#Still mad that Twilight cut my shirt

[fox-moblin]

Announcement

Because I changed it so that only registered users can view my works on Ao3 (due to AI scraping), I've decided to upload chapters of ATWEA to Tumblr as well for people w/o Ao3 accounts.

Chapters will be uploaded a day after their upload to Ao3 (other than the first three, which are already uploaded to Ao3 and will be uploaded today instead.) I'll have links to each chapter in my pinned post on my blog.

...So, anyways, here's Chapter 1. Rest of chapter under cut.

Comments and reblogs appreciated as always :V

***

And The World Ends Again

A Linked Universe AU set in a post-apocalyptic Mad Max-inspired world.

Chapter 1

Next Chapter, Read on Ao3

The day their mother dies, Time finds Twilight down by the old river bed, hiding beneath the fallen tree that’s been dead too long to remember what it once was. 

He’s curled up in the shadow of its corpse, all gangly limbs and stifled sobs, clutching their mother’s handkerchief to his chest; when Time peaks around the mess of dry branches and meets his eyes, his younger brother buries his face into the worn yellow fabric and cries even harder.  

The funeral procession is still going, carrying their mother’s body from their shabby little house to the top of the hill where she used to sit and sing, waiting on a husband that wouldn’t return and hoping for a day when the rain would come and stick around for more than just a few days a year. Except nobody’s singing now; Time thinks it’s a shame, because Mama always said that she’d want lots of singing at her funeral - singing and dancing and celebrating, because she’d finally be moving on from this dead world and onto the next, where there would be clean water and green grasses and nobody looking to raid their meager little village for all it was worth. 

But the people of the village don’t sing when they carry her up the hill - there isn’t even all that much crying. Instead, their footsteps fall heavy on the dusty earth, a steady beat that doesn’t seem to match the racing of Time’s heart, and the village leader’s voice is the only other sound that cuts through the dry air, droning on about how this world takes everything from the living, so it’s good practice to cling to whatever you can. 

Time crawls beneath the dead branches of the dead tree and curls around his little brother, closing his eyes against the feeling of tears soaking into the fabric of his shirt and straining to hear the fading footsteps of the funeral march. Nobody’ll come looking for them; not after they saw Twilight tear off under the midday sun, hollering like a mad dog and cursing the spoiled land beneath them. 

Time can’t blame them; people have enough problems to worry about without two motherless boys weighing on their resources. 

Still, it’ll be a hard few months; maybe not physically, because, as much as Time loathes to admit it, now there’s one less person taking up whatever meager funds he manages to collect working in the mines. Less people means more food to split between them, more blankets to share during the cold nights, more water to pass over cracked lips and dry tongues.

It’ll be hard, though, because their mother was just about the only good thing about this place and Time has a hard time imagining he can offer even half of the hope she managed to provide.

In his arms, Twilight has begun to quiet, heaving sobs turned to little hiccups and soft sniffles. Time presses a kiss to his hair, tasting the salt of his own tears, and attempts to remember the songs their mother used to sing when the dust storms blew in from the surrounding wastelands. His mind comes up empty, though, so instead he just hums nonsense tunes and rocks his little brother in the shade of the dead tree, staring out across the dried up river bed and trying to imagine the water that used to dwell in its cradle.  

The world had already ended long before he was born, but Time can’t help but think that, today, it’s been destroyed all over again. 

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

3,613 days after their mother dies (because that’s how Twilight has kept track of time since the worst day of his life), the second worst day of his life hits him like a wagon. 

Literally. 

There’s a shout behind him, the scream of a horse gone haywire, and then he’s lying on the ground, bleeding dark red all over the pale soil. He thinks he can hear someone calling for help - calling for Time, because his big brother’s still working down in the underground, where there’s barely any light and he comes home smelling like salt and shadows. 

There’s hands on his chest and his face and his head, lifting and pulling at him until he cries out from the pain, and then the world tilts as he heaved onto someone’s back, his arms dangling limply; he squeezes his eyes shut, forcing back the bile that rises in his throat as he’s jostled, and tries to keep breathing - it’s getting hard, because his chest feels like someone’s pressing their whole weight down on him and every movement of the body beneath him makes his rib bones creak and groan. 

Someone’s talking to him, telling him to stay awake. Twilight thinks they need to be quiet.

And then suddenly he’s lying on something soft. There’s still yelling all around him, a chorus of meaningless panic, but it’s muffled now, as if all the sound in the world has been smothered by a big blanket. He’s not sure how much time has passed, but he can feel the darkness trying to creep in again. He tilts towards its welcoming numbness with a weak sigh. 

“-light? Baby, open your eyes for me…” 

A woman’s voice, warm and familiar, cuts through the din. Twilight lets out a low moan as something is pressed against his side, sending spikes of pain shooting through his abdomen and down his legs. He jolts, trying to get away, but soft hands hold him down with surprising strength. 

“Baby, you gotta hold still for me, now… that’s it, that’s it. Now open your eyes, Twilight.” 

“M’ma…” He murmurs, turning his face into the palm that cups his cheek. There’s a stuttered breath somewhere above him, before the voice comes again. 

“No, baby. Open your eyes for me now, c’mon.” 

The pressure in his side increases and he opens his mouth in a silent cry, jerking away from the pain as best he can. His eyes fly open of their own accord, unfocused, and through the haze of tears and what might be the beginnings of a fever, a face swims into view above him; red hair halos soft green eyes and Twilight feels a mixed rush of relief and disappointment wash over him. 

“...M…lon…?” 

The face breaks into a worried grin. 

“Hi baby. You’re gonna be okay, okay? You just gotta keep breathin’ for me, yeah?” 

“Hurts…” 

“I know, baby,” Malon murmurs and swipes her thumb across his cheek. “Time’s gonna be here soon. They already sent someone to go get him.” 

“Nnn…” Twilight tries to shake his head. “...e’s w’rkin’...” 

“Honey, you’re more important.” 

Twilight tries to object - they need supplies, dammit, and goddess knows he ain’t gonna be able to work for a while after this - but his brother’s wife just shushes him gently and presses a kiss to his sweaty forehead. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” she tells him and Twilight closes his eyes with a groan. 

No, it’s not , he wants to say, but his chest is starting to hurt so bad his breath isn’t coming as easily and he can hear Malon starting to panic above him, calling his name and shaking him. Somewhere nearby, a door slams open and there’s more yelling, before two large hands are on either side of his face, palms worn and warm as they tilt his head up. 

“Twilight! Twilight, you open your eyes right now !” 

He can’t, he can’t, he can’t , but he knows that it’s Time holding him now, body blocking out the lantern light and bringing with him the smell of the underground. His face must be a picture, Twilight thinks, now covered in the soot of his brother’s hands, mixing with all his blood and sweat.

“Pup, you gotta open your eyes for me, y’hear - you gotta breathe- ” 

It’s getting real dark now - darker than before, even though his eyes have been closed for a while. The kind of dark that comes when you’re on the verge of falling asleep. The kind of dark that only happens in the middle of a starless night, when the clouds are so heavy they block out all the light and leave only an endless void.   

“-ake up-!” 

Twilight thinks he might be drifting towards that void as more voices join in. 

“...pressure buildin’... -is lungs…” 

“...be able to breathe…” 

“...we… to release it… gonna hurt…” 

That’s the last thing he hears before something sharp is jabbed into his side, in between his ribs and into whatever soft stuff lies beneath, and his breath comes back to him in a rush of painful air; Twilight writhes, a howl bursting from the back of his throat as his chest finally finally expands the way it’s supposed to. 

There’s more words, Time and Malon’s voices mixing together with someone else’s - the village healer, maybe - and then Twilight, for all that he can now breathe without feeling like their whole house is sitting on his chest, thinks that he’s still hurting pretty bad and his head feels like it’s stuffed with cloth and he doesn’t really want to be awake anymore. 

So, when the voices start to fade and that darkness comes back, creeping in from the boundaries of his mind like the shadows that dance at the edge of firelight, Twilight takes one last big breath in and lets the pain wash over him. Time calls his name again, frantic, but he’s too far gone to even care.

The darkness beckons and Twilight goes willingly. 

When he finally wakes, some hours later if the fading light from the window is anything to go by, he’s lying in his own bed and covered in the blanket their mother made when he was just a baby; it’s near threadbare at this point, but neither he nor Time had ever had the heart to get rid of it. 

Time, who is currently sat at his bedside and bent at the waist, his head buried in Twilight’s stomach and face turned to reveal soot stains on his cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. He’s asleep, brow forever furrowed by the weight of the world, and he grimaces when Twilight lifts a shaky hand to brush away the messy bangs that Time refuses to let Malon clip.  

It’s a testament to the chaos of the day that Time doesn’t wake. 

Instead, Malon eventually enters the room, another blanket in her arms and her hair done up in a messy bun; she lays the blanket across Time’s shoulders, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head as she does. 

Twilight watches the moment with lidded eyes, feeling like an intruder in his own sickbed, until Malon looks up and meets his tired gaze with her own; surprise overtakes her features when she sees he’s awake, before she gathers herself and places a gentle hand on his chest - her other palm she presses to his cheek, pursing her lips as she does.  

“Hi baby,” she murmurs and Twilight feels his cheeks color, though he’s not sure if it’s from the endearment or the fever. He mouths ‘hi’ back, wincing when a jab of pain lances through his chest. Time’s head rocks with the movement, but his brother only mumbles something in his sleep before burrowing deeper into the blanket over Twilight’s body. Twilight lets his lip twitch upwards at the feeling. 

Malon is watching them with a fond smile, though it’s tinged with worry. After a moment, she reaches for a bowl of water sat on a nearby table and brings it slowly to Twilight’s lips, tilting his head with her free hand and helping him to take careful sips. 

The water is lukewarm from the heat of the day, metallic and bitter, but it feels like an oasis in the desert of his mouth.

“Thank you,” he whispers when she steps away and she gives him a look of such kindness that he can’t help but thank the goddess that Time finally got his shit together a few years back and actually asked for her hand. 

She’d brought back a little bit of the light the two of them had been missing for a long while and Twilight doesn’t think either of them would have survived much longer without her in their lives. 

He thinks today is probably a pretty good example of that. 

It’s as Twilight is pondering the wonders of Malon and all her ‘magic,’ that his brother finally wakes - it is, unfortunately, not at all graceful. Time jerks in his sleep, sending a jab of pain through Twilight’s chest that travels down the length of his limbs and leaves him biting out a low whine. Malon is quick to pull her husband away, supporting him as he jolts awake with a yelp. 

Were Twilight in any other situation, he might’ve laughed at the look of confusion on Time’s face. Instead, he’s too busy riding out the wave of agony that’s decided to take up residence in his body. He can vaguely feel Time’s hands on his shoulders, grounding him as he grips the blanket hard enough that his knuckles begin to turn white. By the time he’s able to regain control, he’s soaked in sweat and his chest is heaving - it aches something fierce, but at least it’s more manageable than the red hot burn that’s now slowly receding. 

When the world finally comes back into focus, Time is staring at him with a look of horror, eyes wide and brimming with unshed tears. 

“I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Pup,” he stammers, hands hovering uselessly over Twilight’s body. “Oh goddess, okay, okay, uh…” 

He looks to Malon for help, but she’s too focused on dabbing Twilight’s forehead with an old rag to notice. 

Twilight reaches an uncoordinated hand in Time’s direction; it ends up falling limply back onto the bed, but it’s enough to grab his brother’s attention. Time takes it in his own, holding it to his chest as he sits back down beside Twilight’s bed. 

“S’fine,” Twilight mumbles. Above him, Malon rolls her eyes, but she steps back, allowing Time to lean in closer and press a shaky hand to Twilight’s forehead. 

She looks at Twilight over Time’s shoulder, arching her eyebrow in a way that Twilight has yet to master for himself, and mouths the words ‘I’ll be back soon,’ before gathering up her rag and the water bowl and leaving the room. 

In the quiet of her absence, Twilight closes his eyes and tries to center himself; Time is running his fingers through Twilight’s sweat-soaked hair, murmuring soft apologies. Outside, the wind is rustling the dry branches of whatever weeds manage to stake a claim in the dry soil. 

“M’sorry,” he finally says, looking at Time. His brother shakes his head, moving his hand to cradle Twilight’s head and hold it steady as he brings them forehead to forehead.  

“Ain’t nothin’ to be sorry ‘bout,” he murmurs. Twilight sighs and does his best to press back. Time huffs out a quiet laugh, pulling away just enough to meet Twilight’s gaze. “Accidents happen, Pup.” 

“Y’should be w’rkin’...” 

“An’ you should be restin’, but here you are sayin’ things like ‘sorry,’ instead.” 

Twilight does his best to roll his eyes, but it only makes the world spin, so he settles for looking up at the ceiling instead. It’s been patched over so many times it’s beginning to look like the quilt Malon brought with her when she first came to live with them. 

“Papa traded our last cow for it,” she’d explained to Twilight once, holding it up to show him each of the patches - scraps of all different fabrics, from handkerchiefs to blankets to old shirts. “Got it off a scavenger from somewhere West of here.” 

“Why’d he trade your cow for it?” Twilight had asked, still too young to catch the way Malon’s eyes had grown sad at the memory. 

“He was a bit senile, by the end,” she’d finally said, and that had been the last they’d spoken about it. 

“You still with me, Pup?” 

Time’s voice draws him away from the memory, concern poorly concealed by a veil of calm. Twilight nods and takes a deep breath, ignoring the way his chest smarts at the action. Time gives him a sympathetic look, placing a hand on his sternum; Twilight smiles weakly.

Time rewards him with a smile of his own, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, before sitting back with a sigh and looking out the window to where the sun is beginning to set. Twilight watches him for a moment, before shifting in bed in an attempt to get comfortable. 

“Y’should… rest,” he says once he manages to get somewhat settled. “Gotta… be ready for work t’morrow…” 

Time doesn’t look at him. 

“I ain’t goin’ to the mines tomorrow.” 

“Time,” Twilight says and tries to lift himself on shaking arms. Time pushes him back with a gentle sound of admonishment; Twilight goes willingly, but he fixes his brother with a glare nonetheless. “Y’need to go… I’ll be fine…” 

“I said I ain’t goin’ to the mines tomorrow,” Time repeats and then looks away towards the door. “I ain’t goin’ at all… anymore.” 

It takes a moment for Twilight to understand what his brother is saying, but once it sinks in, it’s only the pain and exhaustion that keeps him from leaping out of bed and shaking Time by the shoulders. 

“...y’lost it… l’st the job…” 

“More like I shoved it right back up the Overseer’s ass,” Time says out the side of his mouth, but Twilight is too preoccupied with the consequences his brother’s actions admire his sass. 

“Nnoo, no nnoo,” he moans and throws an arm over his face; the movement pulls at the wound in his side, but he pays it little mind. “Why-” 

“He wanted me to stay.” Time cuts him off sharply. “Wanted me to stick around an’ keep diggin’ while you were here, bleedin’ out.” He crosses his arms with a huff. 

Twilight curls his lips in a snarl. 

“Y’shoulda stayed…” 

“Like Hell,” Time hisses. “You were dyin’-” 

“Wasn’t dyin’,” Twilight bites out and then startles when Time stands so abruptly that his chair tips over and falls to the ground with a thud. Twilight stares up to where his brother is looking down at him with an anger that Twilight hasn’t seen in nearly a decade. 

“You,” Time nearly spits. “Weren’t breathin’ when I finally made my way here. You were paler than a ghost and lyin’ so still I thought… I thought…” His voice breaks and he turns away suddenly, bringing a trembling hand to his mouth. Twilight watches, shocked. 

Finally, Time seems to collect himself enough to speak again. 

“I thought I was too late… you weren’t movin’ and Malon couldn’t get you to wake up and I… I thought I’d lost you…” 

He doesn’t look at Twilight as he all but collapses onto the edge of the bed, head in his hands as he curls over himself. 

“I cannot lose you,” Time whispers and finally looks at Twilight through the gaps in his fingers. 

Twilight doesn’t speak - doesn’t know what to even say . He lays there, staring at Time and unable to come up with a proper response. Time just looks at him, tired eyes boring holes into Twilight’s very being. 

The silence is broken by the bedroom door creaking open and both of them turn to see Malon peeking her head into the room. 

“Just… checkin’ in…” she says, eyeing the fallen chair. Neither Time nor Twilight offer her a response and, after a moment, she hesitantly nods and then leaves, closing the door behind her.  

This seems to break Time out of whatever stupor he’d been caught in, because he finally takes pity on Twilight and stands, knees cracking as he does. He’s looking at Twilight again, but all the anger is gone, replaced by a deep weariness that seems to pervade his entire being. He leans over to place a hand on Twilight’s head, leaving it there for a moment, before stepping away. 

“I’ll figure somethin’ out,” he says as he picks the chair up off the floor, righting it with a grunt. “You don’t gotta worry ‘bout it.” 

“I worry,” Twilight responds quietly. He’s so tired. 

Time graces him with a small smile. 

“That’s my job,” he says. He makes his way to the door, before turning back one more time. “Rest, Pup. It’ll be okay.” 

Then he’s blowing out the lantern as he leaves, casting Twilight into darkness once more. 

Except this time, Twilight doesn’t fall into its embrace. Instead, he lays awake for a long while, exhausted beyond compare but unable to sleep; his mind races, trying to piece together some sort of survival plan. Without the rations from Time’s work in the mines, all they’ll be going off is whatever Malon is able to trade with passing scavengers. Despite her best efforts, the crops she manages to produce in her garden are small; the soil in this place was tainted long ago and, though Malon might have enough talent to pull some sort of goodness from the land here and her cuccos can provide some eggs (and meat, if things get truly desperate), it just isn’t enough for the three of them to get by. 

Especially now that Twilight definitely won’t be out making trade runs or hauling supplies anytime soon. 

He groans, pressing his palms into his eyes until they begin to hurt. 

Goddess be damned , he thinks sullenly. 

Sleep does not come easy.  

Time leaves early the next morning; Twilight listens to him rush out the front door and down the dusty road towards the village, not even stopping to wish his old mare, Epona, a proper goodbye from where she watches at her post. 

For a few hours, Twilight contents himself with believing that Time has come to his senses and is going to go and beg to work in the mines once more. The Overseer might be an ass at the best of the times, but Twilight has to believe that the man has some sort of kindness tucked away. 

His hopes are dashed, though, when Time returns before midday, a small bag in hand. 

“Bounty work,” he explains when he finally shows Twilight the handful of rations he’d received that morning. “This here’s the down payment. I go, finish the job, and I get triple what they’ve given me here when I return.” 

Twilight objects at first, and so does Malon, but, to Twilight’s surprise and horror, she’s quick to give in. She frowns as Time explains his plan to return after each bounty, get his promised payment, and then head out again after some time at home, but finally nods. 

“I still don’t like it,” she admits, biting her lip. “I don’t like the thought of you out there alone, huntin’ after dangerous people.”

“It ain’t all dangerous people,” Time says, taking her hands in his. “Love, one bounty alone’ll be worth more than what we could trade for in two months… you and Twilight’ll have more than enough to get by while I’m gone, and whatever is left over you can trade for… for anything you need! Anything you want!” 

“Time,” Twilight calls from the bed, but the look in his brother’s eyes when Time turns to him kills whatever argument he’s got building. 

“Pup, I promise I’ll be fine! I’ll be safe… and you two will be okay without me for a little while.” 

I can’t lose you , Twilight wants to scream. Wants to throw his brother’s words right back in his face. But Time is looking at him with so much hope, so much determination, that Twilight simply closes his eyes and sighs, relenting. 

“You better come back,” he says instead and nearly cries when Time nods with a small smile. 

“Of course.” 

“And you better come back in one piece,” Malon adds on. Time laughs, deep and rich, and Twilight tries to memorize the shape of the sound; the way his brother’s voice fills up the tiny bedroom and makes the whole house feel warm. 

He clings to that memory the way he clings to Time the next day, digging his fingers into his brother’s tunic and burying his face into Time’s neck. 

“Please,” he begs and feels Time press a kiss into his hair. “Please, come back.” 

“I promise, Pup,” Time says and then he steps back, helping Twilight to lay back down into bed. “As long as you promise me that you’ll actually rest while I’m gone.” 

“If that’s what it takes for you to come back,” Twilight responds and hates that way Time’s smile falls just a little. He’s dressed for travel, a bag slung across his shoulders and a hood fitted at his neck for when the wasteland sun becomes too much. He looks like one of the heroes from the stories their mother used to tell them; like one of the travelers from far away that appeared suddenly from the swirling sands, only to disappear like some sort of spirit or mirage. 

Twilight desperately prays that Time won’t just disappear. 

“I’ll come back,” Time reassures him again, his smile turned to something softer. And then he’s leaving - he says his goodbyes to Malon outside, their words too quiet for Twilight to make out, before he’s truly gone, his form fading slowly as he walks further and further off into the distance towards the village and whatever lies beyond. 

Twilight watches him go from his bedroom window, staring out at the horizon long after he can no longer see his brother and long after the sun has climbed high into the sky. Malon comes and sits with him eventually, though she doesn’t speak.

The two share the silence together, waiting for something that definitely won’t come within the next few hours, before finally Malon leaves to finish her work for the day and Twilight lies back down and tries to keep his promise to Time. 

That’s how the next year plays out; Time comes and goes, always returning with his promised rewards - sometimes it’s rations, sometimes it’s supplies - and a handful of new stories and scars, before heading off again on the next job. Twilight recovers, slowly but surely, and eventually he’s back to working where he can, picking up random jobs here and there and helping with trade runs when scavengers set up camp in the valley a few miles beyond the village. Malon gives him herbs and vegetables and eggs to trade for water and cloth and feed for Epona. When Time returns, they use his payments to trade for things like leather and dried meat. 

That’s how it goes, for one year, until one day it all stops. One day, Twilight and Malon wait and wait and wait, and then the day turns into two. And then three. And then five and ten and twenty. 

Twilight spends his evenings sitting on the sturdier parts of the roof of their house, eyes trained on the horizon, while Malon sets a third place at the table in their tiny kitchen. Still the days drag on.  

One day, 34 days after Time last left, Malon finally trades the last of his rations for a jug of gray water.  

182 days after Time last left, Twilight finds her sitting in her garden, tears carving tracks through the dust on her cheeks as she digs through the dry soil. She’s singing to herself. 

370 days after Time last left, Twilight finally loses hope. 

He finishes feeding the cuccos that morning and then goes out to the field, only to find Epona lying on her side, stiff and cold despite the heat of the day. The sound that tears itself from his throat reminds him distantly of the howling creatures he sometimes hears at night. 

The world ends for a third time.

Twilight falls to his knees beside her, throwing himself over her body and cursing the goddess the way he used to when he was much younger. He feels like a child, helpless and lost, except this time, there’s no older brother to wrap him up and save him. 

In the field here, he is alone with a dead horse. 

It’s how Malon finds him hours later, only by then his sobs have subsided and he’s simply sitting beside what’s left of Time’s beloved steed, running his hands over her still flank and trying to commit the exact color of her mane to memory. 

“She was all we had left of him,” he says when Malon sits beside him, a hand on his shoulder. They sit in silence for a long while.

“I still have you,” Malon finally whispers and Twilight feels his heart break just a little more.

Eventually they manage to bury Epona; they don’t drag her up to the hill where Twilight’s mother is buried, though he wants to. Instead, they lay her to rest a little ways away from the house, in the cradle of the dry riverbed, where Time used to ride her up and down its winding length. Twilight marks the spot with a large stone, doing his damndest to pound it into the ground as far as it can go, lest a dust storm come to tear it away. 

He stays there, long after Malon leaves to go back to the house, staring at the stone and the mound of freshly moved dirt it sits upon. 

There’s something building in his chest; it isn’t more tears - he thinks he’s spent all that he has of those - but some sort of terrible, wonderful feeling that reminds him of when that wagon first collided with him and crushed one of his ribs so horribly that it turned itself against him and pierced right through the thing it was meant to protect. 

It reminds him of the hope that he saw in Time’s eyes over a year ago; of the determination that sent his brother off beyond the boundary of everything they had ever known. 

It isn’t either of those things; Twilight thinks it must be some sort of desperation, strong and wild enough to burn brighter than any hope or determination that could ever exist. 

It makes him dream of something so monumentally impossible that he forgets, for a moment, that the world has ended three times now. 

He stands there, staring at the stone, until the sun sets.

When he finally returns to the house, Malon is sat alone at the table, her hands folded in front of her. She looks lost in thought and Twilight makes to simply pass her by and go to his room, but her voice stops him in his tracks. 

“You ain’t goin’ to go lookin’ for him.” 

Twilight doesn’t look at her, still staring at the door to his bedroom. Malon doesn’t seem to care. He can hear her stand from the table, slow and deliberate.  

“Didja hear me?” 

Something in her voice sends a shiver racing all the way down his spine and he finally turns, eyes trained on the ground. 

“...yes.” 

There’s footsteps and then a hand comes and tilts his chin up, so that he’s forced to meet Malon’s gaze. 

“He’s dead, Twilight,” she says and there’s so much venom in the words that Twilight flinches. “He’s dead. I’ve lost him. I ain’t about to lose you, too.” 

“Malon-” 

“No!” This time, the force of her words has him stepping back, eyes wide. Malon’s face is hard as stone and she turns on her heel to make her way over the table, planting both her hands on its wooden surface. “No, Twilight. Just. No.” 

She doesn’t turn back around and Twilight, still reeling, takes his leave, retreating to his room and collapsing into his bed, burying himself under his mother’s old blanket. It smells of dust and dirt and the many years it’s lived through; Twilight draws its tattered form around himself and tries to imagine his mother’s arms instead. 

But it’s been a long time since she left this world and the last person to hold him so tightly was Time. 

Somewhere outside, in the far off distance, something is baying and wailing into the night, its call echoing out over the barren wasteland and slipping through the window of Twilight’s room. 

He thinks it sounds eternally desperate. 

Beneath the tattered remains of his mother’s handiwork, wrapped in the ghost of a promise, Twilight makes up his mind. 

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

Hark, hear the call Of the desperate creature The wailing and the howling Of the wonderful teacher Demonstrator of killing Of baying and bounding Whose beauty and grace Is not what’s astounding But instead it’s the writhing Of its prey in its claws And the gift it provides By snapping its jaws Down upon throats Of contemptuous beasts Who scour all the lands And use them as feasts Stripping all they could offer And devouring them whole But the desperate creature Returns what they stole Eating the bodies Of the greedy and proud And ridding the land Of their terrible cloud. - 'Desperate Creature' by Lem, Wasteland Traveler

[reidslibrarybook]

Antidote

Couple - Spencer x Pregnant!Reader

Warnings - Language, Allusions to s3x, pregnancy

Summary - Mood swings and outbursts are constant during your pregnancy, so Spencer finds a way to cheer you up!

Category - fluff, domestic life ig

Word Count - 1.2k

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After years of convincing, Spencer still hadn’t agreed to watch Twilight with you. He had disagreed saying that he had no interest in watching a sanitized version of literature, especially if it was contemporary. He explained that the classics were where his mind ought to occupy and he didn’t want to waste his time on a watered-down YA novel turned movie.

The only thing that changed his mind was your pregnancy. You had been in a funk for weeks and no one, not even your own husband could pull you out of it. Truthfully, you didn’t know what had got you in such a mood. Perhaps it was the constant mood swings, your daily battles with morning sickness, your aching breasts, the fact that the growing fetus inside you was constantly riding your bladder, the nagging cravings, your deteriorating body image, or your ever-present fatigue.

Spencer had done everything exactly the way he should have. He had tried everything to make you feel happier and better about yourself, he was always there… always. He comforted you about your growing insecurities, made sure to massage you whenever you were sore, and dropped everything to ease your cravings and nausea. Despite his efforts, nothing could bring up your irritated mood.

The two of you had just gotten back from the market with your tubs and tubs of ice cream. You were beginning to become agitated when you couldn’t decide on a flavor to buy leading to Spencer haphazardly throwing multiple tubs of ice cream in the cart so you could have a plethora of flavors to choose from. On your way home, some reckless driver had cut you off, practically opening a gate to hell inside of you. Thankfully, the two of you had just barely made it home safe even though you practically blew his eardrums with your aggravated yelling.

He opened the door for you as you carried the lighter bag of groceries inside the house, “God, I don’t even know why I’m so hung up on that idiot. He just made me so so mad.”

Spencer contemplated his next move and decided on telling you a fact about your pregnancy since you always seemed to react positively to his ramblings. “You know, hormones are only one reason why your mood shifts so violently. Changing hormone levels elicit an irritable or even angry reaction whenever something provokes you. Also, your fatigue and physical discomfort play a huge role in your mood swings as well-”

“No shit,” you mumbled as you rolled your eyes and dropped the bag on the counter. He heard you angrily walk to the bedroom and slam the door. He sighed and continued to put away the groceries, trying to think of something, anything that could cheer you up.

After an hour or two of isolation, you guiltily made your way down the stairs timidly hiding behind the wall as Spencer sat on the couch reading a thick book you didn’t recognize. You stood there, waiting for him to acknowledge you, unsure if he was upset with your most recent outburst. He looked up and smiled softly at you, thinking about how beautiful you looked in your large t-shirt and shorts— your pregnant belly hiding in the midst of your oversized top. He walked towards you and grabbed your hand tenderly, capturing your attention. You smiled as tears pricked your eyes, he pulled you in for a hug, attempting to calm your sour mood. You leaned in and tucked your head in the crook of his neck.

“I’m sorry for being so difficult, Spence. I didn’t mean to be so horrible. You’re so patient and kind and I’m such a bitch to you all the time.”

He pressed a soft kiss to your lips, “Y/N, I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. All the pain and discomfort you’re feeling is something that I can’t even fathom. The least I can do is make you feel as comfortable and loved as possible. Mk?” You nodded and leaned into him again as he tapped your thigh, signaling you to jump and wrap your legs around him. He carried you to the couch and placed you down on the fluffiest throw blanket he could find. Spencer walked away towards the kitchen— a short five minutes later, he walked back in with two bowls of ice cream in his hand.

“You know me so well, love.”

“Well, I am your husband.”

You threw the blanket over the both of you and leaned on his shoulder as you spooned your ice cream into your mouth. “Mhm, can you read to me?”

He looked down at you, snuggling impossibly closer into your body, “I think I have a better idea.” You quirked a brow and waited for him to reveal his ‘genius’ idea. He turned on the tv, navigating to Netflix. As he began to type the name of whatever he wanted to watch in the search bar, you knew the moment you had waited for, since you first brought up the idea, had arrived.

“No way,” you looked at him as a wide smile dawned on your face, “Are we going to watch Twilight?”

He frowned sarcastically, “yes.”

You put both your bowls down on the table and pulled him in for a tight bear hug, “YES, FINALLY! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS?”

He was amused by your enthusiasm, “If I had known that watching 10 hours and 34 minutes of cringe-worthy movies with crappy acting would be the antidote to your mood, I would have done this a loooong time ago.”

“But that’s the point, Spencer, they’re so bad that they’re good.”

“I have no idea what you mean by that.” You shook your head and continued to eat your ice cream as the first movie played on the tv. Spencer soon understood what you had meant when the two of you finished watching it. At one point, he couldn’t stop laughing at Taylor Lautner’s wig and when he noticed the stalker-like tendencies of Edward. By the second movie, Spencer was well and truly captivated, he couldn’t take his eyes off tv… especially when a scene with a shirtless Jacob was rolling. It was around 8 or 9 in the morning when you had finished your marathon and the two of you were spent. Spencer carried you up to bed and held you close to him.

“So, did you like it?”

He pulled away to look at you, “It was better than expected, I guess”

“Sooooo, did you like it for the plot or Taylor Lautner’s abs?”

His eyes widened at your accusation, “I- what, no, I- I liked it for the plot.”

“Aaaaaand his abs,” you teased as you poked his cheeks that were flushed with crimson, “C’mon, no shame in admitting it, Spence. You’re definitely team Jacob because of his hot bod.”

“Ok, fine. He is very attractive,” he laughed, “But that doesn’t mean I’m on his ‘team’, I don’t think I could root for a man whose only characteristic is being shirtless. Not to mention the fact that he’s practically the definition of a groomer.”

“That’s fair. Sooo, should I start wearing a wig and walking around the house without a shirt on?”

He smirked, “Maybe not the wig part, but the latter… now that’s a good idea.”

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[luimagines]

Perhaps them being protective over you(the reader)? Mostly platonic but hints of romantic(if you get what I mean?) Like, the relationship between them has been platonic and they’ve only really seen it has platonic, but someone(the Heroes) might be catching feelings. Also if it isn’t too much trouble do you think you could keep this in the same timeline? Like, your other scenarios had the same reader and felt like these all happened at some point, can you do the same for this one? I hope this isn’t too much trouble, really love your blog!💖💖💖

Masterlist

Ok, I think I get what you mean. The Hero is protective with a hint of feelings they haven't come to terms with. They're crushing but they don't know it yet.

