#also wrote this at 2 am cause I couldn’t sleep

[munson-blurbs]

Single Dad!Eddie x Fem!ReaderSeries

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Summary: Thanksgiving brings back memories of happier times, and all you want is to recreate the past. But when those plans go awry, Eddie--and Harris, of course--are there to help you look forward to the future.

Warnings: mentions of Eddie's parents, brief familial conflict, Reader's grandma has dementia, most of this chapter is fluffy tbh

WC: 6.8k

Chapter 8/20

Scruffy!Eddie edit credit to @vexed-n-hexed Divider credit to @saradika

Thanksgiving, 1975

The sound of the kitchen timer beeping draws nine-year-old Eddie Munson’s attention from the television set. The local news network had been replaying the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on a loop. It was now the third time that Eddie had watched Santa Claus make his way into Herald Square in a comically oversized sleigh, but he couldn’t get enough of it. The colorful balloons that hovered over the crowd, the marching bands playing in perfect unison, the feeling of excitement in the air—it was palpable all the way from his new home in Hawkins, Indiana. 

“Dinner’s ready,” Wayne announces, grabbing the worn mitt off of the counter and pulling two TV dinners from the oven. “‘S not much, but at least we got turkey and mashed potatoes,” he bashfully adds. 

Eddie nods, trying to walk without taking his eyes off of the screen. 

Wayne’s bushy brows pinch together as he watches his nephew. “You always get this into the parade?” he asks. 

“Never seen it before,” Eddie says softly. His parents had had a TV for a couple of years until they’d pawned it, but he doesn’t recall ever watching a parade. “Pretty cool.”

“We can keep it on while we eat, if ya want,” Wayne tells him, smiling when he sees the boy’s face light up. He places the plastic trays on the snack table and heads back to grab forks. “Ya got a favorite balloon? I’m partial to Snoopy, if y’ask me.”

Eddie nods, still transfixed on the TV. “Yeah, Snoopy’s good. I like him.” He takes the utensil from Wayne’s outstretched hand, absentmindedly dipping it in the congealed mashed potatoes. He pauses for a beat before bringing it to his lips. “Do I have to go back?”

“Hm?” Wayne mumbles, too focused on his own food to fully hear him. 

“Do I have to go back with them when they get out?” Eddie repeats, keeping his voice low and training his gaze on the floor. “‘Cause I like it better here. With you. ‘S nice and quiet.”

There’s a lurch in Wayne’s chest at Eddie’s request. “Technically, I only have ya till your folks are sprung,” he admits, scratching a nail against the table, “but I can talk to a lawyer or somethin’ about keeping you here longer. Only if you want,” he adds. 

“I wanna stay here,” Eddie confirms, spearing a pale turkey slice and popping it in his mouth without any attempt to cut it. “If it’s okay with you. I can sleep on the cot an’ you can take your bed back.”

Wayne shakes his head. “Room’s yours, Ed.” He takes a deep breath. “I don’t wanna promise you that the courts will agree to it, but I’m gonna try my damndest to keep you safe.” And it’s true. He’ll work double overtime at the plant if it’ll cover legal fees. When the social worker dropped Eddie off last week, Wayne had no idea how either of them would adjust. But aside from a few growing pains—like having to shave his nephew’s head when they’d discovered he’d had lice—things seemed to be alright. 

“I, um, I wrote something at school yesterday,” Eddie pipes up, traipsing to his backpack and pulling out a sheet of paper. In his sloppy, boyish handwriting is written:

I am thankful for my Uncle Wayne because he takes care of me. He’s really nice and he works hard and he doesn’t mind that I listen to loud music. He also lets me feed my dinner scraps to the stray dogs in his trailer park. My Uncle Wayne is the best. I hope he’s thankful for me, too. 

Wayne feels his throat constrict, and he clears it before Eddie can catch on. “‘Course I’m thankful for ya, Ed,” he manages. He reaches out to put his hand on his nephew’s back, flinching when the boy jerks away nervously. Eddie’s reflex to defend himself rather than embrace touch stirs up a reserved anger Wayne didn’t know he had, and he wills himself to simmer down before his nephew can sense it, lest he think he’s angry at him.  

He slowly brings his hand to the couch cushion, careful not to make too much noise. We’ll get there, he thinks as the parade starts up for a fourth time. We’ll get there. 

Thanksgiving, 1978

Ten years old is a strange age. 

Too old to play with the little kids, but too young to hang around the teenagers or adults. You’re just kind of…there, like a piece of furniture that everyone absently walks around. This hiss of beer cans opening is barely audible over the men shouting at the football game on TV. You don’t know who’s playing, and you don’t really care, but it’s the only place you feel like you’ll be out of the way. Taking a seat on the floor, you remain there generally unnoticed until one of your uncles calls out your name.

“Couldja get me a refill?” Uncle Tim slurs, shaking his empty can of Bud Light to emphasize his request. Before you can respond, he throws a, “thanks, kid” and goes back to yelling at the football players.

It’s not like they can hear you through the screen, you snidely think, but you keep your comment to yourself as you pad into the kitchen. A collection of spices tickles your nose, the mixture of cloves and garlic and thyme and rosemary warming the room. You rummage through the refrigerator until you feel someone bump up against you.

“What are you doing in there?” Your aunt asks, disapproval carving her already sharp features. Her gaze drops to the can in your hand. “Seriously? Trying to sneak beer right in front of us?” she scoffs. 

Grandma quickly becomes aware of the commotion, and she wipes her hand on her sunny yellow apron as she assesses the situation. “Everything okay?” Her soft eyes are concerned, not accusing, and you feel your anxiety slowly dissipating.

“I caught her trying to steal some beer,” your aunt reports proudly, as though she’s caught some serial offender, and you have to fight the urge to roll your eyes. “Not even a teenager yet and already getting into this kind of trouble.” She shakes her head with a tsk. 

“No, I wasn’t,” you insist, setting your jaw in defiance. “Uncle Tim asked me to get some more for him. That’s all.”

“Tim!” Grandma calls out, tone thick with irritation. “Get over here!”

 Uncle Tim trudges out to the kitchen, head already hung low in anticipation of the tongue-lashing he’s about to receive. He may be a grown man, but his mother can easily put him in his place.

Grandma folds her arms across her chest. “Why are you having your niece fetch your drinks like a barmaid? Your legs broken or something?”

“No,” he mumbles, taking the beer from your hand and haphazardly tossing a “sorry” in your direction before returning to the game.

“C’mere,” Grandma beckons you, crooking her finger to join her at the counter. She’s got a bowl of Granny Smith apples, half of them peeled, their green skins piling on the cutting board in front of her. She hands you the peeler, picking up a sharp knife and cutting a peeled apple lengthwise and cubing each slice. “Help me out. It goes a lot faster when there’s two of us. And it’ll keep you out of trouble,” she adds with a wink.

You grab an unpeeled apple from the pile and drag the tool down its curve, repeating the motion until the inner fruit is exposed before starting on the next one. You and Grandma work in tandem; you peel and she chops in a comfortable silence. As you’re finishing up the last of the bunch, she leans over and whispers in your ear, “Don’t tell anyone, but you’re the best helper I’ve ever had.” She starts placing the cubed pieces into a pot, shaking the cinnamon container over it until she takes a satisfied step back, no measuring spoon required. “Mix it together for me?” 

You nod eagerly and pluck the wooden spoon from the canister behind the sink, dunking it into the pot and stirring until the apples are fully coated in cinnamon. “That good?” you ask, giving another stir for good measure.

“Perfect.” Grandma smiles, covering the mixture with water and setting it on an empty burner, twisting the knob until the coil turns red. “Once it softens up, you can mash it. Give these old arms a break,” she teases gently.

“You’re not old!” you protest, and she smacks a kiss to the top of your head.

“I love you, kiddo,” she murmurs, voice muffled against your scalp. “To the moon and back.”

You wrap your arms around her waist and squeeze her tight. “I love you, too. To the moon and back.”

Thanksgiving, 1996

“Daddy, look! It’s Santa!” Harris points at the TV excitedly, bouncing up and down on the couch. He kicks his feet and squeals. “He’s gonna come to our house, right? An’ bring me presents?”

Eddie chuckles as he spreads mayonnaise on white bread, layering thin turkey slices on top. Three sandwiches for three Munsons. “I dunno, Har-Bear; have you been good this year?” 

Harris scrunches up his face in contemplation. “Um, I think so,” he answers honestly. “I can’t remember.”

“Hey, Wayne?” Eddie calls out as his uncle walks out of the bathroom. “Has Harris been good this year? I feel like he’s been a bit…mischievous.”

Wayne shakes his head. “My angel of a grandson? He’s never caused mischief a day in his little life!” He sits down next to Harris, letting out a small grunt as his bottom hits the sofa cushion. 

“Yeah! I never cause mischief a day in my little life!” Harris echoes confidently. He turns to his grandfather. “Grampa, what is Santa gonna bring you for Christmas?”

“A toupée,” Eddie says from the tiny kitchen, piling their plates with potato chips. Normally, he’d make sure there was a fruit or vegetable on there, but it’s a holiday. 

Wayne has to hold his tongue in front of the impressionable young boy, though he shoots Eddie an inconspicuous middle finger when he’s setting the plates on the coffee table. 

The three Munsons tuck into their sandwiches and crunch on the chips. This is how Thanksgiving has been since Eddie moved back with Harris: watching the parade followed by an early lunch so Wayne could pick up a shift at the plant. He always insisted on it, saying that the holiday pay helps offset the cost of Christmas presents. It was quiet, but nice, and Eddie couldn’t ask for anything else.

“Y’know,” Wayne says to Harris with a mouthful of sandwich, “the first time your Daddy watched the parade was with me. And now, we got to watch it with you.” He bumps his arm against Harris’s, making the boy giggle. 

“Oh, yeah,” Eddie muses, chomping on a potato chip thoughtfully as the memories flood back in. “Forgot about that. Is Snoopy still your favorite, Old Man?” 

Wayne considers this. “Hmm. Who’s our favorite balloon this year, Har?”

“Clifford!” Harris answers without missing a beat, kicking his little legs in excitement. Eddie should’ve known; the boy was damn near obsessed with dogs.

Once we can afford a house with a yard, I’m getting you that puppy, Har-Bear, he thinks, though he doesn’t dare make the promise aloud.

“Then that’s mine, too.” Wayne brushes the crumbs off of his lap, calloused hands scratching the worn denim of his jeans. There’s a twinkle in his eye as he adds, “I wonder what Ms. Sweetheart’s favorite balloon is.” He acts like he’s speaking to Harris, but Eddie knows it was aimed at him.

Harris claps his hands together gleefully. “I know! Let’s call her!” He turns to Eddie with the sweetest puppy-dog eyes the man has ever seen, lower lip jutted out exaggeratedly in the most precious pout. “Please, Daddy? Pleasepleasepleaseplease–”

“Okay, okay,” Eddie says with a laugh, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Once you finish up lunch, we can call her.” Harris opens his mouth to protest that he wants to call right now, but Eddie cuts him off before he can start. “Ah ah; no whining, or we won’t call.”

Harris harrumphs but ultimately complies, taking another bite of his food. Wayne gives Eddie a small thumbs-up, and he preens slightly at the acknowledgment of his parenting win. They didn’t happen very often, and they rarely happened when someone was around to witness them. He takes a long gulp of water; as soon as he does, his son lifts his own cup to his lips and takes a sip. Another reminder that he’s watching, even subconsciously, wanting to be just like his dad.

For a split second, Eddie allows himself to believe that that might not be a bad thing.

“‘M done!” Harris chirps; sure enough, his plate is clean, save for the bread crusts. He squirms a bit in his seat, a gesture that Eddie has come to learn means only one thing.

“Go pee while I find her number,” Eddie tells him, purposely omitting the fact that he’s already committed those seven digits to memory. In case of an emergency, he thinks, and I don’t have the slip of paper on me.

Wayne can sense that his nephew isn’t being completely truthful; as soon as Harris closes the bathroom door behind him, he starts in with a shit-eating grin.

“Y’don’t need to find her number, do ya?”

Eddie flicks off an imaginary speck of dust on his shirts. “Knock it off, Wayne.” But he doesn’t move from his spot on the couch, further affirming his uncle’s point.

“Look, Ed,” Wayne exhales, adopting a more serious tone. “You clearly like this girl. I mean, all Harris did was say her name and you smiled–don’t give me that look,” he chastises lightly when Eddie rolls his eyes. “I know you two didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, but all that seems to be in the past now, right?”

“Guess so,” Eddie mumbles. “But not hating me doesn’t mean she’s into me. Maybe she’s only being nice to me because of Harris.”

The older Munson pauses, scratching at the stubble on his cheeks; his reflex when he’s deep in thought. “One date,” he challenges, holding up his forefinger to emphasize his point. “Ask her on one date, and see where it goes.”

“Fine,” Eddie relents, the nerves already churning in his stomach. You’d just found this good rhythm together, and he was going to risk messing it up. Again. “I’ll ask her. But on one condition.”

“Whas’ that?”

“Don’t say anything to Harris.” He crosses his arms over his chest when Wayne chuckles. “‘M serious, Wayne. I don’t want him getting his hopes up. For Chrissakes, I gave her a tape and the kid had us getting married.”

“Fair enough,” Wayne agrees, clamping his mouth shut when he sees the little boy enter the room. “You wash your hands?”

“Yep!”

“With soap?” he presses, narrowing his eyes.

Harris heaves an impatient sigh. “Yes! Can we call now?”

Both Wayne and Harris keep their eyes glued to Eddie as he punches in the numbers. When it starts ringing, he holds out the receiver to his son. “Say hi and your name when she picks up,” he reminds him, grateful for the opportunity to collect himself before asking you on a date. He takes a deep breath, shoving his hands in his pockets and gnawing on his lower lip so forcefully that he swears it might bleed.

You got this, Munson. The worst she can say is no.

But that’s not quite true, is it? The worst you can do is laugh in his face, leaving him a rejected mess. Scratch that–the worst you could do is accept the date, have him fall head over heels in love with you, then leave him in the dust to pick up the pieces while you move on with someone better. 

Maybe you won’t pick up the phone. Maybe he’ll have more time to–

“Hi, Ms. Sweetheart! It’s me, Harris!”

It was a small thing. Miniscule, even. Just your meager attempt at reclaiming part of the past that had been lost to time and disease. A simple family recipe, apples boiled and mashed into a sauce that you’d hoped even vaguely resembled the way Grandma made it. A tiny cut on your fingertip serves as a battle wound from peeling, the sweet aroma of cinnamon still lingering in the kitchen.

You try to convince yourself that it isn’t a big deal. It’s just applesauce. But the thought falls flat as you stare into the trash can. You can still see all of your work literally tossed away through the tears that blur your vision.

You’d left the room for two minutes, two goddamn minutes, and when you came back, the plastic pink bowl that held the applesauce was nowhere to be found. You could’ve sworn you left it on the counter, but maybe you’d already put it away? A quick scan of the refrigerator gave you nothing but a chill. Where the hell did it go? Were you losing your mind?

A rogue apple peel had fallen to the floor, and you scooped it up, flustered at how you could have misplaced an entire bowl of applesauce. Sure, it wasn’t as much as when you and Grandma made it for the whole family, but it was still a decent amount. Your foot presses the pedal that lifts the bin’s lid, and that’s when you see it.

“Grandma?” you choke out, looking over to where she’s sitting on the couch. She doesn’t respond, and you raise your voice a bit to grab her attention. “Grandma, why did you throw out the applesauce?”

Her empty gaze briefly flits over to where you’re standing, not even registering the burgeoning frustration and sadness coursing through your veins. “Wasn’t me,” she says flatly, scratching at the side of her nose with a jagged nail. Before dementia, her nails were always painted bright hues of red or blue; now, it was difficult enough to get her to leave the house for essential doctor’s appointments. You weren’t going to put up a fight trying to get her to the salon.

You know you should just close the lid and walk away instead of torturing yourself by continuing to look, but your feet are glued to the linoleum floor. A cold drop of something lands on your toes, and that’s when you realize that you’re crying. Crying over goddamn applesauce.

All you wanted was some semblance of normalcy, something reminiscent of life before Grandma got sick and your family still felt whole. But what you got was a thickening realization that you can’t relive the past, no matter how hard you try.

The ringing phone startles you from your wallowing. You have half a mind to ignore it, but you know that Grandma will just grumble about how she hates the sound of it, so you pick up the receiver and answer with a shaky, “H-Hello?”

“Hi, Ms. Sweetheart! It’s me, Harris!” A little voice chirps through the other end. You can hear Eddie mumbling something, though you can’t quite make out what he’s saying. “Happy Thanksgiving! What’s your favorite balloon?” There’s more hushed speaking from Eddie, and Harris huffs out, “Daddy, stop! I know what to say!” 

“My favorite balloon from the parade?” you ask, biting back a giggle. 

“Mhm! I like Clifford,” he tells you.

You’d kept the parade on in the background, catching glimpses of it every now and again. Shit, what balloons did you see? “Clifford’s a good one,” you agree, “but I think the Rocky and Bullwinkle one was my favorite.”

Harris laughs so loudly that you have to pull the phone from your ear. “The squirrel and the moose?” he guffaws. “Ms. Sweetheart, that’s so silly!” You’re about to ask him how his holiday is going when he says, “Hold on, my daddy wants to talk to you.”

Your heart skips a beat at the prospect of talking to Eddie, and you wipe the tears from your wet cheeks as though he’ll be able to see them through the phone.

“Hey, Happy Thanksgiving!” he says. Something resembling trepidation tinges his tone, though you’re not sure why. Could he still be anxious to approach you after he confided in you at the parent-teacher conference? After he’d watched you panic when Grandma locked herself in her room?

You swallow, trying to choke down the sadness rising within you. “Yeah, y-you, too.” Despite your best efforts, your voice breaks on the last word, and you hope Eddie doesn’t catch it.

But of course he does.

“You okay?” he asks with a nervous chuckle. “‘Cause it kinda sounds like you’re crying.”

“‘M fine. Just, um, chopping onions,” you lie, hoping you’ve done a convincing job.

“For the…applesauce you’re making?” Eddie sees right through you; you’d forgotten that you’d told him and Harris about your plan during your weekly post-tutoring dinner last night. “Not gonna lie, that sounds even nastier than olives on pizza.”

You manage a laugh, but it’s disfigured by the catch in your throat. “The applesauce was a bust, unfortunately,” you admit. “I left the kitchen for a second and Grandma chucked it in the trash.”

“All of it?” he asks incredulously, letting out a deep exhale when you confirm that she did, in fact, throw out the entire bowl. “Jesus H. I’m so sorry. Is that what’s got you upset?”

“Mhm. I know it’s stupid, ‘s just applesauce, but–”

“‘S not stupid,” Eddie interrupts softly, and you twist the phone cord around your pointer finger with the sudden drop of his tone. “I know you were really looking forward to it.” He pauses, and you wonder for a moment if the line’s gone dead before he says, “We’re coming over. Me and Harris. Be there in twenty; fifteen, if I don’t have to argue with him about wearing a jacket.”

Before you can protest, he really does hang up. You look down at the baggy sweats and college t-shirt you’re wearing; you weren’t expecting any guests today, let alone the Munson boys. You should probably throw on some actual pants, and a bit of mascara couldn’t hurt, either.

You find a pair of jeans that aren’t buried under a mountain of laundry and tug them over your thighs before quickly swiping some makeup on your face. It’s enough to mask your exhaustion while still looking natural.

It dawns on you that you’re not quite sure why you suddenly care so much about your appearance. Harris couldn’t care less, and Eddie…well, even if Eddie did care, why would that matter to you? He’s your tutee’s parent; a new friend at most. On more than one occasion, you’ve answered the door to Jess with a wicked case of bedhead. Why does Eddie Munson of all people make you feel the need to look halfway decent?

When the buzzer sounds, you nearly jump out of your own skin. “It’s us,” Eddie says into the speaker; the smoothness of his voice has your stomach in knots. “And we come bearing gifts. Well, one gift, I guess.”

“Fuck off,” Grandma mumbles from the couch, cranking up the TV volume to an ungodly loud level. One of the Law & Order detectives says–no, screams–something about a murder, and you quickly reach for the remote and click the power button.

“We have company,” you tell her, and she just grunts in response. Hopefully her mood will change in the minute it will take Eddie and Harris to get to your apartment. You can hear them down the hallway, so you open the door just as they’re about to knock.

Eddie takes a step back in surprise. “You psychic or somethin’?” he laughs, looking down at his son and giving him a small nudge. “Go ahead, you can give it to her.”

Your gaze drops to the curly-haired boy standing by his father’s side. He’s holding a brightly colored package of off-brand Oreos, which he brings closer to his chest, pressing it tightly against his zippered sweatshirt. “It’s s’posed to be a surprise,” he reminds Eddie, wide-eyed with genuine concern.

“Only until we got here,” Eddie says gently, soft brown eyes encouraging Harris to hand you the cookies. He brings his attention back to you. “I know it’s not the same as making applesauce with your grandma, but I’ve never been sad eating an Oreo. An oatmeal raisin cookie, maybe. But not an Oreo.”

Now it’s your turn to smile. “You may be onto something here, Munson.” You take the package from Harris and guide the two of them to the kitchen, calling out to Grandma as you pass by. “Grandma, Eddie and Harris are here, and they brought cookies, if you wanna join us.” Her non-response is familiar at this point; the sting is much easier to brush off than it was a few short months ago. But you still feel it.

Even though Grandma isn’t at the table, Harris still climbs onto his dad’s lap. “Daddy, can I have one?” he asks, resting his dimpled chin on his palms as he glances upwards.

“Gotta ask Ms. Sweetheart,” Eddie shrugs, tickling Harris’s ribs and loudly whispering, “and ask her if your poor, hungry dad can have one, too. She can’t say no to you.”

