#Distant Hawaii

[nordic-language-love]

Not me planning a dream trip all around the world the I could never afford

[rafedarling]

𝐬𝐮𝐧, 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

pairing: dad!drew starkey x mom!reader

summary: in the midst of a beautiful hawaiian vacation, drew and you are savoring every moment with your brilliant 2-year-old son, rustyn. joined by drew’s family, the vacation is filled with laughter, love, and sweet moments by the beach. rustyn’s bright mind and affectionate heart make every interaction heartwarming, especially when he decides his parents need to share a kiss.

warning(s): english is not my native language. pure fluff, family bonding, cute toddler antics, mild pda (innocent kissing initiated by an adorable toddler).

au: wrote this because currently so obsessed with baby rustyn on tiktok, he’s so smart and sweet. like, reblog and comment are much appreciated. discussion can be send through my ask box, please feel free to send in anything. taglist | tagging: @mileyraes @xoxohoneymoongirl @enjoymyloves @tracymbcm @littlelamy @rubixgsworld @rafeyslamb @akobx @maybankslover @noobmazter69

A soft and gentle Hawaiian breeze filtered through the open windows of the Airbnb, carrying with it the salty scent of the ocean and the distant sound of waves crashing onto the shore. The golden sunlight filtered into the bathroom where you stood, brushing the last bit of blush on your cheeks as you prepared for the day. It was only the second morning of your vacation in Hawaii, but already you could feel a deep sense of peace and contentment.

Through the thin walls, you could hear the soft murmur of conversation from the living room, where Drew was keeping your son, Rustyn, entertained. At only two years old, Rustyn had a way of commanding attention wherever he went. His bright, inquisitive mind and sweet nature often left you in awe, as he continuously found ways to make everyone around him feel special. Whether it was a loving compliment or a random fun fact he had picked up from one of his many TV shows, Rustyn always knew how to leave an impression.

Just as you were finishing up your makeup, you heard a light knock on the bathroom door, and soon a small voice called out.

“Mommy, can I come in?”

The door creaked open, revealing Rustyn standing in the doorway, his big blue eyes peeking up at you with admiration. He walked inside, his little feet padding across the tiled floor, his excitement for the day evident in the way he carried himself.

“Mommy, you look beautiful today,” Rustyn said, his tiny voice full of awe, as if he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have such a pretty mom.

You felt your heart swell with love, as it always did when Rustyn offered these sweet compliments. Leaning down, you scooped him up into your arms and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” you said, smiling into his soft curls. “You’re so sweet.”

Just then, Drew appeared at the doorway with a grin on his face. He leaned against the doorframe casually, his eyes soft as he looked at the two of you. “Rustyn’s right, you know. Mommy always looks pretty.”

You smiled at Drew, warmth flooding your chest at the sight of him standing there, his playful charm radiating through his teasing words. Even after all this time, Drew still had a way of making you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

“Oh, stop it, you two,” you said with a laugh, setting Rustyn down as you finished gathering your things.

“You’re so special to me, Mommy,” Rustyn added sweetly, wrapping his arms around your neck with a big hug as if to emphasize just how much he loved you.

From the living room, you could hear Todd and Jodi’s soft “aww” as they watched Rustyn’s display of affection. His grandparents were always so proud of how kind-hearted and loving he was. Every little word Rustyn said seemed to have the power to melt hearts. You smiled to yourself, grateful for the love that surrounded your family.

“Okay, okay,” you said with a grin, ruffling Rustyn’s hair. “Let’s go get some breakfast. Are you ready for a fun day, baby?”

Rustyn nodded enthusiastically, his little face lighting up. “Yeah, Mommy! I wanna go see fishy!”

Drew chuckled as he grabbed the car keys. “Alright, let’s get going, then.”

As you walked out of the Airbnb, the sun kissed your skin, and the smell of the ocean surrounded you. You couldn’t help but feel incredibly lucky to be spending this time with your little family and Drew’s parents, siblings. The connection between all of you felt so strong, and you knew Rustyn was growing up surrounded by so much love from everyone around him.

Once everyone had gathered their things, Drew packed up the rental car, making sure Rustyn was safely strapped into his car seat before helping you into the front passenger seat. Todd and Jodi settled into the back, chatting softly about the day ahead. The air was filled with the warmth of a family vacation—easy-going, full of laughter, and stress-free.

Drew started the car, glancing over at you with a soft smile before shifting his attention to the road. “So, what are we thinking for breakfast? Pancakes for Rustyn, or something more adventurous?”

You laughed. “Rustyn could eat pancakes every day if we let him.”

From the back seat, Todd chuckled, “The kid has good taste.”

As the car rolled down the scenic coastal road, the windows open to let the cool breeze in, Rustyn began his usual habit of filling the car with his boundless curiosity.

“Mommy, did you know that dolphins are really smart?” he asked from his car seat, his little legs kicking back and forth as he peered out the window.

You turned slightly in your seat, smiling at him. “Oh yeah? How smart are they?”

Rustyn’s face scrunched up in thought as if he was recalling one of the many nature shows he loved to watch. “They can talk to each other with squeaks!”

“That’s right, baby,” you said, nodding in encouragement. “Dolphins are very smart.”

Drew glanced in the rearview mirror, clearly amused. “What else do you know about dolphins, Rusty?”

Rustyn continued excitedly. “And turtles! Turtles can live for a really, really long time—like, a hundred years!”

Todd, sitting in the back, grinned and leaned forward slightly. “Is that so, Rusty? You’re a walking encyclopedia, aren’t you?”

Rustyn beamed at the praise, clearly proud of himself. “I know lots of things!”

Jodi chimed in with a warm smile. “You sure do, sweet boy. Maybe you’ll be a marine biologist one day.”

Rustyn seemed to like the sound of that. “What’s that?”

“It’s someone who studies ocean animals, like dolphins and turtles,” you explained, watching as his eyes lit up with interest.

“Yeah! I wanna be a marine… biologist!” Rustyn said, his face scrunching up as he tried to say the word correctly.

The entire car burst into laughter, everyone already so charmed by Rustyn’s enthusiasm for life. Drew reached and squeezed your hand, a gesture of shared pride in your little boy.

“He’s going to do great things,” Drew said softly, his voice filled with love as he looked back at Rustyn, who was now babbling happily about his future ocean adventures.

When you arrived at the breakfast spot—a quaint beachside cafe with a view of the ocean—you saw that Drew’s siblings, Logan, Brooke, and McKayla, were already there, waiting for you all at a large outdoor table. The sea breeze was refreshing, and the early morning sunlight cast a warm, golden glow over everything.

Brooke was the first to spot you, waving you all over with a grin. “Finally! We thought you guys were never going to show up.”

“Sorry, Rustyn had to give us a marine biology lesson on the way here,” Drew said with a chuckle as he approached the table.

Logan laughed, reaching down to high-five Rustyn, who was already eager to share more of his newfound knowledge. “Rusty, my man! What did you teach them this time?”

“Turtles can live for a hundred years!” Rustyn declared proudly, his chest puffing out with pride.

McKayla smiled fondly at her nephew, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “Well, look at you, little genius.”

The conversation flowed easily as everyone sat down, catching up with each other and enjoying the relaxed vibe of the island. Drew’s family was always warm and welcoming, and it felt so natural to be surrounded by them. Rustyn, ever the center of attention, charmed everyone with his sweet compliments and random facts, making sure to tell each person at the table how much he loved them.

At one point, as you waited for the food to arrive, a couple sitting nearby noticed Drew. They exchanged nervous glances before hesitantly approaching the table.

“Hi, sorry to interrupt,” the woman said, clearly excited but trying to be respectful. “We’re big fans of your work, Drew. Could we get a picture?”

Drew smiled kindly, ever gracious with his fans. “Of course. No problem.”

As he stood up to take the picture with the couple, Rustyn watched intently from his seat, his little face full of curiosity. As soon as Drew finished and the couple thanked him, Rustyn piped up loudly, his voice full of pride.

“I’m a big fan of my Dada too!”

Everyone, including the couple, burst out laughing at Rustyn’s unexpected but adorable declaration. Drew’s face flushed slightly as he reached down to ruffle Rustyn’s hair, clearly touched by his son’s words.

“You’re too much, bud,” Drew said with a smile, leaning down to kiss the top of Rustyn’s head.

The rest of breakfast was filled with more laughter, light teasing, and stories of the adventures everyone had planned for the day. Rustyn, always the star of the show, kept everyone entertained with his endless questions and sweet declarations of love for his family.

After breakfast, you all decided to spend the rest of the day at the beach. The sun was shining brightly, and the water looked impossibly inviting. Rustyn could hardly contain his excitement as you, Drew, and his siblings set up camp with a large umbrella and a pile of beach towels.

Rustyn tugged at your hand, his little face filled with anticipation. “Mommy, can we go swimming now?”

You smiled, squeezing his hand. “Of course, sweetie. Let’s go!”

Drew grinned as he helped Rustyn into his floaties before scooping him up and carrying him toward the water. “Let’s see what you’ve got, buddy.”

As soon as the cool ocean water lapped at your feet, Rustyn let out an excited squeal, splashing around with glee. Drew, ever the playful dad, lifted him high into the air before gently dunking him into the water, making Rustyn giggle uncontrollably.

After a while of swimming, you decided to take a break and build a sandcastle with Rustyn. The two of you sat side by side in the soft sand, gathering buckets of wet sand while Drew stayed in the water with Logan and McKayla. You helped Rustyn carefully pack the sand into a tower, guiding his small hands to shape the castle.

“Mommy, look! I found a shell!” Rustyn exclaimed, holding up a small white seashell he had discovered buried in the sand.

“That’s perfect, Rusty! We can put it right here,” you said, showing him where to place it on the sandcastle.

Drew, having spotted the two of you from the water, made his way back to the shore and dropped down beside you. “How’s the sandcastle coming along?”

Rustyn looked up at him with a big grin. “Good, Dada! We found a shell for it.”

Drew nodded appreciatively, leaning in to examine the shell. “Wow, you and Mommy are making quite the masterpiece.”

You chuckled, brushing some sand off your hands as you admired the nearly finished sandcastle. “He’s a natural builder.”

After a few more minutes of playing in the sand, you leaned in close to Rustyn and whispered, “Hey, baby, can Mommy have a kiss?”

Rustyn nodded, but instead of leaning in for a kiss himself, he had a different idea. With a mischievous grin, he grabbed both your face and Drew’s, pulling you two together with surprising force. He giggled, clearly wanting his parents to kiss each other.

