#''Weird dreams after hanging out with a book? Huh‚ sounds like someone else I know!''

[elderstrolls]

Top 2 Things A Silencer Shouldn't Say To Someone They Worked With Once Five Years Ago

[crystalcow]

𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑//𝑆𝑎𝑝𝑛𝑎𝑝 𝑝𝑡 4

Masterlist // child reader ML //

Sapnap x reader !p !child reader

Pronouns used: none specified!

Warnings: swearing, mentions of death, casinos

➳➳➳➳➳┄┄※┄┄➳➳➳➳➳

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝗼𝐤𝗼 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝗼𝐰??

Quackity was telling you all of his plans

He rambled on for hours of his ideas for casinos and how he was going to marry Karl and sapnap

It sounded great

He had his whole plan set up! He even had Sam helping him with the building

But then he left

Just like everyone else

But that was fine! You were just with sapnap

Before Karl came running over rambling on about needed to move his library

He had a library?

“[Redacted] you need to stay close, please”

You looked at him weirdly

Who the fuck was [redacted]

“Karl my names Y/n you idiot” “flame..” “sorry”

He didn’t even notice it and then you had to spend the next couple days hauling over 100 books

“Oo hey what are these! The covers look really weird”

You had found his time travel books

Woops

That man raced over and in the kindest way possible, snatched it from your hands

“Don’t touch those, they are my special books”

You just shrugged and let him be, he freaks you out enough

So you all traveled to this area in the spruce forest and built a really ugly mushroom hut

But hey it’s fine! Foolish thankfully came around later that day and made everything better

So you stuck around

Maybe you needed this, this new start

Oh but prime knows that wouldnt last long

Karl started forgetting

At first it was simple things as just forgetting where he was or little stumbles with names

But eventually he was going away longer and longer

He started calling you by these strange names, some that sound Victorian and western and others that are unlike you

One day he didn’t call you by your name at all

You were hanging around the Sakura trees and the big yin Yang pond waiting for sapnap to come back with George

Then you saw Karl exit the library, running up to him for a hug

It’s been two months since you’ve seen him

You fucking hated it but you couldn’t help but consider him another parental figure

He loved it

But he just stood there as you wrapped your arms around him

Expecting the usual “[reda]- Y/n, I’ve missed you so much my sweet flame!”

But there was nothing just a sad one sided hug

“Hello? I’m sorry but do I know you?”

You were ready to cry

“I’m sorry, I uh must’ve mistaken you for the wrong person” “No that’s fine! Hugs are nice?”

So you left and ran into the library

Scouring throughout all of the books until you found them

The same 8 books you shrugged away

You read through all of them along with Karl’s other journals

You didn’t like going through his stuff especially, a whole invasion of privacy

The more you read the worse it got

What were you gonna tell Sapnap?

Who the hell is James, and [redacted]?

And why couldn’t he stop

It’s no use anymore

You were simply just forgotten

𝐋𝗼𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬

The closer you got to the large building, the sicker you got

Kinoko Kingdom was supposed to be your free pass

But somehow you always end up here

You called for Sam on the comms waiting for the beep

The inside looked great to say the least

“What are your past relationships with the prisoner?” “No answer.”

“Where are you currently resided?” “No answer”

“Do you believe the prisoner deserves his sentence?” “Maybe”

You put all your shit in the locker and followed him through all the safety checks

“I’m glad you didn’t bring anything with you”

You stood on the platform heart racing as the lava went down

It was like a ticking time bomb

The small squeaks and scratches of the hovering bridge

He just stared at you

That sick stupid mask was broken by tommy that day in the black stone room

So you had to look into his face

Lets just say he looks good in Orange

“Barrier up or down?” “Down”

He backed up into the corner as you stepped in

Smiling

Once the lava cascaded down your smile turned into a sick frown

“Hello” is that all he had to fucking say?

“Screw you. Fuck you. Damn you”

He just looked you a small chuckle escaping from his lips

“Those all mean the same thing.” “Well I’ve been living in cinnamon town for the past couple months, and I’m ready to fucking burn some buns”

Yeah he just laughed

“I’ve missed you Hot shot”

“You ruined our damn life!”

Someone went quiet

“If you didn’t have to have a petty little war, or criminalize children we could’ve been fine! It could’ve just been you, dad, me, and George.”

You were pissed, everyone just kept leaving you.

Tommy and Tubbo, Quackity, Karl, Dream, and hell even Wilbur

“You come and visit me, after not having seen me for months and you just yell? Not a hello or ‘how are you dream?’ ‘How’s prison dream’ ‘how can I help you get out of this damn place’ “

You just sat down ready to just walk out into the lava

“I’ve been stuck here for months! None of you even cared enough to visit me, hell even Tommy came around.”

You might have felt a little bad after leaving him

The prison was cold even tho lava was flowing right there

“Why would you leave the discs alone..” “Because I had to end it.”

What were you doing here

What were you planning on saying?

“So, what do you do in prison”

“I have a clock.”

You got up to go look at the pretty clock

Then threw it at his face

“Ow” “deal with it bitch”

The longer you stayed the worse the feeling in your stomach got

so you buzzed for Sam waving goodbye

“Wait.. Do they miss me?” “Can’t say, but I think this may be for the best.”

He wanted his best friends

But he just got the annoying teenager

Oh but that wouldn’t be the last

𝐋𝐚𝐬 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐬

You got a letter in the mail one day

Who the hell uses letters??

You were shocked to see the address and the small post card

“Come around some time”-Quackity

Ans on the back it had the cords

Oh well what did you have to loose? Sapnap was focused on Karl

and well Karl didn’t even know you

So you set off

It took you a couple hours travel by horse to get to the desert area

The large sign blaring in the red text

You gotta admit the place looked beautiful

There was a giant dick and different shops

You were shocked to see this random un human like guy

“Hello, I am Charlie a totally human guy!”

Yeah totally not slime

“I’m uh, Y/n?” He reached out for a handshake sort of thing

“Dap me up!” “Another time Charlie”

Maybe when you had hand sanitizer

“Ohh so your Y/n! Mister Quackity talks about you all the time, come on in!”

You were skeptical but followed anyways

Stopping in your tracks when you saw Fundy

“Furry?” “Fire shit?”

You went over to give him a side hug, ruffling his fur

“What the hell are you doing here ginger boy!” “Oh you know, just escaping nightmares”

You were confused then just let him be

You walked to the entry way of the place

A beautiful pond with flowers and an arch

“Did what the place where Mr. Quackity was going to propose!”

Going to?

You shrugged it off following inside

You hated to admit it, but you were excited to see him

Yeah you really needed a parental figure in your life at the moment

So when you saw him, he immediately pick you up in a hug

You didn’t fail to notice his change in appearance

That beanie stayed the same tho

Thank god

“Hey hey! Let me show you around the place, we can also go for lunch and talk.”

The casino looked great to say the least

Loud music booming from the speakers, along with the live jazz band on the side

Slot machines were going off every minute

“Have a chip, something to remember this by”

He handed you a red poker chip

It was a cool one tho, in the middle has a blocky sort of smile

Creepy and dopey.. sick!

So you put it around a spare silver chain

“So how have you been kid? ‘Ts been a while hasn’t it.” “Could be better..”

You both walked around the city in silence, offering to go in the super model shop

“No” “why not” “keep walking”

On your way to lunch you had to squint at what you were seeing

“Oh my goodness you’re still alive?!” “You’re alive!?”

You and revivebur just stared at one another

“Yeah he came back after I died!” “you what now-“

You just stared at Tommy and back to Wilbur

Oh god those shrooms were messing with your head

You should’ve gotten out of there a while ago

Quackity came over placing his hands on your shoulders

“Do I have to execute you both? Get off my damn property”

“Sorry Q. Say, Y/n wanna join Lmanburg 2.0?”

You back away holding your hands up

“I denied that offer once, and I’ll do it again. Fucking zombie freaks”

You obviously muttered the last part

Why the fuck did dream revive those two shits??

When did Tommy even die??

Your visit here has just gotten weirder and weirder

𝐌𝗼𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬

Quackity got you away from the brits as quick as he could

So he brought you over to his office

“So kid, how’s your dad..”

Ah you expected this question

“How the fuck am I supposed to know. He’s living his life, Karl’s time traveling! Oh yeah did I mention he doesn’t even remember me.”

He looked at you with wide eyes

“So I’m not the only one they forgot..”

You slammed you hands on the fable dramatizing the situation

“How would you feel about moving here? I mean you could work for me in the casino!”

You thought about it for a second

You have two options

1. Live in shroom town with bubbles

2. Move to las Nevada’s with Quackity

You were sure Sapnap wouldn’t mind

I mean would he even care?

He hasn’t for the past couple months!

“You feel abandoned there, over here there are hundreds of people. You’ll have the time of your life”

You thought about it for a sec

“Alright hand me a contract”

So you signed

Making deals with the devil huh

Little did you know it would cost you your life

Devils little soul

➳➳➳➳➳┄┄※┄┄➳➳➳➳➳

and this is the finale! I will take requests for sapnaps child, and I’ll do some shit with Quackity and the casino and go in more depth if wanted!

As always request and ask anything! And ask if you want to be on a taglist (child reader or general)

For those on the taglist I don’t know if you wanted to be tagged for all child reader shit or just dreams child.. so please tell me :)

@creatorofstars @georgenctfound @samistheidiot @smolbox-png @ghostlysenses @stellarinstigator @bobaducky

[writingmanaged]

The Answer

Request: Hey there, I have a request if you want to write it! :) So obviously set in the Marauders Era, the reader is a Ravenclaw and has had a long and rough day and just can't answer the riddle to enter the Ravenclaw common room. So she gets really frustrated and starts crying when for some reason Remus notices her and sneaks her into the Gryffindor common room so she can have a place to sleep? I think that would be really cute :')

A/N: This was so cute and so much fun to right! Thank you SO much for the request, I loved it.

Ship: Remus Lupin x Ravenclaw!Reader

Fluff

T/W: Anxiety in a way?, a panic attack

(Y/n) had had enough already. The day was simply terrible. First, it was waking up late. Then, stupid Quirell just had to spill all of his juice on her. By the time she had gotten back to her dorm and changed her clothes she was already late for class. Not only did she loose points for that, but she also had less time than everyone else to complete a test.

The rest of her day wasn't any better. She had gotten into this huge fight with her best friend and she had to spend the rest of her evening alone. She was both physically and emotionally exhausted when she reached the top of the stairs. All she had to do was answer than silly riddle and finally get into the comforting embrace of sleep.

What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?

(Y/n)'s mind was completely blank. What? She could barely even hear the riddle. Her mind was blank and she simply couldn't process another thought. No, no, no...

She was way past curfew. Is she couldn't find the answer, then there was no way anyone else could. Because everyone else was inside, in their warm beds, while she was outside and unless her brain started working again she were to sleep there on the cold floor.

