#Isa took a while to catch on to both his feelings and their own

[dogueteeth-fhr]

Yoga pants are deadly and Danny is not immune

[shuamorollss]

02. familiar face, familiar place.

Sim Jaeyun, after living in london for 2 years with his ex girlfriend, Lee Chaeyoung, finally comes back to Korea to have a fresh start. That is... until he accidentally found you breaking down while eating at a local mcdonalds. You knew him by then, since he dated your best friend, and Jake knew you, being the best friend of his ex. So this is only an unexpected reunion, right? it's not like you two would secretly start hanging out to escape from all the struggling sides of life.

warnings— not proofread, errors ahead

It was a cold night, alone at McDonald's, or so you thought you were alone.

" Jake as in Sim Jaeyun? That Aussie boy Sim Jaeyun? "

You stare at the man in front of you. Looking at him and how he looked years ago, he was still recognizable. You were dead embarrassed that you didn't get to recognize him, though also aware of your own tiresome state.

Jake's visuals definitely became more prettier and you were just in awe at how much he changed in terms of appearances.

" Indeed it is me, Sim Jaeyun. " He answered. Still the same eyebags plastered beneàth your eyes from when he met you and still the same studyholic he then knew,

" The guy who dated Isa? " You asked once more.

" Yes. "

" The one… who writes songs? "

" Yes… "

" Oh my god. "

Jake blinked, " Huh what? "

" You're Jake. "

" Yes..? "

" Is it reall— "

" Yes yes it's me, that Sim Jaeyun okay. "

" Oh my god! " You let out once more, startled yet surprised, agaped mouth slowly having the edges perking up in which the other's expression mirrored.

As you were done organizing your notes, Jake invited you to sit on the same table as him, and you quickly obliged, transferring to the seat across from him.

Your eyes were still red, though your emotions were now calm. Jake's still worried by it though. After all, he has been hearing you crying the whole time he was eating.

Awkward silence filled the area between the two of you. fiddling with your own fingers on your lap, your eyes only gazing down the table, and Jake's finding it hard on how to break the silence. A slight regret crawled into him for initiating you to sit with him; he could just say anything.

The man finally had the guts to speak, and so he finally opened his mouth to break the silence, " So what happ— "

" So what's up?— "

You both felt suddenly woke. Both etting out an awkward laugh.

" Sorry you go first. "

" Sorry you go first. " Said both in unison, eyes hastily locking back to one another.

" No Y/n, you can go first. " Jake insisted.

You didn't want this silly no you go first bickering to continue, and with that, you took a deep breath before talking.

" What's happening with you these days..? " You put out an awkward smile, slowly unwrapping the cheeseburger you ordered. Soft chuckles escaped the man's lips in front of you, the butterflies fluttering in your stomach surprised you. Yes, his smile’s extremely endearing but not to the point it would almost make you swoon for it. It was butterflies in terms of attraction to appearance, he is cute anyway, but not your type. Besides, this is Isa's ex you're talking to.

" I’m doing good. “ Jake lowered his head, letting out a short chuckle that sent you into another series of butterflies. You feel affronted with the reactions your body does just from the small things he makes. You were fully aware that his heart was on Isa.

Speaking of Isa… You wonder how their relationship is going nowadays.

“ How about you, Y/n? “

All your current thoughts were canceled, you really have to stop zoning out in the middle of this conversation, especially trying to catch up with an… acquaintance?

“ I’m doing better. “ You answered, taking in for a bite of your burger.

You tilt your head sideways when you hear another damn chuckle escape his lips. It was cute at the start, although now you were starting to get agitated with his reactions.

“ Earlier it didn't seem fine to you. “

Oh. You stopped chomping another part down your burger, realizing your answer was completely far from your state earlier. Now your lips come out with a short yet nervous laugh.

You unknowingly slid the stack of notes you brought a bit more on the side.

But before Jake could reassure you about telling him your early predicament.

“ So how about you and Isa then? “ You spoke, beating him from speaking first.

Jake’s eyebrows rose, a bit startled by your sudden attempt of changing the topic, guilt starting to crawl in his system. He pondered if what he said bothered you, witnessing your heavy state. He only wanted to make sure if you were genuinely alright.

“ Oh, I’m sorry if you didn’t want to talk about earlier I didn’t mean to— “

“ No no no! Didn’t mean to let it out like that! “ You stopped, pumping a few breaths before continuing. “ My curiosity about you and Isa have taken over me. I’ll answer your question after you answer mine. “ you offer, hoping at least Jake will tell his life story first.

After a moment of thoughts, Jake took a deep breath, obliging your request.

" Me and Isa are doing good— "

" That's great!— "

" —As friends. "

Your forehead creased as those words came in your ears. As friends? But those two were so in love years ago.

You thought they'd actually last a bit longer.

Actually… How long has it been?

" Since when? " You raised a brow, your arm rising, resting your chin on your palm.

“ almost 2 years ago— “

The man cutted off, startled by you accidentally choking on your burger. (not entirely)

“ That long?! “

“ Yeah.. “

“ Oh my god. “

“ You keep saying that. “

“ Because I’m surprised? “

" Right. "

After a few seconds of the quiet air, the same laughter escaped from both of you wanting to break the awkward silence.

You have no other inquiries to share for the other, which Jake already hinted that it’s his turn to ask questions.

" What about you? How are things? "

" Stressful. " You let out.

" Do you wanna tell? " His eyes slightly narrowed, nervous that his question might upset you again, though honestly, you were considering to actually do tell him.

" They say telling it to a stranger would be more relieving since we don't know anything about the person who's venting, making it hard to judge you and all. "

You chuckled at the man's words, " Well technically… you're not a stranger. "

" I know, but we also don't know each other that well, which makes us strangers— "

" —Acquaintances. " You cutted off.

" You get my point. " He says, a faint laugh escaping beneath his breath.

Well… you were aching to vent to someone badly about your situation.

" Maybe it'll be nice to finally tell someone. "

After you told him your struggles on studying, including your upcoming bar exam, he only gazed at you intently as you rambled about your rough journey on where you are today.

" You haven't had any sleep? " Jake asked, baffled by your situation.

You shook your head as an answer, which made Jake's eyes widened once more.

" How do you manage? "

" I just happen to adapt to that kind of lifestyle. " You answered, biting another piece of your burger.

" No wonder your eyebags are huge— …sorry. " He gently patted the air.

You only let out a short chuckle in response, being fully aware about the truth in his statement. You have barely gotten any proper rest ever since you got into law school, luckily you can manage to sort out and control your feelings even if you only get 3 hours of sleep on a daily basis.

" Are you tired right now? " Jake asked. you could tell he's trying his best to comfort you, and you appreciate his intentions given that you two just met after 5 years.

" mmmhm. " you slowly nod.

" Do you want to take a break? Like a breather mayhaps? "

" You ask a lot of questions. " You both let out the same laughter.

" Hey. Yes or no? "

" Well, " you paused, “ yeah.. “

After that, silence filled the area for the nth time. Your eyes locked onto the other while he looks down, arms rested at the table, with him relaxed by his posture, he seemed to be in thoughts about something..

Your lips were about to form an awkward smile until his gaze finally met with yours, dropping the act immediately. Jake adjusts his position before speaking. “ If it’s okay with you… “ He paused, you leaned your head slightly towards, your brows rose, taking interest in his next words. “ Can I take you somewhere? “

You then leaned back to your comfy sitting position, appalled by the other’s offer.

“ You’ll love it there, I promise. “ He added.

It has become redundant in your head. You have just met this dude, and now he wants to take you somewhere he guarantees you would love to be in?

You were reconsidering, the thought about him being Isa’s ex never left your brain. You feel concerned for yourself having to go somewhere with him, not because you don't trust him, but because you didn't want to break the girl code.

But then again…

You did promise yourself, and your friends that today, this day, this very day… to be your day off.

So it’s either getting over your emotions, then studying, and then crying again. Or go with Jake, at least or hopefully, fulfilling your promised relaxation today, and to make your mind ease up; the urge of another meltdown to disintegrate your system.

“ So… What do you say? “ Jake asked once more, his lips faintly curling upwards.

You have told him too much, and you know he wanted to do more to make you feel better, which was dearly of him. He insisted on doing this anyway, should you even?

.

..

...

“ Let’s go. “ You beamed.

Comforting you after your breakdown in Mcdonald’s was silly enough, what more silly is you venting to an old acquaintance(and someone you don't fully know) you have met a few years back?

Besides what had happened, you were desperate to be somewhere else (other than McDonald's) to ease your stress,

and what was the place Jake had in mind?

At a small abandoned terrace which was not a far walk from the Mcdonald’s you both went to...

Your eyes glimmered at the sight of the night sky in this very place, there were very little amount of stars visible up the sky which was still quite alluring, however what made the sight even more mesmerizing were the city lights overcrowding the view.

Seoul is a dull place when you're actually interacting in it, somewhere you wanted to escape from someday; and seeing the city view from here baffles you.

The sight was unexplainable, you didn’t want to say a word, It was like you were outside of it, seeing the beauty of the outside. Seoul felt so colorful in this dead of night.

Jake walked his way beside you, his arms resting on the railing, enjoying the same view.

“ I used to go with Isa here a lot, “ He started, his eyes still glued to the horizon. “ I’m surprised no one— I think, has ever discovered this place yet to be honest, except for us… and you. “

You released a long sigh of relief. Jake was absolutely right, this place did make you feel better. You haven’t seen the city this alluring before, and now that you have… It motivated you to keep going, wanting to see more of this kind of side Seoul has.

However, seconds later, Jake’s words made you lose your focus to the view in front of you. Hearing correctly that Jake, Isa, and you, were the only ones aware of the existence of this place.

That made you wonder why he decided to invite you to this place in the first place.

Your head turned to face the man on your right, examining his features. His face structure compliments his whole visage, which made you deeply wonder how they both had gone to splitsville, which is funnily unrelated to his face.

“ Why did you take me here? “ You asked, following a shiver caused by the cold midnight breeze. You have no Idea why you didn't wear a jacket, or some type of thick clothing that could warm you up in this humid weather, though you didn't, but that didn't stop you from enjoying this place… you were just quite lacking.

But before Jake could answer your question, he turned his head to you sensing your shivered state, removing his coat in order to transfer it on your shoulders, his black turtleneck sweater immediately catching your attention(It looks really good on him). You were about to refuse however you already had it on you as you look at his arms already resting on the metal railing, so you just kept it now.

“ While talking to you earlier, memories from this place began going in my head. So I wanted to take a visit here again years later, “ he paused. “ I also wanted to make you feel better anyway so it was great to take you to this place and have both of us to ease ourselves at the same time. “ He added.

He was right, going here did make you feel so much better and more relaxed, having to breathe the air of the city so refreshingly which you haven’t done in awhile. You were glad Jake had brought you here, you were grateful for finally gaining a peace of mind.

You were grateful that instead of imprisoning yourself in your pesky apartment every time you can spare, or even if you couldn't do that, you just go and study in places where you think is quiet enough to be in, which slightly help you. However you're now here, somewhere where you definitely wanted to be; being very much thankful to Jake for that.

The both of you stayed silent for the rest of the hour, admiring the view as you feel the cold wind kiss your bodies, though that didn't stop the both of you from admiring everything in front of you.

If only you would get to see this side of Seoul every day of the week.

Chapter one ... Masterlist ... Chapter three

note— I love jake

taglist— @lov3niki  @woneulz @sd211 @arizejkt19 @trsrina  @yenqa  @bookishcalls ​ ​@i46kmg @wonioml @judeduartewannabe

© seungiepup 2023. please do not modify, edit, copy or reproduce any of the works published.

[chibipeachu]

Beauty & The Seven Foot Frame

Villain!Bruno X Reader

Chapter Thirteen

in case you missed chap 12

Continuation of this series

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Unbeknown to y/n, a figure walked up from behind her. Y/n went to wipe her eyes but stopped at the sight of a pink handkerchief. Y/n looked up and saw Isabela standing there and Dolores running up. “What are you two doing out this late?” y/n asked the pair while trying to cover up the fact that she was crying.

“Dolores ran to my room and said we need to find you!” isabela sat down next to y/n, dolores doing the same on the other side of y/n. “Don’t tell abuela..please” Dolores said quietly to y/n, who smiled and nodded. “I won’t!” The trio sat in silence and watched the stars “You changed tio bruno..you know he never sat down at the dinner table and ate with us every night.” Dolores told y/n “Yeah and he wouldn’t ever fight a guy just for ANY girl!” isabela added. Making y/n laugh a bit at isabela’s hint.

“And he wouldn’t show just anyone our telenovelas!” Dolores told y/n who smiled at the pair.

“Please come back tia. He hasn’t been the same since you left.” Isabela pleaded. Y/n sighed and looked at the stars then back at the duo. “I’ll think about it..ok?” the girls nod at y/n “Now I think you two should go back before your parents find out you both snuck out!” y/n playfully scolded the girls who giggled and got up from the grass, along with y/n. 

As the girls made their way back to the casita, Dolores pulled y/n back a little and whispered to her “Everything will work out, I know it!” y/n smiled at dolores who went to run to catch up with isa but quickly ran back to y/n. “I think you're perfect as yourself and not as your sister! And you are a perfect wife for my tio bruno!” y/n smiled and hugged dolores and whispered a thank you.

“Dolores hurry!” Isabela told her younger cousin as she held a vine that mimicked  a ladder. Dolores quickly ran over and waved at y/n before she started climbing up. “Bye tia! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Isabela whisper yelled to y/n before she started to climb the makeshift ladder.

Once y/n knew isabela and dolores were back in the house. She walked back to her family’s house.

Once y/n walked inside she saw her siblings surrounding her mama. “Look at what you did! You made y/n run away from here, what would papa think right now if he knew his wife made his youngest daughter run away!” Veronica was the only Rivera child who had enough confidence to confront their mother whenever she would be unfair to her siblings or cousins.

“Your papa would have understood why I did it!” Veronica scoffed, Alejandro and Fernando noticed y/n in the hallway watching her mama and older sister bicker back and forth.

“No he wouldn’t have, he would have been out there looking for his daughter! What fernando?” Veronica asked her older brother “um” he tilted his head in y/n’s direction. Veronica looked over and ran to hug her sister. “Oh dios mío!” Veronica practically squeezed y/n “Don’t you ever do that again! Understood?” Alejandro and Fernando joined the hug. Y/n nodded at her siblings.

“See she’s fine!” Esperanza stormed off, clearly upset at her children defending the youngest. “Just ignore her. All that matters is that you're ok!” Alejandro told his sister. “How are you feeling right now?” Fernando asked as Veronica led y/n back into her room and sat her down on the bed.

“I just wanna be alone right now if I can. Just to think about everything” the siblings gave a worried look to each other before nodding and left her room to let her be alone.

Once the door was shut y/n looked over to her desk and saw she still had fabric left over. She walked over to her desk and started making clothes for bruno. She had noticed that day when she cleaned his room he didn’t own very many clothes. So she took it into her own hands to make him some. As much as it hurt her to think about him she couldn’t stop. Y/n knew she should’ve listened to Bruno but she felt hurt in the moment and left casita. Y/n decided to write Bruno a letter, explaining how she felt in the moment. She hated the fact that no matter how mad she was at him she still cared deeply for him. Y/n sighed and put down the sewing needle as she thought of her and bruno.

“What’s a secret you’ve never told anyone?” Bruno asked y/n who thought about it “I haven’t had my first kiss yet.” Y/n looked away from bruno. Bruno realized he hadn’t ever kissed y/n. “I haven’t had mine either.” he gave y/n a small smile. 

He chuckled and stood up and handed the roses to y/n “These are for you my florist says the red means…love!” Bruno hesitated to say love. “Well these are lovely, so thank you!” y/n smiled at bruno.

Bruno snuck up to the tree y/n was hiding behind. And tried to scare her but she wasn’t there. y/n held in a giggle as she stood behind him with a snowball in hand.

Y/n laughed as she watched Bruno acted out the plot twist of the telenovela. “And then josefina will be like-! Why are you laughing?” Bruno asked. “It’s just how much detail you put into these just for the girls!” y/n smiled at him which caused bruno to blush at y/n who smiled and laid back down in their now shared bed.

Y/n sat there as she thought over their moments together. “God I would do anything for him...I love him with his stupid telenovela twists-!” y/n stopped her thoughts as she realized what she had unconsciously said love…”did I just say I love bruno…” y/n said out loud to herself, y/n stood up and paced around her room. “No I don’t! He was mean and he lied to me!” y/n tried to convince herself. “But I'm sure he didn’t mean to hurt my feelings by not telling me!” y/n went back and forth with herself for a bit before she realized. 

“Oh my god i’m in love with bruno!” y/n said quietly to herself as she slowly sat herself down on her desk chair. “I’m in love with bruno madrigal!” y/n smiled as she said it a second time. She jumped out of the desk chair and grabbed her old stationery kit from her closet and wrote Bruno a letter so the next day she could go and deliver him the clothes she was gonna make him and the letter.

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Y/n woke up, her neck hurting. She quickly realized she had fallen asleep while sewing Bruno's clothes. “Bruno..That’s right!” y/n thought to herself causing her to quickly shoot up from her desk. She looked out her window and saw it was very cloudy that day. “Poor pepa…” y/n grabbed a small basket she had stored in her closet.

Once y/n had packed the basket with clothes for Bruno before she left her room she put the letter as well in there. She walked over to her door and let out a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding. She opened the door and walked out to the kitchen where her family was making breakfast. “Buenos dias everyone!” She greeted as she placed the basket down and a spare chair in the kitchen.

Veronica, Alejandro, Fernando and victor looked at each other confused as to why y/n was in an upbeat mood after what had happened the night before “what happened to her?” Victor mouthed to Alejandro who just shrugged. “Morning y/n!” tia gabriella greeted her niece. “Mija, could you help us make-!” y/n cut off her tia by putting on her old apron and started helping with breakfast.

Gabriella gave Veronica a look of “What happened to her!?” Veronica smiled and shrugged as she watched y/n make migas con huevo for everyone. Slowly everyone woke up and walked to the kitchen to eat

Everything was going fine till Esperanza walked into the kitchen with Dante following behind her. Everyone went silent and noticed Dante had a black eye. Dante pulled out Esperanza's chair for her before sitting down next to her. “Morning mama! Here’s your tea.” y/n placed down the cup in front of her mama before going back to get the plate for her mama. 

The whole Rivera family had a silent conversation about Dante being there.

“Y/n get a cup of coffee for dante!” Esperanza told y/n who carried her mama’s food to the table. “Yes mama!” y/n placed down the plate before running back to the kitchen.

“Esperanza, what is Dante doing here?” Gabriella questioned her sister in law. “He and y/n are going to be wed since y/n and bruno aren’t working out and dante’s family offered to pay for her dowry!” Esperanza said calmly, taking a sip of her tea.

Veronica looked at her mother in shock, Fernando had his mouth open due to the shock. Alejandro and Victor spat out their drinks at Esperanza's statement. The whole table went into shock really. “WHAT!” Gabriella freaked out 

“Where is y/n, Y/N!” Esperanza called out for her youngest. “Y/N?” Veronica stood up and walked to the kitchen, preparing to comfort her sister but walked into an empty kitchen.

Veronica silently laughed as she looked out the kitchen door and saw y/n’s apron thrown on the roads. She also noticed an empty mug on the countertop. She also noticed the basket y/n carried into the kitchen was gone from the spare chair.

While Esperanza announced y/n’s “new marriage” to the family, y/n was listening but once she heard about her being arranged to dante she ran to the casita hoping bruno was still at the house.

Just y/n’s luck, he had just left the house to go and try to talk to her. As y/n approached casita she noticed it was only felix and agustin cleaning the courtyard. She ran up to the pair. “Is Bruno here?” Y/n asked the pair in a rush, scared her family noticed she was gone. Which they did but she didn’t know that yet.

“No, he just left to find you!” Y/n groaned at agustin’s statement. “Um ok thanks. Oh and if my family asks if you saw me, no you didn’t!” y/n ran towards the river, her and bruno went to, in hopes of him being there. 

Meanwhile at the Rivera house Bruno knocked on the door. A worried Dante opened the door. Dante realized it was Bruno and went to shut the door but Bruno put his hand on the door to hold it open. “Where’s y/n?” Dante just scoffed and rolled his eyes at Bruno before walking away. 

While walking away Veronica purposely bumped Dante into the wall. “Out of the way!” Victor and the twins do the same to dante. “Bruno! what are you doing here!” Veronica asked the confused man. “I’m here for y/n! Please Veronica, I just wanna talk to her.” he pleaded to her. “She left and I assumed she went to see you!” Bruno's eyes widened. He turned his head towards Casita trying to see if he could see her there. “Oh thanks veronica! Victor, twins!” Bruno gave them a quick smile before running towards casita.

“Did Bruno just smile at us?” Veronica smiled as she watched Bruno run towards the casita. “Yep.”

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“Felix-!” Bruno cut himself off by falling as he ran up to the doorway. “Felix, where is y/n!” Felix and Agustin looked at eachother then pointed towards the river. “She’s looking for you!” Bruno nodded at his brother-in-laws before running to the river. Where he barely missed y/n who walked to the market square hoping to find Bruno there. 

Dolores was walking with Isabela around the town, nervous about what she heard about y/n getting married to dante. The girls saw y/n looking around the market, hoping to see bruno. They ran up to her.

“Tia!” isabela hugged y/n’s waist while dolores hugged y/n’s front. “Hi girls, have you seen your tio bruno? It’s important-!” “about how you love him?” Dolores tilted her head at y/n who was taken back before nodding at the girls. “YOU LOVE TIO-!” Dolores shushed Isabela. “I last saw him this morning at breakfast!” isabela said excitedly that y/n had loved her tio. Y/n was shoved into a shop by dolores who looked around cautiously. “What is it dolores?” y/n only got shushed in response. “They're coming over so hide!” isabela looked around the shop and saw vases and led y/n away from the front of the shop.

 Dante and y/n’s family walked into the market square, esperanza and dante trying to find y/n while the rest of the Riveras just opened up their shops. Once Dolores heard and watched them walk somewhere else, she signaled to isabela that y/n could come out.

“Dolores go find tio bruno!” isa told her younger cousin as she led y/n to the middle of the marketplace.

“Isabela!” julieta called out. “I’m sorry tia, I have to go!” y/n smiled and nodded at her niece. Before isabela left she gave y/n another hug.

Y/n made eye contact with her mama in the marketplace. That caused Y/n to run out of the market.

Dolores had barely led Bruno to where y/n was standing. When y/n had to run. Poor dolores looked like she was gonna have a breakdown if her tio didn’t find out her tia loved him.

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It was around late afternoon when esperanza had stopped looking for y/n. Y/n was able to hide away from her family by staying at the river. 

Y/n froze as she heard a noise coming from the forest. She got ready to run but the figures reassured her not to. “Y/n?” It was bruno.

“Where have you been? Are you alright? Are you hurt!?” Y/n chuckled as he worried over her. “I’m alright! I promise.” y/n smiled at bruno. “Y/n i’m-!” “Bruno listen I-!” They both stopped so the other could talk first.  

“You can go first!” Bruno and y/n said at the same time which made them laugh a little.

“Y/n, listen I’m sorry for keeping the vision a secret. I was just scared about how you would react if you found out.”

“I mean I don’t exactly have a perfect reputation with the people in town!” Y/n smiled as Bruno talked. “And you!” Bruno sighed and looked at y/n. “You’re just so perfect! Then there’s me the encanto's “scariest- cursed” man! I just didn’t want you to go with someone else. I’ll let you yell at me as much as you want, I’ll let you or your siblings beat me up if you want that, y/n I’m in-” bruno hesitated for a second before he let out a breath and held y/n’s hands “I’m in love with you Y/n! I would walk the desert for you! I’d do anything for you y/n!” Bruno told y/n who was smiling widely.

“Oh bruno!” y/n hugged bruno. Y/n smacked Bruno's arm “Damn it Bruno!” “Oww, What was that for?” Bruno asked y/n as he rubbed where she had smacked him. “I was gonna give you this letter I had written last night. It had everything I love about you, I had clothes I made along with it but I left my basket-!” y/n was cut off by isabela handing y/n said basket before running back to where the younger madrigals and y/n’s niece watched Bruno and y/n confess. “You love me!?” Bruno was shocked at y/n’s words.

“Damn it!” y/n put her hands on her face. She didn’t mean for the word to escape. Bruno laughed and hugged y/n tightly.

“I love you y/n rivera! I would yell it out so the whole village could hear!” y/n laughed and looked at bruno. “Oh really?” y/n challenged. “I LOVE Y/N RIV-!” y/n shushed Bruno while laughing.

“What, you doubted me!” Bruno smiled at y/n who was giggling. They both leaned in close to each other and ended up kissing each other. Y/n pulled away from bruno due to her noticing bruno cringing when y/n had her arm around his waist “What’s wrong bruno?” Bruno chuckled and looked away from y/n “I may have gotten into another fight with Dante or maybe I didn't, who knows!” he shrugged which made y/n giggle “that explains why dante had a black eye- wait you were the people fighting in the alley!” y/n’s eyes widened as she started to check Bruno for injuries. “I’m ok mi vida!” Bruno held y/n chin and kissed her once again. They both pulled away as they heard someone yell out.

“Y/N Y/M/N RIVERA!” just y/n’s luck, esperanza had finally found her daughter. Dante followed shortly behind her mother.

“Oh god..” y/n sighed and turned to esperanza and dante. “Mama.” she said flatly. “Where have you been!” y/n just stood there watching as her mama yelled at her. “I do not care if you and bruno made up, you’ve had too many problems with this marriage! It’s better to just move on with dante! He’s willing to put behind you that you were previously married!” Bruno noticed y/n stepped in front of him when her mama brought up their marriage.

“I don’t want to marry dante! I’m married to Bruno mama! You do this every time I find something I love! You go and ruin it for me!” Y/n saw Veronica and the others walking over to the river where her sister and mother were. “You're a disgrace to your papa’s name!” y/n sighed tiredly. “Really cause the papa I knew would be happy for me no matter what I'd do!” Y/n had taken Esperanza off guard by defending herself against her. “You want me to marry dante mama! Because you never got that option with papa! I’m not Veronica! Yes I'm not a perfect wife to Bruno but I'm a pretty good one! I’m not you or Veronica mama!” y/n let out a sigh. 

“Just let me be happy for once mama!” y/n pleaded. Esperanza sighed and looked between y/n and bruno.

Esperanza saw so much of her younger self in her. “Dante go! The arrangement is off! Go before I have Bruno beat you up!” Everyone was taken off guard especially y/n, she was fully expecting her mama to drag her away from bruno. Dante scoffed as y/n ran up to her mother and hugged her. Bruno walked closer to Dante in an intimidating way. Dante quickly backed up and ran away from the river. 

“Y/n, mija I only try to protect you. But I need to stop…you're already old enough to handle yourself! God, you remind me so much of myself in you!” y/n teared up a little and laughed.  

Esperanza savored y/n’s hug for a bit. Esperanza saw Bruno just awkwardly standing there. She laughed and gestured for him to join the hug. He declined at first. He then got pulled into the hug by y/n.

“Y/n, you and Bruno should have a coup-!” “No mama, we aren't ready for kids yet!” Bruno chuckled as Esperanza sighed at y/n and him.

