#I can’t be normal about these two so I figured I’d just ride the wave lmao

[spookylostboy]

Happy Pride month to my favorite unhinged bisexual: Ianto Jones

(And his omnisexual boyfriend: Jack Harkness)

[garbinge]

Festival

(40s) Bucky Barnes x OFC Adelaide Redi (40s) Steve Rogers & Platonic OFC Adelaide Redi

Day 07 from these April Prompts: Festival 

Word Count: 2.1k words

Summary: Adelaide enjoys her last night with her boyfriend before he deploys. In the aftermath of him leaving, Ade gets an offer from a new Steve Rogers that might be able to get her to see Bucky again. 

A/N: Okay so this is something from a HUGE fic I have partially written from a couple years ago, I never got around to posting or finishing it so I figured I might as well get some of it out there! Idk if I’ll ever post the rest but just know my girl Ade has a LIFE, let me tell yaaaa. Anyways enjoy this super loose interpretation of ‘festival’ lol. 

Warnings: Light Angst

Marvel Taglist: @drabbles-mc​ @justreblogginfics​

Adelaide Redi stood in the run down Brooklyn pub behind the bar cleaning the glassware. Her glance went up to the analog clock that ticked away almost mocking her with how slow time was passing. She could only hope that the way time was passing now, was how it would slow later but she knew that wouldn’t be the case.

It was their last night together.

They were meeting at the Stark Expo Festival but she had 10 minutes left in her shift before she could leave. The sort of friend she was practically guilt tripped into inviting had probably already arrived at the Queens location for the festival and the thought of not being there yet was weighing heavy on Adelaide’s shoulders. 

The clock hit 10 and Adelaide was on the move, practically running through the street to enter the subway station. Adelaide jumped on the A train and promptly put her earplugs in as the ride almost 99% of the time would give her headaches if she didn’t. 

After a 15 minute ride on the express she jumped off and made her way through the large crowds that were there for the expo. She managed to make it over to the spot the group agreed on meeting at and that’s where her (sort-of) friend Lorraine stood. As Adelaide lightly jogged towards Lorraine, the woman’s body shifted in the opposite direction and her hand raised in a wave. Her gaze moved to see where Lorraine was looking and that’s when she saw him. 

Bucky Barnes stood about 50 feet away, tall and absolutely stunning in his sergeant uniform. His smile was infectious as he walked over to the women with his friend in tow. Adelaide matched his smile with one of her own and he laughed as he pulled the orange plugs out of her ears. 

“I didn’t think my presence was that annoying to you.” He laughed, tucking the ear plugs in his pocket. 

“I took the subway here, didn’t want to ruin the night with a headache.” Adelaide adjusted his tie as she got a good look at him. 

“Don’t know how many times I gotta tell you Ade,  you should go to a doctor and get that checked out. Ain’t normal that a Brooklynite like yourself can’t take a 10 minute subway ride without getti-“

Adelaide cut him off with a passionate kiss. Bucky had no arguments as his hands wrapped around the woman he had fallen in love with years ago squeezing her close to his body. 

There was a groan in the background and Adelaide pulled away to see the culprit. Steve innocently waved at the two with Lorraine to his left. The two couldn’t have been any further apart, clearly the sparks weren’t flying between them but Adelaide wasn’t shocked. Steve never paid attention to the friends Bucky would always ask Ade to bring for their best friend. 

“Hi Steve.” She smiled and the group began walking. 

“Hi Ade.” Steve greeted her. “No need for introductions, while you were searching for Earth’s greatest treasure in Buck’s mouth Lorraine and I met.” He smiled knowing the comment would earn him some bark back. 

“You know any other night I’d retort back but considering it’s our last night all together I’ll let you have it.” She smiled and locked arms with Bucky. 

The group of friends laughed, ate, and joked around. Lorraine had decided to leave early once she realized she was more of a fourth wheel than on a double date. Besides that, the night went on without a hitch, that was until Steve noticed the enlistment tent. 

“You’re gonna do this again?” Bucky said, catching up with Steve. The two went back and forth before they inevitably said bye to each other. Steve offered up a wave to Adelaide which made her call out to him. 

“You better still come by the bar every Tuesday!!” She grinned as he turned around. 

“Wouldn’t miss it, Ade!” He smiled and was soon gone in the tent. 

The night came to an end pretty quickly much to Ade’s dismay. She stayed at Bucky’s apartment that night and bid him a farewell in the morning.  Her heart broke. He was the only family she really had, him and Steve. 

Adelaide had jumped from home to home, being placed by the foster system since her biological parents put her up for adoption. Each family she was placed with never truly loving her or caring for her so she’d end up back on the streets.

Life on the run was Adelaide’s life. She ended up in Astoria when she was 16, which is where she met Steve in a corner store accompanied by Bucky. In the midst of her stealing food, Steve had noticed the girl and offered to buy her what she had stuffed in her pockets. She was hesitant until Bucky not only took the stuff from her hands but grabbed a few more things and split the cost with Steve and well, the rest was history.

Nearly 9 years had passed since that day and the 3 of them were inseparable. Adelaide had worked in the restaurant business as a server until she reached 18 and moved to bartending since the money was better. Steve and Bucky would regularly frequent the establishment simply because it gave them time to spend all together as well as a free meal or two. 

Bucky and Ade had figured out their feelings for eachother around the time he was 21 and she had just reached 20. Steve had known all along. The connection between the two was palpable to everyone but them until the night it finally was. But that was a story for another time.

As the weeks passed since Bucky left, Adelaide kept to her routine of work and home and occasionally stopping by Bucky’s place to check on things, on the off chance she would run into her only other friend but she never did until the one Tuesday night that he walked into the bar. 

“I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Steve said with a grin as he entered the bar. 

Adelaide spit her drink out as she looked at him. He was taller, buffer, older, and just way more put together. 

“Steven Rogers?” She questioned making sure she wasn’t just seeing things. 

“In the super soldier flesh” he laughed. 

“Jesus, what the hell happened to you?” She threw the rag she had over her shoulder on the bar and walked over to him. “Ron, I’m taking my 30!” She yelled as she escaped from behind the bar. 

“Long story.” Steve grinned, engulfing her into a hug. 

“Well I got 30 minutes, come on.” She shook her head and led him out of the bar and they started to walk down the street. 

_____________

“You don’t read the papers?” Steve looked at her after he explained everything. “I mean I don’t blame you, it's all over exaggerated. I just want to serve.” He shook his head. 

“In their defense, you are kind of over exaggerated, Steve.” They reached the end of the block. 

“You might be the only person who isn’t completely freaking out over this.” He looked over at her with a chuckle. 

“I’ve known you for how long now?” She smiled up at him now, something she’d have to get used to. “You’re practically a brother to me, I know you just as well as Buck does, maybe even more because I pay attention to more.” She laughed as they strolled back to the pub. 

“You’re still the same Steve. I can tell.” She said looking forward and then came to a stop to glance at him “So what is there to freak out about?” She shrugged, keeping his eyesight for a moment before she continued walking. 

“The whole science experiment ability that the world can do this type of thing doesn’t freak you out?” He questioned catching up.

“There have been stranger things to happen, you just might not know it yet.” She smiled back at him as she reached the door of the pub and re-entered the building.

They changed topics quickly as he sat at the bar and ordered a drink. 

“Bourbon?” She asked, holding up the bottle as he nodded. 

“You hear from him? Letters or anything?” He asked her knowing it was probably a touchy subject. 

“One letter.” She said walking away to other customers at the bar. She clearly didn’t want to discuss it. Steve knew that she had no family, no real friends. She had acquaintances from work but other than that she was alone. Bucky and him were the only close friends she had. 

“Lady! I need you to refill the soaps in the bathrooms before you leave tonight!” Ron, the bar owner, called out. Her eyes rolled, as she walked backed over to Steve’s side of the bar. 

“It’s weird hearing people call you that.” He smiled at the use of what the bar owner called her, Lady.  Everyone in her life called her Lady, a nickname common from her full name. The only people who had called her Ade were Steve and Bucky. Buck had been the one to shorten her name and Adelaide never stopped him. It just felt right coming from both of them. 

“You got special privileges, Captain.” She smiled and refilled his drink with water. 

“So you do read the papers!” He laughed realizing she called him by his own new nickname and she pointed to one of the patrons at the tables who had a newspaper wide open with the headline of Captain America on display. 

Steve hung out for the rest of the night and finally decided he’d ask the girl what he came here for in the first place. “Ade, I got a question for you.” Steve said as the woman wiped down the bar and started to lock up the registers. 

“Go for it, Rogers.” A smile filled her face and she grabbed her coat off the rack and locked the front door of the pub and brought the metal gates down. “You can ask me as you walk me home.”

The two of them exited the pub. “I’m going on this kind of tour, I guess you could say, ‘Captain America meets America and beyond’ type of thing. We’re going to like 30 different cities and then we’re gonna head over to Germany. Wanted to know if you’d come with.” He asked as the two of them walked on the nearly empty New York streets. 

Steve knew Adelaide was alone, with Bucky gone he was honestly worried for the girl and he figured why not invite her along. 

“And what am I supposed to do? I don’t exactly have many skills, Rogers.” 

“Come on, Ade.” He bargained with her. “First of all, don’t sell yourself short.” He scoffed at the girl's lack of confidence. She was exceptionally smart along with having a wild intuition. Between her street smarts and the things she picked up in school, Adelaide was smarter than Steve and Bucky combined and the both of them never let her forget it. 

“You can help backstage, I’m sure once we’re in Germany for a couple months there’ll be a bar you can end up running on your own. It’s traveling! No roots, just seeing the world!” Steve tried to persuade her. 

“I got that here. I don’t need to uproot myself.” Her eyes rolled as she picked up her pace. 

“Ade, you’re all alone. I’m leaving in two days. Buck doesn’t get back for another year and if he decides to reenlist then you’re looking at more time. Just come, who knows maybe we’ll even run into the guy.” He offered up a smile. 

“Why are you doing this, Steve?” She asked as they made their way to the subway station and Adelaide took her earplugs out of her bag. 

“Because like you said, you’re like my sister. I hate seeing you alone, I know we’re the only family you really have and I just could use the company too.” He began to walk her down the stairs. 

Adelaide contemplated the offer. Truthfully, she knew Steve was right, she wasn’t the best at getting close with people. With the only two people she confided in, gone, it would be tough for her. 

“Don’t send a car when it’s time to go, I want you to pick me up and you better tell everyone my name is Lady.” She pointed at him and turned around putting her earplugs in her ears and disappeared onto the platform leaving Steve there with a smile on his face. 

[ssplague]

Chapter 9

Masterlist

❗️Mature audiences only❗️

‼️Trigger warnings‼️Sex, manipulation, toxic relationships, yandere, verbal abuse, degradation, mental illness, delusional thinking, gas lighting, brief mention of suicidal ideation, fragile psyche, co-dependency, enabling

💌HONORABLE MENTIONS📭

@angie-1306 @wolfunderthetree @marifujioka @im1nobody @atmyhet @elaineplayz @girlwithnokatsuki @rainstorm22 @bi-polar-pandas @itadakimasu @ss-akii @winchescumberholland @po3ticb3auty @lizethecookie01 @maggiecc @lordmypantsaresocool @shoslutt @presidentmonica @venussakura @villaness-noble-girl @comfycozy @lilmad13 @lunamoonbby

Dedicating this chapter to @lunamoonbby because she’s my favorite and too sweet! 🍭😘 Thank you for all your kind words!

🫂 ⛈ 🗣

The weekend went by far too fast for your liking.

You take your time saying goodbye to Katsuki’s parents, and to no one’s surprise the moody boy remains silent. Tired of the idle chit chat, he begins trudging up the path towards Heights Alliance.

“-and I’d better get a move on before he starts complaining, hopefully we’ll see you guys again soon!” You smile and shut the door, turning to start after your significant other. You’be only have taken a handful of steps before Mitsuki calls after you;

“Y/N, If you ever want to come home for the weekend and Katsuki doesn’t want to…you’re more than welcome to, just call me and I’ll come get you, understand?”.

A wide grin appears on your face as you nod happily, “Got it! Have a safe drive home!”. You give them a final wave, before walking up the pathway towards the dorms, you savor the few moments of silence. The moonlight shining down on you seems brighter than usual; You smile as you trot along, seeing no menacing shadows laying in wait to ensnare you. You’d figured Katsuki had went inside already, so when he suddenly stepped out onto the path from behind a hedge, it scared you half to death. “Don’t do that! You jerk!” You shouted as he laughs at you.

“Why were you hiding out here like some creep anyway?!”

“What? I can’t enjoy one last quiet moment with my girl before we have to go inside and deal with all those idiots?”

The way his hands run down your sides to grab at your plush hips has you melting into his embrace. You look up at him through heavily lidded eyes and he smiles down at you, “My pretty girl, my perfect girl, my prize-“, before he could continue singing your praises the door opens.

Both of your heads snap to the side as the stream of light spilled out from the now open door way, bathing you, Katsuki, and the walkway in its orange glow. You look suprised, Katsuki looked murderous, even more so once he’d seen just who it was standing there.

“Ah! Y/N-Chan, Kaachan! Your back! I-I-Im S-Sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt! It’s just that the trash needed taking out and-“ Izuku’s stuttering explanation is halted by Katsuki’s screaming “Fuckin’ Deku SHUT UP!!! Get the hell out of the way!”.

-🛣-

Now that it’s just the two them, the ride home is rather quiet for Masaru and Mitsuki. Sneaking a glance at his normally talkative wife, he notices her blankly staring out the window.

“Something wrong honey?”

The woman sighs before replying; “Not really…I’m just still pissed off about what Haori said….I’m not necessarily angry with her, but I don’t appreciate the implications”.

Uh-oh, this was a dangerous topic of conversation…Masaru knows he has to tread lightly here, lest he set off his wife and have a terrible rest of their night. “She was the same way when it came to our relationship, but once she saw how happy we were together she changed her mind, remember? It just took a little time”.

Mitsuki had immediately relayed the entire argument to him as soon as you guys had gotten home. Her yelling made it easy for you and Katsuki to head upstairs without any impediment. The sad look you’d given him as you followed after Katsuki was the best form of apology you could offer. He slightly shook his head, letting you know with his own half smile that it was okay, before you disappeared from his sight.

“Yes, it did…You know how protective I am over you and Katsuki, now y/n too…I don’t like anyone even hinting that she isn’t part of our family, or trying to say how things are forced between her and our son….He loves her, she loves him, only an idiot wouldn’t be able to see it” she smiles and laces her fingers through his hand not on the steering wheel, “She brings out the best in our boy, just like you bring out the best in me, my love”.

“I couldnt agree more dear”.

Mitsuki rewards the simple reply with a peck on his cheek.

After that Masaru silently sighs in relief, looks like tonight will remain pleasant after all.

Grabbing your bags in one hand, your angry boyfriend drags you along with him as he heads inside. You smile at the nervous green haired boy as he jumps out of the way. Entering the common area Kirishima immediately (and embarrassingly) announces your return; “Hey the love birds are back!”.

As annoyed as he pretends to be Katsuki pulls you over towards where your friends are seated.

After sharing stories from your individual activities that weekend, the group continues its normal chatter.

Then you remembered something;

“Ah that’s right, your presents!”.

“You got us Presents?!” Mina exclaims, excitedly extending her hand as you pull something out of your bag.

“I love them!!!!” She’s all smiles at the cute new top and sweater you gave her. Before you can nicely hand over the boy’s stuff, Katsuki grabs it from you and throws each shirt at Kirishima, Denki, and Serro, following it up with “You aren’t welcome”.

They thank you anyway.

“I wanna see all your new stuff y/n! You have to show me!” Mina says as she drapes herself over the back of the arm chair you and Katsuki always share. “I didnt bring everything along with me, a lot of its hanging up at home but I did bring some” you reply, attempting to stand up but the huff from beside you freezes you in your tracks. Settling back down beside Katsuki he tugs you closer towards him, “Tomorrow you can see her stuff raccoon eyes, you’ll keep her awake blabbering for hours, we’re going to bed now”.

Mina blows a raspberry in his direction, and you quietly apologize as you are now allowed to stand up.

“Good night everyone” you say with a wave as the annoyed blonde holds the elevator for you. Once the door slides shut, the pinkette throws herself down on the couch with a forlorn look on her normally excited face.

“You’ll get to have your girl time tomorrow Mina, you know how BakuBro is about his sleep schedule” Kirishima says in attempt to cheer her up.

“Yeah, I know” she offers him a smile and now reassured she’s okay, the red head goes back to his conversation with the other two boys.

If only that’s what was really troubling her, but unfortunately what was, wasn’t so simple at all…

- 🥊 -

For three weeks after your visit to Katsuki’s parents everything seemed to be going smoothly, until one day something, or rather someone fucked that up.

“Meet me in my room in an hour, yeah? I got new face masks for us to try!” Mina tells you after class. You agree, since Katsuki was going to be in the weight room with Kirishima for awhile.

So you went back to your room and started on your homework, that’s what you would have done in the past right?

You weren’t used to being alone and it was embarrassing…it had only been ten minutes since class let out.

You picked up your phone and started texting Katsuki:

I don’t know what to do without you around haha 🙈😅

You cringed at that and quickly erased it, he wouldn’t be looking at his phone now anyway…

Twenty minutes had passed; You’d only answered one question and barely read a paragraph in your history book.

Katsuki always does homework with me; What if I get everything wrong without him here to check my work?

Anxiety began to prickle at the back of your skull.

I’ll just go over to Mina’s now, she won’t care if I’m early…

*(Y/bf/n=Your best friends name)*

“You really think this is a good idea?” Y/bf/n asks as she enters the pink haired girl’s dorm room, “She might just flip out on us both, and then she’s going to have problems with you too, I should just go”.

“No way!” Mina blocks her exit and steers her towards the chair infront of her vanity, on the far side of the room.

“Everything is going to work out, I know it will, you two need to work things out and I’ll be the mediator”.

“But what if HE comes? Then that’s going to be all bad” y/bf/n replies nervously.

“I asked Kirishima to let me know when they were coming back, so we’ll have a heads up, nothing can ruin this!”

A sudden loud knock on the door startles both girls.

“Hey it’s me! I was getting bored waiting around and thought I’d just come by now…if you aren’t busy?” Your voice is muffled through the door.

Without a second glance at y/bf/n, Mina opens the door and you walk in.

“So I was-“ you stop talking as soon as you see who’s infront of you.

The two of you just stare at each other and a wave from your ex best friend sets you off, “The fuck is she doing here?”. The cold tone of your voice makes the room’s other two occupants shiver.

“Y/N I invited her here so the two of you could talk…” Mina tries to explain.

“There is nothing for us to talk about, not until she can learn how to be a supportive friend and accept my relationship” your anxiety from earlier begins to creep back up, making your heart rate increase, the room feels like it’s closing in on you.

“Y/n I’m sorry I hurt you with what I said about Bakugou, I just don’t think he’s good for you! Listen, your mom called me a few days ago and told me she read the note you left and got worried about you-“ you cut her off, unleashing your frustrations out on the unexpecting female.

“HA! Worried?! That’s a load of shit. My family up and abandoned me, that triggered the worst mental breakdown I’ve ever had in my life! I might not even be here anymore if it weren’t for Katsuki and his parents taking me in! You should be thankful to them that I’m here talking to you, because I-“ you don’t elaborate, it’s not safe.

Dont revisit that time; You don’t want to remember those terrible thoughts that plagued you while being stuck, alone in that house. The whispers, voices telling you to do horrible things, how convincing it was that no one would miss you if you did them. The repeated ping of your phone is the furthest thing from your mind as you start in on her again; “Don’t you fucking dare try to tell me Im not better off now than I was before! I have a family now, I have a home, people want me around, and they don’t make me feel like I’m some outsider or failure! I’ve never felt as good about myself as I do now!”.

“It’s not normal y/n, can’t you see that?! Something weird is going on! How can you just forgive everything he did to you before?! Everything he did was unforgivable and you just up and forgot about all that? He violated-“

“Shut your fucking mouth, say one more thing about him and you’ll regret it”

Mina felt like she should intervene here, she’d never seen you this worked up before, let alone this angry. She’d completely forgotten to keep an eye on her phone, which lay discarded on the bed. If she had she would of seen that the boys were on their way back now.

“Slow down man, where’s the fire?” Kirishima calls after his fast walking friend. “Y/n’s not replying to my texts, something’s wrong, she always replies to me right away” Katsuki explains once Kirishima falls into step beside him. “Maybe she fell asleep or something? Or maybe she left her phone in her room?” Despite the attempts of calming him down, Katsuki brushes him off.

Once the two boys are inside the elevator Kirishima really takes a good look at his friend. He’s breathing heavily, his eyes are narrowed and nostrils flared, sparks emit at random intervals from his shaking hands.

“Hey Bakugou…Maybe you should calm down a little before you see her, she’s gonna get scared if you approach her acting like this” Kirishima says nervously. As soon as the doors slide open Katsuki’s already hurrying down the hall and that’s when both of them hear unintelligible shouting.

“Isn’t that-“

“Y/n”

That is the first time he’s ever seen Bakugou look worried, even if it was only for a fleeting second.

“You guys just calm down, you used to be best friends!” Mina says as she stands between you and y/bf/n.

You feel like everything around you has just descended into chaos, you don’t know what to do. It’s like you’re being backed into a corner. You can’t even hear the other’s voices over your own chaotic thoughts.

“Just stop! Please just stop” you cry, hands covering your ears “Leave me alone! I don’t wanna hear anymore!”.

The other two girls look completely baffled by your sudden change in behavior. One second you were furious and snarling, the next you look like you’re about to fall apart at the seams.

“Y/n…I’m s-“ y/bf/n starts to apologize and reach out to you, but is cut off when the door to Mina’s room flys open and an angry voice shouts “What in the fuck is going on in here?!”.

Katsuki looks from Mina, to y/bf/n, and then he sees you, sitting on the floor with your hands over your ears.

You look up at him and tears start to spill down your face, “Suki” you reach for him with grabby hands. He’s quick to pick you up, much to your relief, “You okay princess?”. You nod before hiding your face in his shirt “Lets go, C’mon”.

Carrying you out of the room he gives the girls a death glare, he is beyond furious and wants to rage at them for however they’d hurt you.

However; You need all his attention right now. He doesn’t fight the smirk on his face as he starts walking down the hallway. You cling to him like he’s your life line, mumbling soft thanks for coming to your rescue, and how much you needed him. You have become such a good girl in record time; It makes Katsuki proud to know that you still rejected to accept apologies from that girl who’s already convinced you to leave him once. You refused to hear a bad word spoken about him at all.

Handing you the key to his room you open the door and after entering he kicks it shut.

Moving towards the bed he sets you down, “Gonna take a shower princess, then I’ll come lay-“

“No! Please don’t leave me alone”

“I’ll just be right there in the bathroom baby I’m not leaving you”

“Can I take a shower with you then? Please?”

Suprised but absolutely pleased with your request he picks you up again. Setting you on the bathroom counter as he turns the lights on. Starting the water, Katsuki takes off his sweaty clothes and tosses them in a pile on the floor. He then checks the water temperature and deeming it perfect he turns towards you and his mouth falls open in suprise. There you are sitting on the counter, kicking your legs back and forth, completely naked and slightly shivering as you cover yourself with your hands. He understands your trepidation, he has to let you know you’re wanted.

“Coming?” extending his hand for you to take the invitation. This perks you up right away and you smile at him through your sniffles. Under the warm spray of the shower you cling to him again, savoring the moment of peace after spiraling out of control.

“You okay?” Katsuki asks, tilting your head up to make you look at him.

“Only because of you…Always because of you” you whispered, standing on your tip toes to kiss him “I love you”.

“You too…You Gonna tell me what all that was about earlier?” He doesn’t like being kept in the dark when it comes to you, he has to know, needs to know.

“I know Mina meant well, but things got out of hand…She invited y/bf/n to come out with the girls to Karoke, and Im assuming she was told how much y/bf/n missed having me around and made it sound like some petty, small time argument, was why we stopped being friends…Not the real reason; That she’s a liar that almost cost me to lose you, that convinced me to hurt you and believe you were bad for me”.

