#Trying to get even spanish to be like a second language here is like pulling teeth

[freebooter4ever]

"Tarasov won over the hearts and minds of players and coaches across America, often shouting in Russian—or at last resort, German—yet somehow conveying his point across the language barrier."

Amazing

[spencerlicious]

could i request emily x polyglot!reader? someone finds out r can speak multiple languages, so naturally derek challenges her and em to see who can speak the most languages

so emily and r get into a language competition (?) and the 2 make a bet of whoever wins, gets a special prize from the loser *wink wonk* pls? it starts with innocent foreign banyer then ends up gettin dirtier if that makes sense? top!em pls 😊

thank u for reading, if ur not comfortable its all good! :D

hi anon!! thank you for the request <3 this is a super good idea, i was very excited to write it. it kind of morphed from your request a bit, but the main idea is still there. i do want to specify that i am by no means fluent or even proficient in any of the languages used in this fic (besides english 😭) because let’s be real— 4 years of spanish did *not* stick with me, so i used quite a bit of google translate. you might want to keep it handy too! i hope you enjoy :)

p.s. this is my first fic in a very very long time, please be kind <3

love language

emily prentiss x fem!reader

rating: 18+ MDNI

warnings: smut, cursing, oral (r receiving), fingering, dom!emily, i think that’s it?

w.c.: 1.3k

It was a long day for the members of the BAU. Back-to-back-to-back cases on short amounts of sleep were starting to wear on the team, and it didn’t help that the current case was stumping them.

“Oh, look at this, guys,” Morgan says, showing a picture from the newest crime scene. “Looks like there’s some writing in another language.”

You drop your head into your hands, taking a deep breath as you try to reset yourself and focus on the case.

“Looks like French, where’s Emily?” JJ asks.

You study the picture for a second before speaking up. “Dire la vérité— tell the truth.”

Morgan’s eyes cut to you. “Y/N, you speak French? And really, where is Prentiss?”

You’re about to respond as the door opens and Emily walks in from the bathroom. “Emily, did you know Y/N speaks French?”

Her face is surprised. “Huh. I didn’t. What else are you keeping from us?” She jokes.

Your eyebrows raise and you smile. “I speak a little bit more than French,” you say, not wanting to brag.

“What other languages do you speak?” Reid asks curiously.

“Well, French, and also Spanish, German, and Italian. Mostly Romance languages,” you say.

“Here’s a challenge,” Derek says. “Which one of you can speak in a different language for the longest?”

“¿Cómo no sabía que eras políglota?” Emily asks, effectively starting the competition.

“Nunca surgió en la conversación,” you respond plainly.

She laughs. “¡Podríamos haber estado teniendo conversaciones secretas todo este tiempo!”

“¿Qué tipo de conversaciones secretas te gustaría tener, Prentiss?” You say, raising an eyebrow.

She blushes slightly, flustered. She switches to French, trying to keep you on your toes. “Eh bien, je ne sais pas. Des trucs qu'on ne veut pas que Morgan écoute.” Her eyes flit to Morgan’s as she mentions him and he looks confused.

“What are the two of you talking about? And what are you saying about me?” He asks, looking between you and Emily.

You let out a small chuckle. “Tu ne veux juste pas que Derek m'entende te traiter de jolie et qu'il devienne jaloux, hmm?”

“This is all well and good, but shouldn’t we be getting back to the case?” Reid interjects.

“Yes, definitely,” you say, straightening your hair and pulling yourself back into focus mode.

After some more discussion on the use of a foreign language at the crime scene, the team decides to break for lunch. You take a quick trip to the bathroom and end up washing your hands at the same time as Emily.

“So, what was that?” She asks.

You’re caught off guard. “What was what?”

“You think I’m pretty,” she replies. “You told me I’m pretty in French. What was that about?”

You stammer a bit. “Well, I do think you’re pretty, Emily. I think you’re beautiful,” you admit.

“It’s interesting,” she says, stepping closer to you and placing a hand on your waist. “You speak three romance languages, and while it’s not the same meaning, you picked the most romantic language to compliment me in. Even if I couldn’t tell from the long glances and the way your heart is pounding right now, that alone would’ve told me what I’m pretty sure I know,” she finishes, looking you dead in the eyes.

Her hand is heavy on your waist and your mind is racing. “And what do you know?”

Emily’s other hand trails from your shoulder to your jaw and pulls your chin up so you’re forced to look in her eyes. “You have feelings for me,” she states.

You hold her gaze for a second. “I hate profilers.” There’s a noticeable tension between the two of you before Emily smirks at you. You feel yourself inching closer to her and then you’re pressing your lips to hers. She reciprocates the kiss without hesitation, and you feel her hands pull you in by your hips.

The kiss gets broken and Emily rests her forehead on yours as you catch your breath. Your eyes meet and you share a smile. “Embrasse-moi encore, s'il te plaît,” you say softly.

“Oui chérie,” she replies, already leaning into kiss you again. Her lips meet yours in a passionate kiss and she pushes you up against the door of the bathroom. She flips the lock of the door. Emily doesn’t want anyone interrupting.

Emily’s breath was warm against your neck as she kissed the tender skin. Pulling the collar of your shirt aside, she sucks a deep purple mark into your collar bone, drawing soft whines from you. “Shhh baby, don’t want the others to hear you, right?” She says, kissing the skin she marked soothingly.

She switches languages again and whispers in your ear. “¿Que quieres, hermosa?”

You meet her eyes and can feel the lust practically radiating off of Emily. “Want you to touch me,” you respond.

Within seconds, she’s on the floor in front of you, unzipping your slacks. Her fingers trace you through your panties. “You’re soaked, baby,” she says.

“For you,” you say, bracing your hands on the wall behind you as she teases you.

Emily pulls your panties down and rests your leg on her shoulder as her fingers find your clit. It’s almost electric, the way she rubs tight circles into the bundle of nerves. “Emily,” you moan out her name.

Her ministrations stop, causing you to whine out again at the loss of contact. “What did I tell you? Not a sound, or I’ll stop completely.”

You nod, covering your mouth with one hand as Emily runs her tongue through your wet cunt. She groans at the taste. “You’re fucking delicious,” she says, voice deep and dripping with arousal. It’s nearly impossible to stay quiet as her lips close around your clit, teeth gently scraping, making your legs tremble.

Your hands find a home tangled in Emily’s hair as you hold her face close. Her tongue slides back from your clit to your entrance. Your teeth clamp down against your lower lip as Emily’s tongue plunges inside of you. Her face is wet with your slick as she tongue fucks you, the sight alone bringing you close to the edge.

Emily then licks back through your cunt, sucking on your clit as she pushes a finger inside of you. Clouded in pleasure, you can’t focus on anything except the need to cum as she adds another finger and your walls are clenching around her. “Squeezing me so good baby, you want to cum?” she asks.

Your head nods frantically. “Yes— please, wanna cum,” you say breathily.

Emily curls her fingers up to press against that spongy spot inside of you. “Cum for me,” she commands, returning to suck at your clit as she hits your G-spot over and over again.

Your body shakes as she sends you over the edge of your orgasm. Her name is falling from your lips in a quiet whisper as you soak her fingers and face.

“You did so good for me,” she says, standing up and kissing your temple.

Catching your breath feels difficult, but you begin to fix your clothes and look presentable.

“Это было так хорошо, озорная девчонка,” Emily says, fixing her lipstick in the bathroom mirror.

“You may have just rocked my world, Prentiss, but I did not gain the ability to speak Russian,” you laugh.

The two of you make eye contact in the mirror, which starts you both up laughing, when a knock sounds from the door. You freeze, flushing in embarrassment.

Emily unlocks the bathroom door, opens it, and finds an impatient JJ awaiting you. “What are the two of you doing? We have an unsub to catch,” she says, turning around and heading back to the rest of the team.

Emily throws you a wink and follows after JJ.

You’re pretty positive this isn’t going to be a one-time thing.

[benedictscanvas]

stop looking at me like that - roy kent x reader

pairing: roy kent x reader

word count: 2.5k

warnings: a lot of language, of course, and some very slight allusions to smut

a/n: and we're right back with a roy version! i didn't intend to write both, but the lovely @ironmanmagnetfridge sent in an ask to try a roy version of 'saved you a seat' and i couldn't refuse. i loved writing this, so thank you endlessly for the request and my ask box is currently very open for more roy or jamie requests in particular! <3

---

“We saw a windmill!” Jamie announces loudly, to which the whole coach cheers, yourself included. It was nice to see him so happy as he bounded down the aisle high-fiving everyone in sight. Roy may have sounded as grumpy as ever when he’d boarded the coach moments beforehand, but when he sank into the seat next to you near the back, you could definitely see the hint of a smirk on his face that he’d never admit to.

“Good night?” you asked him teasingly, only to hear him growl as he turned to you.

“Thought I said not to fucking ask?”

“I’m not asking, I’m inferring,” you hummed, undeterred by the attitude you’d become so used to, “You don’t have to confirm or deny anything. I’m glad you had a good time.” “You’re very fucking presumptuous, has anyone ever told you that?”

“You have. Many times,” you supply, grinning up at him and grateful for the fondness in the eye roll that you just managed to catch, “You like windmills?”

He doesn’t speak for a moment, and when he does, his voice is even lower, gruffer than before somehow.

“Fucking love ‘em.”

You nod, satisfied, and settle back into your seat to watch the boys fool about. They manage to get a song going, and you join in quietly albeit happily. When the same song dissolves into a chant that Dani seems to be leading in Spanish, you bow out and instead pull out your laptop to catch up on the vital emails you knew you’d missed during your time abroad.

“Do you ever stop fucking working?”

“Hey, you chose this seat,” you reminded him, still unsure why he’d chosen to sit next to you when there were a few empty seats he’d passed on the way. The thought made you a little too nervous to dwell on it though, “You should have known better than to sit next to the workaholic.”

“If I hadn’t sat here, I couldn’t do this,” he said simply, gently taking your laptop from your lap despite your protests and attempts to snatch it back. He held it over his head to the seat behind him and Rebecca caught on quick, taking it from him without a word. You pouted at him, then turned to glare at her through the gap between your seats.

“Rebecca! You know preventing the director of your charity foundation from working is probably a pretty shit idea?”

“I literally brought you with us for you to take a mandatory break,” she said firmly, “So fucking take it!”

She muttered something about you being a nuisance then went back into the dreamy trance she’d been in since she entered the coach, your laptop safely tucked away behind her. You sat back in your seat with an exaggerated huff.

“Being childish won’t help anything,” Roy reminded you, although he was definitely teasing you now if the light in his eyes was any indicator. You turned your glare on him, but soon relented, sinking back into your seat.

“You’re a bastard,” you say instead of replying.

“Yes, and…?”

You hesitate. He’s so annoying when he’s right. You’ve always hated him for it, particularly how effortlessly attractive he looked when he was gloating.

“And thank you. Happy now, you prick?”

“Very happy. Now we can talk on a coach journey like civilised fucking people rather than you having your fucking head buried in work every second.”

That one hit more of a nerve. Funnily enough, Roy had also found the seat next to yours on the coach from Richmond to Amsterdam, but you really had been preoccupied by your laptop then. Possibly the only time you’d spoken to him was to ask to squeeze by to get to the shitty bus bathroom. You had the decency to look embarrassed.

“I wasn’t the best seatmate last time, was I?” you said, “I am sorry about that, actually. When I’m planning these school visits, they often get a little all-consuming.”

“Don’t fucking apologise for all the fucking good work you do. Christ, that would make me a proper bastard. I saw some of the stuff you were doing on our way out and it’s important. Doesn’t mean you can’t take a fucking break, you know?”

You so want to take his obvious compliment in a cool, effortless way but you can already feel yourself getting hot.

“You were spying on my work?”

“Course I was. It’s a boring fucking bus and my seatmate wasn’t fucking talking to me,” he said, although this time he nudged you gently to let you know he wasn’t really annoyed, “I meant to say, put me down for the next school visit, will you? I know you’ve probably got enough, but…”

He doesn’t finish his sentence. You’re always surprised by how often Roy wants to be involved in what you do, but you shouldn’t be. He’s such a thoroughly good man wrapped up an unsuspecting exterior. You hadn’t asked him because he’d done the last four visits, but maybe you should have.

“I would put your name down, but some prick stole my laptop,” you said, teasing him this time. You finally managed to get a smile out of him, however brief, as he shook his head at you, “I’m kidding. Thank you. I should have asked, but I didn’t want to bother you. I’ll make sure you know about them from now on.” “Good,” he confirmed, a single nod of his head, and then a few moments later - “You don’t fucking bother me by the way.”

“Not even when I’m trying to work on my mandatory holiday?” you joke, and he just grunts, so you’re forced to continue more sincerely even though it isn’t in your nature, “I’m guessing that might be why you chose to sit with me yet again even though I proved to be shit last time. Tell me if not, or I’ll end up being flattered.”

Yes, you loved bantering back and forth with Roy, but there was some hidden truth, some vulnerability behind your words. You were desperate to know why Roy had chosen to sit with you not once but twice, when he had plenty of people on this coach that he was close to. The two of you had become firm friends, you liked to think, over the past year or so, but there was a spot next to Isaac he could have taken, or with Ted, Beard and Rebecca at the very back. Part of you needed to hear what exactly had driven him to sit next to you, so you could eliminate the tiny hope at the back of your mind that maybe he thought about you as much as you thought about him.

“I don’t fucking know,” he started, but you knew him well enough to know that was his typical response when he was trying to work out what to say, “You’re…you know. We’re…fuck.”

And he stopped there. For some reason, you were speaking before you thought about it.

“We’re fucking, did you just say? Could’ve let me know.”

You didn’t know what made you say it, but the way Roy’s eyes almost bugged out of his head, you decided it was worth whatever awkwardness it might create in him. You burst out laughing at his expression, biting your lip to try to curtail it but not succeeding. At your reaction, he seemed to calm a little, and there was even a little huff that sounded almost like a laugh from him.

“You’re fucking awful, you are. I was trying to say something fucking nice about you and you fucking ruined it.”

He was kidding, but you could tell he also wasn’t. Matching his energy, you leaned in to him and gave him your best puppy dog eyes.

“No, don’t let me ruin it! Go on, say it anyway,” you almost begged, wondering if any of this was working or if he’d get up and walk away from you to another seat any minute. You vaguely realised how vigorously your heart was beating, “Say it!”

“Fucking hell, fine! Stop looking at me like that,” he insisted lowly, and you made a point of schooling your face into a serious expression, “Sometimes, you’re…fun to fucking be around, I guess. I like being wi- around you.”

You caught his slip. He liked being with you. If you ran away with what that one might mean, you might not recover. 

“High praise. I like being around you too. You know that’s a normal thing to say to your friends, right? It shouldn’t be quite that hard.” “Yeah, yeah, you’re fucking great at all this emotional stuff though aren’t you? You run a fucking charity, Y/N. Some of us have to…work at it.”

He was being serious, so you turned down the teasing. If he was willing to work on being a bit more emotional with you, you’d do anything to keep that going. He’d also just complimented you again and you hadn’t complimented him back once, which wouldn’t do at all.

“Yeah, I know. You’re actually fucking killing in that department recently, and you know it, so give yourself some credit,” you insist, watching a shadow of surprise cross his face. He nods, but you get the feeling he’s still trying to convince himself.

“Got you to fucking thank for that. You’re a good influence. On fucking all of us.”

“You keep saying all these nice things about me, Kent, and I’m going to be really fucking flattered,” you say, trying to downplay the impact you might have had on him, on the team, “You know it’s that cowboy back there doing the real heavy lifting.”

“Yeah, he’s fucking insufferable with it, isn’t he?” Roy agreed, “But me specifically then. The last year or so, I’ve been fucking better, and Ted’s been here three years.”

He wasn’t lying. He had been getting better and better with his emotions, with talking to people, with ensuring the people in his life that mattered knew just how much they mattered. This was about the third time in a month that Roy had suddenly gone a spree of complimenting you, and although it made you significantly uncomfortable, you couldn’t pretend you weren’t over the moon about it.

“You’ve made me more assertive, I think. So let’s call it even.”

“No.”

“No?” you questioned.

“No. You were fucking assertive before, you’re just trying to fucking deflect,” he said firmly, in the typical Roy Kent brand of caring in an angry tone, “I”m thanking you, so just fucking say you’re welcome and we can stop talking about this.”

You hesitated, but finally got up the courage to reach over and squeeze his hand as you replied.

“You’re welcome, then.”

You didn’t let your hand linger, no matter how much you wanted to, bringing it back into your lap and trying to ignore the sparks that slid across your fingers and flickered in the pit of your stomach. You watched Roy’s hand flex where you’d just held it, but he was staring straight ahead.

There were a few tension-filled moments of silence before he spoke up again, still staring at the seat in front of him like he was scared to look at you.

“Would you like to go to dinner when we get back?” he asked, in a voice that sounded like he had rehearsed the syllables. Your heart rate spiked, but you forced it to come back to earth again. He could just be anticipating how hungry he’ll be when you’re back, wanting some friendly company for the evening.

“Uh, sure, I love dinner,” you say, then want to smack yourself for how stupid that sounded, “What do you fancy?”

He growls, looking like he’s about to tear his hair out and you wonder what you’ve said wrong.

“You, alright? I fucking fancy you.”

You pause. Staring at him while he refuses to look at you. Your voice comes out breathy and disbelieving.

“For dinner?”

“No, I don’t want you for-” he growls and punches the seat in front of him, hard. Colin yelps but then starts a train of it, punching the seat in front of him with a laugh until it travels all the way down the bus. You would giggle if you weren’t worried about the man beside you. He takes a deep breath, then speaks:

“I’m inviting you to dinner because I like you. The dinner is the least fucking important thing in this scenario. I can’t have another fucking conversation with you where I’m fucking hinting every two seconds that I like you, and you’re sat there just looking at me like you do, fucking oblivious. It’s fine if you don’t want to, but I do. Want to. And want you.”

You stare at him in delighted shock. Yes, Rebecca had told you that the man wanted to ‘shag the bloody daylights out of you’ and that you should ‘just look at the way he looks at you, for fuck’s sake’, but you’d never believed her. And even if you could wrap your mind around Roy being attracted to you, you could never have predicted him actually wanting to take you for dinner. It made him infinitely more attractive as you stared up at him.

“I’m done now,” he said, voice a little strangled, “Your fucking turn. Please.”

“Yes,” you said, taking a leaf out of his book. You were elated when he finally looked at you, confused. He was breathing like he’d just run a marathon.

“Yes?”

“Yes to dinner. And to the rest of it,” you grin and have never appreciated one of his rare grins more when it’s fully focused on you. Still, there’s no way you can leave this as a serious moment alone, so you put on your best Roy Kent voice and narrow your eyes, “I fucking fancy you too.”

He actually laughs, a proper one, shaking his head as he chuckles. You join him in it, of course, ignoring the shocked look that Jamie was giving you from a few seats ahead at the sound of Roy’s laugh. When you’d finished laughing, not knowing what to do with yourself, you punch his arm lightly. It’s giddy and genuine.

You think he’ll punch you back, but instead he grabs your fist and maneuvres your hands until your fingers are intertwined and your hands rest on the seat between the two of you. It only makes your grin wider, and you know you’re staring at him again even though he’s back to refusing to look at you. You think it’s because he’s trying to hide his smile, but you can see it. It’s all you can see.

“Stop fucking looking at me like that,” he says gruffly and you laugh as you turn to stare out of the window instead, grinning out at the landscape whizzing by. 

Roy squeezes your hand. You squeeze back.

[a-lexia11]

Beyond the gap

Jenni hermoso x reader

Word count: 6k

Warning:angst,age gap

Summary: After moving to Mexico to play for Tigres Femenil, Y/N encounters Jenni, a 5'9" tattooed Spanish woman who is 11 years older than her.

Based on this request but for Jenni.

When I first arrived in Monterrey, everything felt different—new city, new culture, new team, new language.

I don’t mean to brag, but my Spanish is flawless. I’ve been practicing it daily ever since I found out about my upcoming transfer to Mexico.

Tigres UANL Feminil was a powerhouse in women’s football in Mexico, and being transferred here at 23 felt like a dream come true.

But as much as I tried to focus on the game, there was something—or rather, someone—that kept drawing my attention.

Jenni Hermoso.

She was hard to miss. At 5’9”, with tattoos covering her arms and a confidence that could turn heads, Jenni commanded attention wherever she went.

Her presence on the field was undeniable, but off the pitch, it was her cocky yet assured demeanor that left me in awe. Jenni was older—34—and had an aura of experience and self-assurance that I found incredibly attractive.

But it wasn’t just her physical presence; it was the way she carried herself, the way her eyes sparkled with a knowing glint, and how she effortlessly dominated every room she walked into.

Yet, there was also a wall around her, one that I quickly realized was going to be difficult to break through.

From the moment we met, there was a spark between us, a connection that felt impossible to ignore. But Jenni was careful, almost too careful.

She kept her distance, her teasing and playful remarks always followed by a subtle retreat, as if she was afraid of letting herself get too close.

I could see it—the way her eyes would linger on me just a second too long, the way she’d smile, then quickly look away as if catching herself in the act.

I wanted to understand why she was holding back. Maybe it was because of the 11-year age gap. I knew that she was aware of the potential backlash we’d face if we pursued anything beyond friendship—both from the team and the outside world.

Football was a tough world, and relationships like that, if they ever became public, would undoubtedly raise eyebrows.

Despite that, I couldn’t help but be drawn to her. How could I not be? Jenni was sweet, nice, and helpful, but there was an underlying fire in her that captivated me.

The more I got to know her, the more I found myself wanting to be close to her, to be the one who broke through her defenses.

——

It wasn’t long before I couldn’t take it anymore. We were sitting in the locker room after a training session, the air thick with exhaustion and the smell of sweat.

Jenni was across the room, casually chatting with a few of the girls, her laughter ringing out like music. I could barely concentrate on the conversation around me; my eyes kept drifting over to her.

Her smile, the way she playfully nudged one of the girls, the way she ran a hand through her dark hair—it all sent my heart racing.

She caught my eye and smirked, a teasing glint in her gaze that made my stomach flip. That was it. I had to make a move. It felt like the universe was giving me a push, telling me it was now or never.

“Jenni,” I called out as I walked over to her, my heart pounding in my chest. Without thinking, I took her large hand and led her to a more private space in the corner of the locker room.

Her hand was warm in mine, and the moment our skin touched, I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through me. She looked surprised, but she didn’t pull away.

“¿Qué pasa, Y/N?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity and something else—something softer, more hesitant.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “¿Quieres cenar conmigo esta noche?” (Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?)

Her smile faltered for just a moment, and I saw a flicker of something—hesitation, maybe even fear—in her eyes.

But then she regained her composure, that cocky grin back in place. “¿Cena? ¿Solo nosotros dos?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, her voice playful but cautious. (Dinner? Just the two of us?)

“Sí, como amigas,” I added quickly, not wanting to scare her off. “Nada serio, solo una comida.” (Yes, as friends. Nothing serious, just a meal.)

She studied me for a long moment, and I could see the gears turning in her head. Finally, she nodded, her gaze softening. “Está bien. Como amigas.” (Alright. As friends.)

But even as she agreed, I could tell that Jenni was wary. There was something holding her back, a reluctance I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Was it the age difference? The fear of what others might think? Or was it something deeper, something more personal?

——

Dinner that night was better than I could have imagined. We went to a small restaurant in the heart of Monterrey, the kind of place that was dimly lit and intimate.

