#'i know you didn't come all this way to smash my favourite pot'??

[dollopheadsandclotpoles]

Cute little things to call your soulmate/destiny/other side of your coin

[istadris]

This might be a bit long but bare with me, I have a thought that it might be interesting to discuss about. Luigi has died before. I don't mine like how you loose in a game from touching the tip of a spice, I'm talking about him actually dying, heart stopping and everything.

First off, there was a literal cutscene in a Super Smash Bros game where Luigi got his soul reaped out of him, which some may say it's not dying but how can you possibly say that?

Then we have the classic arrival and end of the final battle of SPM, where Dimentio blows up Mr L and in return sends Luigi there even if Jaydes says none of them are dead. So did that mean that Dimentio simply harmed Mr L enough to knock him out and free him of Nastasia's control? No one knows. Then we have the part where Super Dimentio looses and Luigi and spat back out while the massive head is exploding. That, after being stretched into a monster and having his energy used to its limits during the battle by both Dimentio and the Chaos Heart should have killed him but didn't, or did it and something forced a bit of energy back into him to keep him from dying?

Then we have Luigi's Mansion. This only applies to the second and third game but it should get my point across. You can get golden bones that then Polterpup will eat and lick Luigi's face to bring him back to life, because there are no mushrooms to give him extra lives. Some say that Luigi just passes out because there are zzz floating when his health reaches 0 but we all know that that's not the case if it wasn't a game, especially in boss battles.

Get it now? Luigi has faced death multiple times and came back to tell the tale.

I'm just going to protest that the golden bones count like the 1-up mushrooms, AKA a way that in-universe allows the player to come back from death/failure so the game can continue. If you count the golden bones as a Strange Event narratively, so is the 1-up shroom.

On the other hand, the other examples you mention are indeed, very strange, especially the Smash Bros trailer. Still thinks that this is a BRUTAL way to "kill" Luigi (although Mario got impaled by Ridley in another trailer. Smash ain't a good place for the Mario Bros).

Super Paper Mario is indeed a curious case. Did Dimentio "kill" Mr L entirely, leaving only Luigi behind in the Underwhere ? Was death the only way to defeat the brainwashing ? Was is just the shock of the explosion that knocked Luigi out of it ?

But with all the various evil entities possessing or mind-controlling Luigi over the years, how much do you want to bet that at least some of these possessions turned wrong and actually killed him ?

Sure, Bowser regularly gets possessed by other villains too but he's all but stated to be immortal (and going by Dry Bowser, he IS immortal as long as you toss him into a pot)

Maybe Luigi did die more than once...and yet, for reasons no one could explain, he just. Came back. People barely noticed, assuming each time he was just fine while possessed. Maybe it's luck. Maybe the universe wasn't one with its favourite chew toy. Maybe he kept something from each villain that unsettles the fabric of reality, thus his chronic bad luck.

All Luigi knows is that sometimes, things happen around him. Ghosts. Laws of physics breaking. Prophecies setting him up as a destroyer of worlds. People forgetting about his existence. Just slipping in and out of reality. Like he wasn't supposed to be here anymore but still found his way back.

[cuppatealove]

18, 36, 40 for the writing asks

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage.

Well, I know your favourite is 'Pool Parties & Popcorn', so I'm trying to think of something related to that, though it was so long ago I barely remember where it came from! The funny thing is, even though I said in the author's notes that I'd had it bouncing around my head for years, I can't now think of a single long-cherished headcanon it contains. I didn't get into the fandom until I'd already spent a few years happily dreaming about the show, the characters' backstories and futures, and I built up a whole world in my mind. What I loved, when I discovered fic, was how so many stories I was reading were exactly what I had imagined – lots of other people had thought about Daniel getting wounded and his recovery, and thought about him going swimming with Peggy at the mansion; we all imagined the main trio going off to have lots of adventures together, even though they are hardly ever really a trio in the show; we'd all figured out that M. Carter was probably Michael and somehow related to Jack's shooting – but the most delightful thing to me was that we all somehow imagined Jack convalescing at the mansion, and it becoming this crazy melting-pot place with some very different personalities getting smashed together into each other's company, who would absolutely die for each other, but not before they'd almost come to blows about ten times a day. Given we had no assurances at first that Jack even survived, I just think it's amazing how so many of our brains fill in the gaps a similar way!

36. They say to Write What You Know. Setting aside for a moment the fact that this is terrible advice...what do you Know?

Oh my ... I know faith, failure, fear and fierce devotion (oops, I didn't mean for that to come out so alliterative, but once I started I couldn't stop!)

