#MISSING SEVERAL AUs I KNOW!! just picked my faves | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

btsficsforthehumble · 3 years

Text

adj.: 1. Modern, unfamiliar, or different

2. Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed

pairing: reader x ot7

genre: college au; angst, fluff, smut, poly, ot7

Summary: You begin your first year at a prestigious university, set out on achieving your academic goals when a series of men step into your life that change the way you view the definition of love.

Part Five

Warnings: none in this chapter

Word count: 2.3k

A/N: New characters, yay! Just an fyi but I would like to start posting one chapter every week... thots?? Also, I've been thinking of adding a taglist? sksk I know it would be small but I personally love to get tagged when new chapters come out for my faves. If that's something ya'll would like comment so I know!! Alright, back to your regularly scheduled program :)

----

Literature was next. Now this? This you could handle. Always being a bit of an avid reader, you could devour a novel in one night --- and you often did. Finding the hidden meanings between the lines of text, like unwrapping a present, gave you a thrill. You were the person who could debate for hours about the meaning of a symbol in a book, as annoying as that is to everyone else.

Maybe it was the promise of escape, where you could be transplanted into another world, detached from your own, that appealed so much to you about reading. You could lose yourself, feeling the rush of the love affair or the thrill of a dangerous adventure. Coupled with your analytical nature, you felt more than at home in a literature classroom.

With this in mind, you make your way to your next class with more vigor than usual. When you arrive and take a seat, you pull out your materials and wait for class to begin.

Several minutes later, your professor walks to the podium in the front of the room to introduce herself. After several minutes of reviewing the syllabus, she explains the structure of the class. You were to be placed in small groups, to discuss the readings and write a paper at the end of the semester. This made you a little nervous --- having to rely on others to some capacity for your grade always gave you a bit of anxiety.

She began reading out the names of the students belonging to each group, so you listen carefully as to not miss your own name despite your anxious thoughts swirling inside your head.

“... Eum Hee-Young, Gal Ae-Cha, Ree Mun-Hee, you are group seven. Kim Seokjin, Y/l/n y/f/n, Kim Namjoon, you are group eight. Ok Youngsoo…” her voice fades off as you glance around the room, trying to meet the gazes of other searching eyes as your group was announced.

Your eyes meet those of a guy who looked maybe a year or two older than you, with round, wire frame glasses. His mahogany hair was pushed off of his forehead, parted to the side giving him a youthful but put-together look. He holds up eight fingers, looking at you expectedly, and you nod quickly. He picks up his belongings, preparing to move to you as you had empty space in the seats around you. As he slings his backpack over a shoulder, you scan your eyes around the room to try to catch the other member of your group.

To your surprise, your eyes meet those of the same boy you had ogled over yesterday in your calculus class, before it had started. You shyly hold up your own eight fingers, to which he gives a decisive nod to, and begins to make his way to you as well. You can’t help but notice the planes of his back as he bends down to grab his backpack, his wide shoulders tilting making them seem even larger. He is wearing a simple blue button down and jeans, but even through that you could tell his shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, making him have the perfect masculine inverted triangular build.

Slightly embarrassed at your thoughts, you glance at your other partner, now close to you. His oversized yellow knit sweater swallowed him a little, but with the glasses gave him a cute bookish look. His large frame juxtaposed his cute appearance --- he was on the taller side and seemed built as well. You made eye contact, and gestured to the seat next to you for him to sit. The other boy now approaching, you both watch as he takes the other open seat in front of you.

Your group now assembled, you tune back into your professor who was explaining the first text you were to read together. She told you that it was a short love story that relied heavily on symbolism and became a prominent symbol in and of itself in movies and television. Your first assignment was to analyze the symbolism of the text, and come to a more complex conclusion than what the surface of the text presents. You could feel yourself becoming slightly excited to jump into the assignment as she explained.

“You will be given the rest of class to get acquainted with your group members. They will be permanent, bar any issues that may arise. The first assignment is due at the end of next class. While on this first assignment I will be more lenient with grading, please do your best and set a good standard for your groups. Okay, go ahead everyone,” she finishes.

At her dismissal of your attention, you glance back at your group members. The boy with glasses speaks first. “I’m Namjoon, nice to meet you guys.”

“Seokjin, or just Jin,” the other boy gives.

“I’m y/n, nice to meet you both.”

“So, what year and major are you? I’m a third year, and a journalism major,” Namjoon offers. As he speaks, he gives you both a grin that displays deep dimples on both cheeks. He was very cute, you decided. He had a nerdy charm to him, with a build on the beefy side that made you want to cuddle him.

“I’m a first year… and to tell the truth I haven’t decided on a major yet,” you admit, but give them both a smile.

“Ah, hoobae, you are lucky you are with us pros then! I’m a fourth year, and a business major,” Seokjin says with a wide smile.

“Sunbaenim, are you in calculus before this? I thought I recognized you from there,” you downplay a little. You knew he was in that class since you had spent time checking him out in it, but didn’t want to seem creepy.

“I have a recognizable face.” At this he gives a smug look, but is clearly using a joking tone. “Yeah, calculus with Yoo at nine?”

“Yep. That guy goes so fast,” you frown. “But anyways, how do you guys feel about this assignment?”

Namjoon enters the conversation again, “Honestly I’m kind of excited for it. It’s been a while since I’ve done any reading that isn’t research related, which kind of sucks.”

“That does suck. I love to read, that’s why I took this class, actually,” you empathize.

“Yeah? What do you like to read?” Namjoon leans towards you a bit, excited at the prospect of talking about reading it seems.

“Oh, um… I’d say my favorite genre is probably any type of fantasy, I like being able to be in a different world for a bit. Oh, I also like historical pieces, that stuff is always so interesting.” You were a little hesitant to share, afraid he’d judge your preferences.

“I love historical pieces. I think that’s one of the things that lead me into journalism actually, it’s basically writing history for those in the future to look back on. I just think that’s really cool.” His eyes seemed glitter as he talked about something he was obviously passionate about. You felt yourself developing a soft spot for the boy, finding his friendly disposition and slightly nerdy personality to be incredibly endearing. It didn’t hurt he was also very attractive.

“What about you sunbaenim? Do you like to read?” you ask Seokjin, whose head was oscillating between you and Namjoon.

Surprised the attention shifted to him, his eyes widened to give him an owlish look. You are really surrounded by some beautiful men, you think. What do they put in the water here? It would be normal to run across a cute guy here or there, but this is kind of ridiculous. Seokjin himself has a face that is so beautiful it looks like it should have been carved out of marble!

Focus! You have to scold yourself. The boy you were just admiring in your head is now answering your question and you are too distracted to even process what he’s saying.

“... not too crazy, occasionally I guess…” His body language told you that he was slightly embarrassed at not being as enthusiastic a reader as you and Namjoon.

“I’m sure you have hobbies that are cooler than reading then, if I was athletic or creative I wouldn’t read so much either! Namjoon-sunbaenim, I’m sure you agree,” you encourage with a smile, wanting Namjoon to follow suit in making Seokjin feel comfortable.

Thankfully, he catches on quick. “Oh, yeah, I am way too clumsy to do anything more high stakes than page turning,” He chuckles. You and Seokjin both smile at Namjoon’s subtle self-deprecation. They both were sweet, you think. Your earlier fears about working with others subside. “I guess I could say that I do have another hobby though, I actually help out at the school’s radio station for fun,” Namjoon adds shyly.

Jin tilts his head in surprise. “Oh really? I have a friend who…”

He gets abruptly cut off by the professor’s voice echoing through the room, which causes him to stop his thought.

“Hopefully everyone is acquainted now, and is ready to get to work next class. I expect good things from you all this semester. You are dismissed,” your professor says with finality.

The three of you quickly gather your things, ready to merge with the swarm of students streaming out of the door. You give them both a smile, and say, “It was nice meeting you both. See you next class!” to which they give their own farewell.

As you leave, you check your phone out of habit. It seems your intuition is right, as usual.

*Miss me yet?*

Does Taehyung really have nothing better to do?

*What exactly is there to miss?*

You hope that after your curt response he’d get the memo. This guy is such a fuckboy, you think. While you don’t know why he set his sights on you for now, you hope he gets bored soon. While you give that tough persona to him, the truth is you are more sensitive than that. The idea of being used for sex once and then discarded was unappealing, and Taehyung seemed like the type to do just that.

----

Finally home after attending two more classes for the day, which were thankfully much less eventful, you slip off your shoes and let your bag slide off your shoulder to thunk on the floor. You were tired. And hungry, apparently, because your stomach makes some concerning noises as soon as you slip your light jacket off. You make your way to the kitchen at the sound, ready to make a nice dinner and decompress.

When you get there, you see one of your new roommates sitting at the stools for your kitchen counter. This roommate was one that you had connected with immediately, drawn to her blunt but fun-loving aura. Her short stature, shorter than average, gave no warning for her and ‘gives-no-fucks’ attitude. You could tell however, that inside she had a soft heart. Even in your short time together, you had seen glimpses of it here and there.

You learned when you had met that she had moved to Korea from America last year, making her a second year at your university. Her features stood out from the crowd, with brown skin and large curls that framed her face in a halo. She was really quite beautiful. Tia, but called Bean by her friends, which now included you, made you feel welcomed to campus and you were thankful for her.

Wanting to not scare her as you walked into the kitchen, you gave her a greeting. Her head pops up from where it was buried in her phone, which had been drawing her into her own world.

“Hey chickie. Long day?” she asks. Apparently your exhaustion was pretty obvious if she could tell right off the bat. You sigh, bending over to pull some vegetables out of the fridge.

“I just want to know who let me schedule four classes on Tuesdays. They should be in jail,” you complain.

She gives you an amused look, watching you now stand at the cutting board to prepare your food. “I think that person was you, sweet thing.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. If I could go back in time and slap my past self I would,” you grown with your head tipped back. She lets out a laugh at your expense.

“Don’t laugh at me unnie! I’m going to pass away from exhaustion over here!” you try to say seriously, but can’t help but let out a little giggle. “What were you doing with your head buried in your phone, huh? Are you talking to someone?” you tease, pointing your knife at her with your other hand on your hip.

“Why, do you wish it was you?” She wiggles her eyebrows, giving you a side smirk. You knew she was deflecting, so you lift your eyebrow and give her a flat expression, waiting for her real answer. “Ugh, it’s nothing. There was just this really cute girl in my class today, and I tried talking to her but she didn’t really seem like she liked me… and I may have just been looking at her social media,” Tia admitted.

Now at the stove, stirring your dinner, you look over your shoulder to say something that would hopefully ease her anxiety. “You know that you can come on strong sometimes, maybe she’s just a little shy, ya know? Maybe try again with a softer approach,” you offer. “What is there not to like?”

She gives you a wide grin to match your own at your last remark. You both giggle, any tension in the air from Tia’s concerns gone. Dinner now finished, you grab two bowls and serve you both. You both slip into easy banter, almost like you two have been friends for years. You hope that you will be, someday.

#BTS #ot7 #ot7 x reader #poly ot7 #fanfic #newfangled

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jeongyunhoed · 4 years

Photo

8 Stories, 8 Movies from the Golden Age (1930s to 1960s).

It’s the golden age and 8 men are the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Ateez, but make them Old Hollywood, basically. Lights, camera, action!

Member: Yunho

Genre: Murder mystery, a little bit of comedy, a little bit of romance and fluff

Warnings: Murder (as it is a murder mystery), mentions of it including suicide, death, blackmail, alcohol drinking

Things to note: Set in the 1930s, established marriage

Will have OCs

As with the rest of the stories in the AU, there will be other idols mentioned, most likely NCT but may have some of my other faves (EXO, etc.)

A/N: This is the third and final part of Yunho’s story. Coincidentally, this is also the last of the murder mystery-genre in this au. We’re going screwball comedy next with Wooyoung’s!

Masterlist

Former private detective-turned-society man Jeong Yunho is brought back to sleuthing when an inventor goes missing and his mistress is murdered. With a little help from his wife, and from a martini or two.

The Thin Man

tag list: @minervaaaaaaaa , @closer-stars

Part 3 (final)

The taxi pulled up in front of a dark and deserted laboratory that Yunho knew was Park Junho’s shop that he closed down. With Asta on a leash, he got down the car and paid the driver, the driver being a little too eager to leave as the place gave him the creeps. Yunho couldn’t blame him, it was late at night. “Come on,” Yunho whispered to the dog, who seemed hesitant to follow him as they approached the building, the two of them skidding to a halt when he saw that a familiar figure was waiting for them.

“Hey darling,” Juhyun waved them over, her voice low. She looked excited yet concerned at the same time.

“Juhyun! What are you doing here?” He pulled Asta along up to her.

“I beat you down here, I decided to come with you after you left so I got dressed and went to where you said” She said with an air of confidence.

Yunho gave his wife a look. “Now listen, Juju-”

“No,” She cut him off, placing a finger to his lips. “You’re not going in this place alone and that’s that. Get that skeleton key out of your pocket and open the door.”

“Alright, alright, as you wish, my darling,” Yunho opened the doors of the place and they stepped inside.

“It’s a nice neighborhood Park Junho’s picked out for his shop. I can almost hear the chains rattling in the distance,” Juhyun said quietly as they crept inside, careful not to make any noise. “Do you believe in ghosts, Yuyu?”

“I don’t, but shh,” Yunho whispered as they walked.

“It’s so dark in here,” Juhyun mumbled, her arm tightly linked with her husband’s.

“I’ll get a flashlight on, let me get my arm back, my darling,” Yunho pulled his arm back and closed the door behind them, taking the flashlight out of his coat pocket. The sudden light made Asta whimper. “Shh, Asta,” He whispered as they walked on, Juhyun being extra careful, noticing how her heels would catch onto some cracks in the floor here and there.

“This place looks awfully big,” She whispered. “You can’t even see the corners.”

“Don’t let the shadows frighten you, Juju,” He said, pointing to a silhouette that was of a machine.

“Who’s frightened?” Juhyun asked, glancing at him only to bump into something hard. “What’s this?”

“It looks like Park Junho’s work table,” Yunho shone the flashlight over the entire surface in front of them.

“Looks like a slab in the morgue to me,” Juhyun muttered, seeing more details of the space they were in illuminated. By the light clicking her heels made, she realized that she was standing on cement. “Cement.”

“Come on, dear,” Yunho beckoned her to come closer while he approached what he realized was the work desk. The two of them froze when they heard a creaking. “It’s just us in here, Juju, it must be a loose floorboard or something.”

The two of them stopped again when they heard something scratching. “What’s that now?” Juhyun asked.

“It’s Asta, he’s scratching at the cement, shh! Asta! Shh!” Yunho tried to yank on the leash but to no avail. “Stop it, Asta! Stop!”

Juhyun observed the way the dog was frantically scratching at the cement. “Yunho, he’s after something! I’ve seen him scratch the ground like that when he was looking for-”

“Asta! Shh! Look over here!” Yunho tapped his foot on another cemented part of the floor. He paused upon hearing the sound and tapped his foot on the floor again. “Wait a minute, this is hollow, I wonder if there’s something around here I could use to dig this up.”

“I saw an iron bar over there, it might be a shovel,” Juhyun pointed to the other side of the room.

“Good, good,” Yunho shone a light over the shovel and quickly picked it up. He handed Juhyun the flashlight. “If I can dig a hole in one corner of this part of the floor, we can find out what’s buried under here.”

“Yunho, I’m getting scared,” Juhyun said as she watched him. “Asta! Come here!” She called out to the dog, who was now watching them.

Yunho broke through the cement and started digging through the corner he broke into, coming into a layer of dirt. “Asta! Shh! Get back!” He tried to push the dog away, who was also trying to dig into the dirt.

“What is he after?” Juhyun asked, keeping the light on them.

Yunho carried the dog off the ground, realizing why Asta was so determined to dig into the cement. There was a skeleton and some clothes buried. “There’s a body. It must have been here for weeks. We have to get Lt. Song over here right away.”

The lieutenant and his group of police officers arrived shortly after they discovered the body, some taking photos of the skeleton including the clothes that it was buried with. The building was also surrounded by reporters looking to get information on what they found.

“These reporters are enough to drive a guy insane,” Mingi huffed as they examined the clothes and the skeleton on the workdesk. “Well, you were right, Yunho. It was a body, a skeleton rather, buried in limestone. I wonder what Park Junho had against this one.”

“What about the clothes?”

“Well there’s that too, the clothes aren’t touched but there’s hardly any identification on them. Just a silver belt buckle with the initials CS on them.”

Yunho looked up in thought. “CS? Who was that?”

One of the police officers stopped to hand him a cane. “Here’s something else that was found in there. There’s a rubber tip, the guy must have been walking lame or something,” Mingi said. He turned back to the belt buckle. “Wait a minute, that case you worked on, with the guy that threatened to kill Park Junho, what was his name?”

“Choi San,” Yunho replied.

“Could this be him? Didn’t Choi San say Park Junho tried to steal one of his inventions?”

“I never saw him. I don’t think anyone saw him,” Yunho shrugged. “But at the time we figured it was just blackmail.”

“It’s just the same, Park Junho wouldn’t mind having him out of the way, would he? And according to the medical examiner, the body’s been here at least a couple of months.”

“That’s just around the time Park Junho closed the shop,” Yunho pointed out.

“Right!” Mingi said. “The way I figure it is, he kills this guy and plants him here. Woo Jaekyung knew about it so he killed her. Kang Yeosang caught him at that so he had to bump him off too. Well, I think we’ll get going now. You wouldn’t like to pay me that hundred thousand won now, would you?” He grinned.

“Just wait until you catch Park Junho. Did you put the skeleton through the fluoroscope yet?”

“Yeah, half an hour ago, we did. We found the bullet he was killed with and there was something in the leg bone too, an old piece of shrapnel-”

Yunho stared at him. “Shrapnel.”

“Yeah, why?”

“He must have limped, which explains why he used a walking stick,” Yunho said.

Mingi looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“Oh nothing, nothing. So long, Lieutenant, I’m going to pick up my wife and take her home. It’s been a long night,” Yunho waved at the officer.

“Good night! Give my regards to the wife!”

Their discovery at Park Junho’s shop made headlines in all the newspapers the next morning, and soon enough their suite was filled with reporters and photographers, holding cameras and asking them to stop and pose for photos. “Have the police any idea where Park Junho is?” One reporter asked.

“No,” Yunho replied.

“Do you think they’ll find him?” Another reporter spoke.

“Oh I know they will.”

“Anything else to say about the case?” Said a third reporter.

“Yes, it’s put me behind my drinking,” Yunho padded towards the mini-bar to pour himself a glass of gin.

“What about this Choi San?” Said the first reporter.

“Sorry, I don’t know anything else,” Yunho took a long drink.

“What’s your next step, Yunho?” They asked this time.

“Right back home where we will rest from this vacation that we’ve had,” Yunho took another drink. The reporters bid the two of them goodbye, closing the door behind them. Juhyun put Asta down, the dog running towards one of the rooms.

“Back home, hmm?” Juhyun raised a brow at him, sitting down on the couch.

Yunho put his glass down and playfully sat on her lap. “If you insist-”

“I don’t insist-” Juhyun groaned, pushing him off, making him sit down on the floor in front of her.

“My soul, woman, I give you three murders and you still aren’t satisfied” Yunho rested his chin on her knee.

“I want you to stay and find Park Junho!” She ruffled his hair.

“I did find him.”

She stared at him. “What do you mean by that, Yuyu?”

“He was down in his shop!”

“Yunho.”

“It was his body that was buried down there.”

“Yunho, you better lay off the liquor-”

“That’s a fact,” He pointed out.

“Park Junho’s body?” She asked. “But they all said it was Choi San’s-”

“That’s what they think. Mingi and...all of them. They take it for granted that it’s just another one of Park Junho’s victims. Mingi’s hot footing it around now, looking for Park Junho. That’s all that troubles him,” Yunho mumbled.

“What makes you so sure it was Park Junho’s body?” She raised a brow.

“Several things.”

Juhyun rolled her eyes. “Yunho, you’re driving me crazy with all the suspense. What things? What things made you so sure?”

“Well, the clothes for one. They were carefully preserved and the body was just as carefully destroyed. The person who killed him counted on one thing...the skeletons all look alike.”

“Well don’t they?”

“Sure, but then I remembered that Park Junho had some shrapnel in his shin, it bothered him. They found it under the fluoroscope,” Yunho recalled.

“How long has he been dead?”

“A couple of months?”

“If that’s the case, then he couldn’t have committed those murders,” Juhyun deduced.

Yunho smiled. “Smart gal.”

“Park Junho dead. Does Sungyoung know?”

“No. Nobody but you knows. I didn’t even tell Mingi.”

“Why not? Why won’t you tell Sungyoung what you know?”

“Because I want to lie low until I get the whole dope,” Yunho knelt down, arms on both sides of her legs. “I don’t want to go off half-cocked.”

“Then what are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to get the real murderer, and I’ve got an idea. Do you want to see me take him?” Yunho leaned closer.

“Yes!”