Two Years Later

“The princess tearfully professes her love to the beast, and the spell is undone, reviving the beast and restoring his human form along with all his servants and his castle. The Prince and the princess hosted a ball for the kingdom, where they danced happily. And They lived happily ever after!” Y/n smiled as the kids started to clap. 

The story reminded y/n of her relationship with bruno. Y/n bowed as she stood up and walked over to Bruno who had been watching y/n as she read the story to the kids of the encanto.

“Does the story remind you of anybody?” Bruno chuckled and nodded at y/n, he put his arm around y/n’s waist. A lot of things had changed during those two years. Dante and his family had left the encanto, Y/n and Bruno now had twins it wasn’t easy they both came earlier than planned, They had one boy and one girl. They named their son victor, and named the girl victoria. Y/n’s brother-in-law laughed when y/n and Bruno told y/n’s family the names they picked out.

“You both are gonna name your twins after my husband! Yet when I suggested Veronica or Roni I got a no! That’s unfair!” Veronica jokes as she hugged y/n then Bruno, y/n’s siblings doing the same thing. Y/n was pulled out of her thoughts as Dolores approached the pair, holding a distressed victor in her arms.

“Tia! He wants you!” Dolores handed Victor over to y/n. Isabela and luisa played with Victoria on the courtyard floor, growing soft little flowers for the baby to touch.

“You're such a mama’s boy!” Bruno teased the ten month old. Who gave a toothless smile as he laid his head on y/n’s chest to hear her heartbeat. “Like Victoria doesn't always want to be next to you!” y/n teased back making bruno let out a laugh. 

Y/n smiled and laughed as julieta had picked up baby mirabel’s hand and made her wave at y/n and victor, y/n did the same with victor’s chubby little arm. Despite Y/n and Bruno having a rocky beginning at the start of their marriage, they had finally steady out and now it was calm. They both learned to communicate with each other better instead of one of them storming off.

There was a big change in both of them and the riveras and the madrigals all saw it too. If anyone tried to say anything bad about Bruno, they better watch out for his wife who would try to fight anyone who talked bad about her or her husband.

“Hey me and you are beauty and the seven foot frame!” Bruno pointed out which made y/n laugh “you wish you were seven feet tall! You're six foot something!” the couple laughed. Bruno held y/n’s cheek and kissed her.

Taglist ❣ (Open): @elfwoodfae​ @rhys-cosmos​ @diasnohibng​ @millyrious​ @quiznakblue​ @cadet-m​ @rihoko-ack​ @mikalei​ @uselesssapphickitten​ @rennaisancebaby​ @savagenctzen​ @slytherinxhunter​ @simpfortheratking​ @piscesarts​ @peachyistired​ @somanyminidragons​ @localdepressedvampire​ @psychadelichues​ @zavagebaby​

A/N: THE BEAUTY & THE SEVEN FOOT FRAME OF THE STORY IS DONE!! NOW ONTO THE ACTUAL MOVIE PART OF THE STORY!! I’m sorry if there’s anything that doesn’t look right, I'm currently at the doctor’s office and I normally post from my laptop but I can’t rn so I'm sorry! Please give me feedback on the series! Ok I hope you all have a lovely day/night!

[siriusmydeer]

george weasley smut alphabet

george weasley x fem!reader

warnings: at this point i don’t even know what to write, seggsy things

a/n: that took 3 days holy shit

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

ok molly taught him to be respectful alright, always treat your lady well. kisses, showering, praise, love, affection, cuddles. the whole nine yards, not one step left behind.

“c’mon, dove, y’gotta get up. please, f’me?” the boy slightly-slurred, pulling up your hair slightly damp from sweat, grasping it all into double french braids. showering you, meanwhile showing you immense praise and affection; kissing from your ankle points all the way to the apple of your cheeks, and dressing you in the process.

“mhmm, don’t wanna.” you proceeded to mumble, your body begging you to sleep and rest; feeling immense of exhaustion from previous rounds. finishing the braid in your hair, the red head picked you up and placed you onto the red-plaid comforter of the bed.

your body starting to meld with the mattress, and breathing becoming heavier almost delving your subconscious into the realm of sleep; feeling him slip under you and place your head right on his bare skin, feeling the bone of his sternum.

“did i... did i do well?” you murmured through fatigue, yearning to feel the warmth and affection of your boyfriend while his heart beat lulled you like a baby from a lullaby to a deep hearted sleep.

“you’ll always do perfect for me, forever ‘n ever.”

B = Body part (Their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

ok so, he loves his hands. they’re big, and skinny, and his fingers are long. i mean he catches you looking at them all the time so it also happens to be a nice ego boost. george’s self esteem has kinda always been there but it hasn’t been amazing, but when you came in the picture then it was like 📈

“george, georgie, please. s’too much, too much.” your vision had been immensely bleary for the last few minutes due to pleasureful tears dripping from your waterline. your fingers tried to find the closest thing they could grapple at, george’s hands.

after three continuous rounds, george had been finger fucking you for the last thirty minutes pushing you to vast overstimulation. you had the feeling of pins and needles dance upon your cunt; the waves of pain and pleasure mixing into your nervous system and sprawling throughout your entire body.

you grasped ahold of his ivory-toned hand, trying to beg for his mercy; yet none was shown, this was your punishment. he reclined his hand that had a tense hand on your thigh, now directly on your abdomen pressing you back onto the messy comforter bed keeping his hand placed there.

seeing the arch of your spine in his direct view, seeing your face slightly contort in delectation as he hit the g-spot with the pads of his fingers. feeling the intense pride on how he could get you, so delighted and filled with pleasure at his decree.

“taking it like such a good girl, you’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

he likes tits, i mean... HE GIVES THE VIBE. like if he could he would hold them, squish them, kiss them, mark them in anyway he wanted FOREVER. which he would, but he couldn’t 24/7 so he took his opportunities when he could.

“hello george, how are you? i’m great, thanks for asking.” you chortled with intense sarcasm after your boyfriends sudden disruption from your reading and dramatically bursting into your dormitory and shoving his face into your chest beneath your his t-shirt.

“shhh, i need a minute of peace please.” he hushed you, feeling his lips suck a little on the flesh of your sternum, his voice incredibly muttered from the smothering of your boobs onto his mouth. feeling the vibrations from his lips send a mini-shockwave through your spine and attempting to repress an overdue shiver.

he left light kisses, from his previous red splotch, as he moved more underneath your shirt praising your skin as you chuckled a bit. his ginger hair tickled your neck as he continued, “my tits are peaceful?” you questioned, yet again in a sarcastic tone awaiting his response.

“yea, immensely.”

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically… I’m a disgusting person) (isa i could kiss u for this one)

so, messy messy man. on your tits, on your thighs, on your face, on your STOMACH, on your ass and his fave.... inside of you <3 he just loves to see it on you, it turns him on again no matter how many times you’ve been at it.

que: birth control potions, because i’m pretending they exist and creampies are fun.

“gonna— gonna finish, where d’you want me?” the boy heaved while doing continuous thrusts deep into the walls of your cunt. furthering your grasp onto the clenched biceps and forearms that laid tense beside your perspired face.

“inside me, please. want it inside me.” your voice was winded and huffed, feeling the euphoric pleasure crinkle and bend onto your nervous system from your orgasam lull you into a relaxation, while your boyfriend continued to thrust into your overused cunt of the night.

feeling his tepid release stick into the planes of your thighs and a light sheen layer onto the lower abdomen of your torso. feeling the dripping of his cum directly laid upon your skin. the contrast between his release and your flesh looking almost exquisite in his view point.

you were so beautiful, so beautifully messy.

currently clenched around his prick you felt the tremble in his cock as he released into the velvet walls of your cunt, remaining inside of you as he caught his breath between his lungs from his swift thrusts.

“gonna keep you all full, yeah?”

D = Dirty Secret (Pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

george is in fact, a switch. like when he’s dom, he’s soft dom. but when he’s sub, he’s whiny and extremely forward in begging. it took him awhile to tell you because he felt embarrassed but after that you guys had a lot of... fun ;)

“please, please, ‘m sorry. i promise!” he griped, pulling on the silk on his restraints regulating the control of his wrists that laid on his lower back. “but georgie, isn’t this what you wanted? to be punished?” you sent a faux pout in his direction, your finger tips dancing upon his clenched torso once again edging the boy upon his ration.

“but, but—“ the boy faltered whilst speaking, trying to excuse his actions of venturing to grasp your attention whilst you were busy with another task, and disregarding you both friends pleas. “c’mon, georgie. you were bad, this is your punishment; if i hear anymore you won’t cum for a week.” you chastised, seeing his eyes widen in fright and obnoxiously nod his head in compliance.

your brought your hand back to his prick, thumb slightly outlining the slit in his tip; his most sensitive spot causing a small groan to escape his lips subconsciously, his back slightly melding off of the mattress and arching into the air at your pressure.

attempting to repress his pleasureful shivers that were scratching at his sensorium, his cock basically at your dictation for his release.

“you’re being punished, not pleasured.” you chastised once again, sprawling you hand on his abdomen pushing his back directly onto the ridged comforter once more.

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

so people would agree to disagree, but george lost it first. i don’t think george would do one night stands, they were always with past girlfriends but you are the girl he truly put his all into.

“and you’re sure?” the boys frantically questioned once more, he had been previously skittish about if the both of you were ready to go into the next stage of your relationship; wanting your full consent to continue with anything.

and worrying that some kinks he had in mind might’ve been to much for future references, and just yearning for you to feel as comfortable as possible.

“told you, georgie, i want all of you.” the question was heaved through your words from the foreplay that had taken a gust of your air right out from under of you.

“we’ve talked about this darling, ‘m ready.” adding on to your comment, reassuring the boy who seemed to be faintly timorous on his next action that was soon to take place. you caressed his forearm, feeling the rigid bends of his veins over the pads of your finger tips. your other hand maneuvering itself on the curvature of his neck and bringing his lips to slot with your own.

feeling the comforting and familiar taste of pumpkin and cinnamon transfuse onto your tongue in the midst of feeling his plush lips blend with yours.

“i’m ready, want you inside of me.”

F = Favourite Position (This goes without saying. Will probably include a visual)

any position where he can see your face, he can see your body, he can see all of you. he wants to kiss you, mark you, caress you. he wants everything he wants to feel so connected with you.

“you my darling.” he spoke, sighing as he spoke. in between words of his affirmations, splotching small kisses that bore on the planes of your lower abdomen and shifting his way up your bare-body.

“are the most ethereal thing, to ever exist.” the boy continued in his wake of appraisal, of your complete quintessence and soul.

“i love you.” you whispered in a small, barely audible murmur in appreciation of the red head you had been destined with. he was truly put in your path of life to give and receive love and adoration. “i love you.” the boy whispered back at your confession, muffled into the flesh above your sternum.

continuing to leave small vermillion hues of colour, making his way to the the junction of your neck and resuming with his praises of adorations of your complete essence.

the scarlet-haired boy was completely entranced with every element of your being, almost besotted with your every move. always wanted to praise, and adore every aspect of you in anyway he could possible.

“no, i love you more.” he corrected himself, undeserving of your mutual appreciation.

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc)

healthy use of both. sometimes you guys have your super serious moments and other times you guys are giggling together.

“oh merlin, i really hope fred did not hear that.” you spoke through a sporadic chortle, your previous whimper being a little bit too raucous. the both of your wands misplaced and unable to cast a muffling charm meant you and george had to be as quiet as possible.

“y/n, he definitely did. let’s hope he’s asleep.” george making an effort to whisper but his own disgustingly humours mind getting too himself and letting chuckle slip out from his lips mid-sentence.

“i didn’t say stop, keep going!” you hastily spoke, sending a cheeky grin in faux annoyance at him as he continued his slow but intensely deep thrusts in your pulsing cunt, the both of you close to a release.

you were deeply trying to muffle your pleasureful noises from the palm of your hand, but discreetingly failing as you let another strangled moan bubble from your vocal cords.

both you and george looking at eachother frantic for a moment, completely silent and worried if one of his dorm mates had heard the both of you. silent for a moment then chuckling together whilst bumping noses at the voyeuristic acts that were being taken place in his very bed.

“oi, some of us are trying to sleep here!”

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

yes the fucking carpet matches the damn drapes HE HAS A CARROT CROTCH DO NOT TELL ME OTHERWISE. as for grooming, i think he just just have a stubble? like i don’t feel like he cares to much about hair so he would just shave most of it off. as for u he does not give a fuck, as long as you like yourself he likes you so it does not matter at all for him.

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect…)

ITS GEORGE WEASLEY IF UR NOT EXPECTING ROMANCE AND INTIMACY 89% OF THE TIME GO REEVALUATE. i’m not saying he’s not rough or not kinky, but he’s very intimate with you especially during aftercare. if he’s feeling special, like on anniversaries, birthdays, or days he wanted to make you feel really really good he would bring out rose petals, floating candles i mean he would WHIP OUT A LAVENDER OIL DEFUSER OR SOMETHING?

the floor was coated in tons vermillion bloomed rose petals, the scent of cinnamon and fresh linnen was intense through the air of the newly-cleaned dormitory, the fresh ivory bed made and the pillows slightly puffed to perfection.

“just, y’know, one last birthday surprise?” the red-head boy muttered staring at the scarlet-shaded floors whilst attempting to distract himself by fumbling his clammy hands into the pockets of his overworn grey slacks.

“d’you like it?” george continued to mutter, his eyes staggering around the room he had prepared for you both that night so he could kiss, cherish and adulate your entire being till the depths of early morning sunrise.

“georgie, i— i love it.” you felt perspiration sting in the waterlines of your eyes as you stammered slightly in shock, intense adoration and tenderness hastily speeding through your bloodstream hitting you directly into the warmth of your heart.

facing said-boy, you looked at him with complete fondness, grasping upon of his hand that was resting in his slacks now in the palm of your own comically-smaller hand.

“it’s truly amazing.”

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

gonna be honest here, not really. unless he wasn’t seeing you for like weeks, like during a holiday or something. even then i feel like he would imagine you were doing it to him, like whenever he was feeling needy he would normally just go to you and you were more than happy to oblige to his request.

“oh— fuck me.” the boy groaned while stroking his cock in quick circular motions, the other hand preoccupied with a risqué polaroid photo of you that you had sent him in the mail during the winter holidays.

it wasn’t the easiest being away from him during the winter holidays and his randomly occurring hard-ons apparently happened to occur more frequently without a desirable girlfriend around and more time to use your undesirable hand.

attempting to finish himself off fairly quickly so he could scoundrel himself back to bed counting the days till you would dramatically reunite on the hogwarts express and more than likely pull you away from peering eyes for a quickie in the bathroom.

just the thought of your beautiful skin melding with his own in the humid air of the bathroom made him spurt his release all over his prick and a groan emerging from his throat in the process.

“fuck.”

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

he has a innocence kink.... like the thought of teaching you everything like in bed makes his mind go WEEE WOO WEEE WOOO

now i shall elaborate

“pretty girl, does it feel good?” he crooned into the shell of your ear, feeling the tense grasp of your agile hands on his clothed biceps where his dress shirt laid on him and suddenly crinkled from your clasp onto him.

“mhm— yes, yes georgie.” you gasped mid sentence, trying to catch your breath from the new sensations that had washed over your nerves, feeling new pleasureful burning sensations in the pit of your abdomen and run along the curvature of your spine.

attempting to suppress small moans you continued petite chokes of air in ecstasy feeling george’s pads of his fingers dance upon your clit. “oh— fuck.” you muttered in a form of a bleary headspace trying to manage a coherent thought.

the red-head grinned in gratification, your full pleasure at his decree, knowingly giving you these new sensations. “i thought you were an innocent girl, now you’re my dirty one?” the boy mocked at your trembling figure in his lap.

“maybe you’re not my innocent girl after all.”

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

in my head.... he likes voyerism. don’t ask me why but the thrill of someone catching y’all 🤪

so i will no would have to say that he likes his dormitory a lot but i also feel like he likes the common room couch.

“oh, fuck—“ the moan has blossomed out of your throat and tinged in the previously solemn and peaceful common room, but now the air felt humid and extremely titillating common room that had been used for social and cuticular activities now being used for intercourse.

“darling if you’re not quiet we’re going to be caught.” the vibrations of his words directly muffled onto your perspired flesh, due to his manipulation of your body strictly at his will. “so good, daddy, so so good.” the words mildly uttered from your throat due to the infrequent gasps of pleasure between your words.

the both of you fused together passionately on the snug common room sofa in the late hours of the night, to be caught in a very comprising position by a student or supervisor if not subtle enough. the fire being your only production of light source throughout the entire room, dismissed in the backround close to being burnt out entirely.

“but daddy, you make me feel so good.” you’re voice tinged into a slightly higher pitch, feeling his deep thrusts enclosed inside of your cunt, your attempted muffles of rising gasps and lament whimpers to be heard significantly prominent throughout the walls of the vermillion shaded common room.

“awe slut, you want everyone to know how i’m making you feel?”

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

so since georgie is a switch i feel like most of his motivation comes from when you’re bossy, outside of the bedroom. telling him what to do, how to do it, having to fix it for him. because either he’s gonna punish you for thinking you can be in charge or he’s gonna do literally everything you tell him too without a second thought.

“ok so for today, we’re not playing around here, you finish your charms, then we have lunch, we do transfiguration together, play some quidditch with fred, eat dinner, and then free period to do whatever we want, got it?” your hastily speeding voice catching the attention of his ears and consuming every single word that you had to say.

you glanced at him for a moment, his eyes slightly out of zone but still attentive to your words, also wanting to distinguish if he had been following to the list you had for the day so he could ultimately stop procrastinating and get his work done.

“yeah, er, i got it.” george spoke awkwardly for a moment, trying to discreetly shuffle around his body at the feeling of immense amount of pressure and tensity starting to form around his groin.

you raised a brown, you’re forehead slightly creasing as you tested the waters at his slightly timid figure and lack of response. “do i need to make you repeat it back to me.” tilting your head, trying to pan off as more intimidating so the red-head would coherently listen to you rather than pawn off and work on a prank with his mischievous-twin.

“no, no— i’m fi— you’re fine.” he groaned and he hesitated mid-sentence aiming to speak as casually as possible, moderately shuffling around his pants as he spoke at your firm and unyielding tone with him.

“you’re sure? because if you’ve got it wrong i’m going to upset, got it?” your voice at an adamant expression, annunciating that everything for the day was going to be smooth sailing rather than difficult and irritating for either of you.

“no, i understand.” he cleared his throat in compliance, aiming to remove any unnerving tension that might be there as he awkwardly trailed behind you to the library.

not to mention with a rock hard cock just sitting in his plants.

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

threesomes. “bUt pArIs” NO. he would not want to share you, he had literally had to share everything his whole life and seeing his twin brother or literally anyone else pleasure you is a big fat NONO

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc)

he’s a giver, if u say no, ur lying. hearing you go literally whimper, tremble, moan at HIS will that’s enough for him to cream his pants.

“georgie— fuck. keep going.” your praised the boy deep between your legs, your words of appraisal going straight to his groin area whilst you threaded you fingers directly into his damp ginger locks.

feeling his tongue swirl directly onto your engorged clit, small gasps emitting from your mouth as his face was buried into your cunt for the last hour. the exceedingly amount of ecstasy built up into a broiling pit in your belly and ready to explode at any given moment.

“‘m gonna cum, gonna finish.” you gasped, feeling his tongue prodding at your entrance, his thumb placed directly onto your swollen cunt and swirling in figure eight like motions to make your orgasam rapidly occur.

his prick immensely hard, beseeching for a release. his nearest output being the subtle grind of his hips and the soft mattress of the bed as you continued to sensually yank at his hair.

feeling the overflow of desire, the whimpers exceeding from your lips and the pressure against his cock made his orgasam occur midst your own; finishing together the only thing to be heard was your heaving breaths and george’s hoarse voice from not speaking for the last while.

“so, i might’ve just done something.”

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

i feel like he’s very medium paced, he’s not to fast nor slow. he has his moments where it’s very slow and loving or if he just lost a quidditch game and it’s very fast in rough. i don’t think it’s set on just one i think it varies.

“needy little slut, just wanted me so badly, hmm?” the grit in george’s teeth prominent as he spoke to you, the tensity of his hands on grip of your waist also clinically distinguished as he pulsed in and out of your from behind.

“fuck— please.” the begging was evident in your tone, feeling the grasp on your waist and he plunged into you emitting gasps every few seconds from desire. his hand grasped onto the root of your tresses, your cheek melding with the mattress and a moan exploding from your trachea at his aggressive demeanour.

“please—“ you continued you beg, not for anything in specific but the feeling of him to continue his thrusts and not falter his pace. the feeling of being exceedingly full of him, the explicit belligerent emotion he was feeling and turning that into passion.

knees bucking at his will as he continued the fast and thrown pace that was previously endured. feeling the ecstasy rome freely through your veins as he degraded you.

“my slut, so dirty.”

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

so... george wants to appreciate you fully. and i don’t think either of you would be so horny that he had to just pull you in a broom closet. even if it’s fast and rough aftercare is still extremely keen to him after having sex no matter the circumstances so i don’t think he would be into quickies.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.) - this was in fact somewhat inspired by 50 shades of grey

george is the kinkier twin. there i said it, and i will not change my mind. yeah he’s more quiet whatever more emotional, throughful BUT THOSE ARE ALWAYS THE ONES WHO ARE KINKIER. i so as long as you were cool with it i feel like he would be as-well.

“so you wanna play, dove?” running the tip of the small blade down the depth of your torso, and across your abdomen seeing the heaving rise and fall of your torso. the slight scarlet-coloured ribbon peaking from underneath the arch of your back that restrained both of your wrists.

“yes, sir.” the mumble was stern, and tense but slightly heaved from apprehension on what he would do with the tip of the stygian-coloured blade that was held in his ivory hand. your safe word explicitly-clear before he had restricted your eyesight.

a slow light vermillion trailed in its wake from the tip of the blade that moved across the skin of your navel. he heard the audible gasp release from your mouth in anticipation.

“keep going, please.”

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last…)

so i feel like george goes for like.... 3? but he definitely does foreplay and stuff too. so it’s like a healthy mix of a lot. so a couple of rounds, sometimes more, sometimes less, it all depends on the time like early in the morning or really late at night.

T = Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

so, i don’t think so. so the only thing i feel like he would have is like ropes/ties and blindfolds. other than that i don’t think so, but fred has definitely gifted you something just for the kick of it all.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

i feel like it depends if he’s more sub or more dom. if he’s dom he will tease you all he likes just to see you squirm, but if he’s sub then he definitely will wants you to tease him.

“georgie, please, i cant take it anymore.” you pleaded, your tone was soft but irritated, the continuous edging was extremely displeasing for you. you wanted him, you wanted to feel every withering inch of him, his body, his essence; but he simply wouldn’t give it to you.

“c’mon, weren’t you the one who ‘said patience is a virtue.’ you’ve got to be patient then, right dove?.” george made a mockery of something you had in a different context but instead he used it to his advantage.

his middle finger crept its way back to the depth of your navel and right on your cunt, starting recurrent swirls on your engorged clit. feeling a similar sensation that you had previously endured till your denied orgasam.

“be patient, or you won’t be getting anything.”

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

i feel like it’s a lot of grunting and dirty talk, or even just praising. there’s more moaning when doing oral. it’s not necessarily loud but you can clearly hear it.

“my pretty little witch.” the words of appraisal blossomed from his mouth as he kissed upon the column of your neck and the bend of your shoulders. he proceeded to kiss around the shell of your ear and speaking.

“nobody can make me feel the way you can.” george murmured making sure you know, followed by a pleasureful grunt by the way your cunt was continuously clenching around his cock and the way your hand grasped at his lower back.

“oh, merlin—“ your voice sounded like a gasp, arching your back directly into his freckled chest from his prick prodding at your cervix, you’re breathing was heaved from his continuous thrusts that faltered as he was close to release and exceedingly praised into your perspired skin.

“i love you so much.”

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

george likes pda. i’m not talking like sex in the great hall or obnoxiously making out in the courtyard but he does like to show everyone that you are together.

“georgie if you kiss me again fred is going to throw up.” the murmur sent vibrational waves into the boys cheek your own affections shown at the proximity between you both, partly because the incessant chatter of the great hall.

“and? you’re my girl.” the statement was clear as day in his eyes, he wanted to show everyone just how much he loved you, the intimacy in the situation between two teenagers who were in love; he didn’t care what anyone else had to say.

you looked at him for a moment with challenging eyes, seeing the intimacy in his own cocoa-coloured ones. poorly making an effort to suppress a grin at his affections.

he took his opportunity to press a kiss to your plush-smooth lips, then the hued rose coloured flesh on your cheek, then the tip of your pointed nose.

“i love you, i won’t not show that because my git brother doesn’t like it.”

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

i feel like it’s a bit bigger than average, probably around 8in when hard? i think it’s more longer than thicker.

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

i mean..... he’s a teenage boy. i think it’s average like i don’t think he’s dying to have sex every second but he does in-fact like to appreciate you in more ways that one. because sex for him isn’t just a way to get rid of a hard on it’s a way to appreciate your body and just you in general.

Z = ZZZ (… how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

i feel like it depends on how hard the both of you went, because you guys could either end up talking for hours or simply just cuddle and fall asleep.

“‘m so tired, georgie.” you murmured into the boys bare chest, stroking the side of his torso as the both of you laid below his his fitted sheet bed. the time around twelve am and your eyes desperate for sleep.

“sleep, darling. i’ll be here in the morning to wake you up.” he uttered. his voice fairly hoarse and rough, whilst stroking your back feeling the wrinkle in the shirt he had given you. fairly prideful that you had been wearing something of his.

“love you, georgie” you wiped your nose while speaking, feeling love and adorned by the boy you were cuddling with; wanting these solemn peaceful moments forever.

“love you more, forever ‘n ever.”

taglist: @ronbrokemyheart @georgeswh0re @amourtentiaa @famdomhideout @hufflepogue

[bedbellyandbeyond]

Dinner at the Demers

(Story Post)

“Here we are,” Fay said pulling up the driveway. He parked and smiled to Theo. “Let me get your door.” “I got it,” Theo chuckled, opening his door and getting out himself. As his case worker, Fay had been helping Theo a lot with talking out his feelings around his pregnancy. The merman was more than friendly and Theo always felt comfortable around him, even when it came to very personal things like body dysmorphia or feelings of loneliness. Theo had found that he and Fay had a few things in common, like the fact that they'd both left home to pursue their careers. After just a few sessions with him, Theo liked to consider the merman his friend and was very happy to be invited over to his place for dinner. “Thanks for having me,” Theo said as he followed Fay to the front door. “I don't get out much, especially now.” “It's no problem,” Fay said. “Dari was glad to hear you were coming. He has a habit of taking group members in under his wing. Camilo's like a son to him now.”

