#‘G… you only blew my mind in the best way possible’

[redactedlove]

Just me & G…

hi @overclockedselfshipping !

[pogueszn]

love’s gonna get you killed (1)

gif credit: @toesure gif set: here

summary: It’s been years since Y/n Routledge realized her feelings for JJ, she’s been offering him love on a silver platter but it’s no use. Waiting for JJ would leave her a hollow shell of a girl she used to be, she can’t do it any longer.

word count: 4.9k 

pairing: JJ Maybank x Routledge!reader, Routledge!reader x oc

warning(s): angst?, underage drinking, pls let me know if i missed something!

a/n: aahh look at me! back in the G game baby! let me know what you all think! i hope to have part two out as quickly as possible! also let me know if you would like to be added to my regular taglist! a very special thanks to @obx-snippets and @samwlscns​ for helping me!

Y/n was thirteen when she realized she had feelings for JJ. 

The change had been swift. One second he had been nothing more than one of her best friends, then the next she was noticing the way the sun spared golden specks to shine in his light hair and the way it would dance across his skin. The way his eyes would glow when he laughed, how his eyebrows would furrow when he truly smiled. His arm around her shoulders was no longer purely friendly, it was the source of the everlasting butterflies that inhabited her stomach. She stopped being so annoyed when he’d push her off of the HMS Pogue and into the marsh. Because at least she got to feel his fingertips grace her skin, even if it was brief, even if it was just for a second. 

JJ had always been an anomaly to her, she had been a moth to his flame the second her brother brought him up to her in the third grade. JJ was safe, to her, he was constant. An eternal sense of familiarity that never dissipated no matter the cause. After her father got lost at sea and was presumed dead, with tension running high with John B and herself, JJ was the one to offer her a hand when she felt she’d lost her way. He was the one to pull her from her hopelessness and show her the good things life still had to offer. 

Even in darkness, it had always been JJ. 

Which is why after they all returned to the Chateau after the last kegger of the summer, and the rest of the pogues went to sleep while JJ and Y/n stayed up, swaying on the hammock -- far too zestful to think about sleeping. The moon rippled over the water, a hot breeze blew through the leaves, moving the moss that hung off the tree limbs. They spoke animatedly about anything that passed through their mind, content in their safe space, neither of them tip-toed around any thought they spoke on. 

A particular joke JJ had told made her laugh, her head thrown back over the side of the hammock, one hand tossed over her stomach as the other cradled JJ’s wrist. It wasn’t long before Y/n noticed she was the only one who was laughing. She dwindled into silence as she turned to him. Their eyes locked immediately — he had already been looking at her. The glint in his eyes was unwavering, it sent the immortal butterflies in her stomach into somersaults. 

“What?” she had muttered. 

He reached, the tips of his fingers skimmed her temple as he moved a piece of her hair away from her face and behind her ear. His hand flipped, his scarred knuckled brushing along her cheekbone. “You look really beautiful tonight,” he said. And kissed the corner of her mouth. After years of waiting for, daydreaming about a moment like this, Y/n couldn’t let it slip through her fingers. She shoved her nerves down to the bottom of her stomach and spoke. 

 “you missed,” 

The moonlight bounced off of his face one last time before he leaned in and kissed her. 

Her heart rattled against her chest, goosebumps erupted on her skin as his hands cupped her jaw. The kiss was more than she had imagined it would be, it was perfect. From the moon casting shadows upon them to his soft breath she felt under her nose. It had been perfect. 

They spent the night together in her bedroom, underneath her covers, and wrapped in each other’s arms as they spoke to each other in whispers between shared breaths. Fingers adventuring up sides and arms, caressing down legs. They fell asleep with their foreheads pressed together and their legs intertwined. 

Y/n prided herself in understanding how the world worked. In no way was she naive. But when day broke, she woke to an empty bed, the fact that if you spend a night on cloud 9, you had to come back crashed down on her. Hard. 

JJ had taken her to the shed outside while her brother and the rest of their friends prepared breakfast and told her that the last night had been a mistake. That “his head just wasn’t screwed on right,” that things would just be too difficult. With the no pogue on pogue macking rule, with her being his best friend’s sister. Wanting to rather have him in her life as a friend than not have him at all, she played cool. Pretended it was no big deal, nothing but water off of a duck’s back. That she had thought the exact same, like she wasn’t worried she had fallen in love with him — like even if she had she could get over him in a heartbeat. 

Still drowning in her feelings for him, Y/n watched JJ flirt with countless tourons unable to do a thing to appease her aching heart. 

JJ was all wandering hands and flirting remarks, reeking of cautionary tales your mother would tell you as a child. JJ was enigmatic. She couldn’t stay away from him if she tried. And she did. But that proved to be quite difficult when JJ occupying John B’s old room more often than not. Moments where Y/n wasn’t smothered by the fact that she was head over heels for her best friend who didn’t see her as anything more than his best friend’s sister, were fleeting. 

But today she had lucked out. 

It was the first Saturday of summer break, and while JJ, Pope, Kie, and John B, were out catching the best mid-morning waves before they prepared for tonight’s kegger, Y/n chose to stay home for some well deserved alone time.  Well, alone time plus Sarah. 

“What do you mean you’re not gonna go?” Sarah questioned, placing her empty bowl of yogurt on Y/n’s nightstand from her spot on the bed, “it’s the first kegger of the summer! I thought it was like pogue tradition to go?” 

Y/n chuckled, continuing to stuff her clean clothes into her dresser drawers, 

“I mean I wouldn’t say it’s a tradition per se, some people think it’s more important than the other keggers but they’re all the same. Drunk people everywhere, someone’s gonna end up fighting, someone will call cops and we all scatter like roaches. It’s all the same.” 

Sarah sighed, plopping back onto the pillows behind her, 

“But if you don’t go, who am I supposed to hang out with?” 

“Gee, I don’t know,” Y/n replied, “you’re boyfriend, maybe? Besides, Kie will be there if you finally realize how stupid my brother is.” 

Although the jab at her boyfriend made her laugh, Sarah still looked displeased at the idea of Y/n skipping out of the party. 

“It’s not gonna be as fun if you’re not there,” Sarah whined, “ever since John B and I started dating you’ve always been there for me — don’t get me wrong, everyone seems to be fine with me now, but you’ve always been super sweet to me and you’re like one of my closest friends now and...I like spending time with you.” 

Y/n’s resolve had softened. She knows it must have been hard for Sarah to adjust to the fact that most of the people she used to call her friends now avoided her like the plague since she started dating John B and hanging around the likes of them. She still felt a bit out of place in the ‘pogue world’ and Y/n tried to be a breath of fresh air whenever Sarah needed it. And though the pogue exclusive kegger could prove to be difficult for Sarah to feel completely comfortable, she wasn’t sure how much more she could take of watching JJ flirt with people that weren’t her. 

“Come on, Y/n/n! Please? You never know! You could meet someone!”

Y/n groaned dramatically, her head lulling backward. She had never told Sarah about her feelings for JJ, but Y/n assumed she knew from the suggestive glances she used to throw at her when she first started hanging around the group when she’d catch Y/n staring at him, and now her new found want to find her a boyfriend. 

“I’m just saying!” Sarah said, her hands raised in surrender with a smile pulling at her mouth, “you’re super hot, you’re funny, and you’re caring! I mean honestly, I’ve got no clue how you’re still single.” 

“I am pretty annoying.” Y/n joked. 

Sarah laughed and shook her head as she stood from the bed and walked to stand by her door, 

“Your brother is pretty annoying and he’s got me!”

“Well, you aren’t exactly the brightest bulb in the tanning bed.” 

Sarah gasped, her eyes wide with amusement as she dipped her hand into Y/n’s hamper and picked up a pair of balled-up socks and threw it at her, 

“You bitch!” she exclaimed. 

Had you told Y/n Routledge a few years back that her brother would be dating Kook Princess, Sarah Cameron and she would genuinely enjoy the time they spent together, she would have laughed in your face and asked where you were getting your shit from. But now, she would fight tooth and nail for her if she ever needed to. Y/n felt honored to be considered one of her closest friends because she was one of hers too. 

“I would go, but I haven’t even thought of an outfit — and like all of my cute clothes are dirty.” 

“You can wear some of mine!” Sarah offered, “so it’s final! You’re going to this kegger, we’re gonna find you a super sexy outfit, and you’re gonna bag a total hottie.” 

Y/N FELT LIKE A WOLF in sheep’s clothing in Sarah’s clothes. A black mini skirt and a deep-cut shirt that showed just as much as it covered had never felt more expensive — even the pristine white high-tops that were laced tightly around her ankles felt foreign. 

“Seriously, Y/n, relax! You’re fine!” Sarah laughed, giving Y/n’s shoulder a light shove. 

“But what if your clothes get dirty?” 

Sarah stopped, her shoes scuffing against the pavement as she deadpanned, 

“There’s a thing called a washing machine,” she replied, “it cleans your clothes if they get dirty. Now, come on! We’re already late!” 

The Boneyard was already full by the time they made it, with basically the entire student body, countless tourons, and a handful of Kooks that had shown up that would inevitably be involved in some sort of heated dispute, it would be hard to find anyone in this crowd. Y/n watched as Sarah pushed up on her toes and craned her neck to try and spot another familiar face but eventually come up short. Y/n nudged Sarah with her elbow before offering an arm, 

“Come on, let’s go find everyone, I’m sure John B has his panties in a twist because you aren’t there yet.” 

The girls made their way through the sea of people, occasionally stepping on toes or bumping into someone’s shoulder and having to throw a fast ‘sorry’ over their shoulder before continuing with their trek. The sun had set hours ago but the air was still hot, the numerous amount of bodies emitting their own warmth was starting to make Y/n feel clammy. Your first few minutes at a kegger were always the worst. No matter the time you arrived, there was a hefty chance you’d be pushing through groups of people for a while. 

“Y/n! Sarah!” Kiara called, nearly losing her footing on the large piece of driftwood she stood on to gain their attention, “Where have y’all been? You’re late!”

Kiara handed them both a red solo cup filled to the brim with lukewarm beer, it swished over the side, barely missing the rubber of Y/n’s borrowed shoes. She took a quick drink to avoid any more spilling and cringed as swallowed down the sharp liquid, nodding along to a conversation she had no clue what they were speaking about. 

JJ always invoked involuntary reactions from Y/n. His laugh would force her own tumbling out of her mouth, his smile made her lips quirk upward, the sound of his voice calling her name had her heart squeezing. He could be anywhere in the room and he would still get her eyes. Even when he was three yards away from her, flirting with a girl from their Geography class. 

His hip was pressed against hers, their elbows bumping together as he stared at her with eyes that could make just about anyone weak in the knees, a smirk on his face. He switched his cup to his left hand and reached out, the tips of his fingers dragging over her temple as he pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. 

Y/n molars clashed as she clenched her jaw, her eyes snapping away from them as she swiped at her nose. She didn’t know why she assumed that the night on the hammock was anything more than what he said it was. A mistake. Something that happened because he wasn’t thinking right. The fingers that swept across her temple as he brushed a piece of hair behind her ear that night before he let his knuckles caress her cheek had been nothing more than a trick he used. Nothing else, nothing more. That night had meant nothing to him. 

The grip on her cup tightened before she lifted it to her mouth and chugged the contents. The group watched her with wide questioning eyes as she lowered the cup and wiped her cheek free of drops of beer that managed to leak out of the sides.

“I’m getting another drink,” she stated, ignoring their confused looks and John B, who had emerged from behind her as she turned on her heel to find the keg. 

“What are you wearing?” John B called after her before looking back to the group, “what is she wearing?” 

“Relax, John B,” Sarah chortled, placing a hand on his shoulder, “she’s fine.” 

“Is she though?” Pope interjected, “cause I haven’t seen her down a beer like that in a long time.” 

John B’s eyebrows puckered in contemplation on whether to stop and question her or let her be as he had done for the past ten months. He sighed through his nose, hand carding through his hair as he plopped down on the log next to Sarah. Her hand grazed his back in comfort as she continued conversing with Kiara, not seeing as John B’s eyes strayed about the kegger. 

He knew deep down he should have followed after his sister, pushed her to tell him what was wrong. Maybe act like how a brother should for once but they stopped being the type of siblings who spoke fearlessly to each other and had inside jokes only they understood. It used to be unheard of for them to feel so distant but he supposed he did that to himself when their father disappeared. He should have noticed when she looked at him for some sort of compassion for the loss of their father but he was selfish, turning to his friends for company rather than his sister. He should have noticed when she started acting out, notice how she was loud around every pogue except JJ. How she’d look away when he mentioned getting laid the other night, quickly starting a new conversation to cover up her broken expression. 

They may not have been the closest twins could be anymore but it was still obvious — to him at least — that his sister had feelings for JJ. It was in the way she would freeze when he came into the perimeter; the way she swallowed down a quick breath before asking if he had eaten and if he hadn’t she’d offer to make him something. The way she chose to sit next to him even when there were a thousand open seats. How she would lace his shoes up when they came undone to keep him from tripping. And the way she would stay up far after everyone else had gone to bed to wait for him when she knew he was going back to his father’s house. 

She gives him love in every way she knows how but his eyes are shut, leaving her feelings for him to linger in the air while she sits around and waits for him to take it. 

Even now as he looked at her awkwardly swerving around other teens, eyes briefly looking back over her shoulder to catch a glance of JJ. He shook his head, teeth bending the plastic rim of his cup. He followed her gaze for a split second and had to do a double-take. Guilt slipped from his chest down to the bottom of his stomach — he really was the worst brother for not reading her mood earlier. JJ and the girl he engaged in conversation with forty minutes prior now grinding to whatever shitty pop song was playing over someone else’s speaker. John B averted his eyes and looked at his shoes tucked in the sand. Seeing JJ like this was painful to watch. He felt for his sister. But he knew that it wouldn’t be long before she noticed waiting around for JJ to realize what he had in front of him would do her more harm than good. She was smart, much smarter than John B. He shouldn’t be worried. There wasn’t a thing she couldn’t do. 

Y/N COULD NOT TAP A KEG. She never learned how, no one had offered to show her so she never asked. John B and JJ had always taken the honors of opening it first, mostly so they could waste half of it spraying each other and run around the beach instead of helping the rest of them set up. She picked up the beer pump, twisting it over as if the secret of how to use it was inscribed somewhere she just couldn’t see. She weighed her options. She could either try and open the keg herself and risk ruining the whole thing or have to sit and watch JJ try and get laid completely sober. 

“Do you need some help?” 

Y/n whipped around at the sound of an unfamiliar voice behind her, the heels of her feet knocking into the keg behind her. As the rapid beat of her heart began to slow, she finally caught a glimpse at who the voice belonged to. A boy with warm ivory skin who stood at around six feet tall; His hair was growing in from what seemed to be a buzz cut, it was dark, akin to his chocolate brown eyes. 

“Um, yeah, that would be great, thank you,” Y/n replied, opening her hand to release the pump to him. 

He takes one stride and is already close enough to take it from her, his fingertips graze the inside of her palm, and Y/n can’t help but notice how his hands nearly doubled her own in size.  The golden chain that adorned his neck fell forward as he leaned over the keg, letting out short huffs of breath. 

“So, you’re definitely not from around here,” she started, digging her feet in the sand. 

The boy chuckled, glancing up at her before looking back down at what he was doing. 

“What gave it away?” his voice was like silk, perfectly pitched -- very clearly English. 

He straightened, one hand on the nozzle and his other held out in her direction, the navy blue shirt unbuttoned to just above his sternum hanging loosely on his shoulders. His eyebrows popped up towards his hairline when she didn’t move, a smirk tugging at his lips as he noticed her eyes were stuck on him. Embarrassed from having been caught staring, Y/n passed him the cup without making eye contact. She knows John B would be just about bursting a blood vessel to keep from laughing at her. Y/n wasn’t used to being so flustered — she was very capable of holding her own. He had caught her off guard. That was all. 

“So what’s your name?” he questioned as he filled her cup for her, “or should I just call you bashful?” 

Y/n scoffed despite the smile on her face, 

“Y/n.”

The boy leaned over the keg slightly, trading Y/n her cup for his right hand, 

“Eli.” 

JJ’S DIRT BIKE RUMBLED BENEATH him, his hair tickling his forehead as the wind blew through his blonde tresses. Not a cloud in the blue sky as the warm fresh air filled his lungs, JJ let his eyes slip closed for a second, basking in the comforting heat of the sun. He felt refreshed today. He always slept better on Kook mattresses than the lumpy one back at the chateau. 

JJ was supposed to be back to the house by 10:00 for their day on the marsh, but the girl whose bed JJ had taken the liberty of warming refused to let him leave. The only option was to tire her out and wait for her to fall back asleep before he snuck out of the window, consequently causing him to be almost an hour late. He had tried to make it on time, waking up an hour before he needed to be there but what was he supposed to do? Ignore a hot girl’s advances? They should be happy he even showed up in the first place. 

“Well look who the cat dragged in!” Pope said, grabbing a large blue cooler off of the ground to pass it to John B.

JJ chuckled and shook his head, kicking the stand of his dirt bike out, 

“Yeah, Yeah, I know,” he sighed, “I’m late, I know, but I’m here now so let’s get this baby out on the marsh!” 

Sarah made a noise from her place on the patio, objecting as much as she could with her cheeks filled with pancakes as she stood from the couch,

“Y/n isn’t back yet,” she said. 

“And Sarah is still eating,” Kiara joked, swerving to avoid Sarah’s half-attempt at swatting her arm. 

JJ’s eyebrows stitched together at the news, his forehead creasing as he moved to help John B unload the beer into the cooler, 

“Where did Y/n go?” he asked. 

John B did spare him another glance as moved the bottles of beer around to fit more inside of the cooler and still have space for anything else they might think to bring, 

“Picking up some touron she’s been seeing for the past few weeks.” 

JJ doesn’t know why his heart picks up or why his tongue slips out of his mouth to lick his lips in a nervous habit. He doesn’t know why he has to put extra effort to get the air to reach the bottom of his lungs, why a pit began to form in his stomach. 

Why hadn’t he heard about this touron Y/n was seeing? Since when? Everyone else seemed to know about this mystery touron, why hadn’t he? He was just as much her best friend as everyone else here was. Since when did she start keeping things from him? 

“She’s seeing someone?” he questioned, passing John B another bottle, “you just letting her date tourons now, JB?” 

John B sighed heavily through his nose, his mop of messy brown hair swaying as he shook his head, 

“He’s not even here yet and you’re already jealous?” 

JJ sputtered, scoffs falling out of his mouth as his shoulders popped, 

“I’m not jealous,” he stated, “I’m just worried about her! You know how some tourons are, they only want one thing, man. She deserves more than that.” 

John B hummed as he stood to his full height and moved around JJ to get something — he assumed, JJ hadn’t really been paying attention to what he said if he was going to be completely honest. He leaned back in the aged seat as he turned to Pope, 

“So, uh, what do we know about this guy,” he asked, “what’s he look like?” 

Pope side-eyed him and shrugged, his hand raising to point behind JJ as he nodded in the same direction, 

“You can find out for yourself.” 

Almost if it were on cue, Y/n’s voice traveled through the air, capturing their scattered attention. 

“Sorry, we’re late!”  she spoke, “someone was set on breakfast.” 

The guy was trailing after her like a lost dog, clad in tacky Hawaiian-themed swim trunks and a bucket hat. If JJ had met him first he probably would have pickpocketed him, maybe even scammed him out of an extra 30 -- no 50 bucks by selling him shitty weed that was all stems and seeds. This was the guy she was seeing? 

“Hey, I’m Pope,” JJ watched as Pope smiled brightly at the touron and stood to greet him. 

“Nice to meet you,” the guy replied, “I’m Eli,” 

His accent was obnoxious. JJ wasn’t sure how much he could take of it as the pogues took turns introducing themselves. JJ didn’t utter a word as he watched Eli like a hawk, his eyes were glued to his hand as he rubbed up and down Y/n’s back before settling on the top of her spine, his thumb swiping where her shoulder met her neck. JJ was so preoccupied with glaring holes into him that he hadn’t even noticed they all had stopped talking. 

“JJ,” he said. 

“Yeah, I assumed,” Eli chuckled, “blonde hair, rough around the edges. Y/n mentioned you a lot.” 

JJ folded his arms across his chest, 

“I bet she does,” 

“Alright!” John B spoke, clapping his hands together as he sent JJ a warning look, “let’s get this girl on the water, we’re behind schedule enough as it is.” 

TODAY HAD BEEN A BEAUTIFUL DAY. The sun was shining, the water was warm — it was the perfect day to be out on the water. The pogues were laughing until their stomachs ached, retelling their favorite old stories, and splashing in the water without a single care in the world. All while JJ mopped on the side of the boat he claimed as his own, his bad mood manifesting in a black cloud that lingered over him the entire day. Eli stuck to Y/n like white on rice all day, constantly touching her or whispering in her ear, making her smile into her bottle. If Y/n was only going to pay attention to her touron toy, she could have stayed at the Chateau. Even Sarah and John B weren’t this bad. 

He was only another giggle away from swimming back home when they decided to go back for the day. JJ, still bone dry, rejoiced. He was burning up.

“Well, you could have just gone swimming,” Kie laughed, “that would have solved your problem.” 

“Yeah, well maybe I didn’t want to go swimming, Kiara, did you think of that?” 

“Whoa, who shit in your breakfast today?” 

“Whatever,” JJ groaned, “can we just leave now? Please? Fuck.” 

John B stifled a laugh as he took his place at the steering wheel, 

“Aye aye, colonel.” 

Y/n sat across from JJ on the bow, slithering back under Eli’s arm. Her y/e/c eyes were half-lidded, her sun-kissed cheek smooshed against his chest. Eli’s hand lifted from around her waist and grabbed the bucket hat he abandoned when they went for a swim and placed it on her head. JJ chewed at the inside of his cheek as his knee bounced relentlessly, annoying half of the group but no one had the energy to argue with JJ to get him to stop. 

He needed off of this boat immediately.

Y/n fell asleep on the way back, her lips slightly agape, her hand on Eli’s chest as he drew lazy shapes on her back. He steadily lifted his hand and adjusted the bucket hat on Y/n’s head to keep the sun from shining in her eyes. He scanned her sleeping figure with a small smile on his face, the hand that fixed his hat twitched like he was refraining from reaching out and touching her again.

 And then his eyes met JJ’s. Eli’s gaze was just as sharp as JJ’s was, his dark brows curved downwards, meeting in the middle of his forehead. JJ’s head quirked to the side, as he rolled his shoulders. This wasn’t a challenge he would be backing down from. And it looked like Eli had thought the same thing until Y/n stirred and his eyes snapped down to her. Her eyes flickered open and she smiled sleepily before she stretched her neck and placed a chaste kiss on Eli’s awaiting lips then settled back to her previous state. Eli gave him one last glance at JJ before he shifted downwards to lay flat and closed his eyes, a victorious smirk beginning to form on his mouth as his hand came to rest on Y/n’s hip. 

The pit in JJ’s stomach grew wider the longer he watched them but he just couldn’t look away. His muscles were tensed, his jaw clenched so tight his teeth were starting to hurt. He was absolutely furious, he was practically seething. But he didn’t understand why. He had no reason to be this fucking angry. And that was what worried him the most. 

taglist: @obx-snippets​ @samwlscns​ @reawritesthings​ @pogueslandia​ @s-u-t​ 

[looooooooomis]

F I N A L  G I R L |  S E V E N

You were his final girl. And there was no chance in hell that anyone or anything was going to mess that up.

p a r t   s e v e n |  b l o o d

masterlist here

pairing: Billy Loomis x f!reader word count: 6k warnings: s m u t (18 +!!!!!) lets just say this gif is a teaser as to what takes place in this chapter. major blood kink in this chapter. period play?? lmao sorry about it.

There was a shift after that weekend at Billy’s cabin, and you knew he felt it too.

It was never really that casual between you and Billy, that much you knew, but there was something that changed when the two of you got back to Woodsboro. There was something to be said about being able to openly show affection to the person you loved, to hold them and kiss them in public and you’d gotten that treatment in that little lakeside town. You felt like Billy’s actual girlfriend, not his plaything, not the bitch who was backstabbing her own best friend for a fucking boy, you were it.

And while Billy had always said that you were his girl, you hadn’t truly felt like you were until now.

Which was precisely what made tonight so fucking awkward.

Not only had you been coerced into going to the movies with the gang but, unbeknownst to you, Sid had taken it upon herself to fix you up on a blind date with one of Randy’s annoying friends from the video store.

Why had you agreed to this? You were a cold, calculating bitch behind the scenes when it came to fucking your best friend boyfriend and yet saying ‘no thanks, I’m not up for it tonight’ was beyond you? Were you just plain stupid or a closet masochist that thrived on dicey situations?

Either way, you’d never wanted to throw yourself into oncoming traffic more than you did tonight because not only were you trapped into an uncomfortable blind date with a guy you were fairly sure was frothing at the mouth at the idea of getting you alone in the car after all of this was said and done but you just so happened to be seated directly next to Billy.

You were smack dab in the middle of hell. Between a man you were fucking, a man you were disgustingly in love with and had just spent a weekend away with and a man you’d just met today but couldn’t stop playing handsy on your lap whenever he thought the others weren’t looking.

But Billy was always looking.

You knew that better than anyone. He had this innate sense of finding you in a crowded room. You could feel the weight of his brown eyes on you nearly every second of the day, soaking you up, taking every inch of you in, no matter who was around and tonight, as your ‘date’ smacked on his popcorn all the while feeling your thigh up any chance he could, Billy’s dept stare was tuned in and you knew it.

This had to have been karma. Karma for going away and having a beautiful weekend away with the guy you loved so wholly. The one whose girlfriend was on the other side of him with her pretty head on his stupid shoulder as you suffered in silence at just how fucking laughable this entire situation was.

“See that actress?” Your date, Anthony, whispered into your hear. He smelled like movie theatre butter. You wanted to scream. “Have you seen any of her other stuff?”

You were watching The Crucible and the actress in question was Winona Ryder. Everyone and their left nut had seen Winona Ryder in at least a dozen movies. Frowning, you blinked across at the man and blinked. “Yeah. I’m familiar with her work.”

Focusing ahead on the movie, you tried your damnedest to focus on what was going on but when you felt his slithery palm slide up your thigh, you were this close to pouring your Coke on his lap. Why the fuck had you agreed to this?

Pushing the man’s hand away as subtly as you could to avoid any unwanted attention from your friends, you bit down on the side of your mouth and heaved a quiet sigh. You deserved this. This was your punishment.

“She’s hot.” Your lovely date quipped, squeezing the area of your thigh just above your knee. “In that goth-girl next door kind of way.”

Was he getting off to Winona Ryder all the while coming on to you? Was he picturing Winona as he squeezed your thigh? You truly didn’t want to find out. Once again, you pushed his hand away and, this time, crossed your legs and leaned into the arm rest you were sharing with Billy.

The move was subtle, and you were barely even touching Billy but you needed to create a distance between yourself and Butter Fingers if it was the last thing you did.

With a subtle nudge to your arm, Billy’s eyes flickered towards you as his brows furrowed in question. The muscle in his jaw was pulsing in his cheek, that you could see even in the darkness of the movie theatre, and there was murder in his eyes as he sized up the man just over your shoulder. It was as though you could feel his blood pressure spike just looking at the guy and, as you held your breath, silently pleading with him not to make a scene that would undoubtedly give the two of you up, those brown eyes slowly found yours.

There was anger in his eyes, a palpable rage, but it was the look of pure despondency in his stare that made your own heart break. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He wasn’t supposed to be holding hands with Sid and you weren’t meant to be dealing with the idiot to your right.

How it felt up at the cabin, the freedom of loving each other and holding each other and kissing each other in broad daylight was how it was supposed to be. How love was supposed to feel.

Not this.

You were both hiding in plain sight. Putting on a façade to your friends, to each other whilst in public, and it was in that moment, in the middle of a crowded theatre, looking at each other knowing there wasn’t a damn thing either of you could do about it, that you felt that pain so intensely that it was hard to breathe.

Tears burned behind your eyes and you hated yourself for it.

You weren’t going to cry. You refused to cry over a situation you were willingly putting yourself in. This entire thing could have been avoided had you had a stronger backbone here. You weren’t the victim in this scenario. That was Sid. Sid was the one completely getting fucked over in this situation, not you. You had no damn right to feel this shitty because you were doing it to yourself.

This was just the high of the weekend wearing off and reality settling in. Until circumstances changed, this was your norm.

Swallowing back your nerves, it was all you could do to give Billy a small, barely-there smile before focusing ahead on the movie.

“I’m going to grab us another Coke,” you heard Billy say to Sidney. “Anyone want anything?”

“More popcorn,” Stu waggled his empty bag. “Maybe some Milk Duds, man.”

“Candy.” Tatum mumbled, not taking her eyes off of the screen. “Surprise me, I don’t care what kind.”

Billy nodded and took Stu’s money before he gently nudged you. “You want anything?”

You opened your mouth to speak but was cut off but Anthony. “You mind keeping it down, buddy?” He popped another handful of popcorn in his mouth. “We’re at the movies, not here for snacks.”

It was as though Billy’s wrath was physical as his dark eyes scraped over Anthony’s face. His mouth was pulled into a thin, hard line as Anthony’s pompousness sank in. Why couldn’t it be Randy beside you? Why had that dipshit agreed to take this asshole’s shift in order for you to go on a blind date with him? This entire fiasco could have been avoided had it been Randy.

“Yeah, I could use a drink.” You slinked out of your seat. “I’ll help you carry everything back.”

