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astrophileous · 1 year

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A Well-Kept Secret

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female Reader

Synopsis: While working on a case in D.C., Spencer didn't expect to hear a familiar name being mentioned as the sole surviving witness. Or, in which the team discovers Spencer's well-kept secret.

Warning(s): established secret relationship, mentions and/or depictions of death/physical violence/gun violence/injury/attack, signs of trauma, survivor's guilt, curse words, hurt/comfort, nudity but it's not sexual, allusions to sexy times, mentions/implied alcohol consumption

Word Count: 5900-ish

Author's Note: hiya! I decided to write this lil piece after seeing the fic challenge posted by @imagining-in-the-margins abt the family/found family trope. I had a lotta fun writing this one and I think it's got potential to be something more. So pls comment or message me if you wanna see me exploring with this idea (either turning it into a series of connected one-shots or multi-parters). Don't forget to like/comment/reblog and give me a follow :) I hope you enjoy! 💞

Criminal Minds Masterlist

When Hotch had notified the team to haul their asses up and drove all the way to D.C., Spencer never expected that it would also entail him having to suffer through a mini heart attack.

The series of attacks around D.C. had been dominating the 6 PM news segments in the entire country. What was initially perceived as a suspected sequence of robberies gone wrong--since the first two targets to have been hit were a bank and a prestigious auction house--soon turned into a nationwide panic as people realized that there was a bigger game at play.

After the third attack was found to have occurred in the headquarters of one of the top, up-and-coming renewable energy startups in the states, the D.C. police finally started to entertain the idea that perhaps they hadn't been dealing with their usual petty robbers at all.

And naturally, that was when the BAU had been called in.

As soon as the team entered the Metropolitan PD bullpen, they were struck with the smell of panic and the sight of chaos.

"Agent Hotchner?" A middle-aged man in a gray shirt and blue tie appeared in front of them. "My name is Detective Mills, we spoke on the phone."

"Of course, Detective." Hotch shook the other man's hand. "This is my team. Agent Prentiss, Jareau, and Dr. Reid. I have two others already at the latest crime scene. What can you tell us so far?"

"As you can see--" Detective Mills gestured towards the frenzied scene behind him, "--the entire D.C. area is going haywire after news broke out about yesterday's attack. The public is demanding the city to be put on lockdown, and I'm getting pressure from above as well. We received information that nearly half the city has called in sick today."

"A classic response to mass paranoia," Spencer noted.

"Well, paranoia or not, I just want to start getting some answers." Detective Mills began to lead the team further into the bullpen. "I have every pair of hands I could spare in this. If they aren't out there chasing leads, they're here interviewing the victims, friends, and families."

"Any luck so far?" Emily asked.

"Nothing more than what you've probably seen in the files."

Detective Mills pushed open the door to an office in the corner, away from the havoc in the center of the station.

"Lieutenant Jeffreys retired a couple of weeks ago. The lucky bastard." Detective Mills scoffed jokingly. "It's the most decent space I can spare at the moment. Think you'll be fine in here?"

"It's more than enough, Detective. Thank you," Hotch replied.

"What about the witnesses from yesterday's attack? Have you had the chance to interview them?" JJ asked as the rest of the team started setting up.

"Some of my men are with them right now. But I doubt they'll have anything useful. Just like the other two cases, the attack happened while most of the office was out. The rest left behind were DOA at the latest scene."

"They're rapidly devolving," Spencer pondered out loud as he skimmed over the case files. "They went from killing a non-compliant security guard during the first attack to executing almost every witness in the last one."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Almost?"

"It says here there is one survivor." Spencer showed the word he had underlined in the case overview to JJ.

"Yes, there is," Detective Mills confirmed. "I had one of my men talk to her. There's not much she could give us. Thing is, she wasn't even supposed to be there."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked.

"She didn't work in that office. She was a consultant who just happened to be visiting. Poor girl's pretty shaken up. She hid in a supply closet the entire time. She was the one who found the bodies and called 911."

"So, the perpetrators never checked the rooms while they were holding the victims hostage?" Hotch questioned.

"Not according to her statement, no. See, I thought it weird myself. Do you have any idea why?"

"Not sure." Hotch hummed, deep in thought. "Perhaps our UnSubs didn't think to check because they didn't know someone was in there. Detective, you said all of the victims were the only employees of the company who didn't attend the event downtown, correct?"

"Yeah, they were the only ones who weren't listed as attendees. Why? Do you think those people were specifically targeted?"

"Unfortunately, we can't rule out anything yet this early in the investigation," Hotch said. "We need to talk to the witnesses to know more. JJ?"

"On it." JJ nodded. "What can you tell us about yesterday's sole survivor, Detective?"

"Not much. I didn't interview her personally, one of my men did. She works at a consulting engineering firm in town," Detective Mills replied. "I believe her name is... what is it called?"

When Detective Mills mentioned the name, Spencer's heart instantly crashed inside of its cage.

"What?" His hand had stopped scribbling on the board. In a matter of miliseconds, Spencer had crossed the room towards the doorway where Detective Mills was standing. "What did you say her name was?"

Dumbfounded, the detective stared at a dread-stricken Spencer before spelling out the name once more.

"Why? What's wrong?" Detective Mills asked in confusion.

JJ touched Spencer's shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

But Spencer, either too alarmed or merely choosing not to acknowledge both questions, asked instead, "Where is she? I need to see her."

"In the waiting room by the pantry--"

Spencer didn't even wait for Detective Mills to form his complete thought before dashing out. JJ exchanged a glance with Emily following Spencer's sudden exit, perplexed by his odd turn of behavior.

"I'll go get him," JJ announced before leaving the room, chasing after a flurry of wavy hair and a wool-knitted purple vest sprinting across the bullpen.

The roaring commotion inside the station was almost loud enough to rival the intensity of your racing thoughts.

Almost.

At this point, you didn't think there was anything you could do anymore. The vivid images from yesterday's attack were playing continuously in your head. There was nothing you could do to stop them.

Rubbing your eyes from exhaustion, you mourned the loss of sleep that you failed to get the previous night. As if the waking nightmares weren't torment enough, the images had somehow translated even more cruelly into your subconscious. You could barely close your eyes for three seconds without feeling like you had been brought back to that place.

Cold, cramped, and alone. Fearing for your life in the tiny supply closet that smelled more like death than bleach.

At the sound of the door opening, you quickly turned around in your seat to hide your face away from prying eyes. The last thing you needed at that moment was having a complete stranger seeing you fall apart in the middle of a police station.

But when the voice came carrying the sound of your name, it wasn't the voice of a complete stranger you had heard. It was a voice you knew more than you probably knew your own. A voice you loved and a voice you had longed to hear for the past gruesome twenty-four hours.

"Spencer?" You turned back towards the door, seeing the face you adored most in the whole world staring back at you.

"Sweetheart."

At the speed of a lightning, Spencer dropped to his knees in front of you and gathered your broken little pieces into his arms.

Spencer's touch was everywhere. Your hair, your neck, your shoulders. As if he was checking whether you were real. That you were actually there inside his arms, and you were not a simple imagination that his mind had conjured up.

Surrounded by the safety of his embrace, you could feel the shattered pieces of yourself beginning to mend once more.

"Spencer," you uttered his name again as you pulled away, still in disbelief that he was physically there with you.

"I'm here," he promised you as he cupped your face gently.

"Spencer, what are you... How..."

"My team is working your case. We arrived half an hour ago," he explained simply. "Sunshine, why didn't you tell me? I thought you were still in Alaska?"

You had previously apprised Spencer that you would be hard to reach during your trip since you would be spending most of your time at the power plant site where cellphone receptions were scarce. So when an entire day went by without him ever hearing from you, Spencer didn't have any reason to be worried.

Never in a million years would he have ever predicted that you'd be caught in the middle of a hostage situation.

That thought alone caused Spencer to squeeze your hand a little tighter than usual.

"I'm sorry, Spence," you said sincerely. "My trip ended earlier than planned. I arrived back yesterday morning. I actually wanted to surprise you last night. After yesterday's... incident, I wanted to call you, but my phone was shot--"

"Wait, what? You were shot?"

"No! No, baby. Not me. Just my phone," you assured him. "But that's why I couldn't call. I did attempt you once using this station's phone, but it went straight to voicemail."

At the new piece of information, the colors immediately drained from Spencer's face.

"That was you? Fuck. I didn't--I didn't know. I rejected the call because I didn't know it was you."

"Hey." You stopped his guilty rambling with a hand to his cheek. "It's okay. I'm okay. I'm just glad you're here."

And then, because Spencer needed to make sure that you really were okay, he pulled you back into his arms and held you even tighter this time.

"Uh, Spence?"

The sound in the doorway snapped you both out of your mutual reverie. You looked up to see a blonde woman there, staring in an equal mixture of shock and confusion at the sight in front of her.

Spencer begrudgingly untangled himself from your arms before getting up to approach her.

"JJ, do you mind if I do the cognitive for this one?" Spencer asked.

The woman--JJ-- shifted her eyes a few times between you and Spencer. "Um, of course. I'll just go and inform Hotch. Tell us if you need anything."

After JJ's departure, Spencer closed the door again to award you both a much needed privacy.

He grabbed a wooden chair from the corner and dragged it before sitting down right in front of you.

"I need to start the interview now, sweetheart. Think you're up for it?"

Your whole body went rigid for a matter of seconds before you forced it to restart again. It was gone as soon as it came, but Spencer noticed it just the same.

"Look at me," Spencer ordered softly, using his delicate finger to nudge your face up until he was looking straight into your eyes. "I know it's scary. I don't want you to have to relive yesterday either, but it will help us catch whoever did this."

"I've told the police everything I knew yesterday. I was hiding the entire time." Like a coward. "I didn't see anything. I don't have anything else that could help you."

"I know that, sunshine. But as I've told you before, our method is slightly different. We won't be just focusing on what you saw, but also what you smelled, or maybe even heard." Spencer took your hands then, squeezing affectionately. "I'll be here with you the entire time."

The nod you gave him was hesitant, but it was a start nonetheless. You listened intently to Spencer's words and closed your eyes just as he had instructed.

"We'll start at the beginning," you heard him say. "Why don't you tell me why you went there yesterday?"

"I, uh, received a call from my friend, Nick, after my plane landed. We had been communicating back and forth since his company seeked my consultation for one of their upcoming projects," you began. "I wasn't even supposed to work because I had requested the day off. But Nick said it didn't have to be a formal meeting, so I agreed to meet him."

"Tell me what you remember after arriving at the office."

Your mind traveled back to that specific time one day prior. You remembered walking into the place and seeing its unusual state of vacancy even though there was still a good half an hour left before lunchtime.

"I just assumed everyone had gone to lunch earlier and shrugged it off," you recalled.

Spencer nodded his head. "Did anything else strike you as out of the ordinary?"

"No? I don't... I don't know. It was only my second time being there, I'm not sure what was normal and what wasn't."

"Okay. That's okay. You're doing good so far, sweetheart," Spencer quickly interjected, trying to get you to calm down before your distress could turn into a full-blown panic. "Now, what did you do next?"

"I followed Nick into his office."

Nick was keeping his promise true. It hadn't felt like a formal meeting, just two old college buddies reminiscing about the past and discussing possibilities of the future that, of course, included the company's upcoming project which you would be working on with him.

"I excused myself to the bathroom at some point," you added. "When I first heard the commotion, I thought nothing of it. It's like the idea that a group full of armed men had taken over the building didn't even cross my mind. I mean, why would it? I was on my way back to Nick's office when I saw them."

You recalled turning a corner after exiting the bathroom only to see those figures carrying machine guns and shouting at everyone to get on their knees or put their hands above their heads. You remembered sprinting the way you had come from and opening the first door you could reach that just happened to be the supply closet.

"Let's go back to the moment you saw them," Spencer urged gently. "How many people were there? Do you remember any conspicuous detail? Maybe one of them had tattoos or spoke with an accent. Anything that distinguished them."

Taking a deep breath, you tried replaying those crucial seconds slowly in your head.

"There were four of them. I couldn't see much. They were all wearing identical black clothes."

