#‘we’ll meet again’ feels different when you do actually know where and when

[thebookofbill]

Today, April 14, marks 100 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE BOOK OF BILL!!

I’ve been counting down every day since the book was announced. The wait is more than halfway over! Soon, we’ll meet Bill again…

[suugarbabe]

Saving Grace (III)

[Chapter 3]

Pairing: Mattheo Riddle x Reader

Word count: ~4.3k (she a long one this time 'round)

Warning: drinking, smut adjacent content [readers below the age of 18 this is your warning to be aware of the content you consume]

Summary: The Slytherin party has arrived and y/n may have gone a little too far...

[chapter 2]

You spun around once more, inspecting your outfit from every possible angle. You had asked Pansy if she wanted to get ready with you and your friends, partly because you wanted to get to know her a bit better, and partly because you knew she’d help you look hot enough to actually convince other people that you and Mattheo were together for the night. She was a lot nicer than you expected, getting along with your friends, all of you helping each other pick out your outfits and finish each other's hair. Pansy had let you borrow one of her mini dresses. It was a gorgeous emerald green, made of silk and hitting mid-thigh. It had a corset laced back, helping your waist look snatched as the pleated bodice helped accentuate your cleavage just enough to be tempting. You made the decision to pair it with a pair of black Doc Marten boots you had borrowed from your friend Luna. You had no idea why a doctor was making boots, but you thought they were adorable and made a mental note to ask Luna where you could get a pair the next time you saw her. Flora and Ottie were sitting on their beds while Darcy and Pansy told you for the third time how perfect your outfit was. 

“You’re absolutely sure, guys? I feel like if I were to bend over my entire ass would be out,” you peered over your shoulder at the mirror, seeing the silk fabric lay just below the curve of your ass. Pansy smirked to herself, “If you’re bending over at all tonight let’s hope it’s Mattheo bending you over the edge of his bed.” You gasped, cheeks burning red, “Pansy Parkinson! That will not be happening tonight.” She shrugged, “I bet he would. I see the way he looks at you. It’s different than the other girls he’s brought around. No offense.” Darcy and Flora both shrugged nonchalantly . “No, you’re right,” Flora agreed, “We were both drunk when we made out with him. Just kind of feral and a natural instinct. He seems to really like you, Y/n/n.” You opened your mouth to protest again when a quick rapping came from the door. Darcy opened it, greeting the person and stepping aside to let them in. “Why hello ladies,” Mattheo’s voice floated into the room, as did he along with it. 

He was wearing black straight legged slacks that were cuffed at the bottom, displaying his black high top converse. He wore a black tank top with a black short sleeved button up, completely unbuttoned. For a seemingly simple outfit, he looked really handsome. “We’ll give you guys a minute and meet you down there,” Ottie winked behind Mattheo’s back while Pansy flashed you two thumbs up, the other two girls dragging them out the door, leaving you alone in the dorm with Mattheo. He stood with his hands in his pockets, but a smirk plastered on his face as he gave you a once over. You started getting nervous, “How do I look? Is it too much? Pansy let me borrow a dress.” You did a slow circle, giving him a view of the whole picture. “No, no. I mean, I think you look great. Better than great, bloody gorgeous really.” You felt blood rush to your cheeks at his compliment, “You don’t think it’s a little too revealing? It’s not like teasing Adrian or anything? The plan is to get him to back off after all, not drool over me.” Mattheo flung his hand like he was throwing your words and worries away, “Princess, wear whatever makes you feel good, revealing or not. Doesn’t matter to me, I know how to fight.” He punctuated his statement with a wink. 

You rolled your eyes, grinning at his remark, “Okay, machismo, well hopefully it doesn’t come to that.” You walked past him to the door. You grabbed the handle, turning back to him once more before opening the door, “Are you accompanying me to this party, or you gonna stand there and stare at my ass all night.” His eyes snapped up to meet yours immediately, mumbling a shy ‘sorry’ as his cheeks tinted the slightest pink. He led you down the steps from the dorms to the common room where the party was in full swing, a hand helping guide you just above the curve of your ass. As soon as you stepped off the last step, you broke through the barrier of the silencing charm that was placed on the room and your ears erupted with heavy bass. You spotted your three friends in the middle of the dance floor as Mattheo led you to his group’s usuals spot in the back corner. You had spoken with Ottie, Darcy and Flora earlier that day and they all agreed you should spend the party getting to know Mattheo better. You tried to argue against them, but they truly believed you two were on the verge of dating and loved that, for the moment, it seemed like someone was keeping Adrian off your back. 

As you reached the couches, the rest of his group was already there, Pansy included. Mattheo sat in one of the arm chairs, patting his thigh for you to sit on his lap. You raised your eyebrows at him slightly, a smile tugging at your lips, “I think I’m gonna grab a drink first, do you want one?” He offered to grab them for you but you insisted, he agreed only if you brought Pansy with you. She, of course, agreed immediately. Mattheo requested a fire whiskey, stating he took it “straight, on the rocks”. You could understand why some people thought he was psychotic by that drink request alone. You opted for a gin and orange juice that was very much so gin and more of a wafting of the citrus mixer. You weren’t exactly sure why but you were feeling nervous. Your answer to your nerves was revealed when you and Pansy turned to head back to the boys and you nearly slammed into Adrian’s chest. “Merlin’s beard, what do you want, Pucey?” Your tone was laced with irritation but Adrian didn’t seem to take the hint, “Just wanted to tell you how breathtaking you looked tonight, Y/n.” You rolled your eyes, looking over at Pansy who had her tongue out and her finger in her mouth faking a gagging noise. “Fuck off, shit stain, Y/n came with someone else tonight,” Pansy threw her shoulder into him, knocking him back enough for you both to walk past him. 

You could feel him staring as you both walked away and a chill found its way up your spine. As you reached the group you could tell Mattheo saw the entire interaction just by the glare on his face. You walked up to his chair, standing in front of him with a drink in each hand. “This seat taken?” You asked, nodding towards his lap. He smirked as you turned around, he placed a hand on each side of your waist, helping guide you down to his lap before taking a cup from one of your hands. He took a large gulp before his face immediately twisted in disgust, “Fucking Salazar’s dick, Y/n! Is this straight gin?!” You winced, “Oh, shit, I’m sorry, Teo! Yours is this one,” you switched the cup he was holding with the one from your other hand. “And for your information, there is also orange juice in there. Don’t be such a baby,” you grabbed at his face, squeezing it playfully and making his lips purse slightly. He pushed your hand off him, grin forming on his lips. “Don’t let her fool you, she put maybe a drops worth of juice in there,” Pansy spoke up. You shot her a look, but she only shrugged. 

“Mattheo’s new girl likes to drink…I dig it,” Theo nudged Enzo who laughed along with him. “Alright, Mattheo! Finally found one that can hang with the rest of us huh?” Mattheo squeezed the outside of your thigh playfully, resting his chin on your shoulder as he answered his friend, “Yeah, she’s different this one. Got a bit of sass to her, too so I’d watch out.” The group laughed together, making you feel a little more at ease. You all started chatting for a bit, general banter occurring between the boys. It was fun to watch them tease each other. Enzo seemed to be the butt of most of their jokes but he didn’t seem to mind, taking everything said in stride like a good sport. Blaise was the one to suggest playing a game, everyone seemed up for it but there was a collective agreement that refills were necessary. Mattheo offered to get yours and you gladly accepted. He placed a gentle kiss to your forehead before following a few of the others to the drink table, leaving just you, Enzo and Draco to keep your spot in the corner reserved. You placed one of Theo’s empty beer bottles in the middle of the floor between all the couches, flicking your wand to transform it into a table. Enzo wore a drunken smile, “I love magic.” You ruffled his hair as you went to sit back in your spot, “Me too, bub.” You sat back in the armchair, slinging your legs over one of the sides. 

You noticed Draco staring at you, a less than pleased look on his face. You rolled your eyes, leaning an elbow on one of the arm rests, “Care to share what’s on your mind Draco?” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “Yeah, yeah I do actually. What do you even like about my cousin? I don’t know if I believe this little thing between you two is even real.” You felt like your body temperature rose ten degrees, but you tried to play it off, “He always this skeptical, Enzo?” You tried to distract from the question aimed at you. Enzo giggled to himself, “Always.” You turned back to look at Draco who, once again, looked irritated and still waiting on your answer. You huffed, “I happen to think Mattheo is very funny. He’s also very witty, and incredibly kind.” Draco scoffed at this, “Did you say kind? That’s definitely not a word that describes him.” You continued to sing Mattheo’s praises, “I think you’d be surprised.” The others started coming back around at that moment. “What would be surprising?” Mattheo asked as he handed you your new drink. He lifted your legs, sliding into the chair before setting them back down across his lap, resting a hand on your knee. “I was just telling Draco how kind you were,” You smiled at Mattheo as the others attempted to hide their grins, “Are you tarnishing my bad boy reputation, Princess?” Mattheo mocked offense, giving your knee a light squeeze, you squealed softly, squirming in your seat as he grabbed your waist, burying his face in the crook of your neck. His curls tickled your skin, making you laugh further, attempting to push him off you. 

“Okay, lovebirds, real it in before we all vomit,” Theo teased. You turned to him, “Awh, don’t be jealous, Theo. I can have my friends come over and hang with us if you’re lonely.” You were half joking just to mess with him, but his eyes lit up at the suggestion. “If you have hot friends why are they not already over here, where are they?” He turned to look at the crowd of dancing bodies, a hand over his eyes like he was searching the oceanside. Pansy jumped up immediately, stating she would go grab them because, “games are more fun when the boy to girl ratio is more even.” You turned to Blaise then, “Alright, gamekeeper. What’re we playing tonight?” His face broke out into a grin, grabbing another one of Theo’s empty beer bottles and placing it on the table, “It’s a little mix of a few different games. You’ll spin the bottle, whoever it lands on gets the age old question: Truth or dare. If you refuse or answer, or refuse to do the dare, you drink.” It was simple enough, but with this lot you could definitely see how it could get out of hand. Pansy came back with your other three friends in tow. Ottie sat on the couch with Pansy and Draco, while Flora and Darcy sat on either side of Theo, who looked like he was in heaven. Darcy was sat between both Theo and Enzo, the latter boy’s face looking like he’d never been that close to a female person in his life. Pansy volunteered to spin first, placing the bottle on its side and giving it a good twirl. 

It stopped on Enzo, Pansy smiled wickedly, “Enzo, truth or dare?” Enzo looked like he might pass out, which told you that you were right to assume how intense these games get, and that Pansy was likely going to be ruthless. “Truth?” Enzo said it more like a question, probably assuming it’d be the safer choice between the two options. Pansy’s face revealed that neither option was going to prove easy, “Okay, who were you thinking about the last time you got a boner?” You had to cover your mouth to conceal your laughter, however others in the circle were not as kind. If looks could kill, Pansy would be dead, but Enzo braved up and answered, “Astoria.” “Greengrass?!” Flora covered her mouth, not meaning to sound as shocked. “In Enzo’s defense, her skirt was particularly short in Ancient Runes this week, so you can’t blame him,” Theo patted his friend's shoulder, but Enzo’s face was stained red. Enzo spun the bottle, ready for the attention to be off of him and on to somebody else. The bottle stopped while facing Theo, “Truth or dare, Theo?” He took a swig of his drink, “Let’s go truth this round.” Enzo sat up straighter, “Fine, have you ever had a crush on anyone in the circle? And if so, who?” Theo scoffed, “Easy, Y/n.” You were shocked to say the least, “What? Me? When?” He shrugged, “Dunno, like year three or something I think?” You turned to look at Ottie who was doing the worst job possible containing her laughter. To say she she was past the feeling of buzzed was an understatement as she seemed to lose the ability to keep her mouth shut, “That is actually hilarious because Y/n also had a crush on you in year three.” 

You launched a pillow at her head, which she somehow managed to deflect, “Seriously, Ottie? What the fuck?” You looked over at Theo who was wearing a proud smirk. “What a missed opportunity, Y/n. To think it could’ve been my lap you were sitting on tonight,” He threw you a wink and you hid your face in your hands. “Watch it, Nott,” Mattheo warned with a playful tone, running his fingers up and down your back to soothe you through your embarrassment. The game continued, dares being thrown wildly around the circle, surface truth’s being told between each other, alcohol being downed by those refusing to do either depending on who and what was asked of them. You were pleasantly surprised at how well your friends seemed to mesh with Mattheo’s. Darcy had kissed both Blaise and Theo. Blaise had dared Draco to smile, who refused because the dare was “ridiculous” and instead chugged half his drink in one go. You were having fun, relaxing further into Mattheo the more you drank. You thought how nothing could ruin the good time you were having until you spotted Pucey leaning against the wall just beyond the couches. He was glaring at you and Mattheo and the rest of the group. You rolled your eyes, turning to look at Pansy and give her a disgusted look. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking what was wrong. You glanced sideways, not moving your head but also telling her to look to her right. As she glanced over slowly, she saw what you needed her too and she screwed her face in disgust. Thankfully it was her turn to spin the bottle again, but this time she had a plan. With her wand flush against her thigh, Pansy silently cast a spell, making the bottle stop when it pointed at you. “Truth or dare, Y/n?” Her tone more emphasized on the word dare. She had a look in her eyes that told you to pick the latter option, so you obliged. “I dare you to give Mattheo a lap dance.” 

You’re sure your eyes looked like they were going to pop out of your skull, but Pansy glanced over to where Pucey was standing again. “You don’t have to do that, Princess,” Mattheo assured you. You shook your head, “No it’s okay.” You stood up, smoothing out your dress and setting your drink and his down on the table. You turned to face him, leaning down to whisper in his ear, “We have an audience.” You grabbed his chin, turning his head slightly so he could see Adrian. Mattheo’s lips turned up at the corners ever so slightly before turning back to face you. “Now, sit back and enjoy, handsome,” you placed his hands on either arm rest of the chair, “but no touching.” You winked at him as he sat back, eyeing you up and down as he manspread on the chair. You turned back around, everyone in the circle, and pair of eyes to the side, watching you. You listened to the music of the party, allowing yourself to sway your hips back and forth. You ran your hands up your thighs slowly, grazing your fingertips over the curve of your hips, the dip of your waist, over the swell of your breasts and up through your hair. You were thankful you had drank as much as you did up until this point. You bent slightly at the knees, placing a hand on each of Mattheo’s thighs, your ass hovering ever-so-slightly over his lap. You stuck your ass up just a little higher, the black lace of your thong that covered your core just peeking out below the hem of your dress. You felt Mattheo’s thighs tense as he lowly growled out, “Careful, Princess…” You stood up slowly, turning to face him now, peering over subtly to see Adrian still watching, looking angry, but not angry enough or your liking. You decided to finish the dare with a bold move, straddling one of Mattheo’s thighs. You grabbed hold of each side of his black button up, then pulled him into you, crashing your lips against his. Your tongue slid into his mouth with ease, another low growl erupting from his throat as you did so. His hands flew to your hips, grinding them down slightly making your core rub against his slacks. You whimpered, unable to control your reaction before you pulled away, chest heaving as you caught your breath. 

“Bloody hell, that was…sexy as fuck,” Enzo’s statement returned you back to reality and where you currently were. Your cheeks burned as you got off Mattheo’s leg and sat down next to him. “Guess you should’ve spoken up in year three, huh Theo,” Draco teased his friend who was now holding a pillow over his lap, face still stunned from what he just watched. “Careful, cousin,” Mattheo spoke, “Games not over yet, there’s still time to embarrass you, too.” The game continued for a little while longer, before slowly dying down. Draco and Blaise ended up having to carry Enzo back to the dorm, thankfully he was only three fourths their size so they were basically carrying a child. Your three friends said their goodbye’s shortly after. Theo and Mattheo began picking up the trash the others left behind. You went to assist when Pansy grabbed your wrist, pulling you to sit down next to her. “Bloody hell, that lap dance was amazing, Y/n! When you started making out with him, Pucey fucking crushed his cup and threw it on the ground, it was amazing,” you laughed at this. “Serves him right, he’s been being a creep to me since the start of classes,” you glanced around the room, making sure he wasn’t still somewhere stalking you. Pansy stood up, pulling you along with her, “Hopefully he doesn’t get more jealous and try to take what clearly isn’t his.” You slapped her arm playfully, “Do not place those negative manifestations into my life Pansy or I’ll sic him on you instead!” 

You felt a pair of strong arms wrap around your waist from behind you, Mattheo’s chin now resting atop your head, “If you’re quite done hogging, Y/n, I think we’re going to call it a night.” Pansy kissed your cheek, “Alright, alright. Go and take your girlfriend, Riddle. But we’re talking tomorrow, Y/n/n.” You assured her you’d likely see her back in the dorm shortly but she said she “wasn’t going to hold her breath" before walking away to the room. You rolled your eyes, leading Mattheo up the stairs and down the hall towards your dorm door, the man still attached to your hips. He released you from his grip when you approached the end of the hall. You turned to face him, seeing him sporting a goofy grin. “What is it?” you questioned. He shrugged, resting his hands on your hips, “Tonight was…unexpected.” You wrapped your hands around his neck, tilting your head slightly, “What? Didn’t expect me to get along with your friends so well?” You were playing with the curls at the base of his neck. He closed his eyes, humming at the feeling of comfort the simple action gave him. “I was more so talking about the lap dance I received. Didn’t really expect that from the quiet girl at the back of Charms class.” You could still feel the alcohol flowing through you slightly, giving you a little more confidence and a lot more boldness. “Oh Teo, didn’t anyone ever tell you, it’s the quiet girls that are the kinkiest,” you patted his cheek playfully. 

He grabbed your wrist, backing you up against the wall, his knee slotted between your thighs. His eyes turned a shade darker, almost lust filled, “Careful, y/n/n…you are very close to breaking your one rule in this whole arrangement.” You opened your mouth to respond, your breath catching in your throat as Mattheo’s thigh applied pressure between your legs. Your brain finally caught up to his words, sobering you up slightly. “You’re right, I-I’m sorry,” you placed your free hand on his chest. He let your other wrist go as he took a step back. He ran a hand through his curls, “You’re fine, erm, it’s fine.” He kissed your forehead softly, “Goodnight, Y/n.” He started to walk away but you called after him, a question burning in the back of your mind, “Hey, Mattheo.” He turned back around to face you. “Why didn’t you correct her? Pansy, earlier, when she called me your girlfriend. We didn’t really tell people we were dating, the plan originally was just to be seen together at this party to get Pucey off my back.” He walked back over to you until he was standing right in front of you. You waited a beat, anticipating his answer. Instead, he reached up, grabbing the pendant of your necklace, “You wear this every day. I noticed it the first time you came up to me in the hall. A protection rune carved on...,” he flipped the pendant back and forth between his fingers, “black obsidian?” You nodded, “M-my mother gave it to me my first year.” 

