#What worries me is literal children contemplating if all the adults around them are fucking pedos. that's the bullshit mindset discourse

[rwbyvein]

Firen Lhain: Chapter 701: In the Air:  Part I / III

Yang walked into the small room. "You wanted to talk to me, dad?" she asked, when she saw something out of the corner of her eyes. She quickly turned her head to glare at Raven.

"Look," Taiyang said, "All I'm asking for is you two to talk. Is that too much to ask?"

"Uh-huh?" Yang dismissively asked Raven, before looking back at her father, "Did she tell me that the only reason she helped was because Weiss was going to smash up the camp with her giant... thingie..."

"It's an Arma-Gigas." Taiyang stated.

"How the hell do you know?" Yang asked.

"Language." Taiyang mildly chided.

"I am an adult, now." Yang stated.

"It's still..." Taiyang tried to say.

"It's true." Raven replied, and both heads snapped to her. "It never occured to you that there might be a reason I didn't want to help you?"

"Uh-uh?" Yang asked, "That you're a terrible mother? I think I've already figured that one out."

"I didn't want you to get involved in Ozpin." Raven sharply stated.

"Why the hell not?" Yang asked, causing Taiyang to visibly wince.

"Oh, I don't know?," Raven asked, "so you don't end up like Leo, or Ozpin himself. Or Summer."

"How can you?!.." Yang asked.

"Appearances aside, I did love her." Raven stated. "But she decided to side with Ozpin, and you two lost out, again. Her foolish vainglory was always beautiful, but it was also her undoing."

"So, what?" Yang asked, "Now you are all onboard the Oz train?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice." Raven stated. "Everything I care about in the world is on the line or dead. Do you know how many dead friends I have? At least Tai was enough of a coward to stay out of it."

"Fearing for your life is not cowardice." Taiyang stated, "Which I've tried for years to teach the both of you."

"You can't mean?.." both Yang and Raven stated, and Taiyang smiled.

"If you went in different directions." Taiyang said, "Yang has a tendancy to lose her head in combat."

Yang looked about nervously, "But, I mean..."

"You've found friends to keep you safe." Taiyang said with a smile. "Raven, on the other hand was too calculating, always afraid to make a move."

"Afraid?" an incensed Raven asked, and Taiyang just smiled at her.

"If we left it up to you," Taiyang smiled and walked up to her, "you'd never act."

"I did lead the most successful bandit tribe on Remnant." Raven said augustly.

"You did keep them alive when most of the rest of them have disappeared." Taiyang said, and Raven's eyes grew wide. "What," Taiyang asked, "You think you could leave, and I'd just stop caring about you? You are hard to keep track of, which is why I looked for any news about bandits I could. And more and more they started to disappear."

"That little bit the Schnee girl brought was right?" Raven asked.

"Her name is Aurora, and the Schnee girl's name is Weiss!" Yang said to her.

"They are kind of married," Taiyang stated, "You should learn their names."

"I wasn't exactly expecting this." Raven voiced, and Taiyang just looked at her expectantly. She quickly looked away. "That look is too powerful." she voiced. She looked back and started to smile. Raven then looked back to Yang, "I suppose... if I'm going to try and be your mother, I should meet your... wives?.."

"Apparently," Yang stated, "I'm a chip off the old block head."

"I'm not that old." Taiyang stated.

"You did tame a bandit queen." Yang said to her dad, "so you can't be that old."

"One thing you children have to learn," Raven strongly said to her, "is that men age like fine wine."

"Jaune acting all majestic does really get my juices going."

"Wait?," Raven asked, "Is Aurora part of your little?.." she said and made a circular motion with her hand.

"Nah." Yang said, but then looked worried, "Although she and Jaune have been getting along, like really well. Okay, thanks mom. Now I'm worried. And why's dad smiling?"

"No reason." Taiyang said.

"I've got to go... talk to..." Yang said, and turned to walk away.

Taiyang watched the sliding, metal doors close on their own before turning to Raven. "What exactly are you smiling about?" Raven asked him.

"Oh, nothing." Tai said with glee, and Raven just glared at him, "Just," Tai continued, "that she called you mom." Raven looked incredibly shocked.

* * *

"Hey, Aurora?" Yang said.

"Yes, Miss Xiao Long."

"Miss what?" Yang asked.

"You are my mistress'," Aurora said, and paused, looking pensive, "co-wife?" she asked.

"You... can just call me, Yang."

"Yes, Miss Yang." she said with glee.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Yang asked.

"Indubidably." Aurora said with a smile, "I have spent my entire life cultivating these skills, and they are finally of use. I can do more by helping Miss Weiss, and her... erm... compatriotes, than I could have else-wise."

"You've also been getting really close to Jaune." Yang said accusingly.

"AAAAhhh." Aurora stated.

"AAAAhhh, what?" Yang asked.

"To put it bluntly, I'm a lesbian."

"So?," Yang asked, "Jaune's not the one you are after?"

"I appreciate his appreciation of women." Aurora stated. "And even if I were, I somehow doubt I could compete with the team of gracious and amazonian Huntresses he has promised with."

"You... make a good point..." Yang said contemplatively, "But still, you're sure Jaune doesn't get your juices flowing?"

Aurora stepped towards Yang, gazing lovingly up into her eyes. This caused Yang to step back, flushing orange.

"Whoa, girl. I'm married. Kind of..."

"Do you believe me now?" Aurora asked.

"Considering how the rest of us are, that doesn't really prove anything." Yang said to her.

"I'm not really sure what else I could do." Aurora said to her. "Though?," she asked, "I suppose seducing my boss' husband would likely get me fired."

"Good point." Yang said.

"And if you are finished speaking with your parents, perhaps now is the time for the specialty equipment Jaune commissioned."

"Uh, yeah..." Yang voiced, and Aurora turned to walk away. "Wait." Yang said, and Aurora paused, turning to face her, "Didn't you say you had like a ridiculouly good contract?"

"And what part are you referring to?" Aurora said with glee.

"The part," Yang replied, "where you get paid ridiculously well if you get fired."

"Golden Parachute." Aurora said with glee. "Should I be dismissed, I will never have to worry about my feet touching the ground."

"That's pretty baller." Yang said.

"Indeed." Aurora affirmed.

"But that also means," Yang accusingly said to her, "that you don't have to worry about getting fired."

Aurora just smiled even brighter. "But, should I be dimissed, I would not longer get to spend time with my love."

"Love?" Yang asked.

Aurora breathed in deep and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Yang asked.

"For drawing the joke out too far." Aurora said, and curtsied.

"uh... huh?.." Yang asked, "Exactly what part was the joke?"

Aurora thought for a moment. "To be fair, everything I said was true."

"But?.." Yang asked.

"Including," Aurora said to her, "that I have no intention of seducing Jaune."

Yang slowly nodded her head, "Wait a minute? What specialty equipment?"

* * *

Weiss walked into the room, and looked around, seeing R_BY, Jaune, and Aurora there. "Aurora?" she asked.

"Thank you for coming, Miss." Aurora said to her.

"Wait?" Jaune asked, "Why is she a Miss, but I'm a Sir?"

"Because men age like fine wine." Aurora replied as Weiss stepped into the room.

"Wait?!" Yang asked.

"Yes?" Aurora said to her, and Yang looked at her nervously. Her scales were blushing between orange and red, as if she couldn't decide.

"My mo... I mean, Raven, said something similar to that." Yang replied.

"And?" Weiss curiously asked.

"And," Yang said accusingly, pointing at Aurora, "she is most defintiely into men, especially the tall, blond, daddy types..."

"Daddy types?" Jaune asked.

"Oh, shit?!" Yang asked, "Did I seriously get that from my mom?!"

"Ah." Aurora said, "You mistake my meaning."

"And exactly what was your meaning?!" Yang accusingly asked her.

"Men tend to prefer feeling masculine." Aurora said.

"Uh-huh?" Yang asked, as if her patience were being tried.

"They prefer appelations of strength, maturity, capability." Aurora continued.

"Uh... huh?.." Yang asked.

"All things that grow with age." Aurora said, "Women tend to prefer youth, beauty, fertility."

"Daddy types?" Jaune repeated, and Yang looked at him, flushing a deep red-orange.

"Oh, shit." Yang voiced.

"No." Blake said to her, "You don't get to back away from that one."

"It's just..." Yang voiced, "You know how caring Jaune is?"

"Of course." Weiss quickly affirmed.

"I don't mean he cares," Yang said, "but, like, how he literally picked me up, sat me at the table, and told me to fucking eat. Like, he LITERALLY takes care of us."

"It was weird seeing Yang doing what she's told." Ruby voiced.

"Like you're one to talk, sis." Yang said to her.

"Jaune," Blake said, "will literally just pick up Ruby when she's being..."

"Ruby." Weiss added.

"Hey!" Ruby shouted.

Weiss turned towards Ruby and held her hands together in front of her, "As someone who is Weissy, I feel turnabout is fair play."

[innittowinit]

Runaways and waiting rooms

Relationships: PLATONIC, Tommy and wilbur

Summary:�� Tommy has been feeling overwhelmed lately and decides to run away and find Wilbur instead.

Warnings:  for like one line where Tommy is talking about how he feels, he mentions not being able to eat. It's literally only for one line though and if you skip it it will make no difference

Word count: 2385

Language: English

AO3 

Tommy held his breath as he shoved a pair of thick socks into his backpack. He couldn't believe he was doing this; running away was always something he saw in movies. It was a big thing that would definitely be exciting and freeing but logically he knew it would most likely just be lonely and scary. School had been over this countless times, if you feel bad you need to go to a trusted adult. 

That had been drilled into his mind since he was little. So why did the only adults he trusted lived so far away? 

He wasn’t actually running away, he told himself this again and again. If he was running away, which he wasn't, he’d be a lot angrier, he’d probably have gotten into a fight with his parents. 

This wasn’t running away. This was just leaving without letting anyone know.

Next was a fleece blanket, rolled it up as tight as he could to make it to save room; he still didn't know if Wilbur would even let him stay with him. Asking him now felt so overwhelming. It felt like giving up, Wilbur would definitely try to convince him not to leave home. 

With a rough throat and a note left scribbled on his desk, he crept out of the front door. Realistically he knew he could make it on his own, he had a stable income and with his laptop in his bag he knew he'd be able to stream, even if the quality had to be lowered slightly to keep the frames smooth. Hopefully Wilbur's place had good wifi. 

As he walked towards the train station, he thought about why he had chosen Wilbur, Tubbo was closer, much closer, but there was just something about the man that made him feel safer than he did at home right now. 

Maybe it was the big brother vibes, maybe he just didn't want to inconvenience Tubbo’s family. God he hoped he wasn't going to be turned away.

Wilbur had his own life.

what if he wanted to have a girl over or something? it would be so awkward to have a 16 year old in the other room.

Maybe it would be best if he turned around and went back home.

No. He told himself, the word spinning around in his head as he made his way to the train station. Absolutely, Positively, giving up now would be the wrong thing to do. He had to do this, It would hurt being away from his family and friends but things were just too much right now. He needed an escape. 

Wilbur would give him that escape. He hoped so at least. 

As he made his way to the station, bag slung over one shoulder, he contemplated his reasons for doing this. 

There was too much pressure. That was it. He was expected to do so much and there was such a fine line between being proud and putting pressure on someone. 

How could he be expected to average 100k viewers, bring in excess money, get amazing grades and still have time for family situations?

His reasoning was pathetic, he knew that much, but he didn’t plan to stay gone forever. He just wanted a break, some time to think. He wanted the world to stop spinning for one second so he could catch his breath. 

That’s why he was going to Wilbur. Wilbur understood these feelings, nobody else did. He loved his parents but they didn’t understand the pressure of having so many people watch your every move. He just needed some alone time. 

