#The slightest things could cause you fear and worry and that's not your fault

[branzycrafted]

Man I really rambled there but like my tired brain cares a lot about this—

To me someone being really easily set off by "small" things is just an indication that they've been through hell. Like. If they're that vulnerable to lashing out then I think it's pretty damn obvious a lot has hurt them to get them to that state, no?

And looking at BPD specifically, in our case yes we have a lot of standard triggers and things that just really push our buttons and hurt or cause us to react in unpleasant ways. But that's because we've been kicked around enough to be that way. We don't find it fun to be that way, not at all. I can't fully talk on it because I don't experience that but I know some of the "small things" that get to our symptom holders and how badly they can react to them.

I just want the reaction to aggression and lashing out easily to shift from "Oh wow that person is horrible/really has issues" to "Oh that poor person has been through so much, haven't they" or "That person must be going through a lot or has been through a lot, they must be struggling so much". Y'know? Maybe let's stop automatically demonizing them and think that maybe there's something making them act that way. Cause a lot of times there is, there's pain they're going through to get that reaction out of them.

[0perfectimperfections0]

Part 3 of shell shock pleaseeee

I posted part 3 almost exactly when your ask came in, so, I'm gonna put this with part 4. Enjoy!

This went on longer than I thought it would...

<><><>

The gloves were kept on today. Lou honestly felt as if he’d been put in time-out. He sat on the farthest end of the sofa, watching the other dolls go back and forth with what had to be done. Lou was undoubtedly getting stronger. He had accidentally busted four streetlights on the way to Nolan’s house. That wasn’t entirely his fault, though. The first time was because he noticed the estranged looks passing dolls were giving him and his nerves got the best of him. They didn’t connect the dots, though. The second time was because Mandy had grabbed his gloved hand to offer some support. Again, a rush of emotion had swept through him – one he couldn’t identify – and there went another streetlight bulb. The third time was because Moxy had jumped from the front door to greet them and it startled the poor doll. Boom. That one struck two bulbs at once and blew them both out. 

The gloves weren’t doing much good anymore. 

Which was a problem in and of itself. They were merely there as a buffer, now. Ox was determined to not let Lou feel more distanced than he already did. He sat beside the Pretty Doll on the sofa, which forced Lou to lean as far on the arm of it as possible to put space between them. Ox wouldn’t have it, though. He gently straightened Lou, pulling by the elbow, and gave a nod of approval when Lou didn’t revert. “There ain’t nothin’ to worry about. You’re fine.” He spoke like an adult chastising a child. It irritated Lou to some extent, which caused the electricity beneath the gloves to spark a bit. 

That was the issue. That was the problem they couldn’t figure out. The slightest emotion would set off Lou’s electricity. What was more difficult was that Lou could do nothing to control it. It almost seemed as if he hardly understood anything he was feeling. And they couldn’t just tell him to stop having feelings. 

“We need a solitary place to do that.” That was all that Lou caught on to of their conversation. Mandy was the one who had spoken. “That way we don’t have any unpredictable accidents, at least.” 

“We could clear out one of the rooms in the mansion,” Lucky suggested, “make sure there isn’t anything flammable in there or that would start off a chain reaction. No windows, either.” 

“I think that could work,” Babo nodded. Eyes turned to Lou. He refrained from shrinking under their gazes. “How about it?”

“U-um,” he really hadn’t listened to enough of the conversation to give his opinion. Still, what he heard sounded…undesirable. “Repeat that one more time?”

Moxy came forward, just close enough to appear as if she wasn’t cautious. “We’ll clean out a room in the mansion – make it safe – and we’ll have you go in there and let out all this built-up electricity. Lucky thinks that if you just feel what you want to feel without any consequences, then you’ll be able to control it better.” 

“O-Okay.” It sounded logical enough. Lou really didn’t know what he needed. That’s why he accepted the help, after all. If he was left to figure things out for himself, he would’ve just thrown himself into recycling. 

With that acceptance, they gathered some things and headed out the door. Mandy was in front of him the next moment, offering both of her hands. He made no move to accept the offer until Ox nudged him. Cautiously, he put his gloved hands in hers and she pulled him up to stand. “I’m not afraid of you, Lou,” she spoke softly, “I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t act like you were afraid of me.” 

“I’m afraid of myself.” His eyes stayed on their hands. “I’ve already caused so much damage-”

“Accidents,” she reminded him, leaning down to catch his eyes. “Those were all accidents. We don’t expect anything more out of you right now. I can’t even control my own emotions. I’m not going to expect you to.” The fear was evident in his eyes, and not just because they began to glow an electric blue. She rested her hand on his cheek. “If there’s ever a point where you want us to stop, just tell us. I don’t want you to feel like an experiment either with all these trial runs we’re doing. You’re still a doll, just like the rest of us.” 

Wage called out from the door to see if they were getting a move on or not. Ox patted the side of Lou’s leg before heading to the door. Mandy gave the blond an encouraging smile. “Do you need anything right now?” Lou pursed his lips, shaking his head. “Alright. If you ever need anything, let me know. Even if it’s just a hug.” 

Well, he didn’t know that was one of the options. It felt unbelievably comforting when he held Ox last night. Did all hugs bring on that feeling? But…he didn’t want to hurt her. 

Mandy took both his hands again, about to walk out with him, but she took a second to reevaluate that look in his eyes. Maybe he just needed a hug and didn’t know it. Or he was too scared to hug her. 

The lights in the house flickered as soon as her arms wrapped around him. The dolls waiting outside noticed the flashes of light through the window and peeked through. Moxy smiled and ushered them a ways down the street to give them a moment. 

Lou closed his eyes tight to try and focus on not burning the whole house down. Or, even worse, hurting Mandy. Everything flickered and one of the bulbs in the living room began making a high-pitched whining noise. “M-Mandy–”

“Take a deep breath.”

He did. It was shaky. Mandy felt his chest expand against her before going back to normal. The whining noise calmed down. A few lights still flickered here and there, but everything went calm again. Lou kept his eyes closed, but they weren’t tight. They opened ever so slightly, just enough to see blue veins along his arms where they were held out. Slowly, he put his hands – still covered – on Mandy’s back. The smallest voltage traveled through the friction created between his gloves and her shirt. Mandy shivered, feeling the electricity tingle her skin. “Don’t be so scared of this that you don’t reach out,” she whispered. 

For once, Lou watched the blue streaks of light dance under his felt and didn’t fear it. He held Mandy closer, burying his face into her shoulder in case this was the last time he could control this chaos long enough to hold someone again. 

<><><>

It was one of the few rooms that had no windows. Babo did most of the heavy lifting to get the bookshelves and desk out. Books were placed in leaning piles along the hallway corridor. The carpet was rolled up and moved out into the hallway as well. Anything and everything was removed from the room. There wasn’t anything they could do about the hardwood floors, but they hoped it wouldn’t get out of control enough for that to be a problem. The light fixtures stayed inside. Nothing could be done about those. They would surely blow out the second Lou let loose. It wasn’t their concern. 

Mandy fussed over his shirt and hair as if committing his features to memory in case something unexpected happened. “The ceiling lights are still in there. If they blow and cut you, tell us immediately and we’ll get you.”

Ox slowly began taking Lou’s gloves off. “The second you need or feel ready to come out, knock three times.” 

Nolan stood afar off, leaning against the wall. He hadn’t witnessed anything they talked about. He watched Ox take the gloves off and that was when the sparks were noticed between Lou’s fingers. They reached out in a frenzy to touch something. Someone. The dolls gave Lou more space and Wage opened the door behind him before stepping away. Lou kept his hands close to himself, looking over his shoulder into the empty, dim-lit room. The sparks on his hands lit with more fervor, desperate to reach someone. 

The brunette stayed quietly observant until Lou stepped into the room and they closed and locked the door. “Are we sure isolation is the best way to fix this?” His eyes stayed on the door. 

“He needs to let his emotions out,” Ox explained, “this is the safest way to do it.” 

“No, I got that part,” Nolan nodded, “but...I was under the impression that you guys were helping him. Not an empty room.” 

“We are helping him,” Lucky reasoned diplomatically. “By giving him the space he needs to–”

“He’s had plenty of space,” Nolan cut the bat off. “He’s had this entire, barren Institute to let out his emotions. Someone should be in there with him.” He pushed off the wall, prepared to be the one to do that. 

“Don’t,” Ox held a paw out. “It’s not safe.”

“Yeah, it’s not safe for Lou,” Nolan retorted, more fiery in his response than intended. “Because after the explanation I got last night, it sounds like the factory basically dropped him off who knows how long ago, and left him to figure everything out himself. And your idea of helping is basically doing the same thing? You’ve trapped him in a room with nothing but his thoughts, which is exactly why he’s in this mess in the first place.”

Ox refused to see it Nolan’s way. Mandy focused on the door, processing Nolan’s words. “We should let him out-” she started.

“No,” Wage spoke up this time, “we’ll get nowhere if we keep holding his hand through the whole thing. He’s gotta learn–”

“How to figure everything out himself?” Nolan shot back, angry now. “You’re not listening to what I’m saying here. Are you listening to Lou? Instead of telling him what he needs and forcing him to comply with it? How does that make this any better than what the factory was doing?”

Wage stepped up to be face-to-face with the brunette. “He said he wanted our help and this is us helping him. This is for his own good, he just doesn’t know it yet.” 

Nolan met her gaze evenly. “I wonder if that’s what the factory told him.”

In the room, Lou focused on his breathing. It was completely silent. Any noise from the outside wasn’t coming through. His breaths echoed off the walls now that the room was barren. It was so empty. No sound, other than his heart increasing in rhythm and quickening breaths. His eyes glowed as did the veins beneath his felt. Everything felt too big. He did a few small circles, glancing at every spot in the room. 

“I can’t hurt anyone here,” he whispered to himself, eyes darting in every direction. “Th-this is what I need.” His back suddenly hit the wall behind him and his eyes leveled to look at the door–

“Let me out!” Lou screamed, fists slamming against the portal. Ripples danced around his hands mockingly. 

Lou’s palms flattened against the wall behind him, air becoming difficult to breathe in. 

A shock of electricity went through him. He screamed, collapsing to the ground. The robot hovered over him, pitiless. “Prototype Model 12 is not allowed to go outside these walls. Attempt to do so will result in punishment.”

The lights in the room flickered, making the room flash between darkness and light. 

Day and night passed by like clockwork. Like a machine. Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to years. How long was he supposed to stay here? His Creator never specified when he could leave. Lou noticed how the sun never changed. The stars never moved. The sun rose on the same side it descended. It was fake. The stars were fake. The whole Institute was nothing but a simulation to toy with his mind. 

The first bulb busted. There were five in total – now four. It was only a matter of time until he was enveloped in complete darkness. 

“Ox!” Lou fell to his knees, not able to see even his own hands. He had crawled blindly through the pipe, desperate to find the bunny again after the dolls left through the portal. “Ox! Please! Come back!” He prayed that the bunny hadn’t been destroyed. The solitude was eating the Pretty Doll alive. 

The second bulb imploded. 

“Ox, get out of the way,” Nolan hadn’t experienced much in his short time, but this had to have been the most angered he’d ever felt. 

The bunny stood defiantly in front of the door. “I know him better than you do.”

“Yeah? How long ago was that?” Ox stayed silent, but unmoving. “How long ago, Ox? How long has he been here? The world doesn’t stop moving just because you’re not involved anymore.” 

“As your mayor, I’m tellin’ you to let me do my job!” Ox pulled his ears back. 

“Anyone can put a fancy title to their name,” Nolan spoke softly. For some reason, it sounded more threatening than anything else he’d said. “A real leader doesn’t need one for others to know he’s in charge. Like the doll you just locked in that room.” 

Tears streamed from Lou’s face and his eyes stared wide down at the floor as he hyperventilated. The hardwood felt like it was moving under his feet and he pushed himself farther back against the wall. Legs started shaking. The third bulb went out. 

Rain poured from outside and the dolls steadied themselves when the building shook. Nolan glanced behind them through the hallway window to see clouds moving in and the wind slamming against the glass. He whipped back to Ox. “You have three seconds to get out of my way.” 

“We can’t keep suppressing his emotions,” Ox tried to speak calmly. “He needs to let them out.” 

“There wouldn’t be anything to let out if we didn’t provoke his emotions like this. Fear doesn’t die out, Ox. It doesn’t just go away once you’ve had enough of it. It grows stronger until it consumes and destroys everything.” 

Ox’s gaze looked at the window behind the brunette. The streetlights flickered and some busted. Thunder roared above the sound of the rain getting stronger. Nolan was right. It wouldn’t go away. They couldn’t get rid of it unless they destroyed Lou – and that was if Lou didn’t end up destroying himself. Ox didn’t say anything, but he lowered his gaze to the floor and stepped to the side. Nolan didn’t hesitate to unlock the door. 

There was one bulb left, just enough to see the trembling doll sitting with his back pressed to the wall. Nolan ignored the cracks of glass under his shoes where remnants of the lights had scattered. That one bulb was holding on for dear life as it flickered. It shook and screamed and whined. It felt like it was going to bust at any second. 

Hands wrapped around its sides gently. There was heat from the built-up energy inside of it. Nolan rubbed it gently, careful not to bring it to its breaking point. The sparks inside flickered momentarily before settling down. 

Lou let his eyes open slowly, coming to enough to feel Nolan’s hands on either side of his face. The tears were wiped away as best as they could be. Lou’s eyes fluttered, breathing still ragged and much too fast. Blue sparks reached desperately toward Nolan. “I hear you,” Nolan spoke softly, “I’m right here.” The brunette felt the ground trembling and the wind was still chaotic outside. He carefully hooked one arm under Lou’s knees and the other braced his back. “Let’s get you out of this room.”

[the-hidden-writer]

maestro sigma fic snippet (part 3)

So chapter 3 is already nearly 3000 words and is only about halfway done...

since i have exams over the next week or so i thought i’d post a sneak peek in the meantime

Chapter summary (wip): Siebren should have known his second chance wouldn’t last.

CW: mentions of blood

Like music drifting in the air (Invisible, but everywhere...)

Chapter 3: Siebren de Kuiper (sneak peek)

As the door slowly swung open, Julia noticed that though the piano lid was open, it was not being played.

Sitting on the stool that looked so tiny compared to him was Sander Visscher. He was facing the wall to her left and his back was hunched with his head hanging low. His silver hair was disheveled and the glasses had fallen off his face. Although he was still wearing his impeccable tuxedo, his white bowtie was undone and hung loosely around his neck, and it even looked like some of the top buttons on his shirt were undone. His posture made it seem like there was some invisible force weighing him down.

He looked… drained. He didn't seem to have noticed the door had been opened.

“...Are you okay, Mr Visscher?” Julia asked softly.

He acknowledged her with the subtlest of movements; a slight tilt of the head which was only enough so that his red eyes could meet hers, brimming with tears.

Now able to see his face, Julia saw the stream of blood running from his large nose.

She forced herself out of shock and into practical-mode.

“S-Sir, your face!” Her eyes quickly scanned the room for tissues, but to no avail. “Is there a first aid kit in here?”

It took him a few seconds to reply quietly, turning his head away from her again. “No.”

His voice sounded hoarse.

Julia started to panic even more and moved to leave. “Don’t worry, there’s one in the rehearsal room. I’ll just go get-”

“No!” Visscher repeated, a little louder, causing her to freeze in place.

“Just let me-”

“No.” He said again, more resigned this time.

“Uh… okay?” Julia wasn’t sure what to do. If the elderly man had landed on his head then he probably needed immediate medical attention, but then again his face didn’t look bruised at all. Maybe his nose had started bleeding from stress? Either way, the maestro didn’t look as if he was alright in the slightest. She couldn’t just leave him there. “Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all?”

“No.”

Well, this was going great. He wasn’t talking to her but he wasn’t making her leave, either. Which was probably a good thing.

“The emergency services are here.” Julia said after a few minutes of awkward silence. “There are paramedics out front helping people right now, I can fetch someone for you if you want?”

No response. The man’s eyes were squeezed shut.

“The police are here too.” She continued. “They’re searching the hall to find out what happened. They think it was probably a terrorist attack with a graviton weapon-”

“No.” Visscher shook his head gently. “They won’t find anything.”

No..? “What do you mean? Do you know what happened?”

Julia silently prayed that Visscher wasn’t involved. There were another few minutes of tense silence.

“It’s my fault.” He said eventually, his voice cracking- causing a twinge in Julia’s heart. “I should have known better than to think I could live like this again.”

Now Julia was just confused. She shivered involuntarily as that inkling of fear traveled onto her skin. Something about this whole conversation was starting to feel off.

“What are you talking about?” She asked, unable to speak louder than a stage-whisper.

Visscher’s reply turned that inkling into downright terror.

“I did this. This is because of me.”

Before Julia had the chance to ask him to elaborate, she caught some movement through the corner of her eye. Some of the ornaments on the desk at the side of the room (a few model animals, a Newton’s cradle and a metronome) were floating in the air. She quickly turned back to Visscher, worried there was another attack, but the words fell away when she noticed his outstretched fingers.

Fingers pointed towards the desk. The desk where there were objects floating.

Every bone in Julia’s body told her to get out.

She didn’t move. “A-Are you doing that?”

Visscher said nothing, but he relaxed his hand and all the floating items clattered back onto the table. So… that was a new development.

[hiddendrabbles]

birthday cake w/ glamrock freddy

yeah yeah glamrock freddy is my comfort character this, glamrock freddy is my dad that… but who comforts the comfort character???

You found Freddy slumped on the couch in his room. There were bits of birthday cake covering his shoulders and legs. One of his shoulder pads had a couple of birthday candles that looked like they had been stuck on with frosting. He showed no reaction to you entering his room which worried you greatly.

Usually you were greeted enthusiastically with a wave and exclamations of happiness. It was no secret you were many of the animatronic’s favorite technician who sometimes doubled as a night guard. You were always genuinely happy to see them and they appreciated your kindness. Whatever they needed the animatronics knew they could count on you. Unlike with Vanessa.

That brought back to your current situation. You’d overheard Vanessa yelling at Freddy and threatening to strip him for parts if he didn’t get his act together. Apparently there had been a birthday party with no adult supervision where some nasty kids had decided that shoving birthday cake into Freddy was great entertainment. They managed to shove some under his chest plate which caused a small glitch. Some spazzing from Freddy’s part sent the kids into crying fits which resulted in angry parents rushing into the room. No one was hurt, but Freddy wasn’t able to make it to his other four scheduled parties, which is what sent Vanessa into a fit of rage.

“Hey buddy. Can I come in?”

You saw his ears twitch and he lifted his head up slightly to look at you. He looked absolutely miserable. Eyes that were usually so bright looked dim and dull. Even as an animatronic that lacked facial expressions you could read his emotions so clearly by his body language. Freddy dropped his gaze down to the floor again, and nodded slowly.

“Oh Freddy, what did they do to you?”