The warm glow of the candles cast a soft light on Jenni’s face, highlighting the sharp lines of her jaw and the intricate tattoos that adorned her arms. She was stunning, and I found it hard to tear my eyes away from her.

Jenni was in her element, charming the waitstaff and making me laugh with stories from her career.

She had this way of drawing people in, making them feel like they were the only person in the room. And tonight, I was the lucky one in her spotlight.

We were just two people enjoying each other’s company, and I could see that Jenni was relaxing, letting her guard down. She laughed easily, her eyes crinkling at the corners in that adorable way that made my heart skip a beat.

But then, as the evening wound down and we walked back to her car, that hesitation returned. I could feel the shift in her demeanor, a pulling back that I hadn’t noticed before.

She became quieter, more reserved, as if something was weighing heavily on her mind.

“Jenni,” I said softly, stopping her before she could unlock the car door. I reached out, gently placing a hand on her arm.

The contact was brief, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine. “¿Qué pasa? Pareces distante.” (What’s going on? You seem distant.)

She sighed, her eyes scanning the empty street before finally settling on me. “Y/N, eres increíble,” she began, her voice sincere but tinged with something I couldn’t quite place. “Pero… no sé si esto es una buena idea.” (Y/N, you’re amazing, but… I don’t know if this is a good idea.)

I frowned, confused. “¿Por qué no?” (Why not?)

She hesitated, biting her lip before answering. “La diferencia de edad, el equipo, todo… No quiero que te lastimes.” (The age difference, the team, everything… I don’t want you to get hurt.)

I took a step closer, closing the distance between us. We were so close now that I could feel the warmth radiating from her body, the scent of her perfume mixing with the cool night air. “¿Y si soy más fuerte de lo que piensas?” I challenged, my voice firm. (What if I’m stronger than you think?)

Jenni looked at me, really looked at me, and I could see the internal struggle playing out in her mind. Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to gauge my sincerity, my determination.

She pulled me closer, one arm sliding around my waist, her fingers tracing slow, deliberate circles against my skin.

Her other hand found my cheek, and I leaned into her touch, feeling the heat between us intensify with every second.

Finally, she shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Eres fuerte, Y/N. Lo sé. Pero a veces… la vida es complicada.” (You are strong, Y/N. I know that. But sometimes… life is complicated.)

I reached out, gently touching her arm again. This time, I let my fingers trace the outline of one of her tattoos, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my fingertips. “Lo sé. Pero vale la pena intentarlo, ¿no crees?” (I know. But it’s worth trying, don’t you think?)

She stared at me for a long moment, and I could see the walls slowly starting to crumble. “Tal vez,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. (Maybe.)

——

After that night, things between us began to change, but it was a slow process. Jenni was still hesitant, always careful not to get too close, even as the chemistry between us became undeniable.

She was strong and confident in so many ways, but when it came to us, she was always holding back.

It frustrated me. I wanted more—more of her, more of whatever this was. I wanted to be the one she turned to, the one she let her guard down around.

But I knew I had to be patient. Jenni wasn’t someone who would rush into anything, and if I pushed too hard, I risked losing her altogether.

We continued to see each other, going on dates that were always framed as “just friends” even though we both knew they were anything but.

Each time, Jenni seemed to relax a little more, but there was always that undercurrent of fear, that hesitation that held her back.

One evening, after a particularly good game, we found ourselves alone in the locker room. The team had gone out to celebrate, but Jenni and I had stayed behind, both too exhausted to do anything but sit in silence.

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the distant sounds of celebration echoing from outside.

As I sat beside her, I could feel the tension between us, the unspoken words hanging in the air. Finally, I broke the silence.

“Jenni, ¿por qué sigues dudando?” I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper. I reached out and gently placed my hand over hers. (Jenni, why do you keep hesitating?)

Her skin was cool to the touch, and the simple connection sent a rush of warmth through me. “¿Es por la edad? ¿O por lo que los demás puedan pensar?” (Is it because of the age difference? Or because of what others might think?)

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she stared down at our hands, her thumb tracing small, absent-minded circles on the back of my hand.

Her expression was conflicted, a mixture of longing and fear. I could see the war waging inside her, the push and pull of desire and caution.

“Es complicado,” she finally whispered, her voice thick with emotion. (It’s complicated.)

I squeezed her hand gently, encouraging her to continue. “¿Qué es lo que te preocupa tanto?” I asked, my heart aching for her. (What are you so worried about?)

She sighed, leaning back against the cold metal of the locker behind her. For a moment, she closed her eyes, as if trying to gather her thoughts.

When she opened them again, they were filled with uncertainty. “Y/N, tú eres joven, y tienes toda una carrera por delante. No quiero ser la razón por la que las cosas se compliquen para ti. La prensa, los fanáticos, incluso el equipo… todos tendrán algo que decir si se enteran de esto.” (Y/N, you’re young, and you have your whole career ahead of you. I don’t want to be the reason things get complicated for you. The media, the fans, even the team… everyone will have something to say if they find out about this.)

I could see the pain in her eyes, the fear of what others might think, how they might judge us. It was a valid concern.

The football world wasn’t always kind to relationships that didn’t fit the mold, and with an age gap like ours, we’d be under even more scrutiny. But I didn’t care about any of that. All I cared about was her.

“Jenni,” I said firmly, shifting closer so that our knees touched. I tilted her chin up so that she was forced to look at me, to see the sincerity in my eyes. “Lo único que me importa eres tú. No me importa lo que la gente diga o piense. Si tú también lo sientes… si tú quieres esto, entonces eso es todo lo que importa.” (Jenni, the only thing that matters to me is you. I don’t care what people say or think. If you feel the same… if you want this, then that’s all that matters.)

She stared at me, her eyes wide and vulnerable. I could see the wheels turning in her head, the way she was processing my words, weighing the risks against her desires.

Then, slowly, she leaned forward, resting her forehead against mine. Her breath was warm against my skin, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just the two of us, in that quiet, dimly lit locker room, caught in the tension between hesitation and passion.

“I do want this,” she admitted in english, her voice trembling with emotion. “Pero tengo miedo. Miedo de lo que vendrá después, miedo de que nos hagan daño a los dos. Y también… tengo miedo de que esto no dure. Que en algún momento te des cuenta de que mereces algo mejor, alguien que no esté… atrapado en sus propios miedos.” (But I’m afraid. Afraid of what will come after, afraid that we’ll both get hurt. And also… I’m afraid that this won’t last. That at some point, you’ll realize you deserve something better, someone who isn’t… trapped in their own fears.)

Her words broke my heart. I could hear the doubt in her voice, the fear of being left behind, of not being enough. But to me, Jenni was more than enough.And I wanted her to know that.

“Jenni, mírame,” I said softly, cupping her face in my hands. Her eyes fluttered open, and I could see the unshed tears glistening in her lashes. “No voy a ir a ninguna parte. Estoy aquí, contigo, porque te quiero. Y eso no va a cambiar.” (Jenni, look at me. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here, with you, because I want you. And that’s not going to change.)

She paused, blinking as she processed what I had just said. Then, with deliberate slowness, she leaned in and softly pressed her lips to mine.

The kiss was gentle at first, a soft brush of lips that sent a wave of warmth through my entire body.

But as the seconds ticked by, it deepened, becoming more urgent, more desperate. It was as if all the pent-up emotions we had been holding back were finally spilling over, and neither of us could stop it.

Jenni’s hands found their way to my waist, and pulled me into her lap,her hands dangerously close to my butt.

I could feel the rapid beat of her heart against my chest, the way her fingers dug into my sides as if she was afraid to let go. I responded in kind, my hands tangling in her hair, pulling her closer, needing to feel her, to know that she was real.

When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless, our foreheads pressed together as we tried to catch our breath.

Jenni’s eyes were bright, her lips slightly swollen from the intensity of the kiss. She looked at me with a mixture of awe and disbelief, as if she couldn’t quite believe what had just happened.

“Y/N,” she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. “¿Estás segura de esto?” (Are you sure about this?)

I nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Nunca he estado más segura de nada en mi vida,” I replied, my voice steady. (I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.)

She let out a shaky laugh, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Creo que me estás volviendo loca,” she murmured, but there was a hint of a smile in her voice. (I think you’re driving me crazy.)

“Eso es lo que hago mejor,” I teased, pressing another kiss to her lips, this one softer, more tender. (That’s what I do best.)

For a moment, we stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, letting the world outside fade away.

In that moment, nothing else mattered—just us, and the connection that had finally broken through the walls Jenni had so carefully built around herself.

——

Over the next few weeks, things between us intensified. The stolen glances during training sessions, the secret touches when no one was looking, the late-night texts that turned into whispered phone calls… it was like we were living in our own little bubble, and I reveled in every moment of it.

But as much as I loved the thrill of our secret romance, I knew that Jenni was still struggling.

She was careful—too careful. Whenever we were around the team, she would put up her walls again, acting as if nothing had changed between us. It was frustrating, but I understood. The age gap, the scrutiny… it weighed heavily on her.

One night, after a particularly grueling match, we found ourselves in my apartment. The team had won, and everyone was in high spirits, but Jenni had been quiet the entire evening.

I could tell something was bothering her, and I wanted to get to the bottom of it.

As we sat on the couch, the city lights of Monterrey twinkling outside the window, I turned to her. “Jenni, ¿qué pasa? Has estado distante toda la noche.” (Jenni, what’s going on? You’ve been distant all night.)

She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Es solo… todo esto. Nosotros. A veces me siento abrumada, y no sé si estoy haciendo lo correcto.” (It’s just… all of this. Us. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, and I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.)

I frowned, my heart sinking. “¿Qué quieres decir?” (What do you mean?)

She looked at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “Quiero estar contigo, Y/N, de verdad. Pero tengo miedo de lo que pueda pasar si esto se vuelve público. La prensa, el equipo, mi familia… ¿y si no lo entienden? ¿Y si esto nos hace daño a los dos?” (I want to be with you, Y/N, I really do. But I’m afraid of what might happen if this becomes public. The media, the team, my family… what if they don’t understand? What if this hurts both of us?)

I could see the fear in her eyes, the way she was bracing herself for the worst. But I wasn’t going to let her face this alone.

“Jenni,” I said softly, reaching out to take her hand. I squeezed it gently, trying to reassure her. “Entiendo tus preocupaciones, y sé que no va a ser fácil. Pero no estoy dispuesta a perderte por miedo a lo que los demás piensen. Si esto es real para ti, como lo es para mí, entonces vale la pena luchar por ello.” (Jenni, I understand your concerns, and I know it won’t be easy. But I’m not willing to lose you because of fear of what others think. If this is real for you, like it is for me, then it’s worth fighting for.)

She stared at me for moment, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and longing. I could see the internal battle she was fighting, torn between the desire to protect herself—and me—from the potential fallout, and the undeniable connection we shared.

It was as if she was standing on the edge of a precipice, unsure whether to take the leap or retreat to safety.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Jenni let out a shaky breath and nodded, her fingers tightening around mine. “Tienes razón,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Vale la pena luchar por esto. No quiero vivir con miedo, y no quiero perder lo que tenemos.” (You’re right. This is worth fighting for. I don’t want to live in fear, and I don’t want to lose what we have.)

The relief that washed over me was overwhelming, and before I knew it, I was pulling her into my arms, holding her tightly as if I was afraid she might slip away.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck,and she kissed the crown of my head as she clung to me just as desperately.

In that moment, it felt like we had crossed a threshold—no more hiding, no more holding back. We were in this together, for better or for worse.

As we held each other, the tension that had been hanging between us for weeks slowly began to dissipate.

Jenni’s body relaxed against mine, and I could feel her heartbeat gradually steadying, syncing with my own. I whispered, “Vamos a estar bien, Jenni. Lo haremos juntos, y todo estará bien.” (We’re going to be okay, Jenni. We’ll do this together, and everything will be okay.)

She pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at me, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.

I could see the vulnerability in her gaze, the lingering doubts that still lingered, but there was also a new resolve, a determination that hadn’t been there before.

“¿Prometes?” she asked, her voice small and tentative. (Do you promise?)

I cupped her face in my hands, brushing my thumbs gently across her cheeks as I looked deep into her eyes. “Lo prometo,” I said firmly, my voice leaving no room for doubt. (I promise.)

Jenni’s lips curved into a small, tentative smile, and for the first time in what felt like ages, I saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

She leaned in slowly, her lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was both tender and passionate.

It was a kiss filled with all the unspoken promises and unexpressed emotions that had been building between us for so long, a kiss that spoke of new beginnings and the strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As our lips moved together, the world outside seemed to fade away. It was just us, wrapped in each other’s arms, lost in the warmth and comfort of our connection.

My hands slipped from her face to around her shoulders , pulling her closer until there was no space left between us.

Jenni responded in kind, her arms around my waist, squeezing lightly as she deepened the kiss, her movements more confident, more certain.

When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless, our foreheads resting together as we caught our breath.

Jenni’s eyes were shining, her lips slightly swollen from the intensity of our kiss. She looked at me with a mixture of love and determination, as if she had finally made peace with the decision we had both made.

“Te quiero, Y/N,” she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. “Y voy a luchar por esto, por nosotros.” (I want you, Y/N. And I’m going to fight for this, for us.)

Hearing those words from her made my heart swell with happiness, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. “Yo también te quiero, Jenni,” I replied softly, my voice filled with all the love I felt for her. “Y voy a estar a tu lado, pase lo que pase.” (I want you too, Jenni. And I’m going to be by your side, no matter what.)

——

The days that followed were a whirlwind of emotions, both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. With the decision to embrace our relationship came the inevitable challenges.

We knew that going public would bring scrutiny from all angles—our teammates, the media, and even our families. But now, for the first time, we were ready to face it together.

Jenni was still cautious, but she was no longer holding back. We started small, taking baby steps towards revealing our relationship to the world.

First, it was just small gestures—holding hands when we were out alone, stolen kisses in quiet corners of the training facility, and whispered words of love when no one was around.

It was a delicate dance, balancing our desire to be open with the need for privacy, but we were determined to find that balance.

One evening, we had finished certain activities and were lying naked in bed, I was on top of her. Her hands gently traveled up and down my back, occasionally drifting to give my butt a light squeeze that made me giggle. Each time, she would tenderly kiss my forehead.

Her skin was warm and soft under my touch, and I reveled in the intimacy of the moment. It was one of those rare moments when everything felt perfect, when the world outside our little bubble didn’t matter.

Jenni gazed at me with a gentle smile, her eyes brimming with affection as one of her hands tenderly brushed through my hair.“¿Qué estás pensando?” she asked quietly, her voice hushed in the dim light of the room. (What are you thinking?)

I smiled, my fingers continuing their lazy exploration of her skin. “Estoy pensando en lo afortunada que soy de tenerte aquí, conmigo,” I replied honestly, my heart swelling with love for her. (I’m thinking about how lucky I am to have you here, with me.)

Jenni’s smile widened, and she leaned in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “Yo soy la afortunada,” she murmured against my mouth, her voice filled with sincerity. (I’m the lucky one.)

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, our kisses slow and languid, savoring the closeness we had found.

There was a tenderness in the way Jenni held me, her hands tracing gentle patterns on my back as if she couldn’t get enough of the contact.

I could feel the love radiating from her, the way she cherished every moment we spent together.

But even in those quiet moments, the reality of our situation was never far from our minds.

The age gap, the potential backlash from the media, and the reactions of our teammates and families loomed over us like a shadow. We knew that coming out publicly would be a risk, one that could change everything.

——

As we lay in bed after a particularly long day, Jenni voiced the concerns that had been weighing on her mind. “¿Crees que el equipo lo aceptará?” she asked quietly, her fingers absentmindedly tracing circles on my arm. (Do you think the team will accept it?)

I turned to face her, my eyes searching hers in the dim light. “No lo sé,” I admitted honestly. “Pero no creo que debamos escondernos. Si somos felices, eso es lo que debería importar, ¿no?” (I don’t know. But I don’t think we should hide. If we’re happy, that’s what should matter, right?)

Jenni nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. “Tienes razón,” she said softly, her voice tinged with determination. “No quiero seguir escondiéndome. Si vamos a hacer esto, lo haremos juntos, sin miedo.” (You’re right. I don’t want to keep hiding. If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it together, without fear.)

Her words filled me with a renewed sense of hope, and I couldn’t help but smile as I leaned in to kiss her. “Juntas,” I whispered against her lips, my heart swelling with love for her. (Together.)

——

When we finally decided to tell our teammates, it was nerve-wracking. Jenni and I had been preparing for this moment for weeks, discussing how we would approach the conversation and anticipating their reactions.

We knew that some would be supportive, while others might be more hesitant, but we were ready to face it head-on.

One afternoon, after training, we gathered the team together in the locker room. The atmosphere was light, filled with the usual banter and laughter that came after a hard day’s work, but I could sense the tension in Jenni as she stood beside me, her hand gripping mine tightly.

“Chicas,” Jenni began, her voice steady but filled with emotion. The room fell silent as everyone turned to look at us, curiosity and concern etched on their faces. “Hay algo que Y/N y yo queremos compartir con ustedes.” (Girls, there’s something Y/N and I want to share with you.)

I could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on us, but I squeezed Jenni’s hand, offering her silent support. She took a deep breath, her gaze sweeping over our teammates before she continued.

“Y/N y yo… estamos juntas,” she said, her voice firm. (Y/N and I… we’re together.)

There was a brief pause, a moment of silence as everyone processed her words. Then, slowly, the reactions began to trickle in.

Some of the girls smiled, offering words of congratulations and support, while others looked more uncertain, their expressions unreadable.

But overall, the response was positive, and I could see the relief on Jenni’s face as the tension began to dissipate.

One of our teammates, who had always been close to both of us, stepped forward with a grin. “Bueno, ya era tiempo,” she teased, a playful glint in her eyes. “Pensé que iban a mantenerlo en secreto para siempre.” (Well, it was about time. I thought you were going to keep it a secret forever.)

Laughter rippled through the room, and I felt Jenni relax beside me, her grip on my hand loosening as the tension melted away. She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “No era nuestra intención, pero necesitábamos estar seguras de que estábamos listas,” she admitted, her voice lighter now. (It wasn’t our intention, but we needed to be sure we were ready.)

Another teammate stepped forward, her expression a mix of warmth and understanding. “Lo importante es que se tienen el uno al otro,” she said gently, her words resonating with sincerity. “Si son felices juntas, entonces eso es lo que importa. Y estamos aquí para apoyarlas.” (The important thing is that you have each other. If you’re happy together, then that’s what matters. And we’re here to support you.)

Jenni’s eyes glistened with unshed tears as she nodded, her voice thick with emotion when she replied. “Gracias, chicas. Eso significa mucho para nosotras.” (Thank you, girls. That means a lot to us.)

I couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude for our teammates. Despite the uncertainty and fear we had faced leading up to this moment, they had embraced us with open arms. It wasn’t just about acceptance—it was about being surrounded by people who genuinely cared for us, who wanted to see us happy.

As the conversation shifted back to more casual topics, I leaned in closer to Jenni, my hand still wrapped around hers.

She looked at me with a soft smile, the weight that had been pressing on her shoulders for so long finally lifting. I could see the relief in her eyes, the joy of finally being able to live openly and freely, without fear or hesitation.

“¿Te sientes mejor?” I asked softly, my thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. (Do you feel better?)

Jenni nodded, her smile widening as she leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead. “Mucho mejor,Hermosa” she murmured, her voice filled with affection. (Much better, beautiful)

——

The next hurdle we faced was dealing with the media, and we both knew it would be an entirely different challenge—a beast of its own. We were prepared, but not fully ready for what was to come.

It started with the fans. They began noticing subtle things, like the way we exchanged gentle touches or the lingering hugs on the field.

They picked up on how we always seemed to be together, spending every moment in each other’s company, and didn’t hesitate to share it on social media. Our connection was obvious to anyone paying attention.

We weren’t trying to hide anything. We were simply living our lives authentically, sharing pieces of it as any couple would.

But as our relationship became more visible, people started speculating. And with that speculation came criticism and hate, much of which revolved around the age gap between us.

People began to make unfair assumptions, calling Jenni weird or saying she was using me to relive her younger years. They’d throw out all kinds of accusations, but I didn’t let it get to me. These people weren’t part of our world—they didn’t see what I saw in Jenni, and they certainly didn’t understand the depth of our relationship.

Jenni didn’t let it affect her either. She was confident in us, in our bond, and in what we had built together. Her unwavering belief in our relationship made it easier for us to ignore the noise. We knew who we were to each other, and that’s what mattered most.

That’s why, despite the negativity, we decided to share a small glimpse of our relationship with the world. It wasn’t about proving anything to anyone; it was about celebrating the love and connection we had, regardless of what others thought.

The picture we had chosen was a candid shot of the two of us, taken by a teammate during one of our quieter moments.

We were sitting on a bench at the training ground, our heads close together, smiles on our faces as we looked at each other. It was a picture that radiated warmth and love, capturing the bond that had grown between us over time.

The caption was straightforward, no frills, no drama:

“Mi amor. ❤️”

Within minutes, the notifications started flooding in. Comments, likes, shares—it was overwhelming. Some were supportive, some were curious, and of course, there were those who were less than kind.

But through it all, Jenni and I held on to each other, refusing to let the negativity drown out the joy of finally being free to live our truth.

That night, as we lay in bed, the glow of our phones casting a soft light in the dark room, Jenni turned to me with a smile that made my heart skip a beat. “Lo hicimos,” she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and happiness. (We did it.)

I nodded, leaning in to kiss her softly. “Sí, lo hicimos,” I replied, my voice equally soft. “Y ahora, no hay vuelta atrás.” (Yes, we did. And now, there’s no turning back.)

Jenni’s eyes sparkled with a newfound sense of freedom as she pulled me closer, our bodies fitting together perfectly under the covers. “No quiero volver atrás,” she murmured, her lips brushing against mine in a kiss that was filled with promise. (I don’t want to go back.)

We spent the night wrapped in each other’s arms, our kisses slow and unhurried, our touches gentle and loving.

There was a sense of peace that had settled over us, a quiet understanding that no matter what the future held, we would face it together.

As I traced the lines of Jenni’s tattoos, my fingers gliding over the inked patterns on her skin, I couldn’t help but marvel at how far we had come.

The fears and doubts that had once seemed so insurmountable now felt like distant memories, overshadowed by the strength of our love.

“Te amo, Jenni,” I whispered against her lips, my voice filled with all the emotions I felt for her. (I love you, Jenni.)

“Y yo te amo a ti, Y/N,” she replied softly, her voice trembling with emotion as she pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. (And I love you, Y/N.)

We fell asleep that night wrapped in each other’s warmth, the world outside our little bubble fading away as we held on to the love that had brought us together. There would be challenges ahead—there always were—but for now, in this moment, we were content.

And that was enough.

FIN

[mezzy-1]

Learning Their Language (Valorant X Reader)

The protocol is about as international as it gets, and although most of them are bilingual there can be a bit of a language barrier.  You and your S/O decided to practice a bit of their native language so you could.  (I’m bilingual in Spanish so everything else me actually learning words, so it may not sound like a native speaker).  Like, reblog, and comment pls :) Special thank you to @darthladyofillusions for help translating the Turkish and Japanese!

Gekko - Spanish 

“Oye Y/N, que onda?” Gekko asked as he entered the lounge and sat next to you on the sofa

“Nada, estoy ehh… I’m just sitting here. I don't really know how to say that yet…” you trailed off with a bit of a weak laugh 

“Y/N, don’t worry about it.  It’s good that you can understand when I’m saying hi.”