“Do you have a nice evening gown?” Yunho asked.

“Yunho, what’s that got to do with-”

“I said do you have a nice evening gown?” He repeated.

“Yes, I’ve got a Lulu! Why?”

“I’m going to throw a party and invite all of the suspects.”

“The suspects? They won’t come.”

“Oh they will. I’ll get Lt. Song to issue the invitations.”

“Who do you think did it?”

“Yang Hyomin…”

“Hyomin!”

“Yang Hyomin, Jung Wooyoung, Choi Jongho,...” Yunho picked up the phone. “What were you doing on the ninth of June?” He grinned.

They reserved a private dining room later that night. A string quartet was playing in one corner of the room that was almost as big as a small ballroom. Some of Mingi’s police officers were disguised as waiters serving cocktails, with the lieutenant himself dressed for the occasion along with them. Yunho and Juhyun were placing name cards on the table. “Let’s see, you at the head,” She placed his name card on the setting.

“And you on my right,” Yunho placed her name card down. “Hongjoong on my left, Seonghwa, Sungyoung’s brother Sungmin, next to Jongho. Mingi will sit on the other end of the table and on the other side, is Jung Wooyoung.”

“Hyomin’s next to Wooyoung-”

“No, let’s leave that seat vacant. I have a feeling he won’t come alone,” Yunho said. “Put Hyomin next to Hongjoong instead.”

Juhyun followed suit and once she was done, she approached the lieutenant. “They’re going to come here, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, some of them are already here, I got my guys to bring them up.”

“I wish I have you at all my parties,” Juhyun chuckled.

The doors opened and in came Seonghwa, just as dressed yet looking worried. “Is Sungyoung here yet?” He asked.

“You can put your hat and coat in the room and we can talk about it,” Yunho assured him and he walked off.

“What is the meaning of this?!” They heard Hyomin say as she was escorted inside, with her son. “Yunho! What’s this about? I said we were busy and we were going to the theater!”

“We just wanted to make sure you’d attend, Mrs. Jung,” Juhyun said. “Ah, Mr. Jung, you’re here,” She gestured to Wooyoung, who was with another woman.

“Wooyoung, I swear I had no idea what this was-” Hyomin grabbed his arm.

“Hey, take your hands off him,” said the woman with a stern expression. “...Do you hear me?”

Hyomin stared at her, and then at Wooyoung. “I-Wooyoung-What does this mean- Wooyoung-Wooyoung!” She looked taken aback as they were brought to the table to be seated at their places. “Yunho, why are we being brought here like common criminals?” She skidded to a halt when she saw the woman sit next to Wooyoung at the table. “But I’m Mrs. Jung.”

“Put it over there, sister. I was Mrs. Jung before you were,” The woman replied dryly.

“Your name card is there, on my right,” Yunho gestured for the seat next to the woman. Hyomin huffed as she sat down, glaring at the woman from time to time.

“You give such charming parties, Mr. Jeong,” Juhyun eyed him as all of them sat down.

“Thank you, Mrs. Jeong,” Yunho smiled. “Now we’re all ready to begin-”

“Good, you can tell us why we’re here in the first place,” Hyomin spoke.

“I’ve invited you all here because I’ve got some very important news,” Yunho looked at all of them. “I’ve seen Park Junho.”

All of them gaped at him. “Wait a minute, you saw Park Junho?!” Mingi asked, almost indignantly.

“That’s nothing, I saw him myself” Hyomin scoffed, looking down at the appetizers that were being served to them.

Yunho and Juhyun exchanged looks. “You did? Where did you see him?” He asked.

“Last night, he came to see me at my apartment.”

“Oh did he? What did he say?”

“Oh nothing much, he wanted to know how I was and how the children were.”

Yunho shook his head. “I’m afraid you’re lying, Hyomin. You see, I really did see Park Junho last night.”

“Are you kidding?!” Mingi remained bewildered.

“No.”

“Then what’s the idea of holding out on me?” the lieutenant asked.

“Because I found out for certain that he didn’t commit the murders,” Yunho said.

Sungyoung stared at him. “Yunho- He didn’t do it?”

“What do you mean?” Hongjoong looked confused.

“Jongho,” Yunho said, making him jump in surprise. “Oh, I’m so sorry. You knew Woo Jaekyung, right? Was she...swindling Park Junho?” He asked.

“She didn’t say she is but I figured she is,” Jongho sounded relieved.

“Why do you say that?”

“Once I wanted five million won, she gave it to me in cash.”

“Thank you, now I’ll tell you why I know Park Junho didn’t commit those murders,” Yunho gestured for the servers to go ahead with the main course. “Three months ago, Park Junho found out that Woo Jaekyung was cheating him and was splitting with some man. That man was... Sungmin,” He stopped, noticing that he nearly spilled his water over. “Oh, I’m so sorry, don’t you want some wine?”

“No, no, Mr. Jeong, no thank you,” Sungmin shook his head.

Juhyun rolled her eyes at her husband. “You’re driving me crazy!”

“Anyway, Park Junho went to find the man and he did. That man was desperate. He knew he was caught dead to rights, and with prison staring him at the face he took the only way out -- He killed Park Junho,” Yunho recalled.

“Yunho, you mean- My father-” Sungyoung stared at him in shock.

“Yes, I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Sungyoung, but your father is dead, he’s been dead for three months.”

Sungyoung broke down in tears in her seat. Seonghwa leaned over, wrapping an arm around her. “Darling, don’t cry. Please, I know it’s terrible, but isn’t it really better this way?” He whispered.

Juhyun approached them. “You’d better take her home, Seonghwa. Back to your home,” She said to him, and he nodded, arm still around his fiance as he brought her out, Mingi quietly signaling the officers at the door to open it.

“But this is absurd! How can Junho be dead! You said yourself you saw him last night!” Hyomin turned back to Yunho.

“So I did. I saw him lying buried in his shop,” Yunho replied nonchalantly.

“You mean that body-” Mingi caught on.

“Was Park Junho, yeah.”

“Perfectly absurd,” Hyomin shook her head.

“And the murderer is right here in this room, sitting here at this table,” Yunho looked at all of their expressions.

“You’re not going to keep us all in the dark aren’t you? Who is it?” Sungmin asked.

“You’re not going to pin this one on me!” Jongho slammed his spoon on the table. One of the officers approached him. “What am I the fall guy?!” He was pushed back down on his seat.

“This is the best dinner I’ve ever listened to,” Juhyun side-eyed Yunho.

“Well, I have no idea who it is, but I thought if we had a little get-together we might be able to find out. I’ll tell you as much as I know. This murderer is a very clever man. He studied this thing out very carefully. You’d understand that, wouldn’t you, Sungmin?-” Yunho turned to him.

“Yes...no!” He shook his head profusely, everyone else beginning to look at him suspiciously.

“He planned this thing out beautifully. After he killed Park Junho, he wired Hongjoong, using Park Junho’s name and told him to close up the shop. He destroyed all of Park Junho’s clothes except his watch chain because he figured that someday that might come in handy. Then he took Park Junho’s body and buried him in the shop with another man’s clothes to throw us off the track. He even put a belt buckle with a “CS” on it, hoping that we’d think it was Choi San, an old enemy of Park Junho’s who dropped out of sight years ago,” Yunho explained. “Jongho, would you mind holding your chopsticks the other way, you’re worrying Sungmin.”

Jongho looked down at his hand and put his chopsticks down. Sungmin stared at him and at the utensils in his place. “If those chopsticks are missing, I’ll look for it somewhere on you” Juhyun nudged her husband.

“After our hero killed Park Junho, he had an idea. He realized that he and Woo Jaekyung could still collect money. Park Junho was supposed to be on a trip, no one knew where -- so our hero wrote letters to Hongjoong, signing Junho’s name, so that Hongjoong would continue to send the money to Jaekyung. He even telephoned Hongjoong, do you remember?” Yunho turned to him this time.

“But it must have been Junho. I should have known if it wasn’t his voice,” Hongjoong replied.

“Oh he was clever about that too. He called when you were out,” Yunho explained. “That same afternoon, Jaekyung called him. She said that you were coming, Hyomin, to ask about Junho. So he got terrified. He was afraid that Jaekyung would break down and tell, so he went to Jaekyung...and killed her. He left Junho’s watch chain in her hand too.”

Juhyun stared at him. “Is that true?” She whispered.

“I don’t know.”

“Then why are you saying it?”

“It’s the only way it makes sense,” Yunho muttered to her. “His plan was still working beautifully. Junho was established as being in town, the watch chain was handed over, but with slight delay, to the police. The only snag was a man named Kang Yeosang, who found out something. He was there at Jaekyung’s apartment. He heard the shots, he saw the murderer leave. He knew who did it,” He said to everyone.

“Our hero paid Yeosang once to keep his mouth shut, but when Yeosang threatened him again, he bumped him off. But our hero had just one weak link in his chain. The telegrams, the letters, the calls were all very well, but no one had actually seen Park Junho, so our hero picked on poor Hyomin here to strengthen his case. Hyomin is the only one at this table who can tell us who the real murderer is,” Yunho turned to Hyomin. “Hyomin, who was it that told you to say you saw Junho?”

“Nobody told me, I did see him!” Hyomin replied, evidently getting flustered.

“What did he pay you, Hyomin, to stick to that story?”

“It isn’t a story, it’s true. I did see Junho, he isn’t dead!” Hyomin was picking at her food.

Yunho watched her reaction as he pressed on. “You’re lying, Hyomin, of course you’d do anything for money. You’re getting a good price for saying that you saw Junho and you figure you won’t get anything if he’s dead.”

“I’m not going to stay here to be insulted!” Hyomin was about to leave, only to be pushed back down to her seat by a nearby server.

“Hongjoong, you drew up Junho’s will. Hyomin was cut off, wasn’t she, if she remarried?” Yunho turned to him this time.

“I have no right to answer that.”

Yunho rounded on her again, Hyomin looking more and more horrified. “You shouldn’t let that keep you from telling the truth, Hyomin. Mrs. Jung,” He turned to the woman next to her. “Were you ever divorced from Jung Wooyoung?”

“No,” the woman replied.

“So you see? Under the law, you haven’t remarried, Hyomin. You’re still one of the heirs!” Yunho stared at her. “So what are you holding out for? A few crummy thousand won that the man gave you when you can get the whole estate? Remember the other two that were with him on this, Jaekyung and Yeosang. When he thought they might spill something, he bumped them off. You ought to know damn well he’s not going to take any chances on you. What do you want to do? Be next on his list?”

Hyomin glared at Hongjoong. “Why you dirty-”

Yunho was quick to punch Hongjoong in time, a shot firing to the floor as he was knocked unconscious. Mingi got out of his seat as everyone was gaping at what just happened. “There you go, Lieutenant. Kim Hongjoong is the murderer.”

“Yuyu!” Juhyun wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. “I was scared you would’ve gotten shot! But you took him! I knew you would-”

“Yeah, another case like this, and I’d have thought I was in a prize fight,” Yunho wrapped his arms around her.

“Aww, Yunho, you’re swell, darling,” Juhyun beamed.

“I bet you say that to all the boys,” Yunho smiled as he kissed her.

#kdiner #ateez #yunho #ateez yunho #jeong yunho #ateez scenarios #ateez timestamps #ateez fanfic #ateez au

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ghoste-catte · 4 years

Note

multiples of 3 ✌🏼-sgmdrcklee

@sagemoderocklee you’re really trying to kill me lol

This got long as heck so I’m throwing it behind a cut. Read on for answers and fic recs! (Mostly the fic recs)

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

This is a tough one to answer for me generally because I tend to spit words onto the page and once I have written them I no longer remember writing them. And 2020 has stretched on so long that as I’m looking at some of the stuff I wrote in the beginning of this year, I hardly remember what’s even in it. I think at one point someone (@goblin-draws maybe?) mentioned a line in Sleeptalk with Me where the innkeeper calls Kankuro “chubby boy”, and I was like “Oh ... did I write that? Yeah, sounds like something I’d have someone say to Kankuro ...”

It might be easier to talk about this in other terms. One of the scenes I worked the hardest on this year was the fight scene in Chapter 3 of Skeleton Key. The original draft of the scene was a lot shorter, and a lot of the backstory for Misaki’s revenge quest was elided. The scene as originally written was clunky, confusing, and as my lovely wife/beta put it sounded “like a Naruto villain” was doing the dialogue, when previously she’d found Misaki sinister and intriguing. Which wasn’t what I wanted. I basically entirely overhauled the scene and re-wrote it several times. I wouldn’t call it a ‘favorite’ scene (I hate writing fight scenes generally; having chosen to immerse myself in a fandom about ninja where much of the drama comes from battle is my eternal regret), but it is a scene that I put a lot of effort into, and I’m moderately satisfied with the improved product that resulted.

6. least popular fic this year

By far my least popular fic by kudos ever is Pitch Perfect. Which makes complete sense to me. It’s a fic where I’ve written 2 characters who are men in canon as cis women, which pushes a lot of uncomfortable buttons for a lot of people. It contains F/F smut, which is something that a lot of people who choose to read GaaLee probably aren’t out there looking for. And people comment and kudos less on smutfics, I assume because they don’t want their username attached to porn or because they’re embarrassed (which I totally get, no shame there). It’s a modern AU with a sports twist, and AUs are often less popular than canonverse in my experience. I will say though that it has a surprisingly high number of private bookmarks compared to other fics with comparable hit and kudos counts. So I assume people are just a bit more shy because the premise is so ‘out there’. I will say as far as my fics go, it’s one of my personal favorites and probably one of the most intimate and true-to-life things I’ve written? So it actually is a little comforting to know that something so vulnerable has relatively little attention.

9. longest wip of the year

If we’re going based on stuff that’s partially published but not complete, my Gaara-adopts-Shinki fic On My Way Home is my longest in-progress fic at just over 20k words, although technically I started it in 2019. It will probably end up being right around 40-50k when it’s complete, which might end up situating it as my longest fic ever?

12. favorite character to write about this year

Okay, this is an easy one. I love writing Kankuro. I think he is hilarious. He is the devil on my shoulder and a creature of pure id, and every time I write a line of dialogue for him it’s the summation of my rudest thoughts about a situation put in the crudest possible terms. If there were a megaphone directly from my unfiltered brain giving running commentary, that would be Kankuro.

15. something you learned this year

I have learned SO much this year! This is only my 2nd year properly ‘focusing’ on writing fic and investing any substantial time into it. I think the biggest thing I have learned, though, is how to overcome a lot of my self-consciousness about writing stories with NSFW elements in them. Starting out, I was so extremely shy and mortified about writing fic at all, much less things like hugging or (god forbid!) kissing. So taking on the smut prompts I took this year and really buckling down on learning to write the mechanics and emotions of sex has been a massive learning experience. (And sorry, by the way, if I haven’t gotten to a prompt you sent me in January yet. I do intend to write all of them eventually!)

18. current number of WIPs

Ah. The call-out question. My general fic process is idea -> outline -> wip -> edit -> ready to post (where the final draft sits in my docs until I gin up the courage to actually post it). So skipping fics that are just “ideas” on the big mega-list, I have 3 fics in the “outline” stage, 13 fics in the partially written “wip” stage, 1 fic in the “editing” stage, and 2 that are complete but yet-to-be-posted. So, like, 19 total in the offing. (The “ideas” list is even worse lol.)

21. most memorable comment/review

This is such a difficult question because every single comment I get makes me do a little dance for joy. That’s not an exaggeration btw I really sit there and like bounce around in my seat for a moment before I open the Ao3 email. I am not an especially emotive person irl, but there have been times I’ve been brought near tears by comments. I’ll also occasionally show them to my wife like !! look at this nice thing this person said !! and she’s indulgent enough to actually read them. There have been a couple comments that have really stuck with me, that I starred in my inbox and return to frequently, but I don’t want to bring attention to someone else without their permission. I will say there was one person recently who mentioned (not in the comments on one of my fics) that they had found someone who does physical binding of fanfiction and they were about to ask my permission to do that, but then the person who does the binding only does certain ships that she likes ... so that, just, absolutely floored me. The idea that someone might actual want a physical copy of my stupid little ninja fanfictions is, like, so truly immense and completely overwhelming?

24. favorite fic you read this year

You can’t make me pick just one!! (For reference, I have bookmarked right around 180 fics in the past year, and that’s not including fics that I just read, really enjoyed, but didn’t think I could ‘handle’ a second time around.) So, skipping over the ones that AREN’T Naruto ... here is a brief sampling of some faves:

Silica by deepestbluest (rated E, GaaLee, ShikaTema, and Kankiba) - An absolute emotional powerhouse of a fic that manages to skillfully interweave three complex relationship dynamics, satisfactorily resolve them, and give you ALL the sandsibs feels in just over 10k words.

Childhood Not-Friends (series) by MegaWallflower (rated G, KakaGai) - @megawallflower is a KakaGai god for good reason. Absolutely adorable relationship development fics (five of them!) with the premise that Kakashi thinks he and Gai have been dating since they were kids ... Gai just hasn’t been clued into it yet. These stories will give you heart-eyes.

The Bright Side by gidget_goes (rated T, GaaLee) - This is the Buffy AU I never knew I needed, because I’ve never seen Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But truly you don’t need any Buffy knowledge to enjoy this fic. @gidget-goes command of imagery is masterful, and the way they manage to snap from snark to tugging at your heartstrings is awe-inspiring. Gaara breaks my heart in this. And did I mention Kankuro wears a 10-gallon hat? Because Kankuro wears a 10-gallon hat.

Nature vs. Nurture by Bidiza (rated T, GaaLee) - So introspective and so poetic. This looks like a WIP but it’s actually multiple oneshots, although by the end of the second one you’ll be dying for the rest of the promised series.

I’m a Fool to Want You by BeelieveRosemarie (rated M, GaaLee) - Turns out @tuttiefruttiegaalee isn’t just an amazing artist, they’re a writer, too! Slow-dancing that will break your heart. Listen to the Frank Sinatra song while you read this for extra tear-jerking effect.

Let Love be Known (series) by TenTomatoes (rated G, GaaLee) - This is the twist on the arranged marriage trope and Beauty and the Beast that I didn’t realize this fandom was missing. I’m absolutely obsessed with their concept of Gaara as the Beast

I Could Be by LilacNoctua (rated T, GaaLee) - I know I big up @lilac-writes Worthwhile series a lot (deservedly so, because it’s so good it makes you look at the series and go “Why the fuck didn’t Kishimoto make this canon exactly like this?”), but this story made me absolutely die between the butterflies in my stomach and how hard I was laughing. There’s one line--you’ll know it when you read it--that absolutely bowls me over every time I re-read this.

And Then Continue by EgregiousDerp (rated E, GaaLee) - Obviously I’m biased because this was a gift, but @egregiousderp writes some of the the best characterized porn I’ve ever read. You will read this and go “Wow! This is exactly how it would happen!” It’s such a tender, beautiful exploration of Gaara’s insecurities and a very real feeling first time, for all its soft edges.

Cake by citronelle (rated E, KanKiba) - I don’t even know what to say about this one other than ... phew, this is extremely well written, extremely hot, and extremely in character. Just read it. I promise it’s worth it.

Saudade by YumKiwiDelicious (rated M, GaaLee) - I’ve run around reccing this to just about every person on the face of the earth at this point. If you’re in the GaaLee Discord you probably saw everyone salivating over every new update of this fic and with good reason. The twists and turns of this fic will have you on the edge of your seat, second guessing every single moment. And it will break your heart in the meantime. What more could you want?

the love potion commotion by floating_cats (rated T, NejiSasu with background GaaLee) - One of those fics where you wish the author’s sense of humor was your own. So many hilarious moments in this story, and it brought me a new appreciation for a ship I never would have even considered.

Finger Lickin’ Good by whazzername (rated E, GaaLee) - Whazz is another one of those authors where I literally want to rec every single thing she’s ever written, she’s just that good. (Speaking of which, if you haven’t read Fools Rush In and its sequel Degrees of Separation, you’re missing out on the best possible Metal origin story of all time. Don’t deprive yourself of this.) But this story is just ... so incredibly in character for a situation that reads like crack. It’s handled with the utmost straight-facedness and it’s so. freakin’. good.

heart lines by winterberry_holly (rated M, NejiTen and GaaLee) - I don’t even have the words to describe how perfect this fic is. It’s a truly beautiful exploration of Tenten’s relationship with her palmistry hobby and with the people in her life. My heart ached with every single line.

Standing on Ceremony by kuroashi (rated E, GaaLee) - This is just ... such a beautiful wedding story. So lovely, like getting the best possible warm hug from someone you love. If that love one was slightly strange and socially inept, because, well. It’s still Gaara doing Gaara-things. @baphometsss is another one of those authors whose handling of smut scenes is so stupendous it makes me wildly jealous.

Thrall by RokiRiot (rated T, GaaLee) - Idiots-to-lovers with a magic AU twist! This is such a wonderful story, and Gaara’s internal monologue is absolutely amazing. And Lee is Deaf in this fic, which I never ever get to see and which absolutely made my entire day/week/month/life.

