“I just thought you’d like to know that Soldier Boy’s internal file will be released to the major news outlets tomorrow. Did you know-”
You grabbed his neck with your free hand, squeezing hard, Homelander pawing at your wrist.
“Any good reasons why I shouldn’t kill him?” you asked Dean.
“None come to mind,” said Dean, Homelander’s eyes red but fading as he choked for air.
“Feel free to speak up,” you said, gripping his neck even tighter. 
“Stop,” said a voice, the three of you turning towards a small drone hovering close by. “Let him go.”
“He tried to kill Soldier Boy,” you said, holding on tight. You didn’t even see the drone shoot out the darts, the three of you hit. You instantly dropped Homelander, flying down to the roof of Vought as soon as you could, Dean out cold already and you quickly joining him.
You woke up on the couch in Edgar’s office, no sign of Dean or Homelander. Everything felt off still as you sat up, Mr. Edgar suddenly sitting on the edge of the coffee table.
“Are you alright?”
“No,” you groaned, stretching out. “What the hell was that?”
“If you’re going to act like children, we’ll treat you like them.”
“Dean and I were having fun, minding our own business-”
“Dean and you stole Compound V for your own benefit. I thought you were going to be more understanding of this arrangement.”
“I have to be stronger than Homelander and now I am. We didn’t hurt anybody to get it. You people let him do whatever the fuck he wanted so get off your high horse.”
“We understand. But you can’t kill him.”
“Why the fuck not.”
“He brings value in, even not as part of the Seven. Miss Americana and Soldier Boy can take over the leadership roles and Homelander is to be left alone.”
“He wants to kill-”
“I said to leave it be.” You stood, glaring down at him. “If an incident like this occurs again, there will be consequences. Dismissed.”
“Gonna throw us back in a hole? That’s kinda your thing isn’t it.”
“We know how to deal with problem children, even supe ones,” he said, standing up. “Back off before all three of you are worth more dead than alive. Don’t make me dismiss you again.”
You stormed out, slamming the door after you, not bothering to look back when you heard the wood splinter. You went straight to Dean’s apartment, Dean unscathed inside. But Homelander standing there, neither of them actively trying to kill the other, that was more than enough to forget your anger for the moment.
“You okay?” asked Dean, stepping over to grab your hand. You hummed, looking Homelander up and down. “You got the same message we did I’m guessing.”
“Behave or we’re all fucked. Yeah. Why the hell is he here?”
“We were spoken to at the same time. While he’s still a psycho and has some major fucked up issues, he has a different idea,” said Dean. 
“Said the mass murderer.” Homelander rolled his eyes. “We all want to be in charge of the Seven. Be the best.”
“You shoved your hand down my pants,” you growled.
“True. But enemies can work together when they have a larger, common enemy, hm?”
“Edgar,” said Dean. “He wants to wipe out Edgar. Ashley is the next logical choice and we can control her. She wouldn’t do jack shit to us.”
“Remove Edgar from the equation and we can all get along. Maybe form a little, trio, best of the best. Still part of the Seven but top dogs. Vought would eat that shit up. Behind the scenes you two fuck or whatever it is you do. Publicly, we’re the strongest go America team there ever was. The soldier from a simpler time, the soldier who fought the terrorists and defend her country, and the everyday man who protects his fellow citizens. All walks of life, all the basis covered. Between the three of us our numbers are sky high in every single demographic.”
“What’s to stop us from killing each other after Edgar is out of the picture,” you said.
“You’re strong enough to kill me. But your little boyfriend can’t fly. You come after me, I’ll drop him in the ocean. Leave me alone, I leave you two alone and we all win,” said Homelander. “Deal?”
“What do you think?” you asked Dean. 
“Lesser of two evils. I think,” said Dean. “I say we give it a chance to see if we can get Edgar out.”
“Fine. We can discuss this more tomorrow. Oh and Homelander. I ever catch you in my or Dean’s apartment again, I’ll snap your neck. Deal or no deal.”
“If you were only a little more twisted we could have had something,” he said. He nodded and left, Dean letting out a deep breath when he was gone. 
“Y/N,” said Dean. You hummed, wrapping your arms around him. “Thanks. For catching me earlier.”
“I’m sure you would have been fine.”
“Probably but I don’t want to test that theory out. If he dropped me in the ocean...I still need to breathe. We have to play nice.”
“We will. Until we don’t have to,” you said. He smirked, kissing your lips. “He tried to kill you. Now I hate him even more. As soon as we can, he’s gone.”
“That’s my girl,” he grinned.
“Yes I am and you, you’re my Soldier Boy. We’re going to own this place, very, very soon.”
“Damn straight we are sweetheart. Just a little bit longer and then we can do whatever we want to. Promise.”
_________
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onlyfreds · 4 years ago
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Miss Americana and Her London Boy | F.W.
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Title: Miss Americana and Her London Boy (x American!reader, Muggle!Au)
Requested: Yes/No
Summary: Y/N goes on a vacation in London to find experience, adventure and memories. But after she meets Fred Weasley, a London Boy. She heads home with not only the experience and the memories, but also love.
It all started in a café in London.
You had gone on a vacation in London to do a little sightseeing and also to cross another thing off your bucket list.
You entered the café that my friend had recommended to you, ordering a peppermint mocha.
On your way out, you accidentally bumped into someone, the coffee only missing you by the skin of your teeth.
“Oh Merlin, I am so sorry.” The man who bumped into you suddenly apologized, his British accent ringing clearly through his voice.
You looked up to get a better look at him, his ginger hair was windswept as if he had just gotten back from the beach. His eyes sparkling in the sunlight. A small, apologetic smile on his lips.
“No, it’s fine.” You said, “I was the one who was looking where I was going."
He smiled, shaking his head, “Nonsense love. I almost spilled my coffee on you.”
You laughed, “If we keep on going on like this, we’ll never finish. So, let’s just call it quits."
He chuckled, “Whatever you say love.” He then offered his free hand, “I’m Fred by the way. Fred Weasley.”
You smiled, taking his hand and shaking it slightly, “I’m Y/N, Y/N L/N.”
“American?” He asked, as the two of you walked down the avenue together.
You chuckled, “The accent gave it away, didn’t it?”
Fred took a sip of his coffee as he replied with a small laugh, “A little bit.”
“So, where do you live in the States?” He asked.
“New York.” You simply stated.
He smiled, running a hand through his hair, “It must be a blast. Living in the Big Apple.”
You laughed, placing my free hand in the pocket of my jeans, “Most of the time. I did come here to have a vacation.”
“So, how long are you staying in London for.” He asked.
You shrugged, “About a month.”
“A month?” He asked in disbelief, “You’re staying here, on a vacation, for a month?”
You laughed, “Why not? I have been dreaming of this vacation ever since I was five. So, I decided to just make the most of it.”
Fred shrugged, a small smile adorning his handsome features, “That makes sense.”
You stopped at the beach where you were supposed to meet your friend. You turned to Fred, “Well, I better go now. It’s been nice having a little chat with you.”
“My pleasure.” He said, taking out a pen and a piece of paper from his pocket as he scribbled something down on it.
“Here’s my number.” He explained as he handed you the piece of paper, “Just in case you want somebody to show you around or you just need someone to talk to. Give me a call and I’ll be there in a jiffy.”
You smiled, gently taking the piece of paper from him, “Thanks Fred. I’ll see you around?”
He took your free hand, raising it up to his lips as he kissed along your knuckles, “You’ll surely will.” He said with a small wink before walking away.
--
“Who was that?” Your friend, Claudeth, asked as you walked towards her.
You gave her a look of confusion, “Who’s who?”
She rolled her eyes at you, “The cute guy you who was talking to you just now.”
You felt a blush rise up to my cheeks as you avoided her gaze, “Oh, that was Fred.”
“Oooh.” She teased, nudging your shoulder, “Somebody’s got a crush.”
You jokingly pushed her away, “I don’t have a crush on him!”
“Yeah, right.” She said, “If you don’t have a crush on him, then why are you blushing?”
You felt myself get redder, “Okay, I may find him a bit cute." Your eyes widened as you realized what just said, "Not helping Claudeth!”
Claudeth looped her arm around yours as the two of you walked through the beach, “Come on, tell me more.” She encouraged.
You rolled your eyes, “Well, we bumped into each other outside the coffee shop you recommended me. We chatted on the way here and he gave me his number.”
“What?!” She looked at you with wide eyes, before starting to shake you vigorously, “That’s a sign! He’s obviously your soulmate!”
You laughed at her antics, “Does him giving me his number already make him my soulmate? Seriously Claudeth, give me a break.”
“According to your story, you and Fred just met today. And after a few minutes of chatting with him, he already gave you his number. Just trust me and my matchmaking skills Y/N.” She said.
You rolled my eyes at her for the umpteenth time, “Whatever.”
--
You leaned back against the headboard of yout bed, scrolling through your social media, a bit bored. Claudeth was out with her boyfriend so, you texted the person you couldn't stop thinking about.
<Hey Fred! It's Y/N.
Not even a minute has passed before you received a reply.
>Hey love! What's up?
You smiled to myself as you typed out my reply.
<Well, remember your offer about showing me around London?
>Of course sweetheart! Why?
<I was wondering if you were still up for the it.
You smiled giddily as you read his reply.
>I sure am! Text me your address and I'll be there in twenty minutes.
You quickly typed out my address as you hopped out of bed to change.
You were still deciding whether a denim jacket would go with jeans you were wearing when your best friend suddenly called.
"Hello my soul sister!" You greeted, resting your phone on your shoulder as you pressed your ear against it, going through the rest of the clothes you packed.
"What's got you in a cheery mood today?" Claudeth asked, sligthly amused.
You hummed, "I think it's the fact that Fred is coming over in fifteen minutes. And tell me honestly, does a denim jacket go with jeans."
She laughed, "Yes, denim jackets do go with jeans. And in return, you have to give me some tea about your little 'date'."
You rolled my eyes as you put on the jacket, looking at yourself in the mirror, "It's not a date Claudeth. He's just showing me around."
"Yeah, yeah, then you'll be calling me tomorrow at his apartment..."
"Claudeth!" You chastised my best friend.
Her laugh could be heard as her boyfriend playfully scolded her, "You didn't have to be so mean."
After she had recovered from her laughing fit she said, "What? I'm just saying."
You heard a quick knock on the door, "I'll talk to you later. He's here."
"Go get your man soul sister!" Claudeth cheered on before you dropped the call.
You glanced at your image one more, fixing your hair a bit before grabbing your shoulder bag and opening the door. Being met with the sight of Fred, a cute smile on his face, his hair windswept just like the day you two met.
"Thank you so much for coming on such short notice." You said, closing the hotel door behind you.
He seemed in a daze, as if distracted by something as he just looked at you, his eyes glazed over.
"Are you okay Fred?" You asked.
He snapped out of his trance, blushing slightly at the fact that he got caught, "Nothing, you just look absolutely stunning." He said, adding a small wink at the end.
You felt my cheeks heat up as you looked down at your feet, avoiding his gaze, "Thanks."
"Where exactly as you taking me?" You asked as both of you walked down the avenue.
He smiled, "You'll see."
You playfully raised a brow at him, "How do I know that you're not some part of gang or something and is actually kidnapping me?"
His laughter rang through the air, "Then, I wouldn't be walking with you out in the open. I wouldn't even give you my number in the first place, the fbi and the police can track that."
You chuckled, "Smart. Very smart."
After a few more hours, we arrived at a park.
Fred stretched his arms out dramatically, "Behold, one of the best parks in London."
You laughed at his antics, "I'm relieved. With all the secrecy I thought you were taking me to see the Queen."
"If you want too, I can arrange that." He joked as we laughed.
"So, are you up for an adventure?" He asked.
You scoffed, "Have you forgotten who you're talking to? I'm a New Yorker, I'm always up for an adventure."
He chuckled, handing me a helmet as we walked towards the bikes, "Well come on then, we wouldn't want Miss Americana to get bored do we?"
You rolled my eyes playfully as he gave you a teasing smile.
--
The two of you sat by the curb as Fred handed you a bottle of water.
"Thanks." You said, taking a small sip, "How much?"
He smiled, shaking his head, "No need. It's on me."
We went on a few more rounds before nightfall came, Fred then escorted you back to your hotel.
"Thank you." You said as we reached your room, "For coming quickly on such short notice. And for the little adventure as well."
He smiled, "It's my pleasure Y/N. And I'd happily do it again. So, are you up for another adventure tomorrow?"
You bit your bottom lip, looking down at your feet to keep the blush from rising up to your cheeks, "Sure, why not?"
He placed his hands in his pockets, "See you tomorrow then. G'night Y/N."
"G'night Fred." You said, as you entered your room, closed the door and leaned against it. Closing your eyes as you committed his dreamy smile to memory.
--
"No! No! You can't tell me that it's not a date!" Claudeth said dramatically.
You giggled, "Why not?"
"Because," she elongated the last sylablle to emphasize, "You have been 'hanging out' with him for literally the past two weeks. So, you can't tell me that it's not a date."
You rolled your eyes at her, "Just because Seth asked you to be his girlfriend after a week of seeing each other, doesn't mean my future boyfriend has to do the same."
You ducked as she chucked a pillow at you, "Hey, hey, that makes it obvious that Seth is my soulmate. And I am sure that Fred is yours."
You then heard a knock on the door, "That's Fred, I gotta go now!" You said, heading to the door.
"That's what I'm talking about." Claudeth muttered to herself as you opened the door.
"Hi Fred!" You greeted as he gave you a smile.
"Hey love." He said, before turning to my best friend, "As usual, I'll be stealing your friend for a little while. Hope you don't mind."
Claudeth nodded as she gave him a smile, "Go ahead, don't let me stop you. You can even take her home if you want."
"Claudeth!" You scolded.
She gave an apologetic but teasing smile, "It was a joke. Now, run along you two."
You gave her a death glare before closing the door behind yourself.
"I'm so sorry about her." You apologized as you and Fred entered the elevator, heading down to the lobby, "She can be a bit of a crackhead at times."
Fred chuckled, "Don't worry about it. I might actually take up her offer and bring you home."
"You've got to be kidding me!" You said, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.
"I'm kidding." He said, accompanied with a small laugh.
When we walked out of the hotel and kept on walking until we stopped in front of a black scooter.
Fred handed me a helmet, "Well Miss Americana, what do you think?"
You stared at him in awe, "I didn't know you had a scooter."
He chuckled, "Prepared to be surprised then."
He put on a helmet before climbing on the scooter, holding out his hand, "I thought you were a New Yorker." He teased, "What's taking you so long?"
You playfully rolled my eyes as you strapped on the helmet, "There's something called 'patience' London boy." You retorted as you climbed on behind him.
"Hold on." He said, before starting to drive through the bustling streets as you wrapped your arms around his waist.
After a few hours, you stopped at some park.
"Where are you taking me?" You asked as he pulled you through the trees.
He shot you a wink, "You'll see love. And I'm sure you'll love it."
We walked into a clearing that looked like something out of a fairytale.