You walked over and sat next to him, laying a hand on his back and plucking the birthday candles off of him. He turned his big sad eyes on you as you rubbed circles on his back.

“The birthday boy and his friends said my song was stupid. No one was having a good time, superstar. One of them threw their slice of cake at me and the rest joined in.”

Freddy dropped his head sadly again.

“They were finally having fun, but I could feel the cake going underneath my plates. I asked them to please stop, but they wouldn’t. I said ‘please’, superstar. They did not listen. I did not mean to frighten them, but I could not control the glitch.”

With your free hand, you grabbed one of his and squeezed.

“Hey. You listen to me Freddy, ok? That wasn’t your fault. You did nothing wrong, I promise. They had no reason to have been so cruel to you.”

Squeezing his hand one more time, you pulled away to reach for the rag tucked into your work belt.

“I overhead Vanessa, she had no right to say any of those things to you either, you hear me? I promise i’ll never let her get her hands on you.”

You dabbed at a smear of frosting on his cheek as you spoke.

“You know, I could go into parties with you to make sure this never happens again, hm?”

Freddy’s ears perked up as he straightened up and turned towards you fully. He towered over you even with both of you sitting, but you never felt even the slightest hint of fear.

“You would do that, superstar? Really?”

“Of course I would! I’ll watch out for you bud. Now, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Freddy agreed, eager to get the cake off and out of him. If some disassembling was required to fully clean him, he knew he could trust you to put him back together. Freddy felt you slip your hand into his to tug him off the couch.

“Come on buddy. Hey, why don’t you sing me your birthday song? You know how much I love it.”

Yes, he trusted you fully.

[levis-tealeef]

“guilt,,

diluc x reader | angst

ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ - diluc is always on time. he's one that's very prone to the importance of time management... so why was this the one time he was too late?

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A/N: ah yes, sweet, sweet angst~ this isn't as long as i thought it was but oh well- i seem to write a lot less than i initially think :,) anyway, here's another diluc oneshot because yes :] i'll do some fluff with the boy soon i promiseee

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warnings: cursing, character death

700+ words

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the pitter patter of rain, and his ragged breaths were all diluc could hear. was he too late? he hoped to the archons he wasn't.

you had gone out to do a commission for that darn adventurers guild yet again, but you hadn't met him when you said you would. it was getting dark and he was beginning to fear the worst.

as soon as your body came into view he bolted over, a whisper of your name falling off of his lips as he did.

at the sound of approaching footsteps you lifted your head slightly and opened your eyes slowly. "diluc..." you breathed out, falling limp against the tree again.

your hand was clawed at your side, your clothes drenched in what diluc could only fear as your own blood. the exposed skin he could see was purple and raw, the assumption of an attack by an abyss mage coming to mind.

he crouched down next to you, quickly looking you over for more wounds besides the evident one on your side. "y/n-..." he looked at you in disbelief, too in shock at the current moment to think straight.

you peeked at him once again, even the slightest opening of your eyes causing your head to spin. "i'm alright... it's not that bad...-"

"you don't think it's that bad? have you seen-" he stopped himself short. he took his jacket off and ripped part of his shirt, holding it against your wound to try and slow down the bleeding. "you told me you were going to be careful, y/n."

"i was careful-" you tried reasoning, but you both knew too well that an injury like this wasn't good news by any means. you started to cough, your breath wheezing when you took in a breath. it was painful. so, so painful.

"not you're not!" it was now that tears surfaced. "you're not fine! you're bleeding out y/n!" much to his dislike, he was starting to panic now. "how long have you been covering this?"

"s-since i started my way back from liyue..." diluc could only look at you with disbelief.

"what in teyvat were you thinking?" were the only words he could muster. you'd walked all that way with an injury like this? how?

"i didn't want you to worry-" you reached a hand up to cup his cheek. you were shaking.

"well i am!" he looked at you, eyes wide and brimmed with tears. "i'm terrified! this is serious y/n!"

you let out a whimper. you didn't want him to be mad- the last thing you wanted was for him to be angry or upset, and yet you had achieved just that. "i'm sorry-"

at your voice breaking, he softened. "i- fuck- i'm sorry for yelling y/n... but this-... this isn't looking good." he clenched his jaw and brought you into his hold carefully, picking you up. "i'm going to fix this..."

"diluc..." you whispered. "this isn't your fault-"

"it is." he looked down at you. "if i had gotten to you sooner i could have helped... but i didn't." he started walking.

much to you dislike you were beginning to become too weak even to muster words. you looked up at him, gently cupping his cheek with the strength you still had. "... please don't blame yourself..." you whispered.

diluc only gave a short not. he wasn't going to argue with you. especially when you were in this state. he gazed forwards, hurrying to get back to mondstadt in hopes for help. you were in the middle of nowhere, and there was no way to contact anyone.

"you're going to be okay." he spoke quietly after a few moments of walking. you didn't even hum. "... y/n?"

when he looked at you, your eyes were closed. your lips were softly parted, head gently resting against his shoulder. you looked asleep, though the lack of movement coming from you was a quickly growing worry. he hadn't noticed your hand had fallen from its comforting place on his cheek.

he shook you carefully, gently leaning in slightly in hopes to feel the tickle of your breath on his ear. he felt nothing.

now he began panicking.

"y/n-" he almost stumbled when he came to a stop, shaking you again in hopes for a miracle for you to say something, even 'stop shaking me'. he begged for any movements, any signs, but you gave him none.

"oh no- oh no, no, no-" it was now diluc's eyes watered. this couldn't be happening. "help!" he began calling out desperately, the thunderous rain seeming to heavy. he started to sob, his throat painfully closing up as reality seeped in. "s-someone help! my baby- th-they-" he hiccuped, gently cupping your cheek. "i-i can't-... they c-can't..."

he was too late.

[spencessmile]

Conversations In The Bullpen

Pairing - BAU x Fem!Reader

Summary - You and the team exchange stories from past and present times.

Warnings - Fluff, Swearing & slightest mention of injury and talks about clowns.

Word Count - 1.6k

And all imagines/fanfics/blurbs are written solely by me so please don't steal my work and/or post it without my consent. Feedback and Comments are welcome. Happy reading!

Requests are CLOSED!

**

“What about you Y/n?” You hear Morgan’s voice as you finish up your last report, adding it to the finished pile. You slide your chair towards his desk, Morgan’s foot stopping it before it hit Garcia’s legs. “Craziest thing you saw or dealt with in LA before you quit your job as a cop? Go.”

“Oh, um,” You chuckle. “I could probably go on forever. A lot of weird shit happens in LA.”

“Top 3?”

“Top 3? Okay, first I had a case where a woman killed her husband because he refused to leave their cottage in her name. When my partner and I investigated we found out that she buried him within the walls of their house.”

“Oh my god, no!” Garcia groans.

“Second has to be when I had my right hand inside a man’s chest for nine hours. He was in a really bad car accident and he wouldn’t have made it to the hospital in time so I had to open him up in the middle of the street in order to stop him from bleeding out.”

“That sounds so cool,” Emily beamed, her chin resting on her right hand.

“There goes my dinner,” Garcia spoke.

“His sternum was severely messed up which caused his heart and one of his big blood vessels to start bleeding into his stomach.”

“Wow! It sounds just like that episode from Grey's Anatomy where Meredith had her hand inside that guy's chest. Remember the one who had the bomb inside him? How did it feel to have your hand in someone’s chest?”

“One of my favourite episodes. Uh, it was umm sor- It was bloody and it got worse,” You shrug. “I passed out on the OR floor.” You chuckle thinking about the whole situation and how ridiculous it sounds saying it out loud.

Morgan and Emily crack up laughing as you shake your head. “Yeah, I remember that whole week being so chaotic but that took the cake.”

“Third?” Spencer asks.

“Oh, this one is top on my list. In 2016, there were killer clowns on the loose in Los Angeles.”

“Nah uh. Nope!” Morgan shakes his head as you notice him tense up at the mention of clowns.

“Morgan has coulrophobia,” JJ said giggling at Morgan.

“What really?” You asked, JJ nodded.

“Oh yeah, Morgan’s not a fan of Halloween, people in costumes or masks.”

“Listen,” Morgan put his hand out. “Costumes and masks give me the hibbie jibbies. Just no.”

“Hey everyone knows you're terrified of clowns but no one here knows why exactly you're terrified of them. What’s the story behind clowns?” Emily asks.

Morgan puts five fingers up. “I had evil older cousins.”

“Oh!!” Everyone laughs.

“Morgan,” You pat his shoulder. “I was traumatized by my older cousins too but don’t worry their all going to hell.”

“I just don’t like the way they look, with the red nose, and all that face paint and masks,” Morgan explains.

“You know the fear of clowns usually stems from the feeling of not knowing what’s going on underneath the mask or costume,” You still remember the words of your captain.

“I just don’t care. If I were to see a clown I will hands down punch it.” Garcia and you just laugh at how passionately Morgan seemed about his hate for clowns.

“2016 was a fucking weird year for LA. It started out as a harmless prank but people just took it too far. I think the LAPD arrested close to 2,000 clowns,” You sounded so ridiculous saying this out loud.

“I just glad weird fucking shit doesn’t happen here in Washington.”

“What would you do if a clown showed up at your apartment?” Spencer asked as

Morgan glared at him. “Why would you ever say such a thing?” Morgan spat, getting upset. “I’d probably kick its ass.”

“Morgan you're scared of like,” Emily waves her hand around. “Everything.” She laughs. “Remember that case we had NYC, and it was Halloween? You were so annoyed that people had decorations up.”

“Oh,” JJ faces lights up. “I remember that and the woman's husband who we were trying to find had a cage full of birds! Morgan, you were terrified of those birds!”

“Okay, can we not do this right now?!” Morgan looked annoyed.

“What’s your problem with birds?” You ask.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, actually one time Mor-”

“Baby girl, don't you dare say a word!” Morgan warns her as Garcia puts her hands up.

“Hey! That’s not fair, how come Garcia knows the story but not the rest of us?” Emily asks.

“That’s because I was there,” Garcia sips her tea, looking over at you.

“What type of person is scared of birds?” Spencer asks, shaking his head as Morgan sat up in his chair.

“Reid, Reid don’t move but there’s a spider on your shoulder!” Morgan yells as Spencer jumps up from his chair, violently wiping his shoulder.

“GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! EMILY!!” Spencer continues to move around as you all lose it watching Spencer running around frantically.

“Emily, is it gone?!” He asks, as Emily is holding onto her sides, JJ leaning into her as Garcia was wiping away tears. Morgan's face was tomato red from laughing as you felt like you couldn’t breathe. “Guys! This isn’t funny! Is it gone? Where is it? Please, ser-” You could hear the panic in Spencer’s voice.

“Spencer!” You called. “There was nothing there,” You say, giggling.

“What?”

“Morgan was just pulling your leg,” You playfully smack the back of Morgan’s head as he continues to laugh at Spencer distraught condition. Spencer glares over at Morgan as he grabs the small hand exercise ball off his desk and throws it, hitting Morgan in the face. Everyone bursts out laughing.

“What was that for?”

“For what you just did to me,” Spencer says, putting a hand on his chest.

“Why are you scared of spiders, pretty boy?” Morgan questions.

“I just don’t like them. All their legs and fu-” Spencer shutters at the thought of them.

“Did I ever tell one time Spen-”

“Morgan don’t!”

“Spencer called me over one time because there was a spider on his bedroom ceiling. When I got to his apartment, he was wearing doughnut and smiley faces boxers while trying to kill a spider with a mop.”

“Shut up, your lying!” Emily looks over at Spencer.

“That didn’t actually happen,” Spencer’s face was flushed red with embarrassment.

“Didn’t it?” Morgan holds out his phone, playing a video of Spencer trying to kill the spider.

“This is the best thing ever!” Emily exclaimed.

“YOU MADE A VIDEO?!” Spencer shrieked.

“And I’m not ashamed to admit that I watch it at least twice a day because that video right there is pure gold, baby!” Morgan cheers.

“Who else have you shown that to?” Spencer asked.

“Oh just you guys,” Morgan replies. “My sisters.”

“Oh my god.”

“My mom loved your smiley face and doughnut boxers.”

“YOU SHOWED THIS VIDEO TO YOUR MOM?!” Spencer exclaimed as Garcia kept replaying to the part where Spencer runs behind Morgan.

“Look at his face!” She yells as you and Emily grabbed onto each other from laughing so hard.

“One thing is for sure after watching this video,” JJ says. “Both Spencer and Morgan radiate so much chaotic energy off each other.”

“Yes!” You say, giving her a high five.

“Hey Y/n, did I ever tell you about the time Morgan showed up at my apartment drunk?” Spencer asks and you shake your head. “While wearing nothing but briefs.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh you wouldn’t!” Morgan threatens.

“Watch me!” Spencer leans over and whispers in your ear.

“OH MY GOD MORGAN! You look over at him. “Seriously?”

“What’s going on out here?” You hear a deep voice from behind you, turning around you see Hotch walking down the catwalk.

“How come I didn’t know about Morgan's dirty past?” You ask, folding your arm. Without even asking Hotch knew exactly what you were referring to.

“I’m unfriending you all,” Morgan points to everyone as Garcia leans into him, giggling.

“Everyone here knows a little bit too much about Morgan’s sex life,” Hotch points out.

“Hotch, not you too man,” Morgan groans.

Hotch leaned against Emily’s desk as he looks around at you all teasing and laughing with each other. Though Hotch could hear the laughter from his office, he couldn’t help but walk out and join the chaos. It was times like this, that Hotch was beyond thankful to have you all apart of his life. He could always count on you guys to add the sweet and spice to your guy's solemn life.

“What are you all still doing here? Your shift ended half hour ago,” Hotch looks down at his clock.

“Oh shoot!” JJ said, quickly grabbing her bag. “I gotta pick up Henry from my moms.” She bid her goodbyes and headed out.

“What about the rest of you? Don’t have any plans?”

“I have a date but that’s not until Wednesday,” Morgan says as you all just stare blankly at him. “At 7pm.” You smirk at him. “What?”

“Today is Wednesday you dumbass,” You said. “You just stood up your date by a half-hour.”

“Oh shit!” Morgan scrambled for his things, beelining for the elevator. “If I don’t get laid tonight, it’s all your guy's fault and drinks are on you guys for a whole month!” He yells behind him.

“Twenty bucks say his date going to cuss him off for being late, leaving him hanging,” You say.

“Forty bucks say that Morgan is going to get laid and that we’re all going to hear about over coffee tomorrow morning,” Hotch said dropping forty bucks on the table, walking away leaving you all in shock.

[animeyanderelover]

Hello again! Can I have prompt 46 with Ash? Tnx

Recently I told my friend that I had a lot of requests about him and she laughed about it. She doesn't really like him, but she gives him credit since he looks good.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessiveness, obsessiveness, delusions, extreme paranoia, isolation, desperation, mentions of kidnapping,overprotectiveness, mentions of self-harm, Stockholm syndrome

Prompt 46: "Can I...can I kiss you?"

It was nothing less than a miracle that someone like you existed, someone who was cleansed from all the sins of this world and the corruption of humans. You were radiating with everything Ash had wanted for this world, a world that he wanted to give to you. It was the minimum from what she should and would do for you, it was his duty as your very own guardian angel. A role he was utterly dedicated too, devoted to his very own angel who forgave him his sins every time.

It was true, you had forgiven him his crimes already a long time ago as everything around you had started to fade away and you had lost count of how long exactly you had been stuck in here. Somewhere around one and a half years would be your expectation, looking on how the seasons had changed through the large and closed windows which symbolized your loss of freedom. But you didn't mind anymore.

You only needed and wanted Ash, your guardian angel.

There was clear tension in his body, you could feel how he stiffened up under your embrace. He had never really received that sort of affection before from anyone nor would he have ever wanted it from all those worthless lives walking around freely. You were the only person he actually wanted any sort of touches from. That was how pure you were, even causing someone like him craving something and falling victim to his own desires. And it was his own fault for being so weak-minded. He didn't deserve you yet letting you perish outside would be an even greater sin. He had to keep you safe.

"My Queen...what are you doing?"

Being able to keep his composure was important in front of you, though he remembered to have failed multiple times in the past already. Severe punishment was the only thing he could think of to atone for his failures for not being good enough, for proving himself to be so incredibly useless. Even now he could feel some unhealed wounds aching a bit, but you didn't have to know about his weakness and incompetence.

You blinked slightly confused up at him when he asked you such an obvious question, but it soon turned into slight giggling that instantly plunged Ash's heart into painfully warm emotions and forced his eyes to get wet. It had taken a while until you had been able to look so happy after he had quickly rescued you from all the evil waiting to devour you. The distress he had felt back then could never be put in words and no burns, knifes and broken bones had been able to make up for what you had been suffering under. Even now it remained as a anxiety deeply stuck in his heart. But looking at you now, smiling at him and not staring with wide eyes filled with fear at him, was worth much more than his whole life could ever repay you.

"I’m hugging you. It’s just that you always look so worried and stressed over my safety and never appear to take a rest. Just now you did as well so I thought this might help you a bit. A strong hug can be more worth than thousand words after all. That’s what my mother told me at least when I was younger.”, you replied softly, pressing your face deeper into his chest with a content look on your face.

There was nothing Ash could think of for a few moments, instead he seared the scene in front of him deep into his brain, how you were currently buried into his chest, looking so happy and peaceful. So stunning and precious.

Tears were quick to escape his eyes only seconds later, his insides stirring up with warmth that stung him and yet baked him with something he hadn’t felt in so long. Comfort and peace.

This was exactly why he had to protect you with his very own life, no one was allowed to snuff out the light you carried inside of you and that was able to even share it’s warmth with him. You possessed too much kindness to understand, but normal humans only destroyed what they touched, ruining it with their greed.

He wouldn’t let them do the same to you.

He would kill everyone who would even do as much as getting too close.

He just had to guarantee that you would live.

But first of all he had to calm himself down or otherwise he might worry you even more than he seemed to have done already. The tears were quickly wiped away with his sleeves before Ash was able to look at you again, still feeling like he wanted to continue crying. His heart felt like it might burst at any moment.

“You have so much warmth and love inside of you that I don’t think I deserve any of it. You shouldn’t even be concerned about me, I merely do what I have to do as your guardian. If you were to fall victim to this damned place, I would perish as well. What use is an angel who can’t even protect their chosen one?”

Pain was twisting his voice and face a bit when he dared to imagine how a world without you would be, a world filled with grief and darkness for him. Letting his guard down would be a fatal mistake, he had seen the worst of this world and the humans and he knew that it would happen again. That was why he had to be like this for you were his heart beating outside his chest. If something were to ever happen to you...

The angel hadn't even noticed that he had already started crying again, fist tightened and body shaking whilst getting lost in fears of losing the one good and bright thing this world had still left.