You didn’t wait for Billy as you marched down the aisle but, as you walked down the stairs and out of the theatre, you weren’t at all surprised to see him broody and annoyed as he followed you out.

“If anyone should be looking like that, it’s me,” you groused, falling in to step beside him as you made your way to the snack bar. “I’m stuck on a date with that asshole.”

“Don’t get me started on that,” he grumbled, grabbing his wallet out of his back pocket. “I told Sid to leave well enough alone, but she insisted.”

You hummed and lined up at the concession. “Lucky me.”

Again, you felt his stare before you actually lulled your head to the side to face him. Intense, searching eyes sweeping over your features in both concern and possible envy. “One word,” he muttered, stepping closer towards you. Too close. Not because you didn’t want him that close but because you were in public. Sid and Tatum and Stu and fucking Anthony were a stone’s throw away. “One word from you, baby, and I’ll take you home. Fuck that guy.”

You glowered across at him as though he’d grown a second head. “While I appreciate the sentiment, shit for brains, we’re in public right now. Your girlfriend could walk out any second and see or hear you.”

He seemed to mull over your words for a second but didn’t bother moving away from you. “Maybe I don’t care.”

“You do,” you rhymed off, shuffling closer to the front of the snack bar.

He ignored that. “Also, you’re my girlfriend. Stop calling her that.”

This was not a conversation the two of you should have been having in the middle of a fucking movie theatre. Looking across at him, you raised your brows and blew out a puff of air through your lips. Trying to keep up with Billy’s rationale of staying with Sid to ensure he doesn’t hurt her any further after her mother’s death all the while being with you was giving you whiplash. You knew he loved you and, begrudgingly, you loved him right back. And, a part of you knew, that he was struggling with being back in the real world just as much as you were since coming home from the cabin.

But this was not how he should have been handling it. Not out in the open like this. Especially while you were on a triple date with your friends in a theatre down the hall.

“Billy,” you muttered quietly, ensuring no one was listening in, “please let’s talk about this later. Not here. Not now. Let’s just get the fucking concessions and go, okay?”

He licked his lips and you watched his brown eyes flitter down your face before briefly looking at your own lips. He wanted to kiss you and fuck, did you want to be kissed by him.

But that wasn’t the deal.

So, instead, you watched as he took a hesitant step away from you before nodding his head once. “Yeah, okay,” he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked down at his shoes. “Tonight.”

“Sure,” you smirked, “I mean, if I’m not with Anthony, that is.” You almost laughed at how wide his eyes got as you uttered those words. But, when he saw the playfulness in your stare, he visibly relaxed and rolled his eyes as you continued. “The way he’s been mowing down on his popcorn all night has me wet as hell, so I might be busy with him later.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled with a shake of his head. Then, he turned to you and gave you a crooked smile. One that almost made this horrific ordeal worth it. “You’re a real bitch when you want to be, you know that?”

“Yeah,” you laughed, nudging him with your elbow. “I’ve been told.”

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

True to his word, Billy slipped in through your unlocked window a little after midnight that evening with a bag of stale licorice and a drink he’d swiped from the gas station on the way over to your house.

“We didn’t get our movie date.” Was his explanation as he popped The Lost Boys into your VCR and all but hopped in bed beside you. When you’d remained standing by your dresser, eyeing him with both curiosity and sheer happiness radiating off of your face, all you got was a confused look out of Billy before he patted your mattress. “You going to get that ass over here or what?”

So, naturally, you’d joined him.

And it took all of thirty-two minutes of watching the film for the two of you to end up pawing at one another as the tension of the day slowly peeled off of you with every layer of clothing the two of you tore off one another.

In no time, you were both stark naked on your bed as The Lost Boys played on without an audience. All Billy cared about watching was you. Watching you writhe and moan. He could watch you do just about anything, but it was that dreamy look you got on your face whenever he touched you that he had imprinted into his skull. It didn’t even have to be sexual. You just had a certain look whenever the two of you connected, one that he felt but managed to keep stowed away inside of him, but one you expressed. It was happiness.

Pure, unadulterated, bliss.

He knew you. Knew your body in and out, knew how to get you to come undone, knew what made you tick, what made you squirm.

You were muscle memory to him, at this point.

He knew you better than he knew himself.

Which is why, when you subtly stopped him from slipping his fingers inside of you, that Billy’s focus went to your ass. The only time you pushed his hand away after he’d spent minutes sucking and biting and focusing on those perfect tits, was when you were on your period.

So, he didn’t push it.

The two of you had fucked a few times whilst you were on it but you were deadest on limiting that to the lighter days. The very beginning or the end. Never in the middle. But god, did he want to experience the middle days.

You were so fucking horny when you were on your period and why you thought he’d give a shit about how much blood came out of you as the two of you fucked was beyond him.

So, he’d focus on your ass. Something that drove you to the brink of insanity and something that made him harder than anything.

But tonight, it wasn’t enough.

He needed all of you.

Ever since the cabin, he’d needed more of you in his life. It had become nearly impossible for him to show any iota of affection for Sid now that he’d had a taste of what life felt like with you at his side. You were his Final Girl. His everything, if he was being completely honest. And, while he knew he couldn’t open himself up to you to that extent, not yet, he needed you to feel that raging darkness inside of him. Not too much of it, but just enough to gauge your reaction.

If you could handle a shred of it, maybe he could share more of himself with you.

The darker parts.

His hands stilled as they trailed down your body and, as he hovered over you, he bit his lip and slowly drew tiny circles into your hips. “You’re on your period, right?”

You nodded, your lips swollen from the amount of kissing having gone on since popping the movie in. “Yeah, but it’s not a light day.”

He nodded in understanding as he bit his lip. “You think we could try it, anyway?”

Your eyebrows raised in mild amusement. “By not a light day, I mean its kind of heavy, Billy. It’d look like a crime scene in here.”

Billy made sure to keep his face stoic, but the idea of the two of you fucking whilst covered in blood was nearly enough to make him come on the spot.

“Aren’t you curious?” He asked, dipping his head down to lick your painfully hard nipple. “It’s got to feel so fucking good, right?”

You ran your fingers through his hair and sighed in contentment when he began to suck your tit again. “It’s messy, though.”

“Lucky for you,” he released your nipple and kissed the sensitive flesh of your breast. “I like messy.”

Your head flopped back against the pillow as you thought over his request. I did feel good, but did you want Billy to have to witness you cleaning up a fucking homicide scene once he was through with you?

Blowing out a quiet raspberry, you eyed him with mock suspicion before he gave you those goddamn puppy dog eyes. “Ugh,” you groaned with a laugh, “fine. Let me take this fucking tampon out and I’ll grab a towel to put underneath me because it is heavy, and you will be grossed out.”

Billy’s cock twitched as he watched you roll out of bed before disappearing in the bathroom. Within a few moments, he heard the toilet flush and the sink run before you re-emerged with a towel in hand.

He could watch you parade around like that all day. Naked, eyes hooded from desire, nipples and lips red from where his mouth had staked its claim.

You were perfect.

A vision.

You were fucking everything.

“I’ve been wanting to try this with you for a while.” He admitted, watching you carefully roll the towel onto the bed before perching your ass directly on top of it so as to avoid any potential leakage onto your sheets.

“I wish I could say I was shocked.” You teased, laying back down. Spreading your legs, he watched you slip a finger through your folds to tease your clit.  

He swallowed as he watched you finger yourself. But then your words sank in and a panic settled in his chest as he swept his eyes up your body to meet your amused stare. “What’s that mean?”

You shrugged so casually as you continued the tirade on your own pussy. “All the scary movies we watch and stuff. You get hard as a rock if there’s a scene with a pretty girl and some blood.”

Billy froze. This was only supposed to be a peek inside of his darkness, not a full-blown window. But you didn’t seem all too fazed by it either, which confused him endlessly.

Rather than deny it, Billy hesitantly reached for your cunt to replace your fingers with his own. He didn’t delve inside of your pussy just yet, just circled your clit the way you’d been doing seconds prior. “And that doesn’t bother you?” He whispered, placing a kiss to the side of your neck.

“Nah,” you hummed, “we’ve all got our kinks, I guess.”

You released a quiet moan as he pinched your clit, but his eyes never left your face. He knew you were talking about blood in respect to the movies, but your casual tone still caught him off guard. There was no shame in it, no doubt. Just an honest to god shrug as he circled your clit with his middle finger.

Testing the waters, Billy slipped his fingers down your pussy so that his thumb coaxed your clit as he slipped two fingers inside of you. At first, it simply felt like you were soaked on account of all of the teasing and, maybe you were, but as he glanced down at the base of his fingers as he pulled them out of you, Billy nearly moaned.

Blood.

Your blood.

All over his fingers, pooling along the top of his palm.

Billy was fascinated. This wasn’t the first time he’d felt blood between his fingers, but not like this. When he’d killed Maureen Prescott, there was so much fucking blood that he’d been sick afterwards. He hadn’t expected that level of destruction but, after puking a few blocks away, he didn’t exactly shy away from it. He thought about it often, thought of the carnage that had surrounded him once he’d finished with Sidney’s mother, thought of the way the blood felt between his fingers, splayed and smattered across every inch of his body.

But this was euphoric.

Because he didn’t have to hurt anybody to feel that warmth on his palm. In fact, as he slowly slipped his fingers inside of your hot cunt, he was doing anything but. You were gyrating into his hand, unknowingly spreading your blood further and it was killing him. He was so fucking hard, too fucking hard, but he didn’t want to rush a damned thing.

He’d thought about this far too often for it to be over so soon.

“Fuck,” he whispered, slipping his hand out of your pussy just long enough to slowly spread your blood down your inner thigh. It left a fine red trail that he had every intention of lapping up in a few seconds if you were to allow it. “You feel so good, baby.”

He’d half expected you to make a comment about making a bigger mess than what your piddly little towel would allow but, as he slowly found your hooded eyes through the dim light of your bedroom, only hunger marred your pretty face.

Desire.

Intrigue.

Leaning in, Billy placed a small kiss to the apple of your cheek as his fingers continued to fuck you. “Does this feel good?”

“So good,” you rasped out, leaning your forehead against his as you bit your lip to swallow back a moan. Between your arousal and the blood, the natural lubrication that coated your pussy as he slowly pumped his fingers inside of you all the while rubbing your clit was killing you. “So fucking good, Billy.”

He smirked and quickened his pace on your clit just enough to drive you to madness as he bit down on your earlobe. His breath was hot against your cheek. “I want to taste you tonight.”

Though the promise of his tongue replacing his thumb enticed you, the fact that you were on day two and a half of your period was not a good plan. So why were you intrigued? A part of you wanted to see if he’d put his money where his mouth was but a much larger part of you wanted to see how feral Billy could get where you were concerned.

Torn, you pulled back and searched his eyes. “It’s going to be…messy, Billy.”

His dark chuckle was velvet against your skin. “I already told you,” he curled his fingers inside of you and admired the way your entire body twitched. “I like messy.”

He began to kiss his way down your body. You tried not to get lost in the feeling of his tongue swirling across every inch of your skin on his way down or the way his teeth nipped and bit at your stomach and hips as he positioned himself between your thighs. But mainly, you tried not to focus on how fucking bloody it was between your thighs because you knew that Billy wouldn’t be down there long on account of it.

“You don’t have to do this tonight, Billy,” you tried to reason, chest heaving in anticipation as he settled between your legs.

Something flashed across his face as he held your stare. For a second, you were almost sure he was going to back out and leave well enough alone, but then you watched as the bastard leaned into your pussy and raked his tongue from the base of your pussy right up to your bloodied mound.

He held your stare the entire time.

“I want you like this,” he assured you, yanking you further down the bed so that you were right at the edge. His voice was hoarse and breathy and as you chanced a look down at him through a pair of hooded, drowsy eyes, you watched him pump his cock with his free hand as he licked his lips. “I love you like this.”

You opened your mouth to respond but the words died in your throat when he buried his face between your thighs. You gasped at the contact but didn’t shy away from his touch for a single second as he slowly lapped at your core. With the one hand still gripping your hips, holding you firmly against his tongue, you knew there would be bruises where his fingers carved into your flesh, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. He was desperate to get you closer into his face and you were desperate to feel that perfect fucking tongue on your pussy.

It was as though he’d been possessed in those few moments. Billy couldn’t get enough of you on a good day but tasting you like this was enough to make Billy wild. Your pussy, the blood mixed with your slick, tasted so fucking good on his tongue. Burying his face further into your folds, he nuzzled at your clit and, now forgetting about his own pulsing cock, pulled you even closer.

Throwing your legs over his shoulders, Billy moaned into your pussy and bit down on your clit just enough to entice a moan that was probably a little too loud for your parents being home. But, he didn’t care. He refused to care in that instance.

All he wanted, all he cared about, was tasting as much of you as humanly possible before making you come on his tongue.

His name tore out of your throat as you gripped his hair between your fingers and pulled. You were being rougher than normal, and he fucking loved it. You were pulling on his hair and bucking into his mouth with such hunger that he could barely breathe but fuck he didn’t care. If this was how he was taken out, so be it.

“Baby,” you whined, voice low. “Fuck, I’m going to come.”

Your grip on his hair was vice-like as the veins in your neck swelled. With wild, laboured breaths, you found yourself bucking into his mouth as a white-hot orgasm rippled through your entire body. You moaned and groaned and cursed into the bed, but Billy’s mouth was relentless.

It wasn’t until he was absolutely sure you couldn’t take another second of torture, that he pulled away and allowed you to collapse back onto the bed. Your cheeks were flushed, and your lips were parted as you attempted to catch your breath. With a quiet chuckle, he kissed his way up your body, grinning against your skin as your legs continued to twitch.

He could feel your blood all over his chin and nose and as he licked it off, using his fingers to swipe at the areas his tongue couldn’t quite reach, Billy was coasting on a high that only you could provide.

“Oh, god,” you buried your face into the pillow with a quiet laugh as you moved to get off the bed. “Hang on, I’ll grab you a towel for your face.”

“No,” Billy shook his head and grabbed for your wrist. “I want to see it.”

You blinked and scraped your eyes along his bloodied face. Your nipples were still rock hard and your cunt was still pulsing on account of his tongue, but it was the look of pure ecstasy on his face that made you clench.

He was being serious.

“Come with me,” he hummed, slipping off of the bed to head towards the small bathroom attached to your room. His fingers threaded through yours as you both walked across your bedroom before flicking the light on.

The vision that he was met with made his cock twitch.

Your blood coated almost everything from his nose down his chin and as you stood beside him, looking at him through the mirror, still fully naked and still housing bloody handprints left behind from his busy hands coating the lower half of your body, Billy had never wanted to bury himself inside of you any more than he did right then and there.

He found your curious stare through the mirror. Your pretty eyes swept over the mess of blood left behind on account of you and as you turned to face him, he found himself hypnotized as you reached out to sweep his hair back and away from his forehead.

“Blood suits you,” you teased with a small smile. “Horrifically enough.”

He said nothing as those brown eyes soaked you in but as he stepped into you, cornering you against the sink counter, the look on his face said everything. He didn’t kiss you though. He seemed to hesitate, as though gauging if you’d kiss him whilst covered in your own menstrual blood. “Is this okay?”

“I don’t know.” You admitted almost sheepishly.

He nuzzled your neck and slipped his knee between your thighs to allow himself better access to your pussy. With his hand wrapped securely around his cock, he slipped the head of his dick along your folds and swallowed hard as he watched your blood coat the head of it. “Fuck,” he whispered as his forehead fell against your own. “You’re going to make me come before I’m even inside of you.”

You were watching his face as he once again slipped the head of his cock through your folds so it teased your clit. His eyes were so dark and there was so much desire in those warm eyes that it almost caught you off guard.

“You’re really into this,” you remarked quietly. When his eyes found yours, you could see blind panic cross over his face as he instinctually took a step away from you. You stopped him before he could think of stopping himself. “Hey,” you cooed, reaching out for his face. “I didn’t say it was a bad thing, relax.”

You felt the tension in his shoulders disperse as you played with the curls at the nape of his neck. “You’re too good for me,” he muttered, cradling your face. “You know that?”

“Oh, yeah,” you goaded with a smile. “I know.”

He barked out a quiet laugh and ground his hips into yours. “A smartass, too.”

You hummed as his hands slid down your body to hold you against the counter. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Anything.” Billy nipped at your neck.

You leaned back to allow him full access to your neck. “How did I taste?” Your words seemed to make him still as he slowly pulled back to search your eyes. “With the blood. How did it taste?”

The look on Billy’s face was primal as his grip on your hips tightened. Leaning in, he nudged your nose so that your lips were perfectly aligned with his. “Kiss me and find out.”

You weren’t sure at first, but as he closed the distance between you, you found yourself leaning into the kiss both curious and slightly mortified by the taste of your blood on his lips. It was strange and you weren’t sure if you liked it at first, if you were being honest. It was coppery and a little sticky and yet as he walked the two of you out of the bathroom and back towards your bed, you found yourself hungry for more.

With your fingers tangled through his hair you gave it a tug, garnering a low growl that rumbled in his throat as he continued on with the bruising kiss. When the back of his knees hit your bed, the two of you fell into a jumbled mess on your mattress, never once breaking for air as your tongues battled for dominance.

Expertly, knowing the way your body moved better than anyone, Billy moved you in such a way that he was sitting up in the middle of your bed as you straddled his lap. And as you lowered yourself onto his pulsing cock, the gruff low moan that tore out of his lips was enough to kill you.

His large hands splayed out across your back, guiding you further into his hungry mouth as your bleeding cunt teased him beyond belief. You were so wet and with every twist of your hips and every gentle moan, he was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on anything else besides just how fucking good you felt.

Digging your nails into his shoulders, blood slowly pooled in the wake of your crescent moon shaped nail markings. He hissed at the sensation and squeezed your tits rather roughly as he tried to stop himself from coming right then and there.

But then you lowered your lips onto his shoulders and he felt your hot tongue trace over every last cut and he almost lost it. There you were, with dried blood all over your chin and parts of your cheeks from having kissed him after going down on you, licking the blood that gathered along his shoulders.

He was in a state of euphoria.

“You are so fucking gorgeous.” He pushed out, revelling in the feel of how warm and wet your pussy felt.

Rather than say a word, all you did was bite down on the reddened area of his shoulder as you quickened your pace on his dick.

Drawing more blood.

Licking up more of his blood.

Something in him snapped to life in that instance. An almost ancient need bubbled to the surface as he held you there against him. Your tits bounced as you writhed on top of him and as he began to meet you halfway with violent, earth shattering thrusts, the outside world ceased to exist.

The sound of his balls hitting your sopping pussy combined with the sound of your wetness, both slick and blood, squelching all around the two of you was all that surrounded you as you whined out his name. You could barely breathe as he pounded into you, barely function.

“Billy, fuck, I—”

His mouth buried your words with another hungry kiss. You were both breathless and desperate to be as close to the other as humanly possible as you sat on your bed, fucking each other raw. His tongue slid along your bottom lip, gently tugging at it as his forehead fell against your own.

There was a shift after the cabin that you’d both felt inside of you, but there was a shift in the air tonight, as well. An unspoken trust, of sorts, that went beyond anything the two of you were prepared for.  

His hips bucked into yours one final time before he came undone inside of you. A flood of warmth settled in your belly as he came and as his thumb continued to circle your clit, rubbing and pinching at it every step of the way, you soon followed suit.

With one last shaky pump, Billy held you there as he slowly pulled out of you. He kissed your lips, your cheek, down your neck, and along your shoulder before his eyes found yours once again.

His thumb skirted across the apple of your cheek. “You’re my girl,” he whispered, revelling in just how fucking gorgeous you looked in that instance. “You know that?”

“I do,” you affirmed, kissing him softly. “You’re helping me clean my fucking bedsheets in the morning,” you muttered, “do you know that?”

Despite everything, Billy found himself smiling across at you before glancing down at the bloody mess of your sheets. “Yeah,” he chuckled, “I do.”

“Good,” you gently smacked his cheek and crawled off of your bed towards the bathroom.

“Where you going?” He asked, watching your naked body pad out of the room.

“Shower,” you merely said before popping your head around the corner. “Care to join me?”

Billy was at your side within the blink of an eye.

hehehehehehehe let me know if yall like it 

[azaleavi]

Good morning

Summary: Bucky wakes you up in the best way possible.

Warnings: smut, +18, language, dirty talk, kissing, oral sex (f receiving), light fingering, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, multiple orgasms

Word count: 1.6k

Author's note: This is my first ever smut so please please give me feedback. I'm happy with anything even if you tell me it's not good as long as you explain why you didn't like it.

Feedback is always appreciated and don’t forget to reblog and like if you enjoyed it and want to see more. Thank you!

Masterlist

18+ MINORS DNI

The crisp morning air hitting your naked body made you stir in your deep sleep. It wasn't cold, but you could have used a blanket. Which you were sure you had when you went to sleep the night before. You groaned, frowning as you reached out in search of the man next to you. When you didn't feel him you struggled to open your eyes his name leaving your lips.

You were almost fully awake when you felt something wet touch your knee, making you jerk. Looking down you were surprised by Bucky on his knees between your open legs, his mouth on your skin, looking back at you. Jaw hanging open, you sighed at the sight in front of you, moving your body closer to his as his lips were leaving a wet trail on your skin, going up your leg. His hands gripping your hips he nipped at your inner thigh.

"Bucky" your hands went into his hair with a sharp intake of breath.

"Let me make it a good morning for you, doll." his palms splayed on your inner thighs as he pushed them open to reveal your wet flesh. He blew cold air on your folds, making you tremble and pull on his hair.

"Please." you keened, back arching off of the bed.

"Please what?" he pressed his nose against your clit to inhale your scent. "Use your words, baby." his tongue darted out to give your already wet pussy a teasingly slow lick. "What do you want?" the mumbled into your flesh, making you writhe.

"I want you." you choked out. He hummed into you, making you move your hips upwards with a whimper leaving your lips. As a result of the movement his lips pressed more strongly against your folds as his metal hand left your hips to place his index finger at your entrance. His tongue continued to move up and down on your clit.

Sweat broke out on your body, the butterflies in your stomach going crazy at his touch. His tongue started moving faster as you came closer and closer to release without him having to do much. But he wasn't about to let you get what you wanted as he pulled away from you. The lower part of his face covered in your juices. Your legs trembled as he looked up at you fully immersed in your lust, mouth open and eyes half closed in desire.

"You are so fucking delicious" you looked down on him just as he dived in once more so fast that you couldn't help but let out a loud moan.

"Fuck, Bucky" his finger finally entered your body, your back arching with long breath. His thumb moved against your clit along with his tongue. Your brain no longer had control over what came out of your mouth as you went between moaning his name and just saying please. Another finger entered you, your eyes rolling back into your head at the sensation. The metal against your hot flesh felt like heaven. He was like a starved man finally getting his first meal as his lips moved on you fervently.

"Shit" you moved your hips for more friction, but his right hand held you down, making you let out a whimper. The sounds of your wet pussy became louder as he moved his finger in and out of you faster.

"I'm close Bucky, don't stop" your voice cracked as he started moving impossibly faster, his fingers hitting the spongy spot inside you, making you throw your head back with a loud whine.

Seeing how close you were he detached his lips from your clit and pulled his fingers out to spread you legs more open to give more space to his head. You whined at the lack of touch, but it quickly turned into a loud moan of his name as he strongly sucked on your clit.

"Bucky, fuck" your legs not being able to close because of his hand holding them open made it even more intense as his tongue pressed even more against your clit.

"Be a good girl and come for me, doll" you couldn't hold any longer as white hot pleasure tore through you, making you let out a scream and pull on Bucky's hair. Your muscles relaxed as you came down from your high, body sweaty all over, completely spent. Your hands left his hair to lay next to your head as you tried to catch your breath from the mind blowing orgasm you just had. He was always good with his fingers, but his lips were other worldly.

Your inner thighs burned from his beard giving you a delicious pain you didn't want to forget.

"I hope I made your morning better baby" he smirked as he climbed up to come face to face with you, his dog tags hanging from his neck and resting on your chest. Chuckling you pulled him in a passionate kiss, wanting to feel his soft lips. You tasted yourself on his tongue, making you groan into the kiss.

"Definitely better" you answered as he lied down next to you and draped his arm across your torso.

"Yeah? Then how about round two?" he whispered and smirked into your neck.

"With you? Always" you sat up to sit on top of him, his hand flying to your hips as he felt your still wet pussy on his abdomen. You lied on top of him your bare breasts pressing against his chest. You felt his now hard cock against your ass as you moved. "Someone is ready" you teased, but it didn't last long as he flipped you over in one swift motion.

"For you? Always" he rephrased your words, making you chuckle. His fingers found your clit again earning a moan from you. "You are always just so ready to take my cock huh?" he growled into your ear, your hips lifting at his words. "I believe I asked you a question" he stopped moving his fingers, waiting for your answer.

"Yes, yes I am" you managed to get out.

"Good girl" you whimpered at the praise. He knew how much you loved being called that during sex and he used it regularly. His fingers started moving again as wetness pooled between your folds for the second time this morning. You reached down between your bodies to wrap your hand around his cock and give him a few strokes. He hips buckled into your hand with a growl leaving his lips.

"I want to be buried inside your pussy not in your hand" he nipped at the skin on your neck as his hand left your clit to pull your needy hand away from him. You circled your hips in the air at the loss of contact, which he noticed.

"Look at you trying to get my cock inside you as soon as you can" he grabbed himself and positioned the tip at your entrance. "Is that what you want babydoll? For me to be inside that tight little pussy? You want to feel full of my cock?" he coated himself in the wetness between your folds, a moan leaving your lips.

"Yes please, Bucky, yes" you arched your back. He pushed into your warm heat as your mouth hung open in a silent moan. You welcome the familiar stretch in your pussy. A feeling only he can give you, his cock fitting you like a puzzle piece.

"Fuck you are so tight" he grunted at your walls tightening around his cock, taking all of him. He started rocking his hips into yours as he grabbed on of your legs to put it on his shoulder, giving him an entirely new angle. You moaned as he hit your g-spot, his lips kissing along your neck.

"There Bucky, oh god" you threw your head back, right hand gripping the hair on the back of his head as your left hand's fingers was intervened with his. He set a slow pace, enjoying every moment of your tight walls against his hard cock. The sounds grew louder as he picked up the pace after a while, skin slapping against skin, creating a obscene noise. You were getting closer and closer to your second orgasm. He felt your pussy clenching around him, a dead giveaway you were close.

"I can feel every part of your tight little cunt baby" his metal arm went to your clit and started rubbing it, your hips moving along his fingers, your lips moaning his name. "Let me feel you cum around me. Come on be a good girl for me" he moved faster, hitting the spot inside you which sent you over the edge, your mouth falling open as you came around him. He followed after a few snaps of his hips, cock twitching and filling you up with his seed with a loud moan leaving his lips.

Bucky fell on top of you, his huge body almost crushing you, but you liked to feel his weight on you. He rolled off onto his back as both of you tried to catch your breaths. He moved after a few seconds, his lips finding yours in a lazy kiss as you basked in the afterglow of sex.

"I think I should wake you up like this every morning." he grinned at your completely fucked out state as you barely had energy to move your head to look at him.

"You can if you let me sleep in afterwards" you replied, your eyelids dropping sleepily.

"Go to sleep, doll. Maybe I'll wake you up the same way again" he pressed a kiss to your cheek, but you were already out.

[bowdownbucky]

𝐁𝐀𝐃, 𝐁𝐀𝐃 , 𝐁𝐀𝐃 !

part two!

summary- you have an encounter with rebecca barnes older brother.

warnings- kissing, slight language and hickeys.

pairings- innocent! reader x college! bucky barnes

bye— i had a dream about this and i deciddd to make it a reality. lemme know if you want an actual story cause there is more to this!! not proof read(sry!)

you and rebecca barnes had been best friends for as long as you can remember, but what you don’t know was that she had an older brother. his name was james but everyone called him bucky, bucky first grasped you attention when you and rebecca were putting flyers around the school for you homecoming dance.

you passed becca the bright flyers, watching her on the ladder as she taped them to the walls. “so i booked our hair appointments at ten? is that good?” becca asked you, you often had a habit of drifting off into space but rebecca quickly put you back on earth. “hello! earth to y/n! i swear it’s like i’m talking to a brick wall.”

“sorry bexs, hair appointment, ten, got it.” she rolled her eyes at you. you and rebecca have small conversations until a loud voice bellows through the hallway. “rebecca what the hell?” you watched as a brunette with pretty blue eyes walks toward you. rebecca climbs down the ladder with her hands on her slender hips.

“what do you want bucky? cant you see i’m busy.” rebecca pointed at you and the flyers, bucky eyed you up and down but didn’t pay you any kind. “would you hurry up! i got somewhere to be.” bucky huffed.

“yeah, like smoking pot with your shitty friends is so important. why are you here anyway? i told you to pick me up at seven.” you stay silent as bucky and becca bicker back and forth, you never knew of bucky’s existence and wonder why becca never mentioned him.

“do i look like a chauffeur? hurry up.” bucky rushed his sister. rebecca turned to you and gave you a big hug. “do you need a ride?” you shook your head. “no, steve is picking me up later.” rebecca wiggled her eyebrows at you. you and steve weren’t super serious but you did claim each other, well you claimed him.