“I'm pretty sure I'm older than Dari…” Theo said. “You're the same age actually,” Fay stated. Theo blinked. “He's thirty?!” “Looks can be deceiving,” Fay said. “He looks like he's twenty at most,” Theo stated. “Is he aging backwards?” “It's a little complicated but it isn't my place to explain,” Fay said. “Let's just say his body needs time to catch up.” “Okay, but, like…” Theo rubbed his neck. “I'm gonna have a hard time not thinking about that.” “If you get him in the right mood, Dari will tell you whatever,” Fay assured. “Anyway, we eat a lot of fish in this household, but I understand someone in your condition might prefer something safer so we also have chicken. What do you prefer?” “Oh, fish is fine,” Theo said. “Dr. Aias said there really isn't any diet restrictions for me, so long as I eat healthy for myself. I can smoke and drink if I want. The baby's not going anywhere. I don’t smoke. Haven’t really touched alcohol either… Still feels kinda wrong.” “Fair enough,” Fay unlocked the door and let them inside. “Oh, don't let the cat out.” “Huh?” Theo looked down to try and see if any animals were at his feet but he then realised he couldn't see his feet at all and a second later, a cat dashed out from under him and onto the porch. “Ah, sorry Theo, I wasn't thinking,” Fay said. He managed to catch the feline and pick her up. “This is Slippers. She's very curious and friendly.” Theo offered a hand to sniff and then pet the cat on the head. “She's very cute.” “I got her as a gift for Dari a while back,” Fay said. “He's very protective of her so even though we don't get much traffic out here, she's best as an indoor cat.” “Got it.” “Come meet the kids,” Fay said. “Twins should be down for a nap right now, but otherwise, trouble should be about.” It didn't take long until the first few heads popped out to see them. “Papa!” one child yelled, flinging themselves around Fay's waist. Another just stood there and pointed at Theo. “Baby belly!” Theo flushed red. “Uh, yeah...” “Otter, pointing is rude,” Fay said, pushing his son's hand down. “Apologise to my friend Theo.” “Sorry, my friend Theo,” Otter said, still just staring up at the man. “It's fine,” Theo assured. “Siv, mon poussain,” Fay said to the other boy, sliding a hand between his side and his son to pry him off. “Papa can't move if you're hugging so tight.” “I missed you,” Siv whined. “I missed you too,” Fay said, petting his son's head. “Where's Daddy?” “Green room,” Siv said, pointing to the back of the house. “Greenhouse. And your sisters?” “Um... Ari and Kat with Milo and Zoe with Daddy and the babies sleep.” “And do we remember the babies names?” Fay asked. “Um...” “I do!” Otter said quickly. “I know you do,” Fay said patting Otter's head. “I want Siv to remember. They're a little harder.” “Oh.” Siv racked his brain. “Uh, Anna and...” He looked at Otter who was signing to him. “Isa...belle?” “Annabelle and Isabelle, that's right,” Fay approved. “Next time, no cheating. Get your big brother and let's meet in the greenhouse, okay?” Siv looked at Otter and then grabbed his arm. “Specifics... Both of you get your eldest brother, understood?” Fay rephrased. “Yeah!” Otter said, letting go of his father and taking Siv's arm to go get Milo with him. Fay took Theo outside to the back of the house. Theo was immediately impressed by the spacious yard, with a pool as well as a relatively large greenhouse. Inside, there were rows and rows of vegetables and flowers growing. Dari was found between the leaves, dwarfed by his own six-foot-tall tomato plants. Zoe was toddling about at his feet and grabbing any ripe tomatoes she could get her little hands on. Dari looked upset when he heard Fay and Theo entering. “Zoe, tomatoes in the basket, bunny,” he instructed as he pulled off his gardening gloves. Zoe completely ignored him and just kept grabbing tomatoes, ripe or not and trying to put them in her mouth. “My love,” Fay said, stepping up to his husband and wrapping his arms around him. Dari took his sun hat off and wacked Fay over the arm with it. “You should've reminded me Theo was coming over! I would've started dinner early.” “I told you this morning. What more reminders do you need?” Fay asked. “And that's not a jab, I want you to know.” “...Maybe, an hour before you leave work,” Dari said. “It takes two hours to make dinner?” Fay asked. “It can!” Dari said. “It allows me time to prepare. Now a guest will have to wait with us.” Fay kissed his forehead. “I'll make dinner. You can do your thing. Hang out with Theo.” “Hi, Theo,” Dari finally said, acknowledging his guest. “I'm sorry about this.” “You really have nothing to apologise for,” Theo said. “I don't mind waiting to eat. I had a big lunch.” “Come here,” Dari waved Theo over. Theo obeyed, going over to Dari. “Your garden is amazing. I feel like you never have to get groceries.” “That’s the idea,” Dari said, nodding. He hovered a hand over Theo's stomach. “Can I touch?” “Sure. You're not the first.” Dari placed his hand on the protrusion and rubbed softly. “Aliens, right?” “That's right. Though, they’re not big enough to feel or anything…” “I'll go start dinner,” Fay said, leaving them be. “Were you abducted?” Dari asked. Theo shook his head. “No. Well, not really. Not in the traditional sense. I was...visited in my dreams.” “That's different...” Dari pondered. “Different?” Dari took his hand back and patted his own chest. “I was abducted. I had children for the aliens, each ripped from me the moment they were born. Or even before.” Theo frowned. “I'm so sorry... That's terrible.” Dari shrugged. “I don't really...feel anything from it anymore. It's like a part of my life I won't get back so why should I lend it any feelings?” “I mean, I guess that's good...” Theo considered. Dari suddenly lifted his own shirt, revealing his slightly distended and scarred stomach. “You see this ‘X’ scar? They implanted an artificial womb inside me and a ‘gamete converter’, which basically steals my DNA and turns it into egg cells... In a way, I stole it from them... I was able to make my children with it, so...it's like...not all bad.” “...Why are you telling me all this?” Theo asked. Dari pulled his shirt back down. “I don't do well in groups but when I heard your situation, I knew I had something in common and I feel like everyone needs people they can relate to for support. I want you to know that I'm here and, at least on the non-consensual alien pregnancy level, I understand more than most people will ever understand.” Theo smiled a bit. “Oh. Thank you. I guess you're right.” “If there's ever anything I can help you with, don't hesitate to contact me,” Dari said. “And don't for a second think you have to forgive them for doing this to you. I haven't.” Theo nodded slowly. “...Um, so Fay mentioned you and I are the same age?” Dari tilted his head. “Are you thirty?” Theo nodded. “You just... You look so young.” Dari put his hands on his hips. “Why, cause I'm short?” “No, well, um...” Dari looked away and started meddling with some cucumber. “I was abducted when I was fifteen. This thing inside me synthesised a chemical similar to estrogen so I didn't really have a chance to finish puberty until I got back... I'm on hormone therapy now. I was supposed to be, ever since I got back, but I couldn't really do it while pregnant five times, could I?” “Five times?” Theo asked. “I thought you have eight kids.” “Twins exist, Theo,” Dari said. “Fay carried Otter and Milo was born well before I got back to Earth.” “But, wouldn’t that—” Theo was cut off when a big red beast of a person came bounding outside carrying two little girls with him and with Siv and Otter at his heels. They came inside and the small children immediately dispersed to go look at the plants and pick anything that looked ripe enough to eat off the stem. The giant red man went directly to the adults and loomed over them, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. Theo was shocked beyond belief and froze up immediately. “Milo, my biggest boy!” Dari cooed wrapping his arms around his son's waist. He was two or three heads shorter than Milo and could barely see above his chest. “Milo, this is Theo. He's a friend.” Milo put the girls down and waved to Theo, before signing to his father. “Milo says he really likes your hair,” Dari said. “I think it's because it's a colour he can actually see well. He’s a bit colour blind.” “Oh, um. Tell him thanks for me?” Theo requested. “Tell him yourself. He can hear you, he just can't speak like us,” Dari explained, happily patting Milo's chest. “He's my big growly boy...” “Oh! Okay, thanks Milo,” Theo said, running a hand through his own hair. “I need to dye it again soon though.” Milo nodded, smiling and signed again. “He thinks you look cool with the roots,” Dari said. “It’s almost like Fay and Ari’s hair. You’re like an honorary merperson.” Theo smiled. “Thanks, but I think Fay pulls off two colours much better than I do. It’s not even blended.” Milo signed again to Dari but Dari didn’t translate and just signed back. Milo looked a little upset and then signed again. “Milo wants to compliment you on your pregnancy,” Dari said. “I told him it might not be appropriate but he insisted.” “That's cool. Thanks, Milo,” Theo said, trying to stay calm in front of the seven-foot-tall red man. “How um, how old is he?” “Twelve or thirteen, we think,” Dari said. “Hard to say.” “You don't know?” Theo asked. “Yeah, well... They weren't really handing out Earth calendars aboard the sex trafficking space ship, so I really don't know when he was born,” Dari said. “We use the day that he came home to us as his birthday.” “That's really... That's some crazy stuff that happened to you, Dari,” Theo said. “I'm so sorry.” “Don't be. It was years ago.” “But really, you talk about it so casually. You know, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to.” Dari patted Theo’s shoulder. “It happened. It was terrible. It's left me physically, mentally and emotionally scarred for life. But that's all it is. Scars. I can't do much about it. All you can really try to do with scars is put lotion on them or tattoo over them. I'm tired of doing that, so I just wear them. The nightmares come less and less. My physical scars don't hurt anymore. When I tell my story, I can detach myself from it. I don't let it bother me.” He patted Theo's cheek. “Oh, but if it bothers you, I won't talk about it.” “Oh, no, no. I don't mind,” Theo said. “Thank you for opening up.” Dari sighed and put his hands on his hips. “Of course, you don't have to share either if you don't want to. But I am curious... You weren't abducted, but you also don't strike me as the type of guy who hangs around alien bars. No, wait. You mentioned dreams? How does that work?” “It's kind of embarrassing...” Theo said. Dari lifted his own shirt and patted his stomach. “Looking four months pregnant for the rest of your life is embarrassing.” Theo proceeded to tell Dari everything, how the celestial apparently impregnated him in his dreams and how on the first day, he grew so rapidly. Dari listened intently and when he was done, offered up his sympathy and advice. Theo mentioned Henderson, but only as a friend helping him out. He didn't mention that they'd slept together because he still didn't know what it meant yet. They chatted a little more for a while until it was dinner time and they headed on inside. Theo enjoyed his time at the Demers house. The food was good and there was nothing but energy in the dining room as they ate. Siv took a liking to Theo in particular and spent most of the meal telling him about his favourite frog he found the other day. Fay later expressed to his guest how delighted he was to see Siv opening up so easily with Theo since he was apparently the shiest child. This made Theo feel quite a bit better about having to listen to ‘hop hop hop’ and ‘ribbitty ribbit’ over and over. At the end of the night, Fay drove him home. He welcomed Theo to their house any time and Fay would be happy to drive. Theo thanked him for hosting him and then got himself ready for bed. He was exhausted from just being around so many children at one time and was very glad that he would not be dealing with anything like that for himself any time soon.

[the-river-person]

Falling Down Around You

Sans had been helping the Guard. His shortcuts were one of the most useful things he could provide to the Underground. It was why he’d kept his job as a messenger and mail carrier despite being the Judge, despite being a practicing psychiatrist. He could jump around the Underground in a few minutes, a journey which might take several days depending on which areas you needed to go through. The fastest road might take you from Old Home to the Castle in New Home in a few hours if you ran the whole way and didn’t stop to talk to anyone. But even the Human had originally taken a few weeks to make the whole trip, because they’d been stopped by numerous puzzles, Monsters who wanted to fight them, and even things like buying things at a shop or getting a room at the Inn. A closed down elevator or a blocked tunnel could delay you even longer, and what if you kept being forced down side routes? So if someone needed a message delivered right then and there, they could either send a text or call. But what happened when you needed to deliver something? Or someone? What happened when the person you’re trying to reach wouldn’t answer? The answer was simple. Call someone who can go there in a flash. And of course he’d been happy enough to do it all. Kept things interesting, let him hear news. Occasionally important things would go through from Gaster or the Royals. He’d be the first to hear about Mettaton’s newest shows. It was he who’d been able to congratulate Undyne on her first ever action film even before Alphys could. All the best Undertube videos, the most interesting articles on the Undernet, even plans for new puzzles. He heard about all of it as he zipped back and forth. Tonight however, he’d taken more shortcuts than ever before. First the King and Queen to Snowdin for Isa, then he’d taken them back to the Palace and immediately began transporting to the furthest areas of the Underground. Looking for the most obscure and hidden Monsters to let them know about the King’s order for evacuation. And he’d even helped special cases out for the guard, transporting fire Monsters who couldn’t enter in through the Waterfall Area, or various Monsters from Old Home who couldn’t easily pass through Snowdin Caverns. Then a Guard had asked him to go down to the Lower Waterfall City in the Cliffs and the Outpost below in the Depths to help transport people out so the elevators would be freed up a little. He had to pause and crouch down, his skull nearly level with his knees. Dizziness was making his head feel fuzzy, but he didn’t want to spend too long recovering from it. A real break would be needed soon or he’d regret it. When he had enough strength back he took a shortcut to Gaster’s cave. Asgore and Toriel were up on the platform with Gaster. He headed that way. “Hey Tori,” he said, and she turned with...well... not quite a smile, but more of a flicker of polite recognition. “Have you seen Papyrus?” She shook her head. “I haven’t, but Gaster said he went to inspect the ship, I think he is still on board.” Sans gave a small sigh of relief. Really there hadn’t been too much to worry about. They were trying to hurry with the evacuation because they wanted as much time as possible in case something went wrong or some Monster was missing. And there wasn’t anyone that could really do his bro any harm, or would even want to. But he’d still felt the icy chill of panic throughout this whole thing. Over near the catwalk, Seamus was packing up the last of the recording equipment, with his husband Evan helping him. Mettaton was nowhere to be seen, and Sans decided that the robot had probably either already boarded the ship or was in line somewhere. Or maybe searching for Napstablook. Over the years the two had had a strange friendship, though neither had ever really said how it came about. And the ghost had become somewhat less self depreciating and a little more confident in their abilities. Really their music had been in the top musical hits chart for over a hundred years now, even the newer albums were popular. Even so, Napstablook was still somewhat gloomy, and that was alright. Nobody could ever match the constant energy that Papyrus had. If Napstablook wanted to be a little gloomy and enjoy long periods of solitude, that was their right. Still working at the computers in the section of the cave that served as Gaster’s lab was one of his assistants. Tertia, who was bird-like and hunched over. She poked at the keys in manner that might have seemed like boredom to anyone else, but Sans knew it was just her way. All four of Gaster’s assistants were very strange Monsters. Suddenly the cave shook.  Lights flickered as the very roof of the cave trembled, screams and gasps came from the lines of Monsters waiting to board the ships. Alarms began blaring loudly and little red lights began flashing all over the cave. Gaster whirled round. “What is it? What’s happening?” he demanded of his assistant who was now typing frantically away at the keyboard, trying to find the source. Down below the Monsters were beginning to panic and the Guard was having to step in to keep things from getting out of hand. Tertia gasped, her grey eyes going wide, the most expressive face he’d ever seen on any of the assistants. “It’s the Core! It’s experiencing an overload! It’ll go down in just a few minutes!” Gaster’s mouth fell open in shock. It was only for half a second that he stood there, but with everyone staring at him, waiting for him to carefully explain to them what that meant exactly and what they should do, it seemed like an eternity of waiting. When he finally did move it was neither carefully nor calmly. The scientist threw himself forward towards the ledge looking down on the ship, grabbing the rails to push himself up so that he was right above where the Guards were. “GET EVERYONE ON THE SHIP NOW! DON’T COUNT THEM! JUST BOARD!” Pandemonium ensued. Monsters surged towards the doors of the ship, climbing aboard with the assistance of the Royal Guards, who were doing their best to keep smaller Monsters from being trampled in the chaos. Gaster was halted by Toriel and Asgore who were demanding to know what was happening. But he had no patience for careful explanations. He dove past them and started grabbing files and notebooks off his desk and stuffing everything haphazardly into a briefcase. “It’s the core!” he screeched, almost in hysterics. “If it falls the entire grid will go down. It won’t be enough to kill anyone as long as they aren’t in the machine itself, but the shock wave will be enough to reach this cave. The ship is programmed to open a Rift in the event of an apocalyptic emergency, and it will think this is one!” Glancing behind and seeing their blank expressions he growled in frustration. “Don’t you get it?! If we don’t get on board the ship will leave without us!” That did it, horrified understanding dawned in the eyes of the two Monarchs and they ran for the stairways along with the rest of the crowds. But the lines still stretched out through Waterfall, there were still over 600 Monsters who hadn’t gotten the chance to board yet. Feeling sick to his stomach, Sans wondered for a second what he should do. Shortcuts. He could save some people. Seamus and Evan were making for the stairs as well and he ran to catch up with them. Grabbing their arms he used a shortcut to tear all three of them from their current position in space and onto the ship, where he left them confused and disoriented, and took a shortcut back. Next was Tertia, who was sitting, not moving, in her chair, staring blankly at the computer screen in shock. She didn’t thank him as he handed her over to the Guards in the ship’s hold. He’d gone back for Gaster when he spotted Realis enter the cave looking frantic. Running that way instead he brought the prince into the ship as well. Monsters outside were desperately pushing relatives, especially younger ones, forward. Though there were no real children left after three hundred years, many still appeared to be children, and their parents lifted them high, ignoring their protests, and practically handed them to the Guards, who took them into the ship. Cousins, lovers, and friends were shoved forward, and other Monsters who only had themselves to worry about pushed their way to the front. He saw Papyrus pull a Froggit as well as both Bratty and Catty into the ship all at the same time. Even Monster Kid had leaned back as far as he could to take the tiny Cinnamon with the curl of his tail while Goner helped Cinnamon’s older Sister, Lapina, climb up using his tail.  A tiny yellow bird who had once carried people across a disproportionately small gap was clinging to her fur, terrified out of its mind. Where had Gaster gone to? He spotted Gaster fiddling with the computers, Sans appeared behind him and saw the little storage chip he’d plugged into slot. The Scientist was trying to copy over his research. “Doc! Come on! There’s no time!” And there wasn’t time. The surge from the collapsing Core hit and the cavern shook again and the lights went out, leaving only the ship and it’s power system separate from the main grid still lighting the space. Screaming and panicked shouting rang out and the Monsters nearest to the ship were forced back. The Rift had begun to open up underneath the floor of the cave. Papyrus was looking frantically around the cave, pushing against his own guards as they tried to close the doors for their fall into the Void. “SANS!!!” he screamed. Sans was only a few steps from the edge of the platform, right over the ship. He didn’t think, he only moved. He was already in the air when he realized that Gaster was with him,  having tried to stop him from making the jump and fallen with him. To all those still in the cave it appeared as if a gigantic flat disk of nothingness you couldn’t describe that had no color to speak of but wasn’t black or white and could be seen even in the dark despite not giving off any light had opened up where the floor was supposed to be. The Ship and the pair of falling Monsters seemed to slow and freeze in place, then slowly... without moving, they simply began to fade away as if they had never been. And with them went the strange grey disk that made up the Rift. From San’s point of view the world around him began to warp and twist as if it were being turned inside out. He could still see the Monsters in Gaster’s cave, but instead of the cave being all around him, it was as if the space around him had been turned inside out and shaped into an orb, leaving only the Void around him as he fell away from the orb. It got smaller and smaller until it was gone, and so was the ship. He and Gaster were adrift in the Void.

[paintedwithapalette]

SoKai Week Day 1 - Paopu Fruit 

Word Count: 4, 054

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

To Sora and Kairi, it was like being on an emotional high. 

Through time, their bond had hardened like concrete—impenetrable. It was beyond latent feelings at this point, it was a harmonious compound of encouragement, support, admiration, and most of all, trust. 

With their hands intertwined and legs dangling as they were bundled together close on the paopu fruit tree, these emotions ran rapid with just a single touch. The salty air and the seagulls squawking overhead was nothing short of the pleasantries the two had become familiar with. Though, it would’ve meant little if they didn’t have each other. 

“I don’t think I could ever get tired of this place,” Kairi said, closing her eyes and allowing the wind to gently caress her face. “I know in my heart that this isn’t where I come from, but to me, this is home.”

“It always has been,” Sora validated. 

“You think so?” 

“Of course! This place wouldn’t be the same without you, you know?” Sora sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “And hey, I’d be a total wreck without you. Do you know how many times I probably would’ve fell to darkness if it weren’t for you being by my side?” 

“True. You’re pretty much hopeless without me,” she teased. 

“Hey!” Fabricating a look of hurt, he pulled her in closer with one swift motion and sent Kairi into a fit of giggles all the while. “What’s that supposed to mean?” 

“I think even you can figure that out, dork.” 

Another five minutes passed as they wrestled, mostly consisting of Sora trying to pull Kairi in close while she pretended to reject his advances, no matter how much she loved every second of it. As their laughter died down, they settled into a comfortable embrace; the warmth of Sora’s arms encompassed around her petite frame. They sat in a comfortable stillness, no words traded between them as neither broke eye contact until Kairi tucked some hair behind her ear with a soft giggle. 

“What’s that goofy look for?” she asked. 

“Sorry,” Sora apologized insincerely, putting on a grin. “Guess I just don’t want to forget that I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” 

Kairi’s blush intensified along with the ends of her lips. “You’re such a cornball.” 

Sora chuckled nervously as he scratched his cheek as he imagined how much Donald would tease him if he heard that one. “Yeah, well…” 

“It’s okay,” Kairi said. “I like how cheesy you are.” 

“Well, there’s plenty more where that came from!” Sora pulled her in with an even tighter embrace, once again making Kairi burst into laughter. 

When it died down, she rested her palm against his face and used her thumb to travel across the texture of his soft skin. “Looks like you really never did change,” she said.  

Sora smiled, tenderly taking hold of her hand. “Of course I didn’t.” 

Their smiles were radiant, weaved with affection as a sheen of desire shimmered over Kairi’s eyes when she noticed Sora looking at her lips. Their anticipation surged as their proximity decreased, their faces inching closer, closer, and closer... 

“Sora!” 

A yelp escaped them both as whatever tension there may have been dissipated and they held each other even tighter. Their nerves settled as Donald and Goofy entered their light of vision, the voice clearly belonging to the former of the two. 

“Donald? Goofy?” Sora asked. “What’s up?” 

“Riku and the King wanted us to tell you about the bonfire tonight,” Donald explained. “Since we’ll be celebrating the return of a half-pint like you, Sora.” 

Goofy took note of the fact that neither of the two had let go of the other since Donald spooked them. “Gawrsh, I shore hope we aren’t interruptin’ you all.” 

“Uh, no, of course not!” Sora gave a sheepish grin as he rubbed the back of his head. 

“Gee, then how come your face is red, Sora?” Goofy asked.

“Awwww, isn’t that sweet?” Donald teased, clasping his hands together and bringing them up to the side of his face. 

“Could you cut that out?” Sora clenched a fist as Donald burst into laughter. “No offense, but can you two buzz off? Kind of in the middle of something here.” 

“Guess we oughta stop meddlin’ then, a-hyuk,” Goofy said with a chuckle as he made his leave with his usual gangly walk. Donald didn’t stray too far behind. 

“And remember to behave, Sora. Mind your manners,” Donald joked. 

“Knock it off!” Sora shouted as his friends entered the seaside shack. “That’s it. He’s gonna regret this the next time I see him alone with Daisy.” 

Kairi found Sora’s frustration amusing as she placed her hand on his cheek, directing his focus back to her. “Well, don’t worry. We still have plenty of time to ourselves, right?” 

It wasn’t long before whatever Donald had said before became irrelevant as Sora fell into a goofy smile. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

At least, so he thought until a frisbee smacked the back of his head. “Ouch!” Sora cried as he massaged the tender spot and turned around to spot Lea catching the frisbee just in time. Sora should’ve expected as much since it wasn’t uncommon for Lea, Isa, and Ven to have their fairly regular frisbee games around this time. Still, wasn’t it odd that it somehow hit his head? 

“Yo! Sorry ‘bout that,” Lea called, waving. 

“Aww, no biggie,” Sora called back. He returned his focus to Kairi once again but it didn’t take more than a few minutes before the frisbee hit him in the back of the head again. This time, Lea received a frown. 

“Sorry, butterfingers!” Lea said, though this time Sora noticed Ven covering his mouth with both hands while Isa rolled his eyes. 

Sora slowly turned back around to face Kairi, giving him an understanding smile. “Think maybe we should find a different spot?” 

Sora shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I’m sure it’s just an honest mistake.” Despite his words, his eyes narrowed as if he were waiting. Ten minutes passed and nothing occurred. The three seemed to continue about their own business. Sora let out a sigh of relief. 

“Now, where were we?” Sora said, his usual smile returning before it was derailed less than a second later when the frisbee came hurtling right into the back of his head. 

“Sorry again!” Lea apologized through the laughter he was failing horribly to stifle. “M-My fingers slipped!” 

Sora growled, having had more than enough as he pushed himself off the tree, helping Kairi down all the while, as he took her hand and marched towards the seaside shack. Kairi had no objections but was left wondering where their next destination lied. “Where are we going?” she asked, tilting her head to the side. 

“Away from those jerks,” Sora said vaguely. 

When Sora and Kairi exited the seaside shack, Lea and Ven were quick to catch up to them. 

“Aww, where you goin’, buddy?” Lea asked, draping an arm around his shoulder as he pinched Sora’s cheek. “We didn’t mean to interrupt you guys. Was I disrupting the mood? It’s just that you two are just so darn cute.” 

Sora grumbled under his breath but ignored Lea as he led (pulled, more accurately) Kairi inside the Secret Place, ignoring the howls of laughter from Lea and Ventus echoing in the short distance. 

When Sora and Kairi made it inside, the former scoped the place out in search of any unwanted souls in the area. Thankfully, it looked empty as Sora let out a relieved sigh and smiled. He loved all of his friends dearly, but even he wanted some space every now and then to be with the girl of his dreams. He looked back at Kairi, their hands still attached. 

“Think the coast is clear?” Kairi asked with a cheeky grin. 

“Yeah, I think so.” Sora rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry about that. Hope I can at least make it up to you.” 

Kairi shook her head softly as she wrapped her arms around the base of his neck, momentarily catching Sora by surprise before he carefully held her waist, bringing their foreheads together. “You already did.” 

“I did?” 

“Yes,” Kairi answered without hesitation. Her eyes traveled over to the drawings they made as kids handing each other a paopu fruit. “By just being you. I told you before all of this that I wanted you to never change and you haven’t. That’s more than enough for me.” 

“Kairi...” 

Before their lips could seal the deal, they heard a sharp squeal in the short distance. They immediately detached themselves from each other and scoped out the area. 

“Who’s there?” Sora asked, returning to his previous look of defense. 

Kairi narrowed her eyes, taking mindful steps as her eyes wandered over the cave until she heard hushed voices. 

“I told you not to freak out over this, you dip,” said a hushed male voice. 

“Shut up! They’re super cute! What do you want me to do?” asked an equally hushed female voice in return. 

Kairi was able to pinpoint the voices from behind the large rock with a less than flattering face drawn on it. Making sure not to alert whoever happened to be back there, she tiptoed over until she looked behind the rock to find nothing. She raised her eyebrow. 

Meanwhile, Sora turned around and saw two individuals making a poor attempt at being stealthy as they tried to crawl out of the Secret Place unseen. “Hey!” he shouted. 

The two culprits, a.k.a Tidus and Selphie, looked up like deer caught in the headlights. The former of the two bumped into the rear of the latter, sending them both to the ground. 

“Tidus? Selph?” Kairi voiced as she emerged from the other side of the rock. 

Selphie scrambled back up to her feet, knocking Tidus back down in the process as she approached her best girl friend. “I-It’s not what it looks like!” 

Tidus rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head. “Except it’s totally what it looks like.” The comment earned him a scowl from Selphie. 