Before he knew it, he was standing on his platform, anxiously pressing the button to open the train’s door, climbing on with shaky legs.

This was real. He was doing this. There was no turning back now 

Sitting down in a corner and pulling up his hood, he prayed that he wouldn’t get noticed. God that would be mortifying, to have his fans see him now, at his absolute lowest point, where he felt so worthless and tired. 

Not only that but he was sure that the photo would spread like wildfire as evidence he had ran away once the news broke out that he wasn’t at home. 

Much to his delight, the carriage was fairly empty, spare a few elderly couples and a couple mothers with young children. He doubted any of them knew who he was so he just leant back in his seat and plugged his earphones in, setting his playlist on shuffle. There were some songs that reminded him of his friends back at college. 

They wouldn’t be mad at him for going missing right? 

He pierced his lips together and tried not to think about it. 

Nobody would be mad. 

Nobody would even notice that he was gone. 

___

The train ride didn’t feel as long as he had expected. After checking his phone he knew that yes, it completely had taken the few hours that he had expected but he supposed he had more to think about than he had expected too. 

After leaving the train he was faced with the crisp evening air, it was windy and the clouds darkened in a way that he could tell meant it would rain soon. 

Not only that, but he was also faced with the harsh reality that he didn’t know how to get to Wilbur’s house, he didn’t even know his address so it wasn’t as if he could just call an uber.

It was cold and nearing night and he was in a city he didn’t recognise. 

Why the fuck had he done this?

Trying to clear his head, he made his way to the waiting room. It would be warm in there, he’d be able to calm down. 

And he was right, it was warm, and the chairs were soft and perfect for thinking things over in.

He eventually came to the decision that he needed to tell Wilbur what he had done, he was scared and lost but Wilbur would help him. 

Before he could convince himself otherwise he pressed on Wilbur's contact and watched it ring. 

“Tommy Innit! How are you doing my friend? Me and techno are actually on the smp right now if you want to join us” He was laughing, there’s no way he would answer a call like this if he wasn’t streaming.

Shit fuck.

“Sorry, sorry” The boy shook his head although Wilbur couldn’t see it, he had to fix this, he never should have left home; No matter how pathetic he felt there.

“Sorry I… I don’t know why I called you. Uh fuck.. I forgot you were um….I didn’t see the time shit you always start at this time. I’m sorry”

“Tommy?” Wil sounded a lot more mellowed out, Wow Tommy, you really went and made him worry about you. 

“Tommy I muted my stream, are you okay?”

“Wil…” His voice was weak, he sounded small and fragile. His throat hurt and his eyes burned. 

What he absolutely was not about to do was cry in a train station waiting room. 

“Wil I’m sorry this is stupid” An audible sigh had escaped from his lips, he hadn’t meant that to happen. 

“Go back to your stream I’ll be okay”

“Tommy you matter to me okay? If you need someone to talk to I’ll stay on call for as long as you need, I couldn’t give less of a fuck about my stream if you need me, okay?”

That was what broke the dam, a flood pouring out from his eyes as he clutched his phone against his head. He had never been much good at talking about his emotions, this exact situation of breaking down all at once happened far too frequently because of his horrible habit of bottling up his emotions.

He didn’t feel strong when he asked for help. 

“Wilbur, please promise not to get mad, please promise not to get mad or tell my parents. Please dont tell my parents Wil” The boy frantically rubbed at his eye’s with his sleeve as he begged pointlessly over the phone. He felt so pathetic. Wilbur would never want to talk to him ever again. Of course he was only doing this out of pity, Wil saw him as a needy child. He was certain of it.  

“Tommy? Tommy whats wrong? I won't tell your parents if you don't want me to and I could never be genuinely mad with you. Tommy please tell me what’s happening” His voice sounded pained. 

Strange, Tommy thought. It was strange since he was so sure that Wilbur didn’t actually care about him. 

He felt worthless, there was too much going on all the time and if he couldn't keep up with it that meant he was the one who was broken. 

“Wil” he sniffled. Pathetic “Wil I left home, I didn’t tell anyone, I got on a train and I came here.” he took in a deep breath. God he would die if a fan ran into him now, he was so lucky this waiting room was empty. 

“Wil, it felt like you were the only one who would listen to me, it’s too much it’s all too much. Nowhere feels like home anymore, I want to go home but nowhere is home”

Wilbur had taken in a deep breath, Tommy wondered what his chat was saying. 

“I’m coming to get you. Sit tight for me. I’m taking you back to my house and we can talk more. I can’t call when I’m driving so will you be okay in the meantime?”

Tommy nodded, remembering once again that Wilbur couldn’t see him. Instead of vocalising his feelings once more, he made a small sound of confirmation. 

“Okay stay safe, I’ll be there soon”

--

And he was there soon, maybe Tommy should have expected it, he had got the train straight into his city after all. It was less than 5 minutes later when he had got a text telling him to come outside. 

“Didn’t expect you here for another while, in all honesty” The man chuckled as Tommy got into his car, starting to drive off once he was buckled in.

“Do you want a hot chocolate? You know, whenever I feel bad I like sweet things”

Tommy didn’t answer verbally but he did nod. He felt too broken, too guilty, to talk. He knew words would just start flowing out and he couldn’t risk opening himself up again. He didn’t want Wilbur to decide he didn’t want to talk to him anymore. He didn’t want to be alone again. 

Aside from the stop at starbucks, where Wil had bought them both some Hot chocolate, the ride was silent. Filled only by the quiet noise of the radio and the frequent sips of their drinks. Wil had tried to ask him some questions but Tommy just shook his head. 

He liked that Wil wouldn’t force him to talk when he wasn’t ready. Wil trusted that he’d talk eventually. 

Last time he was at his house he had been so happy, he remembered how many things had happened in such a short amount of time during that meetup. He wished he was still as happy now but as Wil carried his bag inside for him, he couldn't help but be reminded of how much of a burden he was. 

The bag had been laid on the floor and Wilbur was sitting on the couch, drink in hand, so Tommy sat down too and mimicked his body language. 

“What’s going on then? Are we ready to talk about it” The older of the too hummed, he really was like an older brother, Tommy thought to himself as he watched Wilbur’s soft expression.

Tommy nodded. 

He just needed to collect his thoughts first. 

“Have you ever felt like you’re drowning even when there’s no water? I keep thinking ‘I want to go home soon’ but I’ll already be at home. There’s so much going on, during the few minutes i get to myself i always end up daydreaming about how nice it would be to pause time and catch my breath”

Even though he felt like he was rambling, like he made no sense at all, Wil carried on nodding. He was listening so intently that Tommy felt a little guilty for not telling him about how he felt sooner. 

“I feel like..maybe if I can't swim back up when I'm drowning, I'm just failing. I can’t remember what it feels like to not feel like I’m disappointing everyone I care about, I always feel cold and I keep struggling to eat. When it’s not because I’m too busy it’s because I feel like i don't deserve it, I always feel like I should be working and when I’m not I feel pathetic and weak”

Wilbur didn’t speak for a few seconds, then he placed his and Tommy’s drinks on a little table and pulled the blonde into a big hug. Tommy was surprised to say the least. He had fully expected Wilbur to get mad, maybe yell, but he hadn’t. 

“I’ve felt that way so many times Tommy and I’ll tell you this much” he sighed and rubbed the boys back “It fucking sucks. But I’ll also tell you this, You’re not disappointing anyone, everyone is actually very proud of you but you need to realise that that pride won't go away if you take a break”

A little hiccup could be heard from where Tommy’s head was snuggled into. He wasn't crying though. Tommy innit would never. 

“You can stay here for as long as you need, i know you just need a break from your life...and I won't tell your parents but I do think you should talk to them. I know you probably don’t want t hear this but they’ll be worried sick and i guarantee they’ll be happier to hear that you’re safe rather than kidnapped”

And so Tommy spent the next few days with Wilbur. He called his parents and explained how he felt, with Wilbur’s help, and he took a small break from social media. 

And if he fell asleep leaning against Wilbur’s shoulder more than once, that didn’t need to be brought up again.

[justjessame]

Babysitting Butcher Chapter 4

I managed to work through the first box of files over the course of the rest of the week. A daunting task, reading through statistics on babies, children, and then adults who were either dead or missing. I finally found a rhyme and reason to the sorting when I opened the second box. These files appeared to be confirmed successful cases, with the current locations for the subjects unknown. Jotting down names, last locations known, and the more worrisome powers that they had so that I could find out what the agency wanted our office to do with the information, thinking we’d be tasked with at least attempting to locate them. I had to wonder though, how the fuck did Vought manage to lose people they gave powers to?

I had to assume the boxes were sorted by dead, living and lost, and maybe living and located since the regular sorting systems weren’t being used. I grunted at the knock that came on my door frame while I was again on the floor surrounded by boxes.

“That doesn’t seem comfortable,” MM offered, looking down at me as I set aside the file I’d been taking notes from.

I smiled up at him, thankful for a fucking reprieve. “It’s more comfortable than that desk chair. Ergonomic my ass.” I stood up and took a seat in one of the chairs usually reserved for visitors. MM sat next to me. “What’s going on?” I learned very early in my career to NEVER ask what I could do for a visitor to my office. Offering that opening, I’d be inundated with a thousand requests and my head would start spinning.

“I have a few family things coming up,” I nodded, knowing about his wife and daughter. “Billy hasn’t mentioned anything on the table, but I wanted to make sure that my absence wasn’t going to cause problems.”

Smiling at him I shook my head. “No problems, MM, at least none that I’m aware of. Take care of yourself and your family.” He looked like he was chewing on something, trying to decide whether or not to bring whatever it was up. “Is there more?”

“You two-” he stopped, took a breath and then tried again. “You and Butcher don’t seem to be having the same friction as you did in the beginning.”

Ah, he was thinking that I may have or WE may have crossed a line? “I think we’ve just grown to understand the best way to communicate with one another.” I worried that my smile was slipping. “Billy isn’t as-” I contemplated what Billy wasn’t any longer. “I think he’s come to terms with the fact that you’re all stuck with me, and that I’m NOT the enemy.”

MM nodded, his eyes shrewd. “And the fact that you look like,” he motioned toward me with his head. “Doesn’t hurt.” I rolled my eyes. “He mentioned the red toenails.” I snorted, and his eyes went to my feet and I wanted to scream about weird foot fascinations. “I’ll have to tell him you changed to blue.” He smiled at me when our eyes met and I shook my head. “I should let you get back to-” his eyes landed on the boxes. “He said they’re Vought files for supes that didn’t survive, or that weren’t kept track of.”

“There might be files in boxes I haven’t gotten to of the ones whose current whereabouts are known, but it’s slow going.” I sighed, and MM rose to his feet.

“Guess we’ll have work to do soon enough then,” he left after telling me goodbye and thanking me for understanding his need for time off. And I went back to my nest in the middle of the boxes and got back to work.

 Billy was waiting outside my office door when I arrived the next morning and I had to hold in a long suffering sigh. I hadn’t even gotten started and I feared my day was heading low very fast. Grunting a ‘morning’ to him, I used my fob to open the door and let him follow me inside.

“Don’t look like a morning person, Ronnie,” he offered, looking far more comfortable in the chair he took in front of my desk than I felt in mine. I was waiting to see if he was planning on propping his booted feet on the surface, but he didn’t. “I’ll wait while you get comfy.”

I rolled my eyes and tilted my head. “I’m comfy enough already, Mr. Butcher.” His smirk grew into a full blown grin. “What is it you need?”

Pulling out a legal pad and grabbing a pen, I looked up to see him shaking his head. “Nothing.” Raising my eyebrow, I stared at him. “MM told me he was taking some family time, and I thought I’d check in and make sure we didn’t have something coming on.”