"But for me you're more than just a guardian angel. You're my angel and I want you to feel happy as well. I want you to feel loved as well. You do so much for me, but I feel like I only cause you stress and uneasiness. Shouldn't you be happy because of me?", you asked him in slight protest, feeling sadness whilst seeing the man you had come to love like this again because of you. You had never seen him truly relaxed nor had you ever been able to show him your feelings. He wouldn't let you, not thinking that he deserved you.

His reaction was instant, suddenly falling on his knees upon hearing from what you had said that he had disappointed you yet again, the visible look of your sorrow only stabbing his fear deeper into his very soul.

"I-I am so sorry! I didn't know that you felt this way only because I was so selfish to only think about myself like this! I don't deserve your forgiveness and accept any sort of-"

When he felt the soft sensation of your hands cupping his stained cheeks, he abruptly stopped his rambling, trying to not choke on his own breath that had gotten irregular.

"You don't have to apologize to me. I don't want to hear you saying such things about yourself. Don't you understand? I am unhappy whenever you are like this, seeing yourself as so worthless and not deserving of my love. That's what hurts me so much. You're rejecting my feelings. I love you, Ash. And I want to know if you do too. Because if you do, please stop talking like this and behave so distantly."

Your voice conveyed every bit emotion that was going on inside of you in that moment, something that Ash noticed with widened eyes as well.

Silence was cut short by him when he realized that you wanted something crucial from him which he would gladly give you. He had never considered that you would ever consider his love as something you wanted, consider him as someone you loved. When had been the last time someone had been truly kind to him and loved him? He couldn't remember anymore.

"Of course I do. You should never doubt my feelings for you. I love you more than you could ever imagine. It's impossible to function without you.", he managed to reply with a shaking voice as he grabbed both of your hands in his own.

"Then why are you acting like this? Everyone deserves someone who loves them. Without love it's a very painful life, isn't it? That's why I am hurting as well. Let me love you and I promise that you'll be able to feel peace as well.", you muttered slightly embarrassed out, leaning your head down so your forehead could rest against his own.

Slight sobs were starting to catch up to Ash as he was staring in pure awe at you.

"Thank you. I'll be better and make sure that I won't cause you sadness anymore.", he pressed out, tightening his grip on your hands only the slightest bit so he wouldn't hurt you.

"I'm glad to hear that.", you replied with a sincere smile on your face, joy stirring your heart up just by seeing that for the first time since he had abducted you, Ash was looking relieved and less tense. He just looked extremely grateful.

"May I ask you for a favor then?", you requested with a certain idea in mind.

"I'll do anything for you.", Ash replied, sounding very emotional.

"I want to do something for you for once since you normally do anything for me."

Hesitation and clear dislike instantly shadowed his face, the thought of him asking something from you going against Ash's belief in all the wrong ways. You shouldn't have to do him favors.

"It doesn't have to be something difficult. It can be a really simple thing. Just...something that I can do for you this once. Please.", you begged slightly, seeing the angel already struggling. You knew how he felt about such things, he hated letting you do something for him and he had never done it before either. Ash saw it only upon himself to serve you which was another thing that sometimes made you feel guilty. You wanted to do more for him as well.

"Can I...can I kiss you?"

Maybe that had been more a slip of his tongue, but he had been slightly panicking since hadn't want to sadden you again nor had he wanted you to do physical work for him. It was supposed to be the other way around.

So when he had stared for a moment at your face, eyes locked on your lips, he had considered somewhere deep in his mind possibilities which he had been fantasizing about a few times before, but hadn't thought that they would actually have a change of happening.

In his opinion they were still sinful, it would take a while for him to get used to the idea that you wanted to receive physical affection and love from him. The first impulse when he realized what he had said was instantly apologizing, only to be interrupted before he could even start saying anything.

You had already leaned down to fulfill him his wish before he could take it back again.

[ladylynse]

Ectober 2021, Day 24: Sweet Dreams/Nightmare [FFN | AO3]

Technically starts with this ficlet for Day 17 (Found Footage) and continues with this ficlet for Day 22 (Favour) but can be read as a standalone if preferred. Shifts from one prompt to the other for today.

-|-

Dash finally has everything he wants—until his dream melts into a nightmare.

-|-

I’m proud of you, son.

Dash had waited so long to hear those words from his father, and now, it had finally happened. It had taken leading the Ravens to a victorious state championship, but he’d done it. His family had acknowledged his success, the school was hosting a parade in his honour, people who saw him were genuine in their congratulations, their voices glowing with an echo of his pride because they respected him and not just feared him….

It was nice. It was beyond nice. It was what he’d always wanted but hadn’t been willing to admit.

Dash picked up Pookie and hugged him close, falling back onto his bed between his pillows and his teddy bears. “We did it, Pookie,” he whispered as Pookie nuzzled into the crook of his neck. Dash laughed, closing his eyes as he squeezed Pookie even tighter. “We finally proved ourselves.”

Well, Pookie hadn’t needed to prove anything. Pookie was still and always had been a very good boy, something Dash was sure to tell him every day, but he liked to think that Pookie understood what Dash was going through.

“This is the life, isn’t it?” Dash murmured. Pookie had been a warm, comforting weight on his chest for years whenever he’d hidden in his room instead of dealing with anything he didn’t want to deal with, but this was the first time he understood what it meant when people talked about feeling at peace. Things were going his way, and he was well on his way to having it made. He wasn’t worrying about what was coming next or what people were saying behind his back or what horrible things might come out that could ruin everything for him.

That was all behind him now. In hindsight, he could appreciate how much he’d felt the weight of it trying to drag him down every day, the fear of that other shoe dropping and irreparably crushing everything. But now? Now, he might finally be able to close his eyes without that bringing to the surface every terrible thought of what might happen and how every choice he made was ruining his life, even when he felt forced into it.

“That therapist was wrong. I’m not going to wind up pumping gas for the rest of my life. With this scholarship opportunity, I’ve got the in I need to get recognized by the people who matter.”

Pookie licked his nose, and Dash wrinkled his own at the inevitable whiff of dog breath. “I’m gonna get your teeth cleaned again,” he promised, “and get you some more of those treats that are supposed to help you stay healthy. We’re in this for the long haul, Pooks.”

Pookie let out a quiet whuff in response and leaned into Dash’s hand, wanting more scritches behind the ears.

Dash was nearly asleep when he felt the first tremor, just the slightest shaking of the bed beneath him, the sort usually caused when there was a loud, heavy truck speeding by on the street. There had been no such noise, though, so he thought he must’ve imagined it—until the second tremor came, pronounced enough to make it clear he wasn’t half asleep. Dash opened his eyes and sat up, cradling Pookie to his chest. Pookie licked his face again, but he wasn’t whining or barking, which had to be a good sign, right?

There was another tremor, this one strong enough to cause the various football trophies on his shelf to shift and rattle. Some wild part of Dash wondered if this was what an earthquake felt like. No. That was ridiculous. This was Amity Park. They weren’t near any fault lines; any earthquakes they had wouldn’t do much more than tip over a lawn chair, right? This had to be a ghost attack.

Only, it couldn’t be a ghost attack, because Pookie would’ve known, right? He always knew when a ghost was going to attack before Dash did. If they were in the same room, he’d either stand in front of Dash and bark wildly or whine and tug on Dash’s jeans to try to get him to hide.

“Pookie? What’s going on?”

In his arms, Pookie snuffled.

There was a high-pitched tone sounding in Dash’s ears now—not a buzzing, but not quite a whistle, more a whine or a drone or—

The accompanying tremor was enough to knock him from his bed, and instinct alone kept him from crushing Pookie as he cradled his dog like a football to his chest. Dash scrambled to his feet and stumbled out of his room, muttering, “It’ll be okay, Pooks. It’ll be okay.”

Pookie, the good dog that he was, wasn’t fussing.

Dash yelled for his parents to meet him outside in case they were still in the house, but he was barely three feet from the stoop when the ground bucked beneath him and threw him to his knees. He rolled backwards onto his butt as the ground swelled up beneath him again, and he watched the asphalt roll away as if a monster were trapped beneath it, threatening to break through. Overheard, the light posts tilted and the power lines swung about, and the buildings started to lean like Jenga towers that were about to fall.

The sound in his head grew louder, deeper, and he held Pookie in his right arm while pressing his left to his left ear and pushing his right ear into his shoulder, trying to block out that sound.

That only seemed to make it worse.

Dash couldn’t see anyone else outside. He didn’t know where his parents were, where his neighbours were, where anyone was except Pookie. This had to be a ghost, didn’t it? Phantom would show up and save them any second now.

The shaking didn’t let up.

Phantom didn’t show up.

Ten feet away, the ground finally opened up, splitting apart to swallow his neighbour’s car whole.

The gaping maw closed again within seconds, its appetite sated for now.

Dash screamed and tried to hug Pookie closer, only to realize Pookie wasn’t there anymore. He looked around, but there was no sign of Pookie anywhere, and he couldn’t help but fear—

The screaming was outside of him and inside of him, not just his voice but this howling in his head, finally ripping free so that it could be heard.

Wake uuuuuuuuuuuup!

Dash jerked in bed, the cry waning as he shuddered awake. His heart galloped in his chest, seemingly strongly enough to shake the bed, but he didn’t know if that was his imagination or remembered tremors from his dream. He gulped in a huge lungful of air and held it, hugging himself and trying to coax his heart into slowing down. The beat thundering in his ears eventually slowed and faded, but not until he’d repeated the process.

It had seemed so real.

Why couldn’t it have been real? The first part, obviously. The good part. The bit before it had turned into a nightmare. He wanted that part to be real. As hard as he was trying to make it a reality, he wasn’t making much progress.

It wasn’t the first time he’d had a dream like this, and that only made it harder. The last one hadn’t turned into a nightmare, exactly, or at least not the sort of nightmare that this one had, but….

Dash sat up and reached to turn on his lamp, squinting at the brightness as he grabbed the glass of water on his bedside table and chugged half of it. Pookie was curled up at the foot of the bed, snuggled into a nest of the spare blanket. Dash leaned forward to stroke him and realized poor Pookie was shaking. He hadn’t been sleeping, or at least he wasn’t anymore; he’d been hiding. “Hey, it’s okay, Pooks,” Dash cooed. “You’re here with me. I’ve got ya.”

Pookie whined and twisted his head to lick Dash’s hand.

“Ghosts again, huh?” Dash started scratching Pookie behind the ears. “I bet Phantom drove them away for us.”

Phantom always did. He was reliable like that. Just like Pookie was.

Pookie got to his feet and padded over to sit on Dash’s lap, so Dash took the opportunity to check his phone before rubbing Pookie’s belly as the dog flopped over. There was radio silence from Paulina but a message from Kwan, so if this had been a town-wide attack, then Paulina was still caught up in it.

Or still texting Star about it, anyway.

He probably wouldn’t hear from her until tomorrow.

Dash clicked open the text from Kwan. Lay off F may b overshadowed. V looking in 2 it

Fenton? Overshadowed? What had given Kwan that idea? Fenton had fit just as nicely into his locker today—yesterday, Dash realized as a glance at the red numbers on the clock told him it was just past one thirty—as he had into the dumpster the day before.

And why had Kwan brought Valerie into this? She’d dated Fenton. She wasn’t going to appreciate this. Dash had no doubt Kwan had told her about their prank, maybe shown her a bit of the footage if there was anything that could be seen—

Wait.

Dash went back and checked his previous messages. Kwan had only told him that the video hadn’t turned out. He hadn’t elaborated. Dash had brushed it off, knowing they’d have plenty of other opportunities to jump Fenton, and asked if it was the lighting so he could start thinking about how to fix things for the next time. Kwan hadn’t said anything, and Dash hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, but….

Dash frowned, opened a new message to Kwan, and typed, U up?

It was only about thirty seconds before Kwan responded. The entire town should b up

Well, Kwan always had his phone on vibrate, but now Dash had even less reason to feel bad about phoning his friend. Kwan picked up after the first ring. “Dude, why do you think Fenturd’s overshadowed?”

“I’ll email you the video,” Kwan said slowly, confirming Dash’s suspicion that the entire thing wasn’t ruined, “but don’t share it with anyone yet. Val said she thought it was genuine when she watched it at my place, but she wouldn’t guarantee it. I was hoping she’d get back to me tonight, but she didn’t. Or maybe this whatever-it-was went through Elmerton first.”

Or Valerie had caved early because of entirely natural reasons. When Star had brought something up earlier, Paulina had said Valerie had been acting weird for a few days, but Dash had figured, since Paulina hadn’t said anything else about it, they weren’t supposed to worry about it. Valerie wasn’t on the A-list anymore. She had to fend for herself, and she’d done a decent enough job of it as far as he could tell.

“Do you know what it was?” Dash asked, giving Kwan a chance to head to the office as he eased Pookie off his lap so he could start up his own computer. (He was lucky enough to have one in his room, something he usually made sure Kwan didn’t forget, but now really didn’t seem like the time to bring it up again.) “I never saw anything.”

“Neither did I.”

That didn’t mean much. This wasn’t the first time a ghost had attacked the entire town before half the people in it knew what was going on. Dash grunted as he settled into his desk chair, resting his right ankle on his left knee, and couldn’t help but smile when Pookie jumped up into his lap a few seconds later. He clicked into his email and waited for the message from Kwan, idly spinning the chair back and forth with his left foot. “What am I going to be looking at?”

Dash didn’t like admitting that he couldn’t remember the signs that someone was overshadowed, but Kwan wouldn’t declare Fenton off limits for nothing. “He didn’t act differently,” Dash added when Kwan didn’t answer right away. “If you think I gave a ghost a wedgy, how come he didn’t turn around and throw me in the dumpster?”

“Maybe he was trying to keep Fenton’s cover?”

Dash snorted, causing Pookie to raise his head and look up before settling back down. “Like Fentoenail would be a prime target anyway. He doesn’t have any power at school.”

“Might have more to do with sabotaging his parents’ stuff.”

Without setting something off? Not unless Fenton or his sister was in on it, and Dash seriously doubted either of them would exactly be keen on Fenton being overshadowed. Whatever. “If he’s overshadowed and the ghost is pretending he’s not, then why does it matter to us? No skin off our nose if he’s not willing to reveal himself.” If it wasn’t going to come back on him, then Dash didn’t really have a problem distributing the video as planned. There was clearly something to see if Kwan had shown it to Valerie to get her opinion on something.

His email chimed, and Dash opened the message from Kwan and started to download the file as Kwan said, “Just watch it first.”

Dash watched it.

He had no doubt when he got to the part Kwan had been talking about.

Considering how loudly he swore when he saw it, Kwan had no doubt, either.

“Yeah.”

“That’s practiced,” Dash hissed. No one moved that easily, that smoothly, without a buttload of practice. “It’s gotta be.” If this were Paulina or Star or one of the other cheerleaders? Sure. Someone who actively hunted ghosts, like Phantom or that Red Hunter chick? Yeah. But Fenton? No. As someone who’d once been stuck as Fenton’s fitness buddy, Dash was confident in that. Fenton had put in the work to scrape a pass for the Presidential Fitness Test, but he had not done so gracefully.

That had been a while back, but if some ghost had been using Fentonia’s body as their own personal track suit at that point and had been trying to keep it on the down low, they wouldn’t have shown any kind of skill in case people cottoned on to what was going on.

Well.

Maybe they would’ve shown their hand, back when they’d first started overshadowing Fenton.

There had been that one time, back in the fall of grade nine, when Fenton had acted really weird at school and had somehow climbed way above his station. If that was when this had started….

If it was, then this wasn’t new.

Which also meant that it was highly unlikely that this was the first time Dash had targeted the ghost, even if said ghost’s overshadowing of Fenton was an on-and-off gig, which only increased the chances of him getting caught up in some inevitable backlash.

Crud.

He’d woken up from one nightmare and found himself living another.

Crud, crud, crud.

He couldn’t afford to have Fenton—or some ghost—ruin his life, but it’s not like he could change his tune in an effort to appease the ghost without jeopardizing everything himself. He needed to stay at the top of the school food chain with Paulina, and suddenly cozying up to a loser like Fenton for no apparent reason would not exactly keep his reputation intact.

“We need to know if this is real,” Dash said. “You said it might not be real.”

“That’s why I asked Valerie to look at it. It’s not like I was gonna ask Foley.”

Right. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to ask any of the nerds who might be able to tell them, either. It would give them too much power. Geez, no wonder Kwan had told him the video hadn’t turned out. They could not show this to people. He’d told Paulina they were doing it—and had then had to tell her it was a bust—and Star might know, but they’d kept it quiet otherwise.

What the heck were they supposed to do if Valerie thought— If Fenton was actually—

“If Val’s not sure…. If she’s not sure, I’ll talk to Fenton.”

“And say what?” Dash did not squeak. That had not been a squeak.

Kwan knew better than to laugh. “I dunno yet. I’ll figure something out.”

“We could tell his parents. Anonymously.”

“That’s not going to work if this ghost has been at it long enough to fool them. You even said he’s acting the same as he always has.”

“We can just show them the video. It’s not that hard. We don’t have to convince them when we have proof.”

“And you think Fenton wouldn’t hear about it and deny everything? Claim Foley did edit it or something if they confronted him? Even if we clipped you out of the video, Fenton would spill the beans when they asked him how the heck he wound up there in the first place. All we’d be doing is handing them evidence to get us kicked off the team. To get you kicked off the team. The Ravens can’t afford to lose you.”

Crud. He had a point. But it’s not like he could confront Fenton—or the ghost overshadowing him—and demand to know what was going on. Or apologize and beg for mercy. They needed to talk to someone else who wouldn’t immediately out them but who might be able to help. “How about we ask Phantom?” Phantom could keep a secret, and they’d kinda bonded that one time they’d been puny. He’d help. He’d know if it was a ghost, anyway.

“We’re as likely to find him as the Red Huntress, and she’s bound to have some ghost tech to see if someone’s being overshadowed.”

“If you just want tech, why don’t we buy something from the Fentons? We can send some nerd to do it so they don’t know it’s us.” Even as Dash made the suggestion, he realized why it wouldn’t work. This ghost could already fool FenonWorks technology. Having it wouldn’t help them at all.

Which brought them back to the other resident ghost hunters in town, neither of which had an address they could actually go to and ask for help.

This sucked.

“We need something we know we can trust. Look, I’ll see if Valerie has any ideas and keep you posted. I’ll text her now. She might be up anyway. I’m sure they heard that over in Elmerton.”

Yeah, quiet was one thing that cry had not been; the tremors from that thing had even invaded his dream. But if Phantom—because it must have been Phantom—hadn’t yelled at him to wake up, probably repeatedly, Dash wasn’t sure he would have.

He didn’t want to think about that right now. He didn’t want to think about what it meant if Fenton was overshadowed, either, but that might at least be relevant. “Yeah, okay. Do that.”

“Try to get some sleep.”

Dash snorted. Fat chance of that. From Kwan’s nervous chuckle, he knew what Dash was thinking, so Dash wasn’t surprised when Kwan hung up with a quick see ya tomorrow.

Even if Dash hadn’t been jolted awake from that nightmare, this was little better.

