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#also i love love love that he brought comment of the day over to modded!! thats so fun
catmaidetho · 1 year
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etho slab. u agree.
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bigjimbopickens · 1 year
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For me personally, I won't be watching Kevin's stuff for a while to come. It is less about him though and more about the community he's brought to him, a community that now thinks he is one of them. A community that will likely stick around now as well. I don't remember reading anything in his apology regarding the vitriol he allowed to spread (though turning the comments off was the right thing to do), and I'm still soured by the lack of response to you regarding the p*** claims.
In any case I'm heavily disappointed. I love Kevin. He's the only YouTuber I have any merch from. And while I saw this coming I'm anguished. It sucks.
- also an autistic trans man
When I said I wouldn’t talk about this anymore I lied I wanna respond to this. I am contributing more to the convo with this though.
I feel the same way as I’m sure many others do too. And I’m glad you brought up the previous bs that happened just 2 or so months prior to all this because I was going to but felt like it wasn’t necessary as the post was already long enough.
For those unaware, in November 2022 Kevin posted a sims 4 video where he recreated the original sims 4 cult, which the fandom mimicked in a way. He changed the rules in that one to ban werewolves, which was interpreted as “ban furries.”
I made a joke response to it using the fursuit I made of werewolf Jim Pickens and people took it wayyyy too seriously. I was harassed quite a bit for that because people take what Kevin says too seriously. And of course I was called a p*do over it too. That situation scared off a-lot of people from the community but my naive self thought that was as bad as it gets and wanted to fix it. I believed it was my fault. So I organized a raid to bring the positivity back and it worked. Until Kevin fucked it up again 2 months later. I’m not organizing another. I’m not fixing his community again, he broke it and I had no involvement this time.
I sorta let that one slide when really I shouldn’t have because it was just one user who was really causing an issue for me. And it also wasn’t Kevin’s fault that guy had issues. I heard that Kevin did vaguely mention it on stream but I didn’t catch it because I was flying that day. Coincidentally he did post his “I almost quit in 2022” video on the day of the raid, which I came across again and said half-jokingly “You should’ve.”
There is another situation similar that happened to me back in April 2021 that is somewhat related as well. It was during the first NoPixel stream when I did fanart of Grognak and people started getting mad over their pronouns in my replies. So out of spite me and another artist drew them with the non binary pride flag and people became horribly transphobic towards us. Other artists joined us and the mods banned whoever was being transphobic in the replies. So transphobia has always been an issue in the community unfortunately, I just didn’t realize it was that fucking bad.
I joined the community shortly after the pandemic started when the Tomodachi Life series had started and I wish we could go back to those days. It was so much fun. Kevin never does videos anymore about his characters and when he does they’re more challenge-based rather than lore/character focused. That’s a big reason why his sims series fell off so hard. Jim went from being this evil idiot yet genius cult leader to asexually reproducing 100 babies. With the last sims 4 video being one that started a fight in his community I have no idea how he’s going to continue it. I don’t even know if he’s aware of what happened to me. I know he saw the fursuit, he liked the tweet I made about it.
Oh man another long post. Damn I ramble a lot. But I think it needs to be said regardless. I have got to be the user of the community who got fucked over the most amount of times simply for existing haha. I am the embodiment of what the community seems to hate. Thankfully two other communities have already welcomed me so I don’t have to rely on this one as much anymore. I’m still thankful for all the good it’s done for me but I’ve never been in a fandom more toxic than the Call Me Kevin community.
I hope you’re also doing well, anonymous stranger.
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mewberii · 3 years
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Streamer!Scaramouche [2]
thanks for all the support in the first part! i wrote a second part where scaramouche plays genshin + the reader comes in (i tried to make it as gender neutral as possible, so let me know if there’s something off!). you’re a close friend of scaramouche and also a voice actor!
i had been planning this since i wrote the first part, but because i was busy and uninspired i couldn’t finish it. but here it is and it’s actually pretty long (over 5k words...)! i hope you guys will like this!! obviously he’s a little nicer than he is in game but,,, for the sake of the plot + it being a modern au, it had to be done sjnfdskjf
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He was selected to play the beta for genshin because of his popularity and tbh he really wanted to play it
The game hadn’t really caught his eye all that much when he first heard about it but he saw how everyone online went crazy over it (plus other streamers who also were selected to play it in early access kept talking about it) and he became more curious to know what it would be like and if it’d live to everyone’s expectations
However he couldn’t really play it until it was officially released because he had a very busy schedule, and when he saw other streams of people playing it he was,,, lowkey jealous because it did look fun
When it was finally released and the game finished downloading and installing, he went live right away
And since so many people were looking forward to seeing him play plus the game was getting so popular so fast, that stream of when he first played hit his biggest milestone of live viewers ever
ANYWAYS skip forward to further into the game
when it comes to the gacha,,,
we’ve established that this boy is loaded. he won’t hesitate to throw some big amounts of money at the game to get every single character and weapon he wants and get their constellations to the max
i feel like he’d make little bets (and it works as a way to thank the chat for the support) like “if i get (insert newest character) in the first 50 pulls, i will gift 50 subs”
he’d be SOOOOOOO LUCKY it’d make everyone who doesn’t play think that it must be very easy to get the 5 stars or that the drop rate must be very high,,,
so in the end he’d have to gift the subs and it’d be funny to see the chat go absolutely crazy because everyone is commenting at the same time trying to see if they got lucky too and got the sub
but the chat goes so fast that they can’t even see their own comment after they send it sNDJGDJSK 
he’d end up turning subs mode on for a while because it goes crazy
and that’s when he’d see people going “I GOT THE SUB-” all excited and he can’t help but chuckle and congratulate them for being one of the lucky ones
probably another game he can use to play with some subs once in a while! they could play co-op and when he’s a very high level he’d go to the worlds of some of his subs with lower level to help them with whatever they need
SO, LITTLE SKIP HERE
this is where i want the reader to slide into the picture
you’d be a voice actor, and also you have been a friend of his for a very long time
he met you even before he started streaming and you were always so supportive of him, as he was of every and each of your dreams
in fact, he would have invited you over more than once to stream with him
people don’t say anything bc they’re afraid of scaramouche banning them (it’s happened before) + they understand it can be disrespectful... but…
some people lowkey ship you two a little bit,,,,,, you didn’t hear it from me. scaramouche don’t ban me----
so one day he’s making another livestream playing genshin (sponsored by mihoyo to promote the newest update and event) and they’re going to release a new character 
AND he has told everyone that you are the voice actor of the new character, who will be introduced in the event and is also getting their own banner
so everyone is very curious of what they’ll be like, if scaramouche will try to get them (obviously he will, he has every single character…. the amount of money he has put into the game…. just thinking of it gives me the heebie-jeebies) 
could he even,,, main them,,,,
spoiler: he won’t because he’ll stay honest till the end (and no hard feelings) but there are other characters that he has built up to the max just like them and still work better with the way he plays but he’ll still find a chance to use them often
he didn’t know anything of what the character you voiced would be like because you wanted to keep it a surprise and he knew his audience would enjoy seeing his first reactions
I think the character you voice in the game would have the role that Scaramouche has in the actual game, and their design would be fairly similar (maybe similar color palette) to the design fans made for him as a genshin character (the one i mentioned that he uses for popup notifs of subscriptions and all!)
needless to say he’d absolutely love their personality and the charisma you showed in their lines
of course when he finally gets them he shows everything about them including all their voice lines and he compliments y/n’s voice acting… that was the first time people suspected that....
mayhaps… scaramouche….
has feelings for you....
it’s in the soft gaze in his eyes,,, the gentle smile on his lips,,, his soft voice when saying “I think this one is my favorite line of theirs”
and just how BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL his laugh sounds when someone comments he should invite you and ask you to do that voiceline live for him and everyone else
he’d jokingly reach for his phone and be like “should i call them? i could” 
(but he wouldn’t because he doesn’t want to disturb you, you may be busy, considering you still hadn’t replied to the messages he sent to you before he started the stream a few hours ago)
if anyone dares be mean to you saying you got the chance to voice act for genshin just bc of scaramouche
or implies that he did something to get you there he’ll get quite mad even tho he won’t speak up about it (he might if enough people say it) 
people can see something shift in his gaze,,,, and he bans them permanently right away
it’d be kinda funny when he does those “reading unban requests” streams and he goes past immediately rejecting people who said those kind of stuff, not even reading the apologies JSNKJFNDSJKGNSDK
some people say he’s too strict about it but literally his stream his rules. people who don’t like him should just not watch him
and people who like him should NOT speak badly about you or doubt your talent and effort, which is what brought you that opportunity in the first place
one day he’d be streaming playing the game, he had been using your character and gathering materials to get their last ascension
and at one point he’d grab his phone and look at the screen for a second before putting it back down and saying he had planned something else for tonight besides playing genshin for a while
then, the doorbell would ring (before he could even close the game-) and it’d be heard from his setup room so people in the chat heard it and they’re all like???
it’s definitely not takeout because scaramouche never orders takeout when he’s on his own, he usually cooks for himself and just orders it when he’s with friends and they all feel like eating something different
actually, offtopic, but i have a feeling he’d be very responsible when it comes to food and like he’d cook himself proper meals all perfectly balanced and all- he could afford having someone cook for him but his house = his privacy and personal space so he’d rather do it himself
it’s like, past 10pm, so no way it would be a package or mail at that time
and then he says “we have a visitor tonight”
and then the chat goes crazy saying “CHILDE” “HARBINGERS” but mostly “Y/N!??!?/PLEASE LET IT BE Y/N”
AND IT WAS YOU!!!!
and omg you brought takeout--------
it had been a while since they had seen you in scaramouche’s stream and you didn’t have your own channel (even though there were many people who encouraged you to open one)
SO everyone was very excited
i feel like scaramouche wouldn’t be the biggest fan of eating on camera so you guys would put the food away so that you can eat it later on your own without an audience
and you two would just spend a while talking to the chat, watching videos
AND reviewing fanart and fanmade content together!! it’d be so cute especially fanarts of the two of you together, little animatics or comics of funny clips or memes from his streams of you two,,,
someone made a little felt plushie of the genshin character you voiced and the way you COOED because it was SO cute
only those who were truly paying attention were able to notice the soft smile on scaramouche’s lips and the way he looked at you as you gushed over how cute the little plushie is and how talented the person who made it is!!
also you’d tell him you saw signora make a stream where she talked to some of her fans on discord individually to give them advice on their life/problems (nothing too serious) and it was very funny and you wanted to do that with him someday
and he’s like “that… could be a huge mess. people could say some crazy stuff” and you’re like “NO but i talked to her about it and she said she got her mods to talk to them first and approve them before they moved them up to the channel where she was to talk to her”
and he’s like “still…….. what if people lie and then when they get to talk to us they say something-”
and you’re like “BOY!!!! DO YOU NOT TRUST YOUR FANS *GASP*” and everyone in the chat is also going “GASP” “HE DOESN’T TRUST US…” “IS THIS YOUR IDOL…..?” “SAY SORRY” (all good fun, obviously he’d love to talk to everyone if he could make sure there won’t be anything disrespectful said)
SO!!!!! you two say you’ll plan to do something like that soon and everyone is very excited, they can already tell it’ll be both super cute and hilarious
before he ends the stream, you two watch some videos together
some are about some upcoming videogames and he talks about them and what he knows and explaining things to you... he is.. so knowledgeable…
the way you look at him as he goes into a little rant about it… cinematic parallels with the way he looked at you before
ONCE AGAIN, people aren’t blind. they notice. but they keep it to themselves bc scary scara (the way i had to resist overusing this one joke with his name-)
so the stream ends and you two walk out of the setup room to go to his living room and eat the takeout you brought while watching something on tv
he apologises because the food is cold now, but you brush it off saying it’s ok, you had missed being on his streams and you two can just heat up the food again
he doesn’t look at you in the eyes as he mutters that you know you can join his streams whenever, and instead just says it as he makes his way to the kitchen to heat the food
you join him in the kitchen soon after and tell him you also bought something for dessert and put it in the fridge already before
and honestly he didn’t know how much he wanted to eat that dessert until it was in his fridge, so he can’t stop himself from sighing and saying “god, i love you”
there’s silence for a second, right as the microwave beeps as it finished heating the food
it feels eternal to him, but you immediately started laughing and said jokingly “of course you do! you’re welcome!” 
he’s happy you took it as a joke because that’s not how he planned to confess (he didn’t plan to confess anytime soon in the first place) but at the same time ?? he’s lowkey offended inside because? you took it as a joke?? is it so unrealistic that you wouldn’t even think that he meant it romantically?
it’s at that moment that he realises that if he didn’t want to confess before, now he does.
he wouldn’t want anyone to know about how he let that slip because he’s sure no one in you two’s friend group even knows he likes you
but you,,, actually,,,,, were actually caught off guard too because scaramouche wasn’t precisely one for words of affection and he showed his care for everyone with his actions
in fact, you had never heard him say those words before but well- it was kinda nice- if only he meant it as you feel it- but he couldn’t, right? who’d confess their feelings so casually while looking at a dessert in the fridge with desire-------
that night, it gets pretty late and to be honest he’s a little too tired to drive you home as he usually would, so he asks if you’d like to sleep over
it wouldn’t be your first time doing so, not even the first time you stayed unplanned, and he had a couple guest rooms that you could use so you accepted
also, staying for longer meant you could keep watching some more of that series with him without worrying about it getting late
or,,,
“actually” you said in a low voice, almost a whisper, since it was getting late and you two had been in complete silence while watching the series “i lowkey still wanted to stream some more”
he scoffs but then lets out a short chuckle, replying in the same volume
“it’s past 2am, who’s going to watch me stream now?”
“i would” have mercy for his poor heart- “but i’d be the streamer too this time so it doesn’t count” 
“what even would we do”
“can we play that co-op game you played with childe? it was so much fun” 
had you not brought it up, he wouldn’t have offered that ever because? if he had recently played it with childe he didn’t want to stream it again and make it feel repetitive for his audience 
(jokes on him because when genshin came out they put up with it being the only thing he streamed for over a week. they’d rewatch any game if it’s you two playing it)
but to be honest, he didn’t really want to stream anymore that day and just wanted to be with you, just you and no one else
he got up from the couch and walked towards the hallway, making you look up to him in confusion for a second, but then started getting excited knowing this meant he was going to let you play it with him
“i don’t really feel like streaming anymore today, but we can still play it. let’s go”
the next day, you two wake up around the same time and make breakfast together
scaramouche i feel is not very talkative in the mornings 
in fact, i feel like he’s just not the most talkative in general. he’s more the type to listen, but it’s different during his streams because he’s doing what he loves and talking about what he loves
and when it comes to you and he talks more it’s because he’s talking to who he loves----
before you’re going to leave and you’re standing at the door about to say goodbye to him, he suddenly speaks up before you can
“do you want to go somewhere tomorrow?”
you raise your eyebrows in curiosity from the sudden request, but then smile at him and nod
“yeah sure! what do you have in min-”
“it’s a date” he said, interrupting you, which was weird enough of him (since he would never interrupt you), but his words were even weirder-
“h-huh?” you felt the heat rising to your cheeks, and scaramouche just repeated his words
on the outside, he looked so casual and just, confident- bUT INSIDE he was actually panicking a little bit 
but just a little bit.
After a moment, you smiled at him again, this time somewhat more shily but also excited for your date!
“I look forward to it”
Just with that, you two knew you had made the first step
You weren’t just friends anymore
You two had hung out on your own many times before, in fact and as it was mentioned before, you two had even slept over at his house or yours many times before
but it had all always been purely platonic, and you guys had never even questioned that aspect of it even after realising you had romantic feelings for each other
he’d spend the rest of the day thinking of what you could do the next day, as if he hadn’t been brainstorming for ideas all night either
i feel like he hasn’t gone in many (if not any--) dates before
solely because he has never been interested in romance plus he had never liked someone or at least, not as much as he liked you
and even when he found out he felt something for you, he just always told himself he was okay with how things were, because he’d never experienced anything beyond friendship and didn’t feel the need to try and maybe ruin the friendship
SO he didn’t have many ideas of what a good date could be
he definitely didn’t want a cliché corny date, but he really didn’t have any idea of what was good enough for a date
(and if for future dates you want something he’d consider a “”cliché corny date”” he’d do it for you and actually enjoy it)
the last thing he wanted was to have to ask you what you could do for your date
1- because he didn’t want to show you any side of him that didn’t look like he always has everything under control and he’s always composed (as if you wouldn’t want to see every side of him, even his most vulnerable sides- you’d have to work on that with him when you two become official)
2- he… kind of wanted to surprise you…..
but it really got to the point where he really didn’t know what you’d like the most (or what he’d like the most too) and what he wanted most over anything else is to not disappoint you in you two’s first date
SO he finally texted you asking if there was anything special you wanted to do (and therefore indirectly admitting he……….. just really wanted to ask you out. so much he did it without thinking of what he’d do if you said yes--)
you didn’t seem to mind, and in fact you were happy he asked for your opinion 
overall, scaramouche was very independent so he wasn’t one to ask others for advice, opinions or anything, much less for help regarding anything
“how long has it been since we last went to the arcade? we could go there! i heard from childe that they added new games!”
and he’s like !?!?!?? THAT…. is…….. the perfect idea
“that actually sounds perfect” he admitted, and the message brought a big smile to your face 
“just don’t get mad at me when you lose at all of them” he sent right after, teasing you, and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh out loud
“the last time i won in your favorite game” you reminded him, and even after he read your message, he took a little bit to reply
(he needed a second to put the pieces of his pride together SJNFKJDS)
“don’t get used to it, it won’t happen again”
“we will see about that” the more you two joked like this, the more excited you got thinking about tomorrow
scaramouche was sure now that it’d be a great first date that you’d both remember forever
the next day, it was almost the time for the date and scaramouche was going to pick you up at your house
i feel like scaramouche would be very fashionable and even in his style he doesn’t try to hide that he’s loaded…
not that he cares about buying cheap clothes, literally he’d say if he likes it and it’s good (aka it’s not cheap because it’s made of something that won’t make it last longer than 3 weeks) he’ll get it
but it just so happens that many times… the clothes he likes most are from famous brands…
AND THIS DAY!!!!!! he’s putting together one of his favorite outfits because it’s a special day
it almost hurts me just how nonchalant he’d look on the outside, making it a little hard to know exactly just how much this date meant to him (because as i said he’s not one to be very vocal about his feelings or even his thoughts)
BUT i trust that you… since you know him well…. can see past all that and you know that this is not just anything casual to him. this is special.
