#I Am Slowly But Surely Getting My Last SNS Days Done

[naruhinaluvrx]

SNS Month Day 27-You Bring Colors Into This Bleak World

That Otsutsuki AU I did that one time

[girls-love-girls1200]

67. Lisa x Reader

*The Job of a lifetime*

2000+ words

Warnings: cursing

When you had first shared your plan to move to the capital with your mother, for some reason the first words that left her mouth were: “Spring days in Seoul are the most enjoyable period of the year, when the cherry trees blossom and the air is crisp.” Her eyes melting into small crescent moons, a kind smile illuminating her soft features, she knew it meant that from that moment on she would find herself alone in your once always loud and full childhood home, but she didn’t mind, in fact she was proud, the youngest of three leaving the nest just after graduation. Ever since you were a toddler your mom had done everything possible to make sure you and your two brothers could live a life that made you happy, money and success had never meant much to any of you, it was always about doing something you loved. That’s why your mom had spent fifteen years of her life picking you up from dance class in her rusty old green beetle from Monday to Friday, attending every recital, sewing your clothes together, applying cream to your bruised legs. She knew that’s how you wanted to live, always on your tiptoes, sometimes on your knees, often on your backside, and so she supported you.

Now her kind words were replaying in your head on a loop, your heartbeat ringing in your ears echoed by your feet hitting the concrete at full speed. You struggled to find a reason as to way karma was battering you so hard, on the morning of probably the most important day of your life so far, not only had you poured spoiled milk onto your cereal, you had also been left stranded by your bus because of a punctured tire. You hated running, you truly believed there was a specific ring in hell for those who enjoyed the satanic activity of jogging, yet on this day you were running like no woman had ever run before. By some divine miracle you had managed to push through to the final interview round for a position as first dance assistant to one of the most renowned choreographers in the country, hundreds of extremely talented dancers had applied for the sought after position, today only twelve were left, eleven if you didn’t make it before the doors to the dance studio closed. By a stroke of luck you reached those doors as attendance was being called, bowing as you entered the room you zoomed pass the examiners, swiftly joining the eleven other girls, their gazes on you like starving vultures, you tried to control your breathing as you sat down on the last free plastic chair, in the corner where the huge dance mirror met the wall, you held your tattered dance bag to your chest, trying to regain your composure.

You dared to lift your eyes from the ground only as your name was called, a crystal clear voice cutting through the tense atmosphere, raising your hand you tried to muster up some confidence, failing as soon as your eyes met the ones of the owner of said voice. Lisa Manoban, in a simple white crop top and high wasted jeans her lean figure seemed to glow, a strict expression plastered on her stoic face, she scanned you from head to toe, you thought you heard her kiss her teeth at you as she sighed, “Give me one reason not to kick you out this second for arriving late.”

Tilting your head slightly you bit back a smile, Lisa’s eyebrows lifting in surprise,

“You haven’t seen me dance.”

A sharp gasp came from one of the girls sitting next to you, Lisa’s lips pressing in a thin line, eyes piercing through you, she gave you a quick nod, sitting down herself on the wooden floor,

“You’re going last Y/SN.”

You couldn’t hide the small smile that appeared on your face as you heard your surname coming from her mouth, and unknowingly to you, it had also caught someone else’s attention. Being last was never fun, your nerves rising as you carefully observed every girl stand in the middle of the room, performing a freestyle dance to a song of Lisa’s choice, you could read the anxiety in their eyes as the most complicated tunes poured out of the speakers, unrecognizable beats filling the space, Lisa’s eyes wouldn’t leave their body for one millisecond, her dark pupils following every single movement, as if she was looking for something very specific. Once the girl finished, she would be sent back to her place with a court nod, not a word coming from the stone-cold figure of Lisa Manoban.

It didn’t seem to go any differently as you stepped up to the small white X taped onto the floor, your fingers trembling as they played with the laces hanging from your sides, your mom had helped you pick out the outfit last night via video call, her encouraging words coming back to your mind, you took a few steady breaths as the older woman in front of you pressed play on her phone, you closed your eyes as the melodic notes typical of south Asian music filled your ears, your feet seemed to move even before your mind told them to, letting your nervousness fall off your body in fluid movements you focused on the strange melody that seemed to run through your veins, your focused gaze falling on Lisa after every twirl, you felt your body as light as a feather as you made the small space around you your own, ending your moves inches away from Lisa and her team. As the music came to halt you found yourself on the ground, slightly out of breath, your fingers hanging delicately from your collarbones, you smiled widely, bowing twice before making your way back to your seat, aware of a pair of eyes glued to your figure.

A woman in her late fifties took you quite by surprise as she invited all of you to wait outside, the selected candidate would be informed straight away. You all made your way out, a few girls breaking down in tears as soon as the door was shut behind you, others calling their parents, you made your way to the water dispenser just at the end of the corridor, pouring yourself a cup, you couldn’t help but chew on your lower lip, your nerves slowly coming back, the cool water alleviating your stress ever so slightly, you hadn’t even finished the cup when a tall figure appeared next to you, patting you on the back, Lisa didn’t even stop as she made her way out of the building, her words making you lose your grasp on the half empty cup of water that slipped through your fingers,

“See you on Monday in my studio, 9 am sharp Y/n, you’re late, you’re fired.”

Your name was echoed by the same woman who had asked you to leave the room, her gaze falling on you as also did that of eleven girls who had just missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

Monday morning you opened the doors to your dream job precisely at half past eight, wanting to avoid at all costs any sort of tardiness, you knew you had a lot to make up for, you greeted the two young girls at the reception desk with a big smile, you introduced yourself briefly, which seemed to take them by surprise before making your way to the fourth floor, a welcome email had described pretty well what your job entailed, where you had to go and the hours you were required to put in, passing by your boss’s office you were quite surprised to see it empty, as you knew classes didn’t start until half nine. Curiosity got the best of you as you started exploring the various studios and classes on the floor, all of them more modern than any dance studio you had ever practiced in, that was to be expected knowing how much these kids payed to enter the dance academy. As you walked along the empty corridor the faintest of sound reached your ears, following it once again driven by sheer curiosity you opened another door onto the biggest practice room you had seen yet, in the middle of it a slim figure sat on the ground, long legs sprawled out in front of her, enveloped in a pair of black cargo pants, you could tell she was out of breath by the way her back raised at a fast pace, head hanging low, a cascade of raven hair falling along her shoulders.

“Doesn’t tying your hair up sound like a good idea while practicing?”

The older girl didn’t even flinch at the sound of your voice, her head moving slightly to peek at her watch, not even sparing a quick glance in your direction,

“You’re early, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Shuffling in front of her you held your hand out, your eyes searching for hers, she finally looked up at you, the faintest of smiles on her face as she grabbed onto your hand, your palm almost tingling at the feeling of her warm skin against your own.

“I’m full of surprises miss Manoban.”

Struggling to keep up with her fast pace, you followed her all the way to her office, your gaze following her every movement as she sat down gracefully, wiping her slightly damp face with a small white cloth, she pulled out a lipstick from one of her drawers, reapplying it carefully, she smacked her lips twice before leaning back into her chair, her intense gaze scrutinizing your still standing figure from head to toe.

“You know Y/N, you’re the first ever dancing assistant in the history of the academy not to actually have graduated from here, some people aren’t very pleased with that, so I hope you will prove yourself.”

Taken aback by the sudden statement you smiled at the teacher, almost feeling sorry for her, you could see the hardships she had gone through just by looking into her chocolate eyes,

“You see miss, I have nothing to prove, I am not here to prove myself, I’m here to work hard, and earn your respect, but let me get this straight, I don’t have to show to anyone that I deserve to be here, because I could tell, that those eleven girls at the interview last week had no idea what having to build yourself up from zero means. If people actually got into the academy because of talent and perseverance, then rest assured that I would have been top of the class, but since one can enter only because of money, background and privilege, I have had to find other ways to learn.”

Lisa’s eyes widened at your words, her mouth opening slightly before she shook her head, keeping her opinion to herself she got on her feet, her hands resting on her hips, her whole aura expressing pure confidence,

“That’s why I chose you Y/n, I think you and I will get on great.”

Sauntering towards you her arms crossed in front of her chest, she stopped just mere inches away from your face, the smallest of smiles painted on her kind features, her long fingers delicately moving a strand of your hair behind your ear, your cheeks burning at the closeness,

“And you can call me Lisa.”

Working with Lisa proved itself harder than you had first imagined, although the job itself was physically demanding it was Lisa’s attitude that seemed to tire you out the most, the girl was the most hot and cold person you had ever met. She could go from messing around with you in her office for an entire hour to becoming an impenetrable fortress during her lessons, never allowing herself to smile in front of the younger students, her stone cold face and harsh criticism making it very easy for them to dislike her.

It’s because of that exact reason you found yourself staying in the almost empty studio with a handful of kids after midnight, not feeling comfortable enough to ask Lisa for help they would come to you, knowing the older woman would only accept perfection, some of the kids needed an extra hand, a friendly smile and some encouraging words to achieve that. The late hours unfortunately started to take a toll, your mom had been the first to point it out, she had come to visit you one weekend and immediately noticed how your cheeks seemed more hollow than the last time she saw you and you were dragging your feet more than you used to, laughing it off you blamed it on the city’s food, because nobody could ever cook like your mother, of course she hadn’t bought it, but you had managed to send her back home before she got too inquisitive on the matter.

The second person to notice your exhaustion was none other than your boss. Lisa had come to pay a lot of attention to you in the last couple of months, more than she would ever like to admit, she had noticed how your feet suddenly didn’t seem as light as they were a couple of weeks prior, your twirls weren’t as precise, and your smile not as bright as the first time she saw you dance. The situation unfortunately escalated one morning in the middle of august, the city heat had rendered life quite unbearable, and the fatigue that rattled your bones felt heavier than ever before. Lisa had asked you to help her come up with a new routine for one of her advanced classes, and so you found yourself spinning around the studio at seven in the morning, Lisa’s eyes trained on your figure, she was about to tell you to slow down when she noticed your moves get sloppier, your legs shaking, your vision started going blurry and just before your legs gave out underneath you, strong arms wrapped around your waist, her sweet scent overpowering your confused senses as she slowly pulled you to the ground with her. Lisa tried her best not to go into panic mode as she held your limp body in her arms, she rested your back against her chest, one of her hands stroked your soft hair gently as her other passed you a bottle of water.

“It’s okay Y/N just drink some water, don’t try to get up yet.”

As your vision got clearer, so did your mind, and soon enough you were very aware of Lisa’s heart beating against your back, her fingers shaking ever so lightly as she caressed you.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Your soft voice made Lisa’s insides tingle, resting her forehead against your shoulder a sudden wave of emotions seemed to crash onto her, all she could think about, all she could hear, see and feel was you, her lips millimetres away from your bare shoulder blades. Overwhelmed, she got up on her feet, ignoring your lost gaze trailing after her,

“Damn Y/N you need to look after yourself, I can’t always be on the look out for you, making sure you don’t pass out during my lessons. Just imagine the shit show if you were to leave me to do these classes on my own.”

She hated herself for the venom that spewed out of her mouth sometimes, she didn’t quite know why her mind seemed to find the worst way possible to deal with her emotions, it was usually bratty teens that would face the rear end of her bitterness and that didn’t affect her as much, but in that moment, as you struggled to lift yourself off the floor, tears brimming in the corner of your sweet eyes, Lisa absolutely loathed herself.

“If you weren’t so busy being an ice-cold bitch and actually let your students be students I wouldn’t have to spend every fucking night working extra hours to make up for your lack of professionality.”

Your words bounced off the mirrors of the practice room, Lisa froze in shock at your revelation as you stormed out of the studio, regretting your harsh words as soon as you had said them, you told the girls at reception that you would be taking a couple of days off due to personal reasons. Once at home you gathered your thoughts, realizing the only reason Lisa’s words had gotten to you was because you really, really liked her, you loved being by her side every day, spending your lunch breaks together in her office, dancing so close to her that your bodies almost became one. You had fallen, pretty hard, and by the way she had spoken to you earlier, you figured it was a one-sided kind of thing, and that hurt pretty bad.

You spent the entire day doing absolutely nothing, you wanted to rest but your thoughts were racing at a hundred miles per hour, it was late at night when you actually managed to settle down, wearing your favourite sweatpants and a sports bra you hacked away at a tub of vanilla ice cream, watching some random nature documentary on Netflix. The insistent ringing of your doorbell interrupted your much needed chill time, and unwillingly you trudged to the front door, your face turning pale as the person who had occupied your mind for the entire day stood in front of you, her usual Jansport bag hanging from her shoulder, black bangs sticking to her forehead due to the heat outside, her chocolate eyes staring apologetically out you.

You tried to shut the door immediately, trying your hardest to avoid the imminent confrontation, but Lisa jammed her foot inside, a small yelp escaping her as the door trapped her leg. Swinging it back open immediately to check if she was alright, Lisa took advantage of your moment of weakness and stormed in, trapping you between the wall and herself, her eyes staring directly into your own.

“Let me apologize please.”

The fast rise and fall of her chest gave away the fact that she was just as nervous as you were, her pearly white teeth sunk into her lower lip, your pupils following her every move, Lisa took a big breath, trying to steady her nerves,

“I’m sorry, the kids explained to me what has been going on, and I’m truly sorry, you were right, I was being unprofessional.”

Her sincere gaze suddenly became hard for you to hold, your head lowering as her face inched closer,

“But there’s a reason for that Y/N.”

Her fingers shook ever so slightly as they caressed your face, reaching your chin she tilted your head, her lips so close to yours you could feel her warmth breath,

“I like you like crazy.”

You couldn’t stop yourself even if you wanted to, closing the gap between your two faces, your lips enveloping Lisa’s soft ones, fingers tangling in her silky waves, you sighed into the kiss, eliciting a small hum of appreciation from the taller girl, whose arms wrapped around your waist tightly, her cold fingers grazing the small of your back. You pulled away from her just when breathing became an issue, your lips tingling. Lisa’s fingers desperately searching for yours, bringing them to her lips and placing the softest kisses on each of your knuckles, a huge smile spread on your face, your cheeks almost hurting.

“I think I might like you too.”

[chanswavyhair]

i learned to love (pt.2) | seo changbin

a/n: i ended up writing this bc i felt too upsetti doing a sad ending JSHSJS sorry:’) anyways, i hope u enjoy uwu. stream streetlight folks!!

word count: 1.8k

genres: angst, fluff

part 1 | [m.list]

it’s been a long night. you sighed, lying in your bed. you were listening to red velvet’s i just on loop, while surfing the internet. suddenly, the idea of checking changbin’s sns crossed your mind, as it’s been days since you last checked. you tried to control yourself, but your fingers were already typing his usser.

to your surprise, you saw that he had produced another –probably amazing– song. you immediately clicked on the link, and closed your eyes as you listened carefully the lyrics.

“even a fool knows this, you’re the best thing I've got” wow, first verse and it already hit really hard. you tried to make a promise to yourself, and not to cry if it seemed like he already fell for someone else. even if it’s been three months now since you left.

“i should've hurried, it's too late to regret it now” to be honest, those three months were really significant. you finally got to understand yourself, what did you want to do, and even learned to love yourself more. but somehow, you still missed his love, no matter how hard you tried, you didn’t seem to get interested in anyone else.

“i should've let go of my foolish pride then, i’m only regretting now for missing out the chance” tears started to fall by then. as much as it hurt, you wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, he would think about you as much as you did about him. well, he didn’t have a reason since it was you whobroke up with him and suddenly disappeared, but you couldn’t help but hope the lyrics were about you.

“how could I ever let you go?” that was exactly what you’ve been thinking for the last three months. yes, you did break up with him, but you still loved him as you’ve ever loved anyone. your relationship came to a dead point, and you had to put it out, even though you hated yourself because of it.

one more night, you cried silently until you’d fall asleep; regretting to ever let all of this happen.

for changbin, things were really, really weird. just like you, at first he thought that even if it was a shame, you two couldn’t have done anything about it. but eventually, he realized that he missed you so bad. he came to think that he got used to having you by his side, which made him start to take less care about your relationship. but he loved you, and he didn’t get why didn’t you let him have a chance to talk to you. well, to be honest, he didn’t try that much and tried to accept it at the beginning, but he was slowly going crazy. so he wrote a song, hoping you would listen it, and at least know, that he still loved you so, so much.

a month after on track came out, you still listened to it on daily basis, and most of the nights, you played it before you went to bed. it was kind of masochistic, reminding yourself everyday of changbin not wanting to let someone go. but you had a life, in which you would study to get your preschooler teacher title – as the high school teacher title wasn’t valid. and in the afternoon you worked at a small café. you were still young, so you didn’t worry about studying again a lot.

it was a quiet afternoon, not many people at the café, which meant you could study while it was empty. just half an hour before closing, the door was opened, probably the fourth or fith client in the last hour.

“welcome to streetlight café, how can i- oh” your eyes went wide open as you realized it was the seo changbin who stood in front of you. he seemed quite surprised as well.

“uh, if you’re not comfortable i can leave-” he said awkwardly. you immediately shook your head.

“please don’t-, i mean, i can keep it professional” what a liar, you thought. he nodded at your words.

“then, can i have a espresso without milk, please?” you nodded trying to ide your smile, because you still remembered his favorite coffee. while preparing it, you realized you haven’t felt your heart race like this in such a long time. as you finished, you took it to where he was sitting. he didn’t say anything but right when you were about to return to your place, he spoke.

“are you busy?” changbin asked. you were internally in chaos, but so he was.

“well... you’re the only here right now.” you said nervously. he made a motion, telling you to sit in front of him. you didn’t rush, not wanting to seem desperate.

“how have you been doing?” he asked, looking at his coffee as if moving the spoon again and again was the most interesting thing ever.

“to be honest... could’ve been better. i am studying to get the preschooler teacher title, and i’m living with a friend from my hometown who is studying here in seoul, too. i guess she was more fun before.” you joked a bit, before mumbling, “what about you?” you tried to avoid his eyes once you finished talking.

“i’m still living at the apartment. i’ve produced many songs, and even took up rapping, turns out i am pretty good. but things are weird, because everything’s right, but i’ve been feeling complicated for some time now.” he said. he made himself look at you, before causually saying, “i haven’t dated anyone since you left, by the way.” changbin hoped you either did.

“me neither, i’m really busy studying and working to meet new people. also, i didn’t feel like doing it.” you said. he didn’t say anything for the next minutes, he just drank his coffee, and you stared at him.

“i’m sorry i made you feel unloved.” he stated, once he finished the hot drink. he surprised himself, looking for your eyes.

“changbin... i think we both did. and it’s understandable because we were both so busy and stressed. i mean, it did hurt, but i could never blame it just on you for being unhappy.” you said, with your heart on your hands. he was clearly collecting his thoughts, until he left out a soft laugh.

“if you think about it, maybe fate wanted us to meet here, don’t you think? what i mean is... if it’s okay for you, we could try to be friends again... i miss you.” your heart fluttered at his words, but you didn’t let it show.

“i guess we can try to be friends again, but i don’t want to rush.” you said. nonetheless, your heart wanted to be home with him again, while your rational part just didn’t want to go through letting go of him again. you smiled softly, ignoring your thoughts. “i missed you too, changbin.”

since that evening at the café, you two officially came to terms with each other, and ineither of you spelt that night out of excitement. he kept his words, and didn’t make any moves on you, just let things flow. it was kinda painful for him, to see you eventually more often, but not being able to kiss you, or to hug you – unless you did it first or he really needed to.

months went by, and you two became really close again, and although it felt different – a good type of different – from when you two started dating, you couldn’t help but fall even harder for him, wondering why did you ever let go of him. when you two started talking, you thought it would help you get over him, but it obviously had the opposite effect.

for changbin, even if he said he was happy to be friends with you again, he eventually let his feelings become obvious. he knew you knew, but he didn’t really mind it, because you were too good to leave him hanging from a string, so you would tell him if you weren’t feeling something too. he just didn’t want to pressure you, even if he half jokingly reminded you from time to time that you could sleep at his (and formerly yours) place; but it just didn’t felt right for you – after all, you used to live there with him and you were already confused enough.

half a year had passed, when you found yourself in his couch, almost cuddling him, watching a boring program you weren’t even watching. it was getting late, you usually left his place by the time, but that night, it felt so wrong to do it. you’ve contained yourself way too many times, but that night you just didn’t want to. you wanted to let things flow, and whatever it should happen, it would.

“it’s getting late, do you want me to walk you home?” he offered, looking at you. you stared at him, wondering if you should tell him your thoughts.

“changbin.” you said, doubting a last time.

“hmm?” he looked at you lovingly, while his deep voice let you know that he would be there for you, whatever you had to say. you then became confident on your decision.

“can i sleep over? is that okay for you.” you said, and his eyes suddenly widened.

“wait, are you for real?” he asked.

“i wouldn’t joke about it.” you answered.

“but... you are aware of my feelings for you, aren’t you? i’m not sure if i... will be able to restrain myself if we spend the night together, y/n.” he said. he felt ashamed to speak up about his feelings, even if you already knew.

“changbin, i’m not a little girl anymore. i am very conscious of your feelings, so just... don’t. you don’t have to restrain yourself.” he looked at you, getting closer. was this finally happening?

“y/n, before i do... i need to let you know. i love a lot, i don’t think i’ve ever stopped. i hated myself when i lost you, and i stopped when i found you again. if i focus on any part of you, your hands, your lips, your legs... i remember what i was to feel them against my skin and want to feel them again. but more than that, i ask myself how can love them all. so, if you are sure about this, ask me to kiss you and i will, but if you’re not, don’t do this. because i don’t know if i’ll ever love again.” he said, centimeters from your face, holding it with his hands, while you were now holding his heart.

“i’m afraid to hurt you so bad again you don’t love again, but you know i’ve always been selfish, and i’m even more afraid of you not loving me anymore. it’s crazy, how i can keep falling for you again and again. we are too young to love like this, but i would never regret it, just don’t ever let me down. so if you are willing not to do it, please... kiss me, changbin.”

[jack-yin]

The Topest Of Killer

CHAPTER ONE

December 23, 2021.

     107 Plank Street, SN District, Altoona, Pennsylvania.

     One of the nameplate of [Bai Niu Information Network Service Company] is hung on the wall of a three-story building with a typical American red brick exterior.

     7:30 in the morning.

     Tommy Blanc puts on his badge and walks into the office with a cup of Starbucks—just like an ordinary office worker.

     "How's it going?" Tommy put his backpack on the seat and glanced at the screens hanging on the wall.

     The colleague on duty shrugged his shoulders, turning his pen boringly: "Everything is normal."

    Then tommy sat down blankly, took a sip of the coffee he had brought, and stared at the screen on the wall for a while.

    In tommy’s sight, three different split screens respectively display different satellite images.

     The three different real-time satellite images show the same target which is on a certain area of the high seas and the target is being monitored in real time by three different satellites.

     Tommy manipulated it in front of the computer: "Forty minutes later, the No. 3 satellite enters the blind zone. Switch to the No. 6 satellite to continue monitoring."

     And then he stared at the screen for about a minute, then sat down and looked at the watch on duty monitoring records.

     "You said..." The colleague walked to Tommy's side and sighed while leaning on the back of his chair: "...How long do we have to do this job? I have been in this place for three years. "

     Tommy looked back at the young colleague and smiled: "Isn't this job bad? High salary, high benefits, all insurance is paid for, and I commute to and from get off work on time every day. I hope this job will continue like this-- You should really see what the outside world has become like."

     The colleague murmured, with a hint of unwillingness in his tone: "I fucking transferred from the Navy's early retirement, not for this kind of boring waste of life."

     Tommy sighed and touched his pale hair: "When you reach my age, you will understand how valuable it is to have a secure job."

     ·

     [Bai Niu Information Network Service Company]

     The registered capital is 500,000 U.S. dollars.

     On paper, this is a very ordinary information processing company.

     The business scope includes: information consultation, information processing, network erection solution provision, etc. According to the registration data of the municipal system, this company has been operating well for the past eight years, and the books and taxation status are clean. Even the vultures of the IRS (IRS) can't find any problems.

     ——Of course Tommy knows that these clean and unremarkable accounts are actually made by the vultures.

     In fact, this [Bai Niu Information Network Service Company] is just a cover.

     Its true identity is a secret surveillance agency under the Langley Building (CIA).

     Eleven members of the monitoring team, including Tommy, are all professionally trained monitoring and information analysis and processing personnel, as well as four security personnel transferred from the military.