Drew let out a soft laugh, his blue eyes twinkling with affection as he looked at you. “Looks like someone’s playing matchmaker,” he said with a teasing grin.

You smiled back, your heart swelling with love as you leaned in to kiss Drew. It was a soft, tender kiss, made even sweeter by the fact that Rustyn had initiated it. When you pulled away, Drew still had that fond, loving look in his eyes.

“You’ve got good ideas, Rusty,” Drew said, ruffling his son’s hair.

Rustyn giggled happily. “You’re supposed to kiss! It makes you happy!”

Drew chuckled, pulling you both in for a group hug. “Yeah, bud, it really does.”

As the day wound down, the entire family gathered under the umbrella, lounging on towels and sipping on cold drinks. Brooke and McKayla had picked up fresh coconuts from a nearby vendor, passing them around as everyone settled in to enjoy the sunset.

Logan and Todd were still determined to outdo each other in their impromptu sandcastle competition, while Jodi sat back, laughing at their antics.

Rustyn, now thoroughly exhausted from the day’s activities, snuggled into your lap, his little eyes drooping as he fought off sleep. You brushed a hand through his soft hair, smiling down at him as he yawned.

Drew, sitting beside you, wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close as the two of you watched the sun slowly sink below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink and orange.

“This was a perfect day,” you whispered, leaning your head on Drew’s shoulder.

Drew smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head. “Yeah, it really was.”

Rustyn, half-asleep now he’s laying on your chest, murmured softly. “Love you, Mommy. Love you, Dada.”

Your heart melted at his words, and you looked down at him with a smile, your love for him overflowing. “We love you too, baby,” you whispered back, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, you felt a deep sense of contentment wash over you. The love you felt for Drew, for Rustyn, and for the family surrounding you, was all you needed. This was your perfect moment—a moment filled with love, laughter, and the warmth of your little family.

[suiana]

hi sui,,,is it too much to maybe request a birthday drabble of some characters..

ᵖᵘˢʰᵉˢ ᵇᵒᵗʰ ⁱⁿᵈᵉˣ ᶠⁱⁿᵍᵉʳ ᵒⁿᵗᵒ ᵉᵃᶜʰᵒᵗʰᵉʳ, ᵛᵉʳʸ ˢʰʸˡʸ

idk of this is meant for my yanderes or pre-existing characters from games but I'll assume it's for my yans

yanderes who spoil you rotten and are just so happy for this day: yan! ex, yan! playboy, yan! celebrity, yan! seller, yan! gym rat, yan! prison warden, yan! golden retriever, yan! stalker

"happy birthday! i got you a cake, gifts, surprises- oh! we're also going on a trip to hawaii! don't pack your things, we can just buy more there later and-"

"dude i just woke up..."

you stare at the male, blinking slowly before you groan and push him away from your face. jesus, you knew he was overly excited for this day, but you didn't expect him to be this excited.

"just... shoo. let me sleep a bit longer..."

"but but..."

you shoot him a stern glare, warning him not to push his limits before you go back to hiding underneath your covers again. you'll deal with his temper tantrum later. right now you just want to get some more sleep.

"and don't wake me up again. got it?"

"okay..."

yanderes who also spoil you rotten but are calmer(also secretly very excited): yan! student council president, yan! dilf, yan! emperor, yan! ghost husband, yan! criminal, yan! malewife, yan! foreign exchange student

"oh, you're awake my love. happy birthday."

your husband kisses you on the cheek, greeting you as you come out of the bedroom. you smile at him, hugging him loosely as your eyes scan your usually empty living room. you expected maybe a gift or two, not an array of gifts and a full course breakfast meal on the dining table.

"take your time. there's no rush for you to get to all of these gifts."

you stare at your lover, an awkward smile on your face as you release your hold from him. ah, he's always like this. so sweet. always so willing to spoil you.

"okay okay. um, thank you, really. i just-"

"oh honey, no need to thank me. I'm your husband after all. i should be spoiling you, especially on such a special day."

he chuckled, his hand caressing the back of your head before he looks down at you with an eerie smile that always manages to send chills down your spine.

"after all, i love you. and you love me too, don't you?"

yeah... yeah of course you love him. there's no other option anyway.

yanderes who act like they don't care (secretly very excited): yan! sleepy bf, yan! academic rival, yan! mean boy, yan! tsundere

"it's my birthday today you know."

"mhm."

"my birthday."

"i know, i heard you the first time."

your boyfriend mumbles softly, looking at his phone before glancing at you. you could only mutter curses under your breath, crossing your arms over your chest before you shift your position on the couch to face away from him.

you weren't expecting much. you always knew him to be a bit... distant? mean? you never really minded, you found it cute. but it's your damn birthday! at least give a gift or take you out on a date! you'd do that for him!

"ugh, at this point maybe we should just break up-"

"no."

your boyfriend interjects, suddenly facing you as he places a small gift box in your palm and frowns.

"i know i act like this but i actually planned for a date night later tonight. and i said happy birthday just now didn't i?"

he mutters, his arms tightening around your waist before he presses a kiss to your cheek. you let out a small shiver, involuntarily leaning into his touch as you continue to frown.

damn him, now you look ungrateful! ugh, you knew you should've just-

"... it's my fault though, should've told you beforehand. sorry baby."

your boyfriend hums, pressing another kiss to your cheek before getting off the couch and leaning his head against your thighs. you stare at him, eyes widening as you feel blood rise to your cheeks.

"how about i make it up to you?"

[rintoorou]

ALOHA, HAWAII — xxii. don't fall (literally)

(wc: aroundd 1.1k)

click. flash! 

you whip your head to the source of the sound, watching as suna lowers the camera from his face before inspecting the image he took of you. 

"is that me?" you ask. suna gives you an affirmative hum, leaning forward before you can even ask if you could take a look.

you're not exactly sure if it's because of his hidden talent in photography or the fact that he had known you for quite some time, but the way he perfectly captured your angle makes your lips part in awe. "that's a nice picture," you praise. 

"it is,” he answers contentedly.

your eyes glaze over the picture once more. it takes you a moment before you realize how little the distance got between you and suna—your eyes flicker up to his, still trained on his camera, and you’re so close you can count every one of his thin eyelashes.

you immediately sit up on the speedboat, back straight and hands politely on your lap. suna doesn’t notice. he keeps his eyes glued to the screen, pressing a few buttons to zoom in on the details. his actions make you a little nervous.

"you still use the same one?" you ask, referring to the camera in his hands. suna meets your gaze with innocence, his lips pressing into a slight pout when he nods yes. he looks like a kid caught red-handed, yet you're not exactly sure why. not knowing what else to say, you divert your eyes from him and settle on the islands you pass by.

"you still remember," he states rather than asks. his eyebrows raise inquisitively when you let out a low chuckle, a soft smile gracing your lips as you did. "of course i do," he doesn't have to think twice to know what you're talking about, "there was a time where that thing was in my face, like, every day."

a shy smile tugged at the corners of suna's mouth, eyes softening at the memory. it was during your sophomore year in college, a bit after kuroo's birthday party, when he asked if you'd be willing to be the centerpiece for his project in one of his elective classes. he came to you under the guise of needing to pull his grade up, but, really, all he wanted was an excuse to get you to talk to him again; to know you more without the speculating, teasing eyes of the miya twins.

“can’t believe you still continued that,” you murmur more to yourself, but it reaches suna’s ears.

“what do you mean?” his brows draw together, confused. the waves are getting stronger now, you notice.

adjusting yourself in your seat, you turn to face him once more. all the amusement and nostalgia drain from your features when you blink back at suna. “well, it seemed like you didn’t have time for anything else besides volleyball,” you shrug like it was obvious.

his eye twitches slightly in annoyance. is this really where you’re going? “i have a life, you know.”

“yeah, on the court,” you scoff.

“that’s not funny.”

“i’m not trying to be.”

“well, maybe if you stuck around, you’d know that we didn’t really have to sacrifice anything.” suna narrows his eyes at you, staring you down like an opponent on the court. it makes you uncomfortable, small. he had always looked at you this way whenever you two fought and you hated it. you hate it even more now.

your grip on the seat tightens as the boat rocked slightly. suna sees the second hurt flash in your eyes but it disappears quickly, replaced by something more distant and cold. guilt brews in the pits of his stomach but he doesn’t let his true emotions show through.

“hey,” you say, tone laced with guilt, feeding more onto the heavy burden knawing at his insides, “do you actually blame me? for the breakup?”

no. “i do.” suna pushes away the regret as soon as the words leave his lips, “we were supposed to talk. you had my hopes up.”

“i had your hopes up?” you croak back to him, almost lurching forward when the waves push and pull on the speedboat. suna kept his expression stoic, hands stubbornly glued to his side even as the boat rocked violently.

“you didn’t even—“ you cut yourself off with a frustrated huff, struggling to grasp how, until now, suna couldn’t even at least think about your side of the breakup. the boat operator pushes the throttle forward, prompting you to tighten your grip on the seats as the boat moves faster. “you didn’t even say the words!” your voice wavered, rising with the clash of the waves.

suna’s hand flies to the railing for balance. his eyebrows creased as more water droplets landed on his face, frustration evident in his eyes. “what words?”

“those words—“ a particularly large wave crashes onto your side of the speedboat, “fuck! the words you never said!” the words you wanted to hear. the words you needed him to say.

suna throws you a sarcastic smile, “that’s great, genius! i clearly know what you’re talking about.”

your jaw drops to the floor, mind deciding whether to categorize your ex as insensitive or just plain stupid. “are you fucking doing this on purpose?!”

the man across you tilts his head to the side, puzzled. plain stupid it is.

you try to stand up—tell the operator to turn back because clearly reuniting with your ex is a bad omen enough for weddings—but as soon as you get up on your feet, the operator pushes the throttle once more, cheekily shouting, “we’re speeding up!”

you tumble backward. the cold water engulfs you before you realize you’ve fallen off the boat. some of the water enters your nostrils but you kick your feet, eagerly persisting to the surface. you gasp for oxygen once you’ve broken through, heaving as you tried to stay afloat.

luckily, you see the boat just a short distance away from you. a few feet behind it was suna, speedily swimming in your direction.