40. Please share a poem with me, I need it.

I'm not sure whether this is supposed to be an original poem or a borrowed one, but since the former is quite beyond me, and since I appear to be on a bit of a Burns kick since the last ask, have the first couple of verses of 'To a Mouse', which has been on my mind lately, for reasons you can probably guess ;)

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty,           Wi’ bickerin brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee           Wi’ murd’ring pattle!

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion Has broken Nature’s social union, An’ justifies that ill opinion,           Which makes thee startle, At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,           An’ fellow-mortal!

..... and, after half a dozen more in this vein, his philosophical conclusion:

Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me! The present only toucheth thee: But Och! I backward cast my e’e,           On prospects drear! An’ forward tho’ I canna see,           I guess an’ fear!

[helloalycia]

my patient’s neighbour [two] // wanda maximoff

summary: as you spend more time with your patient's neighbour, you come to realise that your crush may be getting too much

warning/s: none, just fluff tbh

author's note: i’m so glad you guys enjoyed the first part! here’s the next bit :)

part one | part three | part four | part five | part six | part seven | masterlist | wattpad

When Sunday rolled around, I did everything in my power to make it the perfect day for Anna. We went out for breakfast at a café around the corner, a stroll around the park, then I made her lunch before she conked out afterwards, napping in her bedroom. I took that as my chance to decorate the living-area with birthday decorations. Nothing too much as I knew she'd kill me if I went overboard, but little things like a banner, some balloons and streamers.

I told Wanda to come at this time, too, and she showed up with a bag of groceries and a pretty smile on her face.

"Here, let me help," I said, already moving to take the bag off her. "How are you?"

"I'm good," she said, closing the door behind her and following me into the kitchen. Her smile widened when she saw the decorations. "Y/N, this is lovely! Anna is going to love it!"

"You think?" I asked, spinning around and doing a once over of the living-area. "It's not too much? I know she'll hate if I do too much."

"It's just the right amount," Wanda reassured, glancing at me. "How has she been today?"

We both began to unpack the groceries as we talked.

"Really good actually," I said with a nod. "I treated her to breakfast at that café she likes. We went to the park, fed the ducks, had a nice stroll. Then I made her some lunch and she's napping which leaves us the perfect time to crack on with dinner."

Wanda chuckled. "Great." She paused, making me look to her to see her smile fading. Nervously, she asked, "Did her granddaughter call?"

I sighed quietly and Wanda seemed to know what that meant without me saying anything further. 

"It's okay, we'll just have to make this the best meal ever," she said, not letting it get to her.

"We will," I agreed, before looking to the food on the table. "So, chef. Where do we start?"

Wanda and I spent the next hour prepping dinner, a beef stew called Solyanka, as it would require two hours to cook on the stove so we were starting early to make sure it would be ready in time.

I was chopping some onions as she prepared the beef, but I couldn't help myself from glancing at her every two seconds, still filled with concern because of her cast and minor injuries.

"You should take a picture, it'll last longer," she said teasingly, making me look up to see her watching me with a stifled smile.

"Sorry," I mumbled, shaking my head and looking back to my chopping board.

"What's wrong?" she asked gently.

I chewed on my lip as I glanced at her wrist again, before meeting her gaze. "How did it happen?"

"I already told you," she reminded me playfully, trying to lighten the mood, but I was still fretful. "It happened on a mission."

"Yeah, but how?" I asked again, hoping she understood what I meant.

She seemed reluctant to share, face scrunching up with thought, before looking down to her own chopping board. I thought she wouldn't tell me, but then she spoke.

"I can't tell you too much," she started, shrugging, "since it was a confidential mission. But basically, I was undercover when my target recognised me and we got into a fight."

Watching her with the utmost attention, I nodded, imagining it in my head.

"It wasn't difficult or anything, but it surprised me, y'know?" She looked to me with a smile, as if trying to make it sound less scarier than it was. "The guy, the target, he managed to get in few good hits. And he sprained my wrist. But it's alright."

I wasn't as amused as she was, wincing at the thought of her being in a fight. "Are you sure you're alright?"

She tilted her head knowingly. "I'm sure, Y/N. It's my job."

Shaking my head, I looked back down to my chopping board and continued chopping the onion. "I don't know how you can do that as a job..."

"Well, it's rewarding," she said like it was obvious. "Why do you spend most of your week caring for the elderly?"

"It's rewarding," I said without hesitation, before realising what she'd done and looking her way.

She was smiling cockily, making me roll my eyes and laugh.

"Okay, I see your point," I gave in. "But still. It's a dangerous job what you do. Just be careful, yeah?"

"Always am," she promised. And I wanted to believe her, but the cast on her wrist said otherwise.

—

"It smells like home, devochki, spasibo (girls, thank you)," Anna said from her place at the table. "Are you sure you don't want me to help?"