     In addition, the monitoring authority of six satellites can be mobilized at any time, and a water-cooled high-density server hidden in the basement of the building is used for information analysis and processing. And can enter the red authority of the federal highest security information network at any time.

     Eight years ago, when the company was first established.

     At that time, Tommy Blanco, who had just been transferred from a certain intelligence analysis department of the CIA, looked at the boss of the newly established surveillance team, standing in front of him, pointing his eyes and the surveillance screen. Roaring at myself, the foam almost hit my face. ·

     "We have only one job!

     All eleven monitoring members are divided into three groups of shifts, six satellites have sub-time monitoring permissions, and 100 hours of coverage monitoring data storage server!

     All the goals are for one thing: stare at that damn guy!

     Stare him firmly! !

     Make sure that there are no blind spots, no dark time periods, no blind spots, all-weather, all-year-round, stare him to death! ! This is not my request! It was the order of the Langley Building, the order of the White House! "

     ·

     Yes, stare at that guy.

     To be precise: It is on the open sea, with a certain latitude and longitude as the center, and the radius does not exceed 200 nautical miles.

     According to the order: the target is a boat, and there is a person on the boat... this person, this boat, must move within this range, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not allowed to exceed this area of activity, otherwise...

     At that time, Tommy, who had just arrived, couldn't help but ask his boss a question: What if he ran out? "

     I remember that at that time, the boss with a fierce expression was taken a back suddenly, and a strange tinge appeared in his eyes.

     "...If that happens...it's not something we can handle. There will be someone else to deal with it...I hope the fuck can be done...Um no, I hope that terrible thing will never occur."

     ·

     In eight years, 2894 days and nights. 69456 hours.

     Tommy has been staying in Altoona, monitoring this target.

     Fortunately, the situation the boss said has never happened.

     There are many times, Tommy could not help but have such years: he, a senior intelligence information processing expert of the CIA, was arranged in this small town in central Pennsylvania, and he stayed for eight years. If he said it, he spent eight. Years of life are here just to...

     Watch a ship that is always in circles.

     Would anyone believe this kind of thing?

     ·

     For eight years, Tommy has also thought about why so much manpower and material resources are needed to monitor such a ship that is always swimming in a radius of 200 nautical miles. What's on this boat? Who is on this boat?

     What Tommy Blanco didn't know was that in addition to Country M, there were intelligence organizations from more than six countries and regional alliances around the world. A similar organization was also established at the same time one night eight years ago.

     The goal and mission are also very consistent: staring at this ship!

     ·

     Tommy took his last sip of coffee, threw the paper cup in the trash can, and then glanced at the time.

     It was eight and one in the morning.

     It's less than ten minutes until the 69457th hour of my tenure in this company.

     He stretched subconsciously and glanced at the screen on the wall.

     On the screen, the logo representing that ship is moving.

     "It seems to be a bit fast?" Tommy couldn't help rubbing his eyes, wondering if he had made a mistake.

     And the direction of the target's movement is getting closer and closer to the critical point of the 200-nautical-mile radius drawn by the surveillance!

     Tommy opened his mouth subconsciously.

     A few seconds later, when the ship’s logo finally touched the critical point on the screen...

     Tommy suddenly jumped up like an electric shock, his expression horrified.

     "WTF!!!"

     The sound came from behind. Two colleagues in the same group who were on duty watched the screen together, and one of them made a sound.

     Tommy instantly felt a rush of blood in his mind... as if he had been working for eight years and was waiting for this moment.

     At this moment, Tommy, as a civilian intelligence officer, didn't realize any more. In addition to shock, there was even a hint of ridiculousness in his heart.

     ...Actually, really, it happened?

     Tommy reacted immediately and hurriedly picked up the phone on the table and pressed a button.

     "BOSS, something went wrong."

     "What" the boss's voice came from the phone.

     Tommy swallowed and spit: "Red alert."

     On the other end of the phone, there was an angry curse—as if the boss spilled coffee.

     ·

     Four minutes later, in an office in the Langley Building (CIA headquarters), a gloomy-looking middle-aged man picked up the phone and listened to it, then silently put it down and cursed: "WTF!"

     Eight minutes later, in the largest office of the White House, an old white man picked up the phone and after listening, he couldn't help but uttered a curse: "WTF!"

     ·

     11:21 AM local time on December 23, 2021.

     British Lowy Hill Island in the South Pacific.

     The door of a local shop on the hillside.

     A middle-aged man in a sweater is sitting on a rock and smoking.

     The middle-aged man sat on the rock and turned to look down the mountain until a silver yacht next to the pier slowly drove away before he lit another cigarette.

     But after only one sip, he started coughing violently.

     But the middle-aged man didn't seem to care. Instead, he turned around and beckoned to a vendor who was sitting next to a shop not far away, covered with fruits.

     The vendor seemed to be taken aback.

     "Okay, come here." The middle-aged man frowned and sighed with a cigarette in his mouth: "Let your people come out too."

     The vendor seemed to hesitate, but finally gritted his teeth and slowly got up and walked over.

     He took off his jacket as he walked, revealing the tactical vest inside. Do two actions at the same time.

     One is to let the companion show up.

     The other is raising his hands high, indicating that he has no intention to attack.

     With middle-aged people as the center, on the hillside, around nine o'clock and three o'clock, from the bushes and the hillside, a group of heavily armed soldiers quickly filed out.

     The middle-aged man examined it and whistled: "Six tactical teams, is there anything else?"

     The trader slowly walked in front of him: "There are four sniper positions aiming here. There is a navy submarine in the water standing by nearby. As long as I give an order, your men and that ship will not go far. We will sink it!"

     The middle-aged man turned his lips and smiled disdainfully: "Put away this meaningless intimidation. You can't afford that price. Now, you must have a satellite phone on your body, right? Let me talk to someone who can count."

     "You shouldn't tear up the agreement, you walked out of the safe zone we agreed on!" The vendor looked gloomy: "The Langley Building and the White House are very dissatisfied with this."

     The middle-aged man shook his head: "Then let those dissatisfied guys go to hell. Now, let me talk to someone who can really take charge."

     The vendor gritted his teeth, turned around and took out a satellite phone, whispered a few words after connecting, stood up straight subconsciously, then turned around, and handed the phone over with complicated expressions.

     The middle-aged man took the call with his cigarette butt between his fingers.

     His eyes looked at the coastline in the distance, as if carelessly. Then he made a grimace: Hello, Mr. President......um...um...Hi! Don't curse!

     "...Okay, okay, I see, now is no longer the time to complain." The middle-aged man was smoking while talking on the phone: "When any agreement expires, I have been at sea for eight years. It has given the great America enough face, and now, I just want to step on the soil on the land and smoke a cigarette"

     "...We don’t have to go around in circles. You know my physical condition very well. You will check even a piece of potato every time my ship buys. You also know the medicines I use regularly. Your medical experts must have backed out mine. The physical condition and the progress of the illness, right?"

     "Then make a deal, yes, the last deal, now is the time."

     "The 16 sets of nuclear bomb codes I stole from you will all be invalidated, and all anti-detonation procedures will be automatically cancelled after three months. My request is simple: three months. Three months, you can’t Take any measures to hunt down my people. My people will dive underwater and disappear completely from this world."

     "As for three months later, you can do whatever you want, I can no longer control."

     "This is my final condition. If you accept it, we can open a champagne remotely to celebrate. If you don't accept it... BOOM! The local nuclear bomb exploded. Isn't it exciting?" The middle-aged man held the phone slightly away from his ears. At one point, there seemed to be a roar on the phone.

     The middle-aged man continued to laugh, then his face became serious and said: "Okay, stop slapped on the table, put away your acting for Congress. I will just ask you, is it a deal? Mr. President?"

     The phone went quiet, the middle-aged man whispered something to the phone and returned the phone to the vendor.

     The vendor answered the phone and hung up with a complicated expression.

     A few minutes later, a bottle of champagne was delivered.

     The vendor opened it by himself, but the middle-aged man threw away the cup and took the bottle.

     "The taste is average." After taking a sip from the bottle, the middle-aged man curled his mouth: "Considering the time is tight and the task is urgent, you can immediately bring out a bottle of champagne instead of mouthwash. I am satisfied with the efficiency of the Langley Building. ."

     As he said, he raised the champagne bottle and made a toast gesture to the sky.

     "They are watching us with satellites, aren't they." The middle-aged man smiled.

     "So, is this the last moment?" The vendor suddenly sneered: "It was included in the list of the most dangerous persons in 14 countries, and 32 countries are prohibited from entering and wanted. The most notorious terrorist black hand in the world, Underground King, your end, is it today?"

     "You seem to have an enemy with me?" The middle-aged man smiled and looked at the vendor.

     The vendor shook his head and said with irony: "Me and the three departments of the Langley Building, more than 400 elites of the American intelligence service, have been serving you for the past eight years." Speaking of the word "service" At that time, this guy was a bit gritted his teeth.

     "Hahahaha." The middle-aged man laughed: "I just like your expression: I can't understand me, but I can't get rid of me."

     "This is not a joke." The vendor said solemnly, "Master Lucifer!"

     When the middle-aged man heard the name, he suddenly wiped a sharp edge in his eyes, raised his eyelids, and smiled: "Actually, I don't like the nickname you gave me. According to the tradition of my hometown, I like it better. Others call me... Yama!"

     The middle-aged man put down the champagne bottle and lighted another cigarette.

     But this time, his fingers are already slightlyTrembling.

     The vendor's gaze flickered, and he secretly made a gesture, and the surrounding armed men tried to move closer.

     "It's useless." The middle-aged man smiled and pointed to his head: "The brain tumor cells have spread to the cerebral cortex and are pressing on the right spine. Besides, I have taken some medicines that allow me to accurately grasp the time of death. There is still life left..."

     The middle-aged man glanced down at his watch: "Ten..."

     "nine."

     "Eight."

     The vendor exclaimed: "Stay back!!"

     The armed men quickly dispersed.

     The vendor rushed forward and helped the middle-aged man.

     The middle-aged man raised his head and smiled: "How can you think that someone like me could let yourself be captured by you? The one in the White House understands, but you don't. Five...four..."

     The vendor gritted his teeth: "Fak! I will catch all your companions! I swear!!"

     The middle-aged man looked disdainful: "Don't brag, you don't have the ability, and your president doesn't dare to give this order. Three...two...one."

     "I wish I could look at them again, but... Angels should go to heaven, and demons like me, let's go to hell..."

     "Zero! Hell... I'm coming... Hahaha..."

     Seeing the middle-aged man slowly closing his eyes, he lost his breath...

     The vendor sighed and waved his arms.

     Armed personnel rushed quickly, and prepared medical personnel swarmed.

     After cursing in a low voice, the vendor tore off the tactical vest and threw it to his men. He caught a medical expert: "I don't know much about medicine, but he said that brain tumor cells spread to the cerebral cortex, and they also compress the spine... people……"

     The medical expert looked weird: "I can only say that even a Siberian white bear can only lie in a hospital bed under such circumstances, and can't move a finger."

     The vendor's eyes were complicated: "But just a minute ago, he was smoking a cigarette, drinking champagne, and yelling at each other over the phone with our president."

     "...I can only say that this is a miracle." The medical expert stammered.

     "Huh!" The vendors often exhaled and looked solemnly: "Fortunately, this miracle... is over! For the United States, it is a blessing! This demon has finally gone to hell... No, it should be said that he is back to hell! It should belong to that place."

     ·

     In 2000, 11:45 am on the 23rd of December.

     The Eighth Vocational High School, JN District, Jinling City, Sudong Province, China

     Senior two (6) class

     A teenager suddenly woke up from a sleeping position on his stomach on his desk.

     On the podium, the math teacher was pointing at a question on the blackboard.

     Given log3(x-2y)+log3(x+2y)=1+log3x+log3y, find the value of log2x-log2y...

     The math teacher threw away the chalk, and then looked around, staring at the boy, pointing his finger at him.

     "You, Chen Nuo! You come up to solve it."

     The boy's gaze was blank, he slowly focused, looked at his surrounding classmates, looked at the classroom, and then at the blackboard...

     The afternoon sun, the shabby classroom, the white walls...

     Looking at the series of math problems on the blackboard...

     "Emmmm... this is really... hell..."

     The young man suddenly sighed with a wry smile. The eyes are as bright as stars.

     Half a lifetime away, come back...

     Still a teenager.

[whatwouldyourbiasdo]

Finding Cinderella | Series | Prologue

Title: Finding Cinderella

Pairings: Donghae x reader,(Primary) Heechul x reader (Secondary), Kyuhyun x reader (Secondary)

Author’s Note: I have been planning this story for a while but have been battling many writers’ blocks in doing so. This story will mainly focus on Donghae and the reader but will have branching stories between Heechul, Kyuhyun and two secondary OC characters.

Sidenote: Yes, this series will include Kangin and Sungmin. This was originally started back when the two of them were still active members and in my heart they will always be members so I will include them wherever I see fit.

Taglist: Make sure to send us a message if you want to be tagged in future updates on this story

“I can’t believe we won again,” Leeteuk beamed as he and his members made their way to their dressing room, just having finishing yet another music show where their latest single was voted number one of the week.

“I can,” Heechul replied with a pleased smirk curling his lips. “Our fans are amazing, they can make anything happen!”

“But three weeks in a row?” The eldest by just a couple of days let out a soft sigh, “I’m almost feeling sorry for our hoobaes who are working just as hard.”

“Almost being the key word, right?” Kangin joked as he nudged their leader.

It wasn’t like they considered themselves better than others just because of seniority, they were still genuinely surprised and humbled that their fans were still supporting them after all this time and that after so many years they were still able to get to the top. It didn’t mean that they put in less effort than the younger and newer groups that were promoting at the same time.

“It’s thanks to us and our fans that SM was persuaded to throw that party next week.” the second eldest bragged as he casually draped himself on the couch as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

“Hyung, you are definitely too much,” Ryeowook laughed as turned to the mirror to check his hair, even after the recording and the performing was done he still wanted to look his best. He was a public figure after all.

“What? Am I wrong?”

“It’s not just because of us,” Sungmin nodded in agreement to the second youngest member. “SNSD did really well with their comeback last month, and people are already excited for EXO’s new song and they haven’t even released a teaser yet!”

“Ey, you guys are no fun!” He clicked his tongue in complaint as he circled the phone around his face to find the right angle for a selfie. It had been a whole three hours without updating his SNS and that just simply wouldn’t do. “Ah, too good looking...”

“Humble as ever.” Yesung chuckled at the slightly older male’s antics as he finished packing his own things. “Let’s grab dinner on our way back.”

“Yes! Food! Man, I’m starving!” Eunhyuk whined as he dramatically rubbed his stomach. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast!”

“What about the snacks from the food truck our fans prepared?” Shindong nudged his fellow dancing machine. “You ate more than all of us together, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t!” He denied quickly. “Kyu ate more than me, there was barely any left for the staff after he went through it!”

The youngest in the room glanced up from his phone upon hearing his name and feigned innocence as he was just partially paying attention to what his members were discussing. “Whatever it is you’re accusing me of, it probably was Donghae hyung!”

“What? Why me?” He piped up from the corner of the couch as he stared at the youngest member.

“Because it’s always you,” Eunhyuk decided to join in as he poked his best friend’s head.

“It’s not always me!” He pouted, he wasn’t even sure what exactly they were accusing him off but he definitely denied any accusations that believed he was always to blame. If anything he was one of the most innocent members, sometimes a bit naive perhaps but definitely innocent.

“Just accept it. If things happen, you’re always in the neighborhood,” Eunhyuk continued to tease him as Kyuhyun nodded in agreement.

“That’s why I’m always stuck taking care of you,” Heechul decided to join in the teasing, he had probably known the young idol the longest out of all of them considering their trainee history. After all, he was one of the people who begged him to stay with the company when he was ready to give up on making his debut as an idol.

“Hey, I am totally innocent! I even have an alibi, just ask Siwon!” Donghae protested as he pointed at the taller member on the other side, who was listening in to his members chatting in silent amusement. “Yah, tell them what I was doing.”

“Me?” Siwon looked genuinely surprised as he pointed at himself, he should have known he was going to get dragged into the conversation one way or another. “Ah… Well, you were back here for a long time so I suppose you couldn’t have been eating all of the food…”

“See?!” Donghae’s voice only grew louder as he felt supported in his plea for innocence.

“Why were you back here for so long if not to hide yourself and eat all the food?” Kyuhyun questioned with an accusing tone of voice.

Donghae didn’t hesitate to answer his question, “Pooping.”

A flood of laughter and complaints erupted from the group, whether it was the sheer seriousness and even a hint of pride in which he had proclaimed his actions, or the fact that he brought up the subject carelessly though his members didn’t exactly wanted to know that much detail.

“What? What?!” He kept complaining as he tried to raise his voice above all the others. “It’s a normal thing to do, you know!”

“You don’t need to proclaim it so loud and proud, ya know!” Heechul replied with the same complaining tone of voice. “I don’t need to think of you pooping, thank you very much!”

“Well blame Kyuhyun and Hyukjae, they asked for it!”

It took Kangin two seconds to raise his hand and whack Eunhyuk’s head as punishment for a question he hadn’t even asked personally. As the younger male looked up at the broader man and rubbed the back of his head, Kangin hissed at him in a semi-serious manner. “Don’t encourage that!”

“Yah, yah, yah, Kyuhyun started it!” He muttered as he casually shuffled away from the older member, his lips curling into a pout as Donghae looked at him with a pleased smirk on his face.

“Guess who’ll be cleaning up the dishes tonight,” Shindong had promptly placed his hand on the youngest member’s shoulder, who thought he had escaped the situation unscathed. But as he was busy laughing at the outcome of his set up, the older male had made his way over and was just ever so threateningly squeezing his shoulder in his hand. “Any other jokes, maknae?”

“Okay, c’mon guys!” For as much as Leeteuk enjoyed his members’ antics, he felt it was his responsibility to settle them down when things got too crazy. With a minimum of eleven members together most of the time, energy was as contagious as a common virus which was surprising considering the heavy packed schedules they’ve had ever since they started preparing for this comeback. “Let’s go eat before we lose our appetite thanks to Donghae!”

“Yah! They started it!” Donghae continued to complain as the group slowly got up from their seat and one by one headed for the exit. “It’s a perfectly normal thing!”

“Of course it is,” Siwon agreed in means of assuring him. “But that doesn’t mean we need to know about it.”

“You too, Siwon? You too?” Finally he let out a sigh of defeat, there was just no arguing with these guys when they all banded together.

[fourangers]

Kakashi’s exposé

Dedicated to @rivaille-plisetsky that suggested the prompt: 

Post-War shenanigans with Kakashi being the only one with knowledge of their relationship

So here it is! I hope you’ll like it. SNS, with a tiny bit one-sided Sakura --> Sasuke, and sex insinuations. Comedy and it’s a lil to the side of crack.

AO3 link

==.==.==

Somehow, some way, it just clicked. Maybe it was due to exhaustion, or Sakura's confession still fresh in his mind but Kakashi witnessed the way Sasuke was looking at his best friend/rival/nemesis, how affection warmed his black eyes mixed with longing and burning intensity and it was just…oh. Oh. OoooooOooH.

Everything made sense now. It's no wonder he was so desperate to cut off his bonds with Naruto and why it brought him so much pain to do so. 

Kakashi just stood mildly shocked as his eyes followed his previous students' behavior, from Sakura's relieved smile, Naruto's wide beam and Sasuke's gaze constantly trained towards the blond nin. 

Ah…to be young and naive.

⏤.⏤ 

Kakashi had a hard time feigning surprise when he saw both boys tucked together, blissfully sleeping on the small bed at the hospital. Sakura, on the other hand, was so happy about Sasuke's return that she didn't connect the dots yet.

The next few months was a cumbersome process of finding solid proofs about the Uchiha's massacre tying with Konoha's higher office corruption, since the elders were eager to throw Sasuke in jail while he was still recuperating from his wounds. Fortunately Naruto called Shikamaru for help as they searched in the archives with Tsunade's permission. 

Soon enough all the guilty were charged for conspiracy in ethnic cleansing and thrown behind bars. Sasuke also spent some time in jail for multiple attempts of murder against the 5 kages, but thankfully due to his contributions in ending the latest ninja war and Naruto’s constant nagging with Tsunade, he was set free.

Naruto and Kakashi both expected that Sasuke would bolt out of Konoha the second he was unchained. However, much to their puzzled astonishment, the last Uchiha had decided to settle down. He even took the chuunin exams with Naruto as some sort of proof that he desired to get back being a Konoha citizen. As if there was something(someone) that rooted him to the ground.

When Sasuke reached 18 years old, Kakashi gifted him a special Icha Icha book with prim pride.

Sasuke glanced at the title, glared his ex-teacher with his face bright red, and promptly hid when they noticed Naruto’s chakra close by. Several comrades joined in afterwards, some were part of the rookie nine, other were Sasuke’s current teammates, all gathered to celebrate his birthday.

Through the course of that night, wherever Sasuke would go, Ino and Sakura were on his toes once again, vying for his attention. It was a confusing realization for Kakashi, that even if Sakura was now an accomplished medic-nin and jounin, she would revert to her pre-teen self once Sasuke was around. Kakashi simply observed in between sips of sake while Sakura fussed over Sasuke with her doe-eyed expression, and Sasuke tolerated her presence with the smallest furrow on his handsome face. Black eyes flickered towards Naruto’s back, before he exhaled a heavy sigh, calling Sakura much to Ino’s annoyance.

On the next day, the news about Sasuke and Sakura dating was the talk of the whole town. Or rather, how Sakura was running behind her beloved wherever they go, emerald eyes glimmering like a little girl winning the affection of her idolized popular boy.

This is bizarre; Kakashi concluded watching the one-sided interactions. Those youngsters were just too much for him sometimes.

Naruto swore that he welcomed this new development with open arms, really, like…really. He’d accept no one else but Sasuke, if he was going to lose Sakura’s hand to another man. But Kakashi could notice the tightness of his grins whenever team 7 would reunite, but whether he was jealous over Sakura or Sasuke, no one would ever know.

Months have passed and Sasuke was slowly entering a dangerous territory, returning to his personal darkness that few could reach. Maybe it was due to Sakura’s impatience that their relationship got stuck since day one, or how she finally broke the illusion that her idol was just a regular man, so she was currently much more content spending her time with Ino nowadays. Maybe it was because his friendship with Naruto was becoming strained over the days. Maybe the Hyuuga’s heiress bold approach towards his best friend was grating Sasuke’s nerves.

Kakashi sighed. They were so much cuter back when they were little genins.

But Kakashi was; he hoped, wiser now. The accumulated experience he built up all over those years brought him a wider scope about how he should handle human emotions and its complexities. He wouldn't make the same mistake he had done before, unlike last time when he failed talking some sense to pre-teen Sasuke. 

He stood up, hopping on the direction towards Naruto’s house.

⏤.⏤ 

One year later… 

Konohamaru cleared his throat, knocking on the door. He heard grumbles, quiet steps and then the door was pried open with a pair of glaring eyes.

He gulped. “Good morning. Is Naruto-niichan nearby?” 

Sasuke thinned his lips, turning around. “Cooking breakfast.”

Konohamaru gave a brisk nod, striding towards the kitchen and being greeted by Naruto’s wide gin.

“Hey Konohamaru! ‘Sup?”

“Naruto-niichan! It’s your first day in the Hokage’s apprenticeship, are you excited?”

“Sure am! Man, can’t believe that Tsunade-baachan is going to pass the torch to me, I thought for sure they were going to choose Kakashi-sensei that⏤”

“Oh? Talking about me?”

Konohamaru and Naruto shrieked when they heard Kakashi’s sudden chime, Sasuke stood leaning on the wall unimpressed. 

The older man said. “Ah, here I was coming here to congratulate my former protegée, and all I hear is Naruto-kun talking behind my back. You’re hurting my fragile heart.”

“Can’t you knock on the door like a regular person? You almost gave me a heart attack dammit.” Naruto complained, rubbing his chest. 

“Another reason why I’m questioning Konoha’s decision to make you the next Hokage. I assumed the prerequisite for such an important job was to master basic moves like noticing someone’s chakra when they are close by, dumbass.” Sasuke scoffed.

“Say what, you asshole⏤”

“As much as I’d love to get down the memory lane watching you boys bicker, I’m here to give you a gift, Naruto.” Kakashi placed several books on the table. “My entire Icha Icha collection. All signed by Jiraiya-sama.”