Suddenly, an unexpected piece of memory rushed to the front of your mind. You opened your eyes in shock, meeting Spencer's curious gaze that had been kept intently on you the entire time.

"I think at least one of them is a woman," you told him.

Spencer's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"One of the guys said something about... fucking this place up. And then she laughed. I heard her. It was definitely a female laugh."

"Good. That's good."

"Yeah? Do you think it'll help?"

Spencer nodded assuredly, bringing his hand to leave calming strokes on your head. "I know it will. You've done a great job, sweetheart. I'm proud of you."

The praise Spencer gave eased the tension in your shoulders. As if having been granted fresh air after decades of confinement, you were finally able to let yourself breathe again.

Spencer continued his loving strokes on your head. Little by little, the weight of his touch melted the resolve you had built into a pathetic puddle on the floor. Without its mental shield protecting you, your tears sped forward, gathering in your eyes until they spilled on the vast path down your cheeks.

"Hey, hey." Spencer's voice was laden with panic after seeing you start to cry. "Sunshine, what is it? What's wrong? Talk to me."

"I-I just... God." You struggled to get the words out in between sobs. "I'm a coward, Spencer."

"What?"

"All of those people... They died because I was a fucking coward."

Your admission tore into the air before stabbing Spencer right through his chest.

"Sweetheart, you know that's not true."

"But it is!" you cried out, pulling away from Spencer's grounding hold around your shaking body in favor of your own arms. "I was a coward. I ran and hid because I was too scared to die. Too scared to fight. If I had just tried a little harder, I could've called for help. That way, maybe all of those people wouldn't... And Nick wouldn't..."

A haunting image flashed behind your eyes. The image of Nick's limp and lifeless body on the floor, among those of the others. You remembered crying next to him, punching his chest, body, and arm despite having seen the gunshot wound on his forehead. It took you another five minutes before you eventually managed to gather yourself together, found a phone, and dialed 911.

Not that it made any difference. They were all already dead.

Spencer could hear his heart breaking at the sight of you curling into yourself, recoiling from his touch because you somehow believed you didn't deserve his affection at that moment. If Spencer could just transfer all of your pain towards him, he would. Seeing you beat yourself up that way over something that happened and was done to you was the worst kind of torture he ever had to endure in life.

And Spencer had been through more kinds of torture than the general population in the world.

Deciding that he had seen enough of your self-deprecating torment, he reclaimed your hands inside of his palms and urged you to look at him.

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" Spencer asked incredulously. "How can you even think that way? Sweetheart, what happened to those people, to Nick, it is not your fault."

"B-but, if I hadn't run away--"

"Then you would've died, too," he cut you off. "Sunshine, there were four of them with machine guns. No one stood a single chance against them. Those people were there to kill. There was nothing you could've done."

It was a hard pill to swallow, but Spencer needed you to hear it.

He needed you to know the truth no matter how unacceptable it was.

"If you hadn't hid from them, we would've found seven bodies there instead of six. And I--" Spencer took a shuddering breath, "--I would've lost you."

Your shoulders deflated at his revelation. "Spence--"

"So please--" he searched your eyes then, using his thumb to sweep away the remaining tears under your eyes, "--stop holding yourself accountable. I promise I will do everything I can to find those people and make them pay for what they did."

Spencer's vow triggered a new wave of tears that compelled you to sink into his awaiting arms. He let you stay there until you had cried your tears dry. It was something he also secretly needed for himself after suffering through the short-lived horror over the mention of your name in relation to the heinous case. He just needed to make sure that you were okay.

A few minutes passed by with you in his arms. Eventually, Spencer had to tear himself away to finish his job. He asked you to wait as he wrapped up the transcript of your cognitive interview, along with his professional report over it.

"I need to run somewhere real quick. I promise to be back in a couple of hours," he notified JJ as he handed her the interview report. "Tell Hotch for me? Thanks."

Without waiting for his friend's reply, Spencer rushed back to the waiting room before leading you out to take you home.

Back at your apartment, Spencer guided you towards the direction of your bathroom as soon as you had stepped into the threshold.

"Are you trying to get me naked, Spencer?" you remarked playfully after he refused to let you take your clothes off yourself.

"Yes." The gleaming mischief in your eyes caused him to flick your nose lightly. "Just to get you ready for your bath. Get your head straight, will you?"

You scoffed at his back as he turned around to check the water temperature in the tub.

Once you were submerged safely inside, Spencer left the bathroom to give you some privacy. Meanwhile, he began rummaging through your drawers to pull out a change of clothes, a towel, and a clean sheet for your bed.

By the time you exited, Spencer had changed your bedsheets and lit one of your favorite candles on the bedside table. He asked you to sit down on the bed as he kneeled before you, helping you put on the pajamas he had picked out with little prints of sunflowers on them.

None of Spencer's touches were sexual. They swept over your skin with the care of an artist handling their most precious work. When his eyes found yours, you swore you could almost cry from the intense adoration that seemed to shine so brightly out of them.

As he guided you to lie on the bed, you were surprised to see him following suit. He got under the covers with you, pulling you close to tangle every inch of your limbs with his.

"I love you, Spencer," you admitted to his chest, heart heavy with the deep appreciation and overwhelming affection for the man beside you.

Spencer looked down at your confession, finding his favorite pair of eyes already looking earnestly at him. Instinctively, he reached for your chin with his fingers, tugging your face upward until he could capture your lips with his.

The kiss was slow. Careful. Filled with silent promises and discreet reassurances. When you both parted, Spencer didn't pull himself away. Instead, he let his forehead touch yours while his eyes stayed closed.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" you asked quietly.

"Yes, sweetheart. Now go to sleep."

Although the two of you knew his answer was a lie, you both chose to pretend otherwise. You knew Spencer still had responsibilities to fulfill, along with a promise to you that he intended to keep. You knew that when you woke up later that evening, Spencer would already be long gone, and you would be forced to bask in the traces of himself that he had left behind.

But for now, Spencer was still there, in the comfort of your bedroom, lying on the bed next to you. And that knowledge alone was good enough for you to finally drift further into the land of sleep, surrounded by the warmth of Spencer's loving embrace.

"I'm telling you," JJ insisted, looking at her entire team minus Spencer and Hotch. "There was definitely something going on between them. Why else would he request to take over the cognitive for me?"

"Maybe he was feeling generous," Rossi deadpanned, earning an unimpressed glare from JJ.

It had been a full week since the BAU team had arrived in D.C. to investigate the series of gun attacks in the city. Just the day prior, they had successfully made their fourth arrest, bringing this case to yet another satisfying conclusion in the eye of justice.

If nothing else was amiss, they should have been on their way back to Quantico in less than an hour. In the meantime, though, JJ felt obliged to gather her team members in the middle of the bullpen to share her suspicion about a certain scene she had accidentally caught on their first day working the case.

"Pretty boy did seem more emotionally involved in this case than he usually does, though," Derek pointed out.

"Right? Right?" JJ replied almost too enthusiastically. "Come on, aren't you guys at least half as curious as I am about who this mystery girl might be? Don't you wanna try finding out who she is while we're still here?"

They all stared at each other in hesitation.

"Or, we could just ask Spencer directly and let him explain?" Emily suggested, receiving incredulous looks from the other three in response. "Yeah, you're right. What did you say her name was again?"

"I don't remember," JJ answered.

"It must be listed in the files somewhere, right?" Derek immediately sprung into action, reaching towards the scattered case files that might contain the name they were looking for.

"Just to be clear, I am not taking any part in this." Rossi sighed.

"Got it!" Derek waved the offending file in hand, giving it to JJ, who instantly began skimming over it.

"Alright. Says here that her name is..."

JJ read the name aloud when unexpectedly, an answering sound sprouted from behind them.

"Yes?"

Every single one of them turned in shock at your voice. You smiled at their wide-eyed expressions, waving your hand a little awkwardly in the air.

"You!" JJ exclaimed.

"Me?"

Emily nudged JJ in the ribs, making the blonde woman wince.

"Y-you're the witness from the startup case, right?" JJ said, trying to rectify the situation.

"That's me."

"What can we do for you, Miss?" Rossi asked, stepping forward and away from the rest of the group.

"I'm actually looking for Spencer. Do you know where he might be?"

"Spencer Reid? You know Reid?" Emily asked.

Before you had the chance to reply, the man in question came strolling into the bullpen, rambling animatedly to Hotch who was walking beside him. The moment Spencer caught sight of you, though, he immediately abandoned Hotch's side and rushed towards where you were standing.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you, of course," you told him, fitting yourself easily into Spencer's side as his arm went around your waist. "Hi, Hotch."

The older man called your name in greeting. "I got your message. You wanted to talk to me?"

"I wanted to ask you--well, all of you, actually--" you glanced around at the other team members, "--if maybe you all would let me treat you to lunch? As a thank you for your hard work on the case."

Hotch nodded in response. "It's fine with me. We don't have to be back until tonight, anyway. Everyone?"

Instead of replying to your offer, Emily voiced aloud the question that was circling everyone's mind.

"You know her?" Emily looked at Hotch before dragging her eyes away towards you. "And you know him? You know each other? How?"

You gazed up at Spencer's eyes, seeing them shining with the same mirth as the one you felt dancing in your stomach.

"I guess this is supposed to be the part where I introduce myself, isn't it?" You chuckled.

Extending your palm, you shook each of their hands while telling them your name, them responding back with theirs even though you already knew who was who long before you had even met them.

"I still don't understand," JJ admitted after you finished shaking her hand. "How did you know Spencer and Hotch?"

Once again, you looked into Spencer's eyes, a question bouncing around in yours. Spencer's nod of affirmation was the only go-ahead you needed.

It's time.

"I'm Spencer's girlfriend."

"She's my wife."

You turned your head towards Spencer in shock.

In front of you, Spencer's teammates were causing an uproar.

"Wait, what?" Emily stared dumbfoundedly.

"You have a girlfriend?" Derek asked in disbelief.

"You're married?!" JJ shrieked.

"Hold on a second," Rossi interjected, holding his palms out as if to tell everyone to stand down and calm themselves. "So which one is it? Girlfriend or wife?"

And that was how you found yourself sitting in the private VIP room of your favorite restaurant in the city with some of Spencer's closest people on earth.

"That's the craziest story I've ever heard," Emily pondered in astonishment.

Rossi, Derek, and JJ were all wearing an identical look on each of their faces after hearing the story of how you and Spencer met: by drunkenly getting married in Vegas after only knowing each other for barely one night when you both weren't even twenty-two yet.

"If someone were to tell me yesterday that there's another member of this team who also went to get married while drunk in Vegas, I would have never even thought of mentioning Spencer's name," JJ mused.

At your curious expression, Spencer explained, "Rossi also got drunkenly married in Vegas to his third ex-wife,"

"Why didn't you two get a divorce?" Emily suddenly asked.

It was something that everyone who knew about your situation with Spencer had questioned at one point or another. The real answer was because you and Spencer had both been reluctant to go through the nasty and lengthy legal process of getting a divorce. Therefore, you decided to part ways without doing anything about it, vowing to only track each other down if one of you ever needed to end the bond because of another impending marriage or any other urgent matter.

But that reason alone was usually not enough to appease people's curiosity. And over the years, you and Spencer had poked fun over that particular fact by coming up with the most outrageous lie you could muster up.

"She wanted to get a divorce," Spencer fabricated smoothly. "I persuaded her otherwise because I had this inkling that someday we were gonna fall in love."

Usually, any other people would coo sweetly at Spencer's statememt.

But these weren't any other people. These people were Spencer's family in more ways except flesh and blood, and even without their profiling skills, you knew they could see right through Spencer's little deception.

"That sounds like bullshit to me. Doesn't that sound like bullshit to you?" Emily asked, turning to JJ for support.

"Yeah, that was bullshit, alright," JJ claimed vehemently, prompting an innocent-looking grin from Spencer and a series of chuckles from everyone else.

"When did you two start dating, then?" Rossi spoke up from one end of the table.

"About two years after Vegas, right?" you estimated, to which Spencer nodded in confirmation. "He strolled into my place of work while he was on a case, and then he asked me out."