“But I want to know more…”  you paused and looked at him, then an idea struck

“You could teach me, you and I spend so much time together and it isn’t like it would be studying in school.”

Gekko stared back at you for a couple of seconds and then sat up quickly

“I’d totally teach you Spanish Y/N!”  His excitement matched yours, and a wide grin spread across his face

A few weeks went by between you and him doing the basics of Spanish.  Practicing phrases for callouts helped a lot for the field, but even simple responses like ‘de acuerdo’ or ‘un poquito’ became more common for you

During a particularly slow day, Brimstone called a meeting.  Gekko and you sat together as usual

Part way through the meeting, Gekko whispered ‘Creo que vamos a morir en esas sillas.  Seremos esqueletos secos cuando Brim esta terminado.’

You understood his joke clearly and stifled your laughter the best you could.  Gekko had made a habit of telling jokes in Spanish for only you and him

Unless of course Reyna was in the room, at which point she’d join in.  Reyna’s Spanish was quicker than when Gekko spoke to you, but you had learned to pick out a few words

“Dime Gekko, ¿qué quieres comer anoche?  We got some skirt steaks in so we can make some ar-achera.” you looked over at Gekko, a puzzled expression on his face

“Como?  Que dijiste Y/N”

“Arachera?...”

“You aren’t rolling the R in ‘arrachera’ right.  Say it like this: Arrr-A-che-Ra.”

“Ar. A! Ara!”  You tried to pronounce it the same way he did but just weren’t used to making that sound

“Well do you have any advice on how to roll an R?”

“Just put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.” he replied, taking a step closer to you while you tried to pronounce it correctly

“Como eso amor.” he leaned in and kissed you softly 

“On the top of the mouth, Y/N.  If you can kiss, you should have no problems with saying it right.”

“Fue incredible…” you whispered as he pulled back.  Gekko was blushing as much as you were and giggled quietly

The rest of the evening was spent grilling, cutting vegetables, and making crude jokes in Spanish

Wingman nearly ran away with some of the plated arepas you and him had made.  After rescuing them, you had your dinner together

“Oye Mateo,” 

He looked up mid bite 

“I never got to thank you for how much you’ve done for me.  Muchísimas gracias a todos.  Y tu sabes eso, pero te amo.  Eres mi querido.” you worried you sounded too much like a telenovela but caught Gekko smiling

“De nada Y/N.  Eres el amor de mi vida  también.”

Chamber - French 

“Bonsoir Y/N, ça va?”  Chamber called to you from behind right as you entered the workshop 

“I don’t know what you just said Vincent.  I can only understand when you speak English.”

“But Y/N, you could learn.  After all, you’d have the finest tutor in all of France to teach you.”  Chamber moved closer and looked over your shoulder as you began to disassemble a pistol

“You’d actually teach me?” you asked, trying to fight the urge to turn around and meet him face to face

“Certainly Y/N.  For two people to share a language is a wonderful thing.  They work better together and they become so much closer”

His offer got the better of you, and you relented.  You turned to face him as he stood up and met your stare

“I’ll do it then.  Especially if it means we can spend a little more time together.”

Chamber adjusted his glasses and smiled.  “Magnifique Y/N.”

For the next couple of weeks you met with Chamber whenever you could.  Lessons tended to be something you looked forward to

“Non, non, Y/N.  It would be a travesty for you not to assist on le mission.  Je m’ennuie à mourir sans toi.  Tu es beaucoup trop amusant pour partir.”  

“Je le pense aussi, but do you think I’d just get in the way?  I thought you’d be solo on this one.”

“Y/N,” Chamber affixed his glasses and studied your hesitancy, “J'adorerais ta compagnie Y/N.”

The mission was a strike on some Omega agents in the Pyrenees range.  After some light exercise and carefully placed shots, you and him retired to safehouse in the mountains

“Ah Y/N, puis-je vous offrir quelque chose à boire?  Txakoli ou Sauvignon Blanc?” Chamber lifted two bottles for you to decide on

“Je voudrais le blanc, s’il vous plait.” you added on extra politeness knowing it would impress Chamber.  Plus going with a French wine would make him proud

“A good choice,” he replied while pouring your glasses.  “Es-tu installé confortablement?”

“Oui, but I have to wonder why we have a wine selection at a safehouse.” you slyly asked.�� Chamber gave you knowing glance

“Unless, someone went to great lengths for some time together.  Avez-vous prévu cela?”

“Peut-etre.” Chamber answered, feigning ignorance and peering at his wine glass.  His eyes mischievously darted to you

“You know…while I’ve been learning French, I never did learn how to say something I always wanted to learn.”

“Quoi?  And that would be?”  Chamber inched closer to you set his glass down

“Kiss me.” you answered, leaning towards him and gazing into his enthralling eyes

“Embrasse-moi.” Vincent whispered before taking his opportunity.  He held your head and kissed you gently

After a while, you found yourself resting across Chamber’s chest.  You looked up at the agent and caught him smiling down at you

“Je t’aime.” you quietly spoke

“Je t’aime aussi, Y/N.”

Fade - Turkish

It was getting late in the night and you were headed towards your room

“Hey, Y/N.”  Fade’s voice made you jump and you turned to see her leaning against the wall just out of sight

“Merhaba…” you groaned absent-mindedly.  The lack of sleep was finally catching up to you 

“What was that? Y/N Türkçe mi öğreniyorsun?” her typical scowl replaced with deep interest

“I mean, only a little.  I don’t know if I’ll keep doing it though.”

“...Well I could offer a few minutes every so often.  İlgini çeker mi?

“E-Evet.  Tesekkurler Fade!” despite your exhaustion, you still had trouble sleeping that night

The following couple of nights you spent in Fade’s room with a cup of tea and a few notes you scribbled down

Most of the practice was just chatting together about life at the protocol and the day to day

“… Üç saatlik sorguyu izlemem gerekti. Üç saat.”  Fade too a long sip of çay and laid back on a pillow

“Really, 3 hours and nothing?  That must have been boring.”

“Türkçe Y/N.” She chided

“Uzgunum!  Ne kadar sıkıcı!”  You quickly corrected yourself and adjusted your seat

“Anyways Y/N, Günün nasıldı?” Fade reclined back and trained her gaze on you

“Ughh, tipik.  Keşke yapacak daha çok şeyim olsaydı.” you lamented.  

“I can lend you a few books. İster misin?”  Fade picked a few hard cover books from her nightstand and offered them to you

Almost half asleep, you took one and looked it over the summary.  Despite the 

“Uykum geldi Hazal, I’m gonna head over to my…room.”  You yawned and drowsily made your way towards the door but fell asleep where you were. 

Fade moved over to you and placed on of her blankets over you.  She stood, captivated by how peacefully you slept

The following morning you woke up in her room and began to make your way to your own

“Günaydın.” Fade had caught you once more while you tried to quietly exit.  In her hands was the book she gave you last night

“Unuttum! Thank you for reminding me.” you took the book back and set it your room

You met Fade outside your room after your morning routine.  Both of you had the day off, so spent it together

You’d chat in Turkish about plans and privately made arrangements to meet together outside for çay after most of the protocol went to sleep

 Most of the day was gossipping in Turkish and sharing stories from before the protocol.  Fade’s were usually dramatic considering her history, yours were a little more uplifting

Once the moon was hanging over the headquarters, you crept quietly to the spot with freshly made çay 

“İyi akşamlar Y/N.” Hazal greeted you with a slight smile.  “Otur Y/N.”

Taking a seat next to her, you began to sip your tea and chat with Hazal about how much things had changed for the both of you since joining Valorant

By the time the tea was finished, you had your head rested on Hazal’s shoulder while she held your hand

A thought crossed your mind

“Hey Hazal, Türkçe’de…I love you, nasıl denir?” you grinned as the words left your mouth 

Her eyes drifted towards you and she raised an eyebrow.  Her green and blue eyes studied your growing apprehension

Without warning, she took hold of the back of your head and pulled you in close

Her kiss was impulsive and quick, and she held you gently as if trying to shield you from the surrounding darkness

When you broke the kiss, your face was flushed with surprise.  The night air felt twice as cool against the warmth in your cheeks

“Seni seviyorum, Y/N.” 

Yoru - Japanese

“Oi, Y/N, pass me the wrench.”  Yoru had his face buried in his bike as usual, and you were helping out and catching up

“Hai douzo…” you muttered.  Yoru grabbed a hold of it and began fastening something, then stopped

“Did you just speak fucking Japanese?” He sat up, almost hitting his head on the exhaust pipe and looked at you with suspicion

“I did, so what?” you replied.  Yoru was always saying something in Japanese, so you decided to learn what you could 

“And why did you decide to learn Japanese, out of all of the languages to learn?”  Yoru leaned on the bike

“ Betsu ni.” you shot back nonchalantly before folding your arms and smugly grinning at Yoru

“Well you’re sort of shit at it.”  Yoru enjoyed the sudden embarrassment and doubt you felt before making his final move

“Komatta koto ga attara kike ne.  Just make sure your questions aren’t annoying.  Wakatta?”  His attempt to seem uncaring was outweighed by his offer

A few weeks went by of you and Yoru throwing barbs at each other in Japanese or just exchanging short phrases

“Yoru-kunnn…” you purred.  It was just you and him in the locker rooms and you were being a little adventurous with new honorifics

“Y/N.  Ima nan to itta?”  Yoru twisted around with a scowl forming while one eyebrow lifted

“Oh, nothing.  Trying out some more words, Yoru-kun!” 

Yoru took a deep breath and sighed.  

“It’s dumb as hell to use that outside of Japan.  Nobody uses it outside of businessmen trying to kiss someone’s ass and people who don’t know better.”

“Ja dou yobou ka?”  If he wasn’t gonna use it, you’d go with something else to call him.

“Ore no namae de kimatteru da.  Same as you Y/N.” Yoru began combing his hair and dressing into some casual clothing

“Fine then, I’ll use something else.  Yatsu work for you?”

Yoru was almost proud of you for that

“Anata wada warugaki.”

More weeks passed by with you learning some more obscenities from Yoru.  His days of crime taught him an assortment of terms you eagerly applied to your own learning

Soon, you and him were assigned to break into a building and sabotage some equipment

Once you were done, you and Yoru were free to enjoy yourselves 

“Got any plans for us Y/N?”

“Tokunai nai.”

“Good.  Come with me then.”  He pushed past you and grabbed your hand.  Before you knew it you were traveling through his rift

Suddenly, you found yourself on a rooftop overlooking the city.  Yoru teleported behind you holding some bags and taking a seat on the ledge

“Come on Y/N, food’s gonna get cold.”

“Arigatuo Ryo.” 

Steam drifted from the udon as you held it for warmth against the cold night.  Yoru took notice and moved closer without a word

“Hey Yoru, Kisusuru no mi wa nandesu?” you asked while resting your head on his shoulder

Yoru froze for a second, you felt him tense his arm ever so slightly.  His eyes moved over to you and a small smirk began to form on his face

“Mou ikkai ie, Y/N.”

Beginning to answer, “Kisusuru no-” 

Yoru pressed his lips to yours and passionately kissed you.  It was as if he had been waiting an eternity to do it 

Your arm snaked around his waist and he did the same to you.  Warmth from him eased your shivering against the wind

He broke off the kiss and gazed into your eyes.  You couldn’t tell if the blushing was coming from excitement or the cold

“Imi wa kore da yo.  But do you know the meaning of aishiteru, Y/N?”

“Anata no koto daisuki.” left your mouth instinctively

Yoru and you watched the lights of the city together for the rest of the night

Sova - Russian 

“Horosho Y/N, excellent marksmanship!” Sova’s applause was worth every extra hour  of practice at the range

“It was your advice that helped the most.  Thank you again for the lessons!” Sova took your rifle as you thanked him 

“Sova, I have a bit more to ask.  Just a little favor, but only if you feel like it!” you instantly realized how much you were over clarifying

“You always have my help, Y/N.  What is it you would like?”

“Can you teach me some Russian?  I always hear you speaking it and I thought it would be fun to learn it.” 

“That would be wonderful!” Sova’s eyes lit up in excitement.  Later he brought you a small book, a Russian language manual

“I had a few books delivered here from the mainland.  Vam eto nravitsya?”

“Konechno, spasibo!” you quickly thanked him with the Russian you had practiced

You and Sova took turns trying out words in conversation.  It was a little intimidating, but his encouragement got you through the embarrassment

“Kharoshaya rabota!” “Vpechatlyayushchaya!” “Chudesnyy!” 

You and him started to meet for occasional chats in Russian, usually starting with a compliment on something 

This eventually continued over into missions, where you and him would use Russian because it was quicker

“Y/N!  Zaryadite seychas!” Sova yelled while aiming a recon arrow.  You stampeded in and dispatched the hostile agents with his help

After recovering from the fight, you and him were together in the lounge and chatting in a mixture of Russian and English

“Oh, I almost forgot!  Imeyte eto!” Sova passed you another book, a copy of your favorite book but in Russian print

“My mozhem prochitat' eto vmeste.”  Sova was softly smiling and seemed lost in how happy he had made you

You practically crushed him with a hug.  You buried your face into his sweater before pulling him onto the couch

Opening the book, you flipped through the pages to the front and found the start of the first chapter.  Noticing the cover was loose, you adjusted it and your eye caught something

In elegant cursive was written: ‘ya lyublyu tebya, Y/N’ hidden away under the cover.  Curious as to what it was, you asked Sova

“Ah, я ne dumal, chto ty skoro eto zametish'!” he was blushing and nervously twisted a strand of blonde hair

“Sova, chto eto znachit?” you asked, puzzled

“It means, I love you.  Ty dlya menya vse Y/N.” 

You decided to try some Russian you had learned for a moment just like this

“Potseluy menya.” you leaned in and Sova did as well

You placed the book down and embraced Sova.  He was warm, and the comfort you felt in his arms was akin to sitting near a fireplace

Sova’s kiss was strong, but gentle.  His calm demeanor and tendency to take his time made the moment seem to last forever

“Я tozhe tebya lyublyu.” you whispered into his ear

Neon - Tagolog

“Kamusta ka Y/N!” Neon’s infectious energy broke through the boredom of filing a battle report

“I’m alright,” you put the report down and figured it was complete enough, “what about you?”

“Just trying to kill time.  You still have the copy of that comic I lent you?  Phoenix wanted a copy so…”

Rummaging through the books on your shelf, you pulled a volume from the collection.  A few books fell as you did so

Neon immediately went to help you place them on her shelf started replacing them.  She suddenly paused

“Y/N, is this a Tagalog learning manual?” she turned over to you and held the book up 

“-uh, yeah it is.  I may have picked it up after we started spending more time together.”  A sheepish look was your only defense

“You could’ve just asked me to teach you.  I mean I could totally do that if you’re interested…” Neon’s hair was beginning to stand on end as she waited for a response

“O pakiusap.” 

For a few days, you and Neon met together for lessons.  Of course it was mainly her correcting a few phrases while the two of you went for a run or chatted

She’d also drop a few new words in every time, mostly whenever you couldn’t remember one 

On a late morning jog, you and her took a rest on some of the benches inside the gym and caught up

“Pagod ka na ba?” Neon was already stretching her legs and retying her shoes

“Ilang lap pa?” you sputtered out, still catching your breath.  You loved running with her, but she never got tired 

“Eh, who cares anyway.  Anong gagawin mo ngayong gabi?”  Neon asked, taking a moment to crack her shoulders and neck

“Bukas na ang gabi ko.” Normally you had a few plans with other agent, but tonight you were all hers

“Agh!” Neon winced.  “Y/N, you mind getting this one spot on my shoulder?  Sobrang sakit.”

“O Tala,” you took a seat behind her and felt around her back until you touched the knot.  You took your elbow and pressed into it 

A shock shot through your body and sent you tumbling backwards.  As you regained your composure, Neon’s panicked eyes caught yours

“Patawad Y/N!” Neon cried.  She carefully helped you to your feet and offered her water bottle 

“Huwag mag-alala, it happens.” you had been shocked a few times before and Neon was always worried about you

“I- patawarin mo ako.  I shouldn’t be around you Y/N.” she apologized profusely and sprinted away to her room

Hours passed and Neon hadn’t left her room.  By mid-evening, you decided that she had spent enough time alone and knocked on her door

“TALA!!  Buksan mo ang pinto!” 

The metal panels slide apart and you entered.  Huddled in on her bed was Tala, hiding under her hoodie

“You shouldn’t feel bad Tala, ayos lang ako?” you gestured to yourself to emphasize 

“Hindi ko mapigilang gawin ito.”  Neon’s regret clung to each word, as she dug herself deeper into her clothes

You decided to use a trick you had absolute faith in to get her out of the pit she found herself stuck in

Neon reacted with surprise as you suddenly held her and kissed her.  She froze, arms raising to keep you away

Wrapping your arms around her, you ran your hands over her back gently.  Neon melted into you, but broke the kiss 

“Y/N, I-.”

“Huwag kang mag-alala,” you interjected, “tumutok sa kung ano ang maaari nating kontrolin.”

Neon’s teary eyes were filled with a mix of hope and relief

“Salamat Y/N.  Paano ako makakabawi sayo?  Please, I can’t thank you enough!”

“Well, anong plano mo ngayong gabi?” you were going to make sure the night she planned didn’t go to waste

“I rented some movies, well Cypher pirated them for me.  Gusto mo silang panoorin magkasama?” she tapped finger nervously on her bed

“Of course!  Magugustuhan ko iyan!”  

With that, you and Neon spent most of the evening cuddled together in her room.  About half way through the second film, she leaned over to you and whispered

“Mahal kita Y/N.”

[storydays]

Clay X Wife! Reader

"We call them meat circles." Clay greeted his brothers dramatically. Their brothers and Poppy greeted him in varying ways before he continued to pinch and baby-talk Branch, ignoring his pleas to call him "Big Branch" or just "Branch."

A voice called out, "Clay, darling, if you want to talk to an actual baby...yours are right here." The group turned to see a light-pink-haired Troll, wearing a dress with a similar design to Clay, walking over with 2 peach color haired Tollings, one sleeping who had mini wrist bands and a diaper and one awake, a yellow pacifier in her mouth, with a couple of flowers placed in her hair and a diaper.

"Melody! Hey, sweetheart, you're finally awake!" Turning to the woman as he took the baby, his eyes softened even more, "Hey (Y/N), how was your nap? You feeling better, baby?"

(Y/N) smiled, adjusting her son slightly. "Yeah, I feel like that fog in my brain is lifted, like I can think clearer. But enough about me, who are the new Trolls?"

"Oh, yeah! Everyone, this is my wonderful wife, (Y/N), and mother of our twins, Melody and Lallo! Baby, these are my brothers, John Dory, Spruce, who goes by Bruce now, and Bit-I mean Branch. That's Poppy, Branch's girlfriend---and wait a second, where's Floyd?" Clay asked, looking for his slightly younger brother.

After explaining why they were there, Bruce spoke up. "Wait, I just realized, you're a dad, too Clay!" He laughed excitedly. Clay grinned from where they were tickling Melody. "Yeah, man! These two are only a few weeks old, but they are amazing! I wouldn't change anything for them."

Melody then started to pull on her father's wild green locks. "Ow! Mel-Mel! Let go! (Y/N), get your demon child!" "Mm-no." snorted (Y/N), as she then gave Clay their son who'd woken up wanting to play with his sister and father. "You traitor!" cried Clay, fighting his grin yelping again when one of the twins grabbed his hair and pulled hard.

Viva and (Y/N) giggled, before finally giving mercy to the CPA. They each took a twin and turned to the group to give Clay a chance to compose themself.

-----------------------------LINE BREAK-----------------------------------

(Y/N) knew it would bother Clay if he didn't try to help his brothers, but she didn't want them in danger.

Clay gave the sleeping twins a kiss on the head before pressing his forehead against hers, cupping her cheek, and wiping away a few tears. "Promise you'll be safe and come home, okay? These babies are too young to be without their dad. And I don't want to be a widow."

Laughing softly, Clay whispered, "I promise," before pressing a kiss to her lips, and let her rush off to stall Viva.

Bruce pat his brother's shoulder and led them to Rhonda. "Don't worry, buddy. We'll get you back to your wife and kids."

-----------------------------LINE BREAK--------------------------------

After freeing Clay and the others freed Floyd, they came to rest at Putt Putt village and picking up (Y/N) and the twins.

Everyone getting along so well, and Bruce offering advice for those first time parent jitters, he could see written all over both of the younger couple's face.

(Y/N) being the most supportive wife,and getting along splendidly with Bruce's wife, Brandi.

The two having a bi monthly moms date, having a monthly girls' night, with Poppy, Viva, Bridget.

Every month, (Y/N) takes her daughter Melody and Brandi brings her daughters for a mommy daughter cousins sisters in law date.

(Y/N) being the Putt-Putt troll preschool teacher, having her kids in class when they're old enough.

Melody and Lallo are both names after music(Melody being the melody of a song, and Lallo means lullaby in Spanish.)

I headcanon that the Putt Putt trolls' two main languages are English and Spanish.

Let me know what you guys think!

@vacayisland

[the-fandom-is-now-my-life]

Read my lips

Regardless of what people say the worst thing about being Isekai in genshin isn't the lack of technology or how many monsters there are, it's about how you can't read anything that is written

Notes: i know this concept is overdone and everything but i just wanted to see an Spanish speaking reader jsjsjjs

Wc: 2,1k

Landing on teyvat there were many things you had to get used to quickly to not get attention. Getting used to seeing children with natural pink hair. Blue being a more common hair color than brown for vision bearers.

But one thing you never got used to is reading in their alphabet. Even if the way they speak sounds like English the symbols that represent each one are so different to any type of alphabet you ever saw that at one point you gave up trying, opting for asking questions or leading people to suggest things so that you don't have to read. As you are doing now.

Looking to the blackboard with what you guessed was the menu you ask her as smoothly as you could "Say Sara, what do you recommend for me on this sunny day" you smile widely.

Sara, already used to this antic simply answers " well, there are chicken skewers and if you pay 500 extra we add a drink. But if you are specially frugal today I can give you a few tasks and the house covers it all, what do you think?"

" I just got paid so I'm going to pay" pulling out 1500 worth of moras you lean over the counter " is it me or has it gotten hotter"

Sara scribbles the order and grabs a chicken from behind the counter, cutting it so she can skewer the pieces " I think it's because it's been raining lots, whenever it's this humid my hair is a mess and my clothes stick so much because of the sweat"

A voice joins in " is it really so hot for you two? I would say it's rather mild" the owner of the voice being an old novelty, an animal hybrid.

He walks towards the counter followed by a girl and a man dressed up as a knock off Anubis, even if they looked slightly different than in game you could guess they were collei and cyno.

" Yes, summer is coming so i guess we have to get prepared for a heatwave" As collei gets closer you can see some familiar words written on collei's arm " do you have dirt in your arm? Here, let me clean it for you" taking a piece of fabric you use as a handkerchief and dampening it slightly with saliva you try to erase the supposed dirt

Collei takes her arm away whining " noo, please. It took me so long to write this words I doubt I can remember how to do them again without the book"

Tighnari looks at yours and Sara's confused faces and briefly explains "in sumeru people write whatever they feel they need the most of in certain moments as a way to feel closer to the creator"

Looking closer you see it reads 'seguridad en mi mismo' " oh, then you must be ready shy if what you need is confidence in yourself"

Tighnari's ears stand upright, surprised meanwhile collei looks at you starstruck " are you so knowledgeable about the holy language that you can read it without a guide?It's so cool! Even the scholars and scribes need a dictionary!"