Make-Out Consequences by LuxaLucifer (rated M, KakaGai with background canon Boruto ships) - I laughed so hard reading this that I had to take a breather to stop crying. That’s not an exaggeration. The characterization in this fic is impeccable and the humor is to die for. Naruto’s buffoonery truly shines here, and the author’s wit is just beyond anything I could even properly summarize. Hysterical. A++.

Thirteen Strokes by Luna_Lee (rated T, GaaLee) - Again, like, if you aren’t reading literally everything @sagemoderocklee writes, are you even really a GaaLee fan? But this fic is beyond even for one of Eeri’s incredibly excellent writings. The worldbuilding in this, the cultural notes, the imagery ... it’s all so lush and so fulfilling and so beautiful. It’s a story about love and it’s a story that you can tell has love poured into every single line. I can’t recommend it enough.

Checkmate by shadowstrangle (rated G, GaaLee) - The pettiness vibes ... this is so funny. Such a cute story and I love Gaara’s sense of humor here. Not a lot of writers give him a sense of humor, but I love how @shadowstrangle gives him a slightly odd, slightly left-of-center take on humor that still manages to be so funny.

To Court a Village by FanFictionEngineer (rated G, GaaLee) - Another one where my bias is perhaps slightly obvious, but the premise of this fic is amazing. I love cultural misunderstandings, and the idea of Lee trying his hardest to court Gaara ineptly is just so perfect.

affliction of feeling by theformerone (rated E, SakuHina) - One of those ships that it would never have occurred to me to seek out but that absolutely works with how the author’s set it up. The dynamics here are delicious. It’s so rare to find good F/F porn but this is one of them for sure.

Tried and Tested by twentysomething (Rated M, KakaIru with background canon Boruto ships and GaaLee) - Iruka’s narration in this story is just incredible. I haven’t laughed this hard reading a fic in ages. And the concept alone (that Naruto can’t be promoted to Hokage until he passes his chuunin exams ... as an adult ... and Sasuke gets dragged along for the ride) is just brilliant. Amazing concept, amazingly executed.

a fireside waltz by winterberry_holly (rated M, GaaLee) - I really tried not to rec a single author more than once here but for this one I had to. I got about halfway through this fic and immediately started running around ringing the town crier bell like READ THIS FIC! READ THIS FIC! An absolutely smoldering Regency AU with such beautiful, intimate dance scenes. My heart was racing every single time their fingers brushed. If you don’t read anything else on this list, at the very least read this.

27. favorite fanfic author of the year

I really can’t pick just one. I am lucky enough that @egregiousderp passes me her drafts under the table before (or without) publishing, and getting to read those is a private treat of unparalleled proportions. Some of my favorite things I’ve read this year I can’t even rec because they’re her unpublished stuff.

30. favorite fandom to read fic from this year

This is gonna come off strange because I just wrote such a long Naruto reclist, but I recently watched What We Do in the Shadows, and found an incredibly talented group of authors in that fandom with really amazingly good dialogue and narrative voice. I also read a lot of fic for the new It movies (even though I couldn’t watch the 2nd one for ~reasons~), and damn if there isn’t a talented crop of authors in that fandom, too. And finally with ATLA making its way onto Netflix, I had the chance to start watching that for the first time and found a ton of really good fic there as well!

fanfic end of the year asks!

#answered #ask meme #sagemoderocklee #Anonymous

24 notes · View notes

inevitably-johnlocked · 4 years

Note

Hi :) I... really wanna read a fanfic or two but I can't find one I vibe with xD So... do you know one that's not too long (around 100k words maybe), has hurt and comfort, smut (am I allowed to ask about that?? Ahhhh) and a happy ending? Top!lock would be a bonus but it's not necessary. And if it's a nice AU (like... any kind but no crossovers pls), it would be perfect! :D By the way, I found your blog only a few hours ago and I already feel really comfy and Idk, kinda at home here ^-^

Hi Nonny!!!

Welcome to my corner of the Tumblrsphere!!! I’m so happy you’ve found me, LOL, because I love all my followers and friends! <3

First of all, I think it’s super cute that “not too long” to you is “around 100K” LOL LOL LOL!!! <3 That said, I’d argue all my fic recs are fabulous, LOL. But again, I’m stupidly proud of the wonderful lists I’ve accumulated, because it satisfies my organization kink LOL. And yes, you’re ALWAYS allowed to ask for smut here LOL.

ANYWAY, so I’m gonna use this ask as an excuse to post up a long-overdue part two to my 50 to 100K fic list! But first, here’s some past lists for the genres you’re looking for:

FIC MASTER PAGES: PG1 || PG 2 || PG 3

Toplock (Mar 2020)

Omegaverse

Please Check PG 3 for all my AU fic lists. There’s a lot :)

Hurt / Comfort Pt. 1: Under 5K Words

Hurt / Comfort Pt. 2: 5K to 10K Words

Fandom Favourites / Popular Fics

I hope those will get you started! So now, here’s the main event!! Hope you enjoy them!

50 - 100 K WORDS Pt. 2 (Novel Length)

See also:

Fics Under 2000 w.

Fics Under 2000 w. Pt. 2

Fics Under 2000 w. Pt. 3

E-Rated Johnlock for Newcomers Pt 1 (Short Fics under 20K)

Novella Length Fics: 25 to 50K (Aug. 2019)

Novel Length Fics: 50 to 100K (Nov. 2018)

Novel Length Fics: 100K+ w. (May 2019)

Long S3/Post-S3 Fics (20K+ w.) [Apr 2020]

Top 20 Fave 40K+ w. Fics (April 2017)

Smut-Free Fics Over 50K (Aug 2019)

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by SilentAuror (E, 50,635 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4/S4 Divergence, Case Fic, For a Case / Reverse Fake-Relationship, Conferences, Marriage Equality, Travelling / New York, Pride, Homophobia, Bottomlock, Marriage Proposal, John POV, Sexuality, Love Confessions, Emotional Love Making, Public Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Passionate Kissing, Needy/Clingy Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Touching / Hand Holding, Bed Sharing, Little Spoon Sherlock, Intense Orgasms) – John and Sherlock go to New York to attend a conference run by the National Defence of Traditional Marriage Coalition in order to investigate the potential bombing of the annual Manhattan Pride parade. As the conference unfolds, John finds himself repulsed by the toxic ideology being presented, which becomes relevent to his own unacknowledged issues and his friendship with Sherlock...

Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."

Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.

Never Change a Running System by Lorelei_Lee (E, 54,246 w. || Pre-TRF, Romance, Humour, Drama, Sex Toys, Anal, Rimming, Masturbation, Frottage, Blow Jobs, Public Sex, First Kiss / Time, Virgin Sherlock / Loss of Virginity, Accidental Voyeurism, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Experiments, Naive Sherlock, Pining Sherlock, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Straight With an Exception John, Hand Jobs) – Sherlock discovers his sexuality – with far-reaching consequences for John.

A Hundred Crimson Sols by elldotsee (E, 55,536 w. || Astronauts AU || Mars Exploration / Space Travel, Slow Burn, Shy Sherlock, Scientist Sherlock / Biomed Engineer John, Alternating POV, Mutual Pining, UST, Angst with Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injuries, Suicidal Ideation, Zero-G Sex) – Will Holmes is a chemical researcher recognized widely for his contributions to the new Mars exploration program. Thanks to his ground-breaking developments, the IMMC (International Mars Mission Corporation) is one step closer to Martian colonization. Will and his team of scientists are headed out on the first of three manned missions before the first group of settlers arrive. Three days before launch, one of the crew has to be replaced. Will panics because...new people. The replacement is of course one John Watson, biomedical engineer and space hottie who was pretty sure he had retired from actual space exploration and was now content to work in the nice, quiet research lab. Can the crew survive this TOTALLY ROUTINE trip? Will they be able to endure each other for the looooooong trip in close quarters? Gonna be a wild ride... prepare for blast off. Part 1 of the SpaceBois go to Space series

The Thing Is by TSylvestris (E, 56,743 w. || Case Fic, Dev. Rel., Anal/Oral, Blow Jobs, Meddling Mycroft, Drama, Romance, Humour, Casual Encounters, Pining Idiots, Possessive Sherlock, Orgasm Delay, Rough / Alley Sex, Public Sex, John Whump, Drugged John, Emotional Love Making, Awkward Relationship, Marriage of Convenience, Switchlock) – The problem with living with Sherlock, John thought, was that you never, never, ever knew the significance of anything. Like your flatmate's nose buried in your hair. Whilst you're in bed. Part 1 of Nitroglycerine

One Little Change by jadztone (E, 58,312 w. || ASiB Divergence, Fake Relationship, Bed Sharing, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss / Time, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bi John / Gay Demisexual Sherlock, Switchlock, Alternating POV, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Case Fic, Angst with Happy Ending, Emotional Love Making, Butt Plugs, Cuddles) – Our story begins right after John and Sherlock's first meeting with Irene Adler in September. It splits off into an AU that imagines them taking a case where they act as bait to hook a killer targeting closeted gays in secret relationships. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, many things happen that have our boys wondering if maybe they have a chance with each other. Then Irene fakes her death on Christmas Eve, and things get a lot more complicated - especially since they still have a killer to catch.

floating through a dark blue sky by Lediona (M, 58,966 w. || Notting Hilll AU || POV John, Celebrity Sherlock, First Date / Time / Kiss, Past Drug Addiction, Angst with a Happy Ending) – Of course, I’d seen his films and always thought he was, well, brilliant -- but, you know, a million miles from the world I live in. Or, when John is the owner of a travel book shop and the famous Sherlock Holmes stops in one day.

The Burning by SrebrnaFH (M, 60,658 w. || Reverse Reichenbach, Suicide, Depression, Hurt Sherlock / John, Separation, BAMF John, Good Big Brother Mycroft, Angst, Implied/Referenced Torture, Fake Character Death, Rescue Mission, Reconciliation / Reunion, Hospitalization, Marriage Proposal, Illnesses, Physical Therapy, Happily Ever After) – Something went very, very wrong. John had seemed, if not happy, then reasonably content with his life. Sherlock had never predicted something like THIS might have happened. Not in his worst nightmares. He was the lousiest friend ever, apparently. At least Mycroft found him something to occupy his mind with, so that he didn't have to go back to 221B and stare at the walls and the chair, where John Watson would never sit again.

This Thing All Things Devours by cypress_tree (E, 63,844 w., 15 Ch. || In Time AU || Science Fiction, Dystopian Universe, First Meetings, Action / Adventure, Romance) – In 2169, time is money—literally. Humans are genetically engineered to stop aging at 25, when the numbers on their arm start counting down from one year. When that time is up, they die. The only way to get more time is to earn it, borrow it, or steal it.John Watson lives day-to-day in the crowded slums of Zone 13. He never imagined living any differently—until he meets the practically-immortal Sherlock, and helps him on a case to track a local time-thief...

The Bells of King's College by SilentAuror (E, 64,019 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S4, Missed Opportunities, Angst with Happy Ending, Fake Relationship, Case Fic, John POV, Jealous John, John in Denial, Travelling / Holidays, Virgin Sherlock, Wedding Proposals) – It's only been two weeks since Eurus Holmes disrupted their lives when Mycroft sends John and Sherlock to Cambridge to pose as an engaged couple at a wedding show in the hopes of solving six unsolved deaths...

Hell Sent, Heaven Bound by ConsultingHound (M, 64,381 w, 16 Ch. || Angels / Demons AU || Fallen Angel Sherlock / Angel Cop John, Alternate First Meeting, Slow Burn, Case Fic, John & Lestrade are Friends Before Sherlock, BAMF John, Mind Palace John, Friends to Lovers, John in Denial, Sherlock Picks Out John’s Clothing, Clubbing / Dancing, Mildly Jealous John, Awkwardness, Kidnapping, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Sacrifice, Worried / Anxious Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Immortal to Mortal) – Ex-War healer and current angelic guard John Watson is not having the best day. He overslept, he’s underpaid, and now there’s someone tagging the Council’s building walls. However things may be about to get interesting: there’s an unusual stranger hanging around (the definition of tall, dark, and handsome), a literal underground cult is brewing, and rumblings are coming from hell. Can he keep his neighbourhood safe, how and why is he being connected to all this, and who the hell is Sherlock Holmes?

White Knight by DiscordantWords (M, 69,840 w., 13 Ch. || S4 Compliant/Post S4, Marriage For a Case, Jealous John, Pining John, Janine / Sherlock Fake Relationship, Serial Killers, Case Fic, Undercover as a Couple, Weddings, John is a Mess, Misunderstandings, Wedding Planning, Jealousy, Drunkenness, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – Green. The word green was used to convey a great many things. Illness. Envy. Inexperience. Standing there amidst Janine's chattering bridesmaids, watching Sherlock furrow his brow and study fabric swatches, watching him smile and simper and flirt, John thought it a remarkably apt colour choice. Because he felt quite sick to his stomach, he feared the source of said sickness might very well be jealousy, and he had absolutely no idea at all what to do about it. Or: Sherlock needs to fake a relationship for a case. He doesn't ask John.

Being John Watson-ish by elwinglyre (E, 69,902 w., 17 Ch. || Bodysnatcher AU || Author John, Cranky Sherlock, Angst, Sexual Tension, First Kiss / Time, Falling in Love, BAMF John, Past Soldier John, Feelings, Inside Someone’s Brain, Shy Sherlock, Sherlock Loves John, POV Sherlock, Switchlock, Slow Burn, Internal Dialogue, Mental Turmoil) – When consulting detective Sherlock Holmes steps on one toe too many at a crime scene, he's consigned to a desk job in an archaic office on the seventh-and-a-half floor of the New Scotland Yard. It’s in this bleak office that Sherlock discovers a portal into the mind of renowned author John Watson. Grander than his mind palace, this new wonderland affords Sherlock new vistas of experimentation. To learn more about the mystery behind the portal, Sherlock seeks out and befriends Watson. But then it all goes wrong when others find the secret portal door—including the man whose brain he visits.

Just To Hold You Close by sussexbound (E, 70,841 w., 18 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, Sherlock POV, ASD Sherlock, PTSD John, Demisexual Sherlock, Bisexual John, Cuddling/Snuggling, Platonic Cuddling, Enthusiastic Consent, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Sexual Tension, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Cuddle Negotiations, For a Case Until It Isn’t, Hair Petting, Sexual Negotiation, Anxiety, Trust Issues, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Frottage, Hand/Blow Jobs, Referenced Self Harm / Abuse / Suicidal Ideation, First Kiss/Time, Anal) – When a woman is murdered and the last person to see her alive is recently invalided army vet turned reluctant (and prickly) professional cuddler, John Watson, Sherlock Holmes is pulled into a world of intimacy and intrigue he never could have imagined. John is a conundrum and mystery: frank yet reserved, tender yet angry, open yet afraid. Sherlock is instantly drawn into his orbit, and begins to feel and desire things he never has before.

The Vapor Variant by 88thParallel (M, 72,684 w., 18 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-THoB, John Whump, Protective Sherlock, Guilty Sherlock, Anxious/Worried Sherlock, Virgin Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, PTSD John, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Suspense, Virus, Sickfic, Big Brother Mycroft) – They stood face to face in the middle of a clearing. The dim light of the moon barely allowed Sherlock to see the glassy terror in John’s eyes and the sweat that glistened off his forehead. His nose was bleeding again, blood dripping in a slow stream from his right nostril. They were both gasping for air, John’s eyes locked on Sherlock’s. There was no recognition there, just wild animal fear. Time stood still for an eternal few seconds, and Sherlock took a shaky breath. “John—”Spell broken, John spun and bolted back into the woods. Still heaving for air, Sherlock took off after him.

Summit Fever by J_Baillier (M, 78,802 w., 18 Ch. || Mountain Climber AU || POV John, Angst, Tragedy, Suicidal Ideation, The Himalayas, Mountain Guide / Doctor John, Mount Climber Sherlock, Loneliness, Drama, Suspense, Slow Burn, Injured Sherlock / Sherlock Whump, Pining John) – After graduating from medical school, John Watson followed his heart to the Himalayas. Ten years later, he's a haunted cynic working for his ex-lover's trekking and mountaineering company. Will leading an expedition to Annapurna I—the most lethal of all the world's highest mountains—shake John out of his reverie, and who is the mystery client added to the group at the last minute?

The Monument of Memory by J_Baillier (M, 79,663 w., 14 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It Fic / S4 is Canon, Angst, Family Drama, Guilt, Case Fic, John Loves Sherlock, Complicated Feelings, Mentalism / Hypnosis, Murder, Grieving John, Sherlock is a Bit Not Good, Team Work, Trust Issues, BAMF John, Psychological Trauma, Protective John, Autistic-Spectrum Sherlock, Parentlock, John POV) – A genius traumatised by a past he's only beginning to recall. The psychopath sister that time forgot. A missing woman and a mentalist who may or may not be a murderer. And, in the middle of it all, stands John Watson.

Thermocline by J_Baillier (M, 83,557 w., 14 Ch. || Scuba Diving AU || Adventure, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Marine Archaeology, Asexual Sherlock, Horny John, Relationship Drama, Technical/Scuba/Wreck Diving, Slow Burn, Underwater / Medical Peril, Doctor John, Hurt Sherlock, Anxious Sherlock, John POV, Protective John, Body Appreciation) – John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

The Summer Boy by khorazir (T, 94,706 w., 6 Ch. || Post S3/Post TAB/Alternate S4, Friends to Lovers, Flashbacks, Sussex, Bullying, 1980′s Kid Sherlock, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Inexperienced Sherlock, Grief/Mourning, Pining Sherlock, Background Case Fic) – About half a year after the fateful events at Appledore, Sherlock and John embark on a private case in Sussex. For Sherlock, it’s a journey into his past, bringing up memories both happy and sad that he has locked away for almost thirty years. For John, it means coming to terms with the present – and a potential future with Sherlock. Part 1 of the The Summer Boy series

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU || BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

31_Days_of_Porn_Challenge_2017 Series by distantstarlight (E, 96,540 w. across 31 stories || Prompt Ficlets, Assorted Kinks, PWP) – A collection in response to the 31 Days of Porn Challenge issued by AtlinMerrik! Thanks for doing that because this has been buttload of fun (that joke never gets old). All stories will be brief stand-alone one-shots.

The Baker Street Nativity by SwissMiss (E, 99,662 w., 23 Ch. || Nativity! AU || Teacher Sherlock / TA John, Pining, Sherlock POV, UST, Angst, Christmas, Music/Song Fic, Anal / BJ’s, First Kiss / Time) – Fusion between Sherlock (BBC) and Nativity! (2009 movie starring Martin Freeman). Sherlock is a primary school teacher and John is assigned to be his classroom assistant. Together, they are charged with putting on the school's Nativity play. What could possibly go wrong? Part 1 of The Baker Street Nativity Verse

Given In Evidence by verityburns (M, 97,884 w., 19 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Angst, Drama, Case Fic, Romance, BAMF!John, Submissive Sherlock, First Kiss, Humour) – Coming back from the dead can be a complicated business. With a new case on the horizon, rebuilding a life is one thing... rebuilding a friendship quite another. For Sherlock and John, things may never be just the same...

#steph replies #johnlock fic recs #my fic recs #long fics #50 to 100k #Anonymous #fic rec wednesday #e-rated fics

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chevrolangels · 4 years

Text

When My Time Comes

death!cas, 3.3k

Continuing my tradition of posting ~spooky~ fics for Halloween, here’s a little thing with Death!Cas. I know we’re all freaking out with spn ending and a possible looming end for our fave so I hope this is a nice little au reprieve. The title is from 'Work Song' by Hozier, bc I needed to use one of his lyrics for a title eventually.

Enjoy.

read on ao3

The first time Castiel met him, he was crying.

He beat out with his tiny fists, and his father dragged him away, but not before he managed to swipe at Castiel. His hand passed through him like mist, and Castiel felt a shock, like he had been plunged in icy water.

Castiel extended a hand, and he and Mary Winchester walked into the afterlife together.

“Your son is a feisty one,” he told her.

“Good,” Mary replied. “He'll have to be without his mama.”

◆

“I know what you are.”

A man—boy, really—his hands clenched. He stared at Castiel, anger staining his soul.

Castiel knew those eyes.

“You’re a reaper,” the man accused.

Castiel did not deny it.

He simply stood, withdrawing his hands from the body in the alley.

“That’s one word for what I am.”

The words dragged like rust in Castiel’s throat. It had been some time since he last spoke.

“I've been searching for you. For years.”

Castiel looked away, and said nothing.

The boy eyed him for several silent moments.

“Why can I see you?”

Castiel told him honestly.

“I don't know.”

Some of the tension bled from the boy’s shoulders.

“You got a name?” He asked gruffly.

Castiel nodded.

“My name is Castiel.”

The boy took an abortive step forward, his fingers outstretched. Castiel did not move.

He reached the outline of where Castiel’s shoulder should be, but touched nothing but air.

His hand dropped.

“I’m Dean,” he said finally. “Dean Winchester.”

“I know,” Castiel answered softly. “Hello, Dean.”