Derek sat up on his seat after hearing the new information. "Wait, when was this? Why didn't I know about this?"

"The beginning of my second year in the BAU," Spencer offered. "Elle knew."

"Elle? Elle Greenway? You told Elle but not me?" Derek looked offended.

Spender shrugged nonchalantly. "Elle was assigned with me that day."

"Unbelievable." Derek slumped back down in his chair. "Penelope is gonna freak when she finds out what she missed today."

"Penelope? Oh, she already knows," you told him.

That revelation earned a collective disbelief look across the entire table.

"Yeah... I, uh," you cleared your throat, "I actually just went shopping with her two weeks ago."

"You've got to be kidding me," Emily muttered.

"You told Penelope but not me?" Derek sounded hurt as he pointed his accusatory stare at Spencer. "You even told Hotch!"

"I didn't tell Garcia. She dug through my history and found it out herself. Had to bribe her with candies and chocolates for a whole month to keep her quiet," Spencer grumbled. "And I had to tell Hotch. We needed to add her number to my emergency contact list."

Despite Spencer's concise explanation, Derek still seemed unsatisfied by the whole ordeal.

"How long have you known?" he finally decided to ask Hotch.

"A while," the man answered from his seat at the opposite end of the table from Rossi. "They even babysat Jack a few times for me."

"I don't believe this," Derek scowled. "Pretty boy's got himself a girl for the last six years, and I never knew? Outrageous."

"Technically, we've been married even longer than that," Spencer responded, as if he was unaware of the imminent glower that Derek was sending his way. "Eight years since Vegas."

"That's longer than any of my marriage," Rossi remarked before sipping his drink.

The laugh that resonated upon Rossi's little comment elicited an affectionate smile on your lips.

"So, you live in D.C., then?" JJ asked, at last stirring the conversation away from the topic of your and Spencer's secret marriage-slash-relationship.

"I do, yeah. But most of the time, I live out of my suitcase," you answered. "My firm has clients all over the country. A few overseas, as well. I'm lucky if I even get to have an entire week to sleep uninterrupted in my own bed."

Even then, you truthfully quite enjoyed the work you had to do. You didn't mind having to travel some place new every other week. In fact, you somehow believed that your constant need to travel for your job, and Spencer for his, was one of the reasons why the two of you worked so well together.

Although people might think that two adults who had to travel for a living were a recipe for a disastrous relationship, you and Spencer had so far proven otherwise. Because of your respective schedules, you could sympathize more with the other anytime they had to go somewhere urgent for work. It only made you savor every single second you spent together because of how much precious each one of them became.

The rest of lunch unraveled with the same bucket of smiles, jokes, and laughter. It felt good to finally tell the few people who meant the world in Spencer's life the truth about your relationship. It was also a huge relief to see them opening their arms and welcoming you into the family without an ounce of hesitation.

"Hotch?" Spencer called out after everyone exited the restaurant. "Will it be okay if I stay in the city for one more night?"

"As long as you promise to be back for tomorrow's briefing," Hotch reminded sternly, but the meaningful look he passed over you before he entered his vehicle spoke of a thousand things left unsaid.

"It was so nice meeting you," JJ said as she took you in her arms. "And I'm sorry again about your friend."

"Thank you. And thanks for all of your hard work in catching those guys."

"Of course, it's what we do." JJ smiled as she pulled away. "Invite me and Emily the next time you and Penelope hang out, okay?"

"Will do," you promised.

You watched as every single one of them scrambled into the two black SUVs, waving your goodbye until the cars drove out of your sight.

"I think that went well," you commented before looking up at Spencer. "Do you?"

"I think it went as well as it could."

"So--" you began, circling your arms around Spencer's neck, "--we have more than twelve hours until you're expected back at Quantico. What do you wanna do?"

Spencer nudged your nose with his. "I can think of a few activities we can partake in."

"Really?"

"Really."

Just as he was a hairbreadth away from pressing his lips to yours, you suddenly tore yourself out of Spencer's arms.

"Like getting some frozen yogurts?" you asked giddily, smirking at the dumbfounded look that you managed to put on Spencer's face.

"Fine. Let's go get some frozen yogurts."

Spencer had to hide his amused grin at your elated squeals. He was more than content at that moment to let you produce those addictive sounds at the mere prospect of frozen yogurts.

But later that night, he had a whole different set of activities lined up to pull those same sounds out of you once more.

And it might or might not potentially involve an entirely different yet creative use of frozen yogurts as well.

Spencer simply just hadn't decided yet.

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zegrasdrysdale · 5 months

Note

Can you write about Nico dating a really famous actress, she is in House of the Dragon and in Dune, and now she is doing the press tour for the movie so she hasn't seen Nico in a while so to surprise him she goes to the stadium series and is at the family skate with him holding hands and being cute the whole time, so Nico is asked about their relationship the press conference after the game and he answered the question being a proud boyfriend, please? I love your writing

[ press pause ] n. hischier

paring : Nico Hischier x fem!reader

summary : after being away for a few months filming and doing press for her projects, (Y/N) surprises boyfriend Nico at family skate before the Stadium Series

warning(s) : one suggestive comment but other than that, cute and fluffy

author’s note : this request has been sitting in my drafts bc i wasn’t very proud of it but i decided to let it see the light of day bc i miss the stadium series. pls lmk what y’all think (the entire press conference is completely made up for the sake of the fic btw)

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She needed a vacation by the time her tour ended in New York City. It’s exhausting doing a multi-month press tour for a show that wasn’t coming out until the summer. She knows she’ll have to go on another one anyway while the season is airing on HBO.

The idea didn’t enter her mind until she saw a billboard on the highway going into New York. It advertises the two NHL Stadium Series games that are happening in a few days.

When the games were announced a few months ago, she was already booked on the press tour for season two of House of the Dragon. Nico wanted her to come to the game against the Flyers but she wasn’t sure if she’d be in the area to go.

Turns out, she is. Since she’s in the area, she decides to surprise her captain boyfriend at family skate.

Cat Toffoli worked closely with a designer to make some jackets for the wives and girlfriends of the players for the Stadium Series. She even made sure to make one with a “13” on it, just in case.

She’s happy that she gets to put the jacket to use since she’s surprising Nico at family skate. Pressing pause on her press tour to support her boyfriend in what’s one of the most important games of his life was the best idea she’s had in a while. It’s been a long time since she has laced up the skates Nico bought her when they first got together during the 2021-2022 season. Tonight seems a good time.

An Uber takes her from her shared apartment with Nico in Hoboken to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford once she's in something that she can comfortably skate in, which ends up being leggings, a red shirt, and her jacket that Cat had made for her. She grabs one of Nico's beanies out of the endless pile in his closet just in case her head gets cold.

She gets more excited the closer she gets to the football field turned hockey rink. She shakes with excitement when the Uber pulls into the player parking lot.

Cars are parked all over the place. She recognizes most of the cars that are parked. The Devils get the ice tonight for practice and family skate.

With her jacket wrapped tight around her and a duffel bag holding her skates, she heads in the back entrance. She shows her ID to the security guard, who gives her special credentials so everyone knows she’s allowed there and is allowed onto the ice.

She’s already late so she could pull off this surprise. All of the players and their families are out on the ice. With quick feet, she makes her way onto the field. Her duffel bag slung over her shoulder as she rushes to the rink.

As soon as she reaches the bench, someone tells, “Nice of you to join us!” She sits down so she can change into her skates. Jack skates by with a smile on his face. “He’s been hoping that you’d show up.”

Her eyes scan the ice to find her boyfriend. She finally is able to spot him as he skates over to her. Jack skates off and Nico takes his spot.

When her laces are tied, she stands up and Nico helps her over the boards. “You’re here?” he asks as she gains her balance on her skates. “I thought you were traveling today.”

“Decided to press pause so I could be here for you,” she tells him. “Wanted to support my boyfriend after all the supporting you’ve done for me.” Nico flashes his dimpled smile at her.

She takes in his appearance. He’s in full gear with his red practice jersey since they did practice before the families came onto the ice. He has on his Devils beanie with the pompom on top of his head. The eye black he has on his cheeks looks good.

Nico takes her hand and loosely laces their fingers. “I’m glad you came,” he says. “It wouldn’t have been the same if you weren’t here.”

“Your dad and sister came though,” she replies as Nico begins to skate backwards. He pulls her along and she manages to keep her balance by holding his hands. “I’m sure it would’ve been okay if I wasn’t able to come.”

He pulls her closer to him so her chest is pressed against his gear on his chest. Nico’s hands rest on her waist to make sure she doesn’t fall. “You’re the most important person in my life, schatzi,” he tells her. “It wouldn’t have been the same. I promise”

She smiles up at him.

Out of the corner of her eye, he notices all the cameras on the two of them. She’s not even surprised. She’s one of the world’s most known actresses and he’s the captain of the Devils. Reporters are probably getting all the pictures they can get.

Nico doesn't let go of her hand. He makes sure their fingers are locked the entire time she's on the ice.

It's easy to forget the world around her when she skates with Nico. She's so focused on Nico and Nico is so focused on her that it feels like they're the only two people in the world despite multiple pairs of eyes being on them and a bunch of cameras trained on them.

There's only a few minutes left of family skate when Nico decides that it would be a good idea to spin his girlfriend. When she's on the toe pick of her skates, because Nico thought it would be smart to get her figure skating skates, he grabs her hand and spins her around.

"Nico!" she gasps as she spins right into his arms. He wraps his arms around her waist "You can't just do that without warning me. What if I fell?"

He laughs against her ear. "You know I'll always have you," he tells her. "You would think that you'd be able to skate on your own by now."

She shakes her head as Nico kisses the swell of her ear. The smile that forms on her lips is involuntary since she's trying to be mad at Nico. "I don't think you understand that I skate maybe three times a year," she sighs. "My job doesn't involve skating like yours does."

Nico smiles and she looks up at him. "Have I ever told you how good you look on skates?" he asks. "Because this look does it for me. Hope you know that."

With a gentle shove from her, Nico backs away but always makes sure to keep a hand on her so she doesn't fall.

"You are so lucky that I love you," she says to Nico as she carefully turns to face him.

He hums and playfully rolls his eyes before he slides his hands up to cup her cheeks. His fingers are freezing, but she quickly pushes that thought out of her head when Nico pulls her in for a soft kiss. She can't help but smile as she returns the kiss.

It's very rare for Nico to show this type of affection in public let alone at a Devils event. They're both very shy about their relationship when it comes to the public eye, but sometimes a moment overwhelms them and they can't help it.

Like this moment. Center ice on the Stadium Series rink.

She wraps her arms around his waist for a little extra security. The last thing she wants to do right now is fall on her butt. She can hear all the snaps of the cameras the longer their lips are connected.

Nico breaks the kiss and smiles at her. She reaches up and pokes his dimple, which gets a laugh out of Nico.

"Alright, Dimple Lover," he says with a smile. "Let's go. I feel gross and sweaty. I need to shower."

"As long as I can join you if you decide to shower at home."

"We're going home right now."

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

From the moment Nico scored on Sam Ersson thirty seconds into the game, she's been on her feet. It set the pace for the rest of the game. The Devils scored two goals every period, and Nico himself scored two goals on the night.

East Rutherford is on fire in the stands. They're cheering. It gets even louder when Nico is being interviewed by Emily Kaplan on a live mic and he says, "Thanks for showing up. It was fucking amazing- sorry."

He has the cutest smile on his face and waves at the crowd around him. The smile she already had on her face grows impossibly bigger.

When Nico heads down the tunnel to get out of his gear, she heads down to stand outside the media room so she can catch Nico before he goes in and does his post-game comments.

She's liking pictures of her and Nico from yesterday on Instagram. She replies to some of her mentions on Twitter. She even posts one of the pictures of her and Nico from yesterday when they were on the ice at family skate. Almost immediately, it begins blowing up on every single social media platform like her posts usually do when she posts Nico.

Minutes after she posts the picture, Nico comes walking down the stairs that lead to the hallway. He's back in Sopranos outfit, sans the jacket. The white tank hugs his body and shows off his arms. The cut he has under his eye completes the look.