“you fell off too?” you ask once he’s an arm’s length near you. you had to remind yourself that you were mid-argument when he pushes his hair back with one hand, gulping as you try not to stare so much.

but you quickly become confused when he shakes his head no. “i went to get you,” he tells you breathlessly.

a moment of silence dawns over you, save for the sound of the speedboat getting closer and suna trying to catch his breath. the egotistical part of him cheers silently, thinking that he had finally done something right. but you break that thought down when you suddenly hit the water between you, suna having to shield his face from the splash.

“i can swim, you idiot!” you exclaim.

though the ocean is freezing against his skin, it dissipates into nothing when he flushes a dark red. “i don’t know!” he tells you, seemingly annoyed at himself for diving into the water almost immediately—embarrassingly—after you did, “i mean, i know, but i just— i just did, okay?”

is he seriously mad right now? he looks mad, and it only fuels your frustration even more. he narrows his eyes at you before sharply looking away, huffing. you do the same.

the sound of the speedboat grows louder, as did the worried shouts of the operator. the man gives you his coat, apologizing to suna with the promise of getting you back to the hotel as quickly as possible.

you refuse to look at suna the whole time, not when you’re just as red as he is.

prev — masterlist — next

notes angry pouty blushy sunayn served! sorry for the long wait i had a bit of a writer’s block + college T__T

tags @ilyless @strxwberri-s @bbybibi @trash-master-3000 @milesmoralesluvs @hanniemylovelyquokka @nbcvs @crispchocolates @cnnmairoll @tojirin @ryuverse @megumiif @chemiru @theycallmenanamisgirl @neoclb @krissiekris @nyxlai @tsukiran @frvppe @le000xxgrd @kr1nqu @kunihaver @toges-cough-syrup @myromanempiree @baskin-robinhoods @jeongintwt @itsdragonius @moucheslove @ichcocat @miiyas @samuel1004 @reignsaway @sonicsolos @httpshoyo

[junipers-archive]

Paper Rings

Word count: 1.1k

Includes: tiny itty bit of angst to fluff, fluff, fluff, Spencer has been acting distant so you try to start up a conversation, ultimately leading to his confession about wanting to marry you but never finding the right moment

You were worried. More than usual worried, worried. Spencer had been acting odd lately, and for the past few weeks you had been trying your best to ignore it.

It was hard though, he had been distant, almost neglectful, his once cheerful and atentative attitude when listening to your day or the new book you'd been reading gone and replaced by a cool indifrence.

You were near to him now, sitting on the sunflower yellow sofa in your apartment, reading different books. But instead of being next to you he was on the other side of the couch.

In an attempt to start up a conversation you mentioned one of your fresher pieces of news,

"Hey Spence", He didn't even look up, just hummed.

You scooted closer, "Uh- I- Well you know my cousin? Marion, the one who got engaged a few months back?"

"yea" his eyes shifted up quickly and then right back down to his book.

"Well they finally set a date! I got my invite in the mail yesterday morning, it's in Hawaii!!"

"Oh, really?" he wasn't even glancing up now to seem interested.

Nevertheless, you tried one last time with enthusiasm, hoping he'd be kind enough to take pity and reciprocate even a fraction of it.

"So whadaya say handsome, be my plus one?"

"mhm." mhm. That's what your relationship had dwindled down to?

You shook your head, tears pricking your eyes as you got up from the sofa, trying really hard not to cry. But there was only so much you could take, was he seeing someone else? What had you done to make him so upset?

But that was the thing he wasn't even yelling at you! You'd become an irrelevant part of his life without even realizing it.

By this time you were grabbing your things in a scramble, trying to get out, get out of the apartmentget, get out of his life if thats what he really wanted. When it occurred to you that he was still obsorbed in that stupid book of his.

And you had to know, You just had to.

"Did I do something?! What-Just tell me what I did Spencer please!"

You were standing before him now, waving your arms around manically.

"Y-Y/n, whats wrong?"

"I don't know Spencer you tell me! I mean first I thought it was a case you were on that had put you off, or maybe that we'd been apart for too long but weeks went by! Its been weeks and you still won't even look me in the eye when we're talking!" You fail in your previous attempts to keep the tears at bay as droplets fall down your flushed cheeks.

He was stunned but eventually he found his words, "I-I- that wasn't my intention, I- just- I-"

You were hysterical at this point, he couldn't even tell you?

"Look Spencer. If you wanna break up, just say it already!"

You were one second away from storming out when he spoke up again, catching you by the wrist and leading you down the hall to the bedroom quickly.

"Look I'm really, really sorry Y/n its just that- well it'd be easier if I just showed you."

You came to sit on the bed, arms crossed over your chest as if armor protecting you from being hurt.

He was searching through the back of the closet you shared, finally pulling out a shoe box. He sat down next to you, opening the box, where rested an old sweater of his that had been worn thin and a black velvet box sitting within.

He handed the small compartment over to you explaining frantically,

"I've wanted to marry you for a long time now, hell Y/n I wanted to marry you since the moment I met you. But I kept chickening out and for the past few weeks I've taken you to our spots to pop the question but I-I- nothing was ever good enough...I couldn't find the perfect moment."

he looked straight in your eyes now, which were watery, overwhelmed by the idea he wanted to marry you just as much as you wanted to marry him. "You deserve the perfect moment. And not being able to provide that to you, it tore me apart, so...I became distant, praying I was good enough but also hoping you's find someone better..."

"I-I understand completely that this isn't the time or place but when I saw that you were crying- I just I needed you to know that the reason I was being so distant wasn't because I wanted to break up, far from it! I want to spend the rest of my life with you!"

You opened the box now, silently falling in love even more as you gazed down at the your dream ring.

Finally lifting your gaze to the boy in front of you and kissing him deeply, finding your voice again as you pulled back grinning,

"You're an idiotic-genius, you know that?"

He only grinned back, "Yea, yea I'm fairly aware."

You slipped on the ring, it was perfect fit.

"Well...Are you gonna ask me?"

He shook his head, "You're gonna have to wait till i find our perfect moment."

You grumbled like a digruntled child, leaping back on the bed and guarding your ring finger as he tried to take it back. Ultimately he ended up on top of you, both of you play wrestling like children.

"Y/n. Give. It. Back."

"NO its my ring now! You can't take it back! You practically already proposed!"

"You said yourself, I technically haven't asked!"

"Well why don't I keep it for now, just until you're ready?" You were wearing a shit-eating grin as you looked up at him, he had pinned you down with his hands on your wrists.

"No way. What Would I propose with then?"

You craned your neck to kiss him then, albeit akwardly. "I'd marry you with paper rings Dr. Reid."

He had gotten admittedly lost in your sweet words, which you used as your opprutunity to slide out from under him, once more flashing you giant grin before running out of the room.

"Y/N!"

The afternoon was lost to him chasing you around the apartment as you chanted, "Paper rings dr. Reid! Paper rings!"

[ellethespaceunicorn]

The Howling in Claw Creek Forest, Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven: Marked By The Wolf

Rating: Mature, 18+, Minors – DNI

Pairing: Werewolf!Walter Marshall x Reader

Word Count: ~4.8K (ya waited extra-long; ya get an extra-long chapter)

Series Summary: You live in a small town called Claw Creek, surrounded by a deep, dark forest. Since you were a kid, an urban legend of the creature in the woods has been told. If the distant howls at night and mutilated livestock are anything to go by, you fear the stories to be true.

Chapter Summary: It’s the night of the full moon. The plan? Invite Sy over to the cabin to keep an eye on him in case he shifts. WCGW? 

Warnings: verbal fight, angst

A/N: Thank you for being patient with me, guys! And I see y’all reblogging the masterlist for the series. And I thank you so much for keeping this story alive! A special thank you to @peyton-warren for being my lovely beta and soundboard for this. Cuz ya girl was struggling with this chapter for many moons.

Dividers by me

Support/Reblog banner by me

Cover Art by me

Series Masterlist

My Masterlist

Over the next day or so, you get to know Jace. You’d learned his full first name, but “only ko’u makuahine calls me Jason”. Growing up in Hawaii shaped the man he is today, and he misses home a lot. But with Walter in his pack, and being Faye’s godfather, he’s made his own little family.

For a while, it seems like he may be flirting with you. But that quickly fades into something else. You’re only mildly upset when he refers to you as kaikuahine. Firstly, because you had no idea what it meant. Secondly, because when you found out it meant ‘sister’, you had to remind yourself that you have a perfectly great werewolf boyfriend of your own already.

‘Calm down, girl,’ you thought, thinking of your eager beaver.

Walter notices the way your demeanor changes and takes your hand, leading you upstairs. Your confusion only amuses Jace, who seems to know something you don’t. Once you make it into Walter’s bedroom, you are spun against the door. He attacks your neck, licking and nipping at the sensitive flesh until you tangle your fingers in his chestnut curls. Your mind reels, wondering what’s gotten into him.

And then it hits you.

He’s…jealous!

Oh, this is too good. That’s twice tonight that he’s been struck with jealousy. Earlier with Sy’s thirst trap and now with your flirtatious nature. You are beyond flattered, but you refuse to let this man get too far gone. With your hand in his hair, you tighten your fingers and pry him from your neck.

Once his face is in front of yours, you notice his wild eyes where black replaces blue. He looks ready to eat you, and as much as you would like that, you decide to try and calm the beast within.

“Walter, baby? I need you to calm down for a sec,” you beg, both hands tangling in his hair to soothe his soul, “Come on back to me, baby.”

Blinking once, then twice, his eyes finally focus on you, and the trance is gone. His giant paws rush to your face and then to the tender skin of your neck where his teeth were grazing. He winces when you grimace at the feel of his thumb on your sore flesh.

“Pup, I am so sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I was−”

“Jealous?” you supply, already knowing what this was.

“I can’t help it. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. It’s jealousy, sure. But it feels deeper than that. I felt the need to mark you as mine. You’re sort of a natural flirt, you know that?” he probes, a soft smile on his face.

“Well, I mean, I can see that. I guess I’ve never really thought about it. No one has ever brought it up,” you explain, looking back on all the times that men thought you were flirting with them but were just being nice. 

“Don’t worry about it. I just wanted to make sure that Jace knew you were taken. He has an effect on women,” he expresses, “But it seems he only sees you as a sister, so I don’t have to worry about you two riding off into the sunset, now do I?” 

“Wow, that was kinda bitchy. But also, incredibly hot that you thought I could be influenced by another big pretty werewolf,” you tease, leaning up on your tippy toes to place a kiss on the end of his nose before pushing back from the door so you could open it and leave.