Tossing my pen down, I leaned back and cursed internally at the fucking chair that I’d been given. Seriously, the floor was a thousand times better. I stood up, giving up on the fucking chair and moved around the desk to sit in the one next to Billy. He was still grinning and I had to fight my urge to find the stapler again.

“You guys are in a holding pattern, for now,” I hadn’t had anything cross my desk to give them, so for the present everyone was just working on prep for when the first assignment hit. “The equipment you requested was approved. It’ll be delivered in the next couple of days.” No one up the chain of command had blinked at the requests.

“What about those?” He nodded to the boxes and I sighed. “We’re all literate as far as I know.” I laughed at his assurance and offer to help.

“I have no doubt that you can read,” I considered what he was saying, really considered it. “It couldn’t hurt, since I’m only one box down and I still have eleven to go.”

“Let’s get started then,” he stood up and lost the duster. “Coming?” I was still seated and blinking up at him. Now?

We worked until lunch, after I’d handed him a notepad and pen, tossed off my shoes and got into the middle of the boxes. Scribbling down the notes, and explaining to Billy what I thought would be most pertinent, he offered his own ideas of what they might need to stay safe while tracking the lost. We worked quietly after he’d moved a few boxes and sat nearby, effectively widening my nest.

“Hungry?” I asked, feeling the grumble start in my own stomach. I finished the note I was making and looked up to see his eyes on the toes he could see peeking out from my crossed legs.

“He told me they were blue now,” his eyes met mine and I rolled my eyes. “I could eat.” My mind and body flashed to Billy Butcher eating something far more pleasurable than whatever I planned on ordering for lunch and I had to punch the thought down. Shit.

“What are you hungry for?” Fuck, did that sound like I was flirting? Please, God, don’t let him think that I was flirting.

His smirk returned, coupled with that fucking mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Oh, I could eat anything right now.” And as if I had any doubts as to what he was thinking, his eyes roamed down my body. Fuck fuck fuck.

“Burgers it is.” I stood up, and fought the full length tingle I felt run down my body at the thought of Billy fucking Butcher laying me down on my desk and eating me for lunch. Picking up the phone, I asked Anthony for a few menus so Billy and I could order food.

[squiishiichaos]

Akusai and maybe isa has xion as a daughter and they encounter this crazy redhead trying to find his son, roxas ((xion and roxas are probably like teeny eleven year-olds))

(So, I got an idea for this last night after my bedtime without actually checking the prompt. Sooooo, don’t be surprised if Xion and Roxas aren’t eleven-years-old?  Okay?  Okay!  Let’s do this)

______

It’s odd how life just happens, sometimes, ya know? Take for instance, the day Isa met the love of his life.

It was an ordinary day.  Just him and his daughter out enjoying a dark, gloomy day in the park.  Rain was on the forecast and there were plenty of grey clouds along the horizon to corroborate, but until a drop actually fell, he was content to just sit there and watch Xion play on the jungle gym while he contemplated the mysteries of life in relative peace and quiet.  

That was the plan, anyway.  “Hey!  Has anyone seen my son?”

Now, see, Isa wasn’t generally a helpful person.  In fact, he typically thought of himself as overly introverted and needlessly reclusive, but the mere thought of losing Xion was enough for him to look up at the–regrettably–handsome, dumb stranger who came frantically running into the field.   Against the tourmaline hue of the forest shrouding them from the metropolis, his head was ablaze in a sea of flames haphazardly contained in a poor attempt at a ponytail.  Acid green eyes searched every nook and cranny they could find while he moved from bush to bush, shoving aside branches to see if perhaps his little guy was just playing a cowardly game of Hide-and-Seek.

If it weren’t for the vibrant shade of fear painted over his entire being, it was possible the Blue-haired male might have just written him off like the rest of the adults sending him furrowed glances from their respective spots around the playground.  Hell, even Isa was a bit put off by such a powerful display of desperation, but he knew better than to disregard a parent in need of a couple more sets of hands after five years raising a child all by himself.

So, sighing his way off his comfortable bench, he made it a whole three steps before that venomous stare fell on him with a flicker of flames.  Without skipping a beat, the Handsome Stranger came trudging across the field in two long, lanky strides.  

Standing closer than any two strangers ever should, Isa was surprised to see two upside-down tears tattooed beneath the man’s eyes in violet ink.  Ironic, too–considering this man was certainly on the brink of tears.  “You’re looking for your son?”

“Yeah!  Have you seen him?!  He’s about yea high,” said with a slight bend to place one long-fingered hand at about his knee, “with messy blonde hair and big blue eyes!”

Glancing behind him at the smattering of children and adults enjoying the calm before a storm–literally–Isa scanned the sea of tiny people for something that looked similar to that description.   After a solid five seconds of looking, he promptly gave up.  “Can’t say I have.”

“Fuck…”  Nervously twisting the mass of his ponytail through his fingers, the Stranger’s eyes flicked amongst the crowd in a similar manner to before.  “Where could he have gone?  I swear, I turned my back for two seconds and poof, the fucker was gone!”

God, why was it always the cute ones?  “Where were you when he disappeared?”

“Over there,” the man jerked his thumb behind him toward an ice cream stand set-up near the edge of the forest.  “I let go of his hand just long enough to pay for the ice cream and–” Cutting himself off with a hitched breath, the man took a second breath to calm himself and wiped away the tears from his eyes before they could fall.

Isa awkwardly patted his arm two times.  “It’s okay.  Let me grab my daughter and we’ll search that clearing for your son while you keep looking in this direction.”

“Are you serious?!”  

Isa would never admit how much the hope in those green eyes touched his heart.  “Yeah.   What’s your son’s name?”

“Roxas.”

“Okay.”  Turning toward the jungle gym, Isa felt a wave of ice-cold relief flood through his veins at the sight of Xion still bravely swinging from the monkey bars.   He cupped his hands around his mouth and called, “Xion, come here!  Dad has a new mission for you!”

Instantly, cerulean eyes pinpointed him with a bright smile.  Expertly falling from the bars and landing on her feet, she trotted over like the little soldier she was.  “Ooh,ooh, what’s it this time?  Are there more baddies to beat up?”

“No baddies this time.  I need you to help Dad find this man’s son.  Think you’re up for the challenge?”  Casting a suspicious glance at the strange Redhead, Xion apparently took his teary-eyed smile and awkward wave with the same sympathy Isa still felt warm in his chest.  

I have the best daughter in the world, he thought as she looked up to him, clenched her tiny five-year-old hand into a fist and gave a determined nod of her head.  

For the next fifteen minutes, the three of them scouted the surrounding area from edge to edge.   While Xion courageously crawled into any space she could fit her tiny self, Isa called for the young Blonde and scanned the dense woods for any signs of activity.   So far, the two of them had managed to find a sum total of one rabbit, three squirrels, a gaggle of ducks, a skunk (that they gave a very wide berth), and one very skittish chipmunk, but no Roxas.

Even the ever optimistic Xion was ready to throw in the towel.  “Papa, Rock-sea isn’t here!”  

“Xion, dear, don’t say that.  What if his Father heard that?  Do you want him to cry?”

“But he was already crying!”  

“Xion.”  Pouting, the little Raven crossed her arms and stomped back toward the center of the park.     Isa followed close behind her, still keeping an eye out for any sign of blonde hair or–

He stopped in his tracks and turned to his peripheral, looking askance at the ice cream stand where the Stranger had originally come from.  Taking a single step to the left, green eyes narrowed on a tuft of gold peeking out from the edge of the counter.   Taking another step, his lips pursed into a tight frown at the little disheveled Blonde huddled into a crouch against the metal stall.

Keeping his eyes trained on the Blonde, Isa gently tapped Xion’s shoulder.  “Go find the Redhead and let him know I have a lead.”

“Did you find him?”

“Xion.”

Humming in displeasure, he almost cracked a smile at what he was sure was another sour pout.  “Alright, fine.  Don’t tell your daughter about your super secret mission…”

Looking back at her he couldn’t help a soft grin.  “I love you.”  Defeat settled in her dour features and one heave of breath later, she trotted off like the little warrior she was.

Shaking his head with a quiet chuckle, he dropped his small smile and cautiously approached the crouched Blonde in a calculated gait.   With green eyes trained on the child, he calmly waved at the Clerk that greeted him while keeping his steps slow and measured.   The closer he got, the lower he dipped into a crouch, until he was just a foot from the kid and nearly seated on his haunches.

Reaching out a hand and letting it hover in the space between them, Isa called, “Roxas?”

Immediately, the little Blonde uncurled from his huddle and into a stance befitting a fighter ready for battle, complete with a popsicle stick for a weapon.   Wait… “Where did you get that?”

Shaking his head, the wily blonde took a guarded step back.  “Who are you?  Where is Lea?”

“Lea?”

“You called for me?!”  Isa looked over his shoulder at the Redhead–Lea, apparently–just in time to see worried jades widen into relieved emeralds.  “ROXAS?!  HAVE YOU BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME?!”

Unfazed by the Redhead’s shout, the Blonde kept his cerulean blues trained on Isa, still wielding that little stick in defense of himself.  “Yeah.”

“YOU WERE?!” Baffled and astounded, Lea looked at him and scratched the back of his head with an awkward chuckle.  “Wh-why didn’t you tell me you were wandering off?”

“I didn’t wander off!”

“You left my sight.  That’s the definition of wandering off, Roxi.”

Pouting, the Blonde folded his arms and hid that weapon in the mix.  “Fine!  No free ice cream for you!”

“Free ice cream?  For me?”  Lea crouched down beside Isa–once again, closer than strangers should be comfortable sitting–”Roxas, what are you talking about?”

Reluctantly holding out the popsicle stick held tight in his tiny hand, the Blonde let Lea take it without much fuss.   Printed on the beige wood was the word W I N N E R in big bold letters.  Isa wasn’t sure why, but the stick brought another round of tears to Lea’s eyes.  

“Aww, Roxas…were you saving this for me?”

“Well, duh.   Who else would I save it for?”

Stifling a sniffle, Lea gently ruffled Roxas’s hair before grabbing him by the cheeks and kissing that tuft of unkempt blonde hair with a relief that almost sounded palpable.  When he pulled back, a stretched smile held his expression.  

“Well, why don’t you go collect on that while I talk with Mr…” Green turned to him with a blink.  “What was your name?”

“Isa.”

“Nice to meetcha, Isa!  Name’s Lea!  Got it memorized?”  

Isa blinked.  “No.  Should I?”  

That innocent smile twisted into a crooked grin.  “If I’mma properly thank you with dinner and a date on me, then yeah, I think you prol’ly should, Isa.”  

Isa had always been a sucker for dumb, caring Redheads. “Then, consider it memorized.”

[noonmutter]

*Grinch grin* Make me admit something... DO THEM ALL.

Pff like I haven’t had to do this rodeo before come at me scrub

1. Would you have sex with the last person you text messaged?

That’s either my realtor or my mom, so no.

2. You talked to an ex today, correct?

No? Why on earth would I?

3. Have you taken someones virginity?

Not to my knowledge.

4. Is trust a big issue for you?

Absolutely. Trust is the core of a relationship, without it you’re just acquaintances who maybe make eye contact sometimes.

5. Did you hang out with the person you like recently?

From the phrasing I assume this means “like-like” and since I live with my fiance, yes.

( I really did answer all of them at once but I’m not enough of a turd to fill everybody’s dashboard so the rest are behind the cut! )

6. What are you excited for?

Boring work stuff that makes little sense to anybody who doesn’t work with me but is going to be just as jazzed about it as I am because they’re FINALLY FIXING SOMETHING I SAID WAS A PROBLEM A YEAR AGO–AGAIN

7. What happened tonight?

Um… it’s four in the afternoon here.