I don't know what you mean by the same timeline though. It wasn't supposed to be the same reader for all of them but hey! It be like that sometimes, I guess! Especially if they're just friends.

The Reader is also set to be the same age as Wind for his scenario.

Warrior's got longer than intended and there is some catcalling in that one. FYI

Scenario under the cut!

Legend

"You can be seriously going out in that." Legend couldn't help but snap. The group had been dropped into a snowcapped mountain in the middle of a blizzard. The only luck they had on their side was a nearby cave where they all but ran to in an attempt to weather the storm and get their bearings.

But someone still had to scout and you were planning to take Wild and Twilight with you since they were the only ones who could both brace the cold and most likely find their way back.

He, however, didn't like the idea of you going out there period.

Even less so when he found you severely underdressed compared to your companions.

It seemed however, that you saw no problem with it, even going as far as to tilt your head and look down at what you were wearing at his comment. It sparked something in Legend's chest that he wasn't willing to decipher at the moment.

"What's wrong with it?" You asked.

"Are you serious right now?" Legend scowled. The top you wore was tight around your chest and the cloak that clasped at the front billowed around you ever so slightly from the wind at the front of the cave. There were thin layers of furs under your linen over shirts that matched the fur lining your boots outlining your figure and silhouette in a way he found irritating.

The light that barely peaked through the clouds lit up your form gave you a halo of light over your head and made you look more of a hero than he ever would have pictured you.

It didn't sit well with him.

"That doesn't nearly look warm enough. If you plan on going out in that then you'll freeze within the first ten minutes." He crossed his arms and stared you down, willing you to disagree, to challenge him, keep you here longer so one of the others can pick up the lack and go instead.

"It's bear fur Legend." You reply instead with an easy grin your face. He elected to ignore it because he was trying to stay mad and irritated at the lack of care you seemed to have for your own safety. Why weren't the others backing him up?! Wouldn't Twilight have said something by now?! Or Time?!

Why was it just him?

How dare you smile like that? And at him no less! He's trying to make a point, darn it! It's hard to concentrate when you look so... innocent and bright and happy and-

Focus Link.

"I actually have four layers on as well." You continue and peel back what you can to show him what your clothing looks like. Unknowingly giving him a great look at your figure beneath said layers. "Two layers of wool and two of fur and I still have my clothes under here as well. Without enchantments like Wild, it's probably the warmest thing here. I'll be alright."

He can't bring himself to believe it.

He grits his teeth and continues to look at you, not bothering to spare a glance at Wild or Twilight when they eventually join your side, both now ready to head out.

"Honestly Legend. I know it doesn't look like much but I grew up around snow and ice and mountainous storms. If anyone knows what they're doing here, it's me."

He knows this. You told him. He knows that he knows this.

Why can't he believe it?

His hand forms a fist with a tight grip and he gets an idea.

Before he can fully think it through, he's marching up to you and snatches up your hand before you can protest.

You haven't put on your gloves yet so it's skin on skin.

He can't think much of it or he'll lose his nerve and he's already gone too far to go back now or he'll only be making a fool of himself.

Legend all but rips the most powerful ring he has on his person and shoves it onto your own. It's a protection ring, it'll shield you if anything tries to hurt you.

He's not entirely sure why he cares so much, just that he does, and this is all he can do if no one is going to back him up and stop you from going.

"I want this back." He says. He knows it sounds meaner than he's intending but then you let him put it on, take your hand back and marvel at it for a moment.

"I'll protect this with my life." You flex your hand, testing out how it feels and wonder what magic it must posses for Legend to not only give it up but deem it worth for the storm outside.

"Thanks Vet." You grin brighter and Legend finds himself floundering for a moment at the intensity of it.

The tips of his turn red, he knows this and he forces himself to distance himself or else the others would notice.

Your trio disappears into the white and he sits down by the fire made for the smaller ones of the group. He hasn't made eye contact with anyone since you left and he makes the mistake of trying to casually play it off by looking up.

Time is watching him with a knowing smile on his face.

"What?" Legend barks and scowls at the attention.

The older man just laughs a bit to himself and shakes his head but he doesn't say anything.

Legend thinks back on his actions a little sooner than he thinks he should and glances at his hand. The hand that grabbed yours.

Despite the journey, your hands were so soft.

He can't help but smile.

Time

Time was watching the over the group for the morning shift, his hand over his sword and his eyes watching... well you.

You intrigued Time.

Out all the heroes of courage on this journey, you weren't one of them. You weren't a Link and yet you seemed to fill a gap the group didn't know it had.

He couldn't figure out why or how but he found himself wanting to know what made you tick, why did you work so well with the others, what your world was like, and how did it mold you to be so....

He had trouble finding a word for it.

As the boys rough housed and played around, he found himself relaxing. It was a quiet morning and he had the added support of Wolfie on look out for any monsters.

He put his sword down and and walked over to where you were.

You were sitting with a book in your lap, something he found you doing often. But this time you were ignoring the book, laughing at Wind's and Wild's antics as they blasted each other with their Deku leaves. Wind continuously knocked the Champion around but neither of them seemed to mind.

If anything, it appeared the were doing on purpose and were trying to see how far he'd go.

Boys.

He could feel the smile on his face as he made his way toward you.

"Enjoying the theatrics?" He spoke up.

You jumped with a small yelp, something he found endlessly entertaining.

"You're the biggest guy here! How are you so quiet?!" You yelled in his face with a pointed finger and hand on your chest.

Time chuckles and sits down next to you, sitting just close enough for your knees to brush. "Sorry. It's not always intentional, I promise."

"So you admit you do it on purpose!!" You turn to face him fully. Book absolutely forgotten.

Time finds himself pleased by the change.

"Occasionally." He grinned.

"Oh, and I so happen to be your favorite victim then?" You crossed you arms and leaned closer to him. Your words were biting but the smile on your face was teasing and the glint in your eye was knowing.

"Of course."

"You're impossible." You shove him away. "You're only like this because no one will ever suspect you."

"Is that so- LOOK OUT!" Time had noticed a second too late but in the seconds Time stopped paying attention to them, Wind and Wild had stopped launching each other and started launching objects.

Such objects like coconuts and hard wooden barrels.

Like the ones heading in your direction.

With no time to act, he grabs you and rolled out of the way, pressing you into his chest. The huddling objects bounced off of your spot, some exploding on impact while the rest crashed into the nearby trees and bushes.

It looked like a war zone.

Time held onto you for a second after the damage passed, waiting for any else to come your way. When nothing appeared, he began to let you go, looking down on you to see your reactions. "You ok?"

You had curled yourself into his chest, continuing to press yourself close to him even after he let go.

Time finds himself pleased by this as well.

"Well..." You took a deep breath and slowly looked up and around. "That was exciting."

"Are you hurt?" He asked again. You looked fine, if only a little shaken, but he wanted to hear you say it.

"I think my leg got scratched in the chaos."

Time forces himself to stay calm and to not show any reaction. A scratch is better than getting hit head on. You'll be fine.

"What about you?" You look up to him again, eyes wide and bigger than he remembers and they were such a lovely color-

"I'm more concerned about you." He says, cutting his own thought process off. Time proceeds to get up, being as gentle as he can with you still in his arms. "I did just happen to grab you."

"Well, I'm sure it would have been worse if you hadn't." You grin at him and push yourself away.

Time now finds that he misses the feeling of you there but isn't able to focus on why when the two culprits are running up to you at break neck speeds.

"Are you two ok?!" Wind reaches you first.

"We're so sorry, we miscalculated the angle and it went wildly off our target." Wild continues and helps you to your feet.

Wind hovers near Time, unsure of what to do or how to help.

Time looks over to where you are, breathless but smiling dazzlingly. "We're ok." You tell Wild. "Just thrown around is all, we're fine."

Time sighs and stands up, putting his serious face on. "You boys better have a good explanation for this."

They could have hurt someone. They almost hurt you. His only consolation is how they squirm under his gaze.

Good.

Wind

"What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? What is this place?!"

Wind looked over his shoulder from the fight over to where you were, the monster he was fighting falling before him. It was a great thing in his eyes to no longer be the youngest of the group. Not only for there to be someone of his age to talk to but also get the group off of his back for some of their more dramatic attempts at keeping him safe.

Wind was having a blast.

Everyone had found a dungeon in the sense that they fell into it against their knowledge and will and had happened to land with partners.

He hopes so anyway.

But on his end, he's with you!

And he's loving it!

You've never judged him and you've always thought that his stories were great and this was a great opportunity to show you how cool he is in a fight without the others trying to stop him from doing all his cool stuff.

And as an added bonus, he loves spending time with you!

Wind was close to wishing on stars for more time to spend alone with you. The others were always around and always in his business. How lucky that it seems he got his wish without doing that little kid stuff, like star wishing.

He didn't take into account that this might be your first dungeon though.

...Guess you didn't have those in your world...

But that's fine! He'll just walk you through it. They're easy once you get a groove going, and as dungeons go, this one is old hat for him.

The enemies around you fall within minutes and you're a little more shaken up than he likes.

"You ok?" He puts his sword on his back and walks toward you. You're staring at the fallen enemy in front of you with your own sword still raised. There's a slight cut on your arm, a red line going across and down, but Wind is almost certain that the cut is across...the blood is just going down your arm.

Wind takes a moment to quiet the sudden and unexpected rage. The monsters are lucky, he thinks, that they're already dead.

He grips his wrist tightly at the sight and places his other hand on your own. You gulp slightly and look at him tearfully. "Wind, where are we?"

You're scared, he realizes.

Scared, and alone and you don't know what kind of place this is.

There's another cut just above your eye and there more blood going down your face.

Wind feels himself fill with determination. He has the experience you lack to make it through here. He has been in more fights than you have. He knows what he's doing.

He's going to make sure you get out of here without being afraid anymore.

"Come on." Wind lets himself go and places his hand on top of yours, gently pushing the sword down and make a small effort to lace your fingers together. His other hand grips his sleeve and he begins to swipe it across your face, trying to clean the blood the best he can. "We're going to find the others, ok? We just have to keep going and if we're lucky we'll find a map, maybe a compass and it'll help us get out of here. We'll be back with the others in no time!"

You gulp and nod, tightening your grip on his hand and let him lead you through the unknown. Your voice is quiet and soft and Wind finds that he wants to hear it more often like this...just not laced with fear. "Ok. I trust you."

Wind nearly preens at your words, a large smile overtaking his face.

He'll protect you and you won't have to be afraid, not while he's here.

"Just leave it to me. I got this."

Warrior

"Whatup, Captain?" Warrior feels a weight be thrown on his shoulder at the call of the voice.

He looks to the side where it is and throws an easy smile on his face.

It's you! And you're grinning fabulously in his direction.

"Nothing in particular. Just checking our supplies, we might need to make a supply run in the nearest town for potions if we're lucky enough to find one but..." He looks at the bag in front of him with slight distain.

Truthfully, the group is low on a lot of stuff. Food, medical and magic supplies, someone is going to have to buy the Veteran more sewing supplies as well with how much battery all your clothes have taken on.

It would have to be a big buy....

A small town probably won't have half the stuff they need. And he doesn't know what kind of budget he's working with either.

But he's dealt with worse with less.

The group will hold on for a little longer if nothing drastic happens.

But Warrior doesn't want you to know that. If he had things his way, he'd let you think that everything was ok. That everything was fine and under control.

He's used to having to keep dire news from the troops so that they can keep fighting the good fight.

Lying to you though feel wrong. Dirty.

He finds your complete trust in him endearing and your willingness to help him with any and all loads on his shoulders means more to him than he'd ever be willing to tell you to your face.

You brighten and throw a thumb in the direction behind you. "We're in luck then. There's a town, that-a way according to Wild's weird telescope from his slate. I was planning to go check it out regardless but was in need of a partner. Wild can't because Twilight benched him after last fights stunt. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone?"

That idea sounds fantastic.

"I'd love to." He says easily. "Got anything to do before we head out?"

"Nope. Ready to leave immediately." You get off of him and he follows after you without missing a beat, quickly falling into sync with your steps. It's a habit he has trouble breaking, but if he can focus on matching your stride instead, he can stay by your side for the walk.

"We're getting supplies from the town. Be back soon!" He calls out to Time and the group as you walk by.

Time raises his hand in acknowledgement and goes back to pinning Wild down with his stare alone. Warrior doesn't feel sorry for him.

With that taken care of, you both pick up your speed and quickly leave the range of your little camp. Jokes are traded easily between you two and Warrior finds himself relaxing.

It's a strange feeling but one he knows that he can share with you.

You put him at ease and there's something about you that calls for his attention.

Maybe it's your attitude. Maybe it's your determination. Maybe it's the way you fight and the grace you carry yourself with.

You're a good fighter, a good team mate, and a good person.

You take care of the others. You take care of him.

He doesn't know how to thank you.

Warrior notices that you both reach the town in record time, the conversation seeming making time a useless way measure distance.

You both walk in and begin with Warrior's shopping list since it has a higher priority than simply exploring.

Warrior makes a promise to himself to find something for you.

A small gift, if you will.

He's not entirely sure what you like just yet but he thinks you deserve something nice and if he's here to buy nice things, then why shouldn't you get something as well.

The trouble is getting it without you seeing him buy it, or figure out his plan.

You were always able to read him like a book.

"Lookin' good sweetheart!" A voice calls from the side. A loud and obnoxious voice followed quickly by multiple cheers and whistles.

Warrior instantly has a spike in irritation and he forces himself to not shout back. He's used to this. It happens sometimes back home. He's not surprised it can carry elsewhere. There's pigs everywhere.

He ignores them.

"Why don't you leave your boy toy and come find out how a real man can treat you darlin'?!" Another one comments. More cheers and howls.

Boy toy?

That's new.

Warrior looks in their direction and comes to a startling discovery.

They're not looking at him. THEY'RE LOOKING AT YOU.

Now... Warrior likes to think he's a rational man. He's good at keeping his head on straight in tough situations. He's good under peer pressure and under stress.

He takes one look at you and sees your smile gone, your head is down and your face is red in shame, anger and embarrassment.

But you don't say anything in reply and only shuffle closer to him, trying to get in front of him so he'll shield you from their gaze.

Warrior is a rational man.

Many would agree with that.

He wants to tear their heads off.

"Come on baby, don't be that way! As easy as your back is to watch, we want to get a good look at your pretty little face!"

Warrior turns suddenly and faces them all head on. "Thank you for the compliment doll face! I'm new in town and just passing through but maybe-"

He starts walking towards them as sultry as he can manage, pulling on every acting cell he has in his body.

Which is a lot if you ask him.

The tactic works as he wants it to. Warrior knows he wasn't their target and the idea of him responding instead throws them off their rhythm.

"No, no, wait-" One of them holds a hand up and takes a step back. "Not you."

"Who else darlin'?" He mimics their drawl and smirks at their instant discomfort. "You want a good time?"

"I'm leaving." One of them says after a second of horror shows on his face and not so subtlety turns on his heel and leaves. The third follows without saying anything and it just leaves Warrior and the first caller.

Warrior likes these odds.

He drops the act and lets his murderous intent shine on his face. "Got anything else to say?"

Warrior reaches for his sword and the idea finally gets through the guy's head. Leave us alone or else.

"...No." He says and finally leaves as well, not looking back at either of you.

Warrior nods at his retreating form and returns to you, a little ashamed by how long it took him to react. For your sake.

His head is low when he reaches you and he scratches the back of his neck instead of making eye contact.

"Um... What do you want to do now?" He asks lamely. By Hylia, he wants to kick himself into oblivion.

A small snort catches his attention and he snaps his head up.

You're looking at him, hand over your mouth and crinkled eyes giving away your not so hidden smile. Your shoulders are shaking and it only grows as he stares at you.

You're not mad? He has trouble believing it because he's still furious.

A small bark of laughter escapes without your consent and it's the last wall to break as the dam flows out. You're laughing hysterically and it's beginning to scare him a little.

"D-Did you see their faces?!" You nearly scream. "Oh my god, Warrior, I love you. That was amazing."

Warrior shakes off the shock and feels himself blush. "It wasn't that special..."

"Wasn't that-? Oh boy, I wish Wild was here. I would have loved to get a picture! Warrior that was awesome. I'm so glad that you agreed to come with me." You walk beside him and grab his hand, beginning to drag him through the town. "You know what? I owe you. I have some rupees and we're not expected to come back to camp yet. You want something? I'll get it for you. My treat. Anything you want."

Warrior begins to flounder, and he's uselessly dragged behind you while your grin grows with every second that you talk.

While this all happens and you talk about the ways you plan to treat him, Warrior starts to think that he might just do anything for you.

Hyrule

Hyrule was busy enjoying the scenery of their most recent trip. He had managed to sneak away from the group and walk around the area without having to worry about the others for a moment.

The quiet was nice and familiar. The place was new and begging for him to explore what it had to offer.

Hyrule... found himself wishing for companionship, weirdly.

Well, as long as his travel companion is you.

He supposed Wild would have been just the same....but he found himself wanting to be with you instead.

He just... he doesn't know why. It doesn't bother him.

There's just.... He has trouble finding the words.

You're warm and gentle and it reminds him of casting his Life spell on himself before he met the others. There's a sense of safety, of calm.

A cool breeze on a warm summer's day.

A smile creeps on his face at the thought of you. Hyrule knows that he does it often but he still can't bring himself to care about it.

"Oh my- NO! HEY!" He hears your voice. Panicked, frantic and shrill.

And it gets cut off.

It's a bucket of ice water dumped over him. His heart launches into his throat and his stomach drops to his feet. His feet are moving in the direction towards you before he even realizes it.

Hyrule has reached a full on sprint and has to continue to run when he fails to find you. He takes a moment to be grateful for his stamina and how he's used to running but you're not.

At least he doesn't think so.

But he hopes this isn't where he finds out.

He trips over something. A sharp pain cuts across his shin as he falls to the ground, palms barely sustaining damaged thanks to his armor.

Hyrule gets up and sees something even worse than what he thought.

It's your sword.

You don't have your sword.

You're unarmed and alone.

Hyrule picks himself up and your sword and continues running at an even quicker pace.

He reaches you eventually and feels unadulterated rage flood through his system.

There's a pig monster over you, cheering and dancing in victory. There's only one. He thinks it's one of Wild's bokoblins but he calls on his magic and sends his sword straight through the monsters beating heart.

There's no black blood as it falls.

He sprints even more in your direction and begins to cradle your head, gently checking for blood any injuries.

He lets the healing spell move through his fingers to catch whatever he might be missing, whatever he can't see or get to without hurting you further.

He can feel what areas need the attention the most and can almost reconstruct the attack.

There's a large bump on your head, most likely the hit that knocked you unconscious.

Your arm is scratched and multiple pieces of skin have been torn off but it's a graze more than anything, it's not bleeding and doesn't goa any deeper than that.

Probably the hit that knocked your sword out of your hand.

There's a bruise blossoming on your knee and on your stomach and he has trouble figuring out what came first. They could have come from your fall or the beast could have simply hit you again.

The magic works its way through your system and subsequently heals him as well from his own minor injuries.

There's no way you can wake up fast enough and it leaves his heart pounding in his chest.

Hyrule knows when there's nothing left to heal and has to force himself to stop before he overexerts himself. The uncertainty is killing him. Just when he was hoping to spend time with you alone, this happens.

You groan and begin to sit up, your hand going to your head before realizing that it doesn't hurt and that you're not alone.

"Hyrule...Hey." Your voice is soft and a smile overtakes your face. You looks around and sit up straighter when you catch the dead body of the monster not two feet from you. "Guess that's your doing?"

Hyrule nods and moves to give you space, reaching his hand out for you to take. "How are you?"

"Good, all things considered...." You shrug and pick up your sword. Hyrule didn't even notice that he dropped it. "I was looking for you."

A mix of emotions fills his heart. Guilt at being the cause of it. Relief that at least you're together again. Happiness, strangely, at the thought of you thinking about him.

"Well I'm not lost, just..." He nervously looks up to you, his hand coming to scratch the back of his neck. "Got left behind."

"We noticed." Your smile fills with mirth and it's borderline a smirk.

Hyrule is not prepared by the realization that he finds that incredibly attractive.

"Thanks for coming to my rescue." You say, wrapping your arm with his. "The rest of the group is over here by the way."

"Yeah... Yeah ok." He grins and tightens his grip around your arm. "Let's meet up with our friends."

Yeah....friends...That's just what friends do.

Why does he feel weird about it?

Twilight

"On a scale of one to ten, how hard is it to learn how to ride a horse?"

Twilight looked around Epona's form, pausing his motion in brushing her to see you leaning up against her, a hand on her neck and brushing ever so slightly.

"Some people are more natural than others I suppose..." Twilight responded, an idea forming in his mind. "But it's not difficult."

You nodded in response and continued to pet the best girl around.

"I can show you how... If you want that is." Twilight grins to himself, leaning closer to Epona so you don't notice. The thought makes him giddy in a childlike way and he doesn't want you to be put off by his overexcitement.

You snap your head in his direction, a bright and excited smile on your face. "Really? I've always wanted to learn but I didn't want to impose."

Oh.

Out of everyone who could easily show you how to ride a horse, you came to him.

Well... doesn't that do something to his heart.

I mean, he is the only one with the horse but -DETAILS!!

He doesn't care for them.

"Here. Get on." He walks around and holds the reins, gesturing for you to get on Epona's back.

"Right now?" You're surprised, but delighted.

Twilight thinks it a good look on you.

"Sure. We're not going anywhere just yet and Epona can use a walk to stretch her legs." He says and helps you get up. Twilight is quick to follow after you and sit behind you, your back pressed up upon his chest.

"Ok, here's what you're going to do." He gives you the reins and places his hands over yours, leading you and Epona to where he thinks is a good place to go for a small trot.

It's effortless for him to lead you both through the trail.

Your trio actually pass by the group who are resting for lunch and wave to them as you go. Twilight catches the smile Time has on his face and is quick to put together that he knows something he doesn't. He'll ask Time about it later.

Twilight talks to you about how to hold the reigns, how to kick the horse into gear, how to steer and anything that he can think of that means safety for both you and the animal.

"Hey Twilight-" You mention suddenly and point just beyond the distance. "-Should we be concerned about that?"

Monsters, also on horses.

An arrow wizzes by suddenly, imbedding itself in Epona's side.

Shocked by the pain and scared by the suddenness of it, Epona takes off in a sudden sprint. Encouraged by the reaction, the monsters give chase.

Twilight notices that they don't have as much control over their chosen transportation.

He has the advantage.

Epona's first instinct is to run back to the group, back to the numbers and safety. Twilight knows better though, he can't lead the monsters to the group, even if he has a sizeable lead on them. He quickly turns her away, a plan forming in his mind.

You don't have weapons or back up, so this is going to get interesting.

"TWILIGHT!" You scream and throw yourself against him, covering your eyes with one and and gripping him tightly with the other. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Trust me!" He yells over the rushing wind. "I think I have a plan!"

"YOU THINK? You're crazy!" You reply, directly into his ear. "But I trust you... so I guess I am too!"

"That's the spirit!" He grins. Twilight knows Epona won't be able to do much more without injuring herself further and he doesn't want to make any reckless decisions with you right next to him.

He'd hate for you to no longer want to ride a horse over this bad experience.

"Hang on tight!" He finds himself yelling, adrenaline in his veins and he pushes Epona to go a little bit faster.

There's a cliff nearby, a ledge that if he can Epona to go fast enough, she can jump it.

The monsters may try to follow but Twilight is riding heavily on their lack on control and the horses will to stay safe.

Epona reaches it and jumps.

There's a moment of weightlessness and Twilight's heart floats up to his throat. You gasp, and fling yourself around to press your face into the crook of his neck.

Twilight takes one arm off of the reigns and wraps it around you, pressing you tightly into his chest.

Epona makes the jump, landing on the other side with a little more turbulence than Twilight is used to, but he'll blame her shot.

He slows her down and looks to the other side of the ledge.

The monsters do in fact try to follow but Twilight's gamble and intuition pays off. The horses stop just by the edge and several monsters fly off of their backs and down below. The other monsters who can't get by, stop in anger and scream from the other side.

But it appears they lost their archer to the abyss.

So you're safe.

"Oh my goodness..." You gulp and remove yourself from him. "Holy cow... You did it. You mad lad, you did it."

Twilight chuckles nervously and begins to lead Epona back to the camp, gentler and a little more aware now of how she's moving, how much she's been hurt.

"Is Epona ok?" You try to look around him and spot the injury, but there's not a lot of space on the saddle to manage that. He does it for you and sees that it's mostly blocked by the saddle itself, the arrow imbedded deep into the side, just missing the both of you.

Epona most likely only has a scratch and was more startled if anything.

Twilight's not happy about his girl getting hurt but knows that she's taken worse hits. He'll tend to her later, he's worried about you too.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, but Epona?" You insist.

"She's fine. It mostly hit the equipment. They were terrible shots." Twilight grins easily, taking the lead in steering Epona and leans into your back.

You laugh breathlessly and turn your head directly into his. It gives him a great view of your eyes and how they seem to glow in the light. He finds himself entranced and almost misses what you say completely.

"You're incredible, you know that?"

He nearly preens and he pulls himself back. "You think so?"

"Incredibly reckless." You snort. "You've lost your privileges' for yelling at Wild. You're just as bad as him."

"I-..." Twilight starts but can't finish.

"But hey, at least we're ok." You lean back and make yourself comfortable against him. "That could have been worse."

Twilight doesn't move a muscle while you're there, if you're comfy against him, then he'll keep you comfy. "Yeah. Sorry about freaking you out back there."

You go quiet for a moment and he wonders if he's ruined something. Twilight doesn't know if there's something to ruin actually, and he doesn't understand the thought now that he's had it. He doubts you'll stop being friends because of this, so that's not at threat. Monster attacks are not something new. But...

He wants to do this with you, for you.

He doesn't like the idea of you turning him down.

"I don't know..." You say eventually. "Maybe you can make it up to me by continuing these horse riding lessons. Maybe I'll forgive you then."

Twilight doesn't look at your face, he doesn't turn to look at you. He's afraid he'll give too much away on his face if he does.

"If you're still up for it?" It's question. It wasn't supposed to be a question.

You nod and fully relax, your heartbeat gently beating against his own. "Maybe less monsters next time?"

"Agreed." Twilight grins. "Not until after you learn to go out on your own."

"How about... No."

Wild

"Wild. I. Have a question." Wild looks up to your approaching form, tensing up in anticipation.

"Yeah, what's up?" He tries to grin naturally. Wild feels his heart start to beat faster and his face heat up. He gets nervous around you even if he wants to be by your side, but he doesn't know why.

He knows you're friendly and sweet and nice and incredibly smart and there should be no reason that you do this to him and yet he wants to impress you so bad....

But he doesn't know how.

"Your slate has that crazy inventory right? So you carry a whole bunch of stuff on you at all times?" You try to stand tall but you dip your head and thread your fingers through your hair.

You're nervous.

Now you really have his attention.

"Yeah. I might have enough stuff to rival the Veteran and he's known as the Collector as well." Wild sits back and tilts his head at you. "What's up?"

"I..." You start and bite your lip. Wild's eyes land on it and he focuses there for longer than he thinks is appropriate. "I just wanted to ask if I could borrow a sword if you had extra... Mine's about to break and I don't want Smithy on my case about it, since I don't have what I need to fix it. But....um...You know what, nevermind. It's not a big deal, I'll manage, I'll-"

"No! It's fine!" He shoots up to his feet and grabs your hand to keep you from leaving. "Got anything in mind? I've got claymores and short swords, elemental weapons and sheikah blades. I've got some cool boomerangs or clubs from monsters if you want those."

While he's talking, he brings up his slate and begins sliding through the pages and icons, bringing it up to your faces so you can get a better look at what he had to offer. He's quick to point out what weapon can do what and how he has one story for each of them.

He takes a look over to your face and is overjoyed when he sees that you're looking through the screen with as much fervor and excitement as he did when he first came into contact with his world's weapons.

"..." He sees your eyes lock on one of them and voice comes out in a giddy giggle. "This one."

"Which one?" He leans over and places a hand on your shoulder. You let him, or you don't notice but the fact that you don't shove him away makes in happy in a way.

You point to it and he has a brief moment of panic when he sees the one you want. It's one of Robby's creations, a sheikah chainsaw so to speak. It's one of the biggest weapons he has.

"OK." He gulps and takes it out. He presses the activation button and watches your face when it lights up the blade.

A large grin over takes your face when you see it and stare at it for a moment. The light is bright in your eyes and you let out a giggle that's borderline hysterical.

"This is awesome!" You make grabby hands at it and he hesitates to give it to you.

He likes that you like it....but he's suddenly not all to convinced that he should. Wild knows that he's reckless and that he gets hurt a little more than anyone appreciates but... What if you get hurt? With his weapon, no less?

The thoughts scares him a little more than he'll admit.

Maybe you should have that one.... Maybe a more... normal weapon would have been better?

You step away and give it a few experimental swings and his heart launches into his throat.

"Ho-ok!" Wild frantically opens his slate again and takes out a another weapon, a normal iron sword. "Take this one as well actually."

"One is enough Wild. Thank you but-"

"We don't want the others to get jealous, now do we?" He lies. "This way it'll be easier to explain...so maybe save that one for emergencies?"

"Alright." You press the button and stash the weapon away, taking the other sword from his hand. Your fingers brush and he tries to not jerk his hand back and make it awkward.

"For the others sake." You grin, and there's a glint in your eyes that makes him think that you're on to him.

But you don't mention it.

He won't plan to mention it either.

He'll gladly share anything else with you though. You just have to ask.

Four

"RUN! WE HAVE TO RUN!"

Four's head snaps up and he doesn't have the time to register why before you run past him and grab his hand, dragging him behind you.

"WHAT?!" Four yells next to you and matches his stride to your easily. "WHY ARE WE RUNNING?!"

"THEY'RE AFTER ME!" You cry and continue running, taking a sharp turn. "NO TIME TO EXPLAIN!"

Four isn't prepared for the level of rage and concern for your behalf as he begin to reach for his sword and turns around to fight whatever has you in a panic.

"Don't!" You pull his hand harder and nearly throw him off of his feet. "It's not worth it. Just run, maybe we can find a place to hide."

"What's after you?" He asks instead. How bad did it have to be that you didn't even want to fight back? Was it monsters? Did they have numbers on their side? Was it the weapons they had? Were they infected?

He'd gladly fight them for you.

But if it's bad... it's bad and he knows that infected monsters take more effort then they should and they're not something he can do alone.

"Here!" A smile appears on your face and with another sharp turn to press him close to your body and squeeze into a small space. There's no space between you two, it's chest to chest, completely up against each other and Four suddenly has a hard time concentrating.

Four says your name in an attempt to distract himself from your body and eyes the hand you press against his mouth in response.

"Shh..." You look outside the hidey hole and snap back in.

Familiar voices ring with mirth and exhaustion but they are not dangerous. Four finds it in himself to be a little miffed at there not actually being any danger but he keeps quiet at your request.

"Where do you think they went?" Wind has a grin in his voice.

"I don't know. I think they actually lost us." Wild replies in kind. "But they can't be far. It's not like they can out run us."

"You take the right and I'll take the left?" Wind offers and Four has to wonder what they want with you.

You keep your hand over his mouth for a moment longer before slowly retreating.

Four gulps and takes a breath. He's immediately assaulted by how you smell. It's weirdly not just sweat, but apple blossoms and some kind of herb that he's having trouble pin pointing.

It's intoxicating and despite the lack of personal space, Four thinks that this is the most comfortable place he's been in a while.

"Ok. I think they're gone." You turn and begin to shimmy out of the hole. "Sorry about that. They want me to do something dumb with... an item of mine and I don't have the heart to tell them no. So I ran... Which didn't really work because they followed."

Four follows out of the hole and brushes the front of him off. He places his hands on his hips and fixes you with a stare.

"And then I ran into you and I didn't want to explain everything but you're a good guy and you'd just tell them where I went because you wouldn't know and I didn't want to risk leaving you behind-"

A good guy?

"So you kidnapped me?" Four raises an eyebrow. "That was your solution?"

"Well... How else do I get your attention?" You mimic his position and look him in the eye.

Four's about to retort with something that you could do before he stops himself. It's... not something one would just say to a friend. But he finds the idea very appealing for a moment before being disgusted with himself for thinking that about you.

He rolls his eyes to change the conversation outwardly but he continues thinking about it. "There are easier ways to get my attention. One of them, for example, say my name."

"Hard to do, if all of you have the same name." You grin.

He smiles back.

Truthfully, now that he's thinking about it, a lot things that you do catch his attention.

The way you move your hands when you talk. The way you move when you fight. The sound of your laugh. The color of your hair and your eyes.