You shook with rage even now, you only remember Katsuki saving you and treating you with adoration and kindness…He never did anything bad to you. Sure he’s gotten onto you…but only to make you a better person, a better lover for him. Everything he’s done for you has always been for the best.

You don’t even see it, do you?!

That sudden shout made you jump, what the fuck was that?!

“Babe? What’s wrong??” Katsuki asks in concern.

He didn’t hear it…

“Just felt a little bit of a chill that’s all”

He turns the temperature up a little higher on the taps and then the two of you take turns soaping each other up.

“That girl is delusional, I’m glad you can fully see it now…You don’t need people like that in your life” rubbing the soap down the valley between your breasts as he continues, “People are always going to be jealous of us, because they want what we have and they know they’ll never get it”.

You moan softly as he squeezes your breasts, enjoying the feel of their weight on his palms, “So perfect…”.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with me being a cry baby so often…I’m sure it’s getting tiresome” you mumble, using your wet hair to hide your eyes from view. The depressive actions don’t go unnoticed by the ruby eyes constantly surveying your every move,

“You’re my girl, you mean the world to me, idiot…So what if you cry sometimes? Even if you completely break down, shatter into thousands of pieces, I’ll be there to pick ‘em up and rebuild you”. Katsuki doesn’t have to tilt your head up, you do it yourself this time and it warms his heart. Incapable of shutting up he prattles on; “I blew apart every obstacle in my way, I chased after you, I fought for you, and I won you over, you’re my prize for being a winner in life…”.

“How can someone that swears he’s terrible with words constantly make me weak in the knees?” You ask, batting your big beautiful eyes as you get lost in his. “What can I say? My girl brings out the best in me” Katsuki smirks back at you. “I Wanna be the best for you Suki, wanna be perfect, so you’ll never leave me alone…” you really mean it.

“You will be, I’ll see to that angel” you two seal this promise with a kiss.

Kirishima was absolutely floored by the entirety of this situation. He’d stayed behind when Katsuki took you away earlier, he would have been more of a hindrance than a help in that instance.

So he listened as Mina went over what had led up to the blow up that happened between you and your once best friend.

Once she was finished, the normally cheerful red head made it a point to wrap an arm around her shoulders and comfort the remorseful pinkette, “Kiri…I think that you need to know some things, they’re going to be difficult for you to hear but you still need to know…”. Kirishima looks confused when Mina looks at y/bf/n as she speaks, and giving an affirmative nod once she’s done.

So y/bf/n proceeded to once again relay all the awful memories, speculations, and accusations she’d first shared with Mina at the Karoke bar. Kirishima felt a heavy weight settle in his stomach, and he was ashamed to admit that he was torn on how he should feel about all this.

It took a lot of effort to befriend the explosive blonde, and to hear that his best friend was a monster in the worse kind of way…Just doesn’t sit well with him. So he was polite while listening to the girl speak her piece and even offered to walk her back to the general studies dorms.

Always the gentleman.

Y/bf/n refuses the offer, claiming she’s caused them enough trouble for one day and thanks Mina for trying to help repair the destroyed friendship. After any more small talk would have become awkward, she bid them good night and accepted a hug from both soon to be heroes.

“So what happens now?” Mina asks, looking utterly lost for the first time.

“I think we need to just put all of this aside until it can be proven, I’m not willing to destroy my friendship over someone else’s possibly baseless accusations, where’s the proof? What if this is all just a big misunderstanding?” Kirishima’s voice has a spiteful bite to it, a serious difference from his usually happy go lucky attitude.

“I think I agree…” Mina comes to sit on the floor beside him once more, laying her head on his sturdy shoulder as her eyes well up with tears.

After that nice hot shower, and bouncing you off his dick for a couple hours, Katsuki finally put you to sleep.

The sound of your even breathing was comforting to him; He’d gotten so used to you sleeping beside him at home (Even though he spent many nights laying awake to stare at you). That first night back in the dorms when he’d went to bed without you, he didn’t sleep a wink. That’s why you go to bed at the same time he does every night now. At least it’s not difficult to sneak you into his room, or him into your’s.

Brushing your hair out of your face, he marveled at this angelic radiance your skin seemed to produce in the dim glow of the moonlight peeking through his curtains. Katsuki won’t lose you again, you were everything to him. That’s why he’d been relentlessly beaten himself up since you’d fallen asleep; He’d failed you today.

You depend on him so much now…

You shouldn’t have been alone in the first place, he all but threw you to the wolves. Seeing you sobbing on Mina’s floor; Looking so small, so vunerable, in front of anyone other than him. About to break, and in turn destroy all the progress he’s made with you, all because of that bitch….Couldn’t she just give up already?

He’d been so happy you dropped her, then seeing the two of you even occupying the same space, breathing the same air earlier…It did more than infuriate him. Although, the way you’d reached out to Katsuki and let him sweep you up into his arms, had him feeling smug.

You can’t get rid of me, she’s all mine now.

He knew y/bf/n got the message loud and clear, he didn’t need to vocalize it.

If the girl thought she had a chance to be apart of your life again, she was sorely mistaken. Then he remembered something else you’d said earlier;

“She said my mom is worried about me”.

Your family hadn’t even crossed his mind lately, as far as he was concerned those people were nothing to you. You were a Bakugou now, not a L/N! Well legally you weren’t…but as soon as you both were adults, you would be Y/N Bakugou, wife of the #1 hero Ground Zero! “I think it’s got a real nice ring to it” he whispers, caressing your cheek “Don’t you agree, princess?”. You unconsciously lean into his touch, a breathy sigh follows the adorable action. “Just a few more adjustments need to be made, and once you break entirely…Then I’ll be able to build you back up into my perfect companion, the greatest prize for the greatest hero” he kisses your forehead before carefully getting out of bed.

Looking at his phone it reads “10:15 pm”, surely the old hag would still be awake…Ensuring the door is locked behind him he walks down the hallway.

Putting his phone to his ear he waits until the familiar “The hell do you want now, you know what time it is!!?” Sounds in his ear.

Ignoring the less than polite greeting, Katsuki gives his mother a condensed version of what happened to you earlier that day, before getting to what’s actually worrying him;

“That stupid girl told y/n her mom had called saying she’s been worried about her…”.

Mitsuki quietly shuts the door to the bedroom, ensuring she doesn’t interrupt Masaru’s peaceful slumber. Now that she was downstairs she audibly scoffs; “Oh she’s worried about her daughter now? Not when she had abandoned her for three months?!”. Hearing her sons shaken tone, riddled with uncertainty, agitated her inner “Momma bear”.

“Mom, what if they try and make her go back with them? We can’t let that happen, she needs to stay with us, with me, we’re her real family, not those assholes!”.

“Don’t worry, that’s not going to happen son…Y/N isn’t going anywhere, I promise” hearing his mother sound so self assured did manage to put his anxieties at ease.

The room is pitch black when you wake, emitting a quiet whimper. You roll towards where you expect to find the warm body beside you, but finding only a cold, empty, space. “Suki?”

No response. Where could he have gone? You curl up beneath his blankets, trying to remain calm. It would be embarrassing for him to come back to find you losing your mind in the dark…He took such good care of you today, didn’t he? He always does.

You feel bad for how you reacted towards y/bf/n, and Mina; Both girls had just wanted what’s best for you, and you totally freaked out on them…

After deciding you were going to apologize to both of them, you’d grabbed your phone from the night stand. you create a group message adding both of them to it and typing:

I just want to say that I’m really sorry about today…I’ve been through a lot recently. Once I get overwhelmed, I shut down and I know it was probably frightening to witness. I’m okay now though and um hopefully each of you will forgive me for my behavior.

You sent the message, silenced alerts and set your phone face down on the nightstand. Both of them would definitely understand, you were just having a hard time, that’s all.

Not long had passed when you heard the click of the door unlocking, it opens quietly, and closes silently. You hear the lock set, and a few seconds later the mattress on your side dips. Katsuki joins you in bed again and you eagerly snuggle up to him, hands immediately caressing his skin and eagerly grabbing at his muscular biceps.

“M’sorry baby, you been up for long?”

He wraps you up in his arms before laying back on his pillow, despite having your own, you come to lay under his chin on the same one, “No, just a few minutes”. You don’t need to tell him you were scared, or how much you hate waking up to find him gone.

“Tomorrow after class lets out, me and shitty hair are gonna hit the weight room again since we only got an hour in today” you wonder why he’s telling you this now, as his hand begins to rub your lower back “You’re gonna come with us, you don’t have to lift if you don’t want to, but I’m not leaving you alone again…Today, it was my fault you got cornered like that…It’s not happening again”.

Thinking back on the thirty or fourty minutes you’d sat by yourself earlier today had you agreeing to his order happily, “Sounds good”.

After one more good night kiss, you both relaxed and got some much needed rest.

A/N: You guys like the new banner? I feel like it needs more done to it, but I couldn’t keep putting off this update all for the sake of my perfectionist attitude towards customizing “cover art” so to speak. Chapter ten is going to be about as long as this one, it’s almost done…I think.

❤️‍🔥

[fific7]

Evil Twins - Part 1

Billy Russo & Aleksander Morozova x Reader

Summary: When two worlds which have already collided then collide with yours - that’s an explosive situation.

A/N: This does not follow canon, it’s mainly a mix of fluff and angst with quite a lot of lemon zest 🍋 My Fantasy Punisher/Shadow and Bone crossover AU.

Warnings: 18+ NSFW due to sexual content including oral and unprotected* sex between consenting adults. Some drinking & swearing.

*Irl, please don’t go wild in the country without protection.

(My photo edit)

New York City

Billy Russo awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed and grabbing for his Glock. What the hell? Thunder was rumbling loudly overhead and he sighed, putting the gun back under his pillow and laying his head back down. It was probably the bright flash of the lightning followed by the beginning of the thunderclap that had awakened him.

He was just closing his eyes again when he spotted something, only vaguely visible in the dim light from outside, in the corner of his room. It was…. swirling?

Grabbing his gun again, he sat up and pointed the Glock at the corner. It was getting bigger. “You’ve got two seconds to show yourself before I blow your fucking head off,” he announced, calmly.

He squinted a bit to get a better look but it didn’t make much difference. What the fuck was it?! Smoke? He decided he had no choice and leant over, switching on the wall-mounted bedside light.

The… smoke cloud?… was still increasing, becoming bigger and blacker with every second. Then he saw the vaguest silhouette of a tall figure within it, moving towards him. He leapt out of bed, on the far side of it so it was between him and whatever the fuck this was.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Aleksander Morozova - or General Kirigan, the Darkling, the Black Heretic, the Starless Saint, whichever of his many names he decided to call himself at any given point in time - could see a tall figure brandishing some kind of strange gun at him as he began to emerge from the swirling shadows.

Following certain unfortunate incidents - including a huge and furious argument with his darling mother - he’d decided it would be politic to get out of Ravka for a while, much as he didn’t really want to. But this wasn’t where he should’ve ended up. What was this place?

He emerged completely from the shadows and immediately felt something bounce off his kefta. He heard a ‘ding’ and looked down at the wooden floor at his feet. A bullet.

Looking quickly back up, he saw that the man opposite him was glaring at him, eyes wide and unbelieving, gun still pointing at him. He also realised that looking at this man was like looking in a mirror.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Billy was dumbfounded. He’d just shot the fucker! And the bullet had bounced off him. Fuck. He threw the gun down onto the bed and slid his hand under his other pillow, pulling out his Ka-Bar. No way he’d get past that.

He took a moment to have a good look at the dude opposite him.

Dressed in riding boots and some kinda long black tunic thing, with a black fur-collared full-length cape over it. What a freak! Was he a goth or something? But then he realised something even freakier…. this guy looked exactly like him.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

The two of them were still contemplating each other, when finally Billy spoke. “Who are you? And what are you?”

Aleksander laughed. “Usually it’s me asking those questions.” Billy huffed, “You’re in my fuckin’ apartment, so just answer them!” He saw the guy draw himself up, and he said, “I am Aleksander Morozova, also known as General Kirigan, commander of the Second Army of the Grisha.”

“Means fuck all to me,” grunted Billy. “One name not enough for you? And why do you look like me? Are you some kinda shapeshifter or somethin’?”

“I have many names because I am centuries old. And I don’t know what a… shapeshifter?…is,” said the other, “…but I am the Shadow Summoner. And who are you? Where is this?” he waved a hand round at the apartment.

Billy scoffed, “Centuries old?!! Oh fuck off. You’re the same age as me by the looks of ya! I’m Billy Russo, ex-US Marine Lieutenant and now CEO of Anvil. That’s a security company, mainly staffed by ex-military vets. And this….” he also waved his hand around, “…is my penthouse apartment in New York City.”

Aleksander shook his head, “I have never heard of that place.”

Billy eye-rolled, “How can you not have heard of New York?!” he asked, incredulously. “And what the fuck is a Shadow Summoner?”

“It’s becoming obvious we are from two different worlds. I seem to have been diverted from my intended course, I don’t know why,” shrugged Aleksander. “Well maybe it’s time you took off to wherever it is you were headed for in the first place,” said Billy.

“It seems that I have been brought here for some specific reason,” replied Aleksander, “and it also seems I cannot leave for the moment, I have already tried.” He waved both hands around, firstly extending and then curling up his fingers, watching them closely as he did but it was clear that nothing at all was happening. “You see? Nothing. It is worrying to me. My shadows are no longer obeying my commands at present.”

Billy sighed and perched on the edge of his bed, “Great! Just fuckin’ great! This is just…! So when can you leave?” The other man spread out his arms, “I have no idea.”

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

Way across the Atlantic, you were already hard at work in your little bookstore in Appledore, Devon. You had a snug apartment above the store and had filled it with lots of your favourite things. It was a cute little coastal town and you loved living there. The community was small and friendly especially in the winter months, only increasing in summer with all the tourists who came to stay. As long as you made a decent living during the holiday season - which you normally did - then winter was a much calmer, chilled time of year.

You added a final book to the new display in the centre of your store and stepped back to take in how it was looking. Yeah, not bad if you did say so yourself. It was comprised of a fantasy trilogy for young adults about some ancient guy who could summon up shadows, and was a bit of a villain from what you could tell from the story synopsis on the book covers.

Not your cup of tea, to be honest. Generally speaking, all types of action stories were more your thing - something with a bit of ‘va-va-voom’. In fact, you were looking forward to tonight when you’d decided you were going to sit down with a nice tub of ice cream and rewatch one of your favourite series. The one with a relentless avenging ex-Marine whose family had been killed and his psycho ex-Marines buddy. Who happened to be rather hot to your mind.

You sighed a little, heading back behind the counter. That was the only thing about Appledore. It was a lovely place, but there was a distinct lack of hot guys.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

Billy and Aleksander were sitting on separate sofas in Billy’s living area, eyeing each other warily. Aleksander had been trying to explain to Billy all about his world, the Grisha, the Fold, volcras, Ravka, the Sun Summoner, sand skiffs - as much as he could.

It had blown Billy’s mind, to be honest. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. In turn, he’d explained all about his military career and the shitshow which had eventually developed once he’d come back to New York. Aleksander looked as equally confused as Billy.

Billy sighed, “I mean, what the hell are you gonna do? You don’t belong here. I need to go to work in a couple of hours. I’m not leaving you here so I’d need to take you to Anvil with me, and you sure as hell can’t go out looking like that.”

Aleksander looked down at his kefta which he’d unbuttoned. His cape was draped over the back of the sofa. “What is wrong with the way I look?” he huffed. “S’pose I could always say you were going to a Comic Con,” muttered Billy. “A what?” “A Comic Con. it’s where fans of fantasy comics go to have fun. They dress up as their favourite characters sometimes. I could always say it was cosplay.”

Aleksander shook his head, “I still don’t understand what you’re talking about. Are you saying I’d look out of place in my uniform? All the Grisha wear these,” he pointed at his kefta. “Not what we wear here,” said Billy, “…and I still don’t get why you look so much like me.”

“I have no idea!” said Aleksander, through gritted teeth, “I told you that already!” “Alright, alright! Calm down.” “I AM CALM!!!” roared the other man.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

Slightly later that morning, Billy was showered, suited and booted and ready for work. He’d persuaded his uninvited visitor to put on a borrowed leather jacket of Billy’s over his kefta as Aleksander refused to take it off. He’d also made him put on a pair of black trainers, which he’d done very reluctantly. These two items had instantly transformed the freaky-looking guy into someone at least a little more acceptable to your average New Yorker.

Aleksander was wriggling around in the jacket, “It’s not very comfortable.” Billy heaved yet another large sigh - he felt like this was all he’d been doing this morning - “Look, just wear it! You’ll get used to it.” He noticed the other guy sniffing at the collar of the jacket, then his eyes lifted to Billy’s, “You wear perfume?!” “Men’s cologne,” snapped Billy, “or aftershave, as it’s also known because - guess what! - you use it after you’ve shaved!”

His fingers stroking his chin, Aleksander nodded, “Okay, that I understand. We do not use this perfume in Ravka.” “Cologne!” yelled Billy. “Fine, cologne then. Why don’t you like it when I call it perfume? That’s what it is, after all.” “Women wear perfume. Men wear cologne. Okay? Now c’mon, I’m gonna be late.”

Billy strode over to his front door and tried to open it. The handle wouldn’t budge. He shook it, rattled it, pulled the door handle back and forward, exerting more and more strength but nothing worked. He stood back from the door. “It won’t open,” he said, rather unnecessarily. He looked at Aleksander, “Is this you? Or something to do with you?” “No!” he protested, “I have nothing to do with this.”

A somewhat raspy female voice spoke from behind them, “No, but I do.”

The two men swung round, both gaping as they saw that there were what could only be described as rippling waves distorting the whole interior of Billy’s flat. The light had also diminished quite drastically and then they both saw a woman’s head and shoulders start to become defined and then fully visible in amongst the ripples. She seemed to float there at head height but she obviously wasn’t physically present.

“Mother!” exclaimed Aleksander.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

You snuggled down amongst the soft cushions on your sofa, tub of ice cream and spoon in hand and scrolled to the series you were looking for. It was quite gory in places but you loved it - except for the bit right at the end where the hot dude got killed. That made you sad although you couldn’t deny he definitely had psychopathic tendencies.

As you were looking for the one you wanted to watch, another series caught your eye in the ‘Suggested for You’ section. Hey, it must be based on that trilogy of books you had in the store right now. Maybe you’d give it a try after you’d finished your current one.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

New York City

“Mother?” echoed Billy, “….what’s going on here?!”

The woman’s head swivelled towards him then back to Aleksander. “My two boys, together again. How sweet.”

“What!?” said the two men in tandem. She gave a bitter laugh, “How I managed to produce two such problematic children, I’ll never know.” “What are you talking about, Baghra?” ground out Aleksander. Billy was just standing there, dumbfounded and looking between the two of them when suddenly her glare focussed in on him.

“Maxim.” Billy returned her stare, “I’m Billy!” he corrected her. She shook her head, “You will forever be Maxim to me. And as I’m your mother, do not argue with me. Now…. no doubt Aleksander has been making a great fuss about how he’s many centuries old, has he?” “He did mention it,” said Billy, begrudgingly. She nodded, “I thought he might have. Listen to me, both of you. You are twins, so obviously you were born within minutes of each other. To me.” The two men exchanged glances, before looking back at her. “It became obvious to me that Aleksander - from a relatively early age - was going to cause himself and everyone around him nothing but trouble and strife, so I took a radical step.” “What did you do, Baghra?” questioned Aleksander.

“If you’d have patience, I’m trying to tell you!” she snapped, before continuing, “I got one of the few Heartrenders in existence at that time to take Maxim out of Ravka to a secret location. There, he placed him in long-term suspended animation. When you…” she pointed an accusatory finger at Aleksander, “….started all that nonsense with the Sun Summoner and hunting for the stag, I travelled with another Heartrender to where Maxim was, and brought him out of his enforced hibernation. I had to protect him as there was no guarantee you’d survive, Aleksander.” She stared at his scowling face and carried on speaking.

“He had no memories remaining of his past life and so I took him into the forest, there is a portal there which only I know of. There used to be more knew about it but I am the only one left now. Other universes can be reached through it. And I decided to send Maxim to another one. This one. It was only three months ago in Ravkan time, but in this universe more than thirty years have passed.”

“Wait… what?!” Billy was pissed. “You… you just threw me into some portal and walked away? Not knowing where I would end up?” “I had to save one of my sons!” she spat out, “…the other one had lost his mind and was on a collision course with disaster!” Billy put his head in his hands, before looking up again and raging at her, “I was abandoned for a second time by the woman I thought was my mother in this universe! She was a drug user, a total mess! I was placed in an orphanage… it was terrible!” He saw a remorseful look pass over her face for a split second, “I am sorry, Maxim! But I had no choice. Then I had to step in again when he…” pointing again at Aleksander, “….was nearly killed by volcras. I managed to get him to the portal before he fully regained consciousness. He thinks it was his idea to leave Ravka after we had an argument, but I managed to plant that idea in his mind before I pushed him into the portal.”

Billy and Aleksander both snorted in unison, then glanced at each other again. Billy looked back at her, “You’re sorry? That doesn’t quite cover it. I went to war! And now I’m in a very bad situation due to things which went down in Afghanistan during that war.” Aleksander chipped in, “And how dare you make a decision like sending me to another universe without consulting me first?”

The sigh Baghra gave echoed round the apartment. “You are a pair of ungrateful whelps! And now it sounds like I have to get you of trouble too!” She pointed at Billy this time. “I firstly had to find some very old documents about it, but I managed to find out how to enter the limbo section of the portal, which this is, because I wished to speak to both of you before I sent you on your next journey.” She lifted her hands and swirled them around in a kind of ritualistic fashion, “Be on your way to the next universe!” she chanted, and suddenly the rippling got even more pronounced.

Billy and Aleksander began feeling overwhelmingly dizzy, feeling as if they were falling but in fact realised they seemed to be rushing through time and space.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

Devon, UK

It was Saturday tomorrow so because you could sleep in a bit as you opened later, you finished the first series (but not the second one - it always upset you) of the one you’d originally been watching, and had then moved on to the one based on the trilogy.

You peered more closely at your TV screen - yeah! you were right, the hot bad guy looked so similar to the hot bad dude in the other series they could be twins! Was it the same actor? You’d need to check on the credits but it must be, surely.

No reflection on the series you were watching, but having finished your ice cream you dozed off during episode 6.

You woke up - you had no idea how much later - and as you sat up slightly, realised that you were feeling very strange. Standing up from the sofa, you were so dizzy that you collapsed back down onto it. You tried not to panic, but you’d no clue as to why you felt so unwell all of a sudden.

Then you noticed that your apartment appeared to be rippling. Rippling??!! What the…. The rippling waves began to die down a little and you were suddenly aware of two looming figures standing over you. Their outlines and features slowly became more defined, more solid, and eventually you realised you were looking up at both the hot bad dudes from the TV.

Of course you were.

Okay, your reeling mind said to you, maybe the celestial Powers That Be had been listening when you were complaining about the lack of hot guys in your town.

They were both looking down at you, clear interest in their eyes. Maybe because you were wearing silky shorts with matching tank T. Your sleepwear didn’t leave too much to the imagination.

So you stared at them, and they stared right back at you, although again you were acutely aware of two sets of very dark eyes roaming all over your body.

You wondered if someone had spiked your ice cream.

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

»»————————————-———-　⚜　———————————-————-««

[lovelyyy-luna]

halloween night

pairing: (fezco x fem!reader)

fandom: euphoria

type: fluff

warning: mentions drug drop off’s and having a joint

word count: 1277

date: march 22, 2021

masterlist

Halloween was always such a fun time when you were younger, but since you weren’t a child you wanted to actually do things that normal people your age do around this time of year.

You got together with your friends and dressed up ready to party.

“Come on Y/N, you would look so hot in this,” Kat whined.

“I'm not sure Kat this doesn’t really feel like me.”

“Ugh, that’s the point of Halloween, Y/N. You aren’t supposed to be yourself, you’re supposed to be what you secretly want to be.”

“Um, I don't think I secretly want to be little red riding hood.”