Naruto stared wide-eyed once the information sank in, picking up one book as if it was the most precious thing in the world. He leafed through pages, smiling fondly when he read Jiraiya’s message. They let Naruto take his time browsing through the books, even Sasuke curbed his usual teasing barb too.

The Uchiha nin seemed to realize something, coughing. “Well, since Kakashi already gave you his present, I suppose I should also give you mine.”

Naruto’s eyes were narrowed and suspicious. “And what exactly you’re gonna give me, bastard?”

Sasuke smirked, throwing his arm around Naruto’s shoulder and directing to their bedroom. “You’ll enjoy it, for sure.” 

Konohamaru and Kakashi watched as Naruto was dragged by Sasuke. Konohamaru muttered. “Well, I guess I’ll wait here until they are done. I was also gonna give Naruto-niichan my gift.”

Oh. “Ooooh, there’s no need for you to wait this long Konohamaru-kun. You can give him once we’re in Konoha’s headquarters.”

“What? I can wait a little, I mean⏤”

Kakashi patted the younger nin’s shoulder as he hurried them to the exit. “I have a feeling they are going to take a while, so we better go.”

Several months had passed and Naruto was beginning to get used to the hectic schedule of being Tsunade’s apprentice. The assistants were also smoothly adapting with his working style too, most comfortable with his friendliness.

The rare exceptions were when Naruto’s best friend would go to a long term mission, and the sunny personality will cloud to a petulant pout. 

“Naruto.” Everyone jumped startled from the familiar baritone voice, swiveling their heads to see Sasuke perched on the window.

Naruto instantly brightened up, turning back to face their assistants as he declared. “Hey guys! Sasuke is here so I’m gonna go ok, ‘s gonna be really quick I swear. Be right back, be right back!” Both Naruto and Sasuke disappeared in a cloud of poof.

The assistants shrugged, some even rolled his eyes while they resumed their work. 

⏤.⏤ 

How odd it was that whenever Sasuke was around though, Naruto would always blink out of their eyes. For someone who wore neon orange outfit and had bright golden hair in midst of an ocean of dark heads, Naruto could disappear without an effort. 

Saeko rubbed her shoulders while she searched the aforementioned blond nin, seeking his signature. She’s way past her prime to be able to find a strong shinobi like Naruto-kun. 

Fortunately for her, she spotted Kakashi from afar, calling him. “Kakashi-kun!”

Kakashi acknowledged her with a nod.

“Have you seen Naruto-kun? I really need his signature to authorize a new mission.” She sighed.

Kakashi chuckled. “Well…in case you can’t see him, I guess you could look around and try to find Sasuke instead.”

“Ah right…Uchiha-kun right.” Saeko shook her head. “They are almost attached to the hip.”

“Right.” 

“Such a beautiful friendship between those two boys, right?”

Kakashi stared the old lady before settled with a hum.

“They need to settle down and find a good ladies in their lives though.” She quipped with chiding tone. “Why are they taking so long to get married, I wonder. Youngsters those days are in no hurry to build a family, they are exactly like that Yamanaka girl; living with her best friend Haruno-chan.”

Kakashi hummed absentmindedly once again.

Almost as if he was reading their minds, Sasuke exited the toilet in front of them, licking his lips as his finger wiped his mouth.

“Ah, Uchiha-kun!” Saeko tightened her steps, approaching him. “Have you seen Naruto-kun anywhere?”

Sasuke glanced at her back, then gazed Kakashi’s amused eyes, shrugging. “Behind me.”

“Behind y⏤?” Lo and behold, the future Hokage opened the door a little breathless and disheveled, hand combing through his golden hair. 

His cheeks were tinged red but he soon recomposed himself when he saw the old lady. “Oh hey, Saeko-san, Kakashi-sensei! Why are you⏤”

“Naruto-kun, you’re going to be the death of this old woman, I swear!” Saeko interrupted him, shoving the papers on his face. “I know that Uchiha-kun is your best friend but do you really need to have him next to you 24/7?”

“I’m sure that Naruto-kun would happily perform his tasks as the Hokage apprentice, normally…” Kakashi muttered. “But I guess Sasuke just missed him too much.”

Sasuke glared, rolling his eyes. “I’ll see you soon Naruto.”  

Saeko concluded that their friendship is really one of a kind, watching Uchiha-kun’s back as Naruto was signing her papers. Gossip around town said that a female shinobi might disrupt such cozy relationship, even though Sasuke kept turning down every date request. There was a bet about which man would find a girlfriend first, however, Kakashi almost zeroed his bank account with the belief that his former students wouldn’t find any girl whatsoever.

Every female shinobi dedicated their time to seduce either the last Uchiha or the future of Hokage of Konoha. This also meant that they were thinning Sasuke’s very limited patience, their constant pestering wouldn’t give them some time for themselves.

⏤.⏤ 

“Naruto-niichan! Wow, you lucky dog!” Konohamaru chirped when he spotted his friend in the corridor, punching the tanned arm playfully. “I can’t believe this⏤!”

“Believe what, Konohamaru?” Naruto questioned. 

“Haven’t you heard? Tomoko Saiyuri, the most gorgeous woman of all Konoha is actually going to ask you on a date!”

“He’s not interested.” Sasuke grunted.

“Oh, c’mon Sasuke-niichan, I know you might be sore because she chose Naruto-niichan instead of you, but there’s no way Naruto-niichan wouldn’t be interested because⏤”

“But he’s not interested, he’s not available, he won’t do anything with her.” Sasuke hissed.

“Uh, yeah…Konohamaru, why would I be interested?” Naruto squinted his eyes puzzled. “I’m honored, honestly, but where did you get the idea I would⏤”

“You know that this is your fault right.” Sasuke snapped towards Naruto. 

“What?” Naruto grumbled.

“You give too many openings, people are still thinking you’re available.”

“Uh…wait, Naruto-niichan, does that mean you’re actually seeing someone⏤?”

“Wait, don’t put the blame on me, asshole. Where in the hell did I show that I’m available?”  

“Well, you’re such an oblivious dumbass, that you wouldn’t realize yours and anyone’s feelings even if it’s right under your nose.” Sasuke muttered under his breath. “Maybe this is the reason why everyone is also blind about us.”

Naruto stared for a while with his jaw slacked, before blurting out. “We live together, I thought everyone knew.”

“Most think we’re just roommates, some still believe that you’re guarding me while I’m on house arrest.”

“What? We share a bed.”

“They think we didn’t find a good house with two bedrooms.”

Konohamaru interjected tentatively. “Um, Naruto-niichan, what exactly are you talking about⏤?”

Naruto however, couldn’t listen to him, blue eyes still trained towards Sasuke. “I don’t get it, we haven’t seen anyone else so far ever since we decided to live together, I thought⏤”

Sasuke sighed. “They think we’re just taking our time to find a girl to settle down.”

Naruto nodded numbly, scratching his head. “Oh. Is that why Momiji-san wanted to cook me some obento?”

Sasuke grunted, his glare darkening. “And you almost fell for it, hook line and sinker.”

Naruto gazed back, studying the Uchiha’s activated Sharingan. Everyone was staring with growing confusion until Naruto snorted. “Are you jealous Sasuke-chan?” He laughed.

“No, absolutely not.” Sasuke promptly defended himself, raising his chin. “I’m staking my claim, that is all, since someone else is not making any effort over this relationship.”

“Awwww⏤you’re really jealous!” Naruto grinned.

“I’m not jealous, usuratonkachi, I just feel like you should have made everything clear to everyone so I can avoid all those troublesome harpies and⏤” When Sasuke saw the determined blue eyes, he tensed but all of a sudden, Naruto grabbed him and hoisted over his shoulder.  "Naruto, what the hell are you doing, I swear I'm going to fry your sorry ass if you⏤Naruto⏤!" The door slammed shut.

Then, silence. All ninjas on the vicinity didn’t know whether they should intervene whatever skirmish because Naruto was going to be the Hokage, but still, since he’s the future Hokage, he didn’t need anyone to defend him, right?

Their thought process was interrupted when he heard a moan. But not any moan, it was specifically Sasuke’s moan. Every face was colored red. As the moans and groans were increasing in speed and volume, the shade of their blushes were darkening, and everyone froze on the spot. 

A constant thumping noise joined in, eliminating whatever doubt they might had out of the window, in concern with the activity they were doing in the Hokage’s office. The banging grew faster and louder, that at this point everyone in the building could hear it out.

A guttural scream ripped from Naruto’s voice, that made all women fan to themselves and all men shuffle uncomfortably. Another pregnant silence reigned in the building, until Naruto opened the door beaming ear to ear, holding Sasuke’s hand while the latter was scowling, limping his steps.

“So!” Naruto proclaimed cheerfully. “As you can see, Sasuke and I are unavailable for any possible dates at the present and future moment. We’re pretty busy screwing each other, after all.”

“I am screwing you next time, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke grumbled darkly.

Naruto chortled, unaffected by his threat. “He’s so sweet right. I can’t ask for any better boyfriend.”

Sasuke kicked his legs. Naruto retaliated by slapping hard his back. As their skirmish was growing more violent, everyone scurried away from the couple.

Those two are insane.

(Kakashi later appeared in Konoha’s headquarters, ready to collect his money from the bet. It’s more than enough to secure a very nice retirement. The news about Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship reached to Tsunade’s ears but she was wholly unimpressed. She did punch her protegée to seven foot below ground for soiling her office though.)

[lady-olive-oil]

Chris and Roxie kissing for the first time tho!!! I might cry!

I got you nonnie! So with this i broke it up into 3 parts, the phases of which Chris x Roxie went through from the very first time they kissed. Hope you guys like it!!!

Word Count: 1,889

Warnings: none, maybe a minuscule. just gotta squint

SN: if you’d like to be included in Choxie stuff, let me know and ill add ya to my list, i opened it back up!

____________________________

My First, My Always

As Kids:

It all started when they were younger, about 8 and 9, they were inseparable. What began as a long and beautiful friendship expanded into a tight bond, a bond that can never be broken. What made Roxie kiss Chris first in the 3rd grade was that he shared his box of crayons with her. The big Crayola 64 count box, with the built in sharpener, she was over the moon “in love” with him and no one could tell her otherwise.

She made sure everyone knew that Chris was her “boyfriend” and no one else could have him. It was sharing time and Roxie didn’t have any crayons because, everyone took the boxes and paired off which made her sad. 

“Uh Roxanne, you can share with me if you want?” Chris’ tiny but mighty voice helped ease her pain of not being able to color, in her Jungle Book coloring book. With a sweet smile, she nodded and say next to him.

“Thank you, Christopher. You can call me Roxie.”

“Ok, Roxie it is. You can call me Chris.”

A gleam in her eye sparkled as she came up with an idea. “Ok! Oh can I give you something since you’ve been so nice to me?”

“Uh yeah sure.” Chris looked up from his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coloring book, and was shocked when Roxie gave him a quick kiss. His cheeks were flushed in embarrassment, the whole class oohed and awed at the action and it made Roxie giggle.

“I like you Chris.”

“I like you too Roxie.” 

After all that happened, their teacher called both their parents in for a conference to discuss what happened during coloring time. It was a surprise to Mrs. Farwinkle, that both Lisa and Monica were also childhood best friends and vowed to stick together no matter what. Even when it came to their kids and marriage as well. 

“Thank you for your concern Mrs. Farwinkle but, it was a sweet gesture from my daughter.” Monica, Roxie’s mom, reassured the middle aged woman that it was ok and kinda cute actually. The pair was getting ready I head home and finally relax.

“See? No harm done, it was just an innocent kiss amongst new friends.” Lisa smiled and nodded in agreement, as she walked with her son towards the door to head home.

“Well, since you both have an understanding about it. I guess it’s no issue then. Thank you ladies for coming in.” Bidding the two moms a fond farewell, Lisa and Monica chuckled gently as they headed towards their cars.

“So dinner tomorrow night right? Andre is making pasta salad and I have the red velvet cake.” Monica asked after strapping Roxie in her car seat. 

Lisa nodded enthusiastically. “Yes ma’am. Gorton and I will be there tonight. Why don’t we have the kids get together?”

“That could work. Getting them all together at whatnot and bonding. Just like we did growing up.”

“Sounds good. See you tonight.”

As the mothers drove to their perspective homes, the kids were fast asleep due to the soothing feeling for the car. Little did they know that this was just the beginning.

As Teenagers:

“Roxie! What are you doing? We gotta go to Lauren’s party.”

“But what about the chemistry exam we have in a few days?”

The bond never broke at all, and these two stuck like superglue by any means necessary.

“Oh come on, live a little. You’ve been studying all weekend, let’s go have fun. You’ve earned it.”

“Ugh fine.”

Growing up together, made them both appreciate the power of their friendship and how strong it was to keep it. Despite the fact that they both have had small crushes on other people here and there, they managed always come back together.

At the party Roxie felt like an outcast given that Chris was the life of every event; football game, social club and gathering. Yet Chris made sure Roxie was always good. So during a game of truth or dare, Chris was on the lookout for any dirty business happening to her.

“Ok so Evans, truth or dare?” One of the boys, Tye, had outed him during the 5th turn around. 

Eyeing him up and down he sucked his teeth, he got that from Roxie. “Dare.”

A smirk on Tye’s face was was pure evil, making Roxie shudder. “I dare you to go into the closet with Roxanne and kiss her for 10 min.”

Within the group of kids oohed in unison, that is until Tye plucked a nerve with Chris. “What’s the matter Evans? You chicken? Too scared to kiss your best friend in a linen closet?”

The look on his face was pure adrenaline and determination, mixed with annoyance. “Tye, you and I both know I’m anything but chicken.”

“Then do it. Kiss your best friend in the closet.”

Roxie was caught off guard, when Chris pulled her up from the couch and into the closet which locked from the inside.

“Remember, 10 min!” Tye yelled from the other side of the door.

“Chris, we don’t have to do this.” Roxie’s voice was small, but enough for him to hear.

“Roxie. I’ve been wanting to do this for a while now but I couldn’t think of a way to do so. Ever since you gave me my first kiss, at a very young age, I knew I had to make it right.” He rested his head on hers, taking in the moment.

“Even if it meant in a closet at a party?” Roxie asked curiously.

Chris chuckled gently. “Even if it’s at a party.” Running his thumb against her cheek, he kissed her gently and the memory came flooding back. Holding her against him, he didn’t want to let go.

Locking her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss a bit, Roxie felt her face heat up. It was as if her nerve endings were electrified and brought to life. It was as if the world stood still and no one else mattered to her, just like the day she kissed him first.

“10 mins! You can come out now love birds!” Tye’s voice broke the heated moment, causing the tension to rise and fall between the pair.

Slowly coming out of the closet, the two felt awkward and yet closer together, while sitting back on the couch. 

“This doesn’t change how I feel about you, ok? If you ever need me I’ll always be there for you.” Chris reassures her with a gentle smile, and a tender hug.

What did he mean by ‘this won’t change how he feels about me?’ She thought to herself as she hugged him back. “And I will be there for you too Chris. Through thick and thin.”

Only time will tell how long that pact will last. And yet it did but blossom into something more promising and worth while. They were each other’s first time, as well and it set the tone for how they’d still be friends. They had other moments with other people, and yet their friendship was still intact. Maybe it wouldn’t change after all. 

Current Time Frame, As Adults:

And boy were they both wrong. The older they got, the feelings grew and the thoughts kept shifting, especially for Roxie. She held it in on how much she liked her best friend, more than just a friend. The fact of the matter is when Chris met Delilah, she knew she had competition.

Over the years when he was involved with Delilah, they butted heads constantly. That is until she met Carter, who looked like he could do no wrong but his face said otherwise. The more she got to know Carter, the more Chris got annoyed with him. The more Chris got involved with Delilah, the more Roxie got annoyed. It was a never ending struggle until Roxie broke it off with Carter for good.

The days got better when Delilah was reminded of the unbreakable bond between the two best friends, when she would pop up unannounced. Not even the premiere day for Endgame could rally in her favor, seeing as though it was tradition for the Chris and Roxie to spend the night with each other the day before any premiere of theirs.

That fateful weekend was all a blur, but grand. The night before changed something between the pair and it was magical. When Chris heard Roxie moan, he thought he was in a trace let alone a dream of sorts.

When he finally kissed Roxie for the first time in years, it was like the gates of heaven opened up and the angels sung in harmony. 

It was as if he got his wish and was willing to do anything and everything to keep her by his side. So in the middle of the night after the kiss of the century and a snuggle, around midnight, he woke her back up to just talk to her. He felt around the bed but didn’t feel her there.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Her voice rang through the darkness. But only the moon shined through windows. She slid back into bed next to him snuggled back into his side. 

“Well yes, but I wanted to ask you something important.”

Looking at him with curiosity, she sat up a bit against the headboard. “Ok what’s up? Something wrong?”

“Not really. I’m just curious about something: do you really want to pursue this with me? We’ve been friends for years and I don’t want to mess this up.” Sitting up next to her, he took her hands in his and looked into her eyes.

“Chris, we were each other’s first kiss; we were each other’s first time and so many other milestones that I don’t regret. You mean more to me than anything else in the world. We’ve done things “just friends” don’t do, and I wouldn’t mind taking it a step further.” She slid back onto his lap under the covers, draping it back around her hips, scooting closer on him and held his face in her cocoa butter infused hands.

“I’m ready for the leap if you are.”

He rubbed her hips gently and held her right against his chest. “You know I am Roro. I just needed to hear you say it before I did this again.”

He shut her up immediately with a heat searing kiss, Earth shattering to her very core. He had to hold her hips still to not rock against him so much because he wouldn’t control himself if the situation arose, to something else that neither of them were ready for just yet.

She tugged in his hair graciously, edging him on to kiss her deeper and not let go. A moan shattered the back of his throat, skating his fingers up her back in an effort for her to know how he was feeling.

“I’m not gonna let you go. I let you go before and I don’t plan on doing so now.” He whispered against her lips softly.

She whispered back to him. “I don’t plan on seeing you leave me either.”

The pair spent the rest of the night cuddled on top of one another, drifting back to sleep with lazy kisses. With hopes of an amazing premiere day, these two were thicker than ever.

_________

@maddiestundentwritergaines | @honeychicana | @dc41896 | @themyscxiras | @fumbling-fanfics | @crushed-pink-petals | @swirlevans | @4ftwonder | @bugngiz | @mangos4u | @titty-teetee

[dreamingsushi]

The King: Eternal Monarch - Episode 3

So I did watch the episode last Friday, but couldn’t type my reaction before today. Well I could have, but I chose not to because moping around and pretending being a larva was an interesting state of mind. I was actually looking forward to the next episode, I couldn’t have waited any longer before satisfying my curiosity about where is this all going. So sit down, take your pop corn and enjoy. Food is mandatory for this drama, trust me. You HAVE to eat when you watch it.

The guys are waiting for Tae Eul at the fried chiken place but then she sends a message saying not to wait for her, she’s not coming, which is quite surprising for them. Seems like she must like a lot fried chicken and beer. We do too. Honestly, now I am afraid to keep watching this because it makes me crave fried chicken and beer. So much. Which is kind of cruel to me because of isolation since there are no Korean restaurant near my house. Like NONE.

Which brings us back to Lee Gon telling Tae Eul he’s going to take her as his queen. She’s not buying it. And then he tells her she’s like his favorite number, which is zero, because it’s amounted to nothing but has absolute power. And he rambles on mathematical stuff. Wow, if it was me I would have sent him away, or maybe just have gone for the fried chicken, I do not need to be told about maths, especially not on such a boring tone. And being compared to 0 isn’t a compliment. He needs to change his flirting techniques. Okay, it still turns out to be a little cuter than I expected., he says he is powerless here because she doesn’t really care for him, but it’s okay because she’s greater than what he expected her to be. Then she’s lire are you done speaking nonsense, he says she’s stupid like a bear. Which is weird. Then she tells him to take her to this parallel universe of his. So he takes her to the bamboo forest. But the obelisques won’t show on that day, nope. Not convincing Tae Eul with any of those details, she’s more upset that he took her into the woods like that when it’s freezing cold. She tells him the results of his DNA tests are about to come out and hopefully they will find him some relatives. And she tells him to stop calling Eun Seop. He tells her that even if she found a relative based on his DNA, they won’t be his real family. He says his parents died when he was eight, well at least his dad, the mom probably died before that. She looks shaken. He gives her his coat and asks what’s the name of the guy she calls brother, he knows she’s an only child so he’s not her brother. She asks him what’s his name, how come he can ask people’s names when doesn’t tell his? He said that she can call him by his name even if she knows, he didn’t say he can’t tell nor that he doesn’t have one. She gets angry and walks away first. And she ignores him.

So cute. Taekwondo guy (that would be the guy she calls brother, but he was studying Taekwondo at her dad’s school) keeps on waiting for Tae Eul to come back and starts talking to the horse. Then he notices a symbol on the saddle. Which corresponds to a drawing in his block note. Which looks so much like a Canadian passport somehow.

So granny is hiring Jo Yeong’s fangirl. Partly because she liked the fanfics she wrote. Also because she applied for like the past four years.  But this is priceless. The granny reading fanfics and talking about hashtags, knowing more stuff than I do. I am living it.

So seems like the Prime minister and Lee Gon are on some sort of competition? I didn’t get it really. I guess they didn’t agree on political stuff? I don’t know, don’t ask me. Madam the prime minister is unhappy though that the king disappeared. Oh okay, so basically, since the king started paying taxes, it would look bad if they in the party got a raise so she has been opposed to that to keep popularity amongst the people, which makes the ministers unhappy. She puts them all back into place.  Fierce woman.

They finally get a new member the police unit team. And they kind of made it funny, well it’s very cliché, but basically a guy looking like a thug comes in with an handsome guy and of course they all think the latter is the newbie, but it’s actually the first one who is in fact younger than what he looks like, a little dumb but in a cute way, is nicknamed rose and has unicorn in his email address.  Nothing you would expect.  Then they head out to find the weapon that was used for the murder they are investigating. In the end it’s newbie guy that finds it at the end of the day.

Some thugs try to bribe mister taekwondo. Seems he used to be really rich and when bankrupt when he was a teenage. I mean, it was most likely his parents money. His mom has lots of debts so he basically makes no salary. While he walks, he has flashback of when he was teaching taekwondo and Tae Eul’s dad tells him to stop teaching because he’s scaring the kids away. Well he indeed was scary. By the name, the name is Shin Jae. And seems like tae Eul’s dad is the one that made him chose the path of police awww.

Back at the office, Tae Eul keeps on making fun of the new recruit and then Lee Gon calls her. Eun seop gave him her work phone number. But she hangs upon him. Later, Lee Gon and Eun Seop are at the grocery store and Eun Seop is like what did you say to her for me to get handcuffed, I told you to keep it a secret. Lee Gon to comfort him appoints him as the chef of the royal guards in this universe and names him the unbreakable sword too. I’m sure Jo Yeong wouldn’t like this, Eun Seop doesn’t like it either and calls him crazy.

So lady Noh (granny) says that the King won’t come out of his study room but because he hasn’t showed up in public people start to think maybe he is ill. The new girl says she has a solution and meets privately with Jo Yeong. It seems she opens an SNS account for him. Which gains a lot of popularity.

Lady Noh asks Jo Yeong to investigate the lady from the ID card, however he tells her he already did that on demand of His majesty and that girl simply doesn’t exist.

The results of Lee Gon’s DNA test came out and they match to nobody. She then receives a call about the horse: that kind of horse isn’t even in South Korea right now, so it wouldn’t be a stolen horse.

They go for beer and fried chicken. AGAIN. I hate this drama so much. Stop making me craving fried chicken! With beer. I am trying to eat healthy. And to go vegan, slowly but surely. Stop this torture now! Anyways, she takes a shot and asks him if he’s from another world and who else could have taken that portal. He says he can’t tell her unless she becomes a member of his court, which makes her annoyed again. He guesses she got nothing from his DNA tests, but still can’t trust him. And she says they leave? BUUUUT, they didn’t even eat the chicken. WHYYYYY? The chicken did nothing wrong, it HAS to be eaten...

Lee Gon orders to eat the carrots Tae Eul feeds him. He’s so happy. I don’t know why.