"Um..." You laugh nervously and scratch the back of your neck. "Would you mind staying with me for a moment longer? I uh- Don't know the way back and I don't want to risk running into either of them just yet But.. I did kidnap you, so if you have something better to do-."

Oh yeah, he'll stay with for for longer. He doesn't mind one bit.

Sky

Sky yawns and rubs at his eyes for a moment before turning his gaze back into the fire.

It's early.... like, stupid early. He hates getting up before the sun and would have gladly stayed in his bedroll... but it's his shift.

Admittedly, he doesn't mind being on watch.

But it's the whole concept of being up before the very time keeper in the sky that miffs him. His body wants to fight it and he typically has to put his whole bed roll away when it's his turn or else he'll be tempted to go back to it and sleep the rest of the night time away.

The only bonus, he supposes, is the chance to watch the sunrise.

It's so different on the surface than on Skyloft, there's more colors and it's not as blinding. He can't to experience more when he reaches his own time again.

The other bonus, he supposes, now that he's thinking about it, if the chance to watch over his new friends and that includes you.

You... Are just as mesmerizing as the sunrise, he thinks.

There's something about you that he finds completely captivating. Your endless colors and arrays of simplistic beauty keep his attention in ways he wouldn't have thought possible. Bringing peace and tranquility to the group when they need and being a signal to start the next leg of the adventure.

And yet, he can admit that it's nothing extraordinary.

You're not trying to impress anyone. It comes naturally to you.

Like the sunrise.

Sky smiles to himself and....he's mature to admit that he's glad he met you, and he think he'll miss you the most when this is all over.

When Sky comes back to the present instead of being trapped in his own head, he realizes that he's been staring at you for a while.

You're still sleeping.

He takes a breath. That wouldn't have been awkward. He prides himself on not being a creep, thank you very much.

You turn in your sleep and a sound escapes you.

Sky sits up a little straighter and watches you again. He knows that everyone has their fair share of demon to fight even when they're asleep. It wouldn't be all that surprising to learn that you had your own battles beyond daytime.

You move again, lifting your arm to fight whatever your brain says is in front of you and a gasp comes through.

Sky shoots up again begins to make his way over to you. He's careful not to wake the others but if he kicks Wind's on the way over, he won't mention it... It's not like that woke him up anyway.

When he finally reaches your side, you're shaking and moving side to side without knowledge of what is happening outside your own mind.

Sky nearly growls and kneels next to you.

"I wish I can fight those things for you..." He says out loud as he begins to gently shake your shoulder. "How dare they still plague you. They're not even here. Who gave them the right?"

You give out a small scream, something in your mind terrorizing you and it prompts Sky to shake you by both your shoulders until you wake up.

Your eyes shoot open with a gasp. You're covered in a cold sweat and breathing heavily. It takes you a while to realize where you are and who's in front of you but in the meantime you try fighting Sky off, still not fully aware that you're awake.

"Hey, hey, it's me." Sky takes a step back in hopes of calming you, even if it's the last thing he wants to actually do. "You're safe now. It's ok."

You finally stop and look at him, staring for a moment until he can see the moment when you see him. "...Oh..."

"You ok?" Sky takes the step forward. "That seemed rough."

"I... Um..."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." He takes another step forward and places his hands on your shoulders. You're still shacking but instead of answering him you launch yourself into his arms.

Sky doesn't hesitate to hold you and lets you cry into his shoulder for as long as you need. He makes a vow to himself right then and there.

He's going to do his best to protect you... and the others. So that even if things get hard, maybe you'll have less nightmares to deal with.

If you'll let him, that is.

For now, he's going to hold you and be there for you when you need him.

It's... really all he can do.

[tennessoui]

Hi miss Kit! So um, I'm not the anon who had the idea about the Pokemon obikin AU but I saw that you're still looking for a prompt so I did some brainstorming?

Obviously Anakin is aiming to be a Pokemon Master which is why he'll have to fight the elite four eventually. Which is not an easy task despite what the games might imply! So what if, despite breezing through the gyms before, beating Team Rocket and having a team that is powerful and adores him, he still fails his first attempt at the league.

I remember Prof Oak telling your rival after you beat him in gen 1 that he lost to you because he doesn't love his Pokemon enough which is bullsh*t!! But must surely be a cutting remark.

So ofc he goes to caretaker!Obi-Wan afterwards because he is a former Pokemon trainer so how has he dealt with loss before? Does Anakin really not love his team enough? Bonus points if Obi has challenged the league before (and won??)

I just realized that this is way too angsty for the Pokemon universe >.< everything is nice and soft here

alright!!!!!! finally!!! here is that pokémon au, a bastardization of this prompt and @sinhalbutnoangst 's prompt "24: Right before a passionate/first kiss & 16: “There’s nothing to be scared of, okay? I’m right here.” For a Pokémon AU !!!"

I hope y'all both enjoy or at least find parts to be happy about!!!

(fair warning i don't know a lot about pokémon so who knows how accurate this is at ALL)

(3.3k)

(i've linked each pokémon name with their pokedex picture just so everyone knows what they look like. no need to read the descriptions or anything)(god knows i didn't half the time)

Obi-Wan is in the water, tending to a shy gyarados a trainer had left behind as a Magikarp a few months ago, when on the shore his flareon raises its muzzle and barks loudly. That’s her signal that someone’s arrived at the Daycare center proper. Obi-Wan furrows his eyebrows, as he strokes his hand down the gyarados' side.

“I always tell them to call ahead,” he mutters as the pokemon nudges closer for more attention. “Why do they never call ahead?”

Gyarados knocks him hard in the arm. It’s clear she wants more pats, but business calls.

“Would you mind terribly taking me back to shore, dear?” Obi-Wan asks politely. It’d be faster than swimming all the way there, and it would strengthen the Pokémon's connection with humans.

On the shore, Flareon bounds around in a circle, tail flickering back and forth. It must be someone she recognizes the scent of. A regular then. That means Obi-Wan can take his time getting back to the counter to greet them, but he probably shouldn’t show up dripping wet in only a pair of swim trunks.

Luckily, Gyarados gives him a lift, bellowing mournfully to be left alone again when Obi-Wan alights onto the sand. When her trainer comes back to pick it up, Obi-Wan has half a mind to offer to buy her from them. No one who actually cares about their pokemon would leave a magikarp to become a gyarados under the care and instruction of someone else.

But becoming known as the Daycare Runner who gets attached to Pokémon and tries to keep them is perhaps a serious threat to his business as a whole. And he’s already done that too many times.

No, the best thing to do is to wait for the trainer to come back and sit them down to give them a serious talk about their Pokémon’s emotional needs. They’re probably young. Most trainers are these days. On some level you have to be in order to have the energy to travel as much as you do, to sleep on the ground more nights than not.

Yes, they’re probably young, and more focused on gym battles than their Pokémons’ growth and happiness. It happens sometimes with tunnel vision like that. Too many advertisements for the Pokémon League, the Elite Four, the Gym badges. Obi-Wan had been the same way when he was a kid.

He gathers his clothes from the shoreline and slips on his shoes. Flareon tries to help dry him out by wrapping herself repeatedly around his ankles and cooing out gusts of warm air, but all it does is create a new and unusual tripping hazard.

Especially when she suddenly perks up, about halfway to the building and jumps forward into a run. Obi-Wan stares after her, confused, clothes held in a slackened grip until he sees a very familiar growlithe running fult tilt from around the building. It hops the fence with practiced ease that makes Obi-Wan inwardly despair at the lesson it’s unwittingly teaching all of the other Pokémon.

But he can’t deny the way his heart thuds when he realizes what its presence means. His flareon, embarrassingly enough, seems to be thinking along the same lines, as she bounds up to the growlithe and starts winding between his legs instead, rubbing her head over every part of black and orange fur she can reach.

Obi-Wan sighs and shucks on his buttoned shirt, shaking out the water from his hair. He doesn’t even really bother with pants, seeing as his wet swim trunks go almost to his knees.

It’s Anakin. Anakin’s here. Anakin hasn’t been here for four months when he left in the midst of a shouting match. Obi-Wan has been trying--unsuccessfully--to put Anakin out of his mind. And now Anakin’s growlithe is prancing towards him like it’s a special present to see him at all.

“Yes, hello there,” Obi-Wan murmurs, pausing in buttoning up his shirt so he can pet at the growlithe’s--what does Anakin call him again?--muzzle. For a second, the Pokémon nuzzles back, scenting his face and neck as territorial Pokémon are wont to do, before it moves quickly forward and grabs Obi-Wan by the shirt, swinging him up onto its back.

Out of shock and a latent survival instinct, Obi-Wan drops the rest of his clothes and clings to the Pokémon’s back. “Shit!” is on the tip of his tongue the entire two minutes it takes to bound back to the fence, over it and through the welcome doors of his own Daycare.

Anakin is standing, back to the entrance, furiously tapping the bell on the desk, looking somehow both desperate and bored.

Growlithe barks once, twice, and shakes himself hard enough that Obi-Wan knows to let go before he gets rolled over upon.

It’s not the most graceful entrance he would have chosen after going months without seeing Anakin, to land on his back, partially dressed and smelling like the sea at the Pokémon trainer’s feet.

Anakin at least has the wherewithal to be both surprised and immediately worried. “Obi-Wan!” he yelps, turning around immediately upon his growlithe’s bark of victory.

“Yes, hello there,” Obi-Wan says dryly sitting up from his sprawl and combing a nervous hand through his hair.

“Where are your clothes?” Anakin asks shrilly, turning a very interesting shade of magenta and looking quickly away from Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan couldn’t be more different, what with the way he looks at Anakin as if he’s starved for the sight of him. It’s been several long months since they last saw each other. The fight had been...awful, to say the least. Anakin had accused him of not really wanting him to succeed. Obi-Wan had accused him of the same tunnel vision he diagnoses most young adults to have.

Neither had been true. Obi-Wan hadn’t even meant it, but he’d been mad. He’d been mad that Anakin hadn’t even thought to listen to him more than a Gym Leader he’d just defeated.

Palpatine had urged him to go straight to the League. Obi-Wan had thought it prudent to return home to his mother, give his Pokémon a break, work his way to the island of the Pokémon League naturally as a means of bonding with and further testing his Pokémon. He has no idea who Anakin ended up listening to. It’s been something that has haunted him for weeks.

“Out in the back,” Obi-Wan grunts, standing and trying to pick up the shattered pieces of his dignity under the Pokémon trainer’s wide-eyed stare. Anakin’s grown older in the past few months, his face sharper. What is he now, newly twenty-three? Halfway to twenty-four? “Your Growlithe was quite enthusiastic to bring me here as soon as possible.”

Anakin flushes and looks down at his feet. He looks tired, Obi-Wan decides. Like he’s walked the entire continent just to show up at his door.

“Sorry,” Anakin says sheepishly. “I had--”

“Him out and walking with you, I know,” Obi-Wan finishes with a fond shake of his head. He buttons the last necessary button on his shirt and sweeps past Anakin to stand behind his desk. “You always liked having one of them out with you. How’s your Jolteon?”

“Twilight?” Anakin asks, sounding surprised Obi-Wan even remembered he had a jolteon. He tries not to feel offended. It’s an unfortunate truth that Obi-Wan remembers almost everything about Anakin, the trainer that used to hang around his daycare as though he couldn’t bear to step more than fifty paces from his front door. “He’s fine. A bit angry with me, I think.”

“Oh?” Obi-Wan asks, furrowing his brow as he looks up at his guest. ���I’m not sure I understand.”

Anakin is quiet for a few seconds, and his hands clench down on the edge of the counter-top. When he speaks, his voice wavers. “Obi-Wan...do you think my Pokémon love me? Like, do you think I am a good trainer?”

Obi-Wan stares at him. This isn’t a conversation he should have without pants on, he decides. He slowly puts his pen down. “What happened, Anakin?” he asks gently, reaching out and laying a hand on the arm Anakin still has resting against the counter.

“I lost,” his favorite trainer whispers, looking down. Growlithe--Resolute, that’s what Anakin had named him--noses into the nape of his neck. Obi-Wan is not jealous. “I challenged the Elite Four, and I lost in the second round.”

Obi-Wan’s hand tightens completely involuntarily. He hates hearing that after their years-long friendship, the last few years where he’d thought perhaps they were on the verge of being something more, despite his reservations, Anakin had listened to Palpatine over him. Palpatine.

“Come around back here,” he instructs after a second’s thought. Somehow, still, after all these months, he thinks he knows what Anakin needs. “And release all of your Pokémon from their Pokéballs.”

“All of them?” Anakin asks, sounding so unsure Obi-Wan’s heart aches with the doubt of it all before he reigns that in. This isn’t about him.

This isn’t about him, but he can’t stop himself from asking, just once, “Yes. Do you trust me?”

Anakin’s fingers hesitate on the seal of his first Pokéball, and Obi-Wan’s heart jumps into his throat. “Yeah,” Anakin finally says gruffly, pressing the release. “Yeah, I do.”

His altaria pops out of her Pokéball with a trill and a flap of her cloud-shaped wings. He just catches a hint of the jolteon materialize into existence before he turns his back. “I’m going to put on proper clothes,” he tells Anakin over his shoulder. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I’m sure your Pokémon will remember half the ones here.”

And all of the ones Obi-Wan calls his own, he doesn’t add. Anakin should know. Anakin’s known them since he was fifteen years old and surly over the fact that his mother wouldn’t let him go out and hunt legendary Pokémon until he finished schooling.

He finds his abandoned clothes quickly, and shuffles into them. Flareon noses around him curiously, with more than a bit of excitement. She probably smells Anakin on him. The thought doesn’t warm his cheeks, but if it does, he’ll blame it on the sudden amount of heat she’s giving off.

He leaves his shirt as is and doesn’t even bother with the vest or tie. He’s not here to be Professor Kenobi. He’s here to be Obi-Wan, Anakin’s friend. That’s what Anakin needs from him right now. A friend.

He fixes his hair anyway in a mad bout of nerves, but no one, not even his mienshao or flareon, obsessed with appearances as they are, are paying enough attention to him in order to soothe his sudden insecurities.

More than anything, he wants to be back in the sea, surrounded by the gyarados’ coils. He doesn’t understand humans as much as he would like to, and he certainly doesn’t understand Anakin. Not anymore. Perhaps he never did.

His flareon bumps at his wrist with the crown of her head and he looks down with a sigh. “Someone’s excited, I see,” he murmurs wryly, smoothing down the stuck-up fur of her hair and chest mane. She purrs. “Not the most excited though,” he adds with a huff as he sees a blur of white and blue from the corner of his eyes as the female Meowstic who spends most of her time strolling the parameter of the Daycare abandons her position to dart towards the backdoors where a newly emerged navy male Meowstic stands waiting.

They collide and curl into each other, two halves of one whole brought back together.

Well, that’s as good as any sign to approach Anakin, who has decided to collapse on the soft grass of the enclosure. Other than the Meowstic, his freed Pokémon have curled around him. The jolteon, Artoo, rests by his head, while his charizard, Mustafar, brackets the length of his body with his own. The growlithe sits watchful at his feet, while a new, unfamiliar pancham curls up on his chest. Finally, his gallade sits cross-legged to his side.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan drawls before he can help himself, “It’s very obvious that your Pokémon don’t love you.”

Anakin bolts upright at the sound of his voice. The pancham growls at him, a baby noise that Obi-Wan didn’t necessarily think the species capable of.

The Pokémon trainer hushes it quickly with a stern, “Vader, no.”

Obi-Wan comes to sit cross-legged in front of the man. “You didn’t have a pancham last time,” he says easily. What he really wants to ask is much more complicated. He wants to know everything. He wants to know how Anakin changed. When. Why. He wants to know what’s still the same.

It’s always complicated when it comes to Anakin. It’s never been easy.

“He was injured when I found him,” Anakin admits, stroking the top of Vader’s head. “But a fighter. I think I was injured when I found him too.”

The man seems so lost in his own recollections that Obi-Wan hates to interrupt. Carefully, Anakin’s jolteon, Twilight, noses his hand. When he’s not pushed away, he jumps into Obi-Wan’s lap with a trill. Flareon lets out a hiss, but acquiesces when the jolteon licks at her snout, accepting her ownership of Obi-Wan.

“I had just lost,” Anakin says slowly. “I wanted to come back here, rent a Lapras and just ride until I saw the shoreline I knew was yours. But I didn’t know what you’d say to me. How mad you’d still be.”

Obi-Wan bites his lip. He wouldn’t have been mad. He’d been worried, from the second Anakin left his property. But how to tell the man that? Would the other even want to hear it? Would he think Obi-Wan was trying to infantilize him, to protect him?

“I didn’t want you to be right.” Anakin whispers, arms tightening around the Pokémon. “I didn’t want you to be right and say that I wasn’t ready. And then I was in the forest, walking home, and I found this guy. He’d been attacked by a bug pokémon who was probably a higher level. But he was so angry still. I...I wanted him on my team. I needed that fire back.”

Obi-Wan suddenly thinks that there’s much more distance between them than there should be. He wants to be hugging Anakin, to be kissing his temple. These were allowances they had given each other before the fight, things that Obi-Wan had squirreled away, close to his heart.

He wants them back.

“But I keep thinking about how the professor who gave me my first Pokémon told this guy I beat in my first battle that he lost because he didn’t love his Pokémon right, and I...I’m just worried that’s why I lost.” Anakin stares down at his pancham, who puts his paws on his cheeks and pats a few times.

“Oh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan sighs. He thinks it sounds too fond, too revealing, but Anakin looks up at him with wide, frightened eyes. “I’ve never known a trainer to love his Pokémon more, dear one.”

“Then why?” Anakin asks plaintively, scooting forward until their knees brush. “Why did I lose? The gym leader of Cinnabar Island told me I would win!”

Obi-Wan, quite maturely in his opinion, doesn’t mention the fact that the recently defeated Palpatine probably had ulterior motives for Anakin to challenge the league too quickly and then fail. “You weren’t ready, Anakin,” he says instead, placing his hand on the other’s knee and holding it even when the trainer jerks out of his grp. “Please, listen. It's about sheer time, training experience. It’s not about you or your relationship to your Pokémon. You have such an amazing, strong relationship with them! They love you. Anyone could tell. And you’re not lacking in skill either. I know your mind is sharp and ready for battle.”

Anakin looks at him teary-eyed. “I’ve been so worried that maybe they didn’t know I loved them,” he admits in a wavering voice.

Obi-Wan can’t resist moving impossibly closer to his trainer. “Oh, Anakin, of course they do. Pokémon don’t always express or interpret love the same way humans do, but they do have their own ways of showing it.”

“Like what?” Anakin sniffles, wiping at his wet eyes. If Obi-Wan had really been listening, he would have noticed the change in his tone. As it is, he continues immediately, too focused on trying to stop his trainer from crying to think of anything else.

“A fire-type Pokémon wil try to warm you if they think you’re cold, even if it means staying up all night to keep you in in its flame. And fighting-type Pokémon are capable of throwing a blanket over you if they think you need to rest. Psychic-types have been known to read their trainer’s emotions and either hug them or give them distance whenever they want. Ground- and bug-type have been known to bring berries to their trainers to get them something to eat, and electric--why are you looking at me like that?” Anakin’s nascent smirk grows bigger at this interruption and he cocks his head to the side as he studies Obi-Wan’s face. “And what does it say about a man who spends all of his time around Pokémon, that he would do those exact same things for me?”

Obi-Wan at least understands enough to scurry backwards a few paces, much to the jolteon in his lap’s distress, who jumps away with a huff.

“I’m not sure I understand,” he says quickly.

Anakin inches forward, setting the pancham, Vader, aside. He really has grown in the past few months. The loss of the League, the months apparently spent on the road, have aged him so that he’s both recognizable and something new and wild. “What if I knew of a man,” Anakin murmurs, falling to his palms as he closes the gap between them. “One who warmed me when I was cold, covered me when I was tired, hugged me when I was needy, and fed me when I was hungry? What would that mean, in terms of Pokémon?”

Obi-Wan swallows nervously. His entire body is bracketed by Anakin. Anakin, who seems to have discovered his most-guarded secret in their months apart. Anakin, who is hovering over him now with a dark look in his eyes. Finally something in Obi-Wan gives way. This is it. He will give Anakin everything he asks for. Everything he needs. He’s always tried to do this exact thing.

“I suppose that would mean he loved you,” he whispers, closing his eyes so he does not have to see Anakin’s recoil, Anakin’s disgust.

Anakin hums instead. “Obi-Wan,” he whispers, exhale hitting his lips. “Obi-Wan, open your eyes. There’s nothing to be scared of, beloved. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.”

At these words, Obi-Wan’s eyes jump open of their own accord. Anakin’s lips press down onto his in a movement just as sudden. He whimpers involuntarily and reaches up to clutch at the trainer’s hair, hold him to his mouth. Just as involuntarily, his lips part and Anakin’s tongue licks around the gap before darting inside. He moans. It’s shameful, the way he goes from scared to sucking on Anakin’s tongue as if he’ll die without the warm intrusion of it.

It hardly feels like the first time they’ve kissed. It feels like they’ve been kissing for years, like Anakin knows his mouth completely and utterly.

There are so many secrets left between them. Obi-Wan’s one unopened Pokéball, sitting on his belt. Anakin’s relationship with that last Gym leader. What he’s been doing these past few months. What Obi-Wan Kenobi made his fortune off of.

But none of it matters now. Not here at this moment. All that matters is showing Anakin that he’s been just as missed, just as wanted.

With that in mind, Obi-Wan rolls on top of his trainer and shoves his hands up inside Anakin’s shirt to trace along the muscles of his chest and back. This was his. His, his, his. He had come back to him. Everything else could wait.

[disorentedfae]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38421445

My first chapter of Warriors whump (: I got impatient so I’m going to split it into 2 chapters.

If you want to read it on tumblr it’s under the cut

He had woken up; tiredness pulling at his eyes, and his head throbbed. Coldness seeping into him from what felt like stone that he was sitting on.

He tried to move his hand to his head but it was abruptly stop by something around his wrist. An audible ‘clink’ was heard as his arm stopped, he wearily looked down to what was confining him, his eyes still unfocused. There were chains and shackles tethering him to the wall, both arms and legs.

Suddenly Warriors was fully awake, panic and dread filling him. He tugged on each of the chains, none of them budging from their place screwed to the wall. After about five minutes of uselessly flopping around he decided to look at his surroundings.

The room was dimly lit, no windows and only two lanterns lighting up the room. The one was hanging from the ceiling in the corner beside him, the other was hanging from the ceiling next to the stairs. The entire room was made of stone, a few wooden selves was on the wall to the left with a cupboard under neath them.

In the middle of them room was an iron table, a few chains dangled from off the edge of it. Warriors shuttered to think of the use for it.

The air was stale and reeked of decay. The only noticeable sound to be heard was his own breathing.

Where was he? How did he get here? Warriors tried to recall anything from before he had ended up here, but he came up with noting. All he could remember was what they were in his era, and what they were doing the night before - though he doesn’t know how long he’s been down here, several days maybe - They had all had supper together and then did what they did every night, picked who was on watch, let the others sleep.

So, how did he end up here?

_______________________

(Did time move at all down here?) He thought. A minute felt like an hour, an hour felt like ten minutes; twenty minutes an eternity. The silence almost drove him mad. His ears starting ringing some time ago, a layer of static ever present whispering in his ears.

And nothing to do but sit and wait for rescue, for something to happen, for an opportunity to escape.

His whole body ached from sitting so long. He needed to stretch, needed to walk around. And not being able to was torture.

Easier he had realized he had a wound on his right side. However his’ captor was at least had the pity to bandage it. They also gave him a new shirt, it was brown and long sleeved; it loosely fight him.

Closing his eyes he tried not to focus on the hunger filling his gut, or the constant throbbing from the back of his head. A large shiver ripped through him, the cold damp stone not given him any heat or comfort.

Goddesses he wanted out of here.

The others would save him, surely? They knew he was missing, and they would come. They would come and get him out of here.

His mind wandered as the time passed by. Thinking about anything and everything. Eventually he started inspecting the stone, to see if he could identify what region he was in.

He was torn from his thought when he heard footsteps coming closer, the door handle squeaked as it turned. The door was pushed open by a large pale hand followed by a hairy arm, a long scar traveling up it. Then the rest of the man walked through the door way.

He was around the height of Time, had the build of him too. Brunet hair the fell down half way to his neck. He was dressed in a simple black shirt and some tan trousers, his leather boots were less simple, decorated with with detailed markings. Reminded Warriors of Twilight’s boots, the man might be a rancher but he definitely has some elaborate leather work. The man had a friendly face that could easily welcome anyone in for a nice cup of tea by the fire, very trustworthy looking. (Maybe that’s how I got here?) Wars thought.

Wars carefully watched the man as he stepped down off the small set of stairs, shut the door, and walked towards the cabinet. He didn’t even spare a glance at the captain.

He was holding a small wooden box and set it down on top of it. He then turned and looked over at Warriors. The caption breathe hitched slightly when they made eye contact, the man knew he was awake.

“So yer ‘wake lad, glad to see that.” He leaned against the cupboard, “I was a beginning to worr’ that you weren’t gonn’ wake up.” A small eerie smile was placed on his face, and he seemed quite happy and normal about him being chained there, it sent more chills down Wars’ spine.

There was a slight pause in the room, the man waiting for him to respond. “Who are you?” Warriors asked, he didn’t need to know everything at the moment, he just needed to start with a name.

“I don’t think that’s any of yer concern,” The man had said.

Warriors thought for a moment then continued, “Non of my concern? You are holding me here, and I assume it is your doing is it not?” The man shifted, crossing his leg in front of the other, most of his weight on the cabinet now. He was relaxed, knowing he had no reason to need to suddenly move to protect himself or otherwise. “Do I not have the right to know at least the name of my captor?”

“Fair enough son, you can call me,, Cyrus.” The man said. Warriors noted that his voice was deeper, his ‘r’s rolled deeply out of his mouth. And he skipped his ‘a’s and ’t’s most times.

“How long have I been down here for, Cyrus?’’ Warriors questioned, a loud gurgle came from his stomach, hunger clawing its way up his throat.

Hearing Warriors stomach Cyrus let out a small burly laugh, “long enough for ya to want to eat somethin’ no?” He pushed him self up right and started walking towards the door, “How ‘bout I get ya some food?” He walked up the stairs and out of the room, opening the door and not caring to shut the door behind him.

Warriors listened carefully to see if he could hear and figure out anything about the layout outside of the door. Cyrus had walked out onto a stone floor- (maybe this room was off of a basement then?)- his boots making a small clicking noises against the rock. He heard a faint crackling of a fire, then a kettle and metal spoon rattling.

Few minutes later Cyrus then came back in the room with a bowl of stew, and a class of water. He can and placed the items beside Warriors, then stood back and leaned against the metal table. Watching him carefully.

Warriors slowly reached for it, he could feel Cyrus’ eyes on him with every one he made. Grabbing it he looked into the stew thoughtfully, how would he know if there was anything bad in it? He scooped some up with the spoon, pausing half way to think if he should or not. (If Cyrus wanted to poison me to kill me then I would already be dead, why keep me alive?)

His stomach gurgled in response, urging him to take a bite, eat the food or he’ll starve.

He took a sip of the thick soup, the stock sent a warm feeling in his stomach. Suddenly hunger took him, he eat the whole bowl full in less the five minutes.

The feeling he took for warm stew filling his stomach, was in fact not a good one. The pit of his stomach began to burn. He dropped his bowl; it clattered against the hard floor, and placed his hand over his gut. Pain erupted from inside him, and he gave out a pathetic whimper.

Cyrus stood, watching him with a horribly pleased smile.

“What did you-’’ Warriors gasped, “do to me?” He started curling in on himself, only thing he could feel was fire.

The older man let out a roar of a laugh. He then crouched down to Warriors level and put his hand under the captains cheek. “I only gave ya a lil’ present,” he said, “after all someone like ya needs ta eat somein’ and I just added a special’ somein’ of my own.” He gently rubbed small circles on Wars’ cheek with his thumb, his already odd size growing larger as he watched the man’s pain.

Warriors let out a painful groan, he tried to pull away from Cyrus’ touch but failed. “D-don’t touch m-me,” he did his best to snarl but all that he produce was an awkward frown. The tortuous sensation soon grew up his throat with every word he spoke. His left arm-the one that had been burned- vibrated with utter scening pain, each scar over his body his body tighten, dragon’s breath shooting from each of them.

Cyrus thumb travelled up to his check bone, and then he dug it in to his skin. Warriors tried to pull away from it, but it was of no use. Two firm hands kept his head in place as his skin was being dug up. The thumb travelled from the check bone done to his jaw line, he could feel blood trickle down his neck. Each moment agonizing pain.

Goddesses it hurt. He want to make it stop. Stop. Make it stop please.

A small scream escaped his mouth, the fire seemed to get worse and worse, every breath was feeding it.

___________________

“Hey Wild how’s that stew cooking?” Four asked, he, Legend, and Twilight were sitting down and playing a round of cards as they waited for supper.

Wild stirred the stew with the wooden spoon Sky had carved out for him, he scooped some out and took a small taste of it. “I dare say it’s the finest I’ve made yet, and I’m not even done with it yet!” He smiled giddily and looked through his slate to look for more ingredients.

“Smells amazing cub,” Time added, he hadn’t said much for the past two weeks so Wild took his compliment gladly.

“Thanks!” Wild then sprinkled a little bit of spice into the pot, the delightful aroma making most of their mouths water.

A yelp came from Twilight’s direction as Legend hit him over the head with a scrap of cloth.

“You cheater!!!” Legend yapped, his cards scattered around the middle of the three of them as he hit Twilight again. “You rigged the stack!!”

“Nonsense! I have no idea what you could be possible talking abo- Hey! Stop hitting me would you!?” Twilight yelled, laughter mixed in between each word.

Eventually Legend and Twilight ended up in a tangled mess of limbs and cards.

“Truce?” Twilight asked, he tried to get up but was promptly stopped by an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Legend had ended up under Twi and was basically being squashed to death by the rancher. “Only when you get off of me,” Legend sneered.

Twilight wheezed, “I would but you keep pulling me back down! Now let go of me and ill be able too get up bunny bo-’’

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence Twilight!” Legend squawked.

Meanwhile Four had placed his last card on when the pile would have been if the two of them didn’t spread them all over in their sprawl.

“I win!!” Four yelled, “now would you to losers get up or are you just going to lay there?”

“But I rigged the cards perfectly, how did-’’ Twilight didn’t get to finish his sentences as since Legend was now free, hearing how Twi admitted his cheating, tackled him to the ground once again.

Four just laughed hard as his body would let him.

Wind and Hyrule had scouted the surrounding area together. Gathering some dry branches and making sure there was no monsters around. They now walked into camp taking in the scene before them.

“Should I ask?” Hyrule inquired to Sky. Sky had been sitting against a tree, he was carving out a little goat he had seen in Wild’s era, Wild kindly let him use the slate for a reference picture.

Sky looked up at Hyrule, he had looked lost in thought, “I’m sorry, can you repeat? I didn’t quite catch you.” Meanwhile Wind ran over to the kettle to ask Wild about diner.

“Dinner’s ready!!” Wind called, after a few minutes everyone eventually made their way over.

Wild poured out several scoops in each bowl. One, two, three.. Wild counted mentally as he filled them, four, five, six.. He started humming happily, seven, eight, nine..

Wait, he didn’t need to fill nine bowls. Warriors had gone, disappeared into nothing and it’s been two and half weeks and he still can’t get used to it. He can’t get used to there only being eight of them, not nine. Only being able to wonder where did he go, only ask and never get an answer.

Time was the last to take his besides Wild himself. “Wild are you okay?” Time questioned, he had a slightly worried look on his face.

Wild inhaled, did his best to compose himself and then answered Time’s inquiry, “yeah im good.”

They looked at each other for a moment, not saying anything, then Time left and sat down besides Sky.

“There’s plenty of extra if anyone one is still hungry,” Wild said to no one in particular. He grabbed his bowl and sat down beside Twilight. Legend and Twi were across of camp from each other, scouring at one another. Twilight didn’t usually didn’t usually bicker with anyone of create much chaos in the group. Well- on surface level.

“Ugg you two,” Four commented, “Twi you’re just as bad with Legend as Warriors was.” The camp went quiet at the mere mention of his name. Each one avoiding eye contact from another.

“What do you mean ‘was’?!” Wind shouted, “He’ll still come back, he won’t stay away forever! He can’t.. and he wouldn’t even dare to.” Wind was standing now, a broken expression on his face; one between anger and grief.

“Oh let’s face it already!” Legend abruptly shouted, “he left us, he disappeared into the night without at trace, like he was trying to get rid of us.” He breathed heavily. How dare he leave them, not even a ‘goodbye’; not as little a word or hint that he was okay.