“Hello you are going to be SEXY little red riding hood,” she laughs and then you start to relax and laugh along with her.

You finish getting ready and your group heads out to the party.

Walking down the sidewalk you felt a wave of nostalgia seeing all the little kids all giddy and probably high off sugar.

You reach the house and you go in. the music thumps throughout the house and you can feel the bass in your chest.

You get two drinks in you and you decide to go out for some fresh air. The cool air nipped at your face and sent chills down your arms. You lean against the house trying to keep warm.

Then a familiar face comes from the side of the house. Fez.

“Hey, Y/N. Why aren’t you in the party?”

“Got a little rowdy in there for me. Why aren’t you in the party?”

“Oh, I’m just here for business. Halloween is one of my busy days.”

“Oh, I bet. Why didn’t you dress up? It’s Halloween!” you chuckle.

“What are you talking about? I'm dressed as a drug dealer.” he laughed and had a half-lit joint and handed it to you. You inhaled and held it for a few and then exhaled while rolling your eyes.

“So uh, do you want to get out of here? I have a few more drops to do, but maybe we can go back to the shop and watch a scary movie?” he asked.

“Really? I mean yeah I’d love that. Let me just let the girls know.” you left to find your friends.

You only found Maddy, “Hey girl! Isn’t this party awesome so many cute guys right?”

You can tells she was drinking, “im leaving w-”

“What? No, you can't go! I met some guys and they think you’re really cute.” she says poking your chest.

“Thanks, Maddy but I'm going to hang out with Fez.”

“Ooh really? Well, have fun! Try not to get pregnant!.”

You playfully shove her and go back outside.

You find Fez on his phone and you stand in front of him, “ready to go?”

He shut his phone off and nodded his head and walked to his car while you followed.

You got in the car and he grabbed his bag full of product to double-check he had everything for the next drop.

The car ride was mostly quiet. The only sound was the radio on low and since you were driving in a residential area you were going slow and can hear the sound of the kids still out trick or treating.

He finished the last two drops and you headed to the shop. He unlocked the door and both of you headed inside. Ash was nowhere in sight. But you found him in the back of the shop passed out with candy wrappers surrounding him. Even though he was in the dealing business he was still a kid.

Fez put a blanket around him and then headed back to the front of the shop. “Do you want anything?” he asked.

“Um sure.” you look around and grab a bag of skittles. You and him sit behind the counter and he pulls out his laptop and pulls up Netflix and puts on a scary movie.

The shop was a little cold and you scoot a little closer to Fez resting your head on his shoulder but he didn’t mind.

The movie was getting kinda creepy and some scenes caused you to jump and Fez laughed at you. “Do you want me to put something else on?”

“No, I like this movie.”

Both of you finish the movie and he gets a call on this phone and he heads to the back to take the call.

You sit there waiting for him to come back. He comes back out and is very annoyed.

“Everything okay Fez?”

He sits back next to you. “No Mouse needs me to do six more drops next week but I don't have enough product.”

“Can you tell him that?”

“Only if I want to get beat up or some shit.”

You chuckle, “Fez you always figure it out in the end.”

His head dropped down and was cradled in one hand and you grab his other hand trying to soothe him.

“Sorry for bringing down the mood.”

“You didn’t Fez. um, how about we go for a walk so you can clear your head?”

He nods and you both walk to the door and he locks it behind him.

The air was still cool and it was nice out. There was still a chill and you got goosebumps. Fez noticed and took his jacket off and told you to put it on. You didn’t want to argue with him so you do what he said.

The walk was quiet and then interrupted by Fez stammering to ask you a question, “Uh, um Y/N, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“What did you think of today?”

You looked at him confused. “Like what do you consider what we did today? Okay, let me start over. Us hanging out, do you consider it a date?”

Your face started to burn up, “um well let me see if it hit all my dating criteria. Was it just us most of the night? Yes. Did we have good food? Skittles are always a good call. Did I have fun tonight?”

You stop in your tracks and he does as well and he stood in front of you. You can see the fog of his breath.

“Yes, I had a lot of fun tonight.”

He smiles and goes in to kiss you. But just like any cheesy typical romantic moment, your phone starts to ring.

You both sigh and you answer it. It was Jules, she didn’t know how to handle all the girls completely plastered. You tell her that you’ll be right over.

“Im sorry. Do you think you can drop me off at Kats?”

He nods and you walk back to the car.

In the car you listen to whatever was on the radio, quietly singing along to it. You were lost in the song not noticing Fez looking at you every couple of seconds smiling.

You pulled up to Kat's house and just sat in the car. You didn’t want to leave, you wanted to finish what was almost started.

You get out of the car and walk by his side of the car. Through the window, he grabbed your hand. “Y/N?”

You bend down to the window, “yeah Fez?”

He pulled you in close and kissed you deeply. His hand slipped through your hair.

“Y/N! Hurry up! They are acting up!” Jules hissed at you.

You both laugh and part ways.

“Hey Y/N! When you are done babysitting your friends I’ll come pick you up for a second date.” he smiled from the car

You were flustered and nodded your head and went up to Kat's room.

♡please like and/or reblog♡

wanna be tagged? (X)

[boowanie]

Pairing: Ceo!Wonwoo x Secretary!reader

Genre: Angst/Fluff-ish

Warning: Suggestive

W/C: 2k+

Summary: Falling in love with your boss was never on your agenda, or so you thought.

Eri’s note: I’ve been dying to write a ceo!wonwoo scenario and here she is!! aaah, i hope you beans enjoy this! I think this is my favourite of mine so far 💘

The cold rain seeped into your clothes as you padded your way back to your empty apartment. You were absolutely exhausted. Words were not enough to explain how tired you were of your boss but being broke left you with no choice but to stick around as Wonwoo’s secretary.

When you first met him, you couldn’t deny that he made your heart skip a beat with how beautiful he was. However, as soon as he opened his mouth, the image you momentarily created in your mind was shattered. He was always working you harder than your other co-workers even when the tasks weren’t even your responsibility.

You finally caught sight of your apartment building and a small sigh of relief left your lips. You were definitely drenched when you reached your apartment door, shivering as you opened your door. On a normal day, you would have slipped your shoes off at the front door but tonight was different. You went straight to the bathroom, leaving wet footsteps and drops of water along the way. The warmth of the water coming out of your shower fogged up your small bathroom as you finally discarded the wet clothes you were in.

Once you stepped into the shower, your thoughts led you back to the events that happened before you walked home.

—

Wonwoo was yelling at one of his employees yet again. You could hear him demanding for the work that he tasked her to do. You flinched as your co-worker finally snapped, yelling at him with the same tone.

“You know what, I fucking quit Jeon Wonwoo. Fuck you and fuck your stupid company! I’d rather be jobless than stay here for another day. I don’t know how y/n has managed to stay by your side for the past 5 years.”

You and the other employees turned towards the door as soon as she stepped out, visible tears tumbling down her cheeks. Some of your co-workers stood up to comfort her while some avoided her incase Wonwoo saw. You, on the other hand, were called into his office. You sighed, picking up the files he wanted you to sort out during lunch.

“Close the door,” he murmured as soon as you stepped into his office. You did as you were told and walked slowly to his table where he was leaning back against his chair with his eyes tightly shut. You carefully placed the files on his desk, not wanting to disturb your boss’ silence.

“Can you stay for awhile?” he whispered, eyes opening to stare at you. You blinked back, your eyes softening at the sight of him and the dark circles that were visible under his eyes. You nodded as you took the spare seat and pulling it over to Wonwoo’s side.

“What do you need help with, Mr. Jeon?”

“Just need you here to calm me down.” He stated, catching his lower lip between his teeth.

—

When you turned the shower off, you came to a conclusion that Jeon Wonwoo liked to confuse you. He confused you with his actions. Despite the fact that he gave you more work than anybody else in the company, he also cared about you. Wonwoo didn’t mind when you handed files to him late nor did he care whenever he saw you nodding off at your desk. Your co-workers noticed how more lenient he was on you but they never made a comment because they saw how much work Wonwoo gave you on a daily basis.

You finally sat down on your sofa, ordering some food to eat to reward yourself after Wonwoo made you stay behind again to help him with some documents he was reviewing. You remember trying to stiffle numerous yawns as you worked through some documents and you could feel the frustration building up within him.

“You know what, just go home y/n. It’s clear to me that you’d rather be sleeping,” he said, plopping the loose papers on his desk before turning towards you. Your eyes widened at the sharp gaze he threw at you and you felt your heart momentarily clench.

“Won-, Mr. Jeon, it’s past midnight. I think we both need to rest,” you stared back, watching as he ran his fingers through his hair. He leaned back against his chair, watching you with blank eyes.

“Just go.” He turned his body away from you, leaving you staring at his back that was now hunched over his wooden desk.

“Fine.”

—

Once your food delivery arrived, you took your spot on your sofa again, watching reruns of your favourite show. You sighed as your mind began wandering back to Wonwoo.

“Fuck this,” you grabbed your phone, dialing the man that was occupying your mind.

On the third ring, he finally picked up. You could hear some shuffling in the background as you asked if he had gone home. You waited for his answer as silence consumed you both.

“Can I come over?” he whispered, hearing sniffles coming from his end. Your heart clenched at the sadness evident in his voice.

“I-i’ll leave the door unlocked,” you whispered back.

—

Again, Jeon Wonwoo confused you as he began to nip at the soft skin of your neck. Your hands ran through his hair, tugging his locks softly as he continued to pepper your neck with wet kisses, sighing as he left a subtle bruise on your collarbone.

“Talk to me sweetheart,” he groaned against your neck. You moaned when he slid the straps of your bra down your shoulders, loving his gentle touches that burned agaisnt your skin. However, as he continued to leave kisses on your skin, your mind wandered back to everything that happened that day. You pulled away just before he could undo the clasp of your bra.

“W-what are we doing Wonwoo,” you breathed out, pushing his body away from you. He sighed, leaning back on your headboard. You avoided his gaze and stared at your legs that were situated on either side of his thighs.

“Don’t you like what we have y/n?” he asked, pulling your chin up with his hand.

“What exactly do you call this Wonwoo? I’m your secretary for crying out loud,” you replied with frustration.

“We can’t keep doing this. I-i can’t keep pretending like i’m not inlove with you while we’re at work,” you cried, tears sliding down your cheeks as you lightly thumped your hands against his bare chest.

“Baby,” he mumbled, taking your shivering figure into his embrace. You cried against the skin of his shoulder while he rubbed his hand on your back.

“I-i think I should quit Wonwoo,” you sniffled.

“If I stay in your company any longer, I’ll just end up breaking my own heart,” you decided, removing your self from his embrace. You wiped your tears with the back of your hands while getting off his lap.

“I think you should leave now Wonwoo, I’ll hand in my resignation letter later on.”

—

You arrived at the company early in the morning, your hands carrying folded boxes to put your things in. You heard soft mutters when you began to clear your belongings that were neatly organised on your desk.

Once you finished, you made your way towards Wonwoo’s office, gently knocking on his door to bid him your final goodbye.

“Come in.”

He looked up, pushing his metal glasses up when he saw you standing by the door. You took a deep breath before walking towards his desk, your resignation letter in hand. You placed it beside his arm before looking up at Wonwoo again.

“Thank you for the past 5 years, Mr. Jeon,” you bowed. He didn’t say anything and began working on the files that he was holding not too long ago.

“Bye Wonwoo,” you whispered, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall.

—

Four months passed by before you finally got a job at a photography studio. Before becoming Wonwoo’s secretary, you were an aspiring photographer that only studied business to please your parents. You were beyond happy when Mingyu, your boss, called you to offer you the job you applied for.

The first month and a half was hectic, shooting for different companies and artists was something you never imagined to be doing in your life time.

“Y/n, I need you to come with me to a really important photoshoot,” Mingyu chucked a popcorn at your direction. You swatted another incoming popcorn as you tried to place your camera down.

“Sure, who are we shooting for tomorrow?”

“My bestfriend and his family,” he smiled.

“Time?”

“10 in the morning,” he replied, munching on another popcorn.

“I’ll see you then,” you waved goodbye at your boss turned close friend.

—

You couldn’t believe your eyes when you entered the venue. Mingyu texted you that he would be arriving in less than 10 minutes. Your eyes landed on Wonwoo who was staring at you, shock evident on his face. You were shooting for The Jeons. Well shit, you thought. Wonwoo’s mother greeted you, leading you to a small section of the room where she told you you could place your belongings.

You thanked her, grabbing your phone to dial Kim Mingyu.

“Where the heck are you?” you panicked, looking around the room.

“Right behind you, you dumbass,” Mingyu chuckled, bumping your head with his camera bag. You glared at him as he continued to chuckle at you.

—

Throughout the whole photoshoot, your eyes tried to avoid meeting Wonwoo’s. Mingyu noticed the subtle glances that two of his friends were giving. He couldn’t help but shake his head when he finally took the last shot.

“We can call it a day, Mr and Mrs Jeon,” he politely said to Wonwoo’s parents. They both thanked you and Mingyu for your hard work while Wonwoo’s brother waved at you both with a smile before leaving with his parents. Wonwoo, on the other hand, decided to stay. You couldn’t deny how fast your heart was beating throughout the entire photoshoot.

“Thank you Mingyu and y/n,” he patted Mingyu’s back and gave you a small smile. You sligtly bowed at his direction before busying yourself with packing up. Mingyu and Wonwoo began to talk about something you didn’t understand while you tried to place your camera back into your bag.

“Hey y/n, do you need a ride back to your apartment?” Mingyu asked as you finally gathered all your belongings. You shook your head “no”, leaving both of them in the room.

“See you tomorrow, boss.”

—

It was around midnight when you heard a knock on your door. You were clad in nothing but a loose t-shirt that you were certain was Wonwoo’s and cotton shorts. You padded your way towards your door, looking through the peephole to find Wonwoo standing behind the door wearing grey sweatpants and a loose hoodie.

You opened the door, confused as to why Wonwoo showed up at your door after months of him not being here. He spoke gently, asking if he could come in to talk to you.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, sitting back down on your sofa. He followed suite, keeping a small distance between you two. He shrugged, looking at his hands. Silence consumed you both while you stared at your midnight snack that was abandoned on the coffee table.

“Again Wonwoo, what are you doing here?” you asked firmly.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you so much, sweetheart,” he sobbed into his palms. Your heart clenched at his words, reaching out to pull him into your chest.

“I’m so sorry baby. When you said that you were going to leave, I thought it was for the best. I didn’t want to break your heart any further but I realised how stupid I was. How much of a coward I was being when I continued to lead you on for years,” he breathed against your neck.

“I’m so inlove you y/n y/l/n, and I was wonderinrg if you could still forgive me and ask for another chance?” he peered up at you through his tears. You wiped them gently while he wiped your own tears that were falling down your cheeks.

“Why’d you only come back for me now?” you whispered.

“I wanted to give you the space you deserved. I-i knew you were working for Mingyu two months ago when he mentioned your name during a conversation,” he stated. He pulled away from your hug, grabbing your waist to pull you on top of his lap. You straddled him, leaning the side of your head against his chest.

“Are you willing to take me back y/n?”

“Just make sure to ask me to be yours this time around, Jeon Wonwoo.”

He grinned at your words, “I love you so much.”

[storiesforallfandoms]

talent that runs in the family ~ machine gun kelly

word count: 2128

request?: yes!

“Being rooks sister and substitute him while he recovers and slowly start to fall in love with colson”

description: she steps in to replace her brother when he is seriously injured and ends up gaining feelings for his friend

pairing: machine gun kelly x female!reader

warnings: swearing

masterlist (one, two)

“Thanks so much for doing this (Y/N),” Rook said over the phone. “I appreciate it.”

“Yeah, no problem,” I said. “But does Colson know that I’m...y’know...not a seasoned vet?”

“You’ll do fine.”

I refrained from reminding him that he didn’t actually answer my question.

After Rook’s accident left him out of commission for some time, he came to me to ask if I’d fill in for him. I jumped at the opportunity. Rook had taught me how to drum when I was young and, much like my big brother, it became a passion of mine. How could I turn down working with one of the biggest artists of the year, even if it were just for a short while?

Well, my nerves were definitely telling me I should’ve said no as I walked into soundcheck that day.

“Whatever,” I said. “I’ll call you after the soundcheck.”

“Hey, don’t be nervous. You’re gonna do great.”

I said my goodbyes and hung up. I tried not to focus on how big the venue we were playing in was as I made my way to the otherwise empty stage. I thought I was the first person to arrive until I heard someone calling my name.

“(Y/N), up here!”

I looked up to see the guys sat in a booth in the balcony. Colson was all but leaning over the railing, waving for me to join them. I had no idea how to get up there on my own, but luckily a security guard showed me the way.

The guys were eating pizza and drinking from plastic cups as if they were the ones attending the concert and not performing in it.

“Pre-show ritual,” Colson told me. “Especially when we have someone new joining the band. Sit! Have a slice!”

“Shouldn’t we be practicing?” I asked, but still sat with them. I didn’t want to completely mess up my first day.

“We have hours to practice,” one of the other guys I remembered as Slim said. “And we don’t really need to. We do this every night. A soundcheck is basically just to make sure everything is working tech wise.”

I just nodded, not wanting to point out that I hadn’t been doing this every night. I hoped that I’d have some time to figure out the songs before the shows.

Colson nudged me, bringing my attention to him. “Don’t stress. You’ll do great.”

I smiled at him, wishing I’d believe him.

After our small feast of pizza and beer in plastic glasses, we finally got to our soundcheck. I was so nervous that I kept messing up during the first song. My hands were shaking and I kept hitting the wrong drum by accident. My face was burning with embarrassment as I buried it in my hands and groaned.

Colson walked up to me, a sympathetic smile on his face.

“I’m sorry,” I sighed. “I can get this, I know I can.”

“I know you can, too,” he said. “Just take a breath, relax. We’ll try again when you’re ready. And remember, it’s just drumming. Rook says you’re great at it.”

I smiled at him and nodded. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I pictured myself back in my bedroom from my childhood, playing my drums super loud until my parents had to call out for me to keep it down.

When we started practicing again, it went off without a hitch. We did most of the setlist all the way through and did quick takes on the last few songs before our time was up.

I was proud of myself as the soundcheck came to an end. I was still nervous about performing during the actual show, but I felt confident enough in myself not to make too many noticeable mistakes when we actually had an audience that night.

I was walking to my car when I heard someone calling for me. I turned to see Colson running to catch up with me. Or rather he was taking long strides to catch up with me considering he was so tall.

“I told you you would do great!” he said, putting an arm around my shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. “It’s like drumming runs in your blood or something.”

I chuckled. “That’s what mom and dad always said too, but neither one of them can keep a beat to save their lives and no one else in our immediate family plays either.”

“You and Rook are the start of a long line of drummers then I guess.”

I shrugged in response. We both stood awkwardly for a moment. I wasn’t sure what else to say. His arm was still around my shoulder and I didn’t want to pull away and make it seem like I didn’t enjoy the contact because I definitely was not complaining about it.

I guess Colson also realized that he was still touching me, though, because he pulled his arm away and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Do you need a run to the hotel or anything?” he asked. “We have the tour bus.”

I shook my head. “I’m good, thanks. I have my car, and besides I haven’t even checked into the hotel yet so I should probably go do that.”

“Oh, yeah you definitely should. Get some rest before the show, too. It’s a lot more physically demanding when it’s an actual show, even if you’re just sitting at a drum set the entire time. I’ll see you tonight then I guess.” He turned to walk away, but paused and turned back to add, “What were you planning on wearing tonight?”

I looked at him, confused. “Uh...this I guess.”

I was wearing a hoodie and a pair baggy jeans and my most comfortable pair of sneakers.

Colson raised an eyebrow at my outfit before looking back up at me. “I mean, it’s definitely comfy, but I would recommend something a little less...well, just less. It’s going to be hot as fuck on that stage, especially with all the lights on you and shit.”

I nodded, taking note of this as I got into my car and internally panicked a little because I didn’t know if I even had anything to wear.

~~~~~~

A few hours later, after checking into my hotel room and promptly wrecking it by throwing my clothes everywhere, I was heading back down to the lobby to meet up with the guys. We were going to the show together, which would’ve been my first tour bus ride. I couldn’t lie, I was super stoked for it.

I was the last one to the lobby. All the guys were stood around, loudly talking to one another. You’d think they were just a normal group of guys and not a group about to play a sold out show in a massive arena.

Colson spotted me first. I smiled at waved at him. His eyes widened and his jaw basically dropped, which prompted all the guys to turn. Their reactions immediately matched his as they looked me up and down.

“Rook would kill you guys if he could see you right now,” I teased.

“Damn (Y/N),” Colson dared to say first. “You look...you look hot as fuck.”

I had decided on a loose muscle shirt with a bralette underneath since the shirt showed a little more than what I was used to, a pair of ripped skinny jeans, and kept on the comfortable sneakers I had been wearing earlier that day.

I giggled. “Thanks, but again, Rook would kill you for saying that. Also, it’s not anything super attractive.”

“You got a nice body,” Baze pointed out. “Anything showing it off even a little is hot.”

I could feel my face burning as I waved their comments away. “Okay, enough with this. We have a show to get to.”

We boarded the tour bus and started towards the arena. The guys were distracted amongst one another again, completely forgetting about me and my “hot outfit”. Besides Colson, who had come to sit next to me on the couch while the rest of the guys were already drinking whatever was in the mini fridge.

“Do you guys always get drunk before your shows?” I asked.

“Not always. Usually we get high,” Colson responded.

“Now that I can get behind. I’ll probably be less afraid if I’m high.”

Colson held out the joint in his hand to me. I took it and took a quick puff, the smoke immediately burning my throat and lungs as I tried to inhale it. Colson laughed as I started to cough.

“I still say you have nothing to worry about,” he told me. “You’re gonna do great tonight. You can’t even really see or hear the audience with all the lights and the inner ear pieces.”

“That’s even worse cause then I’ll just imagine how big the audience is.”

He put a hand on my leg, something I assume was just instinct for him to do to comfort someone, but the minute he made the contact I felt a jolt of electricity run through me. Colson quickly pulled his hand away and I wondered if he had felt that too.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that without asking,” he said.

“You can if you want,” I assured him. “I wasn’t mad about it or anything.”

Colson looked at me and I realized how blue his eyes were. Rook had always made jokes about how Colson could seduce any woman with just his eyes because they were such baby blues, but I didn’t really believe him until the moment I was looking in them myself. Now I was lost, completely forgetting everyone around me as I felt myself moving closer towards him.

The bus jerked to a stop, causing Colson and I to nearly be thrown from our seats. The guys started off the bus first, running towards the entrance to the arena as I could hear the waiting fans screaming outside.

Colson stood and offered a hand to me. “It’s showtime.”

~~~~~~

After the first song went perfectly, I stopped feeling nervous. Colson was right, I couldn’t see the audience in front of me, but I could faintly hear their screams of excitement over my inner ear piece. It was weird to have it in and not only hear all of us playing, but also the crew talking backstage. It was almost distracting, but it became easy to tune them out.

During one of Colson’s talking points in the show, I reached for my water bottle to take a sip. Colson was hyping the audience up, which made me smile a little.

“Before we continue the show,” he said into his mic, “you guys may have noticed that we do not have our regular drummer tonight.”

I immediately knew what he was about to do and I wanted to hurtle my drumstick at him before he went there.

“As you’ve probably heard, Rook was in a bit of an accident and is off recovering for the time being,” he continued. “So, we decided to get some family to fill in for him for the time being. Everyone, I want to hear y’all make some noise for Rook’s little sister, (Y/N)!”

The crowd cheered loudly. Colson turned to me and waved for me to stand. I glared at him, which I hoped he could see, before standing and awkwardly smiling and waving at the audience.

“All the cool drum shit you guys have been hearing all night has been (Y/N),” Colson said as he started to approach me. “She’s a bad ass fucking drummer, and she’s a pretty fucking cool chick, too.”

I was confused where he was going with this as he came to stand next to me, slinging an arm around my shoulder the way he had earlier that day after soundcheck.

“Which is why, (Y/N), I gotta ask: will you go on a date with me sometime?”