"We're sure, Anna," Wanda called back to her. "I'm just putting the food into a serving bowl and Y/N is grabbing some glasses. You sit and wait like the patient woman I know you are."

Anna mumbled something in Russian which I didn't understand, but it seemed to make Wanda chuckle as she rolled her eyes.

It was finally time for dinner and the stew had turned out beautifully, not that I had doubts since Wanda didn't seem like one to kid around with cooking.

As she was readying it for the table, I was setting everything up and all that was left were the glasses. But, of course (and oddly enough, since Anna was shorter than I), they were stored on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard and just out of my reach.

In hindsight, I probably could have grabbed a stool and stood on it, but I was too lazy, so I went on my tip-toes and stretched with all my might. The tips of my fingers brushed against a glass and I attempted to move it towards me, unable to see if I was actually doing anything since it was too high. After a couple of tries, I managed to bring it forward, but my stupid self flicked it too hard and it came tumbling off the shelf and towards the counter.

I braced myself for the sound of glass smashing, but instead, a wondrous red energy wrapped itself around the glass and kept it suspended mid-fall.

"Very clever," Wanda said sarcastically, appearing directly beside me. Her accent was daringly teasing.

I looked up and saw her smirking at me with amusement, right hand raised and aimed at the glass. Red tendrils of energy glowed around her hand and the glass; I widened my eyes a little, amazed at how easy she made it look. Though I knew she had powers, I'd never actually seen her use them up close and personal. It was stunning.

"I totally knew you were going to do that," I played it cool, cheeks flushing as she set the glass on the counter.

"Mhm, sure you did," she played along with a melodious laugh, before pressing her front to my back without warning and reaching to grab two more glasses. "Here, I got it."

My body tensed at the feeling of her unexpectedly so close to me. My mouth went dry, her warmth emanating from her and washing over me with the scent of her perfume. Did she always smell so good?

When she grabbed all three glasses, she didn't seem to notice the effect she had on me (unless she did and kept quiet for her own amusement).

"Think you can grab the food without dropping it?" she asked, quirking an entertained brow.

Still distracted by her perfume, I nodded and cleared my throat. "Food. Right. Yeah."

As I stirred the stew to mix everything thoroughly, I felt my heart rate return to its normal pace and told myself to chill out. Wanda just happened to be an extremely pretty individual who was kind and thoughtful and funny. It wasn't a big deal.

When I was sure I wouldn't make a fool of myself, I returned to the dining table with a pot of stew and set it down on the placemat.

"Priyatnogo appetita (enjoy your meal)," I said, trying not to stumble over my pronunciation. 

Both Anna and Wanda raised their brows with matching surprised smiles on their faces.

"You said that perfectly, Y/N!" Wanda said encouragingly, as I took a seat to the right of Anna at the head of the table.

"I see you've been practicing," Anna added, looking to me with an endearing gaze. "A present in itself. Thank you, milaya (sweetie)."

I smiled bashfully. "I have to keep up with you both somehow, right?"

Anna chuckled as Wanda gave me a brilliant smile. Something in my chest stirred as she did, and I was forced to look away, though my own smile didn't fade.

"So, Y/N and I put this together for you and I'm sure you'll know what it is," Wanda said, before serving up a bowl for Anna.

"Solyanka," Anna exclaimed with delight. "Devushki (girls), this looks and smells amazing." She paused, glancing between us both with a grateful smile. "Since you've both been here, this place... it's beginning to feel alive again."

To my surprise, she teared up and began to laugh, using her napkin to pat the corner of her eyes. I rested my hand on hers, squeezing it gently and giving her a small smile.

"I appreciate this very much," she continued, before squeezing my hand and letting go to grab her spoon. "I can't wait to try it."

The three of us dug into our stew and Anna loved it, talking about the first time she ever had it as a kid and how it was one of her favourite dishes. The rest of the meal went by wonderfully, with Anna looking as happy as ever and Wanda listening to her intently. I was listening, too, but my gaze did end up wandering to Wanda as she sat there animatedly, nodding along and smiling to Anna.

For some reason, she was ethereal tonight, though she looked like she always did. Her long brown hair was tied up in a ponytail and she wore a loose tee shirt over some jeans. Nothing fancy, but she pulled it off so well. Rings adorned her fingers as she played with them thoughtlessly, and it caught my eye before I got distracted by her cast on her left wrist.

She'd said she was okay, but it still worried me. It wasn't my right to worry, but she was my friend. I was concerned. She could take care of herself, but that wouldn't put the ache in my heart at ease.

As if she could hear my concerns, her eyes flickered to mine, a kaleidoscope of blue, green and gold. She sent me a reassuring glance before looking back to Anna with focus. I chewed on my lower lip, trying not to let my worry get the best of me, before looking back to Anna.