“Were you two spying on us?” Kairi asked. 

Selphie bit her lip and averted her eyes. “W-Well, that’s uh...”

“It was her idea,” Tidus accused with a sharp finger pointed at Selphie, though the brunette didn’t deny it as she fiddled with her fingers. 

“Selphie...” Kairi admonished. 

“I’m sorry! I just heard you two like to come here a lot Lea and, uh... I dunno, I was a teeny bit curious to see how far you guys were gonna go. And you’re just soooo cute!” 

Sora sighed as he shrugged defeatedly. 

“That’s... sweet, Selphie, but boundaries would be nice sometimes, you know?” Kairi chastised kindly. 

Selphie bowed her head in shame. “Yeah, I know...” 

Sora crossed his arms. He was beginning to think this island was too crowded for his liking. “Well, uh, we’ll leave you two to it then,” he said somewhat hastily. 

Kairi was caught off-guard when Sora moved past Selphie and took her hand in one swift motion as he hurried out of the Secret Place. 

“W-Wait!” Selphie said, reaching out for them. “I just need to know if you guys have gotten to third-ba—” 

Tidus covered Selphie’s mouth and pulled her back before she made the situation any more awkward than she already had. 

“Just don’t, Selph.” 

After having to feel the brunt of Lea’s teasing once again, Sora led Kairi to the wooden door leading to the cove. Sora and Kairi briefly examined the area before hopping across the broken bridge that led to the other side. 

“Watch your step,” Sora warned. 

Kairi puffed out her chest. “Hey, don’t you worry about me, I think by now I’ve learned a thing or twoowhoa!” she sputtered as she nearly tripped over herself when she landed on the other side before Sora caught her in the nick of time. He carefully brought her back up to her feet.

“You okay?” Sora asked with genuine concern. 

Kairi found the will to stop ogling and cast him a smile. “Yes.” 

They stood in a comfortable silence before they heard feet pattering against the sandy surface in the short distance. 

“Woof, woof! Woof, woof!” 

Before he even had a chance to react, Sora was tackled to the floor by Pluto and it only took a second longer for his face to be submerged in the dog’s drool. 

“Aww, Pluto,” Sora whined, though Kairi couldn’t bite back the laughter that escaped her even if she wanted to. Once Sora’s face was appropriately drenched, he moved over to Kairi and would’ve nearly pounced on her as well if Kairi didn’t catch him in time. She still gave him plenty of chin scratches and pets to assure him his appearance wasn’t entirely unwelcome. 

“It’s very nice to see you, too,” Kairi greeted. “How’ve you been, boy?” 

“Gosh,” said a familiar high-pitched voice. “Sorry about that, you two. You know how Pluto can get sometimes.” 

King Mickey approached them along with Riku. The latter chuckled as Kairi took a handkerchief out of one of the pockets of her pink shorts, dabbing Sora’s face once she was free from Pluto. 

“Sorry, were we interrupting something?” Riku asked, a sly grin on his face. 

Sora cleared his throat. “Uh, well...” 

“Yes, you are,” Kairi answered boldly, though her words betrayed the smile on her face. 

Riku raised his hands in defense. “Don’t mind us, we were just trying to get a little training in. But if you needed a little bit of privacy, then by all means...” 

Riku stepped out of the way, presenting the rest of the cove to them, empty and barren for their disposal. Kairi sent an appreciative smile while Sora bashfully scratched his cheek. 

“Thanks, Riku,” Sora said as he and Kairi moved past them. Riku playfully saluted while he and Mickey shared a chuckle. They were about to leave along with Pluto before they saw Lea charging in hot. 

“Hey, Sora! I got somethin’ for ya,” he cried. 

Riku calmly grabbed the back of Lea’s shirt before he could get any closer and yanked him back. “I don’t think so.” 

“No, but it’s really important! I swear,” Lea said.

“What is it?” Mickey asked. 

“I’m locked out of my house and I need his Keyblade to unlock it.” 

Riku and Mickey shared a look. “You do realize more than half of us have Keyblades, right? Matter of fact, don’t you have a Keyblade?” 

“And don’tcha live in Twilight Town?” Mickey added. 

“I… I just moved here?” Lea gave a sheepish grin. “Today, actually. Crazy coincidence, am I right?” 

Riku and Mickey shared a look of disbelief before nodding to affirm they were on the same page. Despite his protests, they grabbed Lea by his shoulders as they dragged him away from the scene. 

Sora and Kairi were left to themselves as their eyes wandered the cove, a wave of nostalgia flooding over them both as memories lurked in every nook and cranny of this area of the island. 

“Hey, remember when the raft used to be here?” Kairi asked as she wrapped her arms behind her back. “It’s almost like... this is where everything started.” 

“How could I forget?” Sora asked with a chuckle. “We worked so hard on that thing. It’s a shame we never got to give it a try.” 

“It’s a nice thought, wondering what would’ve happened had we been together the whole time setting sail on the sea. But honestly...” Kairi walked towards the shore, her arms tied behind her back as she looked to the sky wistfully. “If I could go back and change how everything went down, I don’t think I would.” 

“Really?” Sora tilted his head. 

Mm hm.” Kairi nodded, pursing her lips into a tight smile. “It may not have been ideal, but being able to go inside your heart, being able to see things through your eyes and feel the things that you felt... how much you cared about me and wanted nothing more than to make sure I was safe... maybe we’re this close because of that. And ever since then, no matter what, we always find our way back to each other again.” She turned around and faced him. “I wouldn’t trade that for anything. Not for one second.” 

Sora was left speechless for a moment until a certain warmth washed him over. “Kairi...” he said quietly, his eyes trained on the sand. “I guess sometimes I just wish I could’ve done better for you. You spent all that time having to watch from the sidelines, waiting for me to come home because I kept leaving you all alone. I guess sometimes I wish I could’ve done better for you.”

Kairi sighed, but she settled into a gentle smile as she carefully approached him in good spirits. “Sora, go into your back pocket for me please.” 

Sora raised an eyebrow. “Uh, sure.” 

He did as told and dug into his back pocket and retrieved the good luck charm she had given him all those years ago. Since then, she wanted him to keep it permanently as a reminder of the bond they shared. Sora had come to treasure it deeply. 

“Even if we’re apart, we’re not alone anymore,” Kairi said. “Remember that?” 

Sora looked over the charm and the face, his own face, she drew grinning back at him. His eyes shimmered as the memories came back. “Yeah,” he said. “We made a promise.” 

Kairi nodded. “We did. No matter what happens, no matter how far apart we are...” 

She took Sora’s hand and gently closed them around the good luck charm. 

“We’ll always find each other,” she said with a soft smile. “No matter what.”  

After a moment of silence, Sora nodded. “You’re right.” He gripped his lucky charm harder. “I don’t think I would trade anything in the world for that either.” 

“So, don’t worry about that stuff. In the end, I think it made me stronger. Not just me, but you too. And besides, I love you just the way you are, no matter how much of a hopeless goofball you are.” 

“Thanks, Kai—hey, wait a minute! You take that back.” 

Kairi giggled as she ran away. “But it’s the truth! You said it yourself.” 

Sora grinned. “Okay, you asked for it!” 

Sora chased Kairi all over the cove, leaving no stone unturned as they playfully teased each other all the while. Sora could have easily caught up to her before, but after all the training Kairi had received, she was a lot trickier to catch these days. Their misadventures ranged from running behind the coconut trees to splashing each other in the sea. 

At one point, Kairi was running away after she casted Waterga magic on Sora (which Sora thought was cheating but at least he had an Aeroga spell to dry himself fast). 

“Now, you’re really gonna get it!” Sora declared as he chased after her. 

“I’d like to see you try!” 

Sora looked ahead and put on a look of surprise. “Oh, hey Riku!” 

Kairi stopped in her tracks. “Riku?” Before she had a second longer to react, Sora grabbed her by the waist from behind. 

“Gotcha!” he said, a toothy smile as Kairi kicked her legs out. 

“No!” she said in-between her giggles. “Lemme go, you lazy bum!” 

“Nuh uh, I need my revenge.” Sora put on a malicious smile as he began tickling her sides. Kairi howled with uncontrollable laughter. 

“Sora…! I-I can’t!” Kairi sputtered. 

“Ha! Not so tough are ya now, huuuuhaaaaah!” Sora couldn’t finish his comment before he tripped over himself while backing up. He fell to his back, taking the brunt of the fall while he caught Kairi in the nick of time as she fell on top of his chest. They landed in the middle of shrubbery and gorgeous flowers that bloomed brilliantly near the ladder that led to the zipline. 

After a brief stint of silence, they ultimately laughed at the situation at hand. This felt right. This was how it should’ve been. The stars had aligned and the universe was finally working in their favor. So it seemed, at least. Kairi wanted to last forever. 

But she knew deep down all good things must come to an end. 

“Hey,” she said suddenly. “I have a surprise for you.” 

Before Sora could question her, she went into her back pocket and pulled out a paopu fruit. How she was able to carry that back there, she wasn’t sure but neither of them questioned it. 

“I know we’ve already shared one before, but... I kind of want to relive that moment again,” Kairi admitted.

Sora didn’t say anything. He only offered a smile. A smile that communicated everything it needed to. He told her that she was safe, secure, and free of judgment. He told her that she was the apple of his eyes, the girl of his dreams, and his destiny. He told her how happy he was the first time she asked him to share one with him and he wanted nothing more than to do it again. All with one smile. 

“You know I’ll come back to you, right?” he asked. “I won’t give up. I’ll never give up.” 

Kairi’s smile turned solemn. “Promise?” 

“Promise.” 

Sora took the paopu fruit from her possession and gently grazed his teeth on top of one of the spikes. Kairi took the initiative to nibble the other end, but before either could bite down, she cupped his cheek with her hand. Sora responded by using his index finger and thumb to carefully hold her chin. 

The way he looked into her eyes with such a focus and confidence, it was enough to make a tear stream down her face. No matter what the situation, he always assured her that he would come back. 

They both simultaneously bit down on the paopu fruit, solidifying their destiny to find each other once again, and in a turn of events, the fruit dissipated into sparkles that twinkled against the setting sun. They were still and locked firmly in the moment as they looked into each other’s eyes, her hand and his fingers still attached to each other’s faces, quietly admiring each other until Sora ended up being the first to break it. 

“Don’t ever forget,” he said. “Wherever you go...” 

Then Kairi woke up. 

Reality settled as the memories slowly drifted back as she studied her room, the morning sun peeking through the slits of her blinds and its warmth faded from the translucent curtains. Eventually, she remembered it had been a year and a few months since Sora disappeared. She and the others were still hard at work looking for a way to bring him back home. But for a moment, she was relieved of the pain of her own uncertainty of his whereabouts and her lack of ability to see his kind smile beyond distant memories. It reminded her of the time when she first returned to the islands without Sora or Riku, except it was even more painful because her memory was fully intact. 

He was there. He was so close. She could feel his touch. Everything felt so natural and real. Perhaps, in its own roundabout way, it was? 

Maybe, just maybe... Sora was trying to communicate with her. Perhaps he wanted to assure her that he was okay and that he would return to her, but they could only meet in a dream. As the dream was nearing its end, she did recall her memories slowly rematerializing in the back corners of her mind and she had to assume the same could’ve been said for Sora as well as their fun-filled day on Destiny Islands without a care in the world came to an end. They both remembered that Sora still had to come back and he made sure to promise that he would. 

Yes, it had to be him. Even the impossible couldn’t keep him away from her for long. No matter what the circumstances, Sora found a way. 

Tears welled up in her eyes and they gradually slid down her cheeks as she looked out the window at the bright, morning sky. 

“I’m always with you,” Kairi finished. 

Credit for both of these amazing art pieces goes to my super talented friend, @amyhayanora​!

[complicatedandstained]

Every Rose

A Grass is Greener AU fic, for / inspired by @snowflake-of-destruction  and @shaky-mayhemm​ because their soap opera AU is everything

Warnings for strong language, melodrama, rich people, cheating, minor alcoholism, minor smut, some abusive behaviors, and completely made-up gardening facts. 

Axel crouches low to the ground, a bead of sweat dripping down his nose, and gently takes a thorny stem between his thumb and forefinger. He exhales, nostrils flaring, the taste of salt hitting the top of his lip, and carefully shifts one of the vines of climbing roses, more tightly interweaving it with the closest bar of the black iron trellis. The patterned trellis arch casts intricate shadows across his sun-freckled arms, and he thinks back to the better part of an afternoon last week he had spent with those shadows playing across his body, positioning both it and the trellis to Roxas’ liking. 

He’d stood just about right here then, glancing up at Roxas. Adorable, clever, sassy Roxas, with delicately rendered and neatly labelled sketches of the garden in hand and a pencil between his lips, had been perched in the mouth of a nearby, low-lying window, offering the occasional “A little to the left,” “What if we trimmed down the shrubbery, just there?”, and Axel’s personal favorite, “God, could you be any sexier?”

This last comment brings to mind a more recent encounter. Roxas’ tongue trying to knot with his, tasting like salt—like the Margarita he’d been sipping was a little on the strong side. He can still feel Roxas’ soft, glossy, dark gold hair between his fingers. Roxas’ hands hot and certain, pawing at denim and then his belt buckle. Roxas below him, kneeling in the grass beside an Andromeda bush blooming with sweet-smelling white bell flowers. Roxas murmuring “God, could you be any sexier?” yet again with something like actual reverence before he’d unzipped Axel’s jeans, tugged away plaid boxers, and licked—

“You’re still here, are you?” 

Axel’s entire body tenses and he closes his fist in reflex, clenching the rose vine. A thorn bites through the worn palm of the gardening glove he’d been meaning to replace and gouges the center of his hand. 

The slow, regal drawl coming from somewhere just behind Axel continues, “I was certain you’d be finished by now. You haven’t been slacking off, have you?”

“Fuck,” Axel gasps as the pain kicks in and then he bites his lip, tilting his head to gaze up at Roxas’ husband, standing just a few yards away on the front walk. It appears Isa had been watching him for God knew how long, while Axel fantasized about his lonely, jaded, sexy, blond, trophy husband complimenting his yard work and making him moan. 

Fortunately, this is not the first time Axel has had to work out such excuses on a dime, and he reaches for the most tried and true one, “No, sir. Just trying to make the gardens every inch as lovely as your home and its owners.” 

“Hm…” Isa fidgets with a key ring, and pockets it, the lights of his black Corvette blinking once behind him, as if, Axel feels, in belated warning. 

Isa crosses the last few yards toward him. He’s wearing the kind of suit that Axel’s sister Kairi would know the name of, tailored to make him look like he was born to wear it. He walks with the self-important purpose and dismissive confidence only a lawyer can, his brow raising only slightly, as Axel hisses a strangled “Ah, fuck” again, tugging the thorn out, and clutching his hand to his chest.  

Axel takes a breath to calm himself, and this time not from the sharp pain, which is proving to be a welcome distraction. It’s the entirely new-to-Axel sensation of paranoia that he wants to send packing—paranoia that’s drawing the acidic taste of bile to the back of his throat. 

At least Roxas isn’t out here with him. He’s long gone for the evening at this point, off to “Girl’s Night” with a few neighbors. 

But Isa’s asking him why he’s here so late. Isa suspects something—somebody—held up his progress. If Isa finds him out, Axel could lose this ludicrously lucrative job and his entire business and his reputation and his chance to further seduce Roxas. 

Okay. So, maybe seducing Roxas shouldn’t be on this particular mental list, but it could be his only shot at getting the sweet but dangerous, hot, blond tease out of his every waking thought. 

And, all this aside, Isa, who’s got the body of a cross-fit model and the resting bitch face of a Doberman, might literally murder Axel for touching his bored, stay-at-home boy toy. 

Axel scrambles to think of a more specific excuse for why last-minute touch-ups on the trellis and minor maintenance to the hedge would take him this long, but he’s spared from voicing them, as Isa speaks again.

“I’ve heard talking to plants helps them grow...” 

Isa comes to a halt closer than Axel was expecting him to. Axel could easily reach out and run a hand down his toned thigh and calf. In other circumstances, the silken gloss of the man’s trousers accentuating toned muscle might make him want to...  

“...But I’m not certain that kind of language is what the botanary community had in mind.” 

Axel takes a long moment to process this response to his pained swearing, staring up into Isa’s soft blue-green eyes and the light crinkle of the nose just between them. Isa’s thin lips don’t seem as taut as they usually do, curving up just the slightest bit in the corner. Over all, Isa looks almost… Fond?

He had spoken completely deadpan, but rather than the admonishment Axel had expected—almost hoped for—it had sounded more like… A joke? 

Had Isa, his latest lover’s jealous, serious, apathetic, workaholic husband, just made a joke? A joke to amuse Axel, his lowly gardener, the one he may or may not have just subtly accused of screwing his husband, or at the very least, wasting his money and time? 

Axel’s going to have to reevaluate Isa’s opinion of him. He’d assumed it was low-grade-dirt poor. But the way Isa’s staring down at him right now… Well, Axel knew the guy was gay, obviously, but with his sights set on Roxas, it hadn’t occurred to him that his other employer might have been taking a look. 

Axel figures there’s only one way to know for sure. He slips on a practiced, easy smirk. “Didn’t hear you walk up, that’s all.” He slowly reaches back and rubs the nape of his neck with the palm that’s not bleeding, giving his arm a nice slow stretch and watching Isa’s eyes follow with... Admiration? Axel’s smirk broadens. “You ‘bout gave me a fucking heart attack.” 

Axel doesn’t usually swear around his classier employers—Xigbar being the main exception—but the slight quirk of Isa’s lip earlier makes Axel think the man might find it charming. And even if Axel has no idea what the hell he’s doing right at this moment, he figures charming can’t hurt. 

“Apologies,” Isa drawls without any sincerity behind it, examining the open knuckles of his black leather gloves. The gesture might have come off as bored, but the slight lift of Isa’s lip proves enough to tug up Axel’s own. 

“I was just…” Isa’s gaze strays only briefly to the saplings, hedges, and artfully arranged flower beds Axel had slaved over, before landing on Axel himself, raking the muscles of his back through his taut white tank, “admiring the view.” 

The fuck am I doing? Axel asks himself as he plucks a soft pink rose from the vine he’s working with and offers it up with his signature blinding white smile, giving Isa a better view of the ribbed tank top stretching across his wiry but muscular chest. “You like what you see so far?”

Isa’s smirk turns patronizing as he accepts the rose, but his green eyes catch onto Axel’s with surprising steadiness, confidence. “I wouldn’t mind a closer look.” 

Axel supposes, technically, they could still be talking about the garden, but he’s starting to doubt it. He tells himself a little harmless flirtation with Isa won’t hurt anything. It’s just necessary job security. He’s not trying to hurt Roxas. Roxas doesn’t even have to know. Also, it doesn’t hurt that Isa happens to be turning him on right now with his slow, articulate lawyer voice, his gorgeous, fancy-ass suit, and his incredibly uncharacteristic, mild flirtations. 

So, Axel sits back on his good palm, stretches out his legs in front of him and purrs, “Think that could be arranged.”   

Isa nods, as if they’ve just shaken hands over a business merger, says, “Very good,” and then checks his antique looking gold and brown leather wristwatch. “It is getting late. You’d best pack up your things.”

“Uh…” Axel, sits up straighter. Maybe they were just talking about gardening after all. “Alright.” Being ginger with his injured left hand, Axel stands and tucks sheers, twine, spray, and the other tools he’s most recently been using back into the bag he’d used to transport them from his pick-up, occasionally glancing back to Isa, who’s alternating between watching Axel and examining the most recent yard work. Gear collected, Axel shoulders the strap of his bag.

“You didn’t stay late waiting around for me, I hope?” Isa asks as Axel steps up. His overly casual inquiry makes the hairs on the back of Axel’s neck stand up. Is Isa still wondering what took Axel twice as long as necessary, or is he hoping Axel wanted to see him?  

Once again, Axel opens his mouth to bullshit a response, and Isa starts talking again before he can, shrugging his shoulder, “Hm. No matter. I expect you know you’ve done an exceptional job, Mr. Emberson. And I’m glad I caught you.”   

Axel quirks a brow. “Are you?”

Isa scowls mildly, flutters his hand to indicate Axel follow him back toward the towering expanse of his mansion, and then sets off at a brisk pace. “Roxas told me he forgot to pay you earlier.” 

“Oh.” That had not been at all where Axel thought Isa was going with that.  

Isa spares Axel a backward glance, frowning now, voice softening into something that almost resembles sympathetic, “I do apologize. I can’t imagine what he was so distracted with that he couldn’t manage to do the one thing I…” 

Axel’s initial irritation at Isa putting down his husband with an ease that feels like habit gives way to a deeper heat in his chest. Maybe Isa’s tone is sympathetic, and Axel’s heart rate is just picking up because once again Isa is dancing so precariously close to the truth that it feels calculated.

Isa’s thoughtful gaze feels like ice pressed to Axel’s face and he thinks it would suck to stand in court with him, because those eyes alone make him feel guilty as sin. 

“Well,” Isa corrects, smirk knowing, if brief, as he taps his chin, “perhaps I can imagine…” 

Fuck. He knows.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Axel offers, forcing his brows to furrow lightly. 

Isa snorts. “Of course.” He pauses in front of the front door, a broad, darkly elegant wood with an opaque glass window inset with crisscrossing silver. Isa taps at the security keypad and produces his key. “Well, regardless. If you’ll follow me inside, I’ll write you a check for all your, ah, hard work.” Isa’s lips stretch into an actual, full, tight-lipped smile, as he holds the door open for Axel and gestures for him to enter with a sweep of his hand like some sexy Victorian gentleman.  

Axel thinks vaguely of that John Mullaney bit. You ain’t getting me to no secondary location. 

He thinks vaguely about Roxas straddling his lap on a garden bench, pressing featherlight kisses up his neck like a lovesick teenager, while Axel rubbed his back and whispered “You’re so beautiful” over and over again. 

Axel hesitates in the door frame, lips fumbling for an excuse, eyes catching sight of his clunky black work boots. “Probably shouldn’t, boss.” He smiles, lifts a mud encrusted boot, and crosses his arms. “I’ve been known to wreak havoc on the upholstery.”

Isa’s brows rise suggestively, and his thin smile only widens. “Don’t worry about the dirt, darling. I have people for that.”   

“I, uh…”

Isa frowns when Axel fails to step inside immediately, and sets his hand firmly on the gardener’s tanned bicep. The thorns of the rose tucked under his thumb snag gently at his skin. “Axel.” 

Heat rips through Axel’s veins from the point of contact. Isa has the kind of voice you don’t say no to. 

Axel sets his hand over Isa’s and follows him inside.  

*          *

Isa has the study of a Sherlock Holmes villain. Neatly organized bookshelves studded with the occasional curio fill two walls from floor to ceiling. Above his desk hang twin abstract paintings reminiscent of evening thunderstorms, all blotted hues of blacks, blues, and violets, lit with streaks of flashing gold. An astrological globe printed with constellations sits in one corner and a potted fern in another. 

Isa makes his way over to a wide, disgustingly well-organized mahogany desk. The only sign that the space is not sheerly for show that Axel can see is a collection of coffee mugs abandoned beside a powered down MacBook and a single framed photo of a beaming Roxas hugging at a Siberian Husky Axel’s never seen a hair of in real life. 

Axel wishes he hadn’t noticed the photo and steps closer to the large fern to his left, crouching to run his thumb along its discolored fronds. 

“Can’t help yourself, can you?” Isa asks.

Axel glances up with a start, but Isa is no longer looking at him. He’s pulled a leather checkbook from a desk drawer and begun thumbing through it. 

“This little guy could use a bit more sunlight,” Axel glances to the distant window across the room, its blinds pulled down and curtains drawn. “Indirect, don’t need to burn it to a crisp or anything, but… should liven him up a little.”

Isa chuckles, a brief, dry thing, as he picks up a pen and starts to write Axel’s check. “I’ll take that under advisement, Mr. Emberson. Thank you.” 

Axel notices Isa’s set the rose Axel gave him in a half-full water glass beside the coffee mugs, and smiles to himself—in spite of himself. 

He shuts his eyes, rubbing his thumb between them. What the fuck am I doing?

“Here you are, darling.”

Axel opens his eyes and drops his hand to see Isa holding the check out. 

Darling rings in Axel’s ears as he crosses the room to accept it with a slightly bowed head and a gracious, “Thank you, sir.” 

Roxas had asked Axel not to call him ‘sir’ within two sentences. Most clients offer him their names on Day 2. Isa seems to have no intention of ever doing so. 

“Don’t spend it all in one place.”

Axel’s not sure if he’s imagining it, but he thinks he’s starting to catch a slight slant to Isa’s words that say he’s teasing. He glances up to see the slight smirk again.

Axel chances another flirtatious smile of his own. “No promises, boss.” He takes the check between two fingers, waves it slightly, teasingly, before turning and straightening it, just to double check Isa spelled ‘Emberson’ right. Axel halts abruptly and rereads the numbers a couple times. 

“Something wrong?” Isa asks, stepping up behind him, hand on his shoulder as he peers at the check as well. 

“This isn’t the amount we agreed on.” 

“No.” 

Axel glances up to Isa, who slides his hand down his shoulder to his bicep and then pulls him toward the black leather futon adjacent to his desk. 

“Take a seat, Axel. There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”

Seeing no other alternative, heart rate picking up again, Axel reluctantly sinks down into the expensive smelling cushions. Isa crosses to the double doors of the study and snaps them both shut.

“It’s about my husband.” 

Axel’s boots press harder into polished floorboards, ready to spring up. His cock throbs at the memory of Roxas’ smooth hard abdomen hot under his hands, the beachy smell of Roxas’ hair under his lips and the taste of him like salt and coconut and burning tequila. Roxas’ eyes, wide and blue, alternatively coy and teasing and desperately wanting... Sex with Roxas had been like being pulled gently and firmly underwater and drowning in him. 

Isa knows.

Axel crosses one leg over his knee. “What about him?” 

“It has come to my attention that you have had the misfortune of witnessing a few,” Isa hums, swishes his hand dismissively, “spats between Roxas and I. No marriage is perfect. Some words were said…” Isa tilts his head in implication, frowning, nose crinkling again around his scar.

“Some dishes were broken…” Axel counters, not wisely, but if Isa’s accusing him of something, it doesn’t hurt to accuse back. He’s heard multiple arguments, both hushed and roared, at this point, but what has most stuck with him is the telltale glint of shards of plate and million pieces of a splintered wine glass scattered across the front hallway. 

All Roxas had said in explanation that day was: “Watch your step. I didn’t.” 

Isa freezes, fist clenching and unclenching and then nods, something Axel wants to call hurt in his eyes. It’s strange to hear a perspective outside of Roxas’ reluctant ones: He’s bored with me. He’s done with me. He doesn’t give a shit what I…

“Yes. Well… We all do things we regret. I assure you, we did not mean anything by them. Some relationships are more passionate than others. It’s our way. At the end of the day, Roxas and I are deeply committed to each other. We rely on each other. The pair of us haven’t always kept to the status quo and there are those who would like nothing more to see us torn down, and we must keep a united front. As far as our family and friends are concerned, we are madly, deeply in love and we cannot afford to put that perception in jeopardy.”