“tell me all the deets later!” rebecca gushed. “there won’t be anything to tell, he’s just taking me home.” rebecca rolled her blue eyes and waved goodbye as she caught up with bucky. what you don’t realize was that bucky had gotten a couple glances at you but somehow you were too naive to notice.

friday rolled around and you were sleeping over at the barnes house, you were excited about homecoming, considering it would be your last one as a highschooler. rebecca showed you her dress, which was a pretty pale blue which matched her eyes. you admired your best friend, she was pretty and what every guy wanted, you were her sidekick and you were okay with it. “i like it but i want mom to add some more sparkles and make a cute slit.” becca explained to you. you normally let becca talk for most of your sleepovers, she never really let you get a word in and she always had something to say.

“i’m gonna go see if mom is up to make a few adjustments to my dress. be right back. make yourself at home y/n” you nodded, painting you nails white. you curse to yourself when you over painted your nails, you walked through the hallways, as you made your way to the bathroom you admired the family photos the barnes had placed on a accent table.

you pick up a picture of bucky, seeing him smile made you feel warm inside. he looked just like his mother, the same blue eyes and cheeky smile. you carefully place the picture down and approached the brown bathroom door which was cracked. you opened the door only to become wide-eyed, seeing bucky inhale the smoke coming from his joint. “oh-sorry! t-the door was cracked. i assumed no one.” bucky held his hand up to cut you off from speaking. you immediately shut up not wanting to upset him.

“no worries. shit the door would ya?” you slowly pushed the door close behind you, you mind was telling you to run but you body stayed, intrigued but the boy i from of you. “this is the only place i can get some alone time, mom is always asking about college and dad is going on about finding a job. kinda hard to get high in my room.” he said, blowing smoke out of the window. “so how’s your stay at casa de barnes?” you didn’t dare look at how red his eyes were. you stared at the ground.

“not the talkative type huh? kinda hard to imagine you and my sister as friends. she never shuts up.” bucky released the joint from his lips and held it out to you. “how rude of me, go ahead.” you opened your mouth to speak but nothing came out. you closed it and shook your head.

“good girl, wouldn’t want to ruin you.” you knees almost bucked at his words. you didn’t even know him and he already had you wrapped around his fingers. “so you going to the home coming dance?”

“y-yes, i’ve b-been planning with beck.” you suprised your self when you spoke. you don’t know how you could speak but he had a hold on you and you were stuck in the bathroom fo. with him for the time being. “miss that stuff to be honest, me and the guys used to have so much fun. and the girls, so nervous, wait g for guys to dance with them. but the girls now are different. they don’t have that innocence anymore.” bucky eyes you up and down like you were his next meal. “well some of them don’t.”

he stood up and you hitched your breath, suddenly afraid to breath around him. he made you nervous but he liked it. it kept you on your toes. he walked up to you, dangerously close, you felt his breath fawning over you you, a mixture of weed and cherry suckers. he reached his hand behind you, locking the door. “wouldn’t want to get caught now would we?” his hand traced yours as he drew another hit from his joint. he blew the smoke into you face expecting you to flinch but you stood tall, face to face with him.

he hummed at you, you wish you could enter his mind and figure out what he was thinking. “you know, there’s something about you. you’re not like becca, all prissy and shit. you’re pure, i bet you’ve never ever been kissed before, ain’t that right doll?” he was mocking you and you liked it. you nodded and his smirk grew wider. he moved closer to you which you don’t think was possible. “i bet you taste nice and sweet. you wouldn’t mind if i had a taste right?” he taunts.

before you could speak his lips, brushed over yours. you couldn’t believe you’d be having your first kiss with your best friend‘a brother. he now had his lips fully enclosed on yours, you could taste a hint of vodka on his lips and it was bitter but the bitterness was overpowers by the sweetness of the cherry sucker. he kissed you deeply, his left hand leaving his side and coming to you like a rocket heading to space. his hand touches your waist, lifting you shirt a bit so he could feel your soft skin.

he nudged his leg between your thighs, feeling you pulsating core on his leg. you gasped at the feeling, giving bucky access to slipping his tongue into your mouth. he roamed you mouth like he was trying to find treasure. he moaned into the kiss, pushing you back and forth against him, creating a hot friction to his thought and your hot core. you let out a tiny moan, you could feel him smirk on your lips.

he removed himself from you now red lips and kissed down from your jawline to your neck. “wait, i-i have a boyfriend.” you knew it was wrong of you but steve never was touched you like this, it wa as new experience and you didn’t want it to stop.

“shhh babydoll, i’ll take care of you.” he sucked on you neck leaving dark purple and red bruised, your blank canvas would be littered with his touch. you didn’t want the feeling of euphoria to stop but it sadly had too when rebecca knocked on the door. “y/n would you hurry up? i need you to paint my nails.”

[aslitheryprinx]

Hello! Here is my mcyt g/t exchange piece for @blurrybunnie!

The prompt I decided to use was:

"cold nights are the best time for cuddles, but can it really be called cuddles when the giant is unaware of the tiny stealing their warmth?"

This was a really fun one to write, so I hope you enjoy! :D

Lonely Nights

-----------

Tommy clutched his ragged blanket around his shoulders, shivering violently. Winters had always been rough on the teen ever since he was shrunk by a vengeful witch as a child.

He'd been too terrified to be around people since the incident, knowing how easy it would be for one stray step or one cruel person to kill him. That meant living in the woods with what little supplies he could scavenge.

The blanket was made from the torn fabric of someone's discarded clothes he'd taken years ago. It had gotten him through many winters, but barely, and the years had made it thin and worn. This was possibly the worse winter he'd ever seen, as well, and as the night got colder, he was scared he wouldn't see the dawn.

Just as the cold was starting to make his body numb and heavy, the faint scent of smoke drifted past him. It didn't register for a couple of seconds. Then he was suddenly alert, adrenaline flooding his system.

Smoke meant fire. Fire meant his chance to survive the rest of the night.

Fire also meant people. Tommy felt anxiety curling in his stomach when he realized he'd need to get up close to someone, maybe the closest he'd been since he was shrunk. But it was worth the risk for the promise of warmth.

He sprinted through the woods, pushing past the blades of grass that stood in his way. He tripped over a twig, stumbling for a second before he recovered.

The running warmed him up slightly, but he was still shivering uncontrollably, teeth knocking against each other so hard he bit his tongue a couple of times.

When he saw a warm glow, he slowed. He stopped just before the clearing of dirt where the fire had been built, not wanting to leave the cover of the grass just yet.

His heart thudded far too loudly in his ears as he scanned, looking for the person or people who had made the fire. He wilted in relief when he realized there was only one man, curled up fast asleep on the other side of the fire.

He was still nervous at the possibility of the man waking up and seeing him, but the draw of the heat he could already feel from the fire was too strong. He walked forwards like a moth drawn to a flame.

The fire was old, more softly glowing embers than actual flames. He was able to go right up next to the fire. The warmth sank into his bones, and he sighed in relief. He sat down and curled up. Soon his eyes were drooping. He was close to drifting off, when a new shiver wracked his body.

He sat up quickly, alarm spiking. Another wave of chills hit him and he turned towards the fire. It had completely burnt out, and there was only a sliver of warmth coming from the smoldering wood now.

A gust of wind blew through the clearing, stealing all the warmth he'd gained from his short time by the fire. His eyes burned, though there was no smoke to sting his eyes.

He was going to freeze out here. He had no way to reignite the fire, and the man wouldn't be lighting it again anytime soon, he was fast asleep.

...The man was asleep.

A dangerous idea was forming in Tommy's mind. The fire was gone. If Tommy wanted to keep from freezing, there was only one source of warmth left: the sleeping person on the other side of the campsite.

The idea of it made Tommy's stomach churn with anxiety. But there really wasn't another option. It was either cuddle up to the giant person or freeze to death. A lump in his throat, he started walking around the burnt out fire, towards the sleeping figure.

He dragged his feet as he walked, stalling a little. While he walked, he took in the man's appearance. He hadn't paid much attention earlier, just glancing to make sure he was asleep. Now, he took in the man's features, wrapping his arms around himself as he realized just how massive he was in comparison.

The man was curled up in a sleeping roll. He might as well have been a mountain to Tommy. His hair was brown, but he couldn't tell what shade it was in the darkness. Tommy teen couldn't see what he was wearing, aside from the yellow sleeve of the man's sweater where his arm poked out. He slept with one arm curled in front of his face.

The last thing the shrunken teen wanted to do was get next to the man's face, and risk being seen. But the only exposed skin of the man was up by his face. There was no warmth coming from the safer options like the sleeping man's legs, he found out as he reached the area he guessed to be his knee.

Tommy just had to suck it up… and keep walking. Past the legs. Past the man's chest that rose up at least twice Tommy's height. He reached the elbow and his resolve wavered. The man was just so big. Just his elbow came all the way up to Tommy's waist.

But Tommy could feel the heat radiating from him already. Despite his fear, his shivering was too much, and he leaned against the arm. The warmth was intoxicating, and Tommy was climbing over the elbow, moving towards an even warmer spot before he knew what he was doing.

His heart was pounding with fear at the sight of the man's face. Every feature seemed impossibly large, and it just drove home how tiny and helpless Tommy had been for years now. But he pressed on, desperate to stop the shivering.

He crept closer and closer, feeling the warmth draw him in. As he walked, he could hear the whoosh of his lungs as he breathed. The noise was startling at first, far louder than it should be, but after a few moments, the steady sound became kind of relaxing.

Tommy found himself automatically matching the breathing of the sleeping man. His heart slowed down to a reasonable pace, and being this close to the massive person wasn't quite as intimidating. He could do this.

He passed the man's chest, feeling very envious of the warm looking sweater, and went straight towards the exposed skin of his neck.

Tommy set a hesitant hand against the neck, and instantly a wave of warmth was washing over him. He was pressed up against the man's neck, curling as close as he could before he could even think. His shivers slowly died down as the heat seeped into his core.

The relief from the cold made his mind slow to a crawl. He sat down, leaning heavily against the warm skin. He shouldn't fall asleep here, it was dangerous. But the warmth was making him sleepy, and his eyes started to droop.

Suddenly, there was motion in front of him and his eyes flew all the way open. He saw a hand twice his size coming towards him. There was barely a second to react. He looked around wildly, but there was no place to run to.

The hand brushed against him and he froze. It closed around him, and Tommy struggled, trying to escape. The grip was too tight, and he was terrified he'd been discovered. But the man was still breathing deeply, eyes shut. He'd moved in his sleep.

Tommy clawed at the hand, but he couldn't budge it. Eventually, he exhausted himself and laid back limply. The hand was radiating blissful heat, and he wanted so badly to just relax into it and sleep.

In addition to the warmth, each place where the massive person's hand brushed against his skin felt like the nerves were set alight. He hadn't been around another person in so long… since he was shrunk… when was the last time anyone touched him?

Against his better judgement, he curled into the contact. He was just so tired. Surely it would be ok if he just took a short nap? He could wake up early, and escape before the man woke up.

It only took another minute of the steady heartbeat, the delicious warmth, and the even breathing to lull him completely to sleep. He went limp in the firm but gentle hold, curling closer while he slept.

In the morning, a much more stressed Tommy would have to deal with a very curious, very large person who wasn't inclined to let him just run off.

But for right now? Tommy slept without a care, feeling more peaceful than he had in many years.

[intheticklecloset]