Surprised you try to brush off her excitement " oh, i just know a little, bit too much. I do know that you gendered 'mismo' wrong, if you are a girl you would refer to yourself as 'misma'" getting the handkerchief closer to erase the o " can I erase it and write an a?"

Collei nods before taking the handkerchief and erasing the o, taking a pen out of her bag she stops for a second before looking at you sheepishly " I… forgot how the a looks. Can you?" You grab the pen, gliding smoothly over her soft skin " woah! You calligraphy is sooo neat! I can feel more confident already. Cyno look" she shows the mismatched calligraphy on her arm "doesn't it look so nice!"

" I guess you can say it's 'callineathy'"

" Why do you think it's a gendered language?" Tighnari looks at you, eyebrows furrowed " it's just a theory that started taking rise a few days ago…"

Looking at him a bit confused you answer " When talking about someone else you use

'él' and 'ella', each job or title or other things changing accordingly? Like 'hijo' is masculine and used for 'él' and 'hija' is feminine and used for 'ella'? That is just one example that it's heavily gendered."

Cyno scratches his chin " I never thought mondstrat had an expert on holy language. If you don't mind, would you come with us to sumeru after the windblume festival? I'm sure the akademia would find you the most helpful"

" Oh, i have never been the scholar type. I will pass, but thanks either way" the last thing you need is people getting amazed about your abilities to read Spanish even as your first language, what you need even less is people trying to find something about you only for your history here to have started three months ago at best

" Who would have said, my client to refuses to read the menu and asks me for suggestions is actually well versed in holy language" Sara laughs

" Why don't you three come here and we share a meal together?"

After a week the windblume festival comes to an end as does the three foreigners travel back home, not without another offer to show you they Homeland (or more specifically their akademia and old manuscripts that needed to be translated)

" Are you sure that you don't want to visit sumeru? There is beautiful greenery throughout"

" Oh, I'm sorry, I truly like forests in theory but I can't stand mosquitoes"

" There are almost no mosquitoes in the desert, i could take you to aaru village, it's a beautiful place"

" I would love to but I can't stand such high heat! I'm prone to overheating. Sorry"

After a few days of that over and over they greet you goodbye and hope to see you soon, sighing tiredly you rest your back against the wall as you watch them leave " they were so nice but so insistent. I almost gave up and went"

A few months went by, summer had already passed its hardest peak and you were getting ready for autumn even if it was many weeks away, almost like a lover you yearn for after years of not seeing each other. Only to later start yearning for winter after you get tired of the leaves, and then spring when you can't stand the cold any longer, and then summer again after getting bad pollen allergies and the endless cycle continues

" It's been so long since I could write in my language" you start running a stick you found on the floor through the ground, slowly making out various words. Patos, caracol, flores, calor. You would have kept going had someone not stood up behind you covering the sun. His green eyes scanning the words before meeting your own

" So you must be (Y/N)"

"Ay, pero la repu-"

It seems that they snitched on you, after something that you would consider a kidnapping had the knights at least done something when al-haitham dismissed them saying something along the lines of the future of how we understand the holy language you are dragged to the akademia.

Finally reaching the palace like building after hours of being held like a potato sack al-haitham drops you. That would be a good chance of running away had you a) had a glider, and b) not being literally between al-haitham and the door

" Enter. It was difficult enough tracking down the rumors and getting you here for you to behave like a mule"

" I remind you I was very happy living in mondstrat until I was dragged here"

" At least you didn't have to walk. You aren't specifically light, you know?"

Now giving up on keeping a façade you start cursing him out " ay pero que gracioso el hijo de mil p-"

A child comes out of the door, her hair white and her big eyes bright green. " oh, you must be that expert the rumors talked about. Come in, let's talk, you too al-haitham"

You are basically pushed forward by al-haitham's chest intro a room with two couches and a coffee table

You are sat between al-haitham and the wall, both of you looking at nahida

" So this is the person who shows great use of the archaic language?" She asks al-haitham who only nods

" When I found them they were writing in it" nahida seems surprised

" Writing?"

" Those seemed like loose words but it's still at least a bare minimum of three years of intensive study to write without guides"

" Where did you learn it?" The question now seems directed to you " i have yet to hear of someone in Mondstrat who teaches it "

Now it's your time to lie. Should you go with the classic 'I don't know. It comes naturally' or a simpler ' i used to know an old man who taught me, he said it was a fake language' but that will almost certainly discredit you, it seems like you could milk the akademia for some mora or at least a semi luxurious treatment as a guest. it's a promising future even if it wouldn't last that long

" When I was a child I went into a coma" the typical 'I woke up knowing it' will work, or so you hope " I remember dreaming of someone talking to me in a strange language and it stuck with me and somehow when I woke up I could speak it." Nice it seems like they semi believe it, now just the finishing touch and it should be flawless "I didn't find out it was the holy language after years, when I was speaking with a girl named collei who came for the windblume"

That girl only muttered a small 'interesting' "then you are able to read and write it?"

You shake your head " i can also speak it"

" Al-haitham" he looks up as he is named " please translate those texts with them and rewrite them in the common tongue" and he nods as an answer, is he capable of muttering more than three words consecutively or does he need a time to cool down?

" Hey, I kind of never agreed to this. I work doing commissions from dawn to dusk and hardly can make ends meet. I can't afford to take time off" please for god's sake bite the bait and let you live comfortably

" Is that so?" She thinks for a bit " i guess the akademia can take care of your stay and food for as long as you agree to work with us" she extended her hand and you don't even stutter to grab it

" Deal!"

Now a few days later you start to dislike your own choice

" Al-haitham, i already told you. You have to mark your ñ's!"

" Islenio" he says confidently

" Don't act so smug when you are wrong!" You throw your head back, almost hitting the back " follow after me"

"Is"

"Is"

"Le"

"Le"

"Ño"

"Nio"

" Give me your hand, i saw someone do this to teach their child" you grab his hand and put it on your neck so he can feel the vibrations " look closely to my lips"

You start repeating that word repeatedly, his hand snug against your neck, almost pressing on your pulse. His deep green eyes fixed on your lips as he mouthed the syllables alongside you. This was one of the most calming times with al-haitham that you could remember had it not been for-

"Hyaa!?" Kaveh's shriek scares the living shit out of you "I know it's your apartment and all but next time tell me you have someone over!" His face is mostly blush by this point

" Why would I? You have never been bothered by visits before"

" Well, because you didn't bang them! If you want to have some over it is fine but if you want to be intimate at least let me know! I don't want to be here when you fuck someone!"

"Oh" Al-haitham focuses on his hand wrapped around your throat and how intensely he was looking at your lips but doesn't care enough about making things clear " if you are bothered you can leave"

You don't get a chance at explaining before kaveh is out the door " couldn't you just tell him this is for our job?"

" I don't see why he should know. Plus we are both grown consenting adults, whatever our relationship is it's between us"

" You are dense as a rock, ain't you?"

[choclodox]

Lyle’s IQ score Head Canon

HEAR ME OUT: as much as Lyle def gives me himbo™️ energy, I also feel like he’s supposed to be…PRETTY SMART? he’s just also goofy. Like, I feel like he’s one of those friends that’s the smartest but also the dumbest person you’ve ever had at the same time.

Here is my evidence (dons glasses and grabs a laser pointer)

1. First and foremost, I’m pretty sure Quaritch wouldn’t let a dumbo be able to advance to the rank of Corporal, so Lyle needs to have SOME level of competency (but there’s still some room for his goofball nature lol).

Side note, studies show that people who are comical tend to have higher IQs since it ranks critical thinking to understand humor and make jokes. So Lyle is at least smart in that department.

2. In the first movie, we can see that Trudy trusts him enough to work on her Samson. We all know how much Trudy LOVED her Baby, so she must have had some serious trust in Lyle (someone who wasn’t an RDA mechanic) to let him even TOUCH her Rogue One’s equipment.

3. Also in the first movie, Lyle actually knows his stuff about combat theory and the AMP suits. When Quaritch has Lyle survey the aftermath of the Omatikaya’s retaliation for the destruction of the Tree of Voices, Lyle is able to describe in detail what the damages are. He’s able to tell that the arrows were fired from Ikrans based off the angles of the arrows in the damaged equipment and dead bodies, he can say for a fact that the AMP suits are not just damaged but what exactly is damaged (the Driver in this case).

4. Now in the 2nd movie, we actually get to see more of his smarts come into action. Lyle actually gets promoted from Corporal to Lieutenant and becomes second in command to Quaritch. The RDA wouldn’t let that happen if he was purely a trigger happy soldier; you needs some gray matter for that position.

5. Next, Quaritch looks to LYLE to pull the security feed off of OG Quaritch’s AMP suit. And Quaritch is a smart guy too, but it feels like Big Curly Q knows he’s out of his depth on this one and just hands it off to Lyle because he knows that he actually knows his stuff.

But ya, thanks for coming to my TedTalk :)

Also, a few other hcs I embrace

Lyle is that ONE gringo friend that knows FLUENT Spanish (and possibly knows other languages as well). And when I say Gringo, I don’t mean he’s white but is still Hispanic, no. There is a reason why JamCam named this man after Wainfleet, Ohio (the Ohio of Ohio). But nobody questions his ability to speak Spanish. You leave him alone in any Authentic Hispanic setting and come back in 20 minutes, they’re running to the liquor store because they already ran out of Tequila/pisco/etc. TEAM LATINO LOVES HIM

*side note, Jake probably knows some Spanish too since he did his tours in Venezuela. Who knows, maybe he taught some to Spider because he knows he’s team Latino. A

*and Quaritch probably knows some of Nigeria’s native languages (Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, etc) since he did 3 whole tours there before coming to Pandora

Lyle likes 90s music (Britney Spears, Mariah Carey) but mainly SHAKIRA. I could see him just dancing alone to Hips Don’t Lie and someone walks in trying to get his attention, but he doesn’t notice and they have to clear their throat and he just screams when he finally notices them

He can dance Samba, Cumbia, Tango, Flamenco. ANYTHING in that family HE CAN DO IT FLAWLESSLY ASU PAPI

Might come from a family of mechanics and worked in a mom and pop mechanic shop (I embrace that one HC where he has a love for cars and just engineering in general). Maybe he wanted to be a more refined engineer but just couldn’t pass the tests since he was more of an intuitive thinker and tests favor more of the technical thinkers.

Likes DragonBall Z but will never admit it

[worseforwords]

Barcelona Beginnings (Ona Batlle x Reader)

So, I decided to write a sequel to the Manchester Meet-cute/ Memories story after all. However, it takes place 4 years after the initial encounter. I recommend you read the other parts first. You can find them here: part 1, part 2

“Y/N/N!” A familiar voice called from behind you. You quickly turned around “Ames!” You screamed as your best friend practically jumped into your arms, almost making you fall over. “I am loving the  Barcelona weather already!” She exclaimed as she pulled away. “Better than Paris?” You asked. “Yeah it’s been cloudy for weeks. That’s not what they told us when we decided to move there you know. City of light my ass.” She scoffed as you chuckled at her. “Still the city of love though I hope. How’s Lewis?” “Great, I have some news actually.” She looked at you excitedly. “We’re going to try to make a baby!”

How did this happen? How was Amy suddenly becoming the adult between the two of you? Somehow, the random fling your friend ditched you for 4 years ago, was now her husband, and they were ever so happy, living together in Paris. You actually liked Lewis a lot, and you were happy for them, but damn, how did this happen? 

“Oh my god, Ames, that’s amazing! I’m sure you’ll be great parents.” “And think about how hot our children will be!” She said, referring to the fact that they were both absolute 10s, which you could not disagree with. “Okay so enough about me. How’ve you been? I’ve received significantly less midnight anxiety calls, so I assume you’re doing slightly better?” “Yeah, I am. I’ve made some friends, work has been better. I feel like I’m finally starting to fit in.”

Contrary to Amy, you hadn’t particularly been thriving, but you were certain it was for the best. You had moved to Barcelona about 2 months ago, completely leaving behind the life you had built, for a career opportunity. You left your job, your house, your family, but the worst part was ending your relationship of 3 years. Your first two weeks in Barcelona you had been miserable. You were heartbroken and all on your own in a new city where you barely spoke the language. The only thing getting you through your sorrow, were your daily FaceTime calls with Amy. You had slowly built yourself back up, forcing yourself to go out and enjoy the Catalan sun, and all the city had to offer. So you were truly doing better, day by day.

“That’s good to hear Y/N/N. Now, where can we get some of that delicious Spanish wine around here?” “Jesus Ames, it’s 10 in the morning, how about a coffee first?” You giggled, happy she was still the Amy you knew and loved.

After dropping Amy’s stuff off at your place, you walked into a nearby coffeeshop where you had become a regular these past months. “Hola Martí” “Y/N! Bon dia, the usual?” The barista asked. “Sí, and a cappuccino for my friend, please.” You answered. These past months, Martí had been a ray of sunshine in your life, even when your head was too cloudy to enjoy the actual Barcelona sunshine. “Here you go, princesa.” He said as he handed you your coffees. “Merci” 

Amy had already claimed the loungeset in the corner. You started walking over there, when you realised you forgot to grab a cookie. As you turned around, you saw some people coming through the door from the corner of your eye, one of whom was approaching the bar at a dangerous pace. Time stood still for a moment as you couldn’t help but flash back to a very similar moment 4 years ago in a coffeeshop in Manchester. You knew better this time, so you swiftly moved your arms out of the way, spilling only a little coffee on yourself. The speedy individual could only just dodge you, causing a quick breeze in your face, lightly fluttering your hair. You stood there for a second, catching your breath, looking at the fresh coffee stain on your white shoe. You thought everything was supposed to be tranquilo in Spain, but apparently not for everyone. “You should watch where y-” “Y/N!?” There was no way, it couldn’t be her. You immediately looked up, to be met with the same gorgeous pair of hazel eyes you just saw in your flashback, 4 years and they hadn’t changed one bit. “No way, Ona!?” You both stood there for a minute, looking at each other in total awe, before falling into a tight embrace. “We have to stop meeting like this.” You joked, to which Ona giggled. “Are you stalking me now, Y/N?” She chuckled, to which your face instantaneously turned red, as you knew exactly what she was referring to. 

When you first got to Barcelona, you spend a lot of time on social media, in search of some kind of distraction. One day, whilst mindlessly scrolling through instagram, you came across photo of Ona holding some kind of trophy with some of her FC Barcelona teammates. She had transferred to Barcelona not long after you left Manchester, which you knew, but you never made an effort to meet up with her since you had moved. You slightly frowned when you recognised the girl to her right: her girlfriend, hence your decision not to contact her. A mixture of curiosity and boredom caused you to go to her profile and scroll down to 4 years ago, around the time the two of you met. Oh how you cursed at instagram for still not having changed the double tap feature, when your thumb accidentally slipped and you unintentionally liked a photo from 4 years ago. You immediately undid your action and contemplated just deleting your account all together. But then you realised she had half a million followers, so you prayed your blunder would just go unnoticed. But it didn’t, apparently. 

“I live right around the corner actually.” You said quickly, hoping to avoid having to explain your instagram antics. “Wait, you live here?In Barcelona?” She asked, her face expressing both excitement and confusion. “Yeah, I do. Just moved here two months ago.” An awkward silence ensued as you started feeling guilty for not contacting her. “Y/N/N, who’s this?” Amy, who apparently left the loungeset, interrupted the somewhat painful stares between the two of you. “Hi, I’m Ona” Ona smiled. Amy seemed to recognise that name, because she waited a while before responding, looking at the both of you with narrowed eyes as if investigating. “Hold up,” she finally spoke “are you THE Ona, from the magical Manchester lovestory!?” The both of you turned red at her loud outcry, immediately looking at anything but each other. “I’m Amy, by the way.” She said, slightly smirking. “Nice to meet you Amy.” Ona said as a slight smile reappeared on her face. “Oh wait.” The smile quickly turned in to a look of pure shame. “Yes, I’m that Amy, creditcard Amy.” Amy laughed out loud at the furious glances you sent her way. “Yeah, sorry about that” Ona giggled awkwardly. “Alright, I’ll just be over there.” Amy walked back to the loungeset, still audibly giggling about the whole situation.

“Sorry about her.” You said when she was far enough away. “That’s okay,” Ona smiled “after all, I did convince you to steal her money.” Both of you chuckled at the memory. “I’m actually kind of in a hurry though, so I have to run now.” She said, apologetically. “But let’s hang out sometime, to properly catch up.” She quickly hugged you again before grabbing a coffee to go and heading out again. You highly suspected that she just said that last part as a courtesy, so you chose not to contact her and instead wait for her to reach out.

You spend the rest of the day showing Amy around your new neighbourhood. It felt great to have your best friend by your side again, and the two of you truly had a blast, even though she repeatedly teased you about the uncomfortable interaction from earlier that day. You hardly touched your phone all day, so when you got home at the end of the day, you had a few notifications. 

Mom❤️: How are you dear? Remember to wish uncle Dan a happy birthday. Also tell Amy I said hi. Call soon?

x

Martí☕: Tomorrow we have your favourite carrot cake again!

Loser bro💩: Hey sis, mom told me to tell you to wish uncle Dan a happy birthday. Also you stink, I can smell you from here. Kinda miss u tho lil bit, BUT U STINK🤢

You chuckled at your screen. When you scrolled down you saw an instagram notification from Ona. You opened it right away, thinking she might want to meet up after all, but it wasn’t a message. 

[ona.batlle has liked your photo]

You were a little confused, because you hadn’t posted anything recently, but when you clicked on it you saw that it was a photo from 4 years ago. You quietly chuckled to yourself at her teasing. You saw she was online, so you decided to message her about it, to which she immediately replied.

You: Who’s stalking who exactly? 😏

Ona: Guess were even now 🙃

Ona: Although you did move to my city..

You: Fair enough

Even though the conversation was very short, it still made up for some of the awkwardness from earlier, and it brought a wide smile to your face. The latter dit not go unnoticed by Amy, who discreetly approached you from behind to then snatch your phone out of your hand and see what made you grin like that. “AMES! Give that back!”  “Oooo, sliding into her DMs now are we?” You chased her trough your apartment until she finally had to catch a breath and you took the opportunity to grab your phone out of her hands. You both sat back down on the couch as Amy looked at you expectantly. “Sooooo-” “Shut up.” You cut her off. “What? The stars have finally aligned for you two! You live in the same city with neither of you planning to move and you both clearly like each other. Like come on, Y/N/N, let romance win for once!” “Except they haven’t.” you mumbled. “Sorry?” “The stars, they haven’t aligned. She has a girlfriend.” You said sharply, your voice cracking. “Oh. I’m sorry Y/N/N.” She said softly, pulling you into a tight hug.

The next day Amy cooled it significantly with the Ona teasing. She had clearly already moved on as she tried to set you up with every random person you met during the day. It led to some rather humiliating interactions, but you had fun nonetheless, and you had to admit it was nice to take your mind of things. Towards the end of the day however, you received a message that brought your mind right back to were it had been most of yesterday. It was from Ona. She forwarded you a post, with a smirk face next to it. You clicked on it to find a promo for a Lion King musical revival. You felt your heart rate accelerate slightly. You didn’t know how to respond, so you chose to go with a safe option and just replied with the same smirk emoji. 

Ona: Sooo is that a yes?

You: Was there a question?

Ona: You are impossible.

Ona: Do you want to go?

You: Sorry :)

You: It sounds amazing, I would love to go.

Ona: Are you free tonight?

“Ames?” You called out. “What’s up?” She came running from the kitchen. “Would it be okay if I left you alone for a bit tonight?” She audibly gasped. “Depends, why?” She asked, a smirk started to grow on her face as she had a hunch what this could be about. “Ona may have asked me to go see the Lion King revival.” You mumbled. “Yes, YES, a thousand times YES! Romance is in the air! I’ll book a hotel so you can have this place all to yourself and you know, bring her home afterwards.” The smirk on her face grew even wider. “She still has a girlfriend Ames. This is just a friend thing.” “Are you sure about that? Maybe you should actually ask her. I mean it’s the Lion King for fucks sake, the LION KING Y/N/N. Can you feel the love tonight, because I can!” As she kept on rambling for a while, your focus went back to your phone.

You: Tonight it is :)

Ona: Great, it’s a date ;)

“Y/N? What’s up?” Amy said, noticing your flustered expression and the blush spreading across your face. “She said, and I quote: it’s a date.” “IT’S A DATE!” Amy exclaimed, as she pulled you off the couch to dance around the room, sending kissy faces your way and you couldn’t help but giggle at her antics. “Wait. We have to get you ready! What to wear, what to wear!?” She started running around frantically, like the true drama queen she is.

You met up with Ona at the theater about an hour later. “Hi.” she said, with a shy smile on her face. “Hi.” You replied. “Sorry again about yesterday. It was all just a little weird.” “So you felt that too huh?” She said, looking slightly relieved. “I guess it had just been a while.” “Yeah, I guess.” The conversation fell quiet as you stood in line waiting to get your tickets scanned. “It’s still a little awkward isn’t it?” She finally asked. “Yes it is.” You admitted, and you both chuckled quietly. The truth was, you weren’t quite sure how to act around her. You had only ever been flirty with her, but now she had a girlfriend, so you tried your very best to just be friendly. The fact that she (presumably jokingly) called it a date however, did not make acting platonic any easier. 

“Do you want to get a drink first?” She asked once you were both inside. “Yes please.” You answered, hoping it might take the edge off things. Ona ordered two glasses of wine and then sat down on a bench, waiting for you to join her. You sat down next to her, and immediately noticed her eying the obvious gap you left between the two of you. Everything you seemed to do in an attempt to not make her uncomfortable, seemed to make things so much more awkward and therefore make her even more uncomfortable. Maybe going out with her was a mistake. Even though it had been 4 years, there was just something about her that made you want to jump her bones right then and there. That could never happen though, so here you were, repressing everything you felt for her. Ona seemed to have noticed your mind had started to spiral, as she carefully put her hand on your shoulder to make you look at her instead of your feet. “Hey, Y/N, remember: Hakuna Matata.” Butterflies crept up your stomach as you let her words sink in. Thankfully the theater bell went, signalling that the show was about to start, because you must have been staring at her with obvious heart eyes for way too long.

The musical was incredible. The music, the costumes, the decor, everything was executed to perfection. At one point Ona put her hand on the armrest in between you, ever so slightly caressing your hand that had already been on there. You had been tempted to move your hand closer to hers, but instead you pulled it away. Apart from that moment the musical had been a welcome distraction. When the curtain closed, you both remained in your seat for a bit, recovering from the spectacle you had just witnessed. “Want to take a walk so we can properly catch up?” She finally asked.

As you walked the beautiful streets of Barcelona by night together, you successfully made small talk, catching up on each others lives. You were proud of the comfortable platonic atmosphere you finally seemed to have created, when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. “I need to show you something.” She said. You turned around to look at her and she pulled out something from under the collar of her shirt. It was the golden necklace with the little lion on it you had left her back in Manchester. She still had it. You just looked at her, too stunned to speak. All your efforts to keep things friendly and suppress your feelings and here you were, heart beating like a maniac. “You still have that?” You asked quietly, taking a step forward to take the little lion in your hand and have a closer look at it. You looked back up and there was a moment when your noses almost touched. You looked into her eyes and you were sure you caught her looking at your lips for a second. You immediately realised you were standing way to close, and quickly backed away heart still racing uncontrollably. “Ona, I erm- I think I should go home.” You said. “Oh, okay.” She said, suddenly staring at the pavement, disappointment clear in her voice. You went in to give her a quick hug when she looked at you and asked softly: “Did I do something wrong?” “No, no, of course not. I’m just not feeling very well, sorry.” You hastily hugged her goodbye and turned around to walk away, not wanting her to spot your eyes tearing up.