You open the package and shake your head at his antics, sliding out the flimsy tray and offering it to them. “Of course you can have one, Harris,” you say, tone saccharine sweet. His chubby fingers darting out and snatching up a cookie before you even finish your sentence. “But I don’t know about your dad. Do you think he should get one?”

“C’mon, Har,” Eddie urges him, “us men gotta stick together. All for one and one for all, right?” He flexes his bicep; it’s an attempt to emphasize the manliness that supposedly bonds him and Harris, but the gesture has your breath catching in your throat. You sputter and cough embarrassingly, excusing yourself to pour a glass of water. 

“Anyone else want?” you manage once you can speak again, holding up the ceramic pitcher. 

Eddie nods, lifting Harris from his lap and placing him on the nearest empty chair. “Here, let me help you.” He stands up and calls out over his shoulder, “Grandma, how about some water?”

You’re about to tell him not to worry about it, but to your surprise, she nods. “Ya.”

“So, four waters,” Eddie reports, taking the pitcher and refilling your glass. 

You grab another just like it from the cabinet before taking two blue disposable ones, plopping a bendy straw in each. “Grandma, um, she needs stuff that isn’t breakable,” you explain lamely. “And the other plastic one is for Harris.”

Eddie grins. “Thought it was for me. Y’know, always making a mess.”

“Ah, but only of your life,” you tease. “You’re pretty good with basic human functions.” Your face burns at what you’ve potentially implied, but Eddie isn’t fazed. 

“Y’know what? I’m gonna take my cookies back!” he pouts, crossing his arms over his chest in mock-indignance. A piece of curly hair sticks to his lower lip with his sudden movement, and you brush it away with your thumb before you can stop yourself. 

The crinkling of the fake-Oreo package draws both of your gazes, with Eddie poised to tell Harris that he’s only allowed one more. But to your surprise—and perhaps Eddie’s, too—Harris isn’t the one rifling through the tray. Grandma’s taken a seat next to the boy, handing him a cookie before taking her own. She just nibbles on it in silence, but it’s the most present she’s been in days. 

“Y’like Oreos, Grandma?” Eddie asks, pouring water into the two plastic glasses and carrying one in each ringed hand. He places them on the table, and Grandma brings the straw to her lips as she nods again. He pauses for a moment, lips tucked into his mouth as he ponders something. “What kind of music does she listen to?” he asks you. 

“She has a record collection over in the living room,” you tell him, pointing to the low bookshelf near the door, “but we haven’t played any in awhile. She’s kinda…weird with noises.”

He considers this, walking over to the records and thumbing through them until he finds one that he recognizes. “Could I put this one on?” He holds up the battered copy of Frank Sinatra’s It Might As Well Be Swing. “I’ll take it off if she gets upset. I just wanna try something.” He carefully slides the record from its sleeve, lifting the player’s needle and placing it on the space for the first track. 

There’s a soft static as the record starts to spin, and Ol’ Blue Eyes croons: 

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

Let me see what spring is like

On a-Jupiter and Mars

Eddie joins in with the next part. His voice still carries its signature rasp, but it’s noticeably smoother, warmer than the night he’d dedicated the Def Leppard song to you. 

In other words, hold my hand

In other words, baby, kiss me

His eyes remain trained on the record player, but you swear you can feel the lyrics drifting towards you. The melody wraps around you like a hug, and you momentarily lose yourself in a musical embrace. 

Another voice, low and timid, chimes in. You have to stifle a gasp when you realize that it’s Grandma, her lips curling into the smallest of smiles–the most joy she’s shown in a long while–as she half-sings the words. 

Fill my heart with song

And let me sing for ever more

You are all I long for

All I worship and adore

“Holy shit,” you breathe out, and before you can exhale the third syllable, the world shifts back to normal. Grandma goes back to mindlessly munching on her cookie as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. You turn to Eddie. “What was that?”

He shrugs, suddenly feeling shy. “I read somewhere that music can, like, bring back some memories. Not permanently or anything, but I figured it was worth a shot.”

You can’t stop yourself from flinging your arms around Eddie’s neck, nearly knocking him over in the process. He pauses before he returns the gesture, pulling you tightly into him. One hand is on the small of your back; the other gently rests on the back of your head, allowing you to rest your forehead on his chest. Your tears flow freely, leaving tiny wet spots on his shirt. He doesn’t let go until you start to pull back. 

“Thank you,” you whisper; when he pinches his brows in confusion, you elaborate. “You gave me back a little piece of who she was before…” you trail off, swiping at your cheeks messily. “Just…thank you.”

Eddie nods, swallowing the lump in his throat. His eyes are practically glued to your lips; this time, when his fingers brush against your palm, he hooks his pinky with yours. “‘Course,” he murmurs.

You’re not sure how long the two of you remain linked like this, joined hands swaying ever-so-slightly as Fly Me to the Moon fades out to I Wish You Love. It’s somewhere between ten seconds and ten years, because time seemingly slows to a halt. 

You might stay with pinkies hooked forever if Harris doesn’t bolt from his chair, hugging your waist and looking up at you with concern. 

“Ms. Sweetheart?” he asks. His wide, misty eyes indicate that he’s absorbed some of the emotion in the room, though he may not even be aware of this. “Why are you sad?” His chubby fingers grab onto the fabric of your pants.

You choke out a tearful laugh as you crouch down to meet him at his level. “I’m not sad…well, I’m sad and happy at the same time,” you try to explain, shaking your head when you realize you’re only adding to his puzzlement. “Grown-up feelings are weird sometimes, Har. But your hugs definitely help.”

With that, he squeezes you tighter, and you glance at Eddie with a full heart. He takes a step forward, scooping up Harris. You worry that you’ve crossed a line, that you’ve shown too much of your vulnerability to a four-year-old, but your fears are subdued when Eddie extends one arm and brings you back to both him and his son. Something brushes against your scalp, and you realize that he’s pressing a light kiss to the top of your head. 

Harris squirms, and when Eddie puts him down, he runs over to the TV set. “Can I watch something?” It’s clear that the moment has passed, and Eddie throws you an apologetic shrug as he waits for your response.

“Sure,” you say, trying to pepper cheerfulness into your voice. It’s easier now that the wave of loneliness has passed, taking with it some of the mourning you’d clung to earlier today. You click on the TV and flip through channels until a familiar cartoon appears on the screen. “I think we’re just in time to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving!” you exclaim, and Harris mirrors your enthusiasm by flinging himself onto the couch, making his dad cringe.

“Careful, little dude,” Eddie says, clicking off the record player and gently placing the vinyl back in its sleeve. “You just got that cast off a few days ago. Don’t need you to break another bone.” Certainly don’t need another hospital bill, he thinks bitterly. He takes the spot next to Harris, silently begging you to join them. 

You turn to the kitchen table and put a hand on Grandma’s shoulder. “You wanna watch Charlie Brown with us?” But she rejects your invitation with a simple shake of her head, mumbling something about being tired and padding into her room. 

You take the empty space to Harris’s left so that the boy is sandwiched between you and his father. He’s a small kid, but it seems like there’s an entire ocean separating you and Eddie. 

“Why’s Lucy so mean?” Harris asks no one in particular. “She’s always yelling. Like Ms. Marion.” You have to stifle a giggle at that observation, and when you allow yourself a glance, you see that Eddie’s doing the same. 

The first half of the movie is filled with Harris’s constant commentary; he speaks more than all of the cartoon characters combined. But he tires out eventually, though in typical four-year-old fashion, he denies his sleepiness even as he’s yawning. He fights it pretty well, you’ve got to give him credit where it’s due, but eventually, the exhaustion takes over and he lays his head on your arm. His curls tickle your elbow, and you gingerly reposition him so he’s tucked up against your side. 

“You can move him over, if you get uncomfortable or somethin’. Kid sleeps like a rock. Except, y’know, when I need him to sleep.” Eddie snickers as Harris lets out the softest, tiniest snore. 

You return the laughter and shake your head. “Nah, I’m good,” you reassure him, smiling at the ruddy cheek pressed against you. “Don’t tell my other students, but Harris is the cutest kid ever.”

Eddie shrugs, but you can tell that the compliment tickles him. “Well, it makes sense, since his dad is a total stud.” He waggles his eyebrows before turning his attention back to Charlie and Lucy. You’re not quite sure how to respond to that; if you play it off as a joke, you risk hurting his feelings. If you tell him the truth–

“D’you like coffee?”

His sudden, seemingly arbitrary question snaps you from your indecision. “I teach four-year-olds,” you reply lightheartedly, hoping he can’t sense your mind continuing to linger on his stud comment. “I practically have coffee running through my veins. What about you?”

“I have a four-year-old, so, same.” He clears his throat, seemingly double-checking that his son is still sound asleep. His leg is bouncing up and down, and he nearly has to press on his knee to get it to stop. “Um, Harris is going to a birthday party next Saturday morning if you wanted to get some with me? Get some coffee, I mean.” He silently chastises himself, wondering if he’d ever been suave around women or if it had just been the unearned confidence of a young man in his early twenties convincing him that he had. 

“Like...like a date?” Fuck, do you sound too eager? “Because if you feel like you owe me a date after…after our night at the bar, you don’t have to. I forgave you after you gave me those M&Ms, remember?”

“Yeah…wait, no. Hold on.” Eddie holds up his pointer finger as he collects his thoughts. He could deny that it’s a date altogether and throw out some bullshit lie about it just being something between friends. But he promised Wayne, promised himself that he’d give this a shot.  “Yes, I’m asking you on a date. No, it’s not because I feel like I owe you one–although I definitely do,” he adds with a goofy grin that sends flutters to your stomach. “It’s because, fuck, I can’t stop thinking about you, and how happy you make me–and Harris, too–and how I get kinda nervous around you, which makes no sense because you’re, like, the nicest fuckin’ person ever. Oh my God, why can’t I stop talking?”

“Eddie.” The way you say his name is like a song he could replay forever. “I’d really like to get coffee with you. I just need to see if someone can watch Grandma…maybe Jess,” you surmise, biting back the fact that you’ll have to withhold your date’s name, lest she subject you to a lecture about sleeping with the enemy.

Eddie nods, swiping the tip of his tongue over his lower lip and smiling. “I can pick you up at noon? If Jess can watch Grandma, of course.”

“Noon works.” You want to kiss him right then and there; if Harris wasn’t nestled in the middle of you both, you might not hold back. “I can let you know on Wednesday when we have dinner together.”

Eddie’s not sure he can wait that long for an answer. What if you’re just buying time to get out of it? What if you’re only being nice to him because you’re afraid that he’ll get angry again and reignite the bitter feud you’d been locked in just a month ago? He swallows the insecurities, gaze flickering to your eyes.

And maybe it’s because you can sense his unease and self-doubt, or maybe it’s because you genuinely want to–Eddie doesn’t know for sure–but he feels you lace your fingers with his, resting your joined hands on his thigh. He shifts his grasp to weave them tighter together, learning back into the couch and allowing his body to relax. His shoulders let go of tension he hadn’t realized he was holding on to, and a contented sigh slips from his lips.

It’s you, him, and Harris. Sitting on the sofa and watching a holiday movie. An unconventional little family, but a family all the same. Eddie swears that he could stay like this forever, a thought that almost has him bursting out in laughter. The same man who had concocted an elaborate method to keep women around without actually committing to them was now reveling in domestic bliss. 

When the movie ends and Harris begins to rouse, Eddie begrudgingly stands with an exaggerated groan. “These old bones, y’know,” he laments with a mischievous click of his tongue. “Everything starts fallin’ apart when you turn thirty.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah,” he chuckles, lifting Harris onto his hip and rubbing his back to help him fall back to sleep. “I know.” He grabs his keys from the shelf near the door as you walk them out. And before he can wimp out, he leans in and presses his lips to your forehead in a gentle kiss, stubble scratching against your skin. His hands are trembling when he pulls away.

“You’re the best,” he repeats the same statement he’d made on parent-teacher conference night. It’s even more true now than it was then. “We’ll see you on Wednesday for pizza?” And an answer, hopefully a ‘yes.’ “Wednesday,” you echo, still processing the fact that, for the second time today, Eddie Munson’s lips have been on you.

--

@kelsiegrin @lma1986 @munsonology @stuckontheceiling @avobabe87 @eddapwinchester @peachysink @browneyes8288 @jeremyspoke-inclasstoday

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@quentinswife @eddiesguitarskills @momowhoo @jasminelafleur @mmunson86 @mcueveryday

[residentflamingo]

Late Night Talking

Hirai Momo x fem! reader

Summary ———> Y/N can’t fall asleep, so she has a late-night conversation with her wife to help her relax.

Genre: hurt/comfort & fluff

Warnings: mentions of loneliness

A/N: I just had to write this one out. I haven’t been able to get this scenario out of my head for weeks! I hope you enjoy this little drabble I wrote out <3 You can also check out my other stuff if you would like! It is very much appreciated ❤️

Word count ———> 2,360

*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ

→ 2:00 AM

You hated not being able to sleep on nights like this these.

You were currently sitting up in bed, restless, trying to do whatever you could to fall back asleep. You tried counting sheep, blinking your eyes rapidly to get them tired, and turning over to your side, but still nothing.

Meanwhile, your wife Momo, was sound asleep right next to you. Her chest rising slowly up and down, mouth slightly open with drool coming out of it, and one of her hands interlocked with yours. She was for sure sound asleep, and you were also a teeny bit jealous that she could fall asleep faster than you could. But of course, you still didn’t mind the cute sight of her sleeping.

Today had been one of those days where life kicked just you in the ass over and over, and you couldn’t do anything about it. Work had been really busy today, and it brought you to the edge of a nervous breakdown just waiting to happen.

Your boss kept stacking an endless amount of papers on your desk, demanding that each paper be finished at a certain time. Along with your coworkers who kept pushing your limits, trying to constantly talk to you and be a distraction while you were working. You usually love them to death, but today just wasn't one of those days.

Work was one of the main things you were stressed about, but other kinds of thoughts had been running through your mind as well. About four hours ago, when you got in bed comfy under the covers, your mind started racing and thinking about things that worried you even more. Th negative thoughts had taken over, bringing your mood down severely. In your mind, you were fully convinced that you felt lonely and bothersome to others.

Lately, you didn't feel like you had anyone to turn to. Your friends were good people, but they just weren't good listeners, so you felt like you couldn't tell them anything really personal. With Momo, it was easy for her to tell when you were feeling off. During hard times, she had always been a shoulder for you to cry on, and you would never forget it. But lately, it wasn’t so easy for you to reach out to her.

She had just gotten done with the world tour, and she was absolutely exhausted. You felt like you would be another burden to her if you were to tell her about your struggles. So you tried to suffer in silence for as long as you could. But it was eating you up inside, and it was becoming too much. In the back of your mind, you hoped Momo would notice first instead of you trying to come forward about it.

While you were deep in thought, you didn't realize that Momo had slowly woken up beside you. She fluttered her eyes open, only to find you sitting up and not asleep. She grew worried, so then she shifted around in bed, rubbed her the sleep out of her eyes, and began to speak to you.

“Hey, what-” Momo muttered in a low whisper, causing you to jump in surprise at the sudden voice coming from beside you.

“Ahhh! Oh my gosh, Momo. You scared the shit out of me! Don’t scare me like that…”

Momo chuckled, “Sorry honey…” She slowly leans over, and gives you a soft kiss on your forehead. When she pulls away, she brings her hand up next to your face and gently moves your hair behind your ears.

“I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just wondering, what are you doing up this late, hm?”

You smiled at her sweet gesture, and then sighed at the thought of how long you’ve been trying to sleep for.

“I’ve been trying to sleep for a few hours now… But no matter how hard I try I just can’t fall asleep.”

"Hmmm... maybe I can help with that. Talk to me honey, what's been on your mind lately? Is there something else bothering you?"

You got nervous, knowing you had to finally confess to her how you felt. " Well, I don't know... I don't really want to tell you because I know you just got off tour, so I wouldn't really want to bother you with-"

Momo quickly interrupted you and put a single finger over your lips saying, "Nope, shush shush. That doesn't matter at all. No matter what happens with my job, or how busy I am, you are always my top priority. You are my wife after all honey. I will help you with whatever you need."

You smiled, feeling so thankful that your wife is as sweet as she is. She always makes you feel loved with her kind words and affirmations. You exhaled a long shaky breath and looked up at the ceiling trying to think of what to say to her.

Expressing your feelings out loud wasn't always your strong suit, but tonight, your wife made you feel as if that wasn't ever a problem in the first place. Momo sat up and layed on her side, looking at you intently, making sure to give you all of her attention.

"Well... lately I've been feeling really stressed out from work and I don't know how to deal with it. My boss keeps loading me with so much work, giving me unbelievable dates for when I have to finish them. He doesn't do that to anyone else in the office but me. It's like he hates my guts or something... I-I also feel really pressured, since next week I have to present a very important slideshow for a meeting with all of the advisors and the CEO. I have a really bad feeling that I'm going to fail and lose my job. Even worse I might disappoint everyone, including my parents."

Momo pouted after hearing your confession, feeling sad thinking about you being stressed out. She hated seeing you this way, especially since it was happening right under her nose.

"Oh, baby I'm so sorry. I've always hated your boss too, he gives me the creeps. And, I know exactly how you feel about worrying if you'll disappoint people. It’s the worst kind of feeling. We can’t control how people feel most of the time, but we can control how we rise above from the mistakes we have made. So if someone gets disappointed in you, they were never supporting you fully in the first place. I know you’re gonna do great on your presentation. You’re the smartest person I know, and you’ll figure it out like always. Just do it like how you always do, and I assure you those businessmen will be impressed. And if you fail, I will be right beside you to comfort you, and we can figure it out together. If your parents do get mad... let them. They need to understand that mistakes are normal in life and that it's not the end of the world. You are a hard worker Y/N, don't ever forget that."

After Momo was done talking, she softly grasped your hand and brought it up to her lips, giving it a sweet and loving kiss. She then looked back up at you and smiled, "I love you so much Y/N. I know you're gonna do great next week.”

“Thank you, honey... But there’s something else I have to tell you too.”

Momo tilted her head in confusion, “Hmm? What is it?.”

“Well... lately I’ve been feeling really lonely and I’m not really sure why. It’s not because of you at all, I just have these negative thoughts that go through my mind sometimes making me think that nobody cares about me, and that I’m a burden to everyone. It’s really bothering me and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Your eyes started watering up over the emotional confession you just shared, and tears began to flood out of them. Momo quickly noticed, so she wrapped her arms around you to bring to closer to her embrace. “No no no, it’s okay honey don’t cry.”

She got a little bit emotional too, seeing you in such a state like this. Momo loved you with every single fiber and cell in her body, so seeing you like this really made her tear up inside. She held you for a little while rubbing your back and saying sweet nothings in your ear to help calm you down some. “I love you so much... You’re so sweet and kind. You’re so beautiful. I’m so lucky to have you as my wife.”

Not long after, she moved her hands to both sides of your face and gave your forehead a soft and loving kiss. She looked you in the eyes reassuringly and said, “You are so loved, I promise you. I wouldn’t be able to function without you. Please don’t ever hesitate to come to me when you’re struggling okay? I don’t care if I just had a long day at work, or if I’m on tour, I’ll always be there for you. Your friends, the girls, all love and care about you very much.”

She gave you another peck on the lips, and rubbed her fingers along the sides of your arms. You could tell by looking in her eyes that she was trying so hard not to cry, and that she meant every single word she said.

“You are never, ever a bother to me. In fact, you make my life so much more brighter, and happier every day. You’re the reason I get up every day and get so excited to do things. All because of you. You are so special to me Y/N I don’t know what I would ever do without you.”

You smiled a chuckled a little bit, remembering when she first proposed to you at a beach. You two had been walking on the beach for some time, when she all of a sudden gets down on one knee and asks you to marry her. You said yes of course, and gave her the biggest hug while she spun you around in circles.

The funny part about this story is that right after all of this happened, Momo had seen a couple of crabs coming towards her, and got spooked making her immediately run off with you still in her arms. She had sprinted all the way back up to the shared hotel room you guys were staying at. You couldn’t stop laughing for about thirty minutes after the little incident, and that had turned into one of your favorite core memories with her.

Momo smiled after she realized she had made you giggle a little bit, “Hey what are you laughing about silly?”

You leaned into her embrace a little bit more, falling more in love with her with each word she said to you. She always knew exactly what to say in order to make you feel better.

“Oh nothing, I’m just remembering the time you ran off on the beach because some crabs scared you.”

Momo laughed along with you and leaned back away from you a little bit so she could look at you directly. Her hands rested next to your hips, just rubbing small circles around them.

“Okay listen, at least I had a good reason to run away from them! Crabs are scary...”

“Honey there were only two crabs on the beach. Two….”

You looked at her with your head tilted, questioning what her actual argument was. She was being so cute you couldn’t take it.

“My point exactly. Any crab is a threat to me! I am not trying to get pinched by one any time soon.”

You started laughing again uncontrollably and even snorted a little bit, leaving Momo sitting there stunned. She had no clue what to do now. All she could do was just stare at you in awe, and listen to your adorable laugh she always loves to hear.

About thirty seconds later once you were done laughing, you sat up again and gave Momo one of the biggest hugs you could ever muster up.

“I love you so much Momo. Thank you for always making me feel loved.”

Momo’s eyes teared up a little bit again, and she hugged you even tighter, not wanting this moment to ever end with you.

“You’re welcome Y/N. I'm always happy to help you."

You rested your head comfortably on her shoulder and smiled, feeling your eyes get drowsy from the comforting aura Momo constantly gave off. She quickly noticed and gave your forehead a gentle kiss once again. She whispered, "You getting sleepy honey?"

You nodded and mumbled, "Mhmm..."