“You think he’s pretty?” Walter shouts after you.

You laugh, swiftly jogging down the stairs to find an equally amused Jace sitting on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table, perfectly at home.

Trying to keep yourself from feeling embarrassed, you plop down next to him on the couch. While you are snuggling into his side, he chuckles and jokes that you should watch out for “the big, bad wolf”. Just as the words leave his mouth, Walter appears on the other side of you, having leapt over the couch. You’re officially squeezed in between the two large wolves, and you suddenly feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Between the warmth radiating from both men, the way they commented on the Forged in Fire episode playing in the background, and the long day finally catching up with you, you had no choice but to fall asleep. You remember leaning your head against Jace’s beefy shoulder after he splayed both arms along the back of the couch. At some point during the night, you awake to find yourself sprawled across both of their laps. Your head is in Walter’s lap and your blanket-covered feet are shoved under Jace’s thigh.

The television screen asking if you’re still watching illuminates the faces of the snoring wolves at either side of you. Walter’s hand on your shoulder twitches as he feels you shifting. Shuffling your ankles, Jace sleepily readjusts to give you room before lowering his thigh back over your feet. All of this was done while they were asleep as if it was second nature to want to keep you safe and warm.

And you weren’t going to complain about being in a literal wolf pile. Instead, you snuggle into your blanket and let yourself drift off again.

When you awaken, the mid-morning sun is flooding through the windows. You’re still on the couch, but no longer surrounded by your wolf-shaped furnaces. Getting up from the couch, you wrap the blanket around your shoulders and go in search of coffee. 

Shuffling into the kitchen, you brush past where Walter is plating some waffles. You make it to the coffee machine and pour yourself a cup, adding in your sugar and cream and stirring it until it hits that perfect shade. Taking that first sip is nirvana. As the temperature of the hot beverage slides down your throat, you are warmed from the inside out. Now, you can officially say you have woken up.

You turn around to lean against the counter and are surprised to see both wolves looking at you and smiling. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just we were trying to get your attention, but I see Walter was right about you loving java. You have your priorities straight, is all,” Jace winks at you before sipping his coffee.

Walter chuckles and shoves a plateful of waffles, bacon, and eggs to one of the empty seats and nods for you to eat. “Don’t worry, Pup. I think it’s cute that you need your morning fuel before intelligent social interaction.”

“Thanks, Wolfie,” you hum, leaning in to peck him on the cheek before sitting down to tuck into your plate.

“And the nicknames are elevating my sugar levels as we speak,” Jace teases, expertly catching the waffle that Walter throws his way.

“Look, Jace and I have an idea. We just need you to put the pieces in motion,” Walter begins, explaining the plan to you while you eat. You stayed mostly silent, letting him lay everything out.

Jace pops in here and there with a few tweaks when he sees you start to feel a bit overwhelmed, “If at any time you feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate. We’re there in case anything happens.”

“I guess I have a call to make. Oh, and do you fellas think you can go grocery shopping? I need a few things if I wanna make sure I have enough to feed all of you,” you lament, factoring in that Sy used to eat you out of house and home on multiple occasions. Might as well have too much than too little. You give Wolfie and Jace your shopping list and head upstairs to shower and make a very important phone call.

Early evening rolls in and you are relishing the smell of your pot roast with vegetables simmering as it permeates the first floor of the house. Wolfie has been at your side for most of the afternoon and even now because you’ve been like a chicken with your head cut off, anxious nerves making you fuss over every little thing. 

And he couldn’t blame you for being on high alert. He did ask you to invite over your ex-fiancé during a full moon, under the guise of getting together for a football game, so that he and Jace could find out if Sy is a werewolf. ‘A simple plan,’ said no one in this situation.

Olivia was invited over to help you set up and possibly help you with cooking. But alas, fair Olivia has found her Prince Charming in Jace. And just as Walter said, he does have an effect on women. You have to stop and giggle to yourself as she throws her head back in laughter and touches his arm, her signature move. Great, those two can swoon each other all night while you try and keep the peace between a wolf and a hard place.

The roast was not going to cook any faster with you standing over the crock pot, so you step away from the kitchen and join the others as they sit in the living room. Jace and Liv sit on the couch as Walter sits in one of the loungers. Just as you sit down to rest your bones in the other chair, you notice the guys exchanging a look. 

You hear the rumble of Sy’s old pickup and your heart drops into your stomach. You shoot up from your seat and adjust your turtleneck dress that hugs your body like a glove before walking to the front door. You step outside as Sy is pulling into the driveway. Swallowing your apprehension, you walk across the lawn to meet him. 

Smiling as he exits his truck, Sy wraps you up in a bear hug. When he lifts you off the ground, you squeak, and he just laughs before putting you back down. You get a whiff of him, and you feel an instant urge to bury your nose in his neck, or his perfectly trimmed beard. Fighting that urge, you playfully swat at Sy’s meaty, flannel-clad bicep and try not to stare at his veiny forearms. 

The man always had great arms; you would have complimented him on them once upon a time. But that was a long time ago, and even though you wanted to devour him where he stood, you weren’t about to let him know that. His head was big enough without you adding your horniness to it.

He steps to the truck bed and reaches a hand in to pick up a case of your favorite beer. He seems pretty pleased with himself and not at all nervous about meeting your new boyfriend. You should’ve known better than to think he would miss the opportunity to annoy your current beau.

You lead him inside where he immediately sniffs the air and exclaims, “Oh, my God! Please tell me that is your pot roast.”

You feel heat rise to your cheeks and nervously reply, “Um, yeah. It’s probably just about done if you want some.”

“If I want some? Of course, it’s my favorite meal,” Sy earnestly comments, and you can’t help but bashfully thank him.

A throat is cleared, and Walter appears at your side, planting a nuzzling kiss on your neck as he snakes an arm around you, making you giggle. 

“Walter, this is Sy. Sy, this is Walter, my boyfriend,” you introduce them, smiling to yourself as they offer a hand for a handshake and exchange pleasantries.

“Pleasure ta meetcha, Walter.” “Likewise, Sy.” 

They were still shaking each other’s hands until you realized they were having a staring contest. 

“Seriously?!” you gripe, equally mad at both of them, “You’re both grown men, right?” You push through their still-joined hands and go into the kitchen.

Olivia rises from the couch and admonishes them as well, “Good going, guys,” as she follows you into the kitchen.

“What?” they say in unison, looking at the only other man in the room. Jace shakes his head, looking between the two of them and taking a pull off his beer.

Walter walks into the kitchen, already apologizing as he approaches where you are sitting at the table. He takes your hand in his and holds it against his chest. It’s less what he says, and more of how he says it. He sounds genuine and he means every word. You peck him on the cheek, forgiving him. Olivia makes sure to tease you about how cute you two are.

Sy saunters in once Walter exits, placing the case of beer on the kitchen counter before opening it, removing two bottles, and handing one to you. Clinking the neck of his bottle against yours, he uncaps his and takes and takes a long pull. Taking a long look at you, he leans back and surveys your level of anger, trying to assess exactly how mad you are.

“Walter seems nice,” he starts in that fatherly tone that always gets a smile out of you. 

You shake your head and laugh despite yourself wanting to be mad at him. “You know, he actually is very nice. Just give him a chance to surprise you before you hate his guts, ok? That’s all I ask.”

“Oh, is that all? Easy peasy lemon squeezy,” he grumbles, pouting for a second. “Look, I’ll be on my best behavior like Church on Sunday if I can get some of that pot roast.” He turns those blue topaz eyes on you, and you’re putty in his hands, suddenly wishing Liv wasn’t in the room to watch that little moment. 

You rise from your seat, dishing out some of the roast and potatoes and carrots onto a plate for Sy, and place it in front of him. You light up when he closes his eyes at the first bite. His groan of satisfaction is more than enough to signal that you did a great job. But the pat he gives your knee is so warm and so intimate that your muscles instantly react to his touch, wishing it lingered for a second more.

“Liv, can Sy and I have a second to talk?” you plead, hoping that she would give you some space.

“Sure. I’ll just go back to fawning over Jace. He’s so pretty I wanna cry,” she professes, patting your shoulder as she exits the kitchen.

Your eyes follow Olivia as she leaves, and then they snap back to where Sy is sitting smiling at you. And you know this particular smile well. 

“Sy, why are you smiling at me like that? You said you would be on your best behavior and that smile is not your best behavior,” you sigh, rolling your eyes, “I know that smile got me to do a lot of things back in the day.”

“A lot of fun things come to mind,” he murmurs, bringing his beer up to his lips to drain before rising to get another and lean on the counter, “But that is not why I’m here tonight. Don’t worry, I’m only here to make sure my favorite girl’s being taken care of. I will be a perfect gentleman, even to yer old man.”

Rising from your seat, you finally open your beer and stand next to him. Taking a sip, you bump his shoulder with yours. “One question I have for you. Why did you agree to come over? I mean, you could have hung up the phone or cursed me out when I asked you over to spend time with me. At my boyfriend’s cabin. In the woods. Just saying that now makes me wonder what was going through your head.”

“Not gonna lie, I loved seeing you the other day. Even though you weren’t exactly pleased to see me, you still told me to be careful out there in the woods. Look, I like having you in my life. If that means I have you as a friend, it’s much better than not having you at all,” he confesses, and your world shatters around you when you look up into his eyes and see his sincerity.

You open your mouth to speak but the words won’t take shape and you’re left looking for the answer in his face. The eyes you got lost in a million times before. The lips you kissed every chance you got. Standing this close, you can breathe each other’s breath. If you only stood on your tippy-toes and leaned in, you’d be right−

“Am I interrupting something?” Olivia’s voice snaps you back to reality and you put some space between you and Sy. She walks in between you two to grab another beer. She gives Sy a look before turning her attention to you, “Your boyfriend’s wondering where you are, bee-tee-dubs.” She throws out her arm, gesturing for you to lead the way back to the living room instead of finishing your conversation. You miss her giving Sy another pointed stare before following you out.

The night goes on as planned, at first. You all watch a college football game, Walter’s alma mater vs their rivals, who just happen to be Sy’s alma mater. You and Sy met after college, and he mentioned having played lacrosse, but he’s never shown interest in football. Until tonight, of course.

It’s been a long time since you and Sy spent time together, but you know his temperament. And he’s off. He doesn’t look like himself either, as if he’s covering up something. With the way that Walter and Jace keep sharing looks, you see he is on their radar as well.