“Oh no, you’re back way too soon.” Amy said from the couch when she heard you enter your apartment. “Y/N/N, you okay?” She asked when you didn’t respond. You still didn’t answer, instead you just plopped down next to her as she opened up her arms for you to cuddle up against her. “That bad huh?” You nodded. You enjoyed the comfort of your best friends arms for a while before she sat you up straight. “Want to tell me what happened?” 

You recounted all the events of the night as you sniffled softly in between sentences. “Y/N/N,” Amy said when you were done “she was very clearly coming on to you. This is in no way platonic.” “Well I don’t know what to tell you Ames, she has a girlfr-” “Does she? Doesn’t sound like it. And if she does I’m not sure they are in a good place right now.” 

A couple of days went by without any form of contact between you and Ona. Luckily you had Amy by your side the whole time to distract you from spiralling about the whole situation you brought onto yourself. Unfortunately, she eventually had to go back to her life in Paris, to make a family or whatever, so you dropped her off at the airport and hour before her flight. “Damn it.” She said as you walked into the airport together. “3 hour delay.” “That means I get to spend 3 more hours with you!” You cheered. “What do you want to do first? People-watching? Eat a whole Toblerone? Go plane spotting?” You suggested. “You don’t have to stay you know.” She giggled. “No I want to. It’ll be fun!” “Alright then, I’m going to find a toilet. You find us a nice people-watching spot.” You sat down at the bench with the best view of the airport hallway and pulled out your phone to scroll through instagram. You came across a picture of Ona at a restaurant with her teammates. Without thinking too much about it you liked the post. Hardly ten seconds past before you got a notification. A message from Ona.

Ona: Hey

You: Hi

Ona: Can we maybe talk?

You: Sure

Ona: Like in person

You: When?

Ona: Now?

You were too busy staring at your phone when Amy suddenly hit your shoulders from behind, making you jump in your seat. “Your doing people-watching all wrong.” She joked. You hastily put your phone away. “What was that?” Amy asked, upon noticing your secretive behaviour. “Nothing.” “Y/N/N, don’t do this again. What’s going on?” “She asked if we can talk, like now.” You admitted. “Just go.” Amy said. “No, no, I can’t just leave you alone here, I-” “Y/N. Y/M/N. Y/L/N. I refuse to stand in the way of true love. Please go talk to her.” She said dramatically. “You sure?” “Yes! Now go!” You pulled Amy into a tight embrace and thanked her for everything. After a while she pulled away and pushed you towards the exit. “Stop wasting time, go get your girl!”

You sat at the edge of your couch, fidgeting with your bracelet when the ringing of the doorbell had you suddenly shoot straight up. Upon opening your front door you saw Ona, but you weren’t met with the usual cute smile. Instead her face portrayed a both nervous and somber expression.

“Hi”

Part 4 out now!

[mysticficti0n]

All my attention Part 9

warnings- swearing

words- 887

If you'd like to read the previous parts → All my attention series

a/n- so if you're new here I am British and cannot speak any German, I speak a little French, Spanish and Italian but German- no. I also do not trust Google translate so this is gonna be like an avatar thing (if you've seen the newest one Jake says that their language just became normal or something along those lines) so in reality this is all in German, you as a reader know German but, its wrote in English... make sense? no... oh well

(hey I know this is shitty but I swear it'll get better I just felt like writing something so I could carry on the story, I'm so sorry I haven't updated this since 27th June I honestly didn't realise how Long I'd not updated its but love you all and thank you for being so patient♥︎

I hate hate hate part 9 of all my attention and for the likes it's getting I can see not many people are keen with but I PROMISE YOU it's just a part so I can link the next of the series!

thank you and I am sososoososososososos sorry ♥︎)

┍━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━┑

backstory- you are the 5th member of Tokio Hotel and you always thought the love was equally platonic between you and a certain guitarist... but what if that all changed?

I woke up with the sun shining into my bedroom making my walls glow and glimmer "morning babe" I looked next to me where Tom was lay smiling to me

"good morning" I grinned moving to be closer to him even though his arm was still under my head "sleep okay?" I asked pressing a kiss to his lips

"best sleep of my life, your bed is so much comfier than mine" we laughed, his hand moved to draw lazy shapes on my skin "you feeling okay?" he spoke and I just nodded while still watching his features "good" he hummed kissing my forehead

"this is all so crazy" I giggled staring to the ceiling "like who'd a thought? Tom and Y/n" I sighed "I'm not annoyed its happened though- are you?" he scratched his head trying to hide a smile forming on his face "piss off Kaulitz!" I shoved sitting up and crawling off the bed and standing by the window staring at the back yard where the sun was making the grass shine

"god you're so pretty" he breathed getting up too and hooking his arms around my neck and resting next to my head "what do you want to drink?" he asked letting go and grabbing his shirt from my desk

"erm.. my peach ice tea thing, should be in the fridge and I'll make us some breakfast in two seconds I need to wash my face" he nodded taking my hand and pressing a kiss to it before walking down the hallway.

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10 minuets later I made my way to the kitchen were I saw his frame leant against the counter watching the tv "babe were on the news" my heart dropped- why? why would we be on the news? I quickened my pace and stood by him and watched as our performance was shown on the tv 'Tokio Hotel are the 5th band who have been put forward for the best band in Germany' I turned to Tom who's jaw had dropped like mine

'HOLY SHIT!" I screamed jumping onto him and cheering "WHAT THE FUCK WERE IN FOR AN AWARD!" he nodded jumping us about until hurried knocking came at my front door and we stopped

'"Y/N!" it was Bill, Tom looked to me and I pointed for him to hide in the cabinet under the stairs "Y/N OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR QUICK!" sprinting I shoved Tom into the tiny room and fled to the door whipping it open "have you seen the news?"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" I squealed grabbing the boys shoulder "I'm shaking right now like holy shit"

"its crazy! and we've been put on news papers and things already! we might actually win!" Bill laughed coming inside and walking to the kitchen "oh is Tom not with you?" he asked and I panicked remembering that his brother was in the cabinet

"erm no unless he's hiding somewhere, I haven't seen him" the black haired boy laughed shaking his head

"what like he's in here?" his hand went to the door knob of the cabinet and pulled it open 'oh shit' "Tom what the fuck are you doing!" Bill nearly screamed "Y/n you said- what the fuck is going on?" Tom stepped out looking to me but I just stood stunned "did you guys fuck?" I felt my cheeks light up red

"Bill thats enough-" I herd a screech come from the singer and then many loud laughs "man just shut up"

"you guys fucked! oh my god- you slept with Y/n!" I stared at Tom who grabbed his brother and tried to shove him out the house "WAIT NO I'M SORRY DUDE! I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED" Tom finally let go with a huff and walked back into the kitchen to the living room and fell to the sofa covering his face "so tell me what happened yesterday then" Bill cooed sitting himself across from his brother who looked to me and motioned me to sit with him

"so we went on a date yesterday- our first date and then I brought Y/n home and you know it just all happened from there" Tom breathed grabbing my hand which I gave him squeeze "I'm not even embarrassed or anything I just didn't want to fucking tell you this early after it happened" I nodded understanding what he was trying to get over

"don't tell the others" I began "I know we'll be picked on or something and we really don't need that for when we start our next shows okay and if I find out you've told them I swear to god Bill I'll rip out your eyebrow piercing and shove it up your arse" the boy laughed saying his lips were locked

"I mean us three knew it would happen at some point I mean Georg won the bet" he almost whispered looking away from us with a grin

"you bet on us?" Tom asked with a laugh "fucking weirdos" we all began to giggle and the idea of being betted on like fucking horses

"so what are you guys now?"

[heartstringsduet]

Can you believe it's another snippet of First Aid (yeah me either). Thanks for tagging me all you wonderful wonderful writers. I still have to catch up on it all after digging myself out of the writer's hole. @lightningboltreader @carlos-in-glasses @carlos-tk @inflarescent @louis-ii-reyes-strand @lemonlyman-dotcom @paperstorm @alrightbuckaroo @orchidscript @birdclowns @strandnreyes @three-drink-amy @jesuisici33 @welcometololaland

Once a booth gets free they slide over into it. In the back corner, where the lamps are dimmer and ancient smoke waft from the seats from a time way before theirs, they limbs start a game of catch. Each time Carlos pulls back and each time TK catches his hand. When he's has had enough, TK interlaces their fingers and hooks one leg around Carlos' ankle to make sure Carlos won’t get out easy, won’t snatch what has just started away anytime soon. Carlos lets him. The ice in his Manhattan has watered it down too quickly and TK thinks about ordering another when someone slides into their booth on Carlos’ side. “Carlos?" Arturo asks something and TK’s head is trying to catch up on the foreign language until the Spanish vocabulary clicks into his memory. “You didn't tell me you were coming tonight.” For a split second, Carlos looks caught offguard, but his face quickly schools into a smile that won’t smooth out the wrinkle between his brows. Underneath the table, he pulls his leg and hand away and this time it’s TK who has to let him. In English, he returns, “It was a spontaneous thing. We were actually about to head out.” Arturo looks over the table at TK, confusion settled into his forehead, then the waves on his skin even out. He grins and it looks genuine. “Wait, we met before, right? TJ, isn’t it?” “TK,” Carlos corrects before TK has to, but looks like he regrets his instincts when Arturo’s eyes snap back to him. “Right,” Arturo draws out, “TK.” He switches to Spanish again with a grin that's now sharpened on his lips. “Haven’t seen you out with friends here outside of our group. Am I interrupting something?” “No, he's just a friend from work.” A friend from work, huh? TK sips the cold water leftover in his glass, hoping to hide that he understands. He’d taken Spanish, French and an Introduction to Mandarin at Trinity. It’s gone a bit rustic with disuse, but he’d had straight As in all of them. And comprehension was always easier than holding a conversation. He had thought about telling Carlos many times. Maybe surprising him with dirty talk one night. But something had told him that it would be better to hold this secret to unlock Carlos’. It’s one of the things Carlos doesn’t know, one more thing to feel guilty about.

super late and I haven't checked if you have done it already but if not then feel tagged and so should anyone I forgot or don't know about <3

@decafdino @thebumblecee @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @ladytessa74 @whatsintheboxmh @inkweedandlizards @fitzherbertssmolder @theghostofashton @liminalmemories21 @freneticfloetry @goodways @ambiguouspenny @bonheur-cafe @reyesstrand @herefortarlos

[callsignspark]

Mar[r]y Me - part seven

pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)

summary: A love story told through friendship, laughter, and food.

series warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussion of insecurities, difficult family relationships, discussions of food and alcohol use, discussions of body image, conversations on what it’s like to be a fat woman trying to date in today’s society, extreme fluff, if you read these be warned that the last little bit will probably make you want to yell at me, ignore the fact that the mentioned tswift song wasn't out in 2021, warnings to be added as needed

word count: 4.8k

previous part | series masterlist | main masterlist

note: happy Friday!! it’s here! part seven!! I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks, I hope you all have an amazing weekend!! (side note: this chapter means we've almost hit 50,000 words on this story??? what!!! thanks for all your support!)

part seven - pasta e piselli

C’mon, pick up. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.

Bradley repeats the plea over and over again in his head, staring at his own stressed expression on the Facetime call screen. He’s not sure why he’s worried; she’s picked up every other time he’s called.

Which has been every day this week, so far.

He’s just about to give up, figuring she’s still busy at work, when Mary answers.

“Happy Thurs-” Bradley stops when he realizes she’s on the phone, holding a finger up.

“Just hang on one second, Zia! No! I-” She speaks rapidly in another language, surprising Bradley, before pulling the phone away and bending closer to her iPad. “Sorry, I just need like ten minutes to get her off the phone, and then I’m all yours. I can call you back?”

“Nah, that’s okay. I’ll just be here.” He returns her smile, only slightly distracted by the brief flash of lace he gets where her work shirt is unbuttoned.

Bradley watches her bustle around her hotel room, tidying up and throwing things in her suitcase as she talks on the phone. He gets comfortable on his couch, propping himself up on a mountain of pillows and letting the sweet sound of Mary’s voice wash over him. He’s pretty sure she’s talking to her aunt in Italian, based on the googling he did of the bits and pieces he was able to understand.

It’s sexy, he thinks, imagining what it would be like to have her whisper in his ear in Italian, even if he would have no idea what was being said.

“You would think the fact that she’s closing in on 100 would mean she would have less energy to talk, but somehow, she’s only gained strength over the years.”

His focus comes back to the screen, drifting away from the fantasy he was building in his head to find Mary smiling sweetly at him, her chin resting in her hand. “Hi.”

“Hi, Bradley.”

“You speak Italian.” She nods, saying something to him and laughing when he just looks confused. “What?”

“I said that you must have had a stressful day because your hair looks like your call sign, Mr. Rooster.”

“It’s not that bad!” A glance at his Facetime window tells him that his hair is sticking straight up. Of course, he can’t admit that it’s from running his hands through it during his minor panic that she wouldn’t pick up and then while dreaming about having her on his lap. “Okay. I’ve had better hair days. But back to you, Italian?”

“Yeah, my whole family speaks it to varying degrees. The first few generations - on both sides - spoke very little English, if any at all. My parents and their siblings are the first generation that you could consider fully fluent in English. I had older relatives that only spoke Italian live with my family growing up, so I was a bilingual baby.”

“Was it hard to learn English?”

“Not really? Our house was English first, Italian second whenever possible, so I picked both up pretty quick.”

“That’s so cool! I took Spanish in high school, but I really only remember how to ask about the library. Donde está la biblioteca?” They laugh at his poor pronunciation. “So, how was your day?”

“It was good! Very productive; with all the meetings today, I finally had enough time to finish my program review slides! So tomorrow, I can fully focus on outfitting the last three jets. The team up here understood the upgrade really quickly, which is encouraging. It means the training pipeline that Dave put in place is working.”

“That’s good. What uh- what are you doing now?” Bradley’s mouth goes dry as he watches Mary unbutton her shirt, slipping it off to reveal a white camisole that clings to her in all the right places.

“Some of the people I worked with in Florida are here for training and program review prep! And we finally all have a free evening, so we’re going to dinner! I want to wear that shirt tomorrow morning, and I don’t want to get makeup on it while I’m retouching.”

“That sounds fun.” He can hear how rough his voice is, heart thumping when he watches her eyes dart to his, a light pink appearing on the apples of her round cheeks.

“How was your day?”

He tucks an arm behind his head, watching her freshen her makeup and telling her about the antics the Dagger Squad had gotten up to without her. It had been a light day; everyone got grounded due to rain, so Cyclone had them act as guinea pigs for a new training regiment the Navy is considering. They had, of course, gotten too competitive about it and completely over-performed the expected standards. Admiral Simpson was so frustrated that he let them go early, banning them from his sight for the rest of the day.

“He really swore at you guys?!” Mary laughs, swiping something shiny over her lips.

“He did! And he did that thing where he gets so mad his face turns red, and it looks like that vein in his neck is going to rupture!”

“You guys are going to kill that man.”

“It’s Mav’s fault. He taught us the right buttons to push.” Bradley shrugs when Mary raises a doubtful eyebrow at him, a laugh threatening to break through.

“I only half believe that some of you are quite annoying all on your own.”

“Wow, hurtful.”

She giggles at his dramatic chest grab. “I didn’t name names; if you took offense, that’s your own fault. Does my makeup look okay? Any places need fixing?”

Mary holds the tablet up to her face, closing her eyes to show off her makeup. Bradley takes the quiet moment to admire her. She’s never really been one to wear much makeup, but every time she does, it just enhances her beauty.

“You look great.” He holds back all the compliments and praise he wants to shower her with, reminding himself they’re not quite there yet, choosing to add some helpful feedback instead. “You do have some mascara on your right eyelid, though.”

“Oh, thank you! I’ll clean that up when I change.” She walks over to the closet, pulling out two dresses. “Which one for dinner?”

“The red one.” He answers with zero hesitation. He loves red on her; the color always looks so good against her tanned skin.

She hums, holding the dress against herself and looking in the mirror. “Yeah, good choice. I’m gonna ch-”

Mary shrieks as a door flies open, and Harvard comes bursting in. “Are you ready yet?”

“Brigham! You’re only supposed to use that for emergencies!”

“I’m hungry, and I want to get going.”

“That is not an emergency! What if I was naked?!”

“I could hear Rooster’s big mouth; I knew you weren’t naked. C’mon! Get changed. I want to eat!”

Bradley sits there baffled as Mary throws the dress he didn’t pick at Harvard’s head, snapping at him to hang it up before slamming the bathroom door behind her.

Harvard does and then takes Mary’s seat, waving at Bradley with a big grin on his face, completely unaware of how Bradley is reeling inside. “Hey, man! What’s up? How’re you?”

He doesn’t break to let Rooster answer, rambling on about his week and the mentoring program Cyclone had sent him to work on. Bradley can only let it go on so long before he bursts. “How did you get in?”

At that exact moment, Mary reappears, the red fabric highlighting her tan and accentuating her curves, even better than he remembered it from the night they met. “We ended up with adjoining rooms.”

“We’re keeping them unlocked for emergency purposes, aka so I can make sure she actually has some fun while we’re here.” Harvard proudly announces.

“I was swindled; he’s got very convincing puppy dog eyes.” She ushers him out of her chair so she can slip her shoes on. “It’s like the little brother I never wanted.”

“You’re so mean to me.”

Mary looks at Bradley and rolls her eyes. “And yet he refuses to leave. Go grab your wallet and the keys so we can get going.”

They both ignore Brigham’s muttered complaints as he heads to his room, focusing on each other.

“You look beautiful, honey.” Bradley says lowly once their friend is gone, like if he’s quiet enough with his compliments, then their just friends for now promise won’t be broken.

She looks at him through her lashes, putting her earring on and answering just as lowly. “Thank you. You look handsome.”

“Even with my hair sticking up?”

“Even then, dolcezza.” She hums. A yell from next door interrupts them before he can ask what she called him. “I gotta go, or we’ll be late for dinner. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Have fun, be safe.”

“Hello?” Bradley grumbles into the receiver, not appreciating being woken up after it took almost an hour to fall asleep.

“I can’t see you, Bradley; turn the light on.”

He pulls the phone back, pleasantly surprised to find Mary staring back at him. She’s showered and propped her phone against something, her brown eyes looking sleepy as she snuggles under the covers. A wave of longing hits him; she looks so soft and sweet. He wants nothing more than to be there with her.

“Sorry I woke you up.” She apologizes as he flips the light on and stands his phone on his bedside table.

“S’okay. Did you have a good time with your friends?”

“Yeah…” She sighs, a lazy smile spreading across her face. “It was great! I haven’t seen them since I left last year. We drank so much wine, which happens every time we let Ron pick the restaurant.”

“You tipsy, honey?”

“Think so.” She giggles, burying her face in her pillow for a second. “But it’s okay. Brigham drove, and he made sure I didn’t twist my ankle in those sandals.”

“Did he complain about it?”

“The whole time, he’s a good guy.” She blinks at his annoyed grumble. “Are you jealous? It’s okay if you are, but you don’t have to be. He really is like a brother. Besides, you’re the only sexy Dagger. Like, you’re all ridiculously attractive - statistically, only one or two of you should be hot, and somehow you all are; someone should study the probability of that - but you’re the only one I think is sexy.”

Bradley feels his jaw drop at her admission. He wants to stop her and talk about the fact that she thinks he’s sexy, but she’s steamrolling ahead on a different topic.

“I’m so excited to get home! It’s Annie’s birthday on Saturday, so I get to watch her run around with all her little friends from preschool. It’s gonna be so cute!” She coos, her smile wide.

“You’re gonna need a few Advil after listening to all that screaming.”

“Probably, but it’ll be nice to see her have fun on her birthday.”

“Hey, speaking of birthdays. I was thinking we should do something for your birthday on Sunday since I’ll be gone on the actual day.”

“You remember my birthday?”

“Of course I do, March 14th - Pi Day. And if I did my math correctly, you’re going to be 34.”

“That’s right.” Her answer is just above a whisper.

He can’t describe the way Mary is looking at him; her eyes are big and glassy, and there’s something in her expression he just can’t quite recognize.

“I was thinking we’d spend an evening together - just the two of us - and I’ll make dinner for you.”

“That’s so sweet, Bradley, but I don’t know if I can accept. That’s a lot of work.”

“No, it’s not. Not if I’m doing it for you.”

“Bradley… that plan isn’t very just friends.” Her voice is quiet, shy.

“I know. But I promise, this is completely different than the dinner I promised you after I get back in May. It’s not a date like that’s going to be. So whatdya say? Gonna let me make you dinner?”

“Only if I’m bringing dessert.”

“Nope, it’s your birthday. You’re not bringing dessert.”

Mary’s eyebrows scrunch as she sits up to get closer to the camera, the covers slipping down to reveal her nightgown. Bradley swallows hard. He knows she’s not doing it on purpose - doesn’t think she is anyway - but the pink fabric drapes across her skin in the most tantalizing way. He watches the strap slip down her shoulder, feeling weaker with every millimeter it moves. It makes him want to give in to her, but he stays strong, insisting that she’s not allowed to bring food to her own birthday dinner.

“Fine. Am I allowed to bring wine?”

He thinks for a second. “That’s okay, as long as that’s all you bring.”

“Scout’s honor.”

“Alright, smartass. Time for bed.” He lays back down, watching as she gets comfortable.

Mary hums, fighting against her eyes that are trying to slip close. “Talk tomorrow?”

“Course. Good night, honey.”

The last thing he sees before she hangs up is her pretty face, a sleepy smile on her lush lips, and her dark hair spread out on the white hotel pillows. “Night, dolcezza. Sleep well.”

The screen goes dark, and Bradley smiles back at his own reflection. It had taken some trial and error, but he had looked up what dolcezza meant while she was at dinner.

Dolcezza: Sweetheart or Honey (literally: sweetness; considered old-fashioned)

Mary’s anxiety has been eating away at her all day. From the moment she woke up, to getting ready two hours early because she was worried about being late, to this very second. The combination of nerves and excitement has her entire body vibrating. Her hand even shook a little when she lifted it to knock, thankful that she had tucked the wine safely into her canvas bag.

It’s just dinner with Bradley. There’s nothing to be nervous about.

She’s been telling herself that since accepting his invitation, but she can’t fool her own heart. Bradley inviting her over so he can make a birthday dinner for her because he’s going to be gone on her actual birthday? She knows this means more for them than just dinner.

More than just friends.

She’s beginning to regret asking that they wait to go on a date until he gets back from this deployment. He was so kind and understanding when she explained and had been taking everything at the pace she requested. But an itch is starting to form, one she can’t scratch by herself.

An itch that can only soothed by Bradley’s lips pressed to hers. By his big hands cradling her face. By his strong body pinning hers to the bed. By the two of them sharing a bed at night. Now that she’s had a slice what it would be like to be with him, she’s desperate for more. Just the thought of how he might taste-

You have got to calm down. Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breath.

Mary follows her own instructions, trying to practice the Lamaze breathing she learned at Danielle’s birthing classes, the ones she attended when they weren’t sure what Reuben’s schedule would look like. She’s smoothing nonexistent wrinkles out of her shirt when the door opens.

Why the fuck did I say we should be just friends for now?

Bradley looks gorgeous. There’s no other word to describe it. The sleeves of his sweater are pushed up and hugging his arms, the soft fabric stretched across his broad shoulders. He’s wearing her favorite pair of jeans, the light-wash ones that cup his ass just right. And he’s gotten a trim, his curls slightly shorter than the last time she saw him in person.