Jo Yeong goes to Lee Gon’s office. He remembers of His highness always looking into the autopsie of Lee Rim. He feels there’s something fishy and that Lee Rim isn’t dead. And it seems Jo Yeong guesses it’s related to Lee Gon’s disappearing. Well, kind of.

There’s a storm and Lee Gon has something going on with his shoulder.

Le Rim is back in the Kingdom of Corea. I guess you need the storm and the flute to go back?

Tae Eul has little problem with her car an Lee Gon comes to the rescue, but while she starts tying her hair up, time freezes, except for him.  I am not convinced by the time freezing thingy. Lite not at all. It’s enough already with the uncle not aging up and the parallel universes... I hope they don’t make it too much... Because so far, this is good. Anyways. She leaves asking to watch for her car that is broken and he just drives away with it. He goes to the bamboo forest and the door is there, so he finally realizes the flute is the key.

Back in kingdom of Corea, seems like Lee Rim has his little army.

They got the result from the forensic team, which incriminates the suspect, but Tae Eul feels it’s falling into place too perfectly, as if it was planned. So they go to investigate and Shin Jae and Tae Eul bumps into a bad guy Shin Jae sent to jail some years ago. And bad ass fighting!  Yeaaah!!!! With Lee Gon as a witness, until big boss is about to stab Shin Jae, so he gets targetted while saving taekwondo boy and kicks everyone’s asses with his whip.  Lol. Shin Jae and Tae Eul were having a hard time, but just one hit from the whip master and BAM! Over. Shin Jae and Lee Gon fights a little. Shin Jae and Tae Eul shares a popsicle, Lee Gon feels forgotten. They have lunch together and then Lee Gon bids his farewell to Tae Eul because he’s going back to his world.

Shin Jae drives Lee Gon back and asks him the company who made the saddle for Maximus. Of course Lee Gon doesn’t know. He asks about the logo on it and Lee Gon tells him it doesn’t exist here, because it’s for his kingdom in another world.

When Tae Eul comes back home, no more Maximus, they are going back. And like what? He’s already in love with her? Well, has he made it to his world? We will know next week I guess! From the previews though, it looks like he made it and goes back to his loved girl too. I like that the plot of this is quite clear, we know where we are going at least roughly and I enjoy that in those times of uncertainty.

[hyunarkarchive]

✩ sn project; month 1 week 2; rap stats; if you feel like you’re going to crash then accelerate more, you idiot self produced - nevermind

in all honesty, hyuna never thought she would do a throwback session like this. two of her three song choices were something she had done before and people were aware about it: her rap song, she did for her first ever audition, specifically for nova; her dance, was the main focus point of royal survival shop’s opening episode.

however, there was an idea behind it, that she hoped she would be able to show how much she has grown and become better. improved, at both dancing and rapping, improved on her charisma. but even with that intention, there was always the chance of failure. what if they wanted to see something new from her? what if she messed up? so many possible scenarios were floating through hyuna’s head for this specific week, that it was getting harder to keep her head in the game. but she’s done this before, many times, dealt with the tiny voice at the back of her head telling her she’d fail, she’d mess up, and disappoint.

funny, she never messed up, but always seemed to disappoint.

but there she was, stood in front of her new ceo and the coaches that monitored every single move of theirs, microphone in hand as she waited for her music to start.

the song was a good reminder of where she started, it made her sigh before bringing the microphone to her lips, free hand shoving into the front pocket of her jeans.

i only look forward and run without having time to look around without me noticing, i have become the pride of my family and i have succeeded to some extent

three years ago, his really would have been viable for hyuna, medical student, good relationship with her father, had a life she was happy with. three years down the line, maybe she had succeeded to some extend, maybe she was just imagining it, a lot had changed and she was fully aware of it.

they say teenage years mess you up i think of it suddenly at that time i was young and had nothing to fear a few times defeated isn’t much

as the song picks up, she moves slightly, finally looking away from the desk with the people evaluating her, smiling at the thought of the lyrics. she hasn’t been a teenager for a solid few years, but she still feels the same way now, as she did back them. lost, messed up, and if she lose again, she didn’t fear it. failing three survival shows isn’t much.

if there’s anything that’s different it’s my height and also being a bit more mature for my age from the underground workplace in namsandong my beat has been laid out until apgujeong

hyuna finally pulls her hand out of her pocket and pats her chest, taking a step forward towards the judges, nodding her head with a proud grin. there were slight movement from her, mainly her body naturally reacting to the beat of the song she’s worked on for long, now knowing it like the back of her hand.

the origin of youth everyone said it, don’t go overboard if you act as if you’re a know-it-all and will be making music you will make your home go broke from that point onwards, i didn’t care  no matter what anyone said i only lived how i wanted, guided by only my beliefs

and she’s proud of it, for pushing forward and not giving up, constantly working on the idea of doing the most she can to give an amazing performance and showcase her skills. she wasn’t going to let people stir her in their own direction, because she had plans for herself and she really hoped hyunbin and the nova staff were aware, this time, she really was going to fight for her own wants.

in your eyes, how do you think I’m doing right now how do you think i am? i want to ask the several people who prayed for me to screw up does it seem like my home is going broke, you bastards?

it was at that part of the verse hyuna looked back at the coaches and ceo, finally reaching the words she’s so desperately been hanging on for the past years, to try and make a name for herself, be recognized. she was getting there, slowly, but surely and she had no intention on stopping. twice, twice she was stopped from achieving her dreams by nova, by hyunbin himself and this time, she had no intention on letting it happen.

i don’t give a shit i don’t give a fuck like I always said hundreds of time every day, “never mind me” i can have a taste of failure and frustration and bow my head we are still young and immature, don’t even worry about it

it was then when she started moving around the room, finally using the space given to her, because this was her real element. actual hiphop, actual music she poured her heart and soul into, to let people know, she’not gonna stop here.

moss surely grows on a stone that doesn’t roll if you can’t return, go straight through your mistakes and forget them all never mind it’s not easy but engrave it onto your chest if you feel like you’re going to crash then accelerate more, you idiot come on 

hyuna headed back to the desk, stopping right in front of coaches, patting over her heart once the words it’s not easy but engrave it onto your chest come past her lips, standing tall and proud before spinning around, letting the chorus echo through the speaks. her own voice recorded, as she makes her way back to the center of the room where she started.

never mind, never mind no matter how thorny the road is, run never mind, never mind there are lots of things in the world that you can’t help you better

she spins on her heel, nodding her head to the beat as she lifts the microphone back to her lips, ready to say the last few lines.

never mind, never mind if you feel like you’re going to crash then accelerate more, you idiot never mind, never mind we’re too young and immature to give up, you idiot never mind

she points at herself, using her thumb as she keeps her eyes on the coaches in front of her, bangs in her eyes, but she doesn’t mind. the strong backtrack mellowing down with the finishing lines,

if you feel like you’re going to crash then accelerate more, you idiot if you feel like you’re going to crash then accelerate more, you idiot

hyuna sighs, shoulder finally dropping as she looks to the side, to a camera, using a lose hand to point vaguely in its direction, saying the final words before dropping her hand.

never mind

and she lets her head hang, before bowing to the panel.

[galewritesfanfiction]

"I Couldn't Think of a Good Title, So I Just Wrote a Whole Bunch of Words" (by Fall Out Boy)

Fandoms: DCU, Arrow (2012)

Relationships: Roy Harper & Oliver Queen

Characters: Roy Harper, Oliver Queen

“Shit, fuck, goddamnit!” Roy cursed stumbling down the steps to the Arrow Cave. It was almost four in the morning, and he was hoping that everyone had gone home for the night so that he could just grab some bandages, patch himself up, and leave. Unfortunately, he’d always had shitty luck.

“What the hell happened to you?” asked Oliver, looking at Roy, who was bleeding from what appeared to be multiple slash wounds.

“Some guy was attacking a girl in an alley,” said Roy as Oliver carefully grabbed his arm and led him over to the metal table, helping him sit down. “I went to help and she got away, but he managed to surprise me with a knife.” Roy winced as Oliver cut away his shirt, looking at the jagged cuts on his torso.

“Jesus shit, Roy. Why the hell didn’t you go to the hospital? You’re lucky that there was even someone here!” Oliver scolded, pushing on Roy’s shoulder to make him lie flat on the table.

“I was just going to grab some bandages and patch myself up, it’s not that bad,” mumbled Roy in response.

“Damnit, Roy, you can’t just bandage cuts this deep, they need stitches,” Oliver chastised, grabbing things from around the room and setting them on a tray next to the table that Roy was lying on.

“Shit,” mumbled Oliver as he opened up a cabinet, “The only painkiller we have left is Tylenol, sorry Roy.” Oliver hadn’t been looking at Roy when he said that he needed stitches, so he didn’t know that Roy had been freaked out since then. He turned around, looking at Roy’s panicky expression and assumed that he was worried about the lack of painkillers. He handed the pills to Roy and said “It’ll be fine, you’ve broken bones and had your shoulder popped back in, stitches aren’t too bad.” Roy’s breath stuttered as he saw Oliver thread the needle, and he quickly rolled off of the table, groaning at the pain in his torso.

Oliver looked up when he heard Roy groan, and dropped what he was doing when he saw the boy pressing himself into a corner, shuddering and curled up in a ball. He quickly walked over to Roy, crouching in front of him. “Roy,” he heard Oliver say softly, “What’s going on?” Roy slowly looked up, seeing Oliver, whose eyes were full of concern.

“I- the reason- the reason that I was trying to sn-sneak down here was because I didn’t want anyone to see me. I- I just wanted to grab some bandages and go,” he stuttered.

“Why, Roy?” asked Oliver, carefully resting a hand on Roy’s shoulder.

“I knew that if one of you saw me or if I went to the hospital, I’d have to get stitches. I just- I really don’t do well with needles,” he said quickly, looking down, the last part barely audible. Realization dawned on Oliver and suddenly everything made sense. He reached out a hand and gently tilted up Roy’s chin, looking the boy in the eyes.

“Hey,” he said softly, “It’s okay to be afraid of something, Roy. You don’t have to be ashamed.”

“I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you’d think it was stupid or something. It’s just- we’ve all done some crazy shit and this is so small in comparison. It’s dumb to be scared,” he mumbled.

“Don’t compare fears or experiences, everyone is different. You shouldn’t have to hide things from your teammates,” Oliver said gently.

“I’m just scared,” Roy said quietly, looking down, and Oliver pulled him into a gentle hug, carefully avoiding the knife wounds.

“I know that you’re scared, Roy, but I really have to stitch up those cuts.” Roy tensed, burying his face in Oliver’s shoulder. “Roy, I need you to trust me, alright?” Oliver said, and at Roy’s nod, he let go and helped the boy stand up, draping an arm over his shoulder and leading him back over to the table. Oliver helped him onto the table, nudging his shoulder to prompt him to lay down.

Roy tensed up when Oliver moved to grab something, and Oliver set a hand on his arm, saying “I’m just going to clean these out, but it’s going to sting.” He waited for Roy’s reluctant nod before pouring the alcohol over Roy’s two cuts and various other grazes, drawing a loud whine from Roy. “It’s okay, you’re doing great,” Oliver said, putting away the disinfectant.

As he picked up the threaded needle, he heard Roy’s breathing begin to speed up, and he looked over to see Roy staring directly at him, pupils blown wide in fear. He quickly set the needle down, grabbing Roy by the shoulders and pressing him to the table. “Roy! You’re hyperventilating. I need you to calm down and breathe. I know you’re scared and I know you’re in pain, but you have to breathe,” Oliver instructed. Roy took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out before taking another and another.

“Roy, close your eyes,” Oliver said softly, picking up the needle once he’d done so. “I’m going to start now.” Roy whimpered as Oliver placed the first stitch.

He’d just finished the first cut when Roy shuddered. “Ollie,” he whispered, grabbing Oliver’s wrist and holding on tightly. Oliver looked up at Roy’s face and saw trails of tears running down his cheeks. He reached up with his free hand and gently wiped away his tears.

“Hey, it’s okay, you’re okay. We’re halfway done. You’re doing great,” said Oliver. He gently took Roy’s hand off of his wrist, moving it to grab his free hand. Roy gripped his hand tightly and Oliver squeezed back, gently rubbing his thumb along the back of the boy’s hand. “Do you want to keep holding my hand while I finish these?” asked Oliver, having noticed that it seemed to help him relax.

“Please,” he replied quietly, closing his eyes again.

“Okay,” said Oliver, “I’m going to need you to stay really still though, okay? Can you do that?”

Roy nodded, just grateful to have something to hold on to this time.

“Roy, I’m going to start up again, alright?” Oliver said, waiting for Roy’s go-ahead. When Roy slowly nodded his head, Oliver squeezed his hand tightly, starting once again.

Whenever Roy’s breathing would speed up, Oliver would start talking to him. He rambled on about some of the stupid things he’d done as a teenager and about some of the small, happier moments on Lian Yu.

“All done,” he said, tying off the final stitch, “I just have to clean again and bandage now. Can you sit up?”

“Yeah,” Roy said, and Oliver helped him to sit up before finally letting go of his hand. He soaked a cloth in alcohol and quickly wiped down the newly stitched wounds, ignoring the boy’s pained gasps. He put gauze on top of the wounds, securing it by wrapping bandages around his torso.

“Okay,” said Oliver, and Roy sighed in relief, slumping over and holding his head in his hands. “Since we didn't go to the hospital, I'm going to bring you home with me so that I can keep an eye on those cuts for a day or so, alright?”

“Okay,” he responded, his voice subdued. Oliver helped Roy off of the table, up the stairs, and onto his motorcycle, and then climbed on in front of him before having him wrap his arms around him and taking off for the mansion.

When they arrived, Oliver helped Roy get off of the bike and they went inside, quietly as to not wake anyone up this early in the morning. They made it to a guest room, where Oliver had Roy sit on the bed before crouching down in front of him.

“Roy are you going to be alright?” he asked softly, “I know that must've really sucked. You look like your brain is going a million miles an hour, and not in a good way.“

“I don't know, Ollie,” said Roy, his voice cracking.

“Oh Roy,” murmured Oliver, moving to sit against the headboard and carefully pulling Roy towards him. The boy curled into him as he wrapped his arms around him. “It’s over, you're okay,” said Oliver. That was the last straw for Roy, and he began to cry, fisting his hands in Oliver's shirt.

“I hate that I'm scared, it's such a stupid fear,” whispered Roy ashamed.

“Roy, don't do that to yourself,” said Oliver, “Everyone's afraid of something, and your fear is actually really common. Even if it wasn't, it wouldn't matter, because your fears are valid no matter what.”

“Thanks, Ollie,” muttered Roy, “I just, I try so damn hard to avoid this shit, and it never works, and then I end up in this kind of situation, and unlike this time, it's usually with people who only give a shit ‘cause I'm paying them.”

“Roy,” said Oliver softly, making sure Roy was looking at him, “If you're ever hurt or panicking, or you just need someone, you can call me, or even Diggle or Felicity, okay? You're not alone anymore.” Roy looked up at Oliver with a glint of hope in his eyes.

“Are you being for real?” he asked hopefully.

“Yeah, I am, Roy,” Oliver confirmed, and Roy smiled.

“Thank you,” he said, trying and failing to hide his yawn.

A few minutes later, Oliver shook his head with a small smile. The kid had fallen into a peaceful sleep on top of him. Oliver felt a yawn creep up on him, and he quickly fell asleep as well.

[bastardsonofday]

Look at Yourself

MAJOR WARNING: ABUSE. LOTS OF IT. I AINT JOKING AROUND YALL

Prompt: Abuse. 

I wrote this because of the video posted by PajamaParty Doodles ‘My Mentally Abusive Father.’ Please, if you watch her video be warned it is extremely dark (as it should be, she went though a horribly dark thing. I am so proud of her strength to rise above what happened to her). But she made a lot of good points that I want to expand on those things. This is written to speak about the abuse that Lucien went through because it is never gone into in the series. This is something that needs to be said. I don’t want to… compare these experiences, I am aware that PJ’s experiences actually happened and in no way do I want to minimize or trivialize what she went through.

I am basing most of his mentality off her video, since I am someone who has no basis (thank god) for such a thing. I am not, nor have ever been abused.

If you find yourself in an unhealthy situation, please get help.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-422-4453

Day One Crisis Hotline: 1-866-223-1111

Crisis Text Line: 741741 (from anywhere in the USA)

Pathways to Safety International Toll-Free: 833-SAFE-833

HotPeachPages list of European Crisis Agencies and Hotlines

Stay Safe <3 You’re not alone, and you deserve help.

Slight stylistic change ahead. Reminder you can still comment/dm me a final prompt for the upcoming (only one more then this one left!!!) prompt in this series: Wild Card. 

This is also by far the longest prompt! Netting 4k+ words!

ao3     bingo prompts series        ko-fi      commission me

When Lucien was little he thought that his father was supposed to protect him. When Lucien was little he thought his father was supposed to care for him. When Lucien was little he thought his father was supposed to set a good example.

Then, Lucien grew up.

Lucien sat on the roof, watching the lights of Velaris dance in the distance. It wasn’t so cold up there, just a light chill from the night. Lucien pulled the blanket he had grabbed around him tighter, and watched the festivities.

Lucien heard the door open, and heard the steps that came closer and closer. He could smell the perfume of paint and ginger cookies… A smile lit his face. He loved ginger cookies.

Feyre sat next to him. She nudged his arm and he handed her one end of the blanket. She snuggled close to him, breathing him in as he breathed in her.

Ginger…

Ginger-

Her words broke him from his retrospective haze and he was grateful. Because, while Feyre didn’t know it, his memories weren’t the place to be on holidays and he needed something to keep him anchored, especially on this night of all nights—The Autumn Equinox.

The day when night and day are equal. The day everyone in the Night Court and Day Court danced and were merry, for it was a day of friendship and love and comradery. A day when friendships and non-romantic relationships were valued on high.  Not a day for flashbacks. Not a day for sadness.

At least, not in the Night Court.

“What are you thinking about?” Feyre asked.

Lucien shrugged. “Nothing.”

“C’mon, tell me!” Feyre insisted, nestling in. After all, they were friends, were they not? And friends shared thoughts. “How about this, it’s a game Rhysand and I play: a thought for a thought.” Feyre said.

Lucien ran his fingers through Feyre’s hair, gently. “Alright. I’ll bite.”

“You go first.”

“Why do I have to go first?”

“Because, I asked you first.”

“Fine.” Lucien said slowly… what could he tell her? He certainly couldn’t tell her the truth. He couldn’t tell her about how the lights in Velaris below were so close to those he could still remember from home. The smell of cinnamon and cocoa and pumpkin and ginger and-

The smell of ash.

“You smell like ginger.” Lucien said softly.

Feyre smiled. “It’s the cookies Mor and Elain made for the dusk-meal.” A customary feast, then everyone parties all night (in the Night Court) and have their last meal at dawn before they crash and sleep through the shining day. The festivities are the opposite in the Day Court, Lucien knew. Since the fall equinox wasn’t a big deal in the Spring Court Lucien and Tamlin had once been invited to Day for the nightly feast. It had been delicious. Though, he had to give props to Morrigan, she had certainly put together a stunning meal. She had even convinced everyone to put aside their differences and come to the feast, and it was no weak feat to manage to get Lucien, Elain, and Nesta into the same room. “She had some left over and I was hungry.”

“Exhausted already?” Lucien asked with a laugh. “The night isn’t even close to finished.”

Feyre giggled. “Definitely not! Just in need of refueling.”

Lucien grinned at her, squeezing her hand in his. Then he looked back off the roof, and his smile vanished.

“What’s your thought?” Lucien asked, though he felt as though he wasn’t the one controlling his own mouth.

“I’m worried about you.”

That… hadn’t been anything close to what Lucien had expected. “… What?”

“I’m worried about you… Lucien, are you okay? Because all night you’ve been-”

“I’m fine!” Lucien snapped. He wasn’t fine, and all these questions she was going to ask would only make him worse. “I’m fine! Of course I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be? I’m fine.”

Feyre glared at him, her jaw steely, her eyes hard. “Say it one more time and I’ll believe you.”

Tears bit at Lucien’s eyes. “I’m cold. I think I’ll head in.”

“Lucien-!”

“Good night, Feyre.”

Lucien stood, leaving the blanket with his friend, and walked back into the House of Wind so he could head to the ground and then to his apartment.

Feyre wondered what she’d done.

When Lucien chose his apartment he was encouraged to decorate it any way he liked.

Lucien hadn’t known what to do.

As he stood in the apartment after leaving Feyre on that roof he looked around, glad for the dull greyscale theme he’d ultimately settled for. Color was bad. Color incited thoughts. Color made him feel… things.

He walked to the bed. He could still hear the pounding of parties through the walls. When he peeked out the window facing the Rainbow he could see friends in merriment. He closed the shades.

Brothers were supposed to take your side. Brothers were supposed to stay with you when your parents fought. Brothers were supposed to keep you safe from your father when they needed to.

That was what he was always told by his friends. Rhysand and his sister. Tamlin and his brothers. Kallias, Thesan, Helion—they had all had someone to care for them and to care about. A sibling they could and would protect even when it hurt.

Lucien walked over to his dresser and opened it. There, amongst his cross-Court attire (for business usually), sat his Autumn costume.

He called it a costume because that was really what it was. Another part of his character of Lucien Vanserra. The suit he wore with the mask of the Fox Boy. With a burnt auburn base and autumn colors for decoration: the embroidery; pattern; beading; trim; etc. He’d always had one commissioned, no matter the Court he’d ended up in. Just in case. The colors: red and gold and yellow and brown, they swirled around in his head making his temples burn and his eyes water and-

Lucien shut the drawer with a slam. Think happy thoughts, his therapist had told him, something to center yourself.

But how could Lucien be happy, on today of all days?

Lucien dressed in his pajamas (Night Court style, as an unconscious purge of all Autumn), and climbed into bed.

His first mistake was closing his eyes, and his second was not opening them when the thoughts and memories inevitably came to him.

You’re useless.

Lucien was eight. He sat on his father’s knee, watching the High Lords argue incessantly in front of him. The High Lord of Night threw a vase, and the High Lord of Winter ducked. From his spot in his father’s lap he could see Rhysand behind his father. Rhys winced at every shout, and flinched when his father would raise his hand.

Lucien smiled. Rhysand was just like him. Maybe he would want to be friends?

But no, he reminded himself, Rhysand liked to hang out with the Big Boys who would torture Lucien until he left them alone. Lucien sighed. At least he had Tamlin.

“Lucien,” Beron whispered into his ear. Lucien felt himself puff up in his chest, sitting upright. Lucien had been very good to land the seat on his father’s lap. He had worked all year since the last conference, he had made his father breakfast and shined his shoes and done all his chores and had never spoken out of turn. Lucien had gone a whole month without being yelled at, too! That was a record! “What can you tell me about their relationship?” He asked, pointing to one of the High Lord of Dawn’s consorts and the Winter minor lord he was side-eyeing.

Lucien concentrated. The Dawn consort’s pupils were enlarged. He kept shifting in his seat, one leg over the other and then back. His eyes would occasionally dart to his High Lord, making sure the High Lord couldn’t catch him. The Winter lord wasn’t making eye contact. Instead he boredly lay his head on the table, drawing lazy swirls on the surface. No blush on his cheeks, no looking at the consort, though his eyes did roam. Sometimes he would sit up and mutter something to one of his cohorts before stretching himself back on the table.

“The Dawn male is in lust with the Winter lord, but the Winter lord is oblivious to it.” Lucien whispered in his father’s ear.

Beron snorted. “Fine. What about them?” Beron indicated another couple of Fae in the room.

Lucien concentrated. He watched their mannerisms, their micro-expressions, studied their faces and bodies… and finally he told Beron that one was the other’s illegitimate father but the child didn’t know whereas the father did.

Beron’s face stayed stony and for a second Lucien worried he was wrong and that he would be punished. But he wasn’t.

Beron sneered. Back then, Lucien interpreted it as a smile, the first smile his father ever gave him, but now he remembered it clearly as a sneer.

“You’ll do just fine. So long as you continue to be useful.”

Lucien vowed he would never be anything but.

Nothing Lucien could ever do was good enough. Lucien was in his early forties, and had just finished giving in a rather good report to his father, if he did say so himself. His handwriting had been clear, his information had been simple. His advice was easy.

And yet, Lucien knew what his father would say.

“Please! This is child’s work!”

“He’s useless, Eris! Like we couldn’t figure all of this out on our own!”

“He’ll never been a good ruler! Nor a good spy!”