Trees surrounded the clearing, a small footbridge led to a nearby lake that glistening under the light of the sun.
You smiled, "It's beautiful Freddie."
He chuckled, tucking a stray piece of hair behind your ear, "I knew you'd like it."
"How did you find this place?" You asked, sitting by the edge of the footbridge.
He sat by the space next to you, "My twin and I found it while my family was hanging out at the park. Wandered a bit too far from the group and ended up here."
"A twin?" You asked, "I didn't know you had a twin."
Fred laughed, "Not just a twin. I have four more brothers and one sister."
"Wow." You grinned, "That is a lot."
"Only child problems Miss Americana?" He teased.
You laughed, "Unfortunately for you, I'm not an only child. I happen to have a younger sister, her name is Ahnica."
He tsked, "Cute. But not as stunning as Y/N."
"You always know what to say, don't you?" You said, trying to keep the blush from rising up to my cheeks.
"It's all part of my charm, isn't it?" He said with a small wink.
"Cheeky, that's for sure."
When nightfall arrived, it also started to rain.
"We're too far from your place." Fred said as we drove through highway, soaking wet from the rain, "Do you want to stay at my flat at least until the rain stops."
"Sure. Whatever works." You said.
We went up to his flat after he parked his motorbike.
As soon as you walked through his door, he immediately threw a towel around me, fussing over me.
As if he wasn't soaking wet as well.
"Fred." You said in an attempt to calm him down, "Stop fussing over me. You're also soaking wet. I can handle myself."
He shook his head, droplets of water flying all over the place, "You might get sick. You might catch a flu or something."
You rolled your eyes at him, grabbing a towel and putting it around him and drying his hair, "You keep on worrying about me getting sick when you're just equally soaked as me."
He chuckled, "Easy there Miss Americana. You don't have to lecture me."
You scoffed, "Not only cheeky. But, stubborn too."
"You love it anyway." He teased.
"Whatever." You said, trying to hide the small smile that was growing on your lips as I sat down on the couch.
Fred headed to the kitchen, coming back holding two mugs of hot chocolate.
"Here." He said with a small smile as he handed you a mug, sitting down beside you.
"Thanks." You muttered, looking up at him, offering him a small smile.
We talked with each other just like we did during the day we met, the feeling of tranquility and peace feeling the atmosphere.
"It stopped raining." Fred pointed out after a little while.
"Oh." You said, trying my best not to sound disappointed, "Well, I better be going now."
"Wait." He said, desperately glancing at his watch, "It's too dangerous to go out alone this late at night. You could stay the night if you want, but if you don't, I can always escort you home."
You bit your lip, "I appreciate the offer Fred. I really do. But, you've already done so much for me. I can't ask you to do anything more."
He chuckled, shaking his head as he stood up, "I insist love. It's absolutely no problem."
"Fred, seriously, I can't. That would be asking for too much." You tried to reason.
But he wasn't backing down, "I insist. You've only got two choices, it's either you stay the night or I'm taking you home."
You sighed, "Fine. But, I'm taking the couch. No buts, no ifs."
He chuckled, "Whatever you say Miss Americana."
"Do you ever stop being so cheeky London boy?" You asked with a small smile.
He grinned, "Never."
You went into the bathroom to change into the oversized shirt and shorts Fred had let me borrowed.
When you had finished, you saw Fred sitting on the balcony.
You chuckled quietly, opening the slide door and stepping outside.
"That's pretty dangerous." You said, "You could lose your balance and fall 50, 60 feet? You'd be lucky to still be alive at that rate."
He smiled, "Aren't you a New Yorker? You should be used to the chaos."
You climbed over the balcony and sat beside him, "Just because I'm a New Yorker doesn't mean that I do things that will put my life at risk."
He looked at you, "Well, you're doing the same thing right now."
"I guess that you have that affect on me then." You said, looking at him.
--
"I can't believe that you're already leaving tomorrow." Fred suddenly said, causing you to look up from your coffee, since he decided that both of you should spend your last day at the place where you met.
You chuckled, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear, "Time really flies when you're having fun."
You looked at the ginger in front of me. Something about him was... off today. He was quieter than usual.
"Hey," you said as your thumb rubbed small circles at the back of his hand, "are you okay? You seem a bit quieter than usual."
He bit his lip as he looked at you, "No, I'm absolutely fine sweetheart."
You gave him a skeptical look, "I can see it in your eyes, there's something bothering you."
Fred sighed, "It's just been something that I've been thinking about for the past week."
You licked my lips, terribly concerned, "Then tell me, maybe I could help you with it."
He interlocked our hands together, "Will you promise that whatever happens with what I tell you, it won't affect our friendship at all?"
You nodded, "Of course it wouldn't."
Fred took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for the worse, "Spending the past month with you has been the highlight of my entire year. I will honestly tell you that I've been dreading the day that you would have to go back to New York. I have been dreading the day you'll leave and possibly not come back."
You gulped, "Freddie, you're scaring me."
"If I don't tell you this, then it would be my biggest what if. I love you Y/N. More than a friend, more than anything else that I've loved before. It's perfectly fine if you don't feel the same and turn down my offer. But, Y/N L/N, will you be my girlfriend?" He said with a hopeful glint in his eyes.
You smiled as you nodded, "Yes Fred. I will be your girlfriend!"
He grinned, standing up and pulling you into a passionate kiss.
"Thank goodness!" He said as we pulled apart, "You've just made me the happiest man alive."
You giggled, "Well then, that makes me the happiest person to ever walk the planet."
"But, how about the distance?" You asked, "New York isn't on the other side of London."
He licked his lips, "Well, that's what technology is for, isn't it?"
You laughed, "You are a smart cookie."
The time flew by, before you knew it, Fred was taking you back to the hotel for the last time.
--
"Got everything packed?" Fred asked as he rested a hand on your suitcase.
You looked around the room, already feeling a bit nostalgic for the place that had served as your home for the past month.
You nodded, "Yeah, everything's complete."
We walked out of the room, climbing into the cab that brought you to the airport.
We were silent for the most of the journey. Fred holding on tightly to your hand as much as possible.
When we arrived at the airport, Fred stayed by your side during everything, check-in, immigration and now the moment you dreaded the most.
"So, this is it." You shrug, trying to keep the tears at bay, "I have to go."
Fred sniffed, obviously trying hard not to cry, "I know. But, I don't want you to go."
You gave him a small smile, "I don't want to leave yet too, baby. It's not like I have a choice. Besides, that's what technology is for."
He pulled you into his chest, hugging you tightly, "Yeah, but it's not the same as having you here with me." He said, now openly crying.
"Hey, hey." You said, my tears now dripping down my cheeks, "Don't cry. Just call and text me anytime. Don't think about the timezones. Okay? I don't care if you call or text me at 3 am. I will answer."
Fred sniffed, wiping the tears from you cheeks, "Okay. But, I'll be seeing you in two months."
You chuckled, "Two months? I'll try and get a ticket."
My boyfriend gave a small smile, shaking his head, "I meant me. I'll be visiting you in New York in two months."
"Really?" You said in awe.
He nodded, "Yeah. Now before you protest, I already bought a ticket."
You flung my arms around his neck, "You're the best boyfriend ever!"
"You're the one who brings out the best in me." He whispered.
"Passengers of flight 2B5567 please head to the boarding gate immediately." Someone said over the intercom.
Fred and you pulled apart, profusely wiping the remaining tears from our eyes.
"This is it." You said again.
He nodded, "The 'it' we can't avoid no matter what we do."
He pulled you into a passionate kiss, one where we poured all of your love into it. For one final time.
You grabbed my luggage, heading towards the gate when you suddenly didn't care about missing your flight.
Your let go of your luggage, running into Fred's arms as you threw your arms around him, pulling him in for another kiss.
"Last reminder, all passengers of flight 2B5567 please head to the boarding gate immediately." The intercom sounded again.
"Sweetheart, I love you and all, but you're going to miss your flight." Fred said.
You nodded, taking off my bracelet, it was the one you were wearing the day you met Fred.
You handed it to your boyfriend, seeing his expression falter a little, "I can't take that princess."
You gave him a reassuring smile, "You can and you will. Whenever you miss me, just hold this and think that I'm holding your hand."
He sniffed as he took it, "I love you." He said, his voice cracking a little.
"I love you too." You said.
"Go to the gate." He urged, "The plane won't wait for you."
You nodded, giving him one last smile before heading back to your luggage and going to the gate.
"'Till we meet again, Miss Americana." He said with a small smile, his hands in the pockets of his jeans.
You waved goodbye, "Till our next adventure, my London boy." You said before showing the attendant my ticket and heading into the plane.
𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝:
@lumosandnoxwriting ​ @wand3ringr0s3 ​ @famdomhideout ​ @nova-darling @gaycatlord-stuff ​​  @pandaxnienke ​​ @escapingrealitybyreading (If you are crossed out, that means I can’t tag you)
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purrincess-chat · 4 years ago
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Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s Spite Playlist: Remix CH21
We’ve done it! We’re caught up to AO3! As such, I will be taking the next month off from posting to get AO3 updated and take a short break. I will resume posting on AO3 first, then tumblr right after starting on July 2, 2021! Can’t wait for you all to see the rest of this story! I have a lot of changes coming.
Previous    First    Next      AO3
------------------------------
Chapter 21: Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince
The next morning, Adrien’s stomach churned on the way to school. Chloe sat beside him adjusting her makeup while Gorilla was stopped at a red light. Everyone would know about their interview now. He expected backlash, but not like this. Pulling out his phone, he opened the article again.
Ladybug’s #1 Fan Deletes Blog After Scathing Final Video
“It’s like I don’t even know who she is anymore. I thought she was this amazing, genuine person, but in reality, she doesn’t care about any of us,” Alya said in the clip.
“Sources speculate this video was posted in response to the interview Ladybug did prior yesterday afternoon with the daughter of Paris’s own Mayor Bourgeois and the son of famous fashion mogul, Gabriel Agreste. In the interview, Ladybug denounced clout-chasers using her name to get attention, stating that such actions are “dangerous” and “need to stop.” The blogger behind the popular Ladyblog seemed to find fault with these comments and was akumatized shortly after the interview. It seems that bad blood has brewed between the blogger and the heroine even after the day was saved. The Ladyblogger posted one final video lashing out at the superheroine before deleting her blog altogether.”
“Ugh, stop reading that. Who cares?” Chloe groaned, swiping Adrien’s phone from his hands. “That brat doesn’t have brain cells if she believes a nobody like Lila over a superhero.”
“Alya devoted a lot of time to that blog, and she really looked up to Ladybug. She’s probably crushed right now,” Adrien said.
Chloe rolled her eyes and pulled out her lip gloss. “So let her be. She did this to herself by siding with that wannabe. If any of these losers have a brain, then Lila’s going to be finished today. I’ll be shocked if she’s even here.”
“Uh, I think we have other things to worry about.” Adrien pointed to the crowd waiting at the bottom of the stairs as their car rolled up to the curb. Their classmates had formed a wall between them and the inside of the school like a group of knights defending their queen. Lila was waiting safely inside, no doubt. She never liked getting her hands dirty unless she had to.
“You don’t think she’ll get away with this and make everyone hate us, do you?” Adrien asked.
“Everyone already hates me, Adrikins. I have nothing to lose.” Chloe snapped her compact shut and dropped it into her purse. “But it looks like we’ll have to finish the job ourselves. I’m going to need a spa day after working so hard.”
A pit tangled in Adrien’s stomach as they climbed from the car, the angry expressions of their classmates sending a chill up his spine. When they’d done the interview, Adrien expected everyone to be mad at Lila, not him. How did she weasel her way out of this one?
“Oh, look who decided to show up,” Alya said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Where’s your bff Ladybug?”
“She’s got better things to do than worry about you losers,” Chloe said without missing a beat, completely undeterred by the mob in front of them. “Now, move, you’re blocking the stairs.”
“Ya know, I’ve always known you were evil, but this is really low, even for you.” Alya shook her head.
“Yeah! Tricking Ladybug is way uncool, Chloe,” Nino said.
“Yeah!” Several classmates echoed their agreement.
“Ladybug spoke the honest truth. All I did was ask the questions.” Chloe examined her nails.
“Stop pretending to be innocent. I overheard you and Adrien plotting to trick Ladybug into saying incriminating things about Lila, so don’t even lie to us.” Alya shot Adrien a glare that cut through his chest like a knife. “And what do you have to say for yourself? Teaming up with the wicked witch. We all thought you denounced Chloe’s actions, but I guess the silver spoon doesn’t fall far from the table.”
“Ugh, she’s delusional. Come on, Adrikins.” Chloe tugged his arm, but he remained rooted in place.
“No, she’s right. Chloe and I did conspire to trick Ladybug into admitting she and Lila were never friends,” Adrien said, and Chloe shot him a warning glare. “But that’s not actually what happened.”
“Really? So you two didn’t do a live interview where Ladybug said she doesn’t have any non-superhero friends?” Alya quirked a brow.
“Chloe and I originally planned to trick Ladybug, yes, but I didn’t feel right about it, so before the interview, I told Ladybug the truth. She went into that interviewing knowing what we were going to ask her, and she agreed,” Adrien said.
“What?” Chloe gasped.
“What Ladybug said was her choice. Lila’s lies have gotten out of hand, and she knows that better than anyone,” Adrien said.
“Why should we believe you?” Nathaniel grunted. “You teamed up with Chloe, so obviously you’re not the innocent sunshine boy everyone thinks you are.”
“Yeah, Chloe’s the worst!” Sabrina shouted, and Chloe’s gaze locked on her.
“How dare you! You’re not allowed to side with those losers. Get over here!” Chloe demanded, but Alya draped an arm around Sabrina’s shoulders.
“She’s done putting up with your crud, Chloe. We all are,” Alya said. “Lila hasn’t done anything to deserve all the hate from you or Marinette or Ladybug or anybody!”
“So, you losers are really going to believe some random girl who walked in off the street and started telling all of these amazing stories without evidence to back them up over a superhero?” Chloe cocked a hip. “You’re all more pathetic than I thought.”
“You’re the pathetic one! You two and Marinette have been plotting against Lila for weeks, haven’t you?” Alya shot back.
“Whoa, Marinette has nothing to do with any of this,” Adrien said. “This was all me and Chloe.”
“I heard you two talking. You said you were doing it for Marinette, or did I hear you incorrectly?” Alya challenged.
Adrien sighed. “No, we did say that, and I did do it for Marinette.”
“Ha!”
“But not because she told me to.” Adrien took a deep breath and turned to his classmates. “All of you, don’t you miss Marinette? Rose, don’t you miss when she would bring you extra fabric for your scrapbook projects? And Nathaniel, don’t you miss when she’d offer suggestions for your comic books?”
When they remained quiet, he continued, “Marinette left this school feeling hurt and empty. She felt like all of her friends turned their backs on her for a new girl. She poured her heart and soul into everything she did here, and Lila drove her away. Marinette knew the truth, so Lila threatened to take everything away from her. And she did which is why I teamed up with Chloe to stop her. Marinette doesn’t deserve to be treated like that. Not after everything she’s done.”