Momo smiled and chuckled at your sleepy tone of voice. She then shuffled around in bed, and held onto you as she layed her body back down flat on the mattress. Then she pulled the covers over you two, and layed you on top of her so you could be comfy. She kissed the top of you head one last time, and rubbed circles around your back.

“Good night honey… I love you so much. Wake me up if you need anything okay?”

You smiled and hummed a response, “Okay… I love you too.”

Before Momo had tried to fall back asleep, she watched you for a little while, rubbing your back and making sure that you were okay. It broke her heart that you had been feeling this way for some time. But she swore to herself that she would pay closer attention, and would help you the best way she could this time around.

After a while, she finally felt content enough to fall back asleep, and gently wrapped her arms around you, closing her eyes knowing you were safe with her. The quiet sounds of your breathing perfectly matched with Momo’s heartbeat that you were hearing underneath you. You two had always worked in harmony no matter the situation. And right now, you and Momo were both asleep knowing everything would be okay.

You were no longer worried about that stupid presentation at work, and all of the papers you had to file that week. As long as you had your wife by your side, you knew that no matter what obstacle you had to face you guys could overcome it together.

[hwallazia]

LATE NIGHT WORSHIP – 김홍중

synopsis . just hongjoong being the best boyfriend in the world fingering you in your sleep <3

pairing . kim hongjoong & fem! reader

genre . smut (mdni!), fluff, comfort, established relationship, non idol!au

taglist . @bro-atz | apply to join my taglist ♡

word count . 0,8k

DISCLAIMER! softest dom! hongjoong, somnophilia (only practice this with your partner’s consent!), clit play, fingering, praise, overstimulation, reader’s very whiny, sweetest touches from hongjoong <3

NIC’S NOTES i had this thought a few days ago and i had to write it. also, i got inspiration from a banda sunato (from alice in borderland) smut ff i wrote in spanish.

It was past 2 am, and Hongjoong was still awake, sitting by the bed frame and watching his sleepy little fool snuggling in his arms, finding comfort in them. Your eyes were red because you cried and begged him to hold you while you were sleeping just a few hours ago. Your hands cutely grabbed his shirt like a child who is afraid of having his lollipop taken away. The small hiccup that erupts from you can be barely heard.

Cute.

He’s been playing with your hair for hours, occasionally kissing you on the forehead, his hands often pulling you closer to him.

The silence was comfortable enough for him, and he treasured moments like this with you by his side.

But soon the silence was interrupted when he felt you move in your sleep, letting out a noise that he couldn’t tell what it was. He stopped moving and tried to kiss your forehead repeatedly to calm your movement.

After a few seconds, Hongjoong finally identified your noise as sobs, considering that your breathing started to get even heavier. With the idea of you having a nightmare set on his head, he shushed you, singing you a lullaby in an attempt to make the nightmare go away.

Just a few seconds later, the sound you made started to turn into a moan, and he immediately stopped when he noticed that you were having a wet dream.

He smiled to himself, taking a look at your face: you wrinkled your nose, biting your lips, mouth slightly open. there’s a bead of sweat on your forehead, and he silently curses himself for not noticing how you’re rubbing your thighs right now.

Without much thought, he spread your legs, making you shudder in your sleep. With the cold breeze hitting your wet pussy, his finger already found its way to your pussy, only to discover that there is indeed a noticeable wet spot on your panties.

He traced small circles with his finger, playing with your wetness, which caused you to make small noises in your sleep, involuntary moans escaping your lips.

Then he pushed your panties to the side and, without further thought, his thumb pressed your cute little button. You squirmed in his grip and tried to close your legs when his long finger hit that spot only he could reach, only for his other free hand to push your legs apart.

“Joong…” You whimpered in your sleep, which gave him some sense of power.

He can feel himself getting hard by the second, his cock restrained against his pants, screaming to free himself from that piece of fabric. The head of his cock was pushing against your ass, and with you writhing against him, it pretty much didn’t help.

He wanted to fuck you right then and there, pushing his cock into your ass, your pussy, your mouth, making you cry in your sleep, driving you over your limit, making your dreams come true. All while you’re still sleeping. He wanted to do it all.

But he decided that seeing you so helpless and crying from any source of contact is more important than that… for now.

You were hiding your face against his neck, breathing increasingly heavier when Hongjoong pinched your clit, earning a pout from your lips.

He rubbed your clit, using your wetness as lubricant to make it more slippery. He can’t help but feel stunned as he looks at you.

He stopped when he noticed your legs were shaking, before rubbing against them again.

“Joong… ’want more,” You murmured sleepily against his neck, pushing your hips up to find any source of pressure, of relief.

“Shh… Just sleep. M’gonna take care of you,” Hongjoong responded, his eyes still not leaving that little clit of yours that was already glistening with your juice. It was fascinating, how his finger can do you like that.

Then he started to stimulate it, smiling when he saw your legs trying to close and push the finger away from him. You screamed in your sleep, squirming in his grasp, your feet curling as you felt yourself getting closer.

“Joong… I want your cock… mmhm…” You moaned, so you moved your hips in time with his finger stimulating your clit, wishing it was his cock instead of his finger.

Hongjoong only smiled at your words, and with a little more pressure, you whimpered as you felt yourself squirting all over his finger.

You screamed, your whole body shaking as you came, but Hongjoong continued stimulating your clit with a warm smile on his face.

“S-stop!” You screamed against his neck as you attempted to push his hand away from your sensitive bud. Your boyfriend gave you a long, deep kiss on your forehead and whispered, “Shh… I need to finish what I started, so go back to sleep mhm? Sweet dreams my love.” All while continuing to lazily circle your clit.

He was fighting the urge to unbutton his pants and pump his cock inside you, the bulge was starting to hurt and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t shove his cock inside you a second from now.

But he decided it would be more fun if he waited until you went back to sleep.

| masterlist

[3xen]

just for you; g. s genji is rushed to your operation room, believing it'll be dr. ziegler to operate on him.

n. wrote this on three hours of sleep w school tmr, and i actually liked it sm! idk yall, im getting back into my game plz bare w me.

c. first meeting, mentions of mercy (angela), lowk crack

“we have a patient in critical condition. he needs to be treated immediately.” god, angela where are you when i need you most? you double-take the patient in the gurney—genji shimada. his name had appeared more than once on your files. but never once was he sent to your aid. dr. ziegler was his primary doctor since she maintained most of his records and regular check-ups. 

the assistant rolled the gurney into the room. “please, notify dr. ziegler of mr. shimada’s status. im sure she’d want to know.” i inform, inspecting the patient with a cringe. his visor is damaged with a dent, wires sprouted from his shoulders, and his left lower limb seemed just too far out of place. 

“will do ma’am, ill be here if you need me.” the assistant left—leaving a tense silence in the air. 

“shimada, are you alright in there?” 

“im alright.” his words came out strained, almost as if he felt the physical pain being done to his body. you acknowledged that. as you moved to his side—determining how to treat the damages, he spoke in a soft voice. “is dr. ziegler unavailable?” and it made you wince. 

“she’s been transferred to overwatch headquarters in switzerland. i am so sorry.” he gave you a quiet hum—observing you through his visor. you looked attractive, beautiful, and it really intrigued him. you spoke in that angelic voice, had observant and quiet motions—he couldn’t wait to bury angela with queries. 

“your cooling system must have been tattered with. the wires don’t usually come out like this do they? reattaching your limb should be easy.. but, your wiring is jumbled—it’ll take a lot of time to install it properly,” in deep concentration, you furrow your brows, crossing your arms over your chest, and then sighed. “and, you must have suffered quite a blow to your face.” 

“ah, just a boulder. nothing special.” 

operations on flesh and bones were completely opposite of cybernetic and robotic parts. there was really no easy way to work around any mechanical part that ran on a code—not without guaranteeing its success.  

you stifled a quiet groan—turning away from your patient. you couldn’t admit to him you’ve never worked on a half-cyborg—actually, no one has in the nepal headquarters! 

“doctor?” 

“sorry, lets get to work right away.” 

you whisked tools in your hands from around the room—useless or not, you placed them on a moveable cart. “we’ll start on your leg, then work our way up.” 

as the operation began, you worked attentively. this must have been your most daring task yet. 

“doctor,” genji cooed once.

“ye-yes..”

genji cooed again—not being able to make out your coherent words. “doctor.” and it didn’t take long before you sprang up. 

“yes!”

“you are too focused. it makes me worry.” wasn’t that a good trait of a doctor? i pulled back, blinking twice at a loss.

“i suppose you are right..” you directed your eyes toward him. “ive never worked on a specimen like you.”  you unconsciously lowered your head.

“a cyborg?” you nod. 

“only dr. ziegler specializes in those preposterous things..” genji chuckled, causing you to perk up.

“you seem informed about it all.” 

“she only taught me a few things. ive also worked on cassidy’s cybernetic arm aswell. thats my only experience.” genji stared in awe—you picked up fairly quick.

when he arrived at nepal headquarters—wounded, he expected dr. ziegler. his visits with her were short—she was a busy woman, he knew. and when he found himself being in a room with someone other than her, he accepted his fate of chaos and disaster. 

“how long are you stationed here?” 

“about 2 months or so.. they want me back in zurich as soon as possible.” genji nodded in acknowledgment. really, he was intrigued.

© 3xen

[dragonfly0808]

Musa’s Discography Pt. 1

Yes, I spend way too long thinking about stuff like this about my characters leave me alone ajajajjaaa

But srly like 2 people have asked me about this and I’ve spent way too long thinking about what Musa discography would actually be like so… here is her discography with a way too detailed description of why I chose each of the songs, I had way too much fun with this.

First EP. Written in the later half of s2 and before s3 published in the summer between s2 and s3

I had no specific ‘theme’ for this one, just songs I felt fit Musa’s mentality and would be cool for her first project

For the first EP, which consists of:

The Beginning by Madison Beer.

I just really love this intro it’s a gorgeous showcase of vocals and it’s beautiful and perfect.

I Hate the Way by Sofia Carson.

I love this song. Musa would base if mostly off of Riven’s epic screw up in s2 ch27. Also the guitar solo part feels perfect for her.

Whispers by Halsey.

I can’t quite explain why but this song is so Musa-coded to me. At least my version of her. She builds walls up and tries to not care and fails miserably every time. Also touches slightly on the depression that she def never adressed before going to Alfea and meeting the girls

Run and Hide by Sabrina Carpenter.

I feel like this song fits Musa’s mentality in s1 and part of s2 perfectly especially when it comes to romantic love. ‘Started thinking love’s a loaded gun, nobody wants to fight’ ‘If you can’t hide run, if you can’t run hide’ ‘I don’t wanna run I don’t wanna hide’ it’s just perfect for how she used to think and I really love the idea of her writing this precisely as she starts to let go of that mentality

favorite crime by Olivia Rodrigo.

This would be a more story-telling type song written with Helia cause I feel like putting those two together they would absolutely go full story tellers and poem-like lyrics and this feels like smth they would absolutely write one night they couldn’t sleep cause they love a good sob love story

Ribs by Lorde.

Written about the Winx and the Specialists with a sprinkle of dreading growing up

Second EP. Written during the first half of s3, published right before Winter Break

This one did have a slight ‘theme’ to it since it was mostly written while she was fighting with Riven over secrets on both sides and she was very frustrated with herself and projecting a bit on him.

Hard to Love by Rose.

This feels very Musa-coded to me. She has that instinct of ‘oh shoot I’m loved? Fucking run for the hills!’ But more like… again, she builds walls. So I can see her writing this one night very frustrated with herself like, why am I like this?

Rock Bottom by Hailee Steinfeld.

I love this song and I feel like it suits Rivusa so perfectly in the first half of s3 ‘We’re on the right side of rock bottom and I hope that we keep falling. We’re on the good side of bad karma, cause we keep on coming back for more. We’re on the right side of rock bottom, and to you I just keep crawling. You’re the best kind of bad smth, cause we keep on coming back for more.’ Literally them at this point before they learn to properly communicate. Also ‘what are we fighting for? Seems like we do it just for fun.’ Love this song

Monster in Me by Little Mix.

Another song that suits them when they’re at rock bottom. ‘Touch me, why don’t we kill each other slowly?’ ‘The monster in me loves the monster in you’. Def can see Musa writing this when she’s frustrated with herself and Riv cause she knows why they’re both screwed up but can’t quite figure out how to get past it

when the party’s over by Billie Eilish.

This was when, for a moment Musa considered just calling it quits cause she wonders if maybe they’re both too fucked up to make it work and she wrote this whilst in depression. She also realized that she was hurting him by picking fights and not being honest and wrote this in response to that realization

Midnight Rain by Taylor Swift.

This one was also co-written by Helia, they went for another story-telling not-to-be love story.

False God by Taylor Swift.

Another song that feels oh so Rivusa-coded to me. Like, cmon this is one of those songs that played in the back of my head every single time I had them argue in s3 and feels like the perfect song to end an album all about fighting the one you love

Winx Rewrite Masterlist

Part 2

[n4giism]

⇢ ˗ˏˋ nikes by frank ocean ࿐ྂ

rin itoshi x gn!reader

content: angst, rin and reader are childhood friends and rin has romantic feelings for reader until reader moves away and gets into a fatal accident, causing them to lose their memory, things don’t work out in the end lol. rin and reader are teenagers at first but when reader moves back to japan after the accident yall are in your 20s.

ari’s note: hey😅😅 wrote this at like 3am while listening to lady gaga it’s giving girlboss!!! also the math isnt mathing for the characters age so pls ignore i am #lazy and i cant do math for shit

things for rin have always been hard. after his older brother, all he had was you. you had been the gravity that kept him grounded on earth. and as much as he absolutely loved you - he always had, ever since the two of you were in highschool - he knew he couldn’t do anything about it.

rin was fearless, but the thing that he feared most was losing you. he always thought that you distancing yourself from him because of his selfish feelings was the worst thing that could happen to him.

everyone could see the way he looked at you - how his gaze softened when you appeared in his line of sight, or the goofy, love-struck smile that creeped on his face everytime he looked at you despite you looking at him or not.

rin loved everything about you. he loved the nickname you gave him, “rinrin” and he’s only ever let you call him that. it seemed that everyone in the world knew he was in love with you, except you.

rin knew very well, friends don’t hug each other any more than necessary, lingering in each other’s arms a bit longer than usual. and he savoured every second more of you in his arms. friends also don’t call each other up at 2 in the morning when the other had a nightmare, and they certainly don’t go over to each other’s houses to cuddle to sleep together after having said nightmares. friends don’t get jealous or protective when the other talks about any other person.

friends definitely don’t cry and kiss each other at the airport when the other has to leave the country.

rin found himself holding back tears when he came to the airport with you to send you off. he couldn’t stop himself from kissing you, not wanting to let go. you two had kissed before, sure, but this one felt different.

it wasn’t a playful kiss that you’d give him when things get funny and silly between the two of you.

this one felt like the first kiss ever.

rin wasn’t sure if you felt that way, and he regretted not ever asking you.

rin pondered about things. would things have been different if he told you about his feelings in highschool? would you have noticed the way he looked at you if he had stared a second longer? would you have thought about him differently if he kissed your forehead and confessed during those times when you had nightmares and slept in his arms?

would you have stayed if he told you that only you brought out the best in him?

he absolutely regretted never bringing it up to you. life got harder and harder knowing you were so far away from him. all he could do was cherish the rare moments you video called with him due to the time difference.

it felt so unfair, he thought.

his life had completely shifted. how was he supposed to cope with this sudden change? he had you everyday, and suddenly, you were thrown across the globe and he had to adapt to not having you around anymore.

things took a turn for the worse after you stopped replying to his texts and calls. rin got worried, but he couldn’t ask anyone for help. he didn’t know anyone in the country you were at, he couldn’t ask someone to check up on his “best friend” and update him.

he certainly couldn’t fly to wherever you are due to soccer - but even if he did, where would he check? it had been years since you supposedly graduated from the university you were studying at. he didn’t know if you even got a job there. heck, he didn’t even know if you graduated.

for the first time, he was mad at you. there were many promises between the two of you - one of them being that you’d be there to cheer the loudest for each other when both of you graduated. he’d make time for you to fly over just for a few days to see you walk the stage and get your certificate. see his best friend soar and achieve endless goals. and you’d fly to japan to see him play in his important matches, be there to congratulate him when he wins, be there to comfort him when he loses.

yet now, he didn’t get any text from you like, “rinrin! i graduated! i got my cert and it’s all thanks to you because you kept supporting me and believing in me and i love you so much for that!!”

he kept all the anger bottled up and soon, he forgot about it. he felt guilty for forgetting about you just like that, but what else was he supposed to do? you didn’t even text him, or call him, or give him any sign that you were still here. it was like you had pushed him away and he wanted to cry from how painful it was.

rin went on with his life, achieving a lot of things in his soccer life and career. life goes on, with or without you, he decided.

many years later, rin found himself at the café where you and him would normally hang out at after school. he stopped visiting this place ever since you left the country. being there made him want to crawl into a hole and never come out of it ever.

he found himself missing you a bit more than usual that day, and before he knew it, he was dressed and on his way to the café. it was muscle memory, he recognised every pavement crack, shop, and streetlight on the way to the café. why was he going? he had no idea. he just missed you.

upon entering, he saw that the barista that was normally always there wasn’t there anymore.

maybe he stopped working, rin thought.

that barista, rin forgot his name, always remembered both your orders and had them prepared as soon as you two walked in back in highschool.

that was when rin realised, he doesn’t even remember what you looked like anymore. yes, he had pictures, but you looked weird. unrecognisable. unbelievable. like he refused to believe you looked like that until he physically saw your face in person again.

it had been 9 years since you left, and 2 years since you stopped answering. he had spent 7 years waiting on you, for some kind of reply or text or call.

he walked into the café and spotted a familiar lock of hair in the usual corner that you and him always sat at. he moved around a bit, and there it was.

the love of his life, his best friend.

rin’s breath got caught in his throat. his mouth gaping. everything stopped and he found himself blankly looking at you.

you had grown, he thought, you looked even more beautiful and mature now - the y/n that was rin itoshi’s best friend was still in there.

he was sure of it.

he walked to where you were seated but abruptly stopped when he heard someone call your name. rin looked behind him and found a person, carrying a baby.

confused, he looked back and forth between you and the person who had just called your name.

“oh, you’re finally here! hi, baby. i missed you.” you said, getting up from your seat and walking to them.

oh, how he wished those words were for him, rin thought, still staring.

rin connected the dots. that person was your lover. and the baby in their arms was your child.

rin was in love, not stupid. rin was also in denial.

“hey, you’ve been staring for some time, are you okay?”

he was knocked back to his senses when he felt your presence in front of his body, you were clearly talking to him.

he could recognise your aura anywhere, it still felt the same as before. calm, inviting, loving.

“oh, it’s nothing. i’m okay. sorry for staring, you just looked like someone i used to love,” rin replied, holding back tears and coughing lightly, avoiding eye contact with you.

god knows what would’ve happened if he looked into yours eyes. would he have broken down in tears? or would he have confessed to you on the spot? once again, rin never knew.

“is that so? well, i guess we all look for people we love in others, don’t we? you also remind me of someone i used to love. i don’t remember what he looked like, but i know he had very obvious lower lashes like yours!” you said with a sparkle in your eyes.

it was the same sparkle you had in your eyes everytime you looked at him back in highschool, he could recognise it anywhere.

“really?” rin asked.

“yeah, i got into a car accident a few years ago and i lost all my memory. what a shame, right? if i hadn’t i’d probably tell him i love him. but life goes on, y’know. i spent too long away from him, my highschool sweetheart, i already forgot what his name is,” you added, laughing.

god, how he missed that laugh.

“i wonder how he’s doing now. i don’t remember what he looked like, i can still see him in my memory, but i don���t see him, you know what i mean? his face is blurry. if only i had a picture of him.. but my phone was destroyed in that car accident.” you laughed sadly.

“oops, sorry for rambling. i’m not usually this talkative. you just seem like someone i can talk to.” you continued, looking away from him.

“that’s okay, you reminded me of something happy in my past. something i won’t ever get back again. so, thank you.” rin replied, trying his best not to burst.

he wanted to cry.

“i better get going, it was nice meeting you, stranger!” you waved and walked out of the café with your new lover.

rin stood quietly in the café full of buzzing people. then he realised, that the two of you were merely strangers now.

rin knew the saying, “strangers with memories” but were the memories really there?

he finally knows.

the y/n that was rin itoshi’s best friend and who he was stupidly in love with did not exist anymore.

end.

[buckyismybicycle]

Title: Miles Away [READ ON AO3] Pairing: Rockstar Bucky Barnes/Female Reader Rating: Explicit  Tags: Long Distance Relationship, Mutual Pining, Fingering, Love Confessions, Falling in Love Summary: How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be? When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

This is also for @buckybarnesbingo Flash Bingo K: "Kitten"

«« Part 1 | Part 2 | Series Masterlist | Part 4 (TBD) »

Bucky is the drug in your veins, the electricity that runs through your body. You had no idea how you had managed to fall so fast and so hard for someone, but as Bucky heads into the next state and you head in the opposite direction toward home, you realize just how magnetic he was. It took every ounce of willpower to keep yourself from making that U-turn and driving yourself right back into his arms.

Was it perhaps a little obsessive to download everything of his? Every single album, song, and even remix? Maybe. But his voice is the one that you want to wake up to and the one you fall asleep to. It’s his old school rock songs that you wake up to, that hype you up for the day and his post-hardcore songs that get your blood pumping during a run or get your body swaying as you clean your apartment. It’s his acoustic songs that lull you to sleep, his voice softer than it has any right to be, sweet in your ear.

Even though you call, text, and videocall, there’s a piece of you that craves his physical touch, that yearns for the solid warmth of his body to accompany that sultry voice of his.

He finishes his tour, and his next, and then before you could figure out what hit you, your one-night stand turned two-day stand has bloomed into something you weren’t sure you were ready for.