◇

“Why can't I touch you?” He asked, the next time they met.

“Would you like to?”

Dean thought for a moment, his brow furrowed.

“Yes.”

Castiel stepped past Dean’s grandfather, lying sick in his bed. Castiel had never done it before, but he saw no reason why it wouldn’t be possible. He extended his arm and thought very hard.

He felt himself solidify, and Dean reached out tentatively, as if Castiel were poisonous. He touched the back of his hand.

His fingers were hot, searing flame, burning brighter than anything Castiel had ever known.

Until, that is, Dean punched him in the face.

“That was for my ma,” he said.

◆

“I do not cause death,” Castiel said, many months later. “I am merely the link between worlds.”

Dean lifted his head, shock crossing his pale face.

“You again.”

His voice was hoarse, weakened through many nights of grief. Tragedy had once again come to their small community, and Castiel could feel Dean’s soul still aching from it.

Castiel stepped forward, looking at the cold form lying before Dean, life now burnt out.

“You were not related to this man,” he said, almost a question.

“No,” Dean answered shortly.

“Ah.”

Castiel looked away. Even after all this time, the nuances of humanity still escaped him.

The silence between them stretched. Castiel furrowed his brow, searching for the appropriate words to use.

“I’m sorry.”

Dean said nothing, but his eyes widened, betraying his surprise.

“Dean.”

Another entered the room, long hair skimming over reddened eyes.

“They want us outside,” the newcomer said, thin, tall, even younger than Dean. “You know. To say a few words.”

His request was thick, choked. Castiel looked back from his face to Dean’s. Their pain was great, and shared.

“Yeah, be there soon, Sammy,” Dean answered in a low voice, never taking his eyes off Castiel.

The boy waited for a moment, eyes sliding towards the spot where Castiel stood, where to him was only empty space.

“You’re not still seeing ghosts, are you?” He asked, smiling wanly.

His soul flickered, strangely dim.

“Nah,” Dean answered quietly.

They did not speak after that, even after the boy left the room. Some time later, Dean left too, with a quick nod toward Castiel, so brief he might have missed it.

Castiel watched him go.

Robert Singer sighed, a wistful smile on his face.

“Well,” he said, turning to Castiel. “We’d better get goin’, huh?”

Castiel nodded.

“Yes,” he said softly. “Let’s.”

◇

Revolution came. Blood ran through the streets and voices cried out in the dawn, the sound of shouts and guns being fired.

Dean lay slumped against a building, bleeding in the dirt—a wound in his thigh that desperately needed a doctor. Castiel waited by the dying body of Dean’s compatriot, watching soldiers run past.

Dean saw him and his face went pale.

“Well, Castiel,” he murmured. “You comin’ to finish me off?”

He knew. He knew if Castiel was there, it was already too late.

He passed out soon after from the blood loss. Dean was not to die yet, but soon. Thirty minutes maybe, a stray bullet to the head. He would feel nothing.

Castiel thought for a moment. Then he did something he was not allowed to do.

He picked up the dead comrade’s helmet and slipped it over Dean’s head, brushing the hair back from his glassy green eyes. Then Castiel gently laid him back against the building.

“Not yet, Dean Winchester,” he whispered.

◆

Castiel was not sure why he did it. But nothing happened. No fire, no brimstone, no splitting of the fabric of time. Whatever cosmic consequences he had incurred lay quiet.

In the hospital, many died. Castiel checked on him frequently. By the seventh death, he was awake.

"Castiel," he whispered. “Cas.”

The nurse hushed him and quickly turned up his medicine. Dean slipped back under—but not before he grabbed Castiel’s hand.

In sleep, he burns cooler, the swirling ocean during a storm.

◇

Dean sat there, sunken eyes, in a wheelchair.

War brings out the demons inside.

"Y'know, I'm startin' to think you're following me."

Castiel frowned.

"You do not know this man. I believe you are the one following me."

"Yeah, well." Dean turned his head away, scratching at a cheek covered in rough stubble. "I had to thank you, didn't I?"

Castiel hesitated.

"I did nothing."

"Sure."

Dean picked at the edge of his bandage. A couple weeks and he'd be able to walk again.

"All I'm saying is, it's pretty nice I got the angel of death as my friend."

Castiel let out a small derisive sound.

"I am not an angel."

"Then what are you?"

Castiel thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure."

Then, something in his words registered. Castiel looked at him curiously.

"Friend?"

"Yeah," Dean said. "Friend."

◆

Dean was not there when Castiel took his father. They hadn't spoken in years.

“So that’s it,” John said flatly.

Castiel nodded.

“Yes.”

John was silent for a long moment.

“Guess there’s no talking my way outta this one,” he muttered. “No more deals to make.”

Castiel slowly shook his head.

John looked back at his own body, tears welling in his eyes.

“Miss my boys,” he mumbled. “I shoulda...shoulda done more. Shoulda done right by them.”

He sighed, staring blankly at his hands.

“Guess it’s too late now.”

Castiel spoke softly.

“Your son is a fine man.”

“Yeah?” John turned, raising an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

Castiel avoided his eyes, holding out a hand.

"Come," he said. "Mary is waiting."

◇

"How come I see you so much?”

"Death is everywhere.”

"Then how come your name isn't...y'know. Death?”

"There are many old names for things. Everything changes with time."

Silence sat between them, comfortable yet steady.

"Is there a god?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Dunno. Figured if there was, they'd be your boss."

"If there is, I've never met them.”

“Huh. Told Sammy as much. He still thinks you don’t exist, by the way.”

“People find it hard to believe things they cannot see.”

“Mmm.”

“It’s something I have wondered, many times, Yet it remains mysterious, even to me."

Castiel looked down at his hands, the means of his lonely burden.

"I am merely the ferryman,” he murmured.

Dean nudged his shoulder.

"So the Greeks were right then?"

"What?"

Dean rolled his eyes.

"Never mind."

◆

When his next-door neighbor died on his kitchen floor, Castiel visited Dean.

He was crying.

“Dean.”

He looked up slowly, eyes unfocused.

“My dad’s dead,” he mumbled. Castiel nodded.

“I know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Castiel shrugged slowly.

“I hadn't talked to him,” Dean said, a confession. “Not in years.”

“He mentioned you.”

Dean dropped his head back in his hands, shoulders shaking. Rather than comfort, Castiel’s words seemed to have the opposite effect.

Castiel stood still for several long moments.

Then he knelt, reached out, and touched his cheek.

Tears clung to Dean’s lashes. He looked up at Castiel, shattered, laid bare, his rough exterior finally split open.

Dean leaned forward, lips parting.

This soft, broken man was the edge of a knife, a precipice for which there could be no coming back.

Castiel brushed a thumb over the freckles dusting his skin—wheat and honey stars in a milky sky.

And he kissed him.

◇

Dean still burns cool in his sleep. But they've evened out, and now, he feels like warm summer rain in Castiel’s arms. He has stopped shivering when Castiel holds him.

“What do I look like?” Castiel whispers one night.

They do not have much time left. Castiel has been reckless, pushing the limits further and further each time he stays. He cannot begin to imagine what danger might come from his disobedience.

“You don't know?”

Dean smiles, and starts to trace the lines of his face.

“You look human. Sorta.”

His fingers dance down Castiel’s jaw, sweeping across his chin.

“But...I look at you, and know you're not...y’know?” He laughs softly. “I can just tell. You're made of something else.”

Dean’s hands skim across Castiel’s bare throat.

“When you’re wearing clothes,” he continues, a hint of mischief in his tone. “It’s always the same ugly-ass coat.”

Castiel makes a small indignant sound.

“It is not ugly.”

“Just saying.”

Dean grins, loose and easy, tangling his fingers in Castiel’s own.

“You could rock the whole badass look. Black cloak, scythe—the whole deal.”

“The scythe was quite cumbersome,” Castiel deadpans.

Dean looks at him for a moment until he realizes Castiel’s joking—and he laughs.

“And you got one hell of a sense of humor,” he murmurs, leaning in.

Castiel accepts the kiss, closing his eyes. Despite all he’s seen, all he’s suffered, Dean is still so full of love. The resilience of humans will never fail to astound Castiel, but Dean is something else.

He pulls back, smiling softly, then reaches up, tugging at Castiel’s hair.

“This is brown. Really dark brown, almost black. Way darker than mine.”

Dean looks at him, lowering his voice.

“Your eyes are blue, and they're the prettiest eyes I've ever seen.”

Castiel catches his hand, pressing a small kiss to his palm.

Dean’s smile fades as he watches Castiel, his chest rising and falling slowly. Castiel’s does not.

He does not breathe.

“When I gonna die, Cas?” Dean whispers.

Castiel goes still.

Dean searches his face.

“C’mon,” he says, a slight shake in his voice. “You gotta know.”

Castiel looks at him, and realizes he does not.

“I don't,” he says, shocking himself with the words.

Dean doesn't heed him, barreling on.

“Because when I die, I mean what if—”

He stops, fear in his eyes.

“What if I never see you again?” Dean whispers.

Castiel cradles Dean’s face in his hand, shaking his head, opening his mouth to whisper false words of comfort.

That's when he feels a tug at the edges of his being, and he’s being pulled halfway across the world, to the next death.

The last thing Castiel sees are Dean’s panicked green eyes, before everything turns to black.

◆

“SAM, NO—”

Dean runs, his scream rending the night air.

“No, no, Sammy—”

He reaches Sam just before he collapses, dropping with him in the wet dirt.

“Dean—” Sam chokes out, as the perpetrator runs away with his crime into the dark. “I’m—I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Hey, hey, no—it’s okay, alright?” Dean tries to pull him up, support him, even as Sam falls to his knees, slumping forward. “You’re fine—it’s fine, it’s not even that bad, it’s not—”

Dean cuts off. He lifts a shaky hand from the wet patch spreading over Sam’s back, seeing it come away covered in slick red.

“Shit,” he breathes lowly.

Sam says something, jagged and garbled in his throat. Dean shushes him, hands coming to his face.

“No, no, Sammy, you’re gonna be fine—we faced worse before, you just need to—”

Sam’s face is ashen white, his eyes starting to slip closed. Dean gasps back a choked breath.

“C’mon, Sammy,” he begs. “Come on.”

He looks around, to cry for help, for something, anything—

And he sees Castiel.

“No,” Dean breathes.

“I'm sorry, Dean,” Castiel whispers.

“No,” Dean snarls again, gripping the back of his brother's jacket.

He doesn't have long. Samuel Winchester’s heart is pushing the blood out of him, slowly but surely. It won't take more than a few minutes.

Castiel takes a few steps forward, but Dean jerks back, dragging Sam backward, shielding him with his own body.

Dean meets Castiel’s eyes. He's broken.

“No, Cas,” he whispers. “Please, no.”

Castiel’s hands tremble.

“I have to.”

Sam breathes in raggedly.

“Just a few more years,” Dean whispers. “Please.”

“I can’t,” Castiel answers softly. “Death demands life.”

“One year, just one year, c’mon, at least give him something—”

Dean stops, choking back sobs. His breath spirals silently into the night air, the ground slick with rain and blood.

“I’m sorry, Dean,” Castiel murmurs.

He kneels beside them and places a hand on Sam’s forehead.

Dean watches, bone-white and utterly defeated.

Sam gasps.

“Dean,” he murmurs. “I...I see him.”

Dean looks down at him, shocked out of his stupor.

“Y-yeah?”

“Yeah,” Sam whispers. “Your angel...Cas.”

Dean nods silently, tears dripping down thick and fast.

“He was real after all,” Sam mumbles, his head drooping onto Dean's chest.

Dean stares down at his brother’s pale face, hands clenched in the loose folds of his jacket.

Seconds, now.

Castiel closes his eyes. He has no heart, but he’s sure this is what it feels like when it breaks.

“Take me.”

Castiel looks up sharply.

Dean’s jaw is set, his eyes are firm.

“Take me instead,” he orders again.

Castiel stutters, fear constricting his throat.

“Dean, I—”

He stops, shaking his head.

“I can’t,” he whispers.

“Bullshit, you can’t,” Dean spits back. “You saved me.”

“I—”

His argument dies in his throat.

As Castiel beholds him, stares into Dean’s eyes—his fate is murky, the truth to Castiel lost in shadow.

Dean reaches out, catching the edge of Castiel’s sleeve.

"Please," he begs. "Please, Cas."

Castiel shudders, and looks back to Sam’s pale face.

“And you would leave him here alone?” He swallows thickly. “Without you.”

Dean is silent for a long moment. When Castiel finally musters the courage to look back at him, his normally carefree face is drawn tight, resignation heavy on his shoulders.

“I ain’t supposed to be here, Cas,” he whispers. “I felt it. Ever since…”

Castiel knows.

Ever since he ripped up the rules, leaving nothing.

“I was supposed to die,” Dean says quietly. “Maybe I should. “

Sam’s breathing slows, his face grows slack.

Dean tightens his grip, knuckles white.

“It’ll be hard for him at first,” he breathes, looking down at Sam. “For—for both of us. But I know he’ll understand.”

Castiel cannot think. Dean cannot fathom what he’s asking of him.

“Cas.”

Dean’s voice breaks on his name.

“Cas—please,” he whispers.

A soft touch on his cheek.

“We’ll see each other again,” Dean breathes, swallowing thickly. “R-right?”

Castiel folds his hand over Dean’s.

“Right,” he whispers, but he’s not sure if it's true.

He slowly places his other hand on Sam’s, and looks up into Dean’s eyes. He nods, just once.

Sam bolts upright, just as Dean slumps over, the light fading from his eyes.

Castiel sags, the transfer of energy leaving him weak. It's like watching a film in reverse—Sam rises dazedly, and when he understands what has occurred, he is the one now shaking his brother’s lifeless body, agony in his voice.

“Dean!” He calls, looking around wildly. “Castiel, you son of a bitch, don’t you dare—bring him back—”

He continues raging, cursing Castiel in one breath and begging for help in the next.

“I’m sorry, Sam,” Dean whispers.

Sam stills, hiccuping.

“Be good, alright?” Dean continues softly. “You keep fighting. And take care of my wheels.”

Sam drops his head, stifling a choked laugh. Dean smiles, sad and bittersweet.

“Remember what Dad taught you, okay?” He murmurs. “And what I taught you.”

Behind them, a soft white light begins to glow, banishing the obscure dark. Sam does not notice, or see. He is too caught up in his grief, mourning over a now-empty shell.

The universe demanded the soul of a Winchester, and it got one. Yet a life traded for another cannot move on.

Castiel knows this.

Beside him, Dean’s hand finds his.

Castiel shivers. Not candle-warm, like the other souls he’s helped cross over. Dean’s hand is as cold as his own.

“Let's go, Cas,” Dean whispers. “I can't see this.”

They turn away, Castiel giving one last look to the brother they’re leaving behind.

And they walk forward into the light.

◆◇

Castiel’s work has always been demanding. Souls dying everywhere across the globe, some within the same second.

With two, the job is somewhat easier.

◇◆

She opens her eyes. She must’ve slipped under again, a brief respite from the pain.

She sits up and is surprised to find the motion does not hurt her. In fact, nothing hurts anymore. Instead, she feels only lightness.

“Well, you sure took your sweet time.”

She turns, startled to see a man standing at the foot of her bed.

He clicks his tongue, pulling back the edge of a leather glove to tap a shining watch on his wrist.

“We’re late enough as it is,” he says expectantly. “And I don’t got all day, seeing as my brother’ll kill me if I don’t get to visit him again.”

He thinks a moment, then chuckles, a wry smile playing around his lips.

“Well.” He smirks. “He would if he could.”

She blinks a few times, bewildered.

“Who are you?”

The man ignores her question, removing his gloves completely. He’s tall, impeccably dressed in a dark suit and black cloak.

“Tessa, right?”

He smiles, extending a hand.

On his fourth finger is a ring, white ivory in a square setting.

Tessa doesn’t move.

“I’m dead.”

The man winks.

“Bingo,” he answers. “Or ‘condolences’, as Cas would say.”

Before she can ask what that's supposed to mean, the man quickly checks his watch again, speaking brusquely.

“Okay, but seriously, come on.” He jerks his head, nodding over his shoulder. You’d think we’d have all the time in the world, but turns out we run on a very tight schedule.”

Tessa eyes him warily.

“And...where are we going?”

“Y’know.” The man gestures vaguely. “On. As they say.”

“On,” she repeats.

The man smirks.

“Yeah. Dust in the wind and all that.”

She frowns.

“What?”

“It’s a—” The man stops, waving an impatient hand. “You know what—never mind.”

He turns, beckoning once again. Seeing no other option, Tessa falls into step beside him.

Before them is a warm silver light, growing brighter by the second.

They reach the threshold of what seems to be a shimmering door, a gateway.

Tessa takes a deep breath. Despite everything, she is not afraid.

She looks back at her strange shepherd, gathering her courage.

“So.”

He glances up, raising an eybrow.

“You’re Death,” she says.

The man chuckles, once again pulling on his black gloves.

"Sure am," he answers, smiling. "Well—"

He shrugs.

"One of them, anyway.”

He turns, holding a hand out for her to shake.

“You can call me Dean.”

◆◇

#destiel #my writing #when my time comes #death!cas #mcd #happy halloween!!!!#🎃#too spoopy

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aromantic-romance-writer · 4 years

Text

Muichiro Tokito x Fem! Student! Reader

[A KnY AU: Bounded By a Forgotten Past]

School works, why must you delay this post-

Modern and Spirit AU??? :33

I recently rewatched Studio Ghibli's "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Spirited Away" and my childhood is-

:'3

So I had this idea :DD

Enjoy!

WARNING: it's a very long read ahead!

You stare up at the tree-covered hill. Was it a hill or a mountain? It wasn't particularly tall nor short, so you weren't sure. What you were sure is that that big mound of earth was never here before.

"[Y/N]! What's the hold up?" One of your friends called as you realized they were already several meters away from you.

"Hey, this mountain or hill, has it always been here?" you eye the mound with your hands on your hips, tapping your foot. "Didn't we pass a field yesterday? And the other day before that? And the two years we've been passing here?!"

Your friend runs back to you to look at whatever you're looking and gave you a weird look. "What hill? It's the same field we walk past every day."

You snap your head back at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Do you not see this??" you give her big gestures pointing the hill.

She sighs heavily. "Whatever prank you're pulling off, it's absolutely stupid and humiliating. Come on! I don't want to miss dinner!" she grabs your arm and pull you away, you gave the hill (or mountain, but you decide to call it a hill now) one last look before struggling to keep up with your friend.

You were very good at reading expressions and can sometimes guess what people are thinking. It was helpful at times, but it was mostly annoying. You laugh bitterly as you try to erase your friend's deeply annoyed face.

As you stagger back to your group of friends, a pair of pale mint eyes were watching you in great interest. The empty eyes, for the very first time in decades, shimmered with curiousity.

° ° °

The next day, you decided to leave earlier than usual for school. You were determined to check if that suspicious hill was still there and you weren't gonna let any of your friends drag you away again.

You slip into your shoes and ran outside to take the usual path, greeting familiar faces as you run past them. You finally reach the hill and stopped running, gasping for air. You regain yourself and wipe the sweat from your forehead.

So it's still here. You knew you weren't hallucinating. You walk closer to it as you reach out your hand. You feel the prickly grass on your palm. You hear a rustle from one of its trees and quickly look where it came from.

"Maybe a bird or something..." you assure yourself. As you scanned the hill, your eyes widen in surprise. Were these stone steps here before?

They were covered in moss and some small weeds. What the hell is happening? Maybe you are hallucinating. Is it because of that bun you ate that was a day expired? But you've been doing that a lot now so why is this happening?

The stone steps seems to lead all the way to the top. You hover your hand over your eyes to dull the sunlight as you look up to the top of the hill.

Is that mist?

It's not even that early in the morning. And surely it's not tall enough to reach a cold temperature. All those trees definitely didn't do that.

"Gah, all this investigating is giving me a head ache..." you massage your temples and decided to leave this problem in the afternoon, knowing better since you still have the whole day studying. You gave the hill one last look before walking away.

The breeze swayed his black to mint gradient hair. He watches your figure getting smaller until it disappears.

How intriguing...

° ° °

"Yup. It's still here." you tell yourself as you scan the hill.

It was pretty late in the afternoon and the school day finally ended. You skipped [Fave Hobby] club and escaped cleaning duty. You barely escaped from your friends as well. No use bringing people who are blind to this.

The stone steps were still there. You stare at the steps skeptically. Are you really willing to waste your afternoon investigating this thing?

You noticed that the mist at the top have become thicker, immediately answering your question. Nervous, you take in a deep breath and took a step forward. The step was solid. You smile to yourself proudly and continued to walk up the steps. The taller you go, the thicker the trees are. The mist was also starting to form.

