#also I tried breaking up the reply with dashes but I'm not sure how well it worked. it kind of feels more chaotic to me now

[lilredghost]

babyyyy!!! im so sorry i am late, college started so i had to shift to the hostels and its so hectic but also so fun here(its so much like the colleges u see in movies like soty i didnt expect this college to be like that im so glad im here) and there was some issue with the wifi in my room so no ao3 for 3 weeks </3

i am in in LOVE with all the times obikin kiss, its so so soft and sweet, obi's trusting anakin with himself its so cute!!!!!!!

also CINNAMON OH MY GOD IT TASTES SO GOOD I CANT BELIEVE U MADE ANAKIN TASTE LIKE IT I LOVE U

(As much as he loves the scruffing, it’s not exactly conducive to Obi-Wan having a discussion.)

(Or thinking at all, really.)

oh my god me too pls i cant think after reading this u will be the sole reason im not studying before my math quiz

His hope is to extend that feeling to other parts of his life, someday, but for now Obi-Wan will stick to brushing and braiding his husband’s hair with all the care he can muster.

oh he is so oblivious oh god oh please tell me they both know the other person loves them before they separate pls

(And this, Obi-Wan has done before.)

(He is, perhaps, an expert in doing things quietly.)

sjdvhvjkdv pls pls red stop killing me im dying over here

(Anakin would deserve it too, is the thing. He'd deserve whatever he asked for.)

baby pls send him to therapy pls i love him but he is unwell™

But the day has been long and fraught, and he would like to believe that he can be happy too.

maybe anakin is the therapy, mandatory sessions for the both of them??? i'll tie them up back to back in a room until they talk

in public interest i would like you to know that u have officially ruined my plans for studying today as this fic will be bouncing around in my head on a pogo stick. i want to distill this fic and use it as an iv

Baby!! I'm glad you're having fun at college and not, like, a giant crisis 🙌 but no ao3 for 3 weeks sounds like hell 😭😭 My sister's wedding was just this last week (and you know big Indian weddings-- I'm exhausted) AND I resume college next week so it's pretty chaotic over here too.

So happy you liked this chapter 🥰🥰 I wanted to get through my whole outline of events instead of cutting the chapter in half (but also it took so long that maybe I should have cut it, lol). Obikin kissed so much that I'm amazed they got anything else done honestly!!

Obi-Wan is sooo brave for taking these leaps of faith, I love him so much. He makes a resolution in the next chapter (though it will be a bit hard for him to act on):

The most important thing is this: Anakin still doesn’t know what he is. The second is this: He cannot be allowed to find out, or Obi-Wan will lose him. Anakin may have married him for reasons Obi-Wan will never know, but being an alpha is surely a nonnegotiable part of that. Unless… Unless Anakin loved him. If Anakin, perhaps, were in love with him, the way Obi-Wan is in love with Anakin, then perhaps he could tell the truth. Perhaps he could be held and kissed and accepted in his entirety, as though he weren’t a failure of an alpha, a failure of an omega—

Baby hasn't even figured out that Anakin is already in love with him, or that Anakin doesn't give a shit that he's not an alpha. It's just so hard for him to detach his designation from his sense of self worth 🥺😔

-

And yes I made Anakin taste like cinnamon!! I only decided that an omega's slick tastes (mostly) the way their arousal smells like halfway through, so I'm SO GLAD that I gave him a good scent and not like. Something weird, idk. Some things smell good but I do not want them in my mouth. Also I'm not sure if you remember this post but it sure does lend a whole extra layer of meaning to it 😂

-

The scruffing I'm so absolutely obsessed with and idk why! Obi-Wan's emotions have been so out of control in these last few chapters, and it's such a sweet way for Anakin to lend him comfort, while also being hot as fuck in the right circumstances. I need him to pavlov Obi-Wan into getting horny when he scruffs him.

(Also please study for your math quiz baby, the sex will be there to reread when you finish 🙌)

-

Isn't he so fucking stupid?!! Anakin will tell him he loves him but I'm not sure yet how much he'll believe it (the outline gets pretty loose post-Tatooine rn).

-

(And this, Obi-Wan has done before.) (He is, perhaps, an expert in doing things quietly.)

OK this was literally like one of my favourite lines in this whole chapter ❤️❤️ It's so indicative of Obi-Wan's character and also the absolute root of their relationship problems. Obi-Wan is holding himself back from telling the truth, from telling Anakin he loves him, from biting him, all while Anakin is doing the same, because neither of them wants to scare the other away. (It also just hasn't occurred to Anakin that he hasn't said he loves Obi-Wan yet. He's so focused on holding himself back physically that he forgets about the words.)

-

Obi-Wan needs therapy soooo badly, poor thing. I love him but he is definitely unwell™. I don't want to say he's blowing things out of proportion (these feelings are obviously real and he's struggling with them a lot), but they are absolutely a byproduct of the way he keeps spiralling. He'll be feeling sky high one minute and then he'll crash to the ground again in the next. Some of this is his depression but also his hormones are out of wack because his supressants are failing!! 😬

I've been trying not to fall into that rut of "romantic partner cures depression magically" by having Obi-Wan slowly, like, rebuild his support system (Feemor and his friends), find an identity outside of being an alpha and being emperor (like that same thing from earlier about detaching his sense of self-worth from his designation and his job), indulging/discovering hobbies and interests (anthropology, embroidery, time with his friends), and showing vulnerability to others (Anakin is a big one here, but Karishma was an important milestone too).

-

On one hand I understand it's imporant to study but on the other hand !!! This fic also bounces around my head on a pogo stick 🤭🤭 I always love to see which things you noticed and which things you liked because it gives me so much motivation to keep writing, thank you!!! 🤗💕💕

[elvenxwarrior]

Comfort - Leviathan

Masterlist

You can also find this posted on my AO3!

Levi was walking towards your room when he noticed you dash into your room, obviously crying. His heart sank and he ran up to your door, trying to open it.

"(Y/N)? Are you ok? Let me in, please!" You don't reply but he can hear you sobbing through the door. He rests his back against the door and slides down to the floor.

"We can talk like this if it makes you more comfortable. Or you can text me. I'm here."

—— Above by MysticLucy ——

Leviachan [Name], I'm worried about you. Seen at 11:36pm Please say something. Or text me something. I've never seen you like this. Seen at 11:36pm [Name] Hey... x Seen at 11:37pm Sorry for worrying you... x Seen at 11:37pm Are you still by the door? x Seen at 11:37pm Leviachan Yes... x Seen at 11:38pm

From the other side of the door, Leviathan heard a sigh and the sound of something gently hitting the door. The Envious Demon and the Human were now sat back-to-back, the only thing separating them being the locked door.

"Hey." Came your monotonous yet high-pitch voice, still ripe with sadness.

"Hey." He replied, full of sympathy, "So... I'm not sure what to do, you know... social awkwardness and all..."

"It's okay..." You sniffled, wiping your nose with a tissue.

"But I do know I want to help... Do you... want to talk about it?"

There was a pause, then another sigh, "Sure..."

"You don't have to if you don't want to, [Name]..."

"I actually do want to talk about it, Levi." On your side, you had your favourite stuffed animal hugged to your chest with your knees.

On his side, Leviathan had shuffled around and was now sideways with his back against one side of the doorframe and his feet on the other, "Alright..."

"Now, don't feel bad about not knowing what to do, okay?" You briefly paused, wiping your nose again, "I don't need you to say or do anything, I'd just like you to listen..."

Leviathan's heart was breaking. He could hear that you were trying not to cry in order to speak clearly, "Okay. Take your time..."

He listened for the full (what felt like and probably was) half an hour to forty-five minutes of you talking.

About how after finishing human school and going into RAD, you were scared you wouldn't do well in classes.

About how you miss your family and Human Realm friends but you don't want to leave the Devildom.

The time restriction of a year in the Devildom put somewhat of a restraint on you -

"I have this pressure to finish all my tasks, have a good time, make friends, all that shit, all over again- but what will come of it when I go home? Do I get a certificate for completing RAD for memories? Do I leave with Devil Qualifications? I can't take my D.D.D. with me back to the Human Realm, I can't-"

Leviathan tried to slip his fingers under the door when he heard your panicked breathing; when that failed, he calmly spoke, "[Name], open the door, please."

Surprised that you did as he asked, the door clicked and opened. You immediately fell into his arms in violent sobs of, "I just can't!"

He held you close, on the floor of the hallway, arms tightly around you. "It's okay... it's okay..."

After some time, you had calmed down; your breathing was regular and you were no longer crying.

"Thank you, Leviathan..."

He placed your stuffed animal, that had been carelessly dropped to the floor, in your arms, "It's alright, [Name]. You seem a lot better now."

You stayed cuddled like that for another two minutes before Leviathan made a very wise suggestion:

"I think you should take a few days off, mental health days y'know? You can come spend it in my room with me and my games if you want or... I'm sure Satan would let you in his room to read?"

You nodded, muttering more "thank you"s to the blue haired demon as he helped you up and accompanied you in your room for more comfort.

[pvremichigan]

6, 29, 19, 24

6. excessive ooc

Look, if all I see is ooc and not a single reply, I'm just unfollowing. Make a sideblog or a separate blog for that. Updates here and there are perfectly fine! I love it! But if it's all you do and - better yet - we tried to interact??? Buddy, sorry to break it to you but you're barely an rp blog now. This does not count with taking a break. This is if you claim you're active and ready to reply.

19. smut

Hoo boy... Okay, I hate seeing it. Headcanons are fine! I just hate seeing smut all over the dash. I might be biased with my repulsion, but I just hate seeing it. I won't unfollow unless it's excessive/all you do or aim for. I write that shit on discord with ONE person and that's it. I refuse to write it with anyone else and my muse wouldn't even DO that with anyone else. I've got a lot of blogs unfollowed and blocked and since then, I BARELY see it on the dashboard. I just don't think it's something I'd want to come across in public. I prefer it under a readmore but we can't all be winners.

I also think that it just gets... Boring or repetitive to write. Foreplay is probably the most interesting part, the rest is... The same. At least, from past experiences.

24. your first RPC

Hetalia. The good old days. My OG one was Creepypasta but that's when I rp'd on (i'm sorry) Miiverse. Yeah remember that? That place used to be my LIFE. But then I moved to iFunny and that's where the hetalia one popped up. Followed it all the way to tumblr and I...

Don't miss it.

I miss the people and the really cool state ocs but I don't miss the lore nor the controversy nor the drama. I wanna see more ocs like Mich, tbh, states that aren't hetalia affiliated.

29. blocking

BLOCK TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT. If I've learned anything in the rpc, it's that you owe no one anything. Give people a try and give them common courtesy but GOD you owe nothing to anyone. You don't owe SHIT. SO... If someone is making you uncomfortable, or made a mutual of yours uncomfortable which upsets you, or just don't want to see them on the dash. BLOCK. IT'S OKAY. JUST BLOCK! Yeah it hurts, especially when you're blocked as well, but there are SO MANY PEOPLE HERE YOU CAN INTERACT WITH. Guaranteed you're bound to find another muse similar to theirs that you CAN interact with. Blocking is good, it's great, and my list grows. Sure, some people deserve another chance and some people deserve a shot in the first place! But you don't owe it to them. They WILL find someone to interact with. It doesn't HAVE to be you. It's okay. Even if they really wanted to interact, I promise it'll be okay. Everyone will move on.

I prefer being blocked rather than ignored when I follow someone, tell you that much! Being ignored makes me feel inhuman sometimes with how bad it gets! Just block me, bro, feels better knowing you saw me and locked the door rather than look and look away without a second glance.

[florafound]

knowing your partner well can potentially make writing together a lot easier. ( repost do not reblog ! )

✿ name:  rook ✿ PRONOUNS:    he/they ✿ preference of communication:  discord is honestly easiest, please ask for it. ims are good but they can be lost sometimes bc tunglr's bs ✿ name of muse(s):  Birth name is Sophie Poole, but known as Kit.

✿ EXPERIENCE/HOW LONG (MONTHS / YEARS?):    i've been on tumblr for over 10 years now so....jesus uh....awhile. Quite awhile. I'm thinking I started in middle school so like...16+ years now.

✿ PLATFORMS YOU’VE USED:   i've been on tunglr for 10 years now as i said - and wow holy shit that's....wild. Because it feels like yesterday I was on my other websites -- I also used dreamwidth, some livejournal forums, gaiaonline and my start was with neopets forums.

✿ best experience: i've had so many wonderful experiences roleplaying. it's a great chance to meet and greet with other people. i've found so many good friends who put up with my shit so often. but shout out to meeting @badassxbirdy 10 years ago when I first started roleplaying Mel and the extremely hilarious way Tyler and she met. Demons. Nakedness. Awkward all around. The works. But how that meeting became a friendship that I wouldn't trade the world for is so important to me. I'd love to go back to England and see Emmy again soon and hope the world will let me.

✿ RP PET PEEVES/DEALBREAKERS:    starting with the basic, i'd say most people would agree that hate and drama is a big dealbreaker and I'm one of them. But some of my other pet peeves are people who come into your ask/ims and guilt trip you. And I'm pretty uncomfortable with large amounts of nsf.w, specifically imagery. If your blog is like 3 pages of nsf.w on any given day, blacklist is probably breaking down on my dash and cant block it all. And I'm super easily squicked out by sexual imagery. But that's about it.

✿ fluff, angst or smut:  smut is never an option on this blog. and while I've tried dabbling into it again with my older muses, my fluctuating nature of squickiness about smut can be limiting so it's very very very rare. Of the other two, I used to be well known for writing ONLY angst, but over time I've got much better at writing fluff. But i'm a sucker at exploring trauma, trauma reaction and the emotional outcomes, so more than likely my longer threads are angstier than fluffy.

✿ plots or memes: i want to say both, because plots can be so thereapeautic to see them through. But for me memes are ALWAYS easier to work with. I'm nervous about plotting and can almost NEVER think of anything on the spot when someone says "hey let's plot" and it ruins the vibe. However, if I ever have a thought about our characters or vice versa, I am hELLA ready to slam into DMs.

✿ long or short replies: preference for long replies because I'm a big sucker for novella level emotions. on the other hand, I know I struggle to write a lot. And I'm sure my partner's run into the same thing as well, so sometimes short things are a good way to continue building character dynamics without as much effort or plotting.

✿ best time to write:    when i'm not absolutely dying from exhaustion or mental health issues. I have such a chaotic activity, I'm aware. And I wish it wasn't like that but sometimes my brain just says 'nope' and that's been a lot lately too.

Honestly though, I find that I write a LOT better when I'm at work because when I'm NOT on a call, there's really not much else to do once base chores are done. But at the same time it's at the whim of the EMS gods if I have the chance to sit down and write at all or if I get interrupted in the middle of my flow. Doesn't really matter what time of day though.

✿ are you like your muse(s):   if I'm being honest - most of my muses have SOME bits and pieces of me mixed in. They say write what you know and all that. And as my comfort muse, I'll admit that Kit is a LOT more like me than the rest. While I'm by no means an escaped science experiment that's been brainwashed, a lot of Kit's interaction with the world and in particular her autistic traits, are very heavily based on my own or how I perceived the world in some cases. In other ways we are very different - I am not a nature encyclopedia for one. And also cannot punch to save my life.

tagged: @byanyan & @femtaile tagging: anyone else who hasn't done it, please please please

[lazysublimeengineer]

Bye Bye Baby

Summary: I want you bad but it's come down to nothing

And all I have is your sympathy

'Cause you took me home but you just couldn't keep me

Characters: Takemichi H. & Manjirou (Mikey) S.

It wasn't just like a movie

The rain didn't soak through my clothes, down to my skin

I'm driving away and I, I guess you could say

This is the last time I'll drive this way again

Lost in the gray and I try to grab at the fray

'Cause I, I still love you but I can't

The roar of the CB25OT rang against the road as he swerved ferociously into the right panel of the street. Nonetheless, the sounds were being swallowed by the heavy rainfall and the clap of the thunderclouds. His clothes were soaking wet and clung heavily into his skin. But Mikey didn’t care. All he cared right about now was to get rid of the heavy thoughts around him ever since Takemichi left and went back to the future. He wanted to stop Takemichi from leaving that day. But the words got stuck into his throat. He didn’t have any right to stop him. Takemichi needed to go back to the life where he belonged to. And it wasn’t in his arms and in this past.

Bye, bye, to everything I thought was on my side

Bye, bye, baby

I want you bad but it's come down to nothing

And all I have is your sympathy

'Cause you took me home but you just couldn't keep me

Bye, bye, baby

Bye, bye, baby

Takemichi always possessed a heart bigger than himself or any of them really. His honesty and sincerity towards them were pure as a snow. His promises to save all of them from their tragic fate was a beaming hope for their bleak and gray futures. It was one of Takemichi’s biggest strengths yet also one of his glaring weaknesses. Mikey could’ve take advantage of it. He could’ve stitch up lies about an impending danger to the gang or to anyone else just to make him stay. But all he could say to him was, “Go back to the future, Takemitchy. Go back to that future where Hina is waiting for you!”

Because Mikey can’t make him stay here if Takemichi’s heart doesn’t belong here and all he can give him was his sympathy.

He’s not cruel like that.

The picture frame is empty

On the dresser, vacant just like me

I see your writing on the dash

Then back to your hesitation

I was so sure of everything

Everything I thought we'd always have

Guess I never doubted it

Then the here and the now floods in

Feels like I'm becoming a part of your past

Takemichi stared at the picture where he stood beside Mikey and the other members of Toman. It felt like a long time ago yet it doesn’t. A month, a year, a few weeks or even a few days…where it all seemed like a minute or second had passed when he came back to the future. To the current present. Where he actually belongs.

But why does it felt like his heart was empty? A vacuum of nothingness?

He should be satisfied right?

But why he couldn’t shake off this feeling of emptiness?

The smiling face of Mikey before he returned to the future made his heart soar previously.

But now it also brought his heart down shattering into a tiny, million pieces.

How ironic.

Bye, bye, to everything I thought was on my side

Bye, bye, baby

I want you bad but it's come down to nothing

And all I have is your sympathy

'Cause you took me home but you just couldn't keep me

Bye, bye, baby

There's so much that I can't touch

You're all I want but it's not enough this time

And all the pages are just slipping through my hands

And I'm so scared of how this ends

They still meet up through a quaint café or in a nearby bar downtown to catch up. Mikey has been laughing and exchanging crude, childish jokes with them until Draken became annoyed at him as usual and they were beating up each other’s asses once again.

It felt normal. Yet it wasn’t.

There’s a lingering emptiness there that he could feel but avoided thinking about it further. Or even bringing that up.

Takemichi’s absence would seeped quietly into his veins when he was finally alone with his own thoughts and emotions.

Mikey stared at the ceiling numbly. A devastating ache started to fester inside his heart.

But he has to grin and bear it right?

Since he can’t drag people down with him.

And he already promised to Takemichi before they parted ways that he’ll protect everyone’s futures as well.

So, he’ll fulfill his promise no matter what it costs.

Bye, bye, to everything I thought was on my side

Bye, bye, baby

I want you bad but it's come down to nothing

And all I have is your sympathy

'Cause you took me home but you just couldn't keep me

Bye, bye, to everything I thought was on my side

Bye, bye, baby

I want you bad but it's come down to nothing

And all I have is your sympathy

'Cause you took me home but you just couldn't keep me

Oh, you took me home, I thought you were gonna keep me

Bye, bye, baby

Bye, bye, baby

Draken told Takemichi that Mikey was managing a restaurant overseas so that’s why he couldn’t attend Pah-Chin’s wedding.

Relief and disappointment flooded Takemichi’s veins at the news.

He should be relieved right? Everyone’s doing fine. And Mikey was having a great future as well. So why does it feel like there’s a pang in his chest from the moment he didn’t saw Mikey at the reception hall previously?

Takemichi couldn’t hold on too long for that niggling thought as Hina has called him from afar, letting him know that there’s already a cab waiting for them outside the hall to get into.

Maybe he should let it go…

And focus on his impending wedding soon…

Since he promised Hina back in the past…

And say goodbye to these ideas and thoughts of wanting to see Mikey soon just to ease his anxieties and doubt…

But his heart told him otherwise.