“Useless! Unreliable! Unforgivable!”

Of course, Beron didn’t need to say these things to Lucien’s face, which was good for him because he hadn’t spoken to his son face-to-face since their spat a year ago about blackmailing a minor consort on her sexual history with a different Court’s High Fae.

But the words still came to Lucien.

Lucien’s brothers would whisper them in the halls.

Lucien’s mother would scream them back at Beron.

Nobles from other courts would feel the echos and amongst them the gossip reigned.

Lucien was useless. Nothing he ever did was good enough. His talent for making friends and seeing things others couldn’t meant nothing, not to Beron—not anymore.

Lucien had done everything he could to stay sane. He ignored the whispers. He bit back the tears weak, he was weak, real males didn’t cry, especially princes.

Useless.

He could hear his father’s rebuke wherever he went. It followed him like a bad smell.

Lucien would close his eyes and try to bring that smile sneer he had seen on his father’s face from his memory. “I’m just pushing you to be better. Don’t you want to be better?” His father used to ask when he was little. Yes father, of course father. Anything for your approval, father. Lucien was the useless seventh son, begging to be worth something, to have some kind of value—any kind, Lucien wasn’t picky. “You’re useless. You can’t see anything helpful? Anything we can use?” He just wanted approval. Just wanted value.

If he wasn’t of use to Beron, what could he possibly do to prove his right to live? To exist? He had to be useful. He had to.

“You’re nothing. You can’t do anything. You never loved this family, otherwise you would bring me something to use. You are letting us down. I could kick you out, you’re too much work as is. I have six other children, who would care about Little Lucien—who has no use.”

Tamlin cared for him. Lucien had just run away from Autumn Court. Tamlin was his friend, never asking for anything in return. Never requiring a value of him. So when Tamlin offered him as a job as an Emissary, Lucien was overjoyed to start working for him. Anything to be useful, he didn’t want Tamlin to look at him like his father did, and think it was time to get rid of him. That he was too much—too much to feed, too much to clothe, too much trouble.

Lucien stayed low maintenance so that his profits would out weigh his costs. He was useful. Every compliment from Tamlin was like honey in his mouth, like water after days without anything to drink. Lucien craved it. And it was all because for once, he was being useful.

You’re a liar.

As long as Lucien could remember he had been a liar. It was especially bad when it came to his family. He would lie about if he’d had dinner. He’d lie if someone asked him what happened to his eye or leg or arm. If he didn’t lie his family would be mad at him: telling the truth would have brought someone else into their affairs. The Vanserras were private, Lucien had to understand that.

The Vanserras were also particular. Had Lucien cleaned his room? “Yes,” he lied. He wanted to play with his friends outside. Had Lucien eaten all of his meat? “Yes,” he lied. Lucien was disgusted by all the meat they ate in his house, he would always give it to his brothers when his father wasn’t looking. Why couldn’t he eat vegetables? Lucien liked vegetables. Had Lucien betrayed his friends? “Yes,” he lied. He hadn’t done it—he couldn’t, Kallias was so nice to him, he couldn’t pit Kallias against Helion just for the sake of Beron’s entertainment. Had Lucien whispered behind the High Lord of Summer’s back? “No,” he’d lied. He hadn’t been the one spreading rumors, and certainly not on his father’s behalf. Lucien was a good boy, he would never do such a thing.

Was Lucien seeing anyone? “No,” he lied.

Was Lucien in love? “No,” he lied.

Was Lucien’s father hurting him? “Never,” he lied.

Did Lucien want to run away with her? “Never.”

All he had to do is stop seeing her. Would he do that? “Yes.”

What was her name? “Veronica.”

Where is she? “I don’t know.”

Is this her? “No.”

Is this her? “No.”

Tell the truth! Is this her?

Lucien looked up at her body, bloodied and broken. They knew, he knew they knew, and they knew he knew they knew.

“Please don’t hurt her!”

Is this her?

He saw her blink at him. He swallowed and closed his eyes. Maybe if he told the truth she’d be saved… Maybe they’d be able to stay together… Maybe they’d be safe… Maybe they’d be alive…

“Please… I’m begging you… leave her alone… please… hurt me instead...”

Is this her?

Broken, tired, cold, pleading: “Yes.”

And then came the snap, and betwixt Lucien’s screams he vowed to never tell the truth ever again.

Lucien was a liar.

Lucien! Oh Mother, that looks bad! Are you okay? What happened to your arm?

“Nothing. I fell.”

You cheat.

Lucien was a cheater.

He betrayed friends. He betrayed enemies.

He was known to all as a fox, and sometimes Lucien thought that nickname was apt, because it was the only animal that came close to his treachery.

You had to be a cheater, didn’t you? To do such horrible things and to get away from them, unscathed.

He seemed sweet, he would get close to people but then when he took what he needed for them what his father needed what Tamlin needed he dropped them, and their lives were ruined, yet somehow he cheated people into believing he wouldn’t hurt them again, wouldn’t turn on them again, and they continued to trust him. He cheated them from their lives and their privacy, and yet caught nothing in punishment.

He cheated death when all Amarantha took from him was his eye.

He cheated Feyre of happiness when he didn’t help her when she needed it.

He cheated Tamlin, of friendship, of love in his time of need and in prevention of what he ended up becoming.

He cheated Jesminda of life.

He cheated Elain of a Mate who she could have loved.

He cheated his father of a son who could have listened. He cheated Eris of a brother who could have been his partner in crime and everything else. He cheated his mother of a son she could have been proud of.

Worst of all, he cheated himself of a life he could have had, of love and happiness and pride. Of all those wonderful things, because he couldn’t accept love from his friends, and give up on people who hurt him. It was worse, because he cheated himself and he had vowed that was the one thing he would never do. He was the only person he could rely on and he cheated himself of all these things because he thought he didn’t deserve them—knew he didn’t deserve them. So he cheated himself, just so he could finally feel as though he received what he deserved. A fox didn’t deserve happiness.

You’re a villain who ruins the lives of others.

Lucien had to run. There was Tamlin at the border. He held a hand over and Lucien grabbed it. He was safe now, he was in Spring, and anyone who crossed the border would be attacked. Please don’t cross the border, please don’t cross, He begged them in his mind. But his brothers kept coming. The cold wind burrowed between them and even the Spring air was cold tonight, the chill of Autumn crept in with Lucien.

“Run! Down!” Tamlin shouted. Lucien dove into a flowerbed of pansies as Ash and Aiden ran at Tamlin. Tamlin roared, changing into his beast form. Lucien screamed but Tamlin was stronger than they could ever be, and he was already tearing them apart.

Then Lucien saw Ignatius creeping around the back. Ignatius was always the quiet one, but just as deadly as the other brothers, if not more. Tamlin didn’t see him, all Tamlin saw was Ash and Aiden and red.

Lucien couldn’t lose another friend, not someone else he loved, not now, not again.

“Tamlin! Get down!” Lucien screamed, and Lucien let the fire fly. Ignatius used his own fire to shield himself.

“This! This is all your fault!” Iggy snarled. “Why couldn’t you just stay in your lane? Why couldn’t you just break up with her? All you had to fucking do! Was! Break! Up! With her!” Iggy sent out a volley of fireballs with every exclamation.

Lucien dodged each one of them. The fire that burned in him… “I love her!”

“You ruined everything! All of us! We were a happy family until you came along, making trouble for everyone!” Iggy grabbed Lucien by his collar, burning it. The smoke filled Lucien’s nose and the smell of sweat made Lucien’s eyes water. The fire consumed his clothes slowly, Ignatius was one who loved a slow, painful death—making death by burning perfect for him.

That was Ignatius’s mistake. “Then just leave me alone!” Lucien closed his eyes and let all of his magic out. Even though Lucien didn’t know it, a bright light burned from inside him along with his fire. When Lucien opened his eyes all that was left of Ignatius was a charred skeleton.

He’d killed his own brother.

Tamlin turned to him, bloody and covered in innards.

“Ready to go?”

Three down…

Three to go.

Lucien vomited.

The laughter of children… He could hear it for the first time in years. He was the villain. Every night when she vomited her guts out in the room next door, he was the one who didn’t comfort her. The one who didn’t notice, and the one who didn’t care. He saw her grow thinner, he saw her grow pale, saw her wilt and curl into herself until she was nothing but a shell of the Cursebreaker she had been that he had forced her into. He’d ruined her. He’d chased her when he should have defended her, wanting to put her back in that… Situation. He’d betrayed Tamlin when he’d run away with her. Elain was forced into a relationship with him that she didn’t want. He was behind her turning into a Fae, and Nesta too.

He had ruined their lives, and had enabled Tamlin when they had both ruined Feyre. He was a villain to the Archeron Sisters. Ruining their lives one interaction at a time.

He was the villain to everyone, not just the Archerons, if he had to be honest. The one who hurt people and the one who ruined them. He imposed himself on others.

It was him who Feyre had to save in the Second Task.

It was him who caused the deaths of three of his brothers and the love of his life.

It was him who caused his father to hate Lucien’s mother like he did.

It was him who had caused all the trouble in their lives, the one who had made them all miserable.

It was all his fault. All his fault.

You’ll never amount to anything.

He was nothing. No title. No Court. He ran from everything he’d ever been, and had nothing left. He was curled up on his bed crying for Mother’s sakes!

“Hey,” She said softly.

“Hey.” He responded.

They cuddled together, eyes gooey and bodies entangled. She kissed his cheek and he giggled and they were all that they needed in the world. “What’s on your mind?” Lucien asked Jes.

Jes chewed on her lip coyly and Lucien kissed her, because he had to. Jesminda grinned. “What do you want to be? You know, when you grow up?”

“… What?” The mood was shattered.

Jesminda’s eyebrows pulled together. Lucien pulled away from her on his their bed. She didn’t know it would be a serious question. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Jes asked again.

“I… don’t know.” No one had ever asked that of Lucien before. He’d always just done what he was supposed to do-what his father told him to do.

“What do you mean ‘you don’t know’? Didn’t you ever have aspirations? Hopes? Dreams?” Jes asked, pulling her long red hair up into a ponytail.

Lucien opened is mouth, but said nothing. He was at a loss for words, for the first time of his life.

“I’ve never… thought about it before.”

“How?”

“I’ve been… I mean, I’m the son of a High Lord-”

“The seventh son though, you’re not going to be High Lord. Surely you had-”

“-I’ve always been… busy. I have royals to spy on and befriend, and politics to deal with, and everything… I just, I never thought about… ambitions, you know?”

“Well, think about it now. What do you like to do?”

“You.”

Jesminda flushed and giggled. She slapped Lucien’s arm playfully and soon they were in a tickling battle, rolling across the bed. When they finally calmed down, Lucien’s head on her breast, did she resume the topic. “Seriously,” she said softly, playing with his hair, “what do you like to do that could conceivably be a profession?”

Lucien shrugged. “I’m… a befriender. I befriend people. Which is ironic, because I hate meeting new people-”

Jes laughed.

Lucien laughed himself, “-but, I don’t… think I know how to do anything else. I’ve never done anything else.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“Fine.” Jes said triumphantly. “Then, I guess we’ll just have to try everything until you have an ambition.”

Lucien looked up at her. “You-You would do that? For me?”

“Of course, Lucien. I love you.”

Jesminda smiled, and Lucien did too. And then the door burst open, and there stood Lucien’s brothers and father, and the rest… was history.

Lucien would never accomplish anything. Here he was, years later, and no job. Two friends, only his friends because they all were alone in the world, with no one to hold onto, no future for any of them…

He would never be anything.

He never was anything.

You’re better off dead.

Here he was, curled up on his bed. He cried himself through his flashbacks on the Day of Friendship because the lights throughout the city reminded him of the bonfires in Autumn. The way they shone had reminded him of the holiday as it was back there. The day of brawls. Of drunken anger and seductions. The night he’d met Jesminda; the only Equinox there he hadn’t been beaten within an inch of his life. The only time he’d never felt useless, or hurt, or like he would have been better off dead.

He met her by a bonfire. She’d been dancing with some friends, and the alcohol had given him the courage. He’d walked up to her, all bravado and strength lies all lies and she had smiled and taken his hand in hers.

She was so soft and kind red lipstick, he could smell roses… no… Jesminda hated roses…. Her life was so strong and vibrant. She used to love to dance with him, and though she couldn’t carry a tune she loved to sing. She loved to kiss him. Her lips so gentle and when she touched his bruises she was always kind the priestess wasn’t, every kiss rough and left him bleeding, every thrust left him black and blue but they had to do it. She would kiss his neck, and whisper how much she loved him. He would whisper how much he loved her.

She was the opposite of everything Ianthe was.  

The slapping of skin on skin and muscle on muscle. He could feel the magic explode from them, but the priestess didn’t stop, they were no longer obligated and yet she didn’t stop!

The opposite of everything Tamlin was.

The opposite of everything his father was.

Why was he still here? The question burned in his mind. Why was he still here? Why hadn’t he gone away once she had. It made sense, so why hadn’t it happened?

Why wasn’t it happening?

Lucien opened his eyes. The voices in his head end it end it end it it can end just do something right for once and eND IT-

“I’m so glad I have you Lucien… I’m so glad you’re alive… I love you.”

“You’re better than Tam, Lucien. I don’t blame you. You were a victim just like me.”

“My baby boy, my sweet boy… it doesn’t have to be this way.”

It didn’t have to be like this.

He could survive. He would survive.

Look at yourself. He thought. Lucien’s eyes traveled down to his hands. His hands came to his face and he came to his feet and ran to the bathroom. He looked at his face. I’m here. I’m strong. He felt it beneath his fingers, the scar, the ridges and curves of his cheekbones, the hair of his eyebrows, the indention of his lips…

He didn’t want to feel like this anymore.

I’m still here, and that is why I am strong. I got up.

If I could get up… I can do anything.

I am strong.

I can end this cycle.

I can end it.

But he couldn’t do it alone—he needed help.

It was so hard, he could never do it alone. because he was so useless he couldn’t even save himself couldn’t even SHUT UP!

Lucien grabbed his coat and shoes and pulled them on. He ran to the House of Wind, not looking back because he was afraid he would lose that strength that he felt. When he arrived at the House of Wind he found Feyre and Mor in the living room.

Feyre frowned at his entrance, standing. Concern on her face. “Are you okay, Lucien?” She asked.

Lucien shook his head. He fell to the ground and the women ran to him, holding him tightly as he wept.

“I-I know you have no reason to-to help me. I-But I can’t do this alone-I don’t-It’s not so bad-”

“Shhh… Lucien…” Feyre cooed, holding him so close he thought she would never let go. “Shh, it’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. If it does this to you, makes you feel like… this. It’s bad enough. It’s okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

“I don’t-deserve this-this kindness of yours I know-”

“Yes,” Feyre whispered. “Yes, you do. Of course you do-”

“I can’t give you anything-anything in return,” he hiccuped between tears, “I’m so sorry-”

“It’s okay. We forgive you for everything.” Feyre responded.

“You don’t need to give us anything.” Mor added.

“I need help.” He whispered to them between sobs.

“Then we’ll get you help.” Feyre whispered as she pressed a kiss to his hair. “Because, that’s what friends do.”

[kfawkes]

The Sound of Silence - [Eggsy Unwin x Reader]

[Hi there! Thanks so much! As always I like to mention how bad I suck and how slow I am lol. SO hope you see this my lovely anon!!! <3 I changed this JUST a bit from the the fight being at the shop instead of the mission because thats sort of just what happened, so I hope you enjoy the slight change :)

Pairing: Eggsy x Reader -- After TGC tech with a little fix it for Tilde ;) (NO HATE K XD)

Words: 2.6k

Warnings: Angst, cursing. ;)

---Read on Ao3!]

The ride back to HQ was quite... too fucking quite. So quiet you could almost hear the imaginary crickets tenacious chirping from inside your mind around you. Singing their sad song of awkward confusion and they weren’t letting up.

The air was thick and everything felt off because you and Eggsy never had these kinds of moments... Ever. And you’d spent a lot of time with the man so that was saying something. But now you were having one and it just felt so... wrong.

It had only been about 40 minutes which granted wasn’t very long in the grand scheme of things, and really you did know that... but the weight still hung heavily and made time pass slowly as if hours trickled by instead.

More painfully slow minutes slid by and still Eggsy didn’t say a thing... Not one single word. He wouldn’t even fucking look at you and that made your blood almost boil.

Except, could you really be upset by his behavior when you sort of knew why he was acting that way? The answer was no you really couldn’t, because if the situation had been reversed you’d have chewed him out into next week already.

But the situation wasn't reversed and even though you knew his actions justified, it bothered you. Maybe you could keep that annoyance at bay before, but it was going on an hour now and even you had your limits.

Before you were fine maybe-- at least as fine as you could be, but this was getting a little ridiculous.

You weren’t going to deal with it a second longer and now the thought of talking to him was the last thing you wanted to do. It didn’t even matter that you didn’t really have a reason to be mad at him... you just were.

It probably had something to do with the long hours and the lack of food. Okay, it definitely did and there was even a part of you that knew you were overreacting...

But overreacting or not, as soon as you reached the Tailor shop you left without even muttering a goodbye.

At first you didn’t know where you’d go... Maybe you’d get some food or perhaps you’d head home to take a nice long nap. Or, alternatively you could go be weird and press your nose to the used books at Hemming’s...

You opted for the less rational of all choices-- but of course you did, and made your way to the bookstore. The walk to Hemming’s was much longer today than it was most days.

Longer and filled with a bit more disappointment than usual. How silly it was to be aching for someone that wasn't even yours...

You liked Eggsy if that wasn’t obvious... far more than you should, which was probably why you were overreacting now that you thought about it. But it was nothing... nothing serious anyway. He was your best friend and your partner; nothing more, nothing less and honestly you were okay with that.

Most people would find it hard to be just friends with someone they were in love with, and yeah some days were worse than others, but for you it sure as shit beat not having him at all. You might not have liked seeing him with Tilde, but Eggsy was happy and that mattered more than anything else.

As you stroll the aisles of that old shop, you ran your fingers along the backs of the books thinking about the day he’d broken things off with her. It pained you to admit it, but you were honestly relieved when he'd broken off their proposal. It was a little hard to see him as a price truthfully, especially with how much he loved Kingsman...

But it was more than that and you knew it. It wasn't that you didn’t like Tilde... she was wonderful. One of the nicest people you’d ever met actually which only made you feel worse about being in love with her boyfriend, but even though she made Eggsy happy; you could see that something wasn’t right there.

That something was missing... there just wasn’t a spark.

What did you really know though? You’d never really felt that spark with anyone either had you?

Whether you’d made it up or not didn’t matter because they weren't together anymore and as much as it sucked to admit; you really were happy about that... and you realized now that you really were in love with him.

If all of todays events weren't proof enough, your lack of control on emotions was.

Can't believe this... in love with Eg-- you’ve got to be fucking shitting me.

You stopped on a particularly old book with breath more hurried than necessary. The book you chose had no significance other than its size and discoloration-- and as you slid it from its home, that old scent of paper sept closer. The pages slid open lightly and you pressed your nose to the center of the binding taking a deep breath in as you closed your eyes, pushing those thoughts away.

That familiar scent surrounded you, grounding you immediately. You were still a little peeved, but of course you were... at least you were in a nice quite place where you could think though. Somewhere you could--

“Y/n? You sniffin’ that book..?”

“Eggsy... what the fu-- I’m not... sn... what are you...” You said suddenly, moving your eyes to his as you slammed the book closed; nearly jumping from your skin.

He was standing at the end of the aisle, just... looking at you and still looked angry. Angry and sad, a combination you weren’t a fan of, and even with the strangeness of all that, he didn’t even crack a smile.

“What’s your problem?” You asked suddenly, and maybe a little too loudly too if you were being honest, but it wasn’t like you were in a library...

Plus enough time had passed and you knew this fight would happen one way or another, so you may as well get it over with right?

“What’s my problem?” the expression he wore could only be described as pure shock and even in his pale confusion, he was beautiful.

Eggsy looked away from you then, letting a small scoff release as he scanned the books beside him without noting a word he read. He took in a deep breath as he shake his head lightly, placing his tongue along the bottom of his teeth in thought. “That’s pretty rich comin’ from you, ain’t it?”

“Wh-what the fuck is that supposed to mean?” and really, just what the fuck?

When he said that you felt a wave of anxiety pushing its needles into your skin with persistence. Suddenly you were embarrassed now, and for some reason you just wanted to cry... alright you knew the reason, but you didn't like it. It was stupid and you hated that quality about yourself, but pretty much anytime things got a little -- well, like this, you sort of shut down and started crying.

At least since Kingsman you’ve been a bit better at controlling it... right?

Maybe not... So you still didn’t offer a reply. You just watched.

“So... you just know nothin’ bout it then?” Eggsy’s voice was raising a bit as he pointed at you with behind lowered brows. “Got no idea why I’m actin’ like this too I s’pose?”

You didn’t know what to say so you just crossed your arms and shook your head lightly cause really... you weren't sure.

Okay, that wasn’t entire true... you were pretty sure he was pissed about the mission. But you didn’t have an answer that would satisfy him, so continued not offering one at all.

“What the fuck was that back there, y/n?” Eggsy’s voice was raised higher now as he step forward, his eyes burned like coals and his chest was raising and falling so quickly you wondered how he was breathing at all.

Watching this only made you more anxious of course, but it was hard to look away at the same time. It made you more upset too if you were being honest, even though you really didn’t have a right to be...

Your plan back there was a little stupid and yes calling it ‘stupid’ was putting it rather lightly. It was more like fucking insane and it literally almost killed you, but... well, it didn't.

Your plan worked-- got the job done. You were fine, Eggsy was fine... the target was neutralized... So, couldn't you just move past it all? Couldn't you just skip to the part where you watched a crap movie at his place?

The look Eggsy still held answered your question though: He was absolutely not in the take out and action flick mood... No, he was in more of an ‘act like your parent’ mood it seemed, and honestly you were sick of it.

Maybe not sick of it exactly, but you were tired of him treating you like you couldn’t take care of yourself... You may have liked how protective he was but come on, you were an agent too-- so why did he had to make such a big deal about it?

Eggsy took a step closer, his teeth were clenched together so tightly you could see the muscles in his face pulling angrily. His lips were pursed together, locked in place and he was only a few inches from your face now.

This was probably the closest he’d ever been to you actually, and even though he was clearly upset, it didn’t change the feeling that spread around you. And when you scanned the intensity of his face you almost forgot where you were entirely; getting lost in the sea of his eyes.

Seeing him all worked up was actually kind of hot... until you remembered the part where it was your fault.

“I... don't--” You started with hesitation, but didn’t make it far. When nothing else attempted release, you shook your head again looking to your feet with a shrug. “I don’t know what you want me to say.... It worked out alright, Eggsy... Everything is--”

“Are you takin’ a bloody piss.” he interrupted you, and it was a question... technically.

It was obvious he wasn’t impressed as he looked down at you from his full hight; his breath fanning across your neck in soft waves, sending chills across every surface, and you felt yourself almost pulling closer towards him...

“What do you want from me?” You asked lightly, “I made a choice. I did what had to be done, and if you don’t like it then... I don’t know what to tell you. This is how I do things-- this... It’s our job to make sure the mission get’s finished. No matter what.”

“Cut the bullshit would ya?” Eggsy’s azure eyes were still dark, and pained. He shoved a hand through the mess of his hair as he exhaled tiredly, starting only a hair lighter than before. “You nearly got yourself killed, an you jus expect me t’sit round and say nothin’ bout it? Ain’t gonna happen-- ever. Cause it was fuckin mental what you did. You com--”

“You don’t get to talk to me about making bad decisions alright, Eggsy? You’re the fucking expert on making bad decisions-- you’re impulsive as fuck, you don’t think about anything before you do it, yet you’re scolding me for doing what it takes? Where the fuck do you get off?” and when you said it, you wished you hadn’t... You stopped sharply almost feeling the pain as if it were your own.

Why you always got mean when you were defensive was beyond you, but you were pretty sure you'd learned about that in some psych class before... The bottom line however wasn’t why you were a bitch, it was that Eggsy didn’t deserve it.

No one deserved it really, but least of all Eggsy. Note to self: work on that.

Immediately he pulled his face in, a thick sadness spread like liquid over his face as his lips parted and his eyes danced between your own. “So that’s what you think of me...”

“N-no. It’s not.” You crossed your arms again looking away, feeling more embarrassed now than you had before. Which 5 minutes ago you wouldn’t have thought possible. “Really...”