Everyone was quiet. Even Alya’s resolve seemed shaken, but she squared her shoulders.
“I can’t believe you when you’re standing next to her.” She nodded at Chloe.
Kim pursed his lips, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I dunno, it doesn’t make sense. Marinette would never do something like that. Adrien can be protective of people he cares about, but that doesn’t make him a bad guy.”
“Yeah, Marinette is like the nicest person in the world. She’d never go against someone without a reason, especially if it involves teaming up with Chloe,” Alix agreed.
“And Marinette was always looking out for everyone before Lila showed up,” Ivan said.
They moved to stand beside Adrien, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well, I’m not siding with Chloe, even if Marinette was nice to me sometimes.” Nathaniel crossed his arms over his chest.
“Yeah, I’m done being your bff. You’ll have to get someone else to do your homework from now on,” Sabrina said with a humph.
Myléne flicked her gaze between the forming groups, curling her shoulders. “Sorry, but they’re right. Chloe is always being mean. I don’t really think Marinette is involved, but this seems very typical for Chloe.”
Max tapped his chin with one finger. “It’s true that this type of behavior is very typical of Chloe, but senseless cruelty is atypical of Adrien. However, acting in defense of a dear friend is a trait Adrien and Marinette have demonstrated on numerous occasions, and Lila’s stories can be outlandish at times. Then there’s the issue of the interview with Ladybu-”
“Oh, just pick a side!” Chloe groaned.
“I-” Max glanced between his friends. “I am choosing to abstain from taking sides until I have further evidence. Both Lila and Marinette are my friends.”
“Ugh, whatever. What about you two?” Chloe turned to Juleka and Rose.
Juleka mumbled something no one understood but moved to stand by Alix. Rose cupped a hand over her mouth, shifting between Alya and Adrien.
“Rose?” Adrien prompted.
Her shoulders curled, and she squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t want to pick! I don’t want anyone to fight anymore.” She covered her face with a whimper, and Nino placed a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s gonna be alright,” he said.
“Nino?” Adrien asked hopefully, but his best bud lowered his head, red cap covering his eyes.
“Sorry, bro. I know you and Chloe have always been tight, but that doesn’t mean she and I have to be,” Nino said, taking a purposeful step toward Alya.
“Well, looks like more people are on my side than yours.” Chloe gloated.
“Hold up,” Alix said. “No one on this side picked you. We just believe Marinette is innocent, and Adrien was acting to protect her.”
“Yeah, you’re still the worst. We’re on Marinette’s team,” Ivan added. Chloe scowled but didn’t argue further.
A cold anger burned behind Alya’s eyes, the hurt she was feeling bubbling just beneath the surface. Adrien shivered. This wasn’t what he wanted when they did the interview. He wanted everyone to be free from Lila’s influence, especially Alya, but Lila’s hooks were in too deep. He never should have let things get this bad. If he’d acted sooner, then Marinette never would have left. Their classmates would be free, and no one would have to feel torn.
When the bell rang, their classmates dispersed, filing into the school one-by-one. Chloe fell into step beside Adrien.
“Now what?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I need time to forget about the fact that I’m Team Marinette.” Chloe shuddered.
“We’ve got enough people who at least believe Marinette is innocent, but we can’t get too cocky. That’s not the same thing as believing Lila is guilty,” Adrien said.
“We’ll figure something out. We just need time and a little precision,” Chloe said.
Adrien gulped, gripping the strap on his bag tighter. For their sake, he hoped they thought of something soon.
♪♫♪ Learn to Let Go ♪♫♪
“Take a deep breath in,” Macy said.
Marinette sat cross-legged on a bright blue yoga mat. Sunlight streaming in from the skylights warmed Marinette’s bare shoulders while soothing music played softly in the background. After the past few days, Marinette’s anxiety was at an all-time high, so a meditation session was in order. She followed Macy’s instructions, but it did little to relax her.
“Now, breathe out all of that negative energy. Let it all leave your body,” Macy continued. “Think of all the things in your life that make you happy and push out the things that don’t.”
Marinette took another breath, but the events of the last two days flashed vividly in her mind. The interview, Ladyblogger, the hurt look in Alya’s eyes when Ladybug captured her akuma, the video… Marinette breathed out.
Alya deleted the Ladyblog. Lila had done the impossible and turned Ladybug’s biggest fan into one of her biggest detractors. Granted, Ladybug might have helped by replacing Rena Rouge, but what was Marinette supposed to do? Working with Alya wasn’t an option after everything—it would have been too painful. Even still, Marinette would be lying if she said watching Alya lose faith in Ladybug didn’t rip another hole in her chest. Despite ending their friendship, Marinette still wished Alya the best, even if she was running with Lila.
“You’re not letting go of the negative energy,” Macy said.
Marinette blinked her eyes open and sighed, letting her posture fall. “Sorry, it’s been a rough few days.”
Macy turned to face Marinette with a smile. “Why don’t we talk about it instead? Maybe it will help if you get it all off your chest.”
“Maybe…” Marinette picked at a loose thread on her pants. She shifted to face Macy, chest tight. “It’s just…my old school. When I left, I didn’t want to look back, but it feels like no matter what I do, I can’t leave it behind.”
“Well, you had a lot of friends at your old school, right? It’s not easy to walk away from people you care about,” Macy said. “Especially when you know someone is using them.”
“I guess.” Marinette hugged her knees to her chest. “I thought I’d been gone long enough to not care anymore, but when Alya got akumatized, I just felt so sad.”
“Of course, you did! She was your best friend.” Macy pulled the tea table closer and prepared a cup. “It’s not easy to see someone you love in that much pain. You’re not a robot, Marinette. It’s okay to care.”
Macy pushed a cup toward her, but when she made no move to accept it, Macy changed the subject. “What about Adrien? Have you heard from him?”
Marinette flicked her gaze to her phone and shook her head. “No. Not since yesterday. I think he’s avoiding me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I dunno.” Marinette shrugged. “He’s been texting me all the time lately, but now all of a sudden, he just stopped.”
“Boys are flaky like that sometimes. Give him time. I’m sure he’ll come around,” Macy assured her.
“I know, and I know it’s probably because of the interview he did with Ladybug.” Marinette sighed. “He probably thinks I’m mad at him.”
“How do you know?” Macy asked.
Marinette shifted to tuck her legs under the table and pulled her cup closer. She stared at her reflection in the tea and shrugged. “Because I thought the same thing when I changed schools behind his back. I thought he’d be disappointed.”
“Was he?” Macy asked.
“No, but I didn’t know that until he talked to me.” Marinette took a long sip. “I just feel bad that he did all of that for me. He shouldn’t have to deal with my problems.”
Macy surveyed her with a frown. “That’s something I’ve noticed about you, ya know,” she said thoughtfully. “You’re quick to shoulder everyone’s burdens when you think they need help, but you never expect anyone to do it for you.”
“I just want to be there for my friends, that’s all.” Marinette deflected as if it were no big deal, but Macy shot her a chiding look.
“Marinette, that’s very noble and sweet, but the same is true for you, ya know,” Macy said. “Everyone else’s burdens aren’t yours to bear. You’re going to break your back carrying so much weight around.” When Marinette remained quiet, Macy sighed. “Well, then I guess I have no choice.”
“What do you mean?” Marinette blinked up at her.
“If you’re running head-first into everyone’s problems, then I’m coming too,” Macy said. “I’m not going to let you do it all alone, and I don’t think Martin and Eliott will either. Adrien certainly isn’t.”
“But-”
“Marinette!” Macy threw her head back with a groan. “What I’m trying to say is… Your friends have your back, okay? So don’t worry about anything. We’re right behind you all the way.”
Macy’s smile was soft and genuine, and Marinette shivered, the fear and uncertainty floating to the surface. She leaned against Macy’s chest as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, and her friend patted her hair, whispering encouragement while Marinette sobbed. The dull ache that had plagued her all month lightened as each tear carried away her pain.
Macy didn’t let go until her whimpers quieted, and when Marinette sat up, the weight on her shoulders felt lighter. She took a deep breath and exhaled all of her worry just like Macy said. Even if she didn’t have her old friends anymore, she had new ones, and she had to admit—they were pretty hard to beat.
♪♫♪ Daylight ♪♫♪
Adrien faced his mother’s statue in the garden with a sigh. Things were messier now than they had been a few days ago, and he didn’t know what to do anymore. No matter what they threw at Lila, she always managed to wiggle out of it. Would they ever be rid of Lila Rossi? At least some of their classmates still believed in Marinette. She’d be happy to hear that she didn’t lose everyone at Francoise-Dupont.
He flicked his gaze down to his phone with a sigh. They hadn’t spoken since before the interview. Adrien couldn’t bring himself to after everything that happened with Alya. She was bound to know the truth now—that he’d teamed up with Chloe to stop Lila, despite how she’d refused. How much more pain had he caused her by trying to fix her problems? He was afraid to know. He’d betrayed her wishes, but hopefully she’d understand that his heart was in the right place. She was all his heart ever talked about these days. Avoiding her was agony, and his heart ached every time he looked at his phone.
“I don’t know what to do, Mom,” he murmured. He shifted to press his back to the statue, resting his cheek against her lap. “No matter how hard I try, it’s never enough. Sometimes I wish you were still here to tell me everything will be alright.”
He closed his eyes, listening to the birds chirping and the hum of the city beyond the walls. When had life gotten so complicated? He longed for freedom for so long, but he never imagined what it would cost. The pain he would endure. But he’d take this pain over isolation. He never wanted to be locked up again. One day he’d be free from his father’s control, then he and Marinette could be together whenever they wanted. One day…
“Adrien?”
He sat up, cheek sore from resting against the stone. When had he fallen asleep? Red and black spots filled his vision, awakening his heart with a jolt.
“Ladybug?” He blinked, rubbing his eyes as if expecting her to be a dream.
“Sorry, I was just passing overhead, and I saw you sitting down here. I didn’t mean to intrude,” she said.
“No, no, it’s fine,” he insisted. “Stay. I could use the company.”
“That makes two of us,” she said, taking a seat beside him with a sigh. “We really made a mess of things.”
“Yeah…” Adrien rested his chin on his fist. “I don’t know how she gets away with it every time.”
Ladybug leaned her head back with a sigh. “Lila is crafty. She targeted Alya specifically because she knew she’d be her most powerful ally.”
“I just feel so bad. I was hoping we could finally make everyone see the truth, but it looks like we just made things worse. Marinette was right, I shouldn’t have gotten involved,” he said, “but I couldn’t help it. Not after everything Lila has done to her.”
“You really care about this girl, don’t you?” Ladybug smiled.
His cheeks warmed, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, more than anything. But I feel like all I ever do is cause her trouble. She’s probably furious with me.”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Ladybug said. “From what I know of her, a gesture like that would mean the world to her, and I’ll bet she’s not as angry as you think.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because you wouldn’t go out of your way to help her if you didn’t share a special bond. You’re probably just as important to her as she is to you,” Ladybug said. “Talk to her. I think it will make you both feel better.”
Adrien pulled up his messages, thumb hovering over her name. Ladybug was right. The longer he avoided her, the longer they’d both feel this pain. Marinette would understand. He loved her, and he believed that she loved him too. Everything would be alright in the end so long as they had each other.
“Thanks, Ladybug,” he murmured.
“I’ll leave you alone now.” She palmed her yoyo but hesitated, turning over her shoulder. “That girl is really lucky to have someone like you watching over her.”
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed her yoyo and shot off into the rooftops. Adrien drummed his fingers on his thigh, then stood up and headed into the house. Gorilla was playing a game on his tablet in the foyer when Adrien found him.
“There’s somewhere I need to go.”
♪♫♪ Death of a Bachelor ♪♫♪
Marinette hummed to herself while waiting for the kettle to boil. She stole glances at her phone, but it stayed quiet. Maybe he was just trying to figure out what to say. He was bound to call sooner or later.
When the doorbell rang, her heart jumped up to her throat. She raced to the front door, hoping her clumsy footsteps didn’t betray her eagerness. Taking a composing breath, she opened the door.
His head was low, one hand shoved in his pocket, and he looked up at her through timid eyelashes. He opened his mouth, but no words came out, his fear written all over his face. Marinette smiled, gesturing him inside, but he remained rooted in place.
“Marinette, I-”
“I know,” she said.
“You’re not mad?” he asked.
“Adrien,” Marinette sighed, giving him a gentle, scolding look. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You are the sweetest boy I know. How could I ever be mad at you?”
Adrien stood stiffly in silence before his shoulders began to shake. He gripped fistfuls of her shirt, wetting her shoulder and nuzzling into her neck. Marinette held him, letting all of his worry wash between them like rain flowing down a roof. When clouds grew too heavy, they unloaded their burdens on everyone below, so Marinette stood under Adrien and let him rain.
“I’m sorry!” he cried. “I’m so sorry!”
“It’s okay. I forgive you,” Marinette whispered, trailing her fingers through his soft hair. “I forgive you, Adrien.”
His sobs quieted, and he sat up, rubbing a hand across his red nose. The kettle on the stove screeched, and Marinette gestured him in again.
“Come on. I’ll make us some tea,” she said.
Adrien sat at the table, combing his fingers through his hair. She passed him a cup with a smile and took a seat beside him.
“I take it things didn’t go as planned with the interview?” Marinette asked.
“Not exactly,” Adrien grunted as if that were an understatement and took a sip. “Alya and some others still believe Lila is innocent, but there are a lot of us who think you are too.”
“Adrien.”
“I know. I shouldn’t have gotten involved.” He swirled his finger around the rim of the cup. “But I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. You mean the world to me, Marinette.”
Marinette’s heart fluttered, and she took a sip to hide her blush. The chamomile wasn’t strong enough to calm her nerves when he said things like that to her. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to pass out.
Setting her cup down, she cupped his cheek, tilting his chin to face her. “Thank you for looking out for me. It’s really sweet, but you don’t have to solve all of my problems. Sometimes it’s okay to just let things go.”
“Yeah…” Adrien sighed.
“Promise me you won’t get involved anymore. Lila will dig her own grave eventually. It’s better if we just let it go and move on,” Marinette said.
Adrien leaned into her touch, pressing a soft kiss to her palm.
“I promise,” he murmured.
Her pulse quickened when those gorgeous green eyes softened on her. The air hung heavy around them, warming her skin from her cheeks to the very fingertips touching his skin. Goosebumps tickled the tiny hairs of her arms, Adrien’s magnetic pull drawing her in.
Marinette slipped her fingers behind his neck and tugged ever-so-gently. Adrien leaned forward, eyelids hooding. His lips parted, warm breath swirling against her own. Marinette closed her eyes, tilting her head to finally give respite to the tension that had been building between them for weeks.
But relief never came.
Her father threw open the front door, and the sparks between them crackled. They jolted away from each other, clumsily grasping for their cups as her dad waltzed in with a fresh loaf of bread. He read the tension between them, and undoubtedly, noticed their rosy cheeks.