Meanwhile in an obscure bar hidden in one of the alleys in Tokyo…

“You sure you don’t want to gatecrash and invite yourself boss to their wedding?” Sanzu asked idly as he sat down in a barstool holding a glass of whiskey into one of his hands.

Mikey continued to read silently about the latest reports on his former friends and comrades. Even though he already cut off his ties with them, he made sure that he was carefully keeping tabs on them and ensuring that their futures were secured and normal.

All except for one.

Takemichi and Hina’s impending wedding.

A blank expression was still on his face yet his hand automatically tightened its grip on the paper.

It’s the best future isn’t it?

So why did the news made his heart break down into tiny pieces?

“It’s not my style to gatecrash a wedding where I’m not invited in the first place. Besides, events like these are a waste of my time and utterly boring.” Mikey replied in a monotone voice.

As he said those words, he knew that he already said goodbye to his feelings about the blue-eyed crybaby hero that tried to save all of them in the past.

This was for the best even if his heart disagreed with it vehemently.

(A/N: I don’t own any of these characters from this franchise nor Taylor Swift’s Bye Bye Baby song. While waiting for chapter 213 of the manga to come out soon, have some Takemikey angst for your daily suffering needs. Currently listening to the Fearless Taylor Swift’s version of the album and Bye Bye Baby is just screaming of pain and angst hence the inspiration behind this one shot angsty fic. Reviews are amusing. So, let me hear them from you.)

[mashep23]

Blame it on the Rain

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Female!Reader

Word Count: 2.1k

Summary: Modern!AU. A surprise rainstorm changes the course of your day.

Warnings: Like one cuss word? Pure fluff

A/N: My endless thanks and love to: the incredible @river-soul for her beta work and guidance, and the wonderful @whisperlullaby for her support and feedback. 💖💖💖

Disclaimer: image not mine

Oh no. You groan in dismay. The skies open and fat rain droplets splatter darkly onto your clothes and coat as you dash down the sidewalk. You spot cover ahead and dart directly to the storefront with a blissfully wide awning.

You gracelessly slide under the shelter of the canopy, your haste for cover hindering your ability to slow down. Your flats abruptly catch traction on a patch of dry pavement and you pitch forward. Barely managing to stay upright, you have just a moment to breathe in relief when you're jostled from behind. Stumbling slightly from the jolt, you feel hands on your hips steady you from behind as you hear a man's voice swear quietly.

"Oh shit - er, shoot, sorry - I didn't realize you'd stopped! Are you okay?"

You're both breathless and laughing softly as you step apart. You take a moment to straighten your jacket and hitch your bag higher onto your shoulder, reassuring him before you even turn around.

"Oh gosh, yes I'm fine, thanks. Are you...okay…" Your voice trails off as you turn and face a broad chest, eyes travelling up and up. Good heavens. What were you saying? You blink to focus, your eyes taking in a startlingly handsome face before your brain catches up and you rush to cover your faltering speech.

"H-here let me move underneath a little more so you have some room," you offer as you shift to stand deeper under the awning.

He grins in thanks, following you under the canopy, and stepping further away from the rain dripping overhead from the edge. He looks down to check his clothing, running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to smooth it after your sudden, albeit gentle, collision. You follow his gaze down, realizing he's dressed in some kind of uniform under his open coat, and you have to make yourself look away before he notices your stare.

"Sorry for almost causing you to fall, but thanks for catching me," you say after a moment, smiling as you chance a sideways glance at him. He's mid-peek, looking in your direction too and you catch his eyes, a surge of warmth filling you at his sheepish expression.

He clears his throat before replying, "I saw you make a break for it so I followed you. I should have been paying more attention." He gives a self-deprecating huff and shakes his head, shoving both hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I'm the one who needs to apologize for almost knocking you down."

"No need, honest. It’s all good." You deny sweetly, reassuring him.

You're rewarded with a cute half grin and you have to purse your lips to keep your smile small as you look out through the raindrops. You both stand there in a companionable silence, watching the street as the world seems to slow down.

It's soothing, relaxing, and makes you feel peaceful. Soon, you’re taking slow deep inhales of the fresh, clean air and enjoying the experience, feeling the tension ease from your shoulders. You hear a quiet, measured exhale from your companion and you both seem to realize at the same time that you’re doing the same thing. You share a shy grin before quickly looking away.

You spend the next couple minutes surreptitiously exchanging sideways glances with him, trying your best to make it seem like a natural move. You’re feeling ridiculously obvious, constantly biting your lip to contain your smile when you get caught looking. At the same time, however, if you’re getting caught then that means he was looking too...right? You're giddy at the thought and take one last long deep breath as you notice the rainstorm begin to lighten.

When the rain slows to a light misting sprinkle, as much as you’d like to be brave and say something to him - introduce yourself, anything - you lose your nerve. Sighing inwardly at yourself, you start preparing to set out from under the safety of the canopy. Pulling up the collar on your jacket and securing your bag to your shoulder, you smile and bid him farewell.

"Looks like it's letting up - better make the most of the break!" You say chipperly. "Thanks for keeping me company."

You give a small wave before heading down the sidewalk. He returns your wave and gives a small nod, a slight furrow to his brow, but otherwise a friendly expression on his face. As you turn away, you can't help but think maybe you should say something else, something to prompt another smile from him, just once more. Feeling a tiny rush of confidence and holding onto that feeling, you turn suddenly and call back to him.

"I hope you have a great day!" You allow yourself a moment to truly admire and appreciate the stunning smile you get in response. He really is just too pretty.

His lips spread a little wider before he returned the sentiment with a sincere, "Thank you! I hope you do too!"

You knew, just knew, that your answering smile was blinding, but you couldn't have toned it down if you tried. In an attempt to seem less obvious (moot point, really), you give him a quick nod before turning and heading back down the sidewalk.

You can't deny you have a little bit more pep in your step as you make your way to your meeting. As you come up to the company entrance, you pause to look through your bag, checking to make sure your portfolio is still dry. As you shift the bag back onto your shoulder, you feel something snag and pull on your jacket.

Your brow scrunches in a frown as you use your hand to try to correct the fabric, wondering what you could be caught on. Looking down as you pull your bag away from your body, you hear something hit the pavement. What the…?

After a quick glance around your feet and then behind you, you see an identification badge laying on the ground. As you stoop to retrieve it for further inspection, you realize you had inadvertently taken a souvenir from your fellow shelter-seeker under the canopy.

His handsome face looks solemnly back at you from what is obviously his work badge. Stark Technologies emblazoned across the top, S. Rogers under his photograph, SECURITY is in large print along the bottom.

He must have been headed to work! Oh man, he's gonna need this. You check your watch. There's no time. You'll have to return it to him after your meeting. Standing up and stashing the badge safely into your pocket, you enter the beautiful brick building to attend your meeting.

Luckily it's brief, your client wants to peruse the contents of your portfolio with his financial team before contacting you to finalize details. Expecting this, you graciously thank him for his consideration and within a half hour, you've concluded your meeting and are striding toward Stark Technologies. The trek isn't more than a few blocks, so you decide to walk it and enjoy the sun filtering through the clouds, the rainy morning a distant memory.

When you enter The Tower, you have to take a moment to get your bearings. Looking up and around, it's easy to spot the gleaming information desk positioned in the center of the bustling lobby. As you approach, you think of how you're going to phrase your request. Not wanting to get him into trouble for not having his badge, especially as a part of the security staff, you decide to just ask to speak to him.

The pleasant lady behind the desk sends you a sweet smile as she speaks into the phone to relay your request. After a quiet exchange, she directs you to a cozy waiting area situated to the side of the bank of elevators.

You sit stiffly on the edge of a plush couch and admire the décor as you wait. The building interior is predominantly glass, making the whole space appear larger, but also quite bright and open. You've got a silly smile on your face, thinking about the amount of Windex they must go through, when a throat clearing pulls you back to the present.

"Well, hello again."

You startle and stand quickly, flustered as you turn to face him. You watch his eyes flick down to your feet then back up to your face, a pleasant and patient smile in place. You lick your lips, trying to settle your nerves.

"Hi! Uh, so I know it probably seems odd that I'm here but um, I actually have something of yours. Came to return it - figured you might need this." You give him what you hope is a winning smile before reaching into your pocket and withdrawing the lost item. Your eyes stay on the badge in your fingers as you hold it out to him.

"Oh! Hey, thank you!" He takes the badge gently from you, fingertips brushing yours. When you finally lift your gaze, you find him grinning boyishly. He swiftly fastens his ID to his crisp shirt, completing his uniform.

You give him an appreciative once over and murmur a quiet, "You're welcome," as he continues.

"You know, you just saved me from so much paperwork and hoops to jump through to replace this stupid thing. Where did you find it?"

"It was stuck to me," you share with a laugh.

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise, an open mouthed grin in place. Shaking your head and shrugging one shoulder, you continue.

"It must have happened when we bumped into each other. I wanted to get it back to you as soon as I realized I had it but I had to make my meeting first," you finish apologetically. "I hope you didn't get into trouble."

"No, not at all," he quickly assures you. "I should have noticed I didn't have it. Thank you again for bringing it to me. You didn't have to so I really appreciate it." That heartstopping smile he aimed at you was going to kill you.

You lick your lips again before you reply and notice his eyes drop to track the quick movement before flitting back up. For half a second, you suddenly feel emboldened.

"It was my pleasure, trust me." Unwilling to let the opportunity pass you by yet again, you jerk your chin toward the badge pinned to his chest and ask, "So, what does the 'S' stand for, Rogers?"

"Steve. It stands for Steve." He says, eyes crinkling as his lips spread into a wide grin. You give him your name and can't help but laugh as he holds out his hand. As you shake his hand, you both murmur, "Nice to meet you," and you're certain that you have matching delighted expressions on your faces.

You realize you've taken up a considerable amount of his time while he is on the clock and you give him a regretful smile as you release his hand.

"I'd better let you get back to it. Don't want to get you into real trouble." Quirking a corner of your mouth up, you grip the handle of your bag on your shoulder and tilt your head as you step back.

Steve starts slightly as he looks around, almost as if he'd forgotten where you both are. He looks back at you and nibbles on his lip before taking a small step closer.

"I do have to get going. But before I do...would it be too forward to ask you for your number?" He searched your face earnestly and you could swear he was holding his breath.

"Not at all. I was kinda hoping you would," you admit, beaming up at him as you hold out your hand for his phone. You draw your lip between your teeth in a slow pull, eyes travelling over his face as you wait. The look in his eye and the slow spread of his lips is slightly less boyish and a touch more sinful as he slips his phone from his pocket and hands it to you.

You enter your number into a new text thread and send yourself a simple message before relinquishing his phone back to him. You watch as he eagerly takes it back and saves your contact information. When he looks back up, he has a breathtaking smile on his face, eyes focused on yours. You have to blink a couple times to focus before drawing yourself up a little straighter to bid him goodbye.

"I expect to hear from you soon," you say confidently, smirking and winking as you turn to leave. His surprised but pleased huff of laughter makes you grin just a little bit wider when you peek back over your shoulder.

"Yes ma'am. You will." He's beaming, eyes tracking you as you give one more small wave before pushing through the door.

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

Tagging my discord family:

@buckyownsmylife @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog

[britt-writes]

hi lovely i have a request for you because youre work is absolutely amazing aHH ! could you maybe so some headcanons/oneshot on lucas making his gf cry cause he's getting all pissed with his computer n is getting angry and then accidentally takes it out on his gf?? there's no pressure at all, I really do love your work and I'm so happy you write for Lucas <33

Thank you so so much, I really appreciate it, and I'm happy to do this request for you! I went for a little drabble with this one. Hopefully, I didn't make you wait too long for it. 💕 (I added a cut since it was getting a bit long and, and I don't want to invade people's dashes.)

Prompt: Lucas making his girlfriend cry

Drabble title: Poor Choice of Words

Word Count: 2008

With the semester coming to a close, you found yourself balls deep in what felt like never-ending exams to study for and detailed research papers to type. Needless to say that the hefty accumulation of college work had been piling up on you, leaving you stressed and fatigued, ultimately leaving you with no motivation or desire to get work done; just this huge blank whenever you stared at your books.

Barely able to hold yourself together with this massive headache from the free-for-all death match your thoughts were having up there, you were in desperate need of some quiet and rest. You were sure that you’d eventually break down if you didn’t.

Lucas was nice enough to let you get that quiet you needed, letting you take over his bed to nap and rest your head and eyes while he tapped away on his computer. He kept it down, which you appreciated. He’d always been the strong, silent type of guy. The only noises you could hear were the clicking of his keyboard and his foot tapping at the ground—a little tic of his, being rather fidgety.

You hadn’t quite fallen asleep, being quite restless, but you did occasionally lull in and out of consciousness. Maybe it was the damn heat wave that hit Dulvey that kept you up, or maybe it was your headache, but nonetheless, it felt nice to lie down and do nothing, worrying about nothing.

You weren’t sure how much time had passed since you had decided to lie down in your lover’s bed, but as the seconds ticked by, you could hear Lucas’ foot tapping becoming faster, seemingly aggressive. His fingers had also joined in, just tapping at the desk.

You didn’t think much of it at first, brushing it off as Lucas simply being his regular, fidgety self; he’d probably stop in a minute or so. But then you heard a low growl from him, followed by a series of curses muttered underneath his breath.

“C'mon, ya slow piece o’ shit,” you heard him say.

Shifting around, you faced him, opening your eyes. Lucas was having some issues with his computer, and one quick glance showed that his programs and even cursor were running at abysmally sluggish speeds. You weren’t sure how you hadn’t heard it at first, but his computer’s fans were loud as hell, probably working their asses off. When was the last time Lucas cleaned them? The poor old box computer sounded like it was suffering.

“Motherfucker!” Lucas suddenly yelled out, nearly jolting you out of your skin.

You flinched as he began smacking the computer, making you sit up on the bed as you stared at Lucas while his patience ran thinner with every passing second. You remained still and quiet, worried about his state of anger, but also unsure if you should intervene in an attempt to get him to simmer down. Truth be told, you hated watching people get angry, even if the anger wasn’t directed at you; it put you in a state of anxiety, wanting nothing more to keep the situation from escalating further.

“Aw, what the hell?! What now?!” He yelled as his screen seemed to freeze.

“Um, hey, babe?” You intervened, sounding very meek.

He didn’t reply, continuing to aggressively fumble with his computer, still spewing insults and curses at the device. Maybe that should have been your cue to leave Lucas be, but you didn’t take it, wanting to help him.

“Babe?” You said again, a little louder this time in case he hadn’t heard you the first time over the sound of his own voice.

“What?” Lucas said rather sharply.

“Do you want me to help or something? How about you turn it off and try cleaning the fans to start off? Then, maybe-”

Lucas whirled around to face you, the annoyed look on his face immediately shutting you up.

“What the fuck would yer dumbass know? Shit’s already fucked, so I don’t need it worsenin’. I don’t need yer fuckin’ help, so mind yer goddamn business,” he said before going back to his computer, not paying you any further mind.

You had never been on the receiving end of Lucas’ outbursts until now. Maybe you were being too sensitive, but you couldn’t help the tears threatening to fall. Sure, you and Lucas have insulted each other plenty of times in the past, but it was all obvious playful banter and teasing between the two of you with no ill intentions. This time around, he held this dead serious expression and tone, making you feel like he actually thought that of you.

Lucas was short-tempered, prone to outbursts at the slightest inconvenience, and you knew that he ran his mouth faster than his brain during those moments. He often did or said things that he didn’t truly mean, letting his anger get the best of him. He probably hadn’t even realized what he said, but that still didn’t mean that you didn’t feel as if your heart shattered in millions of pieces at his poor choice of words.