His next tour is in Europe and it feels like he’s gone for ages before he comes back even though it’s only three weeks. You only get to see him once, before he’s swept away again, back into a recording studio so he can keep doing what he loves, and that’s when you realize you miss him.

Then it’s off to Riot Fest in Chicago for a weekend, which isn’t terribly far and yet it feels hundreds of miles away. He’s supposed to be there in two weeks.

The thought makes you a little weak, but you couldn’t let him catch onto anything. He hadn’t asked for anything more and you knew what the life of a rockstar was like. Hell, they wrote songs about it all the time! Sex, drugs, partying, that was the rock and roll way, right?

Though… Bucky had never exactly been like that when you two spent time together. He’d have an occasional drink, maybe a cigarette, and he turned down invites to go clubbing, choosing to instead spend the night with you. Sometimes, you wouldn’t be doing much of anything and you wonder if he ever felt bored just cuddling up on the couch with you, watching a movie, ordering in. It all seemed pretty mundane now that you thought about it.

“Maybe it’s a little straight-forwad o’ me, doll, but I’d love to see you before I go. Maybe… Stay a few nights?”

You didn’t have to think about it, really. “Of course, Buck! You know I love having you here. But… Well, are you sure you wanna spend your limited days here in my tiny apartment?”

There’s a low chuckle on the other end of the line that makes your stomach flutter. “Sweetheart, there’s no place I would rather be.”

You smile a bit, cheeks warming at his words. “You’re always welcome here, Bucky.”

“Alright, well, we gotta wrap a few things up at the studio in a few days and I gotta pack and all that, but I can be down by… Thursday? Is that too soon?”

It wasn’t soon enough, actually. If you could, you’d have Bucky here right now. Instead, you breathe in for a count or two before responding. “Thursday’s great.”

“Lookin’ forward to it, baby.”

♪♪♪

There really isn’t a need for you to be nervous. Maybe, if you had known who he was before seeing him, or if you had anticipated for even a second you’d see him more than once or twice, it would be a different story. Instead, you had thrown caution to the wind, almost certain you’d never see him again. You answered all his questions without holding back, gave up every secret and detail like it was nothing.

Bucky had done the same, though you weren’t sure if it was due to the same reasons or because Bucky was simply an open book. Always boisterous, always open, you didn’t really see Bucky hide much, if you were honest. The things you could find on the internet about him… Jeez.

But you two kept coming together, time and time again, and by then it already felt like you’d known each other your whole lives.

There was no point trying to think about something else — Bucky consumed your thoughts and you happily let him. Humming along to one of his songs, you cleaned up around your place, picked up groceries and threw yourself into work to put all that pent up energy somewhere.

By the time Thursday rolls around, your skin was tingling with anticipation, as if craving his touch. You could even see a slight tremor in your hands as you prepared dinner some time after you received the text from Bucky saying he was on his way. It would still be two hours before he got here, driving from the next state over.

When the buzzer rang in, you had nearly dropped your phone in the pan. Oh god, Bucky was here!

You checked yourself one last time in the hallway, before unlocking the door, leaving it open a crack, and then cleaning the kitchen up quickly.

“Babe?”

Your heart skips a beat as you go toward the shuffling noises by your door. Despite the fact that you see him all the time — whether it be by video, album covers, or music videos — he still takes your breath away.

He’s dressed simply, in black jeans, a plain white t-shirt and a plain zip-up hoodie under his light jacket but you think he looks perfect.

“Bucky,” you greet as you close the distance.

His clothes and skin are still chilled by the outside, and you shiver in his arms a bit.

“Heya doll,” he murmurs into your cheek before he pulls back and looks you over from head to toe, the same way you’d done to him.

Your cheeks get a bit warm at the focused attention.

“God, I fuckin’ missed you,” Bucky says abruptly, tearing his jacket and sweater off in one go, pressing his lips to yours.

You melt into the kiss, hands coming to cup his face, hands warming his cheeks as he steps out of his shoes and crowds you up against the wall.

“Missed you t — ah!” You don’t get to finish your sentence as Bucky nips at your neck.

“S’that right?” Bucky asks voice gruff and teasing in your ear.

You nod frantically, hands scrabbling at his shoulders while he presses his entire body against yours. Goosebumps form across your skin when he gets his hands under your shirt, partially from the fact he’d just come outside but mostly because you’ve been dreaming of his touch ever since you last saw him.

“Bucky,” you gasp against his mouth.

“Oh fuck, yeah,” Bucky groans, running out of patience and scooping you up by the back of your legs. “Love when you say my name, baby.”

Your legs automatically wrap around his waist, your hands running through his soft chestnut hair and wrapping around the back of his neck. He doesn’t seem to be in any rush whatsoever, his tongue slow but firm across yours as you both pant for air, hot breath across your cheeks with every struggling exhale.

“Bucky,” you say again, this time breathless, as you squeeze your legs around him.

“Mmm? Can I help you with something, kitten?”

You can’t help the sharp inhale of breath, your heartrate picking up speed as he pins you with his intense gaze.

You’re already feeling dizzy, words getting harder to formulate so you try to answer with your mouth and body. Tugging at his hair and pressing back against him, you hope it conveys exactly what it is you want — and just how badly you want it.

“Missed me that much, huh?” He asks with a chuckle, finally carrying you to the bedroom.

You nod frantically. “God, yes, yes, missed you so much.”

He laughs and you can’t help but return it, the both of you fumbling your clothes off in a hurry, limbs getting caught as you try to tear the fabric off of each other.

When he lowers you into bed, your entire body is heaving with anticipation as you dig your fingers into him, refusing to let him go.

Bucky kisses down your neck softly, slowly like he hasn’t a care in the world while you were a squirming mess underneath him. You feel goosebumps forming as he breathes out hotly along the trail his tongue leaves behind. It feels like he’s mapping out every spot that makes you howl and filing it away for later, smirking as he breaks you down bit by bit.

“Fuck, Bucky!” You wail, curling his fingers into fists along his shoulder.

“Yes, kitten?”

Oh, you could just kill him right now! He knows exactly what he’s doing, of course, and you know that. You know that he’s purposely teasing you without giving you much, knows that he’s practically purring in your ear, all the sweet nothings and pet names to get you riled up.

“How’m I supposed to know what you wan’ if you can’t even tell me, sugar?” He continues, fingers finally entering you, the slick making it so, so easy. “Jesus, sweetheart, already so wet for me and I only jus’ started.”

You clench around him in every sense of the word — pussy clamping down around his fingers, legs locked tight around his waist.

“Aw, sweetheart, y’gonna come already?” Bucky asks, fingers slowly curling inside of you while his thumb runs over your clit from left to right slowly. “I haven’t even put my mouth on you…”

You let out a loud whine, our hands tugging at Bucky’s hair hard enough that you’re sure it must hurt but he doesn’t give any indication of it. “Bucky, please, I c-can’t —”

The rest of it gets lost in a moan that gives away the fact that you’re right there.

“Can’t what, princess?” Bucky mocks. “Can’t even speak, can you?”

You can’t bring yourself to care even the slightest bit about Bucky’s goading, the feeling overwhelming your entire body as you dig in while you come hard enough that you could swear you blacked out for a moment.

It’s like being underwater, the sounds muffled in your ears — Bucky’s chuckle, drowned out by your fevered panting, your heartbeat.

“Nnnnggggg,” you groan, limbs heavy and uncoordinated as you essentially become one with the mattress.

Bucky’s smug face looks up at you while he kisses below your belly button as your stomach and chest still heave for air. “You okay there, doll?”

“Oh, fuck you,” you huff out, laughing along with Bucky as he crawls back up to kiss you.

“Mmm,” Bucky murmurs between your lips meeting.”Wanna fuck you.”

Even if you had just come, it’s like Bucky’s words ignite your body all over again. You smile dopily at him, hands cradling his face and running your thumbs along his stubble. “Yeah? Well what’re you waiting for?”

Bucky’s responding grin sends shivers down your spine again. Settling in, hauling your hips up until your ass rested on the top of his thighs, he licks his lips like a panther with its prey.

  ♪♪♪

You wake before Bucky does, your body pleasantly sore and still tired. With a small wiggle, you settle back into his arms, taking the time to just enjoy the moment and memorizing it. You let him sleep a bit longer, knowing he has a long night ahead, though it’s not like you could pull yourself away if you wanted. There was only an hour left with him, so you had to make the most of it and look over every detail in front of you.

It was so easy to imagine that this was your actual life — waking up beside this beautiful man, sharing more than just your bed with him. Your home. Your heart.

You trace a light finger along that sharp jawline and Bucky inhales deeply as he rouses.

“Mornin’, beautiful,” he mumbles, eyes slowly blinking open.

“Good morning,” you whisper,. “It’s almost 10:00.”

“M’gonna miss you, dollface,” Bucky whispers, voice raspy with sleep and — well, maybe it was more than just sleep.

“Pfft, yeah right,” you tease. “Girls are gonna fling themselves at your feet and you’ll have your pick of any one of ‘em.”

You had tried to keep the tone light — joking — but it obviously doesn’t quite work.

Bucky gets a little furrow between his eyebrows as he props himself up on an elbow to look down at you, searching your face for something. “Is that actually what you’re thinkin’?”

You opened your mouth to respond but nothing came out. It was the truth, but you hadn’t planned on sounding so pathetic. Sighing, you tuck the covers under your chin as you look up at him. God, you’d miss this face — the stunning eyes, that little dimple in his chin, the way his hair looks when your fingers have been running through it, gripping it, pulling it.

“Bucky… I knew when you first kissed me that you wouldn’t be staying.” God, it even hurts just to say it out loud. “You’re — you’re literally famous. You’re a rockstar! I’m —”

“— mine,” he finishes, interrupting you. “You’re mine.”

You bite your tongue, because he’s about to hit the road and you don’t want your last moments with him to be about this. About the way your stomach flutters when he says that you’re his so adamantly, like he doesn’t say it to the other girls you’re sure he’s picking up along the tours.

“Hey, c’mon,” Bucky coaxes, a gentle finger crooked under your chin to make you face him. His brows are furrowed as he looks at you. “What are you goin’ on about, huh?”

It’s painful to even think about it — letting yourself believe that maybe this meant as much to him as it meant to you, but it was impossible, wasn’t it?

“Nothing,” you lie. “I just miss you sometimes, that’s all.”

He snorts with a short laugh. “Babe, I miss you all the time.”

Looking you in the eyes, he props himself up on elbow, his other hand stroking your jaw lightly. “You know, I never thought I’d hate touring but sometimes… I just wish I could stay here instead.”

“Oh my god, don’t say that!” You admonish, a strange feeling working its way up your throat. “You’ve said it yourself, you were born for this! Bucky, you really, really are so talented. You were made for this. I still remember seeing you on stage for the first time, I’ll never forget it. I felt so alive, Bucky. Better than I had in ages. I felt free — like I was flying and… Everyone out there should experience that, too. They need to.”

“I ever mention how fuckin’ incredible you are?” Bucky asks, his eyes a bright, shining blue. It’s not often that you’re the one making him bashful, but it feels damn good. It’s not like you had even tried to, you had simply been telling him the truth. “I — you know I’m just a phone call away, right?”

“I know.” You try smiling for his benefit before pulling him in for a kiss that hopefully distracts him.

Whatever Bucky might’ve said gets lost as he tangles his fingers in your hair again, bringing you close to him. It turns from a leisurely kiss into something more frantic, like you both know that there’s an impending deadline. Needless to say, your distraction works.

In fact, it works a little too well. He shoves his feet into his boots, phone wedged between his ear and shoulder as he tries to explain to Natasha that he’ll be right there and no, of course he’s not going to be late.

You try to hide a giggle as he throws the last of his things haphazardly in his bag and hangs up.

When it comes time to your goodbyes, you hug each other tightly. Bucky smells like you, like your sheets and your shampoo, he even smells like your lotion with how much time you’ve spent pressed up against him.

God, is it ever difficult for you to let him go. Something must show on your face because as Bucky’s about to say goodbye, his face falls for a second.

“Sweetheart —”

“No! No, it’s okay,” you rush to reassure him. “Really, baby, I’ll be fine. It’s nothing.”

You can see he’s not entirely convinced, but it’s enough that he relents and gives you a long, sweet goodbye kiss.

“See you when I get back?”

You nod without thinking. “Yeah, of course.”

♪♪♪

“What’s wrong with your face?” Nat asks him the moment he scrambles onto their bus and throws his bag on his bunk.

“Fuck you, my face is perfectly fine,” he shoots back, though there’s no real heat to it.

“Ooooooh,” she taunts with a wicked grin. “Someone’s in loooooooove.”

“N — shut up!”

He’s clearly outnumbered when Clint laughs from the small couch and Scott howls from the bathroom of all places. What the fuck is his life.

Natasha takes some pity on him, at least. Because she leans in close before she whispers to him with a wink. “That’s not a no.”

He hates the way she catches onto everything. It’s true, though, it’s not a no. Truthfully, Bucky’s not really sure what love is. Despite singing an inordinate amount of love songs, he’s never felt it as deep in his bones as he does now. All the songs from their albums were different now — all the lyrics that spoke of love, the lyrics that Bucky never thought he would connect to like the rest, they made sense now.

He takes out his worn, trusted and beloved journal, and puts pen to paper, his thoughts flowing out of him like a tsunami. His words fill up the blank spaces between his various other scribbles and doodles.

♪♪♪

You lay on your couch, Netflix playing at a low volume as you try to unwind from the day. Besides immediately taking off your work clothes and microwaving some dinner to settle in, you hadn’t done much else. Except miss Bucky, of course, which made you feel so pathetic. God, it’s only been a day.

When your phone goes off, you get a thrill of excitement before you realize that there’s no way it could be Bucky, he’d be performing any minute now. The name that pops up surprises you nonetheless, and you pick it up wondering if it was good news or bad news.

“Peter?”

“Oh, hi! Um, Bucky wanted me to call you and — are you busy right now?”

You stared at the TV playing nonsense you weren’t even paying any attention to. “No, I’m not busy, just — is everything okay?”

“Uh-huh, yeah! Great. They’re technically done but they’re doing one more encore song and it’s gonna be real special. He wanted you to watch! Can I FaceTime you?”

“Yes! Of course!” You didn’t do a good job of hiding how enthusiastic you were about the fact that you could see Bucky again so soon.

“Okay, hang on —”

The moment you accept his videocall request, you gasp. The crowd in front of Bucky’s stage was huge! You were so happy for him — for the whole band, really. They deserved to be heard and recognized.

There was Bucky, front and centre stage like usual. Except this time, the rest of the band wasn’t with him.

“Can you see okay?”

You giggle at Peter’s concerned, faraway voice and holler back at him. “Yep, I’m good!”

“Tonight I’m doin’ somethin’ a lil different,” Bucky says into the microphone as he adjusts the strap of his acoustic guitar over his shoulder. “It’s been a while since I brought out ol’ Betsy for you guys, huh?”

The crowd gives a laugh as Bucky tunes “Betsy” expertly, pulling the microphone closer to him. “You better feel lucky, ‘cause you’re gonna be the first ones to hear this. Are you ready?”

The cheer from the crowd is nearly a screech, whistles and catcalls mixed in.

A new song? How exciting! You wonder if this is why Bucky wanted you to be on the call, and smiled at how sweet that was.

“This one’s for a special angel of mine,” Bucky declares before he strums away, the opening notes slow but sure.

Special angel — no, it can’t be…

I pack my bags and say goodbye to my divine

For what seems like the millionth time

They said it gets easier, but they lied

She looks at me and says "Really baby, I will be just fine"

But then she looks away, so I don't have to see her cry

And that is when I ask myself

You freeze, hearing the exact words you’d said to him that morning. There couldn’t be a coincidence — Peter had very specifically called you, which meant that this was for you. That you were “angel” that Bucky was dedicating this song to.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do.

Well really I'm so thankful for the people I meet, the places I've been and the things I've seen

But when she's not here it doesn't feel like I'm living my dreams

I know they say that no one is perfect, but I swear she's perfect for me

And that makes it so much harder to leave

You’ve already started crying from the indescribable feeling that washes over you. Perfect for me — Bucky had just said that! You were in disbelief, and despite how sad the song sounded, it was also breathtakingly beautiful, just like everything else Bucky does.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do

People say things like “music saved my life” or “music is my escape” and you always thought you understood what they meant. You enjoyed music too and almost always had some playing in the background no matter what you were doing.

You were so very wrong. This feeling, this sizzling, bubbling, tingling sensation that you can feel from head to toe is what it means to truly be moved by music. Like arrows, each one of Bucky’s words drive straight through your heart, sharp and unrelenting. You have to cover your mouth to stop yourself from making too much noise, desperate to hear the rest of the song.

If you miss me, I'm just a phone call away

Please be strong, be strong for me

I need you to show me how to change the inside of me

For my heart, for their sake, please be strong, be strong for me

Everything was blurry by now, the tears trickling down your cheeks as you hear his words — and yours — being played for hundreds of people live.

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, so alone

How am I supposed to be everything they expect me to be?

When I feel so alone, 'cause I left my heart at home

She needs me, but I know they need me too

So God, give me the strength to do what you created me to do.

You couldn’t believe it was over. The shock and the overwhelming feeling that you can’t quite place literally make you freeze in your spot, biting down on your lip to try and hold it together.

“And that’s all she wrote, folks! Well. That’s all I wrote, anyway. GOOD-FUCKING-NIGHT E’ERYBODYYYYY! WE LOVE YOU”

Love. The word sends a jolt through you as it all falls into place for you. You loved him and you just couldn’t admit it to yourself but it’s oh so clear to you now.

The applause was like lightning, cheers and howls mixed in as Bucky exited the stage, and the moment you could no longer see him, the first sob escapes you. There’s a shuffling noise, reminding you that you were still on a call with Peter and not up in the clouds where Bucky makes you feel like you are.

“Are you —”

“Hey, Peter, I gotta go!” You blurt out frantically. “Will you tell Bucky to call me later please?”

“Oh! Um, yeah, sure I can do that.”

“Thanks Peter,” you rush. “Goodnight!”

You only feel a little bad for hanging up on him, but you’d just have to apologize next time. Right now? Right now you had to bawl your eyes out at the fact that Bucky wrote a song for you. And not just a song for you, but a song about you, where he called you “his divine” and “his heart”.

All this time, you let your fears and insecurities get in the way, so convinced that Bucky wasn’t looking for anything more than an easy hook-up. How could you have been so blind?

You don’t know how long it is after the set is done before your phone rings again, and this time it’s Bucky’s name that flashes across your phone.

“Bucky, what the HELL!” You yell as soon as you hear the call connect, not even giving him a chance to say hello.

“Hi to you too, dollface.”

You can hear the smirk on the other end. “I can’t believe you!”

“Can’t believe what, babe? That I wrote a song for you? I always said I was gonna didn’t I?”

“Yeah, but —”

It’s true. He had always said that, but you hadn’t taken it seriously for even a second. “But I didn’t expect that!”

“Did you like it?”

“I loved it,” you tell him earnestly, voice cracking a bit as you get emotional all over again. “I loved it so much. I —”

You had almost let it slip right then and there. Heart pounding, you have to physically swallow the words down.

“Good,” Bucky says, nonchalant as if you weren��t on the cusp of a love confession. “I practically wrote it non-stop on my way here from your place. Wasn’t sure if it’d be any good to be honest with ya, only sang it once on the bus for the troops and they like fuckin’ with me. You promise you actually liked it and you’re not tryna make me feel better? ‘Cause y’know, I can always rework it and —”

“I love you,” you interrupt. It was just too much to handle, how endearing it all was that Bucky not only wrote this ode to you but he was even worried if you liked it, which was such a silly thought because you loved everything Bucky did.

“... You do?” Bucky asks, sounding adorably confused.

You grimace at yourself — what the hell ere you doing! “Sorry, sorry. I just — I don’t know I had to say it, Buck. That song was…. I’m —”

It was his turn to cut you off now, saving you from further rambling and embarrassment.

“I love you, too.”

You smile so wide that your cheeks hurt. Between the two of you and your newfound words for each other, you happily chat as you both get ready for the night. So absorbed in your conversation, both of you miss the social media storm until it’s far too late.

Thank you to @rookthorne as always for your support, encouragement and second set of eyes. This series exists because of you, sweetheart! 💕

[ficfanatictrf]

Fever Dream 0/2 - the foundation piece

Summary: The worst first impression and the years that follow it. (Also, calling it a fever dream because I don't remember writing any of this. Part 2 will be when I can figure out a ending that isn't so....sad) Warnings? : It's mostly just angst. Not sure why I wrote it. Also, I am just pasting what I have. This is my fever brain's creation. Not edits or rereads....this is it.

Jayce Talis had to be one of the best friends you had ever had in your life. After meeting him back when you were a child, the man was always about helping you, protecting you - pushing you to be better. 

He knew so much about you that you yourself sometimes refused to admit. He would nag you about drinking more water, while he himself barely kept up with eating and sleeping. Jayce would deter any over confident or self intiled ass-hole from getting too close to you. Everyone always teased that it was like he saw you like a younger sister. 

You trust him just like he trusted you. He wasn’t the best when it came to seeing when he was being screwed over, which was where you would step in to argue with people when they tried to short change him or trick him into a horrible deal. 

The poor guy just didn’t haggle. 

So, when he suddenly came to you, excited, insistent, nearly demanding you come to his new lab - you couldn’t say no. He had never been this energized about showing something this secretive before. 

He had been nearly bouncing with excitement as he led you through the halls of the academy, not giving away anything on what you were in store to seeing that warranted this type of build up. 

As you entered the room, it was empty. Well, not empty, there were machine and gadget parts everywhere but as Jayce’s face fell you could see that whatever it was that he had wanted you to see wasn’t there. 