STILL!!!! he’d try his best to not let the blush rise to his cheeks and show, as well as to not let his voice shake when he complimented that you looked very good
ANYWAYS i think i think Scaramouche wouldn’t be one for big pda
the most he’d do where anyone can see is hold your hand or put his arm around your waist
WHICH IS WHY he’d try to be all smooth (and he would manage) reaching for your hand and lacing his fingers with yours
he wouldn’t make eye contact because then he’s sure it’ll show on his face that he’s getting somewhat flustered, but he’d still ask if you’re okay with it, to which you said yes
the area where the arcade was is always somewhat crowded so when you two were getting there, scaramouche would tighten the grip on your hand a little bit to make sure you wouldn’t let go and you’d be pulled apart by people trying to walk past however they can
you know that if you two got serious about your relationship, he would want to be the first person to share the news with his fans
BUT since he was so popular now, you two lived in a pretty big city and now were at a popular area (+ scaramouche wouldn’t be the type to try and hide his identity because he’s never had people make a fuss when they recognise him)
you were a little worried someone would see you two and maybe take a picture and post it online and it’d go viral before he can admit it himself
because of that, you end up throwing back to him the question he had asked when he held your hand 
“are you sure this is okay?”
your question confused him because he didn’t know what you mean, so he finally looked you in the eyes and waited for you to explain further
“it’s just- what if somebody sees us and recognises you?”
he looked away from you and back at where he was going, taking a few seconds to answer before he just shrugged
“i don’t care”
you softly let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding as you waited for him to say something, and almost missed the way he whispered
“as long as it doesn’t affect you”
for someone who seemed and actually tried to seem to self-sufficient, who appreciated his friends but was also okay on his own because he was absolutely comfortable with himself, he was actually…
more selfless than people would ever know, especially when it came to you
you two would have SO much fun in the arcade, trying every single game many times
this time though, scaramouche won in his favorite game so he lived up to his words
you two won so many tickets you literally didn’t even know what to do with them once you got the couple prizes you were interested in
you bumped into a couple fans of his, so you talked for a while
once again, you were met with suggestions of opening your own streaming channel, and even scaramouche said “i’ve told them that many times too, but they always say they think their streams won’t be fun enough”
and the fans are like “NO!! literally everyone thinks you’re super nice and fun!! of course you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but we’d love it!!”
one of the fans (exaggerating a little as a joke) said “i’ll be your number 1 fan i swear” and the three of you laughed, except scaramouche who just scoffed and smirked 
“i am ALREADY their number one fan. but good try” <- scaramouche in his head. say it outloud u coward.
but at the same time it was a joke scaramouche chill pretty much everyone knows you’re their number one fan……. even though you think you’re so smooth………. they just don’t say anything 
they were very nice and fun to talk to and you knew scaramouche and you didn’t really want anything else from the prizes, so you offered you two’s tickets to them
“we don’t really need these anymore so maybe you’ll have more use for them!!”
they got SO excited, the way their eyes lit up :( scaramouche is convinced you’re an angel but he’s also very happy to see how joyful his fans got because those were more than enough for the prize they really wanted-
so after that cute little interaction and having used up your energy for competition, you two leave and think of buying some ice cream or a milkshake or something to end the date nicely and to enjoy while you walk back home
the arcade was not exactly very close to where you two lived (it was far from your house, but even farther from his-) so he asked if you were okay with walking back or if you two should get an uber or something, to which you said you were okay
walking back with him meant!! a little more time you could spend with him
and he was happy you said that because he was feeling the same way and still didn’t want the day to end
we’ll see more about the kind of things he likes and dislikes if he’s released as a playing character BUT FOR NOW i really get this vibe that he’d LOVE boba tea
i even think he’d?? enjoy tea in general??? classy boy…
SO you two would end up going to get some boba 
it was very touching how, when reading the flavors they had that day, he suddenly and casually went “oh, they have your favorite” and you looked at the one he was pointing at and !!! indeed it was your favorite!!!!!!!
he remembers this kind of details very well
you take the chance to talk some more as you’re walking home
scaramouche asks about your job with voice acting and you tell him that you actually have been recording some new lines for your genshin character lately because in the next update there’ll be an event involving them
he’s looking forward to it but he teases you a little asking if it’s okay for you to spoil him with such information
but it’s okay because it’s not like he’d tell anyone, especially knowing it could get you in trouble
when he drops you off at your house, he has a hard time saying goodbye
literally you’re standing at your door and he’s in front of you, a couple steps away, looking away from you
you don’t say goodbye either, mainly because you know scaramouche is working the courage to say something, and you can also sort of guess what he wants to say
you think of saying it first, but then think that it would make scaramouche proud to be honest about his feelings and confess first
“i’ve liked you for a long time”
you can’t help the smile that makes its way onto your face, unconsciously reaching a hand up to slightly cover it
“i feel the same way” you replied to him in a soft voice
he took a deep breath and exhaled it softly, finally lifting up his gaze and making eye contact with you
it was already dark outside, so you couldn’t appreciate the faint rosy blush on his cheeks well
“can i kiss you?”
your eyes widened for a second, not expecting him to ask and if anything, thinking he’d just step forward and do it
so you were a little embarrassed and caught off-guard to reply properly, so you just nodded and put your hand down as he took the last couple steps and his face was right in front of yours
he’d cup your cheek in one of his hands, feeling the warmth of your skin
you closed your eyes, and he looked at you for a second longer before he finally leaned in and closed the short distance that separated your lips
at that moment you both knew that you had been missing on so much more when you two just settled and were content with your friendship
but!! that was about to change now, so it was all worth it
after that, scaramouche would make clear that this would be the first day of your relationship!! and even if he didn’t say it with words, you could just feel his happiness!!
so!! after that, because of work you two got a little busy the next couple months so dates weren’t very frequent 
or at least, they weren’t dates like the one you first had
but still whenever you two were free he’d go over to your house, or you’d come over to his to play, stream together, or literally just spend time together doing anything
he wouldn’t let people know you two had started dating straight away (if anything, only his other streamer friends -aka you two’s friends in common- knew)
but the day he said it, he wanted you to be there
SO one day you two were streaming and you were currently reacting to one fanart of you two together
so he looked at you and you made eye contact and it was like you two spoke with your eyes like
“do we tell them now”
“let’s tell them.”
so scaramouche would clear his throat and without closing the fanart, he’d say he has something he wanted to announce
everyone was excited thinking it’d be some new project, maybe involving you
maybe some merch??? and the fanarts had reminded him of it???????
BUT THEN he straightforwardly said
“y/n and i are dating”
and everyone goes aBSOLUTELY CRAZY
amidst the chaos, you two catch a comment saying “will you unban the people who shipped you two” and you laugh
and you look at each other like “did you read that one?” “yeah”
and scaramouche is like “yeah, i guess i will have to unban some people”
and when some get unbanned they’re like “fREEDOM!!!!”
and jokingly they’re all like “APOLOGISE!!!!!!!! SAY SORRY!!!” so he just laughs and you join them being like “!!! apologise!!! you banned them for it and!! look at you now!!”
so he ends up trying to hold in another laugh as he mutters a halfassed ‘sorry’ and everyone starts commenting claps and hearts and celebrating that he apologised. now justice has been made.
the rest of that stream suddenly feels livelier and brighter!! you two are laughing a lot and so is everyone in the chat!! 
and also the new genshin event would’ve already just been released that same day so you can talk about some of your experiences with recording or what you thought of it
and scaramouche would let you play it yourself!! (he still hadn’t played it) and it was also the first time you played genshin live!! you’d show people the characters you have and everything and tell them some anecdotes
people would be SHOCKED because you!? don’t have the character you voiced!? D:
and you’re like “yeah… i pulled for them and used up all my primogems and… didn’t get them”
and your banner is back because of the event, so scaramouche won’t let this slide!!!!!!!!!! YOU WILL GET YOUR CHARACTER.
your luck is terrible compared to his so at one point you’ll literally feel bad for how much he’s spending for you to get it
but he doesn’t mind at all and everyone is having fun so!!
and once you finally get them you’re sO HAPPY and everyone in the chat is celebrating
and you think it’s over but scaramouche is like ???? what are you doing?? open the wish page again. you’re going to get them c6.
and you’re like oh my gOD PLEASE NO DON’T SPEND MORE MONEY ON ME FOR THIS
but he won’t listen and he’ll do it
so!!! he’ll always do his best to be the best boyfriend he can be for you!! so you better give him your heart!!!!
421 notes · View notes
edendaphne · 3 years
Text
“Discordant Sonata” Chapter 19
>>Click here to read on Ao3<<
>>Click here to read on Wattpad<<
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CHAPTER 19: ATTACCA
Music glossary:        Attacca - "To attack at once"; used as a direction in music at the end of a movement to begin the next without pause
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(Mood music: "The Conversation" - Pearl Django)
Being mere months away from graduating lycée meant that their group of friends didn’t have as many classes together, due to their diverse individual interests and talents. However, they always made sure to make time to hang out after school before their extracurricular activities began.
And thus, Adrien, Nino, and Alya made their way to the classroom where the art club gathered to meet up with Marinette. From there, Adrien would make his way to either fencing lessons or Chinese, depending on the day of the week. Marinette would join him on days when he had Chinese (as she’d become determined to master the language ever since her uncle visited from Shanghai a few years back), Alya would go to her journalism club, and Nino would travel to his part-time internship at the local recording studio.
“–and the backlogs just keep piling up!” Alya spoke as they walked, voice full of vigor and excitement. “I’ve had to recruit yet another mod to help me keep order in the forums! Especially since the Ladyblog has started going international and we’ve had to organize servers in different languages. You wouldn’t believe how crazy it’s gotten in there recently!”
“Dang, babe,” Nino interjected. “Sounds like things are super rough for you right now.”
“Not really, more busy than anything. Especially because I have that big research article due next week, there’s just not enough hours in the day to try to read everything that goes on in there. But I have my mods report to me daily, ‘cause I always like to stay on top of everything that goes on in the chats!”
“What’s gotten everyone so riled up in the Ladyblog lately?” Adrien chimed in. “I don’t recall it being nearly this busy last year.”
The trio entered the art club’s classroom and settled down at the table where Marinette sat, getting her various sketches organized. The art teacher was quite easy going, so they didn’t have to talk in hushed whispers and could come and go as they pleased.
“Well, to be honest, it’s because of Chat Noir,” Alya replied.
Adrien tried to contain his surprise. “R-really? What– uhhh, what do people have to say about him?”
He winced inwardly. He knew he shouldn’t ask. But curiosity got the better of him today. Maybe learning the news through the filter or Alya’s paraphrasing instead of reading the negative comments firsthand would lessen the sting of what people said about him.
Marinette whipped her head around at the mention of his alter ego. “Wait, what about Chat Noir?” she inquired.
“Girl,” Alya replied, her voice filled with renewed exuberance. “You would not believe how much we’ve had to censor and moderate all the inappropriate things people have been saying!”
Adrien flinched in his seat. “Wow… do people really hate him that much?” he asked, trying to conceal the dejection in his voice.
Alya busted out into loud guffaws. “Hate?! Dude, most people don’t hate him; they LOVE him! By ‘inappropriate’ comments, I mean the kinda stuff you wouldn’t want your grandma to catch you reading! There’s a whole giant section dedicated to his new fan club!” she said as she removed her glasses so she could wipe away the tears of laughter.
“WHAT?!” Adrien squawked in confusion, his face feeling hotter than the ovens back at the bakery. “A fan club??”
Marinette burst into uncontrollable snickering. “Has it really gotten that bad?!”
Nino joined in, “Bro! Adrien, I can’t believe you haven’t heard Alya rant about these rabid fans before! They call themselves the ‘Noir Nation’, and the kind of things they’ve been writing would make adult romance authors blush like schoolgirls!”
Alya nodded, thoroughly amused. “And that’s not including all the fanfiction people have been writing.”
“Wait– the WHAT?! There’s fanfiction?!!” Marinette gaped in shock, as if she’d been hit in the face with an enormous pie. “Alya, how come I never knew about this?!”
“Why? You wanna read em? Girl, you’ll get no judgment from me. If you wanna check ‘em out for yourself, just go check under the hashtag ‘Ladynoir’.”
Marinette stammered as her arms flailed in her bewilderment, accidentally knocking her phone off the table and onto the floor, her eyes bigger and rounder than Adrien had ever seen them. “They have a ship name?!” she screeched.
“Just mind the ratings though,” Alya advised. “Some of them can get pretty steamy. You wouldn’t want someone to catch you reading those in public,” she added with a wink.
Marinette continued to sputter incoherently. “NO, I am NOT gonna read it!! It would be different if they were fictional characters, but I could never read fanfiction about real people!”
Alya raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. “Mm-hmm… Sure.”
Marinette’s hands flew to her face, trying to hide how red her entire face had gotten, and released a long squeak that resembled a hamster on helium. As shocked as Adrien was about these rather unexpected news, seeing Marinette’s over-the-top reaction brought a wide grin to his face and he busted out laughing.
He bent over to retrieve Marinette’s phone, since she was too busy being mortified to notice it had fallen to the floor. As he was about to hand it back, the screen lit up and Adrien saw the lockscreen wallpaper: it was the same photo of Ladybug and Chat Noir that he himself had saved earlier that day. He smiled, not exactly sure what to make of it, but finding it adorable that she’d liked the photo enough to set it as her lockscreen.
He tapped her shoulder, waiting for her to respond. She emerged from behind her impromptu hand shield and turned her head, then her eyes widened once again as soon as she saw what Adrien was showing her. She jolted straight up, stiff as a board, and her eyes met his, cheeks turning tomato red. He winked at her, amused about this little secret between them, and handed back her phone without a word.
Marinette accepted it with a meek-sounding, “Thanks,” looking like she wanted to explain the photo, but not able to do so unless she wanted Alya and Nino to find out that she was potentially a… ahem– “Ladynoir” shipper.
Switching the conversation to something else (which Marinette seemed to be eternally grateful for), the group chatted until it became time for them to scatter to their next destinations.
With a wave, Adrien exited the classroom and headed towards fencing practice, one of the few activities he decided to stick with despite not being forced to participate. Fencing, along with Chinese lessons, were not only enjoyable, but were also quite useful. Sadly, he didn’t have access to a piano anymore, so he wasn’t able to pursue that hobby for the time being. Hopefully later down the line, when things had settled down and he’d found his own place to live, he’d be able to finance one.
Thinking about the future had become an exciting pastime instead of an anxiety-inducing one, and it was all thanks to his friends and those he cared about. He smiled as he reached the door to the locker rooms, continuing to daydream of what was to come.
(Mood music: "Recollection 3" - Shirō Sagisu (BLEACH OST, "The Diamond Dust Rebellion")
Adrien finished getting dressed for fencing, his head still blissfully floating in the clouds. He stored his belongings into his assigned locker, shutting it with a loud clang, which echoed through the empty room.
Huh...? Empty?
He swiveled his head around, surprised that there was no one beside him. He stood up and began walking down the large room, peeking down the other locker rows looking for his classmates; but there was nobody.
Where was everyone? There’s no way that every single one of them was running late. Had his lessons been cancelled and he’d somehow missed a text message or email? He began heading back towards his locker to check his phone for any schedule changes.
Before he reached his destination, however, heavy thudding footsteps broke the eerie silence. Adrien whipped his body around to greet whoever they belonged to.
The owner of those footsteps was one of the last people Adrien expected to meet here.
“Gaspard?!”
Adrien stood agape, face to face with his old bodyguard, whom he hadn’t seen in a couple of years; not since he’d resigned and moved out of the country. Nathalie had mentioned that in his resignation letter, Gaspard said that he’d become involved in an overseas business venture involving the market of rare action figures. Nevertheless, Adrien couldn’t help but suspect that his father’s ill temper and poor treatment of their employees was the true reason for his departure.
Adrien’s first reaction was surprise and joy, and he rushed forward to greet and embrace him. However, as he approached and got a better look at the man’s face, Adrien’s mood instantly morphed into confusion and apprehension. There was something odd about his eyes.
Something wasn’t right. Why was Gaspard here? And why now?
He came to a halt about a meter before reaching him. An oppressive weight seemed to press in all around him, and he had to suppress a shiver. “Wait. Gaspard, did–” he gulped, “–did my father send you?”
His old bodyguard did not reply, but took a heavy step towards him. Adrien stepped back.
“Please… I can’t go back. I live somewhere else now, and I’m very happy there. Whatever he told you about the situation, it’s a lie.”
His bodyguard continued to approach him, his stare vacant and unsettling.
Fighting the urge to panic, he pleaded, “You don’t have to do this. If he’s offered you compensation, I can match it; it’ll just take me a bit of time. But we can work something out, right?? For old time’s sake?”
He continued walking backwards until he bumped into something firm, but it wasn’t a wall; it was another person. Before he could turn around, they grabbed him by the shoulders, detaining him and preventing him from running away.
He was about to shout for help when something sharp jabbed him on the side of the neck, injecting a cold liquid. Adrien’s eyes grew wide in terror.
Shit.
Adrien swore as he jerked away, elbowing whoever was behind him and managing to break free. Rubbing at the spot where the syringe had stabbed him, he glanced back to take a look at his other assailant, only to see... another Gaspard?
Why are there two of him??
This was wrong. Gaspard didn’t have a twin; he knew that for a fact. He’d worked for the Agrestes ever since Adrien was a toddler and was too young to even pronounce his name correctly (hence the nickname “Gorille”, which stuck around for years afterwards). Additionally, there was something uncanny, otherworldly, even, about the way these two men looked and moved.
He shook himself out of his stupor. He didn’t have time to contemplate any possible explanations. He had to get out of there fast.
He sprinted towards the exit, but only managed to travel a few paces before he lost his footing and tripped. He fell to the ground hard, almost hitting his head on a nearby bench. As he struggled to get up, he realized that his fingers and toes had already gone numb.
Not good.
Time was running out. Adrenaline coursed through him and, with a grunt, he hefted himself to his feet and scrambled towards the exit, as fast as he could despite a heavy limp. Though his heart was hammering and his legs felt like they were filled with sand, he pushed himself, concentrating on reaching the door.
After taking a few steps, however, he realized that even if he did manage to exit the locker room, the area beyond was an open courtyard. Meaning he wasn’t going to be able to reach someplace safe before getting caught. He had no choice but to transform into Chat Noir, and hopefully Plagg’s powers and strength could help him escape and find somewhere to hide.
He’d scarcely uttered the first syllable in the transformation phrase when he was tackled to the ground. A giant hand swiftly covered his mouth and Adrien felt his hands get bound together with thick zip ties behind his back. A muffled scream of writhing frustration made its way up his throat as his limbs became more and more useless by the second.
No… This can’t be happening! Please, this can’t be how it all ends!
Just when his life had finally gained a semblance of normalcy and he’d found happiness again, it would get ripped away and he would disappear without a trace, leaving everyone to wonder what had happened to him. Leaving his friends to think that Gabriel had pulled him from school and they would never see him again. Leaving Ladybug to wonder if Chat had abandoned her forever. Leaving her to fight Hawkmoth alone. Again.
He couldn’t let that happen. He thrashed and struggled as furiously as he could, fighting the feelings of overwhelming helplessness that threatened to consume him. Nearing despair, he was too distracted to notice Plagg phrasing through the wall, away from the skirmish, in search of the only person who could save him.
(Mood music: "Run" - Ludovico Einaudi)
Marinette fidgeted with her pencil, her feet wiggled and bounced under her desk. She didn’t understand; when she’d arrived at the art club, her head had been filled with inspiration and ideas that she’d been excited to draw and execute. However, at the moment, her mind was filled with noise and disquietude.
Having had enough, she excused herself to visit the restroom. Once she’d walked far enough from the classroom, she opened her purse to talk to Tikki about her current dilemma.
“It’s the same feeling as last night, Tikki! Except that would mean one of three possibilities. Option A.) It’s nothing and I’m going crazy. And— don’t give me that look, Tikki! I can see what you’re thinking and I don’t have time for your cheeky sass right now!” The kwami snickered while Marinette cleared her throat and continued, “Option B.) that Chat is here, at this school, which is impossible because his school’s on the other side of the city, that’s why he always leaves the house super early for his long commute.”
Tikki opened her mouth and looked like she was about to say something, but then didn’t (...or couldn’t?).
Marinette resumed, “Or, C.) that my–– what do I even call it? My ‘Spidey sense’??–– that it’s got a long distance mode, and Chat is all the way across Paris and he’s in trouble! But what am I supposed to do about that from here?! I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking!”
Tikki shrugged. “Follow your instincts, Marinette. There’s no harm in taking a quick look around the school, right?”
Marinette groaned. “UGH! It doesn’t make sense!! Am I going to get interrupted like this all the time from now on?” She shook her head resolutely. “No. I can’t just go off on random field trips every single time I feel a random fit of anxiety. I’m sure it’s just leftover jitters from last night. I’m supposed to call Master Fu after school anyway; he can help me figure everything out. I’m just gonna go back to class and forget about it.”