He hummed to himself, letting the necklace fall back to your chest. “I didn’t correct her because I think we can help each other. Like you said before, Pucey’s persistent. You definitely pissed him off tonight but I don’t think he’s going to give up all together. You always want what you can’t have, right?” You nodded, grabbing his hand. You ran your thumb along the top of his knuckles, feeling the different bumps and scars along them, “So how does me being your girlfriend help you then? Someone you’re trying to make jealous?” He laughed lightly, “No, nothing like that.” “Then what is it?” your curiosity was peaked now. “I think it would just be good for me to have a positive influence around for a while. You saw my friends,” he laughed to himself. You weren’t quite sure if you believed his answer, but you decided tonight was not the night to press the conversation further, “Okay, Teo. I don’t mind keeping you company.” He smiled at you, another small goofy grin. A girl rounded the corner, stopping abruptly when she saw the two of you. “Erm, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Mattheo flashed an award winning smile, “No worries, darling, I was just going.” He turned back to you, pressing a soft kiss to your lips, “Sleep well, beautiful.” He winked at the girl in the hall as he passed her. She turned back to you as you opened the door, following as you entered the room, “You are seriously so lucky.” You sat on your bed, undoing your laces and chucking your boots off, “You have no idea.” You threw on some pajama shorts and a t-shirt, laying the dress on Pansy’s trunk. She turned over in her bed, “I’m surprised you’re sleeping here tonight.” You pulled back your covers, “I told you I’d be here, Pans.” 

She mumbled something but it got muffled by her pillow. You tucked yourself into your own bed, flicking your bedside light off. You laid on your back, staring at the ceiling. You ran the events of the party over in mind. You could partly blame the alcohol for the intensity of things between you and Mattheo tonight, but you weren’t sure it was fully to blame. You closed your eyes, trying to focus on the soft snores of the other girls in the room. You were eventually able to doze off, however your dreams were flooded with a certain curly haired boy.

[chapter 4]

Taglist:

@b3ean @l4venderia @mypolicemanharryyy @ma-las @usmell4 @carav4l

[oxydiane]

sns is so fucking unhinged and nobody will ever be them i’m sorry. you start the series and it’s like oh haha look at these goofy angsty rivals! they hate each other! then sasuke dies for naruto thirty chapters in giving up his dream of revenge and naruto goes batshit insane. now you’re like ah they’re friends i guess that’s cute! and sasuke is trying to kill naruto because he’s the most important person in his life which is . ok and it becomes the driving force of everything or something. sasuke leaves and naruto dedicates the rest of his life to bringing him back and you’re still a casual fan so ur like he’s doing it for the promise right? then orochimaru says sasuke is his and naruto goes batshit insane feral homicidal (again) and after that sasuke reappears and they have ??? like five different panels dedicated to them staring at each other??? and he jumps off a mountain and hugs naruto for some reasons just to whisper some gay shit in his ear kishimoto frankly needs to be jailed drawing this and keep that best friend nonsense going. anyways. you have sasuke become a convicted terrorist to which the normal people response is “ok we need to hunt him down” and when naruto learns they’re gonna hunt him down he starts screaming crying throwing up he has a panic attack he can’t breathe he’s falling in the snow he gets on his knees and begs them to spare his BFF. after having a meltdown over the thought of sasuke dying what may possibly be the natural coping mechanism any stable person would adapt? of course realising that if sasuke dies he can die too. so he sees sasuke again and after he attempts murdering sakura twice and expresses the intent to murder kakashi he’s like. i will bear the burden of your hatred and die with you hehe and if we both die you won’t be an uchiha and i won’t be the jinchuuriki to the nine tails and we’ll be able to understand each other better in a different lifetime! WE’LL MEET AGAIN IN THE AFTERLIFE BECAUSE NOT EVEN DEATH CAN DO US PART! and sasuke (just as insane as him) doesn’t even flinch he’s like what the fuck is wrong with you but then ok let’s fuckingggf die together on my god i will kill your first anyways . then they find out they are soulmates and get cute matching tattoos on their hands and decide to fight to the death once more because sasuke is back on his i will shoulder all the hatred of the world alone and i need to kill you because i love you more than anyone else in the world actually you’re the only person i love so you need to DIE and naruto is like I WILL NOT LET YOU SHOULDER THAT HATRED ALONE I WILL FREE YOU FROM THE PAIN and they fight and despite all the whatever weapons used in the war it’s a fuckinggg fistfight in which just as sasuke is about to inflict what he thinks is the last blow says “farewell… my one and only…………………. (very long pause to accentuate how heteronormative this next word is gonna be) FRIEND” and fucking stops using his sharingan because not even then he can record the image of naruto dying especially by his hand but naruto STOPS HIM LIKE A f cHAMP and they end up blowing each other’s arms off (rip the matchies) and as they’re bleeding to the fucking death sasuke is like you’re the only person that has never tried to severe their ties with me why do you go so far for me and naruto from the depths of comphet hell is like because you’re my FRIEND and sasuke being absolutely done with this bullshit is like ok what the fuck does that mean to you then and this is where it gets even gayer and relatable because naruto is like i don’t KNOW i just know that when you hurt i hurt and i just can’t take it and isn’t that the most gay experience thing ever? naruto knows what it feels like to have friends but what he feels for sasuke is so bone deep and unconventional that he cannot make sense of it and can only describe the pain it brings. after that sasuke CRIES LIKE THEYVE GOT ME SOOO FUCKED UP but you know what got me even more fucked up?

naruto waking up bloodied and battered and half alive with one arm missing but still wondering if that was heaven because sasuke was next to him. sasuke looking so happy and peaceful when saying “i lost” as a stark contrast to him looking and feeling like half of his body was being torn apart when he “won” against naruto in vote1 and left him. the bitterness of victory vs the sweetness of losing if you will. AND HIM COMPARING WHAT HE FEELS FOR NARUTO TO PRAYING MY GODD. did i forget to mention that then we learn that Ohhh it was never a stupid shallow rivalry as we all thought! they have actually been watching each other from afar since they were little freshly traumatised children and have longed to hold each other’s hands since then! what was it sasukeeee you felt warm and fuzzy when you saw naruto to thought of it as a weakness? these two are so astronomically hopelessly desperately obsessed in love with each other it’s ridiculous i’ve had ENOUGH free me from this mental prison

[tragedybunny]

Dance With Me Under the Diamonds, See Me Like Breath in the Cold - Astarion x F!Reader

I've been waiting to write this for some time. I'm absolutely thrilled with it and I hope you think it's beautiful.

Reader and Astarion have come a long way since that meeting on the beach. They've made it all the way to their wedding.

“Where in the hells is Gale?” Astarion fusses while fidgeting with the brocade crimson overcoat he’s wearing. “That man is always late.”

“He’ll be here Love,” you give him a small kiss on his cheek and take his hand, trying your best to keep things calm. "He's not even actually late yet."

“Still haven’t found patience to be a virtue I see,” Shadowheart strolls over to the two of you where you wait under an arbor of night-blooming jasmine, her arm hooked in Lae’zel’s.

“Would you expect any different,” Lae’zel adds a wide smile to her words, an attempt to make it clear she’s joking. The Githyanki has certainly seen her share of change since you met her, really hadn’t you all though?

“While I’m glad you two have finally developed a sense of humor, I’d rather not be the subject of it.” You can feel his agitation rising and it’s your turn to silently plead with the universe for Gale to hurry up.

“Perhaps he’s nervous,” Lae’zel turns to her partner, pretending Astarion isn’t right there fuming.

“I am not!” Before he gets any more worked up, they both pull the pair of you into a sudden embrace, leaving Astarion stuttering and you trying not to giggle at his expense.

“Congratulations you two, we’ll go mingle and pray for Gale’s safety if he’s any later,” The two of them join arms again and make their way back over to the crowd greeting an enthusiastic Mol and her gang of children that’s expanded beyond just the original tieflings. They’re becoming quite the criminal enterprise. There are so many people here, lives you’ve both touched. Originally you’d planned to just stay at your little house for the event, but when more requests to attend kept coming, you had to choose somewhere else. Duke Ravenguard had graciously offered you private use of Bloomridge Park.

“You are nervous, aren’t you,” you whisper mischievously and watch him try to hide it.

“Of course not, I managed to convince you to come this far, now it’s all formality,” your heart skips a beat when he smiles, the tips of fangs peeking out from under his lip. Smiles like that were all too rare when you first met him.

“I don’t recall needing much convincing.” Truthfully, you don’t remember what had brought the subject up, but Astarion had reminded you that it wasn’t a point, legally speaking, as neither of you technically existed.

“It doesn’t have to be in an official record anywhere, it’s just a promise we would make to one another. And we do know the perfect Cleric for a nighttime ceremony.” The way he’d just stood there for a moment you thought you'd said something wrong. Perhaps it was bringing up a Cleric and making it a sworn oath, he didn’t exactly have any love for religion. But then he was dropping to his knees, taking your hands in his, and begging you to be his wife. It was appropriately dramatic for him. And now, here you were, gathered with friends and found family, waiting on a late wizard.

“Brother!” Beside you, Astarion braces and a pale figure collides with him, embracing him tightly

“Hello Dal,” he gingerly returns her hug, as you notice Aurelia remaining a respectful distance behind them. “It’s good to see the both of you too,” he nods in Aurelia’s direction. His relationship with his “siblings” is complicated, but the horror they shared bonds them, and some of them have tried to make a family out of what is left to them. Dalyria seems to be the most persistent, she even had the two of you come visit their home in the Underdark.

“I’m so happy for you Astarion,” she finally releases him but leaves a hand on his arm fondly. “You’ll have to come visit again. I’ll even make Petras promise to behave.”

There’s turmoil in him only you can see, he would love to forget about anything that reminds him of Cazador, but the sisterly love Dal tries to give him is something he’s missed in his life. “At least it will be safer for him that way.”

“Stop,” she smiles and gives him a peck on the cheek. “We’ll talk more later.” As she walks away, Aurelia gives a stiff wave.

“His time is up, he's de-” A flash of light interrupts and when it fades two figures are standing amongst the crowd, a wizard you know well and one you briefly met.

“Sorry for the wait,” Gale begins awkwardly, trying to ignore Astarion’s considerable glare, “we were occupied in a bit of an undertaking…”

“But I am sure you will find the reasons most acceptable,” Elminster takes over, giving your floundering friend a reprieve.

Another flash of light as two more figures appear and you can't believe your eyes. Your heart leaps and you shout inadvertently. "Karlach! Wyll!" Without a second thought, you launch yourself at both of them, Astarion following along more reservedly.

"Steady on there, Soldier," Karlach pulls you into a smothering hug.

"How," you ask, smoothing the cream lace of your dress as she lets you go, still stunned she's outside Avernus without exploding.

"Wizards," Wyll smiles, glancing at Gale and Elminster. "We had to find a way back, there's no way we'd miss this."

"It won't hold forever, but we think we've got a way I can come back for visits. Until we get something permanent. Good news is Zariel's seemed distracted by something lately."

"I suppose overall this is an appropriate excuse for being late," Astarion finally relents.

"Aww, come on Fangs, don't be sour, it's your wedding." Karlach has a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Do not," but it's too late, the tiefling picks him up in a crushing hug. "I missed you too Karlach."

Tears suddenly start to form in your eyes, seeing them all together again, it was something you feared might never be. Wyll gives Asatrion a less brutal greeting and you turn to Elminster. "Thank you. You will stay right," it's the least you can do.

"Gale has assured me there are to be many culinary delights after, and of course, I've never seen a vampire spawn get married. So I believe I shall."

"Ah. I see Father made it," Wyll waves to Duke Ravengaurd who had been waiting a respectful distance away. "Best go see him, we'll catch up more after."

"You both better save a dance for me," Karlach calls over her shoulder, taking his arm, and kissing his temple.

"Tell me you have them," Astarion has fixed his attention back on Gale, and you rush to his side before he can begin another tirade.

"Worried I would eat them?" Gale has recovered himself from Astarion’s initial onslaught and is smiling brightly.

"Yes," your beloved is still in no mood for jokes.

"Honestly Astarion," you give him a look.

"Ugh, fine, I'll calm down. Once he hands them over." You're lost as to what Gale has that's so important considering the occasion.

"Never change my friend," he laughs and pulls a small box from a pocket on his robes and opens it gently. Inside there are two gold rings with small red stones set in them, you can feel the hum of magic in them.

“Sending Stones?” You glance at Astarion as he takes the box from Gale.

For a moment he seems almost shy about it. “I thought it would be nice if we were always able to speak to each other, no matter what. I know it’s not feasible to never be separated.” The two of you had spent almost every moment of the last couple of years in each other’s presence, but as Astarion continued to heal, he seemed more comfortable with time spent apart.

“You’re adorable, you know that,” your lips brush the tip of his nose, the gift is an incredibly sweet sentiment, and you’re so proud of how far he’s come.

Under the right circumstances, vampires actually can blush. “I..” he starts, sounding like he’s going to grouse about something, probably being called adorable in front of everyone, but stops. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand why you think that my Love, after everything I’ve done.”

You reach up to brush his cheek and run a finger through his curls. “That wasn’t who you really are.”

“I take it, we're ready.” Isobel joins you under the arbor, eyes already fixed on the moon above, and you both nod in response. “Then let us begin,” her voice carries to the crowd and silence falls. “We come here, under Our Lady’s Light, to bless this couple and sanctify their bond.”

You honestly don’t remember many of Isobel’s words after that as Astarion takes your hand and you get lost in his soft, crimson eyes. Maybe it’s a bit terrible of you to ask Selune’s blessing and then not pay attention, but you think she can understand. “The rings,” Isobel prompts and Astarion retrieves them from his pocket, opening them so the Cleric can bless them. “May the Moonmaiden’s light ever guide your hearts toward each other.” A nearly imperceptible mote of silver light seems to land on them and lends the jewels in them an unearthly glow.

Astarion tenderly picks one up as you proffer your finger. Isobel had agreed to let you both speak your own vows, as long as they didn’t directly offend any of Selune’s teachings. You’d reassured Astarion every step of the way that you didn’t need it to be a sworn oath in front of clergy, but he’d oddly insisted, saying he wanted to swear himself to you to the fullest. “As long as it’s Isobel though, she’s the only trustworthy one.” Shadowheart was still figuring out how much religion she wanted in her life, though it seemed Selune was patient as she continued to have a Cleric's gifts.

The ring slips on your finger perfectly and your heart stutters, your vision getting watery again. You do the same for him in turn and you both entwine your hands, speaking in unison. “Unto thee, I vow, mine heart and home, mine life and love, for now, and all seasons. Let me never from thy side be parted, and unto thee, no evil do. Until, at last, my life shall leave me, this my beloved, is my pledge to you. So I do swear.”

“And so sworn before our Lady, I do pronounce thee wed.” The crowd behind you applauds, and you can barely see Astarion through the tears.

Lae’zel and Karlach are shouting raucously, “Kiss! Kiss!”

You start to lean forward and notice his eyes are just as wet as yours. “Hells, why did I agree to do this in public,” he laughs, dabbing his cheeks with the cuff of his sleeve.

“You couldn’t miss being the center of attention,” your laugh is lost in a happy sob. “Damn it, kiss me before I pass out or something.”

Softly, he pulls you in, lips finding yours. The chaste peck turns deeper, giving the crowd what they want judging by the noise. But then something unexpected happens, there’s the tinkle of mischievous laughter, as though a woman stands near to you. A voice that’s both honey-sweet but radiating power whispers in your ear, “congratulations my dear child,” and you feel a surge of fae-touched magic, reminding you of that day you took a different oath.

The kiss breaks and Astarion is staring at you, surprise clearing away his tears. “I know you.”

Everything goes numb in the rush of terror that follows, he’d learned some of who you were before the Nautiloid, but there was much still to tell. “Astarion I’m so-”

A slender finger is pressed to your lips. “Hush Love, tomorrow. And it changes nothing, I still love you with all my unbeating heart. Now let’s indulge everyone since they came all this way to celebrate us.”

The night is full of feasting, drinking, song, and dancing. The two of you mingle with old friends and those whom you met only briefly, the scents of a delectable feast wafting through the air. When the music starts, you share a waltz under the night sky, Astarion holding you close and whispering in your ear, “love you Sunlight.”

True to her word, Karlach insists on a dance with both of you, surprising you with her talent for it. “I’ve been teaching her,” Wyll looks over at her and Astarion lovingly from where he’s dancing with you. “Once you find a safe place to rest, Avernus can be a bit boring.”

You stumble across Lae’zel, angrily giving gold to Mol and her crew. “She lost a bet,” Mol says proudly.

“Oh really, and what sort of scam bet did you get her to agree to, my favorite tiny criminal” Astarion asks fondly. Mol comes to visit you sometimes and you’ve decided you’d rather not know what he’s been teaching her.

“She thought you might light on fire as soon as it got religious,” Mol laughs and scampers off.

Astarion pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’ve seen me in temples before.”

“Chk, but never swearing an oath.”

“She has a point,” you nudge him playfully.

“Oh you are going to pay for that later,” he leans in to nip at your neck, causing you to shiver.

Dawn nears much too soon and you can see some of his happiness evaporating. There still was no solution you’d found to let him live in the light. “We should go,” you whisper in his ear, “what’s a wedding without the wedding bed?” Ever so lightly, you let your tongue brush against his ear, a spot of divine torment for him you’ve found, and listen as he gasps softly.

“Indeed my Love,” his mood revives and the two of you make your good-byes, your friends having promised to clean up the aftermath of the night. A young woman you think you recognize passes you an open bottle of wine on the way out of the park, “a gift from summer’s best,” she says and it fills you with a strange sensation for a moment before Astarion’s mouth is on yours again.

Your house isn’t far from Bloomridge and the two of you stroll the streets in a blissful, dreamy state, wrapped in each other’s arms, sharing drinks from the wine that tastes of sweet berries and summer rains. Lights dance in the morning mists and everything feels transcendtly perfect as you ascend the steps to your home. Astarion pins against your front door, kissing you hungrily and letting his hands wander your body. “My wife,” he breathes against your skin as his lips travel down your neck.

Heat sparks inside you, ravenous for him. “My husband,” you sigh, lost in your love for him.

[in1-nutshell]

I know request are closed so just add this to the bottom of the list for whenever you see it.