“Just…just wait a few minutes…” Putting on a smile as he glanced down the hallway, he ushered you inside before disappearing. And so, you were left in the room by yourself. 

At first, you just sort of stood there, not sure what you were meant to do. But as the time ticked on, you got curious. 

You slowly meandered around the room, not touching anything but carefully taking in every machine that was there. You weren’t a scientist, not even close, but from the way Jayce talked about it, you couldn’t help the excitement for him that you felt. This all looked new, like he was actually being funded for once instead of doing his secret research in his apartment. He deserved to finally have someone higher up believe in him. 

“What are you doing in here?” 

The accidented voice was harsh and cold, the suddenness of it causing you to jump before turning to face the unknown man standing in the doorway. He was holding a box of more parts, with a can held in the other. 

But above all that he was breathtaking. 

You had seen beautiful men in Piltover your whole life. Cookiecutter images, perfectly symmetrical due to surgery, makeup covered skin. But this man? He was naturally beautiful. The harsh jaw line, the two moles placed so perfectly on his face….

The face that was glaring at you with such distrusts and, you felt your breath stop, was that rage? 

“...I…” This had to be the worst first impression you’ve ever made in your life. Voice trapped in your throat as he only seemed to grow more and more untrusting of you. 

“I don’t know how you managed to get into the building without the proper credentials but I will have the enforcers escort you out” 

You watched as he set the box down on the nearby table, all the while muttering under his breath. His words only seem to freeze you more, making you feel so small. 

“Honestly, acting like you own the place. Makes you a little self-entitled, don’t you think?” 

It was only once he was heading for the door, clearly on a mission to try to get you arrested for…something, that Jayce finally arrived. 

He was out of breath, but the moment he saw the man who was making your day a living nightmare Jayce’s face lit up into a beaming smile. 

“Here you are! I was looking all over for you” He grinned, his arm moving to wrap around the man’s shoulders to direct him to face you. 

“And you clearly were fine allowing a break in to take place under your watch” The man hissed back, motioning towards you which earned a laugh from Jayce but you could feel yourself visibly shrink from the accusation. 

“Break in? No no no, I brought them here. I wanted them to meet you” Jayce grinned, guiding the man closer with the excitement from earlier coming back into full swing. 

“This is Viktor, my new partner. He is the very reason Hextech is going to be a reality” He started, the harshness on this ‘Viktor’s’ face softened at that which made you believe that this had to be a new development, the thing he wanted to tell you. You had been about to be glad that Jayce had someone who was going to work with him- about to thank him for giving your precious best friend a chance…before the next words that came out of that man’s mouth. 

After he introduced you, giving Viktor your name, he seemed to want to immediately make it so you could never come back to this lab again. 

“They always tend to worry me because of their lack of, well, interest in dating.-” 

“J-Jayce…” 

“And with you being single, perfectly their type.”

You felt your heart stop, watched as Viktor's eyes roamed up and down your form with clear disinterest and distaste.  God it hurt, you just wanted to sink into the floor and never be seen or heard from again. 

“I thought, you know, I introduce you, I get to be the best man later on down the line” 

“See as this is as far as it will go, an unlikely hope.” Viktor cut off, pulling free of Jayce’s hold to head to the box he had been carrying earlier. 

It was clear from the confusion on Jayce’s face that he didn’t know what was going on between the two of you. The harshness not being what he normally dealt with when it came to Viktor. The taller of the two had been about to say something before Viktor spoke to you once more. 

“What is it you study?” 

“S-study?” You whispered, earning a harsh scoff from the man that already had Jayce looking ready to be defensive. 

“Degree, field of study, your major?” He continued, it only made you feel smaller as you took in where exactly you were and the answer you were going to be giving. 

“...I don’t go to the academy…” 

“Ah, so your presence will be of no benefit to us. Noted. Jayce, please send them home, we have work we need to get started on.” 

“No need, I-I’ll show myself out…” You quickly whispered, already out the door before you heard a word of how Jayce got on Viktor for being harsh towards you. 

For months afterwards, you purposefully avoided any interaction that could happen between Viktor and you. It didn’t help that every time you saw him and Jayce together, the smile on Viktor’s face lit up the room..and Jayce? He seemed so happy to have someone he could bounce ideas with, to feel like he had a true equal. 

At that thought you cringed, seeing now just how much you had never been a benefit to his life. You were a hindrance, one that Viktor had seen in a matter of seconds - with it taking you nearly your whole life to see as well. 

As the two progressed in their work, the friendship bordered on being more multiple times. Which you were fine with, yes you were jealous of literally both of them, but you watched him spend more and more time in the lab, more time with Viktor, it was clear just how much time you were now alone. But every time you had gone to speak about it, Jayce would go into detail about how much they were progressing, how amazing it was to work with Viktor, how smart he was, how kind he was….and your loneliness would die in your throat. 

You weren’t smart like them, or talented. You had no right to demand he stop his progress for you. 

But then the oddest factor came into play. 

Mel

The woman was a goddess. Beautiful, regal, intimidating. She was everything you weren’t. And what you had assumed would just be a trio, oddly became more of a due with Viktor being left in the dust, much like you had. 

And just as suddenly, another unforeseen change. 

“Ah, hi.” Viktor said softly, a nervous energy about him as he sat down beside you. It wasn’t uncommon for you to wait outside in the hall for Jayce when you had planned to meet, having taken Viktor’s words to heart all those years ago about not being any help being there. There had been countless times he had walked right past you, not even looking at you as you sat on the floor. So as he sat down next to you, you couldn’t help your confused expression. 

“Founders day is approaching, and…well” He trailed off, never looking at you as he spoke. “Would you like to go with me?” 

As you took in his words, you felt a hope rise in you that you had never felt before. Feeling both embarrassed and honored he was asking you - wondering what on earth had happened to make him reevaluate his thoughts on you. 

“You usually accompany Jayce, who is taking Mel this year” 

You felt your heart shatter at that. Jayce hadn’t even told you that yet…

“I could give you my plus one so you can at least still come, no?” 

Oh. So he was doing this out of pity. 

“...take someone you actually would enjoy spending time with and not someone you feel an obligation to take” You whispered, the first time you had ever truly been even close to snarky back to him. Without another word you got to your feet and were gone. Jayce could figure out where you had gone later.

[lavenderbang]

Felix and Your Tavern <3

A/N: Okay Okay, so I’m gonna do this bullet point form cause 1)I’m kinda lazy to explain everything and have proper sentence structure, etc., 2) This would be much longer than it already is if I wrote it normally, and 3) I’ve had this concept in mind for a fantasy au with Felix for a while and my brain go brrr, so I need to share it. Anyways, I’m sorry for any spelling mistakes and for how messy this will be, but I hope you enjoy my brainrot nonetheless!

**Warnings: Fighting(shouting, kinda physical), swearing, alcohol mentions, running away from home !!! [reader also is called the term “wife”]**

Part I Part II

W.C: 9.4k

So you first met Felix, he was known as Prince Yongbok of the Clé kingdom, Second son to King and Queen Lee

You were employed by them to be the young prince’s courtier, which was a great honour to you, as you came from a family with no particular title or wealth

You were chosen due to shown proficiency in intelligence, manners, strength, respect during the summer tournament; all good qualities to hopefully rub off on the prince

He was known as the trouble child

blowing off his duties often to do things that were unsightly of the royal family, such as baking, gardening, and other pleasantly activities.

Your first day on the job was a mess, as you couldn’t even find the boy for half of the morning

He was up before the break of dawn out in the greenhouse tending to roses when you finally found him. He did not look up at you as he continued his work, humming to himself pleasantly.

not only was he still in his night wear, dark shaggy hair sticking out in all different directions and skin dull and dry

but he was also covered in dirt and water, creating stains and spots on the loose tunic he wore to sleep.

“Come with me, your majesty. It’s time for your dance lessons.”

“Oh, no thank you. I’d like to stay here and prune these roses. You are free to take your leave for the day!”

You were quite taken aback, as you were quite unsure what to do at this time. Did you obey Prince Yongbok, who was giving you direct orders or stick to the schedule that was given to you by the Queen and the King?

Fearing the Queen and the King more, you stood firmly in your place and cleared your throat.

Felix looked up at you for the first time with a furrowed brow and a pout. He was surprised at your blatant disobeying of his orders, yet you seemed to intrigue him nonetheless

“I really must insist, your majesty. As your courtier-”

“what is your name?” He interrupted you, tilting his head curiously at you

“(L/N) (Y/N). I am your new courtier after the last one was fired.”

“Do you know why they were fired?” The prince asked abruptly, setting the pot of roses aside and leaning over the workbench they sat on to get a closer look at you.

“Of course not, your majesty. It isn’t my business.” You said firmly, feeling like you were under a microscope with how his gaze wracked over your form. He looked like a cat playing with a mouse before eating it.

“It was because they failed to morph me into the perfect little prince that my parents want.” Prince Yongbok said, carting one of his dirty hands through his hair. You stood stiffly in front of him, trying not to waiver.

“And I assume you’ll eventually be fired for the same reason.” He hummed, a hint of venom laced in his tone as he pushed off the workbench and came around to approach you.

“My brother might be the prodigy son; heir to the throne, the golden child.... But you can’t change me. And standing here with a stick up your ass won’t make a difference.” Prince Yongbok scoffed, standing straight with his arms crossed over his chest.

You had to admit, the Prince was a bit intimidating, irritated expression painting his features. but luckily, you were able to hold your ground well enough. You weren’t going to let some bratty prince cost you your job.

“I don’t want to change you, your majesty.” You said, tone even and eyes stone cold. 

The prince seemed surprised by you standing your ground, expression faltering just a bit. 

“However, you have duties as a royal that need attending to. And seeing as your duties are given to you by the king and queen themselves, if you are to disobey them, it’ll be treason.”

you weren’t scared of some pretty boy prince. He was all talk, and you could tell when his expression shifted from annoyed to one of worry.

“So I suggest you come with me to your dance lesson, your majesty. Unless you want me to call for the guards to come and get you instead?”

Checkmate

Prince Yongbok gaped at you, processing what you had said in his head before letting out a exasperated sigh when he realized you were technically right.

He grumbled out a reluctant agreement before following you outside the greenhouse as you lead the prince back inside to be cleaned up for his lesson.

“We can come back out here later to tend to the flowers more if you’d like. This afternoon if you finish your history lesson early?” You proposed as you reached the door to get inside.

while you were strict with his schedule, you really meant it when you said you didn’t want to change Prince Yongbok.

so compromising on his activities seemed like a pleasant solution for both parties.

Prince Yongbok seemed to agree, enthused he was going to be allowed to come back out to the greenhouse later.

None of the previous courtiers were like you; they were mean and strict, shouting at Yongbok for hours, yet their gripes with him fell of deaf ears.

or they were pushovers, leaving Yongbok alone for their entirety of their stay at the castle.

But you were different.

You were stern, yet gentle

Prince Yongbok didn’t know how to feel about you.

But as your time together grew, the Prince seemed to warm up to you a bit more.

Sure, he still avoided going to his lesson and tried to barter his way out of attending the royal court, but you always made sure to reward the Prince with some recreational activities later in the afternoon or evening (depending when he was finishing his lessons)

He spoke to you in a nicer way now, yet he was still distant. Just polite, but not friendly.

He spoke to you as if you weren’t a real person, just a personified schedule.

It didn’t really matter to you

not at all

as long as he was fulfilling his duties, which he was

for the price of an hour of recreational activities before bed.

You have learned he was really good at baking, and he always seemed happiest while he was down in the lower level kitchen with the servants.

And he always made sure to interact with them, speaking casually like they are all old friends.

However, there was one question you did have about when he was with the servants

you finally decided to ask one day as you were bringing the prince to his quarters after a long day of working.

“your majesty, may I ask you something?”

“sure, go ahead.”

“I noticed while we were down in the kitchen today, you were speaking to the servants...”

Prince Yongbok stopped in the corridor to turn and face you. His expression was a lot softer than usual, lips pursed, slight grin adorning his features. He was feeling the same sense of intrigue the day you had met, except there was now an underlying adoration that had grown from being around you

He looked like the sun, bright and curious.

“They call you by a different name... Felix, they call you.”

“Yeah, they do.” The prince nodded in agreement, grin growing as you frown, confused at how casual the situation was.

“why?” you asked, lifting your gaze to meet his eyes. you’d never met a royal who voluntarily spoke to servants, let alone let them call them by a nickname so freely.

the situation nipped at your curiosity, so you finally had to ask.

Prince Yongbok smiled fondly at your confusion, a little giggle bubbling up from his chest.

“The servants aren’t as educated as you and me, so the name Yongbok is sometimes hard for them to pronounce. So I told them to give me a new name. an easier name.” The prince explained, as if it clarified anything to you.

“your majesty, why would you allow them to call you by your name and not your majesty anyways?” You asked, tucking your bottom lip in between your teeth as you couldn’t hold in your obvious confusion.

Yongbok couldn’t help his smile from growing

you were so endearing to him in this moment

“Because they are people (Y/N).” He hummed, turning around and continuing his walk towards his chambers.

Your brain froze for a second as you tried to understand his thought process, before you followed behind Prince Yongbok.

“you say they are people... however, you have me call you by your title. Am I not a person too, your majesty?”

You let the words tumble out before you even register what you said. once you do, you immediately slap a hand over your mouth and bow furiously at the prince, who has stopped dead in his tracks. 

“Forgive me, Your majesty! I spoke without-”

“so that’s what this is all about!” The prince lets out a laugh, turning to look at you as you stiffen out of fear.

“Look, (Y/N), you could have just asked if you wanted to call me by Felix too.” He huffed playfully, enjoying watching you squirm nervously under his gaze.

You looked cute, nervously fiddling with them hem of your sleeve

“I-no! that’s not what I meant your majesty! I was simply-” You began, before the prince silenced you with a gentle wave of his hand. You felt like you were going to explode, tears threatening to spill over your cheeks.

you were embarrassed at your unprofessionalism, but most of all, you were worried you had upset the prince or offended him by having him think you were being rude and ungrateful.

But Prince Yongbok just looked at you sweetly, the corners of his lips quirked up playfully.

“(L/N) (Y/N), as my courtier, I give you full permission to call me Felix. I actually wish you would have asked me sooner.”

You feel your nerves unravel, like the tight coil in the pit of your stomach releasing all the pressure. You felt like you were made of jello, but in a good way.

“You do?” You asked tentatively, trying your best to save face as much as possible.

“yeah. It’s awkward how formal our relationship is when we spend everyday together. This way, it’ll make me more comfortable around you.” The prince explained

you reached his door, meaning it was time to send him off to bed. You had felt a great wave of relief, which must have shown on your face because Yongbok let out a chuckle.

“See you tomorrow (Y/N). Good night!” The prince hummed, waving you off as he opened his door and slipped inside his room

“good night... Felix.” You said softly. Felix couldn’t help the sudden quickening of his heartbeat and the drop of his stomach when he heard the name tumble form your lips.

his name

It sounded great coming from your mouth, he thought

and so, with the establishing of names, your relationship with Felix became a lot more friendly as the months went on

of course, when you were with the king and queen, you called him by his title, no matter how much it caused Felix discomfort.

He hated to admit it, but he had grown very accustom to you being by his side everyday; more than just a courtier, but as a friend.

he enjoyed your company. You were a good listener, and you always tried to provide a solution to his problems when he shared them

not to mention you encouraged him to do what he enjoyed, which nobody had ever done before.

you made him feel cared about, which made him really happy.

yep, you were a good friend alright!

just a friend, though.

nothing more!

...

okay so maybe Felix was starting to fall in love with you.

It wasn’t his fault that on top of being nice, you were also very pretty and it wasn’t his fault he got butterflies whenever you praised him or encouraged him

but as much as Felix wanted to tell you the truth about his not so platonic feelings, he didn’t want to make you uncomfortable

you were forced to spend every day with him no matter what, so he’d probably never forgive himself if he upset you and you just had to stick around anyways.

relationship with each other aside, today was a very important day

The royal family from the neighboring kingdom Naevis was to come today and present Felix’s older brother with his suitor.

Minho was the eldest Lee prince, heir to the throne of Clé. He was a perfect fit for the throne too!

responsible, poised, hard working, and very caring of his subjects.

Felix tried not to be spiteful of his brother, despite the constant comparisons made between the two by his parents.

Nonetheless, Felix knew his brother would make a good king, and a good husband to whoever he was set to marry.

However, he was just as surprised as you were when he was also presented a suitor for the same kingdom

Her name was Winter and she was as beautiful as fully bloomed chrysanthemum and brighter than the stars in the sky

she was sweet like honey and smarter than most tutors, 

she was so full of life

She was what any young prince could ask for when it came to a suitor

but Felix couldn’t help the sick feeling burning up in his throat at the proposal

Of course the king and queen accepted the marriage proposals for both of their sons

The alliances between the kingdom would be twice as strong now, which was very advantageous for both Clé and Naevis

Minho had been set to marry the eldest daughter Karina for many years now, so the two were pretty well acquainted already

But Felix had only ever spoken to Winter twice in his whole life

and with that, it was only formal greetings...

and now he was being told they would be married by next spring?

it was all too much too fast.

and of course, she wasn’t you.

As Felix’s courtier, you had advised the king and queen schedule a few meetings a week with Winter into Prince Yongbok’s weekly duties, to help them feel more comfortable with each other

of course, the queen and king expected you to chaperone the young royals during these meetings

you accepted the responsibility with great honour

but you couldn’t help the nagging feeling tugging at your heart

you spent everyday with Felix, and through the months of working with him, he had become a lot more responsible with his duties

you were excited he was able to move to the next step towards becoming a proper royal with such a lovely suitor

so why did you feel nauseous at the sight of them together?

You were supposed to be happy your majesty was finally going to live the life he was supposed to

so why did you want so badly to jump in between then while they strolled through the garden with their arms linked?

You didn’t know why you felt that way

Well...

you did know.

But you didn’t dare mutter a thought of those feelings aloud at anytime!

it wasn’t your place to get in the way of Felix’s destiny

With the announcement of the engagement, there was a rift created in your relationship with Felix. One where you went back to a more professional demeanor and he stopped being as talkative.

Felix hated it

he hated every moment he had to spend with Winter because he didn’t want to marry her.

And as more meetings happened and more time went on, the wedding drew closer

and you pulled even farther away from Felix

you had lost all the life and became a shell of a person who barely spoke a word to Felix besides what his schedule was and where he was to meet with Winter

You even refused to stay with him while he was out in the greenhouse or in the kitchen with the servants, opting to stay outside the the doorway awaiting to escort the prince to bed.

He was lucky you still allowed him the free time he wasn’t entitled to, but it made him unhappy with you now gone from them.

The final straw was when you called him by his title.

“Good night (Y/N).” Felix said weakly, pushing open the door to his room.

“Good night, your majesty.” You mumbled, bending at the waist to bow  to the prince. Felix felt like he had been shot with an arrow as he froze in place.

Truthfully, he felt his anger bubble up and spill over, face stone cold as he stared at you

“What did you say to me?” He spat, eyes meeting yours as you rose from your bow. You looked unfazed, lips pressed into a thin line.

“I said good night, your majesty.” You replied flatly. As you were turning to leave, you were shocked as Felix firmly grasped your wrist and tugged on it, making you turn to face him

You could feel irritation ignite in you as you glared at him

Normally, you’d be afraid of being fired, but you secretly hoped you were fired

it would be easier than seeing him everyday

“No.” He growled, roughly yanking you into his room before going to slam the door behind you 

“Your majesty-” You sighed restlessly, but were quickly cut off by Felix.

“What happened between us?” He said, raising his voice as he came closer to you.

He looked scary now; dark eyes burning with a fury, jaw firm and expression heated as he brushed his dark hair away from his face. You felt afraid of his strong demeanor, but knew deep down he wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.

When you didn’t answer him, he just continued, pacing back and forth with his arms crossed over his chest.

“You don’t even talk to me anymore. You act like I don’t even exist  beyond being a task for you! And on top of that, you are calling me by my title now... Is this all business to you?! What happened?! Did I do something to upset you?” Felix huffed, letting all the anger from the past few months spill out.

“No, you didn’t do anything.” You replied, fighting back the tears that were threatening to leak from your eyes.

no, you had to stay strong

“I’m sorry for upsetting you, your majesty. I’ll refrain from doing that in the future.” You said simply, bowing politely at Felix before moving to the door and reaching for the handle

you had to get out of there.

“Did you even listen to what I said, (Y/N)?!”

Felix was shouting now, palm pressed against the wooden door to keep you from leaving.

“Let me go.”

you were the one who was getting angry now

“Not until you talk to me. I just want to-”

“Let. Me. Go...” You were shaking from rage now, pulling at the door, but Felix wouldn’t budge

It wasn’t fair

It wasn’t fair you had to be the one who was rational and you had to be the one who was responsible

all while Felix got to act like a child, throwing a tantrum because you were being respectful and doing your job.

“No.” Felix said sternly, pressing his palm against the door even harder, coming closer to you he could feel the heat radiating off your body like plumes of smoke

why were you being so difficult?

Felix’s life had already gone to shit with this stupid marriage stuff, and now you were making it worse by being cold to him

You turn to him, expression fierce and body trembling

“You want to know so fucking bad?!” You spat, shoving Felix away from you as you felt tears of frustration spill over.

“You are going to be married to the perfect woman and there is nothing I can even do about it! I watch from behind the two of you and pray that in another life, it could be me holding your hand. I wish I was as pretty as she is, I wish that I was as smart as she is, I wish that my family had some sort of status because maybe then I wouldn’t have the person I love engaged to someone else! And life is cruel and unjust because I just have to watch you become who you are meant to be, but there isn’t a place for me anymore!”

Sobs fought their way out of your chest, feeling like you were absolutely broken at this point.