“Let’s not jump to conclusion Legend,” Time worded. The older man looked tired, a faint look of sadness in his normally stoic expression.

Legend wasn’t one to easily jump to conclusions. Just the way Warriors had left, awaking up to their brother missing. Even his sleeping mat that Sky had leant to him was gone, only to be founded carelessly discarded elsewhere. Twilight followed his scent only for it to lead to a creek, the trail drowned away.

How had Warriors not done those things on purpose?!

“Conclusions?” Legend replied, he took a deep breath, he had to calm down, “Time tomorrow he’ll be gone for three weeks. Three weeks Time!”

Hyrule was about to interject but Legend continued before he could. “Legend we know tha-’’

“And yet we’ve spoken hardly a word about it! Why?” Legend spoke. Everyone was restless while they listened. Praying that it wasn’t true, that he hadn’t left them like that because he wanted too. “Because! It’s obvious that he let us remain behind. And none of you wants to admit it, you’re all cowards!”

“Legend that is enough!” Time roared. Time never had really yelled before, only time he ever did was when had to alert of an attack or ambush. The sudden out burst sent Legend quiet, only gapping for words as he sat there.

With that Time silently rose up, and walked over to his bag, pulled out a simple wooden ocarina and then sat down towards the edge of camp.

(Tonight was going to be a long night) Hyrule thought.

_______________

Time was but an illusion down here. No way of seeing of telling how much time had past. If it was night, or if it was day he wouldn’t know. Only way he had any idea was when Cyrus came in. He seemed to have a pattern of when he came.

Starting what Warriors thought was a new day he would be only for several long hours. Then Cyrus came in bringing a ‘small somein’ for lunch’. First time he brought Wars lunch Warriors was very weary of it. Only eating the slightest bit of it. Cyrus left the bowl with him to finish it later. He slowly had eaten it all, spanning a couple hours; praying that there wasn’t anything added to it. Thankfully there wasn’t.

Then Cyrus would bring what he said was ‘a late dinn’r for ya’, so this would be around night time he concluded. Warriors was quick to figure out that whatever was for supper, was not going to have a pleasant result. He ate wearily of it, only taking a few bites with some time in between before the poison kicked in. It was milder, most likely dew to the fact he hadn’t consumed nearly as much. But it still hurt very very much.

Cyrus had made a habit of digging his finger down his cheek whenever the captain was poisoned. The fire aided in adding pain as he clawed his finger nail into his tender skin. He was going to have an ugly scar there no doubt about that. The day ended up with him coiled in on himself. As of what he could tell durning his four days of being conscious he had past out twice from the pain.

[headinthestaticsky]

Frozen Within the Night Wind: Jasper Hale x Fleur Swan, Chapter 9.

None of the characters in Twilight belong to me, all rights go to Stephenie Meyer.

My arms are open for you look at me now, Baby, if you want you got me. I know you're broken darling I won't let you down, 'Cause baby, I've been waiting for you.

Do I have to write it on your bedroom wall you fool?"

Bedroom Walls by, BANKS.

"Emm... on the behalf of Jasper and myself...I'm sorry." I said Rosalie laughed and turned to me. Emmett flew through the air once again, hitting the ground even harder.

"Don't worry about... Emmett's kinda cocky, it'll knock him down a peg."

"I have a feeling Jasper's going to be brutal today." I saw Emmett walking next to me, rubbing the back of his head.

"No kidding..." He grumbled.

Edward and Bella slinked toward the rest of us, it looked like they didn't really want to be here. I saw the wolf pack a few seconds later, they didn't look very trustworthy.

"They don't trust us enough to be in their human form," Edward said, taking the thoughts right out of my head.

"They came, that’s what matters. Will you be our translater Edward?" Carlisle asked, Edward just nodded.

"Welcome, Jasper has experience with the newborns, teach us how to defeat them." Carlisle explained.

"They wanna know how the newborns differ from us."

"Newborns are the strongest form a vampire can be. You may notice Fleur, her eyes are red as opposed to our gold. Due to how long she's been a vampire they're still red. Her human blood still lingers within her tissues, making her stronger than any of us. Jasper will continue on from here he is more well versed in this than I am." Carlisle continued.

"A newborn army doesn’t need thousands like a human army. But no human army can stand against them. Now the two most important things to remember are; first never let them get their arms around you, they’ll crush you instantly. The second, never go for the obvious kill, they’ll be expecting that and you will lose." Jasper said, he sounded determined.

"Emmett Fleur! You two first Don't hold back on each other." Jasper called toward him. I stood there shocked for a second... I didn't know how in the hell to fight.

"Scared? I would understand...you seem pretty fragile."

"Alright... bring it."

Emmett began to run toward me and I braced myself. He made me drag my knees down into the dirt and then threw me up into the air. I then ran toward him and dodged a tackle he tried to strike me with, I kicked him in the face sending him flying a few feet back.

"Victory belongs to be!" I said, raising my arms in the air.

"Emmett...never lose focus," Jasper said. Carlisle and Edward were up next. I walked next to Rosalie again and whispered in her ear.

"5 bucks on Carlisle."

"You're on, there is no way Edward can lose... he can read Carlisle's mind."

The two ran toward one another, both of them dodging an attack. They then put their hands around each other's necks. Carlisle threw Edward off of him, knocking him back a few feet. I looked and saw Bella staring intently. Carlisle threw a punch but missed, Edward grabbed him by the shirt and slammed Carlisle into the ground.

"You owe me 5..." Rosalie started.

"One more thing," Carlisle tripped Edward onto the ground and held him there.

"Don't turn your back on the enemy," Jasper said, rolling his eyes.

"You mean... you owe me right?" I said smugly.

"Oh take it and gloat somewhere else," Rosalie said jokingly.

I saw Jasper looking over at us, he gestured for Rosalie to come to him. She threw the first punch but he was quick to swing back, she dodged them all and twisted a few feet back. Before she could react she was grabbed by her arms and flipped over onto the ground, she landed with a hard thud I winced. I saw the wolves leave, Jasper walked away, I decided to follow him wanting to end this silence. He stopped when Bella talked to him, I wasn't completely mad I was a vampire for once... super hearing is great.

"Jasper, are you sure there’s nothing I can do to help?" Bella asked, I could tell she was alluding to being turned into a vampire.

"Well, your presence alone, your scent will distract the newborns. Their hunting instincts will take over, drive them crazy. Hopefully, your sister won't get too distracted by you." Jasper said, ignoring her obvious hint, and began walking away again.

"Jasper wait... how do you know some much about this stuff?" Bella asked.

"I didn’t have quite the same upbringing as my adopted siblings."

Jasper rolled up his sleeves, bites were littered across his skin.

"Hey, those are like mine."

"They're battle scars, all the work my momma and dad prepped me with was nothing compared to them...neither was the short training the confederate army gave me... not that it was by choice. I escaped the first chance I got." They both started to walked away, I still followed them.

"You ran from the confederate army? Wouldn't you get killed for that if you got caught?"

"It would've been worth it... I never believed in their disgusting opinions on human beings...I wasn't about to partake in it just because I was forced to join them... I got killed either way... due to a certain, immortal...Maria. I just made it to Galveston, I took a short break thinking I got far enough from the base when I saw her... she turned me soon after... making me one of the leaders of her army. I trained the newborns, but after a year when their newborn faze was over I was forced to kill them. I could feel everything they felt, it wasn't until I spared a friend and a mate of his, that I was able to escape from her."

Bella looked bored.

"I thought what Maria and I had was love. But I was her puppet, she pulled the strings. I didn’t know there was another way, till I found Alice and Dean. She saw me coming of course. But, I still felt incomplete. Then she told me a few years back about your sister...my soulmate, no matter how much she pisses me off." He had a smile on his face. I decided to approach him now seeing he was a bit happier than earlier.

"It took me long enough huh?" I said, approaching wearily. Neither Bella nor Jasper said anything.

"I need to talk to you Jasper, alone..." Bella scoffed and rolled her eyes, but left. We stood in silence for a second, neither of us knowing what to say.

"I'm really sorry Jaz... I don't know what happened to me that night... I just got really pissed..."

"Fleur..."

"And I shouldn't have said the things I did."

"Fleur..."

"You have way better control with bloodlust than me trust me!"

"Love..."

"No really...I know I could probably eat a whole town."

"Darlin... calm down please... your emotions are giving me a headache. Trust me, my love, I can feel how sorry you are, you are definitely guilt-ridden."

"I feel so bad..."

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have brought up your bloodlust, you have great control over it."

"No, I don't..." I turned away from him

"What are you talking about?"

"It's true what you said... I almost snapped on my dad a few days ago... he cut himself trying to make dinner, I was so close Jaz... so close." I felt him turn me back around.

"It's going to be fine, you'll have better control of it in a few months."

"I guess I just go mad because you reminded me about the parts I hate most about being a vampire. I can't even hug my dad without getting tempted, it's horrible."

"I'm sorry love."

"You didn't know, if I told you about it we wouldn't have even fought."

"Let's go home Darlin." Jasper suggested, he kissed me a few seconds afterward.

"Yeah... let's go home... I want to make fun of Emmett, we both destroyed him."

"Sounds like a plan love."

[nincompoopydoo]

PINING, BAGELS, REPEAT.

— WHEN THE DRINKING'S DONE ; PART 6 / ?

( gif from this gifset by @jascontodd )

PAIRING: Bruce Wayne x reader

WORD COUNT: 2.9k

SUMMARY: Sunday night dinner with your mother doesn’t go as planned when Bruce shows up unexpectedly at your door and you both know how your mother really loves him alot.

A/N: Slow and kinda long-winded chapter again haha. I used to be the kind of person who couldn’t write long stuff. Now look at me. Who is she??? Enjoy this one yall. Probably one or two more chapters to go, depends on how much I can write <3

WARNINGS: Swearing, alcohol. I write about what I feel and they are very real. So if you find these things triggering, please do not read this.

MASTERLIST ; MASTERPOST

Sunday night. You’re in an apron, flushed from the heat of the stove. You’ve just poured a glass of wine for your mother, but she doesn’t drink it—too busy walking around your apartment, clearing your stuff as she criticizes your lack of cleanliness and organization. Grading papers during exam season keeps you busy. Needless to say, you don’t have the time to clean your goddamn house.

You still love her anyway.

You’re at the sink, purple-stained fingers from peeling the tunic of the red onions are under running water when there is a knock on your door. It’s deafening, rapid, and agitating. You’ve just spilled boiling water onto your hand and you really don’t need another problem to come charging at your front door. Literally.

Moving out of the kitchen with haste, you call out over your shoulder to your mother to quit rearranging with bits and bobs of stationary and papers because yes, it’s messy but you know exactly where everything is. The knocking doesn’t cease, and your annoyance aggravates further. You’re gonna have to punch someone or something if it doesn’t stop.

You aggressively pushed the barrel of the bolt lock, swinging the door open as the strands of your wild hair flew backward in the sudden blow of air.

All forms of anger and agitation disappear as soon as your gaze meets the flushed face of none other than Bruce fucking Wayne, dressed in a grey dress vest, tie hanging loosely a pristine white shirt, and an ebony tweed overcoat. This feels like deja vu. Your expression goes through a series of mixed emotions, mostly confusion, when it morphed into a guise of embarrassment, cheeks even redder. “Don’t tell me I texted you by accident again?” He blinks, seemingly as bewildered as you are. “What? No, no. No. I—” His sentence is cut short when he takes a moment to catch his breath. Your brows are frowning even deeper than before. “Did you run here or something? And what are you doing here anyway?”

Bruce shifts in his stance, a palm against the door frame, shaking his head. He feels small under your interrogative stare. “No, I came here to see you…” he trails off, eyes shamelessly skirting across your figure. He just now notices that it may be a bad time for him to turn up, and you’re hit with the realization you’re in a ratty apron, very red and very sweaty. You’re right. It is deja vu because why are you always a mess when Bruce shows up at your front door unannounced? You abruptly pull the apron over your head, hurling it behind the door, hands palming the frizz of your hair into a somewhat presentable look.

“Look, I need to talk you—”

“Honey! Who’s at the door?” He’s being cut off mid-sentence again. This time, by your mother’s voice from the living room. Your eyes are wide again—so are his.

Your mother’s fondness for Bruce is an understatement. Obsession is a better word. She had only met him once, and that was six years ago but the conceptualization of being somewhat related to an exceptionally handsome and successful man had gotten to her head all those years ago. Hell, she loves him more than she loves you. Your mother—A woman who wishes to call your best friend ‘son’ with a whole lot of love to give. If she discovers Bruce is here, at your doorstep, she will never let go. Never. And you both know it. There’s a silent understanding that travels between the two of you and the look you’re giving him tells only one thing—Run before it’s too late.

“Bruce Wayne as I live and breathe...”

Well, too late.

A small-statured lady stands on the farther side of the hallway, face lit up with sheer joy and excitement as if she had just won a lottery. She approaches him with arms open wide and soon, her hands are laid on his cheeks, examining the man’s face carefully. Bruce just stands there, stiff as a rock, unsure of how to regain his composure from all the adrenaline of wanting to see you now that he was in such close proximity to the woman who raised you. When it’s you, he tends to struggle with timing and it’s partly the reason he has never managed to act on his feelings for you. For the longest time, he has wanted to be more than friends or whatever the hell this was. He had been hesitant but now, he’s very sure.

Sometimes it feels like it's the right person but the wrong time. He doesn’t want it to be that way. He wants to make things right with you.

And there he was, being squished under the grasp of the lady that loves him very much.

He catches your gaze; you flash him a sympathetic smile as you mouth the word “sorry.” Bruce arches his brows, indicating he has no idea what to do or how to get out of this situation.

“You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you!” the older woman exclaims, a hand now firmly on his shoulder, the other brushing away his long strands of hair from his face with affection. Bruce would never admit it; he likes the attention your mother gives to him—the touch of a mother. Something he longs for.

“Why don’t you come in and join us for dinner? There's more than enough food.”

Crap, you should have known that question was bound to be mentioned. You’re not convinced that you will be able to suppress your emotional heartburn and the idea of Bruce tasting the dishes you’re cooking, it’s making your palms sweat. But what the hell. You shouldn’t be this nervous around him, you’ve known each other for years. He has seen you at your worst and vice versa.

Still, you’ll like to avoid the predicament of a dinner table set for you, your mother, and the man you secretly love. You’re quick with an answer. “Oh, I’m sure he has other important things to do. Bruce is very busy—”

“I’ll be happy to. I have no plans for tonight after all.”

You stare at Bruce, eyes glimmering with shock and betrayal—he is supposed to be on your side. He simply sends you a swift wink, and you feel the growing and most likely apparent deep red of your already flushed cheeks. You glance away to face your mother, eye crinkling in hopes of concealing the effect he has on you. Well, at least your mother looks fucking overjoyed. Maybe the night won’t end in disappointment.

-

The scent of chicken and spice whiffs through the air from the dishes of chicken and chorizo paella you’ve managed to whip up in a quick thirty minutes—a recipe you came by in an article titled “Fancy dishes for lazy cooks.” Well, it’s certainly working; everyone looks pleasantly surprised when you emerge from the kitchen with a cast-iron skillet within your kitchen gloved-grasp.

Happiness is the sound of the clinking of cutlery against nearly empty smeared plates, the splash of wine cascading from the bottle you held into the glasses of your guests, and the occasional laughter that erupts from your mother as Bruce tries to make a joke through mouthfuls of paella. A symphony of contentment and comfort, composed and orchestrated by the two most significant individuals in your life. Beauty is made anywhere beautiful people are; in this space, cramped up at the beech wooden table made for one by the casement window that overlooks the apartment across yours.

This side of Bruce—where boyish smiles were manifested and hearty laughs arising from the belly—is the side you miss the most. Years ago, things felt simpler though your past self would deny that notion as human life continues to become more intricate as we grow older and our eyes see more. Innocence to maturity. Happiness to grief. But, the complexity of this warfare between the brain and the heart seems to reside in perpetual darkness, no light at the end of the tunnel. For a long time, you thought deciding to be alone could eventually bring peace to the madness but maybe, you’ve been with the wrong people this whole time. It’s your reflection against the window pane that shows the evident crinkle in your eyes and the constant upward in the curve of your lips even though it contrasts the gloomy hues of blue from the sky at twilight—you’re happy.

It’s the way your mother leans over and wipes off the bits of rice from the corner of your mouth and the exchange of awkward smiles when Bruce accidentally brushes his hand against yours when reaching for the fork. This is what you want. And maybe, just maybe, you deserve to not be alone.

“So, have you decided on who you’re taking to the wedding?”

Your mother’s voice hauls you back from your daydream. She gives you a knowing look, discretely glancing towards Bruce on the other end of the table. She knows you don’t have a date, and you know she wants you to bring Bruce. You feel your anxiety creep back in.

This is weirdly the second time you’re in this situation.

“I don’t know yet...” In times like this, you wonder if your mother wields some sort of magical ability of truth or something because no matter how much you try, you can never lie to her. And now, you wish the ground would collapse and swallow you up. You know she means well, but oh my God, Bruce is staring at you and you don’t know what to do with your hands anymore.

“Wedding?” Bruce chirps with a questioning brow as he glances between you and your mother. Now, you’re forced to explain for the sake of context. “My cousin’s getting married next week and mom here wants me to bring a date.” Your mother’s expression indicates that you’re lying through your teeth. Yet in reality, it’s not technically a lie if you’re leaving parts of reason out of the explanation because it’s true she wants you to bring a date but you don’t mention how you don’t want to go alone because weddings make you sad.

It sounds pathetic.

Bruce just nods, taking a sip of his wine. The fact he’s not saying anything is making you anxious. You thought you didn’t want him to be your date but now, maybe you do. These feelings are messing up your brain. It’s just mush now, and there’s no cure.

These are the times you want to say “Fuck you, Bruce” but in the nicest way possible.

“Why don’t you bring Bruce?”

She was direct as they come but is mostly tired of your lack of initiative and doubt. I mean, it’s not like you’re asking him to marry you, right? And honestly, you’re kind of relieved you didn’t have to be one to do it but you can’t keep depending on her to do all the heavy lifting for you. You’re not a teenager anymore. You’re a goddamn grown adult.

Nevertheless, you peer at his reaction to this from the corner of your eye, fully expecting some sort of a resting jaded expression or eyes wide in horror but he’s just looking at you...with that look—highly bewildered and almost seems to be entertained by your embarrassment. Despite the purse of his lips, you manage to catch sight of the slight impish tuck of his lips.

He thinks it's the wine, but he isn’t exactly sure.

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

-

“Are you sure about this?” you cross your arms, as you watch Bruce shrug on his coat from the rack. The two of you are squeezed in the entryway of your apartment, huddling in hushed conversation. “About what?” he asks absentmindedly when in reality, he knows exactly what you’re referring to. As much as he doesn’t want to admit it, it’s an excuse to be around you longer. You purse your lips, shifting in your stance, eyes flickering away from his gaze. “About coming to the wedding,” you say it slowly, carefully, like you’re afraid to and you’re not sure why. He nods with the furrow of his brows, tugging his hands into the pockets of his ebony tweed coat. “I’m sure...Unless you don’t want me to come—”

“No, no. God, of course, I want you to come,” you stop, realizing how your sudden outburst of excitement must have made you seem desperate. You clear your throat, feet shifting once more. “I don’t want to pull you off work just because I don’t want to be alone.”

He raises his brows, nearing a little closer to you. “So that’s the real reason?” A hint of a smile—it’s a teasing one. You simply throw a fist to his arm yet unable to stifle your growing smile. “Don’t be a jerk.”

Bruce winces followed by a laugh that comes out more light a puff of air as he bares his palms in a gesture of surrender. “Hey, I didn’t say anything.”

Maybe, it’s the walls of this hallway, covered with hung framed photographs of family, childhood, and friends because it’s starting to feel warm. You think it’s the way his eyes light up when you laugh, radiating a sort of comforting warmth on this cold night. It feels like home. Bruce feels like home. You notice the prominent stain of your mother’s lipstick on his left cheek. You bring one hand to rest on the curve of his cheekbone, thumb trying to efface the smeared stain away.

You’re not sure if it's the smell of his deodorant or the sudden sense of his breath on your skin that made you comprehend the closing gap between your face and his. In an instant, your hand jerks away and returns to your side, clenching to a fist. Bruce clears his throat, bringing a hand up to scratch the growing stubble at his jaw. The touch of your fingers lingers like a burn.

Recognizing the tension in the air, you decide to avert your thoughts back to the conversation you were having in the first place. “You know, you don’t have to come. Really. You’ve done a lot for me, and you know that.”

“Yes...but I’ll always have your back no matter what.”

He smiles at you. The kind that reaches his eyes. He looks younger like this.

“And I’ll always have yours, Bruce.”

You’re an idiot. He’s an idiot. You’re just two idiots, standing in the hallway with hearts that feel like they’re about to explode. Despite the lingering tension in the air that’s still present, you bring him into an embrace. It feels natural, your arms around his shoulder and his on the small of your back. “Thanks for everything. Especially for making my mom really happy.” you punctuate your sentence with a gentle caress to the back where his shoulders meet. You hear the muffled sound of his laugh, feeling the rumble of his chest against yours as you try not to squirm at the brush of his unshaven chin against the curve of your neck. “No problem,” he mumbles before pulling away.

“And you need a shave.” You’re pointing to his chin and he finds himself scratching it again. He merely hums in response.

Swinging the door open while you wave him goodbye feels like a part of you is leaving. You’re not sure why you’re feeling this newly found emptiness in you when you know you’ll see him next week. You decide to blame the wine. It’s easier that way.

He’s walking away, already out of view when you decide you should really say something at least.

“Bruce,” you suddenly call out; he turns on his heels and backtracks a little too eager to face you at the doorway. “What was it you wanted to talk about?” He frowns in response, head tilting in a questioning manner. “When you came here, you said you needed to talk.”

He recalls the real reason he was here in the first place. Rushing to your door like you’re about to disappear any minute. Yet, you’re here, still at the doorway, three hours later. Fuck, he was about to confess.

Bad timing. Again.

Right person, wrong time.

No. He’ll make it right. Just, not now.

“I was...going to thank you for the bagels; Asiago. Nice choice.” Is what he says instead of reciting the words that had been running through his head in rehearsal since the drive to your apartment. He ignores the way your shoulders sag, perhaps in relief—he doesn’t want to know. He ignores the burning in his chest when you nod, the corners of your mouth tugging into a faint smile as you raise a palm in a somewhat solemn wave of farewell. He ignores the sting in his eyes when the door closes on him, symbolizing finality when he really doesn’t want it to end. Left alone in the dismal light of the hallway; it acts as a poignant reminder of his bereavement and how much of his consolation depends on your presence.

When the drinking's done, does it make it any easier for him to open himself up to you?

Bruce allows himself to cry once he pulls the car door to a close because he feels overwhelmed by the conflicting thoughts that continue to reside in his mind. The regrets, the what-ifs, and the should-haves. He forgets himself sometimes because he gets so lost in his thoughts, he doesn’t recognize himself anymore.

You keep him grounded. You remind him who Bruce Wayne truly is.

He catches a glimpse of his reflection in the rearview mirror.

You’re right. He does need a shave.

TAGLIST:

@raineeace

[hawkins-high86]

Review: honestly idk y/n moves to new York and joins the avengers and falls in love with peter but something happens

Warning: language blood mentioned of death mentions of smut/smut/cheating ?bad writing I apologize 😳

My hometown was mystic falls I left there about when I was 17 because my parents split up so me and my dad and step mom moved to new York and I went to midtown high school and me and Peter because fast friends and we became I couple until he found out who I was my secret I was a vampire yes damon salvatore turned me into one I hated it but stefan teached me how to resist the temptation of the blood I didn't want to leave mystic falls I had elena bonnie caroline stefan I kinda had a crush on stefan but I left there stefan always updated me everyday if i wasn't busy on missions I knew Peter was spiderman because he told me and I believe him but I wasn't sure but he showed me his suit and I know that I didn't have any powers but tony stark said that I was super fast and strong enough to fight anyone but I didn't use vamp speed I usually compel them and afterwards like at midnight I usually followed them and feed on them sometimes I couldn't help it I was so hungry but after that one night everything changed I went back into my house and the house was on fire and my parents were dead inside the house tony stark enemy did this to my parents I was so upset I texted stefan he wanted to know if I wanted to move back to mystic falls I declined his offer I likes new York maybe I just needed time and stuff so no home but tony stark was kind enough for me to move in to his huge house that's were everyone lived together except for Peter parker he lived in queens, new York I was heart broken about how he found out about my secret I compel him to forget what he saw i didn't really trust him but, he was my boyfriend I broke up with him I told him we are better of as friends so he wouldn't get hurt so he understand and within a few months he was dating mj Jones my best friend i was kinda jealous of course call I had to call stefan about it he asked me if I could come to new York to check on me I said of course you can you can come as soon as possible "are you sure I don't want to interrupt anything"he replied just come over mr stark has enough room's in this house I will invite you in even I almost cried "don't be sad y/n I will come tomorrow" he said ok thanks stefan see you tomorrow love you I hunged up the phone I heard a Tap at my door um come in I said it was steve Rogers "I don't mean do interrupt anything but I heard you talking on the phone so is this stefan guy like you ex boyfriend?"he asked me what-no we are just friends very good friends and I can't believe that you were spying on me "I'm sorry but I don't want you to get hurt "he said steve I stood up I am not going to get stood up jeez he is just a friend I but my hand on his shoulder and smiled he is coming to new York tomorrow is that ok steve?I asked him

"Sure what's he like"he asked me

Um,I cleared my throat he is very nice and he has always been there for me when I needed him on my bad days and on my good days too I was so upset when we moved here but we promised each other that we would update each other what is happening and he cares about me a lot.

"Oh ok that's nice I will tell everyone else that he is coming over tomorrow he seems nice " steve said

Wait ,I need a favor you kinda have to invite him in the compound like you have to say it dont ask me questions about just do it or tony please steve ?I begged

"Um ok sure"he said he was kinda confused about this

Thanks Steve I said while he left the room I shut the bedroom door and locked it I grabbed the storage box under my bed it was filled with blood bags from the hospital i heard on the news that there were break ins from the hospital stealing stuff but I wasn't a ripper or anything sometimes I couldn't resist it peter texted me something.

(Hey y/n can I please come over? Mj broke up with me and I really could use a friend? )

(Of course sure come over also I got to tell you something anyways )

I put the phone on my desk hey Peter I'm a vampire and I feed on blood I said to myself sarcastically I'm so stupid I should just compel them all and get out of new York and go back to mystic falls I miss everyone there pack up and go wish it was that easy to do ugh! I layed down on my bed on a second blood bag than I heard a knock on my door I hid the blood bag under my pillow and sat up um come in I said it was Peter.

"How can mj do this I am so upset so broke my heart and it hurts " he said

Aw peter is so sorry I hugged him do you want some ice cream and watch movies or we can play video games he smiled at me

"You always know what to do y/n your the best friend ever" he said

I know I laughed stay here I will get the ice cream and some spoons ok I walked downstairs to get the ice cream and walked upstairs back to my room.

"Great I love chocolate " he said

Me to we can watch Netflix at the same time he plopped down on my bed thank God he didn't see the blood bag I sat down next to him I carefully removed the blood bag under my bed into the other one's after the movie he was cuddling with me.

"Can I tell you something y/n?"

Of course I looked up and held his hand well what is it?before I could say anything else he kissed me I was shocked wait I'm confused Peter stop.

"What I know this is really werid but I can't stop thinking about you are-" I cut him off

You can't be with me Peter I'm so sorry

"Why not what are you hiding? Come on you could tell me" he said

Well please don't freak out of shit you are probably going to freak out anyways he held my hand.

"Just tell me" he said

Forget it I started to kiss kiss him with passion i could hear his heart beating i was hungry stop peter I'm a vampire i said quietly embarrassed my face was red.

"Haha very funny you know I seen twilight and I'm not impressed by it" he said

Peter, you know how on the news that the people breaking in the hospital's? Well that is well me I stood up and tossed him a blood bag.

"Oh my God, your a killer you actually killed all those innocent people "he said

It's not like that Peter I Sw- before I could say anything else

"I never want to see you again "he said walking out of my room no wait I yelled but it was to late I started to cry I didn't want to tell him but I just had to still upset I grabbed my phone and dialed stefan number it was ringing come on come on please pick up.

"Hello" he said

Stefan it's me can you possibly come here sooner please I will tell you everything once you get here please I need you.

"Of course right on it heading out right now " he said

I smiled thanks your the best love you I end this call and brush my teeth are got into something more comfortable and went to bed.

...next day.....

I woke up I wanted to turn my humans off but the last time wasn't very pretty I got dressed and brush my teeth and hair than I heard a tap on my window it was peter ,what do you want Peter? I asked him.

"So I did a little research about you ,you know and I understand if you don't want to be with me or you want to kill me but I love you y/n and I know we have been going almost out for a year and we have been sneaking around the avengers because mr stark is like your father to you " I cut him off it's ok just promise that you won't tell anyone? I asked him nicely you have to swear it .

"Ugh fine I swear I won't tell anyone else "he said

Thank you so you don't hate me anymore, you don't think I'm a monster or a killer ?I asked him raising a eyebrow at him what is it ?

"Can I ask you something about it you know about being a vampire and stuff ?" He said

Sure I said

"So I have been doing research and how come you dont burn in the sunlight and who turned you and how old are you and stuff like that" he said

Oh well i wasn't a vampire my hole life let's just say I'm 17 almost 18 and damon salvatore turned me into a vampire and I dont burn in the sunlight well..I held up my hand see this ring that I always where well it basically protects me from the sunlight so I won't burn anymore questions about me I asked him.

"Who's damon salvatore where you his friend or something and he got mad at you " he asked me

No well I held his hand I can't believe I'm actually telling someone else this besides stefan salvatore ok so I was depressed and and my friends stefan house and I got some bourbon and I asked Stefan's brother if he wanted to join me and he said yes and well one think lead to another and he bit me and well here we are I smiled at him.

"Shit I'm sorry about that does your dad I mean mr stark know about it or steve Rogers you uncle steve I should say "

Nope not a soul well except for stefan and damon and all my other friends in mystic falls.

"Oh ok I noticed that she looked very cute when here hair wasn't up in a ponytail so I leaned to kiss her I put my hands around her cheeks and leaned into her closer I love you y/n so much and are eyes met and she smiled at me"

"Are lips were still connected with each other I didn't want to stop I slowly threw her on her bed and she was staring back at me before things could get werid she kissed me back I slid closer to her she was on my lap now I started to kiss her down her neck I'm sorry I stopped kissing her is this to much? I asked her.

No,its fine please continue I said to him.

"I smiled at her ok if you say so I started to kiss her neck again my fingers touched her cheeks and she laughed is it ok if I could take my shirt- before I could say anything else she ripped my shirt off sorry us vampire's can get a little turned on she said "it's fine unless you want me to stop "no don't stop ok I held her hand ok she began to feel my chest "wow who knew that spiderman had abs she smiled at me oh shut up she said I started to unbuttoned her blouse she nodded for my approval "wait this is my first time and I want it to be special "she said.

We can stop if you want me to or I could go easy on you "well I love you peter so go ahead I trust you "she said great I thew her blouse across the room and she slightly laughed at me now all I could see her black bra let me unhook it if that's ok with you "aw always and gentlemen "she laughed she nodded again for my approval I unhook the back and let my bra fall down to the ground so beautiful baby I kissed her chest "take your pants off now"she said oh um ok I took my pants off and I took her skirt off and saw her pink lace underwear so beautiful baby I could tell that you are wet already I started to kiss her hips and thighs before I came do anything else I heard a knock on her bedroom door "shit" she whispered to me "be right out " she said we got dressed quickly.

Y/n pov

"I'm scared who is it ?is it mr stark oh no he will kill me " he said shhh no peter I don't know yet let's just pretend nothing happened ok I opened the door "well isn't y/n" he said stefan salvatore I said I hugged him so glad that your hear missed you a lot oh this is peter ,peter ,stefan ,stefan,peter "hi nice to meet you " he said I noticed something behind stefan I used my vamp speed and it was damon salvatore I pinned him against the wall what do you think that your doing here? I asked him "well nice to see you to "he said I smiled at him and hugged him nice to see you my fellow bourbon buddy he smiled at me again I saw peter walking towards us "what the hell " he yelled at him what's wrong peter? I asked him "this is the guy that had sex with you and turned you into a vampire "he said my face got super red no we didn't have sex I didn't say that all I said we were drunk and started to kiss we never had sex before we are just friends ok and I forgave him so please chill out peter.