My Hero Academia Sentence Starters #51-60

A collection of the MHA sentence starters I’ve done, compiled for the sake of ease. These are all stand-alone stories.

~~~

51) Lee Deku, Ler Shinsou

“I wonder where raspberries are the worst for you?”

Deku whimpered, squirming under Shinsou’s hold but not enough for it to really be considered trying to get away. “I-I don’t know…” he admitted, flushing bright pink. “Why don’t you find out?”

Shinsou chuckled lowly. “With pleasure.”

He raspberried Deku’s ribs, his sides, his belly, even his hips. All of it made the poor boy scream and laugh and plead, though it was obvious he was having just as much fun as his boyfriend was.

His screaming turned to shrieking, however, when Shinsou switched from raspberries to nibbles along his hips and waistline. Deku bucked and thrashed, laughter bursting from him before he even realized it himself. He barely had enough breath to beg for mercy. “NONONO!! NOHOHOHOT – NOT THAHAHAHAHA – SHIHIHIHIHINSOHOHAHAHAHA!!”

“Hmm, nibbles really tickle, huh?” Shinsou teased, but he let up and allowed Deku to breathe. “I want to try one more spot. Okay?”

“Y-Yeah,” Deku giggled, unable to take his eyes from Shinsou’s. “Go for it.”

Shinsou leaned down to nuzzle under his ear, then pressed his lips to his neck and blew another raspberry.

“EEEEK!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!” Deku laughed, bucking his hips again, digging his heels into the bedsheets. “STAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! PLEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

“Oh, I see~” Shinsou teased into his ear. “So that’s where raspberries really get to you, huh?”

“Sh-Shinsou,” Deku said breathlessly, lungs gasping for breath. “Toshi, please…”

Shinsou tightened his grip on Deku’s arms. “Just one more. But don’t worry – I’ll make it count.”

*

52) Lee Bakugou, Lers Kirishima and Uraraka

“You know, you’re a lot cuter than you realize.”

The words were spoken so casually, it threw Bakugou entirely off his game. He blinked. “What?”

Kiri and Uraraka exchanged smiles, turning their loving gazes back down to their boyfriend, who lay on the bed with his arms pinned above his head. He’d been bracing himself for something a little – well, rough – but now they were telling him he was cute? Bakugou was beyond unprepared for that.

“She’s right,” Kiri agreed, nodding, using a single finger to trace down his exposed frame from his underarm to his hip. “I certainly think you’ve got a cute belly.” That finger started tracing circles around his belly button. “Don’t you agree, Ochaco?”

“Definitely.” Uraraka beamed when Bakugou started letting out little huffs of air, squirming beneath them both. “But you know, his laugh is the cutest~”

“No,” Bakugou pleaded, smiling wide despite himself. “Plehehease, don’t…”

Kiri dipped his finger into the blonde’s belly button. “Aw, but you love it, Katsuki~”

“Nohohohohoho!”

“Yes, you do~” Uraraka teased, leaning down to kiss his neck and ears, making him flush a dark red at the double dose of tickly, teasy attention. He’d never admit it, but it made him incredibly flustered and he could never get enough of it. “You love it when we tickle you and tease you, baby~”

“Dohohohohon’t call me thahahat.” He tried to snap at her, but it came out as more of a pleading whine, and her return smirk nearly melted him right then and there. “Plehehehease…”

“Oh, Kiri,” Uraraka hummed, looking at the redhead with a sweet smile. “I think he wants tickles, don’t you?”

Bakugou flushed even deeper.

“I think so, too.” Kiri beamed, leaving the blonde’s belly button to scratch at his ribs. “Do you think we should indulge him?”

Bakugou squirmed beneath them both, already giggling quietly. “Guys…”

Uraraka joined in, tickling his ribs on the other side, and their boyfriend finally gave up the fight and let out a string of happy laughter, showing his teeth in a bright smile. “Yes. Let’s indulge our adorable little blasty boy~”

*

53) Lee Amajiki, Ler Mirio

“Laugh for me! I know you have it in you~” Mirio teased, easily pinning Amajiki’s arms above his head and digging a single finger into the boy’s side.

Amajiki was smiling so wide it almost hurt, but he wasn’t laughing – yet. Despite himself he was desperately trying to remain in control for as long as possible. He knew his blonde friend would break him eventually, and when he did, he’d be happy to crumble. But the fight was part of the fun of surrender, so he clamped his mouth shut and shook his head defiantly.

Mirio sighed playfully. “Don’t make me make it worse.”

Amajiki whimpered, but internally he was cheering. Yes, yes, make it worse! Make me laugh!

“All right, you asked for it.” The blonde straddled his knees and dug his thumb into the meat of his friend’s thigh, and that was it. The dam burst.

Amajiki laughed.

“NAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!” He shrieked, letting himself give in at last, squealing and squirming and laughing to his heart’s content. All the while Mirio grinned down at him, still pinning him in place, forcing him to take it. “AHAHAHAHAHAHA!! MIHIHIHIRIO!!”

“Yes?~” Mirio hummed, letting his arms go to tickle both thighs at once, laughing with him when he screamed with hysterics. “Feeling better now?”

“YEHEHEHEHEHEHES!! GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!”

“Should I keep going?”

“PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE!!”

Mirio beamed. He loved that he was able to make his friend so happy with something so simple. Not to mention, it was good to hear Amajiki let loose and laugh for once. “Then you don’t have to tell me twice!”

*

54) Lee Deku, Lers Bakugou and Shinsou

“Oh yeah? I bet I know how to tickle him better than you do.”

Shinsou snapped his eyes to Bakugou, glaring at him. “I dare you to say that again.”

“Please. I’ve known that nerd since childhood. You’ve been dating for what – six months? Give me a break. I can make him laugh harder, mark my words.”

“It’s not about making him laugh hard, it’s about making him desperate for it to stop. Light tickles are effective in that regard, too.”

“Uh…g-guys?” Deku stammered, looking between them nervously. “You’re both good at tickling me…”

“There’s only one way to settle this,” Bakugou growled.

Shinsou nodded. “I agree.”

Suddenly Deku was pinned on his back on the floor, his childhood best friend at his right and his current boyfriend on his left. Both of them wore matching menacing, challenging smirks.

“May the best man win,” Shinsou said.

“I intend to,” Bakugou retorted.

Then both of them were tickling Deku – four hands of twenty fingers drilling all over from his underarms to his sides, hips, knees, and everywhere else they could reach, drawing giggle after squeal after loud, screaming plea from him as he squirmed and thrashed but went absolutely nowhere.

At first it was a total blast, having both of them tickle him together. But even he had his limits, and within a few minutes his pleading became genuine.

“STAHAHAHAHAP!! PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE, I CAHAHAHAHAN’T TAHAHAKE ANY MOHOHOHOHOHORE!!”

“Who’s better?” Bakugou demanded.

“BOHOHOHOHOHOTH OF YOU!!”

“That’s not good enough,” Shinsou replied, smiling. Truly, he didn’t care if Bakugou was better than him. If anything, it motivated him to find all the little ways to make Deku completely helpless to his tickling in the future. “Pick one.”

Deku laughed and laughed and laughed, but he knew he couldn’t make a choice. Either way he’d hurt someone’s feelings – or even make them angry – and that was the last thing he wanted. So it looked like he was going to have to hold out a while longer…

*

55) Lee Deku, Ler Todoroki

“Oh, yeah, raspberries are a killer right here, huh?” Todoroki murmured, blowing another one on Deku’s hip bone, making his poor boyfriend screech with laughter. “Hmm~ Tickle, tickle, Izuku~”

“PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE STAHAHAHAHAP!!” Deku cried, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. He tugged on his restraints – a pair of ice shackles Todoroki had attached to the headboard of his bed – and watched helplessly as Todoroki flashed him a wicked smile and then did it again, flat-out ignoring his begging. “SHOHOHOHOHOHOTO!!”

Todoroki finally sat up, gently tracing his fingers along Deku’s sides. “All right, I’ll give you a short break. But just a short one. You doing okay?”

Deku nodded, giggling, grateful for the respite. He’d been more than willing to allow Todoroki to explore his interest in tickling this way, since it made him so happy and Deku didn’t mind being tickled. But it was still nice to actually be able to breathe now and then. “Y-You’re…you’re ruthless,” he stammered, blushing. “You like it a lot, don’t you?”

“Tickling you into screaming my name like that?” Todoroki smiled, digging a finger into his belly button. “Heck yeah.”

“Ehehehehehehehe!” Deku squirmed, tugging on his restraints again, both impressed and intimidated by how strong they were. For all of his thrashing, they hadn’t even shown signs of wearing down or melting at all. It was amazing, really. “Shohohohoto!”

“Thanks for letting me do this,” Todoroki murmured, his voice more sincere now. “I really love getting you riled up like this. But if you need me to stop for real, use the safe word, okay? I don’t want to go too far.”

Deku smiled at him, touched. “I will. But don’t worry – I can take a little more. So, Shoto, is that all you got? You can make me laugh harder than that, can’t you?”

The fire in Todoroki’s eyes blazed to life, and his return smile was everything to Deku. “Oh, I’m sure I can find new and creative ways to break you down.”

*

56) Lee Deku, Ler Shinsou

“Let’s play a game,” Shinsou said. “One of us pretends to be an animal. The other has to guess what kind of animal they are.”

Deku smiled at the silliness of it, but nodded anyway. “Sure. You go first, since it’s your idea.”

Shinsou got on his hands and knees and barked.

Deku laughed. “A dog. That was easy!”

“Your turn.” Shinsou smiled. Deku did the same thing, but meowed instead. “A cat. All right, wise guy, let’s see if you can guess this next one.” He straightened but stayed on his knees, bringing his arms up to form “claws” and growling low in his throat.

Deku smirked. “A bear.” But Shinsou shook his head, making him pause to think a little more. “Uhh, a gorilla? A rabid kangaroo?”

Shinsou lunged for him then, still growling, pinning Deku’s arms down and gently nibbling his teeth into his ribs, “eating” him. Deku burst into giggles. “Come on, Midoriya, what am I?”

“Ahahahahahahaha! I dohohohohohon’t knohohohow! A lihihihihion?!”

“Nope.”

“Alligator?!”

“Nope!” Shinsou moved further down to his hips. “What kind of animal specifically goes for your ticklish spots and wrecks you like this?”

Deku squealed, throwing his head back to unleash a bout of laughter that lasted several seconds before he found the breath to reply, “MOHOHOHOHONSTER!! TIHIHIHIHICKLE MONSTER!!”

“That’s right!” Shinsou cheered, shoving his arms above his head and continuing to nibble at his neck and ears. Deku squirmed helplessly beneath him, lost to his own hysterics.

“NAHAHAHAHAHAHA BUT I GOHOHOHOT IT RIHIHIHIHIHIGHT!!”

“Didn’t I tell you? The penalty for each wrong guess is five minutes of tickling.”

“FOR EHEHEHEHEACH ONE?!”

“For each one. So that’s, what – twenty-five minutes of tickle torture?” Shinsou settled his weight on Deku’s hips, enjoying the distressed squeal that came out of his boyfriend. “Better get comfortable, Midoriya. We’re gonna be here a while~”

*

57) Lee Todoroki, Ler Sero

“What? I’m only fixing this very squirmy bed cover!” Sero grinned at the moving lump underneath the comforter of his bed where Todoroki had very poorly tried to hide from him not a minute before.

Todoroki shrieked. “Stahahahahahap! Sero, it tihihihihihihihickles!”

“It does?” Sero laughed, hopping onto the bed to pin down the open end of the comforter, further trapping his friend and blindly reaching for where he thought the half-and-half’s torso was. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have run away.”

“Y-Yohohohohohou were gohohohohoing to t-tihihickle me!”

“And by running you only put off the inevitable.” Sero smirked. Todoroki squealed and went limp under the covers, presumably using all of his energy to laugh after a particularly bad spot was found. “Aww, did I getcha, Shoto?”

“Plehehehehehehehease!” Todoroki cried, sounding like he was gasping for breath. “I cahahahan’t breathe under hehehehehere!”

Sero frowned, worried, and quickly climbed off the bed so he could yank the comforter down and reveal the top half of a very disheveled-looking Todoroki. Before he could recover, the tape hero straddled his waist and hooked his fingers under his arms. “Tickle, tickle!”

“GAH!!” Todoroki tried arching his back, but when that did him no good he flopped helplessly onto the mattress and gave in, surrendering to his laughter as Sero tickled him silly. “Ahahahahahaha! Plehehehehehease, stop! Sehehehehero!”

“But you look like you’re having so much fun!”

A dark red blush bloomed on Todoroki’s cheeks. “Am nohohohohohot!”

“Now you’re lying to me?” Sero tsked. “You know I’m just going to punish you even more for that transgression.”

Todoroki looked elated despite himself. “Nohohohohohohohoho!”

Sero chuckled. “I think you mean yes.”

*

58) Lee Kaminari, Ler Ojiro

“No, no – you don’t get to hide your face.” Ojiro grabbed Kaminari’s wrists and pulled his hands away from his bright pink cheeks and wide smile, pinning them on either side of his head while his tail continued to lightly tickle his belly and belly button. “There we go.”

“No fahahahahahair,” Kami whined through his giggles, squirming but going nowhere fast. Ojiro was looming over him, grinning that wicked grin of his, using his tactical advantage against his friend in the worst – best? – way possible.

“I think it’s perfectly fair.” Ojiro smiled, trailing the fluff on his tail over Kami’s sides next, making the blonde beneath him jerk first to one side, then the other, then back again, giggling all the while. “Besides, you like gentle tickles, don’t you?”

“Behehehehetter than mehehehehean ones.”

“Mean tickles? You mean…on your knees?” Ojiro had his tail trail downwards to said spot.

Kami’s eyes widened. “Nohohohohohoho!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding.” The tail traveled back up, settling on the dip of his hips where his shorts had ridden down slightly. “Tickle, tickle, tickle~ You like that? My tail just liiiightly tickling you to make you smile? That’s what you really love, isn’t it?”

Kaminari was bright pink by now. “Shuhuhuhuhut up…”

“Oh, but you like the teasing even more, don’t you?” Ojiro’s smile became absolutely evil. “You wouldn’t mind if I stopped tickling you as long as I kept teasing, right?” He did just that, letting his tail hover in the air behind him as he teased an increasingly flustered Kaminari with just his words. “Do you miss it already? The tickling? Or would you prefer I just keep teasing you about how cute you look, all flustered like that?”

The electric hero whined, squirming under his fellow blonde’s tight hold. “P-Please, don’t stop.”

“Don’t stop what?”

“T-Tickling me.”

Ojiro chuckled, then started dusting his tail along Kami’s shins, making him giggle all over again. “You asked for it~”

*

59) Lee Shinsou, Ler Deku

“You’re not squirming away, smug for brains,” Deku laughed, pulling Shinsou in close and kissing the space between his shoulder blades as his fingers skittered along his ribs. “Come here! Take my tickly love!”

“Ehehehehahahahahaha!” Shinsou squealed, kicking wildly and messing up the blankets, but neither of them cared about that right now. The taller boy was currently the little spoon in their cuddling position, and with Deku’s arms wrapped around him in tandem with the tickly kisses along his back, he was going nowhere fast. The gentle assault was making him incredibly flustered and helplessly giggly. “Nahahahahahahaha! I-Izuhuhuhuku!”

“Take it!” Deku continued to laugh with him, moving his kisses up to the base of his neck. “Take my love!” His hands wandered down to pinch at a hip. “Take it, Shinsou!”

Shinsou was an incoherent mess, giggles and laughter intermixing with unintelligible pleas – though whether they were pleas to stop or keep going neither of them could tell.

Deku chose to do the latter, scooting his body up so he could reach Shinsou’s ears with his kisses while continuing to pinch and scribble along his hip bone. “It’s so cute that you’re so ticklish up here,” he mused with his own giggle. “You can’t even speak when I’m getting you like this.”

“S-S-Stahahahahahaha! Plehehehahahahahaha!” Shinsou was lost in his own laughter and loving every second, secretly hoping his boyfriend would never stop. “Zuku, nahahahahahahahaha!”

Deku couldn’t help but laugh, hugging him even closer and nibbling at the base of his ear, drawing a loud screech and even more frantic cackles from the completely helpless Shinsou. “Take my love, Toshi~ My tickly, tickly love for you~”

*

60) Lee Kaminari, Ler Jirou

“What are we, five years old now?”

Jirou grunted as she struggled to pin him. “You act like enough of a five-year-old for the both of us.”

“I do not!”

“Do, too.” She finally managed to overpower him just long enough to grab his foot and scribble her fingers over it.

Denki squeaked, releasing her instinctively and then immediately wishing he hadn’t, as he’d just lost any and all leverage he may have had over her. “Nohohohoho, Jirou!”

“That’s more like it.” She settled in on his ankles and dragged her nails up and down his bare soles. “Take this, genius.”

“Nahahahahahahaha!” He flailed in the grass, wishing it wasn’t so hot out that he’d decided to go out in only his shorts this afternoon to tan. Jirou was in shorts and a tank-top as well, but that did him little good when he was at her mercy instead of the other way around! “Plehehehehehease, no! I’ll do anythihihihihing!”

Jirou smirked at him over her shoulder. “Anything?”

“Yehehehehehes!”

“What if what I want to do is tickle you silly, Denks?”

He flashed her a brief, wide-eyed look before covering his face with his hands and groaning. “Ugh, the thihihihihings I dohohohoho for you, Kyoka.”

She beamed. “Aww, how sweet. Don’t worry…I won’t tickle you too bad~”

[lee-scribbles-and-doodles]

S3 ep5

Current emotional status: FEAR

Cthulu Max has been on the rampage for a whole week!?

Ew, the narrator

Oh man, are they sending the airforce after him?

I really like Cthulu Max's design

Momma Bosco 💗

Oh hey, Norrington and Papierwaite are alive.

Superball are you saying you tried to send the Maimtrons up Max's--

Also he's acting president while Max is... deposed of.

Superball is only giving Sam until 6am :(

Featherly!

"Wandering around the moleman tunnels is no fun without Max."

"You got it all wrong, we're trying to help Max." "We will help him... to a generous serving of ass whooping."

"That is one rabbit who will be multiplied... into 2,000 smoldering pieces."

Carol ran off with Blustet

"I only want her to be happy, is all." Aw, Curt

Superball just admitted to having separation anxiety from Max

Ok Momma can't come but Papierwaite and Norringron can.

I like Norrington :)

GASP

Is it?

It is!

SYBIL!!!!

RETURN OF THE QUEEN

Oh, she is very pregnant

She was a wizard at one point?

She's gonna help!

Superball there's no such thing as acceptable losses

Abe has his body back

"Four score and seven tons of raw power"

HE CAN FLY NOW!?

Sybil, I love you, but why did you mod someone else's car???

Grandpa Stinky I love you

Oh, he just handed us the recipe for once.

Asdfff the spore maxes swarming Grandpa

They stole Grandpa's hotdogs

"We must feed the host! Piglets and sphinkters make us stronger!" "We regret nothing!"

Grandpa hasn't slept in three years

Sam just casually taking the last of Grandpa's corndogs

The spores are trying to get it

Lol Sam slapped them

Sal's alive!

He's hiding from Sam :(

Lol we can control Cthulu Max with Corndogs

Ew, the cornstarch got mixed in with the giant puddle 🤢 Looks gross

Love how Sybil completely ignores the Flaming Max head

Also the look of disappointment on the spore's face made me laugh

Fifth trimester???

The way the one Max spore by Grandpa's truck is bobbing in circles with his mouth open is making me laugh.

Sam showing concern for Sybil because she’s preggers 🥺

Her being pregnant with Abe's child implies that statues have working genital in this universe

She put a weiner scented airfreshener in the desoto

At least Sam and a Max spore seem to like that (of course they do)

"Sybil you're the best!" Hell yeah she is!

Sam's mind went to the color bar codes to prevent being traumatized by Sybil's oversharing

We drowned the desoto

Asdfgh Sam just botched slapped one of the spores for trying to say "that's none of your damn buisness."

Ew, Max's spine is pointing out

Oh hey, Satan and Jurgen

Why is Jurgen wearing his old fashioned clothes instead of his emo clothes?

Lol Sam snuck into frame to shout "Go Mets! New York rules!"

"--besides it's just a good and noble thing to do." "You're not familiar with my previous work, are you?"

"Sam, what happened to you to make you so cynical?" Gee, Jurgen, I wonder what could have possibly happened.

Oh so the water tower counts as vegetable oil because Momma did something to it

Pfft we can replace Satan's microphone with a corndog

Omg they jumped off the building to avoid Max

Oh, they're fine, and the oil is in the giant puddle.

I'm thankful to Featherly for giving us an egg but I'd have preferred not to watch him lay it. Granted it was just in a cartoon way but he still made weird noises

Also TRANS FEATHERLY 2021

"I desperately wanted to see that, sir. Ask him if he'll lay another one."

Oh hey, the Flaming Max heads helped heat up the giant desoto corndog

Since I'm playing this in 2021 the Maimtron's song references are super dated, which defeats Superball's efforts

Oooh! A unique opening sequence???

Oh this music is jazzy af

Sam really doesn't like the Max spores

Sam how do you already know what Max's insides look like???

"Even when he's not a collasal monster Max's food comas can last for weeks."

Ok we wake Max up with the coffee beans, right?

Yup!

The gi Max spore is so sad he doesn't get to come 😢

"But I'm a horrible monster!"

"I suppose Max's brain always looks like a living room?" "Well, Max is host to all kinds of weird parasites, and he likes to he a good host!" WHAT

No really, this brings up so many questions about lagomorphs. Are they some kind of Symbiote or something?

And a previous episode confirmed Max is amphibious

Max has tumors!!!

It shocked Sam!

"Eugh! Get away fake Max!" "Do you find my warmth... alarming, Sam?"

"What do nightmares taste like, anyway?" "Pepsi"

Max wants to be author 💗

He also writes fanfiction about Flint 🤣

I'd unironically read his books.

Tina Belcher voice: Friend fiction

Max has an experimental fusion jazz band???

"He just killed a great white shark--"

Max being completely unable to describe a woman is very gay of him. Good for him.

Max's brain teleported everyone to different parts of the body.

Found Sybil in the gym/legs

The brain is broadcasting Sam's thoughts???

Sam couldn't think of a joke for the medicine balls :(

"Wow Max is looking pretty buff. Would it be too weird if I asked him to turn around?"

Sam! Stop thinking bad things about Sybil's pregnancy she can hear you you putz!

She's upset with him now

"Can you believe this guy?" "I find the entire situation to be very contrived and misogynistic." Same spore Max, same.

Sam stop being so mean omg!

"I changed Sybil, I totally get the whole parenthood thing now." "Really now?" "Tax deductions."

In Max's inventory now

Y'know, I never really thought about it as a storage house

Hit The Road reference :3

Baby roach hatched in

"Pa..papa?" "Now I am little champion, now I am!"

Max has a Maximus shrine

Sam turned into a roomba!

Aw, he named it Sam Jr 🥺

We won Sybil back through his love of Sam Jr

Found the conjoined twins

Huh, Max lost as eye. Does that mean he has a glass one, or do lagomorphs have regenerative abilities?

Pfft we have to play twister to control his arma

The brain is messing with things again

Oh, we need a roach to operate the game because of radiation

Well, let's kidnap Sal

Oh, poor Girl Stinky. She's really going through it

Aw, Sal feels bad

Sal?

Honey, are alright?

He's dying???

He's not immune to irradiation!?

Oh no, he's gone

I'm so sad 😞

Gotta pick up Sam Jr. Before I control Max

They mad Max do a magical girl pose

Ugh the narrator is back

Wait, what?

He's Max's brain??? SUPEREGO???

WHAT

"I was always ignored" Yo if my super ego was as pretentious as you I 'd ignore it too 😤

He wants to kill himself and Max???

I know Max had a self loathing complex but holy shit

The super ego is perfectly fine with destroying half the east coast what a jerk

Just noticed Sam's tie is red. Had no idea about this while drawing PI!Sam lol

We have to help Max get his memories back to use the ASTRO projector

Skunkapes has three Sam clones imprisoned

Sam had canon ocd?

Gasp Gordon???

No, it's Sammun Mak

I love him, little child tyrant

Just make him a mobile brain in a jar and let Sam and Max adopt him

Why is Grandpa here?

He isn't talking like Stinky

Too polite

Sam sees it too

He's a space gorilla

They switched brains?

Found the cloning g chamber

Let's go to Momma's first

CONE OF SHAME CONE OF SHAME CONE OF SHAME

Superball is "wracked with guilt"

"Keep it together Superball. Sam will be able to save the day. He always does."

Ok, let's go to the cloning facility

I'm still thinking about poor Sal yo

FLIIIIIINT!

He's punching space apes!

Girl Stinky really playing up the evil Mistress role

The doggleganger has a bomb on him!!!

Wait so Girl really is a mermaid??? I thought that was just her aestetic

God I love Flint

Haha we tricked Skunkape with scooby doo villain tactics

Got the robot

Her water broke... and it was pennies

Max wants to save Sybil! 😭🥺💕

Super Ego is here

Oh now he wants to save Max

The only thing here are those records

Super Ego waved goodbye

Cthulu Max is cute when he cries

Wait What?

His head is on fire!

The maimtron hit him!

He waved goodbye... and teleported away.

He exploaded!!!!

He promised he'd take Sam with him and he didn't!!!!

AAAAAAH

I thought the dead Max thing was popular angst fanon fic thingy!

We're cloning Max?

It didn't work 😭😭😭😭😭

Superball ran off crying

Oh God the credits are just Sam walking sadly what the hell

He's not even stopping to fight any crime 😢

💔💔💔

God the way he's clinging to himself

What?

The elevator???

MAAAAX

he's back???

Past Max???

He blew his Sam up???

Wait hold on I'm glad they're together again but this doesn't fix anything

There's so much trauma from this season

All the horrible things that happened during 301-304 happened in like 3 days tops, then Sam had to deal with Max being a monster for a week before watching him die!

And the new (?) Max had BLOW HIS SAM UP!!!

And they left the franchise like that for a decade????

What the hell?

I want to be happy but this shit is going to consume my brain for the next week at least what the hell

Aaaaaaah!

Like maybe they really do just brush it off but it feels unlikely

I know Max has a connection with his other selves so it'll be easier for him to adjust but certainly Sam is going to notice the discrepancies since he doesn't get the same deal

Someone told me there were multiple endings hold on

Aw, they walked off into the sunrise together

But still

AAAAAAAAH

[flowerwrites06]

diamond trail finale — myg

Plot: The theft of his most elusive and mystery possession leads to a web of trickery that threatens every large syndicate in the country. (alternative: Yoongis’ prized possession is stolen but he’s not the only gang leader being betrayed)

Pairing(s): Mafia Boss!Yoongi x Consigliere!Y/N

Rating: G | PG | M | R 18+

Type: Drabble | Oneshot | Two Parter | Series

Word Count: 3k+

Genre: Mafia | Marriage | Mature Themes/Fluff/Smut

Tags & Warnings: criminal activities, mentions of past abuse (outside of the pair), explicit smut (spanking and very brief anal play), mild violence, coarse language, prostitution, slightly more graphic physical violence in this part (it’s brief but beware) 

Authors Note: here's the finale peeps! hope you like how I ended everything off! as usual, let me know what you think of this story and a like/reblog/comment go a long way!

Nectar Oak still had the same atmosphere as it did all those years ago. The smell of allspice flowers and jasmines, plumes of smoke flowing out of the customers’ mouth as their wallets emptied and cheeks glowed from excitement. All the workers held themselves up with the elegance of a geisha despite knowing they’d never be considered to such a standard. You looked up at the height of the building. How much bigger it looked when your mother used to hold your hand walk you around the streets just for some fresh air.

You felt like a ghost eerily wandering the place an old part of you died. You didn’t miss it but you could feel her. The innocence of hoping that you’d never have to work here and the relief of finding a better life. Not the best life. It was still filled with tears and suffering but at least here, she was in power. And she had the people she loved.

Silk red robe draped upon your form, resemblant of a traditional hanbok twisted and ‘modernized’ to create an erotic appeal. Golden vectors curled to accentuate your waist, the band covered your torso to enhance the curve of you breasts and you hair loosely tied by a gold clip encrusted in emeralds. You habitually touched your finger but found it empty, a small twinge of anxiety grew heavy in your chest.

*With a deep reluctant breath, you pulled off your wedding ring, hugging it to your chest before carefully placing it in a jewelry box for safe keeping.

When Yoongi saw you, a cold wave washed over him. Like the cruel turns of time twisted back to those days where he felt the walls closing in on him. Preventing him from holding onto his parents’ legacy for his mother and building his own family. His heart already dropped into the pit but he still noticed the ache. “Let’s get this over with.” He muttered under his breath.*

The owner of Nectar Oak became one of your connections. A solid reminder that things were not as it used to be. You talked to him like you were his equal rather than a worker. He also had enough brains to know he wasn’t talking to a random worker anymore. He was speaking to someone who could break his business in a blink. The thought of it caused sweat to drop on the sides of his temple.

“You know how to promote me, Jung,” you spoke as you two sat in his office. “Just do what you do best and your building will stay safe and funded.” A smile tugged at your lips, sadness gripping your gaze but you knew well to hide it from the likes of his kind.

Yoongi secluded himself in one of the courtesan rooms. He sat on the velvet couch, shirt sleeves rolled up and a cigarette between his fingers, burning eyes fixated on the cameras set up inside Nectar Oak. Particularly targeting you and Jungkook.

The man-child arrived in a half hour. Exactly on time. Black dress shirt and his cheeks sucking in an almost burnt out cigarette, dark hair messy and damp with the look of someone who was given everything he wanted. He blew the plume of smoke as he eyed the courtesans dressed in coloured silk.

Jung, the plump owner of the courtesan house pranced over to Jungkook with a jovial smile. “Welcome, sir!”

“Jung.” Jungkook grinned, leaning against the emerald marble counter. “What’ve you got for me?”

“Only the finest, Master Jeon.” Jung chortled, grabbing the hardcover book designed in teal and gold vectors. Inside were different pictures and descriptions of all the patrons that lived in the current courtesan house. “We have your favourite selections of curvy and petite as you well know. There’s also the special treatments if you require a little more spice.”

Jungkook scanned the book with an air of a teenager seeing a picture of a naked woman for the first time. Hungry eyes finally stopped and stared at one picture. “Who is she?”

“Uh—oh, she’s not quite available yet, sir.”

Hunger turned to determination. “Why not?”

“Well—see her prices—she’s one of our most risky patrons.”

“You’re saying I can’t afford her?”

“No, no no no!” Jung chuckled nervously without hitch of losing his act. “It’s just—only a select amount of customers have actually been able to have a session with her. She has her own ground rules, you see and some extremely challenging—eh—punishments if those rules are abided by. Experienced employee benefits.”

Yoongi had to hand it to him for his marketing skills. Anyone like Jungkook would love a challenge if someone thought they couldn’t do it.

“I’ll take her,” Jungkook said. “Whatever the price.”

“Oh, sir—”

“I don’t like waiting, Jung. Let’s not taint this friendship we have, hm?” Jungkook narrowed his gaze.

Jung let out a shaky breath and nodded. “Of course, sir. I will call her down.” He pressed on one of the buttons at his desk.

Yoongi heard the buzz from the vanity table where you sat.

You stood up from the chair, walking out of the room without sharing a glance at Yoongi so you could steel yourself. The time for softness wasn’t now.

Walking down the wooden stairs, even the echoes of your shoes were too familiar. Time rewound, bringing you right back where you started. No. You mentally shook your head and raised your chin. Your presence lit up the room, silencing the younger members and alerting the other customers. The silk train left behind exuded an air of magic, like wildflowers growing at your every step.

All the illusion of a trained courtesan in this country.

Jungkook stared at you, hunger burning in his eyes as he stamped the cigarette on the silver ashtray lain on the counter.

“Master Jeon,” you said, bowing in front of him. “Pleasure to be of your service.”

“Pleasure is all mine,” Jungkook spoke with the delicacy of a lover but the fire of a conqueror. “Jung here holds you to high regard in this establishment.” He walked close to your form until he towered over you, feeling the filmsy satisfaction for seeing your gaze lift for him. “I’m excited to see what the mystery is all about.”

You side-eyed Jung with a calculated smug smile, reddened lips and eyes moist. “He’s an enthusiastic man but not a liar, I assure you. One doesn’t make a room stand still like this without having a few skills under her skirt.” Your cheeks glowed like polished jewels.

Jungkook chuckled under his breath. “That’ll be all, Jung.”

Jung bowed with a wide grin and walked away.

You held onto Jungkooks’ hand. “This way, sir.” Nervousness faded completely as the mission at hand became your first priority. The scent of opium was thick around Jungkooks’ form as he shifted closer, nudging his nose in your hair slightly. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Master Jeon.”

“Oh? Nice things I hope.”

“Tales of conquering the higher ups and standing up for the street dwellers.” You looked over your shoulder. “You’re a hero amongst the whispers of the alley.”

If confidence had a physical form, it’d be like gold oozing down Jungkooks’ ears and mouth like tears and slobber after sex. He was young. His nerves were easy to tug and manipulate to your whim. “Do you think I’m a hero?”

You hummed with a cheeky shrug. “I like physical proof of things rather hearsay. Lingers more on the mind.”

“I can fix that soon.” Jungkook moved his hand over to your waist, squeezing and digging into the skin. You tried not to wince. “And when I’m done with you, you can watch the chaos I created soon.”

“Chaos?”

“I’ve achieved a magnificent feat of having the Queen of Gae Pa herself…” He pressed his lips against your ears. “…giving herself over to me.”

A tiniest twinge of anxiety tugged at the back of your mind but you stayed steady. “Was I really that obvious?”

“If I could steal all of the most powerful gangs’ precious items, I think I could recognize your face.” Jungkook traced a finger down your cheek. “Must say you’re a thousand times more beautiful than your pictures.” He moved his fingers down to the curve of your breasts. “Your daughter looks just like you.”

The anxiety that tugged now flooded your entire body, hot rushing in then freezing. All in confusing pattern until your head started spinning. Glossed eyes blinked slowly and your chin raised, staying strong.

“I have my own spies too,” Jungkook whispered. “There’s alleys and streets everywhere. Enough sorry souls to do anything for a new life. You understand that, don’t you?”

You swallowed the lump in your throat. “Do you have her with you?”

“Oh no…I’m not that evil.” Jungkook jutted his lips out. “She can stay happily in that cute safehouse. Except there’s eyes always on her.”

You took a deep breath to calm your nerves. A neutral expression on your face. “What’s your negotiation?”

“Nothing special. Just for all the Dons to pledge themselves to me.” Jungkook shrugged. “Especially Don Kim and your husband.” He tilted his head. “You also know just as much as I do that I have every measure possible to ensure they won’t say no.” Palm traced up her back to her neck. “And I also require your mind. Despite my little street friends running around, you have the most connections known to the underworld. Your body could be a wild bonus.” He smirked.

You raised your chin, breath sucked in and stuck in your throat. “I don’t want to talk in the hallway. Everything is being recorded.” You spoke under your breath.

Jungkook hummed as you brought him towards the bedroom.

Yoongi refrained from trying to break another mug of coffee. Instead he listened carefully. Anxiety shook through his body hearing a stranger—no, their fucking rival—speak of their daughter. But he knew what had to be done. Eyes sharp, he flickered his gaze over to the corner of the courtesan room. The bed adorned in red and gold silk sheets held a figure, both arms tied to the bedposts and his mouth gagged with cloth, stained with the blood from his fresh glistening wounds.

He stood up from his chair, hands dug in his pockets as he examined the heaving body. “You’re up, Kim.” A sinister smile flashed to Taehyung. Silent reminder on who held one of the underworlds’ pillars. The lead alpha of this country. That same terrifying individual now stood here, heated with anger and the urge to protect his family sent sizzles throughout the room.