Tikki frowned, not quite convinced, but deciding not to press further.
Marinette made her way back to the classroom in a frustrated huff. But as her hand reached to turn the handle, the feelings of danger and urgency multiplied tenfold. Without a word, she sprinted away in the opposite direction, not even knowing where she was running to, only knowing she had to get there immediately.
She reached the large common area of the school downstairs. Her head whipped around, frantically searching for something, anything. In her haste, she didn’t notice a small black creature zoom into her open purse.
A few moments later, she felt a frantic tugging at her shirt from below.
“Marinette!! Over there! Check the locker room, quick!!!” Tikki whisper-screamed as she peeked outside the purse, her tone uncharacteristically frantic.
Marinette nodded, then sprinted to the locker room.
“Wait! You should transform first!” Tikki added.
No time!
“Marinette, wait!!”
Despite Tikki’s protests, Marinette raced towards the double doors, tackling them open.
Three sets of eyes landed on her as she skidded to a halt, but only one pair consumed her entire attention. She gasped in horror, hands flying to her face as she stared at what was occurring in front of her. Adrien let out a desperate, muffled scream urging her to run.
His panicked voice snapped her out of her dazed shock; but instead of running, she stood her ground, eyes darting back and forth across the area searching for something useful. The room was remarkably barren except for a lone broom a short distance away from her. She grabbed it and leaped towards the closest attacker (the one holding Adrien down), swinging it like a baseball bat.
The man didn’t even try to avoid the hit; the broomstick merely bounced off the side of his face where Marinette had hit him. She frowned in confusion, then tried hitting him again, bringing the stick down on the top of his head like an axe.
SNAP.
The end of the broom flew off, and Marinette stared in shock at the broken broomstick.
“What the hell are you?!” Marinette exclaimed, shifting her grip on the shortened wooden stub.
She pounced at the second bodyguard, bringing her weapon down in a stabbing motion; but he swatted at her hand, disarming her. She yelped in pain, leaping backwards to get some distance between them.
She was outmatched. The only strategy available was to use their own size against them. With a feint to the side, she shot at his legs for a takedown, hoping to catch him off balance. He called her bluff and shoved her backwards with his giant palm, then kneed her in the stomach.
Winded from the impact, Marinette doubled over with a gasping wheeze, fighting with all her might to keep herself from collapsing onto the ground. She forced herself upright and attacked again. With a clumsy jerk, she lunged forward, swinging wild punches at her opponent. The shots connected but his expression barely changed; it was like beating a breathing punching bag.
The bodyguard backhanded Marinette across the face. Pain shooting across her cheek, she staggered, almost losing her balance. In her daze, she watched helplessly as the man reared his arm back. There was no chance to dodge. His fist connected with her abdomen, delivering a liver shot that shut down her entire body. She crumpled to the floor as if boneless. She tried to call out Adrien’s name, but her mouth merely opened in a silent scream.
Marinette could hear Adrien’s distressed screaming, but it sounded distant, like they were underwater. The edges of her vision grew black and fuzzy, the entire room dissolving around her. She had to consciously force her lungs to inhale, but couldn’t fill them all the way, as if a boulder had been placed on top of her chest.
Faintly, she felt herself getting picked up off the ground and carried away over someone’s shoulder. Disoriented and semi-blinded, the sudden movement and rough jostling made her head spin and gave her vertigo. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block it all out.
A few moments later, they stopped moving, and she heard a door burst open. Where were they? Before she could gather her senses, she was in the air, thrown several meters away, landing with a hard thud. A sharp pain traveled down her body as she rolled into the wall across them. The shriek that tried to escape her throat emerged as a strained, shallow whine.
The man stomped out, leaving her alone in the room. “Stop…!” she rasped out, managing to tilt her neck upwards, head pounding.
The bodyguard slammed the door shut, followed by a bang and a clattering sound that could only mean he’d broken the doorknob of whatever room she was in.
Marinette's vision became more and more blurred. At the verge of losing consciousness, she fought to keep her eyes open as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.
No, she couldn’t pass out! She had to save Adrien! Stay awake, Marinette, stay awake!!
She bit down on her lip hard, focusing on the sharp sting, on the swelling that was already forming around her right eye, forcing herself to feel the pain her body was in. At this moment, feeling pain was better than falling unconscious. She concentrated on her breathing, slowly regaining her senses.
She reached down to open her purse and get Tikki’s help… only to be met with emptiness. Panic settled in her gut as she realized that sometime during the skirmish, the purse had slipped off her shoulder. She sat up, slowly, so she wouldn’t risk feeling faint again from the change in positions.
She squinted, adjusting her eyesight to the darkness of the room. It seemed to be some sort of supply closet. After a failed few attempts to stand, she crawled towards the door instead, careful not to bump into the crates and shelves that filled the area.
The girl eyed the broken doorknob wearily. She was pretty proficient at lockpicking and breaking into things, but not as good at breaking out. Her only hope was that Tikki would be able to find her… if she was even nearby.
She swore to herself. Why had she rushed in and attacked two grown ass men (who, incidentally, may or may not be supernatural to boot!) instead of hiding and creating a strategy?! Now she was useless, Tikki was gone, and Adrien was surely on his way to get auctioned to the highest bidder in the criminal black market and ransomed off for an enormous sum. Great job, Marinette. Adrien’s been abducted and it’s all your fault.
Gathering all the determination she could muster, she tried to call out for help. But her voice was still too hoarse, and only a weak croak came out. She clenched her fists, grumbling irritably. Time for a different approach. Somehow, she needed to make noise.
After a brief search, she found a hard, metallic object that she could use to hammer on the door. She tested it out; it was surprisingly effective. She doubled her efforts, making as big a racket as possible. Hopefully, it would only be a matter of time before somebody heard her, let her out, and she could go find Adrien.
She couldn’t let anything else happen to another loved one. Not again.
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I'M REEEAAAAALLY SORRY FOR THAT CLIFFHANGER JSHDKFJHSKDF ᕕ(╯°д°)ᕗ  I tried splitting up the sections differently but it didn't really flow as well.
But the next chapter is almost done, so I'll have it ready by next weekend!!
156 notes · View notes
afterglowisbliss · 3 years
Text
Cutting away the dread
Levi x Fem!Reader
This story contains: Mentions of death, rapid weight loss, mentions of sexual harassment (it is not over the top, but just in case I will put the warning here)
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"Hey" you jump at the stern voice, nearly dropping your tea in the process. "It's been quite some time, Y/n. I almost couldn't recognise you with that long hair" the voice teased while flicking your long locks. That's right, you've been letting yourself go. The unkept hair and dark circles under your eyes were a dead giveaway that you weren't doing so good.
You're usually good at hiding your problems and emotions. It's the scouts way. The longer you practise, the more you master the skill of being numb.
"Hey Levi, it has been quite awhile, huh..." you responded in a soft tone. While the other scouts walked on eggshells around Levi, you were free to talk any way you wanted. He wouldn't even get angry. Annoyed at times if you crossed a line, but never angry. He almost never made any snide remarks towards you either. He had a soft spot for you. You were his weakness. Anyone who dared to hurt or mess with you would feel the wrath of THE Levi Ackerman. An example being when you and Levi were walking together to buy SOME tea when a man put his arm around your waist. "How much will it be, lovely lady" he snickered. You were visibly uncomfortable but before you could react Levi had already taken care of it. Knocked out cold on ground with wide eyes looking our direction from innocent bystanders. "It'll cost your life, you filthy shit" Levi hissed. He grabbed your hand and immediately took you back to HQ in fear someone else might try their luck.
While you weren't too sure why you were 'the chosen one' you never really questioned it. You just went along with his kindness and soft attitude towards you. Perhaps it was because he was aware you could dive deep into his soul and discover everything about him without even trying. Maybe that intimidated him. You were always one to read people like a book. He would often mock you calling you a stalker with how well you knew people without much information about their lives being shared. That's where you and Levi contrast. While he might not show it, he's caring, emotional and protective. However, despite that he is far from a people person. He doesn't read people the way you do.
It had been three months since it happened. The guilt still weighing over you as if a titan was sitting on you. You could still see his face. He was begging for your help and crying for his mom. His final moments being in the disgusting mouth of a titan and all you could do was run away.
Run away... Just like all of your problems...
Levi rests his hand on your shoulder. Despite his cold demeanor he was actually warm. Physically. You knew this due to all the times he's carried you away from danger, or when he would grab your hand when you would freak out. Or even when he would slightly move you out of his way with his hands on your shoulders. His body heat was comforting and you found yourself gravitating towards Levi when you were in a room together. This is also where you and Levi contrast. You are more warm hearted on the outside, yet your body temperature is almost abnormally cold all the time. Yet even with your icy hands on Levi's he never flinched. Almost as if both your temperatures balanced each others.
"Have you... Have you been feeling any better?" he was gentle approaching the subject. He took a seat across from you. This was when he first noticed your unkept appearance. You looked frighteningly skinnier. Cheeks that used to be full and puffy were much more hollow. He knew you were brokent in which return broke him.
You try look into his dark grey eyes attempting to answer his question. As you open your mouth you immediately close it again. Your lips started quivering and your eyes started to tear up. Embarrassed you look away, hair covering your face. Your start to aggressively squeez your left hand with your right as all the emotion starts to build up. You never cried in front of anyone, not even Levi. This time you simply couldn't keep it in anymore.
"Y/n... Look at me" he asserted. When you refused he took your chin between his thumb and index finger and brought your face level to his. He parted your hair out of your face and gently tucked it behind your ear. "Y/n, please look at me" he pleaded. He sounded desperate and wooful. He couldn't bare the sight of the people he cared about in pain. It was one of the only things that could completely soften Levi.
The desperation in his voice convinced you to look up at him. He is met with your beautiful yet sorrowful eyes. "I'm sorry, Levi" you sniffed followed by a deep breath in. "No. I haven't. Every attempt I make to be productive... Every attempt I make to go outside I think of him. He was so innocent. I promised. I promised I would keep him safe. I told him... I told him he was safe with me" you grieved. "I made a promise only to watch him die! I'm a shitty person, he begged me, Levi! HE BEGGED ME TO HELP HIM BECAUSE I PROMISED HIM THAT I WOULD, BUT INSTEAD I TURNED MY BACK ON HIM. AN INNOCENT CHILD" you wailed breaking down into tears grabbing onto Levi's shirt. He embraced you, pulling you closer to his chest as you sniffle and cry, wetting his shirt with your tears.
"You're not a shitty person, Y/n. You couldn't save him because if you did hundreds of others would've died in his place. I know it's hard to accept the death of someone you promised to keep safe, we have all been there, but you have to understand that letting someone go is a part of life. It's inevitable. Whether it was in that moment or 20 years from now, you would've had to have said goodbye eventually." he reassures. You stop crying for a moment to think about Levi's words. It's true what he said. We all eventually have to say goodbye to the ones we care about.
"Tell me, Y/n, did you directly promise him you would keep him safe?" he questioned. When you thought about that day, the answer was clear. "I-I told him I would try my best to keep him safe..." you mumbled. "So it's clear now. You did follow through with your promise. You tried your best to keep him safe. Now all that is left for us to do is to make sure he didn't die in vein." Levi added pulling you away from his chest to make eye contact with you once again.
You wipe the tears of your face and mod in agreement. There is no point grieving for the rest of your life over something you couldn't control. All that was left for you now was to make sure his death meant something.
"Levi..." your voice is haorse and strained from all the crying. "Can I ask you a favour?" you request followed by a confused Levi who isn't used to you asking for favours. "Can you please cut my hair?" you innocently ask and your cheeks start to heat up. Its an odd question to ask a Captain. "It's just that... My hair is getting too long for odm gear and I don't like to tie up my hair" you explain further hoping to persuade Levi into cutting your hair for you. "Go wet your hair for me" he commands while getting up from his seat to get the scissors. A slight smile creeps up onto your face. That's the first time that's happened in awhile.
You do as he says wetting your hair with lukewarm water. Once you're all done you look around for a comb to quickly get rid of any knots that might get in the way. "Don't worry I'll comb your hair for you" Levi assures and motions for you to sit down on the chair in from of him.
You sit with your legs crossed, hands fiddling with the gem of your shirt while Levi gently combs through your your hair. It reached just 2 inches away from your shoulder which to you, was quite long considering the length you usually keep it at.
Levi strokes your hair feeling for any missed knots. "How short would you like it?" he asks preparing the scissors in his hand. You take a moment to ponder on the question. How short would you like it?
"a pixie cut" you reply with confidence. It's a bold decision considering you've never tried it before.
"Are you sure? You've never-" "I'm sure" you cut him off. He sighs before commenting on your boldness, "Always one to try new things huh." You chuckle. He wasn't wrong.
Snip, snip, snip
You feel your hair fall first onto you, then onto the ground. You watch as the hair slightly moves with the wind sneaking in from the window that won't close properly. The whole scene feeling very calming and relaxing. The sound of scissors cutting hair was oddly satisfying.
Before you knew it he was done. He sets the pair of scissors down on the table behind him and rests his left hand on your shoulder. "what do you think?" he asks. You open your eyes to look right at a mirror hanging on the wall in front of you. Your eyes widen in shock. It actually looks nice.
"I think it suits you" Levi adds before walking to the other side of the room to get a broom. "Thank you, Levi" you say grabbing his forearm and pulling him into an embrace.
Levi isn't the biggest fan of physical affection but let it slide when it came to you. "Anytime, Y/n."
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Kokichi’s fluff alphabet
Mod Mikan: Fluff alphabet is from @mod-sonia-writes-stuff! Keep being awesome, darling! :)
A ctivities - What do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?
-Kokichi gets bored pretty easily, so he likes any acitivity where he’s always on his feet doing something fun with his SO. This can range from a variety of dates in his mind, such as the amusement park, carnival, arcade, even walking in the park!
-Dates with him can get a bit tiring, considering you are always doing something, but nevertheless, they are super fun and full of energy! He’s also a huge man-child, so going shopping to Build-a-bear or pranking your classmates are also on the agenda!
B eauty - What do they admire about their s/o? What do they think is beautiful about them?
-Kokichi adores everything about his SO. And when I say everything, I mean everything. Though, if he had to pick, he’d say their sense of humor and smile. He loves how he can have fun with them and their smile just lights up the whole room!
-He also likes how they wouldn’t change themselves for anyone since he fell in love with the real you! It makes him wanna take down his own walls when you guys are alone
C omfort - How would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?
-I think Kokichi would be a total sweetheart when it comes to comforting his SO when they’re feeling sad. I believe he has had his fair share of panic attacks in the past and although he didn’t have anyone to comfort him, he knows exactly what to do for his SO. He will never let his SO feel the sadness that he had to face, so his first instinct would be to hug them and pull them onto his lap. He’d shush them gently and try to help them get their breathing under control if they were feeling paranoid and anxious
-After you are calmed down a bit, Kokichi would ask you if you wanna talk about it or not. If you did, he would be listening and full locked into what you were saying. After you were done speaking, he would try his best to cheer you up, telling jokes and putting on your favorite movie. He’d poke your cheeks, cuddle you, tickle fights, anything to see that smile he adores so much!
-If you didn’t wanna talk about it, that is fine too! He would skip right into doing anything to make you smile again!
D reams - How do they picture their future with their s/o?
-I believe that it would actually take a long time before Kokichi would consider settling down with his SO. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like he doesn’t want to. A secure future with you is all he ever wants! But there are a few factors that would make him a bit unsure about his vision alongside you
-Deep down, Kokichi is very insecure. It’s a deal of coming to terms that he even deserves to have you. He may be a big talker, but he struggles with his own negative thoughts surrounding himself, and he really yearns of the day where he can come to terms that he deserves someone like you
-He also never had such a deep emotional connection with a single person before. He’s very inexperienced in the romance department, let alone, friendship even! He’s not sure if this would even last, since everyone ends up hating or leaving him in the end. It would take a while before he would feel confident that you want to stay by his side
-He also doesn’t want you to get hurt. His organization may just be a small group of harmless pranksters, but DICE has gotten into some serious trouble before. Kokichi will protect you with his life, but in the event that he fails to, he would never forgive himself if something bad happened to you because of him
E qual - Are they the dominant one in the relationship, or rather passive?
-It would appear like Kokichi is mostly dominant in the relationship. He looks like he’s the one who makes a lot of decisions in the relationship, ranging from date nights, milestones, anniversaries, and even planning out surprises between him and his SO. While he may take control a lot, he really does this to make sure that he can spoil his SO like they deserve. He’s very calculating and plans everything to every small detail, so he’s very confident in his ideas. He will deny that he’s spoiling them, but trust me, honey--he is!
-Of course, Kokichi would never do anything if it made his SO uncomfortable. He always asks for consent if he has a seed of doubt in the back of his mind that his SO would be against. However, it’s pretty rare that he would ask them if they were okay, since he’s certain of himself that he knows his SO very well. He also wouldn’t ask consent of surprises, since well--it’s a surprise!
-Despite being the dominant one, Kokichi is totally open to what you wanna do as well. He’s always ready to hear your thoughts and input on dates. He would make teasing comments, calling your ideas ‘cheesy’ or ‘lame’ but he would still do them anyway. He complains and says “He was forced to do this” but don’t worry, darling--he loves doing pretty much anything with you and loves your ideas ;)
F ight - Would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?
-Kokichi is a huge brat and a literal embodiment of a man-child. But when he fights with his SO, it’s an even bigger nightmare. He wouldn’t even try to lie, he would be so open about how he feels and just blurt out whatever was on his mind. He would aggravate the situation even more than necessary, causing a full-blown fight to break out. Kokichi may be self aware, but when he gets emotional, he won’t even try to hold anything back
-However, Kokichi loves you so so so much. There is no way he can stay mad at you forever! However, I think him forgiving his SO would depend entirely on what the fight was about. If it was a petty, lover’s squabble, he would forgive his SO with ease, calling/texting them saying they have to talk. If they refuse to talk to him, he would even show up at their house ready to apologize. If that doesn’t work, hell-he’ll get DICE to kidnap you and bring you to his office!
-He’s super stubborn when it comes to you not giving him attention, and when it comes to fighting you, he will forgive you super easily. You’re his weak spot, and it pains him to see you so upset at him because of something stupid he said/did
G ratitude - How grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?
-Kokichi is extremely grateful for his SO! He covers up his gratitude by saying that they ‘ruined’ him in a sense, but it’s all in good intent: He went from a feared and hated evil dictator, to a huge softie and cuddle bug at night! You taught him what love was and how to feel it. You brought light into his dark life. It’s even safe to say that you are is everything
-He will always show his gratitude instead, by planning fun date nights, spontaneous surprises, and romantic cuddle sessions. He always covers up his lovey-dovey nature by teasing or even saying his signature line “It’s a lie!” by we all know he’s lying about lying--he absolutely loves you to death and his intense actions show it!  
H onesty - Do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?
-It would depend on how deep the relationship is. At first, he would be pretty reserved and wouldn’t really talk about his feelings at first. He would boast about really anything he would deem ‘proud of’ and tease his SO with ‘lies’, sometimes being true, sometimes just being flat out playful banter. He wouldn’t really open up at first, but he would definitely try for you
-Kokichi will never admit this, but he does wanna better himself for you. After all, you’re such an important person in his life! You’re the only person that can wrap him around your finger and he hella loves it! Over time, I feel like he would break down his walls and open up a bit. It would take a while and with some effort, he would drop his facade with you and be more genuine and honest with you. Be patient, honey. He’s really trying!
I nspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?