"Ok"he said how did you get in I mean how did damon salvatore get in he usually has to compel someone or kill them I smirked "haha very funny y/n"he he said I know I'm hilarious I smiled at him um peter can you go downstairs for a minute with damon don't worry he isn't going to bite he is actually really nice once you get to know him I smiled at them "sure anything for you y/n"peter said hi stefan I faced him so how would you like to spend your time in new York? I ask him before I could say anything else he gave me some blood bags oh my God thank you I was running out of them "no problem I don't mean to be werid or anything but...were you and peter just doing it?"he asked me what no! "Y/n!" Fine we were untill you came in with damon. "How long have you been dating peter "he asked me about 6-7 months "oh ok listen the real reason I said yes about coming to new York is to get you back to mystic falls before you say no or anything else elena and damon and Bonnie and caroline are in danger from the original family " wow um sure I went downstairs and I saw Peter and damon and tony and Steve and bucky

."don't worry I didn't tell anyone except for Steve and tony."

Peter you did not tell them please tell me you did not.

."so is this supposed to be like a twilight movie."buck said

I used my vamp speed to pin him against the wall and let him go

."so vampires do exist?,"

Yes,I smiled peter didn't seem to happy about me and stefan was he jealous? I asked myself me and stefan are just friends I was going to confess that I had feelings for him but than I moved and I met Peter I cleared my throat guy's this is stefan salvatore he is a very close friend of mine

".what's he doing here?."

Tony he is just visiting right stefan ?I asked him

."yes and no you need to kinda need to come back to mystic falls." He said

Wait why please tell me damon didn't do anything stupid again I smiled at him

."this is serious y/n remember I told you about the original family ?and the cure well we finally found it 3 bottles of it and I know that you don't really like being a vampire so I saved it for you ."

Are you serious wow okay maybe for a few days won't hurt what does that have to do with the mikaelsons? I asked him

."well they invited you to the mikaelson ball I know it's kinda short notice but can you make it ".he said

Sure let me see if I have any fancy clothes in my closet I said.

."can I um come with you y/n". Peter said

Peter that's very sweet of you but um mystic falls isn't the safest place in the world I'm sorry I don't want to put you in danger I put my hand on his cheek I promise I will be back soon I went upstairs found the dress that I was going to wear to the ball and pack some extra clothes and makeup stuff like that I will be back as soon as I can sorry I grabbed my bag and headed out of the building driving to mystic falls with stefan salvatore do you think he will actually forgive me? He called me a monster and a killer and he apologized and now he understands it I'm so confused ugh how I can I be this stupid

."hey stop don't beat yourself up about it just focus on taking the cure so you can have a healthy normal relationship with him."

Thanks I smiled you know what to say I don't know if I would survive without you stefan really I held his hand

."thanks have you met the mikkelson? I don't remember."

Only, klaus and Rebekah and Elijah oh no don't tell me there are more of them I laughed

."you didn't met esther and kol the other brother they want the cure too ."

But ,I want it I know that sounds so rude but I deserve it want to grow old and have kids

."hey don't worry we will get it I swear."

Thanks, I closed my eyes for a nap but it seemed like a lifetime for me

"Hey we are here y/n"

I jumped up oh wow it's good to be back in mystic falls

"Nothing changed her y/n"

Oh well ok I went inside the house and I put my bags in my guest room took a shower put on some light makeup and put on some perfume and jewelry and my dress was kinda nervous about this hole mikaelson ball thing didn't have a date wish Peter was here with me but he wouldn't be safe here anyways I put on my dress. Light blue dress with lace fabric but on some blue hight heels and walked downstairs stefan salvatore oh my you look handsome

"Y/n you look so pretty damon and elena are already there "

Oh ok I took his hand and we headed out it was a big house I don't really remember it it's been a long time I saw Rebekah klaus and Elijah and a other one that I didn't recognize that has to kol mikaelson ! Everyone was chatting.

"Hi I'm kol mikaelson nice to meet you "

He kissed my hand oh I'm y/n nice to meet you to I smiled at him everyone started to slow dance kol do you want to be my partner for the dance ?

"Sure "

He put his hands on my waist and I put my hands around his neck and started to dance he had brown eyes and dark hair he seemed mysterious in a way I know this is werid to bring up but do you know about the cure or I'm just going crazy

"Who told you about the cure?"

Damon salvatore why? I asked him

"There is only three and damon want to give it to elena why do you trust him ?"

Oh elena Gilbert? I trust damon I know hard to believe but I do or I thought I did so I came back to mystic falls for no reason ugh wish I was back in new York with Peter eating junk food and watching star wars after a few hours tons of songs the ball was over Rebekah approached me.

"Hey do you want to come over to our house tonight free drinks our on me "

I smiled at Rebekah how could I say no to free drinks yes totally let's go she took my hand and took me to the kitchen wow this is your kitchen its so nice.

"Thanks y/n/n/ "

What do you have any vodka or bourbon? I asked her

"Y/n I knew you for a half of a century your a bourbon girl"

Yes ,I smiled she handed me a glass one drink became two became three and things started to get fizzy I better stop Rebekah don't feel so good I ran into the bathroom and puked oh shit I knew I should drink that much

"Y/n are you ok?"

I stood up not really Hey can I spend the night here and have a sleepover and help me with my hangover?

"Of course you can I will get you some comfy pajamas and some painkillers and some mint tea "

Thanks beck I appreciate it waiting for Rebekah I took the painkillers and the tea

"How are you feeling y/n?"

A little bit better I rubbed my shoulders put my dress in Rebekah closet.

"Um well it's getting late I need my rest "

Oh I cleared my throat same here I laid down on the mattress on the floor next to her bed she turned on the light and I went fast asleep it was a werid dream this one was peter and kol together fighting over me I gasped for air and woke up shit! I woke up it was 3am you have got to be kidding me I stood up I was really thirsty for a blood bag this would happen often it wasn't unusual went downstairs and went into the refrigerator and got a blood bag a-postive my favorite I closed the door and saw some figure standing there hello? I turned on the lights it was kol mikaelson the one I was dancing with what are you doing?

"I couldn't sleep what about you? "

Um er same here I said I should get to bed soon goodnight kol

"Wait "

Huh ,what ?I asked him

"It's nothing don't worry about it "

Oh ok before I could go back upstairs and corned me to the kitchen wall we were starting at each other for a while his big brown eyes were stunning he kissed me and my heart was beating so fast he turned away.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that it was really stu-"

You kissed him back with passion wrapped my legs around his waist I took his shirt off digging my nails into his skin licking and kissing over his abs for a bit wow your so strong

"Darling I'm an a original"

Yea but your so fucking sexy I got my hands around his belt buckle we don't have to do this if that makes sense.

"We could do it"

Oh you sure?I asked him

"Yes I'm sure but may I try something if you don't mind me"

No go ahead I trust you I know that I met you today but it feels strange you just caught my eye and heart he laughed

"Your so cute and beautiful "

Thanks your handsome man yourself

"Can I try it now?"

Sure I trust you kol before i could say anything else he started to kiss my neck and i heard a ripping sound my pajamas i covered my chest

"Don't worry darling is there something wrong? "

No ,I laugh I got to tell you something but don't-he cut me off

"What?"

Don't judge me but I- I am a virgin ok let's face it I never got all the way was saving myself for someone special and I think that special someone is you -i know it's crazy but fuck ! I started to kiss his abs and I let go of my hands from my breasts-he looked at me and smile at me what do look funny?

"No they are amazing"

He started to kiss the top of my breasts I moaned than He was kissing down your tummy, smiling up at you as he starts fumbling with the button of your shorts

“May I?” He asked. I smiled and nodded.

“Hm, I can smell you. So wet and needy for me, huh?” He mumbled. I nodded as his lips got closer to my pussy He ripped off my panties, the cold air hitting my skin in an instant. I heard kol groan as he looked over my naked body. He looked back into my eyes, reaching up to kiss my lips.

Kol then stood up and began to unbuckle his belt and my eyes widened. I sat up immediately.

[papipopsicle]

AFTERTASTE PART FIVE

Pairing: Archie Andrews X Reader

Genre: fluff and some angst

Summary: In which two best friends since childhood test whether sex and friendship can co-exist without causing conflict. Including OC's Flick and Cherry, a bisexual and lesbian in a sapphic relationship who are best friends of Y/N.

Song: Candy by Doja Cat

Warnings: swearing, minors consuming alcohol

Words: 3.6K

MASTERLIST

feedback is always appreciated

     Y/N lasted two weeks before thoughts of even throwing the bet came to mind. She had been strong so far; making sure to wear her tightest outfits and highest heels, being extra touchy-feely with Archie and not reacting to his moves in the slightest. Her personal favourite moment was sitting on his lap at the Twilight Drive-In and giving him a hard-on whilst Kevin and Betty sat next to them non the wiser.

But now, on day eighteen, she needed reinforcements. The redhead realised his attempts were failing miserably and he couldn't help his reactions to Y/N’s provocative movements. He turned it up a notch, becoming rather possessive of the five foot blonde knowing she enjoyed that side of him. He carefully walked the line of teasing and taunting like a tightrope, always whispering in her ear and letting his hand rest on her inner thigh under the table. And now, Y/N found herself wanting to pounce him whenever he caught her eye. It was getting out of hand, so she called for the only two people who could possibly help.

"Have you tried doing the bend and snap?" Cherry asked out of the blue, her head rested on her girlfriends lap as the three watched Clueless from the comfort of Felicity's bed.

"Babe," the blue haired girl said with a sigh and took a handful of M&Ms, "I love you but I don't think our answer lies in a two-thousand's rom-com."

"Hey, it worked on you, didn't it?" The brunette grinned smugly and leaned up to kiss the girl above her, earning a handful of chocolate to be launched in their direction and a disgruntled groan from the blonde sitting beside them.

Y/N pouted, "Please stop reminding me how single I am."

At this, the two girls pulled away and sent her the same bewildered look, "You wouldn't be if you told that hunky ginger you're in love with him!" Flick barked, a hand playing with the hem of her partner's shirt whilst the other flew up in desperation.

The y/h/c girl sent her friends an incredulous glare, it only growing when their shared 'you know I'm right' smile made an appearance. She took a handful of sweets and irritably shoved them in her mouth, "I am not in love with Archie Andrews... I just want his body on my body... in a variety of ways, and locations... multiple times."

"Right, so let me just get this straight," Cherry sat upright and gathered her hair over one shoulder, she paused the film and sent the petite girl a serious look, "you really think a no-strings-attached relationship can actually work? Have you even seen Friends With Benefits? It doesn't work! Sure it's all fun and games now but it's only a matter of time before one of you catches feelings and shit gets real. Then we'll have to pick sides, obviously you automatically get us, but I really liked Archie, he was promising..."

"What my gorgeous girlfriend means, is that we won't have this relationship ruined because you two can't keep it in your pants. We've put a lot of work and effort into this ship and it isn't going to waste, this isn't some TV teen drama shit, there's no need to wait until season 6 to actually be happy. Don't be Lydia and Stiles." Flick rounded up, taking the remote and pressing play.

Y/N simply sighed and slouched against the pillows, her attention turning back to the TV as she sulked, "I came here for your advice, and honestly now it feels like my moms are telling me I can't have sex with my hot best friend because they ship us too hard romantically. How can sex ruin a friendship? That's like saying extra sprinkles ruin ice cream! Anyways, none of that matters unless I win this stupid bet."

"You know Y/N/N, asking a lesbian and a bisexual whose only ever been with a girl on how to seduce a boy isn't exactly your best move." Cherry commented, snuggling under her blanket with a near-empty bowl of mini-pretzels at her side.

"My advice? Just be yourself, dumbass. Clearly for some weird reason he's into that, so it's only a matter of time until he gives in and this insanity will end. Boys think with their dicks and have a lot less will-power than us. For fucks sake, he's sprung when your name's mentioned in passing conversation, clearly he wants to bone your brains out. Wait it out, you're one stubborn chick when you want to be, you got this."

Two days later, on one rather fateful Friday night, Y/N found herself in the midst of a party thrown by none other than the Blossom twins. It had been a while since she'd spoken to either of them, but since their entire year was currently making out on the couches, the invitation wasn't all that strange. She and Betty had spent the evening getting ready whilst rocking out to the cheesiest music known to their generation. The smaller blonde wore a little red number with lace cutouts, and only managed to convince her taller friend to ditch the mom-jeans for a conservative royal blue knee-length dress. Baby steps, she told herself whilst trying her best not to cut a deeper neckline in the mass of material.

Betty Cooper had absolutely no idea what was going on between two of her three best friends; and although she'd always been silently jealous of their closeness, she was used to it and didn't think twice to question it. Y/N spritzed her neck and wrists with her favourite perfume, Daisy Dream, and gave herself a final once over in the large mirror beside her wardrobe.

With perfect timing, like some magical intuition, Y/N’s phone buzzed, notifying her their ride was outside. She grinned at the taller girl and slipped her black Louis Vuitton's on, "Ready, m'lady?"

"I-I don't know, Y/N/N." Betty panicked, wringing her hands together as a worrisome look etched onto her face, "What if my mom sees us leave? She'll kill me if she finds out we're going to a Blossom party."

"She won't. And even if she does, she'll only see us getting into a car with Cherry and Flick, just tell her they invited us over for a girl's night or something... Stop worrying about the future, and start living in the now! You look smokin', I look hot, we are not wasting my precious work on Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore again, capisce?" Y/N didn't allow even a millisecond to pass before dragging the taller girl downstairs with her where they met Polly and Ren.

The four took a few quick photos together and hightailed it out to the red convertible sitting on the edge of the drive. Polly switched places with Flick and the happy couple sat in the back on each other's lap, leaving Y/N and Betty sat beside them like two spare wheels.

When the group of girls arrived, Cheryl graciously directed them down to the basement. Thoughts of being led down to a torture chamber came to mind as the redhead opened a large squeaky door, but those died down when the smell of liquor and sound of house music hit them like a brick wall.

So now, an hour into the night, it was just Betty and Y/N standing at the side of the room with a red solo cup in hand. Polly ran off to find her beloved boyfriend as soon as she arrived and Y/S/N just so happened to find herself hitting on a nearby houseplant. 'Flicky' were playing beer pong, well cider for them, against Reggie and Moose, and were winning with only one cup standing.

The petite girl, who still stood below her friend even in four inch heels, was about to save her sister from some terrible mugshots, but a strong arm stopped her in her tracks and pulled her back into a muscly chest.

"Where'd you think you're going, gorgeous?" A deep voice breathed in her ear, and a second later she ripped herself away from the boy, instantly recognising him and wishing to be the other side of the building right now. Though her actions were quick, the brunette pinned her to the nearest wall and stared hazily into her wide chartreuse-coloured eyes. Y/N actually laughed at the irony of the location, finding it funny that the last time she was in this position it was rather enjoyable.

"Fuck off, Chuck." The girl took another sip of her drink, not bothering to pay the boy any attention because that's exactly what he wanted. Though, when his arms moved from the wall to around her waist and neck, forcing Y/N to look up at him, she felt like punching the stupid smile off his smug face. But with one hand stuck at her side and the other holding her drink, she simply settled for chucking her remaining vodka-lemonade at the boy.

He chuckled cynically and wiped his face down, eyes darkening as he pushed himself against her with even more force, "Now, now. That's no way to treat the best fuck you've ever had. Why don't we go find somewhere quiet, for old times sake." He commanded, his tone leaving no room for questioning or any form of verbal consent.

But Y/N scoffed and chucked her now empty cup at his face, "Do you really want to be known for rape, as well as leaking a fifteen year old's sex tape, that you were a part of let's not forget?"

He sighed and brought a hand up to cup her face, coarse fingers gripping her jaw achingly tight, "Y/N/N, aren't we past that? I was mad and you embarrassed me in front of the entire football team, what did you expect me to do? Can't we just forget about that?" His other arm aggressively tugged her closer, "C'mon, you know you want me, slut."

Y/N had her eyebrows raised intolerably the entire time he spoke, and when she realised this had no affect on him, she cocked her head ever so slightly. That word felt so good coming from Archie's lips weeks ago. But with Chuck's intoxicated breath panting down on her made up face, she felt completely and utterly violated, physically and mentally.

She hid the look of disgust as best as possible and simply let her best fake alluring smile grace her features; Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck and looked ever so sweetly into his darkened eyes, "Clayton, we were together for what, eight months? And somehow, in that entire time, you never made me orgasm, not even close. I feel sorry for any girl, or whoever else who has to put up with your shitty oral. Don't you ever, ever use that word against me or any other girl. Don't touch me, you do not and shall never have consent to touch my body, remember that." She smoothly spoke, her voice laced with sugar-coated venom.

Using his drunken and shocked state to her advantage, Y/N unhooked his arms and rushed off to find one particular individual. She fought through the endless crowd of teenagers and after ten minutes of searching, Archie was nowhere to be found. A light tapping on one shoulder caused the y/h/c girl to spin on her heels, ready to slap a bitch if it were another jock.

But thankfully it wasn't, and Y/N let out a sigh of relief when her eyes found Betty's figure. She took her taller friend by the arms and asked, "Have you seen Archie at all? There's three fucking gingers at this party and I can only spot two."

"Last time I saw him he was in line for the bathroom, and that was around five minutes ago." The taller blonde said, peering down at her friend in concern as a hand smoothed down her signature ponytail instinctively, "Is there anything I can help with?"

Betty's question almost flew right past her as she searched for the toilet queue, but thankfully she managed to make out a few words, and quickly put two and two together. Y/N shook her head and finally looked at her friend, "It's alright, but one of us is about to lose a bet, I'll tell you who once I find out."

Betty's expression contorted at that, and she began to feel an uneasiness settling in the pit of her stomach. The Cooper girl did her best to hide her jealousy along with her crush on Archie. She'd always viewed Y/N as the unwanted cog in the machine, but as the months went on she couldn't help but feel like a spare part.

With that, the petite girl marched off and soon found herself pushing through throngs of her drunken classmates until a head of fiery-red hair poked up above the crowd. He was joking and laughing with Reggie, both wearing giddy smiles whilst sipping from from their cups every so often.

Y/N was used to being easily knocked, because she was so tiny in relation to the 6 foot something masses of muscle she called her friends, so it came as no surprise when someone practically rammed her right into the middle of the boys' conversation. Luckily, being the gentleman he was, Archie's arm instinctively wrapped around her waist to steady her toppling body. Their chatting ceased and it took Reggie no less than a second to start talking to someone else, leaving the red-haired boy looking down in confusion at his best friend.

"You okay there, Tiger?" He asked, gingerly hooking a few strands of her y/h/c hair behind her ear, making Y/N crane her neck up to watch him intently for a moment. She bit down on her lower lip and let out an intoxicated little giggle, "My knight in shining armour, however will I repay you?"

Archie breathed out a deep chuckle and smirked, "I can think of a few ways..." he all but muttered. Y/N’s thoughts flickered back to just moments ago in the lull of silence, and that was all the boy needed to lead her out of the packed basement. He saw the look confliction in her eyes, not quite understanding it, "has something else happened, Y/N/N?"

"Do you remember last spring, when I finally broke it off with Chuck... and then he, you know?" She tried to clarify, but her words wavered and fell short.

"Released a video of you two without your consent and only got suspended for a week?" Archie almost growled his voice felt so heavy. He hated remembering their relationship. Not only because he wanted Y/N to be only his, but because he was forced to see his best friend humiliated and heartbroken all at the same time and couldn't stop it.

"That's the one." The girl looked down, unable to meet his eyes as her mind raced back to one of the darkest weeks of her life. But she pulled herself away from the horrible memories, "Look, it happened and I can't change that, but I really don't want to be around him right now."

"We'll go back to mine right now, Tiger." Archie affirmed with his hand now cupping her made up face, bringing her gaze back to his own.

"Woah, didn't realise you two were a thing." A slurring Reggie turned back around and winked at the pair with his usual cheeky smile, "Don't worry, I won't tell."

Y/N giggled and hiccuped at the same time, "Fuck off, Reg."

"Hey, if you hurt her, Andrews, I'll knock you into next year." The Asian boy only partly joked with his best friend.

The Robins girl pulled herself away from the wall and wrapped her arms around Reggie, "My hero!"

"Yeah, yeah." He hugged her back, not too hard though as in his drunken state he was scared he might snap her in half with all his muscular might. "I love you too, Y/N/N."

She gave him a sweet peck on the cheek before returning to Archie's side, clasping his hand in her own and leading the both of them away from the raucous party. Nobody seemed to notice in their happy little haze, even if they did, most people assumed the two were sleeping together anyway.

"Does it bother you at all?" Y/N small voice called as they walked down the narrow roads back home. She didn't know whether the answer would be something she wanted to hear, but it had been bothering her for the past minute or so.

Archie's brows furrowed, slightly more sober and completely not understanding his companion's train of thought, "Does what bother me?"

"That people assume so much about us? That we're sleeping together? That we're a couple?" She pondered.

"Not unless it's something that puts you in a negative light, otherwise I really couldn't care less about other people's opinions. Everyone has them, but the only ones that matter to me are my friends and my family's." Archie reassured her.

Y/N giggled at her own joke, "I thought you were going to say they're like assholes?"

The boy looked at her incredulously.

"Everybody has one." She grinned and wrapped her arm around his waist as his own found its way to her shoulders, pulling her into his warmth. The rest of the walk was silent after that, cool summers air bringing an ease to Y/N's tipsy frame. Twenty minutes must have gone by before they saw the Andrews' household finally in view, it was anything but awkward though. Their hands clasped swinging between them, the girl's feet beginning to ache from the regrettable choice of five inch heels.

They shared giggles and passing comments that wouldn't make sense the next morning, gleeful smiles hanging from cheek to cheek. Before Archie had the chance to hunt for his key, the front door opened with Fred sending the two teenagers a short look of annoyance.

"Get in already." He rolled his tired eyes, not wanting to question why his son's best friend was currently looking up at him with hidden adoration as she slipped off her shoes.

Y/N hiccuped and sent the adult an apologetic smile, "Sorry if we woke you, Freddie."

"I couldn't sleep anyway, kid, don't worry about it." Fred gave her a kind smile and felt her small frame hug his own. He returned it as always and after a few moments, let the teenagers carry on upstairs. The girl immediately went into the bathroom and found her small bottle of cleanser under the sink, removing her heavy make up before returning to her best friends room.

Y/N couldn't help but gawk at the sight her eyes were greeted with, the redheads body clad with tight boxers with his warm bedside lamp lighting the room, and his muscular build, perfectly. Her hands lightly traced his back, making Archie jump before leaning into her touch.

"I'm still going to win this bet," She whispered, shutting the bedroom door and pulling the boy down to his bed with her, "but Arch, can I ask you something?"

Y/N's head nearly reached the wall as the redhead towered over her, hot breath tickling her skin while he rest himself against her without putting any weight down. "Of course." The words floated from his lips so easily, knowing his whole life he'd do anything or answer whatever she wanted.

"Do you think we're meant to be more than friends? I think I've finally realised it's not that we were never and will never be romantic in each other's minds, it's always been that way but we've just never really known." The Robins girl seemed so sure of her words, staring up into his amber eyes with so much honest admiration.

He watched her for what felt like forever, not knowing whether it was the alcohol in them both or just that the little game they were playing didn't matter anymore, and decided to throw that away. A short gasp fell from Y/N's lips as Archie caught them, rolling over and pulling her on top of his chest.

"You're right, I've always wanted us to be more than friends Y/N/N, ever since Leonardo went missing when we were in sixth grade and you kissed my cheek when I found him." Archie propped himself up and returned that same gesture. She stole a kiss but he didn't let it end, running his fingers through her curled blonde hair.

"Arch?" Her small voice called out, sitting atop of his torso still in her revealing red dress. He nodded back with the biggest smile, unable to control the pure joy as her next words tumbled into the world, "Will you be my boyfriend?"

"I don't have a choice, since I lost the bet, do I?" He mocked, smile not falling as she hit his chest and rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course, yes, I'll be your boyfriend."

PART SIX

[abizarreyodelingincident]

Our Nightly Confidant 3

Time for the Forgotten

He wonders. There's a question gnawing at him. Twilight knew. His wolf-boy had not wavered in the slightest when Time had suggested they could be related by blood. He'd been... serious. So serious. Scarily serious. It was a bit of a glance in his mirror shield. The reflection similar enough that it took some effort to mask it with nonchalance. Twilight hadn't been ashamed, more wistful and awed than anything after that talk with Malon.

But he had started to notice the way Twilight looked at him when no one else did.

Twilight knows. Twilight knows and he is a fine young man that Time is so, so proud of. He's not the favorite, because he can't have one. It's a different bond though (something like what he has with Warriors), and he always made sure to never let that influence his decisions on this quest.

The others don't doubt their place with the group. Not because of Time, at least. It's the least he can do for those incredible young men.

He just feels the question come and go in the dark. Twilight hadn't trained with a sword before his quest. Their technique is so similar however... He has to have been taught.

His heart hovers between settled and troubled, and it's the most innocuous thing that tips the balance.

A jab amongst others as they're cutting down wood for a fire, of all things.

Twilight, chainmail and shirt off, wipes sweat off his brows, an axe across his shoulders and a pile of neatly cut branches by his feet. “So slow,” he says, teasing his brother-in-arm a few trees over. “Didn't they run drills like those in the army?”

As always when pricked, Warriors heckles back. “Not every one of us was born in a barn, ranchhand!”

“For your information, I was found in the woods as a toddler, thank you very much,” Twilight replies, taking on an exaggerated snobbish accent. Or what he thinks passes as. It's a bit hard to tell with Twilight's countryside drawl.

The others laugh, join in the mockery, and they don't notice their leader taking a second to digest the news.

Twilight is his descendant. Twilight was adopted at too young an age to remember his birth parents. Might not even know their names.

And a wound he thought was closing suddenly bleeds inside him.

                                                   ***

It's a slow evening, almost night, and they haven't encountered a monster in days. But he's reeling, his head spinning.

His mind is filled with questions he knows are futile. Pointless bites from a cruel, unknowable future.

Which of Twilight's parents had the Hero's blood? Was it a granddaughter or grandson that perished, leaving a little boy orphaned? Had they known? Twilight mentioned having the Triforce of Courage since as long as he could remember. Had his parents learned only then of the heritage? When their son was marked by fate?

Was it a lack of knowledge that had killed Twilight's birth parents? Training?

The Goddesses truly are cruel, to confirm all his greatest fear in the same breath they gave him a glimpse of triumph. He doesn't know how to feel.

Time knows he ought to talk to someone about those things. About the choice he'd been offered. Even if it felt like breathing glass, like baring his own naked flesh to the elements. He's done it before, mostly with Malon, bless his darling wife. He's spoken the words, cried in whispers and fallen asleep on a damp pillow with the arms of his love around him.

He let his Zelda erase all the suffering Ganondorf wrought, and that very act might have condemned his own to an ignominious death. Might have cost Twilight his birthright. Worse still is the knowledge Wind offered him: the timeline hadn't vanished either. What was the point then? A childhood he couldn't recover even with a child's body? A forsaken land threatened by a mad demon?

He should speak.

He... can't.

He sits down on a rock and ignores the few curious gazes of the boys when he pulls open his inventory.  Other times, he might play with them, dance on their expectations and see their astonishment while he laughs inside.

He can't laugh right now.

His fingers close on the instrument, which sends a tingling of power through his hand. An ocarina to commune with the goddesses. He's not a pious man, never had the need, but as he raises the pipe end to his lips, it does feel like praying.

The Song of Healing.

Music to sooth pain beyond flesh and bones.

Why, then, does it only sound like screeching to his ears?

He put so many to rest in that forsaken place. Why can't he turn that power on himself? Why is he not allowed the slightest bit of-?

Something hits him in the chest. The last note of the song goes wild, off-key, and it stops the old memory playing in his head.

“Wolfie?” they call, some puzzled, a few like Wind rather ecstatic by the presence of the pup's beast form.

“... Did he just headbutt the old man?” Legend asks, smirking.

“Maybe the music hurts his ears?” Sky ponders.

Time doubts that. For one, Hylian ears wouldn't hurt enough for that kind of reaction even if he started playing as badly as he felt. No, it was the song that got Twilight into that state.

The whine Twilight makes pulls at some long dead heartstrings. Despite his size, worrying strength and undeniable intelligence, that sound alone gives Twilight the air of a kicked puppy.

The pup can't know, he tells himself. His heritage had been unknown to him until his quest, he mentioned that once. He can't know what the Song of Healing means, what playing it is supposed to do.

But the pain in Twilight's sky-blue eyes speaks otherwise.

“I suppose I ought to be more considerate of our canine friend,” Time declares, dusting off his pants. “My equipment could use a bit of maintenance.”

Busy work. The song had been a bad idea anyway.

As he stands though, he feels Wolfie's fang graze his hands and heels. Tug at his sleeves.

“Not sure he agrees with that,” Wild comments, amusement dancing in his eyes.

Wild knows what this is, and Time has the creeping idea that he's being herded like a goat.

“He'll have to get used to the idea,” he replies, more even than he feels.

The sympathetic feeling is starting to flicker at the repeated nipping. To be a hero, one needs to be stubborn. In this case, Time rather feels this is turning against him. He's rarely been the target of Twilight's protective streak. Fewer still as Wolfie. He is starting to understand that the style of comfort changed quite a bit during the transition. The inability to talk forces his protege to go physical.

And physical for a wolf...

Air is shoved out of his lungs as a massive weight crashes on his back.

“Not gonna work, pup,” Time bites out, trying and failing to keep walking as if nothing is wrong.

Wild's meals are far too rich if this is the result. A big lug of a wolf not knowing his place. He could shake him off, but now his pride is shouting for a decisive victory. He can't surrender so much authority at once. The group's survival and very continued existence depends on it!

His foot hits one of the logs they cut to sit. Of course.

Twilight chooses that moment to jump off. Of course.

Time has no time to brace himself for the puddle of mud. Of. Course.

Would the Goddesses strike him deaf so he doesn't have to hear the explosion of laughter shaking the camp!

His successor looks awfully smug, huffing and puffing on his side of the dead campfire.

Far too smug, in fact.

And, before he knows what's happening, Time finds himself chasing after that insolent youngster throughout the clearing under the thunderous laughter of seven other heroes.

Wolves are faster, but Time has far too many tricks up his sleeves to be bested. A hundred years of training might allow this brat to compete. MIGHT!

And when he collapses not too long after, it's side by side with an equally panting but not as annoyed pup.

He lets out a long sigh, his head lolling on a patch of moss, and the word is more mouthed than spoken: “Why?”

“Woof,” Twilight barks.

It's nonchalant, a little mocking and very much the non-answer Time would give in his place. He hadn't intended for his wall-building tactics to be turned against him this way. But, he supposes, a teacher can't always choose what his students will take from them.

There is, however, a clear hierarchy that needs reestablishing.

Time's grown up with eternal children. He has years of training in zero-ing of the most sensible weak spots in a body. Specifically, where one is most ticklish.

The effect is immediate, over-the-top and oh so satisfying.

Wolfie jumps five feet in the air. He tries to bolt, but in all his arrogance, hadn't realized he'd stayed too close to escape Time's grip.

(The others are watching with wide eyes as their glorious leader play-fights with their massive wolf-friend. Bets are, perhaps, being made.)

Only when the yipping sounds appropriately pitiful does Time give in and stop his ministrations. With a breathless laugh, he lets himself fall on his side, right next to his infuriating descendant. Clearly, Malon would have to be a stricter parent (Time knows he can't be one if his life depends on it) if this is the standard behavior to be expected of his lineage.

For a moment, Time lets himself lay there, on moist grass, half over, half under a wolf with behavioral problems. The thought, again, that he is promised a family line, that this irritating young man descends from him, soothes the old scars on his heart. Despite himself, his hand finds the soft fur and runs through the coat. He doesn't know the future. Few if none knows the full extent of his past. He's long learned to live in a world of strangers wearing friendly faces, of clueless happiness fueled by nightmares of events that, ultimately, never happened. He's a man of faded dreams, to be recognized only by the most precious few.

Some of the weight shifts, and Twilight's big head lies down on top of his chestplate, a soft glint in those gentle blue eyes. Time can hardly move, even if, at the moment, he finds himself comfortable enough resting with his eldest son.

… Which, now that he thinks about it, is what Twilight had been after all along.

“You damned nosy pup,” he says, smacking himself on the forehead. “It's not your job to worry. It's mine.”

The glare he receives goes straight to his soul. As if, it challenges. They really are the same on that front, aren't they? Him and his eldest?

Time can't even tell when it happened, but his chest doesn't feel tight anymore despite the added wolf head. His worries seem so much smaller when his descendant can wrestle-trick him into submission with ease. The boys would be alright.

“Thank you... ”

It's when he sits down by the campfire later that evening, glaring at a smug Twilight over his bowl of soup, that he suddenly realizes the ache has gone. That the bitterness of all his pain being forgotten just... didn't matter in front of that cheeky boy smirking at him.

Even his heart betrays him by going warm with pride. He's impressed.

It shouldn't be a surprise.