Her breathing became unsteady and all she could hear was her blood boiling. She was panicking. Wrong move, she knew it. But she simply couldn't calm down. She hadn't even noticed that big tears had found their way down on her cheeks, like a broken sink that couldn't be closed.

~~~~~~

Remus Lupin was pissed. He had never lost a bet before. But how was he supposed to know Lily would agree to dance with James? What had gotten into her? Honestly...

It wasn't like he wanted to stay at that party any longer. Partying wasn't his favourite past time. He'd simply rather stay inside his dorm, under his blanket, with some chocolate and a nice book. But nope! Thanks to his dear Padfoot, he had to go all the way to the Ravenclaw common room and come back.

He thought he could use this as an opportunity to relax into the deadly silence of the empty hall. But instead of that, another bitter melody intruded into his ears and scattered his heart. It was the echo of someone sobbing.

He approached the (y/hc) haired girl and sat down next to her. She seemed familiar, but he couldn't be sure while her face was covered in tears. Remus placed his hand on her shoulder, looking at her in concern. "Are you alright, miss?"

(Y/n) recognised that voice. It couldn't be anyone else but Remus Lupin. He hanged out with those popular Gryffindors but he wasn't arrogant like they were. Or at least she didn't think he was. She had seen him in the library tutoring the first years. He had even given them chocolate.

"I'm fine." She mumbled, not sounding fine at all. Remus was very familiar with behaviours like this, both for his friend and himself. "You don't look fine. Please, let me help you."

(Y/n) wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "Aren't you a Gryffindor? What are you doing here this late at night?"

"Well, one should never have bets with any of my friends." Remus said and laughed, in that soft tone only he knew how to. It helped (Y/n) relax and take deep breaths.

"What's the problem?" He asked her as soon as she relaxed a little.

"I-I can't seem to find the answer to the riddle..." She admitted in embarrassment.

"Let me see if I can help you." He told her and approach the door only to make a confused expression as soon as I heard it. "That is definitely the most weird riddle I've ever heard."

At that (Y/n) laughed. "Isn't it!?" But soon the smile dropped. He couldn't find it either. She was stuck outside, at Peeves' mercy.

Remus looked at her thoughtfully. "You know, there will be a free bed in my room tonight."

"Huh!?" (Y/n) exclaimed, once more embarrassed. Sharing a room with some of the most popular boys in her year?

"Well there is a party in the dormitory tonight. My friends will spend most of the night there if not all of it." He explained. (Y/n) seemed hesitant. "I don't know, Remus... I wouldn't like to make your friends uncomfortable." More like, it's going to be too uncomfortable for me.

"It'll be fine! I promise! Sirius is definitely spending the night outside. He always does." He promised. She was still opposed to the idea, but it sounded better than sleeping on the floor and so she agreed.

On their way down to the Gryffindor common room, Remus kept asking her questions. It turned out he remembered her name from classes. She was right when she thought he was a nice guy. Only nice was definitely not enough to describe him.

The common room was very lively. But (Y/n) didn't even have the strength to turn and look. She simply followed Remus all the way up to his room. "Wait. Won't you get in trouble for this?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders lightly. "Not if no one tells McGonagall."

(Y/n) smiled and sat down on a bed as she looked at the room. It was very odd. As if an invisible line seperated the room. The first two beds were alright. Not too neat, not too messy. The one she was currently seating on, was the definition of cleanness. She was almost terrified of ruining it by sitting. The last two, were a complete mess.

"So um... This one is my bed that you're sitting on. On your left are Frank's and James' beds and on your right are Sirius' and Peter's. Take your pick." Remus told her sweetly.

"Um... Could I maybe take yours? It's alright if not! It's just, I don't even know if the other guys are okay with me sleeping here!" Also, your bed is a dream, she wanted to add but didn't.

"Sure, no problem. I'll just sleep on Sirius'." He agreed without giving it too much of a thought. (Y/n) took off as much of a uniform as possible. She was left in her shirt and skirt, but it still felt rather uncomfortable.

"Would you like one of my shirts for a pijama? I don't mind." He suggested gently as she shyly nodded. He had already let her in his bed, why not?

She tucked herself in his bed, enchanted by his smell, and Remus sat on the messed up sheets with a book on his hand.

"Goodnight, (Y/n)."

"Goodnight, Remus. And thank you..." And like that she drifted into the nicest sleep of her life.

She had probably slept in, but who cares? It's Saturday. She wouldn't have woken up at all if it wasn't for all those male voices discussing something. Their conversation was blurry at first but soon she sorted it out.

"So yeah, apparently she had a bet going on with Marlene..." Someone said. She recognised that voice as James Potter's. Laughter echoed in the room immediately.

"Keep it down, will you!? You'll wake her up!" Remus scolded them. Her sweet Remus... Wait, her?

"Yeah guys, you'll wake up Moony's girlfriend~" Someone, who (Y/n) couldn't recognise said and the guys laughed again. After laughing a bit more (with the exception of Remus who told them to shut up) they kept quiet.

"Has anyone noticed that all our names contain the letter S except for Peter?" James Potter says.

"Ah! That's suspicious! I don't trust you anymore, Pete!"

"Funny, Padfoot..." Peter Pettigrew, (Y/n) guessed, answered to the comment that must have been made by Sirius Black.

And then it hit her. "Oh, merlin's beard..." She mumbled as she stood up.

"oh, (Y/n), good morning. Sorry if we woke you." He smiled weakly towards her.

"It was the letter M..." She sighed.

The guys looked at each other in confused. "Blimey, Lupin, your girlfriend's as weird as you!"

"The letter M..." She repeated. "was the answer to the riddle."

[agreatescape89]

Mikasa x Reader One Shot

requested by anon

Eren and Armin fight for Y/N but they fall for Mikasa instead

Gender Neutral pronouns Words: 1678

Today was the beginning of the 104th training corps. Y/N stood in formation listening to what the terrifying, elder instructor had to say. Though his words were not necessarily encouraging, they had all the motivation they needed to be a part of the military. Next to Y/N was a tall raven haired girl who stood stoically. “Hi”, they said shyly, hoping to make new friends before their training days actually began. The raven haired girl slightly looked at them with a blank expression and only nodded in response. “He seems like a hard ass, doesn't he?” This time the girl didn’t even look at Y/N. Feeling they may have said something wrong, they tried to save it. “I’m Y/N by the way, what’s your name?” “Mikasa'', she finally responded, in a deep but soft voice. “Which regiment are you looking to join? I’m going into the survey corps.” They said a bit excitedly, happy to be making a breakthrough with this girl. “Me too.” Mikasa replied with a little above monotone voice. “HEY!” A shout came from the wrinkled, frankly terrifying man. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? IF YOU CAME HERE TO SOCIALIZE YOU CAME TO THE WRONG DAMN PLACE” He yelled right in front of their faces. “We’re sorry Sir, it won't happen again.” Mikasa calmly said. Y/N was terrified, plus everyone was looking at them. “Maybe if you weren't yelling so much we’d listen better..” They said without thinking. Everyone's jaw dropped, they're dead the surrounding cadets thought in unison, whispers began to surround them. Shadis stared them dead in the eyes ``”what did you just say to me, you think I should stop yelling? Well, have I got some news for you…” He then proceeded to yell straight in their face as loud as they could going on a rant Y/N only found intellilable, but they stood there straight as a log not scared anymore but only visibly pissed off. “ARE YOU GONNA STOP TALKING, CADET, OR ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE.” He yelled after a few minutes of stressing his lung capacity. Though it was so tempting for Y/N to leave right there, they stayed because they had a mission, a fate, to stop the war. “Ill stop sir” Y/N said darkly but boldly. Shadis made a sound and returned to his orientation speech. Mikasa was kinda impressed at what she just witnessed, very impressed. She felt something warm build up in her heart that only increased when she looked at Y/N. But she had to ignore that for now, she didn't want Shadis to yell at her.

The following days, Mikasa couldn’t get Y/N out of her mind. She hoped she’d see her again, in fact, she was sure of it.

They were alone their first day, it didn't take long to make friends though. Y/N was reading a book about animals, ones that didn't exist anymore, I suppose that would be an intriguing thing for anybody to notice, but it was especially for the blonde male that had walked over to Introduce himself. He’d had that book before, but he didn't know anyone else was interested in that stuff, let alone have another copy of a taboo book. He couldn't stop himself from striking up a conversation, to him it was almost like love at first sight. Y/N invited him to sit down and they went through the book together, discussing all of it’s interesting contents. At some point, Armin noticed that whenever he had looked over at Y/N, his face would warm and his heart would feel intensely in a way he couldn’t describe or realize. Soon the dinner bell rang and Armin invited them to sit with him and his friends.

When the two reached their table, Y/N was surprised to see a familiar face. “Oh hey Mikasa!” The girl’s cheeks felt so hot, and her heart burned with excitement, though her face showed none of it, especially with her scarf covering a portion of her face. “Hey Y/N, Hi Armin,” She responded quietly. Armin introduced everyone and they all sat and talked for a while. The other one of Armin’s friends was a brown haired boy named Eren, he was kinda crazy. He talked about his goal in the survey corps, to eradicate all the titans. Y/N respected that, that’s partially why they were here. It didn't take them long to become friends.

Everyday they’d meet and hang out with each other. They had fun, even though training was hard when the four of them were together it was peaceful. That was, until they met Jean Kirschtein. It all started when Y/N accidentally bumped into him in the dining hall, knocking his tray and everything on right on the muddy floor. “What’s your fucking problem.” The tall, long faced man said. “Jean calm down they didn’t mean it, we can just share my food.” A black haired, freckled boy beside him tried to stop the storm before the rain. “Don’t talk to them like that, it’s not their fault don’t be so rude!” Eren said before Jean even thought to leave the situation alone, and he definitely wasn't now. “Eren it’s fine, here Jean just take my tray, I’m so sorry” Y/N also trying to defuse the situation. “I don’t want your trash food or your apology you stupid bi-” Y/N’s fist collided with his nose before he could finish. The force was enough to knock him right on his behind. They left the building to get fresh air before he had the chance to hit them back, they didn’t really like fighting much, especially another cadet. But he had it coming running his mouth, Y/N felt bad but couldn’t hold themself back.

Eren followed Y/N outside because he didn’t really want to wait for Jean to get back up either. He also really wanted to see them after that. “That was badass.” Eren said before anything else. “Are you ok by the way?” “I’m fine, and thank you it was very badass.” They laughed lightly and grinned. Eren was impressed, and nearly enchanted, at what he’d witnessed. He felt the intense urge to kiss Y/N right then and there. He kept his emotions a secret for now, but he couldn't stop thinking about them and what it would be like to be with them.

A few nights later, Armin asked Eren if he could ask him for advice. They sat down on Armins bed with mannerisms similar to school girls. “I really like Y/N and I’ve never dated anyone before so I really don’t know how to go about this..” Armin confided. “Armin, I don’t know what to say.. Other than, I’m getting them first.” Eren said confidently knowing Y/N would choose him over Armin. “Huh? Wait do you like Y/N too?” Armin felt like Eren was just trying to steal something he loved away from him just because it was something he loved. He cared about Y/N a lot and felt the strongest connection he’d ever felt. “A lot, I fell for them a few days ago and I couldn’t get them out of my head, Armin I’m sorry but they’re mine..” “They aren’t yours or mine, don’t talk like that Eren it’s creepy. Besides they need to pick one of us, and I’m almost certain they’ll be picking me.” Armin said, with a glow in his eyes that Eren couldn’t quite place but he was sure it was similar to his own. “What makes you think that? I’m the one they want, we are so alike, we have the same goals, we’re perfect, they're perfect.” Eren said dreamily. “What? You don’t even know them. Y/N and I actually bonded, did you know they like books, AND have the same books I used to. If anyone’s perfect for them it’s me.” Armin defended. “Say’s the guy who came to me for advice on how to win them over. I’m sorry Armin, but I can’t let them go.” “Eren you sound so weird when you talk like that.. And I really don’t care. If it’s just between me and you, I’m definitely going to win their heart first. They do clearly like brains better anyways.” “Are you kidding me Armin!? Y/N clearly likes strength better.”

And so the challenge began, whoever one Y/Ns heart wins. Little do they know however, someone else was playing too, someone who had also fallen for Y/N…

The friendly competition between Eren and Armin continued for a week. Eren would try to show off how strong he was, picking fights with Jean just so you could see him kick horsefaces ass. But he spent too much time looking to see if you were watching that he got hit a few times. Armin’s approach however, consisted of him bringing Y/N flowers and telling them about the species, inviting them on walks near the forest, finding a beautiful scenery to read together by.

During all this Y/N was sort of oblivious to the boys attempts to woo them, mostly because they were concerned with the love of someone else. They had a massive crush on Mikasa Ackerman, and little to their knowledge, Mikasa liked Y/N too. One day, Mika and Y/N were having a deep discussion in her bed, and their feelings for each other slipped out. It didn’t take long for them both to lean forwards and kiss.

The next day, Mikasa and Y/N walked to lunch together, since they had spent the night in each other's arms. They held hands tightly, hearts beating with an intense heat powerful enough for neither of them to notice the expressions on both Armin and Eren's faces. All their efforts to make the person of their dreams fall for them were nothing compared to Mikasa, that’s how they thought Y/N felt and they weren't wrong.

[sunsetcurvecuddles]

Willex, stay

anon this accidentally played into the fact that i’ve been thinking about touch starved willie nonstop for weeks. so. here you go. sorry it got long lol “a lil something” this ended up 1.5k words so it’s now available on ao3 as well

(send me a ship and a word and i’ll write you a lil something for clowngate // completed prompts)

Things have been weird, since Willie moved in.

Not bad weird, Willie doesn’t think. Or, a little bad weird. But everything was going to be bad-weird, after what happened with Caleb, anyway. He’s trying to move on as best he can, but there’s a lot of adjustment at once, after he meets Julie and she breaks his curse and suddenly he is - as far as he can tell - a regular teenaged boy again, alive and well, able to graze his knees if he tumbles off his skateboard.

(Yes, he learned that the hard way).

Usually, Willie’s good with change. He likes life to stay fresh, and exciting. It’s just that sometimes he looks around the Molina’s spare room, with its cozy blue bedsheets and little bookshelf on the wall, and thinks about Ray Molina’s kind eyes and the way he’s basically adopted four ghosts that he knew nothing about prior to this out of the sheer goodness of his heart. Willie wonders if he’s stepping on people’s toes, by being here. If he’s in the way.

Everyone else knows each other so well already, is all, and he can’t help but suspect that maybe they resent him for causing all this trouble in the first place, no matter how many times Alex and Julie assure him that’s not the case. He just doesn't feel like he can ask for anything, since they've given him so much already.

And Willie also has this weird sort of pain, maybe leftover from his curse, maybe his soul being a little battered and sore. But it’s this ache that sits just under his rib cage, that thuds with his heart, and that won’t shift. He lies awake at night and feels it, like a very blunt dagger, or a really cold stone. Sinking deeper and deeper in him, like his chest is a bottomless pool of water.

It’s not all bad. Ray lets him skateboard in the little courtyard outside the garage, when he doesn’t feel like going far. He hangs out in the loft and sketches in a book Julie got him, as he listens to her and the boys rehearse. They sound amazing, and getting to watch Alex is Willie’s favourite thing. He looks so relaxed, when he’s drumming, so unselfconscious. Like Alex finally sees, in himself, the Alex that Willie sees all the time.

He just wishes Alex would be that Alex around Willie, again. The way he was before. Alex treats him so carefully now, so tentatively, like any wrong move could make Willie flinch.

Maybe Willie just flinches more than he used to. Maybe it’s not all Alex’s fault.

--

The ache is back, and Willie’s lying awake, and staring at the ceiling, and wondering why Ray Molina has a copy of The Communist Manifesto in his guest room, when Alex appears at the door. Not literally appears, as in poofs in, but appears by poking his head through the gap Willie left and saying, “Hey, are you still awake?”

Willie looks over at him. Alex is clearly dressed for bed (it’s weird, having to sleep again after all these years), and his blonde hair is all shaggy and in his eyes.

For some reason, the pain in Willie’s chest deepens further. Maybe it is because of the curse. He knows how furious Caleb was about his feelings for Alex. How threatened he felt by them.

“Yeah,” Willie says, belatedly, when Alex gives him a stranger look than normal. “I mean. Apparently.”

“Can I come in?”

Willie nods, sitting up and shuffling his legs up so there’s room for Alex to sit on the end of the bed, which he delicately does.

“I just wanted to check on you,” Alex tells him, folding his hand in his lap and looking up at the roof, the way Willie was moments ago. Willie is looking now at the distance between his toes and Alex’s thigh.

In the past, he never would have hesitated to just tuck his cold feet under the legs of a boy he liked. In fact, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing Willie-from-before would do. He’s just not Willie-from-before any more.

Usually good with change. Not sure how he feels about this change.

“Check on me?” he asks. Still looking at his feet, and Alex’s pajama-clad leg, and Alex’s hands in his lap, now. Wishing he was holding one of Alex’s hands.

God, his chest hurts. It makes him feel shaky.

“You’ve been... quiet?” Alex offers, and then cringes at himself like he regrets the word choice, his beautiful eyebrows pulling together, his beautiful mouth pulling to the side, his beautiful nose framed by the light from the hallway, streaming in through the gap in the half-open door. “Not that you can’t be quiet! Not that you were loud before, either, just...”

Not yourself.

Alex doesn’t have to say it. Willie knows already. His throat feels tight, and man, he doesn’t want to cry in front of Alex, that would be such a shitty thing, after all of this. “I’m sorry,” Willie says softly, though he’s not even exactly sure what he’s apologising for.

Maybe for not being as much fun as he was before. For being yet another thing Alex has to worry about, now, instead of being somewhere Alex doesn’t have to worry about anything.

For some reason, those are the words that break Alex, that make him impulsive.  It’s like he moves before he thinks, when he puts his hand on Willie’s knee, squeezes tight. His other hand he moves to Willie’s cheek, cupping his jaw, tilting his head up so they can look at each other properly. “Please don’t be sorry. None of this is your fault.”

The feeling of Alex’s hands burns and soothes all at once, and something in Willie breaks. The floodgates stored in his ribcage burst, the pain overwhelming and then washing away, and he feels the tears spilling over before he has a chance to stop or hide them. He can’t remember the last time someone touched him like this, so gently, with such kindness.

Oh. Yeah, he can. It was Alex, then, too.

“Shit,” Alex exclaims softly, trying to withdraw his hands, but that’s the last thing Willie wants, and he manages,

“Stay? Please, Alex, I can’t be-”

Okay, well, ‘alone again’ is a little melodramatic, he thinks to himself, even in the middle of his own breathless crying. No need to take it that seriously, Will. Alex is saying, “Okay, okay, I won’t go - I’m not leaving, just - what do I do? Am I helping or making it worse?”

Willie just surges forward, rolls onto his knees, and buries his face in Alex’s neck, arms around Alex’s shoulders. Alex holds him back, tight, soothes him in sounds more than words.

The pain washes away down the river. Everywhere Alex touches him, every time Alex runs a hand through Willie’s hair or down Willie’s spine, the ache recedes, reduces, dies down.

“I wanted to give you space,” Alex whispers, lips practically against his ear, the warmth like a bucket of water over Willie’s head in the best way. He’s doing some of his best overthinking, Willie can tell even through his upset. Alex is an astonishingly good multitasker. “But I gave you too much, huh? This... I should’ve been doing this.”

“You didn’t have to,” Willie says, sniffling in a truly disgusting way. “Shouldn’t have to now. Don’t want to make you worry.”

“Please make me worry,” Alex interrupts him. “Please. For once, let me play to my strengths?”

That startles a laugh out of Willie, and Alex grins, Willie can feel it against his face. Now that he’s done crying, now that they’re just sitting there holding each other, he can feel the blooming warmth inside him, the relief. The quiet.

“Better?” Alex asks.

Warmth where there was cold. Comfort where there was pain. It wasn't the curse after all, he guesses, but this is a change Willie can deal with. It’s not Caleb, haunting him still somehow. He just needed a hug. He hums his affirmation. “Can we just... stay like this, for a bit?”

“I guess so,” Alex groans, smiling, and laying back on the bed with his arm outstretched and welcoming, shaggy hair still in his pretty eyes. “I guess we can.” When Willie lays down on his arm, he says quietly, “Just. Tell me next time? If it gets like this? I just wanna help, but I can’t know what you need if you won’t ask me.”

Willie’s instinct is to brush him off, even after everything that’s happened, but the relief is still so palpable, and Alex seems so warm and genuine, and safe, like everything Willie’s ever dreamed of. Better than he deserves, for sure, but that doesn’t mean he has to say no. He’s seeing that now.

“I’ll ask,” he promises, and he means it. “I’ll ask you.”

--

part 2

part 3

[kawaiijohn]

Going Angst Week Day 2: Obsession

Ao3:  Here

WC:  1689

Nav: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 

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The scenery behind the door was very... unique Quizz would say.  

“You know, if I wanted space I would just remove a wall.  A room suspended in the endless void is a little... extra, don’t you think?” They asked nobody.

There was a singular platform suspended in an endless inky void of space with a singular pathway to the door.  Nothing sat upon it but a desk- complete with a fancy looking double-monitor setup and roomy drawers underneath.  It looked sleek, modern, tempting.  

Quizz didn’t know why the single point of focus in an otherwise liminal room was so enticing, but hey!  The feeling in their chest hadn’t led them astray.  Yet.

With a shrug they began walking, their saunter turning into a slow but steady glide as they negated gravity.  “Well, only one way to go.  Down it is!!”

The monitors lit up with a strange logo- a devilishly smiling face with red shades and blue flames for hair.  Okay... that looked really cool, but... why was it lighting up?  They tapped the space key and a password entry blinked before them.

“I can’t even remember my name, what makes this place think I’ll remember a fuckin’ password right off the bat?  Sheesh!!”  He pulled the chair out and took a seat, realizing it didn’t need adjusting and was hella comfortable.  

Alright... he could work with this.

With a too-wide grin he began trying to unlock the machine.

-----

It turned out he could not, in fact, work with this.

Quizz had his cheek pressed against the desk, growling lowly at the password box as it flashed tauntingly at him.  It really didn’t help that the damn thing cackled at him with every wrong entry.

“Stupid computer.  Stupid amnesia.  Stupid Quizz... stupid stupid stupid.”  He pried his face off the desk in despair and slammed his forehead on it a few times.  “The fact that nothing seems to hurt me makes me think I’m just having an awful dream.”  Another slam.  “But with my terrible luck I’m in purgatory or something.” Slam.  

“Why is this so damn hard... Always gettin’ myself into so much trouble- way more than it’s worth!!  Gods mom was ri-...”  Quizz paused and thought.  “.... she was... who?  Who was... right??  ACK!”  They grabbed their forehead, talons accidentally scratching the fuck out of their face in the rush.  “I-I... why do things keep.  Leaving me?”

They took a moment to calm, thinking about it- thinking about the trouble they were in; lost and alone with apparently only a locked computer for company.  “Please, I... don’t want to forget her.  I just want to... know...” The pain in their head subsided as the thing in their chest thrummed violently.  “Who was she to me again??”  They had to remember, feelings of both nostalgia and love rushed over them, followed by a single, near debilitating shudder of regret and the gut-wrenching feeling of failure.

‘I’m sorry I wasn’t enough... I couldn’t be there for you all...’

Quizz gasped loudly.  “I... someone said I get into trouble... it was familiar, but not angry.  Exasperated... and then I... I left them.  How did I leave?”  Their heard vibrated strangely again.  “I don’t think I left them willingly.  But who were... they?”

A happy, yet tired family sits at a table.  A single chair remains empty yet another day; a small plate covered in frogs sits on a placemat in front of it.  There’s three other people, smiling yet tired.  Pizza steams fresh in the center with two figures talking excitedly about something else.  They’re all smaller besides one more in focus than the others.  They look... older?  The image clears a bit more and reveals a stout woman with slightly greying hair and blank eyes...

Something clicks into place.

"Mom!!!  I remember mom- I think... but who are the others?  Kids, at least maybe?  Ah, what was her name- I can... Her favorite color was peach!!”  They readied themself for pain again, but none came.  “ Ah, so the initial memory sucks when I remember it!!  Noted!  Thanks brain, I hate it!!!”  They tapped their forehead and stood in front of the desk, arms crossed.  “Now, brain, my dear friend- can please you do me a favor and, oh... I don’t know... fuckin’ LET ME UNLOCK THIS FUCKIN’ DESKTOP?? Please???”

The monitor snickered softly at them again after a moment of absolute silence.

“ALRIGHT SMARTASS!!!”  Quizz slammed their fist hard on the keyboard, hearing something click softly underneath.  “There’s literally no need to get sassy with me!  So what do you say, help me out here, bud?  Please???”  They pleaded with the computer, but got a loud raspberry in return.  “Cool.  Just fuckin’ great.”  Another smack to the keyboard made something inside the desk click again, the sound of some sort of mechanism unwinding.  After a moment, a drawer (one he was SURE was locked) glided open gracefully.