-As said before, you ruined him! It may only be with you, but he has learned to be more open and sincere about his feelings and reactions. He kept up his ‘evil supreme leader’ act for so long, practically being used to people hating him. But you were special to him, since you don’t hate him like everyone else did. He would certainly learn to be more honest with you around, and he eventually grows to be a very wholesome lover
-Another secret Kokichi will never admit is that you turned him into a huge sweetheart. He’s ‘gone soft’ because of you and even shows a hidden hopeless romantic side to himself. With Kokichi being....well Kokichi, he will hide his thoughtfulness and selflessness with playful banter and teasing, or even call it a ‘lie’ but with time, he will take off that mask and be genuine more often. He obviously won’t stop teasing completely, since it’s a huge part of who he is, but he really does wanna be good enough for you
J ealousy - Do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?
-Kokichi is prone to get very possessive towards his lover. He doesn’t like it when another man even touches you. Even seeing someone else’s eyes wander all over you in an attractive manner makes his blood boil. It’s actually pretty easy to get him jealous, but admitting it is a whole different story
-Kokichi acting on his jealously can go two ways:
1) He silently glares daggers at the guy until he leaves. Later, he will deny that he was ever jealous and won't admit it. He feels like being jealous shows vulnerability, and he doesn’t wanna seem weak. This would especially be prominent in the beginning of the relationship  
or
2) He will annoy the S H I T outta the guy and cling onto you like a koala. When you guys get home, he will kiss you like there is no tomorrow and will get (even more) clingy than usual. This would usually be the option if you guys were dating for a long time and Kokichi was in the middle of coming to terms that you weren’t leaving him and it was okay to be honest with someone he trusts--you!
Either way, both options will end in the dude getting pranked for life
K iss - Are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?
-Kokichi’s kisses at first are very inexperienced. He never had a close emotional connection with someone, so it’s all super new to him. He may take initiative a lot, but he wants everything in this relationship to be perfect, so he would back out on kissing for a bit before he would plan out how to make it special
-After some thinking, he would just be like ‘fuck it’ and kiss you at such a random and unexpected time. Kokichi’s kisses are like him--spontaneous, unpredictable, and random! He’s super quick with his kisses and LOVES to peck your cheek, forehead, hand, and even neck to get a cute reaction from you. But he’s also a big fan of making out when he has the chance
L ove Confession - How would they confess to their s/o?
-Kokichi wouldn’t just fall in love with anyone. It would have to be someone that he already has a close connection with. He would be most likely to fall in love with someone he considers a close friend to him. It would take some time, but patience is key
-When Kokichi starts to feel romantic attraction to his now crush, he starts to distance himself a lot. Romantic feelings are all so new to him, and he's very inexperienced when it comes to close relationships. He has only told Kaito and Shuichi, a bit reluctant to receive help from Kaito. They start to coach him, or in Kaito's terms, 'man him up'. It took help from both men to finally aid Kokichi into confessing to his crush, making sure that they knew he was totally honest in his confession
-The week before the confession, Kokichi said that he'd be in his room and lab more often, because of an upcoming 'test' in Friday. Little did (Y/N) know that their devious friend was reading romance novels and watching youtube videos on 'how to be a good boyfriend' Kokichi wasn't really one to care about tests, so what exactly was this quiz about that he was 'studying' so hard for? When they went to ask Kaito about it, he just chuckled and ruffled their hair
"Don't worry about it, (Y/N)! Kokichi will tell you on Friday!"
-Friday came and the pair finally met up at the gym. With a bouquet of flowers in his hand, he asked--er, demanded--the question
"Date me! You can’t say no to an awesome supreme leader like me!”
-I feel like at first, they would believe it’s just another one of his jokes, lies, or pranks. Kokichi would be heartbroken on the inside, but he would play it off as a joke that “Nishishi~! You got me!” and run away, trying to hide his embarrassment. It would take time, and some more help from Shuichi and Kaito, but after reassuring them that it was a genuine question, Y/N would hesitate before agreeing to go out with Kokichi  
M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?
-This really ties in with his ‘D-Dream” category. While he really does want a future with you, it would take some time to even consider making it a reality. He would have to establish a very close and deep connection with you and be sure that you aren’t going to leave him. He also needs to come to terms that he actually deserves you and that you won’t get hurt because of him
-Somedays, Kokichi would be lost in thought, considering the possibility of marriage. With time, he’d definitely talk about it with having a future with his SO, but he wouldn’t say the actual words ‘marriage’ or anything related to it. While he may play it off as a joke at the end, he really does mean every word he says
N icknames - What do they call their s/o?
-Loves to call you any pet names that makes you all flustered and blushy. While he loves to tease you, he also likes to incorporate his dark and evil persona along with his nicknames for you. Would cycle between “My dear” and “My sweet(heart)”. He will even add a ‘my precious’ or ‘my darling’ before calling your name, making you blush in public. Would use “My queen/king/liege’ sparingly at first, but gradually, it becomes a regular pet name
-If it was a time where he was serious and teasing/playful banter had no room in this grave and heavy conversation, he would call you ‘Angel’
O n Cloud Nine - What are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?
-Kokichi keeps a poker face on when it’s just him and his other classmates. When you aren’t around, he carries on with his day like it’s nothing new, and just annoys and causes trouble, ya know, the usual “Kokichi” stuff
-Deep down, you are always on his mind. You filled his head with nothing but you, you, and you! He loves you so much and while it may not be visibly present just by looking at him, he’s great at bottling up his emotions. He will never let anyone see such a weak and vulnerable side of him  
-When you are with him though, he would be ALL over you! He has crackhead energy and loves to just be a personal koala when you are around. He will be very clingy physically and love to show you off any chance he gets, even if it’s clear as daylight to the others that you are in a relationship. And making the others all annoyed by his PDA is a bonus!
P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?
-As said before, Kokichi is ALL! OVER! YOU! It’s motherfucking Kokichi, he will show off anything: You not being an exception! He’s not into hand-holding that much, believing it’s ‘too weak’ between couples that love each other. He wouldn’t be shy about straight up hugging you, kissing your lips, resting his head on your shoulder, and swinging his arm around you. He will always have some way of touching you and he likes the feeling of your skin against him. It assures him that you’re real--that you aren’t going to leave him
-He also loves to compliment you and make you all flustered with his words. He would brag about you in front of all the others, you just standing next to him all red in the face. You W I L L be called at least one nickname in public!
Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship
-Kokichi is a very detailed-oriented planner and hyper intelligent. When he plans date, he always makes sure that everything will be perfect and guarantees that you will have a blast with him! He also doesn’t wanna have a boring time with you and wants to be entertained, as well as wanting the same for you. If you guys are going on a date planned by him, there is always a 100% chance that you will have fun and a good time
-Overall, he’s very good and skilled at planning dates, promising you a great time with him!
R omance - How romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?
-It’s really a mix of cliché and creative. While Kokichi has his own way of doing things and will whatever he wants, whenever he wants, he also tries a lot in the relationship to keep you happy. He would go to the depth of hell for you, and while he may just seem like an annoying brat who whines for attention on the surface, you have absolutely no idea what he is capable of when it comes to his beloved
-He blends the two really well, being romantic and creative at the same time. He’s unique with his way of showing love, however he’s fluent in many love languages, whether it would be acts of service, physical affection, or praises. He’s a fan of cuddles, but would tickle you and kiss your neck sweetly while he cradles you in his arms. He would plan adventurous date nights, but add his own twist and spice into it as well ;)
S upport - Are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? Do they believe in them?
-Look....Kokichi is a shithead. But he’s a shithead that cares. He is extremely supportive in what you do and will never lie about his feelings towards something so important, as in you following you dreams. He would make little playful and mischievous comments calling your dream “cliché” or “lame”, but he will always be here if you ever need help
-Will do everything in his power to make sure that you are on the right track towards achieving your goals. He will fight tooth and nail for you and what you want. You mean everything to him and seeing you so happy in achieving your goals is rewarding to the both of you
T hrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?
-At the beginning of the relationship, Kokichi would constantly be trying new things with you, dragging you to different places and even pranking people just cause! Kokichi has a habit of being bored quickly, so he would always be trying out new things and is open to new suggestions
-Overtime, he would settle into a routine with you. Of course, he’s open to surprises and loves spontaneous, uninvited events to spice things up, but he would fall into doing certain things with you and making a habit out of them. Waking up next to you and falling asleep with you doesn’t sound too bad. Cuddle sessions after work? Going out for a midnight run at McDonald’s when you can’t sleep? Sounds like a plan to him! When he’s with you, he doesn’t fall into boredom easily, because you’re far from a boring person to him
U nderstanding - How good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?
-He knows you probably better than you know yourself! Kokichi is observant, aware, and hyper intelligent. Seeing how your eyes sparkle when you see something you like, or how your lip twitches into a slight, nearly invisible frown when you see something you hate, he will take mental notes. You’re basically going to love anything he gifts you or dates that he came up with, since he’s always putting your thoughts into account. He does everything for you and is one of the most selfless partners you will find. You may even call him wholesome when it comes to his SO  
V alue - How important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?
-His relationship with his SO is very important to him and is probably the most valuable thing in his life, along with DICE. He will never chose between the two, since he cares deeply about both his families. Ya know how his motive video was DICE? You could’ve easily been his motive video if you guys were together prior to the killing game, since you are really the most important person in his life
-It’s clear that he has a strong biased towards you, since he rarely insults you and his pranks and teasing regarding you are much more toned down than it is with his classmates. He plays less pranks on you and makes you more of his partner in crime
-Overall, you are his guardian angel, his whole world, his everything. He loves you very much, it’s actually quite concerning the lengths he would go for you. He’d never do anything violent though, since his organization has a policy against killing, but rather manipulate and work on a crafty, sneaky plan if it would benefit you in the end. He would literally, and I mean--LITERALLY- do almost anything for you
W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon
-Kokichi has written love letters addressed to his SO, expressing his real and true feelings about them. However, he always backs out on giving them the letters, not wanting to seem like he’s getting attached too fast or that it’s cheesy and not very ‘evil supreme leader’ like of him. He keeps the love letters in a box locked in a drawer underneath his desk. When he’s alone, he’d take the letters out, re reading them with a smile on his face. He always writing new ones, but never gives them to you because of his own insecurities and clashing thoughts. Unless, one day, you stumble upon it somehow, they’re really just collecting dust inside his desk
X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?
-Kokichi is a HUGE fan of affection. He’s big on PDA and loves to show you off to all his classmates and even his DICE members. He absolutely has no shame and his hands are ALL over you! Behind closed doors or even in public, he will never deny a chance to cuddle, kiss, hug, or just show you how much he loves you
-He’s so affectionate, it may come off as possessive or borderline obsession sometimes. But he can’t help it! You’re an angel and someone better is bound to sweep you off your feet! He wants you all to himself, you’re the only person that was ever there for him, the only person that understands him, the only person he can trust and be real with. You accepted him for being him and for some reason, you claim that you love him
-How can he not love you?
Y earning - How will they cope when they’re missing their partner?
-Three words: Annoying his classmates
-If people thought he was annoying from the get-go, Kokichi when he’s away from his partner is a total nightmare. He becomes even more of a shithead, crying and whining for his lover to come back. The tears are real and he won’t fake anything that concerns you, but he would also just loudly complain about how boring it is without you to irritate his classmates even more. Let’s just say that your classmates, especially Shuichi and Kaito, will be E X T R E M L Y grateful when you return. Expect Kokichi to literally run towards you and hug you tightly, commanding you to never leave him again
-Kokichi also texts you and calls you whenever he can, finding anything to talk about just to see that you are okay and still safe. His first thing to do when he wakes up is facetime you. When he’s about to go to sleep, he can’t unless he chats with you and tells you goodnight
Z eal - Are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind of?
-Isn’t it strange how the fandom simps for Kokichi, but in every single fanfic he’s the one simping for us? Well....nothing has changed. Kokichi is a deadass simp for his lover. As states previously, he won’t do anything violent. He is a pacifist and doesn’t actually harm people
-Nevertheless, he’s more of a manipulative and scheming type of person. He’s the leader of a group of skilled pranksters, no doubt he would be sending DICE on someone’s ass if they were to hurt or even hit on the supreme leader’s lover! He would also subject someone to a life of emotional/mental pain and misery with an elaborate plan that he’s been thinking about. While Kokichi wouldn’t physical harm anyone, it doesn’t mean he isn’t a dangerous, calculating person  
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And You May Tell Yourself - Chapter One
THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL HOUSE. THIS IS NOT MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE.
Months and months ago, I put out a call for prompts on my Star Trek sideblog. I got several, wrote a few, and then one of the people on the spones discord server I'm in-- unwitting of what she wrought-- said "spones + dopplegangers." And I thought about it, and I had an idea for a scene, and then I thought about what circumstances could lead to that scene, and finally I realized, "Oh, that could totally work for a rewrite of The Man Trap," which is an episode of TOS that I personally adore.
...so I started writing that. 10k and the first 5 minutes of the episode later, I realized that this project was, perhaps, a little larger than I had intended to bite off. "Maybe 35k words at max," I told myself. That estimate jumped to 40k... and then to 50k... and, finally, I wrapped up this story at over 67,000 words, the longest piece of fiction of any kind that I have ever written, with the most ambitious plotline I have ever attempted. I am, to be quite frank, exhausted.
I am also incredibly proud, and oh so excited to finally be sharing this fic with you.
This fic does NOT follow the plotline of the episode beat for beat-- those of you who are familiar with The Original Series, you may already know the major twist in terms of the murder mystery (...or do you?), but I promise there's enough new and original content here to keep your attention. And for those of you who may not remember the episode or have simply never seen it, you don't need to worry either-- the plotline is fully encapsulated within the fic.
This is, as listed in the tags and addressed in the original prompt, a spones fic-- but those friendship tags aren't just there for show! There's a well rounded cast to this fic, heavy on the medical staff, and including a variety of OCs who I am already VERY excited to continue using to flesh out the casts of my other fics. I love a good OC. (There are no familiar faces on that count, for those of you who've read any of my past work, except for an offhand mention of Lieutenant Givens. However, once you get to meet them, I think we'll all agree that Aylu, Lonna, and Kip are instant classics.)
This fic is 7 chapters, and I intend to continue editing and posting every Friday until they finish. I'm shoehorning it in as my Summer of Spones entry, as 1) it was the mod of the event who gave me the original prompt (thank you A-Chan!), 2) there's one scene where Bones talks about summer thunderstorms, and 3) the writing of this fic stretched from May to August, quite effectively providing yours truly with my own personal Summer of Spones.
The stunning, incredible, amazing, SUPERB artwork for this fic has been brought to you by AutumnInAprilArt (spones-in-my-bones).
Fuck, y'all. This is going to be a fun one.
***
"I'm ignoring the effects that all of you jackasses have on my delicate psyche," he said, pointing his spoon at her emphatically, "because I am determined that today is going to be a good day."
"Don't jinx us," Jim joked. He looked up as Spock approached, sliding his tray over to make room for him, and dumped another packet of sugar onto his grapefruit.
Leonard rolled his eyes, but he didn't comment. His own tray of food was a good handful of centimeters past the centerline of the table, but he didn't bother to move it; Spock could nudge it out of the way with his own if it was in his way. "I'd say 'Good morning, Mr. Spock,' but apparently it's illegal for me to be cheerful before oh-nine-hundred."
Spock arched an eyebrow. "I'm unfamiliar with that regulation, Doctor."
Leonard grinned, his good cheer returning in full with Spock's ever-stoic sarcasm, and he was pretty sure that was a glitter of amusement in Spock's eyes, too. He looked away before he could get caught staring; that didn't mean he missed the way Spock's gaze lingered for a moment before he looked down to cut one of his multi-color protein cubes into neat quarters with his fork.
"It was part of the vows we took when we became best friends, actually," Jim said, straight-faced. "If Bones turns into a morning person, I get the dog in the divorce."
READ THE REST OF CHAPTER ONE HERE
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askaceattorney · 3 years
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These are letters regarding the situation that recently transpired. After this, we will no longer be answering any letters regarding politics. All of us agree that this blog needs to strictly stay out of politics. In truth, politics should never have been the center of this blog. After this, any letter regarding politics or the situation will be deleted.
This is a blog that focuses on answering letters to Ace Attorney canon characters. It does not discriminate anyone or any mod based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, politics, etc. and such actions are not tolerated. If you believe one of our mods is discriminating for whatever reason, show solid evidence and we will handle this privately. A support for a former or current president of a country is not proof of discrimination and neither are political memes posted on a personal account.
(More Politics Ahead)
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Dear rogertheegg,
Co-Mod: Nope. Everyone’s welcome here, regardless of political leanings.  I’m afraid I’m as clueless as you are about what exactly happened with the two former Mods (they didn’t even say anything to me about it), but it’s all water under the bridge as far as I’m concerned.
Mod Edgeworth: Absolutely not! I have never tolerated political discrimination. You are allowed to believe whatever politics you want.
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Dear kunaiman,
Co-Mod: High five.
Mod Edgeworth: Thank you very much for your support.
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Dear Mistakes,
Mod Edgeworth: I’m not going to go into anything else regarding my politics, but I will state my reason for outing myself: I’m doing this for Co-Mod.  I do consider him a friend of sorts and I do not wish for him to have to suffer this blowback alone. So, if you want to state your grievances, go ahead.
Know this though, I am still the same mod you have met and have never hidden my character from any of you. My politics do not define my character and neither does Co-Mod’s politics define his character. The same goes for anyone else. I’m just someone that leans Conservative and voted for Trump. If that makes me a bad person, even if I do stand against any discrimination, then I will gladly accept it.
Co-Mod: So, here’s the truth about me, Donald Trump, the MAGA Committee, etc. (and this is from the horse’s mouth, so anyone who says otherwise is lying) -- I’ve never been a huge fan of the guy, but I supported the good things he did and wanted to do during his presidency -- creating jobs, draining the political swamp, promoting patriotism, and so on -- and for that, I feel no shame.  I also wished he could’ve kept his big mouth shut about a lot of things, but overall, I saw him as someone who stood up for people who’d been largely ignored before he came along -- namely, middle class Americans. If you see him and his presidency differently, I won’t hold anything against you for it, so I respectfully ask that you do the same for me.
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Dear Anonymous,
Mod Edgeworth: Don’t worry, I know who you are. You maybe under anonymous, but when we receive your letter, it isn’t anonymous lol. What we do is place your letter in photoshop and get rid of all your identity. Thank you for your support and I agree.
This blog will continue, even if it’s under a very few of us. I will allow everyone to display their grievances in the comment section. They have just as much right as Co-Mod and I do.
If there’s anyone I wish for you to support, it’s Co-Mod. He’s the one being the most effected by all of this. I don’t believe politics should have been involved or that we should have to justify why we believe in our politics. Neither have to do with our love for Ace Attorney.
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Dear I’m still surprised,
Mod Edgeworth: I’m guessing this is for Co-Mod, because it doesn’t seem like you’ve read my own defense. I literally stated that both Co-Mod and I support LGBT and that the letters deleted because of shipping had nothing to do with any political beliefs. Beyond what I stated in my defense (despite what Co-Mod states below), I won’t say anything more. Non of us have to justify why we support a former president. I have my reasons just like anyone else. It doesn’t make me a terrible person and I will forever stand for everyone’s rights to believe whatever politics they believe.
Co-Mod: It’s a shame I have to say this on an Ace Attorney blog of all places, but where is your proof that I or anyone on my side of the aisle takes any enjoyment in seeing anyone dead or oppressed, whether in a minority or otherwise?  I can only assume you’ve been listening to some skewed sources, or that there’s something huge I’m missing, because I’ve yet to see any right-wing groups reach that level of hatred.  (And if you know of any, please fill me in.  I mean that honestly.)