Nico spots her before he turns into the media room. He says that he'll be in the room in a second. Then he walks over to his girlfriend.

"Hi, handsome," she says with a smile on her face. "Nice goals. Oh, I like this outfit too."

He leans down and steals a kiss. "Those goals were for you, schatzi," he whispers to her as he tucks her hair behind her ear. "I had to show off for my girl."

She smiles up at him and he mirrors it.

"Nico, we need you in here," someone says. "Nate's ready to go."

Nico nods and looks into the room. "Want to come watch?" he asks. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind."

With a nod, the two of them head into the room.

The reporters buzz as Nico walks up to the table to sit with Nate and she makes her way to an empty seat among the reporters. The woman she sits next to has a moment of panic and realization of who she is as the press conference gets underway.

One of the reporters in the front row asks, "Nate, was that celly after your goal planned?"

Nate laughs and nods. "Yeah, actually," he replies. The reporters in the crowd laugh. "Chris and I sat down and planned out a couple of different cellys just in case either of us scored. I happened to be the one to score, twice."

"Speaking of two goals, Nico," another reporter begins to say. "How do you feel after those goals you scored? Effing amazing?"

Nico smiles. "Yeah, it felt good, without the addition of another word that shouldn't have been said on live television," he replies with a very light laugh. "No, it feels good to score two goals coming off the All Star break. Took some time off, skated and worked on what I needed to, and, uh, I'm ready to have a good second half of the season."

They make eye contact and she smiles at him. One of the reporters notices that Nico's smile has gotten softer. "So, your goals have nothing to do with the fact that your girlfriend was here all weekend?" a third reporter asks.

"The fact that she was able to take time out of her incredibly busy schedule to be here means a lot to me, yeah," Nico says. "Being able to score a couple goals was me telling her that I was happy she was here."

"So it doesn't bother you that her presence this weekend has made multiple headlines and occasionally overshadowed the game?"

Nico scans the crowd and finds the reporter that asked the question. "I have never once thought that her being here this weekend overshadowed the game," he replies. "I am more than happy to have her here. If she makes a view headlines then oh well. She's one of the world's most well known and talented actresses, and I am proud to be her boyfriend. If that means that some of the attention is off of me then okay."

She smiles and bites her bottom lip as she watches Nico while he and Nate finish up the press conference with questions about the game.

One of the things she's always been worried about was completely overshadowing Nico and his career with hers. Now that she knows that he's proud of her accomplishments.

As soon as Nico is done, he makes a beeline right for her. She opens her mouth to say something but Nico quickly cuts her off with his lips. She giggles into the kiss and wraps her arms around his neck.

Cameras click around them but she doesn't care. Neither does Nico if he meant what he said.

"Nico," she laughs as she breaks the kiss. "This is your day. Enough about me. Stop making me a headline by kissing me in front of the cameras."

He smiles. "I don't care," he tells her. "I'll kiss you in front of a million cameras."

She shakes her head and pushes his hair out of his face. "You are insane," she tells him.

"You love it."

"I do."

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MASTERLIST

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taglist : @dasiysthings @ithinkimokeei @equallyshaw @dancerbailey3 @love4lando @stony1386 @mangoluver @prettyinsatiable @ivy-34 @bunbunbl0gs

#hockey imagines #hockey imagine #hockey fanfiction #hockey fic #hockey oneshot #hockey fluff #nhl imagines #nhl imagine #nhl fanfiction #nhl fic #nhl oneshot #nhl fluff #nico hischier #nico hischer x reader #nico hischier fluff #zegrasdrysdale request

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cemeteryspider · 1 month

Text

Counting Cards

Beginnings of Remy Lebeau x Fem! Mutant! Omni-Perception! Reader

Summary: You meet the one and only Gambit while counting cards at a blackjack table in New York.

Trigger Warnings: Manipulation, Mentioned Financial Hardships, Gambling, Threats of Violence

Word Count: 1.7k

You had once been a hopeful dreamer, a girl with aspirations beyond the impoverished streets of your hometown. But desperation often has a way of grinding the edges of ambition and of making sacrifices that would seem unthinkable in the cold light of day. The multi-millionaire you now worked for was the epitome of this sacrifice- a devil’s bargain struck in the shadows in an attempt to pull your family from poverty and homelessness.

Draped in the guise of glamor, platinum blond hair that cascaded down your shoulders and a dress that clung to your every curve, you became a fixture of opulent casinos around the world. Your role was simple yet complex at the very same time, to work the system, to be alluring to wealthy men, and to subtly manipulate the games in their favor. Your powers that you once tried to hide from your few friends and family became your best asset, heaviest burden, and the thing allowing you to save said family.

This casino’s ambiance in particular was a symphony of loud laughs, hushed whispers, clinking chips, shuffling cards, and soft hum of slot machines. You sat next to a man in a three piece suit, your perfectly rehearsed giggle punctuated the air as you played the role of doting oblivious girlfriend. The subtle squeeze of his bicep or playful slap on his shoulder after a crude joke were all part of the act. Beneath this ignorant charade, your keen eyes kept track of every card dealt, every chip moved, and every twitch of the dealer’s fingers.

As the count turned positive, you leaned closer, your breath warm against the client’s ear as you rubbed his back in a soothing, almost hypnotic motion. He raised the bet and the game continued. The soft trail of your fingers on his thigh signaled him to play cautiously, to avoid drawing too much attention to the two of you. His decision to stand earned a small, approving smile from you, a reassurance he was making the correct choice. The dealer's cards came into play, and your silent communication continued, your touch a subtle command to the man beside you.

Your powers were a delicate instrument, a secret weapon that influenced the game in ways no one else could detect. The thrill of winning by proxy was intoxicating, but it came with a bitter aftertaste on your tongue. The money wasn’t for you; the small amount you earned went to your family, trapped in a cycle of dependency and fear, their safety hanging by a thread.

The final hand was dealt. Your eyes flickered briefly, a faint glow that only those who knew what to look for would notice. Just then, a tap on your shoulder pulled you from your intense focus. A tall figure stood behind you, his presence commanding and enigmatic.

"Would you come with me, ma'am?" His voice was thick with a Cajun accent, smooth and charismatic. You turned, a polite smile forming on your lips even before you met his eyes. His auburn hair was tied back in a messy bun, and his irises glowed a striking red against the blackness of his sclera. Recognition flashed in your mind—this was Gambit, a mutant you had seen on TV, a member of the X-Men.

"Sure, let me just grab my purse," you replied with practiced calm. As you whispered a quick instruction to your partner to cash out and leave, you felt a pang of unease. What was Gambit doing here? And what did he want with you?

As you followed him through the labyrinthine hallways of the casino and into the adjacent hotel, you noticed the careful avoidance of security cameras and the strategic use of crowded areas. It was a well-practiced maneuver, one you recognized from your own experience.

In a quiet room on the first floor, the door closed behind you with a soft click. The tension in the air was palpable. Gambit, with his easy smile and relaxed posture, seemed unfazed.

"Usually, I wait until the third date to go back to a man's hotel room," you joked, trying to mask your nerves.

He chuckled, a deep, rich sound. "Nah, chere, we've been watchin' you," he said, his eyes locking onto yours. Your heart skipped a beat. How long had they been observing you? How much did they know?

"What do you mean?" you asked, your voice betraying a hint of unease. It was rare for you to be caught off guard, but this situation was beyond anything you had prepared for.

"Gambit, my name, chere, and I work for the X-Men," he began, but you cut him off.

"The X-Men, I know. How about we get to the point?" Time was slipping away, and you knew your employer would send someone to check on you if you didn't show up soon.

He nodded, acknowledging your urgency. "The Professor has been watching you. Your abilities are bein', let's say, misspent on petty crimes and swindlin'."

You considered his words carefully. Charles Xavier, the Professor, was a renowned advocate for mutant rights, a figure of immense power and influence. His offer carried weight, but it also came with strings attached.

"So, you want me to join your little team?" The question hung in the air, heavy with implications.

"Gambit was hopin'," he replied, his voice sincere.

You scoffed, shaking your head. "I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this for my family." The words came out sharper than you intended, a defense mechanism born of years of hardship.

You turned to leave, but Gambit's hand on your shoulder stopped you. "We know, chere. That's why we've brought them to the mansion. They're safe, chere."

For a moment, the world seemed to tilt on its axis. Your family—safe? It was a concept you had almost given up on. The weight of his words hit you like a tidal wave, your shoulders slumping under the sudden release of tension.

"What?" The question was barely a whisper, your voice breaking with emotion. Could it be true? After everything you had done, everything you had sacrificed, could your family finally be free?

"We're tryin' to take down the people you owe. In doin' that, we found you. Would you come to the mansion with me? No funny business, I swear, chere," Gambit said, his eyes holding a promise of safety and a fresh start.

The ride to the X-Mansion was a blur of emotions and half-formed thoughts. Gambit kept the conversation light, sharing stories of his past life in New Orleans, a thief navigating a world of shadows and secrets. You found yourself opening up, recounting tales of casinos and the intricate cons you'd pulled off. It was a strange, almost surreal connection, two kindred spirits from different walks of life.

As the mansion loomed into view, your heart pounded in your chest. The sprawling estate was both intimidating and inviting. Stepping out of the car, you saw your family on the lawn, your younger siblings playing tag, your parents looking more relaxed than you had seen them in years. Relief washed over you, bringing tears to your eyes. They were safe.

But as you reunited, the reality of the situation set in. Your family couldn't stay; the dangers were too great. They needed to leave the country, to start anew far from the reach of those who might seek revenge. It was a bittersweet moment, the joy of their safety tempered by the knowledge that you might have to part ways.

The Professor, Charles Xavier himself, approached you. His presence was calm and reassuring. "Or you could stay here," he offered, his voice gentle but firm. "Learn to use your powers, control them effortlessly for good. Be a part of my X-Men."

You stood at the edge of the mansion's expansive lawn, watching your family with a mixture of relief and heartache. The sight of your younger siblings laughing as they played, your parents' shoulders finally free of the burdens they'd carried for so long, filled you with a profound sense of peace. But beneath that peace, there was an undercurrent of something more—a longing for a life that meant something beyond survival and crime.

The choice before you was clear, yet impossibly difficult. The urge to stay with your family was strong, an instinctual pull toward the people you had fought so hard to protect. But as you looked at the X-Mansion, you felt the stirrings of a different kind of desire—the desire to be more than a pawn in someone else's game, to use your abilities for good and perhaps even change the world.

You took a deep breath, your decision solidifying in your mind. Turning to your family, you saw understanding in their eyes. They had always known the risks, the sacrifices. But they also knew the strength of your spirit, the potential you had yet to unleash.

With a sudden burst of emotion, you ran towards them, wrapping them in a fierce embrace. They hugged you back tightly, their warmth and love surrounding you. It was a moment of silent communication, a farewell and a blessing all at once. They understood your choice, even if it meant a painful separation.

Pulling back, you looked into their eyes, your voice steady but filled with emotion. "I would love to join you guys. Maybe change the world one day."

There was a beat of silence, then Gambit, who had been watching quietly from the sidelines, stepped forward. His eyes sparkled with approval, a lopsided grin on his face. "Good choice, chere," he said, his voice carrying a note of camaraderie and promise.

You nodded, feeling a sense of resolve wash over you. This was the start of a new chapter, a chance to reclaim your autonomy and forge your own path. As you watched your family wave goodbye and drive away, you felt a mixture of sadness and hope. They were safe, and so were you. But more importantly, you were free to finally make your life your own.

With a deep breath, you turned toward the mansion, your new home and the place where your true journey would begin. You were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, to fight for a better world alongside the X-Men. As you walked through the mansion's grand doors, you felt a sense of purpose you had never known before. You were no longer just a player in someone else's game; you were a hero in the making, with the power to change the world.

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liberalk1tsch · 5 months

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In honour of Katniss’ birthday yesterday, I invite everyone to also remember the real-life men, women, and children in Palestine enduring unimaginable suffering in the midst of an actual war. To be aware of the censorship being deployed against protesters of this violence by corporations at the hand of unjust governments.