You soon start to feel your legs wobble in exhaustion. You must be out of shape since it's the hill isn't really too tall. The mist was thick now, but you notice that the trees are getting thinner. You must be close to something, whatever it is. If you find out there's nothing at the top, you'll freak-

Then you found a shinto shrine. The trees beyond the shrine were a different species, and immediately recognize that they're ginkgo trees. Its leaves were the colors of autumn and pretty much out of season. The fallen leaves were scattered around, but it doesn't surpass the shrine, like an invisible force field to prevent it from crossing to the normal world. It was such a peculiar sight to see yellow colored ginkgo trees in the middle of April.

What the hell.

You get closer to the dusty shrine. It was covered with cobwebs. You spot something engraved on its right side. You wipe the dust off with your hand and read the kanji.

"'Nothing'...?"

"Exactly. There's nothing."

You jump in surprise and turn around too quickly, losing your balance. Someone grabs your arm before your face meets the floor. You regain yourself and sighed in relief. You thought you were gonna have a flat nose by tonight. You swivel around to see a boy who is shockingly already a few feet from you beyond the shrine. He was staring at his hand. His face was so blank, you don't really know what he's thinking or why he's looking at his hand like that.

How could he have such a deadpan expression?

The boy looks like he is younger than you. His hair had raven locks that turned mint in the ends. He was pale and is wearing a cream colored yukata with patterns that are shaped like mists. He's barefooted and had an empty scabbard hanging from his waist.

"E-excuse me!" you call out, snapping the boy out of his thoughts. He stares at you without a response.

You felt awkward. What was he doing here?

"You should leave." the boy says a bit crossly. "Before the sun sets."

You blink a few times. Is someone younger than you telling you to leave? You wanted to coax him about changing his tone and to be more respectful, but upon realizing that the sun was starting to set, you decide to leave him be.

You hesitantly bow and quickly descend the hill. The boy watches you from behind and like always, he waits until your figure disappears. He walks towards to where you stood. The triangle headwear he wears must have fallen when he saved you from falling humiliatingly.

He picks up the hitaikakushi and ties it around his head. He stares at his hand again. His hand that was able to grab you. His hand that didn't come through you.

He sighs, feeling stupid once again. He knew very well that he could not touch humans, yet his body is automated to help someone in need. What happened earlier was different though.

Much much more different.

° ° °

It's finally the weekend, and you were cursing at yourself for deciding to go back to the mountain again. You decided with a flip coin, since you weren't really sure whether you should visit the mysterious boy or not.

"He must be a yurei or something, so why do I even bother...?" you sigh almost jokingly to yourself and shoved your hands in your pockets.

You soon find yourself at the foot of the hill. The steps were still there. The other day they weren't, you were sure. Perhaps the boy can do that? Make things appear and disappear in his territory, if he was some kind of spirit.

You notice the mist have reached the base of the hill and was much more thicker. The trees danced with the breeze, making you wonder how something that isn't really there be in sync with the world.

"You're back?"

You were snapped back to reality. You follow the familiar uninterested voice to see the same boy from yesterday, leaning against one of the trees. The shade from its leaves barely covered his face, but his pale orbs were bathed in little sunlight as if to purposely give empty eyes some light. His mint orbs shone with such a calm demeanor under the sprinkle of sunlight, you thought no one has ever looked so somber for someone so young.

Then you notice the triangular head piece he's wearing. A hitaikakushi. So he really is a yurei.

"Um, yeah, I'm back..." your voice trails off as he walked closer to you, finally fully bathed in the sun's rays.

His brows slightly furrows. "Why?"

You blink. The first time you saw him, you really didn't get a good look at his features. Seeing him now, his hair flowing through the wind while the sun acted like a spotlight, you see him clearly.

Oh my god, he looks like an absolute angel.

You gulp as you thought you were getting hazy. "I, well, uh-"

"You shouldn't be here." he turns his back to you and starts to walk up the steps, the mist seemingly following him like a servant following its master.

"Didn't you invite me?" you voiced a question even though the sight of the mist following his shadow was so fascinating to look at. "The other day there weren't stairs here..."

He stops to give you a brief look. And in that millisecond before walking away again, his eyes flickered with slight shock. You grin to yourself and followed him up the hill.

The boy admits to himself that you were right; he did 'invite' you to his home. He can't help but get curious about a human seeing him for the first time. What's more, he can touch you. Though he doesn't admit one thing.

He feels lonely.

Spirits shouldn't feel lonely. Spirits shouldn't feel anything. Spirits should go to the afterlife, yet he's still here. He remembers nothing of his past or when he was still living, not even his own name. One day, he just awoke on a tall hill with yellow ginkgo leaves surrounding him.

He tried his best to spend his days alone remembering who he was, but to no avail, and decided to give up. He assumed that because of his lost memories, he's still roaming the Earth. The only piece of memory he has is this empty scabbard, and have justified that he was a swordsman at such a young a age. Whether a professional or not, he just knows he's a swordsman.

You see him stop by the shinto shrine. You were still entranced at the sight of the cluster of ginkgo trees beyond the shrine as it danced with the wind with a grace so majestic to you.

"You came to confirm that you're not a lunatic hallucinating things, right?" he says with a flat tone in his voice. "You've seen everything that you can see, now leave."

You consider his question. "It just made things more confusing though..." you mutter to yourself.

But he heard and turns to you, expression unchanging. You catch his eye and quickly tensed under his gaze. It's not that he's intimidating - okay, he is, only because it's like he's some kind of robot. Solemn and somber and deadpan were the only words that can describe his features. It's making it hard for you to read him.

He averts his gaze, startling you just a little. "Then, you can come back whenever..." he huffed. "...just until you're not confused about this anymore."

You stare at him for a moment. His eyes were darting everywhere but you, and he was fiddling with his fingers. What's with the sudden change in reaction? Not that you were complaining. He looked so adorable this way.

You suppressed a grin. "Then I'll be back tomorrow." You almost forgot why you were here, but either way it doesn't really matter as long as you'll come back tomorrow.

You descend the hill as the boy watched you gradually getting smaller until you disappear from his sight. Just like he always have.

He pouts at himself. He shouldn't have said that. You shouldn't come back here. Convinced that it's best for him to be alone, he called himself a nincompoop under his breath. But he had a feeling that even if he hadn't said that, you'll still come back. Your eyes were straightforward about it.

° ° °

You've been visiting him for the next few days. During weekdays, you'd visit him after school. He doesn't really talk when you ask him simple questions. He didn't seem like he was annoyed by your presence though. Right before the sun sets, he would ask you to leave, and you didn't know why. You were persistent, enough to surprise the boy.

Seriously, inviting me here but then you're not conversing?

One day, he couldn't bare to ignore you for much longer. He was at his usual spot at the foot of the hill. He was patiently waiting for you as he leaned on the tree. This time, he's gonna answer your questions. Well, at least he'll try. He was as clueless as you are, as to why and how he's here.

He closes his eyes, concentrating on the breeze that was passing through him. Though a spirit, his body was reacting to the world naturally. His hair would sway in the wind, the sun would shed light on his eyes, and recently a human girl can touch him.

He opens his eyes to stare at his hand. He recalls the time he caught you before idiotically tripping. Your skin was delicatem as well as warm to the touch. For a moment, he felt alive and breathing. Breathing the same fresh air of mid-spring.

The sound of light footsteps. His gaze landed on your shadow that was increasing in size as you walked closer. Finally, his eyes met yours that shimmered in slight surprise. Your shocked look slowly turned into a warm smile.

In that millisecond of a moment, he saw someone else. A boy with the same heart-filled smile. It was only for half a second, but he saw how kind the boy's smile was. Such kindness would make anyone cry.

"Hey, are you okay?" you were sitting across him and were waving your hand in front of his face.

He finally snapped back and stared back at you. For a spirit, he was already pale. But he was paler this time. His eyes were filled with mixed emotions - so many emotions you couldn't count. But these emotions stood out the most; Shock. Disbelief. And fear.

"What's wrong?" concern growing, you inched closer to him. He turns away, a gesture for you to stop. And so you did. He blinked a few times and heaved a deep sigh before turning back to you. Once again, his eyes were empty and his expression was deadpan.

"It's nothing."

You wanted to ask again, but given his expression you decided no to pry. For a while, you stayed in your position as you continued to scan his face. His features were clearly blank again as he was staring at the ground. But there's always something more to that unchanging expression he always wears. What could he be thinking?

"Questions..." he starts in a soft whisper.

"Huh?" You tilt your head. He raised his gaze to level with yours.

"I'll try to answer questions..." His voice was much louder now. You knew what he meant and nod with your lips tugging into a small smile. He looks away and taps the grass beside him. You gladly moved to sit beside him.

You had so many questions. You wonder which you should ask first. "Ah! I don't really know your name yet. For starters, what's your name?"

He stares up at the sky for a few seconds before responding. "I don't know. I don't remember."

"Oh...did you lose your memories?"

He nods. "Then you don't remember anything from when...I mean, your past?

He nods. You frown. So either way, none of your questions will be answered then? Well maybe questions about the present, he can answer.

"Why are you here? Why am I the only one who can see you?"

He gives it a thought. "I don't know."

You sigh, frustration building up inside you. The anticipation of finally knowing what's going on faded away in a dissatisfied manner.

He sees you, and stared st the ground once more. "...but I think it's because I don't remember anything. That's why I'm here."

You can sense his effort of trying to communicate, and you appreciate it.

Maybe continuing to visit him isn't the worse idea?

"Sorry." he apologised. You knew what he meant. You visit him everyday so you can get some answers, and now that he's finally talking, you were left with absolutely nothing.

But maybe nothing isn't so bad?

° ° °

He is very confused.

That day, he couldn't answer your questions in the end. But you still visit him. What's your goal?

You would talk about how your day went and sometimes even bring snacks. You knew very well he can't eat, yet you still bring these delicious foods with you.

You're so mean.

It's not like he's complaining though. He doesn't admit it, but he starts to adore your presence more and more. He was quiet, watching you go on and on about your day. It was a refreshing sight.

Other than that, he's been getting these flashes from his past more often. They come in bits and pieces so it doesn't really add anything up. He would see his own hands holding a sword, unfamiliar faces, another him, and the most mysterious and confusing ones are the flashes of huge pillars inside a seemingly endless room all lined up. He was sure there were other people in the room as well, but this one person with long hair doesn't reveal his face.

He was certain that you would be able to set him free. Is fate finally giving him a favor and sent you here? Or is it the other way around.

"Hey so..." your voice was unsure. He's never heard that tone from you before. "...a guy asked me out on a date. I'm not sure if I should go. I told him I'll give it a thought..."

The way your hand played with your earlobe and looking at the ground embarrassingly, were you asking for his permission?

He blinks cluelessly. "A date?"

You realize and chuckle at him and yourself. "Right. You probably don't know what a date is, huh?" he nods. "It's when a girl and boy go out and do all sorts of fun alone together. They would talk and eat and stuff...but usually when it's only because they-"

"But aren't we doing that now?" he cuts you off. He almost sounded upset. You were staring at his innocent face as you felt your face getting hot. "You're already on a date with me everyday, so you shouldn't go."

"You're havung fun with me around?" the question simply slipped away, and you got redder when you realized. His eyes widened a little and somehow his cheeks were slightly dusted pink. He looks away and hummed softly.

You smile. "I guess I'll tell him no then." he seemed to slightly perk up by your response, but his gaze remains away from you.

You knew you had to tell him at some point, that dates are about when two people like each other. But you decide to let it slide for now. You were feeling too warm and fuzzy inside.

The sun was gonna set soon, meaning he'll tell you to leave again. But you wanted to ask him about that before you do.

"Why do you ask me to leave before sunset?" you casually asked while cleaning up.

He was staring at the setting sun. There was an unfamiliar feeling of anxiety and fear in his eyes. But there was also this strong look too. You've noticed that he seems to grip his scabbard absently whenever the sun is almost setting.

"I...don't know." the same answer to you questions, yet answered with a different tone in his voice.

You thought for a moment. Then you remember about you grandfather telling you stories from his time as a young kid. The mosters prowling at night in search for human flesh, the hunters who possess immense strength and abilities to take those monsters down, and the end and start of it all.

"You told me you were long dead..." you started. You try to search for the words, but there was no sugarcoating it. "...then you must know about the demons, right?"

Upon hearing the word, flashes of different faces printed on his mind all at once. Sharp teeth, eyes cravung for bloodlust, claws that can easily rip your heart out - they were all different people but with the same description. Finally, the last one was longer - the long haired man with no face finally has one. Intimidating six eyes were starung right at him.

He almost lost his composure if it hadn't for you. He realized he was as stiff as a board and finally relaxed once he felt your touch. You grabbed his arm with worry that he wasn't responding to your calls.

"Are you okay?" you asked.

He absently gripped your hand that was holding unto him and pulled it away, just to hug you tight. You were surprised with the action (and his strength for someone with a small build). You were really getting worried.

As you were about to say something, he spoke first. "...I want to protect you. Let me protect you."

"Protect me from what?" he only hugged you tighter. You didn't know what and why is this happening. You also don't know about his past was about. Heck, you don't know anything about him at all.

You stare at his scabbard. He was a swordsman, that's for sure. Maybe it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you knew who he was or what he's been through - you know him as the boy who is hugging you right now. That matters.

You slowly wrap your hands around him as you were engulfed with the last but of sunlight left. "Alright." you brush through his hair and he immediately relaxes in your arms. You don't know it, but happiness was bubbling from his chest.

° ° °

It was just another usual day. Another school day have ended and you were heading to the usual hill where he lives. Sometimes, you end up daydreaming while walking but every time you find yourself at the foot of the hill already. It's like your body was automated. Thinking back when there wasn't any magical hill yet, you just head straight home. Your mom would say to have fun with friends and go somewhere after school, but you just weren't the type to do that. You chuckle at yourself.

You realize that you've arrived and saw the boy standing straight with his fists clenched. When you met his pale eyes, you couldn't believe what you were seeing.

His eyes gleamed with hope and excitement. He wasn't trying to hide it. His deadpan expression was replaced by excitement and impatience, and you admit it was foreign to you. But it was a sight you can never forget.

"What are you doing standing there?" he breathed, barely hiding his emotions. "I have a lot to tell you."

"Wow! So you had a twin?"

He nods vigorously. He continues to tell you of his memories with a happy look on his face. It's been like this everyday now. You weren't the only one talking anymore. You were exchanging stories; stories of your lives, stories of the past and the present.

"I was a demon slayer too! A high-ranking one at that." he stares at you with a proud look on his features.

"Really?" you stare back at him in awe. "You're so young though! What else do you remember?"

"That's all I remember today. I'll tell you more if anything else comes up!" he says cheerfully. But soon, his expression softened as his gaze seemed to pierce through yours without him realizing. "[Y/N]...are you happy for me?"

You held your breath, completely off guard. You hadn't forgotten what he said before.

"If I get all my memories back, I might finally move on. I'll be free."

He said that just a few days after you've met. Now, it's been weeks. Of course you should be happy for him. After so many years, he's this close to finally move on from the world who couldn't see him, realize that he was still there. But then he'll be far from your reach. He'll get farther and farther until you couldn't grasp him anymore.

You smile, forcing yourself to remember what he wants. "Of course I am! You'll finally be free!"

He nods at you. Before meeting you, it bothered him that he's alone in the world. No one can see him - the whole world can't see him. And such loneliness is absolute torture for a spirit of a child. Though an elite swordsman of the past, he's still a young boy. A young boy who then meets a young girl of the present. You were cheerful, kind, and loveable. You were also a bit clumsy and a tease, but those were the qualities that made him feel alive even just for the afternoon where you spent time with him. For the first time, he didn't care if the world couldn't see him. You turned into his world already.

And for the first time, he wished he would forget.

° ° °

Tiem flew. Months passed. By now, the boy has probably remembered everything. Everything except his name. He didn't mind though.

"Hey! There's a summer festival today!" you visited him in the morning to inform him of the annual summer festival happening in your neighborhood. "I promise to bring in lots of prizes today! And maybe some food." you barely hid your cheeky grin.

"Stop teasing me with food I can't eat!" he pouts at you. You laugh and ruffle his hair, giving his heart an unusual skip. "But didn't you say that festivals are the best at night?"

You smile brightly, happy that he remembered what you said. "Mhm! That's why I'll be back before sunset."

"Watching fireworks are the best when you're with someone."

That day, you did visit again before sunset. You were wearing a [F/C] kimono that was decorated with flower patterns and your hair was tied in a loose bun. All he could do was stare at you as he blushed.

"S-stop staring too much..." you mumble, but he hears and apologises.

You sit beside him and told him what you saw. You showed him the prizes you won from winning games, and flaunted the delicious snacks you brought (resulting a drooling spirit).

After all that, everything finally calmed down. You were both waiting for the fireworks display to start. You were right at the entrance of the shinto shrine. Beyond it, the autumn ginkgo leaves seemed to shimmer slightly under the soft moonlight. You never stepped foot beyond this shrine because he advised not to. The way he told you, it was obvious that it was his haven. It was where he feels safe and at peace. A few days after first meeting him, he sits in the middle of the pile of leaves and stares at the sky. Now he doesn't. Does that mean he can feel at peace with just by being with you now?

"[Y/N]! Look!" he points at the sky and you follow; different colored fireworks exploded in the star filled sky. Its light reflected on your features that showed awe and happiness.

The boy next to you, however, weren't watching the dancing lights in the sky. He was watching the girl beside him who's completely absorbed in the beauty of the fireworks. He feels the same way as you, only it wasn't towards the fireworks.

It was towards you.

Then, a flash. He grabbed his head in pain. This was clearly a memory; but why does it hurt?

He sees a man - he was blind. He was wearing a black kimono with a white kimono jacket that had purple and pink mist like patterns that starts from the end of his jacket. He wore the smile like Buddha. A calm aura radiated from him. They were in a room and he seems to be lying down. The man was sitting beside him and was saying something, but he wasn't audible. Until-

"You will get your memories back...

...Muichiro."

Then he was back. The memory faded away. He was sitting beside you under the now empty sky. The fireworks display ended. You were calling out his name and was holding him. Your eyes showed nothing but concern and worry. Suddenly, he hugs you. Tears started streaming down his face as he buried his head into your chest. It was gonna stain your kimono, but you didn't care. You didn't know what was going on, and all you could do was hug back.

You stayed like that for what felt like hours. His sobs subdued into quiet sniffles. He held you tighter, as if he was afraid that if he lets go, you'll disappear.

"...Muichiro." he muffled. He looks up at you, eyes sore from crying. "M-my name..."

You widen your eyes in realization. You start combing his hair with a smile, but tears were forming in your eyes. "Muichiro...it's a nice name."

"Don't lie!" he says and breaks away from you. "Don't smile like that!"

His words broke your heart.

"Don't tell me you're happy! Because I'm not!" he yells. He stands up, staring at the ground. "I'd rather forget everything again and stay here with you!"

He was crying again. No, of course you should be happy. But you can't help your feelings. You don't want him to say that; he doesn't mean it. And if he does, you should stay strong for him. He needs to be set free. You stand and hug him tenderly. He gives in quickly and hugs you tight. You couldn't find the words. You knew you should change his mind. You don't want him to disappear while he feels like this.

A sudden breeze, then a strong wind. The ginkgo leaves were flying, circling around you. Soon, the mist joined in. He hugs you tighter, but even when he did, his grasp and warmth was gradually fading. You cupped his face in both of your hands and gave him the warmest smile despite the tears.

"Muichiro, I like you."

His eyes widened. He knew what those words meant. It wasn't a simple confession. You were telling him to go. You were telling him that it was okay and that you'll never forget him.

He smiles back. "I like you too." he holds your hands as your foreheads touched. You shut your eyes tight as the strong wind almost felt like a tornado.

Then you can't feel his warmth anymore. You can't feel his face in your hands. The wind disappeared. You open your eyes slowly.

You were standing on a field. As if the hill was never there. You stare at your hands, before falling on your knees.

As tears streamed down, you still smile. "Muichiro..." you whisper. His name meant 'nothing', but his whole existence was the opposite of that. Despite his name, you knew he lived a happy life. And hoped that his time with you was just as happy.

He was born to be happy.

#demon slayer #demon slayer muichiro tokito #kny #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu no yaiba muichiro tokito #kny muichiro tokito #muichiro #muichiro tokito #muichirou tokitou #muichiro tokito x reader #demon slayer muichiro tokito x reader #kny muichiro tokito x reader #kimetsu no yaiba muichiro tokito x reader #muichirou tokitou x reader #demon slayer muichirou tokitou x reader #kny muichirou tokitou x reader #kimetsu no yaiba muichirou tokitou x reader

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is0gild · 4 years

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Ice Cream and Fire Oven Pizza - Chapter 27

Pairing: Elsa x Lea/Axel || Side Pairing: Riku x OC

Summary: Modern AU. She's an introvert ball of nerves who works at Ice Palace, a mall food court ice cream shop. He's the outgoing, sassy goofball who works at the Pizza Planet across the way. Hilarity, snark, and fluffy romcom hijinks ensue.

Word Count: 10,891

FIRST CHAPTER || PREVIOUS CHAPTER || NEXT CHAPTER

Credit for super friggin’ cute and super friggin’ amazing cover art goes to the super friggin’ talented ky-jane here on tumblr!