As for why I left same-sex attraction out of this blog, it’s simply because I see it as a divisive topic rather than a simply controversial one, (i.e. the death penalty, game piracy, etc.).  I’ve also proven several times that I’m not very good at addressing it without people getting rubbed the wrong way, so I decided to play it safe and not discuss it at all.  I’m happy to talk about it anywhere else, but a blog about Ace Attorney didn’t seem like the right place for it to me.  On top of that, there are plenty of blogs about peoples’ same-sex ships all over Tumblr, so why complain about this one?  If there’s a rule stating that Ace Attorney-themed Tumblr blogs are required to include those ships, I sure haven’t heard it.
I’ll admit this much -- like Phoenix, it’s something I can’t claim to understand, so maybe I still have some learning to do about it, but if I’m going to be accused of bigotry, I’d like to see some solid evidence of it.  Assumptions don’t count in my book.
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Dear Dailystir,
Mod Edgeworth: Thank you. I’m not going to address anymore than I already have. I will not and refuse to mention anything else on my politics. Just like how you said, I am more at the center in the political world. I lean more Conservative, but I am Independent. I consider both Republicans and Democrats to be two different wings from the same bird.
I’m also glad you do not consider being a Trump supporter to be in the same basket as being a racist, bigot or any of that. These days, I can declare myself as a supporter of Andrew Jackson (I’m not btw) and not be against Natives, even though he was the reason for the mass genocide of thousands of Native Americans. I can openly support Martain Luther King, yet not be considered homophobic, even though he was against LGBT. I can consider myself a Bill Clinton supporter and not support raping women, even though that’s what he did in office. Yet, the moment I declare myself a Trump supporter, I’m automatically Anti LGBT, a bigot, a sexist, a racist and a phobe of some sort, because Trump supposedly is? What a world we live in! I can’t remember the last time supporting a political figure or celebrity made you a terrible person.
As for Mod Vera and Mod Maya, I still wish they could’ve said something to me or Co-Mod, if they truly felt uncomfortable. I’m still willing to talk to either of them and hear them out. I don’t blame them for doing what they did. I don’t know them or what life they live in. I have talked to someone, who had faced bigotry  and hate from Trump supporters in their area to the point of fear. I’ve even seen a Trump supporter bully an Anti Trump Supporter and I ended up reporting the bully, then calling them out for their behavior. I can say from experience that when you face real discrimination, it puts you in a state of fear to never express yourself or your identity. My family faced that and so did I. It’s the reason I’ve never revealed my race, gender or sexual orientation and can understand where Mod Maya and Mod Vera are coming from.
I think the real takeaway is to not judge anyone based on their politics, but also to not hate anyone who does. You will find bigotry on any side of the political spectrum from any group. To say there is none on any side is spouting ignorance.
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Dear Anonymous,
Mod Edgeworth: It is sad, though even if I do understand where Mod Vera and Mod Maya are coming from, I still can’t justify them not talking to either of us first. They never spoke to either of us and assumed the worst out of both of us. They never asked us anything or mentioned their concerns. I’m certain, even now, they’re still assuming things.
Had they mentioned their grievances, I would have been willing to talk with them and work things out, but we were never given that chance. It kinda hurts, because they said they understood when I told them I was staying out of politics and was willing to admit that I supported Trump and am an Independent Conservative. Then, they pull the rug from under us and claim we are against ethnic minorities and LGBT. That’s why I wish they could’ve said something.
I’m still willing to talk to either of them, but I doubt they’ll want to hear from me. No amount of context is going to change that. If it did, they would’ve talked to me about it before leaving.
-The Mods
P. S. Co-Mod: As ugly as this can of worms is, it’s been a fun practice in defending my beliefs and decisions.  Never underestimate that skill, everyone.
Mod Edgeworth: I still can’t believe this was brought out at all. I’m so sick of politics!
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fleckcmscott · 3 years
Text
Stepping Stones - Chapter 2
Chapter links: 1
Summary: Y/N and Arthur share a delightful life, one that isn’t perfect but wholly theirs. When his struggles take a serious turn, she's surprised by the toll it exacts. Though the steps they'll have to take aren't easy, walking them together makes all the difference.
Warnings: Angst, Swearing, Struggles with mental illness
Words: 3,739
A/N: Once again, a heartfelt thanks to @sweet-nothings04​ for offering to beta-read this story and her encouragement. Her contributions have been invaluable! Also, thank you guys for your support! I hope you continue to enjoy this story. And don’t worry: there may be angst - but there’s love, too. 
If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask! I’m still working on requests and Way Back Home!
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Y/N wasn't used to being searched. It'd last happened at the District Courthouse when she'd gotten in the wrong line and nearly wound up in the jury room for a murder trial. At least the stout woman in Arkham's visitor entrance lobby was more pleasant than the bailiffs.
Unassuming in a white polo shirt and black pants, her nametag introduced her as Gladys, and the split "I Can Help!" sticker along the top cemented her as a fixture. She was friendly for a Gothamite, commenting on the sunny weather while unceremoniously dumping the contents of Y/N's handbag onto a plastic table pad. Asking about the ride over as she politely ignored tampons and confiscated a nail file. She spelled Y/N's name back to her before jotting it on the sign-in sheet and offered a genuine smile. "You have a nice time with your husband, dear. Just check out with me before you leave."
Visitor's badge pinned above her left breast, Y/N adjusted the collar of her red silk blouse, ensured the heart pendent around her neck was centered, and pushed through the door marked "Visitation."
Her kitten heels click-clacked across the checkerboard linoleum floor. The cafeteria was large, like an elementary school gymnasium without the scoreboards. Lack of funding had turned the once pristine walls to the off-white of a bathtub that had seen too few scrubbings. Large windows dotted them in sets of two, each covered with grate from the inside. Metal fans were riveted to their frames, a poor attempt to compensate for the lack of fresh air. To her left, six rows of steel tables stretched halfway across the room, about a third full of staff and patients, family members and friends. A metal buffet stood to her right, along with a sign stating a menu of beef cutlets and gravy would be served at 5:30 PM. A pony wall separated a family area on the far end. She spotted a patient with his wife and daughter watching cartoons together, ones that were old enough for Y/N to have grown up on.
It struck her how average the place felt, similar to the hospital back home she'd spent far too many hours in. It made sense: the people here were patients like any other, even if they were under lock and key. When she headed to the aluminum coffee urn on a rickety steel cart, there was a woman, around thirty, making conversation with a new wave chick, holding a ragged teddy bear and pulling her hair. Their eyes met and Y/N attempted a friendly smile. Once she'd purchased two cups, she sat by a window and crossed her legs, foot swinging back and forth as she sipped the stale liquid.
She tried to quell her nervous anticipation. Due to his time of admittance, Arthur's forty-eight-hour observation period had stretched late into Thursday night, well after visiting hours. Tasks big and small had punctuated the wait. One of Arthur's clients called to confirm a birthday party, and Y/N, hazy from lack of sleep, explained there'd been a family emergency.
Then it dawned on her that she'd have to find Arthur's gig list, which meant rummaging through his desk, a private space she'd respected since presenting him with it for their anniversary. Thank god he no longer locked the drawers, because she had no idea where he kept the key. (There were only so many hiding places in their three-room apartment, but she had no desire to search every nook and cranny.) The yellow legal pad resided in the top left drawer, under a prop catalog and kraft paper notebook. After ringing Gary and asking him to fill in ("I'm not sure I can do all these, but I can mention them at HaHa's." "That'd be great but don't get yourself in trouble. And, please, leave out Randall."), she telephoned eight households and three businesses with his contact information and apologies.
She worked extra hours in the evening to make up for the time she'd inevitably take off when Arthur was home, an arrangement that wasn't strictly legal, but she didn't see the harm in. Her colleagues graciously ignored the number of personal calls she made, to ask how Arthur was doing and learn about policies. While he wasn't yet rational, staff said, he was cooperative. Well, mostly cooperative. He'd eaten breakfast and referred to everyone as sir or ma'am, but he'd also caused a ruckus when he'd come to and found his wedding ring missing. They'd made an exception to the no jewelry rule and given it back. Personal clothing wasn't permitted, either, besides underwear, and toiletries were out of the question. It irked her - he deserved the dignity of his own hairbrush - but she didn't want to single him out by arguing for further favors. So she shuttled over a week's worth of briefs on her lunch break, chest tight as she gave it to the man with headphones at reception.
Despite the setting, despite the weight of not knowing what mood he'd be in, a thrill bubbled through her veins. Whenever a silhouette appeared behind the glue chip glass of the patient entrance, her pulse skipped. Y/N knew it was silly to expect a lot this first visit but she couldn't help it. She missed him. She missed him. Like it had been thirty days instead of three.
It took about six minutes for the door to crack an inch, and a full ten seconds for it to open completely. An orderly propped his weight against it, pointing in her general direction with his head. She stood and smoothed her palm down her A-line skirt, ensured the hem was at her knee. Maybe it was selfish, perhaps even foolish, but she hoped the surprise would be a highlight of Arthur's day, make him feel better, and she hoped seeing him would be one of hers. He was still her partner, after all. Still her Arthur. That would never change.
Clad in white scrubs and white shoes and about twenty feet away, Arthur stepped over the threshold and scanned the room. She gave him a modest wave when she caught his eye. His approach was more tentative than she would have liked, his steps shorter than usual, fists balled at his sides. As he drew closer, she noted the oiliness of his hair, the two-day black and grey stubble on his chin. His crow's feet had grown deeper, his eyelids slightly purple. Exhaustion dripped from every pore. The cut on his forehead had scabbed over into a thin line, quite modest considering its origin and how much he'd bled.
But he was as beautiful to her as always. The hint of a smile tipped her mouth. "Hi, Arthur."
"Hi," he said lowly. A reservation she barely recognized clouded his light green irises.
Part of her began to suspect popping in like this had been a mistake. Giving up wasn't in her nature, however, especially when it came to the love of her life. She forged ahead, closing the gap between them. Dr. Kellerman had advised her to let Arthur set the pace of their visits, to offer support while respecting his boundaries. Yet, touching him had become as vital to her as breathing, and it didn't occur to her to ask for permission before she reached to cup his face.
His skin felt papery under her fingertips, and red, flakey spots of dermatitis bloomed next to his nose and below his eye. He smelled of cheap bar soap and detergent, though whiffs of his woodsy masculine scent lurked underneath. But his clothes were clean and fit him well, better than half his own wardrobe. "I'm so happy to see you," she said, tracing his sharpened cheeks.
He nodded weakly, lips pursed into a grimace of disbelief. "Good."
"I got us some coffee. We can sit here or on one of the sofas."
"Here's fine."
She took his hand and led him to their table, itching for him to entwine their fingers, lamenting a little when he didn't. While he followed closely, his posture radiated tension like an oven radiated heat. Rather than the gait they'd adopted over the years, he moved as if he was afraid to touch her, as if he feared she'd disappear. Or reject him. Once he was situated and stirring sugar into his cup, she sat beside him and bumped their legs, refusing to let his fears go unchallenged. "How's your room?"
"It's okay. Just me. I'm not there much." He blew lightly on his steaming brew. "I haven't seen this part of the hospital before."
Y/N arched her brow. "No?"
"Penny had trouble getting over here to visit. When I had episodes."
Flabbergasted, a huff of disapproval escaped her. Arthur had been in out Arkham six or seven times, and Penny hadn't made it over once? According to Arthur, she'd been sick for a while, but what about twenty years ago? Even later, they hadn't had any money, which meant she would've had to care for herself while he was away. If she had had the wherewithal to go through the process of committing her son, couldn't she have at least called a cab? Y/N pushed her ire aside, not wanting it to affect Arthur. "Did you see your therapist today?"
"Mhm."
"Is he good? Does he listen to you?"
"He's fine."
She took a long drink. "Did you get the underwear I brought over?"
"Yeah." he sighed, tipping his head back to stare at the ceiling. "They wrote my name on the waistband."
"I'll get new ones," she said, tapping her chin in contemplation, opting for a little cheer. "Donahue's has a racy number from Mad Mod. How'd you feel about zig-zag bikinis in maroon?" Instead of the laugh she'd craved, the incredulous smirk he saved for ridiculous suggestions, his knees quaked, bouncing and bouncing, freshly wound springs in bleached cotton.
None of this was going as she'd pictured.
Self-consciousness was atypical for her, a personality trait she'd shed in her late twenties after a failed marriage and the beginning of her parents' declines. Being with Arthur felt secure, open, even during his worst days. When he'd discovered his mother's Arkham file, learned the details of his abuse. Or the weeks after she'd passed and any chance of finding out more about himself, the truth about his father and chance to get a crumb of paternal affection, had died along with her.
Gathered at this table with her husband and bad coffee, old insecurities returned with the force of a subway careening at full speed. She sought to encourage him but didn't want to dismiss his feelings, harken back when he'd been burdened with "Happy." Her questions were obviously getting on his nerves - she was at a loss as to how he'd react to more of them. Their banter had vanished. The clues she had to follow were based on an old map, comprised of well-worn paths to joy she could walk with her eyes closed. Now those paths were overgrown with weeds.
But she wouldn't stop trying to trim them. Some shears were in reach: a woman's magazine lay abandoned on a nearby table, famous for its relationship quizzes and bedroom advice. She snagged it, scooted her chair closer to Arthur, and flipped through the glossy pages until the headline "Are You Meant To Be?" screamed in bright pink font. She cleared her throat and read aloud. "'You and your husband are shipwrecked on a desert island. You can take any household item with you. What item would you bring?'" She paused, then went with what first came to mind. "Toothbrush. I can't expect you to kiss me when I-"
"Why are you acting like this?"
Her gaze locked on him. "Like what?"
"Like I haven't fucked everything up."
Automatically, she reached for his thigh, not heeding the angry twitch of his jaw. "You haven-"
He batted her arm away, inadvertently knocking the magazine to the floor. "Don't lie to me," he rasped. "I don't like you seeing me like this. I don't want you to have to come visit and pretend." He wiped his nose with the back of his hand, an anger she recognized as shame dripping from every word. "Can you please just go?"
Pain lanced through her, pain she hadn't felt since her father, deep in the throes of dementia, had accused her of stealing from him. Her lashes lowered to hide her hurt. Arthur acting like this was proof of how out of sorts he was, how much he was struggling with his illnesses. But it didn't make his behavior any easier to take, even if she firmly believed it should. She had to try to accept him as he was in the moment. To forgive him and herself for pressing him too far, too quickly. To listen to his request for time, the way he'd listened to hers after the Murray show, giving her the gift of patience and understanding. A gift he also deserved.
Pushing herself to stand, she glanced at the orderly and lay a gentle palm on Arthur's back. To her relief, he didn't retreat. "I'm here if you need me," she said softly. "If you feel up to it, give me a ring. We could both use a joke or two." Fingertips caressed his distended shoulder, and she pecked the crown of his head, breathed in the oily musk of his scalp. Not entirely pleasant but him all the same. "We'll see each other soon. Get some rest and remember I love you."
~~~~~
"This woman wandered in off the street the other day. Pointy-toed shoes, fur coat, pillbox hat like she thinks she's Jackie Kennedy..." Perched on Y/N's side of the bed, Patricia dunked her orange pekoe teabag, gave it a good squeeze, laid it on her saucer. "She wanted to sue the Wayne Estate for damages to her Bentley, because Thomas Wayne had broken a legally binding oral agreement - she must have read a legal thriller and gotten haughty - to fix the potholes in Old Gotham when he was mayor. I told her to complain to Public Works, but she decided to camp out at your old desk to clip her nails. Finally, Matt had enough and offered her a phone call to Gotham PD or ten bucks for her trouble." She shook her head with a chuckle. "What a jackass. Retirement can't come soon enough."
"Don't wish your life away," Y/N retorted, inadvertently quoting a pamphlet she'd gotten from the Arkham gift shop, "Care for the Caregiver." The title had made her balk: Arthur bathed himself, fed himself, knew who she was. But it had been a straw to hold onto, albeit feebly. She retrieved a curved, wooden hanger from the closet and stuck one end in the arm of her freshly ironed blouse. "Besides, you've been working since you were sixteen, right? I give it a year before you'd go stir-crazy."
"Actually, I've been thinking about taking a class or two at the learning center," said Patricia.
"Oh, really? What kind? Pottery, advanced baking, conversational Spanish?"
"How to find nicer friends."
Hand on her hip, Y/N smirked over her shoulder to find Patricia's teacup raised for a toast. "Let me know what you learn," Y/N said, hoisting the laundry basket onto the bed. "I could use a few pointers." She batted the older woman with a dress sock, then fished for its companion. She shook them out. Aligned the cuffs and toes, smoothed the nylon with the side of her hand, folded the fabric into thirds. The top drawer's left ball-bearing slide stuck when she tried to pull it open, and she made a mental note to ask Arthur to take a look at it.
Without warning, a profound sense of loss swept over her, flushing her cheeks, her forehead. He'd been gone almost a week, the longest they'd been apart aside from conferences and training. Her days had been blessedly busy but dragged on nonetheless, slow as the secondhand on her watch when the battery had to be replaced.
Arthur had gotten in the habit of leaving a note whenever he had an early gig or errand to run, just a few words stating where he was, that he'd be home later, that he loved her. Though she knew he was in Arkham, she couldn't stop her heart from expecting one when she made morning coffee. She ached to pull him inside before he lit a second cigarette, and for his teasing kisses when he'd resist. The way he brushed his teeth from side-to-side, eschewing her method of small circles and daily flossing. Last night, a hot flash had kept her awake, and she'd longed for the feel of his strong, slender hands rubbing refrigerated lotion into her calves, a trick he'd learned to quiet his mother when she'd gone through what he politely referred to as The Change.
Y/N had never wanted to love someone so much she needed them, but Arthur had made it safe. And now here she was, anguishing over a stubborn piece of furniture. She gave the knob another good, hard heave until it popped off into her palm. With a groan, she slapped it on the top of the dresser, between his wallet and her jewelry box.
A gentle hold on her elbow halted her. "The clothes'll keep," Patricia said.
The compassion in her voice, subtle chords that would sound like judgement to others, loosened Y/N's stance. Granted permission for her to take a break from coping and give into grief. Slinking down onto the mattress, she picked up Arthur's blue house pants from the mound of panties and trousers and hugged them to her breast.
"Your anniversary is coming up," Patricia continued. "Will Arthur be home for it?"
"Yes. Three weeks is all the insurance will pay for, and Dr. Kellerman said we were lucky to get that." Most patients were discharged after two, even if they had nowhere else to go.
"How is he? Do you think he'll be ready then?"
"I'm not sure. He barely comes to the phone." She'd tried letters, too. Written on her office letterhead, declarations of her support and affection that were as stilted as the motions she regularly drafted. Something for him to read when they couldn't speak, when they couldn't touch. But he hadn't responded.
Although Y/N was the sole person he'd added to his list of allowed visitors, he hadn't signed the release. Sure, she'd learn the details of his care if a court remanded him, but she wasn't about to have him declared legally incompetent, not unless everything went to shit. But she had deduced his schedule by calling and asking if he could come to the phone. He's in group, Mrs. Fleck, the charge nurse had let slip. Or, You can try in an hour. He should be out of one-on-one by then.
Therapy three times a day. Safety and daily living skills. Goal setting before bed. No wonder he hadn't had the energy to say good night.
"I know what you're going through," Patricia said. She stretched to put her empty teacup on the nightstand. "When Robert got back from Korea, he kept his distance. Buried himself in starting his business, was gone most nights on extra late repair jobs, worked, worked, worked. It was nearly a year before he really came home. But he made it and Arthur will, too."
The intimacy behind the disclosure was a welcome invitation, a hook that tugged at Y/N's core and confirmed honesty would be all right. She drew a shaky breath, fiddled with a loose thread on the hem of Arthur's pajamas. "I thought I'd seen everything. Losing my mother, going out of my mind with my father. Those were finalities I couldn't prevent." Rapid blinking fought the wetness of her eyes. She swiped at them with the heel of her hand. "If you had seen him, Patricia... I just hope Arthur understands. I don't want him to think I wanted him to leave."