Wordlessly, you lied back down, facing the wall as you curled up underneath the blankets. A few tears streamed down your cheeks as you tried your best to keep quiet, not wanting to make a scene. You just hoped that Lucas would soon enough calm down on his own accord.

~~~~~~

He’d say that a little over half an hour had passed since his computer started acting up, but Lucas had since abandoned the device to fool around on his phone, feet propped atop his desk. At least he was distancing himself from the source of his anger.

Maybe about a year ago, Lucas would still be fuming and smashing things around his room, but ever since you came into his life, he’s been getting better at taking breaks, not fixating on whatever was irritating him in order to cool down a bit. You were there to comfort him, listen to his venting and clear his head.

Overall, a model lover with the patience of a saint to deal with him— Lucas himself would be the first to say it.

So, why the fuck did he yell at you the way he did earlier? He absolutely hated any asshole who dared make you upset; Lucas always promised to make quick work of anybody who hurt you, and all you had to do was say the word.

But now, Lucas was the one to feel like the biggest shithead ever.

Earlier feelings of fury were slowly being replaced by regret, which was an odd feeling. It was a first for him; he’s never really given a shit enough to feel regret or shame for his actions, even when he knew that he was in the wrong. But it felt different when it involved you. Maybe he still felt anger, anger at himself for treating you like shit when all you wanted to do was help him because you cared.

You were already stressed enough in the first place with all the work you had to do, and Lucas wasn’t helping by taking out his anger on you. It was an accident; he really regretted it.

Looking back at you, Lucas saw that you were still curled on his bed. You hadn’t said anything in the last half hour, so he wondered if you had fallen asleep, though you may just be ignoring him after the things he said. He didn’t like that thought, but he knew he deserved it.

He could feel panic settling in his chest— what if he fucked up for good? What if you drew the line there? What if this was the moment you realized you could do better than him? What if you walked out on him?

Those ‘what if’ questions made him nauseated. Lucas was shit at showing it, but you were his entire world. This relationship was his only motivation to even bother trying in life. Without you, he was sure that he’d either end up thrown into the streets or in jail— just some loser with no chance in hell to make it.

He had to calm the fuck down, he thought. He knew damn well that having an internal breakdown over something that was his fault in the first place wasn’t going to get him anywhere.

He stood up from his chair, cautiously approaching his bed, almost unsure of what he should do. It was like he was second-guessing himself— maybe he should let you sleep it off.

But Lucas ultimately decided to join you in bed, slowly scooting against you and draping his arm over your waist. He already felt like shit, but the feeling only worsened when he felt you flinch, and after an uncomfortable minute of silence, Lucas finally found it in himself to say something.

“Are ya mad at me?” He asked.

And he wanted nothing more than to ram his head against drywall, not impressed with the way he chose to open up.

“Are you mad at me?” You countered in a shaky tone that split his heart in two.

“Wasn’t mad at ya… jus’ the computer,” he said.

“Do you really think I’m dumb?” You asked, voice nearly inaudible.

“C'mon baby, y'know I don’t,” he said.

The silence on your end was goddamn unnerving, absolutely stressing him out. As the seconds ticked by, Lucas could feel his breathing become ragged and heavy, the atmosphere making him increasingly more anxious.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, realizing that he should have said that in the first place.

Lucas didn’t remember the last time he apologized to someone. Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he ever did in his lifetime.

“I just wanted to help,” you said, voice quivering. “But you just yelled at me instead.”

And then the sobs came; Lucas could feel your body shake against him. Oh, God. He made you cry. Lucas didn’t think it was possible for him to feel any shittier at the moment, but here he was.

“No-no-no-no— don’t cry,” Lucas shushed, holding you tighter and burying his face in the crook of your neck.

“I’m so fuckin’ sorry, baby,” he apologized again. “I know ya just wanted to help, 'cause yer just the sweetest thing out there.”

“You looked so serious… like you really meant it,” you managed to say through choked up cries. “I feel like I’m the stupidest bother to you.”

“Didn’t mean a goddamn word of it. I know it ain’t no excuse, but I wasn’t thinkin’ right. Aw, shit— I’m the stupid piece o’ crap here. Yer hella smart, darlin’; there ain’t one part o’ ya that’s dumb,” he said. “Y'know I love ya, right?”

You were taking your sweet time to respond, making Lucas all the more anxious. He thought that he had royally fucked up beyond repair.

“Do you… d'ya still love me?” He asked, finding himself ridiculously pathetic for asking such a thing; the shakiness in his tone didn’t help either.

“Of course I do,” you said.

Lucas found some relief in the swift response at his question— no stuttering, no vague answers, no skipped beat. Your crying had also started to die down.

“So, you ain’t gonna, ya know, leave or somethin’?” He asked.

“No. I wouldn’t break up with you over something like this. It’s not worth our entire relationship,” you said. “I’m just a little sad over it. It’s… not really fun getting yelled at by someone you love, you know?”

Lucas nodded. “Yeah.”

Of course nobody liked getting into fights with their loved ones. He sure as hell knew that he’d blow a fuse if you yelled and insulted him the way he had.

“I have anger issues…” he mumbled.

“I know,” you said. “But you’re not as bad as you used to be.”

Lucas could only promise to get better going forward, and with your encouragement, he was sure that he’d be able to do it. But he’d have to try hard, and he knew it.

“Y'ave been hella stressed lately. Want me to help you study later, or somethin’?” He offered.

“If you have time, that’d motivate me.”

“Yeah, I got time. Don’t got much to do in the first place.”

You turned around to face him, wiping the remainder of your tears and offering a small smile before pressing your lips against his in a soft, sweet kiss. You then nuzzled Lucas’ chest as he cradled you protectively against him.

Apology accepted.

[whitestaghere]

Don't be late - Levi x reader

Hey!! So I had this in my drafts for a while and finally decided I'd continue with it.. Happy reading❤️

Warnings :- none xd.

Y/n's pov

Waking upto the sound of my alarm I groaned; mindlessly patting the air to turn it off. Stretching my arms and legs, with eyes half closed I looked back at my clock. Still trying to adjust to the lighting, my eyes widened when the display cleared up.

7.54 a.m

Screaming I jumped off my bed.

Now.. imagine a human, spinning like a hurricane and circling a room? Yeah that's an actual representation of what I looked right now.

Normally, I'd not wake up this late. But today.. today was different. Let's just say I had a long night talking with my best friend, which ended up with me sleeping in really late and well here I am now. Besides who could reject a call from their best friend am I right?

Dashing out of my house (reader locked the doors, yes she did) I shot down the streets. Thanking the heavens that I was able to run this fast; then again, that also had it's downsides. I managed to avoid running face first into a lamppost but in the midst of dodging that, I ran into something else.

Huh.. not that hard for a lamppost..

Stumbling backwards and losing my balance, I met with the cold ground. I groaned as I thought of how my day could get any worse.

"Tch. Watch we're your going," a male voice spoke.

Standing up slowly I dusted my clothes mumbling a string of apologies, "I'm sorry I was running late an-"

My breath hitched as I locked eyes with the man in front of me; steel gray orbs glaring daggers at me. He was clad in a black suit, jet black hair slightly toussled and he wore a crav- wait-

That's when I noticed how I was a few inches taller than him. It took every ounce of energy within me to hold back my laughter; no height idealogies but with that stoic expression and this height, he looked absolutely adorable.

I was broken out of my thoughts when he scoffed; I had been staring.

I shifted uncomfortably as he continued to keep his piercing gaze on me.

"Are you going to move?" voice laced with annoyance.

I raised an eyebrow at his words, what does he mean? He had all the time and space to-

"You're blocking the door," I turned around and realised that I was indeed blocking his way.

"S-sorry," I mumbled shuffling to the side.

His expression remained stoic as ever even as he got ready to walk away but he stopped abruptly. I watched as he bent down and picked something.

"You dropped this," he turned around holding out a book. I gasped recognising the cover, "oh my- thank you."

"Don't mention it brat," I reached out to take the book from him all the whole giving him a look of disbelief.

"Hey you can't call me that.. and yes I should mention it, because my friend would have thrown a tantrum had I lost her book," suddenly realisation struck me and my eyes nearly fell out their sockets.

WHAT WAS I DOING?! I was wasting time, that's what I was doing!!

So I ran, without a word I turned around and ran, leaving behind a very confused man.

Levi's pov

Next thing I know, she ran.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, but decided to brush it off; only then did I notice the book in my hands.

Tch that brat, how could she be so forgetful?

Sighing I contemplated going after her or hoping that I'd see her sometime later so I could return it. I went with the second seeing that she was already long gone.

*time skip brought to you by the fidget spinnerrrrr*

There I was in the local tea shop sipping on my usual cup of tea.

What I loved about this place was how calming it was, not too crowded, the fresh smell of tea and coffee filling the air, making me feel at ease, but not today. Today was different.

My gaze kept shifting between the book I was reading and the book that belonged to the girl from before.

I had gone with the second option of hoping I'd see her again or that I'd find any details in the book, but to my luck I found nothing of the sort.

How was I supposed to return this thing? I can't just leave it can I?

I sighed running a hand through my hair, "shit."

The sound of the little bell filled through the air signaling either someone's entrance or departure. Not wanting to look I kept my eyes locked on my book.

Suddenly there was a voice, an all too familiar one which broke me out of my own world. I glanced up from my book and caught sight of a very familiar face.

Hanje.

By her side stood two other girls, engaging in a conversation with her. The bell filled the air again, and in came a girl with (h/c) locks.

My eyes widened, was that her?

I hadn't seen her face yet but sure enough it had to be her, she had the same hair length and wore the same attire from before.

Once again I debated with myself, should I just go upto her and give her it? Maybe I should just wait till she sees me..

She turned around and sat a few tables away from me, still she hadn't noticed. Her two friends and Hanje had disappeared off to somewhere.

This is my chance

Y/n's pov

I couldn't help but sigh in frustration, how could I have been so forgetful? He literally held the book in front of me and I left without it.

My mind was mangled with the same image of him holding out the book to me repeating over and over. Then it stopped, it stopped right on his face and I felt the heat rush up to my cheeks.

What was I thinking? I mean he's a complete stranger, who also not to mention, called me a brat, I shouldn't be so flustered. As if on cue, the book came back into my mind and I rolled my eyes at my own forgetfulness.

It was right there.

I kept my gaze locked on the table, too stuck in my own self-pity to notice the person that stood right in front of me. Then there was a book pushed into my line of sight.

Great, now you're hallucinating y/n.

There was a clear of throat and I snapped my head up. Wait I wasn't imagining it-

For the second time that day, I locked eyes with him.

"You forgot this."

I stood up immediately causing the chair to scrape against the floor. The man visibly cringed at the sound and I began to stammer upon my words.

"Y-YOU! My b-book! How? How did you- no no wait- thank you so much!"

Placing the book on the table I turned to him and took his hands in mine, "you're a life saver I tell you!!"

He only stood there in shock; although I wasn't sure if I was seeing things, his cheeks were tinted a faint pink.

"Don't mention it," with that he returned to his stoic expression.

The air around us was beginning to get awkward with none of us moving or saying a word.

Finally deciding to break the silence I cleared my throat, "I-I'm y/n.. what's your name?"

"Levi."

I coughed awkwardly at his blunt reply, the sound of my heart thumping suddenly filling my ears.

"We're back! Y/n-" relief washed over me at the return of my friends but that relief disappeared just as fast as it came.

They stood there eyes wide and mouths agape.

I felt a tug at my hands and that's when I noticed how I still had Levi's hands intertwined with mine. Gasping I slipped my hands out of his and moved away slowly.

"Y/n? You didn't tell us you had a boyfriend.." I widened my eyes at this and waved my hands frantically in their awe struck faces, "what noo!! He-he's just-"

What was I supposed to call him? We just met, so I couldn't call him a friend. At my loss of words my friends smirked mischievously.

Then a loud voice boomed through the shop causing a few heads to turn in our direction, "LEVI?!!!! SHORTY IS THAT REALLY YOU?!"

Hanje knew him?

Levi scoffed at her in response.

"Oh my gosh! Well isn't this a big coincidence, are you really dating little y/n here? Why didn't you tell meeee?!" she poked Levi's cheeks repeatedly.

"Tch, keep it down four eyes and no, we're just friends," Levi grunted swatting her hands away. I choked on my own spit and glanced at him immediately.

He gave me a look and I instantly nodded my head in agreement, "yeah, we're friends.." I tried to bite back the smile that crawled up my face at his words.

My friends shrugged and made their way back to sit down. Meanwhile, Hanje nudged at me curious to know why I hadn't told her I knew Levi.

"Well you see-"

"We met today," Levi cut me off.

Hanje let out a hearty laugh and patted my back, "well isn't that nice! Now y/n, shorty here can be a little bit of a grumpy man sometimes so I must warn you, but overall he's an absolute bab-"

"Oi that's more than enough four eyes," Levi hissed and Hanje laughed in reply.

She moved her glasses to a side to wipe away her fake tears and continued, "but y/n here is an angel, so shorty you better not treat her wrong or I don't think I would even need to come when she unleashes her inner bea-"

"HANJE," I whined tugging at her arm in attempt to stop her. She grinned in response and pinched my cheeks, "well I'm going to go make our orders okay? I'll see you later Shorty!" with that she ran off to the counter.

"Thank you for that Levi," I smiled to which he only replied with a grunt.

"You thanked me enough for today brat."

I rolled my eyes at the nickname, "I told you not to call me that."

"Tch," with that he walked back to his table not sparing a second glance.

Levi's pov

Snap out of it Levi, you've done your job now read in peace.

I stared at my book finding myself reading the same sentence over and over. Glancing up from my book a little I'm met with the not so subtle looks of y/n's friends.

Why were they looking at me like that? I noticed how Hanje had a smug grin on her face and I rolled my eyes.

What was she smiling about?

My gaze shifted towards y/n who was listening intently to one of the girls. Suddenly the room felt too hot to my liking and I reached for my cravat, loosening it a bit. My breathing increased a little as her (e/c) eyes met mine.

She gave me a warm smile to which I felt my gaze automatically begin to soften.

What's wrong with me? Snap out of it Levi.

Soon enough I heard them get up.

Don't look.

But I couldn't help it.

Eyeing them as subtly as possible I realised they were going to leave as they picked their things up. I tore my gaze off and returned back to my book with a sigh.

Y/n's pov

"Say do you like Levi?"

I choked on nothing but air, "Hanje! What? Noo! I just met him and that would just be wierd-"

"Oh so you're saying you'd like him in time?"

"No wait what? I mean I-" I couldn't find the words to reply to her and seeing this she took the opportunity to give me a proud smile.

"Guys, we should leave.." Riley spoke up as she looked out the window.

"What why?" Hanje frowned.

"It's going to rain and it's a little bit of a walk back to y/n's place right?"

I hummed in agreement seeing as the sky was getting gloomy by the second. Everyone got up and gathered their things and headed for the door.

I stood up last and just as I was about to leave I heard a voice call out for me.

"Oi, are you really going to leave it again?" I saw Levi walking upto me.

"Huh? Leave what?"

He pointed at the table and I noticed a book on it, but not the same one. This one belonged to Hange.

"Oh that's Hanje's she must have forgotten it," I reached out for the book and simultaneously, he did the same.

I pulled my hand away as soon as it landed on his, but he swiftly took my hand in his. With the other he rummaged through his pocket and stuffed a piece of paper in my hand.

"What's this?"

"See for yourself."

I unfolded the paper slowly and when I did, I swear my heart skipped a beat. I tried my best to swallow the lump in my throat, and force some words out.

"W-what is this?"

"Tch. What do you think?"

"I-"

"You what?"

"I-yes.."

For the first time that day, I saw the corner of his lips curl into a small smile. It was a smile that lasted only for a few seconds alright, but it was enough to make my heart flutter.

"I'll see you later brat.." he walked past me towards the counter but not before calling out for me once more.

"Oh and y/n?" he looked at me over his shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Don't be late," he said with a hint of playfulness in his voice.

I shook my head with a quiet laugh glancing down at the paper in my hands;

Tomorrow noon, here. For tea? - Levi

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Hope you all enjoyed❤️ stay safe and keep smiling..

Ps :- I can't wait for Season 4 part 2!!! 😭❤️ So excited to see all of them again, though we really are in for a lot🥺💕

⚔️Shinzou wo sasageyo⚔️

[lokis-army-77]

If You Please

Chapter six

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 3280

I'm bad at writing descriptions, so this is basically a reader insert into The First Avenger and then we'll see how it goes from there.

Warnings: Canon typical violence

<< Previous Next>>

Masterlist

It had been almost five months since I had left for London. Five months without Steve and nearly six without Bucky. I knew Steve had been traveling the country doing musical numbers to help sell war bonds, something I would have to tease him about later. He was here in the camp today and I had plans to go visit him when I was finished with my work. Peggy and I had been gathering intel on the movements of HYDRA, and there were signs that Dr. Zola had been using American POWs as experiments for his own super-soldier serum. We had arrived in Northern Italy about two weeks ago, there was a Hydra base a few hours away that we were keeping an eye on. We had reason to believe that Zola had moved to the base some time ago.

I was sitting at my desk scanning through some files when Peggy burst through the tent and into the makeshift office. I looked up at her questioningly. “You aren’t going to like this,” she said and handed me a small yellow telegram. I opened it and quickly read the contents.

107th infantry captured by HYDRA. Heavy casualties. Azzano, Italy.

I felt time stop as I read and reread those few words. Bucky was in the 107th. I quickly sprung to my feet and headed for the tent opening. Before I could cross the threshold Peggy grabbed my arm. “Let go of me Carter, I have to go save him,” I said, yanking my arm away, with little to no effort.

“Would you stop for a second?” She grabbed my arm again. “You can’t go rushing into this, you need to think carefully. You can’t just waltz into a HYDRA base by yourself, it's madness.”

“Yes, I can. Now let go of me.” I yanked my arm out of her hold and reached over to the coat rack next to the opening of the tent and grabbed my jacket. It had started raining an hour ago and the dirt paths had become small pools of mud but I didn’t care. I ran quickly through the rain toward the stage on the other side of the camp, Peggy right on my tail. The mud made it harder to run as fast as I wanted to, I had almost fallen twice. When I made it to the stage no one was in sight. I jogged around to the back and looked all over until I saw Steve in a corner with his sketchbook in hand.

“Steve,” I called out, quickly making my way to him. He looked up from his sketch and smiled at me.

“Hey Kid, I didn’t know you were here. It's good to see you.” he walked toward me and gave me a hug, which I returned but abruptly pulled away. He gave me a concerned look when I stepped back. “What's the matter? You usually like my hugs.”

“Steve now really isn’t the time for hugs. We just received a telegram, Bucky's regiment has been captured by HYDRA. I’m not sure if he was captured with them but if he was I’m going to get him and I need you with me.” I watched as his eyebrows furrowed. His face contorted with emotions. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the stage tent and soon we were running to Colonel Philip's tent.

Steve barreled into the tent and went up to Colonel Philips. “I need to see the casualties list from Azzano.”

The Colonel looked up from his desk and shook his head at Steve. “You don’t get to give me orders boy. Now go on,” he said and started to go back to what he was doing.

“I just need one name, Sir. Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th.”

Colonel Phillips' eyes widened a bit and he looked at Peggy and me. “I’m going to have a conversation with you two that you won't enjoy,” he scolded and shook his pen at us.

I stepped forward to be beside Steve. “Sir, we just want to know if he’s alive,” I pleaded.

“His name is B-A-R-” Steve started to spell off Bucky’s last name.

“I can spell,” He spat sarcastically. He got up from his chair and paced to the table behind him. Holding up a handful of letters he stopped. “I have signed more of these condolence letters today than I care to admit. I'm sorry for both of you but the name does sound familiar.” I took in a small gasp of air and my face fell.

“What about the prisoners? Are you planning to rescue them?” Steve asked with more concern in his voice.

“The plan’s called winning the war.” Philips quipped out.

“But Sir. If you know where they are why” Steve was cut off.

“They’re thirty miles behind the lines. Through some of the most heavily fortified territory in Europe. We’d lose more men than we’d save. I don’t expect you to understand that, because you are a chorus girl.” A thick silence could be felt when Philips stopped talking.

“I understand it just fine Sir,” Steve said in contempt.

“Then I suggest you get going. From what I understand, you have somewhere to be in the next 30 minutes.”Colonel Philips said as he walked off.

“Yes Sir, I do,” Steve replied and stormed out of the tent. I looked past where he had been standing and looked at the map that was off to the side and realized that Steve had seen where the HYDRA base was pinpointed. I ran out after him.

I caught up to him in the backstage tent where he was packing up a bag. I started to grab some of his things and helped. Peggy arrived frantically minutes later. “Are you both planning to walk to Austria?” She asked.