“Am I interrupting something?” His eyes narrowed.
“No, Papa!”
“No, sir. No way.” Adrien took a long sip and cleared his throat.
“Are you sure? I was just bringing up some fresh bread to go with dinner. I can leave if you two are-”
“Papa!” Marinette growled.
“Actually, I should get going. My father will want me home soon.” Adrien stood up. “Thanks for the tea.”
“Yeah, no biggie,” Marinette insisted.
Adrien hesitated, flicking a quick glance at her dad, then lifting her hand to his lips. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles before fleeing out the front door. Marinette sat back, letting out a ragged breath.
“I ruined a moment, didn’t I?” Her dad winced.
Marinette offered him a smile, jumping up to place a kiss on his cheek. “It’s not the first time.”
“Is everything alright?” Marinette’s mother came through the door. “I passed Adrien on the stairs, he was redder than the strawberries on the cake we baked for Manon’s birthday.”
“I interrupted a moment,” her dad confessed.
“They were having a moment?” her mom gasped excitedly.
“Maman!” Marinette groaned.
“My little girl’s growing up so fast. She’s already got her first boyfriend. Before we know it, they’ll be bringing their kids over for Sunday brunch.” Her dad rubbed the tears forming in his eyes.
Marinette covered her face, willing this all to be a dream, but alas, she couldn’t fly away.
“Do you think Adrien would ever take an interest in baking?” her dad asked, and Marinette let out a moan.
“I’m going to my room. Call me when dinner’s ready,” she said.
“Next time Adrien comes over, we promise not to interrupt!” her mom called as she made her way up the stairs.
“That’s enough!”
“Should we invite him to dinner?” her dad asked.
“Good night!”
Marinette slammed her trap door shut and flopped against it with a sigh. She’d almost kissed Adrien—again! And after confessing how important they were to each other. Did this mean they were dating? Neither of them said the l-word, but maybe sometime soon…
She covered her face and giggled. Her boyfriend Adrien. She could get used to that.
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femalepope · 3 years ago
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My dream started out soooooo interesting. There was this tiny humdrum town. Think Twin Peaks. And among the town's inhabitants were three men. The first was a young jack of all trades, polyglot, immensely charming and charismatic, secretly masochistic. The second was the first one's middle-aged, temperamental and sometimes abusive boss, who could not stand humiliation. The third one was a one time friend and current business rival of the second one. Much more well put together.
The closest parallels, temperament wise, would be Saul Goodman, Charles McGill, and Howard.... Ummm I can't remember Howard's last name. Except none of them were related or looked anything like their BCS counterparts. The Saul equivalent seemed less slimy and sleazy and far more universally liked and slightly more insane and also psychosexually obsessed with his boss. And well-groomed and well-read and a polyglot.
The Chuck equivalent was more choleric and equally ambitious but was also like. A small business owner in Twin Peaks. And not a hotshot lawyer. So that ambition was misplaced. He was also completely healthy unlike Chuck but also kind of evil. Like Chuck.
And was implied to have had a mysterious and possibly romantic past with the Howard equivalent who again, looked nothing like Howard, was older than Howard, and hypercompetent. He kept trying to hire the Saul equivalent, much to the chagrin of man #2.
I know this sounds so boring but the dynamic between them was sooo interesting in dream. Like these three freaks and the youngest one is the largest freak as despite being young and charming and beloved by all and a fluent Irish speaker, apparently, he is also filled with longing that can never be fulfilled or whatever. He is the equivalent of that tweet that's like "instigating a fight because the other guy is hot and I want him on me" except the other guy is his much older boss who once punched him in a public park because he was a fluent Irish speaker and he was jealous (??)
And all this in the midst of delightful small town Americana. It was implied that there was a tragedy just as impactful as the death of Laura Palmer occuring but these three specifically didn't give a fuck as they were so engaged in their little psychological cat and mouse game.
But then I woke up. And when I fell asleep again I dreamt of an infinite shopping mall where I was stuck and I was trying to conjure up a credit card to mediocre success. I was really getting somewhere and about to buy a shit ton of jewellery (which included, for some reason, actual crown jewels of numerous nations). But then my alarm rang
#d
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highly-important · 3 years ago
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So I wasn't going to but I guess I do want to talk about the Mos Espa biker crew from Book of Boba Fett.
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I really love the cassette punk futuristic look of "classic" Star Wars, and I love all the tributes the new stuff makes to designer Ralph McQuarrie. I love that the technology is rough and gritty and utilitarian and lived-in. I don't know how to describe how happy I was when I first saw "Force Awakens" and the visual aesthetic of the planets, the tech, the costumes, was exactly what I want from Star Wars, which is to say, borrowing a lot from the original trilogy.
But I also like that there is room for an endless variety of alternate aesthetics, like beautiful Naboo, cosmopolitan Coruscant, or the cold, stainless steel corridors of the Empire. These contrasts show what planet is colonized, or under the thumb of an intergalactic crime syndicate, a barely held together rebel outpost, a central source of wealth and power, or even an alien world thats on the fringes of it all. Nearly anything is possible in the Star Wars visual language.
And despite my preferences, I don't want Star Wars to just be one flavor because, like old chewing gum, it starts to lose the flavor. A lot of Star Wars planets are really interchangeable and a little boring, sorry! I want to see new places and be inspired by new stuff.
Star Wars is also really excellent at using a lot of cultural references and cues to give meaning to characters, costumes and locations as well.
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And with all that in mind... I just really wanted to like the Mos Espa bike crew. I want Star Wars to make bold and weird and unexpected design choices. I get a lot of what the design is trying to do. They're like a greaser gang, and their bikes are influenced by 50s hot rods. It doesn't feel that out of place when I think about how much Luke's cruiser looked like a sci-fi 60s convertible. And a lot of their designs are meant to contrast Boba Fett, especially the inter-generational aspect. The cyborg implants for one make me think of the way younger generations are fearlessly connected to technology in a way older generations are baffled by.
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But there's also a lot of choices that just don't work for me, and I'm not even talking about the colors. These things look more like vespas than motorcycles, and it unfortunately makes them look slow. And the polished 1950s hot rod thing has the unfortunate baggage of making it feel less "dangerous biker gang" and more "retired boomer on a sunday morning joy ride."
And there's also the issue of where they are. My problem isn't that they don't fit into Star Wars... its that they don't fit into Mos Espa. I wouldn't really complain about them being on Coruscant, where theres already a bunch of 50s Americana inspired designs like Dex's Diner.
And Coruscant is also a place that has the luxury of objects designed for aesthetic beauty. But Mos Espa is struggling. People don't have enough water. The technology is, again, gritty, worn-down, falling apart. Jabba's palace is still kind of a dump, its dark and rusty and not very ornate. The Mayor's palace isn't much better, and neither is that bar where Max Rebo relocated. (RIP?) Why do these kids have the extra resources to make their bikes look like this? It kind of makes them feel like trust fund kids who are slumming it for fun before they go back to Naboo and get cushy desk jobs at their parents' businesses.
Along maybe this is asking too much but I wish more was done to distinguish their characters. I guess the guy with a cyborg eye has a gun, that makes sense? I want to look at them and know who’s the bad boy, the hot head, the muscle, the leader, or whatever, you know?
And finally, they're just not dressed for the desert! Isn't that redhead burning up? (Yeah i know it was a dye job, but still!) And while I don’t have a problem with their colored bikes, in fact, I love Power Ranger friend palettes, Mos Espa is so beige and neutral. They really look like they’re on the wrong planet.
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lilacdorkie · 5 years ago
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unnoticed | newt x reader
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title:unnoticed
pairing: newt x reader
words:
type: fluff/kinda angst
warnings: mentions of blood, suicide, guns
prompt: everyone around you notice your affection and feelings towards newt, exept said boy.
songs recommendetions: miss americana & heartbreak prince by taylor swift, i wanna be yours by arctic monkeys, if i could fly by one direction, fine line by harry styles, i love you by billie eillish, mirrors by justin timberlake, sweater weather by james harris
a/n my first newt imagine, i tried my hardest! sleep well, have a good day and drink water!
***
NEWT didn’t notice. He never noticed the glances you’d give him, longing stares or how sparkles formed in your eyes, whenever you saw him. But Frypan did. He always watched your person in front of blonde boy, thinking how he could be so blind, when it was so obvious.
“He’s such a slinthead” said Fry one day at the bonfire. You furrowed your eyebrows looking at your friend. “ I mean, you give him those eyes and he still reminds blind”. You didn’t say anything. Just glanced at Newt, again.
HE didn’t notice. He never saw how you managed to fix your hair or shirt, when someone said he’s coming towards your way. But Winston did. And never lost a chance to laugh at you or tease, because he knew what was going on.
“You literally look the same everyday. He’s seen you like this million times. It’s like your hands have magic inside of them, that will make you look like a princess, suddenly.” said Winston as Newt went back to work.
“Slim it, Win” you said embarrased knowing, that it was riddiculous. But you couldn’t help it. Newt had that effect on you.
CHUCK got used to your talk, eventually. After two years, he got used to be greeted in the morning with little morning and question if he saw Newt. When it was dinner, he got used to your drooling over second-in-command. Or when you were pranking Gladers, he knew you will immadietly say to not doing anything to Newt. And, of course, he knew at the bed time, you would say how much you liked him.
“I’m telling you (Y/N), one day you will get married and have seven children” said chubby boy resting next to you.” Why so much? Having to take care of sixty boys it’s enough” you said and both of you laughed. He really did wish you a good life with blonde boy.
BOY found himself watching you, closely. He saw your panicked eyes, your shaking hands. Your faster breathe and how you were practically running from one place to another. Alby didn’t want you to see Newt, like that. He also knew the said boy didn’t want either.
“You’ll be okay Newt, everything will be alright. We will fix you. I will fix you. I promise, just don’t leave me, please. I can’t...I can’t loose you. Not you.” you keep saying as you and Minho tried to bear boy’s wounds. His leg was broken in three places and blood streamed down his face.
“It was an accident. Please, don’t worry” Alby said after you treated Newt. You shaked your head, tears kept coming down from your eyes.
“I perfectly know, Alby. I know, what would get him to be injured like that. It’s not nothing. We have to take care of him. Be there for him. I swear on my life, he will survive and he will live happy life” you said with determination. Alby knew since then, that you would give up your own life for blonde boy. You almost did.
BROWN-HAIRED BOY thought it must feel amazing. To love someone this much. To feel pure happiness and love to one person. Thomas was fascinated by your feelings. He always caught himself thinking, how is it, that his best friend doesn’t feel this energy coming from you.
“How does it feel like?” he asked one night, when it was your guys turn to watch the surrodings at the Scorch. You looked at him confused. “To feel so strong emotions and yet, never saying anything” he added. You were silent for a moment. You didn’t know either.”There wasn’t really time to acknowledge it. That’s all.”
YOU were terrified. First you were running from Grievers, then WICKED and now, the Cranks. You asked yourself, when will it stop? But whatever happened, you always were able to hold Newt’s hand. Or his arm. Or part of his shirt. Even when there was some peace, you still had the urge to touch him, somehow. You needed to feel him. To know, he is right beside you. He is safe. 
MINHO noticed it. Every time. At first, he thought it’s odd. But then, he realized how you felt. Wondered, what was on his best friend mind. 
“ It’s kinda cute, you know” he said, while you all were sitting at the Cliff watching Aris and the girls. ”You hold hands so often, I’d think you are dating”. Newt laughed it off and let go of your hand, just to elbow you with a smirk.
“We got these shunks to think we’re a think, (Y/N). The best irony in my life” blonde boy said shaking his head. You didn’t say anything, just smiled at all of them. They looked at you sympatrically. What could you say? 
THE GIRL was smirking, whenever she looked at you two. You were blindly in love with the boy, standing next to you. There wasn’t a moment where you weren’t next to him. Either it was your group discussing rescue plan for Minho or working or eating, your place was next to him.
“Sometimes, I think it’s creepy.” said your best friend sitting along with you at the sand. “What is?” you asked with a smile. She smirked.”How you always are by Newt’s side. It’s probably nothing weird to both of you, but from ours perspective, it really looks amusing, even” she answered, looking straight at you. Blood rushed to your cheeks as you laughed.
“Yeah well, I can’t help it. It’s something that feels right, you know? Like, it should be like that.” you said. Your gaze went to find blonde boy talking with Thomas. Brenda followed you, couldn’t help but smile. She really, really prayed you would confess your feelings finally. From what you and others have been saying, among Minho, Thomas and Fry, you’ve been in love with Newt what it seems, for three years. It pained her to know, how deep you had to hide it. She also felt furious. Not at you, of course. At the boy, who was painfully obvious to your feelings. He didn’t notice small details, that showed how much you loved him.
“I CAN’T SHUCKING BELIEVE IT” said Gally when you walked side by side through the tunnel. He wouldn’t admit it, but felt disappointed and kind of surprised. He knew you and Newt for so long, saw your eyes, your smile, your body language. The way you acted around blonde boy. You had to be goddamn stupid, to not know that you were in love. And yet, you didn’t say a single word. And Newt didn’t see any of that.
“You really want to tell me, that you and him are still friends?” boy looked at you with disbelief. You turned behind to see, if Thomas and Newt don’t hear you.
“I guess. I mean, we always were friends.” you said quietly. Gally rolled his eyes.
“ It doesn’t mean you have to remain like this forever.” he commented with cheesy smile. You laughed and shook your head. “I’m not sure if this is a moment and place to confessions.” you said after a while.
“You’ve been saying it for a years now. It’s been cute at the beginning, seriously. But now, it hurts doesn’t it? What I am saying is, you shouldn’t waste any time. You might not have it a lot.” said Gally with symphaty and worry in his eyes.
“What are you talking about?” you asked not knowing how to proces his words. He didn’t say anything. Part of you didn’t need him to.
SHE looked sadly at her old friend. They didn’t have to tell her. She knew. Newt was infected. She glanced at you. You were looking at him with teary, worried eyes, clinging onto his arm, like always.When she was in WICKED, she couldn’t help but wonder, if she didn’t betray Thomas like that, would two of them be like you and Newt?
“He’s the love of your life, isn’t he?” she asked, getting your chip out of your neck. You didn’t say anyting. There was nothing to say.
“The serum you have….It won’t save him. You know that” you remained silent. Tears came to your eyes but you didn’t say anything. Thomas noticed the change in your facial expression. “I think that’s enough.” he said getting you away from her. He knew exactly what was that about. Of course he noticed. But him? He was to busy with his thoughts. Thoughts that were killing him, slowly.
“PLEASE (Y/N) JUST LISTEN TO ME” raven-haired girl practically yelled at you. “You know he doesn’t have much time. But I can help him. We can save him. I just need to test Thomas’ blood.” said Teresa pleading with her eyes towards you. Normally, you would laughed at her face. But this time, it was different. It was about Newt. You looked at him, almost crying. He was already looking at you, shaking his head. Without breaking stare, you asked a question:
“Will you save him?” your voice was shaking, you saw how Newt looked at you not confused. You felt Thomas sharp voice; “You can’t be serious, (Y/N)”. You still were looking at Newt. You hoped your eyes would tell him something, your lips weren’t able to.