Dash knew it wouldn’t help, but he started the video over again. If this wasn’t some elaborate prank to make it seem like theirs had backfired on them, if Fenton was actually overshadowed, then Dash needed to glean whatever he could from the ghost’s actions.

Maybe, if he could figure out enough, he could stop this nightmare from getting worse—and destroying any chance of his dreams coming true.

(see more fics | next)

[otptings]

Flowers

☽ Requested; Yes

☽ Idol; Jungwon

☽Word Count; 3.3k+

☽ Genre; Hanahaki (lots of mentions for it) Friends to Lovers, slight Angst

☽ Warnings; Self deprecating thoughts, mentions of hanahaki disease, slight blood, lots of cringe flower metaphors

☽ Synopsis; Date night has been a monthly tradition since before Jungwon debuted in Enhypen. This is your first day out in months with Jungwon, but somethings different about this one. Is it the fact that he's an idol now, and all of your activities happen in empty establishments that have been bought out by his management, or is it your newly returning feelings for Jungwon that threatened to choke you out, causing dark violet flowers to spew out of your mouth at every interaction with him?

☽ A/n; The zoo I am describing for this is the Honolulu Zoo because that is the last one that I've been to, so if some of the animals aren't in Seoul than I apologize for that. Hope you enjoy this and sorry for taking so long on this request I had so many ideas of how to pull off the dates

You trusted Jungwon. It came easily like breathing, only a natural side effect developed effortlessly over 5 years of friendship. Days spent laughing and telling jokes, venting to each other about worries and stresses, studying for hours the night before tests. With someone as generous, and lovable as him it was easy to trust him with your life. He has also used this to his advantage, convincing you to do questionable things with a flash of his dimples. Like now, allowing him to lead you down the streets of Seoul while blindfolded. Completely at his mercy.

"Are we close? My feet are starting to hurt. We've been walking for hours." You whined as Jungwon pulled you around another corner. You've lost your sense of direction 4 turns ago, and he seemed to keep on going. "Why couldn't your manager just drive us the whole way? You had to have him stop super far from wherever you're taking me?" Jungwon just let out a laugh and gently squeezed your wrist. . His hand surrounding your wrist was comforting and grounding, a reminder that you were safe with him.

"We're almost there I promise. And if I would've done that it wouldn't have been a surprise now would it." You humphed knowing that Jungwon was stubborn when it came to things like this.

"You always do this. It's not fair, your ideas are always so much fancier than mine." Jungwon let out another laugh, and you didn't have to see him to know his expression. Eyes probably scrunched up, his dimples greeting the world as he laughed at my pain.

"It's not my fault that I love you so much. Plus I always want to do something special with you." Confusion flooded your mind while your heart skipped multiple beats at his words.

In the same sense of truth, feelings were natural too. Flowering in your chest with every sweet action he did, never wanting a reward for it just doing them because that's the kind of person he is. Packing extra food in his lunch box knowing your tendency to forget your own. Cupping your cheeks while he wiped away your tears, listening to you rant about your sorrows or broken hearts. Pulling you close to his chest afterwards, massaging the back of your head knowing how bad your headaches get after crying. Arms wrapped securely around you as he whispered calming words into your ear, a sense of security and comfort blanketing you while listening to his heart beat. Every gentle, caring and loving action made the flowers grow.

When Jungwon told you about his plan to audition for Be-Lift one part of you was selfish. You wanted him to stay, turn down the biggest opportunity of his lifetime, continue being only your Jungwon. That part was tiny however; and you squashed down those bitter feelings. You were absolutely ecstatic for him, having been the one to even push him towards the auditions. Stayed up hours at night to watch him practice, seeing his confidence grow tremendously the weeks leading to that fateful day.

When he got accepted you both celebrated the great news. His parents held a dinner in his honor, and his family sat around the table, congratulating him and his accomplishment. At first you were happy for him, overflowing with joy that your best friend had passed the biggest audition of his life. But as the day got closer you had to hide your heart break, smiling despite the tears you shed at night. Knowing that he was going to leave you soon.

The night before he left for I-Land was the hardest one, cuddling into his side while you laid in his bed. The last time in a while you would be in his room like this, only the two of you and the quiet of the night. You didn't sleep the whole night, only savoring the feeling of Jungwon holding you tightly, the last night of him being yours. Your best friend. Your first love.

Your Jungwon.

For the first time in 5 years you were apart for longer than a couple weeks. During this time the flowers started to wilt. You were grateful, ecstatic. Of course you missed Jungwon terribly, tuning in every Friday to support him. Eyes watering every time you watched him perform , pride prevailing over any negative emotions you could have as he confidently took the stage. When it was revealed he had made the debut team you had wailed, preening at your best friend's accomplishment knowing that his hard work paid off.

When Jungwon came home to visit your feelings were gone. You didn't feel the twisting in your chest when you hugged him, tucking your face into the crook of his neck as you both cried. Pulling away to look him in the face your heart didn't flutter at his smile, you only relished in the feeling that your best friend was back.

You thought your feelings had wilted into piles of dust and blown away. Not having seen him for months of course that'd be normal. You had thought your feelings were gone for good when you started to see him more frequently and they still hadn't returned.

You were wrong.

"Are you okay bugs?" Snapping out of your daze you realized that Jungwon was standing directly in front of you, one hand cupping your face and concern in his eyes. You nodded your head, cursing yourself for being getting so distracted.

"I'm fine bunny." His eyes scanned your face once before he leaned back, letting his hand linger.

"You know I just worry about you sometimes." Dropping his hand to his side he turned dramatically, switching the topic and gesturing at the box office in front of us. His manager was there waiting for us, underneath the gigantic sign for the zoo. "But I knew that you missed the zoo since we haven't gone in a long time. So I actually convinced management to rent it out for us for 2 hours."

Practically leaping into his arms you wrapped your arms around his neck, a huge smile spreading across your face. "Thank you thank you thank you!" Pulling away you saw his facial expression mimicking yours, dimples proudly on display and bunny teeth prominent.

"Come on, let's go." You giggled as you grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the gate. After getting your wrist bands - just for the experience - you downloaded the digital map and headed into the zoo ecstatic for your day with Jungwon.

♤♠︎♤

"Come on bugs, just look at the snake." You shook your head vehemently, trying to yank your hand free. His fingers only tightened around you wrist as he attempted to convince you to look at the giant snake in the glass enclosure merely 3 feet away from where you stood.

"Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Jungwon." You whined out his name, refusing his outrageous request.

Snakes were definitely a no for you. Especially a boa constrictor that can grow up to 13 ft long. The one they held in the exhibit was only 5 ft, but it could always become bigger. What would even need to get that big? Any animal that needs to be 5+ ft is a menace to society, and only here for evil. You'd already catered to Jungwon enough in this godforsaken reptile and amphibian section. The frogs were cute, absolutely adorable with their big glassy eyes, hanging on to the glass. Lizards weren't a big deal either, some of them over 3 ft long, lazing about their enclosure, enjoying the surprisingly warm Seoul day.

"Isn't this supposed to be a special day for me? Why would you make me see a stupid snake? They don't even have arms, that's so weird and creepy." Jungwon let out a laugh before pulling you over to him, a squeal leaving your lips as your back met his chest, and his arms wrapped around you. At the slightest display of affection you stopped fighting him, feeling the vines squeezing around your heart painfully, before he started to walk forward and you remembered where you were. Fighting for your life.

You tried to plant your feet in the ground to prevent Jungwon from forcing you to see the snake, but he only lifted your feet from the ground as you cursed the stupid Be:Lift gyms. His manager stared in amusement from the corner, his phone out to record the two of you and undoubtably show it to the rest of the members.

Another loud squeal left your mouth as Jungwon brought you right in front of the glass enclosure, the snake was sitting in the corner but slowly started moving towards the two of you, as if you had fascinated it. You turned your head, placing it in the crook of Jungwon's neck as you squeezed your eyes tight. Ignoring the fear that coursed through your body knowing that the snake was only separated by a thin layer of plexiglass.

"Bugs just look." You only shook your head, "I promise the snake won't hurt you as long as I'm here okay? You know I'll always protect you." Jungwon's soft voice cut through the fear, and you sighed knowing that you were falling into another one of his traps. You turned your head while taking a deep breath before opening your eyes, being met with the face of the snake.

With Jungwon's constant flow of reassurance in your ear you took a good look at the snake. The snake was against the glass, falling back down before slithering up again. Its eyes were wide open and almost looked like doe eyes, black and glassy as it stared at you. The scales were a pretty pastel yellow, mixed with white, resembling a banana cow. You were so distracted admiring the snake that you both jumped when his manager suggested you should get along, and walk further into the park. You felt your heart clench painfully as Jungwon stepped away from you, a blush running up his neck and spreading over his cheeks as he quickly walked to the next exhibit not bothering to wait for you.

♤♠︎♤

"I think this is the best friend date we've ever had." Jungwon spoke happily as you two walked out of the zoo gift shop, a red fox panda stuffed animal tucked safely in your arms. His treat since he refused to let you pull out your wallet and purchase it for yourself. You chose to ignore the flutter of your heart and rush of heat at the thought of this being a true date, your mind decidedly ignoring the word 'friend'. Your cheeks ached as you smiled. They've started to hurt after the amount of time spent joking and laughing while visiting the animals.

"It was. I really appreciated it. I've missed you, it's been so long since we've been able to hang out like this." Jungwon nodded in agreement, an uncharacteristically shy smile spreading across your face.

"Come on. The nights still not over, I have one more surprise for you." Jungwon tossed his arm over your shoulder as he led you to the car, excitement and surprise as you thought about what he could potentially still have planned.

Being ever the gentleman he opened the door for you, waiting until you were safely inside to close it and join you. His manager turned on the radio as he drove you two to the next destination.

"Don't tell me we're going to have to walk again? My feet are still dying from the zoo." Jungwon let out a laugh as he grabbed your hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of it as he intertwined your fingers.

"We won't have to walk too much I promise. Just sit back and relax, it shouldn't take too long to get there." You nodded your head before quickly looking out of the window, no longer able to ignore it.

The vines grew in your chest, clenching painfully around your heart, writhing and squeezing like a boa constrictor trying to capture its prey, crawling up your throat making you resist the urge to gag. Lungs filling with petals that swirled and fluttered around with every breath until there were too many, leaving no room to move around, just clumping together as breathes became sickly. Until you could no longer resist the urge to cough.

The sound of you hacking and gagging, the sight of a worried Jungwon when the first petal comes out. Dark violet petals fluttering out with every spasm of your lungs, some full flowers with stems still attacked, coated with a thin layer of maroon liquid, staining the pretty petals and tinging your pink sweater with spots of red, the bitter taste of the flowers mixing with copper. Your throat sore as the taste of bile rose alongside the rest of the petals, finally emptying your lungs. Filling the car until there was no room to hide from it, hide from your feelings. Hide from the predicament that you were in, feelings for you best friend, the rookie idol.

How could you be so stupid to believe that you could hide it? You were always so easily exposed to Jungwon. He knew you better than you knew yourself. What if he already knew and was just biding his time before he left you, the thought of your feelings disgusting him, being too much for him? He could surely find another best friend, one who wouldn't fall for him.

But could that ever happen? Someone not falling for him. It's easy to fall for his eyes, chocolate eyes that always saw right through you. That knew when you weren't feeling good and were trying to hide it. Dark unruly hair, never easily tamed but was so silky when you ran your fingers through it. Despite being called bunny he practically purred whenever you did it, causing your face to burn at the feelings that always resurfaced. Caring nature that assured he'd become the leader of his group, always wanting to care for everyone around him and make sure that they were happy.

You don't think it'd ever be possible for someone to not fall for him.

"Are you okay bugs?" You blinked realizing that the car door was open, Jungwon standing in front of you with the same concerned look that made you feel ashamed, and yet warmed.

Glancing around you realized you had imagined the coughing fit, drowning in the sea of your own emotions and being buried under a mountain of petals. It was all in your imagination, hanahaki didn't exist. How could it? If it existed you would surely be dead.

Shaking your head you waved off the question, unbuckling your seatbelt and quickly hoping out of the van.

"Of course. I'm perfectly fine, just feeling a little tired I guess. Must've gotten lost in my thoughts. Anyway, where are we?" Jungwon raised a brow at your rambling, knowing you only did it when you were nervous before choosing to ignore it and grabbing your hand again. You hoped he couldn't feel how sweaty your palms were, nerves taking over you at the realization your feelings and thoughts had run away from you again.

"Well I wanted to do something really special for you," You shook your head before cutting Jungwon off.

"The zoo was perfect Jungwon, you don't have to do anything else. Today was perfect already." Jungwon shushed you as he led you into the building, his manager staying behind. Leading you to the elevators he pressed a button before getting on, waiting for the doors to close behind the both of you before he continued to speak.

"You've supported me throughout this whole journey. Pushing me to audition when I was too nervous, and didn't think that I would make it. When I got accepted into I-Land you supported me even when I was leaving you in the middle of the school year, texted me every night to let me know that you were watching and were always rooting for me. Knowing how proud I was making you when the thought of me debuting wasn't official helped me work harder, and continue to push myself," He got cut off as the elevator dinged, signaling that you were at your floor. Jungwon pulled you off the elevator towards a set of stairs that led to a door labeled roof. Jungwon turned towards you, his face deathly serious causing you to get a lot nervous at the sudden sober move.

"Before we go out there I just wanted to tell you that I am grateful that you are in my life. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you, constantly supporting me throughout everything. You are what has pushed me this far bugs, and I love you. You're my best friend and I owe you so much for constantly being there." You smiled, ignoring the pain in your chest. Of course he'd only think of you as his best friend, there's no way he'd see you as anything else.

"Of course Jungwon. You can't put it all on me, you worked hard to get to where you are. I'm proud of you because you constantly push yourself, not because you've been successful. You'll always be my Jungwon even if you wouldn't debuted with Enhypen, and I would've always been proud of you." Red dusted over Jungwon's cheeks as he smiled shyly, before opening the roof door and pushing you in front of him.

You were left speechless at the sight in front of you. Blankets laid out over the ground, picnic baskets placed in the middle to prevent the wind from blowing them away. Pastel pink flowers spread out being blown lightly by the wind but not leaving the roof. Fairy lights spread out emitting a soft golden glow barely recognizable under the setting sun. Clouds flitting over the pink, and orange sky. Adding on to the beautiful aesthetic of the set up.

What truly had your attention was the rest of his members standing around the blankets, signs being held out at arm's length. Their various expressions showed excitement, minus Niki who tried to look emotionally detached from the situation but was bouncing on his toes, practically jumping.

From tomorrow,

I'll protect you

All Day and Night

Now Lean on Me

Will you go out with me Bugs?

Hot tears pricked at your eyes, a thick lump in your throat growing. All of their expressions morphed into worry, Niki had even stopped bouncing on his toes, Heeseung glanced at Jungwon slight panic evident in his face. A loud sob left your mouth as you turned around and threw yourself onto Jungwon, tossing your arms around his neck. A nervous laugh left his mouth as he slid his around your waist, holding you almost protectively.

Jungwon pulled away from you, bringing his hands to cup your cheeks, attempting to wipe the river of tears away.

"These are happy tears right?" A weak smile spread across your lips, nodding slowly at him. Seeing his smile come back full force, dimples showing happily. Vines loosening around your heart for the first time in months, falling away as they disintegrated. Petals evaporating leaving behind only fresh air in your lungs, breathes flowing freely as you stared at Jungwon. Boba eyes staring back at you, only showing love. His thumbs stopped wiping as he leaned forward barely, glancing at your lips briefly.

"Can I kiss you?" You eagerly hummed, a soft yes being your answer.

Jungwon leaned forward, leaving space for you to back out if you were too overwhelmed. You met his lips, inciting cheers and groans from the members present, seeing their leader kissing his best friend. Your lips moved in sync, one more thing you guys did perfect together. You must admit, the taste of salt from your cheers, along with the dramatic cheers from his members did not make for the best first kiss experience. Especially for a first kiss that you had fantasized and imagined about for years.

Knowing that was only the first of many however, made it all the sweeter.

[royallyjoon]

nephilim (deux)

you know where the cred goes 💙

cult au, supernatural creature au

yandere! ot7 x f! reader

warnings: yandere themes, violent behavior, manipulation

deep in the forest lies the home to the infamous, successful kim family. you steeled yourself to enter the lions’ den, where kind, masked souls surrounded you, welcoming you with open hearts and open arms. you, however, still keep your wits about you. you protect yourself by getting comfortable, but not too close. but it’s alright. put your guard up to your hearts’ content. you are their favorite past time, after all. either way, sooner or later, you will be theirs...

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

The five Kim siblings couldn’t be more elated, watching the object of their eye sleep without a care in the world.

They remained quiet, speaking in whispers as they strove not to wake you up. Your guarded attitude around them had escaped no one, and they, quite frankly, found it adorable.

You were the only one who didn’t wear your emotions on your sleeve around them.

The sleek, black van turned corner after corner around the winding paths of Ichabod, passing homes, places of commerce, and office buildings.

The Kim family lived deep within the woods, not too far away from the base of the monthly gatherings. All of the other town dwellers would walk from their homes, located at various points in the city, into the twisting black woods in order to appear at the meeting on time.

For the Kims would accept nothing less than perfection.

After another twenty minutes, Driver Bin cautiously approached a narrow dirt path and he directed the car onto the incline, winding upwards on the hill. The car then veered off to the right, entering a secluded road that would lead specifically to the Kim family mansion. 

It stood, raised on wooden platforms with impressive glass windows. The exterior shone in the afternoon sunlight, polished cherry wood glistening through the orange and green leaves on the forest trees.

There was no ostentatious fountain or statue outside the front of the home, nor were there piled bodies of the forsaken lying around their grounds, contrary to popular schoolyard taunts and beliefs. 

Only a winding, wooden staircase that led to the front door. 

The boys stared out the window, gaze breaking away from you for only a moment as they watched the approaching front gate.

A black, iron-wrought masterpiece, as well as their father’s pride and joy: the front gate worked all too well at keeping unwanted guests outside and favored guests inside of the Kim household.

Each of the brothers had grown up detesting that gate. Whether on purpose or by accident, it kept them locked up from the outside world, ostracizing them even more than they had already thought possible.

But now, as the old iron monstrosity creaked open, and as they watched their beloved sleep ever so sweetly....

Why, they wouldn’t have wished for anything other than for that gate to close once and for all, leaving you with them forever.

The metal closed with an ominous clang, and the van pulled into the home’s garage as the sun began to set.

——————————————————————

You peeled your eyes open, disoriented for just a moment before pure panic bled through.

The last thing you remembered was getting into the Kim’s car on your way to their home.

But now, you lay in a queen size, four poster bed covered with soft (f/c) sheets. The dark brown, wooden frame had beautiful gossamer, white sheets hanging down, wrapped around each end so that you could sit up without them getting in your way.