Slight embarrassment was swelling somewhere inside of me at being asked out in such a public way, but that embarrassment was overshadowed by the fuzzy feeling of excitement inside of me. I looked up at Colson, my eyes wide and a smile on my lips.

 He lowered the mic so he could privately add, “I’m being serious. I wanna take you out on a real date. Just the two of us.”

My words were stuck in my throat, but I was able to nod in response. The smile on Colson’s face stretched so wide that I could’ve been convinced he was the one lighting the show.

“Okay,” he said, then lifted the mic to say to his audience, “Let’s get back to the show guys!”

[volleychumps]

AAAAAAAAAH REQUESTS ARE OPEN 😭😂 AHEM hello!!! welcome back btw 😊 tumblr is not the same without youuu but i'd like to request a bestfriend au with tsukki, kuroo, and iwa where the reader was asked to give a love letter to them but the reader was hesitant to pass it and the boys found out about it? hehe please make it fluffy to mend my broken heart 🙏🥺

but if it's too much, don't hesitate to ignore it, love 😊

« Crossing Boundaries.

- the one in which you’re asked to pass on a love letter to your best friend, but what’s stopping you? Why does it...hurt?

format: scenarios

genre: fluff

- includes: Tsukishima, Kuroo, and Iwaizumi

WHO TF BROKE YOUR HEART take mine instead

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

Tsukishima

“So...you’ll give it to him?”

You glance at the outstretched letter in the girl’s hand, shouldering your bag with a tilt of your head. Who was this girl again? 

“Um...” 

“You’re Tsukishima-Kun’s best friend!” She blurts, startling you slightly as your eyes widen a fraction. “I...want him to go out with me. You’re just so easy to approach, Y/N-chan!” 

Jaw slacking, you watch as she deeply bows before skittering off with a bright hue to her cheeks, a hopeful glint in her eyes as you glance down at the carefully sealed letter in your hand. No doubt were her feelings sealed in the contents of this letter, it wouldn’t be a big deal to be the messenger, right?

The sudden sick feeling in your stomach was nothing, right?

“Oi. I know I said you were scatterbrained, but did you seriously not realize classes ended for the day?” 

You flinch at the feeling of Tsukishima pinching your cheek to catch your attention, staring down at you increduously as you find a wobbly grin taking place, your hands automatically opening your bag. 

“Is my amazing best friend actually offering to walk me home?” You feign shock as Tsukishima rolls his eyes.

“Who said that? Buy me snacks, get a move on.” The blonde scoffs, jutting his chin in the direction of the door before you swallow back the tightness in your throat. 

“Fine. Let’s go.” 

You zip up your bag, noting that it felt a little heavier than before. Tsukishima picks up on your silence on the walk to the convenience store, noting that you seemed a little down. He nudges your side as you stare blankly off into the onigiri aisle, tilting his head in a silent question.

“Eh? Uh, just grab whatever. I’m not even hungry.” 

“Since when?” Tsukishima retorts, easily grabbing an extra bun and your favorite canned fruit juice along with his snacks before ringing them up, leaving you behind. 

Would he do this with that girl if they started dating? 

“Ah, I thought I was buying.” 

“Get that pout off your face and eat.” Tsukishima leans against the glass windows of the convenience store, unwrapping your bun for you before shoving it in your direction. “What’s with you?” 

You scoff playfully, nibbling the soft bread. “As if you care.” 

“You’re right. I don’t.”

Tsukishima smirks into his meat bun as you glare in his direction, content with the quietness of your friendship that was built on playful insults and each other’s presence. 

Your fingers twitched as the meat bun lowered in one of your hands, the other fiddling with the zipper on your bag. 

Who were you to stop him from potential happiness? 

“Here.” 

Tsukishima glances down at the letter, brown eyes widening a little bit. 

“This from you?” 

You take a big bite out of your bun, knowing that the foreign hurt you felt in your stomach would arise again if you answered his question. 

“Is this why you were acting so weird earlier?” He prompts another question as you swallow your mouthful, examining the unopened letter. 

“You should’ve just told me, idiot.” 

It hurts to look at him. It sounds like he’s fighting to keep his amusement out of his voice. 

“I know.” You crumple your wrapper, refusing to look in his direction. The corners of your lips are forcibly turned upwards as you feel Tsukishima staring at you seriously. 

“Does this mean we can’t be friends anymore?” Your voice sounds small, and Tsukishima’s scoff made your heart fall into your stomach. 

“Well, duh.” 

You knew it. 

“People who date aren’t friends. I accept your confession, stupid. Stop looking so sad.” 

Your head snaps up, eyes widening at his words. Realization melts into your gaze as it darts from the pink tinge of hid ears to to the unopened letter. He hadn’t even read the contents of it. 

“Kei. I didn’t write that letter.” 

The silence that settles between the two of you is borderline unbearable. Tsukishima rips the letter open, eyes skimming it’s contents before his jaw clenches. 

“I see that now.” 

“Ha...sorry.” You mumble awkwardly, heat brimming your cheeks as your best friend pockets the letter, making your heart sink further. 

“Might as well accept, huh?” 

“R-really?” 

“Is she cute?” Tsukishima throws his trash away as he walks ahead of you, leaving you to trail after him as you stare at his back as you do so, nails biting into your palms. 

“Do I know her? Do you know her?” He stops walking, and you bump into his back. The tall blonde doesn’t look back at you, the colorful sky of the setting sun acting as a background for his tall figure. 

“Why were you so hesitant in giving me her letter?” 

Tsukishima’s irritation finally boils over at your continued silence, finally glancing back at you only for his brown irises to widen. One more question. Perhaps the most important one. 

“Why are you crying?” 

You hastily wipe at the tears as your best friend faces you fully, his grip on the strap of his bag loosening so his arm falls down at his side. His arm is hesitant as it raises, hand carefully cupping your face as his thumb brushes your tears to the side. 

“I-I don’t know-!” You hiccup. Why did it feel like you were losing something that was standing right in front of you? 

“Y/N.” One careful motion has Tsukishima’s hand lifting your face to meet his usually stoic eyes. 

“Do you like me?” 

“Do I?” Your response is hushed, making Tsukishima scoff, his other hand reaching out to grab your waist on the empty sidewalk. 

“Only one way to find out, dumbass.” 

His lips are on yours before you can hiccup another response, and your hand wraps around his wrist that’s cupping your face as your heart seems to finally relax. 

“So?” Tsukishima murmurs, lips still grazing yours when he pulls back slightly. 

Ah. He made the pain stop. 

“I don’t know. I think you need to do it again.” 

“You’re an idiot.” The blonde is smirking now, tugging you closer. 

“So you don’t want to?” You ask innocently as Tsukishima throws a crumpled ball of paper behind him. He looks at you in annoyance, but his eyes hold something else as he grips your chin. 

“Don’t put words in my mouth. Especially since you made a fool of me earlier.” 

“I never said it was from me!” 

“Do you want me to kiss you again, or not?” 

Kuroo

“If you would, I’d be so grateful!” 

“Ah, wait-!” 

You sigh as the unknown girl blends into the crowd at the volleyball match, making you hang your head and sigh as the sound of your name makes you perk up from within the stands. 

“Y/N-chaaaan, you’re here to see me!” 

“Lies.” 

“Hi Lev! You did so well out there!” You wave at your much taller underclassman, ignoring your best friend before yelping a little when Lev glomps you like a little kid. Your best friend’s stare from over his teammates shoulder is unamused as Kuroo grabs the back of Lev’s shirt. 

“Y/N’s here to give me a ride home. Get your own best friend, kid.” 

“You have Kenma!” 

“No he doesn’t.” Kenma pops up on your other side, and you withhold a giggle as Kuroo rolls his eyes, quite literally plucking you up from the crowding of his teammates by the waist. You sweatdrop when he flings you over his shoulder, whistling as the raven-haired captain carries you over to the exit.

“You promised you wouldn’t do this anymore.” 

“I make no such promises.” 

“Kuroo-senpai, it’s okay to be jealous!” An irritated heat fills your cheeks as Kenma and Lev get farther away, the latter offering two large thumbs up. 

“Awh, listen to your underclassman.” You tease, and Kuroo easily shuffles around in your purse to get your keys as you suddenly still. Would he find the note that his fan had given you? 

...wait. Why did you think that was a bad thing? 

“Yeah, yeah. Do you want me to drive?” 

“You could just ride home on the bus with your teammates like a normal person.” You quip as Kuroo carefully sets you down before unlocking your car, opening the door for you as you roll your eyes and get in. 

“If I did, would you still come to my games, sweetheart?” The captain’s cat-like smile was easy as he rests his forearm atop your car door, tilting his head in amusement. 

“Don’t call me that.” Heat never fails to swirl in your cheeks at Kuroo’s flirtatious nature before he snickers, closing your door before reminding you to watch out for your legs. 

“By the way, what was with the letter in your bag?” 

Your chest sinks. 

“None of your business.”  You blink, the words slipping out automatically before Kuroo shrugs, putting your car into motion. Questions flitted around your head as to why, Kuroo’s speaking of his volleyball match acting as background noise. 

“...Kitten, are you even listening to me?” 

“Yep. I love serves. Go team.” 

Kuroo smirks, keeping his eyes on the road with his forearm bent in a relaxed manner resting on top of your seat. 

“What’s going on in that pretty little head?”

“How your teammates are cuter than you.” 

“Ow.” 

You laugh, but there’s weight to it. Biting your lip, guilt swimming in your stomach for even considering not giving it to him. Hastily, you reach out to put the letter in the compartment on his dashboard. 

“What’s that?” Kuroo’s feral eyes glance at the paper before flitting back to the road, and you look out the window with a strained smile.

“Yours. A girl at the match wanted me to give it to you.” 

You wait for the cocky retort and barrage of questions as to who, but it doesn’t come. Eyebrow quirking at his silence, you glance at your best friend to see his jaw had clenched, grip on the steering wheel tightening. 

“Kuroo-?” You blink when he swerves into the next gas station, the lot mostly empty save for a few patrons buying cigarettes. You tilt your head, thoroughly confused as he stares at the paper sitting on his dashboard. 

“You said it was none of my business.” 

“And...?” you urge him to continue. “I obviously didn’t-” 

“Y/N, did you not want to give me her letter?” 

When did his tone get so serious? 

You felt like a deer in the headlights. Curse him for being so smart. 

“H-Huh? You’re overthinking things...” You force out a scoff, looking out your window again to see that the rest of the patrons had left. 

“In that case...” Kuroo mumbles as you see from his peripheral vision grab the letter. 

“Do you have to read it now?” The question tumbles from your lips before you realize it, completely oblivious to the hurt that shone over your eyes as Kuroo notices immediately. 

“I’m going to say yes.” 

Your jaw slackens before you quickly pull yourself together. What was with you? 

“Y-You don’t even know who...” Your lips were trembling as Kuroo locked eyes with you seriously, but you steadied your breathing quickly before a smile takes place. 

“I’m happy for you.” 

“Dammit, Y/N-” Kuroo’s voice was near a growl as he unbuckled his seatbelt, capturing your lips with his as his hand rests on the back of your neck, tugging you towards him. You gasp into the unexpected kiss, shocked at the fact that you liked it. 

Breathless, his chest rises as he catches his breath when he pulls back, the captain’s eyes brimmed with annoyance as you meet his gaze with a dumbfounded one. 

“I hand you all the chances in the damn world on a silver platter, and I kiss you first? In a gas station parking lot? Damn, Kenma was right. I am a wuss.” 

“W-Wha...” You blink once, then twice before Kuroo’s thumb grazes your bottom lip. 

“I’m gonna kiss you again if you don’t reply in three seconds. I’m about to internally combust.” 

A smile stretches over your lips slowly, and that’s enough for the dark-haired captain to kiss you with a fervor unknown, as if he had been holding himself back this whole time-

the folded letter laying forgotten on the dashboard. 

Iwaizumi

“This close.” You pinch your fingers together as Hanamaki and Matsukawa look down at you in amusement. “This close to beating up your captain because his stupid fangirls give me his stupid fucking confessions to give to him because the girls at our school lack the balls to do it.” 

“It can’t all be that bad.” Hanamaki muses as you hand him a certain one, the tall boy skimming the letter before his nose gushes out blood. 

“Did...did you just get a nosebleed-” 

"It’s rude to read a person’s mail!” Oikawa pipes up, snatching the letter from Hanamaki before pouting in your direction. 

“It’s okay, they’re anonymous. Gotta make sure their not death threats.” You give the captain finger guns, and he gasps in shock in response. 

“Who would want to wish death upon a face this pretty?” 

“Iwaizumi.” Hanamaki and Matsukawa’s responses are immediate, and you stifle a laugh as Oikawa immediately sulks. Your best friend was in the locker room for a post-practice shower, not present to confirm nor deny that statement. 

“Oh! Speaking of Iwa-chan, there’s a letter for him in here too.” 

Huh?

“Ah. I forgot he’s a little popular too.” Matsukawa hums, snatching the letter out of Oikawa’s pile and putting it on your face. “Here.” 

“And what do you expect me to do with this?” You swat Matsukawa’s hand away, a frown settling on your lips that doesn’t go unnoticed by Makki. 

“Ooh, is our cute little manager jealous?” 

“What are you, six?” 

“Is she getting defensive, Makki?” 

“I think she is, Matsukawa.” 

“Stop.” You groan, shooing the third years away as the pair of friends oblige, chuckling among themselves while leaving you with Oikawa. 

“Y/N...do you like Iwa-chan?” 

“We’re best friends.” 

“That didn’t answer my question.” Oikawa was oddly serious, seeming to desperately want the answer out of you as you tilt your head in confusion as he steps closer to you. 

“What-?” 

“The truth is, Iwa-chan-” 

“Oi. Are you talking about me?” 

Oikawa claps his hand over his mouth, Iwaizumi glaring at his childhood friend before shaking his head no quickly. 

“Would you look at the time!” Oikawa peers at his nonexistent watch as Iwaizumi huffs through his nose, peering down at you next as you bite the inside of your cheek. On instinct, you had hidden the letter in your hand behind your back. 

“What’s with you?” Iwaizumi questions, taking the towel slung over your shoulder to wipe at the nape of his neck. “Did that piece of shit say something weird to you?” 

“That piece of shit is our friend.” 

“Sadly.” Iwa’s response is immediate, and you giggle, making his features soften a little bit. “So did he?” 

“Is there a dirty little secret I don’t know about?” You muse, crossing your arms as Iwa’s movements to dry the back of his neck seem to still momentarily. 

“Nope.” 

“Hm. Unconvincing.” 

“What’s that behind your back?” The spiker changes the subject, and your mouth suddenly goes dry as the door sliding open steals both of your attention. Matsukawa smirked at you as Hanamaki flashed you a thumbs up as they left, Oikawa winking before taking his leave as well. 

“We should get going too.” You awkwardly sidestep away, hesitation in your movement as Iwaizumi tilts his head in thought. 

“Right, but first-” 

You yelp, Iwaizumi faster than you as he pulls you by the shoulder, your back hitting his chest comfortably as his hand easily slips the letter out of your grasp. 

“What’s this?” 

Dammit. 

“Oh um, a letter for you.”

Dammit. Dammit.

“Did you write it?” 

Why do you feel so unsettled? 

“N-No...” 

Iwaizumi blinks, opening up the letter to skim its’ contents before you try to make a quiet escape. You don’t come out victorious, Iwa easily catching your collar as mid-sentence to corrupt your plans. 

It’s quiet when he finishes reading it, and he crumples it up before shoving it in his pocket. 

“Who’s the lucky girl? Do you know her?” 

Your best friend ignores your upbeat tone, glancing at you with his hand shoved in his pocket. 

“...why were you hiding it?” 

“Hm?” 

He begins to move towards you. 

“Did you...not like me receiving a confession?” 

“What are you talking about?” You move backwards with every step he takes forward, nervously avoiding his dark eyes as your back finally hits the wall. 

“I didn’t even know it was a confession...” You ramble, and Iwa’s hand reaches out to touch the wall besides your waist, making your heart skip a beat. His stare was captivating, making your legs weak. 

Since when did your best friend have such an effect on you? 

“Iwa.” Your voice was near a whimper, making the dark-haired spiker wrap his arm around your waist, large hand resting on the small of your back. He seems uncertain with his movements, jaw clenched and forehead creased. 

“Y/N.” Your noses were brushing now. “Would you hate me if I said I wanted to ruin our friendship?”

You stare at him in disbelief, finding your head shaking the slightest bit no-

and that’s all it takes for him to close the distance. 

His large hand entangles in your hair, holding you closer to him as he kisses you deeply, yet gently. Your arms tremble as they wrap around his neck, pulling him towards you as you feel his lips softly turn upwards against yours. 

Both of your breathing is heavy when you break the moment, heart beating out of your chest. 

“Um, so what’s your answer to the confession-” 

“Shut up.” Iwaizumi rolls his eyes, smirking when you giggle into the next kiss he presses on your lips. 

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

LMAO RIP to the girls who wrote those confession letters in the first place, but they don’t exist don’t feel too guilty y’all <3

General works: @takemetovalhalla @kasandrafaye @savemesteeb @dreebbles @yams046 @let-me-have-my-own-name @deadontheinsidebut @lifeisntjustblackandwhite @curiouslilbeast @aprettyfruit @wisepandaslimeland @h0ngh0ngh0ng @lmkjimin @orangegiraffe7 @dai-tsukki-desu @kac-chowsballs @spikertrash @yamaguwuchi @lord-suneater-explosion @nekomawhore @holaaaf@babyybokutoakaashi @lexysclubhouse @disneyloving-muggle

[struggling-with-time]

The Man That Is Wilbur Soot [Wilbur Soot x reader]

Paring: c!Wilbur Soot x Gender neutral!reader

Summary: Inspired by the Song Honey Honey by ABBA aka I took the line "I'd heard about you before I wanted to know some more"

Warnings: Fluff?

Words: 3.4K

Masterlist: Wilbur’s Masterlist - Event Masterlist - Full Masterlist

A/N: This was made for my ABBA event. Check it out here! (Also requests are still open! Click here!) btw, this was supposed to be like 1k

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

You had heard about Wilbur Soot before. Everyone had heard about Wilbur Soot the President of L’Manberg. The guy who stood up to the Tyrant Dream of the SMP. And came out victorious, unlike the others whose life has been lost to the Tyrant, and their names to the passage of time.

You can’t say, he didn’t intrigue you enough, for you to set out on the dangerous journey that is crossing the SMP. Because he did. His country did. The ideals that you’ve heard about did. Everything intrigued you enough to leave your village behind and track into the world.

So that’s what you did, backpack on your shoulders, map in hand. You set into the big world, on the tracks to the dangerous country that the SMP is. You barely get out of the village before you are able to hitch a ride.

It’s a merchant that is headed for one of the villages closer to the border. It’s a bigger village than your own. The name rings a bell, maybe a traveller has mentioned it when passing by. So you hitch the ride, he tells you about his trades. He’s a merchant of fabrics, listing many places you haven’t even heard of. But there is one that catches your attention.

“You’ve been to L’Manberg?”

“Before it became independent yes.”

“Tell me about it!”

And the merchant does, for the entirety of the ride. He talks about the few people that resided there when he passed through the back then settlement. You beg him to tell each detail he can remember. And he happily provides. You take note of every you hear in your notebook. Your travel journal. Your… well diary.

He’s a good man, you note to yourself when he pulls into the bigger villages. The sun on the horizon.

You’re much further than you thought you would be on your first day.

This is going to be a good trip.

---

This is going to be a horrible trip.

You’ve been wandering for days, the closer to the border of the SMP, the fewer carts had come by, and even fewer willing to take a traveller with them.

You sigh as you watch the sun starting to set, and you are forced to make camp once more. It has been days since you last slept in a bed. To be exact 16 days. You had only managed to stay in an inn for the first night, realising your small amount of money wouldn’t get you far if you spent it all on beds.

You are reminded of the people whom you met that first night, a girl who talked about how President Soot had come by the town in his own travels to the SMP, and she had met him. No not just met him. She had spent the night with him.

And you just couldn’t help yourself, you had to quill your curiosity somehow, so you had once again asked for details, and she had provided.

The fire you get going is better than the last one. Not that the last one had ever turned into a fire. It had rained in the morning, and most of the wood you could find yesterday was still wet by the time you wanted to settle down.

But today, you had been lucky, it had been sunny all day, leading to being able to find dry sticks and a couple of pieces of logs. That you could make into a fire.

A clear stary night over your head as you turn in for the night. Hoping to get at least a couple of hours out of the fire to keep you warm. And to keep the mobs away. Knowing you still have a couple of days of wandering left before you will reach the borders of the SMP. You sigh as you jolt down the few interesting pieces of the day in your notebook.

Not that anything of importance actually happened. But maybe out there someone would read your notebook and find the fact that you saw a parrot in a birch forest be found interesting.

---

You have under half a day of walking left when a cart is willing to pick you up. Turning the hours of walking into a mere hour in the cart. You can feel yourself squirm in your seat as the silence falls upon you and the woman who picked you up.

“…So… Why are you heading to the border?”

She lets you sit in silence.

Rude much?

But… You can’t really call her rude, she was nice enough to pick you up and take you to the border. Where she very unceremoniously dropped you off, and headed off east, seemingly following the border never crossing it. She was… weird.

You instead tighten your back, and head over to the guarded tollbooth. A man looking bored out of his mind and close to sleep sits there. Not even having registered the cart that was there moments ago.

How often do people come through here?

The thought crosses your mind. You know it isn’t one of the main border entrances. You know of one that lies further west. But still, a good 2 to 3 days travel away. Besides you’re pretty sure someone told you the toll at the busy entrances is higher than the ones people rarely use.

But now that you are here and can read the price yourself. It seems the person had either lied to you, or the price at the main entrances are a lot higher than you could ever think about paying.

An idea strikes you, maybe… Just maybe… The guard will fall asleep. Just maybe. You linger on the side of the road. Seemingly interested in the plants nearby. You start jotting down stuff in your notebook. Taking note of the size of the leaves, the colour. You mumble the information to yourself.

Your eyes keep glancing over, as his head slumps down further and further.

It barely takes you a few more minutes of stalling before the guard is full-on snoring. You barely catch yourself nearly letting out a sound in victory.

Silent. Right. No noise.

You can do this. You can sneak past him. You can be silent.

You suck in a breath, as you start moving as slowly as you’ve ever done in your life. Hoping to the sky gods the slowness helps you with being silent. And it does, to some extent. But your backpack still rustles around, and the loose stones on the pathway still skirt across the dirt.

But he keeps sleeping, and before you know it, you’ve managed to sneak past him. Sneak into a country. You did it!

You decide your celebration is best celebrated far from here, and you make your way on the now stone path.

---

It takes you a couple of days before you hit your first village. You’re surprised by this. Normally there is a city around half a days’ time from most border crossings. But this is the SMP. The fact that its citizens aren’t exactly allowed to leave. Is more than public knowledge in other countries. They are under the rule of a Tyrant after all.

You figure it’s time to sleep in a real bed, you deserve it.

You head straight into the in, it’s barely past lunch, but there is a plentiful of people in there already. You stumble a bit at the sight, you had expected a couple of patrons, not a room full of people. But nonetheless, you make your way to the bar.

Conversations bustling around you, a waiter running around, and either the innkeeper themselves behind the bar, or just a barkeeper. You aren’t exactly sure. But you wave them down anyway. Maybe she can help you find the innkeeper and ask for a room.

“Well, hello there, you look exhausted.” Your shoulders sink further down at the comment. Did you really look that bad?

“I was wondering if you had a room I could rent?” you ignore the rude comment and stick to politeness.

“I figured.”

“… So um… Do you have a room free?” You try once again.

“Sorry hun, but if you hadn’t noticed we are full right now.” You completely deflate at the answer. In return, she takes pity on you. “But if you ask around over at the stables, someone might let you on as a passenger and take you to the next city. It’s half a day by cart, so you might just catch one if you’re fast.”

You beam up that answer, profusely thanking her, before running back into the street. Before realising you have no clue where the stables are.

It takes you two people, and three wrong turns to find the stables. And nobody is preparing any carts when you get there. Just a guy saddling his own horse.