TFP Megatron's daughter with MTMTE Megatron.

this feels like the kinda thing that would hurt him, knowing that in one universe he was lucky enough to have a daughter as smart and kind as buddy and he hurt her.

have a nice day hope you drink water

This is a pair that I have thought about if they ever met. Buddy is now going to have to meet another Megatron. But don't worry she's not alone!

Hope you enjoy!

Megatron's daughter with the opposite personality meeting MTMTE Megatron

SFW, Platonic, Familial, slight angst, Cybertronain reader

TFP/MTMTE

In MTMTE…

Brainstorm was bored.

So, he started to work on one of the projects he had been putting off for a while.

A dimension to an alternate universe, even different than theirs!

He was just about to turn it on when Perceptor came in.

“Brainstorm have you seen Nautica? I have her data—what in Primus’s name are you doing?!”--Perceptor

Brainstorm hanging upside down trying to reach a button to turn on the machine that was slightly smoking.

“Oh! Percy! You’re just in time! I was going to push the button—”--Brainstorm

Perceptor trying to reach Brainstorm.

“There will be no pushing—”--Perceptor

Brainstorm pushes the button.

“BOOP!”—Brainstorm

Machine starts whirling up.

“It’s working!”--Brainstorm

In TFP…

Buddy was walking with Miko on her shoulder.

They had gone to go get some arts and crafts from one of the empty rooms in the base.

Something about a human holiday coming up.

When the portal opened.

“OH, PRIMUS NOT AGAIN!”--Buddy

Buddy dropping the boxes trying to grab Miko and something else to not go into the portal.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN?!”--Miko

“EXPLAIN LATER! BULKHEAD! OPTIMUS! ULTRA MAGNUS! RATCHET!”--Buddy

Miko slips through Buddy’s grip.

“BUDDY!”--Miko

Buddy jumps at Miko, covering her entire body as they both get swallowed by the portal.

In MTMTE…

Brainstorm was wrestling with Perceptor when two figures came out of the portal.

The portal shut leaving the machine slightly smoking.

There was no way anyone was going to turn that thing on and not have it potentially exploding in their faces.

Miko groaning a bit t the rough landing.

She is on a lab table.

Buddy is hanging upside down tangled up in a bunch of wires.

“Oh! Hello!”--Brainstorm

Brainstorm lightly pokes Miko who just looks at these two new bots.

“Hey! Leave her alone!”--Buddy

Buddy is struggling to get out of the wires to get to Miko.

“Relax!”--Brainstorm

Brainstorm presses a button to release the wires.

Buddy falls face first on the floor.

Brainstorm, Miko, and Perceptor wince hearing the sudden noise.

Perceptor helps Buddy up.

“My apologies. I know you two may have some questions in where—”--Perceptor

“We’re a different universe or dimension.”--Buddy

Brainstorm’s wings go up.

“Have you done that before?!”--Brainstorm

“Against my will, yes. This is Miko’s first time.”--Buddy

“Who are you guys?”--Miko

“My name is Brainstorm! I’m actually the mech who brought you two here with my machine. This is my partner Perceptor! Don’t mind him, he’s more of a mood killer.”--Brainstorm

Percepor sends him a glare.

“So, you’re the bot who brought us here? What about getting us back?”--Buddy

“Haven’t gotten to that part yet, but eventually we’ll get there!”--Brainstorm

Perceptor offers his servo for Miko to climb on.

She does and gets passed to Buddy.

Buddy refuses to let her down on the ground.

The two scientists briefly explain where the pair had ended up as they go to the med bay for any internal injuries.

Ratchet nearly has a stroke seeing a human and new bot in the med bay.

Buddy and Miko know immediately who Ratchet is. He isn’t too far from the Ratchet they were used to.

Brainstorm and Perceptor had to leave the pair with Ratchet while they went back to the lab to see if the machine was all right after a warning alert came online.

After explaining how the pair got there and nearly putting Ratchet in cardiac arrest, they get a clean bill of health.

“Hey Ratchet. Brainstorm and Percy over there said the war was over in this universe. Is that true?”--Miko

“Yes. Thankfully its been over for a bit. Has…”-Ratchet

“Our’s isn’t over yet…”--Buddy

Ratchet gives them an sympathetic smile.

Someone slams the door open.

Buddy grabs Miko and keeps her close to her chassis.

“Hey Doc-bot! I need you to settle an argue—”--Whirl

Whirl looks at Buddy and Miko.

“…”--Everyone

Whirl looks at Ratchet.

“Brainstorm?”--Whirl

“Brainstorm.”--Ratchet

Whirl steps closer slightly menacing to the pair.

Buddy straightens up, and tightens grip on Miko.

“So what do we have here? Another minibot and a fleshy.”--Whirl

“If you call me fleshy, can I call you a computer?”--Miko

Buddy wants to scream at Miko for trying to antagonize the larger mech.

Whirl blinks and steps closer.

Buddy glares at him hard.

Don’t. touch. Her.”--Buddy

“…All right! I have to give it to you both. Steal bearings.”--Whirl

Whirl scoops both Buddy and Miko up to his chassis.

“I’ll give you two the Lost Light tour with all the helpful commentary.”--Whirl

Buddy looks over at Ratchet who looks very tired but gives a ‘Your-safe-with-him’ smile.

Buddy can only hope so.

By the time Whirl gets to Swerve, Miko and him have already made a blood pact and have several ideas on overthrowing those who have wronged them.

Whirl swears he has found his Amica from another dimension.

Buddy is just trying to take everything in while also accessing any and all dangers onboard this ship.

It was much bigger than anything she had ever seen back home.

Even bigger than the Nemesis.

“—Then Megs and him nearly—”--Whirl

Buddy turns to him so fast he thinks she might have broken her neck cables.

“Megs? As in Megatron? He is here? On this ship!?”--Buddy

“Yeah? Oh yeah you two mentioned something about your war still going on.”--Whirl

“Yeah.”--Miko

“How come you two haven’t talked about it?”--Whirl

“Its better to tell a whole group so we don’t have to go through the whole story again and again.”--Buddy

“Kinda like your name?”--Miko

Buddy sighing heavily.

“Yep.”--Buddy

“Wait what is your designation, Tiny?”--Buddy

“Buddy.”--Buddy

Whirl stops momentarily.

“Buddy? What kind of name is that? Did your Caregivers want you to get picked on?”--Whirl

Buddy winces a bit while Miko flicks his armor a bit.

“Oh! Soft spot. Got it, but you might as well tell now before anyone else knows.”--Whirl

Buddy gives him a dead glare.

“All right, all right, no spoilers.”--Whirl

“But back to Megatron—”--Buddy

“Hey look we’re here.”--Whirl

It was after hours, meaning not many mechs were in.

Just most of the mech whirl associated himself with.

As usual, Whirl made his grand entrance in the bar.

Not many bots paid attention to him thinking he was just being Whirl.

Buddy’s anxiety was going up seeing all the energon out.

She worried for Miko’s safety and kept her close.

Miko didn’t object to the closeness, remembering what happened to Raf.

Hopefully this universe didn’t have a variant of dark energon.

“Hey Swerve! Look who I got.”--Whirl

Swerve turning around.

“Whirl if its Rewind and Tailgate—”--Swerve

His optics land on Buddy and Miko in his cockpit.

“H-How—what—huh?”--Swerve

Buddy is trying to ease the tension as Whirl places her and Miko on one of the bar stools and takes a seat himself.

“Hi, I’m Buddy and this is Miko. We are from another dimension and—”--Buddy

Swerve proceeds to fanboy about humans to Miko and asks a thousand questions where the two are trying to answer.

Swerve’s increase in chatter brought attention to the rest of the bars patrons to the new guest.

Some even comm in their friends to come and see the new commers from another dimension.

Buddy seemed to have relaxed a bit at all the friendly bots around her and Miko.

Miko was having the time of her life.

She let some of the more curious bots who had never seen a human before holding her on the condition that they tell her goofy stories.

Whirl had offered to take her to the gun range, which Buddy immediately shot down.

Eventually Ultra Magnus came in with Rodimus following behind.

The pair had heard from Ratchet, Brainstorm and Perceptor about their new visitors and had to meet them.

Magnus had messaged Megatron to come as soon as his evening class was done.

Magnus had never seen a human or a bot so happy to see him before.

What is this feeling?

They were excited… to see him?

Not Rodimus… just him?

That’s when Megatron came in with the rest of the Rod Squad.

Buddy felt her entire world come to a halt.

She knew well that this Megatron was not hers.

She knew that she should have any harsh feelings for the mech that she barely knew.

…that didn’t stop her servos from shaking and everything start to blur.

Miko was quick to recognize that Buddy was starting to freak out and saw why.

And she wouldn’t blame Buddy for freaking out.

This Megatron was a whole category by himself, easily.

Their Megatron wouldn’t stand a chance against this giant mech.

Miko went to grab Buddy’s servo when she noticed something in her pocket.

The Apex Armor!

How did she even forget this!?

Miko activates the armor and jumps off the counter causing multiple mechs to scream and try to grab her.

She activates the armor now standing roughly average height in front of Buddy.

“DID THE FLESHY CYBERFORM?!”--Brainstorm

“WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?”--Tailgate

“THAT’S MY FURTURE AMICA!”--Whirl

Miko stares straight at Megatron as if daring him to make the first move.

Rodimus comes between her and Megatron.

“Woah, woah, woah. First nice form and all that needs explaining. Two I heard about your war still going on, but this Megatron here, he’s reformed.”--Rodimus

Buddy pats Miko on the shoulder from the bar.

They both look at each other, having an in-depth understanding.

Buddy gets down on the floor and walks towards the hulking giant, staring at the red Autobot badge.

She takes out her servo.

“My name is Buddy. Its… its good to see you Megatron.”—Buddy

Miko was silently cheering for Buddy’s bravery.

She even managed to get Megatron to sit down with the rest of the patrons.

That’s when the two of them agree to finally, fully, talk about their universe.

Starting with Buddy’s origins.

Just hearing about Buddy being Pre-war Megatron’s daughter floored everyone.

Megatron exe. Has stopped working please try again later.

He… he has a sparkling in another universe?

That’s great—wait… they were still at war…

Something was wrong…

The story started out with much understanding about the Senate’s power-hungry ideas and how hard it was to keep a sparkling.

Everyone, despite knowing what happens generally with the Senate meeting, is on edge.

Everyone is quiet when Buddy starts to describe her life on the Nemesis.

There are some glares to Megatron, but then they remember its other dimension Megatron that they need to get angry at.

Megatron has a neutral face while Buddy describes her time on the Nemesis.

Miko grabs her servo when the worst bits come up.

Several bots get up to give Buddy a hug during the explanation.

Some just stay there hugging.

Miko eventually tells her position with meeting Team Prime to try and make things as chronological as they could.

Once the pair is done, it’s silent.

Megatron looks over at Buddy.

“Buddy… I know that you are not my sparkling. But at the same time, you are. I want to tell you that the actions of my counterpart do not speak for other alternatives. I am sorry that you were hurt this way by him. I know that may not—”--Megatron

Buddy dives in and hugs his waist.

Megatron freezes before slowly placing his servo on Buddy’s back.

“You don’t need to apologize. You’re not him. You have a chance at peace and to make something great out of it. I am so proud of you for that Megatron. He… he would take peace and spit in your face. The point I’m trying to say is… thanks dad.”—Buddy

Buddy looks back at him.

She gives a small smile.

He gives a weak one back.

Miko is cheering in the background.

For the next several days the duo stays on the Lost Light waiting for the machine to get fixed.

Swerve thankfully got his servos on some human necessities for Miko while she stayed.

They had a blast with everyone on the ship.

Megatron and Buddy were nearly inseparable.

Megatron silently swears if he sees his counterpart that caused so much pain to this sparkling, he is going to meet his end. Or at least get the beating of a lifetime.

Soon enough it’s time for the two to leave.

The goodbyes are long and tearful.

Miko hugs Whirl’s neck as he tries his best to not tear up.

“If you ever end up in my universe you know who to call, okay?”--Miko

“Got that right Fleshy.”--Whirl

“I’m gonna miss you, you oversized can opener.”--Miko

Buddy and Megatron exchanging some words before giving one last hug.

“Bye everyone!”—Buddy and Miko

Buddy and Miko, in the Apex armor, go through the portal.

Menawhile in TFP…

Buddy shoots out the portal and straight into the wall.

“Why… I swear its every single time…”--Buddy

Miko lands doing a back flip.

“That was fun!”--Miko

Buddy falling back on the floor.

“Speak for yourself.”--Buddy

“MIKO!? BUDDY?!”--Bulkhead

Thunderous pedes start coming their way.

“Miko how do you feel about house arrest?”--Buddy

“…You think if we contact the Lost Light again, we’ll escape it?”--Miko

Pedesteps are getting louder.

“Not likely. Do what I do. Accept your fate without resistance.”--Buddy

The door gets torn off its hinges as Tema Prime comes pouring in.

“Nice knowing you Miko.”--Buddy

“Same to you Buddy.”--Miko

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not wanting to hang out with my boyfriend’s best friend?

My [33F] boyfriend’s [30M] (we’ll call him R) best friend (30s M) (call him D) is chronically late but also never communicates anything. I have ADHD and like I get it. I have all the patience in the world for people who are late if they communicate they will be late. But D will never communicate anything, ever.

R and D have a standing game night on Fridays where they go for dinner and play board games. D “normally” comes between 4-5pm. He picks up his kids from school at 3:30, drops them home with his partner and then drives over. It is a 30 minute drive. But in the past, both on regular Friday meetings, and for other meetups, he has been significantly late (3 hours, once!) without saying a word all day.

R wants me to join them on Friday evenings. I don’t have a traditional ‘job’ but I am a crafter with many things to do and also, as mentioned, I have ADHD. Part of that means I really need a specific time to go and do something otherwise I will just be stuck in like “wait mode” all day unable to do anything because I don’t know when I need to stop doing it. The first time I went out with R & D I did lose the whole day (no work done) because we could get no actual information from D on when he was coming, and he ended up not arriving until after 5pm.

I told D I didn’t appreciate not being able to properly plan my day, and that providing a heads up about these things is generally considered polite. I also made it clear afterwards to R that if D continued to not communicate anything and just “turn up whenever, at some point after 4, maybe” then I would not be joining them on board game nights. 

Today I once again only had “4-5ish, I guess” but by 4:30 not only was D not here but R had heard nothing from him, and suspected he had not even left. I told R I was not coming, I had already mostly lost the day - having stopped work several hours before - but I would at least be reclaiming the evening.

At 5:15 R called me to say that D had been arranging to have his partner come, and had been sorting out childcare (in the form of D’s mum). He at no point earlier in the day had said anything about this to R. In fact they hadn’t spoken at all. D then told R they would be leaving at around 5:45, so wouldn’t be here until at least 6:15.

I reiterated that I would not be coming. It was a boundary I set before and was very clear about, and was now enforcing it. D could have said much earlier that he was planning on inviting his partner, would have to arrange childcare, and would likely be later than usual. He chose not to do that, so I am choosing to not go.

R then got upset with me and said he would not be coming over to spend the night at my place the following evening (we have a normal routine on who stays where which days, and he knows unexpectedly changing that without any discussion at all will also mess with my ability to do things. The routine is important to me) because I was being unfair. 

I told him, again, it’s a firm boundary for me. People who won’t communicate anything at all when you have plans (even loose ones) aren’t respecting other people’s time. Even if that’s not the intention it’s still just… rude to the other person. Other people still have lives when you’re not there, and expecting everyone else to just be ready for “whenever” you feel like showing up without a word is not ok. Again, if it happens only once in a while because Shit Happens that’s different. But if it’s every time, with everyone, forever, then really you’re just a bit inconsiderate.

R says he doesn’t feel that way because he doesn’t have anything going on so it doesn’t bother him, so he isn’t upset with D (even though I have things on, so it does impact and bother me, his partner) but he is upset with me because I am “making him feel bad”. D’s complete lack of communication and lateness is not the problem, the fact I am annoyed about it and choosing to stay home is the problem. I said it is not fair to blame me for this turn of events when (unlike D) I was VERY clear beforehand that I wouldn’t be going if this happened, and that if nothing else he should still be at least a little annoyed with D for not respecting my time after I’d already spoken to him about it.

Instead of actually sitting D down and properly telling him “look I don’t have things to do but L does and it does bother her when you don’t communicate anything so it is messing with her work when you do this and that is not ok”, R then said he just won’t invite me to anything ever again. So I can’t be upset if he’s late.

AITA for refusing to go to board game night?

What are these acronyms?

[smolwritingchick]

Smol Brainstorm/Oneshot: Just Let Me Get It Out Of My System

Words: 4,000+

Author's Note: Ok Ok do you remember when Jungkook rapped Ddaeng? When he did this and I saw it years ago this idea sparked in my head. This has some smut in it so if you're not into smut then just ignore it. I actually really liked this and hope to put it in the story when I get to that point after tweaking it once again. So here, let this hold ya!

This would take place well after JenKook are established in pleasuring each other. Both of them are confident in bed and know each other's bodies well by this point. I feel like Jennie would be a switch and once in a while act bratty at times in bed. I kind of get brat tamer vibes from this scenario. Kinda?? In this, she definitely wanted to be in control this time around but Jungkook had other plans when she drove him crazy, lol.

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Nah...this was not OK. Nowhere near OK.

How dare he? Does he not understand how this was making her feel?

There Jen stood on stage watching along with the rest of the members as Jungkook rapped a part of Ddaeng. Aggressively might she add. He rapped so well. Jungkook always gave it 1000%. But his appearance was beginning to distract her while she attempted to put how sexy he looked in the back of her mind.

She failed instantly. 

Usually, she would not act this way about him on stage but tonight it was just something about him that was making her feel some type of way. A type of way that made her feel a familiar ache between her legs.

‘What he so loud for?’ she thought, mesmerized as she watched him.

Was it his hair? How fluffy it appeared and framed his handsome features?

She loved that he was growing it out. It gave her extra excuses to run her fingers through it. Long hair suited him well and it seemed like he wasn’t going to be cutting it, anytime soon. If not the hair, was it his voice? He sounded sexy when rapping.

‘Not the time or place, sis,’ she scolded herself, attempting to push the dirty thoughts away.

Okay, but what about his outfit? Because damn, he was looking good. 

Actually, screw it. It was all of the above and again, it was not OK.

Miss Bangtan went on to turn her attention to the crowd, hyping them up with the rest of the members because of how her body was getting worked up. She needed to keep it professional and put these aroused thoughts in the back of her mind.