Quizz perked up, ignoring the fact they were about ten seconds from slashing the monitor in half with their new claws.  “Alright!  Now that’s the shit I’m talkin’ about!  That’s the shit I’m fuckin’ about!!!”  They turned and saluted the blank space surrounding him.  “Thanks, weird void room.  Thanks weird asshole computer!!  I totally appreciate the help you gave me!!” 

‘Ah, sarcasm.  Never fails to lighten the mood.’

With nimble fingers the amnesiac started shuffling through the drawer.  It had several very... interesting items inside- weirdly shaped pens, a neat collapsable cane he was gonna inspect later, but the best of all was a pair of dope-ass red shades that they absolutely donned immediately- a feeling of pride and rightness filling them as they put them on.

They made it to the bottom of the drawer when their chest thrummed violently.  A lone binder, locked tightly, sat at the bottom.  They grasped their chest with one hand and the book with the other, admiring the intricate silver swirls and black glittering stars covering it.  Quizz placed it on the desk, noticing a small, strangely glittering key hanging off of a chain attached to it.

The room seemed to whisper directly into his mind.

‘Open it.  Inside.  Open... learn about... read... learn...’

With a shaking hand, they unlocked it and read.

They read.

And read.

Memories coming to the forefront and fading away just as soon.  Their eyes scanned words that would pixelate and blur as soon as they glanced at them.  Names and places, numbers and facts- blurred away from his sight.  

‘No.  This is not how it should be.’

A growl bubbled up in his chest as he kept reading.  Names were all universally destroyed, photos for the most part blurred out.  But categories- favorite places and things... birthdays and personality types- all of those were categorized neatly and nicely.  

Some pages had just a few, and those names were less obscured- some even with profile pictures fully visible.

Those pages made his chest rumble happily.  He couldn’t understand why.

But there were three specific pages that stood out.  Just looking at them... it made his blood itch, his chest scream in longing.

He needed to finish them.  If he didn’t... he didn’t know what he would do.  

He poured over the pages over and over and over again.

They all had information filled for the most part, more categories were finished than any other page had been, but things like the person’s name and appearance, as well as the photos were unhelpfully blurred out.

They snarled at the thought of not knowing what it meant.  

“Can’t make anything easy for me, huh?”

One was a page that was rather childish.  Observations were written but he could barely understand them- the letters scrambling before his eyes.  But he noticed something- it seemed the entry was cut short; the only clear thing besides crayon drawings of frogs said ‘entry cut short, just like their time with us.’

The second page was filled with pressed flowers- all different types of lilies and snapdragons.  Everything was written with a glittery peach gel pen.  They ran a claw over the script and felt a tear fall from their eyes.  The writing made them feel something deep and painful- the same pain they’d felt a short while ago.

Their eyes scanned the page, noticing a single clear data entry.

Favorite Color:  Peach

“This was... is this my mom?”

Upon saying that, the page become more readable- some smaller things filling out and the photo less ‘thumb over the camera’ and more ‘they moved while I took this’.

If this was information on people they knew then...

Quizz yelled as their chest spiked in pain, something overcoming their willpower.

If this book was filled with things about the people they loved, then they will... they are going to... uncover all of it- collect all the information and find them.  They’ll collect everyone interesting they meet- ask them... get answers, know things, know all things to... to - 

Protect.

Love.

Learn.

Know. Know them.

After feeling cold pins and needles consume their form, Quizz flipped back to the third and last page that had gathered their interest. 

The very first page in the book.

Their claw ran over the scrawling handwriting- admiring how the writer crossed their sevens with lines, how they looped their letters and underlined things for emphasis.  They felt nostalgic and hollow.

This page had every single category filled, but the descriptions were blackened out; like they’d spilled ink all over the page.  They looked it up and down but couldn’t find a single clue about who page one would have been.

With a sigh they grinned and noticed something peculiar on the inner cover- right next to the bio.  There was a single note, a single clue.

Password:  Page 5′s best friend.

Now that... that tickled Quizz’s fancy.  Page 5... that would be the childish froggie page?  Yes it was.  

Quizz felt the buzzing in their chest become steady, violent yet subdued.  It was telling them this was the right direction- that attaining that information would fill a hunger they didn’t know they had.

Interesting, this was going to just be... delightful.

[amintyworld]

I Failed You - Dream SMP Drabble

A/N: Concept just hit me last night I was itching to write - what if Ranboo’s mental state worsens to the point that he becomes almost fully enderman? I was thinking about how it could happen, how others would react. Also, I think Ranboo deserves his own drabble, he’s a really interesting character.

TW: Body Transfromation, Amnesia, panic attack, character death mention. (As always, tell me if I need to tag anything else!)

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

Loud sounds - metal against metal filled the prison as the iron door shut loudly, leaving the two inside the walls with no hope of escape. Ranboo clutched his book tightly as he slid down to the ground, his back against the wall as he sighed in defeat. He didn’t know what he was thinking - why did he have to get in the middle of it, he could have warned the others, they could have come to help, why did he have to play some kind of hero?

As punishment for going after Dream, he called in the favor from Technoblade to round up the two teenagers to be put in prison. Tubbo was off gathering resources, oblivious, and Ranboo knew they’d be going for Tommy first. He didn’t even bother saying goodbye to Phil, he just... he just ran to the dirt shack to warn Tommy.

He didn’t know why, he just... he couldn’t have Tommy be taken again, not after what happened last time, not after what Dream did to him before.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. You weren’t thinking ahead and now no one’s going to know where you are. They’re not going to care about where you are, especially not Phil after you left him like that. You were the only one who knew anything about this.

It’s not like you had much of a choice, i mean... it’s Technoblade, he destroyed L’manburg, Tommy wouldn’t stand a chance against him alone.

You left Tubbo alone.

I left Tubbo alone. 

I’m a horrible friend, he trusted me and I left him all alone. Technoblade was so mad at me... I’ve never seen him that mad before... would Tubbo even... Technoblade might take it out on him. Technoblade might kill him and it’s all your fault.

It’s all my fault, he’s going to die and it’s all my fault-

“Ranboo?”

Ranboo snapped out of his thoughts, realizing how hard he gripped the book, how scratched the leather became... it was almost night now. How long had it been? Tommy looked over at him from the bed in the corner, knees up to his chest and his hair messed up more than normal, his hands running through it in a nervous habit. Tommy looked worried, concerned. “I... huh?”

“Are you okay?”

“Uhm, yeah. Yeah, why’d you ask?”

“You were mumbling, I was trying to calm you down but then you started making... really weird noises, I didn’t know if you were hurt, or..?”

“No. No, I’m fine.” 

Liar.

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

It had been three days since they both got put into the prison. Three days of Tommy pacing up and down the cell, trying out plan after plan of trying to escape. Tommy tried ramming the cell door with his body, the bed, chest, everything. He tried breaking one of the iron bars to reach the lever and let them out. He tried making some kind of prison shiv and slowly chipping away at the wall. 

Ranboo sat, alone with nothing but him and his thoughts. The only thing on his mind was the simple fact that Tubbo wasn’t here. He knew their plan, he heard what they were trying to do - they wanted to imprison both Tommy and Tubbo.

If Tubbo wasn’t here, then... then he was right. Tubbo was dead.

He failed Tubbo. He failed Tommy. He didn’t do enough, he wasn’t enough, He hurt everyone. He didn’t help Tommy, he couldn’t save Tubbo. He left Phil without saying goodbye, he didn’t even thank him for letting him stay-

You used him. You used everyone.

I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to help people, I wanted to save people, I wanted to help my friends.

Are they even your friends anymore? You ruined them, you ruined everything. Tommy would have gotten away if you didn’t distract him. Tubbo would have lived if you didn’t betray the only people who showed you kindness.

I didn’t, I... I didn’t want to... I just wanted to help-

“Ranboo...?”

Yeah, sure. You helped plenty when you used Phil and Techno, and you helped Dream get Tommy and Tubbo. You’re the only problem. You’re the real problem on this whole server, not Dream, everyone would’ve been so much better without you trying to ‘help’!

“Ranboo, you’re scaring me, stop it.”

You pretend you’re everyone’s friend, but you’re nothing but a liar. You’re a liar.

I-

I... I didn’t mean...

“Ranboo, talk to me, please. Just talk to me.”

You failed.

......

I failed.

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

Tommy gripped his friend’s arm as he shook him slightly. “Ranboo, please. I need to... Ranboo-” Ranboo’s body shook as that same glitched voice from before ran through the cell, increasing Tommy’s worry. His half-enderman friend’s eyes grew wide as he began to mumble softly to himself. “Ranboo, you need to calm down, man-”

IfailedIfailedIfailedIfailedIfailedIfailedIfailedIfailedIfailed-

His friend’s grip tensed on the book in his hands, and suddenly... it stopped. Silence.

Slowly, a spiderweb of pitch black cracks spiraled across the white half of his face, spiraling toward his red eye, and to Tommy’s dismay it briefly flashed purple. He stepped back slightly in surprise as Ranboo stood, his book tossed aside and forgotten. HIs gaze was transfixed on Tommy, almost in curiosity of him. “Ranboo..?”

Ranboo blinked, the cracks across his face growing darker, bolder. He tilted his head as he looked at the teen, stepping closer and making Tommy back up, eventually against a corner across the room. A loud glitched noise erupted from him, and suddenly... he was gone.

“What...?”

He heard a loud noise and looked out fo the bars - how did he teleport?! 

Wait - it doesn’t matter. Now they can get out!

“Ranboo, just flick the lever- flick it down and we can get out, okay?” Ranboo just looked at Tommy confused, let out another glitchy screech, and suddenly he was back inside next to Tommy, who was very startled at the teleportation. Tommy groaned in frustration. “No, you were supposed to let us out!”

Ranboo looked at the teen, searching his face for a moment before letting out a happy glitchlike chirp and petting Tommy’s fluffy hair, which Tommy quickly pulled away from to his friend’s dismay.

“Ranboo, what’s gotten into you?!”

Ranboo just looked at Tommy confused, before smiling again to reach and pet his hair fondly, leading Tommy to swat his hand away again.

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

Two weeks. Tommy had been in Pandora’s Vault for two weeks now. After a week of escape attempts, he eventually had to give up. It was twisted, really - how escape was so close but so far. He wondered about what was going on out there - if Tubbo was okay, if Ghostbur was Wilbur again. He was cut off from the outside world with no possible way of knowing whether his friends were okay, if they were even alive.

Since Ranboo seemed uninterested in it, Tommy slowly began to read and eventually continue Ranboo’s book. He knew his friend had changed but Tommy didn’t know into exactly what. Whatever he turned into, it seemed safe to assume he remembered him, or at least liked him. He promised himself that if he ever got out of this, he’d get Ranboo help.

It seemed his friend was getting worse by the day, his skin slowly evening out into a dark black and his red eye ever so slowly turning purple. He realized quickly that Ranboo’s state was like a baby chick, almost. Kind of in many ways, like Ghostbur. He’d always hang around Tommy and gave small happy enderman chirps when Tommy would allow him to cuddle with him on particularly cold nights in the cell. it didn’t seem like he understood English or any other spoken word at all, despite Tommy’s best efforts to get him to understand. 

The weirdest thing, however, was his obsession with fluffy and soft things. He liked playing with Tommy’s hair, for one, and playing with a small feather that leaked out of the bed pillow, even running his hands along the soft blanket made him happy. It was strange to Tommy how simple it was to just make his friend smile when he’d been struggling with that himself for way too long.

As for why or how the transformation occured, all Tommy really had to go on were Ranboo’s notes, the book, and within the pages he could sense how distressed Ranboo was, how much he hid it so well from so many people. How he put others first so much, how loyal he was to not just him, but to everyone. Even now, his mind went over and over the last thing he wrote:

‘I failed everyone.’

Looking back, all Tommy could think was one single thing: ‘No, you didn’t fail me, I failed you.’

He should have tried to understand - he should have been there. He should have been more accepting, more open to that he had someone to talk to, someone that he felt like was always on his side. He just wanted to do the right thing and be accepted by everyone, but instead everyone rejected him.

If anyone would know how it felt like to have the entire world against them, it would be him - and he wasn’t there for Ranboo when he was there for him, visited him during exile and helped him.

As he was snapped awake late at night watching the large vault door open in front of him through the iron bars, the door he didn’t believe would open ever again, he looked over to Ranboo as he moved to keep him close. He’d protect him. He wouldn’t fail him again. 

Never again.

[yourmidnightlover]

SSA Hotchner: chapter 3 - undercover

TW: fluffy cuddling stuff, talk about a case (basic criminal minds stuff), talk about sexual assault, asphyxiation.

WC: 5,277

series masterlist

————————————————————————

it was now your first day of official work at the bau. once you walked through those doors everything was official. at least, as official as they could be since this was a trial run. regardless, you were a mixture of excited and nervous.

this could be the beginning of your dream job for you, or the exact opposite. it could be the beginning of the end of the job you've longed for since you were young.

thanks to a lot of visits to the bau since you were fired, you knew the routine of the others pretty well. you knew how they liked their coffee, what their favorite lunch spots were, and you kind of knew what they liked to do to help them unwind from a case.

jj liked to go home to her kids and will. she enjoyed the comfort of them, and needed the reassurance that not everything was dark and gloomy in the world she got when they ran up to with smiles on their faces. either that or a girls night with emily and penelope.

emily liked spending time with you. or really, just her loved ones. you helped ground her and aid her in the process of unwinding from all the stress that occurred during her time away. sometimes she would even just spend time with jj or aaron when you weren't available in the past.

penelope needed to rid her brain of the terrible images that crossed her screen on a daily basis. she needed to remind herself of the positivity and good things in the world that would be blind-sided by said images on her screen. in order to achieve this, she would spend time with emily or jj or morgan. she would often try to spend time with spencer as well, which he would be delighted in.

morgan liked going home to savannah. he would go home and not only relax himself, but also help his love relax after a long day in the er. he wanted to make sure they were both doing well, so they'd stay up cuddled on the couch most of the night just staring at the blank tv screen or talking about their days.

rossi liked the simpler things in life, so just going back to his mansion, cooking himself some pasta, popping open a bottle of red, maybe lighting a cigar, and he was perfect.

aaron liked spending time with jack and you. he, much like jj, wanted to be around his closest family and have that reassurance that they were okay.

spencer... had trouble unwinding from a case. when he got back, he would call his mom and on her good days he would tell her about how they stopped the bad guy and saved someone, on her bad days, it made his arrival even worse.

if the case didn't end well, the news that his mom wasn't doing well either was just the cherry on top of the worst sundae you could imagine.

so whether the days were good, or bad, he lost himself in books. he read, and read, and read. sometimes he would play chess against himself, or practice the keyboard, or spend time with penny.

after the most recent case, however, he called you.

"h-hey, y/n," he greeted shakily. he didn't really know why he called you. he wanted to talk to you after the case, next thing he knew he was boarding the jet with your voice in his ear.

"spencer! hi," you replied happily. "is the case over?" you wondered, closing the book you had been reading on your couch.

"yea, yea it's over now," he answered. "i was just um, wondering if you'd want to... i don't know. hang out? we're about to take off on the jet and should get back home in about an hour if there are no complications," he quickly asked, partially fearing the answer. he had talked himself up to asking you something all day. he wanted to talk to you, he just didn't really know how to start the conversation.

"umm, sure," you smiled against the phone. "do you want to come to my place? it's not too far from the bau."

"really?"

"yea, really. i'll send you the address and the gate code to come in," you informed him.

"okay, y-yea. do you want me to pick anything up? food? movie?" he asked as he settled into his seat on the jet, never being more grateful that he had gotten there especially early.

"snacks maybe? i have some movies here we could watch."

"sounds great! i'll uhm, i'll see you then."

"alright, see ya," you hung up the phone.

when spencer arrived, he had in hand a container of jello and rice crispy treats. you welcomed him inside, showing him where the kitchen was and giving him a tour of your house.

you ended up both settling on the couch, watching a french film you had gotten a while back, never bothering to watch it - subtitles were never really your thing. but now that you had spencer as a translator for what you couldn't understand, you would watch the movie over and over as long as he was there.

because he was your translator, you had to sit relatively close to each other. he was by the arm rest, you dangerously close to him. you could smell the scent of coffee off of his shirt, the sweet but masculine cologne wafting around you.

"je te promets que je ne te quitterai jamais," spencer whispered in your ear. "vous n'avez plus jamais a vous sentir seul. vous n'avez plus jamais a avoir peur. parce que je t'aime. je t'ai toujours aime. votre beauté est indescriptible. pas seulement à l'extérieur, car il y a là aussi une beauté incommensurable, mais purement dans votre âme. votre âme irradie le genre de beauté dont on ne parle que dans les romans pour fantasmer. seule la beauté qui vient de votre âme est si pure et désirable parce qu'elle est réelle."

"well that sounds very lovey-dovey, huh?"  you whispered back, leaning into his ear slightly.

"uhm," he cleared his throat. "i promise i'll never leave you. you'll never be lonely again. you don't have to be afraid ever again. because i love you. i've always loved you. your beauty is..." he looked into your eyes as he spoke the next lines. "your beauty is indescribable. not just on the outside, because there is immeasurable beauty there also, but purely in your soul. your soul radiates the kind of beauty most only ever read about in novels to fantasize about. only the beauty that comes from your soul is so pure and desirable because it's real."

"wow, that um," you took a deep breath, gazing into his hazel eyes wondrously. "that sure is something out of a romance novel."

"y-yea. this movie is based off of a french novel, actually," he clarified, ruining the moment the two of you were sharing, probably for the better.

"i would expect nothing less," you smiled, scooting closer and resting your head on his shoulder. "i-is this okay?" you felt him taking a deep breath as he settled into your touch.

"yea, it's okay," he wrapped his arm around your shoulder, inevitably pulling you closer to him.

you two fell asleep like that, curled into each other. you didn't bother finishing the movie all too much after what happened, even though it wasn't much. when you awoke, your head was rested on his chest as your arms were wrapped around your torso. spencer's head was rested atop yours, his arms around your shoulders protectively. your legs were tangled together as you lay on top of him.

you never wanted to get up, scared that this would be a dream and last night wasn't real. the only thing promising the reality of last night was his touch on you right then. nevertheless, everything must come to an end eventually.

now, you wondered what your coping mechanism would be.

would you spend time with others? or would you retreat to your lonesome to hide from the darkness that surrounded everything? only time would tell, and time decided to let you figure that out relatively quickly because you had gotten your first case on your first day. great.

luckily, you had your go bag in your car, and were ready for basically anything.

"alright. this case is another doosy. if you thought the last one was creepy, this one... yikes," peneloped started to bridge into the briefing. "so there's been a string of murders along the west coast that have basically every college woman afraid for their lives. the girls were taken after college parties, missing for 8 days, and found wrapped entirely in plastic wrap and posed like... well just check your tablets," she motioned on the table at our devices.

"any evidence of-" morgan began.

"sexual assault? absolutely," penny quickly answered.

"the girls have what looks like ligature marks on their wrists and neck, strangulation maybe?" spencer spoke up.

"cause of death was asphyxiation, so that's a possibility," you relayed. "it's a really personal act. he wants to feel the life just... leave their bodies."

"we'll be able to figure more out when we analyze the crime scenes and the bodies. wheels up in 15," your bother announced promptly before you all rose and left the room.

one the plane ride there, you received information that yet another body was found. you and spencer were instructed to go to the morgue to analyze the new body and the previous ones.

obviously, you drove to the morgue.

looking at the bodies, something about there resemblance shocked you. you couldn't pinpoint what they reminded you of, but it was something. regardless, you had to focus.

the marks on their necks is what caused their death, strangulation. they had been restrained at the hands but not the ankles, so you thought there was probably a chain on the ceiling.

you were still trying to figure out what the bodies reminded you of, until the m.e. spoke up.

"y'know, this might be odd, but you kind of look like the victims. i mean the hair, bone structure, height, build, even eye color," she said, squinting her eyes at you as if she were studying your appearance. "sorry, that is kind of weird," she said as she blinked away from you.

"so that's where i recognize them," you whispered to yourself.

"you saw it too?" spencer asked, turning to face you.

"i mean, i thought they looked familiar but i just didn't know where from. apparently they just remind me of a mirror," you joked, nobody else finding it very funny. "right, serious."

"does that not worry you?" the m.e. asked confused.

"well, i'm not really a college girl that's going to parties, now am i?" you asked in return, not finding where the worry should settle in.

"you'll be okay. besides, i doubt hotch would let anything bad happen to you," spencer agreed.

"and i can take care of myself," you replied. "i'm not just hotch's little sister. i've earned my spot on the team and can fight my own battles when necessary," you sassed back at spencer.

"i-i didn't mean to make it sound like you couldn't. i w-was just trying to uhm, mention that he woul-wouldn't... i'll just stop talking now," he pressed his lips into a thin line, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"good idea, genius," you said, patting his chest comfortingly as you gave him a pretty smile. "now, i think we're done here."

"yup. you're right," spencer agreed.

"wow, you're a quick learner," you laughed as you made your way to the exit.

"you two are such a cute couple," the m.e. told spencer before he left behind you.

"i wish," he sighed with a smile before following you out of the door, glad you couldn't hear any of what just happened.

later that night, you were all sitting in the makeshift conference room, trying to piece together enough information for a profile. apparently there wasn't much information found at the crime scenes since the bodies were just placed there randomly.

spencer was instructed to build a geographical profile while the rest of the team delivered the behavioral profile.

once spencer had finished the geo profile, you had given all of the aspects to add to her search. sadly, you still had around 10 suspects that could be your unsub.

so now, sitting at the table with our team, you were all out of ideas. except for morgan.

"okay, guys i hate to say this, but i think we're all thinking it," he spoke up. "y/n looks like the victims."

"no. we aren't going there," aaron spoke up.

"aaron, come on. you know it's not a bad idea," you replied, trying to calm him down before he blew up.

"no. it's a terrible idea. it's your first case, and you've never gone undercover like this before. absolutely not," he rebuted.

"actually, i have gone undercover before," you spoke up. "you forget i used to be a lawyer. i had to be cutthroat in order to prove myself, so i would go undercover to try and get the most information i could. and most of the times, i went undercover with dangerous, narcissistic men. i just didn't tell you because i knew how you'd react," you finished.

"what?" he replied with anger. "regardless, i don't want you to be out with a murderer who rapes and kills women that look like you."

"you really think i haven't done that before? aaron, i can handle myself and you know it," you were getting more and more frustrated by the second.

"let's just all get some rest and discuss this tomorrow," he angrily stood up and exited the room, the rest of the team following him to the cars to go to the motel.

you sighed and dropped your head into your hands. you felt a hand on your shoulder, looked up to find spencer smiling awkwardly at you as he sat in the seat beside you.

"you belong here, y'know," spencer reassured you. "i-i try not to profile the team, but i don't think it takes a profiler to realize when someone's trying to prove themself," he said as he removed his hand from your shoulder, opting to put it in his lap instead.

"i know i do, it's just frustrating when i know that he just wants to protect me. i mean, he always has since we were younger and my dad would... he always would protect me," you corrected yourself. "i just wish he would realize i'm not a little girl anymore."

"i think he knows that. i mean, you've worked so hard to get where you are now, i think it'd be hard not to realize that," spencer replied firmly. "he'll come around."

"i hope so," you agreed. "we should probably go before the decide to just not get us any rooms."

"right," he said as he followed you out of the room, hopping in the passenger seat of the car as you drove the both of you to the motel. when you parked in the lot, you checked your phone to see if anyone sent you both the passcodes to get into your rooms.

a<3: sorry about earlier. i know you can handle yourself. i just don't want you to get hurt. also, you're rooming with reid. room number 4 and the code is 9836. if he tries anything i won't hesitate to put him on restriction.