Ah well, it never hurts to ask.

You approach the guy.

“Hi!”

He looks a bit confused when you stand across from him, on the other side of the horse.

“Um… good evening?”

You smile at him.

“Can I help you?” He speaks slowly.

“Ah yes! Sorry! I’m a bit out of it. I’m trying to get to the next town over.” You happily tell him.

“And you’re telling me this because…” He trails off. Leaving time for you to answer, instead, you leave him hanging. Until he coughs.

“Because…” He repeats.

“Because I was thinking, maybe you were heading that way.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“I can pay…” You try.

“Well then, why didn’t you start with that.” He looks you and your baggage up and down twice before clicking his tongue. “We can make this work. Do you know how to hold on?”

You nod, and he settles onto his horse, waiting for you to do the same. You manage to hoist yourself up and onto the horse. It doesn’t even flinch at the added weight. You’re thankful to the sky gods for that.

He rides the two of you out of town and onto the road for the next town.

“What’s someone like you this far out in the country?”

“I’m a traveller.” You tell him.

“To the border? So you could look at it and head home?” He snorts.

“No no, I’m not from the SMP, I’m just travelling through. I’m headed to L’Manberg.” He snorts once more.

“L’Manberg? That bunch of spoiled brats.”

“Spoiled brats?”

He laughs this time.

“Don’t you know?”

“Know what?”

“You truly aren’t from these parts.” He comments, and let the conversation fade out after that.

You don’t question the man, instead just pays him as the sun starts to set, and you are once again in an unfamiliar village. At this point, you barely remember the route you used to take in your home from your house to the baker.

Okay, that’s a lie, that is a route that is embedded into your mind, that you could sleepwalk it. For the sole reason that the route had you pass the library. Which was a place you spent a lot of time. Especially after finding out about the interesting man of Wilbur Soot.

Some books portrayed him as a traitor of the SMP, others the hero of the folk. But every single depiction had one thing in common. That he was an interesting enough man for people to want to write about him.

And that made you interested in him. He had started a revolution in a country that wasn’t his. You weren’t sure where he was from. None of the books in your village had mentioned that.

You head into the inn, this time, it’s bustling from evening patrons, but nowhere as lively as the one in the previous town. The reception this time has a separate table. Which you welcome happily. This means you don’t have to cross another sea of half-drunken people you don’t know.

However once again, the inn is full.

What’s going on here?

This one is even larger than the other one and seemingly has fewer patrons. But you take the rejection with a head held high. Thank them for their time, as you head into the now dark streets.

You sit now on a couple of steps, you’re tired, exhausted, and just want to sleep in a bed.

The door opens.

You nearly leave your skin in shock. You had expected the owner to be asleep. Instead, an elderly lady stands there.

“Would you look at that? It seems I have a guest.” She speaks.

“No no, I’m just passing through, I’m sorry I just needed to rest for a moment. I’m sorry. I’ll be on my way!” You ramble on as you scramble from the stone step.

“Nonsense.” She tsks at you. “Come in you poor child.”

She steps back into the house, leaving the door open.

“You coming? Close the door after you, it gets so terrible cold at night.”

You find yourself following her. Closing the door after yourself. You carefully put down your backpack as she ushers you into a seat in the kitchen. Setting a plate of hot steaming soup in front of you. You nearly drool at the sight. You can’t remember the last time you had warm food. Especially not warm homemade food.

You are quick to dig in, and she laughs warmly at you. You feel comfortable here.

“Why were you out in the street this late? That’s no safe place to be.”

You stop the spoon still in your mouth. She laughs once again, but the kind air around her never leaves. You swallow and pull out the spoon.

“I’m making my way to L’Manberg.” You tell her.

“Ah, L’Manberg. I’ve heard about that place. President Soot right?”

“Yes, yes.” You nod at her. “Wilbur Soot.”

“Ah, the Antarctic prince.”

You stop once again.

“The what?”

“The Antarctic Prince?”

You hum.

“Ah my dear, President Soot is the second born of King Philza from the Antarctic Empire.”

You stare at her; this was new information. She laughs once more. You are quick to grab your notebook and write down the new information. How had something this important not been mentioned before? This explains so much to you. And it eagers you even more to continue the trip.

The man of Wilbur Soot only seems to keep getting more and more interesting as each day passes.

The kind lady offers you a bed and a bath.

You are more than happy to receive both. Although you would never admit that to anyone that you could barely recognise yourself in the mirror. And for the second realisation that night. You understood why the innkeepers didn’t want you around.

You’ve never slept as good as you did that night during your travels.

---

You stretch as you can feel the scorching heat of the sun above you. It has been three weeks since you left the kind lady. She had asked for her son to help you move deeper into the country, so you were closer to the border you are desperately trying to reach.

You had travelled with her son for about a week, when he had to start heading more west than south, you had thanked him as much as his mother. But he had brushed you off that having a travelling partner was nice, and that you if came back through he would love to hear stories of the famous L’Manberg and its citizens.

The map you had brought seems to not be well mapped in the SMP. It wasn’t something you were unprepared for, but it did surprise you how little it truly resembled the mapping of the roads.

But a map is a map, and a destination is a destination. So you head onwards.

And onwards…

And onwards…

And onwards…

Sometimes meeting other travellers now that you are deeper in the countries. The nights where you aren’t alone passes faster than the ones where you are.

You hear stories of L’Manberg you have never heard before, and retellings of events but in other perspectives.

It seems a lot of people have a lot of opinions on the small country. But you understand, you too would have a lot of opinions if a city suddenly started wanting independence from its country.

It takes you weeks before you start coming across people who have been near L’Manberg regularly. It gives you a sign of hope. You’re getting closer, your journey is reaching its destination.

---

It’s storming the day you spot the country on the horizon. It’s still storming by the time you reach the country. The SMP toll guard is seemingly nowhere nearby and you pass the border with ease this time. Luckily for you. Or else you would have to explain why a traveller like you didn’t have travel papers.

You had expected to be met with one of the cities of the small country immediately. But it seems they are further from the border. And by further, it takes you an hour at foot-travel to meet the capital of the small country.

The streets are bustling.

That’s when it hits you.

You’ve made it.

You’ve actually made it.

You might look mad, but you let out a laugh right then and there. A laugh of relief. A laugh of victory. A laugh of … being alive.

“Having fun there?”

You turn around, to be met with the eyes of a stranger. A tall brown-haired stranger, nonetheless.

“Yeah, I just… Yeah.” You trail off. You eye him up and down, he’s cute. You put your hand out to present yourself, your name, the country you came from, and the name of the village you used to live in.

“Wilbur Soot, President of L’Manberg.” He returns with a smile. You barely listen to his words. Too captured by his smile. When…

Oh.

Oh, sky gods.

This is the man.

This beautiful human being of a man is the man.

“You alright there?” He asks as he watches you falter for a moment.

“Yes, yes, everything is fine. More than fine actually.” You tell him.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” You smile at him, and he smiles back.

“So, what are you doing here? You are an awful long way from home.”

He starts walking, and you fall in step with him.

“I’m here to see the country. I’ve heard a lot about it.” Leaving out the unsaid, I’ve heard a lot about you. He didn’t need to know yet, just how intriguing you found him.

You follow him down the street as he points a couple of things out, a couple of buildings, a couple of people. You listen and stop to note something down a couple of times, and he waits, patiently. Until he leads you to the local inn.

He holds the door open.

“A drink?”

“Yes please.”

He finds the two of you a booth, and you easily fall into conversation.

He asks you about your hometown, you about his.

He asks about your journey, you ask about the revolution.

You continue this game of ping pong. And the further down your drinks you get, the more personal the conversation gets. The less you note down. Yet, the man himself never falters from being the most interesting thing you’ve ever encountered.

And the night moves along, your conversation following.

You don’t really know when his hand landed on your thigh. Or when your lips met his. But suddenly you’re stumbling into a room together.

His touch setting you on fire, and your touch egging him on.

Your head is spinning as your back hits the bed.

Your notebook is lying tucked away safely in your backpack, staying there all the way into midday when you finally wake up. Disorientated, confused, and hungover.

Sitting there in that bed, you can’t help but remember the words of the girl you met the first night. And you can’t help but agree with her. Wilbur Soot surely is a love machine.

You hear rustling beside you, and you turn your head.

He’s awake.

He’s watching.

He’s watching you.

You lazily smile at him.

And at that moment, there is nowhere else you would rather be.

You had heard about him before, and you wanted to know some more.

People later down the line found your meeting story anywhere from boring to fate. But one thing was sure, you entered L’Manberg with one goal in mind. And never left again.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

[pathetic-dumpling]

Coming to Terms

Dream has been having a bad day, which has quickly turned into a bad week. Techno and Phil both need to go out and do essential tasks around the tundra, but they can't leave Dream alone either. So... they find a babysitter. words: 5,188 - read on ao3 instead

CW: overstimulation, implied panic attack, unintentional self-harm, referenced abuse

Dream has been having a bad day. Correction, he’s been having a bad week. He’s been caught in a bit of a spiral for the last several days, and the exhaustion from an attempt at healing keeps dragging him down before he can get out. The last thing Techno wants to do is leave Dream alone like this, but he and Phil have already pushed off as many necessary tasks as they can. They need to head out, but they can’t leave Dream alone… So in comes the Syndicate.

They consider a few people. Niki is chosen.

“Look, all you need to do is watch him for a day. We’ll be back by the end of it, and you can leave, alright?”

Niki scrunches her face up, which is, in all honesty, reasonable. She’s one of the people who didn’t want to interact with Dream, but Techno and Phil are running desperately low on options.

“Is there anyone else?” She asks. “What about Puffy? She’s a therapist, right? Wouldn’t she be more equipped for something like this?”

“A, we don’t want more people knowing about Dream than necessary, and she’s already refused to give Dream treatment. B, we don’t trust her to not psychoanalyze Dream when he really doesn’t want to be psychoanalyzed. Plus, we don’t know what kind of domestic issues there are because Dream hasn’t opened up about that part of his life yet.”

Niki winced. “What about Ranboo?”

“Well, you see, Ranboo’s been growing into himself recently,” Phil interjects, beside Techno. “Which is good, by all means, but that also means he’s been embracing that he’s a little bit of a dick sometimes. You’re literally the only person we can think of who can be… pleasant and hold your tongue around Dream.”

“And- and we don’t wanna sound misogynistic,” Techno quickly adds. “This isn’t a ‘the kind woman puts up with the toxic man’ situation; it’s just… Dream is fragile right now, like, really fragile, and we’re pretty sure you’re the only person who has the kind of self-restraint to not break him any more, you know?”

Niki raises a brow but ultimately sighs. “This is your only option?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Phil laughs.

“...alright. I’ll watch him. One day, got it?”

“Oh my gods, thank you so much, Niki.”

So Niki is given keys to the house. Mentally, she prepares for whatever Dream might try. She saw him, briefly, in a Syndicate meeting or two, but only between several layers of fabric and zero spoken words. She doesn’t know what he’s like if he’s grown out of his… nastier habits yet. Techno has done everything in his power to tell the Syndicate that Dream has changed, but none of them have actually seen any change. Niki kind of doubts it, if she’s being honest, but she trusts Techno’s judgment more than anything. She knows Techno wouldn’t lie to her and lead her on like others in the past.

She wakes up the following day when things are still dark. Niki can see her breath, even within the small haven of an underground city warmed by countless fires and lanterns. She throws on her Syndicate cloak, getting ready to head out to the arctic. Hopefully, Techno didn’t want her to do anything with the animals because she definitely wouldn’t be able to stand being outside for that long. When she arrives, Techno thanks her profusely. He pledges to show her around the house and offers a few tips while Phil gets ready for their trip outside.

“Alright.” Techno swings his hands by his sides. Niki has noticed he’s stopped clapping them when he begins to speak. “First things first, Dream hasn’t eaten in, like, three days, so we really need you to try to get him to eat something. His diet has been pretty limited so far, but we left a list of things he’s been able to eat so far on the counter. Try to stay fresh- anything stale makes him throw up, and so does steak. Don’t offer it. We keep apples in a little icebox downstairs because he likes fruit cold. Also, Dream likes himself cold, too. He gets anxious when he’s hot.

“If Dream hides in his room, he’s most likely hiding under his bed. If you need to interact with him during that time, do not try to pull him out. That will scare him and he might bite. Instead, just kind of lay on the floor and face him and just… wait until he’s ready to talk. If you try to push him, he’ll probably just curl up more, and he tends to get really distant for the next day or two when that happens.

“If he asks for something, it means that he needed it about three hours ago and has only now gotten the courage to ask for it. Even if he prefaces it between a lot of ‘only if you want to’ and ‘you don’t have to,’ don’t believe him. We’re trying to teach him that asking for things is good but it’s been a bumpy ride. Also, he’s iffy on touch; I’d say it’s better to not try.”

Techno stops, tapping his lip. “Try not to let him outside without supervision; we haven’t really been able to block off potential hazards yet. Other than that, I think that’s everything. Dream is sleeping right now, but he knows you’ll be here. He might get startled anyway. Try not to stare or anything. It makes him uncomfortable. Just treat him like a nervous cat or something.”

Niki blinks, trying desperately to process all of the information that was just dumped on her. Techno waits patiently as she mentally backtracks and tries to commit everything to vague memory. Nervous cat? That’s what the ruler of the server has turned into?

“Okay… I think I got all of that?” Niki says, hoping she got everything she truly needed down. She knows how awkward things get when she or Techno has to start repeating themselves.

“Cool.” Techno sighs, running a hand through his hair until it gets caught in his braid. “A nervous, injury-prone cat… That’s Dream. Thank you for doing this, really. Dream just started being okay with being in the same room as boiling water, and I think I might have a breakdown if I have to leave to make tea again. This means a lot. Anything you need from us, me or Phil, we’ll be happy to help as soon as we get back.”

Niki nods. “Honestly, I didn’t think this would be on the agenda when I joined the Syndicate, but I’m happy to help you, Techno.”

“Of course.” Techno bows his head. “Of course. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Again, don’t let him… do anything to himself, okay?”

Niki gives another nod and a thumbs up. “You can count on me, Techno.”

Techno gives a strained smile and then, awkwardly, does a slight bow before leaving. His muffled voice filters through the door as he calls out to Phil, and then they head out. Niki takes in a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before sighing as she watches the silhouettes of her friends disappear over the horizon.

Alright. She can do this. She may not like Dream, but she did agree as a part of the Syndicate to… help. This is just for Techno and Phil, to keep them from worrying. To watch Dream and make sure he doesn’t try anything he shouldn’t. Niki could do that. In fact, she was happy to keep the man out of trouble, if it were for Techno’s sake. Now she just needed to find something to do until there was someone to watch.

Niki glances around the house, finding things pleasantly clean. The chests were a bit of a mess, but things weren’t lying all over the place, and it looks like it’s been cleaned recently. It looks like the house has been somewhat baby-proofed, too, which makes a little chuckle bubble in Niki’s throat. They’ve only been housing Dream, and he’s certainly a grown man, isn’t he? What would they need to keep him out of drawers for?

Niki gets to entertaining herself with one of Techno’s many book recommendations, making a tiny home for herself on the couch. She opens the blinds and curtains, letting any sort of light filter in as much as it can. The sun is slow to rise in the arctic, and candlelight can only do so much. Slowly, as the sun rises over the north, Niki finds herself growing more hungry, so she starts making some food. It gets bright soon after that, lighting up the room with the near-blinding rays of the sun. Niki adjusts soon enough, simply happy to have more than enough reading light.

A few hours later, after Niki has already eaten and taken care of her share of the dishes, Dream emerges. The first thing she notices is that he’s completely maskless. Secondly, he looks exhausted to the bone, drowned in a dark green jacket and a black shirt underneath. Loose-fitting pants cover Dream’s legs, almost completely hiding his figure from view. Dream’s eyes are dark, his posture slouched inward, and his hair is messy, long, and frail. He looks unbearably tense. His eyes squint at how bright it is, but he tries to shake it off quickly with a flick of his hands. He does a quick double-take on Niki, eyes darting around the room before relaxing slightly. His attention never leaves her, though. His gaze makes a shiver crawl up Niki’s spine.

“Good morning, Dream!” She says politely because maybe Dream is worse in the mornings.

Dream waves tiredly, and Niki notices his bandaged finger. Something about it looks off until she realizes it’s too short to be normal, missing nearly the entire first section. She wonders how it happened, how she’s never noticed before. Dream takes his bandaged hand, dragging it down his face. He lets out a long sigh, sitting down at the circular table in the kitchen, leaning heavily on it for support. He raises his hands, and although they tremble and shake, Niki recognizes one thing. Dream is signing.

Oh. It looks like Technoblade forgot to mention one thing.

“Oh!” She says quickly, tucking her book into her chest. “I’m so sorry, I don’t know sign language.”

Dream, from the table, raises a brow at her. He raises his hands, signing what Niki can only assume is: you don’t know sign?

“I always meant to learn, but the only people who use it actively on the server are Callahan and….”

Me. Niki can guess that one well enough.

“Yes… you. I’m sorry.”

Dream waves his hand dismissively. He gestures for a pen, which Niki retrieves without much hesitance. She may not like Dream, but she still needs to communicate with him if this day even has a chance at going well. She places the pen and small pad of paper on the table, stepping back quickly. Dream lets out a long breath before beginning to write.

I’ll show you some stuff I probably won’t be able to translate in the moment, Dream writes. Writing looks a little more challenging with the ever-present tremor in Dream’s hands and his shortened finger, but he makes do. He writes down a few simple words: can’t, stop, no, sorry, and shows the signs for each of them. Niki furrows her brow.

“These are all negative responses. What about… ‘yes’?”

Dream struggles to meet Niki’s eyes for a second, looking away almost immediately. He seems borderline uncomfortable. Slowly, he curls his hand into a fist, nodding it forward twice.

“Yes?” Niki asks in conformation.

Yes.

Niki nods, trying to commit this information, like everything else dumped on her today, to memory. Dream drops the pen after that, cradling his hands in his lap. They certainly… don’t stop shaking. Hm. Niki would ask about it, but she doesn’t really want to poke at any boundaries. Dream fiddles with his fingers, beginning to bounce his leg.

“Em-” Niki starts, catching Dream’s attention and picking at the back of her neck awkwardly. “Techno told me that you should probably eat today, right? I made food a few hours ago, but I can make something for you or….”

Dream waves his hands, furiously shaking his head. He scribbles down variants of I’m not hungry, and you don’t have to, which Niki isn’t given a chance to object to. Dream carefully gets up, grabbing the notepad beside him and pushing past Niki. He makes his way over to the couch, plopping himself down and sighing. Niki watches him, unsure of what entirely to do. She knows what Techno told her, but there was only so much that was truly in her power. It didn’t help how dismissive Dream appeared to be with her attempts at offering him food.

This Dream is… new, to say the least. She didn’t know the old Dream outside of what she heard from her peers, but she especially doesn’t know this Dream. Is he better? Does he know that what he’s done is bad? Terrible? Unforgivable, even? Does he regret it at all, or does he just think he’s a victim in all of this?

It takes two more attempts at getting Dream to eat before Niki’s patience starts running a little slim. She’s never had the time to talk to Dream before, but right now, he just seems nothing more than tired. He looks fine, if not a little skinny, maybe a little quiet. For all Niki knows, this could be a ploy, a trick, to live the high life off of Techno’s dedicated care and then run off into the woods. Niki feels a little nasty for thinking this, but what if Dream is just faking this all? What if he’s just playing it up for show and sympathy? To get free protection while his next plan brews quietly in the background? She’s heard about the lengths Dream was willing to go to in the past; what would make this different? She knows how convincing an actor Dream can be, and dedication to a part can take someone a long way.

Well… Now is as good of a time as ever to get a few things off her chest, Niki supposes. If Dream isn’t faking, he’ll have some kind of genuine reaction, and if he is, then, well… Niki can keep her friends from getting used again. It’s a win-win, really.

“You know, you’re very lucky Techno decided to care for you so much,” she says from the kitchen because the distance makes her feel safer. “He didn’t have to do all of this, you know? It’d certainly be easier for him to have ignored your favor. I would’ve.”

From behind, Niki hears a sharp intake of breath, but no objections come. Niki looks behind her at Dream, still sitting on the couch, wide-eyed and staring at her. He swallows, eyes darting to the side like he’s sorting through his thoughts. He gestures at Niki, a sort of go-on movement, so she turns around and continues. “Things like Wilbur, Doomsday, the festival, you played a role in all of those, you know? You’ve been the authority figure of the server for so long. You-- you had control over exile and Tommy and… Everything you’ve done, it’s hurt all of us. It’s- it’s hurt me, and I-”

There’s a loud, distinct sniffle behind Niki. Slowly, she turns to look behind her, finding Dream curled up on the couch. He brings his knees up to his chest, pressing tightly into himself. He’s looking to the side, almost shameful. His shoulders are shaking.

“...Dream?” Niki asks. Maybe this is the genuine reaction she’s looking for.

Dream nods sharply. He looks up, meeting Niki’s eyes, his own glassy and red and wet. His eyes fill with tears, so he quickly hides his face again, pressing it into the arm wrapped around his knee. It feels like he’s forcing himself to keep his gaze on Niki, and that information tastes a little bitter going down Niki’s throat. He lifts his head just enough to meet Niki’s eyes again, folding his hand into a half square and pressing it to his temple. Niki doesn’t know the sign, but she doesn’t need to.

I know, he says. I know.

Dream takes a shuddering breath, fingers dancing across the parts of the body he’s gripping. They speed up and slow down as he filters his thoughts, eventually coming to a standstill. He grabs his notepad with trembling hands, scribbling down something hastily, ripping out the paper, and holding it out for Niki while hiding himself. Nervously, Niki steps forward because the memory of powerful and quick and ruthless Dream has never left her, even when presented with the sight of the trembling man before her.

I know, the paper says. I want to listen. But not today. I can’t today.

Niki swallows. She looks at Dream, trembling and crumbling in on himself, and nods. “Okay,” she says. “I understand. I… I’m sorry. That was out of line, I...”

Dream nods quickly and sharply. His fingers tap quickly against his leg. Niki feels awkward, standing in front of Dream like this as he fidgets and shuffles. She puts a little distance between the two of them, retreating back to the kitchen. The house is plunged into a small period of unrelenting silence. Niki wished that she knew at least a little sign because maybe things wouldn’t be so awkward. Dream doesn’t look all too thrilled to be talking with her either way, though, so perhaps it was wishful thinking. He’s running a hand through his hair, pausing to tug on the long strands every few seconds.

Niki frowns. Has Techno told her anything about how to handle something like this? Sorting through her memory quickly tells Niki that, no, Techno hadn’t spilled anything helpful for a time like this. He’d asked Niki to make sure Dream didn’t do anything to himself, but certainly, he wasn’t that much of a danger to his own wellbeing, right? Techno had mentioned some other useful things, but he seems to have forgotten some details Niki would’ve loved to have. She sighs.

Niki supposes that the best she can do right now is swallow her words and try to be helpfully polite. To, in kinder words, simply watch Dream. She tried to ask him about some things here or there but mostly ended up talking at Dream instead of with him. That’s okay, Niki didn’t mind. She didn’t really go into today expecting some sort of riveting conversation, and the one she’d already tried to have ended oh-so-splendidly.

Suddenly, the sound of Dream’s stomach growling caught her attention. Niki looked back from her chunk of dough that she’d started kneading to fill the silence at Dream, who was caught like a deer in headlights. He looked to her quickly before starting off on what Niki thinks is a garbled bundle of excuses about how he wasn’t hungry again. Niki laughs kindly, making Dream’s hands pause mid-air.

“I’ll go get you an apple or something,” she says, running her hands under the sink to wash off the extra flour. “Techno showed me where everything was before you woke up. I’ll be back in just a second. Stay put, okay?”