One thing is for sure, she was going to get this man alone, tonight. No ifs, ands, or buts. Nobody was going to ruin her impromptu dick appointment.

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After the show, the members were safely dropped off at the hotel, coming off from the excitement of the fifth muster. They chatted amongst themselves about the show and what they wanted to eat.

“All right, Korean BBQ it is. Make sure you’re ready in 20.” Namjoon confirmed what they were eating for a late dinner.

“We’ll meet at the lobby,” Yoongi added as they all agreed.

On the floor where their rooms were, Jennie walked behind the guys and Jungkook walked beside her. All those dirty thoughts she had about him this evening came back as she impatiently waited for an opportunity to get him alone. Once the guys were distracted with their own conversations as they walked down the hall, Jennie firmly grabbed Jungkook's hand and began to lead him in a different direction. The direction of her room as they left the rest behind, who were oblivious of their absence. 

“Babe?” Jungkook asked softly.

If only he knew how hard it was to not jump his bones right there...

When she didn't answer him, he raised an eyebrow and watched her curiously as she led him to the door of her room. The room she had all to herself after beating the members in rock, paper, scissors. Once she opened it, she let him go in first and quickly followed in. It was a master suite and Jungkook understood why the members were profoundly upset when Jennie won the game. The room was huge with a dining table, king sized bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen area. 

After tossing his bag on the couch, he turned around to see Jennie tossing her room key and bag on the floor. 

“What—” before he could finish his sentence, her lips crashed against his, hurriedly. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck, smooching him for dear life as she held him close. Before he knew it, her tongue had eased its way to brush up against his. The heated gesture prompted him to kiss back, placing his hands on her hips. Whatever had gotten into her, he wasn't complaining.

Pulling away to breathe, her hands roamed over to his jacket, yanking it off. She then proceeded to walk him back to where the bedroom was.

Wasting no time, she lightly shoved him on the king-sized bed. She watched as his back hit the soft sheets while the sounds of his soft panting filled her ears. He looked taken aback by her behavior and prompted himself up on his elbows.

She glanced at his lap. It looked enticing with his legs spread out. Just waiting for her to take a seat. After removing his black bucket hat and tossing it aside, he watched as she stripped down to her underwear. With hungry eyes, he stared at her exposed skin, feeling his jeans getting tighter.

They're supposed to meet everyone in the lobby in less than 20 minutes, right? Well, everyone was going to have to wait.

No longer wondering what was happening, he sat up and reached out for her.

"Get over here," he demanded in a low voice, pulling her to him by the hand. 

With him on the edge of the bed, she straddled him, placing her knees on each side of him. She closed the gap, kissing him again, hands roaming down his chest. She felt that a few buttons were unbuttoned from his shirt. Feeling impatient, she ripped open his shirt and the loud pop of buttons filled their ears. The buttons flew all over the floor and she quickly peeled the shirt off, tossing it away.

Cupping his face, she went in for a deep kiss, while his hands slowly roamed down her body. The sensations between her legs became prominent once she began grinding into him. The action caused Jungkook to groan softly into the kiss, gripping her hips tighter.

"Baby..." he breathed out against her lips once she moved again.

If she kept this up, he wasn't going to be able to control what he was going to do to her. Whatever her intentions were, her being in charge of this was on thin ice. 

Not when she teased him like this.

The Golden Maknae definitely planned to take over soon. But for now, he allowed her to have her fun and let her believe that she would dominate tonight. Jennie moved at a slow pace, driving him crazy. The more she moved, the more she felt him hardening. Just what she wanted.

Everything she was doing with him felt good as her need for him grew. She needed him badly and already felt ready for him as her panties were soaked. They hardly did anything yet he had this effect on her. Pulling back, her lips traveled down to his neck while his breathing became more audible. He let out a few curses as she lightly nipped and sucked on his neck until she found his sweet spot.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips when he moved his hips harder against hers. It seemed like he wanted this as much as she did, meeting his lustful gaze.

“You rapping tonight was too sexy,” she spoke up. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to get you alone? How much I’ve been wanting to ride you?”

That made him widen his eyes. Sure she topped before but he had never seen her in this state of mind after a show. He made her like this because of the way he rapped, tonight?

“Just...just let me get this out of my system and then we can meet with the guys, all right?" she proposed, with urgency in her voice. "Right now, I need you. And I need you to fuck me. Can you do that for me?”

All she wanted was a quickie. She wanted to get railed and then get ready to go out to eat. 

Processing her words, Jungkook couldn’t help but chuckle and slowly lick his lips. His doe eyes darkened as he suggestively raised an eyebrow. She squirmed at the sight of the tempting smirk on his features.

He leaned over to her ear, making her shiver. "You need me that bad, huh? I can do that for you."

That's all she needed to hear as she softly bit her bottom lip and pushed him back down on the bed. He watched as she went to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants.

"Follow my lead," she answered and she pulled his pants and boxers down.

'I'll follow your lead for now. But we're both going to know who is leading tonight when I'm done letting you have your fun,' he thought to himself as very physical ideas popped into his head.

She heard him mention that he had condoms somewhere in his bag, but she shook her head and took out one from her bra, handing it to him. 

"Came prepared," she said proudly as he proceeded to put it on his length.

She was so ready to sit on him but before they could proceed, they heard her phone ringing from her pants. Annoyance briefly flashed on Jennie's face as she had a feeling who was calling. 

"Answer it," Jungkook stated.

"Answer it? Are you going to stay quiet when I talk?" 

"Maybe," he grinned mischievously as he sat up, getting close to her face.

"Kookie..." she warned, earning a light chuckle from him.

She reached over to her jeans while he held her so she wouldn't fall over. Back safely on his lap with her phone in her hands, she looked at the called ID. Surprisingly it was Namjoon and not Jin who called.

"Yeah?" she answered.

"Nini, you almost ready? We're downstairs waiting," his deep voice filled her ears.

"Um...go without us, we'll catch up, Namjoon," she replied while he immediately understood.

He laughed at her statement. "Okay. Don't be too long,"

"Give me the phone," she heard Jin in the background. It sounded like he snatched the phone from him as he began to ask questions. "Where in the world are you? Are you almost ready?! We're waiting!"

Before she could answer, Jungkook took the opportunity to trail light kisses around her neck, making her eyes flutter. 

"Are you there, Jennie? Hello? Are you seriously ignoring World Wide Handsome Jin?"

She cleared her throat, pulling away while giving Jungkook a warning glance. He was going to get it for being this playful in a situation like this.

"...yes...I'm still here, Jin," she put an emphasis on his name as a signal to Jungkook. But he didn't care and persisted in kissing and nipping at her neck.

This little shit...

Jennie fought back the moan that threatened to escape. One wrong sound and it was over. Jungkook didn't seem to mind. He always loved a challenge and the thrill of getting caught these days. 

“We're all waiting in the lobby. I want my BBQ, so hurry it up, will you?" Jin exclaimed.

Struggling not to make any sounds from what her man was doing, she stammered, “So-rry. Be down in-a-few!”

“You sound weird. Is everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

She should have just hung up right then and there because Jungkook began to laugh. 

“Hey! Why is that troublemaker laughing? Jungkook is with you? What are you two doing?!" the oldest member demanded.

"Let's give her another five minutes. If not then she'll just meet us there. You know how she likes to take forever getting ready for things," Namjoon grabbed the phone back, trying to ease the situation for the young lovers.

She heard him end the call as she shook her head and tossed her phone on the bed.

"I can't stand you for doing that,"' she playfully scolded Jungkook.

"It's fun messing with him," he responded and pulled her in for another heated kiss.

She pushed him back down to continue where they had stopped.

"We don't need much foreplay, I'm already ready for you," she admitted, biting her bottom lip softly.

“Yeah, I can feel it. All this from me rapping? I'll make sure to do it again,” he looked pleased to be the one to get her like this.

"You might have to," she said before letting out a sharp gasp when she slowly sat down on his length.

She let out a curse and used his chest for support. When he felt her sit down, he let out a breathy moan and threw his head back. She felt so good around him. Something he'll never get enough of.

"Go slow for me," he directed. "I want to see you enjoy yourself,"

He knew how much she wanted to go fast to get a quick release. The whole point was to have a quickie but he wanted to take it slow first. Regardless, he was going to make it worth it.

His statement made her feel flushed. Over the past few years, his confidence in their intimacy has grown with patience and communication. And he had always made her feel sexy. This time was no exception.

At a slow pace, she moved up and down, closing her eyes in bliss. It had been a while since she topped and she almost forgot how good it felt as soft moans fell from her lips. Jungkook watched in delight as her face scrunched up in pleasure, enjoying the view. After a while, she had found a steady rhythm, bouncing on him, sensually. He was captivated by her. A gorgeous view all to himself. His warm hands roamed around her body as he gazed intently into her eyes.

"That's it...keep going. You look beautiful like this," he admired her.

His hands wandered around her chest. The yellow set she had on complimented her dark skin and he contemplated ripping it off and flipping her over. Finally joining in, he gripped her hips to guide her. As he lifted his hips up, he guided her down to meet his. The movement caused her to whimper his name loudly and he slightly increased the pace.

"You always take me so well,” he praised.

His words made her involuntarily clench around him and he let out a loud moan, slowing down his movements. The way he sounded made her squirm. It was so sexy, she wanted to hear it again. Jungkook, however, was about to snap and gave her a dark, sensuous gaze.

"Jennie...if you do that again, you're going to be in trouble," he warned with a growl.

Did he just...growl underneath her? That sounded even hotter.

"Am I?" she asked innocently.

"Try me,"

She was amused to see him like this. He was the one who messed with her first when she was on the phone, so why not have a little payback?

Jen had no clue what she was in for because Jungkook was always unpredictable in and out of the bedroom. But she took a chance and chose to be hard-headed as she clenched around him again.

Jungkook growled out a loud curse and swiftly sat up, taking her by surprise. Having enough, he gripped her hips and guided her up and down at a faster pace. Snapping his strong hips up against hers, he made her cry out louder than she ever had tonight. She dug her nails into his back and held onto him for dear life. He wasn't kidding when he said she would be in trouble. She was becoming undone by each deep thrust as desperate whimpers escaped her along with his heavy breaths.

"Are you close?" he asked, picking up the pace as he loved how she responded to him.

"Fuck...J-J..." she whined.

She felt herself getting close, feeling an overwhelming amount of pleasure.

"Does it feel too good? You don't want me to stop, do you?" he teased.

She couldn't speak as she shook her head.

"Use your words, baby girl," he demanded.

"N-no, don't st-op-ah!"

Feeling her high approaching, the ecstasy of his thrusts began to make her squirm. It felt so good. So good. But she felt like she wasn't going to be able to withstand it any longer. Jungkook felt her writhe and try to get out of his grip while he proceeded to make her into a moaning mess with his hips.

"Mm-mm," he shook his head and enveloped his arms around her waist firmly. "Remember what you asked for. Isn't this what you wanted?"

He wanted to put her pleasure first and she was going to take it.

"You're not getting off of me until you're fully satisfied," he said as she clung onto him again, scratching his back.

It boosted his pride to see and hear her like this. He knew he was doing his job right, giving her what she wanted.

"You can do it," he encouraged as he felt that she was going to release any moment. "You can handle it. Just let go, baby. Let go for me,"

That was all she needed to hear as she cried out his name, release washing over her. Jennie's body trembled fiercely from how strong her high was because of him. Jungkook's release followed as a low moan escaped him, slowing down his movements. While he stopped thrusting, breathing heavily against her neck, he noticed her body was still shuddering. All because of him and it was a spectacle he wanted to see more often if he could do what he just did again.

"Good girl..." he praised as he felt her shakes come to an end. 

Once their breathing slowed down, she let a low chuckle, murmuring, "Shit..."

She had to take a moment to recollect herself. Fucked up was an understatement but she was well pleased. She never had such an intensified release like this. No matter how much she scratched and pulled his hair, he wouldn't let up and got her to this state. Moving away from his neck, she went in to kiss him, taking in the moment. Gosh, she loved him.

Taking a look at her, Jungkook regarded her cheeks looking wet. Had she been crying? The pleasure felt so good she had shed some tears.

"You okay?" he asked tenderly, wiping her tears with his thumb.

“Mm-hm. I feel great thanks to you. I just hope I can walk," she lightly joked.

"I'll carry you if you can't," he grinned.

"How will we explain that to the guys?"

"You hit your leg on the table of your suite," he suggested, making her chuckle.

"What about you? Are you okay?” she brushed his hair back that was sticking to his forehead.

“I am now that you’re feeling good. Remind me to rap more often to get you like this,"

She got off of him and felt that her legs were a bit wobbly but she managed to walk. Glancing at the floor, she noticed the buttons of his shirt scattered around.

“Oh no,” she said, embarrassed, "I did it again! I should really stop doing that so I won't have to keep buying you shirts to replace the ones I rip,"

She had a bad track record of ripping some of his shirts when they got too passionate. 

“Don’t worry about it," Jungkook smiled in reassurance after he threw away the condom. "I love it when you do it. Let's shower,"

"All right. And we need to think of an alibi. I'm thinking this time we can be late because we were shopping for snacks at a store. I'll buy extra snacks for Jin. You know once he sees them, he forgets about everything else,"

He grinned at the idea. "Believable. I'll get the shower ready,"

After gathering the outfit she was going to wear, Jennie went to meet Jungkook in the bathroom and noticed some of the scratches she made on his back. 

"Oh gosh, your back," she pointed out, feeling a little bad.

"Hm?" he turned and checked out his back in the bathroom mirror.

A few visible scratches from their physical activity. Nothing bad at all. In fact, he liked them.

"It's a sign I did a good job," he said, feeling cocky. "I mean you were shaking because of me,"

He watched as she playfully rolled her eyes while her cheeks burned up at the thought. He was not going to forget making her tremble tonight. No way. Not the way her body reacted to him. She was not going to hear the end of it.

“How’s the water?” she asked, looking at the shower that was running. 

Her shower playlist from her speaker played in the background as she awaited his response. 

“Nice and ready for us,” he gestured for her to go in first after she stripped out of her bra and panties.

But when she stepped in and felt the water hit her, she yelped and jumped out.

“Jungkook! What the hell!? It’s freezing cold!”

The Golden Maknae laughed loudly at how startled she was and blocked her ongoing punches. She was so easy to mess with.

“Annoying~! Cut it out!" she laughed and changed the water setting so it could heat up.

When they got in, Jungkook continued his playful behavior.

"Oh my gosh, would you move?" she complained as he purposely blocked her way so she couldn't reach her body wash. 

"What? I'm not doing anything," he replied innocently. "Oh, you're reaching for this?" he grabbed the body wash.

"Yes, give it," she reached out for it but he lifted his arm up high.

"A kiss first," he negotiated.

She gave him another glare as he puckered his lips. Closing the gap, she gave him the lip lock he wanted. When they pulled away, he smiled victoriously and handed her the body wash. They helped wash each other as the hot water relaxed their bodies. The shower was enjoyable and they danced and sang 'Done For Me' by Charlie Puth and Kehlani. 

Feeling him poke her butt for the third time of their shower, she retaliated by smacking his. Her hit caused him to yelp while she giggled at his reaction. Following Jungkook rinsing off, he almost slipped which made her laugh wholeheartedly. 

“Not funny!"

“That’s what you get for putting cold water on me," she stuck her tongue out at him.

After getting out of the shower and getting situated, Jennie checked her phone to see a message from Namjoon not too long ago. It was to inform her that they went on to the restaurant. At least they wouldn't be super late. 

She put on a white tank top, jeans, and her Nike brand sneakers she had released. She noticed that Jungkook had coordinated with her, wearing his white shirt, Timberlands, and jeans. She placed his large black hoodie on herself, so she could stay warm if the store's air conditioning was too cool for her skin. 

"And before we forget. Concealer," she remembered. 

Jungkook took a seat on the toilet and watched as she placed her dark colored concealer and his on the bathroom counter. Approaching him, she went to take care of concealing his neck first so they could hide their passionate marks.

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When they made it to the store, they grabbed a cart and explored the aisles.

"Okay...those chips Jin likes have to be somewhere," Jennie murmured while Jungkook pushed the cart. "Ah-ha!"

She placed two bags in the cart. "Oh, and these. Tae eats these cookies. I tried them and it's pretty good. Have you?"

"Yeah, but I've been wanting to eat your cookies, again. Can you bake soon? I can help if you want," he asked.

She smiled at the idea, "Yeah, let's do that. Might as well buy some cookie mix while we're in here,"

Fooling around, Jennie sat inside the cart, careful not to crush the snacks. She enjoyed riding in the cart while Jungkook pushed it through each aisle. Before they went to check out their items, he took out his phone to take a selfie. He held the camera up high and stood in front of the cart. He had a silly expression on his face while Jennie posed excitedly with all the snacks, holding up a few bags of chips and candy. After clicking away, he stood beside her to check out the pictures. They laughed at how silly they looked and she encouraged him to post it on Twitter.

He tweeted the photo with the caption, 'Snacks! Nom Nom Nom! #JK'

Tweets under JenKook's selfie came through at a rapid rate, with ARMY gushing over the couple.

‘Omg they’re so cute'

'You two look perfect together'

'awwwwww'

'wtf this is so cute'

'golden duo at it again'

'they look so happy'

'Jennie is in the cart hahaha'

'omg another JenKook post! Finally! We were starving!'

'This is typical JenKook energy lol'

The members, who were already seated at the restaurant and on their phones, saw the post. They began to tweet out their reactions, making ARMY laugh at their banter.

‘Are you telling me you kids have been snack shopping this entire time while we're waiting for you to eat? #Suga'

'Kekekeke. #V'

'Share! #JM'

'YOU'VE BEEN AT THE STORE ALL THIS TIME!? #Jin'

‘Hurry up so we can eat! #Jin'

‘LOL! We’re on our way, sheesh #Jen’

[kel-lance]

Team Bonding: JJK students x reader x sukuna Part 1

- TW: Dead dove dont read (DDDR) Minors do not interact (MDNI): SA, Physical Assault, DubCon, NonCon, Mindbreak, Public Humiliation, Multiple manipulation, RWORD, PTSD, a lot more.

- Premise: Characters are (18+) (Reader is 21) Jujutsu College au where things are the same but they found yuuji/He ate the finger at 18/+ the start of college.

- Yuuji “came back” after two months of “being dead” and you’re in charge of the training for today for the kyoto sister event.

- Sukuna switches with yuuji in this and chaos ensues :/

Edit: I reread this a month later and guys oh my god. i wrote these time patches of time, right after hitting the rig, and then blacking out after a few paragraphs im sorry ill actually write this time.