Taehyung blinked slowly as the realization hit him.

Jungkook wasn’t coming out of here unscathed.

***

It was the best news you received in a while. They found him. Kim Taehyung.

Your notes at the auction managed to help the spies track down the buyer. Apparently they wanted to be rid of it after hearing of the murders in the other gangs. They kept it hidden in their backyard instead of displaying it. You took it off their hands and sent it to Jwi Pa.

Despite their current clean slate, the gang still had the best trackers. You needed them to find the elusive auctioneer. The moment they saw the ledger in your gloved hand, they were putty. Any request and they would abide.

Kim Taehyung lived in a private estate personally gifted by Jeon Jungkook once he rebuilt Mal Pa to its former glory. As soon as his location was exposed, it took only a couple of minutes of breaking through security and having the man in their grasp. Jungkooks’ weak spot.

Nor Yoongi or Namjoon were happy to see him. Both of them failed to push back their punches but they knew enough to keep him alive.

“There’s a high chance Jungkook will know my face,” you said.

“So send someone else,” Namjoon suggested.

Yoongi tightened his jaw, not wanting to admit the truth that was right in front of him. “She’ll know what to do better than anyone.”

“You have so many talented spies!” Namjoon gestured wildly. “Fucking hell, I hate that I’m the one who has to admit it.”

“A scenario, Namjoon.” You intertwined your fingers together. “If Jungkook sees through the operation, what do you think they’ll do to a faceless spy?”

“If it’s her then Jungkook will be distracted.” Yoongi curled his fingers into tight fists.

“Well enough for me to actually bring him to the room whether he finds out or not.”

Namjoon let out a frustrated sigh. “Why is it so annoying that it’s a good idea?”

“For the first time, Kim, I agree.”

You gave them both sharp looks. “We end this now. No hitches.”

***

Opening the door, Yoongi noticed your glossed eyes. He wanted to hold you right there and then but there was still work to be done. Yoongi knew partly you were maintaining an act. It wouldn’t finish until the curtains were closed.

“Don Min!” Jungkooks’ lips stretched ear to ear. Expression bright and confident of the achievement right in his grasp. In a split second, his gaze flickered over to the tied figure. The golden tones of his skin lost its vibrancy, grin disappeared and his eyebrows in the realization of the bleeding man. “Tae—”

Taehyungs’ groans and screams muffled by the soaked cloth. Eyes flooded with tears as Namjoon closed the door behind Jungkook. There was no way to escape.

Jungkook looked over his shoulder. Both the leaders of Gae and Sutal Pa together in the same room. Caging him in. Namjoon had a satisfied smirk, dragging the stone mallet towards him.

Out of instinct, Jungkook pulled the gun out of his holster and pointed it to your chest. A sense of accomplishment rushed through him when he saw Yoongi raise his gun frantically. He could do this. All that progress to come this far from a street rat to a gang leader. It couldn’t all end here in a second. It was too quick. He needed to breathe. "Want to see which bullet reaches first?”

Taehyung protested through his cloth, struggling out of the rope.

You pushed Jungkooks’ hand to the side with your left hand, causing a stress shot to speed past your shoulder. Right ear ringing, you used your other hand to reach for the grip. Gun now in clasped in your hand, end of the barrel pointed at Jungkooks’ heart.

Yoongi didn’t hesitate taking a shot at Jungkooks’ leg, causing him to drop on his knees with a pained grunt.

Namjoon chuckled with a raspy tone, raising his stone mallet. “What a good day.” He slammed the mallet on Jungkooks’ calf. The crack and scream that came afterwards was one that could haunt you at night. But it was nothing new in the underworld. You try to break the underworld pillars, they’ll break you back ten times worse. It was the law in this hell.

You watched Jungkook thrash on the ground, blood darkening the wooden floor. Mixed with Taehyungs’ loud sobbing. It was a nursery rhyme of nightmares. Melodies of suffering that will melt into the walls of the courtesan house. No one will speak of it but they’ll know. They’ll never forget.

***

The new dawn arrived golden and the birds sung the continuous reign of Gae and Sutal Pa. Mal Pa was once again broken down into chaos as their usurper leader stepped away from his position and hid away after the two gangs made their example clear. Taehyung, still healing from his own wounds, opted to stick by Jungkooks’ side. The new looming darkness over their faces were hard to miss.

“If it’s worth anything, Jeon, you did good.” Yoongi stood over him on the stretcher. “Just not good enough.”

Jungkook stayed silent, gaze averted to focus on Taehyungs’ shirt. “Might not be me but someone else’ll come back to do the same thing. You can’t reign forever.”

The diamond ending of every underworld devil. Every gang had it. That one day when everything falls apart before their eyes and there was nothing to do about it. A fate worse than assassination.

Sun peaked through the buildings, framing Yoongis’ silhouette and casting warmth on his cool cheek. “It’s true. But when it does, it’s gonna be by my hand.”

Jungkook blinked over at him in confusion.

Yoongi smirked, gently tapping his shoulder. “Get well.” That day for Yoongi wasn’t to be shut down by another gang or a new leader. But to throw the match in himself and see it all burn. The beautiful end to his diamond trail.

Jungkook and Taehyung were moved to secluded area, away from any kind communication with the underworld.

Street dwellers will be loyal to anyone that could promise them something good. Now that Jungkook couldn’t provide it anymore, they scurried like rats under Yoongi or Namjoons’ wing. The underworld, even in the top ranks was cruel and brutal, leaving no mercy for even the good-hearted.

When you arrived back to the manor, the first thing was to remove the god awful dressing from the courtesan house. You draped back into your work dress, letting out a sigh of relief that it was all a play.

Namjoon paid a small visit to cast a farewell. Shaded eyes scanned across the mansion, admiring the architecture and paintings. Or just staring at them to avoid eye contact with Yoongi. “So European.”

“My mother grew up travelling between France and Italy,” Yoongi said. He dug his hands into his trousers. “She really liked all the architecture of the old buildings.” His heart swelled remembering the years after their father passed away. They found a new venue and spent over a year just working on the house. It was the most time they had ever spent alone without any kind of distractions from their father.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking—what happened to your mother?” Namjoon asked. “She was quite young when she married.”

Yoongi hummed, a sad smile tugged on his face. “She wasn’t well for a long time. Since she gave birth at a young age, the stress of it had lot of side effects in the long term. She held out long enough to ensure that I wouldn’t have to live with my father alone.”

Namjoons’ expression softened. “I’m sorry. Having a good family member in the household is already a rarity in itself. I can’t imagine losing them.”

In the small silence, you stepped down the stairs. You met the two men with a kind smile, fingers intertwined together. “Nice to see you two playing nicely.”

Yoongi smiled. “Of course.”

You, Namjoon and Yoongi padded outside of the manor into the afternoon light. The black SUV glinted and the guards looked like insects scurrying to their positions so that Namjoon was protected.

Pausing at the end of the entrance stairs, Namjoon turned to face the two of you. “It was fun working with you—just lighten up a little more.”

“Not a chance,” Yoongi stated plainly. “But—it was good not being at war for once.”

Namjoon smirked, eyes flickered to you with a softened expression. “Good day, my lady.”

You nodded in acknowledgement as the male turned on his heel and climbed into his SUV. A sense of relief washed over your form. Yoongi took your hand and escorted you back into the comforts of the manor.

“The diamond gun is back in its original place.” Yoongi let out a long exhale, emptying his chest of the anxiety. “I can take a fucking nap now.” He wrapped his arms around your waist, burying his head in the crook of your neck. A silent reminder that nothing was lost in this fight. You were safe and your childs’ location was still unknown to everyone else. “I know what you were doing.”

“You did?” A smile stretched across your lips.

“Taehyung was just a final tick.” Yoongi led you over to the couch, settling down with a deep sigh. “Jungkook was more terrified at the fact that Namjoon and I actually worked together.”

“If you two fought then both the pillars would’ve been crumbling. Easy for Jungkook to break.” You traced your fingers across his raven fringes. “Maybe you two should stop bickering so much. Just in case another street dweller comes in to hurt you.”

“One step at a time, my love.” Yoongi smiled, throwing his head back against the couch. “How’s Jewel?”

Jewel was her nickname. Her eyes shone even when there was no light reflecting off them. Maybe it was just their rosy lenses but you didn’t care. “She’s been moved to another safehouse. She says she’s happy.”

“Good.” Yoongi nodded. “That’s good.” He held onto your hand and kissed it. “We’ll all be together soon for the holiday. I promise.”

“I’ll make sure of it.” You raised a brow.

Yoongi loved his new family.

<< prev chap | 

[yellowsuitcase]

Snowed in // Draco Malfoy

A/N: Hello! I wrote this for @whack-ed and @jamilelucato ‘s A Very Harry Potter Christmas challenge! My prompt was Day 9 - Snowed in during a storm. I’m fond of this imagine and I hope you are too! Happy Holidays!!!

Summary: Best friends to lovers. Y/N and Draco are on the Slytherin quidditch team, but what happens when they arrive at the changing rooms early, only to have a full blown snowstorm start right outside the tent?

Warning(s): Swearing, kissing

Word Count: 4.2k

“You ready to play, Malfoy?” Y/N asked Draco. They were strolling to the changing rooms to get dressed for their quidditch match set to take place in half an hour. They had decided to leave the common room a bit earlier than the rest of their team. Draco was the Slytherin seeker, and Y/N was one of three chasers, arguably the best. The pair had met in their second year at Hogwarts when both got picked to be on Slytherin’s team. Throughout the many many practices and high-intensity games, the team grew close to one another. Draco and Y/N, in particular, had become the best of friends. However, unbeknownst to Y/N, Draco wanted for them to be more than best friends. He’d had a crush on Y/N for as long as he could remember but never dared to tell her. The way he saw it, it was better to maintain what they had rather than risk it all by confessing. 

Draco pressed the tip of his broom to the floor as he walked, using it as somewhat of a cane. When he heard Y/N’s question, he turned his head towards her. She had an excited smile on her face; it was one he was familiar with. She was always in a happy mood whenever quidditch was involved. “Are you, Y/L/N?” he asked, redirecting her question back at her. 

Y/N scoffed. “I’m always ready, you know that.” Draco chuckled lightly. “I do, but Gryffindor isn’t an easy team to beat,” Draco replied. He knew the frustration of losing to Gryffindor well.

Y/N nodded and shrugged her shoulders. “That may be true, but maybe if you yank your head out of your ass and catch the snitch within the first ten minutes, we can finish them off early.” Draco faked a hurt reaction to his friend’s words by putting his hand over his chest and pasting a pained expression on his face. She stifled a laugh while Draco rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you get four goals within the first ten minutes of the game, huh?”

“Malfoy, you know that’s impossible-“ Y/N was cut off by a strong gust of cold wind slapping her in the face as she opened the door leading outside. Regardless, she pushed through; Draco was right behind her.

“I didn’t think it’d be this cold today,” she murmured. Draco nodded as he took his gloves out from his pocket and slid them onto his pale, ring clad hands. “We’ll get warm once the game gets going, don’t worry,” he replied, opting to find a silver lining. The two of them walked down the hill as fast as they could, the chilly air nipping at their exposed skin. 

When they finally got into the changing rooms, they breathed a sigh of relief as they were now shielded from the cold. Draco looked around. “Nobody’s here... that’s a bit odd,” he observed. Y/N pursed her lips in thought as she scanned the changing room. “Well, we did come down a bit early. I’m sure someone will be here soon.”

Draco, who was still curious, walked over to the entrance to the tent. The strong wind hit his face again; this time, however, snow came with it. “Y/L/N! It’s snowing!” Draco exclaimed excitedly, wanting to share this with his friend. Y/N immediately dropped the black boot in her hands and rushed over to Draco. The pair smiled at the sight of the little flakes falling to the grass, rapidly coating it. But then the wind began to pick up, carrying the snowflakes with it. “Shit, it's snowing,” Draco said, realization was settling in. There was no possible way to play a match in such extreme weather. This must be the reason nobody was with them in the changing room. Draco sighed and looked at Y/N. She looked utterly crushed; she’d been looking forward to today’s match for weeks. "Let’s head back to the castle, no point being here anymore,” Draco reluctantly suggested. He knew, however, Y/N wouldn’t be easy to convince.

Y/N frowned, her eyes growing sad. “Maybe it’ll pass. It looked like it was slowing down just a second ago, didn’t you see?” she asked. Draco shook his head and put a hand on Y/N’s shoulder. “It’s not going to stop, Y/L/N. Come on, let’s get out now before it gets too harsh,” he pleaded gently. But to no avail. Y/N crossed her arms over her chest and marched over to her locker. She picked up her previously discarded boot and slipped it on her foot determinedly. 

“Y/L/N… they’re not going to let us play in this weather,” Draco told her. But she paid him no mind and only continued to put on her uniform. He glanced outside and saw that the snow had gotten significantly higher despite only a few minutes passing since it had started. Draco began to grow anxious, and briskly walked over to the girl, now clad in green robes. “Y/L/N, please. The snow is rising, and if we don’t leave soon, we might not be able to get back.”

He watched as Y/N sighed and looked up at him. “Why are you so hung up on some snow? It cannot possibly be that bad,” she snarled as she got to her feet and stomped over to the entrance. But when she saw the amount of snow on the grass, her anger dissipated and turned into shock. Draco threw up his hands. “I told you, we have to go now, gather your stuff,” he instructed. Y/N reluctantly stepped away from the tent’s opening, quickly unhooked her bag from her locker, and swung it over her shoulder. Draco promptly threw on his quidditch robes, as they were warmer than his regular clothes, and went to stand by the entry and wait for her. He noticed her red nose and cheeks as she walked towards him. 

They looked outside at the abundance of white. Draco glanced at Y/N. She looked apprehensive. Truth be told, he was too. So without allowing himself to sit on the idea, he reached out and took her hand in his. He saw her look at him in his peripheral vision, but he didn’t meet her eyes. “Ready?” he asked. Y/N squeezed his hand in reply, making butterflies erupt in Draco’s stomach. He took a deep breath and walked through the exit and into the storm. Immediately he and Y/N were met with the painfully bitter wind. They could hardly open their eyes, much less walk against the wind. 

Draco gripped Y/N’s hand tighter as he pushed himself to step forwards. Left foot right foot left foot right foot. But it was no use. The wind was too strong, and the snow was too high. His entire pant leg was soaked up to his shins. He looked behind him to see Y/N was struggling as well. Her hair was blowing violently, and she had her free hand up in an attempt to shield her face. Draco looked forward again and continued to trudge ahead. They were almost to the stairs now. 

Suddenly, Draco felt Y/N release his hand. He whipped his head around to see her teetering on her feet,  about to topple over into the snow. Before he could catch her, the wind pushed her backward, and her body collapsed onto the snow, sinking into it. Draco rushed over to his best friend and hurriedly stuck his hands into the snow so he could get a grip on her torso. Once he got a good hold, he locked his knees and lifted her out of the snow. She was shivering like a leaf, and her robes were now soaked. Draco could clearly see the redness of her cheeks and the purple of her lips. He was afraid of what might happen to her if they kept pressing on, so in a split-second decision, he positioned his hands underneath her armpits and raised her up and into his arms. Luckily, she got the message and swiftly wrapped her trembling legs around Draco’s waist and her arms around his neck. Once Draco was sure she was secure, he began heading back to the tent. With the wind now at his back, he got himself and Y/N inside in no time at all.

It wasn’t much warmer within the tent, but at the least, it blocked out the wind and snow, and that’s all Draco needed. He raced to the nearest bench and gingerly sat Y/N down onto it. Once she was settled, he took his bag off his back and ripped it open with shakey hands. The black handle caught his eye instantly. He reached for his wand and pulled it out pronto. Without a moment's hesitation, he muttered, “Incendio.” A small flame burst from the tip of his wand. “Hold your hands out,” he told Y/N. She listened to him and raised her hands to the warm fire. Draco patiently held his wand steady as she tried to get warm. However, after a few minutes, Y/N was still shivering aggressively. “I’m n-not gonna g-get w-warm until I g-get dry,” she stuttered through chattering teeth. Draco nodded and put out the flame on his wand, and hastily cast the hot air charm. A gust of wind blew through Y/N’s clothes and dried her right up. When she regained her composure, she said, “Thanks. S-shall I do you as well?” 

“That’d be nice, yes. Are you feeling any warmer?” 

“Not quite yet. But maybe if we keep casting this spell, we can fight off the cold,” Y/N mused. Draco chuckled. “That is certainly an idea, but we can’t stay here forever. We need to get back.” The same warm air he cast on her flew through him as Y/N returned the spell. It melted the snow on his shoulders. He thanked her with a nod and took a seat next to her on the old wooden bench. “Got any ideas, Y/L/N?” he asked while relighting the flame with his wand. She sighed. Her body was still shuddering. “All I know is I am not going back out there. S-suppose we should just wait for s-someone to find us?” she asked. Draco shrugged. “I thought of that as well, but I doubt anyone is venturing out into that anytime soon,” he said, gesturing to the storm raging on beyond the tent walls. “We’d have to wait until the blizzard is over before anyone attempts to locate us. And who knows how long that could be?”

Draco watched as a deep frown appeared on Y/N’s face. He knew she was afraid. Frankly, he was too. He felt like an idiot. How was it that after five years at Hogwarts, all he could do for them was light a small flame? He had pondered creating a makeshift fire pit on the ground, but the earth was likely too cold, and what if it spread? Then what would they do? Draco felt lost. He glanced around the tent, trying to look for an answer. And then he saw it—his broom. Of course!

“Y/L/N, our brooms!” he yelled abruptly, startling the girl beside him. “What do you mean?” she asked. “Our brooms! We can ride them back to the castle. Merlin, why didn’t I think of it before?” he wondered aloud as he jumped to his feet and grasped his broom between his fingers. Long ago, his father had bought the entire team Nimbus 2001s, and even though it had been roughly four years since then, the brooms still held up strong. Draco swelled with pride; he was confident they’d be able to fly them to safety. But then he looked at Y/N and his smile faded. She was still on the bench, her fingers clutching it tightly. Draco propped up his broom and walked over to the girl, kneeling on the ground before her. He took her hands in his, making her look at him. “You’re having doubts?” Draco questioned. Y/N nodded; her face looked grim. “I just… I-I don’t know, Malfoy. It doesn’t seem s-safe. I mean, what if one of us f-falls? What if I turn around and y-you’re gone? What if the wind is too strong and w-we can’t make it or what if we can’t see, o-or—”

“Shh,” Draco shushed her gently. “We can do it. I’ve seen you on your broom; you’re quicker than a bird. We have our goggles; we’ll be able to see. And if you fall, I’ll come back for you,” he assured her. Y/N grimaced. She was still afraid. Draco squeezed her hands and stood up, taking her with him. They each already had their gloves on. All they needed were the goggles. Draco pulled his out and put them on his forehead. Y/N reluctantly did the same while the blonde boy took their brooms into his hands. He offered Y/N hers, and they slowly walked to the entryway of the changing room. 

“Are you ready?” Draco asked. Y/N shook her head. “No. No, I-I can’t do this. It’s too risky, Draco,” she stammered. Draco’s heart skipped a beat. She never called him by his first name. It was always his surname, Malfoy. His face must’ve shown his surprise because she immediately tried to backtrack. “I mean, really, Malfoy, don’t you think we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves?” she asked nervously. Draco noticed she was still shivering quite intensely. He wanted nothing more but to hold her in his arms and warm her up, but he needed to know if she wanted that too. He decided to test the waters and call her by her first name as well. “I know it’s intimidating, Y/N,” Draco watched as Y/N’s face faltered upon her name reaching her ears. “But this is the best option we’ve got, and I truly believe we can do this. Have you seen a better seeker than me?” he asked in a joking tone, trying to cheer her up. This was successful; Y/N began to chuckle under her breath. “Oh, I think I have,” she said mischievously. Draco cocked an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?” he prodded. “And who might that be?”

Y/N smirked. “I think you’ve heard of him. His name is Harry Potter,” she stated playfully. Draco narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, trying to make himself appear intimidating. “You take that back, you git.” Y/N squealed and ran away from him just as he took a step towards her. “Make me!” she shouted. “You little…” Draco muttered under his breath before starting to run towards her. Y/N giggled and darted across the tent, diving behind a random Ravenclaw locker. But Draco was hot on her heels, and within seconds, he had cornered her. 

“I’ve got you now, Y/L/N,” Draco declared in a sing-song voice. He lifted his arms to grab her, but then she yelled, “Nope!” as she snuck underneath Draco’s outstretched hands. The boy snickered and watched as she ran to the opposite side of the tent. “Come here, you little minx,” he called after her. Her sweet laughter filled his ears, and he felt his heart pound. She looked so beautiful with that smile on her face. Draco felt as if he was on the moon, knowing that he had put that smile on her face.

After a few minutes more of running around, Draco was able to trick her. Y/N was hiding in a corner, trying to locate her friend. He was right on the other side of the lockers, waiting for her to make a break. And when she did, he was ready. He pounced on her as she turned the corner in front of him. He took her into his arms and held her still. “Damnit!” she yelled. Draco laughed at her reaction and gripped her tighter, her back pressed to his chest. When he determined they had both caught their breaths, he gently loosened his grip and turned her around. When their eyes met, Draco said nothing. He only studied the girl in front of him. Her cheeks were rosy, but not from the cold. Although it was dark in the tent, her eyes seemed to sparkle. Even with her hair all messy and her skin bone dry from the wind, she had never looked more beautiful than she did right then. 

“Are you warm now?” Draco asked softly. Y/N gave him a small smile. “Not quite,” she murmured. Draco breathed in deeply; his heart was pounding in his chest. It was now or never. “Could I hold you?” he whispered. Y/N simply nodded. Draco felt butterflies ambush his stomach, but with surprisingly steady hands, he drew her in close and put his arms around her lower back, pressing his chest against hers. She settled right in, put her head on his shoulder, and exhaled slowly. Her breath formed smoke in the air. Draco couldn’t believe he had her in his arms like this. Sure they had hugged before, but this was… different. It felt intimate. He could feel her heartbeat. He could smell her hair. 

Draco savored that moment. He was fully present in it, and he felt safe in it. That was until she lifted her head and stared into his eyes. Her gaze flickered to his lips, and to Draco's surprise, she said, “Kiss me.” His heart skipped a beat. Without wasting another second, he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. It felt as if fireworks were going off. Draco had yearned for this moment for so long, and it was finally happening. The girl he loved, the girl he adored, was kissing him. 

Then out of nowhere, Draco pulled away, leaving Y/N confused. However, that confusion was soon replaced with joy when Draco spoke. “I love you, Y/N,” he said. “I love how you make every bad day that much brighter. I love how your pranks keep me on my toes. I love your laugh, your smile, your everything, and I… I can hardly bear it. You’re literally the biggest source of my happiness, and I am so lucky to have you in my life. And if we freeze to death out here,” Draco paused as Y/N chuckled lightly, “then at least I can die knowing I finally confessed my feelings for you."

Y/N shook her head in amazement. “Draco Malfoy, you are the most dramatic person I know. I love you too, you wanker," she said before kissing his cheek. "Now enough with the sappy shit, let’s get out of here,” she said calmly as she walked away, leaving Draco alone and, quite frankly, flabbergasted. Y/N seemed to sense this. She turned back to him. “Surely you didn’t think I wasn’t crushing on you, did you?” Draco opened his mouth but found he had nothing to say. “Merlin, Malfoy. Are you that thick? I’ve liked you since our first year!” she shouted. Draco gasped. “You’re lying,” he declared, not wanting to believe it. Y/N rolled her eyes and put a hand to her forehead. “We can discuss this later, come on, I’m getting sick of this place.”

Draco conceded and met her at the exit. They held onto each of their wands and were about to face the music until Draco had an idea. He grabbed Y/N’s hand and stopped her from stepping away. “What?” she asked, her face was scrunched up in confusion. “Let’s ride the same broom. That way, we’ll be heavier, and it’ll be harder for the wind to push us back. And that way, we won’t lose one another,” he said, excited that he had thought of that at the last minute. Y/N rolled her eyes and put her broom back where it had been propped up prior. “What? It’s a good idea!” Draco insisted. “It is, but I wish you would’ve thought of it earlier. Maybe then we could already be sitting by the fire munching on chocolate frogs. I only need one more to complete my collection, you know.”

Draco put an exaggerated frown on his face, earning himself a quick kiss from Y/N. “It’s a lovely idea. Let’s try it out,” she said as she caved. Draco smiled and hopped onto his broom, gesturing to Y/N to do the same. She threw her leg over the broomstick, slid her goggles on, and put her hands on Draco’s waist. “Hold me tighter. You won’t hurt me,” Draco instructed her. He felt her arms snake around his stomach and squeeze. And with that, Draco pressed forward and out into the storm.

When they left the confines of the quidditch tent, they were immediately met with the painfully cold wind. The storm had not ceased its intensity in the slightest. It was more or less a winter wonderland, a bright one at that. Even though she had goggles, Y/N still felt the need to shield her eyes by burying her face into Draco’s back, leaving the Slytherin boy to navigate all by himself. However, it seemed as though his hypothesis was correct. The combined weight of each of them allowed the pair to, miraculously, cut right through the storm. They were streaking through the white sky, weaving around the trees and soaring past the Owlery. Then Draco had an idea. He gripped his broom firmly and called out to Y/N, “Hold on!” With a deep breath, he leaned forward and spun them right into a barrel roll, eliciting a scream from Y/N. Draco laughed at her reaction while zooming over the Quad. Finally, though, he landed them in front of the doors to the entrance hall.

Once on the snowflake covered ground, they slid off the broom and ran up to the polished wooden doors. Draco tried the handle and found that it was locked. He angrily whipped out his wand and bellowed, “Alohomora!” The doors slowly creaked open, and Draco quickly ushered Y/N inside before following after her and slamming the door shut behind them. When the storm was blocked out, the lovers looked at one another and let out an enormous sigh of relief. Y/N slid her goggles off her face and dropped her bag onto the floor. Draco did the same, then propped his broom against the stone castle wall. He turned back to Y/N, and upon seeing the circles indented into her skin from her goggles, he began to giggle. “What’re you laughing at?” she asked. This only made Draco chuckle more, and without saying anything, he brought his hands to his eyes, mocking the rings on her face. Y/N sighed while Draco wheezed and held his stomach. “Really, Draco? You are an absolute child.” This caught Draco's attention.

“Hey! Says the one who started a game of tag while a blizzard was raging on outside and actively burying us in snow,” Draco retorted. Y/N rolled her eyes. “Oh, shove off, Malfoy. It was fun, am I not allowed to have fun?” Draco put his index finger and thumb to his chin, faking contemplation. “Stopp,” Y/N whined while stomping her foot, making Draco’s heart expand with fondness. He smiled and walked over to her, drawing her into his arms. “Come here, darling. I’m sorry for teasing you.” He went to put his head on her shoulder, but suddenly, Y/N wiggled out of his arms. He looked at her quizzically. “Darling?” she asked incredulously, her eyebrow cocked. Draco felt blush fill his cheeks. “Well, I just thought…”

“You thought what? That you could call me darling simply because we kissed?” Draco grimaced and averted his eyes. He felt like an absolute fool. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have just assumed—” 

Y/N interrupted Draco’s stammering, “At least ask me out first…”

Draco closed his eyes, feeling his initial panic dissipate. He thought he was in trouble, but it seems as though Y/N was only playing with him. He felt her begin to laugh in his arms. His eyes flickered open to see her smiling at him brightly. “Alright, then, would you—”

Draco was once again cut off, but this time it was by Adrian Pucey, a fellow Slytherin. He was a chaser on their quidditch team. “There you guys are! We thought you were lost in the storm. Where have you been?” he asked. A look of confusion overtook his face when he noticed the position they were in. “Why are you guys hugging?” Draco and Y/N’s faces burned, and they immediately let each other go. 

“We were in the locker room. Took Draco’s broom out into the blizzard and luckily were able to get back. Has dinner been served yet?” Y/N asked, successfully dodging Adrian’s question. “Oh yeah, it’s meatloaf tonight. If you hurry, you can still get some,” Adrian informed them. “Great, thanks, mate,” Draco replied while giving him a wave. Adrian seemed to get the message and retreated back down the corridor from whence he came, leaving Y/N and Draco alone once again.

“As I was saying—”

“Meet me outside the common room at eight tomorrow night,” Y/N said while giving Draco a couple pats on his chest. “See you then?”

Draco looked at the girl in front of him, a bewildered expression on his face. He nodded rapidly. “Y-yeah, I’ll um see you then,” he replied. Y/N smirked and pressed a kiss to his cheek before sauntering down the hallway, leaving Draco shocked but also somewhat fuzzy inside. “Bloody hell." he brought his hand to the back of his neck. "That girl will be the death of me,” he murmured as he watched her walk away, knowing he was going to spend the remainder of his time before their date thinking only of her. 

Taglist: @beiahadid @pastelpuffbar  @cutie1365 @dracoxmgg @lumlfy @sambucky8 @emilianamason @raplinethereal @dixiethemorab24  @xoxohollands  @prongsandprancer @ch0kemedracomalfoy​ @avaluriaa @victoriaporges

[miracleonice87]

juliaswinterwriting challenge, pt. 2

1. “Take another step and I can’t be held responsible for my actions.” with Mathew Barzal

a/n: finally! my second of two submissions for @wondershawns winter writing challenge. 6.6K. also features Mat’s boyfriend Beau lol. 

summary: Mat has been falling for Beau’s cousin Genevieve since the day he met her. the main thing standing in his way? her. 

warnings: swearing. alcohol. a smattering of angst. mentions of sex (not explicit). a healthy dose of fluff.

_____

Mat couldn’t have heard his best friend correctly. Convinced of that, he shook his head and tried to snap himself out of his stupor.

“Wait, Beau… what?”

“Yeah, Genevieve’s moving in with me,” Beau repeated casually, slapping a puck into the back of the net. “Finally convinced her. She just broke up with that idiot and she’s gonna go to NYU.”

The guys were on the ice at the practice facility for the first time since arriving back in New York after a long summer. They were conducting an informal skate to get their feet under them again, but most of the time had been spent simply catching up with one another — shooting pucks, yes, but also shooting the breeze. Mat had enjoyed the laidback nature of the on-ice session thus far, but he felt an undeniable jolt of electricity in his every nerve when Beau said that name — the one that elicited a thousand different feelings all at once.

Genevieve.

The girl who shared her cousin Beau’s big blue eyes and endless charm, but had a sassy wit and tender heart all of her own. The girl who was more like his teammate’s sister than a more distant relative. The girl who Mat had fallen for the very first day he met her, when Beau invited him to his family home in Quebec for a visit, now three summers ago. The girl who he’d been hopelessly, helplessly entranced by ever since.

Suddenly, a rubber disc was flying at Mat’s feet, the product of Marty dishing him a pass from the opposite side of the zone, expecting Mat to tap it into the goal as they’d already done a dozen times that afternoon. Instead, Mat let it whiz past him, only giving the puck so much as a glance when it bounced off the half-wall.

“Barzy!” Marty yelled from the far boards with a surprised chuckle, smacking his blade on the ice repeatedly. “Fuckin’ pay attention, kid!”

“You hockey much?” Beau teased, furrowing his brows at his teammate’s blank expression. Beau thought to himself that it looked as though Mat had just seen a ghost. “What’s’a matter with you?”

Mat turned to see Marty, Beau, Ebs, and Anders all looking at him as if he were a creature from a different planet. He cleared his throat and hunched once more overtop his skates, gliding in a tight circle before he faced them again.

“Nothin’,” he said nonchalantly, with a sniff. He put his stick to the ice and readied himself, trying to push Beau’s revelation to the back of his mind and focus on the task at hand. “Let’s go again.”

“Wait,” Marty said, putting a gloved hand up to halt the skating men around him. “I forgot. Isn’t Barzy, like, in love with that girl?”

Beau slowly turned his head toward Mat, who swallowed hard, trying to will his cheeks not to redden. Anders and Ebs chuckled, hands resting atop the knobs of their sticks.

“Shut up, Marty,” Mat nearly pleaded, anxiously tapping his stick on the ice. “Just... let’s go again. Come on.”

_____

In the three years since they’d first met, the math broke down pretty simply: Genevieve had had a boyfriend for all of those three years, until a month ago; Mat had kissed her exactly once on the forehead after putting her drunk ass to bed during a weekend visit to Beau’s; and they had made exactly zero progress toward becoming what Mat had always wanted them to be. Together.

One more number was soon added to the equation, not long after she moved to the city — the number one. Sponsored by the number of times they’d now had sex.

Genevieve’s twenty-first birthday fell right after she started at NYU as a junior transfer, when the Isles boys had just started camp. After a night at the club celebrating her, in a vodka-induced haze, with Tito’s attention wrapped up in a pretty blonde, Mat and Genevieve snuck away from the group, into an Uber, and off to his apartment in Brooklyn.

Mat realized immediately that he’d never felt a high like the one he did when she was kissing him, and he chased it all night long. He lost himself in her in every way as they melded together between his sheets.

He truly thought that her birthday was going to be the start of something between them. Something real. More than just a childish crush, stolen glances, and timid, blushing stares.

Which is why his heart broke when he awoke the next morning, after their passionate night gave way to dawn and the effects of the alcohol had faded, to hear Genevieve speaking quietly on the phone.

“Yeah, yeah, I went home with someone... No, you don’t know him. Just a guy from class.”

Mat felt a tightness in his throat and tried to swallow it.

“Shut up, Anth,” Genevieve said with a lighthearted groan.

Shit. Of course it was Beau.

“Brunch? Uh... yeah. Yeah, I can do brunch. I just have to come back to your place and change first... No, no, I’ll just grab an Uber. Yes, I’m sure.”