“Yes, If that's what it takes to save him,” I stated.

“You heard the Colonel. Your friend is most likely dead, there’s no point.”

“You don't know that.” Steve countered.

“But you can’t go, The colonel's devising a strategy, if he finds out what,” Peggy starts but Steve cuts her off.

“It will be too late if we wait around for us to win the war, I need to go now.” He grabbed his bag and headed out to one of the jeeps. I stayed behind after spotting a rack with helmets on them. I rushed over and took one with an A painted onto it and then made my way to the jeep as well. I hoisted myself up and into the passenger seat as Steve finished talking with Peggy and she climbed into the back seat. He turned to me and shook his head. “No, get out. It’s too dangerous.”

“I will not. Don't forget we took the same serum, I’m stronger than I look. I can handle it.”

“I said no. I will not be putting you in this type of situation. Even if Bucky is our friend you can't risk your life like this.”

“What and you can? He’s my fiancé and I am coming with you to get him whether you like it or not! Now drive!” I yelled angrily, crossing my arms and turning away from him. I was so angry that I hadn't even noticed what I had let slip.

“Did you just say, fiancé?” I remained silent. I wouldn't talk to him until he calmed down and drove. He sighed and turned the key when he realized that I wouldn't break.

Peggy directed Steve to the makeshift airport a few miles out from the camp. She had made a call to Howard Stark to have a plane ready for us when we arrived. I kept quiet the whole ride, still upset that Steve thought he could keep me from coming. He tried to ask about Bucky and I’s relationship several more times before we reached our destination but I remained silent.

It was dark by the time we arrived at the airport. Before Steve even stopped the jeep I was already jumping out of the front seat, helmet in hand, and heading to the plane that was waiting on the dirt runway. We found Howard sitting in the pilot's seat smiling over his shoulder at us.

“Thanks for your help Stark, I can always count on you,” I said as I took a seat in the copilot's chair. I looked behind me as Peggy shut the plane door and took a seat in front of Steve in the cabin.

“Now what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t fly you into enemy territory in the middle of the night?” He laughed out, patting my left shoulder. I shook my head and grabbed the set of headphones off the dash and slid them on as Howard started the plane down the runway. When we were up in the air. He spoke again, this time to everyone. “We should be able to get you both right at their doorstep.”

Steve looked up from his hands and called out, “Just get as close as you can.” He then went back to his conversation with Peggy.

I looked over at Howard, who was flipping a few switches. “You know, we're all going to be in some deep shit when this is over and done with. I’m so not looking forward to the very long and stern talking to from Coronel Phillips.”

“Oh don’t worry, he’ll get over it. Especially if you bring back the soldiers and destroy the base. And technically I’m not here, so unless you can give him proof that I'm flying, I’m still in my private lab.”

“You always have a plan to get out of trouble don’t you Stark?” I questioned.

“Mostly,” he replied. Some time passed before he called out, “We’ll be over the drop zone in ten.”

I gave an assertive nod and took my headphones off and placed them back on the dash. Then I grabbed the helmet from beside my feet and secured it on my head.

“Also took the liberty of bringing a couple pistols and ammo for you, Peggy said you didn't have time to gather any supplies.”

I gave him a quick “Thank you” and stood from my seat and went to sit beside Peggy. She handed me the second parachute and I quickly put it on. I reached over to where two pistols in a belt holster were laid out on the seat and brought them closer to me. I undid the clasp that held the belt together and brought it around my waist. I looped the strap through the metal frame and pulled it taught. “I’m all ready,” I reported to nobody in particular.

“Okay then, Here’s the transponder, you’ll need to activate it when you’re ready. It will let us know your location,” Peggy said while handing a small almost palm-sized black box over to Steve. He turned it around in his hands for a second before he called out to Howard to ask if it worked.

“It’s been tested more than the both of you, it should,” Howard called back.

Then out of nowhere we were being shot at. We weren’t even five minutes away from the drop site. Howard started dodging bullets, making the plane shake from the harsh movements. Steve suddenly got up and threw the cabin door open. A strong gust of wind went through the plane, knocking me back into my seat.

“Stop, We're taking you all the way in!” yelled Peggy as Steve got ready to jump out.

“As soon as I'm clear, turn around and get the hell out of here!” he yelled back at her. I started to make my way over to the open door when Howard made another sharp jerk, I braced myself with my feet spread and my hands pressed to the top of the plane.

“You can't give me orders,” Peggy called out over the wind.

Steve just shook his head and said “Yes I can, I'm a captain.” Then he jumped out into the gunfire. I stepped closer to the door and took a deep breath.

“Be careful and don’t die.” Peggy gave me a pat on the back and then I jumped.

I closed my eyes and could hear the wind rushing past my ears. I could feel how cold it was on my face. I let out the breath I was holding then pulled the string to deploy my shute. The wind caught in it and I jerked up. This time Instead of free-falling I was floating down rather peacefully, considering that there were guns being fired in my general direction, but that didn’t last long. The shots followed the plane as it flew further away. I spotted Steve as he descended into a small clearing in the dense forest and maneuvered my parachute to follow. I put my legs out in front of me as I got closer and closer to the ground to get ready to catch myself.

When my feet hit the ground, I leaned back so my momentum wouldn’t flip me head over tails. I skidded to a stop and hastily unclipped my parachute from my back and stood up. Steve motioned for me to follow him into the tree line, and I did.

We walked for almost five minutes when we came upon the outside fence of the HYDRA base. It was crawling with guards walking the grounds. I ducked down behind a tree as several large trucks drove up the dirt road beside us.

I looked to Steve and whispered, “What are we gonna do now?” I saw Steve eye the last truck in the line.

“I’ve got a plan. Follow me.” He slowly got up from his crouched position and ran to catch up with the last truck, jumping into the back. I followed closely behind him and jumped into the back a moment later, landing headfirst into Steve's back.

“Ow, you couldn’t have gotten out of the way?” I fussed as I readjusted the helmet on my head.

“How was I supposed to know you’d come barreling in straight into my spine. I'm the one that should be saying ow.” He argued back. I pushed him out of my way and looked around, my eyes soon landed on the two HYDRA guards sitting at the other end of the truck.

“Uh, hi,” I mumbled. Then within a second, they were both up out of their seats reaching for Steve and me. One of them put their hand on my left shoulder and I grabbed it with my right hand and twisted. I kneed him between his legs when he fell to the ground I gave him a good kick to the head, knocking him out. Reaching down, I grabbed him by the collar and threw him out onto the road along with the guard that Steve had taken down.

I heard talking as the truck drove through the gates of the base. I felt us slowing down and pretty soon the truck jerked into reverse. We both waited in silence to see what was going to happen. I heard some footsteps coming closer to us. Steve, also hearing them, moved over to where the tarp-covered the back of the truck and positioned this shield in front of him. A guard lifted the tarp up and Steve swiftly took the guard out by hitting him with the shield. I came up beside him and stuck my head out and looked both ways, making sure no one would see us leaving the truck.

“This way,” I whispered as I jumped from the back of the truck. “I know where they probably keep the prisoners.” We headed out into the large open yard where several vehicles were being kept. Carefully maneuvering past stationary and moving guards we made our way to the back of the main building. “They’ll be keeping them in the lower levels. There should be several staircases leading to the main basement level out here, we just need to find one.” I said over my shoulder to Steve who was directly behind me.

It took no time at all to find one of the staircases and descend into the darkness. I spotted a door at the bottom of the stairs and went to open it but it was locked. I looked over to Steve who moved in front of me to look through the window of the door. He tapped on it twice and when the door was opened by a guard he slammed it onto the man's head. The man fell to the ground unconscious and I nimbly slipped over him and through the door. Reaching to my right thigh I grabbed the pistol out of the holster. They were only to be used as a last resort, but with this building being as big as it was, there was no telling what trouble we would run into.

Steve took the lead onto the large factory floor. We passed hundreds of what I assumed to be nuclear bombs, which were in various stages of development. I couldn't believe my eyes. HYDRA had been able to make multiple high-tech bombs and back in the states, the Manhattan Project was still ongoing. We kept walking until an unmanned workbench came into sight. There was a glowing circular ring on the table, surrounded by what seemed to be high-tech hand grenades. Steve and I both grabbed one, looked at it, and then shoved them in our pockets.

“Steve, I think the entrance to the basement cells is this way,” I whispered, pointing over to a set of stairs a few feet away from us. We sprinted to them and started down. After making it down three flights the stairwell opened up to a large dark room with bared holes in the floor. “This is where they are being kept. There’s one guard in here, so you take him and I’ll go down to the next floor.” Steve nodded. Slowly he crept up behind the guard and I turned to go down to the next floor where the cells were located. I heard the guard fall and the jingle of keys as Steve took the guard out.

“Throw the keys down and I’ll start unlocking the cells,” I called out and jogged down the line of cells to where Steve stood, staring down through the bars. He tossed the keys down to one of the men and they handed them to me after I put my pistol back in its holster. I unlocked a few of the doors before I took the other keys off the chain and handed them out to some of the soldiers so they could help free the others faster. When they were all out of the cells I made my way to where Steve was.

“Is there anyone else? We’re looking for a Sergeant James Barnes.” Steve questioned the men around him.

The one in a red beret spoke up, “There’s an isolation ward somewhere here in the factory, but no one has ever come back from it.”

“Okay men, the tree line is northwest, about 80 yards past the gates, after that follow the creek to the clearing. You need to get out fast. We will meet you there when we get everyone we can find out,” I order out to the group of men.

“Do either of you know what you’re doing?” asked one of the men at the front.

“Sure we do, I’ve knocked Adolf Hitler out over 200 times.” Steve started then turned to run back to the stairs and I followed suit.

Tag list:

@ginger-swag-rapunzel

@underc0vercryptid-reads

[gyucore]

in the orb

pairing: trapped soul! beomgyu x reader

tags: fluff, angst if you squint, reincarnation au, supernatural au

word count: 1.8k+

warnings: implications of death, light swearing

— you were cleaning your grandmother's attic when you stumble upon an old glass orb that just happened to talk on its own

A cloud of dust scatters around the room after you drop the glass orb on a particularly dusty couch. You've lost it. You've definitely lost it. You're quick to cover your face with your sleeve, fighting back the urge to sneeze. The orb sits still on the couch as it should, a sheet of gray still masking its surface.

This was supposed to be an average weekend. Your grandmother had invited you to her house for some quality time together during your break, and you thought you'd offer to help her clean her mess of an attic, to which she was more than happy to accept. And right now, the sweet old lady was tending to her garden downstairs while you were up here, freaking out.

It's said that people often imagined hearing strange noises when frightened and alone. And you were in a dark and creepy attic at an old person's house. This could just be another case of the common I'm-so-lonely-I'm-starting-to-hear-voices scenario. It's simply wasn't possible for a dusty old orb to start talking when you pick it up. It's just not.

“Hello?” You call out, immediately finding yourself silly for even attempting to communicate with an inanimate object.

The dust in the room eventually settles, and yet still no response. “See, Y/N? You were just hearing things.” That conclusion seemed convincing enough. You felt the need to give yourself a good pat on the shoulder for going along with the sane route.

With that dilemma out of the way, your attention couldn't help but wander back to the large piles of junk occupying nearly every space in the vicinity. One could only hope for your grandmother to clean regularly. “Right, now back to work.”

“What work?”

“Oh, you know. Cleaning.” You answer its question from earlier.

You freeze, eyes wide, a chill running down your spine. There it was again. You weren't sure if you heard it right this time or was just hallucinating, but there was one way to find out.

Silence. You almost called it a day after considering that you were probably just tired and needed some rest.

Half a step outside the door and the voice spoke once more. “Are you still there?”

You pause, brows raised, and back still turned. Somehow, you didn't know if it was safe to face the big ball of dust just yet. “What do you mean? Of course I'm still here. This is my Grandma's house.”

Thank the heavens for modern technology and the invention of smartphones. Speaking of which, you fish for yours in the depths of your pants’ pockets. The voice recorder app should come in handy during times like this. You know, to confirm you're not crazy. With the app on, all you needed to do was have the orb talk again.

“Grandma? Oh! Then you're her grandchild?!”

“Uh, yeah?” The orb apparently knew your grandmother. Strangely enough, that was the least odd tidbit of information you obtained today.

“Her grandchild.. Wow, to think I'm finally meeting you! Or at least your voice?” The orb lets out a giggle and the more you heard it talk, the more human it sounded.

“Sorry, can you excuse me for a minute?”

Never in your life had you thought the day would come where you'd be excusing yourself from a conversation with some sort of decorative object but life has its ways. You were never a stranger to off days anyway.

“Oh, sure, uh, go ahead? I can wait.” The orb swiftly replies. For a second, you could swear something was moving from inside the orb after the light outside the window had hit a clear spot in the crystal.

Heavy footsteps echoed in the room as you dash downstairs, taking your phone out and bringing it closer to your ear, replaying the recording. Sure enough, the voice was caught in the audio loud and clear.

“Holy shit. I'm not crazy.” An exasperated sigh leaves you as you slump back on the wall in disbelief. For a moment, you considered running away and warning your grandma about the cursed object, but part of you was curious enough to disregard the warning signs, and possibly risk your life by going back up there and approaching the thing. You decided to go with the latter.

“Are you back?” The orb asks once you've gotten close enough for it to hear your footsteps.

“Yeah. Just had to do something real quick.”

“I see.”

You wait for the orb to continue but it doesn't. It continues to lie on the couch lifelessly as if it hadn't been speaking to you in the past few minutes.

“Um..” You clear your throat, hoping to get another response

“Oh!" The voice from the orb seemed startled after hearing you talk. “How are you're still there?”

You frown. “Why wouldn't I be?”

“Well for starters, a talking glass orb isn't quite the public friendly concept you'd think it'd be.” It answers. Only now have you noticed that the orb had a particularly low masculine voice. “People don't usually stick around long enough to find out why I can talk in the first place.”

You blink. “Fair point. Though, I don't see the need for you to ask over and over again when I already said I was back.”

The orb chuckles. “You'd be surprised how many times people have reassured me of their presence only to leave halfway. Plus, I can't really see you right now to actually know you're there.”

“You can't see me?”

“The dust.”

“OH.” Not knowing what came over you, you immediately lunged forward and started wiping the orb with one of the dust rags you had lying around. It didn't take long for the thing to clear up and look like its old glorious self again. “How about now?” You ask, inspecting the orb as you hold it up.

“Better.”

It takes everything in you to resist dropping the orb on the floor when a glowing face of a man appears from the inside, smiling brightly at you. “I think I'm gonna pass out.”

The man visibly panics, pressing his face closer to the glass. “Wait no! If you pass out now, I won't have anyone to talk to! I haven't spoken to a single person in decades!”

“But you mentioned my grandma earlier, I thought you—”

“She could never hear me, but I could see and hear her.” The man explains, his voice a little quieter than before.

You bring the orb down, still cupping it in your hands. “How is this possible? Are you a ghost or something? How did you get in there?”

“Wouldn't you like to find out?” He winks, resting his head on his hand. “Take a seat and place me down somewhere soft.”

This seemed ridiculous by all means, but you oblige. The couch should be soft enough, and so you place him down gently while you take a seat on the floor, making yourself comfortable. “You were saying?”

“I—” The man accidentally bumps his head onto the glass as he leans forward, chuckling as he rubs his head gently. “Ow. Sorry. I'm just so happy to finally have someone to talk to. You can't imagine how long it's been. How the world survived without a single soul hearing my heavenly voice for all those years is beyond me.” He cracks a joke and you couldn't help but laugh.

“It's okay.” You say, shifting in your spot. “Go ahead.”

The man nods, the smile slowly fading from his face. “My name is Choi Beomgyu. You can call me whatever you like. I had a friend once, and she was a witch. Oh— not the kind that you hear from stories, no. She was really nice and cared a lot about nature, her friends, and her family. That type of person, you know?”

You nod along, assuring him that you were listening, and he smiles again.

There's just something about his smile that just seemed so happy and endearing. Perhaps it had truly been so long.

“She was this ball of sunshine. And back then I was a pretty different guy. Our personalities might've clashed and we butted heads a few times but somehow we ended up becoming close friends.” A faint smile graces his lips before disappearing as quickly as it came. “But then I got involved with the wrong crowd.”

The statement piques your interest and you draw closer. Beomgyu notices this and tries to talk louder.

“Remember how I said she was a witch unlike the ones in the fairy tales? Well, there were also people who were exactly like those witches. The ones that used their knowledge and abilities for their own nefarious purposes.” Beomgyu continues, his hair slightly covering his face as he looked down. “Let's just say that I got myself in a situation where they ended up hunting me down for my soul.”

“What?”

He frowns. “My friend saw me being chased down the streets one night and helped. We both knew that even when together, we were too weak to go against all of them. They had us cornered in her home, and that's when we knew it was the end for us.”

Beomgyu's voice started to waver as he spoke and you were about to ask him if he was alright, and tell him that it was okay if he didn't continue but the look on his face when your eyes met was enough to tell you that he needed to do this. He must've wanted to talk about this matter for so long, you think.

“She.. pushed me towards her workroom, telling me that she'll keep me safe no matter what. I didn't know what she meant until she cast a spell on me and I passed out. The last thing I heard were her screams. I never found out what happened to her after that, and I can only assume the worst.” He shakes his head, trying to getting himself together in front of his new friend. “Next thing I knew, I was inside her old glass orb. I've been trapped in this thing for years with no escape. No one to talk to— forever regretting how I didn't stop her that time, and regretting getting in the way of those witches in the first place.”

His story nearly brings you to tears, and before you knew it, your hands were reaching out for the orb. “Beomgyu, I..”

“It's alright.” Beomgyu smiles. “In the end, the orb ended up in her younger sister's possessions.”

Your eyes widen. “You mean.. Grandma?”

“That's right.” Beomgyu chuckles. “Though she had never able to see or hear me, unlike you.”

“Oh. That's uh, too bad.” You smile awkwardly, releasing the orb. The two of you sit in silence for a while, both needing a little mental break after that.

Shortly, your attention was brought forth back onto the orb when you hear Beomgyu laugh. You find yourself chuckling along. “Entertained are we, Gyu?”

The laughter stops and his eyes shoot up at you. You hear him mumbling something incoherent before hesitating to speak. “No, no.” Beomgyu shakes his head. “It's just.. It's kinda funny. I'm trapped here repenting for my whole life because of what I've done to her, or thinking about what I could've done.. but you know what? To be completely honest, I was starting to forget what she even looked like. But looking at you now, and hearing your voice..”

The idea popped up in your head and you weren't sure if it was even possible to begin with. But then again, you were talking to a soul inside an orb.

“You were easily granted access to the true nature of the orb, and are the first person to have ever done that without running away.” He kids. “Could it be?”

“I wouldn't count on it.” You tell it to him straight, getting up from your spot on the floor and dusting off your jeans. You knew what he was implying and there was no way that you were even considering yourself to be your great aunt's reincarnation no matter how ridiculous the situation already was. “I'll get back to cleaning. Feel free to talk while I do that.” You tell him before rushing to the other side of the attic, avoiding his gaze as much as possible. You'll figure out what to do with him later.

Beomgyu watches you fondly. You had told him to not even count on the thought of you being the one he's been hoping for all these years but it was too late for that now. 

“Entertained are we, Gyu?” Her voice rings in his mind, and he shakes it off.

“How do you always manage to do such amazing things? I'd appreciate it if you'd stop stirring my heart.” Beomgyu's gaze rests upon your busy silhouette, and he smiles in content.

“It's nice meeting you again, Y/N.”

[willownoir1112]

Hiya everyone! Wyn here with today's White Rose Week 2021 entry, which is flirting! Now, today features a genderbent Weiss in honor of my friend CelestialPrincess, who could not participate due to scheduling conflicts, as well as for Akirou 02, who wrote one of my all time favorite fics, They're Yours Too! I hope everyone enjoys, and I will see you tomorrow with another day!

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Flirting