You were coming back from a mission that took about 2 weeks due to traveling and tracking down a spirit as the higher ups were testing your Light Manipulation. You know it was hard for everyone the death of one of the freshmen, now you look after Nobara with Megumi. 

You’re the only 3rd year and they all knew you loved your pride. Something about being the “oldest” (since the seniors are all granted weekly missions.), the authority that just made looking up at them, was just an excuse to point your nose up high, and only got depressed for a /day/ when you found out Kamo was 5 days older than you. 

You’re like an older sister or mom to them, with a few exceptions. The days were leading up to the Kyoto sisterhood school match, while everyone was meeting up to train, Gojo introduces Yuuji back to everyone. 

You’re all shocked to say the least. Gojo was acting normally the whole time, that bastard. “(Y/n)’s in charge of sparring today. I’ll come back later with Shoko in case Yuta’s too tired.” He teased at his baby cousin before he left. He was probably referencing to take it easy pn yuta, he probably beat his ass showing him a new technique.  

You ignored him yet again and started to pair everyone up. “Nobara and Yuta, Panda and Maki, Toge and Megumi,” leaving you with Yuuji. “We’ll take it slow zombie.” 

- Into the match you cursed, “Shit- he’s so durable.” But you loved that. You threw yourself back and used your fingers to catch and push yourself away from Yuuji’s next punch. “He’s a close range fighter, too.” You feel like you found your match in terms of adaptability. 

You fix your stance, both legs balances one in front of the other, knees bend, your body lowers and fingers and knees bent, ready at any time to change from offense to defense. You find his eyes again and don’t dare break contact as he’s fast. Faster than you, a blink could be worse than a misstep.

This was new as you always held yourself back from seriously harming your classmates. That pride doesn’t come from nowhere. Your favorite sparring partner is Todo, because he can get close and handle/not hold back punches. 

It felt like you were getting beaten with respect, not like what I want to do to my underclassmen. What good would they learn from losing a time from sitting in the infirmary so often? But this was different.

You felt like you were fighting Maki on drugs, or with cursed energy, and was face to face to Yuuji, as he pinned you down. He was almost like Todo, but you couldn’t read him since you just met.

“Where’s your pride now?” He had enough of your poking and prodding. No warm welcome, not even a nice reaction from his friends. But he knew it was serious to you, so out of respect, he’ll follow suite. He’ll show off what he learned in his training with Gojo. 

“Shut up Cannibal Corpse.” You teased back, smashing your forehead into the T of his face, hoping he’d be able to take it. 

He backs and stands up, hand covering his face. He stopped in a way to let you know he needed a second. Blood coming from his nose? Or his mouth?

“Oh shit, are you okay?” You stand up too, turning to yell for your medic. “Yuu-“ You’re thrown back by the scruff of your collar landing on your shoulder, butt and hands, scratching them. 

“Woah, dude, look I’m sorry,” You huff, rubbing your scraped skin as you slowly stood again. “I thought you could handle it.” You tried to ease the tension, coming close to him to see if he was alright.

He doesn’t look at you, but you feel an energy forming around him. You didn’t know what this could be, his cursed energy? Why does it feel so suffocating? 

“(Y/N)!” Megumi tries to get his shikigami to get you out of his proximity but they were slaughtered in a a blink of an eye. 

“What the hell was going on, where is the enemy?” You quickly looked up and down, about to grab Yuuji and run. 

But your face was cupped so hard your chin could’ve snapped. Pinkie was looking down at you with cold eyes. Why were you letting this happen? You were in charge, you’re the oldest. You don’t resist but give a look of what the fuck back to him. 

“Sukuna! Let her Go!” Megumi screamed. The other students semi surrounding you both.

“She’s so fun, though.” Yuuji cocks a smile, your brain still trying to make sense of what’s happening and who was really in danger here. You glare harder at him, knowing if you struggled, he would like it, and that it was cause you more pain. You couldn’t freak them out anymore, you’ve gotta get this under control. 

“Tell you what, since /I’m/ the oldest,” He gave your cheeks a squeeze. “I’ll take over this bonding sparring whatever ur stupid sensei said. Putting a woman in charge… ha! I’ll show you a type of bond you all can share.”

He tears off the front of your shirt, holding your body closer, but you still say nothing but feel hate for him. Trying to humiliate you in front of your classmates, like you’re not in your sports bra most of the time. It didn’t bother you that you were semi exposed, you knew you looked good, but what was the reason?

Everyone started to yell and tell him to stop, ignoring the embarrassing sight Sukuna tried to use. Of course they didn’t care about your body, they had to figure out a way to separate you both carefully. You turn to face your classmates.

“It’s okay guys, if he wanted me dead he would’ve killed me by now.” You shoot your eyes back and look glare into Sukuna’s eyes, not the same bright, round eyes you first saw before anything else. You look harder.

“Yuuji’s still in there somewhere.”

Sukuna laughs. “You guys misunderstand. I said I’m in charge,” His other arm that was holding your torso back starts to move down the curve of your body, stopping at your outer thigh and squeezing roughly. “Todays lesson is, endurance. This one here,” He holds you up by your neck, as you’re trying to use your upper body strength up get higher, to get some air but his wrists alone are strong enough for him to pick u up easily. “will stomach all I will give her.” 

He brings you back down, coughing for air as licks a tear from your cheek. He reverts his eyes back to your helpless friends. “Your part now is to endure, all the way til the end, then my game can start.” 

You honestly couldn’t care what he was talking about, you could take whatever ridiculous match he has set up but to involve your mates? it wasn’t a sense of pride anymore but of respect of your friends. You just met this prick, the only thing stopping you from beating his ass to hell is that you saw their reaction about his supposed death. You didn’t want to be the real reason this time, well could you?

If worse comes to worst, you should be fine. You could take a beating, you had no problem being fought by a special grade curses and even showing off before Gojo gets here. Once you get out of his grip you can get everyone to attack. You’re the only thing in the way though you wouldn’t mind being taken with him if it comes to it. how heroic would that date be.

“Interrupt at all, even think about it, and I will end them, you, then anyone else I can find after.” He says to no-one. The parasite everyone was so on edge about needed a moment to breathe?

He huffs for a second, you thought there was a light in his eyes as he tried to let you go. You soften your look when- “Ah ah ah.” Sukuna takes over again, pinning you back to him, his other hand clapping around your neck. “I said I’d end them, and then you all.” He repeats to Yuuji. “Just shut up, watch, and then I’ll go away. It’s so boring being cooped up in this brat all day.” In all this, Yuuji’s trying to fight back? He can see this? Was anyone going to tell you what the fuck was going on. “Id rather be in this one instead.” 

You felt the energies around you shrink down, though, agitated. It seems they knew about what was happening to Yuuji and seeing them scared like this wasn’t really a good sign for you. They can get scared of course, but all of them? Together like this? This was not how you wanted to traumatize them, what would they learn other than powerlessness?

“Let go already, you’ll leave a mark on my neck.” You choked out. 

“You don’t have the brains to worry about that after I’m done with you.”

You roll your eyes at him earning a slap. You fell the ground shake and your friends winced at the sound. “Fuck-“ You shot up from the ground holding your steering hot cheek, right before he kicks you back down, leaving you sprawled and confused at the assault. 

You haven’t been hit like that in years. Tears weld up in your eyes and you choke on a memory that’s created this boastful monster.

Sukuna frowned, “I thought you were tougher than that. Maybe this won’t be as fun as I thought. I knew I should’ve started with the short girl over there.” 

You spit at him. “Don’t touch her, I’ll fucking kill you.” You blink to clear your vision and suppress the overwhelming memory. You glare at him before finding Nobara’s eyes. If they were 2+ years younger than you, you’d joke that they’re just a kid, but Nobi, your new baby sister,Like hell you’d let anyone make her feel how you felt. She was tough like you, even tougher you thought, because of how different you were, but still ended up similar.

“Tell me have any of you tried her out yet?” 

You could only look out to see your friends gritting their teeth and weapons. Panda speaks up, “She’s our best fighter.” Hoping to lead away from this devious situation. You’ve already fought them all, and won. Is kuna trying to piss you off more? You ignore his assaults, the unfamiliar hands now controlling you. 

“That’s just perfect.” He pulls your hips to connect to his, and your heart stops. You can feel it.

You actually freeze this time. Is he actually going to do it? You’d rather be beaten half to death or even to death, but how hard he was behind you, it birthed a black hole in your stomach. 

Your body goes limp, unconsciously submitting to him, your eyes fall, not being able to look at anyone else. Will he be quick, will they fight for me? Is this what he really wants? Or is this just the start? 

He picks you up and drops you to your knees painfully, still holding onto your collar. “Don’t try to run unless u want all their heads stringed together.” He says to you. 

Everyone else watches, clutching each other or their weapons tighter, trying to think of a way, when they can go in, or if they even see when Gojo was coming back . 

Grabbing your chin and lifting it up, he looks down at you and smacks you again. Your ear is on fire. The strike of his finger felt like a whip onto the side of your face. He hits you again, then again, and again. 

You huff, picking yourself up slowly each time. If you didn’t, he’d step on your fingers, almost trying to grind the bones inside. 

Sukuna raises his hand as you stare down and with this one, he sends you to the feet of Toge, Yuta, and Panda. 

They look down at you, mixed feelings of guilt, anger, sorrow,. You speak to them through swelling cheeks, “Don’t worry you guys, I’ll be even stronger after this. Get ready cause next tim-”

Sukuna comes by and grabs you by the hair, dragging you to back to your original spot, tears and blood now messing up your face. 

“You look so stupid right now.” He sneers. “You should see yourself.”  At this point you were exhausted from holding yourself back from beating the shit out of him. 

“Everyone,” He raises his voice for an announcement. “take your phones out and take a picture from your favorite parts of the lesson, okay?” 

He tilts your head towards his, takes out Yuuji’’s phone from his pocket and snaps a picture of you both. *click*

[tennelleflowers]

Hey, just here to fuel your Dark Fiagra about Riku being gay and the Light.

In KH2 when Sora and Riku are in the Realm Between the portal to the Dark Margin doesn't open until Sora and Riku have the first part of their "heart to heart". He's literally being vunerable in every way and Sora just shows him patience and understanding. Then the portal opens.

Then on the Margin, Riku opens up once again. I think the reason that Riku wasn't the one to open the Door to Light was because Sora confirmed that he was happy to stay in the dark with Riku.

This part is a stretch but I think, maybe, Riku hearing Sora wistfully reading the letter may have opened the door. Or you know, Maybe it was Kairi. Riku is under the impression that Sora is the Loght because Sora is HIS light, which is why he tells Sora that the door to light was his heart.

Who knows, maybe Soras heart DID open the door, but imo, Kairis letter wasn't romantic. It doesn't even make much sense pertaining to the story.

You're so right. You want to know the funny thing tho? In the character files, there's a short story from Riku's pov about their conversation at the Dark Margin at the end of KH2. It's the same one where Riku says that he used to try to act like Sora's older brother as a kid, but doesn't think of their relationship that way anymore.

To tell you the truth, Sora...I was jealous of you.

As I sat on the dark shore next to Sora, I wondered when I began to feel that way.

Was it when Sora became a Keyblade wielder?

Or was it all the way back when we were children on the islands?

It wouldn’t be strange for me to think I was better than Sora. After all, when you’re a child, a year is a big age difference, so I played the older brother and took Sora around with me everywhere. When did that change?

And then, when it gets to the part where Kairi's letter is supposed to come in, it's just completely omitted???

“I wished I could live life the way you do. Just following my heart.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve got my share of problems, too.” Sora responded, staring at the horizon.

“Like what?” I asked Sora, smiling a bit.

“Like...wanting to be like you.”

“I see.”

That made me a little sad, so I responded with as cheerful a voice as I could manage.

“Well, there is one advantage to being me..something you could never imitate.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Having you for a friend.”

Sora was surprised for a moment. Then, he exhaled a bit.

“Then, I guess...I’m okay the way I am. I’ve got something you could never imitate too.” Sora responded with a smile, and he looked off beyond the horizon, at the moon shining faintly in the sky - at the world where we would meet our end.

We both had our own things that the other couldn’t do. Our hearts, each just like the other, were both filled to the brim with happy feelings at that moment.

I was glad to have been Sora’s friend.

“Light.”

My eyes instinctively narrowed at the sight of the bright sun-like light that appeared right before us.

“The door to light...we’ll go together!”

Sora stood up and offered his hand to me.

“Yeah.”

I responded and began to walk with Sora.

LIKE? Hello? Look at this thing just directly implying that it was actually Sora and Riku's hearts opening up to each other that opened the Door to Light??? Skipping Kairi's letter entirely??? (why do they keep doing this lol just let Kairi HAVE SOMETHING sakdfljsd)

Now, like I've said before, stuff in the novels/characters files are SECONDARY canon, so it is canon that Kairi's letter in a bottle shows up and Sora reads it, and then the Door to Light appears. But with this added context I wouldn't say it's a reach that the Door to Light opening to them probably has more to do with them than Kairi's letter specifically.

[dragonfly0808]

Musa: The Thesis

Kay so… this one involves one of the biggest spoilers of s3 due to one of the biggest changes I made there revolves around Musa and I will be discussing it after the First Things First part. So please please please if you haven’t read up until Season 3 Chapter 24: The Space Between Where Our Ends Meet, DO NOT READ PAST THE FIRST THINGS FIRST PORTION OF THIS THESIS

I’M SERIOUS PLS DON’T

First Things First

The first words I have in Musa’s character sheet are small sassy goth.

One of the main things I focused on with Musa, especially in the first season is her struggle to be vulnerable. Musa has lived the past 5 or so years with a closed off dad and never got a real chance to truly mourn her mom due to her having to learn to pretty much take care of herself, because of this she becomes very defensive and doesn't trust many people, and it causes her to struggle with being vulnerable, making her feel weak to do so. Here we see her open up slowly to the girls and not really talk that much about her home life until s2.

This is also where the main problem in her relationship with Riven comes in, but we’ll talk about that later on.

Musa, along with Aisha was the loneliest Winx before going to Alfea, and this plays into how protective she can be over the girls, she knows what it’s like to have no one so she is more than ready to throw hands for her girls any day of the week.

Love’s a Loaded Gun, Nobody Wants to Fight

A theme we see with Musa is her not believing she’s really worth a lot of time. She worried about staying one place too long and becoming an inconvenience or sharing her hurt and becoming a weight.

We see that it really takes a lot for her to believe that she is not being selfish or ‘too much’ by expressing herself or deciding to stay in one place, namely Tecna’s home.

Musa has a lot of feelings regarding feeling like she’s being shut out.

She’s working on not shutting people out herself but when others do it to her, she could just have a breakdown since she is so sick and tired of her dad doing it to her and that’s just about the worst thing you could do to her.

She’s a tiny bit afraid of love. Not so much of love itself as just, the thought of losing someone she loves again.

Haunted

So… this is the part with the huge S3 spoiler so PLEASE TURN BACK NOW, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL MOMENTS OF S3 MY INBOX WAS FLOODED FOR A WEEK IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET TURN BACK NOW

So, in s3 chapter 24 Musa gains her Enchantix… and kills Stormy in the process.

First off the second I decided to do s3 I knew I was gonna change how Musa got her Enchantix cause I think we can all agree she got the short end of the stick in the OG.

I also already had in mind killing off either Stormy or Darcy but Stormy just fit more.

I combined these two ideas by changing Musa’s Enchantix to be gained by taking down a building over herself and Stormy due to Stormy loosing control of a curse.

Now, this could’ve gone very differently so why did I chose Musa to be the one to kill Stormy?

Honestly? I felt like it would impact her the most.

Now, obvs any of the girls would’ve been hugely impacted by taking a life (see Tecna) but taking the life of one of the Trix who they’ve known and fought for so long is another level of personal.

And, just like Bloom, Musa can be a very angry person and she hated the Trix’s guts and maybe a tiny part of her would’ve been glad with them dead, but actually having a hand in it…

It creates very conflicting emotions and a mountain of trauma and feelings of inhumanity and just confusion for our girl which we will get to see a lot more of in s4.

Thoughts Behind her Main Relationships

Tecna

I love Tecna and Musa, they are very much a friendship between unconventional girls who don’t always come across as they mean to.

They both struggle to make friends for different reasons but the second they meet they realize that they are quite similar and so never push each other outside of their comfort zone at first and that’s what allows them to become close enough to then push one another.

Musa gets what makes Tecna tick and makes sure that she’s comfortable, she makes sure she gets her alone time and makes sure she doesn’t get overwhelmed.

Tecna gets that Musa doesn’t want to talk about herself so instead gets her to open up about her music.

And it’s through this that they start to trust one another and by s2 we see them knowing each other well enough to keep the other from spiraling.

When Tecna’s confused about her feelings for Timmy, it’s Musa who reminds her that it’s okay to not be ready for a relationship. And when Musa and Riven first kiss, it’s Tecna who suggests they take it slow since she knows how skittish they can both be.

At this point, they push one another when they need to.

They are crucial to each other’s growth.

Riven

I always loved the idea of Rivusa but hated the original execution.

I really like the idea of two kids who have been so hurt by the people that were meant to protect them figuring out how to love each other. How to be open and trusting and just how to work as a couple.

Riven and Musa fall very slowly over the course of a year and a half, they get to know each other, be friends, quite crucially: they’re able to be vulnerable with each other. Which is huge for both of them.

And, when they realize that these feelings are serious and more than just a crush, they are both terrified.

I’ll talk a bit more about Riven’s feelings on his thesis but for Musa, she’s scared of this failing, of flying till the bone crush like the queen would say. She’s scared of it going wrong and losing someone she loves so much.

The part I love about this is that this means that even after they get together we get to see them fuck up. Because just because they’re together doesn’t mean they’re just going to forget years of trauma and having their walls up.

And, in my version, once they’re together, it’s Musa who fucks up by keeping secrets and not being able to bring herself to be vulnerable.

I think my fave part about writing these two is writing about how they grow together both as individuals and as a couple, how they learn to communicate and be vulnerable and realize that they are both here to stay and that this relationship is soft and safe and everything that they have been denied for so long.

That’s what this couple is to me. Two kids learning to love and not be afraid of it.

Helia

Helia and Musa are the writers of the group, due to them both being artist and having had past or present issues with their fathers and being vulnerable, it made sense for them to be platonic soulmates.

They’re the kind of people to spill their guts out of paper and just take a pen and truly speak, word vomit comes out in prose and metaphors and long words that just make you feel serene.