8. Do you think it’s disgusting when girls get really wasted?

I think it’s disgusting when anybody gets wasted. You aren’t even conscious of whatever fun you might be having and you sure as shit aren’t tasting whatever you’re drinking anymore. Quit that.

9. Is confidence cute?

Only in the context of someone who’s about to get the living shit beaten/embarrassed out of them for being confident against all advice to the contrary (”He’s gonna go punch a tarrasque in the nads! How cute!”). Otherwise confidence is just a good thing and generally rad.

10. What is the last beverage you had?

I just finished my second coke of the day about ten seconds ago and am debating a third.

11. How many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust?

“Fully” is the operative word and that number is zero of any sex.

12. Do you own a pair of skinny jeans?

Probably. It’s hard not to get them when you’re at a certain size.

13. What are you gonna do Saturday night?

Work, go home, either raid or RP, and sleep. I do that basically every Saturday night.

14. What are you going to spend money on next?

Ideally a house that isn’t being sold by an idiot, but probably something less interesting like Starbucks.

15. Are you going out with the last person you kissed?

Hey @dwyndel would you consider what we’re doing “going out”?

16. Do you think you’ll change in the next 3 months?

I mean, I hope so? Growth is important.

17. Who do you feel most comfortable talking to about anything?

My fiance and my mom.

18. The last time you felt broken?

hahaha “last time”

19. Have you had sex today?

hahaha “today” I haven’t gotten laid in years. plural.

20. Are you starting to realize anything?

what the hell kinda question is this that’s not something you admit to, that’s a question that answers itself and the answer is either “no” because you aren’t or “yes” because the question made you realize it

21. Are you in a good mood?

Pretty good, yeah

22. Would you ever want to swim with sharks?

Yes but I’ll be peeing literally the entire time

23. Are your eyes the same color as your dad’s?

Probably. I got a lot of my looks from him, which aggravates the shit out of me since he’s a terrible person

24. What do you want right this second?

A nap

25. What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy?

‘Can I watch’‘Were they hot’‘Do they like sharing’‘Your breath smells like infidelity’

26. Is your current hair color your natural hair color?

Yep, white streak included

27. Would you be able to date someone who doesn’t make you laugh?

Probably not, but there’s a huuuuuuge difference between “doesn’t make me laugh” and “does not have a compatible sense of humor with mine.” Some people just aren’t funny. Like me. I’m not funny at all. Jesus am I ever not funny. Wow.

28. What was the last thing that made you laugh?

A fucking Spanish Inquisition reference from Dan Avidan in Game Grumps that I’m still mad at myself for laughing at

29. Do you really, truly miss someone right now?

Eh, not really. I don’t have homesickness pangs or people-aren’t-here pangs unless I know I can’t get to them because they’re not in a place where I can go. Otherwise I’d be a sad puppy every time I went to work

30. Does everyone deserve a second chance?

No. Some people are not worth anyone’s time or effort and often they know it and abuse people’s willingness to forgive or try.

31. Honestly, do you hate the last boy you were talking to?

Hatred is hard to pull out of me unless you personally did something really offensive and permanent to me. I get tired of people but I very rarely hate them. The last “boy” (he is very much an adult, calling him “boy” is fuckin’ wierd) I talked to was my supervisor and I rather like Phill

32. Does the person you have feelings for right now, know you do?

I am engaged. You tell me.

33. Are you one of those people who never drinks soda?

Not only did I just say I’m contemplating a third Coke at 4 in the afternoon, I have a bucket to collect pull tabs in for the fiance to make chainmail out of

34. Listening to?

My coworkers chattering in the office around me. I could listen to music if I wanted, but the office headsets suck ass and can’t handle bass of any kind

35. Do you ever write in pencil anymore?

Not often. My handwriting is awful and I try not to write by hand at all, but if I do, it’ll probably be in pen

36. Do you know where the last person you kissed is?

Either at home or running errands

37. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Shit no

38. Who did you last call?

Not counting work calls, I try not to call people if I can possibly avoid it. Uhhhhhhh…probably my mom.

39. Who was the last person you danced with?

hahaha “dance”

40. Why did you kiss the last person you kissed?

Because she was there and smoochable

41. When was the last time you ate a cupcake?

Haven’t had cupcakes in a VERY long time, have had very good muffins from Costco this week though

42. Did you hug/kiss one of your parents today?

Nope, they live in Virginia and I don’t

43. Ever embarrass yourself in front of a crush?

Am I misunderstanding what you do to attract a mate?

44. Do you tan in the nude?

I don’t tan.

45. If you could, would you take back your last kiss?

Nope, that’s my smooch and I’m keeping it

46. Did you talk to someone until you fell asleep last night?

Sorta. RP is kinda like talking, right?

47. Who was the last person to call you?

Realtor.

48. Do you sing in the shower?

Not really. If anything I hum; being able to hear myself too well makes me get quieter

49. Do you dance in the car?

Drum stuff out, finger-piano on the steering wheel, occasionally headbang.

50. Ever used a bow and arrow?

Once, and I’d love to again. The first/last time I fired a bow I took ten shots and bullseyed six.

51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?

College. Never doing that shit again.

52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?

That’s sort of the point of them. The question isn’t are they cheesy, it’s are they good.

53. Is Christmas stressful?

Of course it is. The only time it’s not is when you’re too young/old to have conscious thoughts, because even young children worry endlessly over what they’re getting or if they’re getting anything or what if santa thinks they were bad

54. Ever eat a pierogi?

I fucking love pierogi but I’ve only ever had the frozen ones from Mrs. T’s, Dwyn and I keep saying we should find time to make some and see how much better it is

55. Favorite type of fruit pie?

Don’t really do pies of any kind except for French Silk. Fruit pie filling is a wierd texture I don’t really enjoy

56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?

Architect and animator

57. Do you believe in ghosts?

Enough to be unsettled late at night by noises I can’t identify, not enough to be unwilling to sleep in an allegedly haunted house

58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?

All day every day. No joke somedays I wonder if people who think they have psychic powers are just people with really persistent deja vu, it feels like magic

59. Take a vitamin daily?

vitamin coke or vitamin coffee

60. Wear slippers?

Technically the shoes I wore to work today could count as slippers. I call them my crazy-people shoes because they have no shoelaces and no fittings

61. Wear a bath robe?

only when it’s really cold in the house

62. What do you wear to bed?

Nothing

63. First concert?

Blind Guardian at the Pop’s in Chicago when I was 13. It was their first US tour and my parents are boss people who really wanted to humor their kid. People at the show realized this tiny barely-teenager in the back knew every word to every song and pulled me to the front, and there was no barrier between crowd and stage, so I got to lean on the stage and got smirked at by the guitarist. After the show I shook Hansi Kirsch’s hand and got my copy of Imaginations From The Other Side signed. Good times

64. Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?

Target

65. Nike or Adidas?

Neither, they’re both overpriced shit

66. Cheetos Or Fritos?

Cheetos

67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?

Peanuts, although I’d rather have cashews

68. Favorite Taylor Swift song?

I don’t know any taylor swift songs nor do I care

69. Ever take dance lessons?

Nope

70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?

Hadn’t given that one any thought beyond helping her job hunt in the immediate sense. I can see her doing costuming on a professional level eventually, though

71. Can you curl your tongue?

I never know what people mean by this. I can make an “O” shape with my tongue but that’s it, I never figured out that clover shape

72. Ever won a spelling bee?

Multiple. I almost went national in …something-before-sixth-grade-because-I-remember-beating-sixth-graders but refused to go because I wanted to stop being stared at (seriously, I just didn’t want to go because I hated being on a stage). I’m sure that frustrated my mom

73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?

A few times, but not often

74. What is your favorite book?

One of the Discworld novels, but the answer is ever-changing because they’re all pretty goddamn great. Picking one out of a hat, Unseen Academicals is pretty rad just because it’s got such a great take on [thing that spoils the plot if I say it]

75. Do you study better with or without music?

I was not a studying kid, I was a “retains everything as long as nobody stops me from doodling while they’re teaching and it’s not about numbers” kid. Thinking about it I was probably doing some eidetic memorization tricks without realizing it, my fact retention is/was top notch when I cared

76. Regularly burn incense?

Nope, I have over 100 allergies and a lot of them are to plants so I’m not risking that bullshit

77. Ever been in love?

I am engaged to be married right now

78. Who would you like to see in concert?

Does Critical Role count?

79. What was the last concert you saw?

H…alestorm? I think? It’s actually been a while

80. Hot tea or cold tea?

Hot plz

81. Tea or coffee?

Tea if it’s just the drink itself, coffee if I can put a ton of shit in it so I can only barely taste the actual coffee

82. Favorite type of cookie?

Does Not Contain Raisins

83. Can you swim well?

I can swim, Iunno about well? I’ve never been in danger of drowning for lack of swimming ability, I guess

84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?

What an interesting question, it hadn’t occurred to me there are people who can’t until now

85. Are you patient?

When I choose to be

86. DJ or band, at a wedding?

If it’s affordable and the right band, band. Otherwise DJ and karaoke because HELL YEAH GET YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DRUNK AND LET THEM SING

87. Ever won a contest?

A smattering of spelling bees, a couple art contests, summer reading competitions. Nerd shit, yanno? Although I’ve won those water gun shooting gallery games at Six Flags every time there’s enough people to play, too

88. Ever have plastic surgery?

Nope

89. Which are better black or green olives?

Olives are gross

90. Opinions on sex before marriage?

It’s sex, who cares

91. Best room for a fireplace?

Living room and/or bedroom

92. Do you want to get married 

I am engaged right now

@theengraver EAT ME

[hopevalley]

The truly sad thing is LL probably IS 99% the lovely person everyone who has ever known her all claim her to be. But, as AS herself recently reminded us, no one's perfect. Her error was large, & thx to her fame is 1000x a bigger deal to her than the other 48 people indicted. A white collar crime, that - while clearly not thought through, definitely immoral, & egregiously stupid - was arguably done from the motive of helping her kids, & now it will cost her everything. I for one pity her greatly.

I feel no pity for her.

I’m having a hard time parsing my thoughts; I can’t find a good way to section them off.

But I’m stressed out and I’m pissed off. This isn’t a victimless crime. Her losses are her own fault, 100%, bar none. She, her husband, and everyone else involved in this bullshit deserve what’s coming to them. Does it suck for them? Yes. Tough cookies; you should have done the honorable thing from the start, like all the rest of us plebs have to.

I’m sitting over here like... I had to put off college for a decade because even though I was smart and capable my school offered no help getting into college, no help or understanding of scholarships, and my family was poor and couldn’t co-sign loans. Then I got injured doing hard labor and had to go back to school because I literally had no other way to live. I’m $40,000 in debt because of that, but it was the only way I was able to afford to live for four years (because I couldn’t find work due to my injury).

Meanwhile, people like LL and her husband and these other 48 idiots exist. People who throw money at “problems” like their kid not getting into “the right school.” If your kid isn’t smart enough to get into that school, too fucking bad. If they’re too lazy or entitled or spoiled to study, too fucking bad. They made their choices! If they just don’t want to go to college, then champion their right and defend them against the media for that choice, too. Like, this isn’t a difficult concept for regular people who have to think about what they’re buying at the grocery store so they don’t overdraw their accounts.

How can I pity someone who went out of their way to do something they knew was illegal? If she (and her husband) really wanted to help those girls, they would have hired tutors; they certainly had enough money to do it! Nah, gotta go the long way around. Gotta pay a guy to pay a guy. Gotta do things like pose your kids in soccer gear or whatever so that it looks legit. This scandal is insane. Photoshopping faces onto stock photos? REALLY?