Olivia and Jace occupy the two loungers, so you are sitting in between Walter and Sy on the couch. How lucky! You’re in the perfect spot to listen to Sy rooting loudly for his team and making snide comments all because he doesn’t wanna sit next to you and your new boyfriend. 

Walter, on the other hand, is quiet for the most part but trembling with anger. He’s letting Sy get to him, and you can’t stand it anymore. You’re suddenly jealous of Olivia who fell asleep halfway into the game.

You unwrap yourself from around Walter and turn to Sy. “Kitchen. Now.”

He doesn’t answer and mutely follows you, taken aback when you turn on him once you’re both in the kitchen.

“What the hell are you doing? You are being such an ass. I’m trying to hold out an olive branch, but you are not meeting me in the middle, Sy,” you snap, feeling like you could spit fire.

“And why did you even invite me? To parade your new man all over me? I thought maybe we could try and be friends, but now I see all you wanna do is remind me that I wasn’t good enough for you,” Sy erupts, his voice booming and full of rage. 

“That’s not fair,” you gasp.

“All’s fair in love, Bug,” he cautions, sweat starting to drip down his forehead, “Look, I’m gonna go before either of us says something we’ll regret.” He turns and storms out of the kitchen before you can step any closer to him, but you are on his tail when he steps out of the front door.

You reach him, putting your hand on his shoulder as you try to stop him. He turns back to you, his eyes closed in a pained expression. His skin is flushed as he rips open his flannel, making it easier for you to see his Adonis belt just above his jeans. The bite mark is nowhere to be seen, having already healed. When he starts to hyperventilate, you try to soothe him by calling his name. Fast as lightning, Walter appears between you and Sy.

“Sy, you have to try and stay calm. You aren’t making this easy on yourself. Let it happen,” Walter holds his hands out, showing he means no harm as he tries to step closer to Sy. Walter starts to shift after removing his sweater and jeans.

“Back off, man,” Sy warns, feeling like he could explode with the heat beneath his skin.

“You can do this, just open your eyes,” Walter replies, before his mouth becomes a snout and talking is impossible.

But when Sy finally opens his eyes, they start to glow. His neck twists at a freakish angle, the sounds of bones crunching has you terrified. Reddish-brown fur sprouts out of his skin as his hands stretch into clawed paws. His confused screams are horrifying. Jace’s booming voice is talking over his cries, talking him through the transformation. 

Doubling over, Sy grunts in agony as he falls on all fours. Letting out a howl, his jeans fall away as he transforms for the first time. You scream, taking a step back when he sniffs the air and he takes one step toward you. 

Sy paces back and forth in front of Walter, seeming to weigh his options. Walter’s wolf form stands an inch or two taller than Sy as he puts distance between you and the new wolf.

Just as the tension is insurmountable, a throat is cleared, and you all look to see Jace standing in the driveway. Nonchalant, but his eyes keenly take in the scene in front of him as he nods at Walter. Olivia is at Jace’s side, dumbfounded by what she is witnessing. When she notices that rumbling sound coming from Jace is him growling, she throws away fear in place of curiosity.

The two wolves are kicking dust up with their feet, squaring off until Jace steps a bit closer to back up his brother. Sy had a chance of maybe beating Walter. But a new wolf up against two bonded brother wolves? No way in hell. 

You step in between the three of them. Holding out your hands, you plead with them not to fight. Walter’s nose nudges at your legs and he huffs in Sy’s face. Walter shifts back, picking up his jeans to put back on, and crossing his arms across his massive chest.

Walter and Jace move closer to Sy as he snarls at them until he sees you, clinging to Olivia. Tears fall from your eyes and something inside of Sy breaks. Looking to you, he can see the fear on your face and you wonder if that is what causes him to want to shift back into human form. The two brothers talk Sy down, telling him how to return to human form.

Once his bones have settled and the whining howls stop, Sy is in the fetal position on the lawn. Shivering, sweaty, and scared. His clothes are ruined, but you think you remember seeing a blanket in the truck bed earlier. You ask Olivia to get the blanket while you caress Sy’s face. 

Once the blanket is around his middle, you accept help from Walter to lift him up. Sy uses his last ounce of energy to push Walter away. 

Coming back to himself, Sy refocuses his anger on Walter. “This has nothing to do with you. Gonna need you to step aside,” Sy fumes, cranky from the changes he doesn’t understand he’s going through.

“That’s just not gonna happen. Maybe if you weren’t trying to move in on what’s mine, I’d be sorry for what I’ve done,” Walter seethes, “After all, I’m the one that bit you.”

You and Sy are both in a state of shock but for different reasons. Sy just found out werewolves are real, and your boyfriend just referred to you as “what’s his'. 

“You did this to me?” Sy’s rage peaks.

“Hey, hey. Focus on my voice, come back. You don’t wanna do this,” you trail off as Sy calms down. 

His irises are back to their brilliant blue and you can see recognition in them. He looks tired, but he is no worse for wear.

“Can we get outta here? Go someplace we can just…talk?” Sy insists.

You think for a second about how pissed you are at Walter for being extremely callous about turning Sy, not to mention talking about you as if you were a piece of property to be owned. You turn to look back at Walter before answering Sy.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” you affirm, putting one of Sy’s arms around your neck to help him walk back to his truck. 

You watch Jace stand in front of Walter to stop him from following after you. “Let her cool off, you did just kinda refer to her as ‘what’s mine’, and generally women don’t like that outside of the bedroom.”

Olivia steps over to Walter, putting a hand on his shoulder, her expression calm and collected. “He won’t hurt her. He cares too much about her to do that.”

You get into the driver’s seat after putting Sy in the passenger side, not allowing him to drive. You caution a glance at Walter, instantly regretting looking at his mournful face. Turning the car on, you back out of the driveway and drive out to Sy’s place. 

As you drive there from muscle memory, you look over at Sy now and then. The streetlights of the town dash across his solemn face and bare chest as he sleeps. You almost don’t want to wake him when you make it to his house, he looks so peaceful and not like his life has been turned upside-down. You wake him with the back of your hand smoothing down his face. He grabs it, lost for a moment before he sees your face and where he is.

You help him get inside and suddenly feel exhausted as well. You loiter in the living room while he grabs a glass of water from the kitchen. You didn’t really plan how you were going to get back to Walter’s cabin tonight. And if you’re honest with yourself, you don’t want to go back tonight.

Sy comes back out, gulping down water from his glass while holding the blanket low around his middle. 

“Is it okay if we wait to talk? I’m tired as hell. I’ll take the couch if that’s alright?” You ask, sitting down on the couch and starting to move the pillows.

“You’re not staying out here. You’re sleeping in the bedroom. I’ll take the couch. I’ll grab you something to sleep in,” he rattles on, moving to the bedroom as you stand from the couch and look at your feet.

Sy comes back out to the living room. He’s barefoot, shirtless, and in a pair of grey sweatpants. He just can’t help himself, you think.

“I left you a shirt and some shorts on the bed. Let me know if you need anything, alright?” he advises, using a hand on the small of your back to guide you to the bedroom.

You laugh when you see Sy left you his Mötley Crüe shirt. While putting on the shirt and the boxers, you look at the bed and you know that you don’t want to sleep alone. You don’t care that this will only further complicate your relationship, but you need to not be alone right now. Your bare feet pad across the wood floor as you go back out to the living room. 

Sy hears you and picks his head up to look at you. “You alright, Bug?”

“I don’t wanna sleep alone. I know that’s probably−”

Sy was already up and ushering you back into the bedroom before you could finish your sentence. You pull back the covers so you both can climb in. You enter first and then he slides under the blanket next to you. He lays on his back, you on your side facing away from him. You wiggle your body backward until you come into contact with his warmth. You reach back for his arm and pull it around you.

“Is this okay?” you hesitate, suddenly afraid that you’re asking too much.

“Yeah. S’ok,” he whispers, his breath fanning across your neck. If he notices the shiver that goes down your spine, you’re grateful that he doesn’t mention it.

“Good night, Sy,” you murmur, yawning at the end of your sentence.

“G’night, Bug,” he breathes.

As you drift off to sleep, you think how different you imagined this day ending. You didn’t expect to be in your ex’s arms tonight instead of Walter’s. But you did expect to be in a werewolf’s embrace. Sy’s breath evens out behind you, the rising and falling of his chest against your back is enough to lull you into a peaceful slumber.

To be continued...

A/N: I would love to know what you think of this chapter!

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[swissboyhisch]

New York Luck

Pairing: Mat Barzal x Reader

Summary: After a lovely holiday, your partner breaks up with you and so you turn to your only friend in the city.

Word Count: 1055

A/N: I'm not super happy with this. I feel like it's rushed but I want to put it out anyway.

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THE MASTERLIST JOIN THE TAGLIST HOCKEY DISCORD

Why is it that every time you come to New York, something bad happens. The last time you had gotten your shitty diagnosis. This time your current boyfriend and yourself had decided to go on a holiday to Hawaii for a week and of course, an hour after landing back in New York he decided to break your heart.

Something about not being ready for a relationship. Apparently. And here you were ready to tell him I love you on your holiday but held back because he was a little distant at night. That’s why you’re now standing in a Walmart; wearing a pair of sunglasses trying to find food.

Sadly you can’t even go home. In three days you have to have another surgery. A different one to the last time you were in New York. Now you’re stuck in the city, alone and crying your eyes out. Dealing with health issues and a break up. What a great combo. And to make things worse, you can’t even drink away your emotions!

Aisle by aisle, you grab chocolate, some cupcakes, cheese and crackers, a bit of everything. Oh and a bottle of coke, can’t forget it. That’s when you heard a familiar voice calling your name. You turned to where the voice came from. 

“Mat?”

One of the few people you knew in the city. Mat wasn’t a stranger to you. Quite the opposite actually. The pair of you grew up together then reconnected later on once he had been drafted. After a couple hook ups since the reunion, you two were close when you did meet up.

“Are you okay?” Mat questions, spying your reddened cheeks just under your glasses. 

“I uh… Yeah,” You tried to brush it off. Discreetly wiping the stray tears that dripped down your cheeks. “Just some personal stuff.”

The hockey player wasn’t buying it. He had known you long enough to see through your lies. Even if they were really bad like the one you just told. “Okay, what’s up? I know that’s a lie. You were literally just in Hawaii.”

“Stalking my insta?” You joke weakly.

“Gotta see what my favourite girl is up to.”