She was leaving. She was trying to sneak out of his place, while he was presumably still asleep. Despite that, pathetic as he felt for it, he didn’t want her to go. That was the last thing he wanted.

“Okay. Yeah, that’s fine. Okay, see you then. Bye.” Genevieve ran a hand through her dark locks and blew out a long breath.

“Who was that?” Mat muttered in a sleepy voice, making Genevieve jump. Despite trying to ignore it, he couldn’t help but notice the way she pulled his sheets tighter around her naked body at the realization that he was, indeed, awake. His chest clenched at the sight. Genevieve cleared her throat, stalling, before answering.

“That was Anth,” she said, tossing her phone on the bed in front of her. Mat watched the way her bare spine hunched as she sighed and then looked at him over her freckled shoulder. It took everything in Mat not to lean over and pepper her soft skin with warm kisses.

“He wants to go to brunch. The three of us. He’s gonna text you and invite you. He doesn’t know I’m here...” she spoke, wringing her fingers.

“Okay,” Mat said quietly, sitting up on an elbow. “Well, I’ll drive you back to his place—“

“No, no. I’m just gonna order an Uber,” she said hastily, followed by another long sigh. He wrinkled his brow, confused.

“We can’t tell him, Mat,” Genevieve said sadly, tossing him a forlorn glance, her fingers pressing into her temple. “We just... I can’t. I’m sorry.”

His heart broke a bit right then. In his mind, they would admit the truth about last night to Beau this morning, he would chirp them about it endlessly but be happy that they were happy, and they would all live happily ever after.

Evidently, Genevieve had different plans.

“So I’m gonna go, and then you can meet us at the cafe. Okay?” she asked, turning to face him straight on, seemingly so that he saw as little of her nude form as possible, despite having seen all of it last night.

Mat nodded, swallowing again. “You’re sure this is what you want?”

They both knew he wasn’t talking about the Uber. He was referencing something much more consequential than her ride home.

Genevieve pressed her lips together, looking down at her lap before meeting his eyes again. She nodded slowly.

“I just... I don’t think this is a good idea, Maty. I just got out of a relationship, and I don’t know how Anth would feel about...” She gestured between the two of them. Mat tried not to flinch, though he nearly did just that.

He nodded. Genevieve noted the pain in his eyes and averted her own to avoid being crushed by the knowledge that she had singlehandedly inflicted it upon him. Eventually, he found his voice again.

“Okay. Fine. I understand, I guess. I think you know how I feel about you, especially now, but it’s... it’s whatever you wanna do, G,” Mat said.

Genevieve blinked at him a few times, and for a fleeting moment as she opened her mouth, he thought she might change her mind.

His hopes crashed down in front of him as she shifted uncomfortably under the covers and requested, “Can you maybe just... look away while I get dressed?”

That time, Mat flinched.

_____

Mat couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw who was calling as he made his way home from the rink after practice on a snowy Monday nearly three months later, in early December. He pressed the green button on his dash display, said hello, and her fluttering voice filled his car.

“Mat… hi! Are you busy?”

Even if he were, Mat would’ve lied.

“No, no, not at all. What’s going on, G? How are you?” he asked as he switched lanes, fingers suddenly drumming on the steering wheel as nervous energy coursed through him.

Since the morning after they’d hooked up, the most they had communicated directly was texting half a dozen or so times, with Genevieve congratulating Mat on a good game or Mat asking if she knew where Beau was. Occasionally they’d bump into each other after a game, the ones she could actually make it to given her insane class schedule, or at the bar, and they’d both hug awkwardly and inevitably blush like schoolchildren. Mat missed her like hell, and he gently reminded her of that each time they touched base, but he respected her decision, even if he wasn’t fully convinced it was the right one.

Little did he know, Genevieve wasn’t fully convinced, either, but she willed herself to stand her ground, despite the sway he still held over her, without him even realizing it.

“I’m good. I’m good. Listen, um, I know this probably seems out of the blue, but… would you wanna meet up for coffee?” he heard her ask.

Mat’s brows shot up at her inquiry. He had long ago written off any chance at spending alone time with her and was caught off guard by her invitation.

“Sure,” Mat answered, though somewhat hesitantly. “I’d love to, you know that.”

She must have heard the surprise in his voice because she followed up with, “It’s just, I really miss you… and besides, there’s something else I need to talk to you about.”

Mat couldn’t keep the smug expression from his face. “Oh yeah? Other than just how much you miss me?” he asked arrogantly. He could practically hear Genevieve roll her eyes as she huffed into the phone.

“Just shut up and come here, you egomaniac,” she giggled. “I’m at my usual spot.”

“Alright, I’ll be there in fifteen. See you then. And, G?”

“Uh huh?”

A smile twitched at Mat’s lips as he replied.

“I’m glad you called,” he said, sincerity dripping from his words.

He heard the smile in her voice when she remarked, “I’m glad you answered. See you soon.”

_____

When Mat walked into the coffee shop minutes later, Genevieve was holed up at a corner table, notebooks and loose papers alike strung before her in a mass of organized chaos. She touched the tip of her tongue to her top lip and squinted at her laptop screen through her thick, tortoise-shell framed glasses.

Mat had never seen her wearing glasses before. Though he didn’t even think such a feat was possible, he fell a little more in love with her and became a little more tortured by her right then and there.

He approached her slowly so as not to startle her. As he came nearer, she didn’t even look up, deep in concentration as she typed. When she finally glanced away from her screen and toward a notebook across the table from her, Mat playfully crouched into her line of vision, tilting his chin upward as he waited for her to spot him.

Eventually, her eyes met his and immediately glimmered. She flushed slightly, putting her hand to her forehead with a groan.

“Oh, god, Maty, how long have you been standing there?” Genevieve asked, an apology in her tone.

Mat smiled and tried not to dwell on the way his pulse quickened when his nickname fell from her lips. “Long enough to observe that you might need your glasses prescription changed. You’re not supposed to squint at your screen like that, G,” he warned, approaching her and scanning the multitude of documents before her. “What is all this?” he asked, letting his gaze drift back to hers.

“It’s for my event this weekend. That’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about,” Genevieve responded tentatively. “But first, coffee,” she said, reaching for her wallet tucked inside her bookbag.

Mat reached for her hand, pushing it away and shaking his head.

“No, c’mon,” he insisted. “Let me. What can I get you?”

Genevieve looked at their touching fingers as he slowly pulled his away, then she gave him that killer half-grin of hers and breathed a sigh, giving into him since she knew trying to protest was useless.

“How ‘bout a peppermint tea? I think I’m overcaffeinated at this point anyway so I should probably take it easy on the coffee,” she admitted with a chuckle as she tucked some hair behind her ear. Mat nodded.

“Smart girl. Tea coming right up,” he promised with a squeeze of her shoulder. Genevieve thanked him and watched as he sauntered to the counter to stand in line.

His hair was longer, and she thought it made him look even more handsome, if that was even imaginable. He caught her ogling at him as he turned the corner to wait for his order, and she simply pursed her lips into a tight smirk and tried to refocus on her notes. He tried to refocus on anything but her. They both were clumsy in their attempts.

When he returned, he placed a large paper cup before her and she wrapped her hands around it with an appreciative hum.

“You’re the best,” Genevieve praised. He waved her off as he took a sip of his cappuccino.

“So why have I been summoned here, G?” Mat then asked, teasing in his question.

Genevieve bit at her full bottom lip and Mat tried to force his eyes not to linger there as she snapped her notebook shut and readjusted herself in her chair, clearing her throat.

“Okay, so you know I’m taking this event planning class this semester? It’s part of my major. And our final project is to plan a large-scale event,” she began, and he nodded as he sipped at his coffee, amused by her bubbly mannerisms as she spoke. “Well, so… a friend of mine in class kind of accidentally let slip that I’m Anthony’s cousin, and it turns out that the prof is friends with some Isles execs. She suggested that I plan a gala to benefit the team children’s foundation, and obviously since the professor fed me that idea, I couldn’t really say no. Especially since it’s 50 percent of my final grade, and obviously because it’s for such a great cause.” Mat nodded again, already seeing where this was going, but not exactly minding it.

“So since you guys don’t play this Saturday night, Anth had originally told me that he would go and kinda be the face of the team for me, but he backed out this morning,” Genevieve said, playing absentmindedly with her fingers in her lap. Mat was getting ready to take another swig when she added that last little tidbit, and he narrowed his eyes at her as he lowered his cup.

“What do you mean he backed out? What the hell else does he have to do?” Mat didn’t try to hide his annoyance — Beau had practically begged this poor girl to come and live with him and go to school in New York, and now he was jeopardizing her academic future?

“I don’t know,” Genevieve shrugged. “He said some girl he’s been talking to bought him tickets to the Nets game on Saturday night and he—“

“Oh, you gotta be fuckin’ kidding me...” Mat spat, then noticed the disappointment in her features, and immediately softened. “So, what can I do to help?” he asked, deciding that he would deal with the Beau issue later.

She leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, and drew a deep breath as she summoned the courage to make her request.

“I was wondering if... if you’d go with me?” she eventually mumbled.

Mat was certain he had misheard, just like that day months ago on the ice. He licked his bottom lip quickly and sat back in his chair.

“Say again?” he deadpanned.

“I was wondering if you’d come with me,” Genevieve spoke, clearer and faster this time. “I know I don’t even deserve to ask you a favor like that, and you probably already have plans anyway, and I—“

“G, stop,” Mat interrupted dryly.

“It’s not like you’re my second choice or anything,” Genevieve continued, talking with her hands just like Beau did when he got flustered. “I wanted to ask you — really, I did. Trust me. It’s just… I was afraid Anth would be weird so—“

“G, stop,” Mat laughed, his voice firmer this time as his hand moved to rest on her knee. “I don’t need an explanation. Of course I’ll come with you. I’d be honored.”

Genevieve finally exhaled, throwing her hands over her face in sheer excitement and shaking her head back and forth.

“Ugh, Mathew Barzal, I could kiss you right now!” she exclaimed before she could pay a second thought to her words. She covered her mouth then, eyes bugging behind her glasses. Mat couldn’t help but giggle at her reaction.

“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” he quipped softly as he raised his coffee to his lips once more, smirking pompously at Genevieve as she breathed a laugh.

As she launched into the details of the event — what he should wear, what she would need from him, when he could pick her up — he found himself spacing. No detail she shared much mattered to him — not really. It didn’t affect his decision. No matter what this would cost him, literally or figuratively, he was all in.

All in on the gala, all in on Genevieve. All in.

She was letting him in, however little, and he planned to take full advantage of the opportunity. 

Mat insisted on giving Genevieve a ride to Beau’s apartment after they’d finished their drinks, convincing her that she needed to take a break from working and get a change of scenery. Surprisingly, she complied. He realized as she sat in his passenger seat just how much he had missed the way he felt in her presence. The world seemed to be in full color only when Genevieve was by his side.

Sadly, the drive was a short one, and soon Genevieve was hurriedly pulling her bookbag into her lap as Mat pulled over to the curb near the building’s entrance. Preparing for her to jump out of the car without giving him a second look, Mat was surprised when he felt her fingertips grasp his jaw. She placed a lingering kiss to his cheek, closer to his mouth than could be called chaste, and smoothed her thumb across the stubble on his chin.

“I really have to go, even though I don’t want to, but thanks a million, Maty,” Genevieve said, beaming at him as she pulled the straps of her bag onto her shoulders. “I can’t wait for this weekend. Bye.”

With that, she was scampering off, throwing him one last smile before disappearing through the doorway.

With a pursed exhale, Mat rested his forehead against the steering wheel and tried to talk himself down from the clusterfuck his brain had just launched into at her actions.

_____

The week dragged on for Mat. When Saturday finally arrived, he took far longer than usual to get ready, even FaceTiming his sister for her recommendations on the best tie and shoe combination to match his navy suit.

When Liana furrowed her eyebrows, curious why he cared so much about what he wore to what seemed to her to be a fairly routine team event, Mat knew what was coming and braced for it as she opened her mouth.

“Is this like a date or something—“

“Goodbye, Liana. Thank you,” Mat said curtly, cutting her off and quickly ending the call. Of course, it rang again immediately, but Mat chose to ignore it and tucked the device in his pocket as he gave himself one last glance in the mirror.

When the phone rang yet again, he huffed, prepared to answer and then immediately hang up on his dear, annoying baby sister, when he noticed it wasn’t Liana this time.

Stepping into his closet to choose an overcoat, he smiled and tapped the green button.

“Don’t tell me you’re cancelling on me now, G,” Mat said, half in jest, half in masked terror. “I just got dressed.”

To his dismay, Genevieve sounded panicked on the other end of the line.

“Uh, no, quite the opposite, actually,” she said nervously. “I’m kind of — okay, well, completely — freaking out over here, and I was wondering if you could maybe come over early and convince me not to call my professor and tell her I’m sick so I don’t have to see what a complete disaster this night turns out to be?”

Mat had pulled on a coat and flicked off the lights in his closet while she was talking, and he shifted the phone to his other ear to respond once she stopped rambling.

“Don’t do that,” he said firmly. “I’m leaving now. Sit tight. I’ll be right there, okay?”

Mat heard her breathe a sigh of relief. “You’re the best, Maty,” she said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

His smile widened — he was always happy to play the role of knight in shining armor, but it meant more to him to be able to play it for Genevieve. His chest puffed with each word of her gratitude.

“You’re welcome, love,” he said before he realized the pet name that fell from his lips. But he couldn’t regret it, refused to even try, so he bid her goodbye for now and headed for the parking garage to ride away on his white stallion — er, Cadillac.

Ten minutes later — after navigating a route that should have taken at least fifteen — he was on her doorstep, the dozen red roses he had bought that morning in hand. Mat tried to act as though he wasn’t surprised to find her still in a set of Beau’s Isles sweats, donning her glasses, with her makeup half-finished and her hair not yet fixed. He glanced at the clock above her head that indicated only about forty minutes until they needed to leave the apartment, but decided to ignore that minor detail.

“Hi, gorgeous,” Mat said charmingly, extending the flowers to her. “These are for you. For good luck.”

Genevieve’s lips turned up momentarily into a grin, then folded into a frown, and she looked as though she may burst into tears at any moment. Forcing his way in the door, Mat set the bouquet on the entry table and gathered her into his chest, resting a hand on the back of her head and rubbing small circles on her back with the other.

“Hey, hey,” he soothed. “What’s goin’ on, G? Talk to me, baby.” Oh, shit. Another pet name. He really had to stop doing that.

Genevieve seemed unaffected by the term, though, and drew a shaking breath before squeezing his waist tightly and stepping away.

“Everything! This event is gonna crash and burn and it’s all my fault,” she cried, flinging her hands skyward for dramatic effect.

“What do you mean?” Mat inquired. “And while we talk, why don’t we go to your room so you can keep getting ready?” he added, placing a gentle hand to her hip. Thankfully, she nodded, despite heaving a sigh. As he turned them down the hall, she let her swirling thoughts erupt.

“The caterer called an hour ago and said they didn’t put in an order big enough for tonight so they’re gonna have to supplement the food with basically whatever they can find,” Genevieve began as they entered her room, motioning for Mat to take a seat on her meticulously made bed, which felt far more intimate than he was prepared for, not that he was complaining. She sat on the vanity bench nearby and hurriedly applied eyeshadow to her lids, prattling all the while. As she spoke, Mat glanced down at the dress laid out on the foot of the bed on a hanger, and he swore he forgot his own name for a moment as he gaped at it blankly.

“And I specifically ordered peonies, not poppies. Like how the fuck does a florist mess that up! I just—“

“Wait, sorry to interrupt, but this is what you’re wearing?” Mat choked out, sliding the shiny fabric between his first two fingers and thumb. Genevieve nodded, hurriedly fastening on a pearl cluster earring smack dab in the midst of her blush and bronzer routine.

“Yeah, Anthony insisted on taking me shopping and made me buy the most expensive goddamn dress in the store for some reason,” she grumbled. Mat made a mental note to thank Beau profusely. “I told him I couldn’t accept it but — wait, why? You hate it, don’t you?”

Mat’s eyes bugged at her question before he swallowed hard, shaking his head furiously. “No, no, it’s just... you’re gonna look so unfair,” he chuckled. Genevieve gave him a disbelieving look.

“Hardly,” she disagreed, apparently not noticing how gone he was at the moment. “Anyways, it doesn’t matter what I wear because it’s going to be an absolute shit show.”

She threw a fluffy brush into her makeup caddy with a clatter, and Mat approached where she sat fussing over herself anxiously in the mirror. She couldn’t help but notice the way her breath caught in her throat when his long fingers came to rest on her shoulders, stretching to her collarbone as he gazed at her intensely in their reflection. She felt herself relax under his touch.

“I know you’ve convinced yourself of that,” Mat began, his voice low, slow, sincere. “And that probably nothing I say will change your mind. But even if the food is wrong and the flowers are wrong and it doesn’t look exactly how you pictured it, it’s still gonna be a success. Because you made it happen. And you’re the most organized, most dedicated, hardest-working person I know,” he said as she finished applying her lipstick and sat up straight with a long, calming breath.

“And you’re the sweetest person I know,” she admitted airily. Mat beamed, squeezing her trap muscles. “Thank you,” she added, her hand finding his and bringing it to her lips, their eyes never straying from one another’s in the mirror until she stood up to face him.

He threw her hair over her shoulders and gawked at the perfect placement of her makeup, however much she had rushed its application.

“Makeup,” Mat spoke, drawing a pretend v-shape in thin air. “Check. One thing at a time.”

She snickered a bit, her hands ghosting across his suit coat for a moment, enchanted, before she snapped back to the task at hand.

“Okay, I have to go curl my hair, and then get dressed. And then, I’m ready,” she promised as Mat nodded and slowly returned to his seat on her bed. As she pulled a pair of strappy heels from underneath the bedskirt, he smiled down at her so fondly, and she realized she wouldn’t mind having him sitting right here more often.

Certainly wouldn’t mind.

She tossed Mat a wink as she picked up the dress, too, and hustled into the bathroom, suddenly feeling much more confident than she had without his presence — his reassurance.

Fifteen minutes later, after chattering with Mat through the door while taming her hair, she pulled on the dress and smoothed her hands over the skirt of it, tugged on her heels, and pulled open the door.

Mat stopped abruptly in the middle of a story about razzing her cousin at practice and stood to his feet, neither moving an inch.

Finally, Genevieve sighed and motioned toward her attire.

“So?” she spoke simply. “Acceptable?”

Mat scoffed, literally scoffed, and repeated, “Acceptable?” He rubbed a hand over his mouth and couldn’t help the boyish giggle he let out. “More than acceptable, G. You look... wow. Incredible. So incredible.”

Genevieve could admit to herself that she was pleased with his reaction — in fact, she couldn’t quite seem to detach her eyes from his face as his stare roamed her figure. She leaned against the doorpost and smirked.

“Remember what I said earlier this week? About how I could just kiss you right now?” she asked mischievously. He nodded slowly, eyes still studying the way her dress pulled tight in exactly the right places, then finding their way back to hers. “Kinda feeling that way again right now,” she added.

He exhaled sharply, standing up straighter, as she took a couple of paces toward him.

“Is that so?” he teased. She nodded, chewing at the inside of her cheek. Mat hummed in anticipation as she came ever closer. “You sure about that?” he asked firmly, extending his arms with his palms out toward her, trying his damnedest to keep her at a distance.

She only nodded again, a gleam in her eye, and paused just a couple of feet from him, waiting for his approval.

“Take another step looking like that and I can’t be held responsible for my actions,” Mat warned, giving her one final out.

A small laugh passed through Genevieve’s nose, and she looked down at their feet as she daringly moved forward.

“I’m okay with that,” she whispered as she looked back to his face. Mat only quirked his brow in response.

“I think it’s time I focus less on pushing you away, and more on just…” Genevieve tenderly wrapped her arms around Mat’s neck. “Just finally letting things happen the way they’re supposed to,” she spoke.

Mat froze for a moment, then broke into an enormous grin. “Yeah?” he asked in awe.

She bit down on her bottom lip and nodded, driving him insane. He pressed her lower back into his body as she assured, “Yeah. This is what I want.”

Mat barely let her speak that last word before capturing her lips in a searing kiss — all the nerves and anxiety about avoiding this melting away in a heartbeat as she moaned softly into his mouth, eliciting a smile from him against her skin.

“You’re beautiful, G,” Mat whispered when he finally came up for air. “You know that?” Genevieve blushed and tried to hide her face in Mat’s chest, but with a roll of his eyes, he caught her chin between his thumb and index finger and angled her face toward his own.

“No, none of that,” he said. “I’ve waited this long to be with you, G. Just let me look at you and tell you how gorgeous you are.”

Mat felt the warmth of her cheeks as he caressed them with the backs of his hands, losing himself in her criminally blue eyes.

“You are something else, Maty,” she said, letting her hands rest on his taut stomach as she leaned into him. “Now we really have to go, or we’re gonna be late.” With one last kiss pressed against his lips, Genevieve spun away from him, grabbed the pearl clutch from her bed, and tossed him a particularly wicked glance over her shoulder, laughing at his dumbfounded expression as she drifted out of the room.

And as he watched her walk away from him, hips swaying beneath the satin of her dress...

Mat knew he had no choice but to follow wherever she led.

_____

Whether she was aware of it or not, the girl knew how to command a room.

As Mat watched Genevieve engage the many high-profile sponsors and potential donors in the ballroom, he found himself thinking that he really didn’t even need to be here. She had this in the bag, and he was just arm candy for the night. And he realized he didn’t mind a bit.

Even so, he couldn’t help but swell with pride when she regularly turned away from conversations throughout the evening, searching the many faces in the crowd until she found his, her shoulders relaxing and her eyes flashing with affection when she finally did.

Finally, Mat sensed that the peace he had long ago found in her, she now felt in him. Nothing could ever make him happier than that.

Despite having different food and flowers than what Genevieve had planned, the event was a smashing success. She learned from her professor near the end of the gala that they had raised a quarter of a million dollars for the Islanders Children’s Foundation in this single night — a figure which made her nearly choke on her champagne and subsequently back Mat into a coat closet to reveal privately. Only he was more excited about the triumph than she, clutching excitedly at her sides as he pulled her to himself for a fiery kiss and gleefully congratulated her, both of them trying to stay as quiet as possible to remain undetected. When they regained their composure, they walked regally arm in arm back into the ballroom to say their thank you’s and goodbyes.

As they waited outside for the valet, Mat held Genevieve from behind, his arms encircling her waist under the grand stone archways of the old building. In her ear, he whispered her praises, pressing a kiss to her temple or jaw between each adjective as they awaited their ride.

“Smart. Beautiful. Capable. Stunning. Perfect. Worthy. Mine.”

That last one prompted her to spin in his arms, unashamed of who might see, and grasp his face for a firm kiss.

“Yours,” she whispered back dreamily.

_____

Soon they were back at her apartment building, rushing down the hall hand in hand, fully prepared to take advantage of Beau’s night on the town. Mat was mouthing hungrily at the back of Genevieve’s neck, from one side to the other, as she squealed and clumsily unlocked the door — a feat which took approximately five times as long as it normally did, considering the distraction hanging off of her, snaking its long arms around her torso as she finally tumbled through the doorway. Mat held onto her hips with a laugh to prevent her from falling on her face onto the tile beneath them, pulling her upward to resume their makeout until…

“Don’t you two look cute.”

Beau’s voice rang from the couch, startling both Mat and Genevieve as she pushed him away to create some distance between them. Mat cleared his throat as he unceremoniously gathered his footing beneath him. They both stood motionless in the entryway for several moments before Genevieve blinked at the basketball game playing on the television.

“Wait. What the hell, Anth… you’re watching the Nets game on TV? What happened to your date?” Genevieve asked as she took a few steps into the living room, tossing her clutch onto the couch so that she could put both hands on her hips and aim as much attitude as possible at her cousin.

“Yeah, I lied about that. The Nets are in Boston tonight, you geniuses,” Anthony informed them casually, taking the last swig from his beer bottle and placing it on the coffee table as he leaned forward.

“What do you mean, you lied? What the fuck, man?” Mat asked, incredulous.

“I did it on purpose!” Anthony bellowed, before the two gaped at him. “You two goons haven’t figured it out on your own by now, so I figured if I ditched, forced you into some alone time, bought G a pretty dress, maybe you’d see yourselves for what you really are. Hopelessly, disgustingly in love with each other. And apparently, it worked.”

Mat ran a hand slowly through his hair, tugging on his locks with a quiet laugh. Genevieve stood still, a hand suspended in mid-air, and whispered, “You planned this?”

Anthony rolled his eyes. “Of course I planned this,” he confirmed. “You really think I would just bail on you at the last minute for some girl? No! I knew you’d ask Mat, and I knew he would come to your rescue, and I knew you guys would have a great night together. Win, win, win.” Anthony rested his back against the couch once more, propping his feet up on the coffee table and folding his hands behind his head as he waggled his eyebrows. “I’m good, huh?” he remarked.

Mat took four quick strides toward his best friend and made a show of grabbing Anthony’s face and pressing a lip-smacking kiss to his forehead, which Anthony giggled over and wiped away, shaking his head.

“You’re my hero, man,” Mat spoke as he returned to Genevieve’s side and tucked her beneath his arm. Timidly, Genevieve asked Anthony, “You mean you’re not mad?”

Anthony’s big eyes grew even wider. “Mad?! My best friend and practically my sister are finally making each other happy. I’d be crazy to be mad! Or I’d be the Grinch. And I’m not the Grinch!” he assured as he pointed towards them.

Genevieve beamed, walking his way and placing a kiss to his cheek, squeezing his arm.

“Merci beaucoup,” she whispered when she pulled back from his face, only to see that he was smiling from ear to ear. He gave her a solemn nod. 

Genevieve extended a hand toward Mat which he accepted gladly, then she turned back to her cousin.

“Well, on that note, since your plan was such a success, and so was my event, Mat and I are gonna go celebrate,” she informed him with a grin. Anthony chuckled and lifted his beer bottle in their direction.

“Cheers to that,” he said. “I’ll just turn up the volume.”

Mat and Genevieve laughed and said goodnight before making their way down the hall. Mat couldn’t close the door fast enough before spinning her and pinning her against it as she smirked, her form melting into his as he kissed her fiercely. For several minutes they stayed there as one, with their parting lips and their breathing the only sounds in the room. Soon, Mat pulled back, both his hands holding Genevieve’s face as he searched her eyes.

“Promise me this is really what you want, G. Promise me you won’t push me away again,” he implored, his voice sounding needier than it ever had. Genevieve felt the stab at her gut upon remembering once more that she’d really almost fucked this up.

She sifted her fingers through his long, coal black hair of his and looked into his green-flecked eyes, which begged her for reassurance. Mat swallowed thickly as she cupped his strong jaw.

“I promise I won’t, Mathew,” she whispered. “I won’t. I can’t. I need you.”

With that, she squeezed his cheeks between her fingers and smothered his lips with her own. Mat tasted the sweet champagne on her skin and moaned.

“Mine,” he said again, gruffly this time, into her ear as he trailed hot kisses down her jaw.

“Yours,” she repeated breathlessly.

[womenofwonder]

*Ahem* Royai, duh?

✋How they met

Surprisingly, they didn’t meet at her father’s house. Not, actually it happened way back in kindergarten. Riza was quiet, and she dressed funny, and she always seemed dirty, so she was an target for bullying in the rather well to do private school they were in. On the first day of school Roy (who was a Casanova even at age six) decided this would be a good time to rescue a helpless damsel from the bullies surrounding her, taunting. Unfortunately, he underestimated the number and size of the kids teasing her and got his ass kicked. Luckily for him Riza quickly stepped into help. She smashed one bully’s nose in with her book and then pulled out a pocket knife. They all left in a hurry. And at that moment, Roy realized he was in love.

😘First kiss

Ah...so the first kiss wasn’t exactly a happy one. It was during Ishval. They had won a pretty important battle and everyone was celebrating. They both got drunk. The kiss felt good, and Riza probably would have been ready for more despite the circumstances (screw it, she was going to die soon anyway) but Roy walked off. Even drunk he couldn’t get rid of the feeling that he didn’t deserve her kisses, especially during a ‘celebration’ of him frying more innocent people. Riza honestly thought he had a problem with her and that was the first time she cried in Ishval.

🤯First fight

It depends on what you mean by fight. They got in a lot of fistfights as kids, but that wasn’t ever personal. They bickered constantly but the only big, painful fight they ever had was on promise day, when she almost had to shoot him. The first lighthearted, bickering fight they ever had was when he was apprenticed to her father and she would remind him to do his homework. Not much has changed, honestly.

🍷First date

When he was still an apprentice to her father, they used to wait until he was asleep and then Roy would take her places. He did it mostly to be nice, because Riza didn’t get a lot of fun and growing up in a brothel met he knew exactly which bars would give a couple of kids drinks. But they were honestly dates in everything but name.

💍How they got engaged

Well, they didn’t make the decision. Grumman declared they were getting married at one of his press conferences. “I have decided to end the anti-fraternization and allow my granddaughter to finally marry General Mustang.” Riza just looked at Mustang and said “Okay.” Later on he did do the entire fancy dinner date and gave her a expensive engagement ring.

💒Wedding

Actually, it was surprisingly small and private. It was really sweet and quiet. To everyone’s surprise Roy made Fullmetal his best man, mostly as a joke. Other than a very insulting speech about how Riza was probably out of her mind to marry such an idiot, he was really nice about everything. Riza’s wedding dress had a very high neck (to hide the scarring) and a very short skirt. She still has a gun holstered to her thigh, wedding or no wedding. Rebecca is the maid of honor, and as Riza honestly doesn’t have many friends both Olivier and Winry are bridesmaids. Of course, Elicia is the flower girl despite being a bit old for it. Hayate is the ring bearer. Just kidding. Maybe.

👶First kid

Riza got pregnant after the first year of the their marriage. It was an accident. Their feelings on the matter were conflicted. On one hand, both were thrilled to have a baby, but in the other hand, it didn’t really fit very well into their plans. How did being a parent figure in with the possibility of future with the fire squad? Not mention both were really worried that they would be horrible parents due to everything they’d done in Ishval. To make things slightly more complicated, it turned out they weren’t going to have one but two children. But when the babies do come: a little Rianna and Thomas, they’re beautiful. Of course, Riza and Roy are great parents and the kids actually help them have more faith in themselves.

🥰A random fluff moment

Riza had forgotten exactly how cold it was up north. Shivering, she blew on her hands in hopes of warming them.

“Here,” Roy said, offering her his coat.

“Don’t you need a coat sir?”

“I had use my flame alchemy to heat myself up,” he said.

“Since when have you mastered that ability sir?”

“Just take the coat.”

She took it.

“You’re shivering an awful lot sir. Are you sure you’re not too cold?”

“N-nope. I-I’m g-r-eat.”

“Sir, really, you can have this coat. You’re going to get frostbite.”

“N-no. You k-keep the coat-t. T-that’s an or-rder.”

Olivier gave them both a look. “Mustang, either freeze to death quietly or kiss her now so we get on with this meeting. I would personally prefer the former, but anything would be better than watching your painful attempts at being a gentleman.”

Riza took advantage of his shock to give him back the coat.

😭A random angsty moment

“Thank you,” she says, as if there’s anything to thank him for. As if he’s not about to torture her.

Roy was good at torturing people. He had plenty of practice at this point. He knew exactly how much of his flame it took to cause a certain amount of pain. At least he could make it hurt as little as possible.

“I won’t scream,” she promised.

“Yeah, you will,” he knew exactly how loud it would be too. He had heard it countless time from countless lips and now he was going to hear it from her.

She nodded, so calm about the entire thing. Took her knife, torn off some of her white coat and wadded it up in her mouth. Stepped forward. Turned around to him.

He told himself to hurry up and do it. Waiting would only hurt her more. It shouldn’t be this hard. He’d done it a hundred times before. What was one more person?

He snapped his fingers, and a familiar smell of burning skin filled the arid desert air.

😩A random hurt/comfort

Riza was exhausted. She wasn’t sure how doing just menial tasks could drain someone so much, but it probably had something to do with the fact that her boss was a homunculus holding her hostage. To make things worst, even coming home was no relief. The shadows were everywhere, even in her small, bare apartment. The second she let herself feel safe, or stopped thinking about the fact that she was being watched constantly, he (or rather it) would remind her. Maybe it was a sudden sense of a creeping bloodlust, or the glimpse of slitted eyes and slices of teeth, all which disappeared the second she looked. She had no privacy. These last few days she hadn’t even dared to bathe.

To make things worst, today someone had broken into her apartment. She couldn’t even fathom why they would do that. Wasn’t the constant surveillance enough? But it was too well down for a common thief. If she hadn’t know better she wouldn’t of even noticed it was broken into. But she had placed a slip of paper in the door when she went out, and now it was gone.