You knew this would probably be the last time you saw Felix because of your outburst, but you tried making peace with that as you sucked in a shaky breath, only for more sobs to fall out.

Maybe you’d move far from the kingdom and live in a cottage in the woods

that way you wont have to worry-

Felix was holding you in an instant, arms wrapped tightly around your torso as broken sobs coming from his throat.

You were still catching your breath and your racing mind, but you finally held the prince in front of you, rubbing a soothing, yet shaky hand along his back.

He clutched you tightly as if you would dissolve if he let go

“for fuck’s sake (Y/N), you have no idea how much agony I am in everyday because I am utterly in love with you.” Felix wailed, burying his head in the crook of your neck.

“I hate being engaged. I hate wedding planning. I hate everything about this situation because she’s not you.”

You let out a weak sigh, feeling the weight of this confession crushing down on you

You felt a lot of things in that moment, but the most prominent was relief he felt the same way

Felix pulled away just enough to look at you in the eyes, his own were blurred from tears.

“I love you so much.”

And you allowed, just this once, for your feelings to prevail over your brain as you kissed Felix for the first time

He kissed back with as much fervor as possible, as he was still out of breath from crying

and when you finally did part for air, it only lasted a second before Felix was diving in for another kiss.

His lips were trembling as he clawed at your waist, seemingly trying to get you even closer to him.

You brought your hands up to tangle in his shaggy hair, holding his head lovingly as you willed every ounce of emotion you had into the kiss

Felix parted from your lips, leaning his forehead against yours

“please, stay with me...” He whispered desperately, placing a peck on your face between each word

but you were rational

and responsible

“I can’t.” You said breathlessly, sniffling and sliding your hands down his back weakly. 

“you know we can’t Felix...”

“Just for tonight.” Felix bartered, already walking backwards towards his bed, pulling you along with him.

“Just for tonight...” He repeated, legs hitting the edge of his mattress as he placed another kiss to your lips.

“please... be mine, just for tonight?”

And you let your heart make one more choice over your brain

you let yourself have one night in Felix’s arms, clutching onto him as if he was the most precious thing in the world

one night where your tongues danced together and teeth crashed into each other

One night where you whispered sweet nothings to each other late into early morning

one night where you could call him yours

because when the sun rose, you were gone. Back to the reality of your situation.

You relationship with Felix got better

You went back to calling him Felix in private and you began spending his free time together doing what he loved again

but you kept your distance, opting to never speak of that night to him again.

no matter how much he brought up the subject of your love

You refused to entertain his ideas, changing the subject when he tried to speak to you about what happened that night

or you pulled away whenever Felix tried to grab your hand as you walked or held onto you a bit to long after a hug.

You began to notice him stealing glances at you whenever he was with Winter,

and when he was paying attention to her, he looked bored and acted very formally around her.

When it came to wedding planning, Felix was even more distant.

“I don’t care, whatever flowers you want for the ceremony.”

“All these cakes taste good, so it doesn’t matter to me”

“Why are wedding colours even important? Just go with that one.”

You knew he wasn’t thrilled to be marrying Winter,

but at least put in a bit of effort for her sake...

“Yongbok Darling, you know how we were unable to have an engagement ball a few months ago due to complications in my kingdom?” Winter asked her fiance.

it was a beautiful spring afternoon and the two were having tea out in the courtyard (under your supervision of course).

You knew the wedding was a few weeks away, yet the king and queen still seemed adamant on Felix meeting with Winter a few times a week because he still hadn’t quite warmed up to her yet

with the wedding so close, why was she bringing up an engagement ball?

Felix stirred his tea nonchalantly, looking out at the pond in the center of the courtyard. How much he wished he could just dive in right now and drown

that way he wouldn’t have to be in this situation anymore

when Felix didn’t answer, you kicked at his ankle to get his attention.

“hm? oh yeah, the engagement ball...” Felix hummed dismissively, giving a haphazard glance to his fiance before staring down at his tea cup

“Well, what if we had one? It would be for both our union and our sibling’s, but I think it’s a very important tradition. Don’t you?” Winter said sweetly, picking up a biscuit and dunking it in her tea delicately

“Isn’t it too late to plan one? Our wedding is in a few weeks.” Felix said politely, but grimaced at the thought

“Our parents already have it planned out,” Winter explained, “It was supposed to be a secret, but I wanted to tell you in advance so you could prepare.”

Felix perked up at this, finally looking at Winter. His expression morphed into one of nerves as he let a frown play on his face only for a quick moment

“When is it?”

“in a couple of days. I suppose your parents wanted it kept a secret until the day of...”

Felx let out a small ‘oh’ before plastering a fake smile on his face

“I’m glad we are able to have one finally. Thank you for the extra heads up, Winter.”

“Well I actually said something for (Y/N)’s sake,”

You perked up when the Princess addressed you directly. You were used to being not even acknowledged during these meetings between the two, so it was surprising to hear your name come from Winter’s lips

You didn’t even know she knew your name, as she referred to you as the courtier when she did reference you

“Can you fit in dancing lessons into Yongbok’s schedule? I would hate for him to make a fool out of himself at the ball.” She asked, turning to you with a gentle smile. You nodded in agreement, clasping your hands behind your back as you bowed to her.

Felix looked at you, bittersweet expression adorning his beautiful features before he turned back to Winter.

“Wonderful! Shall we go inside now?” She exclaimed, finishing her tea and dabbing her mouth with a napkin. Felix stood from his place, gathering the tea set just as you started to as well.

You hands touched for a moment while reaching for the sugar, and you felt an spark shoot through your fingertip.

“Leave that for (Y/N), Darling. Wont you walk with me?” Winter asked, holding her arm out for Felix to take.

Felix froze for a second before wordlessly leaving you to collect the rest of the tea set and laced his arm through Winter’s

But not without having his gaze entirely focused on you

even as you began to walk them back to the castle, tea tray in hand, He barely spared his fiance a glance

all Felix could look at was you.

even when she kissed his cheek and said her goodbyes, he couldn’t take his eyes off of you...

The ball came in the blink of an eye, 

you felt a bit unprepared in all honesty, but it worked out well

elites from both kingdoms gathered at the castle, wishing well onto both of the happy couples

however, by now, Minho and Karina had already been married some time in the winter

kind of redundant for them to have an engagement ball as husband and wife, but tradition is tradition

They sat up with the king and queen, stoic and poised

as if it was possible for the future king and queen to look anything BUT put together.

the only sign they were really present and not just wax figures was their hands intertwined fondly as they spoke in hushed whispers.

You stood off to the side of the ballroom

as a member of the court, you were technically invited, however you didn’t dare speak to any of the royals.

You were dressed in your best attire, but you felt incredibly bored as you watched the elites mingle.

You almost wished you were dismissed to go down to the kitchen and help out there

you’d be more useful that way anyways

But that all changed when Felix entered the ballroom, arm and arm with Winter

He looked breathtakingly beautiful; his messy hair styled out of his face and he wore a spangled, velvet suit that glittered under the lights of the chandelier

he bowed and greeted guests, grin adorning his features

Winter looked equally as lovely, smiling and waving cheerfully as she mingled with guests as the two whisked around the crowd

they were the guests of honour after all

Finally, the two of them came close enough for Felix to see you

You felt your face burn at the way his expression lit up when he recognized it was you.

He hastily whispered to his fiance, before releasing his arm from hers and weaving through the crowd to you.

now that Felix stood in front of you, he looked even more magnificent; you could clearly see the rosy dust of his flushed cheeks and the star-like freckles that littered his face and neck.

“Good evening (Y/N).”

Felix spoke in a formal, even tone. Considering your current surroundings, it made sense; but nonetheless, you were taken aback by his demeanor

“Good evening, your majesty.” You replied with a bow, trying to hold in a laugh when you catch Felix making a sound of disgust at the title. 

luckily, the prince was able to keep his composure

“You look lovely as ever.” He said, a politeness in his tone. Yet you knew he meant much beyond formalities

“You look quite dashing yourself, your majesty.” You hummed in reply, smiling as you see the blush across his cheeks spread to his neck and ears

“May I ask for your assistance on something?” He asked, lips quirked into a playful grin.

“of course. Anything you need, your majesty.”

“Come this way then, please.”

Felix lead you out of the ballroom and down one of the corridors until you reached the familiar view of his bedroom door. 

He opened it and ushered you inside, closing the door behind the two of you tightly

“So, what do you need-”

Before you could finish your sentence you were quickly cut off with the prince’s lips on your own

they tasted of champagne and sweets

Taken by surprise, you stood stiff, placing your hands on his chest to push him away

“Felix, what are you doing?” You asked, secretly wishing you wouldn’t have to pushed him away.

“God, you have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to do that in the past few weeks.” Felix chuckled breathlessly, wrapping his arms around you and leaning into another kiss.

This time you kissed him back for just a moment, only to push him away again

When you parted, Felix looked at you perplexedly

did you not want this?

“Felix, what are you doing?” You repeated quietly, eyes sad and expression soft

“what are we doing?”

“What do you mean?” Felix asked, rubbing his hands up your back to land at your shoulders. His touch was delicate and gentle

You let out a scoff, looking away from the lovesick boy in front of you.

You could hear the muffled sound of the ball outside the door, as you gazed out Felix’s open window to look at the bright moon hung up in the sky

you could see the pooling of storm clouds in the distance, somehow foreshadowing how this conversation would seem to lead

“Felix, tonight is the night of your engagement ball. Your engagement to the Princess, not me.” You explained simply, taking his hands in your own and removing them from your body

“So?” Felix said desperately. He didn’t want to hear about the ball, the princess, OR his engagement...

“So, we can’t be doing this.” You said simply, feeling your heart sink

you wanted nothing more than to lean back into his touch and to stay here for another night together

but you knew better than that.

You had to be stern and direct with Felix, or else he just wouldn’t understand tha-

“Do you not love me anymore?” Felix asked, eyes already swelling with tears, “that night... did it not mean anything to you?”

“Felix I-”

“Every time I try to talk to you about my feelings- show you my feelings for you... you don’t let me.”

“Felix, it’s because-”

“Do you not love me anymore?” Felix asked once more, his voice coming out as more of a whimper. You could see the way his lips curved into a pout, trembling as he tried to keep his emotions in control

You took a deep breath, feeling like you were being stabbed in the heart as you watched the man you love in such a state

“I do love you.” You confirmed, coming close to Felix to wiping his cheeks with the pads of your thumbs.

Felix immediately reacted to your touch, leaning his head into the palms of your hands. He brought his own up to rest atop of yours, brushing his fingertips against yours

“That night represents everything I feel for you all the time. All the things I’m not allowed to say or do.” You confessed in your moment of weakness, wanting nothing more than to place a comforting kiss to Felix’s lips

but you had enough sense to refrain from that

“If you love me, why do you push me away? Why are you making me go to the meetings with Winter? Why do you ignore my love for you? If you love me, why don’t you show me?”

Felix wasn’t crying anymore, but you could still hear the brokenness in his voice as he spoke.

He was always so emotional around you. It was one of the things you loved about him; the way he was so in touch with his feelings and how empathetic he was.

but it was a curse sometimes, blinding him from reality

“Felix, I do those things because I love you so much.” You sighed, slipping your hands away from his face and letting them lay at your sides lifelessly.

“That doesn’t make sense.” Felix huffed out, coming closer to you and reaching out for your hands. You didn’t fight him as he interlocked his fingers with yours

“Lovers don’t do things that make the other person unhappy. So why are you forcing me into a life that makes me unhappy?” Felix said. His tone seemed tired now, emotional exhaustion overtaking the prince.

“Because it’s your destiny. It’s what you are meant to do. Who am I to stand in the way of your future?”

You could feel the tears escape your eyes now

It hurt you more than words could express to let Felix go, but you knew it was what was best for him.

“If this is my destiny, I do not want it.” He whispered now, leaning close to your face. He kissed your tears away gently, tone even and serious

“If this is my future, I do not want it.”

He slowly leaned in once more, placing a kiss on your lips as you couldn’t find it in you to refuse him anymore

He moved took his hands from yours and brought them up to cup your face as he kissed you more.

you felt yourself melting into his touch, kissing him back 

because you were just as love-struck as Felix was

“Lets run away.”

Your head was spinning, so you weren’t even sure if you had actually heard him right until he leaned his forehead against yours and his eyes meeting yours

“Lets run away tonight.” He whispered again, lips brushing against yours as he spoke. You shook your head in his hands, leaning away from him again

You couldn’t do this to him

“Felix...”

“Look, I’ve thought about it a lot these past few weeks.” Felix said frantically, reaching out for you as you pulled away from him and opting to take a step back.

“Everyone is busy at the ball, so it would be easy for us to leave.”

“Oh yeah?” You chuckled bitterly. 

You hated how it always had to be you who was reasonable

it always had to be you to bring him back to reality...

“And how are we going to leave then? On foot? We’ll be caught before the sun rises.”

“The stables. We take a horse and ride it far away from here.” Felix explained. You sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing your face wearily.

Felix stood in front of you, holding onto your hands again.

“Okay. Say we do get a horse and we are able to get away and hide before anyone catches us.” You sighed, gazing up that the man in front of you, “What then? We live out in the woods with no food, no water, and no home?”

Felix glanced over to his nightstand, where his expensive jewelry box sat open. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds; gold and silver, all shone in the light of the moon

“We are not stealing from the royal family- your family, to run away Felix!” You cried out, pulling your hands from his. He hastily knelt down in front of you and clasped your hands in his again.

“We only take what we need to get a start! I’ll work after that.” He bartered, eyes desperate, “Besides, everything in there belongs to me anyways...”

You looked down at where his hands held yours, gold engagement band shimmering in the light

taunting you as you listened to Felix’s silly request.

“And what about your fiance? Your kingdom? You are going to throw it all away for what?” You said exasperatedly 

“For you. For our happiness.” He replied simply, pleading with you to run away.

You could feel the walls around your position crumble the more Felix tried to convince you.

You resolve was deteriorating quickly, so you tried one last effort to change his mind

“You’re a prince. You have duties. I can’t-”

“No!” Felix interrupted you firmly. His eyes were filled with a sense of determination that shook you to your core.

“Prince Yongbok has duties. That’s his future, not mine. My future is with you, (Y/N).”

You felt all the air was being punched from your lungs as your last ounce of will power shattered

Okay.

“Okay...” You whispered, finally giving into what you wanted in your heart.

You could see Felix’s face morph into a grin as he stood up excitedly. He looked like a puppy now, eyes shining and hyper fingers that pulled at you to come close to him again.

“But if we are going to do this, we are going to do it right.” You spoke in a hushed tone, pushing away from Felix once more to smooth out his outfit.

The sounds of the ball still sounded lively from ballroom, laughs and music echoing off the halls

“We’ve been gone for too long already, so you need to go back in there and be with the Princess.” You explained, much to Felix’s dismay.

“I’ll prepare everything for us to leave. New clothes, food for the road, something to protect ourselves, things like that. We’ll meet at the stable in an hour or so and we’ll leave.”

Felix nodded enthusiastically, leaping into you and squeezing you tightly, to which you gladly reciprocated.

This was the most happy you think you have ever seen him, and knowing you were the cause of that was worth so much more than trying to secure his future.

and so, with Felix being sent to return to the ball to throw off suspicions, you began to gather the things needed to leave. 

Clothes that were much less conspicuous that your formal attire

cloaks to help hid the two of you in the dead of night

The jewelry box from Felix’s nightstand

a long, silver dagger and a bow with a few arrows from the armory that would be useful for you to protect Felix with if you needed

peaches, bread, and bottles for water for a couple days, as you had no idea how long you’d be on the road for.

You prepared the largest horse in the stable for your journey

a pure brown Clydesdale with the most inconspicuous looking leather saddle you could find.

Your hands shook from sheer adrenaline as you tied the saddle firmly to the horse

You knew if you were caught now, you’d be executed for treason 

The thought made you nauseous, but you pushed it down and tried of focus on Felix

you thought back to the first day you met him

he was dirty and scuffed up from tending to the roses all morning

you thought of the small details, like how the sun shone through the glass and illuminated Felix so brightly and how delicately his fingers worked to prune those roses

That beautiful image was a stark contrast of now, dark and gloomy

the storm had washed in sometime within the past hour, leaving you soaked and cold

However, it meant people were less likely to come out and catch you

That idea didn’t stop the panic you felt when the stable door swung open

You reached for the dagger and pointed it at your lover before even realizing it was him.

He was soaking wet too, dark hair matted to his forehead as he tried to catch his breath

he must ran here

He was in new clothing as well; a brown hunting jacket and a pair of black trousers

He also had a small knapsack slung over his shoulder

“You stopped at your room first?” You asked, rolling your eyes as Felix nodded. He took the bigger bag from you to put his knapsack in it.

“I had to.” He replied, jamming the knapsack with the heel of his palm, “I had important things with sentimental value in there.”

Felix grabbed the second cloak your prepared and swung it around his shoulders

He watched as you fastened the pin, and he couldn’t help but place a quick kiss to the tip of your nose as you finished.

“We don’t have time for that.” You grumbled, climbing aboard the horse and holding your hand out to help Felix up too.

“We can kiss all you want when we are safe,” You said under your breath, heat crawling up your face as the words effortlessly tumbled from your mouth.

You flicked the lead only when you felt Felix snake his arms around your middle securely, burring his face somewhere between your shoulder blade and the crook of your neck.

there was something comforting about being in his grasp again, but you couldn’t dwell on it now, as you needed to focus on the road ahead

And just like that, your trusty steed galloped away, as fast and as far as it could before stopping

You took a sigh of relief as the two of you passed through the city gates and off into the hinterland

You closed your eyes for a moment, letting the cool rain drops hit your face

You really did it.

You didn’t stop your travels until the sun started to peak up over the horizon, long after the storm had passed.

there was a forest that marked the base of a mountain, which provided enough cover for you to safely rest for a bit.

Past the mountain would be a small farming village, in which you will hopefully be able to rest for longer and get your bearings.

and beyond that was a city

that was the end goal

for now, you allowed your great Clydesdale a place in the long grass to lay and sleep for a bit

all while you spent your time in Felix’s hold, showering him with all of the attention you didn’t allow yourself to do before.

you watched the sun rise paint his skin in a soft golden glow

you found yourself falling in love with him all over again as he just enjoyed your company.

in this time, He explained he had a gift for you, sitting up before pulling something shiny out of his pocket

It was his engagement band, with a gold chain looped through the center of it

“When I get married, it will be to you!” He promised, placing the chain around your neck and adjusting it accordingly

“I love you.” You hummed dreamily, placing a chaste kiss on Felix’s lips

“I love you too.”

The trek was more dangerous than you thought it would be

the mountain proved to be rough terrain, a very narrow pass and hard rock with little traction

to pass the time, Felix would sing folk songs, his deep voice echoing off the rock

And when you reached the town, it was in the middle of the night a couple days later

You were exhausted, 

The journey had been physically and mentally taxing on you, and you honestly couldn’t wait to sleep in a bed for the first time in a while.

however Felix felt uneasy at the thought of seeing people

What if someone recognized him? by now, there had to have been search parties out for him.

and it wasn’t like a small farming community was used to travelers coming through...

“(Y/N), I think it’s best if we move on and just go to the city. It feels safer to me.”

You hummed, taking long slow blinks

It was only about one more day’s ride to the city, meaning you could be there by morning if you were quick.

Felix was right, but you weren’t sure if you could last that long

“Let me navigate, you should rest, my love.” Felix said simply, taking the reigns from your tired hands

He placed a quick kiss on your forehead as you leaned into his chest, allowing yourself to sleep

“don’t let me rest for too long...” You mumbled, Hearing Felix’s hum in agreement, before allowing yourself to drift off to sleep

You didn’t wake up until early the next morning, just before sunrise

so much for ‘don’t let me rest too long’

“Hey, we are here.” Felix said, you could hear the grin in his voice

In front of you laid the city of Miroh

It was the largest city in the west, with a populations almost double that of Clé

It had been safely under the rule of the Yang dynasty for centuries now, with a large army supporting it.

And with the mountain being one of the only entrances from the south lands, it was an independent nation, having only alliances with the neighboring kingdoms around it

A perfect place for someone to disappear

You and Felix found home along the very edge of the city on the north side

Using almost all of the precious jewels that you had brought, the two of you bought a run down, little tavern with a the modest inn upstairs.

It was not the best conditions, dirt and grime covering every inch of the bar, a few broken floorboard, and a bit of weather damage done to the outside

it would be tough to fix this place up, but with hard work you could do it.

and boy was it hard work

Felix got a job as a farmhand for a rancher, working long hours out in the sun with livestock

he would be up before the break of dawn and come back after the sun went down, but it was discrete.

you got a job cleaning at an inn in the city center

It paid next to nothing and the owners were cruel, but you always tried to look at the bigger picture

for months you and Felix were just scraping by, working every single day just to be able to live

and slowly, but surely, you were able to replace the broken floorboards

then a couple months after that, you got proper furniture for the tavern and bedding for the inn

and when you finally replaced the few stone steps out front, you were so close to being able to open

Just a few more weeks of this to buy alcohol stock and meal ingredients, and you could finally start your life for real this time

it was late, the moon high overhead when you heard Felix return, boots scuffing against the wooden floor

He always looked so tired now, body heavy and eyes drooped as he shuffled to the back where your room laid.

“I cooked some stew if you’re hungry.” You said as cheerfully as possible.

truthfully, you both had become shells of who you once were, but you felt it was best if you were as happy as possible for Felix when he came home

“Thank you.” He grumbled weakly, emerging from your room with only a loose fitting tunic and his work pants. He sat at one of the many tables as you came over to him with a bowl of what looked to be mostly root vegetables, cream, and small bits of meat from a prairie chicken you bought off a traveler at the inn you worked at.

“Work was tough today?” You asked innocently enough, but it seemed to upset Felix as he frowned

“very much so.” He replied flatly, scooping more stew into his hungry mouth.