“I know together, we will”
***
AND that’s how you were running again. But this time, with needle in your hand and Teresa by your side. Corridors were almost empty, just doctors evacuating. Every guard was now just were The Ivy Trio was. That’s why you found them without any trouble. They noticed you straight away but obviously, guards did too. You reached the boys and started running together, as bullets were flying to your side. You were so determineted, so thankful for Teresa’s resarch that you didn’t feel bullet which was now lower your ribs.
“Newt I got it, I got the cure.” you half-shouted when you all were in the room. They all looked at you like you were crazy.”Me and Teresa got it, you just have…” then you felt pain all over your body. Your legs were wobbly, head dizzy and you dropped to the floor.
“Bloody hell, (Y/N)! You’re bleeding!” said Newt kneeling next to you. You looked at him confuesd. “So what? Newt, didn’t you hear what I said? We have te cure. You’ll be okay”
“You literally was shot and even then, you still worry abiut this shuckface.” said Minho with disbelief. You just looked at blonde boy with the biggest smile despite the pain, killing you inside.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” said Newt taking the needle from your hand and putting it to the pocket. You didn’t look happy like few seconds before.
“What the hell? You have to take it, now.” you said completely ignoring Thomas and Minho who were now, breaking the big glass in front of them.
“(Y/N), are you insane? Your life is on an edge and you are asking me, to take the needle? Shouldn’t you worry about yourself first?” he said trying to stop the bleeding. Teresa slowly put you on your legs, as you had to jump.
“When you love someone more than yourself, you care more about him than you.” you mumbled. He just looked at you. Still, you thought, he didn’t notice..”
“Are you sure about that?” asked Minho looking at Thomas worried.
“Not really.” said boy. Newt frowned.”Great. We’re all bloody inspired”
As he said that, door opened. The four of you looked behind, you too tired to well, actually care. Then you felt youself falling down and then, into the unconsciousness.
AS YOU OPENED YOUR EYES, you were convinced that you died and are in some kind of after life. You stand and went outside. The first thing you noticed, was ocean. You smiled and walked towards it. Your mind was so mesmerized, that you didn’t notice Newt’s big smile when he saw you are awake. This time you didn’t notice. As he walked as fast as he could, to be by your side. How he ignored Minho’s snarky comment “about time, shank”. How he shoved everyone from his path, just to get to you. How his eyes were ony on you. How he sat by your side, not saying anything. How the minute he looked at you, he remembered your words about love. How he mentally punched himself in the face for not noticing your signs. Finally realizing why Gally was so pissed at him. Why Thomas smiled at him like that. Why Minho gave him speech about being slinthead. Why Frypan laughed at him. Why Brenda was smirking when she saw him heading to you.
“I know it now, love. I noticed.” he said looking at you. You were already looking at him. With those eyes. This smile. You reached his hand and interwined your fingers together.
“Thank you for saving me. For all these years.” Newt said kissing your knuckles. You chuckled.”Of course, Newt. You know I will always do that.”
He was by your side. All was well.
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mittensmorgul · 4 years ago
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Re: signs that 15x20 is unreal, how about the monkey statue? It's a feature of the Roadhouse in 2x02, so it seems fair enough it would appear in Heaven's Roadhouse. However, it also features in Dean's dream bar in 14x10 and in Lebanon, 14x13. You could say then that it represents Dean's desires ... but actually, both of these episodes featured dangerous fantasies that Dean had to choose to end in order to get what he really wanted. In Nihilism, Dean has to snap out of the supposed ideal reality in order to obtain freedom from Michael's control. In Lebanon, Dean undoes the pearl's granting of his "heart's desire" because although he could get Michael out of his head and also get his father back, it would mean losing Mary, Cas, and Jack, and becoming estranged from Sam. So, I really think that the monkey statue is a massive red flag. (Especially as it seems so prominent in an otherwise sparse set, sitting outside the Roadhouse, between Bobby and Dean - like a third character, or a barrier. Are there other theories about it?)
Also, the saturated colours, vintage vehicles and general retro Americana feel of both the street at the end of 15x19 and the pie festival in 15x20 bear an uncanny resemblance to Charming Acres from 14x19 - which of course turned out to be a false reality created, controlled and violently enforced by the mayor (one of those 'little men in positions of power'), a father who proclaims himself God. So, to me, everything from the end of 15x19 to 15x20 screams false, dangerous dream, which claims to be what you want, but isn't really.
It's the moment that Jack becomes God that everything stops making sense, really. Dean asked God to bring Cas back, but he doesn't ask Jack? Dean's worst nightmare is to be on his own, and yet when he gets to Heaven and finds out he doesn't have to be alone, that everyone is together, he ... drives off on his own???
Sorry, forgot to add: I love the way you said that either 15x20 obliterates canon or canon obliterates 15x20. That sums it up perfectly!
___
HELLO THERE! Before we begin, I have to say I LOVE THE HEN OF LETTERS. She’s ADORABLE! 
Okay, now that we have that out of the way, for reference purposes this is regarding this post I made yesterday (linked with an addition I threw on a few hours later, for the sake of keeping it as current as possible):
https://mittensmorgul.tumblr.com/post/640259612227059712/so-signs-that-15x20-isnt-real-el-sol-beer
Thank you for contributing so much, and potentially saving me having to rewatch to try and catch all the details for sciencing purposes. :’D I’ll take your observations one by one, for the sake of orderliness. :)
1. The Roadhouse Monkey. Sort of an in-joke on the Supernatural set since s2 (Origin story here). It also appeared in the Black Spur Bar in 13.02 where Asmodeus killed the bartender and disguised himself as her in order to get information about Jack out of Dean. Which, if nothing else, serves as a sort of red flag for “this is not what it appears to be.” So what did Asmodeus chat with Dean about with the monkey as a backdrop? Deadbeat dads, running away from home, but still wanting the approval of their fathers more than anything. Imagine that.
Because of how to came to be part of the roadhouse set, with Jerry basically HATING the thing yet directors LOVING it and thinking it made for a great establishing shot of the Roadhouse interior, it also serves as a sort of “cry for help” from the production designers. Like... a “we had no other choice” warning. It was literally the establishing shot of the original Roadhouse’s rubble after it burned. 
And also what you said about it above, too. It’s a very meta monkey.
My tag for the monkey
2. YES. THE COLORS. Beginning with 15.19′s final scene and that incredibly weird montage with Sam and Dean’s drive into the fakey-fakey sunset. Like... one out-of-nowhere shot they’d been using in the promo for the finale was the final scene from 2.18 Hollywood Babylon where Sam and Dean walk off the movie set into the “sunset,” which turns out to be a fake sunset painted on a giant screen that rolls aside to reveal the cold grey gloom of reality behind it. Same exact feeling there with the extra-orangey light pervading the finale.
As to the “nostalgia for the past” aura of the episode, that started for me during the bunker montage at the beginning of the episode (and that SONG CHOICE had me cringing too, because heck... that was a depressing way to open the ep... little did I know it would only get more depressing from there). Dean’s precious Dead Guy Robe just gets unceremoniously tossed aside like so much dirty laundry in the room Dean once cared so much for... the old-fashioned alarm clock on his nightstand... Sam doing laundry in a literal machine from the 50′s while he just stands there waiting for it like he has nothing better to do... Dean cleaning all his guns for apparently lack of anything better to do... not being able to find a case and yet not being even remotely interested in exploring the brand new potential of the future and remaining trapped by now-nonexistent duty and the literal actual past... It’s... so wrong in every way.
3. And yeah, the emptiness of Heaven is partly attributable to Covid, but it didn’t have to FEEL completely empty like it did. Like, even devoid of the SIGNS of humanity, with Dean driving completely alone down deserted highways through the wilderness. The Roadhouse was the only tangible sign that anyone else even existed in this heaven, aside from the roads and the bridge in the final scene. Like... where are all these people Dean supposedly cared about LIVING? or... whatever you’d call existing in Heaven as a soul if not living?
And why would Dean’s first desire, when he’d been doing it his whole life and had been most recently doing it within minutes of having died, be to go on a drive? It’s beyond absurd to me. That was not the Dean that Castiel knew and loved. That was not the Dean who literally did everything out of love for the world and the people in his life. That was not the Dean that Cas sacrificed himself for. Sorry, it’s just not.
It’s almost as if all of Chuck’s storytelling power simply transferred over to Jack. It’s almost as if the storyteller interfering was irrelevant and only hindering his story actually playing out. Like the storyteller only needed for Sam and Dean to let their guard down, to believe their free will had won, for them to lose all their agency and become nothing more than irrelevant characters to be disposed of.
You can’t have both things. Either you believe the first 326 episodes of Supernatural, or you believe the 327th. They are mutually exclusive.
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wheresmynaya · 5 years ago
Text
Lost in the Lights Ch.1 | Brittana
Looks like I’m back at it again! Honestly it’s only because it’s currently (American) football season and I’ve been wanting to write QB!Britt for SO LONG and Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince gave me lots of feelings about it.
 Also the Steelers are still undefeated so I’ve been in a good mood. 
Summary: Brittany S. Pierce is new to WMHS and quickly finds that the students there aren't as open-minded as the ones she's used to, especially when she takes over as the Titans' starting quarterback. Many heads are turned including Cheerios Co-Captain Santana Lopez who has some obstacles of her own to tackle.
Available on ff.net (x) ao3 (x) 
Once Brittany taped up the last box and set it aside for the movers to take, she took the rare moment she had alone and reminisced. She knew this day was bound to come. Since her father’s passing earlier in the year, Brittany’s mother – Whitney – had begun making the arrangements to move closer to Brittany’s grandparents in Ohio. Aside from a handful of friends, they didn’t really have anyone else close by and with Brittany’s little brother – Pete – still too young to stay home alone and Brittany busy with school, Whitney needed the extra help.
The move made sense, but Brittany dreaded it in silence. She was going into her Senior year and being the new kid at school wasn’t how she planned on spending it. She kept her feelings in check though as she boxed up her whole life and said goodbye.
Brittany didn’t want to make things harder by digging in her heels, so she put on a brave face for the sake of her family and finished her Junior year without making any complaints. Instead, Brittany did everything she could to help make the transition a little easier.
With a light knock on Brittany’s door, Whitney made her presence known.
“You ready to go, Britt?” Whitney asked gently.
Brittany could feel her throat tightening. Was she ready? The answer was obvious and deep down, Whitney knew that. She closed the distance and gave her daughter a hug.
“I’m sorry, kiddo,” Whitney whispered.
Brittany just nodded and held on tighter.
\\
It had been a long drive and it seemed like everything started to look a little greener the further they got from the coast. Even the trees changed from the bushy palms Brittany grew up with to tall oaks, but after what felt like a million hours the Pierce Family finally made it to their destination.
“It’s a good looking house, right kids?” Whitney asked cheerfully as the family stretched their achy limbs in front of their new home.
It wasn’t anything special, just a typical three bedroom, two bath. The siding was white, the shutters were blue and the wooden fence looked relatively knew. At a quick glance, the house looked like any other on the block. Brittany didn’t have any complaints though and when she glanced down at Pete, neither did he.
“It’s cute,” Brittany agreed with a smile then nudged her brother, “What do you think, Petey?”
“I like the windows,” Pete pointed up at the shutters, “Blue’s my favorite color.”
“Mine too,” Brittany winked.
“Well, go pick your rooms,” Whitney instructed.
She didn’t get a chance to tell them that they were the exact same size, one just faces the backyard and the other faces the front. The two took off towards the house giggling the whole way while Whitney just shook her head and trailed after them.
\\
It took them a couple weeks to settle into their new place with the help of Brittany’s grandparents, but it was finally starting to feel like home even if she felt like something was missing.
Or rather, someone.
Some nights she could hear the soft whimpers coming from her mother’s room and some nights Petey makes his way into Brittany’s bed because the dreams keep him up at night. Everyone misses him and that makes the transition a little harder. The nights are usually hard for everyone, but they manage to get by together.
It’s better during the day when it’s light out and there’s less time to overthink things. An Ohio summer has nothing on a Florida one, but Brittany doesn’t complain about that either. She can catch a tan wherever the sun shines, so she does just that.
She and Pete find a park within walking distance of their house and visit often while Whitney is out job hunting. Most days, Pete has more energy than Brittany can keep up with so the park really comes in handy. On the rare occasion, Pete sometimes would rather sit with Brittany on a blanket under one of the big trees there and color.
Sometimes, Brittany joins him because as Pete would say, “You’re never too old for coloring.”
\\
One day while they’re at the park, Brittany spots a couple of guys that look to be around her age. They’re a little ways away, tossing a football back and forth. She can just barely hear their voices, but they’re muffled and mix with the sound of her music playing from her phone.
“How’s this look, Britt?” Pete asks as he holds up his coloring book.
Brittany nods, “Excellent color choice for the hair.”
“I thought so too,” Pete grins and goes back to his scribbling while Brittany lazily flips through the latest issue of Sports Illustrated.
She switches from reading articles to watching the guys play. She notes their form and posture and she can’t help but critique them. Their throws are pretty average, but they aren’t too bad and she goes back to reading.
“Watch out!” Brittany hears one of the guys yell. She braces herself and holds out a protective arm over Pete’s head. Soon a football bounces down just a couple feet away from her blanket and rolls to a wobbly stop beside her.
“Way to go, Sam! You almost hit them,” The lean guy yells back to the shaggy-haired blonde.
“I thought you had that!”
“It was overthrown! Do you think I’m seven feet tall?”
“You could’ve jumped.”
“This is why you’re third string when we don’t even have a second.”
“Whatever Mike, I’m just having an off day,” The blonde grumbles as he trails his friend.
“You always say that,” Mike shakes his head and starts to jog over to Brittany and Pete, “Sorry about that!”
“That’s alright,” Brittany smiles as she reaches for the ball and pushes to stand. The leather feels familiar in her hands and it’s just now that she realizes she hasn’t picked up a ball in so long. Her fingers automatically slide into position between the laces though like they’re magnets being drawn together.
Brittany sets her eyes on Mike and draws her arm back to throw a perfect spiral.
The pass connects with the intended target – obviously – but the looks on both of the guys’ faces is priceless. Brittany smiles proudly as they whoop and holler. She didn’t realize she kind of misses that.
“Show off,” Pete teases though he matches her proud smile.
“That was an awesome throw!” Mike applauds as he rushes over, “Like Woah! Sorry, I’m Mike. That’s my friend, Sam.”
Sam’s still a little ways away but he waves as he jogs over, his blonde shaggy hair bouncing with every step. He kind of reminds Brittany of a golden retriever, eager and a little dorky.
“I’m Brittany,” Brittany greets and pats Pete’s head, “This is my brother, Pete. We just moved here.”
“Oh, I think we’re neighbors!” Mike grins, “The house with the blue shutters?”