Towards the end of the meal, after we'd eaten and were merely conversing, Anna's landline rang in the apartment.

"I'll get it," Wanda said, already standing up to grab the phone from its cradle.

Anna and I watched as she answered the phone with a friendly 'hello', before a surprised expression appeared on her face.

"Sure, I'll pass it on now," Wanda was saying before approaching the table and stopping by Anna. Her expression softened as she said to Anna, "It's Sasha."

Anna's expression fell at the mention of her granddaughter. She nodded slightly, before standing up and grabbing her cane to balance. Accepting the phone, she began to walk away into her bedroom. Wanda and I heard her say a faint 'hello' before she closed the door behind her.

"Her granddaughter rang?" I asked with mild disbelief.

"It is her birthday," Wanda pointed out, returning to her seat.

"Bit late into the day though, isn't it?" I retorted, pulling a face. "Almost like the day is over, in fact."

"Sounding a little judgemental there, Y/N," Wanda teased, leaning forward into the palm of her hands and watching me.

"I'm not," I said with an eye roll. "I just think she should show her grandmother some respect. Who does she think she is?"

I paused as Wanda gave me a knowing look, then winced.

"Okay, I heard it that time," I admitted, making her laugh.

"I get it," she said, nodding slightly. "Maybe she's finally starting to realise though."

I sighed, leaning back in my seat. "I guess... For Anna's sake, I hope so."

Wanda and I talked amongst ourselves until Anna returned silently, hushing our conversation. She returned the phone to its cradle before taking a seat at the head of the table. Wanda and I exchanged looks before I decided to speak, noticing Anna wouldn't.

"Is Sasha doing okay?" I asked gently.

Anna was staring ahead, barely listening, before she glanced at me then looked down to her empty bowl. Sentences left her lips in Russian, mumbled and incoherent, at least to me. Wanda leaned forward, holding her hand and frowning with sympathy as she listened to her words. I felt horrible, sensing something was wrong, but unable to do anything to help.

"I'm sorry, Anna, I didn't mean to upset you," I said, shaking my head.

Wanda met my gaze. "It's not your fault... Anna just misses Sasha."

I frowned. "Oh."

"But I'm glad I have you both," Anna finally spoke, accent thick with emotion, as she looked between us before settling her eyes to me. "Even if you're paid to be here."

She cracked a smile, making my shoulders relax. I returned her expression, glad she still had a sense of humour.

Anna didn't mention Sasha's name for the rest of the evening. We cleaned up, had some tea, played a quick board game before I made sure she was okay for the night.

"She alright?" Wanda asked when I closed Anna's bedroom door and stepped into the hall.

"Yeah, she's tired from all of today's excitement," I said with a smile.

"So are you by the sounds of it," she joked, but stepped forward to rest a hand on my arm. "I think we should call it a night."

"I think we should," I said in agreement.

After grabbing my stuff, Wanda and I left the flat before walking to her apartment and stopping outside.

"Thanks for helping me out today," I told her with a tired smile. "I really appreciated it."

"Well, you asked so nicely... how could I resist?" she said, staring up at me through her eyelashes. I rolled my eyes playfully, making her smile. "I had fun. Thanks for inviting me."

I was going to respond, but a yawn escaped my lips, prompting me to cover my mouth as I did.

"Sorry," I said, trying to blink the fatigue away momentarily.

She chuckled, tilting her head and watching me carefully. "You're cute."

I breathed out through my nose, unsure what to say to her words, but I definitely felt my heart rate speed up a little.

"I'll let you go," she said, clearly entertained by my silence. "Get home safe, yeah?"

"And you look after yourself when saving the world, yeah?" I replied with a quirked brow, eyes glancing at her wrist.

"I promise." She grinned before moving forward to hug me.

I returned the hug, the smell of her perfume permanent in my nose by now, before pulling away with a final smile. Of course, I probably shouldn't have stared at her lips so intensely, wanting nothing more than to kiss them.

"See you tomorrow," I said, snapping back into reality and taking a step back. "Goodnight, Wanda."

"Goodnight," she said sweetly.

I turned to leave and was suddenly wide awake. Did I just think about kissing Wanda?

—

It was a few visits later when I was caring for Anna and she decided to have a dance around the living room. One minute we were flicking through different radio stations, and the next she was putting on some old records on her record player. She settled on an upbeat, 50s dance song, the music filling the apartment with joy.

"Egor and I danced to this very song when we first met," she told me, talking about her late husband with a twinkling passion in her eyes. "It was a party and he had been staring at me all night, and I him. Then finally, when this song came on, he approached me and said, 'dorogaya, okazyvayesh' mne chest' tantsevat' so mnoy?'"