Obviously we don’t know the exact parameters of what LL and husband did, but they were involved enough that I might as well just assume they were just as bad. They got their girls onto a rowing team even though they don’t row. Even though them not being rowers brought the team down. Even though it took spots away from other, actually deserving children.

So yeah, she “helped” her kids—at the expense of other children. How is that pitiable? How is that even the bare basics of “good” intentions? How much of this was for her kids and how much of it was for her? God forbid her kids don’t get into a good enough school; that might make her look bad!!! 

The kids are spoiled brats, particularly Olivia (I can’t speak fully for the other because I don’t see her everywhere, but still). So caught up and in love with herself she wrecked her car once because she was so busy filming herself for the Internet. I don’t give a single shit about her losing her contract with Sephora. Good. Sephora is shit, the disgusting misogyny and evils of the beauty industry are trash, and the kid knew she got into that school wrongly anyway.

I feel a little bad for the children (the others, too), but only because they weren’t the ones who got themselves into the school. Mom and Dad should have said no if the kids asked. Should have put their foot down. Should have said, “You ought to have studied harder.” Should have said, “Study and retake the ACT/SAT.” My sister retook that son of a bitch like six times to get a good enough score for a full scholarship, because that was the only way she was going to be able to go to college. She was valedictorian. Deserving. A hard worker, dedicated. PASSIONATE about her field. She’s gonna graduate from optometry school in two months with a mountain of fucking debt.

LL and her husband didn’t give a shit about anybody else. That’s not admirable. That’s not good intentions. That’s called spoiling your children. Miss me with that. It was their RESPONSIBILITY AS GROWN-ASS ADULTS to make the right choice for their children. If the kids couldn’t get into the “right” school, the “closest” school, then pay for what they can get into.

It’s just...this whole thing is an absolute crapshoot. Lori knew better. She didn’t give a shit about anyone but herself with the choice that she made. I don’t pity her for having to pay the price. It sucks, sure!! But you know what else sucks? Crippling debt, poverty, and other things her kids never had to even worry about in the first place, but which regular people have to worry about all the time.

Maybe I’m being cruel but I don’t care. She strikes me as the sort who wanted to be friends with her kids more than she wants to be a mom. I’m not here for that; being a mom always comes first. Her decision never helped those kids; it just spoiled them even more than they already were by giving them exactly what they (I assume) wanted without making them have to do an ounce of work to get it. ‘Cause it’s not like it just got them IN the college; they paid for it all for them too.

While all throughout the country kids are leaving college with debt they’ll shoulder for the next 20 years that will prevent them from buying reliable transportation and decent housing.

I don’t know how else to word this. There’s a reason the Bible says money is evil. Because people who have money don’t give a shit about anybody but themselves. I’m not a very religious person but the ol’ book has some pretty obvious morals in it, starting with: don’t be a selfish piece of shit. LL failed step one. 

As far as the crime itself goes, it’s not just that she committed it. She knowingly donated money to the fake charity and THEN WROTE THAT SHIT OFF ON HER TAXES!!!!!!!!! LIKE??? What kind of fuckin’ level of EVIL do you have to be to BENEFIT PERSONALLY YET AGAIN from something like this?

No pity. She had a good thing going and she chose to fuck it all up. Actively made that choice over and over and over again during a fairly long period of time. It wasn’t a split-second impulse choice. I could pity someone who made the wrong choice under pressure. Nah. She had time to contemplate it, to say no to it, to even go to the authorities with the wrongness of the scam...and didn’t do the right thing even once.

As far as her personality goes... She’s an actress. She acts. Everyone who meets her meets a persona. That’s all I have to say about that.

The one thing I agree with here is that yes, her limelight makes her the face of this scandal while everyone else’s identity is more...discreet? But she’s the idiot who was in the limelight and chose to make a series of bad choices. So...no pity. Lol.

[captainsimagines]

Kill ‘Em With Kindness - PART FIVE

 Bucky Barnes x Reader

    You had been detected. You were now on their radar.  You were recruited for one mission only.  You’re trained and put to the test.  With your background, everyone realizes it was a mistake recruiting a college student who would soon be faced with the thing that drove her to kill in the first place.

Warnings: swearing

Word Count: 3,777

“You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen… I want to ruin you.”

“You’re too late.”

PART FIVE

A/N: If it wasn’t obvious already, I based this series off the acoustic version of Selena Gomez’s song “Kill ‘Em With Kindness”.  ACOUSTIC.  I don’t know, I just heard the song playing in a scene that’s going to break ya’ll hearts lol. ENJOY!

    A week.  It’s been week since you had been on lockdown and weren’t allowed to step foot out of the facility unless it was for your morning runs.  Even then, guards watched your every move to make sure you didn’t run off.  You attempted to flirt with one of the guards to get through, but Steve interrupted and dragged you by your ear back inside.  The rest of the team didn’t let you live that down and occasionally, Sam would grab Peter by the ear and reenact the whole thing.

    The middle of the night was your solitude, however; the tapping from across your room always making you squeal silently.  It had been years since you spoke to someone you were so infatuated with.  The last time you had kissed anyone was before the incident.  You hadn’t love anyone since, either.

    To say this feeling inside your chest frightened you was the understatement of the century.  You had built this reputation for yourself.  Like Natasha had said before: “Love is for children.”

    And maybe it was.  It was only a chemical imbalance.  For years you told yourself that explanation. You just never believed it.

    In the mornings, you would wait silently in the kitchen while you brewed some coffee.  Bucky was always the first one down considering you and him never got much sleep.  You would begin adding sugar and creamer into his coffee once his heavy footsteps could be heard down the hall.  He would smile, you would smile, and you’d drink your coffees in silence.  

    In the afternoons, you would train with Natasha while Bucky trained with Steve.  Natasha would ask you questions about your childhood to get you to talk and because you were so fond of her, you would answer truthfully.

    “How old are you?” “21.”

    “When was your first kiss?” “14.”

    “What’s your favorite movie?” “Titanic.” “Really?” “Shut up.”

    “What are your hobbies?” “I paint.” “What do you paint?” “People.”

    “Can you paint me?” “No.”

    “When did you lose your virginity?” “Still got it.” “Woah, seriously?” “Not a big deal.”

    “What was your sister like?”

    You cleared your throat and looked at Natasha for a long time.  She didn’t take back her question, instead leaning against the third dummy you two were destroying.  Her smile was contagious.

     “She’s more energetic than me, that’s for sure,” you answered.  She smirked, satisfied with the response.  It was your turn to ask questions.

    “What’s your favorite movie?” “The Great Gatsby.” “Which one?” “The original.”

     After a few more rounds and new tricks, you sat on the bench and chugged your water.

    “You know, you could always come join me for dinner in my room,” you told Natasha.  She chuckled and unwrapped the tape from her hand.

    “That’s sweet, but dinner time is reserved for Wanda.”

    Biting down on your bottle cap, you smiled and made sure to not show your red cheeks. ____________________

    Around dinner time, you would kindly request your food be brought up to your room.

    Bucky ate with the team, however.  He would sit in between Steve and Sam, joining in the conversations once in a while.  No one really started a conversation with him unless it was about an upcoming mission.  Steve would lean over and talk to Bucky for a few minutes and then go back to the group. Once he felt he had spoken to group enough, Steve turned his attention back to Bucky.

    Bucky noticed this, of course.  He was grateful.  He was just lonely.  The number of times he thought about picking up his plate and heading to your room were countless, and today he almost did just that.  But he didn’t.  

    Instead, the person who joined you today was Peter.  He ate at the edge of your bed while you laid back on your pillows.  Similar to yours and Natasha’s conversations, he would ask you a million questions and forget to breathe.  You answered every single time.  The kid was too cute to leave hanging.

     When you were done eating, Peter would whip out his phone and read you conspiracy theories, show you funny YouTube videos, and even catch you up the Star Wars movies you never watched.  Before he could rant more about his favorite topics, you stopped him.

    “Why do you come and eat with me?  There’s a room full of Avengers down there.”

    Peter chuckled and picked up your plate along with his.  “I’m like that kid that gets to sit at the adult table but not join the conversations cause I’m somehow still too young to understand.”  

     You laughed and thanked him for your little hangout.  After he left, you would lay back try to nap.  A good twenty minutes would pass and you’d give up.  

    In the evenings, you would listen to Bucky turn on the shower and stay in there for twenty minutes.  You heard him brush his hair, brush his teeth, hang his clothes, and throw all the pillows to the floor before climbing into bed.  

     At night, you would listen to Bucky grunt and leave his room, heading for the kitchen.  For the past week, you contemplated whether to follow him.  Today was certainly the day.

     Wrapping a gray cardigan around your tank top and shorts, you descended the flight of stairs and caught Bucky foraging through the fridge.  You giggled quietly, your eyes widening from the sound you made.  

     Bucky heard it, though.  He turned around confused for a moment but he smiled when he saw you, his eyes crinkling.

     “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked.  He opened the box containing the leftover chocolate cake from dinner.  

    “Nope,” you replied, making your way to a stool and grabbing a plate yourself.

     Bucky cut you a slice of cake as well and pushed the box to the side.  He handed you a fork and smiled widely again.  Your stomach fluttered.

    “Nightmares?” he asked. You shook your head.

    “Just haven’t closed my eyes, yet.”

    He nodded.  You were sat at one end of the counter while he stood and leaned across from you.  Two feet separating your faces.

    “So, what do you think this mission is for? Apparently, I’m so important,” you remarked, taking a bite of your cake.  Bucky looked down to cut his cake and shrugged his shoulders.

    “Heard it’s in Germany,” Bucky said.  You hummed.  You watched his metal arm hold the fork and guide it to his mouth.  

    “Can I ask you a question now?”  You didn’t wait for him to say ‘yes’ and instead you continued.  “Do you feel anything with that arm?”

    Bucky laughed while taking a bite, and spoke while chewing. “Out of all the questions you could have asked about this arm, that’s the one you pick?  If I can move it, there’s much more I can do or feel with it.”

    You raised your eyebrow at this and bit your lip.

    “Dirty minded,” Bucky pointed his fork at you, accusing you of thinking about the numerous sins he could commit with those metal fingers. You had to admit that was on your mind.

    “What? Me?” You lay your right hand over your chest, mouth open dramatically.  Bucky’s eyes brightened.  Seeing you joke around was a blessing and it was a privilege to experience it.

    You finished your slices of cake at the same time, leaving them in the sink for someone else to deal with washing them. “We’re the worst kind of people.”

    Bucky’s statement made you a giggling mess.  Each sound vibrating from your chest only caused Bucky’s eyes to stare at you in extra adoration.  

    This night surprised you because you could literally feel each of your walls breaking.  Although this was terrifying, you knew it was about time.  Why not knock them down with someone who could potentially ruin your life?

    “So, what’s up with you and Natasha?” Bucky teased.  You raised your eyebrows and teased right back.

    “Why? You wanna join?”

    Bucky blushed and hung his head.  You continued giggling, “What’s up with you and Steve?”  Bucky knocked your shoulder with his when you said that.  The playful nature between the two of you becoming more natural by the second.

    “She challenges me,” you replied.  Bucky nodded and his response made you choke on your own spit.

     “Well, me and Steve are fucking so…”

    You covered your mouth to keep from howling, the laugh erupting from your throat anyways before you could catch it.  Bucky laughed loudly at your reaction. The two of you did not care if you woke anyone at this moment- it was too damn fun. You clutched at your chest and hugged your cardigan close, watching as Bucky wiped a stray tear from his right eye.

     “I like it when you don’t cover your mouth when you laugh,” he admitted.  You turned away before Bucky could catch your cheeks turning a shade of pink.  He caught it, though- he caught everything.

    “I don’t,” you said.  Bucky was confused and asked why not.