After all, his successor is descended from his Malon too. And she always knew best how to handle him.

“You're getting second watch tonight, pup.”

The grunt of annoyance is hardly repayment for a faceful of mud, but you take what revenge you can get. That's another lesson living with the kokiris taught him.

[askthiscpblog]

The Joining

'Keep him contained and keep an eye over him. We have questions, and we will get answers.' Slender commands to the rest, looking down at the unconscious male on the cot. So, this single person was keeping Jeff for all this time, with Char helping, and almost killed him. It was shocking to the aberration being the fact he almost succeeded in it. That was until they came in and saved Jeff's poor ass. With a turn, the slender figure leaves the room to let the others watch over the new person and Jeff. When dusk rolled in the male that goes by the name of Jason wakes up in a drowsy state.

“Aaagggu....” Confused about what is going on, he sits up in the bed he was laying in and with a measured motion looks around the room. It was rather cozy looking. The walls were a soft dark color wood with two windows letting the twilight in and a red oak door. The floor with dark marble flooring, so polished it reflected to him. The room had 5 other beds in neat rows from the opposite of one another, all with a nightstand, except for his. He noticed someone else in the room with him. They were underneath the covers of the bed on the opposite corner to his.

Without thinking he tries to get out of bed until he realized his left hand didn't move from the side of a bed. Looking down at it, leather straps cuffed his hand to the side of it.

“What...that?” Even more confused he scratched the top of his head for a moment until something clicked on his mind. He pulls down his arm in front of him looking at it and gripped his hand into a fist. His face went from tired confusion to a wide eye, puckered lip shook.

“...WHAT THE FUCK!?” He screeched out like a banshee.

The door burst open only seconds later, a small woman appeared in the doorway yelling, “Who the fuck is yelling in here!?” She looked over to where the shouting came from. Standing before was a man with black hair that she had not seen around here before. He seemed to be pretty tall, much taller than her. Then again, most people are taller than her. He also was tense and confused.

“Uhhhh, hi?”

Jason was far too distracted at his arm to realize the new presence in the room.

“No cast, no stitches, not even a scar...” he mutters. He then takes off his shirt to examine the wounds Jeff inflicted on him, they are now gone too. Even some that were there before all this from past fights were gone.

“W-What the...?” He's lost for words. Katie watched the man as he examined himself with intense confusion.

“...I’m gonna take a guess, and say you’re new here, huh?” she said as she sat down on one of the beds. “Don’t worry, the first week or so is a bit disorienting but you’ll get used to it.....So, what’s your name bud?”

He catches her at the corner of his eye and, turning to face her, looks at her.

“Um Jason. Also,” he points at the handcuff, “I’m more of a prisoner.”

“Eh same difference.” Katie stared at the handcuffs for a minute before her eyes returned to him. “The name’s Katie by the way.” She said as she stood up and walked a bit closer. She then continued, “So, who’d you piss off here to get cuffed like that?”

“Well, first I would like to know where I’m at. The last thing I remember I was in a fight and....” he responds in one long sigh; it sounds drawn out to be sarcastic. He looks at his arm for a moment, then starts to put his shirt back on. “I take it you’re not a guard?”

"She is. While I'm the doctor.” Says a man who comes into the room. He wore a black hoodie, black clothes, and a blue mask. On the outside of the mask appeared to be some black goo running down from the eyes.

“Well would you look at that, guess I am huh,” Katie said with a small chuckle.

“Hey, Jack.” She greeted the man without looking back. She recognized his voice by now, it was one of the first she heard when she got here.

"Evening Miss Katie. I am here to inspect Jason's arm to make sure it is healing. And to make sure Jeff is still surviving." He puts a bag down and turned to look at them both. "Please continue, I will look at Jeff first." Jason recognized Jack from the Halloween party and if he is here and so is Jeff then that would mean one thing. He does not like it.

“FUCK!” He tries to break free from the cuff in a panic. All it was doing was bruising his wrist and making it bleed, “Not good, not good not good!” Katie watched as he struggled, slight confusion at his sudden panic clear on her face.

“Woah bud calm down, you’re gonna hurt yourself more.” Katie grabbed his left arm to stop him from messing it up further.

He looks up at her then to Jack. “Look! I want nothing to do with you guys. I’m not with them! All I was after was Jeff! I swear!”

"So, you're willing to spill what you know about them?" EJ responds, looking up from checking up on Jeff. So, this was who took that Jeff guy. Katie knew they were looking for him for months and that someone took him but didn’t know much else. She stared at the two confused.

“I don’t know much about them. Was only offered a chance to get Jeff.” He replied to Jack, knowing full well they only kept him alive to be interrogated. “They try to recruit me after the party, but I refused.”

"Well, now you have a choice. Join us or let your family die before you do." Jack didn't look at him as he spoke, looking at the unconscious body of Jeff and checking his vitals.

Jace slaps Katie’s hand off him. His voice rose from the depths of his personal feelings he had about this, “YOU KEEP MY FAMILY OUT IF THIS INKEYE! THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!”

Katie looked at her hand and back at Jason with a deadly glare. Her hand still red from where he smacked it away. Katie had patience, but it always wore thin fast, and she was getting tired of this man’s yelling.

Jack turned and looked at him, a small grin appearing under the mask. Moving forward, he pushed Jace back into the cot. "Kaite, will you help me strap him down please?"

“Yeah, no problem...” she said as grabbed his right arm that wasn’t cuffed to the bed. Jason looked at Katie then back to Jack, not liking the look he is giving him. He struggled and screamed like a mad man giving the woman a hard time keeping hold of his arm. Then his chest fell back into the bed thanks to the doctor pushing him there.

“Stop! Stop! Let go! Let go of me!” The anger in his voice melting to a childlike panic, becoming high and shrill as tears lined his eyes. Jack reached over and cuffed his arm to the bed, then moved down to pin his legs to the bed too.

"Now, the more you struggle the worse it will get. But please, keep doing so. The smell of your blood and seeing your blood fill with panic only makes you taste better." With that EJ leans over Jace, moving the mask aside at the bottom to reveal grey skin. Three long black tongues fall out and slither over themselves above his face. After a bit of a struggle, she finally got his arm down on the bed. Despite still annoyed from the hand slap earlier, she didn’t blame him for panicking. It was a reasonable reaction to the situation at hand. Hell, she would most likely do the same. But still, she kept quiet as she held him down.

Tears start to roll down Jason’s cheeks as the spittle of the monster hands on him. Whimpering on what’s about to happen as he shakes his head from side to side until his eyes landed on Jack. He froze with eyes widening with pure terror because the face changed. Jack’s skin was turning paler and paler to a bleach white. His hair grew long and greasy, oil covering it from root to tip; his smile ripped open from ear to ear. The worst thing that could happen was eyeballs grew in his sockets to an unblinking stare. Before his very eyes, Jack now takes the form of his true monster, Jeff.

As it did the night of his fight with Jeff, Jason’s mind snaps. He screeched as he lunged his head forward and bit down on one of Jack’s tongues. Black blood oozed in his mouth. He then starts to devolve into convulsing as the leather strap on his arm tears, and the wood that held the other end of his cuffed arm cracked.

Feeling the bite, Jack yanked back, screeching a near-deafening, inhuman screech. His mask flew off as he moved forward, mouth closed but oozing black blood as he put a hand around Jace's throat. His brown, black hair messy as he tried to keep his face half-covered. He pushed down tight, looking over to Katie to help keep the guy under control.

"Looks like we have a case of PTSD here. Katie, would you mind getting me something to knock him out?" He asked, keeping a calm voice through it all. Either that will knock him out, or Jack choking him out and cutting off blood flow will. One will do it, all a matter of which will happen first.

“Uh yea no problem...” Katie said as she looked around, “Do you got chloroform and a rag in here?” It was either that or her knocking him out herself, and this guy had been through enough already. But she’d do it if she had too regardless.

"Third door from the right, second shelf on the left," Jack responded, taking his other hand and pinning Jace's torso down. The more force applied down on him, the more violent he becomes. The leather strap finally broke and Jason’s arm slammed the side of Jack’s head with unusual strength. Swinging at everything within his power to get the make-believe Jeff off him to the point of clawing as if he was a raved animal.

Katie grabbed Jason’s arms, holding them both down with all her body weight. At this point, she needed him to calm down from the episode if she wanted this ordeal to end.

“You need to calm down.” She said in a calm and stern of a voice she could. Not getting angry at him and raising her voice.

Seeing what she did, Jack let go of his chokehold and moved to the shelves. Well, there was a drug that could do the trick. With deft hands, he pulls it out with a needle and pulls it up.

"Keep his arms from moving as much as you can." He tells Katie, taking a few long strides over with it. "This should knock him right out."

His eyes were still locked on Jack as he returns, his arms flailing. His left wrist cut deep from the cuffs that it is hitting muscle now and the wood that is holding the other end is starting to splinter. His right arm was shaking Katie up and down like a mechanical bull trying to sting her off. He could hear nothing but a cackling from his memories. He fought to break free and is so close but watch with horror at the knife in the imposter Jeff’s hand. When Jack got to the foot of his bed a word finally shot out of him, “Ja- JAAAANE!!"

"She won't help you here." Well, never said he wasn't an asshole to make it worse. In goes the needle into his vein, even with the struggling, he aimed it right. Shooting it in, he made sure all it got through before it came out.

"It should only take a few seconds for it to work. It's the stuff they use for wisdom teeth extraction." His struggling lost intensity, almost sluggish until he closed his tear-filled eyes. The tension in his body finally released and fell back into the bed, breathing heavy from the exhaustion on his body and mind. Katie held his arms a few moments longer to make sure that he wasn’t going to resist anymore. She let go of his arms with a slight sigh of relief, looking at Jason as took deep breaths.

“I’m no genius, but I’m going to take a guess and say he doesn’t like that Jeff guy...”

"From the looks of it a victim who survived by Jane." Jack put the needle onto the side table and felt his jaw. Man, his fucking tongue hurt where he bit it.

"You know what..." He mumbles, lifting Jace's shirt, he takes a knife and cuts open a place where his kidney is.

Katie grabbed Jack by the wrist, not looking at him as she scolded him, “No. Poor bastards had enough....at least for today.” Her voice was stern again. She had gotten over this whole ordeal, and this guy did not need another reason to flip his shit again once he came too.

"I was just doing to prank him, not take his kidney." Blood was already pouring out of the cut. "Going to stitch it up and make him think I did when he wakes up. Teach him fucking twice for biting my tongue." Jack pulled his wrist away from her and turned, holed eyes looking down. Man, was she always so short to him? Taking a needle and thread, he begins to stitch the skin back together. The skin lined up to one another, making it heal without a scar. "If you care so much, you can stay and keep an eye on him while I go tell Slender and send in some backup." With that, the blue masked demon left the room.

Anon runs and pants, fear clear on their face even though they were wearing a mask.

“Holy crap... what happened here?! I heard a battle going on! Do you guys still need help or is everything alright?”

‘Should’ve kept my mouth closed.’ was all Katie thought as the new person busted through the door.

“Yeah uh...everything’s fine, guy had a PTSD episode or whatever Jack said.” She said while sitting down on one of the other beds with a sigh. She kept a mental note not to be here for the next freak out when he wakes up again.

"Jesus... alright... I'm new... um...hi? What's your name?" Anon looks a bit awkward and uncomfortable. It took Katie a minute to process the question through her slight exhaustion.

“Katie, yours?” How many people were in this place? It seemed like there was a new person here every other day. Or maybe she never noticed them? She didn’t know and was a bit too tired to think about it more.

"Anonymous but most call me Anon..." They whine, walking in, their hands in their pockets still uncomfortable about the sudden burst in.

“Well Anon, it’s good that you’re here....” Katie said as she stretched. “I’m gonna need some help watching over this guy. Or at least for when he wakes up again.” Katie did not want to deal with the guy by herself the next time he flipped his shit, too much of a headache.

“Understandable, I don’t mind helping.” They decide to sit down and seem more confident and comfortable now, knowing that they're needed here.

Hours later Jason wakes up in a groggy state. Not wanting to wake up, but the pain on is his wrist and side aches. He reaches over to his side and can feel fresh stitching in it.

“What that hell?” He groaned as he sits up, struggling to try and not rip the stitches.

“Hello...I see you have woken up?” Anon asks, tilting their head. Looking to the Slender hybrid, he groans,

“Hi.” He shifted in the bed then yelped from pain. He turns his head down to his cuffed wrist. It’s the color of eggplant from bruising and the scabs broke and started to bleed turning the sheets even darker in red. He points at the handcuff.

“Can you...get me out of this. I need to treat this and some whisky with a side of water.” He said as he looked back at her. He was not in a good mood after his blackout. “I have a bad taste in my mouth. Like I took a bite of rotten liver.”

"I don't know if I'm allowed to, but I can at least get some stuff to heal that. It looks pretty sore..." They walk up and sniff at the blood, drooling. "I know what rotten liver is like. It’s not the best."

“I don’t want to know how you know that and I prefer to patch up my wounds. Just unlock me and I promise you I won’t run. I know when I’m outmatched.” Jason explained, exasperated and exhausted. He didn’t try to give a single damn about this situation.

“I don’t have keys but ok.” They reach forward, grab the handcuffs, and break them.

It was at this moment that Slender and EJ enter, looking at the situation before them. It was interesting to see, and kinda amusing to the two. EJ moved over to Jace, grabbing his hands to look down over the wounds. "I will take care of them, not you. You won't do it well enough." With that he let them go and went to check the cabinet.

'Anon, I suppose that he hasn't been giving you trouble. And same with you, Miss Katie?' The eldritch figure looked down at Jace and the rest of them, no eyes giving any sign of emotion. 'You two are welcome to stay if you wish.'

“I came into the room myself a bit ago dad, I’m as confused as her. Also, her name is Katie knows more than I do. I ran in as I heard panic.” Anon reports, turning away afterward as they whisper to themselves on how they’d love a bite. They twitch as they look towards Jace, tempted by the smell of blood and flesh.

'I am not your father, take care to remember that child.'

Jason withdrew his hand from EJ, trying to keep it to himself. “After the stunt you pulled, I don’t think so, also I don’t remember this before I blacked out.” He pointed at the stitching on his body, not paying any mind to the Slenderman.

“What stunt?” Anon tilt their head again, a quizzical look on their face.

"He decided to bite my tongue," EJ responds, looking over his shoulder to Jace before getting the last few things. "You can try to fight me on this and end up worse, or let me do my job."

"Oh... yeah... sorry. It's uncle, right?" Anon is looking embarrassed again, the heat rising to their face. Man, they were thankful for the mask right now.

'Yes.' Slender looked over to Jason, a tendril coming out to force him to look at the eldritch horror. 'Now Jason, we are going to talk.' Anon watches with curiosity on how agile he was with his.

Jason moved the tendril away, looking at Slender dragging each work, “As I told ink eyes I don’t know shit. I was only after the psychopathic slack-jawed over there,” he pointed over to Jeff’s bed, “I don’t want anything to do with you or the super blowjob monster.”

'Well, that isn't going to stop me.' Slender pulled up a chair and sat down on it, crossing one leg over the other. With no warning, he bore through Jason's mind to gather the information needed. 'I can tell you do not know anything. So, I offer you this, you work with us to keep them at bay. In return, it gives you an up-close and personal time to study him,' he tells him, projecting it all to them, pointing towards Jeff, 'and you will work under Jane. If you kill him while working so be it but that doesn't mean, we won't try and save him. He is...useful after all.'

Anon looks somewhat surprised by the comment, ‘-super blowjob monster-‘ as they believe that they meant their father. Still Slender felt more of a father than he did. Deciding to mimic Slender they grab a chair and sits beside him while keeping quiet.

Jason pondered for a moment. “So, Jane is here as well...now what if I still refuse?”

'You put your family in danger. From both us and the opposition. Your cooperation will spare them from us at least.' He knew threatening the family is a risky move with him, but he is dedicated to them at least.

“Ooh... risky... uncle, I wouldn’t mind helping if possible. That’s if you don’t mind?” Anon look up at him, their black eyes with white glowing irises, eager to prove themselves. They then hold their stomach. “Mmf... did I forget to eat today?” They huffed.

Jason, not missing a beat, grabbed his pillow and throws it at Anon’s face. “You touch my family I will make you regret it and that’s a promise.” His pitch dropped, then softened as he continues to speak, “But knowing that Jane is here maybe we can cut a deal, but first my throat hurts. If I can have some scotch on the rocks to soothe it. Then we can talk.”

Slender looked over to Kaite, head tilting down to her to address her. 'Miss Katie can you go get that, and Jane too please.' A stern voice emanated through their heads, but the others it was faint. At that moment EJ came back and put the gauze down that has squeezed out iodine to begin taking care of Jason’s wrist.

"Now this will sting, but you can take it." He nabs one of Jace's bloody wrists and begins to wrap it up, keeping it still so he couldn't pull away. No matter how hard he tried.

Anon grabs it before it hits their face. “I don’t want to...hurt you or your family.” They huff and seem to struggle a bit as their hands grow into claws and the one holding the pillow rips the pillow by accident.

“I’m a good person. I just…have problems.” They mumble to themselves looking around for anything they could eat. The smell of his wounds was strong and still rather inviting to Anon’s other side. But their human side knows it’s wrong to eat friends.

“I shouldn’t be here right now.” They struggle to move as they stare at Jace while drooling a bit which drips behind the mask.

Katie’s head snapped towards Slender. “Uh…yeah sure.” She had zoned out a while ago and hadn’t realized other people arrived, or that Jason was even awake. She walked down to the kitchen, still a bit exhausted from the earlier fiasco.

“Jane, big man needs ya!” She yelled out as she made the drink.

'Then leave and go find some food. Don't come back until you're sated.' Slender demands. 'If you cannot control yourself then leave. Either gain some discipline or act like the animal you are right now.'

Jane meanwhile heard Katie call, and so down she came. "If he needs me, he can c-ack!" She started to say, only to have it interrupted by Slender demanding she come down. His presence overwhelmed her for a second, causing the pain and for her to stagger down the stairs. Passing the kitchen, she looked in at Katie before going to EJ's medic room.

Katie rolled her eyes and followed Jane with the drink, handing it to Jason once she got there. She felt like a damn maid for a second.

'Thank you, Katie.' Slender tells her. 'I might have a mission for you if you're interested. We can talk about it later.'

“Whatever stops me from being stuck here doing nothin' all the time, I’ll take.” She responded with a huff.

Jason grabbed the drink and raised it to Katie, “Thanks.” He then looked over to Jane. A look of guilt washed over his face for a moment then he sighed, sipped the drink, and let the burn of the whisky soothe his throat. Resisted the urge to go hug her, but there are more pressing matters now. After the long pause, he looks back at Slender. Taking the next words in a professional tone, “Alright....I’ll work with you guys until your little war over with. I don’t think I can get out any sooner, but I do have some demands if I’m going to work with you guys.”

With Slender saying that to them, it infuriated them as they bit Slender in the arm. They screeched, "I’m not a monster...YOU ARE!" Their sharp teeth sunk into his arm as they lock on him instead, their mask falling off revealing their human face.

Jason was not expecting this. Not saying a word, he takes a long sip of his drink. ready to see the shit show unfold before him.

If Slender had a proper face, it would show disgust and annoyance with the situation at hand. Lifting his arm, he flings Anon from it and through the wall with the tentacles flying after them. Impaling them through the head and heart, killing them, he didn't once look away from Jason as this happened.

'EJ, fix up Anon and make sure they stay out for a few days.' He orders. EJ all the while was working on Jace's wrists, having them bound uptight and healing from the struggle earlier. Groaning and rolling his nonexistent eyes, he bounds over to pick Anon to revive them on the other side of the room.

'As you can see, death is not the worst thing that can happen here. You are in no position to demand anything, but I will hear of them none the less.'

Jason was silent, realizing this guy was heartless, but damn. With a shaking hand, he finishes his drink and places it down with a little bit of a clatter. Getting off the bed walking to the monster, hearing the ringing of his blood, only feeling his heartbeat race as he gets closer. He stops right at Slender face and looked him where he believes his eyes would be. His mind is racing on what to do and focusing not to run. He takes a shaky breath and then steals himself.

“And I say I have every right to make demands on this ordeal. If you want me to cooperate, I want them fulfilled and in return, I’ll do my best to do what you or Jane wants me to do around here.” His tone was drier than desert sand, trying to hold his ground, but not wanting to be too aggressive. But he failed to realize the trembling of his legs, giving away his false confidence.

Jane looked over to Jace and started, "Jace don't-"

‘Silence.' One word was all it took. Slender looks at this man in front of him, this child, as he tried to make a stand against someone like him. With this he stood up from the chair, inch by inch towering over the killer in front of him. How silly it had to look to everyone else from this, a human trying to stand up to a near god.

'You do not. I am only hearing this out of the graciousness of my hospitality. You have yet to make your demands child. Be quick about it, else I lose my patience with you.'

“Fine.” He holds up his hand and raised his index finger on his first demand. “My family and any extended family are granted immunity from all members and or allied and implied that are on your side. Also, protection from the opposite faction along with 3rd party that is or may be sent by them.” The rest of his fingers raised one after another corresponding to his next demands. “I stick to my ways of killing. I refuse to murder or kidnap anyone that’s under the age of 18 or anyone that would be defenseless that’s not on the opposing faction. Next, I would like privacy. No invading my memories, inner thoughts without or my room permission. That includes anyone that you order, ask, or suggest to. The only time you can do it without my permission is whether you suspect me going rogue or an emergency.” He thinks to himself for a moment then makes his last three demands. “I want all my laptop that I was in the warehouse of the night I faced off Jeff. Exactly how it was before you guys came busting in. I also refused to be used as a puppet so no mind-controlling or puppet mastering either. Finally," he finished, gritting his teeth, “my last demand is don’t let those guys win......” He remembered how his last argument with Skully raged him on how much he didn’t care about the many that lost their lives in the raid of the mansion.

“We have a deal?” He offers his trembling hand to Slender.

The eldritch figure bore his gaze into the killer below him, seeing him hold up his hands making demands. The tremble in his voice, the shaking hand as he attempted to keep up his tough-guy act. How quaint was it that humans needed to put on a show in front of each other? This one is specific in front of those he calls his family, Jane, who was behind him.

'You act tough for someone so weak-willed. Your family will get protection from us, but they will not be guarded by us. They are on their own when it comes to the war. If the other faction decides to involve them, then so be it. We are not guardians. We are killers.' Slender looked down at Jason's extended hand before using a tendril to pick him up by the shirt, forcing him to look him eye to eye. Rather, white face to eye.

'Your ways of killing are fine, do as you please and see fit. If I order you to kill someone or something, you do it. Regardless of it is a babe in a cradle, you will do it. This is for a greater purpose than some heightened sense of honor you have. You are a killer you have no sense of honor and don't deserve it anyway. Privacy from me is not a thing here, you do not get a choice. You get your room however you please, but there is no hiding anything from me. It is my gracious hospitality that I allow you to stay, thus I demand what I please out of you. Besides, it isn't like that will stop any of the others in the house from snooping around as they see fit. ' The last three demands were amusing to the creature, curious on why he wanted those so bad. It was not letting them win that made the abomination chuckle in amusement. 'That is why you are here you are helping us not let them win this fight. The other things are of no issue, but I will do what I must to succeed. Do I make myself clear Jason?'

His eyebrow raised from the comment on the honor comment. “I...I see. Well, we may have a problem with the order. Have me kill whoever you want me to kill, that isn’t going to work out so well, but we will worry about that if it happens. Try to keep your peeping Tom self where I don’t notice it. And my family I’ll figure something out on that, but thanks.” He gives the aberration a quick kiss on his faceless face.

“Now our contract is sealed.” His nerves start to calm down from the shock of Anon’s sudden death.

It was at that moment Slender dropped Jace from his full height, letting him fall the full distance on his own. He did nothing to help or slow him down. 'What the hell is this shit? Where the hell did your fear go?' He demanded, before hearing Katie and looked over to her. Ah yes, he did have a plan for her.

Katie sat quietly as the new guy joined the team. Another face and named that she would have to remember. “Does that mean I don’t have to babysit this guy anymore? I’m getting kind of bored here.” she blurted the question out. She had been sitting around here much more than she would like to and was ready to do anything other than play nanny for a few more hours.

'That is correct. Please, report to my office in 15 minutes. I will give you a mission to go out on.' Slender explains to her. EJ looked up from this, having to revive Anon his top priority. They were stable and breathing again, but out cold for the next day or so.

“Shit! Ow!” He said and he falls on his back and sits up, frantically rubbed the back of his head from the pain. He looks up at the tower know as Slender and responded to his question. Finding it a bit funny that even a....whatever he is was thrown off sometimes.

“Well. You caught me off guard with the sudden fatality done on your relative. So sudden that it discombobulated me. Now that I think about it. I was never good with jump scares.” He gets back on his feet and crossed his arms at the figure. “Besides you ain’t got nothing on my Nana when she is angry. Now that is true terror.” He said with a grin but stops suddenly by a wince with pain.

"Mmf..." This is the only sound Anon made in a while, proving they are alive thanks to EJ’s efforts, even from true fatal blows.

“I’ll be there when you get there,” Katie huffed as she left to go to the office, having nothing else to do beforehand.

[fisherrprince]

how many cowboys can we GET in this forest

(i wrote a minific too)

“I’m gonna do it.”

“Don’t even think about it--”

(CLANK)

“Ow! J -- Lord almighty -- ow.”

“Yeah, what did I just tell you, idiot?”

Voices filter through the dilapidated barn like the last rays of dusty sunlight through the old wood slats, only two people around for either of them. A horse snuffles in the dirt near where the doors would be, searching for dried grass and vehemently ignoring the other horse getting its saddlebag turned inside out.

Vanitas kicks at the leather strap for being as useless as it is. The bag doesn’t have anything aside from extra bowstrings, an empty canteen, a very small stash of coins, and a pair of too-big gloves. He shoves his free hand into the pockets of his coat instead, searching for something he might have missed.

Ventus, on the other hand, has stuck his left pinkie in his mouth, because he chipped a nail deep using a rock to try to break the handcuffs currently around both their wrists, instead of being sensible.

“You don’t get to call me an idiot when you got the both of us arrested,” Ven snaps, sort of undermined by the fact that he’s talking around his finger, which is not bleeding. 

“I got us out, didn’t I?”

Ventus grumbles. Vanitas thinks he catches something like “barely, wouldn’t even be in this situation if we’d followed my plan”, but his immediate response is cut off by something sticking out of the lining in his pocket. Vanitas digs at it, and shoves it up through the fabric, and then grins and pulls it out into the light.

“Hah!” he says, brandishing the tiny metal pin.

“That’s gonna break.”

“Don’t be such a downer, angelface,” Vanitas crows, and yanks their hands closer so he can inspect the lock and ignore Ventus’ spluttering.

He gets about ten seconds of focus before Ven turns curious, again. “What’re you doing?”

“Concentrating.”

“How’re you picking it without a hook?” Ven cranes his neck around to try to see, effectively blocking the light. Vanitas shoos him off.

“I ain’t. I bit it, it’s got a bend on the tip.”

“Oh. Well, ‘mnot gonna ask where you learned all this,” Ven says (“Finally,” Vanitas mutters), “but why do you know all this?” (Ugh.)

“Why d’you?” Vanitas counters, his fingers slipping on the pin. He curses.

“Bored, mostly.” He gets a scoff in response -- it’s not surprising, but it is annoying. Bored. In his pretty lil house with his fancy sheets and the food he doesn’t have to find himself, bored.

“Wanted criminal status has its perks,” Vanitas mutters in response, holding the handcuffs higher so he can see inside the dang things. Luckily for his fed-up levels, Ventus doesn’t press.

Unluckily for his fed-up levels, the pin snaps in the lock.

Vanitas snarls wordlessly and flings the snapped piece across the ground. Ventus watches it fly, and watches him gather the end of his coat and shove it through the dirt with his fist. 

“Aw,” is all Ven says.

“...You know, I could try shooting it.”

Vanitas whips around and glares at him. “I’m kidding! I’m kidding, that was a joke. I was making a joke,” he says through an incredulous smile. How he can be so light and airy -- it’s annoying. Ventus is annoying.

The sun’s orange is fading rapidly, replaced by the burnt twilight blue of an empty sky. It makes Ventus’ horse antsy, and she ambles into the old hay alongside Ven and shoves her nose into his neck, in case there was grass he was hiding in his shirt. He giggles -- it makes his voice squeak, softly -- and pushes her away. Void won’t do that, she knows Vanitas doesn’t have anything for her. She stands by the entrance, guarding.

Ven’s baby-talking his horse. Vanitas rolls his eyes so hard into the back of his head, he ends up rocking himself backwards until he’s laying down on an odd mix of dirt and dry straw. Wouldn’t be the worst thing he’s slept on, but by virtue of still being stuck to Ventus by the wrist, it’s way up at the top of his list. 

Ven doesn’t seem as bothered, resigning himself to sleep next to a wanted criminal. He should ask why. He won’t. Ven stretches, pulling Vanitas’ arm up slightly (considerate enough to move it less), and pats his leg, beckoning his horse to lay down. For some reason, she obeys, and kicks her hooves out to the side with a shffff of unstable dirt below her. Vanitas finds that if he rolls his eyes any more, he’ll give himself a headache, so he shuts them and tries to fall asleep before the cold sets in.

Vanitas’ rolled up coat sleeve has been dislodged, falling back down to his forearm. It moves, when Ventus does, and that means it moves quite a bit in response to his constant fiddling. If he wasn’t trying to sleep, he’d slap his hand away from the loose strings and tell him to knock it off.

It’s a little bit of a comfort, though. Something else, alive, next to him. He’s not admitting that out loud.

“Hey,” Ven whispers, breaking the silence. 

“...what.”

“Forgot to say thanks.”

“Hah? For what?”

“For not leavin’ me, I guess? I’unno, I’d rather be out here than in a jailhouse,” he says, picking at the cuffs of his sleeves.

Vanitas rolls to face him so his arm isn’t twisted to the side and scrunches his nose. “Don’t be. I was saving my own hide.”

“Still counts.”

“Not when you’re stuck to my hide.”

“Alright, jeez, I’m not thankful!” Ven retorts, puffing up his cheeks a little. Vanitas feels a grin tug at the edges of his mouth -- he ‘s only seen Ven mad briefly, and it’s a nice break from his default... blithe, or confused, or straight-up happy.

“What’s that for?”

“Nothin’.”

Ven yanks on the handcuffs. “Don’t laugh at me. You’re so weird.”

His word choice makes Vanitas snort, and yank his wrist back to his own chest. “Et tu, kettle,” he says, and to his great exasperation it makes Ven’s expression soften back into a teasing smile. He resolutely turns onto his back and shuts his eyes.

There’s a shift in the dirt next to him, and a slight tug on his wrist.

“Ah, you’re not so bad,” Ventus mutters, and leans back to lay down himself.

[strangersails]

i was just thinking about that Anne Hathaway & Jake Gyllenhaal movie, Love and other drugs, (the movie is totally going to get spoiled in this post) which is one of my favourites, and you know I can totally see a harringrove AU based on this? cause Billy kinda sounds like the type of person that wouldn't let somebody in if he knew, like Maggie (Hathaway's character), he had a disease like Parkinson's. also in the movie there's Jamie (Gyllenhaal's character) that is a womanizer (ringing any bells?) and from what I remember his parents are kinda disappointed at him for not having anything figured out in his life, he doesn't have a job (he lose it at the beginning of the movie) and doesn't have a family of his own.

(I just wanna say this is gonna be full of typos and things that won't make sense cause my English is kind of bad lately, so..... be patient with me)

so Steve and Billy meet in this AU, and they end up having sex and becoming friends with benefits. one day Steve brings lunch at Billy's and they eat and tease each other, even making jokes about Billy's disease, and Steve falls silent and looks at Billy.

“what?” says Billy.

“nothing.”

“what is it?”

Steve stays silent for a moment and then “this is nice”, he says.

Billy makes a blank face, then puts the food aside and tells him it's time to fuck, and with that Steve knows he overstepped.

“what? am I not allowed to say that?”

and to Billy it's kind of too personal, so he wanna push Steve away like nope, too much. “you bring food, then you wanna stay the night, then you'll bring a change of clothes, than a razor, and oh my god that's a relationship.”

“i don't want a relationship.”

“yeah, you can't guarantee that.”

“look, I just said that this was nice. I didn't ask you to marry me.” like, just stay calm.

and billy is silent for a moment, then goes “well, I wouldn't be with somebody who is sick either”.

and then he realizes what he just said and apologizes. and tells Steve about this story he had before with this guy when he was first diagnosed the disease, and the guy was married and things just didn't work out, so he doesn't really wanna do that, not again. and Steve knows who the guy is, and they end up talking about him for a moment (“were you in love with him?”, “no, I wasn't in love with him, I never was. he said he loved me, which was kind of a problem, he was married”, and other things). so when they decide to stop talking about it, they start kissing and unclothing and doing things, but Steve just.... can't get hard right now, after all those things. Billy tries to make him relax, massages his shoulder and use his charm, but it doesn't work out, so they spent the entire afternoon talking about things on the couch, Billy in Steve's white shirt from work, and Billy teases him, and makes innuendos about dicks and everything, and they end up having the sex they wanted to have.