"Listen to me." Patricia adopted her mentor tone and hugged her tight around the middle. "There's no way he'd believe that. Remember when we doubled at Kao Wah? When we were in the restroom, and he ordered your favorite dish without having to ask what it was? He adores you." She swept her hand through the air as if she could sweep away Y/N's woes. "You promised to take care of him through everything. You did what you had to to keep him safe. You couldn't have done anything else, Y/N. Don't doubt yourself."
After some moments Y/N nodded. "You know, my parents had a swimming hole on our property. When I was young, I used to skip stones across it and make wishes. For my doll's arm to mend, for my parents to say safe, for my sister's surgeries to go well." She chuckled and dabbed at her cheeks with Arthur's house pants. "I guess it was like praying, which I never had use for." The slightest smile edging her lips, she turned to Patricia. "Let's go to Gotham Park and throw some rocks."
~~~~~
The next morning, eleven percent of her worries cast away by a currently sore right arm, Y/N walked past Sherwood Florist, a closet of a shop around the corner from her office. Storefront freshly washed, robust floral arrangements on display in large, spotless windows, and an owner in horn-rimmed glasses checking the temperature of the nearest cooler, she decided to stop in. Yes, the florist told her, an expression of dubious curiosity on his face. They delivered to Arkham. Just include the patient's full name and ward in the address, and it'd be sent this afternoon.
She chose a squat, plastic vase filled with daisies and a yellow enclosure card with a bumblebee in the lower left corner. A bit cutsie for her taste, but it was the only neutral choice among birthdays and congratulations. She pondered what to write, pushing back the urge to ask him to reach out. A minute later, she put her pen to the cardstock. "I miss you like thread misses a needle. (Good thing you're the comedian - that was terrible.) You're not alone in this. You have my whole heart. - Y/N."
~~~~~
Tag list (Let me know if you want to be added!): @harmonioussolve @ithinkimaperson @sweet-nothings04 @stephieraptorr @rommies @fallenstarsabyss @gruffle1 @octopus-plasma @tsukiakarinobara​ @arthur-flecks-lovely-smile @another-day-in-chuckletown​ @hhandley80​ @jokerownsmysoul​ @rafaelbottom​ @ralugraphics​ @iartsometimes​
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anironsidh · 3 years
Text
AnironSidh 2020 fic and moodboard masterpost
I didn’t write very much this year between the general mess of 2020 and senior year, but here’s what I did manage to write this year (sorted by fandom). If there’s no chapter count for a fic, it’s a oneshot
Queen/BoRhap
Just Keep Losing My Beat || jimercury Hogwarts au. Freddie Mercury/Jim Hutton (jimercury), Brian May/Roger Taylor (maylor). Hogwarts au, found family, maylor, jimercury, i will post more soon. Chapters: 7/?
Summary: Hogwarts is not ready for Freddie Mercury. Not even close.In which Brian May is trying to be successful, Roger Taylor is just confused, John Deacon doesn't want the spotlight, and Freddie Mercury just wants to find somebody to love and make his place in the world.
(Love Of My Life) Don't Leave Me || hardzello (for borhap summer cast event) for the @queenandborhapevents and written for @johndeaconshands. Hardzello, fluff, happy ending, love confessions, first kiss
Summary: Joe's worried about what kind of future he and Ben may have once the movie is no longer keeping them in the same place, and he may find something more waiting for him to ask. - Written for johndeaconshands on tumblr for the BoRhap Summer Event 2020
Love Was Such An Easy Game To Play || tyob 2020 gift fic for xofunghoul / @heybuddy-drabbles. This fic was for the @queenandborhapevents two years of borhap event. hardzello, flashbacks, fluff, picnic, proposal.
Summary: A look back at how Ben and Joe figured things out, got together, made a home with each other, and in which Joe has just one question in mind. - A gift fic for xofunghoul and the two years of borhap exchange on tumblr (modded by @maz-zello and myself). Prompt was for hardzello, fluff, domestic moments. I think I did pretty well, let me know what y'all think in the comments!
Phandom/Dan and Phil
For The Dreams of Youth || phandom reverse bang 2020 parent!phan au for the @phandomreversebang 2020. art by @akikaji and beta @rainbowchristy. Dan/Phil, fluff, parent!phan Chapters 2/3
Summary: Dan isn't quite sure about a kid of his own. It hadn't felt like a possibility, not until recently. He may find that he's more ready than he expected. Dan and Phil's journey towards parenthood told through a series of videos to one day hand over to their child.
I Wonder When We're Gonna Make It || phandom reverse bang 2020 (1980s au), for the phandomreversebang 2020. Dan/Phil, queen references, 1980s au, period typical homophobia, happy ending, angst with fluff. Chapters 1/2. art by @luisaloveshoney and betaed by @i-might-leave-soon / @eilidh 
Summary: When a new neighbor moves into the town that Daniel Howell has lived in his entire life and finds his safe spot in the town's vineyard, he will challenge Dan's view of himself and his town. Soon enough, they find themselves in an attraction nothing like Dan's ever known and one that those around them cannot understand. This may be Dan's only chance to escape and truly be himself. - A fic for a phandom reverse bang 2020 prompt in which Dan and Phil live near a vineyard, sneak grapes, drink stolen wine, and fall in love despite the times (1980s). Also, in which I project my love for queen onto Dan, because Muse doesn't exist yet and because I can.
I Ain't Gonna Face No Defeat a good omens au for the @phandomreversebang 2019, masterpost and art by @hiwatari-art here. Dan/Phil, good omens au, post bookshop scene, Crowley!Dan x Aziraphale!Phil. betaed by phanandpenguins/ @ringsandbutterflies
Summary: Daniel Howell has been stationed on earth for six thousand years, his only constant companion Phil Lester, an angel of Heaven. When his angel is nearly taken away from him he begins to realize just how important Phil is to him. -the bar scene in ep6 of good omens where Aziraphale is discorperated and Crowley is in the bar mourning him- Please be sure to check the art by hiwatari! Thanks to phanandpenguins for their beta work!
Good Omens
Songs Full Of Sad Things || Ineffable Husbands Raphael!Crowley for the good omens big bang. Crowley was Raphael, eventual happy ending, angst and fluff, wip. Chapters 8/15
Summary: -Crowley and Aziraphale are quite happy in their new Tadfield cottage five years after Armageddon, or rather, the armageddon-that-wasn't. They've settled into a routine with each other and the Them. Everything seems fine. Anathema and Newton are even getting married soon. -And then everything Crowley has built up for the last 6,000 years comes tumbling down with a visit from Gabriel and the revelation of his past, of how high he Fell. He hadn't wanted to remember his past as an archangel. Not now. His past is told bit by bit while those brought together by the almost-end of the world must pick up the pieces. - aka Crowley was the archangel Raphael, Gabriel's a dick, and Aziraphale just wants to help. Also, Warlock WILL fight anyone who hurts his Nanny, even God.
As You Wish || Good Omens/Princess Bride au, inspired by @anotherwellkeptsecret. Princess bride au, another one I promise i will get back to, eventual happy ending. Chapters 2/?
Summary: Warlock is sick and Nanny Ashtoreth reads him a story of romance and swordfights, perhaps inspired by a certain angel she knows. In which Aziraphale is Buttercup and in love with the handsome Crowley, a farm boy. When he is reported dead, killed by the Dread Pirate Nutter, Aziraphale falls into despair and eventually agrees to marry the devious Prince Gabriel. He is kidnapped by a con artist, Beelzebub, and their two henchmen in order to start a war. Crowley, who survived his rumored attack, rescues him from the trio. They must now free Aziraphale from Gabriel's clutches if they wish to have a new life with each other. Inspired by anotherwellkeptsecret on tumblr (penumbra on ao3)
Before I Lose You || gomens holiday swap gift for @gregayy and the Good Omens Holiday Exchange. post-canon, fluff with a sprinkling of angst but there’s barely any tbh, ineffable husbands, (technically for the gomens 2019 holiday swap, but it was posted on the third of january so I’m including it)
Summary: Armageddon has been averted, and yet their troubles are far from over. Heaven and Hell want their revenge for a Plan foiled. Crowley knows this far too well, knows he has far too little time for what he's wanted for so many centuries... Aziraphale. Believing they may not live to see another sunset, they take a step usually taken by humans. They've only got this one chance, don't they?aka they get married, believing they may not have another chance to, as requested by gregayy/scmnz
Can't You See || good omens ficlet for @wheeloffortune-design. Ineffable husbands, ficlet, happy ending, first kiss
Summary: Crowley being brave - wheeloffortune-design on tumblr. Based on this art, I think I wrote this instead of studying for a midterm lmao
Hobbit/LOTR
By His Side || Happy Hobbit Holiday 2020 Bagginshield fic for KeyWolf25888 for the @haveahappyhobbitholiday 2020 exchange. Gen, M/M, Bilbo/Thorin, happy ending, fluff, bilbo stays in erebor fic
Summary: Bilbo Baggins is just staying in Erebor for now, just until he knows every member of the Company will be alright after the Battles, but his feelings for a certain dwarven king may change his plans just slightly.Or, a Bilbo Stays In Erebor fic as requested by KeyWolf25888 for the Have A Happy Hobbit Holiday 2020 exchange! I haven't done much Hobbit fic in a while, but it was nice to get back to these characters. 
Reylo
you're nothing, but not to me || reylo fix-it. Rey/Ben Solo, poe/finn, tros fix it fic bc i was mad after watching that movie, I promise I’ll get back to it soon I just need to work out the plot (and it could also use a beta, if anyone’s interested) Chapters 3/?
Summary: The aftermath of the victory. They may have won, but what comes next? What happens when the battle is won, when the fight is over, but a former enemy is brought into their midst? What happens when Rey brings a near-death Ben Solo back with her? The remaining Resistance is not willing to forgive him easily for what he has done as Kylo Ren. It will not be easy, but it must be done.
Moodboards
Phandom/Dan and Phil
Phandom Reverse Bang 2020 Pride Au Moodboard, fics by @judearaya and @counting2fifteen Summary: Dan goes to pride for the first time, traveling to London on his own. He hasn't come out to his family yet, just a random person online called amazingphil. At pride, he sees a man (Phil) on a float and decides he has to talk to him. Eventually (maybe after a few times hanging out/dates) he finds out that Phil is amazingphil. The moodboard for my prb 2020 pride au, with fics by counting2fifteen and judearaya!
Queen
Royal Maylor au honeymoon in Japan
Queen Iliad au with hardzello, maylor, and deacury
Brian’s Birthday moodboard
Maylor Hamilton au
Jimercury Sad moodboard (hurts like hell)
Reylo
Titanic au
Moodboard for You’re Nothing, but not to me
Reylo good omens au
Moodboard for the Heartbreak Prince, fic by the wonderful @kylorenvevo (Thea)
Reylo Frankenstein au, idea partially by @indefinitelyindia
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m-y-fandoms · 4 years
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Korekiyo Shinguuji x oblivious crush reader - short imagine
Request: could i request some headcanons or an imagine (whichever you prefer, i’m not picky lol) for Korekiyo with a crush on an incredibly oblivious female reader who never realizes he’s trying to flirt with her/trying to see if she likes him back? sorry if this is a weird request haha :,)
THIS ISN’T A WEIRD REQUEST, KIYO IS MY BABY DADDY. Also you requested female reader, but I wrote this with a female in mind and then realized I never used any feminine-assigned words or pronouns in here, so anyone can read this with themselves in mind! - Mod Kokichi
Warnings: PG-13 in terms of sexual/romantic scenarios and wording
     “So, in essence, that is why the Egyptians worshipped Hathor, in all her grace and beauty. Isn’t that fascinating, y/n?” Korekiyo mused, watching you carefully as you waltzed through the rows of scrolls and ancient texts in his research lab.
     “Yes, it’s a wonderful story! You really are lucky to have traveled to Eygpt! Heck, I’d never even left Japan until...well coming to wherever we are trapped now. Do you mind?” You pointed to a particularly intricate and elaborate book cover on a high up shelf.
     “Not at all, my dear. Feel free to take any materials from my lab that you wish, as long as you promise I can visit your lab freely as well?” You let the words ‘my dear’ ghost over your ears with little to no reaction. Normally, if such a handsome man had playfully rolled those words off of his tongue in your direction, your neck hairs would have stood on end like a startled cat, but with Korekiyo it was different. You did harbor some...feelings for him, but he called everyone dear, right? He was always spewing mature and polite crap like that.
     “Yeah, of course, though I don’t know why an anthropologist would ever waste his time in a plain old dance studio,” you chuckled, on your tip-toes struggling for the tome far above you. Korekiyo snuck up behind you, his chest warm against your back as he reached up and plucked the book down for you, placing it gently in your hands. You held the book to your own chest and turned to face him, finding yourself flush against the wooden bookshelf with the lanky anthropologist trapping you in place. “Thanks, Kiyo!” You felt blood rush to your cheeks as he tilted his head at you like a curious puppy hearing the word ‘treat!’ You tried to settle your stuttering heart. Surely he was just being nice, right?
     “Think nothing of it…” his hands came up slowly on either side of your head, caging you in between his slender arms. “You know, y/n, Hathor is known mainly for her impressive duality. She balances femininity and softness with strength and vengeance. She is a protector, but also is the harbinger of dance, joy, love...sexuality.” His voice deepened into a rasp that was like melted chocolate flowing freely over your ears. His proximity was beginning to make you dizzy. “You remind me of Hathor in many ways. I see the way you take care of your friends here, the way you defend people, but also the with which you dance: the water-like movements of your passion.”
     “...” you stood there, silent for a moment, and then another moment, and then another. He looked at your expectantly, his expression unreadable through his mask. “Well, thanks, Kiyo! I never thought you’d be into ballet! Though I guess dance is a part of culture as much as anything else!” You ducked under his arm with a chipper attitude, shuffling into the open space of his lab, and he sighed deeply, looking at the ground in self-pity. Were you really not interested in him? He couldn’t blame you. Many people saw him as a creep, a pariah. He was a teenager that wore a mask at all times for crying out loud. He endlessly spewed random facts and unsolicited folk tales. Of course people avoided him. But you...you visited him every day. Before his lab opened up, you met with him in the library and inquired about his day. You asked him to eat lunch with you, and walk you back to the dorms after dinner. You asked to hear his stories, and he found himself growing to like you more and more. He didn’t want to admit his feelings until he knew for sure that you felt the same, but it was looking like his old friend, rejection, might win the war once again.
     “Kiyo, this lab is simply amazing! You’re so lucky... you got the biggest one yet! My studio looks like a janitor’s closet compared to this!” You spun around on the new floor on his lab, taking in the sights, book in hand. You’d been here every day since it opened, but dedicated yourself to one section a day, having only reached this floor earlier that evening. You thought knowledge like this deserved time and respect. Korekiyo agreed of course.
     “Well when one’s area of study is the entire world, a proportionately large area is needed for said study,” he drawled, slinking along behind you as you sat in a chair on the main floor. He sat in the chair across from you in front of the wall of display cases holding ceremonial swords and masks as you fingered through the book in wonder.
     “Woah…” your eyes widened innocently.
     “Ahhh, the Kama Sutra? You’re holding one of the oldest copies known to man.” He leaned closer to you, splaying his fingers over the page you were on slowly and seductively. “I had no idea you were this kind of person, y/n…” there’s that confectionary tone again, sweet and dripping with carnal desire.
     “N-no of course not I just...what kind of person do you mean? I mean...I think the book is just interesting, the cover and the design on the spine drew me in and-“
     “We should never judge a book based on its cover, yes?” He let his honeyed-words sink in to your doe-like eyes, “I think human beings, much like this book, hide things within our pages not immediately evident on our covers.”
     “I agree…” his words flew right over your head. “Like you! I didn’t know you had an interest in ballet at all!” He was starting to get frustrated, but he exhaled deeply, his inner voice telling him to have patience.
     “Well, yes, I’ve seen many different forms of dance, and of course, ballet is delicate and breath-taking, but also very strenuous. Another thing we shouldn’t take at face value. I’ve seen the feet of many a poor dancer after a performance, and it really is a harsh contrast to the grace of the dance itself.”
     “Yes, yes! You get it!” He smiled at your child-like wonder, with you seeing only the crinkle of his eyes above the mask. “I know so many men who don’t even think dance of any kind can be a sport. I think many so-called atheletes would give up on day one of ballet lessons.” You chuckled, and he let himself be enveloped in your laughter. He was complete entranced in your aura.
     “So, you will allow me to view your ballet practice in private some time? I’ve seen you with your lab door open in passing, but I would be absolutely delighted if you’d honor me with a private session, so I could focus on you and only you.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his long raven hair falling around him like a bed canopy.
     “Oh, Kiyo…” you began, your own heart hurting at the words you were about the speak, but it was for the best. You didn’t want to waste his time, not in a place like this. “I know you’re interested in ballet, but after those first two trials and this whole not-knowing-when-we-are-gonna-die thing, I don’t think it would be a worthy use of your time to pull yourself away from all of this,” you gestured to the gigantic room around you, “in order to-”
     “Y/N-!” He spoke angrily and abruptly, startling you, before composing himself and beginning again, taking the book from your hand and instead intertwining his fingers in your own. “...I am not interested in ballet, so much as I am interested in you. Do you understand?” You felt your body tense up in complete shock. He wasn’t serious right…? He was teasing you, taking advantage of your naïveté and your obvious feelings for him. Maybe you weren’t hiding them as well as you’d thought.
     “Me…?” You looked at his wrapped hand in yours, the bandages scratchy texture pulling you back down to earth.
     “Yes, you.” He spoke bluntly, with nothing but compassion in his voice.
     “But you’re...you’re so…” he braced himself, waiting for the insults and degrading comments that always followed when he let his walls down around normal people.
     “...Odd? Long-winded? A freak of nature?” He sighed, pulling away.
     “Beautiful…” you could hardly hear your own words pouring from your mouth, the pounding of your heart beat too loud in your ears. You grabbed his hand, and in a moment of fragile silence, began to unwrap the linen that covered every inch of his fingers, then down to his palms and wrists. His hands, now revealed to you fully for the first time, were just as beautiful as his voice and cat-like golden eyes. They were pale, ghostly, ethereal. They looked like they could break at the slightest touch, but withstand any hard labor that was thrown at them at the same time. “Korekiyo, you spend so much time telling others that humanity is beautiful, that you haven’t taken the time to see it in yourself, have you? At least...not for a long while.”
     “Y/N, I-” you reached for the top of his mask with shaking fingers, and he jerked away roughly, terrified. When you reached out again, he didn’t move, steeling himself to be exposed to you. You deserved to see the truth. His eyelids fluttered closed, and his heart dropped into his stomach.
     Your fingertips lingered at the top of the mask before tugging it down gently. He kept his eyes shut tightly as you observed his full face.
     The tip of his nose, which you could tell from the nose bridge was thin, came to an adorable point above his lips. A delicate, milky white chin led up on either side to a sharp jawline, high cheekbones and a flawless complexion. That powdery complexion was met in stark contrast to the blood-red pigment of a matte lipstick staining his lips.
     “Y/N, I didn’t want you to see me...truly see me for the first time like thi-” you brought your lips closer to his until they were touching, and soon found yourself leaning into his chest, into his lap in his seated position in front of you. Your lips pressed into his, a bit more bold now, and your confidence spurred his own. You now straddled his hips, your legs on either side of his thighs, and he grabbed your hips, his hands shaking like a leaf in the wind. He pulled back, scanning your face for any regret, any shame or fear, and sensing none, crashed his lips onto yours again. He roughly sucked on your bottom lip, pulling a small moan from your mouth that excited him more than anything corporeal had in a long time. You never thought he’d be such a good kisser.