Dream nods, hiding his face and giving a small thumbs up. The trip downstairs is quick, only interrupted by a skulk of three foxes Techno apparently kept in his basement. The box with cooled fruit was propped up, probably to keep the foxes out of it, Niki mused, if the scratch marks on the side were anything to go off of. Dream was sitting in virtually the exact same position Niki had left him in, nervously glancing at her when she approached. At least he’s good at following directions, Niki noted. She held out the apple, waited a long few seconds for Dream to take it, then set it on the table next to him. Dream’s eyes watched her with rapt attention, almost like he was afraid she was suddenly going to turn around and attack him.

After that little experience, Niki went back to kneading dough as pleasantly as she could. She couldn’t explain the small smile that crept onto her lips when the inevitable crunch of an apple being eaten hit her ears after minutes of silence. Niki chalks it up to the fact that Techno would be happy that Dream ate and tries to move on from it as passively as she can.

Shuffling fills the corners of the house between the clanging of various pans and Niki’s humming. Dream had come a little closer, sitting stiffly at the counter and watching Niki work after throwing his apple core into Carl’s stable from the window. He keeps the notepad close to him, bouncing the pen back and forth against the solid surface. Niki greets him and starts explaining what she’s doing, to which Dream nods along. She tries to suggest Dream join the baking whenever she can, moving pans around and into the sink when they’ve become dirty. Dream’s eyes follow her hands as she gestures around, eyebrows twitching downward every few seconds. Every semi-loud sound makes his eyes blink in surprise and something else Niki can’t quite place. It goes on like this for about half an hour, with various levels of participation coming from Dream.

Eventually, he begins to look more and more lost in thought, distracted, even borderline frustrated, eventually dropping his pen roughly and tapping his pointer finger against the counter. His other hand goes to his hair, pulling, as a small whimper tumbled into the air. Dream’s nail makes a quick tap, tap, tap that sounds borderline panicky, only increasing in speed. His shoulders are tense, and because Niki is so used to providing comfort to those unscarred by touch, she reached out for his shoulder.

Dream jerks away as soon as her hand meets his shoulder, a small, distressed noise leaving his throat. He stumbles onto shaky legs, looking almost as if Niki burned him. Niki, in return, pulled her hand back to her chest. Dream holds up a finger, a small give me a moment, before distancing himself. He hangs his head and holds up his hands, shaking them out almost violently as he paces the living room.

“Dream?” Niki begins to ask, watching the man pace and shake his hands. What was he doing? What was going on?

Her thoughts are abruptly cut off by a sharp yelp when Dream suddenly turns and pushes over a chair. This is still Dream at the end of the day, and once upon a time, he was terrifying and dangerous. Niki clamps her hands down over her mouth to keep any further sound from escaping when it makes Dream flinch. His breath picks up in shakiness and speed until a loud crash makes the house go silent.

Dream’s head whips around, finding a pile of shattered glass on the floor next to the chair he flipped over and the table it apparently took on its way down. He stares at it for a good, long second, the breath stolen from his lungs. A quick, strangled sob leaves Dream’s mouth as he drops to his knees, scrambling for the glass pieces. Hot, fat tears fill the corners of Dream’s eyes. His hands are shaking so much it makes the glass pieces he picks up clink against each other. Almost desperately, Dream tries to wipe away the tears, and Techno’s worry about Dream hurting himself suddenly becomes much more apparent as the world catches up to Niki.

“Oh- Dream, no, we- let’s not-” Niki drops to her knees beside Dream, holding her hands out gently. “Let’s not do that, okay? You’ve got glass in your hands.”

Dream doesn’t stop. The tears and sobs only spilling harder and faster. Niki doesn’t think this can get any worse, so she slowly puts her hand over Dream’s, grasping it and pulling it away gently. There’s no resistance, even as Dream digs his chin into his chest. Pricks of blood are already forming on scratches left on Dream’s cheeks from the glass, quickly mixing with tears. Dream starts signing something frantically, and Niki doesn’t know what he’s saying, but, oh, she wishes she did.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Niki tries. “Are you worried Techno will be angry?”

Dream nods, choking on another sob.

“I’m sure he won’t be!” Niki presents her hands, cupped, to Dream again. “He really cares about you, alright? He won’t be mad over a broken cup, okay?”

Dream makes a strangled sound that almost sounds like a “but” as he snaps his head up to face Niki.

“No. No buts.” Niki pushes her hands forward pointedly. “I’ll clean up the glass, okay? I think you should go lay down on your bed and rest. Calm down a little, alright? I’m supposed to be here to help, and Techno would be upset if you hurt yourself. I’ll let you know when everything’s been taken care of.”

Shakily, Dream brings his free hand up to his face, fingers touching the newly formed cuts as his lips trace Niki’s words. His eyes go wide, pressing down on the tiny bubbles of blood forming. He drops the glass into Niki’s hands, staggering up with a sharp breath. He mutters something too faint for Niki to catch before disappearing into his room. Niki picks up the rest of the glass, her hands thankfully much steadier than Dream’s own despite what just happened. Periodically, she glances up to Dream’s room, watching, waiting.

She isn’t quite sure what she’s waiting for, maybe for him to come bursting out, angry at being coddled, or perhaps for him to come slinking back with shaky hands and hot tears and try to help again. Whatever it is, it never comes.

Carefully, Niki spends a few minutes making sure no shards had spread out over the house or that she misses any finite pieces. After her searches come back clean, Niki moves to the knocked-over furniture. She rights the table and chair Dream had knocked over, huffing out a small sigh of relief. The living room was clean again, thankfully. She hopes Techno won’t be mad. That would just make her look bad when Dream was so clearly distressed over the whole ordeal.

At the thought of Dream, Niki makes her way over to his room. She knocks, the wood giving way and opening up into the small room. Dream lays on his bed, curled up into a ball, and appears to be fast asleep. The blankets look almost deliberately untouched around him. Niki steps into the dark room, noting the closed blinds on his window. Everything is kept down to nearly a depressing minimum, the only trace of life in the room being the messy, yet unmoved, sheets and a single flowerpot laying on a chest.

It would be better to let him sleep, Niki thinks. The room is kept cold, and Niki doesn’t want Dream to get sick, so she decides to drape the untouched sheets over Dream’s sleeping form. As she pulls up the blankets around the sleeping body, though, Dreams’ eyes flutter open, and his body tenses. He turns his head to watch her silently.

“I’ve cleaned up the glass, so the living room is good to be in again,” Niki offers. She pulls her hands away, crouching down so she doesn’t loom over Dream. “I was going to let you sleep; sorry for waking you.”

Dream shrugs, not really looking like he had been sleeping in the first place. He sits up, glancing at the sheets pooling around him. Dream glances around, scrubbing at his face and swinging his legs over the side of his bed. Despite Niki’s protests, he gets up and shuffles his way into the living room. His eyes fall on the now empty space on the table, sucking in a soft, shuddering breath. Niki comes to stand beside him.

“Hey,” she says. “It’s okay. I’m not angry, and they won’t be either, okay?”

Dream’s eyes flit from the table down to Niki. His body, slouched forward, leans a little closer to her as he nods silently. He looks back to the room, eyes squinting. He shoves his hands in his pockets and produces the pen and paper he’d kept on him; scribbling down, can you close the blinds? Niki smiles. She needs to encourage him to ask for things, too.

“Sure.”

Dream makes a home for himself on the couch. He eyes Niki’s book and they make idle chatter over it, Niki sitting across from him in the chair. They slide the notepad between each other on the table, both patiently waiting for the other to read or write before responding. Dream apologizes for the outburst. He said that he was feeling overwhelmed and hasn’t had to deal with something like that in a long time. The apology was accepted. Niki even manages to get a small laugh out of Dream, one that tugs gently on his throat and makes his chest stutter. It’s nice to see Dream’s smile, the way it cracks his face as he chuckles to himself. Somehow, it’s the most pride she’s felt in a while.

When Niki gets up to make herself some food, Dream takes her up on the offer to eat together. The list Techno left with what Dream could eat suddenly became very useful when preparing dinner. He doesn’t eat much and apologizes about it, for the hassle he must be causing, but it was what Niki was expecting anyway. Dream goes to sleep soon after that, pausing at his door and sending a quick, earnest thank you to Niki. She smiles.

“You’re welcome, Dream.”

Techno wasn’t mad, and neither was Phil. They seemed more focused on the fact that Dream actually ate a decently sized meal for the first time that week than anything else. Dream, who was hovering in the back, made sure to send Niki off with a little wave.

If she feels a little protective over him during the next Syndicate meeting, that was only her business. If she spoke in a hushed tone and kept an eye on him so he wouldn’t get into trouble, it was just general caution mixed with a bit of care. When she brought the loaves of bread with her on a visit, they were for Techno, Phil, and Dream, but she couldn’t deny the tiny bit of excitement that bloomed in her chest when Phil suggested Dream learn how to bake to help with tremors and outbursts.

If she let Dream into her stash or secret recipes for pies and bread, it stayed between them. Dream promised to keep them secret, and Niki didn’t doubt him. He smiled at her one day, growing nicely into the freckles that had started to speckle his skin, while his third batch of experimental dough was baking. Niki couldn’t help but smile back.

[alexskarsgardnet]

New Interview & Photo Shoot!  Alex photographed by Johan Sandberg and interviewed by Timothy Small for L’Uomo Vogue (October 2020)!

Alexander Skarsgård: the photo shoot and interview for L'Uomo

BY TIMOTHY SMALL, JOHAN SANDBERG 25 SEPTEMBER 2020

Alexander Skarsgård is a really, really nice man. A Swede through and through, Alexander, or Alex, is a very down-to-earth gentleman who could definitely act as more of a big shot, considering he is also one of the most interesting actors in Hollywood right now, a town that, in true Swedish style, he once defined as “kind of silly”. After getting his first big break as the lead in David Simon's excellent Iraq War mini-series for HBO, Generation Kill, Skarsgård exploded in our collective imaginations as Eric Northman in True Blood, while also acting for Lars von Trier in the wonderful Melancholia. 

Since then, he has been a very buff Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan, a mute bartender in future Berlin in Mute, a very dark killer in Hold the Dark, and a hilarious Canadian Prime Minister in Long Shot, as well as giving an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning turn in HBO's Big Little Lies. The self-defined “restless” 43-year-old is set to star in The Northman, Robert Eggers's highly anticipated third film, a “Viking revenge story” that Skarsgård himself was crucial in bringing to production – and, by all accounts, it seems like it could have all the right pieces to become a future cult classic. It certainly has that kind of hype.

L'Uomo Vogue:  The Northman is such an interesting project. I know it's important to you. It's also part of a growing resurgence of interest in the Viking era and Norse mythology and that sort of epic Scandinavian adventure. How did it all begin?

Alex:  It all started seven or eight years ago. As a Swede living in America, I realised there was a certain level of fascination with the Viking era and Viking culture – and this was before any of the Viking shows that have since happened. It made me realise that there basically had never been a real great epic Viking movie made, and I thought that that's what I wanted to do.

LV:  So how did the project kick off?

Alex:  I started having conversations with a studio back then, trying to crack the best story. All I knew at the time is that I wanted to make a big Viking movie. We had a couple of potential different starting points: we had a story about two brothers, and then one about the Viking travels down to Constantinople with the Viking siege of the city. We were looking for the right story, but I never really felt we were there. I knew the scope I wanted it to exist in. But what was the story?

LV:  And that's when you met Robert Eggers.

Alex:  Yes, like three or four years ago. We met about something else. I can't remember how, but we started talking about Vikings. And he was, like me, a huge fan of Viking culture and of that historical era, and I immediately felt he would be the perfect guy to direct this movie. And then we found an author and poet in Iceland, Sjón, who came onboard to write the screenplay – and they did a fantastic job, just cracking the story and the essence of it.

LV:  Sounds great.

Alex:  It's a real adventure movie, but it's much more. It taps into the culture, and the mysticism of the Vikings, it becomes more intimate and more personal. I didn't want it to be a generic “swords-and-sandals” movie. Robert is one of the best filmmakers out there. And the whole process is so much more gratifying than when you're quote-unquote “just an actor”. It's been truly extraordinary.

LV:  But then you had to halt production.

Alex:  Yeah. I was in Belfast, Northern Ireland, three months into prep on The Northman about seven days away from principal photography. Just gearing up, you know, getting ready to start a very long, very intense shoot -- a shoot that we were scheduled to wrap in July – and that's when the virus hit.

LV:  What did you do then?

Alex:  I normally live in New York, while my family lives in Stockholm. When the first wave came, I was on the fence: nobody really knew how long it would be, or what precisely was going on. So we shut down production for six weeks. The idea was to then see what would happen. I basically moved to Stockholm for four months.

LV:  How do you feel about this forced break from work?

Alex:  I had not been home for this long in... more than 20 years. It was strange. We were in a bubble; we were all healthy and safe. In a lot of ways, I had moments when I felt being surrounded by my loving family, feeling safe and loved, and taking a break from work, but then also feeling very guilty because I was, for the lack of a better term, being spared.

LV:  In the past, you've described yourself as being a nomad. Did you miss Sweden and the North?

Alex:  I realised how much I have been missing it. I go to Sweden regularly, but usually only for three or four days, maybe a week, tops. My father and two of my brothers are actors, so we're used to never being in the same city. We all travel all over the world. Maybe we'd get back together for Christmas. And I can really say that I had missed spring in Sweden.

LV:  Do you think we will change the way movies are produced?

Alex:  We're going to have to figure out how to shoot movies with dozens of crew members and hundreds of extras while still respecting social distancing rules. It's an unprecedented situation and everyone is scrambling to figure out the best approach. My brother was one of the first people who worked in our industry during the pandemic. He shot a movie in Iceland in the middle of the lockdown. The way they solved it is they split the crew into colour sections. So, hair and make-up had yellow armbands and the camera department had blue, and they had a “Corona appointee” on set who would call out, “Now blue go in!” and then “Blue, out! And yellow, in!” And then they would all do their job in turns. It was very military-like. Productions are already complicated, so we'll just have to add another layer.

LV:  How did you become an ambassador to the Clarks brand?

Alex:  To me, authenticity is very important. I don't want to endorse products I don't genuinely like. That's why I was excited when Clarks reached out. I've been wearing Desert Boots for 25 years. Also, I like to travel a lot. I like to explore new cities by foot. I want to be able to walk around comfortably in a classic, iconic shoe. I travel from movie set to movie set, and I often live out of a suitcase. And this teaches you to be frugal. Whatever fits in that suitcase, that's all I can bring.

LV:  Is that the Swede in you?

Alex:  Maybe. But we consume way too many things in this society. Also, you give things more meaning when you live with them, and when you go on adventures with them. Like, these are my boots. I've been places with them. And when they fall apart, I'll buy a new pair. If you have the right stuff to begin with, you don't need more.

LV:  Going back to The Northman, that really sounds like a dream project.

Alex:  It is. It will be a rollercoaster ride. I can't wait to get back to Northern Ireland and get back to the production. It's also a very physically demanding project, so I have been training for, well, since a few months before production stopped.

LV: In a way, getting into a role, getting on a movie set, acting through it, the whole process of making a movie is a bit like a little adventure. You have to prep, you have to travel, often with people you don't know, and you have to push boundaries.

Alex:  Absolutely! A huge part of the appeal of this profession is you get to travel, and you meet amazing, interesting people from all over. And the uncertainty, you know? What was it, 12 years ago, I was in New York, and I'd never heard of Generation Kill. And then two days later I was on a plane to the Kalahari Desert to be out there for seven months to shoot the series. And I'll never forget the feeling, sitting on that plane, thinking, “Two days ago I didn't even know about this project, and here I am on my way to Southern Africa to spend seven months in the desert with 200 strangers.” It's very exciting.

LV:  What a feeling that must be!

Alex:  And every single job is like that. Every movie is different. Your part, the tone, the energy, the people – it's always different. And for someone like myself, who has that kind of wanderlust, who's always looking on the horizon, it's very attractive to never know just what the next adventure might be.

October 14, 2020:  Updated with the full interview courtesy of our friends at the ASkarsLibrary (x).

Fashion credits:

Photographs by Johan Sandberg Styling by Martin Persson Grooming Karin Westerlund @ Lundlund Hair Amanda Lund @ Lundlund Stylist’s assistant Isabelle Larsson Digital Daniel Lindgren Production Madeleine Mårtensson and Olle Öman @ Lundlund

Read the full interview by Timothy Small and see the photo shoot by Johan Sandberg in the October issue of L'Uomo, on newsstands from September 22nd.

Sources/Thanks:  Interview:  Timothy Small for L’Uomo Vogue (x), Photos:  Johan Sandberg for L’Uomo Vogue (x), artlistparis.com (x) via artlistparisnewyork instagram (x),  luomovogue instagram (x) &  atomomanagement.com (x) via atomomanagement instagram (x), our caps from artlistparisnewyork’s September 23, 2020 insta story (x, x)

[study-coffee-chicago]

Seasons of Med: Season 1: Glad I Didn’t Make it that Far (A Halstead brothers + Halstead sister! imagine)

Trigger warning: Talk of eating disorders

As always, I do not own any quotes from Chicago Med 1x04 that show up here!

Your age: 14

Jay's age: 28

Will's age: 30

"We should go to a movie," your best friend Emma suggested when you were sitting on the playground of Central Chicago's elementary school one summer day.

You had been coming here since it was pretty close to your house to be able to read without worrying that your dad would show up drunk. He wasn't violent, he was just rude, asking why there was no food and when you explained it was because he wasn't going shopping, he'd scoff and tell you to get a job if you wanted to eat. It wasn't your fault; you'd tried to get a job, but no one would hire you because you were only fourteen. Most places required that you be at least sixteen and the occasional place would let you start at fifteen, but only with very limited hours. And, the places that let you start at fifteen were too far away for you to walk to. You'd have to take the El...and that would turn out badly if Will and Jay found out, even though your dad wouldn't care in the slightest.

"Em, I don't have any money. I'm literally rationing out my feminine products at this point."

"Hey, just tell me if you need any. Me or my mom can get you some. Oh, and some neighbors of mine run a little kettle corn company. They're looking for some extra help on the weekends and they'll pay you under the table. I can give you their number if you want."

"Really?" Emma smiled and nodded. "Yes, please! And, you're the best."

But, what you didn't tell her was that you hadn't eaten since yesterday since there was barely anything in your house and that your cramps were killing you and because of all this, you were feeling nauseous.

"Let's go to the movies. My treat."

"I can't let you pay for me."

"Yes, you can. Best friends help each other out. Now c'mon, let's go." You sighed and closed your eyes as you stood up. "You good?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just dizzy."

"You wanna go home?"

"No, no I'm fine. Just seasonal allergies from all the pollen," you lied.

"Okay, let's go."

You started to slow down as you got closer to the movie theater. "I'm so excited to see The Longest Ride!" Emma squealed. "Scott Eastwood is just mwah!"

"Yeah, but he's- he's a lot-- I gotta, I gotta sit down," you stuttered, starting to feel more lightheaded and seeing your vision become blurry at the edges.

"Okay, let's get to the front where you can sit on the curb."

You slowly started to make your way there, but it was too late. "Em- Emma," you slurred as you tried to reach for her as your legs gave out underneath you, and then everything went black.

"Y/N!" Emma yelled as she squatted down next to you and pulled out her phone.

Just then, everyone started running out of the theater shouting something about a shooting.

***

Will's pager went off as he was eating with Natalie and the rest of the team from a taco truck outside of Chicago Med. And, everyone else's pagers were going off, too, making it sound like alarm clocks that were all set for the same time. Then, Maggie ran outside.

"Shooting in a movie theater! Mass casualties! It's about to get crazy!" she yelled to the doctors and other nurses. "EMTs are four minutes out!"

Not even a second after she finished her sentence, an ambulance pulled up with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

"Check that!" Will yelled as he threw his food in the trash can. "They're here!"

Then, all of them sprinted into the hospital, their main focus now being saving as many lives as possible.

"Another maniac gone crazy in a theater," Will said as he put something over his scrubs to keep them from getting blood all over them. "Is this the world we live in?"

***

You slowly opened your eyes to be met with the white ceiling and an IV in your arm. You groaned. "Where am I?" you asked as you rolled over to see Emma sitting on a bench. "Are we in an ambulance?"

"You don't remember?" Emma asked.

"You passed out, sweetie," a female paramedic told you as she put a blood pressure cuff around your arm. "Luckily for you, we came pretty quick after hearing about the shooting."

"The shooting? There was a shooting?"

"In the movie theater," the paramedic answered you. "You were lucky you didn't go in."

"Guess so."

Your eyes widened as you realized they were probably taking you to Chicago Med. You couldn't let your brother know that the most likely reason for you passing out was that you hadn't eaten since yesterday. They'd freak out.

"Am I good to go when we get to the hospital? I feel fine." You were still nauseous, but that was better than being passed out.

"You passed out, we need to get you checked out at the hospital."

"But I feel fine," you protested.

"I understand that, sweetie. But you need to get checked out anyway to make sure that there wasn't something that made you pass out other than the heat."

"She's right, Y/N," Emma said. "You need to get checked out."

You huffed. "Fine." Maybe Will would be too busy to even notice you were there. And, you figured your dad wouldn't pick up his phone, so you could just sneak out undetected when the doctors and nurses weren't watching.

When you got in, you were met by Natalie. "Y/N?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"It's nothing. I just passed out. I'm fine, really."

"Shoot," Emma said. "My mom's here to pick me up. Said she doesn't want me here because of all the press since I'm not hurt. I'm sorry."

You waved your hand. "It's fine. Hopefully, I'll be getting out here soon, too. See you later."

"Bye, Y/N."

"If you passed out, you're not fine, Y/N," Natalie said.

As you were wheeled past a trauma room, you saw your brother. Luckily for you, he was too focused on his patient that he didn't notice.

"Want me to get Will?" Natalie asked when she saw you glance in there.

"No! I mean, he looks really busy and I'm not dying. They should be the first priority."

"Okay, well I'll have Maggie call your dad because after all the standard tests, if I need to do more, I'm going to need your dad's permission since you're still a minor."

"Okay."

"Hey, Maggie," Natalie called, "Do me a favor and call Y/N's dad for me. I just might need permission to run some additional tests."

"You got it."

You got on the bed in the treatment room and allowed Natalie to listen to your heart and lungs. "Were you part of the crush?" she asked. "Did you get the wind knocked out of you? Is that why you passed out?"

"No, I got dizzy before we could get inside. I felt nauseous, too, but I think that was just from period cramps."

"The paramedics said you were dehydrated and that they had to administer an IV. Have you been eating and drinking properly? I know it's hot and that can cause you to pass out. Other than that factor, have you been eating and drinking normally?"

"Yes," you lied.

"Okay, I'm just going to need to get your height and weight and other vitals before we continue."

You nodded and followed her to where she took your height and weight. She wrote it down and you started to walk out, but she stopped you. "Uh, Y/N, come with me."

You followed her to the doctor's lounge where she handed you her sweatshirt. "Why are you giving me this?"

"You bled through your shorts. There's free pads and tampons in the bathroom if you don't have any on you."

You nodded. "Thank you."

"Meet me back here once you're finished."

"Okay."

When you got into the bathroom, you took all the pads and tampons you could fit in your shorts pockets after you had finished changing your dirty one.

Now, it was time for your great escape. No one would see you; they were all too busy treating other patients and worrying about the press.

You were almost out into the waiting room, but then a voice stopped you.

"Y/N?"

Shit. Jay.

You stopped in your tracks but then continued walking.

"Y/N, I know you heard me. Come back."

You sighed and turned around, hoping you wouldn't have to spill all the secrets about what's been happening at home.

***

"Poor guy," Erin said as she and Jay exited Sharon Goodwin's office. "He thought what he was going was right."

"I probably would've done the same thing if I were in his shoes," Jay agreed. "I mean, if I thought I saw a guy with an AR-15 in a movie theater and then thought the shots from the movie were coming from the gun, I sure as hell would've acted. Not that my service weapon can shoot bullets off as much as my sniper, but I'd try. Try and save civilians."

"Jay." Erin placed a hand on his arm. "You're not in Afghanistan anymore."

"I know. There's just some sick and twisted people in this world. Why would someone go into a theater with a leaf blower anyway? With all the mass shootings that have happened, that's probably the stupidest idea I've heard."

"I agree with you. But he's just a kid. He didn't ask to get shot. But, if I were in that teacher's shoes, I'd probably do the same thing and draw my gun."