You looked down and found your school uniform still on, albeit a bit wrinkled. There was a sweater a bit too large for you wrapped around your shoulders. Your shoes were no longer on your feet, and the thought of someone taking those off for you made you flustered.

You weren’t sure how you had gotten to the room, but logic reasoned that one of the boys must have brought you in here to rest...

Your face twisted into an unreadable expression...you weren’t particularly sure how to feel about that. 

You should thank them and apologize, of course, but still, the entire situation only heightened your unease.

Your phone and backpack lay on the table next to the bed, and you picked the device up, checking the time. To your surprise, it had only been an hour since you left the school grounds. 

You texted your mother that you had arrived before getting off the bed and walking to the door in your socks. Before you could open it, however, your phone began to buzz in your hand.

“Hello?”

“(Y/N)! Is everything alright?” Your mother’s voice, tired but worried, sounded out from across the line. 

“Yeah, everything’s fine! We just got here. I had to use the bathroom so they led me to a guest room; that’s where I am right now.” You paced around the room as you spoke before sitting on the edge of the bed and fingering the silk canopy.

You decided not to tell your mother about the falling asleep part. What she didn’t know couldn’t worry her.

“That’s good. I get out of work in a couple of hours, I’ll call you when I’m on my way. Just tell me how the project’s going in the meantime, okay?” 

“Yeah, sure.” She cautioned you one more time before hanging up the phone.

You put it in your skirt pocket and pulled open the wooden door, relieved by the fact that it made no sound. It led you to a hallway and you carefully walked out into it, making sure not to disturb anyone.

You surmised that you were located on the bottom floor of the house. The room you were in had been situated at the very end of the hallway, and you found the lack of noise unsettling. 

At first, the only thing you could hear was the soft padding of your socked feet on the hardwood floor, but as you walked down the hallway, the sound of talking and laughing got louder and louder. 

You peeked your head around the corner to see all five of the boys seated in a sort of lounge with large, floor-to-ceiling glass windows. 

The Kims had somehow managed to perfectly blend the appearance of old money with the taste and style of new money artwork and design. The house looked like something straight out of a romantic fiction, young adult novel.

As you looked around the living room, it was somewhat hard for you to take in the amount of wealth in the home. The windows offered a splendid view of the surrounding forest from the inside, although clouded a bit by coffee voile curtains. Before them sat two settees with a small, rounded glass table between them. Closer to the entrance where you stood sat a gray sofa across from a much longer, L-shaped couch.

Taehyung and Jimin sat roughhousing passionately on the sofa while Hoseok, Namjoon, and Jungkook sat on the longer couch opposite them. The former was laughing at the two’s shenanigans, clapping his hands in glee and the latter two were occupied with separate activities: Namjoon reading, occasionally pushing his glasses up on his face and Jungkook concerned with something on his phone.

You hesitantly walked out. “...Jimin?”

All five heads snapped up as they watched you approach.

Jimin’s face broke out into an even bigger smile and he jumped up to stand in front of you. “(Y/N)! How are you feeling? Are you alright?”

“Did you sleep well?” Taehyung smiled mischievously from the couch, but you could tell from his tone that he meant well.

Your cheeks darkened in embarrassment. “Yeah! I’m so sorry about that, I just..didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. I thought I had handled my fatigue pretty well, but I guess it never actually left. You could’ve woken me up, you know...” You spoke with your head down, looking at your hands as they wrung together.

You heard the room go silent for a moment, just as you feared it would. When you looked up, all five of the boys had an enigmatic expression on their face.

It sent chills down your back, just how quickly their attitudes had switched. They went from joyful laughter and peaceful content to emotions you felt were unstable...you sensed a bit of helplessness paired with indifference, and the slightest hint of anger and contempt. 

Perhaps it wasn’t the smartest idea to remind of them of the reason why they were ostracized so much, why they were seen as different. You mentally smacked yourself in the forehead, making a note to be more sensitive about the topic while you were in their presence.

The sound of a hardcover book snapping shut broke the silence, causing you to jump. 

Namjoon gently placed the book he was reading on the couch’s armrest and looked at you with a cordial smile. “You should take better care of yourself, (Y/N). It wouldn’t do for you to fall asleep in your classes or end up unwell.”

With that sentence, the spell was broken. 

Jimin gently took your forearm and tugged you into the direction of the sofa he was sitting on earlier, pouting as he spoke. “I should have known...you looked ready to drop since our break this morning.”

He seated you and took the place on your right as you waved him off. “It’s fine, it was my fault-”

“If you still want to rest, feel free to go back to the guest room!” Taehyung added, claiming the spot on the other side of you.

“Never feel like you have to hide how you feel around us, (Y/N).” Hoseok said with another winning grin, leaning forward in his seat. 

You blinked warily at all of their support. “Well...thanks, guys.”

Your eyes stopped on Jungkook, who was staring at you, and his heavy gaze made you itch.

You leaned back in your seat and felt the sweater you’d woken up with start to slip. 

You pulled it off of your shoulders, beginning to question how it even got there in the first place, and met eyes with Jungkook again. “Is this yours...?”

He nodded and opened his mouth to speak for the first time. “You were shivering in your sleep in the car. I thought you might need it, so I left it with you after I carried you in.”

You folded it and handed it back to him, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible. “Thank you, Jungkook. Again, I’m sorry for falling asleep on you all like that.”

He took it from you, large eyes getting slightly wider in wonder. 

“It’s alright, (Y/N). We’re glad to help you out with whatever you need.” Namjoon nodded and smiled, the dimple in his left cheek prominent. You smiled, a bit more relaxed now but still cautious of your behavior.

“Thank you for welcoming me to your lovely home, then.” You replied, admiring the layout once more.

“Aww, she thinks our home is lovely.” Taehyung gushed. “Seokjin hyung would love to hear that someone finally appreciates his taste in design.”

You cocked your head at him. “Your brother designed this living room?”

“Our eldest brother,” Jimin gushed. “He threw a huge tantrum a couple of years ago, complaining to our parents about how much he couldn’t stand the decor, so they let him draw up a design plan...then they ended up going along with it.”

“He and Yoongi hyung, our other brother, are usually studying away at college,” Taehyung went on. “Our parents bought them an apartment in the city so they could be closer to the campus, but because they have to be present for the meetings, they come back home for a bit every month.”

“They were here last night, but then they had to leave immediately.” Hoseok added.

Before the discussion could continue, you heard the sound of sharp clacks approaching the room.

“My darling sons,” A tilting voice spoke from the entryway and out came one of the most beautiful women you’d ever seen (aside from your mother, of course). 

She glided across the wooden floor in sensibly high heels, a silk dress complementing her figure and a tan blazer resting on her shoulders. In her hands, she carried a silver tray full of neatly arranged snacks. 

“I brought a little something for you all to enjoy! I know how hungry you all get-oh....who is this?” She slowed with a smile as she approached the couch.

Kim Eunbyul was not a person meant to be taken lightly. Her status in this town was no different than royalty, and she exemplified grace with every step that she took. 

As expected of the two time winner of the Pluton Actress Award.

You stared at her in amazement before you quickly snapped back to your senses and rose, giving a polite bow in greeting. “Good evening, Mrs. Kim! I’m (Y/N) (L/N).”

“Well, aren’t you just the sweetest thing,” she hummed, laying the tray on the table. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, (Y/N). Might I ask why you’ve decided to visit our humble home?”

“She’s here on my invitation, Mother.” Jimin spoke and your gaze snapped over to him in shock. His tone sounded so...flat, so unfazed, so unlike every other expression you’d heard him use today. “We have a group project for Mrs. Hargrove’s class, one that will be a considerable part of our grade.”

“Alright, I understand.” She chided him slightly, seemingly used to his attitude. She came to stand before you, leaning a good couple of inches above you. “Let me get a good look at you.”

You smiled at her—an actual smile this time, albeit a small one—as she grasped your hands in hers. 

To your surprise, you could feel them tremble slightly.

You stood there, making an effort to avoid eye contact as she studied you. When you looked to the brothers’ in an attempt for nonverbal help, your breath hitched.

The siblings gazed at their mother with something likened to...no, something that was utter detestation.

Jungkook payed her no mind, his thumb obsessively stroking the sweater he held in his possession once more. 

Hoseok and Taehyung openly glared at their mother behind her back, the elder’s lips frowning in annoyance and the younger’s twisting into a sneer.

Jimin’s eyes glued onto her, oozing indifference, his gaze all too similar to the one he’d sent Mrs. Hargrove earlier that day. 

Namjoon simply watched his mother with cocky amusement glinting in his eyes.

Mrs. Kim gave your hands a gentle squeeze and she smiled. “You have a wonderful energy around you, my dear. You possess a wisdom far beyond your years, and great power as well. I advise you to be wary of some of the people around you, though. They may want to steal your power for themselves.” She gave a small sigh and pat the back of your hands before lowering them gently.

“Thank...you?” You smiled at her in polite confusion. As far as you knew, Mrs. Kim was an actress. No one had said anything about her being able to tell people’s fortunes.

Your classmates would have called her a witch.

But with her husband acting as Wylynne’s divine messenger, would she truly have no powers herself...?

“Of course, my dear.” She gave you one last smile. “Please, enjoy yourself, and make yourself right at home. Our doors will always be open to you.”

She then left the living room, not so much as sparing a glance towards her sons. Not that they would have wanted it anyway, for they looked as though they couldn’t stand a second longer of her presence.

You watched her go, leaving with the same grace that she came in with, but much quicker than before. 

Your palm still tickled from the feeling of her trembling hand in yours.

“Sorry about that,” Namjoon stood up, brushing off his uniform pants. “I wouldn’t take her prediction to heart. Our mother tends to do that to everyone she meets-”

“Are they true?”

“...What?” 

Just as you started getting slightly comfortable in this bizarre atmosphere, Namjoon’s intense stare brought you back to the present, reminding you of your place.

“Is there some truth to her evaluations?” You innocently asked, trying not to cave under the weight of the older boy’s attention.

“I must admit, I wouldn’t know,” he chuckled, his gaze softening, “we’re the only ones she refuses to do a reading on.”

You nodded, intrigued. “I see. I just find those interesting, is all...”

“Well,” Jimin interrupted, hopping up and clapping his hands. “we should get started on our project!”

“I left my bag in the room, I should go get it.” You turned to go in the general direction of the hallway from which you came but was stopped by Taehyung gently grabbing your elbow. 

“Here!” He stood up, toeing his sandals off and sliding them in your direction. “Jungkook took your shoes off and placed them at the front of the house with the rest of ours, so you might need these.”

“Oh! Thank you. I’ll be sure to return them before I leave.” You smiled at him.

He blushed and grinned in return. 

Jungkook's hair fell into his eyes as he looked down in shame. “I should have prepared a pair of slippers for you while you were sleeping, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it!” You claimed, just to watch his eyes light up again.

“Good luck on the project, you two!” Hoseok said, turning to leave.

“Let me come with you, (Y/N)!” Jimin said, taking you by the hand. “We’ll be right back, Namjoon hyung!”

He pulled you towards the entryway and you heard the boys start to disassemble behind you, heading off toward their respective locations with the exception of Namjoon, who sat back down on the couch to wait.

You traipsed down the hallway with Jimin. “I think your mother is a lovely person,” you quietly stated.

Jimin didn’t pause, but his grip on your elbow tightened before he turned to you, eyes scrunched together because of his wide smile. “I’m glad you think so! I think she likes you as well.”

You smiled back at him, carefully watching his expression, before turning your gaze to the wood floor. He stood at the doorway as you grabbed your bag and arranged the bed. 

When that was finished, the two of you walked down the hallway and met up with Namjoon, and ascended to the third floor of the home.

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

The Kims’ library looked like something out of Beauty and the Beast, though it was nowhere near as grandiose in height. Your inner bookworm squealed at the sight of all the books lining the shelves, as well as the plush couch and beanbags resting in the leftmost corner of the library. 

You held on to the strap of your bag, following Jimin and Namjoon as they weaved their way through multiple bookcases.

Namjoon reached a dilapidated wooden shelf at the back of the room. His fingers trailed over the book backings and he backtracked and picked one up, blowing the dust off of it only to end up coughing. Jimin muffed his giggle as he covered his nose and mouth with his sweater sleeve.

“I believe this is what you were looking for,” he said once his coughing fit was over, “The Word of the Lost.”

What a fascinating title...

“Ah, yes, hyung! This is exactly what we needed!” Jimin’s eyes practically sparkled as he took the book from his brother. It was an old, leather bound thing and the glossy pages flashed underneath the dim library lights. 

It reminded you of the older bibles with illuminated pages.

“Thank you for helping us look.” You said. Namjoon nodded toward you with his classic student-body-president smile.

“Of course. I thumbed through this book many times as a child.” Namjoon said. “I’m sure you both will be able to find a fascinating creature to do your report on.” 

The three of you walked out from the labyrinth of shelves and you beelined toward the couch, making yourself comfortable.

Jimin came to sit next to you, placing the book on his lap and waving goodbye to his brother. While you were bent over retrieving your school materials, Namjoon returned the wave with a smirk and left the library, leaving the two of you to your work.

You pulled out your notebook and a writing utensil, turning to Jimin as your academic weariness set in once more. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” he stated, opening the book. “I don’t spend as much time in the library as Namjoon hyung, but I do remember there being a host of creatures in this book...”

UnFortunately, Namjoon’s recollection of the text was spot on. There were so many mythological creatures, you and Jimin were overwhelmed and didn’t know which one to pick.

“How about banshees?” Jimin suggested. 

“The harbingers of death?” You mused. “I know of them. They’re one of my favorites.”

“Ah...then what about the wendigo?”

You shuddered. “I know about them as well; their folklore is so interesting, but so creepy.”

Jimin nodded, paging through the novel again. “We could research golems?”

You smiled and shook your head. “I’ve heard about them before relative to Jewish mythology...and they’re somewhat similar to the Egyptian ushabti.”

Jimin playfully groaned and dropped his head back onto the couch. “You’re so learned, (Y/N)! How did you hear about all of these mythological figures?”

You shrugged and smiled a bit, doodling in your notebook. “I’ve just come across them in some way or another...usually through the media.”

You gently took the book off of Jimin’s lap and decided to thumb through it yourself, turning to the chapter list to see the different branches of creatures. Your finger ran down the list before stopping at a certain name. 

“...Jimin, have you ever heard anything about nephilim?”

He stiffened and his brows furrowed. “No. What are they?” 

You flipped the book to the demonstrated page number and began reading. “‘Nephilim are creatures conceived of humans and angels. These fascinating individuals are born with immense amounts of both angelic grace and the original sin of human beings.’” You beamed. “Perfect! This creature sounds the most interesting-”

You turned to speak to Jimin and found his face uncomfortably close to yours. Gone was the innocent, boyish expression on his face, replaced by an endearing and inquisitive stare.

You immediately turned your head to look back down at the page. “-of the creatures...and the least known,” you mumbled, hoping he couldn’t see the tint of red on your cheeks.

Rather than taking the book for himself, Jimin started reading it over your shoulder. You tried not to breathe too hard with his proximity.

He’s too close...

“‘As they mature, they must come to terms with their proclivity to sin and balance it out with their angelic nature. Nevertheless, this arduous task often leaves them with an identity crisis, and most succumb to their sinful natures.’” Once he finished, he turned to you with an impressed look. “You’re right! This sounds really interesting, and if you haven’t heard of these figures, then they should definitely be the one we research.”

“Yeah! So we should get started, then,” you said, pulling out your laptop and casually reseating yourself a couple inches away from Jimin. 

“Mrs. Hargrove wants us to do a presentation as well as write an essay for this project...which do you think we should we work on first?” You asked him, sending your mother your location, and opening a new tab. 

“We could write the essay first, and then pull information from that to combine it with what we find from our research for the presentation.” Jimin suggested, taking out a laptop of his own.

“Sounds good! I shared a document with you.”

The both of you spent the next two hours on your computers, researching as many articles on nephilim as possible. It was somewhat difficult, finding authentic sources about the creatures rather than commentaries on media representations of them, but working off of what The Word of the Lost gave you, there was enough to compile a hefty source list.

After that, however, you, still mentally exhausted, started to get distracted, and then Jimin decided to take a break as well. The project was due near the end of the semester, and the two of you had made enough progress for tonight. You deserved this break.

Outside, the light changed from the orange afternoon sun to the cool blue of evening. Before your very eyes, the sky outside was purple, and the oranges and greens of the leaves had disappeared in the dark, turning into obscure figures and shapes outside the window that left you wanting to pull the curtains closed.

A couple of minutes later, you were startled by the click of the library doors.

Mrs. Kim peered through the opening. “Ah, there you both are!”

She approached you and Jimin with two glasses of water, one in each hand. 

You took the glass she handed to you and expressed your thanks. Her hands didn’t seem to be trembling as much as they were earlier.

“How is it going?”

“We made a lot of progress--I think this project is going to be a good one.” You smiled at her and she returned it, relieved.

She raised a hand and paused, hesitantly lowering it gently into Jimin’s hair and stroking it lovingly. The boy froze, lowering the glass from his lips and turning to look at Mrs. Kim.

“Yes, thank you, Mother.” His tone remained flat.

She breathed out a sigh and nodded at him before turning to you. “(Y/N), darling, I believe your mother has arrived downstairs.”

Your eyes widened and you began packing your school materials. “Oh, really? She didn’t even tell me! I must have overstayed my welcome.”

Mrs. Kim laughed lightheartedly. “Not at all dear. It’s most likely because she encountered my husband along the way. They’re both seated downstairs, talking.”

On the outside, you managed to give Mrs. Kim a pleasant smile. On the inside, however, your thoughts were raging. 

Why, of all people, would Kim Moonsik want to have a conversation with her?

If that old man tries to sacrifice my mother to his creepy little moon goddess, I swear, I’ll-

“I can take you to meet with her, no worries.” Mrs. Kim stated, bringing her blazer closer around her shoulders. “I’ll just wait for you outside.”

She glanced at Jimin once more and turned away, heels clacking on the floor as the click of the door sounded.

You zipped up your bag, having nothing else to pack, and pulled it over your shoulder. 

Before you could stand to leave, however, Jimin gently took your hand in his.

“(Y/N), before you go, I just wanted to say thank you.”

The boy was looking down at his lap, his eyes covered by strands of his hair. You patiently waited for him to finish.

“I know everyone is suspicious of us and would rather not interact with us at all for fear of...” he paused on the last bit, “but you have been the only to one to approach us wholeheartedly.”

“Thank you for not treating us like freaks, or some sort of plague or disease like everyone else.” Jimin raised his head, tears gathering in the corner of his eyes.

You smiled and gently squeezed his hand. “Please, think nothing of it. Why would I treat you like something you’re not?”

“You and your brothers are all just people. You’re a family, just like how everyone else in this town has families.” You spoke quietly. “You may not be the most...orthodox of families, yes, but you’re hardly to blame for that. Who’s to decide what the norm is anyway?”