Ruby Rose can feel her eye twitching as the drunk white haired wolf Faunus man continues his verbal assault on all four of her tender, not innocent in the least, but still offended ear drums. It wouldn't be so bad if he was at least good at it, but even she's starting to think that it's impossible.

"Sho, you should gib me a chance, cause I'm… ummm…"

She's pretty sure he's trying to flirt. She's actually almost sure he's trying to flirt, and for the life of her she doesn't understand why! She's nothing special, just another non descript rabbit faunus stuck on an overnight layover in Mantle while trying to get home to Vale. Not for the first time since she left on this trip, she wishes she hadn't agreed to come to Atlas to meet James Ironwood on behalf of the Rose Weapons Corporation.

She especially despises being the Heiress of the company her mother, a successful huntress, founded after her retirement.

"I got it!" He grins drunkenly at her as he pounds a fist into his hand. "I'm not a dolt!"

She couldn't help it. She couldn't stop her hand from colliding with her face, then slowly dragging it's way down her fair skin in her… She's honestly not sure if it's because she's exasperated, or because her older half brother Xiang would be crying at how badly this guy can flirt. "So I should leave with you because you're not a dolt?" She asks, getting an enthusiastic nod of the head in reply.

"Not only am I not a dolt, but I'm also a virgin!" He declares in his eagerness, a goofy smile on his face. One that grows as he takes another sip of his drink, what appears to be a vodka on the rocks by the look and smell of it. And she's convinced he's had at least two too many.

"Look, I'm flattered that you want to lose your v-card to me, but I have to pass." She replies calmly, feeling her heart break a bit at the sad puppy look that comes across his face. "I'm only here for the night."

"See?" He declares as his drunken smile returns in force. "You can make a man of me, then you'll never see me again! It's a win-win!"

"Uh huh." She mumbles as she motions for the bartender to top off her own wine glass. If she's going to keep listening to this, then she might as well as go ahead and get buzzed. "What's your name?" She asks, deciding she needs to give the source of her irritation a proper name other than Drunken Wolf Idiot.

"It's Eis, and did you know you have really pretty eyes?" He adds the last wistfully as he stares into them, making her stare into his own sky blues. She has to admit, he has gorgeous eyes, and after taking a liberal sip of her wine, she has to admit he's not too bad looking. Now if only he could actually flirt.

"You're not the first person to tell me that, Eis." She replies as she offers him her hand. "I'm…" Before she can introduce herself, a second drunk with dark skin and wearing a fedora pushes him into her, making her spill her wine as well as his vodka onto her dress. "Awwww, oatmeal cookies!" She swears as she grabs a napkin and tries desperately to clean herself off.

"Hey, Eis? There you go buddy!" Fedora cries out before he begins to cackle drunkenly.

"Flynt, you dolt!" The wolf named Eis roars as he quickly turns and shoves him away. Meanwhile, giving up on getting herself cleaned up, Ruby finally makes a bad decision and simply motions for a refill. If she has to keep dealing with this crap, then she's going to be good and drunk. Besides, all her clothes are back at the airship port, which means she's going to have to find a twenty four hour laundry or something to wash said clothes while praying she doesn't get arrested for being naked in public.

So, as her Mama Raven would say, time to load up on liquid courage and then wrestle the Ursa to get your weapon back.

"Damn, I'm so sorry." Eis murmurs as he turns back around and frowns. She's pretty sure she's a mess. She can feel her soaked bra starting to stick to her skin, as well as her skirt sticking to her bare…

She really doesn't want to know if a certain part of her anatomy can get independently drunk as well. It's a constant struggle to make sure it doesn't get her into trouble as it is.

"Look, it's fine. Can you just tell me where I can go to clean up?" She asks in irritation as she grabs at the bottle of red wine and simply tilts it up, spilling the contents into her mouth and down her throat in a fashion that would have her brother and the rest of her friends cheering her on. Not for the first time, she wishes she hadn't had quite as much fun at Beacon as she did, and had taken her studies and training a bit more seriously.

Nodding, he offers her an arm. "You can get cleaned up at my place." He replies quietly, obviously a bit sobered up. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." She replies firmly as she glares at him. "And… thanks." She adds the last as her gaze softens. Offering the bartender her credit card, she makes sure he bills her for one more bottle of wine. If she has to keep listening to Eis's flirting, she definitely needs the liquid courage the fermented beverage provides.

Especially since he really is cute, and she's now tempted to lose her own virginity to him as well...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Wow, nice place." Ruby admits as the cab pulls up to the curb of a multi level apartment complex in downtown Atlas. She has to admit, he's been a polite gentleman during the entire trip, even trying to ignore the fact that her skirt has been slowly riding up her bare bottom to reveal it as well as her constantly wagging cotton tail.

"I live here with my twin sister." He replies as he struggles to look everywhere but at her exposed rear, while she takes another deep pull of the wine bottle still in her hand. "She works for the family company, while I am a huntsman."

This gets her attention. Her dream was always to follow in her mother's footsteps, but an accident when she was on a hunt left her with permanent nerve damage to her legs. Nothing painful, but still unable to use her semblance to its full effectiveness. "I was a licensed Huntress in Vale." She admits to him quietly as he pays the driver and gets out, offering her a hand out next. "Got hurt on a hunt, and had to quit."

He smiles sadly at her as she struggles to lower her skirt back down on her bottom. "My sister lost her sword arm during her last hunt. Her body rejected the prosthesis."

"Damn." She mutters before finishing the bottle, while struggling to stay upright on legs that are quickly refusing to continue to function. But she can't help but to squeak as she suddenly gets scoop up into surprisingly powerful arms, a smiling Eis looking at her.

"See? I knew I would sweep you off your feet before the night was out." He declares as he walks towards the door, the doorman nodding as he opens it for them.

"Finally! You learned how to flirt!" She declares with a giggle as she cuddles into his chest, enjoying the movement of powerful muscles obviously hidden underneath his dress shirt.

She almost wants to see them…

"I admit, there was more liquid courage pumping through my veins than blood at the time." He replies as he carries her through the lobby and towards the elevators. "But, I do believe we have traded places now."

"Ayup. And how can a beefcake like you still be single?!" She blinks as he chuckles while shaking his head.

"Willow, my twin, doesn't help matters there." He replies as the doors open and he steps in. "She firmly believes very few women are good for me."

"She's just being a good sister then." Fuck, he smells really good. And his wolf ears are so freaking cute! "My older brother's an asshole. But you? You're so cute I could almost eat you up like a tasty snack!"

Eis chuckles as he continues to hold her securely in his arms. "And you claim I'm bad at flirting?" He asks as he looks at her with those sky blues she's rapidly getting lost in.

"I'm drunk. I'm allowed to be bad at it." She declares with a wink. And then her sensitive nose catches the scent of spoiling wine, making her frown. "I stink."

"It's not that… WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU DOLT?!" She can't help but giggle as she stops unbuttoning her blouse to look at him.

"I'm stinky." Is her simple response before she returns to unbuttoning her red and black blouse, while the doors ding. But she can't help but to laugh as the white wolf makes a mad dash down the hallway and towards one of only two doors down the entire corridor.

Setting her down on her feet, she keeps laughing as he pats his pockets, obviously looking for a key or a scroll. Meanwhile, she finishes unbuttoning her blouse and slips out of it. And the look on his face as she stands there in just her bra, skirt, and heels, her blouse in her hands is absolutely priceless.

She can feel the warmth starting in her core. A warmth that won't be denied…

They barely get through the door before her lips are against his, while her hands work at unbuckling his belt. It's been a long twenty five years of chaste virginity, and her frustration is at a boiling point. She can feel her tail wagging so quickly it almost feels like it's going to fall off or go flying off, but she doesn't care. She's still fairly young, far from home, and he did present an excellent argument in that they'll never see each other again after tonight.

Ruby Rose is moaning within seconds. She is soon screaming within minutes. And Eis is full of shit if he's still a virgin in her eyes after bringing her to her first real orgasm ever. The first of many. But neither the rabbit faunus or the wolf faunus realize that she had moved a little bit too quickly, neither of them even considering using any kind of protection whatsoever...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Eis Schnee awakens with a start, clutching his head and groaning in his discomfort. After agreeing to go out with his partner, Flynt Coal, to a local pub popular with travelers simply passing through, he soon found himself drunk and flirting with…

All he can remember is her brilliant quicksilver eyes. Those and how much he had made her scream as they made passionate love in his now partially destroyed bed.

Glancing at the opposite side of said piece of furniture, he sighs as he realizes that she was already gone, only the smell of her perfume to prove the fact that she even existed. Noticing his bladder and the fact that it is demanding to be emptied, he finally stands and rushes into the bathroom, groaning at the fact that despite her absence, she still left several bite marks on his shoulders and chest, including one that appears to have drawn some blood.

He's more than a bit concerned that she's mate marked him, but he soon puts it out of his mind as he smells the first aroma of freshly brewed coffee coming from the kitchen. Grabbing a pair of shorts, he stops long enough to put them on before exiting and joining his sister, Willow.

"Good morning, Twit. I see you finally took advantage of me being gone and punched your v-card." Willow, like him, is unusually tall for a woman at six foot, one inches in height thanks to their birth father, a Mountain of a wolf faunus man. With her long, ankle length white hair, brilliant ruby red eyes, and curvy figure, she is possibly the most highly sought after bachelorette in all of Atlas and Mantle, despite her missing limb.

"Indeed, dolt. It was nice having the place to myself for a change." He replies quietly as he helps himself to the coffee. Looking around, he sighs as he notices that, once again, there is no sign of the young mystery woman who came home with him last night. A few small clues in the fact that his own clothes are still strewn about, the smell of laundry detergent and fabric softeners cling to the air, and her empty wine bottle is still in the garbage.

"Then perhaps I should return to Vale more often." She replies quietly as she slowly sips at her coffee, the mug held securely in her sole hand. "I found myself having a rather lovely evening of my own with a particularly handsome man around our age."

"Oh?" He asks curiously as he sits next to her and grabs at the morning paper. "Please say you at least caught his name." He adds while opening it to the classifieds to look for a small hunt of some kind to stay busy.

"Xiang Xiao Long, my dear twit. And let me guess, you once again showed your lack of manners by not introducing yourself properly?" She asks while shaking her head in disbelief.

"I will admit to being quite intoxicated. So much so that even Dad would have been lecturing me."

"Ouch. When even Daddy would be raising hell as he calls it, you know you overdid it somehow." She admits as she sets her coffee down and checks her messages. "I wish the guild would leave me alone." She suddenly blurts out angrily as she throws her scroll across the room and into a wall. "Why would I take a contract now?! When I am a diminished weakling!"

Seeing the coming meltdown, Eis puts his own search for work to the side to wrap his arms around his volatile twin. "Be at peace, sister. I'll go have a word with the general."

She nods as she bursts into tears while clinging to him. "Is it not bad enough to be a cripple, Eis?! Is it not torture enough to not even be able to look at myself in a mirror without feeling like a weakling?!"

"Shhhh, you are not a cripple, Noiry. You are the strongest woman I know. Not many can continue on like you have, living your life as you do with courage and passion." He whispers to her as he rubs her back.

All thoughts of figuring out who his mystery partner flee his mind as he begins to rock his sibling gently, while she weeps into his chest with almost bone shaking sobs of sorrow. It would be several hours before he is able to return to his room to make his bed, discovering a bracelet of some kind left behind on his mysterious guest's side of his bed. A bracelet with a burning rose set in the middle…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Ruby sighs as she settles deeper into her seat in the business class section of the Melta Airlines airship. After the events of her drunken night, as well as the rush to wash her clothes and get back to the airship port, she can only hope no one saw her walk of shame. Both of her mothers would kill her for pulling a Xiang, and Robin would be giving her shit for it for years to come.

But wow! What a night before all the rushing around!

As she settles down even more into her seat, while also curling up under the blanket she bought at the port, she is beginning to drift off when her scroll begins to vibrate insistently. Opening one silver eye, she begins to swear softly as she sees her older brother's grinning face on the screen. Grabbing an earbud out of her purse, she sighs as she puts it into one human ear and pushes the green button. "What?"

"Damn sis, is that any way to greet your favorite brother?"

"You're my only brother, thank the Goddesses, and I'm hung over."

"Awwww, poor poor bunny. It's been too Xiao Long since I took you out, hasn't it?" The older blonde replies impishly.

"Oh shut up, you obnoxious dragon!" Ruby snarls as she digs in her purse for some asprin or something to make the pounding in her head go away. "What do you want?!"

"I met someone."

"What's their name?" She asks as she motions to a flight attendant for something to drink, grateful the woman brings a bottle of water a moment later and not soda or alcohol.

"Her, thanks. I think I'm done with non binaries since Blake broke my heart and all." She can't help but to have a small moment of sympathy for her bisexual disaster of a brother. He had loved Blake Belladonna deeply, and the nonbinary panther faunus had broken his heart into pieces when they decided they were more interested in the fairer sex than him. Ruby and Raven both still have some choice words for the panther the next time they cross either woman's paths.

"Wow, an actual woman this time? You must be losing your touch with men again." She can't help but to tease him. She recognizes that tone of voice, and she wants him to stay positive.

"Correction: a black wolf faunus woman. A perfect black wolf faunus woman." She smiles at the delight in his voice, and quickly takes the headache medicine in her hand so that she can keep him on topic. "Tell me about her."

Ruby Rose keeps smiling as she settles back into her chair, under her new blanket, and listens to her brother tell her excitedly about this new woman he met while in Vale, while she was there on a business trip. At least until she realizes that her bracelet is missing…

[hyper-super-clover]

Squeeze that bunny tail!

Part 5 (final part)

Description: The RAD student council as well as the exchange students help out at a bar where, oops, the staff´s dress codes are those sweet bunny outfits that we all know and thirst for. The MCs, Violet and Clover, play a game of who can touch the most bunny tails over the evening without getting caught. Prepare for fluff, funny innuendos as well as my thirst over hot boys in bunny outfits.

This is the finale of this way too long "one shot". Find the prior parts here!

Story continues under the cut. You´re almost finished!!

Continuing to work at the bar for a while, Violet found a surprising guest on the other side of the counter.

“Clover! What are you doing here?"

Clover sank down on one of the chairs.

"A double shot, please" Clover joked, but probably wouldn't say no to a little refresher either.

"Tired?" Violet laughed, handing her a glass of water instead.

"Mhm..." Clover rubbed her face. "I´m slowly running out of energy... Well, how are your squeeze-points doing?"

They exchanged their data. While Violet was doing pretty well with a total of 17 points, Clover had (still) only gathered five points so far.

"Meh... I knew I'd loose" Clover mumbled.

"It's still not too late" Violet tried cheering her up. There's still plenty of time to touch Solom-"

"DONT." Clover shot her giggling friend a glare. "Look, it's not even anything personal, I just... Feel very weird inside when I imagine me walking up to Solomon like this."

Violet's smirk widened.

"You mean like... The fluttery feeling of butterflies in your stomach? Clover, could it be...?! That you lov-"

"I will eliminate you if you end this sentence."

She couldn't hide a smile at the joke, but soon Clover had to realise that her persistence to not squeeze Solomon's tail would have drastic consequences.

"You know...” Violet thought out loud at some point. "We never thought of a price for the winner of our challenge, did we?"

"... Nope."

The ideas kept processing in Violet's head. Then it hit her.

"Or maybe... Rather than thinking of a price, let's do a penalty for the loser."

Clover's eyes wandered up to meet hers, her face curling into a "I don't like where this is going" expression.

"How abooouut... The loser..." Violet began.

"Don't."

"... Has toooo..."

"Please don't."

"...Touch..."

"Why do you hate me."

"... Solomon's tail?" Violet grinned proudly.

"... You really hate me, don't you?"

"Come on, Clover" Violet cheered. "There's still time for you to score some points~!"

Clover wanted to reply something when a weird round of girly giggles caught their attention.

Around the dining tables, a group of female succubi where currently being served by Beel.

But they didn't seem to be interested in the drinks in his hand, but much rather in the man holding them. Even from the bar, the human girls could hear their excited squeals as they kept batting their eyes at the demon.

Clover's head landed on the bar counter in a depressed sigh.

"Whatever... I don't really care about the game anyway..."

In an instant, Violet's whole tone had changed.

"Clover..." She mumbled, voice soft as the patted her friend's head.

"It's been like this the whole evening" Clover grumbled, eyes pointing to the group of succubi. "I can't blame them, but... When I hear them thirsting over Beel, I…"

"Just go up to him" Violet said. "You know Beel, it's not like he'd be interested in some random demons."

The frown on Clover's face deepened. "... And in no random human, either..."

"Stop saying that. You know he likes your company. Likes you."

Clover shook her head.

"Just... Leave me, okay. Thank you, but... I'm just a little angry at myself. I also had so many chances to squeeze his tail but... Yeah..."

Violet clearly remained bothered, but Clover was quick to change the topic.

"Did you get that Luci-butt already?"

"... No" Violet cried. "He dashed away to grab Mammon, and they vanished in the staff room."

"... That's why Mammon was tied to the ceiling fan!" Clover called out. "Explains a lot."

Violet gave a nod, however continuing with her trail of thought.

"It's been quite a while, though... He should have been around the casino area, but wasn't there... And now he's on break, but, again, I have no idea where he is."

"Go search for him" Clover said. "I'll back you up here. I need something to do anyway, so... Go get your man. There's still his tail in need to be squished, right?"

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

They argued a little, but in the end, Violet accepted Clover's offer and excused herself into an early break. Violet was searching through the whole club. Asking some of the brothers, too, but none could give her a clue. She wasn't able to find him anywhere, so in her desperation, she went up to Simeon.

"Hey, Simeon? Have you seen Lucifer anywhere?"

The angel turned to greet her as well.

"Hello", he smiled. "Does he have a shift right now? If not, maybe he is using the restroom."

"Hm... I've been looking for him for a while now, though..."

Simeon mustered her for a moment.

"He might also be outside to catch some fresh air" he continued his trail of thought. "But I fear he might get a cold if he stays out for too long. Would you mind taking care of him?"

"Huh?" Violet's eyes widened in surprise.

"Lucy always had a bad habit of taking too little care of himself. So, could you check on him? I am sure he would be delighted to see you."

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

When Violet pulled open the heavy doors of the bar's back entrance, a head turned towards her immediately.

"Lucifer...!" she called out, looking down on the demon sitting on the stairs.

"Violet... Did something happen?"

He was already in the movement of standing up, worry spreading in his face.

"No no, everything's fine!" Violet quickly assured him. "I just came looking for you."

He stopped mid-motion, but in the end sat down again.

"Why?"

Violet bit her lip. She decided to plonk down beside him.

"I'm also on break now. I thought we could spend it together and relax a little."

She felt his gaze on her, but as soon as she turned to face him, he was looking off into the distance.

"I am pleased to hear you decided to grand me your free time" he smiled. Then, he gave a sigh.

"However... I should probably head back in soon. Someone might need my help-"

"S-stay!"

Violet impulsively grabbed Lucifer's arm before he could escape.

They stared at each other. Until Lucifer let out a breathy laugh.

"Well, if you demand my presence that much... I fear I cannot turn down a request from you."

A little silence came over them. From the side glances Violet threw him, the demon looked kind of... Odd.

"Ah... Is there something you need from me, perhaps?" Lucifer asked. "Or why is it that you want me to stay so badly?"

And from how he looked at her, his perfect attire not shattered, but shreds of exhaustion glistening in his eyes, Violet knew that he wasn't okay.

"I'm good", she replied. "I simply... Wanted to check if you're doing good, too."

Surprise crossed Lucifer's face.

"Of course" he replied. "I am used to working until late."

However, Violet kept inspecting him.

"... Are you worried about me?" he asked. She did not really answer with more than a guilty glance off to the side. "Your worry is misplaced. I am nothing out of the usual."

Violet almost gave a grumbly noise. So he wasn't going to break through his perfect face so easily, huh?

"Okay", she said, tone almost as if she didn't really care. "You know, because I feel kind of exhausted."

Lucifer was hesitating. "... Explain."

"We've been running around for hours" Violet began to list. "The music inside is rather loud, especially near the dance hall. Mammon keeps causing trouble... Well, not only him. It's always tricky dealing with an angry Satan, too, or Beel when he's hungry, or with Asmo when he's... horny..."

The demon interrupted her by giving a huff. He had seen through her plan.