Isa paces forward, closing in, and Axel once again pictures him in court, addressing the jury, telling them what to think and how to think it with a natural authority that offers no space for doubt or disobedience. An openly gay, big shot lawyer with blue fucking hair and a sexy husband with an attitude and a day-drinking problem. Axel realizes not for the first time that Isa has to be better than everyone else, stronger, more cut-throat, more perfect than anyone else just to exist. And it seems like he damn near is.

“As you are all too aware, rumors in this neighborhood spread rampantly as weeds.” Isa’s eyes catch Axel’s. “I need you to prove as adept at killing them at their source as you have with my lawn’s dandelion population. Naturally, I am willing to compensate you for your discretion, and to recommend you to some of my colleagues who may be interested in a wide variety of your services.” 

Axel doesn’t miss the half-dozen implications weaved within these words, but he’s also not entirely sure he wants to correct them. 

“I trust this arrangement is amenable to you.” Isa’s standing above him, at this point, his knees pressed to Axel’s, his arms crossed, discerning. 

Axel has a feeling sex with Isa would be like being slammed back to shore by a cruel wave and then receiving CPR, having his chest—his whole body—pounded back to life. For a moment, with Isa tense and poised like he might pounce on him, striking green eyes staring into him, through him, Axel wants to find out. 

“Yeah.” 

Axel’s mind floods with relief that apparently none of this actually has to do with his fling with Roxas. He might actually get away with Roxas and whatever the fuck this conversation is.  

“Yes, of course, sir. Your business is your business.” Axel waves a hand as if to wave off his own knowledge of the subject and moves to get up. “Say no more.”

A heavy gloved hand lands on his shoulder, stilling him. 

“I’m afraid it’s not quite so simple as that.” Isa smiles sadly. “You’ve no doubt noticed that Roxas has taken an interest in you.” Isa’s thumb skims along Axel’s skin, below the strap of his tank top.

Axel finds himself nodding as his throat threatens to close itself off entirely. “Yeah, yeah.” He coughs. “He has shown quite an interest in my work. His designs for the gardens are really quite impressive. We’ve been fine tuning some of the details together to make his masterpiece a reality.”

Isa gives a world-weary sigh. “Yes, he thinks so, at any rate. Thank you for humoring him.” Isa’s gloved fingers knead into Axel’s shoulder in a kind of smooth leather massage, tone turning teasing again, “I hope he hasn’t been too much in the way.” 

Axel frowns. Isa speaks as though Roxas is a lovesick puppy nipping at Axel’s heels as he works, instead of the entire reason their garden is going to be the hottest garden in Radiant Garden this season. 

“Really, I’m not. His designs are stunning, insightful, and intricate,” Axel remembers a conversation they had had earlier, momentarily pushing aside the rising suspicion of what this conversation is actually about, “If he were interested in taking on clients, I know plenty of folks who’d be interested in seeing ‘em.” 

Isa rolls his eyes but then meets Axel’s again with a momentary, indulgent smile. “You’re too generous. Roxas doesn’t need the work, I assure you.” Isa’s hand drops down Axel’s shoulder to his bicep, squeezes. “My husband wants for nothing.”

Isa releases Axel’s arm and Axel’s free hand rises to touch him on the arm in return.

Yeah, Axel’s brain bites back skeptically, except something to do with himself every fricking day. 

“Everybody needs their hobbies…” Axel suggests more mildly. 

Isa scowls. “He has more hobbies than he knows what to do with: painting, ceramics, equestrian training, amateur bartending…” He paces in an impatient circle, ticking off on his fingers, and then turning on his toe to face Axel yet again, “expensive hobbies that he abandons within a matter of months. This is only the latest. I fear he’d only grow bored and leave your clients wanting.” 

Axel may not have known Roxas long but he can tell that his passion for design is more than just a passing fancy, and from what he can tell, the guy had some schooling in the subject as well. Axel forces himself to smile softly, “Well, if he wants. He knows where to find me…” 

“That’s what I wanted to discuss with you,” Isa lifts his hand again, pats Axel on the cheek so briefly he thinks he might have imagined it. “I wasn’t referring to his interest in your work…I’m afraid you’ve quite charmed him.” He glances to the ceiling for a moment, grin wry. “At least his tastes remain impeccable as ever...” 

Axel decides to play dumb again, since it’s gotten him this far. He spreads his palms open, lifts them in the smallest of shrugs. “I don’t follow…” 

But Isa blatantly scoffs, glancing down his front, tight tank top, tight jeans. “Please. Neither of us are stupid. You’re an attractive, well built, welcoming man, Axel, and Roxas is…” Isa halts, reaching out to grasp Axel’s wrist, and lift it up, “Are you bleeding, Mr. Emberson?” 

Axel lets him tug at his arm, ignoring the jolting prick as the fabric of the glove shifts against the clotted cut in his palm. “Oh, not so much any more…”

“Unbelievable.” Isa abruptly drops his wrist and gives him a hard glare that makes Axel suspect the rest of the conversation had been going remarkably well in comparison. “Jesus Christ, Axel. Don’t move.” With this Isa sweeps out of the room. 

Axel stays put, his back sinking into the swanky futon, deliberating over what Isa does or does not know, and does or does not want from him.

In a few minutes, the door opens, and Isa pushes through, a bowl cradled in one arm and white dish towels draped over the other. He’s hovering over Axel again in moments, their knees pressed together, Isa’s palm reaching out. “Give me your hand.”

“It’s nothing. Really.” Axel winces and retracts it, clenching it to his chest. It’s just a thorn prick. He’d had a hundred of them. It’s strange to see Isa so concerned over it.  

“Your glove is filthy. You’ll get an infection and it’ll be on my head. Give me your hand, you senseless, pretty fool…” 

Axel gingerly removes the glove, hissing as the dried blood pulls off and the tear in his palm starts to bleed again. 

Isa reaches out his hand once more, and Axel hesitantly places his inside it, blood dribbling down the side. 

“I’m terrified I’ll drip on that fancy suit of yours,” Axel admits as Isa dabs his wound with warm water and heat seeps up his arm, pain chased with soothing. “Maybe you oughta take it off.”

Isa bites off a smile that makes Axel groan when he realizes what he’s just said. 

“Do you often find yourself overly concerned with the welfare of other men’s suits?”

“More than I’d like,” Axel mumbles, though Isa doesn’t immediately reply, rinsing dirt and blood from the towel and then cleaning the rest of Axel’s hand, wrist, fingers, before slowly patting them dry.

“You have the hands of someone who’s worked hard to get where he is.” Isa muses, wrapping bandages in an X across his palm to keep a strip of gauze set in place. “Roxas’ hands are soft as snow. He’s pampered, spoiled. He hasn’t known a day’s hard work in his life…”

Whose fault is that? Axel wants to reply, but Isa doesn’t notice Axel’s expression momentarily darken. Isa’s being sweet to him, but the way he treats Roxas...

“He needs attention, romance... He needs everything to be about him.”

Axel thinks again of the way Roxas had beamed and smothered him with kisses while Axel whispered to him how beautiful he was.

Axel decides he doesn’t necessarily like Isa, despite his attempts to be pleasant, but with Isa standing between his legs, working a fresh towel up Axel’s neck and across his cheek, muscular arm brushing Axel’s chest, Axel can’t deny that his body wants Isa’s hands all over him, or that he does, in fact, want to see how Isa looks without the suit.

Isa continues gently wiping Axel’s face of sweat and dirt and then sets the bowl aside. 

“Better?” Axel whispers. 

Isa gently cups Axel’s cheek, apparently not oblivious to the heat building in Axel’s chest or the way his pupils have blown out, eclipsing green with something darker.

“What Roxas doesn’t understand,” Isa says slowly, “is that after a hard day’s work, sometimes all I need is a quick, rough, hard, dirty, meaningless fuck. You understand, I think.”

Axel grins. “I think so.” Axel reaches with his good hand to grip Isa’s hip and pull him down onto the futon. He’s aiming to get Isa in his lap, but Isa’s stronger than he expected, and pulls Axel’s back to his chest instead, not hesitating to begin tracing kisses up his neck and toward his ear. 

“How rough are we talking?” Axel purrs, reaching back to rub Isa’s thigh. 

Isa’s teeth tug at Axel’s ear. “I can show you where to bite Roxas to make him come completely undone.” 

Axel breath catches. He tries to twist his head around but Isa’s hand is secure on the back of his neck. “What?”

“It’s only a matter of time before he tries to seduce you,” Isa says and Axel can hear the slant of a smile again. “If he hasn’t already. You ought to be prepared.”

“Isa,” Axel sucks in a quick breath, “we’re just friends. I wouldn’t dream of—”

Isa sweeps the strands of Axel’s bun away from his neck and bites the nape, sending a jolt of pain and pleasure straight down his spine. “Hush, Axel.” Isa’s hands drift down Axel’s chest and lower, fitting their bodies more snugly together, and cleanses Axel’s skin with his tongue. 

“God, Isa…” Axel grins and moans, as Isa continues his attentions, rough and direct. All thoughts clear his brain aside from the after image of the last object his eyes landed on before he shut them—across the room, on the desk, a pink rose, a silver glass, black thorns. “Don’t stop,” he murmurs, hoarsely. “Don’t stop. Don’t stop...” 

[popculturebuffet]

*Goofy and Launchpad are hanging a banner*

Banner: CONGRADULATIONS SENIOR WOODCHUCK VIOLET!

Huey: Excellent work guys.. and it only took three hours, four broken lamps.. several jabs in the eyes.. some bloodloss but you did it.

Dewey and Louie: (Walk in)

Louie: So what's all this?

Huey: A party for violet.. I thought she deserved a celebration.. I mean her parents took her out after but you can't get enough and I got one even though I turned it down because I did a terrible thing to try and get it.

Della: And i'm proud of you sweetie... (Has been there thewhole time with boyd, both in uniform)

Huey: I also thought I should bring some of our fellow woodchucks.. but most were small children and our house is a deathtrap on a normal day so for obvious reasons I invited the nigh indescrutable robot who my best friend can repair and my mom who lives here. I mean mom still counts. She's also going to try and start corunning meetings since .. how do I put this nicely.

Della: Launchpad your a terrible Chuckleader

Launchpad: Entirely accurate. And you look hot in that uniform

Della: Also entirely accurate. And while throwing a party for the person who defeated you in compettition isn't MY style, I prefer to sulk and swear vengance, I am PROUD of you for being the bigger duck. Metaphorically she's not a duck and her hair gives her a slight advantage.

Boyd: I"m just happy to be invited. As was my brother.

Louie: HUEY NO HUEY WHY HUEY WHY

Huey: "A woodchuck always invites another woodchuck"..though thankfully the guidebook also says "A woodchuck always obeys restraining orders" so the most he can do is creepily lurk outside.

Doofus:(Breathing heavily and creepily into the closest window from outside)

Louie: Eugh... but we're not going outside for this? Please say no.

Huey: We were but for obvious reasons I cancled the outside portion. I also laid out the solicitor traps with picutres of goldie so HOPEFULLy he'll evnetually end up in one of those. Your my brother, I take your eneimies as seriously as I do my oath as a junior woodchuck. Plus he scares me too.

BOYD: Oh he's not so bad. He stopped holding a knife to my throat while I was powered down after mama and poppa told him to only three times!

Webby: (Riding in on a cartload of snacks and books ) I got the suplies for your party! Almonds like she likes, some salmon and some light reading. You are such a good friend.

Louie: Sure that's ALLL he wants to be.

Huey: (panicked) yeah of COURSE I do... why would you say that?

Dewey: Ohhh Huey's got a girlfriend, huey's got a girlfriend, come on eveyrbody!

Dewey and Della: Huey's got a girlfriend, huey's got a girlfriend!

Boyd: HUEY"S GOT A PARTNER TO SHARE HIS HOPES AND DREAMS WITH MOCKING TONE

Dewey: Your learning buddy

Boyd: We have never met before.

Dewey: We haven't have we? ... why haven't we? I always wanted a robot buddy to laugh at my jokes and do wacky hyjinks with.

Boyd: And I always wanted a third friend!

Della: Sorry son force of habit.

Huey: I do not like violet.. just because she's pretty.. and smarter than me.. and she smells nice.. which I only know because she flew me out of danger after I didn't do the same in a moment of weakness... and she's also awwkawrd with people... and fine I do.

Webby: EHHHH MY BROTHER LIKES MY BEST FRIEND... I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW. WE NEED A PLAN.

Huey: I have one it's called be nice and hope she notices.

Della: Oh baby child no. You have to actually make a move. Don't be like your uncle donald

Donald: (Burts in from the back) Stop telling the boys that! I mean it's probably true but it hurts.

Della: I was telling dewey to actually MAKE a move and not just wait for her to notice.

Donald: Oh... then your mother is absolutley right.

Huey: You taught me that!

Donald: And I was very wrong and i'm very much alone and i'll probably die alone aside from you guys. I'm okay with that.

Della: Okay i'm going to put a pin in that because your going to die alone over my dead body.

Donald: We talked scrooge out of us sharing a casket though.

Della: Again pin my baby needs me, Huey just be honest, be yourself... and just don't corner her.. just ask her nicely to go to a movie, or a library or an abandoned condo built on an native american buiral ground.

Webby: Thanks again for the date spot suggestion by the way. Lena loved it.

Della: your welcome. I have enoguh mom for all of you.. includingt he tiny robot and the grown man who misses his child.

Goofy: Awwww...

Louie: Wait why IS goofy here?

Donald: He's rooming with me. I still had the spare room and he has empty nest.. plus he needs a new house after the old one burned down.

Goofy: It's just like college!

Huey: But I"m.. scared okay? besides her being objectivley better than me, I had BOYD run the satstics.

BOYD: But your still great.

Huey: Thank you, what if she dosen't want that or dosen't feel that way?

Louie: Then you'll be awkard around each other for a while.. you were going to be ANYWAY if you don't tell her and either way the awkward goes away. You got this man. She's a nerd, your a nerd, your all nerds.

Launchpad: (Happily) hey!

Louie: You got this. We're all in your corner.

Doofus: (from outside still) Even me... though if you fail i'm going for that.

Webby: (cheerfully) If you even THINK about hitting on my best friend again I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and bury you where no will ever find you.

Doofus: Ohhhh I won't.. your much more intresting.

Webby: Ewwwww.. I have a girlfriend. Also your objectivley disgusting in every way shape or form.

Doofus: Well I (gun cocks) Am being threatned by your help. Good day to you. (Runs off)

Louie: MRs. b, did you ever know that your my hero?

Beakly: (beams proudly and then goes back to her gardening)

Dewey: Louie's right, while I will mock you constnatly you got this. Plus you got her best friend in her corner.

Webby: Yeah.. though if you ever hurt her i'll do to you what i'll probably have to do to doofus one day

Huey: That is entirely fair and I will accept my death without a struggle.

Webby: See you are good boyfriend material!

Huey: Though I doubt I mean she couldn't possibly...

MEANWHILE: not far from the house, Lena and Violet are walking

Violet: Feel the same way. I mean... for one your around.

Lena: I appricate the compliment but i'm dating his sister. And i'm also VERY gay. Like our dad's gay. Like huey's mom is turbo bi.

Violet: Yes i've read the "Bi as explitive" t-shirt she wore when we first met her. But besides a lack of better options why me? I'm stilted, I do not get people, and until a few months ago my only friend was learning.

Lena: Take out stilted and you just described him too. Your similar enough to really click but just diffrent enough it won't get boring.

Violet: But you nad webby

Lena: Are opposites. Yes this is true. But it's not ALL relationships. Sometimes you date someone just like you, sometimes you don't.. I mean our dad's aren't exactly the same either, but their amazing. And so are you. I may not belivie in most people, But I belivie in you. (they arrive at the gates, violet has been in uniform naturally) Now get in there and get that nerd, Nerd.

Violet: (has been tearing up slightly and hugs her sister) You are the best sibling I never asked for.

Lena: (Hugs her back) right back atcha

(Inside)

Dewey: (holding a cake shaped like violet's head and eating it directly with his mouth) I got the cake

Huey: This isa why I set up a decoy.. three of htem.

(Della and launchpad are also holding hteir own cakes)

Della: But i'd never...

Huey: You would if this wasn't so important to me, so I feel your behavior deserves to be rewarded. Now if you'll excuse me I need to hide my emotions. (Waves hand over face.. and still looks like a nervous mess) There no one will notice

Louie: Huey she's a nerd not blind. Look man, your amazing, you are a catch.. I mean not at our age or even in highschool but eventually scrooge will die and you'll be richer because you'll probably invent something that makes you rich before that. As I said just go for it man, just find an opportunity and cease it.. we're all backing you up. And if it fails, we'll be there to pick you up. Now go get that nerd.

Huey: Right.. i'm just going to pen the door and

Duckworth: Masters violet and lena... (Leads them into the foyer) Also nicely done.. and thank you for asking my permission though in the future as long as your uncle is uninvolved you need only give me a heads up so he can hide from it.

Huey: Thank you duckworth.. ahme... ta-da!

Violet: (blushes) It's wonderful... and is that a bookshelf? And.. is that terry pratchetts complete works? And a cake shaped like my head.. may I?

Huey: (Hands her a knife)

Violet: (Cuts in) And it's an exact repleica of my interior cranimum. I knew you wanted those x-rays for a reason b esides curosity you rascal

Huey: (Blushes) I uh.. thanks

Violet: (Blushes bakc) Uh any time)

Della: Awwww

Huey: Hey violet I was uh wondering,, I uh..

Violet: ... okay so he does feel the same wya tha'ts a relief. You were right Lena

Huey: Wait what?

Louie: You had to give her the pep talk too huh?

Lena: Yup.. I mean she is usuually confident

Louie: Not so true here...

Dewey: I"m fine with that.. it's what makes him loveable.. that and it means i'm not 100% teh donald

Della: Nah you got too much of my genetics for that.

Huey: Okay I can handle this okay..

Violet: Oh god you really aren't intrested

Huey: No I am I am but why me? I"m not even a senior woodchuck.

Violet: no but when given the easy out you didn't take it, you took the honorable path. YOu also are smart, adorable, and do not mind the fact I speak more roboticaly than our actual robot friend.

BOYD: 4 friends!

Huey: An dyou.. dont' seem bothered that I kinda sorta a little am nervous.

Violet: If you mean extremley yes but I find it cute.

Huey: I.. uh (Blushes0 uhhhhh... youralsobrillantandcuteandIlikeyourhairandthewayyousmellandIknowthat'sweirdbutIwasupwindofyousoicouldn'thelpitandiwnattobeyourboyfriendeventually

Louie:Wow just.. wow.. I mean I expected it to be bad but that is art

Violet: I accept (Smooches his cheek) Now let's dig into my head shall we? I call frontal lobe

Lena: I want a large portion of skull

Webby: I get the eyes.

(The two nerds hold hands and head for the cake)

FIN

[all-things-skam]

Jens’ Season: Chapter seven

Saturday, February 15th

Freshly woken up, Jens stared at his ceiling, deep in his thoughts. He had slept for over twelve hours, but somehow still felt exhausted.

Now that the Xanax had worn off, he was left to face his thoughts, the same ones he tried to escape last night - with the addition of guilt.

The bag of pills sat louder than usual in his drawer, a reminder of yesterday’s moment of weakness. Jens wasn’t proud of himself for having taken a Xanax. But, sometimes, when your brain gets too loud and all you want is for it to stop, you make impulsive choices, bad choices. The severity of your choice only hits you the following morning, when you come back to your senses.

It’s not like he could go back in time though. What was done was done. But, he still felt remorse.

Even though it felt good.

Jens closed his eyes, turning over, about to fall back asleep when he saw that Lucas was trying to FaceTime.

He smiled, seeing his boyfriend's pouty face on his phone screen and answered. ‘’Hey, beautiful.’’

Lucas reciprocated the smile, but not fully. ‘’Hey… You never returned my messages last night. Everything okay?’’ he asked, pushing his fringe away from his face, voice a little worried.

Shit.

‘’Erm, yeah...sorry. I fell asleep super early.’’

Although it wasn’t a lie, Jens felt bad for omitting the truth to Lucas about his evening. But he couldn’t tell him about the Xanax, not after he promised he wasn’t taking any, not over Facetime. If the cat were to be out of the bag, it would be in person. It’s too easy to hang up on someone instead of listening to them.

‘’Oh. It’s okay,’’ Lucas said. The screen joistled, becoming a little blurry from the movements as Lucas adjusted his position on the couch, the bright yellow wall of his living room peeking in the background. ‘’I spent all night binge watching your Broerrrs vlogs.’’

Jens raised an eyebrow. ‘’All of them?’’

He had never counted how many vlogs they’ve posted on YouTube, but there was at least a dozen - if not more. They weren’t very long vlogs, but it was a commitment to binge them all. Jens found it cute that Lucas had spent his evening watching the vlogs - regardless how cringe-y some were.

Lucas hummed proudly. ‘’I missed your pretty face. And, you weren’t responding to my messages.’’

Jens scoffed. ‘’My face, uh?’’

‘’Yeah…’’ A light blush spread on Lucas’ cheeks and ears, biting back a grin. ‘’I’ll admit, you looked mighty fine in that wetsuit. Zero points for the wakeboarding skills, though...but it's not really what I was interested in.'' The brunet smirked, holding the camera closer. ''I was in the mood for something else. Too bad you were sleeping, I had to take matters into my own hands - literally. Wasn’t as good as the real thing though.’’

‘’No?’’ Jens said, faking innocence. ‘’You like my hand better?’’

‘’Your mouth, actually,’’ Lucas corrected, blunt. ‘’Those full lips aren’t just good for talking,’’ he added, capturing his bottom lip between his teeth.

Heat rushed to Jens’ cheeks, but he wasn't embarrassed. He was pretty smug about it. Judging by the appreciative noises Lucas made whenever he went down on him, Jens had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Someone called Lucas’ name and he looked behind him, the screen going black as the phone fell on his chest. Jens could hear some voices, but it was hushed by Lucas’ hoodie material.

‘’Gotta go,’’ Lucas announced, returning to Jens.

‘’You’re kidding me?!’’

‘’My mom needs me to go grocery shopping. And then, I’m meeting up with Kes and Jayden.’’

The fucking tease.

Blood had started rushing down, feeling himself growing hard under his boxers. ‘’You can’t say shit like that and then...leave. Luc, come on! Don’t leave me hanging-’’

Lucas shrugged. ‘’Payback’s a bitch.’’ He blew a kiss and winked at the camera before ending the call.

The screen went black as Lucas hung up, disconnecting the call. Jens stared at his phone, mouth open slightly, having been cut off before he could protest any more. He felt his dick twitch and groaned in frustration, a reminder of his growing problem. What was he supposed to do now? Jerk off to the stains on his ceiling? He doubted it would work.

Lucas: Here’s something to help with your...problem. Took it last night with the thought of you 😏🍆✨

[Image attached]

Jens' mouth went dry as he stared at the photo.

Fuck.

A bare stomach, shirt bunched up near the lens and a hand sliding underneath sweatpants, mid-tone trail of hair vanishing into the darkness. The grey sweatpants had a significant tent and Jens knew it wasn't only Lucas' hand that was hidden under.

He clicked on the photo, making it fill his phone screen, gaze lingering on Lucas' smooth stomach, moles scattered here and there in various sizes. He recognized the fading hickey right on his hip bone, a memory from when Jens slept over at Lucas’. The bad lighting of what he assumed was Lucas' bedroom highlighted just enough to make Jens take a breath and reach into his boxers, mimicking Lucas' last night activities.

.

Monday, February 17th

Picking up his sister at school wasn’t Jens’ initial Monday plan. After spending a weekend apart, Lucas and him had planned to go to Lucas’ place after school to...hangout. While jerking off to Lucas’ explicit picture had done the job, it wasn’t as good as the real thing.

But their plan had been cut short when Jens’ mom couldn’t join their dad and his sister had no one to pick her up from school.

‘’Is this okay?’’ Lucas asked as they walked to Lotte’s school. He hadn't met any member of Jens’ family yet, he wanted to check with Jens first - even if Jens was the one who asked to come along.

Jens furrowed his eyebrows, confused. ‘’Why would it not be?’’

Lucas shrugged. ‘’I don’t know. She’s never met me. Won’t it be weird for her?’’

‘’No. She might pester you with tons of questions, but I don’t think she’ll catch on for us.’’

‘’Do you not want to tell her?’’

‘’It’s not that. I don’t even think she knows what bisexual means.’’

Even though Lotte was smart for her age, Jens doubted she had learned those big terms. The vastness of sexuality wasn't something they taught kids at school.

They stopped as they reached the school’ gate and Jens checked the time on his phone. Seven minutes left until class ends.

Jens leaned his back against the fence and listened as Lucas was telling him about his weekend. He told him about Isa getting drunk and singing karaoke, missing all the notes to this super cheesy love song. It was horrible - and hilarious. Lucas’ ears were still bleeding from the screeching and how off key she sounded. Jayden had made a video, but sadly Lucas didn’t have it.

As Jens was listening to Lucas’ other anecdotes from his weekend in Utrecht, both boys started getting dirty looks from other parents from simply holding hands. Lucas noticed first, his smile falling as he became very self-conscious of his surroundings, and let go of Jens’ hand. Jens didn’t comment on it, narrowing his eyes at the close minded, homophobic moms.

The final bell rang and kids poured out the front doors like a giant tidal wave. Lotte saw her brother and ran up to him giving him a hug from behind. “Where’s Mama? She was supposed to pick me up today.”

‘’Mom had to replace someone at work. She sent me instead,’’ he responded, reaching behind himself and putting a hand on her shoulder to hug her back.

‘’Where’s your jacket? Mama said to wear it this morning or you’re gonna get sick,’’ Lotte’ voice asked, standing behind her brother, noticing his absence of outwear.

‘’Someone stole it,’’ Jens defended, turning around to face her.

‘’Liar.’’ Jens made a face at her - very mature - and she glanced at Lucas, not recognizing him. ‘’Who are you?’’ she asked, giving him a look.

Her tone was a bit rude, but Lucas smiled at her. She’s a kid, he reminded himself. ‘’I’m Lucas. You must be Lotte? Jens told me about you.’’

She pulled her eyebrows together. ‘’He did?’’ Lucas hummed. ‘’Well, I never heard of you. How long have you and Jens been friends for? You’ve never come around before with Robbe or the other guys?”

Lucas laughed and gave Jens a look, not knowing what to say. Lucky for him, Jens came to his rescue.

‘’Lucas is coming home with us. We...we have a school project to work on,’’ he lied. ‘’And...he’s not just my friend, Lotte. Lucas is my boyfriend.’’

‘’Your boyfriend?’’ she repeated, a bit confused. ‘’Don’t you mean girlfriend? Where did Jana go?’’

The thing with children was that they have no filters - and always asked tons of questions. Lucky for him, Lotte loved Jana and liked to constantly ask about her absence.

‘’We are not together anymore.’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’Because we're just not.’’ Jens sighed, getting impatient and irritated by his sister’s questions. ‘’Now, let’s go.’’ He took her hand and they were on their way.

Lotte didn’t notice Jens irritation and proceeded to ramble on as they made their way home. Kids had a lot of things to say at this age.

Jens pulled out his keys to unlock the door when Lotte reminded him about her dance recital.

‘’I have a dance spectacle on Thursday, will you be there? Dad said he’ll be there,’’ she said, excitedly. ‘’He said he’ll bring me flowers.’’

‘’I’ll be in the front row.’’

‘’You’ll be coming too, right?’’ she asked Lucas, taking the brunet by surprise.