you: i understand, and thank you. also, i doubt he'd try anything, but ME on the other hand... ;)

"so, looks like it's your lucky day. we're roommates tonight," you said with a smile.

"oh-i-uhm, right. s-sounds good," he smiled again.

"i'm just kidding, doc," you nudged his shoulder a bit. "not about the roommate part though. we are rooming together," you clarified, he nodded as you both hopped out of the car and went to into the room after spencer insisted on grabbing the both of your bags to carry inside. "how home-ey."

"it's better than some of the places we've stayed at," spencer shrugged as he placed his and your bags on the old-looking couch.

"and at least there are two beds," you shrugged.

"you can take the bathroom first," spencer spoke up as he pulled a book from his bag. "which bed do you want?" he asked.

"whichever you don't take is fine," you said as you got all of your toiletries.

"ok, i'll take the one closer to the door."

"sounds good with me, doc. i'll hurry," you said as you shut the door, allowing yourself to relax into the steaminess of the shower.

the water pressure wasn't the best, but it was better than you've felt before. you quickly showered and brushed your teeth before submitting the bathroom to spencer.

as sleep finally overtook your body, you couldn't help but feel a bit nervous about what the next day would entail. sure, you had done undercover work before.

last time you went undercover, you had been working on a murder case as a favor for one of your friends. you had needed solid evidence that the defendant was guilty, and the only way to do that was to go into his house to find it yourself.

so like any committed lawyer would do, you innocently met him at a bar. he ended up inviting you over to his place thanks to your natural charm.

while in his house, you made sure to record everything that went down (no, nothing sexual happened) and he let you sleep in his guest bedroom. you got up once you were sure he wasn't awake anymore and started looking for that evidence you needed.

his alibi wasn't completely solid, but everyone believed him when he was on the stand. naturally, you were looking for something that would disprove his alibi. what you found was something much, much worse.

snuff film.

he had a snuff film of him killing this person. and another. and another. and another.

what you took the flash drives, stashed them in your bra, and got the hell out of there.

needless to say, you won the case.

that was the scariest time you went undercover. not only did you find out he was the murderer, you found out he was a serial killer. your mind was telling you that he would wake up at any second, and you'd become another person on a flash drive.

luckily, that's not what happened.

the next day, you would march up to your brother and convince him that you could handle yourself.

aaron knew you could handle yourself. he knew how strong and smart you were, obviously. he could never discredit you on that. you're one of the fiercest person he knows. he just worries for you all the time, reasonably so because of your childhood. he's your protector.

and you knew that his heart was in the right place, you just wanted to be treated as any other person on the team and be allowed to prove yourself by going undercover.

when you woke up, notably before spencer, you first got yourself ready. you wore black jeans with a navy button up and your utility belt. you made sure to put your hair up and then made your way down to get you and spencer some coffee.

once you got back in the room you noticed that spencer was still asleep. you walked over to his bed after setting down the coffee. sitting on the empty side on the bed, you admired his features.

no wonder he was called pretty boy. he was a truly pretty person, even when he was still asleep. from his adorable button nose to the plump lips he licked so often, there was no imperfection to him. you brushed his hair out of his face, relishing in the softness of his gorgeous locks.

"spencer," you whispered in a sing-song voice. "i've got your coffee," you said as you began to rub his scalp with your nails.

"mmm," he groaned. he rotated his body so he was laying on his back as he slowly opened his eyes. "hi," he mumbled quietly.

"good morning, doc," you laughed softly, not stopping your ministrations on his head.

"that feels really nice," he sighed, trying to savor the feeling of your hands in his hair.

"does it, doc?" you said as he moved his head to lay in your lap.

"mmhmm. don't stop yet," he pleaded as his arms wrapped around your body.

he was cuddly in the mornings, duly noted.

"it's only 6 a.m., so you have a little while before you need to start getting ready," you announced as you started using the other hand to massage his shoulder and neck, working your way up into his hair.

"hmmm, good," he mumbled into your stomach.

spencer would probably regret being so touchy later on today, but his morning brain couldn't let him stop. that, mixed with the way your hands felt on him was all too much. he couldn't not let you keep going.

"i never knew you were so touchy, spencer," you giggled a bit as his arms tightened around you before releasing his grip.

"i-i'm sorry," he was going to move his head from your lap before you gently stopped his by grabbing his shoulders, keeping him in place.

"don't be," you said, he automatically relaxed after. "it's not uncomfortable for me. i just thought you were averse to touch, is all," you clarified.

"i guess it's just with new people," he admitted. "you're not exactly new. and that really does feel really nice," you ran your hands from the front of his head down to the base of his neck.

"i used to do this for a few of my girl-friends when they were stressed with pre-law. they would come to me for help studying and for the scalp massages," you laughed out as spencer took your torso in his arms again, nuzzling his face into your body.

"that's very smart of them. i didn't have many friends in college since i was so young," he whispered.

"well i'd like to think we would've been friends," you began to braid his hair. "do you think we would've?"

"i'm not sure. probably not." he admitted with a shrug.

"well why do you think that?" you ran your hands through the braid to undo it.

"because you're just so... perfect?" he admitted quietly, tightening his hold on you as if you'd disappear from his admission.

"i'm really not perfect, spence. i promise," you chuckled as you began massaging his shoulders.

"yes you are. i'm convinced that there's nothing wrong with you. it's like you're not... real?" he sighed as you began pressing your fingers into his sore shoulders.

"i'm real, alright. and i have flaws. i have plenty," you admitted to him softly. "you just haven't seen them yet, doc."

"i'll believe it when i see it," he laughed as he sat up to face you. "nothing's wrong with you, y/n. i hope you know that," he smiled kindly.

"well at least you think so," you grinned in return. "how about we get you that coffee? it might be cold by now but it's exactly how you like it," you said as you got up to grab the cup from the nightstand, handing it to him.

"thank you," he took a sip of it slowly. "you know how i like my coffee?" he asked in disbelief.

"mhmm," you shrugged. "it's not like you get some every day in the office," you laughed.

"nobody's ever... why... how?" he tried to articulate his gratefulness.

in all actuality, nobody's ever really cared enough about him to do something as miniscule as get him a cup of coffee exactly how he likes it.

such a small thing that you've done, paired with your calm exterior and nonchalant attitude about it all just made his heart well.

not only have you woken him up in the best way possible, you've done the most simple, kind act of getting him a cup of coffee.

the entire situation seemed so... domestic. foreign. lovely.

"why're you so surprised?" you smiled softly at him.

"it's just... thank you," he said as he finally got out of bed.

once spencer was done getting ready, you both headed down to the lobby together where you were greeted by the rest of the team. aaron walked up to you, pulling you away from the group as you said your 'good morning's'.

"are you sure about this?" he asked, brows raised in concern.

"about going undercover?" you asked for clarification.

"you have to be confident that you can do it, y/n. otherwise i won't send you in at all," he demanded.

"yes. i'm sure," you nodded eagerly.

"okay. we'll come up with a plan soon. if you have any doubts let me know," he ordered.

"i will. i promise," you agreed. "thank you," you said as you hugged his waist gratefully, his arms wrapping around your shoulders in return.

"yea, yea, yea," he laughed. "just be careful, y/n/n."

"aren't i always?" you smirked as you pulled back.

after you had profiled the remaining 10 men, you had all agreed that there was one man that stuck out as suspicious. lucas stillwater. you asked around the college campus if there were any parties going on that night, there only being one that the unsub would be visiting.

the unsub was living off-campus. he had an ex-girlfriend who died last year, the anniversary being right before the murders started. he would make the girls act as his girlfriend would during their relationship, hence the sexual assault.

ultimately, you would try to lead him on. you would flirt with him, make it seem like you were interested, then reject him once he asks you out or for more. he would follow you home, to a place you had set up a couple hours back, and try to attack you in there.

you were wearing something his ex-girlfriend amy would wear. it was a baby pink, almost white, halter dress that cinched slightly at your waist, flowing out a bit at your hips only to stop right above your mid-thigh. you paired that with a pair of white high block heels, and wore a silver necklace and rings. you added some mascara, lip gloss, and blush to have that innocent look amy did.

walking out of the motel room once you were ready, you made sure to leave your gun in the room. aaron had told you to leave it there since this guy wanted you to flirt with him, he might get touchy and him finding the gun would freak him out.

"damn, y/n," morgan greeted you.

"damn is right," emily agreed. "you look hot!"

"oh, thanks," you laughed as you tried to pull the dress down a bit. "it's a bit short," you winced.

"you look great, y/n," jj agreed, you smiled sweetly at her.

"oh, w-wow," spencer said as he walked into the motel lobby to see you standing there.

you turned around to see him staring at you wide-eyed. he felt his heart stop at the sight. you in the baby pink short dress, looking all innocent in something like that did... things to him.

"hey, spencer," you smiled at him, that smile he already found himself so fond of.

"i uhm, i'm supposed to g-go to the party. to uhm, to watch you for so-some backup," he stuttered out.

"need some water?" you giggled at his nervousness.

"pretty boy, you likin' pretty girl all of a sudden?" morgan teased, walking over to pat him on the back.

"i-what?" spencer asked at the question, morgan shaking his head.

"leave the man alone," emily defended him. "it's not his fault y/n looks like that," she laughed out.

"oh shut up," you rolled your eyes at the banter. "where's aaron?"

"he's about to be here with rossi," jj informed you.

"right, thanks," you walked outside to get some fresh air before you had to leave.

were you nervous? yes. who wouldn't be when they're about to face a killer. would you tell anyone? no. you didn't need them doubting you on your first case, especially when you practically volunteered to go undercover.

you could do this. you knew you could. you just needed some fresh air.

"y/n?" you heard the voice come from behind you. you turned around to see spencer right in front of the door.

"yea? what is it?" you asked, almost out of breath from just standing there.

"you just seemed... anxious when you came out here," he almost whispered. "i just wanted to make sure that you're uhm, that you're okay."

"oh, right. i'm sorry," you chuckled, taking a deep breath. "i'm alright."

"you know you don't have to act like you're always okay?" he said, walking to where you stood in front of a bench motioning for the both of you to sit down. "i mean, you're about to go head to head with a serial killer. it's alright to be a bit nervous."

"i know it is, i just... it's my first case. i have to prove myself," you shrugged as you sat beside him. "if i mess this up, what'll that say about my placement on the team?"

"it'll say that you tried your best. it'll say that we need to make you feel more welcome here," he indulged. "if you do mess up, as long as we're here to help it'll be alright. you don't need to be perfect all the time. that's unrealistic."

"i know you're right. it'll be okay," you sighed.

"you'll be okay. nothing bad will happen to you whether or not we get to arrest him. i swear to you," he took your hand in his and squeezed it lightly.

"thank you, spencer," you turned to look into his eyes.

gazing into each others eyes, you subconsciously moved closer to his side. he wrapped his free hand around to move a stray hair behind your ear, you nuzzled your head into his touch.

before you knew it, the car with aaron and rossi was pulling into the parking lot, jolting you and spencer to opposite sides of the bench.

"hey, y/n," rossi greeted you. "how're you feeling?"

"good, ready," you nodded after clearing your throat.

"no second guessing?" aaron had asked.

"nope. none at all," you shook your head, your hands placed behind your back.

"has spencer told you that he's going to be there with you?" you nodded at rossi's question. "good. he's the second youngest so he'll fit in there. kind of."

"what's that supposed to mean?" spencer walked closer the the three of you.

"oh, nothing, doc," you giggled.

"alright, well the rest of the team knows the plan," he began explaining. "we're gonna head up there in this car while the others take a separate one. spencer will go in before you. once you both are inside you should look for lucas. make sure he's the one to approach you," aaron finished.

"make him come to me, got it," you nodded along. "let's get going, yea?" you said as you made your way to the car.

"are you ready for this, y/n?" rossi asked in his father-tone voice.

"i'm more than ready. i've got this," you told him.

you could only hope that you were right.

[dc41896]

Safe Haven

Hey guys! So a little backstory for this imagine, I randomly had a dream about this scenario with EZ and as soon as I woke up I was like “I gotta write that!” so here we are! Also just want to add how I really miss Mayans MC and my bois and I can’t wait for season 3 to come out🥰! Okay that’s pretty much it other than I hope you guys like it and sorry if it’s long or doesn’t flow well (I feel like it kinda seems rushed and towards the end doesn’t sound the best, but then again that might just be me being overly critical of myself 🤷🏽‍♀️ lol).

Pairing: EZ ReyesxBlack Reader

⚠️: Bit of angst, mentions of blood (very tiny), fluff mixed in throughout though

Sunlight beaming down from the small window above your bed, EZ slowly opens his eyes to see your still figure lying next to him. Hand placed just below his newest tattoo marking the birth of your son and leg draped over his, he gently brings you closer taking in the coconut scent of your lotion still radiating off your skin from last night.

Living a life like his, rarely could he experience peaceful mornings just lying down hearing the birds chirp outside, so he made sure to appreciate every second of it that he could.

“ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!?! YOU THINK IM THAT DUMB TO NOT KNOW YOU’RE LYING?!??!!”

Barely muffled shouting from your neighbors coming through the walls, EZ rolls his eyes with a soft groan while you begin to wake up.

“They’re arguing again?,” you groggily ask rubbing your eyes as a yawn slips from your mouth.

“Yea they just started.”

“Well, it could be worse. They could’ve started at one in the morning like last time,” you softly laugh grazing your thumb along his cheekbone. Taking your hand in his, he kisses your knuckles before leaning down to give the same attention to your pouted lips. Slightly calloused yet soft hand gripping your thigh, you push against his chest separating his lips from yours.

“Don’t start.”

“Start what?”

“You know exactly what,” you smirk. “Today we’re supposed to go get more diapers for Omari and more food for my fridge since someone and his brother keep eating everything.”

“That’s all on Angel, I know how to limit myself. And your leg was draped over me so really I should be the one telling you don’t start,” he chuckles kissing your jaw as you stick your tongue out at him. Sitting up, you carefully step over him to make your way to the bathroom.

“Whatever, I can’t help how I sleep Ezekiel.” Closing the door behind you, a wide smile spreads across his face as he shakes his head. While the use of his full name was only reserved for his father and brother, the way it rolled off your tongue made him want to hear you say it all day.

Swinging his legs over the side, he stretches before hearing the soft cries of his eight month old son in the other room. Quickly putting on his white tank and boots, his long legs guide him to the wooden crib in the next room. Tiny arms reaching between the bars, he carefully lifts him up to bounce him in his arms.

“Hey man, annoying neighbors woke you up too huh?” Reaching in his crib, he removes an older looking stuffed bunny with different sized buttons for eyes and a random patterned patch sewn on its belly. “Look what I got.”

Calming down, his hands roam around it’s face fixated on the black point that was its nose. “That patch was because your uncle Angel decided to keep throwing him at the ceiling fan seeing if he would stay on the blade. Don’t ever let him play with your toys ok?,” he smiles kissing the top of his head.

Like every event in his life, he could vividly remember everything that happened that day. Him begging Angel to stop. His hard headed older brother not listening until cotton fell from above. His mother calming him down insisting how it could be fixed as she smoothed his dark hair before kissing his forehead.

It may sound weird, but every time he saw that bunny he felt his mom’s presence as if he was back to that day sitting in her lap watching as she sewed his friend back together. That’s one reason why he wanted his son to have it, so his abuela would be with him.

Hearing your footsteps, he looks up to see you suspiciously looking towards the door instantly making him worry. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing I just thought I heard someone stop in front of the door,” you answer taking one last glance towards the front of your apartment. “It’s nothing though, they probably just paused for a second.”

Handing Omari to you, he approaches the door looking out the peephole before opening it to peak outside making sure no one was hanging around.

“Something like that happens again and I’m not here, call me.”

“I doubt-,”

“I’m serious Y/N.” Locking the door behind him he walks up to you and your babbling son peering down with dark brown eyes that were stern enough to know he meant business, yet still displayed their usual softness showing it was out of love for you and Omari that he was being so protective.

“Okay,” you answer; soon after feeling his beard brush against your skin as he pecks your lips.

———

“Ready to go to the park love?”

Bringing the diaper bag higher on your opposite shoulder, you balance your baby boy on your hip as you lock your door. Just as you turn around, you’re faced with three men patiently waiting while two of them intensely looked at you and your son. The tall, slender one in the middle, clad in a grey suit, displayed a small smile trying to appear friendly, but mostly seemed awkward as if he wasn’t used to that emotion.

“Hello, my name is Lincoln Potter and these are a couple of my associates. We’re looking for a man by the name Ezekiel Reyes, or EZ, as some call him. We have a couple witness accounts on seeing him in the area so we’re asking around for more possible information.” Holding up a candid picture of him on his bike outside his dad’s carneteria, you lightly bounce Omari hoping to distort his view so he wouldn’t possibly recognize his father.

“Sorry, haven’t seen him.”

“Well it doesn’t have to be around here. Have you seen him anywhere else? In town perhaps?”

“No, nowhere else,” you answer showing no emotion. While this was your first physical interaction with Potter, you were definitely familiar with the attorney. A few times while you were at EZ’s trailer he’d have to step away to answer his call or meet him in some secluded location. It was then you saw how much of a pain he could be to any target he had his sights on.

Looking at you for a few seconds his mouth parts as if he had more to say, but instead the awkward smile returns as he hands you his card.

“If you do happen to see him, please call. He’s needed for...very important matters.” Taking the card from his hand, he gazes down to Omari innocently nibbling on his fingers. Black coils on the top of his head shifting from the light breeze, his dark eyes finally meet Potter’s crystal blue ones causing a low chuckle to escape the man’s lips.

“Might I add you have a beautiful son. His father is very lucky to have such a beautiful family.”

Through his compliment you could feel a sense of iciness laced within. Like he knew what information you were keeping from him and was 10 steps ahead of your two.

Politely nodding your head as a soft “thank you” leaves your mouth, you walk by the three men feeling eyes on your back. After buckling your son in his car seat, you move to the drivers side quickly closing the door behind you before resting your head on the steering wheel to take a deep breath.

“Mama,” Omari whines lightly kicking his feet wanting the car to move.

“I know we’re going baby boy just give mommy a second.” Dialing EZ’s number, you pull out of the parking lot onto the busy street anxiously waiting for him to answer.

“Hey, you okay?,” he asks, deep voice full of concern and worry.

“Um well yes and no....it’s Potter.”

———

Sat on the floor watching your little boy laugh as he plays with his interactive animal book, you occasionally look out the window anxiously waiting to see EZ and Angel arrive any minute. After telling him what happened, he instructed you to meet him at the clubhouse where he’d take you to his dad’s just in case you were being followed.

Dropping you both off, he didn’t say much as he walked you into the small house. Kissing Omari’s cheek and then your lips, he quickly left again with his brother instantly making you worried. Knowing what was going on, Felipe tried to get your mind off things by offering you food and getting you to talk about yourself or Omari, which worked but not for long.

Now over three hours later, it was dark outside and neither you nor Felipe had heard anything from the brothers.

Motorcycles humming outside, you peer out the window to see Angel and EZ slowly making their way to the front of the house causing you to sigh in relief. However, your worries quickly returned seeing both tiredly trudge through the front door and the front of EZ’s grey shirt crimson with blood.

“What happened?!,” you ask rushing to examine him for any other injuries.

“Calm down, it’s not mine,” he answers bringing your hands to his lips with a small smile. “Just had to save this one as always.”

“Save me? Pretty sure that’s not how it went at all but ok. And I’m good too, thanks for asking.” Shaking his head Angel picks up your son before sitting down on the couch and flipping through the channels on the outdated tv. “You care about your tio don’t you man?”

Little hands pulling his hair as he giggles, Angel lets out a small yelp trying to loosen his strong grip.

“Omari be nice,” you laugh before returning your attention back to your boyfriend. “Here, let me help you clean up.” Leading him to the bathroom, you close the door behind you as he removes his leather vest and shirt before sitting on the toilet.

“Try not to cry this time alright?”

“Psh, whatever,” he lightly chuckles resting his large hands on the back of your legs. A comfortable silence falls over you while you stand between his legs carefully cleaning the blood from his scars. Although you had grown used to these moments being with him for a while now, that still didn’t take away the ache you always felt seeing him hurt.

“You and Omari might want to stay with your mom for a while,” he speaks just above a whisper.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? You saw what happened today Y/N, I don’t want you guys hanging around for it to happen again.”

“If it happens again,” you correct making him roll his eyes as he stands up.

“Now’s not the time to be naive, I’m driving you tomorrow. Your stuff is already packed waiting at the trailer.” Reaching for the door, you stand in his way planting yourself against the worn looking wood with arms crossed over your chest.

“Last time I checked, you’re Omari’s father not mine.”

“Y/N move.”

“No. I’m not afraid of Potter or the men under him, he’s all talk.”

“And how do you know?”

“Because if he really wanted to do something he would’ve done it then and there. I mean think about it they had me at my most vulnerable state with no where to go and no way to defend myself,” you explain receiving an exasperated sigh from EZ as his hand rubs down his face.

“It was a warning. Yea they didn’t do anything when they could’ve, but they wanted to scare you into telling them what they wanted to know and intimidate both of us with what they could do.”

“Well it didn’t work,” you reply guiding his chin to look at you. “Ezekiel I knew what I was getting into when we started talking and I’m still here. If it ever gets to the point where I don’t feel safe or fear for our son’s safety then we’ll leave, but until then I’m not letting Potter get to me. Plus do you think it would be easy for us to just leave after all this time?”

Placing both hands on either side of your head, he slightly bends down leaving his face inches from yours. “I’m not saying it would be easy, but if it needs to be done then that’s it bellita.”

“And when it needs to be done it will be.” Connecting your lips with his, your hands roam from his bare chest to the nape of his neck while his wrap around your body bringing you closer.

“We’re gonna need to put you in a new apartment too,” he says separating his lips from yours as his fingers graze up and down your spine.

“Hopefully your dad is okay with me staying here for a while longer then.”

“Here? What about the trailer?”

“I think the constant revving of motorcycles and occasional parties might not be ideal for a baby to be around.”

“True, you’re probably right,” you both laugh before being interrupted by loud knocking.

“Aye I hate to interrupt your probably intimate moment in there, but your kid is hungry and I’m not sure if it’s for what I can give him or what only mom can,” Angel explains as Omari fusses in his arms. “Relax man I’m trying to get her out here.”

“I’m gonna shower, you better go ahead before he starts pulling his hair again,” he smiles kissing your temple.

Opening the door, you carefully take Omari from his hands tickling under his chin to make him laugh. “Okay my baby lets get you fed.”

“The amount of strength he has that’s not a baby, that’s a tiny grown man,” Angel adds making you laugh.

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[dancing-the-hellfire-rumba]

Seen ✓ - 2

Pairing: Sam x Fem!Reader Warnings: light anxiety Word Count: 2.2k Series Summary: On her way home, Y/n finds an abandoned, cracked phone on the sidewalk. Anxious about the well-being of its owner, she picks it up and texts the first contact she finds; Sam. A/N: Chapter 2! Our pals are kicking it off already. Can you smell the chemistry? The rOMANCE? LESSGO

Pictures used in this chapter were found on google images :)

Beta: no one.

Catch up! : Part 1 Masterlist

Chapter 2: overthinker.

From: y/n_andrews85 To: D_impala67 Subject: I have your phone. That sounds creepy. I don’t think there’s a non-creepy way of writing this. Whatever.

Dear Dean, is it?

I just wanted to let you know I found your phone at the bus stop the other night. I wasn’t planning on holding on to it, really, but I got worried that you may have been in trouble, and then you never really looked for it either so, I don’t know, I figured better than someone who’ll snatch it and leave, you know?

Anyways, that’s why I’m emailing. I snooped through it a little, sorry, hopefully you’ll understand it was kinda necessary? Maybe we can arrange something so I can get it back to you. This girl, Jamie, keeps sending me (well you technically) topless photos of her. It’s not really what lights my candle. I’m assuming you’d like it back too.

I hope you’re safe. Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Y/n Andrews