     “Korekiyo…” you pulled back again, giving you both some much-needed air. “I never thought that...someone like you would even glance my way. You’re so intelligent, so regal and elegant and different from the norm and…” your words trailed off, and his thumb reached up to your lips, roughly wiping away the red lipstick that clung onto your face as a reminder that he had been there.
     “Likewise, y/n,” he reclined back into the chair with you still on his lap, a little too cocky and cheeky for his own good, but to say the smirk on his messy red mouth wasn’t turning you on would be a lie.
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boop-le-snoot · 3 years
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PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 13
first time readers click here 💖
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TWs/Summary: In this house, we ship Reader/Tony's Rolls-Royce. Reader and Tony being dorks on a date. That's it that's the chapter. Lots of sass and Tony being Tony.
A question for my readers: Are you still invested? How's the slow burn? Is everything realistic? 👉🏻👈🏻🥺
As usual, my beta is @miscmarvelwritings . I love her.
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"Nice digs, Cupcake."
"Nice ride, Tin Man."
The sass fell from my lips, warm and familiar, paving the way for our upcoming debut like the old, soft living room rug. Any awkwardness I had expected there to be left the moment I saw Tony pull up to my front gate in his Royce: the man was just that extra. The size of my estate, the five-figure outfit of mine - it paled in comparison to his own clout. 
In a world where my choices were usually distributed between stuck-up rich boys or insecure middle-class men, Tony was a fresh drink of water with his absolute indifference towards my and his own net worth.
I wasn't afraid to admire said ride, either. Being a huge petrolhead was what got me interested in engineering, physics and computer sciences in the first place. The desire for speed grew into thirst for knowledge: how to get more horsepower, how to tune, how to mod. No mechanic took an eighteen year old rich-girl seriously even when I had all the lingo right, I had to be a step ahead, at all times, if I wanted my ride to be the best. And I never settled for less than that.
"No driver?" I inquired for the reason behind the unusual behaviour. After all, a Rolls' wasn't the kind of car you drive personally. All the amenities it had, it had in the back.
"Gave Happy a day off," Tony remarked absently. I noticed the small quirk of his eyebrow, however. He was intrigued.
I decided to give it a shot. "So what, this thing packs, what, about five-fifty horses?" I mused, watching Tony nearly swerve into the opposite lane. "At two and a half tons, it's still gotta be pretty quick with that V12-turbo. How fast it go?" The satisfaction was immeasurable, as pleasant to my soul as sitting in a heated leather chair with the smell of a new car, engine quietly rumbling in front of me. And by quietly I mean, it was focus-or-you'll-miss-it kind of quiet.
"Well aren't you full of surprises, baby girl," Tony grinned; a happy, excited grin even. It made his face lose ten years of age just like that. "Zero to sixty in five and a half seconds," He said after a moment. 
"Not bad," I said, sounding impressed. I already knew that but I wasn't planning on robbing Tony out of well deserved praise for his choice in vehicles. 
"Got a ride of your own?" He asked with a smile, like he didn't know it already. No background check would have skipped my three speeding tickets, but I concur. This game was fun.
"I do, actually. It's a 2008 Range Rover. Supercharged," I added in the end, just to emphasise.
"A big car for such a little girl," Tony whistled playfully.
"I'm compensating," I deadpanned. "I'm a little slow on the uptake, y'know, so my Rangie with five hundred horses makes up for it. Gotta keep it balanced."
Tony chewed on his lip. "Five hundred? Haven't heard about that, it comes with three-ninety-five in stock," His eyebrow wiggled. "Tuned it?" He cast me a contemplative glance.
"Yup," I exclaimed happily. As far as the date, I would have been utterly ecstatic to talk about cars all evening. Screw the boring "where do you see yourself in five years" questions, talk to me about your favourite engine swaps. Concept cars, give me those. Monster trucks? Yes, please. Vintage low-riders? Couldn't wait to get my grubby little hands on one. Gimmee!
Tony kept his silence and kept his press smile starting the moment we set foot on getting out of the car. The place he'd taken me to was ridiculously upscale and fancy; the valet hesitated only for a second before catching the keys Tony so carelessly tossed in his direction. There was almost no fear in his body language when the boy approached the massive, expensive vehicle.
The hostess smiled big at Tony and gave me the world's biggest stink-eye when he looked the other way but what else is new? As soon as she left us in the privacy of our booth, I didn't hesitate to stick my tongue at her retreating back. A brief lapse in maturity, if you will.
Tony cackled, growing suddenly serious. "Did she bother you? I can get her fired. I should get her fired."
"Nah," I shrugged. "Don't really care, just wanted to showcase my amazing sense of humour." Snorting, I gave Tony a wink and a secretive grin.
"You really don't give a fuck, do you," His eyebrows twitched again, a sign of mild interest that I noted during our routine sciencing time together. Tony was incredibly expressive if one took the time to observe.
"I could suck your dick under the table right now," I answered honestly. "It's just that when God gave out things like dignity and shame, I wasn't home. Too many fun things to do, y'know," I spoke as casually as I could even though I was dying of laughter inside.
Eyes bulging, jaw hanging mid-way to the floor. Tony was serving Looks™ and I didn't mean just the white tee and purple blazer combo. "Princess, you're going to be the fucking death of me!" He took a sip from his water glass, smirking.
Finally releasing my mirth, I gathered my hands in a lock in front of me. His own, warm and calloused, reached over - I allowed the brief intimacy, clasping them, fiddling with the leather band of his watch. For a moment, it was just us, sitting in the dim light, discovering each other anew to Robert Johnson singing the blues and NYC bustling with life just behind the wall. 
The waiter took our orders - and if I totally butchered the Italian, Tony was gentleman enough not to make any remarks. 
"Somehow, every time I am with you, you both manage to meet my expectations to a T and surprise me at the same time," I wasn't able to completely ignore my nerves. My hand was still loosely in his and he didn't mind at all, me messing with his watch.
"How so?"
"I'm going to loosely quote someone, bear with me." Mr Davies's words popped into my mind just as I was wondering how to best articulate my feelings. "You're eccentric and interesting because it's, well, it's you, because it would be much weirder if we'd be sitting here and making boring small-talk and asking each other the genetic get-to-know-you questions," I briefly paused to sip my Dom Peringon and stare at our hands. Gathering my wits. "That would be why I don't do dates. It sounds so tedious on paper, just sorting through people until a person that's not absolutely mind-numbing comes around."
Tony was silent for a moment, the sheen of his eyes, the faraway look; he was lost in memories. Probably remembering all the girls he had charmed before. I didn't doubt it was easy for him: his smile was distracting and people usually were attracted to shiny things. He shone plenty. Also, most people were stupid, they never cared to look past the golden wrapper. I was convinced there was a diamond under it. But then again, I was biased.
"I've never thought about it that way, but I guess you're right," He finally said, serious. "With Pepper, at least, it was. Come to think of it, we never had that much in common, besides Stark Industries and her willingness to put up with my shit." It was painful for him to talk about her, that much was obvious. His laugh was forced and sardonic.
I, on the other hand, never understood why they got together in the first place. Or maybe I did - but the cold, composed Pepper and the chaotic, energetic Tony reminded me too much of my own parents. All four people in this fucked up equation could have been much happier if they choose... What? Being alone? That was terrifying, too.
I kept quiet, giving his hands a gentle squeeze.
"You know, this is so bizarre. Even an eighteen year old kid has got it figured out," He suddenly said, his tone bitter like the coffee that he loved.
"Woah, slow down," I put up a hand. "I never said I know what to do. I just said I know what NOT to do." The 'kid' remark would have made me eye-roll so hard my skull would crack any day. In this context, however, it was pretty spot on.
Tony snorted. "And how did you come by that information, pray tell, Baby?"
I huffed. "Have you met my parents?" We simultaneously cringed and I hurried to erase that mental image. "I make fun of myself for being into old dudes all the time," I made air quotes around the phrase that made Tony scoff, "But, honestly speaking, I've never even been on a date. Like a real one. Usually it's twenty minutes and I'm falling asleep mid-conversation. People can't seem to keep up with me or something," I felt genuinely dejected. "So many meaningless questions, so many downright idiotic comments. From men," I pointed out the obvious. "My mother used to tell me she thought I was gay because I didn't act like a girl... Whatever that means."
"That sounds pretty shitty," Tony was studying me like one would have been looking at an exotic animal in a zoo. "That said, I agree."
"That I don't act like a girl?" I teased him, the left corner of my mouth tilting upward. "Fuck that noise. I want to drive fast cars, drink straight liquor and have orgasms. If that makes me a dude... I look pretty good for a dude in a dress."
We laughed in unison, tension evaporating under the shared, mutual understanding. With Tony, it was easy. The waiter brought our selected dishes. Blink-and-he's-gone. Top notch service.
"A dude in a dress, can't say I'm surprised 'bout your lack of dates," He remarked conversationally, happily digging into his food. The noises he made were intriguing, to say the least, and I followed suit on my own food, finding it absolutely delicious. A delicious meal with a delicious man at my side. I refused to feel guilty about my thoughts.
"I guess I have exactly one (1) date on my ledger now," I raised my argument.
The fork clattered as Tony once again, came to a sudden realization. "Holy shit, you weren't kidding."
"No shit," I gave into the urge to roll my eyes. "But on the upside, my first date was with the most gorgeous, intelligent and witty bachelor of the city. I'd say I don't have it all that bad," I quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Aw, you're making me blush," Tony recovered quickly, grinning. "And don't be shy. The most desired bachelor of the country, if not the world."
I shook my head. "No, the world's most delectable bachelor is one of the Saudi princes. What's-his-name, the one who posts goat and horse pics on Insta," I snapped my fingers a couple of times, trying to remember the name as Tony looked at me all offended. "Anyways, you get my point. I could have a go at him, don't you think?" Cocking my shoulder, coyly twirling the strap of my dress, I gave Tony my best come-hither look and was rewarded with an appreciative once-over. His eyes were growing hungry again. 
"You're a million dollar baby," He finally said, voice low. "And the extent of people I would be willing to share you with is very small."
That got me interested, sudden heat prickling underneath my skin. The conversation took a turn I didn't expect it to; and there lied the delight of being around Tony. He was always ready to surprise, in the best way. "Tell me," I requested politely.
"That's a conversation for another time," He was enjoying the chit-chat, desire beginning to creep into his features.
"Mmm, you think?" I allowed the strap of my dress to slip down my shoulder, exposing a collarbone, showing him just how far I was willing to go to satisfy my curiosity.
He swallowed audibly. "I think... You're smart enough to figure it out," He finally gritted his teeth, finishing off his dinner and immediately calling for the check. 
I wasn't done yet, however. The possibility of riling him up, taunting him into a lustful frenzy - I was in heaven. Karma had favoured me that evening, it had given me a chance to get Tony back for all the times he unknowingly made my mouth water and my brain go blip. "Must be Steve then," I bit my lip in thought. 
Honestly? I was as clueless as the couple next table over. Steve it wasn't, that much I knew for sure, he and Tony had their little love/hate dramatic connection that always ended in a massive ego standoff. Tony would be on the frontline fighting against Steve if the blonde dared to show anything even remotely resembling romantic interest towards someone Tony himself had his eyes on.
"Princess," Tony growled, sarcastically raising an eyebrow.
"Not Steve," I replied, cracking a smile. Success! "You know, I'm really bad at guessing who's into me. Unless someone is balls deep in me," My face was mere inches away as we quickly shrugged on our coats. "And even then, I can't be sure."
My giggling was accompanied by Tony shaking his head in exasperated fashion; he took my hand nonetheless and I happily swayed it between us, poster child for "not a care in the world". He allowed it, maintaining the same exasperated air about him, and I let him. Fondness and happiness seeped through that anyways.
"Brat," His voice was kind. And his kiss tingled where he left it on the corner of my mouth, sweet and short. "Here, have a go," Before I could react, the keys to his Rolls Royce were placed in my palm and he was making his way around the car to the passenger's side.
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THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway (it finally let me tag you)! @softie-socks @schemefrenzy
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sick ~ rook
word count: 1298
request?: yes!
@dejia-cook​ “Can you do a story where the reader is sick and Rook stays home to take care of her even though she told him he should go party with his friends?”
description: when his girlfriend becomes sick on the same day as a launch party, he decides to stay home to take care of her, which makes her feel bad
pairing: rook x female!reader
warnings: swearing
masterlist
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It was a big day for Rook. After working for over a year, and having the album being pushed back due to a global pandemic, Rook, Colson, and the rest of the boys had finally completed Tickets to my Downfall. To celebrate the realise of the album, the boys decided to throw a party.
And, of course, the day of the party I woke up sick as a goddamn dog.
My head was pounding and my throat hurt so much I could barley swallow water, let alone any actual food. I could barley breathe and I was sneezing so much that I couldn’t go too far away from my tissues for too long.
Knowing I’d be able to go to the party, I sent Rook a text to let him know.
“hey baby, i know this party tonight is important but i’m so sick i can barley get out of bed. send me lots of pictures and updates. proud of you and i love you so much.”
Shortly after sending the text, I fell asleep again. I wasn’t sure how long I was out, but the next thing I knew, I was hearing footsteps approaching my room. When I rolled over to face the door, Rook walked through holding a steaming bowl.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice basically a squeak as I spoke.
“I wasn’t about to let you deal with this sickness on your own,” he responded. “I made you soup, and brought some water.”
“I’m gonna get you sick.”
“Shhh, just eat.”
I rolled my eyes, but gratefully took the soup. My throat was on fire, but my stomach was hurting from hunger and I knew I had to eat. I let the hot soup slip down my throat, wincing at the raw feeling that followed it.
Rook went to the bathroom and I heard the sink turn on. He returned with a wet cloth that he put over my forehead. I sighed with relief at the feeling of the cold cloth on my hot forehead.
Rook set up my fan on my bedside table and turned it on, allowing the cool air to blow on me and cool me down.
“You’re too good to me,” I told him as he climbed onto my bed next to me.
“You deserve to be taken care of when you’re sick,” he responded. “What do you want to watch?”
I cuddled into Rook’s side and watched Netflix with him for hours. When I finished eating the soup, Rook ran a bath for me and sat with me for a while. The feeling of the hot water caused me to sweat, but I knew that was good cause it meant my fever was going to break. It also helped my stuffed up nose, as by the time I got out of the bath I was able to breathe again.
At some point during the day, I fell asleep again, this time cuddled up to Rook. Eventually, the two of us fell asleep together. When I woke up again, I felt a little bit better than I had before. Rook still had his arms wrapped around me and was fast asleep. I couldn’t help but smile at him. He was so handsome, and I was so lucky to have someone who cared so much for me like he did.
I grabbed my phone to check the time and saw that it was just an hour until Rook’s party was supposed to start. Suddenly, I jumped up, fighting back the dizziness I had caused due to getting up so fast. My sudden movements stirred Rook from his sleep. He looked up at me in confusion.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” he asked.
“The party is in an hour, you gotta go get ready!”
Rook rubbed his tired eyes and stretched his arms out. “I’m not going to the party.”
“What? Why not?”
“I wanna stay home and take care of you.”
I gave him a look. “No, go to your party. This album has been so important to you guys, you should be able to celebrate with your friends and not be stuck here with me.”
Rook sat up to look in my eyes. “(Y/N), I want to be here with you. I can party and celebrate with the boys any time, but tonight I want to take care of you while you’re not feeling well.”
I felt guilty. Rook had been so excited for the release date, and for the celebration party, for months. I knew he was still excited, and he was just feigning nonchalant for my benefit. But I also knew that he wouldn’t go, no matter how much I asked. But maybe...if Colson said he wanted him to go...
“At least tell Colson and the guys you won’t be there. I’m sure they’ll be sad you can’t go,” I told him.
Rook sighed and rested his head against mine. “If that will make you feel better, I’ll let him know I’m not going.”
I nodded and watched Rook send his message to Colson. We waited for some time before Colson sent a response.
“no big deal man, tell (y/n) i hope she feels better soon”
“See? It’s fine,” Rook said.
I sighed heavily, but decided to drop the issue.
~~~~~~
I spent the rest of the night feeling awful. I felt like a terrible girlfriend. Rook had been so stoked for that party for so long. I was regretting texting him so early on and saying I couldn’t go. If I had just rested and drank lots of water, I’m sure I would’ve been fine to go.
Rook and I were cuddled up on the couch together, watching TV. I knew he could tell that I still felt bad, but the two of us were over our slight bickering. Rook wasn’t going to give in and go to the party, and I wasn’t going to give up feeling bad over that. We both decided to just live with it.
There was a knock at my door that drew both of our attentions. I groaned, annoyed that I’d have to get up from my comfy spot on the couch. Rook chuckled and helped me up. He followed me to the front door, where I found two beer bottles placed on my doorstep. Stood a few inches away was Colson, Baze, Slim, and Mod Sun, holding their own drinks.
“If you guys can’t come to the party,” Colson said, “then we’ll bring the party to you.”
“That’s so cliche,” I told him.
“It is, but we love a good cliche,” Mod Sun commented. “Now pop open those bottles, have at least one drink with us.”
I picked up both bottles and retreated into my house to open them. Rook stood in the kitchen’s doorway, smiling slightly at me.
“You knew about this, right?” I asked him. He nodded. “Did you put them up to this?”
“No, they told me they wanted to do this and I encouraged them. I knew you were going to feel bad about this for a while.”
“I wanted you to enjoy your night and celebrate the release of the album, that’s all. I felt bad that you were being held back from that because of me.”
Rook crossed the room to wrap his arms around me. “Baby, I chose to be here, and I would choose it again in a heartbeat. I don’t want you to be by yourself when you’re sick, and even if you’re not sick, I’d choose a relaxing night in with you than a night out partying any day.”
I smiled and kissed Rook’s cheek. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. Now, hurry and get those beers open, we can’t leave the guys waiting.”
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Making the Naughty List
Day #4: "I think you've just made the naughty list"
Rantaro x GN! Reader
Hey loves! I'm back to writing and should hopefully be caught up by tomorrow in regards to prompts! Thank you all for being so patient! Be sure to take care of yourselves loves! Also! When I say older sisters for Rantaro's sisters I do not mean older than him I mean as in the eldest of his younger sisters!
Y/S= Younger Sisters Name
Suggestive themes below the cut!
-Mod Kiibo
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Ah, Christmas. The most wonderful time of the year, at least for you it was. It was the time of year where you could spend endless hours with your boyfriend, Rantaro, and his family in which you've grown to love. They always accepted you with open arms, especially his younger sisters who adored you more than their brother.
And that's why when you knocked on the door of his house you where instantly bombarded with hugs from all 12 of his sisters. "Now, now, give them some space" you smiled at the familiar voice of your boyfriend and turned to look at him.
"Hey partner" Rantaro brought you into a hug and kissed your head. "It's good to see you".
"Hi 'Taro" you giggled and hugged him back. "It's good to see all of you again."
"I think I can speak for all of us when I say we missed you" Rantaro smiled when he heard his sisters agreeing with him. "Let's get you inside so you're not cold"
You walked in after your boyfriend and looked around in awe at the decorations they put up. "You guys really go all out this time of year!"
"We have to! We have a competition with the neighbors every year so we make sure we look the best!" One of Rantaro's younger sisters had explained to you making sure to grab your hand in the process "let me show you around the house so you can see all of our decorations!"
You smiled and nodded your head at her, letting her drag you around the house showing you every decoration the Amami household had put up...even the bathroom decorations. You encountered many of his other sisters while getting the tour of the house too some joining you and some not. By the time you ended the tour you were already exhausted just due to the size of the house itself.