That made your heart hurt more. Here Mat was calling you that where as your ex could barely call you his girlfriend in front of his friends. God, you thought your relationship was great. Fuck. How could you be so blind. 

“Yeah we got back this morning and then he broke up with me an hour after we landed.”

Mat immediately brought you in for a hug. “Shit. He’s an asshole for that.”

“Doesn’t help I have surgery friday,” You add, sniffling.

“Another one?” Mat sighs. “He’s a coward for breaking up with you before that. It’s a dick move.”

You shrug off the comment. “I’d rather him do it now then drag it out. Now I can just focus on myself. Gonna get snacks and have a night in my hotel. Maybe get ice cream from the place next door.”

“Can I join?” Mat asked. 

“Are you sure?”

Matt agreed and the two of you finished grabbing snacks for the night and finished Mat’s shopping. He brought groceries for his apartment so the two created a plan. First, drop off Mat’s groceries to his apartment. Then head to your hotel to have a chill night. 

You two arrived back at your hotel, which was quite a fancy one since you and your partner had planned to stay there together. First, before retreating to your bedroom, you stopped by the ice cream place and got way too much. Enough that Mat’s nutritionist would cry at the thought of the hockey player consuming all that sugar. 

“This is nice.” The two of you walked into the nice hotel room. A modern style hotel room on the 9th floor. A king sized bed in the middle with the bathroom off to the left as you walked in. There was even a window with a blind in the shower. “Have you stayed here before?”

“Yeah, my ex worked nearby so I’d stay when I’d come to visit him,” You respond.

Mat grabbed the bag of snacks and put that on the counter, wrapped you in a hug and dragged you onto the bed. The smell of his cologne filled your senses. Despite your old hook up ways with Mat, the familiar scent still gave you butterflies.

“I wanna have a shower and get into my pyjamas,” You sighed, pulling away from Mat. You grabbed some clothes and went to go to the bathroom when a sulking sound came from the boy laying on your bed. When you looked at him, he was pulling the puppy's eyes. “What? Do you wanna join?”

“Please?” You giggled and agreed, leaving him to join you when he wished. “Thank youuuu!”

The bathroom was really modern. A large mirror in front of the sink and a huge shower with a rainfall head. Your favourite type of shower. After turning on the water to your preferred temperature, you stripped and got into the shower. The water felt calming as you stood under the stream. 

“Heya,” Mat mutters as he slips into the shower. 

You leaned into the hockey player as he wrapped his arms around you. This wasn’t the first time you had showered with him. But let’s just say usually, a simple shower wasn’t just that. 

“Are you okay?” Mat asks as you’re unusually quiet around him. That question just makes you break. A flood of emotions coming through. Mat was quick to pull you closer, tight against his naked body as you started to sob. “He’s an idiot.”

“What’s wrong with me?” You cried.

“Nothing. I promise you it’s him. He’s the worst person for doing this to you. He’s the problem.”

Once you had calmed down and the two of you had finished washing, you changed into your pyjamas and cuddled up on bed with a ton of snacks surrounding the pair of you. Mat had signed into his Disney. You allowed him to pick what the two of you would watch for the night. When you saw the intro it solidified the hidden feeling for him. It was your favourite show.

“Thanks for this,” You mutter to Mat.

The brunette kissed the top of your head. “Always.”

TAG LIST

@findapenny @mp0625 @hischierhaze @11zegras @lvrzegras @francesfarhadi @cixrosie @daisysthings

[bookshop]

Most popular fanfiction fandoms by state

There's a specific kind of PR spam I get a lot that involves marketing firms coming up with cool quirky topics to look up on Google Trends, finding out what the data is on a national level, and then turning that data into a cute trend graph.

While discussing one such trend search, I started wondering what the top fanfiction fandoms were on a state by state level, so i did it myself.

The results were honestly not what I was expecting!

Methodology: I searched Google trends for "fanfiction" by state and then noted the top related queries for the past 12 months. If not enough data could be generated for related queries, then I looked at the top related topics. If those results were wonky, I searched top related queries from 2004-present.

Harry Potter is universally the #2 fandom behind Naruto, with the exception of Iowa, in which Harry Potter was ranked 1st, and trailing at a very distant 2nd was.... NCIS Hawaii, and Colorado, in which the top 3 fandoms are Miraculous Ladybug, RWBY, and Percy Jackson.

RWBY, My Hero Academia, and Percy Jackson were generally the most popular third place fandoms.

Wednesday Addams is by far the most popular related character topic. One notable exception is Pennsylvania, where the top related character is, uh, this random gentleman from General Hospital?

AO3 was by far the most-googled related fic archive ahead of ff.net and wattpad. (Though to be fair, Wattpad tweens aren't googling Wattpad, they're just opening the app.)

Another related query that kept popping up from state to state was this (imo basic) fanfic kink test that got popular thanks to this tumblr post, so well done everyone!

[livingforstars]

Hale-Bopp, Jupiter, and the Milky Way - July 23rd, 1996.

"Shining brightly, the mighty Jupiter rules this gorgeous Kodacolour photo of the Milky Way near Sagittarius. Astronomer Bill Keel took the picture earlier in the month (July 7th, 1996) while standing near the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea, contemplating the sky in the direction of the center of the galaxy (right of the picture's center). In addition to the gas giant planet, which is well placed for evening viewing, the image contains an impressive sampler of celestial goodies. Many famous emission nebulae are visible as reddish patches - M16, the Eagle nebula, is just above and right of the center, with the Horseshoe nebula, M17, just below it and farther to the right. Also, look for the Lagoon Nebula, M8, as the brightest red patch at the right of the picture with the Trifid Nebula, M20, just above it and to the left. The milky glow of distant unresolved stars in the plane of our galaxy (thus the term Milky Way) runs through the image, cut by dark, absorbing, interstellar dust clouds. The much anticipated comet Hale-Bopp is also visible. The comet was discovered while still beyond the orbit of Jupiter on July 23rd, 1995, independently by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp."

[just--space]

Arp 78: Peculiar Galaxy in Aries : Peculiar spiral galaxy Arp 78 is found within the boundaries of the head strong constellation Aries. Some 100 million light-years beyond the stars and nebulae of our Milky Way galaxy, the island universe is over 100,000 light-years across. Also known as NGC 772, it sports a prominent, outer spiral arm in this detailed cosmic portrait from the large Gemini North telescope near the summit of Maunakea, Hawaii, planet Earth. Tracking along sweeping dust lanes and lined with young blue star clusters, Arp 78's spiral arm is likely pumped-up by galactic-scale gravitational tidal interactions The close companion galaxy responsible is NGC 770, located off the upper right of this frame. But more distant background galaxies are clearly visible in the cosmic field of view. via NASA

[juniorig0327]

Wrote this in like two hours how do y'all feel about this?

Percy can’t believe it went wrong so quickly.

He was enjoying his well deserved retirement from the demigod life, hell he was getting to a point where he almost believed he deserved it. That’s when he heard his mom call his name.

“-Percy! Hurry come quick!” Sally called out and he came rushing into the other room, clutching his pen.

“Mom? What’s wrong..?”

The only thing she did was point to the radio and turn up the volume.

“…This is KTU in Honolulu, Hawaii. I am speaking from the roof of the Advertiser Publishing Company Building. We have witnessed this morning the distant view a brief full battle of Pearl Harbor and the severe bombing of Pearl Harbor by enemy planes, undoubtedly Japanese. The city of Honolulu has also been attacked and considerable damage done. This battle has been going on for nearly three hours. One of the bombs dropped within fifty feet of KTU tower. It is no joke. It is a real war–”

His hands began to tremble. War? Oh no, oh hell no. He’d had enough war in lifetime. First with Kronos and then with Gaea. He was not going to fight in another war, he wanted no part in it, especially a war against mortals. Killing insane Titans and Primordial beings was one thing, but humans? Humans who bled red? Humans in which the only difference between them is that their ambition wasn’t golden? Not humans. He’d avoided directly killing demigods, people with flesh and blood like him – maybe not like him, he felt more god than human these days, those people were more human than he was weren’t they? – before, but he had a feeling. This might not be something he could escape from. He clenched his fists as they began to tremble and the talking continued.

“The, uh…public of Honolulu has been advised to keep in their homes and away– uh from the Army and Navy. There has been serious fighting going on in the air and on the sea. The heavy shooting seems to be…”

Fuck. Was it just his mind or did everything seem to be closing in on him? It got way harder to breathe, like it was a struggle to inhale and exhale. He could feel shaking at the balls of his feet but he didn’t know where it was coming from. All he could hear was static in his ears. Was he dying? Was this the part where his life would flash before his eyes? Would he open his eyes (he doesn’t remember closing them) and be in Charon’s boat? 

“--Percy!”

Something cut through the static. It sounded familiar, the voice (not like the voices in his head– something real). He heard the voice again, calling for someone. Percy? Who was Percy? Was that him? He didn’t know. 

“Percy. You’re in New York right now and I need you to calm down sunshine.’

Annabeth? That sounded like Annabeth. But Annabeth wasn’t here, was she? (Suddenly it got a lot easier to breathe.)

“Sunshine, I need you to open your eyes.”

Well, if it was Annabeth, he could trust her. He opened his eyes hesitantly to see an IM of Annabeth in front of him. “Annabeth..” He let out a sigh, looking up at her. “... I– we’re going to have to fight. Again. Against mortals.” 

“Percy you can’t think like that.”

“Yeah, you’re right I guess.”

-

“Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong: Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.

As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.”

Percy began packing his bags, staring at the sheet of paper on his desk. He felt a surge of rage and bitterness thinking about it. He was supposed to be done with fighting, all of this. But no, now he has to go fight for a country he’s not even sure he wants to fight for. But he has to fight, he has to fight against another evil, an evil that's not something of the godly world, but someone (thing) so terribly human it disgusts him.

“But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.”

He slung the bag over his shoulder with the letter in his pocket, taking – possibly – one last look at his room before closing the door. He stepped out to see his mom and Annabeth standing beside each other. He couldn’t help but smile a little as he stepped forward to kiss his mom on the cheek. “I’m gonna miss you both. Ma, don’t get all lonely without me. Don’t forget I’m an IM– or a letter – away, don’t hesitate to reach out.” He couldn’t help but be upset. Paul was at Pearl Harbor and died (in water, in his domain, in his dad’s domain. He can’t forgive himself for that) and now he was being drafted. His mom would be all alone (because of him the voice in head head helpfully supplies).