“Yeah, that’s us.”
Sam finally joins the group, “Great throw! Can you do that again?”
Brittany shrugs casually, “Yeah. Probably.”
Mike and Sam drop their jaws in disbelief.
“My sister’s a quarterback,” Pete informs them, “She’s the best at school.”
“I was the best at our old school,” Brittany corrects and ruffles up his blonde hair.
“You were a,” Sam blinks, “I’ve never met a girl quarterback.”
Brittany tries to keep from gritting her teeth at the way he says girl. She knows he didn’t mean any disrespect, but it still makes her skin crawl. She forgets that some places aren’t as progressive as her old school, so she keeps the polite smile on her face.
“You have to try out,” Sam insists, “You’re better than half of those guys and no girl has ever tried out before. It would be so cool!”
“You saw me throw one time,” Brittany chuckles.
“Exactly, that’s how much we suck!”
“Hey!” Mike shakes his head and gives Brittany an encouraging smile, “You’d be great on the team.”
Mike seems genuine enough, they both do, but Brittany’s unsure of how she’ll be received here. She’s already going to be the new kid in school, she didn’t really want to add on to that by being the first girl to try out for the team.
“I don’t know,” Brittany looks unsure and glances down at Pete, “I wasn’t planning on playing this year.”
“You’ve got to,” Mike adds, “You have a killer arm.”
“Would totally bench Hudson,” Sam jokes with Mike.
Mike nods, “Without a doubt.”
“Is Hudson your current QB?” Brittany wonders.
“Yeah, for three years and we haven’t made a single playoffs appearance,” Sam answers with the shake of his head.
“Sam was going to try and play him for the starting position,” Mike explains, “Clearly he needs some work though.”
Sam scoffs and punches at Mike’s shoulder.
“Clearly,” Brittany chuckled. She liked these guys. They were kind of dorks but harmless and they seemed friendly.
“Well, we don’t want to pressure you if you don’t want to play,” Mike says a little more seriously, “But if you change your mind, try-outs are next Tuesday at William McKinley High at noon. See Coach Beiste.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Brittany replies, “Thanks.”
“Cool. Well, how about one more for the road?” Mike suggests and holds out the ball to Brittany.
Brittany was happy to oblige and slaps her palm against the leather, “Go long.”
The guys took off running, playfully shoving at each other as Brittany took her stance and got into position. She let them get a few more yards further before drawing back and letting the ball fly.
Again, it was a perfect throw.
When Sam caught it this time, Mike cheered while Sam did a celebratory dance. It wasn’t the smoothest thing Brittany had ever seen, but it was the funniest and it had her and Pete laughing harder than they had in awhile.
\\
That night at the dinner table with Whitney, Pete talked animatedly about his and Brittany’s day. Brittany always loved how excited he got about the smallest things and he always told stories with so much detail. They were worried that it would fade with their dad’s passing but Pete was still so full of love and light.
“We made friends at the park today too!” Pete said which piqued Whitney’s interest.
“Oh really?” Whitney smiled and looked to Brittany, “Making friends already?”
“I wouldn’t call them that,” Brittany chuckled as she picked mindlessly at her plate, “A couple guys from the high school here were playing catch. Apparently one of them is our neighbor too.”
“Mike!” Pete clarified.
“Yeah, Mike and Sam. They tried talking me into trying out for the football team,” Brittany explained, “I don’t think I’m going to play this year though.”
“What? Why not?” Whitney asked worriedly, “You’ve played every year since middle school.”
“I know, but I want to be able to help out here if you need me to,” Brittany reasons and glances over at Pete, “I don’t want to get stuck with football like I always do.”
“You love it, Britt, and you’re good at it,” Whitney tells her, “You should try out.”
“What about Pete?” Brittany questions, “No one will be home when he finishes school.”
“Gran will pick him up,” Whitney suggests easily.
“But – “
“No buts,” Whitney gives her a stern look, “It’s your Senior year and you love the game. If you want to play, you should. Isn’t that what your dad always said?”
Brittany feels something clench in the pit of her stomach and she isn’t sure if it’s a good feeling or a bad one. She can still hear her dad’s voice gently guiding her and maybe that’s what helps her decide this time too.
“Okay yeah, I’ll try out,” Brittany announces and it’s the first time she finally feels like herself again since moving to Ohio.
\\
It’s a muggy Summer’s day when Brittany arrives at her new school for try-outs. She can already feel all eyes on her as she walks through the gate and joins the others on the field. She spots Mike and Sam with a few others and they wave at her while the others give her curious looks. Brittany gives them a nod but stays focused. It feels like it’s a hundred degrees there, but she’s use to the heat after growing up in Florida. She stands tall with her chin held high as she makes her way over to the Coach.
She’s pleasantly surprised when she finds that the Coach is also a woman.
“Coach Beiste?”
“Cheerios try-outs are held in the gym,” The woman tells her without a second glance.
Brittany bites her lip and tries to shake the nerves, “I’m not here for a cereal ad, Coach. I want to try-out for the team.”
The woman pauses and eyes Brittany curiously as she says, “This is football try-outs.”
“I know,” Brittany nods resolutely, “I’ve played before.”
“Position?”
“Quarterback.”
Coach looks impressed, “What string?”
Brittany smirks, “I was the starter.”
The woman blinks and it’s similar to the look Sam gave her.
“What’s your name, kid?”
“Brittany. Brittany S. Pierce.”
“You just move here or something?” Beiste asks as she jots down Brittany’s name on the clipboard, “I haven’t seen you around.”
“Yes,” Brittany nods, “I just moved here from Florida.”
“Alright. Well, you won’t get any special treatment on my field,” Beiste tells her sternly, “You’ll run the drills, same as everyone else and I’ll see how you go. You throw up, it’s an automatic out.”
“Of course,” Brittany grins, “I don’t want it any other way.”
\\
It’s no surprise to Brittany when she aces try-outs. She’s always been pretty athletic and she starts every morning with a run so she’s in tip-top shape and breezes through the drills. Even the team’s resident quarterback – Finn Hudson – struggles to keep up with the others. Brittany notes how uncoordinated his movements are and starts to understand why the team hasn’t made a playoff appearance.
Finn’s saving grace though is that he has a pretty good arm, but Brittany is confident that hers is better. Actually, she knows it is. If they’re going to compare stats, Brittany has him beat in every category but she lets her talent speak for itself. No one likes a cocky new kid on the block.
“You’re promising, Pierce,” Coach Beiste tells her after the third day of try-outs, “Between you and me, you can run circles around Hudson and I have no doubt you can outshine him.”
“I appreciate that, Coach.”
“But, he’s been our starter for nearly three years now. He’s got the team’s respect and trust,” Coach Beiste reasons.
Brittany nods. She hates how she has to start from scratch here. At her old school, she didn’t have to prove anything to anyone, they just knew she was talented because they grew up with her. Here, they don’t know anything about her and that puts her at a real disadvantage.
“You can’t just come in like a bat outta hell and snatch it from him,” Coach continues, “You’re going to have to play for it; prove yourself to me and the team that you can do a better job. You’ve got to really earn this.”
Brittany saw that coming too so she nods, “I understand.”
“I took a look at your record. I hope you don’t mind,” Coach Beiste says, “It’s very impressive, Pierce. I haven’t seen talent like yours in awhile around here. I almost forgot what it was like to see stats like yours.”
“Thank you. I’ve been playing for a long time.”
“I can tell, so this is what I’m going to do. There’s a pre-season game coming up,” Beiste tells her, “I want to put you in, see what you can do. If I like what I see, you might just be able to nudge Hudson out. There are a lot of Seniors on this team, I know they’d love to see the Championships and I think you can get them there.”
“I know I can,” Brittany says without a second thought.
Coach pats her hard on the shoulder pad, “That’s what I like to hear. Go get cleaned up.”
\\
While Brittany gets packed up a little while later, she feels someone standing close by. She waits for some off-handed comment – she’s heard a few of the guys mumble them under their breath – but it never comes. She figures it’s either Mike or Sam but when she turns, it’s neither of them.
“Hi,” The guy greets. His voice is meek, almost angelic and it takes Brittany by surprise.
“Hi,” Brittany smiles back though as she stands.
“I’m Kurt,” He says and does a showy kick, “I���m the kicker.”
Brittany notes his small stature compared to the other guys. There’s not an ounce of muscle on him it looks like, typical for someone on special teams.
“I’m Brittany,” She replies, “Not sure what I am just yet.”
“I hope you’re going to be our knew QB,” Kurt grins and takes a seat next to Brittany’s duffle as she continues packing up, “I’m rooting for you. I know there are a few others that are too, they just don’t want you to know about it. I don’t really understand the point, we all want to win.”
“Thanks.”
“Sure,” Kurt nods and starts to admire Brittany’s keychain, “Oh! We play for the same team.”
“Obviously or this would be pretty embarrassing,” Brittany says with a straight face.
“No, I meant – “
Brittany grins slyly as she watches his face turn red. She glances down at her rainbow unicorn keychain in his hand and meets his gaze, “I know what you meant.”
Kurt laughs it off awkwardly and tries to recover, “It’s nice to finally have someone to talk to on the team.”
Brittany can hear just a hint of sadness in his tone and looks up, “They don’t talk to you?”
“They do, but it’s not the same. We don’t have much in common. All they want to talk about are video games and hot chicks,” Kurt scrunches his nose like there’s a bad taste in his mouth but then he looks at Brittany and relaxes, “Then again, you might be able to relate with that last one.”
Brittany chuckles as she reties up her hair, “You think so?”
Kurt eyes her and nods to the keychain again, “I don’t know many female quarterbacks that are straight. Actually, I don’t know any female quarterbacks.” Kurt ponders for a moment then looks to Brittany apologetically, “I’m sorry, that was intrusive. I apologize.”
Brittany gives him a pat on the knee as she stands. She pulls up her heavy duffle and adjusts the strap on her shoulder, “You’re not wrong, but I’m here to play football. Not drool over girls, no matter how pretty they are.”
Kurt smiles, “Good to hear. It would be nice to win for a change.”
“I’ll do my best,” Brittany tells him, “I’ll see you at practice.”
\\
Whitney and Pete are in the stands along with Brittany’s grandparents on the day of the game against Crawford County Day. Brittany’s been sitting on the bench for a whole quarter and her knees are bouncing at the opportunity to get on the field.
She watches her team in action and it’s almost embarrassing how ununified they are. It’s like no one’s taking charge – no one’s leading – and it hurts to watch.
“Blitz! Blitz!” Coach yells, “Watch the blitz!”
Brittany can see it coming, but Finn doesn’t change plays.
The ball is hiked and Finn hands it off to their Running Back – Noah Puckerman – but the defense slips through from all sides. Puckerman is swallowed up in an instant.
It’s a loss of three yards, third down.
Brittany glances over at Coach and her face is beet red.
The next play is even worse. It’s meant to be a simple slant pass, but the lack of communication between Finn and the receivers – Mike and Sam – has everyone on different pages. When Finn drops back, no one is open and the pocket collapses in on him for a sack.
Brittany cringes at the hard hit and shakes her head.
“Damn it, Hudson!” Coach snaps and throws her hat on the ground.
The Titans finish the half down by 13 points.
\\
It’s the longest twenty-minute halftime Brittany has ever endured. Coach just tears into the team for being so sloppy. Apparently Crawford County Day is meant to be one of the easiest teams on their roster so the fact that the Titans are behind already isn’t really a good sign.
“Good thing this is just a scrimmage!” Beiste yells, “I’ve never seen so many poorly executed plays in my entire career. What the hell was that out there?”
“They’ve gotten better, Coach.”
Brittany presses her lips tight together to keep from laughing at Finn’s excuse.
“I am captain of the U.S.S. Kick Ass, not the U.S.S. Back Talk,” Beiste said pointedly and looked at Brittany, “Pierce, your starting.”
“Wait, Coach!” Finn argued, “You can’t start her, she’s…she’s –“
Brittany arched her brow at him, waiting for a lame insult to come tumbling out.
“She’s gunning for your job, Hudson,” Beiste cut in.
“You can’t be serious!” Finn crossed his arms, “We don’t even know if she can play.”
“You just keep your eyes on me then,” Brittany smirked as she pulled on her helmet, “I’ll show you how it’s done.”
“Woah!” Sam cheered and high fived Mike.
“Shut up,” Puck shoved at them both, “Have some respect.”
“You’re one to talk,” Kurt replied meekly.
Puck rounded on him, “What was that, Hummel?”
Kurt just lifted a dainty hand and admired his nails quietly.
Brittany just smirked. Maybe she didn’t have the entire team on her side yet, but she liked her odds so far.
\\
At first, things were a little rocky. It seemed that the offense wasn’t use to someone taking charge – they weren’t use to her taking charge – but Brittany kept at it and it started to pay off.
Once she got into her groove, she could read the defense so easily and adjust accordingly. She’d hear the grunts of disbelief whenever she’d call an audible, but by the last quarter she felt like she had finally made ground and gained some of the team’s trust.
Because by the last quarter, the Titans were up by 3 points.
She could play it safe with just seconds to go, but this was just a scrimmage and she wanted to make a lasting impression. She didn’t just want to win with a field goal attempt, she was confident that she could put more points on the board before the final.
Brittany straightened up and motioned for a timeout. The ref blew the whistle and Brittany gathered the team for a huddle. She took out her mouthguard and looked around at her teammates.
“I want to try Blue 80,” Brittany tells them.
“You’re ballsy, Pierce!” Matt Rutherford – the Tight End – said but it came out as a compliment.
Mike and Sam looked between each other before Mike spoke up, “We’ve never made a completion with this play.”
“Guess we should change that,” Brittany shrugged.
“You really want to blow the lead?” Dave Karofsky – the Right Guard – mocked.
“It’s the last play of the game,” Sam defended, “The worse that could happen is it gets intercepted and they run it all the way –“
“Shut up, Evans!” Azimio – the Left Guard – snapped, “Don’t jinx us.”  
“It’s all or nothing,” Brittany reasoned, “Scared QBs don’t make plays and I think we can put more points on the board. You with me?”
She held out her gloved fist and waited for the other’s to join her.
Puck was the first to hold out his fist, “You pull this off, Pierce, and I’ll tell Finn myself that you’re the better QB.”
“You’re on,” Brittany smirked and watched as the rest of the team joined her, “Titans on three. One…two…three!”
“Titans!” They yelled out in unison. Brittany was impressed, she was already making them a more cohesive team.
\\
Everyone got into their positions, what looked to be a simple running play. The defense fell right for it and adjusted accordingly. When the ball was snapped, Brittany faked the hand off to Puck and swiftly dropped back, watching as the other team went after him instead of realizing she still had the ball in her possession.
Meanwhile, Mike and Sam broke away from their defenders and jetted up the field. Both were wide open, but Mike crossed into the endzone just before Sam did. While the pocket still held, Brittany made her decision and let the ball fly before it could collapse in on her.