"Okay Y/S, let them rest. You've been dragging them around for an hour and a half now." One of Rantaros older sisters commented before she turned to look at you "besides I'm sure they would like to spend some time with their boyfriend."
You blushed and shyly nodded your head "it would be nice but I love to spend time with you all" you heard the sisters visibly aww at your statement and the younger one of the duo spoke up "we love you too, but we dont mind you going to spend time with big brother."
You smiled and ruffled her hair a bit "thank you, I promise I'll spend some time with you later." She only grinned and responded with a bubbly "okay!".
You walked off right after towards Rantaro's room only to be pulled away by another one of his sisters. This continued until nightfall when his family all gathered around in the living room to watch christmas movies.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" Rantaro hugged you "let me guess my sisters have been hogging you?"
"You could say that" you giggled and hugged back making sure to kiss his cheek. "Don't worry, I'm all yours after the movie."
"That's good" he nodded his head and followed up with "I need affection too" you smirked at his comment and teased him "awww is my baby getting jealous~"
He chuckled and dragged you to sit with him at the couch. "I'm not jealous, just attention starved." You rolled your eyes at him and cuddled into his side. "Whatever you say babe"
After a few hours of watching christmas movies all of his sisters finally went to sleep in their rooms, leaving you and Rantaro all alone.
You moaned quietly as Rantaro sucked on your neck, his hands roaming your body as much as he could. Tangling your fingers into his hair, you tugged slightly on it gaining a groan from him. "R-rantaro" you stuttered out in a broken moan only earning a "hm" from him.
You pushed him away gently now getting his full attention. "Is something wrong?" He asked you concerned he may have done something wrong. You blushed and averted his gaze "we shouldn't do this here"
"Do you want me to stop?" He asked again only to earn a head shake and a squeeze of his ass from you soon sliding out from under him. "Let's continue this in the bedroom." You hastily said and made your way upstairs leaving your boyfriend behind. Rantaro just shook his head at your retreating form and smirked. "I think you've just made the naughty list." He whispered to himself quickly following after you.
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miaclemeverett · 3 years
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we do a little liveblogging trollface (recapping the jackmanifold "geoguessr w/ wilbur" stream from today)
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as a Professional Geoguessr Esports Commentator (I have given myself this title)... Wilbur and Jack were throwing during today's stream. It was very sad to see especially since Wilbur started quite strong. My streamer is cracked except for when he is not cracked in which case I Look Away
Not the Tommy lore breaths... Tommy's my boy but its true HAHAHA
I AM THE WILBUR SOOT UPDATES ACCOUNT IT IS OK! I had the scoop on the stream like 5 mins before too I'm so proud of myself actually
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HELPPP the entire drunk Jack story was so funny... Poor Wilbur and Elodie having to babysit 😭 I have been in both sides of that and it is not fun nor cute!!! Especially since Jack is the baby in this scenario who just discovered vodka. Oh Jack
"The poll" = referring to Jack and Wilbur arguing over who was more relevant, so the mods ran a poll and Wilbur won by like 75%
Wilbur is literally a mature Twitch channel now so I guess I'll allow him the cum jokes
Emperor penguins are so cute <3 Happy Feet
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THEY ADDED NEW COUNTRIES RECENTLY! I've seen Vietnam and now San Marino...
WHEN TUBBO AND TOMMY ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DRINK... THE WORLD WILL STOP. Wilbur literally said he wants to take Tubbo to a pub THIS CHRISTMAS/NEW YEARS EVE like mans already has the date set... Tommy and Tubbo already Goe Crazy Go Stupid while sober, imagine the power they'll have when they can get drunk on stream 😭
Vlog gun <3
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Ok like I understand biting things but biting off AGLETS??!?!?
The voice crack was embarrassing I fear...
JACKSEPTICEYE THE MAN <3 one of my favorite OGs for sure no wonder Wilbur is a stannie (always love when he brings up that Aksel story LMAOOO)
Elodie is the best. Singlehandedly holding up the Wilbur community
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the entire ask box collapsed when Wilbur dropped the Lovejoy news I LOVE US WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR BANDOM
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ALBUM AND MUSIC VIDEOS!!! MULTIPLE!!!!! GUYS WE WILL HAVE SUSTENANCE DURING THE HIATUS
"3 week stream break pogggg" im making all of u sound like me. remember when I wanted Wilbur to break his 18-day no-stream streak... now he will.... MY INFLUENCE!
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POOR FUCKING GHOSTBUR DIED FOR WHAT..... WE REALLY COULD HAVE HAD HIM AT LEAST CONFIRMED ALIVE WHILE WILBUR WENT OFF BEING MUSIC BOY AND THEN HE COULD HAVE BROUGHT BACK ALIVEBUR AFTER LMAOOO 😭
maybe.....maybe there will be a gap between the EP release and the hiatus... Maybe we'll get like a week of daily streams HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA VERY FUNNY I MADE MYSELF CRACK UP TBH
Wilbur will never miss an MCC thats my man
also I feel like the breathing is literally just Jack himself he be breathing
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birbleafs · 3 years
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[fic] A Tragicomedy In Five Acts
Series: Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan || The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. Rating: T Genre: Friendship, Humour, Breaking the Fourth Wall Character(s): Akechi Touma, Saiki Kusuo, Saiki Kurumi, Saiki Kuniharu, Saiki Kuusuke Warnings: None, save for the canon-typical shenanigans Summary: Akechi has made a habit of showing up unannounced, uninvited at the Saiki residence. The inevitable "bonding" occurs and Kusuo despairs; the world continues to turn. A/N: A piece I wrote for the Disastrous Life Zine, a charity zine. I wanted to share the uncut version here since I like how it reads more (it's not too different from zine version, though). Leftover sales are currently still live, so here's your last chance to grab some limited items if you had missed the pre-orders earlier! Thanks to the mods & other contributors over at @disastrouslifezine, for all their hard work on this project. Many thanks also to my bro Digi for the awesome beta work and for always being an all-round great pal ❤ Fic can also be read AO3. _______ i. It’s a problem Saiki Kusuo should have—could have—nipped earlier in the bud, when he’d been forced to spend a whole Sunday with Akechi Touma betting on horse-racing. But between Akechi being (begrudgingly) accepted as one of the PK Psychickers to Kusuo having to stop a meteor from slamming into the planet—well, a lot had happened. Akechi had since taken to visiting the Saiki residence at random, with little notice in advance. On his second visit, Mom had invited him in before Kusuo could intervene. If it weren’t for the cupcakes Akechi had brought along—not to mention the terrifying heat of Mom’s demonic glare at the first sign of a protest—Kusuo would have teleported him miles away without hesitation. That’s how Kusuo finds himself now—glowering at Akechi who’s sitting politely in his room and firing a running commentary about nothing and too many things all at once. Resigned, he leans back into his study chair and asks, point-blank: What do you want, Akechi?
“Your mother is lovely as always,” Akechi replies instead, dancing around the question. “I’m grateful she’s gone from remembering me as ‘Pee Boy’ to ‘Kusuo’s Friend Who Only Ever Wets His Pants Occasionally’. Surely that’s a sign we have gotten closer.” It sounds just as terrible as the first—only a simpleton would be okay with that as a defining trait, Kusuo retorts. In any case, we’re hardly more than classmates. So, why are you here again? “I thought you would have realized it by now with your telepathy. But I suppose I can explain it for the sake of the readers!” Akechi beams, holding up a small case in his hand. Don’t just casually break the fourth wall, Kusuo frowns, even as he leans forward for a closer look. Akechi pops the case open and turns towards the game console. “I was recently gifted this game by my cousin, who assured me that, while underrated, it’s still a cult hit among fans. I thought it would be fun to play it together.” Kusuo stares flatly at the title OVERWORKED displayed on the disc as it slides into the console drive, already unimpressed. That is such a blatant rip-off. “Oh, no, it's a completely different game from the one you’re thinking of!” Akechi says. “Here you play as the overworked waiter of a cafe who serves multiple orders at once and takes over the cooking whenever the head chef throws a tantrum and storms right off.” How is that different from OVERC***ED? It is totally OVERC***ED! “Regardless, shall we have a play-off?” Akechi offers the controller to him. “Winner gets this box of cupcakes. I got them from the best pâtisserie in town, which is no easy feat. Why just this morning I left home at the crack of dawn to secure a spot in the queue, and even then, there were already about 30-odd people ahead of me! Who knew it was so popular—A-ah!” Kusuo yanks the controller easily from Akechi’s hand towards him with telekinesis, a glint of determination in his eyes now. Best two out of three levels. Loser also has to leave immediately. Akechi grins knowingly and cracks his knuckles, reaching for the second controller. “You’re quick to assume victory, Kusuo-kun. Very well, then!” Thirty-seven minutes later and Kusuo’s left staring at the final scores, appalled. He would have won if his character hadn’t kept freezing in place and glitching at crucial moments, messing up in the kitchens and sending out wrong orders. How is he always losing to Akechi like this? Clearly the universe is still conspiring against him. “You were so close to beefing my lask score dhoo,” Akechi says shamelessly through a mouthful of strawberry frosting. “And my, deez fupfakes are s’per dhasty!” Are you taunting me now? Kusuo scowls enviously at the cupcake in Akechi’s hand before he huffs, slinking back into his chair. Well, I’ll be staring dejectedly out my window for a bit, so feel free to eat your cupcakes and then leave. But Akechi only laughs then and, to Kusuo’s surprise, moves to place a chocolate cupcake before him. “You’re so melodramatic, Kusuo-kun. I never said the winner can’t share.” ... I guess you didn’t. They spend the rest of the afternoon eating cupcakes. _______ ii. This again? It’s been a month, but Kusuo already feels a sense of gloom settling over him when Akechi steps into the genkan. He would have been fine with leaving Akechi outside blathering away through closed doors for the entire day while he pretended not to be home, but obviously Mom is having none of that. “I’m so glad you’ve been coming over to play with Ku-chan!” she greets cheerfully. “I couldn’t believe it when I first heard, but you and Kusuo are getting along well, huh, Akechi-kun!” Dad says with a sagely nod, looking every bit the part of the morally upright, reliable father. Bold of you to believe such delusional notions of camaraderie, or that you even look the part of an admirable adult, Kusuo comments drily, before turning to leave. “We don’t just get along,” Akechi chimes in reply. “You could even say our friendship is super-califragilisticexpialidocious!” GET OUT. If looks could kill, Kusuo’s current expression is pure genocide. But his parents are already fawning and AH-HYUU-!!-ing at Akechi’s words, tears of joy gushing down their cheeks like an endless waterfall. Kusuo watches in quiet despair as Akechi is readily accepted into their fold with welcomed embraces, a key development in this romantic soap opera. Oi, what’s with the misleading narrative?! We’re not in that kind of fanfic right now! Dad and Akechi hit it off well enough, one thing leads to another, and Kusuo suddenly finds himself roped into playing MECH-O ARENA VR on the WAB station in Dad’s study. Seriously, stop it with the terrible rip-offs of actual games already, Kusuo frowns as he watches Dad’s and Akechi’s characters flitting about on the screen to fight off an incoming attack. “I suppose it’s not very original, is it?” Akechi says, punching the controller buttons in a flurry of movements. “But it’s different enough that we can probably avoid any unwanted copyright lawsuits.” That’s completely beside the point. Dad’s wholly immersed with the game now, so it’s impossible for Kusuo to get rid of Akechi without Dad throwing a childish fuss about losing his new gaming buddy. Not to mention Mom’s uncanny ability to appear with coffee and snacks each time Kusuo had tried to inconspicuously retreat back into his room, all while exuding an ominous aura that effectively dissuaded his need to leave immediately. Good grief—everyone’s being such a pain today, Kusuo sighs, before he finally relents to Mom’s cajoling to team up with her against Dad and Akechi in the final round. He figures it can’t get worse than this anyway. That is, until Kuusuke gets involved. _______ iii. When Kusuo returns home from a quick grocery trip for Mom, he walks into a surprisingly empty living room. He can hear Dad and Kuusuke’s voices from upstairs but for some reason he’s not quite able to perceive the atmosphere within—it’s as if his senses are partially blocked by a cognitive fog with the study engulfed in a dead zone. Must be that prototype “router” Kuusuke had installed in Dad’s study yesterday. Kusuo has zero interest in his brother’s tiresome antics, but is compelled nonetheless to check on them, if only to ensure Kuusuke isn’t playing Mad Scientist and coaxing Dad into yet another deranged human project. He opens the door, nearly lashes out in shock with telekinesis when he sees Akechi staring through the doorway with a creepy, owlish expression. “Oh, were you actually surprised, Kusuo-kun?” Akechi says. “My apologies for frightening you like that.” Kusuo studies the room cautiously, only to realize he’s unable to hear anyone’s thoughts with telepathy. He glares at his brother in suspicion. “Welcome back, little brother!” Kuusuke greets him with a Cheshire grin. “I see you’ve got yourself a new playmate. Hmm? Ah, you must think it strange that I've taken to Akechi-kun so readily.” Strange and highly dubious, Kusuo counters. What are you scheming? “Well, Akechi-kun shows the most potential and capacity for mental growth amongst the lesser primates close to you—” What a disparaging worldview. And stop deflecting! I know you can still understand me. “—So, he may yet make a good test subj—Ah, I mean, a good friend! Interesting specimens tend to gravitate towards you, after all. Though his propensity for peeing sure is troubling, isn’t it? Haha!” You can excuse questionable human experimentations, but you draw the line at incontinence? Kuusuke attempts a nonchalant shrug. “Priorities, amirite?” “But this is amazing, Kuusuke-san,” Akechi says, glancing up in awe at the blinking device on the ceiling. “The telepathy canceller really does block our thoughts efficiently!” “It’s child's play compared to Kusuo’s abilities,” Kuusuke says, seemingly modest, but Kusuo doesn’t miss the devious glint in his eyes when he reaches into his coat pocket to pull out what looks suspiciously like a detonator with a giant red button. “Still, with this, Operation SM☆SH can now finally commence—” Wait, Operation what?? Kuusuke, don’t you dare...! But Kuusuke is already pressing the button, and the study is plunged into darkness as the lights flicker off and the blinds draw shut. Alarmed, Kusuo wrenches the detonator away from Kuusuke’s grip with his telekinesis. What did you just do?! There’s an electronic whirr, a blinding flash, and Kusuo finds himself suddenly staring at a large LCD screen as it emerges from the ceiling. Music blares from overhead speakers as a cinematic opening sequence begins to play. “There you are, Kusuo!” Dad looks up from behind the coffee table where he’d been fiddling with the game console. He adjusts the VR headset over his eyes. “It’s time to finally beat you at SUPER SM☆SH BUDS as payback for last time! HII-YAAAH!!” ... Oh. So it’s just another game. “That’s right!” Kuusuke claps his hands together, blissfully ignoring the heat of Kusuo’s baleful glare. “I heard about your horse-racing bet from Akechi-kun and found this as the best way to even the odds for other types of games.” “The idea came to me while peeing in the shower; to find ways you could play and not get bored easily, Kusuo-kun,” Akechi adds in unnecessary detail. “But I didn’t think Kuusuke-san could actually pull it off.” “Here, Kusuo,” Dad says, waving his controller. “Come choose your character—” But Kusuo’s already teleporting away, fleeing the wretched upheaval within his own home to hide at Cafe Mami for the rest of the day. _______ iv. Akechi corners him after school three weeks later. Kusuo is surprised and unsurprised all at once; he had worn the germanium ring to class, after all, in a bid to avoid spoilers for the direct-to-streaming release movie adaptation of a book he’d been fond of. It’s easy to ignore everyone’s spoilery chatter when it isn’t droning directly into his mind—he’d kept his fingers stuck into  his ears each time class ended, oblivious to the strange looks thrown his way, and had even hidden away in the restroom cubicle during breaks, successfully avoiding any interaction with the usual human nuisances. Until now, that is. “Let’s walk home together, Kusuo-kun!” Akechi calls, jogging after him. I’m suddenly deaf and sound has eluded me, Kusuo deadpans as he breaks into a sprint, determined to leave before Akechi starts blabbing spoilers. “I noticed you weren’t quite yourself today,” Akechi continues, catching up with him.  “And I thought it might have something to do with the ring on your left index finger that you’ve fondled precisely seventeen times throughout the day.” What an awful way to describe it. I didn’t fondle anything. “Perhaps the material of that ring works in the same manner as the telepathy canceller—which would explain why you seemed uncharacteristically skittish today since you’re pretty bad at discerning people’s intentions without your telepathy.” What are you? A psychic? But Akechi only persists. “I realized later that you’d always leave whenever anyone started talking about that new movie on Netfl*x—” Can’t hear now, Kusuo slaps his hands over his ears. Gone horribly deaf. “And I figured it must be that you haven’t watched it yet for some reason, like maybe your home internet is down because your father forgot to pay the bills for three whole months and so it got cut—” How did you even..? Kusuo grimaces. N-nope, not listening! 100% deaf! “I know you don’t have a mobile phone to watch it on either,” Akechi continues. “So, that’s why I wanted to invite you to my house today, to watch it together. Oh, don’t worry, I know absolutely nothing about the movie. In fact, I’d only heard Kaidou-kun screaming out the title just ten minutes ago.” Kusuo pauses then, glancing back at Akechi in hesitance. Akechi only meets his wary gaze with a knowing smirk, and says, “We also have strawberry shortcake in the fridge.” _______ v. I don’t suppose there’s a good reason this time either, Kusuo sighs wearily, closing his book. Still, there’s a glimmer in his eyes; he knows Akechi had come bearing gifts—a selection of coffee jellies topped with cherries and chocolate drizzle. “I’ve made a habit of crashing your place unannounced, haven’t I?” Akechi offers a contrite grin, watching as Kusuo helps himself to a spoonful of jelly. “I do apologize, but whenever I get restless, I find myself wandering here by instinct. Admittedly, I was worried about being a bother, but your mother is always so welcoming at the door despite that dreary, constipated look in your eyes—” You are being a bother. Like a persistent mosquito that thinks it's summer all year round, Kusuo grouses with his Most Annoyed Expression, knowing how ineffectual his Feigning Ignorance Face had become over time. Also, have you graduated from pee references to shitty jokes now? Disgusting. But Akechi takes it all in stride, undeterred by Kusuo’s ugly grimace and acerbic jibes. “—Plus, it’d be considered extremely rude if I didn’t come in after that, and I certainly do not want you to think of me as rude. You’re a friend I hold in high regard, after all. I always have, ever since I found out it was you who saved me from the bullies back then.” The earnestness in Akechi’s words stumps him, if only a little. And though Kusuo is careful to keep his surprise from showing, there’s a part deep down in his not-so-granite heart that feels a touch of warmth at the sentiment. Akechi’s already placing the Scrabble board on the floor, so he misses the ghost of a smile that crosses Kusuo’s lips. Did Akechi honestly think he could beat a psychic at Scrabble too? How naive. “You’re probably thinking how naive I must be, believing I could beat you at a board game with your powers and all,” Akechi notes cheerfully, almost as if he’s a mind-reader himself. Kusuo frowns, slightly disgruntled by the fourth-wall breaking once more and wishes they would give it a rest for once. Overusing a trope gets really tiring, you know? Still, he smiles again as he takes a seat across from Akechi—who is now shuffling the Scrabble chips while nattering away about the history of board games and how the loser would have to give up his share of coffee jelly (as if Kusuo would allow it to come to that again). Two Sunday visits per month only, Kusuo says, lifting several chips into the air with a wave of his hand. If you beat me... I’ll allow it. Akechi’s eyes widen, before he breaks into a playful grin. “Very well, then. May the best man win.” Kusuo only lets out a soft laugh. Perhaps it’s not too late to pick up where they had left off in grade school. —End—
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