“With confidence in our armed forces with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God.”

He turned to Annabeth and cupped her face, leaning in for a passionate kiss. He could taste the coffee on her tongue as he brushed his thumb over her cheek. After kissing way too long for being in front of his mother he pulled away. “I’ll be back. I promise. Never Again remember?” He said, his voice shaky, as if he was trying to convince himself more than her. 

“Yeah.” She said back, her voice just as shaky as they pushed their foreheads together for a brief moment. Annabeth was the first one to pull back. “Go.”

“I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”

 February 5, 1942 Percy Jackson left for war.

[rabbitcruiser]

Alaska (No. 2)

Indigenous people have lived in Alaska for thousands of years, and it is widely believed that the region served as the entry point for the initial settlement of North America by way of the Bering land bridge. The Russian Empire was the first to actively colonize the area beginning in the 18th century, eventually establishing Russian America, which spanned most of the current state and promoted and maintained a native Alaskan Creole population. The expense and logistical difficulty of maintaining this distant possession prompted its sale to the U.S. in 1867 for US$7.2 million (equivalent to $157 million in 2023). The area went through several administrative changes before becoming organized as a territory on May 11, 1912. It was admitted as the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.

Abundant natural resources have enabled Alaska—with one of the smallest state economies—to have one of the highest per capita incomes, with commercial fishing, and the extraction of natural gas and oil, dominating Alaska's economy. U.S. Armed Forces bases and tourism also contribute to the economy; more than half of the state is federally-owned land containing national forests, national parks, and wildlife refuges. It is among the most irreligious states, one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana, and is known for its libertarian-leaning political culture, generally supporting the Republican Party in national elections. The Indigenous population of Alaska is proportionally the second highest of any U.S. state, at over 15 percent, after only Hawaii.

Source: Wikipedia

[peachjagiya]

I hope this question (to both you and your followers) is okay.

Some context: I would call myself probably like a 70-80% Taekook believer? I finished 2023 being completely convinced of them being together romantically, but then… not that THEY have changed at all, I have just rethought and reframed some things.

More specifically, I do wonder if it really is just a very close platonic friendship where they have a unique and deep understanding of each other. Which is still pretty special, of course! But not quite the romantic bond I have imagined. Watching them on AYS I’ve realised how playful and tight they are with each other and I can see how SOME can read that as a “brotherly” bond.

So I guess my question in all of this is:

If you’re an occasional skeptic like me, what usually swings you right back into believing? What convinces you? What is the one thing that can’t be accounted for by just a deep friendship between the two?

(As I ask this I am cackling at myself because in what world does a friend just hop on a plane to Hawaii when he says he misses you 😂😅 but anyway I am still curious!!)

I find it a little hard to answer because I don't think I ever sweat it hard enough to need to be pulled back in. I get as much enjoyment out of them possibly being just friends as I do a romance.

I guess it's stuff like this where I'm like, "I dunno, man!"

For BH to have done a 180 on Taekook, going from the mischievous maknae's, a perfectly marketable dynamic, to "distant/Awkward"... well why? And why did they have these moments of pure drama like two people who were going through some interpersonal stuff? The lore reads like two people who fell in love in an inconvenient setting and there's been an effort to manage that.

[rintoorou]

ALOHA, HAWAII — xi. resurfacing memories

(wc: 1.6k-ish.. teehee | cw: suggestive, but just implications here and there)

“do you want to come with us?” you hear yourself say. the question sounded sweet—gentle and inviting—like an inside joke shared between two lovers. 

and then you remember; you already know he’ll say yes. “of course,” like always, “i was hoping you’d ask.” every time.

suddenly, you’re at the beach waist-deep in the water. you’re smiling but you don’t exactly know why. you turn to your left and see kids playing on the shore, burying themselves in the sand, and a wave of relief washes over you. you feel so free it makes you laugh, a distant sound in your ears. before you can dwell on it further, someone splashes you with water and it hits you in the face, making you scream. even with your eyes closed, the salt seeps past your eyelids but somehow you don’t mind. 

when you open them again, you’re met with a rerun of an old show you’ve never seen before. you hear the fan running but the hotel room still feels hot. you move to peel yourself from the body beside you, removing your legs from where they are placed over his, but he doesn’t let you. 

“where are you going?” he asks, hand on your calf so you don’t budge any farther. “it’s hot,” you point out, barely holding back a smile when you look up and see the slight frown on his face. “so?”

“i need some space.”

“no, you don’t.” 

“i’m already sweating!”

“then take your shirt off.”

you throw your head back with a groan, “oh my god, rin, please. i don’t want to shower again.” 

you wait, and it takes a minute before rintarou finally releases you from his hold, but not before deliberately showing you the disappointed look on his face. you playfully stick your tongue out at him as a retort and move to the other end of the couch, away from his warmth, laying your head on the armrest. your eyelids start to grow heavy, but you’re awake enough to feel a hand land on your knee, absentmindedly tracing circles on it. then you fall asleep. 

you jolt awake when the cab roughly drives over a speed bump, heart racing from having been suddenly woken up. you hear an annoyed tsk from beside you, and it’s only a moment after that you realize you’ve fallen asleep on someone else’s shoulder.  

like lightning, you immediately move to sit up on your own, making you feel lightheaded from the sudden movement. “sorry,” you mumble, mentally kicking yourself for your previous position, “you should’ve woken me up.” 

suna only hums in response, eyes trained outside the window. you let out a small sigh and lean back on the car seat, trying to gather your bearings. 

a few minutes pass and your heartbeat is still racing, thumping against your ribcage, and it makes you uncomfortable. perhaps, you were a little embarrassed after finding yourself in that position with suna. you were still mad at him from the argument the previous day. you’re sure he’s just as frustrated as you, judging by how he refuses to look you in the eyes since leaving the lobby this morning. so it was like a punch to your gut—or pride rather, that you were comfortably deep in slumber on the shoulder of someone you claim to despise so much. 

but in the back of your mind, your dream comes in flashes. the phone call. the beach. the stuffy hotel room. you push them back. his shirt. his hair. his light touches. fuck. his eyes. his warmth. his care. he’s so annoying. the dream that uncovered a long-forgotten memory comes in annoying flashes and you barely hold back from rolling your eyes albeit to yourself. 

you were reminding yourself over and over again that you were mad at suna that you didn't even notice the cab stopping. “we’re here,” the driver says, and you and suna get off. 

the area is somewhat isolated from the town, with less sand and more soil. trees of all kinds are scattered around the place instead of the usual palm you had become used to seeing. in the middle of it all was a wooden bungalow, a mix of dark and vibrant paints that chipped away with time. you can hear the different birds and insects chirp hidden, and you swear you hear a snake rattle somewhere. 

“are you sure this is where we’re supposed to get the cake?” suna asks skeptically. you unlock your phone and check your notes app to see if the name on the old signage matches the one kiyoomi gave you. “yeah,” both you and he grow surprised, “that’s the one.”

the bell above the door rings when you enter. everything in the empty bakeshop looks like they’re from the 70s save for the bakery case next to the counter. similar to the outside, most of the furniture was made of wood painted vastly different colors. 

as if on cue, an old lady emerges from the saloon doors at the back, a mug of coffee in each hand. “oh, great! you’re already here,” she grins, “this coffee was just freshly made!”

you and suna give each other a look before moving to one of the tables where she’d placed the coffee down, sitting when she motions for you to. “so?” she asks, excitedly tapping her fingers on the wooden table. 

a beat passes and you think she’s waiting for you to introduce yourselves. “oh, we’re—”

“atsumu’s friends, yes!” she laughs, a bit too enthusiastic for suna’s liking, “i spoke with him on the phone yesterday. and his omi too. what a sweet handsome couple they are.”

something about the lady in front of you is… odd. she stands out from the background, with her dirty white duster and cloth wrapped around her hair. a thick band of gold decorates her neck, similar to the circular plates hanging on her ears. each of her fingers adorns an assortment of rings and they catch your eye, the one with the blue gem in particular. her sunglasses are tinted blacker than the night; you can’t see the intent sitting behind them, but, for some reason, you feel safe. strange. a few alarms go off in your head—you’re already thinking of contingency plans in case things go wrong in this quaint bakeshop—but your senses remain calm. your senses tell you the stranger sitting across you is somewhat familiar.

you recall your dream in the cab once more. why you were smiling. why you felt so free. right, it wasn’t only you and suna going on trips to the beach. you were with oba. 

“i’m sure you have similar stories, no?” her soft voice breaks you out of your reverie. you tilt your head in confusion, mouth twitching in uncertainty when you ask her to clarify, “sorry?”

she leans closer, curious and eager, and places her chin atop her clasped hands. “come on, don’t lose to them,” she urges, cocking her head to the side, “so when did you two get married?”

“oh, we’re not,” you stammer, nervously stealing a glance to your side and noticing suna’s uncharacteristically reddened cheeks, feeling your own flush warm also, “we’re not married.”

the old lady tilts her head down as if she were studying both of your hands. once you realize what she's looking at, you and suna both make it a point to move your rings from your left ring fingers to somewhere else, somewhere very far away from your ring fingers.

you clear your throat once done, but the growing awkwardness was palpable. “those were just for style.”

the old lady hums in thought, “boyfriend?”

“no,” suna grumbles, though the redness on his cheeks remains.

“just friends, then?”

“no?” your voice comes out unsure.

“hmm, then... what do kids call that these days? friends with benefits?”

“oh my god, no!” you exclaim, hand flying to cover your mouth in an instant. embarrassment floods inside you and you feel like you’ll burst into flames any second. suddenly, you’re eighteen again, sitting beside suna on the couch, listening dreadfully to oba giving you both the talk. 

but the man beside you takes it the wrong way. “what the fuck?” suna breathes out in disbelief, though equally as mortified as you are, “no need to react that badly.”

you throw him a sarcastic look. “oh, i’m sorry. did you want me to say ‘yes’?”