He hadn't expected Lotte to invite him, given how haughty she acted to him minutes ago, but kids can be surprising.

‘’If that’s alright with Jens,’’ Lucas responded, glancing at his boyfriend for approval.

Jens looked between his sister and his boyfriend. ‘’I should be asking you the same. My parents will be there. You ready to meet them?’’

.

Tuesday, February 18th

Taking a break from his homework, Jens decided to get something to eat. He had eaten dinner less than an hour ago, but was still hungry. This paper was due tomorrow and he wasn't half-way done. Maybe he was stress eating? Who knows.

Jens was almost at the end of the stairs, thinking whether he should take cookies or chips when he saw his father’s laptop and dress shoes in the entrance, next to his sister’s pink rain boots. He furrowed his eyebrows. It was possible that his dad didn’t need his laptop, that they had computers at his job, but why would he leave work without his shoes? And why was he not home yet? It was way past 5pm.

Should he call his mom? What was his dad’s work’s company name? Maybe he can make a call and ask if he’s at his desk or if someone named Mohamed Stoffels works for them? If he wasn’t at work, where was he? His car wasn’t in the driveway, he had to be somewhere.

.

Wednesday, February 19th

Aaron: Is tomorrow alright with everyone?

Robbe: Good for me!

Moyo: Me too!

Aaron: Jens?

Jens’ phone buzzed on his bed, lost under his textbooks. The History test that had been reported was happening tomorrow and Jens had completely forgotten until he heard some girl mention it in class. He and Lucas’ studying attempt hadn’t been a success in terms of real studying so Jens had to power through and learn everything in less than 24h.

Why is he so last minute?

Jens: Can’t

Jens: I’m going to my sister’s dance spectacle. Can’t miss it

Moyo: We need to film a Broerrrs vlog soon though. I know we posted on Valentine’s Day, but we filmed that almost a month ago. We need new content

Robbe: I’m going to lunch with Sander and his mom on Saturday and visiting my mom on Sunday

Jens: Why don’t we just plan something for next week? Like on Wednesday? We can do something at the skatepark?

Aaron: That sounds good to me. I’m free that day

Moyo: So, Amber finally let you off your leash 😂

Aaron: ����🏻

Robbe: That works for me as well

Jens: Cool. See everybody on Wednesday after school

.

Thursday, February 20th

Jens waited for Lucas outside the auditorium Lotte’s dance spectacle was held at. He checked his phone, waiting for an update from Lucas about his journey. He said he was close to the venue, but that was ten minutes ago. Where was he?

From here, he could hear the group of hostile parents ranting about their children' talent and how their child was better than everyone else and tearing others down. Jens hated this kind of parents. They were showing toxic behavior to their kids and teaching them the wrong way of being competitive.

A head of curls turned the corner and Jens smiled, seeing Lucas had dressed up a bit for the occasion, having switched his blue jeans for black ones and a less wrinkly tee shirt. It was cute that he put effort and wanted to look good, make a good impression when meeting his boyfriend's parents.

''Am I late?'' he asked, seeing a few parents getting inside and a lot of cars in the parking lot. ''I was on the phone with Kes and didn't see time pass.''

Jens put his phone in his pocket and shook his head. ''No. You're good.'' He stole a kiss from Lucas, lingering as if they hadn't seen each other at school two hours ago. Did he put cologne on? ''Ready to meet my mom?''

Lucas made a quiet noise but smiled, nodding. He hadn’t said anything, but his stomach was knotted with a small stress from meeting Jens’ parents. Jens said his parents would like him, but Lucas couldn’t help but think: ‘what if they don’t?’. After all, he was the first boy Jens would introduce to them.

''Mom.''

Fenna stopped her conversation with the woman next to her and glanced at her son. She smiled, seeing that he wasn't alone. ''You must be Lucas. My daughter told me about you. 'Jens' new ‘girlfriend'.''

Lucas chuckled at Lotte's word mixing and nodded. ''Yeah. That's me.''

“It’s very nice to meet you, Lucas. You must like Jens very much to come to an 8 years old’s dance recital.”

Jens face turned bright red as his mom teased him, fulfilling her motherly duty to embarrass her son.

Lucas grinned, leaning back against Jens. ‘’Actually, Lotte invited me. I hope I'm not intruding.’’

Fenna shook her head. ''Not at all. I’m glad she invited you. Otherwise, I don’t know when nor if Jens would’ve told me about you.’’

Jens rolled his eyes. ‘’Of course I would've. It’s just very recent, Mom.’’

‘’Don’t just stand there. Have a seat.'' She took her purse from the chair beside her and Jens sat down, Lucas doing the same next to him. ''Get ready to be amazed at the amount of glitter and squealing that is about to happen.”

.

‘’Where were you?’’ Jens asked the second his dad came home, turning on the small lamp.

He had been waiting for him in the living room, lights turned off, like parents do in movies when their kids miss curfew. Jens knew his mom wouldn’t confront him about missing Lotte’s dance spectacle, but seeing how upset his sister was, his dad needed to be questioned.

‘’You missed Lotte’s dance spectacle.’’

‘’It was tonight?’’ He removed his jacket, hanging it on the hooks in the entrance. ‘’I got held back at work. I’m sorry-’’

‘’I’m not the one you should apologize to. You promised her you’d be there. Do you know how heartbroken she was when she came on stage and didn’t see you in the front row?’’

‘’I’ll be there next time.’’

Bullshit. Jens scoffed. ‘’Don't make promises you know you can’t keep. Everyone might buy your lies, but I don’t.’’

Mohamed frowned, confused. ‘’What is this about?’’

‘’I’m the one who had to hold her while she cried after her dance performance because you weren’t there. I’m the one who picked her up on Monday because you weren’t answering your phone. I’m the one who took you to bed the night you got so drunk you couldn’t take off your shoes on your own. I’m the one who is helping mom around the house because you’re never there. We’re about to lose the house because of you. Because instead of picking yourself back up, you pile on the lies and assume we’re all blind enough to not notice.’’

‘’I’m tired of always having to cover for you every time you fuck up. You’re the father figure in this family, not me.’’

‘’I’m doing better now, I have a job and-’’

‘’Do you even have a job? Or is it another one of your lies? Because I saw your work shoes and laptop at the bottom of the stairs on Tuesday and I’m 99% certain you left the house with them in the morning.’’

Mohamed’s face tightened and Jens’ eyes grew wide, realizing that he had just confronted his father and was right about him lying.

“Go to your room. It’s late and you have school tomorrow.”

‘’Are you sending me to my room because I’m out of line or because I’m right?’’

Jens didn’t wait for his dad’s response, walking over to the stairs and going to his room, like he was ordered to.

He closed his bedroom door behind him and locked it. His heart was beating fast behind his chest, reeled up from the argument with his dad. He hadn’t meant to get this heated nor to confront him about everything, but once he started talking, he just word-vomited the rest.

Jens wished their conversation hadn’t gone like that, but he couldn’t keep everything in anymore. He had enough.

He wondered if his mom had heard them? They didn’t yell, but it was pretty intense. Jens didn't care though. If anything, it was a good thing that his mom heard. Now, she knew about her husband's lies.

He felt a tightening pain in his chest and his mind was racing. Running his hands over his face, Jens needed to calm down or else he wouldn't be able to sleep. He went to his dresser, pulled it open, and groaned, remembering that he was still out of weed. He needs to see Michiel and ask for more soon.

The bag of Xanax stared at him in the drawer, a couple white pills left in it, right next to his rolling paper. He had told himself he wouldn’t take Xanax again, but it was - again - his only option tonight.

Once the pill swallowed, Jens went to lay on his bed and curled up on himself, waiting for the medication to kick in.

.

Friday, February 21st

‘’Where are we meeting them?’’

‘’The bar in front of the café. You know, the one you met Sander and Robbe at?’’ Jens explained, pulling on his shoes and fishing his keys from his jacket to lock the door on his way out.

Lucas hummed.

The bar that they usually go to was having a half off drink special, so they decided that they should all go out and have a guys night. Robbe had invited Sander and suggested that Jens ask Lucas to come as well. Moyo and Aaron had already met Lucas so him tagging along wouldn’t cause too much suspicion. And, it’s not like they would all stay together inside the bar - at least, not all night.

‘’I was hoping it would be just the two of us tonight,’’ Lucas said with a pout, looking too cute for his own good.

Jens sighed, stepping forward where Lucas was standing. ‘’Me too, but I can’t always blow my friends off. We can always sneak into the bathroom or something? I’m sure we’ll find a place to make out.’’

Lucas smirked. ‘’I like this idea very very much.’’ He leaned his head against Jens’ and brought their lips together, winding his arms around Jens neck, and snaking a hand in his hair.

Their kiss was short as Jens pulled back, suddenly reminded of something.

‘’I forgot something upstairs. I’ll be quick.’’

Sighing, Lucas let go of him and Jens hurried upstairs, climbing the stairs two by two to save time.

He opened his top drawer and reached for the bag of pills, fully aware that Lucas was waiting downstairs and that he was doing this behind his back. Jens contemplated if he should take one, knowing Moyo would have weed on him and would share a blunt with them and he’d feel the same. But, he wanted the high now and knew the effects of Xanax were much faster and more efficient than weed.

Just as he was about to pop it into his mouth, Lucas opened his bedroom door and came up behind him.

‘’Jens, Robbe asked if we were on our way- What are you doing?!’’

Whirling around, Jens saw Lucas standing in his doorway, blue eyes wide and staring right at the Xanax he was about to take. Fuck.

‘’You said you weren’t taking any. You lied to me.’’ Lucas shook his head, stepping back.

Jens tried to reach out and explain what was happening, but Lucas was backing away from him, completely disconcerted. He didn’t know what hurt more; that his boyfriend had lied to him or that he had snuck upstairs to take this shit.

‘’Sorry, I..I have to go home,’’ Lucas said, voice shaky as he turned on his heels and raced down the stairs.

Cursing under his breath, Jens dropped the pill and went after him. ‘’Luc, wait!’’

[liaincursives]

These feelings I got /Lucas’ season

/ all parts together on ao3

It feels like ten decades since I wrote anything that wasn’t for school, but I really wanted to give Lucas his own story and I had a few ideas, so why shouldn’t I share them with  you guys? But  enough talking, enjoy. 

Saturday 9:37

Lucas eyelids felt heavy and numb as hew tried to open them. One small strike of sunlight made his left eye feel like it was burning. He squinted, trying to grab a clear thought. His head weighted him down and the world around him seemed to stop for a second.

It was the day. Yesterday had been the last party in his old life. This was probably the last time he would wake up on the floor in Jaydens room, with Kes slightly snoring next to him and Jayden throwing his bedsheets down on him. He filled his lungs, taking a deep breath as the tears were climbing up his throat. He wasn’t ready to move away, he wasn’t ready to leave Utrecht, he just wasn’t ready for this. 

Until six weeks ago, everything seemed so perfect. Yes, taking care of his mother wasn’t a thing that a 17-year old boy should do, but besides that, Lucas was truly happy. He would go skating with the boys, pay more or less attention to his teachers in class and get high and drunk on a variety of parties in Utrecht. Yes, there had been the whole drama with Kes and Isa, but Lucas released that there were things that were way more important than the feelings he had for his best friend and that he had had struggles handling them in the beginning. He was just happy that he had a stable life, with amazing friends and the freedom that he needed. 

But six weeks ago, the things started to get out of control. His moms episodes got worse, one minute, she was laying on the. kitchen floor and crying for Lucas’ father and in the next, she would throw anything close to her at Lucas, screaming that he destroyed her life and that he was the reason that his father left both of them. Lucas started to build up a wall against the things his moms was saying, he took every opportunity to take care of her and to calm her down, however he wasn’t a professional, so things just kept getting more and more miserable. With taking care of his mom, he started to loose sleep at night, so he used the time he would normally use to go out with his friends to catch up sleep and to at least try to take his best shot in school, as he was graduating soon. 

For about two weeks, all of this worked out okay. Kes was starting to ask questions, but he still still respected when Lucas didn’t want to talk about it, until the day his mom threw a stapler at him. It was an unlucky moment, he was coming home from school and as if she was waiting for the perfect moment, his mom was standing in the hallway, totally out of her mind, with a  big stapler in her hand. She threw and reached her goal. It hit Lucas right over his left eyebrow, but for him, it was nothing to worry about, after all it was just a small cut over his eyebrow. 

The first class he had the next day was P.E. and the young and way too over engaged teacher had just started basketball as a new topic and as the class was running sprints over the court as Lucas vision started to get blurry. He couldn’t remember much of that day, but Kes told him that he passed out on the court and the teacher got furious as she was trying to handle the situation. Lucas woke up on the gym floor, with everyone staring at him. The teacher told him to leave to get a check-up since he didn’t know the reason for him randomly loosing conciseness in class and after two hours sitting in the E.R., a student doctor in a teal scrub told him that the small cut over his eyebrow needed to get stitches and that he was lucky for only having a concussion and nothing worse. 

After left the hospital to get back to school, the guidance counsellor called him to her office. Lucas still din’t know what had possessed him, but in a moment of weakness, he told the old lady with the yellow flower dresses and grey dutch braids about. everything. He told her about the nights he sacrificed for his mom, how he couldn’t see his friends anymore because of that and how afraid he was about not making it in class anymore because he was too tired to concentrate. After the old lady talked to his mom about everything, luckily when she was at least sort of sane, they agreed that it would be the best for everyone if Mrs Van der Heijden admitted herself to a psychiatric hospital. 

The following weeks were horrible. Even though Lucas was almost grown-up, his mom was not okay with letting him liven his own for the next three months. Three months. That was the time a normal stay at the hospital would take, but depending on the patient, it could always. Be longer or shorter. Lucas tried convince his mom that he was independent enough to survive on his own, but she didn’t want to hear anything about it, so she contacted his father. 

Lucas barely even knew him. The only contact they had were the way too expensive birthday- and Christmas presents he got twice a year. His dad probably thought that two, not even personal, presents each year would be enough excuse for leaving them. According to his mum, the decided that it was to best for 4-year old Lucas to stay with his mom, since she was totally okay back then and his friends were in Utrecht, but his father never really got over loosing his only child. 

The whole situation seemed to be the perfect moment to get his lost son back and even though Lucas tried everything to stay in the Netherlands, there was no way in winning a discussion with his father, so he would be moving to Antwerp, where his father worked as a manager for some important company. 

In the past two weeks, Lucas was commuting between Utrecht and Antwerp to bring the most important things over there, but he still was living with his mother, for the reason that she needed to wait for a free space in the hospital. During those weeks, Lucas had learned an important thing: His dad was barely even home, considering he needed to travel a lot to keep up the international connections of his company. On the previous Wednesday, the call came. There was a free spot for his mom, so she moved on Thursday. Everyone agreed that it was seemed the best for Lucas if he would move over the weekend to have time to get acclimatised before starting school, so he spent the last two nights in his city sleeping on a hard air mattress on the floor of Jaydens room. 

Lucas’s gaze wandered over his friends. He still remembered their faces when he told them about everything. The sadness and the tiny disappointment in their eyes. He could still hear Kes asking:”Why didn’t you tell us anything?”. Honestly, Lucas wasn’t even able to answer that question to himself. It just didn’t feel right, whining about his life problems and dragging everything down. He knew that his friend would try everything just so he could stay. Jayden and Liv offered him the empty little room in the flat share, Isas mom even talked to his father, trying to set an example for a child that was living alone, but nothing worked out. Lucas would leave his home. His life. He was about to take the train to Antwerp in less than two hours. 

The door carefully opened and Lucas could spot Livs curly hair peaking through the door. “Are you guys up? I made pancakes and Ralph and Isa are already waiting” The dark rings under her eyes made her look exactly like Lucas felt. The last evening had been a lot. It would have been okay for Lucas to just hang out with his closest friends, but Jayden and Kes were convinced that Lucas deserved a bigger farewell, so they threw a huge party on the rooftop of the flat share. Lucas barely knew the people that came, but spending that last evening with with such a normal thing felt really good. 

The kitchen would have been too small for all six of them, so everyone took a plate and they sat down in the living room, talking about the last evening, but no one really talked about what they were actually thinking. Lucas was going to leave. 

The next time Lucas checked theme on his phone, a feeling of dizziness hit him rightist his stomach. 10:27. They would need to leave to get his train soon.

But Lucas just wasn’t ready to leave yet. For sure, Antwerp was less than two hours away but needing to take the train to see his friends just wasn’t the same. His whole life took stage in Utrecht and now, he was supposed to leave, to live with his dad, who didn’t even know him anymore. Utrecht created him. This city influenced his whole life. This city and the people here…

He could feel Kes’ stare on him. “What? Sorry I got bit lost, it’s just not feeling right to go”, Lucas was a bit confused, but then he realised that his phone was ringing and if he read Kes’ stare the right. way,It hade been ringing for a while now. “Oh damnit, it’s my dad”, he realised as he took his phone and walked over into Jayden’s room. It really wasn’t necessary to fight with his dad. in front of his friends. 

“Yes?” “Listen, Lucas I am really sorry but I can’t pick you up at the station, there is a problem with one of the customers in London, so we need to get there. I would have cancelled it but it’s the most important customer and they would take it really personal if I would send a deputy. And we obviously can’t do it. Believe me, if it wasn’t this company, I would pick you up”, his dad said, stress in his voice like all of his plans got destroyed in the last minute, but it if Lucas was honest with himself, he had expected something like this. “Well, why do you want me to live with you  anyways? It not that you put much effort in the relationship with your son.” “Lucas, we discussed this way too much.  It’s better if you stay with me. Your mom agreed on this too, so please stop trying to change things now. I’ll try to get someone that can help you get the rest of your stuff to the apartment. I need to leave now, but we will go out and catch up when I am back, okay?” Lucas rolled his eyes, “Thanks for nothing”, he said and left the call, then he went back to his friends in the licking room, with a heavy and bitter stone in his stomach. It seemed like his life iin Belgium was already meant to fail. On the other hand, he didn’t want see his father anyways, so having the apartment for himself wasn’t that bad. 

****

They were standing at the train station. The enormous backpack on Lucas’ shoulders felt like an anchor, dragging down his weight and not letting him leave Utrecht. Isa, Jayden and Kes were standing in front of him. “Call me, okay?”, Kes said. “I still can’t Believe you are leaving me. How am I going to control Kes without you?”  “Shut up, Jayden”. A sad grin stole its way into Lucas’ face. He was really going to miss these dorks. 

 The train entered the station. Lucas took the skateboard next to his feet. Isa pulled him into  a hug and the next second, three pairs of arms were pressing all the air out of his lungs. “I am going to miss you guys. I will just take the next train back as soon as I’m there,” he said while stepping through the door. His thoughts were going wild. He had thought about telling Kes everything. About his feelings, how he destroyed the relationship between Isa and him, but since yesterday evening, there hadn’t been any moment without Jayden around them, so he missed the opportunity again.

Sitting down on a place next to the window, Lucas watched his train leave the station and within moments, the world he was used to turned into a drifting mess of colours, made out of fields of tulips and meadows with sheep on them. 

Next part

[actress4him]

So, this isn’t DoD related, but some of my readers ( @nevquariel and @coolmegan123 , specifically) were interested in hearing more about the other KH project I have in the works. As I mentioned in the comments of my last post, I started writing it while editing Sorrow’s Promise, and have dabbled with it off and on since then, though not for a while. I’m not sure when it will get finished and posted, I may take a break from KH for a little bit after I finish DoD, but we’ll see.

This story is multi-chap but stand alone, not a series. It’s really unlike anything else I’ve written. I generally stick with at least partially canon-verse in my fanfiction, but this one is definitely an AU, and not just by being canon-divergent or having an original character. Nope, this is set in a completely different world, in my own, made-up era, and only the characters (and a few fun parallels to canon here and there) stay the same. I’ve tried to keep everyone in character as much as possible, though Sora is the most changed just because of his circumstances. We see more of the real Sora in the flashbacks at the beginning of every chapter.

TL;DR, aka the tagline for the story - 

In which Sora is Roxas, Xemnas is a mobster, Kairi is an actual princess, Axel is everyone's slightly unstable big brother, and Riku just wants to fix his mistakes...but what's new about that?

Starring Sora and Riku, with Axel and Naminé in primary support roles, Xion, Kairi, and Saix in secondary support roles, and pretty much every other KH character you can think of as the ensemble.

And now, because I love to spoil you guys, a sneak peek at chapter 1, below the cut. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Chapter 1

Sora stumbled off of the train car and into Central Station, bumping right into Riku's back.  The older boy had halted in his path and was gazing around at the grand building, and Sora followed suite, eyes wide with wonder.  There were so many people everywhere.  They had never encountered a crowd quite like this one back at home.

As they began moving forward again, Sora reached out and clung to Riku's shirt, afraid that they might get separated.  Soon they found themselves being swept out the front door and into the sunshine of Twilight Town.  We made it.  We're actually here.

“Where do we go now?” 

Riku glanced back at Sora, scratching the back of his head.  “Uh...why don't we just walk around for a while, get a feel for the place?”  To anyone else, he would have sounded like he knew exactly what he was talking about. Only Sora had known him for long enough to detect the hint of nervousness in his voice.

“Yeah, okay.”  Sora swallowed, trying not to feel too nervous, himself.  This is what we wanted, remember?  A new town, new people...anything but what we had.   

Riku led the way through the unfamiliar streets, pointing out various shops that they passed along the way, obviously doing his best to make them both feel at ease. Sora tried his best to relax and enjoy the sights, but his rumbling stomach wasn't doing much to help in that area.   

“Can we get something to eat? I'm starving.”

Riku stopped walking and turned to face Sora, a frown on his face.  “Well, we don't have a lot of munny left.”  Digging the pouch out of his pocket, he tugged it open and peered inside.  “The train tickets cost more than I thought they would.  So, we can get food, but only a little, okay? We've still got to figure out where we're gonna sleep tonight, too.”

Sora nodded.  “Yeah, I'm really tired.”  He stretched his arms above his head and yawned as if to prove the point. Laughing, Riku knocked Sora on the head.  “I told you you should've slept on the train.”

They started to head into a nearby cafe, but were interrupted by someone calling out, “Hey, kids!”

Wrinkling his nose, Sora turned to see a couple of older teens, one with bright red hair and one with blue, walking towards them.  “Are you talking to us?” he asked, pointing to his chest.

“We're not kids.”  Riku crossed his arms and glared at the newcomers.

“Right, right.”  The redhead waved his hands apologetically.  “I'm sure you're much older and tougher than you look.”

“I'm Isa, and this is Lea,” the one with the long, blue hair and a strange scar between his eyes spoke up.   

“You can call me Axel,” the redhead countered.

Riku studied them for a moment longer before dropping his arms.  “Riku.  That's Sora.”

“Great.  Look, we couldn't help but overhear a little of your conversation,” Axel commented.  “You guys new to town?”

“Just got here,” Sora piped up.

“Where are you from?” Isa questioned.

Riku shook his head.  “Doesn't matter.  We're never going back there.”

Axel and Isa exchanged a look that Sora couldn't read before Axel spoke again.  “Listen, if you're looking for something to eat and somewhere to stay, we know a place. There's this guy we work for, along with a bunch of others just like you, and he lets us all sleep and eat at his place, too.  It's a pretty good deal...a bit of work for him, in exchange for a bed and free meals.”  He smiled earnestly and looked each of the boys in the eye.  “What do you think, sound good?”

Sora cut his eyes over to Riku.  It sounded great to him, but as the oldest, Riku was always the one to make the decisions.  He could tell his friend was mulling over the offer.  Finally he nodded to Sora, then smiled at the two older boys. “Sounds good.  Lead the way.”

.o.0.O.0.o.

“Hey.  Wake up, sleeping beauty.”   

A hand was pummeling Sora's head down into his pillow.  Instinctively, his fist shot out and made contact with something hard, prompting a stream of curses from the human alarm clock.  Much more awake now, Sora rolled over, shaking his hand and glaring at Axel, who had retreated to his own bunk across the narrow room to whimper and rub his jaw.

“Serves you right,” Sora growled. 

“Hey, I'm just trying to do you a favor and keep you out of trouble.”  Axel gestured towards the rest of the bunks with the hand that wasn't holding his face.  “You're the last one up.  Again.  They're not gonna be serving breakfast for much longer.”

Groaning, Sora pried himself up off the hard mattress and fumbled for his black boots underneath the bed.  A moment later, he was up and shuffling sleepily towards the door.   

“You know, a 'thank you' wouldn't kill you!” Axel called after him.

The thought of food was enough to prod Sora into a jog as he made his way down first one stark white hallway, then another.  When he finally reached the mess hall, the usual din of clanging plates and murmuring voices met his ears.  Axel had been right, everyone else was already here. Hurrying over to the kitchen window, Sora cleared his throat to catch the attention of the server.  The response was a side eye, a snarl, then thankfully, a piece of bread and a spoonful of mush slapped onto a plate and shoved across the counter towards him.  Sora breathed a sigh of relief.  Just in the nick of time.  I really should thank Axel later.   

As Sora turned to look for a place to sit, he found himself face to, well, chest with one of his least favorite people in the world.  He lifted his chin to meet Marluxia's stare with a scowl.  “What do you want?” 

“Heard you had issues in Agrabah yesterday.”  The tall, muscular man shook his pink mane.   

“What's it to you if I did?”   

“Personally, I'm hoping that means you'll get kicked off that mission and I'll get it instead.”  This comment came from Larxene, who had walked up just out of range of Sora's peripheral vision.  He whirled around to glare at her instead.  “I'm getting really tired of Wonderland, after all,” she continued, chewing idly on a piece of bread.   

Sora's eyes narrowed.  Wait, that bread... It only took him a second to make the connection.  “Give it back, Larxene!”  He lunged forward to snatch it out of her mouth, not even caring that she had contaminated it.   

She ran a few steps back, smirking.  “Come and get it!”

He would have done exactly that, had he not felt a pull at the plate in his hand. Marluxia had a hold of it, and though Sora was pretty strong, he was no match for those muscles.  The older man wrenched it out of his grasp in a matter of seconds.  Gritting his teeth, Sora gave up the mush for lost and chose to go after Larxene instead, hoping to salvage whatever bread might be left.  He ran straight into her, tackling her to the floor.   

Before either of them could get in any punches, however, a loud voice rang out across the room.  “No fighting!”   

Eyes going wide, Sora scrambled off of the blonde and stumbled away as fast as he could.  No crust of bread was worth getting punished for fighting. His stomach wasn't exactly sure it agreed, however.  It protested its emptiness harshly enough to make him grimace as he sank down to the floor in an empty corner of the room, watching with clenched fists as Marluxia and Larxene sauntered away to find their next unsuspecting victim.

“Here.”  Sora had been so engrossed in his anger that he hadn't even noticed Axel enter the room and plop down next to him.  “Take this.  It's from last night.  I was saving it for later, but you need it more than I do.”

Sora stared down at the proffered food for a moment, then turned his head away.  “I don't need you to take care of me.”

Axel sighed loudly.  “No, I know you don't.  But you also don't need to go out in the field today not having eaten since yesterday morning.  I'm well aware that you didn't get dinner last night because of whatever went wrong in Agrabah.”

“It's not my fault that some towns actually have decent government in place.” Sora shook his head slightly.  “People see somebody like us skulking around, they tell the authorities.  I'm lucky I saw them coming and got out of there without being questioned or imprisoned.”