That’s how they find it easier to communicate.

They bond over words and music and the crushing weight of a knot in your throat not letting you speak when it matters most. The falling feeling of everything coming out wrong when spoken but in a beautiful way when written.

Helia is the only person Musa co-writes with for her songs, because he gets her voice as a songwriter in a way that no one else does.

And Helia shared his favorite poems because he knows she’ll get them in the way few could.

They are the artists who write not just because they enjoy and love it, but because it’s a crucial part of who they are, of how they process things and how to keep going.

If you wanna get to know these two, the best way to do it is to look at what they write.

And that’s why they just click.

Who is Musa in this Rewrite?

Musa is a girl who’s hurt. Who has lost and has had to almost raise herself.

She’s done the best that she could but the best she could do to protect herself at the time, back home with her father was to build walls around herself.

She’s someone who is learning to be open and vulnerable and to believe the people she loves won’t leave.

She’s someone trying to leave behind a toxic environment and mindset.

Someone who is, in one word haunted. By her past, by both her parents be it in different ways, by words, by Stormy.

But she’s learning to live with it, to still grow and to not take steps back in her journey.

She’s an artist finding her meaning and voice.

—————

Masterlist

Musa Moodboard

Musa’s Instagram

Musa and Tecna Moodboard

Musa and Riven Moodboard

Musa and Helia Moodboard

—————

so this one took so long cause I couldn’t figure out how to word certain things and tbh I feel like this one is the worst one so far so pls validate me and tell me it was good I feel like crying but I think I managed to get everything across

[cozage]

A few people have asked…

So here’s the 2.5 things that I didn’t love about the OPLA

[SPOILERS FOR OPLA BELOW]

Again, just to reiterate: I LOVED the Live Action. It was beautiful, lovely storytelling. Everyone involved put everything they had in it and you can really see that.  But there were some changes that I didn’t think were justified, and they were both in Arlong Park.  

1. The Cocoyasi Village Residents genuinely hating Nami. In the manga and anime it’s very heavily implied (and maybe outright said? I can’t remember) that the residents of Cocoyasi Village are AWARE that Nami is trying to save their town. They only act like they hate her to try and get her to stop sacrificing herself. I’m not entirely sure why the call to change that was made, but it made me really sad the way Nojiko treated her in the OPLA (especially after seeing the moment in the manga where she tells Nami that “tattoos are just decoration; they don’t actually mean anything!”). A lot of the decisions to cut scenes with young Nami and Nojiko (and just young Nami in general) really took the punch out of her backstory. 

2. Garp and Koby meeting up with Luffy in the East Blue. I actually REALLY loved the Garp/Koby/Helmeppo storyline up until the last moment. I think it added to the world building and showed us very early on how the World Government is morally questionable and how the world operates. It also helped close the gap of how Koby and Garp got to know each other and how he falls under his command. I really enjoyed following them along for the ride. Until Cocoyasi Village. There was something about that moment that felt…off? I don’t even know why. Maybe it was because Garp has NEVER approved of Luffy being a pirate. He knows Luffys resolve, but he would never say “I was testing you to make sure you wanted this path” and then basically grant his blessing. I know there had to be some kind of resolution between them, but I didn’t like the way it ended. I wish it had been more like the Water 7 moment. Garp felt far too serious the entire time (the only time i really remember him laughing was when Luffy fired the cannonball back at the marine ship).

Impel Down spoilers

2.5 This is so small but we KNOW that Buggy cannot travel without his feet (unless I’m misremembering?). He has a range and cannot move out of it. So his head hitching a ride to the Baratie is just so canon-breaking it HURT ME. I know it’s unlikely we’ll ever make it to Impel Down for that to be a problem (I genuinely think Skypiea would probably be the last arc the LA could cover, but Water 7/Enie’s Lobby could be done if the budget was big enough) but it just BOTHERED ME. WHY. WHY DID THEY DO THAT. I know there’s ways to fix it (maybe he can’t MOVE after a certain range, but can still be carried?) but STILL. 

That’s really it, honestly. I know a lot of people had gripes about Usopp and Syrup Village, but I liked the changes. I never felt like Usopp was overshadowed (plus, background character is the way he likes it honestly, keeps him away from danger). I liked that Kaya was so welcoming and a part of the bigger storyline, and I loved the way it took place in the mansion instead of on the beach. I was OBSESSED with the way they did the Baratie, Sanji’s interactions, Mihawk's reasoning for going to the Baratie, and how he left Zoro and Luffy. 

I. ATE. UP. the zolu content during the Baratie and Nami/Zoro sibling dynamic really coming out there. Oda approved the absolute BEST changes during Baratie specifically, hes so real for that. 

I’m going to watch it again with my family, maybe I’ll feel differently after I rewatch.  Again it’s imperative you guys understand I ADORED this show, and I NEED a season two IMMEDIATELY. It was fantastic and if you haven’t watched it, go do that right NOW. 

[scholastic-dragon]

headcanons for being 2k14/16 donnie’s bestie who makes rings out of old metal and silverware and broken glass bottles (for the gems) both for fun and a living? maybe they’ve got a little workshop near his lab. (bonus if they make him one)

The thought of Donnie wearing rings makes me feral. If anyone can find the picture of him checking April's pulse in the first movie, I would be very grateful.

Donnie x Gn!reader

Ring Maker

Donnie's an observant guy, he picks up on stuff quickly.

He noticed you wear rings a lot, some days they match and others it's very mismatched.

At the beginning of your friendship he feels almost awkward asking. It's obvious you make these rings, but how does he go about it without being like "I stare at your hands a lot, do you make your own rings?"

A few weeks after meeting and getting close, you come running into his lab freaking out. You lost one of your favorite rings somewhere in the lair and can’t find it anywhere.

He spends the next 30 minutes helping you turn the lair upside down to find it. It fell down under the fridge (how it did that, we’ll never know). 

You pull him in for a tight hug, saying “thank you” over and over again. 

He figures now is a good time to ask about them. 

You show him pictures and your Etsy page of all the different types of rings you make. He’s immediately asking question and question. 

“Where do you get the metal?” “how long does it take to make each ring?” “how long have you been doing this?” “how do you decide what gem to put in each ring?” 

This goes on for an hour. 

Deciding it’s better to just show him how you make them, you make him clear off one of his spare tables and bring all of your supplies and tools down to the lab.  

He watches you make them, asking the occasional question, but staying quiet for the most part. He was practically glued to your side, chair right against yours, knees touching. 

He found the crafting so interesting, your hands were so much smaller and nimbler than his. You let him help with bending the wires or setting the gem in. 

He lets you keep some of your tools and supplies in the lab, saying you can work in there with him whenever you want. 

You want to gift him one for his birthday as a surprise, but it’s nearly impossible to guess his ring size. 

Even though its painfully obvious, you ask him to help mold a new ring. He knows immediately that you’re making it for him, but he goes along with it. 

It was strangely nice having you mold the ring around his finger. Your hands were soft and gentle against his. 

Thankfully, after making the first ring, you were able to get his size and make more rings for him that were actually a surprise. 

It took some getting used to, but he did like wearing them. Unfortunately he does have to take them off whenever he’s working with chemicals, but they go on after he’s cleaned everything up. 

Bonus:

The other guys are also super interested in how you make rings and you give them some too.

Raph doesn't wear his that often cause they hurt his fingers when he's working out and doing weights.

Leo wants to give them a chance but they feel so weird on his fingers.

Mikey wears his the most, he loves them and constantly askes for more so he can't switch them out like you do.

You even made Splinter one, it's a silver band with 4 little gemstones all the colors of his son's bandanas

He wears it 24/7 and refuses to take it off

tags: @turtle-babe83 @thelaundrybitch @mysticboombox @strawberrycakeblog

[buckysmischief]

shadow of mine [1/2]

druig x f!reader

wc: 2.6k

summary: druig was getting bored of babylon, he was ready to take on more adventures. but the shadows in his mind led him down a path, one he never dared to speak out loud (except for maybe to kingo)

an: inspired by the song shadow of mine. i've had this idea in my head for so long & a few suggestions reminded me of it and was inspired to finally write it out! i really hope y'all enjoy :)

also, thank you to @stuckonjbbarnes for literally all your encouragement throughout this whole writing process 💕

masterlist

570 BC

Babylon was getting boring, Druig didn’t understand why they were even still there. There hadn’t been a Deviant around this area in over a year, why weren’t they headed somewhere new? He thought the same thing everyday while walking through the market with Ajak’s voice echoing in his head, “When Arishem says we can go, that’s when we’ll go.”

Today though, today felt different. He didn’t know if it was good or bad, just that the air felt tingly and everything looked brighter. For a moment he thought about asking Kingo if he noticed anything different but decided not to, the last thing he needed was everyone else to start worrying about something that was probably nothing to begin with.

He actually made himself believe that everything was normal, that was until he started to smell.. something. It wasn’t anything he had ever smelled before, he knew that for a fact, yet it smelled like home - a home he had never known.

Druig followed the smell of what he could only described as cosmic just outside of the market area. You were bent down, back toward him, picking flowers. He didn’t know if he should say something or walk away, what would he say to you anyways?

Before he could decide you had turned around, meeting his gaze like you’ve known him his entire existence. “Hi, I’m Yn.”

“Druig..” he muttered, so unlike him. “You’re not from here are you?”

“No, just traveling. I’m not too sure where I’m going, just trying to find somewhere that feels like home.”

There that word was again, home. He didn’t even know what it meant anymore. The definition he once knew was wiped away, but he knew at that moment he would always think of you when he heard it again. “Babylon doesn’t feel like home?” 

“It’s beautiful, don’t get me wrong..” you looked down at the flowers you had just picked and began to intertwine them, “but it just feels like a taste of what home is, what it could be. Does that make sense?”

“Yes,” he smiled, “it makes perfect sense. I think you’ve put into words what I could not, actually. Thank you. Um, how long are you-”

“-I actually have to go, my friends are leaving soon. But um, here.. I made you this.” He took the flower crown from you and put it on his head. “Take care of yourself Druig.”

The thought of never seeing you again sent a pang through his chest. His whole world was knocked off his axis and yet he had never felt more aligned. What was he supposed to do with that?

He could use his powers, but that didn’t feel right either. So he did the only thing he could, he brought your hand up to his lips and kissed it. “Safe travels, Yn. I hope to see you again one day.”

It was night time when Druig got back to the Domo, he never wanted to leave this place more than in that moment. Watching everyone sit around the table laughing together, having a good time.. It felt bittersweet. He thought about what would happen if he snuck away in the middle of the night. Would anyone come looking for him? Would Arishem step in? It didn’t matter, he couldn’t just leave.

So Druig did what he did best, he put on a smirk and made a joke at Ikaris’ expense. He’d unpack the day's events another time.

400 BC

Ikaris and Sersi’s wedding ended up being a huge celebration, the whole city celebrated in the streets. For hours laughter and joy filled the air and Druig couldn’t remember the last time he let himself enjoy the company around him.

He was sitting with Kingo and Makkari, watching Sprite illustrate some of the citizens' favorite stories. It was a position he had been in more than a few thousand times, he could probably tell all of the stories word for word in over a dozen languages at this point, and he loved it. Every bit of it, he loved it. 

Druig didn’t always like his fellow Eternals, and he definitely didn’t agree with how certain things were handled, but at the end of the day they were all each other truly had. He had his opinions of Ikaris and couldn’t quite understand how Sersi could stand to be with him, but he was happy for them and that they each found the person their soul called out to. He tried not to think about how loud his screamed.

“Hey, do you want to take a walk?” Kingo whispered to him. 

Normally Druig would have insisted on waiting until Sprite was done, but he needed some space. “Lead the way.”

He was following Kingo when a familiar scent filled the air, but he quickly wrote it off as a mix between the food, flowers, and sweat. Nevermind that he knew for a fact it was none of those things.

They were almost to the edge of the city when he noticed the stars had more of a sparkle to them, but the mead he had been drinking all night did that sometimes. If the air wasn’t so thick he could have sworn at any minute he’d see… you. “Yn?”

Kingo stopped and turned around. He had only ever heard that came come from Druig’s mouth one time over 100 years ago, “What?”

Druig blinked and you were gone. Except, you had been gone for years.. right?

“Druig,” Kingo looked worried for him, “is this all too much? You looked like you were 1,000 miles away back there and, well..”

“Spit it out, Kingo.”

“You said her name. You never say her name.” 

They were far enough from anyone that could hear, but Druig still didn’t feel like this was the place to talk about it. Truthfully, Druig didn’t want to talk about it at all. What good would it do? “I thought I saw her.”

Pity was written all over Kingo’s face and woven into his words, “Weddings always find a way to bring up old feelings. Maybe it was one of her descendants! That’s totally possible, yeah?”

Druig wasn’t sure if that made him feel better or not, even if that did make the most sense. “Is that what you brought me all this way for?”

“You just looked like you needed some air,” he confessed, “you started getting that glazed look over your eyes again.”

“Nah I’m fine, probably just had too much to drink. I appreciate the sentiment though.” 

When they got back Ikaris and Sersi were nowhere to be found and the celebration had started to settle down for the night. The others were all gathered together, ready to turn in for the night. Before Druig followed them he took one last glance around, he swore to himself he could still feel you near. He was disappointed but not surprised to never find you.

If only he had looked a little harder.

1329 AD

What happened the night of Ikaris and Sersi’s wedding happened again a few dozen more times in the last 1,700 years, it was beginning to drive Druig mad.

He wasn’t sure where they were exactly anymore, they had been all over South America the last few months hunting Deviants. It was just the distraction he needed, over the years he noticed that the only times he felt your presence was when they settled into a town. He tried describing your appearance to some of the townspeople but no one ever knew who you were. He also tried getting creative with his powers a few times but not only did it feel wrong, Ajak was never too far away reminding him that it wasn’t his place to meddle with humans. Even though she wasn’t sure about what he was doing she was still right, that also drove Druig mad.

But they hadn’t been near civilization for weeks, they had just been camping out in the forest. Something about travel, something about keeping people safe.. Druig wasn’t too sure anymore. All he knew was that him and a few others weren’t needed and he was going to take advantage of it.

Ajak and Sprite invited him to walk to town with him but he declined. Phastos stayed behind to work on his new invention, he told Druig he was more than welcome to stay and watch but that he needed to be able to concentrate. “I’m actually going to go for a swim, there's a lake not too far from here.”

He had been floating around for some time, literally soaking in all nature had to offer. It was something he always enjoyed doing when he needed to be alone, which wasn’t as often as you’d think considering he more or less lived with nine other people.

“Druig.” It was a whisper, but he had no idea which direction it came in.

He shot out of the water and began to dry off when he heard his name again. “Druuig, come find me.”

The voice sounded so familiar to him but he couldn’t quite place it. That didn’t matter, his clothes were back on in an instant and he ran to where it was coming from. He was running so fast he didn’t notice his fingertips tingling, how bright it was even though he was headed deeper and deeper into the forest where the coverage was thick, or even cosmic air he was breathing in. He just kept running towards his name. 

It had been a few minutes since he heard anything so he stopped for a breather and surveyed his surroundings; he had to be at least three, maybe five, miles from camp by now. There were no signs of any Deviants around, or people for that matter. Was Sprite pulling some kind of prank on him? “Sprite if this is you it’s not funny, I’m not in the mood for your games today.”

“I’m offended,” a voice came from behind him, your voice, “did you forget about me already?”

He turned around and just looked at you, still half convinced it was a cruel trick Sprite had been playing all along and this was the dramatic finale. Needing to know if this was real, he cupped your face in his hands and was delighted when you didn’t shimmer away. “It’s really you.. how?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, not right now.” You smiled, putting your hands over his. “I can’t stay long, but I’ll answer any question I can.”

That frustrated him to no end but he wasn’t going to waste whatever time he had with you, he released his hands from your face and began walking with you through the forest.

“It has been you I’ve been seeing all these years hasn’t it? So why now, and why all the way out here?” There were hundreds of questions to be asked, but those were the only one’s he could think of at the moment.

You grabbed one of his hands, stroking your thumb over his absentmindedly. “I was just checking on you, making sure a Deviant didn’t get you.”

“You know about Deviants?”

“Shhh, let me finish.” You laughed. Suddenly he had a favorite sound. “Like I was saying.. I just wanted to check in on you. As for why here and now, you’re never alone. Do you know how hard it was not to say anything before now? Ajak would immediately know who I am and.. I shouldn’t have even told you that.”

“Ajak? How do you know-? What are you?” He had never been more confused in his life.

You stopped walking, hand still in Druig’s, “You’re smart, you’ll figure it out. Just don’t tell anyone when you do, I’m not supposed to be here and that’ll raise a lot of questions. I can answer why your senses heighten when we’re near each other though, if you want.”

“Oh so that I can know?” He smirked, “Whenever you talk, I’ll listen. Doesn’t matter the topic.”

“We don’t have a word for it, but the humans here do. Soulmates. We’re connected by the cosmos in such a unique way, in a way that we were quite literally designed for each other. We’ve spent every life before this together.” You said it with ease, like it was something you had known and accepted for a while now. He mentally added it to the list of questions he wanted to ask you

You were right before, Druig was smart, but everything you had just said… he knew all of those words and what they meant, but not together. “What?”

Rain started falling through the trees, your sign that it was time to go. “I hate to leave you on that note, but I have to.”

“Wait, one more question.” He pleaded, “Please?”

You paused for a moment, gathering all the self control you had. “Okay one more, but then I really have to leave. Which just so you know, is really hard for me to do when you look at me like that.”

Druig was trying to hide a smile, happy to have another moment with you. No matter how fleeting they were. “If we were made for each other, why are we apart now?”

Your mood went from happy to anger in an instant. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out. The obvious answer is Arishem, but then the bigger question is why.”

There was a pause and Druig was going to take full advantage of you not leaving to ask another question, but instead a roar of thunder filled the air. “I really have to go, but I swear to you I will come back and tell you everything I know then. Okay?”

Druig felt like his entire world was being ripped to shreds, how were you just going to leave him after dropping that kind of information on him like that? Information he wasn’t even sure how to understand was possible. He wanted to go with you, everything else going on be damned. Unfortunately he knew that wasn’t a possibility, but he held onto what you said. “Everything?”

“Everything.” You kissed the corner of his mouth and started to back away, knowing you’d see him before he saw you.

It was very rare that Druig couldn’t find the right words to say, not like he had the time to. The rain had started coming down too hard he could barely see five feet in front of him, let alone wherever it was you disappeared to. All he hoped was that you were safe.