“you say ‘no’ like it’s the grossest thing ever!” suna crosses his arms stubbornly, a slight frown on his lips when he adds under his breath, “and we both know it isn’t. in fact—”

you cut him off with a raise of a brow, daring him to complete his thought. suna immediately seals his lips shut and lets out a small huff, pointedly looking away. 

your tongue prods the inside of your cheek as you roll your eyes, “you and your ego.” you meet eyes with the lady across from you and give her an apologetic smile on behalf of the both of you. 

however, to your surprise, she doesn’t seem to mind your bickering. instead, a small knowing smile gradually spreads on her lips. “interesting,” she muses, “how you two want the same thing but make it so hard for yourselves. kids are so stubborn these days.” 

before you can ask what she means, she happily excuses herself from the table to gather the assortment of cake flavors for you to try. “i’ll be back in a minute!” is the last thing you hear before she disappears behind the saloon doors. an awkward silence settles over you and suna, neither willing to speak or move. 

when she comes back, she only brings with her a single fork. “we ran out,” she snickers innocently, “looks like you two will have to share.” 

prev — masterlist — next

notes mama odie like the mama odie from princess and the frog! hihi also this isn’t what i originally intended for this chap that’s why it took so long T—T we’re gonna do some time traveling in the next one 😎

tags @ilyless @strxwberri-s @bbybibi @milesmoralesluvs @hanniemylovelyquokka @nbcvs @crispchocolates @cnnmairoll @trash-master-3000 @tojirin @ryuverse @megumiif @chemiru @theycallmenanamisgirl @neoclb @krissiekris @nyxlai @tsukiran @frvppe @le000xxgrd @kr1nqu @kunihaver @toges-cough-syrup @myromanempiree @baskin-robinhoods @jeongintwt @itsdragonius @moucheslove @ichcocat @miiyas @samuel1004 @reignsaway @sonicsolos @httpshoyo

[parkminijiminie]

Thank you for being honest because your thoughts about the two episodes were very similar to mine. Don't get me wrong, they were cute, adorable even and some moments made me raise my eyebrows but that doesn't make me forget about what they said in the car at the beginning. Fact is that no couple would go months without seeing each other and not even making the effort to call each other. I know Jimin was busy with creating two albums at the same time but Jungkook was free. And he still decided to spend time with Taehyung instead of trying to be with Jimin. Or even calling him. But he flew to Hawaii just because Taehyung missed him? Nah, something is really wrong there.

I also missed the softness that normally is between Jimin and Jungkook. There were no tender moments, everything was playfighting, bickering or straight up rude jokes. Of course there was skinship but Jungkook also kissed Jin's naked leg once, so that really isn't an indicating for closeness. They actually had a very bro vibe in the two episodes, at least most of the time.

What made Jikook special to me, the soft way they care for each other, they way they speak so softly with each other, the tenderness. Completely gone. There's just simply nothing there. The last time we saw it was in 2022 during the Seoul concerts. After that? Nothing.

It does make me think and question what I believe. And I think I come to the conclusion that they haven't been a couple in 2023 and 2022. At least. And I also started to wonder if maybe they never actually were. I do think they were intimate with each other before. But an actual couple? I'm starting to doubt it.

However people wish to spin it, that conversation in the car was real and honest. They both confirmed that they hadn't been seeing each other much, so we must take their words at face value. I think the whole convo is very interesting. Firstly, they admitted they hadn't met a lot due to schedules, but more than that, they simply didn't call each other, contrary to Vmin, who despite not meeting up still called semi frequently. But then JM said that *he* actually did call JK when he was free, meaning it was more JK who didn't really contact JM a lot, despite his enthusiastic reactions over JMs comments on his lives.

Then JK said that if it weren't for the show, they wouldn't have seen each other, and JM glared at him. Even the official subs used the word "glare." The conversation began funny and light, but then it sort of became serious. There was definitive tension there. No one was smiling, and they were serious. (It sort of reminded me of the convo JM and Tae had in the soop when they discussed the way they had drifted apart in that years. )

Something definitely happened to make them so much more distant than usual in the beginning of 2023, either between them or just in their own private lives, and it wasn't just schedules.

Judging from JM's comment that this is why he came to NY, I think it was JM who took the initiative to bring them together again, but it is JK's final comment that really baffles me. He said "yes you came. Finally. " So far in the conversation, it looked like JK didn't really care that they hadn't met up and also, like it was more his fault for that than Jimin's, but that last comment made it seem like he was waiting for JM to do something, to make the first move.

I think we shouldn't read a lot into JK spending time with Tae. I think both of them were much more free compared to other members and sort of left on their own, so they gravitated towards each other, especially if we go with the theory that there were some intentional distance between Jikook who were previously attached at the hip. As for Hawaii, I think JK went there to skydive.

I definitely believe Jikook was not a couple by late 2022, but had been romantically involved before then, but then again, who really knows?

I think what is missing for me is also the softness. It's not completely gone, but it's somehow not the same. They have always bantered and play fought, but their tones and vibes were different. There was this tenderness coating all of their interactions, even their banter, which I don't see now. I just don't see JK from 2021 handing JM his medicine and going "drink it or die" and then going out and saying with the biggest laugh how JM looks awful and like he is dying. Maybe it's the way the scenes are cut, but from what I'm seeing, this isn't the JK I remember who made JM the biggest pancake because of the penalties.

JM is obviously super fond of JK, but even then, it read more like "look how cute this guy is being" and not like, "My boyfriend is adorable." Again, maybe this is just the way the show is being cut and made in order to keep it more "bro-like"

Everything between them is theoretically the same, but to me, the vibes are definitely different, but somehow, I have a feeling through the episodes things will start to change. Let's wait.

[blade-that-was-broken]

John looked at him as if he was a ghost.

Bruce almost waited for him to approach, try to give him some control over the situation, but with a blink and the internal reminder that his brother was literally missing an entire leg, he walked up closer. He then paused and hesitated.

John noticed. He cast his eyes towards the floor, his shoulders tensing. Bruce realized he was probably staring which, yeah, that was probably awkward and uncomfortable. John could barely look at him, it was so jarring from the confident, boisterous teenager he remembered. "Yeah, sorry. It's weird to look at. Or not look at, considering it's not there.”

His leg, Bruce realized.

"No, I just..." he drifted off, running a hand through his long hair. He wasn't entirely sure what to say. Everything had happened so fast, his brain didn’t really have any time to catch up. "It's been a long time."

It was a lame reply.

"Yes," Joh nodded and continued to look mildly uncomfortable. His therapist stood there patiently, letting them talk but it still felt weird. "I... uh.... I don't mean to be rude but… uh... what are you doing here? How did you find me? Why?”

That was a lot of questions.

Not even unreasonable questions either.

Bruce wasn't sure if he really had much in the way of an answer. Not one that would make him feel better. Everything had happened so fast. One moment he was being told his brother who he hadn't seen in over fifteen years was in the hospital with severe injuries the next he was on a plane ticket, standing in front of him. His brother, scarred and missing a leg.

"The hospital found me."

Bruce didn’t realize that probably wasn’t the gentlest answer.

John schooled his face well.

"Oh."

But even Bruce could see the disappointment.

Something curled uncomfortably in Bruce's gut. For maybe the first time ever, Bruce realized he had never really gone looking for John. Not once. He probably never even considered the possibility. By the time Bruce had finally been able to get out of the house, he barely thought about his older brother. He was like some bare, distant memory. That realization sunk in his chest and made him sick to his stomach.

John probably thought Bruce didn't give barely two shits about him.

He was going to prove otherwise.

John was here, standing in front of him, breathing and Bruce wasn’t going to let another fifteen years go by.

"You're coming home with me," Bruce blurted out, although it came through in a tone that left no real room for argument. "The hospital said you have no address?"

John didn't answer. He just kind of stared.

"You are coming home with me," he repeated. "You're going to meet my wife and my kids and probably be their favorite uncle." Possibly the only uncle they would really get to know, considering Clay wasn't on speaking terms with him for years and Floyd was traveling constantly. Grandma couldn't handle so much travel so she pretty much never came which meant little with Branch.

"You're married?"

He nodded. "You're back in my life now and I am going to keep it that way. You'll be staying with me. Someday, if you want, you can get your own place or something but I don't think you'd want to leave the area. We live in a great place, perfect weather, great good, amazing..."

"Uh... Bruce?" the therapist interrupted, leaning forward.

"Oh! Yes?"

"I think you might have lost him. This is a lot to take in so perhaps slow down just a bit."

John was staring at him. Yeah, he looked a bit confused and uncertain.

"Right, right. Sorry JD. Let's go back. I live in Hawaii and I live in a great place. And I would really like you to come with me. Would you like to come home with me?"

John eyed him warily. "You don't have to do that."

"I want to," Bruce replied and it was one of the most genuine, honest things he had said in his life with such conviction. "I think we have spent far more than too much time away with no contact. And I think you would like it there."

"Okay."

"Good, good. I already told my life. She's practically... dying to meet you," he said but upon John's expression, he continued. "Okay, so maybe not dying but she's pregnant and she's never really got to spend any time with any of my brothers and well she..."

"I can help."

"What?"

"I can help," John repeated. "With whatever you need."

"You really don't have to... like this isn't..." he stopped upon seeing the therapist's cut it out expression and looked back at John. He was so serious and determined. Right. Military. He might need something to do. "You know what? An extra set of hands would be great. I've spent a lot of time at the resort and this pregnancy has been waaaaaaaaaay different."

"I can help."

"Ever worked with or lived with a pregnant woman?"

"I spent a leave with one of my squad mates and her pregnant sister so... yes?”

Okay, so Bruce wasn't exactly expecting that one. But good to know.

"Alright, John, let's get you sitting down," the therapist interrupted, gentle but firm. "And then I can discuss your exercises with your brother. You need to keep doing them."

"Whatever," John muttered. As he got back to the wheelchair, Bruce followed awkwardly to the room he was staying in before the therapist pulled him aside.

"You have to understand," the therapist said. "His life has completely changed - physically, emotionally, mentally."

"I know it's not going to be easy," Bruce tried not to scoff. He wasn't stupid. What John had been through - even aside from his injuries - Bruce didn't even know but he knew there would probably be a lot. It didn't matter. John was his brother and one he hadn't been in touch with for fifteen years; he was going to make up for it now and get him all the help he could.

"He's not... going to bounce back very quick. You should expect bouts of depression and frustration, not just with mobility but with the change of everything. He is very used to a certain level of capability and mobility, as well as military life in general. I would highly recommend finding a group and other resources to help him adjust to civilian life."

Civilian life.

That was a term Bruce had heard very often, as he knew his state was home to quite some military bases and training facilities, so there was not exactly a shortage of soldiers, but it wasn't one he was very used to using.

But his brother was a soldier. And this new everything was very civilian. Bruce was a civilian, Brandy was a civilian. It was all very different.

His whole life was about to change.

Both of them.