-

Do you believe me now?

oh god

you didn’t

Sure did

wow. just wow.

you just handed his ass back to him holy shit!

last time he called, he said he dropped his phone while walking back to his motel, so

he’s okay.

That’s good, I’m glad he’s safe.

I was planning on including something along the lines of “This would’ve been easier if you were an active member of the 21st century and used social media”

But I figured the Jamie thing was motive enough?

yeah. topless Jamie? that’s something else.

Don’t be getting any ideas, dude, I don’t do nudes lmao.

oh god, no i didn’t think that

you did not just type lmao though. how old are you again?

oh god, you’re not 14 or something right? i don’t know what that would make me.

Don’t worry about it, I turned 16 last week.

…

are you serious?

Lmao, no, I’m kidding. I’m twenty-two.

But I think the word you’re looking for is a creep. Oh, and an ageist.

ouch.

Haha, I’m joking.

Lighten up, what are you, ninety?

hi pot meet kettle.

Shit I walked right into that one.

also i’d like to think i don’t text like a ninety-year-old man. could be wrong though

to answer your question i’m twenty-four.                                

Twenty-four huh? I assume you’re done with college, no?

Or- wait, I guess not everyone goes to college.

Yes, this is me fishing for information.

well… i kinda dropped out.

decided to go on a road trip with my brother.

things went a little south I ended up continuing the family business.

Damn, college drop-out ey? Where from?

Also, Family business? What do you do?

Is this too interview-y? I’m sorry, I don’t mean to snoop.

you’re good.

stanford. pre-law.

and my brother and i are private investigators. that’s why he’s not in Kansas with me. he’s working a case.

Daaaaamn. Stanford AND a lawyer? And now working as a PI? You’re pretty smart, then.

an ageist and a generalist? i didn’t take you for such y/n.

Fuck, okay, you sound like a lawyer too.

hahahah

so what about you?

What about me?

are you in college?

Oh yeah! Film school. My dream has always been to be a director. It’s rare to find someone who loves movies more than I do.

that’s really cool.

hey i’ve been meaning to ask.

Thinking of me, Sam?

…

Do tell.

how come you were walking home through a park in the middle of the night the other day?

Ooh, I was coming back from work.

I’m a bartender and I had a late shift on Friday.

oh I see. That makes sense yeah.

I’m sorry to cut this conversation short, but I’m legitimately three seconds away from falling asleep. I’m gonna hit the hay.

See you later, Sam :)

See you, y/n :)

A smile creeps on Y/n’s features at the thought of more conversations with Sam. He has given her something to look forward to, something to make her a little more excited during her boring every-day life. As she tucks herself in under her covers, eyelids heavy enough to droop involuntarily, the last thing she thinks of is him, the clever, sassy, twenty-four year old college dropout on the other side of the cracked phone screen. The overwhelming urge to get to know him overtakes her as she succumbs to sleep

--

So

Do you believe in ghosts?

that’s… random.

May be

why do you ask?

Idk, just wanna get to know you better.

that’s what you ask people you want to get to know better?

Yes?

Are you avoiding the question?

no

i do. believe in ghosts.

You?

So do i.

Well, sorta. I guess I believe in souls more than anything.

hm?

Well… I guess I hope (more than believe) that we are more than our corporeal selves.

In the sense that, it’s comforting to me that when we die, and our bodies stop working, we don’t evaporate.

I guess.

yeah I understand.

i don’t know. i guess i wanna believe in science more than anything but i know better.

How do you mean?

call it a hunch.

Oh c’mon, it’s gotta be more than that.

Sam…?

Y/n huffs out a breath, gnawing at her lip. She hopes her anxiety isn’t right, that Sam isn’t sick of her silly questions and existential dread, and is actually doing something. Perhaps his battery ran out.

...Sure.

She was doing something too, before she decided to text him. Eyes falling on all her books and notes, spread around her like ugly, depressing, anxiety-inducing flower petals. There’s a blanket over her legs, chilly fall weather seeping through her bones, and there’s a half empty pizza box in front of her. She’s full and the left overs are kept for her sister, Emily, who’s currently locked up in her room.

Damn it. Y/n is stressed and tired, and now her distraction is refusing to reply. This sucks. She hates the crawling, awful, gooey feeling of cold anxiety gripping every beat of her heart and stupidly convincing her he’s purposefully ghosting her, because he doesn’t like her.

Not knowing what to occupy herself with, she heads to take a shower. In the back of her head, she knows that she’ll probably not study any longer, so she takes it upon herself to sink under the hot water and wash thoroughly, trying to get her mind off Dean’s phone. When her feet step out of the shower and she has towel-dried herself as best as she can, she tosses her wet hair in a haphazard bun, and gets dressed.

Books stack under the rickety, stained coffee table, and she grabs her sketchbook, her favorite pencil, as well as her and Dean’s phone. She shoots Connor a text, arranging a hang out of some kind, and opens her little booklet, when a text vibrates Dean’s phone.

hey i’m sorry i got caught up in something.

It’s alright.

She doesn’t press the ghost subject, because he doesn’t seem into it and she really doesn’t wanna make him dislike her any more than he possibly already does.

The empty page of her sketchbook daunts her. With a tight grip on her mechanical pencil, she urges her creativity pumps to use some gasoline, but they seem limp and dead, and once more unwilling to help her. As her eyes fall on Dean’s phone, like a light bulb out of a cartoon, she gets an idea.

Hey, this might sound creepy, but what do you look like?

She stares at the phone. This feels like a risky question. God, if he wasn’t done with her before, he certainly must be now. But then, he surprises her.

why do you wanna know?

I’m in the mood to sketch some, and my creativity has officially left the building.

Care to help a girl out? Maybe your literary descriptions will spark something in me lmao.

i didn’t know you sketched.

Yeah, sometimes. Nothing great though, I promise. I’m certainly no Picasso.

i mean you don’t have to be picasso to sketch well. and you don’t have to sketch well to sketch at all.

Yeah, may be.

I don’t wanna pressure you into anything, you really don’t have to humor me.

If you do feel like it though, don’t send me a picture. Kinda wanna spark some life into my brain cells.

haha i will. only if you show me the finished product tho.

You’ve got yourself a deal :)

She simply cannot believe he has just agreed to this. Her breath is caught in her throat.

so.

what do you want me to start with?

Just whatever. Idk, tell me about your face.

well

i have brown curly-ish hair that reaches my ears. uh, my eyes are hazel.

Okay, that’s a start.

What’s your nose like?

it’s a bit pointy. thin i think?

Jawline?

sharp? i guess?

this is by far the weirdest thing i’ve done.

Lmao, yeah, this is pretty weird.

Exciting though.

She shouldn’t have said that. Fuck, that is definitely overeager.

yeah it is.

Her stomach feels floaty at his response.

Eyebrows?

uh

normal?

How do you classify “normal” eyebrows, exactly?

i don’t know? they’re simple i guess.

Are you implying complicated eyebrows exist out there?

…

Elaborate, Sam. Are you shy? Do you not have eyebrows? Are they bushy? Or too thin? Or pointy?

i’m telling you they’re average.

Sam

what

You officially suck at this.

oh fuck off how would you describe yours?

Y/n proceeds to write a cohesive sentence that includes adjectives apart from “normal” and “average”. Words like bushy, thin, arched and curvy.

well shit yeah i guess i do suck at this.

i think it’s not a skill i mind not having.

That… is a confusing sentence.

just… draw them however. what difference can eyebrows make?

Oh you have no idea.

Okay, last thing.

Do you have a fringe?

yeah but not for long. i’ll probably let it grow out.

Okay, I can do something with that. Thanks :)

no problem

Her creativity is finally servicing her according to her commands, and Y/n puts pen to paper and scribbles messily. Line after line, they curl and sit on the page, forming a smile with thin lips, a sharp jaw, a pointy nose. She has to guess the eyebrows a bit, and the eyes are more cartoonish and generic than she likes. In the end, she gets anxious at the prospect of having to show him, and gives him a hood, so she won’t fuck up the hair.

Okay, I’m done.

that was quick, actually.

Well I didn’t have much to go on.

Sam doesn’t reply. She worries he might have misinterpreted her teasing tone.

Gimme a sec, I’ll send it over.

Ugh, Dean’s camera is such shit. Do you mind if I send it from my phone?

no go ahead.

[Y/n has sent a picture]

As you said, it didn’t take long. It’s really not the best.

that…

is actually not too far from the truth

it kind of looks like me from two years ago

wow, really?

yeah.

and it’s honestly a pretty good sketch. good job.

Thank you :)

Sam doesn’t say anything after this, and she huffs. Her head falls back on the couch, and she stares at the ceiling. She should go to bed soon, it’s getting late.

isn’t this strange?

Oh shit. Oh shit, oh shit oh shit, she thinks. He’s regretting this. He doesn’t like her. He’ll stop talking to her and that’ll be it.

Why does she care so much? It’s a thought that passes through her mind. It hasn’t been long since they started talking and, after the near-kidnapping encounter, they’ve been having nearly daily conversations, but that still doesn’t mean much. She knows barely anything about him.

She guesses, she wants to get to know him better. He seems like the type of guy she’d enjoy hanging out with and she has so far. Stopping any kind of conversation would surely feel like a loss. She’d have to go back to her boring routine. This is the most exciting thing she has allowed herself to do in years.

A part of her feels rather lame for finding such a thrill at something so trivial. She’s talking to a stranger, and that’s all it is, but the prospect that he could be anyone at all, and she’s never even seen his face… well… It feels refreshing, new. Scary in an adrenaline-rush kind of way.

What is?

us. texting.

isn’t it a little odd?

I guess it is a bit.

I mean we’ve only known each other for, what, a week? And a half?

yeah.

should we stop?

I don’t know

Do you want to?

The extra moment his reply takes to arrive makes her want to vomit.

no

Then there’s your answer.

okay then

can I save you in my contacts?

Sure, go ahead.

I just did too.

alright.

Okay :)

I’m sorry, I have to go.

I guess I’ll text you later, Sam.

Go be whoever Sam Something is.

it’s winchester.

Like the shotgun?

yup.

That’s BADASS. Can you even get more badass than this? Pre-law, now a PI, and you’re named after a shotgun? Damn dude.

Well, it’s nice to meet you Sam. I’m Y/n Andrews.

Haha thanks.

nice to meet you, too

goodnight Y/n Andrews.

Night Sam Winchester :)

--- Part 3

A/N: Thoughts? How are you liking the newer version of this? right after I post it, I’m gonna delete the other one.

Taglist:

Old Can You See The Stars taglist: @shutupiminlooove @sammysgirl1997 @kymberlytorres @bambi95-blog @demonic-meatball @thekarliwinchester @littlekay15 @li-m-ii  @thinspo-isuppose @carryonmywaywarddemigodwitch @ellen-reincarnated1967 @moonlitskinwalker @marichromatic @illuminatus42 @lazy-author @mirandaaustin93 @hauntedsiriel @pilaxia @devilgirlsarah @nobodys-baby-now @captiveties @calamitychaos @midiocris @wordswillscream​

Sam taglist @kymberlytorres @theboykingsam @depressed-moose-78 @andi-mendes-barnes @captainmarvelcorps @nerd-in-a-galaxy-far-away @nellachain

[sugarsugarmoon]

Dearly Beloved

Summary: Your friend from high school, Taehyung, helps you out when you need a wedding date.

Genre: SMUT and a little bit of fluff

Warnings: Masturbation, swearing, recreational alcohol use, oral sex (f. receiving), unprotected sex (plz use protection irl), spanking, some biting, dom!Taehyung, brat!reader

a/n: sorry Triv. sorry mom. If digital headstones are a thing by the time I die, please put this gif on mine. I listened to “Earned It” by The Weeknd the whole time I wrote all the nasty stuff.

Word Count: 6473

Your best friend is sweet and kind. She is the most generous person that you’ve ever met, and she can make you laugh harder than anyone on this planet. She has cradled you in her arms as you cried over boys, and, when your dad nearly died of cancer, she was there with you in the hospital every day, coffee in hand, ready to listen or just sit with you.

You take a deep breath through your nose and remind yourself of all of this. You love her more than pretty much anyone on this planet, but in this moment you have never wanted to slap her so much in the whole time you’ve known her.

She has been planning and preparing for her wedding for over a year, and the date is only two weeks away. The extravagance of it isn’t really your style, but she’s one of those people that has been dreaming of her wedding since she was a little girl. She has a vision. 

At this present moment, you are surrounded by small cuts of lumber, empty vases, fake greenery, and tea lights. Your job today is to assemble the centerpieces. You sit in the middle of the room on the floor, surrounded on all sides by your craft supplies. She is standing just outside your ring of accoutrements, crying and yelling. You aren’t totally sure what she’s yelling about. Seating arrangements? Maybe someone canceled? Honestly, at this point it’s unintelligible, so you decide it’s best to just let her carry on.

“And you!” you hear, clear as day.

You look up from your project and see her finger pointing toward wear you sit on the carpet. You look behind you, half expecting someone else to be there; you’ve done nothing but help. You turn back to her and barely raise a finger to point to yourself and raise your eyebrows in bewilderment. You mouth, “me?”

“Yes, you! Who else would it be? God.” You know she’s just stressed, so you take a deep breath and clench your fists around the fake greenery in your hands. “When we first started planning, you said you were gonna have a date, and I’m sorry things didn’t work with Yoongi, I really am, but now the seating arrangement is fucked and the whole entrance of the wedding party is fucked. It’s fucked, y/n. Could you just ask Yoongi to go with you?”

“Just ask Yoongi?” you spit back, “You want me to ask the man who broke my heart? Tore it into a million little pieces, who is, mind you, already going to be at the wedding because he’s friends with your future husband, to be my date? So...what? So I can get my hopes up again when he’s nice to me, because of course he will be, and get my heart smashed again? Oh but your seating arrangement will be good, so I should just suck it up. Right. Sure.”

You’re standing now, having spilled tea lights all over the floor with the sudden movement. You are breathing heavily, fists clenched at your side, tears threatening to burst from your eyes. Things didn’t work out when you had told your workaholic boyfriend, Yoongi, that you wanted to get more serious, maybe move in together and consider marriage. You don’t think he meant to laugh at you, but he did laugh when you brought it up. He said that it was clear the two of you wanted different things, and he ended it with you. You clearly aren’t over him yet, and she knew that.

Your friends face softens for a moment. You can see the reality of what she said smoothing her features.

“Y/n, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that. I’m just so stressed…” she trails off.

“Look, you want me to get a date? I’ll get a fuckin’ date. But I will not be caught dead on Min Yoongi’s arm.” You turn on your heel and let yourself out of her house, slamming the door behind you.

When all the rage fades, you realize what you’ve said that you’re going to do. You also realize that you left all centerpieces unassembled in the middle of the floor. You call your best friends mom and ask her to go over and finish them.

“I am already on my way over there, sweetie. But did I hear right that you are going to get a date for the wedding? Where?” she asks, genuinely concerned.

You know she isn’t trying to be hurtful but c’mon, I know guys! You think to yourself. I know so many guys. I know...Yoongi for one, and Hobi. Granted Hobi is marrying my best friend in two weeks. I know….oh! Jungkook! Jungkook will totally go with me!

“I know guys!” you respond to her with excitement in your voice. “I actually have to call the guy that I’m asking right now though, so I’ll talk to you later. Thanks again for doing the centerpieces.”

As you hang up, you quickly scroll through the names on your phone until you land on Jeon Jungkook. You tap out the message on your screen quickly and send it away.

You: Hey JK! I was hoping you might be able to accompany me to a wedding in two weeks. It’s out of town, so hotel. All expenses paid. Huh?

You put your phone down feeling optimistic. Jungkook loves to dance, and he’s a fun guy. Not only does he seem like a living human male who will go with you, you actually don’t hate the idea of going together with him. The excitement doesn’t last long.

Jeon Jungkook: y/n! Hey! I wish I could, but I’ll be back home in Busan. I’m so sorry!

You: No prob, buddy. I’ll go with Yoongi 😬

Jeon Jungkook: No! I won’t let you do that! He broke your heart. Let me give you hyung’s number. You remember Tae? From high school? He’s cool, and he’s free (he just asked me to make plans that weekend). Hit him up.

He sends you the contact. Kim Taehyung. You stare at the number for a long time before you type up a text, and you stare at the text for even longer before you send it.

You: Hi Taehyung, this is y/n. JK gave me your number, and he said you might be free in two weeks to be my date to a wedding. Nothing weird or anything! I just can’t go alone, and if I don’t bring a date, my friend is going to make me go with my ex. It’s a long story. Anyway, it is out of town, but your hotel and all your food and stuff would be paid for. Just let me know.

You exhale a deep breath after you hit send. You hope it doesn’t sound too weird or desperate or anything even though you are definitely both weird and desperate. 

Kim Taehyung: sure! I’m always down for an adventure.

You breathe a sigh of relief. Which is short-lived when you realize you don’t know anything about Taehyung anymore. You ran in the same circle in high school, connected by your mutual closeness to Jungkook. You text him back asking him to meet you for coffee, so you can go over the plan. The two of you decide to meet that afternoon, and the anxiety in your chest begins to loosen just a tiny bit. 

….

When you get to the coffee shop, you find a spot by the window in the big squashy chairs. You order yourself a latte and play on your phone, waiting for Taehyung. You hear someone softly clear their throat, and your eyes scan the figure in front you. You don’t mean to give him the up-and-down, you really don’t. But the man standing in front of you is not the same Taehyung you remember. You remember a scrawny boy with too much eyeliner (yikes) trying to act like a man while still dealing with all his teenage emotions.

Before you stands, perhaps, the hottest man you’ve ever seen. He is tall, taller than he was when you last saw him, and he is fuller too. He is no longer gangly and awkward. He has broad shoulders, firm pecs, and toned arms that you can see straining against the fabric of his tight black shirt. His black hair is long and messy, and tendrils hang down into his eyes. He has a smile on his face when your eyes finally meet his.

“Hi, y/n! It’s been so long!” he exclaims as he reaches out and pulls you into a hug.

You are shocked by the sudden touch and hesitate to put your arms around him. Even while he holds you for a moment with your arms at your sides, you feel comforted and safe. He smells like lavender and chamomile mixed with something else - maybe just his own skin.

When he lets you go, he looks a little embarrassed and backs up into his chair across from yours.

The two of you catch up about what you’ve been up to since high school: college, careers, failed relationships. You tell him all about what happened with Yoongi, but you don’t mention that you’re not over it yet. He tells you that his ex-girlfriend cheated in a one night stand with a girl at a club, and he had been pretty broken up about it.

You set your plans for leaving to get to the wedding early together. You have to be there on Thursday night because the bachelorette party was Friday and the wedding was on Sunday. He agrees, and you say goodbye to one another, this time without the hug. 

****

Thursday afternoon you are packing your bags making sure that you have everything when your phone rings. It’s your best friend, so you take a deep breath before you answer it, trying to stay as calm as possible since she is a total mess. “Good morning, my beautiful best friend and soon-to-be bride,” you say in a syrupy tone that she knows is facetious.

“I have bad news,” she huffs and without pausing she continues, “we booked the hotel when you and Yoongi were still together. So we only booked one room for you and Yoongi. So now Yoongi doesn’t have a room, and your date...Tae or whatever...doesn’t have a room either. And I know that I’m being insensitive right now, but you and Yoongi breaking up is the worst thing that has ever happened to me.”

She’s definitely crying and spiraling. “I mean...it wasn’t great for me either,” you attempt to joke, but she just sobs harder.

“Okay, okay. It’s fine. Yoongi will just stay with Hobi until Sunday, then on Sunday, you and Hobi are going to stay together anyway, yeah? So that problem is solved. As for Tae...I’ll talk to him, okay? No big deal,” you console her, unsure what you’re going to say to Tae.

She lets out a long sigh, but her crying seems to be evening out. “You’re right. Okay.” You finish the phone call and send a text to Tae.

You: So...funny story...youandihavetoshareahotelroomnowsorryokaybye

You toss your phone aside and finish packing your bags. As you are loading up the car, Tae pulls up. He looks just as good as he did the other day, wearing a loose t-shirt and gray sweatpants. He’s carrying a single leather duffle bag, and he has a huge smile on his face. He almost looks like he’s laughing.

The drive is only three hours, but it is long enough to be boring. You’re glad that you have company, and you and Tae crank up the radio singing along and laughing. You play car games together, and it is an overall good time.

When you get to the hotel, you are a little unsure of what to do or how to handle sharing a room with Tae. You slide the key in the door to the hotel room and exhale in relief when you see there are two beds in the room. You each take up your side and start to settle in.

When it’s time for you to get changed for bed, you awkwardly shuffle to the bathroom to change. Even though you normally just sleep in your underwear and a t-shirt, you put on a whole pajama get up because you aren’t sure how modest you should be with Tae.

When you come out, he’s scrolling through his phone. He looks up at you and gives you that warm, gentle smile again. How does he look so good just sitting on his bed playing on his phone?

“Hey, uh, so I usually just sleep in my underwear...but I can keep a shirt on if you want,” he says casually to you.

“Oh, uh, I mean, whatever you’re comfortable with. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable on my behalf, seeing how you’re doing me a favor,” you ramble out.

You wish you said no. As soon as it happens, you really wish you’d told him to keep on a shirt and a parka and snow pants and maybe also a ski mask. To say he is hot is the understatement of the century. His toned honey toned skin is smooth across his chest, taut over his muscles. His boxer briefs sit low on his hips, and your eyes follow the curve of his muscles from his stomach down past his waistline. 

You watch the muscles on his back flex as he climbs into bed. You lay your head back on the pillow, staring at the ceiling. What the fuck is happening? you think to yourself. You try to blink the images of his nearly naked body out of your head, but they are there even as you eventually fall asleep.

*********

All day Friday you help set up for the wedding. Tae comes by and helps for a while, and, when it’s time for the bachelorette party, he says he’s going to go find something to do in town. The girls all go out, drink, and celebrate your best friend. 

After the bachelorette party, you are feeling light and drunk and, for the first time in a while, you feel your shoulders relax. You say goodbye to the other girls in the lobby of the hotel and head to your room.

When you get there, there’s only one lamp on, and the room is empty besides your bags. You are painfully aware of the silky material of your dress against your skin, especially without a bra on. You feel so hyper-sensitive with the alcohol coursing through your veins. You skate your fingertips up your arms and across your collarbone. You feel yourself soaking your panties, and your nipples are hard against the silky material.

Your head isn’t totally clear, and you slide the straps of your dress off and let it pool on the floor around your feet. You stand in the middle of the floor in nothing but your panties and your heels for a moment, barely touching your skin on your neck and down your chest and belly.

You lie back on the bed, fuzzy head telling you to take care of it. You lick your fingers and take one of your nipples between your index finger and thumb. You feel your hips buck a little bit, feet, still in your heels, planting on the bed. With the way your feet are planted, your legs are open wide, and, if you weren’t wearing underwear, your pussy would be on full display. You bring your hand down to your panties. You run your fingers along the waistband before passing your hand over your covered folds, barely applying any pressure. You have decided to take it slow. You haven’t been with anyone since Yoongi, and you have been too busy to even consider masturbating. Now, you have the time, and you are soaking through your panties. 

You close your eyes, and you see the way that Tae’s shirt fits across his chest, the way the rolled up sleeves accentuated his biceps, the way that his sweatpants yesterday left nothing to the imagination. You see the way his bare chest is broad and smooth, the way his underwear sit on his hips, bulge prevalent. You imagine the way he smelled when he’d pressed you into his chest. You want to drown in his smell. 

You slide your hand into your underwear, drawing languid circles on your clit, sliding your finger through your arousal and back up to your clit. You feel like you are not in control of what your body is doing and small moans start to slip out of your mouth. You feel “Tae” come off your lips over and over.

“What?” you hear from near the door, but you think it might be coming from outside of the room and can’t process its proximity because the things you are doing are overwhelming you.

A whimper that turns into a yelp followed by “oh my god” comes from within the room, and your eyes snap open. Tae is standing at the end of the bed, eyes wide, mouth open, frozen in place.

You scream and try to get up from the bed quickly, but you are drunk and wearing heels, and you lose your balance. Instead of getting away from him, you stumble toward him. He throws his arms out to catch you, steadying you as your mostly naked body presses against him. And you are mortified, but the scent of him makes your pussy clench. In that instance, you’re a little angry that you didn’t get to finish.

“Are you okay? How drunk are you? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to...I just...we’re both in here. I didn’t know. That’s my bed, by the way. But that’s neither here nor there. Are you okay?” he rambles, trying not to look at you.

You pull away from him quickly covering your chest as you run over to the other side of the room to grab a t-shirt and sweatpants. You throw the shirt over your head, and, as you try to put on the sweatpants, you realize you’re still wearing the goddamn heels. You throw them off as quickly as you can and pull the sweatpants on. When you look up from your panicked clothing debacle, Taehyung is looking anywhere but at you.

“Tae...I’m sorry. I’m just...I’m-I’m drunk, and I’m horny. I’ll go stay somewhere else.”

“Wait no…” Tae starts, but you are gone before he can even finish. You go to your best friend’s room, and she welcomes you in. When you tell her what happened, she laughs hard, pretty drunk herself. You agree to not talk about it any further.