His thoughts raced the whole way back to camp. Deviants. Ajak. Soulmates. How did you know about all those things? How were you still alive? The answer was so obvious, but it couldn’t have been true, could it? 

Druig began questioning everything he’s ever known. He wanted to ask Ajak, she had to have some idea of what had just happened. Remembering your warning, he knew that it probably wasn’t a good idea.

The rain had let up by the time he was reunited with the others. Nothing felt the same anymore. If you were what he thought you were, how were you here? Did that mean one day he too would be free of Arishem and his restrictions? Whatever the case would be, Druig tried to find peace in knowing he’d see you again.

part two

[chronic-ghost]

Chapter 1 of Recovery Road

chapter rating (this will change!): T

pairing: dieter bravo x f!reader

word count: 6444

chapter summary: dieter joins the production of an old friend and meets his new co-star

chapter warnings/tags: discussions of addiction/rehab, smoking, cursing, angst, no use of y/n, named reader but no physical descriptions other than hairstyle/clothing, adult language

a/n: Highly recommend reading the AO3 version. I've been working on doing some fun things with formatting work skins, so please check that out! My FC for Heidi is Sarah Goldberg and Timothy Olyphant as Mark, but yours doesn't have to!

▲ Series Masterlist | Next

▲ AO3 Link

“Despite the meteoric success of their first and only film together, Recovery Road, neither Dieter Bravo nor Natalie Lorraine were present when the film won the Oscar for Best Picture that year— an oddity for the main leads of such a critical and commercial darling. Cobbled together from stories from other cast members, director’s cut commentary, and straight up rumors, there is no clear cut picture of what happened to prevent the two stars from basking in the rewards of the film’s success. Perhaps in twenty years, if we’re all still around and the internet monolith continues to chug forward, we’ll get some tell-all documentary on Netflix where all things will be revealed. Blood shed. Lives lost. The whole shebang. Until then, you can find this old reviewer sitting up in his attic rewatching one of the most poignant and moving depictions of love and addiction we’ve gotten in the last three decades. Recovery Road is not, nor has it ever been, one to miss.” - John Michael David, Rolling Stone, “Why Recovery Road Still Stays With Us Today”

It’s getting hot inside the car. 

If he was going to sit this long in the fucking car, he should have left it running. Summers in LA are sneaky. Desert air is cold in the dark, but piercing in the day. He had purposefully parked in the shade, but it was still too much. He feels sweat break out across his hairline and he knows that won’t be a good look. He needs to look completely put together, completely at ease, relaxed. Unflinching. Unrufflable. Like he does tai chi every thirty minutes and can harmonize with the universe during rush hour traffic. 

He’s got to keep it together. 

But he can’t take his fucking palms down from his eyes. The heel of his hands dig into his eye sockets and for all the pressure it builds, it feels good. The pressure flushes out every other thought in his head and he needs to go into this clear-headed. If he fucks up again, it’s not just his ass on the line. 

He wants to believe things are going to be different this time. He wants to believe he’s going to be different. He’s worked his ass off to get here – sweated and shook and vomited into his own lap as the withdrawals tightened every muscle in his body – and now he just needs this one chance. Chloe – patient, perfect Chloe – was counting on him. If she said he could do it, he probably could. 

His left hand, third finger, twinges and that’s what brings his hands down from his face. He looks at the ring there. That gold beautiful ring. A promise made real. He swallows. 

Today, it’s a table read. Done it a thousand times. He’s actually early, for fuck’s sake. He glances down, triple checking he’s not wearing slippers or that mangy robe. Jeans. Black shirt. Easy. Chloe warned against the rings, but he’d sooner part with those than his right hand entirely. Sure he fucked up, sure he was a fuck up, but there were parts of Dieter Bravo that just had a right to exist. People wouldn’t recognize him without his rings. 

He did cave about the earring though. 

You’re almost thirty-six, darling. Nobody but rockstars can wear earrings at that age. 

When he went into rehab, he was thirty-three. He had lost two years of his life in that prison and he was not about to do it again. He had left his sobriety token at home, but he wished he had it now, just for something to squeeze, something to soothe his feverish palm. Again, Chloe had quietly nudged him: “do we need to get you a fidget spinner, baby?”

He wanted to joke, “that’s what the adderall is for”, but given that his doctor was forced to prescribe him something else for his ADHD after they found a dozen empty pill bottles under his bed, it probably wasn’t all that funny. 

He breathes, counting down just like the nice lady at the rehab center taught him to. 

Your self-destructive habits formed out of necessity. It’s time to reshape them. 

Today, it’s just a table read. He can do this.

He pops the sunglasses out of their holder on the console and slips them over his eyes. He takes one more glance out of the rearview mirror, half-expecting to be staring down the long lens of a TMZ reporter. He grabs the script from the passenger seat, curls it under his fingers— and still doesn’t move.

He likes this script. He likes the writer, seen their work in the past and it rocks. It’s good. It’s a good part. It’s actually better than good. It’s Oscar bait, they say on the internet, and he has the lead part. An aging musician struggling to rebuild his life after a drug addiction ruined his band’s final tour. The scriptwriter didn’t actually say that he had Dieter in mind when he wrote the part, but Jesus– suffice it to say, he understood the material. 

The aging musician was going to help a young upstart find her way in the music scene. She joins the band. They flirt, they fuck, they fall in love, and everything is ruined by their own egos. End credits. Lights up. Oscar in his hand. 

He didn’t recognize the name of his co-star when his agent sent over the cast list. He honestly didn’t even ask about her. He knew the director, had worked with her in the past, and thought she had a real eye for scenecraft and a knack for finding that beating heart of a moment. He trusted her with casting the right part for his opposite, just as she had casted him. But it wasn’t even about her, his co-star– he was ready to dig in and see what the director could pull out of him. 

And fuck, if it worked for RDJ, then it could work for him. 

This had to work for him. He feels the pressure return behind his eyeballs. 

“Fuck it,” he hisses and nearly kicks the door open. The script curled up in his hand like a baseball bat, Dieter Bravo strolls across the hot parking lot to the studio sound stage and into the rest of his life.

He is used to being stared at. He is used to all eyes on him, but not like this. This feels too much like that last party when the cops showed up and found all of his illegal prescriptions. It makes him itch.

The empty stage is filled mostly with crew and staff, setting up lighting and testing the sound recording. They’re all busy, getting ready for next week to start filming, but they all still have time to send him a worried glance. Because if he fucked up, they’d all be out of a job until shooting wrapped. They had enough courtesy to not actually whisper in front of him, but he knew exactly what they were saying just after he’s out of earshot:

“Oh, fuck, this is a Bravo flick? Shit, I gotta get another gig.”

“That asshole is here? Oh my God, this thing’ll be shut down in two weeks!”

“Fuck that guy and his stupid hair.”

Okay, that last one might have been projecting. He catches his own gaze in a pane of glass while he waits for the director’s assistant to return. His hair, despite his best attempts, would not lie flat, would not stay unrumpled. Another thing Chloe thought a man of his age shouldn’t have. 

He hasn’t seen another cast member and now he’s worried he got the time wrong and he’s missed it and he’s already started all of this off all wrong —

“Dieter! Oh my God, you’re here!”

Heidi, the director, beams at him so bright he actually feels himself go warm. She has her arms out open for him and he rushes to her, picks her up in his arms and twirls her. Her hair is back to her natural silvery blonde, cut short and kept out of her face with a tornado of bobby pins. He’s never seen her without her jean jacket, even at premieres. 

Early on in their careers, he found he had too much respect for her to try and sleep with her and they formed, over the years, the closest thing he could call a healthy relationship. She was like his sister, since his own didn’t seem like she’d ever pick up the phone again. 

It also helped that she was a raging lesbian, happily married, and wouldn’t go near his dick for all the money at Warner Brothers Studios. 

“Dieter, you look so fucking good, dude.” She pats his face and scrunches up her nose, those black headphones knocking around her neck. “Fuck, it’s been too long.”

“I know, Di, I know.” He always liked that their nicknames sounded alike. Dee and Di. A team. “How’s Lucy?”

“Pfft, you know her. Taken the kids up to Canada for the summer. Says the trees are more ‘real’ there,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I miss the little buggers, but shit, it’s nice to have a quiet house.”

He laughs, the knot in his chest easing. “Before school starts up again, you’ll have to come by the new place.”

“Oh, shit, that’s right. You just moved back into the neighborhood, didn’t you? I heard about that. You and, uh . . .”

He hides the blush in the tips of his ears with his hand, acting like he’s scratching an itch on the side of his head. “Yeah, Chloe and I are still together. Been married for a little over two years now.”

At that, Heidi’s bright green eyes snap open wide. She nearly launches herself at him to grab his hand, gawking at the only gold ring on his finger. “Shutthefuckup. You got married?! You asshole, why wasn’t I invited?”

He swallows past the hard knot in his throat. “It was a small thing. Could hardly call it a party.” 

Heidi, as she usually does, takes not a lick of his bullshit. “Uh huh. Well, shit, I guess we have to double-date now.” 

“I’d like that.” He grins.

Her shock softens, and she punches his shoulder softly, her smile wide across her face. “You fuckin’ dork. I can’t believe you got married. Who knew Dieter Bravo would settle down?” 

He doesn’t know what to say to that, doesn’t know what’s going to come out of his mouth if he tries to answer, so he just shrugs. Her eyes linger on him for a second more, before looping her arm through his and leading him away from the stage. 

“So have you read the script?”

He nods eagerly. “Yep. The whole thing. Front to back. It’s fucking incredible, Heidi.” 

“Yes it is! There’s so much to work with. It’s a little hoity-toity for my taste in some places, but I think there’s a way to balance the shmaltz with genuine emotion, you know? The script, it’s so raw and real, I know you can get to those places.”

“Yeah, like I haven’t already,” he jokes off-handedly. They’re standing in the big open bay, where the crew can wheel in giant cranes for lighting or special effects, when Heidi freezes. A frown is growing over her face as though realizing something for the first time. A wind blows in and he thinks he can smell the desert in it.

“Oh, fuck, Dee,” she murmurs, not even looking at him. “This script, the material . . . you just got out of fucking rehab, and—,”

He shakes his head, a bit frantic. He’ll get on his hands and knees to let her keep him on this project. “Heidi, this is fine. I’m fine.”

He takes her by her shoulders and makes her look him in the eye. 

“I want this part. I want this part so fucking badly. I know I can do it too. I’m going to do this project and it’s going to blow your fucking socks off. You can count on me. I’m responsible now, I promise.”

At that, her green eyes soften. “Responsible and married? Who the fuck are you and what have you done with Dieter Bravo?”

Early on in their careers, she had also been right by his side, doing line after line of coke off hookers and strippers. But then she grew up. If she can have a family and a beautiful wife, then why can’t he? 

“Dee, look,” she says softly and touches the hand around her shoulder. “I’m not worried about any of that. I always knew you were something special, if you could just get out of your own way.” She glances away, shame making her mouth tick. “But I should have checked in more. I knew you were still in rehab, even after those times I called. I should have stayed in touch. I’m sorry.”

Something about her pity was unbearable. “Don’t. Please. It’s in the past. It’s over and I want to move on. This time, it’s going to be different.”

Heidi nods, smiling. “For sure, dude. We’ll do this together.”

He can fucking breathe again. She sees this and takes him by the arm, letting him get his feet under him. The air is warm, and Heidi’s hand is firm against his forearm. 

“I know the email said to meet at the sound stage, but everyone’s working out here, so I just put us in the back of the studio. Much more quiet. C’mon, I think I saw Mark’s car up front.”

She leads him to the next building, chattering on and on about the composer they got. How the music is gonna fuck so hard, they’re even trying to convince the studio to let them record a full fake album for the movie — “if you don’t wanna sing, Dee, that’s totally fine but I am begging you to do at least some of the guitar,” — and the building door opens.

It’s a squat building, probably more offices than anything to do with production, but it’s where Heidi is taking him, and the door opens. A man, much younger than he is, stumbles out, giddily laughing over his shoulder. He looks to be a PA of some kind — wiry, a little strung out, probably with dreams of writing the next Citizen Kane someday — but he’s looking at something over his shoulder. 

Or rather at someone. 

A woman, barely that but with all the cosmic designs of one, steps out after him. Her white cowboy boots hug just below her knee, her smooth legs, rich with the sun, curl up into a men’s white collared shirt. She walks and only a flash of denim shorts peek out from under the shirt. 

She isn’t laughing, but smirking. Knowing something this poor PA has no concept of. Her black aviators push her lush hair out of her face and her fingers glitter with silver jewelry. She’s smiling at the PA like a leopard seal smiles at lemmings. 

She chews something in the back of her teeth and then blows a bright pink bubble. The PA’s smile falls off his face as he watches, wide-eyed, the gum snaps in her mouth. 

Dieter immediately and, without question, dislikes her. Dislikes her so much, he can feel it burn in his chest.

Her wicked eyes slide from the PA, over his shoulder, and lands squarely on Dieter. She blinks. 

“Oh, hey, kiddo, you found the right place.” 

Heidi walks up to her and shakes her hand. That sharp-toothed glint in her eye is gone as she eagerly chats up Heidi, and the PA might as well have disappeared off the face of the earth. 

Heidi waves him over and it takes a full two seconds for him to remember how walking works. The sun is hot on his back. 

The woman — the girl — is looking him up and down, calculating and cool. As if she, unlike him, hasn’t quite made up her mind about what she thinks of him. 

Heidi waves a hand in between you two. She says your name and his mind suddenly locks onto it. He suddenly knows who you are before Heidi says it. He read it on the cast list. He hadn’t given it a second thought. 

“This is your new co-star, Natalie Lorraine. The other lead. You two will be working very closely together for the next couple of months.”

She’s stopped chewing gum. Either she swallowed it or tightly packed it to the back of her gums, because there’s no slur, no crumpled edge to her words, when she extends her hand and says:

“Hi, Dieter. Nice to meet you.” 

Your hand is soft in his and your lotion reminds him of lilac. 

Today is just a fucking table read.

He tries to unclench his jaw when he says, “nice to meet you too.” 

He’s on his third bottle of water and he’s eying the trashcan in the corner, wondering how discreetly he could throw away several plastic bottles before it looks weird. He’s got the script out in front of him on a long, white plastic table and a few people have stopped by to say hi. He had gotten up to stand and shake their hand, and several of them had blinked up at him, as if they had forgotten how tall he was, when he wasn’t hunched over, fighting a hangover. Heidi was gathering the last of the cast mates before the table read and had been gone for twenty minutes or so. Maybe — 

In the corner, she laughs, the sound brilliant and loud. In a world full of perfect, practiced laughs, hers is noticeable, but not entirely bad, and a few people turn to look at her. She’s got a hand on Mark Bronson’s arm, clearly delighted at something he said, and he is obviously starstruck. 

Dieter actively fights the scowl on his face. He’d known Mark for a while. Good guy, little vices, always put in the work. Been married to the same waitress he met out in Oregon on a shoot a decade and a half ago, and never once stepped out. Dieter had been thrilled to see him, to catch up on old times, Dieter purposefully making a joke that referenced the one time they were on that old cop show together when they first got to Hollywood. “Nobody would really believe we’re gangsters, now, eh, Dee?” Mark had said with a grin. “Too fuckin’ old.” 

Mark had stayed and talked and that again eased the tension in his chest. If Mark actually hated his guts, then the Oscar really should go to him.

But as more people filed in, he excused himself to catch up with one of the directors of the art department and Dieter had taken the opportunity to grab as many bottles as a reasonable person would from the cooler. He likes ice cold water. The colder, the better the burn. 

But here Mark is, sidled up to that girl, laughing it up like they were old friends. Traitor, he muses glumly, and thumbs the white plastic cap. He’s thought about Googling her — who the fuck is this girl — but didn’t know how to justify it if someone caught him.

The back door to the room opens and Heidi steps in.

“Alright, five minutes. Take your smoke breaks, your pee breaks, your whatever breaks. Hopefully not all at the same time, but I ain’t here to judge.” 

There’s a collective chuckle before everyone moves to take their seats. He keeps his eyes trained on the water bottle as bodies weave around him, chair squeaking as they are pulled out and sat on. The atmosphere is relaxed, easy, everything he wanted. So why is he so fucking tightly wound?

“Thirsty?” 

It takes him a second to unstick his gaze from the bottle. He knows you’re talking to him. 

He glances up at your face from under his lashes. You aren’t exactly smiling at him, but there’s a light in your eyes that feels . . . playful. What a normal, innocent question. But when he doesn’t respond, you lean forward on your elbows, your rings interlocking on your fingers. Your gaze drops his and nudges the two empty plastic bottles around his script.

“And there’s two more under your chair. So are you—,”

“I like to keep hydrated,” he says, cutting you off. “It’s summer in LA and . . . uh, it’s hot.” 

“Uh huh,” you reply, slowly. “Can I have one? You know, since it’s hot.”

His mouth twitches — get off your perky ass and get one yourself — but then he’s liable to see your bare legs again. And he knows a comment like that would get him some stares, which would not be good. 

He swears you know all of this too, by the way your eyes glitter at him, daring him. That’s the worst– he’s figured it out. You look at him from under your thick eyelashes like you want to play a championship round of Truth or Dare, but it would only ever be Dare. You want to see him dance on hot coals, eat a sword, kiss a snake. You want to watch him squirm and it’s so obvious, he clenches his jaw.

He swallows and bends down. He holds out the water bottle by the very end to you, but you somehow manage to brush your fingers up against his anyway. He doesn’t physically recoil but he feels like he needs to go wash his hands.

“Thank you,” you say as you unscrew the cap then drink heavily from the bottle. It’s halfway empty when you put it on the table. Your tongue laps up the water from your lip. 

He grunts as a response. You open your mouth to bother him further, when Heidi calls the start of the read. Dieter pulls his reading glasses out of his pocket, when he sees you’ve done the same. Silver, though, to his black, they’re perched on the edge of your nose, and you’re looking down at the script as if trying to divine lighting rods. You’re focused, the playful, tempting air gone, and there’s an intensity to your eyes that wasn’t there before. You look . . . almost normal. 

He slides his glasses on and looks back to his pages, the tips of his ears burning.

The table read goes well. 

Sort of. 

There’s a handful of scenes Heidi has picked out for the majority of the cast to read together. Mark does well, as the manager who is trying to hold all the egos together but struggling with demons of his own. He’s funny when he needs to be, but serious enough to flip a line read that deepens his character. God, he’s so fucking talented, Dieter thinks as the table laughs at one of his character’s jokes. 