"... So you've come to pity me? Do I seem that weak to you?"

"What? No!" she exclaimed. "I would never think of you as weak!"

She made a little pause. A little nervous, she stretched out her hand to link her pinky finger with his.

"But I... Also don't think it's a sign of weakness to share your exhaustion with others... Let alone to be exhausted in the first place."

His crimson eyes met hers.

"... Why would I be exhausted?" he mumbled. "Dealing with this scumbag of a brother, keeping Beel from illegally eating food supplies without paying for them... Asmo groping strangers, Satan mocking me on purpose... Levi clinging to my side, whining that he wants to go home like some toddler... Oh, did you know Belphie locked himself in one of the toilet stalls to sleep? For two whole hours?" he was waiting for her to laugh, but had to endure her worried expression. "And then there's Lord Diavolo... Mixing his own sparks of crazy into this chaos..."

Mumbling the last part, he looked down on his clothing... Or rather the places where he normally would wear some.

Then his head perked up again.

"Why should I be exhausted?" he asked again. "All that is... Nothing out of the usual..."

Violet's lips curled into a sad smile.

Now she placed his whole hand into her palms.

"You work really hard, Lucifer."

He tried a cheeky smirk. "Words of flattery won't be enough to convince..."

But Lucifer's voice trailed off.

One could even debate that his mouth fell open just a slight bit, seeing the look Violet gave him.

So warm that it truly caught him off guard...

As if admitting his defeat, Lucifer went silent.

He enjoyed how her thumb gently brushed over his hand for a while as he was taking breaths of the fresh midnight air.

Violet was patiently waiting for him until eventually, he would speak up again.

"Aren't you cold?" Lucifer asked. "Your human body surely isn't used to the temperatures of Devildom nights..."

"Huh? No, I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"Oh, surely you are..." The teasing tone in his voice was back. "And I'm sure your outfit is only helping, isn't it~?"

He shot Violet some obvious glances, leading her to instinctively cover her body in a blush.

"Like you're one to talk...!" she mumbled.

"You got me there..." he chuckled. "I would lend you a jacket if I had one, but..."

Lucifer silently gestured at the arm sleeves, shrugging in a manner of "nothin doin".

He got a laugh out of her, and his relief immediately showed on his face.

"Your smiling face will have to keep me warm, then" he said.

Violet's smile turned into a blush immediately.

"Oh~?", he smirked. "A blush is fine as well, thank you~"

Struggling, Violet turned away slightly, trying not to embarrass herself even more.

Then, she felt arms being wrapped around her.

"However, I fear I have to take responsibility for keeping you warm as well..." he murmured close to her ear. "After all, it is my fault you have to sit here..."

The girl turned, and wrapping her arms around him as well, nuzzled her face into his warm skin.

"It's not your fault", she replied softly. "I chose to come and find you."

"... I still don't understand why."

"I told you" Violet smiled. "There's nothing wrong with taking a break from time to time. And if I, in any way, can help you with that, I'd love to do so."

She heard him breathe softly as he was searching for a response.

"... Thank you", he decided to say.

She squeezed him tightly. "You're welcome."

"...Stay like this for a little longer" Lucifer asked of her when it felt as if Violet was trying to pull away.

Of course, she agreed, and so they relaxed into each other’s embrace for a little longer.

Without meaning to, over time Violet's arms were sliding down his body a little, just enough to accidentally brush over something fluffy with her fingertip.

But, oh well, who would even mind gathering points for some silly game when there was something -- or rather, someone else to focus on...

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

They only parted after Lucifer's phone pulled them back into reality.

Sighing, he announced the end of their break.

"I'm glad we are closing soon..." he mumbled and helped Violet stand up. "Although, cleaning the place will probably leave us with another hour of work until we finally get to head home..."

"It will be exhausting… But we'll power through it" Violet assured, squishing his hand in encouragement.

"Yes..." Lucifer nodded.

Then, he pulled her closer one last time, wrapping one arm around her waist while looking down into her eyes.

"However... I would much appreciate it if we could keep our break a secret."

"Uhm..." the girl blinked, confused. "Sure, but may I ask why?"

"No reason in particular... I would simply ask that as a personal favour."

Then, he leaned in closer. Resting his chin on her shoulder, his hand reached to her lower back.

And Violet gave a gasp as she felt how he provocatively played with her bunny tail.

"In return, I will keep your secrets safe, too."

He pulled back, responding to her dazzled expression with a sly smirk, before passing her to open the door.

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

Being the gentleman he was, Lucifer held the door open, smiling at the lady as he gestured her to step inside.

"Thank y..." Violet was about to say,

Then both of them looked inside the kitchen.

Beel stood there, together with Clover, both giggling as they snacked on some sweets.

Violet wanted to smile at the sight… But the "shit, we got caught" expression on both of their faces, paired with Lucifer's tangible anger, made her frown instead.

"... Oops" Clover and Beel pressed out, simultaneously letting go of the meringues they had in their hands.

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

To understand how that situation came to existence, we should go back in time to take a look at Clover's side of the story.

She was cleaning the tables when yet another giggle pulled her out of her thoughts.

The girl felt tired, and had started to count down the minutes left until she could finally go home.

She was really done with life. And those certain giggles made it only worse. She would admit that she wasn't good with things like jealousy.

She just couldn't deal with it.

Not in a way like Mammon, for example, was expressing his tsundere feelings.

No, her way of coping was more... Self hating (like Levi I guess),

And hearing for yet another time how some hot demon girls called a certain waiter over to them drove her insane.

"Do you want to try my cake, Beel~?"

Clover flinched.

She peeked up to see how a demon caressed Beel's arm as she waited for his answer to her question.

Clover couldn't see his face, but, judging from his tone, he was wearing his usual frown.

"... I'm not allowed to eat the food we serve..."

"Oh, don't be like that..." The demon responded, loading some cake onto her fork. "It's my cake now, so I decide who gets to eat it. And I really want yooouuuu..."

She stopped, then one of her friends giggled.

"Are you going to finish that sentence?"

"It's already finished", she purred, seductively winking at Beel before leading the fork up to his face.

Beel was hesitating, for two whole seconds, before chomping down on both, cake and fork.

"Oh... Not again..." He mumbled.

The girls gave a giggle.

"Beel, you're such a beast!" The main (bitch) demon hummed. "That's no good, though... I wanted to feed you another bite, but how, without fork...?"

"Guess you´ll have to do mouth to mouth feeding...", Another chick chuckled.

And as the demon girl stood up to do exactly that, Clover stomped away impulsively.

In her fury, she didn't notice how someone was calling for her. She targeted the table in the most opposite corner possible as someone pulled her arm.

Belphie was staring at her, holding her by her wrist.

"... You're pathetic" he said.

"Thank you, tell me something I don't know yet." Clover pulled her arm out of his grip. "And, what, you've got nothing better to do then watch me be pathetic?"

Belphie blinked in surprise. “I would usually agree that it´s pretty funny to watch you get angry, but I´ve seen you be like this all night. What´s getting you this agitated?”

A deep frown spread on her face, but Clover didn´t answer. So Belphie looked back to Beel.

“Is it because of the succubi? Because of Beel?”

“… Please, leave me alone…”

She didn’t see his worried expression as Belphie was trying to figure the answer to his question.

“… Are you really this insecure?” He finally decided to ask.

As her only response was a short side glare with wet eyes, Belphie understood she wouldn´t talk about it.

“Really… Both of you can be such a pain to deal with…” Belphie breathed before leaving Clover alone.

And Clover felt even worse now.

Not only being so horrible inside, but Belphie tried to help her and she rejected it.

She fought tears as she furiously wiped the already clean table.

Pathetic. Yes, she was so pathetic. Honestly, Beel was probably in better company with those succubi than with an idiotic, childish human like her-

Clover got lifted off of the ground.

Squealing, she noticed too late how arms had wrapped around her thighs, leading her to now flail in the air in panic.

"Wh-what?!" Clover panicked.

"It's time for a break" She felt the culprit cheering into her back.

"... Beel?"

Beelzebub began to head through the local, the girl still in his arms.

"Let's go to the kitchen" he said. "Belphie just told you need a break, and I need your help with something..."

Clover gave some more confused noises, but it was impossible to move in the demon's grip anyway.

"O-okay, but... You don't have to carry me, I'm probably heavy..."

She felt him chuckle. "Heavy? I can carry you with one arm. Look!"

He stretched out his right arm to demonstrate. Beel led them into the kitchen.

The local wasn't serving any food at this late hour, so they appeared to be alone here.

"U-uhm... Beel, are you going to put me down somewhen soon, or...?"

"Yeah, soon..." he mumbled, then walked up to one of the shelves hanging on the wall. "Do you perhaps see anything on top of the shelf?"

Clover tilted her head.

"Yeah, there's a box of... What's that...? Meringues?"

Absolutely delicious meringues!"

Clover gave a little chuckle at the excitement in his voice, but her expression did a full turn when she saw the note attached to the box:

'BEEL. DO NOT EAT.'

"Could you get them for me?" Beel smiled innocently.

The girl hesitated, so Beel asked again. "Please, I can't reach them alone. The shelf is up too high."

"Well... I'm guessing someone hid them there on purpose..."

"Please, Clover... I'm so hungry..."

But as he realised she wasn't going to hand him the box that easily, he let her down to rest on the counter they had been standing in front of.

"Beel, I know you're hungry, but..." she began, however halted as she noticed how terribly tired he looked.“... Are you okay?"

The demon gave a little sigh. "No... I'm exhausted... Not like after training, but just... drained." He leaned against the counter next to her. "What about you? Aren't you tired? Have the customers been nice to you?"

"Huh? Yeah, they have."

"Good" he nodded. "We were afraid that some of the guests might harass you or Violet, but I guess Lucifer's official warning was enough to scare them off..."

Clover fiddled with her fingers.

"There was no need to worry, though. I don't think anyone would have approached us… or me, at least" she said, laughing awkwardly. "I don't have a fair share of people crushing on me like you, hahaha..."

Beel looked at her. "Good. You don't need any demons trying to seduce you. I wouldn't want you to go through a hassle like this..."

"... You don't like the attention?"

He shrugged. "Not really... But I have to be nice to them, so I tend to just ignore what they say. I won't say no to free food or extra money, but... I don't really see why they behave like this."

Clover chuckled, feeling relief at his words.

"Diavolo already said it... Good-looking staff makes more profit."

Beel blinked at her, processing her words. "... Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for" Clover smiled shyly.

He went silent.

"No... No, there is", Beel then suddenly said, pushing himself off the counter to stand in front of her again. "I've been hit on the whole evening, but... somehow, it feels nice if you're the one to compliment me... You always make me feel nice inside. And for that, I should thank you."

He blessed her with a smile that, obviously, was directly followed by the girls' heart exploding in the love she felt for this man.

However, he still gave off odd vibes.

"...Beel?" Clover called out, seeing how he was deeply contemplating something.

"I was thinking of thanking you with some... Meringues" his smile widened.

"... Beel."

"They're supposed to be delicious! I could feed them to you... If I manage to contain myself. But I'd try really hard, because it´s for you.”

"Beel..." Clover sighed, watching as his puppy grin spread on his face more and more.

"Wouldn't that be nice to feed each other a nice treat...?" he changed into begging puppy eyes.

They stared at each other.

"Beel."

"Clover?"

"We both know you have wings, or could have simply climbed onto the counter if you wanted to get those sweets."

"... But I wanted to share them with you...?"

"We also both know how Lucifer tends to cast spells on the things that you are absolutely not allowed to eat. But those tend to apply to demons only most of the time."

Beelzebub went silent.

"What was that earlier?” Clover continued. “About you not wanting me to be lured by demons? And now, I find myself sweet-talked like this?"

His face had ultimately changed into sulking puppy mode.

"... But I... I'm... I really mean what I said…"

Clover crossed her arms.

"You're a sly demon, mister" she scolded. "And to think you'd take advantage of me like this...!" She fake cried in disbelief.

"I'm sorry..." he pouted.

Silence came over them, in which Clover fully knew that he was thinking of both, how to make it up to her AND how to achieve his goal anyway.

His idea surprised her, though.

"... Want to touch my bunny tail?"

"... Huh?"

"I've seen you and Violet do this to the others" Beel said. "I don't why, but you seemed to have fun, so..." He turned around to expose his tail. "AND I'll treat you with some of the meringues, of course", he added as he noticed Clover was seriously considering his offer.

Clover was grunting something. "Lucifer will kill us", she said.

"He doesn't have to find out."

"... You're evil..."

"Well, I AM a demon, after all" Beel laughed.

And as he teasingly wiggled his tail at her, Clover gave in to the temptation...

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

"Beel... Clover... Would you care to explain what I have to look at right now...?"

Lucifer crossed his arms as he spoke.

Yeah, they were SO screwed.

"... Uhm..." Beel started to mumble while Clover felt her stomach turn in guilt.

"Beel" Lucifer called out again. "Could those be the meringues that I have personally bought and reserved for me to enjoy after work?"

"... There was no name written on it" the avatar of Gluttony said.

Lucifer pierced him with an angry stare. Then he turned towards Clover.

"And you" his tone had the girl shiver visibly. "Demons were unable to touch that box. Hence, I assume it was you who got them? AND ate them, as well?"

"I forced her to do it" Beel immediately chimed in.

"Huh?” Clover blinked in surprise. "Beel, no... I got them! And asked Beel to try them with me. It's my f-fault" she lied.

Now Beel was the one to look confused, and the two kind of drowned in a spiral of trying to protect the other one. But the ruckus only fueled Lucifer's displease.

Already stressed out, he felt like he was about to explode.

If not for Violet who kept him steady.

"Lucifer" she mumbled in a mellow voice, stroking over his arm in a calming gesture. "Don't stress yourself. They will buy you a new package."

Lucifer shot her about the same angered glare as he had done with the others, but softened as he mustered her comforting smile.

With a sigh, Lucifer stepped closer to Beel and Clover.

"... You are lucky to have Violet standing up for you..." he mumbled. "As compensation, I order three boxes of those meringues. Oh, and when we close the bar, do not expect to leave until everything is as tidy as can be."

"Y-yes, sir...!"

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

Slowly (very slowly I know) but steadily, the evening came to an end...

A lot has happened, way too much to fit into this... One shot... Story... * glances at the total approximate reading time of one hour*

...Well. Let's not talk about that...

A little after 4 AM, every last customer had left the bar/ had been carried out of the dancing hall (like, a few of the most drunk ones literally had to be yeeted out of the local.)

Now everything that was left was cleaning up the local.

Lucifer took it upon himself to punish all of his brothers - and Clover - for annoying him at some point during this event. So those appeared to have an extra load of work, while he pulled Violet aside with him for some more leisure cleaning.

Around five in the morning, it seemed like the bunny crew was finally finished.

"Alright..." Barbatos mumbled, stepping out of the last hall he needed to check. "It seems we are done. All that is left is to take out the trash as we go."

"... How are we supposed to take out the trash? Mammon is still tied to the ceiling" Belphie mumbled casually.

"WHO DID YOU JUST CALL TRASH?!" Some Mammon screamed from the staff's room.

Clover mustered them in amusement, when Violet walked up to her.

"Ooooh, Clooveerrrr...." the girl hummed in a rather... Scary tone.

"... I don't like the look on your face" Clover stated in growing fear.

"You know... We still need to see who's won the challenge" Violet grinned.

Clover crossed her arms. "... Do we really need to compare?"

"Yes."

"Uggghhh..." Clover frowned. She pulled out her phone:

-------

Clover: Lord Diavolo? May we ask how many points you have?

Diavolo: I managed to gather 12 points, fair and square. How many do you two have?

Violet: I have 20 points in total... Although I'm not 100% sure if Lucifer noticed me earlier...

Clover: ...

* Clover has left the chatroom *

------

"Violet, I don't want to do this."

Clover's friend mustered her with a smirk.

"Well..." Violet hummed. "I'm not forcing you, but... You did loose, after all..."

"Violeeet..."

"And look" she pointed at the hall in front of the dressing rooms. "He's standing there, alone, for some reason... It's fate, Clover."

Clover gave the ugliest growl.

But in the end she walked up to Solomon.

She didn't even know how to approach this. Should she try to make it sneaky, or just awkwardly ask?

Legs wobbly, Clover came to a stop behind the sorcerer, reaching out her hand in the same moment that he turned around to face her.

"Oh, hello", Solomon cheered. "Can I help you?"

She flinched backwards.

"Uuhhhh..."

Solomon gave her a confused look, but didn't get to say anything.

Coincidentally, Levi happened to walk up to them as well, wanting something from Solomon.

The human turned around as the two talked.

And finally…

Solomon's bunny tail got touched.

...

Clover escaped immediately. Avoiding any kind of interaction, at all costs.

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

The last thing to do before everyone could return home was getting dressed normally again.

And everyone felt so tired that they really just wanted to hit the hay, when...

A panicked scream rang out of the stall Clover was changing in.

"... Clover?" Violet called out, already dressed normally again.

The girl gave continuous panicked noises, pressed out random “What is happening-?!”´s.

Then, all of a sudden, silence came over them.

“Cl… Clover…?” Visibly concerned, Violet was standing in front of the stall´s door, unsure what to do. As she didn´t get an answer, she was trying to open the door, but it was locked.

She had to hurry to get someone to help, and as her face screamed “we have trouble”, most of her friends came to look what was going on.

Barbatos had to help open the stalls door, and when Violet carefully pushed it open…

They saw a small, brown bunny sitting on the floor.

Its green eyes were staring up into the countless pairs of puzzled eyes as they tried to understand the situation.

Violet was the first one to move again. She slowly lowered herself, reaching out to the animal.

“Is that you… Clover?”

“HUH?!”

Half of the people there stared at the girl in disbelief.

“You´re telling me THIS is CLOVER??” Mammon asked with big eyes. Violet had picked the bunny up and stepped out of the stall to get a better look at Clover.

“What happened to her?” Beel asked, worry spread over his face.

Bunny Clover seemed to understand their words. Or at least, she suddenly turned her fluffy head, staring directly at Solomon.

And, well, the sorcerer stared back, an amused smile on his face.

"Ah... So Clover DID touch my tail, after all!"

"... What."

The whole group was now demanding answers.

Solomon chuckled, placing his gaze on Violet now. "I was waiting until one of you would finally approach me and touch my tail... But oddly, none of you seemed to have interest in touching it... I thought I had made myself an easy target, but I must have made it too obvious..."

Violet´s mouth fell open a tad bit.

"... So you really knew of our challenge?" She dared to ask.

But Solomon would only continue to laugh.

"I honestly thought my efforts would go to waste..." He mustered the bunny in her arms. "Don't worry though, the spell will wear off eventually."

"Eventually??" Levi repeated.

"Yes, in a few days or so."

"WHAT?!"

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

The whole way back to the house of Lamentation, Violet had to deal with this grumpy, pissed, simply angwy bunny in her arms. Clover couldn´t speak, but the little facial expression she could give said it all.

“Hey, Cloverrr…” Violet attempted to cheer her up. “Don´t look at me like that… It was fun, wasn´t it?”

Bunny Clover snuffled grumpily.

Yeah, yeah, she thought. It´s all fun and games until it´s about Solomon.

Meanwhile, Bunny Clover had to endure how the brothers kept poking her fluffy fur or took pictures of her.

If she could, Clover would have given a big sigh.

THIS is exactly why I don't trust Solomon... Never did, never will...

[riverthunder]

The Stars in Our Skies

For @thespacecryptid for the @ironstrangehaven Gift Exchange ❤️

Link to AO3 Post: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28625829

Notes:

Alrighty, so first I need to apologize to my giftee, TheSpaceCryptid. I tried to finish your gift early, and I want to say I had it done sometime between the 15th and the 20th? And after a lazy Christmas Day I went into my Google Drive to post this and it was just... gone. I have no idea what happened. So I had to redo the whole thing from scratch. In some ways I like this version a lot more, though- and in others I think the original was a little better? But overall I'm pleased with this.

You had a lot of ideas I absolutely adore- like Asexual Stephen (insert my heart eyes here), and stargazing dates, and these two being professors. Just. Mwah. Beautiful.

Also, I'm tagging this as Teen due to some discussions of sex- nothing graphic, though, obviously- since I headcanon ace Stephen as a sex-repulsed asexual like myself.

I hope you like the fic and your bonus artwork to make up for how late this ended up being! Apologies again!!

The Stars in Our Skies

Tony stared just a little bit as the new astronomy teacher strolled into the break room and began fixing himself a cup of oolong tea. He had a beautiful face, with sharp cheekbones and a well-defined jaw, as well as piercing, beautiful eyes. Tony also had a funny feeling that he’d met the astronomy teacher many times before, but he couldn’t put a finger on where.

He knew Professor Strange had been a surgeon back in the day, and he was sure he’d seen him at some of the galas he’d attended in his youth. But it felt like he’d seen Strange more recently than that.

He was very obviously distracted during his class, and he gave up on whatever physics explanation he’d been trying to give the poor engineering class he was clearly confusing, and told them to just go ahead and work on homework, giving them a bonus extra two days on his latest paper as well to top it off while he sat back down at his desk to think.