His skin was much tanner now from working outside, and you could prominently see his freckles

“well, I’ve been thinking...” You said quietly, watching as Felix barely paid you any mind. The only reason you could tell he was listening to you was through the way he haphazardly grunted in response

“We are so close to opening this place up, I just wish we could do it tomorrow, y’know?” You started out, before reaching for something and placing it on the table in front of Felix

He looked up from his meal at you as you revealed what you had placed

his engagement ring on the chain he had given to you months ago

“I crunched the numbers, and if we sell this, it’ll be enough to start us up. You wouldn’t have to work out there anymore and we could just start running the Tavern everyday.” You explained, chewing your bottom lip.

You hated seeing Felix like this everyday, so if you could give up something to make it stop, you would do it 100 times over

“You... we cant sell that.” Felix said, a look of sadness on his face

he reached out for the ring, looking between the piece of jewelry and you

“Felix, I don’t want you to have to keep living like this for us. It’s killing you!” You cried gently, grasping onto his hand as you felt sadness well up inside you

“I gave this to you, because I made a promise to you. I promised I would marry you” Felix said pushing his meal aside to lean over the table closer to you

“I know, but-”

“So we can’t sell it. not until I marry you.”

“Then marry me.” You blurted out. Felix stared at you in shock, shaking his head

“I can’t yet, you deserve a proper wedding and I can’t give it to you yet.” Felix explained with a heavy sigh

when had he become the rational one in your relationship?

“Marry me now, and we can have the wedding after if you want.” You replied, as if it was the most casual conversation you’ve ever had

You took the engagement ring from Felix’s grasp and walked over to his side of the table

you knelt down in front of him, holding the ring out to him

“Lee Felix, will you marry me? Right now?” You asked, playful grin adorning your features

and for the first time in months you saw Felix smile again, shaking his head as he let out a chuckle

He held out his hand and you slipped the ring back on his finger, chain dangling from it as he pulled you into his lap

“Is this the part where I kiss you?” He asked teasingly, holding you close to him as he planted his lips on yours in a sweet kiss.

when you parted, you couldn’t help the heat from burning across your cheeks

“Lets go to bed, my wife.” Felix said wistfully, lifting you off of him opting to clean up his dinner before taking you to your room.

He was your husband now

Felix, your husband

(Y/N), his wife

Titles felt good for once.

That night, you laid in Felix’s arms once more, and you were reminded of that first night you shared

lots had changed since then, but it was for the better now

And so, after finally being able to open up the tavern, you and Felix lived a relatively happy life

every night, patrons would come to your establishment

your home

and they would eat, drink and be merry

you would have different musicians come and play to add to the atmosphere

every once in a while, you would run into trouble

bounty hunters and adventurers trying to make quick cash from the King and Queen trying to bring Felix back home

They tell people you kidnapped him and he needed to be saved

but you always set them straight with a drink, a story, and a smile, telling them good luck if they tried to take Felix away, because he wouldn’t allow it

usually that was enough to send these people on their way, not without staying a night upstairs and enjoying an evening downstairs

but sometimes it didn’t work

people were still adamant on taking Felix

usually they had to be paid off or you’d have to resort to more unsightly methods

in the end, it was still working out for you

but you tried not to worry Felix with the trouble

He was finally happy again, spending most of his time in the kitchen or behind the bar

he got to bake everyday, which is quickly what your tavern became known for

Looking for pastries, tarts, cookies, and fresh bread? You must go to that tavern on the north side!

Yes, Felix was finally happy, but mostly because he got to crawl into bed next to you everyday

His wife

his love

He sometimes lays awake at night, long since you have fallen asleep in his hold and thinks about what would have happened if he hadn’t have met you

He’d still be the problem child, a disgrace to his family

he’d be married to Winter, probably have a few children, and be a ghost of man who never felt true joy

and god, does he feel grateful he chose this life with you

___________________________

A/N: This had so many more plot details than I originally planned, but I hope you enjoyed it. Honestly, I might write an actual fic that has to do with Felix and (Y/N) living in their cozy tavern later in the future, because I didn’t really expand on it too much because I couldn’t without going into ANOTHER heavy set plot, but who knows!

[wonderswritings]

Reapers Fall 2: Ready to Comply

Summary: In one moment, a life ended. In the same moment, a life began. Pairings: Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley x Fem!Reader AN: I literally wrote the last half of this right before I went to bed. So, it's unedited, and possibly a little rushed? I don't think it's rushed but I also need sleep so what do I know. The Reapers Fall pt.1 

☠

“Reaper! Reap- Grim! Grim answer me dammit!” Simon jerked to, sitting up in bed, his chest heaving as he called out your name. He made a face when there was no response, only silence.  Oh. Oh.

I promise, I will always come back to you. I’ll see you soon.

Liar. You lied. You didn’t keep your promise. You’re a liar. And now he’s left all alone. Alone and in agony. 

Today, we remember and honor the life of one of the greatest soldiers I’ve had the pleasure of ever working with and habing the privalege to call friend. She was one of the greats, and today, we leave a legend to rest, in the peace she deserves. 

Simon scoffed as he got out of bed, making his way to the enclosed bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. He grabbed the sides of the sink, taking a few deep breaths before he looked up, looking at his reflection in the mirror. The longer he stared, the angrier he got, and in a fit of rage he punched the mirror, the mirror breaking into pieces, some shards cutting his hands, his knuckles bleeding as he his chest heaved, tears welling in his eyes.

☠

Flashes of moments. Flashes of moments you couldn’t place or understand. Something loud going off, things falling. The feeling of heat, and then nothing. Waking up to a blinding light, blurry faces standing over you, a prick in your arm and then a cold sensation spreading. Then it was burning, like your body was on fire from the inside. You couldn’t move as you screamed your voice hoarse. In and out of consciousness, all you felt was pain and confusion. And then one day, you opened your eyes, and there was no pain, and everything was clear. For just a moment, it was peaceful. 

☠

Ghost walked into Price’s office, nodding at him once before Price motioned for him to sit down. Price leaned back in his seat, looking over at Ghost.

“How’ve you been?”

Ghost clenched his jaw, balling his hands into fists, clenching and unclenching them as he responded.

“M’fine.”

“Si-”

“The psychologist cleared me. I’m fine.”

“It’s okay if you’re not. We all under-”

“I am fine. People die all the time. You move on. I’ve moved on. I’m fine.”

Price sighed, nodding slightly.

“You’re cleared to return to active duty. Recruits are waiting for you. They’re yours for the day.”

Price leaned forward, grabbing one of the files from the corner of his desk, placing it in front of him.

“Try not to kill any of em’.”

Ghost nodded, standing and making his way to the door when Price called out for him, causing him to stop, looking over his shoulder at him.

“You’re right about people dying, but you’re still here Simon.”

“Simon is dead.”

☠

You looked up when the door to your cell opened, watching as two guards walked in, followed by him. You backed into the corner, bringing your knees up to your chest as the man stepped forward.

“Are you ready to comply?” “Please, no, I don’t want to.”

You moved closer to the wall, shaking your head, tears welling in your eyes.

“Please. Please, I’m tired.”

The batons the guards held lit up, casting a blue hue over your face, causing you to jerk your head down into your arms. “We will take you by force if you do not comply.”

“Please.”

“Comply.”

“Please.” With a nod, they moved forward, shocking you with the batons. You screamed as pain coursed through you, your body convulsing. You looked up as they grabbed you, their grip on your arms tightening when you tried to fight them off. You looked over at the man,tears streaming down your face.

“Please.” A needle was placed at your neck, your eyes rolling as they injected you with the knockout agent.

“In the end, they always comply.”

He looked down at you, huffing slightly before he looked up at the guards.

“Take her to the chair. It’s time to begin.”

☠

The chair. You hated the chair. The chair only brought pain and misery, but it was basically your home for what felt like weeks- if you were able to keep track. You were strapped down, your wrists and ankles bound as another strap went across your forehead, ensuring you couldn’t move in an attempt to resist. The moments you spent in the chair were long, agonizing hours. In passing, you heard one of the doctors mention electroconvulsive therapy, the sharp pulses in your brain growing the longer they did it. When they;d finally let you out of the chair, dumping you back in your cell, you couldn’t move. Practically in a catatonic state, you could only lay where they’d dumped you, unmoving as ghost pains from the therapy pulsed through you. On the days you weren’t in the chair, you were on a table, strapped down with different wires and iv’s attached to you. Those days, you missed the chair. 

☠

Guards were placed around the room, two more entering with him- your handler. You watched from your peripherals as he walked closer to you, walking around you.

“Status report.”

“The electroconvulsive therapy has done well. She is susceptible to the orders we’ve given. She has exceeded in all of her training. She is ready.”

He nodded as he came to a stop in front of you, looking down at you.

“Just for good measure, hit her one more time.”

A stinging pain spread throughout your head as your handler spoke, but it was just muted background noise as you began to convulse from the pain. Eventually  it stopped, and as you slowly began to stop convulsing, your handler came to a stop in front of you, placing his hands on the metal cuffs keeping you in place.

“Are you ready to comply?”

The mouth guard stopped you from speaking, and the strap across your forehead kept you from moving your head. But he wasn’t expecting an answer, not really, not after they’d broken you and molded you into their perfect, obedient little soldier. He shot you a grin before he turned, looking over at the head guard assigned to keep you in line.

“Get her prepped. The chopper leaves in thirty minutes.”

“Yes sir.”

He left, the two guards he entered with following after him as the lead guard moved to stand in front of you, a smirk on his face.

“Well, let’s get you prepped.”

☠

The first mission Ghost was assigned to after your death, he kept looking over his shoulder for you. He was glad he was alone, because after he’d switched the comms off, he was talking to you. Or at least, the ghost of you. The image he’d created felt off, but in the end it was still you, and he felt a small semblance of peace. Now, a year after you’d died, he was going with the motions, doing mission after mission without much care for his own safety. Currently, he was on a mission with the rest of 141, what was meant to be a simple catch and grab turned into an all out firefight that seemed to never end. Somehow, they’d managed to get separated from one another, the onslaught of enemies never ending when there was a lull. The shooting had stopped, and there were no more explosions.

“Sound off.”

One by one, they each reported in, stating their status and location when Gaz’s voice broke through.

“Vans incoming, southside!”

Ghost peered over the ledge, watching as three armored vans drove down the road, only for the van in the middle to turn and stop in the middle of the square. 

“V’got eyes.”

“Steady. We don’t know what they’re doing.”

“Copy.”

Ghost steadied his rifle, keeping his eyes locked on the vans when the doors opened.

“We’ve got movement.”

Ghost looked through his scope, watching as a group of at least ten got out of the vans when the back doors to the middle van flung open, a person jumping out. They were dressed in all black, a mask covering the lower part of their face, goggles that were also blacked out covering their eyes. Ghost watched as one of the men walked towards the person, handing them what looked to be a grenade launcher, saying something to them. Ghost watched as they stepped forward, lifting their weapon and aiming at one of the buildings Soap and Price had reported being in. 

“Incoming!”

“Move, move, move!”

Ghost watched as they shot a series of grenades, and once the launcher was empty they dropped it, grabbing the weapon the smaller man behind them handed them.

“Cap, what’s the plan?”

“We need to fall back. We’re outgunned and outnumbered.”

Like a button had been pressed, the group that was still standing in front of the vans moved forward, taking aim and shooting. Ghost watched as the person dressed in black aimed, shooting off rounds with an accuracy that puzzled him. They’d come mid fight, and seemingly knew where everyone was currently hiding out at, save for himself.

“Cap?”

“Take em out! We need to take out however many we can so we can retreat safely.”

“With pleasure.”

Ghost started to shoot, the men dropping like flies before they dispersed, taking cover, except for the person in black. They continued to walk forward, the person following them having ducked for cover some time ago. Ghost jumped slightly when a shot landed next to him, and when he looked around he saw the person in black aiming at him. They started to shoot, causing him to take cover. Once the shooting had stopped he slowly peered over the ledge, only to see the person was gone, the square seemingly empty of everyone.

“Anyone got eyes?”

“Negative.”

“Alright, evac is eight minutes out. We hold our ground until they get here then we haul ass, clear?”

“Copy.”

“Ghost, take out as many as you can and then make your way to us.”

“Copy.”

He peered over the ledge, aiming his rifle, looking for any signs of movement. After double checking he lowered his rifle, keeping it close to him as he slowly started to make his way off the balcony and back inside the room.

“Moving.” 

He started to make his way down the stairs, keeping an ear out for any sounds of movement. Once he was on the ground floor he kept low, occasionally checking to make sure it was clear before he’d move. 

“Heading out now.”

He had just entered the hall where the back door was when it opened, a flash grenade being thrown in. blinded, he stumbled into the wall, huffing when something slammed into him, forcing him to the floor. He’d dropped his rifle, and before he could attempt to reach for it, hands were wrapping around his throat, squeezing. His eyes widened as his vision returned, his gaze landing on the black goggles that looked like pits. 

“Lt- come- status.”

Shaking his head, he fought back, managing to knock the person off him. They went back and forth, the person managing to meet his hits with just as much force as his own, even though they were smaller than him. The longer the fight went on, the angrier Ghost became. They’d already managed to cut his arm, blood dripping down his sleeve, seeping into his glove, causing his fingers to become slick. He was starting to become tired, but it seemed like the person in front of him was only getting started. He needed to get them out in the open, with hopes that one of the others could take a shot. Thinking fast, Ghost ran forward, tackling them, causing them both to crash through the window, landing in broken glass as they rolled out into the streets. 

“Lt town’s clear. Evac hit some trouble, they're ten minutes out.”

Huffing, he slowly stood, keeping a glaring gaze on the person that continued to lay on the ground.

“Copy.”

Slowly, he made his way to the person, harshly kicking their side. When there was no response, he started to search them, turning them onto their back. His eyes widening slightly when he saw their goggles had fallen off. He continued to search them, and when he glanced up to make sure they were still out he froze. Their eyes were open, but it was as if they were looking through him, their eyes empty, void of any emotion. Within seconds they’d managed to wrap their legs around him, flipping him onto the ground as they stood, preparing to fight. Ghost went to get up when they ran forward, tackling him back to the ground. The two fought once more, until Ghost managed to land a kick to their face, forcing them back as they fell. Ghost’s chest heaved as he stood, glaring at them when he saw their mask had fallen off. 

“Lt, I’ve got a clear shot!”

He watched them stand, slowly turning towards them. When they looked up at him, his heart stopped as his blood ran cold. 

No.

No.

There was no way, it was impossible. You, you were dead. You are dead. But if you’re dead, then how are you here, standing in front of him? You were looking right at him, but there wasn’t an ounce of recognition on your face, your eyes didn't hold the warm, welcoming feeling they used to. Instead they were cold, cold and dull. 

“Lt!”

Shaking his head, he practically screamed into the comms.

“No! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! It’s- It’s Grim.”

He could hardly get your name out, not after a year of refusing to say your name, always calling you by your callsign or the nickname he’d given you. But saying your name? It felt dirty, wrong. He watched as you titled your head to the side, slightly making a face.

“Who the hell is that?”

The others were screaming in his ear, but it was as if he was underwater, his only focus being on you. You, who was dead for a year, now standing in front of him not knowing who you were. Or for that matter, who he was. Frozen, he didn’t register the small device that rolled between you both, only snapping out of it when smoke filled the area. Coughing, he tried to wave the smoke out of his way, and through the smoky haze he could just barely make out your figure moving away from him. He yelled your name, his voice growing hoarse as he followed after you. Once the smoke cleared, he looked around, but there was no sign of you. The vans were gone from the street, and you, you were gone.

“Lt?”

Turning, he saw Soap and the others making their way to him. Shaking his head, he muttered your name, turning back towards the road the vans had come from.

“She’s alive. She was right here.”

He turned back towards the others, clenching his jaw as he looked at them.

“She’s alive and I’m getting her back.”

No matter what, he’d get you back. For a year, Ghost went with the motions, going from one mission to the next. Now, he had a purpose. Simon had a purpose. You. 

Reaper’s Fall Tags:

@derpoonsunbloom

@daryldixonh0e

Everything Tags:

@jedi-dreea 

@scarlett-witchhh

@sammysgirl1997

@cevans-winchester

@rafecameronswhore

@jennmurawski13-writes

[fatalfangirl]

Hi there~ Thank you for the tags this am @ic3-que3n and @aroace-genderfluid-sheep 💕 I'm still here in More than Friends chapter 5 land.

We're going true wip fashion today. Below is a snippet I wrote in an earlier draft of this chapter and then spent a week+ being unhappy with:

SIMON

He wasn’t eating, he wasn’t sleeping, and I didn’t have a fucking clue what to do about it, which was driving me mental. I just kept making him food, hoping to at least keep him from passing out or something. 

I couldn’t ignore him. There was no playing it cool. Because if a supposed one-off blow job made him spiral that badly, then something was going on here. The question, though, is if he freaked because he liked what happened or hated it. Or liked it, but then hated the fact that it was me. Or hated it, but knows I liked it.

I'll talk about why I reworked it (and with what) below the cut, but first just talking a few folks today: @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @captain-aralias, @cutestkilla, @artsyunderstudy, @hushed-chorus, and @blackberrysummerblog.

So snippet above. The goal was to dive into Simon's headspace after Baz spent two weeks processing his feelings via writing and chain smoking. I wanted us to see that it clearly bothered Simon, but format of "he worried me," followed by a mini "does he like me or hate me" spiral felt too... flat. Simon and Baz have lived together for over 2 years, most of which has been the pandemic. He knows a Baz panic when he sees one, so I didn't think he'd be too "oh no what do I do?"

I wanted a little more depth from Simon - something that hints he has experience being around a freaked out Baz, while also reinforcing Simon feels insecure about how Baz sees him.

Because of that insecurity, I realized I needed reality to be shoved into Simon's face for him to truly consider the possibility that Baz was actually into having sex with Simon instead of just regretting everything.

So above got reworked into:

I couldn’t ignore what he was doing to himself. There was no playing it cool. Because if a supposed one-off blow job made him spiral that badly, then something was going on here. The problem is I still don’t know quite what the “something” is. 

At first, all I could think was that he regretted what happened. Which, I get. Not that I regretted it, but I know Baz is a certain way about sex. I could easily see him being overcritical of himself for getting off just to get off. On top of that, it was with me, of all people. But then the days dragged on and something happened to trigger new theories.

I saw some of what he had been writing.

Simon's mindset before meeting back up with Baz at their flat is what had been absolutely wrecking my brain and causing me to struggle with this chapter. Now that I've gotten through that, we can try and power through the rest! (Over the weekend, because being a working adult while also trying to find time for your creative passions is so impossible, like wtf.)

Thanks everyone who made it this far! Have a good Wednesday ❤️

[afriendlyneighborhoodhufflepuff]

5 + 1

Square filled: 5 + 1 for @resanoona’s fiesta bingo

Ship: Halstett (Will and Sylvie)

Summary: 5 times Will tells Sylvie he loves her, and the 1 time, he doesn’t.

Author Notes: Wrote this in like an hour, so any mistakes are 100% because of that. Also this is my first Halstett piece! Enjoy!!

1. The first time he says it, they’re lying in bed, his fingers running through her hair as she traces the space between the freckles on his shoulders, the soft morning light peeking through the bedroom window. He presses a kiss to her lips, soft and sweet, and feels her hand cups his cheek. “What was that for?” She asks as she rests her head on her free hand. “Because I love you,” Will replies, as he sees a smile come across her face. “I love you too.”

2. The second time he says it, he blurts it out as he runs out the door, trying to make it to work on time. It’s Sylvie’s day off, and they spent just a little too long laying in bed that morning. “Hey, hun, don’t you have work today?” Sylvie asks as she watches Will's eyes widen in panic and can’t help but giggle. He hops out of bed and rushes to the shower. She gets out from under the warm covers and heads to the kitchen to start the coffee. She’s just finished pouring her cup when Will rushes out, hair still wet. “Got your coffee and a bagel already in your bag.” “Thanks, dear. Love you!” He shouts as he runs out the door and to his car.

3. The third time he says it, it’s after he finds out that the ambulance had been run off the road. He’s understandably worried and asks Goodwin if he could head to the station. He gets permission and bumps into Severide as he gets there. “Halstead, she’s fine. I won’t tell you not to worry cause I get it. She’s in the common room.” He says as Will gives him a nod. “Sylvie?” “Will. I’m safe; I’m ok.” “I know. My heart knew that, but my brain didn’t. I needed to see it in person.” “I knew you would.” “I love you. And this scared me. Don’t do it again.” He says, voice thick. “Love you too. I’ll try not to.” She replies as she pulls him into an embrace.

4. The fourth time he says it, it’s their wedding day. The ceremony was simple, beautiful, and them. It’s while they’re dancing on the patio at Molly’s that the first I love you as husband and wife is said. They watch as their friends and family celebrate with them, couples dancing with each other around them. “Will?” “Hmm?” “Thank you for this. For all of this.” “Always Mrs. Halstead. Anything for you. I love you.” “I love you too, Mr. Halstead.” She whispers, laying her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

5. The fifth time he says it, they’re both sitting on the cold tile of the bathroom floor. He grabs Sylvie’s hand and plays with her fingers, trying to calm himself. The phone timer goes off and makes him jump. “Love. We’re going to be fine.” Sylvie says, squeezing his arm as she grabs the test off the counter. “I know. This is just nerve-wracking.” He replies as she hands him the test. He flips it over, and tears fill his eyes. “Are we?” “Yeah. We are. We’re going to be parents!” “Oh, my lands. This is happening.” “It is. I love you, Sylvie.” Will says as he helps her up from the floor, catching her as she wraps her legs around him. “Love you too, Will.”