Steve really stay the night in the end. the next morning he sees Billy's polaroids of people on the table and some of his paintings, while Billy tries to prepare breakfast, and just when Steve asks him when did he do that painting that looks just like a photograph, Billy's hands start having little spasms. Billy can't open this packet of cookies, so he gives up cause he's getting nervous and tells him “this is your breakfast” with a fake smile.

Steve smiles too, a little weirded out, and says “thanks”, opening it. he takes some steps back, going to the door, and he says “i'll call you.”

and Billy is silent for a second, but then says “don't”.

“i will.”

“i am not kidding” he says, kind and with a smile on, but serious. “i can’t do... this.”

Steve looks at him, and doesn't know what to say for a moment, like, he thoughts they were past this.

then Billy adds, “told you”.

Steve is silent for a long moment, as he tucks the end of his shirt inside his pants. kind of has this weird smile one, like Billy's not literally cutting the ropes with him. like Billy's not being serious. he knows he is. “okay then,” he just doesn't want it to be worse, “i'll see you.”

a few days pass and Billy doesn't take it back. so, one night, after Steve comes home from work, he takes the phone and calls him.

“hello?”

“did you- did you call me?” he asks tentatively. he knows Billy didn't call.

“no? I did not call you.”

“i think you did.” he's really trying the dumbest of moves.

“and what would I have said if I had called you?��

“that you wanted to see me?”

“well, that would've been nice, except I didn't call you.”

yeah, the dumbest of moves. Steve tries again. “do you wanna see me?”

Billy sighs from the other side of the phone. “i'm hangin up now.”

“waitwaitwait, wait” Steve rushes. Billy doesn't answer, but doesn't hang up either. “don't hang up.”

it takes a long moment for Billy to answer. “why?”

it takes a moment for Steve too. “i like hearing the sound of your voice.”

and that. that sounded so stupid. and Billy isn't answering.

Steve wants to say something else, but what can he say after that?

“bye, Harrington.”

Billy hangs up the phone as Steve asks him not to.

the next day, before work, Steve shows up at Billy's place, but Billy's just outside, getting on a bus with a bunch of old people.

“Bill. I need to talk to you.”

Billy lets these people get on the bus and just looks up at Steve. he really looks like he doesn't wanna talk to Steve. “well, I can't talk right now. I'm taking a bus to Canada.”

“Canada?”

“yes, Canada. these people can't afford to pay prescriptions here.”

and then this lady is stepping between them to ask Billy if they can stop to go to the bathroom through the trip, and Billy tells her there's a bathroom on the bus. and the lady's getting on the bus. and so is Billy. he's about to.

“when do you get back?”

“never” Billy answers right away. and Steve heart sinks for a moment, but then Billy's looking at him. “tomorrow night. late.” and he get on the first step of the bus.

“how late?” Steve asks.

Billy looks over his shoulder. “just forget about it. okay? please. i am begging you.”

and then the doors of the bus are closing.

Steve's car is parked at the bus stop tomorrow night. there's no sign of the bus, though. Steve stays all the night, ends up falling asleep in his car.

he wakes up just as the bus arrives, cause it's really hard not to hear it in the dead of the twilight, when the city's still asleep. takes just a minute and then gets out of the car and just wait with his back against the side of it. watches all the ladies and the old men getting off the bus, and then Billy too. he watches him say goodbye to them, and to take care of themselves. and then Billy's eyes find his.

that's the moment Billy gives in. Steve can read it on his face. Billy's eyes speak.

they meet halfway.

“hi” Steve says.

“when you end it, I get to hate you. and to act all cold and to say embarrassing stuff to my friends.”

“okay.”

“you don't get to move in, or become friends with my friends, or introduce me to your parents. this is what it is, whatever it is.” these are Billy's conditions.

“are you done?”

“yes.” Billy sighs. “have you been here all night?”

Steve doesn't even have to answer to that.

but Billy huffs a little laugh, like he can't believe it. “oh, Christ.” and they're walking to Billy's house. “why am I mad at you already?”

turns out that that whatever it is, is actually a relationship. and Steve ends up moving in. the sex is even better now, and they become pretty domestic. Steve starts going to Canada on the bus with Billy too. Billy teaches Steve that he's fine. that he's caring, and sweet and capable and determined and talented and smart.

months pass and everything is fine. except.

except the symptoms of Billy's disease start to kick in, and he starts pushing Steve away.

OH GOD THIS WOULD BE SO SO SO GOOD and emotional, I would love to sum up the rest of the movie in a harringrove key, but I don't really have time right now, also I don't really think somebody is going to even read this so lol to me

[goldeneyedgirl]

Part 2 of MCU/Twilight verse

“That MCU crossover I’m writing that actually hasn’t mentioned the MCU at all yet.”

Alt 7: Found Family 

Rating: T for swearing

Words: 2,551

Summary: Twilight X MCU crossover. The Snap doesn’t just kill humans. What happens next?

Notes: Is this even Whump-y enough to count to Whumptober? I don’t know, everyone’s grieving. I made myself watch Endgame again and I found something useful. I know it probably feels like I wiped out a lot of characters, but there’s method to my madness. I’m desperately resisting the urge to make some obvious corrections to the MCU, and I’m pretty sure the last two chapters are going to be needlessly self-indulgent. And yes, I need a title. 

Part One here

two. survivors

What happens next?

It’s a good question, and one Alice used to be able to answer. Her predictions have… well, they haven’t stopped, but there are less. Maybe she’s not saying everything but he doesn’t press.

They stay in Forks. It’s the easiest option, really. They have resources at the Forks house - all of Jasper’s computers, Rose’s cars, Carlisle’s medication stash. And for, now, it makes sense to keep up the masquerade - the orphaned Cullen kids, in that big old house.

And Seth Clearwater. Neither of them have made more than polite inquiries about the Quileute reservation, because what can they do, really? They weren’t allowed on the land, and nothing they offer will be accepted. Seth doesn’t want to talk about it either, so they just… don’t. Not yet.

The first announcements and news reports are hard to listen to - half of all living creatures. Humans, animals, plants, sea-life… just gone. Then there are the people who survived, but died in the aftermath; the patients in surgery with the dust of their surgeons sinking into their chest cavity, the passengers on an airplane, the school bus with no driver. The news plays on, listing losses and catastrophes until he loudly asks if Seth wants to play Xbox instead.

Alice goes with them, and sits crosslegged on a recliner, watching them.

“Carlisle would have liked that,” she says suddenly, when Emmett realises the error in picking a war game - should have opted for a racing game instead.

“Liked what?” he asks, as he gets up to change the disc. Seth doesn’t say anything, playing with the recliner buttons instead.

“‘Half of all living creatures’,” she quotes. She’s been wearing one of Jasper’s t-shirts under her cardigan, and the scent of his brother is fading the longer she wears it. “Carlisle would have appreciated that. That the universe thought we were living creatures. Might have convinced Edward that we weren’t total monsters, either.”

Seth looks up at her, confused. “Why wouldn’t you be living creatures?” he asks, concentrating at the recliner tips him right back.

“We don’t breathe or age or change,” Alice says, a smirk playing around her face as Seth yelps when the entire chair begins to tip, but luckily it doesn’t fall.

“But you eat,” Seth accepts the controller Emmett passes him. “And you’ve got families. That means you still count.”

“I wish we didn’t.” Emmett doesn’t realise he’s said those words aloud until he realises Seth and Alice are both staring at him. He wants to explain that if they didn’t count, then there wouldn’t be five vases lined up on the mantel (three empty) full of dust. That he wouldn’t be sitting here playing Xbox with Seth Clearwater, and Alice wouldn’t be wearing leggings and her husband’s t-shirt, looking brittle and tired. That he wouldn’t go into their room every night, and bury his face in Rose’s clothes to keep himself from going insane.

But he doesn’t need to. They both understand - Alice sits with Seth when the boy sniffles and tries to hide it; Emmett hears Alice padding around Jasper’s office, having a conversation with thin air, questions asked to silence. If there was some loophole they could grab with both hands and exploit, he knows he and Alice and Seth would take it, humanity and life and all those upright and moral things be damned.

“Just what everyone needs,” Alice muses, leaning back and stretching like a cat. “A world where humans and animals were cut in half but the vampires weren’t.”

And she’s right. That would be a mess. The fucking end of times.

“That would be a cool movie,” Seth says absently, focused on the screen and forcing Emmett’s car off the road and into a ravine.

Alice watches them play for awhile before getting up. A few minutes later, there’s a knock at the door and low voices. Charlie Swan, with Carlisle’s phone.  Emmett lets Seth win a second race, focused on the conversation Alice is having - why it took Charlie so damn long to bring the phone, how they’re holding up; his irritation at the delay it took to get Carlisle’s phone is tempered when he hears the genuine concern Charlie has for Alice. He doesn’t know much about Bella’s father, but he seems like a good guy.

Not that Alice needs to act the part - she looks broken. Most of the time he feels like he’s seeing a part of her that he shouldn’t be seeing, that the loss and grief that becomes her is somehow shameful to witness; it’d be less awkward to see her naked than to see her twisting Jasper’s t-shirt in her hands with that glassy look of hopelessness she tries to hide.

Alice feels the same about him; that Emmett without Rose is devoid of that joie de vivre, that endless good humour, the extra joke. He feels tired in his bones, deflated, and distracted with the space in his chest that Rose used to fill. He feels like an old man, when he was never finished being a young man, never made it to middle-age.

But they are trying. Especially with Seth in the house - he’s taken over the bedroom that Esme planned to give to Bella, mostly because it didn’t stink of vampires as much as any other room; and neither of them wanted to dismantle Esme’s studio or Carlisle’s office. It wasn’t really much - a mattress and boxspring, a dresser and desk. Alice had given him a laptop to use, and found some new bedding for him, and occasionally even remembered that a fourteen year old boy shouldn’t be eating pizza six nights a week, and probably needed more boundaries than they were giving him. But Alice isn’t maternal, and her attempts at forcing vegetables and a bedtime on Seth usually get forgotten within a day or two.

Charlie Swan leaves, and he listens as Alice puts Carlisle’s phone into his vase, and then he focuses on the game so that Seth doesn’t think he’s letting him win because of pity or anything.

—

It’s not until late summer than people start bothering them. Parents of classmates who suddenly don’t have any children of their own to worry over. Colleagues and acquaintances who feel some kind of lingering responsibility. Busy-bodies, usually a part of some self-aggrandising self-appointed community group butting into everyone’s grief.

Alice ignores the early attempts to interfere, to crack open both the metaphorical and literal door for anyone who isn’t Charlie Swan. She’s taken to doing the oddest tasks, but Emmett doesn’t ask. At the moment, she’s painting every single door in the house with a swirling pattern of flowers that is tiny and detailed and fills up the day. Esme would have a conniption if she saw her lovely doors like this (he remembers when Alice and Jasper first arrived, and her art projects ran afoul of Esme - she had apologised and channeled that manic energy into embroidery instead; there’s a pair of unspeakably ugly curtains hanging in the Vermont house from one panicked week when Jasper went off with Peter and Charlotte).

Then the harassment starts - both her and him, since he’s apparently considered her ‘guardian’. Alice hangs up the phone numerous times wordlessly before being so outstandingly rude to Mrs Newton that both he and Seth stare at her before Emmett remembers he’s actually supposed to be in charge - as far as the rest of the town knows, at least - and calls to deter any more visits or phone calls or casseroles because Alice isn’t well and the disruptions are upsetting her.

If Carlisle or Esme were here, they’d think to send Mrs Newton flowers or something as an apology, but they aren’t, and no one can get Alice to apologise when she doesn’t want to, and Seth confided in him that she’s crying when he’s hiding in the garage and Seth is totally at a loss over what to do about a crying girl that isn’t Leah, so maybe they’ll just leave it at that. Give the town something new to gossip about.

But it does spark sudden realisation in both Cullens about a topic that has been long forgotten - school. Alice and Emmett have both graduated, but Seth had not. Seth had another four glorious years in high school, even if the Res school is down to double digits of enrolments, and probably won’t even run every weekday.

Seth whines and begs and negotiates until Alice stamps her foot and demands to know what Sue Clearwater would say and that makes Seth all small and miserable, and Alice hates herself and Emmett solves the problem by making a large donation through one of their anonymous charities to the Res school so that Seth can at least do online learning, and apparently that’s a huge deal that is on the local news, and that makes Alice and Seth laugh because only Emmett would stop a teenage boy’s whining by revolutionising a tribe’s educational provisions with a cheque large enough to sustain a small city for a year.

But it’s good help - it means the children who suddenly have no parents and have to raise siblings can still study; it means that half-empty classrooms don’t necessarily mean half-empty classes; it also means that other tribes with larger losses and no way of schooling are invited to join them.

That’s one good thing they’ve managed.

He also fixed the backdoor as good as new, so it should be two, but he’s pretty sure that doesn’t count now that Alice has painted flowers blooming and dying all over it.

At some point they both bully Seth into going home again, to get his own stuff - clothes and bedding and photos and all those things you look for when you’re in a house that isn’t yours. He yells at them, they yell at him, and he storms off. But now there’s a photo of him with his parents and sister on his dresser, and a bunch of books crowding his desk, and the world’s most beat-up DS under his pillow. There are more photos, somewhere - Emmett knows that because Alice knows where they are and then one day there are two framed photos joining the vases on the mantle - one of Sue and Harry Clearwater on their wedding day, and one of Leah laughing. Neither of them knows what happened to Sue or Leah precisely on that day, but Seth doesn’t bring the ashes with him, so they don’t ask.

Summer folds into fall, and what’s left of Esme’s gardens wither up. Charlie Swan checks on them every few weeks, sounding tired. There’s a lot of work for him right now - mostly community and social issues, like scared and orphaned children hiding, people struggling with money, grief, religion. There’s been some shortages of food, since there’s less being grown, less people to process and package and ship it, and a little town hours outside of Seattle is not a priority to whomever is deciding where to send a milk delivery.

They order Seth’s food from high-end places online that deliver them quickly and quietly; Alice starts choosing long-life and bulk items, and no one needs to ask because it’s obvious things will get worse before they get better. Seth holds a pretty intense grudge against the powdered strawberry milk, though.

But food shortages are the least of their worries, as Alice uses the dining room wall to start taking nonsensical notes, and Emmett’s heard enough stories to know that losing a mate can be… well, he’s not having much fun, but the very last thing he needs is to wrangle Alice if she’s lost her mind. Dead or not, he knows he could never lay a hand on her even if she did go nuts out of love for his family, out of respect for Jasper, and out of this funny bond they’ve somehow formed, being the last ones left.

The notes turn into lists, lists of everyone they’ve ever known, in her swirling handwriting. Even people they know are gone, like Bella, goes on the list.

Then she starts striking out names, like she’s slashing with a knife - Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Rosalie, Edward, Bella, Charlie, Sue, Leah, Sam, Jacob, Paul… Slash, slash, slash.

Then it starts getting interesting. Peter and Charlotte are gone, but so are half the goddamned Volturi (Alice smirks as she crosses out Caius, Jane, Alec, Dimitri because imagining Aro on his throne with grief-mad Marcus and only the minions is a pretty picture indeed). Carmen and Tanya have survived, but Kate, Irina, and Eleazer are gone. Garrett is alive, but Randall and Mary aren’t. J Jenks didn’t make it either, which makes things… difficult.

Alice scowls darkly as she scratches out Maria’s name, and Emmett wonders if it’s because she didn’t get to do the honours of destroying the Mexican harpy herself. Or because wherever Jasper is now, so is Maria, and Alice is left behind.

Finally, she is done, and the list is nearly balanced in living and dead. Alice’s left eye twitches, and whatever she’s thinking she doesn’t say as she stands up.

“Alaska and then Mexico, then,” she says to him, and he gives her the Look that he gives her and Edward and Jasper every time one of them forgets that not everyone has a gift and some of them have to use their words.

“We need to check on Carmen and Tanya; I think they need us,” Alice explains, still examining the list. “I saw that we need to go. And then we’re going down to Mexico.”

“Maria’s dead,” he gestures at her list, and Seth wanders in stuffing his face with Pringles, and turns white at the sight of Esme’s freshly defaced walls; evidently Motherly Wrath is something universal across all of the species.

“Maria’s dead, and left behind a bunch of fresh newborns,” Alice sounds tired. “There’s no one left for clean up, Em, no one who knows. And it will be bad if we don’t step in soon.”

There might be something cathartic in that for Alice, undoing Maria’s life’s work. Maria’s lands weren’t exactly in the wealthiest or most populated lands these days - Jasper kept a secret map that wasn’t at all a secret - and if going down there and taking off a few heads saves a mother or father or child, then maybe it’s worth the hassle.

“Fine. Alaska and Mexico,” he agrees, and Seth cheers.

“Road-trip!” he declares around a mouthful of chips. Alice rolls her eyes.

“I’ll make you up a passport,” she says, not even bothering to argue with the younger boy that he’ll be joining them. “We’ll take the Jeep, Em - Rose just finished it.”

The words hang in the air for a second, and he nods in agreement. There might be something in that, taking the last gift-gesture-offering Rose ever did for him on their End-of-the-World Road Trip. Alice can rip the heads off newborns, he can drive around in the SUV his wife carefully and lovingly put together just to please him, and maybe he’ll buy Seth a beer in Tijuana.

Closest thing they’ll ever get to therapy, he supposes.

[kekekentyuh]

Tomorrow, Today

Jinyoung heard the engine die down abruptly as the old pick-up truck came to a short pause, prompting him to tear his eyes from where he was looking out the window to look at his friend by the driver's seat, said friend's hands still clenched against the steering wheel.

"Is there a reason why we're stopping?"

Jaebum just blinked, in obvious awe with his surroundings, closing his gaping mouth as he replied, "Let's hang here for a bit."

The expression in the former's face shifted almost instantly from confusion to pure disbelief. "This is the middle of nowhere."

Jaebum turned around to push the handle of the creaky pick-up truck door open. "I'm well aware."

"The car is parked in the middle of the road."

"I can see that, too."

"The lodge is still, like, a half-hour away." Jaebum stood a few inches from the car's front end, looking up at the soaring pine trees around them in what looked like genuine curiosity in his eyes; Jinyoung rolled his own, feeling his irises strike the top of his eyelids, and pushed his car door open and stepped out, figuring his friend was far-off to hear any call, judging by both his distance from the car and the way he looked at the trees, not tearing them off of them even for a second to look at him.

They’d stopped in front of a red-and-white flared sign at an intersection, four angry arrows pointing to both their left and their right, seemingly mocking them with that angry hue and insulting warning: CROSSROADS AHEAD. Jaebum had stopped the car a few inches from the white line that marked the end of the road, had stepped a few feet beside the signs to stare at the fine wisps of pine above him, through mountains and mountains of trees cascading as fas the eyes can see, his blue shirt and chocolate trousers seemingly blending in with the bright, unreal colors of everything around them. Jinyoung continued to look at him like he was crazy, like he always did, and sighed in extreme exasperation.

“This is insane. We can’t stop now, Jaebum. We’ve been traveling for a day straight just so we can catch up. I bought a shitload of snacks to stuff the backseat so we wouldn’t have to stop driving. We even scheduled our bathroom breaks so we could make it for the rehearsal dinner.” He could hear Jaebum’s steps on the pavement, like fading echoes as the distance grew. “We’re going to be late.” 

Jaebum backed up a few steps, tilting his head some more, eyeing the tips of trees, which were a luscious shade of mint green, cool to the eyes, a sight of relief for the brightness around them. Jinyoung looked at him intently with both his eyebrows raised, unable to understand why he was so distracted. “Were you even listening to me?”

Jaebum squinted his small eyes in an attempt to disregard the distance. “Woodpeckers.”

Jinyoung blinked. “What?”

“There may be woodpeckers up the tops of those trees.” His tone was hushed but factual; silent but guarded and sure. “You can see the leaves rustling.” Jinyoung immediately snapped his head to the direction he was pointing at, finding, sure enough, a subtle small rustling within the crevices of the leaves that could indicate the presence of a small, wood chipping bird, then snapped his head immediately back, mentally slapping himself for letting Jaebum distract him in the middle of an interrogation.

“We need to go,” he asserted, looking directly at his friend with the best piercing gaze he could muster. “Let’s get to the car.”

Jaebum continued to inspect the trees, dragging his feet along the deep gray pavement. “We’re not in a rush.”

“We’re wasting time.”

“The rehearsal dinner doesn’t start for another four hours.”

Jinyoung glanced at the black leather-strapped watch slung around his wrist. He hated it when he was right. “We haven’t really arrived yet.”

“The cabins are not too far from here. It’s just over the pond and across the big, green rice field, and we’re there. And besides—” Jaebum looked over at him, the first time he’s looked since he left the car, “—I’m driving.”

Jinyoung, who was still yet to learn how to drive a car, let along ignite the engine, grimaced. “I paid for the gas, asshole.”

“You won’t need gas when you’re not driving, dumbass.”

“Don’t call me that,” Jinyoung snapped back, very evidently beginning to lose his patience. “We need to go. Get in the car.”

“We still have time, Jinyoung.”

“But we’ve not yet dressed appropriately, we still need to cha—”

“I’ll get us there faster.”

“But—”

“God, Jinyoung! C’mon! Calm down!” Jinyoung bit back the complaint at the tip of his tongue, his mouth left agape as he stared at Jaebum in disbelief. “It’s fine. It’s not like we still have the rest of the country to cover at this point. It’s just a small break. We’re not in a hurry.” 

Jaebum looked back at his friend, whose nostrils were flaring at arms were crossed firmly around his torso, ears red in frustration. “And besides, it’s not like my sister’s going to mind if I show up late. And my mom really couldn’t care any less.” He sighed. “Trust me. If we get there early, we’ll be lying on the sofa beds reading dusty old books because the dingy ancient television set doesn’t work anymore. I’d rather we get there late.”

Jinyoung side-eyed him, which was the only thing he could do without bruising him, or slapping him, or inflicting any sort of damage to his face before his sister’s rehearsal dinner. His line of sight was almost cut off by the shining sun, peeking beneath the shade of the trees in a beautiful shade of color he can’t quite make out, feeling it against his skin, like it was kissing him. He’d been to Jaebum’s family’s log cabin farm way back since they were children, and it’d always been beautiful and mesmerizing, with a breathtaking view of the mountaintops by the balconies and lakes that shone like diamonds during sunny days; it was no question why Nayeon would want to get married there. 

But it never occurred to him how much more the way there had to offer.

“What exactly do we do here, then?” 

Jaebum turned to him, with an unsure look on his face as he stood there, savoring the sunlight, too. But, almost immediately, he smiled, and turned away. “I told you. We’re here to take a break.”

The guy placed a palm on the pavement, as if feeling the earth beneath it, knowing its temperature, and, in less than a split of a second, was lying down, one arm behind his head, the other resting quaintly on his stomach, eyes closed to the endless shower of sun dust in front of him.

“You’re crazy,” Jinyoung went, his eyes wider than an owl’s. “You’ve gone mad. You stopped driving at the middle of a road in an Edward Cullen-like Twilight pine tree forest just so you can lie down on the pavement?” Jaebum’s lips curved into a small, slender smile, his eyes tightly bound shut, letting out a small, hushed chuckle. “You’re insane.”

“You’re welcome to join me, you know.” Jinyoung almost laughed. “It’s only the two of us here. Edward’s probably not coming.”

“I am not lying down at the middle of a highway, Jaebum.”

Jaebum nodded. “Suit yourself. But can you scoot a little bit further? Just right by your left. You’re blocking my sunlight.”

Jinyoung felt his nostrils flare, his jaw clench, and his veins stretch, almost to a popping point. He didn’t know why he was doing this, and he didn’t understand its actual point, but the minute he realized it, he was lying down perpendicularly to his friend, both his hands resting on his chest, after grunts and groans, his cream jacket and newly-steamed khaki bottoms now scrubbing against the pavement. God, Jaebum is so stupid.

“See? Not so bad, now, isn’t it?”

“Shut the fuck up.”

For a while, none of them spoke; Jinyoung found it peaceful, like the kind of momentous peace he didn’t know he needed. The serenity spoke to him in volumes — it was just him, Jaebum, and the forest, with its scaping, singing pine trees that danced in the wind, its bright, still sunlight that caressed their cheeks, and its distant whistling summer breeze, laying him peacefully against the earth. Something like this actually felt nice — to empty one’s head of all the thoughts and worries, and just be within a moment, peaceful, serene, and settled, not letting anything pierce the glass that kept you from reeling back to reality. And with the way he knew Jaebum was getting some rest, too, after driving since dawn, he wished time could pause until they both felt like continuing the journey — but it couldn’t.

Jaebum’s voice then came at the hushed tone he’d heard before, the same hushed tone he uses when he’s thinking and wants to know something. “How’s uni?”

Jinyoung looked up at him to see his legs now crossed in the air, his eyes still squeezed shut. “What do you mean? Like how’s everything there? Or how is it going for me?”

“You know what I mean,” he replied without moving his face, keeping a still, serene stature.

Jinyoung resumed his original position, looking at the tips of the pines that poked the sky, subtle shadows reflected against his forehead. “It’s all going well, I suppose. I’m working towards raising my GPA. You know, so I can become valedictorian.”

“Sounds like a plan,” his friend mutters, the subtle pride and contentment evident in his voice. “You’re going to do great.”

“Hope so,” he replied with the exact opposite energy: unsure, and confused. “How about you? You still at that internship with the big-shot producer?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“How’s that working out for you?”

“They didn’t mention it being a coffee-making job. I could’ve stopped by a Starbucks and asked for a job and they would’ve given me the same shit. But at least I’d get paid.” Jinyoung almost laughed, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “But, you know, it’s tight. I’m learning a lot. This is more studio time I’ve experienced in my life. It’s bomb.”

Jinyoung smiled. “Glad it’s working out for you.”

Then the question popped in his head, even though he knew it wasn’t supposed to. It was one of those questions that took more energy to keep than to ask, and, knowing himself, he wouldn’t survive a minute without having to let it rip.

“Have you ever thought about what you’re going to do next, Jae?”

“Oh, easy. I’m going to get up, walk to the car, check the gas and turn the eng—”

“No, not that, you shit.” Jaebum snickered, a laugh Jinyoung hadn’t heard in a while, and was glad to have heard. “Like, after your internship ends. Do you know what you’re going to do?”

Jaebum was silent, and for a moment, Jinyoung thought he’d taken it too far. Jaebum wasn’t one to share his thoughts with anyone, even with him, who was his best friend for seven years, even if there was a gun pointed right at the side of his head. All of it was hot water.

But he replied with a frank “No.”

“You don’t?”

“No fucking clue.” Jinyoung fell silent as well, trying to think of the next best thing to say. “What about you?”

He hesitated for a moment, biting his lip to avoid embarrassing himself, but quickly reminded himself that he had nothing to lose with Jaebum. “I have no fucking clue, too.”

“Really? Well, that’s new.”

Jinyoung looked up at him again, curious. “It is?”

“Yeah. You’re Jinyoung. Park Jinyoung. You always have a plan. Nothing comes through without a plan, right?” Jinyoung redirected himself to look at the blue sky, unsure of what to say next. He knew he was Jinyoung — he didn’t need to be told twice — but he didn’t feel like himself anymore. Something was missing. 

“You know, when we were still in school, everyone said you’d do great things when we grew up. You’d become a doctor, or a lawyer, or all that good stuff. You always got the stars, and always got the first option in desserts because you always shone in class. All of the teachers I knew loved you.”

Loved, Jinyoung thought. The keyword here is loved.

“That was years ago, Jaebum, we’re not kids anymore.”

“Yeah, but not much has changed, right? You’re still doing well in school, consistently doing well with academics, and balancing work with your clubs and groups. You’re veering towards becoming valedictorian and being groomed for medical school because they know you’re going to be one of the best they’ll ever know.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is true, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You’re the most intelligent, talented, most gifted person I have ever met, and I’m always going to be proud of you for it.”

Jinyoung stays silent as Jaebum stopped, letting him flow out of his mind uninterrupted. He knew the past few weeks had been rough for him, as he struggled incessantly to keep so many aspects of his life together, and he consistently had to do it alone. This, Jinyoung figured, was the first time he was talking to anyone about it.

“Meanwhile, I was just your friend.”

Jinyoung’s face froze, his eyes blinking tensely. “What?”

“You know. Growing up, I was always just your friend. Jinyoung’s friend, the guy he hands out with. The one who looked like he could cut a snake up and tie it around your neck like a choker.”

He knew not to laugh at this remark, even though it seemed like Jaebum wanted him to laugh. “Jaebum, that’s not true.”

“It is,” he replied, with no inch of anger evident in his voice. “People always wondered why I hung out with you, or why you chose to stay with me, because so many thought you were too good for me, or you had more things to do with your time than waste it with me. You had a bright future ahead of you, and I was just some runover waiting to throw his life away.” Jinyoung couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Guess they were right.”

He snapped his head up, felt his legs graze against the rough surface as he punched his friend’s arm with all the might he could muster, said friend groaning in response. “What was that for?”

“Your breath was starting to smell like bullshit.”

Jaebum’s eyes both widened and narrowed in confusion. “What?”

“You were my friend because you were kind to me, Jaebum,” Jinyoung began, looking him dead in the eyes. “You were one of the only people who I could be friends with my whole life that didn’t want anything from me, who didn’t want to cheat off me for a test or get something from me because they knew I knew. You were one of the only people that ever entered my life that never told me what I had to do with my life, like what I wanted for myself was more of a choice than destiny because you saw me past my skills.” Jinyoung felt his lip tremble. “You were true, Jaebum, and that’s more than what I needed.”

“Jinyoung—”

“Everyone expects me to make the right move, the right decision because they say they know I’ll do great things one day, even though they clearly don’t know anything about what I want for myself. I’ve always hated anyone who said that, and hearing that from you stung way more than it could have ever gotten.”

Jaebum sat up, not breaking eye contact, and sighed. “I’m sorry—”

“I’m not perfect, Jaebum. I do well in school, but I’m not perfect. I haven’t figured out what I really want, because all my life, people have hounded me and pushed me towards paths they say will be great for me. But now that I get to decide if I really want to become something — something other than this doctor they expect me to just breeze through — I can’t, because I never truly understood what it meant to know myself.” Jinyoung’s lip trembled with every word, and Jaebum couldn’t come any closer. “That’s something you get to do that I’ll always envy. You’re brave, Jae. And you know yourself more than I could ever do myself.”

Jinyoung buried his head beneath his arms, his legs tucked towards his center as the silence befell on them once again. Jaebum stared at him intently, letting his glances dance from the light color of the white lines that decorated the center of the stretching road, to the light color of Jinyoung’s shirt, that gleamed ethereally under the sunlight. He amassed himself to speak again.

“Y’know, I’m kind of glad we’re sitting down here in the middle of the road.” Jinyoung slowly picked his head up, an exasperated, distinct type of sadness evident in his eyes, staring straight into Jaebum’s. 

“Why?” he asked, in a toned-down version of his anger from before.

“It’s kind of telling me something.” He stood up, kicking the underside of his friend’s shoe in the process, signaling him to stand up with him, but he went on before him. “I’ve never once looked at this beautiful road before, even though I’d been coming to the cabins my whole life, and it’s always because I’m too busy minding my shit, or looking forward to what’s ahead. I spend a lot of time spacing out to think about what I’m going to see when it’s not even there, and I’m really not even ready to see any of it yet.”

He looked back to see Jinyoung, hair disheveled and hand stuffed in pockets, socked feet together, staring back at him again. “You get what I mean, right?”

Jinyoung raised an eyebrow. “You’re too young and built to be a wise old man.” He nodded slightly in affirmation. “But I do.” 

Jaebum offered him a smile, the kind, genuine, it’s going to be okay one, and the other rolled his eyes a little bit before smiling as well, stepping forward to stand beside his friend, looking at the side opposite of where their vehicle was facing: the long, winding road they’d already taken, the bumps and cracks they’d passed and survived, all the signs they’d seen and ignored and ones they’d seen and thought about ignoring, but didn’t. It was a lot.

“If there’s one thing we both need to hear,” Jinyoung said, brushing himself and Jaebum off from the sidewalk gravel on their backs, “it’s that we’re right where we need to be, always.” Jaebum smiled and nodded. “We’ll cross the bridge when we get there. And we’ll get there soon.”

“Yeah, we will.”