I suppressed a smile as I watched her reminisce. "And that means...?"

"'Darling, would you do me the honour of dancing with me'?" she repeated in English for my benefit.

My heart melted. "Anna, that's adorable. He sounds like such a gentlemen."

"He was," she said with a sigh of agreement, smiling to herself.

Whenever she talked about her husband, I'd never seen her look more content. The mere mention of his name was enough to put a smile on her face. I could only hope to have a love like theirs some day.

I stepped forward, putting out my hand. "I'm no Egor, but I'd love to dance with you if you'd let me."

"Oh, I can't do that," she said, waving my hand away. "I can barely walk, milaya (sweetie)."

"Hey, as your carer, I am insisting that you dance with me," I said, feigning sternness.

She hesitated, before resting her hand in mine and smiling with gratitude. The two of us danced together, myself being careful to keep her upright and make sure she didn't overexert herself. She was smiling and laughing as I spun her around, dancing her all around the living room, and it warmed my heart to see her so cheery.

A knock on the door caused me to excuse myself from Anna, only to find Wanda on the other end.

"Someone's in a good mood," she said instantly, taking note of my smile.

I stepped to the side to let her in. "Yeah, well, Anna is doing good today. It's contagious, what can I say?"

Before Wanda could respond, Anna called from the living-area with excitement.

"Wanda, idi syuda i potantsuy so mnoy!" she exclaimed, already grabbing Wanda's hand and pulling her in.

It didn't take a genius to know that Anna had basically asked Wanda to dance with her. I chuckled as I followed after them, enjoying the sight of Anna and Wanda dancing together.

"What's the occasion?" Wanda asked, glancing over the short woman and to me with a helpless smile.

"No occasion," I quipped, crossing my arms and trying to hold in my laughter at Anna's speed and perseverance with a reluctant Wanda. "Just having a good time."

Wanda looked like she wanted to retort with a comment, but Anna spun her around before she could, making me laugh aloud.

"Prikhodi odin, milaya (come on, sweetie)!" Anna said, holding out a hand. "Dance!"

Unable to resist, I joined in with the two Sokovian women, appreciating how happy Anna looked and how awkward Wanda felt in the situation. She wasn't much of a dancer, but she was trying and God was that adorable.

We danced for a little while longer until Anna's back began to hurt and she took a seat. Though, she insisted that Wanda and I resume with our dancing.

Just on time, like a sign from the universe or a higher being or whatever you wanted to believe in, a slow song came on next, filling the apartment soothingly.

To my surprise, the awkward dancer that was Wanda was oddly confident as she held out her hand to me.

"Would you do me the honour of dancing with me?" she asked softly, a small smile playing on her lips.

At the familiarity of her words, I glanced to Anna, who seemed to pick up on it, too. She said nothing as she watched us with a smile of her own.

"I'd love to," I said, looking back to Wanda's eyes.

They looked blue in the light, a beautiful sky blue that put me at ease as soon as I stared into them. I slipped my hand into hers, letting her pull us closer together as she rested her other hand on my waist, the touch sending shivers up my spine. I put mine on her shoulder, allowing her to take the lead.

It was the most intimate we'd been, and as she maintained eye contact, I wondered if she could feel my hands trembling slightly, or my heart hammering loudly, or my palms turning a little sweaty. She made me nervous in the best way possible, her smile dazzling without realising and her eyes piercing without meaning to be.

She must have felt it, too, that tug in the pit of her stomach that I was feeling now. Otherwise there was something seriously wrong and I was already too deep into a crush on my patient's neighbour.

When the song ended, it feeling like mere seconds in total, she let go of me and I missed the contact and the smell of her perfume and the way she was looking at me.

"Couldn't have done it better myself," Anna spoke, forcing me to tear my gaze from Wanda's lips. She smiled at me knowingly. "You ladies definitely know how to dance."

I felt a heat creeping up my neck as I smiled to myself, distracting myself with the laces on my shoes. When I finally brought myself to look up, I saw Wanda already looking my way, a calm expression on her face.

As she did most times she visited, Wanda stayed with me and Anna until I tucked Anna into bed and bid her a goodnight. We left the apartment and Wanda decided to walk me to the lift that evening, a distracted look on her face.

It was silent between us, a comfortable one, until the doors slid open and I looked to her with kind eyes.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I told her, making her look to me. "Have a nice evening, Wanda."

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. I watched with amusement, wondering what was going on in that pretty head of hers. The lift doors began to shut, so I put my foot between them to keep them open.

"I should go," I said with an awkward laugh, before grabbing her hand and squeezing it gently since she wouldn't speak. "Goodnight."