You didn’t even notice those watching from between the books until now... but you hardly cared, and hoped at least they were enjoying the show.

“But, Eggsy, it’s... you can’t just-- try to stop me from doing my job just  because you don't like the way I’m doing it.”

“So I’m just s’posed to watch the girl I love get herself killed then, yeah?”

When he said that, the whole room went still.

Your eyes widened further as your lips parted, releasing a soft breath of near awe. He looked away from you then, shifting his gaze to his feet as he pulled a hand to rub at his temple anxiously.

“That’s not... I don’t mean...” Eggsy stopped again, taking in a deep breath as he run his tongue across his lips softly; pulling them between his teeth.

You still hadn’t said a word, because honestly you were so shocked you weren’t sure if you’d just made it up or not and clearly talking wasn't your strong suit today.

“You ain’t gonna have t’remind me again... I’m goin’.”

And still... you didn’t say a thing.

Even though you seriously had been dreaming of a moment like this since you first laid eyes on him... Even though there was nothing more you wanted than him.

You watched as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, then turned to leave... you watched as he walked slowly away and disappeared around the corner of the aisle...

And still... you did nothing.

You just stood there, until all of a sudden the sounds of the store came back into focus, and you realized it wasn’t just some late night fantasy. He’d really just told you he loved you...

Eggsy he... he loved you and he was walking away. You had to... go.

Fucking go!

Suddenly you moved forward, that voice pulled you quickly, shoving you after him and honestly you were nearly running.

At first you couldn’t see him, and you were scared because you just needed him to know that you were sorry, that you really should be more careful... but mostly you needed him to know that you understood, finally. You understood and you loved him too.

You thought maybe it was too late, that he’d left... But then you saw him again and he looked so fucking sad and beautiful you could honestly cry.

He was up by the door already, but you pushed forward pressing passed anyone in your way with ease. You reached Eggsy just seconds before he could press his hands to the door, and you felt relief spread from your place of contact like a shot to the arm.

You grabbed his arm softly, stopping him in place and in one solid motion you pressed into him, sliding your hands to the sides of his face like you’d done it a thousand times before. And you kissed him... softly at first, but as the seconds went on each press was more ardent than the last and it was pure perfection.

There weren’t many words adequate enough to describe how his lips felt across yours... but if you had to name a few, ‘incredible’ would be among them.

It felt like somehow you’d just been waiting for this. For this moment right here...

Like you’d been waiting for him and you realized this was it.

The spark.

[themillsdaughter]

we saved a few things that were spared

you can also read this in AO3

Contrary to public believe, Kat does know how to focus on the present. She just doesn’t do it with people around.

The soft hum of the shower is what grounds her, what lets her feel the world around her. The strength of the ceramic beneath her feet, the honks of New York’s traffic coming from the window, the soap slipping through her skin, creating bubbles and sterility.

Kat likes becoming a physical being while she’s safe, while she has a plastic curtain surrounding her and warm, pressurised water pouring down. Adena had made her real with a simple smile and some well delivered words.

It’d been refreshing and terrifying.

“How many pairs of underwear do you think I should take?”

“How many times do you plan on having sex?” Sutton retorts, lying in the middle of Kat’s bed, surrounded by clothes.

“I might not have enough pairs.” She frowns and the double uhh makes her smirk.

“Standard plan, babe. One panty a day and a bra each two days.” Jane suggests. It’s a valid input, so she counts fourteen panties and throws them in her bag, grabbing a few extras for emergencies. “I still can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“Trust me, neither do I.” Kat mumbles.

She doesn’t believe it until a flight attendant is instructing people to buckle their seatbelts.

This is why a couple running towards each other became such a cliché in romances. This feeling right here, the weight and warmth and familiarity is why two people rush to clutch their significant others tightly.

Adena keeps going off in Farsi, eyes sparkling with confusion and happiness and endearment and that is the reason why she came. Why she dragged her ass bright and early and convinced her boss that she could maintain her most important duties halfway across the continent.

People are starting to stare at them, now. Curious, more than anything.

Kat is very good at Spanish, but she cannot speak Persian for shit, so she kisses the woman holding her face and stops the unknown words.

It’s fulfilling, having Adena against her.

(“How does it feel?”

“Uh empty?”)

“How long?” Adena asks in between kisses, a hand making its way up and up and up Kat’s leg.

“Fly back on,” A sigh, a soft bite on a lower lip, a moan as swift fingers hit her inner thigh. “the seventeenth.”

She’d bought the return ticket before anything else. She knew she’d consider staying forever, otherwise. She knew that with big smiles and huge eyes and that sharp tongue being near her and all around her, she knew she would not go back to the US if she wasn’t forced to.

“A vacation?”

Kat knows what Adena is referring to, knows she’s being asked how she approached Jacqueline on taking time off.

“An adventure.”

(I know that you said that you’re tired of adventure and everything, but I’ve never had one.)

A dream has her tossing and thrashing and choking on her own saliva. Kat wakes up to soothing words and soft touches.

“Breathe, my love.” Adena whispers, an arm around Kat’s shoulders as she coughs. “Breathe.”

It takes her lungs a minute to settle down, not to gulp for air desperately, ineffectively.

Her heart slams against her ribs, a car speeds by outside, reminding her that this is reality.

Jane and Sutton smiling and smiling and being ripped away suddenly. Crying for Kat, begging her for help and she not moving, she not running to them and she just wanting to help, to make it alright again. And Adena, looking at her from afar, tears streaming down her cheeks, ‘home’ echoing around and Kat not fucking moving. That had all been a nightmare. Of course it had.

“It’s gone, it’s gone.”

Real Adena caresses the back of her neck, leans a chin against her shoulder when she stays seated.

Just a nightmare. Nothing more.

She doesn’t mention it when Adena convinces her to lie back down, but Kat hasn’t had a nightmare since she was twelve.

“Not even over my dead, cold-ass body.”

“ Why?”  Jane and Sutton groan together. She rolls her eyes, hears Adena chuckling a few steps away.

(it is tucked somewhere around her stomach, the fear the dream seems to have left behind.)

“I am not going anywhere near a llama.”

“But it’s a classic!” Jane whines. A child, honestly.

“Can you really experience Peru if you don’t see a llama up close?” Sutton quirks an eyebrow.

“Yes, yes you can. There’s the Larco Museum here in Lima, Machu Picchu and Moray and Sak- Saks-”

“Saksaywaman.” Adena supplies, sitting on the couch, molding herself to Kat’s side.

“Yeah, and all of those in Cusco.”

“Whatever, have fun being like every other tourist.” Sutton moves out of frame, exasperated.

Correction: children.

“At least I get to be one.”

“Hey,” Sutton reappears, mouth dropped in pretend shock. “mean. Bye.”

The call ends and she shares a look with the woman leaning into her.

Her friends are fine. Assholes as usual, but fine. Adena is not crying and this hug they have going on feels like home.

It’s fascinating, watching as slick, brown hair slowly disappears in a wrap of silk and colors. She has the details down in four days. Adena likes to wear the knot on top of her head, instead of closer to her neck and favors bold, statement patterns.

The first step is pinning the hair in place. Kat likes to fumble with the little strands left behind, too short to pull up. She only does it when they are alone, but seeing shivers running down the woman’s spine makes her happier than she can explain.

“Oh, Steve and Rachel invited us to go hiking with them.” Adena says, voice stranded due to two pins she holds with the corner of her mouth.

“The couple from down the hall?”

“Yes.” A nod, a few silent moments of concentration as the last section of hair is secured into place. In comes the underscarf and Adena turns her attention back to Kat. “Do you want to go?”

“I’m not really into cardio.”

“I’m coming to believe you’re not very much into anything .”

“Except you.” She gets a smirk for that one. “But sure, new country, new me. Sort of.”

Kat pays attention as a yellow scarf is folded and wrapped around Adena’s head. Some twists here and pulls there and they are ready to leave the Airbnb apartment.

(five thousand percent less expensive than daily fees in a hotel)

She is pretty proud of how much she endures before the breaking point.

Bugs everywhere, slippery ground and an unforgiving sun.

Kat is not a nature person. It is just not in her. She’s never had a pet, missed it only for the lack of the distraction one would have given her.

She is not a nature person, nor a cardio person.

The view is beautiful and calming and it is not the same quiet as growing up. It is peaceful and filled with white noises. So she marches on.

Nine miles. Kat hikes Peruvian lands for nine (out of fifteen) miles. When she sees the snake, however, she’s fucking done.

Granted, she was the idiot who didn’t pay attention to her surroundings properly. But a snake ? No ma’am, thank you. In no shape or form will she put on a poker face with that on the equation.

She’d sat down for a moment to drink some water and catch her breath and the only reason she’d even noticed the snake when she did had been Adena’s nervous, paralyzed form looking somewhere over her shoulder.

When Kat followed the gaze and saw the reptile, her heart had exploded inside her. It’d taken every ounce of her being not to sprint out and away on that very second. The longass animal had already been tense and somewhere, some useful part of her brain had screamed SLOW MOVEMENTS YOU DUMB FUCK and she had listened because it sounded right.

“You know, Boa Constrictors are not really venomous to humans.” Steve comments, the road wide enough for the four of them to walk side by side.

“Still scary.” She sighs, flinches when Adena lays an unannounced hand on the small of her back.

Rachel carries on talking about animals and the beauty in their complexity.

Kat has no shits to give. She is adept to fluffy, domesticable beings. Dogs, if she were to be picky.

“The magazine ran an article on NYC rescue centers a few months back. Got a huge online flux.” It’s the best she can do at small talk. “We even set up a few online crash courses for young rescues.”

“I think I saw something about it,” Steve admits. He’s an easy dude. She has no idea how Adena finds these people. “A great initiative. If more people knew about how to properly care for them, maybe there wouldn’t be so many extreme rescue cases.”

The image of a cute, furry puppy gives her enough strength to finish their journey back.

Machu Picchu is interesting. Intricate and old and vibrating with energy.

“Can you imagine? Building something so complex all those years ago?”

The abandoned city itself is enchanting. Adena’s delighted smile is even more so.

A thousand pictures are taken. She serves as a model for most of them. The tour guide takes a few portraits of Adena and her and those are her favorites.

She buys a few souvenirs. Jane and Sutton would kill her at the spot otherwise. She sits in a low, living-being free (she checks) step, taking in the antique stores as she waits for Adena to come back with their icecreams.

She tips her head back, absorbs the warmth of the sunshine. There are kids laughing and speaking a few yards away. Kat focuses on the consistent hum of the fountain to her left, feeling the stone under her butt, under her palms. The straps of her backpack at her shoulders, the foreign scents and tongue, the stiff poke and drag under her leg, the-

Wait. What the-

Her eyelids snap open.

Not another snake.

Not another snake.

For fuck’s sake, not another sn-

A cat.

A kitten, actually.

A dirty, shaking and tiny kitten hiding under her legs.

A cat under Kat.

This trip was supposed to be fun and sexy and relaxing. Why does it have to be weird, too?

The kids from down the street are coming at full speed towards her. She sees the front runner’s look and it takes her an instant to make the decision.

Kat reaches down, wraps her fingers around the ridiculously small body. The animal meows and twists and tries with all its might to run from her. As she leans it in her lap, the children surround her.

A couple of shouts in Spanish. She makes out a few keywords before a beat cop comes closer and snaps something, making the kids shut up.

“ Estamos jugando con eso. ” A boy, no taller than her waist, points at the cat in her hands.

No wonder the kitten is shaking so bad. Half a dozen humans passing it around as a toy cannot be easy.

“ El gatito no es una cosa.”  The officer doesn’t take his eyes off the kids. “ ¿De quien es?”

“ Yo lo encontré.” The front runner speaks.

“ Y la mamá?”

“ No se. No creo que tengas una.”

She sighs, takes a glance at the cat and then at the woman coming in her direction, frown in place.

Crap.

“Did we really smuggle a cat into the city?” Adena’s voice is warm and amused.

“It was either bringing it with us or giving it back to the children.”

Kat pulls her hoodie open and takes out the kitten. It starts meowing louder as soon as she touches it. She thinks it’s a girl. They are calling it Pecky, for now, because it almost sounds like pequeña and the kitty is so fucking small.

“Yes, I know.” Adena continues, sitting on their bed as Kat kneels on the ground and tries to check if their guest has any injuries. “However, it still sounds crazy.”

“I’m pretty sure this is the most wild thing I’ve ever done.”

“Well, your friends will be dying to hear of your adventures when you get home.”

She furrows her brows. Her chest gets too tight when she thinks about leaving. About only one more morning waking up to soft skin and long lashes. Kat focuses back on Pecky.

“God, she’s full of fleas. Look.” She distances some fur for a clear view at the skin and sure enough four or five little black spots rush by in a few seconds.

The crash course flashes through her mind. Access health, keep hydrated, give wet food if big enough to fill your hand.

There were no pet shops open, so the canned tuna pasta from the convenience store will have to do.

Adena runs a tentative finger under Pecky’s chin. The cat meows, but allows the touch.

“Dish soap kills fleas.” The woman mumbles, starting to pull her hijab apart.

“How do you know that?”

“I got curious about Scarlet’s article.”

Kat smiles. Pecky meows and skips away on top of their comforter.

“Wanna give her a bath, then?”

“Nice try.” Adena flops down on her belly, watching as the kitten looks intrigued at her discarded scarf.

just let me go just let me go, I just want to help them

“kat!”

it’s sutton, desperate, in the dark, needing her. she just wants to help, just wants to make things better.

“home”

adena, beautiful, alone, an unwilling nomad.

“please!”

jane, tiny, amazing, loyal, unsure, scared.

she just wants to help she just wants to take them in she just-

Kat wakes up to a skinny tail resting on top of her nose. Pecky is half asleep, still, but when Kat looks down, the pet gazes back.

“Are you okay?”

She allows the voice to wash over her, inching closer to the body behind her.

“Yeah.”

She tells herself it is not a lie.

Saving a kitty is a welcome distraction to the heartache leaving Adena gives her. The initial plan had been to get to a vet first thing in the morning, find a no-kill shelter and try to make the most of the rest of the day.

A vet is found with no problem at all, the shelter, though, is a bit trickier.

“She won’t survive.” The secretary for the place says, an indifference Kat suspects is more for his own protection than lack of empathy.

“Wanna look at her and say that again, pal?”

The guy sighs and keeps his eyes on his notepad, ringing their expenses in.

“We get over doscientos a year. Not enough money.” He extends the receipt, waits for her to sign. “Maybe you take care of it?”

“We have a flight to take.” She scribbles her name on the thin paper, slides it back to the man over the counter and he finally takes a peek at the white ball of fluff inside the carrier she’d just bought.

“There are certificates.” He gives her a kind smile. Yeap, not that indifferent after all. Realistic, perhaps.

Kat crosses gazes with Adena. She is answered with a nod.

“Do you have international ones?” She gives in, reaching her finger to tease Pecky through the plastic screen.

“Maybe I can find someone to take her.” Kat tries.

She has her folded legs leaning over Adena’s as they wait in the lobby to be called for the flight.

Cusco to Lima, Lima to the USA. She’ll only have a human companion through half the trip.

“That’s possible.”

“And, you know, she’s pretty cute without those dirt-dreadlocks.”

“She’ll get adopted in no time.” Adena runs a thumb across Kat’s knee. She tries to memorize the feeling, the exact amount of heat and the mixture of scents coming off in waves from the woman’s perfume.

Pecky lies on the triangle between their mingled bodies and the back of the airport seat, playing with a balled up piece of paper. Kat gets pinned in place by a pair of blue feline eyes. She steals the makeshift ball and holds it slightly out of reach for the kitten. It stands on its back paws in a glance, using a firm clutch on the stollen toy as support.

Feisty little thing.

“I’m really going to miss you, Adena.”

She doesn’t have the slightest idea of where that comes from. All she knows, all she feels, is a squeeze in her calf where Adena’s hand now rests and her smell and her heat and her gorgeous, expressive eyes caressing her.

Pecky starts nibbling at the handle of her purse.

Kat learns to fully appreciate classical music in under an hour and a half.

She’d never been averse to it, simply more interested in other styles, but Adena loves it and insists on not only listening to it during their flight, but in having Kat pay attention too.

The multiple instruments give off an unique sound and they get even better, if she were to be honest, since they give her the opportunity to have a lovely head tucked in her neck.

One of her hands is clasped permanently inside the woman’s both and she uses her free palm to cradle a sleeping Pecky. The cat doesn’t like to be picked up, but she sure as hell enjoys going under leaning against someone.

One melody after the other, she lets her mind waver and travel. Her passport is still empty. Her thoughts go around the world.

Kat imagines Adena’s visa magically coming through before she leaves for the US. She imagines Central Park walks and Scarlet’s gala with a plus one invite which actually gets used.

Kat imagines movie nights with the girls, her and Adena sharing the floor and a throw blanket.

She imagines domesticity and happiness and continuity.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra stops playing through her headphones and the airplane starts to descent.

“You’re going to be safe, right? You’re going to look before you take a seat and you’re not going to get too close to wild animals and you’re going to be alright, right?”

“I’m going to be fine.” Not a promise. Not what she’d asked.

Adena frames her face (exactly, fucking exactly like she’d done when Kat had arrived ) and kisses her.

They do not cry.

“Until next time, love.”

Oh, Adena. Kind and thoughtful and holding Kat’s heart just as she holds her luggage.

( attention, this is the last call for flight number 34952 leaving for New York City,United States)

Maybe she leaves a piece of herself in Peru, just as she takes a bit of it in a paw-printed carrier.

“Any puns will be paid for.”

Jane and Sutton seem confused, welcoming her into a group hug all the same.

She’s tired and sore. Pecky can’t actually pee on her own yet, which meant Kat had to make her way into the bathroom every couple of hours and use a tissue to stimulate the kitten into relieving herself.

She’s tired and she misses Adena worse than she did when she’d been too foolish and afraid and the woman had moved to Paris.

“How was the trip?”

“Did you take pictures?”

Honestly, as much as she misses Adena, she’s missed these two.

“No turbulences and, uhm, Adena is still uploading stuff to the cloud.”

“And how are you?”

Something gives her away. Maybe the girls just know her too much. Maybe her metaphorical bucket is too full and it spills and leaks everywhere. Maybe her aura is black or some other color that means rotten.

Either way, Kat receives one more embrace.

“We have cheap wine and two new TV Shows in our queue.” Tiny Jane offers.

That’s good. That’s very good. She can’t have movie nights with her best friends and the woman who holds her heart. She can, however, get blissfully drunk and indulge herself in bad rom-com plots.

“You better take me home, then.” She forces a steady smile to counteract the bitterness in her stomach. “We just need to stock up on wet cat food, first.”

“Ah, what?”

“Why?”

No one said she couldn’t get a little amusement out of this. One hand brings up the pet-holder she holds and the other points at it.

“Surprise.”

“Kat, is that a….” Sutton frowns, matching Jane.

“Cat.” She nods, glares pointedly and the pun comment downs on them.

“How was the trip?” Jacqueline doesn’t stop the treadmill, but her smile seems genuine.

“It was good. Peru is gorgeous.”

“It is. We had a photoshoot there for,” Her boss looks away, thinking, and snaps her eyes back a second later. “Fall, two-thousand four. Absolutely spectacular.”

“The culture is very interesting. The ruins live up to their fame.” Kat nods politely. She has to be very careful with her request. Not everyone gets to take a two-week long leave with no forewarning.

“Well, it’s great to have you back. In time for the children’s day picnic, no less.”

Another nod. She’ll have to double check the celebs attending and confirm their snapchat-filter order.

“Jacqueline?”

The woman starts to gradually slow her steps, gives Kat a go ahead smirk.

“Do you mind making the pet-friendly office policy count?”

“How do you mean?” Her boss stops completely.

“We were always allowed to bring our pets with us, right? But since I got here it seemed a silent rule that no one actually brought them.”

“And you want to break that rule?” Jacqueline turns to her desk, flips through a couple of concepts a fashion assistant delivers.

Dennise, Kat thinks, not surprised by the lack of knocking nor the lack of any words from the short redhead.

“With your permission.”

She only gets a hum for a moment, Jacqueline scribing a few things over a sticky note before gluing it on the glossy photographs and handing it to Dennise.

The girl (younger than Kat herself) takes the pages and scurries out.

“What is it you have?”

“A cat.”

An amused look crosses the blonde’s face. She’s thankful no comment follows.

“She’s just a baby and it’d be just until I get her adopted.” Kat continues, tries to explain because she really can’t leave Pecky alone the whole day everyday. The kitten would be terrified, not to mention destroy the apartment.

“Fine.” Jacqueline shrugs. Kat smiles. “But make sure she’s trained. God help you if she uses any of Oliver’s things as a scratching post.”

When she leaves the glass office, she and Sutton exchange a discrete air-fistbump.

To be completely straight, Kat fully intends on giving Pecky away. It is a goal of hers. It is.

It doesn’t happen on the first month because her days can be summarized into waking up, working, facetiming Adena and having a drink with the girls. She’s simply too busy to go looking for a shelter to find willing adopters.

It has nothing to do with the cat being adorable and fitting into her hand and sleeping on her chest.

The adoption also doesn’t happen on the second month because that’s when Sidney comes to work with them and develops a crush on her. She’s flattered, really, but seriously she has a picture of Adena and her in Machu Picchu as her lockscreen and she lets him see it as much as possible. He cannot take a hint and she cannot simply drop my girlfriend in their conversation, since she isn’t sure she has one.

“Have you heard anything?” Kat should know better than to ask. She doesn’t and the need for expressive eyes and soft skin is too glaring inside of her.

“Not yet.” Adena sighs, pulls the sheets up, tighter around her chest. Lying like this, in the dark and both ready to sleep, they can almost fool themselves into believing they are in the same space.

“It’s going to be alright, right?” She feels pathetic, asking for reassurance when it isn’t about her.

“Yes, Kat. It’s going to be alright.”

Pecky stops fitting inside her hand and Jane stops sending her adoption web pages by month three.

By month four, she doesn’t quite remember the smell of Adena’s perfume.

“It’s going to be alright, right?” That’s always how it goes. Every week when they hear nothing about the visa. “It’s going to be alright.”

“Yes, Kat. It’s going to be alright.”

The perfume had been rich and citric. Kat can’t place how, exactly.

Sutton gets pregnant and Sidney kisses Kat by month five. She does not kiss him back and Sutton has a miscarriage three days later, after talking to Richard and deciding to have the baby.

“What are we, Adena?”

“How do you mean?”

She knows. By the slight waver of the voice coming through her phone that Adena understood what she meant fully well.

“Are we dating? Are we waiting on each other? Are we settling?”

“I’m four thousand miles away.”

It’s not an answer, so she doesn’t accept it. She cries into her pillow and Pecky sits on the armchair at the corner of the room, staring at her.

Adena, 7:33 AM:

I’m sorry about last night, call me when you have time .

Kat washes the sleep away and then, she calls.

“It’s going to be alright, right?”

“I don’t know, Kat. I don’t know, anymore.”

Jane and Pinstripe Guy break up and Jacqueline is getting a divorce, apparently. It feels weird, to drink alongside her boss in a poorly-lit, over-crowded bar down the street from where she works. Pecky is spending the night at the vet, though, getting spayed and Jane talks and Sutton drinks and Jacqueline stays for only half an hour.

Kat wants to call Adena as soon as she gets home. She’s drunk and confused and Adena does not have a home of her own to stumble into. She doesn’t call.

“I miss you.” It is whispered through the line as if they are conspiring. Kat smiles, feels her heart squeezing and jumping and melting away.

“I miss you too.”

“Will I still have you, if I come back?”

“Yeah, Adena. I’m gonna be here.”

Everything is messy and complicated and everyone around her seems somehow unhappy.

(except for Pecky, who plays in the corner with her rolling toy-mouse. Small blessings, she supposes)

Her Thanksgiving is long and lonely, but filled with wine.

Jane had gone to see her brothers, Sutton to see her mom and Kat had insisted she’d be fine. Her friends deserved a break, deserved some moments to heal.

She calls Adena by the end of the day, perhaps a glass away from way too many.

“I really really really like you, Adena.”

“I like you too, Kat.”

“I hate having to wait to be with you.”

“I’m sorry.”

The eyes looking at her through the screen move away, to somewhere she can’t see and can’t understand and is that sadness? Are those tears? Shit. Fuck. Goddamit.