“Yeah, you are. I know it's unfair, Rox, you don't have to tell me that.”  Catching sight of the daggers that Sora was shooting from his eyes, Axel put up a hand in apology for the name blunder.  “I mean Sora, sorry. Now would you just take the food?  Neither of us really want to know what the penalty is for passing out and not making it back from a mission.”

Sora snatched the small bundle out of his hand with a grunt.  “Fine.”  The food wasn't much, but it would certainly be better than nothing.  Maybe, if he was lucky, he could pilfer an apple or something while on the job later.  “Thanks,” he mumbled with his mouth full.

“No problem.” Axel ran a hand over his wild red hair, the flattened spikes immediately popping back up into place.  “Try to play it cool with Saix when you see him.  Confident, like you know you're capable of doing the job, but not too cocky.  He'll probably dock you down to something more menial than territory expansion, but you'd better not show him one speck of attitude about it or...”

“Or I'll regret it, I know the drill.”  Sora finished off the food and licked a crumb from his finger.  “You ready?  Might as well get it over with.”

“Yeah.”  Axel pushed himself up to his feet, then held out a mass of black fabric. “Here, I brought these.  You forgot yours in your rush.”

Grunting his thanks, Sora took the cloak and fastened it around his neck.  On the other side of the room, most of the other soldiers, as they were unofficially called, were already lining up to receive their assignments.  When his turn came, Sora stepped in front of Saix, meeting his cold gaze but trying his best to keep his own expression neutral.   

“Roxas.” Saix's eyes flicked down to the clipboard in his hand, then back up to Sora's.  “Debt collection.  Twilight Town, east side.”

Sora blinked, the familiarity of that name sending a jolt through his brain, but forced himself to nod stiffly and pull his hood up over his face.   

“You don't need a portal for Twilight Town,” Saix sneered after a moment of silence.  Sora glanced back up at him, and he pointed to the door. “Go.”

Right. Nodding silently again, Sora stepped out of line and headed back across the room and out the door.  So, this really was more punishment.  Not only was he stuck with his least favorite task of debt collection, but he had also been relegated to the town that was so close by, you could walk to it rather than being sent by portal. A fabulous trek on a nearly empty stomach.

In another half hour, the walls of Twilight Town came into view, with the clock tower in the center of town poking out up above.  That jolt ran through him once again.  Several years ago, when they had first joined The Organization, he and Riku had often worked Twilight Town together.  But that had been a long time ago, back before they had gotten promoted to bigger and better locations.  On occasion after that, each of them would work a shift here, but Sora had not been back in a while.  Not since Riku...

Shaking his head violently, Sora stamped out those thoughts before they could fully materialize.  Stick with the present.  Dwelling on the past never gets you anywhere.  With a sigh, he walked through the gates of the city and surveyed the quiet streets.  Well, this munny isn't going to collect itself.

DO NOT REPOST OR REBLOG WITHOUT CREDIT!

[roxasbelongswithsora-blog]

How to NOT Ask Out Your Former Nobody

[ #Soroku after all Sora does basically own's Roxas heart body and soul but was still willing to make sure Roxas got to be his OWN person and Sora is the sky while Roxas is his sunset .]

𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝓂𝑒

𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓌 𝒫𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝑔𝑜 𝐼 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊

𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒

𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎

𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝒶𝓇, 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒

Saira smiled watching the two boys sit together on a bench both of them so clearly happy to be next to each other while eating the ice cream they had both ordered at the stand in town during the Dream Festal the feeling of Ventus grabbing her left hand to hold made her turn to look up at him with a shy smile then once he returned it with a soft chuckle both Princess and Knight turned back to watching Sora & Roxas ...who now seemed to be arguing over something on the Blond's Gummi Phone while unknown to both boys there Donald Fizz had started to melt. With a long sigh, Saira watched how Ventus went running over as soon keyblades had been brought into the small argument while Saira started to remember how this whole day could have never happened for them if Sora had not asked her for help she still could remember it like yesterday.

It all started on a normal Sunday afternoon inside of Disney Castle were inside of the Princess's bedroom sat a bored out of her mind Saira leaning on the chaise lounge with her head resting on her right hand while looking out of the large stained glass double doors leading outside to her balcony while in the background she could hear how her instructor Clarabelle Cow was going off on another lesson of royal duties when suddenly the sound of a Gummi ship engine flying past her window outside made her smile and grabbing her dress skirts had gotten up and raced over to pull open the doors and then stood outside on the balcony while leaning over the railing watching as the ship had landed in the courtyard and a brunette had walked out of the ship's hub alone and that was very odd for just Sora to visit by himself.

⭐HEY THERE SORA! ...WHAT DO YOU NEED ..DONT TELL ME THAT YOU MISSED ME THAT MUCH ALREADY? ⭐

Sora blinked and looked left & right until he found where her voice was coming from and with a bright smile raced over to right under her balcony and cupped his hands around his mouth.

☁️ HEY THERE SAIRA ...C-COULD WE TALK IT'S ABOUT ROXAS ?! ☁️

Saira blinked and then nodded down at him before heading back inside of her room and casting a Stopza on Clarabelle Cow to make it seem like her lesson was still going on if anyone of the castles other maids had happened to pass by her bedroom while she would be gone then raced back outside onto the balcony.

 ⭐ HEY SORA HOW GOOD ARE YOU AT CATCH ?! ⭐

☁️ UH...IM PRETTY GOOD. AT IT WHY?.... HOLLY GUMMI BLOCK'S DONT JUMP! ☁️

But it was too late because Saira was already falling and all the while poor Sora was trying not to freak out as he rushed foreword with open arms to have the girl land right in his arms only for the weight from the dress having knocked both down over into the grass while Saira was busy laughing at him while Sora sent a glare at her once both had stood back up.

☁️ ARE YOU CRAZY DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT VENTUS WOULD HAVE DONE TO ME IF YOU GOT HURT ?!  ☁️

⭐ oh calm down you know Ventus could never kill anyone. ⭐

Sora stood in shock his face drained of color and then blinked.

☁️ K-kill.....YOU MEAN HE WOULD HAVE KILLED ME ?! ☁️

⭐ UH....no not kill ..but he very much would have seriously harmed you he has kinda become over worried about my safety after my whole death and weird resurrection, Anyway you wanted to talk to me about Roxas ..so what is it something to do with his schoolwork because I thought Olette was good at making sure the boys stayed on track with that stuff? ⭐

Sora had claimed down at the whole threat of death over his head and once the color had returned to his face he started to play with his fingers while glancing at the ground and had started to stutter.

☁️ N-no...uh..it had nothing to do with his schoolwork .... it's about h-how I think ...I'm in love with him ..a-and could u-use some help on h-how to ask him out?  ☁️

Saira smiled bright to the surprise of Sora and then grabbed his left hand and pulled him along threw the large doors leading back inside of the castle where they both had snuck into the tea room .

𝔒𝔫𝔢 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯

Sora had found himself sitting across from Saira on a couch while Pluto had jumped up to lay down next to the boy the dog had by now placed his head into the brunette's lap the room was quiet until Roxanne had walked in with a soft smile and had placed a tray of Tarte Aux Fruits with Blueberry tea on the small table in the middle of them then with a bow she had left leaving both Sora and Saira alone with Pluto as there only company.

⭐ SO!~ Sora tell me just you found out about these feelings you hold for Roxas? ⭐

Sora had paused drinking his tea and enjoying his Tarte Aux Fruits and while staring into the teacup started to blush then closed his eyes and placed his left hand over his heart and softly smiled.

☁️ It’s funny how a heart could be so full yet so empty before I had saved everyone there used to be so much support from Xion...even when I had no clue about her and then there was Ventus who had been with me from the start of my whole crazy journey ..t-then there is Roxas...who I had unknowingly depended on for so much ..then there was even Vanitas who had hidden inside of the darkest parts of my heart ....but after everyone had left to go live there own life ...I had me wondering just what purpose did my life mean now ..and sometimes there would be moments that I would just wander off and find a place to sit and think.☁️

Saira tilted her head and stopped sipping her tea and then set the plate back on the tray to lean foreword when Sora blinked and then glanced at her with a shy smile his eyes now open and showing the happiness in them.

☁️Once I started to think about it the memory of waking up inside of the pod room back in Twilight Town came to me ...the voice that called out my name ..it sounded so sad yet curious ...after waking up the unanswered question of who it the voice belonged to had always been at the back of my mind ......it was not until after fighting with him at The World That Never Was and he had rejoined with me did it hit me that the voice had belonged to him ...after that during the rest of the journey there were times when I tried so hard to talk to him. But he seemed so cold ..and always responded with a quick " leave me alone Sora ' and that hurt b-because I felt it was all my fault. ☁️

Saira gasped and quickly got up to move next to him to rub the tears that started to slide down his face with a soft smile she sat down next to him.

⭐Sora ...Roxas didn't ever blame you for what happened to him ...yes at first he tried so hard to refuse his fate but Sora...once he had joined again with you ..he told me that there was never a place that he had been that had felt so warm and safe ...like a home he never had ...it was a safe haven for him ...he has no hate for you.⭐

☁️ Y-yeah ...I know that n-now...b-because there were times that I could feel it ...l-like during my mark of mastery exam ...we got to talk ..and he explained everything to me .....THEN ..oh my GOD SAIRA ..that soft warm smiled he gave me ...my heart just about DIED! ...and he held my hands! ..That ..is when I knew that deep inside me there were feelings for him.☁️

 ⭐Hmm and ..what was the point that set things off making you want to come and ask me for help?⭐

Sora blushed and smiled remembering the point he had first got a chance to have a few moments to talk with Roxas after everyone had met outside of the keyblade graveyard and just how light the blond was when Sora had picked him up in a hug while unknown to Sora the blond had become flustered at the touch.

☁️ Well it is because during my last visit in Twilight Town  me and Ventus were waiting around at the sandlot for when Roxas would be done with school for the day after a little around 6:23 we spotted Xion walking with Olette soon enough Hayner & Pence showed up talking with Isa and Lea ...after we all got caught up on how our life's had been the girls had went off to go shopping while Lea and Isa wanted to check out the new dishes at Le Grand Bistrot ..so that left only Roxas me and Ventus alone in the sandlot talking about how our weekend was going to be spent when Roxas walked over to me and pulled out a small bag of handmade  chocolate and said something along the lines of " Here I made to much yesterday so Im handing some out to everyone ...anyway so " And of course I was not going to pass up the chance to have free candy so of course I took it ...although I could have sworn that Ventus did speak up about not getting any and before Id knew it Ventus was running away from Roxas who for some reason had his keyblades out , ..W-Well later when Ventus and me were getting ready to head back home ...he told me that Roxas had threated to freeze his mouth shut if he ever blew his cover again. ☁️  

⭐ Aw Sora the handmade chocolate was a small sign that Roxas has feelings for you as well ...and yeah Ventus came here a day later whining about being scared for his life about Roxas killing him ....Anyway you wanted help right?  ⭐

Sora nodded his blue eyes just begging for some help while his face stayed pink.

 ⭐ Alright so my idea would be to start with asking Roxas to lunch at the Le Grand Bistrot get something simple not to fancy ...then walk around a little bit maybe stop at sunset hill to check out the view then later on head up to the clock tower and spend the rest of the day up there then offer to go and buy ice cream while you are out getting the ice cream you should go and get something synthesized ... an item that could show the bond you too will share from then on ⭐

☁️THAT'S A GREAT IDEA OH GOSH I ALREADY HAVE IT ALL PLANED OUT OKAY! I'd better get going then thank you so much Saira your the best Princess in the world I have ever met! ☁️

Saira watched as Sora rushed around to leave nearly knocking over the table in the process once she heard the Gummi ship take off a relaxing sigh left her lips...that was until Max found her.

𝔒𝔫𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔨 𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔦𝔫 𝔗𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔗𝔬𝔴𝔫

Roxas sighed while checking his Gummi phone while waiting for Sora outside of the usual spot the blond was just about to head back inside when the sight of brown spikey locks came rushing around the corner of the ally once getting close enough Roxas saw his jacket was ripped and raised an eyebrow at it.

☁️ S-Sorry. I was late the train caught the end of my jacket! so all ready for that lunch? ☁️

🍦 If you would have been any later it would end up being a dinner date 🍦

☁️ HAHAA! ..PFFH Y-YEAH...s-sure...ALRIGHT LET'S GO! ☁️

Sora grabbed the blond's left hand and dragged him along to the Le Grand Bistrot all the while Roxas would stumble while trying to pull his hand back but would end up failing to do so until nearly three blocks away Sora would trip over his own two feet and fall flat on his face while Roxas watched and tried so hard not to laugh, Once both boys had picked their table out and had ordered Ratatouille & Filet Mignon Poêlé they started up small talk ...that was until Sora had coked on his ice cream soda drink and made Roxas laugh so hard he fell over in his chair and the effect had caused Sora to have soda leak out his nose.

𝔄𝔱 𝔰𝔲𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔱 𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔩

🍦 Are you sure your nose is alright ...you did end up having only half of that drink left? 🍦

☁️ Roxas, I'm fine! ..but what about you that fall looked like it kinda hurt I'm sorry for laughing at you ☁️

🍦 Nah ...don't be it was pretty funny I'm sure everyone else would have laughed too...the Sun never sets in this world...but its something I'm used to by now ...but just for once I would love to see the stars at night 🍦

 ☁️ ..W-well if you ever want to back on my island the stars shine brightly each night but always twinkle differently  ☁️

🍦 Really?...hmm...yeah that sounds very nice thank you Sora. 🍦   

After spending most of the afternoon at sunset hill Sora & Roxas headed up to the clock tower to hang out on the ledge talking about what worlds each had visited in the past until Sora got up and offered to by ice cream for them both with a promise of a deal that Roxas got to buy next time the brunette raced off heading back into the main market first stopping at a Moggle shop and handing over his crown necklace and Roxas's small spikey symbol that he had stolen when the blond was not looking once, then left to buy the two sea salt ice creams after paying for them he quickly headed back to the Moggle shop and picked up the items soon enough he was racing back up the clock tower.

☁️ Here! sorry if it seemed I was taking to long ☁️

 🍦 Nope your just fine Sora ...and thank you again for buying 🍦  

Once both boys were done and had started to watch the sunset Sora pulled the items from his left side pocket and was blushing a bright shade of pink while holding out the blonds spikey symbol with a shy smile.

  ☁️ I  got them both enchanted so that when either one of us is in danger or needs help it shall light up a soft blue color ...a-and I d-did this...b-because ...because ...B-BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ROXAS! ☁️

Roxas gave off the same soft smile just like before and leaned foreword pressing a soft kiss to the other's lips and held the gift close

 🍦 I love you too Sora ..thank you.🍦

[cieloxcnco]

yo te haré mía (cnco) - ch13

Chapter 13

Words: 4,100+

Warnings: language and angst, no smut this time.

A/N: i work a full time job and have been dealing with too much to really write, but COVID-19 quarantine is a gift in some ways.

chapter 12 is here if you need to catch up.

-

Richard craned his neck from side to side, willing the bones in his stiff and stressed spine to crack, rolling his shoulders forward and back when nothing else seemed to work. “I’m not sure what time we’ll be done but I’ll text you and let you know what’s going on, okay?” Jasmyn bounced Miguel on her hip, dipping his bottle in the warming water on the stovetop to heat it.  “Amor, this doesn’t really have to deal with you. If you don’t want to deal with the stress, don’t go.” His straight spine slid back into his typical swagged slouch. “Baby, how would it not deal with me? This is about the band, and the band is my life. I have to go.” She nodded resignedly. “I get it. I just hate that you had nothing to do with all the downfall and now you’re suffering.” He shrugged. “I gotta go deal with this. They’re my brothers.” She shrugged back. “And they’ve got to figure their own shit out. You’re all in contracts you’re all fucked if you break, so they’ve just got to man up, have one good fight, and get the fuck on with it. At the end of the day it’s a job with coworkers you either like or you don’t but you still make it work. You don’t have to fucking mediate.” Richard grit his teeth. “It ain’t like that at all, Jas,” “Then how is it, Rich? Chris did Zabdiel dirty and now everybody has to deal with the consequences of them fucking around? It’s not just the band that has to face the consequences of it, but you guys are taking the brunt of it. It’s fucked up,” she hissed, trying to control her infuriated force as she gingerly strapped Miguel into his high chair. Aaliyah and Joaquin tried to stay quiet as they peered from the playroom into the kitchen, trying to translate the heated and tense words into small terms they could comprehend. “Why is everyone going to see Tio Chris y Papi?” Joaquin whimpered softly. Aaliyah pulled his arm back to bring him out of earshot of the adults still bickering. “They all got mad when Tio Chris got hurt before they went to see your baby sister.” “Is that why they’re mad?” Joaquin asked quietly. “He’s feeling better and they all got to see mi hermanita en el hospital. There’s no reason to be angry then.” Aaliyah took out the plastic plates and cutlery from her kitchen set and began to set her playskool table for a meal. “Daddy said Tia Isa had the baby but didn’t tell me- what’s her name?” Joaquin pulled one of the seats at the table back a little too far and just leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, his chin resting in his palms. The memory of his new little sister was already bitter, her arrival just triggering a series of events that now seemed to have everyone tense and angry. And with that sort of welcoming introduction, he didn’t exactly smile at the mention of her. “Xiomara.” Aaliyah’s head cocked to one side. “See-oh-what?” Joaquin counted the syllables on his fingers for emphasis. “See-oh-mah-ra. Abuela showed me it starts with X, but that sounds like X-ray so I don’t get it,” Aaliyah shook her head adamantly. “But X makes the Z like xy-lo-phone sound, so it’s just weird. Must do the ‘see’ sound too. Or they got it wrong and just don’t spell right.” Joaquin hardly took the effort to shrug his shoulders. Aaliyah started stirring the imaginary ingredients in her stovetop pot. “But everybody came home sad from seeing her, and Tio Zab was really really angry. What happened?” Joaquin’s face went white and his hands trembled around the play fork he’d been toying with, letting it clatter to the floor. The last thing he knew that had happened before Zabdiel had frustratedly screamed at everyone in his path was he’d hugged his father’s legs and asked him for help. He’d been too needy, he hadn’t asked nice enough, he’d been too annoying. Zabdiel being upset was his fault. Joaquin knew he was the reason his papa was angry and that had set this all in motion. The light in his eyes faded and he stared straight ahead. Aaliyah, not having turned to see the expression on her cousin’s face, waddled back to the doorframe to eavesdrop. “Maybe Daddy and Jazzy are talking about it still and we can find out. Shush.” Jasmyn smiled softly at Richard as she walked to where he stood, kissing his furrowed brow. “I know, baby. Just don’t take their problems onto you. This is tearing everyone else up - don’t allow it to bring you down, papi. Te amo.” “Yo también te amo,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek in return. “You gonna be good with the kids by yourself?” “You know they’re never a problem, amor. We’ll be fine. You want to help them sort this, go do it, and I’ll see you later.” She silenced them both with a chaste kiss on the lips while Miguel impatiently hit his palms against the tray table of his high chair. “Missed it,” Aaliyah groaned as she stomped back over to her toy refrigerator, pouring herself a pretend glass of juice to sip while her pot simmered on the stove. “Missed what, traviesa?” Richard asked with a wink as he turned the corner into the playroom. Aaliyah giggled and ran into his waiting arms to be scooped up in a hug and have her cheeks peppered with kisses. “What are you doing? You making lunch?” “Yuh-huh,” she squealed, half laughing from the tickle of his hand on the side of her hip. “Arroz con habichuelas in the pot. Tienes hambre, papi?” Richard looked down and saw Joaquin staring at his own feet at the play table, speaking to his daughter but keeping his eyes on his distressed nephew. “Not now, princesa - I have to go to a meeting with your tios but when I get back I’d love some.” He set her down on the ground to tend to her simmering pretend meal and turned to Joaquin who immediately stiffened in his seat, turning his eyes lowly to his tio. “Tu ta bien, Quin?” He barely nodded. “Si.” He instinctively held a hand against his back and Joaquin’s eyes went wide. “You gonna have fun with Aaliyah today while I’m at Clara’s office with tu Papi?” The nod was more sharp this time. “Si.” Aaliyah turned away from the play stove and looked to her father. “When you talk to the tios, is it going to make them all stop being mad at each other, Papi?” Richard sighed heavily, not able to find any words appropriate to explain the damage to a child so young. “We’re gonna try, amor, pero sometimes making it better doesn’t make it back to the way it was.” Joaquin tilted his head down further towards the floor to hide the tears that were welling in his eyes. “You guys be good for Jas today, okay? Que disfruten,” Richard said with another press of his lips to the crown of his daughter’s head. “Si,” Joaquin whimpered, but so lowly that Richard left the room without hearing. “Bye, Papi!” Aaliyah waved as he went out the front door, but her attention was immediately back on Joaquin. “Hey, you okay?” Joaquin didn't react, afraid that the slightest movement in either response would have him let the tears flow. Aaliyah put her oversized plastic cooking utensils down and kneeled in front of his chair in an effort to force eye contact. “Quin?” “La culpa es mia,” he murmured beneath his breath, so lowly that she hadn’t distinguished the words. “Que?” She tried to clarify but now he shut his eyes tight and his shoulders began to shake. It was all too much. Tio Richard had seemed calm, but he’d heard the discussion with Jasmyn- he was angry. They all were angry. And he didn’t know what he'd done, but this was his fault. Whatever he had done to make his father upset had now spiraled into everyone being frustrated and acting differently. His parents went sour at the mere mention of each other, abuela had been acting distant and different, and, on top of dealing with the idea of his new sister, he was simply overwhelmed. The tears finally poured out, cascading down his cheeks one after the other, more frightening for Aaliyah to watch because they were so completely silent. Did Quin get hurt? What happened? How did he break? “Quin, que paso?” Aaliyah stepped to him, reaching to touch his shoulder. Joaquin immediately recoiled at the contact, placing his palms on her chest and knocking her backwards to the ground. Tipping backward, she hit the back of her head against the kitchen playset cabinet and immediately yelped, bursting into tears. Jasmyn ran into the room, reaching for Aaliyah to lift her up. “Aaliyah, amor, que paso?” “Quin pushed me down!” she screamed, still nursing the back of her head with her hand. Checking first there was no real visible injury, she soothed Aaliyah with a hand down her back and immediately looked at Quin, noting that he was crying too but visibly trembling. “Joaquin, that’s not nice at all! Why would you push your cousin?” Joaquin fell off the chair and down onto his knees, gripping tightly onto the hem of his tia’s shirtsleeve and burying his face against her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Tia. Please don’t tell Papi. He hates me, I don’t want him more mad. I’m sorry.” Jasmyn’s head was spinning between soothing her stepdaughter’s sobs and trying to bounce from how her nephew had gone from saying goodbye to Richard to being so hysterical over his father’s nonexistent reaction. As the pieces began to fit, she struggled in her thought process of how best to explain the present situation to the mindset of a child. All she could do was hold them both close against her chest as the crying slowed to a stop and pull out her phone to text Richard. ‘I told you it was more than just the band. Call me when you can.’ - Clara and Ali, for the first time that anyone present could ever recall, were sitting at the conference table, completely silent. The blonde scrolled idly through her phone, fighting the urge to again anxiously bite off the end off her nail. Clara fidgeted with her insulated coffee mug as her eyes darted between her apple watch and her nails clicking against the cup. She began tracing her fingertip along the cursive glitter design of Boss Lady written across the stainless steel, and the irony was not lost on her that for all her usual prowess, she had absolutely no control. These pollitos were under her care, her charges, and she had no say in what happened next. She could try to set up the surroundings to arrange the least explosive impact, but that couldn’t change what resulted. She just knew if something wasn’t organized to move this to the next stage, there would be either nothing but silence or another trip to the hospital. Erick was quietly sipping from a paper coffee cup, his eyes focused on the liquid swirling around when he set it down but his mind off in the distance. This band was his entire world and it was going to be made or broken by the moves of two men he deemed brothers that now wanted each other dead. Joel was equally quiet, drumming his fingers across the tabletop in nonsensical patterns. He had reverted to a place in his mind where his emotional valves had been completely shut off. His face was expressionless, his breathing almost inhumanly slow. His mind should have been on how he had returned to his home the night before with Kaja and a lot of her things gone, and he hadn’t even felt any sort of reaction. He had shut the lights off and drifted into a dreamless sleep. Clara squinted her eyes and slammed a heavy palm against the table, drawing all eyes to her. “How the fuck did none of you know? This makes no fucking sense.” “You didn’t know either,” Ali, usually Clara’s sidekick and support, shot back. Clara glared in her direction but couldn’t negate it. Joel shrugged, his voice monotonous. “They hid it from Zabdiel for this long, what makes you think they weren’t just as good at hiding it from us?” “There had to be a slip up,” she seethed. “This all didn’t just unfold at once.” Erick nibbled at his lower lip, the confession ready to burst free, but the chills from the daggers in her eyes kept him silent. But she knew him too well for that. “You fucking knew?” She nearly screeched, her glare venomous. And with that, the dam broke. “I saw them that night at their party at Zabdi’s house… We talk and he say please have respect, that he talk to Zabdiel first, for me not to say. And that was same night that we go to the club. I did not know before.” Clara scoffed and rolled your eyes. “After all this, and then he’s the one that asks for respect. Unreal.” “But I didn’t know hardly before you guys. No looking at me like I kept a secret,” Erick defended, crossing his arms over his chest. Joel grumbled beneath his breath, “Can we stop fucking bickering? There’s no fucking point.” Clara tilted her head, shocked at the usually mild-mannered Mexicano was using such a biting tone. “Joel, de que hablas?” He shrugged and pulled on his hoodie strings. “We can’t do anything about this until they get their shit together. What’s the point of us even being here?” Clara shot daggers at him, but all eyes were drawn as the conference room door opened and Zabdiel entered, Richard behind him with his eyes darting as if ensuring Zabdiel wouldn’t make an off move on his way in. “Everything okay, Richuki?” Clara questioned in attempts to ease his tensions. “Yeah, no, we’re fine,” he reassured. “Zab was just having some coffee in the parking lot and needed a little persuasion to come upstairs.” “Zab,” Clara began slowly, “You alri-“ “Don’t even ask me,” he snapped, sitting down at the chair furthest away that was still facing the door. “You know I’m not alright.” Everyone was silent and stone-faced, anticipating his next move. “What do you expect me to do?” he growled, leering up at Clara. She sighed, looking down at her clutched hands. “Pollito,” she attempted to calm him, but it had no effect on his rage, “you know that to continue with the group the way we need to, this has to be discussed.” He crossed his arms over his chest, huffing out an angry breath. “Right now, I’m trying to deal with being in the same room as that hijueputa. I can’t imagine sharing the stage with him.” Clara clicked her acrylic nail tips against the tabletop again. “Zab, this impacts more than just you. This impacts your record deal, your management, your fans, your networking, your-” “Oh, I’m sorry,” he scoffed, “I forgot that I’m the one who was fucked over and now I have to forgive him to keep everyone in the world happy but myself.” “Zabdiel-” Ali began, possibly intending to soothe him but sounding gruff and exasperated. He roared out his interruption. “So now I have to not only make decisions about my family and my life, but my reaction about him has the band hanging in the balance? Sounds fair to me.” “You’re right, pollito, that’s not fair,” Clara murmured apologetically. “Todavia tenemos que hablar, todos nosotros juntos,” Richard said beneath his breath, but loud enough in the silence. Erick’s eyes were darting back and forth, watching the tense tennis match of banter across the table. Joel hadn’t even looked up. Zabdiel was frighteningly quiet when he finally spoke. “My career, what I’ve worked my life for, now is at risk because my best friend and wife betrayed me. My life is not my own. My family is not my own. Everything is out of my hands while you’re saying everything is my decision to make.” Ali opened her mouth, abnormally ginger, but snapped it shut when the doorknob slowly turned and the man in question carefully slipped through the small gap between. He hesitated in shutting the door behind him, contemplating if he needed it slightly open as an easier escape route. Richard straightened his shoulders, stiffening and preparing to jump between the two. Clara stood, her arms up as if to hold the two apart, although still distanced. “Chris, entra. Sientate.” His eyes focused on Zabdiel’s white-knuckled fists as if ready to jump back out, but clicked the latch of the door shut behind him and sat directly across the table from his raging friend. Clara clicked the lid of her travel mug shut. “Okay, we all understand that massive things have happened that impacts not only you two and your relationship with each other, but how the band is supposed to continue on from here. Now I know that you two haven’t discussed any of this, and there’s obviously things that need to be addressed. But I know that you both are mature enough to understand this and-” “Ese puto? Obviamente no,” Zabdiel snarled. “Silencio,” Clara hissed in his direction. Zabdiel’s teeth visibly began grinding together but he allowed Clara to continue. “And,” she went on, “You both need to set the ground rules before we know how any of us can proceed.” “Pendejo, hijo de fucking puta,” Zabdiel grumbled. “Oye!” Clara exclaimed. “Bastante! You can be pissed, but stop being so aggressive! It won’t get us anywhere!” Zabdiel shot up, his knuckles still white with his palms flat on the table. “How am I the aggressor when this animal is the one at fault? You treat him like he’s fragile when none of this would be happening if he hadn’t taken advantage of all of us.” Clara’s eyes were understanding, but still attempting to be firm. “Zab, ya lo sabemos, pero te tienes que callar.” He slowly started to sink back down into the chair behind him. Chris stammered, “E-en realidad, yo-” Zabdiel shot immediately back up. “Que fucking mentiroso!” Clara finally screamed. “Enough!” All eyes widened and turned intently towards her. Only Joel remained transfixed on his hands. “Do you care at all about the band?” she questioned, her voice audibly cracking. “Do you want your career as CNCO to continue?” The fire in Zabdiel’s eyes calmed and  the tremors of Chris’ shoulders slowed. “You two have to decide if you can agree on where we all go from here. This is all up to you. We can’t be involved. And it’s easier if we’re not. Come on, guys, everyone except them.” Everyone rose out of their seats and went to follow her, but she stared Zabdiel down one more time. “You already beat him up once. When we’re gone, don’t try it again.” Zabdiel’s eyes shifted to his enemy across the table. “He’s not worth the time it would take to wash the blood off of my hands.” “Zab,” Ali barked, “seriously.” His fingers still shook with rage but he obeyed and sat back down. Chris hesitantly pulled the chair before him out and sat across from Zabdiel, still eyeing the exit. Ali sighed. “You both have to solve this together. We’re here to support you, but you both have to talk.” Clara held the door for everyone to exit, watching the two of them intently. “We love you. Text me when you’re done discussing.” Quietly shutting the door, she turned to Ali. “Sit right here and listen in. Use your judgment- if there’s only arguing, let them talk, but if it sounds like it’s getting too intense, you call Jose to get in there to break them up and call me to come back.” Her attention turned to the Dominican and Cuban in front of her. “You guys, go grab a coffee downstairs and hang in the interview space to just clear your heads.” The last of the group seemed to have already made it halfway to the elevators when Clara shouted his name. “Joel!” His attention turned to her and she pointed to the empty conference room across the hall. “In here. Now.” Joel shut the door behind him and didn’t even look Clara in the eyes before he sunk down into the first available chair. Infuriated more by his lack of focus, her attitude leapt to its heights. “What the hell is the matter with you?” He clicked the fingertips of his right hand against the tabletop while his left hand cupped his cheek and elbow supported the weight of his head. He almost looked bored and unaffected by the surrounding conflict, but Clara knew him too well to believe that facade. “What the hell is the matter with you?” He shifted and finally met her eyes before rolling his own to interject, but her voice sounded over his scoffing. “You’re all my boys, but don’t think I don’t have a code with your mujeres and know what happened with Kaja. And don’t think for a fucking minute that I don’t see through you acting like you don’t give a fuck because this is breaking you and you’re trying to be alone so you can implode in peace.” His stoic expression flickered to shock and back to guarded, transparent to only the woman who stood before him. “Clara, I’ve got my own shit to handle rather than be here for shit that doesn’t affect me.” She laughed and slammed her mug down. “You think that this doesn’t affect you? This is the band that you all fought for, and that band became a family. Now that two of them have had a falling out, that affects the rest of you. This affects your future, your career. How do you think that doesn’t affect you?” He almost snarled like an animal at the blunt attack. “So why don’t you focus on them and how to keep the group together rather than worrying about me and my personal life?” Her eyes went alight at his ferocity, but the lioness that she was wouldn’t allow her to back down. “Why are you telling off the only people who want to help you through this?” He kicked his feet up on the chair beside him and crossed his arms across his chest. “I don’t need help. I can fall back on my own. All this happened without me being a part of it, they don’t need my help, so I don’t need anyone else’s.” She nearly growled. “And then you have a woman who not only loves you but is,” she stopped to emphasize her words by slamming the back of her hand against her other palm with each syllable, “preg. nant. by. you, you want to suffer alone and make her feel worse? When you need support you push her away?” She kicked the chair beneath his feet backwards to force him to sit straight and she leaned over the table to have them eye to eye. “Look, you can be unnerved by this, you can be hurt and confused, but she doesn’t deserve to deal with you having a tantrum. You gave her a ring promising her your life together. You made the choice to create a family with her, intentional or not.” He pulled uncomfortably on the sleeves of his hoodie sleeves, his arms still protectively across his chest. “I’m not a toddler. I’m not having a tantrum. I didn’t see us working so I ended it. It wasn’t meant to work. None of this seems to. As far as the rest of it, I’m not stressed. They need to do what they need to do. I’m not bothered.” Clara pushed herself up off her place leaning over the table and scoffed. “Really? Because you don’t seem to even realize - you not trying to feel anything is because you’re too hurt to function. If you want to live in your little isolated bubble to try and get through this, that’s your choice, but I’m telling you that if you don’t rectify this now, you are going to be the one that destroys your chance at having love in your life when she could be the one to prove your theory wrong.” Not having a retort for her point, he sat unmoving, staring absently at the window on the opposite wall. She picked up her mug and began to storm out of the room, muttering almost more to herself than him. “I just hope you haven’t hurt her enough to already have lost her. And haven’t pushed us all away enough in the meantime for us all to be done with your shit.”