When I turned to leave, I got, maybe, a step into the lift before I felt her fingers wrap around my wrist and tug me backwards, spinning me around. I didn't get chance to ask what was up as she stepped forward, pressing her lips to mine in an instant.

Startled, I froze at the contact, but then her hand rested on the back of my neck as her thumb caressed my jaw, and I found myself melting into her, closing my eyes at the blissful feeling.

Her other hand fell to my waist as she deepened the kiss, sending me into the lift and the wall hitting my back. I moved my lips in time with hers, revelling at how soft and delicate and gentle she was being. Kissing Wanda Maximoff wasn't something I had realised would be this good, but now that I was, I never wanted to stop.

Unfortunately, the sound of the lift doors shutting pulled us apart. I was breathless, my heart racing and my lips swollen from her spectacular kiss.

"I've wanted to do that for such a long time," she revealed, stepping back a little. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were flushed as she watched me with mild concern. "I completely should have asked though. I'm sorry that I overstepped."

She pursed her lips, forefinger and thumb pinching her bottom lip regretfully and gaze falling to the floor.

"You didn't overstep," I said, already missing the sensation of her lips against mine. "You stepped just the right amount."

She looked back up, eyes softening as her lips curved into a radiant smile.

"You wanna, maybe, do that again?" I asked without thinking, my mind a haze as Wanda still remained so close to me.

She laughed melodiously before raising her hand and cupping my cheek. Her eyes looked between mine before falling to my lips affectionately.

"I'd love to, dorogoy (darling)."

I smiled toothlessly before closing the gap between us, secretly wishing this lift ride would go on forever if it meant I could kiss Wanda like this.

—

After making out with Wanda in the lift, she asked me out on a date and it was the best date I'd ever been on. Nothing over the top but very thoughtful as she took me for a picnic in the park before getting ice cream for dessert.

We went on a few more dates after that, taking turns to take the lead with them, and she ended up asking me to be her girlfriend which of course I said yes to.

All whilst this was going on, I still cared for Anna and Wanda paid her visits when she could, though we tried to remain as normal as possible. We didn't think it was best to tell Anna that we were together since we didn't want to startle her or make her feel uncomfortable in our presence. Of course, keeping a secret from Anna is as good as nothing when she had eyes like a hawk.

Wanda and I were putting a plate of tea and biscuits together for Anna one day, myself lining up the biscuits neatly as Wanda lingered beside me. She was about to grab a biscuit from the plate when I smacked her hand away.

"Just one," she pleaded, but I shook my head before nodding to the packet on the side.

"Help yourself to those," I told her condescendingly. "These are for Anna."

"Just get her another," she said simply, before reaching over again.

I smacked her hand away again, giving her a knowing look.

"Y/N!"

"Wanda!" I mirrored her childish smile.

She narrowed her eyes petulantly. "Are you seriously doing this right now?"

"Are you?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

She pouted and I so badly wanted to lean forward and kiss it away, but Anna was sat on her recliner behind us. Wanda seemed to know this as a mischievous smile fell on her lips, eyes watching me carefully.

"You're not cute," I mumbled, before grabbing the tray and turning to leave. As I was walking to Anna, a biscuit began to float off the plate, red wisps of energy wrapped around it and bringing it to– "Wanda!"

She laughed, eyes glowing red with magic, before grabbing the biscuit from mid-air and taking a bite.

"Such a child," I said under my breath before setting the tray on the coffee table before Anna. Smiling at her, I said, "Here you go, Anna. Do you want anything else?"

As I straightened up, flipping Wanda off behind my back and encouraging her laughter further, I noticed the way Anna looked between us both curiously.

"Everything okay?" I asked, eyebrows knitting together as she continued to study us both.

"Something happened," she decided. "Between you both."

"What do you mean?" I asked, taking a seat on the couch. "Nothing happened."

"Something definitely did," she said knowingly. "I may be old, milaya (sweetie), but I have very good eyes."

"Anna, what are you talking about?" Wanda played dumb, taking a seat beside me, biscuit in hand.

"Don't think I haven't seen the way you two steal glances when you think I'm not looking," she said, pointing between us. "Or the way you," her finger settled on Wanda, "have been helping Y/N out more often than usual."

Wanda and I flushed, embarrassed that we'd been caught out. I was so certain that we'd successfully hid it from her, but clearly we were mistaken.

"We wanted to tell you," Wanda began, cheeks still pink as she leaned forward.

Anna silenced her with a wave of her hand. "Save it. I knew I was right. You two are together."

Pursing my lips, I waited for her to say something because I wasn't really sure what to say myself. Suddenly, a smile appeared on her lips.