As you may or may not know, on the 6th of May, Macklemore released a song called "HIND’S HALL" in support of Palestine, where 100% of proceeds from streaming will go to supporting UNRWA.

Hind Rajab was a 6-year-old girl from Gaza. In January 2024, she and her family were shelled by the Israeli army while in their car. Hind and her 15-year-old cousin, Layan Hamadeh, were the only survivors, trapped within the car. They called the Palestinian Red Cross Society, with Layan saying, "They are shooting at us. The tank is right next to me. We're in the car, and the tank is right next to us." The PCRS sent a team to rescue them. However, after 12 days, on February 10th, when the Israeli army withdrew from the area, Hind Rajab and her six relatives were found dead in the car, along with the two paramedics sent to rescue them, who were also found dead nearby.

The song is not available on Spotify yet. It is not available on Apple Music yet. It’s available only on Youtube, where—for the first time in the 15+ years i’ve been using Youtube—they have placed an 18+ age restriction on the video that includes multi-step age verification, where viewers must prove their age with a government ID, credit card, or submit a photo of themselves to an AI age recognition program (that oftentimes won’t even load).

This is absolutely abhorrent of Youtube/Google to censor this video, especially in the light of the recent attacks on Rafah, where thousands of Palestians have been cornered in what was previously considered the final "safe" zone.

Macklemore has since reuploaded a second video including audio only which has not been age restricted (yet), but the lack of imagery greatly alters the impact of his message. Many people may not feel comfortable verifying their identity to a corporation we know to be corrupt. Others may not be "old enough" to see it, though as the next generation of voters, as the primary group fighting for peace, you all deserve to see the truth of what’s happening in the world. I have screenrecorded the video and attached it to this post, but if there’s any of you who have already verified your age or feel comfortable doing so, please visit and interact with the original video here to contribute to aid efforts. If you are under 18 or do not wish to verify your age, the audio only video can be found here. Remember that your streams hold power, and even those who have nothing to give themselves can make an impact.

Additionally, most of the people who interact with my blog are Hunger Games fans. You were all outraged when the men, women, children, medics were bombed in the books, when it was fictional characters. So why would you stay silent when it’s happening in real life?

Free Palestine. 🍉

#free palestine #free gaza #palestine #gaza #gaza genocide #the hunger games #thg #katniss everdeen #peeta mellark #everlark #gale hawthorne #haymitch abernathy #effie trinket #primrose everdeen #finnick odair #johanna mason #annie cresta

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idolsystem · 5 months

Text

Suggestions for activities that you can do collectively as a system

Notes: These are just some suggestions, they are not every idea ever. They are divided by themes but some may require more effort and resources than others.

Credit for the GIF used in this post | Credit for the dividers used in this post

Endos DNI!

Activities to do together

Beauty, makeup and selfcare related

Make a self care or stim box

Have a self care day

Paint your nails

Go shopping and get one small gift for yourself as a collective

Practice makeup or a technique (it can be as serious as you want it to be)

Editing related

Make some edits (icons stimboards whatever) for you system or alters

Learn or practice a new technique for editing, or a new edit type

Make your simply plural profile 'aesthetic'

Request a gift for an alter from an edit blog they like and don't tell them

Education and brain related:

Do your school/collage work

Learn a cool fact about a random topic

Try learning a new language

Play a mind, word or number game such as wordle or suduku

Play a board game (this is easier with games such as candy land, others like battleship you probably won't be able to do as a system)

Food related

Do some baking

Cook one of your alters favourite foods or dishes

Make or eat a nostalgic food

Go to a cafe or restaurant and try something you haven't had before

Gaming related

Play a single player video game with character customisations and make your alters

Play a multi player video game with friends

Make your headspace and/or system in a building or life style game (ie the sims)

Music rated

Make a playlist

Make a song and/or write some lyrics about your experience as a system

Explore your or another alters music taste

Try some music in your reccomended and/or just listen to something new

Social media related

Watch your favourite youtuber, streamer, ect

Update your alters profiles on Simply Plural or Pluralkit (or whatever app you use)

Hold a poll for your system only with randomly nominated alters and prompts (my only advice would be to not allow really negative prompts)

Sports related

Try a new sport (if you physically can't then try watching a sport you haven't considered watching before)

Get ready for the next game of whatever sport your interested in

Go for a walk, jog or run with your favourite music

To to the gym

Syskid related

Play with them

Have a safe day where they can front and be themselves (it doesn't usually go to plan for us but the thoughts there)

Travel related

Go for a walk or a drive around your local area

Plan a system holiday or a day out to somewhere you want to go

TV related

Start a new show

Watch 'bad' reality TV

Set up a movie night for the system

Watch something you've never considered watching

Writing related

Write or finish a fanfic

Make a short 'story' about your system

Write in your system journal

Write lists of whatever you feel like

Other things I can't categorise

Build something (ie a lego set) or create something out of household materials

Try a new hobby

Sew a 'system quilt'

Practice your system communication

#system #did/osdd #did #did system #osdd #osdd system #system activities #system advice #advice tag

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ordon-shield · 2 years

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Link’s Houses Graded By How Liveable They Are

The Legend of Zelda/The Adventure of Link: 0/10, he doesn’t have one. Probably sleeps in caves.

A Link to the Past/Oracle games/Link’s Awakening: 6/10, surprisingly good! He’s got a bed, a place to cook food, tables and chairs, and even a set of shelves! He looses points because there’s no space for his uncle to live and it’s only one room.

Ocarina of Time/Majora’s Mask: 5/10, similar to the previous Link. He has a bed, a table with stools. While lacking any method of cooking, that’s probably for the best seeing as everything is made of wood. He also has a sink with a mirror. He looses a point due to the random hay and pitchforks though.

Four Swords: 0/10, he has no house.

The Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass: 4/10, while you might expect it to be higher, there are a number of flaws with his house. First is the fact that he must share it with his grandmother and little sister, and second is the lack of mattresses on their two beds. They also use their space poorly, as out of three areas in the house only one is being actively used — Grandma should have let Link use that loft as his bedroom. It’s not all bad though— they have a cooking fire and kitchen area.

Four Swords Adventures: 0/10, also has no house.

The Minish Cap: 7/10, the only truly multi-room house on this list! The bedroom has a bed for both Link and his grandfather, along with a table and stools. The main room downstairs is the kitchen, with a place to cook and shelves for plates and bowls. There’s also an entire forge connected to the building.

Twilight Princess: 10/10, the best house on this list in my opinion. Like in Ocarina of Time, there is a pitchfork inside, but this time it makes sense with Link’s background, and comes with some horse riding equipment for Epona. His cooking area is also set up to avoid any fires. He even has a sink for his dirty dishes, along with a table and chairs, and a few bookshelves. He also has a basement that he uses to store a bit of cash and some old furniture. The one flaw of this house is the lack of a bed, but this can be excused as Ordon is based in part on traditional Japanese culture, so he may just use a futon.

Spirit Tracks: 7/10, like an improved version of the ALttP house, with a bed for both Link and Niko, along with a cooking area, and plenty of room.

Skyward Sword: 8/10, rather than living in a house, this Link lives in the Knight’s Academy. He shares a divided room with another student. The only Link to have easy access to a bathroom, which counts for a lot.

A Link Between Worlds/Triforce Heroes: 5/10, very similar to his house in ALttP, containing a bed, table with stools, shelves, and a cooking area. While the lack of an uncle with no bed might have brought this house up to a higher standard, there’s one thing preventing that — the presence of a certain merchant who pushes all the furniture aside to set up his own shop.

Breath of the Wild: 7/10, a decent house brought down by the lack of a kitchen and the fact you have to buy it and the furniture inside at exorbitant prices from an annoying builder who sits around in your front garden once he’s done.

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fallingdownhell · 1 year

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Hello hello hello there, good writer! I was wondering if you'd be open to writing platonic HCs for the currently playable Archons in the game. Basically, way back when during the Archon War (or in Nahida's case, some point early on when she was instated as Sumeru's new Archon) the Archon's save a baby dragon's (the reader) life.Now, centuries later, at some point following the events of the Archon quests, they encounter Dragon!reader reader- now a fully-matured dragon (Dragon is the same element as each Archon. Individually, I mean, they aren't multi-elemental). The Archon recognizes them through any number of factors (a scar in a very particular area of Dragon!Reader's body, a discolored patch of scales, etc.) And as for how they encounter each other, maybe the Archon is accompanying the Traveler on a commission, and dragon!reader saves the Traveler or Archon's ass when the situation gets dicey, maybe the Archon senses a familiar presence and investigates, perhaps paths cross and they find themselves saving (or assisting) dragon!reader yet again, or maybe it's just a chance case of the stars aligning in just the right way. Apologies for the massive word dump, just thought I'd give you some prompts in case you have trouble coming up with ideas for this, if you want to do it, or course!

That is such a cool idea! And I really appreciate the word dump, it really helped me out a great deal this time around, so thank you, kind anon<3

Characters Included: Zhongli; Venti; Nahida

Content: gender neutral! dragon! reader; platonic headcanons;

Word count: 2,2k words

I hope this comes somewhat close to what you had in mind. Hope you enjoy<3

Zhongli

Zhongli often looks back fondly at the times where he had adopted this strange baby dragon

the Archon War was a though time period, both for him and the people at his side, but having that baby to take care of by his side and teaching it all sorts of things made it somewhat bearable for him

he would often play around with it, sometimes even play fighting to show it a few moves and tricks and the dragon seemed to enjoy that a whole lot

though cuddling sessions always seemed to be the dragons favourite, especially when a certain spot under his chin was being scratched

it was a difficult spot for others to reach, seeing as it was surrounded by brown spikes, indicating your resonance with the Geo element, but seeing the happy expression on the baby's face made it worth it in the end

When the dragon later got older and grew up in Zhongli's care, it would often join him in various battles while the War still lasted

On one such battles, the dragon got hurt pretty badly in it's left eye, ultimately loosing it in the process. But it adjusted rather well to living with only half it's eyesight

Later, when the Archon war ended and peace had returned to Liyue, the dragon was all grown up now as well. And one day, without any prior indication, the dragon had just left, never to return again

Zhongli wasn't sad or anything. He understood that this is simply how nature works and he only wished the best unto his foster child

Sometimes, the Ex-Archon wonders if that dragon is still alive, but those thoughts always leave him rather quickly again. It's no use pondering about the unknown

And yet, imagine the surprise on Zhongli's face when he saw another dragon roam the sky just as he finished dealing with Azhdaha alongside the Traveller

Finding an opportunity to slip away from the group, he began traveling in the direction he saw the flying creature

it took some time, but he eventually found the dragon as it rested besides a small lake, soaking in the rays of sunshine onto it's scaled skin

fascinated by it, since dragons were a rare sight to see in this day and age, he decided to approach the creature, silently as to not startle it too much

as he got closer to the dragon, the creature soon picked up a new scent in the area and opened it's big eye, now spotting the approaching Zhongli

quickly, the creature got up and began roaring at him, and that's when Zhongli noticed a particular scar on the left eye of the dragon

Could it be... was it actually you?

Your name slipped past his lips and it made you hold in the middle of your actions. Zhongli could see the uncertainty in the dragons form, so he said your name again, staying still in his spot, only a few steps away

the dragon, still unsure, took another sniff of the surrounding air, taking in the scent of the new arrival, and suddenly, memories from its time as a baby came flooding into his mind, and you recognized the man in front of you

now seeming much calmer, you got closer to Zhongli, your long neck extending towards him so that your head was right in front of him

with a smile, the Ex-Archon extends his hand as well to scratch that certain spot under your chin, like he had always done many, many years ago

at this, the dragon closed its eye and a low grumbling sound could be heard deep within it's throat.

Zhongli almost couldn't believe it. His old friend was still alive and apparently doing pretty well for itself..

for some time, the two of them just sat down in the grass, enjoying the light of the still shining sun, while Zhongli just began talking, telling you of all the things that had happened while you were gone

And you were listening to every single one of his words, feeling happy to finally be reunited with him again..