Besides, I have no reason to hurt you or yours, you thought. 

Jimin huffed out a sob and gathered you in his arms in a hug. You grunted, as it was unexpected, but hesitantly raised your arms to pat him on the back. 

“It’s alright,” you murmured.

Behind your back, Jimin did have tears falling down his face, but rather than a look of sorrow or suffering, sheer, hysterical glee appeared on his face.

He struggled to suppress the broad grin threatening to take over his expression.

The smell of your hair was intoxicating...

“I thank the goddess for you, (Y/N),” he murmured, low enough that you could not make out what he said.

He made sure he regained control of his expression and then pulled away from the hug with a soft smile. He stood up and took your bag for you, much like how you had taken his earlier that day, and led you to his mother, who was waiting outside.

The three of you walked down the two flights of stairs to find Namjoon, Hoseok, and their father speaking with your mother.

She was quite the visage in their home, sitting on the smaller gray sofa, still in her scrubs. 

Kim Moonsik sat in front of her, with one of his sons on either side, looking like interviewers for a job position, while she sat on the edge of the couch opposite them, her hands placed in her lap and looking extremely uncomfortable. 

“Yes, well, working at the hospital has its downsides, but it also has its valuable life experience,” you heard her say. “I truly enjoy caring for and working with all kinds of patients, as well as with the staff of the inter-professional team.”

You heard a hearty laugh, followed by the voice that you were supposed to only be subject to once a month. 

“Careers like yours are crucial in the eyes of the moon goddess, Ms. (L/N). It sounds as though you’re doing a wonderful job.” Kim Moonsik grinned and nodded at your mother, who forced a laugh. “Wylynne looks down on you with favor.” 

“Ah, thank you, Mayor Kim. Praise Wylynne...”

She made eye contact with you as you descended the staircase and quietly sighed in relief.

“There’s our guest for the evening!” Mr. Kim cheered and stood up, walking to stand in front of you and Jimin while his wife slipped by, pressing a kiss to his cheek, as she went to sit next to your mother.

Without the luminescent glow of the moon or the intimidating glow of purple flames streaking across his face, Kim Moonsik almost looked like any other successful businessman and father. He and his wife both had dark hair and dark eyes, and they appeared to be quite the happy couple.

But there was no way that the past several years of monthly meetings was a dream. There was plenty of reason for caution around them, no matter how pleasant they may seem.

Your mother had nagged enough sense into you for you to know that much, at the very least.

You bowed again, hoping your nerves weren’t showing through your voice. “Good evening, Mr. Kim. I’m (Y/N) (L/N). It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

He chuckled in a good natured manner. “The pleasure is all mine...I trust you and Jimin were able to accomplish what you needed for your project?”

How did he know? “Ah, yes...we made loads of progress today.” You smiled politely.

“Eunbyul told me all about our visitors just before I arrived,” he responded as though he heard your question and smiled proudly, gently clapping Jimin on the back. “That’s amazing news to hear.”

Jimin smiled cordially, pulling you away from his father and walked over towards his brothers.

“(Y/N)-ie is leaving us now,” Hoseok fake pouted. 

You grimace-smiled at him. 

“Please,” Namjoon scoffed. “She’ll be over here so many times, we’ll start to get sick of her, right (Y/N)?”

“As long as you don’t mind having me over,” you said. “We have until the end of the semester to do the project, so, yeah, I might be over a couple more times...” You slowed as the reality of the situation started to hit. “Actually, Jimin, can I see your phone?”

He handed you his phone and you put your number in his contacts and texted yourself. “Now you have my number, and I have yours.” You smiled at him and handed the device back.

Jimin’s eyes widened in glee and he grinned in return. “Thanks, (Y/N)!”

Hoseok’s fists tightened his pockets.

Kim Eunbyul stood to her feet, her conversation apparently over. “You and your daughter are welcome any time,” she emphasized, placing a hand on your mother’s back. 

“Indeed, Ms. (L/N), Our home is your home.” Kim Moonsik added, placing his hands on his wife’s shoulders.

“Thank you so much, we’re truly grateful for the invitation.” You heard your mother say.

You carefully slid Taehyung’s sandals off your feet and lifted them up. Jimin handed you your backpack in exchange for the sandals and you took it, swinging it over your shoulders. “Please tell Taehyung and Jungkook I said goodbye, and that it was lovely meeting you all.” You said.

“We will!” Hoseok smiled, waving goodbye.

“See you tomorrow at school!” Jimin called and waved enthusiastically.

You waved and bowed to the Kims one more time, then took your mother’s hand and walked down the front steps.

Her car was parked outside the garage (read: haphazardly strewn across the asphalt). 

Your mother got into the front seat and put on her seatbelt without saying a word. Even when she began to drive, she was eerily silent.

It was not until the both of you were outside of the gates, down the hill, and outside of the forest that your mother abruptly stepped on the brakes and unbuckled her seatbelt, exiting the car.

You repeated her movements in alarm, slamming the passenger door shut and running to the other side of the car.

You got there just in time to watch as she keeled over on the side of the road and began to throw up.

“Mom!”

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

Back at the Kim household, the instant the two guests left, a violent chill swept across the room.

Hoseok went to stand threateningly in front of Jimin. “Don’t go around thinking you’re better than the rest of us.”

The younger boy’s grin morphed into a devilish sneer. “Be careful, hyung...it’s starting to sound like you’re jealous.” He shook his phone, still open to (Y/N)’s contact information, tauntingly.

Namjoon scoffed at their bickering before turning his attention to smile at Moonsik and Eunbyul. “Mother...Father...we bid you goodnight.”

Hoseok smirked, following Namjoon up the stairs.

Jimin made a move to go follow them as well, but he stopped in front of Eunbyul. 

“Mother dearest.” The sophomore gripped the woman’s chin, turning her gaze to land directly on him. “As the most talented actress in our county, your performance could have been a bit more...convincing.” 

He looked her up and down, and then released her, throwing her to the right and out of his direct path. Eunbyul stumbled to the side, her form quite visibly shaking.

“I look forward to seeing what you come up with in the future.”

Jimin shouldered Moonsik, climbing past him up to his room on the second floor.

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

Your mother had stopped throwing up, but you continued rubbing her back comfortingly. 

She stood up on wobbly legs and you supported her on the way back to the car. You reached in your bag for your water bottle and some tissues, handing them to her.

She cleaned her mouth off, swished some water around in her mouth, spat it out the window, and then drank some more.

Before you could even ask if she was alright, she turned to you with another stern look. “I was so worried about you.”

Your eyes widened incredulously, but softened just as fast. “Mom, you didn’t have to worry! We were just working on a class project, like I said.”

Your mother nodded and sighed, putting the seatbelt back on. “I understand. It-it’s just terrifying to realize how close you were to-” She trailed off and tried again. “I mean, what if....”

This was a first, for you, to see your mother so visibly shaken. 

She usually was, and is, the epitome of strength in your life. To think that seeing the Kims jarred her to this point...

You grasped your mother’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you. They’re just people, Mom.”

“People can be just as dangerous as deities,” she whispered, putting the car into drive.

With that thought, the both of you sat in ominous silence until you had arrived at your home.

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

Once you and your mother arrived, you both had dinner and you ensured that she was able to go to bed of sound mind and heart. From the way she pushed you off of her, you surmised she had collected herself enough to return to her usual temperament.

You made your way up the stairs to your room and threw your bag somewhere near you desk, booking it to the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, after a refreshing shower and a change of clothes, you sat at your desk. It was already significantly late, and you still had to complete the other classes’ homework that you didn’t have the chance to start while at the Kim’s.

As you basked in the comfort of your home’s walls, you felt truly relaxed for the first time that night. 

Jimin and his brothers were, for the most part nice, although misunderstood. The student body usually stayed away from them because of their parents and the influence they had on this town.

 Perhaps if this town were normal...

You sighed and immediately chased the thought away. This town was far from normal, that couldn’t be clear enough. And with Kim Moonsik in charge, the sense of unearthliness clearly wouldn’t change any time soon. 

You spent the next couple of hours doing the other assignments to the best of your ability. When you deemed it enough, you decided to call it a night, packing your things away and climbing under the covers.

Just as you began scrolling through social media, your phone vibrated from an incoming notification and your brows furrowed. 

Who was still awake at this hour? And why were they contacting you?

Perhaps it was Mana, you thought, begging to hear details about what it was like at the Kim house before tomorrow. You probably should have texted them when you got home, considering school was no longer the most....open place to have these discussions.

Nevertheless, you opened your messages and, to your surprise, there lay a text from none other than Kim Jimin.

I’m really glad I met you, (Y/N) 😇

Aww, that’s sweet of him, you thought.

You paused, wondering if you should pretend that you’re asleep rather than text him back right now, as the conversation could always continue in the morning.

You also thought of how he might nag you should he discover you’re awake at this hour after passing out in his car and at his house, and winced.

Yes, it would be best to ignore that until tomorrow morning.

Having had enough of the day, you put your phone to charge and pressed your head to the pillow, falling asleep.

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

As Jimin lay in bed that night, he thought about your comment earlier this afternoon.

“I’m so sorry about that, I just..didn’t get a lot of sleep last night...You could’ve woken me up, you know...”

It wasn’t the fact that they were reminded of the sacrifice last night that made them pause.

No, it was the fact that that worthless scum caused their beloved to lose precious hours, minutes, and even seconds of sleep.

Almost every meaningful contribution Natalia Pierre gave life, served to make yours more difficult than it already was.

She should have been a sacrifice much, much sooner.

On the other hand, they should have thanked her, they supposed. For it was her demise that led you to sleep so silently, so soundly in their presence.

They had finally gotten the opportunity to see you at your most vulnerable, and they couldn’t get enough of it.

But they reined in their greed and held any dominating thoughts at bay. For patience was the art of the game.

Sooner or later, willingly or unwillingly, you would present yourself to them and their company.

And they would welcome you with open hearts and open arms.

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

~taglist~ 

@melaninkpops​ @loserwithapen​ @hellaspookystudent​ @ecillartto​ @omgsuperstarg​ @ace-angel-judas​ @jjamsbangtan​ @lovinggalaxies​ @lovesick-heart0​ @ksxmpoison​ @girlmeetsliv3​ @thedarkwinterrose​ @purpuravm​ @oneweirdbean​ @hopelessfountainjoonie​ @mazmaz30​ @enigmaticlove-03​ @uppiespuppy​ 

[otakusheep15]

SFW Alphabet - Leviathan

Levi is my fave of the brothers, so I thought my first (official) post should be about him. And since I’m not good at coming up with prompts on my own, I decided to start with the sfw alphabet. I’ll probably do the other brothers at some point after this (most likely, Belphie will be next). 

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

At first, he’ll be very hesitant with showing affection. Verbal affection will usually be him comparing you to his favorite characters (like Henry) or complimenting you on pretty much anything you do. Physical affection is much harder for him, so you’ll have to initiate most of it, but after a while he’ll become more open. It will start off slow: sitting close together while gaming/watching anime, hand holding, and cheek/forehead kisses. If you manage t break his various walls of insecurity, he’ll become more affectionate and will begin initiating affection on his own. 

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

He is that friend who is constantly hyping you up about everything. You want to cosplay a character? He’ll make you a custom outfit. You wanna sign up for a gaming tournament? He’ll be your partner in crime. The friendship would most likely start with you finally getting it through his head that you are, in fact, not a normie, and you too would then go on to geek out over your favorite series together. Like a romantic relationship, he would be hesitant to really open up, but after some time (and lots of reassurance) he would be super open and honest with you. He will come to you anytime he feels insecure, and he hopes you’ll do the same, cause he wants to be there for you always. 

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Like anything else, he is very shy when it comes to cuddling. He is touched starved, but he is also very insecure and thinks he doesn’t deserve it. You’d have to be the one to initiate the cuddles, and even then he’d still be unsure. However, once he’s comfy with you, he’ll always be up for cuddles. To him, it’s the perfect way to be intimate without getting too embarrassed. His ideal position would be you spooning him, but that would only really work in your bed. If you two end up in his tub, he’ll lay on his back and you’ll lay on top of him. If he’s in his demon form, he’ll usually wrap his tail around you as well. He also likes it when you talk to him, especially if it is either complimenting him or talking about a game/anime you like. Really, he just loves hearing your voice. Head pats are also encouraged. 

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He doesn’t really seem like the type to settle down. He wants to live on his own with you for sure, but things like marriage or kids just don’t really do it for him. The closest he’ll get to kids is having a pet (he prefers reptiles, amphibians, or fish, but he could be persuaded if you really wanted a fur baby instead). As for cooking and cleaning, have you met him? The most cooking he’ll do is trying out recipes he finds in anime and games, and even then he’ll ask you to do the brunt of the work. And cleaning is much worse. If you pressure him enough, he might help you, but you’d better like cleaning cause you’ll be doing most (if not all) of it. Don’t worry though, he’ll cheer you on from the comfort of his gaming setup. 

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

If he had to break up with a partner, he would probably stress over it for weeks.  Most likely, it’ll be his own insecurity making him believe that he doesn’t deserve someone as amazing as you. In this case, he would just tell you that straight up, and it would be your job to convince him that he does deserve you and that you do love him more than anything. However, if it is your fault, he will have a much harder time figuring out how to break it off. He’s not very good at confrontation, so he’ll most likely just text you. He knows that this a cheap move, but it’s the only way he can do it without dying. 

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

As I said before, he’s not too keen on marriage or settling down. If you want to get married, you’d have to talk to him about it, and you’d probably end up being the one to propose as well. However, he doesn’t really care about marriage. In his eyes, he doesn’t need marriage. He loves you, and he (after years of convincing) knows that you love him too, and that’s all he needs. The way you two are right now is perfect to him, so he doesn’t feel the need to change that. But, as I said, if you really wanted to get married to him, he wouldn’t mind because he loves you. 

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

In terms of physicality, he’ll be super gentle. You’re a human and he’s a demon, and the last thing he wants is to hurt his precious Henry. Even as you guys get closer, he’ll still be as gentle as possible, and it might take a while for him to be more physically affectionate for fear of hurting you. Emotionally, he is a bit different. At first, he’ll be super tsundere (calling you normie, constantly friend-zoning you, etc.) but he’ll start to stop once he sees that it genuinely hurts your feelings. As you two learn more about each other, he’ll try and avoid saying or doing anything that could upset you, but there are times that old habits will reappear and he’ll say something mean by mistake. After, he’ll be super apologetic and will constantly ask if he can do anything to make it up to you.  

 H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

At first, he’ll try and push you away anytime you try and hug him. This isn’t because he dislikes hugs, but more so because he knows he’ll get al flustered if you touch him. Eventually, you do manage to hug him, and he melts right into it. It’s clear that he is rather touched starved, so affection like this is very strange, but also very nice. For a while, he won’t be too open to hugs just because he’s nervous about being that close to you, but hugs eventually become one of his main forms of affection. In the beginning, his hugs were very stiff and short-lasting due to his awkwardness, but as he becomes more expressive, his hugs begin to loosen up and they become some of the best hugs ever. As a plus, if you ever hug him while he’s in his demon form, he’ll wrap his tail around you too, and it feels really nice. 

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

He is very hesitant to say it, and, like everything else, you’ll most likely be the one to initiate it. I’d say it’d take a solid year or so for him to even consider bringing up the idea of love, let alone actually say it aloud. However, if you do say it to him, he’ll absolutely say it back with only a little hesitation. 

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

This boy is the literal Avatar of Envy, so you know he’s jealous 24/7. He’ll get jealous at the slightest thing, especially if it involves his brothers. When he is jealous, he’ll do one of two things. The first is he’ll lock himself in his room and sulk until you (or one of his brothers) drags him out of his room and forces him to talk about his feelings. The second, and the one that happens more as you two get closer, is that he’ll steal you away from who/whatever is making him jealous. From there, he’ll bring you to his or your room where you’ll binge watch anime for the rest of the night. If you try and get out of it, his jealousy will only get worse, so prepare for no breaks during this binge. 

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

At first, his kisses are super hesitant, and he is very slow to actually initiate anything. Over time, he’ll eventually learn how to take the lead every now and then, and he starts becoming more sure of himself. Most of his kisses are fleeting, and you’ll sometimes miss them if you aren’t paying attention. His favorite spot to kiss you is on your cheek. To him, it’s a safe spot that doesn’t make him all that flustered compared to something like lips or neck. His favorite spot to be kissed is on the top of his head. It makes him feel safe and loved, and that is another spot that doesn’t leave him entirely flustered. He particularly likes head kisses during cuddles. 

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

This boy isn’t very good around people in general, so it’s no surprise that he’s even worse around children. He finds them to be annoying and a waste of time to deal with. The only exceptions he’ll make is if he finds a child character from a game/anime he really likes. If you have any child siblings, he might also make an exception for them, but no promises. 

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

It’s pretty rare that he’ll actually go to sleep, so most morning involve you waking up to him rage-quitting over a game or something. On the occasion that he does join you for the night, you’ll usually wake up first. Most of those times, he’ll have accidentally shifted into demon form, so good luck trying to get out of bed with that tail wrapped around you. He usually prefers to spend the mornings cuddling with you and just basing in each other’s presence.  Maybe he’ll convince you to skip school and stay in bed with him longer if he’s feeling particularly brave that morning (you better say yes). 

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

Most nights are spent playing games and watching anime with each other. It also usually ends with you falling asleep on his shoulder and him getting super flustered by how adorable you look. If you do end up falling asleep, he’ll carry you either to his tub or to your room. He’ll usually go back to playing his game, but there is a rare moment where he’ll lay with you and just enjoy having you with him. And if you do end up staying awake the whole night with him, it’ll usually end with both of you getting yelled at by Lucifer. 

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

He’s pretty hesitant to reveal much about himself at first. He hates almost everything about himself, and he’s convinced you also hate that stuff about him, so it takes a lot of time and patience to get him to open up. I’d say it would take a few months at the earliest and maybe over a year at the latest for him to start fully expressing himself to you. He’s also very slow, often taking his time with telling you things. Sometimes you’ll have to interpret what he wants based off of signals and your own intuition. However, if you’re open with him, it might make him feel more confident in opening up to you as well. 

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Despite popular belief, he isn’t actually that quick to anger. He gets jealous really easily, but he usually doesn’t get mad. The only times he might get mad is if someone repeatedly hits on you even if you clearly don’t like it. He also gets mad if you beat him in a game, but he gets over it quickly, especially as time goes on and you two get closer. 

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He is totally the type to keep a little journal filled with facts about you. From your likes and dislikes, to the smallest little quirks you have, this boy will have them all memorized. He is especially good with remembering characters from games/anime you like, and he’ll often use these as potential cosplay inspirations. It’s rare that he’ll forget anything, but usually it’s only small details he forgets anyway. 