As a familiar aroma wafts past his tall frame, his flushed cheeks make her wonder if it’s because he’s been cooking or because of her. She hopes it’s because of her.

“Hi. Happy birthday, Mariella.”

She loves it when Bradley says her full name. His pink lips curving around the letters, the syllables effortlessly dripping from his mouth. He even develops the tiniest Italian accent, an unconscious effect of her name. Her heart pounds with the care he always uses with her name, the respect.

“Thanks, Bradley.” She’s momentarily taken off guard when he pulls her into his strong chest but is reluctant to pull back from his warm hug. “Whatever you’re making smells good.”

“Thank you! I think you’re gonna like it.”

Mary’s smile widens as he takes her bag while she slips her shoes off. “Yeah? What are we having?”

“Oh, that’s a surprise - you’ll just have to wait a little bit and see. Have a seat at the table, and I’ll pour you a glass of this wine you brought.”

She slips into a dining room chair and watches as he opens the wine, bobbing his head to the music coming from the record player across the room. He dramatically sniffs the cork, and the cheeky smile he shoots over his shoulder makes her laugh.

“Something funny, Miss Mary?” Bradley saunters around the counter peninsula, handing over a stemless wine glass.

“Nothing, just unaware I was in the presence of a sommelier. Did you taste the peach the label talked about?”

“I did; I also picked up on notes of lime. Very delicious pinot grigio you selected for tonight.”

“The Navy’s amazing reading skills in action.” She smirks at the confused tilt of his head. “It’s a sauvignon blanc, Bradley.”

He throws his head back as he laughs. “Shit! They all taste the same to me.”

“Me too.” She admits as he checks on the food, warmth blooming in her chest at the domesticity of the scene. All the anxiety from earlier suddenly seems ridiculous; she’s never felt more comfortable with a man. “Which drives Dani insane because apparently there’s a lot of differences.”

“Wine is wine! You know, like Mr. Incredible when he tries to do the math homework?” Bradley jokes as he sets salad and bread on the table. “Could you dish out the salad while I serve the pasta?”

Mary is slicing the loaf of sourdough when Bradley sets a bowl of pasta at seat. His chest brushes her back, and he squeezes her hip as he moves to his seat, murmuring a low thanks when she puts bread on his plate. She loses her breath as she sits back down, her heart racing when she sees what he’s made.

“Pasta e piselli?”

“It’s your favorite.”

“You remember that?”

“What’s your favorite?”

Mary perks up at the question, happy that Bradley is so interested in what she has to say. “Pasta e piselli, which is just pasta and peas. But it’s so good and filling and comforting.”

“Do you make it a lot?”

“I don’t actually, Amelia, even though it’s very easy to make.” She sends a conspiratory wink to her, getting a big smile in return. “It’s one of those recipes I break out for a special dinner or when I need a pick-me-up meal.”

“Special dinner? You ever make it for a date?”

The question stops her cold. She knows Amelia catches the way her face drops, a shocked expression she can’t quite control. One of her worst qualities, according to her mother. She can feel pity radiating from the young girl standing on the end of the cart, feeling sad for the pathetic thirty-three-year-old woman who can’t understand when a man just thinks of her as a friend.

Her throat feels acidic, swallowing the tears that threaten to show themselves. She feels so stupid, because up until that question, she would have sworn Bradley was flirting with her. She should know better by now. She’s not someone that men find desirable. She’s fat and awkward and bad at flirting.

Mary stutters out an answer, some bullshit about commitment, before focusing on Amelia, who interrupts to talk about cupcakes. She takes advantage of the distraction, using it to move them toward the cashiers and taking the first chance to get away from the siblings. She can’t help but feel even more heartbroken when Bradley offers to carry her groceries. He’s such a good guy. It’s not his fault she’s so pathetic and convinced herself a man like Bradley could want someone like her.

“That’s sweet, but I’ve got it. Been doing this all by myself for years now! Enjoy your pizza, guys!” She gives a poor excuse of a wave, her smile sad as she thinks about how true her statement is.

She has been doing it by herself for years. All alone - no partner, no roommate, no help - since she graduated college. Her best friends usually thousands of miles away, limited contact with her family in New York, only a few friends in Missouri. And then, in Florida, just when she had started to get friendly with people besides the admiral she worked with, she had gotten the job in San Diego and moved, leaving that budding life behind.

She should probably be thankful that Bradley didn’t press more after Amelia interrupted. That he didn’t ask her to help him make the recipe for whatever lucky woman he had in mind when he asked about making it for a date. Because she would have said yes, desperate to spend time with the man she had a crush on.

Well, that’s gonna stop now righ now,  she decides as she sends one last small smile to Bradley and Amelia, trudging out to her Jeep and letting herself cry for a few seconds once the groceries are loaded. Driving home with tears leaking down her cheeks as her favorite sad Taylor Swift song plays on repeat.

“Of course I do.” His socked feet brush her own, and he reaches over to grab her hand.” You said you would only make it for someone who was committed to you.”

Her heart races at the implication of his words.

I’m committed to you.

“You asked if I would make this for a date.” Bradley nods. “This isn’t a date.”

“It’s not a date.” He confirms, his thumb brushing over her knuckles.

“It’s only been a week, I’m not-”

“I know, Mary.” He gently cuts her off. “It’s not a date; I just wanted to make something special for your birthday.”

She tries to swallow around the lump in her throat, overwhelmed by the sweet and thoughtful man sitting beside her. Compared to her previous relationship attempts, Bradley keeps surpassing her expectations by leaps and bounds. She knows it’s not fair to compare them, to keep waiting for him to act like them. He’s not them.

He is so much better.

Bradley is kind and caring. He listens to her, really takes in what she’s saying, doesn’t just nod as the words come out of her mouth. The slightest brush of his skin against hers sets her on fire. He makes her feel safe; she’s never once questioned his intentions or felt uneasy while in the car with him.

Logically, Mary knows the beautiful man in front of her really does care about her, but it’s still hard to believe they’ve gotten here. That they’re here, having this not-date that is so clearly a date. That they’ve confessed their feelings.

“Try some.”

Her stare lingers on his face for another minute, committing his soft expression to memory, before looking down at her bowl.

“It really does look great.” She doesn’t let go of his hand, scooping a bite with her right hand and blowing to cool it down. Bradley’s eyes twinkle as she takes the first bite, his pupils dilating at the involuntary sound that escapes as the flavors melt in her mouth.

No one had made this meal for her since her grandmother passed away twenty years ago. It's like a taste of childhood between the fresh peas and the sharp pecorino cheese.

“Is it good?”

“Well, it’s not Nonna Romano's pasta e piselli, but you did a great job, Bradley. It’s delicious.” She smiles as his face drops in relief, a wide smile replacing his nervous one.

They spend dinner talking and laughing, their legs constantly brushing together as they discuss which post-program review happy hour mixers they should attend. Then, after the leftovers are packed up, Bradley ushers her onto his balcony and plops the two of them on his wicker loveseat, ignoring her protests that she could do the dishes.

“I’ll do them later. Just sit here and relax with me, would ya?”

“Fine.” Mary huffs, shuffling closer until she’s tucked into his side, warm and content under the blanket he grabbed.

The two sit in comfortable silence, cuddled together as they listen to the sounds of the street below and watch the last rays of the sunset slip away. It’s not until the few stars that are actually visible through San Diego’s light pollution appear in the sky that one of them moves.

“I’ll be right back.” He says, chuckling at her tiny, displeased whine when he pulls away. She watches him walk into his apartment, appreciating the long lines of his body.

When the door slides shut, she takes a second to just breathe, the crisp evening air filling her lungs and cooling her warm cheeks as she tries to calm herself down. The butterflies in her storm are waging a war against her, but not in a bad way. It’s not nerves or anxiety that’s making her stomach flip.

It’s happiness.

It’s Bradley.

An involuntary laugh escapes at the realization. Mary presses the blanket against her face, muffling the excited giggles she can’t control. Giddy like a schoolgirl with her first real crush. She brings the blanket down at the sound of the door opening; her cheeks are sore from smiling so big but they stretch even more at the sight in front of her.

Bradley walking towards her, singing Happy Birthday with a slice of cheesecake in one hand and his phone in the other. He carefully sits back down, handing over the plate to light the candle.

“Happy birthday to you!”

Mary can’t look away from the man sitting next to her. Her heart is so full she could cry. She’s never been one to make a big fuss about birthdays. Usually spends the day working and enjoying her colleagues' happiness at the treats she brought to share. Treating herself to dinner out and maybe some dessert before calling her best friends to chat and catch up, laughing through their awful rendition of Happy Birthday.

The effort Bradley has put in has her on the brink of happy tears. Not only did he remember her favorite dinner months after she mentioned it once, but he put in the time to actually make it. He’s done all the work himself and hasn’t let her lift a finger. Something she appreciates more than he could ever imagine. Growing up, there was never a day where she was allowed to not help. Every special day of her - birthday, graduation - ended with her in the kitchen, putting leftovers away and washing dishes while her brothers got to have fun. And on top of all that, she knows he asked Dani or Reuben for help because he’s stuck a candle in a slice of chocolate raspberry swirl cheesecake - her favorite.

His soft voice interrupts her thoughts. “Make a wish, honey.”

I hope we never get tired of each other. I hope we grow old together. I hope we love each other forever.

She keeps eye contact with him as she blows the candle out, hoping he understands she’s wishing for him.

For them.

Bradley stops recording and drops his phone on the table without looking, scooting closer to her with a hungry look in his eyes. It’s clear as day how much he wants her, even in the low light of the balcony, and it sends shivers up her spine.

“What did you wish for?” His voice is rough compared to a few seconds ago, like there’s gravel in his throat.

Mary’s eyes flicker between his lips and his eyes, unable to decide which one she wants to look at more. “I can’t say, or it might not come true.” His mouth wins the battle when his tongue peeks out to wet his lips.

“Well, we wouldn’t want that. Would we?” Her heart kicks into overdrive as he leans closer, his right hand pushing hair out of her face while the other slips around her back, tugging her closer.

“Thank you for this, it was perfect.”

Mary leans in, her breath hitching when the tips of their noses brush. Her free hand runs up his chest, appreciating the soft sweater before dipping into his curls. Bradley presses in even further, the small dessert plate between them the only thing keeping them apart.

“Of course. Happy Birthday, dolcezza.”

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fic tag | credit for dividers here

[ahsokaismyqueen]

Hi! Could you use the prompts 1 and 96 for Javier Peña? Thank you!!! ❤️❤️

This is so, so late it’s not even funny, but here you go! 

Warnings - Language, Smut, 18+, Unprotected Sex, Female Reader

Prompts: “Bend over, I’m not kidding.” & “If you interrupt me one more time, I swear to God.” 

Okay, you knew that it was immature. After all, you were supposed to be a grown ass adult. Not only that, but you were at your place of work. Even if it was way past midnight, and no one else was here, you knew you should still be acting professionally. 

But God, it was so easy for you to rile up Javier Peña you couldn’t pass up the opportunity that was presented before you. 

You weren’t sure why every bit of your personality seemed to wear on Javi, but if he was going to be a dick to you, you felt you had every right to be a dick right back. Little did he know that you had spent years perfecting the art of being an asshole with every man in your life. While most people would consider Javier a rather put together person who rarely let his emotions get the best of him, you knew just how to make him do that. 

Sending another crumpled up sheet of paper his way, you grinned when it landed right on top of his head and bounced off. Your eyes watched Javi’s form, your smile widening as you noticed the tensing of his muscles and the clenched fists. Even though every bit of his posture screamed annoyed, he didn’t speak to you, and after a few seconds, returned to his paperwork. He was trying so hard it was almost cute. 

That meant you’d have to try harder. 

This time, instead of hitting him with one paper wad, you decided that four might do the trick. It did get more of a reaction. His pen must have been close to breaking with how hard he was gripping it. You were also pretty sure that you heard the distinct sound of several spanish words muttered under his breath. “Did you say something?” You asked, smirking at him from across your own desk. 

“No,” he grunted, avoiding your gaze as he began writing once more. 

Okay, you had to admit, you were a little impressed at this point. You had underestimated how much he didn’t want to talk to you. Once again, you would have to be even more annoying. 

Was a spitball immature? Yes, but watching Javier jump up like he had gotten shocked was more than worth it. Finally, the cracks began to appear. He wiped it off his arm a bit more violently than was necessary, his gaze narrowed as he focused on you. “If you interrupt me one more time, so help me God -”

You leaned across your desk, a challenge in your eyes as you met his gaze. “You’ll what? I’d love to know.” You told him, one of your eyebrows lifting. 

He didn’t say anything, and you could see the fight in his eyes. God how you loved riling him up to see him like this, so uncoiled and angry. Bending every ounce of control he had until he was ready to snap at the smallest thing. Of course he wasn’t there yet. You smirked at him, leaning back against your chair once more and propping your legs up on the corner of your desk. “That’s what I thought.” 

That did it. 

“What the hell is your problem?!” Javier shoved his chair back so hard against the wall behind him you were surprised it didn’t break as he stormed over to your side of the room. 

“What the hell is my problem?” You repeated in disbelief. “How about you fucking up my mission? Did you ever think that might be my problem?” 

Javier let out a laugh that had no humor in it whatsoever. “Fucking up your mission? You’ve gotta be kidding me.” He said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I almost had him!” You yelled, betraying how pissed off you actually were. 

Javier grabbed your legs from where they had been propped up on your desk and, with a sharp tug, pulled you to him, his hands landing on the arm rests to keep you from barrelling into him. “You almost had a bullet wound to the head.” He said, his voice low and dangerous as he looked down at you in the cage of his arms. “I saved your ass, princesa. You’d do well to remember that.” 

Rage swirling in your stomach, you stood up, pleased when he backed off enough to let you do so. “You saved nothing. I knew what I was doing, and if you had waited two seconds -”

“You would be dead!” His hand slammed on your desk beside you, and the sudden noise made you jump. “And I don’t want that shit on my conscience.” 

Of course. Trying to save you didn’t actually have anything to do with saving you. He just didn’t want to feel bad about it if something did happen to you. He couldn’t care less about you. Not that you cared about him either. “Maybe next time send Steve with me. That way you won’t have to worry about feeling bad if something happens to me.” You hissed, shoving on his chest and pushing him out of the way, not able to stand another second of looking at his stupid face. 

If you hadn’t been so focused on getting away from him, he never would have been able to do it, but he was. He grabbed a hold of your wrist, tugging you hard enough to spin you into his body, your back to his chest. Before you could do anything other than let out a surprised grunt, he was whispering in your ear. “You know that’s not what I meant.” 

Your first instinct was to pull away. He had a loose grip on you, and it would be easy to get out of his hold if you wanted to, but the truth was, you wanted to know what he meant. “It’s sure as hell what it sounded like.” You said, your voice sounding much more breathy than you would have liked. 

“You think it fucking matters who it would happen with if you got hurt?” He said, and you hated the way it made shivers roll through your body. “I’m not going to let you get yourself killed trying to prove yourself to a bunch pieces of shit -”

Heat flooded your cheeks as he saw right through you. “I’m not trying to prove myself -” You started to say, your voice weaker than you would like. 

“Oh? Then what is it? You like the attention? Making sure Carillo’s watching your every move and keeping his eyes on you?” Javier asked, his hips pressing you harder into the side of your desk. 

But you didn’t even have time to complain about that as his words repeated in your mind. What the fuck did Carillo have to do with any of this? But then it hit you like a gunshot. The way that Javier would always get super pissy and quiet after every mission the two of you pulled with Carillo. How he would always make sure you were in eyesight when he was flirting with another girl while he was at the bar with you. Not to mention when he would ignore you for hours at a time when you couldn’t figure out what the hell you had done this time to piss him off. 

All of the sudden, it all made sense. “Are you fucking jealous, Javi?” You asked, a breathless chuckle of disbelief leaving your lips as you felt him tense up behind you. 

“What the hell would I be jealous for?” Javier hissed, his pause before answering a little too long. 

Oh God this was too good. The ammunition you had in your hand right now. You had been so pissed that he had been able to see right through you, but now you were seeing right through him to his jealousy. Not that you had ever once had any sort of feeling for Carillo, but if you could use Javi’s jealousy to piss him off a little more . . . Why not? “You’re right. What would you possibly be jealous for?” You asked, your voice sickly sweet. “I mean other than his big dick. I’m sure it could fill me up better than any I’ve ever had -” 

You were cut off with a gasp when Javi let himself fully press into you. “You think so princesa?” 

Every inch of him was against your body, and it would have been impossible not to notice the long and thick hardness against your back. For the first time you found yourself speechless in front of Javier. Because while you had always found Javi attractive, you had never imagined how delicious he would feel. 

“Why don’t you bend over and find out?” He murmured, his voice low and rough in your ear. 

Your whole body froze at his words. You hadn’t expected that to come out of his mouth. Up until this moment you hadn’t had any clue Javi was even attracted to you, much less wanted to do anything like that. You, on the other hand, couldn’t deny that you had thought about it. After all, you weren’t blind to how he looked, and you couldn’t deny that you had dreamed about him doing something similar to what he was proposing once or twice. A dream was different to reality though, and you knew there would be no going back. 

“Say the word hermosa. Say it, and I’ll leave you alone.” Javier whispered, and he let go of the arm you had forgotten he had been holding, resting his large hands on your hips instead. 

Your voice was a little more breathless than you would have liked when you answered. “And if I don’t want you to?” You asked, a small, tingling, spark erupting in your belly as his hands slid around your front, messing with the button of your jeans. 

“I’m not going to be gentle.” Javier warned, though his lips seemed to be in contrast to his words as they glided down the skin of your neck, sending another shiver of anticipation down your spine. 

Was this a good idea? Not at all. You and Javi got on each other’s last nerve a good portion of the time, and there was no doubt your relationship with each other was already complicated enough without the added sex. Did you want to stop? Nope. After all, who knows? Maybe fucking the fire out of each other would help release some of the constant tension between the two of you. “I’d be disappointed if you were.” You replied, knowing what to say to tease him over the edge. “I’m sure Carillo wouldn’t be.” 

Your words had the desired effect. “Bend over.” 

You raised your eyebrows, curious as to where this might be going. “I don’t know - This desk is not comfortable to sit at much less-”

One of Javier’s hands slipped into your hair, tugging it back and forcing you to tilt your head until it was resting against his shoulder. “Bend over. I’m not kidding.” He whispered in your ear. 

It shouldn’t have turned you on. The fact that it did surely meant that you had countless issues, but God if you didn’t feel soaked at the authority in his voice and the brush of his facial hair against your cheek. It triggered something in you, something you weren’t sure you knew existed, and you found yourself leaning forward and over the desk until your upper half was rested against it. 

“So you can follow orders.” Javier said, one of his hands sliding from your hip to rest on the small of your back, making sure you stayed down. “Good to know.” 

His words made you want to stand up again to spite him, but as his second hand slipped around to your front and slid into your jeans, you found yourself biting your tongue. Even more so when his fingers rubbed against you outside of your underwear. 

He let out a chorus of curse words in Spanish when he felt how wet his words and actions had made you. “Is this what pissing me off does to you? Is that why you do it all the damn time?” He asked, pressing his fingers hard against your wetness. 

You didn’t want to respond to that. You didn’t want to tell him about the rush of adrenaline you felt every time the two of you got into a screaming match. How you loved when you were in each other’s faces, angry for doing something stupid that could have got the other hurt. You didn’t want to tell him the amount of times that you had gone home after that and rubbed one out thinking about a scenario very similar to this one. 

Instead, you pushed back against him, wiggling your hips and smirking as you felt the hard outline against you that showed you weren’t the only one turned on by your fighting. “I could ask you the same question.” 

It was clear that Javier didn’t want to answer the question either. He pulled his hand away from you, and you leaned back as he stripped you of your pants and underwear so fast it almost hurt. Before you could even say a word of protest, Javi had slipped two fingers inside of you, and your words turned into a moan at the pleasure, your hands clenched into fists where they were resting on top of the desk. 

“Fuck, Javi,” You gasped out when he curled those fingers inside of you, hitting a spot that made you see stars. 

Still, he said nothing, instead he added a third finger so abruptly you almost shot off the top of the desk. His hand on your back pinned you in place, but you felt the warmth of his chest against you as he leaned down, his lips kissing along the side of your neck. 

You had to admit that it felt good, the tender touch of his lips, the thrusting of his fingers that filled you up almost as nicely as you imagined his cock was going to. You found yourself grinding against him, moving to the rhythm he set without any sense of shame. How could you when the friction he was building up inside of you felt like a coil rising, ready to explode? You didn’t even think about it when he slipped those fingers into your mouth, lathering his fingers with your tongue and moaning at the taste of yourself there. 

As soon as you did, you felt a shuffling behind you, and then Javi kicked your feet further apart. Before his actions had even caught up with you, you let out a scream around his fingers as Javi slid inside of  you with one smooth motion. 

Thank God you were soaked. There was no doubt in your mind that Javi was the biggest you had ever had, and you couldn’t deny for a moment there was some pain in the stretch. That pain soon gave way to a blinding pleasure, causing you to let out a whimper as his fingers left your mouth to squeeze and play with your nipple under your shirt. “Shhh, princesa . . .” Javi murmured in your ear. “Unless you want someone to hear how good I’m taking you.” 

At the image his words conjured in your head, you felt yourself clench around him, causing him to let out a hiss. You had to admit imagining someone watching as you took Javi’s cock stirred up some feelings inside of you that you didn’t even know that you had. You pushed that aside for the moment though, knowing you didn’t have time to unpack that, not when Javi was thrusting into you at a brutal pace, sending heat throughout your body, creating more and more tension low in your belly. 

“You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Javi said after a hard thrust made you whimper. “Someone watching? Fuck.” He groaned out as his words sent another pulse through you. 

Now his hips were slamming into you, and there was no doubt there would be bruises on your skin from how hard you were hitting the desk in the morning, but you didn’t care. The pain was in the background when compared to the pleasure of his cock sliding in and out of you so hard you felt tears of pleasure coming to your eyes. 

“I asked you a question, princesa.” Javi said, and you gasped as he squeezed your nipple between his thumb and forefinger, sending a spark from your breast down to your center. 

“Fuck, yes,” You admitted, rubbing your ass back against him in an attempt to get to that orgasm that was dangling at the edge, just waiting to be released. “I wouldn’t care who was watching as long as you kept fucking me.” 

Your words had an effect on him, that much was clear. That hand that had been at your breast traveled down your body, sending chills down your arms, and slipping between your thighs once more to rub at the bundle of nerves there. You were grabbing hard at the desk, but the next second Javi’s free arm wrapped around your waist, lifting your feet off the floor as he gave a powerful thrust inside of you, reaching a spot inside of you that no one else had ever reached. 

Various objects tumbled to the ground from the desk, crashing on the ground and thankfully somewhat muffling your loud shout of his name as you toppled over that cliff, feeling like you were vibrating with pleasure as you clenched around him in pure bliss. You were so lost in ecstasy that you barely even noticed when Javi pulled your back up by your hair against his chest, biting down on the spot where  your shoulder and neck met as he grunted his own release inside of you, continuing to thrust until you were filled and both sated. 

His lips turned soft then, pressing a gentle kiss against the mark he had surely left on your body, sending shivers across your skin. You let out another whimper as his hand squeezed your breast once more before sliding back down your body. “Get your shit together.” He said, his voice breathless in your ear. “You’re coming back to my place. I’m not done with you yet.” 

You were so screwed. In more ways than one.