*********

Besides avoiding Taehyung, the next day and half go by smoothly. You are busy setting up for the wedding. The hairstylist and makeup artist take care of you before the wedding, and your friend’s mom brings your dress and shoes to you. You haven’t had to go back to your room for anything, but you are dreading sitting next to Tae at the reception. The dread is briefly overshadowed by the love and pride that you have for your best friend and Hobi during the ceremony.

The ceremony goes off seamlessly, and you are so happy for your friends that you forget for a little while to be embarrassed. When it’s time for the reception, you realize that you have to enter with Tae for the processional. He meets you by the doors, looking pretty annoyed. He doesn’t say anything to you, and he just offers you his elbow when it’s time for you to enter the banquet hall. You walk in holding his arm, faking a smile, and take your seats at the table, followed by the remaining bridesmaids with their dates.

Throughout dinner, Tae continues to ignore you. You think to yourself if anyone should be avoiding anyone, it’s me avoiding him, but you don’t say anything to him. At one point he gets up to go to the bathroom, and you sit alone, pushing your food around your plate.

“Is this seat taken?” you hear from an all too familiar voice. You force yourself to look up into his eyes, and Yoongi is staring back down at your with a smirk on his face. You don’t have the words to respond, so you just stare at him for a moment.

A deep voice from behind you says, “yeah, actually it is,” and then you feel a hand on your shoulder. Oh, so now he wants to pay attention to me. His hand feels like it’s burning your skin, and you want to lean into it.

“Oh sorry, man. It didn’t seem like you guys were together,” Yoongi says, confused but still confident.

“Yeah, well, we are. Why don’t we go dance, y/n?” Tae hisses through his teeth.

“I’m kind of talking to Yoongi right now,” you say to him.

“Yeah, that’s all good, but I really like this song. So come dance with me,” he insists, pulling your wrist a little.

“Yeah...okay fine,” you mumble as you take your napkin out of your lap. Yoongi is looking at you dumbfounded, and you shrug and follow Tae to the dance floor. He pulls you in and presses his body fully against yours. Is this some kind of weird possessive shit?

“So you’re going to ignore me all night and then get pressed when Yoongi tries to talk to me?” you snap, annoyed.

“First of all, you left me alone in that hotel room for two days, so who’s really ignoring whom? Why can’t you, for once, just be a good girl and do what I say?”

You can’t deny that the expression “good girl” coming from his mouth does something to you, but you are already heated. “Oh, yes sir. I’ll be the goodest girl because you just dragged me over here and are being an ass, so I better be good for you. Fuck off,” you spit at him, rolling your eyes.

“Well, you told me how Yoongi broke your heart. And you weren’t gonna tell him to get lost, so I did you a favor. You should be thanking me,” he spits out.

“What’s your deal, Tae? It’s not like we’re actually dating or anything.”

You swear he growls in his chest a little bit, then he spins you before pulling you back into his body. “Well, maybe I want to be,” he mutters.

Before you have a chance to talk, the MC comes on and asks everyone to clear the floor for all the first dances, father dances, mother dances, second-cousin dances. It goes on for so long that you decide to return to the table, and Taehyung follows you. You sit down, fully prepared to demand an explanation from him when the photographer comes up to your table.

“Can I get a picture of you two?” she asks with a bright smile.

You can’t bring yourself to say no to her cheeriness, so you agree, doing your best to smile for the camera.

“You know what would be really cute?” the photographer starts, and you feel the dread building in your chest, “if you sat in his lap.”

Oh my gods, ugh. You are incredibly annoyed, but you know that this innocent woman doesn’t understand the very weird situation going on. So you, once again, reluctantly agree. You climb into Taehyung’s lap, and the energy immediately feels different. He clears his throat behind you and slides his arms around your waist. While the photographer tries to get a better angle (why is she taking so long!?), Taehyung starts to slide his hand down your thigh.

“I heard you,” he whispers to you, smile still stretched across his face. “I heard you say my name. You can’t act like you don’t want me. I heard you.”

“What are you talking about?” you ask defiantly, knowing exactly what he’s talking about.

“You know what I’m talking about. You said my name. I’ve wanted you since the day I met you. I had such a big crush on you in high school, but you were oblivious. Now, you see me. Now, you want me. I heard you.”

As the photographer walks away, you don’t try to get up. You just shift a little in his lap. With the movement you can feel, very clearly, as if there was hardly any fabric between you at all, the outline of his cock, half-hard against your ass.

“Are...are you not wearing underwear, Tae?” you ask, feeling flustered, face hot.

“I tell you I heard you say my name while you were touching yourself on my bed. And you ask if I’m wearing underwear. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to take advantage of me,” he professes with a smirk.

You look around frantically to make sure no one heard him, but your head snaps back to look at him when you feel his fingers teasing the hem of your dress against your thigh. You can feel the movement causing a rush between your thighs, and you can’t focus on anything except the way his hand feels on your skin.

“Tae…” you whisper, trailing off.

“Say it, y/n. Say you want me.”

“We can’t do this here, Tae. There are so many people here,” you say looking around at all of your friends, who you would be mortified if they found Tae with his hand in your dress.

“If you say that you want me right now, I’ll take you upstairs, and I’ll fuck you like you deserve to be fucked,” he whispers, letting his hot breath run over your ear.

Shit. Shit. Am I doing this? Fuck it.

“Tae, I want you...right now,” you practically moan.

With that, he’s up out of his seat, adjusting his pants. He ushers you out of the hall with his hand on the small of your back. You clamber into the elevator, and, when the door shuts, he is all over you. His mouth is on your ear and your neck, your collarbone and the curve of your shoulder, you chest and the upper swell of your breast. He’s kissing every exposed inch like he’s been poisoned and the only antidote is in your skin.

The elevator door opens on your floor, and the two of your practically run to your room. He slides the key card in and flings the door open. He kicks it closed behind you, and he takes off his tie and begins unbuttoning his shirt. He turns around to look at you, lacing his fingers in the hair on the back of your head down to the nape of your neck. He’s big eyes are peering into yours, searching your face.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks in a deep rasp.

“Tae, you’ve already kissed my whole chest. Yes,” you say back with a bite to your tone. You can’t help but want to contradict him and push his buttons.

He smashes his lips into yours, a deep, hungry kiss. All of his annoyance and frustration seems to come out with his kiss too. He nips your bottom lip and pulls it a bit before letting it going. He goes right back to you, forcing his tongue into your mouth.

“Are you going to be a good girl for me now?” he asks when he pulls away.

“I don’t know,” you tease. “I guess we’ll have to see.”

“How is ‘babygirl?’ Is that okay with you?” he asks looking into your eyes again.

“Babygirl is fine,” you reply, “but I’m not your good girl.”

He growls at you from his chest, scrunching his nose. You feel the tension in your stomach building and you know that your panties are useless at this point they are so soaked. He leans into you, reaching around your back, unzipping your dress. You shimmy it off your body, letting it pool on the floor around your feet, just like you had down two days before.

You runs his fingertips across your skin from your collarbones over your breasts, gently catching your nipples, down your stomach, across the waistband of your underwear. He bends his knees, setting one on the floor, and he keeps tracing his fingers down your thighs, over your knees, and around your ankles. He presses his mouth to your hip and your thigh while he caresses the inside of your legs up to your thigh and back down to your ankle. Then he pulls the strap off both of your ankles from your shoes and pulls them off your feet. Your skin feels like it’s on fire with every touch from Tae’s fingers, and you feel your pussy clench around nothing with every move he makes. 

While still on his knee, Tae looks up at you through his lashes. He asks in a commanding tone, “Babygirl, if you need me to stop you just say red, okay?” And you nod.

“Now, are you going to be good for me while I lick your pussy?”

Your breath catches, and your heart pounds in your chest. “I don’t want to be good,” you sass, voice hoarse already.

His teeth bite down on the skin of the inside of your thigh. “Are you talking back to me, babygirl?”

You are too stunned to come up with anything clever, so you just nod.

He bites down again on your other thigh. “Use your words,” he commands.

You are so wet and so overwhelmed. He is too much for you already. “Yes, I was talking back to you,” you pant out.

He stands up from between your thighs, and you feel remiss that you let your brattiness get in the way of having him licking you. He whispers, “you’re being a bad girl.”

You stick your tongue out at him in response, unable to stop yourself. His hand comes up to your chin and holds your head so you have to look him in the eye. “Look at me,” he demands. “You better start behaving, you little monster.”

For some reason, him calling you a little monster does something to you. You don’t know if you’ve ever been this turned on. “I’ll be good. I’m sorry.”

You lean to kiss him, and he catches your lips in another bruising kiss.

“Lie down on the bed and take your underwear off,” he says as he stands back from you, palming himself through his pants, seeking some relief. 

Once you’re in position, he pushes your legs up, so your knees are bent. You are in the same position that you were just two days ago when he walked in on you. He whispers so pretty, then kisses gently on your clit and down your folds. He barely slides his tongue into your pussy, then drags it all the way up you, collecting your arousal on his tongue.

“So wet for me, babygirl.”

He takes his tongue and draws slow, steady circles on your clit while he brings his hand to your entrance and slides too fingers in. He immediately pushes them all the way in without letting you adjust, then he curls them upward. His lips wrap around your clit, and he sucks.

You groan beneath him. He feels like he knows exactly what your body wants and needs. He is intuitive to your body, and your head is swimming. Your skin is burning, and your hips start to buck, even as he uses one hand to try to still you.

“Tae, I’m going to cum,” you gasp.

“No, you aren’t,” he says against your clit, “you’ll cum when I tell you to cum. And do you know why?”

You shake your head, back arching up off the mattress.

“This pussy is mine. Your orgasms belong to me, understood?”

“Yes,” you whine, “please, Tae…”

“Say it,” he commands for the second time tonight.

You moan as he continues his unforgiving ministrations with his fingers and his tongue. “Fine. This pussy is yours. My orgasms belong to you.”

“Good girl,” he whispers and pulls his fingers out of you and pulls his mouth away.

“No, no,” you whine at the lost of contact

“You better start being good, babygirl. You better start showing me that you deserve to cum.”

You really don’t mean to say it, but your bratty side comes out again. You look him in the eye and defiantly say, “Make me,” crossing your arms over your chest.

He leans over your body and picks you up, flipping you over easily. He commands you to get on your hands and knees.

“I’m going to punish you, babygirl. Do you remember the word to say if it’s too much?”

“I remember, yes.” You crawl onto your hands and knees and push your ass toward him, taunting him. You have your legs spread, and with the way you have put your head down on the mattress, your pussy is on full display for him. He can see how slick you are for him and because of him. You can feel how swollen your clit is, and all you want is for him to touch you again. Instead, he brings his hand down with a smack on your ass. You hiss from the sting, but you feel yourself growing wetter somehow. You moan and push your ass further back toward him. He lands four more spanks on the same cheek, and it stings as he rubs his hand over the spot. He presses his lips to the tender spot, and then he presses his lips against your wet pussy before pulling away. 

You try to bite back the whine that is trying to escape your chest. You turn to look at Tae over your shoulder, and you should have just kept looking forward. His pupils are huge, and his hair looks like he’s been running his hand through it. His lips are swollen, and his cheeks are pink. You let out a moan at the sight of him. Desperate to cum.

“Please, Tae. Please let me cum,” you beg, feeling like you might cry.

“Turn around, baby girl,” he says a little more gently than his last commands.

You turn around, and he steps up right in front of you as you sit on the end of the bed. He puts his fingers on your chin again and angles your head up to him. He presses a gentle kiss to your mouth, and then he grabs your hands and brings them to his belt. You can see the outline of his cock through his tight black pants. You have never wanted a cock more in your life than you want his right now.

You unbutton his pants, and the flesh of his dick is right inside the zipper. So he wasn’t wearing underwear. You push his pants down, and he steps the rest of the way out of them. He takes his cock in his hand and strokes it. You look up into his eyes to wait for him to tell you what to do.

“Lie down, babygirl,” he says, and you immediately obey.

His eyes flash with realization for a moment. “I don’t have a condom,” he says in panic, his breathing quickening.

“It’s fine. Are you clean? I’m fine. Birth control. Just fuck me raw,” you can’t think and words are tumbling past your lips.

“I am clean. You’re on birth control? You’re clean?” he asks, slightly more coherent than you are.

“Yes to both. Fuck me raw, Tae, please,” you beg. You feel desperate and crazy.

He pulls your hips to the end of the bed, still standing in front of you. He drags his cock through your arousal, getting his dick slick before he presses against your entrance. He pushes slowly into you, and you feel every millimeter of him exploring every millimeter of you. You let out a loud guttural moan as he continues to push all the way in. He brings his thumb to your clit and pushes messy circles there, and you clench around his dick.

“Fuck, babygirl, you can’t do that. I’m not gonna last long anyway,” he says as he draws himself slowly back out of you and pushes back in slowly.

“Tae…” you pant.

“I know, babygirl. You have to hold on though. Remember your orgasm is mine.”

He starts to thrust in and out of you more urgently. He’s panting, hair falling into his eyes. His breath is ragged as he continues to rub unforgiving circles on your clit. He pushes his hair back with his one free hand, and his tongue darts out to lick the corner of your mouth. You feel yourself careening toward the edge, and you don’t want to disappoint Tae but also can’t stop it. You pant out his name again.

“Cum for me baby girl,” he whispers as he bites your ear lobe, thrusts becoming erratic. You tumble over the edge, warmth filling your stomach as your pussy clenches around him, and your mind goes black as your eyes pinch shut and all of your muscles contract. You let out a low, loud moan, and Tae is crashing like a wave too. He cums hard and moans a long moan, filling you with cum and continuing to fuck it up into you. His hips only stop when you have regained your senses enough to open your eyes.

After he pulls out of you, he disappears for a second. He returns with a warm washcloth. He sets to work cleaning you and then himself. He takes the towel back to the bathroom, and then climbs into bed next to you. “What can I do to take care of you, babygirl?” he asks, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“I want to cuddle you, and maybe watch The Grinch,” you respond in a sleepy voice.

He gets you both under the covers, then pulls your body close to his. “I’ll try to find it, but we might have to watch something else,” he explains as he grabs the remote and flicks on the TV.

“Hey Tae?” you say after you settle on watching HGTV.

He hums in response and pulls his eyes from the screen to look at you. “Can we like...go on a date soon?” you ask, suddenly nervous even though you’re both naked, cuddled in a post sex cocoon.

“I want nothing more than that...and we probably should since your pussy is already mine anyway,” he smiles a huge smile and presses kisses to your temple, cheek, and jawline. You snuggle back in and eventually fall asleep wrapped in one another.

[hanacantwrite]

❀ 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: “𝙞'𝙢 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙪𝙖𝙡. 𝙞'𝙢 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮.”

—[𝘺/𝘯] 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘴’ 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷. 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘴𝘣𝘺 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘫𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘺.

“𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨?” 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘬. 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴. 𝘴𝘩𝘦, 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘺.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

𝘮.𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 ─ 𝘰𝘯𝘦 ─ 𝘵𝘸𝘰 ─ three ─ four ─ five

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

𝙄𝙏 𝙒𝘼𝙎 𝙄𝙈𝙋𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙄𝘽𝙇𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝘼𝙑𝙊𝙄𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙍𝙐𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙎.

The fact that you were roommates with the entire team didn't really help matters but whenever news outlets reported on the living situation between all of you they made it sound more glamorous than it actually was. They always made it sound like being roommates with them was a dream come true. 

It was the complete opposite.

Living with the MSBY Black Jackals was a nightmare and that was a fact that you could say without a doubt, if you could you would definitely move but then again there was the high likelihood of them dying five minutes after you step out the door with your things.

Yelling, messes, stealing of each other's things, you name it they've probably done it at least once.

At first, living with friends seemed to appear as if it was a nice idea, you did it before in your last year of high school so it didn't seem like it'd be that weird of a transition. 

Plus, at the time living with people that had a stable life as a struggling college student seemed to be more than ideal, at least you wouldn't have to work five jobs at once like before. 

Of course, it was all too good to be true. 

It was hard to believe that they were adults that were on their own with how much they acted like children and depended on you overall. 

Just how on earth do you burn down a kitchen while making a hot pocket?

It didn't make sense to you so of course, it was something that they were capable of doing if something seemed humanly impossible in your eyes it was the first thing that they'd do.

That was why whenever those rumours went around it was just something that got you more annoyed than anything. 

Not for the fact that people were making the extremely unprofessional accusation of you dating players of the very team that you coached, it was the fact that they suggested that you'd ever date a professional athlete. 

You didn't really discriminate in the dating except when it came to nice guys and people that would pull an Atsumu on you. 

So, you're really only against people that deserve to be ignored but an exception to that rule of only ignoring nice guys and people like Atsumu was definitely professional athletes. It was hard to believe that some professional athletes even had relationships outside of their blood-related family and teammates. 

I mean, you're entire family have been centred around volleyball since before you could remember but you still couldn't understand it. 

The only explanation that you could come up with was the fact that your mo, was just as intense when it came to volleyball as your dad, had it been any other way you're sure that relationship would've ended in mere weeks is not in the first few days. 

You're sure that was the main reason why every single professional volleyball player that you knew wasn't in a relationship, well, at least not in a long-lasting relationship. 

Despite being someone that did love volleyball, enough to the point of becoming a coach for a professional team, you did not want to get into a relationship with a pro player. 

Sure, they were nice looking and you would've probably fawned over their looks as a fan if you didn't know that they were essentially five years old in adults bodies and that they probably shared a singular brain cell between all of them. 

You glanced over all of them sitting down in almost complete silence with a conversation or two going on between all of them. 

It seemed to actually be peaceful for the first time what seemed to be decades and considering their personalities you wouldn't really be surprised if that would actually be the case one day. 

Was now really the best time to say it?

They looked so peaceful...

Yes. The answer to that question was yes, absolutely yes and there was no question about it as you opened your mouth to say what you've been wanting to say for the past few minutes now. 

Hm...

As you set your gaze onto the older male you narrowed your eyes and stiffened your shoulders as you sat up straight in the chair you were sitting in. 

"Shugo."

Upon the sound of the dull tone of your voice, said male looked up from his book and turned his attention to your with a nervous smile. "Is there something wro-"

Before he could get his question out you cut him off without any remorse as you raised a hand up to stop him from speaking any further. "For the next few days, I don't want you to so much as look at me, all right?"

"Wha-"

"Okay," you clapped your hands as you ignored the confused look on his face. "Now that we've got that done and over with, I should get going."

The captain looked at everyone in the room only for them to ignore the familiar scene that was unfolding in front of them. 

He turned to the younger open hitter with a look of desperation. "Sakusa!"

All he did was look up from his phone and look up at the older man, giving him a bored look as he blinked slowly before slowly looking back down at his phone. 

Shugo gasped in shock. 

You arched a brow at the sight as you put a hand on your hip. You weren't exactly quite sure why he was so shocked in the first place, it's not like that was new behaviour or a new response from Sakusa, in fact, it'd be weird if he didn't give that response. 

"Are you just going to leave without explaining anything?"

You simply tilted your head. "What do you mean?"

Shugo's eye twitched.

Were you being serious?

You know what?

He shouldn't even be asking that question, in all the years that he's known you, you've always been like that and this behaviour wasn't anything new. 

Despite that, he still was in the need of you a further explanation of what you meant as you just ignored his concerns and instead got yourself ready to leave. 

Your eye twitched at the feeling of his eyes burning holes into your back, he definitely wasn't going to stop staring at you until you explained yourself at least a little. 

Taking a deep breath, you looked over your shoulder and narrowed your eyes watching him, feeling a bit of amusement washing over you as he shrank under your gaze. 

"Do you know what happens every single time we hang out with each other in public outside of games?"

He tilted his head in confusion. 

"Nothing?" He squinted in confusion as he tried to understand what you meant. 

Without any hesitation you slammed your hands on the table sitting a few feet away from you, leaning across the table you somehow was able to narrow your eyes even more. 

"Exactly!"

"Huh?"

Shugo jumped back slightly, looking you up and down with concern. "Exactly wha-"

The older male wasn't even given enough time to ask his question when you interrupted him once again, cutting him off without much thought. 

"Nothing happens and it looks like we're on a date so everybody thinks we're dating and this week it's you!"

Your eye twitched at the confusion on the dark-haired male's face. 

It shocked and didn't shock you that he didn't realize what was happening, for someone that seemed to be as smart as him he wasn't the best when it came to reading the room or really anything like that. 

A sigh left your lips as you ran a hand through your hair.

Even with his confusion you couldn't help but feel sorry at the confused look on his face. 

He always reminded you of a puppy with how easily he showed his emotions, it was as if he had no idea how to hide anything. It was endearing. 

"No offence," you sighed out, "But, I can't really deal with having to see another news story on my feed about how I'm 'abusing my power' by dating you."

Your eye twitched as you looked away. 

"Though to be honest I'm more insulted by the fact that people actually think I would date a volleyball player," you mumbled under your breath as you looked away. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Shugo asked, sounding a bit more offended than you had expected. 

Crap. 

He overheard you, didn't he?

Of course, you just had to make the mistake and explain yourself even more than you wanted to in the first place. 

Freezing, you let your shoulders rise and fall as you let out a deep breath in an attempt to not say anything that would be too rude. 

"Shugo, we're friends and all but you barely have enough time to clean up your own room, what's the chances of you having enough time to have an actual relationship?"

He raised a finger to speak. 

But of course, he was once again cut off by you. 

There was no way you were going to allow him to try and defend himself with a less than convincing argument. "I mean, the longest relationship you had was what? A month."

He continued to shrink at your words as well as everyone else in the room. 

While it was clear you were speaking to Shugo it was obvious to all of them that your words were directed towards all of them, especially with the way you'd give them a small glance before turning back. 

"Plus, to be honest, you guys don't exactly have the best personalities, in my opinion at least-" 

Even with the looks on their faces, you continued to go on and on with the reason why you couldn't picture dating a volleyball player, the lack of shame you were showing was more shocking than anything. 

You let out a long sigh.

Letting all of that out was a lot more stress-relieving than you had ever expected it to be. 

It seems like Yanagi was right when he suggested you talking everything out, though the way you went about it wasn't exactly what he meant. 

Shaking your head you flashed them all a smile before turning on your heels and giving them a small wave from over your shoulder. 

All they could do was watch with blank stares as you walked out, not being able to take their eyes off until you closed the door behind you. 

"What just happened?"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

[Y/N] has been roommates with Atsumu since college but she still can't stand the way he lives and considers moving out almost every day. 

[strange-changes-ln]

“Strange Changes.”

Chapter Three: “Late At Night.”

.

.

.

Pacing. Holding his head, his mind racing. This is- this is IMPOSSIBLE. He has to be dreaming, he- he COULDN’T SEE after the incident, they- they RIPPED his eyes out! How was this happening-??

He had abruptly shut the television off and exited the room as fast as possible. Left the poor kid hanging.

That- That doesn’t matter. He kept trying methods to try and wake himself up. C’mon, Roger, stop dreaming! That- that kid might’ve been apart of this dream too…

Wake up.

Wake up.

WAKE UP.

You AREN’T able- or even supposed to see, this isn’t real! This is NOT REAL. Snap out of it, you-