    You shrugged your shoulders, “If you like it so much, so will the others.  I don’t want to get attached.”

    Bucky only stared at you, your response scaring the devil out of him.  He wanted attachment.  After seventy years of being frozen and tortured, attachment didn’t sound so bad.

    “Trust me, Y/N… After the mission, you aren’t going anywhere.”  Your breath hitched.  You knew Bucky didn’t mean this as a threat, but it still worried you.  What were you going to do? Become an Avenger?  You didn’t ask for that.

    Bucky walked you up the stairs and to your rooms, his eyes leaving you only when he typed in the code to access his room.

    You smiled, kissed his cheek, and punched in your code also.  He entered his room and you had an overwhelming urge to make sure he got in there safely. ____________

    The second you opened your bedroom door in the morning, you were startled by the dozens of men and women rushing through the hallway with decorations and boxes.  You looked over to Bucky’s door to see it still closed.  Assuming he was still asleep, you went down to the kitchen to brew the coffee.  You kept an eye on everyone rushing around.

    You collided with an object, or someone, because you weren’t paying attention.  Looking up to see that someone, you were met with the blue eyes of Steve Rogers.

    “Woah, there,” he held your shoulders in place and chuckled lightly.  You gave him a small smile before you made your way around him.

    “Um, would you like some coffee?” you asked him.  He was surprised you were talking to someone other than Bucky, Natasha, or Peter.  Everyone knew this.  Natasha was the one you hung out with mostly, Peter followed you because no one else would talk to him, and Bucky… well, Steve knew Bucky had a slight crush on you.  In the past week, you had made mild small talk with Wanda when she asked what you were studying in school.  Vision only bowed his head towards you when you passed.  Tony hadn’t spoken to you since he challenged you and took away your schooling.  You didn’t mind, though.  Thor and Bruce, well, they would ask how your day was and you would reciprocate.

     Steve took the cup from your hands and sat in the stool in front of you.  Prepare for small talk.

    “How are you liking it here?” Steve asked.  You set your cup down and stared blankly at him.  He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee.  “Right, sorry.”

    You sighed, “It’s fine.  I made friends.”

    “Ah, that’s right.  Bucky told me,” Steve said.  Your ears rose and you hoped he would continue speaking.

    “Wh-what about?” you stuttered.  Cursing yourself, you covered it up by sipping your coffee.  

    “I’m not throwing my friend under the bus,” Steve said.  You rolled your eyes.

    “With that comment, you just did.”

    With that, Bucky entered wiping his face and stopping when he saw there was already somebody accompanying you.  

    “What are you doing up at 5:30 in the morning?” Bucky asked Steve, taking the cup of coffee you offered.

    “Early run,” Steve answered.  

    “What’s up with all the decorations?” you finally asked.  Bucky pointed at you and nodded towards Steve, wanting the answer as well.

    “Tony’s hosting a party that every employee is required to go to,” he said.  You furrowed your eyebrows and asked why he was hosting a party in the middle of a crisis.

    Steve laughed, “It’s a set-up.  It’ll be like any normal party Tony hosts but employee I.D’s will be scanned and when one doesn’t add up, we’ll know who planted those cameras in your room.”

    The realization hit you at that moment.  “You mean the person who hacked this building has been roaming the halls for the past week?”  Your voice was rising and Bucky made a hand gesture to tell you to lower your voice.  You glared at him and continued speaking.  “Is Tony serious?”

    Steve sighed but continued to reply in a gentle manner.  “We’re so sorry about that.  But believe us when we say that we will protect you and find out why you were so important to them.”

    “I’ve said it before- I can protect myself,” you snapped, putting down your cup and marching back to your room.  Just like that, your morning coffee with Bucky was ruined. ______________

     At six in the evening, Natasha and Wanda knocked on your door to ask what you were planning on wearing to Tony’s party.  

     “Is it that important?” you asked them.  Wanda only giggled and Natasha was too busy rummaging through your closet.

     “What the hell, Y/N?  When were you going to let me borrow this?” Natasha gasped, pulling out a tight, blood red dress from your closet.  It had thin straps and made it down to the middle of your knee.  It was an elegant fit, complimenting every curve of your body.

    “I wear that on special occasions,” you said.  

    “Oh, and what might those occasions be?” Natasha gaped.

    “Office hours.”

    Natasha dropped the dress and Wanda dropped her phone, both staring at you in disbelief.

    “I’m kidding.  I haven’t even worn it,” you corrected.  Wanda burst out laughing and Natasha chuckled, picking up the dress and handing it to you.  

    “Red is your color,” Natasha mentioned.

    You shrugged, “You should see me in forest green.”

    Natasha smiled and showed you and Wanda the cream-colored dress she was planning to wear.  Seeing them so giddy was becoming too much for you and you excused yourself to go into your bathroom.  You shut the door and breathed in slowly.  You missed it.  You missed getting ready and doing your make-up with Lucy.  You missed Lucy.  

    Collecting yourself quickly, you cleaned the sides of your eyes and plugged in your hair curler.  You opened the door and allowed the girls in to do their make-up in the bathroom.  You weren’t going to make a scene.   ________________

    Upon entering the crowd, the three of you stole everyone’s attention.  With Wanda in a blue cocktail dress, Natasha in her cream-colored dress, and you sporting dark brown lipstick instead of your usual red- you gained everyone’s attention.  You literally stole the show.

    You would have much rather been struggling to sleep than waiting in an endless line to get scanned into the party.  It wasn’t so horrible, though.  Besides the company of Natasha and Wanda, Sam and Peter were standing behind you.  While waiting, you five carried on a conversation that began to annoy the people around you. 

    “Why are you even here?” you turned to Peter, still recovering from the joke Sam just told.  Peter blushed and rubbed his chin.

    “Um, Mr. Stark wanted me here,” Peter answered.  You nodded.  Tony wanted everyone here because it was uncertain if anything was going to go down tonight.  

     “Where’s your Aunt?” Sam asked him.  Peter punched Sam’s arm and rolled his eyes.

     “She said she would arrive a little later that way I could hang with my friends alone,” Peter replied.  That had the whole group laughing like schoolchildren.  You were certain the red in Peter’s cheeks matched your dress.

     It took twenty more minutes before you were scanned in and you went straight to the bar.  You ordered whiskey and watched as the bartender hesitated to make it for you.  You didn’t drink and the first drink that came to mind was a hard one.  

    You took a sip and clenched your throat.  Can’t go back now.

     “Wow, you look amazing.”

     You turned around and met Bucky’s eyes.  The air in your lungs halted and your face noticeably brightened up.  He was dressed in the cliché black and white tux but you weren’t bothered.  Honestly, Bucky could have come in a tank top and basketball shorts and you would still consider him the hottest man in the room.

     “So do you,” you said, scanning him up and down.

    “Your lips aren’t red,” Bucky noticed.  He was also taking in your appearance- red dress, beige heels, brown eyeshadow and brown lipstick.  You were an absolute doll. 

   You smiled, “Your hair isn’t in your face.”  Bucky had pinned his hair back for the event, showing off his magnificent facial features to everyone blessed enough to witness them.  

    “Nope,” Bucky popped the ‘p’.  You took another sip of your whiskey and held it out to him.  He thanked you and drank the rest of it. You smirked and grabbed his hand to lead him towards the dance floor.  The slow song playing at the moment prompted you to wrap your arms around his neck and him to place his hands on your hips.  You both swayed to the rhythm, staring at each other.  

    “Did Tony find anything?” you broke the silence.  Bucky was disappointed you changed the subject, but he followed you anyways.

     “Not yet,” Bucky replied.  You closed your eyes and relished the moment: Bucky’s hands were heading lower, his breath was close, and his body warmth was addictive.  You slowly opened your eyes and found Bucky looking down at your lips.  The flutter in your stomach had been crawling up to your heart every time you even looked at the man in front of you.  No matter how terrifying this was, you shoved the complaints to the back of your head.  You deserved to be happy.

     “C’mon,” you turned and dragged Bucky through the crowd and to the balcony.  The fresh air hit your face and you didn’t realize just how hot it was in there.  With Bucky trailing behind, you went to the edge and grabbed the railing.

     “Tired of the party already? You just got in,” Bucky joked.  You smiled but agreed with him nonetheless.  This was better- much better.  

     “Are you happy?” you asked.  The question was out of the blue, obviously startling Bucky. He watched your face and noticed that behind your blank expression, your eyes were screaming.

     “Sometimes,” he said.  You turned towards the city, getting lost in the lights.

     “Are you?”

     “Fuck no,” you claimed.  You didn’t tear your gaze away from the towers in the distance.  Bucky remained quiet for a while but asked you another question.  This question haunted your dreams whenever you got some sleep.

    “Do you think she’s alive?” Bucky asked.  Your eyes teared up, the lights now becoming blurry and duplicating fireworks.

     You turned to Bucky and replied, “I’d much rather her be dead than tortured.”  

    “Oh,” Bucky quietly commented.  You were silent for a few moments until you realized what you just said.

    “Bucky, I didn’t mean it like that,” you tried to explain.

    “No, I get it.  I’m sure Steve was wishing the same thing and when I turned out to be alive, it absolutely crushed him,” Bucky said.  Your face fell and you stared at Bucky with a look of sympathy.  You didn’t mean to ruin the moment.  

     “I’m sorry,” you started but Bucky interrupted you.

    “It’s okay.”

     You two stood at the edge of the balcony for a couple more minutes before you decided to speak or tapped out on the railing.

    “.-- .... .- - / -.. --- / -.-- --- ..- / .-- .- -. - / - --- / -.. --- ..--..” What do you want to do?

    Bucky’s eyes brightened for the hundredth time that night and he turned to you with the biggest smile.  “Morse code, really? We’re right in front of each other.”

    You laughed and hid your face behind your hands.  You felt Bucky’s hands remove yours from your face and hold them between the two of you.  You were going to make the first move.  Removing your hands from his grip, you cupped his cheeks and planted a sweet kiss to his lips.  Bucky responded almost immediately, dipping his head down slightly to angle himself better.  His metal index finger raised your chin up and his flesh hand remained on your hip.  

     The kiss was gentle yet wary, neither of you wanting to rush it.  With a small squeeze to your side, Bucky provoked entrance into your mouth, swallowing your small gasp.  He tasted like honey and whiskey, his flavor coating your tainted brown lips.  You were certain your lipstick was smudged all over him, so you gave one final tug at his bottom lip and let go.  Foreheads resting on each other, the two of you knew you were in too deep at this point. 

   You looked at him and sighed, your right hand still cupping his cheek. You spoke first.

      “You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen... I want to ruin you.”

     “You’re too late.”

     The others were watching your interaction from the bar, each more surprised than the other.  

     “Told you.  You owe me 50 bucks, Wilson,” Natasha held her hand out.  Sam huffed and handed her a crisp 50-dollar bill.  

    “The two quietest and grumpiest people in this place end up together.  Figures,” Bruce chuckled.  While the others continued to chat, Peter stared at you and Bucky with delight.  All this week he had tried to make you smile.  When you detached from Bucky, the smile you donned filled Peter’s heart with pride and happiness.  With everyone occupied, Peter snaked his hand behind the bar and grabbed a beer, rushing off with it and donning a smile of his own. 

  When the party died down, Bucky walked you to your rooms.  Instead of opening your own door, you pushed passed Bucky and took off your heels by his door.  He watched you relax, grabbing a T-shirt from his closet and tossing it towards you.  He turned around while you changed, neither of you speaking.  You laid in his bed and snuggled into his sheets.  Bucky removed his clothing as well and got comfortable, taking the couch once again.  He didn’t mind it.  He didn’t mind your sudden admittance of wanting to ruin him. He didn’t mind at all.

it’s gonna get better guys, I just gotta create the relationship first lol.  Let me know what you think!