You know that counting sheep thing?

Does. Not. Work.

Of course, maybe I'd be having better luck with it if I was able to go more than seven or eight sheep before my stupid brain would get distracted chasing some other wayward thought down the rabbit hole.

And it didn't help that there were so many wayward thoughts to choose from too. There was wondering when all that seething rage Grandfather was barely keeping in check was finally going to explode and murder me. There was confusion over Mother's actions and uncertainty as to which side she was going to end up being on, mine or that of the family's reputation. There was dread over the talk I was going to have with her and Father that had seemed to take so distressingly, painfully long to get here but now that the time was finally almost upon me, it suddenly seemed far too soon.

But probably the one that was eating away at me most of all, the one playing complete havoc with my nerves, the one that had kept me up tossing and turning all night long so far… was Anna.

I hadn't seen her for the rest of the party. To be fair, I hadn't stayed much longer after she'd fled from me. By that point, my capacity for human interaction had been maxed out and I'd needed to get out of there. Thankfully, Lea had managed to free himself from the clutches of my relations and had rejoined me, bearing two slices of cake. One look at me was all it took for him to know, then he was helping me make a quick exit. After escorting me back to my room, Lea had asked if I wanted company but I'd turned him down, saying I just wanted to go to sleep. He'd left me with a smile and one of the pieces of cake, which I'd set aside untouched on my vanity. From there, I'd changed into my nightgown and readied myself for bed, doing a poor job of it as I didn't even braid my hair. Then I'd turned off the light and crawled under the covers.

But I did not sleep.

Instead my mind whirled and raced and at the forefront of it all was Anna. What was it that had her so upset? Why couldn't she just tell me? How could it have caused such a drastic change in her attitude towards me? When had it even all begun? Was it something that she had been dealing with in silence, letting it fester for some time now and I just hadn't noticed until it'd gotten to be too much for her and she could no longer keep it hidden?

These were just a few of the questions that had kept me up. Were still keeping me up, even now as I spotted the first feeble rays of sunrise beginning to light the night sky outside my window. Honestly, this thing with Anna was stressing me out more at this point than even the idea of The Talk™ was.

But thankfully, all that sleeplessness hadn't been for naught! I had a theory now. I'd been over it again and again in my head. Mentally retracing and RE-retracing every step, every action I'd taken in the weeks between my wedding day and this very weekend, trying to figure out what it was I'd done, how I'd wronged my sister. And there was only one thing I could think of.

I should have called her sooner.

After running away, I shouldn't have waited so long to let her know that I was okay. God, she must have been going out of her mind with worry waiting to hear from me. I know I would've been, had our roles been reversed. And sure, she'd seemed fine that first day she'd tracked me down at the food court, not to mention every day that'd followed after that up to this point. But she'd probably just been keeping the fact that it had really hurt her to herself. And to make matters worse, I hadn't even ever apologized for how long it'd taken me to reach out to her. That's probably all I'd needed to do to make things okay - an acknowledgment of my thoughtlessness and a simple sorry. That was it. And it'd never even occurred to me to do that, not once, not until right now in the wee hours of early dawn.

True, it was all just a guess. But it's all that I had! Now then... how to make her feel safe and comfortable enough to open up and just tell me that? It's not like when we were kids and could just talk to each other about anything and everything. It's not like I could just magically make it all better like we'd always used to over whipping up a batch of-

I suddenly sat up with a gasp.

Because that's when I had it.

I knew what to do.

"Scotcheroos!"

"There you are!"

I didn't even glance up at the sound of Lea's voice, just paused long enough to sample a quick taste of the contents of my mixing bowl before scrunching up my face. "No, no, it's still wrong… maybe I just need to…" my muttering trailed off as I resumed pacing and stirring the concoction more furiously.

"Ya know, I take it back," he said, crossing his arms and leaning one shoulder against the kitchen door frame. "This place isn't a Clue board, it's a goddamn labyrinth. I've been wandering 'round lost in circles for who knows how long now. Luckily, I eventually came across a minotaur who I could ask directions. Good guy. Not at all as bullheaded as the stories would have you believe."

I was only half paying attention to what he was saying. Apparently, it wasn't the half that knew a lame pun when it heard it. Instead it was the half that marched up to him, shoved a small, chocolate-butterscotch coated spatula in front of his face and asked, "Does this taste right to you?"

He blinked, eyes flicking to the silicone scraper then back to me. Then he poked a finger to the goop and stuck it in his mouth. "...it tastes good?"

I huffed and pressed, "But does it taste right?"

"Yes?" he ventured a guess. I frowned and squinted up at him hard. "...and by yes, I of course mean no. Obviously!"

"I knew it!" I whirled around to slam the bowl down onto the counter. My hand came up to rub a curled finger over my chin as I groaned, "Ugh, what am I missing here?"

He was looking at me. At the nightgown I was still wearing. At my bare feet. At my hair thrown up into a loose, sloppy bun with several obstinate tendrils escaping to trail all around my face and neck. "...so is this where you've been hiding all morning?"

"All morning?" I laughed, shaking my head as I moved over to a second bowl on the stove top. Maybe I'd been on the right track with this earlier attempt. "Don't exaggerate, it's only-"

"Noon?" he offered with a half-shrug.

"Noon?!" I parroted back in disbelief. He nodded and I looked to the clock on the oven, which only further confirmed it. "But that's impossible, there's quite simply no way I've-" the words caught in my throat however, for all it took was one glance about the kitchen to verify that, yes in fact, there quite simply was way. My parent's home had a massive, king-sized kitchen to be sure but even so, I'd managed to cover almost every surface in it with many, many other bowls filled with all my previous discarded attempts. Oh gosh, you'd think I'd been at this all night, not just merely since the crack of dawn.

"Ya missed breakfast by the way," Lea said conversationally. "Man, was it awkward with only me sitting there with your folks, Gramps and a handful of your aunts and uncles. Lemme tell you, they're not as big of fans as you are of the Let Me Guess Your Fave Ice Cream game."

I winced, scratching my cheek with a tiny, "Sorry." Now that I thought about it, I did remember the cook bustling about in here as well at some point, probably making the breakfast Lea was referring to. She'd left me to my own devices, the kitchen being more than big enough to accommodate us both without getting in each others' ways. I'd only thought she'd been in here for a minute or two though.

He waved it off, "Nah, don't worry about it. I like to think your fam and I really bonded over all those crepes and long, uncomfortable silences."

I just gave a vague hmm in my throat, already distracted by the task at hand once more as I moved from one bowl to the next. This one? No… Maybe this one? No…

"I didn't know ya knew how to cook," I heard him say.

"I don't," I muttered, pulling a face at the peanut butter rice crispy batter in this pot, which was a whole other mess of problems. One minor catastrophe at a time, however. First I needed to figure out the topping, then I could work out the rest. I sidestepped to the next bowl.

Lea tipped his head to one side. "So then you just know the recipe for this one thing?"

"Not really, no."

His lips pursed to the right. "...struck in the middle of the night by the sudden, inexplicable but undeniable urge to teach yourself how to cook before the day's out?"

I paused, looking up to meet his gaze. "Yes."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Nope." And my search continued! Maybe in that pan over there…

"Okay seriously, whatcha doing?"

Ah-ha! Not the pan, but the gigantic bowl right next to it! I think this batch had been the closest so far. I picked it up and started walking towards Lea, declaring, "Scotcheroos!"

His brow furrowed, "Scotcha-wha?"

"Scotcheroos," I repeated, coming to a stop in front of him and shifting my hold on the container to one arm before stabbing a finger into the mixture. "Taste," I calmly demanded - his only warning before I suddenly stuck my fingertip drenched in sugary, chocolatey goodness into his mouth, forcing a small, strangled noise to choke out of his throat. Hand retracting, my eyes big and round and imploring, I asked, "What's the missing ingredient?"

"I, uh…" he cleared his throat, averting his gaze under my scrutiny as he rubbed at the nape of his neck. Then he snerked and grin, "Love?"

My eyelids drooped. "...not funny."

"It was a lil funny," he mumbled, making me scoff as I spun around and started pacing again, free hand coming up to clasp over my mouth as my index finger tapped the tip of my nose in thought. "C'mon, El, what're ya worried about? It tastes fine."

"But it doesn't taste right," I insisted, snatching up a clean spatula from a nearby utensil holder and feverishly stirring at the mixture. Was that helping? No clue. As previously stated, I didn't know the first thing about cooking. "And it has to. It must be absolutely perfect. You see, when Anna and I were children, Halima used to come over all the time and make these with us. Particularly whenever there was a squabble between us girls that she wanted to help settle. And these always, I don't know… helped… make things better. Somehow. So I thought that maybe… If I could just… Then possibly Anna would..." I stopped, puffed out a slow breath and regathered myself. "But it's been so long since she last made them with us and it just keeps coming out… wrong. I can't remember the exact recipe."

"Why not ask Halima?" he suggested, moving to stand opposite the kitchen island from me.

My eyes rolled as my feet continued to patrol back and forth. "What, at 6 a.m. when this whole madness began? Besides, I don't think she and Mattias even stayed here last night and I don't have her phone number."

"Well then, they have this fabulous invention called the internet."

"Don't you think I tried that already?" I swung up the spatula in frustration, sending some butterscotch-chocolate flying straight towards Lea. He ducked and it blurred over his head to splatter against a wall behind him. "But all the recipes out there are a little different, and none of them know Halima's secret ingredient."

He snapped his fingers, "Applesauce."

I froze midstep. Then I slowly turned to look at him, the hint of a smile tugging at one corner of my lips. "So you were listening last night."

"Course!" he beamed, hunching forward and propping his elbows on the island countertop, arms folded together. "Always do when ya got something to say."

I snorted, brushing the empty sweet talk off as I went back to pacing and stirring. "Anyway, nice try, but it's not like she uses the same secret ingredient in all her recipes. Hmm, maybe it was… honey? Or coconut oil? ...marshmallow cream...?" When I happened to glance Lea's way again, my feet came to a grinding halt once more as I gasped, "Sea salt!"

Both his eyebrows shot up his forehead. "As in the ice cream?"

"No, as in sea salt." Slapping the spatula down onto a counter, I started throwing open all the overhead cupboards in a frantic search. The upside of such a well-stocked kitchen was it had everything. The downside was it could be impossible to find the one thing you actually needed. But behold! Sea salt! There at last, in the ninth cupboard I'd check. But ugh, of course it just had to be on the top shelf, didn't it?

Swiping a finger over my cheek to brush a few strands of hair out of my face (which then promptly fell back into place), I secured the mixing bowl by hugging it tightly to my stomach with one arm while stretching the other up high over my head, reaching for the blue bottle. "It's probably not the ingredient, but it's at least one ingredient I forgot." Almost there…

A hand that wasn't mine suddenly appeared over my head to beat me to it, snatching up the little bottle of sea salt. I whipped around only to be greeted by the sight of a black band tee stretched snugly over a broad chest that I was becoming almost disturbingly all too familiar with at this point.

Pssst, Lea's eyes were up there, dummy.

Can you blame me, though? Really? I can't help it if the damn thing was always in my direct line of sight! Curse my genetics for making me so damn short!

I hastily looked up to meet his gaze as he offered me the sea salt. Gosh, he was so close. Really, the only thing separating us was my bowl. Beating my blush back with a proverbial stick, I gingerly took the small bottle with a soft, "Thank you." I then flicked the top open with my thumb and gave it a squint, wondering how much was too much. Welp, only one way to find out! I tipped it upside down over the mixture and let the pouring commence.

"So ya really think these Scotcha-thingies will get Anna to talk to you?" he shook his head slightly.

"I don't see why not." I kept dumping more and more out of the bottle. Better too much than too little, right? "It's always worked in the past. It'll work now. It has to."

"Yeah, but-"

"It has to!" I snapped desperately, slamming the bottle down on the countertop now with a loud bang that made me wince. Grimacing, I added more quietly, "Otherwise I don't know what else to do."

Lea frowned down at me. "...okay, real talk? How much sleep did you get last night?"

My nose wrinkled. "Zero, give or take an hour. Except not give, only take. Is it possible to get negative sleep?"

"If it is, you most certainly have," he snorted. "Alright, Missy, I think it's naptime for you."

A contemptuous huff escaped my nose. "Don't patronize me, I'm not a child. I'm fine."

"You have chocolate all over your face."

"I-?!" Embarrassed, my hand rushed up to scrub at my face. Lea's eyes crinkled and I could see him biting back a grin. When I lowered my hand to look at it, I figured out why. They were smeared all over in chocolate too, so I was probably only making the face situation worse.

He started lifting a hand towards me, then seemed to think better of it, using it to smother his smile instead. Then he asked, "Allow me?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. But then I sighed and tossed one hand up in an impatient gesture for him to get on with it. Snerking, he took the mixing bowl from my grasp and set it aside so he could step closer to me. His hand rose once more, gently brushing the curled knuckles of his fingers along my chin and across the tip of my nose, wiping away the smudges there. Was it just tired, sleep-deprived brain talking, or did he have that soft boyfriend look in his eyes again? Maybe he didn't even realize he was doing it. Maybe he'd forgotten how to turn it off at this point. Either way, that proverbial stick I'd mentioned earlier had snapped in two by now, making it impossible to keep the blush at bay anymore.

His hand cupped my cheek then, his thumb lightly stroking along my skin and leaving warm tingles in its wake. He let it linger there and I had to wonder at how stubborn that particular smear of chocolate must be. And still with that damn look. That thing could be considered a lethal weapon. Honestly, I was surprised I was still standing.

His lips parted, taking in a breath, about to say something and-

"Elsa dear." At the sudden sound of my mother's voice, Lea jumped and jerked back a step from me, swearing under his breath as he turned his back to us both, fingers viciously ruffling his crimson spikes. Mother arched one delicate eyebrow at me from where she had just appeared in the doorway. "Here you are. We've missed you all morning."

"Ah… yes, so I've heard. Sorry, I uh…" My hands self-consciously smoothed up and down my nightgown before clasping together as I took a quick glance about the kitchen. At the small mess I'd made here. Should I even try to explain? The more I thought about it, the more insane it sounded. "...just lost track of time, it seems," I finally settled on, hoping Mother wouldn't pry further.

Thankfully, she did not. Instead, she simply said, "Your father and I are ready for our discussion." She paused, giving my appearance a once over. "...perhaps you would like some time to freshen up first. You can join us in the Indigo Room in an hour." She tacked on a quick, "Lea," by way of greeting to him, bowing her head slightly.

"Ma'am," he returned with a weak chuckle and tiny wave. Then Mother turned and walked off, disappearing down the hallway. "Dun dun dun!" Lea mock chanted ominously, earning his shoulder a light smack from my hand and he sniggered.

Shaking my head, I muttered, "Well, guess I should go get changed."

"I'll meet ya outside your door when you're ready and we can take our lil stroll to the gallows together," he said brightly.

I gave a rueful smile, "You almost make it sound pleasant. Until then." On my way out, I ran across Gerda in the hall, who I asked to make sure no one tidied up the mess I'd left in the kitchen. Seeing as how it was a disaster zone of my own making, I preferred to clean it up myself later rather than make someone else do it. Then I headed up to my bedroom.

One would think I would be in a state of extreme panic now that the time of The Talk™ was finally upon me. However, as I switched out of my nightgown and got myself otherwise ready, I was oddly more just… numb. Huh. Perhaps I'd already used up all my crazy this morning and had nothing left in me to fret with. At least not right now, in the relative sanctuary of my old room. I'm sure I'd have no problem rustling up a fresh wave of cardiac arrest-inducing anxiety once I was standing in front of my parents.

But for now, I'd take comfort in this numbness. Who knew, maybe there really was nothing to worry about anyway. I'd been assuming the worst this whole time, but I honestly had no idea what this little chat was going to have in store for me. My parents had been doing too good of a job staying tight lipped and keeping their opinion on this matter to themselves. No big shock there, really. Who do you think invented the Conceal, Don't Feel mantra? My parents were the masters of that technique and had always been experts at keeping their cards close to the vest. But perhaps I was in for a pleasant surprise. Perhaps all they wanted to say was how proud of me they were for standing up for myself and how they would support whatever path in life I chose, as long as it made me happy!

...yeah right. All of Arendelle would freeze over in the middle of June before that happened.

Regardless, just under an hour later found me almost ready to go. I was somewhat more presentable now, dressed in a nice sundress I'd brought packed in my luggage for this weekend and with my hands and face washed clean of any remaining chocolate. I was just sitting down on the edge of my bed to tie my ankle boots when I heard my phone buzz. Retrieving it from my nightstand, one peek at the notifications informed me that Lea had sent a text:

Knock knock

I looked to my bedroom door. Then back to my phone, thumbs typing a message back.

Who's there?

There was a pause in his reply, so I tossed it onto the mattress next to me before reaching down to tug the laces of my boot tight. It wasn't until after I'd knotted the bow and moved onto the second shoe that my phone was vibrating again. I picked it up.

A dumbass

I quirked an eyebrow at that. Then tapped back:

A dumbass who?

I'd finished the other boot by the time his response came.

A dumbass who Bgan a knock knock joke w/o realizing it n so hz no punchline 4 u

One side of my mouth twitched up.

Wow, how embarrassing for you. They could revoke your snark license for that utterly epic failure.

I watched those three little dots bounce.

Shush n get ur butt out here alrdy

Snorting, I rose to my feet and pocketed my phone. A quick look around the room unfortunately revealed no further ways for me to procrastinate. Alright… guess it was time to get this over with. Heaving a heavy sigh through my nose, I exited the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind me.

Lea was waiting just outside, one shoulder propped against the wall to my left as he scrolled through his phone. Slipping it into his back pocket, he glanced up at me with a tiny smirk but then his spine snapped straight and his eyes widened. "That dress…"

"Hm? What about it?" I looked down at myself. There didn't seem anything particularly striking about it. Just a simple white sundress with a small purple diamond pattern decorating the hem at the bottom and- "Oh! Now I remember. This is the one you said I was wearing in your little fiction you cooked up about how we met, right?"

"Yeah," he smiled softly, scratching at a spot behind his ear. "It's as pretty on you as I, uh… imagined... it would be."

"Thanks," I ducked my head shyly. Luckily I'd had time in the past hour to tape and glue my proverbial stick back together, so I was able to thwack that blush down before it ever really had a chance to even get started. Peering back up at him once more, I couldn't stop a small huff of a laugh in my throat. "Is that what you're wearing? Really?"

"Gotta problem with it?" he shrugged cheekily. He hadn't changed since the kitchen. He was still in his faded band tee, ripped and ragged skinny jeans and steel-toed boots. And yeah, I get it, there was this whole badboy aspect he was going for to keep my parents from thinking they could scare him off. But at the same time, there had to be some sort of compromise, some sort of middle ground where he wasn't also provoking them and possibly making this upcoming conversation worse than it had to be.

Suddenly, he was snapping his fingers. "But wait, you're right! Be right back!" Then he was running off down the corridor back towards the guest room he was staying in. Since it was in the same direction we needed to go anyway for the Indigo Room, I just shook my head as I followed behind more slowly.

He was popping back out of his door just as I caught up. I took one look and wanted to facepalm. "Better?" he asked, smugly flipping up the collar of his leather jacket. "But wait, there's more!" Lifting the jacket up slightly revealed the return of that silly wallet chain hanging from his hip.

Ugh, I should have just kept my mouth shut.

"And the icing on the cake!" he reached inside his jacket and started pulling out the pink, heart-shaped sungla-

"No!" I darted forward, shoving them back into his inside pocket. Crud, these dumb things were becoming the bane of my existence. I pat my palm against where I could feel them on the outside of his jacket, saying sweetly, "Why don't we just keep those tucked away for now, okay?"

"You sure? Just trynta dress to impress!"

"But you're already so very impressive. Too impressive, in fact. My parents might faint from the sheer amount of impressiveness you already are."

"Woah, I'm even more impressive than I thought and that's saying something!" he chuckled. Then with a grin, he bent at the waist into a half-bow and flourished one hand out ahead of us. "Well then, shall we?"

I nodded and we set off down the hall.

We walked along in a companionable silence. Lea seemed to realize I was using this time to mentally prepare myself and bolster my emotional defenses. My mind kept going over it again and again. The exact words I wanted to say to my parents. It'd been something I'd constantly been turning over in the back of my brain ever since Friday evening's dinner. I had a whole little speech prepared. Must have ran through it a million times in the past two days. I had to, otherwise I would just be left stuttering and floundering and drawing a complete blank before my parents. It went a little something like…

Good afternoon, Father and Mother. How are you?

(Good opening. Solid. Cordial. A classic.)

As I'm sure we're all well aware, we're here to discuss the events of my wedding day.

(Straight to the point. Very concise and clear.)

First, please allow me to apologize. I deeply regret any pain and indignity my actions may have caused you or the rest of the family.

(And thus in one fell swoop, I've demonstrated sympathy and understanding, letting them know I acknowledge their feelings, their side of things. Was I killing it with this little speech or what?)