“You’d better have not made a mess of things,” she muttered, hoping Pride could hear it. She opened the door and for a second was frozen in shock.

They hadn’t broken into her apartment at all. Roy had.

Flowers filled up the entire place. Some in vases (really expensive looking ones), some hanging from the ceiling, some just randomly scattered about. In the middle of her kitchen table was a note and bottle of whiskey.

Black Hayate ran up to her, barking happily. She reached down to pet him, rather absentmindedly.

“That idiot,” she murmured, fighting a smile. “He’s crazy.”

She went over to the table and picked up the note.

To 1st Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye,

Look, I’m sorry, but I really didn’t know what to do with the flowers. Please don’t shoot me.

I hope you enjoy the whiskey. It’s really good stuff. And you sounded like you needed it.

Roy Mustang. (Riza had to squint at the doodle next to his name. Was that a heart made out of flames? Really? Yes. Yes it was.)

PS: before you ask, yes, I’m doing my paperwork.

Riza rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t stop smiling. The flowers left plenty of shadows, but for once she couldn’t bother feeling scared. She took a swig of the whiskey and enjoyed the burn down her throat. Black Hayate jumped into her arms, and she cuddled him.

Leave it to Roy. The first time he sent her flowers and he had to give her an entire cart worth.

[justfrozenthings]

A Summer to Remember

Paring: Anna/Kristoff

Rating: T

Word: 5,335

Notes: My piece for the Volume 5 Summer Lovin’ Frozine. To find the complete zine visit the @frozines blog. Huge thank you to @punkpoemprose for putting together another wonderful zine!

Summary: Kristoff and Anna are ready to go on their annual summer vacation to the beach at Ahtohallan. Little does Anna know, Kristoff has a big surprise for her, well...more of a big question really.

Ao3

 “Kris!” Anna Arendelle was currently packing for her and her boyfriend’s annual summer vacation to Ahtohallan. It had become an annual thing they have been doing for the past five years since they started dating. It was the first place they went on vacation as a couple and they had fallen so in love with the charming little town that they had decided to visit every year. And while each trip was a little different, it consisted of at least three things that had remained the same: spending as much time as possible at the beach, going to their favorite diner Reindeer Circle as their special dinner, and staying at the charming The Crocus beachside hotel. Little did Anna know, however, that Kristoff had a surprise that would make this trip more than a little bit different.

 “Which dress do you think I should wear to the diner?” Anna hollered from their bedroom.

 Kristoff stopped what he was doing and sauntered over to their bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed as he admired his girlfriend examining herself in the Rococo style mirror with the two dresses. One was the white sunflower shirtdress that he had gotten her for her twenty-third birthday, because at the time she had an obsession with the 50’s setting movie Grease. The other was a forest green sundress that had lace trimming, he has actually seen her wear this one before, when they went out to eat for his birthday, and he remembered how it hugged her in all the right places and showed off her scattering of freckles.

 “I don’t know. You decide. I’m not the one who will be wearing it,” Kristoff said.

 Anna pursed her lips. “I know, but I just want to look beautiful enough for you,” she pouted.

 A soft smile graced Kristoff’s lips and he walked over to where Anna stood, enveloping her in a loving embrace. He leaned his forehead head against hers causing a small hum to escape her delicate lips.

 “Anna, you always look beautiful. Whether you're wearing clothes or not.”

  Kristoff pushed back her bangs so that he could get a better look at her bluebell eyes, not unaware of the blush that began to tint her cheeks.

 Seeing this as a challenge he leaned down and whispered, “Especially when you’re not.”

 Anna’s blush went from a soft pink to a beat red. Successful with what he wanted to accomplish, Kristoff grinned with pride.

 “Kristoff!” Anna whined. “I’m being serious.”

 “So am I.”

 Anna let out a small huff before standing on her toes so she could entwine her hands behind his neck to give him a small peck on the lips.

 “You know, sometimes you can be very frustrating.”

 “But that’s why you love me.”

 “That, and so many other reasons,” Anna smiled.

 “Oh yeah?” he chuckled, bumping her nose with his. “And what would those be?”

 “Hmm?” Anna tapped her lips with her finger, which should still not be doing things to him.

 She put her arms behind her back and gave him a cheeky little grin.

 “Not telling.”

 “You little minx.”

 Anna picked up the dresses she had dropped on the floor during their embrace and held the sunflower one out in front of her.

 “You know,” she said, “I think I’ll wear this one. Besides, you gave this to me so that makes it special.”

 It was Kristoff’s turn to blush now. She giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek leaving him standing there dumbfounded as she went to put up the other dress.

 Later that night, after dinner they snuggled up on the couch watching reruns of The Office. Kristoff ran his fingers through Anna’s fiery hair, and eventually, she nodded off to sleep. He soon joined her in slumber, allowing his mind to drift to a very important tiny box he had hidden in the top shelf of his dresser.

 ***

 Kristoff had woken up from where he fell asleep on the couch last night, careful not to disrupt Anna as he got up to go make breakfast. He knew she liked to sleep in late and the last thing he needed was upsetting the snoring redhead. While Anna was the kindest person she had ever met, she was also scary as hell. Plus, they wouldn’t be leaving for Ahtohallan till a little after noon anyway, so they weren’t in any kind of rush.

 He raised his arms above his head and stretched, his shirt rising up a bit to reveal some of his toned stomach.

 Turning on the stove, he cracked a few eggs into the frying pan. He made them scrambled, just how Anna liked them. He added an assortment of other things as well like chives and cheese. Early on in their relationship, he had learned that Anna would eat just about anything as long as it had either two things: cheese or chocolate.

 The scent of the delicious concoction of eggs, bacon, and biscuits Kristoff whipped up swirled in the air causing Anna to stir in her sleep. She had tried with all her might to not give in to the delectable aroma, but eventually the mouse had fallen for the trap. Her button nose stuck up to get a better whiff. She looked like a little woodland creature in search of food.

 She followed the scent all the way into the kitchen to where Kristoff had begun serving everything on their plates.

 “You’re up early?” Kristoff teased, knowing very well that this was a rare occurrence.

 Anna gave him a small swat on the shoulder. “Oh shush you.” She opened the fridge door to grab the jelly for their biscuits, strawberry for her and grape for him, and set them on the little round table right outside the kitchen.

 “Your breakfast m’lady,” Kristoff said, putting on the best posh accent he could muster and giving a small bowl as he placed the dish in front of her.

 “Why thank you kind sir,” Anna replied back with a fancy accent of her own.

 “So,” Kristoff said, getting Anna to meet her eyes with his. “Are you excited for our trip?”

 Anna nodded before shoving a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

 “I’m always excited, because it means I get to spend a whole day with you.”

 “You see me every day,” Kristoff chuckled, feeling light and happy in his chest. It was a feeling that only Anna was able to give him.

 “True, but with work keeping us on our feet and having completely different schedules from one another, we hardly ever get to spend quality time together.”

 Anna spread some strawberry jam on her biscuit. Some dripped down the side of her finger and when she licked it, Kristoff could do nothing but stare. It seemed as if with every move she took, made him lose his breath every time.

 He must have been staring for quite a while too because suddenly Anna was in his lap with her arms wound around his neck, snapping him out of his reverie. He glanced over to where she was previously sitting across from him and saw that her plate was empty.

 She put both her small hands on the side of his face and turned his head so that he was looking at her once again. And when she smashed her lips all he could taste was strawberry jam and Anna, and he would be perfectly fine if time froze in that moment and they stayed that way forever.

 “You know strawberry jam may be delicious, but kissing you is always so much sweeter,” Anna sighed.

 “You flatter me too much,” Kristoff grinned.

 Anna returned the smile before giving him a peck on the lips and leaving to go finish packing any last-minute things.

 Kristoff laughed to himself, wondering how he, who came from nothing, had been blessed with Anna, who came from everything.

 Anna was the heiress of her father’s manufacturing company, Arendelle Incorporated. Her family had also founded the town they lived in so saying she was popular was a little bit of an understatement. While  he was adopted into a family that couldn’t offer much except their love.

 Whenever they were out in public people would always whisper. Many believed they didn’t belong together due to their different backgrounds, that Anna was too good for him. But despite all the harsh words and criticism they have received, Anna refused to believe any of it. She said that it doesn’t matter that they come from two different worlds, because she loved him, and love is the strongest thing there is.

 With a smile, Kristoff got up from his seat and went into the kitchen to wash his dishes.

 ***

 “Krissss,” Anna groaned, “Are we there yet?”

 “We just left the apartment feisty,” he said laughing at his girlfriend’s impatience.

 It was a six-and-a-half-hour drive to Ahotohallan, and every single time, no matter how many times they did it, Anna never forgot to show her displeasure for the small road trip. It was rather adorable if Kristoff was being honest.

 “But I’m so bored.”

 “Turn on the radio.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it before rubbing little circles on it with his thumb. “Besides,…I like it when you sing.”

 With a blush, Anna pressed the radio button, flipping through the stations until she settled on one she liked.

 A few minutes later she had become lost in the music, singing and doing little dances in her seat as if there was nobody watching. Kristoff loved this view of her. He loved seeing her in her natural element, because it was so Anna and there was nothing better in the world than that. Her voice sounded like birds singing their morning songs when the first light of day appeared over the horizon. She had rolled her window down and her hair looked like a wildfire the way the wind blew through it, making it go in different directions. And Kristoff hoped that he would get to see her like this for the rest of eternity. If Anna accepted the question he had prepared, then that dream would become a reality.

 About halfway they had stopped at a burger place to grab some lunch then headed to the nearest gas station to fill up the tank. Anna, of course, couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go inside and grab a few chocolate bars for the road. Kristoff would never understand how someone so small could consume so much of the sweet treat. He was convinced that it wasn’t blood but chocolate sauce that flowed through her veins.

 He laughed when she came out holding twelve chocolate bars, saying that there were too many to choose from and that she didn’t want the other chocolate bars to feel bad for not choosing them so the only logical thing to do was to buy one of each. She also said that she would space them out during their trip, but he just shook his head and smiled knowing fully well that all twelve candy bars would not make it by the time they arrived at the hotel.

 ***

 Unfortunately, it took a little longer than usual to arrive at the hotel due to some heavy traffic. Neither of them minded though, because it just meant Anna had more time to sing at the top of her lungs and having little conversations that usually ended with them saying how much they loved one another.

 Anna hopped out of the car, “Finally! We’re here!” She hopped up and down on the tips of her toes and clapped her hands together. She looked like a little kid who was about to receive their ice cream cone. “Now we can finally relax and get our vacation started!” She squealed with excitement.

 “Don’t get too worked up just yet feistypants. I still have to check-in,” Kristoff chuckled as he made his way over to her with their bags.

     The Crocus may not have been five stars, but it was affordable and convenient because it was right on the beach. Kristoff and Anna had never been ones for fancy things anyway.

 Anna sat in the lobby admiring the coziness of it all while she waited for Kristoff to return with their room keys. Though she had been here many a time, the homey little hotel never failed to take her breath away.

 Speaking of things that took her breath away, Anna was getting a rather pleasant view of Kristoff’s butt from where he stood at the front desk. Those jeans were definitely doing his ass a lot of favors.

 The scene had put Anna in such a deep trance that she didn’t even notice that Kristoff had left and made his way over to her.

 “Room 209.”

 Anna shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. “Hm?”

 “Our room,” Kristoff said. “It’s 209.”

 “Oh! Um.Our room.209. Got it!” Anna stuttered hoping that he didn’t catch her ogling his butt a few minutes ago.

 “Are you okay?” Kristoff raised an eyebrow.

 Blood rushed up to her cheeks. “Never better!” She got up and grabbed the handle of her suitcase, staring there awkwardly as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and bit her lip. “Let’s head up shall we.”

 She rushed past Kristoff leaving him standing there dumbfounded as to what had just happened before he followed her towards the elevator.

 Anna threw herself on the bed sighing with contentment. “Finally!,” she exclaimed. “We can relax and begin our vacation.”

 Kristoff joined his girlfriend on the bed grinning at the image of her snuggled up into the pillow with her eyes peering at him. She looked like a kitten curled up in a blanket.

 Kristoff pressed her frame against his, his large arms swallowing her in a tight hug. “Just a whole week of just you, me, and spending quality time at one of our favorite places together.”

 Anna hummed in agreement. He kissed the top of her head and relished in her soft honeysuckle-scented hair.

 They stayed curled up with one another for hours it seemed, one never wanting to let the other go. The peacefulness of the moment, eventually bringing both to a deep slumber.

 It was around 5:00 when Kristoff woke up. He figured he would let Anna sleep in a little more before then went and grabbed some dinner.

 Carefully unwinding himself from Anna he silently walked over to his suitcase. Unzipping the front pocket he took out the tiny box containing the ring. It glimmered back at him and he looked over his shoulder to make sure Anna hadn’t woken up; if she had seen him the jig would be up.

 He ever so quietly put the box back in the small corner of his front bag pocket. He had decided to wake Anna up at 6:00, and for the time being he made himself a cup of tea and got out the chapter book he had currently been reading.

 When 6:00 rolled around Kristoff had woken Anna up just as he had planned. Anna quickly fixed her lion's mane that she always got after a good rest and looked up restaurants nearby on her phone to find a place to eat. Settling on an Italian place they headed out the door and down to the lobby.

 For dinner they shared a plain cheese pizza, Anna never cared much for toppings. They laughed over stories about moments shared together in their past, with dreams of creating more in the future. And every time Anna’s soft lips wrapped around the straw to take a sip of her Coke she would lick the droplets off her lips causing a pulse to surge through Kristoff’s body. The simple things that woman could do to him was uncanny.

 When the check came they had both blushed when the waitress deemed them “The Cutest Couple Ever.”

 Now, after a quick stroll through the park, they found themselves back in their bed tangled up in their sheets as they held one another.

 Anna absentmindedly twirled the hair on his chest with her index finger, breathing in his woodsy aroma and listening to the beating of his heart. She placed a soft kiss there, “I love it when we get to share moments like this,” she sighed. “Moments where we can let all our worries run free and sunker down into each other's embrace.”

 “Yeah. Me too.” Kristoff stroked his fingers through her unruly hair.

 “I was always alone when I was little, so I thought I’d never get to have anything like this. I never thought I’d feel as loved as I do now. But then you happened Kristoff Bjorgman. You crashed into my life and changed it for the better.” She propped herself up on her elbows and stared down at him. “I love you, and I will always love you forever and always.”

 Kristoff pushed a strand of hair behind her ears, tears welling in his from the sweet words that had just left Anna’s mouth. “I love you too. To the ends of the earth and back.”

 Wrapped up in each other’s love, all that could be heard that night were Anna’s soft snores and the heartbeats of two people who were madly in love.

 ***

 Anna woke up, her head still resting on Kristoff’s chest. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared at Kristoff’s sleeping form. He looked like an angel. A very tall blonde muscular angel.

 She stroked his hair and he looked up at her drowsily, cracking a lopsided grin.

 “Hey beautiful,” he said, bringing her fingers up to his lips for a kiss.

 “Hey yourself.” She smiled back at him and he was lost again.

 “So?,” he pulled her tighter to his chest. “What would you like to do today?”

 Anna tapped her pursed lips. “Hmm…how about we go to the beach? We had a long day of traveling yesterday so I would just kind of like to have a chill day. Know what I mean?”

 He pressed a line of kisses from her cheekbone down to the base of her neck and stayed there for a while. “Sounds perfect.”

 Anna went to her suitcase to pull out her swimsuit while Kristoff got ready in the bathroom (which didn’t take long at all). Kristoff, unlike Anna, was never really one who cared much about his looks. Of course he made sure he kept up with his hygiene, but for everyday wear, he usually rocked some sort of simple T-shirt and let his hair go wild and free. Oftentimes, people would give him nasty for how unkempt and long his hair was, but Anna liked it that way and to him, that was all that mattered.

 When he stepped out of the bathroom his girlfriend looked at him with hungry eyes and he almost had half a mind to strip them both down of any article of clothing and go back to being wrapped up in the sheets. It also didn’t help that Anna gave him a seductive wink when she passed him to go into the bathroom.

 It was Anna’s turn to walk out of the bathroom and Kristoff had given her the same look she gave him just a few moments ago.

 She wore a black 50’s style one-piece bathing suit with white polka dots. Her hair was put up in a messy bun, the little whispys that had escaped it framing her angelic face with perfection.

 His eyes were wild with lust as he looked at the goddess that was his girlfriend.

 Anna must have known that the sight of her was making him swoon too because she rubbed her pale star scattered freckled thighs together as she bit her lip peering up at him with shy yet mischievous eyes.

 “What do you think?”

 He lost all control over his body as he sauntered towards smashing his lips against hers.

 “I think,” he whispered into her and her butt a little squeeze, “that I must have the sexiest girlfriend on the planet.”

 “Kristoff!” She swatted his chest. “You can’t say things like that.” A blush rose to her cheeks which only made him more confident to tease her a bit more.

 “In fact, you're so sexy that I think we should skip going to the beach and hop right back in bed.” He nibbled behind her ear.

 “Besides,” he smirked, “I don’t want other guys drooling all over you.”

 “Ah, ah, ah,” Anna tsked, wagging her finger. “We only get to come here once a year, mister. We’re going to the beach.”

 “Fine,” he groaned. “But, don’t get mad at me if I have to fight someone for flirting with you.”

 Anna threw her head back and laughed. “I don’t think you need to worry about that. I highly doubt anybody is going to hit on me.You? Yes. People will for sure be wanting a piece of you. But me? No way in hell.”

 “You know I really wish you wouldn’t talk that way. You make it sound as if you're not attractive.”

 “That’s because I’m not.”

 She started to turn the door handle before Kristoff shoved her up against the wood and pressed his mouth over hers in a firm kiss.

 “Don’t,” Kristoff breathed across her lips, “you dare say that. You are the most beautiful being on the planet and I pity anyone who doesn’t agree with me.”

 Tears gleamed in Anna’s, making her blue orbs sparkle like the ocean right outside of their hotel. Words got caught in her throat and the only thing she could do was reply back with a kiss.

 ***

 Anna couldn’t believe it, but Kristoff had been right. They were lounging in their beach chairs when Anna decided to go grab them drinks from the bar. After placing her order and taking a seat at the countertop while she waited for them, a tall skinny man with eyes of emerald green and dark auburn hair with sideburns took a seat right next to her. He pulled his stool closer, and when Anna had tried moving away he would scoot right next to her again.

 Anna stood up to move down to another stool, but as she started to walk away a slender hand gently gripped her tiny wrist.

 Anna’s heart dropped as she slowly turned her head to look at the stranger with frightened eyes.

 “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable miss. It’s just that, when I see a woman as beautiful as you I can’t help but wanna introduce myself.”

 “That’s very flattering of you to say-I think-but I do have a boyfriend.” Anna made sure to elaborate on the word “boyfriend” to make it clear that she was unavailable and that hopefully the guy would leave her alone.

 “Well, that’s too bad.” He gave her a sweet sinister smile and fear washed over her.

 He still held her wrist and when she tried to break free he pulled her to him.

 “However,” he paused to kiss her hand. “I’m sure he won’t mind if I borrow you for a little while.”

 Anna looked over his shoulder with frantic eyes, hoping to find a bartender or some other beach guest who would notice her discomfort. Kristoff was on the other side of the bar and out of sight from her so she couldn’t rely on him either, though if he were to have seen the situation Anna had no doubt he would be here in a heartbeat.

 She would have to deal with the problem on her own.

 “Actually,” Anna furrowed her brow trying to put on the sternest look possible. “I don’t think he would. And quite frankly I wouldn’t appreciate it very much either. Now I already told you I am not interested so please respect my wishes and leave me alone,” she huffed.

 She pushed him away before he grabbed hold of her waist and pressed her body against his once more.

 “Come on darling, don't be that way. I promise to show you a good time.”

 Anna tried to wriggle from his grasp, but he was surprisingly strong for such a scrawny man.

 “No!,” she screamed, finally turning the heads of those around them. “Let me go! Leave me alone!”

 She twisted and turned but to no avail could she break free; that was until a fist had collided with her aggressor’s face.

 Screams and gasps spread throughout the beach like a tidal wave.

 Looking up to see her hero’s face, she cried a breath of relief to find Kristoff standing over the man’s limp body, seething with anger.

 Kristoff grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pressed him up against the countertop. “If I ever catch you near my girlfriend again you can be sure I’ll do more than just punch you.”

 Kristoff threw him back onto the ground standing tall and brooding, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched him skimper away like a scared dog.

 He turned to Anna, his face softening as he brought her into a warm hug.

 She rested her head against his shoulder, her small frame small trembling against his large one. He placed a kiss there as he gently caressed her hair.

 He pulled back to look at her, “You okay?”

 “I am now, thanks to you.” She smiled softly at him and he kissed her forehead.

 “Were you scared?”

 “Only a little, but I’m glad you came to my rescue.”

 He gave her one of his iconic sappy grins and it made her heart flutter.

 “Always.” He rested his cheek against the top of her head. “Even though I know you could have totally kicked his ass.”

 “Damn right I could have.”

 Kristoff gave a whole-hearted laugh and Anna joined in, her giggles creating a symphony with his chuckles.

 The rest of the day was spent splashing each other in the salty waters of the ocean, buried each other in the sand, held a sandcastle contest-which Anna had won- and ended with them holding each other close as they watched the sunset beneath the horizon.

 When they arrived back at the room they hopped in the shower helping one another wash the salt out of their hair.

 Once more they were now tangled in the sheets of their love, drifting off to sleep with the sound of the other’s heartbeat.

 ***

 For the next few days, Anna and Kristoff spent their time going on hikes, shopping at their favorite local stores, visiting the town’s attractions, and so on.

 Now, on their last night here, Kristoff sat at the foot of their bed dressed in the best casual clothes he had, fumbling with the small box he held in his hands. Anna was still in the bathroom “making herself pretty,” as she called it even though he told her that she was beautiful just the way she was.

 Taking one last deep breath he put the ring in the little gift bag he bought to carry it in. Since he wasn’t wearing a suit he didn’t have a pocket to hide it in except for his jeans, but Anna would for sure be able to make out the outline of the box if he did that.

 “Whatcha got there?”

 Kristoff jumped at the sound of Anna’s voice behind him. He was so deep in thought that he hadn’t heard her come out of the bathroom and accidentally run into the dresser cursing, as she walked up to him.

 “Oh! Uh…it’s nothing!,” he stuttered.

 “Kristoff I love you I really do, but please don’t take this the wrong way when I say you have never been a very good liar.”

 Caving into Anna’s persistence he picked the bag off the ground and showed it to her. He had wanted to keep it a secret, but knew his nosy girlfriend wouldn’t stop pestering him until she got what she wanted.

 “I got you a gift. You know just a little something to show how much I love you.” He gave her a dopey smile before adding, “But, it’s for after dinner. So no peeking.”

 “Aww, Kristoff! That’s very sweet of you, but you don’t need to get me a gift to prove that you love me. I know that by heart.”

 Her words made his heart flutter and he took her hand rubbing small circles over before kidding each one of her fingers.

 “You ready?,” she said, breaking the silence.

 “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he said more to himself than to her.

 Together they walked the quiet streets that guided them to their destination and before long they had arrived at a familiar little diner with a big retro light-up sign that said Reindeer Circle.

 They preferred their usuals, for Anna a large chocolate shake with extra whip cream and a plate of chicken fingers with curly fries, and for Kristoff a hamburger with regular fries-though he knew Anna would probably eat some of them-and a glass of water.

 They chatted and laughed as they enjoyed their meals, the time encroaching ever so closer for Kristoff to pop his big question.  And as the waitress had taken their dishes away, he decided that it was now or never.

 “Anna?”

 She had turned her attention away from the window and back to him. “Hm?,” she sighed dreamily, gently squeezing their clasped hands in the middle of the table.

 “I think it may be time for me to give you your present.”

 Interest piqued in her eyes and she lifted her head from where it rested in the palm of her hand.

 “Oh? Really?!” She clapped her hands together, unable to contain her excitement.

 “Um? Yeah…just let me,” he cleared his throat, “let me prepare myself right quick.”

 “Prepare yourself? Kristoff what are you-”

 She was cut off mid-sentence at the sight of Kristoff, down on one knee holding open a box with a ring, in front of her.

 “Anna Arendelle you are the most extraordinary person I ever had the pleasure of meeting. Before you, I thought my destiny was to just live on my own for the rest of my life. But, you came crashing into it with your infectious love and proved me wrong. They say everyone has an angel, and you are mine. Will make me that happiest man on earth, and marry me?”

 Tears formed in Anna’s eyes and she threw herself into Kristoff’s arms, peppering kisses all over his face.

 “Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!”

 Applause spread through the diner and Kristoff spun Anna in the air, kissing her deeply as he slid the ring in her finger.

 Anna admired it. In the middle was a stone of amber on a gold band with intricate petal designs that had made it look like a sunflower. It was so perfect and knowing that it was Kristoff who picked it out caused her heart to overflow with overwhelming love and desire for him.

 After the excitement had settled, they had already begun discussing wedding plans.

 “I think we should have it here, in Ahotohallan. On the beach,” Anna said with a smile.

 “Unless…you know…you would rather have it somewhere else. I just thought it would be cute to have it at a place we both loved, and I always dreamed of having a beach wedding since I was a little girl. I always thought it was romantic. But, if you don’t think it’s a good idea I totally understand! You know what, forget I said anything it’s stupid.”

 “Hey! Hey! Anna!,” he cradled her face in his calloused palms and brushed a thumb across her ivory freckled cheek. “I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”

 That night as Anna lay in the comfort of Kristoff’s arms, she stared at the ring glistening in the moonlight that shone through the window with visions of many more summer vacations to come.

[soulwillower]

crush culture • richie tozier

(richie tozier x reader)

requested: fic where Richie and reader have been best friends since kindergarten, and have always had feelings for eachother secretly, until one day richie gets a girlfriend (just to take his mind off her), and the reader gets jealous and distances herself from him? he obviously gets upset by this- and things go on from there? sorry if it’s too specific! love u!

warnings: swearing, brief mentions of death, fighting, mentions of an abusive relationship, intentionally pissing off richie, a bit of angst, richie is an oblivious idiot, but reader is MUCH more of an idiot, like dude lmao, but i think that’s it, unedited tho

this isn’t rly based off crush culture, but i took the title from conan gray’s song :)  

[losers + reader are 18+ in this!!!]

3.8k words L O L :))

♡

you swear to god, you’re getting sick. that’s what this was, for sure.

it started about a month ago, when you started to get headaches and terrible hollow feelings in your stomach. it happened everywhere - in the line for coffee, in class, driving home from school, at the dinner table. but it got a hundred times worse at night and then seemed to triple in force every morning when you woke.

and it all came at you some time after richie announced he had a new girlfriend.

you were really sick the few days after that, enough that you stayed home from school and laid in bed, the pit in your stomach sinking. it didnt take long for you to realize how bad richie’s girlfriend was - she treated him like a dog, like he embarrassed her - and he didn’t even seem to mind. he just brushed off every offhand comment, rolled his eyes with a grin when she told him she didn’t want to see his friends or when she told him to stop talking. 

he still seemed to like her, anyways. and that thought made your stomach convulse.

so then you had to distance yourself from richie because it hurt you to see him with her. it hurt you to see him with someone who didn’t treat him like the incredible person he was. 

so yeah.

you say you’re sick, but you know that’s not really true. it’s easier than accepting reality at this point, though, so you spew this nonsense (to yourself, mostly) in order to justify ignoring your best friend of nearly a decade because christ, he is becoming unbearable.

like the other day, at lunch while you were all sitting in the courtyard. it was your first time eating with them again after almost a week and a half, as you’d been eating alone in your car recently to avoid richie. “rich, why’d you take off the nail polish?” bev asked, out of the blue, sounding disappointed as she grabbed his free hand and examined it.

he blew smoke out of his mouth slowly and you had forced yourself to look away, the sight of richie doing nearly anything these days being pretty dangerous for you. it also made you sigh a bit - you knew he only smoked at lunch now, since his girlfriend hated it.

“don’t want my paws to be prettier than y/n’s when we hold hands.” he had joked, wagging an eyebrow at you. you’d shook your head and looked to the ground in lew of a real response, just as you had been doing a lot recently.

you'd missed richie’s frown at your reaction, but you did catch his next statement as it was added on, “nah, actually it’s because the ol’ G-F didn’t like it. thought it looked too girly.”

you, stan, bev, and mike all stopped chewing to look at richie, in varying stages of bewilderment. you'd cleared your throat quickly but decided against speaking up just as richie’s phone started to ring. he’d answered it nearly immediately, the enthusiasm of which made you feel like you’re going to be sick again - because richie never answers your calls until the last possible minute.

god, jealousy is a fucking disease.

“hey, sugar.” he had purred suavely into the phone and for some reason, hearing him call someone else sugar had you abruptly rising, gathering your things and nearly running off to put as much distance between you and four-eyes as you possibly could, because you’re not sure how much more you could take.

after that, you were absolutely sure it was just pure denial on your part.

as far as you could tell, richie wasn't noticing too much. he still phoned your house every day, just to be met with your mother telling him you 'weren't available,' and then he'd call your own phone, which you'd let buzz itself into a dark hole on your bedside table while you stared at it solemnly, guilt heavy on your mind as he left voicemail after voicemail. 

he doesn't deserve it, you think as you open the doors to the school library, backpack on your shoulders. but you can't help it. you're not his girlfriend, and you're not mature enough to accept that with any ounce of elegance so instead you just ignore him all together. at least you're self-aware, right? that ought to count for something.

you shake your head just as a voice catches your attention, “well look who decided to show up!”

richie's sitting at the usual study table in the very back corner of the library, a spot tucked away by rows upon rows of dusty books and an alcove of couches. bill sits at the head of the table, scribbling his chicken scratch handwriting onto graph paper, mike next to richie with a textbook spread out flat. across from mike is stan, writing out his statistics work. 

all three of them wave at you before going back to their work, whereas richie just watches you expectantly. his feet are kicked up on the table, textbook balanced on his lap as he hovers on two leg chairs. his smile is as blinding as always, a dimple faint on his left cheek and full eyebrows raised in jest. his curls frame his face perfectly and you want to scream.

but you take your seat next to stan with a tight lipped smile, not really sure how to respond to richie. are you even allowed to be flirty with him like you used to? he still does it on the rare occasions when you do see each other - but that itself is the issue, you figure. his flirting is just a joke, a tiff from one friend to another. but you can't see him as just a friend, and that’s unfair to him.

so you stay quiet, which makes it infinitely more awkward.

richie clears his throat and you pull out your work with an awkward expression, the minutes slowly churning by in what has to be the quietest hangout with the Losers yet.

you feel the tension building in your body and in the air, and you're not sure what's wrong with you or why you have so much resentment towards richie in this moment, because he's not done one single thing to offend anyone in the last ten minutes.

then richie's phone rings suddenly and mike jumps a bit as he's startled out of the passage he's reading. you all look down to richie's screen, where his girlfriend's name blares up at you and all you can feel is white hot jealousy coursing through your body.

richie looks half way exhausted and annoyed at the call, which you find extremely odd and out of character, not to mention persistently frustrating.

as you all stare at the phone, the tension in the room stretches tighter and tighter, like a rubber band and you can't breathe -

"uh, why is she calling you?" mike asks, as if this was something that was forbidden or shocking in any way, and for some reason, that is finally it.

the rubber band snaps.

"how could you forget, mike? they're in love!" you say with mock enthusiasm. 