TAG LIST:  @owhatshername1 @chipilerendi @g0back2bed @buckyappreciationsociety @4theluvofall @katykyll @shaexoox @polkadottedpillowcase @jonnavgl @thefridgeismybestie @sumafamouxx

[dearmyloveleys]

the night radio | a rose by any other name

taekook (3064 words)

Taehyung is plucking petals off a rose in broad daylight and in a library. In a fucking public library smack in the middle of Seoul.

Jeongguk steals a look at the older from behind the cover of his textbook, unable to comprehend the situation that has been going on since an hour ago. A stray red petal floats to the space on the table in front of Jeongguk and he switches his line of sight between it and Taehyung.

He knows Taehyung has been feeling down for the entire day already. He had entered the building in the morning to Taehyung’s pouts that had deteriorated to silent gazes into the distance by afternoon.

Taehyung’s metallic badge flashes as he flops onto the table top and makes a low frustrated moan. The sight makes Jeongguk question the other’s liability as a librarian. Not to mention, why he has been going to the same library that’s too noisy on weekends just for a glimpse of Taehyung.

How long has it been? A month? Two? He thinks it’s closing half a year that he’s coming here every weekend. Recently, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are added to his schedule as well since his classes end in the early afternoon on these days.

“Hyung, are you okay?” he finally asks.

The library is humming in low voices of its patrons in the background and Taehyung looks up from the table with an upturned mouth. He answers, “No.” The older picks up the rose stem along with what’s left of the hanging petals and his pout extends further. Jeongguk then rests his textbook on the table, gulping heavily.

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Taehyung says as he stares at Jeongguk ruefully.

“Then why are you plucking the poor rose?”

“I—” The third last petal is pulled out. “—don’t—” The second. “—know.” And the last.

Taehyung crushes the bony rose stem in his hand and buries his face into his folded arms after a few seconds. Looking at how white his knuckles are, Jeongguk worries about the thorns possibly hurting the other’s palm.

Though, he’s more worried about why Kim Taehyung is looking like a kicked puppy instead of the pouncing puppy he knows. Taehyung literally resembles a kicked puppy with his overly long sleeves of a sweater and a nest of hazel brown hair that covers the tips of his ears.

And Jeongguk feels his mood sink along with Taehyung’s.

They’re seated about an arm’s length apart on the opposite sides of the table and Jeongguk contemplates reaching out to flick his hair in mischief. Taehyung always does that to him whenever he strolls by with the book cart. He guesses that it should lighten up his mood.

With his heart low-key thumping hard, Jeongguk stretches his hand over but just as his fingers brush against the wisps of his hair, another librarian swoops in and taps Taehyung on the shoulder. Hair in a ponytail, round glasses, Jeongguk recognises her as Seohyun.

“Taehyung-ah you need to get back to work,” she says, adjusting the pile of books in her arms.

Taehyung lifts his face off the table and nods—gives Jeongguk a meaningful glance—then slides off the chair. He sweeps the petals off the table into his hand before bowing to Seohyun and trudging away to the shelves in the Young Adults section.

Jeongguk trails his gaze after the older, slowly retracting his hand. He’s left to look at the aforementioned rose petal and he blows at it, only for it to do a double loop in the air. It floats down onto the page of his opened textbook.

“I’m sorry I had to cut your moment. The manager is around today and he doesn’t take rests lightly,” Seohyun says in a hushed tone as she pushes in the now empty chair. Jeongguk shakes his head and manages a small smile. The young woman pauses in her actions and continues, “Taehyung’s a really nice guy. Don’t let him slip away.”

Jeongguk sighs, “I know. I know.”

“How long has it been? A few months?”

“Close to half a year.”

Seohyun nods her head and says, “Go talk to him. And ask him out. You two make a cute couple. Fighting!” With that, she walks away, leaving Jeongguk to stone and mull on her words in his corner of the library.

Meeting Taehyung was never part of his plan.

On his way to the university compound half a year ago, it rained and there was no umbrella with him so he had no choice but to seek shelter at the library. Even then, rain had no intention of stopping after an hour of waiting. He settled down to continue studying as he had planned for that day in order to not waste time.

He never meets Taehyung until night. It’s only because of his forgetful ass left his wallet on the seat in a rush to catch the bus that Taehyung manages to message him. By some lucky charm, he had left his number on a piece of scrap paper in his wallet which Taehyung obviously found.

Jeongguk had gotten his wallet, a cute guy’s number and his heart shot down hard by Cupid’s arrows when Taehyung greeted him to return his wallet—all in one night. It was crazy and it still is.

Suddenly thinking of the possibility that Taehyung has seen his crappy sixteen year old identification card picture while rummaging through his wallet, Jeongguk squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head. Oh god.

This is quite embarrassing.

Opening his eyes a few seconds later, he considers the stray petal that’s a drop of blood on the off-white pages of his textbook. How in the world is Taehyung able to get a rose?

He pushes the question to the back of his head while flipping his textbook to a close. Coming to grips with a resolution to talk to the older, he gets up from his seat and paces towards the right where he had last seen Taehyung.

It takes Jeongguk four turns around the towering shelves, a flight of steps and two detours before finding Taehyung slumped on a bench hidden behind the children’s section. He traipses past the orange and blue rubber floor mats, swallows down a gulp, then glances at the other and the fresh stalk of rose in his hand.

Without shifting his line of sight from the rose, Taehyung spins it by the stalk and says, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” He stops spinning it and looks up at Jeongguk. “Do you know where that line is from?” he asks.

Humour him, the voice in his head whispers. Jeongguk slides his hand into the front pocket of his jeans in an attempt to buy time to think and the answer fortunately apparates into his mind not too long after.

“Romeo and Juliet?”

“Mmm,” Taehyung says, nodding his head sluggishly. His face is a sheet of unamused blankness as he continues, “Everybody dies in that play.”

“Well not everybody. Their parents surv—”

“Shh don’t ruin my emo complex. Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy. A tragedy.”

The slightest feigned annoyance melts from the older’s face and he closes his eyes, hand holding the rose collapsing onto the bench with a thud. At this point, the concern in Jeongguk rises to a level higher than the Everest of melodrama in Shakespeare’s plays.

He sits down on the space beside Taehyung without hesitation. Gently, he asks, “Hyung what’s wrong?”

“The world is heating up like an oven, North Korea can’t stop playing with its toys and the most influential country in the world is ruled by a Cheetos chip.”

“Hyung.”

Jeongguk is almost sorry for his harsh tone when Taehyung purses his lips forlornly and lets out a soft sigh. After wetting his lips, the other relents as he sits up to a straighter posture. He says, “Parents. They fought again this morning.”

Oh.

Jeongguk can barely imagine that a ball of fluffiness like Taehyung has such a familial background. He watches the other hold up the rose again with a pout that makes Jeongguk want to suffocate him with a hug.

“They’ve been arguing since I was young. Things were quieter in my teens but, I don’t know why they’re starting again. It just makes me very…” Taehyung draws a long breath. “Very sad. Angry? I don’t even know. It just makes me question relationships. I used to think that they love each other but now it’s just all shit. Utter crap. As much as I believe in love, they make me question it so much.”

Jeongguk simply keeps quiet. He can neither say that he understands nor squeeze Taehyung’s hand because he isn’t in a position to do both, so he keeps quiet. Without warning, Taehyung thrusts the rose in Jeongguk’s direction. “Take it. This reminds me of my mother too much.”

Jeongguk stares at it with wide eyes and says, “Um maybe I really shouldn’t.” “Yah just take it that wasn’t a question,” Taehyung rebuts, smacking Jeongguk on the chest with the rose head.

There isn’t much choice when you are face to face with a fuming puppy. Puppies can be vicious and Jeongguk knows from experience. Taking the rose into his hand, he grouses, “You’re really scary when you’re upset you know.”

Taehyung sticks his tongue out at Jeongguk and he pushes the older’s head away with his index finger lightly while Taehyung sways along with the motion like a palm tree in the wind before sticking his tongue out again. Despite feeling his heart skip a beat, Jeongguk scoffs.

Conceal don’t feel.

“Where did you even get it from?”

“The information counter. It’s roses today.”

Just then, a voice crackles in the announcement system overhead, “The library is closing in half an hour. Please vacate the premises as soon as possible. Thank you.” Taehyung stands up from his seat and tells Jeongguk, “I have to go. See you outside.”

Then he disappears down the stairs. Jeongguk twirls the rose between his fingers before getting onto his feet as well. His books and stationery are still downstairs and in need of imminent retrieval if he wants to avoid them getting confiscated by the staff for the third time, aka Taehyung coming after his ass.

The library is nearly empty by the time he reaches his table and he stuffs his texts into his drawstring bag. All the action is to distract himself from Taehyung’s words earlier on, he knows.

Why does it feel as if Taehyung has been trying to hint something at him? Especially the petal plucking escapade. Jeongguk is slow at reading between the lines, he knows that too. Taehyung has told him that he should be doing better as a literature major.

Jeongguk puts on his jacket and swings his bag over his shoulder, then makes his way towards the entrance. At nine in the night, the street outside the library is unusually quiet like it always is. He guesses that it’s the effect of a studying district. One library building, a high school and two universities around the corner can do so much to the atmosphere.

He still holds the rose in his hand as he loiters around the entrance, not wanting to squash the flower in his bag. There aren’t many people walking past him which is a fortunate thing. He looks like he’s about to propose to someone.

The thought brings heat to his cheek when Taehyung’s name comes into his head. Proposing? Ha that’s funny. Jeongguk leans against the cement walls beside the glass doors at the entrance and wobbles his knees to keep himself warm. Although there is no wind, the temperatures dip close to freezing at night in autumn.

The hum of the glass doors opening stir Jeongguk from his trance and Taehyung steps out decked in a light brown, woollen trench coat with a red backpack that Jeongguk is accustomed to seeing. Taehyung offers Jeongguk a small smile before falling into steps with him.

They head to the bus stop without any conversing, then Jeongguk upon feeling the rough stem under his fingers, asks, “Do you still think Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy?” “Totally,” Taehyung answers, turning to look at Jeongguk seriously, “Everybody dies.”

Jeongguk chuckles at the older’s stubbornness. “Granted, some people die. But you’re forgetting the comic in front of the tragedy.” At this, Taehyung makes a face and says, “Yes smartass.”

And Jeongguk for the life of him cannot think of any other things to say although there’s that fiery ball of something which has been growing inside him the entire day. With the rose in hand and Seohyun’s words in his head, he’s tempted to say and do something stupid.

The white lights of the bus stop and advertisement boards begin to come into view after a few minutes’ walk and Jeongguk halts in his footsteps. Taehyung stops walking to cast a surprised look over his shoulder.

Hurrying back to where Jeongguk is standing, he asks, brows furrowing together, “Is everything okay?” His worried face is half illuminated by the street lights and Jeongguk thinks there’s nothing more adorable than Taehyung’s scrunched up brows and slightly reddened cheeks from the cold.

Jeongguk stretches his hand outwards with the rose in his grasp and clears his throat, “Take it back.” An amused smile eases the older’s tensed expression as he relaxes back on the heels of his feet. He asks, “Why should I?”

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Romeo and Juliet, Act 2 Scene 2,” he replies. Taehyung cocks his head and Jeongguk recalibrates his expression, eyes looking into the other’s.

He doesn’t know what exactly he’s doing so the words spin off from the top of his head. “We’ll have a quote competition about roses. If you lose you take the rose,” he blurts. Taehyung gives him an incredulous look and says, “It’s 5 goddamn degrees out here my brain can’t work.”