The other members of Dieter’s band in the movie are made up of a few guys, two girls. They have a natural chemistry that makes it seem like they’ve been friends for years. Dieter makes a note to try and get to know them better as people off the set to hopefully find his own rhythm with them. A few smile at him as he’s doing his own line reading and he feels good about it. 

Everything is fine and easy, until there are a few scenes specifically between him and you.

You’re putting too much emotion into it for just a table read and it’s making him uncomfortable. These things are just to get to know everyone, to see how the cast can play off each other, but you’re out here acting like there’s cameras ten feet back. Have you ever even been to a table read before? Shouldn’t you know this?

After you deliver a heartfelt monologue about feeling lonely in the world, he hears a few sniffles. The two girls of the band are red-eyed and Mark is stone-faced. Even Heidi looks affected. 

What the fuck is going on? Is he the only one not swayed by your bullshit? 

All of a sudden, you take his hand from across the table, your eyes pouring into his and he’s caught off guard. 

“Tell me you understand,” you say, your voice wet with emotion. “Tell me you understand why you can’t ever leave me.”

He wets his lips and sits up straighter in his seat. He squeezes your hand, opening up the light in his eyes. Fine, two can play that fucking game.

“I’m no good for you, baby,” he croons. “There’s a million of me out there and only one of you.”

“But you’re the only one I want. The only one I need.” 

Fuck, you’re good. But he’s better. He turns your hand over, exposing your wrist to the cool air and thumbs your pulse gently. He smiles wistfully at you.

“What we want can kill us. I love you, darling, but that’s not enough.”

The room is silent.

He glances down and read the next stage action:

They meet in a passionate kiss.

His eyebrows raise and he glances back at you, halfway expecting you to throw yourself at him from across the table. 

But, no. Instead of looking at him with love in your eyes, you are fucking furious. Your mouth is pulled into a tight line and he can see you mentally picture strangling him.

“Alright—,” Heidi calls out, her voice gruff. “Alright, let’s move on. Page one-fifteen.” 

The room fills with the fluttering of paper and a few people sniff, rubbing their eyes.

You yank back your wrist out of his grip but don’t move to turn the page. And neither does he. 

Oh, you’re mad that I did the exact same thing you were doing, but better? Sorry, hot tits, you have no idea who you’re fucking with. Welcome to the real world.

You look like you want to sink your fangs into him. You’re kind of cute, with your nostrils flared, in that megalomaniac kind of way.

A woman to his right asks what page they’re starting on, and it forces him to break eye contact with you. He tells her and thumbs to the correct page himself, where Mark is having an argument with one of the guys in the band.

He glances up at you. Tension still lines your body but you aren’t looking at him anymore. In fact, you’re making a clear point not to. His chest soars. 

He is definitely counting that as a win.

He opens the back door to the studio lot and breathes in the evening air. Day one, knocked down and dragged out back. He feels so fucking good. 

After the reading, Mark came over and congratulated him again on getting the part. He makes sure Dieter has his number before saluting him and announcing he’s heading home for the night. The band is hanging out in the corner, but the talk dies down as he approaches. One of the guys looks positively horrified as he smiles and waves at them.

“You did a great job today,” he says to their half circle. He’s never seen anyone’s eyes so wide in their heads before. “Have you all worked together before?”

“We’re an actual band and you’re really Dieter Bravo,” one of the girls blurts out. Her friend, presumably, elbows her and she blinks as though slapped. “I mean, we play real music. We’ve been on the radio a few times . . . but you’ve probably never heard of us . . .” She trails off, glancing helplessly at her friends to make her shut up.

Her friend, a young woman with hair so red it had to have been fake, rolls her eyes. “We’re The Sixers. We started out here in LA and we’ve been on the strip a few times. Our agent said that it would be great publicity if we were in a movie.” 

“Oh, shit,” Dieter mutters, as surprised as they are, “The Sixers – yeah, I have heard of you before. I’m fucking old as hell, but I still listen to the radio.” 

“You’ll have to give us some acting pointers,” one of the other guys offers up, his hands in his jean pockets. He seems less obviously starstruck but trying to play it cool. 

“Only if you help me to remember how to play the guitar,” Dieter grins. 

“You know how to play?” The first girl gawks.

He winks at her. “When everyone else around me is too drunk to notice I’m terrible.” 

They laugh, the girl’s face whiter than a sheet, and then the redhead introduces everyone. “That’s Nick, Cooper, and Samuel. Our resident ghost here is Marie, and I’m Roxie.”

He vaguely wonders which of those are stage names, but is absolutely sure that’s not Roxie’s real name. But she seems like the kind of person who’d like it that way. 

“You all are in good hands with Heidi,” he nods to the director, who’s been chatting with Mark and the art director. “She’s a visionary and really knows her shit. You’re lucky you get to have her as your first director.” 

“Have you worked with her before?” Cooper, one of the guys with legitimate beatnik hair, asks. 

Dieter nods. “Several times, actually. She’s fantastic.” 

“Have you worked with her before?” Roxie asks as you walk across the room to pick up your purse. Dieter can feel that burn in his chest again as you bend over. He shakes his head. 

“Is she new to the scene? Is that why she can’t afford any pants?” Roxie mutters and both Cooper and Samuel chuckle. Marie glares at her. 

“I heard she was a child actress in the early 2000s,” Marie continues as if trying to re-right the ship. “Was pretty successful, but then dropped off the face of the earth. Until now, I guess.”

“Maybe she went the Bella Thorne way of child actresses,” Nick murmurs, shamelessly watching your ass as you’ve turned to speak with Heidi for a moment. 

Roxie snorts. “She’s not that slutty. No one is that slutty, not even to sleep with the likes of you, Nicholas.”

“Oh, yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you –” 

Roxie slams a hand over his mouth. “I will junk-punch you so hard if you say what I think you’re going to say.” 

They’re like siblings, Dieter muses. Five, very talented, outrageous siblings. 

“It was great to meet all of you,” he says and Marie’s eyes flutter back to him. “But I gotta split. We should all go out some time. Meet up outside of work.”

“Oh, I think we’d looove that,” Cooper sing-songs, his eyes on Marie. She flushes bright red and pinches his shoulder, while Samuel laughs. “Ow!”  

Despite himself, this could actually be a fun shoot. He waves but none of them really see it, devolving into a squabble that makes him grin. 

You’re gone, he notices, but Heidi is sitting alone at the table, going over her notes. The art director has left too. 

He slides into the seat next to her and she lifts her head, smiling.

“Hey, Dee, you fucking crushed it today. Everyone’s been coming up to me to say how impressed they are with you.” 

He huffs and rolls his eyes, leaning back in the chair. “Yeah, and did they follow it with, ‘especially after how much of a fuck up we thought he’d be’?” 

Heidi playfully frowns at him. “C’mon, man, give yourself some credit. You earned the right to be here. I didn’t have to approve your audition.” 

His throat tightens. No, she really didn’t. He shakes his head.

“You’re right. As always.” 

Heidi grins, pleased, and drops her head back to her notes, marking things in a red pen. 

“So what did you think of your co-star?” 

Be nice, Dieter. “She’s . . . fine.” 

Heidi smirks, but doesn’t look up. “Wow, I don’t think you’ve ever used less words to describe someone, much less a woman.” 

He doesn’t like the way she says woman, as if there’s this cosmic reckoning that’s started and he just doesn’t know it yet. Sam and Diane, Bones and Booth – a destined sort of thing. 

He rolls his jaw. 

“She just acts . . . uppity, is all. Like she’s better than everyone else.” 

Heidi snorts. “Okay, tell me how you really feel.”

“I don’t like her.”

At that, Heidi pauses and looks up, genuine concern on her face.

“Really? You don’t like her? She came recommended by the studio and she’s a bit much, but I didn’t think you’d actually dislike her.”

He back-pedals as fast as he can. This day is so close to being perfect. 

“I mean, I don’t not like her . . . I just . . . I don’t know her.” If he is being honest, the best time to tell her exactly what’s been on his mind all day is probably right now. “And, fuck, Di, isn’t she a bit . . . I don’t know . . .” He swears he can hear the old Dieter laughing at him. “. . . young?” 

Heidi grimaces, taking his concern seriously and he loves her even more for that. 

“It was a studio note. Execs say it makes the central conflict feel more . . .”

“Predatory?” His eyebrow lifts, disdain evident in his drawl. She frowns at him.

“Transcendent.”

There is nothing about that girl that is transcendent, he thinks bitterly. 

He sighs and leans closer. Heidi notices his change in body language and leans forward too.

“I just cannot fuck this up, Di. I have to come out on top with this. It’s really important.”

That pity flashes across her face again and his stomach curdles. But she soothes a hand over his, her eyes serious. 

“Dee, I know. I really do. I’m not going to let anything bad happen here. She starts acting up, she’s out. We don’t need her that badly.”

He couldn’t be sure if she actually had the power to kick a co-star off the set, but he wanted to believe she did. More importantly, she wanted him to believe she did. 

“Thanks, Di,” he sighs. “I don’t know what I would do without you.” 

She chuckles and pulls her hand back. 

“Go home to your wife at a normal hour.” She pauses, making a face as if she tasted something sour. “Your wife – God, I will never get used to that.”

“Hey, I got used to it, after my best friend left me for some brunette out in Bali,” he teases as he stands up. 

Heidi scoffs. “That wedding was sick as fuck and you know it.” 

“You know, I never did bill Lucy for the piercing I got there. Sober Dieter would never have made the decision to look like a Keith Richards knock-off.”

“Oh shut the fuck up and go home. To your wife.” 

He’s laughing as he waves her good night. 

He opens the back door to the studio lot and breathes in the evening air. Day one, knocked down and dragged out back. He feels so fucking good. 

He’s thumbing through his keys when he smells smoke. Acidic smoke. Like those disgusting American Spirits he used to choke down. 

You’re leaning by the trunk of your car, one heel kicked over the other, smoking a white cigarette through your fingers. Which would be fine with him, except your car is parked tightly in the space next to his and you’re blocking the way to the driver’s seat. He’d rather crawl through the trunk than have to bend around you.

You’re biting on your thumbnail, contemplative, and staring directly at him with unabashed contempt. 

“Your reading was stilted,” you announce and then take a long drag. 

“Excuse me?”

“Your reading today,” you say slowly as though talking to a stupid child, “it was stilted.” 

He pops his jaw. 

“That’s because it was a fucking . . .” He remembers to breathe. “That’s because . . . it was a table read. Have you ever been to one?”

“Yes.” You tap the ash off your cigarette on the heel of your boot, drawing his gaze to the flush of your thigh but he’s not going to fall for it. “It can be a great opportunity for actors to find their chemistry. To find their rhythm.”

“I know that.” 

“Then where was yours? Huh?” You lift your eyebrows. Did you ever not want to play Dare?

“What are you talking about? I had a fine time with the band. We’re actually going to hang out outside–,”

“I mean with me.” 

That burning sensation returns to his chest. You look at him as if you could sear a hole right through him. Your cigarette is left smoking, forgotten, between your fingers at your hip. 

“The only time you ever gave me anything was after I touched you and even then, your performance was so saccharine, it made my teeth ache. I’m out here to prove I belong here, on this big budget film, and you’re stonewalling me. What do you have against me? What did I ever do to you? 

He runs his tongue against the back of his teeth, guilt smothering the fight you aroused in him. He drops your gaze and puts his hands on his hips. He’s too old to be scolded like this.

“Nothing, alright? You didn’t do anything,” he says quietly. “It’s not you–,”

“Of course it fucking isn’t but thank you for saying so,” you snap. 

You take one more drag before flicking the white butt onto the pavement of the gathering darkness.

“This is going to be a long shoot if you can’t get your head out of your ass.” You step forward and he instinctively takes a step back, but you come close anyway and shove a finger in his chest. “I don’t know what your deal is and I don’t care. We’re going to get through this even if I have to grab you by your hair and pull you to the finish line. Got it?” 

Your eyes are shining, fierce, powerful. Your mouth could crush rocks. 

He nods. 

Maybe it’s the trick of the failing light, but he thinks your pupils are a little too unnaturally wide. 

“Great. See you Monday.” 

You turn away from him, stalking back to your car and hurling your purse into the side seat. The car, a Chevy that’s possibly older than he is, roars to life, with just as much vitality as you possess. He leaps back a second before the wheels squeal as the car lurches backwards and darts off into the dark. 

He stands, watching the car pull away onto the road, until it’s gone. He can still hear the engine screaming in the distance. 

He thumbs his keys again, shaking his head. For the first time in months, he would literally kill someone for a cigarette.

[onetimetwotimesthreetimess]

The first time Lrhwy Alec comes back from deployment after adopting Max 🥹

okay chapter 2 actually begins with this scene and I’ve been wanting to write it for the longest time. Here’s a snippet for you.

——————————————————————————

Alec’s been skipping on his feet since morning. Since yesterday.

All week actually.

It’s impossible not to feel that way when today is the day. He’s only waited seven months for this. To be back home, back to his family again.

Their entire unit is at the airport right now, waiting to be picked up by their family members.

Alec cannot wait to see Magnus but there’s nothing new about this. He’s always excited to see Magnus.

But this time, Alec’s longing to see someone more than Magnus.

Max.

His Max. His baby.

It still doesn’t feel real sometimes that he is a dad. That he has an actual child to love.

The past few months without Max have been painful in a way that nothing has ever felt. Being away from Magnus is hard enough but there’s something cosmically different about missing his own kid.

He sees and talks to Max on video calls all the time but there’s nothing that can compare to actually holding his baby.

Also, Max is three so he can’t really hold a conversation. He’s always just saying gibberish between bouts of ‘daddy, daddy’ all the time.

Mom, Jace, Izzy, Magnus and Max are coming to pick him up.

Alec’s never been more in hurry to get home.

It’s 3:35 when his flight lands and by the time Alec is out, it’s almost 4. Magnus should be here soon.

“Alec!!” Jace yells and Alec turns up to find his mom, brother and sister there. Alec rushes towards them and envelopes his mom in his arms. Then Jace and Izzy. When Jace holds his face in his hands like the dramatic bitch he is, Alec almost cried with happiness.

“Where’s Magnus?” He asks when there’s still no sign of his boyfriend and son.

“I don’t know. We can’t reach them.”

“What?” Alec asks, a little worried.

He takes out his phone and checks Magnus’s last text

It’s a photo of Max and him, cuddled up in the morning.

We can’t wait to see you.

I miss you darling.

Magnus has been doing a countdown since the last 48 hours.

48 hours until I see you.

20 hours until I get to hug you.

2 hours until I get to kiss you.

I miss you.

I love you.

Alec calls him but Magnus doesn’t answer.

He calls him again. And again. Until he sighs.

Maybe they’re stuck in traffic.

“They’re probably stuck in traffic,” mom says.

Alec nods.

They wait for another half an hour, but Magnus still doesn’t arrive and Alec’s worry rises.

“We should go home. We’ll drop a text and let him know that we’re home. You can meet him there,” Izzy murmurs.

But what if Alec leaves and Magnus arrives and it’s another hour before they see each other again. He doesn’t think he can wait another hour.

His entire body is longing to see them. Alec can’t wait. If he doesn’t see Magnus and Max in the next thirty seconds, he will jump off a window.

But another half an hour passes without the sight of his baby and his other baby and Alec just wants to cry.

He hugs his mom, a little too tightly as he whispers, “Let’s go home.”

Jace takes his bag and they all turn to leave when a voice, the voice calls him.

“Alexander!!!!!”

Alec turns and his entire body sighs, relaxes, and somehow gets alive again.

Magnus stands there with Max in his arms. A huge smile appears on his face and his shakes his head to the side, opening his arms.

Max squirms in his arms so his boyfriend puts him down, exchanging a look at Jace, who makes his way towards the small boy.

Max is a chaotic little shit and he can go from anywhere to anywhere in a matter of three second.

“Magnus,” he whispers as Magnus comes running towards him, crashing their bodies together.

Alec doesn’t try to hide the tears that leave his eyes as he touches, and holds the love of his life in his arms again.

“I’m so sorry. There was a small accident and we got late,” Magnus says hurriedly and the words accident raises up his blood pressure suddenly. He pushes back and glances at his boyfriend’s body and only then he notices how disheveled he looks. There’s some light bruising on his arms and his shirt looks like it hasn’t been washed in days

Magnus is going to have an aneurysm if someone captures a picture of him looking like this and it goes viral.

“What? What happened?” He asks.

Magnus shakes his head, “I’ll tell you later,” he says and cups Alec’s face. Alec closes his eyes as he feels Magnus’s lips against his and breathes. And he wonders for a second how he ever lived without doing this for seven months. They kiss for barely a few seconds and Alec wants nothing but to do this for the rest of his life but there’s something, a huge voice inside his chest still and it’s not going to be filled until he holds his son.

Alec’s scared though. He is so, so scared that Max is not going to recognise him.

When Alec went for his deployment, Max was barely two and a half years old. Now he’s 3 and three years old are babies and don’t have the best memory and what if his baby doesn’t remember him?

There wasn’t a single second that Max left Alec alone before, always clutched to Alec’s side. Always with Alec but that was seven months ago.

And sure, Alec’s been talking to him on calls but what does a three year old even remember?

Maybe Magnus can see his worry because the man holds his face and smiles, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. He’s very, very excited to see you. He missed you like crazy.”

Alec exhales. He believes Magnus. Always does.

They release each other from their hold and Alec makes his way towards Max, who is clutching Jace, a nervous expression on his face.

Max is never nervous and Alec’s heart breaks a bit. He doesn’t want his kid to ever be worried.

He crouches down infront of his son and gently, touches his head.

“Hi, my baby,” Alec whispers.

Max, who’s been looking all worried until now suddenly perks up.

“Daddy in phone,” he says pointing towards Jace’s phone.

Alec chuckles softly, his heart breaking at Max’s surprise to see his dad infront of him, instead of a phone.

Magnus is crouching next to them too and he smiles at the two of them.

“Daddy’s here now, Blueberry.”

Max looks at him for a good few seconds before the damn breaks and he bursts into huge, loud tears.

“Daddy here?” He hiccups as he falls into Alec’s arms, clutching onto his uniform.

Alec starts crying too as he holds his baby.

“I’m here, Max. I’m here. I’m so sorry for leaving you,” Alec whispers, holding onto his son like his life depends on it.

“Da-daddy..” Max continues saying daddy, like it’s the only word he understands right now.

Alec puts him back on the ground and cradles his face. “I missed you, baby.”

Max beams through the tears and Alec can’t wonder how fast he’s growing up.

“Missed you daddy,” Max says as he jumps into Alec’s arms again.

And it feels like Alec can finally breathe again.