However, please understand that I quite simply could not go through with it. I didn't love him. I wouldn't have been able to make him happy, and he certainly wouldn't have been able to make me happy. It wasn't until I ran away from my old life altogether that I realized I just wasn't happy period. That I hadn't been for some time.

(A simple and straightforward statement of the problem. Plain and direct. Uncomplicated. How could they argue with that?)

I felt smothered. Like I couldn't breathe. I needed my freedom and getting away from everything I'd previously known helped me realize that. Living somewhere new, getting a job, forging out my own path in life… I've been much happier than I have been in a long while. This is what's best for me right now and I hope that with time, you'll come to realize that too.

(And just like that, a ready-to-go solution was presented to the aforementioned problem. The hard work was already done! All my parents had to do was just hear and accept that. Easy, right?)

Thank you for your time and consideration, I now open the floor up for further discussion and questions.

(...okay, maybe that last bit was a tad overly formal and unnecessary, but you get the picture.)

I think that covered all my bases. Sure, it didn't mention Lea at all. But it didn't totally negate the alleged role he'd played either, at least as far as my parents knew. I was hoping to maintain that little fib by just avoiding discussing it with them entirely. And sure, Lea would be present, but he was just going to be there as moral support for me and a deterrent for debate from my parents. Really, the focus of the talk shouldn't be on him anyway. It was supposed to be on me, on my feelings and why I did what I did.

I was able to rehearse my speech in my head a couple more times before we at last turned a corner and I spotted it.

The doorway leading into the Indigo Room.

Ah, there it was. The spike of adrenaline. That constricting of my chest. Right on cue, panic slithered in to encircle my heart, squeezing it, causing cracks in its protective little numb bubble, seeking entry. I gulped but kept walking, my step never faltering. My hand unconsciously found Lea's, causing him to shoot me a glance out of the corner of his eye. Then he smiled as he gave it a warm, tiny squeeze.

This was it.

There was no turning back now.

Just twenty more steps and I'd be through that door and facing whatever awaited me beyond. I screwed my eyes shut, going over my speech for the umpteenth time. These words were really the only things keeping me sane at this point.

Good afternoon, Father and Mother. How are you?

Ten more steps. My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

As I'm sure we're all well aware, we're here to discuss the events of my wedding day. First, please allow me to apologize.

Five more. I sucked in a breath and held it.

I deeply regret any pain and indignity my actions may have caused…

Three… two… O-

"Ah! There you are, my boy!"

The sudden, booming, and dare I say even cheerful voice had me stumbling and snapping my eyes open wide. Was that… I could have sworn it sounded like…

...Grandfather?!

He'd just come bursting through the very door we'd been heading for, with Father and the Duke walking out behind him as well. He was holding his arms wide open and had this huge smile on his face and- my god, was that an actual skip in his step?

Who was this man and what had he done with my grandfather?

...on top of that, I was just now discovering that Loud, Smiley Grandfather was way scarier than Quiet, Scowley Grandfather.

The maneuver was swift, calculated and efficient. He clapped his hands down on Lea's shoulders, catching him off guard as he spun him one-eighty, tearing his hand from mine. Then Grandfather was slinging an arm around Lea's shoulders all chummy-like. "Come! Walk with us, lad," he rumbled with laughter, forcing Lea into a staggering march beside him as he led him away. "Have you ever had a 1939 Macallan Scotch? Or a Gurkha Black Dragon cigar? No? Would you like to? How about right now?"

"Er…" still being all but dragged away, Lea glanced back over his shoulder at me uncertainly.

Bewildered myself, I just shrugged before gesturing for him to go along with it.

I feared Lea trying to resist whatever this was might risk poking the bear.

The Duke brushed past me to follow the two of them, posture rigid and face as crotchety as ever. Father was the last to go, gracing me with a brief smile. "Go on in. They're waiting for you," he nodded back towards the Indigo Room. Then off he went with the rest of the menfolk. Watching them go left me absolutely baffled.

What on earth had that been all about?!

I had nothing. Zilch. No plausible explanation whatsoever. Well, none except for-

Oh no.

They were literally about to murder him.

Think about it. It was the only thing that made sense! Why else would-

Wait… "they?"

That's what my father had just said, right? "They're waiting for you inside." His exact words. Who was this they? Shouldn't it just be Mother in there? Either Mother had had a change of pronouns and I was about to have a completely different conversation than I'd been expecting this whole time, or…

...someone else was in there with her.

Anna, perhaps? Yeah, that had to be it. After all, despite whatever her issue with me was currently, she was supposed to be there to have my back through this. And with Lea having just been straight up kidnapped, I'd need Anna's help more than ever. Yeah, that's probably all it was. Just Mother and Anna in there.

Hoping I was just being paranoid a second ago and Lea wasn't actually off somewhere getting assassinated this very moment, I shoved such thoughts to the back of my mind and prepared to go inside. I squared my shoulders, smoothed the nonexistent creases out of my dress, swept my braid-

Fudge, I'd forgotten to braid my hair! It was still up in that crude bun. Oh well, no time to fix it now. Hopefully it wouldn't come across so much as "messy" as just "stylishly disheveled." Regathering what little courage I could muster, I took a deep breath, clenched my hands at my sides and finally, at long last, stepped through that door into the Indigo Room.

It was a sitting room that lived up to its name. Everything was a rich shade of blue-violet from the walls to the carpet to the window curtains to the two couches taking up the middle of the room, facing each other from across the long coffee table between them. Sitting together in one of those sofas were three people. Mother - of course I'd expected her. Aunt Yelena - admittedly a bit more unexpected, but actually wasn't all that shocking. And... Maren? Okay, seeing her here actually did kind of surprise me.

But even more concerning than the people I saw before me now was the one person I wasn't seeing.

Anna.

Where was she?

Mother rose to her feet, a subdued smile on her face as she folded her hands in front of her just below her waist. "Elsa. Thank you for joining us. Please," she bowed her head slightly towards the couch across from her, "have a seat."

Perhaps a better question would be, what the heck was this?

...some kind of intervention? An ambush?

Oh gosh, was that why they'd taken Lea away? Had they just been trying to separate us so they could get me alone? Divide and conquer?

I stood rooted to the spot, not budging an inch. Aunt Yelena, usual stoic expression set firmly in place, said, "Maren dear, perhaps you could assist your cousin."

Maren grimaced, making a soft noise in her throat that was half huff, half growl. Then she stood, making her way over to me to take hold of my elbow, gently guiding me over towards the empty sofa. My feet dazedly followed. "Sorry," she whispered to me. "I didn't want to be here. Grams made me." She shot Yelena a sour look as she nudged me into taking a seat before rejoining the other two on the opposite couch.

Then everything fell silent.

Well... everything, that is, except for the hammering inside of my ribcage and the shallow, raspy breaths through my nose.

Alright, fine. So what if this wasn't exactly how I'd pictured it? So what if instead of my parents, I was facing off with some sort of, I don't know… matriarchy tribunal or whatever? So what if Anna wasn't here?

...why wasn't she here? She was supposed to be here! She was supposed to-

No! Stop it! Be strong! Be brave! You can do this on your own, Elsa. Remember the speech! Just recite those words you know so well by now and everything will turn out alright, you'll see. You got this!

Inhaling slowly through my nose, I began, "Good afternoon, Father and-" Shoot, I'd already screwed it up! Wincing, I stammered, "N-Not Father! Mother! A-And Aunt Yelena and Maren too, of course! Er… h-how are you? As I'm well aware, we're here to discuss my day." I blanched, looking down at my hands as they balled into trembling fists in my lap. "Wedding day! My… my wedding day. First, please apologize. Allow! Allow me to…" Ugh, so much for the speech. Why didn't I think to bring friggin' note cards? "...that is to say, I r-regret any actions my pain and indignity may have- wait! No, I-"

Yelena suddenly cut in with a blunt, "Does that boy have you on drugs?"

"What?!" my head shot up and I gaped at her. "I am most certainly not on-"

"It's okay, child," she held up a placating hand. "You're in a safe place. You can share the truth with us, we won't judge. Please, tell us how that boy has led you astray. Debauchery, intoxication, hedonism-

"Auntie," Mother interrupted her, placing a hand over hers as she shot her a small warning look. Then her full attention was on me again, her tone calm, as if she were speaking with a small child. "Elsa, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I understand. Believe it or not, I was young and impulsive too once. I've known men like Lea. Men who are handsome, who appear mysterious and dangerous and how exciting and… alluring all that can seem. It's just a phase, that's all. He's just a phase. But it's all over and done with now."

...a phase? "No, that's not what-"

"It's done now, Elsa," she repeated more sternly, expression hardening. "You just had to get it out of your system. And now that that little indiscretion is behind us and in the past where it belongs, we can forget all about it and you can get back on the correct course and fulfill your obligations."

"...get back on the…?" I echoed quietly, my brow furrowing. Then my head rocked back, gaze widening. "You don't mean-"

"Yes," Mother's eyes closed with a solemn nod. "Be grateful that your father and I were able to speak with his parents and smooth everything over. The wedding had to be rescheduled of course, but will otherwise proceed as planned."

"You still expect me to marry him?" I asked incredulously. This was absurd! Unreal! I'd even go so far as to say I must be dreaming, that this was literally a nightmare, except I would never be so lucky. I knew without a doubt that I was fully awake, that this was real life, and that this was exactly how my family worked. I shot up to my feet, "No! I'm a full grown adult, you can't just-"

"We can and we will! Sit down, you foolish girl," Yelena snapped dryly. "We are all in agreement here that-"

"We?" Maren grumbled, slouching down further into her seat, propping her temple against her fist as she glared down at the coffee table.

Aunt Yelena narrowed her eyes on her granddaughter. "Yes, we." Her cold gaze then shifted to lock on me once again. "We are all in agreement here that your actions have shown you to be too immature to be making your own decisions and so we must make them for you. You have let that delinquent cloud your judgment and good sense. Tell us, are you even so naive as to think yourself in love? Please, lowlifes like him merely take perverse pleasure in seducing and praying on young, innocent girls and using them until they grow bored and move on."

I'd lowered myself to the couch once more. I wasn't even sure when that'd happened. I didn't remember doing it. "...no, that isn't…" I began, but then stopped with a frown. This was all wrong. This wasn't how this conversation was supposed to be going. It wasn't supposed to be about Lea. He wasn't supposed to be the main topic, just an obstacle. Well, my family had seen him as an obstacle alright - one they simply had to eradicate before everything went back to normal and I did as I was told. Shaking my head, I began again, "He isn't like that, but that's besides the-"

"Oh no?" my aunt quirked a disdainful eyebrow. Then to Mother, she said cooly, "Iduna, if you would please."

A look of unease flitted across Mother's face and she hesitated for a heartbeat. Then her hand was reaching down to her hip for something that'd been tucked away out of sight between her and Yelena. "I found this in your room," she said, eyes downcast as she laid the thing out on the low, hardwood table between us.

It was Lea's spiked choker that he'd left with me.

My fingers squeezed the edge of the couch cushions to either side of my knees. "You were going through my things?" I asked quietly, looking up at Mother. She avoided my gaze and said nothing. I felt a sharp, unpleasant twinge inside my chest.

...was this the real reason she'd come to visit me a couple nights ago? Not because she'd missed me or wanted some time alone with me, but to… snoop? What, to look for something, anything that could be used against me, no matter how small or ridiculous?

"I shudder to think what other horrors we might uncover in a more thorough search of whatever squalor you're using as a poor excuse for living arrangements at the moment," Yelena tsked. "Tell us, what other depraved acts did that boy use to beguile you? Substance abuse, carnality-"

"Oh god, Aunt Yelena, no!" I buried my face in my hands. I take it back… this was, in fact, a nightmare. This was ludicrous. All this fuss over a stupid, cheap piece of goth jewelry. Puffing out a breath, I gestured towards the collar, "That, right there? It's nothing. It was just a joke, okay? It's-"

"The crumbling state of your future is no joking matter, young lady!" she huffed back, for the first time showing a crack in her stone cold mask. "Look at you! I don't even recognize you anymore. Gone is the sophisticated and well-mannered woman we all nurtured and helped you grow into. We're left with nothing but this pathetic, disgraceful shadow of what you once were. Your actions are mindless. Your behavior is deplorable. Your appearance is appalling." My appearance? What on earth was wrong with- oh for the love of… curse you, you cruddy bun! I just knew you'd be my downfall! "There is little doubt in our minds that this is all that degenerate's doing. He's got you all turned around, making questionable decisions and not taking care of yourself. And you let him. Why? Just what do you have to say for yourself?"

It's funny… now that I was at last being given a real chance to speak, I found I could no longer string even two words together. My lips parted, but nothing came out. My throat had closed up, my voice had abandoned me. I glanced to Mother, but she still wouldn't look me in the eye. As for Maren, she just gave me the barest of shrugs and mouthed another silent 'sorry' to me.

My mouth was dry. Blood rushed in my ears. This was all wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Leading my family to believe that Lea was my boyfriend had been a mistake. It hadn't helped, it'd only made things worse. Now I'd been backed into a corner where I'd either have to defend the lie or come clean with the truth, and I didn't see either option turning out particularly well for me. My hands were wringing at the skirt of my dress, mangling and abusing the fabric. The corner of my eyes stung. This should have all been going so differently. Lea should have been here. Anna should have been here. Where-

Suddenly the door to the room crashed open, making all four of us jolt. I twisted around in my seat to see Lea storming in, a dark scowl marring his features. I blinked.

He was angry.

I'd never seen him angry before.

I hadn't even thought a single angry bone existed in his body.

"Come back here, you vulgar, deadbeat hooligan!" the Duke snarled as he too came in, hot on Lea's heels, his mustache swishing in an agitated frenzy. Lea ignored him and kept going.

Grandfather was next to arrive. Gone was the smile from earlier, replaced by pure unadulterated rage as he roared, "We told you to stop! Did you not hear us?! Or are you as deaf as you are brainless?"

"Lea?" I asked as he at last came to a halt next to me, my wide eyes darting back and forth between him and them. "What's going on?"

"Get your things," he ground out through grit teeth, grabbing my hand and pulling me up to my feet. "We're leaving."

"Wha-?" That was all I got out before he was on the move again, tugging me into a stumble after him.

Grandfather and the Duke were still bellowing their outrage, hurling insults that were getting lost in a jumbled torrent of words as the two of them tried to talk over each other. By now, Father had entered the room as well but unlike the other two, he only narrowed his eyes and remained grimly silent.

"Lea," I tried again, my free hand going to his arm as I struggled to keep up with his long, hurried strides, "tell me what happened."

"Oh, I'll tell you what happened alright. What happened is Gramps here," Lea came to an immediate stop in front of the man in question, glaring daggers at him, "tried to pay me off to ditch you and disappear for good."

Both eyebrows shot up my forehead. "...Grandfather, is that true?"

"Of course it is!" Grandfather snapped, jabbing a finger into Lea's chest. "That's all you're looking for, isn't it?!" Another jab. "A nice, plump handout to make you hit the road and stop sullying my granddaughter's honor!" And yet again. "Well, what's the matter, dolt?!" Jab, jab, jab. "What, were you hoping for more munny?! Not enough zeroes for you on that check, hm?!"

Lea's right eye twitched. "Swear to god, Gramps, if you poke me with that fucking finger one more damn time-"

"You mean to tell me you didn't take the munny?" a new voice, slow and dubious, interjected into the conversation. We all turned to see that Aunt Yelena had left the couch to join us, squinting at Lea with a skeptical frown.

"Shit no! What's wrong, you buncha geezers, hearing aids on the fritz? How many times do I have to fucking say it?! I don't want a damn cent of your stupid, stinking munny. Next person to ask will hear me telling 'em just exactly where they can take their munny and shove it! C'mon El, let's go already!" And he was off again, charging out the door and taking me with him.

I had to hand it to Lea. The tension in his shoulders, the flaring of his nostrils, the flash to his green eyes… he certainly had the whole offended boyfriend act down pat. He'd almost even had me fooled for a second there, but clearly it was all just for show. I mean... pretty sure it was, anyway. It's not like he'd actually-

Thud!

That was the sound of me faceplanting into Lea's back as he came to an abrupt and unexpected stop just as we exited into the hallway. Ow. With a tiny wince, I looked past him to see what the roadblock was only to discover we'd almost had a head-on collision with-

"Anna?" I gasped softly. "Where have you-" The words died on my tongue.

She was shifting her weight from one foot to the other as a small, nervous smile flashed across her face. But that's not what I was looking at. No, what I was looking at was her shoulders. More specifically, at the arm wrapped around her shoulders. More, more specifically, at the person attached to the arm wrapped around her shoulders.

My eyebrows knit together. "...Hans?"

Hans Westergaard. That's right, those Westergaards. As in the owners of the multi-billion dollar corporation Southern Isles Exports. As in long time business partners and allies of the Fryse family stretching back generations upon generations. As in this was their son before me, right here, right now. As in a boy I'd known since I was a child and had grown up with into teenagers. As in the teenager I'd began dating in highschool and started calling boyfriend. As in the boyfriend who'd proposed and became my fiancé. As in the fiancé who I'd left at the altar.

...as in my now ex-fiancé who currently had his arm wrapped around my little sister's shoulders.

I don't know how long I just stood there, staring and not blinking. It felt like an eternity, like time was standing still. But in reality, it was probably only a second, maybe two before I heard myself asking, "...what is this?"

Hans visibly stiffened, awkwardly removing his hand from Anna. His fingers scratched against one auburn sideburn at his temple as he muttered to her, "You... haven't told her yet?"

"Told me what?"

I knew. Deep down inside, I knew. It was so painfully obvious now, how could I not? But still, I needed to hear Anna say it.

"Told you that…" she stretched the last word out before trailing off, gnawing on her bottom lip as she poked the tips of her index fingers together and her eyes darted frantically about. Finally, in a voice so tiny I almost couldn't hear it, she blurted out, "Hans is my new boyfriend?"

Annnnd there it was.

...wait, was this what she'd been freaking out about all weekend? It was, wasn't it? Oh gosh, it all made so much sense now! Why she always seemed to change the subject whenever I'd asked her about the new guy she was seeing, why she kept clamming up whenever I'd approached her, why she ran away practically every time I'd so much as uttered a single word to her. It wasn't anything I'd done, she was the one who felt like she'd-

...hang on, back up a second. Rewind to the conversation I'd just been having in the Indigo Room. Hadn't Mother said… I could have sworn… Had I misunderstood? No… no, I don't think so…

Pretty sure it had been stated in no uncertain terms that I was still expected to marry Hans.

But that didn't make any sense! Not unless-

I looked at her sharply. "His parents don't know. Father and Mother don't either."

"We don't what?"

I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Mother's voice. I'd forgotten about her. Really, I'd forgotten about everyone else. Mother, Father, the rest of my family, even Lea who's hand I was still holding… every last one of them, completely wiped from my brain. For a moment there, all I'd been aware of was my sister, my ex-fiancé, and me. Now the rest of them were crowding out the door behind Lea and me, many still with scowls twisting their faces. Mother's expression, on the other hand, was that of surprise as she spotted who was standing next to Anna. "Hans? We didn't know you were coming by today. To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

As Hans gave a weak smile and struggled for some sort of polite response, Anna piped up with, "Could everyone excuse Elsa and me real quick? We'll just be a sec, promise!" She grabbed me by the arm and dragged me several steps away, leaving Hans looking rather distraught at being left to fend for himself before our family.

Well… our family and Lea, but I doubt Hans was going to be getting much assistance from that corner.

Once Anna and I were far enough away where a hushed conversation would not be overheard, she snatched my shoulders and whispered hastily, "Sis! I was gonna tell you, I swear! Mom and Dad too. But it just… it never seemed like the right time, ya know? I-"

"How long?" I cut her off, my voice flat.

Her forehead wrinkled. "...how long…?"

"How long have you and Hans been…" I looked away, my nose scrunching up slightly.

"Oh! After you two broke up, definitely, definitely after!" she insisted with several firm nods. Then her face blanched, "You weren't thinking that...that he and I would've... before you and he... No! No, we'd never do that to you! Not ever! Not in one billion, trillion years! Never, ever, ever, ever-"

"How long after we broke up?" I pressed, meeting her eyes now with a frown.

Here she grimaced, sucking in a breath through her teeth and turning her head away as she rubbed her elbow. "...the day after?"

...okay, I didn't mind the fact that Hans had moved on. It was actually almost kind of shocking how little I cared. I guess it was just further confirmation that I'd made the right decision by not going through with the wedding. Besides, how hypocritical of me would it be if I did care? Here I was, crushing on Lea for crying out loud! But that's all it was - a crush. And at least in my case, it'd taken several weeks to develop.

Hans had waited a day to move on. And he hadn't moved on with just anyone, he'd moved on with my sister. And since then, the two of them had probably been… doing things, ugh! To think, the guy I'd been engaged to for a year, doing god only knows what with my baby sister less than twenty-four hours after I'd-

...well, to be fair… he probably knew the "Lea and me" story by now, so he'd probably thought I'd been cheating on him for months now...