At the end of the period, two of his best students came to sit next to him.

“Everything okay, Professor Stark?” Peter asked while Harley gave him a knowing smile.

“Fine, boys, just a little off my rhythm is all,” Tony said, trying to look unconcerned.

“You sure?” Harley asked innocently. “Sure it’s not something else? A certain someone, maybe? Like… I dunno… the hot new astronomy professor?”

Tony had been taking a drink of coffee and choked on it at Harley’s words, which was decidedly not good, since the coffee was still piping hot thanks to his specially designed insulated mug. “I- you- what?” Tony spluttered.

“What?” Harley asked innocently. “He’s kinda like you, Professor. A silver fox. He’s smokin’.”

“Harley!” Peter said indignantly. “You can’t say that about a professor!”

Harley shrugged. “Too bad, it’s true, Pete. ‘Sides, Professor Stark should come to terms with the idea.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed suspiciously at Harley’s tone. “Oh really?” He asked. “Why?”

Harley shrugged innocently. “Because I wrote Professor Strange a note in your handwriting and hid it in his desk drawer asking him to go on a date with you tonight at 8:00.”

Tony stood up so quickly his coffee mug almost spilled all over the papers he’d collected from his first period, but before he could shout at Harley at the top of his lungs, a certain handsome professor was standing in his doorway.

“Oh,” Stephen said, looking from Tony to their students. “I’m sorry, are you busy? I could come back another time.”

He was holding a piece of paper that had obviously been folded a few times in one of his trembling hands.

“No, we were just leaving,” Harley said sweetly.

Peter felt himself blushing for some reason as he passed Professor Stark a quick note of his own. “Um, I just wanted to know if you’d please check my work on these chemistry notes,” he said.

Tony glanced down at them. A new web-fluid design. He nodded to Peter. “Yes. Yes. I’ll look them over and e-mail you with any necessary changes.”

“Thanks!”

Without another word, Peter seized Harley’s upper arm and dashed out of the room, while Harley laughed and tried to protest, clearly thrilled with watching Tony flounder in the presence of his crush. You could hardly blame him. Seeing Tony Stark, Iron Man, who was a professor for fun, flounder, was a rare and almost unheard of sight.

“Hello, Professor Stark,” Strange said politely, and Tony felt his face heating up. “Um- hi- I-”

“I am very sorry,” Stephen said, setting the note in his hand down on Tony’s desk. Tony caught a glimpse of the handwriting- fucking identical to his own. That damn Keener brat. When Tony got his hands on him-

“But I am afraid I must decline your invitation.”

Oh.

Tony hadn’t even known he was asking Stephen on a date a few minutes ago, but somehow Stephen’s words still stung.

“Oh,” he said out loud. “Uh… busy?”

“No,” Stephen replied.

Yeah, that definitely hurt.

“Oh.” Tony glanced at the note and quickly plucked it off the desk. “Okay. That’s fine, I understand. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable with this.”

“You didn’t,” Stephen told him. “It was actually very flattering. But I don’t think you would like to be in a relationship with me, so I am afraid I must decline.”

Wait, what?

“Uh… sorry, you lost me,” Tony said awkwardly.

Stephen chuckled. “I identify as asexual,” he explained. “Specifically, a sex-repulsed asexual. And from what I know of your past...er, love life, I think it’s better if I decline the invitation altogether. I don’t want to upset you because you want to have sex and I don’t.”

Tony’s eyes widened. “So it is an ace ring!” He said, pointing at the black ring on Stephen’s middle finger on his right hand. “Rhodey called me crazy and said it was a swinger’s ring!”

Stephen blinked in surprise and glanced down at his ring. “Er- yes, it is,” he agreed.

“Cool! Okay.” Tony shot him a smirk. “In that case- are you an ace of spades?”

Stephen looked shocked. “You- you know about the card suits?”

“Sure do,” Tony said proudly.

Stephen narrowed his eyes. “Okay then- who uses the ace of diamonds?”

“Demisexuals and demiromantic asexuals,” Tony said. “Ace of clubs is for graysexual and grayromantic, ace of spades is for aromantic asexuals, and ace of hearts is for romantic asexuals.”

He grinned, and Stephen had to crack a smile. “Very impressive.”

“So, what’s your suit, Doc?” Tony asked, grinning at him, and Stephen had to resist the urge to let that smile widen.

“Ace of hearts. I’m a romantic asexual.”

Tony grinned. “I can work with that.”

Stephen allowed his face to fall into a small frown. “Tony, I-”

“Look, Doc, I don’t need sex to be happy,” Tony said. “I’ve had loads in my day, yeah, but I’m a big boy and frankly, I think it’s about time I had a relationship that wasn’t so focused on it. If you’re good with a romantic relationship, I can be happy with one, too.”

Stephen chuckled despite himself. “Persistent, aren’t you?”

“Very,” Tony said, a bit smugly.

Stephen chuckled. “Very well.” He wrote something on a small scrap of paper and offered it to Tony, taking back the note Harley had written. “You can pick me up there, at 8:00.”

“I’ll be there,” Tony said, snatching the fake letter back. “And I’ll give you something actually written by me then.”

~(*)~

Tony pulled up to the house on Bleecker Street. Huh… looked kinda like a museum, to be honest.

The elegant Professor Strange was already walking to meet the car. “Right on time,” he teased, climbing in. He looked like he was putting on a brave face as he entered, and Tony took note of the way Stephen’s hand reached for the cabinet handle on the inside of the door.

Tony bit his lip. “I just like to be on time to things,” he said casually, placing his right hand on the console if Stephen wanted to hold it too, or instead.

Stephen nodded. “Well, I appreciate it. So, what’s the plan for our date?”

“I think you told Professor Verity that you like ramen from Samurai Noodle, right?”

Stephen smiled. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Great! Then we’re getting take-out,” Tony told him, grinning to himself. “And I have a great idea of where we can eat it.”

“Oh? And where is that, exactly?”

“It’s a secret,” Tony said, smirking. “Are you ready to go?”

Stephen nodded, looking amused as he took Tony’s free hand on the console. “That I am. Let’s go, Professor Stark.”

Tony snorted as he started the car. “Alright.”

He tried to sound cool, but he knew that he had started blushing.

~(*)~

“So what exactly are we doing in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night?” Stephen asked as Tony laid a large blanket out in one of the large fields near the Avengers Compound.

“Why?” Tony asked, smirking at him. “Don’t you trust me?”

Stephen chuckled. “Is that your way of saying you’re secretly an ax murderer about to eviscerate me in the middle of this field, free of any witnesses?”

“Ouch,” Tony complained. “You’re really good at wounding someone’s ego, you know that, Strange?”

“So what’s the real reason we’re out here, then?” Stephen asked, amused.

“Lay down,” Tony ordered, pointing to the blanket. “And look up.”

Stephen did so, and gasped in surprise. “The stars….” He breathed, sounding mesmerized.

“That’s right,” Tony said, smiling at him. “Not to easy to see them in the city. But I figured you’re the Astronomy Professor… maybe you’d like to see them more clearly? Maybe teach me something I don’t know?”

“Lay down,” Stephen ordered quietly. “There… Orion the Hunter. Can you see his belt? The three stars, just here.”

“Oh… right,” Tony said. “Isn’t he that dude everyone says Artemis loved?”

“A common misconception these days,” Stephen murmured. “In many of the myths, Artemis was actually the one to kill him, on purpose, for harassing her friends, the Pleiades, or she would encourage someone else to kill him for her, such as Apollo. He’d summon a giant scorpion to kill Orion, which many believe is Scorpio, as the two constellations aren’t around at the same time. When Scorpio rises, Orion vanishes.”

“Cool,” Tony said softly, staring up at the night sky with Stephen. “What else can you see?”

“Sirius, the Dog Star, Orion’s hunting dog,” Stephen said, pointing to the bright star. You can see the constellation Taurus there. Gemini there. Monoceros is there, very faint. You see? Look closely.”

“Beautiful,” Tony murmured, resting his head on Stephen’s chest as he gazed up at the sky.

Stephen smiled to himself and wrapped an arm around him. “Hmm. Not as beautiful as you,” he murmured in a thoughtful voice, making Tony blush.

~(*)~

“Was that an okay date?” Tony wondered as he drove Stephen back to Bleecker Street.

Stephen smiled at him. “You don’t know?”

“Not really,” Tony admitted. “And I kinda wanna… you know. Do this again.”

Stephen chuckled as they reached the museum door. Wait… how come even the building looked sort of familiar? And the street…?

“Well, in that case… it was a perfect date, Professor Stark.” Stephen leaned over, kissing his lips gently. “And I expect to go on another one with you very soon.”

“Sure,” Tony said, a little breathlessly, his eyes wide as he stared at Stephen. “Whatever you want….”

“Perfect.” Stephen smiled at him, and suddenly something long, red, and fluttering was at his throat, gently tugging him out of the car. “Alright, Levi, alright. I’m coming,” Stephen murmured, reaching out to stroke the red fabric.

Tony stared at it. A sentient cloak….

Wait- was he-?

Stephen was already disappearing inside the door when Tony found his voice, so he couldn’t ask him directly. He sat in the dark of his car, dumbfounded, and feeling his heart pounding. Was that the kiss, his sudden epiphany, or both?

“FRIDAY?”

“Yes, Boss?” Chirped the cool Irish accent.

“Am… am I dating the Sorcerer Supreme?”

Extra Notes:

To clarify the "Stephen is the Sorcerer Supreme but Tony doesn't recognize him but is sure he's met him before" thing- I headcanon that Stephen's magic acts as a sort of "barrier" to his identity- and just protects his identity for him. I got the idea from Cute High Earth Defense Club actually- where the villains and heroes can't really recognize each other as specific students when they meet due to "radio interference" almost- but in my Stephen headcanon, it's more that the magic puts a sort of veil over Stephen, so Tony is sure he's met him before, but he can't put his finger on where until he recognizes Cloakie and goes "oh shit, Stephen's the Sorcerer Supreme I've been battling monsters with???"

[voidstilesplease]

stand and watch me burn

~•~

Life is hard for a street rat. It's easier to steal than beg; easier to run than find a decent paying job; better to be insolent than treated a low-life for circumstances that he has no control over - like being an orphan, having no one to turn to. So Theo grabs his food for the day while the baker's back is turned and runs for his life back into the hole where he hides. He knows the marketplace up, down, and sideways, and so he traces his shortcut and ducks, rolls, jumps, dashes like his every step a rehearsed practice.

He turns the corner of the bookshop that no one visits and unexpectedly crashes into someone walking out of the establishment, promptly sending them sprawling to the ground. Theo's stolen long bread flies from his hand, and he crawls immediately to retrieve it. Before he can stand, a hand catches the back of his shirt, halting his escape. 

"Ha!" The baker cries triumphantly. "You little rascal. I'm going to whip you fifty times for stealing my bread."

Theo tries to break free, but a crowd has already gathered, surrounding them and congratulating the baker for finally catching the pest. The baker is already hauling him away when someone places himself in front of them, blocking their way.

"Mr. Baker," the boy, around Theo's age but clean, freckled, and not dressed in rags, tells the baker. "There's no need to whip the boy."

The baker's face contorts, "He stole from me,"

The intercepting boy nods and fishes something out from his pocket. He opens his palm and reveals silver coins. "I'll pay for the bread,"

The baker scoffs, "This isn't the first bread he took from me. If anything, I should give him a hundred whips and make him clean my shoes for a whole year."

Theo sneers at this, sending a glare to the smug baker.

The boy's hand disappears once more inside his pocket and takes out more silver, a few bronzes, and one gold coin to offer them to the baker, "If this isn't enough, I promise to buy bread from you for the next month and pay an extra coin each time."

The baker considers the offer. With a huff, he releases Theo and accepts the coins from the boy, pocketing them. He agrees to the proposal, "I know your father. If you fail to follow up on your promise, I know where to collect." He gives Theo a once-over, shoves the long bread to his chest, spits to the side, and walks away.

When Theo turns to the boy, he's already walking in the other direction, picking up his book that fell upon their collision without another glance at Theo.

He doesn't want to feel indebted to anybody, so against his judgment, Theo runs.

But he runs to catch up with his savior.

•••

The boy's name is Stiles, he discovers, son of the mayor's newly-appointed head guard. He doesn't usually run errands to the market, but since his father got the job, Stiles is now in-charge of basically all of the house chores.

"What about your mother?"

His smile turns a little wistful, "She passed away."

"Oh," is all Theo can say in reply.

They walk in relative silence, following a path that Theo hasn't visited before. In some distance, a hut peeks into view. It's a little far from the village and also away from other neighboring households. It's peaceful.

"You didn't have to follow me," Stiles says when they reach the hut. "I don't expect anything in return."

"I owe you," Theo says determinedly. "Besides, I don't need to worry about food all day," he raises the bread pointedly. "So, I might as well use my time to pay my debt. Do you have a table I can fix, or a bed, a broken chair, or a stable to clean, or chickens to feed?"

Stiles gives a small laugh, shaking his head. "None of those,"

"Well, what can I do?" Theo insists. "I'm not leaving until I do something in return for you."

The boy's eyes soften. He glances around at the quiet space, then responds with a smile, "You can keep me company, perhaps."

Theo wants to protest at the unusual request, but he keeps quiet when Stiles lead them away. They go to the backyard where Stiles sits by a mound of soil, putting the book he got from the bookshop on a stone. He places an open palm on the ground, eyes slightly moist.

"What's this?"

Stiles doesn't look up, but he replies, caressing the lone marigold sitting on top of the small hill. "It's the tomb of my mother. She didn't want herself buried in the cemetery."

Theo is surprised by this, but he keeps his end of the bargain and stays with Stiles.

•••

Against Theo's judgment, he comes back the next day bearing flowers. He knocks and hands the bundle to Stiles when he comes to answer.

"I did not steal them," he says when Stiles looks down at the marigolds in suspicion. "I weeded a garden and got them for free."

Stiles is silent for a moment, staring alternatingly at Theo and the bundle in his hand. Then, slowly, the corners of his lips tilt upwards. He invites Theo inside and serves him bread with hot cocoa.

The next day, Theo comes back again. He gives the flowers to Stiles, and Stiles gives him homemade food.

And it continues for days, weeks, and when a month has passed, Theo brings flowers and now marigold seeds. They plant them by the tomb. Theo comes every day to water the plant, and Stiles always nurtures a smile on them, face breaking like the dawn, warmer than anything Theo knows.

•••

"What do you want to be, Theo?" Stiles asks one day, watching him pour water on their sprouting plants.

Theo thinks about it for a second, "A soldier," he declares. "My father was one. But he got injured in a war and never came home."

Stiles only gives him a nod of understanding.

"How about you?" Theo passes the question.

Stiles's answer is quick, sure. "A healer."

•••

Somehow, Stiles does become one. The marigold garden blooms and Stiles starts picking up the flowers and chopping, juicing, and mixing them into weird liquid concoctions.

He tells Theo that his mother used to talk to him about brewing with herbs and flowers, specifically the marigold, as bedtime tales. He has committed to memory every one of them and finally has the urge to try the procedures.

When Theo takes a sip of one of the brews, the scabbing wound in his hand from gardening smoothens right before their eyes.

When Theo catches the flu one time, he upends a vial of Stiles's marigold oil and quickly recovers before he can put the lid back on the empty bottle.

When Theo nails himself building a shelf for Stiles, they pour Stiles's recipe onto the open, bleeding wound, and it closes and disappears in an instant.

When there's an opening for training soldiers, Theo signs himself up and bathes in a tub of flowers and leaves, mesmerized at the way Stiles whispers to the water like a command. He watches the water respond, pulsing and glowing around him, and turn him feeling invincible.

Theo doesn't know how Stiles does what he does, but he's doing a better job than most healers in the village.

•••

But Theo finds out the reason many years later when he comes home revered as a hero, the one blessed by gods never to bleed or know defeat, to the one dear to his heart tied and burning alive in the pyre.

There's no judgment; he doesn't think. He just runs.

~•~

prompt link

[mo-mo-and-porkchop]

Umbrella academy fiction

Chapter 1

Canon and OC; Deigo x OC, Klaus x OC platonic

*as always I do not own any part of the canon characters or show. I am merely writing my own adaptation to the storyline. Nor do I own any gifs/gif credit.

**I do own all things related to the OCs and additional story elements. And apologies, I couldn't find any "young" gifs of them, but they are all meant to be young adults to show age in this fic.

Tagging: @imcrowley , @wicked-bitch-of-the-west

On a typical sunny day in 1989 a girl was born under extraordinary circumstances - her mother beginning the day not pregnant and ending it with a newborn girl. Reginald Hargreaves was unable to purchase their gift from God, but as fate would have she would still become linked to the obsessive billionaire through Klaus, his disappointing Number Four.

One fateful night in her bar thrust the two into each other's life and they soon became close friends, their tragic pasts a common denominator. Emily tried to aid her friend and his family in thwarting the apocalypse, but her life ultimately lost when the shit inevitably hit the fan.

This is not that story.

Our story takes place five years after the Hargreaves family jumped back in time after unsuccessfully saving the world; bringing with them all the knowledge gained from their first chance at life.

-----

"I'm telling you Diego. We can do this," Klaus said pleadingly to his brother. "She said if she had only gotten out a few years earlier, she would have had a better chance at life. We can give her that chance."

Diego stopped just outside his room. He eyed Klaus as he begged for him to agree.

"Please Diego. She is...was my friend," he corrected himself. This time travel thing was hard to get used to. "I owe it to her to at least try."

It was true that Emily had been as good a friend as someone could to Klaus back then. He'd beena raging drug addict who brought nothing but chaos. There weren't many people who could handle something like that. She'd been one of the few; even managing to get him into rehab a few times.

Not that it had mattered. Klaus had a standing bed there back then and the staff a running pool on how short his next break would last.

But it had been obvious she at least cared for him. And that was more than Diego could say for himself. Klaus was his brother and he had given two shits at the time if he lived or died.

"Fine," he finally agreed.

"Yes!" Klaus said quietly, but triumphantly.

With his second time around, he wanted to get it right. Make amends for his previous infractions.

Starting with this.

"But we do this my way. You got it," he said definitively, getting close enough to stop Klaus' little victory dance. He wanted to make sure his brother understood just how serious he was.

"Got it," Klaus said with a mock salute. "If I remember correctly, right around now would be the 'Halloween lockdowns' as Em liked to call it," Klaus said with a small smirk Diego's way.

His brother looked at him confused "Lockdowns? Where is she? A prison?"

Oh, that's right. He doesn't know.

It had taken Klaus awhile to pull what nuggets she had revealed of her past. He knew, without a doubt, Diego hadn't gotten shit out of her. The few times they'd met his brother was partial to being an asshole to anyone who even remotely took Klaus' side and she had been no different.

"She's at a religious boarding school," Klaus explained quickly. "A real scared straight kinda one. From what she told me though, the night before Halloween the nuns do one final sweep of the grounds, leaving the front door unlocked."

"Pfft. Morons," Diego huffed, the fact that he was speaking of godly women lost to him completely. "So it's a dash and grab. Easy."

"Yeeaa...about that," Klaus began tentatively. Diego had only just agreed to spring Emily from Hell.

"What?" Diego asked lowly. He knew he shouldn't have gotten his hope up so easily. Nothing was ever so cut and dry with Klaus.

"She's also, sort of, kinda in her own lockdown. We may need Five to help us too," he added reluctantly. "Which is fine," he quickly continued, keeping Diego from immediately changing his mind. "Ever since we got back Five has really been a team player. I'm sure if our little heist idea came from you he'd be on board. A hundred percent."

Diego couldn't take this shit with Klaus a second go 'round. He wanted to break Emily out of school? Fine. He needed Diego's help? Also, peachy fuckinf keen. But if he insisted on keeping secrets along the way then Diego would walk his happy ass on out the door and Klaus could go fuck himself.

He grabbed hold of his brother, who flinched more from shock than fear, and drug him into his room, away from listening ears. He tossed his brother onto his bed as gently as he could. Klaus watched as he pulled his desk chair over, sitting on it backward and leaning against it.

"Before I ask Five anything you are gonna spill your guts and give me all the Intel you have on Emily. Otherwise, I'm out and you're on your own."

Klaus groaned with Diego's ultimatum. "Fine," he grumbled. "I'll tell you everything. But you have to swear you'll get Five to help no matter what," he countered holding up his pinky.

"What are you, six?"

"Nothing is more binding than a pinky swear," Klaus said, wiggling his fingers enticingly.

"You never quit do you?"

"Nope," Klaus said with a satisfied grin.

"Jesus Christ." Diego sighed with a roll of his eyes, but nevertheless he linked pinkies with his brother.

"No matter what," Klaus reiterated.

"No matter what," Diego reluctantly agreed before immediately letting go of him.

"Good," Klaus said clapping his hands together and rubbing them conspiratorially. "Now. What do I know about Emily?" he asked himself, feigning an attempt to really dig deep into his thoughts. "Em, Em, Em."

"I'm losing my patience Klaus."

"Alright, fine," Klaus said with an exasperated sigh. Nothing much had changed with Diego this time around - he was still far too serious for his own good. "I know she was one of the few dad couldn't buy, obviously. I deduced that one myself," he admitted proudly.

Diego rolled his eyes and sighed. Even without drugs Klaus' mind still ran a million miles a minute. "Focus," he said keeping his brother on track.

"Right," he replied forcing himself back to their present storytelling session. "She was unbuyable. Her parents were religious and pure," he said mockingly, throwing up the the scouting sign of three fingers. "When Em didn't fit it to their perfect life, they shipped her off and forgot about her. To St. Christopher's School for the Misguided to be exact."