Jay furrowed his eyebrows as he saw someone walking towards the exit of the ED and towards the waiting room. She had shorts and a t-shirt on with a burgundy sweatshirt tied around her waist. Jay wouldn't have given it a second thought, but he knew you had the same gray beat-up Converse because he had gotten them for you for a birthday present two years ago and you always wore the same polka dot scrunchie when you needed your hair to be in a bun and needed it to be tight.

"Is that?..." Erin trailed off.

"I think so," Jay answered, quickening his pace to catch up with you before you got out of the ED and he lost sight of you due to the number of people in the waiting room. "Y/N!" he yelled.

The girl he thought was you froze for a split second and then continued walking, this time at a faster pace. That was all the confirmation he needed. "Y/N, I know you heard me. Come back."

You sighed and turned around.

"I was going to tell you," you mumbled once you were in front of him.

He scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest. "Yeah? And when were you planning on calling Dad? You know you're a minor so a parent needs to be notified."

"Y/N!" Natalie yelled. "I thought you left, I was so close to getting security to look for you. We couldn't get a hold of your dad and were going to call Jay since he's your secondary emergency contact, but he's here now, so if both of you could follow me then that'd be great."

"You got it from here, Erin?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, text me if you need me to pick you up and bring you back to the district."

"Will do. Don't let Voight bust my balls because I skipped out."

"I'll tell him Y/N had a medical emergency. He'll understand."

"Thanks."

You, Natalie, and Jay walked back into the treatment room where Natalie had been previously treating you.

"First of all, let me just say it was not a medical emergency," you told your brother.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you here?" he asked.

"I was feeling nauseous."

"And you came to the ED just because of some nausea?" He raised an eyebrow. He so knew you were lying.

Meanwhile, Will was walking out of a trauma room after Rhodes brought a victim up to surgery.

"Hey. You hear?" Reese asked as she walked up to the doctor. "The kid at the theater, the one who got shot, he didn't have a gun, he had a leaf blower."

"What?" Will asked, stunned. He had worked on that kid and knew that it wasn't good.

"Yeah, turns out it was some kind of prank." She was about to turn around to leave, but then stopped. "Oh, and your sister's here. Treatment one."

"What? Why?"

"I think she passed out or something. Dr. Manning's in there with her right now."

"Thanks, Reese."

Will barged into your treatment room. "So, she comes into the ED and nobody has the common decency to even notify me?" he asked rhetorically.

"You were busy treating other patients, Will. I was going to get around to it eventually," Natalie said.

"Natalie, please just finish explaining what happened. Or just start from the beginning because Will's here now," Jay suggested, not wanting to have to break up an argument between the two doctors.

Now it was Will who was the one who crossed his arms over his chest.

"So, Will, what happened was that Y/N passed out. She was almost inside the movie theater, but she passed out, so she didn't go in."

"The movie theater where the shooting happened?" Jay asked. You nodded. "Jesus, kid, if you would've gotten inside, you would've given both me and Will heart attacks."

"Sorry. But, I'm glad I didn't get that far."

"Yeah, us too," Will agreed. "So, why'd she pass out?"

"Can I talk to you two for a minute? Outside?"

They nodded. "Be right back," Jay told you.

"So, what's going on?" Jay asked once the three were safely outside of the room and out of earshot from you.

"Have you noticed anything strange with her eating habits lately? Any skipping meals? Going to the bathroom right after meals? Not wanting to eat?" Natalie asked the two brothers.

"No, nothing," Jay answered. "Granted, we don't eat with her a lot because she lives with our dad and we both live on our own."

"Okay, because since her physical check-up a month and a half ago, Y/N's lost fifteen pounds."

"Fifteen?" Will asked, flabbergasted.

"I thought she looked smaller, but I just thought I was hallucinating from lack of sleep because of all the crazy cases we've had," Jay said.

"No, she's lost fifteen pounds since her last check-up," Dr. Manning reiterated.

"So, what are you saying?" Will asked. "Our sister's anorexic? Bulimic?"

"I'm not saying any of those yet. But, I talked to Dr. Charles while Y/N was in the bathroom and she said to try and have her eat something, like the greasiest thing you can find in the cafeteria, and see what she does. We'll even leave the room after to chat and I'll have Maggie keep an eye on the bathrooms to see if she goes in there. If she refuses to eat or freaks out over it, then we might be dealing with anorexia. If she goes into the bathroom after, we might be dealing with bulimia. Or, it could be a combination of the two or just possibly her trying to lose weight. Has she ever mentioned wanting to lose weight to either of you?"

"No, not all," Jay answered. "Even when we went out after her last day of school, which I think was about two weeks after she had that physical, she ate a ton and she didn't go to the bathroom right after."

"But you did go home right after," Will pointed out.

"Yeah."

"But, with some bulimics, if they know that the food has already been digested, they won't try to purge. And, it sounds like the food had time to digest."

"Alright, I'll go grab her a bacon cheeseburger."

"And a side of mac n cheese," Jay suggested. "She loves that stuff." Will started to walk out, but Jay stopped him once more. "Can you pick me up a bacon cheeseburger, too? I'm hungry."

Will rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but just so you know, you're paying me back."

"I know," Jay said and then went back inside the treatment room.

"Where's Will?" you asked.

"He's getting you some food. How does a bacon cheeseburger and mac n cheese sound?"

God, your mouth watered just at the thought of the bacon cheeseburger alone. The juicy patty, melty cheese, and crispy bacon, yum. And, you hadn't had a burger in who knows how long.

"That sounds amazing honestly," you answered.

"Okay, good because that's what Will's getting you." He paused. "Is everything okay with Dad? Everything good at home?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," you lied.

"Did someone tell you that you were fat at all?"

Shit, he knew I'd lost weight. "No," you answered. "I guess I'm not just mindlessly snacking when I'm doing homework anymore. It's not like I'm trying to lose weight."

No way were you going to tell him that there was rarely any food in the house, not here anyway.

"Okay, good," Jay answered. Then, he looked out of the room to see Will talking with Natalie. But, they were close enough that you could hear them, so you turned your attention to the two as well.

"Hey, Nat," Will said, carrying a bag with three cheeseburgers and a side of mac n cheese.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I'm thinking, I only live a mile from you. So, when you go into labor, call me. I'll drive you here."

"Thanks, but...you know it could be three in the morning, right?"

"Sleep's overrated anyway."

Then, Will made his way back into your treatment room. "I wanna take you to the hospital," Jay mocked. "Very smooth, Will, very smooth."

"Will's got a crush, Will's got a crush," you said in a sing-song voice.

"Would you two knuckleheads keep it down? And no, I do not have a crush, I was just trying to be helpful."

Jay scoffed. "Yeah right. You totally have a crush on her, man. Now, give us the food and we won't say anything."

***

"Everything seem normal?" Natalie asked Will as Jay was still sitting with you after the three of you had finished your food.

"Yeah, she ate a little faster than normal, but we waited an hour and she didn't even get up to go to the bathroom, so I don't think that's the issue. She told Jay she wasn't trying to lose weight. She said she just wasn't mindlessly eating anymore when she was doing homework. But, I don't think that could make her lose fifteen pounds. Do you?"

"No. But unfortunately, given her height and age, she still has a normal BMI, so we can't do anything."

"Yeah, I get it. Me and Jay will keep an eye on her. It was around this time when our dad just kind of checked out on parenting us."

"What do you mean?"

"He wouldn't cook or really help us with anything. But, it was okay because our Mom was still around, so she'd cook and help us with things. He just thought we were old enough to deal with stuff on our own."

"Things that a teenager without another parent still needs help with."

"Exactly."

Jay poked his head out of the room. "Everything good? Y/N's asking when she can leave."

Will rolled his eyes. "Wonder where she gets that from."

"Shut up."

"I'll grab you the discharge papers," Natalie said and then walked to a nurse's station.

Just then, Will's pager went off. "I gotta go." He fished into the pocket of his scrubs. "You can take my car home and then just come pick me up from work and we can drive back to the district to get your truck. That way you don't have to bug Erin."

"Thanks, man. Go save some lives."

Natalie came back and handed him the discharge papers.

"Thanks, Nat. Me and Will will be sure to keep an eye on her, maybe have her over for dinner once or twice a week to monitor her eating habits."

"That's a good idea. Good luck with all this. Will told me that this was around the time that your dad clocked out on you, so maybe pay him a visit when Y/N's not there and check? I don't know if that's something you'd want to do or not."

Jay nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

"No problem."

Jay signed the discharge papers and then walked back into the room. "Good news."

"We can leave?" you asked excitedly as you sat up.

"We can leave," he confirmed.

***

You got out of the car and stood on the stoop of your house, Jay right next to you. "Jay," you started, "I have to tell you something."

"Okay, what is it? You can tell me anything."

You opened your mouth to tell him that there was barely any food in the house and that your dad refused to buy you feminine hygiene products because, by his logic, if he had another son, he wouldn't need to buy them, so you should buy them yourself.

But then, the door opened, revealing your dad.

"I was just going to say thanks for staying with me at the hospital. I would've left if you didn't stop me."

"You're welcome."

"Care to tell me where you've been?" your dad asked.

You knew he was just putting on a show because Jay was there.

"I was at the park and then me and Emma were going to see a movie and then--" your phone buzzed, alerting you that you had a text message.

"I've got it from here, Y/N. Dad, can I come inside?"

Pat Halstead nodded and you walked inside followed by your brother. "I'm gonna go upstairs and change," you said.

As you walked past the kitchen, you noticed a bunch of grocery bags, all of them full. He must've gone grocery shopping. At least you didn't have to worry about food for the next few days. But, you didn't know if he just did that because he finally listened to his voice mails and heard that you were in the hospital and were worried that they were going to find out that he was an unfit parent or because he finally came to his senses and realized that he was still responsible for you because you were a minor, which meant he needed to have food in the house.

As you walked upstairs, you checked your phone. It was Emma's neighbor asking if you could start helping her with kettle corn this Saturday. You responded with a yes because now, if your dad went back to not buying groceries, at least you'd be able to buy some for yourself.

A/N: Sorry this one was so short! It's kind of just to foreshadow the next installment of this. And, in the next installment, I will probably combine Seasons of PD: Season 4 and Seasons of Med: Season 2 because the storylines kind of go together. Anyway, thank you for reading! Please reblog/like and comment and tell me what you think! As always, if you want to be added to the taglist, just tell me and I’ll be happy to add you!

taglist: @theambracer88 @virtualreader @kelelas-life @celyndavies @brookerz122493 @musicismyescape27 @anotherfan07 @thexplosivegirl @dreamingwithlens @xoxmariaxox @onechicago18 @iamasimpingh0e 

[thewidowsghost]

The Olympian and Her Surprise (Natasha x Olympian Reader)

confusinggemini612 asked:

Hey, I saw your post about your requests being open & figured I'd send one in. Could you please write a Natasha x Reader fic where the Reader who's been busy training for the Olympics shows up at the Compound to surprise Nat? Nat is ecstatic & the team's like wtf, not knowing Natasha was dating anyone. Thanks

procrastinatingsapphictrash asked:

Okay request thing really quickly since I'm kinda in the middle of class right now. Anyways could you write something about r being natasha's secret girlfriend (who is just a normal person, not an avenger) and natasha brings her to meet the team who are all very shocked. Thank you if you write this!

So, both of these lovelies sent me requests, so I sort of combined them to create this!!

Hope you guys enjoy!!

Practice had been going pretty well, and (Y/n) and her team had beaten their time by five seconds in their 400 x 4 relay.

On the car ride home, (Y/n) fiddles with the engagement ring on the chain around her neck.

(Y/n) smiles at the thought of surprising her fiance - who she hadn't seen for a month due to training for the Olympics.

(Y/n) is well built - both arm and leg muscles - and rather tall for a sprinter - about six foot three inches - making (Y/n) taller than her fiancee by about nine inches.

When (Y/n) finally pulls into the driveway of her and her fiancee's house in upstate New York, she's slightly disappointed to find that her fiance's black Corvette Stingray isn't there.

There is no reason for (Y/n) to be disappointed though because her fiancee hadn't known (Y/n) was coming home.

(Y/n) face lights up with a smile when she realizes what she could do - surprise Natasha at work.

(Y/n) backs out of the driveway and heads off to the Avengers Compound to surprise her Natasha.

"Hey, JARVIS?" (Y/n) asks as she walks into the Compound.

"Yes, Ms. (L/n)?" JARVIS asks - Natasha having added (Y/n) into JARVIS's programming. "Looking for Ms. Romanoff?"

"Yes," (Y/n) replies.

"She's in the training room just down the hall. Would you like me to warn her of your arrival?"

"No thanks, JARVIS," (Y/n) replies. "I'd like to surprise her."

(Y/n) heads down to the training room, and pauses in the doorway, watching her Avenger with a soft smile.

(Y/n) waves to Clint, and the archer grins.

(Y/n) notices the earbuds in her fiancee's ears.

After a minute or so, Natasha pulls out her earbuds, puts them in their case, and (Y/n) quietly walks over to Natasha, ignoring the other Avengers' curiosity.

"Tasha," (Y/n) coos, wrapping her muscled arms around the redheaded Avenger.

Natasha lets out a squeal of delight, turning in (Y/n)'s arms to hug her tightly.

"What are you doing here?" Natasha asks, ignoring her teammates watching the two women with confusion.

"I'm off for the next week," (Y/n) says with a smile. "I went home to surprise you, but you weren't there," she adds with a pout.

"Who is this?" A young green-eyed brunette that must've been Wanda asks.

"I'm (Y/n) (L/n)," (Y/n) says, and Natasha pulls out of the hug to address her teammates.

"This is my fiancee," Natasha says, her eyes sparkling happily.

There's a shocked silence that makes (Y/n) grin.

. . .

The Avengers move into the living room and in a better light, Tony Stark finally realizes that he knows (Y/n) from somewhere, but isn't quite sure where, and the billionaire says so, (Y/n) laughs simply.

(Y/n)'s piercing (E/c) eyes fix on the billionaire, her lean but muscular figure leaning back into the couch, an arm wrapping around Natasha's waist.

"She's an Olympic athlete," Natasha says proudly.

Steve looks more interested now, "What event do you participate in?"

"I'm a sprinter, but I've really gotten into hurdles recently, but never really run a race for hurdles," (Y/n) answers. "I run the 400x4 relay."

"Must take a lot of practice," Sam guesses.

(Y/n) nods. "I actually just got the week off after a month of training. Before that, it was three months of training and two weeks off."

"How'd you two meet?" Wanda asks her eyes bright with the question.

"I was working a part-time job at a coffee shop before my training started three years ago, and I saw her sitting at a table alone, so I went ahead and took my break to sit with the gorgeous redhead."

"That's so sweet," Wanda coos.

"Why didn't you tell anybody about (Y/n)?" Clint asks.

"I don't know why you're asking Bird Brain, you already knew," (Y/n) says with a grin in the archer's direction.

"Well, it was great to meet you, (Y/n)," Steve says, standing up. "I'm sure the two of you'd like to get home, though."

Natasha flushes as (Y/n) murmurs something in her ear that the others can't hear. "Come on, hun," (Y/n) says, getting to her feet, and holding out her hand for the redhead to take.

"Oh, and (Y/n)," Tony says and both women turn to look at the billionaire. "Welcome to the family."

(Y/n) and Natasha smile, a grateful smile on Natasha's face as she looks at her old friend, and with that, the two leave - Natasha driving her car, (Y/n) driving her own - meeting back up at home.

. . .

"So, hun?" (Y/n) asks. "What do you want for dinner?" she questions when the two had flopped down onto the couch, Natasha happy to be in (Y/n)'s arms again.

"What about that diner that delivers that we only get the night you come home?" Natasha asks.

"Oh, the, '(Y/n)'s Home Tradition Diner'?" (Y/n) asks, her eyes twinkling happily.

"Yeah," Natasha says with a grin. "Gotta build you up while you're here," Natasha says, patting (Y/n)'s stomach affectionately.

(Y/n) laughs, pulls out her phone, ordering their food, before snuggling together on the couch, Supergirl playing in the background, the two watching Alex's coming out scene.

"I loved your surprise," Natasha murmurs, her head resting on (Y/n)'s chest.

"And I loved meeting your friends," (Y/n) replies, her voice soft as to not blow Natasha's eardrums.

"Family," Natasha corrects.

"What?" (Y/n) questions, though she has a suspicion of the meaning behind Natasha's question. She just wanted to hear Natasha say it for herself.

"They're my family. Our family," Natasha says and (Y/n) grins, pressing a soft kiss to Natasha's forehead.

Word Count: 935 words

Taglist:

@mariawilson24

@just-dreaming-marvel

@marsromanoff

@procrastinatingsapphictrash

@theofficialzivadavid

@chickenhavewisdom

@fayharper

@acertainredhead

@capsicle118

@rail-me-romanoff

@ssa-sapphic

[writingabouteverything]

The Perfect White Flower--and Other Nonexistent Things

a/n YALL THIS IS PROBABLY DUMB BUT I HAD THIS IDEA ABOUT A HARRY STYLES X READER FIC THATS BASED ON THE PLOT OF JANE THE VIRGIN AND I WANTED TO WRITE IT SO BADLY I MADE THIS ACCOUNT

disclaimer--wont follow the show exactly 

Pairing: Harry Styles x latina! reader (a key factor of the show revolves around the lead being latina, and im latina and honestly love writing for us but anyone can still read and understand/hopefully enjoy and the fic doesn’t involve any physical descriptions:)) 

Series Summary: Y/n l/n has had the world figured out since she was a child. She won’t be a writer because it’s risky, she’ll just focus on school and becoming a teacher. She’s never been a child, because her mother had her at sixteen and hasn’t aged a single year since. That’s part of the reason the promise she made to her grandmother means so much to her--if she doesn’t have sex before marriage, her child will never have to grow up as quickly as she did. And Harry Styles is at the top of the world--his music has never been more successful, he has a lovely girlfriend, and he’s never been more in demand. He has everything in the world...except a child, and through a series of unbelievable events--y/n might be his only chance to have one. Ever. 

Chapter One Summary: Who knew getting a pap smear on two hours of sleep and three cups of coffee was as bad as having unprotected sex? 

There’s something dangerous about taking public transportation in LA. And no, I don’t mean it in the ‘there are bad people in the world’ type of way. I mean it in the ‘I live in one of the casual influencer, celebrity, tourist hubs of the world and each time I step onto the bus I find myself mesmerized by all the stories I see in them’ way. Kind of pathetic, I know, but sometimes a child with blonde pig tails or a woman streaming on instagram live will catch my eye and the urge to pull out my lap top and start something I’ll never finish. 

I know that writing isn’t some kind of disease. But I can’t let myself fall in love with it the way I want to. There’s nothing wrong with writing a short story or two, but trying to write a novel? That’s impractical. It will distract me from school, from the four year plan I’m almost done with.

Sighing, I brave taking at my surroundings. I deserve this today, after the anonymous, rude costumer at the hotel today, I need positivity. No one is particularly inspiring. The bus stops and I watch out the window. At first the crowd is ordinary, and then i see them...paparazzi. Flashing cameras from all angles, grown men violating all rules of personal space. It never sits right with me, but I guess it’s just part of living in LA. The bus starts moving again. When it stops again, I see even more paparazzis, but their cameras aren’t flashing. Good for whoever escaped that. 

The bus door opens and I snap my attention back to my computer screen. I rub my eyes as I stare at my word document. How is there more that needs to be edited? This professor is the harshest grader I’ve ever had, and my friend, Gisa, is kind for giving me even more notes. But I’m exhausted. Two tests and an essay due before 12:00. And it’s...11:38. Great--I have to upload it the second I’m at my doctor’s office and have WiFi again. 

I spend some time highlighting and rewording sentences, and once I’m done I reward myself with more people watching because I deserve it and I can’t fall asleep here. I’m kind of invested in the girl live streaming her bus ride...maybe she’ll say her instagram handle. 

But when I look up, she’s not on the bus anymore. Almost no one is. An elderly couple is sitting towards the back. A woman with a toddler sit two rows in front of me...and there’s now a man directly across from me. I blink for a moment, imagining a story for someone who’s face I can’t quite see beneath such dark sun glasses. His dark waves and strong jaw do most of the imagining for me--he deserves a mystery, a dramatic one with a happy ending and just enough romance to keep the people interested. A good romance, too--not too sappy. Enemies to lovers, maybe. A mysterious stranger that’s not really a stranger because something about him is just...familiar. 

He turns his head and I drop my gaze immediately. There’s no doubt he caught that, but I still pretend to edit the title of my essay. “You’ve been typing stubbornly since I first got on the bus.” There’s an accent--of course he’s english. But it’s more than that, I’ve heard that voice before. I’ve been...soothed by it. And--oh my god, I’m sitting across from Harry Styles.

Okay, don’t freak out. Don’t freak him out. He’s probably on here to escape the the whole ‘oh my god, you’re Harry Styles!’ thing.  

“What are you writing?” Harry Styles just spoke to me. I greeted my one direction poster every single day in middle school, and Harry Styles just spoke to me. Okay--relax, breathe--it’s only weird if you make it weird. 

There’s a kind of curt curiosity to his question. He could have been ruder, considering how blatantly I was staring at him. “I um...an essay.” I’m temped to turn the screen so that he can see I’m telling the truth. Though he wasn’t hostile, a part of me is paranoid that he thinks I am writing about him. It’s a fair assumption, for all he knows I’m drafting a tweet about who I saw on the bus this morning or preparing to send something in to some gossip girl-esque blog. “It’s due today at noon and normally I’m way more on top of things, but I had this last minute doctor’s appointment rescheduling because my usual doctor is out of town and--” I cut myself off before I can tell Harry Styles that I’m ovulating and that if I don’t go to my OBGYN now, I have to wait an entire month and I’ve already been off birth control longer than I’d like. I might not have actual sex in my near future, but my cramps have been extra terrible. “An essay, I just finished an essay.”

He nods once. Maybe he feels bad for so thoroughly startling me into such a rambling, because the corner of his mouth tilts upwards. A soft smile adds even more grace to his features, I focus on the dimple that appears in his cheek. “An aggravating essay, I take it, considering the death glares you’ve been giving your laptop screen.”

I smile at his polite humor. “It’s for the harshest grader on campus. She took three points off of my first essay freshman year because I spaced my bibliography wrong.” 

He cringes in sympathy. “Good luck.” 

“Thanks,” I hum, proud of myself for not letting him know that I know who he is. The bus stops, I can see my doctor’s office behind a few paparazzi. “This is my stop.” 

Harry nods once, ducking his head slightly. A tiny part of me feels sympathy for him; from what I’ve gathered, he genuinely loves his fans and the relationship they have, but it must be draining to never have a moment of privacy. Especially when it’s people who care more about selling your picture than your mental health. 

I linger on the bus’s step, watching the men with large cameras look around. “Excuse me, are you guys looking for Harry Styles?” Most of the men disregard me, but one looks at me. “I know he’s near here because I’m a really big fan and my friend just texted that she saw him.” This gets me the attention I wanted. “He’s at Northfield--a cafe like three blocks down. I just know that if she got a picture with Harry in like a magazine or something she’d totally lose it--in a good way, and she’s been having a bad time so if you see her can you try to make it happen? Knowing her she’ll be at his side, she’s blonde, shortish hair.” 

The men seem skeptical, but I guess they realize that this is the best lead they have. I think the fact that I gave a reason to justify selling Harry out for no reason helped. They disperse together, heading at least three blocks away from Harry. I don’t know if I’ve actually helped him, but I hope I have. 

“Essay girl.” I freeze, half cringing. Did he hear that? That’s embarrassing. I consider darting away, but decide that would just make me cringe more. So I turn on my heels. “You...you forgot your phone.” 

He just saved my life. “Thank you.” I take my phone from his outstretched hand, ignoring the slight thrill that runs through me when our fingers brush. “You’re my hero--the last thing I needed today was to run all over the city searching for my phone.” I finish the awkward admission with a partial laugh. 

“Least I could do,” he mumbles, “especially considering what you just did.” 