[sortofanobsession]

Will o’ the Wisp - Ch. 11 (Umbrella Academy Complete) Diego x Reader

Author’s note: The last chapter. I'm sorry this took so long. Rough translations in the end notes. (I'm not Spanish and haven't taken a course in it in 14 years, but to be fair neither of these characters are native speakers either. They would have learned it like anyone else.) While I was trying to finish this I did actually write most of the stories for season 2 and 3. Not sure if anyone would read those if I posted them. This one might get a POV shift and repost if I post those.

So as it goes, Y/N = your name. Y/N/N = your nickname. Reader pronouns She/Her.

Tag Requests are Open just message me.

Primary Pairing: Diego Hargreeves x Female!Reader (Slow Burn Season 1)

Series/TUA Masterlist

Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10

Summary: Events of Episode 1x10 The White Violin: The siblings deal with the crumbling academy. They regroup and make a plan that ultimately leads them to The Icarus Theater to confront their soloist sibling.

Content Warning: building collapse, canon character death, canon typical violence, head trauma, concussions, fighting, gun violence, bleeding, injury, language, history of abuse, PTSD, knives, anger, angst, family drama, failure.

Chapter 11: A Standoff and a Show

Y/N focuses back in on the Wisp as Viktor seems to have a conversation with himself. She wishes she could say something. That the Wisp could actually convey something helpful. But she can’t. 

"Thank you for trying, Y/N/N,"  Viktor says, glancing at the Wisp. "I hope this won't hurt you." He apologizes to the Wisp before he uses his powers to take out the bunker wall. He ends up taking out the Wisp in the process. 

It feels unusually painful when the wave of destruction hits the Wisp, causing Y/N to gasp violently. She would have stumbled if Diego hadn't been dragging her along. No one had ever essentially snuffed out one of her forms before but her. 

"Hey!" Diego shouts after trying to get her attention for a few seconds. "You okay?" She stared at him wide-eyed. "No one has ever…the Wisp it-" she shivered, and he pulled her closer to him. They are too distracted to notice the ceiling above them give way. She and Diego are knocked out cold as part of it hits them. Klaus shouts for them. A larger section begins to separate. Klaus manages to pull her out of the way, and luckily, Ben somehow manages to pull Diego out of the way as a huge slab of the ceiling falls and would have crushed them. Klaus manages to get his sister up, but she’s still confused and off-kilter so he half drags her with him. His other arm pulls his half-stunned brother. Thankfully, Diego recovers enough to move on his own quickly. She seemed so bewildered as they make it outside. They beg Grace to come out, to try and save herself, but she doesn't.  It's too heartbreaking to think about. So Klaus focuses on his sister.

“Come on, Sunshine. You’re freaking me out more than this place falling apart.”

“Sorry,” she mumbles. She reaches up to get a look at the cut on her brother’s forehead.

“Want me to?” she holds up her hand, but before she can even try to see if her powers she can control her powers while this out of sorts. They both turn their attention to Diego as he clamors over into the rubble of what was their childhood home.

“Mom, mom! Guys, come here. Help me search!” Diego looks around the rubble frantically searching for Grace. Klaus looks at his sister and she shakes her head. 

“Diego,” Klaus starts. “Just stop.”

“What?” Diego looks up at him confused as Klaus tries to pull him away. Y/N moves closer. Diego tries to go back to searching. “What are you-” Diego resists as Klaus continues to try and pull him away. Y/N cringes at the way Klaus pulls on their brother’s injured arm. But it doesn’t seem to phase Diego. “Let me go! What are you doing?” Diego’s eyes snap to hers. “Y/N, help me, mi luz.” She smiles sadly, and despite the uneasy feeling and pressure behind her eyes, she decides to help him her own way. Ignoring her doubt and pain, she draws on the Wisp. It takes her longer than usual to pull enough strength, but she manages. She uses the weakened orb to search the rubble at light speed. 

“Diego,” she starts as her vision adjusts, but Klaus has managed to pull him to his feet.

“Stop, stop!” Klaus tells him. “She’s gone. She’s-she’s gone, okay?” Diego doesn’t want to believe it. He looks over at their sister. 

“I’m sorry, Diego,” she puts a hand on his chest. “I checked. It’s just rubble.” She lets that sink in. "I know this is hard for you. No one loved her as much as you did. But we need to focus. I need you to focus. Because we can’t lose anyone else." 

“What do you wanna do?” Diego challenges. “You wanna... wanna…w-w-walk away from this? What about Pogo?” 

“He didn’t make it,” Luther says.  

“What?” Diego asks as they all turn to their approaching siblings. Allison goes over to hug her sister. The silent sister pulled back to get a look at the other. The blood on the usually glowing sibling was a stark contrast with her unusually pale completion. Allison tries to wipe off some of the blood. She also doesn't like the way their brother is supporting most of her weight. Diego keeps a tight grip on her as he talks to Luther. Glancing over at the sisters now on and off.

“Viktor killed him,” Luther states.

“But Viktor wouldn’t…” their brother says.

“No, I saw it,” Luther insists. “Just before we got out.”

“I'm mostly just tired,” Y/N assures her as she continues to check for worse injuries. 

The brothers continue. “Mom. Now Pogo.” Diego, consciously or not, pulls his luz closer as he tries to process everything that has happened. It finally registers how shaky she is. He ignores the ache in his bad arm as he reaches his hand over and takes her wrist. Solid pulse but her temperature seemed off again. Chilled for her. Allison was clearly onto something, fussing over their sister. But he didn't have time to figure it out. Five shows up with unsettling news. 

“Guys,” Five starts. “This is it. The apocalypse is still on. The world ends today.”

“I thought you said it was over,” Luther says.

“I was wrong, okay?” Five admits. “This newspaper, I found it in the future

the day I got stuck. The headline hasn't changed.”

“No, that doesn't mean anything,” Diego insists.  

“Time could've been altered since that newspaper came out this morning.” 

“You're not listening to me,” Five continues. “When I found it, I assumed this place came down along with everything else. But here we are. The Moon's still shining, the Earth is in one piece.”

“Five…” his closest sibling starts. 

“But not the Academy.”

“I'm confused,” Klaus states.

“Then listen to me, you idiot!” Five shouts. “Viktor destroys the Academy before the apocalypse.” Five sighs. “I thought Harold Jenkins was the cause, but he was the fuse. Viktor is the bomb. Viktor causes the apocalypse.”

“We have to find him.”

Sirens can be heard in the distance as well as the whirling of helicopter blades. 

“We gotta go, now,” Diego says. He takes his sister's shaking hand in his and squeezes it. He gets an uneasy feeling in his stomach when he realizes the wisp is still nowhere to be seen. Something that only usually happens when it rains or she is in a crowd trying to blend in. She rarely kept her light to herself. Her lack of a bright glow didn't bode well, but he didn't have time to do anything about it now. Once they got where they were going, he would deal with it. 

“Regroup at the Super Star. Go!”

“Whoa, hey,” Diego asks as they make their way into the bowling alley. In the bright lights, he gets a good look at her and it worries him. “You don't look so good.” He leads her to a bench near the door and helps her sit. “How are you feeling?” He brushes the hair out of her face and tips her head back slightly to see her face. He barely gets a look at her bloodshot eyes as she winces at the harsh fluorescent lights.

“Head hurts,” she admits. “But it's fine.”

“It's not fine, you got knocked out. Where exactly-” he lets her lower her head as he runs his fingers carefully through her hair for serious injuries. Her breath hitches and she whimpers as he finds a nasty bump. It tugs at something in his chest as her shaking fingers grip at his jacket.

“Lo siento, mi luz,” he says as he shifts. He gently guides her to lean into his shoulder when he sits down beside her.

“Lets just regroup,” she tells him. “Then figure it out.”

“Right, okay,” he keeps her tucked into his side while he keeps an eye out for the others. He ignores the odd looks from employees. 

Klaus comes over when he sees them. 

“Boy am I glad to see you guys,” he says. 

“Stay with her,” Diego says in a slight whisper.

Klaus gives him an odd look at how she didn't protest to being shifted around by her brothers. She just leans into Klaus much like she had in the car.

“How hard did that ceiling hit you?” Klaus mutters as Diego leaves. It seemed odd that Diego was up and moving like barely anything happened but she was practically out cold again. No one around them can hear how Ben complains she needs sleep as he worriedly studies his sister. 

Klaus hums in agreement but doesn't say anything else until Diego comes back and tosses a bag and some bowling shoes on the bench. 

“Come on,” Diego says as he wakes her up enough to get her on her feet. He takes most of her weight again as he does. “And bring all that.” 

He leads them to a lane and gets their sister settled on a bench. 

“Put those on,” Diego gestures to the bowling shoes as he grabs the small duffle bag.

“Where did you get that?” Klaus asks. 

“Locker,” Diego tells him as he tugs a zipper hoodie out of the bag. 

“What are you doing?” Klaus asks.

“Will you just do what I told you to and keep an eye out for the others?” Diego grits out before turning back to Y/N. “Work with me here, Luz.”

Klaus watches as his brother helps her get out of her jacket. He shakes some of the debris and dust off it as he tosses it aside. Klaus wasn't sure the last time he saw his grumpy brother act so gentle. Even Ben finds it interesting as Diego adjusts the clearly oversized hoodie on the female and carefully zips it up. He pulls the hood up to shield her eyes from the light.

“Los demás llegarán pronto. Sólo relájate por ahora,” Diego quietly tells her. He goes to pull away to make sure Klaus had actually done what he asked when her hand grips his.

“Don’t leave me,” she begs. And whatever he was planning on doing doesn't matter. 

“Not going anywhere, Luz,” he assures her as he sits down beside her. “Not going to let anything happen either.” 

He puts his arm around her and she snuggles into him. Klaus is damn near giddy when Diego looks up at him.

“Don't start,” Diego cautions. “She's exhausted and hurt.”

So Klaus doesn't ask about the fact the two siblings used to hate each other are now cuddled on a bench. “Why am I not surprised you have a locker here with a bug out bag? That is just the most you thing ever.”

“It's called being prepared,” Diego states. “Be useful and put names in, will you?” 

The rest of their siblings join them, except of course Viktor. 

Allison goes over and tugs her sister up and leads her to the ladies' room. Allison raises an eyebrow at Diego’s sweatshirt. The slightly glowing sibling shrugs because she didn’t hate it. And she was too exhausted to be embarrassed. It was clean and warm and it smelled like Diego. Allison’s amusement disappears at the amount of dirt and blood that comes away as Y/N washes her face as best she can. 

“I’m mostly just tired,” Y/N tells her sister.

Allison scribbles on her notepad. ‘Because of blood loss.” Then Allison points at her throat.

“It’s not that,” the light bender assures her. “It’s from the Wisp. It was in the bunker when V took it down.” Allison looks like she is about to ask another question. “We should get back. We need a plan.”  

Their names are on the scoreboard above the lane as they return. Y/N drifts in and out where she is stretched out across one of the three-seat benches. Her jacket under her head. It's not comfortable but she doesn't have to hold her head up. Without getting up she uses an orb to knock the pins down when it is her turn. She doesn’t care if draws extra attention. Diego takes a frame for her when she is too out of it to notice. She tries to listen as they talk. 

"How you feeling, Sunshine?" Klaus kneels next to her. She cracks one eye open at him and regrets it. He puts his hand up to shield her eyes from the harsh lights, tugs the hood back over her eyes with his other hand. "That bad huh?"

"Honestly, I've never felt anything like that, Klaus. Worse than when Dad would try to drown the Wisp in training. My fully formed Wisp was snuffed out like it was nothing. Not just dampened or forced to shift. It was stamped out. Extinguished. It wasn't like when I let one fade it was like…you know when you put a lid on a candle and the flame dies as it burns through the only oxygen until it can't sustain it?"

"Yeah," Klaus says.

"The smoke builds up, and the oxygen is just gone."

"I'm following," he says.

"It was like that but in an instant. The Wisp was gone, and it was like nothing was there, then that build-up was in my head. Like my powers didn't have what they needed to work, and my brain couldn't process it for a moment. Then it came back, but the pressure had done its damage."

"Okay,” Klaus nods. “Forget the bowling. You just take it easy."

“You sure?” she asks.

“Yup,” he assures her. “Let the Wisp recover.”

"I'll do my best," she smiles. 

Klaus takes her next frame, but slowly the siblings begin to focus more on the planning than the bowling. 

“Hello! I hate to intrude…” the female employee says to them. “But my manager says if you’re not gonna bowl, you gotta leave.” To emphasize the point, the manager slaps a set of bowling shoes on the counter. 

“Whose turn is it?” Diego asks.

“Oh for-” Luther hurls a bowling ball like it was made of nothing without looking behind him, and it clatters a few lanes over towards the pins. It would have been comical if their situation wasn’t so dire. 

“We're the only ones capable of stopping this,” Luther states. “We have a responsibility to Dad.”

“To Dad?” 

“No, I've heard enough about-”

Even Y/N groans because she is done doing anything for the man who used to use her against her family.

“He sacrificed everything to bring us back together,” Luther argues. 

“I'm with Luther on this one,” Five says. “We can't give him a chance to fight back. There are billions of lives at stake. We're past trying to save just one.”

“Hey, you know, guys, uh maybe I could help,” Klaus offers. That gets his lounging sister's attention. She sits up and pulls the hood back to fully join the conversation. Five and Luther seem very annoyed by that offer. 

“Now is not the time.”

“No, let him finish,” Diego interjects to support Klaus. “He saved our lives today. Mine and Y/N.”

“Is that true?” their brother asks, looking at the three of them. 

“Why would Diego lie?” Y/N asks.

“Yeah, yeah, I did take credit for it. And I did save Sunshine,” Klaus says, smiling at her. “But it wasn't all me. In fact, the real hero was Ben. Today. Listen. Today, he punched me in the face.” Y/N didn't think he was lying but still looked at him in confusion. He continues. “And earlier at the house, he was the one who saved Diego's life, not me.” 

“You are unbelievable, Klaus.”

“Come on, you guys. He has a point, I think. I mean, I was out of it,” she shakes her head. “How could he have saved both of us on his own? I was already dead weight. How could he have gotten me out and Diego?” They still look like they don’t believe him.

“You want proof, is that it? All right. I'll give you proof.” Klaus picks up a bright pink bowling ball. “All right, it's showtime, baby. Catch!” He throws a bowling ball, and nothing happens. The ball just hits the ground and bounces away. She sighs. She loved her ridiculous brother and she didn't think he was lying. She just didn't know what to believe. 

“Is there any way to silence that voice in your head that screams out to be the center of attention?” Luther asks him. 

“You know, I liked you a lot better before you got laid,” Klaus retorts without thinking. He tries to backpedal when he realizes how Allison reacts. “Which was a complete It It wasn't his fault, 'cause he was ridiculously high, right? And the girl, she thought he was a furry.”

“Stop!”  

“Okay.”

“Allison, wait.” Luther goes after Allison. Y/N shakes her head and lays back down, and mostly tunes out. Using the same sort of focus on her surroundings as her body gets when she utilizes the Wisp. The only difference is her powers are still inside her. It isn’t something she usually let herself do. It would usually make her paranoid, but Diego and Klaus had made it clear they wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Five was there too. Nothing was getting past all three of them. Her glow was masked by the harsh fluorescent lights and the neon lights around them. She tunes back in when an unfamiliar voice speaks.

“Excuse me!” The overly cheery woman’s voice says as she approaches. “It’s my son Kenny’s birthday today. And wouldn’t your son be happier with kids his own age? Assuming that’s okay with your two dads.” Diego just stares at the woman as Klaus looks over at Diego. Y/N tries so hard not to laugh from where she is sprawled out across the bench of seats across from them. Her eyes closed against the fluorescent lights.  

“I would rather chew off my own foot,” Five hisses.

“Let’s go, Kenny,” the woman says as they hurry away.

“If I were going to date a man, you’d be the last one I would date,” Diego tells Klaus.

“You’d be lucky to get me,” Klaus teases. “But you're sweet on Sunshine, aren't you, tough guy? What do you call her, your light?”

She tunes out the two as they argue. She doesn’t even open her eyes when she feels someone standing over her. She doesn’t need to in order to know who it is. She can just tell it’s Diego. “You worry too much. It radiates off you more than I do light.” She reaches up blindly and pats his chest, the handle of a knife cold against her palm. “I’m fine, just not feeling the bright lights.”

“Come on, sit up,” he says. 

“You just don’t want to be mistaken for Klaus’ boytoy again,” she grumbles but sits up anyway. She leans back against him once he sits down. He rubs her temples like he always sees her doing. She groans and pretty much melts into him.  He grins to himself.

“When I asked you two to get along, I didn’t mean that well,” Five states. 

“Fuck off,” Diego says, as he keeps the pressure on her temples.

“Well, you get what you get, and you don’t get upset,” she mumbles.

“It’s almost more annoying than when you two constantly fought,” Five says.

“Nah, you missed the worst of it,” Klaus tells him. “It’s amazing Diego didn’t spontaneously combust some days from her glaring. Especially one time he cut off a chunk of her hair in training. I’m shocked no one had to call the fire department on that one.” Klaus kept talking, she ignores him.

 "Cariño," she says as she pats Diego's leg. "Agradezco la ayuda, pero tienes que seguir jugando a los bolos o nos echarán." 

"Está bien,” he nods. “Está bien." He helps her sit up and kisses her forehead. Klaus smirks at that and nods when Ben says he'll watch her so she doesn't fall over.

Klaus and Diego take turns bowling.

She is pretty sure she dozed off for a few because she wakes up to dark lenses of sunglasses covering her eyes and leaning against Diego. She isn't sure who managed to put the sunglasses on her without her even feeling it or waking up. But she gives up on that line of thought as Luther asks. "All right, where's Five?" 

"He left." She looks around, not sure what she was expecting. Their brother has seemingly vanished again. Something else she slept through.

"Oh, for the love of-Where'd he go?" Luther asks. 

"Didn't tell us."

"Well, we're not waiting around for him."

"The concert starts in 30 minutes."

"All right, so what's the plan?" 

Diego gets up to make sure he's ready now that he wasn't being used as a pillow. He checked his knives were all in place. 

"Well, I think that," Luther says. "Uh We go to the Icarus Theater."

"That's a location, not a plan." Diego points out.

"What?"

"Is that all you got?” Diego asks. “Look, you wanna be Number One, fine, but you're gonna have to get us on the same page, because right now, we're all over the place."

"You're right. We need a plan."

The bullets start flying as soon as the armored, glowing-eyed and gas-masked gunmen enter the bowling alley.

"Get down!" 

They all scramble for cover.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Diego asks. He pulls Y/N tight to his chest as they shelter from the bullets. She is sandwiched between Diego and Luther. Both keeping her blocked. She has one hand gripping the arm around her torso. The other grips the arm that Luther had thrown out to help cover them. Or keep her upright. She isn't sure. 

“Maybe they’re here for Kenny’s birthday!" Klaus shouts from where he and Allison hide.

"No, I'm pretty sure they're here for us!" Luther argues.

"They're blocking the exits."

"Diego," she says. He looks down at her. 

"I got you," he says. "Just stay close and don’t let go." He throws a knife with enough force to knock one of the gunmen out. The masked figure taking out the lights as they did. Black lights, neon signs, and the persistent glowing from Y/N's powers light the area. She takes advantage of the darkness and throws out multiple forms of the Wisp to try and confuse and disorient their attackers while the others use whatever they can find, including Kenny's birthday cake, to make an escape. Diego takes her hand and leads her while both continue to defend and defect any oncoming attacks. They made their way up the lanes without falling somehow. The Wisp hold the gunman off long enough to keep anyone from getting shot. Between adrenaline and her little nap, she was managing better than she had been before.

Diego's hand has barely left hers since he took it so he could pull her along with him. He let go only long enough for her to get past the machinery of the lane. And again when she superheated both hands to melt the lock on the door they ran out of in order to slow down their pursuers. She quickly found his again once her's were cool enough to touch. If anyone noticed they haven't mentioned it. Even as they pass under the brightly lit marquee. 

Allison stops Luther making all of them stop as they clear the lobby and reach the stairs. 

“Wha…” a confused Luther starts but stops when she holds up a note saying she needs to go alone. 

“Allison, I can't let you do that, all right? She's beyond reasoning.”

“You hear the music?” Diego asks. Y/N nods. He turns back to the others. “It's started.”

“Do you honestly think she's gonna listen?” Luther pushes. “After everything that's happened?”

“We don't have time for this,” Klaus says.

“Okay,” Luther agrees to let Allison go in alone. They watch as Allison leaves. 

“You're using her as a distraction, aren't you?” Diego asks Luther.

“It's our best chance to incapacitate Viktor,” Luther reasons. “She'll thank us later.”

“For the record, I hate this plan,” Y/N states as Diego starts up the stairs, a slight tug at their joined hands has her following.

“Noted,” Luther says as he starts to go as well. 

“So, what's the plan?” Klaus asks. 

“Uh,” Luther turns back to tell him. “You wait out front.”

“What?” Klaus asks.

“Yeah, you’re the lookout.”

“The lookout?” Klaus asks in disbelief. He looks up at his sister, who had forced Diego to stop, much to his annoyance. She looks back at Klaus.

“You and Ben, two sets of eyes,” she assures him as Diego tugs again to get her moving. “You’ll do great!” She adds before she is dragged too far for him to hear. 

Diego drops her hand and opens the backstage door. She hurries inside and moves to get a good look at the stage. 

She looks on in awe as Viktor plays. She feels Diego step beside her. She looks at him. He looks back at her. He thinks for a second how this all might end with them all dead and this may be their last moment of peace, ever.

"Fuck it," he mutters before pulling her into a kiss. She is shocked but recovers quickly and kisses him back. They pull apart for air. He notices the light coming off her is warm and golden for the first time in over a decade. 

She wishes they could stay like that forever. Unfortunately, their little bubble is shattered by an object hitting the floor beside the. They look up to see Luther glaring at them and gesturing towards Viktor. Diego looks over at her one last time. 

“Stay here, maintain visual, use the Wisp if you see an opportunity,” Diego instructs.

“Be careful,” she tells him. He nods. They both look at Luther. Diego signals he's ready. 

While Viktor has his focus on Allison, Diego and Luther go in for the ambush.

Viktor knocks them back with a blast. Y/N curses but stays in the wings. Not willing to risk a move too soon.

“She's stronger than expected,” Diego says as he sits beside Luther. 

"Yeah," Luther agrees but is distracted when something hits him in the head. He turns to see Allison. “Yeah. We're fine, thanks for asking," Luther says to a clearly frustrated Allison. Luther continues trying to rationalize their actions.“Look, I almost lost you once, all right?” Luther tells her. “I wasn't about to lose you again.”

“Well, so much for the element of surprise,” Diego complains. “What else you got?”

Allison hit the seat to get their attention. She mimics playing a violin. 

“No shit, Allison,” a frustrated Diego says, “Tell us something we don't already know.”

“She's talking about the violin,” their brother says. “It's her lightning rod. If we can take it from her and stop her from playing, we might have a shot.”

“I told Y/N if she gets a shot with the Wisp to take it,” Diego tells them.

Allison throws a shoe that was near her at him.

“Believe me, I don’t like it either,” Diego glares at her. “But what was I supposed to do, tell her to stay outside with Klaus? She still only listens to me about half the time. She’d never have gone for that.” 

Still backstage Y/N doesn’t bother summoning the Wisp. She slowly makes her way on stage. She puts her hands up as she nears the conductor. Trying to signal for him to leave but he and the musicians looked more scared of what their soloist might do if they stopped. So they kept going. Viktor’s eyes locked on his glowing sister's. She lets her light show, attempting to distract him long enough for their siblings to come up with something. 