bill shoots you an alarmed look that you probably should read into or at least consider for a moment, but instead you're looking directly at richie, as if challenging him.

he blinks at you and clenches his jaw, "she and i haven't really been... talking recently." richie says lightly, shooting a glance to mike.

“well then maybe you’re just not right for each other.” you quip, the blood boiling in your veins. richie's eyes snap to you and you see the fire behind them as he suddenly breaks.

“sorry, did i miss the divine intervention when god floated down on a cloud of marshmallows and deemed you expert in relationships?” he says abruptly, making your eyes widen at his outburst. he continues, “because last time i checked, you’re a bit of a failure in that department. so i don't need some jealous, disappearing-act wannabe criticizing my life when she's barely even in it.” he seethes. it’s near quiet in the library anyways, but his words seem to silence the entire town.

with a quick glance to your right, stan and bill sharing an uncomfortable look, and mike is staring down intently at his work with wide eyes.

you want to die.

does richie know? has he known this whole time that you're just deeply, painfully head over heels for him? 

"i'm so sick of your bullshit. maybe you're jealous because you want what i had, but you’re being really fucking rude."

you nearly cry. or scream.

“criticism doesnt equal jealousy, okay?” you spit without thinking, immediately regretting even opening your mouth. you're so intent on covering for yourself, you don't even take into account the phrasing he'd used when referring to his girlfriend, instead fighting with richie in order to keep your secret from him.  

this is not how you’d intended today to go. he stares at you, eyebrows furrowed in a way that almost makes you keel over in sadness, the guilt of the situation falling too heavily on your shoulders and crushing you.

it’s tranquilizing to see him like this -  he's fuming, but he's also got bright, glistening eyes which you think may be filling up with tears.

“i didn’t really ask for your input, though.” he mutters, cheeks reddening as tears definitely well in his eyes behind his lenses. “you can’t just ignore me at your every whim just to come right back and tell me what's good for me.”

you blink, shaking your head quickly, deciding to back off. now is not the time to fight, especially when you know he’s right. you had no idea it was hurting him like this. "richie, i... i just wanted-" you gape at him, extremely embarrassed.

“-i don’t fucking care what you wanted, y/n.” richie says sharply, causing you to shut your mouth so quick your jaw clicks in the silence. clearly, even the other boys are perturbed by richie’s actions and everyone’s staring down in silence at their homework.

it’s quiet like that for a few minutes, the tension so thick that you’d need a jackhammer just to chip away at it. but stan rummages through his bag suddenly, pulling out two painkillers and dry swallowing them. you don't look at anyone else, your stomach hollow and your heart thumping so hard in your chest you think you may explode.

"d-do you have a headache?" bill asks, looking at stan with concern. the sudden voice causes you to perk up, head flowing with humiliation at the fight you and richie had just had in front of your friends.

“yeah, but it’s not that bad. i guess i’m used to it.” stan says, pen between his teeth.

“just because you’re used to something doesn’t make it any less unhealthy for you.” you say louder than necessary, your mouth suddenly deciding to speak without consulting your brain. 

the glare of pure frustration that richie throws you pierces your lungs and suddenly makes you feel lightheaded. 

your pettiness doesn’t go unresponsive, of course, and mike sighs into his hands, standing up to gather his things. "alright. i can't study when you two are like this. i'll see you guys later."

richie sighs quietly and bill and stan mumble good-bye's. the library goes back to quiet for maybe three more minutes, until you see stanley start to fidget like he usually does when he's anxious. and then you notice it after a few seconds, too.

richie won't stop tapping his foot on the desk.

for everyone's sake, you try to ignore it, because you know richie can't help his compulsions - especially when he's upset (which, your mind painfully reminds you, is all your fault).

but it's driving you crazy.

“-if you keep doing that i’ll throw you out that fucking window rich, i swear.” stan mutters not unkindly, his eyes rolling to meet richie with a concerned gaze as richie stares out the window.

you raise your eyebrows, “what’re you even looking at?” you ask, trying to mend a bit of the open, festering wound you’d created in you and richie’s friendship.

without looking at you, richie shrugs. “checking to see how high the drop is. may be worth it to have schnoz just toss me down. it would certainly do you a favor right? gettin ol’ trashmouth gone for good.”

what was he saying? you look at him, scandalized. stan and bill don’t even say anything about the offensive nickname as you gape at richie. "what the fuck?" is all your brilliant mind can think.

"what, you can dish it but you can't take it?" richie says sharply. he shakes his head, looking upset. "i'm tired of trying to be friends with a fucking brick wall."

then he's gathering his one notebook and swiftly exiting your alcove in the library in a wind of cigarettes and cologne. 

you blink, his words sinking in and making you sigh shakily. your stomach feels hollow as you remember the expression of glee on his face when you'd walked into the library, and how completely different and broken he'd looked as he'd left. you think you're going to cry.

“every minute that you don't follow him digs yourself deeper into this grave, you know.” stan says, giving you a stern but encouraging look.

you let out a shaky sigh and scramble to grab your bag, tripping over your feet as you run out of the library, flying down the staircase faster than you've ever gone and making it to your lifelong best friend just as he reaches his car in the parking lot.

"-a brick wall?" you ask, out of breath. you see richie hold back an eye roll, his arms crossing over each other as he serves you a look of discomposure.

he shrugs helplessly, looking as if he's at his wit's end.

"what do you want me to say, y/n? you've been avoiding me for weeks. i know i'm annoying and obnoxious and whatever, but i'm not blind." he says, making you swallow as guilt pangs through your chest. you have been so fucking selfish, haven't you?

it hurts to hear him say that about himself. 

he sniffles a bit, sounding choked up as he goes on, "i've had a rough couple of days - weeks, even. but every time i'm near, it's like you've had more than enough, and you just leave. am i that repulsive? why do you suddenly hate me?" he asks, looking desperate as his eyes rim red, filling with tears again.

“what did i do?” his voice cracks as he whispers the sentence and your heart breaks in two.

your own vision goes glassy as he continues, "-i've needed you, y/n/n. i'm lost, i'm seriously not okay and you just don't care at all."

you're stunned for a moment, mouth opening and closing silently as your mind races to rush something out, anything,because you aren't sure you can bear to see richie look at you like this for one more second. but your silence comes off wrong to richie, and tears slip out of his eyes.

“don’t you love me?” he asks, voice hoarse and cutting right through you, deeper than any knife ever could. "don't you want me to be happy?" he adds and you take a shaky breath, looking helplessly at him, where you're met with nothing but glassy eyes and tear trails. your heart is slamming in your chest, tears falling from your eyes and you can't breathe.

"a-are you?" you ask, trying to keep your tone even although it comes out just as vulnerable as you feel. “h-happy. with her?”

richie freezes at your words, mouth slightly open and you watch a single tear course over his high cheekbones and down to his bottom lip as it shakes faintly. you curse yourself for the longing to feel those very lips against yours.

"i was." he whispers, voice shaking as he rubs his face with his hand under his glasses, the moisture of his fallen tears clinging from his long dark lashes onto his slender, shaking fingers. "and then - and then i lost you. and y'know, i got my girlfriend so i could distract myself, but she made me feel like absolute shit all the time and so i went and broke up with her, but -" he hiccups through his tears and you blink, biting your lip as tears cascade down your cheek in wet trails.

they broke up?

he broke up with her, and he's going through this breakup and trying to better himself after she tore him down and you've just been ignoring him - he thinks you don't care about him, that you don't love him. you start to cry harder. 

"-i thought she'd distract me from you. i-i'm sorry." he says, his voice muffled by his hands as they cover up his angelic face, his shoulders shaking as more tears fall. "i'm so sorry."he repeats. 

you see double for a second, completely shocked by his words as the breath leaves your lungs. he tried to distract himself from you... and he’s so hurt because of what you did. 

but finally, for the first time this whole damn day, you find the right words. "i-no, richie, i'm sorry, please - fuck." you break, letting out a sob as you rub your eyes furiously in search of any relief from the guilt ripping you in two. "i didn't mean to hurt you. i'm so sorry, i can't believe i did this, i didn't want to hurt you, i'm just so selfish." you babble, his sniffles making you open your eyes.

he looks so alone and so vulnerable as he hugs his arms around himself in search of comfort, tears still falling from his bright eyes and down his rosy cheeks. 

he looks devastatingly beautiful in the golden sunlight of the afternoon, a breeze ruffling his curls lightly. "just please, i can't - i can't deal with you hating me. please, please, please."

he's pleading with you and you think you may be sick from the guilt and sadness that envelopes you, so you spring forward and wrap your arms tightly around him. the force of your body pushes him against the side of his car and the way he clings back to you like you're the last thing holding him to earth just makes you cry even harder.

"i don't hate you, richie. i love you, i love you too much." you say, your body shaking as he just holds you tighter against him. "i'm so sorry, i didn't mean any of it. you're right. i was just jealous... i'm so sorry. i was so jealous of her, i couldn't see you be with her." you mumble. "i'm so sorry."

richie pulls you back gently at your words, his eyes wide and wondering as you look at each other. "what?" he asks so innocently, his eyelashes wet and dark and his lips parted. 

you can count the freckles on his nose and cheeks, you're so close. you can feel his shuddering breath against your face as he huffs in a breath. your hands hold onto his shoulders and you decide to fuck it, you just have to tell him how sorry you are, to explain yourself.

"richie, i'm in love with you. and - and when you and her got together, it hurt so much, and i didn't want to deal with the fact that i couldn't have you, so i just ignored you. i’m sorry, i’m so sorry." you say it quickly and in one breath, looking down at your shoes and how they point straight towards his.

"you're in... love with me?" he says weakly, sounding hopeful as you finally look back into his eyes guiltily. 

you laugh wetly, "of course i am, richie. how could i not fall head over heels for everything about you?"

he tears up again at your words, but this time it's accompanied by a beautiful smile and a light, wet laugh. he shakes his head, his arms circling your waist tighter as he presses his forehead against yours. your butterflies tickle your stomach at your proximity.

"fuck, y/n. i can't believe i spend my time trying to get my mind off you." he says and your breath hitches a bit. "do you have any idea how long i've been in love with you?" he asks quietly, and you let out another small laugh out of shock, but it's wet and gleeful.

"i'm sorry." you whisper, your finger curling around a strand of the dark hair on his head. he shakes his head, your noses rubbing slightly. "it's okay, y/n. i love you so much. please let me forgive you." he says, pulling a smile out of you that you don't think anybody else ever could. you nod shortly, looking into his eyes as one last tear falls. 

he kisses you tenderly then, taking your breath away.

richie fills up your every sense as he clings to you desperately, his lips salty from your combined tears and his arms strong. his tongue is gentle as it runs along your lips and enters your parted mouth, one of his hands sliding up to tilt your head up towards him. you're breathless because of him for the millionth time in your life and you decide kissing richie is the only thing you want to do forever. 

you pull away slowly, and as you lean back he presses a chaste second kiss to your lips, causing you to grin. 

you barely make eye contact as you pull apart and then you greedily pull him back to you, his lips finding yours yet again with a sweet, loving laugh.

"i love you too, rich." you mumble against his lips. he sighs almost dreamily as you pull back, biting your lip and laughing when he opens the passenger door, gesturing to it with a shy grin.

"now can i please buy you a burger?" he asks, almost bashfully, and your heart does somersaults. you nod and kiss him again, his hand falling to the small of your back, palm wide and fingers lower than you'd expected. he pulls away and his grin is loving, his eyes hooded in pride as you caress his cheek softly before you slide into the car seat.

he holds your hand the whole night and refuses to let go until you slip through your front door at near midnight, blushes on both of your cheeks and lips kiss-bruised.

the butterflies you feel as you fall asleep with a grin on your face are the exact same ones richie feels as his head finally hits the pillow, a giddy smile on his own face as he smiles to himself in the dark halfway across town.

tag list: @gabiatthedisco @blisshemmings @stenbrozier @simplesammyx@brxken-heartsclub @clownsloveyou @baby-yoda-a @moon-shine-baby  @daughter-of-the-stars11 @trashedfortozier @oceandog13 @finnskindofwoman @kait-tozier   @upamongthestarss @fiantomartell @beverlyparkerr @beauregard-s  @leighjaenikhowell @cowbellies @deepestofwaters

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Here’s another filler chapter! I like how it turned out so I hope ya’ll do too! Enjoy.

AO3 Link

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Scattered Cicadas - Chapter Twelve: Memory Proof

Tang learns a bit about the twins. Being in the same body as them might have something to do with that.

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Tang hid behind some debris in the ruined theater as he watched Macaque approach the shattered Shadow Lantern. He had been hoping to collect the pieces for himself to try and study the artifact’s ability to trap souls. The data he could potentially obtain from it would be priceless in trying to come up with a counter to his curse once he found it’s cause.

But just because they were intelligent, didn’t mean they had common sense. The amount of harebrained plots and ideas they had that blew up in their faces due to not thinking everything through was almost comical.

Abandoning his plan for now, Tang waited patiently for Macaque to leave so he could make his exit as well.

Suddenly the Mayor was there.

Tang tensed in his hiding spot as he watched the man taunt Macaque before surprising the monkey and grabbing him by the throat.

Tang’s pulse raced as he watched Macaque get captured with little effort.

Was this why they never saw Macaque again after these events? Did this happen in every cycle? Just how strong was the Mayor to be able to subdue the shadow demon so quickly?

He needed to get out of here.

Tang froze when he realized the Mayor had vanished without him noticing.

“Now what do we have here?”

Blinding white and blue pain flashed behind Tang’s eyes as he stumbled back. Gasping in panic he looked up to find the Mayor right in front of him, giving the scholar his trademark nonchalant smile.

“Can’t have you running off to spoil the end of the show for the others, now can we” the Mayor said as he held up the Shadow Lantern. “I do love a captive audience!”

Before Tang could react, the lantern was activated, and he knew no more.

----------

He was in the cave, thankfully. The voices called out in concern. The golden-yellow light wrapped around him.

----------

Tang awoke with a start, gasping in panic.

Damn that man!

He hadn’t been killed this time, but being a puppet for the Mayor until the cycle ended was just as unpleasant.

The more he learned about him, the more terrifying to Tang he became.

He would have to do his best to avoid him as much as possible from now on.

Once he got his breathing under control, Tang made his preparations for the day and began his remembering ritual.

It seemed this cycle was one where there were only a few changes. Everything seemed mostly the same except for two details.

The first was that Jin and Yin had been good friends with Mei for years, acting almost like older brothers for her.

The second was that this cycle had Fusion.

Tang groaned at this revelation.

There were many strange and weird magics and powers he had come across in the timelines, but Fusion was the most conflicting for Tang.

Fusion was a special ability where two or more beings would physically combine together into a new, more powerful being. The result was usually a much larger combination of the participants that mixed together their physical characteristics and often sported extra limbs and eyes. Whether the minds of the original beings remained separate or fused into a new personality as well as the permanence of the Fusion tended to be randomly determined like most things in these cycles.

The only constant was the need for absolute trust between all parties that fuse.

Fusion was an intimate process as you shared not just a body with someone else, but your mind as well. Thoughts and memories could not be hidden from a Fusion partner. It was an implicit sign of trust, and oftentimes love, to want to fuse with someone.

Forcing two unwilling beings to fuse was possible, but never went over well in Tang’s experience.

Tang didn’t dislike Fusion. It was an incredible experience the few times he had done so with either Pigsy or Wukong. He had never felt so close with anyone as he did when fused with them.

The problem was the curse.

Fusion required trust and the participants working in synchrony to function. His curse made it impossible for anyone except himself to know about it. When fused, his partners would become confused at the strange gaps in Tang’s mind they couldn’t perceive. The disorientation would destabilize the trust between them, causing them to fall out of sync, and result in the Fusion ending prematurely.

The questions he would receive were ones Tang couldn’t answer, and he was usually treated with suspicion and distrust for the remainder of those cycles. The same problem would occur if he refused to fuse at all, as that implied he didn’t trust anyone.

Luckily for Tang, he wasn’t in a romantic relationship with anyone this cycle and hadn’t fused with anyone yet. There was also a precedent this time for some people finding Fusion nauseating, so he could always fall back on that if pushed.

Hoping it wouldn’t even come to that, Tang left his apartment and made his way to work. He began to think of the second change as he walked.

Jin and Yin. The Gold and Silver Demon Brothers.

The two trouble makers loved to spread chaos wherever they went. Even during the rare occasions like now where they were allies. Schemes, pranks, and hijinks were to be expected whenever they were around.

The twins were smart. That was pretty much a given being the former lab assistants of Lao Tzu. Their talent in crafting magical items was impressive by mortal standards.

But just because they were intelligent, didn’t mean they had common sense. The amount of harebrained plots and ideas they had that blew up in their faces due to not thinking everything through was almost comical.

Tang had to admire their tenacity though. Their determination never faltered no matter how many failures they had. This was particularly handy when they were allies.

The twins’ self destructive tendencies usually got smoothed out whenever they befriended the group as well. Tang was genuinely surprised a few times by what they had managed to come up with when given a proper sounding board to help point out problems.

He may not consider Jin and Yin to be a part of his extended family, but Tang couldn’t help but have a soft spot for them. Perhaps, in time, he could include them. Maybe when their redemption became more common in the cycles.

But for now he was perfectly fine with just being their friend.

----------

The attack came without warning.

They had all been hanging out at Pigsy’s Noodles when multiple explosions went off across the city. Tang wasn’t sure what happened in all the confusion, but he was currently with Jin and Yin, the three of them separated from the others.

They had been trying to find everyone when the twins had suddenly pushed Tang away from them. There was a loud crashing sound and the air was filled with dust.

Coughing and waving away the dust, Tang stood and looked around. As the smoke began to clear, his heart dropped at what he saw.

“Jin! Yin!”

The twins were trapped under the rubble of a partially collapsed building. Jin’s entire left side was stuck under the debris while Yin was pinned from the waist down.

Neither demon had super strength and were completely helpless. They couldn’t even fuse to escape as they were just out of reach of each other and Fusion required contact.

Tang scrambled over the torn apart street and knelt next to the groaning brothers.

“G-go get help Tang,” Jin said, teeth clenched in pain. “We’ll be fine for now.”

“I am not leaving you two here,” Tang said, looking around for anyone to help, but the street was deserted.

“Come on, we’ll be right here when you come back,” Yin said with a strained smile. “I promise we won’t get up and leave.”

Before Tang could scold him for joking, there was another distant explosion followed by a rumbling sound. The three looked up in horror as the remainder of the building began to sway.

“Shit! Tang you need to leave now!” Jin pushed against the concrete trapping him, but made no progress.

Tang’s mind raced.

None of them were strong enough to push the rubble away. He had no time to go get help before the rest of the building fell. Jin and Yin couldn’t grab each other to fuse.

But he could.

Tang reached out and snatched up the hand of each twin.

“Fuse with me!”

“What?!”

“There’s no time! Fuse with me!”

Spurred on by the urgency of his voice, the twins closed their eyes and focused. Tang did the same and the world melted into gold, silver, and yellow light.

Fusing was always an indescribable experience. Tang felt warm as he felt his body stretch out and merge seamlessly with the twins’. He had no idea which physical traits would be picked from each of them, but their appearance was the least of his worries.

When they opened their eyes, they were standing several feet away from the pile of debris, just as the building began to topple.

“Shit! Go go go,” Jin said from their shared mouth.

They quickly dashed away from the area, their much taller stature allowing them to easily outpace the collapsing structure. Their new body didn’t feel strange in any way, and their combined movements came naturally.

‘Damn, I think my legs are broken,’ Yin said in their shared mind once they paused to take a breath. ‘We’ll have to keep this up until we get to a hospital and unfuse inside.’

‘Pretty sure some rebar had stabbed into my side so ditto on that,’ Jin added.

‘That might be a problem...’ Tang’s nervousness caused their stomach to twist.

‘What does that- Oh. Huh. That’s interesting.’ Jin explored the gaps he found in Tang’ mind with curiosity. ‘Hey Yin, take a look at this.’

‘Whoa. Trippy. Haven’t seen a memory-proof seal like this in a while.’ Yin poked at the spaces gingerly, not wishing to be caught completely in its effects.

‘Look at how big it is though,’ Jin said. ‘You are much older than I thought you were Tang.’

‘No, no, no. His body is definitely only 41 years old. So that means his mind is much older.’

‘Time travel?’

‘That usually has the person physically moving through time, so I doubt it.’

‘How are you two not disoriented by this,’ Tang said as they began to move towards the sounds of the explosions.

‘Should we be?’

‘Oh, yeah, I see what you mean,’ Jin said as he found the context for Tang’s confusion.

The demon didn’t vocalize it, but he projected how he found it interesting that he could get the knowledge on Tang’s past experiences with fusions without the full picture.

‘Oof. Forcefully unfusing and being treated as untrustworthy must suck,’ Yin said.

Tang was about to ask how they were being so unconcerned about this when the context came unbidden from their minds.

Lao Tzu had placed his own memory-proof seals on the twins to prevent them from revealing his secrets. They had to deal with it every time they fused.

Along with that knowledge came the feelings of the desperate need for approval and attention from their master, but never receiving it.

Always having their ideas dismissed. Being told their work was never good enough. Belittling their reliance on one another. Outright destroying their inventions at one point.

‘What an ass,’ Tang said vehemently.

He had worked too hard across the cycles to keep MK from drowning in his insecurities. It was insulting to him that someone he had once respected for their vast knowledge would ever treat anyone like that to make them feel this way.

‘I know, right?’

‘Why do you think we left,’ Jin said.

Tang sent over the context that, while he couldn’t tell them how, he had become an accomplished magician and artificer in his own right.

‘We’re going to make him regret ever dismissing you two,’ Tang vowed.

‘You… You want to take us on as students?’

Tang’s righteous protectiveness over how small Yin had sounded shocked the twins as they felt his warmth of comfort envelope them.

‘I would be honored to have you two as students. There is no way I’d ever let my family feel like they are unwanted.’

‘Family?’

Tang let the context for that free as well as the love he felt for his family, which now included his two new students.

They had to stop walking for a moment as Jin’s and Yin’s emotions caused them to start crying. Tang made sure to keep watch from his set of eyes while they were indisposed.

The joy and appreciation they sent his way in silent thanks was returned with his own.

‘Let’s get you two to a hospital.’ They continued to move once they had composed themselves. ‘I would never forgive myself if I let my favorite students perish from a simple collapsing building.’

‘Aren’t we your only students?’

‘Oi! And what do you mean by a “simple collapsing building''? Are you saying there are other ways you’d let us perish?!’

The master and his students bickered playfully back and forth as they looked around for a hospital that had been undamaged in the attack.

Tang may not have been expecting to add the twins to his family this soon, but he knew he wouldn’t regret it. How he felt for them would live on even past the memory erasing effects of the curse.

Jin and Yin returned the sentiment a hundredfold.

----------

And thus Tang’s family grows in numbers once more! He’s almost completed the whole set by now.

Fusions are an interesting concept and there are plenty of great designs for different combinations out there. While none of them show up in this chapter, I’d like to give a shout out to @winterpower98, @smallpwbbles, @sketchquill, and @ninja-knox-ur-sox-off for their amazing fusion designs! Go check them out!

Don't worry about that bit with the mayor. It's fine.

Next chapter will be another filler! Until then!

[the-lincyclopedia]

* adapted from @librajiminn on twitter

A fun game to celebrate 2020 ending! The rules are simple: recommend your favorite OMGCP fics so everyone can enjoy them, while trying to fill in enough slots to get a bingo!

This is going to get long, so I’ll put it under a cut. Also, I’m too orderly to try to shoehorn my favorite fics into these particular prompts, so I’m just going to go right to left, top to bottom, taking the prompts literally, until it’s bedtime. 

1. first fic you bookmarked: “Here Comes the Sun” by @doggernaut, 19k, G, no warnings, Zimbits

For the past month, the man with the baby and the sad blue eyes has been stopping in for a cup of coffee an hour before closing. He always sits in an overstuffed chair in the corner and drinks his coffee while his baby sleeps next to him in the stroller. Sometimes he pulls a book out from the diaper bag he carries with him; other times he just stares straight ahead as if in a daze. He never asks for a refill, always respectfully gathers his things and leaves ten minutes before the shop officially closes. Eric desperately wants to ask him what his story is. 

My notes: I read Check Please over the course of two days in June of 2019. On the second day, right after catching up, I looked at @peppermintfeminist‘s AO3 bookmarks and found a fic by @doggernaut. Then I read just about everything @doggernaut had ever posted. It was glorious. This fic in particular is so cute. 

2. most recent fic you bookmarked: “Flight Check” by @edgarallanrose, 15k, E, no warnings (though there is a creepy/handsy guy at a club to watch out for), primarily Zimbits with most of the other popular pairings in the background

Flight attendant Eric “Bitty” Bittle has been working his way up at Samwell Airlines for the past four years, and his new promotion has provided him the opportunity to work with a brand-new crew. Unfortunately for Bitty, that crew includes an incredibly handsome but equally grumpy pilot, Captain Jack Zimmermann, who seems to want nothing to do with Bitty. Even worse, Jack refuses to eat any of Bitty's baked goods. Will Bitty be able to win the captain over? Or is there another reason Jack has been avoiding Bitty?

My notes: There are a lot of great things about this fic--Jack’s character arc, Lardo’s dialogue, that scene in Seattle--but the reason I bookmarked it is the scene where Bitty’s basically slut-shaming himself and Jack gently but firmly tells Bitty not to do that and that it was the creep’s fault. 

3. a fic that made you cry actual tears: “a little bit more” by @ivecarvedawoodenheart, 14k, T, no warnings, Holsom

“I just wanted,” he says, “a perfect day. With you. Because it’s our last day together and our last day being here as undergrads and we’re kissing the ice tonight, and the weather’s supposed to be beautiful, and you’re moving tomorrow and Holtzy I just — I don’t want to be missing you already.” Holster wipes his eyes before he even realizes he’s crying. Behind him, Ransom sighs. “One more day where everything’s the same,” he says, feeling around blindly for Rans’ fingers. He feels Rans nod as he laces their fingers together. “Yeah. Yeah, Rans. I’d like that a lot.” __________________________

Holsom after graduation and throughout the subsequent six months after Holster signs to an expansion team in Oregon, and realizes his feelings for Ransom too late. Holster's POV :) kinda angsty, but there's a happy ending :)

Inspired by shitty-check-please-aus: "Holster moves to Oregon while Ransom stays on the east coast. The time difference makes it difficult to talk and one day they wake up and realize they aren’t best bros anymore."

My notes: I almost never cry at fics. I searched “tears” in my fandom email account and only a handful of my fic comments came up, but Syd is a literal master of Holsom angst, always. 

4. longest fic you’ve read: “Like Real People Do” by @xiaq, 153k, M, No Warnings, Kent Parson x OC

Parson gestures with his spoon toward Hawke. “So am I allowed to ask about the service dog or is that not PC?”

“My medical history is more of a 3rd date conversation," Eli says.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“Because. No one sticks around afterward and I like to live in glorious denial for a short period beforehand.”

It comes out more self-deprecating than he intended.

Parson looks…thoughtful. “Well, does this count as one or two?

“Pardon?”

“This. Ice cream. I mean, technically it’s a second location, but still the same night. So is this one date or two?”

“One,” Eli says firmly. “If it’s happening within the same three-hour period.”

“You’re the expert,” Parson says, which, he’s really, really, not, but ok.

“So still two dates to go then?” Parson continues.

“I—what?”

“We’ve got a roadie coming up but then we’re home for almost two weeks. When does your semester start?”

“You want to do this again?” Eli asks.

Parson stops idly twirling his spoon.

“You don’t?”

He does, Eli realizes. He really does. Because apparently he actually likes Kent fucking Parson.

My notes: Okay, this fic has my whole entire heart. I’ve read it multiple times in its entirety, and it’s almost twice as long as the full-length novel I’m querying. Eli is one of my favorite OCs I’ve ever seen in a fic (probably tied with Damian Navarro and Ari Paxton, both brainchildren of @fozmeadows). Anyway, this is probably going to be the next thing @themeaningoflifeischeese and I read out loud to each other. 

5. a fic you almost didn’t read: “when all else fails (i’ll still be right here)” by @whoacanada, 6k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (and I don’t remember if I think there’s stuff to warn for, sorry), Zimbits

The National Hockey League is resurrecting the Quebec City Nordiques, and the expansion draft hits the Falconers much harder than expected.

My notes: Given that this was for @omgcpheartbreakfest, I was worried this would be all angst--all hurt and no comfort. Which made me sad, because I love @whoacanada‘s writing but I wasn’t up for reading unresolved angst. But @doggernaut reblogged the fic, so I asked if the ending was sad, and it’s NOT! There is quite a bit of angst but the ending isn’t sad. 

6. a fic that convinced you on a ship you didn’t ship before: “it drops with the gravity of rain” by @geniusorinsanity, 16k, T, Creator Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings (attempted sexual assault by an OC), Nurseydex

It happens like this:

“I don’t--this is a bad idea,” Dex says, his lips still tingling, his hands shaking on Nursey’s hips where he’s shoved him away. “This is a really bad idea, Nurse. I can’t--We can’t do this.”

And there’s hurt in Nursey’s eyes and his bottom lip is swollen from Dex’s teeth, but he says, “Okay.” And then, “It’s chill, Dex. Just friends, then.”

It happens like this:

“Actually,” Nursey says, talking more to his granola than to them, “I kind of have a date.”

It happens like this:

When Nursey calls, Dex almost doesn’t pick up the phone.

My notes: So I was really confused and a little disturbed when I first found out people shipped Nursey and Dex. Like, Dex just wasn’t someone I trusted. But then I was moving out of the house I’d been living in, and I needed stuff to listen to as I packed and cleaned, and @khashanakalashtar‘s podfics came in clutch. I gave this one a try even though I didn’t like Dex, and @geniusorinsanity blew. My. Mind.

7. a fic from an unusual POV: “Excuse Me While I Kiss This Guy” by @porcupine-girl, 8k, G, no warnings, Zimbits

Jesse Snowden knows all the best restaurants and gourmet food shops in Providence, so when Jack Zimmermann starts bringing in incredible baked goods, he's eager to find out where the new bakery is. When he meets the man behind the pies, he decides that there's no way Jack could really appreciate this guy's talent the way he does, even if they are friends. He starts hiring Jack's chef on the side, in the hopes that maybe once Bitty's done with college he'll come work for Jesse.

Good thing there is absolutely no way whatsoever that Jesse could possibly be misinterpreting this situation.

My notes: Oh my gosh this is so funny. The secondhand embarrassment factor is huge, but like, the hilarity. 

8. a comfort fic: “Don’t Need to Compromise” by @khashanakalashtar, 11k, E, no warnings, PB&J

“Hey,” said Kent, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that would change his entire life, “you said that like you know from experience. Have you done this before?”

Jack and Bitty have not done polyamory before, but they do know Ransom and Holster’s polycule, which contains March.

And March?

March is trans.

My notes: I’m in love with @khashanakalashtar‘s entire Directionverse series (and honestly a lot of their other writing), but “Don’t Need to Compromise,” which is the second fic in the series, just makes my heart swell especially much. The gender feels are so good, and all the characters are so good to each other, and when I listen to this on walks I have to actively try not to arm-flap. 

9. a fic you wish could be a movie: “Ice Crew Please!” by @petals42, 61k, T, no warnings, Zimbits

Jack Zimmermann was drafted first by the Providence Falconers when he was eighteen years old. He is good at hockey. Very good. His team won the Cup his second year and now, in his third year, they are looking good. Jack should be on top of the world. And some days, he manages to convince himself he is.

He’s not, of course.

Enter the Ice Crew.

AKA: The Ice Crew AU

My notes: This fic has its tender moments, but what I love most about it is the sheer goofiness. Ransom and Holster and Shitty are HILARIOUS in this one. I’d love to see their shenanigans in movie form. 

10. a WIP you read as it was updated: “Something Borrowed” by @fozmeadows, 48k, M, no warnings, Kent x OC

All things considered, Ari did his best to prepare himself for the advent of Kent Parson, Potentially Difficult Housemate and New Star Liney. The problem was that his best was an idiot.

My notes: So technically I didn’t start reading this until the first 19 chapters were posted. But there was still plenty of anticipation for the final few chapters. And like, @fozmeadows (as mentioned above) makes EXCELLENT OCs. And I love how their fics consistently convey that having bad things happen to you does not mark the end of your story. 

Okay, it’s bedtime, so have 10 excellent fics. I got bingo twice, because I went straight across on the top two rows.