She hoped and wished and prayed to anyone who was listening that Mike would catch this thing. So much was riding on this; the team’s trust, their respect, solidifying her position as the new quarterback. Mike needed to catch this.
The relief she felt when he did was unmatched!
The crowd roared and Brittany’s chest swelled with pride. She glanced up at the sky and smiled, her dad would’ve loved that play.
Soon she was swarmed by her new team and they hoisted her up on their shoulders as they chanted her name, “Pierce! Pierce! Pierce!”
“Hate to say it, bro,” Puck said as they carried Brittany off to the sideline where Finn was close to throwing a tantrum, “But the girl’s got mad skill. She’s got my vote.”
“Who cares about a vote. That’s not how we do things,” Finn scoffs, “It’s up to Coach.”
“Easy, Hudson, you could learn a lot from her. Kid’s on fire,” Coach Beiste smiled proudly and patted Brittany on her helmet, “You got the job, Pierce. Titans, your new quarterback.”
“Thanks, Coach!” Brittany grinned while most of the team cheered.
\\
After the game once everyone had changed out of their uniforms, Brittany was surprised to see Puck approach her with an interesting offer.
“Yo Pierce! Wait up,” He called after her.
“Hey,” Brittany nodded.
“I’m throwing a party this weekend before school starts up again,” He says, “I wasn’t going to invite you because didn’t know if you were cool yet.”
Brittany gives him an unbelieving look but it goes over his head.
“The whole team’s going and considering you’re our QB now I figured it was only right that I let you in on it,” Puck then gave her a sly grin, “Lots of hot babes will be there if that’s your thing. Is it your thing?”
Brittany chose to ignore the question, “Thanks for the invite. I’ll try to swing by if I can.”
“Not to brag, but my parties are usually pretty awesome,” Puck flaunted, “If you want to start off on the right foot at this school – being the new kid and all – you’re gonna want to show up.”
She couldn’t decide if that was meant to be a threat or that he just sucks at persuading, but Brittany shrugged it off. She was beginning to get the impression that Lima might live up to the stereotype of being a small town.
Brittany didn’t waver though, “I’ll keep that in mind, Puck. I’ll see you around.”
\\\\\
As a Cheerios Co-Captain, Santana Lopez knew that there were certain social obligations that she had to keep up with. One of those obligations being the End of Summer party Puck always threw. Only the top dogs of McKinley were allowed to attend and if you didn’t it was basically social suicide.
With everything that happened last year, Santana couldn’t afford to miss it no matter how much she hated going. It was like her reputation had been in freefall and she was barely holding on. She couldn’t have that – not for her Senior year – so she sucked it up and told her parents she was sleeping over her best friend’s house.
Quinn Fabray – the other Co-Captain of the Cheerios – was the only person it seemed like that kept Santana sane. They considered themselves the hottest bitches McKinley had to offer and most of the student body couldn’t help but agree. They had the looks, the smarts, the snark; they were the perfect duo and were set on ruling the school.
Santana hoped that last year was just a minor blip in their legacy. She had high hopes coming into Senior year, she already felt like she had hit rock bottom and she was over feeling sorry for herself.
The best way to feel on top again? Attend Puck’s party.
Of course, it was easier said than done.
\\
The music is loud and there are people everywhere. Honestly, Santana has no idea how these things have never been shut down. She thinks maybe the dopes down at the Lima Police Department are just too swamped with real crime-fighting to deal with Puck and his shenanigans for the millionth time.  
That’s obviously a joke. Nothing interesting ever happens in Lima, the LPD are just a bunch of lazy fucks who apparently don’t care about a couple dozen kids drinking underage.
Santana sits with Quinn at the edge of Puck’s pool and they just people-watch as they dangle their feet in the cool water. It’s a hot night and there are already a couple drunken idiots wading in the shallow end, singing along to the music at the top of their lungs.
She looks down at her red solo cup and swirls the amber liquid. She barely has a buzz so she takes another gulp in hopes that she’ll catch up and finally start enjoying the party.
Quinn watches her wearily but does the same. Neither of them want to be there but appearances are important, especially to them.
Speaking of appearances, Santana spots a leggy blonde across the way through the glass double-doors. She’s dressed casually in cut-off jean shorts and a white t-shirt. Santana raises her brow; she wishes she could show up to a party looking like that. It took her an hour alone to do her make up, let alone pick out the right outfit.
Santana continues to watch her – though she feels a little weird for it. She’s never seen the girl around here before and decides that’s the reason why she can’t take her eyes off of her – she’s just curious. A little piece of her deep down inside calls her out for lying.
Still, Santana just assumes the blonde came with one of the football players since that’s who she seems to gravitate to. She notices the familiar faces from the football team – Sam Evans in particular – and watches as he hands the blonde a red cup.
The girl smiles in return and wow, Santana’s a little star-struck by its brilliance. Sam must’ve said something dorky because now the girl’s laughing and shaking her head at him. Santana’s never seen someone so effortlessly beautiful and she has to bite her cheek to keep from smiling too. This girl, she has one of those infection kind of smiles and it’s trouble.
Mike Chang walks up next and clinks his cup against the girl’s and together they begin to chat.
Santana quickly glances to Quinn to catch her reaction. Mike and Quinn aren’t exactly official, but it’s obvious they have a thing for each other.
Quinn’s not looking though and Santana feels a little relief. She can’t deal with a jealous Quinn tonight, and a little part of her doesn’t want this new girl to have to deal with that either.
When Santana glances back, she recognizes Sugar Motta – McKinley’s resident Richie Bitch – pulling the blonde girl in to dance and suddenly Santana’s watching a little too closely.
This girl can clearly dance and the way she moves with Sugar is so graceful. Sugar on the other hand isn’t as fluid, but their hands smooth over each other teasingly. When the blonde’s hands land on Sugar’s hips, they start to sway together and Santana can just tell that the blonde’s the one leading now.
Santana can feel this coil within her tightening the longer she watches, her mouth getting drier at the way she takes control.
Then the song changes and the two laugh and carry on so carefreely as if nothing happened. Their moves mimic the steady rhythm and they start to bounce with their fists pumping at the air in time to the pounding bass.
Santana frowns at the slight pang of jealousy; she used to be like that, so uncaring and full of life. She danced with whoever she wanted – boy or girl – and it didn’t matter, but now…now it does.
“Who’s she?” Quinn asks, her gazing lining up with the blonde talking to Sugar.
“No idea.”
“Should I ask around?”
“No!” Santana blurts and Quinn eyes her suspiciously. Santana adjusts, “No. I’m sure we’ll find out sooner or later. She’s hanging around Sugar and you know she can’t keep her mouth shut for more than two seconds.”
Quinn smirks, “True.”
\\
When Puck finally rears his ugly mug, Santana’s surprised they were able to dodge him for so long.
“Hey ladies,” He greets with his signature smirk, “I’m not interrupting, am I?”
There are beer stains on his open button-down and Santana can smell the tanning oil on him from where she sits. He’s got a nice body or whatever, but that doesn’t mean he needs to strut around basted in Hawaiian Tropic. She can’t really talk though, she and Quinn have both made out with him at some point in time.
“Scram, Puckerman,” Santana replies with a roll of her eyes, “I’m not drunk enough to deal with your lame ass.”
“Is that any way to talk to the host?” Puck mocks and squeezes in to sit between the Co-Captains.
Santana groans and shuffles away from him, but he throws a heavy arm around her and Quinn’s shoulders. She can smell something stronger than beer on his breath and scoffs as she gets out from underneath his arm, “You’re gross.”
“Whatever. I’m not here for you anyway,” Puck brushes off and leans heavily against Quinn instead, “I know you’re not on the menu anymore or has that changed?”
Santana’s taken aback but her heart begins to pound wildly at the accusation.
“Choose your next words carefully,” Santana warns.
“What?” Puck laughs, “You still trying to hold out on me?”
“Puck,” Quinn snaps and shrugs out from under him too.
He’s too drunk and wrapped up in his own bullshit to notice that he’s crossed a line, but his voice grabs the attention of those surrounding them.
Santana suddenly feels small, trapped even. It feels like everyone’s staring now and listening to Puck’s drunken words.
“All I wanna know is if that phase is over with now?” He says and it’s like the final blow for Santana.
She shrinks back and her vicious words that use to come so easily for her die on her tongue. There’s a crowd gathering now and she notices the blonde girl from before eyeing them too.
“It’s not a phase, asshole,” Quinn snaps and surprises everyone watching by pushing him into the pool.
Santana’s eyes go wide as she sees the big splash. She’s never been so thankful to have Quinn as her best friend.
“What the hell, Quinn!” Puck grumbles as he resurfaces, “I had my phone on me still!”
“Shouldn’t have been a dick then,” Quinn shrugs and hooks her arm with Santana’s, “Let’s go, the beer’s flat here anyway.”
Santana finally kicks into gear and nods, “Yeah. I’m not trying to be hungover for practice tomorrow.”
Santana doesn’t know why, but as they turn to leave she looks around for the mysterious blonde. To her disappointment, she’s nowhere to be found.
They make their way to the street and begin the short walk home in silence. Santana’s heart is still racing even though they’re so far away now that she can’t even hear the low thrum of the music emanating from Puck’s place. She hopes that no one saw her choke on her words, maybe they’ll be too distracted by Quinn’s actions to remember.
It’s not until another ten minutes later when they’ve arrived at Quinn’s house that Santana finally finds her voice again.
“Thanks Q,” She says quietly. She knows she doesn’t need to elaborate and she’s thankful for that too.
Quinn only lifts her shoulder in a lazy shrug, “You would’ve done the same for me.”
\\\\\
The first day of school rolls around quickly for Brittany, but despite being the new kid she makes friends relatively easy. Kurt’s in her first class and she’s honestly so relieved to see a familiar face.
He takes it upon himself to show her around and introduce Brittany to his friends. So far, Brittany’s met a Tonya or Taylor – she’s not very good with names – but she’s nice. There’s also Mercedes – she remembers that name – who Brittany met in her Astronomy class and alongside Kurt guide, they guide Brittany through McKinley High.
It’s a total Mean Girls moment and Brittany finds herself laughing at how eager they are to show her around.
When they get to lunch, she notices that everyone is pretty cliquey which is something she isn’t use to. At her old school, everyone mingled with everyone. It didn’t matter if you played sports or if you were considered cool, people just hung out with whoever they wanted.
At McKinley High, that’s clearly not the case.
All the football players sit together but instead of joining them, Kurt leads Brittany and Mercedes to a different table close by. They get a couple of curious looks, but all Brittany can focus on is what they’re wearing.
“Why have they got on their letterman jackets?” Brittany questions with a laugh, “It’s so hot outside, they have to be melting.”
“How else do expect them to establish dominance?” Kurt says sarcastically, “I only wear mine on game days. You don’t have one yet, right?”
“No,” Brittany answers, “But I do have my own number now.”
“Oh good,” Kurt grins, “It’s official now.”
\\
Kurt and Mercedes are still trying to give her the rundown, but Brittany’s starting to reach her peak when it comes to taking in all the new info. Whatever they’re saying now is kind of going in one ear and out the other, the only thing that brings her back is spotting the familiar brunette she saw at Puck’s party.
Even if Brittany drank a little more than she anticipated, she was still sober enough to remember the saddest looking girl at the party.
“And those are the Cheerios,” Mercedes tells Brittany as if she could read her mind, “McKinley’s cheerleading squad and top of the social food chain.”
“I haven’t seen them at any of the games,” Brittany looks to Kurt for an explanation.
“They don’t bother with pre-season,” Kurt answers, “They’re basically the only ones here winning any titles. Coach Sylvester practically lets them get away with murder.”
Brittany notes all the high ponies and uniforms, everyone’s make up is on point and there’s not a single hair out of place. They all look immaculate, but Brittany focuses on the two that she’s most familiar with.
“Who are they?” She asks.
“The blonde one is Quinn Fabray,” Kurt informs her in a hushed tone, “She’s Co-Captain along with the brunette – Santana Lopez – and both of their families are loaded. They’ve been best friends since ever, you rarely see one without the other. Quinn’s kind of a prude and Santana’s – “
“A complete bitch for no reason most of the time,” Mercedes finishes for him.
Kurt shakes his head, “She has a reason.”
His cryptic words interest Brittany. Hell, she’s been interested ever since she saw Quinn push Puckerman into the pool.
“Doesn’t give her an excuse to terrorize us,” Mercedes reasons, “The girl is trouble.”
Kurt bobbles his head from side to side and looks back at Brittany, “It’s best if you stay out of her way, Brittany. It’ll make your life a whole lot easier.”
“You think?” Mercedes asks, “She’s on the football team, the quarterback even. You think Santana will mess with her?”
Kurt shrugs, “She still messes with me doesn’t, she?”
“That’s true,” Mercedes frowns.
Brittany just nods, but that doesn’t extinguish the curiosity that has blossomed within her.
\\
And maybe someone above is testing her, because when Brittany arrives to her final class of the day she finds the exact person Kurt and Mercedes have been warning her against interacting with: Santana Lopez.
And to make matters even worse, the only available seat left in the room just so happens to be the one right next to her. Brittany shakes her head and glances at the board to double check she’s in the right place.
Creative Writing – Miss Holliday Room 215
Brittany’s definitely in the right place and lets out a sigh.
Might as well bite the bullet, Brittany thinks as musters all the confidence she has left and she approaches the table. She’s been rushed at by guys ten times the brunette’s size moving at full speed on the football field and yet, she can’t help but feel a little nervous when she comes to stand before the Co-Captain.
“Hi,” Brittany greets with a polite smile, “Can I sit here?”
Santana glances up at her like she can’t believe the audacity Brittany has. She eyes her up and down then goes back to filing her nails, “No.”
Brittany nods, so Kurt and Mercedes might’ve been right.
“There aren’t any other seats left,” Brittany adds.
Santana doesn’t even look up this time, “Sounds like a personal problem to me.”
Brittany has to bite her cheek to keep from laughing. This girl is something else but Brittany’s never been one to back down.
Unfortunately her teacher – Miss Holliday –  approaches, “Are you seriously starting off the year by being a pain in my ass, Lopez? Don’t give the new kid a hard time. Move over.”
“Fine,” Santana rolls her eyes and slides her books closer to her side of the table.
Brittany looks back at the teacher and smiles, “Thanks.”
“All good,” The woman says casually. She’s young and reminds Brittany of one of her favorite teachers at her old school, “Have a seat, Sweet Cheeks.”
Brittany does as she’s told and gets settled next to Santana. She can feel the tension radiating off the Cheerio, but tries to ease it by introducing herself.
“I’m Brittany,” She tells the brunette and adds a friendly smile for emphasis. If she’s going to be stuck sitting next to her for the rest of the year, they can at least be civil. Right?
Wrong.
“I didn’t ask,” Santana retorts and spends the rest of class giving Brittany the cold shoulder.
For some reason though, that only makes Brittany want to get to know Santana even more.
Afterall, she loves a challenge.