...He did see that. “Oh um--it was nothing, I just kind of made a connection and assumed the only reason you’d be on a public bus is because you were trying to avoid some things, and you make really great music and a lot of people happy, so you deserve that break.” Why does it feel like I’ve been talking forever? “Anyways, thanks for the whole phone thing, and I hope I got them off your tail.” 

My joke seems to somewhat land. His lips part, like he’s planning on saying something else. A timer on my phone interrupts him. I instinctually look down--great, the alarm on my phone warning me that I’m only ten minutes away from being late. “I’m late.” I turn towards the bus’s exit. “I gotta go, but thanks again, and I hope you have a good day.” 

I disappear after that, still not sure that that whole thing wasn’t some kind of hallucination. Did I just meet Harry Styles? He...he gave me my phone. Harry Styles has touched my phone. I can’t wait to tell Gisa, she’ll lose it.

I’m still thinking about Harry Styles when I finally reach my OBGYN’s office. When I get there, things are a lot more hectic than I thought they’d be. Many people crowd the waiting area and the receptionist’s desk is clearly understaffed. Two young girls are trying to address multiple upset pregnant women and take phone calls at the same time, all while practically buried in a sea pf paperwork. Wow, I didn’t realize that transferring was such chaos. One of the girls waves me over and barely checks my name before shoving a form towards me. I fill out as quickly as possible. 

 I upload my essay quickly after checking in. Who knows, maybe Harry Styles’s blessing will get me an A? A third person in scrubs emerges from the back after a moment and ushers me into a room. I tell myself to focus on going over the facts I need for the test I have to take in a little over an hour. Or to focus on the fact that I just met Harry Styles. But instead, I feel my heavy eyelids fall shut. 

I don’t know how long I sleep, but I know that I wake up during the middle of a doctor’s sentence, “...I know I’m not your usual, so I just want to make sure you’re comfortable.” 

“Hm...Yeah, yeah I’m comfortable.” She nods once, her wide eyes slightly red. “But I do have a class today in like an hour, so I was wondering if this was going to take longer because of the office’s move?” 

“Oh, no,” she shakes her head. “Just because Dr. Rodriguez gave us no notice before deciding that she no longer wanted to work here...or in the country. Or even live in the US, despite the fact that we just signed a lease on a place together...” Tears well in the stranger’s eyes, pity settles in my stomach. 

“That sounds incredibly complicated, I didn’t mean to rush you.” 

She blinks twice, her expression blanking as she fights against the pain of what’s clearly a terrible break up. “No, no--you have every right. Today is your day and if..honestly, if you’re strong enough to go to a class after this, and do what you’re about to do by yourself, then I’m strong enough to get through today.” 

Um...didn’t realize a pap smear counted as something that needs moral support, but I’ll chalk it up to her heightened emotions. “Thanks.” 

She snaps on her medical gloves. “No, thank you for your patience. Now lay down.” 

I do as told, preparing for a sensation I haven’t often experienced. A moment passes and I know she’s started. She’s moving away from me much faster than expected. Oh--I guess pap smears are a lot shorter than I expected. 

“That’s it?” 

“Yep,” she hums, pulling her gloves off. “Now just take it easy, and hydrate.”

Weird...but that’s like general doctor advice. “Thanks!” 

--

I’ve never wanted to keep a secret from Gisa, but sometimes I really regret telling her I met Harry Styles. It’s been almost a month and I find my mind wandering back to the moment in which our fingers brushed more than I should. Sometimes I let myself wonder what he might have said if my phone hadn’t rang. I was probably just imagining the way his lips parted, but my ind refuses to let it go. 

“...You know it’s kind of sad, I read an interview in which he spoke about the fact that he has some genetic condition that makes it hard to have kids. He has so many godchildren, and I feel like he’d make such a great father.” 

I try to keep up with Gisa’s words, but the dull ache in my head makes it feel so far away. “Yeah...he seemed really patient.” 

Gisa nods, turning to face me. “You alright, you’re looking kinda green?” 

“Yeah...” I reach for my canvas bag. “I think I just...I probably just need some water.” 

My hand grazes the metal of my water bottle and then the corners of my vision blur into blackness. I sway, Gisa’s hand is on my shoulder...and then it all goes black. 

--

I sit uncomfortably on the hospital’s cot. Gisa is a traitor for telling my mom that I fainted. I knew she’d just drag me here--hispanic mothers, they either believe they can cure you with vic’s vapor rub or they want you in the ER. No in between. 

“I know you didn’t want another test, but you’ve been throwing up in the morning for days and now you’re fainting.” 

“Fainted,” I correct, “it happened once.” 

“C’mon, mija, it’s just one doctor’s appointment.” 

Speaking of, an ER nurse returns. “Fainting and nausea spells explained,” he says, glancing at his clipboard, “you’re pregnant.” 

My mom and I can’t help but exchange a look before bursting into laughter. Pregnant. If I’m pregnant then the second coming is here. “That’s impossible, I’m a virgin.” 

He glances at my mom, “maybe we should have this conversation in private.” 

“No, what you say in front of me you can say in front of my mom.” 

My mom raises an eyebrow. “Y/n, did you and that guy from your english class--” 

“No! No, we did not. I am a virgin and there’s no way I’m pregnant.” I glare at the nurse. 

He then ushers me to a bathroom so that I can provide a urine sample. After I’m finished, he shows me a pregnancy test strip. “Pink means pregnant.” I bite my tongue as he tests the strip in my sample. He pulls it out and it’s...it’s bright pink.

“I’m calling my doctor, because this has to be a mistake. It has to be like a hormonal thing.” 

“Exactly, pregnancy hormones.” 

I glare even harder, calling the doctor that I saw last week. “Hello, Dr. Ash? I was wondering if I could get a consultation because I’m in the ER and some crazy doctor is trying to tell me I’m pregnant.” 

Silence on the line for a long second. “...I actually cleared my calendar for you.” 

[thelastdrop]

Marked

It had been a while since you and Chaeyoung had gone out for a night with some friends. Normally the two of you would rather spend your time together walking the streets of Seoul together with your camera capturing whatever peeked your interest. The company of one another was more than enough to keep the two of you occupied for hours on end. Tonight is a little different though. 

One of Chaeyoung’s long time friends is trying to invite her out to a rooftop bar. This kind of invitation is a regular occurrence and is typically fairly easy to turn down, but as you listened to your girlfriend on the phone you realize today’s conversation is not going her way.

“Ok but-... well yes I did turn you down last time… okay and maybe the time before that… AND the time for before that but Somi-” 

Chaeyoung looks over at you and shakes her head letting you know it’s not looking good. Your head falls back against the couch in your apartment while you let out a long over dramatic groan of annoyance. Watching you do this Chaeyoung starts to giggle softly, but the loud voice on the other end of the phone lets you know she heard Chaeyoung’s laughter.

“No Somi I wasn’t laughing at you I promise. I was just laughing at something-... Yeah he’s here… You want him to come out with us?... Alright I’ll ask him.” 

Chaeyoung moves the phone away from her mouth and onto her shoulder before looking at you.

“Somi wants to know if you’d like to come out with us tonight. She says she hasn’t spent time with either of us in a while and wants to see us.”

“Awww come on babe. Do we really have to go out? Why don’t we just spend our Friday nights like we normally do?” you protest.

“You know I’d love nothing more than that, but Somi isn’t going to let me out of this one. So either way I’m going. Do you want to come with me or sit around here until I get home?” Chaeyoung says matter-of-factly.

“Is this place nice? I don’t want to have to get too dressed up to go out somewhere I don’t really want to go. What are you wearing?”

Chaeyoung motions to the clothes she is currently wearing. A gray shirt with the phrase “Je t’aime” was in big red letters across the front and a pair of normal jeans. Even such a simple outfit really reminded you how beautiful Chaeyoung is. While she might be small, you can't get enough of her fit, petite body. 

Some of your buddies always ask how you ended up choosing Chaeyoung out of all of her friends, but you just tell them there isn’t even a choice. Your girlfriend is far prettier than all of her friends and you find it weird that they are asking you that question.

Coming back into the moment you blink a few times as Chaeyoung waves her hand in front of your face. 

“Oppa~ oppa~ what would you like to do oppa~” she asks in a cute tone.

“Alright I’ll go with you.”

You see a warm toothless smile wash over Chaeyoung’s face as she puts the phone back to her ear.

“Yeah Somi? He said he’ll come too.”

---

The night out has actually been a lot of fun so far. Somi chose a really nice rooftop bar that was only walking distance from your apartment to make it even more convincing for you and Chaeyoung to meet her. Somi wore a white-knit crop top that clung tightly to her big boobs and showed off her tight core, along with the top she wore a pair of jeans that shower off her figure and ass nicely.

You couldn’t help but stare at her throughout the night at certain points. If Somi ever leaned over the table to pick up something and you got a clear view at her massive cleavage it was almost impossible to look away. And without fail every time Chaeyoung caught you staring she’d give you a quick jab in the side or leg. When you’d turn to look at your girlfriend she’d just have an annoyed look on her face. Now you remembered why you didn’t like going out with Chaeyoung’s friends all that often.

“Well I’m going to go and get another round of drinks. Do you all want anything?” Somi asks the two of you while standing up. 

Somi stretches upwards while she waits for an answer making it impossible for you to turn your gaze away from her body. She twisted slightly showing off her tight ass in her jeans making you gulp slightly.

“No no Somi you got the last round let me get this one,” Chaeyoung says while standing up and slapping the back of your head quickly so Somi won’t notice. “Oppa, can I have some money to get us some drinks?”

“Sure baby... hear you go.” you reply while rubbing the back of your head.

Chaeyoung smiles at you and turns before walking off in the direction of the bar. You can’t help but watch your girlfriend’s small tight ass in her jeans as she walked off annoyed.

“So oppa, how are things with you and Chaeyoung?” Somi says as she takes the seat Chaeyoung was in beside you.

“They’ve been going pretty well so far. It’s been about 9 months since we officially started dating and we’ve only grown closer over that time. I can’t tell you how much of a positive impact it is to have Chaeyoung in my life.” you say while gazing across the open air bar at the stunning short-haired blonde beauty ordering drinks.

“You’ve also had a positive impact on her’s.”

“Oh?” you say turning your attention back to Somi.

“Yeah whenever I talk with her she can’t seem to shut up about you. She talks about all the new things you’ve made her try, and how she never would’ve unless you were there with her. So I just wanted to say thanks for doing that.” Somi says as she extends her arms for a hug.

You smile at her and accept her hug.

“No problem Somi. I really do care about Chaeyoung.”

After a couple of seconds, feel a tug at the collar of your shirt pulling you away from Somi and sending you into the armrest of the wooden couch you were sitting on. You look up and see Chaeyoung staring down at you with an expression you’ve never seen on her face before.

“Sorry Somi, but we need to get going. I forgot there was something we needed to take care of back at home.” Chaeyoung says while squeezing your bicep tightly.

You take the hint and stand up beside Chaeyoung not wanting to anger her anymore than she apparently already is.

“Ugh yeah sorry Somi. But we should do this again sometime. It was a lot of fun.” You say making Chaeyoung dig her nails into your bicep.

“Ow ow ow.” you start chanting as Chaeyoung drags you back to your apartment.

---

You aren’t sure what has gotten over Chaeyoung, but as soon as you two made it inside Chaeyoung grabbed you by the scruff of your shirt and pulled you down so you were eye level with her.

“Man you just can’t keep your hands off of Somi can you?”

“What-”

Chaeyoung pulls you into your bedroom and spins you around before pushing you on top of the bed.

You have no idea where this strength was coming from. Before you have a chance to react Chaeyoung is straddling you, cupping your face in her hands.

“You’re mine oppa. Mine.”

Chaeyoung then pushes her tongue into your mouth and battles with your own muscle for dominance. But in this position she easily wins and forces you to lay flat on your back. The taste of strawberries fills your mouth, while Chaeyoung continues to make out with you. Giving into Chaeyoung you start to move your hands towards her tight body, but a sharp pain on your lower lip causes you to stop your movement.

Your girlfriend picks her head up with a sly smirk marveling at what she’d just done to you. You bring your hand to your mouth and brush your index finger against your bottom lip. Chaeyoung pulls her shirt off and tosses it to the side. You look at your girlfriend's chest, admiring her small tits and erect nipples. Looking at your finger you see a bit of red on it bringing you back to what just happened.

“Chaeyoung what is-”

Your sentence is cut off by your girlfriend putting her finger over your mouth.

“Don’t say anything oppa. I’m gonna remind you who you should be looking at. Take your clothes off.”

All you feel like you can do is nod your head. While you pull your shirt off Chaeyoung works on your pants. You lift your hips up so it gives Chaeyoung an easier time getting them off, then slide back further into the bed till you reach your pillows. Chaeyoung also makes quick work of her own clothes. As soon as she’s naked she crawls back over top of you until her thighs are on either side of your head.

Chaeyoung lowers her pussy over your mouth and grabs a fist full of your hair to hold you in place. You only get a quick taste before she pulls away. She repeats this a few more times before finally sitting on your face and grinding her pussy against your mouth. 

Chaeyoung's moans begin to fill the room, becoming louder and louder. With every rotation of her hips against your face she increases the speed. Your nose is buried in her ass, but you don't care. You're enjoying what's happening too much. All your tongue is good for right now is providing pleasure to your girlfriend as she uses your mouth as she sees fit.

Chaeyoung's ass is now covering your entire face, her thighs squeezing against your head while the rest of her weight is supported by her arms. You hungrily lap at her soaking wet pussy, licking up all her juices. You're tempted to reach your hands up and grab her ass to give yourself some leverage, but you know that would be a bad idea, so you stick with what is allowed.

"Oh my god! I'm gonna... I'm gonna..." Chaeyoung moans as she rides your face into ecstasy.

Your face is covered in her juices. Every time your tongue tries to escape your mouth it's met by her hot snatch or throbbing clit. Her hands are now wrapped in your hair, practically dragging you against her as she rides harder and harder.

After a few more moments of this torrid pace, she finally slows down before gently lifting herself off your face.

"Ah... Ahhh..." She pants trying to catch her breath. "That was fucking amazing."

Before you can reply in any way Chaeyoung places her hand over your mouth and deftly swings her body around so her pussy is above your hard cock, which is firmly pressing into your stomach. Keeping one hand on your mouth Chaeyoung guides your cock into her warm, wet carven causing the two of you to moan in unison. The tight confides of your girlfriend's pussy always drive you crazy, but even more so right now since you know you can't move at all.

Chaeyoung slowly lowers herself completely on your dick, her ass resting on your thighs as she begins to slowly grind in a circle. She licks her palm for better grip before picking her lower body back up. Her hand remains over your mouth, but you still get to enjoy the view with your now tilted head as she begins to rock her hips back and forth.

“Mmmm... I love how your cock fills me up." She lets out with a small moan.

Chaeyoung leans down and latches onto a pulse point on your neck sucking harshly. As she does this she begins to bounce up and down faster and faster. Letting go of your neck she sits up and plants both of her hands firmly on your stomach while she rides your cock harder and faster than she ever has before. Her breathing increases with every thrust as she leans forward, her arms straightening to keep her body up. Her face is twisted in a mixture of pain and pleasure as she finally slows down.

"I-I'm about to cum." She says between pants.

Chaeyoung’s walls begin to flutter as the first waves of her orgasmic pleasure washes over her. Unable to hold back any longer, you give one hard thrust upwards and bury your cock as deep as it'll go into your girlfriend's pussy and release stream after stream of your hot cum.

"Oh fuck! Yes! It feels so fucking good!" She screams as your cum fills her up.

You reach for her ass to pull her hips down, but she pushes your hands away and continues to prop herself up. Every spurt of your cock sends another wave of tingles through your body and makes her shudder with delight. She finally slows down before leaning forward and falling on your chest.

After several minutes Chaeyoung rolls off of you and picks your camera up off the ground beside the bed as you continue coming down from the intense high your girlfriend just drew out of you. Aiming the lens at your neck she snaps a picture with the flash, making you squint your right eye at the bright flash. After fiddling with the camera she turns the screen toward you. You see a reddish, purple circle on top of one the veins that run up the side of your neck.

You reach your hand up and feel the warm skin under your fingertips.

“Mine.” 

A/N - I think this was the hardest fic to write so far. I’m not sure if the concept I chose just didn’t hit me as hard as I thought it would or what, but I’m not the happiest with this one. I hope you all were able to enjoy it even if I don’t think it turned out very good. 6 down 3 to go. Thanks for reading~

[itsbeaconhillsbaby]

city lights, pretty sights || tom holland x reader

a/n: hello again! so i was completely overwhelmed by the lovely response my first tom holland mini fic/imagine/blurb thing received from you guys. and i had a couple more ideas so decided to keep going and see what you all think. once again - i hope you guys are liking these, let me know if you are and if you wanna have a chat about anything tom related - hmu, I'd love to chat! 

word count: 1673 warning: none (that i can remember anyways) summary: wandering through nyc late at night still in your premiere outfits; pizza, piggy back rides and cute scenes

“What’s your thoughts on pizza?” 

You nuzzle closer into the side of the figure next to you, feeling them guiding and supporting you along the path as you walk together. You’d be lying if you said you weren’t holding on a little tighter than normal. Looking up to him you grinned, hair falling out of the loose style it’d been sitting in all night, the bouncy curls now framing your face, “I love pizza.” You could feel the presence of Tom’s security, walking a little further back giving you both some space, but still close enough that if anything at all happened, they’d be there to get you both home. You approach a tiny little hole-in-the-wall takeaway pizzeria, Tom pulling himself behind you, keeping hold of your hand as you walked through the tiny entrance. “Two slices of your pepperoni pizza please?!” you ask, grabbing a couple dollars from inside your bag and handing it over to the man. the place was empty. “Ay, 2 minutes!” You thank him and lean back slightly, now bracing yourself against Tom as he wraps both his arms around your waist and tucks his chin into your neck. sweeping a couple tiny kisses below your ear. “Have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight?” he whispers, brushing some hair behind your ear with his nose. “Only every single time you’ve looked at me,” you laugh, “It’s not every day I have make-up artists and dresses delivered to me. But I think you’ll find it’s me who can’t keep her eyes off of you. You were amazing tonight, y’know?” He hums into your bare shoulder, your body vibrating against his touch. Tonight was crazy; and you still couldn’t quite believe that it wasn’t all just some very elaborate dream. You had been making breakfast a couple days ago for you both, spoiling Tom now that he was back in London fresh off his press tour. You had come into the bedroom to tell him everything was ready when he pulled you down onto the bed and into his chest, gently asking if he could bring you as his plus one to his premiere in New York. The days that followed were crazy. Some designers had sent some dresses once they were told Tom was bringing a plus one, all eager to be the first to dress ‘her’. It was overwhelming to say the least. You were brought back from your memory by a saucy pizza aroma, your stomach reacting after now realising how long it had been since you’d eaten. You’d been so nervous all day, and everything was so stressful this morning...this pizza couldn’t come faster. Aside from your rumbling tummy, there was another big reason why neither of you had wanted to go straight home after the premiere. You hadn’t looked at your phones yet. Nor did you particularly want to. You knew the media would have been chomping at the bit to release the photos and articles of Tom and his ‘mystery girl’ - you were making the most of your normality with him before it was all blown to smithereens. Before you could dwell on that thought any longer, two slices of thick NYC pizza wrapped in napkins atop paper plates slid across the counter towards you. Tom unwound his arms from around your body and you both grabbed your slices before giving your thanks and leaving the pizzeria with a jingle of the bell above the door. //// You finished the last few bites of your pizza, leaving the crust before throwing it into the nearest bin. The city lights were glittering, cars still lining the streets despite the late hour. It definitely was the city that never sleeps and you loved it here. Despite it being hot and sticky all day, a cold wind had picked up and the material of your dress wasn’t exactly the warmest. Tiny little goosebumps has appeared on your arms, the little hairs standing up straight. “You wanna head back? It’s getting cold,” tom asked, he shuffled himself out of his burgundy suit jacket and held it open for you to put your arms in before sliding it up and over your shoulders, enveloping you. “-Or we can call a car here?” he continued. You had stopped where you stood, just at one of the entrances to central park. “We can have a car come in about 15 minutes if you want to take a little stroll about the park, Tom?” His security guard had noticed the lack of movement and had come over to see if either of you needed his assistance. “That sounds great, thank you!” you called, refusing to let this day end just yet. “Thank you for today, the paparazzi and the media and all the shouting. It’s a lot to deal with. Would put many off, but you handled it like a complete pro. We did the right thing didn’t we?” Tom asked, keeping his eyes forward to the grassy path lined with trees. “Hey. Look at me.” You turn him to face you, the lamplights highlighting his eyes as they trained themselves onto you, “I knew what I was getting myself into, and no amount of press or media stunts are gonna ruin this. No way. We’ll deal with it - as long as you want to keep making these films, I’ll support you. through the good and the bad, right?” He shifts on his feet, slightly uncomfortable with the conversation. His lifestyle had gotten in the way of his relationships before, you knew that. and Tom felt deeply about the people he loved. It was partly why you loved him and a reason why you’d both agreed to keep you out of the limelight for a while. You knew he was giving you a get out of jail free card. A reason to leave if you needed it. “I’m in this. I promise,” you reassured him. Youu bring your hands up to his face, caressing his cheek slightly, brushing the curls out of his face with your hand, “Since when did you get so soppy anyway?” “What can I say...it’s part of the charm!” you saw that twinkle jump back into his eyes, his playful energy taking centre stage pushing the tiredness, vulnerability and fear to the back of his mind. You continued to walk through the park a little, still within eyeshot of the entrance, careful not to wander too far. Enjoying each other’s company in a peaceful section of this intense city. At that moment, in classic NYC style, the heavens opened up and a heavy rainstorm thundered into the ground. The pair of you started laughing, the rain catching you both slightly as you took cover under one of the trees lining the pathway. You noticed Tom’s security waving you over, your car was here and the stretch from where you were both sheltered under the tree to the entrance was fully open. “Right, hop on!” You look at Tom confused as he squats down slightly, his arms held out behind him. Gathering up your dress slightly, you grip onto his shoulders, count down from 3 and hop onto his back, wrapping your legs around his waist and linking your arms around his shoulders and neck, clinging on with your face pressed into his hair. “Go go go!” You burst out laughing as he makes a beeline for the car, the rain pelting down on the both of you, completely soaking the pair of you to the bone. Your hair whipped around your face and you could hear Tom laughing as he ran, you couldn’t help but join in. You closed your eyes, tilted your head up and let it hit you for a moment, you were by far the luckiest girl in the world. You’d reached the car before you knew it, Tom gently lowered you back to the ground as you hopped back off - keeping your dress off the ground in the hopes not to ruin it completely. Opening the car door and ducking your head in, you slid across the seats, Tom on your heels. “Well, that was unexpected.” Tom looked at you, his full curls plastered to his head - shirt dripping, and burst out laughing, “I love you but you look like a raccoon.” You playfully hit on him on the shoulder before bursting into laughter yourself, “Oh shut up. ” //// Tom was, as expected, trending on all social media the next day. Articles and photos of his past relationships and rumoured romances brought to the surface as your red-carpet photos together came to light. However, the press hadn’t caught the best photos of the night at all.

In amongst all the posed pictures, two slightly blurry but still recognisable photos were moving their way across the internet. One taken by a fan through the window and across the road from the pizzeria - of Tom cuddling you from behind as you leaned back into him dressed in gown and tux. And another, of you with your head back, hair wild, laughing and Tom carrying you on his back, floppy and curly hair, massive grin and eyes crinkling at the sides - taken by another fan, you suspected. As gorgeous as the media pics were, you knew behind them was stress and nervousness from both parties, and you couldn’t help the feeling in your stomach that someone had managed to capture both of you completely natural and free, enjoying yourselves and each other on such a monumental day for both Tom and for your relationship. You liked and saved both the pictures before hearing the click of your phone locking shut as you placed it back on the bedside table. Rolling over you curled yourself behind Tom before he shifted himself onto his back, arm sliding under your shoulders and shifting you into his side. You close your eyes as he presses a sleepy kiss to your forehead and you let yourself finally relax - completely and utterly content.