...then again, Hans didn't know about "Lea and me" the day after I broke it off. Heck, I didn't know about "Lea and me" the day after I broke it off! I didn't even actually know Lea then! So it's not even like Hans had had the moral high ground when he'd… when he and Anna had…

"-not like we meant for it to happen, it just sorta, ya know… happened!" Apparently, Anna was mid-babble as I tuned back into whatever she was saying. "I mean, I always thought his eyes were kinda dreamy, but he was your fiancé so I was all, woah there girl, hands off, no touchy, big friggin' no-no there! But then, all of a sudden, he wasn't your fiancé, and well… I was there, and he was there, and we just… happened!"

...there was something…

"And I wanted to tell you, oh my gawd, you have no idea how badly I wanted to tell you! I didn't want either of our parents to find out before you did, I wanted you to be the first to know and for you to hear it from me! But we just kept putting it off and off and off-"

...something… something my subconscious was trying to tell me right now…

"-and off until finally! This weekend! I said it's now or never, damn it! It was going to be Friday night, I was going to have him over for dinner with Mom and Dad at the same time you brought over Lea! But then I just… dunno, I chickened out and told him to stay away!"

...scratching, picking at the back of my mind…

"So then I said Saturday! Definitely Saturday! At Grandfather's birthday party! Think of it, it would have been perfect, like… like our grand debut! But then I friggin' wimped out again! I was just really scared how you might react… I didn't want to see you hurt or…"

...god, what was it? I almost had it, it was literally on the tip of my-

"But finally, I said you know what? I just gotta rip off that stupid bandaid! Today! It had to be today! That's why I brought Hans here, now, so we could finally just-"

"Why today?" I asked abruptly.

She blinked once, then twice. "...what?"

I fixed her with a hard stare. "Why did it have to be today? Why this weekend? Why… when Lea was here?"

She froze, eyes growing round. Then she was tugging at one of her pigtail braids, looking anywhere but at me. "I don't know what you-"

"This is why you convinced me to trick Father and Mother into believing I was dating Lea." My frown deepened. She flinched and said nothing. I was breathing heavily through my nose now as my chest burned. "It is, isn't it? You knew our parents wouldn't have approved of you two. That they still wanted me, as the eldest, to marry Hans. So you thought that... that if I showed up on their doorstep with a boyfriend who was their worst nightmare, that it would somehow… what, make you and Hans not look as bad? Lessen the blow? That Mother and Father would use up all their freaking out on me and have none left over for you?"

She gave a small "...no?" with a half-hearted shrug. My eyelids drooped. Then she sighed, "Okay, maybe a little bit… but that was just a small part of it! The smallest part! A teensy-weensy, itty-bitty smidge of it, I swear! The main, big reason I suggested the Lea plan was because I really thought it would help you! That it would be just the boost you needed to stand up to Mom and Dad and get you through this big talk with them and-" Anna's words drowned in sharp gasp. "Frick, the talk!" Her eyes drifted back over to where the rest of our family was still gathered. You could see her putting two and two together, could all but hear the gears beginning to turn in her mind. "...was that happening right now? I didn't miss it, did I?"

That was it.

Right there.

The last straw, apparently.

I was done. So done. Done with the lies, the expectations, the not getting any sleep, the panic, the stress, the fear, all of it… I just let it all go. I don't know how. I'd never been able to before. It had always seemed impossible, but now it was so simple, so easy. All of it, just gone with a tiny snap inside my brain. In its place, an almost eerie peace had settled over my heart. I knew what to do now. It was so clear, so obvious. I turned away from Anna and started to walk calmly back towards the others.

"Sis?" I heard Anna whisper after me, but I just kept going. "...Elsa? What are you-"

"Father. Mother," I came to a stop in front of them, pulling their attention away from whatever discussion they were in with the rest of the group. All eyes turned to me now. I could sense it in all of their looks - the curiosity from my parents, the thinly-worn patience of my aunt, the simmering fury coming off both Grandfather and the Duke in waves. Normally all of it would be enough to break me, but not this time. Instead, I just let it all wash harmlessly over me. I could feel Lea at my side and I took what little comfort I could from that. Then I drew in a long, deep breath and began.

"Lea and I aren't dating. We never were." I stated it simply, as if I were merely discussing the weather. Mother's and Father's gazes widened in shock while low grumbles and murmurs passed amongst my other relatives. I went on, "I didn't even meet him until after I ran away from my wedding. He's just a friend, one who was willing to go along with a ridiculous and what I can see now was quite honestly pointless plan.

"I didn't run away because of him, he had nothing to do with it. I ran away because of me. I did it for me. I wasn't happy. I didn't want it… not the wedding, not the life you'd laid out for me, not the future you'd so carefully planned, none of it. I needed to be on my own, I needed the freedom and space to make my own decisions and to be me, to decide what I wanted and what was best for me. It's my life. I get to decide how I want to live it and none of you get a say in it. Period." I stood a little taller now, hitching my chin and narrowing my eyes, "And if you don't like it, well then that's too bad."

A hush fell all around us. My parents' brows were furrowed as they exchanged glances. Father was the first to speak, "Elsa, perhaps we should take a seat somewhere and talk about th-"

"How dare you, you ungrateful girl?!" Grandfather suddenly erupted in a snarl, face a dark, blotchy red as he stomped forward. "I will not stand for such insolence in my presence! No granddaughter of mine is allowed to speak to us in such a manner ever, you hear me?"

My eyelashes twitched. An almost imperceptible wince. The only reaction I gave to his outburst. My gaze then shifted from him back over to my parents. Whether or not they were in agreement with Grandfather's statement, they kept it to themselves, remaining mute on the subject with small grimaces. Locking my eyes on Grandfather once more, I said evenly, "Very well then. I guess that makes me no granddaughter of yours."

I started to turn to leave, but then paused. Looking back to my parents one final time, I tacked on, "Oh, and the next time you try to marry me off to someone, you might want to make sure he's not in another relationship already."

Both their postures snapped straight at that. "Hans?" Mother asked, turning her focus on him now. "What does she mean by that?"

"I, uh…" he laughed feebly, sidestepping in a poor attempt to hide behind Anna. As for her, she just gaped at me as I turned my back on them all and walked away. I could see Maren out of my peripheral, her jaw slack as well, but with a smile tugging up at the corners of her lips as she brought her hands together in a slow, silent clap.

"You stop right there, young lady!" Grandfather was shouting after me, but I did not stop. "You will do as you're told or so help me, that's it for you! Step one foot outside this house and you're cut off! Disowned! We'll have nothing more to do you with, you hear me?! Nothing!"

Still, I kept walking. I could hear a single pair of footsteps behind me. Once they caught up to walk along beside me, I glanced over, knowing I'd be greeted by Lea's grinning face. I told him, "You can put them on now."

He cocked his head at my words. But then it clicked, and his grin stretched wider. "You sure?"

"Positive," I said flatly, staring straight ahead once more. I could still hear Grandfather yelling his tantrum after me back there. "Go nuts."

"Oh hell yeah!" He reached inside his leather jacket, whipping out the heart-shades and slipping them onto his nose. Then he spun into an about-face, striding along backwards next to me now. "Suck it, bitches!" he crowed back at them all, throwing his hands up to flip the double bird as we turned to disappear around a corner.

That's right.

Suck it, bitches.

Author's Note: So THAT's why Anna's been acting all squirrelly! How 'bout it ya'll, didja see it coming from a mile away? xD Hopefully I surprised at least one or two of you with that lil twist xP And oh gosh, when it rains, it friggin' POURS! So much being thrown at Elsa all at once xD Hope the drama turned out okay! As you've read through 27 chapters of my writing by now (at least! I'm sure there's those of you who've read my other stuff too tho xP), you've probably gathered by now that I'm more about the sass, humor, and mindless fluff and less about… *gestures towards last half of above chapter* THIS. But I did the best I could and that's all anyone can ask for! Also… those damn heart-shaped sunglasses, I swear xD They were just supposed to be a one time throw away gag for the yacht chapter, but apparently my Lea muse liked them so much that he kept finding an excuse to bring them back every damn chance he got! It wasn't supposed to be a running gag, it really wasn't! But hot damn, if the Fire Boi wouldn't look good in those puppies xD

So, it's official… Elsa is finally done with all of it. Done with the lies, done with the family BS, all of it. Next time, what's she gonna do now that she's finally at long last well and truly free? So many possibilities! Where will she go? What will she do? Will she and Anna ever be able to patch things up between them? What's next for her and Lea now that their lil fake dating scheme is kaput? DOES that sheep counting thing ACTUALLY work for anyone? I mean, seriously?! Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading, I super duper appreciate it! And an extra BIG thank you to those of you who’ve liked, reblogged, and followed so far, seeing those lil notifications always brings the biggest, goofiest smile to my face!

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wordsfromthesol · 5 years

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The Private Eye

Author: @wordsfromthesol Taglist: @ghost-brocolli Pairing: Jason Todd x Reader Summary: AU where the batfam are detectives/cops, except Jason who is always the rebel, and is a private investigator. You are a vigilante and keep running into a certain P.I., a P.I. that’s a childhood friend. Warnings: Language, violence, injuries, ya’know all my faves Word Count: 2.6k A/N: This one got a bit long…whoops. Anyways, this was an AU requested by an anon! Enjoyyy. P.S. Y/H/N = your hero name

You had just finished tying up the last of the arms dealers when you heard someone outside. Grappling up, you watched and waited in the shadows. A familiar face crept through the door, you chuckled to yourself once you realized it was Jason Todd, and not another arms dealer. Swinging over to an adjacent window you whistled at the unsuspecting private investigator. You watched as his head jerked in the direction of the noise. As your eyes met, you gave him a wink and slipped out the window. It was interesting to see the Wayne ward in anything except a suit, since the only place you really saw him were the various banquets and galas his father made him attend.

Jason’s eyes went to the ground below where he saw eight men tied together. He let out an exasperated sigh before dialing his brother.

“Dick, they did it again” he blurted out before his brother had a chance to answer the phone.

“That vigilante?”

“No, the ice cream man.”

“…Unnecessary Jay, how many?”

“2…4…6…8. Eight and a mountain of guns.”

“Alright, I’ll get Tim and head over. He needs to get out from in front of that computer anyways. Send me your location…and don’t touch anything!” Dick didn’t know why he bothered with the forewarning, he knew his brother would likely touch everything.

Jason’s eyes darted around the warehouse, he knew he would only have a few minutes to look around before his brothers came stumbling in and taking all the evidence with them. He noticed a door and made his way towards it. Picking the lock was child’s play. Jason sifted through the various papers and file cabinets, snapping pictures of anything he thought was important. He silently cheered as it seemed that he interrupted you before your search of the warehouse had begun. Though his celebration was cut short when he heard a car engine cut off. Jason frantically threw the papers back in the cabinets and rushed out the door just in time to greet his brothers.

“Dick, Tim. Lovely day we’re having, isn’t it?”

“Right, because that doesn’t make you sound suspicious at all…” Tim rolled his eyes as he proceeded to head in the direction Jason ran from.

“Well you boys got it from here…have fun!” Jason shouted out behind him as he darted for the front door.

“Ja –” Dick’s words were cut off with the slam of the door.

You watched and waited on a nearby rooftop, you never really trusted the cops. You were almost ready to call the police yourself, when finally, a patrol car pulled up to the warehouse and two young detectives got out. Satisfied that they could handle it from here, you turned to leave…but movement caught the corner of your eye. The P.I. was in an awful hurry to get out of there, so you decided to follow him. You watched through his window as he sifted eagerly through photographs, it was almost endearing how excited he was. Hours passed and he still sat on the floor gazing at the various pictures.

Alright, this is getting me nowhere. I’ll come back later to try and catch a glimpse at those photos.

You headed home and tried to get some rest. Something kept gnawing at the back of your mind, and around 3 am you decided to check in on Jason. Maybe he was asleep and you could see what was so enthralling about those photographs. After slipping on your costume you made your way back to the apartment. The entire building was dark, so you slipped in through the window. After a quick sweep, you found the apartment empty. Where on earth would he have gone so late at night. That’s when you noticed the notes scrawled out beside the photos. Another warehouse? Reality hit you, you had missed one. This idiot went out to try and stop another supply of weapons. You dashed out the window, sprinting towards the location. I hope he fucking called his brothers.

You were relieved to arrive at the warehouse and hear silence. Either he hasn’t been caught or he’s already dead. You circled around the building, scanning for the best possible entrance, when you noticed a shadowed figure on the roof. What the fuck is he thinking. You joined him on the roof and clasped your hand around his mouth.

“What to enlighten me on your genius plan here buddy?” You whisper screamed at the man.

With annoyance in his eyes, he pried your hand from his face. “Unlike you, I’m strictly on information gathering…not that I wouldn’t enjoy bashing in some of their faces…”

You glared at him, not believing his excuse for a second.

“Alright judgey, you are ruining my recon here. I was hired to do a job, and I intend to do it. If you would ever get out of my damn way.”

“Me? In your way?! Are you kidding me?” A bullet whorled passed you and you realized your voice had gotten way above a whisper. “Shit. Just stay down, okay?” You reached for your grapple gun and secured it on the roof. Just as you were about to jump Jason latched himself to your side and the two of you tumbled down into the center of the warehouse.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” You screamed as you pushed him towards the wall, attempting to block him from the oncoming slaughter.

“You’re on something if you thought I was just going to sit on the roof.”

“Just do me a favor, and don’t die.” You called after him, as you sprinted towards the nearest thug.

You were pleasantly surprised at how well Jason could hold his own, not that he could ever know you felt that way. And he did get a nice bullet to the shoulder as a reminder to not follow you into the battlefield. You waltzed over to him, slumped to the floor grasping at his shoulder.

“See this?” You pointed dramatically to his shoulder. “This is what happens when you don’t follow my instructions.

“Well how do you know that bullet wouldn’t have hit you if I wasn’t there?”

You shrugged. “I’ve had worse.” Bending down, you took out your knife and cut off the bottom of his shirt. Before Jason could react, you tied the fabric around the wound. “You may want to go to the hospital so they can take that bullet out.”

“Yeah lemme roll up to the hospital in a now crop top.”

“Eh, it works…you call your brothers yet, or should I?”

Jason rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone. “Hey Dick…”

“What did you do?”

Jason’s voice went up several octaves as he proceeded to respond, “What…why would you assume that I did something?”

“Jason…”

“Alright, there’s another warehouse…the vigilante may or may not have been involved. Some people may or may not have been shot…I may or may not be one of those people.”

“What the fuck, Jay.” Jason quickly hung up the phone before his older brother could berate his recklessness. After sending the coordinates to his brother, Jason looked up at you. “Alright, get me out of here before Dick shows up. I do not need to see his reaction to all this.”

You rolled your eyes but motioned for him to follow.

It had been days since your last encounter with Jason, but you hit a wall with the ring of arms dealers and something in the back of your mind was telling you he knew more than he let on. You crept through the streets, making your way to his building. You couldn’t decide if it was a good thing or not when you approached the building and noticed the living room illuminated. Peering through the window, you didn’t see any evidence of life. Maybe he accidentally left it on? After a few minutes, you carefully pried open the window and made your way inside. Pictures and notes were scattered about, just as before. Your mind got lost processing all the information, both new and old, and you didn’t hear the front door open.

“Are you kidding me…” A voice echoed behind you. You swung around to see Jason holding a bag of food.

“Heyyy Jayyy…”

“Jay?” His brow furrowed with confusion as his eyes darted towards the evidence he had compiled on the arms dealers. “Are you seriously trying to sabotage my case?”

“What?! No! I swear!” You made your way to him.

“Get the fuck out. Now.”

“Jason, I just –”

“NOW”

You scrambled out the door before he further lost his temper. Thankfully, you took enough pictures of his notes to determine the gangs next move on your own. After sprawling out the information in a similar fashion, you combed over the data until the puzzle pieces began to fit together.

“HA!” You exclaimed…to absolutely no one at all, as a pattern in their shipments seemed to develop. Two days. The next one is in two days and I bet this idiot is trying to go there by himself.

You spent the next two days scoping out the warehouse and avoiding Jason, who seemed to be doing the same thing. Delivery day had finally arrived. You sat perched on a nearby rooftop. Though you were watching the trucks pulled into the warehouse, your eyes kept drifting to Jason’s hiding spot. You didn’t want to impede whatever he was doing, but at the same time the thugs needed to be stopped and he needed to not get hurt in the process.

Moments later, it seemed you jinxed the unsuspecting P.I., as two dealers were moving quickly in his direction. Fuck. You leapt down from your hiding spot and ran to his side.

As you came into his line of vision he harshly mouthed, “Seriously?!”

Ignoring his frustration, you shoved him further into the bushes and stood up, making yourself even more visible to approaching men.

“Y/H/N IS HERE!” You heard one of them shout as you raced towards them, giving them no time to take aim. Once the two men were down you shot a glare in Jason’s general direction, a warning to stay hidden…one he did not heed.

Making your way into the warehouse, you counted 10 more bodies, all of which were armed and waiting for you.

“Boys, boys. Can’t we settle this like adults?” You were just trying to buy yourself time to think of a plan. A plan that preferably didn’t involve 10 guns pointed in your direction. As the scenarios played in your mind and nonsensical sarcasm flowed from your mouth. It was interrupted by an explosion on the other side of the warehouse. This distraction allowed you to take out the nearby thugs and race to cover.

Scanning the room, you created a plan, a plan that was almost instantly destroyed as you watch Jason Todd vault over a case of guns and punch one of the remaining arms dealers square in the face. Fuck. You took out two more as you sprinted towards Jason.

“What the fuck were you thinking?!”

“That you would’ve been dead without me.”

You glared at him, he was clearly blissfully unaware that he was about to be shot moments ago.

“Likewise Jaybird.”

His face recoiled at the nickname, “Seriously, do I know you?”

You shrugged and bounded towards the last of the men. As they fell to the floor you turned back to Jason and gave a dramatic bow. Just as you ascended your world went black and the vague sound of a gunshot echoed in the background.

Jason chuckled to himself as you took your well-deserved bow. Maybe they aren’t as bad as I thought. A blurred figure appeared in the corner of his vision, headed directly for you. As he pulled the gun from his waistband, he began to shout “Y/H/N!” Too little too late, you were on the floor in an instant. Before the man could take another step, Jason shot. He raced to your side, elevating your head in his lap.

“Y/H/N?” He waited for a response. Nothing. “Fuck this.” He tore off your helmet-esque mask so he could further evaluate the damage. “Y/N?” No no no…Jason ripped his phone from his pocket and dialed Dick.

“Dick. It’s Y/N. Y/H/N is Y/N. She’s hurt bad.” Jason rattled off his location and hung up the phone without waiting on a response.

“Y/N…why?”

Your eyes fluttered as your mind faded in and out of consciousness. Was your mask gone? How did Jay know? “Couldn’t…hurt…my little Jaybird…”

You woke up in an unfamiliar and secluded room. Where the fuck… You slowly rose and took in your surroundings. They didn’t seem threatening. Just as you were attempting to stand, that ever-familiar face walked in the room. Jason leapt towards you and put a firm hand on your knee, preventing you from moving.

“Not uh. Doctor said no standing.”

“Doctor?” You memory was still a bit hazy. “Why…what happened?”

“Y/N/N, you were hurt…there was one you didn’t see.”

Your eyes widened as the memories came flooding back. You were here, in a hospital gown…“How many know?”

“That’s what you’re worried about, seriously?!” Jason threw up his hands in exasperation. “God, I know we haven’t been as close lately, but how could you not tell me?”

“Jason, how many?”

Jason let out a sigh, “Just me and Dick.”

A breath of relief left your chest, “I couldn’t put you in danger. And I don’t think you would have approved.”

“I could’ve helped.” Jason seemed disappointed that you hadn’t entrusted him with this secret.

“Jay, the only time we talk anymore is when someone decides to throw some fundraiser that we both are obligated to attend. When did you even expect me to tell you? Look at the shoes on that one, oh by the way I’m Y/H/N?”

Jason shied away, remembering why he distanced himself from you. “I love you” he mumbled into the wall. You were sure you’d heard him incorrectly.

“I’m pretty sure I’m still concussed, so you are going to have to speak up.”

His head whipped around and he marched towards you, taking your hands. “I fucking love you. And when I pulled that mask off and saw you lifeless in my arms I lost it.”

“I –” You began but were genuinely lost for words. You stared at him trying to confirm that you were indeed awake and this wasn’t some comatose dream. Jason, however, searched your eyes for a response. “You stopped talking to me though…” You finally managed.

“I didn’t think you would want me.”

Your face contorted with confusion as you rapidly blinked in his direction. “Seriously, Jay?” He looked down and fiddled with your fingers. You pulled one of your hands from his grasp and laid it on his face. “You’re an idiot.” Drawing his face towards your own you pressed a kiss to his lips before resting your head on his shoulder. As you began to drift back into a medicated sleep you mumbled out, “My little Jaybird.”

Jason turned and stared at your now sleeping form on his shoulder. He left a gentle kiss on your forehead and gently placed you back on the bed.

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