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

His favorite moment is the first time you cosplayed for him. He had made you a henry cosplay that he worked on for weeks with little breaks. It was one of his proudest creations, and he was so excited when you agreed to try it on. When he saw you in it for the first time, he was absolutely blown away by how amazing you looked. He had never blushed harder, and he was super embarrassed about it, but it was worth it. Seeing you happy with his creation is all that mattered to him in that moment. And the praise you gave him afterwards made the whole moment 10x better in his mind. 

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

He has a natural instinct to protect you since you are weaker than him (and most demons). However, he understands if you don’t like being babied, and will give you space when asked. Though, he will still keep tabs on you since he is the Avatar of Envy and all. He would never admit it, but he loves the idea of being protected by you. He constantly puts himself down and convinces himself you’re too good for him, so seeing you stand up for him makes him fall in love all over again, no matter ho many times it happens. 

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He doesn’t put much effort into most things unless it involves gaming or anime, but he does really try for you. For important dates, he’ll usually make you something like a game or a cosplay. He’s not one for elaborate dates, but if he knew that’s what you wanted, he would probably go to Asmo for advice on what to do. It may not seem like much at first, but he really wants to make you happy, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to see you smile. 

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?

His biggest bad habit is constantly putting himself down. At first, it almost seems like he’s just fishing for compliments, but you eventually realize that he really is that self-conscious. He also has a bad habit of staying up for days on end and neglecting self-care, so you’ll usually have to drag him to bed so he doesn’t end up sick. 

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

The only time he is ever concerned with his looks is if it’s for a cosplay. Other than that, he could care less when he looks like. He’s been a hermit for years, so it’s not like he needs to look presentable anyway. If you want him to change up his look at all, it would take some major convincing on your part. 

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

He would absolutely feel incomplete without you. Even if you are in the next room, he still feels like he’s missing a piece of himself when you aren’t right next to him. At first, he assumes it’s a side-effect of his sin, but he soon realizes that it is just you. After this realization, he refuses to let you out of his sight, and if you do leave his sight, he’ll sulk about it until you come back. Of course, he would never let you know about any of this damn tsundere. 

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

I personally headcanon that Levi is trans (I don’t wanna see any hate in the comments). He’d be super nervous to tell you about it since it’s just another layer of insecurity for him. When he does finally tell you (or you find out on your own) he’ll be a blushing mess the whole time. If you’re also trans, he’d feel super relieved that he finally has someone to relate to, even if you aren’t ftm like he is. It isn’t something he talks about often after that, but you will have to occasionally check in on him to make sure he’s doing okay with his dysphoria. 

 Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

In general, he hates leaving his room unless he absolutely has too. Anytime someone tries to drag him outside, he will be complaining and whining the entire time. In a partner, he hates someone that is overly-extroverted and loud. He also dislikes people who don’t watch anime or play games. 

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

When he does sleep, he has this habit of shifting into his demon form. If he is sleeping with someone and this happens, he will subconsciously wrap his tail around them. This is usually not ideal if you have to get up in the middle of the night for whatever reason. 

[dear-yandere]

& just drown with me.

yandere! beidou x reader. general headcanons. tw: kidnapping, implied dubcon. disclaimer: this is not a healthy relationship.

art belongs to jay ash (pixiv).

“come out, come out to the sea, my love and just drown with me...”

beidou is...

reverent, delusional, honest, lenient (RDHL) + doting, protective, clingy

— reverent is she the moment she sets eyes on you, her heart skips a beat. she doesn’t mince words or skirt along bushes; she’s enamored the moment she sees you, and she ensures that you’re well aware of her attraction. you’re quick to pick up that she is terribly handsy—and perhaps a little touch-starved—especially when it comes to you. her hands are on you at all times, sometimes friendly, sometimes on the cusp of something more.

she wants to hold you close and never let go, she knows that much. you’re just so frail, so easy to break if the slightest wind were to brush your sides a little too harshly. in contrast, she’s strong beyond compare, able to best sea beasts and part mountains with only her sword; and yet, gentleness is not lost on her. she takes extra care in handling you, beyond scared that you’ll break apart between her fingers if she’s the slightest bit too rough.

and letting go quickly becomes difficult.

she likes feeling your skin against hers. your hand entangled with hers, your fingers delicate and unused to combat; she is forever fascinated by the soft swell of your palm, the way your hand looks as if it can hardly hold itself against the world. your skin is devoid of callouses and tears unlike her own which carries the sword as big as her stature. your hair’s disheveled and knotty, and your clothes carelessly strewn across the floor. she likes you best this way; completely without covers, so that she may take you in to your fullest, so that she may hold all of you within her grasp and never let go. her fingers are always wrapped around your waist, lips pressing kisses onto your head.

you are a treasure beyond compare. 

— her thinking, you soon come to learn, lies upon the border of delusion, and yet her eyes hold an assurity when they look at you. you’re never allowed off her ship unsupervised. the decision was quick and painless, her voice doubtless and her intentions clear as the sea. she wants to flaunt you by her side, as she enjoys the way your body will grow warm with embarrassment when she walks into town with a pretty little thing by her side. pirates are known for their nonchalant approach to life, so for the great captain of the crux to show up in public with anything—or anyone—by her side apart from her trusty claymore is a curious sight. captain beidou isn’t known for her ability to settle in one place or with one person; the sea’s always been her true calling, after all. but to see her fingers gently settle on your shoulder as she pulls you close, the smirk on her reddened lips will quickly twist into a full-blown grin as the crowd she’s drawn erupts into cheers.

you know better than to make a scene in front of these people—people who look up to captain beidou, people who wouldn’t take you seriously if you explained the way she keeps you captive on her ship. you’re nothing more than a victim, you’ll say to them, and they’ll only laugh you off with a wave of their hand, certain this whole charade is some roundabout way for beidou to entertain herself. the sea must drive a man delirious, after all. no one can fault her.

and for that reason, no one can believe your pleads.

beidou is a free spirit enamored by the call of adventure, and yet her actions are anything but.

— dishonesty is something beidou hasn’t the time nor patience for. her words hold no lie when directed at anyone, but especially when directed at you. she couldn’t dream of lying to you—and she has, unfortunately. the moment she woke up from that terrible dream was the moment she shook you awake to apologize profusely, even if the language was colored with her own vulgar vernacular. yes... she apologized for a futile little lie she told in a dream.

dishonesty simply isn’t on the table.

she goes to great lengths to explain her day to you, taking the utmost care to not leave the slightest detail out. the main reason being her guilty conscience, really. there’s not much to do cooped up on a musty ship cabin—even if her quarters are decked out to the nines just for your liking. you weren’t keen on the idea at first, feeling more like a child being told stories before bedtime, rather than a fellow sailor and her beloved first mate. but her eyes will light up all the same, and she’ll tell you of her day and the new things she’s seen as if you were right there with her. you quickly learn to nod along and acknowledge her every so often, as the only alternative is to mope around in her cabin or on the deck—the few times she’ll let you accompany her out there. there’s only so many thoughts to think by yourself, and at some point, you grow to look forward to these fantastical stories every night.

— she doesn’t know fear—freedoms are yours for the choosing if you’re brave enough to set your sights on them. lenient and all too unfussed by the chance you’ll make it any further than the twenty feet from her person at all times, she’s well aware you won’t make it rather far. you wouldn’t call it much in the way of “freedom” really—and you start to envy the citizens of the ever-free mondstadt a few regions over. all freedoms are your for the taking; that is, all freedoms except a dismissal from her side. it’s where any good luck charm belongs, she’ll laugh and plant a wet kiss atop your lips. her good luck charm... she doesn’t need luck—not with strength rivaling a god’s—and yet she refuses to go anywhere without you close behind. 

it’s no surprise that her crew had once joked that you follow her around like a lost seadog—unaware that you do so per her directions—only for the poor lads to regret ever having said anything. their captain’s eyes are dark when she pipes up behind them.

“haven’t you got better jobs to do than mess with my lass?” she jeers, that usual smirk not quite reaching her eyes. from your position behind the crew—the men now all lined up in terror before the captain of the crux—even you start to break into sweat. it’s clear from her tone that she’s irritated, and the fact she’s clutching onto her claymore as if its the anchor on her anger scares even you. 

they were poking fun at you only moments ago, and now you can’t help but feel sorry for them.

“i’ll let you off the hook ‘cause you’re my dear brothers.“ despite her clemency, her expression tightens and not one man dares to let his tense muscles relax. “but i’ll only say this once, lads.” she explains, stepping down from the raised deck to saunter over to your side. all eyes turn to you two, a pair they’ve grown used to seeing day in and day out. beidou slings her arm around your shoulders, the curves of her body pressing into yours perfectly. “this here is my first mate; a jab at them is no better than a jab at me. the next time i hear a jab at them, i’ll do far worse than have you swimming with the fishes.”

— she loves drinking with you by her side, even if you can’t hold liquor down to save your life. her cheeks are quick to flush shades of pinks and reds, and you can never stop yourself from staring in awe, even when she slings an arm around your waist and pulls you close. her lips catch yours as if they belong there, a puzzle piece filled by its other half. her kisses are a hazy fire, fiercely warm and dangerously untamed; they always taste like strong beer, the beverage steeped in various spices that sit nicely on her lips.

you only wish she wouldn’t do so in public. her boisterous laughter and charisma draws the attention of the tavern-goers, most of whom know better than to interrupt beidou when she’s chugging down jugs of alcohol. her crew doesn’t mind the sight, nor do they mind your presence at the table—though, it’s not like they have much of a choice in protesting; although they don’t fully recognize you as a bonafide crew member of the alcor, it’s clear that captain beidou has something of a sweet spot for you.

still, they feel like they’re witnessing something they shouldn’t when she captures your lips with hers, her fingers drunkenly playing with the thin strap keeping your outfit intact. 

— captain beidou carries her heart on her sleeves and her riches in each hand. riches and spoils are fully within your grasp at all times, sometimes to the point of annoyance when she insists on adorning you with a piece of jewelry she picked up at port. ‘it reminded me of you, s’all,’ she’ll laugh sheepishly, already unclasping the necklace to set it around your neck. ‘wear it and think of me, yea?’

it’s an order more than a romantic sentiment; you have no choice but to think of her at all times.

it’s only when you learn of her past that you come to understand her near-obsession with providing you with the best of the best. from the moment she opened her eyes as a newborn, her life had been mired by misfortune, as if the gods themselves were curious how long she’d survive a life of ordeals. as confident as she is now, you would’ve never guess that beneath the surface, she is forever humbled by her past. having grown up in a family with little money and even less to eat, she was to pick up on the way of thieves, learning the schedules and habits of merchants at the local market so that she could swoop in to steal fruits and veggies from their unattended stands.

“don’t worry about it too much, lass; me telling you such stories is merely for your amusement,” she’ll laugh as she explains this to you, sparing you the grisly details of starvation and malaise. she doesn’t tell you how her skin would cling to her ribs for years on end, hanging from her skeleton as if life had given up on it. she’s been on hard times for most of her life, and yet the only side you ever see is the one blessed by fortune and power.

“life and i have never gotten along, so i had to climb my way up in this world.” her tone is cheerful; you see right through it. “my life’s been tough, i’ll admit that much, but i have no intention of making you live through that too.” 

— as much as she tries to run from it, she cannot outsail truth. as much as she’d prefer to keep you on her ship—where she can keep an eye on you, where you’re always free to join her in her quest for adventure and thrill—she’s aware that all things must come to an end; even the sea has an edge and an end.

this is just one of them.

 “hey... if you really don’t want to be here, i won’t stop you. it’s your choice, and whatever you decide is set in stone. i can’t change that no matter how hard i try, but... could you do me a favor?... just, could you at least give me a chance? 

i don’t like overstepping my boundaries where i’m not needed, but this is all i’ll ask of you. think long and hard about your decision. what you decide is up to you—and if you’re set on the idea, i’ll let you leave, no repercussions. sound like a deal?”

bonus.

— she isn’t herself at night. gone is the boisterous laughter that could raise the hair on a man’s arms. gone is the domineering aura she carries like a shield, its front aimed at a world that tries to hold her down. she craves adventure, but the moment night falls and she pulls you into the cot with her, she’s out like a light. the only time you manage to catch yourself every day is when she’s by your side rather than the other way around, her person quiet and gently breathing the sea-stained air.

the ship creaks, and you can hear it clear as night now that the crew is snuggled into their cabins and warm cots, and now that their even-louder captain has fallen asleep. you can finally hear your own thoughts. you have much to think about, having been spirited away to “adventure” against your will... and yet you only think of her.

you turn on your side and settle your weary eyes on your lover. her features are no longer sharp, no longer laden with the responsibility of power and might. nestled between a lavish blanket and the warmth of your body, she is no longer a paragon of otherwordly strength; she’s just human. this is just another side of the captain, just another beidou intended only for your eyes.

and it’s in these quiet moments that you realize you’re in love.

dear-yandere, all rights reserved.

[starshipsofstarlord]

Dove

Pairing | Roman Sionis x reader

Summary | there is another little birdie that Roman spends his time with, one that coos away from the spotlight and remains hidden. She is his dove, the love that he refrains from sharing with anyone, a prisoner that does not realised that she is locked in a cage.

Warnings | mentions of violence, can be perceived as imprisonment of reader or not if you want, difficulty with getting pregnant, swearing

Requested ✖️

Quick link to my masterlist, if you’re interested in reading more of my crap 😬

Canary walked into the apartment of the boss, nervous to begin her first day at being Roman Sionis’ driver. Initially, the woman hadn’t been sure what to expect of the living space above the club, she suspected that it would be in a similar

She hadn’t asked for a promotion, the woman was content with bellowing her voice in stage, singing like a bird. But now, as a consequence for protecting the Harley Quinn, she was now a driver, a replacement for the one that no longer had the ability to move a vehicle from place to place.

Sionis’ home if it could be called that, was above the club, perched as a nest so that the man behind it all could see everything that occurred around. The windows, large and perfect for viewing out of, were great scopes out into the bustling city, to which the Black Mask brought some fear out into.

He was a killer, that was known. A torturer, a face that Gotham feared. It was merely circumstance for how Dinah ended up working for him in the first place. It was not at all what she had been aiming for, the singing gig was as far as she had assumed she would get, but now, she was starting a new and more personal job for the same scheming man.

But it appeared that she was not the only dame in Gotham that was given the request to walk into the home of Roman Sionis, for a lavished and well clothed woman stood, staring like a songbird out towards the outside world. Her eyes were cast down, surely watching the commotion that riled the streets on a daily basis.

“Ah, there you are.” The voice belonging to Roman Sionis abruptly made Dinah inwardly jump, though she didn’t allow the surprise to dictate to her body. Instead, she turned around to face the mobster, adjoined by Victor that followed after hun, an shrewd smile ragged on his face. “My new driver, are you ready for your first day.”

“Singing was kinda my thing but -“ she watched his expression fade to one folded with creases and instead plastered on a smile, quickly changing the direction of her sentence, “yes, I am. I’m not the worst driver, though, it was a shame of what happened to the last one, concerning the fault of Harley Quinn.”

Sionis rolled his eyes at the mention of the jester like woman, making a noise of disgust, before adding details to Canary’s perception. “He deserved it, that man was bound to get into trouble somewhen, the only difference is that he kept his face. He had a frequent thirst to make my dove uncomfortable, isn’t that right my lovely?”

The woman faced away from the window, glancing convincingly towards the man that had just spoken to her. Not saying a word, she nodded, feeling all the eyes except her own that were present within the premises of the room were on her. It wasn’t much different to normal, but it was a vow she had taken, she did not speak to anyone besides Roman.

Doves mated for life, and within their relationship, she insisted that she treat him the same, which was where the nickname that she had so idly been called had originated from. She was loyal to this man, who was powerful and wealthy all on his own, and that proved alone that she needed nothing more than him to be the centre of the world.

“Hi, I’m Dinah.” She attempted to greet herself, but all that she earned from the spoilt woman was a blank stare, as though she were processing the woman. “Is she okay?” Her question was directed towards either or out of the men, and assumed, it was one of them whom responded instead of her.

“Y/n.” Her eyes snapped up to meet his own, and inside, her stomach crawled as she looked up into his stern gaze. To her relief, he turned back to Dinah, after dismissing her of the title of a white bird, and striking an induction of anxiety within her gut. “She doesn’t speak to anyone, it is difficult for her to trust anyone, let alone exchange worlds with them. Is that not right dove?”

Biting her lip, to reduce the sounds of whimpers that were threatening to spill from her mouth, she stiffly nodded her head, causing a grin to smother the man’s face. “Today, Canary, you will be taking me and y/n to the clinic, we have an important appointment to attend to, is that not right my lovely girl?”

Again she nodded, feeling a pit of happiness swell in the space of her womb. She could feel her dreams moving closer to the reality that she silently lived in, the things that she greatly wanted within her reach.

“I’ll go and start the car.” Dinah announced, wanting nothing more to leave the room. The atmosphere had not at all been uncomfortable in the slightest, but it was strange to see the extraordinary owner of the club that she had worked up appear so domesticated. Though, she thought y/n to be anything but, it was as though she were scared to allow any truths to mumble from her dormant tongue.

She was sure that no one in the entire city had seen the woman out in the open and free. It would not be a surprise if she were imprisoned in that apartment, though it was confusing, for it did not seem like she wanted to leave. Instead, it appeared as though she was scared of anyone else that was not Roman.

Usually, people usually feared him, knowing full well of what he was capable of. Though, instead, y/n was comfortable in his presence, which was one strange thing out of many. Dinah was extracted from her thoughts as the back doors suspended open, the happy couple entering the vehicle, and adjusting their seat belts. “Which clinic?” She asked, glancing back in the rear view mirror at the pair.

Roman had his gloved hands trailing up the thighs of his dove, as though they were sleek platforms of ice, and his fingers were dancing upon the frozen surface. “The one around south, a few miles before that place that sells the terrible artwork.” His taste in everything gave have her an initial and well acquainted idea with what place that he was on about, and thus she started the vehicle.

The strong woman remained in silence, copying y/n’s frequent behaviour as she drove, noticing her small gestures towards the elder man. Her nose rubbed around his collar, directly breathing in the fog of his aftershave, which Dinah could smell already from the distance of the front seat. Though, it appeared sweet as the pair brushed specks of stray hairs out of the others eyes, and padded down their blazers.

Finally, the driver stopped, watching as the pair abandoned the vehicle, and went inside of the small corporative building, hand in hand. Roman’s grip was much tougher than her own, squeezing all human feeling out of her palm, half dragging her inside. Both seemed to appear eager for what lay inside, though, Dinah did not share their enthusiasm.

She had no idea of how long they would be within the clinic, and thus, she had to wait for their return before she could steer and leave. Absentmindedly, she picked the skin around her nails as she waited for Roman and y/n to come back out to the car, the wait feeling like forever as she put on the radio, bobbing her head subtly the tune that she often heard on nights out.

The driver was fast to snap her head up as she heads footsteps, and they belonged to her cruising passengers, that seemed rather deflated. Their once relaxed and worry free mood was nowhere in sight, and instead, when opening the door for y/n and climbing in afterwards, he slammed the expensive door, crossing his arms in thought.