-

feedback is always appreciated. chapter 14 already in progress because quarantine has me held up.

stay safe and healthy, guys.

[dr-passionate-production]

There was something special about looking over the balcony at night. The business of the main road had long died out, leaving just the occasional zoom of a passing car. The sun's blinding light would be hidden away for hours to come. The songs of nocturnal insects filling the ears of those around. There was something.. Special about it all, something serene.

The cat, laying idly at Kei's feet, had found solace in her silence as she did in his. His soft purring vibrating the tips of her toes. The two siblings weren't fond of TV, especially this late at night. So the usual ruckus of the day was no longer present, allowing the ragdoll to sleep soundly if he so choose.

The freedom to choose.. What a liberty, right? To allow oneself decide their own fate, both good and bad. It could be a simple decision, like what color socks you wanted to wear that day or did you want to call your mother or your father, knowing both would be on the end of either of your choices. But, as we intricate creatures continue to walk the long road we call life, we are expected, and sometimes forced, to make some harsh decisions. Ones that are sure to affect you in the long run, if not your entire life. And as Ms. Kei Sato stood there, eyes gazing away into the nightly abyss, she wondered if she chose right. Out of the handful of choices she was given, did she choose the best one for everyone?

Sighing, she looked down, a hand rubbing at her temple in attempts of easing the oncoming headache that was sure to ruin her night and morning. Curses were uttered, and her eyes glanced around dully at the surroundings beneath her. The cat.. Her toes.. The sleeved shirt she wore. When finally, her eyes landed on the glistening ring that hung from her neck.

...

...

...

"... Is the-there something wrong with it?" Hisai asked, taken aback by the way she stared at the gift. It was a golden ring, striped down the center by a lighter shade of gold. The name 'Jeong-joo' was inscribed on the inside, meaning that, yet again, it was a piece of fan merch from the TV show he loved so much. Taehyun, a starry-eyed coworker of Jeong-joo's, had given it to her as one of his many attempts to win her affection. It was an awkward gesture for the both of them, realizing how idiotic it was to give a girl a gift that expensive. It was one of the defining moments of their platonic relationship, one that especially stuck out to the tactician, seeing that he related so heavily to him.

"N-no... I-"

It was too late to reassure. He turned the box to him, worry in his eyes as he buried his face into the case, examining every last detail of the ring. And while it looked stupid in every definition of the word, it did manage to achieve his true goal: to elicit a smile from his troubled girlfriend. He noticed something was off from the get-go. Her usual smile was faded and it looked like his ramblings went through one ear and out the other. She was thinking about something important, he guessed, and while he didn't want to bother her with questions, he was supposed to be there whenever she was upset, like now.

"I- um.. I noticed you're kind of.. Out of it..? I-I guess I-..." He mentally cursed at how his stuttering voice betrayed him. "Are you okay?"

"Hisai.. What do you like about me?"

What did he like about her? What kind of question was that? There was plenty to like about her! Both as a friend and as- .. You know.. A girlfriend..! Where is this all coming from, he wondered. The bothered look on her face was one he hadn't seen before. She was serious about it, so he should as well.

"W-Well..." He stammered, a flower of red starting to blossom on his cheeks. "You're really pretty.. A-and nice... You actually listen to me instead of- you know. Ignoring me like everyone else... And I really like that- um.. That you also give everyone a chance.. Instead of shunning people away because of dumb rumors, you try to befriend them.. And stuff.." The more he spoke, the more confident he sounded in his words. Hisai wasn't good at complimenting someone like this, not like he had experience in it anyway. His mind nearly went blank at the question! Thankfully, though, he managed to pull together a nice coherent answer.

"What if.." Blink and he'd miss the flicker of sadness in her eyes. Her arms folded, as she tried to find a way to voice her insecurities without actually saying them. "What if I was different?"

"Different? Like you had a secret identity?"

"Yes and-... Yes and no.. I'm still myself." She bit her lip, teeth grinding so hard on the delicate piece of flesh that she was on the brink of tearing through. She wanted to say it. She wanted to just pull at her hair and tell him all the things that tore her apart at night. But she couldn't, the fear of rejection and sullying every last moment she had with him and their friends looming over her.

"But a different kind of 'me'.."

"I-I'm confused.. But-! But!.. I.. I'll give 'that kind of you' a chance.. Like you did to me.. Because, in the end, you're still Isa. .. Right?"

His answer was far from understandable. And he couldn't tell if what he said did anything to improve her mood or ease her stress. But the smile he gave her read as if he solved all of her problems. Like he was going to be the sunshine on her rainy day.

Isabella fought back the tears pricking her reddening eyes. He was far too sweet for his or her own good. Just gives her another reason to cherish him more. She pulled him in close, an arm around his shoulders and another to hug his head against her chest, her fingers running through his blonde hair. Isabella was sure he could feel her heart beat against his temple, but she couldn't care any less. Let him hear it.

"Thank you, Sai." She managed to whisper without choking on her tears. They'd have to work on this giving nature of his. She could easily buy him back just as many gifts but it felt as if he was trying to buy her affection. But really-

"And don't worry... I love the ring."

He didn't have to.

...

...

Hisai.. The sky was empty that night, not a single star was to be seen from the comforts of the balcony. No one was there to listen to her pleads, not even the spirits above. Can I still be given another chance..?

She had completely separated herself from the one who once was. From head to toe, from the mannerisms to the deepening of her voice, she was Kei Sato, amateur gardener, Armani family caretaker. She enjoyed long walks along the dock and the smell of a Monday brew. She watched La Ruota Della Fortuna with her mother and played cards with the pretentious prick she called a father. She made herself at home in a future she was satisfied with living. But..

"Are you sure about this one, Kid? You know you can't go back after this?"

"Kei! ... You're in our group chat now. So text us when you can, okay?..."

"...You know we would have been there for you if you told us! I could have sworn you were the one that said that we should protect each other..!"

"Addie.. What do I do..?"

"Talking to the cat is a new low, don't you think?"

Of course, she tsked. The sly bastard had snuck up on her while she was deep in thought, only to flash a chesire grin when he caught her thinking out loud.

"You look terrible."

"You are terrible.." She didn't have the energy to make a witty comeback. Seeing him next to her sapped any and all tolerance within seconds. Einosuke shifted his position, joining her to face the small area around them, his head tilted up towards the stars.

"How does it feel? The creeping sense of doubt and regret."

Her words left her the moment she tried to open her mouth. She tried to scowl but her face kept twisting back to her usual bitter look. The corners of her lips twitched and her hands reached up to wipe away bubbling tears. But the more she swiped at, the more tears that fell to the point where she had given up on delaying the inevitable. The last straw was the hand placed on her back, rubbing awkward circles as a means to comfort her.

"Miss Kei!" Kei turned to the painfully cheerful voice, her hands gripping tightly onto the suitcase she dragged behind her. The airport was packed with people yet the occultist had managed to pick her out from the crowd. The moment the clack of her shoes ceased, Chiyo held up a hand, her chest heaving as she took a moment to catch her breath. How did she fucking run in heels?

"He- Here, my dear!" Chiyo held up her phone, decorated with all types of gothic imagery and a photo of her and her beloved mothers. She displayed the chatting app she and her classmates used. With a few taps, Kei's number was slotted amongst the already long list of members in the group.

"You're in our group chat now. So text us when you can, okay?"

"Thanks.. Um.. Kageyama-san but-"

"Please." The occult took Kei's free hand into hers, the serious look in her eyes stopping her in her tracks. "Your aura.. You are harboring a lot of bottled up emotions that I'm sure you don't want to say."

She squeezed the ravenette's hand. "If you ever need someone to talk to, dearest. You know you can absolutely talk to us! If not them, then definitely me. Because I know how it feels.."

Kei was.. Stunned. What did she-. She couldn't have possibly known that-. The lump in her throat was unrelenting and so was the grip Chiyo was on her.

"I... I'm gonna miss my flight.." Kei slipped from her grasp, backing away as she shook off the thought. Chiyo was always the weird one, she reminded herself.

"Bye.." She muttered, rushing off to, hopefully, disappear into the crowd.

"Remember to text us!!" The occultist yelled, not at all bothered by the bitter looks she was receiving. She waved both of her hands with a smile, sending her off with her final goodbyes. "We're here for you, darling! Because that's what friends are for!"

"I hate it.."

[Event: Ms. Sato (End)]

[astxlphe-fics]

let me live (let me die)

Astolfo meets with Antonio, the head of the Florence chasseurs. It doesn’t go well.

Chapter 3/ ?

< Chapter 2 || Chapter 4 > 

Content warning : mentioned character death, mentioned Moreau 

This whole affair is, to Noé, quite reminiscent of his days with Vanitas. The entrance to the chasseurs’ headquarters is, just as in Paris, under the cathedral, though they don’t access it, this time, through a hidden switch. 

No, it’s a plain old wooden door, which he supposes is the main entrance, and since Astolfo has a key on him they don’t have to sneak in. 

It’s also an old key, and the state of it makes Noé thinks it’s at least thirty years old, maybe even older. Scratched and damaged, though not rusty, it looks well taken care of. Remnants of an old cord looped around the bottom of it shows that it might have been worn as a necklace once. Yet, old and scratched as it is, it does the job it’s supposed to do and opens the door, revealing stone steps going down in the darkness.

Astolfo leads him down the stairs and to the city’s underground. The quiet whispering of the city at night fades into the background, leaving them with a strange, unsettling silence filled only with the sound of their footsteps. 

It’s almost as if the whole place is empty. 

Astolfo seems to know his way, walking with confidence and speeding through the hallways like he’s done this every day of his life. 

“You have been here before, haven’t you?” 

He nods stiffly. “I grew up here. The chasseurs in my family were historically based in Florence. My father took my sister and I to headquarters many times when we were children." He falls silent as they turn into another hallway, leaving Noé to guess. 

As children. Noé catches himself thinking of a young Astolfo, smaller and rounder faced, running with an even smaller girl along those cold, empty stone corridors. Laughing, maybe, even though he has trouble imagining what Astolfo's genuine laughter sounds like.

Then, Astolfo stops walking, eyeing another door at the end of the corridor. He stares at it, before turning back to Noé, hesitant. “You keep quiet,” he ends up ordering, keeping his voice low. “I don’t want a vampire to ruin my chances to get information, and I don’t trust you not to wander off.” 

Noé doesn’t need to be here when Astolfo is negotiating, but he remembers the look on his face as he asked if he was sure the chasseurs would help. As Astolfo hissed that he had friends, defensive, in a way that makes Noé think it's much more complicated than he pretends. To be perfectly honest, Astolfo is difficult to like on his best days, and Noé has a hard time picturing him having friends. 

So, he simply acquiesces, though the former chasseur eyes him suspiciously. 

There is no denying there is something reassuring in having backup when being about to have a talk with Antonio, of all people. 

Antonio used to be family. Astolfo remembers, as a child, the man lifting him and carrying him up on his shoulders, then the two of them racing his father and Marco down the headquarters' corridors. He remembers with clarity playing hide and seek with Louisette, Isa, and Antonio in the archives, squeezing himself into small spaces, holding back giggles, waiting to be discovered. Antonio and Marco coming over for diner as guests of the Granatum household, hugging his mother, clapping shoulders with his father.

He’s been tempted, several times, to go looking for the Granatum family house, where his parents and Louisette are buried. To this day, he still hasn’t gathered the nerves to actually do it. To walk back on this old path, to look upon his abandoned, probably now decrepit home, to stand before what remains of his family, is something he doesn't feel strong enough to do yet. Maybe, once he's done, while the vampires he led into his own house as an overly trusting child are dead, he will be able to stand before their graves.

Still, somehow, after everything, Florence feels a little like home. The soft chatter of the crowd around him in his native tongue is familiar, the city's air lifts his spirit and takes him back to simpler, happier times.

A distracted grunt answers Astolfo when he knocks. He takes it as an invitation to come in and pushes the door open, slipping into Antonio’s office with the vampire behind him. 

Antonio sits behind his desk, in full uniform, sword resting against the arm of his chair, which means he's ready to leave, either for a simple patrol or a larger operation. He quickly riffles through several papers, which he settles to the side when Astolfo comes in.

It feels like forever since he stood there. Yet it was only six months ago, though their meeting was brief and the consequences dire. Before that time, he was twelve years old when he was last called into this office, just a few months after losing his family, right before leaving for France and not expecting to set foot in this room ever again.

Antonio was not happy to see him months ago, after the mess in Paris, and he will not be happy to see him today, that much is obvious. Astolfo shoves his gloved hands in his pocket, nervous, trying to reassure himself. 

Friend, he called the man when talking about him to the vampire, but it’s a bit of a stretch considering how their last conversation went. Considering everything . He tries to look surer of himself than he really is in front of the Archiviste, but he will not be surprised if Antonio is mad at him. He has good reason to be — and, to be fair, Astolfo has a good reason to be mad at Antonio too.

But Antonio is also the only one who can point him in the right direction so Astolfo swallows his pride, hoping he’ll share what he knows, if only to get him out of his office faster. 

“Good evening,” he says. 

 “I’m glad to meet one of Astolfo’s friends!” The vampire smiles brightly. I’m Noé—” he stops himself when Antonio looks up, and scowls.  

“You again?” He also raises an eyebrow at Noé Archiviste’s presence, though doesn’t comment on it, focused on Astolfo. “What do you want?” 

If Astolfo isn’t surprised by the tone, the vampire falters, smile dropping, and he sends Astolfo an uncertain glance. Are you sure?  it seems to wonder. 

“The same as during our last meeting: the last known whereabouts of the Chevalier Ténèbre.” 

The man tenses, standing it up and walking around his desk. He’s tall — way taller than Astolfo, probably taller than the Archiviste — so he has to tilt his head back to keep looking at him in the eyes. Being on his shoulders used to be like sitting on top of the world, his head almost brushing against the ceiling and his forehead knocking on the lowest doorframes by accident.

“Do you realize what mess you’ve caused here, Astolfo?” 

This time Astolfo winces, and he feels the vampire tense up at his side. 

“Astolfo—” he starts, but Astolfo shakes his head no. He stays quiet. 

Marco and Antonio were always, to Astolfo, very similar. First, because they were brothers —he can still find Marco’s gentle features and kind disposition in Antonio. They also both were among the first to give him the chance to have his revenge, to support him when he asked to be a chasseur. 

Antonio signed the papers that would send him up to Paris. Marco, unable to stand seeing him leave on his own, followed. They both saw him, at twelve years old, determined to become a chasseur. Now, at nineteen years old, Astolfo stands before Antonio, a vampire in tow. 

“You knew where to find him six months ago; can you tell me where he is now?” He stops for a second or two, then adds: “Please.” 

“I don’t know,” Antonio drawls out. “Are you planning to go after him on your own, ruin a chasseur operation several months in the making, and come very close to getting yourself killed? In that case, it’s a no.” 

Next to him, the vampire startles, but before he can try to say anything again Astolfo snaps back: 

“I’m healed now. I have— I can take him. Just tell me—” 

“You’re not a chasseur, boy. You were stripped of that title for a reason . Good God, the only reason you are walking free is because someone insisted you were a child and were manipulated and chose to do the right thing in the end.”  He scoffs, and Astolfo is sure he can hear traces of rage and grief in his voice and can’t blame him for it. “Leave it to people who actually know what they’re doing.” 

“That’s—” 

“Quiet,” Astolfo cuts him, shoving his elbow into the vampire’s ribs. His stomach turns and his breath comes out short, and his eyes burn with frustrated tears, because Antonio is, ultimately, right. 

Astolfo trusted the wrong people. Astolfo made the wrong choices. Astolfo lost his title as a chasseur and thus every way he had to find his family’s murderers and it is his own fault.  

Astolfo got Marco killed. 

He can’t let it stop him. Not now, not after all these years — after all, what sense does it make to stop now? None. His revenge has been his goal for so long, past the vampire elimination and past the church's teachings.

“You know what,” he decides, turning to his vampire companion. “Wait for me in the corridor.” 

“But—” 

“This conversation doesn’t concern you.” There are so many things he doesn’t want him to know, some things that will be brought up today and he would rather not have to explain. Not now. Not ever. “I don’t want to talk about it.” This the vampire seems to understand, and he nods, although reluctant. He leaves the room, though not before sending Antonio a suspicious glare. "And don't wander off," Astolfo calls after him.

Once the vampire is gone, he faces Antonio again, who simply watched the exchange in silence. “A new friend, then?” 

“Travelling companion,” Astolfo corrects. “One I can’t seem to shake off.” 

“A vampire.” 

“Don’t change the subject.” He takes in a deep breath. “You owe me this, Antonio.” 

“How dare you?” Astolfo takes an instinctive step back as Antonio snaps at him, glowering. “Not only I already answered you once, and after you promised to be careful you still interfered. And even before that— After everything I did for you—” 

Once again, Antonio is entirely right, but there is nothing in the world that'll make Astolfo admit it out loud. “I'm talking about Moreau," he snaps, and Antonio hesitates, paling. "You did not send me to Paris to become a chasseur and we both know it — I earned that title, through my own skills — because you were just as opposed to it as Roland! You sent me because Doctor Moreau asked.” He grimaces thinking back on what he saw and heard down there.

Thinking about ghostly boys, skinny and bruised. About the screaming.

Astolfo had been lucky. His marks, in a way, saved him.

The truth, and the point, in the end, were that Antonio lied. Antonio pretended to support him, pretended to understand why he needed to become a chasseur. 

Antonio only sighs, tired. “I’m not going to argue with you on this now, Astolfo. I don't have the time. Now, leave the city before you interfere in another operation. If you want to argue, we can do it later.” 

“I'm not going anywhere before you tell me about the Chevalier."” 

Grabbing Astolfo’s arm, Antonio pulls him back towards the door. “Leave now,” he says again. “I don’t want to end up with a dead civilian on my hands. I don’t want you dead.” 

“Don’t say that—” 

The door slams shut behind him and Astolfo is back in the corridor, frustration making his blood boil. He has half a mind to turn around and kick the door down, but he forces himself to settle down. 

Fighting more with Antonio won’t help. At least he didn’t take his key. Maybe he doesn’t even know Astolfo still has it, or he knows Astolfo won't separate himself from it. It's precious, not only in its usage — opening the door to the chasseurs' Headquarters — but also in its significance — the last thing Astolfo's father ever gave him, whispering in a conspirator's tone that one day, maybe, when he's bigger, he'll find some use for it.

“Let’s go,” he tells the Archiviste, and stops, staring out at the empty hallway. One if his eyebrows twitches. “Is this a joke?” 

He walks back the way they first came from. He isn’t even sure the vampire knows how to go back outside, but hopefully he has the presence of mind not to wander off in here, of all places. Maybe he had to leave to avoid being caught — but then again it doesn't make sense, all he has to say is that he's with Astolfo, or that he wishes to meet with Antonio. 

His pace quickens as he speeds up the stairs and leaves the building, only to find himself alone outside, on the side street where the back entrance is. Looking around, he still can’t find the vampire. 

“Hey!” he calls out. No answer.  

Maybe he finally understood that Astolfo doesn’t need him and he left. 

The thought doesn’t sit that well with him. 

He could have at least told him he was leaving.

“Noé?” He hates how hesitant his voice comes out. 

Still, no answer. “Fine!” he snaps, stomping his foot on the ground in anger before striding back to the main street, not caring about sounding childish. “Good riddance. I don’t need you, and I hate you anyway!”  

The main entrance of the cathedral is a little more crowded, with only a handful of people mingling around due to the late hour. None of them is the vampire, and Astolfo lets out an annoyed huff, leaving the square to walk back to the hotel. 

It’s fine. 

Tomorrow, he’ll find another way to get the information on the Chevalier Ténèbre and kill him on his own, like he’s been planning to do from the beginning. 

It is fine. 

“Well, isn’t that—” 

The voice catches him off guard and he freezes — it’s not a voice he’s about to forget. His breath stutters and, when he looks up, it’s to a tall gentleman whose face is overshadowed by the brim of his top hat. 

A pale hand gently pushes Astolfo’s hair back behind his ear, before flicking at his fang earring. It dangles without a sound, and the man grins. “That’s what I thought — I noticed it last time, but I couldn’t be sure.” His fingers close around it. 

Sharp, stinging pain makes Astolfo hiss between his teeth as the jewelry is ripped off his ear, and he slaps the man’s hand away. His heart speeds up, echoing in his chest like it’s in a hollow cave, in a mix of fear and rage and excitation. “Chevalier.” 

“This,” Jean Ténèbre simply says, charming smile still in place, holding the fang between now bloodstained fingers, “belonged to my brother. But I assume, Astolfo Granatum, that you already knew this.”