Allison hits the seat again to get their attention. They look at her and she points at the stage. The glow from Viktor now joined by their sister’s. 

Diego curses. “I told her to stay put.”

“She’s made it closer than we did.” Luther states. 

They watch as Y/N reaches a hand out to Viktor. Viktor’s gaze narrows at her but is drawn away as the armed gunmen storm in. Whether intentional to get her off the stage or to just knock everyone back, Viktor sends out another burst that sends Y/N offstage. Diego doesn’t hesitate to run towards her. Allison and Luther not far behind. 

“Luz!” Diego helps her sit up. “Talk to me, Luz.”  

She groans. “Hurt less than the first time, but damn. I think my concussion has a concussion,”  

The gunmen shoot at the area around the. Y/N throws a fully formed Wisp out to get an better vantage point, as Diego pulls her down to cover her. She curses as her usual tricks don’t work because of the lighted goggles. 

“What the hell happened to Klaus,” Diego shouts Luther. “He’s supposed to be our lookout!” 

“Yeah, are you surprised?” Luther asks.

“Those stupid goggles! I can’t do shit like this!” Y/N shouts. Her body no longer glowing but her eyes shine bright. She continues, “I either have to go hands-on or-”

“Don’t even think about it!” Diego refuses. 

“You want me to just sit here and do nothing?” She hisses.

“Be a better lookout!” he suggests. 

She looks over at Luther. “Can’t hurt,” Luther adds, “You can at least tell us where they’re at.”

“Fine!” She shouts. Just as Five reappears in the aisle.

"What's with all the lollygagging?" Five asks.

"Five, get down," their brother demands.

"Y/N, do it,” Luther tells her. 

She and Diego share a look before she seems to steady herself and starts to pull away. He knows he told her to do it, but his instinct is to pull her back and keep her sheltered, but he sees the way her fists are starting to glow, her eyes bright to match. She nods. He nods back. They had to do something. The Wisp glides above them with ease. As she start to relay numbers and locations, Klaus comes running in. “Guys, it’s Cha-Cha! It’s Cha-Cha. She’s come!” He ducks as the gunmen take aim at him. Five teleports onto the back of the nearest gunman. The Wisp drops in front of another one. She superheats the Wisp and pushes it forward, focusing the heat on the masked figure’s ammo clip. Igniting the gunpowder in the rounds, sending shrapnel into the air and the gunman. She goes to repeat the process but she’s not sure how long she can actually keep it up. She’s out of practice, recovering from being shot, she has a concussion and a desperate need for sleep, but she keeps going. Adrenaline flows and she knows she needs to focus. Her attention is drawn as she hears her siblings.

"Is that?"

"Ben?" 

Klaus had managed to summon Ben with his powers, and Ben uses his powers to take out the gunmen. She pushes Diego off of her to get a better look. To confirm what she is seeing from the Wisp. 

She half sobs her mind trying to wrap around not only seeing her lost brother but at seeing his power from dual perspectives. She wants to never forget that moment. The ghostly tentacles whip past her and the Wisp with precision as they find their targets.

“Now who’s the lookout?” Klaus says, clearly proud of himself.  

“Me you dumbass, since when could you do that?!” She shouts at him.

Diego sees his opportunity as his siblings argue and goes after Cha Cha when the assassin stepped on stage. Cha Cha was focused on the chaos the siblings were creating. He glances at his siblings, Klaus and Y/N now together. Diego knows this is probably his only shot at revenge. So he takes it. After a bit of a scuffle He manages to get the upper hand and Cha-Cha is at his will. He could kill her. He should kill her for Patch. For all the people she has killed with no remorse. They had injured not just him but his siblings. She deserved it for what she did to Klaus. But what Five said to him gives him pause. He had meant it when he said that Eudora had seen the good inside, despite seeing the worst in the world. ‘Well, I'm sure she'll be proud to know that you're killing Hazel and Cha-Cha as a way to honor her memory’. That is what Five had said. In that moment, when the academy still existed, Diego had looked to Luz. She didn’t admonish him. She didn’t say anything. She just gave him a sad smile. She had always been the one to challenge him when he was about to do something stupid. If the world wasn’t ending and she wasn’t fighting her own fight, would she try and convince him not to do this? She would probably tell him to focus. That she needed him. That he could still make the right decision.   

The eighth sibling looked over at the first. As they started to refocus on Viktor. 

"You got closest, see what you can do!" Luther tells the one sibling who seemed to actually be willing to take orders from him right now. She nods and splits her attention to the Wisp to try and get to Viktor. She starts to get that uneasy feeling she felt at the academy.

"Luther!" Her glowing eyes lock on his. "I'll try, but V has taken the Wisp out once already today, I'll have one shot at that violin! No recovery time! This is it!”

"If we fail it won't matter!" 

"Well then, I guess I'll see you on the other side, Number One!” She splits her focus and inches both the Wisp and her glowing physical form down the aisle.

"What did she mean about the Wisp?" He asks Klaus. 

"Viktor snuffed the Wisp out in the bunker. Her powers freaked out, saying it was like putting the lid on a candle and it dies from lack of oxygen. It was like her powers didn't have what they needed to work, and it took a minute to get them back. That’s why we were trying to get her to rest instead of bowling."

Allison glares at him.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Luther asks.

"She did to me. And Allison probably would have asked if she could. You just didn't.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?!” Luther shouts.

“You were mad about Five and then bullets!”

"That would explain why she said she'd have one shot," Luther admits. They look over at their glowing sister. “She’s our best shot right now, If she fails or worse dies-” Allison shoves his shoulder despite it having little effect.

"Let's not find out," Klaus says. "Apocalypse be damned, Diego might kill all of us if that happens." He looks at Luther. “Especially you.”

“Why me?”

“You told her to do it,” Klaus says. Luther looks at Allison and she shrugs. 

Luther goes to say something but stops when Diego rejoins them. 

"Oh, welcome back."

"Where were you?" 

"Honoring a memory," Diego says. Allison squeezes his shoulder. 

"What is she doing?"  Diego asks as he looks over both Y/N and the Wisp. 

"Trying to use the Wisp to get the violin from Viktor. But she said Viktor took the Wisp out already, and she has one shot."

“And you all are just going to sit here and watch?!”

"Well, let's give her a hand."

"How?"

"We surround Viktor."

"All right? We come at him from all angles."

"So it's a suicide mission."

"Yeah, but one of us could get through."

"And Y/N has a head start and the best odds."

"It's the only chance we've got."

"Are we all in?"

"Yeah."

"All right."

"Allison?” 

“Stage left,” Luther says nudging Diego. He indicates himself. “Stage right..

"You guys back Y/N up and take the front."

Allison tries to get his focus. To try and get him to consider Viktor and other options. 

"I'm sorry,” he tells her. "There's no time, Allison. If she finishes this concert, the world goes up in flames. Do this for Y/N. We can save her.”

She hears Klaus's voice in her ear. "Stay behind us." She nods and shifts enough of her concentration to move when he does. She barely had it in her but she does it. 

The rush of air from the constant vibrations and force of V’s powers had her straining. Viktor was strong, but their powers had been dulled for years. Y/N always had hers. She should be stronger.  

“Now!” her brother calls.

She gives everything she can spare over to the Wisp. She could feel her body struggling, but she ignored it. Ignored how every little scrape and bruise, even the air in her lungs, seemed to burn. But she pushed forward until Viktor’s power latched onto the Wisp. Quickly draining the lighted form. The shock of the loss has her body falling but never hitting the ground. She feels someone has caught her. 

“I can’t-it’s-,” her voice is broken and almost too quiet, but the figure holding her hears it tightens their grip. She tries to clear her vision, and it takes a few tries before she is successful. 

“Ben,” she sobs when she realizes who it is. Ben had gotten Klaus to true again when he realized what was happening. Klaus hadn't argued when he'd glanced back to see fresh blood drops in the floor. He wished he could see her face but her eyes had been too bright. So he focused and let Ben help. 

She stares at her long lost brother, but can only focus for a second before she feels Viktor's powers latch on to her physical body this time. The ghostly form of Ben fading. She strains to see others suffering from the same treatment. She can barely keep her eyes open.

Allison puts an end to Viktor's rampage by firing a gun next to Viktor's ear. Y/N can't brace herself enough as she hits the ground. Y/N tries to pull on any energy she still has left in order to stand up but she fails, causing her to whimper.

"Shhh, it's okay." Klaus gently rolls her onto her back and Diego  drops down beside her and pulls her against him. Klaus would almost laugh at how possessive it seems if everything didn't seem so desperate. Diego holds her so they can get a look at her. She looks so fragile and drained. Diego has never seen her push so hard. He carefully wipes blood away from the corner of her eyes before he pulls her tight against his chest. Kissing the top of her head. Klaus goes to checkmon the others. She curls up against Diego and hides her face in his neck. It feels like a part of her is missing. Like a piece of her soul is damaged. He manages. He holds her tight, but he feels her weakly push against him. He pulls back enough to see her.

“V…” she starts, trying to get to her feet. And he couldn't tell her no. Not after what just happened. Not with her blood stained cheeks and tear filled eyes. He doesn't have it in him. Diego helps her over to Viktor. She picks Viktor’s hand up off the floor and holds it tight. 

"Sunshine," Klaus smiles down at her before sitting beside her. 

“Klaus! Ben, he caught me. You-”

“He did, didn't he,” Klaus chuckles. “He watches over you when we're around just like you always did us.” She rubs at her face as the blood and tear mixture blocks her vision again. Diego stops her. She looks like she might go to tears again.

Klaus takes pity on her. "Oh Sunshine, what did you do?" He takes the edge of his vest and tries to clean some of the blood off her face and neck.

"Not a good look for me, huh?" She jokes. 

Klaus tuts. "You always look good, right, Diego?"

"She does," he agrees. She feels his answers rumble in his chest as she leans against him. 

 "And I'm the one with head trauma and maybe internal bleeding." She uses a shaky hand to wipe at her sore eyes again. This time Diego catches her hand and pulls it away. He knows her other one won't be letting go of Viktor's anytime soon. 

"You're gonna make it worse,” he tells her as he intertwines their fingers. “We'll get you cleaned up soon.”

She looks past him at the moon, Klaus follows her gaze.

"Well,” she does her best to look at Diego as she gestures weakly to the sky with their joined hands. “You won't have to worry about it for long, cari."

"Uh, Guys?” Klaus says. “You see that big moon rock coming towards us?"

"That's not good."

"So this is it, huh?” 

“So much for saving the world," Klaus says as he looks down at the dog tags.

"If only Sir Reginald could see us right now, huh?" Diego says. "The Umbrella Academy A total failure.” He stares up at the fractured moon. 

“At least we're together at the end,” Luther says. “As a family.”

“This doesn't have to be the end,” Five tells them.

“What? What are you saying, Five?”

“I think I have a way outta here,” Five says. “But you gotta trust me on this.”

The three brothers all reject that idea. Y/N smiles despite herself. These were her brothers after all.

“Well, then, we might as well accept our fate,” Five states. “Because in less than a minute, we're gonna be vaporized.”

Diego looks down at Y/N. She gives him the sad smile he’d only started to decipher because it’s heartbreaking for both of them. He’s pretty sure he’s right when she squeezes his hand. All he knows is this cannot be the end. He looks back at Five. 

“What's your idea, then?” 

“We use my ability to time travel,” Five starts to explain. “But this time, I'll take you with me.”

“You can do that?” Diego asks.

“I don't know.” Fives answers honestly. “I've never tried it before.”

“What's the worst that can happen?” Diego asks.

“You're lookin' at it.” Five states. “A 58-year-old man inside a child's body, so there's that.”

¿Qué te parece, luz?” He asks as he looks down at her again.

“No puede ser peor que esto,” she tells him.

“We’re in,” Diego says. 

“Yeah, whatever.” Klaus says. “I'm in.”

“Me too,” Luther agrees. “Allison?” Allison nods her agreement. “What about Ben?”

 “Great, yeah,” Klaus answers accurately for once. “He's in.”

“Okay, great,” Five says. 

Diego goes to pick Y/N up but she shakes her head.

"I think I can stand or...at least lean," she assures them. Klaus helps Diego get her up on her feet and she curls into Diego's side. Her head lulls against his shoulder. "I'm okay, I know you've got me," she assures him. She feels his lips press against her temple. 

"Luther, grab Viktor," Five tells him. 

Luther does it but he ask. "Wait, should we be taking him? I mean, if he's the cause of the apocalypse. Isn't that like taking the bomb with us?"

"The apocalypse will always happen,” Five states as he gets them to start joining hands. “And Viktor will always be the cause, unless we take them with us and fix them."

Diego puts wraps his arm just under Y/N's shoulder to keep her there. He wasn’t going to lose her now. Her hand searches blindly until Klaus grasps it tight. They anxiously watch as Five draws on a larger portion of his powers than usual. Diego hadn’t realized how much light was involved with so many of their siblings’ powers. Y/N, Viktor, Five. Even Klaus’s power had a glowing aspect to it. 

"Ah! It's working!” Five tells them. “Hold on! It's gonna get messy!"

They all vanish under Five’s powers.

[jo-harrington]

Second request for Hymn's of Heaven 🩶

will-o'-the-wisp

I know this is your second request, and it’s fully my intention to get back to the first one…but I just needed to write this one real quick.

Themes/Warnings: Religious/Catholic Themes (duh, but maybe a little heavier than other hymns have been), hurt/comfort, allusion to familial problems, fluff

And if you see a continuity error in a previous hymn...no you don't.

Find other Hymns of Heaven here.

And find the Master List for As Above, So Below here.

July 1984

It was a carefree kind of night.

A perfect kind of night.

Just the two of you.

You needed it, Eddie knew. He’d never been very far from home before but he recognized homesickness when he saw it. And as much as he hoped that Hawkins was becoming your home—that he was becoming your home—he couldn’t deny that you had a whole life that you’d left behind over a year ago.

Sure your parents…but your grandma, more than anything, was your home.

“She’s just a little old lady,” you told him when he asked about her the first time. You beamed, obviously ecstatic to talk about your favorite person. “But she’s always been my best friend.”

Through stories about your grandma, he learned more about you. Felt his heart grow a little more with each little tidbit; to see how you talked about someone you cherished.

“She cooks…all the time, more food than anyone could ever eat. She makes this soup. I swear it’s magical; a remedy for any illness.”

“She used to work at this factory but she’s retired now. If you ever want like…a hundred boxes of Tootsie Rolls, she still has an in and she can get them for you in a blink of an eye.”

“She’s always at church. Always. She dragged me all the time too. Didn’t matter what language the mass was in. English, Spanish, Latin, Italian, Polish…I am a polyglot for masses because of her.”

After the Fourth of July festivities, the homesickness started. You got quiet sometimes, fiddled with your necklace a little more. He noticed immediately and it made him feel...not bad...just helpless.

What could he do to to make you feel better when he didn't even know what was wrong?

Eddie didn't even need to ask, you simply told him one day.

"It's her birthday tomorrow," you muttered. "And coincidentally it's also this...special Feast Day. There's a procession with music and fireworks and this...statue. I can't really explain, you just need to experience it. I'll take you one day, I promise; you'd have the best time.

"Anyway, when I was younger, we would sit on the porch and watch the procession go by, have this table of candles and offerings set up. I always said it was special just for her, and it would make her smile. And then at night, she would watch me run around the yard and try to catch fireflies.

"I tried calling home to tell her Happy Birthday but my dad picked up," you choked up. "He never...but it's like he knew...and I froze...I couldn't even...I just hung up."

He expected tears. This was the closest he'd ever come to seeing you cry before. He anticipated the worst, and engulfed you in a hug, whispering sweet words of comfort.

"It's ok, she'd understand. I know how much you miss her. I'm sure she knows it too."

You squeezed him hard, buried your face in his neck and nodded with every word.

"You did the right thing. Your dad's an asshole. You won. You didn't give him the satisfaction of upsetting you more. I'm proud of you."

And when you pulled away, everything was normal. You pressed a kiss to his lips and his cheeks, and then asked if he wanted to get Dairy Queen.

But there were no tears.

Eddie knew how it felt, to always have to be the strong one. Whether it was because you didn't want someone to see your weaknesses...or because there was too much going on for you to have any. He'd balanced that burden all his life. But he also knew that...you didn't need to be that way around him, didn't need to feel like you needed to hide or keep these walls up.

You had secrets, things you simply kept to yourself--shit, he had them too--but he wanted you to know that you were safe with him. That he'd be there to listen if and when you were ready.

So he did what he knew he did best. He made the person who was most important in his life feel how important they were.

It didn't take much planning. He rummaged around Rick's boathouse for old rags and rubber bands and jars that held an amalgam of screws and bolts and nuts. Bribed Mickey's mom to go to Bradley's during your shift to grab some treats. And promised Wayne that he would replace the six-pack he took from the fridge during their next grocery run.

It was gonna be special. Unforgettable. He needed to make you smile.

All he had to do was wait until your shift was done in the Bradley's parking lot and keep his big mouth shut when you saw him.

He unfortunately couldn't do that.

"You wanna go catch some fireflies?" he whispered in your ear and spoiled the surprise when you greeted him with a hug and a soft what are you doing here?

"What? Eddie!" you laughed.

He talked the whole drive to Weathertop, explained that he had cake and lemon ices and beers in a cooler in the back.

"Gotta celebrate still, even if you can't be there with your grandma," he explained, and you grabbed his hand to place gentle kisses on the back of it as he drove.

You jumped from the van with a whoop as soon as he parked on the grass. It wasn't fully dark out yet but you could still see the intermittent glow of fireflies as they floated around the field of wildflowers. You shed your little uniform vest and ran around the grass for a second.

Eddie watched as you jumped and tried to catch one or two glowing bugs in your hands with the uncharacteristic carefree nature that a child might, and then round back on him as he popped the back doors of the van open to prepare the spread he'd organized.

The sight of you running back to him--the twilight glow behind you, the biggest smile on your face, and something in your eyes that was reserved just for him--made him feel like he was the most important man in the world.

It made his hands shake a little.

"Alright, I've got jars for each of us," he began and handed you one. He tried to cover the shakiness in his voice. "We'll let 'em go at the end of the night."

"Sounds good."

"You know...Wayne always told me if I was gonna try to catch them, that I had to be careful not to catch a will-o'-the-wisp on accident instead. He said they don't appreciate it when you catch them."

You tilted your head a little and pressed your lips together and Eddie's eyes narrowed at you.

"Don't tell me that's the one thing you don't know about?"

He felt giddy to be able to teach you something about a mystical creature for once. Some little bit of folklore that might make you smile.

"They're these...I don't know ghost lights and they float around, and if you try to follow them, they'll end up leading you astray. I thought I caught one once and Wayne mentioned that they're not actually good spirits, they're mischievous. I got so scared and...and you're just letting me talk out of my ass right now aren't you?"

You burst with laughter and shook your head.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," you held your hands up in surrender. "You were just so cute."

"Cute? I'm cute?" He put a hand to his chest in feigned insult. "Here I am trying to prevent my girlfriend's demise and she tells me I'm cute."

Eddie waited until you were caught off guard, scrambling to apologize, before he attacked. Fingers wriggled against your sides, causing you to laugh and gasp, and just when you thought it was over, he blew a raspberry on the exposed junction of your neck and shoulder.

The rest of the night was perfect. You ran around and caught fireflies together--you boasted when you caught more than he did, but he was especially proud because his glowed more--munched on the snacks that he brought, and then to end the night, you laid out on one of the blankets from the back of the van and stargazed.

Eddie pointed out constellations to you--a thing you actually didn't know much about at all--and after a while, the weight of your head on his shoulder became heavy and your breathing evened out.

He was gonna let you doze for a while before he woke you up to head home, but you surprised him when you sat up and looked at him.

"Today was perfect Eddie," you muttered. "Thank you."

"Hey of course," he beamed. "Anything for you."

"You...I..." You paused and bit your lip for a second. An eternity.

When you spoke again, it was something he hadn't realized that he'd been waiting to hear. Something he had been hesitant to tell you...probably since the first time he met you. He knew then how he felt, it was just...never the right time...and he never wanted to scare you or pressure you.

But his heart soared...because he didn't have to wait an eternity to hear it anymore.

"I love you Eddie. So much. More than you'll ever know."

[random-doctor-on-the-internet]

Ok. So, well, @weirdly-specific-but-ok , I promised you a mafia story for helping my friend. You helped my friend, you'll get a story.

Sorry, I didn't read it again before posting so it's entirely my fault if there are English mistakes. Fuck la grammaire.

I have no idea about what to write so don't expect high quality. Not that you're used to a higher level. Anyways, buckle your seatbelt, open a red bull can (you'll need it), and get ready for

Pulls sunglasses out of nowhere because that is the only thing I can do at this point.

The Bagel Story

(please notice the effort put into the title. I'm too tired to put any effort elsewhere so you can stop here)

Ok, so it all begins in Ukraine (before the war). At the time, I'm kind of free (compared to later. Long story) and spend most of my days exploring the town where I live. It's a nice town. Lots of abandoned buildings. Tom Sawyer-ish vibes, if Tom Sawyer lived in a tough neighborhood from Detroit.

So, this time, I decided to take pictures of one hundred broken windows in a day (little me had weird occupations), and start wandering until it was, what, 4 pm? At some point, I bought bagels. They aren't useful on this story, they're just here for the title.

So I'm kinda lost in an empty street, and the smartest thing I think about is going into the abandoned buildings, hoping to find someone who will help me.

I don't, and spend like an hour looking for someone (who's not drunk/ high/ having more important business than helping a six year old). Noone. I try anyway. At some point, I hear people in a building. Desperate, I enter the building by the window and walk through a corridor, to arrive in a room with actual people. Well, I didn't see, since they were all wearing masks.

And this when shit gets complicated.

To give you a picture of the situation, I've just walked in a room full of masked people who were singing a song in a language I barely know (idk what it was, I assumed it was Ukrainian but don't remember enough to analyze it with my old brain). These people look at me like I was Jesus reincarnated. I look at them like they were all multiverse versions of Jesus wearing wedding dresses.

At this point, there are too many Jesuses in the story and God abandons us.

They point at me and start screaming in Ukrainian (this time, I'm sure it's Ukrainian. But I didn't speak any of it when the story happened so it just sounds like alien metal music for me). I..uh…I smile, yell “no hablo Espanol” with a Hungarian accent and run away. I don't know why.

I mean, I don't know why I yelled in Spanish. Running away was a perfectly calculated decision.

So I'm running. I don't even look to see if they kept singing in their lair, undisturbed, or if there are actually nine masked people in white robes running after me in the streets. I ran to save my life. It's night. I'm still running. I'm tired. I stop. And then, I hear a growl.

I look behind me. Nothing. I look left, then right, nothing. I start walking again, and bam! Sinistros jumpscare.

(For those who are wondering what happened, a giant dog randomly appears in front of me.)

I mobilize all my mental powers and start running. Again. The dog follows me. Did I tell you that I was tired?

Anyways, I run for my guts for the second time in an hour, wahoo. At some point, I throw the bagels at EvilPadfoot 2.0. That doesn't have any effect. I run. I look behind me to see if I have a chance of survival. And pathetically fall in the sewers (Google translate, not sure about the word. Stinky tubes.). At some point, the monster abandons and I miserably find my way home.

That was the last time I got to walk alone outside my house.

Here you go. Is that worth anything? I don't know. But I'm too tired to write another one. Thanks for at least reading it.