"You mean that old school convent on the outskirts of the city?"

"That's the one," Klaus said in agreement. "She's been there..." he checked his wrist as if a watch sat upon it. "Twelve years now," he added looking back to Diego.

"Twelve years?! What the Hell Klaus?? I thought she was just sent there."

"Yea. When she was six," Klaus said with a snort. "That was after all the exercisims failed," he added nonchalantly.

"Exorcisms!?" Diego was beginning to regret his decision to help. "Look. I don't know what kind of "school" you're taking me to, but how do we know Emily even wants to break out?" he asked in a half-hearted attempt to back out.

"Because she makes it out on her own after another three years anyway. But she always said if she'd got out just a few years earlier she'd have gone farther in life. Between you and me, I thought she turned out just fine the way she was," he added leaning in conspiratorially.

"I don't know about that. She was friends with you."

"Hey! Unfair!" Klaus said feigning offense. "Trust me," he continued, shrugging off the insult. "Once Five is on board, everything will be fine," he said reassuringly, but with little affect. "Then it really will be a dash and grab. Five will just do his little time warp thingie and..." He sucked air through his teeth and gestured for in-and-out. "We'll have Em out and free as a bird in no time," he added with a sigh and a smile.

Diego stared at him, only reacting when his wide grin faded. His mind had already been made up, but it was sti fun to see him sweat. He promptly grabbed him up and pulled toward the hallway - and all the way to Five's room.

------

"Klaus has something he wants to ask you," he said pushing past their brother when he answered the door.

"And what might that be?" he asked, confusion evident on his face as he shut the door behind them.

Once through the threshold doego released his grip on Klaus and took solace off in the corner, waiting to see how well he did with Five. Their brother would be a much tougher sell. He'd never even met Emily.

"Well," Klaus began with a nervous laugh, glancing back to Diego hoping to get some backup. His brother simply urged him on. Klaus sighed and his entire being deflated with his refusal.

"Klaus, what the hell is going on? I don't have time for another one of your ridiculous pranks," Five complained impatiently.

"I need your help rescuing a friend," he admitted freely, turning back to Five.

Five laughed freely at his request. "No," he said letting his facial expressions fall flat. "The last time I tried to help you I ended up having to warp out of police custody."

"But you did get out," Klaus cut in trying to avoid a retelling of their most recent mishap.

"And I had to be the one to explain it all to dad. Alone," he added with rising anger.

Klaus grimaced. "Yea. Sorry about that. I wish I could have been there, really, but something important came up. Real now-or-never type stuff."

"What? Like avoiding the inevitable end of the world? Because last I remember we've already fixed that problem and I can't think of anything more "now-or-never"," he threw back at him.

He knew Five was right. "I guess when you put it like that, I could have made it," he admitted almost sheepishly.

Five merely scowled at his admission.

"But this is different," he added quickly, pushing past Five when he went to kick them out of his room. Klaus shut the door and leaned on it for added security he would finish hearing him out.

"How so?"

Klaus' smile returned. His interest was piqued. "Because we...are gonna..."

Diego rolled his eyes. His sales pitch was quickly dying. "Because you're gonna have me," he stepping forward.

"Not that I don't doubt yoir abilities, but how does that any different? Other than your presence of course."

Their brother's smile widened. "Yes!" he exclaimed before Diego could answer, outstreching his arms toward him and crossing to be by his side. "Because Diego here is an extra set of eyes and ears," he added, cradling his shoulders and endearingly placing his hand on his chest.

Diego glared at Klaus. "Because I will make sure Klaus doesn't screw anything up this time," he answerd shaking himself free.

Five remained silent, considering Klaus 'mission'. He had become anxious lately to do more than just train and follow daddy's orders - even if it was what they all agreed to before their jump back. Not that he would ever admit that to Klaus, but he supposed it could be worth it of Diego was on board.

Klaus stated expectantly and his brother who eyed the two of them. "Say I help you. What is your grand plan to save...who exactly?"

Klaus smiled widely at Diego, ecstatic that things might actually go his way for once.

"Emily," Diego answered, ignoring Klaus.

"Emily?" Five asked surprised with a slight laugh. "You mean the bartender psychic?"

"Telepathic," Klaus corrected him. "But yes. Her. So will you help me? Please?"

Diego rolled his eyes at the duo. "Just say yes already. I can't take much more of this," he added exasperated, dropping down onto the chair at Five's desk.

"Alright fine," he finally agreed.

Klaus began to shower his brother with thabks. He sure hadn't been as appreciative of Diego's allegiance. He huffed to hide his offense. "Klaus!" He pointed at his wrist when he had his brother's attention.

"Oh right. So. Now that I have the best two brothers on board..."

"Klaus," Diego warned.

"Alright, alright. Stop getting your panties in a bunch."

Diego jumped up ready to strangle him.

"Hey! Calm down!" Five intervened. "Don't make me regret helping you," he scolded his brothers. "Now," he continued once the two had parted ways. "When and how are we supposed to save Emily? And from what?"

"I'm glad you asked," Klaus responded slyly before repeating the plan to Five

------

"There it is," Klaus whispered to his brothers, pointing out their entry point.

They crouched hidden among the bushes just outside the point of no return. A nun came out of the front door, followed by two others, and just as Klas said left the door open. Diego huffed quietly to himself and rolled his eyes. Klaus smiled widely.

"Okay," Five said shifting his jacket and bit and readying to jump. "Where is her room?" he asked staring at the building.

It was your typical, old-school convent turned boarding opp. The layout would be easy to figure out.

Klaus shut his eyes and mimicked going over a map with his fingers. "It should be, if memory serves me right, last one on the left, second floor," he said opening his eyes and looking toward the building too. "She always said one of the only good things she remembered about this place were the sunsets," he said quietly to himself with a sad sigh. "West side," he added.

And just like that Five was gone.

-----

He reappeared with a small pop in a girl's room. She was sound asleep, her back to where Five now stood. He crept to her bed and gently tried waking her.

"Emily," he whispered. "Emily wake up."

The girl began to stir, turning toward him. The sight of a boy by her bed had to be a dream. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, sitting up to wake up further. The realization that he was real hit her. Her eyes grew wide in terror and she screamed.

Five quickly covered her mouth. "Emily, please."

She quieted her screams realizing who he was and the fear in her eyes grew to confusion. She mumbled something into his hand.

"What?" he whispered, uncovering her mouth.

"I'm not Emily," she managed to stammer out quietly.

[wholesome-holland]

Back To December

Hey guys! This imagine is loosely based off of the song “Back To December” by Taylor Swift. I hope you like it! ( @tyrus-is-endgame-fight-me )

Word Count: 3143 (wHOOPS)

——————

It was the beautiful and chilly month of February in Shadyside.

The sidewalks were lined with long grasses and colorful flowers all around, the sun out and beaming with the clouds occasionally blocking it from the town.

It was around 23° on this fine Wednesday, around 6 or 7 p.m.

TJ Kippen was strolling around town, no specific reason. He just wanted to go for a walk. He stuck his earbuds in, clicked on Pandora and that was that.

TJ found himself in the neighborhood of his ex-boyfriend, Cyrus Goodman. He decided he'd hold his breath, and continue his walk.

With every passing minute he came closer and closer to passing Cyrus' house. He felt himself going slower as he passed the house, coming to an almost complete stop.

He looked over the house, just observing and remembering. He even saw the silhouettes of Leslie and Todd in the living room.

TJ simply smiled softly to himself, he couldn't help but wonder how they're doing. He always loved being at Cyrus' house and being around his folks. All four of them. They were so kind and funny, they treated him like part of the family even before he and Cyrus were together. 

TJ blinked back small tears and continued with his walk before he got home, and went directly to bed.

The following day at school, TJ was exiting the gym and getting ready to head to his last period when his body came to a halt.

He saw Buffy and Cyrus talking at Cyrus' locker. "Hey Cy, I haven't seen you much today." Buffy spoke.

"Yeah, sorry. I've been kinda dodging everyone today." Cyrus said, sounding gloomy. TJ wished he could fix whatever was wrong.

He listened to Buffy and Cyrus talk. It was nothing major, he shouldn't have been eavesdropping, but he couldn't help himself. Buffy and Cyrus took off, or so he thought. As he was walking and not paying attention, he came in contact with someone else's smaller frame.

"Sorry, I—" TJ's breath hitched when he recognized Cyrus' voice. "Oh, hi TJ." He said. "Hey Cyrus." TJ replied. They stood in silence for a few seconds. "How are you?" Cyrus asked.

"I'm okay, I—I guess. You?" He stammered nervously over his words. Cyrus shrugged, a semi blank yet painful look on his face. "I've been alright." His voice hardened, but not too harshly. Cyrus was visibly tense, so TJ sighed and pushed past him, mumbling a quick "sorry" as he left.

TJ didn't even go to class. He went to an empty classroom where he would most likely not get caught. He knew he wouldn't. This wasn't the first time he'd gone there, and it surely wouldn't be the last.

He sat on the floor in a corner, fidgeting with his fingers and staring off. His mind was racing with different thoughts. Everyone being about Cyrus.

He understood why Cyrus was so, what was the word? Cautious? Careful? Guarded? All of those. They hadn't spoken in months, and their last conversation wasn't exactly one he was proud of.

•

"Hey Teej!" Cyrus said excitedly, approaching the swings they frequently visited together.

TJ took a deep breathe, muttering a quick "hey" as Cyrus swiped the snow onto the ground and took a seat on his usual swing.

Cyrus almost instantly furrowed his brows together in confusion, a look of concern crossing his features. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, reaching over to grab one of TJ's hands.

TJ snagged his hand away and crossed his arms, his body facing away from his boyfriend.

Cyrus decided to pretend that didn't hurt his feelings, and kept trying to see what was wrong with TJ.

"TJ," Cyrus said softly. "What happened? Talk to me." Cyrus pried.

TJ wouldn't even look at him. He couldn't, he knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to go through with this.

TJ tried to blink away the tears forming in his eyes, turning even further form Cyrus. "We need to break up."

Cyrus just about jumped. He surely had to have heard TJ wrong, right? TJ didn't say that.

"What? I'm sorry I think I heard you wrong. I thought you said—" TJ cut off his sentence. "That we need to break up? Yeah, that's what I said." TJ said, trying to cover the pain in his tone with bitterness.

Cyrus froze. "W-What?" Was all he could muster. He swore he'd start crying if he said anything else.

He stood up quickly, walking around to TJ's front side. TJ stood up as well but looked away. "Move, please. I have places to go." He mentally cursed himself for how he was acting, but he had to do it.

"I—uh— wait—I'm—" Cyrus couldn't even form words. If he tried, it came out as word vomit. "Why?" He asked.

TJ didn't respond. He still avoided eye contact. "TJ, look at me." Cyrus almost demanded. Still, TJ was stubborn. "This, this is a sick joke right? Like you're just trying to pull an asshole move or something?" Cyrus felt his voice shake as he talked. He hated that he couldn't keep it steady.

"No it's not." TJ said, staring at his feet, mastering a cold tone. "I have to go. We're done."

TJ stepped past him, his shoulder bumping and brushing against Cyrus'. Cyrus spun around and grabbed TJ's arm, pulling in almost in a circle. "Just tell me what happened. Obviously something did." Cyrus pointed out.

"Nothing happened." TJ hissed. "This was a mistake." That still wouldn't do it.

"A mistake?" Cyrus almost could laugh. "If it was a mistake, why'd you let it go on for six months, huh? Why'd you stay with me, she. You could've easily left me sooner?" He challenged. "If I am correct, if it was a 'mistake' you wouldn't have cared about sparing my feelings so don't even use that excuse, TJ."

TJ sucked in air deeply, releasing it in almost a growl. "Can you just leave it? I already said this is done and told you why."

"No, you didn't actually. You're lying to me. I know you TJ, and I know you're an awful liar." Cyrus hissed out.

"Or— Maybe you were just wrong about me this whole time. Maybe I'm just a prick after all, and maybe I want you to leave me alone and let me go on as who I am." TJ said harshly. He forced out the tone of slight anger, trying to make it seem more real, like he was annoyed.

Cyrus' breathing picked up, his desperation was starting to make its place in his body each time he spoke, as much as he tried to hide it. "But you aren't! TJ you're a good person. I know that, you know it too. I know you do."

TJ stayed quiet as Cyrus started thinking out loud. "This, this is an act. I know it is. I, you, we— we love each other. I love you, you love me. We're boyfriends, we— Uh, you... I remember you told me you love me. And all things you love about me too. And you pay attention to me and you care for me and you're trustworthy and an overall good person so I don't understa—"

"It's not an act! This is who I am Cyrus. And I am not your boyfriend. Not anymore. I already told you, we're done. All of it was fake. My feelings were fake," He had to stop and swallow before saying "I don't love you."

It was that moment that the words left TJ's lips that Cyrus broke. The tears he'd been keeping in, the rage and anger he'd locked in, the pure disgust and feeling of betrayal all let loose.

He stepped up to TJ, looking him right in the eye even if TJ wasn't returning eye contact. He swung and hit TJ in the chest. Cyrus' fists repeatedly struck TJ on the chest, his tears falling. TJ finally grabbed Cyrus by the arms and looked at him— like truly looked at him for the first time this entire conversation.

He felt his heart break. He felt the self hatred wedge itself into his mind. He saw the pain he caused Cyrus, that he wished he could take back. Cyrus ripped his arms away from him.

"You were right Kippen. You're just a cold hearted jerk! You're a jerk and a liar, and I should have never let you help me get that muffin!"

Ouch. TJ thought, watching as Cyrus walked away. When he was out of ear shot, he broke. He was sobbing loudly In his hands before his knees buckled beneath him and he fell to the ground.

Even though he knew it was for the best, it didn't make it hurt any less.

•

That day, that awful day that changed everything was December 12th.

I'm such an ass. TJ told himself. I should've waited longer, till I knew completely. The dismissal bell rung, signaling the students to leave. He stood up and dash out of the classroom, making his way to the bus and sitting in his regular seat with his things. He looked at the date, February 12th.

It was two months since the break up. Two months since he ruined his own relationship.

The bus stopped, and he saw it was his stop. He  walked home, going instantly to his room and sitting on the floor and facing the window. Two months. Two whole months it had been since he had Cyrus at his side. He felt so guilty still, he wanted to apologize and explain his actions and lies but he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to find Cyrus, pull him aside, and explain everything.

He saw his reflection and he saw a coward. A coward who was feeling bad for himself when he brought it upon himself. Just for it to mean nothing in the end, and probably hurt even more for Cyrus since he never got some sort of closure.

He knew if it was the other way around, and Cyrus broke up with him out of the blue with no explanation and said the absolutely awful and cruel things TJ said, he would hardly be able to sleep at night. He'd go insane trying to figure out why. And knowing Cyrus, he probably was.

But who knows, maybe he moved on. Maybe he didn't care about TJ. Maybe he even hated TJ. Hell, TJ hated TJ.

Amber walked into her twins room, seeing him sulking by the window. "Hey TJ." She said carefully, making her way over to her brother.

"Hey." He mumbled. "You're thinking about him aren't you?" She asked. He simply nodded. "It's almost been two months." He said. Amber looked at him sympathetically, "T, you're my brother and I love you. You know that, but you also should've listened to me and waited till things were final. Had you waited two more days—" "I fuckin' get it, okay?! I screwed up. I don't need you reminding me too." He hissed.

TJ instantly felt bad. Amber stood up and went to leave when he called out. "I'm sorry, okay? Today was just rough on me."

She stopped and turned back around. "It's okay, and I get it. I would be acting the same way if I was in your position." Amber told him, sitting back down by his side.

"What should I do?" He asked almost inaudibly. "I think you need to apologize. Explain to him the situation. Cyrus is a forgiving person, and he'll understand you were just trying to protect him—" "—in an extremely shitty way?"

"Yeah." She said. After talking to Amber for a few more minutes, he decided he'd do it. He'd go find Cyrus, see if he'll hear him out, and apologize.

Even if he's lost Cyrus forever, due to himself, he needed to know that Cyrus knew why. So that began his jog to Cyrus' house. 

His heart was pumping and the blood was rushing through his veins. The pit in his stomach that hadn't left in two months was more present than it ever had been, and it only felt like two seconds before he was in front of the door and knocking.

He stared at the wood porch flooring, waiting and waiting. He knocked again, waiting a little longer.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Leslie answered the door. "TJ! What a surprise." She said with a warm smile.

That surprised TJ. Surely she knows everything and hates him. I mean, come on He thought.

"Hi Mrs. Goodman, uh, can I talk to Cyrus? Please? If not it's fine—" She cut him off by holding one finger up.

"Cyrus! Someone's here for you!" She shouted. "Would you like to come in?" She offered. He shook his head, "Could me and him go on a walk by any chance?" He lowly asked. She nodded. "Cy, make sure your being a warm jacket down!"

TJ shivered in his thin hoodie, realizing he shouldn't brought a jacket. It was snowing a decent amount, and the wind certainly didn't help.

He and Cyrus finally met gazes. "Thanks mom, we'll be back soon. Love you." Cyrus quickly said before stepping out side with the door closing behind him.

They stood on the porch, staring at one another. "Could we walk?" TJ asked. Cyrus motioned for him to go on, which began their awkward and silent walk.

TJ was nervous still, but he finally decided to speak up. "This was really random, I know. But I need to explain something." He said hesitantly. Cyrus stopped, looking at TJ with a look saying "go on". 

"You, I, you—we, I um, I'm..." TJ stammered on. "Spit it out." Cyrus said, much harsher than intended as his heart and body ached with pain.

Worried that Cyrus would get fed up and walk away, he began talking really fast and in confusing circles.

"Cyrus, I'm so sorry that I broke up with you and that I hurt you without any explanation. I was lying when I said our relationship was a mistake, and that I didn't love you, I thought it would be what was best for you and I took it too far and I'm so sorry for everything I said. There's no excuses for anything except I am an asshole who decided to lie as a way to protect you and—"

"TJ!" Cyrus shouted. "Slow down. Gather your thoughts, I'm not going." He said, speaking softer than before.

"My dad, he... he lost his job in December. My mom was laid off at work, and we were gonna lose our house. My parents told my sister and I that we were more than likely moving out of Shadyside." TJ explained, talking at a normal and understandable pace.

Cyrus looked confused. "Why does that have to do with our break up?" He asked. "I didn't have the heart to tell you we could have been leaving. I thought for sure we were going and that we were going soon, so I thought breaking up with you and making you hate me wouldn't hurt as much, but it did. And it does. And I'm so sorry for lying to you and for hurting you. You didn't deserve one bit of it." TJ continued with a sad and teary sigh. "I don't expect you to forgive me, but I needed you to know that. Ive owed it to you."

He waited for Cyrus to say something, anything. But nothing. "I'll leave you alone, I'll leave you alone forever if you want that. But please know I am so, so sorry." His voice broke mid sentence, and he turned and started making his way home.

"I still love you." TJ froze dead in his tracks. Tears rolled off his cheeks as he looked back at Cyrus, who had tears of his own staining his face. "I never stopped, I don't know if I can."

Cyrus slowly stepped toward the blonde haired boy, placing a gentle arm on his bicep and turning him around.

"Look, TJ..." Before Cyrus could continue,he was cut off. "Cyrus—" Cyrus shook his head. "Let me talk." TJ quickly shut up. "Teej, what you said to me, it hurt me. A lot. It broke my heart beyond belief, and I never thought I'd be happy again," He started. TJ felt his heart beat rapidly as he waited for Cyrus to continue. "You lies to me and broke up with me without any reason. For that, I don't think I can fully forgive you yet." He continued on.

Cyrus grabbed one of TJ's hands, "But, I love you. And I want to try this again." TJ almost started bawling. "Cyrus I— you don't know how happy that makes me to hear that, but how? I hurt you so bad, I told you I didn't love you! Which was the biggest lie. I said things I cant and never will be able to take back, and I hate myself for it. I hate myself so much for how I hurt you. Cy, I love you so so so much and I hurt you..." TJ rambled on and on.

"I don't care about any of that!" Cyrus exclaimed, cupping TJ's face in his hands. "I love you, and sometimes love is gonna hurt and is gonna be hard, I'll forgive you eventually, it'll take time, but I want— no, need you in my life again. I need you back, Teej."

TJ couldn't believe it. So much was happening at once, and he couldn't help but start sobbing. Cyrus pulled him into his shoulder, allowing him to cry in his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I," TJ paused. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Cyrus whispered. "There's no need." He patted TJ's back, and he soon pulled away and wiped his eyes.

They rested their foreheads on each other's, their breathes mixing to create one between them. Cyrus was the one to close the gap, standing on his tip toes and leaning forward, connecting their lips. The kiss said so many things. It said I'm sorry, it said I love you, it said don't leave me and it said I've missed you so much.

The words stuck unspoken, they both knew to was true. That didn't keep TJ from saying "I love you so much" against the brunette boy's lips. Cyrus pulled away, "I love you too." He said in a soft and sweet voice. A happy voice. A loving voice. Cyrus grabbed TJ's hands.

"You're freezing! Let's get you to inside, ASAP!" TJ chuckled but didn't argue. He and Cyrus stayed inseparable from then on, they were madly in love and they knew it too.

Nothing, nothing would keep them and their love apart ever again.