He swerves into a bookshelf, unconsciously. Books, small items fell from the wooden holders. He backed away, blinking. He immediately went to the other side, and started to pick up all of the things that had fallen. He…paused to eye a book. It was…he can’t remember what it was about. It was dusty. A maroon, hard-covered, dusty book. Before- carefully settling it back with everything else. He rubs his eyes, what- what’s going ON..

..Is- Is this not a dream?? Is- this actually happening..? He can…he can see…

..He quietly laughed, smiling a tiny bit. Despite the immense confusion, he was… he missed this for so long…

aH- NO. No. He shook his head, that tiny bit of bliss snapping away. This isn’t logical, this isn’t normal- then again…nothing is- b-but THIS-

His chest expanded, and shrank back as he breathed at a quick pace. He turned to exit the room, his thoughts still spiraling along in his mind. Okay- this isn’t a dream, this isn’t a dream.

This…isn’t… a dream.

…

He- won’t focus on that for now. Despite it being both a miracle, and a bug in nature, he’ll just- try and remember what he had to. Think..

He could go check on the children. Yeah.. that’ll work.

. . .

Shoot. He’s getting the feeling he’s being watched again. Just- Just ignore it, Roger. It’s fine. It’s nothing. It’s fine. It’s alright. You’re being paranoid.

. . . He- hopes so at least.

It had been at least half an hour, and he STILL felt as if he was being- WATCHED. He kept looking around, actually trying to see what could possibly have been watching him, but there was nothing. It wasn’t as weird when he was around the kids, as they kind of eyed him once he had taken a bit of care of them- but even THEN, the feeling wouldn’t go away. He turned around, nothing. How long was this going keep up? It couldn’t keep going forever.

. . .

That’s what he thought until another few hours past, and he still, felt it. It’s getting darker, and darker by now. He- still needs to get things done, he still hasn’t- UGH! He audibly groaned into his hands. He’s- he’s just gonna have to wait until tomorrow. God, the boat’s gonna be here soon, and sure he’s- semi prepared, but semi isn’t enough!

..No— no, this can’t wait until tomorrow.

But- sure it can! He can just- get up early, and-

N-No— he has to do it now. At least some of it. It’s the least he can possibly do right now.

But it’s getting late, and he’s gonna need that energy for tomorrow.

..Why is he so torn?? Just pick the sensible option and go with that!

…

He swears, he’s gonna drive himself temporarily mad if he keeps going like this. He huffs, okay. He’ll come to a compromise with himself; he’ll send a few packages up where he needed to take them, and…and the rest can wait for another day.

..Yeah. That sits with him well. He remembers he had left those packages in his little living quarters. In the corner. He’ll go get them.

Walking along, rubbing one of his eyes with a hand. He’s- still so bewildered by this- sight. He can see again!

But..But how? It’s not like blind people getting their sight back is a normal thing, especially if they got their own eyes ripped out of their head.

That was… bad. It hurt. It hurt a lot. It’s not like they cared.

…

Actually let’s not think about that anymore!!!

It’s not worth even mentioning at all anyways, heheheh-

Heh…

…

He blanks out. So much so, that his unaware self bumped into his own door on accident. He stumbled back. Ow.

You know what? Whatever, it’s fine. He’s over it. He twists the knob on the door, and pushes it open. Ah yes, his room. His solitude. It’s wonderful. In the far, right corner, he sees-

Aha! The packages. Just where they were. Perfect. He goes over, and takes them into his arms. This is fine.

Totally.

Just leaving out of his room, beginning to head to where he was supposed to take them. Most of them were for the Kitchen, but… there’s one. A small box.

For the Lady.

He doesn’t know what it’s for, but- it was kind of out of nowhere. Nobody knows why it was sent, but…geez, he doesn’t think he should said this one to her right now. Especially when it’s rather dark outside by now.

That’s just- eugh. He doesn’t wanna risk it, but at the same time— maybe to get it out of the way, he can check..?

The thought makes him kind of nervous, but- he might…as well? Hm.

Over time, he went through elevator by elevator, until he made it up to the Kitchen. He begins towards the work-premises of the Chefs, humming the ‘Veronica’ song a bit. Surprisingly— he spotted Marcus. He was still working. Huh. He kind of expected to not see him, but- here they are.

” Hey, uh- Marc. “ Roger waved, squinting just a bit. Having not seen in…a while, the bright light of the Kitchen was…jarring. The chef paused, and turned towards the entering employee. He blinked.

“ ..Roger? What’re you doing here?- “ He stops what he’s doing all together, and approaches the shorter man. He…seems to look confused, upon getting a closer look at him. “ ..Jesus, what happened to your eyes? They’re just- gone. “ He sounded concerned. Wait—oh- uh- he- forgot about that. Uh, shoot.

” ..Uhh… yeah, something, um-uh— happened one time, when I was younger, and- y-y’know how some people are, eheheh- ah- “ He did not like talking about the empty, black sockets he once- and sort of now considers his eyes. “ Some people got together, and uh…d-did a number on me. Now, I- don’t have any eyes, ha! “ Trying to laugh it off as much as it makes him uncomfortable.

Marcus… narrowed his eyes, he didn’t get why he was laughing this off. “ ..Who? “

” ..u-uh…w-what..? “ The awkward toned worker glanced to the side, though it would’ve been hard to tell to someone else, since, he…doesn’t have pupils. Christ, why didn’t he pull the skin back down earlier??? Marcus, just take the damn packages and don’t make me stand here and stumble on my words like an idiot about this.

“ Who did that to you? They sound like jerks. “ The chef interrogated. Roger…simply stammered, why was this a conversation they were having.

“ Ahhh—w-well- it was a long time ago, I-I don’t know even know what they look like right now, I was pretty young.. w-when that happened, heh- uh— just a group of citizens who didn’t enjoy my existence and- uh- a-and decided to take it out on me! B-But it’s nothing, it’s fine, it’s in the past now, we don’t have to keep going on about it, it’s just a waste of time, c-can you just take th-the packages so I can go, this is really taking up the night, and we both gotta-um- get some rest!-Ahahaaha- “

“ Roger, for the love of god, slow down. Jeez, what’s making you so jumpy?? “ Marcus pinched the bridge of his nose.

The Janitor- looked down, at this point, embarrassed.

“ ..Sorry- I- don’t like talking about this stuff, Y’know..? “ Looking to the side, he holds out the packages. “ Just- take these already, okay? I forgot to give them to you before. “

Marcus.. casually took them from his co-worker’s grasp. “ Right. What made you forget, exactly? These were supposed to be sent to me ages ago, man! “ He frowned, glaring at Roger.

” ..fell asleep. Was watching tv. Met— “ He stopped himself at ‘met.’ Nono, he didn’t need to know about Mono. But the Chef had already caught it, and asked-

“ ..Met who? “

…Of course he had to catch it, Roger thought.

” ..nobody. Nobody important. “ This is getting ridiculous, the longer they stand here, the less things get done, and the less things they get done, the less prepared they’ll be when the boat arrives, and if they aren’t all-the-way prepared, something is bound to go wrong, and the Lady’s gonna have their heads.

“ ..Somebody, Roger. Did someone else get into the damn ship somehow? Are they still roaming, did you- “

” I said it was nobody important. “ The Janitor huffed. Eyeing the pile of packages.

“ ..Alright, sheesh. “ Marcus rolled his eyes and started walking away, off to the second intersecting room. The former blind man blanked out for a second, before snapping back into awareness, blinking. Wait. Did he-

He left the smaller package on the pile, oh my god-

“ -Hey- wait up! “ He quickly followed behind. He’s so scattershot right now, it’s unbelievable.

” -What?? You’re halting time here. “ Marcus puffed, turning around and beginning to stare his co-worker down.

“ Wh— “ Roger was going to protest, but he just brushed it off. “ Okay-sure-whatever- I need this. “ Snatching the smaller box from atop the pile. “ ..Uhh.. where’s your brother? “

” Thomas? He’s asleep, I told him I could take over. And.. is that the- “

” Yeah. The package for the Lady. I- I don’t know if I should go now, or wait… “ He still contemplated. He thought he was going to bring it to her tonight but… he’s hesitant. The older Chef sucked a breath through his teeth. Just saying-

“ ..I’m not gonna lie, Roger; you might just wanna wait. “

“ I know, but— maybe I can just get it out of the way real fast. “

“ But do you realize that could probably actually be a bad idea. “

“ I- uh-huh, yeah— I dunno. “

…

There’s an awkward silence for a moment. They both glanced at each other, and at the ground every few seconds. Marcus had his face all scrunched up in thought. Were people outside the Maw really that bad?? He and Thomas don’t even know, or remember what it’s like out there. They’ve only known this place most of their lives. But Roger…definitely seemed to have it a different way than from he and his brother. He’s lived outside before, for more of his life. And.. that happened. The eyeballs-being-gone thing.

Sheesh.

Meanwhile Roger had a point blank expression. He didn’t know what he was even thinking. Everything’s tangled up. Scrambled. There’s not much to say.

” … “

” … “

“ ..should I go send it up now, or.. “

“ —Ugh. You do what you want, I guess. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. “ Marcus once again rolled his eyes.

Mhm. Right. Roger scooted around him, and head off. Is he seriously doing this? Should he turn around?? He’s already going forward. But he’s not too far, he just left! He can just-

..Y’know what? No. He’s- he’s just gonna do it. Get it done, out of the way, never gonna do again. Possibly.

…He’s curious, anyways.

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

Wishing I was her

(not my gif but look how cute it is)(requested by anonymous)

(D- The reader has had a crush on Nick for a long time and realizes just how much she likes him after he gets together with Lindsay)

- It all started in middle school when you first laid eyes on Nick Andopolis. Back then he was less perfect, all gangly limbs and dorky smiles, but it was only a matter of time before you fell for him. And though your friends would tease you endlessly for it, you were never able to completely shake your attraction. Not even when he made friends with Daniel Desario, not even when he became a freak, not even when he dated Heidi Henderson and now not even as he dated Lindsay Weir.

- You felt utterly pathetic being so hung up on a guy who probably barely even knew you existed. You weren’t a freak, you weren’t even close to him, you were just y/n y/l/n the girl who was in his English class.

- What made it even more frustrating was that you could have gotten close to him just as easily as Lindsay had; maybe even easier. You’d been friends with Kim in the early years of middle school. How hard would it have been to ask her to hang out again?

- But you weren’t jealous, it was strange. You didn’t resent Lindsay or Nicky or anyone; you just felt like you missed an opportunity, one you’d never have again because him and Lindsay were perfect together. He was seriously in love and she, well you didn’t know Lindsay all too well but she seemed like a sweet girl.

- All you wanted to do was get rid of your feelings once and for all. To end what was going to destroy your chances of finding real love where you could.

- That’s why you were where you were now, standing at Kim Kelly’s locker, waiting for her to show up to get her books. She looked mildly amused seeing you there, looking completely out of place and awkward. She slowly sauntered up to you and you gave her a small smile, telling her that you’d been doing some reminiscing and was wondering if she’d want to hang out sometime.

- Perhaps it was because hanging out with you would make her look good to her mother or because a sliver of her actually wanted to be your friend again but she smirked, winked and said “You want to roll with the cool kids, huh? Alright, let’s get out of here.”

- Maybe it was a bitch move going through Kelly to fix your issues but you weren’t going to just dump her when you got the closure you felt you needed. You would still be her friend, would probably be all their friends if they actually accepted you, you just needed an easy way to get in.

- Your plan had been to become friends with Nick, crush that stupid crush you had on him by actually hanging out around him. You hoped that your feelings would just fade because you would finally know what he was actually like. He would no longer be some mysterious dream guy you could fantasize about. He would be a real person to you and one you might not like as much as you thought you did.

- And so, for the past week and a half you had been a certified member of the freaks. You’d been avoided by some of your classmates and insulted by others but you knew that that was just the way things were going to be from now on.  You really didn’t mind.

- You were sort of surprised to find that you really liked hanging out with the freaks. They were a nice change from everyone you had ever been friends with and oddly enough you seemed to just fit right in. It seemed that you particularly got along with Nick when he wasn’t hanging around Lindsay and being stoned out of his mind. 

- But during your time of hanging out with him you really started to figure things out and come to terms with your feelings. 

- You’d hung out with him, was able to see and hear about every stupid or disgusting thing he had ever done and yet... nothing changed. You still liked him and you realized that you were even worse off than before because now you knew for certain that you didn’t just have a crush on him. You were absolutely in love.

- He was no longer a mystery to you but you liked the real him even more than the version of him you had come up with. He really was your perfect guy in so many ways and you had probably lost any chance you might have had with him by not acting sooner.

- Everytime you saw them together you longed to be her. Sometimes it physically hurt to look at them. But then the unexpected happened. 

- Nick broke up with Lindsay and everything went to shit. He was depressed and completely hung up on her yet she didn’t seem all that hurt. It was as though the roles were reversed, as though she wasn’t the one who had supposedly been dumped.

- Then you learned the truth as to why they called it quits and your heart broke for him. Could he get more amazing? At this point you weren’t sure.

- But it hurt seeing him like that because you knew what it felt like to be in love with someone who really didn’t love you back. It hurt even more because you would have killed to have him yet he couldn’t even see what a great guy he was or how obviously in love with him you had been from the start. 

- Maybe you’d never had a chance with him but you would rather die then sit around and watch him mope. Yearning for a girl that just wasn’t into him as much as he hoped.  

- You wanted to support him, you really did, but hell it bothered you. More often than not you were the one to hang out with him because you felt an obligation to that no one else in the group really did. Perhaps they were used to it but you weren’t so you wanted to help him as much as you could. You felt like you owed it to him in some weird unexplainable way; to help him when no one else helped you, even though his situation was admittedly worse than yours. 

- So here you were, sitting in his basement watching him listen to music and lay on the couch like a corpse, limp and depressed looking. You couldn’t stand it. You shuffled across the couch so that you were sitting closer to him or rather to his head that was buried in a pillow. 

“Nick?” he groaned in response, the low sound muffled by the pillow. “Come on Nick, get up. You can’t suffocate yourself in a pillow all day.” 

- He pushed himself around so that he was laying on his back. The front of his hair stuck up and around in wild direction, you had to fight back the urge to reach out and fix it. Instead you patted his shoulder.

“Nick, you’re the greatest guy I’ve ever met. You’re funny, handsome, talented; any girl would be lucky to have you. And if Lindsay can’t see how amazing you are then maybe she just wasn’t right for you.”

“But she was the only girl whose ever understood me.” He replied.

“Well don’t I understand you?” You asked shyly, almost hopefully.

“I mean yeah but... you know what I mean. She was the only girl who understood me and loved me and wanted to be with me.” he said miserably.

“Well I’ve got news for you buddy.” You muttered almost under your breath as you looked at your hands, the floor, the walls; anywhere except for him.

- The couch squeaked and all of a sudden he was sitting up, his eyes locked on the side of your head. You could feel his gaze on you and it made you want to disappear. He’d obviously heard you. 

“What do you mean?” He asked. You wondered if you could make up an excuse and escape. 

“What do you want me to say Nick? That I love you? That I have loved you for a while now? Look I’m sorry. I know you don’t want to hear this right now, not from me at least so... so I think I should just go.” You sighed.

- You stood up and quickly gathered your things, heading up the basement steps as he sat silently on the couch. You weren’t sure what you thought was going to happen but deep down you think you knew this was how it was going to end. 

- You had managed to make it outside and a little ways down the street when you heard his door open and him emerge from behind it. He called after you but you didn’t stop, you just kept going, too embarrassed to face him and the rejection you knew he was bringing. Your mind was already searching for all the ways that you could fake your way out of going to school tomorrow

- In an instant you were being pulled back and into a hard chest, his arms wrapped around you and kept you close to him. You felt more than a little awkward as he held onto you for a long moment before he finally pulled back.

“I’m sorry, I... I didn’t realize that you liked me like that and well I... I’m not sure what to say but I’m uh, I’m happy, I’m really happy. I like it.” He laughed that awkward, unsure laugh of his and you couldn’t help but smile in return.

“Listen, I know you still like Lindsay and that’s alright. I’m not going to try to rush you into something just because I want it. If you want to do this then we can do it slowly, take things one step at a time. But first I think you need some time to be on your own and think everything through. As soon as you know what you want then I’ll be here alright? Just please tell me if you don’t want anything to do with me, I’d rather know then continue to hold out for no reason.” You said sincerely, giving him a small smile as he nodded at you. 

- He agreed and the two of you said goodbye to each other. When you got home it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off your shoulders, just letting him know how you felt had eased away so much of the stress that you had been carrying.

- It was a few days later that Nick had asked to talk to you. You were a little worried but the shy smile on his face kept you hopeful. Soon enough you were standing with him outside of his house, watching him lean against his car and search for the right words to say.

“I did some thinking like you told me. Good advice by the way, it really helped,” He laughed, his cheeks twinged a light pink. “But um, I’ve realized a few things about myself and about you and I just have to get them off my chest. Well I’ve realized that I don’t really miss Lindsay anymore and I don’t think she ever really missed me as much as I used to hope she did. And during that time? When I was thinking? I also realized that we were like really good together, you know? And that I don’t think I’d be whole without you like, like Zeppelin without Bonham. So Y/n....”

- You held you breath as he struggled to find the words. Your heart stopped beating and you wanted nothing more than to jump into his arms. 

“I love you and I want to be with you and I’m hoping that you’ll still take me.” He finished. 

- You grabbed his hands to make him look at you, your heart going back to normal and starting to beat quicker than before after hearing his final words. His gaze met yours and he shook his head with a smile, pulling you into him and wrapping his arms around you. You knew the pleasant feeling of being able to get something like that off your chest and you could see that pleasure written all over his face. 

“So do you want to go out sometime?” He asked jokingly yet you could still hear the twinge of uncertainty in his voice.

“I’d love to.” you assured and his arms tightened around you.

[mistymark]

the one where you’re someone else. [donghyuck] [part 2]

lee donghyuck x reader // 1.4k words // highschool!au // body switch!au

summary; in which you wake up in someone else’s body. more than once.

warnings: swearing, confusion, terrible enemies to lovers trope

requested; nope

The room before you should make you feel fearful or, at the very least, a little anxious. Mostly because the room you wake up in isn’t your own.

Yet, you feel yourself smile slightly at the sight of it, carefully rubbing sleep out of your eyes as you sit up in the bed. The rooms walls are a grey colour that is neither too light nor too dark, giving the room a cosy vibe. There’s a string of fairy lights hanging across the far wall, and a dying potted plant on the desk.

The posters and photographs located around the room stand out the most. A lot of them have been up there since you were a kid, and you even spot a photo of your 8 year old self in a wonder woman costume, a boy of the same age standing next to you in a batman costume. The fact that you’re taller than him in this photo amuses you. The fact that Donghyuck still has the photo taped haphazardly to his wall surprises you.

You wonder why you’re at Donghyuck’s house, let alone in his bed, and exit his bedroom to find the kitchen. In the kitchen, however, you only find his mother, “Oh, good, you’re awake.”

You offer her a faint smile as you stand in the doorway, looking around the kitchen wearily. Youre about to open your mouth to ask where Donghyuck is when she says something else.

“Are you going to come have breakfast or are you just going to stand there?” She lets out a warm chuckle and continues buttering her toast.

“Oh, right, s-,” you stop midsentence, your eyes widening. Your voice. Am I sick or something?

“Well, I have to head off in five. Don’t forget to lock the house up before you leave and pick up some milk on the way home!” And she’s gone. And now you’re all alone in Donghyuck’s house, presumably. You hadn’t heard anyone else.

So, you prepare yourself some toast and find a jar of honey in the cupboard.

Realisation strikes when you walk past the microwave and - even though at first you thought it was Donghyuck standing behind you - you realise, somehow, you’re in Donghyuck’s body. What the fuck.

After running to the bathroom to look in the mirror and check that the microwave door wasn’t somehow lying to you about your appearance, and then looking for your phone and only finding Donghyuck’s, you decide you need to get to school because, holy shit, how did this even happen? And holy shit, where is Donghyuck? Holy shit, is he you in the same way that you’re him?

You don’t know how Donghyuck normally gets to school, whether he drives or takes the bus or carpools, so you go on a whim and catch the earliest bus possible. Youd tried to dress yourself in clothes Donghyuck normally wears - though attempting to find clean clothes in that boys room had proven to be a difficult task. You eventually went with a pair of black jeans and a striped tee, throwing the hoodie you always see him wearing into your - his - backpack.

There’s no one from your school on the bus with you, which proves to be a relief as you had no idea how you were going to interact with them without first talking to Donghyuck. The horrible thought that you might not even see him, or yourself, at school today passes through your mind, but you dismiss it quickly, hoping that somehow, he shows up.

“What are you doing to Y/n’s locker?” Yeji asks, once she sees you - Donghyuck - trying to open your locker.

The question confuses you for a second, before you turn to her, an attempt at an innocent look on your face, “N-nothing?”

Her eyes narrow, “The last time you said that, I had shaving cream leaking into my locker so-“

“No! No, nothing like that. I...uh, I took her schedule yesterday so I’m just returning it.”

She doesn’t look at you as she closes her locker door, “Right. Well, that’s nice of you, I guess.”

You don’t respond, now staring into your locker until she leaves. She walks behind you, but turns on her heel to ask you a final question, “How do you even know her locker combination?”

The question throws you off guard, and you stammer out a response, “I-I see her do it all the time?” It comes out more of a question than an answer.

When she leaves, heading to a choir rehearsal, you stash Donghyuck’s backpack and books in your locker. The phone in your pocket beeps, and you quickly pull it out to read the message from Renjun, “drive me to school?”

“can’t. already here. have to meet y/n.” Short and to the point. Is that how he normally texts?

“lol wtf,” is the response you get, so you assume he didn’t notice anything was up.

You wait for the remaining half hour until home room, but you haven’t seen any sign of the real Donghyuck, or any sign of other people acting weird. Groups of students walk in as normal, you see your own friends and almost run up to them as you normally would, then decide against it considering you don’t look like yourself.

Trouble comes in the form of Jaemin and Jeno, who clap you on the back in greeting, and you almost trip. “Hey, man,” Jeno says.

“Oh! Hey, guys,” you offer them a smile.

“Have you seen Renjun?” Jaemin asks, standing on his tippy toes to search the sea of students. You don’t know why he does it - he’s already taller than most of them anyway. “We’re supposed to go over our presentation for Lit.”

“I think he’s still on his way. I couldn’t give him a ride this morning.” You hope Donghyuck normally gives Renjun a ride.

“Oh?” Jenos eyebrows knit together and he cocks his head as he says it, and you can’t help thinking how cute he looks. “Why not?”

“I need to see Y/n.”

Jaemin rolls his eyes, “You always ‘need’ to see Y/n.”

“Shut up - this is serious.” At that moment, he must see Renjun because he slaps you and Jeno on the shoulder and then attempts to squeeze between you two, yelling the older boys name.

Jeno watches him go, before his attention goes back to you. “Are you okay, dude? Something seems off.”

“Huh? No, I’m fine. Just annoyed because Y/n’s late.” It feels weird to refer to yourself in the third person.

His gaze lingers on you momentarily, but then he shoulders his bag and lightly bumps you in the direction of his own locker, “She must be sick. You know Y/n, shes never late.”

Sick. Maybe you were sick. You definitely weren’t well.

Jeno talks about his chemistry assignment, and fills you in on his evening, while you feign interest and keep an eye on the front doors.

By your first class you’re beginning to give up hope, so you sit in History, focusing on the teacher’s slides and writing out notes, trying to stop your mind from wandering to thoughts of Donghyuck.

None of Donghyuck’s friends are in this class, so thankfully you’re given a slight break of pretending to be friends with them while you work.

“Sorry I’m late-,” your eyes instantly snap up to the sound of the voice. Your voice. “I had an appointment.” You watch as you walk into the classroom and hand the note over to the teacher, who takes it and turns back to the board, before quickly looking back at you. The feeling is surreal, watching yourself walk around and talk as if it isn’t you. Almost like a dream.

Although, in a dream, at least, you’d be better dressed. You were wearing a pair of wide-legged old jeans and one of your dad’s hoodies, which you usually only wear around the house. You stare at yourself wide-eyed. None of your usual light makeup, and it looked like you hadn’t brushed your hair.

Your eyes are lowered to the floor, but you slide into the seat next to you. “Y/n?” Your body whispers.

You freeze, your gaze not leaving your notebook, “D-donghyuck?”

He - you? -  lets out a breath, “Yes.”

There’s silence for a moment, and he begins taking notes. Eventually, you can’t take it any more.

“What the fuck are you wearing?”

[anistarrose]