"I'm very happy for you both," she said to us. "Wanda here always needed somebody in her life who wasn't me. And you, Y/N, are the perfect match for her."

I chuckled, looking to the girl in question, whose face was as red as her powers that she used to torment me with. I grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently, and nudged her in the shoulder.

"You hear that? Perfect match," I teased, making her roll her eyes to distract from her flustered self.

Anna said something to her in Russian, way too fast and incomprehensible for me to understand, even with the extra effort I was making to learn it. Whatever it was, it made Wanda get even more embarrassed, her green eyes darting around the room in an effort to overcome it.

"What did you say?" I asked Anna with amusement.

"Oh, nothing Wanda hasn't heard before," she said dismissively. "It's all okay. Isn't it, Wanda?"

"Yeah," Wanda mumbled.

"I don't know what's happening here, but I'm all for someone putting Wanda in her place," I said, looking between them both with an entertained smile.

Anna chuckled as Wanda shoved me in the arm gently before pulling me close again. I smiled at how cute she looked, pink blush creeping up her neck and teeth chewing on her lower lip to contain her smile.

I'd never get sick of the sight.

[galactichxpe]

day in, day out ❦ jjk, jhs, myg [last of us au]

◜ 　　　　　 ◝ characters » jungkook, hoseok & yoongi (main pov is jungkook)

genre » the last of us au. zombie apocalypse & a little angst

word count » 1,624

warnings » strong language, light gore

a/n » inspired by the game "the last of us." what is the last of us? the last of us is an action-adventure survival horror video game. in which the world is overthrown by infected (of different species such as infected, bloaters and clickers.)

its basically a zombie apocalyptic game with the best storyline and amazing graphics. it's my favourite video game. anyway-

enjoy !

◟ 　　　　　 ◞

he had woken up in the silence of his room. the light from the moon casting upon him causing his face to contort, rubbing his tired eyes. a hand of the clock on the wall had just ticked to 2, 2 in the morning.

he came out from under the covers, placing his feet on the floor before switching on the lamp on the bedside table. the warm light illuminating the room as he stood on wobbly legs, still feeling drowsy from waking up suddenly.

making an advance toward his door, he took a couple steps before his cellphone rang, startling him momentarily but he still picked up the vibrating device. clearing out his groggy 'morning' voice as he read the caller id.

'mom'

he answered the call without a second thought, putting the phone to his ear. "hey? it's late-"

"jungkook! thank god you picked up, i was so worried, i- your father didn't answer any of my calls or texts- is he there? i need you to put him on the phone somethings-" her rushed, shaky rambling was cut short when the line went dead, the ground shaking slightly simultaneously; jungkook gasping quietly in shock.

"mom? mom?!"

he called into the receiver and got no reply. his nerves were shaking along with his heart that was beating two times faster than before. he tossed his phone onto the bed before rushing out of his room. met with the darkness of the hallway.

"dad?!"

his steps were heavy as he jogged through the corridor, in search of his father who apparently hadn't been answering his wife's calls. "dad?" his voice grew softer as he entered the kitchen. his eyes caught sight of a yellow sticky note placed on the marble countertop, it read

"working late, be home tomorrow. feel free to raid my snack pantry :)" jungkook sighed. the sigh was of somewhat anxiousness; didn't explained why he wasn't answering any calls. he placed the note back as red lights and sirens blared past a window in the living room. and just as he was about to walk into the living room, something slammed into the glass door leading to the backyard behind him. spinning on his heel in an instant only for a gasp to leave his lips; eyes widening as his jaw went slack.

"dad?"

there his dad was. bloodied and battered, his guts threatening to pour out of him as he slammed his body against the glass again. and again, and again. jungkooks first initial thoughts surprisingly weren't to help him, but to run away. his instincts were kicking in; a gut feeling telling him that his dad was going to hurt him. his fathers actions progressively became more violent. letting out inhuman shrieks and guttural noises that made jungkook uneasy, practically terrified of what happened to his father... and what his father was going to do to him.

the glass shattered and jungkook bolted for a his fathers desk; pulling open the drawer. clasping the metal of the gun firmly in his hand before turning around. his father was heaving on the ground, bones crunching as he sloppily stood back up from the blood and glass shards surrounding his feet.

"dad?"

he groaned in response, his bleeding eyes seeming to need time to focus as they soon landed on jungkook who was in the other room, gun clutched in both hands.

"d-dad? what're you doing? are you... are you o-okay?" jungkook knew damn well his father was far from okay. he was no where near okay yet he wanted to see if his father responded rather than groaning more. the man who raised jungkook. the man who taught jungkook everything he knows. the man who loved his son unconditionally... then screamed, running toward jungkook in a harsh-violent manner.