[ramblingthoughtsofayoungadult]

Reality Check-Euphoria Imagine

Requested: No Warnings: mentions of trauma and a scene of an attempted sexual assault

A/N: I’m back from a super long break! I am so sorry I have not been able to update this blog since I started grad school but I have a bit of a break to write a bit. I just finished Euphoria so after this imagine, I’ll get started on the requests.

I own nothing from Euphoria and do not claim to own anything

Gif is from:geek-ramblings

Everything in italics in the story is Rue’s narration

Y/N Y/L/N wanted to be a princess for as long as she could remember. It didn’t hurt that every Disney movie and other piece of media designed for little girls endorsed this dream. One of those movies was the 1997 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Whitney Houston, Brandi, Whoopi Goldberg, and Victor Garber. It was the first time Y/N saw a princess who looked like her and it solidified that her dreams were possible. She watched that movie every day for three years and knows the soundtrack by heart. When her older cousin, McKay, irritated her, she would belt “Impossible/It’s Possible” at the top of her lungs in retaliation. While McKay was pushed to his limits on the football field, Y/N would twirl around in her living room during the ballroom sequence, pretending as though she had a dashing partner who would whisk her away. Her parents didn’t mind this dream since it suggested that she was as “normal” as a little girl could be. Eventually, Y/N’s mother put her in dance classes so that she could learn how to be graceful and dance with real people. Y/N fell in love with dancing since it gave her a way to express herself without speaking. Y/N was one of the sweetest people ever, but she was so shy and nervous, and I didn’t get it. Once she got comfortable, she actually had some things to say and a decent sense of humor. What she rarely let anyone know was she still dreamed of finding her prince, even though East Highland was overrun with frogs. In middle school, Y/N focused on studying and dancing while everyone else was practice dating (ie talking for a few hours on Facebook Messenger and avoiding eye contact in the hallway save a few nervous glances). She was hopeful that she would meet her prince in high school since that’s how it worked in the movies and what her older cousins had her believe. Y/N learned quickly that high was not like the movies and did not entertain herself with frivolous things, something Maddy called her out on at lunch one day.

  “I’m right so don’t even try to fight me about it,” Maddy affirmed from across the table.

  The cafeteria was busy and smelled of semi-fresh food and bubblegum. Y/N, Maddy, Cassie, BB, and Kat sat at their usual table. Y/N paused mid-bite into her cucumber sandwich and closed her mouth as soon as she realized it was hanging open.

  “What?”

  “You don’t do anything outside of school and dance team unless we drag you out and that needs to change,” Maddy insisted.

  “I do other things,” Y/N said hesitantly.

 “Yeah, like what? And it can’t be anything that you would use for college!”

   Y/N racked her brain for a few moments. “Well, I watch movies and I read----”

  “Fun things!” Maddy interrupted.

  “Like gettin’  d-ck,” BB added.

  Y/N’s face warmed up and she looked away from BB. “B, why’d you have to say it like that?”

  “Well, at the end of the day, all that romance sh-t you’re into is just a pretty form of foreplay.”

  “No, it’s not, they’re displays of affection and they’re beautiful. I know you all think romance is dead but I can’t and I don’t want to settle for that.” Y/N nodded her head in the direction of a table of guys who were concocting potions by mixing up the lunch of day with milk.

  Cassie grabbed Y/N’s hand. “No one would expect you of all people to settle, but you haven’t dated anyone and there are some good guys in this town if not in this school. We just want to see you happy.”

 Y/N could tell that Cassie was being sincere by the look in her eyes, all her friends were, but they also knew why Y/N behaved a certain way. The summer before eighth grade, Y/N saw the texts on her mom’s phone between her and a man that was not Y/N’s dad. It sickened her to her core, and she had no idea how to process it. Suddenly, her parents’ nightly arguments coupled with her mother’s late returns from nights out with “a friend” made more sense. She did not tell either of them that she knew and kept quiet about it. If she did not acknowledge it, she thought it would go away. She threw herself into dancing and studying, which did not raise any eyebrows. One night, Y/N, Maddy, Cassie, Lexi, and I went to the movies to see a Twilight movie. When she stepped out to get a popcorn refill, she saw her mother standing on the other side of the theater, smiling and flirting with a man who had to be in his seventies. Y/N managed to keep it together until we got back to Cassie and Lexie’s, where she broke down and told us everything. We hugged her and tried to calm her down, but there was nothing we could say that would repair her heart. Y/N’s mom officially stopped cheating when Y/N was fifteen but by then, the damage was already done. Her parents wanted to work on their marriage but neglected their child’s emotional and mental wellbeing since Y/N was so good and pretending she was fine. Her grades were excellent, she was the youngest co-captain of East Highland High’s dance team, and she stayed out of trouble. But if you really look at her, you can see the heartbreak in her big, coffee-colored eyes. Despite this, Y/N was convinced that there was a great guy out there for her, but she was extremely reluctant to date. She prayed that college would be better than high school and she would find the courage to date then.

  “I love and appreciate your guys’ concern so much, but I am not about to give up my,” Y/N paused and glanced around the cafeteria before whispering, “virginity just to fit in, no offense.”

  “Come on, Y/N, you may look and act all pure but you have to be dying to know what good d-ck feels like,” Maddy whined.

  She had been, Y/N was human and not a total saint after all.

  “I can wait, really.”

  “So, have you just not been interested in any guys? I know plenty who are interested in you,” Cassie added.

 “What?” Y/N was baffled by the loaded statement.

 “Come on, Y/N, you know you’re hot,” Kat said.

  “Your legs go up to your neck, Sis,” BB blurted as she nibbled on a Twizzler.

 “Your face is basically perfectly symmetrical, it disgusts me,” Maddy said, emphasizing her statement with hand gestures.

  Y/N chuckled nervously under the attention. “Thanks, guys.”

  “But, is there anyone that interests you?”

  Y/N glanced down at the tops of her metallic rose gold sandals. “No, not really.”

  That was a total f-cking lie. Since fourth grade, Y/N harbored a crush on Nate that was fueled by when he shoved Caleb Parker after Caleb shoved Y/N during a game of tag in gym class. When Nate helped her stand on her feet, he was basically her knight in shining armor. Nate fit Y/N’s type perfectly: tall, dark hair, dark eyes, killer smile, and kind. Y/N never said anything, but anyone could tell just by observing the way she looked at him and the fact that she could never string together a decent sentence around him. This did not stop her from daydreaming about him and watching him from afar. She thought that maybe she could impress him with her dancing, and he would be forced to make a move. Y/N paid close attention to what Nate liked and disliked about girls, leading to religious mani-pedis and waxing. I tried to talk her out of it freshman year, but I can’t blame her for ignoring a junkie’s advice. When Maddy and Nate started dating, Y/N tried to cut off her attraction to Nate because she loved Maddy like a sister. She stopped pining after him but wished that she had a tenth of the confidence Maddy had.

  “That’s it, we’re going to a party on Friday and you are going to meet a guy,” Maddy demanded.

  “What?”

  “Relax, you don’t have to sleep with him…unless you want to.” BB wiggled her eyebrows and Maddy, Cassie, and Kat burst into giggles.

 “I think I can start off with kissing.”

 “Have you even kissed a guy?” BB shot back.

 “Yes, I have.”

 In second grade, Travis Williams was double-dared to kiss Y/N on the playground. She knew that he wasn’t her prince charming since he produced too much saliva, and he was dared to do it. It gave her a weird complex about how attractive she was since no one really approached her. Sure, there were guys at parties but they just wanted something warm to slide into, not a real relationship.

 After practice, Y/N and Maddy sat across from each other with their legs spread out, pulling each other back and forth to stretch.

 “You really went in with this number, my legs are still killing me,” Maddy moaned as Y/N tugged her hands.

  “Well, Alia wants to do something super impressive for homecoming; it’s not my fault she was so inspired by Homecoming.” Y/N relaxed her back while Maddy gently pulled Y/N’s arms towards her.

   She relished in the stretch as her muscles released. Alia had tasked her with working on the homecoming choreography a month ago and the only requirement was it had to be set to Beyoncé’s “Diva/Everybody Mad” mix. It was tricky choreography, complete with acrobatics and lifts, but it would be entertaining.

  “Well, we better do Beyonce well because she deserves nothing but the best.” Maddy’s expression dropped.

  “What’s wrong?” Y/N turned and saw Nate heading towards them. He was so gorgeous even though he was in a black t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. His hair looked perfect for finger-combing and Y/N could just see his muscles flexing with every step he took.

  Y/N could never relax around Nate, even though she tried everything----slowing her breathing, counting backwards from twenty, and imagining him with food poisoning since no one looks good with that. But nothing worked, nothing ever worked, and she was forced to do whatever she could think of in the moment.

   “Hey, Y/N,” Nate greeted.

   “Hi,” Y/N breathed.

   “Maddy,” he looked at her and Maddy rolled her eyes.

   “What?”

   “Are you done stretching? I’m giving you a ride and we can’t be late, remember?”

   “Well, it doesn’t really matter since I always take too f-cking long to get ready.”

   Nate sighed. “Maddy, I didn’t mean it…”

   “I can go,” Y/N volunteered meekly, suddenly very aware that she was still sweaty from practice and needed to shower.

   “No, Y/N, stay,” Maddy said, “stay so you can hear the bullsh-t he comes up with.”

   They argued for about five minutes, all of which Y/N used to make herself as small as possible. She knew they had a dysfunctional relationship and that was the last thing Y/N wanted, she’d seen how they worked. If the couple weren’t arguing with each other, they would rant about the other person to a friend. Maddy did it all the time, but she was nowhere near as bad as Y/N’s dad. Her dad spoke explicitly about Y/N’s mother’s activities when things were really bad. It was always late at night and Y/N was not always sleeping over at someone’s house. Her father would rant for hours and force Y/N to sit there and listen. Whenever she tried to ask him to stop, he would say, “Tell your mother to stop, she did this. I didn’t do anything!”. Y/N cried a lot more than she would let anyone know. She wanted so badly to be whisked away from East Highland, preferably by a tall, handsome prince who would take care of all of her worries. She would be comfortable around him and feel loved. After Maddy and Nate’s argument, Y/N was able to slip away and go home.

  Y/N stepped out of a relaxing shower when she heard the low rumbling that started before every argument. The walls of her room felt closer than usual and she could easily run her hands over the lavender and white checked wallpaper. Everything felt so far away and she felt much smaller than five-foot-nine. Y/N slowly curled into a ball on her bed and shook as the rumbling grew higher.

  “Please stop,” she whispered.

  It persisted.

  “Please, please stop,” she repeated.

  Y/N kept repeating herself for so long that she did not know how long it took before her parents burst into her room. Her mother wrapped her up in arms and rocked her while her dad tried to get her to talk.

  “What’s the problem?” he asked.

  “The fighting, it’s loud,” she whispered.

  “Well, you can’t react like this every time we have an argument, Y/N. You’ll fall apart as an adult,” Mr. Y/L/N affirmed.

   “Dinner is almost ready,” Mrs. Y/L/N said and kissed her forehead.  

  When they left the room, Y/N felt dejected and uninterested in food. Just as she was about to start lotioning, her phone dinged. It was Maddy.

   Maddy: Football party’s on Friday. UR GOING.

 It wasn’t a difficult decision for Y/N to make. Her parents gave her a generous curfew since Y/N wouldn’t go out every weekend. But her parents didn’t care how she felt so they shouldn’t care about what she did for once. And if they didn’t care, then why should she? It wasn’t like she going to engage in an orgy or something.

   Y/N: You had me at football.

   Scott Callahan’s giant house was filled with smoke and strobing lights on Friday night. People were dancing and drinking half-naked in his front lawn and inside was another kind of pandemonium. There was every kind of expensive alcohol one could imagine scattered throughout the house, marijuana, Percocet, molly, and cocaine. Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” was blasting through the surround-sound speakers and people were either dancing, grinding, or making out to it. Y/N arrived at the party with Jules and Rue. Hours prior, Y/N gave Jules free reign to do whatever she wanted with her makeup.

 “Ugh, I have been waiting ever since we met for this moment. No, maybe even before then,” Jules said as she swiped silver glitter around Y/N’s eyes.

  Cassie, Maddy, BB, and Kat already helped Y/N pick out an outfit a day before via Facetime: a shiny silver mini dress with platforms. Y/N had been nervous as Jules helped her do her makeup and put some waves in her shoulder-length dark hair. But the finished product made her look like a totally different person.

  “Is that me?” Y/N had whispered as she stared at herself in the mirror.

  Jules rest her chin on Y/N’s shoulder. “Yes, it is, the shinier version.”

  “You look good, Y/N,” Rue complimented.

  “Thanks, Rue. Are you sure you’re okay with me drinking tonight? I feel so weird and guilty.”

  “Yes, it’s fine,” Rue had insisted. “I just got out of rehab and I don’t wanna go back.”

  “And I don’t want you to, either,” Jules added.

  Y/N agreed.

  Y/N still felt weird about drinking around Rue once they arrived at the party,  but Rue insisted that Y/N and Jules have fun. Several guys stared as Y/N walked past, but that could have been attributed to Jules’ neon green corset dress with matching hair or Rue’s tie-dye ensemble. When they reached the kitchen, they found Kat and BB doing tequila shots. Their eyes lit up at the trio.

  “Finally, you’re here!” Kat hugged Rue, Jules, and Y/N.

 “Did you miss us?” Jules teased.

  “Little bit. You guys want a shot?”

  “I’m DD-ing, or DR-ing since it’s a bike,” Rue said.

  “Or DB-ing, for bicycling,” Y/N added.

  BB poured Jules and Y/N shots and handed them over. They cheered before downing the alcohol. The tequila burned down Y/N’s throat and Y/N fought the urge to cough. She’d had alcohol before but she did not drink as often as her friends. Y/N immediately felt the liquid courage coursing through her as she slid her shot glass towards BB.

  “Another one?” BB arched an eyebrow.

 “Are you complaining?”

 “Not at all, you look hot by the way.”

 “Thanks.”

  “I did her makeup,” Jules said.

 Y/N laughed and continued drinking.

  I watched as her third shot became her fifth, and then Jules made them both screwdrivers and she made them strong. I’d only seen Y/N drunk once and that was at freshman winter formal. Maddy convinced her that Gatorade and Everclear were a good mix. She was tripping over herself for most of the night, so there was no telling what she might do.

 “Crap, I forgot to tell you, Maddy and Nate broke up again,” Kat said.

 “Why?” Y/N asked.

 “Stupid same old bullsh-t, probably,” Rue said.

“Where is Maddy, anyway?”

 “Last I knew, she was outside with Cassie,” BB said.

 Y/N finished her screwdriver. “Let’s go, then.”

 Y/N was surprisingly agile as she weaved her way through the crowd and lead the way outside. Maddy and Cassie were easy to spot since they were standing by the lounge chairs and rolling their eyes at every guy who tried to talk to them.

 “Maddy, Cassie!” Y/N announced.

 They both looked up and smiled at her.

 “Y/N, you look amazing,” Cassie said.

 “Thanks, and you look great as per usual.”

 “You’ve been drinking,” Cassie said.

 Y/N nodded.

 Cassie and Maddy greeted Rue, Jules, Kat, and BB.

 “Hey, I’m sorry about Nate,” Y/N said.

  “It’s fine, I don’t need him and I could get any guy here I want. Besides, it gives me the chance to focus more on getting you a guy,” Maddy said.

  “Oh, Maddy, don’t worry about me.”

  “No, that’s why we’re here. Now, let’s do some shots and scope!”

  The shots were easy but finding a good guy was not. Y/N was officially drunk and giggled a lot whenever the guys Maddy or Cassie found spoke to her. Y/N would push the guys she didn’t like away, which was the majority of them.

 “Alright, you rejected eight dudes, why?” Maddy asked over City Girls’ “Act Up”.

  “Well, one had horrible halitsosissss and another kept talking about how he had never been with a black girl before.”

  “Which one said the last thing?” Cassie asked.

  Y/N shrugged and drank more beer. “Seriously, do not worry about me, guys, I’m fine, I just wanna have fun.”

 “Yes, fun!” an equally inebriated Jules commented.

 At that moment, Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” started playing and Jules and Y/N screamed in unison.

 “I love this song!” Y/N exclaimed.

 “Me too!” Jules said.

 “Let’s dance!” Y/N turned to the rest of the girls and extended her hand. “You have to join us, it’s Lizzo, it’s basically law.”

 “Yeah, basically law,” Jules echoed.

 The others couldn’t argue, and they all moved to the dancefloor, which was really the living room. Jules twirled Rue around even though Rue was reluctant, and BB started grinding on some basketball player. Meanwhile, Maddy, Cassie, and Y/N alternated between shouting the lyrics and moving their hips to the beat.

 Dance truly set Y/N free, but the song also helped. There was something about Lizzo’s voice and choice of beat that made Y/N want to dance and never stop. She would move her arms and hands and feel more fluid than water. For once, she wasn’t calculating each step and making sure she was on beat, she was simply reacting to the music.

 Towards the end of the song, Y/N muttered that she was going outside to Cassie and slipped away from the circle. Y/N found herself enjoying the fresh air and giggled to herself when she saw a couple going to second base by the pool.

 “Y/N, I didn’t think you was into watchin’ people,” Fez teased.

 He was sitting on a beach chair in a corner a few yards away from the back door. He was wearing a navy, yellow, and red Coogi sweater with jeans. He was fully reclined in his chair and smoking a joint.

 “You don’t know a lot of things about me,” Y/N shot back as she walked towards him.

 She plopped down on the seat across from him and tried to steady herself.

 “You good, Y/N?”

 “Yeah, just drank a lot more than usual.” Y/N eyed Fez’s joint. “You know, in all this time I’ve known you, you’ve never offered me drugs.”

 “No disrespect, I just didn’t think you’d be into it, didn’t seem like the type.”

 “Oh yeah? Then what do I seem like?” Y/N leaned towards Fez and arched her back a little.

 Fez blew some smoke away from Y/N and tried not to stare at her. “You…you look like the type to stay away from this stuff and even me.”

  Y/N laughed and shooed the thought away. “How could I stay away from you, Fez? You have the best snacks at the gas station. Plus, I like talking to you.”

 “Really?”

 “Yeah, you have an interesting but simple way of looking at things.”

 Fez looked as though he was thinking for a long moment as he smoked his joint. “I knew I liked you for a reason. You act all quiet and nervous usually but you got a lot to say and say it in a good way.” He extended the joint towards Y/N. “Be careful.”

 Y/N focused as hard as she could to grab the joint with two fingers. She’d only smoked once with Rue and Rue was the one to drag her over to Fezco to get the weed. Y/N remembered coughing a lot, but she knew how to avoid that. She took two long drags before handing the joint back to Fez.

 “Thanks, Fez. We should talk more later.”

 “Sure, if you feelin’ up to it. I’m here all night.”

 Y/N stumbled back into the house, her full intentions to find her friends. Then, she heard the beginning strains of Kanye West’s “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” and she smiled to herself. She started spinning around in time to the music, twisting her arms up and down as she did. Her hips began to sway gently to the rhythm. She ran her hands through her hair and exhaled.

 Y/N was lost again and wrapped up in the beat. She usually did not drop low outside of the comfort of her bedroom, but the alcohol mixed with the weed mixed with the great music made her think differently. She was free and everyone else around her was free. There was nothing to worry about and she could let go of her inhibitions. It didn’t matter that none of the guys at the party were her type nor really interested her, she was having too much fun. But little did Y/N know that someone had their eye on her since she started dancing to “Truth Hurts”.

 Y/N felt someone push up against her from behind, followed by hands slink around her hips. Her eyes fluttered open and she covered the large hands with her own. “Sorry, I don’t----" She stopped when she made eye contact with Nate. “I’m high,” she muttered.

 “I don’t know about that, but you’ve definitely been drinking.”

 Y/N tried to ignore the way his gravelly voice made her stomach drop to her heels or how she felt like everything was throbbing. She shook her head and backed away from him. “I can’t…you just broke up with Maddy.”

 “Y/N, please don’t.” Nate looked worried as he took cautious steps towards her.

 Unbeknownst to Y/N, and everyone else, Nate had a fascination with her that bordered on obsession. He noticed her in fourth grade and how much she got excited about reading and history lessons. Even then, Nate thought Y/N was innocent and so quiet. He was curious about her but never really approached her until that day in gym. That day was a godsend so that he could show off how strong he was and get her to talk. All he got was a “Thanks” and “I’m okay”. Nate was disappointed, but he didn’t stop looking out for her. He made sure none of the football players went after her, which McKay appreciated but he thought Nate was doing it as a friend. No, Nate was doing it because he knew that football players were animals and Y/N was high above them. Maddy was too but Maddy was different .She was so much more confident and bold than Y/N was, and she was a virgin when Nate asked her out. But Maddy liked to fight with him and test him and Y/N wouldn’t do that----she was too sweet and would most likely want to resolve everything as quickly as possible. So, she was unofficially his and Y/N had no idea.

 Y/N kept shaking her head as tears welled up in her eyes. “I can’t do this, Maddy’s like a sister to me.”

“Y/N, breathe, please.” Nate took another step and when Y/N didn’t move, he got close enough to grab her forearms and rub them soothingly. “You’re allowed to dance with me, all we did was dance.”

 “That was not dancing, I’m a dancer, I would know.” Y/N tilted her head back to will the tears away.

 “You look beautiful, seriously. Don’t cry.” He tried to touch her face, but Y/N backed away.

 “Thank you, but I think we should stop talking.”

 “You always look beautiful, especially when your hair is down, it frames your face nicely.” He brushed some hair off her shoulder.

 “Nate, stop.” A tear rolled down her cheek.

 “Y/N, what’s wrong?”

 “I know you’re doing this to make Maddy jealous, it’s what you always do, it’s the same game!” Y/N cried, but it was masked by the music. “I’m…I’m not going to be your pawn in this weird game, Nate. I deserve better than that.”

 Nate reached out and cupped the side of her face in one hand. “Oh, Y/N, you would never be a pawn and I’m not playing with you. Maddy’s not gonna care if you dance with me, she’s not even here.”

 Y/N glanced around the room and didn’t see Maddy anywhere. She suddenly got a sinking feeling and looked back at Nate. “I’m just not comfortable with doing anything with you, she’s my friend.”

 “And I would never want to ruin that and I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable; I just wanted a chance to dance with the prettiest girl at the party.”  

 Y/N snapped her eyes to him. “You think I’m the prettiest girl here?”

 Nate nodded. “But if you don’t want to dance with me…”

 “Fine, one dance.” Y/N held up her pointer finger for emphasis. “And we’re done.”

 “Deal.”

 “Good.”

 The song changed to “One Dance” and Y/N was stiff for a moment. She never really did partner dancing and was lost. Nate sensed this, grabbed one of her hands, and spun her around. She laughed and swiveled her hips to the beat. Nate continued twirling her around and watched Y/N move to the music. When he spun her out again, Nate pulled her back in and held her close. Y/N did everything in her power to fight to gnawing desire to melt into his embrace. He felt so strong and protective. Y/N stared at the collar of his t-shirt to avoid eye contact and kept her hands on his chest.

  “This isn’t fair,” she whispered.

  “What isn’t fair?”   “I’ve had a crush on you since elementary school and the time you decide you want me, it’s just after your break up with one of my best friends.” Y/N buried her head in her hands. “I’m such a bad friend, I should go.”

 Nate held her there and stared her down. “Go and do what?”

 “Um, find my friends.”

“And then what?”

“Dance?”

“Just like you’re dancing with me?”

 “No, not this close and you know that.” Y/N stepped back. “We should stop.”

 “But, you said you’ve liked me for a long time.”

 “I did, but I want to be a good friend. I’m sorry, Nate.”

Y/N really didn’t want to, but she pulled away from Nate. She couldn’t believe she’d spent a whole song dancing so close with her friend’s ex. Maddy would kill her if she found out. Maybe if Y/N told her first, things would not be as bad.

“If we can’t dance, can we at least talk?”

Y/N hesitated but nodded slowly.

Nate grabbed her hand and led her upstairs. A few coked out people and couples pushed past them and Y/N felt more and more nervous. They found an empty bedroom and Nate closed the door behind them. The room was dark and Y/N found a light.

 “So, what did you want to talk about?” she made herself comfortable on the bed.

Nate sat next to her and clasped his hands together. “Things with Maddy and me have always been f-ckin’ crazy and they will always be. She always wants to fight when there shouldn’t be a fight.”

“If you wanted to complain to someone about your ex, you could have found someone who wasn’t her friend.”

 “Stop, what I’m saying is I don’t like it, it’s exhausting, and…and we bring out the worst in each other. But you, I don’t think you would do that to me.” He glanced down at Y/N’s hands. “You’re kind and you want the best for everyone.”

 “I try.”

“You would never want to hurt anyone on purpose and you listen, you really listen, and I feel like I could tell you anything.”

 Y/N nodded.

 “The truth is, I’ve liked you since fourth grade too, but I never asked you out because you seemed disinterested.”

 “How’d you get that?”

 “Whenever I tried to talk to you, you wouldn’t talk and I thought that meant you didn’t like me. So, I started going out with Maddy because she was clear about that, but now, I think we could be something.”

 “Just like that? But what about my friends? Maddy and I have the same friends and I don’t want to hurt Maddy.”

“You can make new friends and you’ll have me.” Nate leaned closer to Y/N. “C’mon, Y/N, you know you want this. You’re always thinking of other people, be selfish for once.”

 In that strange bedroom, with the guy she had been crushing on for so long begging her to do something to him, Y/N was at an impasse. She loved Maddy like a sister and didn’t want to divide the group, but Nate was making so many good points. The only reason she did well in school was to please her parents and the only reason she would go out was to please her friends. She didn’t do anything to please herself and this was her chance.

Nate leaned closer to Y/N and looked up at her for confirmation. Y/N closed her eyes and relished in the feeling of Nate’s lips against hers. They were slightly chapped but he knew how to use them, applying pressure in the right places at the right times. His hands went to her waist and Y/N wrapped hers around his neck. He slid her into his lap and Y/N gasped.

 “Did I scare you?” he whispered.

 “A little,” Y/N murmured.

 He rubbed her sides and kept kissing her, adding tongue. Y/N shyly tapped her tongue against his and he smirked into it. He rolled his hips underneath her and Y/N gasped at the shocking feeling, pulling away.

 “Does it feel good?”

 Y/N nodded.

 “Say it.”

 “Yes.”

 “Yes, what?”

 “Yes, it feels good.”

 Nate nipped at her neck and Y/N moaned out, grinding down on him. Nate’s hands tensed around her hips. “You’re so hot,” he whispered in her ear.

 Y/N laughed.

 “Seriously, I’ve thought about what this would be like, what we would be like.”

 “And?”

 “And, so far, it’s better than I thought.” He kissed down to her collarbone and palmed her chest. “I’ve thought about these.”  “Really? But they’re so small.”

 “No, they’re just right.” He bit the base of her neck and Y/N hissed. “I’ve also thought about your legs, how they distract me during practice when you guys are outside. They’re so soft but firm.”

  Nate kissed her again and pinned her on the bed. Y/N gasped as she felt one of Nate’s hands trail up her dress. Her mind was jumbled up and she didn’t know what to think. Everything he did felt so good, he knew just where to kiss and nip. He looked at her with full-blown lust in his eyes. Maybe Y/N had finally found the prince she’d been waiting for, but he was always there.

 Then, his hand went a little too high. She squirmed and shook her head.

 “Nate, that’s a little too much.”

 “What?”

 “I said it’s a little too much,” she repeated louder.

 “I thought you liked it, don’t you want this? Isn’t this what you’ve always thought about?” Nate tangled his hand in her underwear.

 “Nate, stop, I don’t want to do this.”

 “You weren’t acting that way earlier.”

 “Nate, please, stop.”

 “You don’t want me to stop.”

 “Yes, I do, please!”

  Y/N tried to push him away but Nate pinned her down. He rolled his hips into hers and Y/N turned away, tears falling down her cheeks.

 “Do you feel how much I want you? I’d do just about anything to have you.”

 “Nate, stop!”

 “Shut up!” Nate growled.

 One of his hands let go of her wrist and wrapped around her neck. He had a death grip on her neck and Y/N started gasping for air.

 “Don’t pretend like you didn’t want this? Like you weren’t dancing on me, begging for it? You were jealous that Maddy got me whenever she wanted. You wanted me all for yourself just like I want you.”

  Y/N wanted to scream at him, tell him he was wrong about everything, but was he? When Maddy talked about sex with him, Y/N would feel pangs of guilt and jealousy for wanting to trade places with her. Most of all, she wanted Nate to get off her. She wanted Nate to leave her alone forever. When she looked at him, the sweet fourth grade boy was gone and replaced by a full grown monster. Why was she getting monsters when she wanted princes? What did she do to deserve this?

  Nate unzipped his jeans and tears kept flowing down Y/N’s face, ruining Jules’ masterpiece. He kept his eyes trained on her and Y/N was losing oxygen, she couldn’t think to move any of her muscles. Just as he was about to push in her, someone banged on the door.

 “Occupied!” Nate yelled over his shoulder.

 “Whatever.”

 Nate turned back and looked down at Y/N, shaking and crying. He leaned down and whispered, “Don’t make a sound.”  He released his grasp on her neck and pinned her wrists again. Y/N’s throat felt numb and she couldn’t do anything. She inhaled through her nose and before Nate could thrust, she took gathered all her strength to knee him. Nate groaned and rolled onto his side, releasing her wrists. Y/N scrambled to her feet, unlocked the door, and ran outside. People in the hallway looked at her bewildered. Y/N nearly fell down the stairs and ran into Rue.

 “Y/N, what happened?” she asked.

 Y/N gasped for a moment before burying her face in Rue’s shoulder and crying, full-on, heaving, shoulder-shaking crying. Rue held her close and ran her hands through her hair. “Nate,” was the only word she managed to get out.

 Before Rue could only see Red, Fez approached them. “Hey, I’m about to head out if you wanted a ride. What’s up?”

 “I think Nate tried to do something to Y/N,” Rue whispered. “Y/N, could you look at me?”

 Y/N straightened up and Rue and Fezco saw the handprints around her neck. Both of their expressions hardened.

 “Where’s Maddy, Cassie, and Jules?” Rue asked.

 “Right here,” Maddy said as they approached. Her eyes widened at Y/N. “Y/N, what the f-ck happened?”

 Y/N swallowed but winced at the feeling. “Nate tried to rape me,” she rasped out.

 In an instant, Fez and Rue handed Y/N over to Cassie, Maddy, and Jules. Y/N collapsed in their arms and continued crying.

 “Honey, it’s okay, you’re gonna be okay,” Cassie said.

 “Breathe, Y/N, you need to breathe,” Jules muttered.

  “I’m so sorry, Maddy, I’m so sorry,” Y/N said.

  “No, don’t apologize,” Maddy insisted, stroking Y/N’s hair.

  They cleared a couch for Y/N to rest and they continued trying to comfort her. A few seconds later, Nate came tumbling down the stairs, with Rue and Fezco on his heels. Rue was cursing at him while Fezco laid more punches on him. Nate’s face was already bruised and scratched up.

 “It’s not my fault!” Nate spat out. “I told you, she came onto me, she’s been in love with me since fourth grade, she wanted this! Maddy, Y/N’s a bad friend, that’s not my fault.”

 “Don’t even talk to me right now or I swear, Rue and Fezco will have to keep me from killing you,” Maddy hissed.  

 “I’m a bad friend,” Y/N whimpered.

 “No, you’re not,” Maddy, Cassie, and Jules said.

 “I liked him a lot, even when you dated, I liked him and then he…he came onto me, maybe I deserved it.”

 “Y/N, no one deserves to get raped, no one, you did not ask for this,” Jules assured her.

  Y/N turned to lay face up. “Why does everything hurt so much? I just wanted someone to like me since loving me is asking for too much.”

  “No, it’s not,” Cassie hushed.

  “And we love you,” Maddy said.

  “I love you the most,” Jules said.

 Y/N smiled slightly. “But you know what I mean.”

 Y/N loved her friends and appreciated their love, but she wanted the fairytale. She’d convinced herself that maybe she would get some idea of that with Nate but she was so wrong. She wanted the dream and got a nightmare. It was a terrible f-cking way to learn how real life works, but it had to happen. Besides, we’re in high school and the love Y/N truly wanted was impossible to find in high school, especially East Highland. Y/N ended up pressing charges on Nate and that encouraged Maddy to open up about stuff he’d done to her during their relationship. Everything is different with Y/N now, I can see it in her eyes, they aren’t as bright as they used to be. Before the stuff with her mom, they would shimmer and after that, some glints remained. Now, it was like looking in a dark hole and I could guess what she was feeling since I’ve been in that place too----in fact, I’m still in it. I think the saddest part is she always had so much optimism and now it’s gone before she’s twenty and I don’t think she’ll get it back.