Summary: Angus leads a virtual book club meeting. Kravitz connects the dots. Taako makes significant updates to the list of people he trusts and things he believes.

Characters: Kravitz, Taako, Barry Bluejeans, Angus McDonald, Magnus Burnsides, Merle Highchurch, Noelle | No-3113, The Raven Queen, The Director | Lucretia, misc. BoB cameos, Julia Burnsides, Garyl

Relationships: Taakitz, Angus McDonald & Taako, Barry Bluejeans & Kravitz, Kravitz & Angus McDonald

Bit by bit, we’re inching closer to the endgame! Lots of plot and angst in this update, but also I think I might’ve implied that Minecraft exists in Faerun, so it evens out, y’know?

By virtue of their trance state replacing sleep, elves were supposed to be good lucid dreamers. Taako had always experienced mixed results, but never moreso than tonight, with a dream that started out all saccharine romantic fantasy — fishing with Kravitz and sharing a kiss after falling into the lake together — before a clap of thunder and an unholy scream plunged the world into darkness and left one single source of light, one last surviving star, cradled in Taako’s unassuming hands.

Then a ripple in the darkness, the invisible maw of some ravenous entity, closed around that final star — and Taako screamed, as loud as he could muster yet still not loud enough to drown the ringing in his ears, as he flailed in the dark against the invisible monster that stole the world from him —

At once, two hands closed around his own, one cold and the other warm. On Taako’s left was Kravitz, aghast but holding himself together, a steely composure to his posture despite the fear in his eyes.

On Taako’s right was a Red Robe — but not Barry, and in fact not anything like what Taako had started to accept as normal for Red Robes. Where Barry had a clouded darkness in place of hands and a face, this lich had pure static escaping from within her sleeves and beneath her hood, crackling and constantly changing shape like lightning, or… like fire.

Taako sat up in his bed covered in cold sweat, heart pounding as he realized his legs were hopelessly tangled in his sheets, and only slightly slowing when he realized there was nothing in his bedroom to run from.

Elves were supposed to rarely awaken late, but Taako’s wizard hat-shaped alarm clock — a gift that Angus that he’d quietly appreciated, even though it should have been redundant — indicated that it was mid-morning, and when he trudged out into the common area, he found no sign of his doormates besides a note written in Magnus’s distinctive scrawl.

I know you were busy last night, so we’re letting you sleep in while we go play Fantasy Kickball on the quad! Killian and Avi are team captains and their rivalry is fierce, so we’ll probably be playing all day if you want to join us! Love, Magnus! (And Merle)

Taako didn’t realize how relieved he was until he felt himself let out a sigh.

He had a sinking feeling that the same dream — or at least, a similar dream — had played out more than once that night, looping over and over again as he repeatedly failed to remember, much less control, where it was going. He felt too exhausted to be operating on even a single minute of dreamless sleep, and didn’t even want to think about holding a conversation with anyone…

Well, with most people. There was someone he’d really been meaning to chat with, before he’d been distracted by haircuts and Kravitz and pottery and stargazing and Kravitz.

He transmuted a mug of lukewarm tap water to a piping hot, high-caffeine tea, then picked up his Umbra Staff, and conjured a familiar phantom steed with twin horns that nearly grazed the ceiling as he reared and whinnied.

“Yooo! Mornin’, Taako!”

“Morning, Garyl.” Taako yawned. “Could you do me a favor, and tell me literally anything you know about the liches you said I used to hang out with?”

***

CalebClevelandFan#2045: All early-installment weirdness aside, I really do think it’s a great introduction to the series! Because of the retcons you’ll encounter later, there are some conspiracy theories that the most recent arc of Caleb Cleveland was ghostwritten to maximize the publishing rate (which I think is hogwash, because continuity errors are going to be inevitable no matter who’s writing) but I guess I’ll let you decide for yourself when you get there! Do you need to stop by the moon again to borrow Book 2?

ReaperAwMan#1672: No thank you, Angus! I think I’m going to try and download the “digital” version, now that I know I can do that on my Stone! Taako told me about that feature and a lot of others last night, so if I can’t get it to work, I’ll just call him and ask him to walk me through it. :)

ReaperAwMan: Did I use the smiley face correctly?

CalebClevelandFan: Yes! :) You’ve picked up on technology a lot faster than my grandpa did.

CalebClevelandFan: Did Taako also choose your username on this app, though?

ReaperAwMan: How did you know? Is it a reference to something? :)

CalebClevelandFan: Um

CalebClevelandFan: Yes, but it’s a long story. It’s not mean-spirited or anything, though! I think it’s pretty funny!

ReaperAwMan: Okay! :)

CalebClevelandFan: Is that all for book club today? If it is, Mr. Kravitz, I just want to say that I’d be happy to talk to you again about Caleb Cleveland anytime!

CalebClevelandFan: It means a lot to me, but I understand if you’re too busy (message edited)

ReaperAwMan: Oh, there’s always time for book club, Angus!

ReaperAwMan: But I admit, I have had a lot on my mind…

CalebClevelandFan: Is it the liches? Since the Reclaimers aren’t in trouble anymore? (By the way, I went to tell Noelle she didn’t have to worry about getting reaped, but apparently she’s visiting family, so I left a message with her teammates Carey and Killain..)

ReaperAwMan: Excellent deduction. (And thank you for that. I hope she gets the message soon.)

ReaperAwMan: You’re right, I’m still hunting Lup and Barry Bluejeans, but… I just can’t shake the feeling that they’re connected to Taako and the others.

CalebClevelandFan: Really? What makes you say that?

ReaperAwMan: Well, I didn’t think much of this for a long time, and now I’m kicking myself for it, but their bounties registered in our system at the same time as Taako’s, Magnus’s, and Merle’s. We figured it was just a widespread detection glitch, which has happened before on a much smaller scale, but now it feels awfully suspicious. The Reclaimers have also encountered Barry at least four times now, without even seeking him out the first three times, whereas finding Barry is my job, and I get a lead on him about twice a year, if I’m lucky.

CalebClevelandFan: That is odd. Did any other bounties show up at that same time? Do you know if they have any kind of connections to Barry?

ReaperAwMan: Only two others, for a couple of people named Lucretia and Davenport. They must be living like hermits, because it’s been 12 years and I know as little about them as I do about Lup. Not a lot of leads there, I’m afraid.

(CalebClevelandFan is typing…)

(CalebClevelandFan is typing…)

CalebClevelandFan: Hmm. Huh! I wish I could say those names meant something to me, but I’ve never heard them before in my life! Truly unfortunate, that. But, I do suspect that Barry appearing to the Reclaimers is because the Red Robes made the Grand Relics, and it’s the Reclaimers’ job to track those seven relics down!

ReaperAwMan: You mean to tell me that Barold J. Bluejeans made a Grand Relic, and the Reclaimers all knew that information, but didn’t think it would be important to tell me?! This is simultaneously the most and least surprised I’ve been at any point in my afterlife.

CalebClevelandFan: Well, I guess there’s a reason I’m the moon’s resident boy detective and they aren’t, sir!

ReaperAwMan: Wait. Angus.

CalebClevelandFan: Yes?

ReaperAwMan: Seven relics. Seven bounties.

CalebClevelandFan: Sorry, sir, I’m not following. What’s the connection?

ReaperAwMan: I know this is going to sound impossible, but…

ReaperAwMan: Taako is a transmutation wizard. The Philosopher’s Stone can transmute any material into anything else. Merle is a nature cleric, and the Gaia Sash offers control over natural disasters and the wilderness. Then of course, Barry is a lich like no other, and the Animus Bell is the most dangerous necromantic artifact I’ve ever been tasked with monitoring. I don’t know exactly how Magnus fitz into this, or how the other three bounties have managed to hide from me, but…

ReaperAwMan: I think Taako, Merle, and Magnus made three of the Grand Relics!

ReaperAwMan: Angus? Are you still there?

CalebClevelandFan: Sorry, I just rebooted my Stone, but I still can’t read your second-to-last message! It just looks like static, but I was inoculated, so that shouldn’t be possible!

ReaperAwMan: I’m not sure what you mean by “inoculated,” but if the app is glitching, then do you want me to call you?

CalebClevelandFan: It may not be the app, sir. And if it isn’t, I fear a phone call won’t make any difference… but I just got an idea! I’m going to go check if Noelle is back yet — she should be able to help with this. Please bear with me for a few minutes, sir!

ReaperAwMan: Okay, then… good luck!

Head in his hand, Kravitz scrolled back up to the offending message, reading it over once more.

I think Taako, Merle, and Magnus made three of the Grand Relics!

It made sense, but it shouldn’t have. Despite all the questions it answered, it raised more in their place — and Kravitz had been ready to accept that he was wrong, ready for brilliant little Angus to chime in with a piece of evidence that refuted it all...

Except that message, and that message alone, hadn’t made it to Angus in the first place — and wasn’t that the most damning, of all the so-called coincidences aligning before Kravitz’s eyes?

The Reclaimers made Grand Relics and consorted with liches. The Reclaimers can’t remember making Grand Relics or consorting with liches.

Someone is hiding the truth from the Reclaimers, and from Angus. Someone is hiding the truth from the entire Bureau of Balance.

Is it Barry? Does he have that much power? Is he working with someone? With Lup?

Kravitz summoned his scythe with the full intention of warping straight to the moonbase, and bringing his four friends from the Bureau directly back to the Astral Plane — not to take them prisoner, but simply to get them somewhere safe, somewhere to talk without Queen-knows-what outside forces eavesdropping or interfering. Yet before he could open a rift, Kravitz’s vision flashed blue, and a faint yet familiar tug directed his focus towards a much different region of the Material Plane.

A voice echoed in his head, too distorted to identify the speaker, but the words themselves were clear enough:

Kravitz, help!

Kravitz’s Stone of Farspeech clattered onto his desk as he raised his fingers to his temples and closed his eyes, honing in on the location of the summoning arrow. It was surrounded by undead presences of several shapes and forms, but one aura outshone all the others — one unmistakable red aura, crackling with power, and… desperation.

There was a very short list of people on the Material Plane with access to this kind of summoning beacon — and no matter what dark secrets their pasts held, Kravitz couldn’t bear the thought of any of them being left alone with an incredibly powerful, secret-keeping, Relic-crafting lich who had finally, finally snapped.

With a frantic swing of his scythe, he ripped open a jagged portal to the arrow’s location, and leapt through without even pausing to retrieve his Stone.

Hang on, boys! I’m coming!

***

“If you wanna hear anything about liches,” Garyl declared, “that information comes with a price. Which you know is gonna be oats, ‘cause what would I even do with gold? I’m just a funky little 80’s horse remix, so you gotta hand over those spectral oats, dude.”

Taako sighed. “Garyl. I know you’re not gonna like this question. But before you whine, please consider the fact that I’m not in the fucking mood. Now: does it have to be oats?”

“A pound of spectral oats is worth two spectral carrots or one spectral sugar cube! That’s the conversion rate. If you offer a spectral salt lick, I may be willing to negotiate.”

Taako conjured two floating, semi-tangible carrots with a wave of his umbrella, and levitated them over to Garyl, who took a bite out of both at once.

“That’s the stuff!” he whinnied. “Okay, so. Liches. Whatcha wanna know about ‘em?”

“You said, like — like two days ago now — that you used to get spectral oats from liches that I hung out with. Garyl, I need to know: was that true, or were you just guilting me for not spoiling you with enough treats?”

Garyl’s response was rendered completely indecipherable by the fresh bite of carrot in his mouth, part of which splattered across the floor and narrowly missed Taako.

“This is serious, Garyl! I’ve been meaning to ask you about this for a while, but it keeps getting more serious.” Taako groaned. “I… I didn’t even realize it, until I was talking to Kravitz last night, but… it’s just… okay, look. He remembers his whole life crystal clear, right down to how many stars you could see from this planet eight hundred and twenty years ago, but…”

He lowered his voice, glancing towards the door. “My past has always just been… fuzzy to me. I never really worried about it, but… I’m just now realizing that this might not be normal. And that if it isn’t, then I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Garyl swallowed the last of the carrots. “Yo, your past isn’t fuzzy to me. You really don’t remember your lich buddies — your lich family? Your literal sister and brother-in-law?”

“No, Garold, I don’t remember the sound of getting electrocuted in a fantasy garbage disposal!” Taako rubbed his forehead with increasing vigor, futilely attempting to massage away the sensation of an approaching migraine. “I don’t know how you made that noise with your nasty horse mouth, but it sounded just as bad as the static Lich Barry was speaking when —”

He gasped — and in the ensuing silence, the static kept ringing in his ears, but not as an audible echo. It was coming from within his own head, like a misdirected electric current leaping from neuron to neuron, generated as his mind repeatedly tried and failed to process what he’d just heard… and Taako knew exactly where he’d felt that sensation before.

“Oh, fuck.”

He bolted for the door, locked it, then frantically emptied his pockets until he found his Stone of Farspeech, which he powered down and then magically silenced for extra insurance. “Shit. Shit. Fuck.”

“Yo, what’s the rush?” Garyl asked. “Didja just remember you owe the unicorn mafia a whole bushel of oatsss?”

“What the hell? No!” Taako cradled Garyl’s snout in his hands, standing on his tiptoes to stare at Garyl in the eyes. “Promise me, promise me right now, Garyl, that you’re not gonna fucking snitch.”

Garyl’s expression turned as serious as a binicorn’s expression could turn, given two horns, technicolor eyes, and glittering lashes to work with. “Taako, you gave me life. I’ve always got your back, man.”

“There’s a second voidfish,” Taako blurted out. “And you’re more ghost than horse, I guess, so you’re immune to it, but I’m not. And I — I think I lost something big to it.”

“Huh.” Garyl snorted. “Damn. Geez, yeah. That would explain some things about, man, musta been…” He closed his eyes, nostrils twitching. “The last twelve years? That sound right?”

“Please, Garyl. You — you might know me better than I know me, at this point, so I need you to tell me — who can I trust?”

“I can’t decide that for you, Taako.” Garyl arched his majestic equine neck, as a single tear rolled down his face, and his mullet billowed in a wind that simply shouldn’t have been possible indoors. “Look at what you know to be true in your heart, and begin the journey towards your truth by trusting yourself.”

“I’m not here to listen to your poetry, Garyl — I need names!” Taako pleaded. “Like, I — I can at least trust Kravitz, right?”

“Look, man, I’m sorry! I could tell you who you used to trust, but if someone took a Voidfish-brand eraser to your chalkboard of a brain, that means someone had to betray you, and I dunno who it was! Kravitz is probably chill, because he seems on the level and you haven’t known him long enough for him to be the culprit — but I’m still juggling like six suspects, and I’ve only got four hooves, man! I’m trying my best to —”

Abruptly, Garyl’s voice died out, and he lowered his eyes. “Well, okay, it would be… five suspects. ‘Cause… Lup definitely went missing before any memories got…”

Taako clapped his hands over his ears. “Can you try not to do that? I’m already on the edge of a migraine without —”

A knock at the door interrupted him, and the next thing he knew, he was brandishing his Umbra Staff — never mind the fact that he’d locked that door just a minute ago, and it had since remained closed.

“Taako?” Lucretia called from the hallway. “Are you alright in there?”

After what must’ve been a suspiciously long pause, “Fine!” was the only word Taako could force out.

“Just dandy!” Garyl added in a terrible Taako impression, and Taako elbowed him in the equine shoulder.

“You’re sure?” The quizzical tilt to Lucretia’s head was downright audible. “You don’t sound like yourself.”

Taako bit back a reply of golly, I wonder if that’s because I don’t who I am or how much of myself I’m missing! but managed something more civil, clamping a hand over Garyl’s mouth as he spoke.

“Just had a late night last night! Took some… personal hours. May or may not be nursing a mild hangover now.”

“Oh, we’ve all been there. Merle did mention you were sleeping in.” Lucretia sounded like her suspicion had been sated — unless, of course, she just wanted Taako to think that — because in a much more casual voice that carried far less gravitas, the next thing she asked was: “Do you mind if I come in? I feel like we haven’t talked since Candlenights.”

“No problem!” Taako replied, probably much too quickly. He uttered the word ‘unlock’ under his breath in Elvish, to magically undo his little paranoia-induced security measure before swinging the door open, and hoping Lucretia wouldn’t notice the door had been locked or go on to question why. “Mi casa es tu casa — ‘cause, y’know, mi casa is technically part of your moonbase.”

If Lucretia did notice the unlocking door, she only questioned it silently, because her attention seemed understandably drawn to the binicorn trotting in place in the middle of the dorm.

“Oh, Garyl! Good to see you too.”

“Haha, yeah!” Garyl chuckled nervously. “Imagine meeting you, here, in a place like this! What are the odds?”

Lucretia lowered herself onto the sofa, glanced at Magnus’s rugged hand-crafted coffee table, and pointed to her feet. “Do you mind?”

Taako shrugged. “Uh… knock yourself out, Luce?”

She kicked off her heeled boots and slung her feet onto the table, laying her staff down in her lap. “Let’s get to the point. I did come here for a particular reason —”

“Oh?” Taako forced a smile. “Do tell.”

“Well, Merle and Leon got into a bit of an argument over — actually, let me start from the beginning. At some point in today’s second game, the kickball went over the edge of the moon, and has probably hit the planet Earth at terminal velocity by now.” Lucretia grimaced. “I hope no one was standing beneath it. Yikes.”

“Home run, baby!” Garyl cheered. Taako simply attempted to nod along.

“Actually, by our rules, it’s a foul with a sizeable penalty. Leon was pitching and Merle was kicking, so naturally they got into a fight over whose fault it was, and Merle threatened — let me see if I remember this all correctly — to ask you, Taako, to ask your ‘new friend the Grim Reaper’ to come up here and ‘reap Leon’s ass’ like said Grim Reaper purportedly once threatened to reap Merle’s own ass. So I was just hoping to get to you first, and stage an intervention to make sure the Bureau’s only artificer doesn’t take a one way trip to the heavens above — not to mention, maybe, ask if you had any idea what the hell Merle was talking about?”

“Well, bold statement saying Leon would go to heaven, first of all. Pretty sure he’d head the way of the plummeting kickball and smash through the planet’s crust. Second of all, um, I guess you could say I know the Grim Reaper? Look, we haven’t been seeing each other for very long, but I think we both feel a connection —”

“Oh! Well, good for you! Don’t get me wrong, that’s fucking wild if you mean it seriously rather than as a goof, but I’m still happy for you!”

“Not a goof. That is the whole story there, though. I’m dating the Grim Reaper, what more is there to say?” Taako grinned from ear to ear, and it felt slightly more sincere than every other smile he’d put on in this disaster of a conversation. “But as a… as an aside… uh, Garyl, do you remember those… six, no, five people you mentioned to me, just before Lucretia showed up?”

Garyl blinked at him with a downright hostility, as if to say You’re circling back to this topic NOW?

“Your, um, suspect list?” Taako clarified. “Of… people on the moon most likely to give you oats? I guess it was more like a power ranking, actually, let’s definitely call it a power ranking instead of a suspect list — but my point is, um, was the ‘Director’ here on it?”

“Yee-esssss,” Garyl replied slowly, still giving Taako the evil eye. “You know what I always say about Lucretia: she… she totes got the oats!”

“Okay!” Taako replied, knuckles turning white as he gripped the handle of the Umbra Staff. “Thanks! For letting me know! About those oat facts!”

“Um,” said Lucretia, which was probably the best reaction that Taako could’ve reasonably hoped for. “I… think I misplaced my oats today. Also, maybe my supply of oats for this entire year?” She reached for her boots. “Is this a hint that I should go back to refereeing kickball?”

“Yes!” Taako blurted out. “Oh, I mean, no, it’s not — I mean, you can leave! But you don’t have to. We don’t mind you being here!”

“We don’t not want you to leave but we also don’t not not not want you to leave,” Garyl added, as if it were a verbal Fantasy Rosetta Stone that would clarify and explain all of Taako’s anxious floundering. “Because we trust and cherish you. And oats! Mostly oats.”

Lucretia slipped her boots back on, then rose from her seat in a regal manner that probably wasn’t intended to intimidate the living daylights out of Taako. “No, you have a point. I should go make sure our secret society doesn’t fracture into warring kickball factions — but I’ll be back to chat more, don’t worry. Hopefully on a day you’re feeling better, Taako.”

She winked at Garyl as she turned to leave. “And I’ll try and remember to bring oats. Gotta move up in those power rankings.”

“It was actually more like a tier list!” Garyl called as she closed the door. When Taako magically locked it behind her, Garyl began pacing around the dorm, his tail swishing with enough force to knock several paintings and decorative vases onto the floor.

“Taako! She never has oats and she knows it! She’s onto us!”

“Yeah, you think?” Taako sunk into the couch Lucretia had vacated, burying his head in his hands. “I need backup who can hear through the static, before she puts it together and comes back to throw me in the brig. I’m calling Kravitz.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you do that. I’ll keep working on the tier list.” As Taako began to reboot his Stone, Garyl accelerated his nervous pacing to a nervous trot.

“Garyl, if this turns into a canter, I swear to gods —” Taako muttered, tapping the Stone’s unresponsive screen with a shaky thumb.

“Sorry.” Garyl slowed to a halt. “Hmm. You trust Davenport more, less, or the same as Lucretia?”

“What, you think he just pretends he can only say his own name to disguise his role as the evil mastermind?” Taako’s stomach churned. “Shit. You might be onto something. Put him below Lucretia on the tier list. Or above? I dunno how —”

“Wait, I’m not following you, man. Since when can Dav can only say his own name?”

Taako groaned. “I’m gonna take a wild guess and say since twelve fucking years ago — alright, finally! Here we go!” His Stone of Farspeech flickered to life, and he navigated to Kravitz’s contact page as quickly as his trembling fingers allowed.

When he hit Call, an eerie silence filled the dorm as he and Garyl listened to one, two, three, four short rings — then, a beep, and a horrendous pre-recorded Cockney accent.

Hullo, greetings, and top o’ the morning! You’ve successfully reached the desk of Kravitz, Emissary of Her Majesty the Raven Queen, but I’m away right now, so if you have a zombie outbreak to report, press 1. If you wish to subscribe to our mailing list of anti-necromancy resources, press 2. If you’re dead and in need of an escort to the Astral Plane, press 3. If you just wanted to have a friendly chat, please leave a message after the caw, and I’ll get back to you once I’m able.

A raven cawed, and Taako started talking:

“Hey, babe, it’s me! Your boy. Um, don’t let me take you away from saving the world from necromancers or anything important like that… but if you’re not busy, I could really use your help, so if you could swing by the moonbase, and — and maybe not tell anyone you’re coming here or that you’re coming to see me — then that would be just swell! Everything’s cool, nothing’s wrong — well, no, you’re a perceptive guy, you can definitely tell something’s wrong — but I’m sure you and me, and Garyl, and maybe Angus will be able to figure it out, no problem! Except, now that I think about it, maybe not Angus, because I’ve put him in enough danger to solve my own problems already — but uh, thanks in advance, love you, see you soon, bye!”

Then he dropped his Stone, grabbed the nearest couch pillow, and screamed into it.

“Hey, hey, relaaax,” Garyl told him. “You heard him — he’ll get back to you soon.”

“Yeah. I know.” Taako took a deep breath, letting the pillow fall to the ground. “He’s just a busy guy, with an important job. He’ll be here as soon as he can…”

Garyl nodded sagely. “And you’d do the same, for him, because that’s love. Unless…”

Taako’s heart skipped a beat. “Unless?”

“Unless someone on the lower end of the trust tier list knows about his connection to you, and to keep hiding the truth, they capture him before he can get here!” Garyl sniffed. “Just like the unicorn mafia captured my dear ol’ uncle…”

Taako pressed the Call button again, and when he was once again directed to voicemail, he picked the pillow back up and resumed screaming.

“Hey, take it easyyy, man. It’s not like they can kill him,” Garyl soothed. “And b’sides, haven’t you got that… that whatsit-called, that magic arrow? You can still check in on him that way, even if the bad guys stole his Stone!”

“Right!” Taako sprung up from the couch, and bolted towards the quiver of arrows that Magnus had casually slung onto the doorknob of his room. “I mean, I’m sure his phone didn’t even get taken from him — he’s eight and a half centuries old, for crying out loud! He probably just misplaced it, or accidentally put it on silent, or… gee, we really don’t have a lot of traditional surfaces to jab arrows into here, do we?”

He glanced around the dorm, gaze finally landing on Magnus’s homemade coffee table. “I’ll just… wedge it in one of the seams in the wood, so it definitely won’t be noticeable, right?”

“You asking me? I’m apparently an amnesia-immune ghost horse, man — what makes ya think I’d ever want or attempt to understand woodworking?”

“Guess you’ve never attempted to understand a rhetorical question, either,” Taako muttered as he crouched on the ground. Clasping the arrow between two hands, he took a deep breath, then plunged it into the coffee table. “Kravitz? I could really use your help, I won’t lie, but — but mostly, I’m worried and just checking in to make sure you’re okay —”

For a sliver of a second, everything seemed to proceed as it should, with an electric blue glow flickering to life inside the arrowhead — and then, it exploded, spitting out fragments of crystal and tongues of vicious astral fire. Taako reflexively turned his head and dropped to the floor, but still felt something sharp and burning prick into his biceps like a red-hot needle, and he held his breath until the sound of shattering crystal halted and the sound of burning wood faded to a faint sizzling.

“So, uh…” Garyl slowly backed away from Magnus’s poor table, which was already more ‘smoldering pile of ash and sapphire dust’ than it was furniture. “This ever happen before?”

“No,” Taako whispered. He raised a hand to touch the stinging point on his arm, and pulled away with a droplet of blood and a tiny pointed crystal both resting atop his index fingertip. “Never —”

“Okay, cool, that narrows down the possibilities,” Garyl concluded. “Either he’s really busy, or we’re really fucked.”

This time, Taako didn’t even bother to grab a pillow before he started screaming.

***

End Notes:

thanks for reading, comments welcomed as always!

next chapter: Ghost Fight (or in other words, we get to see what Kravitz has been up to in the meantime)