“We only have five minutes until the bus comes. I’ll start. The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose, George William Curtis.”

“Ah seriously… Love planted a rose and the world turned sweet, Katharine Lee Bates.”

“He that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose, Anne Bronte.”

“Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defence, Mark Overby.”

“The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart, um. Shit I don’t know who this is from.”

“Ha too bad,” Taehyung mocks, “You can complain because roses have thorns, or—”

“Or you can rejoice because thorns have roses. Pablo Picasso,” Jeongguk cuts in softly. It’s the one he’s been waiting for. He’s seen the quote on Taehyung’s lock screen a few times and he hopes it means a lot to him.

Well at least it means a lot to him in this situation.

Taehyung opens his mouth to continue, the falters when he catches on to Jeongguk’s tone. He turns away from Jeongguk’s gaze after a meaningful minute. As his cheeks flush redder, Jeongguk knows that the older realises something is up.

Nevertheless, Taehyung complains, “Yah stop looking at me like that.” “Even a rose fades and dies with the winter, but their love is red through winter and strong in the frost,” Jeongguk pushes on, feeling the embarrassment catching up on him as his cheeks start to heat up. He holds up the rose for Taehyung.

“Wh-who said that bullshit?” the older says and eyes the rose, his eyes flicking between Jeongguk and the flower. Jeongguk answers, “Me. I wrote that bullshit for my critical analysis end of year paper. It wasn’t written with you in mind but but but—”

“But but but but but but,” Taehyung teases, “But what?” He then plucks the rose out of Jeongguk’s fingers.

“But—”

“But but but.”

“Oh my god I can’t do this anymore you know what I mean, right?” Jeongguk deadpans. He’s cringing too hard at himself but the sparkling in Taehyung’s eyes is intense by now. “I mean I really like you and you’re very pretty like this rose and maybe if you will give this a chance—”

The words in his mouth wither as Taehyung breaks away from his mask of coolness and laughs for the first time in the day. Before Jeongguk comprehends what is happening, Taehyung leans forward and wraps his arms around his stiffened body, engulfing him in a layer of warmth.

Jeongguk nuzzles his face in the crook of his neck and oh god, he can feel every hot puff of breath from Taehyung on his jaw. Then his head clears. A lot of cheering sounds inside his head and he hides a smile in the older’s hair while putting his arms around the other.

“You’re so annoying, Jeon Jeongguk.”

Breathing into the mess that is Taehyung’s hair, he asks, “Is that a yes ‘let’s date’ or no ‘I hate you Jeon Jeongguk’?”

“It’s called a ‘fuck you took really long I thought you weren’t interested in me you had me scared for a month’ you know I was questioning myself every day I even plucked those rose petals in front of you—”

With the warmth of the kiss on Taehyung’s forehead tingling on his lips, Jeongguk smiles at Taehyung who simply blinks as if he’s seen a magic trick that he cannot understand. The other opens and closes his mouth like a fish, unable to say anything. Jeongguk realises it’s the first time he shuts Taehyung up so completely that day and not the other way round.

Their faces are mere breaths away when the older says, “You’re really annoying, Jeon Jeongguk. Really annoying.” “Oh really? Then…” Jeongguk quips and pulls away from him, only for Taehyung to whine and latch onto him in a quick hop.

“Fucking annoying. Don’t do that again.”

“Hmm yes boss.”

“Kiss me on the lips.”

Jeongguk looks at Taehyung with false concern and answers, “Are you sure you want to go to that so fast? And we shouldn’t do it here in public.” “There’s nobody around and that wasn’t a question you—” Taehyung abruptly squeaks as Jeongguk tilts his head, lips locking onto Taehyung’s.

Second time. Jackpot.

[AO3 | the night radio]

[thedragonlover]

4. "i'm too sober for this" and 11. Dear diary wish you the best day!!! 🌻❤

aaaaaAAAAA THANK YOU

Evidence I can be a dumb: I reblogged that and didn’t even think about the fact that replying to asks about this would mean I’d have to post my writing on tumblr… is it weird that I got a little nervous? Considering I normally just write what I feel like and have uploaded lots of my work elsewhere.ahaha ignore meeee

I’ll write for MM because, hell, it’s cute and I feel like cute today okay not at all because you’re a MM blog and wanted a good chance you’d like reading what I wrote

just beware because I swear bunches and am writing this for giggles, and also I’ve never written for this fandom be gentle

4. “I’m too sober for this.”(Where MC isn’t paired with anyone, but you’ve still had the party and finally met the RFA face-to-face. Trying to avoid spoilers for anyone who hasn’t completed particular routes.)

.

It was a small get-together - just you and the RFA members meeting up for a nice celebratory dinner. It was a shame that V couldn’t make it, but he was grateful for the invitation. You were so relieved to have helped make the party a success, although you didn’t want to take a lot of credit. Everyone chipped in and put in so much hard work that, really, it made you proud to be a member of such a wonderful, kind of dysfunctional family.

Then you all sat down.

Zen got pretty defensive when Jumin commented on this “commoner establishment.”

This was a place that you had picked out, have some respect; don’t worry that it doesn’t meet his ridiculous standards, he’s just a stupid trust fund kid; babe, he’s calling me shallow, I’m too handsome to be anything like that materialistic bastard!

At this point, you were waiting for them to start pulling on each other’s pigtails to fuel all of the fanfiction people were writing about them. You very pointedly suggested seats that put them far enough to avoid physical violence. “No glaring at the dinner table.” They still continued to provoke each other, but at that point you’re glad they’re not making a scene.

No, you wouldn’t let Yoosung play a handheld at the table. Mostly because you forgot yours and wanted him to suffer with you. You said that talking with everyone can be fun too.

“Well… playing video games with everyone would be even better!”

For the love of…

“Especially when I wreck you,” Seven snickered, poking Yoosung’s face.

Of course he took the bait. “What?! No way, I’ll totally own you! Name the game and the time!”

“Mario Kart, an hour before your curfew, you cute widdle baby~” You hadn’t realized a person could literally talk in tildes, and then there was Seven.

“You’re barely older than me!”

Oops, maybe Jumin and Zen weren’t the only ones who needed to be separated.

You told them you’d wreck them both decided to be the adult here.

But, that’s right! Jaehee was here! This woman was a godsend, able to wrangle the most intimidating of business reports into submission! And she knew judo? Hell yeah! You could count on everything remaining under control with this badass at the helm!

…she looked so exhausted though. That’s right, it had taken a lot of convincing (both for her and Jumin) to escape paperwork hell. And you were going to enlist her help in babysitting all of these dorks? Oh, you couldn’t do that to this poor soul. Mama Jaehee needed a night off too.

“I don’t understand why we are eating here. I have chefs at home who would cook whatever dish you desired.”

“I swear, every time you open your mouth, I have to ask myself whether going to jail is worth it! It gets harder each time!”

“Ohoho, that’s what she said~”

“Seven, come on, that one’s not even clever…”

“Clever girl~”

“Don’t.”

Jumin was describing the fancier, more expensive lunch he had earlier that day with Elizabeth the 3rd. Zen was trying to ignore him, caught a waitress’ eye across the restaurant, and nearly made her run into a doorframe with a smile-wink-combo. Yoosung was “sneakily” playing his game under the table, and you let him because he promised to give you a turn. You didn’t notice Seven had stolen everyone’s napkins to make origami cats until his army was being sent to capture the entire table.

When your order was finally taken you asked if someone would drive you home later, and after being offered cars and a rocketship and even a piggyback ride, it’s Jaehee that inquired, “But, why do you ask?”

“I’m too sober for this.”

“Ah,” she responded. Then she added a drink to her order too. “Same,” she thought.

Zen is all for this development! “Well, you can count me in, babe. I just hope you don’t get too handsy with me, or I won’t be able to contain the beast…” Cue more winking.

Deadpan, Jumin responded, “Are you rabid? A beast that presents a safety hazard to society should be put down.”

“Wahh,” Yoosung cut in, “can we please not talk about putting down animals?!”

“Yeah!” Seven stood up. “Don’t! Talk about! Sad things! Around! The baby!” And he clapped for each pause, this man was a living breathing meme and there was no stopping him. So much for not making a scene.

As Yoosung argued about not being a baby, Jaehee accepted the wine glass handed her and downed it in one go. Zen was impressed. And he wasn’t going to be outdone, but then he started choking.

“Children,” she muttered.

“Yeah,” you agreed, an exasperated smile growing. “But they’re all my children, so.”

What a wonderful, dysfunctional family you had.

When Seven tried to ruin the moment with Bee movie quotes, you told them all, “But if you guys don’t cut the shit out, I swear to god I’m going to hang out with that Unknown guy because at least he seems to have some chill.”

“What the fuck,” Unknown blurted out, hiding in a nearby ficus.

11. “Dear Diary, …”

.

The moment you heard Seven start cackling, you knew you were going to regret inviting him over.

Regret turned to horror when he began, voice loud and singsong, “ ‘Dear Diary, today I actually cleaned up the apartment!’ ”

He was standing in your living room, on your sofa, with his shoes on, reading out of your personal diary, and you didn’t even care if you didn’t get away with his murder.

“ ‘But! Hold your applause! Because I also… put on people clothes! And I look pretty damn fine, if I do say so myself–’ ”

You lunged. He leapt over the back, whooping with glee. The chase was on!

Once you managed to convince him to skirt around the couch, you tried to leap over it just as dramatically, and faceplanted - thankfully on the cushions, but still, that hurt your dignity. And then he was sitting on your back, effectively preventing you from getting up and clobbering him.

“Seven! Get off!”

“ 'I hope you’re not a police officer, Diary, because I’ve got Fine written all over me!’ Aww, there’s even a little winkie face! Ooh, is that a list of pick-up lines I see? Were you waiting to use these on little ol’ me?”

“Seven, I mean it–”

“ 'You must be Jamaican, because Jamaican me crazy.’ Ooh, that one’s old but gold.”

“SEVEN, I’M GOING TO KILL YOU–”

“ 'Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers.’ Ah, I’m swooning! Take me, MC, I’m yours!”

With a full-body heave, you launched the man off of you and into the coffee table. It broke. Thankfully, you wouldn’t have to worry about paying V back for breaking it if you were locked away for second-degree murder.

“They’re pick-up lines, not throw-down lines–ouch!”

“Give it back!”

“Ahh, don’t hurt me, master! OW okay that one really hurt.”

“Then stop being a brat and let go–”

“And lose this comedic gold? God Seven will never let this go! I must spread this gospel!”

“AGH I’M NOT YOOSUNG OKAY I WILL END YOU!”

Some time later, after you’d reclaimed your property and handled the irritated police officer called out from noise complaints, Seven came out of your kitchen to find you still pouting on the sofa.

“I hate you,” you moaned.

“Your complaint has been filed and sent to God Seven, and–” He lifted his arms to form an “x” in front of him, declaring, “Hate denied! You must forgive him and smile!”

“Not a chance.”

“Come onnnn…”

“Go away.”

He brought a hand to his chin, as if contemplating a serious matter. Eventually, he nodded several times to himself, then made a pose he had literally ripped from the anime you two were watching earlier.

“Then you leave me no choice! I will have to use… my secret weapon!”

You arched an eyebrow.

Grinning, he sang, “You can come with me to see Elly~”

“…are you suggesting I join you in hacking through Jumin’s security, sneaking past all of his bodyguards, and breaking into his home, to pet his cat?”

“Someone sounds interested…”

You stared.

Hard.

“…dammit Seven, why do you know me so well?”

You threw a pillow at him when he mimicked Karin’s pose and laugh from Street Fighter V.

Kind of like how Jumin threw the two of you out that evening. He was seriously considering the restraining order this time.

These got so out of hand so fast ahaha. Hope they’re mildly entertaining?