Venti

Most people know about Dvalin - or Stormterror - and his connection to the anemo Archon. How he was one of the four winds that protected the nation of Mondstadt

but what the people did not know, is that there was a second dragon with the anemo Archon that had been taken in by him when it was only a small baby

as a result, the baby dragon has been raised both by Dvalin and the anemo Archon at the same time. While it learned typical dragon behaviour from Dvalin, Venti provided the baby other lessons important for its life ahead

the little dragon has always been a playful and adventurous one. It was getting into trouble quite frequently as a child, but such was the nature of freedom

Venti had always adored looking at this little dragon baby as he found the light green colour of your scales to be quite mesmerizing. He liked to think that the colour represented your connection with the Anemo element, and himself.

But what he found even more adorable was the little patch of white scales, right between the beginning of your legs and your hind legs. It was about the size of the palm of his hand, the colour never really coming through on that spot

While Venti and Dvalin engaged in the Archon war, you always decided to stay behind, rather enjoying the serenity that the nation of Mondstadt brought to you than to engage with bloody battles all the time

As time went on, you grew older and older, and Dvalin knew that the time would come where you would leave them behind. To find your own place within this world, without them by your side

and sure enough, one seemingly peaceful day, you went up to them one last time, seemingly telling your goodbyes with your eyes before you turned your back to them and flew off into the distant world ahead of you. Excited to see what was liying ahead, but also sad you had to leave them behind

many, many years have passed since that fateful day and a lot has happened since then. A mysterious traveller has appeared in the world of Teyvat, helping Venti to bring his old friend Dvalin back to his senses

Since that incident, Venti couldn't help but think back to the old times quite often, reminiscing of the memories all three of them shared. He would often wonder how you were doing these days, if you were well off..

on one such days, when he was laying beneath the tree at Windrise, thinking of old times, he did not notice a bunch of Abyss mages and their underlings approaching

when he did, it was already too late and he was surrounded by enemies. Though he tried fighting his way out, the number of enemies just seemed to increase, instead of decreasing

Venti began to worry and just as he was about to summon his old friend Dvalin for some help, a roar echoed from above the sky. All heads turned up as a huge creature descended downwards, instantly attacking the abyss mages and their hoards

for a second, the colourful scales made him think of a certain dragon, but he quickly shook off that feeling, concentrating on the battle at hand

it didn't take long until the enemies were dealt with, and as a moment of peace came to them, Venti turned and took in the familiar colour of light green scaling..

But.. that couldn't be, right? It surely was just a coincidence.. another dragon that just happened to have a similar colour to the one he once raised..

But, as the dragon remained on the ground, patiently looking at Venti, he couldn't shake off that feeling of familiarity

And then, the dragon turned to its side, showing Venti the undeniable truth of a missmatched patch of white scales among a sea of green..

It really was you...

Joy spread over Venti's face as he realized it really was his old friend that had come back to see him again

It didn't take long until he was on your back and you began ascending towards the sky again. Up there in the sky, with only the winds holding you back, Venti also summoned Dvalin to him to complete this reunion

Many roars sounded all throughout Mondstadt on this day as there were now two dragons roaming the skies of this nation...

Nahida

As the god of Dendro, Nahida had always liked the nature and all of its inhabitants

she would always try to sneek away to find a spot somewhere within the rainforest where she could just sit down and listen to the sounds of nature all around her

while the sages at that time did not approve of her behaviour, she continued to do so with the excuse of wanting to form a connection between her and her nation as well as it's people

one day while she was out again, she stumbled upon a tiny dragon baby. As she got closer, she noticed that the baby appeared to be hurt quite badly, yet it still backed up when she got closer, scared of her

it took some time and gentle reassuring from Nahida's side, but eventually, the small dragon let her get close, inspecting the wounds inflicted to it

deciding that she wanted to take care of it, she used her powers to build a sort of little hideout where she nurtured the dragon back to health over the course of a few weeks

while doing so, the baby dragon began trusting her more and more, until eventually, they formed a kind of bond between them

once the baby was all healed up, it didn't dissapear like Nahida thought it would. Instead, it decided to stay with her, playing around and growing up with her

every single time Nahida managed to slip out, the two of them were always together. Either laying in the grass, listening to the nature around them, or playing around and sometimes, she even helped the little dragon in learning how to fly

when they got tired, they lay together on the ground, the dragon having it's head on Nahida's lap as she carefully caressed the top of its head where the beatiful, deep green scales where less sharp than everywhere else on its body. The colour reminded her of the rainforest itself sometimes..

but what she found almost a bit more beautiful were those missmatched eyes of the dragon. One in a beautiful, piercing blue colour while the other was deep red, a stark contrast between the two

But then came the day where Nahida was whisked away by the Sages and sealed into the Sanctuary

it took hundreds of years until the traveller arrived in Sumeru and with the help of some others finally freeed Nahida of her everlasting prison

Thankful to have finally escaped, she did her best to handle everything by herself the best she could. She guided her nation into a new direction and took care of everything that the Sages had taken over

which led to her not once having left the city since she has been freeed. Though Nahida yearned to just go outside and sit in the nature again, she had obligations to take care of, that required her urgent attention

until the Traveller came around another time, insisting on her taking a break for once. In his words, all those problems would still be there once she returned from the break, but her well being was important as well, especially for her people she needed to be in good shape

so, taking him up on the offer, the Traveller, Nahida and Paimon went into the rainforest like she wanted to. While wandering around, they passed the old hideout Nahida had once built for that baby dragon

Memories flooded her mind upon seeing it and she smiled a bit, though it appeared to be a bit sad. The Traveller noticed, but before he could ask Nahida about it, they heard some rustling behind them

Weapon at the ready, the Traveller was prepared to attack should the need arise

And then, from behind some trees, a dragon emerged, eyes fixed onto them

and Nahida instantly recognized you. Not because of the deep green colour of your scales that only seemed to have become even more beautiful over the years. But because of those disscoloured eyes that she was never able to forget

you seemed to recognize her as well, showing no signs of aggression at all, which made the Traveller lower his weapon again

finally reunited again after so many years, both of you seemed happy to be within the presence of each other again

you gently pressed the tip of your nose into her face, gently blowing air into her face which made her giggle a bit. She then climbed onto your back, resting there while the now four of you continued this walk through the rainforest

And even after that, you continued to stay by Nahida's side, always there to protect her should anything ever happen to her again. You were ready to make them regret their decision if people decided to ever mess with her again...

#genshin impact #genshin scenarios #genshin impact scenarios #genshin impact headcanons #genshin headcanons #genshin impact x reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact platonic #genshin platonic #zhongli headcanons #genshin impact zhongli #platonic zhongli #venti headcanons #genshin impact venti #platonic venti #nahida headcanons #genshin impact nahida #platonic nahida

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itadores · 2 months

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boyfie!kiryuu mitsuki headcanons

note: kiryuu's character design is very neat to me. also posting now because i have no patience whoopsie

word count: .9k

tags: gender neutral reader, fluff

kiryuu is very much a gentleman. he makes sure to open the door before you even have a chance to reach for the handle and pulls out your chair at every restaurant you go to. he even goes so far as to tell you not to move when you’re in the passenger seat of the car so he can run around the vehicle and open the door for you.

he also knows about the sidewalk rule and makes sure that he’s the one walking closer to the street rather than you. if you somehow manage to be the one closer to the street, kiryuu skillfully moves to be on the other side of you. he moves so smoothly that you tend to not even notice what he’s done.

he likes playing games with you. whether it’s board games or card games or video games, kiryuu likes it when you can play together. it doesn’t matter too much to him if the game is multi-player or single-player as long as you’re in the same area playing.

he also definitely sends you game pigeons at any given hour. it could be three in the morning, and your phone will ping with a notification that kiryuu texted you, wanting to start a round of 8-ball. you guys typically have multiple games going at one time, starting a new one as soon as one ends.

kiryuu even gets his friends in on it, making one big group chat for you all to play crazy eight together.

if you ever forget your jacket, kiryuu always gives you his, even if you voice your protests. he just waves you off and says that his jacket suits you more as he helps you put it on. how can you put up any more of an argument when he says such sweet things like that?

as much as kiryuu likes seeing you wear his clothes, he also likes wearing yours as well, especially if it’s a bit oversized. if he’s over at your place, he’ll help himself to your closet and slip on his favorite oversized hoodie of yours. if you give him a look, he simply responds with a happy little content sound as he burrows himself further into your hoodie. (you’ve grown accustomed to his behavior and have resorted to just leaving his favorite hoodie of yours out whenever he comes over.)

you’ve also probably picked up the habit of carrying a few hair accessories on you, such as some hair pins and a hair tie or scrunchie. kiryuu is constantly losing his hair pins (even though he has an entire case of them), so you start carrying some for him just in case. if he opens his hair pin case just to come up empty-handed, you’ll wordlessly hand him a hair accessory.

kiryuu likes wearing outfits that complement your own. he likes it when you guys are dressed in the same color scheme or when your clothing is made of a similar material. he thinks it makes you look so good together. kiryuu likes it most, however, when you wear an accessory that matches the pattern of his shirt. it's a sure fire way for people to know that you're together.

kiryuu effortlessly brings out your sillier side. although he's typically a pretty cool and collected guy, he does like things that could be seen as dumb or silly. (have you seen his silicone hot dog phone case?) he's pretty comfortable with himself, which includes being a little embarrassing at times, easing any worries that you may have regarding him finding you or your potential interests childish.

if you guys are taking a selfie or are in a photo booth together, kiryuu needs one of the poses you do to be a funny pose. bonus points if the photo booth has props because kiryuu is definitely picking out props that he finds funny and that you may find absurd. he likes the way you laugh when he poses for you, even if it may be at his own expense.

texting kiryuu can definitely be a little frustrating at times. he's a prompt texter, but he's also an avid user of emojis, reaction images, and gifs. it's rare for him to reply to your text messages using only words, which may be a little irritating if you're trying to have a proper conversation with him. if kiryuu can sense you're getting annoyed, he'll knock it off and reply to you the way you desire before resuming his typical texting habits once more.

kiryuu normally has a calm temperament, but he becomes unsettlingly calm when somebody's hitting on you and can't quite get the hint that you're not interested in them. if he's not already by your side, he'll appear out of nowhere, putting himself between you and the person who can't get the hint. it's nearly scary the way kiryuu will verbally tear the person to shreds, all the while he has a little smile on his face.

kiryuu enjoys it when you play with his hair. he'll never turn you down if you ask to play with it. he likes the feeling of your hands in his hair, and he knows you have fun when he lets you do whatever you want to his hair. whether it's pinning his hair back with overly cutesy barrettes or weaving little braids throughout his hair, kiryuu will leave the house with the hairstyle you've given him. even if you tell him he doesn't have to and that you were just playing around, he'll do so anyway. he likes being able to tell people that you did his hair when he gets questions about the new look.

all in all, kiryuu is a great boyfriend. in your opinion? he's the very best.

#wind breaker x reader #windbreaker x reader #kiryuu x reader #kiryuu mitsuki x reader #new.mail #from.wind breaker #love.kiryuu mitsuki

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peachhcs · 4 months

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multi-million university of michigan soccer complex with samy hughes (speical guest star: will smith!)

hughes!sister x will smith au (samy + will)

samy shows mike around the umich women's soccer complex with will tagging along (i figured we needed some happy content between the breakup angst, so here’s some happy content before the breakup happened :))

2.7k words

another little lost in the drafts blurb. this was entirely inspired from will's video where he showed the conte forum with mike. i think that's my favorite video, so i recreated it with samy showing off umich's. (i don't know actual numbers for the umich women's soccer team so i made some up oops) i've never really used gifs for the pictures, but wowow take a look at him HAHA

au masterlist

"alright everyone, this week i'm in the heart of michigan, the university of michigan in ann arbor. i'm here with a hughes legacy and also the youngest sibling, samy hughes," the brunette quickly waved at the camera with a smile. "just in her rookie season she's led the women's soccer team to the ncaa finals this past season and now she's here to give me and will smith a tour of the athletic complex," mike rounded off the intro and the camera panned into samy and will's faces. the two smiled.