“Is everything okay boss?” She warily asked, feeling as his eyes sent daggers towards her once she used her voice. He released a prominent scoff, shaking his head disappointedly at her enquiry. Roman repeated her question to himself, arrogantly laughing at it.

“No it’s fucking not! I don’t ask for anything, I do what I am supposed to, and the world cannot even let my dove bare my child!” He sulked in his seat, pouting profusely out the window as he once again took in the truth behind his words.

Dinah knew better than to speak, and instead left Roman and his endless rant uninterrupted. Though, as she adjusted the rear view mirror, she caught a glimpse of y/n, smirking quite pleased with the state that her lover had gotten into. It slightly scared Canary, finding the situation that she was mulling over to be silent but deadly.

So far, it was all quite clear. She did not want to carry the child of the business man, and the results that she had received were anything but a curse. She liked to think of them more as a godsend and a blessing.

[dangermousie]

CFC 189

1. OMG, HY’s mom wrote a card inviting XQC’s mom to bring her kids to visit her and baby HY. Talk about fated OTP connection!

2. Plot plot blah blah but two interesting things (a) Weis seem to not be involved in the evil org so yay for XX and for XQC not having to worry he married his sister into a pit of vipers and (b) HJW is still a shitty father who chose to follow his wife’s lead and neglect HY. I have zero sympathy for him. Wei Er Ge points out the obvious - HJW loved Vivian much more than he ever loved He Yu but the thing is, He Yu was a helpless dependent child thrown at the mercy of a woman who loathed him and a father who DNGAF. Even at the end, what broke HJW was not how he treated HY but that Vivian was not Vivian. Some people should not be allowed to have children.

3. The fact that HY could keep it all together learning this is insane. Because learning so much of your basic life is a lie, that your suffering was planned (RN13 exposure) not an accident, that you NEVER will have even the slightest possibility of family warmth (because yes, HY gave up on it but it’s potentially at least a remote possibility for him before, utterly impossible now) and just - the only person who genuinely would have loved him was killed right after his birth and he’s been living with her murderer? Good God.

4. XQC realizing why HY was so distraught when he came to find him and it had nothing to do with taking over the family business. And realizing why HY never let him know - because he was trying to protect him from being involved since org was looking for first emperor (and even his trying to take org down was in main part to protect him so they couldn’t chase him.) HY did all of this for a man who he thought at best occasionally pitied him. My God. I need XQC to break if for no other reason that this is the only way forward for him without being trapped in an endless frozen cycle. Ad aspera astra might as well be Meatbun’s motto.

5. Well, I guess my question as to how HY would ever be able to come back to the country without being prosecuted is answered. He gave so much info to the cops and he himself committed no real bad actions so possible at least. EXCEPT this was all in the event of his death (or I suppose if he returned safely and gave info like location tracker to the cops) - it was brilliantly planned except now he’s in Duan’s hands and cops using the info will show Duan HY is a traitor and he will be placed in hell.

6. XQC not being able to turn the page because his hands are shaking so badly but then Wei Er Ge helping and the last page is HY saying that he hopes he won’t ever need to use this note but if he does, his one request is not to let XQC know the truth about HY’s actions because he does not want the one person in the world who was good to him to know the truth. KNIVVVVVVES EVERYWHERE!!!

7. I love that Wei Er Ge ignored that request not just because this case is about to go wide public (which is terrifying in light of HY being in Duan’s clutches and nobody even knowing so no hope of rescue) but because it’s unfair to HY for the one person he cared about not to know the truth - as Wei Er Ge says, it would then be as if he never existed. Which actually, unbeknownst to Wei Er Ge, was He Yu’s great fear - thinking he mattered to nobody. (Remember as early as his first post-tower breakdown when he wonders if he’s alive.)

8. XQC is about to get a new guilt trip, all expenses paid, as he realizes it’s his fault HY is dead - if cops didn’t gun chase, HY would have fulfilled the mission safely and came back and cops were only able to track because XQC came to help. In a way, that would make, He Yu’s (fake) death and very real upcoming suffering in the org, something that is caused by XQC which I love from a narrative standpoint because HY earlier harmed XQC greatly and it sort of karmically evens the scales for me. Also, to love someone even after they caused you great harm is a Meatbun delicious staple - think Chu Wanning or Mo Xi.

Side note - yes, I realize that objectively the only ones truly culpable for this chain of events are Duan and the cops. Yes, except for XQC’s assistance, this chain of events would not have transpired even with their participation but he’s not morally culpable. Emotionally to himself though, is another matter, and he’s going to eat himself alive over it. But in a way, it also is a second chance - not just because maybe guilt will let him put down his barriers the way love alone was not able to, but also because he keeps losing his loved ones or innocent bystanders and blaming himself for it, but here finally - he will get a second chance, someone he blames himself for, someone he loves, will come back to him. I think that can heal a lot of his unresolved trauma.

9. XQC thinking of his last words to HY and how they were blame and just feeling worn out and stroking the words HY left and I am fucking crying at the table!

He’s going to collapse, isn’t he?

[ukeishin]

pretty boy akaashi

— note: inspired by a convo i had w @iwaizoom about how pretty akaashi is.

— ft. akaashi keiji

— warning: none, it’s fluff

You’re well aware of the fact that Akaashi Keiji is pretty.

The first day of your college literature class, you had slid into a seat towards the back of the room, still trying to catch your breath after speed-walking, you’d never sprint, to barely make it in on time. You breathed a sigh of relief when your professor paid you no mind and merely launched straight into the syllabus. You quietly slipped out a notebook and a pen from your backpack, jotting down notes whenever your professor emphasized an important point. You knew there was a copy of the syllabus online that you could refer back to later so after a while you allowed yourself to relax a bit, and survey the different people in your class since you didn’t have an opportunity to do so earlier.

The class had not necessarily been one of your top choices. You got screwed over with your assigned registration date and had signed up for the class merely in order to fulfill your general education requirement. It wasn’t too bad, the class size wasn’t overwhelming and there was a decent mix of girls and guys, you thought. Half-listening to your professor, you let your eyes flit over the students sitting ahead of you until you see quite possibly the most breathtaking individual you’ve ever seen.

You can’t really get a good glance at his entire face from where you’re sitting, but you can just tell he’s beautiful: messy black hair combined with light-colored eyes, glasses sitting on the slope of his nose, and a sharp angular jawline. It’s when the professor takes attendance at the end of class that you’re able to put a name to the pretty face: Akaashi Keiji.

Class goes on as expected. You meet twice a week in the morning on Mondays and Wednesdays, your professor greets everyone at the beginning of class before diving into a lecture that spans two hours and then takes attendance at the end. You attempt to pay attention to what your professor is saying whenever he begins to lecture, but the monotony of his voice doesn’t help at all, and you know that he’ll post a recording of the lecture online after class, so you mainly slack off.

You take messy notes, doodle in the margins of your notebook, and admire the sight that is Akaashi Keiji. Your friends would probably call you creepy for staring at him so often, but it’s not your fault he’s so captivating. The amount of time you’ve spent looking at him has caused you to notice certain things.

He always walks into class with the same reusable coffee mug in hand. It amuses you how it’s a piece of MSBY merch, the image of their mascot plastered on the side of the item. The scent of coffee lingers in the air for a bit when he walks by you to get to his seat.

He fiddles with his fingers before he volunteers to speak. It must have been a nervous habit of his, but whenever he spoke, his voice was confident and didn’t waver, betraying none of his perceived nervousness. He was usually correct as well whenever he answered a question, earning praise from your professor, which Akaashi would accept with a neutral expression.

He’s an attentive listener, brows furrowing together as he hastily copies down what the professor is saying in his notebook, but sometimes you catch him nodding off when the lecture is particularly boring. That’s another thing. Akaashi Keiji looks perpetually exhausted. It doesn’t detract from his beauty in the slightest, but an inkling of worry blooms within you when you observe how tired his eyes are.

You’re not friends with Akaashi Keiji. You wouldn’t even say that you have a crush on him, it’s more like you … admire him. He's pretty and intelligent and his voice is soothing, but Akaashi and you do not operate in the same atmospheres. With his combination of beauty and brains, it’s better to not allow yourself to even contemplate the notion of what it would be like to have a crush on Akaashi. He is nothing less than intimidating to you, and you refuse to do anything regarding whatever you may feel for him, which is nothing, despite your friends’ insistence for you to just talk to him for god’s sake. No thank you, you’re content to simply spend two hours twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays admiring the beauty that is Akaashi Keiji.

So that’s what you’re doing at 9:30 am on a Monday. You’ve long abandoned the idea of actually paying attention in class. Your professor is droning on and on, in the midst of lecturing, while your eyes are tracing over the slope of Akaashi’s nose down to the contours of his lips when it happens. When your eyes go back up to start the process all over again, instead of seeing only a glimpse of Akaashi’s eyes like you’re used to, you’re greeted with the sight of blue, specifically the gun-metal blue of Akaashi’s eyes meeting your own.

You quickly avert your gaze away, and down at your notebook as the heat rises up your neck at the fact that you had been caught openly ogling Akaashi Keiji by the man himself. Your friends were going to have a field day with this one.

As you mentally berate yourself, not daring to look up again in fear of being humiliated even further, you don’t notice the small smile on Akaashi’s face as he takes in the vision that is you.

⤷ main page

[ellewriteswrongs]

layers of love - prinxiety

1.8k words

ao3 / ko-fi / previous work

summary: self-indulgent fluffy prinxiety, very domestic, some shrek references, y'all know the drill

cw: mild swearing, slight innuendo/suggestive dialogue

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Virgil asked from where he laid against his boyfriend’s chest. Roman’s hand stilled as he played with Virgil’s hair.

“Hmm?” He hummed, continuing to rock them with one leg hanging out of their shared hammock. “‘Course you can.”

Virgil made something akin to a purr as he laid in the sun, his hoodie discarded for once.

“When you first said you loved me…was it scary?”

Roman’s brow furrowed at the question, leaning back to try and see the other man’s face.

“Scary? I…I guess I don’t know. I think, in the moment, it just felt right,” he spoke with a soft smile, pausing only to plant a kiss on the other man’s forehead. “But ever since I realized it…every time I thought about saying it, I was terrified.”

When Virgil only shifted, tightening his grip around Roman’s waist, the latter continued.

“I was so worried you’d be freaked out and think I was moving too fast and the last thing I ever wanted was to scare you off, but I…” he trailed off, letting out an amused chuckle. “I was only ever afraid of losing you. Loving you has never scared me.”

Virgil hummed, leaning up to steal a lazy kiss from the corner of Roman’s lips.

“But what about all those stupid stories you like?” He smirked, folding his arms over Roman’s chest as he rested his chin on them. “Quite a bit of pressure there, Princey.”

Roman chuckled, twirling a particular strand of hair around his finger.

“Ahh yes, those stupid fairytales that you make me read to you all the time,” he teased, earning a playful slap on his shoulder. “I’ll have you know, I have more than enough understanding of when dramatic proclamations of my undying love are unwanted.”

Virgil just exhaled a short chuckle, reaching to pull Roman’s hand out of his hair and over to hold it against his cheek, first pressing a kiss into the palm.

“Isn’t that why it’s such a big deal though?” He mused, his eyes half-focused on the beach around them. “Like, isn’t the whole point of falling in love so that something changes once you say it? And…and nothing changed when we said it.”

Roman stiffed a little bit from under him. “Did you…want something to change?”

No. No, of course he didn’t. That was the best part about it.

He told Roman as such.

“I guess I just…always thought something would change, even if we didn’t really want it to,” he explained, closing his eyes as Roman started playing with his hair again. “But I like how we are. How we’ve always been.”

“How we’ve always been? I don’t know about you, stormcloud, but I think things have definitely changed for the better.”

Virgil huffed with a small smile.

“Alright, fine,” he said, his cheeks hot. “I’m glad we changed even if it was just a little.”

Roman chuckled, his chest vibrating comfortingly against Virgil’s head.

“Yeah, I think I like you a little bit more these days, sunshine.”

Virgil scoffed, jabbing Roman’s side with his elbow.

“Thanks, babe," he spoke teasingly. “What glowing praise."

Roman only wrapped both arms around him and squeezed tight, one hand cradling the back of his head and the other holding him by the waist.

"My darling dark and stormy knight,” Roman cooed dramatically, peppering kisses all over his face until the other started laughing. "The angel from my nightmares, oh how I adore you with everything I am."

Virgil smiled, his gaze soft and fond as he looked up at the man he loved.

"Mhm, that's more like it," he smirked, stealing a kiss. "I love you, dork."

Roman bent down to lean their foreheads together.

“What's with all the introspection, my love?"

"Good word, babe."

“Shut up, I'm just worried about you," Roman grumbled, tucking Virgil's head back under his chin.

"You're worried about me? Because I’m talking about being in love with you?" Virgil asked, taking one of Roman's hands to fiddle with his fingers.

"Well, you just don't...talk about it. We both don’t,” Roman explained, his voice vibrating through his chest. "And I'm glad we are, it's just...not what we do."

Virgil smiled, sighing contentedly.

"Nothing's wrong, I promise,” he assured him. "I guess I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"Oh wow, congrats," Roman teased with sarcastic claps.

“Shut up, oh my god,” Virgil complained, not even trying to hide his laughter. "I'm trying to be serious here."

"Alright, alright, I concede," Roman smiled, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

"I just kind of realized that I've been feeling different lately,” he started, causing Roman to immediately stiffen and lean back to see Virgil's face. Virgil smirked, rolling his eyes fondly. “I just told you nothing's wrong, chill babe."

"You telling me to chill out is quite ironic, methinks," Roman teased, relaxing back into the hammock. “It's not my fault you're rubbing off on me, Frank Fear-o.”

Virgil snorted a laugh at the nickname before he continued.

"Ever since we said it, I've just felt... better," he spoke, a soft smile on his face. "I don't even know how to explain it, it's just...better. I get headaches less, when I get anxious, it turns into panic attacks like half as much."

He paused as Roman's lips met his temple.

"And I think the strangest thing is," he spoke, propping himself up on his forearm to look down at his boyfriend

below him. “When you told me you loved me, I didn't doubt it for a second."

Roman gave a short, watery chuckle; his eyes tearing up just a little.

"Even just a year ago, I wouldn't've believed anybody who said that to me but you," he paused, reaching to squish Roman's cheeks with one hand until they both laughed. "I knew you'd never lie to me, but more than anything, I felt it."

He leaned in, intending to only steal a quick kiss before it swiftly escalated.

“Who knew you were such a sap?" Roman teased, breathing heavily as they eventually broke apart.

“Says you, Romeo."

“Oh, I wear that badge with pride, darling," he beamed. "According to Thomas' Twitter, I'm his 'simp' side."

Virgil snorted, laying back down as he leaned into Roman's shoulder.

"Okay, they're definitely right about that one,” he mumbled, ruffling the other’s curly hair affectionately. “I’ve got you wrapped around my finger and you can’t even deny it.”

Roman grabbed one of said fingers and brought it to his lips, planting a dramatic, drawn-out kiss with the most exaggerated noise he could.

“But of course!” He bellowed, earning a fond eye roll from his boyfriend. “For it is my only duty to bestow upon you all of the love one can possibly muster.”

Virgil quirked an eyebrow.

“I’m pretty sure you’ve got a few other duties, babe,” he challenged with a smirk. “Like maybe the concept pitch for the next scripted video that you haven’t done, or the notes for the editors, or the fact that Thomas hasn’t even picked up his ukulele since last year, or—“

“Okay! Okay, fine, I can’t devote my whole life to smothering you forever,” he agreed exasperatedly. “But if I could, I would.”

Virgil chuckled, folding his arms over Roman’s chest and resting his chin on top.

“Hmm, yeah I think I’d hate that.”

Roman gave an almost comical pout, pulling out the puppy dog eyes.

“Nope, absolutely not, you’re not getting me with that shit,” Virgil asserted, trying to maintain a firm tone as he came dangerously close to breaking into a smile. “Smother me twenty-four seven and I’ll dump you on the spot.”

Roman pulled a disbelieving face.

“You really think I’m buying that?” He smirked. “That you’d dump me for spoiling you absolutely rotten with my sweetness.”

He knew full well what he was doing.

“I need my space, princess,” he spoke, putting on a suave tone that he knew he wasn’t pulling off by the giggles that came from his boyfriend. “I gotta’ keep up the aesthetic.”

Roman brought Virgil’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles.

“Alright, alright, I respect the commitment,” he spoke, punctuated by kisses from Virgil’s hand up to his shoulder. “It’s so tragic that Mr. Misery Business would rather brood than swoon.”

“Who says I can’t have both?” He grinned. “I’m multi-faceted these days, babe. I have layers.”

Roman snorted a laugh, ducking his head right by Virgil’s ear.

“Layers,” he spoke with a heavy Scottish accent, his hands squeezing Virgil’s sides. “Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. We both have layers.”

“Oh my god,” Virgil cackled with laughter. “I hate it. I hate you, never speak to me again.”

Roman smirked, unfazed.

“But Virgil, that’s what friends do, they forgive each other.”

“One more word and you’re not getting any kisses for the rest of the week.”

“It’s already Friday.”

“Well, I don’t exactly want to punish myself in the process.”

Roman flushed a little at the rare admittance of affection.

“You think you couldn’t go a full week without any kisses?”

“I mean,” Virgil spoke, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t exactly want to find out.”

He answered with a chaste kiss to the other man’s temple. “I guess the world may never know.”

“If Logan were here right now, he’d probably try to get us to find out.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I never listen to the ol’ poindexter anyways,” Roman grinned, quirking an eyebrow.

“Ahh, yes, my favorite thing about you,” Virgil teased with a sly smirk. “How you’d rather be eternally petty than have an ounce of rational thought in that pretty little head of yours.”

Roman gave an offended scoff.

“You know what, I’m just going to ignore everything you just said in favor of the fact that you called me pretty,” he defended with a humph.

“Oh, you like that?” Virgil continued teasing. “As if you don’t already know you're pretty.”

Roman feigned his innocence.

“I’m afraid I haven’t the slightest idea, darling. Perhaps you’ll have to enlighten me on what you find so appealing,” he drawled, his voice syrupy sweet in a way that would’ve made Virgil weak in the knees if they weren’t currently lying on top of each other. “My cute button nose? Thick, wavy locks? Maybe my taut, round buttocks?”

Virgil barked out a laugh, rolling his eyes with fond exasperation.

“Pull another Shrek quote out of that ass and I’ll see to it that you won’t be able to sit for a week—a full week.”

Roman froze, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Is…is that a threat or a promise?”

Virgil just groaned, shoving him until the hammock teetered and he panicked, clinging back onto the other man. “You’ve been spending too much time with your brother.”

“You may be right, but this is certainly more fun, I must admit,” he sighed happily.

“Just shut up and take a nap, princess.”

“As you wish, my love.”