6. The sixth time he says it, they’re in a hospital room. He watches his wife sleep; she deserves it. She’d been in labor for the last 24 hours, and he was glad she wasn’t in pain anymore. It had started early in the morning and had only progressed late into the night. It was at 3 AM when Austin William Halstead was born, and Will couldn’t believe it. His son was here, and he couldn’t be prouder. He looked at the time and saw that it was 5 AM. He heard small noises coming from the bassinet near the bed. “Dad’s coming, Dad’s coming.” He says as he lifts the newborn into his arms. “Hey, dude. I’m your dad. That pretty woman who’s sleeping is your mom. We’re pretty excited you’re finally here. We love you both so much. I love you.” He says to the newborn knowing that he doesn’t understand a word.

[threephantomrey]

Questions for Fic Writers

tagged by @rose-of-pollux

How many works do you have on AO3?

answer: 19

What's your total AO3 word count?

answer: 94,890 words

What fandoms do you write for?

answer: Scooby Doo (mostly The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

answer: Sleep & Eternity at #1, Spirits By The Sea and No Matter What Time Can’t Separate Us tied for #2, I Don’t Want Your Love and Ghosts on Screen tied for #3, Possession and The Nightmare You Can’t Escape and Thousands of Years and Undiscovered Reflections tied for #4, A New Ghost In Town and Am I A Man Or A Monster and A Demonic Holiday and Forever Waiting It Seemed tied for #5

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

answer: well i would if people left comments on my stories on AO3 LOL. on FFN i get comments but not many and i do reply to them (unless it’s a guest cause then i can’t) (the last review i got was back in June) i appreciate getting reviews❤️

What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

answer: ok so this question is really interesting cause i don’t really know? i wanted to say Thousands Of Years at first but that’s wrong because while that story has angst, it has a bittersweet leaning more towards happy ending rather than angsty. i might go with Hauntings of Christmas Past and Forever Waiting, It Seemed on this one cause they are both tragic and end tragically.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

answer: basically most of my episodes + Everlasting Pasts

Do you get hate on fics?

answer: no

Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

answer: not really. but i have a character in my 13 Ghosts fic series who is based on and shares a name with Caleb Convington from Julie And The Phantoms, that’s the closest thing.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

answer: no. and i hope i never do or else i would EXPLODE

Have you ever had a fic translated?

answer: no i don’t think so

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

answer: no but i would love to!!

What's your all-time favorite ship?

answer: Vincent & Mortifer❤️ though i haven’t written anything with them as a couple yet. but i want to someday. oh and also Asamad & his wife Ophelia (my OC) too!

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

answer: none cause i finish my fics always LOL

What are your writing strengths?

answer: coming up with really good ideas

What are your writing weaknesses?

answer: i don’t know the exact ones, but i know i have some

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

answer: i couldn’t do that because i only know English. would be cool if i could though.

First fandom you wrote for?

answer: Scooby Doo!

Favorite fic you've ever written?

answer: i’ve got multiple!!

Thousands of Years, No Matter What Time Can’t Separate Us, Possession, Hauntings of Christmas Past, Just Between Our Souls, Everlasting Pasts, and The Nightmare You Can’t Escape!!!

[memer-the-miner]

I heard you do techza prompts? Could you do immortal philza and techno, but techno dies and reincarnates but doesn't have his memories :D? But he slowly gains them back and falls in love with philza once again :]?

Idk if this is quite what you meant but I still hope you enjoy it. (Also I assumed this was a writing prompt)

Writing is long so it's under the cut-

Techno and Phil, Kings of the Antarctic Empire, were fighting off an ambush from a rival kingdom. So far they’ve killed most of them; only three remained. Techno was fighting one, Phil was fighting the second, the third was somewhere, injured, between the two kings. Techno slayed his opponent quickly, and he heard Philza kill his attacker too. Before he could turn around, his whole world stopped.

The sword pierced his chest in a single blow from behind. Techno heard the final soldier laugh. They were cut off by the sound of their own gurgling and the loud thump of their body hitting the snow packed ground. Before Techno fell, two arms caught him and held him close.

“Phil-“ he breathed out, barely able to focus on his love.

“I’m here, we can heal this, we have potion-“ Philza rushed out before Techno interrupted.

“I won’t survive Phil,” he said bluntly, he could taste the blood pooling in his mouth already. He spit it out before continuing. “Remember I’ll come back, maybe in 10 years, maybe in 100. But I’ll come back for you my Angel.”

Techno reached and put a hand on the side of Phil’s face, who pushed into the contact. Before Phil could say I love you, Techno’s hand went limp.

**********

Technoblade was walking to the convenient store a block from his apartment. His roots were showing and wanted to get more pink dye before his hair went fully brown.

He walked in and pulled his leather jacket a little tighter around his body. Why the hell do these stores need to be so cold, he thought to himself.

As he walked through the aisles, bee lining to the hair dye, a person caught his eye. It was an older man with blond hair, he wore an aviator jacket with some simple jeans.

It’s not like he was doing anything interesting, actually he seemed to just be debating on what type of soda to buy from the freezer in the back.

Techno doesn’t know why, but instead of getting hair dye like he wanted, he goes to talk to the man.

He learns a couple things; 1. The man had beautiful blue eyes, 2. He had a charming British accent, 3. His name was Phil, and 4. Techno wanted to talk to this guy again.

*******

Techno and Phil would meet up at parks or arcades, Techno was competitive and Phil seemed to like indulging him in competition. Somehow he always knew what Techno was going to do before he even did it. But that wasn’t Techno’s main concern.

Ever since he met Phil, he had been having strange dreams. Sometimes he was a King, in charge of a great empire, and sometimes he was a gladiator, fighting in the arena. But in each and every dream Phil was there. Techno never dreamed about people like that, actually he barely had dreams period. Either way Phil was the cause and he was going to get to the bottom of this.

********

Phil and Techno were talking and walking at the park for their tenth time, Techno hasn’t brought up his dreams; at this rate he doesn’t plan on doing so. That’s what made it so much worse.

The incident.

Phil had mentioned something about disliking winter and Techno had replied with, “if you didn’t like the winter why make an empire in the Arctic?” As soon as he said it he went to back track but Phil was staring at him in a weird way. Techno didn’t know if he thought he was weird or not but he wasn’t going to find out. Before Phil could say anything, Techno took off running.

*********

Techno had been having weird scenes flash into his head. He’s a king, he’s fighting, he’s dead. That’s some of them, the rest are… different. He’s dancing, he’s laughing, he’s in love. They feel so much like memories, but they definitely aren’t.

But maybe they could be. While Techno was googling his symptoms of being a weirdo with weird dreams, an article about reincarnation popped up. Being curious he decided to read it.

Maybe those dreams weren’t dreams at all.

********

Techno found himself walking back from the convenient store when he ran into a familiar face, one with blond hair and a British accent.

“Why did you run off?” He asked.

Techno hesitated, before settling on the truth

“Look I know you’ll think I’m weird but I’m pretty sure we met in a previous life where we were kings in the Arctic which why I said that weird line and you probably think I’m so weird and-“ Techno’s rambling was cutoff when Phil grabbed his wrist.

“How much do you remember?” Phil asked, his eyes brimming with hope.

“Not a lot,” Techno answered truthfully.

Phil smirked, “well, we should fix that shouldn’t we?”

********

It’s been a few months and Techno still hasn’t remembered everything but his past life, but he’s getting there. He and Phil moved into the same apartment, Phil suggested it may bring back more memories, which it did. Every few days Techno will unlock a new memory. But as exciting as that was, Techno got to spend time with Phil every day. He got to learn new things about him. Apparently where Techno reincarnated, Phil was immortal, Techno loved learning about the past from someone who actually lived through it all. And that he really loved crows, which Techno though was more important; mainly because it gave him ideas of gifts he could give Phil.

Either way, every day Techno falls in love with Phil a little more in two different ways. One time through the memories he gains from the past, where their married, in love, and powerful. And another time through the new memories they create together, where Techno learns about all the new things that Phil loves, and can love him in a new way.

[haijmei]

in your arms

in rough times, your husband's there to provide you with his loving embrace.

ʚ kuroo tetsuro x reader | post-timeskip | 0.9k words

a/n: this was very self-indulgent as i wrote this at 11 pm last night feeling like poop ;p (also meaning not proofread sorry friends)

it was exhausting to be trying your best but have your efforts be undermined by words filled with doubt and harm against your dreams.

when you finally gain confidence in yourself and start to get comfortable in a zone of unfamiliarity to only be pushed back by wordy jabs to the back, it’s almost painful to take a step into it once more; worry filling your mind and tainting your own confidence, further efforts are less of a possibility. all you could do is sit back and think of what you could’ve done.

it was 2 am— way past bedtime. getting some sleep was no chance. all you could do was lay in bed and stare at the ceiling.

you were tired. yet, nothing could make you fall asleep. counting sheep, blinking your eyes rapidly, even drinking milk. nothing helped. so you were depending on time and waiting it out to help you instead.

but staring at an empty ceiling at 2 am with your thoughts in attempts to sleep caused them to run wild instead, thinking back to earlier that day when you had announced your new job opportunity to your family.

“i got a job! it’s overseas, in italy. i’d have to move there for the season, since it’s a seasonal job,” you spoke proudly. but from there on, questions and comments that prodded at both your thoughts and heart broke any confidence or joy you had from your chance.

“really? italy? i’m surprised they chose you!”

“how’d you get that job? aren’t you supposed to be smart for it?”

and the laughter. their voices breathed out in glee and humor, but you weren’t laughing. all you wanted to do was cry, but you couldn’t burst into tears at the audience of your family. so all you could do was hold it in and fake a smile till you got home.

but as soon as you arrived home, you realized how messy it was. blankets and kitchenware scattered, trash left in the bin, and more rubbish around the home made the place feel dirty. so off you went to scrub and pick up after you and your husband, tiring yourself out even more.

and once your home had been cleaned, you laid down in bed hoping to get rest but proved useless as here you were: still awake as the time passed, now at 3:32 am.

it was exhausting, if you hadn’t said it before. you try your best to make your family proud of your accomplishments, but what pride would you take if all that came along with it were backhanded comments and straight up denial?

fatigue won you over, and the tears spilt. unending, heart-wrenching, overwhelming— it took a toll on you. your chest pounded in pain, jaw clenching from how hard you sobbed into your pillow, the tears pouring out with a seemingly infinite stream. the more you thought about it, the more it stung.

as you continued your breakdown into your pillow, the bedroom door opened slowly, in hopes that you wouldn’t wake up from his presence. you were already awake however, and your sobs made it prevalent.

hearing such despairing sounds, your husband rushed over to you, checking on your wellbeing.

“y/n? hey, y/n? are you okay?” 

“tetsu?” at such a weak answer to his question, he pulled you into a hug, squeezing everywhere he could to try and comfort you the best he could.

“baby, what’s wrong? talk to me,” he pleaded. he pulled you out from his arms and took a look at your face, or at least what he could make out from it.

he noticed your glistening stream of tears, wiping it with both of his thumbs, one at a time. your lips were trembling, and he planted a gentle kiss on it. for extra measures, he left one on your forehead too.

“tetsu, i’m tired of this,” you confessed. at your answer, he squeezed you more in his arms, hoping that he could at least give you all the support he had to offer.

“you want to talk about it? or do you want to stay like this?” 

you stayed quiet for a few seconds, before shuffling further into his arms, your own limbs wrapping around his torso.

“tomorrow, please. i just need you right now, tetsu,” you pleaded. at the sound of how weak your voice sounded, he was able to leave everything as it was, and continued to comfort you in your arms. 

your tears continued for a bit till it subsided as you found yourself welcomed in your husband’s arms. kuroo had continued to hold you for as long as you needed, periodically squeezing at your body or wiping your stray tears. even if he couldn’t say anything to ease your troubles, he knew that his actions were more than words.

as you laid in his arms for nearly an hour now, sleepiness finally shrouded you. eyelids getting heavy and breathing slowing, kuroo knew you were letting the exhaustion win. he hauled your body up onto his as he laid down on the bed, trying his best not to disturb you as he positioned your body comfortably into the space beside him. you moved yourself too, finding the best position was where your arms were under your chest and head right on his shoulder. kuroo brought his hand to where yours was in order to hold it. you reached for it, lacing each other’s fingers.

before letting your body finally rest, you squeezed at his hand– a sign telling him you were grateful for his help. he responded with his own squeeze, and a simple “i love you” spilling from his lips.

taglist (ty for your support!)

@itachislut @xububabuba @hoothootreiber @rintones @dai-tsukki-desu @nanana-kashi @nicerthanu @chloee0x0 @mangowetwipes @tendouluvr

[uwusenpaiuwu]

Sleepovers At The Baji Household feat. A Fed-Up Chifuyu

Summary: Chifuyu just wants to sleep, man, but Baji wants to be a jealous crackhead at 2 AM.

Pairing: Sano Manjiro | Mikey x Male Reader

Note(s): I had a little free time and wrote this. So, please enjoy! ALSO, to the anon that sent me a request a few days ago, I saw it and have it filed on my to-do list!!! I will definitely get to it as soon as I get a break in my schedule :)

"Chifuyu, ya wanna see some real discrimination?"

No. No, Chifuyu does not want to see what Baji means by 'real discrimination.'

Does he tell him that, though?

Yes, actually, because it's 2 in the fucking morning and, as much as he respects the other boy, he wouldn't put it past himself to smother him with a pillow after having his dream of cuddling with a sea of puppies suddenly destroyed.

Unfortunately for his sanity, Baji either doesn't hear him or, more likely than not, doesn't give a fuck, because he's already flopping onto his belly and whipping out his phone to do God knows what.

The dial tone that sounds from the speaker a few seconds later makes Chifuyu cringe, especially since it's only ever been a calm silence fit for a good night's sleep prior to Baji bulldozing through it with his absurd question. (At the very least, he's thankful that the latter has half a mind to keep the brightness on the lowest setting, otherwise, Chifuyu would have had to fight.)

On the far end of the row of carefully-laid futons, you shift in your sleep, eyebrows furrowing together at the noise. Rotating onto your side, you unconsciously reach for Baji, and just when he thinks you're being cute and trying to cuddle him, you smack him in the head.

Baji doesn't flinch, instead, takes his pillow and shoves it in your grasp to keep your unconscious self occupied, so that he can focus on getting through to the person who reuses to pick up (understandably so).

Releasing a frustrated groan after being redirected to voice mail for the fifth time, he dials the number again, muttering an impatient, "Pick up already."

Chifuyu feels sorry for the poor soul on the other end. He would've blocked someone following the first call, because again, it's-

The blond has to squint his eyes up at the digital clock on Baji's nightstand, which confirms that it's already 2:22 A.M, further solidifying the fact that he shouldn't be awake right now. And this also applies to the ever persistent first division captain, who insists on bothering who Chifuyu soon discovers is Mikey from the contact ID that flashes across the screen.

Why Baji is so keen on bothering him is a question he doesn't have the mental capacity to ponder over. The most energy he'll expend is to listen in when the call miraculously connects.

"What...?" comes a muffled voice from the receiver, tone laced in an irked grogginess birthed from a slumber rudely interrupted.

There's an absurdly loud, almost angry, roar of Mikey's name, one that has Chifuyu curling in on himself in a futile attempt to escape a sound that should be illegal at this hour.

But you know what else should be illegal?

The fucking whiplash Chifuyu gets when Baji's deep voice takes an abrupt 180°, switching from its normal gruffness to a squeaky, ear-piercing shrill as he screams, "I love you, love you, love you! Do you love me, too, Mikey-kyun~♡?!"

The room is dead silent.

Not a word. Not a murmur. Not a breath.

Just pure, unadulterated silence as both Chifuyu and Mikey process the words that hang in the air, permeating it with a goosebumps-inducing eeriness from having heard such a...a girly, overtly cutesy screech from Baji.

Then-

"What the fuck? He hung on me!"

Chifuyu opens his mouth, thinks better of reacting to the cursed scene he had the misfortune of bearing witness to, and promptly closes it.

Other people may have sleep paralysis demons.

But Chifuyu?

Chifuyu has Baji.

With both hands partially raised in prayer, he begs for the shenanigans to be over and done with.

They are not.

While his eyes remain closed in a last ditch effort to convince himself that it's all a bad dream, he hears a lot of grumbling happening on your side of the room, courtesy of Baji, who's scrambling around in search of...something. One quick peek reveals him fiddling with a phone - yours, to be exact, as evidenced by the distinctive phone charm of your favorite anime character hanging from it.

"(Y/n), wake up for a second," he hears him whisper. It takes a bit of prompting, until he's able to successfully rouse you enough from sleep to elicit any kind of response, which is, essentially, nothing short of an incoherent, slurred mess. Although, Chifuyu is pretty damn certain he heard you call Baji a 'dickhead' for the trouble.

Unperturbed, he continues shaking your limp form, coaxing you into wakefulness with, "Repeat what I tell you, and I'll let you go back to asleep. Deal?"

You squint your eyes at him, only able to make out a vague outline of his visage in the lightless room. "Promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to die," he automatically responds with the same phrase he's become accustomed to saying whenever you two made a promise, something done purely out of habit, formed when the two of you were just kids and he wanted to get you to do something absolutely ridiculous either for him or with him. And just 'cause he knows you're more susceptible to complying if he does it, he also interlocks his pinky with yours.

"...Fine."

The approval is his cue to proceed, and it's as he's putting the phone on speaker that he turns back to a regretfully wide awake Chifuyu, mouthing a wordless, 'Watch.'

The phone rings, loud and clear, precisely once and only once.

"(Y/n), what's wrong?" It's important to note that even though Mikey still sounds tired as hell, his tone is much lighter, much happier really, than when it was Baji, which is an offense in itself to the said teen that's off to the side, attentively listening to the conversation unfold.

Then, it strikes Chifuyu, what Baji is trying to do, and fuck does it give him an instant headache.

Meanwhile, your mouth morphs into the dopiest of smiles with the pleasant surprise of hearing your boyfriend's voice, chest instantly overtaken by a warm fuzziness that never fails to make an appearance whenever he's involved. Sappy, you know, but it's true!

A light but firm nudge to your shoulder reminds you of your mission. It's too bad that, teetering along the edge of sleep as you are, the words Baji whispers are barely repeated correctly.

The initial phrase from before, the one Baji greeted Mikey with, is shortened to a simple, "You wuv I...?"

But, without missing a beat, you receive Mikey's confident reply of, "Mhm... I wuv you a lot."

There's a sleepy giggle then - a fucking giggle - before your voices drop to sweet whispers that the third and fourth wheels can't fully comprehend from where they are.

"Where the fuck was my 'I wuv you,' huh?!" Baji whisper-shouts, considerate of your conversation even when ranting and raving. "Shit, I would've taken a simple 'I love you,' too! I've known that bastard way longer than (Y/n), and this is what I get?!"

Okay. Toman's president answers his boyfriend's late night calls faster than he does anyone else's and openly expresses his love for him. So what? Chifuyu wouldn't exactly call it 'discrimination,' per se. 'Favoritism,' maybe if you wanna stretch it, but using as strong a word as discrimination, especially taking into account you two are dating; it's normal? Nah.

"You wanna say 'bye' to them? Mm. Baji and Chifuyu." A pause. "Fuyu, Mikey says 'bye.'"

"Bye, Mikey-kun."

The other person in the room waits, and waits, and waits, and when it's clear that there is no intention to address his presence whatsoever, Baji turns to Chifuyu with an almost scandalized expression, making wild gesticulations with his hands, clearly distressed. "See?!"

Blank blue eyes stare back at him, unblinking. Honestly, it's a common occurrence - Baji spiraling in a nonsensical rage - so it's easy for Chifuyu to block out the muted, jealousy-driven temper tantrum as he takes his pillow in both hands, raises it as high as he can, and-

Sigh.

-lets it flop right back onto his face.

He can't suffocate Baji. Shouldn't. Wouldn't. Couldn't. After all, they're best buds, meaning he has an obligation to put up with shit like this once in a while. (Plus, he'd probably get his ass kicked before he succeeds anyway. Totally not worth the beating.)

"Did you hear? Mikey said he wuvs me," he hears you drawl dreamily as soon as you hang up, sounding very close to clocking back out for the night.

"Yeah, yeah. Cute shit. Happy for ya, dude," Baji huffs. Thankfully, he sounds like he's in a similar state to yours, if the yawn that follows his sarcastic comment is anything to go by.

"...He soooo ignored you."

That warrants a punishing punch to the arm, dulled only slightly by the combination of the thick quilt you're swaddled in and the raven-haired boy's fatigue.

"I'll fucking throw you out right now, (Y/n). Don't test me."

"You won't."

"I will."

"Won't."

"Will."

The conversation gradually dies down shortly after, the exhaustion that took its sweet time getting to both of you having reached its peak with the help of the childish bickering. It takes 10 minutes, maybe 15, before two sets of light snores fill the room.

Finally.

Let it be known that there is a lesson to be learned from tonight's events. Really, there is. Y'know, something along the lines of 'Don't agree to a sleepover with Baji, if you plan on actually sleeping,' or whatever.

Alas, Chifuyu's consciousness fades before he realizes what it is.

~~~

"Mikey, be honest. Who do you love more? Me or-?"

"(Y/n)."

"But-"

(Y/n)."

"I-"

"(Y/n)."

Baji is only momentarily discouraged, sharp eyes glaring at the blond that lays his head on your lap after hi-fiving you. He didn't want to do this, but he's left with no choice.

"(Y/n) or Babu?"

From the way Mikey stiffens up, refusing to look at either him or you in the eyes, Baji knows he has him right where he wants him, has him torn between a cute face or a sweet ride.

"Oi! Don't pretend to be asleep! Answer the damn question! OI!"

(After hours of serious contemplation - even though you told him it doesn't particularly matter - it's revealed that, of course, Mikey loves you more. Babu just happens to trail behind as a very close second.)