"so, it's the first time i've had a young couple on before. i just interviewed you a few months back and now we're in michigan with your girlfriend," mike said to will and motioned to samy.

"yeah, thanks for having me back again on the channel," will chuckled.

"yeah, of course. i mean i was so excited when samy said she had time to do this with us and when i leaned you were in umich too i just had to get in on it. you guys have been like the talk of the internet for the past few months, so i'm excited to get my take in," mike laughed and so did samy and will.

"we have a bet going on who's gonna get more views on their video," samy said.

"oh really? who do you think is gonna win?" mike wondered.

"i said her because everyone always wants to know what she's doing," will chuckled.

"are you two really competitive with one another?" mike pointed between will and samy. the two exchanged a glance, shrugging.

"i mean..yeah kind of. sometimes we can get really competitive over the summer when we're playing street hockey or something," samy explained briefly.

"makes sense. so we're standing in the locker room, can we see your stall?" mike asked and samy nodded. she led the boys to her stall where her name was up on the outside door.

"wow, i like these doors. that's kind of fancy," mike said quickly opening and closing the door.

"yeah it's nice so like our stuff isn't out everywhere and it makes the room look more clean and put together so our stuff isn't everywhere," the brunette explained.

"so you're next to some of the older girls. shannon and carrie," mike read off the names on either side of samy's stall.

"yeah, it's nice having them next to me. they definitely spread out the freshman so we're by an older player and like can talk to them when we want."

"do they offer good advice?" mike raised his eyebrow.

"yeah, i'd say so. they treat us good." samy chuckled. the girl led the boys through the kitchen area and into the lounge.

"here's where we hang out a lot before games and sometimes on the weekends. we can watch tv, talk, play games, whatever."

"what do you think will? are these more comfier than the ones at bc?" mike asked and sat down in one of the chairs. will sat down, relaxing back into the cushions.

"they feel like the same to me?" will laughed.

"okay, same is good," mike nodded and stood back up.

"what's your favorite activity to do in here before games or on the weekends?" mike asked samy.

"probably just talking and getting to know everyone more. we like playing cards a lot," the girl chuckled.

"what kind of cards? poker? uno?"

"a lot of uno, sometimes we play bs," samy grinned.

"bs?"

"like bullshit?"

"i don't know if i've played that before.." mike scratched his head while samy and will's mouths dropped open in disbelief.

"you've never played bullshit before? you've had to," will exasperated.

"wait, explain it to me."

"it's like you have a certain amount of cards and you have to convince people you have however many cards of 1, 2s , aces, spades, whatever and if someone doesn't believe you they call bullshit," samy explained the game.

"oh, wait. that does sound familiar. maybe we don't call it bullshit where i'm from," mike laughed.

samy continued leading the boys through the facility. she showed them their gear room and recovery room where girls went to get treatment for something that was hurting.

"wow, here's a sign for you. 15 final fours. 5 national championships," mike nodded in approval.

"yeah, we walk by this sign going out to the field. it's great motivation for every game and i probably stand in front of it before every game just...you know taking it all in," samy nodded.

"that's pretty incredible. now it will be 16 final fours after this past season," mike nudged her shoulder making the brunette chuckle.

"it's definitely a really good achievement and something i'm very proud of for just being a freshman."

"i mean you should be proud. you basically led your team to the finals. that doesn't happen a lot. when you guys argue do you ever like bring up how many national titles your schools have to one up each other?" mike teased samy and will.

"not that we argue, but sometimes i bring up the fact that our hockey team has 9 national titles," samy laughed and will rolled his eyes.

"does that make you wanna get a national title to get closer to michigan?" mike also laughed.

"yeah, sometimes," everyone grinned while samy led the boys to the mini shooting room where girls could practice their goals.

"damn, this is nice," mike nodded.

"it's open pretty much all day. i mean if i can't sleep sometimes i come here and shoot goals to get my energy out," samy chuckled.

"really? i mean i would do if i had open access to something like this. do you have any superstitions before games?"

"yeah, i have a few. i've had a lot of them since high school, but i have to always wear the same pair of socks before every game. i need to eat exactly 2 apples and i have to always wear a braid in my hair," the girl chuckled.

"wow, those sound intense. have you ever forgotten to do one and it messed up the game?"

"one time in high school i only ate one apple and we lost the game by a point. i believed then that i needed to do all those things to lead us to victory," the three of them laughed.

"alright, i wanna do a quick 1v1 or 2v1 situation. loser runs the entire football field. i made will do this when i was with him in boston," mike said, eyes sliding towards the blonde.

"yeah, alright. let's go to 2 goals then," samy immediately agreed and picked a soccer ball out.

"you getting in this smitty?" mike asked the blonde standing to the side.

"i mean..i don't know. she's a good shooter, so..i'm not sure if i wanna run the entire football field," will laughed.

"oh, he sounds scared," mike looked at samy. the girl only shrugged.

"come on, get in here. it's two of us and a pretty small area.," mike urged will to get in. the blonde gave in and got in next to the older man.

they got into position to block samy's shots, but the girl was good. they could hardly keep up with the ball as she passed it through her feet and dodged will's advances to make her first goal.

"damn," mike said.

"i told you she was good," will said and mike waved him off. they set up again and samy went in from a different side. she managed a small hat trick and kicked the ball over their heads.

"wow, you are good," mike nodded.

"i mean she goes to a d1 school," will pointed out and samy chuckled.

"is this what happens every time she makes you play with her back home?" mike looked at will.

"yeah, pretty much. i can't ever get past her if we're on different teams," will admitted almost shyly.

"i mean you have to at least be better on the ice then?" mike wondered. will grimaced, looking at samy and slowly shaking his head.

"not..not always. maybe now because she hasn't played in awhile, but before..she had me," will said with a small blush.

"oh right, i forgot you dominated on the ice for a good sixteen years. you're just better at everything then," mike said and samy nodded.

"yeah, pretty much. my brothers taught me everything i needed to know on the ice. soccer was all me," the girl smiled.

"so tell me, what was your decision and commitment process? i mean..did growing up in ann arbor play a big role in that?" miked asked as the three walked back out into the hallway.

"yeah, pretty much. quinn and luke both came here and i really loved the campus because i was at every home game. it's also super close to home and i love the idea of being close to home and my parents. plus, knowing i was continuing my brothers' michigan legacy was really special to me and i wanted to follow in their footsteps because i look up to them a lot," samy explained.

"that's really special that you and your brothers have such a close bond. were they excited when they found out you were going to umich?"

"yeah, they definitely were. they showed up to my high school signing day and i had no idea they were coming so they found out i chose michigan there and that was a really special moment," samy nodded.

"there wasn't any way smitty could convince you to go to bc with him?" mike teased a little.

"i toured the campus with him and i mean, it was absolutely beautiful and i actually was torn between bc and umich for the longest time, but ultimately, michigan is always where my heart will be in the end."

samy led the boys into the workout room where they had training and lifting every morning.

"your trainer here is insane, i heard," mike commented and the girl nodded.

"yeah, he's one of the best. he's been with women's soccer for years and he knows how to push us the right amount to get us to our full potentials."

"alright, i wanna see you two do a pull-up contest. smitty, if you get more than her, you redeem us and we don't have to run the football field," mike proposed with samy and will exchanged a laugh.

"okay, deal. we see how many we can do in like 30 seconds?" the hockey player looked over at his girlfriend.

"yeah, sure," she chuckled.

the two grabbed onto the pull-up bars side by side and started their pull-ups. they made it look easy with how smoothly they went through each pull-up. mike had the timer going, making impressive faces at the camera at how easily samy and will did their pull-ups.

"okay, that's 30," mike stopped them.

"i did like 43," samy breathed out, hands on her hips.

"i got 47.," will said and pumped his fist in the air. the girl rolled her eyes as mike and will high five.

"looks like you're doing a football length sprint," will taunted and samy just shook her head.

"so, as we walk out to the field, i wanna know what got you two together because i know you grew up together and are childhood best friends," mike redirected the conversation.

"basically we just got our shit together and finally realized we have feelings for one another. i think we realized it at the draft this past summer and then at my draft party we had a bit of a..a confession," will explained.

"that's very classy. that awkward like..i think i like you thing," mike nodded with a laugh.

"it's funny because so many people knew we had feelings for one another before we even did. like a bunch of our friends and family always looked at us like: you're for real not together?" samy added.

"that's really funny. you guys are a really great pair i think and you bounce off one another really well. do you guys find it hard sometimes to navigate this new relationship being in different states?"

"it's been a little hard at times because we're so busy and don't get a lot of time to see one another. like..this is the first time we've seen each other probably since new years, but we're definitely making it work. it's easy because we already know one another so well so we know how we work and we skip the awkward phase," samy said and will nodded in agreement.

"wow, first time since new years? i guess that makes sense though because will's pretty busy with hockey," mike said and the two nodded.

"we call and text everyday so we're still talking. we try to facetime every night too and just debrief on our days and try to make it as normal as possible," will added.

"well, i know boston's looking good for a possible national title and you're looking really good for a national titles as well next season, so i hope when i talk to you guys again that will be true," mike said and the two grinned.

"yeah, let's hope so," samy chuckled.

the three made it out to the football field where they graciously turned the lights on for them.

"how about i do it with you and we see who can make it back the fastest," will offered.

"oh, look who's being a good boyfriend and not making his girlfriend run the field alone," mike chuckled.

"you're making these bets like you're gonna win," samy laughed.

"what does that mean?" will looked shocked.

"uh oh. don't tell me she beats you in sprints too."

"she's..she's pretty fast on the field. on the ice sometimes i beat her," will defended himself.

"alright, if you beat him and get under..let's say a minute, i'll give you a prize," mike told samy.

"easy. deal," she said and threw her sweatshirt off. will threw his hat off and rolled his sleeves up.

"on three okay?"

when mike said go, the two were off. samy already had a significant lead, proving that she was faster than will on the field. she started racing back down towards mike who showed the camera that they were at exactly 30 seconds.

samy came in first, high fiving mike's hand and then doubling her to catch her breath. will came in a few seconds later, also panting from how fast he ran.

"damn, that was..that was fast," the blonde panted.

"she's definitely got some speed on you," mike nodded and samy laughed.

"i told you. she's..she's fast," will chuckled.

"well, as promised, here is your prize. custom nike sneakers in michigan colors with your name across the side," mike presented his prize for samy.

"oh my god, that's awesome. thank you so much," the girl beamed, showing off the shoes to the camera.

"alright, i'm hungry. how do you guys feel about jersey mikes?" mike asked and the two nodded.

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user1 STOP RHEYRE SO CUTE OMG

user2 jesus samy's so good at scoring no wonder why she led the team to the ncaa finals

user3 LMAO WILL PANTING AFTER RACING SAMY ACROSS THE FOOTBALL FIELD

user4 god they're so in love it's so cute i love them sm

user5 literally the best d1 couple

user6 i understand why will is dating her. i'd fold so fast for her

user7 AWWW THEY LIKED EACH OTHER AT THE DRAFT???

user8 god big10 schools are insane. i get the hype now

user9 this girl has a big future ahead of her for sure. i see an ncaa title in her near future

user10 THE WAY HE LOOKS AT HER WHEN SHES TALKING OH MY GOD I CANT DO THIS RIGHT NOW SJDJDJDJSJ

user11 will admitting how better she is at him in everything biggest green flag ever we love a man who gives his woman the credit she deserves

user12 god i just know if she stuck with hockey she'd be insane like her brothers but soccer's such a good fit for her too

user13 samy explains bs to mike is hilarious i can't

user14 they're so well spoken. i'm sure samy's learned from her brother's interviews

user15 golden retriever and golden retriever fr

user16 they KNEWW what they were doing putting will in this video too

user17 to be samy hughes ugh i can't anymore

user18 god they're both so lucky

user19 HELL YEAH WILL KNOWS HIS GF IS BETTER THAN HIM IN EVERY SPRINT AND ON THE ICE

user20 the fact that she's also a poli sci major and has a 4.0 is incredible to me like DAMN WILL he pulled a good one

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misanthropologymajor · 3 months

Text

buggin' out (pt. 1)

plagas!leon x partner!fem!reader

You've known Leon for a long while—since his unlucky first day in Raccoon City. What the hell was up with him on this mission to save the president's daughter?

warnings: parasitic infections, descriptive violence, slow burn, anxious reader because my anxiety is so ingrained that I can't write someone who isn't anxious every second of every day, ignoring the treasure hunting aspect of the game because it is a little silly outside of the context of a video game, one use of y/n, lots of euphemisms for killing, awkwardly written combat, crossposted on ao3

part two -

feedback is appreciated :)

wc: 2.4k

"Roost, this is Condor Two. Condor One is totally out. We're in a boat and he's totally unconscious."