"dad!"

he hesitated for split second. and in that split second... he saw for the last time, what little life his father had left in his eyes; before squeezing the trigger.

[ten years later]

his shirt stuck to him like a glove as he treaded through the crumbled streets of boston. the rain coming down heavily as he adjusted the weight of the backpack on his shoulders. the others were following close behind, looking as much of a mess as jungkook; mud smothering their boots and water dripping down their noses. and by 'the others', that's means the two men jungkook had met five years ago when he was scavenging an abandoned neighbourhood; that happened to not be as abandoned as he thought it was.

hoseok and yoongi; his two best friends that started as companions, which turned into acquaintances, then blossomed into trust. he could count on them, feel safe around them. they were his best friends after all.

"hey. why don't we hold up somewhere? we can stay in one of these buildings until the storm passes." hoseok practically yelled over the claps of thunder, water running down the sides of his face as he gestured to the tall, slanted buildings that had moss covering parts of the exterior, rubbled rooftops and foggy windows.

"sounds good." the two others agreed and they proceeded to climb into a hole in the side of a promising looking building. the least damaged one that is. they soon found themselves in a dark, messy corridor of an apartment building. their flashlights being of use as they cautiously walked through the halls of the creaking building. trash suddenly crumpled beneath yoongi's foot; quite loudly. withdrawing his boot thinking it didn't draw much attention; only to hear an echoed guttural cry at the end of the hallway.

a body staggered into view. fresh blood dripping from its chin as it jerked its neck suddenly, catching view of the three men watching it closely. "is it just one?"

"i think."

"it better be." jungkook muttered as he already had a rusty long pipe in hand. approaching the infected who began running at jungkook the moment he advanced toward it. he was quick to react, swinging his weapon at the shrieking man's leg. toppling forward having no time to pounce up at jungkook before he began to violently smash the infecteds head in with the pipe. crushing it's rotting brain and shattering its disgusting skull.

"alright. now that it's dead. let's find a place to crash for the night." jungkook spoke with heavy breaths as he dropped the pipe to the ground; having no more use for it. jungkook was about to return to his friends who nodded in agreement; already opening a door. when a group of infected suddenly burst through another entrance at the end of the hall to his left. he estimated ten as they started to sprint toward him, screaming. without a doubt drawing more attention to the three men.

"shit, run!"

the three boys could have easily taken out ten. but what made jungkook loose confidence was the large bloater; stomping toward him, throwing a chunk of its flesh at jungkook but missed as the man dashed down the hall. spores bursting from the bomb-like piece of flesh. it's yell was loud and rumbled through the building. it's steps shook the ground as it followed the three men closely; it's height helping it move faster with its long strides despite being large in size.

"fuck, fuck, fuck!" yoongi shouted as he took a few pot shots at the infected and bloater. managing to take a small infected down before catching up with the two others.

"this way! this way!" hoseok ordered, busting through a door waiting for jungkook and yoongi to enter before pushing a large cabinet over; barricading the door. presumably the bloater crashed against it, shaking and shifting the cabinet out of place slightly before ramming against the door again.

"that's not gonna hold." jungkook stated the obvious before everyone's eyes searched around the room; in dire need of an escape route, and fast.

"uhh.. oh! here! jungkook, give me your knife." yoongi hurriedly flipped a couch over from adrenaline. revealing a decently large sized vent, capable of allowing the three men to crawl through. he pried the vent open in record time with the blade. throwing the grate elsewhere before standing up, gesturing for the two others to lead the way. "go! go!"

they wasted no time in getting on their knees, crawling through speedily as they heard the door hinges snap. yoongi watched as the bloaters arm shoved through the crack of the door; the cabinet thankfully holding in place long enough for yoongi to crawl through the open space. but before he followed the other two he placed a fallen painting in front of the hole; hopefully hiding it enough so the infected wouldn't crawl through as well.

attempting and successfully surviving the night in the ventilation system.

┆        ┊        ┆        ┆       ┊       ┊

the three men did everything humanly possible to survive just one more day. scavenging, thieving, killing, lying... they did whatever they could if it meant they'd live to see the sun rise and fall again. half of the threat wasn't just the infected; but the people as well. all the good people died in the beginning. and all the dangerous ones lived. the good people jungkook lost... were his father, his mother, his brother, park jimin...

and himself.

he was once your typical, reckless teenager. and he grew up a killer. a dangerous man who didn't take chances... he no longer loved. no longer smiled. and no matter how many times hoseok and yoongi tried... he never laughed; not even a chuckle.

jungkook had let the world ruin him. shape him. he was gone. jungkook had died the moment he killed his father all those years ago.

now it was just day in... and day out.