“I’m going to, though.” She tries to make it reassuring. Tries to take it back to when Adena wasn’t so clearly torn, to when it was just unneasiness.

“I know.” Adena sighs, seems guilty now and Kat watches as a hand brushes the tears away. “I just don’t know if there’s any hope in that.”

“There is. Adena,” Her voice is firmer, now. She’s still pretty drunk, but this is important. “There is hope in it. You’re going to get your visa. Or you won’t. But either way, we’re going to work through it. The magazine is always planning events in other countries and I can start going with, instead of sending others and you can flight there and we can have a thousand and four new adventures, together.”

“A thousand and four? That’s an specific number.”

“Multiply it by five hundred and twenty seven.”

“You’re learning your numbers.”

That gorgeous, warm smile comes back. Her chest squeezes and her body grows hotter.

“Yes, thank you for noticing.”

Adena nods, cleans a few tears away.

Correction: Her Thanksgiving is lonely and long, but filled with wine and drunken conclusions.

The weirdness starts about a week after the 25th. Jane and Sutton start always being too tired for movie nights or shopping sprees or drinking games.

After, Adena breaks her iphone and decides to change brands, meaning their facetime calls are off. Skype is the next best thing, but the apartment the woman is now renting doesn’t have wifi, which automatically leads to them only having calls when Adena is in a café or some other public establishment.

A few days later, the girls start talking about spending New Year’s together in a little cottage in Jersey. She is down for whatever they plan on, but a cottage ? That is too out of the blue and too damn cold for this time of the year, even for Tiny Jane and her love for the wilderness.

Christmas comes and with it her parents traveling to visit. They’d always do the opposite, she’d catch a plane or a bus home and spend a couple of days there and Pecky and the cottage are the only reasons she doesn’t do exactly that. It’d be too much stress for the cat, to go through a five hour drive, get used to a new, foreign place just to come back a few days later and having to move yet again once she and the girls went to New Jersey.

So her parents come to her. They are sweet and her dad lets the pet sleep on his lap. Everything is a touch quieter. It twists her stomach, but it is good to have mom and pop with a New York drop scene.

They ask her about Adena, about Peru and if it was worth it.

“You know how I always wanted change in my life?”

Her parents nod, the nagging feeling she’s one of their patients can’t quite take away from the moment.

“I have that, with her. An exciting and really healing sort of change, you know?”

They smile. Her mom reminds her that the honeymoon phase eventually goes away and she should be sure they have a good foundation for when it does.

Kat doesn’t snap back. Maybe her mother is right. She just doesn’t want to live her life like a lab experiment or a sociology paper.

They go to the infamous cottage on December 28.  It’s a decent thing.

She’s got dibs on the bedroom with the view, since the ledge is perfectly sized for Pecky to watch the birds outside and has a little nook for the cat to sleep in as well.

The girls insisted on sharing the other bedroom, which leaves her feeling slightly left out.

“How long ‘til you start plotting to kill me, hm?” Kat runs her fingers behind the Pecky’s ear.

Blue eyes focus on a mosquito, flying around the room, and in a blink, her pet also abandons her.

She has no idea how they get service in the middle of the woods, but Sutton keeps checking her phone so much that she , Kat Edison, Social Media Director, has to threaten taking it away from her.

Jane backs Sutton up, tells Kat that there’s this important fashion thingy happening in Marrocos. She shrugs and goes back to brushing her hair. This place does have a very cozy tub, she’ll give them that much.

Kat really loses it, however, when Sutton claims to have forgotten the ingredients for the s'mores and rushes out in the middle of the day to get it. She really loses it when it is dinnertime and the blonde is still not back and Jane acts as if there’s nothing wrong.

“What the hell is going on with you two? Did I do something? Because there’s been this thing between us for a while and I somehow can’t be a part of it and it is freaking me out.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“For real? You don’t think I notice when you two stop talking as soon as I walk in? Or how you both are always too tired to hang out, but you both are also always online at two PM on that same day?”

“Kat, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Jane doesn’t deny it, then.

It hurts and it stings and she hasn’t talked to Adena since the day they came to this place and it is already the 30th.

She sits on the couch, back to the door, and she sulks. She’s allowed to. She will not cry out of frustration, but the trip is pretty much ruined for her and Sutton has disappeared with the only car they have.

Jane tries to make small talk, as if everything is perfect. Kat sends her glares and makes some supper.

(enough for the three of them, which makes her madder because she should let them fend for themselves if the two are such exclusive best friends now)

She is working, actually working on her holiday when she hears the cabin door opening. Her anger climbs back up and

“Oh, did you go make the chocolate from scratch or-”

Adena is standing there when she turns around. Adena with a bright blue hijab and soft grey sweater and old jeans and boots and Adena Adena Adena . Beaming at Kat. Being beautiful and glorious and present.

(she is totally not exaggerating when she thinks her heart actually stops)

“Adena.”

She lets it past her lips and it wakes her up. The most gorgeous human being she’s ever known is finally breathing the same air as her and she’s frozen five feet away.

Saying the name gets her into motion, gets her into the warm and strong and secure arms in a second, wrapped in the smell of citrus fruits and airplane.

“Your visa?” Kat whispers it against soft skin.

“It came through.”

“And- When-” She pulls away, meets those wonderful brown eyes.

“The girls helped speed things up with the legal department.”

“Incite has a lot of experience with it, surprisingly.”

Jane. Jane is speaking somewhere to their right. Kat had been stupid and mistrustful.

She looks at her friends, at their smiles. Looks at Tiny Jane, with a little smirk and Sutton, leaning against the now closed cabin door. She looks at Adena, an inch away from her.

“I love you guys.” She makes sure Sutton and Jane understand. They nod, love you too

Kat feels a warm body brushing against her leg.

“Pecky, were you in this too?”

The feline meows back at her, continuing to rub against them.

“I knew you were up to something.”

Another meow. She laughs. And buries her face against Adena’s neck.

(“But, you know, for me, I could just never get past this .”

“Well, for me, it’s never just been about this. It’s, uh, it’s more about this .” )

Adena lies her head against Kat’s shoulder, a hand on her ribs and hair muffling her nose.

It is bliss. The afterglow isn’t too bad, either, but the stillness of everything, the notion that they are not on borrowed time, is heavenly.

“I can’t believe it’s over.” Adena sighs and Kat hums in agreement. The body she holds against her own starts shaking. Her eyes pinch and she smiles. Smiles wide and big and pulls Adena closer, because she can . Because Adena is there and now they have thousands and thousands of possibilities.

“It’s over.” She smiles and she cries, but for the first time since Sutton miscarried, she lets out happy tears.

“I have something for you.” Adena leans over her, over the end of the bed and into the suit bag she’d brought with her. “Even though Islam doesn’t have a holy day similar to Christmas, I know it is a big part of your culture. So I got you this.”

Kat takes the wrapped box, doesn’t know if she should tear it open or kiss the woman first. She decides on the kiss.

“You didn’t have to.”

“I know. But I thought of you when I saw it.”

She smirks, her insides turning. This is happiness, this is a little taste of bliss in the middle of disaster.

Kat pulls away the bow tightened around the box, pulls up the lid and lets her mouth hang open for a moment.

A stuffed llama. A stuffed llama glares at her with black-bead eyes.

Adena starts chuckling, a hand covering her lips.

“At least this one doesn’t spit.” She shrugs. Adena laughs harder.

It’s a cute toy and it has a meaning behind it and is this their first inside joke?

“There’s something else.” Adena manages, calming down, smile in place.

She shuffles the flow of white tissue paper around and something black catches her attention. Another box, she notes, as she pulls it out. A jewelry box, at that.

Kat opens it slowly, runs a fingertip over the details of the piece.

“I thought you would wear it a bit more than a necklace.”

“Adena, this is beautiful.”

A wide oval shape. The stone in the background is of a stained and cracked red. A man’s face, in true Peruvian style, embossed front and center in the same silver which makes the structure of the rest of the ring.

A few outfits it’d go great with pop in her mind, get filed away into a corner.

“Thank you.” She sighs, frames Adena’s jaw with one of her hands. Kat leans in, drops a kiss on the corner of the woman’s mouth.

“I’m happy you like it.”

“I love it. I love both of them.”

She makes a point of bringing the stuffed animal further into her lap. It’ll be a full day, once Jane sees it, but it is from Adena . Thoughtful and sweet and teasing Adena, so Kat loves it, no doubt about it.

“How are we messing this up?” Sutton steps away from the stove, frustrated and glaring at the steaming and way too liquid mixture on the pan.

“Told you we should had just ordered it along with the turkey.”

“Kat, we’re not kids, we should be able to handle a simple dressing.”

Uh-uh, irritated Sutton is bad and can very quickly turn into Lash-out Sutton. Kat backs away into the other corner of the (small) kitchen.

“I can make a run to the store if you want.” Jane pops her head in.

“Didn’t you have an article to finish?” Sutton sighs, turning off the stove and throwing the napkin on the sink.

“Just finished it.” Jane steps into the room completely. “So I can go, if you want me to.”

“Nah, the stores are probably closed already, anyway.” Sutton scratches her neck, moves to start washing the cutlery she used on the recipe.

Kat exchanges a look with the other brunette, agreeing on leaving the situation be. It’s not about the dressing as it is about Richard’s call earlier in the day. Their friend will let it out when she feels ready, they just have to wait and tread carefully.

They take to the living room, checking if the few decorations they brought along are sticking.

“Pecky!” Kat stomps her foot and her pet runs a few feet away, tail straight up. “What were you doing?”

She inspects the ripped pieces of paper on the floor, getting on to collecting them.

“I swear to God, everything was in place a second ago.” Jane tries hanging the New Year’s sign back on the wall.

“Yeah, she’s fast. Knows when she’s doing something she isn’t supposed to.” She sighs, standing up with the torn cardboard flag in hand. “Yes, we’re talking about you.” Kat snaps when she notices Pecky lurking closer.

The feline takes the words as forgiveness, however, and trots over to her, rubbing against her calf as usual.

There’s something unique, about keeping a pet. Something inevitable on falling to their charms now and again.

She’d taken this cat, tiny and sick and scared senseless and now she is healthy and the right amount of fluffy, secure enough to run around and play and think everything is okay despite it all.

Kat is aware it is her logic that has her adoration for the animal swimming up, letting her scratch Pecky’s back. She knows, and she doesn’t care. Peru gave her beautiful sights, a face-to-face she hopes never to have again and it also gave her the little purring hurricane she pulls closer.

Kat looks up to see Adena, newly showered, stepping out of their bedroom at the same time a crash comes from the kitchen, followed by a few curse words.

“Ah, did I miss something?” Adena lifts an eyebrow.

A bliss in the midst of chaos, alright.

“Happy new year!” Jane pulls at the party popper’s string, smile wide and eyes glossy from the booze they’d been sipping away at for the past four hours.

She laughs and sees as a ball of moving fur ends up behind the bookcase.

“Good luck getting her from back there.” Kat gives her friend a thumbs up, not really worried about Pecky. The fireworks they hear in the distance would be worse, had they stayed in the city.

Jane groans.

“Happy new year.” Kat sighs, feeling Adena’s arm squeeze tighter around her waist.

“Happy new year.” Adena mumbles, lips against Kat’s hair. “May many more come our way.”

“I’m so glad you are celebrating it with us.”

“The rebirth of a year is worth celebrating, no matter in which calendar.”

She smirks, turns her head enough to peck the woman’s lips. As she turns back, she sees Jane coercing Pecky out of her hiding with the mouse toy the cat loves. By the brunette’s side is Sutton, her beautiful and healing friend, in desperate need of a new beginning.

Kat moves out of Adena’s hold, pulls Sutton into a hug. Strong and firm. “I love you, babe.”

“Love you too.”

“I can’t say this year will be better, but at least the last one is officially over.”

Sutton nods, wipes away a tear from her cheek.

“Thank God.”

“And tequila!” Jane squeals, sitting on the ground, waving the mouse around for Pecky.

“And tequila.” She and Sutton resonate. A weird analogy, but a true one, nonetheless.

However Adena manages to go through the emotional rollercoaster from hell they experienced without getting hammered here and now is an honest mystery to Kat.

It also makes her admire the woman a tad more.

(if that’s even possible)

She kinda hates her mom, a little bit, for being right. The honeymoon phase does pass. It passes quite quickly, to be honest.

Adena does not condone pets sleeping in the same bed as their owners. Kat loves lazy weekends and Adena seems to think New York has new mysteries to be uncovered every day, specially when it is extra early.

Adena gets moody when she thinks she hasn’t captured a good piece during a photoshoot and Kat does not always have the time nor the patience to explain why, when the girls text ‘ alcohol emergency’ , she has to scurry away, no matter what.

It is hard and they fight. It is hard and it is real and she can’t recall the last relationship she had where she didn’t feel the need to break things off at least twice a week.

But it is real and her heart skips a beat every time she sees Adena chewing on her bottom lip, trying to pass a hard phase on Candy Crush (in Kat’s phone because Adena doesn’t need shallow distractions) .

It is the most real she’s ever felt and it honestly amazes her, how fucking safe it is.

Oh, and having a beautiful woman playing and running around her apartment with her cat is not bad, either.

It is one of the hardest things she faces, being real and letting someone watch it happen , but it is one of her biggest accomplishments.

[piggy-peach]

SNS Month -- Secret Santa Event

Secret Santa for @gaby-irr

Merry Christmas!! 

"Never Forgotten"

A deep sigh left the blonde as he shut his front door behind him and leaned against it tiredly. The day had been long and eventful, as Naruto had spent the majority of it jogging through the snowy winterland of Konoha, making sure to greet everyone he passed by on his way to each of his friends' houses. He visited them all and spent as much time as he could, hoping to bring a bit of happiness and warmth to their Christmases. He would leave them with a joyful smile and a friendly wave before skipping off to the next person. All in all, it had been a successful day.

But the always-smiling, always supportive Naruto was now exhausted. He'd spent every ounce of positive energy he had on others--something which he did not regret, but what he was left with at the end of it all was a deep fatigue, and a weight lying heavy upon his chest. It was a feeling he knew all too well...Loneliness. 

Though he'd spent his entire day around others and it had overall been a positive experience, he was still incredibly lonely. Even Sakura, who'd been the last person Naruto had visited--he'd done this on purpose in order to spend extra time with her--noticed and felt it. She was lonely, too. This Christmas had indeed been beautiful and cheery. They had gotten lots of snow, which all throughout the day had gently drifted down from the clouds and coated the many trees and buildings which littered the vast expanse of the ever-growing Leaf Village. Friends and family alike had all come together once more to celebrate and spend time together. But alas, someone was still missing. Someone very special to Sakura, and even more special to Naruto himself.

Sasuke.

He was away on a long journey of self-discovery after being set free from the Konoha prison and pardoned of his crimes. A trip for an honorable cause, Naruto could not deny. But regardless, all day--nearly every second that he wasn't speaking or being spoken to--Sasuke Uchiha had been the only one on his mind. The soft, sad question repeated constantly: 'Perhaps, will I see him today?' He chanted it to himself like a mantra as his strong legs carried him on his way, his arms spread out behind him like wings. He'd buried his sad feelings deep inside, afraid of spreading them to his friends. He couldn't do that--not on such a special day as this. He would keep the day sacred and pure for the sake of his dear friends.

So as soon as he was home, in the safe confinement of those four walls, his shoulders drooped low and his eyes closed. His heart followed suit as it sank to the floor, reality surrounding him like a chilling aura. No, he would not be seeing Sasuke today. He'd held out hope all day, but it was late into the evening now. There was very little chance of him showing up at this point.

And so it was with a heavy heart that Naruto removed his shoes and his scarf, discarding each article on the floor in an exasperated manner. Alone at last, all pretenses had been dropped. He was not happy, and he no longer needed to pretend he was. He shuffled into the main room, towards the bed he'd tucked away in the corner. As he reached it, he promptly flung himself upon it. He buried his face into his pillow and finally allowed the tears which had been held in all day to spill over and fall free onto the fabric. A tiny sob bubbled up from him, his shoulders trembling in its wake. Another, and soon he was bawling like a baby, clutching the sheets with fervor as his broken, disappointed heart collapsed within his chest. All he'd wanted; all he'd wished for this Christmas was to see Sasuke again, even if only for a moment. He missed him terribly, and as thoughts of holding him tightly in his arms beside a warm fire filled his mind, another tremor of sadness ran though him, his weeping only increasing.

"Teme...," he coughed in between violent sobs, ignoring the streams of tears and thick snot running down his cheeks and lips. He lifted himself up for a moment to catch his breath, though he did not cease in his crying. "Damnit." 

He'd almost been too engulfed in his sorrows to notice the light tapping that sounded against his window. But despite being otherwise occupied, the sudden noise jolted the blonde back into reality, even going as far as eliciting the smallest squeak of surprise. His eyes wide, he flung his head up at the window and gaped apprehensively at it. He noticed nothing at first, and narrowed his eyes at the pane in disbelief. He couldn't have just imagined it--it had startled him, after all. He focused on the cold, condensation-coated glass a moment longer and waited for the noise again.

Tap, tap, tap.

Naruto's torso shot up this time, and he leaned in close to stare right out the window for the source of the tapping. Perched on the outer sill was a brown hawk, oggling the blonde from outside with his wary, golden eyes. Naruto recognized it almost immediately and his heart leaped out of his chest with joy. He grappled for the window and thrust it open, waiting for the bird to hop onto the inner sill. As it did, he reached for its leg, which he'd noticed had something attached to it, and removed said object with shaky, fumbling fingers. The bird clicked his beak at him in warning, but Naruto paid him no mind as he hastily took the folded paper from him and began to unfurl it. Having served his purpose, the bird took to flight and left through the window to return to his master.

Naruto, alone again, stared at the fully-opened page in his hand. His heart was pounding as his eyes screened each character with desperate longing. He would not be disappointed.

'Don't cry like that. It makes you look ugly. Look, I'm sorry I couldn't make it today. I know it sucks, but I can't travel that fast, Dobe. I'm somewhere far away, and I need to stay there for now. 

But don't worry, I haven't forgotten you. How could I? Even when I'm long gone, you're always on my mind. It's kind of annoying, to be honest.

Anyways, I brought you a present. It's nothing special, but I hope you like it anyways. Stay safe and be good--don't do anything stupid. Seriously.

I'm watching you, Usuratonkachi. 

--Sasuke'

Now it was happy tears that fell from the boy's crystal blue eyes as he read and re-read Sasuke's words. He could practically hear him speaking them as if he were in the room. Even the insults felt so familiar and sweet to him...anything Sasuke said would be treasured in Naruto's heart for eternity. He was filled with relief and joy as he slowly realized that he hadn't been forgotten, and that even though he didn't get to see Sasuke with his own eyes, he'd at the very least been given a sign from him that he was still thinking of him.

It still felt raw, but his sadness had for the most part subsided as he finally glanced down at the sealing formula which had been placed below Sasuke's words. "Oh," he said to himself, and placed the sheet of paper down on the bed. Holding his fingers up in the sign for Tiger, he then pressed his hand down upon the seal and muttered, "Release!" 

In a flash and a puff of smoke, a hard object appeared under Naruto's hand, lifting it up some as it took up the space beneath it. The blonde peered down at it curiously, lifting his hand away to reveal what it was. It appeared to be a book--the cover was black with yellow text and a strangely drawn man with spiky hair and glasses. The words read, 'Genin-Level Justu For Dummies.'

The blonde boy's eyes flashed with a burning anger at the blatant insult as he let out a shriek of disbelief. "Ehh?!" He ran over the title again, staring at it furiously as his blood slowly heated to a boil. 

"You...bastard," he seethed, flinging the cover open; refusing to look at it a second longer. "Sure, I'm still a Genin and all, but I'm studying to become a Jounin! And besides, I know the basic jutsu already, you little--" 

'Naruto--

Caught you with the title, didn't I? You know, this book would have been pretty useful to you not too long ago. But now you've studied and learned a thing or two, so good job.'

Naruto let out a growl as he read the writing on the inside of the front cover, his anger slightly quelled for the moment. 

'But this is something different. Something...sort of special. Eh, who am I kidding. It's just a collection of memories from my journey so far. All the places I've been and things I've seen. I don't know...maybe if you read it...it'll be like you were there with me the whole time...?

Whatever. It's stupid. 

Merry Christmas.'

A broad smile had replaced the earlier gaze of fury. The gift Naruto held in his hands was something compiled and sent by Sasuke himself...something just for him. A glimpse into the life he was leading away from the other. Having only been in Naruto's possession for a total of three and a half minutes, it was already the most precious item he had...second only to Iruka Sensei's headband. It was perfect. At last, Naruto could answer many of the burning questions within him about Sasuke's whereabouts. What he was doing. The things that filled him constantly and only left him heavy and sad--and as always, lonely. Now, he could recount everything Sasuke had done so far, and catch up to him. It was everything he'd ever wanted. Well...almost everything.

"Sasuke," Naruto sighed softly as he turned over the first page, his head slowly shaking side to side. "Thank you." Before he began to read, he closed his eyes and sent his best wishes to him...his closest friend; the love of his life. "Please be safe," he whispered out loud as his heart began to swell with emotion. "Merry Christmas, Sasuke." 

Then, he took a breath and opened his blue eyes once more, settling them upon the page and reading each word with care. He would hold every single one in his heart forever.

[ironspiidey]

Hidden Omega Chapter 1

So this little idea refused to leave my brain, should be about 4 or 5 chapters in length. As long as my muse doesn't take right off like it did in Superhero's get Bullied Too. Which i will soon have updated i swear ;)

Peter and Tony have been together almost a year, all this time Peter managed to hide his second gender status from the Alpha who dislikes Omega's but what happens when Peter cant hide it anymore?

Chapter 1- Talking

Chapter 2

Read on A03

“Peter Benjamin Parker!”

Peter swallowed roughly and hid further under his covers, he wanted to be left alone dammit and nobody was disturbing him. He rolled deeper into his blankets at the loud knocking on his door

“Open this fucking door.” Natasha hollered from the other side of the door “I know you’re in there Peter and hiding in your room isn’t going to make this any easier.”

Peter groaned “Go away.”

“How about no? I can always get Stark if you like? Tell him you’re hiding in your room and I’m concerned for your safety?”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Friday?” Nat challenged

“Yes?” the Ai responded

“Nat please.”

“Open this door Peter.”

“What’s the point? My life is over. I’m a stupid dumb omega and once Tony finds out he’s just going to break up with me or worse. So I would appreciate it if I could just be left alone!” Peter took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from crying.

“Peter.”

“Stop it, don’t bother trying to convince me otherwise, I seen the interviews. Just leave me be.” Peter’s voice broke off at the end, his emotions finally getting the best of him. Peter heard her heels click on the floor as she walked away. He took a deep breath and then he finally broke down crying. He hid his second gender status for so long, keeping it from his boyfriend. Thanks to scent blockers and the bite Peter only had to have a heat every three months and with the help with suppressants he could postpone that to every 6 months. Unfortunately this time he’s stuck at the tower with May gone away it just wasn’t safe for Peter to be in the apartment.

Peter was brought out of his thoughts and tears when he heard a soft knock on the door

”Hey Peter?”

Peter let out a sigh, Nat may not have called Tony but she did the second best, the only other Omega currently at the tower, Bucky.

“Hey Bucky.”

“Can I come in?”

Peter bit his lip and turned towards the door. He always lets Bucky talk to him regardless of whats going on, the other Omega has become one of his closest friends over the last few months. Especially since Peter and Tony became an item. “I don’t know Buck...”

“It’s just me, I know you want to be alone and belief me I get that. But we’re worried about you, I promise I’ll leave right away once I know you’re okay if you still want me to. Just let me see for myself you’re okay.”

Peter nodded then realized Bucky couldn’t see through the door. “Fine, just give me a minute.”

Peter got up, rubbed at his eyes and threw the blankets back over the bed, trying to make it look less like he was curled up in a ball crying as he was. He shook his head, to shake his nerves and opened the door letting the other man in “You may enter” Peter said with what he hoped was a believable laugh

Bucky took one look at the younger boy and shut the door behind him. “Oh Pete.”

“It that obvious?” Peter looked down

“A bit, but to be fair I know what’s going on because I was you.”

“Yeah but things turned out for the better for you. Me? I’m just being a hopeless omega.”

Bucky gave him a look and crossed his arms “Excuse me?”