"Condor Two, what do you mean? Why are you in a boat?"

"It's so much-- there was a big fish monster, and we had to take him out so we could get to the area left on this one map to get the key to the church, but we killed the big guy, and Leon coughed up some blood and just collapsed. I'm taking us to shore, where we're less exposed." Leon thrashes in his sleep as you ramble, splashing some lake water on him.

"Condor Two, calm down, shelter him a bit, and update me when he wakes up. Roost out."

Pulling into the pier, you stop the boat. "Leon, you really are a bit of a damsel in distress." You pull him out, brushing his hair off of his forehead. He stirs just a bit, letting out a small groan.

Within twenty minutes, you manage to coax him into the nearest shed. You rifle through your waist pouch, leaving him with a small water bottle and a damp cloth on the nape of his neck. "Leon, I'm going to get you some medicinal herbs. Please wake up soon." Leon’s chest gently rises and falls. You brush his hair out of his eyes again before you leave.

You clamber up towards the Merchant's set up in the cave. "Excuse me? Do you have anything that can help my friend? Something's happened to him on the water; he's unconscious."

"Well, Stranger-- it may be best to let 'im wake up on 'is own. Never know what causes things 'round here-" you move to interrupt. "But, ‘f you must try somethin', try these herbs. Yellow an' red, if you will."

You hand him a few thousand pesetas and return down to Leon. After mixing them into his water, you coax him into taking a few sips. He groans, and you settle on the dirt beside him, cradling his head in your lap. "You've got to wake up, Leon. Ashley needs you, we have to save her."

After an hour of Leon's unconsciousness, you leave him in his shelter, obscured by an improvised curtain, and set off to get the key to the church. You sail the boat to the small boathouse and set through the path, pausing to fight three male villagers, two of which have their heads explode to reveal a bladed tentacle. Oh, joy.

Once you enter the cave, you find a large plinth between two narrower, notched pedestals, holding what seems to be the key to the church entrance. In the next room, a large map on the wall indicates the cave you're in and one across the lake.

Going through the cave leads to a new boat, which you take to check on Leon. In his shed, he's more responsive to your gentle probing, but he's still nowhere near conscious.

"Leon, I'm going to get the first part of the key. I'll be back as soon as I can." You return to your boat and approach the smaller cave across the lake. The ride is uncomfortable without Leon’s quiet breathing or snarky mumblings.

Arriving in the cave reveals a small building with an eight-buttoned console to the left of a relatively large door. Following a bit of multi-story investigation, you find the correct buttons for the entrance, revealing the detachable head and a few treasures in the room. You return to Leon, who is nearly awake.

"Condor Two, it's been almost two hours since you called in. Are you any closer to Baby Eagle?" Hunnigan’s voice crackles through your earpiece as you consider your next course of action.

"While Condor One has been napping, I went to get one half of the way to unlock the key to the church. We'll get the other half once Condor One is back in action."

"Good to hear, Condor Two. Have Condor One call in once he's awake. Roost out."

It took another twenty minutes for Leon to fully wake up and adjust to his surroundings. Wrestling himself up by his elbows, sat with his back along the wall. "What the hell happened?"

"I was hoping you'd have the answer to that. We took down that big fish, and then you coughed up blood like you were in a period drama before passing out. Don't tell me you have tuberculosis."

"Definitely not. I think it may have to do with this cult; I saw a cloaked figure talking about a sacrificial body."

"Don’t be so quick to rule out TB, Leon. Last year, an estimated eight million- Wait, fuck, that big priest said, 'Your blood or whatever accepted the gift.'"

"Oh, he worded it exactly like that. Wait, why do you know so much about tuberculosis?" You lightly smack the back of his head before filling him in on the work you'd done while he was asleep. His eyes crinkled as he looked up. He gestured for you to help him up off of the ground.

"One, we have to head to get the second part for the key to the church. Two, Leon, we literally work against biological terrorism, and I wouldn’t put it past Umbrella’s people to work out how to use TB. Are you good to go, or should I leave you here? Either way, call in to Hunnigan."

"I'm fine. Saving the president's daughter is all that matters."

"Leon, saving her doesn't matter much if you go down again and she gets taken… again.''

He ignores you. "Roost, this is Condor One. I'm up and at it, Condor Two is freaking out over nothing."

"Condor One, you were radio silent for three hours. I think that Condor Two may be right to worry."

As he updates Hunnigan, you walk over and start up the boat. The retrieved stone head looks up at him as he enters the boat. “I take it we’re looking for another one of these bad boys?”

You nod an affirmation and take the boat to the dock indicated on the map. At the dock, you try the grated metal door to the right. "Locked. Looks like we have to go the long way."

"Let's get to it."

"Oh, by the way-- our friends sometimes pop big stabby tentacles out of where their heads are now. They don't like bright light. Just be ready."

"What the fuck?"

"Let's go, Kennedy."

Leon shoots a little wildly when the first Ganado you face grows into a bladed tentacle. Eventually, the head bursts, revealing another few enemies. You take them down as you head deeper into the cave section. Leon climbs up a ladder as you finish clearing the bottom level. You can hear him in combat up on the ledge. "They just keep coming!"

You finish down below and take the far ladder up to the ledge. Leon shoots his last opponent and jogs over to you. "This is the same console as the other cave. Let's look for symbols."

After finding the three symbols, you input them to unlock the door. You let Leon discover the bloody surprise under the stone head and eventually make your way back to the initial cave with the church key.

Putting each head on the pedestals unlocks the circular church key. Leon takes it and tucks it into his briefcase before leading you back to the Merchant's grotto. "Ashley's waiting for us; let's get going."

You head up the stairs towards the quarry. As you both step in, the gate slams behind you. A red figure atop the highest cliff gestures towards the gate across the quarry. The gate quakes, and the blockade begins to fragment.

"I'm not sure I'm a big fan of that comically large hammer anymore." You begin to load your rifle and aim it towards the gate.

The gate slammed open. It reveals a massive, lumpy humanoid. "Woah! Goddamn, you're a big boy!" Leon uses his handgun to fire a round of 3 burst shots at the giant. The giant seems unphased by the shots, and you take the opportunity to fire your shotgun at his back. He's marginally more impacted by this, which distracts him enough for Leon to begin to move away from the path of rampage.

Leon switches to small grenades and discovers another weak point on the giant's back. A small white figure pops out from the giant's upper back.

A wolf howls at the top of the cliff. Leon points up to the top. "Hey! It's that dog again!" The giant looks frantically towards the moving wolf. After jumping down to the quarry, the wolf bites at the ankles of the giant.

You and Leon focus your shots on the smaller white figure, eventually leading to the giant falling low enough to attack the little white guy with your knife. After a few seconds, the giant moves to stand back up.

After another few rotations of knocking the big guy down and hacking at the little white head, the giant goes down. Leon stares down at it. "Damn. We were almost pancakes."

The wolf bounds off into the night, and you and Leon continue back toward the church. "Those bastards better not have moved Baby Eagle on us. I think I might lose it if we do much else without confirmation that she's okay." You adjust your side holster and reload each of your weapons.

"Let's not give them the chance." Leon opened the gate to the churchyard and slotted the key into the door. The door opens to a fairly basic chapel, with a jumbled stained glass in the center of the altar.

"Ashley Graham? Are you here?" You and Leon search for any location that could hide a full human being. "Leon, there's a blue knob in this cupboard."

"There's a gate over there, There's blue in the stained glass and a handle on the wall. Let's try this."

Leon fiddles with settings on the revealed console, pulling the gate above the doorway.

You walk through the doorway, checking for hidden combatants before climbing the ladder. You approach the door, indicating for Leon to open it.

"Ashley, Ashley Graham? Are you in here?" A figure swung at Leon with a candelabra.

"Just let me go!" A blonde girl in an orange blazer and a green plaid miniskirt swung again at Leon with the candelabra.

Leon caught it and threw it to the floor. "Easy with that. My name is Leon, this is (y/n). We're here on the president's orders." Ashley looked between the two of you before running between you out of the room. "That went well." Leon walked out of the storage room.

"Leon, you could have led with 'I'm not a bug man.' Yet, I guess." You stumble over the discarded candelabra momentarily before catching your footing.

"Because you were such a big help there?" Leon jogged to reach Ashley. "Hey, it's dangerous outside. You need to listen to me-"

Ashley interrupted him. "What is that? Over there."

You followed her eyeline. "That looks like more villagers. We need to be ready..." You trailed off as Leon and Ashley both grabbed their temples and groaned in pain. "Guys? What's wrong?" As they opened their eyes, you maneuvered Ashley to face you, pulling a penlight from your waist to check her pupils. You looked between her fairly normal pupils and the quickly approaching mob. "Kennedy, what happened?"

Leon and Ashley press along the gaps between windows to your right as you slide to put Ashley between you and Leon. Leon addresses you around Ashley. "Not good; let’s be ready."

Ashley looks between the two of you. "What do we do?"

Leon leans slightly toward her. "Your father trusts us, and I need you to trust us, too." Following a noise downstairs, you and Leon motion for Ashley to stay back as you look down at the villagers coming in.

You all crouch down as you move towards the left, passing Ashley's smashed phone. "Seriously? I just bought this."

You notice the sticker indicating Sigma Gamma Phi. "When we get out, we'll get you a new one. Let's get you back to your sisters first."

You reach a dead end and spot for Ashley as she climbs atop Leon's back to get the ladder down. You climb up the ladder, and Leon follows you. The only option is a window, which Leon and you hop through to the next ledge. Leon persuades Ashley to jump as you descend the ladder to the ground.

A fallen bookcase blocks your path. Leon's voice crackles through your earpiece as you begin to clear the route. "Roost. We've secured Baby Eagle." You leverage your arms and thighs to move it back into the correct spot, as Hunnigan replies.

"Copy that. Is she okay?"

"Affirmative." Leon and Ashley approach your path.

" Well done, Condors. I'll dispatch a chopper ASAP. I'm sending you the coordinates for the extraction point. Make your way there. And don't let anything happen to Baby Eagle. Hurry, the weather is getting worse. Roost out."

You walk to the front courtyard with your gun drawn. "Ashley, stick close to one of us unless we tell you otherwise. Be loud if you need help." Ashley tucks herself behind you. As you finish speaking, an old woman with a pitchfork turns towards your little crew. You take three shots before her head is replaced with a tentacle. Leon fires twice more before that, too, explodes.

The sounds of her death summon another three villagers. Leon moves to create an artificial bottleneck of access to Ashley. Those villagers go down with only one more tentacle as four more enter the courtyard. You narrowly pull Ashley out of the path of a charging pitchfork.

When those four are taken care of, you leave Ashley with Leon to explore the cemetery. As you finish dealing with the visible, another gets close enough to grapple you. You yell in surprise as you fish for your combat knife, and Leon runs toward you. Ashley stumbles behind him.

Before Leon can get halfway down to you, you wrench yourself from his grasp and stab at his attempts to grab you again. You dispatch him with finality as you turn toward Leon and Ashley. "That could have gone better. Nice to meet you, Ashley."

"Oh! Nice to meet you too, I guess. Wish the circumstances were better."

“Don’t we all?" You pat her shoulder comfortingly before walking ahead.

#leon kennedy x reader #resident evil fanfiction #leon resident evil #leon s kennedy #leon s kennedy x reader #resident evil leon #re4 remake #resident evil 4

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