\\\\\
It’s the last Cheerios practice indoors and Santana and Quinn soak up the privilege of conditioning in a space with A.C. There are many reasons why Santana dreads having to join football team outdoors for practice, one being that it’s hot as hell still during this time of year and also she can’t stand the cat-calling.
With Coach Beiste as the acting head coach now, the guys are a lot more tame but Santana still hates how she feels like she’s being watched all the time. Some of the other girls on the squad don’t mind it too much though, they’re all about teasing and the pleasing apparently.
“How’s your schedule this year?” Quinn asks between stretches.
“It’s alright,” Santana shrugs, “Super easy. I got Holliday and Schuester again.”
“Lucky!” Quinn says, “I got Hagberg. I wish she would just retire already.”
Santana agrees then she remembers her last class of the day and how the mysterious blonde from Puck’s party now has a name, “Hey. Remember that girl we saw at Puck’s?”
“The blonde one?”
“Yeah, her. Brittany,” Santana murmurs the name, “I have a class with her.”
“Oh! Is she cool or something?” Quinn’s intrigued, “She’s pretty and she’s got some moves. We could get her on the squad?”
Pretty, Santana thinks it’s an understatement now that she’s seen her up close. She’s never seen eyes so damn blue and that smile – again, wow.
Quinn catches her swept up in her thoughts and quickly plays it off, “Hell no.”
“Really? Why not?”
“She’s just…,” Santana racks her brain for an excuse but she’s blanking, “She’s just not Cheerios material.”
Quinn calls her bluff, “How would you know?”
“I just do,” Santana scoffs and continues to struggle for a reason, “There’s something different about her, okay?”
“Different is good though, right? We could use that.”
“God Quinn, just drop it alright?” Santana snaps and walks off.
Quinn just laughs in disbelief, “You’re the one that brought her up!”
\\
The rest of the week is a little of the same. Santana goes through the motions of her day although a hidden piece of her longs for her last class with Brittany. She still ignores the blonde’s attempts to make conversation, but it doesn’t seem like the girl is giving up anytime soon.
Quinn still presses for Brittany to join the squad, but Santana’s not having any of that either.
Quinn can’t understand why Santana’s being so adamant about the decision. Santana doesn’t know why either. In fact, there are a lot of things Santana doesn’t understand when it comes to Brittany, but she’s not exactly ready to unpack any of that.
If anything, she’s afraid of what it all could mean.
It isn’t until Friday night that things begin to get a little clearer for them all.
\\
It’s the first regular season game which means it’s the first game the Cheerios make an appearance in. The Titans are pumped but Santana isn’t sure what’s gotten into them, they never win so cheering for them always feels like a waste of time. There’s a different air about the team this year though, but Santana doesn’t think much of it as the game kicks off.
Santana and Quinn and the rest of the Cheerios do what they do best and breathe life into the crowd like always, but they find that they don’t need to work as hard to keep morale up because the Titans are actually winning for a change.
In fact, Santana has to check the score twice to make sure she’s reading it correctly.
Home: 9 Away: 0
“What the hell?” Santana bumps Quinn with her pompom, “We’re winning?”
“Weird, right?” Quinn replies and nods over to the Titans’ bench, “Wonder if it has anything to do with that?”
Santana blinks, “Is that Finnocence?”
“Yeah, it is.”
Santana snaps back to the field, “Then who’s out there?”
“Sam?” Quinn questions but they know he’s #6 and #6 is on the other side of the field catching a perfectly thrown pass.
They both look to the quarterback and Santana asks, “Who’s #12?”
“No idea,” Quinn shrugs, “But he’s killing it!”
Santana doesn’t know much about football but she does know a lot about winning and whatever this guy is doing seems to be working.
Santana and Quinn spend the rest of the game trying to figure out who’s beneath #12’s helmet, but decide that someone already on the team must’ve been given a new number with the promotion to quarterback.
There’s really no other explanation.
All that though is quickly forgotten as the game ends and the Titans come away with their first win of the regular season. It’s practically unheard of considering their losing streak. The stands erupt in applause and Santana watches as the Titans go wild too. Sam and Mike hoist #12 onto their shoulders as the quarterback pulls of his helmet.
When Santana sees long blonde hair cascade out from underneath it, she just about faints because the Titans’ new quarterback isn’t some random guy: it’s Brittany.
“Well,” Quinn’s equally surprised and bumps Santana with her shoulder, “Looks like you were right about her being different.”
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pattswriting · 5 years ago
Text
unnoticed | newt x reader
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title:unnoticed
pairing: newt x reader
type: fluff/kinda angst
warnings: mentions of blood, suicide, guns
prompt: everyone around you notice your affection and feelings towards newt, exept said boy.
songs recommendetions: miss americana & heartbreak prince by taylor swift, i wanna be yours by arctic monkeys, if i could fly by one direction, fine line by harry styles, i love you by billie eillish, mirrors by justin timberlake, sweater weather by james harris
a/n my first newt imagine, i tried my hardest! sleep well, have a good day and drink water!
edit: i posted it on my main blog before, thought it might be better on here.
***
NEWT didn’t notice. He never noticed the glances you’d give him, longing stares or how sparkles formed in your eyes, whenever you saw him. But Frypan did. He always watched your person in front of blonde boy, thinking how he could be so blind, when it was so obvious.
“He’s such a slinthead” said Fry one day at the bonfire. You furrowed your eyebrows looking at your friend. “ I mean, you give him those eyes and he still reminds blind”. You didn’t say anything. Just glanced at Newt, again.
HE didn’t notice. He never saw how you managed to fix your hair or shirt, when someone said he’s coming towards your way. But Winston did. And never lost a chance to laugh at you or tease, because he knew what was going on.
“You literally look the same everyday. He’s seen you like this million times. It’s like your hands have magic inside of them, that will make you look like a princess, suddenly.” said Winston as Newt went back to work.
“Slim it, Win” you said embarrased knowing, that it was riddiculous. But you couldn’t help it. Newt had that effect on you.
CHUCK got used to your talk, eventually. After two years, he got used to be greeted in the morning with little morning and question if he saw Newt. When it was dinner, he got used to your drooling over second-in-command. Or when you were pranking Gladers, he knew you will immadietly say to not doing anything to Newt. And, of course, he knew at the bed time, you would say how much you liked him.
“I’m telling you (Y/N), one day you will get married and have seven children” said chubby boy resting next to you.” Why so much? Having to take care of sixty boys it’s enough” you said and both of you laughed. He really did wish you a good life with blonde boy.
BOY found himself watching you, closely. He saw your panicked eyes, your shaking hands. Your faster breathe and how you were practically running from one place to another. Alby didn’t want you to see Newt, like that. He also knew the said boy didn’t want either.
“You’ll be okay Newt, everything will be alright. We will fix you. I will fix you. I promise, just don’t leave me, please. I can’t...I can’t loose you. Not you.” you keep saying as you and Minho tried to bear boy’s wounds. His leg was broken in three places and blood streamed down his face.
“It was an accident. Please, don’t worry” Alby said after you treated Newt. You shaked your head, tears kept coming down from your eyes.
“I perfectly know, Alby. I know, what would get him to be injured like that. It’s not nothing. We have to take care of him. Be there for him. I swear on my life, he will survive and he will live happy life” you said with determination. Alby knew since then, that you would give up your own life for blonde boy. You almost did.
BROWN-HAIRED BOY thought it must feel amazing. To love someone this much. To feel pure happiness and love to one person. Thomas was fascinated by your feelings. He always caught himself thinking, how is it, that his best friend doesn’t feel this energy coming from you.
“How does it feel like?” he asked one night, when it was your guys turn to watch the surrodings at the Scorch. You looked at him confused. “To feel so strong emotions and yet, never saying anything” he added. You were silent for a moment. You didn’t know either.”There wasn’t really time to acknowledge it. That’s all.”
YOU were terrified. First you were running from Grievers, then WICKED and now, the Cranks. You asked yourself, when will it stop? But whatever happened, you always were able to hold Newt’s hand. Or his arm. Or part of his shirt. Even when there was some peace, you still had the urge to touch him, somehow. You needed to feel him. To know, he is right beside you. He is safe. 
MINHO noticed it. Every time. At first, he thought it’s odd. But then, he realized how you felt. Wondered, what was on his best friend mind. 
“ It’s kinda cute, you know” he said, while you all were sitting at the Cliff watching Aris and the girls. ”You hold hands so often, I’d think you are dating”. Newt laughed it off and let go of your hand, just to elbow you with a smirk.
“We got these shunks to think we’re a think, (Y/N). The best irony in my life” blonde boy said shaking his head. You didn’t say anything, just smiled at all of them. They looked at you sympatrically. What could you say? 
THE GIRL was smirking, whenever she looked at you two. You were blindly in love with the boy, standing next to you. There wasn’t a moment where you weren’t next to him. Either it was your group discussing rescue plan for Minho or working or eating, your place was next to him.
“Sometimes, I think it’s creepy.” said your best friend sitting along with you at the sand. “What is?” you asked with a smile. She smirked.”How you always are by Newt’s side. It’s probably nothing weird to both of you, but from ours perspective, it really looks amusing, even” she answered, looking straight at you. Blood rushed to your cheeks as you laughed.
“Yeah well, I can’t help it. It’s something that feels right, you know? Like, it should be like that.” you said. Your gaze went to find blonde boy talking with Thomas. Brenda followed you, couldn’t help but smile. She really, really prayed you would confess your feelings finally. From what you and others have been saying, among Minho, Thomas and Fry, you’ve been in love with Newt what it seems, for three years. It pained her to know, how deep you had to hide it. She also felt furious. Not at you, of course. At the boy, who was painfully obvious to your feelings. He didn’t notice small details, that showed how much you loved him.
“I CAN’T SHUCKING BELIEVE IT” said Gally when you walked side by side through the tunnel. He wouldn’t admit it, but felt disappointed and kind of surprised. He knew you and Newt for so long, saw your eyes, your smile, your body language. The way you acted around blonde boy. You had to be goddamn stupid, to not know that you were in love. And yet, you didn’t say a single word. And Newt didn’t see any of that.
“You really want to tell me, that you and him are still friends?” boy looked at you with disbelief. You turned behind to see, if Thomas and Newt don’t hear you.
“I guess. I mean, we always were friends.” you said quietly. Gally rolled his eyes.
“ It doesn’t mean you have to remain like this forever.” he commented with cheesy smile. You laughed and shook your head. “I’m not sure if this is a moment and place to confessions.” you said after a while.
“You’ve been saying it for a years now. It’s been cute at the beginning, seriously. But now, it hurts doesn’t it? What I am saying is, you shouldn’t waste any time. You might not have it a lot.” said Gally with symphaty and worry in his eyes.
“What are you talking about?” you asked not knowing how to proces his words. He didn’t say anything. Part of you didn’t need him to.
SHE looked sadly at her old friend. They didn’t have to tell her. She knew. Newt was infected. She glanced at you. You were looking at him with teary, worried eyes, clinging onto his arm, like always.When she was in WICKED, she couldn’t help but wonder, if she didn’t betray Thomas like that, would two of them be like you and Newt?
“He’s the love of your life, isn’t he?” she asked, getting your chip out of your neck. You didn’t say anyting. There was nothing to say.
“The serum you have….It won’t save him. You know that” you remained silent. Tears came to your eyes but you didn’t say anything. Thomas noticed the change in your facial expression. “I think that’s enough.” he said getting you away from her. He knew exactly what was that about. Of course he noticed. But him? He was to busy with his thoughts. Thoughts that were killing him, slowly.
“PLEASE (Y/N) JUST LISTEN TO ME” raven-haired girl practically yelled at you. “You know he doesn’t have much time. But I can help him. We can save him. I just need to test Thomas’ blood.” said Teresa pleading with her eyes towards you. Normally, you would laughed at her face. But this time, it was different. It was about Newt. You looked at him, almost crying. He was already looking at you, shaking his head. Without breaking the stare, you asked a question:
“Will you save him?” your voice was shaking, you saw how Newt looked at you  confused. You felt Thomas sharp voice; “You can’t be serious, (Y/N)”. You still were looking at Newt. You hoped your eyes would tell him something, your lips weren’t able to.
“I know together, we will”
***
AND that’s how you were running again. But this time, with needle in your hand and Teresa by your side. Corridors were almost empty, just doctors evacuating. Every guard was now just were The Ivy Trio was. That’s why you found them without any trouble. They noticed you straight away but obviously, guards did too. You reached the boys and started running together, as bullets were flying to your side. You were so determineted, so thankful for Teresa’s resarch that you didn’t feel bullet which was now lower your ribs.
“Newt I got it, I got the cure.” you half-shouted when you all were in the room. They all looked at you like you were crazy.”Me and Teresa got it, you just have…” then you felt pain all over your body. Your legs were wobbly, head dizzy and you dropped to the floor.
“Bloody hell, (Y/N)! You’re bleeding!” said Newt kneeling next to you. You looked at him confuesd. “So what? Newt, didn’t you hear what I said? We have te cure. You’ll be okay”
“You literally was shot and even then, you still worry about this shuckface.” said Minho with disbelief. You just looked at blonde boy with the biggest smile despite the pain, killing you inside.
“You’re crazy, you know that?” said Newt taking the needle from your hand and putting it to the pocket. You didn’t look happy like few seconds before.
“What the hell? You have to take it, now.” you said completely ignoring Thomas and Minho who were now, breaking the big glass in front of them.
“(Y/N), are you insane? Your life is on an edge and you are asking me, to take the needle? Shouldn’t you worry about yourself first?” he said trying to stop the bleeding. Teresa slowly put you on your legs, as you had to jump.
“When you love someone more than yourself, you care about them more.” you mumbled. He just looked at you. Still, you thought, he didn’t notice..”
“Are you sure about that?” asked Minho looking at Thomas worried.
“Not really.” said boy. Newt frowned.”Great. We’re all bloody inspired”
As he said that, door opened. The four of you looked behind, you too tired to well, actually care. Then you felt youself falling down and then, into the unconsciousness.
AS YOU OPENED YOUR EYES, you were convinced that you died and are in some kind of after life. You stand and went outside. The first thing you noticed, was ocean. You smiled and walked towards it. Your mind was so mesmerized, that you didn’t notice Newt’s big smile when he saw you are awake. This time you didn’t notice. As he walked as fast as he could, to be by your side. How he ignored Minho’s snarky comment “about time, shank”. How he shoved everyone from his path, just to get to you. How his eyes were ony on you. How he sat by your side, not saying anything. How the minute he looked at you, he remembered your words about love. How he mentally punched himself in the face for not noticing your signs. Finally realizing why Gally was so pissed at him. Why Thomas smiled at him like that. Why Minho gave him speech about being slinthead. Why Frypan laughed at him. Why Brenda was smirking when she saw him heading to you.
“I know it now, love. I noticed.” he said looking at you. You were already looking at him. With those eyes. This smile. You reached his hand and interwined your fingers together.
“Thank you for saving me. For all these years.” Newt said kissing your knuckles. You chuckled.”Of course, Newt. You know I will always do that.”
He was by your side. All was well.
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