“C’mon Bucky! You know what I meant. “

“I’m an Omega too Peter, I wasn’t hopeless then and neither are you. It’s okay to be nervous.”

Peter flung himself back on his bed dramatically. “It’s not nervousness. I can’t hide this time Buck. Tony is going to find out and it’s going to be over.”

“And would that be such a bad idea? Tony finding out the love of his life is an Omega?”

“Pfft I am not the love of Tony Stark’s life. And he hates Omegas anyway!! He’s going to take one look at me and then slowly get distant until I bring it up and we fight and he leaves me.”

“Peter you’re not Pepper.” Bucky states, seeing right through Peter and knowing the young boy is terrified.

“I never said I was.” Peter looked at his ceiling willing Bucky to just leave him in his misery to which ever god he needed to.

Bucky opened his mouth and was about to speak when Peter’s door suddenly slammed open. Causing both of them to snap their head to the door. Where Tony Stark was standing with such a look of sadness.

Bucky backed up as Tony walked in and ran up to Peter. He kneeled in front of Peter’s bed and gripped the younger man’s hand

“Oh Bambino, for being so smart, you’re really fucking dumb.”

Peter swallowed roughly, silently cursing Bucky for not locking his door. He looked at Tony and knew that the Alpha knew what he was “I’m sorry Tony, please don’t kick me out”

Tony pulled Peter in for a hug “Oh Petey I would never kick you out.”

Bucky slowly backs out of the room and shuts the door behind him “Friday? Make sure nobody goes in unless it’s actually an emergency okay?”

“Done, anything else Bucky?”

“Did you mention anything to Tony or did Nat go get him?.” He asked curiously

"I alerted boss as a 'Protect Bambino' protocol had been put in place which requires me to advice Sir if Peter seems stressed in a way my systems deem concerning."

Bucky shook his head smiling. "Alright Thanks Friday."

"Anything else Mr.Barnes?"

"That will be all Friday

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

“I’m not who you think I am Tony.” Peter mumbled into the Alpha’s shoulder.

Tony just held on tighter “Babyboy you’re exactly who I think you are and more. I don’t care that you’re an Omega. Well I do care because you now need to explain to me how we’ve been dating for almost a year and I have yet to know about any heats.”

Peter pulled away to look Tony directly in the eye “Wait what?”

“My point is Peter you being an Omega doesn’t make me think any less of you. I love you.”

“But the interviews and the comments all the time?”

“Most of those were after me and Pepper split and we both know how well I took that.”

“She got with Rhodey not long after! And he’s an omega.” Peter’s eyes widen in realization “You were just angry not at omegas in general.”

Tony nodded and leaned his forehead against Peter’s “Bambino, I loved you when I thought you were a Beta but you being an Omega.. Well it “He licked his lips nervously “It doesn’t exactly turn me off. Even if you don’t have heats. Which I’m assuming is the bite?”

“Well sort of.” The younger man starts to play with the hem of Tony’s shirt nervously

Tony just raised his eyebrow waiting for Peter to explain himself when he didn’t, Tony leaned back far enough that he could tilt Peter’s chin up and gave him a soft kiss “Talk to me Bambino”

“Well I don’t have heats as much because of the bite, it causes me to have them every three months. I usually avoid them to every six months with my suppressants then go visit May for the week. “

“But this time May went away and you lied to her and said I knew and that it was fine for her to go away and that’s why your panicking” Tony stated.

Peter nodded. “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear Tones.”

“I’m more concerned about you being on suppressants. Like are they aftermarket ones or –“

“Tony, I grew up in Brooklyn what do you think”

“Okay well I don’t care if you want to call me a controlling, overbearing Alpha but we are getting you on proper suppressants!”

“You’re not mad?”

“I’m not a complete barn animal Pete, I understand you wanting to be on suppressants especially with you being Spiderman BUT--”

“Of course there is a but.” Peter mumbles

“But, you will be on the right ones. Not that aftermarket shit. I’ll pay for it. As your Alpha it’s the least I can do.”

“Tones… You don’t need to do that.”

“Of course I do- wait do you not want that? Me as your Alpha? Is that why you didn’t tell me?”

“Oh god no Tony! I’m in love with you, I thought you knew that!” Peter leaned his forehead against Tony’s

“I’d give anything to have you as my Alpha Anthony.”

Tony swallowed roughly, Peter calling him his full name was doing things to the Alpha that he didn’t expect. “Peter...”

“Yes Alpha?” Peter looked at him with a smirk on his face

“You’re going to be the death of me Kid.” Tony licked his lips again and kept glancing from the younger man’s lips to his eyes and back again.

“Are you going to keep staring at me or are you going to kiss me Anthony?”

Tony lunges forward and kissed the Omega hard. Slipping his tongue between his lips when Peter’s mouth opened in a gasp.

The younger Omega clung onto the Alpha as his mouth was devoured. “Tony!” Peter gasped

“Mm Yes Babyboy?” Tony pulled away slowly.

“Um. My… My heat. Its due in a few days” Peter stuttered

“Okay... We need to get supplies for you then, unless you’re wanting this heat alone?”

“God no. I just need to make sure it’s not my hormones making you want me.” Peter said nervously. A part of him knew that Tony actually wanted him, but at the same time the Omega in him couldn’t help but fret that this Alpha was going to disappear after his heat.

Tony slid his hands up to the young Omega’s face, caressing his cheeks. “Oh Peter, I don’t know how you don’t know this but I’m smitten with you baby. If you were to tell me you wanted me to go away and not come back until your heat was over to prove to you that all I want is you, heat or not… Well I would do in a heartbeat, it wouldn’t be easy. I’d probably end up sitting against your door the whole time to ease my inner Alpha. My point is I would do anything for you.”

Peter started to cry, not of sadness but of the joy that only being truly loved can cause. “Tony.”

“Baby please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to upset you” Tony begged, wiping his tears with the pad of his thumb

Peter couldn’t help but lean further into the touch. “No Alpha I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m so happy. You’re everything I’ve always wanted and now I finally have it.” Peter sniffed

[puchittothelimit]

I would absolutely love to read anything with some Morrigan or Belloma!!

Author’s Notes

Fandom:SMITE

Fan-fiction:Shape-Shifting Scoundrel

Summary:One of The Morrigan’s favourite pastimesis impersonating other Gods and wreaking havoc on their lives and the peoplearound them. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Characters:The Morrigan (as a variety of Gods), Ah Puch, Anhur, Anubis, Arachne, Athena, Bakasura, Bastet, Cu Chulainn, Erlang Shen, Izanami, Loki, Medusa, Mercury, Ra, Raijin and Susano

Warnings:None

Credit for this entire concept goes to @thana-roast. I had no idea whatto do with The Morrigan and they gave me this amazing idea where she transformsinto other gods and starts screwing with them and the people around them

The Morrigan heaved her travel bag over her shoulder, allready to go. There was just one more thing to do: actually decide where she wasgoing. She grabbed her phone, and opened up the Random God Wheel. As it spun,Cu Chulainn passed her by, knowing full well what she was preparing for. Shedid this most days and every day, he would condemn it. He couldn’t understandhow she could transform into other Gods and willingly put them in troublingsituations, some with quite severe consequences. He despised the fact that shegot pleasure from these activities, something he couldn’t fathom.

“You cannae’ just go ‘round committing fraud Morri’,” Hesaid sternly, in passing.

The Morrigan smirked. She wouldnever let criticism of her go unpunished and dealt with haters in a relativelyunique way. A sharp breath in, taking in Cu Chulainn’s man-scent, musky andvile in her opinion, and she took his form, morphing smoothly. As the formsolidified, she bent over, hands on her hips, and mimicked him, her voicehighly exaggerated, “YOu cAnNae’ jUst gO ‘rOuNd cOmMiTtIng fRaUd MOrRi’.”

The more she shaved, the harder it became for her to bringherself to a stop. The longer she carried on, the worse she looked which was whatshe wanted. Suddenly, she caught herself with the blade, prompting her to putit down sourly. She did a couple of final checks: though she knew the answer,she checked that Anhur – the real Anhur – was fast asleep (lions are lazy); shemade sure that she looked as horrific as possible as a lion with their manebadly shaved could get.

Sucking herself up and sucking herself in (while Anhur was alot bigger than she was and it made her feel rather strange), she exited theroom and headed to wherever she could hear voices which proved to be a bit of achore, given the complexities of Egyptian structures.

Finally, she spotted the rest of Anhur’s family and quickly backedup behind a pillar. How should I enter, she pondered: Care-free and confident,pretending not to be aware of his new look, or straight-up announcing that he’dmade a change?

Bastet decided for her.

The Morrigan jumped at a scream. She had no time to recoverbefore one of her paws were grabbed by who she now realised was Bastet. She wasa sneaky little thing, she snarled.

“Oh my god. Oh my god,” Bastet rattled off quickly, “Lookwhat Anhur did!” She cried as she entered the living space where her pantheonwere sat.  They all stood when theynoticed one of their own in distress, though they couldn’t quite decide who itwas.

The Morrigan had gone for a neutral expression, as a lack ofa reaction from ‘Anhur’ might spark a more intense one from his family.

Anubis just held his snout, trying to stifle his laughter,though a few snickers came through. It wasn’t out of humour but shock. Hedidn’t know what to say, so he just laughed. He glanced at Ra, expecting tohave the Sun God glaring at him but he was fixated on Anhur. His expressionforced Anubis to silence himself; Ra looked as if he was seeing Anhur injuredor worse. He approached him slowly, and The Morrigan had to attempt to silenceherself; it was such an over the top reaction for what was essentially a badhair-cut but she thrived off of this.

“Anhur, son, what did you do?” Ra took her by the shoulders,and Bastet appeared at his side. They both looked into her eyes, “Your mane wasyour pride and joy! Why get rid of it? Don’t tell me it’s not a phase becauseit most certainly is! Oh my goodness, what have you done? You’re going toregret it in the future. It’ll never grow to the same length again!” He begantearing up. This was gold, The Morrigan thought.

“Anhur, why did you do it? Is there something wrong?”  Bastet asked softly as she comforted Ra.

Now The Morrigan could get creative with her excuses. Alas,she was interrupted once again, this time by a smooth, deep voice, making allof her impromptu hairs stand on end.

“I heard a scream! Is everyone alright?” Anhur called.

Bastet continued to stare at The Morrigan, still in disguiseeven though she knew it was wearing thin, “Your mouth didn’t move when youspoke,” She stammered.

The Morrigan shrugged her shoulders. She had to admit thatthis scenario would probably play out rather predictably with a game of ‘No,I’m the real…’ and she’d been there and done that. There was no more excitementto be had here. A snap of her fingers (albeit, rather muffled because ofAnhur’s hairy paws), and a puff of smoke and feathers, and she was gone,darting away in her raven form.

The real Anhur came into viewwhen the cloud dispelled with his mane intact, though not for much longer ashis family lunged for him and began running their fingers through it, just tomake sure it was still there.

When Mercury was at his top speed, everything became an abstractblur. There was a thrill to be had with not quite knowing where you were orwhat was ahead, even though, secretly, he knew exactly where he was. At thisspeed, it seemed as if he was the only living thing on the planet, everythingelse grinding to a halt to make way for him as he did his rounds. You canimagine he was quite shocked when, out of the corner of his eye, he could actuallymake out a clear shape against the blur, that of a man… Of him.

He didn’t want to stop but a panic was making him slow down asit engulfed his heart, making it sting. He powered through. He didn’t want togive ‘himself’ an opportunity to catch up with him further, not knowing their…his intentions. He was still verystartled. There was so much he wanted to understand about what was happeningbut he’d rather find out in his own time, when he wasn’t preoccupied withrunning faster than every being in existence, apart from the entity running alongsidehim.

He looked down at his feet, as if it would beckon them tomove faster. He lifted his head back up and found his double running directly besidehim. He yelped as he nearly tripped over. It was only for a moment that he hadtaken his eyes off…himself and they were already level. He’d never felt thiskind of terror. The other Mercury was looking him straight in the eye, a smirkthat could’ve meant any number of things causing his cheeks to bundle up into deviouswrinkles.

Mercury finally noticed the one thing him and his doubledidn’t have in common; their eye colours were different.

He finally found some strength in the back of his throat totry and make a sound, “Who…Who are you?” He stammered, very unlike him.

The Morrigan couldn’t help but smile harder. This couldn’thave gone any more perfect. She had the perfect set up for in order to say nextfew words, “I am you but faster.”

Mercury was immediately halted inhis tracks, watching his double speed off into the blue horizon which, afterfeeling his boots becoming rather wet, realised was the ocean. He was stillwondering what on earth just happened as he sank into the Atlantic.

Now, this was something to get excited about, The Morriganthought.

Of course, Bakasura couldn’t just waltz in to a fast foodrestaurant, out in the open, on any normal day. He’d attract more than juststares. But The Morrigan had already carefully considered the date and thelocation; This weekend, Manchester Comic-Con was taking place so there would bepeople in cosplay both in around the venue, including herself, ‘cosplaying’ asSMITE’s very own Bakasura. But she was not here for any contest. She had hereyes set on a very different prize: a feast worthy of a queen.

Though it was true, she wasn’t here for the attention. Infact, it was the last thing she wanted. That said, she didn’t reject anyoneasking for a photo with her. She figured Bakasura would get quite the shockwhen he saw himself at Comic Con.

Eventually, she made it to the food court. The whole areawas her oyster, providing nobody at the counters checked the name on her card(it being her own).

As she approached the first counter, selling Chinesecuisine, a tangy scent filled her nostrils, only making her more excited forwhat was to come. She kept her head down, hopeful that it would deter anyoneelse from disturbing her in her quest. When she lifted her head up, her eyesmet those of the server at the till, wide and brimming with excitement, “Thatis one amazing cosplay, wow!” He shook his head in disbelief, his mouth hangingopen.

This was the bit she hated: talking. She always ended upover-thinking it, and could never get used to the fact that she didn’t have toalter her to sound like who she was portraying. Their voice was exactly thesame. “Thanks!” She spoke quickly.

“Honestly, it’s amazing! So, what can I get for you? Iimagine you’re pretty hungry, huh Baka’?”

The Morrigan made sure her laugh sounded as fake aspossible. She wanted him to know how basic his joke was. “I’ll take one ofeverything, please.” The server laughed, a far more genuine display than TheMorrigan’s. She frowned, not intending to make a joke. She was deadly serious,“I’m not joking,” She said plainly.

“Oh! Um…So, you’re ordering for the group?” The server triedto make small talk as he began pushing various buttons on the tablet in frontof him.

“No,” The Morrigan smirked, keeping a close eye on hisreaction. He paused for a moment.

“You want these in like, snack-sized portions?”

“No, full-sized items please,” She widened her grin, “Oh,and a diet coke please!”

“Uh…sure!” She could’ve swornthe server was beginning to sweat. His turmoil was of little concern to her.Nothing could ruin this moment. Nothing had ever, and would never, come closeto this. She was about to eat some amazing food and, the best part, she wouldnever feel full; she could just carry on, and have even more amazing food! Itwas every girl’s dream. She eyed up the other food stands, yet to feel thewrath of her taste buds, and licked her lips.

She took absolute care whilst sliding the balcony door shut,though there was little chance Susano would be stirred. She grimaced at hisdisgusting face, contorted as it was pressed against his pillow. He snoredsuddenly, and The Morrigan quickened her pace for she couldn’t stand the sound,no matter who it came from.  She openedhis bedroom door with haste, and quickly exited, closing it behind her. Shegritted her teeth when she heard the sound again, despite being out of theroom. Damn, these thin walls, she frowned whilst she morphed.

The feeling of stubble on her face was something that shewas grateful not to experience on a daily basis. Her face stung as she rotatedher jaw, trying to dispel the feeling. She wondered why some men did not shave.

She heard more noise, and found herself in a brightly litroom.

“Susan’, are you ill? You’re actually up before noon!” Sheheard a booming voice say. Raijin tapped her on the shoulder, just as forceful.

She coughed, “No, just wanted to wake up early, youknow?  Have some breakfast,” Taking adeep breath in, she hesitated for once; though she was used to disrespectingpeople on other’s behalves, she wondered if this was taking it too far. Shebarely knew Izanami, but knew of her ferocious tendencies. She gave her aglance and her form’s mother gave her a sweet smile. She went in for the kill,“Hey Mom, can I get some pancakes?” She sat herself down next the table.

There was a silence, not dangerous, but there was an elementof confusion. The Morrigan caught Raijin stretching his palms to question heractions.

“Susano, I shouldn’t have to tell you what the magic word isnow, should I?” Her tone was gentle, but her lack of eye contact as she placeda juice carton on the table was a little unsettling.

“Mom, I’m not five,” The Morrigan blurted out, overcomingher anxiety by acting straight off the bat.

Izanami’s head immediately turned to face her son, hangingat a grotesque angle. The Morrigan had to admit, she was rightfullyintimidated. “Then you should know your manners by now.” Keeping his head down,Raijin carefully took the carton and poured himself a drink. As he sighed, helet out a quiet whistle, his only comment on Susano’s abnormal behaviour.

Izanami gracefully slipped away back to the stove where shewas preparing breakfast. The Morrigan didn’t dare look at her again, for shewould undoubtedly crumble, and she had done know where near enough damage yet.

Raijin offered her the carton, and she took it, then immediatelyrealised what he was snickering about. There was no more juice left in it.There was something so appropriate she could do in this moment. It took everyounce of her being, knowing she would not have to experience the consequences,to do what she did next, “This bitch empty! Yeet!” She proclaimed as she swung her arm with as much forceas she could muster, throwing the carton straight into the back of Izanami’shead.

At the sound of a loud ‘pop’ as the carton hit Izanami,Raijin stumbled out of the kitchen.

At the sound of an ungodlyscreech, Susano woke up with a jolt.

“Oh!” The Morrigan had made a break through. She had beenfiddling with the mask for what felt like an eternity, trying to get it off.Finally, something had clicked; She had managed to shift one of the spikes onthe appendage at the back of her head. She slid her hand down and pushed allthree of the spikes down until they stopped. With another click, the maskbecame lose around her face. This was it, she thought. She would finally get tosee what Ah Puch looked like, who he really was (something she may be able touse to her advantage later on).

She patted her face, trying to find another weak point. Shepinched the chin of the mask and it shifted slightly. Holding her breath, sheclosed her eyes and pulled it off of her head, then tossed it to one side.

She opened her eyes but, for a second, thought she hadn’t.

Everything looked milky, for lack of a better word. Shecould see only faint outlines of objects. The lack of focus even began toirritate her as she tried to adjust. She looked to where she knew there was amirror, there so she could see herself (or, rather, himself).

Nothing but white.

“Are you kidding me? He’s blind?” She groaned, as disgusting raspy noise escaping through hermany, many teeth.

She then fumbled around for her phone so she could take apicture of herself to look at later, but to no avail.

She then tried to recover the mask so she could see again,to no avail.

She gave it up as a bad job andmoved onto her next venture. In truth, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted toknow who she had just transformed into.

Medusa wrapped her tail around the leg of the chair,squeezing that instead of the phone in her hand as she struggled to comprehendwhat she was seeing.

“Arachne, look away for a moment,” She said.

Arachne swallowed her cocktail and turned to her friend, “Ibeg your pardon?”

“Look away! I need to look at this with my own eyes,” Medusaprepared to slip her mask off.

The weaver shuffled round, away from Medusa. She eyed theother deities in Mama Nyx’s, “Don’t you want to tell them to look away too?”

“I don’t really care about them,” Medusa mutteredabsentmindedly as she perused the messages on her phone. She wondered whethershe was dreaming, as it tended to bring out the worst in her. But this wasn’ther; this was someone else’s depravity.

“Can I turn around yet?” Arachne called.

Medusa gasped and put her mask back down, “Sure. I don’tthink you’re ready for this though.”

“Ready for what?” Medusa flipped her phone round, and awhite, bright light offended Arachne’s eyesight, “Ew,” She said instinctively.She squinted as she focused on the screen, the lines and the curves becomingall too clear.

She went to speak but found no words. She didn’t know whatto ask first: Who or why? To be fair, she knew why someone might think thatMedusa would want pictures like these, but she couldn’t help but feel offendedon her behalf that someone would even comprehend that Medusa was capable ofsuch evil. Herself, yes, absolutely, but not Medusa.

“Yep,” Medusa nodded, looking at her phone once more.

“Who…Who sent you those?” Arachne said quickly, beforetaking a deep breath. This wasn’t a situation she’d ever thought she’d be in,harbouring crude photos that she wasn’t necessarily meant to see (though theyweren’t on her phone at least).

“The Morrigan,” Medusa paused, noting her friend’sconfusion, “Dear, it’s The Morrigan as Athena. There’s no way she’d take nudesof herself, let alone, put them online. She’s nowhere near that stupid.”

“The Morrigan sent you nudes of herself as Athena? That’ssomething you couldn’t write,” Arachne grabbed her cocktail and glanced around,casually checking for anyone listening to their conversation, “What did shesay?”

“Just to do what we wanted with them, and she added a kiss.She’s sent them to you as well,” Arachne spluttered, darting for her phone.Medusa rolled her eyes when she saw her smirk at the pictures.

“I must admit, I’m a little offended that she thinks that wewould stoop so low as to post revenge porn.”

But you would, Medusa wanted to say but it wasn’t worth it. “I’msurprised she stooped that low, if I’m honest.” She scrolled through thepictures once more, not quite sure what to do with them, whether to delete themor to send them to Kali in case she didn’t receive them (as she too loved agood bitch about Athena). There was always the risk that it would escalate,Kali also being a goddess who thrived on creating chaos.

“I’m surprised she didn’t gagthroughout the whole affair. I’ve never wanted a female less in my life. Noangle of Athena looks pretty,” Arachne locked her phone with scorn and went backto her cocktail, but kept an eye on Medusa to see what she was doing with thisnew-found material.

“For the last time, I know it’s you Morri’,” Loki grew tiredof her persistence. He was fully aware that the being standing in front of himwas The Morrigan. Also a being that could shapeshift, he knew where the flawsin her disguise were. One being her eyes, still her own, and the other beingthe fact that she could not stop laughing.

“I won’t have you changing the subject decoy!” Shespluttered, her voice quivering under the pressure not to laugh, “I am the realLoki. I am your commander and you will disapparate! I am through with you!” Sheheld firm, but only for a moment. She couldn’t be serious. Even Loki wasbeginning to smile which made her crumble. She had to put her hand on hisshoulder while she regained her composure.

“How about you disapparate?” Without even looking, hepinched her funny bone, a sure fire way to reveal a shape-shifter’s trued form.She let out an enormous yelp, a horrifying sound that undulated in tone as shetransitioned from one form to another. The sound she made tickled her evenmore. Loki had to hold her to stop her from collapsing. He rolled her eyes ather over exaggerated display, though he knew shape-shifting made you a littleloopy (too many changes all going on at once).

“Oh, you could’ve played along,” She tapped him playfully tolet him know she was alright, though she was still giggling as she straightenedup. “Do you not ever just shape-shift for fun?”

“Not any-.”

“You should do. I have had the best day. Like, so much hasgone on but the best thing – oh my god, you’re going to love this – was Itransformed into Erlang Shen, and untrained his dog and told him it was okay to shit on the carpet!” She erupted into afresh set of giggles. Loki tilted his head, somewhat impressed.

“That sounds horrifying.”

She suddenly stopped, looking him dead in the eye, “Do youreally think so? Because I am such a big fan of your work and it means so muchto hear you say that.” That was something Loki hadn’t received in a very longtime: a genuine compliment. Before he had a chance to thank her, she interruptedhim again, “Do you want to…maybe…come out with me sometime and we can go screwup some other god’s lives?” She gave him a huge smile. He almost felt bad thathe was about to deny her but alas it was for the greater good.

“Like I said before, I don’t do that anymore.”

“But why?” She looked upon him with sad eyes, “I thought youloved causing mischief?”

“Oh, of course I do! Don’t youknow me at all?” He put his hand on his chest and another on her shoulder toreassure her that he wasn’t criticising her, “I love causing trouble as much asyou do but the last I shape-shifted, Igot in trouble; I got pregnant, and when you have children of your own, you’llunderstand. So no, never again.”

Author’s Notes

This was so much funto write and there were so many more concepts involving other gods that didn’t make the final cut. Thank you @thana-roast for the amazing initial concept! I hope youlove what became of it. Enjoy!

Please give this story a like and reblog if you enjoyed it! It really helps me out! Thanks for reading!